Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

A Fractal Geometry For Hydrodynamics, Jonah Mears

Honors Theses

Experiments have shown that objects with uneven surfaces, such as golf balls, can have less drag than those with smooth surfaces. Since fractal surfaces appear naturally in other areas, it must be asked if they can produce less drag than a traditional surface and save energy. Little or no research has been conducted so far on this question. The purpose of this project is to see if fractal geometry can improve boat hull design by producing a hull with low friction.

Generative Art, Caleb Harmon

Honors Theses

Generative Art is systems that produce complex structures and visuals through computation.

Effects Of Temperature & Ph On Bpa Leaching In Oral Hygiene Products Using Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Mady Rottinghaus

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Defying The Darkness: Countering Cancer With Light, Travis Hankins

Honors Theses

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) accounts for upwards of 15% of reported breast cancer cases. This subtype of breast cancer poses a greater threat to those diagnosed as compared to other types of breast cancer due to the lack of treatment options available. Additionally, TNBC grows and spreads faster, tends to be more aggressive, and has a greater chance of recurrence than its counterparts. Altogether, TNBC cases generally have a worse prognosis over other types of breast cancer. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is currently being researched as a way to treat TNBC. Photodynamic therapy agents are light-activated materials used for localized disease …

Golf: Strategies For Success, Lauren Dunaway

Honors Theses

A study into the win probability of certain strategies in the card game Golf.

A Unique, Project-Based, Microcourse To Teach The Fundamental Concepts Of Quantum Mechanics, Elijah Begin

Honors Theses

Spyder, a Scientific Python Development Environment, provides an easy-to-use software that can be used to generate data from quantum mechanical systems. This project proposes and explores a microcourse which takes advantage of this utility to teach undergraduates the fundamentals of quantum mechanics.

Preparation And Cytotoxicity Of Novel Carbon Nano-Onion Materials, Cammie York

Honors Theses

The applications of carbon nanomaterials (CNM), including graphene and its derivatives such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in nanomedicine is well established. These nanomaterials have been widely used as theranostic delivery systems with the potential to deliver bioactive agents and simultaneously detect selectively diseased tissues. A rather underexplored CNM for biomedical imaging and theranostics delivery are carbon nano-onions (CNOs). CNOs are carbon-based nanomaterials that can potentially be used in cancer therapy when they are functionalized. Recent studies on cellular fate of different CNMs, including CNOs, have demonstrated that the surface composition is critical for the in vivo application of these CNM. …

Developing A New Water-Soluble Porphyrin As A Potential Photodynamic Cancer Therapy Agent, Catherine Shirley

Honors Theses

Photodynamic cancer therapy (PDT) is a type of treatment involving the use of light in conjunction with a photosensitive agent- a chemical or series of chemicals designed for activation when exposed to light. This research project investigated the synthesis and identification of the novel photosensitive agent, H2TPP-Pro-OH. To create the water-soluble porphyrin, (S)-(+)-prolinol was reacted with the tetra-carboxyl porphyrin, H2TPPC, to form the final H2TPP-Pro-OH product. This compound was then purified using syringe filtration and column chromatography, and subsequently characterized using infrared (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopies, as well as High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Finally, …

Determination Of Bpa In Infant Oral Hygiene Products Using Fluorescence Spectrophotometry, Mallory K. Mayfield

Honors Theses

Bisphenol A (BPA) is commonly used to make plastics, and it is also used to make epoxy resin linings for metal food containers. People are exposed to this chemical daily through bottles, metal food containers, and other plastic products. BPA exposure has been linked to negative effects on the body including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and reproductive problems. Special caution should be taken for children because their systems are not fully developed, and they are often more susceptible to the negative effects. BPA can bind to estrogen receptors and activate them. It has this ability because of structural similarities to estradiol. …

