Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The Lyme Disease Spirochete In Tick Species Collected From Warren County, Kentucky, Cheryl C. Onwu

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The overall goal of this present study was to determine the prevalence of the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, in south central Kentucky. A survey of ticks collected from a single location in Warren County, Kentucky was conducted between the months of April and June, 2010. A total of 293 ticks were collected. Three species were identified: 264 (91.7 %) of the ticks were Amblyoma americanum, 18 (6.6%) were Dermacentor variabilis, and 1 (0.35%) was Ixodes scapularis. The ten remaining ticks were immature nymphs and could not be identified. After identifying the species and sex of …

Reaction Of Halogenated Hydrocarbons With Cysteine And Nucleotides, Brittany S. Morgan

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Our objective is to develop a simple, inexpensive model to better understand the biologically relevant reactions of halogenated hydrocarbons and characterize them by NMR spectroscopy. We currently have a model that mimics the adduct created by the reaction of ethylene dibromide (a known toxin and carcinogen) with cysteine and guanosine 5’-monophosphate. Early attempts led to side products including ethylene oxide and ethylene glycol; however, our most promising method to date reacts cysteine with 2-bromoethanol in sodium methoxide/methanol followed by reaction of the 2-hydroxyethyl adduct with HCl and later with guanosine 5’-monophosphate. By reacting other halogenated hydrocarbons through the same method, …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Metallocorrole And Metalloporphyrin Complexes For Catalytic Oxidations, Zhibo Yuan

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Macrocyclic ligand-complexed transition metal-oxo intermediates are the active oxidizing species in a variety of important biological and catalytic oxidation reactions. Many transition metal catalysts have been designed to mimic the predominant oxidation catalysts in nature, namely the cytochrome P450 enzymes. Metal porphyrin complexes have been the center of research as catalysts in this context. This study focuses on the synthesis of porphyrin and corrole macrocyclic ligands and the corresponding ruthenium and iron complexes which are fully characterized by UV-vis and NMR spectroscopies.

The catalytic oxidation reactions towards organic sulfides by these metal complexes were also studied. Two ruthenium porphyrin complexes …

Nabla Fractional Calculus And Its Application In Analyzing Tumor Growth Of Cancer, Fang Wu

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This thesis consists of six chapters. In the first chapter, we review some basic definitions and concepts of fractional calculus. Then we introduce fractional difference equations involving the Riemann-Liouville operator of real number order between zero and one. In the second chapter, we apply the Brouwer fixed point and Contraction Mapping Theorems to prove that there exists a solution for up to the first order nabla fractional difference equation with an initial condition. In chapter three, we define a lower and an upper solution for up to the first order nabla fractional difference equation with an initial condition. Under certain …

On Metal Synthesis Of Some Substituted Rhenium And Manganese Complexes, Jaron Michael Thomas

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Heterocyclic organic and organometallic compounds (i.e. polypyrrole), and their derivatives, have been of great interest for conductive polymers due to their novel properties and environmental stability as compared to their non-aromatic analogs (i.e. polyacetylene). Our current interest focus upon the potential role of metal ligand bound pyridazines as the next generation of electronic devices that utilize the metal ligands bound to organics as the semiconducting material. Pyridazine is a 6-membered aromatic ring with two adjacent nitrogen atoms. These are promising candidates for a variety of materials and commercial applications; but they are difficult to get a metal ligand to fuse …

Phosphorus Transport And Distribution In Kentucky Soils Prepared Using Various Biochar Types, Anvesh Reddy

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Conserving the environment is an issue that is gaining popularity day by day. Phosphorus transfer from agricultural soils is an important environmental issue that is being closely observed as the transport of phosphorous to water bodies is adversely affecting water quality due to accelerated eutrophication. It is important to establish phosphorous models that accurately account for soil test phosphorous. Standard models like SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) and EPIC (Environmental Policy Integrated Climate) were designed for serving this purpose. They are now used as the basis for developing new models that can more accurately account for the phosphorus transport, …

