Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Study Of Hybrid Nanofluid Flow In A Stationary Cone-Disk System With Temperature-Dependent Fluid Properties, A. S. John, Mahanthesh Basavarajappa, G. Lorenzini

School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Cone-disk systems find frequent use such as conical diffusers, medical devices, various rheometric, and viscosimetry applications. In this study, we investigate the three-dimensional flow of a water-based Ag-MgO hybrid nanofluid in a static cone-disk system while considering temperature-dependent fluid properties. How the variable fluid properties affect the dynamics and heat transfer features is studied by Reynolds’s linearized model for variable viscosity and Chiam’s model for variable thermal conductivity. The single-phase nanofluid model is utilized to describe convective heat transfer in hybrid nanofluids, incorporating the experimental data. This model is developed as a coupled system of convective-diffusion equations, encompassing the conservation …

Localized Collocation Meshless Method For Modeling Transdermal Pharmacokinetics In Multiphase Skin Structures, Eduardo Divo

Math Department Colloquium Series

The human skin has a complicated structure with many multi-scale, biophysical effects impacting the propagation of skin-injected substances, such as partitioning, metabolic reactions, adsorption and elimination. An extended version of Fick’s second law governing the process of the compound diffusion in various skin layer is employed in the current work by considering the conservation of mass of the substance and the metabolic reaction of the substance in viable skin. Additionally, a model assuming linear coupling between the substance concentrations that are bound and unbound with blood was developed. Using such a model, a set of coupled partial differential equations are …

Mourning The Planet And Signs Of Hope: The Role Of Grief And Resilience In How Students Understand Climate Change, Zachary C. Wooten, Jocelyn Brown

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Professor Zachary Wooten (Honors College) and Jocelyn Brown '23 present "Mourning the Planet and Signs of Hope: The Role of Grief and Resilience in How Students Understand Climate Change"

A Petrological Characterization Of The Iutzi Member Of Lucas Formation, Michigan Basin, Moira Burns

Honors Theses

It is thought that most Phanerozoic dolomites form via the replacement of precursor calcium carbonate [CaCO₃] with dolomite [CaMg(CO₃)₂] through a dissolution-precipitation reaction with a Mg-bearing fluid. Although this may be widely accepted, the timing, conditions, settings, and mechanisms associated with the dolomitization process are still strongly debated, resulting in the proposal of various dolomitization models. The association between evaporite minerals and dolomite in the rock record is common and has led many to propose a model genetically associating evaporative fluids and dolomitization. The evaporative model posits as marine fluids evaporate and become more …

Navigating Murky Waters: State-Level Strategies For Wetland Preservation And Tile Drainage Regulation After Sackett V. Epa, Caleb M. Swanson

Honors Thesis

Wetlands are some of the world’s most valuable ecosystems, serving as provisioners of species habitat, carbon sequestration, flood mitigation, water quality purification, and other ecosystem services. Human development has resulted in substantial wetland loss the world over. In the 1970s, the United States Congress passed the Clean Water Act, giving the EPA broad authority over wetland protection. However, in the summer of 2023, the United States Supreme Court decided Sackett v. EPA, limiting the EPA’s jurisdiction over wetlands to those indistinguishably connected to generally recognized “Waters of the United States” and removing federal protection for millions of acres of wetlands, …

Advanced Electroanalysis For Electrosynthesis, Monica Brachi, Wassim El Housseini, Kevin Beaver, Rohit Jadhav, Ashwini Dantanarayana, Dylan G. Boucher, Shelley D. Minteer

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Electrosynthesis is a Popular, Environmentally Friendly Substitute for Conventional Organic Methods. It Involves using Charge Transfer to Stimulate Chemical Reactions through the Application of a Potential or Current between Two Electrodes. in Addition to Electrode Materials and the Type of Reactor Employed, the Strategies for Controlling Potential and Current Have an Impact on the Yields, Product Distribution, and Reaction Mechanism. in This Review, Recent Advances Related to Electroanalysis Applied in Electrosynthesis Were Discussed. the First Part of This Study Acts as a Guide that Emphasizes the Foundations of Electrosynthesis. These Essentials Include Instrumentation, Electrode Selection, Cell Design, and Electrosynthesis Methodologies. …

