Zero Knowledge Protocols

In this day and age, it is commonplace to spend part of our day on the Internet. Whether to check e-mail, purchase goods, manage a bank account, or merely browse interesting sites, we rely on certain security measures to keep personal information safe from unwanted outsiders. Within the field of cryptography there are many techniques and algorithms that have provided top-notch security for our methods of communication today, yet as technology advances and as loopholes are found, we are constantly looking for novel ways to protect our information. Introduced approximately 25 years ago by Goldwasser, Micali, and Rackoff, zero knowledge protocols seek to do just that. This paper will explore these protocols, their application to NP-complete problems (problems with no efficient way of finding a solution), and their use in modern day cryptosystems

Not as cool as fighter pilots : an exploration of identity and learning for full-time quantity surveying students.

This study explores the relationship between identity and learning, in particular the concepts of ‘belonging’ and ‘becoming’ in respect of professional, vocational education. Adopting a case study approach, the study focuses on the quantity surveying discipline and the degree programme offered by my institution, and one specific cohort on same. As they progressed through their studies, an in-depth exploration of the formation of identity (ies) and the dispositions adopted towards learning was undertaken, involving two key milestones: at Level 1 (first year) when the participants had almost completed their studies, and again at Level 3 (third year) when the participants had returned from their period of professional placement. The conclusions of my study raise a number of issues for professional, vocational education in general, and more specifically, the provision of quantity surveying education within my institution. The outcomes of this investigation highlight three key areas for further attention: the tensions inherent in providing discipline-orientated programmes within a semesterised, modularised, more generic-focused system of delivery; issues surrounding the provision of professional placement opportunities including the emotional aspects of same; and the resultant impacts on dispositions and identity, ‘belonging’ and ‘becoming’

Why Work? Why Not! Older Adults Tell It Like It Is: What Baby Boomers, Adult Educators, and Management Can Learn From Current Older Workers and the Role of Ageism in the Workforce

This roundtable seeks to look at the older adult worker and what they bring to the workforce. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the older adult workers’ numbers will be increasing to roughly 22% of the labor force through 2050. The older adult worker is definitely here to stay. How they feel about work and what they have to offer as older workers will surely impact the workforce. What we as educators and management can learn from them now will be essential to the older adult worker’s successful employment

Workplace Bullying: Implications for Adult Educators

Workplace bullying is when one person or a group in a workplace single out another person for unreasonable, embarrassing, and/or intimidating treatment. According to the Workplace Bullying Institute, up to a third of workers may be targets of bullying. Education and awareness are vital to protect all employees

The value of 'community' in supporting transitions outside university

Statistics from the Destinations of Leavers in Higher Education (DLHE) survey has shown that graduate level employment or study 6 months after graduation is relatively low for psychology graduates compared to graduates from other disciplines. Due to highly competitive conditions for postgraduate places on professional psychology training courses, new graduates often spend time developing their portfolio of relevant skills and experience in order to compete for postgraduate places one or more years after graduating. In addition, QAA (2010) noted that only 15-20% of psychology graduates develop careers as professional psychologists. Many initiatives have been introduced across the UK (see Reddy, Lantz, & Hulme, 2013) to support students' transitions out of university and into employment or further study, however these initiatives vary in the extent to which they are embedded and capture student engagement. At the University of Strathclyde, we are taking a multi-pronged approach to enhancing students’ employability that is underpinned by an ethos of ‘community’. First, the creation of the Strathclyde Psychology Alumni Network (SPAN), developed in collaboration with students, provides a platform through which current students, alumni, and staff, interact as members of the Strathclyde Psychology Community, virtually via LinkedIn and face-to-face at networking events. Second, a new work placement class in the final year will provide students the opportunity to enhance their experience and apply their psychological knowledge and skills in a work-based context. Third, a novel curriculum review process involving staff, alumni, and employers (representing private, public, and third sectors) has sought to identify the opportunities and challenges that graduates face, and the characteristics of the ‘Ideal Strathclyde Psychology Graduate’. A core competency framework will be output from this process and will drive the curriculum enhancement process so that students have the opportunity to develop the characteristics of the ‘Ideal Strathclyde Psychology Graduate’

The effect of ApoE4 on neurovascular coupling in the visual cortex

Neurovascular coupling (NVC) is the process whereby the brain increases local blood supply in response to neuronal activity, providing neurons with energy. Disruptions to NVC have been implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD), so a better understanding of how NVC goes wrong, and when, is imperative for better understanding the disease and assisting in the identification of therapeutic targets. The main genetic risk factor for developing AD, expression of Apolipoprotein ε4 (APOE4), is associated with vascular deficits, including pericyte damage and impaired cerebral blood ow. I tested whether expression of APOE4 affected NVC, by studying neuronal activity and vascular responses in visual cortex. To investigate this, mice with humanised APOE4 or APOE3 were crossed with mice expressing a genetically-encoded calcium indicator or with labelled pericytes. Mice were implanted with a cranial window over visual cortex and neuronal and vascular activity was recorded using two-photon microscopy. Baseline and stimulus evoked measurements were taken to determine the effect of ApoE4 on basal energy balance and on the ability of the brain to deliver adequate energy to neurons. Results suggest that there were some baseline alterations in APOE4 mice that may result in a lower energy supply. Compounding this, I found there to be a mismatch in energy supply and demand during sensory stimulation, where neuronal demand was greater, but blood supply was less reliable in APOE4 mice. Together these data suggest that there could be an energy deficit in APOE4 carriers. In vivo studies investigating the role of ApoE4 in NVC are few and the study of individual vessels and neurons across different age points, as done in this body of work, is a novel and unique approach. By better understanding how ApoE4 modulates neurovascular function, we can better understand its role in AD pathology and possibly identify therapeutic targets in the future

Woven graphite epoxy composite test specimens with glass buffer strips

Woven unidirectional graphite cloth with bands of fiberglass replacing the graphite in discrete lengthwise locations was impregnated with epoxy resin and used to fabricate a series of composite tensile and shear specimens. The finished panels, with the fiberglass buffer strips, were tested. Details of the fabrication process are reported