Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Draft Final 2023 Residential Metals Abatement Program (Rmap) Walkerville Park (Walkerville Drive And Ryan Road) Soil Remedial Action Work Plan (Rawp), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Impacts Of Irrigation Technology, Irrigation Rate, And Drought-Tolerant Genetics On Silage Corn Production, Tina Sullivan, Matt Yost, Dakota Boren, Earl Creech, Boyd Kitchen, Randall Violett, Burdette Barker

Plants, Soils and Climate Student Research

Many studies have examined individual water-saving management practices for corn (Zea mays L.), but few studies have looked at how combinations of practices might further enhance water optimization. The research objectives of this paper were to evaluate the impact of irrigation technology, irrigation rate, and crop genetics, as well as their interactions, on silage corn yield and forage quality. Trials were conducted in three Utah locations from 2019 through 2021. The results from five site-years indicated that the best water optimization practices varied by site-year. Low-elevation sprinklers commonly applied water more efficiently, with four of the five site-years having …

The Impact Of Virtual Reality On The Healthcare Industry, Peter Sullivan

Honors Projects in Information Systems and Analytics

Virtual reality (VR) took off in 2013 and has touched many public sectors, from gaming, to business, to healthcare. This study looks at virtual reality's impact has affected the healthcare system, with a focus on its use for medical training, patient recovery, patient pain management, and mental health care. A literature review was conducted on the current state of the industry addressing virtual reality's performance in the field, the perception of experts, and an estimation of financial undertakings. Looking at cost analyses brought a fuller approach to the research. Surveying researchers and workers within the realm of healthcare and VR …

Defining Characteristics That Lead To Cost-Efficient Veteran Nba Free Agent Signings, David Mccain

Honors Projects in Mathematics

Throughout the history of the NBA, decisions regarding the signing of free agents have been riddled with complexity. Franchises are tasked with finding out what players will serve as optimal free agent signings prior to seeing them perform within the framework of their team. This study hypothesizes that the adequacy of an NBA free agent signing can be modeled and predicted through the implementation of a machine learning model. The model will learn the necessary information using training and testing data sets that include various player biometrics, game statistics, and financial information. The application of this machine learning model will …

The Theatre Of Math: The Stage As A Tool For Abstract Math Education, Blaine Hudak

Honors Projects

So often in the education of Mathematics does instruction solely consist of the lecture. While this can be an effective method of communicating the ideas of math, it leaves much to be desired in gathering the interest and intrigue of those who have not dedicated their lives to the study of the subject. Theatre, by contrast, is a tool that has been used in the past as means of teaching complicated and difficult to understand moral and emotional subjects. While Theatre and Mathematics have been used in combination many times in the past, it is most often done in the …

Teaching About The Global Refugee Crisis, Melissa Kafer

Honors Projects

Around the world, there are more than 30 million refugees (UNHCR, 2023) facing language barriers, cultural differences, prejudice, racism, and xenophobia. The number of admitted refugees in 2022 has more than doubled since 2021 (Duffin, 2022), and yet, many Americans do not know or understand the global refugee crisis. There are misconceptions in America that cause lack of empathy, bias, and prejudice towards refugees. Through the creation of four lesson plans, this research project aims to discover Americans’ misunderstandings regarding refugees and teach them about the crisis to remedy the misconceptions. This study includes a literature review detailing appropriate teaching …

Uncertainty From The Aharonov–Vaidman Identity, Matthew S. Leifer

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

In this article, I show how the Aharonov–Vaidman identity A|ψ>=<A⟩|ψ>+ΔA| ψ⊥A> can be used to prove relations between the standard deviations of observables in quantum mechanics. In particular, I review how it leads to a more direct and less abstract proof of the Robertson uncertainty relation ΔAΔB≥12|< [A,B]>| than the textbook proof. I discuss the relationship between these two proofs and show how the Cauchy–Schwarz inequality can be derived from the Aharonov–Vaidman identity. I give Aharonov–Vaidman based proofs of the Maccone–Pati uncertainty relations …

