bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing teachers' professionalism in Kosovo. The course syllabus policy review from faculty and students' perspectives
Authors: Damiani Valeria , Kaçaniku Fjolla , Saqipi Blerim , Agrusti Gabriella
Published: February 2024

The QATEK project is aimed at developing a quality oriented system of initial teacher education to increase teachers' professionalism in Kosovo. This study aims to present and delve into one of the main outputs of the project, namely the course syllabus review process, carried out at partner universities in Kosovo based on the policy document developed in the project. Three focus groups were carried out with faculty members and university students in October 2023. The findings of the study illuminate the transformative impact of elevating professionalism through the course syllabus revision process within teacher education. The study underscores the importance of adopting a lifelong learning perspective for teachers' professional development, positioning the syllabus revision process as a continuous and adaptive journey.
Longevità, vitalità e sport in psicoterapia della Gestalt
Authors: Armando Cammarata Salvatore
Published: February 2024

Nel modello della psicoterapia della Gestalt la vitalità è una peculiarità dell'esperienza di contatto. Nell'esperienza clinica, paziente e terapeuta sono dentro la relazione che genera il cambiamento e la nutrono con la loro intenzionalità e vitalità. Lo sport, sia a livello di rappresentazione mentale che di azione concreta, è caratterizzato da movimento e vitalità. L'approccio fenomenologico relazionale della psicoterapia della Gestalt può dare delle chiavi di lettura dell'esperienza all'interno di un contesto sportivo e fornire strumenti di "cura" e di crescita non rivolti al "paziente" (ambito clinico) ma ad una tipologia di utenti non classificati all'interno di una definizione diagnostica. La psicoterapia della Gestalt e la psicologia applicata al contesto sportivo hanno dei punti di "contatto". Nel presente articolo si proverà a tracciare una linea condivisa ed integrata.
Management control package in the portfolio project selection process. Empirical evidence from semiconductor industry
Authors: Messina Mariastella , Leotta Antonio
Published: February 2024

Studies on New Product Development (NPD) have emphasized the active, dynam-ic, and supportive role of Management Control Systems (MCS). However, limited research has explored how the various MCS can be specifically applied in the port-folio selection process and how these tools can be combined to influence project portfolio success in line with business strategy. In doing so, a complementarity be-tween the different MCS needs to be considered for the different problems that the various MCS are able to solve, and how MCS are used depends on the business strategy followed by the organization. From this perspective, in their use, MCS should be examined as a package to understand how the complementarity of var-ious controls and their ability to align NPD projects with business strategy may im-pact the project selection process in the portfolio context. This study aims to address the following research question: what roles MCS can play in the selection of NPD projects portfolio, considering different strategic con-texts? To answer this research question, we conducted an interpretative and quali-tative case study within a multinational company operating in the semiconductor industry, referred to as "Semicom." We employed a combination of data sources, including documentary analysis, direct observation, participation in meetings, and semi-structured interviews, to analyze the phenomenon under investigation. The results demonstrate that MCS can offer valuable insights for project manag-ers and division managers in the organization to make informed decisions regard-ing the project portfolio, and to align such decisions with the strategic objectives of the organization.
Sustainable Business Model and the Firm Age Variable Impact: Evidence from wine industry
Authors: Alfiero Simona , Broccardo Laura , Cane Massimo
Published: February 2024

Sustainability is attracting increasing attention, especially in small and medium-sized companies and the agribusiness industry, because of the need to address ris-ing social and environmental issues. Consequently, the present study explores a sample of small and medium-sized companies operating in the wine sector, with particular attention to the key variables of their sustainable business model and its process design. Age is a variable that is rarely studied in the academic literature, but it is notable. Herein lies the originality of this research, which resides in the lens used to examine the business models of organisations. This study shows the rele-vance of this underexplored variable and its impact on sustainable business mod-els, shedding light on the sustainability implementation of young and old firms.
La supervisione aperta. Un modello evidence-based di supervisione
Authors: Tosi Sabrina
Published: February 2024

Il presente lavoro si pone l'obiettivo di esporre una metodologia di supervisione ecologica di matrice batesoniana applicata a una rete di operatori appartenenti a nove differenti scuole per l'infanzia nell'ambito di tre diversi progetti. Filo conduttore dei tre progetti è costituito dal monitoraggio e il "prendersi cura" della salute del gruppo di lavoro attraverso il consolidamento dell'identità gruppale e delle strategie di coping, la promozione della comunicazione assertiva e il potenziamento delle aree di criticità e i punti di forza specifici per ciascun gruppo. Per la misurazione delle specificità dei diversi gruppi è stato utilizzato il Questionario sul Benessere Organizzativo, "OHQ – Organizational Health Questionnaire" di Avallone e Paplomatas.
Medicinema Italia ETS. Un nuovo servizio di cura riabilitativa attraverso l'esperienza del cinema
Authors: Salvi Fulvia
Published: February 2024

