Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Development Of An Autonomous Aerial Toolset For Agricultural Applications, Terrance Life

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

According to the United Nations, the world population is expected to grow from its current 7 billion to 9.7 billion by the year 2050. During this time, global food demand is also expected to increase by between 59% and 98% due to the population increase, accompanied by an increasing demand for protein due to a rising standard of living throughout developing countries. [1] Meeting this increase in required food production using present agricultural practices would necessitate a similar increase in farmland; a resource which does not exist in abundance. Therefore, in order to meet growing food demands, new methods will …

Evaluation Of Reasons That May Affect Whether Academically Capable Females Choose To Major In Stem, Kerri Alexander Adkins

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to study the reasons why academically capable females choose to pursue majors in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields. A mixed-methods approach using focus groups and a survey were used. Data were gathered from the focus group sessions and used to develop the survey that was then validated and checked for reliability. After some edits, the survey was administered to female freshmen attending Western Kentucky University. Unfortunately, all female students who completed the survey except one indicated they were pursuing STEM majors.

The results from this study suggest that the reasons surrounding the …

Leaving Ligand Effects On Reactivity And Solubility Of Monofunctional Platinum(Ii) Anticancer Complexes, Heidi Linn Hruska Millay

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Monofunctional platinum(II) complexes, such as phenanthriplatin and pyriplatin, have notably different characteristics from the bifunctional anticancer complexes, such as cisplatin and oxaliplatin, which have detrimental toxicities and resistance associated with them. The unique properties of the monofunctional complexes may be exploited to target cancer cells without producing the toxic side effects associated with the current FDA-approved platinum-based anticancer drugs. To advance the understanding of these monofunctional platinum(II) complexes, this study replaced the chloride leaving ligand with an acetate group, which should increase solubility and alter the rate of reactivity with key amino acid and nucleotide targets. Phenanthriplatin and pyriplatin compounds …

Analysis Of Permaculture’S Water Conservation And Crop Supporting Abilities, Hannah Chaney

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

In the Middle East, virtually all agriculturally viable land is under high threat of desertification due to poor land and resource management and climate change. Mulching using straw flakes (straw mulch permaculture) is a method commonly used in successful dry land permaculture projects in the Middle East. We proposed that straw mulch permaculture would increase the amount of soil moisture during dry periods and that this method would not impact the growth and survival of the crop. In order to test this hypothesis, we took soil samples from plots with and without straw mulch permaculture in Bowling Green, KY and …

The Effects Of Organic And Inorganic Nanoparticles On Bacterial Deactivation, Lauren Cooper

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Antibacterial resistance is one of the greatest problems in modern medicine, as healthcare professionals are experiencing more and more difficulty in providing effective care. As such, alternative methods of treatment are needed in order to overcome this issue. One recently proposed method of alternative treatment is photodynamic therapy. Photodynamic therapy is a light-based method of treatment that utilizes (1) a photosensitizing agent, (2) light, (3) produced oxygen species. When the photosensitizing agent is injected into an infected region of interest and then irradiated with a certain wavelength of light, the agent is photoactivated and begins to produce harmful forms of …

Developing Tale Proteins As A Biosensor For Detecting Pathogen Specific Double-Stranded Dna, Kathrine Gaiko

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Transcription activator-like effector (TALE) proteins are important for DNA binding. They bind to specific nucleotide sequences by the use of two residues in each repeat allowing them to target specific DNA sequences. Their modular structure makes TALEs advantageous over other DNA binding proteins such as zinc finger proteins. Zinc finger proteins (ZFP) use a finger like projection to bind 3-4 subsequence base pairs while TALE proteins use two amino acid residues in each repeat to bind one nucleotide. ZFP can use SEER-Lac system for colorimetric detection, while TALE proteins can use fluorescence labeling with Alexa for detection of binding to …

Optimal Control Theory And Estimation Of Parameters In A Differential Equation Model For Patients With Lupus, Peter Agaba

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

System Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disorder that affects many parts of the body including skin, joints, kidneys, brains and other organs. Lupus Nephritis (LN) is a disease caused by SLE. Given the complexity of LN, we establish an optimal treatment strategy based on a previously developed mathematical model.For our thesis work, the model variables are: Immune Complexes (I), Pro-inflammatory mediators (P), Damaged tissue (D), and Anti-inflammatory mediators (A). The analysis in this research project focuses on analyzing therapeutic strategies to control damage using both parameter estimation techniques (integration of data to quantify any uncertainties associated with …

