Variance In Performance Research Articles

Investigating replacement core-shell strategies for optimizing photocatalytic chromium reduction with MOF-on-MOF heterostructure on steel mesh

While cerium-based metal-organic frameworks (Ce-MOFs) exhibit inherent limitations in standalone photocatalytic efficacy, their potential amplifies when integrated into heterostructures with other semiconductors, leveraging the advantageous heterojunction effects. This study systematically explores the establishment of heterojunctions between Ce-MOFs and zirconium-based frameworks, delineating the performance variance based on the positioning of Ce-MOFs within the MOF-on-MOF architecture. When situated as the outer shell in these configurations, Ce-MOFs significantly enhance the photocatalytic capabilities compared to their placement in the core. Further, immobilizing these composite structures onto steel substrates demonstrates remarkable efficiency in the purification of hexavalent chromium from water under visible light exposure. Initially, Ce-MOF-801-on-Zr-MOF-801 and Zr-MOF-801-on-Ce-MOF-801 heterojunctions were synthesized to explore their combined and MOF-on-MOF effects. Subsequently, Ce-MOF-801-on-Zr-MOF-801 was applied onto a steel mesh substrate using the spraying method. The results demonstrated exceptional efficiency in Cr(VI) extraction and remarkable durability. Crucially, leaching tests and ICP-OES analysis confirmed the material's strong adhesion to the substrate, enabling repeated use. Impressively, even after multiple cycles, the material efficiently purified Cr(VI) from water within 120 min under visible light. With all these merits, the Cr(VI) removal efficiency of Ce-MOF-801-on-Zr-MOF-801/mesh with an initial Cr(VI) concentration of 5 ppm is near 100% for 2 h. This work presents a feasible and promising route to filter suitable photocatalyst materials by using mesh substrates for fixing environmental issues.

The Influence of Work-Life Balance and Work Motivation on the Performance of Millennial Employees at Bank SUMUT Medan Sukaramai Branch Office

The current study explores the influence of work-life balance (WLB) and work motivation on the performance of millennial employees at Bank SUMUT's Medan Sukaramai Branch Office. Employing a saturated sampling technique, data was collected from 70 respondents via questionnaires. Multiple linear regression analysis was utilized to assess the relationships between the variables. The partial regression analyses revealed significant positive associations between both WLB and work motivation with employee performance. Additionally, the analysis of overall model fit, assessed through a simultaneous test (F-test), yielded statistically significant results, confirming a positive and combined influence of both WLB and work motivation on employee performance. Additionally, the adjusted R-square value for the millennial employee performance variable was 0.752, suggesting that 75.2% of the performance variance is attributable to WLB and work motivation, while the remaining 24.8% is explained by other unexamined variables. It is suggested that Bank SUMUT's Medan Sukaramai Branch Office should focus on improving programs that promote WLB and work motivation, as these factors have been demonstrated to positively and significantly influence the performance of millennial employees

Effect of Procurement Planning on Organizational Performance Within the Public Sector: A Case of Ruhengeri Referral Hospital in Musanze District, Rwanda

