Posttest Group Research Articles

Analysis of the Effectiveness of Project-Based Seamless Learning Model on Concept Understanding

Aims: The aim of this study was to identify the effectiveness of project-based seamless learning model on concept understanding. Study Design: The research method used quantitative experimental design. Methodology: The research method used quasi experiment with research design nonequivalent pretest posttest group design, where there is an experimental group and a control group, the experimental group is given treatment and there is no treatment on the control group. The research subjects were 160 people, 80 people in the experimental group and 80 people in the control group. Data collection using tests conducted pretest and posttest. Data analysis used normality test, homogeneity test and independent sample t test. Results: The results of research and discussion, it can be concluded that there is an effective project-based seamless learning model on concept understanding. Based on the results of hypothesis testing on the posttest, the value on the posttest of the experimental group and the control group obtained a significance value of 0.002 <0.050. And also the difference in the average posttest score of the experimental group is 84.06, greater than the lower control group of 80.56. This proves that there are differences caused by the application of the learning model in the two groups. The experimental group used a project-based seamless learning model while the control group used a conventional model. Conclusion: there is the effectiveness of project-based seamless learning model on concept understanding. The hope is that the project-based seamless learning model can be applied at various levels of educational institutions or in various subject matters so that the quality of learning will be even better and continue to improve rapidly.

Nurturing Argumentation Skills to Solve Complex Problems through Structured Scaffolding-Guided Inquiry (SSGI)

This study aims to develop a structured scaffolding-guided inquiry (SSGI) learning model that is oriented toward nurturing argumentation skills to solve complex problems. Test the effectiveness of the SSGI model in improving students' argumentation skills to solve complex problems. This research is development research that refers to Dick and Carey. Test the effectiveness of the SSGI learning model in a quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test group design. Argumentation skills to solve complex problems data were collected using an essay test. The research sample used Physics Education students in the 4th semester (N = 30). The significance of the difference in pre-test and post-test scores was analyzed using the t-test. The impact of the SSGI is analyzed using effect size. The result of this study indicates that the SSGI enhances students' argumentation skills to solve complex problems. The increase in students' argumentation skills to solve complex problems was 7% in the high category, 57% in the medium category, and 36% in the low category. The effect size coefficient of the SSGI is 0.78 in the medium category. The SSGI syntax that contributes the most to growing argumentation skills to solve complex problems is the reasoning syntax. Then the next sequence is syntax exploration, closure, and orientation.

To evaluate the effect of a structured training program about polycystic ovarian syndrome on the knowledge and perception of nursing students of a government nursing teaching institute in Northern India

ABSTRACT Background: The education levels of females have been found to aid in the early detection of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial in mitigating the long-term consequences of PCOS. Nursing students are poised to become the next generation of healthcare professionals, equipped with valuable knowledge that can be utilized to increase awareness among their peers and patients, particularly about this critical subject matter. Objective: We conducted this study to assess the current level of knowledge and perception regarding PCOS among nursing students and to evaluate the impact of structured training interventions on their baseline knowledge and perception level. Methods: It was a single-group pre-post interventional study done on the nursing students of Govt. Nursing College. A pre-tested questionnaire was used as a study tool. Intervention in the form of a structured training program was imparted to the participants. Results: The pre-test group exhibited a lower mean knowledge score (M = 22.5758, SD = 11.02290) than the post-test group (M = 31.3889, SD = 14.50417). A significant difference was observed in the mean knowledge scores (t = −8.107070, P = 0.00001). The pre-test group exhibited a lower mean perception score (M = 35.3535, SD = 3.79637) than the post-test group (M = 36.6616, SD = 3.79576). There was a significant difference in the mean perception score (t = −5.883333, P = 0.00001). Conclusions: This study has shown the positive impact of relevant training on the knowledge and perception of nursing students about PCOS.

