Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Unlocking Nature’S Code: Design Principles For Cooperativity In Multi-Electron Redox Processes, Mariona Garcia Dalmases, Alexis Telford, Courtney Young

Undergraduate Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Megordle: A Wdolre Usclnbaermr, Meg Arney

Undergraduate Research Conference

Our goal was to make a dynamic word unscrambler app based on the random generation of words from a database. The original database contains 4,320 of the most common words in the English language. This project was originally designed in Visual Studio Code in java and takes input from the terminal. The project was later translated into C# and transferred into Unity to provide a visual and dynamic interface for users.

Using Macroinvertebrates As Water Quality Indicators In Angelina River, Aditi Dangi, Asa Dillon, Jolene Manlapaz, Ashley Riley, Hope Stowe

Undergraduate Research Conference

The Angelina River supports a variety of macroinvertebrates, fertilizers, and water-tolerant flora. The goal of this research was to create a complete dataset on water quality that included variables such as pH, dissolved oxygen content, nitrate levels, and temperature. The main objective was to link water contamination indicators with macroinvertebrate diversity to establish an early warning system for ecosystem health by collecting samples at two different locations of the Angelina River.

Analysis using Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Lehigh Environmental Initiative guidelines showed that both locations had acceptable dissolved oxygen levels and healthy nitrate levels despite the environmental fluctuation. Using …

No Generation Without Representation: Solving Ai Art Attribution With Sno-E, Sadie Campbell

Undergraduate Research Conference

Artificial intelligence has sparked a new-age debate about its ethical implications, specifically in the world of art. The Signature Neural Operative- Environment (SNO-E) is a multidisciplinary solution that draws on computer science, statistics, and art. It addresses the issue of proper attribution for Al-generated artworks through a Convolution Neural Network that adopts signature checks to cite artists whose works are sampled by Al. This novel approach ensures proper recognition and compensation for artists in the Al-generated era.

Comparative Lineament And Geomorphic Analysis Of Chaotic Terrains And Noctis Labyrinthus, Mars, Sarah A. Walton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Noctis Labyrinthus (NL) is an extensional trough network connecting the Tharsis rise and Valles Marineris on Mars. Chaotic terrains are a group of polygonally-fractured surface features commonly associated with subsidence due to rapid fluid loss within the subsurface. Polygonal surface patterns are seen at both sites, where geometric topographic highs are bounded by low troughs. Lineaments, topography, and geomorphology of NL and chaotic terrains were analyzed to determine tectonics and fluid influence in the formation and evolution of both sites. NL shows preferential fracture patterns associated with regional extension. Lineaments within chaotic terrains do not show cumulative preferential trends but …

Quantifying Current Soil Brine Contamination Within The Smackover Oil Field In Arkansas Using Multispectral Digital Imagery, Victoria Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A remote sensing study was performed to quantify current soil brine contamination across the historic Smackover Oil Field in south-central Arkansas, United States. The oil field was established in 1922 and was not subject to the future waste regulations created by the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission. Brine is a waste product of oil manufacturing which contains water with high salt levels. The storage and transport of brine in the oil field created landscape scarring across the study area.

Landsat 9 multispectral digital imagery was utilized to create supervised classification maps based on earthen pits and creek scarring across the …

A History Of Complex Simple Lie Algebras, Avrila Frazier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 1869, prompted by his work in differential equations, Sophus Lie wondered about categorizing what he called “closed systems of commutative transformations,” while around the same time, Wilhelm Killing’s work on non-Euclidean geometry encountered related topics. As mathematicians recognized this as a division of abstract algebra, the area became known as “continuous transformation groups," but we now refer to them as Lie groups.

Patterns and structures emerged from their work, such as describing Lie groups in connection with their associated Lie algebras, which can be categorized in many important ways. In this paper, we focus on Lie algebras over the …

Bridging The Cultural Gap, Trish Ramos

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

Multicultural education is about teaching people about each other without bias. Banks, C. (2016) states “Teachers need to understand their students’ community and home life (pg. 278).” As teachers it is our duty to ensure that every student that enters our classroom leaves with a sense of worth and knowing that each of them matter regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender or cultural.

