bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Paradoxes and their Findings in Special Theory of Relativity
Authors: Hamanoue Haruya , Khan Rifath
Published: February 2024

After the publication of Special Theory of Relativity in 1905, scientists raised questions that seemed to be impossible to explain due to relativity. These paradoxes seem to make contradictory statements and challenge the legitimacy of the theory of relativity until it was accepted by the scientific community.  This `paper presents some of those paradoxes and findings of Special Theory of Relativity, namely the Bug Rivet Paradox, Bell’s Spaceship Paradox and the changes in the electromagnetic fields due to a change in frames of reference. The paper shows how these problems were solved using coordinate transformations, and the key insights into the world we live in, such as the explanations of why electric and magnetic fields are interlinked.

Physicists came up with apparent paradoxes which challenged the theory. Apparent paradoxes arise due to two statements that seem logical but do not agree with each other, or an antinomy. We will be looking at some of these problems; Bug-Rivet paradox, Bell’s Spaceship paradox and the link between electric and magnetic fields.
Addressing the lack of Asian Composers and Administration in Western Classical Music
Authors: Lee Joshua , Gil Stacy , Foy Joe
Published: February 2024

Western classical music is a significant cultural tradition that has been in practice and of scholarly interest in the past millennia. In the past century, there has been an emergence of Asian performers and composers in the classical music industry. Currently, classical Asian musicians make up 9% of the musician population despite comprising 6% of the national population (Hernandez, 2021). In our paper, we will dive into the extent of influence of Asian music on the West, as well as the presence of Asians in a Western Classical music context and the expression of their identities. Analyzing different representations of Western music in Asian context in the past centuries have shown these compositions to be merely cultural reproductions and rather simplistic than genuinely representing Asian identity. Although a handful of composers have shown hope in carving a space for Asian innovators, such as Tan Dun and Toru Takemitsu, the greatest barriers arise from the lack of Asian figures in administration and positions of power in the classical music society. It’s vital for Asian students to be offered classes on not just the development of Asian music and its prominent artists, but also on the social and cultural context in which world music developed. Organizations, such as the Music of Asia America Research Center, should be incorporated into music school curriculum in order to strengthen the identity of asian musicians and create a community where they can prosper.
Applications of Quantum Computing for Business Analytics in Healthcare Management
Authors: Kawle Krish , Dhavale Sheetal
Published: February 2024

The advent of Quantum Computing is a revolutionary step of mankind. This computer has the potential to grow in many areas, especially with healthcare. This paper views the role of quantum computing in healthcare, more specifically how quantum computing can reduce costs for healthcare providers and their insured customers.
Sociodemographic Influence on Adolescent Alcohol Perception
Authors: Galusha Graham , McGrath Sean
Published: February 2024

Despite federal regulation preventing the sale and consumption of alcohol to minors under the age of 21, rates of alcohol use in adolescents remain high. A collection of recent studies have found that demographics such as race, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation influence one’s vulnerability to alcohol abuse. The field of knowledge, however, lacked locational data that addressed perceptions towards adolescent alcohol use in specific geographic communities. Focusing specifically on the South Bay, a suburban region in South Los Angeles, filled that niche. Through analyzing similar studies and assessing the feasibility of different approaches to research, a quantitative study that utilized a survey was found to be the most appropriate research design. The survey included three sections: one collecting sociodemographic data, one assessing socio economic status, and one quantifying drinking perception. For distribution, six public and private high schools across the South Bay were contacted through guidance counselors. Between the four schools, 118 survey responses were collected over the course of two weeks. The data collected provides valuable information regarding sociodemographic subpopulation vulnerability to underage alcohol use amongst high school teens in the South Bay. Black students, for instance, had the highest positive perception towards underage drinking when averaged. Students of a high socioeconomic status and members of the LGBTQ community also maintain a high positive perception towards alcohol use. A positive perception towards alcohol alludes to a greater vulnerability of underage alcohol consumption. All three groups could benefit from targeted, preventative measures to combat rates of underage alcohol use.
Examining the Correlation between Refugee Populations and Unemployment Rate in Host Nations
Authors: Staninets Michael
Published: February 2024

In the past decade, the worldwide refugee population has more than doubled; in 2012, there were 10.5 million refugees, and this has increased to 27.1 million refugees by 2021. Studies on the effects of refugees on host nations' unemployment rates are inconclusive and there is a gap in knowledge of the relationship between refugees and the unemployment rate. Addressing this gap in knowledge would help further the understanding of the economic effects of large numbers of refugees and help reduce negative stigmas given to refugees and advise policy decisions. A correlational study was performed examining the correlation between an increase in refugees and a change in the unemployment rate of a host nation between the time frame of 1991-2021. The findings of the study include a weak positive correlation with a rs value of 0.198 and a p-value of 0.293, which indicates that the correlation is statistically insignificant. The lack of correlation between the variables indicates that natives should not fear that refugees make the job market more competitive or that they would strain the labor market. Similarly, intolerance, hate speech, and hardened attitudes toward refugees should not be justified on the fear that they damage the labor market.
Impressions of ChatGPT: Using Survey Results to Inform AI Policy in Education
Authors: Ma Emily
Published: February 2024

