bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
FlipWalker: Self-Inverting Robot Locomotion Inspired by ‘Jacob’s Ladder’ Falling Block Illusion Toy
Authors: Ralston Nia , Hagen Bastiaan , Tan Phoebe , Robertson Matthew
Published: August 2023

This study presents a novel, underactuated robot locomotion system inspired by the Jacob's Ladder illusion toy, aimed at overcoming challenges encountered by wheeled locomotion on rugged and soft terrains. The system comprises interconnected body segments using flexible wires, offering inherent robustness and scalability due to its simple design. The motion is achieved through servo-controlled rotations, with joint locations adapting as segments pivot around each other. These segments utilize wires as hinges and tension-based constraints, enabling perpetual rotations, thereby propelling the robot forward while remaining flat on the ground. The manufacturing process involves rapid 3D printing for housing and CNC machining for PCB board fabrication. Flexible hinges are attached using threaded bolts, providing tension adjustability. The robot's microcontroller setup involves separate controllers for each body segment, communicating with a central offboard microcontroller for sensor data aggregation, configuration determination, and servo control. This modular design ensures easy addition and removal of segments without disrupting the overall electrical connectivity. The developed locomotion system showcases potential for enhanced adaptability and performance in challenging terrains.
The Library of Pseudoalteromonas
Authors: Klotz Rachel S , Kolwich Jennifer L , Ross Avena C
Published: August 2023

Natural products (NPs) are compounds that are produced by living things, like bacteria. These compounds are encoded by what are known as biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). A BGC is a set of genes that when all expressed, work together to form a particular NP. NPs are of extreme importance as they are used for many different medical applications, particularly as antibiotics. Since bacteria must evolve quickly to compete against one another for resources, it makes sense to turn to these organisms to find a solution for bacterial infections. The problem is that pathogenic bacteria have been evolving methods to fight antibiotics faster than we have been able to discover new ones. There is a great need to improve the natural product drug discovery pipeline. One way to do this is to change the conditions microbes grow in to have them express previously silent BGCs. In order to do this effectively, it is beneficial to have a strong baseline for molecules produced under standard conditions. Pseudoalteromonas is a relatively underexplored genus of marine bacteria. Thus, my goal is to catalogue the natural products produced by Pseudoalteromonas under standard culture conditions using Mass Spectrometry analysis. The starting point for this so-called Library Project has involved identifying existing natural product databases. The databases that have been explored can be classified into four categories that are also reflective of the order in which they will be used. These categories for the databases are: databases for culturing information, databases to catalog known natural products, mass spectrometry (MS) analysis tool-based databases, and databases that will associate novel natural products with BGCs. Now that the appropriate databases have been identified, the next step is to begin culturing and extracting from these microbes, to then run and analyze mass spectrums of these extracts.
Enhancing Neutral Hydrogen (HI) Detection in Galaxies through Optimized Matched Filter Analysis
Authors: Khamar Chaitanya , Spekkens Kristine
Published: August 2023

Neutral Hydrogen (HI) is a fundamental component in the composition of galaxies, providing crucial insights into their structure and dynamics. In this research, we propose a novel approach to improve the detection of H1 spectral lines in radio telescope data by employing a matched filter algorithm. The algorithm capitalizes on the convolution of a template function, optimized using the "Busy" function that defines the line profile properties, with a randomly generated H1 peak. This H1 peak is subsequently embedded within noisy data, accounting for the effects of telescope measurements, such as thermal broadening and radio-frequency interference. The incorporation of the Voigt profile in the noise generation ensures a realistic representation of these effects. Through comprehensive analysis, we demonstrate that a matched filter with a multi-layered convolution scheme yields the highest efficiency in recovering H1 peaks. The effectiveness of peak recovery is shown to be influenced by the injected noise profiles, allowing for a direct comparison of the matched filter’s performance concerning the Integrated and Peak Signal to Noise ratios. This research contributes to the advancement of observational techniques in astrophysics and deepens our understanding of the distribution and properties of Neutral Hydrogen in galaxies. It represents the first such exploration of this technique in the context of the Canadian Hydrogen Observatory and Radio Transient Detector (CHORD), which is under construction at the Dominion Radio Astronomy Observatory in Penticton, BC and which will survey the HI sky more broadly and deeply than has been previously possible.
Trauma Informed Educational Strategies and Recommendations for Post-Secondary Health Science Programs
Authors: Talabi Princess , Goldie Catherine
Published: August 2023