MediCinema Italia ETS, è l'Associazione che dal 2013 utilizza con un proprio protocollo di intervento, il grande cinema come terapia di sollievo nelle strutture ospedaliere e case di cura, supportati da un attento lavoro di supporto psicologico. La cineterapia, indica come la visione di un film crei sotto il profilo psicologico un "effetto pausa", aiutando a ridurre la percezione del dolore, creando uno stato di benessere. Nel presente contributo sono riportati diversi lavori di ricerca integrata, realizzati in Inghilterra e in Italia, nei quali emerge come cambi la percezione dell'essere degente ospedaliero quando il paziente si trova in una sala cinematografica dedicata appositamente. I lavori di ricerca forniscono dati utili sul cambiamento dei vissuti dei pazienti, sia fisicamente che psicologicamente e offre spunti per future ed ulteriori ricerche, oltre a testimoniare che il cinema sia fattivamente entrato a far parte nel novero della valenza terapeutica.
Problemi di policy e sperimentazione amministrativa: l'evoluzione dei processi di digitalizzazione e l'emergere degli ecosistemi di innovazione
Authors: Vecchi Giancarlo
Published: February 2024

The Italian public administration is confronted with two challenges peculiar to the current times, which share some common features: on the one hand, the use of ever-changing digital technologies; and, on the other hand, the role in social innovation processes involving multiple actors. In the first case, the emergence of public digital platforms calls for re-organization processes based on greater integration among internal departments, and stable relations between different administrative levels and between public and private actors. In the second case, the social demand for innovation in public services and policies leads to the development of ways of involving different actors in collaborative processes that are configured as innovation ecosystems. The thesis of this contribution underlines how the analysis of these modes of collaborative governance constitutes a relevant field for evaluation research, also because of the opportunity to integrate some significant elaborations developed by policy analysis.
Oscar Halecki's Idea of Europe: A Tribute
Authors: Magliulo Antonio
Published: February 2024

Oscar Halecki (1891-1973) was one of the leading historian who investigated Europe as a distinct supranational community supporting a model of federalism to govern it. This note aims to retrieve Halecki's idea of Europe on the fiftieth anniversary of his death.
La tipografía en contiendas presidenciales ecuatorianas. Uso y aplicación en la construcción del discurso propagandístico
Authors: Godoy Guevara Gandhy , Ortiz-Dávila David , Larrea-Ayala Ana
Published: February 2024

En el diseño, la tipografía adquiere roles multimodales en la construcción del mensaje. Caracterizarla y comprenderla requirió de una investigación de dos fases. En la primera fase, con un enfoque cuantitativo, se analizaron 171 textos presentes en 72 piezas gráficas, aplicando una matriz de variables teóricas referentes al formalismo tipográfico, a la gramática visual y al análisis de contenidos. Los resultados iniciales destacan el uso tipográfico como representación gráfica, compositiva y estética del texto. En la segunda fase, de corte cualitativo e interpretativo hermenéutico, se realizó un experimento controlado referente al grado de significación de la tipografía, aplicado en tres provincias ecuatorianas de mayor concentración de electores. Los resultados cuanti-cualitativos muestran que la tipografía en la propaganda política ecuatoriana adquirió un rol retórico funcional y estético, limitándose a ser la representación gráfica del lenguaje a través del texto, y desconectándose del valor simbólico, histórico, social y cultural en relación con el grupo al que se dirige el mensaje.
The Polaroid Preservation Project
Authors: Arslanyan Alexander
Published: February 2024

The Polaroid Preservation Project was born from a fascination with 20th-century photographic materials, primarily instant photography. This thesis addresses preservation considerations for Polaroid photographs created in the last half of the twentieth century. My research references the Fade Resistance Collection, a collection of over 3500 instant photos collected by artist Zun Lee of African American families held by the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) in Toronto, Canada. This collection, recently acquired by the museum, is scheduled to be exhibited, providing a touchstone for strategies around identifying, storing, preserving, and exhibiting these unique photographic objects. The thesis is broken down into four parts; 1) Background History; 2) Composition of Polaroid Instant Photographs; 3) Deterioration of Polaroid Photographs; 4) Housing, Storage and Display of Polaroid Photographs. Additionally, I will be publishing a website that will serve as a platform for my research and help provide better access for researchers and others.
Citizen Archivists: The Role of Retrontario in Sharing Television History
Authors: Stirling Emma
Published: February 2024

This thesis studies the online archive Retrontario, run by Ed Conroy from his home. Retrontario focuses on finding and sharing Ontario’s local television content from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, that is inaccessible elsewhere.

While Retrontario collects multiple forms of media, the largest are VHS tapes. These VHS tapes are mostly of content that was recorded from television and donated to Retrontario by the public. They are digitized by Conroy and posted online.

Retrontario is not concerned with copyright in the manner government archives are. In addition, due to a lack of space, Retrontario is less focused on long-term preservation and storage than government archives are. Instead, Retrontario uses its freedoms within copyright to share a large quantity of material that would otherwise have not been seen.