ChatGPT is a powerful artificial intelligence chatbot developed by OpenAI. Because of the public availability and unprecedented writing capabilities of ChatGPT, it presents a unique policy obstacle for schools. On the one hand, ChatGPT and similar chatbots have the potential to be revolutionary learning tools, helping students to learn, study, and understand material. On the other hand, ChatGPT provides students with the means to cheat with unprecedented ease and competence, producing quality work in seconds with minimal understanding of the material required. In this paper, I examine the results of a survey I sent out to students, parents, and teachers in order to gauge policy opinions with regards to ChatGPT. The hope is that public opinion in this space can be used to inform policy making. I find that students are currently using ChatGPT at high rates, and that there is broad support for policy changes that can prevent AI cheating. Ultimately, I suggest that schools should minimize the use of take home assignments as a middle ground response to the growing risks of AI cheating.
Racial Disparities in Puerto Rican Law-Making as a Result of the Americanized Census
Authors: Feliciano-Batista Nina , Capacetti Daneline
Published: February 2024

The island of Puerto Rico is characterized not only by its tropical landscapes but also by its extensive history of “mestizaje” and welcoming nature, regardless of race and ethnicity. However, the apparent lack of racial prejudice in its culture is contradicted by the recent increase in racial inequality throughout the island's municipalities. Such racial and ethnic inequalities in Puerto Rico result from the lack of government institutions, tools, and models specifically designed for the island's complex national identity. In particular, implementing the census and its Americanized view on race has further increased inequality among racial minorities in Puerto Rico. Despite the U.S. government's attempts to broaden the census' scope of racial understanding, many of the island's inhabitants remain disadvantaged and unacknowledged by a system that cannot accurately identify their needs, perpetuating the cycle of governmental inaction through inaccurate data regarding Puerto Rican's racial composition.
Data Analysis of Interpretation Errors Made When Reading CT Angiograms of the Head and Neck
Authors: Shah Yana
Published: February 2024

A medical error is an adverse outcome of medical treatment that occurs more often than it should. When reading CT angiograms (CTAs) of the head and neck, radiologists receive detailed coverage from the aortic arch to the frontal sinus, along with information about targeted blood vessels. However, these large scans can also result in missed detection of incidental findings and anomalies. This observational study aimed to determine the frequency of missed incidental findings during the examination of CTAs of the head and neck and to identify the main reasons radiologists fail to report them. Five volunteer radiologists were each randomly assigned 50 previously read cases and used the RADPEER system to score the original report. In addition, if the case received a RADPEER score other than 1, an error classification (EC) score was assigned. It was hypothesized that there are a large number of errors made by radiologists when reading CTAs of the head and neck and that in cases with missed findings, the main reason for the error is that the discrepancy was overlooked. The results of the study showed that 29.6% of the cases had an error, and of those cases, 86.5% had an EC score of 1, supporting both research hypotheses. Two chi-square tests were also performed, both of which were statistically significant. The significant number of errors could be due to satisfaction of search and the limited availability of subspecialty radiologists available to read complex cases in private practices, such as the one studied.
Distractor-Specific Single Neuron Activity Predicts Visual Working Memory Task Outcomes
Authors: Lakhamraju Jia , Stewart Mare
Published: February 2024

This paper explores the relationship between neural activity and behavioral performance in the form of visual working memory (VWM) task outcomes, by answering the question: Are there any significant differences in the firing rates of individual neurons during the distractor presentation period of a VWM task between success and error trials that can predict the outcome of a trial? Distractor-specific single neuron firing rates during a VWM task were analyzed to answer this question. A logistic regression was used to identify the predictive capability of neural firing rate on trial outcome with the neural activity of 51 cells from the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) of a primate. This study found that a best-fit logistic model could predict the behavioral performance of the primate (success or error of the VWM task) with 63.01% accuracy, with additional machine learning techniques producing scores upwards of 68% accuracy. Moreover, greater firing rates in response to the distractor, indicating less efficient distractor suppression, accompanied the error trials of the VWM task. This suggests that stronger neural responses to task-specific distractors can hinder the attentional filtering required for efficient working memory, supporting previous research that found that distractor suppression is a mechanism that heavily influences WM efficiency. These findings indicate that people, particularly children, with disorders that affect WM capacity such as ADHD may experience stronger neural responses to distractors, and therefore inefficient distractor suppression, at the single neuron level when engaging in goal-oriented behaviors, which can significantly impact learning and other developmental processes.
Optimizing Convolutional Neural Networks Utilizing Tensor Decomposition Techniques for Large-Scale Image Recognition Tasks
Authors: Hu Tiancheng
Published: February 2024

Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) are integral to numerous applications in today's digital landscape. However, their computational demands often result in slow operation, especially when resources are constrained. This study introduces two tensor decomposition methods aimed at optimizing the performance of CNNs by minimizing the total number of operations and weights, while maintaining accuracy. The first method employs Canonical Polyadic (CP) decomposition to divide the convolutional layer into multiple rank 1 tensors. The second method uses Tucker decomposition to break down the convolutional layer into a compact core tensor and several matrices. The effectiveness of these methods was evaluated on widely-used convolutional architectures, VGG16 and LeNet, by substituting their convolutional layers with a series of decomposed layers, implemented using PyTorch and TensorLy. The CP decomposition method achieved a computational speed-up of 43% with a minimal accuracy reduction of less than 0.12%. Similarly, Tucker decomposition resulted in a 37% speed-up with an accuracy decrease of less than 0.16%. These findings suggest that the proposed tensor decomposition methods can significantly enhance the efficiency of CNNs without significantly impacting their performance.
Instrument Sterilization and Surgical Site Infections in Low and Middle Income Countries
Authors: Cura Marina
Published: February 2024

With the recent surge in oftentimes fatal bacterial resistance, surgical site infections (SSI) are now a prominent topic of scholarly discussion. These infections occur due to unsterile surgical practices infiltrating the operating room, and deadly pathogens with it. The developed world has lowered rates of SSI through scrupulous enforcement of CDC sterilization guidelines while low and middle income countries (LMICs) continue to fall victim to inefficient sterilization. LMICs often don't have the resources to reach these CDC guidelines and as a result endure surgical instrument contamination. Currently, there is a gap in funding and research related to the state of surgical instrument sterilization. This study aims to reveal first hand data regarding the gap in adherence to CDC sterilization guidelines for a variety of LMICs. Data was collected through virtual interviews with surgeons or surgical technologists globally. Interview responses were later scored for adherence to the CDC guidelines and correlated with rates of SSI per country. Results showed that the adequacy of surgical instrument sterilization processes (SP) in hospitals is directly correlated to SSI rates in LMICs. A one tailed test with a flow of SP adherence to SSI prevalence rendered the following strong correlation of R squared=0.772. This relationship demonstrates that investments to improve surgical sterilization processing will likely render lower rates of SSI. Lower SSI rates in LMICs could give rise to an increase in surgical tourism, a decrease in expensive treatments for highly resistant bacteria, and ultimately a decrease in surgical morbidity and mortality.
A Comparative Analysis of Epidemics Management in Korea: From the Unification of Shilla to Modern COVID-19
Authors: Kim Chloe
Published: February 2024

Epidemics have been a major threat to human health throughout history. The development of modern medicine has led to a decline in deaths from infectious diseases, but they remain a major public health concern. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of effective infectious disease management. This study examines the management of infectious diseases in Korea. The study finds many similarities between how infectious diseases were managed in the past and how they are managed today. However, the study also finds some critical differences between how contagious diseases were managed in the past and how they are managed today. The study concludes by arguing that studying the history of infectious diseases can help us better understand and manage infectious diseases in the future.
Artistic Comparisons of Art Forms Through The Nutcracker: Legitimizing Hip Hop
Authors: Chen Edward
Published: February 2024

Hip Hop is an art form that has spanned the past few decades, imbued with rich culture, history, and movement. Yet, the art form is not as appreciated in society and in academia as art forms such as ballet. The aim of this study is to evaluate the qualitative and artistic aspects of Hip Hop and ballet to determine the success of both art forms and thereby argue for the legitimacy of Hip Hop as an art form. The comparison was analyzed through a content analysis of different versions of The Nutcracker, a highly esteemed dance production. The first phase of this study examined the development of Hip Hop and ballet, current research touching on the legitimacy of both art forms, and the development of The Nutcracker and past practices used to evaluate movement. The second phase involved the development of a rubric based on past performance evaluations to analyze a Hip Hop version and a traditional ballet version of The Nutcracker. Both versions were assessed through an online format because of the reachability of such a medium. The rubric was separated into three categories: dynamics, expressiveness, and technique, and findings showed that both dances received an overall score of 2.72 out of 3 points, with both dances falling short on different criteria in the rubric. It was concluded that the content analysis could help to advance the legitimacy of Hip Hop to match that of ballet due to the equivalent artistic successes of both art forms.
Defusing the Ticking Bomb
Authors: Spooner Alicia , Sharbaugh Janine
Published: February 2024

This paper analyzes various policies in efforts to determine a feasible and effective next step in advancing energy policy and climate action in the United States. Research consists of a review of literature followed by meta-analysis. The secondary research portion calls for an acceleration of the renewable energy transition, emphasizing the importance of energy reforms. The review acknowledges obstacles hindering the transition such as renewable energy variability and storage limitations. The section calls for technological advancement and identifies four policy targets; investment, accessibility, pricing, and expansion. 