While trauma-informed care is commonly discussed in the context of interactions between healthcare providers and patients, its significance also extends to educational environments. Within post-secondary institutions, a considerable number of students begin their academic journey carrying experiences of past traumas or encounter trauma during their training. This is particularly relevant for health science education, where the curriculum involves addressing sensitive topics within classroom, laboratory, and clinical settings. These learning situations can inadvertently expose students to the risk of reliving trauma or experiencing distressing emotional responses. Hence, educators need to be attuned to their students' traumatic backgrounds and incorporate evidence-based techniques that mitigate distress, to adequately prepare students for their clinical practice roles. The objective was to systematically identify trauma informed educational (TIE) strategies or recommendations  that have been implemented in post-secondary health science programs.
This scoping review was completed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) scoping review methodology. A search of academic literature was completed using the following databases: MEDLINE (Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCO), Embase (Ovid), Education Source Complete, and ERIC. Search results were screened by two reviewers for relevance and data extraction was completed using a customized tool. Results were synthesized and aggregated in JBI SUMARI.
Findings from 42 studies with diverse methodological approaches identified seven elements characterizing trauma-informed strategies (awareness, prevention, preparation, exposure, coping skills, flexibility, and structure). These elements were observed across five distinct strata of educational settings: 1) institutional, 2) curriculum, 3) educator, 4) student, and 5) equity and diversity.
Integrating TIE strategies into health science education is urgently needed to create safe learning environments, better equip educators, and empower students to navigate trauma-related content with confidence and sensitivity. As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, a collective commitment to advancing trauma informed education will ultimately contribute to more resilient, informed, and compassionate healthcare professionals.
Impact of Lighting Condition and Social Isolation on Rats' Playfighting Behaviour
Authors: Babcock Megan
Published: August 2023

Playfighting in rats is a well-documented phenomenon, however, studies frequently differ in terms of the conditions under which play behaviour is assessed. This study examined the impact of lighting condition and social isolation on play, two conditions which vary in literature. The goal was to quantify and advance the understanding of optimal conditions for promoting playfighting behaviour in rats. Twenty-four male Long-Evans rats were randomly assigned a lighting condition (complete darkness vs. low mixed red-white light) and social isolation condition (0 hours vs. 5 hours vs. 24 hours). Rats were habituated in cagemate pairs to a plexiglass test chamber (60 x 60 x 40 cm) under their respective lighting conditions for three days prior to testing. Prior to the test day, cagemate pairs were randomly selected to be isolated from their play partners for different durations. After their respective isolation periods, cage-mate pairs of adolescent rats (PD30-37) were video-taped freely interacting in the test chamber for 10-minutes and their play behaviour was scored in NOLDUS by a trained coder. Data were analyzed in SPSS using a 2x3 ANOVA. Rats tested in complete darkness displayed higher rates of nape attacks (p = 0.008) and pinning (p = 0.002), two measures used to quantify playfighting. Post-hoc testing revealed that rats isolated for 24-hours prior to testing displayed higher rates of nape attacks (p = 0.028) and pins (p = 0.005) compared to non-isolated rats, but there were no other differences between other isolation conditions. These findings suggest that the conditions under which rats are tested can impact their play behaviour, driving differences in rates of commonly scored play behaviours. The data suggest it is ideal to assess rats’ play behaviour in complete darkness after at least 24-hours of social isolation to optimize baseline levels of playfighting.
A Comparative Analysis of 2-Dimensional Model Fitting Algorithms for Astronomical Images
Authors: Charlotte Murat  , Connor Stone
Published: August 2023

Stars and galaxies are captured from light-years away by telescopes and other observational instruments, which produce a pixel grid containing values indicating the light emitted by the object. These pixels have no meaning on their own; important information on the observed object is obtained by fitting models. AstroPhot is a Python-based photometry tool built for fitting such models to astronomical images and uses chi-squared 2D forward modeling to analyze the information they contain. AstroPhot performs sub-pixel integration to ensure high accuracy. In common galaxy models such as Sérsic, brightness within pixels may vary rapidly, so sub-pixel integration is essential to precisely portray these models. Efficiently and accurately performing this type of integration is challenging and many techniques exist to solve this problem. We seek to determine the optimal algorithms/parameters to ensure speed and reliability. To probe this question, AstroPhot galaxy models were compared to those generated by GALFIT, an established photometry solver that also uses chi-squared minimization for fitting. Ideally AstroPhot and GALFIT represent the same model, but due to their differing sub-pixel integration methods, there will be subtle variations in their values. Comparing models from the two algorithms required careful unit conversions due to their different surface brightness parameters. Using a high-resolution image generated with GALFIT as a reference, we sought to determine which pixels in AstroPhot models need more integration, as well as how to get the most accurate pixel value most efficiently.
Adaptations in Gait Mechanics When Walking in an Ankle Exoskeleton
Authors: Shih Isabella
Published: August 2023