Conroy refers to this style of archiving as ‘Citizen Archivists’. The research question of this thesis is: What are the challenges and opportunities of Retrontario, and other Citizen Archivists in preserving and sharing local media history? This thesis explores the role Retrontario, and Citizen Archivists play within collections, and argues that despite Retrontario’s limitations, its work as an access-based platform is important television archiving.
Digital Storytelling and Sisterhood: How Podcasts Foster an Immersive Virtual Community for Black Women
Authors: Powell Micha
Published: February 2024

This MRP explores how Black women have transferred Black oral culture to podcasts and created safe and immersive virtual spaces to share personal experiences with their audiences. While there has been much research on podcasts' resurgence over the past decade, few researchers have taken the impact of Black digital spaces into consideration. It’s necessary for Black women to have nontraditional media platforms and create a digital form of community and speak their truth in an accessible and safe space. By analyzing scholarly articles, social media and Black led podcasts, this MRP will fill the gaps of digital community studies and enrich the field of podcast research, all the while shedding light on why empowered Black women are catalysts for meaningful conversations and community formation in virtual spaces.
Does Technology Speak for Us; Exploring Emotional Range and User Interface Design in Augmentative and Alternative Communication systems (AAC)
Authors: Soldano Emily
Published: February 2024

One of the fundamentals of being human is the ability to communicate. We express our thoughts, emotions, and ideas in both subtle and direct forms of communication. Either through movements in body language and eye contact, or verbal expressions in our pitch and tone of voice. Both ways allow us to be a part of a larger society and have a feeling of self-identity and control. When this ability to communicate is taken away due to illness, accident, or for any other unprecedented reason, we are left feeling isolated, disassociated from our identity, and excluded from society. Without verbal communication, expressing a basic need can become taxing and near impossible. Let alone trying to express specific emotions or ideas. There is a multitude of neurological diseases that cause speech impairments such as ALS, Parkinson’s disease, Myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis, and more. (Mayo Clinic, 2020) Many of these diseases, like ALS for example, effect over 30,000 people in the United States with 5,000 new documented cases being diagnosed every year (Heller, 2019). There is a large population of people living with these disabilities globally that impair their quality of life. The purpose of this project is to explore the technologies available in speech synthesis and to create an emotionally driven assistive speech solution through a mobile application that allows the user to first select the specific emotion they are feeling, followed by the text or phrase they wish to say. The result is that the text or phrase would be said in that specified emotion by the synthetic voice associated with the application. The main focus of the project will be changing the way augmentative and alternative communication systems are approached by designing an emotionally driven interface that allows the user to choose their emotion before the spoken action/phrase is said out loud by the software. Researching and understanding the fundamentals of the Circumplex Model of Affect will guide the design of the interface and allow for a deeper understanding of human emotions (Russell, 1980). This project will be centered around the design process and more specifically, inclusive design.
Re-Imagining Eglinton’s Little Jamaica: The Digital Preservation of a Caribbean Community’s Cultural Identity
Authors: Marfo Dorcas
Published: February 2024

In the face of displacement and a changing landscape by the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit Project, Little Jamaica’s history is rooted in the ethnic enclaves of longstanding Afro-Caribbean businesses, cultural festivals, and traditions. This study aims to understand how digital and spatial storytelling can be used as a tool to preserve the cultural makeup of Little Jamaica, a community along Eglinton Avenue West. Additionally, this study will assess the promising features of a mobile web application to host community stories and use community conversations as an instrument for awareness, interaction, and engagement. The hypothesis is digital media components can assist with preserving Little Jamaica’s cultural heritage. The results conclude that a mobile web application will showcase community conversations that are at risk of being displaced with residing members.
The Impact of Remote Learning and Teaching during COVID-19
Authors: Liu Albert Yuou
Published: February 2024

This study examines how university students and professors engage and are impacted in remote learning and teaching during COVID-19. The goal of this paper is to explore the evolution and challenges faced by students and professors alike of early digital/remote education from the early 2000s and the way up to contemporary years, 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19. This paper also presents findings from interviews with university students and professors of various backgrounds and explores solutions that can potentially alleviate challenges faced by them. The documentary supports this study by archiving events and information discussed by students and professors as well as providing an insight into the daily lives of 6 student participants and 1 professor participant during COVID-19, ages range from 22 to 40 years. Participants were tasked with filming themselves and given weekly themed topics such as “What is normal?” to discuss, participation length ranged from 2-6 weeks. Incorporating daily lives of participants and their thoughts creates a more intimate and holistic overview of the impacts of COVID-19 not just on education but also other aspects that are not often discussed. A director’s cut will also be released in the 2021 September or October period which showcases more interviewees and participants’ recorded footage to give current and future educators a better understanding on the impact of remote learning and teaching during COVID-19.