        The review of literature is followed by meta-analysis of aforementioned policy targets by analyzing and comparing five sources, each pertaining to a different policy area. Primary research identifies renewable energy investment using revenue sourced from carbon pricing and fossil fuel subsidy dissolution as the most efficient and feasible next step in strengthening U.S. energy policy, concluding with a call to action in light of findings.
Exploring the Role of Interaction in Engagement and Satisfaction Within Virtual Learning Environments
Authors: Shin Abe
Published: February 2024

Empirical studies have recognized the significant role of student engagement and interaction in determining satisfaction within high-quality, synchronous virtual learning environments. A prevailing concept in research surrounding synchronous virtual satisfaction suggests that interaction is a key driver of learner engagement. However, very few research has delved into the underpinnings of this relationship. This study, therefore, aims to examine the potential mechanisms that link student engagement and satisfaction through interactions within a synchronous virtual learning environment. A sample of 200 South Korean secondary school students, comprising a balanced gender ratio (51% male, 49% female), was included in this research. The findings demonstrate a series of positive correlations among student engagement, interaction, and satisfaction. Furthermore, mediation analysis revealed a positive relationship between student engagement and satisfaction, with interaction serving as a mediating variable. The study's results suggest that high school students derive benefits when teachers take active steps to engage them. The findings of this study could guide future planners of synchronous virtual learning environments to prioritize student engagement as a strategic initiative for boosting satisfaction levels.
Utilising Machine Learning to Predict Myocardial Infarction by Electrocardiogram Derived Respiration
Authors: Fung Evelyn , Ghiasi Shadi
Published: February 2024

Myocardial Infarction (MI) is one of the leading causes of death. Electrocardiogram (ECG) is a non-invasive tool that is commonly used as a diagnostic tool to assess cardiac conditions. A dataset consisting ECG signals of healthy individuals and MI patients was subjected to pre-processing techniques like normalization and application of a bandpass filter. R-R peak intervals from the pre-processed ECG signals are extracted to generate the respiratory signal. The features extracted from the respiratory signal are used to predict MI. The objective of this study is to evaluate the potential of ECG derived respiratory signal (EDR) in predicting MI by utilizing machine learning techniques like random forest, linear regression, Convolutional Neural Network(CNN), Multilayer perceptron(MLP). The results of the study will examine the feasibility of using EDR in predicting MI and provide insight into the most effective machine learning technique for this application. This study will contribute to the development of new and efficient prediction methods for MI patients.
Exploring the Relationship: Gender Perceptions and Motivation in Pursuing Professional Piano Careers
Authors: Phoon Astra , Olivo Daniel , Valenzuela Rafael
Published: February 2024

The Self-Determination Theory creates a framework for the study of human motivation and personality in which the social environment affects one’s motivation and psychological needs. Intrinsic and identified are the most autonomous forms of motivation for the pursuit of a professional career, which requires great perseverance and practice. These traits typically are intertwined with personal identity, sense of self, and intrinsic motivation. However, this may be hindered by gender perceptions. Currently, the amount of professional female musicians is decreasing in numerous countries. Gender perceptions relating to piano specifically and their relation to motivation is unclear at this point. In this study, the effect of gender perceptions (in the form of gender role self-concept and intrinsic value in music) of female pianists regarding competence on six different forms of motivations, especially identified motivation, as per SDT, will be explored. Participants (N=26) completed a survey with two validated scales; bivariate correlation and linear regression analysis tests were administered. Between “equal gender perceptions” (being uninfluenced by either gender stereotype) and identified regulation, female participants were found to have strong positive correlations while male were found to have small to medium. Regarding “feminine gender perceptions,” female and male participants were found to have strong large positive correlations. Regarding “masculine gender perceptions,” there were no responses from female participants and male participants were found to have small positive to medium negative correlations. The findings reveal that competence is a large predictor of intrinsic motivation and indicates that gender perceptions could be an obstacle.
Predictability of Off-Targets in CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing Systems using Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Verma Parsh , Kethar Jothsna , Appavu, Ph.D Dr. Rajagopal
Published: February 2024

CRISPR-Cas systems have catalyzed a quantum leap in genomics, providing a remarkable degree of precision in genomic sequence alterations. Despite these advancements, one notable conundrum persists - the prediction and mitigation of off-target effects. These unintended effects occur when the CRISPR apparatus interacts with homologous, albeit non-identical sequences, which could potentially induce unanticipated mutations. This investigation employs a comparative approach, juxtaposing machine-learning models that harness sophisticated Convolutional Neural Networks with different architectures. The standard CNN model utilizes a stratified architecture that meticulously filters pertinent genetic patterns, and identifies salient genetic features using a convolutional layer along with a batch normalization layer and a max pooling layer. This architecture prevents overfitting by applying a dropout layer, and 2 dense layers to categorize the two outputs. In contrast, the AttnToMismatch_CNN model marries the attention mechanism with the convolutional paradigm to encode sgRNA and DNA sequences into vector representations by using embedding and transformer layers. Which is then passed into a convolution layer and then to a dense layer to result in two outputs. Performance appraisal of the models, through the Area Under the Curve (AUC) of the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUC-ROC) score, indicated the standard CNN model's superior predictive accuracy. This research accentuates the untapped potential of Convolutional Neural Networks in augmenting the predictability of off-target effects in CRISPR-Cas systems, thereby fostering safer and more efficacious applications of this transformative gene editing tool.
The Evolution and Extent of the Effect of Children’s TV Shows Upon Adolescents
Authors: Singh Shivaansh , Park Soo
Published: February 2024

