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BIOFUEL SYNTHESIS FROM WASTE OIL AND GREASE: CHARACTERIZATION, BLEND PERFORMANCE, AND COMBUSTION ANALYSIS
No full textBiofuel was synthesized via trans-esterification from a variety of feedstocks to include waste oil and grease from campus dining operation. Biofuel was characterized for suitability as an alternative fuel, blended with commercial diesel fuel, and used to power a 5-kW diesel generator. The biofuel, its blends, exhaust gasses, and exhaust particulate matter are characterized using FT-IR (solid, liquid, gas), GC-MS, AFM, and Viscometry with future work to include ICP-MS
STRUCTURAL, ELECTRICAL AND MAGNETIC CHARACTERIZATIONS OF CHIRAL MAGNETIC OXIDES SYNTHESIZED BY CONVENTIONAL SOLID-STATE METHODS
No full textChiral magnetic oxides have drawn recent interests due to their multifunctional properties and topologically non-trivial properties that can be achieved by fine tuning spin, charge, orbital, and lattice degrees of freedom and the electronic correlations. In a non-centrosymmetric crystal structure, the Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction between local spins may be of similar strength to the spin-exchange interaction leading to the possibility of non-collinear and non-trivial magnetic structures. With such interests, we are studying the structural, electrical, and magnetic properties of chiral magnetic oxides belonging to MTeMoO6 family (M=Fe, Co, Ni, Cu etc.) synthesized by conventional solid-state methods. We have characterized our polycrystalline samples using Rigaku X-ray diffractometer, Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID), and a Keysight Agilent E4980A Precision LCR Meter. In this talk, the synthesis method, structural, electrical, and magnetic characterizations of MnTeMoO6 along with its comparison to isostructural compound CoTeMoO6 will be presented
FUTURE TRANSITABILITY OF THE CIRCUMBINARY PLANET KEPLER-16-b**
No full textObservations with the Kepler Space Telescope revealed a special planetary class: a planet that orbits a pair of stars instead of just one, or a circumbinary planet (CBP). The first bona fide CBP (Kepler-16b) was confirmed via photometry in 2011 by the Kepler Mission using only the first two years of observations. In subsequent studies and discoveries of CBPs, it became apparent that these worlds are detectable through transit photometry only temporarily due to the fast precession of planetary orbit relative to our line-of-sight (i.e., limited transitability). We re-evaluate the photodynamical modeling of Kepler-16b using the full four years of observations from the Kepler mission, which includes four additional transits by the CBP. Our photodynamical model mostly agrees with the previous results, except it requires a slightly more massive CBP. Using our best-fitting models, we will estimate when Kepler-16b will again transit its host stars relative to our line-of-sight and whether these transits would be detectable using data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite. The potential transitability of the other Kepler CBPs will also be discussed
THE EFFECTS OF PHYSICAL INTERACTIONS ON THE CONSERVATION OF INSULIN-SIGNALING PATHWAY GENES BETWEEN D. MELANOGASTER AND D. ARIZONAE
No full textHumans are susceptible to various diseases that impact their quality of life, including: cancer, Alzheimer’s Disease, and diabetes. It is known that diabetes can be affected by an individual’s diet, exercise, and genetic variations. In Type II Diabetes, the insulin-signaling pathway (ISP) is disrupted, resulting in the inability to uptake insulin. The ISP consists of a delicate balance of interactions between various gene products to maintain the system. These interactions can constrain the evolutionary divergence of the pathway genes. The main goal of this study is to observe the effects of physical interactions, obtained from FlyBase, on the conservation of genes between Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila arizonae. The study observed the conservation of the genomic neighborhood, the overall gene structure, and the protein sequence. The genes that were observed for the study were Ilp1 (two interactions), Ilp5 (five interactions), eIF4E1 (54 interactions), and Tsc1 (236 interactions). We used BLAST to identify the potential ortholog of each gene in D. arizonae and then used the UCSC Genome Browser to examine the genomic neighborhood of each gene and confirm orthology. We also used the Genome Browser to annotate the start and stop codons and exon-intron borders of each gene in D. arizonae to build a new gene model. The Gene Model Checker provided the protein sequence and an alignment of each ortholog in D. arizonae against that of D. melanogaster, along with an indication of the percent identity between the orthologs. We observed only a weak relationship between the number of physical interactions and the percent identity between the orthologs, with the following percent identities: Ilp1 (39.0%), Ilp5 (29.8%), eIF4E1 (78.0%), and Tsc1 (62.9%)
