bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lowest Lethality Dose (LDLO) of Various Seeds When Exposed to Detergent
Authors: Hanan David
Published: March 2023

This study determines the lowest lethal dose (LDLO) of detergent on various seeds. Plants provide food and countless ecological benefits but oversight in wastewater release contaminates natural and agricultural vegetation. Due to widespread pollution, plant survival is in danger, making food scarcity and climate change imminent threats. Detergent is a common pollutant in the environment which greatly contributes to water pollution and harms plants. A useful index for environmental testing is the LDLO, the lowest lethality dose that will begin to inhibit growth. In this study, a representative selection of seeds, cabbage (Brassica oleracea), beets (Beta vulgaris), yellow bush bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), and turnips (Brassica rapa subsp) are exposed to various concentrations of detergent ranging from .5 mL to .1 mL in an attempt to find the LDLO of detergent of each species. Results showed that cabbage seeds had the highest tolerance to detergent at .25 ml of detergent diluted in .25ml of water and beet seeds had the lowest tolerance at <.025 mL of detergent. Visual observations showed that the outer layer of bush beans became an abnormal shade of black from its usual light yellow hue. The results of this experiment reveal that cabbage seeds can tolerate higher doses of detergent as demonstrated by higher germination rates. The study suggests that cabbages can survive in areas exposed to higher concentrations of detergent. However, beets should not be planted in areas containing even small traces of detergent.
The Influence of Moving Countries During Childhood on Personality Development
Authors: Jonsson Agnes
Published: March 2023

There exists superfluous research regarding adults adjusting to a new culture, however, research relating to children’s experiences are lacking. While academic conversations have established expatriates as possessing different characteristics to non-expatriates, specific factors are missing. A central question in this study was how third-culture kids (TCKs) differ from children who remain local in terms of extroversion and introversion. The study also investigated what types of moves produce different personality traits and levels of belonging. The intent of this study was to fill a gap in literature and illuminate children’s effects of moving as patterns generated in childhood remain in adulthood. This correlational study utilizes surveys, including a personality test, for both expatriates and non-expatriates and narrative inquiries for the expatriate sample when finding expatriates to possess more introverted tendencies compared to non-expatriates. Among expatriates, enjoyable moves indicated higher extroverted tendencies compared to less enjoyable moves. Moreover, expatriates are found to have less sense of belonging compared to non-expatriates overall. This statistic continues to decline when isolating negative moves. The study posits more research is required in order to prove a definitive cause-and-effect relationship between moving and personality as this study can only suggest said pattern. The findings indicate child expatriates as needing greater support when adjusting to new cultures as they generally become more reserved and lack a sense of belonging.
To Infinity and Beyond: An Optimization Study of Kerosene and Hydrogen Peroxide Bipropellant Fuels
Authors: Kline Luke , Rennix Kate , Gutzler Rachel
Published: March 2023

Currently, hydrazine fuels are grossly inefficient in terms of environmentally friendliness and handling costs. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and kerosene bipropellants have recently shown promise as a fuel that is similar in efficiency to hydrazine yet superior in cost and environmentally friendliness. Previous research on H2O2/kerosene bipropellants view environmentally friendliness, cost effectiveness, and fuel efficiency separately, making comparison between these properties difficult. This research uses calorimetry to provide a new method of quickly and precisely finding optimal ratios of fuels in bipropellants. For different ratios of fuel, efficiency was measured by finding the fuel mixture’s specific energy, environmentally friendliness was measured by finding the fuel mixture’s efficiency per carbon released into the atmosphere, and cost effectiveness was measured by finding the fuel mixture’s efficiency per unit fuel cost. The Cobb-Douglas function was used to optimize for multiple fuel properties at the same time: environmentally friendliness and efficiency, cost effectiveness and efficiency, and environmentally friendliness and cost effectiveness. These double optimizations brought new properties of H2O2/kerosene bipropellant fuels to light, notably that the optimal ratio of fuel for environmentally friendliness coincides with the optimal ratio for fuel efficiency, and the bipropellant remains efficacious in terms of efficiency even while operating at the optimal quantity for cost effectiveness. In short, these findings reaffirm H2O2 and kerosene bipropellants as great potential candidates for an eco-friendly and cost effective replacement of hydrazine because of their unique potential to remain environmentally friendly even at optimally efficient ratios.
Modeling the Changes in the Prevalence of Complex PTSD in Undergraduate Males and Females
Authors: Banas Martina , Gotwals Robert
Published: March 2023