This study aims to focus on the gradual effects various media have on a child’s upbringing in the past few decades and to explore the relationship between children TV shows and the intellectual growth of this select group of youths. In the past years, various television and visual entertainment sources have been garnering increased popularity, especially among children, with the specific effects of these TV shows on children's intellectual growth rarely being called into question. Thus, a study will be conducted through a survey, with the selection of participants being limited to those that have watched this media at a young age. This survey would then be incorporated into a correlational investigation, comparing the responses with an analysis of the TV shows that determines the educational density of the first season of the most popular media among children from 2000 to 2012. After analyzing the perceptions and educational achievement of the survey participants, I discovered that there is a strong correlation in terms of various perceptions of these TV shows and the educational content with a slight relationship between the educational and intellectual content of the shows. This would prove to support existing data while also having the potential of influencing further examination within this field.
Perovskites: An Emerging Technology in Solar Space
Authors: Padgaonkar Aditya , Prabhu Kavita
Published: February 2024

The extent of interest which Perovsite technology is generating in solar research space is unprecedented. And there is a genuine rationale behind that. In the last one decade, the progress in efficiencies exhibited by Perovskite Solar Cells (PSCs) has gone up manifold. This is an outcome of the intensive research being done by various research organizations on efficiency enhancement of the PSCs and the various solar companies which are trying to bring this technology closer to large scale commercialization. The wide belief is that perovskites will be less expensive compared to conventional technology. While the perovskite technology is demonstrating a sea of opportunities, there is still a journey to cover. There are multiple research gaps on the road to commercialization of the perovskite technology which need to be addressed. The more important amongst them are durability and stability, rapid degradation due to UV, dissolution issue due to water exposure, degradation through oxygen and hysteresis behaviour. Having said that, the pace of research in solar space has been much faster compared to any other technology transformations the world has seen. And global warming and climate change related studies are further necessitating this pace to accelerate further. This article gives a brief history of perovskite, its technological progression, the research gaps as they stand today and what the future holds for this technology. Looking at the progress in perovskite technology, the world may not be far away from seeing a disruption in solar space.
Economic Impact of COVID-19 on America
Authors: Pundeer Vaidehi , Krishnamurthy Vaidyanathan
Published: February 2024

This letter aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the economic impact of the fiscal policies implemented by the U.S. government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also aims to identify the key lessons for the U.S. government from its interventions and highlights the long-term implications of the policies implemented.
Effects of Polyploidization on Locomotor and Flight Activity, and Body Size of Males in Japanese Bumblebee, Bombus ignitus
Authors: Aoyama Iori , Kojima Naoki , FUCHIKAWA Taro
Published: February 2024

Polyploid animals are seen in the wild in only a few groups such as planaria, weevils, ants, wasps, and bees. The sex of bumblebees is determined by the single-locus complementary sex determination (sl-CSD) system resulting in females emerging from fertilized eggs and males (normal males, haploid) emerging from unfertilized eggs. However, diploid males (polyploids) emerged from fertilized eggs when the sex-determining locus become homozygous caused by inbreeding due to population contraction. To examine the effects of polyploidization on behavioral characteristics in bumblebee males, Bombus ignitus, haploid and diploid males were compared in locomotor activity, ease of staying inside the hive, and flight activity in a laboratory experiment. The results showed that diploid males had higher locomotor activity levels, were less likely to stay inside the hive, and had lower flight activity levels than haploid males. The reduced flight activity levels may lead to lower mating rates in the field. Furthermore, the body size of diploid males was smaller than that of haploid males. Diploid males of bumblebees have a low reproductive and produce diploid sperms to emerge sterile triploids, thus creating a considerable genetic load on the population. The behavioral and morphological characteristics of diploid males may unintentionally serve as a mechanism to prevent the emergence of sterile triploids.
Benchmarking and Analysis of Quantum Error Correction Codes
Authors: Timmaraju Rohan
Published: February 2024

Quantum Computing is a computing framework that takes advantage of unique quantum mechanical properties (such as superposition and entanglement) to perform calculations and implement algorithms that could offer exponential speed-ups over classical computing. However, in physical implementations of such quantum computers, qubits – the fundamental components of these systems – can accumulate errors that must be accounted for. In order to mitigate these errors, various quantum error correction (QEC) codes have been developed, including the repetition code and surface codes. In this experiment I implement and evaluate three types of QEC codes on the Qiskit simulator to compare their efficacy and applicability in correcting for different kinds of errors. I hypothesize that surface codes, with their more effective design and range of correction methods, should perform the best with much lower error thresholds and resultant logical error rates. The results support the hypothesis and suggest that surface codes are a viable method of implementing scalable error correction in quantum computers.
Perceptions of Code Switching in a Multilingual Language Classroom in Morocco
Authors: Mugambi Hannah Mweru Mwangi
Published: February 2024

