Science Laboratory Research Articles

Physical Facility Availability and Students’ Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Trans Nzoia East Sub-County, Kenya

Education is essential for individual growth and national progress, but its success largely depends on the institutions that sustain it. Identifying how these institutional factors contribute to or hinder academic success is vital for overcoming challenges in the education sector and promoting academic achievement. This study seeks to examine how physical facility availability influences academic performance of learners in public secondary schools in Trans Nzoia East Sub-county, Kenya. The study set out to ascertain the following effects: the influence of science laboratories and computer laboratories in the academic performance of students in public secondary schools in Kenya's Trans Nzoia East Sub-County; assess the influence of library resources on the academic performance of students in public secondary schools in Kenya's Trans Nzoia East Sub-County; to evaluate the effects of dormitories on the academic performance of students in public secondary schools in Kenya's Trans Nzoia East Sub-County; and the impact of sanitation facilities and open fields on the academic performance of students in public secondary schools in Kenya's Trans Nzoia East Sub-County. Based on the principle of the Education Production Function, the study was conducted utilized a mixed-methods, descriptive approach. The research targeted a population of 4574 persons consisting of 73 principals, 1,280 serving instructors and 3221 senior students in government secondary institutions. Participants were selected using random sampling to appoint the sample of principals, teachers and students. A sample of 354 individuals were identified using the Krejcie & Morgan table (1970) of choosing the appropriate number of sample. The sample consisted of 6 principals, 99 serving teachers and 249 form four students. To collect data, the study used interviews, questionnaires, document analysis and observation. The instruments were piloted in three public secondary schools in Trans Nzoia West region. Validity testing was done by the researcher being assisted by professionals who expertise in various aspects of validy. In reliability, test-retest method was administered and determined by the Cronbach alpha coefficient of a 0.7 threshold. . The analysis of quantitative data employed descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, with the aid of SPSS version 26 while qualitative data were categorized into themes corresponding to the study’s key objectives. The key findings indicated a statistically significant association between physical facilities and the academic performance of students. A Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated a significant positive relationship(0.968)between the availability of physical facilities and students’ academic performance indicating that students in schools with better facilities achieved higher scores academically. These results confirm that the presence of adequate physical facilities support better learning condition and hence improve students outcomes. It is recommended that educational policymakers invest in enhancing physical facilities to improve academic outcomes for students in public secondary schools.

О практике развития некоторых элементов конвергентного образования в технологическом вузе

The article examines the experience of the Faculty of Humanities and its Center for Cognitive Psychology at the University of Technology in involving students in research and applied scientific projects through cooperation and integration of the humanities and technology departments of the University. The ideas of the transformation of the country's educational system and the change of its methodological, pedagogical and technological guidelines in response to modern challenges and risks are analyzed, primarily for the younger generation in need of social adaptation and deeper natural science and humanitarian training for professional and personal growth. The attempts to substantiate the definition of "convergent education" are analyzed. All of them are based on an understanding, to one degree or another, of an interdisciplinary methodological approach to the formation of educational programs, in order to overcome the highly professional training of specialists and avoid formalizing the content of educational material, taking into account the productive interaction of the fundamental component of humanitarian and professional knowledge, the use of modern methods of automation of various types of information activities using information and computer technologies (algorithmization of learning, information modeling). In general, the convergence of education is defined as a process of learning and upbringing, which is a consequence of the implementation of the modern educational paradigm aimed at understanding, rather than memorizing, education for change, the ability to withstand stress, live in a digital world, preserving humanity, sociability and collectivism, ensuring teamwork, preservation and development of the humanitarian and intellectual component "in the context of the interpenetration of sciences and technologies in the implementation of the convergence of real and virtual communications. The scientific and methodological basis for the development of convergent education at the first stage was the development of scientific and pedagogical practices. This can include the management of students' research activities (R&D), involving them in the development and implementation of various projects of scientific laboratories and centers of departments and faculties. The article summarizes some of the experience of the Center for Cognitive Psychology of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities - SGT (until 2022 – ISGT– Institute) of the Federal State Educational Institution of Higher Education "K.G. Razumovsky Moscow State Technical University (PKU)", which was actively involved in the process of cluster formation in the conditions of the university's transformation into an innovative expert–analytical platform, the formation of an expert-educational cluster of excellence "NBICS-technologies of the food industry".

