Article Name: More Efficient Helicopter Blades Based on Whale Tubercles
Author: Sam Weitzman and Ann Lambert
Publish Date: 12/22/2015
Abstract:
The goal of this project was to increase the efficiency of the helicopter blades on the Double Horse 9053 RC Helicopter by adding tubercles based off those of a humpback whale. Increases in efficiency were determined by measuring the wind speed of control blades at three different speeds and then comparing these speeds to the wind speeds of tubercle-designed blades. The control blades had no tubercles while the tubercle blades had a set of 8 or 4 tubercles per blade. After analysis of increases in wind speeds based off the control, it was found that the 8-tubercle blades often had an increase in speed. The 4-tubercle blades had a decrease in output. The data supports the idea that the number and placement of tubercles matters. This small-scale experiment shows potential for improvements in the efficiency of full-scale helicopters.

Article Name: Allelopathic Effects of Kudzu (Pueraria Montana) on Seed Germination and their Potential Use as a Natural Herbicide
Author: Shreya Mathur, Dr. Sunil Mathur
Publish Date: 12/19/2015
Abstract:
Allelopathy is the inhibition of growth of one species of plants by chemicals produced by another, typically competing, species. The chemical compounds released in this phenomenon have the potential to be used as natural weed control agents. In this study, we tested kudzu (Pueraria montana) to determine its allelopathic potential for weed control and suppression. The aqueous extracts of different kudzu organs (leaf, stem, and root) were assessed for allelopathic properties on the seeds of several competing species: white clover, dandelion, bermudagrass, and ryegrass. Remarkably, both the kudzu leaf and root extracts significantly changed the majority of the measured germination indices, comprising total germination and the speed of germination. The total germination of white clover seeds was 25% less than the control in both the kudzu leaf and root extract bioassays, while speed of germination was reduced by 77% and 72%, respectively. Likewise, dandelion seeds demonstrated 53% and 73% reduced speed of germination when treated with kudzu leaf extract and root extract, respectively. Both leaf extract and root extract also reduced total germination in ryegrass and bermudagrass seeds by a minimum of 25%. These results suggest that the kudzu leaves and roots can be considered to be allelopathic and show potential as a weed control agent.

Article Name: The Effect of Delivery Method, Speaker Demographics, and Physical Environment on the Engagement Level of Older Adults
Author: Josh Seides and Tracy Mitzner
Publish Date: 5/24/2015
Abstract:
With the rise of the older adult population worldwide and the rapid advancements in technology, it is becoming more important that senior citizens learn to use new technologies to remain active in society. To facilitate learning, technology-training programs should strive to capture and maintain a high level of engagement among older adults. In order to understand how to design effective technology-training programs, we examined the factors that affect the engagement of older adults as they learn to use technology. The first part of our study consisted of a survey that collected information about their preferences on various factors relating to learning engagement. Responders frequently indicated preferences for morning lessons in a familiar environment, often by teenage or older (over 50 years old) instructors, with a guided hands-on method. The second part of our study recorded the behavior of a group of older adults as they responded to different teaching delivery methods. The results indicated that an interactive lesson style was associated with a significantly higher level of engagement by participants. Older adults in interactive lessons asked more questions and retained course material at a higher rate than those subjected to video and written methods. In summary, these results suggest that many older adults prefer learning in the morning, in a familiar environment, by teenage or 50+ instructors, and with a guided hands-on method. Furthermore, an interactive learning method may increase engagement.

Article Name: Ant Colony Optimization Algorithms with Multiple Simulated Colonies offer Potential Advantages for Solving the Traveling Salesman Problem and, by Extension, Other Optimization Problems
Author: M. Evan Wildenhain and Ian Sacco
Publish Date: 5/22/2015
Abstract:
The traveling salesman problem (TSP) is a classic problem in optimization, frequently used for measuring the performance of optimization algorithms. The goal in solving the TSP is to determine the lowest-cost circuit through a set of cities on a graph. Ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithms, inspired by nature, use simulated ants that modify their environment through laying and removing pheromone, represented by weights on the edges of the graph connecting each city. In this study, a novel algorithm is developed, Multi-Colony System (MCS), which uses multiple colonies of simulated ants in combination to produce superior solutions to the TSP. In comparison with Ant Colony System (ACS), a standard well-performing ACO algorithm, MCS has displayed improved performance, producing tours up to 19.4% shorter than those of ACS in the same amount of time. The performance of MCS in this study presents potential advantages in applications beyond the TSP, including the ability of multiple colonies to both develop a greater number of solutions simultaneously and to more efficiently avoid local maxima in the search space.