Exoskeletons are robotic, brace-like devices that can apply assistive torques to joints, supplementing biological torques. For example, ankle exoskeletons are often designed to assist during the push-off phase of walking to reduce energy expenditure. However, the mechanism by which these exoskeletons reduce metabolic costs is often unclear due to complex human-machine interactions. Here, our purpose was to determine what lower-limb gait kinematic, kinetic, and muscle activity changes underly metabolic cost reductions during ankle exoskeleton-assisted walking. We had healthy participants (n=6) perform two, 12-minute walking trials, one without assistive torques applied (Exo Off) and one with assistive torques applied (Exo On). Participants walked on a force plate instrumented treadmill (Bertec) and were instrumented with optical motion capture (Qualisys) to measure lower-limb gait kinematics and kinetics using Opensim, electromyography (Delsys) to measure the muscle activity of nine lower-limb muscles of the dominant limb, and indirect calorimetry (Cosmed) to measure metabolic energy expenditure (Figure 1A). We aggregated the motion capture, electromyography, and metabolic data for a final analysis using custom scripts (Matlab). We found that metabolic energy expenditure was reduced by 9.52  1.25% (p=0.011; Figure 1B). This, however, did not coincide with any changes in biological ankle angle, torque, or power. However, there was a trending reduction in peak soleus activity (p=0.052). Surprisingly, we did find a reduction in knee power (p=7.3x10-3; Figure 1C) and an accompanying decrease in semitendinosus activity (p=5.9x10-3). Despite the exoskeleton acting at the ankle joint, we found the clearest benefits at the knee joint—highlighting that complex, multi-joint adaptations may underly cost savings. We are continuing data collection to increase our statistical power and better understand the mechanisms that underly exoskeleton assistance.
Polarized Skylight Navigation Using Full Sky Imager
Authors: Potter Benjamin
Published: August 2023

Navigation is a skill used by all life. Although many plants and animals have developed natural navigation methods, humans typically employ a compass. A magnetic compass relies on the Earth's magnetic field. In the presence of other magnetic fields, such as in many electrical systems, its efficacy is degraded. For this reason, a new form of compass not reliant on the orientation of a magnetic field is investigated.

The proposed method uses the atmospheric polarization of sunlight to determine heading. As light rays hit the atmosphere, they are scattered by gas molecules. During a scattering event, the E-vector of a ray is uniformly oriented with respect to the sun position, as described by the Rayleigh model. E-vector angles (AoLP) are consistently orthogonal to the solar meridian. This feature of the Rayleigh model can be used to determine the solar meridian from a polarized sky image.

Sky images were taken using a polarizing camera and fed to a computer for classification. The classifier was based on a method published by Lu et al. It has three steps:

Extract the AoLP from intensity data.

Generate a binary image by selecting pixels representing an orthogonal AoLP.

Apply a Hough transform to the binary image to extract heading.

During testing, the compass was aligned with north. Then, an image was taken and classified. The solar azimuth angle in the camera reference frame was read as 125°. The recognized solar meridian with respect to north was 131°. Since the camera was aligned with north, these angles are comparable. The compass error was estimated at ±6°.

The help of my colleagues has been integral, and I’d like to thank them. Truly, the work done on this project was made possible by ongoing guidance from Dr. Muhammad Alam. I am grateful for his support.
Transition from Fast-Flame to Detonation
Authors: Moran Madeleine , Ciccarelli Gabriel
Published: August 2023

Flame acceleration within a channel is facilitated by repeating obstacles that generate turbulence. As the flame accelerates to supersonic velocities, it generates compression waves that coalesce to form a strong leading shock. This shock-flame complex continues to accelerate until it reaches a maximum velocity equal to the speed of sound in the combustion products; the complex is referred to as a fast-flame. Shock reflection driven onset of detonation may occur, characterized by an instantaneous jump in velocity to the theoretical ‘Chapman-Jouguet’ velocity. A more fundamental problem is the transition from a fast-flame to detonation without the presence of obstacles.  

In the current study, a 7.6 cm square ‘optical section’ housing a perforated plate was used to study the transition from fast-flame to detonation. A spark- and glow- plug served as ignition sources. The optical section had windows installed on its side and end walls so that Schlieren- and direct- photography could be captured. Soot foils were also utilized to record detonation cell structure. The fast-flame was generated by the passage of a detonation wave through the perforated plate, after which the transition to detonation could be studied. 

Gaseous fuel-oxygen mixtures of varying degrees of detonation stability over a wide range of pressures were tested. In low-pressure tests, delayed onset of detonation was observed, and detonation initiation sites were located at the channel walls indicating that flame-generated turbulence alone is not sufficient for the transition process. As pressure was increased, onset occurred immediately after the perforated plate at various locations across the channel cross-section, not strictly at the walls. For this abrupt ignition mode, transverse shock collisions played an important role in the transition to detonation.
Transformative Social Movements and the Inclusion of Historically Oppressed Communities
Authors: Emelia Patterson
Published: August 2023

This research paper looks to analyze performative forms of allyship in anti-oppressive social movements, and their past and current engagement with historically oppressed communities such as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, LGBTQ2IA+ folks, those who identify as women, etcetera. Using an analysis of both past and current events within these movements worldwide, this paper will discuss how performative allyship contributes to the exclusion and silencing of oppressed communities from their own movements. This paper seeks to draw attention to the importance of centering oppressed communities in anti-oppressive movements, and highlighting their knowledge and lived-experiences which are essential in realizing their common goals of land, food, climate, and economic justice worldwide.
Rainforest IV at 50
Authors: Tschanz Amanda L.
Published: August 2023

Rainforest by David Tudor was a commissioned piece in 1968 for Merce Cunningham’s dance RainForest, in which Tudor experimented with using found objects (with transducers) as loudspeakers (Rogalsky 2006, 93). In 1973, Tudor “gave the piece away” and led a workshop of emerging artists in New Hampshire (Rogalsky 2006, 183-184), expanding the work to the immersive experience known as Rainforest IV. Fifty years later, our goal was to capture the creativity and community of the 1973 workshop, while incorporating new approaches.