In the last decade, there has been a great increase in interest surrounding mental health services, which has resulted in university counseling departments becoming overwhelmed with interested clients. The purpose of this study was to project the changes in undergraduate male and female student populations who have complex PTSD and common comorbid mental illnesses in order to provide guidance to counseling departments, since different therapeutic techniques have varying levels of effectiveness for different mental illnesses. Functions of best fit of data from previous studies were calculated and derived using Mathematica and Desmos Graphing Calculator in order to have differential equations for the flows of the systems dynamics STELLA model. The initial values in the stocks in the STELLA model were found by evaluating the non-derived function of best fit at time zero. It was concluded that the number and percentage of undergraduates living with PTSD will be fluctuating from 2022 to 2032, but the number of males and females seeking recovery will be increasing, resulting in a decrease in comorbid eating disorders and/or PTSD-related suicides. The results are likely linked to the decrease in the stigma surrounding mental health and therapy, especially in young populations and will help university counseling departments prepare to better meet the needs of future students.
A Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System to Mitigate Fugitive Methane Emission in Landfills
Authors: Natarajan Lavanya
Published: March 2023

Landfills are 3rd largest sources of anthropogenic methane (CH4) emissions.  Currently, as landfill gas (LFG) CH4 measurements are inconsistent and untimely, inadvertent fugitive emissions go undetected; problems are realized late.  So, there is an inherent need to monitor LFG CH4 continuously via “Smart” systems.  The goal is to design and develop a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system for real-time CH4 detection, prediction, and remote mitigation.  System includes (i) Fugitive Emissions Mitigator (FEM) with programmable WiFi microcontroller connected to gas, and environmental sensors; (ii) continuous wireless data transmission to interactive cloud through unified codes; (iii) descriptive and diagnostic analytics in cloud dashboard to inform historical events, (iv) predictive and prescriptive analytics via Machine Learning (ML) algorithms to forecast CH4 emissions, and (v) long-distance LFG mitigation.  To test SCADA system, two aspects, which influenced the magnitude of fugitive emissions in the real world were studied in lab, namely, CH4 Transport in Soil, and CH4 Generation conditions in waste.  Per results, CH4 transport rate was inversely proportional to soil moisture.  However, CH4 generation was directly proportional to moisture content in wastes.  To further explain the complex CH4-to-moisture relationship, a 5th-order Polynomial ML equation with 86% accuracy and greatest curve-fit was derived.  Finally, LFG mitigation was achieved via a separate component, which allowed for remote pump activation to extract CH4.  Overall, this cost effective IoT solution helps solve existing and emerging fugitive CH4 issues via real-time measurements, prediction, and mitigation to help US reduce 45% greenhouse gases by 2030.
Mendelian Randomization Analysis Shows that Elevated Eosinophil Cell Count Increases the Risk of Autoimmune Disorders but Protects Against Skin Cancer
Authors: Singh Aryamann , Akbari Parsa
Published: March 2023

Background: Eosinophils are immune cells which are critical to the pathophysiology of autoimmune disorders and skin cancer. We performed an integrated causal inference analysis with Mendelian randomization to demonstrate that although individuals with reduced eosinophil cell count are protected against autoimmune disorders such as asthma, they are at increased risk of skin cancer.

Methods: Epidemiology and public health has historically relied on observational studies to identify risk factors for disease; however, these methods are limited by reverse causation and confounding effects. In this study, we utilize genetic epidemiology and Mendelian randomization, a methodology that removes the risk for reverse causation, reduces pathways for confounding variables, and is an effective tool in identifying causal effects between risk factors and outcomes. Our analysis combines results from 12 genetic analyses from 5 different studies to explore the differential effect of eosinophil cell count on autoimmune and skin cancer disease risk.

Results: Raised eosinophil count resulted in increased risk of multiple autoimmune disorders including psoriasis (OR 0.0029 (95% CI: 0.0013-0.0046), P-value = 5.0x10-4), ankylosing spondylitis (OR 1.397x10-3 (95% CI: 0.0006-0.002), P-value = 4.0x10-4), and rheumatoid arthritis (OR 0.0011 (95% CI: 0.0004-0.0019), P-value = 2.1x10-3). In contrast, increased eosinophil cell count was protective against malignant melanoma (OR -0.001 (95% CI: -0.0017-(-0.0003)), P-value = 0.0074) and basal cell carcinoma (OR -0.0012 (95% CI: -0.0024-(-0.00007)), P-value = 3.7x10-2).

Conclusions: Results indicated that the causal effect of increased eosinophil count differentially increases the risk of immune related disorders and decreases the risk of oncology related skin diseases.
Styrofoam Particle Collector for Use of Coastal Cleanup using Electrostatic Effect and Van de Graaff Generator
Authors: Kim David , Park Jeung Hun
Published: March 2023

