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Crystal Archer: Profile Of The Newest Chbc Faculty Member, Danna Jaimes-Fajardo, Jeremy J. Smith, Lutishoor Salisbury

University Libraries Faculty Publications and Presentations

Presents the research profile of Crystal Archer, Assistant Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry department. It highlights her research interests, education, and impact of her research.

Remediation Technology And Study To Remove Nano-Pollutants From Wastewater, Lauretta Ngozi Ndu Nwagu

Dissertations (2016-Present)

Life on Earth depends on water, which also has a direct impact on climate, health, and economic growth. Water poverty, pollution, and scarcity are some of the environmental issues confronting our society today. Water pollution and water poverty are both measurable parameters. Water quality is measured by comparing its physical, chemical, and biological properties to a predefined standard. This study examines remediation techniques for removing nano-pollutants from human-generated wastewater. In order to satisfy the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) standard, this technological approach utilizes gravity and a zero-carbon footprint for wastewater purification.

The research is designed with various pore sizes of …

Bioluminesence-Induced Photoredox Catalysis And Its Mechanisms, Dominic Jeffrey Bates

Theses and Dissertations

The bioluminescence-induced photoredox reaction (BIPR) is a novel methodology developed to overcome the limitations of photo-induced chemistry by initiating chemical work using bioluminescent Escherichia coli as a photon source. In industry, photochemistry is superseded by thermochemical reaction processes. Despite its massive potential, there are very few applications in industry for photochemistry. Unlike thermochemistry, reaction scale-ups are not as easy as simple dimensional increases in a reaction vessel due to the nature of light. This deficiency is seemingly overcome through the development of flow technologies; however, the overall yield of such methods remains incomparable with those utilizing thermochemistry. This thesis focuses …

Stability Of The S-N Bond In S-Nitrosothiols: Computational And Experimental Approach, Rustam Sabitov

Dissertations (1934 -)

S-Nitrosothiols (RSNOs) are chemical compounds capable to transport nitric oxide (NO) and show promise in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. RSNOs occur naturally in-vivo, and others have been synthesized in-vitro as potential drug candidates for NO transport and release. However, RSNOs are inherently unstable due to their weak S–N bond (D0(S-N)=25–30 kcal/mol), so developing a deeper understanding of the factors influencing the RSNOs stability is crucial. In Chapter 2, we investigated the substituent effect on the -SNO group properties. Substituting R– in RSNOs with more electro-donating character can stabilize the –SNO group according to the Natural Resonance Theory (NRT). But …

(Si13-09) Numerical Methods For Solving Nonlinear Fisher Equation Using Backward Differentiation Formula, Vikash Vimal, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Liju Pannikkal

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

This paper examines the numerical solution of the nonlinear Fisher equation that is used to find the growth of tumour cells in the brain. By employing new methods that transform nonlinear partial differential equations (PDE) into nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODE) through spatial discretization. The stability of the resulting nonlinear system is evaluated using Lyapunov’s criteria. Implicit stiff solvers, including various orders of backward differentiation formulas, are used to address the ODE system. The efficiency of these numerical methods is demonstrated through two examples, and a comparison with existing methods from the literature is conducted. Compared to traditional methods, the …

Drinking Water And Wastewater In Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Communities In New Mexico: The Utilization Of Geographic Information Systems To Identify Communities Most In Need Of Technical Assistance, Alejandra Gaytan Tellez

Water Resources Professional Project Reports

The goal of this study is to identify the most burdened New Mexico community water systems (CWSs) and publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits to be able to provide them with technical assistance to address their issues, such as health-based and monitoring and reporting violations. Additionally, technical assistance can help them access federal or state funding to improve the infrastructure within their systems. The study evaluated multiple factors to determine the systems with the highest level of burden and reported the results as value numbers. The CWSs were evaluated on 10 factors that …

Feral Camel, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

No abstract provided.

Feral Donkey, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Donkeys (Equus asinus) were first imported in substantial numbers to Australia in 1866 by Sir Thomas Elder. They were used as pack and draught animals in outlying areas of Western Australia (WA) until the 1930s. They were eventually replaced by the motor vehicle, and unwanted donkeys were released to the wild, where they became feral. The first record of feral donkeys is from the Kimberley in the early 1930s, but it is possible they became feral much earlier.

Feral Goat, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

The goat (Capra hircus) was one of the first animals to be domesticated, 8 to 10 thousand years ago. Archaeological work indicates the earliest attempts at domestication were in dry hills surrounding the Mediterranean basin. The ability of goats to utilise the coarse browse of mountainous areas made them suitable for domestication, in preference to sheep. With large-scale domestication of goats throughout the world, goats escaped and established feral goat herds on most continents. Overgrazing by goats has caused severe environmental damage, worldwide.