            From exploring scrapyards to borrowing vintage geography equipment from Queen’s University, we collected items that contributed unique acoustics to the sounds we wanted to match with them. Our collection was narrowed down to 30 items chosen by participants during our workshop at the H’Art Centre, a local art centre, after two weeks of testing objects and sounds. Although many types of sounds were used, there was discussion around the use and practice of field recordings. At the end of our workshop, we took our objects to the Baby Grand Theatre, where they were suspended, lit, transducers attached, and fed sounds that suited them best. A significant difference from 1973 was the use of impulse responses, in place of contact microphones, to enhance the sounds. During a 5-hour live performance, our session was recorded and then played back through our objects as a stand-alone installation over the following ten days.  

            I discovered through this process that community is the heart of Rainforest IV. Tudor’s kindness influenced both the participants, through shared meals and encouraging advice (Adams, et al. 2023) and the piece itself.  In 2023, shared skills, ideas, and meals helped create both an “electronic ecology” (Rogalsky 2006, 205), and a community. Despite our changes, Tudor’s vision of community was ever present- as if it came from the piece itself.

 

Bibliography 

Adams, John DS, John Driscoll, Phil Edelstein, Linda Fisher, Ralph Jones, Ron Kuivila, Petr Kotik, and Susan Stenger, interview by Matthew R Rogalsky and Laura J Cameron. 2023. David Tudor's Rainforest IV at 50: A Conversation (July 15).

Rogalsky, Matthew R. 2006. "Idea and Community: The Growth of David Tudor's Rainforest, 1965-2006." London: none, April. Accessed 2023.
Studying Representation and Equity-Seeking Candidates in Canadian Elections
Authors: Ritter Madeline
Published: August 2023

Every election, as Canadians sit down at the polls to cast their votes, they ask: how truly representative are our elected officials? And how can we make politicians more representative of the public? As part of the USSRF, I provided important data to answer these questions. I studied how the barriers to elected office differ among equity-seeking groups, including women, BIPOC, and 2SLGBTQ+ people, and how parties can increase their representativeness. This research falls in three streams: data collection on federal candidates, data collection on provincial candidates, and a literature review of the role of voluntary targets to increase diversity and representation in political parties. The research on federal candidates has gathered important data on candidate race, 2SLGBTQ+ identities, and political experience from archived candidate biographies and news sources. The research on provincial candidates uses similar sources to extend analyses based on federal politics to provincial politics. The literature review draws on international examples to explore the impact of voluntary targets for representation within parties. These targets have historically not been a focus of study because the presumption is that voluntary targets will not be effective, but there is evidence that they have been increasingly effective in Canadian federal and provincial parties. By assessing the factors contributing to the representativeness (or under representativeness) of our elected officials, the research builds the groundwork for future work that compares party and voter biases across under-represented groups. The research engages with public debates in popular news media, social media, and non-profit/citizen groups surrounding the representation of women, BIPOC, and 2SLGBTQ+ people. The implications of this research are tangible for people, especially those belonging to marginalized groups, because the way we relate to the systems of power that govern us are crucial in understanding relationships of trust between citizens and the state.
Analyzing Compositional Style in the Music of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Authors: Everitt Dominic
Published: August 2023

The soundtrack of The Legend of Zelda: “Ocarina of Time” is rife with fascinating and innovative musical techniques which facilitate player engagement and interactivity.  The composer Koji Kondo’s unique style, which often includes the use of modes, chromatic harmony, parallel motion, and proximal voice leading techniques, differentiates this game from others of the same era and efficiently communicates important narrative information like emotion, setting, and trope. Using these musical topics makes Kondo’s works distinct and recognizable. These musical elements also contribute to the game’s overall goal of immersion. By analyzing the characteristics of Kondo’s work, similarly effective stylistic topics can be implemented in new, original compositions to accomplish the same feats as Kondo’s famed soundtracks. The purpose of the project is to develop my personal compositional style which is audibly identifiable while also functioning as nuanced video game music. Some of these nuances of game music include the added challenges of player engagement and the necessity of continuous music; the duration of the music is not predetermined like a live performance or film score. Achieving this goal involves the analysis and recreation of Kondo’s original works, including simulating the limitations of the 1990s era game console hardware. Also, to modernize the findings of this project, similar analysis and experimentation is applied to works of other game composers, exploring the growth and changes in compositional techniques in games throughout the past several decades. The culmination of this research is my own body of original compositions which aim to achieve the goals outlined above. These works include both acoustic and digital pieces of music, and a live interactive suite for medium ensemble.
Approaches to Live Digital Performance Creation
Authors: Irons Seymour
Published: August 2023

As an artist, thinking about live digital performance, I have always been curious about the intersection between media and wellness and how technology could possibly be applied in a therapeutic setting.

