NJRSF Abstracts, 2000

BOTANY

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE

CHEMISTRY

ENGINEERING

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

MICROBIOLOGY

MATHEMATICS and COMPUTERS

MEDICINE and HEALTH

PHYSICS and EARTH SCIENCE

ZOOLOGY

BOTANY

Determining whether length affects grass growth

The purpose of this research was to determine whether the length at which grass was cut affects its growth. Three different types of grass were planted: Perennial Ryegrass, Kentucky Bluegrass, and a Sun and Shade mixture. All three were grown outside in normal soil, with full sun, during a drought period in July and August of 1999. The plots were watered daily, by hand, in equivalent fashion. Each type of grass was cut at three different lengths, 2 cm, 4 cm, and 6 cm. Ten random blades of grass of each length for each type of grass were measured biweekly. The grass was cut at the specified length after each set of measurements. The measured biweekly growth ranged from 16 to 19 cm. At the largest cutting height, 6 cm, all varieties had the best overall growth. Averaged over all samples, the grass cut at 6\ cm grew 10% more than that cut at 2\ cm. Kentucky Bluegrass was most sensitive to cutting height, showing an overall effect of 15%, while the Sun and Shade Mixture showed only a 6% effect. Since the variance of the mean was about 1% in each case, these results thus demonstrate that cutting height influences the speed of grass growth to some extent for all types tested, and also that the size of the effect depends on the type of grass.

Chlorination Treatment on Pythium Aphanidermatum Fungi Infected Glycine Max

Root rot is a major problem to commercial farmers because their crops are being destroyed by root rot fungus. A breakthrough in stopping the fungi with a fungicide or protecting the crops would mean saving millions of dollars in agricultural production. One possible solution is a chlorination treatment that would be cost effective as well as easy to make. However, applying this concept to the real world is easier said than done. The results of this experiment did not come out as expected but for many projects there is no precise prediction for the outcome. The hypothesis was that a change in the in the presence of root rot fungi in the plant roots was the result of the chlorinating treatment. There was a significant decrease in the presence of fungi, which was confirmed by the two types of statistical analysis tests (chi-square and t-test) that were done on the measurements taken for the experiment. Both of the tests stated that the null hypothesis could be rejected with a 0.01 level of confidence. The chi-square proved on a mathematical basis that the change in the presence of root rot fungi in the plan roots was due to the various dosages of chlorine. This data was derived by making slides of individual root hairs and observing the presence or absence of root rot fungi. The t-test compared the plants' height in the control group against the variable groups. This was done to prove that the chlorine would not be a harmful agent to the plants' delicate water vascular system. It was noted that as the dosages increased, the danger for the plant increased as well it seems. In addition, the variable groups 3, 4, and 5 gave sufficient confidence to state that more than 100 ppm of chlorine was risky for the plant's well being. Overall, the experiment met the criteria to reject the null hypothesis.

A Fungus Fertilizer?

ABSTRACT The purpose of the experiment is to investigate the effect of Miracle-Gro, a commercial fertilizer, on the growth of Elm Oyster Mushrooms. The procedure tested two fertilizer concentrations (20/1 and 5/1), and three amounts of distilled water (5, 10 and 20 ml). One served as a control. Growth was determined by height and width measurements taken every other day for thirty days, and by the weight of the harvest, both wet and dry. The conclusion is that fertilizer appears to stunt the growth of the mushrooms in this experiment. Also, the more water the mushrooms received the larger they grew. This disproves the part of my hypothesis that states: Miracle-Gro fertilizer will enhance the growth of Elm Oyster Mushrooms. Many other tests could be done with fertilizers for mushrooms.

The Effects of Touch on African Violets

The purpose of this experiment was to find if touch affected the growth of African violets (Saintpaulla spp). The violets, kept in the school's biology lab, were separated into five groups with six pots of violets in a group. The control was not touched during the experiment. Group I was touched once a week, Group 2 was touched once every two weeks, Group 3 was touched once every three weeks, and Group 4 was touched once every four weeks. The violets grew faster when touched more often and, when not touched, grew at a steady rate in the middle. The growth of the African violets was affected by the frequency of the touching.

The Effects of Weather and the Environment on Oak Leaves

The purpose of this research was to determine whether the environment of trees and weather conditions that trees experience would cause a change in the surface area of their leaves. The surface areas of five leaves from five selected oak trees, in two separate areas, were tested four days a week during a nine week period. Results indicated that the trees in locations of poorest drainage, close to water, exhibited less variation in surface area than did leaves located in well-drained areas. The leaves also saw a decrease in area during weeks four and five due to the extreme drought this summer. This was followed by an increase because of subsequent high amounts of rainfall. It was found that the sun or heat, and water, although vital, became a hindrance when in excess. Leaf health appeared to decline both as a result of water shortage and extreme heat.