In this work students’ perceptions for code switching during group work in a multilingual classroom in Morocco are analyzed. This study is inspired by real time classroom experience. It reports on qualitative and quantitative data collected through an online survey, involving 50 participants. 80% of the respondents are multilingual in English, Arabic, Darija, and French, while 20% are monolingual in English. Casual observation of group discussions revealed that code switching occurred often during group discussion. This study confirms that 70% of students in this study switch codes during group discussions. Among students who do not understand the lingua franca, 79% feel left out and unheard during group discussions, when code switching occurs. Respondents mention the functions of code switching, which are; to fill in communication gaps that result from deficiency in English and to mitigate difficulties of explaining unfamiliar content, concepts, and ideas. Finally, this study finds that technology helps to close communication gaps in multilingual group tasks. The most frequently used technology tools in this study are Power Point, at 47%, and Word at 23%. Language translation tools are also mentioned as important.
PENERAPAN MODEL KOOPERATIF LEARNING TIPE GROUP INVESTIGATION PADA MATA PELAJARAN SENI BUDAYA UNTUK MENINGKATKAN HASIL BELAJAR SISWA KELAS IX SMP NEGERI 1 REJANG LEBONG
Authors: Khurniawati Choirina
Published: February 2024

Jenis penelitian yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah penelitian tindakan kelas (PTK). Desain penelitian yang digunakan adalah model penelitian yang dikembangkan oleh Kurt Lewin. Pelaksanaan penelitian ini melalui 3 siklus dan pada masing-masing melalui tahap perencanaan, pelaksanaan, observasi, dan refleksi. Subjek penelitian ini adalah siswa kelas IX SMP Negeri 1 Rejang Lebong dengan jumlah peserta didik sebanyak 32 orang. Kegiatan penelitian dilaksanakan selama tiga bulan dimulai dari bulan Agustus sampai dengan Oktober 2022. Hasil penelitian penerapan model pembelajaran kooperatif tipe investigasi kelompok dapat meningkatkan hasil belajar seni budaya peserta didik kelas IX D SMP Negeri 1 Rejang Lebong. Ketuntasan belajar klasikal meningkat pada siklus I sebesar 31,25%, siklus II sebesar 62,5%, dan siklus III sebesar 90,62%.
KEMAMPUAN MENULIS PUISI BEBAS PADA PEMBELAJARAN BAHASA INDONESIA SISWA KELAS VIII B SMP NEGERI 10 REJANG LEBONG
Authors: Sukmawati Sukmawati
Published: February 2024

Desain yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah bersifat deskriptif kuantitatif. Deskriptif kuantitatif adalah rancangan penelitian yang menggambarkan variabel penelitian dalam bentuk angka-angka atau statistik yang diperoleh dari hasil tes tertulis. Angka atau statistik tersebut merupakan gambaran kemampuan siswa kelas VIII.B SMP Negeri 10 Rejang Lebong dalam menulis sebuah puisi. Subjek penelitian ini, yaitu keseluruhan siswa kelas VIII.B SMP Negeri 10 Rejang Lebong yang berjumlah 32 orang terdiri atas 14 siswa laki-laki dan 18 perempuan. Tempat penelitian ini di kelas VIII.B SMP Negeri 10 Rejang Lebong. Hasil penelitian adalah Kemampuan menulis puisi bebas siswa kelas VIII.B SMPN 10 Rejang Lebong ditinjau dari segi struktur fisik puisi (diksi, pengimajian, kata konkret dan bahasa figuratif) telah memadai, hal ini dapat dilihat dari kemampuan aspek diksi sebesar 75%, aspek imajinatif sebesar 81,3%, apek kata konkrit sebesar 78,1% dan aspek figuratif sebesar 81,2%. Kemampuan menulis puisi bebas siswa kelas VIII.B SMPN 10 Rejang Lebong ditinjau dari segi struktur bathin puisi (tema, perasaan, nada dan amanat ) telah layak/ memadai, hal ini dilihat dari aspek unsur bathin yang dikuasai siswa sebesar 85,15%.
A VIOLÊNCIA INTRÍNSECA DO TRABALHO DO POLICIAL MILITAR E OS IMPACTOS NA SAÚDE FÍSICA E MENTAL: UMA ANÁLISE DOS PROGRAMAS DE SAÚDE LABORAL NO ESTADO DO PARANÁ
Authors: Plasse Henrique
Published: February 2024

