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Articles 1411 - 1440 of 3451

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Mica-Morph Interpolated Character Animation, Mike D. Smith, Dr. Thomas W. Sederberg Feb 2014

Mica-Morph Interpolated Character Animation, Mike D. Smith, Dr. Thomas W. Sederberg

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In conventional two-dimensional or flat animation, an artist called a character animator will draw key poses for a cartoon that specify movement and expression. Generally, one or more additional artists will take these key frames of animation and draw more images to insert between them. This creates the illusion of the cartoon moving from one key pose to the next. What the additional artists do is called inbetweening. Inbetweening is not only labor intensive and very costly, but because of production budgets and time constraints, the level of detail in the animated characters must be kept very low.

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Exploring Hyperspace With Raytracing And Transparency, Adam Wayment, Dr. Robert P. Burton Feb 2014

Exploring Hyperspace With Raytracing And Transparency, Adam Wayment, Dr. Robert P. Burton

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Raytracing is a technique used by artists and scientists to generate computer imagery with a high degree of realism. Mathematicians have long established the ease and elegance of generating mathematical objects that exist in four or more dimensions. Because raytracing is an elegant abstraction of the process of representation, my aim is to show that raytracing may be extended to more than three dimensions so as to produce images that are consistent with the properties of dimensional space and vision.

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Using A Reinforcement Learning Controller To Overcome Simulator/Environment Discrepancies, Nancy Owens, Todd Peterson Feb 2014

Using A Reinforcement Learning Controller To Overcome Simulator/Environment Discrepancies, Nancy Owens, Todd Peterson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Robotic controllers often fail to perform well when transferred from a simulated environment to a real-world situation. Such failures are caused by discrepancies between a simulator and the real-world system which it is intended to model. Traditional approaches to this problem attempt to reduce the number and severity of simulator/environment discrepancies by using calibration, by designing more accurate simulations, or by controlling the specifications of the real-world environment. These approaches, although often effective, are limited in that they require the designer to successfully anticipate the types of discrepancies the controller is likely to encounter.

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Thoughtweaver: Intelligent Agents Boosting Thought And Memory, Michael P. Holmes, Dr. Bryan Morse Feb 2014

Thoughtweaver: Intelligent Agents Boosting Thought And Memory, Michael P. Holmes, Dr. Bryan Morse

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Imagine going through your late father’s belongings and finding that he had recorded many of his thoughts, ideas, and experiences in a special computer program. As you begin to use the program, recording the thoughts of your mind, the program brings to your attention various insights of your father’s that relate to what you are thinking. Thus a priceless part of his mind is retained and explored, even after he is gone. Suppose you are a lawyer at trial, and the opposing side brings up some evidence or arguments to which you had previously designed thorough refutations, but now you …

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A Proposed Thin Film Process For Shortening Carbon Nanotube Afm Probes, Dale S. Kitchen, Dr. Robert C. Davis Feb 2014

A Proposed Thin Film Process For Shortening Carbon Nanotube Afm Probes, Dale S. Kitchen, Dr. Robert C. Davis

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This report describes the growth of carbon nanotubes on sharp silicon cantilevers through chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and the implementation of thin film and acid etch techniques to shorten the grown nanotubes. Silicon and silicon-nitride probes serve as the principle imaging tools for Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Carbon nanotubes may serve to enhance the imaging stability and resolution of AFM through their unique properties. Herein, I describe procedures, explain the presented results, and outline future work on this project.

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G Protein Regulation Of Chaperonins Through Phosducin-Like Protein, Tiffany L. Sabin, Dr. Barry Willardson Feb 2014

G Protein Regulation Of Chaperonins Through Phosducin-Like Protein, Tiffany L. Sabin, Dr. Barry Willardson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

G proteins participate in a myriad of cell signaling processes by shuttling information between cell surface receptors and intracellular effectors(1). The importance of G protein signaling is evidenced by the fact that ~5% of human genes encode G protein-coupled receptors, G protein subunits of effectors. Phosducin-like protein (PhLP) is a widely expressed protein with homology to the retinal photoreceptor protein phosducin(2). Like phosducin, PhLP binds G protein âã subunit complexes(3). Phosducin is believed to inhibit light signaling in photoreceptor cells as a part of the mechanism of light adaptation. Because of its homology to phosducin and its broad expression, PhLP …

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On Chip Preconcentration And Labeling Of Protein Biomarkers Using Monolithic Columns, Device Fabrication, Optimization, And Automation, Rui Yang Feb 2014

On Chip Preconcentration And Labeling Of Protein Biomarkers Using Monolithic Columns, Device Fabrication, Optimization, And Automation, Rui Yang