Multimodal intervention on perception and quality of life of geriatric clients regarding health promotional outcomes at a selected hospitals, Kolar, Karnataka, India

ABSTRACT Background of Study: Old age is a privilege for a second childhood and a new stage of opportunity and strength. Older adults are the most rapidly growing segment of the population. By 2050, 80% of all older people will live in low- and middle-income countries. Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of multimodal intervention on perception and quality of life among geriatric clients. Methods: Quantitative approach quasi-experimental interventional controlled study with pre-test, post-test design and follow-up for two months, adopted by using purposive sampling technique among 120 geriatric clients who gave consent for participation in the study at two different settings of hospitals from July 2022 to January 2023, Kolar. After obtaining Central Ethics Committee approval, data was obtained using the structured perception questionnaire and WHO Quality of Life questionnaire, and the Multimodal Intervention package consisting of a snake and ladder health promotion strategies game, educational video, and informational pamphlet distributed to the experimental group, whereas routine care was given to the control group followed by post-test group on the 30th and 60th day. Reinforcement was carried out by the investigator on a fortnightly basis reminders through messages. Data were analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics such as repeated measures of ANOVA, independent ‘t’- test, paired ‘t-test, and Chi-square. Results: A perception significant effect was demonstrated in the experimental group with enhanced mean, standard deviation from pre-test to post-test I and Post-test II found to be 35.1 ± 7.9, 46.3 ± 6.1, and 48.3 ± 4.7, respectively, without significant changes in the control group. Concerning quality of life, important variations were demonstrated in the experimental group with enhanced mean, SD from pre-test to post-test I and Post-test II found to be 54.76 ± 10.39, 74.15 ± 6.75 and 77.71 ± 4.99, respectively, without any significant changes in the control group. Conclusion: Geriatric population was the biggest beneficiary, multimodal intervention was proven to be effective and can be implemented in hospitals and community settings in improving the perception and quality of life of senior clients to foster healthy aging. CTRI Trial Reg no: CTRI/2021/07/034632.

Science interdisciplinary learning approach: a study interdisciplinary thinking skills and literacy environment

The formation of environmental literacy in the education system through education for sustainable development (EfSD) experiences many obstacles. The aim of the research is to analyze the impact of interdisciplinary science learning for interdisciplinary oriented education for sustainable development to improve interdisciplinary thinking and environmental literacy of prospective teachers. The experimental method with a quasi-experimental pretest posttest group design was used in this study. The data collection technique used is an environmental literacy questionnaire and an interdisciplinary thinking test. Data analysis technique used independent t test. The results obtained were that the science interdisciplinary learning effective in improving interdisciplinary thinking performance and environmental literacy. The performance of students’ interdisciplinary thinking affects environmental literacy of students. The university forms student teacher candidates who have the ability to think interdisciplinary so that they can manage science learning in an interdisciplinary and environmentally literate manner. The implication of this research is the importance of fostering interdisciplinary thinking and environmental literacy at all levels of education.

The Effectiveness of Alkaline Water Consumption and Walking Exercise on the Quality of Life of Diabetes Mellitus Patients at the Pratama Yakri Clinic

ABSTRACT In 2022, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) recorded that 537 million adults (aged 20-79 years) or 1 in 10 people live with diabetes worldwide. Diabetes also causes 6.7 million deaths or 1 every 5 seconds. China is the country with the largest number of diabetes sufferers in the world, 140.87 million people. Furthermore, India is recorded as having 74.19 million people with diabetes, Pakistan 32.96 million, and the United States 32.22 million. Indonesia is in fifth position with the number of diabetes sufferers of 19.47 million. A person suffering from Diabetes Mellitus will have a disrupted quality of life. Apart from walking, non-pharmacological treatment that can be done by type 2 diabetes mellitus sufferers is by consuming alkaline water with a PH > 8. To determine the effectiveness of consuming alkaline water and walking exercise on the quality of life of diabetes mellitus patients. Quasi experiment with a posttest group design. The sample in this study was all 40 diabetes mellitus patients at the Pratama Yakri Clinic in Jakarta in December 2023. The sampling technique uses total sampling. The majority of respondents in the intervention group had good quality of life (70.0%), in the majority group their quality of life was very poor (75.0%). Alkaline water consumption and walking exercise are effective in improving the quality of life of diabetes mellitus patients (p value 0.000). Consuming alkaline water and walking exercise are effective in improving the quality of life of diabetes mellitus patients. It is hoped that diabetes mellitus sufferers will carry out activities such as walking and consuming alkaline water to improve their quality of life. Keywords: Walking Exercise, Alkaline Water, Diabetes Mellitus, Quality Life