O objetivo deste estudo foi examinar os conceitos que embasam as relações estabelecidas entre a organização do trabalho do policial militar e a manutenção da saúde física e mental desses profissionais quando no exercício de atividades em face das demandas da sociedade atual. A metodologia se classifica como bibliográfica, desenvolvida com base em material já elaborado, constituído principalmente de livros, monografias e artigos científicos pesquisados em mecanismos de busca online, além de material pertinente à Polícia Militar do Paraná; exploratória, dedutiva e qualitativa. Os resultados mostraram que o aumento da criminalidade e da violência em âmbito geral tem colocado cada vez mais o policial militar no atendimento de variados tipos de ocorrências, determinando uma ampliação da exposição destes profissionais com indivíduos de todas as classes sociais, que apresentam níveis de periculosidade diversificados e disposição para o cometimento de atos em represália às ações policiais militares. Os estudos analisados permitiram entender que a atividade do policial militar é constituída por múltiplos riscos ocupacionais que podem gerar sérios agravos à saúde física e mental. Pode-se concluir que os motivos relacionados com a violência intrínseca do trabalho policial militar e os impactos gerados na saúde física e mental dos profissionais parte da própria organização do trabalho policial e também da dinâmica da violência durante a prestação de serviços que são cadenciadas pelos novos ritmos de convivência na sociedade.
O DESAFIO DA IMPLEMENTAÇÃO DO PLANEJAMENTO NA POLÍCIA MILITAR DO PARANÁ: UMA ANÁLISE SOBRE AS MUDANÇAS RECENTES NA ESTRUTURA ESTRATÉGICA DA INSTITUIÇÃO
Authors: Denkewski Wladimir , Lemos Junior Luiz Carlos
Published: February 2024

Inserida em um contexto complexo e dinâmico, com a imposição de realizar cada vez mais entregas com menos recursos, a Polícia Militar do Paraná (PMPR) busca soluções para se adaptar a esse cenário. A inserção de uma cultura de planejamento na instituição foi iniciada, mas algumas barreiras foram enfrentadas durante a implementação da estratégia. Verificou-se que o desafio da implementação é comum nas organizações públicas, tendo relação direta com a cultura existente. O presente estudo busca entender como foram realizadas as etapas para a formulação da estratégia na PMPR, bem como quais fatores dificultaram o processo de implementação. Como proposta do presente estudo, busca-se responder ao seguinte problema de pesquisa: Como a definição clara de responsabilidades dos setores envolvidos com o planejamento estratégico, pode auxiliar a Polícia Militar do Paraná a superar os desafios impostos durante o processo de implementação? Para o presente estudo foi utilizada a lente epistemológica do interpretativismo construtivista. Coerente com essa epistemologia, optou-se pela abordagem qualitativa, por meio de uma revisão bibliográfica e documental. Como resultado, verificou-se que o adormecimento de setores estratégicos da PMPR, com o repasse de suas funções para setores do nível tático, trouxe dificuldades para a execução das atividades relacionadas à implementação do plano estratégico na PMPR. Para a continuidade dos trabalhos de implementação e o início dos processos de monitoramento, avaliação e atualização há a necessidade de se redefinir funções e reestruturar os setores de nível estratégico que foram enfraquecidos nas alterações recentes da instituição.
The Effect of the Utilization of Sustainable Materials on Some Mechanical Properties of Geopolymer Mortar
Authors: Mohammed Sally Hashim , Fawzi Nada Mahdi
Published: February 2024

Geopolymer concrete has been developed as a means of reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions due to concrete manufacturing, which account for around 5–10% of the total global CO₂ emissions. Additionally, this innovative material aims to utilize industrial waste as a sustainable resource. This study concentrates on developing a geopolymer mortar composition comprising 70% fly ash and 30% metakaolin. The mixture also includes 14 molars of sodium hydroxide, sodium silicate, saturated surface dry sand, water at a volume of 10% of the mix, and 1.5% superplasticizer. The solution-to-solid materials ratio was established at 0.55 while the ratio between sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide was established at 2.5:1. The geopolymer mortar was enhanced by rice husk fibers at varying volume percentages of 1%, 1.5%, and 2%. Additionally, waste paper, in the form of paper ash, was introduced as filler at a volume percentage of 5%. Following the demolding process, the specimens were cured in the controlled environment of an oven, with the temperature set at 60 °C for a period of 24 hr. Subsequently, the cured samples were stored for 7 and 28 days and then were tested. When different amounts of rice husk fibers were mixed in with a fixed amount of 5% paper ash, the flexural resistance of the geopolymer mortar increased significantly. After 7 days of curing, it was seen that the flexural strength experienced an increase of 4%, 13%, and 25%, and a further increase of 11%, 18%, and 31% after 28 days of curing. The results of the impact test showed a notable enhancement in impact resistance and energy absorption when incorporating paper ash and rice husk fibers. Specifically, the initial crack results exhibited a 50% rise, while the specimen failure after 28 days of curing showed a 66% improvement.
An Ensemble Method for EEG-based Texture Discrimination during Open Eyes Active Touch
Authors: Miltiadous Andreas , Aspiotis Vasileios , Peschos Dimitrios , Tzimourta Katerina D. , Abosaleh Al Husein Sami , Giannakeas Nikolaos , Tzallas Alexandros
Published: February 2024