Theses and Dissertations

Detection of disease specific biomarkers is of great importance in diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Modern bioanalytical techniques, such as liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (LC-MS), have the ability to identify biomarkers, but their cost and scalability are two main drawbacks. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is another potential tool, but it works best for proteins, rather than peptide biomarkers. Recently, microfluidics has emerged as a promising technique due to its small fluid volume consumption, rapidness, low fabrication cost, portability and versatility. Therefore, it shows prominent potential in the analysis of disease specific biomarkers. In this thesis, microfluidic systems that integrate …

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Using Online Data Sources To Make Recommendations On Reading Material For K-12 And Advanced Readers, Maria Soledad Pera Feb 2014

Using Online Data Sources To Make Recommendations On Reading Material For K-12 And Advanced Readers, Maria Soledad Pera

Theses and Dissertations

Reading is a fundamental skill that each person needs to develop during early childhood and continue to enhance into adulthood. While children/teenagers depend on this skill to advance academically and become educated individuals, adults are expected to acquire a certain level of proficiency in reading so that they can engage in social/civic activities and successfully participate in the workforce. A step towards assisting individuals to become lifelong readers is to provide them adequate reading selections which can cultivate their intellectual and emotional growth. Turning to (web) search engines for such reading choices can be overwhelming, given the huge volume of …

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Preparation Of Green Fluorescent Protein Constructs For The Determination Of The Mechanism Of The Excision Of A Novel Intron, John Daniel Clinger, Dr. Daniel L. Simmons Jan 2014

Preparation Of Green Fluorescent Protein Constructs For The Determination Of The Mechanism Of The Excision Of A Novel Intron, John Daniel Clinger, Dr. Daniel L. Simmons

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Recent advances have greatly increased the utility of bioluminescence as a qualitative and quantitative tool in scientific research. The genes encoding fluorescent proteins in several organisms have been identified, cloned, modified, and inserted into several different vectors; thus allowing them to be used in a variety of diagnostic techniques. One such protein, isolated from aequorea victoria, is green fluorescent protein (GFP). Since GFP is encoded by a small gene, 720 base pairs, and fluoresces brightly when irradiated by ultraviolet light; it was seen as good candidate for the study of a novel pre-mRNA splicing mechanism.

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Automatic Image Correspondence For Video Clips, Adam Helps, Dr. Thomas Sederberg Jan 2014

Automatic Image Correspondence For Video Clips, Adam Helps, Dr. Thomas Sederberg

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Image correspondence is a powerful method for matching features in two images. It has a wide variety of applications, and can be used to automatically perform complex image manipulation tasks that have previously been done by hand. In this research, image correspondence has been used to manipulate video clips, including morphing and slow motion techniques.

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Molecular Machine Components Observed In The Gas Phase: Self- Assembling Pseudorotaxanes Of Cucurbit[N]Urils (N=6, 7, And 8) And Doubly-Protonated 1,4-Diaminobutane, Kevin Alan Walker, Dr. David Dearden Jan 2014

Molecular Machine Components Observed In The Gas Phase: Self- Assembling Pseudorotaxanes Of Cucurbit[N]Urils (N=6, 7, And 8) And Doubly-Protonated 1,4-Diaminobutane, Kevin Alan Walker, Dr. David Dearden

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Nanotechnology offers the potential of creating machines the size of molecules. Such machines have limitless possibilities in numerous fields: chemistry, computer science, technology, and medicine, to name a few. Molecular machines could be instrumental in creating computers millions of times faster than our present computers. These machines could catalyze or inhibit a variety of chemical reactions. Such machines could be instrumental in altering and fixing an individual’s genetic makeup to successfully combat disease and illness. However, because nanotechnology is a relatively new field of study, science has yet to scratch the surface of the implications molecular machines may have in …

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Calorimetric Investigation Of The Complexation Of Didodecylcalix[4]Arene-Crown-6 With Alkali Metal Cations In Acetonitrile, Dusten M. Macdonald, Dr. John D. Lamb Jan 2014

Calorimetric Investigation Of The Complexation Of Didodecylcalix[4]Arene-Crown-6 With Alkali Metal Cations In Acetonitrile, Dusten M. Macdonald, Dr. John D. Lamb

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Processing and storage of medium and high level activity liquid nuclear wastes (MLW/HLW) present a major challenge for governments around the world. Gamma radiation from 137Cs, as well as radiation from 90Sr and other radionuclides present in the waste, complicates the already troublesome disposal process (1, 2). Removal of such long-life radionuclides from MLW and HLW mixtures would allow for more affordable disposal of the partially decontaminated solutions, would lower the volume of high activity waste to be stored in geological formations, and/or possibly allow for transmutation of these radionuclides into non-radioactive elements (2). Much effort has been expended in …