Article Name: The Analysis of the Effects of Smoke and Water Vapor on Insect Pheromone Communication and Physical Condition: An Investigation of the Causes of Colony Collapse Disorder
Author: Orvill Delatorre and Ann Lambert
Publish Date: 5/20/2015
Abstract:
Since the outbreak of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) disappearance in the phenomenon known as colony collapse disorder (CCD) in 2006, investigations dedicated to finding the causes of CCD have suggested possible factors; however, a singular cause has not yet been identified. This project aims at identifying how external factors in the environment, such as water vapor and smoke, can affect the social behavior and physical condition of honey bees. It was hypothesized that water vapor could block insect pheromone communication and that smoke could accumulate on the antennae of insects, interrupting pheromone communication. House crickets (Acheta domesticus) were used to test water vapor’s effect on pheromone communication because they communicate with pheromones like honey bees. Crickets were exposed to vinegar, mimicking the alarm pheromone, to confirm a social response. Next, we tested water vapor’s ability to block pheromone communication. To test the effect of smoke’s presence in the environment, red harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex barbatus) were used, due to their anatomical similarity to bees. The red harvester ant experiments measured the degree to which smoke particles accumulated on their body parts. The results showed that smoke particles did accumulate during exposure to smoke. This study provides evidence that external factors in the environment of insects may act as pheromone blocking agents and thus obstruct the insects’ ability to communicate through pheromone messages. This conclusion may provide an explanation for the observations in CCD such as the honey bee disappearance and diminishing health.

Article Name: The Effect of Positive and Negative Reinforcement on Sixth Graders’ Mental Math Performance
Author: Tess M. Greene (1) and Amber Todd (2)
Publish Date: 5/20/2015
Abstract:
We examined the relationship between different forms of reinforcement and subjects’ mathematical performance. Thirty sixth-grade students were asked to mentally calculate answers to fraction problems, while holding a heart rate monitor, after receiving a positive, negative, or neutral form of reinforcement. While the results suggest that any motivation, positive or negative, may result in higher grades, the positive reinforcement group displayed the largest gain. However, the results were not statistically significant, though the trend was consistent with prior research. The heart rates of the positively-reinforced group were significantly lower than those of the negatively-reinforced and control groups. These results suggest that motivation through reward, rather than punishment, has a greater effect on the performance of students academically and may increase their grades, as well as lower heart rates during assessments.

Article Name: The Effect of Various Liquid Mediums on the Transport of Photonic Energy and its Impact on the Quantum Efficiency of Photovoltaic Cells
Author: Syamantak Payra and Susan Long
Publish Date: 5/5/2015
Abstract:
Photons from sunlight with energy slightly higher than that of the band gap of silicon create electric current within a photovoltaic (PV) cell. However, many photons from sunlight have either insufficient or excess energy. This study was conducted to find the effect of different photon transmission mediums on the temperature and voltage output of photovoltaic cells. Two different photovoltaic cells were tested under a 20-watt halogen lamp with 6 transmission mediums: 5% NaCl solution, 5% sugar solution, deionized (DI) water, canola oil, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), and the control (air). It was hypothesized that the mediums with higher specific heats would result in relatively lower temperature increases, maintain higher voltages and have increased efficiencies compared to the mediums with lower specific heats. The voltage drop for EVOO, canola oil and air were higher than that of the aqueous solutions such as 5% sugar solution, 5% NaCl, or DI water. The results show an estimated increase of 5-6% in the performance of conventional photovoltaic cells by simply placing a layer of aqueous solution above the PV cell.

Article Name: Mapping QTLs for Popping Ability in a Popcorn × Dent Maize Genetic Cross
Author: Ketan Jain-Poster (1) and Terry Woodford-Thomas (2)
Publish Date: 4/24/2015
Abstract:
Corn (maize, Zea mays L.) is one of the world’s most economically important grain crops. When exposed to heat, its starch-filled kernels pop and cook into puffs. The high demand for popcorn has spurred research to discover traits that dictate its idiosyncratic popping abilities. The purpose of this investigation is to study favorable popping traits and locate the regions on the maize chromosomes that show affiliation with such traits. Traits of interest include the kernel popping efficiency, the kernel popping expansion volume, the popping phenotype, and the average kernel size. In this study, kernel popping characteristics were assessed on 112 recombinant inbred corn lines from a large field population made by crossing B73 dent corn with popcorn line HP301. With a genetic marker linkage map available for the ten maize chromosomes, an analytical procedure called quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping was done to determine chromosomal regions in the maize genome that may be important in the popping phenotype, based on the traits analyzed. QTL computer analysis revealed two QTLs for kernel popping efficiency on chromosomes 7 and 8, two additional QTLs for popping expansion volume on chromosomes 1 and 3, two QTLs for average kernel size on chromosomes 1 and 3, and one popping phenotype QTL on chromosome 2. The results of the QTL and maize phenotype correlation studies have relevance for better understanding the molecular basis of the popping phenotype. Furthermore, they could have practical applications in enhancing marketable popcorn.

