Digital Commons Network^™

Celestial Bodies, Rebecca L. Rand, Mark Popinchalk

Capstones

Most of us will never come close to touching space. But space touches us every day. On Celestial Bodies, journalist Rebecca Rand and astronomer Mark Popinchalk explore the ways outer space interacts with life on earth.

In Episode 1, hosts Rebecca Rand and Mark Popinchalk explore how, for millions of years, trees have been recording celestial events in space. Within the rings of their trunks, trees store radiation from solar flares, supernovae, and changes in the earth’s magnetic field. The hosts talk to Dr. Ben Pope to learn more about what we can discover by looking at radioactive molecules …

Minutes From December 13 2023, University Senate

University Senate Minutes

Minutes from December 13 2023 University Senate Meeting

Mutational Analysis Of The Nitrogenase Carbon Monoxide Protective Protein Cown Reveals That A Conserved C‑Terminal Glutamic Acid Residue Is Necessary For Its Activity, Dustin L. Willard, Joshuah J. Arellano, Mitch Underdahl, Terrence M. Lee, Avinash S. Ramaswamy, Gabriella Fumes, Agatha Kliman, Emily Y. Wong, Cedric P. Owens

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Nitrogenase is the only enzyme that catalyzes the reduction of nitrogen gas into ammonia. Nitrogenase is tightly inhibited by the environmental gas carbon monoxide (CO). Many nitrogen fixing bacteria protect nitrogenase from CO inhibition using the protective protein CowN. This work demonstrates that a conserved glutamic acid residue near the C-terminus of Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus CowN is necessary for its function. Mutation of the glutamic acid residue abolishes both CowN’s protection against CO inhibition and the ability of CowN to bind to nitrogenase. In contrast, a conserved C-terminal cysteine residue is not important for CO protection by CowN. Overall, this work …

Case Study Of A 2016 Upward Bound Cohort’S Preparation For College, Kimberly Collins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

The False Promise That Guilt-Free Flying Is Just Around The Corner, Amanda Braitman

Capstones

Airlines are spending big bucks advertising “sustainable aviation fuel,” but some experts say it's greenwashing.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/19ZejyJBgPGgleNXOWrHXKGF5WI1poQ8OyxSKg8PBNZI/edit?usp=sharing

On The Spectrum Of Mesons In Quenched $Sp(2n)$ Gauge Theories, Ed Bennett, Jack Holligan, Deog Ki Hong, Jong-Wan Lee, C. -J. David Lin, Biagio Lucini, Maurizio Piai, Davide Vadacchino

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

We report the findings of our extensive study of the spectra of flavoured mesons in lattice gauge theories with symplectic gauge group and fermion matter content treated in the quenched approximation. For the $Sp(4)$, $Sp(6)$, and $Sp(8)$ gauge groups, the (Dirac) fermions transform in either the fundamental, or the 2-index, antisymmetric or symmetric, representations. This study sets the stage for future precision calculations with dynamical fermions in the low mass region of lattice parameter space. Our results have potential phenomenological applications ranging from composite Higgs models, to top (partial) compositeness, to dark matter models with composite, strong-coupling dynamical origin. Having …

The Tor Algebra Of Trimmings Of Gorenstein Ideals, Luigi Ferraro, Alexis Hardesty

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Let (R,\mathfrak m,\Bbbk ) be a regular local ring of dimension 3. Let I be a Gorenstein ideal of R of grade 3. Buchsbaum and Eisenbud proved that there is a skew-symmetric matrix of odd size such that I is generated by the sub-maximal pfaffians of this matrix. Let J be the ideal obtained by multiplying some of the pfaffian generators of I by \mathfrak m; we say that J is a trimming of I. Building on a recent paper of Vandebogert, we construct an explicit free resolution of R/J and compute a partial DG algebra structure on this …

E-Governance: The Implication Of Next Social Generation Welfare Information System, Yaya Mulyana Abdul Aziz, Andre Ariesmansyah

Smart City

Accelerating bureaucracy can be performed by e-governance present in order to improve the quality of government administration in the world. E-governance draft is closely related to the development of information and communication technology (ICT) globally. One form of embodiment of e-governance is the implementation of a smart city. smart cities are expected to be able to become a liaison between the demands of the community in appropriate, effective, and efficient services from the city government, by utilizing ICT. There are various related definitions of smart city in this world. One of them is as explained by Nam and Pardo who …

Forests As Social Safety Nets During The Covid-19 Lockdowns: Evidence From India, Alder Keleman Saxena

Sustainability Seminar Series

This presentation reports on research assessing the social-ecological dynamics of the Covid-19 lockdowns in India in 2020 and 2021. Preliminary findings of research in forest- adjacent communities in three states (Assam, Madhya Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh) suggest that while forest resources did serve as a buffer for some of the most vulnerable households, they did not stand in as a full substitute for the market-derived goods and income opportunities curtailed by the lockdowns. Findings from the research to-date suggest two major conclusions: first, the ecological context (including the seasonal timing) of the lockdowns influenced the extent to which forest communities …

About Books: Summer Isles Of Eden, Mark Lynch

Bird Observer

No abstract provided.

