bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hidup Sehat Tanpa Rokok
Authors: Utami Yeni , Ramadhanintyas Karina Nur
Published: February 2024

Suatu Tindakan terencana untuk memasyarakatkan budaya hidup sehat yang dilakukan bersama-sama dan meninggalkan kebiasaan kurang sehat untuk meningkatkan kualitas hidup merupakan penjelasan dari GERMAS (Gerakan Masyarakat Hidup Sehat). Germas terdiri dari tujuh indikator, salah satunya adalah tidak ada anggota keluarga yang merokok. Di Desa Bedagung masih ada 64% masyarakatnya yang merokok. Tujuan dari pengabdian masyarakat ini adalah mengedukasi tentang hidup sehat tanpa rokok di SDN Bedagung 02 Desa Bedagung Kecamatan Panekan Kabupaten Magetan. Populasi sejumlah 39 responden dan sampel yang digunakan sebanyak 33 responden. Dianalisis secara univariat yaitu distribusi frekuensi. Hasil pretest dan posttest tentang pengetahuan hidup sehat tanpa rokok berturut-turut adalah pretest 40% dan posttest 90% dan dikategorikan pengetahuan tinggi. Kebiasaan Merokok berdampak buruk bagi Kesehatan. Sebagai alternatif untuk menghentikan kebiasaan merokok perlu memperbanyak Kawasan Tanpa Rokok.
Effect of Prenatal Stress on Cognitive and Behavioral Development
Authors: Kulkarni Aastha
Published: February 2024

While it is well-known that high stress levels detrimentally impact overall health, recent research reveals that elevated prenatal stress levels not only negatively affect the mother's health but also impair the cognitive and behavioral development of children. Mindfulness-based interventions are key in reversing these adverse effects. These interventions can be an effective way to manage stress as a complement to usual medical care. Mindfulness-based techniques have evolved from Vipassana, Buddhist, and zen practices, stress management tools that have been around for decades. Children between the ages of one and seven suffer considerably from the effects of maternal stress; however, women can significantly lower their stress levels with prenatal mindfulness-based interventions, allowing their children to fully develop their cognitive and behavioral abilities.
Student Perceptions of Involvement in Secondary-Level Competitive Forensics Organizations
Authors: Pochana Nikhil , Egiebor Esohe , Baker Jeff
Published: February 2024

Previous literature in the field of education highlighted the impacts of student involvement in extracurricular activities on student academic and personal development; however, much of this research is oriented towards postsecondary students and not secondary-level students, and the research is broadly focused on extracurricular activities generally rather than focusing on specific categories of activities that require different levels of student involvement. This study explores specifically competitive forensics (speech and debate) and its impacts on student development at the secondary education level based on student perceptions of their own involvement. A mixed methods phenomenology was used for data collection and analysis where students responded to quantitative Likert items and qualitative short answer items through an online survey. These items collectively discussed the categories of academic development, professional and social communication skills, and mental health and personal wellbeing to explore general student development. Data analysis showed that sampled students perceived their involvement in forensics to have improved academic performance and development and generally improved social and professional communication abilities. However, the sample is in disagreement in regards to mental health and personal wellbeing; a small majority hold the perception that forensics has improved their mental health, while a significant amount hold the opposite perception. Ultimately, analysis of these student perceptions on forensics provides education professionals a greater understanding of the impacts of forensics and similar extracurriculars on secondary student development. This understanding could further opportunities for learning and development beyond the classroom through extracurriculars such as forensics.
Leveraging Computer Vision to Establish a Correlation Between Eye-Gaze Estimation and Saccades
Authors: Sharma Aarav , Hyo Jung Song Isabel
Published: February 2024

The purpose of this project was to develop a model that can detect pupils on a subject’s face and draw the graph of both pupils to determine if a subject has saccades. Current methods cannot accurately detect contours when the face is presented at an angle. To resolve this issue, subjects recorded a video while performing the Head Impulse Test (HIT). Next, a computer vision library, Opencv, extracted frames from the recorded video and detected the facial key point for the nose. The Multi-task Cascaded Convolutional Neural Network (MTCNN) extracted the face from the frame and generated contours for the eyes using a segmentation library. The largest contours on the mask were divided into two parts and their extreme bounding box points were identified using dilation, erosion, and blur. Our model rendered a video of both contours applied to the patient performing the HIT test. Also, the model generated two graphs, comparing each eye’s gaze with the pose estimation. There were two main outputs: the graph may resemble a y = -x line if a patient does not have saccades or the graph may be more distorted if the patient has saccades due to a sudden shift in eye-gaze movement. This study demonstrates a precise method of eye-gaze estimation and the detection of saccades. Further experiments will help to validate the notion that saccades are connected to neurological disorders. Future experiments may include more data during the training process and to quantitatively determine the accuracy of our model.
Non-Aqueous Life: The Search for Life Beyond the Comfort of Water
Authors: Vandevere Luke
Published: February 2024