Gr-334 Comparative Evaluation Of Embed Dataset For Mammogram Classification Using Deep Learning Techniques, Nalla Vineela

C-Day Computing Showcase

Breast cancer is a global health concern for women. The detection of breast cancer in its early stages is crucial, and screening mammography serves as a vital leading-edge tool for achieving this goal. In this study, we evaluated the performance of centralized versions of Resnet 50v2 and Resnet 152v2 models for classification of mammograms using different datasets, which were divided by location number extracted from the EMBED dataset. The datasets were preprocessed and used various techniques to improve the performance of the models. The models are trained and evaluated using metrics such as accuracy, area under the curve (AUC), F1 …

Gr-342 Integration Of Blockchain In Computer Networking: Overview, Applications, And Future Perspectives For Software-Defined Networking (Sdn), Network Security And Protocols, Md Jobair Hossain Faruk

C-Day Computing Showcase

The rapid advancement and increasing complexity of computer networks have created a need for robust, secure, and scalable solutions to manage and protect network resources. Blockchain, an emerging distributed ledger technology, offers enhanced security, transparency, and privacy preservation, making it a promising solution for addressing networking challenges. This paper presents a comprehensive survey of blockchain integration in computer networking, focusing on its potential applications, benefits, and future perspectives in Software-defined Networking (SDN), network security, and networking protocols. We identify that blockchain's tamper-proof nature could significantly improve network security by mitigating risks associated with centralized control and single points of failure. …

Ec-371 Planit Crm - Refactoring For The Future, Justin Hall, Oluwaseyi Falaiye, Thomas Anderson, Sai Krupa Bariki Vidura, Samet Yekta Guclu, Ahmet Bugra Dogan

C-Day Computing Showcase

Planit CRM is a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software that helps in managing and tracking projects, tasks, invoices, quotes, leads, customers, transactions and much more. This software allows anyone to manage leads, create invoices, and start collecting payments seamlessly. The system was developed by Driven Software Solutions under the guidance of Shahzib Sarfraz in 2018. The software has since been used by business owners to allow for easier management of the income and expenses of their operation. It is supported by a team of around fifty developers who maintain the PlanIT CRM software off the site https://planitcrm.com, which can be …

Hipaa Vs. Medical Research: Improving Patient Care Through Integration Of Data Privacy And Data Access, Katherine D'Ordine

Honors Projects in Data Science

The purpose of this research is to understand the current relationship between data access and data privacy in the health care industry and attempt to find a way that important health care research can still be conducted amidst HIPAA regulations. There is a lack of extensive research on the impacts of data privacy on health care research due to access regulations, so a survey was created regarding current data processes and recommendations for creating a healthier relationship between privacy and access for research. It was distributed to anyone in health care, analytics, or research to get a variety of perspectives. …

The State Of Accessibility In Blackboard: Survey And User Reviews Case Study, Mohamed Wiem Mkaouer, Wajdi Aljedaani, Stephanie Ludi, Mohammed Alkahtani, Marcelo M. Eler, Marouane Kessentini, Ali Ouni

Articles

Context: Nowadays, mobile applications (or apps) have become vital in our daily life, particularly within education. Many institutions increasingly rely on mobile apps to provide access to all their students. However, many education mobile apps remain inaccessible to users with disabilities who need to utilize accessibility features like talkback or screen reader features. Accessibility features have to be considered in mobile apps to foster equity and inclusion in the educational environment allowing to use of such apps without limitations. Gaps in the accessibility to educational systems persist.