An Examination of Fern Populations in the Ken Lockwood Gorge

The purpose of this research was to locate, identify, count, and classify the habitat of ferns in the Ken Lockwood Gorge. Ferns were identified and counted in the Ken Lockwood Gorge. A Trimble GPS unit was then used to map each type of fern grown throughout the gorge. There were 14 varieties of ferns found in the gorge. The environment of the gorge appears to be ideal for fern growth and variety.

Can Oil Be Used As a Humus?

Lima beans were planted and allowed to grow for one week. The plants were divided into a control group and an experimental group. Corn oil was then added to the experimental group on top of the soil using a dropper, ten drops each for two days. The growth was then compaired.

The Effects of Nitrates, Phosphates, Potassium, and Various Group E Metals on the Production of Chlonophyll.

Green vegetation is known for the chlorophyll that is contained in it. The three types of chlorophyll, chlorophyll A, chlorophyll B, and carotene appear at various concentrations in different plants. Other important factors attributed to the concentration of chlorophyll in plants deals with the soil that the plants are grown in, as well as the substances that they are watered with. By watering select types of vegetation with different concentrations of nitrate ions, potassium ions, and various group II metals ions, one can analyze the chlorophyll to deduce which ions impact the chlorophyll concentration and the effects of these ions on the three main constituents of chlorophyll. In this experiment spinach, Alaskan peas, and barley plants were grown in one percent, two percent, and three percent concentrations of sodium nitrate, sodium phosphate, and potassium sulfate. In addition, there were four plants watered with one percent solutions of magnesium, calcium, barium, and strontium ions, respectively. Two controls were used, plants grown using only water and another fertilized with Miracle Grow. Each sample was placed into a Shimadzu - 160 UV/Visible spectrophotometer and scanned from 400 - 800 nm. The height of each peak was recorded at 437,369, and 665 nm. The height of the peaks should be an indicator of how much chlorophyll is in each leaf, and the ratio of the heights of one peak to another should show differences in the composition of chlorophyll A, chlorophyll B and carotenoids.

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE

Effects of Ginkgo Biloba and PS-100 on Mammalian memory

This study investigated whether two specific memory-enhancing products (PS-100 and Gingko biloba) improve memory retention in mice. The mice received PS-100 and Gingko supplement in their diets for 10 weeks. Mice were tested with the use of a maze. Data recorded were (1) number of errors while running through the maze; and (2) time taken to complete the maze. Tests were performed once a week. For comparison and statistical analysis, the data were grouped into 3 parts: the first 3 weeks, the second three weeks, and the last four weeks. We used the Student's t distribution with a = 0.20. Statistical results indicate the following: 1. The mice given Gingko biloba supplement showed significant improvement only during the last four weeks as compared to the first three weeks; and 2. The mice given PS-100 significantly improved, beginning in the second three weeks and continued improving during the last month. The data thus support that both Gingko biloba and PS-100 help improve memory in mice and that PS-100 acts more quickly.

A Set of Twenty Mazes Using the Shortest Route.

The purpose of this study was to determine if ants are able to solve complex mazes varying in the presence of edged and curved walls, path surface area, and path distance in a specific time. Western Harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex occidentalis) were used to solve each set of mazes. The results showed that ants had more difficulty following curved walls rather than edged walls. As surface area increased, so did the ants' confusion. Distance was not a factor. It was found that ants would find food more easily if the path between the food and the ants had edged walls and a low surface area.

What Effect Does Caffeine Have on Sea Monkeys?

Brine shrimp were hatched and allowed to mature for one week. A 0.1 mol solution of caffeine was made. A brine shrimp was placed in a well with nine drops of water from the tank. One drop of solution was added to make a concentration of 0.01 mol. This process was repeated varying the ratio. The behavior of the shrimp was observed and recorded.

CHEMISTRY

How Does Hydrogen and Oxygen Combine Into Water?