Goats arrived in Australia with the first fleet. They were introduced to many areas by early settlers …

Red Fox, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

This factsheet provides information on the red fox in Western Australia (WA).

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is a native of the northern hemisphere where it occurs throughout most of Europe, Asia, North America, and the northern coast of Africa. The red fox was first introduced to Australia (Victoria) from Britain as early as 1845 for hunting with foxhounds. Having become successfully established in Victoria by about 1870, it colonised most of mainland Australia over the next 70 years. Foxes are not found in the most northern regions of Australia, including northwest Kimberley.

In WA, the fox is a declared …

Rabbit Control: Fumigation, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Fumigation for rabbit control involves the introduction of poisonous gas into a warren. It is one of the best control methods to use where low numbers of rabbits live in a few widely scattered warrens. The threat to non-target animals is minimal. This factsheet should be read in conjunction with registered product labels and directions for use. Check the Department of Health, Western Australia website (health.wa.gov.au) for public health requirements for the use of phosphine fumigation.

Fumigation may be used in areas where access is limited, such as fence lines, around trees, and on riverbanks, but it may be difficult …

Bayesian Nonparametric Models For Pooled Data, Yizeng Li

Theses and Dissertations

This work examines two applications of pooling: group testing and pooled biomonitoring. Group testing, introduced by Dorfman in the early 1940s, was initially developed to screen for syphilis among U.S. inductees during World War II. Since then, the approach has demonstrated cost-saving benefits in diverse fields, including drug discovery, genetics, and infectious disease testing. While various regression methods—parametric, nonparametric, and semiparametric—have been proposed to analyze group testing data, they fall short in addressing age-related disparities in disease presence if such variations exist. In Chapter 2, we address this gap by expanding varying coefficient regression within a Bayesian framework to accommodate …

Antitrust After The Coming Wave, Daniel A. Crane

Articles

A coming wave of general-purpose technologies, including artificial intelligence ("AI"), robotics, quantum computing, synthetic biology, energy expansion, and nanotechnology, is likely to fundamentally reshape the economy and erode the assumptions on which the antitrust order is predicated. First, AI-driven systems will vastly improve firms' ability to detect (and even program) consumer preferences without the benefit of price signals, which will undermine the traditional information-producing benefit of competitive markets. Similarly, these systems will be able to determine comparative producer efficiency without relying on competitive signals. Second, AI systems will invert the salient characteristics of human managers, whose intentions are opaque but …

Leveraging Imitation Learning In Agricultural Robotics: A Comprehensive Survey And Comparative Analysis, Siavash Mahmoudi, Amirreza Davar, Pouya Sohrabipour, Ramesh Bahadur Bist, Yang Tao, Dongyi Wang

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Imitation learning (IL), a burgeoning frontier in machine learning, holds immense promise across diverse domains. In recent years, its integration into robotics has sparked significant interest, offering substantial advancements in autonomous control processes. This paper presents an exhaustive insight focusing on the implementation of imitation learning techniques in agricultural robotics. The survey rigorously examines varied research endeavors utilizing imitation learning to address pivotal agricultural challenges. Methodologically, this survey comprehensively investigates multifaceted aspects of imitation learning applications in agricultural robotics. The survey encompasses the identification of agricultural tasks that can potentially be addressed through imitation learning, detailed analysis of specific models …

Isolating Microbes From The Surface Of An Introductory Laboratory Halite Hand Sample, Kesley G. Banks, Michael A. Gibson, Matthew A. Pritchett

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

Introductory geology labs stress simple physical testing (luster, hardness, etc.) to identify common minerals, using mineral charts to eliminate minerals not exhibiting a particular property. Special properties (magnetism, specific gravity, taste, etc.) for specific minerals narrows mineral identity. Students often express safety concerns about licking minerals, especially when they realize others have previously licked the specimen. As an exercise in medical geology, we cultured microbes from a halite sample used for nearly 25 years and licked by numerous students over that time span (Sample 1), a commercially purchased unused and freshly exposed surface of halite licked by one person (Sample …

Data Provenance Via Differential Auditing, Xin Mu, Ming Pang, Feida Zhu

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

With the rising awareness of data assets, data governance, which is to understand where data comes from, how it is collected, and how it is used, has been assuming evergrowing importance. One critical component of data governance gaining increasing attention is auditing machine learning models to determine if specific data has been used for training. Existing auditing techniques, like shadow auditing methods, have shown feasibility under specific conditions such as having access to label information and knowledge of training protocols. However, these conditions are often not met in most real-world applications. In this paper, we introduce a practical framework for …

The Journey Into Inquiry Land In Tennessee: How To Get There From Anywhere? Lessons Learned Over 25 Years, Michael A. Gibson, Don W. Byerly Jr

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

Driven by changes in the National Standards during the 1990s, inquiry became the pedagogical methodology of choice for K-12 sciences as a major paradigm shift. Inquiry was chosen because it realistically and accurately modeled how scientists conduct scientific studies. Scientific inquiry is itself a learning process, and early educational research suggested that students learned more efficiently through inquiry. However, inquiry was a difficult pedagogy for teachers to learn and for students to experience, as it appears chaotic and decentralized. K-12 Earth science in Tennessee was in need of revitalization, in terms of shifting to the new Earth systems curriculum and …

The Compass - Volume 93 Issue 2 - Complete Issue, Scott R. Beason

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

No abstract provided.

