Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Cancer Survivorship And Subjective Cognitive Decline In The Us: Results From A Nationally Representative Sample, Monique J. Brown, Ally Hucek, Jingkai Wei, Loretta Anderson, Muzi Na

Faculty Publications

Cancer may be associated with objective cognitive decline. However, studies examining the link between cancer and subjective cognitive decline (SCD), which occurs earlier during cognitive trajectories, are lacking. In addition, research assessing risk factors for SCD among cancer survivors is scant. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the association between cancer and SCD in the past year, and assess the association between age of diagnosis, cancer treatment, and SCD among cancer survivors. Data were obtained from the 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (N=15,447). Crude and adjusted logistic regression models, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, were used to determine the association …

Rapid Cryogenic Electrical Characterization Of Materials And Devices Using Gifford-Mcmahon Cryocoolers, Margaret Marte, Bernardo Langa Jr., Patrick Johnson, Deepak Sapkota, Kathryn Evancho, Bernadeta Srijanto, Dale Hensley, Kasra Sardashti

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Thin-film heterostructures are necessary building blocks for superconducting and phononic quantum computing devices. Many new generations of quantum hardware demand extensive materials research to optimize performances at cryogenic temperatures (below 10 K). Here, we demonstrate compact cryogenic measurement systems capable of reaching sub-10K temperatures in less than three hours with the ability to measure AC/DC resistance and dielectric properties of thin-film materials. Our platform utilizes Gifford-McMahon (GM) cryocoolers as effective tools for providing high throughput cooling-warming cycles. We successfully used the GM-based measurement systems to measure 1) the superconducting transition temperature for Nb thin films (Tc ~7.8 K), and 2) …

Dual Barriers: Examining Digital Access And Travel Burdens To Hospital Maternity Care Access In The United States, 2020, Peiyin Hung Ph.D., Marion Granger, Nansi Boghossian, Jiani Yu, Sayward Harrison, Jihong Liu Sc.D., Berry A. Campbell, Bo Cai Ph.D., Chen Liang, Xiaoming Li Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Policy Points The White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis report released in June 2022 highlighted the need to enhance equitable access to maternity care. Nationwide hospital maternity unit closures have worsened the maternal health crisis in underserved communities, leaving many birthing people with few options and with long travel times to reach essential care. Ensuring equitable access to maternity care requires addressing travel burdens to care and inadequate digital access. Our findings reveal socioeconomically disadvantaged communities in the United States face dual barriers to maternity care access, as communities located farthest away from care facilities had the …

Search For Evidence Of Baryogenesis And Dark Matter In B+→Ψd+P Decays At Babar, J. P. Lees, V. Poireau, E. Grauges, A. Palano, G. Eigen, D. N. Brown, Yu. G. Kolomensky, M. Fritsch, H. Koch, R. Cheaib, C. Hearty, T. S. Mattison, J. A. Mckenna, R. Y. So, V. E. Blinov, A. R. Buzykaev, V. P. Druzhinin, E. A. Kravchenko, Milind Purohit, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

A new dark sector antibaryon, denoted ψD, could be produced in decays of B mesons. This Letter presents a search for B⁺→ψ_D+p (and the charge conjugate) decays in e⁺e⁻ annihilations at 10.58 GeV, using data collected in the BABAR experiment. Data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 398 fb⁻¹ are analyzed. No evidence for a signal is observed. Branching fraction upper limits in the range from 10⁻⁷–10⁻⁵ are obtained at 90% confidence level for masses of 1.0<mψ_D< 4.3 GeV/c². The result is also reinterpreted to provide …

Measurement Of Additional Radiation In The Initial-State-Radiation Processes E+E- →Μ+Μ- Y And E+E- → ℼ+ℼ- Y At Babar, J. P. Lees, V. Poireau, V. Tisserand, E. Grauges, A. Palano, G. Eigen, D. N. Brown, Yu. G. Kolomensky, M. Fritsch, H. Koch, R. Cheaib, C. Hearty, T. S. Mattison, J. A. Mckenna, R. Y. So, V. E. Blinov, A. R. Buzykaev, V. P. Druzhinin, E. A. Kozyrev, Milind Purohit, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

