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United States Suicide Analysis: 1999-2016, Malynn Clark
United States Suicide Analysis: 1999-2016, Malynn Clark
Honors Theses
The purpose of this thesis is to create information visualizations surrounding suicide trends from 1999-2016 in the United States. The original data was obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Compressed Mortality Database. This database permits users to download several fields of information regarding deaths for the years given. Using this information, many graphs below show trends and patterns for suicide. One notable trend includes the higher proportion of male to female suicides for all categories explored including: age group, race, and metro/nonmetro status. The goal is to bring awareness and understanding surrounding the suicide epidemic in the …
A Synthesis And Analysis Of Anhydrous Hydroxide Ion Conducting Polymer Electrolytes, Stanton Heydinger
A Synthesis And Analysis Of Anhydrous Hydroxide Ion Conducting Polymer Electrolytes, Stanton Heydinger
Honors Theses
This project investigates the synthesis and physical properties of polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether (MePEGn where n=3 or 7) based polymer electrolytes. The two polymer electrolytes explored in the experiments were designed from two different MePEG chains that varied in their overall length and degree of polymerization. The first MePEG backbone contained three polymerized ethoxy groups and the second contained seven. Both MePEGn polymers were modified by substituting an imidazolium group in place of the alcohol functional group at the end of the PEG chain. This modification was made to create a polymer electrolyte with an attached positive charge that could …
Increasing The Effectiveness Of Impossible Spaces In Virtual Environments Using Moving Textures, Dylan Devenny
Increasing The Effectiveness Of Impossible Spaces In Virtual Environments Using Moving Textures, Dylan Devenny
Honors Theses
This study looks to examine a method of overcoming the limitations caused by the size of a physical tracking area in virtual reality environments known as impossible spaces and attempt to improve its efficiency by altering the texture flow of the virtual environment. The experiment involves running participants through a series of small buildings consisting of two rooms in which the percentage of overlap between the two rooms and the ratio of texture movement to user movement (corresponding to textural ow conditions) differs from trial to trial and asking participants to make a judgement of whether or not the environment …
Indoor Localization Using A Smartphone: Approaches, Issues, And Challenges, Lee J. Easson
Indoor Localization Using A Smartphone: Approaches, Issues, And Challenges, Lee J. Easson
Honors Theses
Localization has gained priority in an increasingly inter-connected world. The majority of industries and sectors require some means of tracking the location of objects and/or people anywhere on the Earth, whether indoors or outdoors. GPS is an already-implemented and viable solution for outdoor localization. However, indoor localization is more challenging to implement and thus has become a broad area of research. Despite the challenges of tracking location in places where satellite GPS signals are unreliable or unreachable (i.e. within a building or structure), there has been considerable progress made in indoor localization research. Although current indoor localization technology can achieve …
Theoretical And Experimental Vibrational Modes Of The Borane Pyridine Complex, Benjamin Stratton
Theoretical And Experimental Vibrational Modes Of The Borane Pyridine Complex, Benjamin Stratton
Honors Theses
Benjamin Wade Stratton: Theoretical and Experimental Vibrational Modes of the Borane Pyridine Complex (Under the direction of Dr. Nathan Hammer) The Borane Pyridine complex is a molecule that contains a dative bond between the boron and nitrogen atoms. A dative bond is a type of covalent bonding that occurs when both electrons come from the same atom. The B-N bond has been studied in several other molecules such as ammonia borane and determining the frequency at which this bond vibrates has been a topic of interest studied in these molecules as well as several others. This complex has another factor …
Effects Of Halogen Bonding On 13c Nmr Shifts Of Iodotolan, James Long
Effects Of Halogen Bonding On 13c Nmr Shifts Of Iodotolan, James Long
Honors Theses
Halogen bonding is the ability of heavier halogens to have noncovalent interactions similar to hydrogen bonding. By mixing two compounds that should halogen bond together and analyzing this mixture with carbon NMR spectroscopy, we attempted to test the strength and extent of halogen bonding in 4-iodotolan. After observing the changes in the 4-iodotolans chemical shifts, the halogen bond appears to be too weak to affect the chemical shifts in a substantial manner; however, the C-I bonded carbon shows a slight but consistent increase in its shift which could be an avenue for future research.