Objective: In this paper, we focus on the accessibility of the Blackboard mobile …

The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence On The Cybersecurity Industry, Lindsey Shearstone

Honors Projects in Information Systems and Analytics

As our world becomes more digitalized, cyber criminals have an increasing landscape to launch their attacks. Developments in Artificial Intelligence are being used both to attack and defend networks, therefore, what is the next step for cybersecurity companies when it comes to beating these criminals? A study was conducted that utilizes previous literature sources written on the topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the cybersecurity industry. In addition, the insights of professionals in the industry today are included through a survey and interviews to dive into the details of this battle and what lays in its future. The purpose of …

A Pharmacoepidemiological Study Of Myocarditis And Pericarditis Following The First Dose Of Mrna Covid-19 Vaccine In Europe, Joana Tome, Logan Cowan, Isaac Fung

Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Environmental Health Sciences Faculty Publications

This study assessed the myocarditis and pericarditis reporting rate of the first dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in Europe. Myocarditis and pericarditis data pertinent to mRNA COVID19 vaccines (1 January 2021–11 February 2022) from EudraVigilance database were combined with European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)’s vaccination tracker data. The reporting rate was expressed as events (occurring within 28 days of the first dose) per 1 million individuals vaccinated. An observed-to-expected (OE) analysis quantified excess risk for myocarditis or pericarditis following the first mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. The reporting rate of myocarditis per 1 million individuals vaccinated was 17.27 (95% …

Modelling Cell Population Growth, Mahmood Mazarei

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The growth of biological matter, e.g., tumor invasion, depends on various factors, mainly the tissue’s mechanical properties, implying elasticity, stiffness, or apparent viscosity. These properties are impacted by the characteristics of the tissue’s extracellular matrix and constituent cells, including, but not limited to, cell membrane stiffness, cell cytoskeleton mechanical properties, and the intensity and distribution of focal adhesions over the cell membrane. To compute and study the mechanical properties of tissues during growth and confluency, a theoretical and computational framework, called CellSim3D, was developed in our group based on a three-dimensional kinetic division model.

In this work, CellSim3D is …

A Highly Charged Topic: Intrinsically Disordered Proteins And Protein Pka Values, Carter J. Wilson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are known not only for their roles in disease but also for their conformational flexibility, which makes them elusive for experimentation. We consider the role played by theory and simulation in resolving important questions pertaining to IDP structure and dynamics, as well as the nature of the charged residues (e.g., glutamate, lysine, etc.) that enrich them. Specifically, we investigated how the deep learning trained AlphaFold2 (AF2) predictor estimates disorder content, revealing both strong performance in relation to conventional approaches and an important relationship between the AF2 confidence metric and IDP dynamics. We also assessed how modern …

Code Generation Based On Inference And Controlled Natural Language Input, Howard R. Dittmer

College of Computing and Digital Media Dissertations

Over time the level of abstraction embodied in programming languages has continued to grow. Paradoxically, most programming languages still require programmers to conform to the language's rigid constructs. These constructs have been implemented in the name of efficiency for the computer. However, the continual increase in computing power allows us to consider techniques not so limited. To this end, we have created CABERNET, a Controlled Natural Language (CNL) based approach to program creation. CABERNET allows programmers to use a simple outline-based syntax. This syntax enables increased programmer efficiency.

CNLs have previously been used to document requirements. We have taken this …

Climate-Controlled Submarine Landslides On The Antarctic Continental Margin, Jenny A. Gales, Robert M. Mckay, Laura De Santis, Michele Rebesco, Jan Sverre Laberg, Amelia E. Shevenell, David M. Harwood, R. Mark Leckie, Denise K. Kulhanek, Maxine King, Molly Patterson, Renata G. Lucchi, Sookwan Kim, Sunghan Kim, Justin Dodd, Julia Seidenstein, Catherine Prunella, Giulia M. Ferrante, Iodp Expedition

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

Antarctica’s continental margins pose an unknown submarine landslidegenerated tsunami risk to Southern Hemisphere populations and infrastructure. Understanding the factors driving slope failure is essential to assessing future geohazards. Here, we present a multidisciplinary study of a major submarine landslide complex along the eastern Ross Sea continental slope (Antarctica) that identifies preconditioning factors and failure mechanisms. Weak layers, identified beneath three submarine landslides, consist of distinct packages of interbedded Miocene- to Pliocene-age diatom oozes and glaciomarine diamicts. The observed lithological differences, which arise from glacial to interglacial variations in biological productivity, ice proximity, and ocean circulation, caused changes in sediment deposition …