According to the California coastal commission, more than 26,000 volunteers throughout California removed more than 300,000 pounds of trash from beaches and waterways during the California Coastal Cleanup 2021 event.1 I participated in Long Beach’s ‘California Coastal Cleanup Day’2 and noticed many small, cultch like particles such as styrofoam that mingled within the sand across the entire coastal region. Upon closer examination, I have also learned that styrofoam is a particularly dangerous type of pollution that poses a great threat to humans, the environment, and animals.3 I attempted to collect the styrofoam particles by hand and found it incredibly difficult to effectively pick up the pieces that litter our beaches. I have conducted further research on styrofoam and found that its chemical makeup can become electrostatically charged and mobilized under the influence of an electrostatic field. In this letter, I propose a styrofoam particle collector where the operational principle employs the electrostatic effect and the Van de Graaff generator. I also performed experiments to validate the working mechanism of the device. Finally, using a 3D modeling software and a 3D printer, the styrofoam particle collector was designed, integrated and successfully demonstrated. As a result, it is highlighted that the proposed idea is a very cost effective method and could be scaled up in size to effectively clean up the small styrofoam particles mingled within the sand in the coastal area of Long Beach, CA as well as other areas where the styrofoam particles appear to be a major pollutant.
Risks and Complications Associated with Refractive Surgery
Authors: Li Jinghan , Xu Yao
Published: March 2023

Myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism (together called ametropia) are the top causes of vision impairement worldwide. Refractive surgery, surgical modification of refractive surfaces in the eye, are prominent solutions for treating ametropia. This study made a summary of the risks (poor refractive outcomes of either high residual ametropia after surgery or the postoperative development of refractive errors) and complications associated with seven refractive surgery procedures for ametropia. Risks and complications were summarized and discussed in categorized form, the incidence of each undesirable outcome in percent, rather than in quantified form, the severity of occurrence on average, help readers to identify the chances of undesirable results directly. The incidence of risks and complications were also stratified based on related factors, depending on the availability of data. Brief descriptions and analyses of the results of data summaries were included at the beginning of the discussion of the risks and complications of each refractive surgery procedure; specific data was also included to allow for comparison. In general, laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK), laser-assisted sub-epithelium keratomileusis (LASEK), and small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) procedure were found to yield few undesirable outcomes, while all seven procedures were crucial for the system of solutions for refractive errors.
The Effectiveness of Hearing Aid Website Marketing in Addressing Tampa Bay Consumer Concerns
Authors: Wall Madison , Vaughan Susan
Published: March 2023

79% of American adults choose not to use hearing aids, despite their benefits (Nassiri et al. 2). Recent Over-the-Counter regulations seek to increase this rate through an online distribution of hearing aids. With a new market, this study sought to evaluate a gap: the effectiveness of website marketing language in addressing Tampa Bay consumer concerns. The study utilized two methods: a survey of 197 hearing aid users and a content analysis of 15 Inside Ear products across six hearing aid websites with coding guidelines to maximize objectivity. The survey established a hierarchy of consumer concerns to fulfill ambiguity in the literature and to evaluate the effectiveness of marketing language. The results indicated that the low application rate can be attributed to other stakeholders beyond the marketers including consumers and hearing professionals. For marketing, the websites were only moderately effective, as the most significant concern (49%) of cost was absent. This was exacerbated by a low website traffic rate (12%) from consumers. The finding may also indicate a greater burden for consumers to conduct research, as consistent users (13%) had a higher rate than discontinued users (6%). Thus, brands need to align with consumer concerns and attract more visitors to increase effectiveness. Over-the-counter hearing aid brands may be more attractive due to affordability but may struggle with getting consumers to their websites. Furthermore, hearing professionals were more likely to give one option to discontinued users (50%) than consistent users (38%), which may indicate a need to offer greater options to consumers.
Holistic Review of the Implications of Autonomous Vehicles
Authors: Wang Eric , Toweh Jayson
Published: March 2023

We are at the advent of a fourth industrial revolution, where autonomous vehicles (AVs) are a major pillar brought by this new wave. We can already observe the impacts of AVs, especially in changing behavior in drivers, as highlighted by statistics on attentiveness by Tesla drivers. There are six levels of AVs, ranging from levels 0-5. Level 0 AVs have no autonomous features, while level 5 AVs can navigate without any human intervention. This paper will focus on the implications and impacts that level 4 or 5 AVs would have on different facets of society (e.g., mobility, environment, public health, infrastructure, economy, public behavior, and equity). Information reported in this paper was searched for via a four-step process broken down into finding keywords, searching for papers with such keywords in Google Scholar, filtering said papers and reports based on certain criteria, and finally reporting the found information. The paper includes a literature review that summarizes current predictions or patterns on the implications and impacts of AVs. Additionally, this paper provides suggestions for policies and planning for implementing high-level AVs into our current society, highlighting how to properly optimize the benefits AVs could bring and discussing social norms that could be a barrier to implementation.
Identifying the difference in bacterial composition and life history strategies between high versus low nutrient soils
Authors: Tuchscherer Felix
Published: March 2023

In this study, we aim to identify bacterial composition in soils treated with and without wood chips, as well as high levels and low levels of nitrogen. In order to do this, we used both culture dependent methods including plating, observing, and GenIII plates; as well as culture independent methods which include microbiome sequencing and EcoPlates. By doing this, we concluded that the bacterial communities differ between unamended and wood-chipped treated soils. Multiple differences were identified: rate of carbon consumption, bacterial diversity, rRNA gene copy number, and colony morphologies. Identifying the bacteria in wood-chipped soils will allow us to understand their effect on biogeochemical cycles, plant pathogens, and relationship with the trees (symbiotic/pathogen). Additionally, understanding the effect lower nitrogen levels have on the bacterial composition of soils can lead to reduction of synthetic fertilizer use, therefore lessening the environmental impact of nitrogen.
Financing the Underdogs
Authors: Wang Bryan , Blackstock Jonathan
Published: March 2023