Blocking Recombinations In Dscs Through Mgo And Pfts Surface Treatments, Kayla Foell
Blocking Recombinations In Dscs Through Mgo And Pfts Surface Treatments, Kayla Foell
Honors Theses
High voltage dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) are becoming novel sources in the production of various fuel precursors, such as carbon monoxide and hydrogen, by powering carbon dioxide reduction, water oxidation, and proton reduction catalysts via sunlight. An important task in order to increase overall efficiency of DSC devices is to minimize recombination (electron flow in an undesirable direction) while increasing photovoltage. Surface treatment modifications can be applied to the TiO2 electrodes within DSC devices in an effort to block recombination without negatively effecting the other device performance metrics: fill factor (FF), short-circuit current density (Jsc), and open-circuit photovoltage (Voc). In …
Structures, Energetics, And Vibrational Frequencies Of Microhydrated Hexafluorophosphate, Pf6−(H2o)N=1,2 From Dft And Ab Initio Computations, Yasmeen Abdo
Honors Theses
This study systematically examines an anion commonly used in room temperature ionic liquids, hexafluorophosphate PF6−, and its non-covalent interactions with up to two explicit water molecules (PF6 − (H2 O)n where n = 1, 2). Initial low-energy configurations are identified via a set of relaxed angular scans across the edges and faces of the PF6− octahedron using the global hybrid M06-2X density functional with a triple-ζ correlation consistent basis set augmented with diffuse functions on all non- hydrogen atoms (cc-pVTZ for H and aug-cc-pVTZ for P, O, F; denoted haTZ). Full geometry optimizations are performed on these initial structures using …
Understanding Juuling Trends Among Differing Age And Gender Demographics Through Social Sensing, Thomas Mcfann
Understanding Juuling Trends Among Differing Age And Gender Demographics Through Social Sensing, Thomas Mcfann
Honors Theses
Middle schoolers, high schoolers, and college students have increasingly begun using the Juul, which is a type of e-cigarette. In fact, in 2017 a study showed that “2.1 million high schoolers and middle schoolers used e-cigarettes” (Richtel and Kaplan, 2018). The reason why my research specifically addresses the Juul is that it “is now the largest e-cigarette brand measured by retail sales companies” (Huang et al., 2018b). Studies have been done to show the short time it takes for a child to lose autonomy over tobacco use, ranging from 2 to 30 days of first inhaling a cigarette (DiFranza et …
Portfolio Optimization Methods: The Mean-Variance Approach And The Bayesian Approach, Hoang Nguyen
Portfolio Optimization Methods: The Mean-Variance Approach And The Bayesian Approach, Hoang Nguyen
Honors Theses
This thesis is a discussion on the mean-variance approach to portfolio optimization and an introduction of the Bayesian approach, which is designed to solve certain limitations of the classical mean-variance analysis. The primary goal of portfolio optimization is to achieve the maximum return from investment given a certain level of risk. The mean-variance approach, introduced by Harry Markowitz, sought to solve this optimization problem by analyzing the means and variances of a certain collection of stocks. However, due to its simplicity, the mean-variance approach is subject to various limitations. In this paper, we seek to solve some of these limitations …
#Whyididntreport: Using Social Media As A Tool To Understand Why Sexual Assault Victims Do Not Report, Abby Garrett
#Whyididntreport: Using Social Media As A Tool To Understand Why Sexual Assault Victims Do Not Report, Abby Garrett
Honors Theses
Sexual assault has gone largely under-reported, and social media movements, like #WhyIDidntReport, have brought great awareness to this issue. In order to take advantage of the large amounts of data the #WhyIDidntReport movement has generated, the study uses tweets to explore reasons why victims do not report their assault. The thesis cites current research on the topic of assault to generate a list of explanations victims use to describe their lack of reporting and compares the distributions with existing studies. We use a supervised learning technique to automatically categorize tweets into one of eight categories. This approach uses social sensing …
Encoding A 1-D Heisenberg Spin 1/2 Chain In A Simulated Annealing Algorithm For Machine Learning, Daniel Pompa
Encoding A 1-D Heisenberg Spin 1/2 Chain In A Simulated Annealing Algorithm For Machine Learning, Daniel Pompa
Honors Theses
