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KAZGUU LIBRARY VIRTUAL ASSISTANT CHATBOT
No full textAs an age of technologies is getting closer to reshaping daily life and services, there have been a lot of considerations for using AI and machine learning in many sectors. This project presents a virtual KazGUU library assistant which is going to be designed to enhance the user experience with complex data processing. The main objective of this project is to improve the quality of the chatbot and allow many services for users to have specialized requests and help from the AI-designed assistant so that it will be both accurate and elaborate. Primarily, the chatbot needs a convenient interface for the user so that there will not be any ergonomic inconveniences and challenges, that’s why the design aspect is one of the most important parts. On top of that, for the chatbot system to generate accurate responses, we plan to implement Artificial Intelligence and machine learning, hence making it able to respond with quality answers and current information. The system should be maintained so that it will be able to operate 24/7 and should not be vulnerable to any kinds of wrong responses and errors. For the bot to respond to current events in the library or new rules, it should be updated easily by the library staff so that it would not be a problem for them. The project is also aimed at the implementation of machine learning based on the library database, with constant updates and availability for the library portal user. There is also an application of voice-to-text and vice versa functionality for user convenience as the chat will be able to read the voice lines and produce audio outputs. Additionally, the chatbot works with the standardized chat system animations and design so that it would be familiar for the user to send text messages seamlessly as it was a conversation with a real person in a regular chat
A STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF SALINITY AND PH ON BIOFILM FORMATION OF HALOARCHAEA ISOLATED FROM LAKE KOBEITUZ
No full textHaloarchaea are microorganisms that thrive best in extremely salty environments. Some studies suggest that some genera of Haloarchaea are capable of forming biofilms. Although the biofilm formation process of archaea resembles a process of bacterial biofilms, the precise mechanism of this process remains poorly understood, especially concerning the impact of environmental conditions. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of varying concentrations of MgCl2, as well as changes in pH, on the formation of biofilms by Haloarchaea that have been isolated from Lake Kobeituz. The biofilms were examined using indirect quantitative (microtiter dish assay) and direct examination with a brightfield microscope. Our study postulated that salinity and pH variations had a major impact on haloarchaea biofilm formation, thereby opening a basis for modulation and a better understanding of the process. During our study, it was revealed that Haloarchaea’s response to stress and biofilm formation is species-specific. All three Haloarchaeal isolates differed in strength of surface attachment, biofilm morphology, and biofilm production. The strongest biofilm producer was Halobacterium salinarum, which demonstrated the highest biofilm growth at pH 7 and 100 mM MgCl2. Although we identified favorable conditions for haloarchaea growth, further proteomic studies should be conducted to fill the gaps in the stress response and metabolism of Haloarchaea
AI LIBRA VIRTUAL LIBRARY ASSISTANT: INTELLECTUALIZATION OF THE NU LIBRARY WEB-PORTAL USER INTERFACE ON THE BASIS OF AI APPLICATIONS
No full textThis project is made to improve the existing library system of Nazarbayev University. Dr. Askar Boranbayev and Dr. Piotr Lapo offered us to take on this project. Our solution strives to make the NU library system convenient and efficient for students and faculty members. Our goal is to improve the user experience when working with the library system, make it more interactive, and also reduce the time it takes to find a book that matches the user’s interests.
Former NU Library Director, Dr. Piotr Lapo, together with our professor Dr. Askar Boranbayev, advised us to use artificial intelligence based on their experience. Our team, together with our advisors, came to a unified implementation.
We have introduced a virtual assistant. Firstly, it performs the function of voice announcements on the NU library website, using the Google Cloud Platform. Secondly, our assistant answers arbitrary questions from users regarding the library, based on the "spaCy" model. We also developed our own model to improve the skill of working with Natural Language Processing tasks. But in the end, we came to the conclusion that spaCy works better. We used a database of answers to frequently asked questions from the NU library website to train our model. Thirdly, we implemented a smart book recommendation system so that the user can get information about the book based on his interests and other users' reviews.
Our solution works in the format of a Backend web application, which in the future will be integrated with the NU library system. But while we have not integrated with the NU library system, we have written our own Frontend application for simulation in order to fully test it and demonstrate the results. Frontend is written in React. The backend is written using Fast API. PostgreSQL was used to manage the database.