Article Name: Antibiotic Residues Detected in Commercial Cow’s Milk
Author: Aylin Memili (1) and Erdogan Memili (2)
Publish Date: 3/18/2015
Abstract:
Cow’s milk is an important food containing vital nutrients for both children and adults. Chemical residues and antimicrobials in milk may be a concern for consumers. In this study we tested the hypothesis that cow’s milk sold for human consumption contains antibiotic residues. The general approach was to use the Delvo P Test to detect antibiotics in ten different milk samples. According to the results obtained, nine out of the ten analyzed milk samples sold commercially in Greensboro, NC contained antibiotics at five parts per billion or higher. The findings shed light onto the methods for ensuring the safety of milk. The antibiotics in the milk might pose a risk for human health because antibiotic residues might trigger antibiotic resistance in human gut bacteria.

Article Name: Dispersing Agents Prevent Negative Impact of Oil on Uptake of Zinc by Duckweed (Lemna minor)
Author: Chase D. Latour, Albert K. Urazaev, and Amber L. Pond
Publish Date: 3/16/2015
Abstract:
Oil spills have had extremely negative effects on the environment. The oil directly coats both animal and plant species living in and around the water, rendering these organisms unable to carry out normal life functions such as locomotion, in the case of animals, and nutrient uptake, in the case of plants. Long term, the oil contributes organic chemicals to the water, which may either dissolve or sediment. Duckweed is an aquatic plant that provides food and shelter to animals and removes pollutants, such as zinc, from the water in which it resides. It is an important plant in phytoremediation work, and an oil coating could interfere with this important function. Means of removing oil from water include both physical methods, such as skimmers, and chemical approaches. There is concern that chemical techniques, such as adding adsorbents and/or dispersants to the contaminated water, may also cause environmental problems and may interfere with zinc uptake by duckweed. Here, we confirm that the aquatic plant duckweed (Lemna minor) can remove zinc from its environment and that this process is impaired by the presence of oil in the water. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the negative effect the oil has upon zinc uptake by duckweed can be ameliorated by treatment with the dispersing agent, Dispersit™, and that the dispersant itself does not inhibit zinc uptake by duckweed. We conclude that treatment of oil-contaminated water by this dispersant may be a useful approach to maintaining the ability of duckweed to remediate polluted water.

Article Name: Characterization of a UPEC degS mutant in vitro and in vivo
Author: India C. Bradley and Elizabeth S. Danka
Publish Date: 3/16/2015
Abstract:
Escherichia coli DegS is an integral inner membrane protein that breaks down incorrectly assembled proteins and helps regulate the s ? stress response pathway. When degS is deleted, approximately 200-fold more outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are produced. As OMVs contain sections of the outer membrane and proteins from the periplasm, they may play a role in the virulence of E. coli. To test whether degS or OMVs play a role in uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) virulence, we characterized a degS mutant. We found that the degS deletion did not affect the morphology of the bacterium, but did result in decreased virulence in vivo and in vitro. When we tested our mutant in a murine model of cystitis, mice infected with degS::cat bacteria had a 100-fold decrease in bacterial titers in the bladder at 24 hours post-infection. In vitro binding and invasion assays showed no difference in the ability to bind to host cells, but a significant decrease in the ability of mutant bacteria to invade cells. Together, these data suggest that degS deletion decreases the virulence of E. coli and that an increase in OMV production may be a detriment to virulence. Future studies can separate the role of degS and OMV production in UPEC virulence.

