Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Effects Of Bounding Tree Complexity On Immersion In A Virtual Environment, Jonathan Caputo

Honors Theses

Bounding boxes are volumetric spaces in a 3D environment defined by a set of points that denote the area of collision for a given object. Bounding trees are known as a collection of bounding boxes. Simple bounding trees contain few bounding boxes and complex bounding trees contain many. Our research aims to find the relationship between the complexity of a bounding tree and a user's immersion in a 3D virtual environment. We created an algorithm that used the bounding trees to check for when an object collides with another. Using this algorithm, we ran a user study where users would …

Development Of Nucleic Acid Aptamers To Inhibit Bacterial Efflux Pumps, Emilie A. Moses

Honors Theses

Multidrug resistance in bacteria, defined as the ability of a bacterial strain to resist the killing effects of more than one antibiotic, represents a major threat to global healthcare. Every year in the United States, two million people are infected with a multidrug resistant strain of bacteria. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), out of those two million people, about 35,000 will die from their infection. Thus, these multidrug resistant diseases are considered by the CDC to be the most dangerous diseases in the world. While multidrug resistance can occur through several different mechanisms, a major contributor to …

Organic Matter Spatial And Temporal Patterns In Coastal Sands Of Long Bay, South Carolina, Kayla B. Christofferson

Honors Theses

Sandy coastlines serve crucial functions to coastal economies and coastal ecology alike. In the past, organic-poor sands were considered of lower importance than organic-rich muds. Recent studies showed that sands’ low organic matter concentrations are due to high biogeochemical cycling rates, driven by rapid physical exchange, but remain infrequently studied. I present time-series of sand mass-loss-on-ignition (LOI, an organic matter proxy) profiles from February 2017 onwards at multiple sites along Long Bay, South Carolina. LOI profiles exhibit subsurface maximum values, unlike the typical decrease with depth in muddy sediments. I hypothesize that organic matter distribution with depth is affected by …

Isolated Point Discharges Into Coastal Swashes As Nutrient Sources To Coastal Waters, Mary E. Olsen

Honors Theses

Coastal water quality in the Grand Strand of South Carolina is directly influenced by human activities. Nutrient-rich runoff, stemming from numerous anthropogenic sources, finds its way into coastal waters through freshwater inputs often through tidal creeks, termed swashes. In order to better describe the amount of nutrient inputs into Singleton Swash and White Point Swash, we examine anthropogenic runoff from isolated identifiable point discharges and their nutrient concentrations. We report concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN, as the sum of nitrate, nitrite and ammonium) and phosphate in discharge and creek water. We hypothesize that nutrient concentrations of isolated, minor point …

A Study On Formal Verification For Javascript Software, Zachary S. Rowland

Honors Theses

Information security is still a major problem for users of websites and hybrid mobile applications. While many apps and websites come with terms of service agreements between the developer and end user, there is no rigorous mechanism in place to ensure that these agreements are being followed. Formal methods can offer greater confidence that these policies are being followed, but there is currently no widely adopted tool that makes formal methods available for average consumers. After studying the current state-of-the-art in JavaScript policy enforcement and verification, this research proposes several new techniques for applying model checking to JavaScript that strikes …

The Effect Of The Apolipoprotein A1 (Apoa1): The Stability And Folding In Potassium Chloride Environment, Alexandra Paladian

Honors Theses

Healthy levels of potassium chloride (KCl) can significantly affect the workings of the cholesterol level of the human body and how they pertain to an individual person. The search for a better salt additive for the human diet can provide a better option for people who experience high cholesterol levels and heart disease. The study focuses on the experimental design of the Molecular Dynamic (MD) simulation of the Apolipoprotein A1 (APOA1) in the potassium ion solution environment to determine the stability and folding of the protein. The study also compares its data to the previous experimental design of chloride ions …

Security Fatigue And Its Effects On Perceived Password Strength Among University Students, Chase Carroll