It should be noted that our team led by Dr. Askar Boranbayev presented this project at the International Scientific and Practical Conference "Industrial Development: Technologies for People and Services in the Era of Innovation"
MOTION PLANNING WITH OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE FOR ROBOT MANIPULATORS VIA DEEP REINFORCEMENT LEARNING
No full textThe integration of Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) in robotic motion planning represents
a cutting-edge approach to enhancing the adaptability and efficiency of robotic manipulators
in complex environments. In this project we trained a UR5 manipulator for autonomous
navigation within a 2D environment. Our methodology hinges on the Stable Baselines 3
library and Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) algorithms, grounded within the PyBullet
and Gym simulation platforms. The culmination of our research affirms the thesis that it
is indeed feasible to train a manipulator to proficiently navigate a 2D environment using
DRL. The implications of this work not only bolster the potential for practical applications
in various domains but also pave the way for further advancements in the field of robotics
Performance Evaluation for Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces-enabled Terahertz Communications
No full textThe terahertz (THz) frequency band is attractive for the development of high data rate, large capacity, and low latency sixth generation (6G) wireless communications. A possible solution to the issues of excessive propagation losses in the THz band is the incorporation of reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs), which are able to sensibly adjust the reflecting elements and improve the received power strength in the network. Moreover, different multiple access techniques can be considered to effectively allocate
the power and spectrum resources among the users. Therefore, this work evaluates the
performance of a RIS-aided Non Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA) THz system model
with multiple users. The network resource allocation schemes are compared in terms of the Sum Rate maximization and different RIS deployment scenarios are discussed. The simulation results confirm the analytical derivations and present the RIS-THz link performance in various conditions
Analysis of GCIP Function in Rheumatoid Arthritis
No full textThe global burden of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is increasing for the ageing population. The
disease is characterized by progressive joint inflammation and tissue destruction. One of the key players in the pathogenesis of RA is synovial fibroblasts (SF), which invade and destroy the cartilage in the joints. However, the exact molecular mechanism which explains their abnormal
outgrowth is yet to be elucidated. Grap2 cyclin D interacting protein (GCIP), a protein related to Id proteins, plays a role in cell cycle progression and gene expression by blocking interactions between (CREB) binding protein (CBP) and RNA polymerase II complexes. A recent study has shown that Grap2 cyclin D interacting protein (GCIP) has been downregulated in the synovial fibroblasts in rheumatoid arthritis patients, suggesting its involvement in disease progression.
The knockdown of the GCIP protein resulted in the increased growth of synovial fibroblasts, consequently leading to the upregulation of Cyclin D1, a crucial cell cycle and cell proliferation player regulated by the CREB.
This thesis aimed to explore the role of GCIP in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis by
establishing a mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis and testing how GCIP knockout affects the proliferation of synovial fibroblast during RA. Two cohorts of WT and GCIP KO C57BL/6 mice were utilized to induce RA with 2 different protocols. The protocol 2 resulted in a more pronounced disease phenotype in males. Female mice from both showed no visible signs of RA.
The role of GCIP on the proliferation of the synovial fibroblasts was not established
necessitating a larger cohort size and choosing male mice as a subject
“NOTHING OF THE OLD”: THE NARRATIVES OF SOVIET WOMEN’S EMANCIPATION IN MAILIN’S THE COMMUNIST RAUSHAN
No full textThe title of my capstone project is “Nothing of the Old: The Narratives of Soviet Women Emancipation in Mailin’s The Communist Raushan. I explain the changes faced by Soviet women during the liberation movement at the onset of the twentieth century. I focused my research on Beimbet Mailin’s novel The Communist Raushan to analyze how the work narrates the women’s emancipation in the Kazakh steppes. Overall, the research’s value is that there are not many resources on how liberation was promoted among nomadic populations.