The results show that COVID-19 has not only changed how students learn and how professors teach, but also how both parties were affected in other ways. There is a constant theme of stress stemming from school, family, quarantine, and isolation. There are also many other factors that are not often discussed such as barriers to education due to lack of infrastructure or restriction of international students traveling back to Ontario, Canada for education, etc. The desire for in-person classes by students and professors is persistent due to various reasons including but not limited to decrease in motivation and lack of engagement via Zoom when students turn off their cameras. The idea of a hybrid education system is extremely welcomed by students and lesser so amongst professors though they are intrigued; unfortunately there is no consenus on how hybrid classes should be run as opinions differer greatly.

This study concludes that the first step to improving the quality of remote learning and teaching during COVID-19 is to establish better and more frequent communication between students and professors. Finally, a new era of digital/remote education will likely happen between 2021 Fall term or around 2022 Winter term depending on COVID-19 situations and other factors.
Creating Digital Community in Hockey: A Study of the Montreal Canadiens’ Instagram Engagement During the 2021 Stanley Cup Final
Authors: Greeley Robert
Published: February 2024

Within social media there are multiple strategies and methods you can use to grow your page but, in terms of content there are many variables to determine what yields the most engagement. With the Montreal Canadiens being in the 2021 Stanley Cup Final for the first time in the social-media age, this paper evaluated how the content they posted on their in-feed Instagram account @canadiensmtl from June 28, 2021, to July 8, 2021. This study aims to determine what content achieve the greatest average engagement per post, and to identify the top engaging moments during the period indicated, while using likes and comments.

This research will test the hypothesis that game and community content will result in the highest average engagement. This will be completed by collecting data on all in-feed Instagram posts from the page, separating into categories of type of post format (photo, video, graphics, and motion graphics) and type of post content (game content, community content, sponsored, and other). Once it is determined what category, a post belongs to the sum of likes and comments were added together and divided by the number of posts in the category to determine the average engagement per post.

The results showed for type of content; game content and community content have the highest amount of average engagement. Then for type of post format; photos were the top average engagement multimedia content. These results show us that top performing posts come from top emotional and important moments during the game, and immediately after.
Collider VR: Using Virtual Reality for Immersive Theatre and the Performing Arts
Authors: Bushell Shelby
Published: February 2024

This MRP explores the future of immersive theatre in virtual reality by examining the production Collider VR as a case study, produced by Single Thread Theatre and presented at the 2021 Festival of Live Digital Art and the 2021 rEvolver Festival. Collider VR utilized concepts from traditional theatre-making and applied them in a virtual environment to investigate four specific research questions. First, the project explored the use of the avatar as mask and the possibilities of embodiment in virtual space with hand gesture and head control. Second, it examined the potential for an ensemble to move as a collective in virtual space, as a chorus, and the applicability of the concept of a coryphaeus in VR. Third, the project examines how the logic of vector math, necessary to the structure of a virtual setting, can become integrated into the rehearsal lexicon and what effects changes to the virtual world during a performance can have. Finally, Collider VR explores the audience experience of virtual space and how designers can incorporate realities of that usage into immersive design. In addition to documenting the process of producing Collider VR and the conclusions reached in each of these gyms, this paper will contextualize the use of virtual reality technology in theatrical performance over the technology’s history to better forecast the future of virtual theatre.
There’s Still Life: Exploring the digitalization of everyday objects and their meanings
Authors: Barakov Stoyan
Published: February 2024

There’s Still Life explores the significant histories, essences, and characteristics we imbue on physical objects and how they take on new meanings when translated and experienced in digital space. Using existing digital platforms and techniques, a series of (5) objects are curated in an experiential gallery space where they take on new identities, forms and functions amidst the collection. All objects have been volunteered for inclusion in the experiment, by (5) participants from different walks of life, alongside a questionnaire and short description of each individual’s object and its meaning. The physical objects are digitized using 3D scanning app Trino, and ported into New Art City where they are repositioned in a digital space for sharing and preservation. The digital space is publicly accessible through the web-based platform, allowing visitors to explore the collection and create new meanings and associations with the objects as they are viewed in a new, generated context with each other. This process aims to discover the extent to which hybrid and mediated experiences of physical objects help to preserve and share personal histories, and the role of agency and aura for digitally born objects in enabling digital community building amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Integrating Game Engines: A New Architecture Workflow
Authors: Au Rachel
Published: February 2024

In the realm of architecture, orthographics such as floor plans, elevations, and sections are essential both in the design process and final working drawings. However, when shown to clients, there is often a lack of spatial, material, and contextual understanding. As technology advances, renderings, walkthroughs and “money-shot renders'' plague the architectural workflow—often interpreted as realistic but misleading. The paper begins by exploring the gaps and deficiencies of today’s architecture workflow, continues with analyzing the elements of themed entertainment and concludes with the potential of integrating game engines into the architecture workflow. Many parallels can be drawn between the themed entertainment industry and architecture, as both heavily focus on user experience, immersive environments, and human-centered design. The second part of this paper is a game design document that outlines in detail an interactive demonstration for clients and potential homebuyers to understand the space and experience a sense of home.
Turn-Based Puzzle Video Game Design for Promoting Well Being and Reducing Stress
Authors: Pei Zhengze
Published: February 2024

