Poster Presentation

Poster presentation are a great opportunity to network with your peers, with grad students and professors from local universities, and with scientists from industry. Get feedback on your work, learn about the work of others, and get your work known in the community. Add this poster presentation to your resumé and curriculum vita.

Poster Requirements
» Poster size (L X W): 36" x 36" or 36" x 48"
» Must have at least two (2) authors

Posters will be displayed on both Friday evening from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm and on Saturday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

All students participating in the poster sessions will be eligible to contect prizes.

List of poster presentations

Title	Authors (*Denotes presenter)	Abstract
A Quantum Contention: Study of the Competition between Antiferromagnetism and Singlet Formation on a Quasicrystal Lattice	Nicole Hartman* and Richard Scalettar	Motivated by the experimental material, Au_51 Al_34 Yb_15, we wanted to investigate the formation of antiferromagnetic ordering by running a simulation for the Hubbard model on a quasicrystalline approximate. We investigated how the phase transition was affected as we varied the temperature and density.
Accurate determination of Modulation Transfer Function for Medical Imaging Devices	Marian Manciu and Cam Moy*	A simple and robust algorithm to calculate the Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) from an edge image is suggested. The method eliminates the need to adjust or measure the angle between the edge and the detector grid, which is numerically determined instead. For low noise levels, the MTF can be determined accurately up to frequencies much higher than the Nyquist frequency, while for high noise levels a good estimate for the MTF could be obtained via an algorithm that avoids the numerical differentiation of the edge profile. The results of the algorithm are compared with a well-known method proposed by Dr. Egbert Buhr; for very low noise levels, it extends by about an order of magnitude the frequency range for which the MTF can be calculated accurately; for high noise levels, its improves by about an order of magnitude the accuracy of the MTF calculation up to the Nyquist frequency.
Antihydrogen Synthesis via Magnetobound States of Positronium	Marisol Hermosillo*, Erin Thornton and Carlos Ordonez	Through simulation it is found that antihydrogen can be synthesized via three body recombination of a magnetobound positronium and an antiproton. The antiproton is held in a fixed position, but the positron and electron are allowed to move in three dimensions. The simulation occurs in a strong magnetic field (1T) and visually shows that a positron is captured by an antiproton.
Benchmarking the Accuracy of Different Flavors of Density Functional Theory	Mary L. Catlett*, Shuo Dai, and Dr. Mario F. Borunda	Density functional theory (DFT) is a popular computational quantum mechanical modeling method used in physics, chemistry and materials science. Here, we investigate the accuracy of DFT in predicting the energy levels of orbitals in organic semiconductor molecules. Using several DFT-based approaches, available in the Quantum ESPRESSO software suite, we have performed studies to determine minimal system size necessary to yield efficient results and energy and wave vector cutoff studies on a few dozen organic molecules. Our results benchmark the accuracy of different quantum chemistry computational techniques, particularly for excited states, where traditionally DFT has had difficulties.
Calibrating the High Density Magnetic Port within Tissue Expanders to Achieve more Accurate Dose Calculations for Postmastectomy Patients with Immediate Breast Reconstruction	Jazmine Jones*,Rui Zhang, David Heins, and Katherine Castle	"In postmastectomy radiotherapy, an increasing number of patients have tissue expanders inserted subpectorally when receiving immediate breast reconstruction.These tissue expanders are composed of silicone and can be inflated with saline through an internal metallic port; this serves the purpose of stretching the muscle and skin tissue over time, in order to house a permanent implant later. The issue with administering radiation therapy in the presence of a tissue expander is that the metallic port’s magnetic core can potentially perturb the dose delivered to the Planning Target Volume (PTV) and cause significant artifacts in computed tomography (CT) images. Several studies have explored this problem, and suggest that density corrections must be accounted for in treatment planning. However, very few studies accurately calibrated commercial treatment planning systems (TPS) for the high density material used in the metallic port, and no studies employed fusion imaging to yield a more accurate contour of the port in treatment planning, which directly affects where the density corrections are assigned. We compared dose values at different depths in the water phantom between measurement and TPS calculations, and we were able to overcome some of the inhomogeneities presented by the image artifact by fusing the KVCT and MVCT images of the tissue expander together, resulting in a more precise comparison of dose calculations at discrete locations. We expect this method to be pivotal in the quantification of dose distribution in the PTV."