This paper explores the concept of life beyond Earth, and beyond the common belief that life can only exist and thrive around liquid water. Recent scientific inquiries suggest that life could be possible in environments that do not contain liquid water. This greatly expands the potential for habitats beyond our planet and the few other planets found within the “Goldilocks zone”. The paper also explores potential solvents for life, such as methane, ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide. In particular, the paper delves into hydrogen sulfide (H2S) as a plausible alternative to water as a solvent for life in the universe, given its similar properties to water and its abundance in the universe. Additionally, the essay challenges the concept of the "Goldilocks zone," suggesting that by replacing the target compound, water, with methane or other chemicals like ammonia or hydrogen sulfide, the Goldilocks zone could expand or contract which greater allows for the possibility of life on planets that are further or closer away from their stars. The search for extraterrestrial life requires an open mind and a willingness to explore alternative possibilities beyond the traditional belief that water is the only solvent capable of supporting life.
Designing an artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted app to improve the efficiency of on-line shopping for aged users
Authors: Bateer Charlie
Published: February 2024

Although we live in a time where technologies are progressing at an astonishing rate, there are still several technological issues, especially concerning the elderly. Even though the internet has made it easier for people to purchase goods, it is still difficult for the elderly to use such a tool. To ameliorate this phenomenon, a specialized app that gives solutions to the difficulties the elderly often encounter would be essential. Supported by AI, this specially designed AI program for elderly users will be able to help users find the goods they need through voice recognition, provide personalized services and constantly update and improve safety and security measures. This application will provide seniors with a more friendly and caring online shopping experience and a higher quality of life in today's fast-paced world through these features and functions.
Music and Emotion-Recognition: The Music Experience Factor
Authors: Kayne Joseph
Published: February 2024

Music is a powerful influencer. The ways in which people interpret music are determinative of how the music makes an individual feel and thus, how it influences them. The interpretation of emotion in music has been well-studied in musicology. This study seeks to investigate a specific under-researched factor of emotion recognition in music: the music experience of an individual. Utilizing the study design and musical clips laid out in Erola and Vuskoski, 10 clips of music were played for individuals with varying types and amounts of music experience. Participants ranked happiness, sadness, tenderness, fear, and anger, on a scale of 1-9. The data collected from the musicians' rankings in this study was compared with the nonmusicians in the Erola and Vuoskoski study. It was found that there was a statistical difference in how musicians versus nonmusicians ranked emotions in the same music clips. Further, the emotion of sadness was the most similarly ranked between the two groups. Differences between the types and amounts of music experience of participants were also analyzed but generally remained at the same degree of difference between musicians and nonmusicians.
Persuasion Versus Manipulation
Authors: Sheikh Abdurraheem
Published: February 2024

This report aims to identify the ethical foundations of persuasion and manipulation strategies in interpersonal communication. The study addresses the research query: which methodology (persuasion or manipulation) is more effective in accomplishing tasks and gaining support, and what distinguishes the tactics involved in each strategy, other than a person's intentions? The analysis employs a mixed-method approach that incorporates interviews, experimental social experiments, single-blind data collection, and a combination of quantitative and qualitative data analysis. The investigation findings demonstrate that the influence of persuasion vs manipulation on participants' beliefs and attitudes toward capital punishment varies significantly. Although individuals subjected to manipulation were unable to recognize it and were convinced that they were being persuaded, their general opinion on the death sentence did not alter. Those who were exposed to persuasion, on the other hand, were able to recognize it, but their levels of confidence in their beliefs altered, albeit to a lesser proportion than those who were subjected to manipulation. The findings show that whereas persuasion is more readily identifiable and less effective, manipulation is more difficult to identify with certainty but has a greater persuasive factor. These discoveries have significant ramifications for individuals striving to develop their communicative skills and create sincere networks of support while remaining conscious of the moral implications of the communication methodologies they utilize.
Limited Spaces, Limited Autonomy: Examining Female Identity In the Stories of Ovid and Andersen
Authors: Kraaijvanger Riley , Jordan Victoria
Published: February 2024