Small-market sports teams do not have the luxury of a massive media outlet, or an absurd salary cap that attracts superstars. These small market teams are not able to create a superteam that fans from any region of the U.S would be grateful to watch. To generate revenue and stay afloat financially is task in it of itself.  These small-market teams must rely on non-materialistic attributes to survive in the professional sports world. In this essay I will discuss three market strategies that the Memphis Grizzlies and similar small-market teams have used to not only stay afloat, but create a system that brings in new supporters and revenue.
Music and the Mind: How Music Therapy Can Reduce Symptoms in Alzheimer's Patients
Authors: Watwe Rohil
Published: March 2023

First seen in the Paleolithic era, the use of music therapy in a medical setting has been explored for thousands of years. More recently, music therapy has been observed to help manage symptoms in Alzheimer’s patients. In this paper, numerous past studies were reviewed to analyze the effectiveness of music therapy in managing Alzheimer’s symptoms. These looked at types of memories affected by Alzheimer’s, how speaking and singing have different effects on memorizing phrases, and how different genres of music allow for various amounts of improvement in daily tasks depending on individual interests. A separate study of my own was performed in numerous memory-care homes regarding how listening to music improved the mood and well-being of Alzheimer’s affected patients. On average, patients reported a 95% improvement in mood after listening to music. It was found that music has a significant and tangible effect on Alzheimer’s patients by improving recall through reduced anxiety and increased arousal, leading to dopamine release in the brain. Also, patients reported feeling less stressed. Multiple studies have indicated that music can lower blood pressure and heart rate levels. Overall, in the increasingly technology-based modern world, life expectancy rates have been rising steadily and neurodegenerative diseases will only become more prevalent. Finding ways to slow down or even reverse the symptoms of diseases such as Alzheimer’s will be a key issue in the future and music might be the solution.
Prediction Accuracy of YouTube Influencers Measured Against Subscriber Counts
Authors: Ehliz Mete
Published: March 2023

Social media, the worldwide phenomenon in the 21st century, has affected almost every aspect of human life; however, the true extent of social media’s influence on the rational structured business world and stock market is still unknown. As social media is continuously evolving, the recent phenomenon of YouTube influencers on the stock market is still unknown. The business advice of various high-profile social media influencers on YouTube were recorded to measure the accuracy of their predictions over various time intervals: 1-week, 1-month, and 3-months. Predictions over the short term were found to be correlated with subscriber counts. As higher subscriber counts could lead to increased herd behavior, increased short term gains are more likely to occur with Youtubers with higher subscriber counts.
Genomic Analysis of S protein in SARS-CoV-2 samples from Washington D.C
Authors: SWAMINATHAN NIKILA
Published: March 2023

COVID-19, otherwise known as the coronavirus, ranks as one of the top ten world’s worst epidemics since recorded history. As severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) evolves, it accumulates changes in the genetic code, commonly known as mutations. The greater spreadability of the SARS-CoV-2 variants is hypothesized to be driven by key mutations that are distinguished by higher mutation frequency and mutation density. This study investigates variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and identifies mutations that are of particular importance for future antibody, vaccine, and drug development. The human spike protein sequences from Washington D.C were analyzed by being compared to the reference SARS-COV-2 protein sequence from Wuhan-Hu-1. Out of 7012 sequences analyzed, a total of 2463 distinct mutations, at 1251 sites were observed. The mutations observed in the spike proteins are discussed in the context of mutation frequency, characteristics of mutations at different regions, number of mutations per sample, and mutation density at different regions. Different variants observed in the sequences, and how they have adapted from the existing variants such as Alpha, Delta, and Omicron are also discussed in this research paper. This study summarizes the mutation characteristics that influenced the virus' advantage and identifies the mutations to be considered for future antibody, vaccine, and drug development against the virus.
Is there a decrease in food waste in a male high school cafeteria setting when students are offered incentives to eat their food?
Authors: Yamin Ricardo , Wentzel Brian
Published: March 2023

There appears to be an alarming amount of food waste among first world countries. This is especially true in school cafeterias in the United States. This food waste creates a double track of negative effects: the resources required to produce it and the effort required to dispose of it. A possible solution to reduce food waste in male teenagers is to create a positive reinforcement for eating their whole meal. This study determined the effect of offering an incentive as an intervention in a high school cafeteria setting to decrease individual food waste among high school students. Seventy four male high school students were studied under a control phase in which normal levels of individual food waste were assessed and under an experimental phase, in which a  cookie was given if  all the food was consumed. The incentive resulted in a 64.5% reduction in individual food waste in the high school cafeteria. This strategy could be implemented in similar settings to help decrease food waste.
Coffee’s Contribution to the Political Role of Coffeehouses in England During 1660-1720
Authors: Zhao Qianzhi
Published: March 2023