This project aims to create a strategy turn-based video game to help stress reduction. The major question is how psychological theory and stress reduction methods guide game designers to create turn-based video games that promote well-being. To achieve this, a literature review related to game design, stress reduction, and meditation is conducted. To demo the potential approach, a playable prototype which includes all essential concepts is delivered by the end of this project. The prototype can be played on computers running Mac OS system as well as registered iphones with iOS system. Further player testing of the prototype is needed.
Planning for Toronto’s Major Transit Station Areas: Achieving Transit-Oriented Development
Authors: Nibbs Stefphon
Published: February 2024

For decades the City Toronto and Regional Growth Plans have tried to direct development and growth towards public transit and station areas. However, recent changes to Provincial land use policies along with increased investments in transit projects throughout the City and Greater Golden Horseshoe have increased the need to plan for growth around existing and new transit infrastructure. This paper analyzes the increasing role transit-oriented development (TOD) in the City of Toronto and Greater Golden Horseshoe has in accommodating new population and employment growth and the challenges this growth currently presents. Furthermore, this paper looks to explore what planning policies, tools and considerations policy makers at municipal, regional and provincial levels of government should be considering in order to achieve successful TOD outcomes. By undergoing a policy analysis, qualitative interviews, and an extensive literature review, the analysis reveals, that through strong collaboration and coordination between stakeholders, in addition to consistent, and predictable land use planning, many of the benefits associated with transit-oriented development can be achieved.
What physical exposures to risks can post-secondary students encounter when taking public transit trips in Toronto?
Authors: Arunagiri Athithja
Published: February 2024

Post-secondary students are more likely to use public transit than other demographic groups. As a result of dangerous occurrences, they are seen as a specific demographic group that may become victims of crime because of public transit trips. This paper depicts the research that will allow us to take a deeper look at how students integrate public transit trips into their lives and better understand the possible dangers they face in Toronto. The StudentMoveTO 2019 survey contains 18,513 post-secondary student responses, including trips taken where students used public transit to travel to a destination in Toronto. It also uses 2019 crime and injury variables including Assaults, Robberies, Shootings, and Traffic Accidents and socio-economic and demographic variables. Spatial autocorrelation techniques were used to examine spatial autocorrelation and hotspots for public transit trip and risk locations. An Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression and a Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) were performed to assess risk and public transit trip hotspots and were used to determine how socio-economic and demographic variables, in combination with the assumed spatial risk of crime and injury, are connected to public transit trips. The GWR indicated that students are more likely to be robbed since it had the greatest R2 value of 0.844 whereas the OLS regression had a lower R2 value of 0.616. According to the findings, students who took public transit trips are more vulnerable when they travel in the evening, particularly in the northern section of North York and Downtown, Toronto. Using the discovered results, it is possible to raise awareness among post-secondary students who take public transit trips by informing them about less secure census tracts.
Spatiotemporal socioeconomic analysis of COVID-19 case rates and mobility in Toronto neighbourhoods
Authors: Forsyth Jack
Published: February 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic has had drastic impacts on the life and livelihood of all Canadians, but research has found marginalized populations have been disproportionately impacted. To better understand the differentiating socioeconomic characteristics between neighbourhoods in Toronto, Canada that experienced excessive impacts on COVID-19 case rates, this study integrated hot spot analyses with a mobile device-derived mobility indicator measuring neighbourhood-level time away from home, demographic variables, and a marginalization index. Hot spots were in more materially deprived neighbourhood clusters where there were more essential workers and residents spent more time away from home. Short term policies to enable marginalized communities to follow government stay-at-home recommendations such as paid sick leave and improved access to testing could mitigate disproportionate impacts experienced in these neighbourhoods. These findings can be used for more equitable response in future public health crises, and support prioritization of resources to disadvantaged populations that were worst affected by COVID-19.
Foundations of Burkina Faso’s Great Green Wall: Vegetation Growth in the Sahel Since 1990
Authors: Karwowski Nicolas
Published: February 2024

The importance of the Sahel region as a barrier between the lush lands of sub-Saharan Africa and the unforgiving Sahara Desert has been known for decades. However, this region has not remained impervious to desertification, a process in which vegetation ceases to grow due to changing climate and poor agriculture practices, amongst other factors. In 2006, the African Union conceived a plan to halt the advancing desert, a wall of greenery stretching from coast to coast dubbed the Great Green Wall. Since its inception, the ambitious project has been widely criticized for its slow progression, and its utility has been questioned. This study is seeking to quantify vegetation growth before the Great Green Wall’s launch and after it to evaluate the importance of the project. With the Landsat satellites imaging the Earth since 1972, a large archive of imagery is available for examination. By conducting a change detection analysis on images acquired between 1990 and 2020, vegetation growth can be measured through the project’s duration as well as prior to it.

