17504 research outputs found
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Ethnographic Perspective on Loans
No full textThe results of the research show that loans have a deep impact in not only the lives of borrowers but also the lives of loan officers. For borrowers, loans are tools that can generate vast economic mobility but can also generate negative emotions and financial burdens. For loan officers, it is unveiled that social and cultural capital both play an impactful role in the lending process, and the relationship between a borrower and a loan officer has a deep impact on financial outcomes. A focused understanding of the relationship between institutional banks and smaller community focused banks further reveals the trade-off between a focus on profits and personalized relationships in the industry. A deeper understanding of loans as being both economic, social and cultural tools is achieved through a combination of ethnographic interviews along with literature reviews
Investigating the Importance of Arg 108 in the Binding of NADH by 6-Hydroxynicotinate 3-monooxygenase (nicC)
No full textFrom Studying to Learning: Japanese International Student Experiences at Danish Folk High Schools
No full textThe present study employs qualitative interviews to examine Japanese international student experiences at folk high schools in Denmark. Interviews were conducted with fifteen Japanese international students at three schools in Denmark. The literature reviewed in this study explored the Japanese educational system and student experiences, philosophies and practices of folk high schools, and student experiences and outcomes at folk high schools. This study utilizes Critical Pedagogy and Social Learning Theory and aims to answer the following research questions: (1) “What are the experiences of Japanese international students in folk high schools?”; (2) “How might their experiences in folk high schools compare to their educational experiences in Japan?”; and (3) “What are their thoughts on introducing the folk high school model in Japan?” The data collected through the interviews will be presented and analyzed in relation to the current literature and the theories. The analysis is used for potential expansion of the study and policy suggestions
Analysis of Storm Surge in Key West, Florida in The Event of a Worst-Case Scenario Category 5 Hurricane Landfall
No full textClimate change is causing hurricanes to become stronger and more frequent. These storms will continue to pose a threat to the populations along the U.S. Atlantic coastline. These regions are growing significantly in development and population size. Many of these locations are extremely susceptible to storm surge, one such place is Key West, Florida. In this study, I examine the worst-case scenario storm surge the city can experience. Based on historical case studies, I created a hypothetical hurricane named Emilio that includes the meteorological conditions to allow for maximum storm surge potential. I used ArcGIS Pro and publicly available elevation data to simulate flooded areas during storm surge events of different intensities. In all cases, Key West will be almost completely inundated with storm surge. The only area that might avoid inundation is the western portion of the city. Because hurricane Emilo’s upper right quadrant will impact the city, Key West Will also be severely damaged by the winds of a category 5 hurricane. While the western section of the city might not be entirely inundated with storm surge, it will experience 165 mph winds. It is important to understand the impacts Hurricane Emilio could have because it can educate the public on the potential effects of a severe hurricane. Compared to the National Weather Service (NWS), my research uses publicly available information and historical data to create a hypothetical storm surge. The simplified and accessible approach to mapping storm surge can be used by officials that don’t have NWS data to visualize storm surge potential for their residents. My research can lead to better hurricane awareness and new building codes and mitigation techniques, which may save lives in the future
Synthesis and Mechanochemical Coupling of Porphyrin-PyBOX: A Potential Supramolecular Solar Energy Material
No full textImplementation and Optimization of Lattice-Based Quantum-Resistant Encryption: Advancing and Understanding Secure Cryptographic Protocols
No full textQuantum computing threatens public privacy due to its potential to break modern cryptosystems such as RSA. Quantum algorithms, such as Grover\u27s algorithm, accelerate attacks on symmetric encryption methods such as AES, while Shor\u27s algorithm speeds up attacks on asymmetric encryption systems like RSA. Quantum computing is an emerging field that is predicted to break RSA 2048 within the next 10 years\cite{secureworks_qday}. Post-quantum cryptography aims to combat this threat. Quantum-proof algorithms target the weaknesses of quantum computing and use them as bases for encryption. There are many promising methods of encryption that resist quantum algorithms. This paper took inspiration from a cryptosystem that was deemed to be impractical and turned it into a symmetric encryption scheme that is, in theory, quantum-resistant. This cryptosystem is built upon a simple lattice-based encryption scheme paired with other original techniques, creating a unique and theoretically secure cryptosystem. One such technique is a morphism tracking system, to force the ciphertext to stay within the Unicode range. It also includes a scrambling system that introduces an avalanche effect when incorrect keys are used. The lattice component of the algorithm utilizes high dimensionality, making it theoretically challenging for quantum computers to determine the correct key values. This is ensured by the scrambling operation, which requires that the values of the matrix to closely match the matrix key.