The application areas of machine learning techniques are becoming broader and increasingly ubiquitous in the natural sciences and engineering. One such field of interest within the physics community is the training and implementation of neural networks to aid in quantum many-body computations. Conversely, research exploring the possible computational benefits of using quantum many-body dynamics in the area of artificial intelligence and machine learning has also recently started to gain traction. The marriage of these fields comes naturally with the complementary nature of their mathematical frameworks. The objective of this study was to explore the possibility of encoding a quantum spin …
Synthesis Of A Novel Tetradentate Ligand And Its Copper Complex For Redox Shuttle Applications, Joseph T. Vaughan
Synthesis Of A Novel Tetradentate Ligand And Its Copper Complex For Redox Shuttle Applications, Joseph T. Vaughan
Honors Theses
With growing energy demands, alternatives to the traditional non-renewable fuel sources are currently being explored. Of these alternative fuel sources, solar energy, particularly dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC), have garnered considerable interest. Traditional redox mediators within these solar cells have been triiodide/iodide couples, which pose several complications due to their corrosiveness, absorption in the visible range, and efficiency, motivating the development of better redox couples for next generation DSSCs. Thus, transition metal complexes have rapidly gained traction as a potential replacement for this traditional I-/I3- based system. In this study, a novel tetradentate ligand framework and its copper and nickel complexes …
Unexpected Outcomes During The Attempted Iodination Of Biphenol, Henry Nguyen
Unexpected Outcomes During The Attempted Iodination Of Biphenol, Henry Nguyen
Honors Theses
The goal of this research was to create a new procedure to iodinate 4,4- biphenol using a ball miller. Iodination of 4,4-biphenol was first attempted in solution using electrophilic aromatic substitution. Several attempts were made to iodinate 4,4-biphenol, but the general insolubility of crude products inhibited progress. Interestingly, NMR analysis of the aqueous ammonia product suggested that 4,4-biphenol dimerized or polymerized with itself to make an ether. The exact mechanism by which the ether dimer was created is unknown, but the reaction may have occurred using a radical mechanism. Though the original goal of the project is left unmet, a …
Dworkinian Liberalism, The Right To Pornography, And The Internet, Will Nowell
Dworkinian Liberalism, The Right To Pornography, And The Internet, Will Nowell
Honors Theses
In a 1981 journal article, “Is There A Right to Pornography?,” Ronald Dworkin argues that we have a right to ethical independence that includes the right to consume pornography. The purpose of this thesis is to inquire as to whether Dworkinian liberalism does entail a right to specifically internet pornography. This research is primarily focused on Ronald Dworkin’s writings in Justice for Hedgehogs, Sovereign Virtue: The Theory and Practice of Equality, and Taking Rights Seriously to describe the principles and character of Dworkinian liberalism and its philosophical relationship to the question of the right to pornography. This thesis considers contemporary …
Design And Development Of Chemically And Biologically Stable Salvinorin-Based Ligands For Opioid Receptors, Tanner Neilson
Design And Development Of Chemically And Biologically Stable Salvinorin-Based Ligands For Opioid Receptors, Tanner Neilson
Honors Theses
The number of opioid prescriptions as a method in pain management increased dramatically in the mid 1990’s following Dr. James Campbell’s 1995 Presidential address to the American Pain Society, where he called for patient pain to be included as a vital sign. The rapid increase in prescriptions in the early 2000’s coupled with a massive effort by pharmaceutical companies to downplay the addictiveness of these drugs has led to a consistent increase in opioid-related drug overdoses, with 47,600 of 70,237 drug related deaths involving opioids in 2017. Opioid analgesics most commonly act upon the mu-opioid receptor (MOR), which is one …
Measurements Of The Primary Bjerknes Force In A Cavitating Ultrasonic Field, Mason Smith
Measurements Of The Primary Bjerknes Force In A Cavitating Ultrasonic Field, Mason Smith
Honors Theses
Cavitation is the result when there are rapid changes in pressure in a liquid. These vapor-filled cavities can occur when ultrasound propagates through water at sufficient power. The volumes of these cavities can pulsate and can even couple with the radiation pressure from the ultrasound. The result is a translational force on the bubbles. This translational force on the bubble is called the primary Bjerknes force. The secondary Bjerknes force is the result of two pulsating cavities, but this force is ignored since the buoyant force and the primary Bjerknes force are the dominant forces. Immediately before a bubble begins …