Augmented reality and teaching strategies in the study of volcanism in elementary and secondary schools

This study investigated the impact of two teaching strategies, conventional and drawing principle, associated with the use of Augmented Reality (AR), on the school performance of pupils in the 7th-year of primary school and the 10th-year of secondary school on volcanism learning. Compared to previous research, the novelty of this study lies in the comparative analysis of these two teaching strategies and their association with AR applications. Four classes from the 7th-year and two from the 10th-year were studied, following a quasi-experimental design, with two control classes and two experimental classes in the 7th-year, and one control class and one experimental class in the 10th-year. The Classical Theory of Tests was applied to analyse the evidence of knowledge evaluation on volcanism, used in all groups in post-test and follow-up. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including Student’s t-test, were conducted for paired and unpaired groups after determining the normality and homogeneity of variance of the samples. In the 7th-year, students who used the drawing principle as a learning strategy performed better compared to those who used conventional teaching. When the drawing principle was associated with the use of AR, students achieved better results in the follow-up test. In 10th-year students, the results consistently showed better performance when the conventional teaching strategy was associated with the use of AR.

The effect of health literacy course on the level of health literacy in medical students

Abstract Health literacy (HL) concerns not only individuals but also health systems and health professionals. Most of the literature on HL has focused on patient factors, with little emphasis on the communication skills and practices of health professionals. Training is needed at all levels to understand the concept of HL and its impact on health inequalities. This study is an intervention study. Data were collected from 29 students taking the third year elective course at the Faculty of Medicine through an online survey. The survey consists of 40 questions aimed at assessing the demographic characteristics of the participants, the TSOY-32 Scale and some factors affecting HL. During the training period, role-play scenarios were played to teach the importance of HL, sample videos were watched to evaluate physician-patient communication, and case studies were conducted. The mean pre-test TSOY-32 scale score of the participants was 32.8±5.8. The mean post-test TSOY-32 scale score was 36.4±7.1. There was a significant difference between pretest and posttest groups in terms of TSOY-32 scale score (p = 0.033). Health professionals often overestimate patients’ HL levels and do not have sufficient competence to effectively manage limited HL. These gaps need to be addressed through the curricula of medical schools and specialties. Key messages • Training on health literacy improves medical students’ communication skills, bridging gaps in patient care. • Addressing health literacy in medical training enhances patient-doctor communication, vital for quality care.

PENGARUH PENGGUNAAN MEDIA AJAR BERBASIS TEKNOLOGI ANIMAKER PADA MATA PELAJARAN IPAS TERHADAP MINAT BELAJAR PADA SISWA SEKOLAH DASAR

: The effect of using technology-based learning media on science subjects. So you can see how strong the influence of technology-based learning media is on increasing students' interest in learning in the learning process. The aim of this research is to determine the effect of using Animaker technology-based teaching media on class 4 students' interest in learning. This type of research uses a quantitative approach with experimental research methods. The method used to find the effect of treatment on the thing being researched. Therefore, in this experimental method there will be special treatment to determine whether or not there is an influence in the research. The method used by researchers is Quasi Experimental design. hypothesis testing, the results of the independent t test show that there are significant differences between the two groups. Levene's Test shows that the variance of the two groups is considered the same (Sig. 0.804). The t-test results show a t-statistic value of 5.298 with 54 degrees of freedom and a significance value of 0.000. The mean difference between the experimental and control groups was 8.964 with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 5.572 to 12.356. These results indicate that the use of Animaker teaching media significantly increases students' interest in learning compared to conventional learning methods. It is concluded that there is a significant influence from the use of Animaker technology-based teaching media on students' interest in learning in science and science subjects in class 4 at SDN Grogol Utara 09. Analysis statistics show that there is a significant difference in the post-test results between the experimental group using Animaker and the control group using conventional methods. With the experimental group's average post-test results being slightly higher, this difference is statistically large enough to be declared a significant difference.