The Rotational Period Distribution Of Massive Magnetic White Dwarfs, Zorayda Martinez

Honors Theses

Rapidly rotating white dwarfs (WDs) have the potential to come about by either double degenerate mergers or weak coupling between the core and the outer envelope during the asymptotic giant branch (AGB). For both cases, knowledge of the rotational period distribution places tight constraints on the evolution of angular momentum transfer. Here we present initial results from a study of the rotational period distribution of 19 massive (M > 0:9M), magnetic, DA WDs observed by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and 17 observed with ground-based telescopes and analyzed with the Lightkurve python package. We present periodograms, folded light curves, and …

Electric Vehicle Uptake: What Factors Are Motivating The Shift For College-Aged And Older Groups?, Jake Cardines

Honors Projects in Mathematics

Electric vehicles (EVs) arguably are the most quickly expanding form of transportation as the world races toward a greener future with advanced technology and reduced reliance on fossil fuels. This study analyzes various expected inputs to motivating consumers of particular age groups to purchase EVs, including examination of how the idea of EV ownership is currently perceived and testing which factors influence it positively and negatively. Data collected from 113 survey respondents serves as the basis for determining the responsiveness of potential future EV owners to variables such as vehicle brand and charging availability, electric range, costs associated with purchase …

The Luminous Power Of Accretion Disks In Active Galactic Nuclei, Imogen Jade Courtney

Honors Theses

Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) are the most luminous long-lived objects in the universe. The phenomenon of the immense luminosities we observe for AGN has interested physicists and astronomers for over a century and continues to fascinate scientists today. The work in this thesis aims to provide an introductory exploration of this phenomenon. This thesis uses a simple model of AGN accretion disks that was developed under the standard disk model proposed by Shakura & Sunyev in 1973 under the simplest assumptions. The model accurately demonstrates how physical parameters, such as the temperature, radiative flux, luminosity, and spectra, scale through an …

Race, Gender And Rawls' "A Theory Of Justice.", Robert Carico

Honors Theses

Should we use the concepts developed by John Rawls in his A Theory of Justice to guide research questions relevant to issues concerning race and gender? This paper argues not only that the concepts from A Theory of Justice should not be used as the primary tool in any debate concerning race and gender, but it also challenges the abstract thinking of 21st Century Western Philosophers to develop a theory of justice that acknowledges the fact that people have their own interests and depending on what race and/or gender they identify with, might not have equal rights protected under the …

Characterization Of Shinella 6-Hydroxy-(L)-Nicotine Oxidase (6hlno-Se), Kaitrin Funckes

Honors Theses

6-hydroxy-(L)-nicotine oxidase, isolated from the organism Shinella sp. HZN7 (6HLNO-SE), is an enzyme that during the catabolism of nicotine catalyzes the oxidation of (S)-6-hydroxynicotine to 6-hydroxypseudeooxynicotine. This enzyme is a member of the monoamine oxidase (MAO) structural family of flavoproteins, which contain a highly conserved FAD-binding domain. Within the binding domain is a conserved lysine residue that can be traced throughout evolutionary history in this family. 6HLNO isolated from Arthrobacter nicotinovorans serves as a model enzyme for the one isolated from Shinella as both catalyze the same reaction in this biochemical pathway and much has been studied about the Arthrobacter …

Heavy Metal Content In Eggs From Wild And Managed-Care Humboldt Penguins, Mya Daniels-Abdulahad

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

The Humboldt penguin, Spheniscus humboldti, has been recognized as a Vulnerable species (IUCN) for nearly two decades, with annual population declines of more than 10% largely attributed to pervasive anthropogenic activity occurring throughout the species’ range of Peru and Chile. Due to recent mining expansions near the species’ largest Peruvian rookery, located at the Punta San Juan (PSJ) reserve, the exposure of breeding individuals to elevated concentrations of trace elements (e.g., heavy metals) in the marine environment is a preeminent concern. While heavy metal toxicity is dependent on metal species, dose, route of exposure, and the physiologic parameters of …

The Bellarmine Bee Bed: Organizing A Native Plant Garden Using Feedback From The Local Community, Kate Moran

Undergraduate Theses

Animal pollinators are the cornerstone of healthy ecosystems. Their survival is essential for the persistence of entire food chains: from the flowers they cross-pollinate directly, to the animals who depend on those plants for nutrition. The establishment of pollinator gardens—particularly ones that consist of native plants—is an effective way to enhance their biodiversity, abundance, and well-being.