Assessment Of Passive Fire Protection On Steel-Girder Bridges, Michael Davidson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Bridges in the US are severely damaged or suffer collapse from fires at significant rates, even when compared to other hazards such as earthquakes. Fire-induced bridge collapses are perpetuated by the general lack of installed fire protection systems. Therefore, new materials and applications are needed to mitigate structural damage that can be caused to civil infrastructure by severe fires. Accordingly, the objective of this study is to further the development of new fire protection applications in transportation structures. Specifically, the investigation centers on the development of new applications in passive fire protection materials, within the context of shielding steel-girder bridges …

Integrating Expert System And Geographic Information System For Spatial Decision Making, Sriharsha Shesham

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Spatial decision making is a process of providing an effective solution for a problem that encompasses semi-structured spatial data. It is a challenging task which involves various factors to consider. For example, in order to build a new industry, an appropriate site must be selected for which several factors have to be taken into consideration. Some of the factors, which can affect the decision in this particular case, are air pollution, noise pollution, and distance from living areas, which makes the decision difficult. The geographic information systems (GIS) and the expert systems (ES) have many advantages in solving problems in …

Contour Extraction Of Drosophila Embryos Using Active Contours In Scale Space, Soujanya Siddavaram Ananta

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Contour extraction of Drosophila embryos is an important step to build a computational system for pattern matching of embryonic images which aids in the discovery of genes. Automatic contour extraction of embryos is challenging due to several image variations such as size, shape, orientation and neigh- boring embryos such as touching and non-touching embryos. In this thesis, we introduce a framework for contour extraction based on the connected components in the gaussian scale space of an embryonic image. The active contour model is applied on the images to refine embryo contours. Data cleaning methods are applied to smooth the jaggy …

Hannum Family (Sc 746), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

MSS Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 746. Ciphering book containing problems using the British pound system, which also contains accounts of John Hannum, Jr., and Richard Hannum, and writings of Penelope Hannum, Logan County, Kentucky. Also clippings, chiefly from newspapers of Russellville, Kentucky, 1820-1860.

Geogram 2012, David J. Keeling, Wku Department Of Geography And Geology

Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences Publications

No abstract provided.

Whose Islands Are These Anyway?, David J. Keeling

Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences Faculty Publications

This opinion piece addresses Argentina's growing political rhetoric about its claims to the Malvians/Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic.

Woolfolk, Dorothy (Gregory) (Sc 713), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

MSS Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "additional files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 713. Letter written to Marjorie Clagett, Bowling Green, Kentucky, from Dorothy (Gregory) Woolfolk, Brandenburg, Meade County, Kentucky, in which she describes the tornado that devastated the town on 3 April 1974.

Morris, Walter B. (Sc 29), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

MSS Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "additional files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 29. Photocopies of letter written by Walter B. Morris, Gallatin, Tennessee, to his brother, Eastin Morris, Fort Pickering, Tennessee, pertaining to a shower of flesh and blood near Lebanon, Tennessee, on 17 August 1841, and of an article from American Journal of Science, 1841, pertaining to the same event. Also a letter to Julia Neal regarding photocopies, 1968.

"In Space" Or "As Space"?: A New Model, Charles H. Smith, Megan Derr

DLPS Faculty Publications

In this analysis natural systems are posed to subsystemize in a manner facilitating both structured information/energy sharing and an entropy maximization process projecting a three-dimensional, spatial, outcome. Numerical simulations were first carried out to determine whether n × n input-output matrices could, once entropymaximized, project a three-dimensional Euclidean metric. Only 4 × 4 matrices could; a small proportion passed the test. Larger proportions passed when grouped random patterns on and within two- and three-dimensional forms were tested. Topographical patterns within 31 stream basin systems in the state of Kentucky, USA, were then similarly investigated, anticipating that the spatial configuration of …

Ogden College Of Science & Engineering Newsletter (Fall 2012), Cheryl Stevens, Dean

Ogden College of Science & Engineering Publications

No abstract provided.