According to German philosopher Jürgen Habermas, coffeehouses had a political role—creating a public sphere for the bourgeoisie to talk about politics. Therefore, coffeehouses, or salons in France, could lead to civil revolts. However, it leads to the question that why coffeehouses prevailed over teahouses, taverns, or other kinds of public places. This study shows the traits of coffee that made it an appealing product to facilitate political engagement among people. Through 17th-and-18th-century letters and diaries, this paper focuses on coffee—the object itself, rather than coffeehouses—to argue and explain why coffee became a popular and political beverage.
Future Plans About the High-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal
Authors: Hong Kyoungeui , Thompson Kristen
Published: March 2023

The Biden Administration officially advocated nuclear energy to successfully achieve a net-zero carbon economy for America by 2050. South Korea also abolished the ‘nuclear power phase-out’ policy’, promoting the expansion of nuclear power because of its high efficiency. Despite the preference for utilizing nuclear energy is growing, limitations on expanding the use of nuclear power and insisting on it as a solution for future energy shortages currently exist because there are no effective treatments for the ‘high-level radioactive waste’ other than accumulating in the reactor. Thus, to find effective treatment technology, I reviewed ‘pyroprocessing’ and ‘vitrification’ as possible technologies to solve the nuclear waste problem. I deeply searched the process, advantages, problems, and prospects of the two technologies based on research papers and the ‘Korean Nuclear Energy Newspaper’, and organized them in a table. As a result, I derived an ideal high-level radioactive waste treatment method and predicted that the outlook for nuclear energy will be positive.
The Effects of Gabapentin on Epileptic Seizures: A Computational Model
Authors: Ramabadran Anand , Desai Vidya , Longtin William , Palutla Laya , Bezaire Marianne
Published: March 2023

Anticonvulsant sedatives are commonly used to stop epileptic seizures; however, many result in significant harmful side-effects. In this paper, we explore gabapentin, an alternative anticonvulsant, as a safer, more effective treatment for epileptic seizures. The goal of our study was to determine the conditions under which gabapentin has the greatest potential to suppress epileptic seizures through its interactions with voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. First, we ran an existing network model of the CA3 region of the hippocampus. Next, we rendered the model seizure prone through impaired dendritic inhibition to pyramidal cells due to the dysfunction of O-LM interneurons. Then, we implemented gabapentin into the network as a parameter that acts as a proxy for dosage and scales the Ca2+ channel conductance in excitatory neurons. By increasing the dosage of gabapentin, the resulting Ca2+ current was decreased, inhibiting the seizure. In fact, at high doses of gabapentin, we saw seizures were significantly suppressed. Our model supports the efficacy of gabapentin as a seizure medication. However, clinical trials are needed to find appropriate dosages and side effects of the drug.
The Unwinnable Wars: Everlasting Tension as Seen in the Los Angeles Riots of 1992
Authors: Gong Ziheng , Davidson Lisa
Published: March 2023

This paper, through the lens of the Los Angeles Riots of 1992, examines the repercussions of racial prejudices that are often ignored during the rapid development of the United States. To assess the dominant factor in causing the Riots, the paper explores and revisits a variety of factors that are associated with the exacerbation of the relationship between Korean-Americans and African-Americans, especially those in Los Angeles Koreatown. Using analysis of recent events, the paper details the traumatic aftermath of the Riots that continues to haunt numerous communities. The paper offers both theoretical and actionable insights into the future development of race relations in America and the maintenance of America’s founding values. This paper, in its entirety, contributes to the understanding of how nuanced interactions between distinct populations could trigger unanticipated conflicts.
Investigating the Central Asian Perspective on Working Women’s Level of Competence
Authors: Makhkamjonova Samirakhon , Totton Rebecca
Published: March 2023

Numerous studies have revealed that women do not get equally paid as men do, and this can specifically impact working mothers to a higher extent. In Central Asian communities many women are underrepresented in high-status professions. Previous research has found that this can be from cultural influence, religious beliefs, and the consequence of the Soviet Union event that Central Asian countries were affected. The overall goal of this research was to find evidence to support that Central Asian women are affected by stereotypes and thus are seen as incompetent in the professional field. This is a follow-up study to Cuddy and Fiske (2004) that examined the Stereotype Content Model, with personalities competence versus warmth. A Google Forms survey was used, to record and compare the responses that rated people's personalities from four different conditions. The participants included were audience from Central Asian organizations and content creators, their ages ranged from 18 to 55 and up. The gathered data was examined through JASP (Anova). The results of this study suggest that working mothers are most impacted, as they are viewed as less competent and warm. With this information, future researchers should look into understanding how these stereotypes towards women, could influence the younger generations of girls in Central Asia.
Effects Of Online Tutoring On Test Scores, Confidence, and Future Career Paths During The Pandemic
Authors: Gao Grace , Kosovsky Rodion
Published: March 2023

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, online learning has rapidly begun to replace in-person learning and demand for online tutoring has grown. The switch to remote learning has also exacerbated learning inequality, as shown by students’ test scores. The paper examines the efficacy of ManhattanACE’s mathematics online tutoring model to provide a template for creating a valuable online tutoring experience.