This article examines the story of Ariadne in Book X of Ovid’s Heroides in conjunction with Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales “Thumbelina” and “The Little Mermaid” through a modern feminist perspective. Ovid and Andersen write the stories of women who dare to leave restrictive environments yet are ultimately met with the punishment of isolation. The article examines how displacement from the private sphere leads to destabilization of the social norm, and “correction” is otherwise found in the creation of a new, confined space. The institution of the private sphere enforces hierarchical social norms and perpetuates the idea that women are nothing if their identities are not defined by a limited and patriarchal environment. This influence of this environment is evident within both Andersen and Ovid’s texts, as the authors define their female characters through confinement, pain, beauty, and usefulness. The article argues that it is only through destroying the private sphere, and subsequent female objectification, that these women might at last find the freedom they have been searching for.
A Novel Approach to Optimize Memory Reconstruction Using Joint Multimodal Networks
Authors: Lu Jeremy , Messenger Cathy
Published: February 2024

Memories play a crucial role in the human life experience. Whether they are used to make decisions or understand current situations, memories influence the past, present, and future. However, some memories are unreliable; in the court of law, the false memories of victims can cause inaccurate verdicts. To reconstruct human memories directly from the brain, recent studies have used electroencephalographic (EEG) brain signals in machine learning frameworks like generative adversarial networks (GANs), which generates new data from old ones. However, traditional GANs tend to produce the same images, an issue called mode collapse. Therefore, a conditional variational autoencoder-generative adversarial network (CVAE-GAN), which had not been used before in memory reconstruction, was developed to address GAN failures by jointly-training (1) an encoder and (2) GAN. CVAE-GAN correlated the MindBigData dataset’s EEG brain signals with the corresponding ImageNet dataset images and produced new memories of participants, such as pandas, humans, and fish. CVAE-GAN’s Inception Score, which marked how diverse and distinct its generated images were, was 1.00 on average. The number of floating operations, or FLOPS, was 102 Gigaflops, which was less than the traditional GAN’s 198 Gigaflops. While limitations with time, computational memory, and mode collapse prevented the CVAE-GAN from recreating accurate memories, it still generated distinct image colors and general features. Future studies can build on existing network architectures and include more homogeneity in datasets. Ultimately, CVAE-GAN has the potential to advance new understandings of the brain and could elevate the memory reconstruction field.
The Digitization of Democracy in Practice
Authors: Shen Alice , Kwang Yingqiu
Published: February 2024

In the recent development of electronic government and electronic democracy, Internet votinghas sparked intense academic debates and attracted various experimentations among nation-states. This paper overviews major theoretical discussions over the topic and comparesliterature on the evolution of Internet voting practices in two countries: Estonia and the UnitedStates. We argue that the diffusion and sustainability of the Internet voting system in nationalpolitics is not the sole outcome of technological innovation. Instead, it relies upon acomprehensive institutional building of digital infrastructure that maintains public trust in thedigital transformation and charters the government action in response to security risks.
Engineering Sustainable Water Consumption in the Western Part of the U.S. Casinos
Authors: Joseph Shammah
Published: February 2024

In recent years the frequency of the term sustainability has increased in both literature and pop culture, specifically regarding the environment. With Casinos utilizing hundreds, sometimes thousands, of gallons of water daily, the sustainability of their methods is often questioned. With the rise in innovations, existing studies tend to be outdated and usually lack content about initiatives made by engineers in sustainable systems, showing the need for research analyzing these gaps. This study defines sustainability according to engineers both working in the field and retired, as well as their insight on the efficacy of current sustainability initiatives in casinos. With a total of 6 interviews, this paper defines sustainability as the utilization of resources without jeopardizing the future generation’s ability to utilize the same resources. It is uncovered how water is withdrawn from Lake Mead and most, if not all, is restored through the use of a credit system (defined in this paper). Plants across the valley ensure water is adequately cleaned and recirculated in Lake Mead to ensure Vegas’ thus far outstanding credit is maintained. Recent laws have been passed completely banning the future construction of golf courses or long landscapes for sustainability. Casinos are under the same scrutiny and regulation of water consumption as residential consumers; they are required to limit landscaping and cooling systems that could potentially expend water in a way that cannot be reclaimed. This paper explains the effectiveness of water consumption procedures in Casinos to combat water depletion in the Las Vegas Valley.
Checking for the Benefits of Chess for People with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Authors: Bornstein Jake , Cunningham Charese
Published: February 2024

