Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Characteristics Of Stem Success: A Survival Analysis Model Of Factors Influencing Time To Graduation Among Undergraduate Stem Majors, Riley K. Acton

Business and Economics Honors Papers

Producing more graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), as well as ensuring students complete college in a timely manner are both areas of national public policy interest. In order to improve these two outcomes, it is imperative to understand what factors lead undergraduate students to persist in, and ultimately graduate with STEM degrees. This paper uses data from the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study, provided by The National Center of Education Statistics, to model the time to baccalaureate degree among STEM majors using a Cox proportional hazard model.

The Fierce Green Fire: Vol 5 Issue 21, Wofford College Environmental Studies Program

The Fierce Green Fire

No abstract provided.

Liberal Arts Colleges And Art Fairs: The Proximity Of Summer Arts Festivals To Liberal Arts Colleges, Hannah R. Haas

Celebrating Scholarship & Creativity Day (2011-2017)

Purpose: Client Professor James Poff paints and draws on the side of his teaching post in the Biology Department. After finishing his tenure teaching, he would like to spend the summer traveling to art festivals in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois. He believes that his art will be most widely accepted at art fairs that are within a 25 mile radius of a liberal arts college. He is interested in knowing what summer art festivals those are. Methods: From the websites of the Department of Tourism for Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois I obtained the dates, names and addresses of …

Nevada's Areas Of Recreation, Meghan M. Carter

Celebrating Scholarship & Creativity Day (2011-2017)

These maps will offer alternative options for the tourist that desires to spend their vacation exploring Nevada’s beautiful wild landscapes. Nevada has many areas of land under conservation, State Parks, National Parks and Wildlife Ranges. I will be mapping out the primary roads through to these areas, as well as list out the Parks with campsites, ranging from the experienced camper with only a tent, to the family on vacation with a dog or R.V. This map should be a source of information for a camper looking to explore Nevada beyond the city limits.

Local Response To Climate Change: A Case Study Approach, Nora Gimpel

Honors Theses

The scientific consensus on the causes and consequences of climate change is clear and experts continue to strongly recommend immediate mitigation and adaptation responses (IPCC, 2014). Responses to climate change are occurring at the international, national, and subnational level, but adaptation to climate change is also highly local. Local communities across the world are organizing groups and institutions to determine their best responses for local mitigation and adaptation actions. This study analyzed the formal local community organization, the Kalamazoo Climate Change Coalition (KCCC), and its structured activities in order to evaluate how Kalamazoo has responded to climate change. Methodology for …

Revisiting Tired Old Fields With New Technologies: Three Dimensional Modeling And Structural Analysis Of The Dudley Pool Oil Reservoir, Edgar County, Il, Jordan M. Martin

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to better understand the Dudley Pool oil reservoir, a small, mature oil field, using geologic and geophysical data. The research focused on three-dimensional subsurface modeling of stratigraphy, structure, and porosity, to establish a more thorough understanding of oil occurrence at the Dudley Pool. An emphasis was placed on calculations of potential recoverable oil in order to determine implications on future production possibilities. This thesis also discusses the efficacy of three-dimensional modeling as an effective tool for evaluating, and potentially modifying, production efforts in mature petroleum fields with limited and/or poor-quality data. The modeling and …

Photometric Extraction Of The Pulse And Orbital Periods Of Asas182612: Eclipsing Binary With A Type Ii Cepheid Component, Joseph E. Hoppert

Celebrating Scholarship & Creativity Day (2011-2017)

In 2007, Antipin, Sokolovsky, and Ignatieva discovered the first eclipsing binary with a Type II Cepheid component in our Galaxy, ASAS182612. We present the analysis of ASAS182612’s pulse and orbital periods from 2007 to 2014 using B, V, R, and I filters. The pulsation and orbital periods were found to be 4.1622 ± .0003 days and 51.366 ± .025 days, respectively. The angular acceleration of the pulse period was determined to be 1.1E-6 ± 1E-7 rad/day².