To understand the main aspects of online learning and its effects on students’ learning outcomes, an electronic survey was created and sent to the students. The survey contained both Yes/No questions and scaled 1-5 questions. Analysis of the survey responses shows that through a combination of factors such as passionate tutors and a responsive learning environment that feels like a community, online learning can boost both students’ grades in math class and the effectiveness of virtual learning, while fostering students’ confidence in their skills and future career choices. These three outcomes can, in turn, work to minimize educational and resource inequality.
Physical Pain and Social Pain: Does a Bidirectional Relationship Exist?
Authors: Kim Doyeol
Published: March 2023

The objective of this literature review was to review evidence on the bidirectional relationship between physical and social pain. I reviewed 18 studies published largely within the 2010 to 2022 range, consisting of experimental and correlational studies. I found that many studies support the theory of a shared neural processing system between physical and social pain. Additionally, there is evidence that physical pain and social pain may influence the other, hence a bidirectional relationship.
Predicting Wildfire Susceptibility in Napa County, California using Machine Learning
Authors: Shakeri Stefan , Tallam Krti
Published: March 2023

Wildfires have long been a part of the natural environment, however through climate change and increased human activity, they have become a significant problem to both humans and wildland. Stopping the expansion of wildfires would be critical in mitigating the dangerous outcomes of them. Firefighters stopping the spread of wildfires must know which parts of the environment are most vulnerable to the spread of wildfires, and vegetation is one of the key determining factors in the wildfire susceptibility of a given area. Previous works have used several different machine learning algorithms for the purpose of determining wildfire susceptibility. The algorithm used in this study for wildfire susceptibility prediction is a random forest applied to a vegetation dataset of Napa County, California provided by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). The random forest works by creating a set of decision trees to get an overall probability for each vegetation area. The model has a 91.7% accuracy in predicting wildfire burn probability in a vegetation area.
Evidence of Gender Inequality in Agriculture Related to Climate Change
Authors: Feng Wandi , Homan Mackenzie
Published: March 2023

When considering the negative effects of climate change, its  relevance to a person’s socio-economic status and cultural background is often ignored. In other words, climate change affects everyone, but its effects on different individuals and groups differ due to long standing inequalities in human society. The importance of gender discrimination in particular is in deseperate need of additional attention during this unprecedented global environmental event.

A plethora of research  articles and data show that women are affected disproportionately by climate change. To expand, sexism in relation to climate change is especially evident in agriculture. In this case, negative impacts of climate change are further intensified due to the industry’s close connection with the environment. Therefore, additional research should be dedicated towards understanding the discrimination against female farmers, and thus it is the focus of this essay. 

The essay focuses on developing African nations where conventional agriculture is the main source of income. By using previous research and database searches from scientific journals, governmental websites, and international organizations, the increasing burdens on female farmers in climate crises will be analyzed. Throughout the investigation, it was discovered that African rural women are excessively exposed to climate change threats and lack adaptability. When viewing this through a holistic lens– acknowledging the cultural and historical backgrounds of Africa–it was concluded that subordination of rural women in all contexts is responsible for their predicament in climate crises. To address these issues, the essay proposes potential solutions from educational, economics, and political perspectives.
Designing a Unified Healthcare Data System with Blockchain and Cryptography
Authors: Phanse Rohan , Stingel Jon
Published: March 2023

The majority of public and private healthcare data systems across the globe are proprietary, making it difficult to coordinate and share data between medical institutions on different systems. For the United States, a technically and economically advanced nation, patients still face significant issues with healthcare data sharing, which contribute to inefficiencies in the healthcare system. Friction in data sharing is also prevalent in developing nations like India, where the lack of shareability of patient data leads to redundant tests and unnecessarily high healthcare costs. To improve the integrity and shareability of patient data, we propose a Unified Healthcare Data System, built with blockchain and cryptography. Under this system, patients are in control of their data, and can choose to share their data with doctors and institutions without traditional barriers. To ensure data integrity, blockchain is used to provide immutability and data ownership while cryptography is used to encrypt patient data and implement permissioned access. In this paper, we provide a working implementation of Unified Healthcare Data System and expand on the viability, impact, and evolution of this blockchain-based healthcare data system.
The Relationship between Developmental Factors and the Big Five personality Traits
Authors: Ji Alexander , Esqueda Ana Patricia
Published: March 2023

