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Implementing a New Quality Control Protocol for LCMS: A Case Study Comparing Commercially Produced Columns to Homemade Columns
No full textUndergraduateWith the increasing size of proteomics data sets, there is an emerging need for reliable methods of monitoring LC-MS instrument performance over time to ensure consistency in the data. In this poster, I present a quality control protocol for assessing variation within LC-MS data. The software Skyline is used to extract three analytical figures of merit from bovine serum albumin (BSA) chromatograms. These figures are compared longitudinally to monitor changes in instrument performance over time. I also use the protocol to compare two different types of LC columns used in our facility, homemade and commercial, to determine which yields superior data
Investigation of Statistical Analysis of Mass Spectra as a Tool for Characterization of Secondary Organic Aerosols
No full textSecondary organic aerosols (SOA), which are formed from the oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are hypothesized to have a significant role in climate processes and atmospheric phenomena due to their relative abundance in the atmosphere. VOCs are released into the atmosphere by natural and anthropogenic activities and can react with ozone (O3), the most abundant naturally occurring atmospheric oxidant, to yield hundreds of chemically distinct SOA products. It is of interest to improve the current understanding of the chemistry of SOA to better understand their impact on the atmosphere. Mass spectrometry has been an analytical method of focus for the study of SOA in the Petrucci Group. However, differentiating between the spectral peaks of SOA remains a significant challenge since their mass spectra are densely populated and contain many peaks in close proximity to each other. The ability to differentiate between SOA products is critical to the study of their chemistry. Statistical analysis of mass spectra data is proposed as a method to differentiate between SOA which originate from different chemical systems. The approach described herein utilizes the root mean square (RMS) error value as a measure of average difference between two spectra. A two-tailed student’s t-test is then used to determine whether a statistically significant difference exists between two chemical systems by comparing their average difference, as defined by the RMS value, to that of two chemical systems hypothesized to be the same. This approach was first applied to simulated mass spectra to optimize its parameters by investigating the effect of inherent variability and population density on the RMS value. The optimized approach was then applied to the spectra of SOA generated from α-pinene, a biogenic VOC of interest due to its high abundance in the atmosphere, by oxidation with atmospheric O3 and “dry” (in the absence of molecular oxygen) O3. A statistically significant difference between the spectra of SOA formed from atmospheric O3 and dry O3 was determined by this approach. While the results reported here show promise, continued optimization of the proposed approach is suggested to increase the chances of success of statistical analysis across a variety of chemical systems.Chemistr
Degrees of Librarians - Ancillary Material
No full textAncillary material for "Degrees of Librarians," published sequentially in parts in the journal Katina
Letter to My State: A Proposal for a More Inclusive College Admissions Practice
No full textARRAY(0x5d1ae85cdf18
Gaps in Public and Emergency Managers Flood Hazard Communication
No full textLoss of lives, livelihoods, and properties persist due to increased flood events despite huge investments in early forecast systems. A more comprehensive approach to flood hazard disaster mitigation will include understanding what gaps exist in flood hazard communications between the public and flood emergency managers that may hinder appropriate hazard decisions. This report examines how well the public understands flood hazard terms commonly used in flood hazard communications. Importantly, the public's awareness and knowledge are compared to the perceptions of flood and emergency managers regarding the public's level of understanding. That is, we question if emergency managers can adequately assess the public’s awareness and knowledge of flood terminology and thus can use messaging that effectively conveys critical information. Flood and emergency managers frequently overestimate the public's awareness and understanding of flood-related information and terminology, thus opening the door to miscommunication. We also compare public flood hazard preferred communication methods with sources used by emergency managers for disseminating information to the public. Finally, we report on information sources used by the public and emergency managers to stay informed about flood preparation and emergency conditions
Generating Inferences in the Visual Modality Across a Range of Autistic Traits