National STEM Education Framework: Teachers’ Perspectives on the 2015-2022 Curriculum Cycle

Throughout the world, nations are busy investing in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to prepare innovative minds that can spearhead the development and sustainable growth of their economies. Zimbabwe’s participation in the global economy is premised on the preference for STEM education system. The introduction of the Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC) in Zimbabwe meant a shift in the general aims and objectives of the education system. The transformation meant a move from an academic oriented and content-focused curriculum to one that is skills-based, giving prominence to continuous assessment over final examinations. To explore classroom practitioners’ perceptions of the first cycle of the CBC, 20 purposively selected STEM teachers participated in the study. A qualitative research approach and case study design were adopted as study methodology. Thematically analysed data were collected through focus group interviews with participants. The study focused on support systems available for STEM education in secondary schools and how the absence of the national framework affects its implementation. The study found that there were limited support systems for STEM education as some schools did not have adequate facilities and equipment such as science laboratories, apparatus, science consumables, computer laboratories, computer hardware and software among others. It came out from the study that the absence of national framework had negative effect on the implementation of STEM education in secondary schools. The study concluded that though the secondary schools experienced constraints in implementing STEM education there were noticeable pockets of good practices in some schools, for example, learners graduating with competences for life skills. The study recommended that the schools should engage stakeholders for support in provision of required resources. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education should expedite the development of a national framework for the effective implementation of STEM education.

Beyond boundaries: exploring a generative artificial intelligence assignment in graduate, online science courses.

Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) offers increased accessibility and personalized learning, though the potential for inaccuracies, biases, and unethical use is concerning. We present a newly developed research paper assignment that required students to utilize GAI. The assignment was implemented within three online, asynchronous graduate courses for medical laboratory sciences. Student learning was assessed using a rubric, which rated students' effective integration and evaluation of GAI-generated content against peer-reviewed research articles, thus demonstrating their critical thinking and synthesis skills, among other metrics. Overall rubric scores were high, suggesting that learning outcomes were met. After field testing, we administered a 16-item survey about GAI utilization, contribution to learning, and ethical concerns. Data (n = 32) were analyzed, and free-response answers were thematically coded. While 93.8% of respondents found the GAI-generated content to be "very good" or "excellent," 28.1% found inaccuracies, and 68.8% "strongly agreed" or "agreed" that GAI should be allowed to be used as a tool to complete academic assignments. Interestingly, however, only 28.1% "strongly agreed" or "agreed" that GAI may be used for assignments if not explicitly authorized by the instructor. Though GAI allowed for more efficient completion of the project and better understanding of the topic, students noted concerns about academic integrity and the lack of citations in GAI responses. The assignment can easily be modified for different learning preferences and course environments. Raising awareness among students and faculty about the ethical use and limitations of GAI is crucial in today's evolving pedagogical landscape.

Evaluation of Knowledge, Skill and Satisfaction Level of Laboratory Sciences Students in Pre-laboratory Immunohematology Course Using Virtual Flipped Classroom

Background: Medical education emphasizes the importance of facilitating deep learning, promoting professional behavior, and fostering skillful problem-solving in practical courses. Objectives: To determine student satisfaction, knowledge, and skill levels using the virtual flipped classroom method for the pre-laboratory immunohematology course in laboratory sciences. Methods: This semi-experimental (before-after) study included 42 laboratory science students who completed the practical immunohematology course. The intervention involved three steps of the virtual flipped classroom method. Knowledge was assessed with multiple-choice questions (MCQs), satisfaction was measured using a rating scale, and students' skills were evaluated using a rating scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistical tests in STATA 14. Results: The results showed that the post-test knowledge score had an average of 7.42, significantly higher than the pre-test score of 4.04 (P < 0.05). Additionally, 92.85% of students reported being satisfied with the course. Regarding skill evaluation, 95.23% of students stated, "I think I have now really achieved it or a part of it." Conclusions: The virtual flipped classroom method in the immunohematology pre-laboratory course had a positive impact on students' learning and satisfaction. This teaching approach has the potential to improve teaching effectiveness, create an interactive learning atmosphere, and could be implemented in similar courses.