Public entities in Rwanda spend a significant amount of money on procurement. This is the process of acquiring goods, works, or services from a vendor. The general objective of this study was to assess the effect of procurement planning on organizational performance within the public sector. Specifically, the study assessed the effect of needs assessments in procurement planning on performance of Ruhengeri referral hospital, analyze the effect of quality specification in procurement planning on performance of Ruhengeri referral hospital, examine the effect of cost estimation in procurement planning on performance of Ruhengeri referral hospital and assess the effect of terms of payment in procurement planning on performance of Ruhengeri referral hospital. Research was guided by Resource Based viewpoint theory and Transaction Cost Economics theory. Descriptive research design was adopted in this research. This study has taken 106 populations who have direct works related to procurement planning functions from Ruhengeri referral hospital and reporting health centers (42 working at Ruhengeri referral hospital main location and 64 from 12 health centers under management of Ruhengeri referral hospital). The researcher has determined that due to the small population size, a census inquiry method employed instead of sampling. This study used both primary and secondary data, and each has its specific instruments for collection including questionnaire, documentary and interview. Here the researcher tends to interpret frequency, percentages, mean, and standard deviation, as results of Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) version 20 while content analysis used to analyze qualitative data. The Model Summary provides valuable observations into the effect of independent variables Terms of payment in procurement planning, Needs identification in procurement planning, Quality specification in procurement planning, Cost estimation in procurement planning on the dependent variable, organization performance. The findings revealed the coefficient of determination (R Square), which is 0.652, demonstrates that 65.2% of the variance in organizational performance of Ruhengeri Referral Hospital explained Terms of payment in procurement planning, Needs identification in procurement planning, Quality specification in procurement planning, Cost estimation in procurement planning. The results indicate the coefficient of needs identification in procurement planning (β: 0.399, p: 0.000), it shows the significant effect of needs assessments in procurement planning on organizational performance of Ruhengeri referral hospital. The results indicate the coefficient of quality specification in procurement planning (β: 0.387, p: 0.001), it shows the significant effect of quality specification in procurement planning on organizational performance of Ruhengeri referral hospital. The results indicate the coefficient of cost estimation in procurement planning (β: 0.152, p: 0.022), it shows the significant effect of cost estimation in procurement planning on organizational performance of Ruhengeri referral hospital. The results indicate the coefficient of terms of payment in procurement planning (β: 0.237, p: 0.021), it shows the significant effect of terms of payment in procurement planning on organizational performance of Ruhengeri referral hospital. It is recommended that Ruhengeri Referral Hospital continues to strengthen its needs assessment process by involving a wider range of stakeholders.

Buffering and phenological mismatch: A change of perspective.

The potential for climate change to disrupt phenology-mediated interactions in interaction networks has attracted considerable attention in recent decades. Frequently, studies emphasize the fragility of ephemeral seasonal interactions, and the risks posed by phenological asynchrony. Here, we argue that the fitness consequences of asynchrony in phenological interactions may often be more buffered than is typically acknowledged. We identify three main forms that buffering may take: (i) mechanisms that reduce asynchrony between consumer and resource; (ii) mechanisms that reduce the costs of being asynchronous; and (iii) mechanisms that dampen interannual variance in performance across higher organizational units. Using synchrony between the hatching of winter moth caterpillars and the leafing of their host-plants as a case study, we identify a wide variety of buffers that reduce the detrimental consequences of phenological asynchrony on caterpillar individuals, populations, and meta-populations. We follow this by drawing on examples across a breadth of taxa, and demonstrate that these buffering mechanisms may be quite general. We conclude by identifying key gaps in our knowledge of the fitness and demographic consequences of buffering, in the context of phenological mismatch. Buffering has the potential to substantially alter our understanding of the biotic impacts of future climate change-a greater recognition of the contribution of these mechanisms may reveal that many trophic interactions are surprisingly resilient, and also serve to shift research emphasis to those systems with fewer buffers and towards identifying the limits of those buffers.

Aging affects auditory contributions to focus perception in Jianghuai Mandarina).

Speakers can place their prosodic prominence on any locations within a sentence, generating focus prosody for listeners to perceive new information. This study aimed to investigate age-related changes in the bottom-up processing of focus perception in Jianghuai Mandarin by clarifying the perceptual cues and the auditory processing abilities involved in the identification of focus locations. Young, middle-aged, and older speakers of Jianghuai Mandarin completed a focus identification task and an auditory perception task. The results showed that increasing age led to a decrease in listeners' accuracy rate in identifying focus locations, with all participants performing the worst when dynamic pitch cues were inaccessible. Auditory processing abilities did not predict focus perception performance in young and middle-aged listeners but accounted significantly for the variance in older adults' performance. These findings suggest that age-related deteriorations in focus perception can be largely attributed to declined auditory processing of perceptual cues. Poor ability to extract frequency modulation cues may be the most important underlying psychoacoustic factor for older adults' difficulties in perceiving focus prosody in Jianghuai Mandarin. The results contribute to our understanding of the bottom-up mechanisms involved in linguistic prosody processing in aging adults, particularly in tonal languages.