Quantification Of Tylosin Antibiotics In Cattle Waste, Appala Keerthi

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Antibiotics are used as prophylactic agents to promote growth and for treating infections in animals. However, the irrational use of antibiotics in livestock management is a significant cause of the development of antibioticresistant genes in the environment. Each year 2 million people suffer from the infections caused by bacteria which are resistant to antibiotics and 23,000 of these people are estimated to die because of antibiotic resistance. New drugs are continually coming into the market but are at the risk of developing resistance. Thus, there is a need for the development of analytical methods which can be used to monitor …

Ua84 Sigma Chi, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records created by and about the WKU chapter of Sigma Xi.

Ua66/6/1 Ogden College Of Science & Engineering Biology Administration, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records created by and about the administration of the Biology Department.

Ua66/6/2 Ogden College Of Science & Engineering Biology Publications, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Publications created by and about Biology.

Thomson, Patrick Henry, 1819-1901 (Sc 3266), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

MSS Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 3266. Farm journal kept by Patrick Henry Thomson of Hurricane Hall, Fayette County, Kentucky. He records daily temperatures and farm operations, and makes occasional mention of his and wife Julia's activities. A loose item dated 10 November 1852 gives him notice of a meeting in regards to the recent fire at the county courthouse.

Ua12/2/2 Talisman: Movement, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Archives Records

2018 Talisman yearbook.

• Good, Hannah. Movement
• Kinser, Nicholas. Tunnel Trap
• Cozer, Claire. A Day in the Life of a Food Truck – Mike Wilson, Pop’s Street Eats
• Fletcher, Griffin. Beauty in Power – WKU Women’s Rugby Club
• Gordon, Zora. The Mixed Experience
• Hornsby, Morgan. Bonfire
• Waters, Adrianna. Mispoken – Communication Disorders
• Chu, Phi. Home Base – Jessica Barks
• Cooksey, Catrina. Rerouted – Sydney Clark, Austin Clark, Blake Perkins, Sheila Flener, Handicapped Persons
• Good, Hannah. Not Safe for Work – Prostitution
• Chu, Phi. Transfigured Night
• Carter, De’inara. Passing the Plate – International Students, Recipes
• Robb, Hayley. From Sole to Soul – …

Developing A New Sensing Technology For Double-Stranded Dna Detection Utilizing Engineered Zinc Finger Proteins And Nanomaterials, Dat Thinh Ha

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A specific double-stranded DNA sensing system is of great interest for diagnostic and other biomedical applications. Zinc finger domains, which recognize double-stranded DNA, can be engineered to form custom DNA-binding proteins for recognition of specific DNA sequences. As a proof of concept, a sequence-enabled reassembly of TEM-1 β- lactamase system (SEER-LAC) was previously demonstrated to develop zinc finger protein (ZFP) arrays for the detection of a double-stranded bacterial DNA sequence. Here, we implemented the SEER-LAC system to demonstrate the direct detection of pathogenspecific DNA sequences present in E. coli O157:H7 on the lab-on-a chip. ZFPs customdesigned to detect shiga toxin …

Investigations Of Biotremors In The Veiled Chameleon (Chamaeleo Calyptratus), Kathryn C. Laslie

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

While substrate-borne vibrations are utilized by different reptile species, true conspecific communication via biotremors has not yet been demonstrated in reptiles. This study follows a preliminary report that the veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) could produce biotremors in communicative contexts. I tested chameleon behavioral sensitivity to vibrations by placing them on a dowel attached to a shaker emitting vibrations of 25, 50, 150, 300, and 600 Hz and then measured their changes in velocity before and after the stimulus. I then paired chameleons in various social contexts [anthropogenic disturbance (human disruption of animal); dominance (malemale; female-female C. calyptratus); courtship (male-female C. …

An Evaluation Of Deterrent Methods Utilized To Prevent Crop Raiding By African Elephants (Loxodonta Africana) In The Kasigau Wildlife Corridor, Kenya, Rebecca Lynn Von Hagen

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Escalating human elephant conflict (HEC) continues to be a contributing factor

towards elephant decline, and crop raiding is the most common form of negative

human-elephant interactions. For communities that cannot reverse or prevent crop

raiding, it is necessary to contain HEC events through deterrent measures. Few

deterrent measures exist that combine practicality and affordability while also

preventing habituation by elephants. This project focused on comparing the efficacy of

deterrent methods to assess which was the most successful at preventing elephants

from entering crops in the farming community of Sasenyi, Kenya. In this paired-control

study, four deterrent methods were evaluated: acacia …

Using Computational Bayesian Statistics To Analyze Parameters In A Differential Equation Model, Jacob Menix