A History Of The Geology Program At The University Of Tennessee At Martin, Michael A. Gibson

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

The teaching of geology has as long a history as The University of Tennessee at Martin has itself, extending back to 1901 when the first geology class was offered at the campus’s original institution, Hall-Moody Institute, a small Baptist college. Geology, usually with geography, was offered as a service course to the primary programs of agriculture, education and, later, engineering. Faculty turnover during these formative years was frequent. When the school was acquired by the University of Tennessee in 1927 and became UT Junior College, geology remained a service course. Geology offerings had been expanding since 1947 and, in 1951, …

Examining The Relationship Between Land-Use Cover Change And Sociodemographic Characteristics: A Case Study Of Madison County, Tennessee, Thomas A. Depriest Jr., Anzhelia Antipova, Hsiang-Te Kung, Esra Ozdenerol

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

This study sought to holistically examine urbanization in Jackson, Madison County, TN. In order to accomplish this objective, a study of land-use and land cover (LULC) change in Madison County, TN from 1992–2011 was conducted. Once completed, noted changes in LULC were then compared to certain socio-demographic factors; these included, population, population density, point distance, central business district, and distance to roads. To determine if any significant relationships existed between socio-demographic factors and quantified LULC changes Spearman’s Correlations were utilized. Relationships between socio-demographic factors and land-use indicators were established as urban areas grew, agricultural and forested areas declined, and population …

The History Of The Tennessee Earth Science Teachers (Test), Michael A. Gibson

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

Tennessee Earth Science Teachers (TEST) was founded in 1990 to promote awareness of the need to integrate Earth science and geology education into the secondary school curricula of Tennessee and to ensure that Tennessee students received the curricular and instructional benefits of Earth Systems education. That mission expanded to include all K-12 grades and to infusing Earth science into other disciplines. A legacy of the participants from a 1991 Tittle II geology workshop for Tennessee teachers, TEST was instrumental in designing and providing academic and pedagogical training, disseminating educational materials, and with networking K-12 teachers with higher education geoscience educators …

Meta-Analysis Of Censored Adverse Events, Xinyue Qi, Shouhao Zhou, Christine B Peterson, Yucai Wang, Xinying Fang, Michael L Wang, Chan Shen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Meta-analysis is a powerful tool for assessing drug safety by combining treatment-related toxicological findings across multiple studies, as clinical trials are typically underpowered for detecting adverse drug effects. However, incomplete reporting of adverse events (AEs) in published clinical studies is frequently encountered, especially if the observed number of AEs is below a pre-specified study-dependent threshold. Ignoring the censored AE information, often found in lower frequency, can significantly bias the estimated incidence rate of AEs. Despite its importance, this prevalent issue in meta-analysis has received little statistical or analytic attention in the literature. To address this challenge, we propose a Bayesian …

Implications Of Persistent Micro-Bioplastics On Biogeochemical Properties Across Soil Types, Casandra R. Leach

Master's Theses

Terrestrial microplastics are increasing in abundance and are an emerging contaminant of concern, particularly in agriculture ecosystems where plastic use and subsequent soil contamination are prevalent. Plastic film mulches make up a significant portion of the plasticulture industry and are directly linked to soil microplastic pollution where negative effects to soil biotic and abiotic functions have been observed. In response to this issue, biodegradable film mulches have been promoted as a sustainable alternative to conventional polyethylene-based mulches. These biodegradable mulches, composed of various bioplastics, are designed to be tilled back into the soil where they are expected to decompose. However, …

Multi-Scale Ai-Assisted Gene Expression Decoding, Fengyao Yan

Theses and Dissertations

Genes can be treated as a graph that can be mapped. Tremendous information is coded in genes to ensure a complex functioning organism. Decoding this information is critical to understanding our biology and developing treatments for various diseases including cancer. Deep learning, a new branch of computer science, has gained traction over the past decade. It offers more insight into the data that is processed by the deeplearning models. Our study has shown that deep-learning models can be an effective tool in decoding genetic data such as gene tissue-deconvolution, gene graph mapping and genomic imputation. In tasks such as tissue …