Speciation Of Elements Via A Sequential Extraction Procedure In Municipal Wastewater Biosolids From Three Rural Wwtp In East Texas (Usa), Kefa K. Onchoke

Faculty Publications

In this data article, the bioavailability of elements in municipal wastewater sludge (also known as biosolids) in samples collected from three treatment plants in East Texas, USA was evaluated. Although detailed speciation of the metals were assessed by using inductively coupled plasma optical spectroscopy (ICP-OES), and were discussed in the research article titled “Evaluating bioavailability of elements in municipal wastewater sludge (Biosolids) from three rural wastewater treatment plants in East Texas (USA) by a sequential extraction procedure” [1], this report presents the absolute raw concentrations and fractionations of the 26 metals from the biosolids (Nacogdoches Wastewater Sludge, Lufkin Wastewater Sludge, …

Effectiveness Of 2016 Watershed Protection Plan On Bacteria And Nutrient Concentration Loads In The Attoyac Bayou Watershed, Jack Henson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 2004, bacteria and nutrient sampling on the Attoyac Bayou Watershed discovered elevated concentrations of E. coli on five of the main channels key tributary streams. The Attoyac Bayou was then listed on the Texas 303d list of impaired waterbodies and further research was conducted to identify the main sources of contamination in the waterbody. In 2016, the Attoyac Bayou Watershed Plan (WPP) was developed to implement best management practices (BMPs) that would decrease bacteria and nutrient concentrations in the watershed. Educational outreach programs, on-site-sewage facility repair, and livestock management were some of the strategies suggested by the protection plan …

Reservoir Characterization Of The Utica Shale Play Using Well Log Data In Columbiana, Ohio, Tyler L. West

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Ordovician Utica shale play is rapidly developing throughout the Appalachian Basin. The play is a mixed carbonate-siliciclastic system that grades from primarily carbonates at its base in the Lexington/Trenton limestones into primarily shale within the Utica shale. As of January 2021, it is the third highest-producing dry shale gas play in the contiguous U.S., although it is known to produce wet gas and oil in various parts of the basin. In addition to being an unconventional reservoir, the Utica shale, an informal unit in Ohio where the main fairway is located, is a known source rock for much of …

How To Be An Anti-Racist Educator: A Book Review Through An Educational Perspective, Maria Cristina F. Soares, Melanie Morales

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

The authors reviewed the book How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi (2019) while reflecting on how Kendi’s brilliant dismantlement of racism and discrimination would help educators become conscious of how racism operates in our society, their schools, and their communities. Kendi’s book could motivate teachers to self-reflect on intrinsic feelings and misconceptions about race and culture built over time, allowing them to adopt new attitudes towards their students and school community. The authors considered the need to reevaluate systemic racism in schools as research has, for instance, found evidence of discriminatory practices towards African American boys (Gregory …

An Analysis Of All-Cause Mortality On Patients With Sickle Cell Disease And Kidney Disease Using Propensity Score Matching, Adam Garrison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this work, we provide an overview of the Cox proportional hazards model for time to event or survival analysis and the notion of propensity score matching to deal with confounding factors. A full analysis is reported in Chapter 2 concerning mortality for in-center dialysis patients with sickle cell disease to demonstrate the application of a general analysis strategy that has some logistical benefits over more traditional approaches to accounting for confounding variables. We also provide some insight and discussions on the challenges and future research questions that will emerge when trying to implement this strategy as a monitoring tool …

Blockchain Security: Double-Spending Attack And Prevention, William Henry Scott Iii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis shows that distributed consensus systems based on proof of work are vulnerable to hashrate-based double-spending attacks due to abuse of majority rule. Through building a private fork of Litecoin and executing a double-spending attack this thesis examines the mechanics and principles behind the attack. This thesis also conducts a survey of preventative measures used to deter double-spending attacks, concluding that a decentralized peer-to-peer network using proof of work is best protected by the addition of an observer system whether internal or external.

Restrictions On Topological Symmetry Groups Of The 3-Rung Möbius Ladder On The Torus, Logan Willhoite

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this work, we discuss properties of the 3-rung Möbius ladder embedded on the surface of a torus. We present proofs on restrictions of topological symmetry groups of the Möbius ladder with and without the assumption of preserving orientation. Specifically, we show that Z₂ is the only possible non-trivial orientation-preserving topological symmetry groups, and also that Z₂ and D₂ are the only possible nontrivial topological symmetry groups.

