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Forever Friends Give Back to Furman
No full textA group of 15 Furman University alumnae, led by Susan Shi \u2771 M\u2773, raised more than $600,000 to name a place on campus that brings back a lot of memories
Then: Reflection on the Importance of Furman as it was
No full textAs a Connecticut Yankee and transfer student to Furman in September 1981, I was still getting used to the South while learning the rigor of my new university
Physical Chemistry Concepts Introduced into the Chemistry Curriculum using WebMO
No full textComputational chemistry is the most rapidly growing subdiscipline in chemistry. For small molecules calculations are now as good as experiment and readily accessible in undergraduate courses. These calculations are made available at the undergraduate level because of advances in computer power, availability of computational chemistry programs, and excellent graphical interfaces. In this chapter examples are provided on how computational chemistry exercises that illustrate physical chemistry concepts can be incorporated into general and physical chemistry courses using modern programs with a web-based user-interface, WebMO. As computations become a practical tool used by almost every chemist to enhance chemical understanding and make chemical predictions, providing undergraduate chemistry students hands-on experience with computational chemistry is an essential part of a modern chemistry education
REM Sleep Amounts and Melatonin
No full textThis study investigates the cause-and-effect relationship between melatonin consumption and the amount of REM sleep obtained by an individual through a causal-comparative research design. The research aimed to determine whether melatonin significantly influences REM sleep duration. Three participants, aged 16-17, were selected for the study. Each participant was an athlete with similar extracurricular activities to minimize external variables affecting sleep patterns. To ensure accurate data collection, all participants wore sleep-tracking watches, which recorded their sleep stages, including REM sleep duration. The study followed a structured approach of a week supplemented (according to participants typical sleep regimen) and a week without nightly melatonin intake. This design allowed for direct comparison of REM sleep between conditions. Data collected over multiple nights were analyzed by a paired-Test to identify trends and potential differences in REM sleep duration between melatonin and non-melatonin nights. Factors such as individual differences in metabolism, natural sleep cycles, and external influences may have played a role in variations of the data. Although in despite of the small sample size, this study provides preliminary insights into the potential impact of melatonin on REM sleep
Effect of wildfires on heart development in zebrafish
No full textMany Los Angeles residents started 2025 with an uncommon, but not unexpected surprise… wildfires. Just as has happened in the past, these wildfires caused devastating destruction. With thousands of buildings destroyed, and thousands displaced, the potency of these fires is indisputably high. According to the US Fire Administration, the places where humans meet wildfires, deemed wildland-urban interface (WUI) fires, have been increasing by approximately 2 million acres per year since 1970. When these such fires burn nearby buildings and structures, they release toxins into the environment. With wildfires becoming more and more frequent, as evident in examples such as the Palisades and Maui fires, their potentially hazardous effects on humans are becoming more of a threat. Several studies suggest that there is a significant connection between wildfire emissions and cardiovascular disease. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos are very sensitive to environmental materials and toxins, and therefore, in this project I used zebrafish as a model for investigating the effects of wildfire ashes on cardiovascular development. My hypothesis is that if I treat the zebrafish embryos with wildfire ash, then they will show cardiovascular defects. The data collected from my experiments displays that exposure to wildfire ashes results in cardiovascular defects in zebrafish embryos. This research has relevance for the health and wellbeing of humans and other animals who live in the many WUI areas in the United State. The other implication of my study is to provide information about hazardous materials to the US army, first responders (i.e., firefighters), and US forest service personnel to ensure their safety, to protect health, and prevent environmental damage while saving the lives of individuals directly affected by WUI fires
Microwave spectrum and analysis of 4-chloro-2-fluorophenol
No full textSpectroscopy is the study of the phenomena that arise when molecules and atoms are stimulated by different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation. Microwave spectroscopy uses the microwave region of the electromagnetic spectrum and measures the rotational changes that result from stimulation by this low-frequency source of radiation. These rational changes are then used to calculate the moments of inertia of the molecule, telling us the shape. We used the GSSM’s fourier transform chirped-pulse microwave spectrometer to study 4-Chloro-2-Fluorophenol’s shape. 4-Chloro-2-Fluorophenol has two conformations with the cis having the hydrogen from the hydroxyl group pointing towards the fluorine and the trans having the hydrogen pointing away. Calculations to determine the theoretical rotational, distortional, and nuclear quadrupole constants as well as relative energy for each conformation were run using Gaussian 03W. Then the compound was heated to ensure the compound was fully in the liquid state so it could be properly sprayed by the nozzle. Measurements were then recorded over the frequency range of 8,000 MHz to 18,0000 MHz in 1,000 MHz intervals, with 10,000 measurements being averaged for each interval. The softwares BBA and AABs were then used to fit and refine the experimental data. The rotational constants, distortion constant, and nuclear quadrupole constants were found. It was found that the experimental data more closely aligned to the calculated cis conformation indicating that the cis conformation is lower energy than the trans, which aligned with the relative energies calculated