Honors Theses

This study was performed with the goal of observing the effect, if any, that security fatigue has on students’ perceived strength of passwords. In doing so, it was hoped to find some correlation between the two that would help in establishing a measurable effect of the phenomenon in students. This could potentially aid organizational decision-makers, such as security policy writers and system admins, to make more informed decisions about implementing security measures. To achieve the goal of observing this fatigue and attempting to measure it, a survey was distributed to numerous students on the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga campus. …

2-Adic Valuations Of Square Spiral Sequences, Minh Nguyen

Honors Theses

The study of p-adic valuations is connected to the problem of factorization of integers, an essential question in number theory and computer science. Given a nonzero integer n and prime number p, the p-adic valuation of n, which is commonly denoted as νp(n), is the greatest non-negative integer ν such that p ν | n. In this paper, we analyze the properties of the 2-adic valuations of some integer sequences constructed from Ulam square spirals. Most sequences considered were diagonal sequences of the form 4n 2 + bn + c from the Ulam spiral with center value of 1. Other …

Synthesis, Characterization, And Reactivity Of Organometallic Complexes For Catalytic Carbon-Hydrogen Bond Activation, Sophia Neglia

Honors Theses

Styrene can be produced directly from benzene and ethylene through an atom economical oxidative hydroarylation process. In this process, an electrophilic homogeneous transition metal catalyst activates the C-H bond in benzene. I propose to explore this reaction in two fronts: 1) the synthesis of electron-poor trans-spanning bidentate pyridine ligands and 2) the computational study of pyridine-functionalized bidentate diimines. The trans-spanning ligand will utilize either a Ru(II) or Co(III) metallohinge with cis-coordinated 2-ethynylpyridine ligands. The complex [(p-cym)Ru(PMe3)(C2-2-py)2] (1) where (p-cym = para-cymene and C2-2-py = 2-ethynylpyridine) can be prepared from (p-cym)Ru(PMe3)(Cl)2 and HC2-2-py in the presence of lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide (LiHMDS). Complex …

Understanding Shear Thinning Using Brownian Dynamics Simulation, Mackenzie Nicole Wall

Honors Theses

In this work, we study the changes in structure during the shear thinning regime using Brownian Dynamics with a simple steady-state shear flow of binary charged colloidal suspension. Previous research has analyzed the viscosity, radial distribution, elasticity and plasticity of materials with rheo-SANS experimentation; however, less research has been conducted to replicate the experiment through computer simulations. With Brownian Dynamic Simulation, this study was able to reproduce the results obtained in a recent rheo-SANS experiment and it also explored the viscosity, radial distribution, elastic and plastic behavior of a system under different parameters. The comparison of simulated data with experimental …

Molecular Dynamic Simulation Of The Complex Folding Patterns Of Apolipoprotein A1 In Various Concentrations Of Potassium Chloride, Hannah Holmberg

Honors Theses

Apopliprotein or ApoA-1 is a complex lipoprotein that functions in the removal of cholesterol from the blood, removing cholesterol from the area around white blood cells and promoting the excretion of lipids through the lymphatic system. Previous research has found that ApoA-1 shows both folded and unfolded conformations depending on the concentration of NaCl in solution in the water around it. The protein was studied using molecular dynamics simulations. Once this state of equilibrium was reached, various structural properties of the protein were measured including the radius of gyration and the radial distribution function. The goal of the project was …

Simplifying The Creation Of Virtual Topologies Using Mpi Sessions, Tom Herschberg

Honors Theses

As supercomputers have approached exascale performance, several scalability issues have emerged within MPI. These issues arise because MPI includes all processes in the World model, which consumes unacceptable amounts of time and resources at large scale. The Sessions model was developed to combat these issues by removing the requirement of MPI_COMM_WORLD, which provides a more scalable method of creating communication groups in large jobs. Additionally, the Sessions model enables the creation of virtual topologies directly from sets of processes allocated to the execution of a parallel application rather than building virtual topologies from an existing communication group such as MPI_COMM_WORLD. …