Image differencing was used to detect vegetation loss and growth in four time intervals since 1990. These results were then coupled with unsupervised classifications that identified land uses. Between 1990 and 2002, a period preceding the Great Green Wall, massive vegetation loss was observed. The following period, between 2002 and 2007, saw massive growth, undoing much of previous time interval’s loss. While growth was again slightly outpaced by loss between 2007 and 2014, 2014 to 2020 saw vegetation growth soaring again. While the study’s methods allowed for the quantification of vegetation change between 1990 and 2020, a correlation between the Great Green Wall and these findings cannot be established without additional data such as precipitation records or local observations.
Geospatial Analysis of Indigenous Opinions in the Great Lakes Region and the Province of Ontario from the 2021 International Joint Commission Great Lakes Survey
Authors: Alvarez Emily
Published: February 2024

This paper explores differences in opinions in the 2021 International Joint Commission (IJC) Great Lakes survey. Indigenous responses are compared with the full survey responses. Lake-wide comparisons are made between Indigenous respondents residing within different basins.

Responses from the Province of Ontario are also analyzed at the postal-code level where a regression kriging model is built to predict responses and evaluate relevant variables for questions related to drinking water access and trust in wastewater treatment. This paper finds there are differences pertaining to concerns, opinions on severity of impacts, potential participation for protecting the health of the lakes and demographic variables that were seen between Indigenous respondents and the full survey averages. There was also differences Lake-wide in how Indigenous respondents felt about the ways in which they engage with the Lakes being threatened, as well as species of cultural importance being threatened due to the state of the Lakes. Huron and Superior respondents reported less concern, whereas Michigan, Erie and Ontario respondents reported higher concern. In Ontario, there was a contrast in the North and South pertaining to drinking water access for both the respondent and the respondent’s community, as well as perceptions in effective wastewater treatment. The North reported more disagreement with fair access to clean drinking water for both the respondents and the community, and less trust in the community’s wastewater treatment despite low response rates compared to the South.
Trans-ing Reproductive Justice: From ‘Private Choice’ to Radical Pluralism
Authors: Robertson Julia E.
Published: February 2024

Abortion exists within discursive, legal and activist frameworks. As a result, reproductive justice is materially limited by the impact of language, formal legal equality, and provisional collaboration. Trans studies examines systems that administer gender. Reproductive justice works towards dismantling healthcare inequities throughout the life cycle by examining social structural contexts while centering the body. Trans-ing reproductive justice frameworks highlight the prison as an example of a system that administers gender in racialized ways that has been used to colonize and continues to disproportionately impact Indigenous and gender-conforming people's access to healthcare. This project looks at radical pluralism to address the impossibility of consensus on abortion and the potential of the legislative vacuum in Canadian abortion law. This paper hopes to shift antagonistic attitudes between abortion-related activists to increase access to reproductive healthcare, including pregnant prisoner reform and projects that promote social equity.
Dynamic Heterogeneous Panel Data Models with Cross-Section Dependence
Authors: Goodhand John
Published: February 2024

This dissertation generalizes the asymptotic theory of dynamic cross-section heterogeneous coefficient panels with interactive fixed effects to allow for the cross-section units to be correlated due to local shocks. Traditional heterogeneous coefficient estimators in the multifactor error structure literature typically only focus on the influence that global shocks have on model estimates; global shocks such as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on a panel of world economic growth rates.

We extend this focus to also allow for local shocks that significantly impact only a small subset of the cross-section units in the sample. Local shocks like the impact of a falling crop price on the significant producer countries of that crop or the impact of a drought on the drought-affected nations. We derive the limiting distribution for the cross-section heterogeneous coefficients under √TN → c, 0 ⩽ c < ∞ asymptotics (where N and T are the number of cross-sections and time periods respectively). We observe a bias in the coefficient estimates associated with local shocks to the dependent variable (i.e., associated with the weak cross-section dependence of the idiosyncratic error). We provide sufficient conditions so that the bias and the covariance matrix of the limiting distribution can be consistently estimated in the presence of local and global shocks. Our theoretical findings are accompanied by extensive Monte Carlo experiments demonstrating the often superior finite sample performance of our estimation method over other competing techniques when the idiosyncratic errors are weakly cross-section dependent. We also provide an empirical application of our estimator and evaluate the country-specific long-run impact public debt has on economic growth for 86 countries.
ANALISIS RANTAI DISTRIBUSI PADI DAN BERAS (Studi Kasus pada Petani Sawah di Desa Manikin Kec. Noemuti Timur Kab. TTU)
Authors: Manane Desmon Redikson , Taolin Maximus L. , Ninu Jeanne Tonce Antoin
Published: February 2024