Dolphin Behavioral Responses To Uncrewed Aerial Systems As A Function Of Exposure, Height, And Type, Savannah Damiano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) are becoming a standard tool in the study of cetaceans, however, a comparative assessment of animal responses to UAS has not been established to gauge the most effective systems for cetacean study. We utilized Dolphin Quest Bermuda’s eleven bottlenose dolphins as subjects for such an investigation taking place over five weeks in 2022 and five weeks in 2023. The dolphins were evaluated for investigative behavioral responses to six off-the-shelf UAS types and a custom fixed wing system. Each UAS was flown in decreasing height vertically above the main dolphin lagoon to evaluate dolphin behavioral responses in …

The Future Is Now In Twisted Coil Polymer Actuators (Tcpa), Ryan Ronquillo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis aimed to fabricate and test twisted coiled polymer actuators (TCPA) to understand the mechanical and thermal aspects of this artificial muscle fiber. The purpose of this thesis was to find a linear relationship using the LVDT sensor, fabricating TCPA fibers, and interpreting the data. The project tested whether nylon/polymer could be used as a better artificial muscle fiber.

This research accomplished three goals: (1) designing and fabricating a system capable of creating supercoiled muscle fibers consistently, (2) calibrating the Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT) and Core, and (3) analyzing/interpreting the data of the Twisted Coiled Polymer Actuators (TCPA) …

Identifying And Analyzing Multi-Star Systems Among Tess Planetary Candidates Using Gaia, Katie E. Bailey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Exoplanets represent a young, rapidly advancing subfield of astrophysics where much is still unknown. It is therefore important to analyze trends among their parameters to learn more about these systems. More complexity is added to these systems with the presence of additional stellar companions. To study these complex systems, one can employ programming languages such as Python to parse databases such as those constructed by TESS and Gaia to bridge the gap between exoplanets and stellar companions. Data can then be analyzed for trends in these multi-star exoplanet systems and in juxtaposition to their single-star counterparts. This research was able …

Carbonate Microfacies Of The Middle To Upper Pennsylvanian Cache Creek Group At Meadow Lake, British Columbia, Canada, Brennen Leidy

Undergraduate Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Functional Fluorescent Silver Nanoclusters On Single Stranded Dna Scaffolds, Ravyn Solis, Angel Torres, Brock Gascon

Undergraduate Research Conference

The aim of the present study is to determine the effectiveness of silver nanocluster (Ag NC) against biofilm of Bacillus Thuringiensis ( and Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ( A 60 base long DNA aptamer specific for BT tied to the 5 end of a 16 base cytosine rich DNA oligonucleotide is chosen as the template for growing the Ag NC Two DNA aptamers specific for PA and part of their sequences were chosen as templates for growing the Ag NC Circular dichroism ( studies determined the presence of secondary structures In addition, UV/Vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic studies confirmed the formation of …

Effectiveness Of Sansevieria Plants To Purify The Vocs In Air Caused By The Use Of Febreeze And Diffuser Contaminants, Garrett Hacker, Quinn Whidden, Alayna Wagner, Zach Palmer, Brystal Beyer

Undergraduate Research Conference

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a danger to every household that has access to chemical products such as air fresheners or select cleaning products. VOCs are dangerous when people are around high concentrations for any extended period. This experiment was conducted to examine the ability of sansevieria plants to filter VOCs added from normal household products. The plants used in this experiment were propagated into smaller pieces in order to fit into capsules. To begin testing, the contaminants were added to the capsules and the VOC levels were measured overtime with the Ion Science Tiger sensor. The basic trend of …

Determination Of The Cation Exchange Capacity In Smectite Clays, Allison Swaim

Undergraduate Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Air Pollutants Around An Animal Feed Processing Facility In Nacogdoches, Tx: A Study On Their Effect On Local Outdoor Air Quality, Reyna Burns, Remigio Casanova, Cari Mitchell, Caroline Moore, Kaylee Zirlott

Undergraduate Research Conference

In this exploratory study, different odorous compounds were measured near TFP Nutrition to better understand the impact of odor on local outdoor air quality. TFP Nutrition produces pet feed, livestock feed, and agricultural fertilizer for local brand Lone Star Feeds. It is known in the Nacogdoches area for producing powerful odors near its facilities. It is in the downtown area of the city and in proximity to an elementary school, recreational softball fields, and residential homes. Odors can be connected to the presence of air pollutants. This study on air quality was performed to quantify this data on odors for …

Computer Modelling Of The Interaction Between Cerme-8 J Domain And Cehsp70-1, Grace Thornhill, Cole Easley