A dedicated measurement of additional radiation in e⁺e⁻ → µ⁺µ⁻γ and e⁺e⁻ → π⁺π⁻γ initial-state-radiation events is presented using the full BABAR data sample. For the first time results are presented at next-to- and next-to-next-to-leading order, with one and two additional photons, respectively, for radiation from the initial and final states. Comparison with predictions from PHOKHARA and AFKQED Monte Carlo generators is performed, revealing discrepancies in the one-photon rates and angular distributions for the former. This disagreement has a negligible effect on the BABAR measurement of …

Exiting Inflation With A Smooth Scale Factor, Harry Oslislo, Brett Altschul

Faculty Publications

The expectation that the physical expansion of space occurs smoothly may be expressed mathematically as a requirement for continuity in the time derivative of the metric scale factor of the Friedmann–Robertson–Walker cosmology. We explore the consequences of imposing such a smoothness requirement, examining the forms of possible interpolating functions between the end of inflation and subsequent radiation- or matter-dominated eras, using a straightforward geometric model of the interpolating behavior. We quantify the magnitude of the cusp found in a direct transition from the end of slow-roll inflation to the subsequent era, analyze the validity of several smooth interpolator candidates, and …

Reactive Molecular Dynamics Of Large Systems: Quantum Dynamics With Adaptable Gaussian Bases; Hydroxide Diffusion In A Polymeric Environment, Mohottige Sachith Prasanga Wickramasinghe

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation describes our research in theory and applications of reactive molecular dynamics. Quantum dynamics provides the foundation for understanding chemical processes. However, the computational cost of describing a general quantum system scales exponentially with the system size. Thus, an efficient basis representation of wavefunctions is essential. Time-dependent Gaussian bases are often employed to describe the large-amplitude motion of high-dimensional systems. The time dependence of such bases is typically determined by (i) the variational principle or by (ii) classical dynamics. But those approaches have shortcomings due to intrinsic singularity of the variational equations in the full basis limit or due …

Investigation, Synthesis And Rational Design Of Novel Transuranic Containing Extended Structures, Adrian Thomas Hines

Theses and Dissertations

The use of nuclear technology has proven useful for energy generation and for weapons manufacturing, but disposal and storage of nuclear waste is an ongoing problem. The accumulation of nuclear waste over the past decades has yielded a vast amount of waste that must be dealt with, and with space at interim storage facilities diminishing, it has become increasingly important to find solutions to nuclear waste storage. The vitrification process has been widely accepted as a viable route for immobilization of high-level waste; however, the process is inadequate for complex waste streams and has many drawbacks such as limited waste …

Antimicrobial Polymers And Small Molecules From Multicyclic Compounds And Engineering Of Sustainable Polymers, Leman Buzoglu Kurnaz

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, the synthesis of polymers and small molecules from multicyclic compounds and the development of sustainable polymers from renewable feedstock were investigated. The antimicrobial biomaterials and sustainable polymers were characterized and their properties were discussed. In Chapter 1, the overall background and recent developments of antimicrobial biomaterials and their application were discussed. Later, sustainable polymers from renewable biomass and their synthesis methods were given. Afterward, the main research objectives of this doctoral research study were described. In Chapter 2, the synthesis of multiple charged small molecules from multicyclic compounds was discussed. These compounds were obtained by using various …

Understanding The Role Of The Jet Streams And Gulf Stream Eddies On The Northwest Atlantic Marine Heatwaves, Lydia Rose Duncan Sims

Theses and Dissertations

The Northwest (NW) Atlantic is one of the fastest warming regions in the global ocean and in the recent decade has experienced several extreme temperature events. These extreme anomalous temperature events are known as Marine Heatwaves (MHWs), which are forced by a variety of physical processes that affect the heat source and sink of the water column. These MHWs have been increasing globally in duration and frequency due to anthropogenic warming, and have increased ecological damage seen in mass mortality events of economically viable species. Within the NW Atlantic, several key processes encourage the formation of MHWs, such as the …

Exploring The Assembly Of Soluble Triphenylamine Bis-Urea Macrocycles; Synthesis Of Nsc243928 Derivatives For Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Treatment, Rahul Prakash

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is divided into two topics: I. Supramolecular polymerization of triphenylamine (TPA) bis-urea macrocycle behavior in solution, and II. Synthesis of fluorophore appended and biotinylated derivatives of NSC243928 for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer. Supramolecular polymers are of interest due to their self-healing and stimuli responsiveness. Chapter 1 gives a brief overview of the importance of self-assembly to construct ordered structures from smaller building blocks, highlighting the mechanisms of self-assembly to form supramolecular polymers. The bis-urea macrocycle assembly unit is introduced and its assembly into tubular structures and crystals is highlighted, which are used as a control for …