Cannibalization of Dwarf Galaxies by the Milky Way: Distance to the Leading Arm of the Magellanic Clouds	Jacqueline Antwi-Danso*, Kathleen Barger, and Matt Haffner"	Tidal interactions between two dwarf galaxies near the Milky Way, the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, have caused large quantities of gas to be flung into the halo of the Milky Way. Much of this tidal debris, known as the Magellanic System, is currently headed towards the disk of the Milky Way, spearheaded by the Leading Arm, with the Bridge connecting the two dwarf galaxies, and the trailing Magellanic Stream at the end. Estimates for the amount of gas that the Magellanic System contains are in the range of (2 − 4) × 109 M⊙ and this could supply our Galaxy with (3.7 − 6.7) M⊙ yr-1 (Fox et al. 2014). Although this is higher than the present star-formation rate of the Galaxy, the position of the tidal debris predisposes it to ionizing radiation from the extragalactic background and Galactic disk, as well as ram-pressure stripping from the halo, hindering gas accretion. Some parts of the Leading Arm, however, appear to have already survived the trip to the disk as their morphology is indicative of interaction with the interstellar medium of the Galaxy. The exact amount of gas that this structure contains is uncertain because of weak constrains in its distance. In this study, we made seven pointed Hα observations using the Wisconsin Hα Mapper Telescope and then compared the Hα intensity we obtained to models of the anticipated ionizing flux from the Milky Way and extragalactic background. From this, we calculated the distance from the Sun to the Leading Arm of the Magellanic System at the locations of our observations.
Changes in the Y direction of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field and the Corresponding Changes in the Ionospheric Current Regions	Mikayla Streetman*, Chris Sherrill, Kevin Pham, and Ramon E. Lopez	As Solar wind, the continuous flow of particles out from the sun, travels to the earth it carries the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) with it. The interaction of the solar wind and IMF with the earth's magnetic field produces currents in the ionosphere. These currents change as the orientation of the IMF changes, and we are examining the changes associated with changes in the east-west component of the IMF (By). The ideal event is where the interplanetary magnetic field changes from east to west or west to east in five minutes or less is steady before and after the change. We define steady as not changing by more than 2nT. Once an event has been identified, we find the event in AMPERE, a database that calculates the current in and out of the ionosphere at the poles using measurements from the Iridium satellites, and calculate the time it takes for the magnetic field-aligned currents to change accordingly. The goal is to determine the trend in the time it takes for the currents to change once the IMF changes.
Charge Transfer During H- Collisions With Cu(100) And Cu(111)	Jamie Stafford* and Bogdana Bahrim	This research investigates the charge transfer processes during H- collisions with Cu(100) and Cu(111) surfaces by using the Wave-Packet Propagation (WPP) technique. The WPP technique is extremely powerful for ion-surface interactions, because it provides the exact solution of the dynamical problem without approximations. The projectile energy, angle of incidence with surface, distance of closest approach and surface band structure are important factors that influence the experimental results. Cu(100) and Cu(111) surfaces are particularly interesting because they have a complex band structure with energy gaps. Band gaps are expected to strongly influence the ion-surface charge transfer. This research provides valuable information regarding: (a) the H- ions and Cu target energy levels during the interaction; (b) H- ion survival probabilities to be compared with the experimental ion fractions. Besides its significance for fundamental research, this study has direct technological applications. Charge transfer studies are crucial for understanding and promoting progress in applied fields like: ion-surface collisions, plasma wall interaction, film growth, catalysis, aeronautical and space engineering.
Development of Polymeric Nanoparticles for On-Demand Laser Induced Drug Delivery for Treatment of Ocular Disease States	Alexis D. Catalá*, Lauren Wright, Randolph D. Glickman, and Kelly L. Nash	From a pharmaco-ophthalmology standpoint, current ocular disease therapies have several hurdles to overcome, namely targetibility and capacity to address microvascular complications that cause adverse systemic capillary changes and alters glucose regulation mechanisms, further exacerbating tissue and organ damage. We have chosen to focus on diabetic retinopathy (DR) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) because the pathogenesis of both leads to irreversible blindness and there exists similarities in their treatment modalities. DR involves retinal blood vessels to become compromised such that vascular complications arise. These range from outright blockages in arterial circulation to circulation reduction, leading to localized/general ischemia of retinal tissue and growth factor dispersal to promote abnormal blood vessel outgrowth. These faulty vessels cannot support efficient circulation because they are leaky and prone to hemorrhaging, thereby leading to protein and serum lipid deposition in the retina and underlying tissues and blood-contaminating toxicity. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has similar societal impacts and is the leading cause of severe, irreversible vision damage according to the presence/absence of choroidal neovascularization in populations over the age of fifty. Currently, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapies (i.e., anti-VEGF antibody/decoy receptor protein to trap secreted VEGF) found to be effective for both diseases requires repetitive doses of intraocular injections. This is an invasive procedure no without risk, thus our work focuses on the synthesis of anti-VEGF nanosystems by means of various polymeric nanocarriers sensitized by light for the induction of a photoacoustic response. This phenomena results in a pressure wave that perturbs the carrier matrix to elicit drug dispersal, providing a basis for drug pharmacokinetics that could pave the road for a new long-term therapeutic to increase specificity and internalization, while reducing the complications of repeated, invasive procedures for drug administration.