The Influence of Supervisor, Teamwork, and Discipline on Employee Performance

PT Dinamika Nuansa Absolute is a company engaged in the field of outsourcing, providing call center services. An organization greatly relies on human resources to achieve its goals. This necessitates the proper and effective management of human resources within the company or organization. Numerous factors can influence human resources, such as supervision, teamwork, discipline, and employee performance. The purpose of this research is to analyze the impact of Supervision, Teamwork, and Discipline on Employee Performance at PT Dinamika Nuansa Absolute. This research employs a quantitative approach with descriptive and causality research types. Non-probability sampling using the saturated sample method was conducted, resulting in 102 respondents from PT Dinamika Nuansa Absolute. Data analysis techniques include descriptive analysis and multiple linear regression analysis. The findings partially indicate that Supervision, Teamwork, and Discipline individually have a positive and significant influence on employee performance. Additionally, when considered together, Supervision, Teamwork, and Discipline collectively exert a significant influence on employee performance. The results suggest that the independent variables (Supervision, Teamwork, and Discipline) account for 45% of the variance in employee performance, with the remaining 55% influenced by unexamined factors.

Mapping semantic space: Exploring the higher-order structure of word meaning

Multiple representation theories posit that concepts are represented via a combination of properties derived from sensorimotor, affective, and linguistic experiences. Recently, it has been proposed that information derived from social experience, or socialness, represents another key aspect of conceptual representation. How these various dimensions interact to form a coherent conceptual space has yet to be fully explored. To address this, we capitalized on openly available word property norms for 6339 words and conducted a large-scale investigation into the relationships between 18 dimensions. An exploratory factor analysis reduced the dimensions to six higher-order factors: sub-lexical, distributional, visuotactile, body action, affective and social interaction. All these factors explained unique variance in performance on lexical and semantic tasks, demonstrating that they make important contributions to the representation of word meaning. An important and novel finding was that the socialness dimension clustered with the auditory modality and with mouth and head actions. We suggest this reflects experiential learning from verbal interpersonal interactions. Moreover, formally modelling the network structure of semantic space revealed pairwise partial correlations between most dimensions and highlighted the centrality of the interoception dimension. Altogether, these findings provide new insights into the architecture of conceptual space, including the importance of inner and social experience, and highlight promising avenues for future research.

Empirical Insights into 5G Deployments in Highway Operational Environments and Comparative Performance with 4G

Despite the promising benefits, the integration of 5G, particularly through Non-Standalone (NSA) architectures that rely on existing 4G infrastructures, introduces challenges in maintaining optimal radio network performance and service quality. This study evaluates 4G and 5G radio network performance through empirical field trials across highway operational scenarios, a domain less scrutinized compared with urban environments. By conducting simultaneous measurements and comparing all available networks, this research focuses on dissecting the performance of critical quality indicators to gauge the intricacies of radio network behavior in high-speed travel conditions. Our findings illuminate distinct behavioral patterns, highlighting the unique challenges and optimization opportunities in these scenarios. Variability in signal strength across the highway routes underscores the influence of geography and infrastructure on coverage, while the relative stability in signal quality suggests the networks’ capability to maintain signal quality amid fluctuating strength. Interference results indicate effective management of signal interference, crucial for high-quality links, whereas latency and throughput metrics highlight a lag behind anticipated goals for reduced latency but promising data rates. This study not only showcases the variances in network quality and performance, thus pinpointing areas for operator-specific enhancements, but also emphasizes the comparison between the robustness of 4G infrastructures and the challenges in optimizing 5G networks.

Comparison of Growth Performance, Nutritional Composition, and Muscle Transcriptome between Two Cultured Varieties of the Chinese Mitten Crab (Eriocheir sinensis)

This study evaluated the disparities in growth performance and nutritional composition between two common Chinese mitten crab varieties, “Jianghai 21” and “Changjiang 2”, cultured in Jiangxi Province. Over the breeding period, parameters such as body weight, height, carapace length and width, and lengths of the second and third legs exhibited increases. Growth indices of “Jianghai 21” surpassed those of “Changjiang 2” during the intermediate and late breeding phases. While “Changjiang 2” demonstrated significantly higher crude lipid content than “Jianghai 21”, the latter exhibited markedly higher levels of total amino acids (TAAs), essential amino acids (EAAs), and delectable amino acids. Although overall nutrient composition did not significantly differ, TAA and EAA contents in the hepatopancreas were notably greater in “Jianghai 21” than in “Changjiang 2”. Moreover, a total of 901 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between the two varieties, with 560 upregulated and 341 downregulated. These DEGs were primarily associated with pathways related to fatty acid degradation, metabolism, and growth regulation. The observed variances in growth performance and nutrient composition between “Jianghai 21” and “Changjiang 2” suggest potential regulation by relevant genes. In summary, the results showed that the growth performance of “Jianghai 21” is greater than that of “Changjiang 2”, offering valuable insights for the selection of aquaculture varieties in the region.

