Blood Glucose Predictor

For my senior project, I perform data analysis using statistical methods to determine body metrics that correlate with blood glucose levels. Working with Dr. Tina Smilkstein, I take repeat measurements from 6 different volunteers to establish trends in bodily metric data. The data taken includes weight, body fat, pulse rate, VO2, blood glucose, blood pressure, hours slept, and quality of sleep. Using these values, I use the program MiniTab to view results. A few examples of correlations with blood glucose found in this project are: Systolic blood pressure for females had a regression line of 124.0 -0.3366*Blood Pressure. This indicates a negative correlation, meaning as blood pressure rose, blood glucose dropped. For males, the line equation is 59.47 + 0.2962*Blood Pressure, indicating a positive correlation. In the case of diastolic blood pressure, male data was quite scattered graphically, indicating the line of best fit is not an accurate representation of blood glucose. For females, the line is 111.9 – 0.3565*Blood Pressure (diastolic). This again indicates a negative correlation. In the case of weight, both lines graphically followed the data points. For males, the regression line is 162.6 – 0.342*Weight. For females, it is 103.2- 0.1525*Weight. The rest of the correlations and data is found in the contents of the report. Leveraging the results of this research, patients can potentially input their information into a webpage that predicts whether or not they must prick their finger to view actual blood glucose. While this tool may provide an interesting learning opportunity, the numerical value provided is not meant to be taken as medical advice. Every individual has different bodily metrics, therefore the value given is for experimentation, not for a 100% accurate measurement. To be sure of your blood glucose, until the technology has improved, always use a Blood Glucose Monitor, since I am not a medical professional. Once perfected, this could lead to saved time, pain, and trouble for the user. For the following data, it reflects 18-24 year old college students without diabetes to establish a baseline

HUMAN ERROR IN MINING: A MULTIVARIABLE ANALYSIS OF MINING ACCIDENTS/INCIDENTS IN QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA USING THE HUMAN FACTORS ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM FRAMEWORK

Historically, mining has been viewed as an inherently high-risk industry. Nevertheless, the introduction of new technology and a heightened concern for safety has yielded marked reductions in accident and injury rates over the last several decades. In an effort to further reduce these rates, the human factors associated with incidents/accidents need to be addressed. A modified version of the Human Factors Classification and Analysis System (HFCAS-MI) was used to analyze lost time accidents and high-potential incidents from across Queensland, Australia and fatal accidents from the United States of America (USA) to identify human factor trends and system deficiencies within mining. An analysis of the data revealed that skill-based errors (referred to as routine disruption errors by industry) were the most common unsafe act and showed no significant differences between accident types. Findings for unsafe acts were consistent across the time period examined. The percentages of cases associated with preconditions were also not significantly different between accident types. Higher tiers of HFACS-MI were associated with a significantly higher percentage of fatal accidents than non-fatal accidents. These results suggest that there are differences in the underlying causal factors between fatal and non-fatal accidents. By illuminating human causal factors in a systematic fashion, this study has provided mine safety professionals the information necessary to reduce mine accidents/incidents further

The Effect of Therapeutic Riding on Classroom Attention of Children with Developmental Disabilities

Research indicates children with disabilities benefit from therapeutic horseback riding (TR). This study examined the impact TR had on attention behaviors of five children with various developmental disabilities in a preschool classroom. Children were observed in the classroom setting twice weekly for 10 weeks on a day they participated in TR services and on a day they did not participate in TR. Single case experiments suggested there was not a significant difference in all but one child’s sustained attention in the classroom on days children received TR services. An independent samples t-test suggested there was no significant difference in scores between riding day (M\u3c./I\u3e = 1.78, SD =.247) and non-riding days (M = 1.76, SD = .262); t(87) = -.481, p = .632 for the group as a whole. Further research should be conducted to determine TR’s effect on behaviors in the classroom

A study of the ozonolysis of isoprene in a cryogenic buffer gas cell by high resolution microwave spectroscopy