Masalah utama dalam penelitian ini adalah produksi padi di Desa Manikin mengalami fluktuasi setiap tahunnya, dimana produksi tertinggi terjadi pada tahun 2017 yakni sebesar 72,872 ton dan produksi terendah terjadi pada tahun 2020 yakni sebesar 46,964 ton yang dipengaruhi oleh curah hujan yang tidak menentu, cuaca dan iklim yang tidak menentu serta masalah penyediaan pupuk yang tidak stabil dalam membantu pertumbuhan tanaman padi serta kurang stabilnya harga padi setiap musimnya. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui rantai distribusi padi dan beras di Desa Manikin, Kecamatan Noemuti Timur Kabupaten TTU. Penelitian ini dilakukan di Desa Manikin Kecamatan Noemuti Timur Kabupaten TTU. Jenis data yang digunakan adalah data primer dan sekunder. Teknik pengumpulan data menggunakan observasi, wawancara dan kuesioner. Sampel dalam penelitian ini berjumlah 44 petani. Alat analisis yang digunakan adalah Analisis margin pemasaran, Share harga, Share biaya pemasaran dan Share keuntungan. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa margin pemasaran yang diperoleh petani di Desa Manikin adalah Rp.2.000/ kg dengan share harga atau persentase keuntungan yang diperoleh petani adalah 0,8 persen. Kemudian share biaya pemasaran petani adalah Rp.1.000/kg dan share keuntungan yang diterima adalah 100 %.
PENGARUH GAYA HIDUP, COUNTRY OF ORIGIN DAN CITRA MEREK TERHADAP KEPUTUSAN PEMBELIAN SEPEDA MOTOR HONDA
Authors: Binabu Elisabeth , Duli Dominikus Kopong , Manane Desmon Redikson
Published: February 2024

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh parsial dan pengaruh  simultan antara variabel Gaya Hidup (X1), Country Of Origin (X2) dan Citra Merek (X₃) terhadap Keputusan Pembelian (Y) Sepeda Motor Honda (Studi Kasus Pada Pengguna Sepeda Motor Honda di Kota Kefamenanu). Data yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah data primer yang diperoleh melalui kuesioner yang dibagikan kepada 85 responden. Teknik analisis data yang digunakan adalah analisis regresi linear sederhana dan analisis regresi linear berganda dengan bantuan software microsoft excel dan SPSS 16.0 dengan hasil analisis sebagai berikut. Hasil analisis regresi linear sederhana membuktikan bahwa secara parsial Gaya Hidup (X1), Country Of Origin (X2), Citra Merek (X₃) berpengaruh positif terhadap Keputusan Pembelian (Y). sedangkan hasil analisis regresi linear berganda membuktikan bahwa Gaya Hidup (X1), Country Of Origin (X2) dan Citra Merek (X₃) secara simultan berpengaruh positif terhadap Keputusan Pembelian (Y).
FAKTOR-FAKTOR YANG MEMPENGARUHI KEPUTUSAN PEMBELIAN KAIN TENUN IKAT (STUDI KASUS KELOMPOK USAHA BERSAMA MOTIF TENUN MAUBESI KECAMATAN INSANA TENGAH-TTU)
Authors: Duli Dominikus Kopong , Naipoen Maria A.
Published: February 2024

Kelompok Usaha Bersama Motif Tenun Maubesi merupakan kelompok  usaha yang bergerak di bidang kerajinan tenun ikat. Beberapa jenis kain tenun yang dihasilkan diantaranya Buna, Futus dan Sotis. Kain tenun yang dihasilkan menampilkan motif-motif menarik didukung dengan kualitas olahan yang bagus dan meyakinkan. Rumusan masalah apakah keragaman motif dan kualitas tenun berpengaruh terhadap keputusan pembelian kain tenun ikat  baik parsial dan simultan. Tujuan penelitian adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh keragaman motif dan kualitas tenun terhadap keputusan pembelian kain tenun ikat. Hasil analisis uji t menujukan bahwa ada pengaruh signifikan variabel keragaman motif terhadap keputusan pembelian kain tenun ikat, dibuktikan dengan t-hitung > t-tabel (4,373>2,010). Variabel kualitas tenun berpengaruh terhadap keputusan pembelian kain tenun ikat, dibuktikan dengan t-hitung > t-tabel (5,184>2,010). Variabel keragaman motif dan kualitas tenun secara simultan berpengaruh terhadap keputusan pembelian kain tenun ikat, dibuktikan dengan F-hitung > F-tabel (15,533>3,19).
Analysis of pH Regulation on the Ca/P Ratio of Green Mussel Shell Hydroxyapatite using the Sol-Gel Method
Authors: Edahwati Luluk , biomej Sutiyono , biomej Suprihatin , biomej Titi Susilowati , biomej Sri Muljani
Published: February 2024