The Influence of Human Relations and Work Discipline on Employee Performance at the Office of Kemantren City of Yogyakarta

This research aims to investigate the impact of human relations and work discipline on employee performance, utilizing a quantitative approach and questionnaire-based data collection method. The sample comprises 77 employees from the Yogyakarta City Kemantren Office, the participants were chosen through probability sampling employing a simple random sampling method. Several assessments, including validity, reliability, normality, multicollinearity, heteroscedasticity, multiple linear analysis, t-test, F-test, and coefficient of determination, were carried out. The outcomes of the t-tests demonstrate that both human relations and work discipline variables positively and significantly influence employee performance, as evidenced by their respective t-values (2.958 and 6.940) exceeding the table t-value (1.992) at a significance level of 0.05. Furthermore, the coefficient of determination reveals an Adjusted R Square value of 0.520, indicating that 52% of the variance in employee performance can be explained by the human relations and work discipline variables. The remaining 48% of variance is attributed to other unexamined factors.

Influences of Environment Context and E-Business Adoption on Business Performance of The Retail Ready-Made Garment Business

Purpose: The objective of this research was to study the influences that affect the business performance of the retail ready-made garment businesses. Method: The study focused on the use of a quantitative method with a questionnaire as the tool for data collection from a sample of 240 retail ready-made garment businesses. Data analyses included descriptive statistics and the Structural Equation Model (SEM). Results and Discussions: The findings revealed that the Chi-square = 60.175, df = 44, CMIN/DF = 1.770, GFI=.963, CFI=.992, AGFI=.914, and RMSEA= .055 The structural equation model demonstrated that the environment context and e-business adoption influence the business performance of retail ready-made garment businesses with statistical significance. The variance of the business performance to use was affected by all two factors 74% (R2 = .74) while the remainder was affected by other factors. Nevertheless, it was also revealed that, in the operation of retail ready-made garment businesses, the value chain for e-businesses includes business performance, production, logistics, the infrastructure of human resources, and finance. E-business adoption influences business performance by beneficially leading to efficient operations and the sustainable growth of organizations. Research Implications: Nowadays, the direction of the market and consumers' behavior changes continuously. Naturally, fashion products run in competition with customer demand. At the same time, the duration of sales is starting to shorten due to the faster changing social conditions than in the past. Moreover, the purchasing tendency of customers changes and the product price starts to be lower. However, they focus on buying mix and match garments according to the fashion trend and at a friendly price. Furthermore, the lifestyle of a customer in the new age builds a bond with technology access, such as internet access/ online social via communication devices. These devices are elevated to major roles in modern lifestyles, such as smartphones. It affects alertness in online shopping and greatly influences daily shopping. Entrepreneurs must adjust strategies and business management to be more efficient and effective. Originality/Value: Therefore, the retail ready-made garment business has changed from the past in a high number, in terms of consumption behaviors of target customers, patterns of business administration, and marketing strategy.

Determining V̇O2max in competitive swimmers: Comparing the validity and reliability of cycling, arm cranking, ergometer swimming, and tethered swimming

ObjectivesThis study aims to identify the optimal method for determining V̇O2max in competitive swimmers in terms of validity and test–retest reliability. DesignControlled experiment. MethodsTwenty competitive swimmers performed four maximal incremental exercise tests: cycling, arm cranking, ergometer swimming, and tethered swimming. Gas analysis was conducted to estimate V̇O2max. Validity was assessed in terms of the amount of variance of the performance on a 1500-m time trial explained by the estimated V̇O2max . Test–retest reliability was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). ResultsV̇O2max obtained from tethered swimming, ergometer swimming, and cycling explained a similar amount of variance of the 1500-m performance (R2 = 0.64, 0.64 and 0.65, respectively). However, ergometer swimming yielded significantly lower V̇O2max estimates (40.54 ± 6.55 ml/kg/min) than tethered swimming (54.40 ± 6.21 ml/kg/min) and cycling (54.39 ± 5.63 ml/kg/min). Arm cranking resulted in both a lower explained variance (R2 = 0.41) and a significantly lower V̇O2max (43.14 ± 7.81 ml/kg/min). Tethered swimming showed good reliability (ICC = 0.81). ConclusionsBicycle and tethered swimming tests demonstrated high validity with comparable V̇O2max estimates, explaining a large proportion of differences in endurance performance. Choosing between these two methods involves a trade-off between a higher practical applicability and reliability of the bicycle test and the more sport-specific nature of the tethered swimming test.