Socio-Formative Didactic Strategies to Strengthen Social Skills in Medical Technology University Students, 2021

The results of the investigation were aligned with the objective of determining the influence of the program in the strengthening of social skills in university students of Medical Technology of the National University of Jaén. It is an applied, explanatory, longitudinal research, with a quantitative approach and quasi-experimental design, with pre-test and post-test in experimental and control groups. The hypothetical-deductive method was used, with a population of 289 students and 80 for the sample. The Observation Form and the Social Skills Evaluation Scale were used. The results showed a good to excellent level of social skills in all the participants of the experimental group of the II and VI cycle. The means per academic cycle increased by 32 and 35.75 respectively. By dimensions according to academic cycle, the first social skills increased by 6.2 and 5.4, advanced social skills by 5.05 and 4.85, skills related to feelings by 5.45 and 5.1, alternative social skills to aggression by 3.95 and 6.7, social skills to cope with stress by 7.4 and 8.45, and finally social planning skills by 3.95 and 5.25 respectively. In conclusion, the program has a significant influence on strengthening social skills in university students, with a greater influence in the experimental group of the VI cycle (35.75 percentage points).

Impact DASH System on Patients' Dietary Pattern after Recovery from Myocardial Infarction

Background: One of the top three causes of death and morbidity is cardiovascular disease Myocardial infarction is a clinical illness defined by quickly growing severe myocardial ischemia. It is the most frequent health problem in the world and the main cause of mortality. Objectives: The study aims to assess the dietary pattern of food intake frequency for patients with post- myocardial infarction. Patients & Methods: The quasi-experimental design has been carried out to determine the impact of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension system on patients with post-myocardial infarction, in the Al-Diwaniyah Teaching Hospital's cardiac outpatient clinic for the period from 17th April 2023 to 3rd May, 2024. Nonprobability (purposive) sample of (60) patients were selected who recovering from myocardial infarction at AL Diwaniyah Teaching Hospital. The study instrument comprised of (3) parts: part I: demographic details of the patient, which included seven items. Part II: Data on clinical characteristics, consisting of (3) items and Part III: Evaluation of diet frequency consisting of (8) items. Results: The study results showed that most of the food groups were (less than the Recommended Daily Servings) in pre-test, then became (Equal to the Recommended Daily Servings) in post-test in the study group. While most of the food groups were (Less than the Recommended Daily Servings) in pre-test and post-test in the control group. Also, there were statistically significant differences between the study and control groups in the post-test measurements regarding the evaluation of the dietary pattern of food intake frequency at (p. value <0.05). Conclusions: The DASH system was effective in improving the dietary pattern of patients after recovery from myocardial infarction. And in assessing food intake frequency and the dietary pattern at p. value <0.05). There were statistically significant differences between the study and the control group on the post-test measures.

The Effect of YouTube on Speaking and Listening Skills of Students

In an English as Foreign Language context like Saudi Arabia, university business students face a difficult challenge to speak in English and to understand what is spoken. The students don’t have the opportunity in their daily life to listen to native speakers in or outside the classroom, but they are expected to listen to the text book audios in the classes spoken by the native speakers of English. Therefore, the difficulty rises in Listening and Speaking Skills Course as the students are not exposed to the British accent. In order to solve this problem, the researcher used YouTube videos spoken by the native speakers in the experimental group, and the control group just had the normal practice of listening to only the textbook audios. The researcher adopted quasi-experimental design with pretest and posttest in both control and experimental groups and analyzed the performance of the students using SPSS and Excel. The study proved that the results of experimental group improved significantly in their listening comprehension skills and performed better in their presentations than the control group. In the English as Foreign Language contexts, where business students fail to have exposure to the native accent of English, YouTube videos can make a great contribution in improving their listening and speaking skills.