Synthesis Of 1, 2 Amino Alcohols Through Arbuzov Method, Brianne Gibson

Celebrating Scholarship & Creativity Day (2011-2017)

This research involves the synthesis of one diethyl amino-dihydroxy butyl phosphonate which hold characteristics shown to serve as an anti-fungal and anti-microbial agent. The first step of this research involves epoxidation of the phosphonate-containing olefin made using the Arbuzov procedure with crotonaldehyde. The second step synthesizes an oxazolidone using benzyl isocyanate to open the epoxide and cyclize the compound. Hydrolysis of the oxazolidone is performed for the production of the 1, 2 amino-alcohols in the third stage. This step synthesizes the amino-phosphonates. The first and second steps have been completed. Upon successful retrieval of the oxazolidones, the alcohol can be …

Quantifying The Sensitivity Of Maximum, Limiting, And Potential Tropical Cyclone Intensity To Sst: Observations Versus The Fsu/ Coaps Global Climate Model, Sarah Strazzo, James Elsner, Tim Larow

Publications

No abstract provided.

A Computational Study Of Icart's Function, Thomas Simmons

Honors Projects

A hash function maps some elements of a larger, initial set to elements of a smaller, resultant set. By nature, this leads to collisions and, sometimes, not all elements in the smaller set will be mapped to as a result. The set in consideration here is all points on an elliptic curve. This is a special class of curve with two variables, which takes the form here as y² = x³ + ax + b. A hash function is useful in offering a deterministic way to map an input to a pair of x and y values …

Oroxylin A Promotes Pten-Mediated Negative Regulation Of Mdm2 Transcription Via Sirt3-Mediated Deacetylation To Stabilize P53 And Inhibit Glycolysis In Wt-P53 Cancer Cells, Kai Zhao, Yuxin Zhou, Chen Qiao, Ting Ni, Zhiyu Li, Xiaotang Wang, Qinglong Guo, Na Lu, Libin Wei

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Introduction

p53 plays important roles in regulating the metabolic reprogramming of cancer, such as aerobic glycolysis. Oroxylin A is a natural active flavonoid with strong anticancer effects both in vitro and in vivo.

Methods

wt-p53 (MCF-7 and HCT116 cells) cancer cells and p53-null H1299 cancer cells were used. The glucose uptake and lactate production were analyzed using Lactic Acid production Detection kit and the Amplex Red Glucose Assay Kit. Then, the protein levels and RNA levels of p53, mouse double minute 2 (MDM2), and p53-targeted glycolytic enzymes were quantified using Western blotting and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), respectively. …

Design, Synthesis, And Reactivity Of Bimetallic Complexes Of Dimethylplatinum(Ii) Containing Ditopic Ligands, Matthew S. Mccready

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis describes a study of monometallic and bimetallic dimethylplatinum(II) complexes containing ditopic nitrogen donor ligands. This work details the design and synthesis of side-to-side and cofacial arranged ligands and their respective coordination chemistry. The study of the synthesis, characterization and reaction mechanisms of the various dimethylplatinum(II) complexes is outlined in detail with special emphasis focused on the reactivity of the complexes towards oxidative addition.

The ditopic ligand 6-dppd, 1,4-di(2-pyridyl)-5,6,7,8,9,10-hexahydrocycloocta[d]pyridazine, was observed to coordinate only a single equivalent of a platinum(II) center. The inability to coordinate a second equivalent, even through an assisted bridging atom, is presumed to be due …

Zno/Ag/Cdo Nanocomposite For Visible Light-Induced Photocatalytic Degradation Of Industrial Textile Effluents, Mohammad Mansoob Khan Dr

