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College Of Natural Sciences 2023 Year-End Publication, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Page 1 Dean's Message
Page 3 Department Highlights
Page 4 One Day for State
Page 5 Noble Prize Winner Speaks on Campus
Page 6-7 Faculty Excellence
Page 8-9 Student Excellence
Page 10 Outreach Program
Page 10 Events and Traditions
Page 11 Connections Abroad
Page 12 Student Spotlight
Page 13 Alumni Spotlight
Page 14 First Ever Drone Day
Page 15 Grand Opening of POET Bioproducts Center
Page 16 Work Anniversaries

Salmonella In The Environment: A Review On Ecology, Antimicrobial Resistance, Seafood Contaminations, And Human Health Implications, Mohammad Maruf Billah, Md Saydur Rahman

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Salmonella is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria that is responsible for numerous food poisoning outbreaks worldwide. With 93.8 million food-borne illnesses and 155,000 fatalities annually, it has emerged as a significant global public health issue. There are currently more than 2,500 distinct Salmonella serotypes, and more than half of them are associated with Salmonella enterica. An increasing global public health concern for humans and animals is antimicrobial resistance by Salmonella species worldwide. Salmonella infections can be lethal; conditioned with an increased prevalence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) strains in the future. The emergence of MDR Salmonella serotypes is considerably …

Vaccine Immunogenicity Versus Gastrointestinal Microbiome Status: Implications For Poultry Production, Chrysta N. Beck, Jiangchao Zhao, Gisela F. Erf

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

At the turn of the 21st century, the importance of maintaining a balanced microbiome was brought to the forefront of the microbiology, immunology, and physiology research fields. Exploring the complex interactions between vaccine administration, mucosal microbiome, oral tolerance, and enteric inflammation in health and disease is challenging since environmental factors (such as diet and sanitation) have major influences on gut microbiota composition. High enteric pathogen load has been shown to contribute to dampened cell-mediated and humoral immune responses to vaccines in human case studies, either through elevated enteric inflammation or increased tolerance to environmental microbes. Although antibiotic and probiotic interventions …

Hackles: Simulating And Visually Representing The Anxiety Of Walking Alone, Sydney Pratte, Anthony Tang, Shannon Hoover, Lora Oehlberg

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

In this work, we compare the designs of two fashion-tech garments that communicate the anxiety felt when walking alone. While the two garments share a common vision, they are designed to be worn in two radically different settings and to communicate to different audiences: one directly communicates an empathetic experience to its wearer; the other a model wears at a runway show and must share its story to a general audience. We used Research Through Design (RtD) methods to design both fashion-tech garments. Then, we recorded and analyzed the design process for both garments via an annotated portfolio to compare …

Trees In Urban Environments: How Soil Quality Impacts Tree Performance, Saidan Qi

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Cities around the world are increasingly investing in reforestation and afforestation efforts to mitigate impacts from climate change and population growth. However, urban soil conditions can be unfavorable for tree growth. Street trees are widely known to suffer from poor soil quality, but there has been no comprehensive review of this topic so far. Clean soils can be transported from nonurban areas to support cities’ green projects, but this approach is not sustainable. Artificial (constructed) soils can be created from various materials and have been proposed as an alternative medium for urban tree growth, but no research has been done …

A Causal Inference Approach For Spike Train Interactions, Zach Saccomano

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Since the 1960s, neuroscientists have worked on the problem of estimating synaptic properties, such as connectivity and strength, from simultaneously recorded spike trains. Recent years have seen renewed interest in the problem coinciding with rapid advances in experimental technologies, including an approximate exponential increase in the number of neurons that can be recorded in parallel and perturbation techniques such as optogenetics that can be used to calibrate and validate causal hypotheses about functional connectivity. This thesis presents a mathematical examination of synaptic inference from two perspectives: (1) using in vivo data and biophysical models, we ask in what cases the …