Engaging Students In The Scientific Process: An Examination Of Active Learning Strategies In Introductory Geoscience Labs, Meryssa Piper

Theses and Dissertations

High-quality instruction of introductory geoscience courses entices students to major in geoscience fields and ensures undergraduate students have opportunities to learn and apply scientific information and practices. Prior studies indicate that active learning strategies in higher education settings can increase student knowledge and interest. This dissertation explores the integration of two active learning strategies in introductory geoscience laboratory courses: inquiry and gamification The first study housed in Chapter 2 investigates the level of inquiry used in introductory geoscience lab activities across the United States. Through a comprehensive analysis of these activities, this chapter assesses: (1) the degree to which instructor …

Stable Isotope Analysis Of Antipatharian Diets From The Northwestern Gulf Of Mexico, Keir J. Macartney, Victoria Salinas, Zachary Rivera, David Hicks

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Antipatharians, or black corals, form a key component of the benthic fauna found throughout the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). In the northwestern GOM, they are a common member of the communities found on the natural relic coral—algal banks known as the South Texas Banks as well as on artificial reefs. They are known to provide important habitat for many ecologically and economically important species in the area but are relatively understudied. Here we present a study on their trophic ecology using stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen from 2 species, Antipathes atlantica and Stichopathes luetkeni from a mesophotic artificial …

Symbolic Regression For Data-Driven Equation Discovery: A Physics-Informed Approach, Anusha Reddy Singireddy

Computer Science Theses & Dissertations

Symbolic Regression (SR) is a cutting-edge machine learning technique that discovers mathematical expressions representing the underlying patterns in data. Unlike traditional regression, SR explores a wide range of mathematical models, allowing for flexible and interpretable solutions. We utilize PySR, a highly customizable symbolic regression package, which combines genetic programming and modern optimization methods to efficiently search for interpretable equations. PySR balances model complexity with performance by penalizing overly complex expressions while optimizing accuracy. In this thesis, we apply Physics-informed Symbolic Regression through PySR to model the x and t dependence of the flavor isovector combination H_u − d( …

Real-Time Synthesis Of A Nonuniformly Correlated, Partially Coherent Beam Using An Optical Coordinate Tansformation, Milo W. Hyde Iv

Faculty Publications

We design, build, and validate an optical system for generating light beams with complex spatial coherence properties in real time. Beams of this type self-focus and are resistant to turbulence degradation, making them potentially useful in applications such as optical communications. We begin with a general theoretical analysis of our proposed design. Our approach starts by generating a Schell-model (uniformly correlated or shift-invariant) source by spatially filtering incoherent light. We then pass this light through an optical coordinate transformer, which converts the Schell-model source into a nonuniformly correlated field. After the general analysis, we discuss system engineering, including trade-offs among …

Refinement Of Alphafold-Predicted Models Using Cryo-Em Density Maps And Enhancement Of Protein Secondary Structure Topologies With Residue Contacts, Maytha Naif Alshammari

Computer Science Theses & Dissertations

Proteins play an important role in almost every biological process. Understanding the mechanism of protein function requires knowledge of three-dimensional (3D) structures. Traditionally, the determination of 3D structures has presented significant challenges. However, Cryo-Electron Microscopy (Cryo-EM) has revolutionized the field of structural biology, providing a powerful technique for atomic structure determination. This dissertation delves into the potential of cryoEM in two ways. First, this dissertation presents a new flexible fitting approach, utilizing Normal Mode Analysis (NMA) and Elastic Network Models (ENMs) to refine AlphaFold-predicted models by optimizing the structures to match cryo-EM density maps. This approach identifies the optimal mode …

Investigating In Vivo Tumor Biomolecular Changes Following Radiation Therapy Using Raman Spectroscopy, Varsha Karunakaran, Sina Dadgar, Santosh K. Paidi, April Mordi, Whitney A. Lowe, Umme Marium Mim, Jesse D. Ivers, Joel Rodriguez Troncoso, Jared A. Mcpeake, Alric Fernandes, Sanidhya D. Tripathi, Ishan Barman, Narasimhan Rajaram

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Treatment resistance is a major bottleneck in the success of cancer therapy. Early identification of the treatment response or lack thereof in patients can enable an earlier switch to alternative treatment strategies that can enhance response rates. Here, Raman spectroscopy was applied to monitor early tumor biomolecular changes in sensitive (UM-SCC-22B) and resistant (UM-SCC-47) head and neck tumor xenografts for the first time in in vivo murine tumor models in response to radiation therapy. We used a validated multivariate curve resolution-alternating least-squares (MCR-ALS) model to resolve complex multicomponent Raman spectra into individual pure spectra and their respective contributions. We observed …