Lc-Ms/Ms Method Development And Analysis Of Tricyclic Antidepressants In Human Plasma, Shahbaz Gul

Honors Theses

Depression has become one of the most prominent problems in society, disrupting both personal and social lives. Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) were first developed in the 1950’s and became some of the leading anti-depressant medications on the market later that decade. Today, newer anti-depressants have risen to the forefront, being safer and having a lower side-effect probability. Nonetheless, TCAs continue to be prescribed for severe depression, especially in cases where the newer anti-depressants have failed. However, TCAs are still highly potent, the toxicity associated with these compounds cannot be ignored. They have considerable cardiovascular and neurological toxicity, and in the event …

Spectroscopic Analysis Of Potential Astromolecules Via Quantum Chemical Quartic Force Fields, Mason Gardner

Honors Theses

Astrochemistry has been substantially aided by computational techniques, particularly through the use of Quartic Force Field (QFF) analysis. Several methods have proven useful at correlating computed spectroscopic data with experimental observations. The F12-TZ QFF correlated well with experimental data for silicon oxide compounds, particularly those potentially involved in development from rocky bodies to planetary masses [27]. Compared to argon matrix experimental data, the vibrational frequencies for the molecules SiO2, SiO3, Si2O3, and Si2O4 become less accurate as the complexity of the molecules increases but should still be predictive of infrared characteristics of silicon oxides as they form clusters in space …

Determination Of Metals In Whey And Vegan Protein Supplements Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry, Megan Lofaso

Honors Theses

Driven by a demand for health and wellness products worldwide, the dietary supplement industry continues to expand with an economic impact >$100 billion in the USA alone. However, the industry is plagued by a lack of regulation and incidents of contamination, including with toxic heavy metals that can put consumers at potential risk. In this study, eight trace elements (Cd, Pb, Fe, Co, Mn, V, Cu, and Cr), including heavy metals (Cd and Pb), were determined in whey and vegan protein powder by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after microwave-assisted digestion using nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide. Samples were …

A Weighted Version Of Erdős-Kac Theorem, Unique Subedi

Honors Theses

Let $\omega(n)$ denote the number of distinct prime factors of a natural number $n$. A celebrated result of Erd{\H o}s and Kac states that $\omega(n)$ as a Gaussian distribution. In this thesis, we establish a weighted version of Erd{\H o}s-Kac Theorem. Specifically, we show that the Gaussian limiting distribution is preserved, but shifted, when $\omega(n)$ is weighted by the $k-$fold divisor function $\tau_k(n)$. We establish this result by computing all positive integral moments of $\omega(n)$ weighted by $\tau_k(n)$.

We also provide a proof of the classical identity of $\zeta(2n)$ for $n \in \mathbb{N}$ using Dirichlet's kernel.

Soil Inhomogeneity Effects On Seismic Wind Noise, Bipin Koirala

Honors Theses

Wind causes local pressure fluctuations over the ground. The pressure waves couples with the ground and transmits into the ground as seismic waves. The seismic wave, in turn, causes ground motion. Naderyan et al. [9] developed a prediction of the ground displacements spectra from the measured ground properties and predicted pressure and shear stress at the ground surface. Naderyan modeled the ground as a linearly elastic half space bounded by an infinite plane on one side. The quasi-static model for predicting displacement components in the ground is effective for the vertical component of the displacement response, but the model significantly …

Curved Spacetime In The Causal Set Approach To Quantum Gravity, Ayush Dhital

Honors Theses

Causal Set theory is an approach to quantum gravity. In this approach, the spacetime continuum is assumed to be discrete rather than continuous. The discrete points in a causal set can be seen as a continuum spacetime if they can be embedded in a manifold such that the causal structure is preserved. In this regard, a manifold can be constructed by embedding a causal set preserving causal information between the neighboring points. In this thesis, some of the fundamental properties of causal sets are discussed and the curvature and dimension information of Minkowski, de Sitter, and Anti-de Sitter spaces is …