This research paper investigates the potential cognitive benefits of learning and playing chess for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), specifically for working memory and focused attention. Previous studies have shown the positive effects of chess on cognitive functioning, but they were for neurotypical individuals. Also, studies have shown that people with ASD lack certain cognitive functioning abilities. However, little research has been conducted on the impact of chess on cognitive capabilities in individuals with ASD. The method used in this study involved testing for working memory and focused attention, holding a chess program for participants with special needs, specifically ASD, and testing again for improvement. The results of this study fill the gap in existing knowledge regarding the benefits of chess for individuals with ASD and may provide insights into potential approaches for improving cognitive functions for this population.
Using Machine Learning Techniques to Predict United States House of Representatives Elections
Authors: Mishra Sanatan , Lee Yin Kwong John
Published: February 2024

We predict the results of the United States House of Representatives elections using machine learning techniques. We started by collecting and preprocessing data on the partisan lean of districts, the state of the economy, the national political environment, candidate political stances, news headlines about each candidate in each race, and the past election results. Then, we selected, designed, and trained the models we would use to predict those election results. We used single-tier models that took either only news headline text data or only numerical data as inputs and two-tier models that used both news headlines and numerical data. Our best-performing model was a two-tier model with a GRU as the first tier followed by a Ridge Regressor as the second tier, with a root mean squared error of under 2 percentage points. The vote share predicted by our best model was within 2 percentage points of the actual observed vote share.
Montessori Education: A Study on the Impact of Montessori Preschools in Washington on Short-Term Emotional Development in Children
Authors: Tebben Casey
Published: February 2024

This research paper investigates how Montessori preschool education impacts short-term emotional development in children ages 3-5 in Washington state, compared to conventional forms of education. This study employs a multimethod approach including a quantitative parental survey measuring common adolescent behaviors on a five-point Likert scale along with a qualitative Montessori educator survey coded for key themes of Montessori education that support emotional development. The findings from the quantitative parental survey show that while both Montessori and conventional preschool students are on track for emotional development, there is a significant disparity as Montessori students were found to have higher emotional development. Furthermore, the educator survey suggests that there are four main aspects of Montessori curriculum: respect, independence/individualization, community/diversity, and conflict resolution. Overall, the results of this study provide valuable insights on the effectiveness of Montessori education in regard to promoting emotional development in preschoolers and how it could be further utilized to inform educational practices and curriculum in conventional preschools.
Effects of Interest Rate Policy on Inflation
Authors: Kim Andrew
Published: February 2024

This paper analyzes the episodes of high inflation and the efficacy of raising interest rates in reducing inflationary pressures in the U.S. economy. Estimating a Markov-switching regression model, the results show that high inflation frequently occurred from 1975 to 1983 with the most prolonged duration. In the 2000s, there were merely two inflationary months in 2008, but this is too short to call it a period. Then, after a period of low inflation in 2020, inflationary pressure started to build up. From March 2021 to the present, a period of high inflation has been prevailing. The estimation results suggest that the period from 1976 to 1983 is one episode of the high inflation period, and the period from 2016 to 2022 is the second period, which is about equal in length to both periods. A simple sub-period analysis shows that an increase in the federal funds rate lowers future inflation in both periods. A vector autoregression model is then estimated to identify the monetary policy channel via the short-term interest rate together with other variables such as inflation expectations and real economic activity. A one standard deviation increase in the federal funds rate can reduce annual inflation by up to 1.6 percent in the first period and 0.74 percent in the second. The effects on expected inflation are also comparable. The results suggest that interest rate policy has been effective in controlling inflation.
Effects of Client Confidentiality on Adolescents’ Willingness to Attend Therapy
Authors: Ardity Rebecca , Thompson Patricia
Published: February 2024

Adolescent mental health disorders are very prevalent and have a direct impact on their daily lives. Previous research has identified the importance of client confidentiality and adolescents’ lack of willingness to attend therapy, but they have not been directly compared. This absence of this correlation led this research to question: To what extent does the lack of client confidentiality lead high school students to abstain from receiving necessary psychotherapy treatment? In conducting this research, a survey was sent to high schoolers and an interview with a practicing therapist was conducted. The information gathered was then analyzed using the correlational and descriptive methods. It was established that there was a positive correlation between the two variables and that an increase in the promise of client confidentiality for high schoolers would lead to an increased willingness to attend therapy. The results of this study could be applied by therapists to make therapy more appealing and welcoming to adolescents, allowing them to have an outlet to share their struggles and receive professional help.
The Impact of Generative AI on Human Productivity in Creative Writing
Authors: Bhimavarapu Vinay
Published: February 2024