REFLECTIONS ON PAST AND PRESENT COPING STRATEGIES FOR COVID-19 RELATED STRESS AND THE IMPACT ON MENTAL WELL-BEING: A PILOT STUDY IN COLLEGE STUDENTS**
No full textThe ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has left both physical and psychological scars. According to the CDC, in 2021, 37% of high school students reported experiencing a decline in mental health during the pandemic. Many of these students are now enrolled in college, where we are seeing similar trends in increasing mental health concerns resulting from the pandemic. Social isolation, financial concerns, fear of loved ones or themselves getting sick, and food insecurity are some explanations for these trends. At present, we are grappling with the long-term effects of the pandemic and processing what we have witnessed and experienced. We are interested in addressing two broad research questions: 1) How have college students been coping with COVID-19 related stress both in the past and presently and 2) What is the impact of different coping strategies on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic? We are asking college students to reflect on the coping strategies they used to cope with COVID-19 related stress in the past, defined as from March 2020 to July 2022, as well as what strategies they are currently using, defined as from August 2022 to the present. We are using the 28-item Brief COPE scale, which contains fourteen different subscales, each measuring different coping strategies. We are grouping these items into two categories, adaptive and maladaptive strategies, for the purpose of analyses. We are measuring emotional, social, and psychological mental well-being using the Mental Health Continuum Short-Form. We predict that students who use more adaptive coping strategies, both in the past and present, will demonstrate higher mental well-being than students who use more maladaptive coping strategies. Our research is an important piece for building a better understanding of the impact of the pandemic on mental health in vulnerable populations
OPTIMIZATION OF A BALL\u27S LAUNCH IN SPORTS
Get PDFNewton\u27s laws are used to study the effects of air resistance on an object\u27s motion. In ball-related sports such as baseball, soccer, etc., understanding the effects of air resistance is essential to optimize ball launch performance. This performance optimization can be studied by identifying the minimal time it takes for a ball with speed to travel a certain distance. We work with two models that apply to an object\u27s motion. One of the models assumes a linear air drag while a second model makes use of a quadratic air drag. We do investigate known differential equations for when the Magnus force is present as well as absent. This is done through numerical and analytic solutions, when possible. The development of approximations leads to differential equations that are suitable for time optimization studies The analytic calculations are compared to MATLAB\u27s numerical results. We concentrate on situations for which the speed of the projectile parallel to the ground is much greater than its speed perpendicular to it
TEMPERATURE PREFERANCES IN LARVAE OF TWO SPECIES OF TWO-LINED SALAMANDER (EURYCEA BISLINEATA SPECIES COMPLEX)
No full textTemperature preferences are critical for species that live in different thermal environments, especially those with an ectothermic physiology. The Blue Ridge Two-lined Salamander (Euryeca wilderae) and the Southern Two-lined Salamander (E. cirrigera) are parapatric ectotherms with the former species occupying the mountains of Georgia and the latter found in the more lowland Piedmont and Coastal Plain. Previous work has been contradictory with larvae from allopatric populations reportedly differing in temperature preference while those in sympatry do not. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that larval salamanders from allopatric sites differ in temperature preference, i.e., those living in the mountains prefer colder temperatures than those living in the lowland Piedmont. We collected 20 larval E. wilderae from the Blue Ridge ecoregion in Union County, Georgia, and 20 larval E. cirrigera from the Piedmont in Madison County, Georgia. We placed each larva in water in a metal trough with a temperature gradient ranging from 14 to 21° C and allowed it to move freely until it remained in the same location for 10 min. We then tested for a difference in mean temperature preference with a one-way ANOVA. We found no significant difference in temperature preference. Our results were unexpected as a previous study of allopatric populations in North Carolina did show a significant difference. Individual variation in populations needs to be taken into account before broad conclusions can be drawn about temperature preferences in these species
CAN CINNAMON SUPPLEMENTS LOWER BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS?
