Judul: Studi Karakteristik Anatomi Skelet Aksial Biawak Air (Varanus salvator)
Abstrak: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mempelajari karakteristik anatomi skelet aksial biawak air (Varanus salvator) dikaitkan dengan fungsi dan kebiasaan hidupnya. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan mengamati preparat skelet sumbu tubuh biawak air dan membandingkannya dengan skeleton komodo maupun literatur yang terkait dengan sistem skelet tubuh hewan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa persendian yang dibentuk antara condylus occipitalis dengan fovea articularis cranialis dari os atlas relatif sempit sehingga gerakan kepala pada biawak air kurang fleksibel. Biawak air mempunyai fleksibilitas tulang belakang yang baik saat berenang di air atau berlari karena karakteristik skelet aksialnya yang mempunyai jumlah ossa vertebrae yang banyak, mempunyai hyapophysis pada ossa vertebrae cervicalis, bentuk dada yang ramping karena hanya tiga buah ossa costales yang terhubung pada os sternum, adanya tipe persendian diarthrose pada ossa vertebrae lumbales, dan mempunyai ossa chepron pada ossa vertebrae caudales. Fleksibilitas ekor yang dimiliki biawak air digunakan untuk melindungi diri dari musuh dengan cara memecutkan ekor ke arah lateral.
Keyword: skelet aksial, biawak air

Judul: Studi Karakteristik Anatomi Skelet Kepala Biawak Air (Varanus salvator)
Abstrak: The study was aimed to observe the characteristics of cranial skeleton of Varanus salvator, compared to its function and behavior. This study was conducted by observing speciment of water monitor lizards cranial skeleton and the observation was compared with related litelatures. The results showed that the head of water monitor lizard had 12 cm in length, 7 cm in width and 5 cm in height. Water monitor lizard have a marginal pleurodont teeth that grows on the side of the jaw with one tooth replacement on each marginal tooth. Relationships between bone of the head very closely and a few bones like os lacrimale, os temporale and os postorbitale grows attached to each other with the surrounding bones. Pars splanchnocranii thrives and elongated, and os supraorbitale found in this area. Columella cranii found in the pars neurocranii and os squadratum well developed in this area. Canalis interincisivum found on the hard palate that connects the oral cavity and the nasal cavity. This channel is functionally compared to the olfactory system because it associated with organon jacobson.
Keyword: Varanus salvator, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), pleurodont teeth, os postorbitale, cranial skeleton

Judul: Separation of Neodymium from U3Si2/Al Fuel Plate for Burn-Up Determination
Abstrak: Neodymium is a common fission product produced in nuclear fission reactions. Neodymium in this study was chosen as a burn-up indicator for U3Si2/Al fuel element plates because the neodymium isotope is a stable fission product with a fairly high yield. Some procedures were carried out to separate neodymium, starting with the separation of cesium isotopes (137Cs, 134Cs) through the precipitation method, then separation of uranium isotopes (235U, 238U) and plutonium isotopes (239Pu, 238Pu) with Dowex 1x8 ion exchange resin, and separation of neodymium (Nd), samarium (Sm), as well as cerium (Ce) with Dowex 1x4 ion exchange resin. The Cs recovery reached 99.95%. The U and Pu isotopes resulting from the separation are subjected to an electrodeposition process and the weight of each isotope can be measured with an alpha spectrometer. The separation results of Nd from Sm and Ce have been proven using an XRF spectrometer. The neodymium isotopes separation was corrected using the standard addition method, and an average total Nd content of 2.4 ppm was obtained in the PEB U3Si2/Al bottom solution. It is hoped that this separation method can be applied in determining burn-up of nuclear fuel.
Keyword: neodymium, burn-up indicator, U3Si2/Al fuel plate