Final 2024 Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit Helehan Borrow Submittal #2, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Employing Ai To Enhance In-Class Role Playing Scenarios, Eric Fournier

Generative AI Teaching Activities

Role playing can deepen student’s engagement with course content and help them develop skills while learning course material. Students will use AI to develop their characters and help them craft compelling arguments in the role-play scenarios

From A Shorter Winter Season To More Storm Damage: New Hampshire Outdoor Recreation Providers Feel Climate Impacts Far More Than Visitors, Maddie Smith, Michael D. Ferguson, Lauren A. Ferguson, Alexandra R. Contosta, Elizabeth Burakowski, Dovev Levine, Shannon Rogers

Carsey School of Public Policy

In this brief, the authors examine to what extent outdoor recreation providers and visitors in New Hampshire are impacted by annual climatic conditions representative of long-term trends, specifically, through the 2024–2028 New Hampshire Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP). For the first time, the New Hampshire SCORP included an investigation of climate-related impacts on outdoor recreation from the perspective of both visitors and providers.

The findings of the study uncovered notable disparities in how New Hampshire’s outdoor recreation providers and visitors perceive climate conditions’ impact on outdoor recreation, particularly in the categories of “winter” and “extreme weather.” Understanding the perspectives …

Applying Mathematical Modeling To The Study Of Family Systems, Dahlia Maxwell

Theses and Dissertations

Mathematical modeling provides a powerful framework for insight into current scientific theories as well as hypothesis generation for further research. Despite its undeniable potential to enrich scientific advancement, the application of mathematical modeling remains conspicuously scarce in the field of family science. The complexity inherent in family dynamics, coupled with the intricate interplay of emotions in the individual, underscores the necessity of a robust analytical approach. Addressing this critical gap in the literature, this thesis introduces a sophisticated mathematical model of family dynamics integrating essential elements from family systems theory, emotion dynamics, and appraisal theory. The model is implemented as …

Advancing Single-Cell Proteomics Through Innovations In Liquid Chromatography And Mass Spectrometry, Kei Grant Isaac Webber

Theses and Dissertations

Traditional proteomics studies can measure many protein biomarkers simultaneously from a single patient-derived sample, promising the possibility of syndromic diagnoses of multiple diseases sharing common symptoms. However, precious cellular-level information is lost in conventional bulk-scale studies that measure tissues comprising many types of cells. As single cells are the building blocks of organisms and are easier to biopsy than traditional bulk samples, performing proteomics on a single-cell level would benefit clinicians and patients. Single-cell proteomics, combined with mass spectrometry imaging, can be used to analyze cells in their microenvironment, preserving spatial information. We have previously used laser-capture microdissection to isolate …

Chiral Recognition Of Chiral (Hetero)Cyclic Derivatives Probed By Tetraaza Macrocyclic Chiral Solvating Agents Via ¹H Nmr Spectroscopy, Yu Wang, Hongmei Zhao, Chunxia Yang, Lixia Fang, Li Zheng, Hehua Lv, Pericles Stavropoulos, Lin Ai, Jiaxin Zhang

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

In the Field of Chiral Recognition, Chiral Cyclic Organic Compounds, Especially Heterocyclic Organic Compounds, Have Attracted Little Attention and Have Been Rarely Studied as Chiral Substrates by Means of 1H NMR Spectroscopy. in This Paper, Enantiomers of Thiohydantoin Derivatives, Representing Typical Five-Membered N,N-Heterocycles, Have Been Synthesized and Utilized for Assignment of Absolute Configuration and Analysis of Enantiomeric Excess. All Enantiomers Have Been Successfully Differentiated with the Assistance of Novel Tetraaza Macrocyclic Chiral Solvating Agents (TAMCSAs) by 1H NMR Spectroscopy. Surprisingly, Unprecedented Nonequivalent Chemical Shift Values (Up to 2.052 Ppm) of the NH Proton of Substrates Have Been Observed, a New …