Solvation Of Isoelectronic Halide And Alkali Metal Ions By Noble Gas Atoms, Carly A. Rock
Solvation Of Isoelectronic Halide And Alkali Metal Ions By Noble Gas Atoms, Carly A. Rock
Honors Theses
Alkali metal cations (M+ = Li+, Na+, K+, and Rb+), as well as their corresponding isoelectronic atomic anions (X− = H−, F−, Cl−, and Br−) were solvated with argon atoms (i.e., M+Arn and X−Arn where n=1−6). Full geometry optimizations were performed using the MP2 electronic structure method with a series of correlation consistent basis sets augmented with diffuse functions on argon and the anions (aug-cc-pVXZ) and weighted core valence basis sets were used for the cations (cc-pwCVXZ) that include the appropriate pseudopotentials for K+ and Rb+ (cc-pwCVXZ-PP). The basis sets for a particular cluster are, hereafter, simply denoted as XZ …
Survey Of Biosynthetic Gene Clusters From Sequenced Myxobacteria And Analysis Of Potential Metabolic Diversity, Katherine C. Gregory
Survey Of Biosynthetic Gene Clusters From Sequenced Myxobacteria And Analysis Of Potential Metabolic Diversity, Katherine C. Gregory
Honors Theses
The importance of natural product discovery to society is undeniable as natural products have seemingly infinite applications, particularly in regard to pharmacological use as antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, anticancer and immunosuppressive agents. The search for new therapeutics and other new chemical commodities thus grows simultaneously with antibiotic resistance and commercial pressure on pharmaceutical research. However, the increasingly common phenomenon of natural product rediscovery continues to inhibit advancement in this field. We contend that the likelihood of rediscovery can be predicted by taxonomic distance between the bacteria in question and previously studied bacteria. That is, our data supports a correlation between chemical …
6th-12th Grade Math Teachers And Their Experiences With The Mississippi College- And Career-Readiness Standards, Dorothy Reid
6th-12th Grade Math Teachers And Their Experiences With The Mississippi College- And Career-Readiness Standards, Dorothy Reid
Honors Theses
This thesis identifies and describes 6th-12th grade math teachers and their experiences with the Mississippi College- and Career- Readiness Standards. There are two parts to this thesis: 1) a survey distributed to public school math teachers across the state and 2) the written thesis. In my thesis, I craft teacher narratives from the quantitative and qualitative results of the survey. Listening to the teachers’ narratives provides beneficial insights to the implementation of the MCCRS at the classroom level. Teachers have many different experiences. My thesis offers policy recommendations, based on the teacher narratives, to three levels of education: teachers, schools …
Classically Biased: A Quantitative Analysis Of Gender & Writing Styles In Classical Literature, Madeleine Rose Delcambre
Classically Biased: A Quantitative Analysis Of Gender & Writing Styles In Classical Literature, Madeleine Rose Delcambre
Honors Theses
This thesis is a first attempt in assessing patterns related to gender in classical literature prior to the 21st century, specifically looking at the way writing styles and language di↵er among female and male authors; e.g., sentence structuring, lexical diversity, and dictionary similarities. Further topics of analysis included gender distribution and sentiment within the novels themselves. Seventy-eight open-source novels were used in the analysis, with thirty-one books by female authors and forty-seven by male authors. Data from the novels was acquired using Python, natural language processing, and the Natural Language Toolkit (NLTK). Graphs and visuals were then created to summarize …
On A Generalization Of Lucas Numbers, Skylyn Olyvia Irby
On A Generalization Of Lucas Numbers, Skylyn Olyvia Irby
Honors Theses
In this paper, we consider a generalization of Lucas numbers. Recall that Lucas numbers are the sequence of integers defined by the recurrence relation: L_n = L_{n−1} + L_{n−2} with the initial conditions L_1 = 1 and L_2 = 3(or L_0 = 1 and L_1 = 3 if the first subscript is zero). That is, the classical Lucas number sequence is 1, 3, 4, 7, 11, 18, .... The goal of the present paper is to study properties of certain generalizations of the Lucas sequence. In particular, we consider the following generalizations of the sequence: l_n = al_{n−1} + l_{n−2} …