Undergraduate Research Conference

Abstract: Rme-81 is a J domain-containing plasma membrane protein that is required for endocytosis in various cells2. The J domain is a characteristic structural motif found mainly in heat shock protein 40 (Hsp40 or DnaJ) and other proteins such as Rme-83. Within the J domain is a tripeptide, the HPD motif, that is required by the J-domain protein to interact with and stimulate the ATPase activity of Hsp70, a major cellular chaperone4. The Rme-8 protein in C. elegans, CeRme-8, has not been identified with a particular Hsp70 partner. CeHsp70-1 is the only cytosolic Hsp70 in C. elegans, therefore, we hypothesize …

Detection Of Carbamazepine, Diclofenac, And Ketoprofen Via A Spe-Hplc-Pda Method In A Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant In East Texas, Usa, Gary Lopez, Anthony Broom

Undergraduate Research Conference

Pharmaceutical compounds are introduced into the environment and may pose adverse environmental and human health effects. The sources of pharmaceuticals include sewage, animal waste, and/or improper disposal from homes and hospitals. In this study, the spectroscopic, and chromatographic properties of carbamazepine (CBZ), diclofenac (DF), and ketoprofen (KT) were analyzed by using UV-Vis, fluorescence and HPLC. Via UV-VIS spectroscopy, CBZ, DF, and KT exhibited absorption peaks at 285 nm, 284 nm and 255.6 nm, respectively. The determined fluorescence quantum yield (Ff) for CBZ, DF, and KT were Ff = 0.226, 0.287, and 0.327, respectively. Retention times was observed at 3.84 (CBZ), …

Beer We Go! A Study Of Carbonated And Nitrogenated Beers, Sadie Atkins, Holly S. Gibson

Undergraduate Research Conference

A flavorful crisp beer is a popular, worldwide beverage. Beer can be either carbonated or nitrogenated, each giving a different sensory outcome. Carbonated beer, such as Budweiser, has a crispy and light texture, whereas nitrogenated beer, such as Guinness, has a creamy, smooth mouthfeel. A comparison study of these two different beer types was done using a Packaged Beverage Analyzer (PBA). The PBA is used to analyze the density, CO CO2, O 2, N 2, and alcohol content of various beverages, such as beer, sparkling water, and soda. The parameters assigned to the carbonated beer were container type and temperature …

Bridging The Cultural Divide: A Single Case Study Exploring Connections Between Multi-Cultural Education, Identity, Self-Esteem And Leadership, Amy Britton

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

This qualitative single case study explores connections between multicultural education, identity development, self-esteem, and leadership. The study focuses on the lived experiences of a lifelong learner, educator, and leader in higher education with the pseudonym, Rachel. The interview with Rachel traced how she experiences diversity within her academic experiences as a learner and her professional experiences as an educator and leader.

Mathematics Tracking: Policy Brief, Melissa P. Donham

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

Tracking is a long-standing practice in schools. Students are often placed in tracks beginning in upper elementary or middle school. The tracks in which students are placed in earlier grades set them up for the mathematics courses they are able to take in high school. The number of mathematics tracks for students can differ from school to school, but the policy of having mathematics tracks is common throughout schools in the United States. This policy brief will discuss the arguments for and against mathematics tracking policies, implications for educators and policymakers, and future directions.

The Emerging Scholars Issue: Insights On Teaching And Leading Through Reshaping Policy And Practice, Lakia M. Scott, Taylor D. Bunn

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

The Emerging Scholars program began at the 2019 Texas-NAME conference with five graduate students, four of which were enrolled in a doctoral program. Students participated in preconference workshops on establishing a research agenda, understanding academia and higher education institutions, and creating a network as an education researcher. Since its inception, the program has continued introducing students to collaborations and publication opportunities through Texas-NAME. This special issue provides doctoral students (some of whom have since graduated) with an opportunity to be single-authors in their scholar. Organized in three distinct sections, readers will be exposed to research and policy briefs and critical …

Doctoral Studies As Learning To Rename The World, Hyleen Mariaye

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

The reflective experience documented in this paper engages with doctoral learning from Freire’s (1968/2000) conceptual lens of naming the world. Written from the narrative lens of the supervisor, it considers how doctoral level studies in education can position both the supervisor and the candidates as agents actively reconstructing their understanding of the world and their place in it. The doctoral journey is viewed as praxis compelling researchers to expand their frames for reading the world, accommodating the other, including multiple voices and thus demonstrating commitment to a global and yet constantly contested notion of citizenship.