Numerical analysis of microchannel heat sink performance using delta vortex generator

The design of unique microsinks arises from the desire to provide efficient cooling at low pressure drop for a more compact miniaturized electronic equipment. Three-dimensional numerical investigations of heat transfer and fluid flow have been carried out with delta vortex generator (DVG) structures in the rectangular microchannel. A pair of delta vortex generators (DVGs) are placed symmetrically about the horizontal mid plane in rectangular microchannels. Performance variances are assessed on the basis of the average Nusselt number (Nu), friction factor (f), and thermal performance (TP) along with the thermal resistance (RT) and hydraulic resistance (RH) for the Reynolds number in the range of 93 to 746. The parametric variation has been carried out by altering geometric parameters such as the angle of DVGs with centerline (θ), the number of pair of DVGs (n), the length of DVGs (l), the distance of DVGs from the centerline (B), the position of DVGs from the inlet for first pair (L1), and the distance between the vortex generators (S). The objective is kept to maximize the TP, to minimize the value of thermal resistance, and to decrease the increase in the hydraulic resistance for the same geometrical variation. The highest thermal performance equal to 1.256 has been achieved with the combination of θ, n, l, B, S, and L1 equal to 45°, 3, 0.6 mm, 0.1 mm, 4.5 mm, and 5.334 mm, respectively. For the same geometrical parameters, a minimum thermal resistance equal to 0.98 K/W and a hydraulic resistance equal to 3.234 kPa-min/ml have been attained at Re about 745.66. By minimizing the thermal and hydraulic resistance of the microchannel with DVGs, it becomes possible that heat can be more effectively transferred across the interface and the desired cooling can be achieved with less power input. The implementation of DVGs enhances intermixing through the generation of longitudinal and transverse vortices, leading to a more evenly distributed temperature across the channel. This enhancement in the heat transfer reduces the thermal resistance. Additionally, the vortices generated by DVGs modify the velocity profile, thereby decreasing the pressure drop and the hydraulic resistance. The specific impact of longitudinal vortices on the enhancement of the heat transfer through adjustments in geometric parameters is thoroughly elucidated.

Technology Integration in Predicting Financial Performance: Big Data, Intellectual Capital, and Board Diversity

The relationship between technological integration, diversity on the board, and intellectual capital management and how these factors affect the financial performance of Indonesian start-ups is examined in this study. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using Partial Least Squares (PLS) approach is used in this work to evaluate the intricate interactions among these critical parameters using a diverse sample of 195 start-ups. A thorough knowledge of the dynamics that influence startups' financial success is facilitated by the use of descriptive statistics, measurement model assessment, and structural model analysis. The findings indicate that there are strong positive correlations between financial performance and board diversity, intellectual capital, and technological integration. Furthermore, the mechanisms involved are clarified by mediation effects. The model explains half of the variance in financial performance (R2 = 0.504) and demonstrates strong predictive relevance (Q2 = 0.354). For practitioners, politicians, and investors navigating Indonesia's competitive start-up entrepreneurship scene, the findings provide insightful information.

A survey of transmission control protocol variants

TCP (Transmission Control Protocol), is a reliable connection oriented end-to-end protocol. It contains within itself, mechanisms for ensuring reliability by requiring the receiver to acknowledge the segments that it receives. The network is not perfect and a small percentage of packets are lost enroute, either due to network error or due to the fact that there is congestion in the network and the routers are dropping packets. TCP ensures reliability by starting a timer whenever it sends a segment. If it does not receive an acknowledgement from the receiver within the ‘time-out’ interval then it retransmits the segment. In this paper a review of various TCP is carried out. There are a number of TCP variants for application in the management of network efficiency in terms of network congestion and transmission efficiency. These variants include: - TCP Tahoe, TCP Reno, TCP New Reno, TCP Vegas, TCP SACK, TCP FACK, TCP Asym, TCP RBP, Full TCP and TCP CUBIC. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to study the tcp types on the network performance variances. All have different features and advantages but with maximal throughput as main objective, which are termed as the clones of TCP, have been incorporated into TCP/IP protocol for handling congestion efficiently in different network scenarios.