I investigated these intersections at FOLDA through participant interaction with live motion capture rendering, at Queens Ingenuity labs, and through social inquiry of virtual space with Prof. M Wheeler at the Isabel Bader Center. This research continued with VR experimentation at the Eastern bloc residency in Montreal hosted by UQAM | Université du Québec à Montréal and the Connected Minds CFREF launch. Finally I was given the opportunity to further my findings through a project creation residency with the Kick and Push Festival.

After inquiring into live digital performance, and its broader connections to wellness, I have found that technology can bring audiences together when they are tasked with using it together. The more social and accessible technology is, the more effective it is with producing performance that audiences will also enjoy. This research makes me wonder if audiences prefer to view and interact with performance with technology but not through it.
Cobalt Catalyzed Enantio- and Regioselective Hydrosilation
Authors: Leung Marco Leung , Ma Jinjin , Evans Dr. P Andrew
Published: August 2023

Enantioselective and regioselective cobalt-catalyzed hydrosilation has been scarcely reported. Although this transformation catalyzed with other transition metals such as iron or copper is well known, cobalt being an abundant and cheap transition metal makes having its catalyst as an option to expand the "toolbox" highly desirable. In addition, enantioselective and regioselective silyl products can serve as important building blocks for creating chiral synthetic products. For example, chiral silanes can be converted into chiral alcohols via Fleming–Tamao oxidation. To conduct this experiment, 2-vinylnaphlene was chosen as the model substrate and various conditions for the hydrosilation of diphenylsilane were investigated. A variety of cobalt catalysts was screened and uniquely, cobalt chloride triphenylphosphine was used offering a cobalt(I) complex. Then the optimal solvent for this reaction was found to be dioxane. With this information, we screened various chiral ligands. The conversion and the regioselectivity of the reaction were determined with proton 1H-NMR. The enantioselectivity was determined through an HPLC assay.In the study, we were able to perform hydrosilation targeting the Markovnikov product. enantioselectivity was achieved with the optimal ligands, albeit with mild regioselectivity. The implications of this finding show promise for using cobalt for an enantioselective and regioselective hydrosilation reaction. Further steps could be taken toward modifying the ligand to enhance conversion, regioselectivity, and enantioselectivity. In addition, various other substrates and silanes could be explored to improve the scope of this study.
Bioinspired Aerodynamic Load Estimation for UCAVs in Turbulent Environments
Authors: Dong Mia
Published: August 2023

Small aircraft carriers play a crucial role in military navigation and field intelligence. Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) have emerged as indispensable tools for various military operations. However, the efficacy of UCAV operations is often hampered by the turbulent conditions generated by oceanic gusts. To enhance the reliability and autonomy of these systems, this research focuses on advancing aerodynamic load estimation techniques.

Many biological systems employ sensory systems to collect environmental feedback to improve predation and avoid attack. Examples include the proprioception exhibited in bird feathers and the lateral line function in fish. Drawing inspiration from these biological models, a system of sensors is employed to achieve more precise estimations of the UCAV aerodynamic state and therefore train an existing Multi-Layer Perception Artificial Neural Network (MLP ANN) to respond to the environment.

A series of experiments were conducted on a non-slender delta-wing model of NACA 0012 mounted on a force/moment sensor and exposed to varying flow conditions in a controlled setup called the WindShaper. To simulate gusty environments, the WindShaper produced unsteady random axial gusts ranging from 5m/s to 15m/s. A total of 100 sets of data, consisting of 60000 data points were collected and used to train the MLP ANN.

Statistical methods were employed to distinguish valid and edge cases within the datasets. From analyzing the outputs generated by the MLP ANN, it was determined that there exists an importance in collecting data of high quality. These analyses identify factors affecting model performance and highlight specific challenges that hinder accurate gust prediction. The utilization of advanced neural network methodologies as a technique for load estimation has significant implications for naval aviation, aerodynamics, and their related autonomous systems. This research contributes to the development of more robust UCAV operations in challenging environments.
The Stake of Private Military Companies in Natural Resource Governance
Authors: Howells Olivia
Published: August 2023