The Big Five personality traits theory is a well-accepted taxonomy of personality traits in personality psychology, which consists of five dimensions: openness to experiences, conscientiousness, neuroticism, extraversion, and agreeableness. Understanding the Big Five personality theory is critical to recognizing each individual's underlying nature and characteristics. While there is a plethora of research on the impacts and influences of the Big Five personality traits, little is known about the relationship between an individual's developmental factors and their Big Five personality traits. Without understanding the behaviour between development and personality, accurate and reliable causational experiments in personality psychology cannot exist. This study attempts to provide insight into how an individual's developmental factors are correlated with their Big Five personality traits. The original data was collected from surveys distributed to high schoolers studying in an American curriculum. This exploratory study concluded that an individual's familial relationship quality during childhood was correlated with some of the most significant deviations from the mean score of each Big Five personality trait. Individuals with married but separated parents had the highest scores in agreeableness, neuroticism, conscientiousness, and openness to experiences than any other developmental factor. Overall, the findings of this research indicated the complex relationship between an individual's Big Five personality traits and their development factors, providing information necessary for future causation experiments in personality psychology.
An Effective Comparative Evaluation in 4G and 5G Generation of Wireless Mobile Network
Authors: Mahdi Hiba Salah
Published: March 2023

Most business or government services are implemented in a web or cloud-based environment nowadays. For this purpose, websites, mobile applications, and cloud-based services are established in cyberspace so that services may be accessed at any time, from any location. India is one of the largest smartphone marketplaces and an attractive location for smartphone manufacturing multinational corporations. According to data and statistics from Statista.com, India is one of the leading nations with a substantial mobile user market. In 2017, over 134 million cellphones were sold in India, which is a significant number. According to a separate study, the number of people in India who use smartphones is expected to almost reach 450 million by the year 2022. There is a need to improve the performances of present 4G and upcoming 5G Net-work technologies so that a better level of performances may be obtained in the net-work environment in order to support the massive load of smartphone wireless networks. This book focuses on the presentation of the outcomes of advanced 4G and 5G wireless net-works simulated utilizing the advanced implementation tools of cupcarbon.
Futsal Oyuncularında Tekrarlı Sprint Antrenmanının Bazı Biyokimyasal Parametrelere Akut Etkisi
Authors: KAHRAMAN Muhammed Zahit , KARADAĞ Alper , BİLİCİ Ömer Faruk , OKUT Sedat
Published: March 2023

Bu araştırmanın amacı, futsal oyuncularında tekrarlı sprint antrenmanının bazı biyokimyasal parametrelere akut etkisinin belirlenmesidir. Araştırmaya, Muş Alparslan Üniversitesi futsal takımındaki 10 erkek sporcu (yaş: 21,50±1,84 yıl) gönüllü olarak katılmıştır. Araştırma, ön test-son test kontrol grupsuz deneysel desen ile tasarlanmıştır. Sporculardan tekrarlı sprint antrenmanı öncesinde ve sonrasında 5 cc venöz kan örneği alınarak biyokimyasal analizler için numuneler 4000 rpm devirde 10 dk santrifüj edilmiştir. Bu işlemden sonra serum kan örnekleri Architect ci16200 TM analizöründe fotometrik yöntemlerle analiz edilmiştir. Verilerin normallik düzeyi Shapiro-Wilk testi ile belirlenmiştir. Normal dağılıma sahip verilerin ön test-son test değerlerinin karşılaştırılmasında paired sample t testi, normallik varsayımını sağlamayanlarda ise Wilcoxon işaretli sıralar testi kullanılmıştır. Araştırma bulgularına göre futsal oyuncularının glukoz ve kreatinin değerinde ön test ile son testler arasında anlamlı bir fark belirlenmiştir (p<0,05). Üre, albümin, aspartat aminotransferaz, alanin aminotransferaz, laktat dehidrogenaz, hemoliz, lipemi, ikter ve gama glutamil transferaz parametrelerinde ise ön test ile son test değerleri arasında anlamlı bir farklılık bulunmamıştır (p>0,05). Glukoz ve kreatinin parametrelerinde futsal oyuncularının son test değerlerinin ön test değerlerine göre yüksek olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Sonuç olarak futsal oyuncularına uygulanan tekrarlı sprint antrenmanının glukoz ve kreatinin biyokimyasal parametreleri üzerinde akut etkisinin olduğu belirlenmiştir. Futsal oyuncularında biyokimyasal parametrelerin etkisini ve önemini anlamak, antrenörlere sportif performans ve verimli antrenman programlarının hazırlanması için yardımcı olabilir.
Effect of Moisture Content on Frictional Properties of Some Selected Grains in Indonesia
Authors: Bintoro Nursigit , Zahra Alya Iqlima , Khansa Azizah Putri , Nissa Muftia Chairin , Sam Safira Aldhayu , Ashari Sastika Nidya
Published: March 2023

