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A Critical Challenge: Understanding and Addressing Insider Threats
Get PDFIn today’s hyper-connected world, insider threats have become one of the most pressing challenges for organizations. While external attacks like ransomware and hacking often dominate the headlines, insider threats posed by employees, contractors, or others with internal access are equally, if not more, dangerous. Whether arising from malice, negligence or coercion, insiders have unparalleled access to sensitive systems and data, making their actions potentially catastrophic. The critical insider security issues organizations face and the actionable strategies for mitigation are actions that organizations must take
The Quiet Corner
Get PDFIn The Quiet Corner, recent graduate Hannah lingers on campus as others move on, feeling untethered and uncertain about her future. Drawn to the soon-to-be-demolished library, she stumbles upon a mysterious hidden hallway filled with books chronicling unrealized lives—paths not taken by people she knows. As she reads these haunting “could-have-beens,” she’s inspired to subtly help others reclaim forgotten dreams. Eventually, she finds her own name and two possible futures: one stifled by convention and another vibrant with creative purpose. The experience becomes a turning point, reminding her that fate isn’t fixed—it’s written choice by choice. Empowered, she steps forward into her life with new clarity, even as another soul quietly approaches the same transformative corner she once found
A Comparative Study of Neural Networks and XGBoost Models for Flight Time Prediction
Get PDFFlight time prediction plays a crucial role in modern air travel, benefiting airlines and passengers alike. Accurate predictions enable airlines to optimize schedules, allocate resources effectively, and ensure passenger safety and satisfaction. In recent years, machine learning models, such as neural networks and XGBoost, have gained popularity for predicting flight times. This study aims to compare the performance of neural network and XGBoost models in predicting flight times, considering factors such as weather conditions, air traffic control, and aircraft performance. The results indicate that both models are effective, with XGBoost achieving slightly higher accuracy. However, neural networks offer advantages in terms of computational efficiency and ease of interpretation. This study sheds light on the significance of flight time prediction and provides insights into the relative performance of neural network and XGBoost models in this domain
The Gaul
Get PDFA short story written about a French Hussar\u27s haunting by a Gaul from the Gallic War
The Effect of Finasteride on Parity Rates in Drosophila Melanogaster
Get PDFFinasteride has been used to treat male pattern baldness and benign prostate hyperplasia and could potentially treat female pattern baldness and polycystic ovary syndrome. The impact on reproduction in female patients who are taking or have taken finasteride is unknown. Using drosophila melanogaster as a model, this study was designed to investigate the impact of finasteride on female fly reproduction and their offspring. The female flies in this study will be fed dosage equivalents of 0.5 mg, 1 mg, and 5 mg of finasteride, along with a control group of females who consume no finasteride. The flies will be allowed to mate after consuming their respective dose of the drug and the viable offspring will be counted over the next three days. If there are viable male offspring, they will be allowed to mate with female flies as well to determine if they are impacted by the drug. This study predicts the results will indicate the finasteride, especially at higher doses, will impact the reproductive ability of the females and their male offspring. These results will further the database that could lead to determining if finasteride could be used to treat the previously stated conditions in human females
Detection of Quorum-Sensing Molecules in the Mutualistic Bacteria Vibrio fischeri Exposed to Simulated Microgravity Using Cell-Based Biosensors.
Get PDFBacteria flourish in multiple environments when communicating with each other in a process known as Quorum Sensing. This process is accomplished by the production of small signaling molecules referred to as Autoinducers (AI). This communication allows the bacteria to alter their gene expression in an effort to regulate their cell number, behavior, community formation and virulence. The space environment provides stressful conditions for bacteria as they are exposed to radiation and Microgravity (µG or MG) altering synthesis and concentration of Autoinducers. The purpose of this research was to expose the model system Vibrio fischeri to simulated microgravity using the recently developed analog EagleStat, and measure production of AI via three cell-based biosensors (genetically modified microorganisms) that are able to detect long, medium and short chain Autoinducers after activation of gene expression of fluorescent markers. Our results show selective expression of Autoinducers after 24 or 48 hours of incubation. Medium and Short chain AIs are detected in higher quantities after 24 hours whereas long chain AIs are detected in higher quantity after both 24 and 48 hours of incubation. Although there is an observed tendency of a higher synthesis of AIs under Microgravity, our findings show that there is not a significant difference between Gravity and Microgravity conditions. These data are of great significance to decipher bacterial communication under stress conditions, and sheds light into future studies in an effort to elucidate bacterial responses to Microgravity
Reusing Materials in the Aerospace Industry