Use Of Linear Discriminant Analysis In Song Classification: Modeling Based On Wilco Albums, Caroline Pollard

Honors Theses

The study of music recommender algorithms is a relatively new area of study. Although these algorithms serve a variety of functions, they primarily help advertise and suggest music to users on music streaming services. This thesis explores the use of linear discriminant analysis in music categorization for the purpose of serving as a cheaper and simpler content-based recommender algorithm. The use of linear discriminant analysis was tested by creating lineardiscriminant functions that classify Wilco’s songs into their respective albums, specifically A.M., Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and Sky Blue Sky. 4 sample songs were chosen from each album, and song data was …

Incorporating Demographic Structure And Variable Interaction Types Into Community Assembly Models, Akhil Reddy Alasandagutti, Nayan Chawla

Honors Theses

Theoretical studies of ecological food webs have allowed ecologists to remove the constraints of specific location and timescales from their study of ecological communities; food webs are generally complex and thus empirical study is difficult. Further, this theoretical approach allows ecologists to compare ecological processes and outcomes across any possible food web structures. However, these simulated communities are only as useful as the model from which they were constructed. Modifying existing considerations in these models, and generating new ones, are the jobs of theoretical ecologists that seek to achieve the shared goal of a majority of simulations: representation of real …

Using Deep Learning To Automate The Diagnosis Of Skin Melanoma, Akhil Reddy Alasandagutti

Honors Theses

Machine learning and image processing techniques have been widely implemented in the field of medicine to help accurately diagnose a multitude of medical conditions. The automated diagnosis of skin melanoma is one such instance. However, a majority of the successful machine learning models that have been implemented in the past have used deep learning approaches where only raw image data has been utilized to train machine learning models, such as neural networks. While they have been quite effective at predicting the condition of these lesions, they lack key information about the images, such as clinical data, and features that medical …

A Conductivity Analysis Of A Newly Synthesized Poly(Ethylene Glycol) Methyl Ether Hydroxide Electrolyte, Sarah Marie Peterson

Honors Theses

This thesis investigates the synthesis and conductive properties of a Poly (ethylene glycol) methyl ether-based polymer electrolyte. The goal of the synthesis is to enhance the hydroxide ion conduction properties of the polymer with its cationic groups attached. The MePEG backbone contained seven ethylene glycol groups and was modified to substitute the hydroxide group in the MePEG with trimethylamine. In addition, the bromide added in the synthesis was exchanged for hydroxide ions to allow for the transportation of hydroxide ions in polymeric electrolytes that can be used in Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells. The newly synthesized polymer was compared to …

Synthesis Of A Dd-Π-Aa Organic Dye For Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells, Hope Lovell

Honors Theses

This project investigates the synthesis of a DD-π-AA (dual donor/dual acceptor) organic dye as a potential sensitizer for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). The design of this dye was based off previous research that found dual donor/dual acceptor dyes exhibited promising results when used in a DSC. The donor groups, acceptor groups, and π-bridge were chosen for their stability, ability to absorb in the near-infrared (NIR) region, and intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) abilities.