Touch sensation is a key modality that allows humans to understand and interact with their environment. More often than not, touch sensation depends on vision to accumulate and validate the received information. The ability to distinguish between materials and surfaces through active touch consists of a complex of neurophysiological operations. To unveil the functionality of these operations, neuroimaging and neurophysiological research tools are employed, with electroencephalography being the most used. In this paper, we attempt to distinguish between brain states when touching different natural textures (smooth, rough, and liquid). Recordings were obtained with a commercially available EEG wearable device. Time and frequency-based features were extracted, transformed with PCA decomposition, and an ensemble classifier combining Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, and Neural Network was utilized. High accuracy scores of 79.64% for the four-class problem and 89.34% for the three-class problem (Null-Rough-Water) were accordingly achieved. Thus, the methodology's robustness indicates its ability to classify different brain states under haptic stimuli.
Geometry Effects on Joint Strength and Failure Modes of Hybrid Aluminum-Composite Countersunk bolted Joints
Authors: Coman Calin Dumitru , Crunteanu Daniel Eugeniu , Cican Grigore , Stoia-Djeska Marius
Published: February 2024

This paper presents the effects of geometry parameters (width/hole diameter, and edge distance/hole diameter ratios) on the damage initiation and growth in the CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer) composite-aluminum countersunk bolted joints. Strain gauge measurements conducted with an Instron testing machine along with a detailed 3D finite element model incorporating geometric, material, and friction-based contact nonlinearities were used to investigate the geometry parameters on the Progressive Damage Analysis (PDA) of the orthotropic material model. The PDA material model integrates the lamina nonlinear shear deformation, Hashin-type failure criteria, and strain-based continuum degradation rules, using the UMAT user subroutine in the MSC Software Corporation Patran-Nastran commercial software. The results showed that the geometry effects on damage initiation and failure modes are quite accurately predicted by the PDA material model, which proved to be computationally efficient, and therefore can predict failure propagation and damage mechanisms. Plate geometry is an important parameter in the design process of an adequate bolted joint while its effects on damage initiation and failure modes were quite accurately predicted by the analysis. The latter proved to be computationally efficient, and could successfully predict failure propagation and damage mechanism in hybrid metal-composite countersunk bolted joints.
Subgrade Reaction Characteristics to the Anchor Pile of a Sheet Pile Quay Wall
Authors: Miyashita Kenichiro , Nagao Takashi
Published: February 2024

The Conventional Design Method (CDM) for anchored sheet pile quay walls cannot accurately calculate the anchor pile deformation, partly because it does not properly consider the subgrade reaction. This study aims to clarify the subgrade reaction characteristics of the anchor pile using finite element analysis. The CDM assumes that passive failure occurs at the front of the anchor pile. On the contrary, this study shows that the active failure region generated from the back of the sheet pile wall expands to the periphery of the anchor pile and the passive failure region is not generated at its front. Thus, the subgrade reaction to the anchor pile is found to be smaller than the CDM assumption. The CDM also neglects the subgrade reaction in parts shallower than the tie-rod mounting height in the pile front. This study clarifies that the subgrade reaction in this part greatly contributes to the deformation resistance of the pile. Consequently, the subgrade reaction in the shallower range than the tie-rod mounting height is greater than or equal to that in the deeper range. Furthermore, the subgrade reaction has a lower upper limit when acting on the anchor pile than when acting on a horizontally stratified ground, and the difference between these limits widens as the reference earthquake strengthens.
A Numerical Analysis on the Performance and Optimization of the Savonius Wind Turbine for Agricultural Use
Authors: Glasberg Dan , Stratila Sergiu , Malael Ion
Published: February 2024

Given the state of the world nowadays, renewable energy is becoming more and more essential rendering wind turbine electricity quite important. Its shape and the fact that the Savonius vertical axis wind turbine runs at relatively low wind speeds with high torque values makes it suitable for practical uses such as that of an irrigation system in agriculture industry. This paper utilizes numerical research with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to investigate the performance of a vertical-axis wind turbine. The ANSYS CFD program was engaged to construct the simulations during the pre- and post-processing stages. Wind speed remained constant while the angular velocity was altered to enable analysis of the flow through the wind turbine. Because of its mechanical simplicity, the primary profile of a semicircle has remained a typical option for turbines that generate high torque based on drag force. The effects of using elliptical curves and the fluctuation in thickness along the profile chord were both examined in this study. Equivalently, an attempt to optimize the rotor's design was made. After the performance of a numerical simulation, a geometry consisting of simple circle arcs was developed, with a 10.9% improvement in the power coefficient, analogous to prior optimizations with more complicated geometries. The numerical results derived include the torque coefficient evolution throughout a full rotation as well as the distribution of vorticity magnitude at different rotor points.