Manajemen Laboratorium IPA di Madrasah Tsanawiyah Negeri 02 Lombok Timur

A vital component of teaching science is laboratory administration, which is the endeavor to oversee a laboratory and learning activities. Science laboratory management is related to the managers and users of laboratory facilities and practical activities carried out in the laboratory. This study aimed to determine how planning, organizing resources and assets, implementation, supervision, and impacts arise in the management of science laboratories at MTs.N 02 East Lombok. In this study, documentation, observation, and interviews are the methods used to collect data. The results of the study are that the planning stage is quite good, the existence of short-term, medium-term, and long-term programs evidences this. Short-term programs are planned to be completed within a day, a week, or even a month. At the same time, the medium term is planned to be completed during a quarter to a semester. The Organizational Stage is the management of resources, tools, and materials available in the science laboratory. An organizational structure for managing science laboratories has been formed for the organization of resources. The Implementation Stage is the operational stage of the plan that has been scheduled. This stage is very urgent because it determines the success of achieving goals. Related to the implementation stage, the science laboratory manager at MTs. N. 02 East Lombok has done many things such as inventorying available tools and materials, making regulations, and utilization schedules that are synchronized with the madrasah program. The supervision stage functions as a controller and evaluator of the success of the implementation of laboratory management as a whole. The impacts that arise from laboratory management have been implemented well at MTs. N. 02 East Lombok.

Production of 43Sc and 44gSc from natural CaF2 material using an FN Tandem Accelerator

The radioisotopes of 43Sc and 44Sc are promising in the field of theranostics for their role as β+ emitters in theranostic pairs with 47Sc. Production of these isotopes through various nuclear reactions using either cyclotrons or linear accelerators is of particular interest and previous studies have provided results using accelerated beams of protons, deuterons, and alpha particles. A novel production technique, using an ion source cathode packed with natural calcium fluoride material and irradiated with a 3He beam, was tested at the Nuclear Science Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame in order to initially study the production of 41Ca. Gamma-ray spectrometry revealed presence of 43Sc and 44Sc in the target, and allowed for the first measurement of their yield due to reactions of 3He on natural calcium. The calculated thick target yields of 43Sc and 44gSc from the reactions natCa(3He,x)43Sc and natCa(3He,x)44gSc are compared to theoretical results using TALYS cross section models. Overall, results agree well with models at lower beam energies but tend to diverge at higher energies.

Comprehensive carbon footprint of Earth, environmental and space science laboratories: Implications for sustainable scientific practice

To limit global warming below 2°C, a drastic overall reduction from current green-house gas emissions is needed. Scientists should also participate in this effort in their professional activity and especially Earth scientists, on the grounds of maintaining credibility and leading by example. The strategies and measures to reach a low-carbon scientific activity require detailed estimates of the current footprint of laboratories. Here, we present the footprint of six laboratories in Earth, environmental and space sciences, with a comprehensive scope also including international research infrastructures. We propose a novel method to attribute a part of the footprint of any research infrastructure to the laboratory using it. Our results highlight that most laboratories have annual footprints reaching 10–20 tonnes CO2equivalent per person (tCO2e p-1), dominated by infrastructures and specifically satellites in three cases (with footprints up to 11 tCO2e p-1), while air-travels and purchases remain within the top three sources in all cases (2–4 tCO2e p-1 each). Consequently, footprints related to commuting and laboratory functioning, about 2 tCO2e p-1 or less, are relatively modest compared to infrastructures, purchases and air-travels. Thus, reduction measures ignoring infrastructures may not be able to achieve reductions larger than 20 to 35% even with flight quotas and a substantial reduction of purchases. Finally, we also discuss how a deeper transformation of scientific practices, away from competitive, grant-based and innovation-oriented current practices, could make Earth and environmental sciences more sustainable and at the forefront of rapid and drastic changes in the whole society toward environment and climate preservation.

SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT FOR CHEMISTRY EDUCATION AND PUPILS LEARNING OUTCOMES IN CHEMISTRY SUBJECT IN PUBLIC SECONDARY DAY SCHOOLS IN RWANDAA CASE OF RUTSIRO DISTRICT

This research examined students learning results in chemistry courses in public higher-day schools in Rwanda as well as the creation of infrastructure for chemistry education in those schools. In particular, the study defined the infrastructure development for chemistry education in Rwandan public secondary day schools, examined the impact of this infrastructure development on students chemistry learning outcomes, and ascertained the correlation between the two. The study used both qualitative and quantitative techniques in a mixed-methods approach. A total of 662 respondents, comprising 175 instructors and 483 pupils in Rutsiro District, 1 District Director of Education, 1 District Education Officer, and 2 Sector Education Inspectors, were the studys target population. Using Slovins formula, the researcher calculated the sample size of 249 respondents. A pilot study was taken into consideration, and questionnaires and documentation research procedures were employed as instruments of data collecting. Respondents were selected by purposive selecting for district education officials and random sampling for students and instructors. SPSS version 21 was used to evaluate the data, and conclusions were drawn from the responses provided by the participants. Regarding the first objective, the findings show that: 95.3% of respondents either strongly agreed or agreed that the chemistry education infrastructure in public secondary schools is well-developed and used effectively 90.5% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that facilities and the infrastructure required for chemistry education are available for learning and teaching chemistry subjects in public secondary schools and 85.7% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that chemistry teachers in public secondary schools are properly trained to use laboratory equipment in conducting scientific experiments in chemistry subjects. Regarding the second goal, the study finds that 98.2% of respondents strongly agreed or agreed that your schools chemistry students now learn more in their classes due to the laboratories and equipment that the schools have developed for chemistry education 82.1 percent strongly agreed or agreed that having well-functioning schools has improved students attention to chemistry concepts and 85.2 percent strongly agreed or agreed that students now have more access to chemistry-related educational resources and materials because of the development of schools infrastructure for chemistry education. Since the p-value for the third aim, which is the creation of school infrastructure for chemistry teaching, is less than 0.05, the results have a positive significance for students learning outcomes in chemistry. The development of chemistry education infrastructure in Rwanda is crucial for students learning outcomes. Recommendations include establishing well-equipped laboratories with modern equipment, ensuring safety measures, designating classrooms for chemistry education, stocking the school library with relevant resources, building a central science laboratory, providing teacher training, collaborating with educational authorities to develop a curriculum aligned with international standards, and establishing a system for assessing students progress in chemistry. These measures will help improve the countrys chemistry education infrastructure and support students in achieving better learning outcomes. The researcher suggested that the next study should focus on addressing gender disparities in chemistry education strategies to promote gender equity in public secondary schools.

A Simple and Optimal Policy Design with Safety Against Heavy-Tailed Risk for Stochastic Bandits