While many components of the dye were synthesized, the final stages of the synthetic scheme were not completed due to the loss of time from COVID-19. Had the …

Building Institutional Knowledge Into Student Leaders: A Repository Of Student-Led Climate Change Initiatives At Wmu, Aida Amirul Bahri

Honors Theses

Students and registered student organizations (RSO) at Western Michigan University (WMU) have increasingly shown interest in climate change and environmental issues. However, student leadership roles are often held short-term due to the rapid displacement cycle of student bodies caused by graduation, institution transfers and other factors. New leaders often struggle with picking up where former students left off and advancing previously established efforts. WMU student groups lack an effective system of maintaining institutional knowledge, including student-led campaigns and accomplishments, to support a smoother transition that would empower student leaders and build upon prior progress. The goal of this project is …

An Introduction To Obstacle Problems, Calvin Reedy

Honors Theses

The obstacle problem can be used to predict the shape of an elastic membrane lying over an obstacle in a domain Ω. In this paper we introduce and motivate a mathematical formulation for this problem, and give an example to demonstrate the need to search for solutions in non-classical settings. We then introduce Sobolev spaces as the proper setting for solutions, and prove that unique solutions exist in W1,2(Ω).

Understanding Model Reasoning In Automated Speech Systems: Implementing A Prototype Explanation System Using The Lime Method, Vadim Kudlay

Honors Theses

The field of voice processing has seen great advancements thanks in part to the rise of deep learning. However, the application of these deep learning techniques with an audio input space leads to an interesting result not commonly found when dealing with other input domains. Namely, common techniques for generating auditory adversarial samples using gradient-based optimization have been observed to have extremely low transferability among even the same model structure. This implies an inherent difference in the latent representations of audio samples that may be worth investigating in the pursuit of a more resilient and interpretable voice processing framework. Our …

Overdose Prevention Sites Placement Informed By Simulation, Jing Dong

Honors Theses

In Philadelphia, people are experiencing the greatest opioid crisis in a century. Plac- ing the Overdose Prevention Site (OPS) can alleviate this crisis. However, the journey to the successful launch of the first OPS in the USA is rough. It was first accused of having a collision with federal drug laws. While Safehouse won the lawsuit and the OPS was judged to be legal in 2020, other pressure rose afterward such as the against from the public and the COVID19, which delayed the plan to open the OPS. Without solid research on the effectiveness of OPS, we thought it is …

Stereochemical Control In Suzuki Cross Coupling Reactions Of Acyclic (Z)-Beta-Haloacroleins, William Carrick

Honors Theses

Beta-chloroenals are readily accessible substances and are efficient precursors for a variety of heterocyclic compounds. Suzuki type cross-coupling reactions of such compounds with arylboronic acids yield ��,��-diarylacroleins with control of stereochemistry. The oxidation of these enals to the corresponding acids and subsequent oxidative lactonization leads to formation of the respective coumarins. The chemistry involved in these transformations with special attention to stereochemistry of the Suzuki coupling reaction will be discussed. A full NMR analysis involving 1H, 13C, COSY, NOESY, HSQC, and HMBC was performed to unambiguously confirm the structure and show that the reaction proceeds with retention of stereochemistry.

Parametric Design Of Flywheel For An Electric Punch Press, Prashant Dhakal

Honors Theses

Almost all designs start with a design requirement. These may be weight, volume, clearance, and even custom calculations. Finding a solution that meets these requirements often involves tedious and time-consuming iterations. Once the solution has been found, the design must be optimized to find the best possible solution. Finding the ‘best possible design’ requires substantial time and effort dedicated to iterating and analyzing the potential model solutions. This is where Parametric design comes into play. The Parametric design aids in specifying the key parameters of the design and makes changes interactively, with the model updating automatically. The purpose of this …

Synthesis And Conductivity Analysis Of A Methyl (Polyethylene Glycol) Comb Polymer, Olivia Fox

Honors Theses

The overall goal of work in this field is to improve materials for use in a variety of applications in fuel cell and battery production. This thesis specifically investigates the synthesis of two variations of a methyl (polyethylene glycol) comb polymer electrolyte (MePEG_nwhere n=7) to understand how the molecular structure of an ion-conducting polymer affects its electrochemical properties. The MePEG used in this synthesis contains seven ethylene glycol groups and was added to a poly (methylhydrosiloxane) comb polymer backbone. In the first sample, the polymer contained only the MePEG sidechain, and in the second sample, the polymer contained …