Hydrogen and oxygen combine to form water in a fuel cell. A fuel cell is a device that produces electricity form a chemical reaction. A fuel cell consists of two electrodes separated by an electrolyte such as sodium hydroxide, along with a fuel and an oxidizer. Many different chemicals can be used as a fuel but, oxygen is almost always used as the oxidizer. After researching fuel cell, I learned how it works and what its benefits are. Its power system market can exceed three billion world wide by the end of this year. Now, according to a recent Author D. Little Inc. study, fuel cells can also be used to power automobiles. Fuel cell automobiles are an attractive advance from battery powered cars. The offer the advantages of battery powered vehicles, but can also be refueled quickly, and go longer between refueling. Even though fuel cells are advanced, there are little drawbacks from it. One thing that's causing a drawback from fuel cell is its cost. Now, its power plants cost about three thousand dollars per kilowatt of energy, but when fuel cell prices drop below one thousand five hundred dollars per kilowatt, they will achieve market penetration worldwide. Another thing that's causing a draw back from fuel cell is because it's a young technology. Because fuel cells as a power source are still relatively new, there a still many technical and engineering challenges. Once they become optimized and are mass-produced, the prices will drop. Fuel cells could produce tens of thousands of high quality jobs and reduce trade deficits.

A Study of the Decomposition of Aspartame.

Aspartame, according to a large amount of literature, is suggested to be a dangerous substance. Degradation occurs when heated to approximately 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Numerous claims on the adverse effects of aspartame include headaches, joint pain, nausea, depression, memory loss, and heart palpitations. The US Department of Health and Human Services reported these undesirable side effects of aspartame to the FDA. Yet, in spite of all these claims, aspartame is approved by the FDA for human ingestion. The purpose of this research project was to see if the critics were right. Is aspartame really a dangerous product? Does it break down into formaldehyde, methanol, and formic acid when heated? An experiment was set up to test this hypothesis. Aspartame was heated at various temperatures, and the residues produced were analyzed. The first three attempts yielded no results. In the fourth trial, the amount of aspartame was increased and it was heated at a very high temperature until the aspartame was completely decomposed. The trial provided results. The fractions obtained from the high temperature decomposition of aspartame included a residue in a condenser, a liquid, and a gas. Using UV and IR spectrophotometers, with dichloro methane as a solvent, the various fractions were investigated. Then the fractions were also run through HPLC. The data gathered from these instruments was analyzed and show that aspartame probably does decompose into these dangerous products, however, only at very high temperatures, not the much lower temperatures described in the literature.

Synthesis of Ruthenium Compounds

The objective of this work was to synthesize a new ruthenium compound for catalytic reactions. Ruthenium compounds are commonly used as catalysts for making long chain hydrocarbon. A novel ruthenium compound was synthesized using reflux, column chromatography, and recrystallization techniques. The resulting product was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis.

A Kinetics Study of the Iodination of Acetone.

The purpose of my experiment is to inve4stigate the rate of reaction for iodine and acetone, with HCI as a catalyst, in order to see if the reaction mechanism changes with concentration. According to the literature, iodine is zero order in this reaction, yet last year this reaction was investigated and it was found that iodine was first order. Last years results were very inconsistent, had no error analysis, and the procedure was highly skeptical. My goal was to improve on last year's results and see if the mechanism for this reaction changes if the ratio of acetone and iodine is greatly altered. The data was gathered using a UV spectrophotometer in kinetics mode and 350 and 375 nm. The rate of reaction was determined and compared with those from different concentrations of iodine, acetone and HCl. The procedure was modified to insure exact amounts of the reagents and a comprehensive error analysis was carried out. Through numerous trials, I found that iodine is first order at high concentrations of acetone and hydrogen ions, but if the concentration of acetone and hydrogen ions is significantly lower than that of iodine, iodine becomes zero order, as described in the literature.

The Super-Soaker-Uppers

Tests were made to determine how other chemicals would affect the absorptive abilities of sodium polyacrylate. It was believed bases would not significantly inhibit absorption but that acids and sodium salts would substantially decrease the polyacrylate’s absorptive properties. The polymer’s ability was tested using 1.0 molar solutions of ammonia, sulfuric acid, and sodium chloride. Additionally, a gradient of NaCl solutions was used ranging from 0-10 grams. The purpose was to examine possible commercial and industrial uses of sodium polyacrylate. To do this, the solutions were placed in burettes, which dripped them into filter paper containing .1g polyacrylate. Once solution leaked through the paper, it was weighed and the difference before and after testing was the amount absorbed. Generally, the presence of any chemical reduced absorption, but NaCl and sulfuric acid severely hindered it (88% and 89% less absorbed respectively) as well as higher concentrations, probably because increased amounts of solute discouraged osmosis. This suggests that sodium polyacrylate may be useful in absorbing substances as long as sodium salts and acids are not involved.