No full textCinnamon is a common spice obtained from the dried inner bark of several species of the genus Cinnamomum Schaeff (1760) in the Lauraceae family. It is believed to possess insulin-like properties that can aid in the lowering of blood glucose levels and increase insulin sensitivity which can be beneficial in promoting health and as a treatment in individuals with type II diabetes and metabolic syndrome. This study investigated the effect of Cinnamomum zeylanicum (Ceylon cinnamon) tea on glucose absorption. Six non-diabetic participants were divided into two groups (control and intervention). In the control group, participants ingested glucose solution (237 mL) on one consistent day of the week for six weeks. In the intervention group, participants ingested 235 mL cinnamon tea immediately after consuming the glucose solution (237 mL) also on one consistent day of the week for six weeks. This was done to test whether the intervention group would show a reduction in blood glucose levels during the six-week study, therefore proving that glucose absorption was increased with the consumption of cinnamon. Blood glucose levels were measured at t30 mins, t60 mins, and t90 mins. The glucose levels were statistically determined to have reduced from 108.94 ± 27.79 to 106.44 ± 14.21 mg/dL in the intervention group, while the glucose levels in the control group increased from 111.78 ± 39.96 to 129.22 ± 19.57 mg/dL. Based on the results obtained in this study, it is assumed that cinnamon does contain insulin-like properties and can be used to increase glucose absorption in individuals whose bodies have difficulty producing enough insulin or is insulin resistant. In light of this research, it can be recommended that these individuals incorporate cinnamon in their daily lifestyle with permission from a physician
AVIAN COMMUNITY OF TUMBLING CREEK WOODS**
No full textNon-native plants have overtaken large areas in recent decades. These introduced plants may not be compatible with the local food chain, impacting insects and the birds that feed on them. Birds are some of our most beautiful and beloved faunas, but many species are now in decline. To investigate a possible link between bird and plant populations in north Georgia, we conducted avian surveys in 12 ha of forest over the course of a year. Approximately 4 ha this plot is dominated by non-native plants with the rest primarily native, an ideal location for our study. To quantify bird density and diversity in the plot, we conducted five-minute point counts every 2 weeks at 12 locations spaced 100m apart. We recorded each bird heard or seen within 50m. On alternating weeks, we collected observations of bird behavior in the research area. For each observation, we recorded the bird species, height in canopy, the plant occupied, and the type of behavior. Our focus was foraging, defined as eating or seeking food. Finally, we quantified the nature of the plant community at 27 points, located on a 50m spacing grid. Measurements included canopy density, number of trees (\u3e8cm dbh) and groundcover within an 11m radius. We used a smaller, 5m, radius to count stems (\u3c8cm dbh). We calculated Shannon indices for the avian data and will initially use principal component analysis to determine correlations between the plant and avian communities. We hope that these results will shed light on the effects of the non-native vegetation now covering parts of our campus and contribute to the greater body of research related to the effects of invasive species on local flora and fauna
COMPARISON OF HOUSEHOLD DISINFECTANT SPRAYS USING THE KIRBY BAUER DISK DIFFUSION METHOD
No full textFrequently used surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected regularly to help prevent the spread of microbes that may make you sick. The Centers for Disease Control recommends that surfaces are first cleaned and then sanitized or disinfected them. Disinfecting a surface will kill most of the germs on that surface or object and differs from sanitizing and cleaning. The question then arises as to which disinfectants are best. A disinfectant spray’s efficacy depends on the intrinsic qualities of microorganisms as well as the external, chemical, and physical environment. Here we tested the effectiveness of three household disinfectant sprays–Lysol (household cleaner), Method (plant based cleaner), and Briotech (HOCl hypochlorous spray)—against a water control. The four solutions were tested against the bacteria Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli. Efficacy was tested using the Kirby Bauer Disk Diffusion method. In this method small paper disks were dipped in each disinfectant and placed on plates of Mueller Hinton agar streaked with Staphylococcus epidermidis or Escherichia coli. The plates were incubated for 24 hours at 37ºC and then the zones of inhibition were measured. Based on the results, Lysol was the most effective overall, and was more effective on Staphylococcus epidermidis than Escherichia coli with a P value of 0.044