The rapid acceleration of climate change has increased the demand for critical minerals. Rare earth elements have emerged as a valuable commodity to the future of hybrid energy, with many reserves located in West Africa. Concomitantly, the world has seen a spike in private security, with a growing normalization of private military companies (PMCs) in state defence. Though not typically associated with natural resources, PMCs, most notably those of Russian descent, have been cited in resource commerce in Syria, Ukraine, and West Africa. The Russian PMC “Wagner” has most recently become a household name for cited indiscretions and humanitarian violations throughout Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Thus, as we see increasing ties between The Wagner Group and various African countries, the future of the “green transition” appears eerily uncertain. The inevitable scarcity in implementing such a green transition poses huge questions for what length states will go to for resources, and who pays the price. This paper investigates the nexus between private security and natural resource governance by examining the case of the Wagner Group in Africa. It uses process tracing to compare the way states use PMCs, arguing that Wagner is an exceptional PMC in their strategic acquirement of natural resources, largely on behalf of the Kremlin’s will. I find that PMCs like Wagner are effective tools of surrogate resource nationalism due to their ability to appeal to covert state interests with legitimate promises and bonds formed, all the while maintaining no official state affiliation. As the climate worsens, PMCs like Wagner pose a legitimate threat to the future of scarcity, as water could be the next resource in competition.
Preamble
Authors: Kolomitro Klodiana , Ross Nancy
Published: August 2023

Introductory letter to the USSRF and USRA Research Abstracts Special Issue from Dr. Nancy Ross and Klodiana Kolomitro.
The potential of the mobile application as a food waste reduction alternative
Authors:   The Korean Agricultural Economics Association, Hong Yeona , Yun Chanmi
Published: August 2023

This study aims to analyze the impact of using ‘Last Order’, a mobile application that provides a discount service for near-expiry food, on food waste reduction, and to verify whether food redistribution through such a platform can be an effective alternative to proactively reducing domestic food waste. A survey was conducted among 216 ‘Last Order’ users and 376 non-users, of which 469 respondents(136 users and 333 non-users), excluding single-person households, were used for the analysis. The results of the analysis showed that the variable ‘whether or not to use the application which discounts service for near-expiry food’ had a significant negative value, indicating that the use of the application contributed to a reduction in the amount of food waste generated per household per day. It implies that increased use of the application will increase the potential for reducing food waste through the consumption of near-expiry food from retailers to households.
Performance of TEC Cascade on Input Voltage Variations in Fish Cooler Box
Authors: Djafar Zuryati , Sabiqun Sabiqunnas , Piarah Wahyu Haryadi
Published: August 2023

The refrigeration system used to meet the needs of human life can be in the form of a thermoelectric cooler (TEC). Due to its small volume, environmental friendliness and several other advantages, TEC can be widely applied such as in fish cooler box. In this study, the cooler box used had dimensions of 290mm x 205mm x 254mm and were given twelve stacked 3 TEC modules with varied DC voltages. The purpose of this study is to determine the voltage that can provide the best TEC performance. This performance will be indicated by the Coefficient of Performance (COP) value of each voltage variation. The experimental results show that the best performance of the TEC is at 42 Volts. The lowest temperature achieved during the experiment was 7.74℃ on the cold-side.
Classification Freshness of Red Snapper (Lutjanus Campechanus) Based on Eye Image Using Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Subhan Muh , Nursakinah Nursakinah
Published: August 2023

Indonesia is a maritime country where fish is the most widely extracted and consumed marine natural resource, one of which is snapper. Snapper contains high protein. Therefore, it is suitable for health. Red snapper or Lutjanus campechanus is one economical fish with a broad market share. Red snapper is a demersal fish group that ranks third with the most exported commodities after tuna and shrimp. In addition, snapper is one of the most common consumption fish in Indonesia. Therefore, the community needs to be able to identify the freshness of the fish. Fish freshness detection is done manually by touching the fish's body, eyes, and gills. However, this can cause accidental damage to the fish parts, which will be very detrimental. Several studies on identifying fish freshness explain that the VGGNet-16 Architecture on the Convolutional Neural Network algorithm is superior in its modeling performance. This research uses a different fish object, a red snapper object, with two different architectures from several previous studies, namely the Le-Net15 and VGGNet-16 architecture. This research focuses on the eye image carried out through the pre-processing data stage by cutting the fish body, followed by augmentation to reproduce the image data without losing its essence before training the dataset. The model will be trained using the Adam optimization method with very fresh and not fresh predictions. The experimental results of the classification of two classes of red snapper freshness using 600 fish images show that VGGNet-16 achieves the best performance compared to the LeNet-5 architecture, where the classification accuracy reaches 98.40%.
Semiotic Perspective of Characteristics and Meanings of Hunto Sultan Amai Mosque Ornaments in Gorontalo
Authors: Salongi Asmin , Harisah Afifah , Wikantari Ria
Published: August 2023

A mosque is a well-known form of architecture in the Islamic community, serving as a center for religious activities and a symbol of Islamic identity. The Hunto Mosque in Gorontalo City, Hohuntonga, which means a gathering place, is known for its beautiful architectural design which owes much to the role of the ornaments adorning the building. This research aims to describe and interpret the characteristics and meanings of the ornaments in the Hunto Sultan Amai Mosque, as well as identify the factors that shape their characteristics. A qualitative method with Roland Barthes' (1986) semiotic approach was employed, and data was gathered through observation, interviews, and documentation. The results reveal that the ornamentation in the mosque consists of geometric and floral shapes, with square patterns and lotus flower motifs, colored in white and gold and made of paint. The most prominent placement of these ornaments is on the mosque wall elements. The square shape has meaning “symbol of physical experience and the physical world of materiality”, while the lotus flower represents adaptation and idealism. White signifies purity, while gold symbolizes triumph and power. The characteristics and meanings of the ornaments are formed from Arab and Malay architecture.
The Evaluation of Urban Eco Drainage System in Makassar
Authors: Mustari Andi Subhan , Karamma Riswal , Aprianti Evi
Published: August 2023