Structural, Functional And Biochemical Studies To Elucidate The Molecular Basis Of Xenobiotic Metabolism Of Tetranychus Uritcae, A Major Agricultural Pest, Ricardo Hernandez Arriaza

Theses and Dissertations

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, is a major cosmopolitan pest that feeds on more than 1,100 plant species, including 150 crops. Such a wide host range indicates this mite’s unparalleled xenobiotic responsiveness that is also coincident with their ability to rapidly develop resistance to pesticides. An unprecedently large detoxifying machinery is one of the main biological traits responsible for their extraordinary adaptation potential and devastating effect on crops. Availability of the whole genome sequence revealed expansions in all major detoxifying families and demonstrated that this genome has been enriched by horizontally transferred genes from bacteria and fungi. Motivated by …

Recovering Lost Exposure From The Majorana Demonstrator And Testing Data Selection Assumptions, Thomas Lannen

Theses and Dissertations

The Majorana Demonstrator recently concluded its search for neutrinoless double beta decay using an array of up to 40.4kg of germanium detectors, 27kg of which were enriched in ⁷⁶Ge and housed inside a copper and lead compact shield located at the 4850 foot level in a clean room in the Davis Campus of the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, South Dakota. This search proceeded from June 26, 2015 until March 3, 2021 and 64.5 kg yr of enriched active exposure was acquired while achieving a world leading energy resolution of 0.12% FWHM at 2039 keV, one of …

Robust Underwater State Estimation And Mapping, Bharat Joshi

Theses and Dissertations

The ocean covers two-thirds of Earth, which is relatively unexplored compared to the landmass. Mapping underwater structures is essential for both archaeological and conservation purposes. This dissertation focuses on employing a robot team to map underwater structures using vision-based simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM). The overarching goal of this research is to create a team of autonomous robots to map large underwater structures in a coordinated fashion. This requires maintaining an accurate robust pose estimate of oneself and knowing the relative pose of the other robots in the team. However, the GPS-denied and communication-constrained underwater environment, along with low visibility, …

A Field-Programmable Metamaterial Using Memristor As A Stable Switcher, Taekuk Hong

Theses and Dissertations

Before the memristor was discovered, there were RLC circuits as representative passive devices. However, the fourth fundamental two-terminal circuit has been discovered by Dr. Leon Chua in 1971 and has been called a memristor. The memristor is a compound word of memory and resistor, and is an element whose resistive value is not constant and whose resistive value changes depending on the applied voltage and is recorded as a memory. It is mainly used in resistive switching and is the center of this research theme. A metamaterial is artificially created material that has never been found in nature. The theory …

A Method For Single-Particle Magnetic Particle Spectroscopy With A Nanofabricated Coplanar Stripline, Jacob Martin

Theses and Dissertations

Drawing from magnetic particle imaging principles, magnetic particle spectroscopy (MPS) serves as a valuable tool employing superparamagnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) in diverse applications ranging from medical imaging to biosensing and the comprehensive study of magnetic particles’ characteristics. MPS leverages the nonlinear response exhibited by SPIONs when a external magnetic field is applied, enabling a highly sensitive method for examining biological systems and more. However, conventional MPS setups demand a high particle concentration of approximately 10^15 particles per liter to generate a detectable response. The first objective of this work is to simulate the dynamics of a system with the ability …

Robocat: An Autonomous Surface Vehicle (Asv) For Near-Surface Hydrodynamic Measurements In Buoyant Plumes. Development And Case Study, Christopher Tom Papageorgiou

Theses and Dissertations

The study of near surface processes in plumes and other stratified environments requires the collection of hydrodynamic and hydrographic data near the sea surface at high temporal and spatial (in the vertical) resolution. This need led to the design and development of a low-cost autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) equipped with a 5-beam acoustic Doppler current profiler (Nortek 1000 Signature) capable of measuring the vertical structure of both mean flow and turbulence dissipation rate (ε) as close as 30 cm below the sea surface. The ASV is a small catamaran-like platform propelled by four thrusters arranged in an Omni-X configuration, to …