Local Habitat Composition And Complexity Outweigh Seascape Effects On Fish Distributions Across A Tropical Seascape, Molly Moustaka, Richard D. Evans, Gary A. Kendrick, Glenn A. Hyndes, Michael V. W. Cuttler, Tahlia J. Bassett, Michael J. O’Leary, Shaun K. Wilson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Context: The distribution of animals is influenced by a complex interplay of landscape, environmental, habitat, and anthropogenic factors. While the effects of each of these forces on fish assemblages have been studied in isolation, the implications of their combined influence within a seascape remain equivocal. Objectives: We assessed the importance of local habitat composition, seascape configuration, and environmental conditions for determining the abundance, diversity, and functional composition of fish assemblages across a tropical seascape. Methods: We quantified fish abundance in coral, macroalgal, mangrove, and sand habitats throughout the Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia. A full-subsets modelling approach was used that incorporated …

Hypatia's Math: A Play, Daniel S. Helman

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Hypatia of Alexandria was the most famous woman mathematician of antiquity, and her story is as relevant now as it was in her day. This play tells her story. While the events in the play are based closely on extant historical texts, inspiring excerpts from classical works by Porphyry, Plotinus, Aristotle and Plato are woven into the action to further the plot and add to the classical mood. Dance and music, including an Homeric hymn, add to the artistic texture.

Variations On A Meme: Thoughts And Responses To Isaac Elishakoff’S “Differential Equations Of Love And Love Of Differential Equations", Jonathan Kinsman

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

This folder contains reflections and three poems written in response to Isaac Elishakoff’s JHM article “Differential Equations of Love and Love of Differential Equations" (July 2019).

A Personal And Multicultural Journey Through The World Of Games (With A Little Math) Or Book Review: Around The World In Eighty Games, By Marcus Du Sautoy, Karl-Dieter Crisman

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Author and number theorist Marcus Du Sautoy has written a book about games, including a light dose of mathematics. In it, he journeys through far more than (his choice of) eighty of “the world’s greatest games”, laying out a charming voyage through many lands. Despite some reservations, this reviewer finds that Around the World in Eighty Games is well-written and quite fascinating, largely due to its idiosyncratic, personal nature.

The Roaring Lion Of Berlin: The Life, Thought, And Influence Of Eugen Dühring, Arden Roy

Undergraduate Research Symposium

The life and influence of 19th-century German polymath Eugen Dühring remain but a mere footnote in the history of ideas, being primarily relegated to the status of little more than a theoretical rival to Marxism in the German socialist movement and the occasional object of Freidrich Nietzsche's rhetorical flogging. Despite the current consensus on the subject, Eugen Dühring was a scholar of vast, remarkable learnedness, contributing greatly to philosophy, economics, and the natural sciences. The aim of this talk will be to clear the fog surrounding the life and work of the controversial blind scholar and give an account of …

Rewilding Our Story: Using Storytelling To Combat Climate Change, Calli Lambard

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Calli Lambard, WCU Office of Sustainability, Rewilding Our Story: Using Storytelling to Combat Climate Change

Safety, Immunogenicity, And Mechanism Of A Rotavirus Mrna-Lnp Vaccine In Mice, Chenxing Lu, Yan Li, Rong Chen, Xiaoqing Hu, Qingmei Leng, Xiaopeng Song, Xiaochen Lin, Jun Ye, Jinlan Wang, Jinmei Li, Lida Yao, Xianqiong Tang, Xiangjun Kuang, Guangming Zhang, Maosheng Sun, Yan Zhou, Hongjun Li

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Rotaviruses (RVs) are a major cause of diarrhea in young children worldwide. The currently available and licensed vaccines contain live attenuated RVs. Optimization of live attenuated RV vaccines or developing non-replicating RV (e.g., mRNA) vaccines is crucial for reducing the morbidity and mortality from RV infections. Herein, a nucleoside-modified mRNA vaccine encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles (LNP) and encoding the VP7 protein from the G1 type of RV was developed. The 5' untranslated region of an isolated human RV was utilized for the mRNA vaccine. After undergoing quality inspection, the VP7-mRNA vaccine was injected by subcutaneous or intramuscular routes into mice. …