The objective of study is to reduce surface water runoff in low-lying areas that potentially occurred flooding. The concept of environmentally friendly drainage is the right choice to be applied in reducing the potential for flooding and sediment buildup, especially in areas with small water absorption. The quantitative method used to analyze hydrological and flood discharge then evaluated canal capacity in urban area. Rainfall data and population development for 10 years are used to determine the planned discharge with a certain return period according to actual conditions. The result show that from the 4 types of primary canals, an average of 1.03 m3/sec can be obtained. while the evaluation results for the secondary channel obtained 7 channels with a reduced average inundation discharge of 1.97 m3/s. It can be said that the application of infiltration wells is quite effective to be used as an alternative solution in reducing inundation of urban area.
Energy-Saving Driving for a Flexible Manipulator by Utilizing Micro Fiber Composite
Authors: Abe Akira
Published: August 2023

In this paper, we examine a point-to-point motion task of a flexible manipulator with macro fiber composite (MFC) and then propose a new feedforward control method to suppress driving energy and residual vibration simultaneously. For this, we use an MFC attached to one side of the flexible manipulator that has one revolute joint as an actuator. We attempt to express the joint angle in the control technique by combining cycloidal and polynomial functions. On the other hand, the input voltage profile of the MFC is expressed using Gaussian functions. The trajectory of the joint angle and the input voltage profile are dependent upon the coefficients of the polynomial function and the Gaussian functions, respectively. The trajectory and the input voltage profile are optimized simultaneously to cancel the residual vibration under saving energy by tuning the coefficients using the particle swarm optimization algorithm. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by performing simulations and experiments. Thus, our findings confirmed that the simultaneous optimization of the trajectory of the joint angle and the input voltage of the MFC saves more energy than only the optimization of the trajectory. Therefore, we could establish an energy-saving feedforward control method by driving two actuators.
Effect of Mg and Zn Composition Variations on Surface Characteristics and Flexural Strength of Biodegradable Mg-Zn-Ca Alloys by Powder Metallurgy Method
Authors: Simons Yuliana , Sutresman Onny S. , Arsyad Hairul
Published: August 2023

This study aims to determine the Mg-Zn-Ca alloy's surface characteristics and flexural strength using powder metallurgy methods. The Mg-Zn-Ca alloy was prepared by powder metallurgy method with three composition variations (89Mg-10Zn-1Ca, 93Mg-6Zn-1Ca and 97Mg-2Zn-1Ca). The Mg-Zn-Ca powder alloy was mixed with the dry milling process for 60 minutes. After mixing, the compaction process is carried out with a load of 200 MPa. Then, the sintering process was carried out at a temperature of 500 ℃ and held for 3 hours with a furnace fed with argon gas. The sintering results were characterized by the microstructure of the Mg-Zn-Ca alloy using SEM and XRD. After that, it was carried out to test the flexural strength of the Mg-Zn-Ca alloy. SEM results obtained that the 89Mg-10Zn-1Ca alloy sample has less porosity and a smaller pore diameter compared to the 93Mg-6Zn-1Ca alloy sample and the 97Mg-2Zn-1Ca alloy sample, which has more porosity and has a smaller diameter. Bigger pore. The results from XRD had the highest peak in the 89Mg-10Zn-1Ca alloy sample, seen from a crystalline spectrum of 82.4%. The results of the bending test, the most optimal flexural strength occurred in the 89Mg-10Zn-1Ca alloy sample, which was 0.579 Mpa. The results from XRD had the highest peak that occurred in the 89Mg-10Zn-1Ca alloy sample, seen from a crystalline spectrum of 82.4%. The results of the bending test, the most optimal flexural strength occurred in the 89Mg-10Zn-1Ca alloy sample, which was 0.579 Mpa. The results from XRD had the highest peak in the 89Mg-10Zn-1Ca alloy sample, seen from a crystalline spectrum of 82.4%. The results of the bending test, the most optimal flexural strength occurred in the 89Mg-10Zn-1Ca alloy sample, which was 0.579 Mpa
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT: MENELAAH MODEL KOMUNIKASI DAN BUDAYA ORGANISASI BPJS KETENAGAKERJAAN
Authors: Hati Citra Puspita , Anggraini Choiria , Ubalaga Leteesha Marthina
Published: August 2023