A Novel Dataset-Similarity-Aware Approach For Evaluating Stability Of Software Metric Selection Techniques, Taghi M. Khoshgoftaar, Huanjing Wang, Randall Wald, Amri Napolitano

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Software metric (feature) selection is an important preprocessing step before building software defect prediction models. Although much research has been done analyzing the classification performance of feature selection methods, fewer works have focused on their stability (robustness). Stability is important because feature selection methods which reliably produce the same results despite changes to the data are more trustworthy. Of the papers studying stability, most either compare the features chosen from different random subsamples of the dataset or compare each random subsample with the original dataset. These either result in an unknown degree of overlap between the subsamples, or comparing datasets …

Modeling Daily Power Demand In Southern Kentucky: A Single Household Approach, Craig M. Dickson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In this study, we use a nonparametric technique, locally weighted robust least squares regression (LOESS), to forecast a 24 hour demand profile at the household level and compare it to existing aggregate demand models discussed in literature. Of these aggregate demand models, a quadratic autoregressive model was selected to be used as a basis for comparison with the LOESS forecasts. It was our goal to automate the forecasting process by using the goodness of fit metric, AICCI, for smoothing parameter selection. The statistical workflow was executed using SAS and data was provided by the Glasgow Electric Plant Board of Barren …

Making Music Sustainable: The Case Of Marketing Summer Jamband Festivals In The U.S., 2010, Melissa A. Cary

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Commercial music festivals in the United States have been growing in popularity since the 1960s. Today, many weekend-long music festivals are annual events spanning a variety of genres and often occur at the same locations each year. My research compares and contrasts how jamband music festivals are marketed as sustainable events and attempts to determine how the advertised sustainable practices are implemented and utilized at selected jamband music venues. The jamband genre of music emphasizes musical improvisation and borrows from other styles of music: rock, electronic, jazz, blues, folk, and bluegrass.

In addition, any impacts these festivals have upon the …

Application Of The Weather Research And Forecasting (Wrf) Model To Simulate A Squall Line: Implications Of Choosing Parameterization Scheme Combinations And Model Initialization Data Sets, Mitchell Gaines

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

On January 29-30, 2008 a squall line of thunderstorms moved through the Ohio Valley resulting in four deaths and one injury. Such events highlight the importance of accurate forecasting for public safety. Mesoscale Modeling plays an important role in any forecast of a potential squall line. The focus of this study was to examine the performance of several parameterization scheme combinations in the Weather Research and Forecasting Model version three (WRF) as they related to this event. These examinations included cloud microphysics (WRF Single-Moment 3-class, 6-class, and Goddard), cumulus parameterization (Kain-Fritsch and Bets-Miller-Janjic) and planetary boundary layer schemes (Yonsei-University and …

Preparation Of Copper-Based Oxygen Carrier Supported On Titanium Dioxide, Yaowen Cui

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Chemical-looping combustion is an indirect oxygen combustion strategy, considered to be the most cost-effective power generation technology with the CO2 inherently concentrated. In this process, a solid oxygen carrier is used to transfer oxygen from the air reactor to the fuel reactor, which completely isolates nitrogen in air to meet with fuels. The oxygen carriers in the combustion process are subjected to the severe environments, such as high temperatures, multi-cycle operations, and thermodynamic limitations. Thus, the preparation of an oxygen carrier with high durability and better kinetics under harsh environment could be an essential part of Chemical-looping combustion development. In …

An Examination Of White-Nose Syndrome Occurrence And Dispersal Patterns: Utilizing Global And Local Moran's I Analysis To Evaluate An Emerging Pathogen, Celia M. Davis

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In this research, a novel approach that utilizes Moran’s I statistical analyses to examine the spatio-temporal dispersal patterns of the White-Nose Syndrome currently affecting North American bat species is undertaken to further understand the disease transmission mechanism(s) of this emerging wildlife epidemic. White-Nose Syndrome has been responsible for in excess of five million bat deaths to date and has the potential to alter the ecological landscape significantly; however, due to a variety of factors, little research has been conducted into the patterns of infection on a national scale. Global and Local Moran’s I analyses were performed on the spatial-temporal variable …

Photochemical Oxidation Studies Of Porphyrin Ruthenium Complexes, Eric Vanover

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In nature, transition metal containing enzymes display many biologically important, attractive and efficient catalytic oxidation reactions. Many transition metal catalysts have been designed to mimic the predominant oxidation catalysts in nature, namely, the cytochrome P450 enzymes. Ruthenium porphyrin complexes have been the center of this research and have successfully been utilized, as catalysts, in major oxidation reactions, such as the hydroxylation of alkanes. The present work focuses on photocatalytic studies of aerobic oxidation reactions with well characterized ruthenium porphyrin complexes.