Dr. Mohammad Mansoob Khan

A ternary ZnO/Ag/CdO nanocomposite was synthesized using thermal decomposition method. The resulting nanocomposite was characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The ZnO/Ag/CdO nanocomposite exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation for the degradation of methyl orange and methylene blue compared with binary ZnO/Ag and ZnO/CdO nanocomposites. The ZnO/Ag/CdO nanocomposite was also used for the degradation of the industrial textile effluent (real sample analysis) and degraded more than 90% in 210 min under visible light irradiation. The small size, high surface area and synergistic effect in the ZnO/Ag/CdO …

Life-Cycle Energy And Ghg Emissions Of Forest Biomass Harvest And Transport For Biofuel Production In Michigan, Fengli Zhang, Dana M. Johnson, Jinjiang Wang

College of Business Publications

High dependence on imported oil has increased U.S. strategic vulnerability and prompted more research in the area of renewable energy production. Ethanol production from renewable woody biomass, which could be a substitute for gasoline, has seen increased interest. This study analysed energy use and greenhouse gas emission impacts on the forest biomass supply chain activities within the State of Michigan. A life-cycle assessment of harvesting and transportation stages was completed utilizing peer-reviewed literature. Results for forest-delivered ethanol were compared with those for petroleum gasoline using data specific to the U.S. The analysis from a woody biomass feedstock supply perspective uncovered …

On The Mechanism Of Rna Phosphodiester Backbone Cleavage In The Absence Of Solvent, Christian Riml, Heidelinde Glasner, M T. Rodgers, Ronald Micura, Kathrin Breuker

Chemistry Faculty Research Publications

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) modifications play an important role in the regulation of gene expression and the development of RNA-based therapeutics, but their identification, localization and relative quantitation by conventional biochemical methods can be quite challenging. As a promising alternative, mass spectrometry (MS) based approaches that involve RNA dissociation in ‘top-down’ strategies are currently being developed. For this purpose, it is essential to understand the dissociation mechanisms of unmodified and posttranscriptionally or synthetically modified RNA. Here, we have studied the effect of select nucleobase, ribose and backbone modifications on phosphodiester bond cleavage in collisionally activated dissociation (CAD) of positively and negatively …

A Behavior-Reactive Autonomous System To Identify Pokémon Characters, Xu Cao, Bohan Zhang, Jeremy Straub, Eunjin Kim

Jeremy Straub

Pokémon is an entertainment franchise with a large fan base. This project uses well-known Pokémon characters to demonstrate the operations of a question selection system. Presented in the form of a game where the computer attempts to guess the user-selected character, the system attempts to minimize the number of questions required for this purpose by identifying questions that most constrain the decision space. The decision making process is refined based on actual user behavior.

Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (Scada) Control Optimization, Garrett Johnson, Jeremy Straub, Eunjin Kim

Jeremy Straub

SCADA systems are generally used to monitor and control multiple systems of the same type to allow them to be remotely controlled and monitored. Water plants, for example, could be controlled and monitored by a SCADA system. This project seeks to optimize a SCADA system using Artificial Intelligence. A constraint satisfaction / optimization algorithm is used to maximize performance relative to weighted system goals.

Scheduling Algorithm Development For An Open Source Software And Open Hardware Spacecraft, Calvin Bina, Jeremy Straub, Ronald Marsh

Jeremy Straub

The efficacy of each type of scheduler is assessed rela-tive to the goal of having a time and resource efficient scheduling algorithm. The scheduler must ensure suc-cessful spacecraft operations and maximize the perfor-mance of tasks relative to performance constraints and their respective due dates.

Assessment Of The Impact Of Clothing And Environmental Conditions On Visible Light 3d Scanning, Pann Ajjimaporn, Jeremy Straub, Scott Kerlin

Jeremy Straub

The quality of models produced by visible light 3D scanners is influenced by multiple factors. To max-imize model accuracy and detail levels, the correct combination of lighting texture, subject posture and software usage must be selected. The work described herein has been performed to measure the effect of different lighting and envi-ronmental conditions on human 3D scanning results.