Making The Rounds, 1996, V1 N15, April 8, Advocate Aurora Health

Historical Documents - Combined

The Park Ridge Center, Chicago, IL: Issue of "Making the Rounds in Health, Faith, & Ethics", a publication from The Park Ridge Center for the Study of Health, Faith and Ethics, associated with Lutheran General Hospital. This issue has a feature on narrative ethics, and an interview with Martha Holstein about societal responsibility and children.

Ohio Recovery Housing: Resident Risk And Outcomes Assessment, Elyjiah Potter, Bivin Sadler

SMU Data Science Review

Addiction and substance abuse disorder is a significant problem in the United States. Over the past two decades, the United States has faced a boom in substance abuse, which has resulted in an increase in death and disruption of families across the nation. The State of Ohio has been particularly hard hit by the crisis, with overdose rates nearly doubling the national average. Established in the mid 1970’s Sober Living Housing is an alcohol and substance use recovery model emphasizing personal responsibility, sober living, and community support. This model has been adopted by the Ohio Recovery Housing organization, which seeks …

Deep Learning Image Analysis To Isolate And Characterize Different Stages Of S-Phase In Human Cells, Kevin A. Boyd, Rudranil Mitra, John Santerre, Christopher L. Sansam

SMU Data Science Review

Abstract. This research used deep learning for image analysis by isolating and characterizing distinct DNA replication patterns in human cells. By leveraging high-resolution microscopy images of multiple cells stained with 5-Ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU), a replication marker, this analysis utilized Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to perform image segmentation and to provide robust and reliable classification results. First multiple cells in a field of focus were identified using a pretrained CNN called Cellpose. After identifying the location of each cell in the image a python script was created to crop out each cell into individual .tif files. After careful annotation, a CNN was …

Investigation Into A Practical Application Of Reinforcement Learning For The Stock Market, Philip Traxler, Sadik Aman, Will Rogers, Allyn Okun

SMU Data Science Review

A major problem of the financial industry is the ability to adapt their trading strategies at the same rate the market evolves. This paper proposes a solution using existing Reinforcement Learning libraries to help find new strategies at a practical scale. Using a wide domain of ticker symbols, an algorithm is trained in an environment that better represents reality. The supplied decision-making algorithm is tested using recorded data from the U.S stock market from 2000 through 2022. The results of this research show that existing techniques are statistically better than making decisions at random. With this result, this research shows …

Differentiation Of Human, Dog, And Cat Hair Fibers Using Dart Tofms And Machine Learning, Laura Ahumada, Erin R. Mcclure-Price, Chad Kwong, Edgard O. Espinoza, John Santerre

SMU Data Science Review

Hair is found in over 90% of crime scenes and has long been analyzed as trace evidence. However, recent reviews of traditional hair fiber analysis techniques, primarily morphological examination, have cast doubt on its reliability. To address these concerns, this study employed machine learning algorithms, specifically Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) and Random Forest, on Direct Analysis in Real Time time-of-flight mass spectra collected from human, cat, and dog hair samples. The objective was to develop a chemistry- and statistics-based classification method for unbiased taxonomic identification of hair. The results of the study showed that LDA and Random Forest were highly …

Impact Of Covid-19 On Recruitment Of High School Athletes To Di Track And Field, Christopher Haub, Jon Paugh, Alonso Salcido, Monnie Mcgee

SMU Data Science Review

Due to COVID-19, in the spring of 2020, the NCAA gave scholarship athletes an extra year of eligibility but did not increase the number of scholarships a school could issue. This potentially led to increased competition for scholarships as coaches could choose between retaining athletes or recruiting new ones. Furthermore, the Spring 2020 track and field season for high school seniors ended early – limiting high school athletes’ chance to get their best scores, and interrupting student to college interaction. This research looks specifically at the impact of COVID-19, and the resulting NCAA policy changes, on the recruitment to DI …

A Prompt Engineering Approach To Creating Automated Commentary For Microsoft Self-Help Documentation Metric Reports Using Chatgpt, Ryan Herrin, Luke Stodgel, Brian Raffety