Interfacial Ligand Transformation On Plasmonic Nanostructures: Mechanistic Insights Unraveled By Plasmon-Enhanced Spectroscopy, Kexun Chen

Theses and Dissertations

We employ surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) as an in situ spectroscopic tool, in conjunction with density functional theory (DFT) calculations, to develop a detailed mechanistic understanding of plasmon-driven photocatalytic reactions and heterogeneous transfer hydrogenolysis reactions of molecular adsorbates on metallic nanostructure surfaces. The excitation and decay of plasmon resonances in metallic nanostructures give rise to intriguing photophysical and photochemical effects, including the generation of hot charge carriers, local field enhancements, and photothermal transduction. These effects can be intentionally harnessed to drive or enhance interfacial molecular transformations along unconventional reaction pathways. The first part of the thesis focuses on the plasmon-driven …

Computerized Psychological Testing: Designing And Developing An Efficient Test Suite Using Hci And Reinforcement Learning Techniques, William Henry Hoskins

Theses and Dissertations

In this work we discuss the design and development of the Carolina Automated Reading Evaluation (CARE), created to facilitate the finding of deficits in the reading ability of children from four to nine years of age. Designed to automate the process of screening for reading deficits, the CARE is an interactive computer-based tool that helps eliminate the need for one-on-one evaluations of pupils to detect dyslexia and other reading deficits and facilitates the creation of new reading tests within the platform. While other tests collect specific data points in order to determine whether a pupil has dyslexia, they typically focus …

Examination And Application Of Body Condition Methods In Cetaceans, Kira Anne Telford

Theses and Dissertations

Body condition assessments are a valuable tool for evaluating the relative health of a population through various metrics, indexes, or proxies. Long-term data collection can be used to examine the relationship between fluctuations in body condition and natural or anthropogenic drivers. Application of this information is vital for monitoring the success of the conservation management decisions for a species or population. Cetaceans have a variety of methods available to assess body condition, including invasive methods like biopsies and necropsies or observational methods such as photogrammetry. Exploration of the application of these methods in the literature revealed an emphasis on necropsies …

Geographic Differences In The Magnitude Of Black-White Disparities In Having Obesity, Steven A. Cohen, Monique J. Brown, Furong Xu, Caitlin C. Nash, Mary L. Greaney

Faculty Publications

Background

Obesity disparities in the United States are well documented, but the limited body of research suggests that geographic factors may alter the magnitude of these disparities. A growing body of evidence has identified a “rural mortality penalty” where morbidity and mortality rates are higher in rural than urban areas, even after controlling for other factors. Black-White differences in health and mortality are more pronounced in rural areas than in urban areas.

Objective

Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore how rural-urban status and region moderate Black-White health disparities in obesity.

Methods

Data were abstracted from the 2012 …

Deep Learning For Studying Materials Stability And Solving Thermodynamically Consistent Pdes With Dynamic Boundary Conditions In Arbitrary Domains, Chunyan Li

Theses and Dissertations

Deep learning has achieved remarkable success in various fields, including image processing, natural language processing, and signal processing, ushering in a transformative era in research and real-life applications. This rise underscores the transformative capabilities of deep learning, with its innovative approach to function approximation. Traditionally, approximation theory relied on additive constructions, but deep neural networks have introduced a compositional approach, reshaping the landscape of function approximation. This thesis explores the efficacy of this compositional construction within the realm of material science and the solution of thermodynamically consistent partial differential equations with thermodynamically consistent dynamic boundary conditions in arbitrary domains. As …

Oscars Vs. Ozone: The Motion Picture Industry’S Impact On Climate Change And What They Are Doing About It, Alexis J. Simpson

Senior Theses

This thesis focuses on demonstrating that the motion picture industry, which includes film and television production (and thus will also be called ‘the film and television industry’), has notably contributed to the global effects of climate change. Such contributions can stem from the industry’s emissions and waste, with examples including travel for cast and crew, energy use for production equipment (some of which run on diesel), and disposable physical sets and costumes. The intention here is to give an accurate picture of current production practices and share examples of progress in the industry that are combating the negative impacts of …