The main goal of this thesis is to construct a pollinator garden that maximizes the benefits for animal pollinators using feedback from local gardeners. A survey was used to gather information about the popularity and preferences of 40 flowering plants, and after analyzing the …

High Frequency Radio Communication, Tyler Larsen

Physics Capstone Projects

High frequency radio communication has been the most reliable form of communication for many decades. Over that period, we have learned and experienced times of enhanced signals along with complete radio blackouts. The purpose of this research is to collect and analyze radio signal data to see the evidence of various reasons as to why these phenomena occur. A radio antenna was set up at USU campus to retrieve the signals from beacon networks across the globe that transmit signals every 15 minutes. By tracking a few of these signals we can locate the times of discrepancies in the signals …

The Kp Index And Behavior Of Quiet Periods, Collette Walbeck

Physics Capstone Projects

The Kp-index quantifies the electromagnetic effects in the Earth’s atmosphere and is used in a variety of scientific fields. Higher Kp values tend to be the focus in these fields as they relate to high solar activity and geomagnetic storms. This study aimed to examine the significance, if any, of lower Kp indices. A simple data analysis was performed on continuous sequences of low Kp values, deemed Quiet Periods. Both the daily average of the values and the full set of Kp data were used. A decaying exponential relationship was discovered between the length of these periods and their frequencies …

The Influence Of Diamine Curing Additives On The Network Architecture Of Phthalonitrile Thermosetting Polymers, Tyler J. Richardson

Dissertations

Phthalonitrile monomers undergo diamine-promoted polymerization by a complex reaction mechanism involving two competitive cure pathways, forming two primary network architectures: linear polyisoindoline chains and branched triazine crosslinks. The influence of the diamine curing additive on the polymerization pathway, and the influence of the resulting network architectures on cured network properties, have not been adequately explored within the phthalonitrile field. Two structurally different diamine curing additives, bis[4-(3-aminophenoxy)phenyl] sulfone (mBAPS) and 1,3-phenylenebis((4-(4-aminophenoxy)phenyl)methanone) (AEK-134), were studied for the polymerization of resorcinol phenylphosphate phthalonitrile (RPPhPN), where the influence of diamine structure and concentration on the polymerization behavior, network architecture, and bulk thermal and thermomechanical …

In-Vitro Validated Methods For Encoding Digital Data In Deoxyribonucleic Acid (Dna), Golam Md Mortuza, Jorge Guerrero, Shoshanna Llewellyn, Michael D. Tobiason, George D. Dickinson, William L. Hughes, Reza Zadegan, Tim Andersen

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is emerging as an alternative archival memory technology. Recent advancements in DNA synthesis and sequencing have both increased the capacity and decreased the cost of storing information in de novo synthesized DNA pools. In this survey, we review methods for translating digital data to and/or from DNA molecules. An emphasis is placed on methods which have been validated by storing and retrieving real-world data via in-vitro experiments.

A Study Of The Collection And Sharing Of Student Data With Virginia Universities, Titus Voell

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

Data collection is a vital component in any organization in regards to keeping track of user activity, gaining statistics and improving the user experience, and user identification. While the underlying basis of data collection is understandable, the use of this data has to be closely regulated and documented. In many cases, the VCDPA (Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act) outlines the guidelines for data use, data controller responsibilities, and limitations however nonprofit organizations are exempt from compliance. Colleges and universities, although still held to some degree of limitation, range in permissiveness with what data they choose to collect and retain but …