Response to Difficulty Drives Variation in IQ Test Performance.

In a large (N = 300), pre-registered experiment and data analysis model, we find that individual variation in overall performance on Raven's Progressive Matrices is substantially driven by differential strategizing in the face of difficulty. Some participants choose to spend more time on hard problems while others choose to spend less and these differences explain about 42% of the variance in overall performance. In a data analysis jointly predicting participants' reaction times and accuracy on each item, we find that the Raven's task captures at most half of participants' variation in time-controlled ability (48%) down to almost none (3%), depending on which notion of ability is assumed. Our results highlight the role that confounding factors such as motivation play in explaining individuals' differential performance in IQ testing.

Performance Measurement Integration And Performance Of Manufacturing Firms in Rwanda

Rwanda's manufacturing industry is essential to the country's economic growth and employment generation. Achieving sustainable development and global competitiveness necessitates the integration of performance assessment effectively. This entails measuring and optimizing organizational performance, especially in supply chains, using a variety of measures. Global market trends and resource limitations are two ongoing challenges that emphasize the necessity for reliable measuring methods. In order to give policymakers and business practitioners useful information, this study aims to assess the effect of performance measurement integration on manufacturing company performance in Rwanda, concentrating on important industries and geographical areas. Expectancy Theory and the Balanced Scorecard Framework (BSC), two important theoretical frameworks related to performance measurement integration in manufacturing businesses, are examined in the literature study. According to expectation theory, people are driven by their conviction that performance, effort, and results are all related. The BSC provides a strategy-based framework for decision-making at various organizational levels. It was created by Kaplan and Norton. The significance of integrating performance assessment in order to increase productivity, quality, customer happiness, and decision-making for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is underscored by empirical research. Performance in manufacturing is evaluated and optimized via the use of a variety of instruments and methods, including the BSC and KPIs. 
 The study methodology utilized a quantitative analytic strategy with an explanatory approach to comprehend the relationship between manufacturing company performance and supply chain integration. The research philosophy was shaped by positivism, which prioritized quantitative approaches. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to gather data from 213 manufacturing companies; 94% of the respondents answered the questions. The integration of performance measurement has been found to have a favorable influence on the performance of manufacturing organizations through effective communication, information exchange, and strategic supplier relationships. These findings were supported by descriptive statistics. The findings showed a positive relationship between measurement integration and company performance, with integration accounting for 49.9% of the variance in performance. The results showed that efficient decision-making and information exchange among supply chain participants were influenced. Notably, framework agreements with key suppliers were frequently used in emergency situations. The functions of logistics companies, funders, governments, media, and security personnel in relief efforts were emphasized using qualitative analysis. Issues with inadequate coordination and information exchange were noted. Enhancing IT infrastructure, adopting emerging technologies, collaborating with many stakeholders, and establishing legal frameworks for production readiness are among the recommendations. The study emphasizes how crucial technology, collaboration, and integration are to maximizing the performance of industrial firms and disaster relief in Rwanda.

Abstract P256: Rationale, Development, and Implementation of a Multidisciplinary Digital Lifestyle Health Education Program for Older Adults With Cardiovascular Disease and Osteoarthritis

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Globally, osteoarthritis (OA) affects 654 million. In 2018, of the 1.2 million Australians who had CVD, half also had arthritis, with the most common form in Australia being OA. Ongoing pain and physical limitations from OA can affect lifestyle choices, contributing to the shared risk factor profile of CVD and OA (physical inactivity, overweight/obesity, poor diet, high medication use). This contributes further to the burden of both diseases including reduced 6-minute walk (6MW) performance, which is directly related to increased CVD mortality. This project outlines the rationale for and development of a multidisciplinary digital lifestyle health education program for the treatment and secondary prevention of CVD and its common comorbidity of OA. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional analysis of older adults in Sydney. Class was classified based on the Australian socioeconomic index for areas. Conditions were defined according to Australian national guidelines. Medical history, body mass index (BMI), waist measurement, muscle strength, and 6MW measurements were assessed. Differences between those with and without OA were determined via one-way analysis of variance. Simple linear regressions assessed potential relationships. Results: In a cohort of 532 adults; n=341 (64.1%) had diagnosed CVD; 48.4% of which had OA (mean age 66±12 years; 73.3% female). Socioeconomic index was deemed high. In the OA cohort mean BMI and waist were above healthy heart recommendations according to the World Health Organisation. There were no significant differences between those with OA and those without for cardiovascular risk factors of body weight, BMI, waist measurement, blood pressure, 6MW, or muscle strength. However, in those with CVD and OA, the relationship between age and 6MW was stronger and age accounted for more of the variance in performance (r=-0.44; r 2 =0.19; p<0.001) than those without OA (r=-0.37; r 2 =0.17; p<0.001), indicating a greater reduction in walking ability in those with OA as they get older. Conclusion: With 6MW performance being related to CVD mortality, interventions are needed to improve health and fitness in this cohort. International guidelines for CVD and OA recommend treatment should prioritise lifestyle changes, including a healthy diet, regular physical activity, and interventions that address all risk factors. Lifestyle LIFEMAP will assess the efficacy of a widely translatable multidisciplinary digital evidence-based 10-module lifestyle, food, exercise, medication, and park prescription education program for adults with the comorbidity of CVD and OA. We expect this program to improve knowledge, and healthy lifestyle choices, thereby improving physical activity and health outcomes in this highly vulnerable population.