Precision E- Beam Polarimetry At An E-E+ B Factory Using Tau-Pair Events, J. P. Lees, V. Poireau, V, Tisserand, E. Grauges, A. Palano, G. Eigen, D. N. Brown, Yu. G. Kolomensky, M. Fritsch, H. Koch, R. Cheaib, C. Hearty, T. S. Mattison, J. A. Mckenna, R. Y. So, V. E. Blinov, A. R. Buzykaev, V. P. Druzhinin, Milind Purohit, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

We present a new technique, “tau polarimetry,” for measuring the longitudinal beam polarization present in an e⁺e⁻ collider through the analysis of e⁺e⁻ → τ⁺τ⁻ events. By exploiting the sensitivity of τ decay kinematics to the longitudinal polarization of the beams, we demonstrate that the longitudinal polarization can be measured with a 3 per mil systematic uncertainty at the interaction point using a technique that is independent of spin and beam transport modeling. Using 424.2 ± 1.8 fb⁻¹ of BABAR data at √ s = 10.58 GeV, the average longitudinal …

Generalizing Random Fibonacci Sequences, Prashant Sansgiry, Ogul Duncan, David Duncan, Alexander Foster

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

We consider generalized Fibonacci sequences with recurrence
relation xn+p+1 = xn+p + xn, which have growth rates of the form
limn→∞ |xn|1/n that behave similarly to the golden ratio, (1 + √5)/2.
Following Makover and McGowan’s analysis of the random Fibonacci se-
quence, we find bounds for the value of E(|xn|)1/n for random sequences
given by xn+p+1 = ±xn+p + xn. Finally, we further generalize these ran-
dom sequences using two parameters, p and q, and we experimentally
observe how limn→∞ |xn|1/n contains surprising information about the
divisors of q + 1

Table Of Contents

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

An Analysis Of The Sequence Xn+2 = I M Xn+1 + Xn, David Duncan, Prashant Sansgiry, Ogul Arslan, Jensen Meade

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

We analyze the sequence Xn+2 = imXn+1 + Xn, with X1 = X2 = 1 + i, where i is the imaginary number and m is a real number. Plotting the sequence in the complex plane for different values of m, we see interesting figures from the conic sections. For values of m in the interval (−2, 2) we show that the figures generated are ellipses. We also provide analysis which prove that for certain values of m, the sequence generated is periodic with even period.

The Synthesis Of Novel Rare Earth Thiosilicates Using The Boron Chalcogen Mixture Method For An Interest In Their Magnetic And Optical Properties, Adam Alexander King

Theses and Dissertations

The chalcogens or the group sixteen elements excluding oxygen, are of interest due to their wide variety of structures and compositions, which gives the potential for a plethora of desired physical properties. This is due to their increased ability to catenate, forming stable chalcogen-chalcogen bonds. When the chalcogens combine with certain main group elements and transition metals they form anionic framework building blocks known as chalcometallates. One such chalcometallate of interest is the thiosilicates, compounds containing Si-S bonds as the anionic frameworks. These compounds are of interest due to their potentials in both their optical and magnetic properties. However, traditional …

Study Of Digital Algan Alloy Based Heterostructures Using Aln/Gan Short Period Superlattice, Mohammad Kamal Hussain

Theses and Dissertations

Ultrawide Bandgap (UWBG) and Extreme Bandgap (EBG) AlxGa1-xN (x > 0.40) alloys with EG > 4.2 eV are potential candidates for high temperature and high voltage applications, compared to Wide Bandgap (WBG) GaN-based lateral channel devices. Since critical electric field (Ec) scales as (Eg)^2.5, theoretically AlGaN alloys can sustain large electric field before breaking down. However, achieving linear ohmic contacts to the 2-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) formed at the interface of AlyGa_1-xN/ Al_xGa_1-xN (y – x ≥ 0.20) High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) is challenging. Direct contact through the AlGaN barrier is difficult due …

Hf Radar: Shining A Light On Ocean Currents, Douglas Cahl

Theses and Dissertations

High Frequency (HF) radar systems are commonly used to estimate surface ocean currents over the coastal ocean. Their range depends on their operational frequency and low frequency systems (≤ 10 MHz) can reach distances up to 200 km from the coastline. These systems are used to estimate surface currents by measuring the phase speed of wind-driven waves and comparing the measured speed with that expected theoretically; deviations from the theoretical still-water phase speed are attributed to ocean surface currents. Although HF radar systems are considered a mature technology and the accuracy of the radar-derived surface current estimates is well studied, …