How Generative Ai Models Such As Chatgpt Can Be (Mis)Used In Spc Practice, Education, And Research? An Exploratory Study, Fadel M. Megahed, Ying-Ju (Tessa) Chen, Joshua A. Ferris, Sven Knoth, L. Allison Jones-Farmer

Mathematics Faculty Publications

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) models such as OpenAI's ChatGPT have the potential to revolutionize Statistical Process Control (SPC) practice, learning, and research. However, these tools are in the early stages of development and can be easily misused or misunderstood. In this paper, we give an overview of the development of Generative AI. Specifically, we explore ChatGPT's ability to provide code, explain basic concepts, and create knowledge related to SPC practice, learning, and research. By investigating responses to structured prompts, we highlight the benefits and limitations of the results. Our study indicates that the current version of ChatGPT performs well for …

Uncertainty Analysis In Machine Learning Models, Ayorinde E. Olatunde, Weiqi Yue, Pawan K. Tripathi, Roger H. French, Anirban Mondal

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Nowcasting Heavy Rainfall With Convolutional Long Short-Term Memory Networks: A Pixelwise Modeling Approach, Yi Victor Wang, Seung Hee Kim, Geunsu Lyu, Choeng-Lyong Lee, Soorok Ryu, Gyuwon Lee, Ki-Hong Min, Menas C. Kafatos

Institute for ECHO Articles and Research

The recent decades have seen an increasing academic interest in leveraging machine learning approaches to nowcast, or forecast in a highly short-term manner, precipitation at a high resolution, given the limitations of the traditional numerical weather prediction models on this task. To capture the spatiotemporal associations of data on input variables, a deep learning (DL) architecture with the combination of a convolutional neural network and a recurrent neural network can be an ideal design for nowcasting rainfall. In this study, a long short-term memory (LSTM) modeling structure is proposed with convolutional operations on input variables. To resolve the issue of …

Residential Metals Abatement Program Investigation Summary Report (Non-Residential Parcels – Indoor Dust) United Congregational Church (Crayon Academy Preschool), Environmental Resource Management (Erm)

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Draft Final Unreclaimed Sites Field Sampling Plan (Fsp) Package #10: Ur-44, Ur-45, Ur-46, Ur-47, And Ur-48, Mike Mcanulty

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Ai Is A Viable Alternative To High Throughput Screening: A 318-Target Study, Izhar Wallach, Denzil Bernard, Kong Nguyen, Gregory Ho, Adrian Morrison, Adrian Stecula, Andreana Rosnik, Ann Marie O’Sullivan, Aram Davtyan, Ben Samudio, Bill Thomas, Brad Worley, Brittany Butler, Christian Laggner, Desiree Thayer, Ehsan Moharreri, Greg Friedland, Ha Truong, Henry Van Den Bedem, Ho Leung Ng, Kate Stafford, Krishna Sarangapani, Kyle Giesler, Lien Ngo, Michael Mysinger, Mostafa Ahmed, Nicholas J. Anthis, Niel Henriksen, Arthur L. Haas, Et Al

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

High throughput screening (HTS) is routinely used to identify bioactive small molecules. This requires physical compounds, which limits coverage of accessible chemical space. Computational approaches combined with vast on-demand chemical libraries can access far greater chemical space, provided that the predictive accuracy is sufficient to identify useful molecules. Through the largest and most diverse virtual HTS campaign reported to date, comprising 318 individual projects, we demonstrate that our AtomNet® convolutional neural network successfully finds novel hits across every major therapeutic area and protein class. We address historical limitations of computational screening by demonstrating success for target proteins without known binders, …