Impact Of Academic Supervision on Improving Performance of Early Childhood Education Teachers in Early Age Learning

This research aims to understand and describe the implementation of academic supervision by school principals; assess the performance of Early Childhood Education (PAUD) teachers; determine the influence of academic supervision on PAUD teacher performance; and identify the impact of academic supervision implementation on PAUD teacher performance. This study employed an ex-post facto correlational research design. The population consisted of 594 respondents from various PAUD institutions, with a sample size of 44 respondents selected using Stratified Random Sampling based on the accreditation status of the PAUD institutions. Data were collected through non-test methods, including questionnaires validated using Likert scales and Cronbach's Alpha reliability test, interviews, observations, and documentation. Instrument content validity was 0.89 < 0.75, and reliability was 0.815 < 0.6. Data analysis involved parametric statistical analysis and Spearman correlation tests.
 The findings revealed: 1) Academic supervision by school principals in Manggarai Raya was implemented with a percentage of 40% for accreditation A, indicating excellent performance. However, when viewed comprehensively, it was considered low or unsatisfactory due to being below 50%; 2) PAUD teacher performance in Manggarai Raya, assessed using all indicators, fell into the very good category with a percentage of 20%. Yet, when viewed holistically, it was deemed inadequate/poor as it was below 50%; 3) There was a positive influence of academic supervision by school principals on PAUD teacher performance in Manggarai Raya, with a Cohen's value of 0.99, indicating that 99% of the variance in teacher performance was influenced by academic supervision by school principals; 4) The contribution of academic supervision to PAUD teacher performance in Manggarai Raya, assessed using an R2 coefficient, was 0.27% or 27%; and 5) There was an impact of academic supervision on PAUD teacher performance.
 Keywords: academic supervision, PAUD teacher performance

Effect of Strategic Leadership on Performance of SMEs During Covid-19 Pandemic in Nairobi County, Kenya

The global economy and enterprises have faced significant impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic, necessitating leadership styles capable of navigating change and uncertainty effectively. Strategic leadership has emerged as a promising approach for establishing agile strategies amidst rapid transformations in business environments. This study aimed to assess the impact of strategic leadership on the performance of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) during the pandemic in Nairobi County, Kenya. Employing a descriptive and correlational research design, the study targeted 584 respondents from various SME industries in Kenya, with 237 respondents obtained using a stratified random sampling technique. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including correlation and regression analyses, were conducted using SPSS version 23. The findings revealed that SMEs in Nairobi County recognized the importance of strategic leadership for their prosperity, with a significant positive correlation between strategic leadership and performance (r (183) = 0.430, p < 0.05). Strategic leadership accounted for 18.5% of performance variance, indicating a substantial impact (F (1,181) = 41.174, p < 0.05). Moreover, the intercept between strategic leadership and performance showed a notable improvement (β = 0.230, p < 0.01), suggesting a 23% performance enhancement with effective strategic leadership implementation. In conclusion, the majority of SMEs in Nairobi County demonstrated strong strategic leadership, fostering absorptive and adaptive capacities crucial for navigating turbulent business environments. The study underscores the importance of institutionalizing strategic leadership within SMEs to enhance their ability to formulate and execute strategies effectively amidst rapid changes.