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Electronic Control Of The Photocycloaddition Of Silyl Tethered Alkenes, Kari Cowdell, Dr. Steven A. Fleming Jan 2014

Electronic Control Of The Photocycloaddition Of Silyl Tethered Alkenes, Kari Cowdell, Dr. Steven A. Fleming

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Solar energy is a major reason for the study of photochemistry. Photochemistry is the investigation of the interaction of organic compounds with light. The ability of plants and bacteria to harness the sun’s energy is an example of photochemistry. One area of photochemical research is the synthesis of cyclobutane rings which are found in plant essential oils and animal pheromones. Anticancer drugs such as taxol also have four member rings in their structures. Biological systems are unique in their ability to produce cyclobutane systems with specific stereochemistry that current methods of synthesis require great effort to acquire. It has been …

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Isolation, Purification, And Characterization Of Biologically Active Compounds From Endophytic Fungi, Trisha L. Anderson, Dr. Noel L. Owen Jan 2014

Isolation, Purification, And Characterization Of Biologically Active Compounds From Endophytic Fungi, Trisha L. Anderson, Dr. Noel L. Owen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This project focused on endophytic fungi, fungi that live inside of plants without causing disease, as a source of compounds that may be useful in treating human disease. Endophytic fungi were chosen both because their relationship with the plants in which they live indicates that they provide some benefit to the plant and because they have a more specific relationship with a plant host, making acquisition of future samples of the same fungus more feasible. In addition, these fungal species have been less studied than many other aspects of natural products research. This research centered on the isolation of novel …

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Interactive, Three-Dimensional Web Presentation Of Object-Oriented Java Concepts, Robert Franklin, Dr. Robert Burton Jan 2014

Interactive, Three-Dimensional Web Presentation Of Object-Oriented Java Concepts, Robert Franklin, Dr. Robert Burton

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The advent and subsequent widespread use of the Internet have facilitated and motivated hypermedia distance learning.

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Memory-Guided Exploration In Reinforcement Learning, James L. Carroll, Todd Peterson Jan 2014

Memory-Guided Exploration In Reinforcement Learning, James L. Carroll, Todd Peterson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Traditional reinforcement learning techniques learn a single task by giving the agent positive and negative rewards. In one type of reinforcement learning, called Q-learning, the agent stores Qvalues, which are the expected reward for performing an action in a given state. Task transfer is a method of transferring information learned in one task to another related task. Most work in transfer has focused on classification techniques. The purpose of our research has been to extend classification techniques to reinforcement learning.

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Reconnaissance Evaluation Of The Groundwater Systems Of Skull Valley, Utah, Rachel Henderson, Dr. Alan Mayo Jan 2014

Reconnaissance Evaluation Of The Groundwater Systems Of Skull Valley, Utah, Rachel Henderson, Dr. Alan Mayo

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The proposal, by Private Fuel Storage, a Limited Liability Company representing several utilities, to store solid, spent nuclear fuel in Skull Valley requires that many variables be taken into consideration, one of which is groundwater. Groundwater contamination is not anticipated in the proposed short term storage of the waste. However, it is uncertain how long the waste will be stored in Skull Valley. The purpose of this research is to conduct a reconnaissance investigation to evaluate the nature and interaction of various surface and groundwater systems in Skull Valley, and consequently, the likelihood of groundwater contamination from nuclear waste storage.

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Mathematics In Rural Mexico: Motivations And Barriers For Adult Women Learners, Janel Wilson Williams, Dr. Jacqualine Taylor Voyles Jan 2014

Mathematics In Rural Mexico: Motivations And Barriers For Adult Women Learners, Janel Wilson Williams, Dr. Jacqualine Taylor Voyles

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Math educators have long realized that women in general have shied away from involvement in the mathematical world. Current research in the mathematics education field studies the motivations and barriers women have to studying math. My research extends this topic to a small village in Mexico: La Estancia. By studying factors that encourage or discourage adult Mexican women from studying math in rural settings, important influences can be identified. The identification of these elements can lead to the development of important intervention programs targeted at minimizing negative influences while capitalizing on and strengthening the existing positive influences.