The Effect of Google-Mediated Collaborative Writing on English as a Second Language Students’ Global and Local Writing Features

In recent decades, web-based collaborative writing has become popular as a technical technique for improving collaboration. The study explored the effect of Google-mediated collaborative writing (henceforth GMCW) and face-to-face collaborative writing (henceforth FTFCW) on developing English as a Second Language (henceforth ESL) students’ global and local writing features (organization, development, cohesion, structure, vocabulary, and mechanics). Despite the emphasis English language instructors in Saudi universities place on writing skills, students still face challenges in achieving proficiency in writing. The study included 46 male students at level 3 from the Qassim University English Language Department. An experimental study was used, along with a post-questionnaire, as additional material to collect students’ perceptions. In addition to using the independent t-test to compare the mean in the post-test of the two groups, a paired t-test was used to compare the mean in the pre-test and post-test of the same group. The researcher used a two-by-two mixed ANOVA to examine how students’ global and local writing features (such as organization, development, and cohesion) changed when they collaborated face-to-face or via Google Docs. The results showed that the Google-mediated collaborative writing post-test mean was greater than face-to-face collaborative writing in all writing features, and the difference was statistically significant. The questionnaire revealed that Google-mediated collaborative writing raised confidence, encouraged teamwork, instructed students on how to engage in peer feedback, and increased their willingness to use Google Docs for further assignments. Google-mediated collaborative writing benefited students more in terms of their writing quality (organization, development, and cohesion) than their writing accuracy (mechanics and structure). Google-mediated collaborative writing did not pay attention to form (spelling, punctuation, or structure). In contrast, students’ perceptions of the global and local writing aspects of face-to-face collaborative writing negatively impacted organization, development, and cohesion. The face-to-face collaborative writing students focused more on the essay form (mechanics and structure) than on the content (organization, development, and cohesion).

Effect Of Audio-Visual Intervention and Cooperative Learning on Keyboard Mastery in Computer Studies Among Junior School Students in Ede, Osun State

This study examined the effect of audio-visual intervention and cooperative learning on keyboard mastery in computer studies among junior school students in Ede, Osun State. Three, hypotheses guided the study, and a 3×3 factorial quasi-experimental design was adopted which involved pre-test, post-test, non-randomized control and non-equivalent intact groups. The population for the study was all the students in Government Junior Secondary School Two in Ede South Local Government Area, Osun State, Nigeria, which at the time of this study was 965. The sample for the study was 261 from three intact classes; two experimental classes and one control class. Research Instruments consisted of: (i) computer keyboard mastery (CKM), (ii) Video Tutorials, (iii) Interactive Keyboard Simulator (iv) Typing Games and (v) a lesson plan structure provided to facilitate the teaching of computer keyboard mastery. The Computer Keyboard Mastery (CKM) was validated and pilot tested for reliability using Kuder Richardson 20 (KR-20) formula with a result of 0.75 value. Using ANCOVA to test the hypotheses generated for the study, the results revealed that there is a significant main effect of audio-visual intervention on Junior Secondary School Students’ Keyboard mastery level in computer studies in Ede, Osun State (F (1,177) =1137.406, p<0.05, η2=0.865). A significant main effect of cooperative learning exists on Junior Secondary School Students’ Keyboard mastery level in computer studies in Ede, Osun State (F (1,180) =1124.769, p<0.05, η2=0.862). There is a significant interactive effect of audio-visual and cooperative learning intervention on Junior Secondary School Students’ Keyboard mastery level in computer studies in Ede, Osun State (F (1,128) =0.057, p<0.05, η2=0.830). It was recommended that: (i) audio-visual intervention and (ii) cooperative learning should be adopted independently and (iii) in combination of both audio-visual intervention and cooperative learning should be adopted in teaching and learning of computer keyboard mastery at the Junior Secondary Schools for effectiveness.

Synthesis of Research on Science Learning Management Affecting Problem Solving Skills: Meta-Analysis

The rapidly changing world of the 21st century is complex and unpredictable. The researcher aimed to study the findings from a meta-analysis of 42 research studies related to the learning management of science that affects problem-solving skills during 2012–2022 from a database in Thailand called ThaiLIS. The findings revealed the variables that cause different mean effect sizes and the influence of research quality on the effect size. The instruments of this research were the research quality assessment form and the research characteristics assessment form. Statistics for data analysis were mean, standard deviation, one-way analysis of variance, and multiple regression analysis. The directional research hypothesis, multi-stage sampling, randomized control group post-test only design, PBL, and Weir's solution theory were discovered in the study to be the variables that caused the mean effect sizes to differ at the statistical significance level of .05. In addition, research quality had a positive influence on the effect size. The findings of this study will be useful to teachers who want to provide learning management of science that helps students develop problem-solving skills. This will develop skills more effective than traditional teaching.