This research covers areas of quantum computing and encryption to provide a background on why specific algorithmic choices were made along with explanations of how some quantum-resistant cryptosystems operate for comparison. Additionally, both a classical and theoretical quantum encryption algorithm were developed
Diversity of Pollen Carried by Bees in Burned and Unburned Prairie Remnants
No full textOver the last few centuries, anthropogenic activity has reduced the extent of prairie habitats in the United States by 99%, restricting prairie plants to isolated remnants. These plants rely primarily on pollinators for reproduction and genetic diversity. Unfortunately, fragmentation has disrupted this interaction, and many plants experience reproductive failure due to pollination limitation. Fire used to be common in this habitat and fire-suppression has been found to be detrimental. Therefore, prescribed burning has been introduced as a management tool to increase plant reproduction in prairie remnants. This study evaluates the effect of prescribed burn events on the pollinator fidelity to Echinacea angustifolia. I caught bee pollinators, Augochlorella aurata (n = 14), Agapostemon virescens (n = 12), small dark bees (sdb) (n = 59) which included bees in the Halictus and Lasioglossum genera (Halictidae) and bees in the Ceratina genus (Apidae), as they foraged on Echinacea angustifolia in burned (n = 5) and unburned (n = 5) remnants. I then collected pollen from the bees to estimate pollinator fidelity via the proportion of Echinacea pollen. I found that pollinators carried proportionally less Echinacea pollen if they were collected in sites that had been burned in the spring of 2024 than in unburned sites. The results suggest that burning may negatively affect the proportion of conspecific pollen deposition. These results provide a new and more comprehensive examination of the impacts of prescribed burns on plant-pollinator interactions within prairie communities
Applying Software Engineering Concepts to Create a Website for The College of Wooster’s Computer Science Department
No full textThe website of The College of Wooster\u27s computer science department was quite limited and partially outdated. Software engineering and web design principles were researched to better design a replacement. Software must continuously evolve to remain useful and thorough testing is a must for complex software projects, which are often plagued by coordination and communication issues. Modern software developers have created social coding platforms and abundant automation tools in an effort to mitigate these troubles. The study of user interface and user experience is of vital importance to good web design and must be used in combination with web programming languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create highly usable websites. Before starting work on a new website, faculty and students were consulted to create a plan for what should be included. Afterward, the website was created through an agile, iterative development process. Once most of the planned features were included, a student usability study was performed via survey and additional feedback was received from department faculty and staff. Their responses informed more changes to the website and provided the foundation for potential future work
A Multi-Agent Approach to Smart Attendance
No full textThis study presents Nexus-AI, a smart attendance system that integrates facial recognition and autonomous agents to automate attendance tracking and streamline academic communication. Built using Python, Flask, OpenCV, and GPT-3.5, the system enables real-time check-ins, personalized chatbot queries, and dynamic report generation. Testing was conducted with 15 participants in varied conditions to evaluate accuracy, speed, and user interaction. Results showed 80–100\% recognition accuracy in normal lighting and frontal views, but significant performance drops (0–20\%) under low-light or occluded conditions. Despite these challenges, the system consistently maintained a 0\% false acceptance rate and operated with sub-second response times across most components. Autonomous agents responded to natural and rephrased queries, automating tasks like absence alerts, prediction, and insights with high reliability. While limitations remain—such as registration time, lighting sensitivity, and single-camera dependency—the system effectively reduced manual workload and improved transparency in attendance tracking. Ethical safeguards, including local data storage and informed consent, ensured responsible AI use. Nexus-AI contributes to the growing field of intelligent classroom systems by demonstrating how multi-agent AI can enhance both efficiency and engagement in real educational settings
Modeling Disaster Response Using Multi-Agent Systems: A Snowstorm Simulation Framework
No full textThe purpose of this study is to design and implement a real-time agent-based simulation for a snowstorm disaster response. The simulation was fully implemented from first principles using the GAMA platform, chosen for its spatial modeling capabilities, which are fundamental for realistic disaster scenarios. The project involved constructing the environment using geographic data, programming autonomous agents representing snow plows and rescue vehicles, and developing novel coordination algorithms for real-time decision-making. The model evolved through multiple iterations, from uncoordinated agent behaviors to a dynamic, hybrid system where agents adapt and collaborate based on environmental conditions like snow accumulation. Snowplows were guided by a custom scoring system to prioritize roads, while rescue vehicles adjusted their navigation speed in response to road conditions. Agent behavior was structured using elements of the BDI architecture to simulate autonomous, goal-driven decision-making. Performance was evaluated through tailored metrics and visualizations to ensure agents behaved realistically and effectively. This thesis demonstrates the potential of multi-agent systems for simulating complex, evolving disaster environments. It contributes a fully operational, spatially grounded simulation that reflects the adaptive, collaborative nature of real-world emergency response, and offers new insights into how multi-agent systems can be used for more intelligent and responsive disaster management systems