Passive Solar Tracking Using Shape Memory Alloys, Keeley G. Johnson

Honors Theses

The world's energy demands are growing daily in conjunction with the global population and urbanization. In the modern era, the main source of energy has come from nonrenewable fossil fuels. While this source is one of the cheapest forms of energy, it is also one of the worst for the environment and will only last until the earth runs out of these fossil fuels. Solar energy, on the other hand, is both much better for the environment and an inexhaustible resource. The primary issue that arises with the accessibility of solar energy is that it is much more expensive per …

Determination Of Bisphenol A (Bpa) In Infant Oral Hygiene Devices Using Fluorescence Spectrophotometry, Kaitlyn Thomason

Honors Theses

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an organic, solid substance that is structurally similar to estradiol, a naturally-occurring form of the female sex hormone estrogen. Since the 1957 discovery that BPA can function as an effective hardener, BPA-based plastics have been used to make a variety of consumer goods, such as water bottles, baby bottles, DVDs, eyeglass lenses, and medical devices, while BPA-based epoxy resins have been used to coat the insides of various food and drink containers, to line the insides of water pipes, and to create the thermal ink found on paper sales receipts. In recent years, however, numerous studies …

Killing Breast Cancer One Porphyrin At A Time, Taylor C. Lymburner

Honors Theses

New treatments for cancer are continuously being developed and improved. One such treatment is Photodynamic Therapy, more commonly referred to as PDT. PDT is quickly becoming more popular due to its relative lack of side effects that are present in other treatments. In PDT, light-sensitive agents are required and are activated by light in the targeted cells. There are many types of PDT agents but the one focused on in this research is a four-pyrrole ring structure known as a porphyrin. The combination of H2 TPPC with 3- amino-oxetane-3-yl-methanol created the final product ofH2TPP-Oxo-MeOH. Once the porphyrin was formed, it …

Computer Science In The Elementary Classroom: The Basics, Mary Grace Belle Hill

Honors Theses

Computer Science is often ranked with Nuclear Physics or Biochemical Engineering; people understand it is an academic discipline, but have no desire to study or learn anything about it. With the introduction of Arkansas Computer Science Standards in the elementary classroom, many teachers wonder how to satisfy these and to do so without full knowledge of computer science and alongside all the other demands they must meet in the classroom. This paper covers my interest in computer science and why it is needed in elementary schools, specifically in Arkansas. It also incorporates the standards, including a chart of all the …

Determining The Presence Of Bpa In Vaping Mouthpieces, Jessica Cook-Snelgrove

Honors Theses

As more and more teenagers and young adults begin to vape, whether it be to quit smoking or to look cool, there is a potential for them to be exposed to bisphenol-A (BPA) through the plastic mouthpieces on the vapes. BPA is a molecule that is added in many plastics to make the plastic harder (Houlihan, Lunder, & Jacob, 2008). Unfortunately, BPA is structurally similar to estrogen as can be seen in Figure 1. The closeness of the structures can cause issues in humans such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and reproductive problems (Houlihan, Lunder, & Jacob, 2008). In recent years, …

Shape Memory Alloy Applications, Dillon Wester

Honors Theses

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are unique mixtures of metals that have qualities unlike any other substance. Most notably is their ability to "remember" a shape and revert back to that shape with the application of heat. One such alloy is the Ni-Ti alloy, Nitinol. SMAs also have many other favorable characteristics such as superelasticity, biocompatibility and much more. Superelasticity is the ability to bend under stress and then return to its original shape with the removal of the stressor. Biocompatibility means that the SMAs are not toxic to living organisms, whether they are only used periodically or left in permanently. …

Treating Breast Cancer With Light: The Creation Of Two Photodynamic Therapy Agents, Victoria Lackey

Honors Theses

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment for a wide display of diseases, including cancer, that has become gradually widespread. The procedure requires the usage of photosynthesizing agents, which are activated in the presence of light. One quite successful photodynamic therapy agent is an aromatic structure made up of four pyrrole rings called a porphyrin. This research focused on producing the water-soluble porphyrins, H2TPP-3-PEG-OH and H2TPP-PiperMe-OH, through the attachment of the starting porphyrin, H2TPPC, with 3-polyethyleneglycol and 3-piperidinemethanol, respectively. The novel, water-soluble agent was purified and characterized by infrared spectroscopy (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), and UV-vis spectroscopy. Purity was …