Cardiogpt: An Ecg Interpretation Generation Model, Guohua Fu, Jianwei Zheng, Islam Abudayyeh, Chizobam Ani, Cyril Rakovski, Louis Ehwerhemuepha, Hongxia Lu, Yongjuan Guo, Shenglin Liu, Huimin Chu, Bing Yang

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Numerous supervised learning models aimed at classifying 12-lead electrocardiograms into different groups have shown impressive performance by utilizing deep learning algorithms. However, few studies are dedicated to applying the Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) model in interpreting electrocardiogram (ECG) using natural language. Thus, we are pioneering the exploration of this uncharted territory by employing the CardioGPT model to tackle this challenge. We used a dataset of ECGs (standard 10s, 12-channel format) from adult patients, with 60 distinct rhythms or conduction abnormalities annotated by board-certified, actively practicing cardiologists. The ECGs were collected from The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University and Shanghai …

A Systematic Review: Mirror Neurons & Schizophrenia, Yashesvi Sharma, Surajit Dey

Annual Research Symposium

This research project establishes a link between Mirror Neuron System (MNS) activity and this information's implications in treating and understanding schizophrenia, specifically, schizophrenic patients with negative symptoms.

Reflectance Spectroscopy Datasets For The Validation Of Tanager, Kristiana Lapo, Kathleen Hoza, Sammy Theuer, Melissa S. Rice

Geology Faculty Publications

The Three-Axis N-sample Automated Goniometer for Evaluating Reflectance (TANAGER) is a custom goniometer designed to rapidly acquire spectra of natural rock surfaces across the full scattering hemisphere. TANAGER interfaces with a Malvern Panalytical ASD Fieldspec 4 Hi-Res reflectance spectrometer to collect data from 350-2500 nm at a range of incidence, emission and azimuth angles. To validate the accuracy and repeatability of data collected with TANAGER - and to characterize any instrument noise, artifacts or sample heating effects - we collected spectra from three categories of targets: (1) powdered calcium sulfate (anhydrite), (2) naturally weathered basalt surfaces, and (3) color calibration …

Design, Analysis, And Drop Assembly Of Interlocking Rigid Bodies, Amy K. Sniffen

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

This work presents a system of interlocking blocks that can be used to build a wide variety of structures. The blocks slide together to form structures that interlock geometrically like a puzzle to form semi-permanent structures without the need for cement or friction lock. The blocks are designed to be easy to fabricate, assemble, and disassemble. Contributions of the block designs include a novel interlocking joint structure; the joints are wedge-shaped, allowing for error mitigation during assembly and allowing structures to be assembled without jamming even if there is manufacturing error. We introduce planar, 3D, and volumetric designs using these …

Synthesis Of An Anti-Lysozyme Antibody Tagged With Gold Or Silver Nanoparticle For Faster Western Blot, Harunobu Kato

Chemistry Senior Theses

Western blot is an important protein analysis assay enabling protein detection by visualizing the antibody specific antigen-antibody interaction. As a commonly used assay, western blot is taught in upper-level biochemistry and molecular biology students. However, due to its exhaustive process and high cost of antibodies, a modification to western blot is proposed using gold or silver nanoparticles as a tag to the primary antibody for lysozyme. In this experiment, invisible anti-lysozyme antibodies were conjugated to colloidal gold and silver nanoparticles via photochemical immobilization technique, effectively facilitating a physically observable band on the western blot. To eliminate false positives by interactions …

Thinking Outside The Membrane: Investigating The Structure Of The Influenza A M2 Ectodomain, Kyra Roepke , '24

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

Influenza A leads to annual epidemics that result in three-to-five million cases of severe illness each year and occasional devastating pandemics. Some current prevention and treatment methods target the M2 membrane protein on the surface of the virus. However, viral mutability and drug resistance require the targeting of more conserved parts of the protein.

