Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Assessing Amino Acid Racemization In Avian Eggshells Through Reverse Phase Liquid Chromatography, Nikitha Nelapudi

Honors Theses

The extent of amino acid racemization (AAR) observed in organic material offers insight into geochronology. Within the scope of AAR research, Avian eggshells are reliable sources of data due to retention of indigenous amino acids through calcification. This project develops a robust quantification methodology for up to 9 D/L amino acids using reverse-phase HPLC (RP-HPLC) with precolumn derivatization. Reliable quantitation is established via statistical assessment of detectability and calibration curves. Progress has focused on obtaining adequate enantioseparation and reproducible data of single D/L amino acids.

Design Of A Novel Isoxazoline Class Drug For The Suppressive Treatment Of Malaria, Peyton Ware

Honors Theses

Design of a novel isoxazoline class drug for the suppressive treatment of erythrocytic malaria through the inhibition of Plasmodium Falciparum Gylceraldehyde-3-phosphate Dehydrogenase (PfGAPDH) gave rise to creation of a synthetic plan for the proposed target molecule α-amino- 3-bromo-4,5-dihydroisoxazol-5-yl propionic acid. A literature-based analysis of the moieties targeting the PfGADPH active site led to the design of the target molecule. Subsequently, an exploration of the literature yielded a possible bifold synthetic plan. Attempts at a model epoxidation reaction using mCPBA and further efforts towards the synthesis of a 3- bromoisoxazoline were shown to be successful using GCMS analysis.

Spectroscopic And Computational Studies Of The Agricultural Active Ingredient Dicamba, James Johnson

Honors Theses

3,6-dichloro-2-methoxy benzoic acid, more commonly known as Dicamba, is the active ingredient in an array of pesticides used on farmlands across the globe. Dicamba’s mode of action works by mimicking the plant hormone auxin, which is synonymous to growth hormones in mammals. The mimicking of auxin results in excessive elongation and growing, which is eventually fatal for plants when the rate of growth can no longer be sustained. Dicamba has risen in prominence in recent years due to drift damage as a result of Dicamba’s high volatility. Having the ability to identify Dicamba is crucial for the agricultural industry. The …

Biological Evaluation Of Fda-Approved Drugs As Mirna-31 Inhibitors Using Real Time Qrt-Pcr And A Luciferase Assay, Nicholas Sienkiewicz

Honors Theses

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of post-transcriptional, negative regulators of gene expression, consisting of ~19-24 nucleotides. Since their discovery in 1993, miRNAs have been found to be involved in a diverse amount of cellular and disease pathways, including certain types of cancer. Overexpression of certain oncogenic miRNAs, including miRNA-31, have been shown to play a role in cancer cell development. Recent findings have suggested that miRNAs play a significant role in every stage of colorectal cancer (CRC) initiation, progression, and development, as well as induce resistance to chemotherapy drugs like 5-FU. In particular, research has shown that increased levels of …

Engagement And Computational Thinking Through Creative Coding, Dana Hoppe

Honors Theses

Rising enrollments in Computer Science pose an opportunity to engage students from diverse backgrounds and interests; and a challenge to deliver on positive learning outcomes. While student engagement is the driving factor for increased learning performance and retention, it has been declining to new lows for Computer Science students in recent years. In order to further explore the potential of contextualized computing as a tool for increasing engagement in computing and developing Computational Thinking aptitude in students, we have developed an introductory computing course contextualized with Art and Design with modules centered around guiding pedagogical principles and aimed at middle …

Synthesis Of Novel Temozolomide-Fatty Acid Imide Hybrid Compounds For The Chemotherapeutic Treatment Of Glioblastoma Multiforme, Janice Pakkianathan

Honors Theses

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive form of brain cancer that originates from glial cells, which make up the supportive tissue surrounding neurons. Temozolomide (TMZ) is the current chemotherapeutic drug administered to treat GBM as it works to inhibit the growth of the cancer cells. This research study focused on developing a method for synthesizing novel hybrid compounds that combines TMZ with various fatty acids known to have anticancer properties, forming a series of imide compounds with potential chemotherapeutic effects. Before synthesizing the compounds, various methods for synthesizing an imide from a primary amide were tested to ensure that TMZ …

Applications And Implementation Of A Satellite-Based Quantum Internet, Renèe Desporte

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Developing A New Water-Soluble Porphyrin As A Potential Photodynamic Cancer Therapy Agent, Catherine Shirley