Scada System Security: Accounting For Operator Error And Malicious Intent, Ryan Kilbride, Jeremy Straub, Eunjin Kim

Jeremy Straub

Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems are becoming more and more com-monplace in many industries today. Industries are making better use of software and large scale control systems to run efficiently, without the need for large amounts of oversight. Security is a particularly large issue with such systems, however. A human must still be involved to ensure smooth operation in the event of catastrophic system error, or unusual circumstanc-es. Human involvement presents problems: operators could make mistakes, configure the system to operate sub-optimally or take malicious actions. This imple-mentation of SCADA security aims to combat these problems.

Web-Based Job Management System For Three-Dimensional Printing And Scanning, Stephanie Hollman, Dalyn Limesand, Jeremy Straub, Scott Kerlin

Jeremy Straub

Three-dimensional (3D) printers have gained popularity for use for many different projects. The work presented herein aims to make this process simpler. This poster discusses a system that will allow individuals from all over campus to submit object files for printing, without having to schedule appointments and schedule 3D scanning appointments and retrieve scan results.

Artificial Intelligence Animal Recognition System, Bohan Zhang, Xu Cao, Jeremy Straub, Eunjin Kim

Jeremy Straub

Artificial Intelligence Animal recognition system can be widely used for chil-dren education, zoology database implement. It is known that existing animal classification system can be used to distinguish an animal fairly fast. For example mammals, reptiles, amphibians. Our goal is to implement an AI system which could eliminate the possibility by half or more for which animal the user is thinking by means of asking the player "the best" question for an animal property.

Autonomous Navigation And Control Of Unmanned Aerial Systems In The National Airspace, Michael Hlas, Jeremy Straub, Eunjin Kim

Jeremy Straub

Pilotless aircraft known as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have been used extensively for military and intelligence purposes. This includes situations where the mission area is too dangerous for a pilot to fly, the length of the mission is longer than a pilot could stay awake or aircraft are used as cruise missiles that crash into their target. With the decreasing cost and miniaturization of computers, it has become possible to build UAVs that are small and inexpensive making them accessible to businesses, law enforcement, hobbyists and the general public.

Medical Procedure Expert System, Timothy Whitney, Jeremy Straub, Eunjin Kim

Jeremy Straub

Artificial intelligence is an area of research in computer science that allows for computer systems to make logical decisions based on its environment. This basic ability can be applied to many problems, including detecting abnormalities in a system, such as commands issued by malicious users, or erroneous commands from valid users. The ability to detect such commands is particularly useful in high risk application where such a command could result in harm to people. This research focuses on one such area by applying the decision making power of AI towards a medical use by developing an expert system to detect …

Pattern Recognition And Expert Systems For Microwave Wireless Power Transmission Failure Prevention, Cameron Kerbaugh, Allen Mcdermott, Jeremy Straub, Eunjin Kim

Jeremy Straub

Wireless power transfer (WPT) can be used to deliver space-generated power to ground stations through the use of microwave beams. WPT satellite power delivery systems have two major failure states: misdi-recting a beam and failing to send power to a station. This project has implemented an expert system to perform pattern recognition in an effort to prevent failures by analyzing the system state and predicting potential failures before they happen in support of space-based testing [1] and deployment [2].

Course Outcome Prediction Using An Expert System, Michael Kuehn, Jared Estad, Jeremy Straub, Eunjin Kim

Jeremy Straub

Determining how well a student will perform in a course based on their prior knowledge of the course material and other factors may help determine student placement and the need for remedial instruction. This poster presents work on the creation of an expert system that attempts to predict a student’s performance based on a pre-evaluation test and responses to background preparation questions. This work utilizes data from prior students to train and test the system.

