Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Which Language(S) Are Best (For Web Development), Jackson A. Stone

Honors Theses

This thesis is intended to shine light on the complex nature of the online software ecosystem, in the hopes that it may help students who wish to pursue web development determine how to best spend their time researching and learning varying technologies.

Alkaloids In E-Cigarettes: Their Effects On Cell Growth And Gene Regulation, Maxwell H. Marlowe

Honors Theses

E-cigarettes have become increasingly popular in the past decade. They are marketed as smoking cessation aids. These products have not been well regulated or researched with respect to health concerns and safety issues. A number of toxic compounds have been discovered in refill solutions, and the long-term effects of e-cigarette use are still largely unknown. Nicotine is one of the primary alkaloids within e-cigarette refill solutions. Nevertheless, other tobacco alkaloids are present including; cotinine, myosmine and anabasine, even though these compounds are not disclosed on the packaging. This study uses known amounts of tobacco alkaloids, in an in vitro culture …

Audio Software (Vst Plugin) Development With Practical Application, Zachary Hummel

Honors Theses

Audio engineers around the world routinely utilize small pieces of software, known as “plugins,” to help shape the sound of the media they are working with. These plugins are inserted into a digital audio workstation (DAW) and contain digital signal processing (DSP) algorithms that can affect audio in a number of ways limited only by the creativity of the software developer. Common implementations of plugins include equalizers, compressors and limiters, gain, phase rotation or polarity inversion algorithms, reverb and delay, and emulation of the non-linearities of analog audio equipment. The intent of this thesis project is to design and produce …

Effects Of Creatine, Leucine, And Ethanol On Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor In C2c12 Skeletal Muscle Cells, Daniel Waters

Honors Theses

Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (GDNF) is a protein expressed throughout the mammalian nervous system that serves several protective functions. Originally discovered in the brain, where it supports the survival of dopaminergic neurons, GDNF has since been shown to be expressed in skeletal muscle and is vital for the maintenance of motor neurons. The relationship between muscle hypertrophy, and GDNF is not well understood. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between hypertrophy and GDNF by inducing hypertrophy in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells using leucine and creatine, inhibiting hypertrophy using ethanol and measuring GDNF content. As measured …

Software Improvements To Parint, A Parallel Integration Software Package, Lawrence Cuneaz

Honors Theses

The best software is easy to configure and compile, is expandable and is well tested. Development of the ParInt software package for parallel integration stopped a number of years ago. When handed the software, parts of the package no longer configured or compiled consistently. Furthermore it relied on one random number generator and had no functional testing. The team tuned the auto configuration so that the program would configure and build on current systems, created expandable functionality to add new random number generators and created two functional test packs. Now ParInt can be developed with confidence knowing that it compiles …

Stratigraphic Analysis Of Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument Using Magnetic Susceptibility, Geochemical Comparison, And Gamma Ray Spectroscopy, Jennifer Kenyon

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Road Associated Wildlife Mortality In An Urbanizing Metropolitan Area Of The Southeastern Usa, Lillian Miller

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Formation And Characterization Of Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals O N Single Crystal A N D Nanoparticle Metal Oxide Surfaces, Mark F. Ditusa

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Superstable Semigroups, Stephanie Olsen

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

A Monte Carlo Study Of The Pion Absorption And Charge Exchange Cross Section In Lariat, Andrew Olivier

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Perfect Matchings And Their Applications, Amanda Mayhall

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Synthesis, Isolation, And Characterization Of Potentially Carcinogenic Arginine-Based Heterocyclic Amines, Zachary Reichert

Honors Theses

Previous research demonstrates that meat cooked at high temperatures produces heterocyclic amines (HCAs)—a class of carcinogenic molecules—from burned creatin(in)e and amino acids. However, research performed in our lab, as well as in the peer-reviewed literature, suggests that substituting arginine for creatin(in)e may lead to HCA formation. Arginine is structurally similar to creatin(in)e and can be found abundantly in soy-based food products. Therefore, we have burned arginine and phenylalanine to investigate the potential formation of arginine-based HCAs. The present study attempts to isolate and characterize these potential arginine-HCAs.