Employee Engagement merupakan salah satu bagian penting dalam membangun kinerja karyawan dalam perusahaan. Hubungan karyawan dengan perusahaan yang erat akan meningkatkan kualitas kerja karyawan dalam menghasilkan keuntungan untuk perusahaan. Penelitian ini menjelaskan model strategi Employee Engagement pada Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Sosial (BPJS) Ketenagakerjaan berdasarkan komunikasi dan budaya organisasi guna mewujudkan loyalitas karyawan terhadap perusahaannya. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kualitatif dengan jenispenelitian deskriptif serta paradigma interpretatif. Teknik pengumpulan data pada penelitian ini adalah wawancara, observasi, dan studidokumen. Penelitian ini berfokus pada pembangunan model Employee Engagement dilihat dari aspek Vigor (karyawan sadar akan jobdesc-nya, yaitu memberikan pelayanan kepada masyarakat), Dedication (mengikuti pelatihan dan program yang diberikan pihak manajemen kepada karyawan), dan Absorption (rasa tanggung jawab terhadap pekerjaannya dan memiliki lingkungan yang supportif). Pengamatan dilakukan terhadap komunikasi yang berbentuk media melalui WhatsApp dan email corporate. Pesan yang dikomunikasikan BPJS Ketenagakerjaan sudah informatif, karena pesan yang disampaikan pihak SDM dan umum sudah disusun dengan baik melalui pembagian pesan perhari dalam satu minggu sesuai bidang masing – masing. Serta budaya organisasi yang dilihat dari dua sudut pandang yaitu Power Distance (PDI) dan Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI) pada BPJS Ketenagakerjaan sudah berkorelasi, sehingga akan berhasil apabila diterapkan pada cabang BPJS Ketenagakerjaan lainnya atau perusahaan lainnya.

Kata Kunci: budaya organisasi, employee engagement, hubungan karyawan, komunikasi
MANAJEMEN KRISIS PUBLIC RELATIONS POLDA JABAR DALAM MEMBANGUN CITRA POSITIF MELALUI MEDIA MASSA
Authors: Widhara Shofya Sartikasari
Published: August 2023

West Java Police experienced a crisis due to cases of police abuse of his own stepson. Crisis management is an effort taken in facing a crisis while trying to prevent the widespread impact of a crisis event with the aim of regaining public trust. In crisis situations, the role of Public Relations becomes very important because they must have the ability to maintain the company's reputation when facing challenges from the public. This study aims to determine the extent of crisis management public relations (PR) applied by the West Java Regional Police in building a positive image through the mass media. Researchers used crisis management theory from Coombs & Holladay with three subanalysis, namely pre-crisis, crisis, and post-crisis in analyzing the crisis management of West Java Regional Police PR. The method used by the researcher is qualitative with PR case study approach. The results showed the identification of the crisis carried out with the Coordination of the Cirebon police and the investigation by the PROPAM, West Java Police Public Relations also conducted news monitoring through the mass media, crisis analysis by analyzing the perpetrators and also conducting a visa for victims, followed by providing an explanation to the media in a transparent manner and carrying out the role of the mass media during the crisis, then at the last stage, namely by conducting positive activities, building relationships and good relations and always updating positive activities. With the crisis management stage carried out by the West Java Regional Police Public Relations, the case of police misconduct against her stepdaughter can be resolved properly.

Keywords: crisis management, mass media, positive image, public relations
Antimicrobial activity of aqueous extract of Citrullus colocynthis L.fruit
Authors: L. Alkamel Mohammed
Published: August 2023

The aqueous extract of C. Colocynthis fruit was tested for its antimicrobial activity against certain pathogenic fungal and bacterial isolates using agar well diffusion method. The activity of the extract was determined through measuring the diameter of inhibition zone and minimal inhibitory concentration. The study revealed that all the fungal and bacterial isolates are sensitive to the extract . Fungal isolates are more sensitive than bacterial isolates. All concentrations of the extract used in this experiment showed antifungal activity against the Cladosporium cladosporides. The activity of Citrullus colocynthis L. extract is significantly better than the standard antifungal drugs, nystatin and fluconazole in a concentration of 0.25 mg/ml .The inhibitory effect of C. colocynthis fruit aqueous extract may attributed to active compounds present in the extract.
Adenosine Deaminase values of serum and erythrocytes in patients with Cutaneous Leishmaniasis and healthy subjects in Nineveh state population
Authors: M.Yonis AI-Anzy Moayad
Published: August 2023

Cross sectional, hospital based study was carried out on 46 Cutaneous Leishmaniasis patients (25 males and 21 females) and fifty four healthy volunteers were investigated to serve as normal subjects. Serum and erythrocytes Adenosine Deaminase activity was assessed spectrophotometerically by using colorimetric method. Serum and erythrocytes Adenosine Deaminase activity of Leishmaniasis-patienats were highly significant (p< 0.005) and higher (38.8  ± 2.5 and 188.1 ± 23.3 U/L) than that values of healthy individuals ( 14.8 ± 1.4 and 64.1 ± 7.5 U/L respectively). No significant difference values were found in blood ADA activity according age and sex. In conclusion serum and erythrocytes ADA values may be used in the follow up of patients with Cutaneous Leishmaniasis together with clinical and other laboratory findings.