Assessing Specificity Of Indazole Derivatives As Inhibitors To Cyp2e1, Hannah Hart

Honors Theses

Metabolism of drugs in the human body can yield both desirable and undesirable results. Some of these side-effects are due to drug-drug interactions, drug-diet interactions, or lack of drug specificity. The enzymes that drugs attack are structurally selective and complex; therefore, many drugs are very general in structure and could possibly react with a variety of enzymes. Indazole has been used as a backbone for several drugs as it has the general structure that may react with most P450s. To determine a derivative, or a group of derivatives, of indazole that may be reactive only with cytochrome P450 2El (CYP2El), …

Project Emerald: Designing A Language To Be Fun, Addison Bostian

Honors Theses

I designed the language described here to be, first and foremost, fun. I wanted it to be a programmer's go-to language, the language that you pick up for personal projects or utilities. I felt the way to make this happen was to make it fun to write in. In order to accomplish this, the language derives from several existing languages, taking what I believed were the best parts of each of them. Combining principles from multiple languages sounds like a good idea, I quickly ran into problems that would make developing a compiler extremely difficult, if not impossible. Because of …

Stacking Atomically Thin Materials, Hamilton Johnson

Honors Theses

Atomically thin materials have been an exciting topic of research since graphene was first isolated in 2004. Due to their unique properties, a large amount of research has gone into these materials, but better methods of combining them are still being sought. We present three methods which were attempted for fabricating stacks of atomically thin (or 2D) materials without heating them to the high temperatures required by previous techniques. The first two methods were deemed unsuitable for various reasons, but the third was used to successfully create a stack of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) encapsulated molybdenum disulfide (MoS2). While the …

Procedural Generation: An Algorithmic Analysis Of Video Game Design And Level Creation, Logan Bond

Honors Theses

Procedural generation is a method for generating mass quantities of data algorithmically rather than manually. One perfect example of this is the recently famous No Man’s Sky, a video game where the entire marketing scheme was structured around its procedurally generated universe. The game’s trailer and advertisements promised its players 18,446,744,073,709,551,616 unique planets[1], all of which were procedurally generated. In other words, the developers did not create exclusive profiles for every single planet, but instead programmed the game in such a way that the planets were built from the code. This method of content creation is the …

Elliptic Curve Cryptography And Quantum Computing, Emily Alderson

Honors Theses

In the year 2007, a slightly nerdy girl fell in love with all things math. Even though she only was exposed to a small part of the immense field of mathematics, she knew that math would always have a place in her heart. Ten years later, that passion for math is still burning inside. She never thought she would be interested in anything other than strictly mathematics. However, she discovered a love for computer science her sophomore year of college. Now, she is graduating college with a double major in both mathematics and computer science.

This nerdy girl is me. …

Making Meyers Clear: An Exploration Of The Chemistry And Art Of Ceramic Glazes, Sara Catherine Williams

Honors Theses

For both seasoned potters and students, looking at a line of unglazed bisque-ware can be a terrifying moment. Terrifying because you know that if you choose the wrong glazes, all of your hard work up until now could be wasted. The form of any clay creation, be it functional or artistic, is equal in importance with the glaze. Bad forms cannot be covered with good glazes, but good forms may be ruined with them. It is through the pairing of the two that a truly beautiful piece is made.

During my undergraduate years and much of my life I have …

Creating Color: Unearthing The Chemistry Of Ceramic Glazes, Jessica Mariah Hargis

Honors Theses

There is something magical about taking lumps of cold clay and turning them into a functional form. The transofrmation process is what first peaked my interest in ceramics. I turned this visual art form my junior year of college after being completely overwhelmed by my chemistry major. Not only did Ceramics 1 teach me basic hand building and surface design techniques, but it allowed me to literally pound out my stress. I've gained a strong adoration for ceramics because it relieves my stress and gives me the opportunity to express myself.

