Senior Recital:Steven Braddy, Tuba

Kemp Recital Hall Friday Evening November 13, 1998 8:00p.m

Monero: Powering Anonymous Digital Currency Transactions

Cryptocurrencies rely on a distributed public ledger (record of transactions) in order to perform their intended functions. However, the public’s ability to audit the network is both its greatest strength and greatest weakness: Anyone can see what address sent currency, and to whom the currency was sent. If cryptocurrency is ever going to take some of the responsibility of fiat currency, then there needs to be a certain level of confidentiality. Thus far, Monero has come out on top as the preferred currency for embodying the ideas of privacy and confidentiality. Through numerous cryptographic procedures, Monero is able to obfuscate or obfuscate the following: the address of the sender and recipient, the amount that was sent, and the origin of the sender. Monero is sent by taking the private ownership keys for a grouping of Monero and issuing a command to the network to reassign them to a new public ownership key. Thanks to the advent of asymmetric cryptography, there is no current computationally feasible way to link a public key to a private key and unique sub-keys can be generated at any time to allow for further obfuscation. Additionally, Monero uses a novel implementation of ring signatures which allows you to hide the proof of ownership among a group of users. Currently, transactions are signed with 11 potential true sender\u27s signatures and the only information an outsider can reveal is a guarantee that one and only one of those signatures did own the private key for the currency being sent. Additionally, Monero uses advanced mathematics for its routing protocol to ensure it is nearly impossible for an outsider to identify the original source IP that initiated a transaction merely by participating in the network. Finally, there is amount confidentiality, which is possible thanks to a 2018 research project from Stanford called Bulletproofs. Bulletproofs enable an efficient method for conducting a zero-knowledge proof that allows the amount sent to never be revealed and yet outsiders are still able to verify that the funds are legitimate. Even though Monero is open source, hence there is a wide array of contributors and literature, there are still some questions left unanswered after investigating all of the popular sources. First, are there any traces left on a PC that would de-obfuscate a transaction? Second, would an internet service provider (or other party with widespread access to internet infrastructure) be able to identify the source of a transaction? Finally, it is widely known that Monero uses algorithms that are not quantum resistant, so how will quantum computers affect the privacy measures currently in place

Barebacking and Rebellion: An Examination using Reactance Theory to Investigate the Re-emergence of Unsafe Sexual Practices Among Gay and Bisexual Males

The recent rise in unprotected anal intercourse among men who have sex with men and the possible reasons for that behavior despite general health concerns reflects the purpose and direction of this dissertation. Two issues are investigated within this study: first, is reactance the possible cause for bare-backing and second, how influential are the socially constructed reasons given by gay and bisexual men for the behavior increase? Results from 2036 questionnaires collected during a large, metropolitan circuit party found that there is a statistical link between higher reactance scores and the likelihood of engaging in unprotected anal intercourse. Secondly, two socially constructed reasons why men who have sex with men often bareback were supported. These include high solidarity reasons (also known as bugchasing) and individuals with high emotional intimacy scores. Two other socially constructed reasons for the behavior, high physical intimacy and high fear, were not statistically supported. Other issues such as lack of safe sex advertising, alcohol/drug usage, and self-identification anxiety are also discussed. An overall conclusion drawn from this study is that many health communication models are failing to prevent the spread of AIDS and HIV infection

How Does Racial Bias Impact the Perceptions of Black Women Regarding Maternal Care?

Between 1999–2002 and 2018–2021, the maternal mortality rate in the United States increased by 144% from 9.65 to 23.6 deaths per 100,000 live births. Although women of all races are affected by maternal mortality yearly, it is especially prevalent in black women. In the United States, black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than non-black women. Despite advanced medical technology and ongoing research, black women are continuing to die because of pregnancy at an alarming rate. Many studies suggest that discrimination and implicit bias - defined as subconscious feelings, attitudes, prejudices, and stereotypes an individual has developed due to prior influences and imprints throughout their lives are contributing factors to this racial disparity. The purpose of this thesis project was to explore Black women’s perceptions and experiences of racial bias during maternity care. The findings align with existing literature that emphasizes the disproportionate maternal health disparities faced by Black women due to systemic inequities and implicit biases in healthcare settings