Honors Theses

Photodynamic cancer therapy (PDT) is a type of treatment involving the use of light in conjunction with a photosensitive agent- a chemical or series of chemicals designed for activation when exposed to light. This research project investigated the synthesis and identification of the novel photosensitive agent, H2TPP-Pro-OH. To create the water-soluble porphyrin, (S)-(+)-prolinol was reacted with the tetra-carboxyl porphyrin, H2TPPC, to form the final H2TPP-Pro-OH product. This compound was then purified using syringe filtration and column chromatography, and subsequently characterized using infrared (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopies, as well as High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Finally, …

Preparation And Cytotoxicity Of Novel Carbon Nano-Onion Materials, Cammie York

Honors Theses

The applications of carbon nanomaterials (CNM), including graphene and its derivatives such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in nanomedicine is well established. These nanomaterials have been widely used as theranostic delivery systems with the potential to deliver bioactive agents and simultaneously detect selectively diseased tissues. A rather underexplored CNM for biomedical imaging and theranostics delivery are carbon nano-onions (CNOs). CNOs are carbon-based nanomaterials that can potentially be used in cancer therapy when they are functionalized. Recent studies on cellular fate of different CNMs, including CNOs, have demonstrated that the surface composition is critical for the in vivo application of these CNM. …

Communicating Computing Limitations Through Kinesthetic Pedagogy, Michael Mason

Honors Theses

Abstract concepts, such as those in advanced Computer Science and Mathematics, can be extremely difficult to understand fundamentally without an existing background in a similar subject. Recent research has shown that raw visualizations without learner interaction are not particularly effective at communicating complex information because they allow the learner to ignore the example (Lauer 2006, Naps 2002). Forcing somebody to interact with an example ensures that they can grasp the visualization. This paper describes a six step technique to demonstrate the limitations of computing through kinesthetic pedagogy, then offers an example exercise utilizing the method. The six proposed steps are: …

A Mathematical Model Of Speeding, Jared Ott, Xavier Pérez Giménez

Honors Theses

Crime is often regarded as nonsensical, impulsive, and irrational. These conjectures are pointed, though conversation about the pros and cons of crime does not happen often. People point to harsh fines, jail times, and life restrictions as their reason for judgement, stating that the trade-offs are far too unbalanced to participate in illicit activity. Yet, everyday people commit small crimes, sometimes based on hedonistic desires, other times based on a rational thought process.

Speeding seems to be one of those that almost all people commit at least once during their life. Our work hopes to make an incremental improvement on …

Evaluation Of The Potential Geological And Socioeconomic Impacts Of The Imminent Cascadia Megathrust Earthquake, Matthew Pritchard

Honors Theses

The Cascadia Subduction Zone on the northwest coast of the United States poses the threat of a devastating megathrust earthquake and subsequent tsunami damaging coastal populations. This paper synthesizes literature to analyze the geologic and socioeconomic effects of this natural disaster, as well as examines the existing warning system infrastructure, and makes recommendations to mitigate the damage. In order to assess the geologic effects of a megathrust earthquake, I investigate the tectonic history, the role of episodic tremor and slip (ETS) in stress buildup, crustal architecture of the subduction zone, and analogous subduction zones such as Chile and Japan. This …

Characterization Of A Trochoidal Electron Monochromator, Jesse Kruse

Honors Theses

This thesis presents a quantitative study of a trochoidal electron monochromator and attempts to observe the 2p^53p^2 resonance in neon. A detailed description of the experimental apparatus, including the electron beam system, the vacuum system, and the light analysis system, is presented first. Then, we discuss the theory of how the electron beam is monochromatized, how we measured monochomatization, and how we analyze the light being emitted from the collision cell. The light analysis system is capable of accurately measuring the relative Stokes parameters for any polarization of light, and the electron beam system is capable of producing electron beams …

Classification Of Torsion Subgroups For Mordell Curves, Zachary Porat

Honors Theses

Elliptic curves are an interesting area of study in mathematics, laying at the intersection of algebra, geometry, and number theory. They are a powerful tool, having applications in everything from Andrew Wiles’ proof of Fermat’s Last Theorem to cybersecurity. In this paper, we first provide an introduction to elliptic curves by discussing their geometry and associated group structure. We then narrow our focus, further investigating the torsion subgroups of elliptic curves. In particular, we will examine two methods used to classify these subgroups. We finish by employing these methods to categorize the torsion subgroups for a specific family of elliptic …

Self-Organization Of Cosmic Elements During Stellar Evolution, Travis Butler

Honors Theses

An open question in science is how complex systems self-organize to produce emergent structures and properties. One aspect is to find the dependence of structure and organization on the size of a system. It has long been known that there is a quality-quantity relationship in natural systems, which is to say that the properties of system depend on its size. More recently, this has been termed the Size-Complexity Rule. In this Thesis paper, we study the average rates of nucleosynthesis and action efficiency of stars with varying initial metallicities and explosion energies from simulations (Nomoto, Tominaga, Umeda, Kobayashi, & Maeda, …