We study the stochastic multi-armed bandit problem and design new policies that enjoy both optimal regret expectation and light-tailed risk for regret distribution. We first find that any policy that obtains the optimal instance-dependent expected regret could incur a heavy-tailed regret tail risk that decays slowly with T. We then focus on policies that achieve optimal worst-case expected regret. We design a novel policy that (i) enjoys the worst-case optimality for regret expectation and (ii) has the worst-case tail probability of incurring a regret larger than any regret threshold that decays exponentially with respect to T. The decaying rate is proved to be optimal for all worst-case optimal policies. Our proposed policy achieves a delicate balance between doing more exploration at the beginning of the time horizon and doing more exploitation when approaching the end, compared with standard confidence-bound-based policies. We also enhance the policy design to accommodate the “any-time” setting where T is unknown a priori, highlighting “lifelong exploration”, and prove equivalently desired policy performances as compared with the “fixed-time” setting with known T. From a managerial perspective, we show through numerical experiments that our new policy design yields similar efficiency and better safety compared to celebrated policies. Our policy design is preferable especially when (i) there is a risk of underestimating the volatility profile, or (ii) there is a challenge of tuning policy hyper-parameters. We conclude by extending our proposed policy design to the stochastic linear bandit setting that leads to both worst-case optimality in terms of regret expectation and light-tailed risk on regret distribution. This paper was accepted by J. George Shanthikumar, data science. Funding: The work of D. Simchi-Levi and F. Zhu is partially supported by the MIT Data Science Laboratory. Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.03512 .

Quality and postharvest conservation of sour passion fruit genotypes

The postharvest phase is a limiting factor for climacteric fruits such as passion fruit due to rapid deterioration causing wilting and favoring the occurrence of pathogenic microorganisms. From this perspective, this study aimed to evaluate the postharvest quality of passion fruit genotypes cultivated in Mâncio Lima, Acre, as a function of the storage period after harvest. The experiment was set up and conducted at the Plant Science Laboratory of the Federal University of Acre, Campus Floresta. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, in a 10 x 5 factorial arrangement referring to 10 sour passion fruit genotypes and five postharvest evaluation periods, with three replications of six fruits. The fruits were evaluated for physical and chemical quality. Analysis of variance and polynomial regression were performed at 5% significance. The genotypes showed oscillations regarding the physical and chemical characteristics of the fruits depending on the storage time. All evaluated genotypes are recommended for cultivation. However, when harvested directly from the ground after detached from the plant, fruits must be stored for up to 10 days at room temperature.

Near-real-time atmospheric and oceanic science products of Himawari-8 and Himawari-9 geostationary satellites over the South China Sea

Abstract. The initial release of near-real-time (NRT) atmospheric and oceanic science products from Japanese Himawari-8 and Himawari-9 (H8/9) geostationary (GEO) satellites over the South China Sea (SCS) was unveiled in 2024. The primary objective behind crafting these NRT H8/9 satellite products is to facilitate weather and marine environment monitoring, enhance maritime security, and aid ocean navigation, among other purposes. As part of this investigation, a novel NRT data processing system was devised to generate a variety of regional H8/9 GEO satellite science products within a resolution of 10 min and a gridded resolution of 0.05° × 0.05° from 3 November 2022 to the present. This algorithm system was built upon the preceding Fengyun (FY) geostationary satellite algorithm test bed (FYGAT), which was the prototype of the FY-4 GEO meteorological satellite science product operational processing system. These regional H8/9 GEO satellite science products encompass a range of crucial data such as cloud mask, fraction, height, phase, optical, and microphysical properties; layered precipitable water; and sea surface temperature. We subjected these products to rigorous evaluations against high-quality analogous satellite products and reanalysis data spanning 1 year in 2023. The validations underscore a strong consistency between the H8/9 GEO satellite atmospheric and oceanic science products over the SCS and the referenced products. Nevertheless, slight discrepancies in these satellite science products were identified, primarily stemming from variations in sensor/dataset characteristics, retrieval algorithms, and geometric conditions. These outcomes demonstrate the suitability of the first edition of NRT atmospheric and oceanic science products of H8/9 satellites over the SCS in supporting the intended quantitative applications. This NRT GEO satellite data record is publicly accessible through the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) provided by the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai) in China. Free access to the dataset is possible via https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.25015853 (Liu et al., 2024).