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Physical Vapor Deposition Of Silicon Dioxide From A Silicon Tetraacetate Precursor For Anchoring Nanotubes To Atomic Force Microscopy Probe Tips, Jed Whittaker, Dr. Robert Davis Jan 2014

Physical Vapor Deposition Of Silicon Dioxide From A Silicon Tetraacetate Precursor For Anchoring Nanotubes To Atomic Force Microscopy Probe Tips, Jed Whittaker, Dr. Robert Davis

Journal of Undergraduate Research

It has been previously shown1 that silicon tetraacetate vapor thermally decomposes to a silicon dioxide thin film and gas phase acid anhydride at 160-170°C. Here a method is developed to anchor carbon nanotubes to atomic force microscope (AFM) tips with such a silicon dioxide thin film. Anchoring nanotubes to probe tips allows their high-resolution properties to be exploited in fluids for imaging biological samples. No tips were used as substrates in this experiment however, only silicon wafer pieces about 1 cm square. The silicon tetraacetate vapor was produced by heating it to 100-110°C, just below the melting point. This …

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X-Ray Fluorescence/X-Ray Diffraction For Forensic Analysis, Brent Kimball, Dr. Larry V. Knight Jan 2014

X-Ray Fluorescence/X-Ray Diffraction For Forensic Analysis, Brent Kimball, Dr. Larry V. Knight

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My proposition was to determine the feasibility of using a combination x-ray fluorescence/x-ray diffraction technology (initially designed to identify strictly inorganic compounds) for the analysis of organic molecules. By modifying a mineralogical device created for NASA it is feasible to identify solid organic compounds such as drugs, harmless compounds like glucose, and some inorganic compounds that look like drugs. Emergency teams, Forensic Officers, and Police Departments and even drug manufacturers will benefit from the applications. I will provide a brief background on diffraction, clearly describe my findings, and provide proposals to further develop a working technology.

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Optical Modulation Of Semiconductor Nanocrystal Transport, Brigham Russell Frandsen, Dr. Bret C. Hess Jan 2014

Optical Modulation Of Semiconductor Nanocrystal Transport, Brigham Russell Frandsen, Dr. Bret C. Hess

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The area of nanoelectronic devices is a rapidly growing field as new devices and techniques are continually developed. This is an important field because it is hoped that devices of this scale will replace the current larger counterparts on computer microprocessors and other components, thus greatly reducing the size, and increasing the capabilities of computers.

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In Situ Ellipsometry Of Surfaces In An Ultrahigh Vacuum Thin Film Deposition Chamber, Joseph S. Choi, Dr. David Allred Jan 2014

In Situ Ellipsometry Of Surfaces In An Ultrahigh Vacuum Thin Film Deposition Chamber, Joseph S. Choi, Dr. David Allred

Journal of Undergraduate Research

As current microtechnology advances toward building nanosize components for computers and aerospace devices, oxidation of thin films can have dramatic effects on the electronic and optical properties of these devices. In order to understand optical properties of thin film materials and their oxides in a high purity environment, we have been building an ultrahigh vacuum deposition chamber to achieve a base pressure under 10-9 torr. We have incorporated evaporation and sputtering capabilities to create thin films in vacuum, and an in situ ellipsometer to analyze the optical properties and oxidation of the films without exposure to atmosphere. This combined with …

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Spin Current: The Contribution Of Spin To The Probability Current Of Nonrelativistic Particles With Spin, Philip Du Toit, Dr. Jean-Francois Van Huele Jan 2014

Spin Current: The Contribution Of Spin To The Probability Current Of Nonrelativistic Particles With Spin, Philip Du Toit, Dr. Jean-Francois Van Huele

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Introductory quantum mechanics texts seldom treat the quantum mechanical probability current for nonrelativistic particles with spin. The procedure for calculating probability current is most often presented in relation to particles described by the Schrödinger equation, that is particles without spin.1 In later chapters, after having introduced readers to the Pauli equation and its description of particles with spin, the authors rarely return to the topic of probability current. This omission may cause readers to incorrectly infer that the calculation of the probability current for particles with spin follows the same line of argument as is used for particles without spin.

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In-Doping Of Cdse Nanocrystals, Dan Allen, Dr. William Evanson Jan 2014

In-Doping Of Cdse Nanocrystals, Dan Allen, Dr. William Evanson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In recent years much research has focused on the characteristics of metal and semiconductor “quantum dots” or “nanocrystals”. Cadmium selenide (CdSe) semiconductor nanocrystals of diameter less than ~10nm exhibit unique quantum mechanical properties not present in bulk materials. CdSe nanocrystals of 2-5nm in diameter photoluminesce brightly in the visible spectrum, making them attractive for applications such as photodiodes and light-emitting displays. These nanocrystals are also being researched for applications such as single electron transistors, transistors with multiple logic states, and quantum computing. Present commercial applications include single electron memory devices and luminescent tags for biological molecules.