An Investigation Into The History, Science, And Future Of Dental Filling Materials, Natalia Kaczor

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Biochemical Characterization Of Cellular Retinoic Acid Binding Protein Type 1 (Crabp1), Emma Magna

Honors Theses

The goal of this research was to express and purify Cellular Retinoic Acid Binding Protein Type 1 (CRABP1). CRABP1 binds to retinoic acid in the cell and shuttles the retinoic acid from one area in the cell to another. The overproduction of CRABP1 appears to be problematic because it can sequester the retinoic acid and prevent it from regulating gene expression. Previous studies have shown that increased levels of CRABP1 can result in tumor-promoting activity and disruption of lipid biology in the cell. Our objective was to express this protein in an inducible bacterial system, so that we could purify …

Effects Of Energy Resolution And Bin Size On The Measurements Of Nuclear Neutron Distributions Using Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering, Hongyong Zhang

Honors Theses

Coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering is a process that involves the neutral-current scattering of a neutrino with an entire nucleus, which probes more bulk properties of the nucleus. Using the Taylor expansion of the form factors and calculation of effective moments that sums over isotopes, we successfully simulate the events for coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering for detectors using Ar and Ge and demonstrate that coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering can determine both the second moment and the fourth moment. Running the Monte Carlo simulation using a detector filled with 10 tonnes of natural germanium, a neutrino flux of 3*10^7 neutrinos per second …

Quantum Defect Measurements For High Angular Momentum Rydberg States Of Potassium, Abraham Hill

Honors Theses

We report measurements of the quantum defect for the f-, g-, and h-states of potassium with principal quantum number n between 26 and 29. Ground state potassium atoms in a magneto-optical trap are excited from the 4s state to the 5p state, then from the 5p state to the nd_j state using lasers at 405nm and 980nm, respectively. We then measure the millimeter wave frequencies of the nd_j to nl transitions. We extract the quantum defects from these frequency measurements in conjunction with the known d-state quantum defects. Experimental challenges with …

Projecting Regions Of North Atlantic Right Whale, Eubalaena Glacialis, Habitat Suitability In The Gulf Of Maine In 2050, Camille Ross

Honors Theses

North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) are endangered. Understanding the role environmental conditions play in habitat suitability is key to determining the regions in need of protection for conservation of the species, particularly as climate change shifts suitable habitat. This thesis uses three species distribution modeling algorithms, together with historical data on whale abundance(1993 to 2009) and environmental covariates to build monthly ensemble models of past E. glacialis habitat suitability in the Gulf of Maine. Then, the models are projected onto the year 2050 for a range of climate scenarios. Specifically, the distribution of the species was modeled …

Crystalline Architecture And Stratigraphy Of Coral Skeletal Density Banding: A Geobiological Record Of Changing Coral Reef Ecology, Kyle Fouke

Honors Theses

Coral skeletal density banding (CSDB), composed of alternating high density band (HDB) and low density band (LDB) layers that comprise the CaCO₃ (aragonite) skeleton of scleractinian corals, are used as chronometers for global paleoclimatic reconstructions of sea surface temperature (SST). Scleractinian coral skeletons have been intensively studied for centuries with detail analysis of the macro- and microscale skeletal structure to establish taxonomic and evolutionary relationships of coral species, mechanisms of biomineralization, and seafloor physical, chemical and biological alteration (diagenesis) of the skeleton. This study is the first to determine the crystalline architecture of HDBs and CSDB stratigraphic …

Sedimentological, Architectural, And Paleoenvironmental Analysis Of The Fluvial Upper Devonian Catskill Formation, North-Central Pennsylvania, Usa, Matylda Zaklicki

Honors Theses

During the Late Devonian time period, sediments eroded from the Acadian mountains were transported westward and deposited in fluvial environments, but the morphology of the rivers, avulsion style, and controls on basin infilling remain unclear. This study assesses the sedimentology, channel geometry, stratigraphic architecture, and avulsion style of the paleochannels and floodplains of the uppermost 80 meters of the Catskill Formation near Blossburg, Pennsylvania, using field-based lithofacies observations, high-resolution panoramic photographs, and terrestrial lidar scanning.