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the Maintenance of Science Laboratory Equipment

The dire need for proper maintenance of Science Laboratory Equipment (SLE) to attain efficiency, optimal results and durability cannot be overemphasized. To that end, this study proposes the leveraging of AI for optimization and efficiency in the maintenance of SLE. The study relied on both primary and secondary data. The primary data were sourced from twenty Science Laboratory (SL) professionals, while the secondary data were sourced from repositories, databases and websites on the internet. The mixed method alongside the plausible descriptive and statistical tools was employed. The analysis shows that the maintenance of SLE can be optimized and made efficient by leveraging AI for such purposes. Regrettably, public sector organizations are yet to significantly integrate AI into the maintenance of SLE. The study concludes that AI has the capacity to optimize and enhance efficient maintenance of SLE. It calls on stakeholders in the field of SL to make concerted efforts to significantly integrate AI into the maintenance of SLE. The government should help provide AI technologies for the concerned public sector organizations and sponsor the training of people for technical know-how in using and sustaining these cutting-edge technologies in SL.

Learning to Support Students to Reason Through Talk: How Pedagogically (Dis)Content Teaching Assistants Use a Curriculum Guide Integrated With Professional Development

ABSTRACTGiven the potential impact of introductory science laboratories on postsecondary students' science learning, careful thinking is needed about how to support teaching assistants (TAs) to create opportunities for their students to reason about science. Research suggests that teachers are best positioned to improve their teaching practices when they recognize aspects of pedagogical discontentment and also feel they have the appropriate tools and resources to achieve their teaching goals in the future. This comparative case study examines how TAs who are pedagogically discontent or pedagogically content with their practice of supporting students to reason through talk engaged with a curriculum guide integrated with a weekly professional development (PD) program to grow their teaching practice. We found that only the pedagogically discontent TAs developed their use of ambitious talk moves to support more rigorous discussions over one semester. However, we also found that all TAs used the curriculum guide to plan opportunities for students to reason through talk. This research contributes new understandings about the role of pedagogical discontentment for TA learning of student‐centered teaching practices. This research also has implications for designing TA‐facing curriculum guides integrated with a weekly PD cycle to support TAs to develop teaching practices that support students to reason through talk.

Studies On The Statistical Analysis And Impact Of Seasonal Temperature And Relative Humidity Variation On The Development Of A Flesh Fly Sarcophagadux(Thomson 1869)(Diptera Sarcophagidae)

Background: The fleshfly Sarcophaga dux (Diptera;Sarcophagidae) is found in Indian Sub continent is of limited forensic significance as its poorly known larval development relationship with temperature and relative humidity. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of the temperature and relative humidity in the larval development of this fly in two seasons, Summer and Rain, so that the results of this study may enabling the forensic use of this fly in the estimation of Post Mortem Interval(PMI). Material and Method: The present study was carried out in the outer premises of the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory Building, Jagdalpur, Bastardist,Chhattishgarh, India. The fresh meat of male goat was used for rearing of larvae. The effect of temperature and relative humidity on the larval developmental time of this fly in two seasons, Rainy and Summer were studied in normal condition. Statistical analysis of variance was performed and standard significance level of P<0.05 was taken as standard. Results: The results of this study shown that in Rainy season it was completed in 264 h (11 days) when the average temperature ranged from 21.8°C to 24.5°C and the average humidity ranged from 79.5% to 95.5% where as in Summer it was completed in 528 hrs (22 days), when the temperature ranged from 26.5°C to 35.1°C and the humidity ranged from 34% to 67.5%. The P value was found to be P<<.05 in Temperature variation; andP<<0.05 in Humidity variation in different stages(1st instar larvae, 2nd instar larvae, 3rd instar larvae, Prepupae, Pupae and Adult). Conclusion: In the present study we have found that fluctuating temperature and relative humidity of outer condition in two seasons, Rainy and Summer effect the life cycle duration of the fly from the larvi position up to adult eclosion and statistical analysis has proved it to significant rejecting null hypothesis. This data can be further used in the estimation of Post Mortem Interval (PMI) in Homicide and Suspicious cases of both human and wild life poaching death cases.