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The purpose of this project is to use Bayesian statistics to analyze values of parameters for a previously developed system of differential equations which describes the healing process of diabetic foot ulcers. The model describes the relationships between matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), their inhibitors (TIMPs), and extracellular matrix (ECM). A Bayesian approach is used when the availability of data is sparse, as it is in this case. Delayed Rejection Adaptive Metropolis (DRAM), a MATLAB implementation of a Metropolis-Hastings algorithm, is used to estimate parameters. This approach with the individual patient data allows us to estimate and compare parameters and their pairwise …

Biomimetic Studies Of Oxidation Reactions By Metalloporphyrins Through Ligand Effect And Kinetic Studies Of Photo-Generated Porphyrin-Iron(Iv)- Oxocompound Ii Models, Dharmesh J. Patel

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

High-valent iron(IV)-oxo porphyrins are the central oxidizing species in hemecontaining enzymes and synthetic oxidation catalysts. Many transition metal complexes have been extensively studied as models of the ubiquitous cytochrome P450 enzymes to probe the sophisticated oxygen atom transfer (OAT) mechanism as well as to invent enzyme-like oxidation catalysts. In this work, two metalloporphyrin complexes have been successfully synthesized, and spectroscopically characterized. A new photochemical entry to porphyrin-iron(IV)-oxo derivatives, commonly referred to as compound II models, was also investigated in two porphyrin ligands that differ in electronic and steric environments. As determined by their distinct UV-vis spectra and kinetic behaviors, iron(IV)-oxo …

Analyzing The Efficiency Of Reforestation Efforts In Regaining Carbon Storage In A Costa Rican Cloud Forest, Elvin Irihamye

Student Research Conference Select Presentations

Forests hold an important place in offsetting carbon emissions, absorbing nearly 40 percent of man-made fossil fuel emissions every year. Over the last 100 years, the effects of deforestation have crippled our forest’s ability to store excess carbon, leading to drastic atmospheric change. Efforts to regrow deforested forests have increased rapidly to address issues like climate change. There is thus a need to analyze current efforts at regaining carbon storage, a critical component to maintaining atmospheric homeostasis. Accordingly, we traveled to the Cloudbridge Nature Reserve in San Gerardo, Costa Rica to aggregate data on the carbon storage capabilities across three …

Using Mixed Effects Modeling To Quantify Difference Between Patient Groups With Diabetic Foot Ulcers, Rachel French

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

When diabetes progresses, many patients suffer from chronic foot ulcers. In a study described in Matrix Metalloproteinases and Diabetic Foot Ulcers (Muller et al., 2008), sixteen patients with diabetic foot ulcers were examined throughout a twelve week healing period. During this period, levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-1), their inhibitors (TIMP-1), and the extracellular matrix in a wound area were measured at distinct time intervals for each patient. The ratios of these healing components are vital in determining whether a wound will heal or become chronic and never properly heal. Connecting Local and Global Sensitivities in a Mathematical Model for Wound …

Landscape Genetics Of The California Tiger Salamander: Inferences From Multiple Methods, Samantha Gabrielle Thomas

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Landscape genetics is a rapidly growing field of study that compares patterns of gene flow among populations with habitat heterogeneity across a landscape to infer the interaction between dispersal of individuals and their physical environment. Empirical data generated from a landscape genetics study can inform conservation and management strategies, making the field increasing popular. However, concerns have arisen in the literature that the field is expanding faster than the analytic framework that supports it. Multiple methods for generating estimates of the association among habitat types and dispersal (i.e., least-cost paths and resistance surfaces) have been proposed, and there is a …

Detection Of Tetracyclines In An Anaerobic Waste Digester Using Solid Phase Extraction And High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry, Courtney Cruse

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Antibiotics are introduced to livestock to encourage growth and for the treatment of diseases. These antibiotics are not completely metabolized by swine, and thus these antibiotics are excreted with their waste. This poses a potential risk to human health as these antibiotics, a potential link to antibiotic resistant bacteria, then enter the surface water, ground water, and soil. In collaboration with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Bowling Green, Kentucky, this research is concerned with analyzing the degradation of tetracyclines in swine waste from an anaerobic digester. Waste samples obtained from a digester and swine waste at the USDA …

The Incredible Inventions Of Intuitive Ai: Ted Talk Annotated Resource List, Dylan Duckworth

Undergraduate Research Award

No abstract provided.