SMU Data Science Review

Microsoft collects an immense amount of data from the users of their product-self-help documentation. Employees use this data to identify these self-help articles' performance trends and measure their impact on business Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Microsoft uses various tools like Power BI and Python to analyze this data. The problem is that their analysis and findings are summarized manually. Therefore, this research will improve upon their current analysis methods by applying the latest prompt engineering practices and the power of ChatGPT's large language models (LLMs). Using VBA code, Microsoft Excel, and the ChatGPT API as an Excel add-in, this research …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Faculty Productivity And Gender Inequalities In Stem Disciplines, Monnie Mcgee, Raag Patel, Roslyn Smith, Satvik Ajmera

SMU Data Science Review

Women and minorities within STEM disciplines historically encounter obstacles in academic advancement, a situation compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic due to the imposition of additional responsibilities like caregiving. This study meticulously probes into the pandemic's influence on traditional academic productivity metrics – specifically publication and submission frequency, citation volume, and leadership in scholarly entities, by employing Natural Language Processing to extract and analyze data from key journals within various scientific domains. A critical revelation from the research indicates a notable downturn in publication activity during 2021, potentially attributed to pandemic-induced disruptions, with a compensatory surge observed in 2022. Although a …

Predicting Land Reclamation Of Bond Released Surface Mines, Kendall Scott, Austin Webb, Tadd Backus, Robert Slater

SMU Data Science Review

Accurately measuring the recovery of released surface mines in the UnitedStates poses crucial challenges. This study aims to develop a prediction of land classification, that considers various environmental and coal mine variables. By utilizing this prediction, the researchers and environmentalists (specifically Appalachian Voices, the group heading this research) can better understand the relevant factors for successful reclamation. Efficient management of mine recovery is essential for environmental sustainability, regulatory compliance, and resource utilization. This study focuses on the Appalachian Forest area, which risks becoming a net carbon source (a place that emits more carbon than it absorbs) due to mine recovery. …

Utilizing Computer Vision For Automated Cellular Microscopy, Ahmed Awadallah, Ryan Bass, James Burke, Robert Price, John Santerre

SMU Data Science Review

Abstract. Post-acquisition data analysis of microscopy images is a vital yet time-consuming process for researchers. Quantitative fields such as biology and microbiology often require using images as primary data sources. Finding methods to automate this process would increase the throughput, quality, and reproducibility. This research aims to provide a novel end-to-end pipeline that reduces the workload on researchers in identifying cell cytoplasm and nuclei while creating a process that can scale to the researcher's needs. The proposed methodology utilizes various image-processing techniques to rapidly identify the boundaries of cells and nuclei, including filtering, thresholding, and deep learning. The results …

Development Of Battery-Grade Silicon Through Magnesiothermic Reduction Of Halloysite-Derived Silica, Nathan Clarke

Theses and Dissertations

The production of halloysite-derived silicon (HDS) is investigated as a potential anode material in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Other researchers have found HDS to be electrochemically active in small test cells. To test larger electrochemical cells, the production process needs to be scaled up and optimized. HDS is produced through magnesiothermic reduction of acid-etched halloysite. The reduction process is very exothermic and requires special consideration while being scaled up. A reactor and pressure release system were designed and fabricated to perform the reduction process in a safe manner. Various steps of the process were tested to determine their influence on the …

Comparison Of The Effectiveness Of Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization And Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy In Myofascial Pain Syndrome, Şeyda Candeni̇z, Seyi̇t Çitaker, Gökhan Maraş, Hati̇ce Esra Yavuzer, Hasan Yildirim, Zafer Günendi̇

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: To compare the effectiveness of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) and extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) used in myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) and to determine whether they are superior to conservative treatment (CT). Materials and methods: A total of 42 female patients (aged 18-60 years) diagnosed with MPS were enrolled and randomly assigned to either the CT (n = 14), CT+IASTM (n = 14), or CT+ESWT group (n = 14). All of the groups received treatment for 3 weeks (CT: 5 sessions per week, 15 sessions in total, ESWT and IASTM: 2 sessions per week, 6 sessions in total). …

The Dose-Response Effect Of Aerobic Exercise On Inflammation In Colon Cancer Survivors, Justin C. Brown, Stephanie L.E. Compton, Jeffrey A. Meyerhardt, Guillaume Spielmann, Shengping Yang

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background; Physical activity after surgical resection for colon cancer is associated with significantly longer disease-free survival. Inflammation is hypothesized to mediate the association between physical activity and disease-free survival in colon cancer. Methods; In this exploratory analysis of a randomized dose-response trial, 39 colon cancer survivors who completed standard therapy were stratified by cancer stage and randomized in a 1;1;1 ratio to one of three treatment groups for 24 weeks of usual-care control, 150 min/wk of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (low-dose), or 300 min/wk of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (high-dose). Inflammation outcomes included high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL6), and soluble tumor …