Kandungan kalsium karbonat dari cangkang kerang hijau dapat dimanfaatkan sebagai salah satu material. Hidroksiapatit merupakan mineral utama yang menyusun tulang dan gigi sehingga memiliki kemiripan dengan bagian mineral pada tulang. Penelitian dilakukan untuk Konsentrasi reagen asam fosfat yang digunakan dan pH reaksi pada perolehan rasio Ca/P dari Hidroksiapatit yang didapatkan melalui proses sintesis dengan menggunakan metode sol-gel. Proses presipitasi calsium carbonat dilakukan dengan menambahkan air sebanyak 50 ml kedalam larutan H3PO4 dengan konsentrasi 1M  kemudian diaduk selama 3 jam menggunakan magnetic stirrer dengan kecepatan pengadukan sebesar 300 rpm, pH dijaga 8 – 12 ( variabel ) menggunakan bantuan NaOH. Selanjutnya larutan dilakukan penuaan (waktu aging) pada suhu kamar selama 20 jam sampai terbentuk gel. Gel yang telah terbentuk disaring menggunakan kertas saring watman. Selanjutnya gel dipanaskan dalam oven dengan suhu 105  selama 2 jam. Serbuk yang dihasilkan kemudian difurnace pada temperatur 600oC selama kurang lebih 6 jam supaya membentuk serbuk kering Hidroksiapatit. Rasio Ca/P terbaik sebesar 1,6708 dengan penggunaan H3PO4 sebesar 1M serta pH sebesar 11.
An exploration of participants’ views and experiences of cultural museums and their challenges
Authors: Dabamona Jufri , Dabamona Samsudin Arifin
Published: February 2024

Cultural museums have always been considered guardians of culture, promoting the core concepts of cultural preservation and conservation. This paper delves into the challenges faced by two cultural museums from various perspectives and examines the transformation of museums in supporting Papuan culture through values centered on conservation and preservation, as gleaned from the experiences and views of the participants. This study is qualitative research that employs an interpretive strategy, with participants including museum personnel, cultural agencies in Papua Province, academics, and teachers from Cenderawasih University. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, field observations, and literature studies. The study identified three themes: (1) Collection and space management, (2) Museum image, and (3) Capacity building and moral responsibility of human resources. To enhance cultural services, the study suggests that museums in Papua need to focus on strengthening collection management, enhancing visitor convenience, and providing increased staff support in the cultural field.
Phase angle is moderately correlated with lower-body power and fitness capacity in junior Badminton players
Authors: Santos Marcos Antonio Pereira dos , Rossi Fabrício Eduardo , Silva Alexandre Sérgio , Silva Acácio Salvador Veras e , Silvino Valmir Oliveira , Ribeiro Sérgio Luís Galan
Published: February 2024

Phase angle (PhA) is derived from bioimpedance analysis (BIA) and is widely used as an indicator of cellular health, cell membrane integrity, and cell function. Lower-body power and fitness capacity are of paramount importance in success in several sports, including badminton. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between PhA and lower-body power and fitness capacity in 22 junior badminton players (14 males, 8 females, 17.7±1.4 years old). Bioelectrical impedance was used to assess body fat (BF), muscle mass (MM) and PhA. Countermovement jump test and Yo-yo intermittent test level 2 were used to evaluate lower-body power and fitness capacity, respectively. Pearson correlation and multiple regressions considering the effect of BF, MM, and age were used for statistical analysis. PhA exhibited a positive relationship with lower-body power (β = 0.48; P < 0.02) and fitness capacity (β = 0.37; P < 0.04). However, these relationships lost significance after adjustment for the co-variables MM, BF, and age (p > 0.24). PhA is associated with lower-body power and fitness capacity in junior badminton players. However, these relationships are influenced by MM, BF, and age co-variables.
Comparative effectiveness of Yoga and Pilates intervention on respiratory function of patients with breast cancer
Authors: Odinets Tetiana , Briskin Yuriy , Leshchii Nataliia , Tyshchenko Valeria , Ikkert Oksana , Yefremova Anzhelika
Published: February 2024

Objective: Most modern breast cancer treatments are shown to be effective in terms of survival but lead to side effects such as dysfunction of the upper limb, lymphedema, pain syndrome, plexitis, сardiotoxicity, fatigue, and pulmonary complications. Applied radiotherapy enhances the number of side effects that patients with breast cancer experience over a long period. The aim of this study was to compare effectiveness of Hatha Yoga and Pilates interventions on respiratory function in patients with breast cancer.Methods: 95 women completed the interventions and were included in the final analysis. The participants, staged I-II, were randomly assigned to 2 groups. Group A (n = 48, 57.53 ± 1.92 years) received Hatha Yoga intervention and group B (n = 47, 58.00 ± 1.27 years) received Pilates intervention. Both programs were conducted for 12 weeks, with three 60-min sessions per week. Spirometry was used to measure pre- and post-intervention functional capacity of the respiratory system.Results: Significant differences (p<0.05) were found in Vital Capacity, Forced Vital Capacity, Peak Expiratory Flow, Maximum Expiratory Flow25, Expiratory Reserve Volume and Maximal Voluntary Ventilation in Hatha Yoga group compared with Pilates group. There was no significant difference between both groups in Force Expiratory Volume and Maximum Expiratory Flow50 (p>0,05) Conclusions: Hatha Yoga and Pilates interventions are both effective in respiratory function, but Hatha Yoga turns out more beneficial.