With the innovative field of generative artificial intelligence having advanced at an incredibly rapid rate, its applications are of the utmost priority to study. The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not generative AI can help increase human productivity, specifically in writing. We hypothesized that generative AI will have a positive impact on human productivity. In order to test this, we employed the use of participants to write short fictional stories, one with the help of AI and one without. They were provided with survey questions that helped assess any changes in productivity levels. The productivity of the participants was also analyzed in terms of grammar, spelling, and consistency while compared against time . With the results obtained, we hoped to assess how AI can impact productivity in creative tasks (i.e., writing, art). We also hoped to understand its broader applications for human use and potential benefits and caveats to using generative AI. Based on the results, we concluded that using generative AI did indeed improve writing productivity as it lowered the amount of errors and shortened the time taken. However, how productive the individual was in producing quality work of their own merit also depended on how much work they delegated to the generative AI as well as how they perceived it.
Enigma of the Developmental Causes in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Authors: Narayan Shweta , Delloro Derick
Published: February 2024

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurobiological developmental condition that can impact communication, sensory processing, and social interaction. ASD) is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. For a long time now, the scientific community has been grappling with the enigma of what causes the developmental deficits in people on the autism spectrum, the causes of the ASD symptoms,  and  the  timing of the manifestation of ASD in infants  that occurs on or after 6 months. Several research studies show that the main cause of autism appears on account of the enlargement of the brain, specifically the amygdala, which could lead to communication and physical deficits, as well as sensory and light sensitivity.  The research on the causes for ASD is still at the nascent stage as there are still many unanswered questions including about the causes of ASD.  It appears that few if any ASD Research studies have a representative sampling for gender and the majority of research focuses on male individuals with ASD. This literature review reveals that more research is required to bridge the gaps in our understanding of ASD .  The enigma of the developmental causes in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder continues to be of interest to the scientific community and there is potential for further research regarding factors for pre-onset of ASD.
Treating Alzheimer’s and ATTR using CRISPR-Cas9 to target amyloidosis
Authors: Joshi Pranav , Guilz Nicole , Amendola Michael
Published: February 2024

Approximately 50 million people live with Alzheimer’s (Alz) and 50,000 people are living with Transthyretin Amyloidosis (ATTR) worldwide. Both Alz and ATTR are types of amyloidosis, a disease where amyloid protein builds up in the body’s organs. Alz and ATTR are conditions with no known cures and similar etiologies but different manifestations in the brain and heart, respectively. Alzheimer’s disease is irreversible, which causes lifelong suffering for patients and their families. ATTR is a potentially fatal disease that causes heart problems for patients. Amyloidosis arises due to genetic mutations in the amyloid precursor protein (APP) or proteins involved in the generation of APP such as BACE1, PSEN1, PSEN2, APOE and transthyretin (TTR) genes, which result in the overexpression and accumulation of amyloid protein.  CRISPR-Cas9 is a breakthrough gene editing technology that is capable of editing mutations in multiple genes with high specificity. This technology has the capability of treating both Alz and ATTR through targeted gene editing of the mutations that contribute to these diseases. This review will focus on BACE1, PSEN1, PSEN2, and APOE as targets for Alz and TTR as a treatment for ATTR through the use of CRISPR-Cas9. Various delivery mechanisms and current clinical trials will be discussed to identify the best delivery route of these treatments for the respective disease . A CRISPR-Cas9 derived treatment would bring new hope for patients with these diseases and could propel cures for other types of amyloidosis.
An Innovative Alternative to Plastic Straws with Bacterial Cellulose
Authors: Lee Sean , Lee Kevin , Whang Joshua
Published: February 2024

This study aims to introduce the usage of biodegradable bacterial cellulose as an alternative material to straw production. Cellulose is a crystalline linear chain polysaccharide found in various organisms with cell walls. Known for its strength and durability, cellulose is also biodegradable due to its organic nature. Through a series of different experiments that include the production of cellulose from SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) and the subsequent creation of straws from the cellulose and food-safe glue, this study proposes a more environmentally friendly alternative to plastic straws. Further experiments were done to compare the functionality of the cellulose straw to that of plastic straws and other alternatives currently in the market, including paper and metal straws. This was done using a strength test to see how much weight the straws could hold before breaking, a test to see how long the straws could maintain their integrity with water running through them, and an experiment where different drinking liquids were used. It was found that the cellulose straws displayed no loss in functionality when compared to the other straws and displayed similar levels of durability as the plastic straws.
Gen Z Attitudes Towards American Democracy and Reform
Authors: Lal Anoushka , Harbridge-Yong Laurel
Published: February 2024