Some Estimates On The Spin−Submanifolds, Serhan Eker

Turkish Journal of Mathematics

In this paper, an optimal lower bound is given for the Submanifold Dirac operator in terms of the trace of an Energy−Momentum tensor, scalar curvature and mean curvature. In the equality case, it is proven that the submanifold is Einstein if the normal bundle is flat. Key words: Spin geometry, eigenvalues,

Heavy Metals Analysis And Physicochemical Characterization Of Groundwater At A Battery Recycling Site In South-Western Nigeria, Adeniyi T. Adeleke, Rasaki K. Odunaike, Shamsideen K. Alausa, Idris O. Olayiwola, Adetoro T. Talabi, Qasim A. Adeniji, Adejumobi C. Adeniyi

Tanzania Journal of Science

Indiscriminate dumping of battery waste is a huge issue that endangers human health and the environment. This study aimed at analysing the health impacts of exposure to pollution from spent battery recycling in Ogun State, which houses a diverse range of battery recycling industries. At this study site, forty water samples were studied over the Wet and Dry seasons to assess the impact of battery recycling waste on groundwater. Except for the TSS, the physiochemical parameters of the groundwater vary with season and are within the permissible limits. The electrical conductivity (EC), turbidity, Phosphorus, Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), Dissolve oxygen …

Turmeric Dyeing Of Cotton Fabrics Using Tie-Dyeing Techniques, Pendo Bigambo, Happiness Wellah, Hadija Ngaga, Safina Kimbokota, Mbonea Mrango

Tanzania Journal of Science

Tie-dyeing is a resist-dyeing technique which for years has been used by SMEs to produce attractive textile fabrics. However, the technique is challenged by the use of synthetic dyes which are not environmentally friendly and the growing consumers’ environmental awareness. Accordingly, researchers and industrialists are forced to explore the alternative natural dyes in response to the above challenges. Among the natural source of dyes available abundantly in Tanzania, but are yet to be fully exploited for applications via tie-dyeing technique are turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) roots commonly used for food coloring. In this study turmeric roots were investigated for their …

Parallels Of Quantum Superposition In Ecological Models: From Counterintuitive Patterns To Eco-Evolutionary Interpretations Of Cryptic Species, David G. Angeler, Hannah B. Fried-Petersen

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Background Superposition, i.e. the ability of a particle (electron, photon) to occur in different states or positions simultaneously, is a hallmark in the subatomic world of quantum mechanics. Although counterintuitive at first sight, the quantum world has potential to inform macro-systems of people and nature. Using time series and spatial analysis of bird, phytoplankton and benthic invertebrate communities, this paper shows that superposition can occur analogously in redundancy analysis (RDA) frequently used by ecologists.

Results We show that within individual ecosystems single species can be associated simultaneously with different orthogonal axes in RDA models, which suggests that they operate in …

Machine Learning Of Big Data: A Gaussian Regression Model To Predict The Spatiotemporal Distribution Of Ground Ozone, Jerry Gu

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

Tracking pollution levels on the ground is important to the environment and public health. One of the pollutants of concern is ozone, which, at high concentrations, can cause respiratory and cardiovascular problems. The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) has published valuable ozone data obtained from ground-based sensors installed at selected locations. Because it is unfeasible to measure the exact ozone levels everywhere at any time, it would be valuable to predict the temporal-spatial distributions of ozone concentration based on existing data. This would help us better understand the patterns and trends in the data and make better decisions to …

A Tale Of Two Viruses: Why Smallpox Was Eradicated And Polio Persists, Katherine G. Mcgough, Erin N. Bodine