The photocatalytic studies of aerobic oxidation reactions of hydrocarbons The photocatalytic studies of aerobic oxidation reactions of hydrocarbons catalyzed by …

Removal Of Heavy Metals From Drinking Water By Adsorption Onto Limestone With A Focus On Copper And Aluminum Applications, Swarna Latha Somasani

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Elevated levels of arsenic and other heavy metals like copper, aluminum, zinc, and selenium in drinking water are found to have deleterious effects on human health. Hence, finding methods for reducing their levels is critical. Iron-coated limestone is used as an adsorption material for the removal of heavy metals from drinking water. Removal of heavy metals by native or uncoated limestone was also observed and used for comparison to and evaluation of the improvement in removal efficiency from the ironcoated material. The removal efficiency with limestone was studied for different concentrations of heavy metals. Kinetic studies were done to determine …

Mercury Transportation In Soil Using Gypsum From Flue Gas Desulphurization Unit In Coal-Fired Power Plant, Kelin Wang

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This work investigates mercury flux in soil amended by gypsum from flue gas desulphurization (FGD) units of coal-fired power plants. There are two phases of this research, including field and greenhouse studies. Previous studies indicate that FGD gypsum could increase corn yield, but may lead to more mercury uptake by corn.

Recent studies have been carried out in greenhouses to investigate mercury transport in FGD gypsum treated soil. Major aspects include uptake of mercury by plants and emission of mercury into the atmosphere based on application rates of FGD gypsum. Additional aspects include rainfall, temperature, soil, and plants types. Higher …

Clark, William B., B. 1797? (Sc 632), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

MSS Finding Aids

Finding aid and one scanned page (Click on "additional files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 632. Ciphering book kept by William B. Clark of Christian County, Kentucky, 25 August 1813 to 22 August 1814, and intermittently by others to 1819. Other entries include business accounts of Clark, a blacksmith, and family genealogy. The book was bound
with sheets from the Western Eagle, a newspaper printed in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and dated 12 February 1813. It was removed and added to the Special Collections Library. A loose item found in the book, 1834-1846, contains accounts of Clark.

Cearnal, Elijah (Sc 588), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

MSS Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "additional files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 588. A ciphering book kept by Elijah Cearnal as a student. The name "Patrick Carnall" is also written in the book.

Halcomb, Warren G. (Sc 587), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

MSS Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "additional files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 587. Ciphering book of Warren G. Halcomb’s of Caswell County, North Carolina, which he kept from 11 September 1809 to 15 July 1815. Other entries in the book include a few family names and dates, personal business notes, and a recipe for the cure of rheumatism. Loose items, 1840-1854, found in the book concern the slave trade, 1840 and 1849.

Motley, Matthew, 1786-1845 (Sc 591), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

MSS Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "additional files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 591. Ciphering book, 1800-1801, kept by Matthew Motley of Allen County, Kentucky. Business accounts,1807-1811, of John Motley, father of Matthew, and business accounts, 1805-1823, of Matthew, who was a cabinetmaker, are documented in the back of the book; other notations record the hiring out of enslaved persons, medicinal remedies, and a poetic reaction to the New Madrid earthquake, 1811.

Hamilton, William D. (Sc 590), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

MSS Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "additional files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 590. Ciphering book, writer unknown, possibly kept during the 1830s. W.D. Hamilton’s name with notes dated in the 1870s appears on several pages of the book and his address is listed as Hamilton, Ohio County, Kentucky.