Geoprofiles And Data About Data, Dolly Na-Yemah

Student Research Conference Select Presentations

In climatological studies, it’s been long understood that it is not only crucial in documenting characteristics of the proximate landscapes for determining climate instrument exposures, but also doing so in such a way that those characteristics can be readily communicated to users of climatological data (Mahmood et al. 2006). Geoprofiles, a model for visualizing spatial metadata, do just that by including layers of elevation, land use and land cover. For this project, Geoprofiles for selected weather and climate monitoring stations of Kentucky Mesonet (www.kymesonet.org) were created using geographic information system (GIS) software. GIS processed Digital Elevation Models (D EMs), aerial …

Detection And Quantitation Of Tetracycline Antibiotics In Agricultural Swine Wastes, Ali Jamal Abdulrheem

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The spread of tetracyclines through agricultural systems is causing the present bacteria to develop antibiotic resistance. The spread of this bacteria, as well as the tetracycline antibiotics in the environment is dangerous because these antibiotics pose health hazards for humans. The overuse of antibiotics, which are added to livestock feed, results in the antibiotics being released into the environment via animal feces. In this research, we have attempted to design an analytical method to isolate antibiotics from agricultural wastes with subsequent detection using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The antibiotics investigated in this study were tetracycline, chlortetracycline, and oxytetracycline. …

Synthesis, Kinetic And Catalytic Studies Of Manganese Complexes With Corrole And Porphyrin Ligands, Haleh Jeddi

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

High-valent transition metal-oxo intermediates play a significant role in the catalytic cycle of the ubiquitous cytochrome P450 enzymes and in biomimetic catalytic systems. In this work, manganese(III) porphyrin and corrole systems (2) were synthesized and characterized by UV-vis absorbance and 1H-NMR, matching literaturereported spectroscopic data. Manganese(V)-oxo corroles (3) and a manganese(IV)-oxo porphyrin (4) were successfully generated by chemical oxidation using mchloroperoxybenzoic acid (m-CPBA), and their oxidation reactions with organic reductants were comparatively investigated. Results from single-turnover kinetic studies indicate that in the tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrole system (3a), the active oxidizing intermediate differs in different solvents. The active oxidizing intermediate in acetonitrile is …

A Proposed Frequency-Based Feature Selection Method For Cancer Classification, Yi Pan

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Feature selection method is becoming an essential procedure in data preprocessing step. The feature selection problem can affect the efficiency and accuracy of classification models. Therefore, it also relates to whether a classification model can have a reliable performance. In this study, we compared an original feature selection method and a proposed frequency-based feature selection method with four classification models and three filter-based ranking techniques using a cancer dataset. The proposed method was implemented in WEKA which is an open source software. The performance is evaluated by two evaluation methods: Recall and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC). Finally, we found the …

The Effects Of Carrier Ligands On Cisplatin Binding To Cysteine And Methionine, Adam C.R Smith

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

We have reacted several derivatives of the anticancer drug cisplatin with N-acetyl-Lcysteine (N-AcCys) and N-acetyl-L-methionine (N-AcMet), which are two of the primary amino acid targets of platinum. NMR spectroscopy was used to monitor the reactions and determine the effect the different ligands would have on the platinum reactivity. Several of the platinum compounds were tested at pH of 4 and 7, and with platinum:amino acid ratios of 1:1, 2:1 and 1:2. Competition reactions between cysteine and methionine were done to confirm which would react with the platinum compound first. [Pt(dien)(NO3)]+ reacts faster with methionine than with cysteine at both pH …

Effects Of Binding Affinity Between Bovine Serum Albumin And Platinum Drugs, Nathan Puckett

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Platinum complex drugs such as cisplatin have been used as highly successful chemotherapy drugs since the 1970s. We are interested in how the ligands attached to cisplatin analogs influences their reactivity with biologically relevant targets along with time and amount. For this study, reactions were conducted to determine the reactivity between different platinum compounds and the protein bovine serum albumin. Various platinum compounds with different ligands were reacted in varying amounts with albumin in ammonium acetate buffer for either 1 hour, 4 hours, or 24 hours. Each reaction was quenched after the designated reaction time by dialysis and the platinum …

Teaching Assistant [Career Paper], Madelynn Williams

Undergraduate Research Award

No abstract provided.