No full textAutistic individuals have been found to show differences in their comprehension of linguistic narratives (i.e., stories told through verbal or written language) and general strengths in processing visuals (e.g., images). As a result, visuals are commonly used to support other complex cognitive processes in autistic individuals. However, strengths in visual processing have primarily been identified in studies examining single images, and little research has investigated visuals composed of sequences of panels depicting a cohesive narrative. Inferencing, the ability to bridge gaps in explicitly stated information to draw implicit conclusions, is essential for both linguistic and visual narrative processing and may contribute to comprehension challenges observed in autism. Similarly, fluency, defined as an individual’s experience and proficiency within a specific domain, has been found to influence reading comprehension, though its effect on comprehension in autism is not well understood. This study examined how an individual’s level of autistic traits influences the underlying neural mechanisms involved in inference generation, and how fluency may affect this relationship. We collected EEG data from 70 adults (mean age = 26.5, range = 18-65) with a range of autistic traits (measured by the Autism Quotient: M = 22.1, range = 4-44) and a range of fluency (measured by Visual Language Fluency Index: M = 9.1, range = 2.1-24.3) during an inferencing task. Participants either viewed a six- panel comic strip (normal condition) or a five-panel strip with the panel depicting the narrative climax removed (inference condition). AQ and fluency interacted at the left parietal site from 900-1000 ms, where participants with higher autistic traits and higher fluency showed differences in ERP amplitudes compared to participants with higher autistic traits and lower fluency. These findings suggest that cognitive processing strategies involved in inference generation vary depending on autistic traits and personal experience with visual stories.Communication Sciences and Disorder
Advancing equitable electric vehicle adoption: Addressing home charging barriers and costs
No full textUndergraduateTo equitably decarbonize transportation, we must address barriers to EV adoption among disadvantaged populations. One critical obstacle is a lack of home charging. People living in multifamily and older homes and renters face unique barriers to installing chargers, although little is known about their rate of EV adoption. We evaluate the relationships between EV adoption, housing characteristics and home chargers in Burlington. Our results indicate that charger installation costs are higher in rental homes. Increasing a home’s overall electrical capacity is the most expensive type of upgrade. Properties that are single-family, high-value, and high-quality show higher odds of EV ownership
Strong Coupling of Exciton-Photon Polaritons in Metal-Dielectric Optical Resonators
No full textMetal dielectric optical resonators (MDORs) are thin film devices composed of stacked layers of metal or metal-alloy mirrors and dielectric spacers. Depending on the thick- ness of these MDOR cavities, the resonant modes of photons within the cavity can be tuned throughout the visible spectrum of light, and beyond. This project utilizes these principles to explore the consequences of the addition of organic dye molecules to the dielectric interior of the cavity. By selecting dye candidates with superior optical properties conducive to the preservation of cavity modes over long time scales, a state known as “strong coupling” is achieved, where dye molecules in the excited state interact with and couple to the photonic states of the cavity. This strongly coupled state is indicated by changes to the resonant modes of the cavity, taking the form of “Rabi splitting” of angle-resolved cavity modes around the energy at which the organic dye molecules absorb. Strong coupling in MDORs is desirable for the potential future demonstration of long-range resonance energy transfer across micron-scale distances within MDOR devices.Physic
Risk factors of Alzheimer's: Effect of genetic and environmental risk factors
No full textUndergraduateThe APOE ε4 gene is the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), influencing brain function, lipid metabolism, and inflammation. Individuals carrying one or two copies of APOE ε4 have a higher likelihood of developing AD compared to non-carriers. Environmental factors also play a role in AD. Poor dietary habits such as adapting to a high fat and sugar diet will contribute to inflammation and cognitive impairment, both risk factors for AD. This infographic presents the importance of early detection through the APOE e4 gene, as well as early prevention by adjusting to a low risk lifestyle
Identifying Mental Health in Sports Medicine
No full textThis project examines how sports injuries affects mental health and identifies key psychological concepts related to injury and restriction from sport. From interviews with community members and providers, a screening questionnaire was created to start a conversation around mental health in injured athletes with the goal of destigmatizing the topic, identifying struggling patients, and offering appropriate resources