Get PDFThis research explores the material recycling methods used by the aerospace industry, particularly in comparison to the reusability of aerospace materials and with the objective to find uses for recycled materials from aircraft. Through an analysis of various other material mitigation methods, it is apparent that the physical degradation of materials after they go through recycling processes and the cost of recycling are the most prominent issues holding the aerospace industry back from being able to recycle aircraft up to 100%. From a comparison of physical characteristics of materials after reprocessing, several materials were found to meet industry standards, while still being profitable, like poly ether ketone (PEEK) and aluminum. Not only is it necessary for material recycling methods to be improved to reduce the percentage of materials wasted, but the materials themselves. Regulations are closing in on materials that cause serious, long-term side effects on the environment and people. By using new manufacturing methods, these materials are strong enough to be candidates for structural components in the aircraft while also being safe to life long-term, however, the aerospace industry would need to be ready to change and work towards a similar goal
Enhancing the Quality of Biologically Inspired Solutions in a Classroom Design Task
Get PDFThis study seeks to explore whether exposure to biologically inspired design can enhance the quality of undergraduate student engineering design solutions, with a specific focus on requirement fulfillment. Motivated by a gap in the literature regarding the direct impact of biologically inspired design on student outcomes, this research aims to address the lack of empirical evidence on the effectiveness of biologically inspired design as a pedagogical tool. While existing literature extensively explores the how of biologically inspired design implementation, such as frameworks and methodologies, there is limited understanding of its tangible effects on design quality for novice designers (students). This study fills this gap by investigating whether biologically inspired design principles lead to more innovative and effective solutions, enhancing creativity, sustainability, and problem-solving skills. Using a two-condition experimental design, participants were exposed to either a biologically inspired design intervention or a control video before completing a design challenge. The results revealed mixed findings: while early integration of biologically inspired design correlated with better alignment to design requirements, the presence of biologically inspired design elements in solutions was negatively associated with rubric scores and the use of biologically inspired design priming did not correlate with design performance. Ultimately, this research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on biologically inspired design in engineering education, emphasizing its potential to improve student design while identifying key areas for further study and improvement
Thermal Management with Supercritical Carbon Dioxide under Extreme Applications
No full textA unique challenge in thermal system design is minimizing the power required to operate cooling systems while maintaining effective heat removal. Traditional cooling systems utilize single-phase fluids where the heat transfer mechanisms are well understood. To meet a variety of cooling demands, a range of technologies are available, including microchannel forced convection, jet impingement, porous media, nanofluids, pin fin arrays, and film cooling, each offering distinct advantages and limitations. While the performance of single- or two-phase cooling systems are generally predictable, in extreme thermal environments, new cooling solutions are needed to improve overall system efficiency and reliability.
Supercritical fluids, particularly supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2), have received significant attention for various applications due to their unique thermodynamic properties near the critical point. By using sCO2 as a working fluid, systems can be more compact, achieve higher heat transfer coefficients, and have a reduced environmental impact while maintaining lower pumping power requirements compared to single-phase systems. Effective utilization of supercritical fluids requires a thorough understanding of how these properties change the effect on the heat transfer coefficient and the pumping power.
Two unique applications were examined: heat transfer to sCO2 under high heat-flux conditions and gas-coolers operating near the critical point for use within heat pump water heaters. Under high heat flux, it was determined that despite a Richardson number of \u3c 1.0·10−4, gravity should still be simulated, especially at low mass fluxes where heat transfer deterioration can occur. It was also observed that even under high mass fluxes, the pressure drop is still relatively low at only 3.2% of the operating pressure. On the other hand, when sCO2 is utilized within a gas-cooler, increasing the relative roughness on the CO2 side of the heat exchanger can increase the effectiveness of the heat exchanger. However, it should be noted that this is only the case if the CO2 has the lower heat capacitance within the heat exchanger. If water (or another cooling fluid) has a lower heat capacitance, increasing the relative roughness only increases pressure drop and pumping power requirements
Perturbation Solution of Air-Water Mixture for Jet Noise Reduction
No full textThis work investigates passive jet-noise mitigation using externally positioned air–water curtains that attenuate radiated sound without altering the underlying jet dynamics. Two classes of multiphase media are examined: a gaseous carrier phase containing dispersed liquid droplets, and a liquid carrier phase containing entrained air bubbles. For both systems, suspended and dispersed regimes are represented through a generalized perturbation formulation derived from the volume-averaged multiphase equations, incorporating finite volume fractions, interphase momentum coupling, and slip between phases. Analytical and numerical solutions demonstrate that acoustic attenuation is primarily governed by dispersed-phase diameter, volume fraction, and excitation frequency, with additional sensitivity to phase-interaction mechanisms. Comparison with available experimental measurements and CFD results confirms the accuracy of the predicted absorption trends. The findings establish that multiphase curtains can provide an effective passive pathway for broadband jet-noise reduction and offer a physics-based foundation for optimizing curtain composition, geometry, and operating conditions in future aeroacoustic applications