Political scientists have expressed concern about the current state of democracy in the United States, which is widely regarded as a pioneer in the modern democratic world. This study focuses on three institutional practices and systems—gerrymandering, the Electoral College, and Misinformation/hate speech—that are deemed detrimental to democracy/undemocratic and in need of reform. While Gen Zers (born between 1997-2012) are projected to become a significant voting bloc in future elections, there is limited research on their political opinions. To gauge the attitudes and preferences of Gen Zers regarding American democracy and potential institutional/practice reforms, a survey of 215 participants was conducted. The findings indicate that the majority of Gen Zers express concern about the state of democracy and are open to the idea of reform, although they do not strongly support any specific reform. Respondents displayed significant support for reforming gerrymandering, while opinions on reforming the Electoral College and addressing Misinformation/hate speech were divided along partisan lines. A subsequent focus group highlighted the participants' emphasis on the importance of civic engagement and media literacy education in high schools, as well as the need for more comprehensive local and federal curricular mandates.
Test Anxiety and Perfectionism
Authors: Landsman Melissa , Escamilla Grace , Matyas Justin
Published: February 2024

Past research demonstrates that test anxiety is an important component impacting academic performance. Perfectionism has been investigated as a factor associated with test anxiety. The purpose of this study is to contribute to an identified research gap by examining the distribution and association of perfectionism and test anxiety among high school students. This study included 74 high school students with the majority consisting of juniors and seniors in a suburban high school in Northeastern United States. Using the Westside Test Anxiety Scale and Short Almost Perfect Scale, 41% self-reported high test anxiety and 66% self-reported perfectionism in the high school student sample. Correlational analyses revealed a strong positive association (r = .47) between perfectionism and test anxiety, a strong positive association (r = .49) between discrepancy perfectionism (i.e., self-criticism) and test anxiety, and a weak positive association (r = .18) between standards perfectionism (i.e., striving) and test anxiety. The findings are consistent with existing studies of other age samples and further the understanding of test anxiety and its association with perfectionism in high school students. Implications for school-based interventions to manage test anxiety and perfectionism and directions for future research are considered.

              Keywords: Test Anxiety, Perfectionism
Culture, Economies and Media: The Change of African American rights during the Harlem Renaissance
Authors: Binnasser Leen , Hoy Anthony
Published: February 2024

The Great Migration, an influx of African-American movement from the South to the North, signifies the birth of Harlem. This New York City district provided unique opportunities to all of its residents. The Harlem Renaissance has been known to have had positive effects by popularizing black culture and music and providing ample chance for interracial interaction. Conversely, African-Americans were also dependent on gaining financial aid to support artistic endeavors. The following paper explores advantages and drawbacks to the Harlem Renaissance in regards to its residents and the overall Civil Rights movement. Harlem District was successful in advancing African-American culture and serving as an inspiration for the progression of additional rights.
Implementing Automatic Debris Avoidance Program
Authors: Mohaney Akshan
Published: February 2024

The problem of space debris from human sources is increasing exponentially and satellites are at a constant risk of encountering them while moving in orbits. The current process of debris classification and avoidance is tedious and is done manually and soon with the ever-increasing debris problem, it is not going to take us a long way. Thus, the main question now is how satellites can use computer programming efficiently to classify incoming debris (as potentially harmful or not) and change/move their orbit to avoid incoming debris in space without any manual effort? To start thinking on this topic, reading a few sources (listed in reference) already published on this topic was necessary. Using the gathered information, I framed an algorithm on how the debris can be classified into potentially harmful or not and actions to be taken depending on the situation. I also framed a program as a kind of a blueprint to explain the logic on which this program can be written and built upon in the future. To do this I enriched my knowledge of 3D geometry by reading various articles. Numerous tests were done on the program and based on those I kept on correcting the main program and adding more detailed cases thus, leading to the final program.
Who Runs the World: Women Entrepreneurs and Economic Development
Authors: Han Katherine , Waltman Peter , J.H.
Published: February 2024