Structural Analysis And Activity Correlation Of Amphiphilic Cyclic Antimicrobial Peptides Derived From The [W4R4] Scaffold, Shaima Ahmed El-Mowafi, Anastasia G. Konshina, Eman H. M. Mohammed, Nikolay A. Krylov, Roman G. Efremov, Keykavous Parang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

In our ongoing quest to design effective antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), this study aimed to elucidate the mechanisms governing cyclic amphiphilic AMPs and their interactions with membranes. The objective was to discern the nature of these interactions and understand how peptide sequence and structure influence antimicrobial activity. We introduced modifications into the established cyclic AMP peptide, [W₄R₄], incorporating an extra aromatic hydrophobic residue (W), a positively charged residue (R), or the unique 2,5-diketopiperazine (DKP). This study systematically explored the structure–activity relationships (SARs) of a series of cyclic peptides derived from the [W₄R₄] scaffold, …

12.04.2023 Orsp Connect, Liz Williamson

ORED Newsletter

Week of December 4, 2023

The High Energy X-Ray Probe (Hex-P): A New Window Into Neutron Star Accretion, R.M. Ludlam, C. Malacaria, E. Sokolova-Lapa, F. Fuerst, P. Pradhan, A.W. Shaw, K. Pottschmidt, S. Pike, G. Vasilopoulos, J. Wilms, J.A. Garcia, K. Madsen, D. Stern, C. Maitra, M. Del Santo, D.J. Walton, M.C. Brumback, J. Van Den Eijnden

Publications

Accreting neutron stars (NSs) represent a unique laboratory for probing the physics of accretion in the presence of strong magnetic fields (B ≳ 10⁸ G). Additionally, the matter inside the NS itself exists in an ultra-dense, cold state that cannot be reproduced in Earth-based laboratories. Hence, observational studies of these objects are a way to probe the most extreme physical regimes. Here we present an overview of the field and discuss the most important outstanding problems related to NS accretion. We show how these open questions regarding accreting NSs in both low-mass and high-mass X-ray binary systems can …

Characterizing Quirky Signals, Joshua D. Forsyth

Theses and Dissertations

Large collider facilities such as the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) employ a variety of search methods in hopes of finding new particles. It may be that new physics beyond the SM is waiting to be discovered at energies accessible to the LHC. Quirks are particles charged under a new confining gauge group with masses much larger than their confinement scale. This project details the dynamics of quirks, as well as the production and decay of electrically charged bound states of scalar quirks. The cross section for these states is compared to existing Wγ resonance searches at the LHC. Such a …

In Vitro Observation Of Optical Changes In Whole Blood Due To Injection Of Glucose Solution, James Gordon Harkness

Theses and Dissertations

Significance: While the optical properties of blood have been extensively studied, the influence of glucose concentration on blood optics remains unquantified. This is information which could be used to develop a noninvasive blood glucose monitor. Aim: This in vitro study investigated the optics of blood. Time-dependent effects and various methods of introducing glucose into blood samples were examined. The study aimed to quantify how alterations in glucose levels impacted blood optics across 14 distinct NIR wavelengths. Approach: Blood in a cuvette was exposed to light, and the reflected and transmitted light was captured in integrating spheres. 14 distinct wavelengths from …

The State Of Active Blended Learning In Construction Education: Reviewing Research And Current Perspectives, Shandon Miles Gubler

Theses and Dissertations

STEM educators have shown a particular interest in active blended learning. Construction management education, a discipline within STEM education, has naturally considered blended instruction to engage students in the learning process. Documented efforts of construction management educators implementing blended instruction have mostly been recorded in conference proceedings. These recorded efforts often take the form of anecdotal case studies—a current review of how construction management faculty are implementing blended instruction and active learning in their blended courses was not found. In this study, we reviewed the literature for active blended instruction in construction management education. We surveyed construction management faculty about …

First Order Approximation On The Basilica Julia Set, Xintan Xia, Taryn Flock

Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science Honors Projects

We consider the basilica Julia set of the quadratic polynomial P (z) = z^2 - 1, with its successive graph approximations defined in terms of the external ray parametrization of the set. Following the model of Kigami and later Strichartz, we exploit these graph approximations to define derivatives of functions defined on the fractal, an endeavor complicated by asymmetric neighborhood behaviors at approximated vertex points across levels, and by the topology of these vertices. We hence differentiate even and odd levels of approximations of the Julia set and construct, accordingly, normal derivatives corresponding to each level category at the vertices, …