Article Name: A Simple Printing Solution to Aid Deficit Reduction
Author: Suvir Mirchandani and Peter Pinko
Publish Date: 3/10/2015
Abstract:
The printing-related expenditure that is budgeted in 2014 for U.S. Federal agencies is $1.8 billion. Even though printing expenditure has been decreasing in recent years, it continues to be high and a small percentage decrease in printing expenditure due to a font change could result in substantial monetary savings. A sample of five publically available documents produced by various federal agencies is analyzed and the cost savings arising from a change in font type are estimated. To make the comparison, fonts that were found to be efficient in a previous study and those recommended by the government are used. The results are then extrapolated to state and local governments. Assumptions are made based on public data to make these assessments. A sensitivity analysis is completed with respect to assumptions that have the most uncertainty. The analysis predicts that the Government’s annual savings by switching to Garamond are likely to be about $234 million with worst-case savings of $62 million and best-case savings of $394 million. Indirect benefits arising from a less detrimental impact on the environment due to lower ink production and disposal volumes are not included in these estimates. Times New Roman is not as efficient as Garamond, and the third federally-recommended font, Century Gothic, is actually worse on average than the fonts used in the sample documents.

Article Name: Functional Network Connectivity: Possible Biomarker for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
Author: Frank Wang, Jordan Zhu, Annette E. Richard, Renee R. Lajiness-O’Neill, Susan M. Bowyer
Publish Date: 2/23/2015
Abstract:
Autism (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that affects social interaction and communication, often impairing individuals for a lifetime. In our study, we used magnetoencephalography (MEG), a non-invasive brain imaging technique, to identify possible biomarkers for ASD. We hypothesized that there would be significant differences in brain connectivity patterns between the ASD group and the controls. We recorded the brain activity of individuals looking at a stationary colorful image while in the resting state. The resting state refers to the brain activity of a subject when he or she is not engaged in any particular task. We found the ASD group had a high concentration of coherent brain activity in the frontal lobe, while the control group had a high level of coherence in the occipital lobe. Areas of high coherence indicate that the brain is well connected and communicating with many other areas of the brain. In controls, we expected high coherent activity in the occipital cortex, since they were looking at a colorful picture. In the ASD group, we found that the frontal lobe was unusually active. This area is typically used in higher-level cognition. These regions of abnormally high coherent brain activity indicate possible biomarkers for autism. Additionally, the ASD group had a significantly lower overall level of coherence than controls.

Article Name: Comparing the Voltage Output of Water in Drop and Flow Form Using a Piezoelectric Sensor and Hydroelectric Turbine
Author: Emma Morrison and Antoinette Decker
Publish Date: 2/22/2015
Abstract:
Due to the harmful effects of broadly used energy sources, alternative energy sources have been widely studied. One area of interest is transferring kinetic water energy in nature, as in that from water flowing or falling, into electrical output. This work address the question of whether more voltage would be created by (rain) drops hitting a piezoelectric surface or by that same volume of water flowing through a hydroelectric turbine. To test this question, we built an apparatus for the piezoelectric (drops) system and purchased a small hydroelectric turbine for the flow system. We then used the two systems to measure the amount of voltage generated by drops of water and compared the data produced by each apparatus to see which system produced the greatest amount of voltage. The results showed that, despite the change in the form of the water, the average voltage produced both by the drops hitting the piezoelectric sensor and by the flow running through the turbine was virtually the same. The drops created on average slightly more voltage than the flow (whose volume was converted to the same estimated volume of each singular drop for comparison) did. These data show that directly harnessing the kinetic energy found in falling raindrops is as viable an option for an alternative energy source as are hydroelectric turbines doing the same with the kinetic energy found in flowing water.

Article Name: Identification of a Free Radical Scavenger as an Additive for Lung Transplant Preservation Solution to Inhibit Coagulative Necrosis and Extend Organ Preservation
Author: Durga Ganesh, Amanda Alonzo
Publish Date: 2/12/2015
Abstract:
Among the routine organs being transplanted, the lungs and heart deteriorate the fastest during transport from the donor to the recipient. Only 15–20% of cadaveric donor lungs are usable for transplant. Lungs can be preserved for transport in cold ischemic, hypothermic preservation solutions for only 4 to 6 hours. Extending lung preservation time would allow for greater organ transport distances, as well as for better assessment and repair of harvested organs. This research aims to extend the transport life of lungs in hypothermic preservation solution. Significant coagulative necrosis, a pattern of cell damage due to free radicals, develops in the donated lung during cold storage transport. We hypothesized that application of antioxidants can prevent free radical–induced cell damage; the goal of this study is to identify antioxidants that are effective in reducing free radical–induced damage to lungs over time. To accomplish this goal, several antioxidants were evaluated for preserving bovine lung cell morphology at two time points. Vitamin E and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) were found to be the most effective at arresting cell damage. We recommend further evaluation of different concentrations of vitamin E and BHT as additives to organ preservation solutions used today.