Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 12 of 12

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Protein Residue-Residue Contact Prediction Using Stacked Denoising Autoencoders, Joseph Bailey Luttrell Iv Aug 2016

Protein Residue-Residue Contact Prediction Using Stacked Denoising Autoencoders, Joseph Bailey Luttrell Iv

Honors Theses

Protein residue-residue contact prediction is one of many areas of bioinformatics research that aims to assist researchers in the discovery of structural features of proteins. Predicting the existence of such structural features can provide a starting point for studying the tertiary structures of proteins. This has the potential to be useful in applications such as drug design where tertiary structure predictions may play an important role in approximating the interactions between drugs and their targets without expending the monetary resources necessary for preliminary experimentation. Here, four different methods involving deep learning, support vector machines (SVMs), and direct coupling analysis were …


The United States, China, And Climate Change: An Analysis Of The Us-China Climate Pact And Its Implications For International Climate Negotiations, Joesph Fiorile Jun 2016

The United States, China, And Climate Change: An Analysis Of The Us-China Climate Pact And Its Implications For International Climate Negotiations, Joesph Fiorile

Honors Theses

Climate change increasingly is becoming a major issue for the international community. It is contributing to rising global temperatures, rising sea levels, drought, natural disaster intensification, and ecological damage, amongst other things. A scientific consensus has emerged over recent years that implicates greenhouse gases, chief amongst them carbon dioxide, for causing global warming. Climate scientists overwhelmingly agree that the greenhouse gas effect has been caused in large part by the spike of human emissions since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. To reverse the problem, the density of greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere, especially carbon dioxide, has to be reduced. …


The Effects Of Early Confidence Interval Training On User Efficacy In A P300 Brain-Computer Interface Spelling Task, Adam Starkman Jun 2016

The Effects Of Early Confidence Interval Training On User Efficacy In A P300 Brain-Computer Interface Spelling Task, Adam Starkman

Honors Theses

Brain-computer interface (BCI) technology can provide communication for individuals suffering from degenerative neuromuscular disorders. The present study sought to demonstrate improved BCI performance in healthy individuals using confidence interval training with a P300 BCI spelling program. In this BCI interface, electroencephalographic (EEG) activity was recorded as participants attended to a specific target character within a matrix of flashing letters and numbers presented on a computer screen. The BCI uses the P300 Event Related Potential to select the intended character. In a prior patient case, use of a confidence measure that rejected questionable selections improved that user’s spelling efficiency. The present …


Polychlorinated Biphenyl (Pcb) Pollution Of The Hudson River: Social Policy And Health Considerations, Laura Schad Jun 2016

Polychlorinated Biphenyl (Pcb) Pollution Of The Hudson River: Social Policy And Health Considerations, Laura Schad

Honors Theses

The purpose of this paper is to examine pollution in the Hudson River and the role General Electric has had in creating this problem. The focus will be on social issues and problems that have emerged as a result of the environmental damage from pollution. Until recently, there was little research done on the health and environmental justice issues that impact the New York communities where GE’s factories were located. This paper examines the material collected and studies that were done which document Hudson River pollution and the contributions as well as cleanup efforts of General Electric. The overall problems …


Sustainable Agriculture: How France Promotes Sustainability, Jordan Pulling Jun 2016

Sustainable Agriculture: How France Promotes Sustainability, Jordan Pulling

Honors Theses

High consumption lifestyles led to a rapid decline in natural resources. The daily gestures of the people of the world use a quantity massive resource and energy that cannot be replaced. Decision makers of the world are invited to consider what changes will be needed to focus about sustainable and sustainable practices if we want to continue living in the way which we have become accustomed to. The development of renewable energies was a first step towards total sustainable development. Recently, however, we have seen a new way to reduce negative impacts on the rights of the Earth: changes in …


Development Of A [2]-Catenane Synthetic Method And A Student Beliefs Survey For A Hybrid Organometallics Course, Jourdan E. Lakes May 2016

Development Of A [2]-Catenane Synthetic Method And A Student Beliefs Survey For A Hybrid Organometallics Course, Jourdan E. Lakes

Honors Theses

In this study, the value-added of a new upper-level chemistry course, CHEM 372-Organometallics, was defined using a Student Beliefs Survey that was answered by students in CHEM 372 and by faculty who teach upper-level chemistry courses at Coastal Carolina University. The laboratory portion of CHEM 372 focused on the synthesis of a [2]-catenane, which is a molecularly interlocked molecule (MIM). The intention was to give the CHEM 372 students a goal to work toward over the course of the semester instead of different, unrelated, experiments each week. Using this style of lab teaching, the students were introduced to graduate school-level …


An Analysis Of Environmentally-Persistent Free Radical Formation On Surrogate Soil Systems Containing Iron(Iii) And Copper(Ii) And The Potential Remediation Effects Of Laccases, Andrew Paul Mullet May 2016

An Analysis Of Environmentally-Persistent Free Radical Formation On Surrogate Soil Systems Containing Iron(Iii) And Copper(Ii) And The Potential Remediation Effects Of Laccases, Andrew Paul Mullet

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


Using Intrinsic Properties Of Polyaniline To Sense Expression Of The Microrna Let-7, Jared N. Gloria May 2016

Using Intrinsic Properties Of Polyaniline To Sense Expression Of The Microrna Let-7, Jared N. Gloria

Honors Theses

MicroRNAs are approximately 22-nucleotide long RNA molecules that function through decay and translational repression of messenger RNA. The microRNA let-7 is found to play a role in maintaining the fate of differentiated cells in humans. Thus, expression level of this microRNA is a reliable biomarker of tumor cell phenotype. However, there are significant limitations in the current profiling techniques of microRNA. The current methods like northern blotting, microarrays, RT-PCR, or using locked nucleic acid (LNA) for in-situ hybridization are either laborious, semi-quantitative, or expensive. In this research we try to address this issue by developing a fast, specific, and inexpensive …


Effects Of Creatine, Leucine, And Ethanol On Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor In C2c12 Skeletal Muscle Cells, Daniel Waters Apr 2016

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 …


Synthesis, Isolation, And Characterization Of Potentially Carcinogenic Arginine-Based Heterocyclic Amines, Zachary Reichert Mar 2016

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.


Density Functional Theory Calculations On The Doping Sequence Of Mnxfen(1-X)Ge, Jordan C. Ball Jan 2016

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

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


The Impact Of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals On Wildlife Conservation, Eda Reed Jan 2016

The Impact Of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals On Wildlife Conservation, Eda Reed

Honors Theses

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), such as those from plastics and pesticides, have been hypothesized to affect wildlife populations. According to the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, EDCs ‘are chemicals that may interfere with the body’s endocrine system and produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects in both humans and wildlife.’ A growing number of studies suggest wildlife are being exposed to EDCs, but how EDCs affect wildlife health and wildlife conservation is less well-understood. Through scientific literature analysis and a survey of wildlife conservationists and practitioners, this study aims to determine the current state of knowledge and data …