The frictional property of grains is one of the most important engineering parameters in developing solid bulk handling of grains. It is necessary for designing agricultural facilities and production process activities. These properties are expressed as internal friction angle (φ) and wall friction angle (θ), which are known to be affected by the moisture content of the grains. This research investigates the effect of moisture content on the values of φ and θ of some selected grains. In the research, some indigenous Indonesian grain types, including rough rice, white rice, corn, soybean, and coffee, each in three varieties and three level of moisture contents, were used as the research samples. Those angles were measured using a self-constructed direct shear cell apparatus. Three different normal loads for each grain type were used with three replications. It is concluded that φ and θ of the tested grains increase with moisture contents with different trends of increments. The relationship of those angles with moisture contents can be expressed as linear regression equations. The slope of the regression lines for both φ and θ is significantly affected by grain type (p<0.05). For φ, coffee (Excelsa) is the most susceptible to the change in moisture content, while dent corn (Hibrida) is the least affected one. For θ, soybean (Galunggung) is the most susceptible to the change in moisture content, while rough rice (Mapan 5) is the least affected one.
Examination of the Partial Discharge Behaviour Within a Spherical Cavity in Insulation Paper of Transformer
Authors: Roslan Muhammad Hakirin , Azis Norhafiz , Ab Kadir Mohd Zainal Abidin , Jasni Jasronita , Mohd Yousof Mohd Fairouz
Published: March 2023

This paper investigates the behaviour of partial discharge (PD) in transformer insulation paper based on the Finite Element Method (FEM). The three-dimensional (3D) FEM model consists of conductor and insulation paper, representing part of a transformer’s high voltage winding. The conductor’s width, height, and length used in this study were 2.4 mm, 11.5 mm, and 16 mm. An insulation paper thickness of 1 mm was modelled around the conductor. An internal cavity with a diameter of 0.5 mm cavity was introduced within the insulation paper. This study introduced two locations of the spherical cavities at the centre and left corner of the insulation paper: Location 1 (L1) and Location 2 (L2). An AC voltage of 33 kV, 50 Hz, was applied to the conductor while the bottom of the insulation paper was grounded. The model was used to study the electric field distribution within the insulation paper and its effect on PD current and charge magnitude. The influence of cavity location on the charge magnitude was also examined. It is found that the electric field distribution is influenced by the conductor configuration as well as the location of the cavity. The electric field in the cavity is the highest at L1 compared to L2. The first PD occurs faster for the cavity with a high electric field. Due to the PD occurrence at the same inception field, the real PD current and charge magnitude is similar at different locations. The apparent PD current and charge magnitude induced at the ground electrode is slightly higher at L1 than at L2.
Highly Conductive Graphenated-Carbon Nanotubes Sheet with Graphene Foliates for Counter Electrode Application in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Yusuf Yusnita , Shafie Suhaidi , Ismail Ismayadi , Ahmad Fauzan , Hamidon Mohd Nizar , Sudhir Pandey Shyam , Wei Lei
Published: March 2023

This work enlightened the synthesis of graphenated-carbon nanotubes sheet (g-CNT) using the floating-catalyst chemical vapor deposition method (FCCVD) for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) application. The carbon injection flow rate in the experiment was varied to 6, 8, and 10 ml/h. The morphological findings revealed that the g-CNT formed a highly conductive network. Excellent conductivity was obtained for the sample g-CNT8 (34.5 S/cm) compared to the sample g-CNT6 (11.2S/cm) and CNT10 (4.76 S/cm). This excellent feature is due to the hybrid structure of the g-CNT8, which creates efficient electron transfer in the materials resulting in higher conductivity. The hybrid structure provides a high surface area that improves conductivity. Therefore, the g-CNT sheet is an excellent candidate to replace the conventional platinum used as a counter electrode (CE) in DSSC.
Geochemistry of Foraminifera in the Marginal Seas of the Sunda Shelf: A Review
Authors: Nur Shahruddin Aqilah , Mohamed Che Abd Rahim
Published: March 2023

Foraminiferal geochemistry applies geochemical elements embedded in foraminiferal calcites through bioaccumulation to interpret and reconstruct past oceanic climate histories. Due to its extensive variability and abundance, foraminifera is the easiest to retrieve and the best indicator of marine productivity and ocean temporal changes. In this review, we discuss the development of foraminiferal geochemistry studies in Southeast Asia, analyzing its current status and potential areas to be developed, namely, the Sunda Shelf. The Sunda Shelf is one of the world’s largest low-latitude shelves, bordered by marginal seas and sensitive to sea-level changes. The shelf response towards changes in ocean salinity affected the isotopic signals in foraminiferal calcites, which can indicate sea-level changes ideally. The Sunda Shelf has the potential to be developed as a study area for eustatic sea-level changes as it is located far from major glaciation centers; hence through this review, we aim to highlight the potential of exploring the application of geochemical elements in foraminifera as an indicator for sea-level changes. To date, literature on foraminiferal geochemistry in this region is very limited, thus inhibiting progress in such studies. A comprehensive summary of past studies in this region is provided to give a general overview of the direction of foraminiferal geochemistry studies and serve as guidelines for future research.