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Sample Survey Of Utah Educators, Ben Saville, Dr. Lara Wolfson Jan 2014

Sample Survey Of Utah Educators, Ben Saville, Dr. Lara Wolfson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In assessing the performance of schools in Utah (or any other state), a critical component of valid assessment of school performance is hard data. In areas such as student performance, that information is readily available from test scores; but in understanding the job burden of teachers in the Utah educational system, very little hard data is available. I proposed to design a sample survey to address issues in which the state of Utah is “data deficient”, impairing the state’s ability to make well-informed decisions about improving working conditions for teachers. Some issues to be addressed include: the amount of money …

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A Statistical Analysis Of Rater Consensus In The Byu Premedical Committee, Alane Izu, Dr. David G. Whiting Jan 2014

A Statistical Analysis Of Rater Consensus In The Byu Premedical Committee, Alane Izu, Dr. David G. Whiting

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The premedical committee at Brigham Young University exists to assist students in successfully applying to medical school. The committee consists of professors from various departments across campus as well as senior premedical students. Two different committee members interview each eligible student in March and April of the year before the student plans to enter medical school. The interviewers rate the student on a continuous scale from one to five in nine different areas: academic performance, MCAT scores, letters of recommendation, written and personal presentation, personal characteristics, reasons for choosing a medical career, extracurricular activities, involvement in community service, and demonstration …

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Effects Of Sirna-Mediated Silencing Of Phosducin-Like Protein Expression On Protein Folding By The Cytoplasmic Chaperonin Complex, Sarah Warburton, Dr. Barry Willardson Jan 2014

Effects Of Sirna-Mediated Silencing Of Phosducin-Like Protein Expression On Protein Folding By The Cytoplasmic Chaperonin Complex, Sarah Warburton, Dr. Barry Willardson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Our lab has recently described an interaction of Phosducin-like protein (PhLP) with the cytoplasmic chaperonin complex (CCT), a sixteen polypeptide complex required for the native folding of actin and tubulin and many other cellular proteins. We found that the binding of PhLP blocked CCT-dependent folding of firefly luciferase in vitro and that over expression of PhLP in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells inhibited actin folding by 80%. Thus, it appears that PhLP is the first known regulator of CCT-dependent protein folding.

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Thermodynamics Of L-Valine And L-2-Aminobutyric Acid, Joshua L. Price, Dr. Earl M. Woolley Jan 2014

Thermodynamics Of L-Valine And L-2-Aminobutyric Acid, Joshua L. Price, Dr. Earl M. Woolley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Understanding the thermodynamics of protein hydration is critical to elucidating protein structure and function in aqueous solution. Because they are derivative properties, apparent molar volume Vφ and apparent molar heat capacity Cp,φ are particularly useful in describing solution thermodynamics. It is difficult, however, to resolve the apparent molar volume or apparent molar heat capacity of a large protein into individual contributions from specific amino acid residues and functional groups. Small model compounds like the amino acids can provide useful estimates of these individual contributions. While the apparent molar properties of many amino acids have been studied recently, there is a …

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Buruli Ulcer In The Ga District Of Ghana, Jonathan Osorio, Dr. Steven W. Graves Jan 2014

Buruli Ulcer In The Ga District Of Ghana, Jonathan Osorio, Dr. Steven W. Graves

Journal of Undergraduate Research

During this past summer, I had the wonderful opportunity to travel to southern Ghana with the Humanitarian Aid Relief Team to study the effects of Buruli ulcer in rural endemic villages. From May 12 to June 21, I was part of a small research group studying the effects of Buruli ulcer on villagers in the Ga District. Part of my research included investigating their cultural beliefs that related in any way to possible contraction of the disease.

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Thermodynamics Of Aqueous Nucleic Acid Bases And Nucleosides, Bryan R. Mcrae, Dr. Earl M. Woolley Jan 2014

Thermodynamics Of Aqueous Nucleic Acid Bases And Nucleosides, Bryan R. Mcrae, Dr. Earl M. Woolley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Despite the astounding advances in modern genetics research, surprisingly little is known about the thermodynamic behavior and physical properties of DNA’s molecular subunits. Our study investigated several thermodynamic properties of common nucleic acid constituents. Specifically, we calculated the apparent molar volumes (Vφ) and apparent molar heat capacities (Cp,φ) of the nucleosides adenosine, guanosine, cytidine, thymidine, and uridine, and of their corresponding bases adenine, cytosine, thymine, and uracil, in dilute aqueous solutions.

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