Exoplanet Detection by the Transit Method	Lizeth Magana*, Jorge Ballester, Rhyan Sawyer	"As of December 3, 2015, NASA’s Kepler Mission has confirmed 1916 exoplanets, planets outside of the solar system. Kepler uses the transit method of detection to determine the orbital period and planetary radius by analyzing the change of flux in light curves. Further analysis yields the planet’s orbital distance and temperature. Transit light curves are produced by plotting flux over time of an eclipsing planet. I present an automated table-top model of a transiting planet. The model employs the use of Arduino Uno and Vernier systems to produce detailed light curves. Using methods similar to Kepler’s, data analysis produces planetary radius and orbital period. Supported by ESURP at Emporia State University"
Exoplanets	Marialis Rosario Franco* and Zdzislaw Musielak	Looking for stable exoplanets, planets with different initial conditions are taken to be test particles moving in the field of an eccentric binary system. Using N-body integrator the ones that stay the longest in the system are the best candidates.
Investigation of Radio Signals From Sun and Jupiter Using Radio JOVE Antenna	Suyogya Karki*, Rajeeb Sharma, Nicholas Lemoine, and Sanchiro Yoshida	Investigation of radio signals from Sun and Jupiter using radio JOVE antenna SUYOGYA KARKI, RAJEEB SHARMA, NICHOLAS LEMOINE, SANICHIRO YOSHIDA, Southeastern Louisiana University - A Radio JOVE Antenna has been setup to monitor the radio signals received from the Sun and Jupiter. The setup uses a dual-dipole, phased arrangement of the antenna and has been configured to operate at a frequency of 20.1 MHz. The antenna is connected to the receiver with 133.68ft (3.5λ of the radio signal) of RG-6 coaxial cable resulting in 1.12 dB attenuation of the signal received. The incoming signals are recorded and archived using the Radio-Skypipe software. These signals change the temperature of the antenna which is recorded by the software in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Data collected by the software is converted into frequency domain using Fourier transform functions and analyzed using MATLAB. Analyzing the peaks observed in frequency domain makes it easier to separate the required signals from other background interferences. Although no major signals from the Sun or Jupiter have been observed, various natural and man-made interferences have been successfully identified and recorded.
Light scattering measurement of sodium polyacrylate products	Nisha Lama*, David Norwood and, Steven Boone"	In the presentation, we will describe the use of a multi-detector HPLC incorporating the DAWN EOS multi-angle laser light scattering (MALLS) detector to measure the properties such as molecular weight, RMS radius, contour and persistence length and polydispersity of sodium polyacrylate products. The samples of sodium polyacrylate are used in various industries as thickening agents, coating dispersants, artificial snow, laundry detergent and disposable diapers. Data and results obtained from the experiment will be presented.
Novel Earth’s Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Copper Chloride for Inexpensive Disease Detection	Anagha Krishnan*, Andhika Kiswandhi, Peter Niedbalski, Christopher Parrish, andLloyd Lumata	The Terranova-MRI Earth’s Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (EFNMR) device is a low-cost alternative to conventional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) devices. An EFNMR spectrometer relies on the globally available, relatively homogeneous Earth’s magnetic field for detection and imaging, but suffers from inherently lower sensitivity in comparison to traditional high-field NMR systems. The purpose of this experiment was to determine the sensitivity of the Terranova Earth’s Field MRI in detecting various concentrations of copper chloride-water solutions. First, I determined the temperature dependence of the spin-lattice relaxation time for copper chloride-water solutions of five concentrations over temperatures from 0-100°C in. Then, I designed two homebuilt containers using FreeCAD and SketchUp software and printed these containers using an UltiMaker 3D printer. I filled these containers with the various concentrations of copper-chloride-water and imaged them using gradient echo and filtered back projection (FBP) imaging. Both the spin-lattice relaxation times and the MRI images showed that the Terranova-MRI was able to accurately differentiate between the various concentrations of copper chloride-water and thus measure irregularities in copper chloride absorption. This suggests that the Terranova Earth’s Field MRI could be an inexpensive, easily transportable alternative to conventional MRI machines for basic medical applications.