We have developed a method to quantify reaction product ratios using high resolution microwave spectroscopy in a cryogenic buffer gas cell. We demonstrate the power of this method with the study of the ozonolysis of isoprene, CH2=C(CH3)-CH=CH2, the most abundant, non-methane hydrocarbon emitted into the atmosphere by vegetation. Isoprene is an asymmetric diene, and reacts with O3 at the 1,2 position to produce methyl vinyl ketone (MVK), formaldehyde, and a pair of carbonyl oxides: [CH3CO-CH=CH2 + CH2=OO] + [CH2=O + CH3COO-CH=CH2]. Alternatively, O3 could attack at the 3,4 position to produce methacrolein (MACR), formaldehyde, and two carbonyl oxides [CH2=C(CH3)-CHO + CH2=OO] + [CH2=O + CH2=C(CH3)-CHOO]. Purified O3 and isoprene were mixed for approximately 10 seconds under dilute (1.5-4% in argon) continuous flow conditions in an alumina tube held at 298 K and 5 Torr. Products exiting the tube were rapidly slowed and cooled within the buffer gas cell by collisions with cryogenic (4-7 K) He. High resolution chirped pulse microwave detection between 12 and 26 GHz was used to achieve highly sensitive (ppb scale), isomer-specific product quantification. We observed a ratio of MACR to MVK of 2.1 +/- 0.4 under 1:1 ozone to isoprene conditions and 2.1 +/- 0.2 under 2:1 ozone to isoprene conditions, a finding which is consistent with previous experimental results. Additionally, we discuss relative quantities of formic acid (HCOOH), an isomer of CH2=OO, and formaldehyde (CH2=O) under varying experimental conditions, and characterize the spectroscopic parameters of the singly-substituted 13C trans-isoprene and 13C anti-periplanar-methacrolein species. This work has the potential to be extended towards a complete branching ratio analysis, as well towards the ability to isolate, identify, and quantify new reactive intermediates in the ozonolysis of alkenes

Chinese Glass Paintings in Bangkok Monasteries

Reverse glass paintings, a form of Chinese export art, were extensively traded in the nineteenth century. Several examples are on display in prominent Thai Buddhist monasteries in Bangkok. King Nangklao of Siam, Rama III, encouraged Sino-Siamese trade that brought Chinese objects and images to nineteenth-century Siam. The ideals of accretion and abundance characteristic of Thai Buddhism and the sinophilia of Rama III facilitated the construction of “Chinese-style” Thai temples. Glass paintings with scenes of the Pearl River Delta, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, auspicious objects, and bird-and-flower compositions were installed in temples and inspired new directions in Thai mural painting

A Preliminary Investigation of the Impact of Forest Management Practices on Microhabitat Abiotic Variables in the Southern Appalachian Mountains

Existing research has demonstrated that forest management practices (e.g., clear-cutting, planting) can dramatically impact animal communities. This is particularly the case with amphibian populations due to their sensitivity to microhabitat alterations. However, few studies have investigated the manner by which forest management practices impact the abiotic variables most relevant to healthy amphibian populations. In this study we investigated how spatially localized forest management practices (i.e., at the scale of hundreds of meters) alter the microhabitat variables that have been shown important to amphibian population distributions. We assessed the relationship between forest composition and microhabitat abiotic variables across three localities with differing management histories in Lumpkin County, Georgia. Site A consisted solely of systematically distributed planted pines, Site B was composed of planted pine and mixed hardwoods, and Site C contained only mixed hardwoods. To quantitatively assess these differences in forest composition, we conducted a point-centered quarter tree survey at each locality and measured ambient temperature, soil temperature, air humidity, light intensity, and soil pH daily over a 60-day period. Our results indicate that soil moisture and pH differ across these localities. These data suggest that even at highly resolved spatial scales, forest management practices can dramatically impact the suitability of microhabitats for amphibian populations. This localized impact should be considered more broadly, but especially in regions with particularly dense amphibian population