The novel describes the heroine Raushan, whose life symbolizes young Kazakh women, who were to transform by the state’s initiative. Her example is especially important, for she sees both difficulties and achievements to become a true emancipated Soviet woman. Therefore I argue that emancipation is perceived as a change with double significance. Those who faced the injustices of the “backward” way of life will become the new emancipated Soviet women. My argument is built by exploring the history of Soviet emancipation, specifically focusing on other Turkic women’s stories during the 1920-30s to match with the novel’s time frame. Reading selected passages of the novel through the lens of my historical readings enabled me to discover the following:
The opinions on the significance of Soviet authority are dichotomous; While some criticize its counterculturality, others rely on it as a sole coping mechanism. When Raushan is demonized by the villagers because of her embodiment of the Communist principles, a young woman visits her house. She begs Raushan for help from the husband’s abuse, provoked by his first wife. She cries out "I don’t know who a communist is, but I have heard they help women. If it is right, let them help me, let them free me from [his] cane. I would be grateful to convert into Christianity if they save me from that!" (Mailin, 43)
The episode captures the essence of the service to the Soviets. It aligns the religion and polygamy antithetical to the new way of life associated with atheism, education, and work. The excerpt not only prioritizes Raushan but the side character, who addresses her concerns with old lifestyles. Her emotional plea parallels the experiences of other women, who first face direct oppression, then to be directed towards the Soviet enlightenment.To conclude, my work synthesizes Mailin’s novel to explain the complexity of the liberation movement in Kazakh ASSR
VISION-LANGUAGE MODELS ON THE EDGE: AN ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED
No full textVision-Language Models, or VLMs, are deep learning models at the intersection of
Computer Vision and Natural Language Processing. They effectively combine image
understanding and language generation capabilities and are widely used in various as sistive tasks today. Nevertheless, the application of VLMs to assist visually impaired
and blind people remains an underexplored area in the field. Existing approaches to
developing assistive technology for the visually impaired have a substantial limitation:
the computation is usually performed on the cloud, which makes the systems heavily
dependent on an internet connection and the state of the remote server. This makes
the systems unreliable, which limits their practical usage in everyday tasks. In our
work, to address the issues of the previous approaches, we propose utilizing VLMs
on embedded systems, ensuring real-time efficiency and autonomy of the assistive
module. We present an end-to-end workflow for developing the system, extensively
covering hardware and software architecture and integration with speech recogni tion and text-to-speech technologies. The developed system possesses comprehensive
scene interpretation and user navigation capabilities necessary for visually impaired
individuals to enhance their day-to-day activities. Moreover, we confirm the prac tical application of the wearable assistive module by conducting experiments with
actual human participants and provide subjective as well as objective results from
the system’s assessment
PARENTAL PERSPECTIVES OF BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS TO ACCESSING EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER
No full textAccessing early intervention (EI) services is paramount for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to support their developmental needs. However, navigating the process of accessing these services presents numerous challenges for parents. This qualitative study aims to investigate the barriers and facilitators experienced by parents seeking EI services for their children with ASD in Kazakhstan. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with five parents of children with ASD, allowing for a comprehensive exploration of their experiences. Thematic analysis revealed several key findings. Parents described bureaucratic and administrative difficulties, including lengthy wait times, bureaucratic red tape, a lack of clarity regarding resource availability, a lack of qualified specialists, awareness and knowledge, limited resources, logistical difficulties, and cultural and social stigma surrounding autism. Additionally, challenges in obtaining disability certificates and accessing rehabilitation centers were highlighted, reflecting systemic deficiencies in the healthcare and social support systems. Despite these barriers, parents identified personal networks, persistence, and advocacy as key facilitators in accessing EI services. Support from organizations and the government was also acknowledged, albeit with limitations. The findings underscore the need for systemic changes to provide access to EI services for children with ASD in Kazakhstan. The findings have implications for policymakers, healthcare providers, and researchers in improving the accessibility and quality of EI services for children with ASD in Kazakhstan and similar contexts
THE EFFECT OF FRAMING AND EXPERT OPINION ON PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF PRESIDENT TOQAYEV'S POLICY AGAINST ELITE CORRUPTION
No full textThis thesis delves into Kazakhstanis’ views on President Toqayev’s measures targeting elite-level corruption in the wake of the Bloody January unrest of 2022. I examine the effects of framing and experts’ opinions on public perception of these measures, on trust/distrust and approval/disapproval of these measures.
My findings from the nationwide survey experiment and three focus group interviews with residents of Astana and Shu (southern Kazakhstan) partially confirm each of the following: populism frame of Toqayev’s anti-corruption policies had a substantial impact on the level of public support for criminal prosecution and asset return initiatives, with less influence observed on constitutional reform efforts. In contrast to anticipated results, exposure to skepticism frames did not reduce public support for the anti-corruption measures. Additionally, I found that the greater social media usage reduced public trust in the successful implementation of Toqayev’s anti-corruption policies while simultaneously enhancing both skeptical interpretations of and support level for said policies.
Not surprisingly, expert opinion plays some role in shaping public perception of anti-corruption policies. Two-part survey results demonstrated the increase in support for all anti-corruption policies in the presence of expert opinion. My respondents from focus groups tended to believe that experts’ educational credentials, authoritativeness, adherence to pre-existing beliefs of the respondents, and the content of expert opinion played vital roles in determining whether to trust expert opinion or not.
I expected that living in rural areas in the southern region would lead to higher levels of trust and lower levels of skepticism. The results from a two-part online survey confirm this. However, findings from focus group interviews revealed mixed results in relation to this expectation. Participants from Shu doubted Toqayev’s sincerity in combatting elite-level corruption, whereas individuals from smaller southern towns who had moved to Astana exhibited stronger approval and commended President Toqayev for his efforts in combatting grand corruption.
Thus, my thesis offers important contributions to the theories of political learning and political communication with insights into how citizens become critical evaluators of authoritarian regimes