Effect of Cold Application on Pain Relief during Intravenous Cannulation for Cancer Patients

Background: The cannulation of intravenous Analgesia is rarely experienced after this unpleasant procedure, which can also induce stress and worry. Objective: The purpose of the study was to ascertain how cold affected the degree of pain during intravenous cannulation. Methodology: A randomized controlled trial was carried out at the oncology department of AL-Al-Haboubi Teaching Hospital in Dhi-Qar from January 4, 2024, until February 3, 2024. After the sample was selected, 102 patients were divided into two groups in order to achieve the study's objective: 50 patients were assigned to the control group and 52 patients to the experimental group. The experimental group was given cold gel, and self-report data collection was used. A visual analogue scale of 10 cm was used to measure pain. Results: The experimental group's post-test results showed a low mean pain score (28.76+20.491), while the control group's data analysis results showed a high mean score (M+SD 76.54+20.427) and severe discomfort during cannulation insertion. The mean pain score during cannulation insertion varied significantly (p=.001) between the experimental and control groups following the use of cold treatment. Conclusions: According to the study's findings, the cool approach helped to lessen intravenous cannulation pain. Recommendations: The study advised patients to be chilled when receiving intravenous cannulation.

The Effect of Question Answer Relationship Strategy on Iraqi EFL Intermediate Pupils’ Reading Comprehension

The Question Answer Relationship strategy is useful for teaching pupils how to understand and reply of several forms of the questions. Understanding that some questions have “Right There” solutions in the text, that others require the reader to “Think and Search,” and that others can only be answered “On My Own” helps pupils recognize the importance of thinking about the topic before finding the answer. The aims of the current study are finding out the effect of Question Answer Relationship strategy on Iraqi EFL intermediate pupil’s achievement and finding out the effect of Question Answer Relationship strategy on developing Iraqi EFL intermediate pupil’s reading comprehension. The aims of the study are supposed to be achieved through verifying the following hypothesis: There are no statistically significant differences between the mean scores of the experimental group which is taught by question answer relationship strategy and the control group who is taught by prescribed method in pupil’s post achievement test . The second hypothesis states that there is no statistical significant differences between the mean scores of the experimental group in pre and post reading comprehension test. The sample of the current study consists of (60) pupils from the second grade at Karam AL Rahman Intermediate School for Boys is chosen at random to be the sample of the study. The sample is split into two groups: one for the experiment and the other is for the control. Both groups are similar in terms of their age, parent’s educational level and previous year’s English language scores. The experiment lasted for ten weeks ,the researcher taught the two groups during the academic year 2022-2023. To analyze the obtained data, different statistical means have been used T-test, Weighted mean to measure the pupils’ achievement. After the statistically treatment of the data.

The influence of cooperative learning strategy on social studies pre-service teachers’ attitudes towards cybercrime prevention

This study investigates the influence of cooperative learning strategy on Social Studies pre-service teachers' attitudes toward cybercrime prevention. The study employed a quasi-experimental research design of the pre-test, post-test, and control group design. The population comprised pre-service teachers enrolled in Social Studies education departments across three universities in the Southwest region of Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was employed, selecting intact classes from each university. The research utilized a comprehensive set of instruments, including the Cooperative Learning Strategy Guide and Lecture Note (CLSG), Conventional Method Guide and Lecture Note (CMG), and Attitude to Cybercrime Prevention Scale (ACPS). Data analysis was conducted using descriptive and inferential statistics. All Hypotheses were tested at a significance level of 0.05. The findings showed that using cooperative learning strategies positively affects Social Studies pre-service teachers' attitudes toward cybercrime prevention. This approach encourages active engagement, collaboration, group discussions, problem-solving, and sharing learning experiences. These results revealed the necessity for tailored approaches to address attitude change effectively. Integrating cooperative learning strategies into higher education can help pre-service teachers take a proactive approach to cybercrime prevention. This will improve their knowledge and skills while promoting a safer digital learning environment for students.