The goal of this thesis was to investigate the secondary structure and dynamics of the M2 ectodomain (M2e), which is highly conserved across influenza viruses and across evolutionary time. The structure of M2e has previously been challenging to study because of its flexibility. In this study, …

Imaging Of The Shallow Crustal Structure Across The Region Of The 2013 Mw 7.5 Craig Earthquake With High-Resolution Seismic Streamer Tomography, Emma Martin, Andrew Gase, Emily Roland

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

The Queen Charlotte Fault (QCF), located offshore of southeastern Alaska and western British Columbia, accommodates ~5 cm/year of right-lateral strike-slip between the Pacific and North American plates. This fault has generated several magnitude (>7) earthquakes, the most recent being a magnitude 7.5 Craig earthquake in 2013. Analyzing characteristics of damage zones and tectonically influenced subsurface geology surrounding the QCF fault trace, we present a seismic velocity model of a 147 km transect that crosses the approximate epicenter of the Craig earthquake. Ultra-long offset seismic streamer-recorded refractions sample the upper crust and are compiled for first-arrival travel-time tomography. Relatively shallow …

Automating Employee Milestone Celebrations At Geoengineers – Building The Work Anniversary Report Tool, Natalie Keys

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

This project tackles the inefficiencies and potential errors in the current manual tracking of employee anniversaries within the human resources department of a geotechnical engineering firm. By developing a web-based tool, this approach aims to automate and streamline the process, integrating with existing HR processes to ensure accurate and timely recognition of service milestones. The report details the entire development process, encompassing initial planning, design, technology selection, implementation, and testing. This comprehensive development approach ensures that the tool is tailored to meet the specific needs of the company. The significance of this project lies in its potential to enhance operational …

Evaluating Automated Accessibility Checker Tools, Thai Nguyen

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

The internet has grown into a tool that is essential for communication, education, and commerce. However, for those with disabilities, web content can often have significant barriers if it is not designed with accessibility in mind. Digital accessibility ensures that websites and applications are usable by everyone, regardless of ability. In order to make sure web content complies with accessibility standards, automated accessibility evaluation tools have grown in significance. This paper investigates the effectiveness of automated accessibility evaluation tools (AAETs) for identifying web accessibility issues. The research analyzed five prominent AAETs: Accessibility Insights, aXe DevTools, Lighthouse, SiteImprove, and WAVE and …

Evaluating How Well Open-Source Ai Models Interpret Written Prompts, Madeline Pysher

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

The purpose of this study was to take a cursory look into understanding how good “utopian” urban form is interpreted by AI. The importance of this study is that AI is now being used in every facet of society. Some examples of this include using AI to find cures for diseases (Heaven, 2023), integrating with geography to create digital-twins that control traffic lights (Digital-Twin, n.d.), and fabrication of news and profiles on social media (Mishra, 2024). All this exposure to AI feeds into people's expectations and desires for an ideal world- aka for a utopia. Some current examples of how …

Ashes To Algae: Phytoplankton Communities In Early Successional Ponds At The Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, Lillie Tomlinson

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Freshwater biodiversity is declining worldwide, and ponds have been found to be incredibly biodiverse freshwater habitats that provide important ecosystem services and create critical terrestrial-aquatic linkages. Phytoplankton are fundamental components of aquatic communities and provide ecosystems with oxygen, send energy throughout the food web, and are an important food source for organisms like zooplankton. The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens led to the formation of over 100 diverse ponds in the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. This study aims to shed light on phytoplankton community dynamics and assemblages as well as regional differences in community dynamics in previously …

The Dawn Of A New Era: Generative Ai And The Future Of Work, Saunder Vanwoerden

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

This article aims to provide a snapshot of the current capabilities and general sentiments towards generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology as of mid-2024. It offers an overview of how technologies like large language models work and summarizes some of AI's current abilities. The article also shares insights from interviews with tech industry professionals and students from Western Washington University, exploring how they use AI tools and perceive their impact on jobs now and in the future. These interviews revealed that generative AI is proving to be useful primarily in boosting productivity, eliminating some tedium from work, and aiding in the …