Economic development aims to increase economic wealth and prosperity within a country to improve the overall quality of living for the people and incite positive change within society. Due to its vital role, economic development, or rather the factors of economic development, has been greatly researched and debated by economists. The Human Capital Approach asserts that people can increase productivity and consequently promote development through greater education and skills attainment as well as improved health. Women in particular have been proven to create and utilize economic opportunities differently from men, and there is evidence that women entrepreneurs are driving forces in economic progress. Though there is much research on development across countries, there is a lack of research on the impact that women entrepreneurs make on the economy across the stages of development. This research assesses the relationship between important measurements related to female entrepreneurial activity and economic development according to the two-category development status (i.e., higher vs lower income), income level, and level of female entrepreneurial activity. It utilizes the World Bank Open Data System to access and evaluate measurements related to human capital, entrepreneurship, women, and female entrepreneurial activity. Two-tailed t-tests and a one-factor ANOVA test reveals important associations: an association between higher rates of female entrepreneurial activity and increased economic development. The results also reveal the importance of capital access and institutions related to start-up procedures for registering businesses in spurring both female entrepreneurial activity and development.
Minimizing the Consequences of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome in the American Indian and Alaska Native Populations of California
Authors: Lee Michelle , Zhou Emily , Kaci Rachael
Published: February 2024

The opioid epidemic has had a consequential impact on the health of the infant population as many are born with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Babies born with NAS suffer from many developmental and physical consequences following prenatal exposure to opioids. Specifically, the American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations are disproportionately affected by this in California with significantly higher cases of NAS compared to other racial groups. This research focuses on the consequences of NAS as well as an assessment of the current programs in place to support the AI/AN population. Using a combination of extensive literature review as well as, evaluating sources for the government programs for aiding the AI/AN population with opioid addiction, it is concluded that the current programs are insufficient in providing culturally relevant approaches. Further implementation of more accessible and culturally centered programs for the AI/AN population to decrease the effects of the opioid epidemic are necessary.
The Devadasi System and Intersectional Feminism
Authors: Uddanti Ananya , Conrad Lee
Published: February 2024

The devadasi system, originating in medieval India, began to serve the temple in the form of dance and rituals. Eventually, they served as sacred sex workers for the diety's sexual needs. The Devadasi were typically Dalits (the lowest caste), and thereby face a unique struggle as both Dalits and women in a religiously rooted system. Due to the lack of published works detailing the implications of overlapping identities and feminism on the Indian reform movement legislation, this paper aimed to examine the extent to which the introduction of intersectional feminism influenced South Indian postcolonial legislation regarding the devadasi system. It found the hypothesis to be supported. Thematic analysis was conducted as part of the initial research. Then, the results were quantified, through individual connotation scores that considered separate thematic elements and an overall score. The overall intersectionality score, a weighted average of the elements, for all prohibition legislation was significantly different from the control Panel Code, based on error bar analysis. Therefore, it can be concluded that the influence of intersectional feminism on the acts quantitatively supports the conclusion that the development of intersectional feminism in post-colonial South India influenced Devadasi legislation significantly.
A Quantitative Examination of the Impacts of Modeling on Creativity
Authors: Ching Caleb
Published: February 2024

Modeling has frequently been shown to be a very effective and valuable educational technique. However, it remains underutilized, largely as a result of the common belief among educators that it reduces student creativity. Prior observation has led experts to theorize that modeling has an impact on student creativity, yet there is no agreement on whether modeling helps or hinders creativity, and, so far, there have been no rigorous, quantitative studies done to examine the relationship between modeling and creativity. In an attempt to answer this question, I utilized a novel metric for scoring the creativity of balloon choices made by children ages 3-10 and compared the mean scores of groups with a model to the mean scores of groups without a model. By using a t-test, it was determined that there was no probabilistic basis to determine that modeling has an impact on creativity, thereby going against both sets of established hypotheses. These findings indicate that it is unlikely that creativity has a major impact on creativity if it has an impact at all, thus modeling should likely be more widely utilized in classrooms.
Peer Relationship and Mental Health Damage from Academic-Stress and Depersonalization in High School
Authors: Ha Zewen , Kelly Claire
Published: February 2024