Upper Catskill Formation strata at Blossburg Middle consist of sandy channel and muddy floodplain deposits. Floodplain deposits were categorized into either proximal floodplain deposits or …

Fluvial Sedimentology And Architecture Of Two Latest Devonian Lower Huntley Mountain Formation Outcrops, North-Central Pennsylvania, Usa, Evan W. Filion

Honors Theses

Thick successions of river deposits accumulated in the north-central Pennsylvania region of the Appalachian foreland basin during Late Devonian time (~380-360 Ma). The properties and morphologies of these paleorivers are not well characterized. Latest Devonian tectonic, climatic, and eustatic controls on river dynamics and basin infilling also remain unclear. This study assesses the sedimentology, facies architecture, paleochannel depths, and grain size of a 133 m thick section of fluvial strata exposed across two outcrops, Blossburg South (older) and Blossburg West (younger), mapped as lower Huntley Mountain Formation near Blossburg, Pennsylvania. Field-based lithofacies observations, high-resolution panoramic photography, terrestrial lidar scanning, and …

Ethics, Privacy And Data Collection: A Complex Intersection, Matthew S. Brown

Honors Theses

The technology around us enables incredible abilities such as high-resolution video calls and the ability to stay connected with everyone we care about through social media. This technology also comes with a hidden cost in the form of data collection.

This work explores what privacy means and how users understand what data social media companies collect and monetize. This thesis also proposes a more ethical business model that addresses privacy concerns from an individual perspective.

Linked-Cluster Expansions For Lattice Spin Models, Yuyi Wan

Honors Theses

Similar to various series expansions that are used to approximate mathematical func- tions, the linked-cluster expansion is an approximation method that allows us to approach the actual values of a very large physical system’s different physical quan- tities by systematically studying smaller systems embedded in this larger system. The main concept in linked-cluster expansion, weight, represents the additional con- tribution to a certain physical quantity by increasing the system size by one unit. These weights are used to eventually build up the result on a larger system. In our case, we focus on the partition function, a quantity that can …

Estimating Value-At-Risk Of An Unconventional Portfolio, Elizabeth N. Mejía-Ricart

Honors Theses

Since the 2008 financial crisis, interest rates and bond yields have been low all through the recovery and expansion that followed, and they are still low. As a result, more investors have been attracted to US equities, a space of possibly higher returns. However, these returns come with a potential downside: risk of loss. One of the methods to assess this potential downside is value-at-risk (VaR), which gained momentum in the late 1990s. At the time, the market risk amendment to the 1988 Basle Capital Accord required commercial banks with significant trading activities to put aside capital to cover market …

Internal Migration Of Foreign-Born In Us: Impacts Of Population Concentration And Risk Aversion, Thin Yee Mon Su

Honors Theses

Internal migration in the US has been declining since the 1990s and research has mostly focused on labor market dynamics and aging population to explain the migration trends. This paper analyzes migration patterns of foreign-born groups in the US from 2000 to 2019. Along with the migration determinants such as education and employment, the paper focuses on population concentration as a factor that shapes foreign-born decisions to relocate in the US. Population concertation is defined to be a measure of how geographically concentrated each foreign-born group is across the US. I find that the likelihood of migrating to another state …

Biasing Medial Axis Rapidly-Exploring Random Trees With Safe Hyperspheres, David Qin

Honors Theses

Motion planning is a challenging and widely researched problem in robotics. Motion planning algorithms aim to not only nd unobstructed paths, but also to construct paths with certain qualities, such as maximally avoiding obstacles to improve path safety. One such solution is a Rapidly-Exploring Random Tree (RRT) variant called Medial Axis RRT that generates the safest possible paths, but does so slowly. This paper introduces a RRT variant called Medial Axis Ball RRT (MABallRRT) that uses the concept of clearance -- a robot's distance from its nearest obstacle -- to efficiently construct a roadmap with safe paths. The safety of …

Measuring Differential Forest Growth In The Sheepscot River Headwaters With Bitemporal Lidar, Soren Denlinger

Honors Theses

In recent years, lidar has proven itself as a forestry tool capable of accurate, large- scale inventories. Lidar has even shown utility in multitemporal analysis and growth assessment, given high-resolution or small-scale point clouds. However, lidar’s efficacy as a multitemporal tool with relatively low-resolution, large-scale datasets is comparatively unknown. In this study, I compared forest in Midcoast Maine bitemporally, with publicly available datasets from the years 2007 and 2012. Specifically, I compared differences in growth characteristics of riparian, wetland, and upland forests. Although the 2007 dataset (created for geomorphological research) and the 2012 dataset (statewide, general-purpose) possess varying point densities …

The River And The Ranger: The Crafting And Background Of An Interpretive Program, Amy J. Heusinkvelt

Honors Theses

The central part of this creative project was the development and presentation of an interpretive program delivered in conjunction with employment at the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. To supplement this place-specific program, a second program was developed retaining similar themes to the first, but designed to be presented in Lincoln. A brief history of the National Park Service as well as the fundamentals of interpretation were researched and elaborated upon to provide both a base and background for presentation of the interpretive programs. The project includes both self-assessment of the programs and research, as well as remarks, suggestions, and …