Evaluating The Efficacy Of Educational Games In Promoting Interest And Understanding Of Gravitational Wave Physics, Jonathan Wheeler

Honors Theses

The LIGO Scientific Collaboration Education and Public Outreach group seeks to ameliorate the lack of public understanding of gravitational wave physics. One such effort is Black Hole Pong, a remake of the 1972 arcade classic developed by researchers at University of Birmingham, UK. Black Hole Pong differs from other educational games in that it stretches the laws of physics to make the user experience more exciting. Another effort has been my own work in developing a game called Chickens in Space where players can create mass, which coalesces and eventually forms black holes, which serve as obstacles to the players. …

Density Functional Theory Calculations On The Doping Sequence Of Mnxfen(1-X)Ge, Jordan C. Ball

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Conformational Analysis Of A Furan, Thiophene Alternating Π System, Laura Cline

Honors Theses

Organic materials with conjugated Ï€-electron networks are increasingly being studied as an alternative to inorganic semiconductors. In order to effectively transport charge as a semiconductor, the organic materials should maintain a planar conformation, exhibit Ï€ conjugation, and be rigid to rotational interconversion. Both furan and thiophene systems have been investigated as potential organic semiconductors but difficulties with solubility, synthesis, and effectiveness hampered these efforts. A novel furan-thiophene hybrid system that exhibits promising semiconducting properties is examined here. Full geometry optimizations and corresponding harmonic vibrational frequency computations were run on a diverse set of potential furan and thiophene oligomer structures using …

Paleosol Development And Trace Fossils In The Upper Triassic Cooper Canyon Formation Of The Dockum Group In Andrews County, Texas, Michael Charles Gratzer

Honors Theses

It is unknown whether a relationship exists between paleosol development and the number of burrows in a paleosol. It is also unknown whether a relationship exists between the number of burrows in a paleosol and the diameters of those burrows. This paper details the methods, results, and conclusions of an investigation of these relationships. I assess the development of several paleosols in a core sample of the Upper Triassic Cooper Canyon Formation of the Dockum Group from well B-133 in Andrews County, Texas, using development scales based on methods from Bown and Kraus (1993) and Abels et al. (2013). I …

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 …

Blue Cheese Cosmology: Lensing By Cosmic Strings, Jared Wofford

Honors Theses

The light bending effects around cosmic strings in universes with varying rates of expansion are investigated. A relationship between the angular deflection and the expansion rate is found. This is made possible by the Blue Cheese model, which is a generalization to a cylindrical realm of the Swiss Cheese model

Study Of An Active-State Cb1 Receptor Model And Jwh Compound Interactions To Predict New Emerging Synthetic Cannabinoids, Kelsey Leigh Pettus

Honors Theses

In recent years, a new class of compounds, called synthetic cannabinoids, have made their appearance in the market as a substitute for illegal marijuana or its constituent natural cannabinoids. These compounds, which are active at the same G- protein coupled receptors (GPCRS) as cannabinoids, are continuing to gain popularity because of the same cannabinoid-like effects they create. Though two cannabinoid receptors have been identified in humans, known as CB1 and CB2, synthetic cannabinoid activity at the CB1 receptor has been the focus of much research regarding synthetic cannabinoid ligand binding. In this study, the structure of the CB1 receptor is …

Noise Reduction In The Manufacturing Environment: A Study On Small Jet Geometry Alterations, Shawn Wesley Skinner

Honors Theses

Noise pollution is an identified issue in manufacturing environments. While machines, motion, production, etc. are a large factor in this noise pollution, other sources exist. Often copper tubing is connected to pressurized containers as a make-shift jet stream for reorienting elements on the assembly line. These makeshift jets when working in conjunction create noise pollution. By manipulating the exit of these small jets, it is hypothesized that the noise level can be decreased. Using the National Center for Physical Acoustics (NCPA) at the University of Mississippi, three geometry alterations—deburring the end, creating a converging-diverging nozzle, and flattening the end—were tested …

Method Development Toward The Analysis Of The Functionalization Of Proteins, Victoria Calcote

Honors Theses

Calmodulin is a ubiquitous small intracellular protein that functions as a receptor for regulatory calcium signals and thus regulates a multitude of physiological processes in organisms as diverse as yeast, fruit flies, and mammals. Since its structure and function have been extensively studied, our goal is to create a calmodulin biomaterial, with the ultimate goal of in situ drug delivery or as a scaffold for stem cell growth and differentiation. We plan to create this biomaterial by using Click Chemistry, the rapid creation of new heteroatom bonds through a copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition. The bonds are created by treating calmodulin as …

Calculating Liquefaction Potential Of Northern Mississippi Using Shear Wave Data, Peshani Herath

Honors Theses

The potential for liquefaction can be determined using the Liquefaction Potential Index (LPI). The LPI takes into account the thickness of the liquefiable layers and the factors of safety with respect to depth. This study creates a hybrid method for determining the LPI for different locations in Northern Mississippi. It calculates an average CSR for the region using existing borehole information. The CRR is then calculated using shear wave velocity profile data from a MASW survey. The LPI obtained from this process is compared to LPI values calculated using CPT data and borehole shear wave data. Surface shear wave velocity …

Implementation Of An Enhanced System Of Motion Tracking For Virtual Reality Using 'Common Off-The-Shelf' Items, Sean M. O'Hara