Porphyrin-Induced Laser Deactivation of Trypsinogen-Trypsin Conversion	Joanna Perido* and Lorenzo Brancaleon	Pancreatitis is caused by the inflammation of the pancreas, whereby the digestive enzyme trypsin is activated from the precursor enzyme trypsinogen while still in the pancreas. The presence of trypsin in the pancreas causes auto-activation of trypsinogen, resulting in greater inflammation and auto-digestion of the pancreas. Our hypothesis is that if trypsinogen is prevented from auto-activating into trypsin, then this cascade can be stopped. We propose to do this by inducing conformational changes in trypsinogen when bound to a photoactive porphyrin dye. In this study we used spectroscopic techniques to probe the binding of meso-tetrakis (4-sulfonatephenyl) porphyrin (TSPP) to trypsinogen in vitro, as a preliminary step to then prompt and characterize conformational changes of trypsinogen. If conformational changes are detected the trypsinogen will be tested for trypsin inactivation. This investigation may provide promising initial results to the possible use of porphyrins as an inhibitor of the self-activation of trypsinogen into trypsin, and a potential inhibitor of pancreatitis.
Processing Images from the Hubble Space Telescope and McDonald Observatory	Irene Vargas-Salazar* and Kim-Vy Tran	We measure the brightness and colors of distant galaxies with imaging taken by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). In order to use this data for analysis, the raw imaging data are corrected for cosmic ray contamination, astrometrically aligned, and combined in the three different filters that we use. With images in these filters, we generate Red-Green-Blue (RGB) color images and measure and catalog the fluxes for thousands of objects which can be used for more data analysis. Our method can be generalized to imaging from any telescope. To demonstrate, we also reduced imaging and produced a colored image of the Omega Nebula of Sagittarius in the Milky Way that was taken with the McDonald 0.8m telescope.
Simulation of antihydrogen synthesis via magneto bound state of positronium	Erin Thornton*, Marisol Hermosillo and Carlos Ordonez	Through simulation it is found that antihydrogen can be synthesized via three body recombination of a magnetobound positronium and an antiproton. The antiproton is held in a fixed position, but the positron and electron are allowed to move in three dimensions. The simulation occurs in a strong magnetic field (1T) and visually shows that a positron is captured by an antiproton.
Single Superconducting Qubit as Microwave Power Detector	Fan Chen* and Kater Murch	In this research, we study a novel way of microwave power detection by using superconducting qubit as detector. When a qubit is at its ground state and driven by a sufficiently strong pulse at its resonance frequency, it would oscillate between ground and excited states with a Rabi frequency that is proportional to the amplitude of the drive. However when the drive is weak, no Rabi oscillation occur, and the competition between drive and decay results in a small equilibrium coherence, which can be measured by state tomography. Due to this process, weak microwave signals at the qubit transition frequency can be detected.
Synthesization and Characterization of Chitosan Films and Gels	Ramona Luna* and Ahmed Touhami Ph. D. (mentor)	Developing a matrix that can mimic tissue-like environment for cell cultures and molecular studies can help reduce the loss of some cell functions that occur when studies are performed in vitro. Of particular interest is chitosan (CS): abundant and renewable biopolymer that is also biodegradable and non-toxic. This research focuses on synthesizing CS films under various conditions and for multiple applications. We are using several techniques to characterize properties of the CS films. The contact angle technique is used to determine the hydrophobicity, hydrophilicity, and the surface free energy. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) is used to determine the roughness, nanostructure, and nanomechanical properties. By investigating the properties of these surfaces, the needed biomaterial platform for a specific biological system can be designed and manipulated to increase its performance and lifetime. CS films are prepared by varying the pH of the CS solution. AFM images showed that the roughness of the surface increases with a higher pH. Our surface free energy preliminary results have not shown relation to pH changes. Our immediate future work will be focused on investigating the temperature effect in pH and the morphology and surface free energy outcomes. Also, we will focus on studying the adhesion properties of the CS films by adsorbing cells and proteins on the films and studying the cell-surface and protein-surface interaction using AFM force measurements and fluorescence microscopy.
Wormholes: From Traversability to Stability	Sara Catherine White and James Dent	This project has been study of various aspects of modified gravity, with a special emphasis on wormhole solutions and their stability in R2 gravity. During 2015 R2 gravity has become a topic of strong activity in the theoretical physics community, with over a dozen papers on the topic in 2015 by leading researchers. One intriguing work on the subject by Frances Duplessis and Professor Damien Easson of Arizona State University, demonstrates that there exist wormhole solutions of R2 gravity which do not require the exotic matter typical of wormholes in standard GR. Wormhole solutions are constructed by taking two copies of a spacetime that contains black hole solutions, excising the regions within the black hole event horizons, and identifying the boundaries of the spacetimes generated in this fashion. There will exist a surface energy density on the wormhole throat (the surface formed by the identification of the boundary surfaces of the original spacetime copies) which obeys an energy condition in order for the wormhole to be stable. For standard GR the energy condition leads to exotic matter which may not be producible in our universe. Our current work determines the constraints on the energy which leads to stable wormholes in R2 gravity, and the type of matter required for stability.