An examination of how student stress impacts their mental health and peer relationships used an explanatory sequential mixed methods design with a quantitative survey of 136 students from an independent school student body and follow-up qualitative interviews of 8 students. A positive correlation between academic stress and depersonalization was identified in all 4 grades with both indicators increasing with grade level before plateauing in grade 12. The main stressors identified were to achieve high grades and accomplish schoolwork to satisfy their own and parental expectations. High academic stress is attributed to depersonalization symptoms when students cut social interactions during "crunch time" to focus on studying by entering a "trance state". However, some students instead became more social as a distraction or to study more efficiently in study groups. Overall, this study showed similarities in academic stress and depersonalization between university/professional and high school samples while analyzing the rationale behind reported scores.
Assessing the Impacts of COVID-19 on the Restaurant Industry in Developing Countries: Reviews & Lessons
Authors: Jia Shuchen (Justin) , Geltzer Howard , Hamill Bridget
Published: February 2024

This paper examines the adaptive strategies employed by small restaurants in developing countries in the face of the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing lessons from case studies in 4 countries, the research endeavours to distil essential elements that enabled small restaurants to navigate the complexities of the "new normal." In this paper, some frameworks for crisis management are first introduced. Next, critical factors for success are identified in the frameworks to analyse the responses of the restaurant industry in China, Vietnam, and Bangladesh by making Taiwan a successful comparison case. Lastly, some elements of business model innovation are introduced to help small and medium-sized restaurants in developing countries to adapt and grow in the Post-Pandemic era.
Using Gaze Tracking on Sensory Integration Therapy for Eye-movement Detection
Authors: Yin Yirui
Published: February 2024

Autism spectrum disorder is a condition that often occurs in infancy (from birth to three years old). A common problem includes eyesight disorders, where children cannot focus on a specific item. We use the method of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) to detect eyes and collect eye positions. Then, we use a linear regression model to best fit the movement of the eyeballs through the track of positions. After that, we use an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) model for a multi-perspective judgment on children's performance in eye movement.
Smart Path Generation using Model Predictive Control
Authors: Bajamahal Sandeep
Published: February 2024

This paper presents an investigation into path generation techniques using Model Predictive Control (MPC) and Pure Pursuit algorithms, implemented and evaluated in a simulated environment using Python. The objective of the study was to compare the performance of these two approaches in terms of path tracking and obstacle avoidance. The research focused on the applicability of MPC and Pure Pursuit algorithms in autonomous navigation systems, with a specific emphasis on addressing the challenge of generating smooth and dynamically feasible paths while ensuring collision avoidance. The simulation environment provided a platform for conducting experiments, allowing for testing and analysis of the algorithms. The results of the study demonstrated that MPC successfully generated paths while effectively avoiding obstacles. The MPC algorithm exhibited robustness and adaptability to dynamically changing environments, allowing the autonomous agent to navigate through complex scenarios. However, the investigation also revealed a limitation with Pure Pursuit in terms of curvature volatility. The Pure Pursuit algorithm showed inconsistent performance due to abrupt changes in curvature, which impacted the smoothness and stability of path tracking. Overall, this research highlights the significance of selecting an appropriate path generation algorithm based on the specific requirements of the autonomous navigation system. The study serves as a foundation for future investigations and advancements in path planning and control techniques, enabling the development of more efficient and reliable autonomous systems.
A Case Study on the Efficacy and Usage of Assistive Technologies in Howard County Schools, MD
Authors: Bi Daniel , Casper Callie
Published: February 2024

Assistive technology is equipment that is designed to improve the capabilities of students with disabilities. For many students with disabilities, these technologies enable essential life skills such as daily communication and independence inside and outside of the classroom. This study assesses the efficacy, usage, and implementation of assistive technology in Howard County Public Schools (HCPSS) in Maryland, in order to determine any potential barriers and deficiencies towards the effective implementation of the said devices. A voluntary sample of 59 members of 1200 HCPSS staff was asked questions about the assistive technologies used in the county, their effectiveness, potential barriers towards implementation, training given, and available resources. Responses generally indicated that assistive technologies were beneficial, with the 83% of respondents selecting 4 or 5 out of 5 for the effectiveness of assistive technologies in academic and social contexts. Respondents elaborated that technologies allowed students with severe disabilities to communicate, socialize, work independently, and improve reading and writing skills. On the other hand, drawbacks such as distractions and dependencies created by the technologies were noted. Respondents felt confident towards the resources and support provided by the county, noting an assistive technology department and specialists available for support. However, respondents commonly reported that they were under-trained, received only occasional, limited workshop sessions, and were constantly behind on training. Thus, recommendations were drafted to improve training and staff awareness towards assistive technologies, such as required comprehensive training sessions for special education staff and a universal assistive technology guide to be provided.