Spora: A Journal of Biomathematics

The smallpox and poliomyelitis (polio) viruses were, at a time, one of the largest threats to global public health killing millions until global eradication campaigns were put into effect. Vaccination led to the eradication of smallpox and the elimination of polio for most of the world. However, polio continues to persist at endemic levels in Pakistan and Afghanistan. We developed ODE models of smallpox and polio to explore differences in transmission dynamics and determine if the underlying biology has made poliomyelitis more difficult to eradicate. Our model analysis shows there are multiple factors which should allow polio to have a …

Design And Building Of A Customizable, Single-Objective, Light-Sheet Fluorescence Microscope For The Visualization Of Cytoskeleton Networks, Nathan Felcher, Daisy H. Achiriloaie, Brian Lee, Ryan Mcgorty Phd, Janet Sheung

Physics and Biophysics: Faculty Scholarship

Reconstituted cytoskeleton composites have emerged as a valuable model system for studying non-equilibrium soft matter. The faithful capture of the dynamics of these 3D, dense networks calls for optical sectioning, which is often associated with fluorescence confocal microscopes. However, recent developments in light-sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) have established it as a cost-effective and, at times, superior alternative. To make LSFM accessible to cytoskeleton researchers less familiar with optics, we present a step-by-step beginner's guide to building a versatile light-sheet fluorescence microscope from off-the-shelf components. To enable sample mounting with traditional slide samples, this LSFM follows the single-objective light-sheet (SOLS) design, …

Foundation Of Appurtenance And Inclusion Equations For Constructing The Operations Of Neutrosophic Numbers Needed In Neutrosophic Statistics, Florentin Smarandache

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

We introduce for the first time the appurtenance equation and inclusion equation, which help in understanding the operations with neutrosophic numbers within the frame of neutrosophic statistics. The way of solving them resembles the equations whose coefficients are sets (not single numbers).

A Multi-Criteria Decision Making Model For Sustainable And Resilient Supplier Selection And Management, Samah Ibrahim Abdel Aal

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

Sustainable and resilient supplier selection and management are essential to building environmentally responsible and resilient supply chains. Selecting sustainable and resilient suppliers enables organizations to ensure the long-term viability of the supply chain. To do that, there is a need to identify suitable suppliers that align with sustainability and resilience goals. This study aims to provide an overview of the requirements and criteria for selecting and managing sustainable and resilient suppliers and emphasizes the significance of integrating sustainability and resilience principles throughout the supply chain. Multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) is used to deal with various criteria. The double normalization-based multi-aggregation (DNMA) …

Anthropomorphism And Human-Robot Interaction, Rae Yule Kim

Department of Economics Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Exploring how human appreciation for and interactions with robots are influenced by anthropomorphic features.

Auto-Combustion Synthesis Of Lanthanum-Doped Tio2 Nanostructures For Efficient Photocatalytic Degradation Of Crystal Violet Dye, Gharieb Meselhy, Mostafa Yasine Nassar, Ibrahim Mohamed Nassar, Sabry Hamed Seda

Dentistry

Utilising the solution combustion technique, nanocrystalline photocatalysts that included both pristine TiO₂ and doped TiO₂ with various La (III) dopant percentages (1, 3, 5, and 7 mol%) were created. Different methods, including thermal analysis, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), were used to investigate the prepared nanostructures. The XRD results indicated the anatase form and the crystalline nature of the products (pristine and doped TiO2) in the size range of a crystallite (5–16.5) nm. The photocatalytic assessment of the prepared nano-photocatalysts was carried out by …

Prevention And Potential Treatment Strategies For Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Bo-Wen Sun, Peng-Peng Zhang, Zong-Hao Wang, Xia Yao, Meng-Lan He, Rui-Ting Bai, Hao Che, Jing Lin, Tian Xie, Zi Hui, Xiang-Yang Ye, Li-Wei Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a significant viral pathogen that causes respiratory infections in infants, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. RSV-related illnesses impose a substantial economic burden worldwide annually. The molecular structure, function, and in vivo interaction mechanisms of RSV have received more comprehensive attention in recent times, and significant progress has been made in developing inhibitors targeting various stages of the RSV replication cycle. These include fusion inhibitors, RSV polymerase inhibitors, and nucleoprotein inhibitors, as well as FDA-approved RSV prophylactic drugs palivizumab and nirsevimab. The research community is hopeful that these developments might provide easier access to knowledge and …