Honors Theses

My project was tasked and guided by Dr. Adam Jones of the University of Mississippi's Computer Science Department to design and implement an improved system of infrared motion tracking for virtual reality. The enhancements allow Dr. Jones to use motion tracking for VR in ways that he previously could not, and these improvements include the ability to track multiple objects along with a foundation for expanding my project's use to work with a multiple camera setup for motion tracking. The hardware used in my project made use of Dr. Jones' supply of technology for development and research within the area …

Indolizine-Squaraine Nir Emissive Materials, Tana A. Rill

Honors Theses

Near-infrared (NIR) emissive organic materials are an emerging area of study with an array of applications for both military and civilian purposes including night vision technologies, secure communications, surveillance, homing, fluoresence imaging, secure displays as NIR OLED materials, heat-blocking coatings, in vivo fluoresence biological imagaing, and additional optoelectronics device applications. We have developed a series of organic NIR emissive materials based on an indolizine donor and squaraine acceptor. The novel-to-squaraine donor, indolizine, exhibits a remarkable increase in absorption maximum wavelength when compared with benchmark indoline-based squaraine dyes (700 nm vs. 625 nm) with molar absorptivities ranging from 100,000-262,000 M-1cm-1. Emission …

Effect Of 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine Modifications On Stability Of Vegf I-Motifs, Bethany Summerford

Honors Theses

DNA i-motifs are a secondary structure of DNA formed at low pH by internal folding of strands rich in cytosine. This study focuses on trying to determine if the DNA from the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) promoter, which can form an i-motif, can be stabilized with the epigenetic modification to 5- hydroxymethylcytosine in four separate locations on the DNA strand, and to what extent the degree of stabilization depends on the location of the modification. Stability of the i-motif was determined by measuring pKa and melting point (Tm) of each VEGF modification using circular dichroism spectroscopy. The modified samples …

Multidimensional Motion Capture Using Doppler Ultrasound, Forrest Nolan Gamble

Honors Theses

Ultrasonic waves are used to measure the velocity of a target object by measuring the Doppler shift of the reflected waves. In this work, ultrasonic Doppler Sonar (UDS) was used to measure the velocity of objects, including a pendulum and a battery on a turntable. The investigation focused on developing a method to measure motion in two and three dimensions, for applications in gait analysis and sports motion capture. By using multiple ultrasonic transducers and novel data processing techniques, the UDS captured motion in two and three dimensions. In order to test the accuracy of the velocity and position measurements, …

A Study On The Characterization And Implementation Of Tools For Advanced Ligo, Hunter Gabbard

Honors Theses

The Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) is aimed at directly detecting gravitational waves, small perturbations or ripples in the fabric of space-time. Because of their extreme sensitivity, the LIGO detectors are affected by many sources of non-astrophysical noise. In the first part of this thesis we test a pipeline designed for the identification of short-duration noise transients, called Omicron. We first inject simulated noise waveforms in engineering run data from the LIGO detector in Livingston, Louisiana and then determine Omicron efficiency by attempting to recover these injections. In the second part of this thesis, we present a novel method …

Part I: Photochemical Generation Of Cyclohexyne From A Hydrocarbon Precursor Part Ii: A Triptycenyl Flower, Daniel Maurer

Honors Theses

Part I

Photolysis of phenanthrene-based methylenecyclopropane derivatives have previously been shown to generate alkylidenecarbenes, which readily rearrange to form alkynes. In this work, we show that photolysis of an analogous cyclic alkylidenecarbene precursor at ambi- ent temperature forms cyclohexyne via the putative cyclopentylidenecarbene, and can be trapped by dienes via a Diels-Alder reaction. Cyclohexyne and other strained cycloalkynes are of much interest to theoreticians and experimentalists alike. Results of coupled-cluster and DFT calculations on the potential energy surface of cyclopentylidenecarbene and the corresponding strained cyclohexyne are also presented. The photochemical generation of cy- clopentylidenecarbene, and thus cyclohexyne, from a hydrocarbon …

Tablet Usage In Secondary Mathematics Education And Recommendations For Improving Its Effectiveness In The Classroom, Meghan T. Dwyer

Honors Theses

As part of my honor's thesis project at Assumption College, I have been researching the ways that teachers are currently using tablets in their secondary mathematics classrooms. My thesis compares the benefits and drawbacks of having tablets in classrooms, tablets for every student, or no tablets at all. In the spring, I collected survey feedback from mathematics teachers in four different local school districts. I analyzed the data in order to determine the ways tablets are being used in classrooms, the reasons preventing teachers from fully integrating tablets into their instruction, the impacts training has had on tablet use, and …

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 …