The Role Of Bulge Formation In The Homogenization Of Stellar Populations At Z ~ 2 As Revealed By Internal Color Dispersion In Candels, Steven Boada, V. Tilvi, R. F. Quadri, M. Hilton, S. Finkelstein, Yicheng Guo, N. Bond, C. Conselice, A. Dekel, H. Ferguson, M. Giavalisco, N. A. Grogin, Dale D. Kocevski, A. M. Koekemoer, D. C. Koo

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We use data from the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey to study how the spatial variation in the stellar populations of galaxies relates to the formation of galaxies at 1.5 < z < 3.5. We use the internal color dispersion (ICD), measured between the rest-frame UV and optical bands, which is sensitive to age (and dust attenuation) variations in stellar populations. The ICD shows a relation with the stellar masses and morphologies of the galaxies. Galaxies with the largest variation in their stellar populations as evidenced by high ICD have disk-dominated morphologies (with Sérsic indexes M/M_⊙) < 11. There is a marked decrease in the ICD as the stellar mass and/or the Sérsic index increases. By studying the relations between the ICD and other galaxy properties including size, total color, star formation rate, and dust attenuation, we conclude that the largest variations in stellar populations occur in galaxies where the light from newly, high star-forming clumps contrasts older stellar disk populations. This phase reaches a peak for galaxies only with a specific stellar mass range, 10 < log(M/M_⊙) < 11, and prior to the formation of a substantial bulge/spheroid. In contrast, galaxies at higher or lower stellar masses and/or higher Sérsic index (n > 2) show reduced ICD values, implying a greater homogeneity of their stellar populations. This indicates that if a galaxy is to have a quiescent bulge along with a star-forming disk, typical of Hubble sequence galaxies, this is most common for stellar masses 10 < log(M/M_⊙) < 11 and when the bulge component remains relatively small (n > 2).

Synthesis Of Β-Triphosphotriester Pronucleotides, Yousef Beni, Chandravanu Dash, Keykavous Parang

Chemistry Faculty Research

Dinucleoside phosphorochloridite was synthesized from phosphorus trichloride and three nucleoside analogs, 3′-fluoro-2′,3′-dideoxythymidine (FLT), 2′,3′-dideoxy-5-fluoro-3′-thiacytidine (FTC), and 2′,3′-dideoxy-3′-thiacytidine (3TC), in a multistep synthesis. Polymer-bound N-Boc p-acetoxybenzyl 5′-O-2′-deoxythymidine was reacted with dinucleoside phosphorochloridite in the presence of 2,6-lutidine, followed by the reaction with dodecyl alcohol and 5-(ethylthio)-1H-tetrazole, oxidation with tert-butyl hydroperoxide, and acidic cleavage, respectively, to afford the β-triphosphotriester derivatives containing three different nucleosides.

Influence Of Road Salt Deicers On Anaerobic Respiration And Metal Speciation In Soils, Danielle Dupuis

Honors Theses

Road salt deicers, especially NaCl and CaCl₂, are used throughout the world on paved areas during the winter. Previous studies suggest that road salt deicers can alter the biogeochemistry of sediment located near roadways and influence the mobility of heavy metals. The goal of this study is to investigate the influence of CaCl₂ on wetland soil biogeochemistry, especially trace metal speciation. Sediment cores were collected in the fall from a freshwater wetland near an urban kettle lake (Asylum Lake, Kalamazoo, MI) and incubated for 100 days in deionized water (control), 5 g/L of CaCl₂, or …

Catching Mesospheric Gravity Waves Over Bear Lake, Utah, Kelly Osborne

Physics Capstone Projects

The Utah State Mesospheric Temperature Mapper (MTM) is a high resolution CCD imager capable of remote sensing faint optical emissions from the night sky to determine mesospheric temperature and its variability at an altitude of ~87 km (or 50 miles). The MTM was operated at the Bear Lake Observatory (BLO) for a two year period (Jan 2012 – Dec 2013) to investigate the seasonal characteristics of temperature variability at mid-latitudes.

This study was to be done from March 2013 – April 2014 but due to issues with the data in late 2013 it was changed to January 2013 - December …