Deep Learning Model Compression On Edge Devices For Audio, Afsana Rahman Mou

Theses and Dissertations

Audio classification plays a crucial role in interpreting and understanding soundscapes, enabling applications like voice assistants, sound event detection, and music analysis. However, deploying deep learning models for audio classification on edge devices presents significant challenges. These models often require substantial computational resources and memory, which are limited on edge devices. Balancing performance, efficiency, and accuracy remains a key hurdle in this field. In this research, we explore various deep learning architectures, including Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), and Audio Spectrogram Transformer (AST), for the purpose of audio classification on the ESC 50 and Audio Set datasets. …

Unveiling Efficiency: Investigating Distance Measures In Wastewater Treatment Using Interval-Valued Neutrosophic Fuzzy Soft Set, Muhammad Saeed, Kinza Kareem, Fatima Razzaq, Muhammad Saqlain

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

To reduce the threats that wastewater poses to human health and the environment, water treatment techniques must be improved. The use of a procedure that includes preparation, testing, primary and secondary treatments, filtration, disinfection, and continuous monitoring is therefore required. The objective of this research is to create a hybrid notion that extends the idea of an interval-valued neutrosophic fuzzy soft set (IVNFSS) to an interval-valued neutrosophic fuzzy set. Operations like complement, union, and integration are included in the idea. To improve decision-making accuracy, a quality-assessment distance measure is incorporated, offering a numerical representation of the disparity between various factors. …

Designing Dual-Purpose Management Strategies For Sheep Production And Pollinators In Dryland Pastures, Mia Caudillo, Andony Melathopoulos, Mary Smallman, Sarah A. Kinkaid, David E. Prado-Tarango, Serkan Ates

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Development of novel grazing management practicesfor both livestock production and pollinator health is becoming increasingly crucial in pasture-based farming systems. The effect of pasture type and spring closing dates on lamb liveweight gain, pasture production, botanical composition, bloom density and bee visitation was monitored over 2 years at the Oregon State University in Corvallis. Total annual dry matter yield (DMY) of diverse pastures in 2020/2021 was 8.8 t DM ha^-1 and this was greater (P-1) and legume pastures (6.6 t DM ha^-1). In successive years, lambs grew faster in legume pastures (287, 215 g per head d …

Tillering Of ‘Marandu’ Brachiaria Under Different Nitrogen Rates In The Brazilian Savannah, A. B. O. Assis, A. L. Bocchi, T. C. Pedrosa, A. O. Matos, A. P. B. Soares

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The tiller is the basic unit of grass growth and tiller density determines the horizontal ground cover, leaves production and pastures perennially. The objective in this study was to quantify the number of aerial and basal tillers and basal:aerial tillers ratio in Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu, established in Brazilian savannah, submitted to nitrogen doses (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg N/ha). The experiment was carried out in the Forage and Pasture Sector of Jataí Federal University (UFJ) and after soil correction and fertilization, plots were established with Marandu palisade grass in a randomized block design, with four replications and four …

Effect Of Soil Source And Variety On The Heavy Metal Contents Of Guinea Grass, C. C. Anotaenwere, P. O. Bankole, P. A. Dele, Alaba O. Jolaosho

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the heavy metal content in soils and grasses planted on selected contaminated soils. The study was a 3 x 2 factorial experiment in a completely randomized design comprising of two factors which are: 3 soil sources (i.e., industrial site, dump site and Fadama (a lowland around a river/stream) which was used as the control) and 2 varieties of Megathyrsus maximus (var. Local and Ntchisi) replicated four times. Soils were collected from the three sites and planting was done in a greenhouse. Soil samples were collected before and after planting. Samples of the …