After taking Ceramics 1, enrolling in Ceramics 2 was …

Natural Language Processing For Foreign Language Learning, Jacob Kausler

Honors Theses

This research presents novel algorithms which generate sentences in a natural language, using natural language generation techniques. The purpose of the algorithms is to benefit foreign language learning. As far as we can tell, ours is the first such research being done in the field. In creating the algorithms, we also developed a piece of software to showcase the work and allow testing by users. The main algorithm begins by generating sentence models by using one of two methods, namely modeled sentence generation and semantic sentence generation. Each of these have benefits and drawbacks, which the user must take into …

Purenovation, Inc, Alex Nelson

Honors Theses

Welcome to PUREnovation, where "converting today and conserving tomorrow" is our lifestyle. Our mission embodies the idea of providing customers the opportunity to maximize cost savings while simultaneously helping to reduce the carbon footprint in their hometown. With a management team that encompasses a wide variety of backgrounds, we possess the necessary skills and abilities to drive our mission and visions forward. Based on our values and convictions, we believe that it is of the utmost importance to serve the individuals who live in small towns and to preserve the nature of the earth that God has graciously provided for …

My Experience Exploring The Effects Of Lead (Pb +2) Toxicity In Drosophila Melanogaster Using Sociability Interaction Testing And Microarrays At The University Of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras In San Juan, Puerto Rico, Charlton Diaz

Honors Theses

Lead is an environmental contaminant widely dispersed throughout the world. Exposure to lead causes neurological damage in humans and may be linked to neurodevelopmental pathologies such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, antisocial behavior, and autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). Drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies) have been used to understand the behavioral, synaptic, and molecular changes that occur after developmental exposure to lead and to study ASD-associated pathology. Flies were exposed through the mother and until eclosion to either a lead-laced medium or a control corn-based medium and were isolated until the beginning for the behavioral studies. Sociability testing was done using a …

Parity Periodicity: An Eliminative Approach To The Collatz Conjecture, Austin J. Phillips

Honors Theses

The 3n + l Conjecture states that when the Collatz function is applied repeatedly to an initial value, the sequence of values generated always converges to 1, regardless of the starting value. This paper strengthens the claim that all such sequences are convergent by showing that certain types of nonconvergent sequences cannot exist. Specifically, no sequence with parity-periodic values can exist This eliminates all possible nontrivially periodic sequences and all divergent sequences with periodic parity. Therefore, if a counterexample to the conjecture exists, It must be a divergent sequence whose values display no parity periodicity.

Eager To Offset: A Case Study In Carbon Offset Forestry, Jason Smith

Honors Theses

"Eager to Offest" aims to look critically at whether businesses in general are engaging in carbon offset forestry as a genuine environmental service or as an investment opportunity benefiting little more than a group's environmental reputation. One industry which has engaged in carbon offset forestry as a part of the voluntary carbon market is the electric utility industry. PowerTree Carbon Company LLC was initiated in April 2004 for the purpose of reforesting 3,609 acres of bottomland hardwood forest in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Region in Arkansas and Louisiana. Twenty-five electric utilities have founded PowerTree as a limited liability company, jointly …

Two Views Of The Projective Plane, Rebecca J. Thomas

Honors Theses

The projective plane is a mathematical object which can be defined in two ways. In the following paper, I will explain the two definitions and show how they are equivalent by establishing a homeomorphism between the two objects.

Friction Of (110) Diamond In The Presence Of Small Hydrocarbon Molecule, Catherine Manning

Honors Theses

Molecular dynamic simulations have been used to explore the friction between two (110) diamond surfaces in sliding contact. In general, when a third-body hydrocarbon molecule is placed between two computer generated diamond surfaces in sliding contact, the result is a reduction of friction as the load iH increased compared to the same surfaces in the absence of third-body molecules. The size, shape, and alignment of the third-body hydrocarbon molecules play an essential role in the reduction of friction. Results for a system with ethane presented as a third-body molecule will be compared to previous theoretical studies as well as existing …