The Strong Effect of Propolis in Suppressing NF-κB, CysC, and ACE2 on a High-fat Diet

Background: A high fat diet (HFD)is one of the main causes of obesity and is closely linked to metabolic disorders brought on by stress and malfunctioning tissues. Propolis (Trigona Honey) is considered to be helpful in treating inflammatory diseases because it has also been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory and anti-free radical properties. This study to demonstrate how much propolis supplementation affects BW, NF-κB, CysC, and ACE2 levels in Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) fed a HFD. Methods: Post-test and control group designs in an experimental setup. A total of twenty-four rats were randomly assigned to four groups of six. Group I received a normal diet for sixteen weeks (ND), Group II received a high fat diet (HFD) for sixteen weeks (HFD), Group III received an HFD for sixteen weeks plus propolis for eight weeks (HFD-8), and Group IV received an HFD and propolis for sixteen weeks (HFD-16). Using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), body weight (BW), serum NF-κB, Cys C, and ACE2 levels were measured before treatment (week 0), after 8 weeks of HFD (HFD-8) (week 8), and after 16 weeks of HFD (HFD-16). Results: The mean starting weight in the ND, HFD, HFD-8, and HFD-16 groups did not differ significantly (p > 0.001). By week eight, the HFD group's body weight had increased considerably (254.83 grams vs. 202.0 grams) in comparison to the ND group (p<0.001). The HFD and HFD-8 groups' body weight increased significantly at week 16 in comparison to the ND group (334.83 grams and 269.50 grams vs. 208.67 grams) (p<0.001). At week 16, there was no discernible difference in mean BW between ND and HFD-16 (p > 0.001). There was no significant difference found in the mean initial NF-κB levels between the ND, HFD, HFD-8, and HFD-16 groups (p > 0.001). At week 8, NF-κB levels in the HFD group were significantly higher (5,038 ng/ml vs. 3,655 ng/ml) (p<0.001) than in the ND group. At week 16, NF-κB levels in the HFD and HFD-8 groups were notably higher than those in the ND group (p<0.001), at 6,136 ng/ml and 4,378 ng/ml, respectively, compared to 3,775 ng/ml. Between ND and HFD-16, there was no significant distinction in the mean NF-κB levels at week 16 (p>0.001). There was no significant difference observed in the mean CysC and ACE2 between the ND, HFD, HFD-8, and HFD-16 groups (p > 0.001). CysC and ACE2 levels in the HFD group were significantly higher than those in the ND group at week 8, and in the HFD and HFD-8 groups, they were significantly higher than those in the ND group at week 16. When propolis is administered for eight weeks, the rise in BW, NF-κB, CysC, and ACE2 is suppressed until the eighth week, at which point it increases once more until the sixteenth week. Propolis administration, however, will halt the rise in BW, NF-κB, CysC, and ACE2 until the sixteenth week. Conclusion: Propolis administration for 16 weeks can suppress the increase in BW, LI, RI, NF-κB, CysC and ACE2 levels in rats given a high fat diet (HFD).

Effect of Citrus sinensis and Musa textilia Consumption on Lactic Acid Levels and Muscle Tension in Fish Auction Workers

Potassium deficiency is known to induce muscle fatigue, necessitating the inclusion of potassium-rich foods, such as orange (Citrus sinensis) and banana (Musa textilia) in diet. Previous studies have shown that consuming 150 g and 300 g of banana is effective in preventing muscle fatigue, with orange containing 237.4 mg of potassium per 300 ml. Therefore, this study aims to examine the relationship between lactic acid concentration and muscle tension reduction in fish auction workers after the administration of orange and banana. The study procedures were carried out with a quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test group design, and the samples were divided into 4 groups. Group 1 received both orange and banana, 2 was given only orange, 3 received only banana, while 4 was not given any intervention. Supplemental observations were then conducted over 3 consecutive days, followed by data analysis using Two-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) to compare lactic acid levels (independent variable) with muscle tension and strength (dependent variables). The results showed that banana significantly affected lactic acid levels but did not influence muscle tension. The combination of orange and banana produced varying levels of lactic acid and muscle tension, indicating the ineffectiveness of only banana. The intake of both fruits was also reported to influence lactic acid levels but did not affect muscle strength, suggesting the ineffectiveness of orange. These results indicated that while orange and banana could reduce lactic acid levels, the fruits did not significantly affect muscle strength or tension.