Enhancing Analytical Potential for Ultratrace Analysis of Inorganic Oxyanions Using Extraction Procedures with Layered Double Hydroxides

This article provides an overview of the use of layered double hydroxides (LDHs) as effective sorbents in various extraction methods, including column-based solid-phase extraction (SPE), dispersive solid-phase extraction (DSPE), and magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE), for the separation and preconcentration of inorganic oxyanions of chromium, arsenic, and selenium. The primary focus is on enhancing the analytical performance of spectrometric detection techniques, particularly in terms of sensitivity and selectivity when analyzing low concentrations of target analytes in complex matrices. LDHs, which can be readily prepared and structurally modified with various substances, offer promising potential for the development of novel analytical methods. When used in analytical extraction procedures and following careful optimization of experimental conditions, the developed methods have yielded satisfactory results, as documented by studies reviewed in this paper. This review is intended to assist analytical chemists in scientific laboratories involved in developing new extraction procedures.

Study on Science Laboratories of Government Colleges of Sindh Province

The success of any nation depends very largely upon in its advancement in science and technology. For the development of scientific approach among students, science laboratories play pivotal role. So, the ongoing study was conducted to investigate the status-co of science laboratories working at government Intermediate collages in District Hyderabad. The descriptive type of research was used for this study and followed by survey methods. For the purpose of data collection, a close- ended questionnaire was developed on the pattern of Five Point Scale the systematic random sampling was used to draw the sample sizes from the population. The same questionnaires were administered to each size i.e. Lecturers, Students and Lab. Attendants/ In charges. Data reveals that in most of government colleges possessed their own separate laborites for chemistry, physics and biology. The shortage of consumable and non-consumable item was observed. In nut shell, the science Laboratories in Government Intermediate Colleges are not working effectively. In this way the quality of education is in science subjects are at alarm.

Efektivitas Asap Cair Kayu Rambutan dalam Menghambat Pertumbuhan Colletotrichum sp Secara In Vitro

Leaf blight is one of the main diseases in oil palm nurseries, as a result of the attack of the pathogen Colletotrichum sp. The initial symptoms are found on the edges of the leaves. Colletotrichum sp. is a pathogenic fungus that causes blight in oil palm, so it needs to be controlled. One of the alternative controls is by using rambutan wood liquid smoke. This study aims to obtain an effective concentration of rambutan wood liquid smoke that can inhibit the growth of Colletotrichum sp. in vitro. This research was carried out from November 2023 to January 2024 at the Laboratory of Pathology, Entomology, Microbiology and Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Sultan Syarif Kasim State Islamic University, Riau. This study used an experimental method with a complete randomized design (RAL) with 6 treatments (0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and 5%) with each treatment repeated 4 times, so that there were 24 experimental units. Observation parameters include total phenol analysis and PH test of liquid smoke, macroscopic, growth rate (cm/day) and inhibition (%) Colletotrichum sp. The results showed a total phenol content of 3.47% and a PH test. Rambutan wood liquid smoke with a concentration of 4% is very effective in inhibiting Colletotrichum sp. 100% inhibition and growth rate of 0 cm/day.

An open‐source LED lamp for use with the LI‐6800 photosynthesis system

AbstractPremiseControlling light flux density during carbon dioxide assimilation measurements is essential in photosynthesis research. Commercial lamps are expensive and are based on monochromatic light‐emitting diodes (LEDs), which deviate significantly in their spectral distribution compared to sunlight.Methods and ResultsUsing LED‐emitted white light with a color temperature similar to sunlight, we developed a cost‐effective lamp compatible with the LI‐6800 Portable Photosynthesis System. When coupled with customized software, the lamp can be controlled via the LI‐6800 console by a user or Python scripts. Testing and calibration show that the lamp meets the quality needed to estimate photosynthesis parameters.ConclusionsThe lamp can be built using a basic electronics lab and a 3D printer. Calibration instructions are supplied and only require equipment commonly available at plant science laboratories. The lamp is a cost‐effective alternative to perform photosynthesis research coupled with the popular LI‐6800 photosynthesis measuring system.

Impact Of Activating Science Laboratories In Schools On Students’ Practical Outcomes

Impact Of Activating Science Laboratories In Schools On Students’ Practical Outcomes