Synthesis of a Positive Photoresist

A photoresist was produced from 3 - methoxyl Isocynate and dihydrobensophenol. The theoretical yield was determined and compared to the experimental yield. The percentage yield was determined to be 30.2 percent.

How to Make Coal in a Toaster Oven.

In the scientific community, coal it is generally believed to be the product of slow formation in a peat bog. However, I tried to show that coal does not necessarily require millions of years to form by heating wood specimens with water in a pressurized vessel at 160C for two weeks. Two hardwoods, a softwood, and a composite wood were used to determine if the type of wood would have influence on the results of the experiments. Controls were designed to separate the influence of heat, water, and pressure. Without heat, the wood specimens remained the same. Heating wood in a pressurized sealed vessel produced specimens that were much darker than any of the other heated specimens. When this pressurized vessel was opened, there was an odor that was not apparent in any of the other experiments, which smelled similar to Polytar Bath. One of the main ingrediants of Polytar Bath is coal tar. The densities of the controls generally decreased, while the densities of the hardwoods of the experiment increased. The softwood of the experiment decreased slightly, but that may be due to the loss of the volatiles, especially because pine is known for its oil. The results are consistent with the coalification process because of the color darkened to a very dark shade of brown, which was almost black. The odor indicates some type of tar was produced from the volatiles. The increased densities seemed to support the higher density of coal than that of charcoal.

The effect of light on the ripening process in bananas

The purpose of this experiment is to find out which light is best in keeping bananas their freshest for the longest amount of time. It was conducted to see if there was any relationship between the wattage of light the bananas were exposed to and the amount of time it took for them to ripen. The apparatus is designed to place the light directly over the bananas while keeping the temp. constant. There are 4 groups of six bananas each. From observing the color of the fruit at its different stages of ripening and comparing it to the chart, a relationship may be verified. The higher the wattage of light the bananas were exposed to, the faster the ripening process was completed.

ENGINEERING

The Perfect Tanner

In today’s society, skin cancer caused by overexposure to the ultra-violet rays is an ever increasing problem. As pollutants produced on the earth continue to enlarge the already existing hole in the ozone layer, a major problem today that will become an even greater problem tomorrow. Organisms are being exposed to more and more UV rays each day. The Perfect Tanner is a solution to the problem of overexposure. When using The Perfect Tanner, an individual must input his skin type based on the Fitzpatrick Scale and the Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of the sunblock that he is using. The Perfect Tanner utilizes an ultra-violet sensitive photodiode and a microprocessor which integrates the UV readings and informs the user of his exposure levels throughout the day. When the maximum exposure level is reached, the microprocessor activates an audio and visual alert that instructs the user to get out of the sun. If the user desires to stay in the sun for a longer period of time, he can simply reapply his sunblock and restart the unit and it will start monitoring the sun again.

Exit Velocity of Baseballs using Photocells

I researched the new and improving technology in the ever growing field of metal baseball bats. I performed tests on several bats, to check the progress of technology in the past five years. Using a radar gun I measured the exit velocities of the balls off the different bats, and also used a bat speed measurer to ensure a constant swing speed. I found that the progress has been tremendous, and that the leader out of the new bats this season is the Easton Z - Core.

EZ Jammin

Imagine it’s the holidays or a special occasion, like someone’s birthday, and you want to do something special for the event. Well, music always brings people up, and you can play songs such as “Happy Birthday” and “Jingle Bells” to celebrate special occasions. But what if you are not that good at playing instruments? Well, the EZ Jammin’ will solve your problem. This device works using a microprocessor that controls 24 LEDs. The LEDs are on a display of a guitar neck. To use the device, the player first turns on the power and selects the song to be played. When the device is turned on, the user adjusts the speed by rotating the dial. The dial can adjust the speed between a pace that is slower than it should be (for practicing) and the normal pace. After choosing the speed and hitting the start button, the microprocessor reads the notes of the song off the chip, and begins turning on the LEDs on the guitar display in sequence. The user then places his or her fingers on the guitar in the places corresponding to the lit LEDs and strums the proper string to play the notes. With this device, any novice at playing the guitar can successfully entertain his family and friends.

What is the Strongest Kind of Tennis Racket Out There?

The purpose of this research was to compare serves with a hypercarbon head racket, a titanium head racket, a graphite head racket and an aluminum head racket in order to determine if the manufacturer's assertion of the superiority of the new hypercarbon head rackets was accurate. The tennis rackets were tested at an outdoor court and each was used until ten solid serves were accomplished. Speeds were recorded and averaged. Out of the four, the hypercarbon head racket did indeed produce faster serves than the other composite material rackets titanium, graphite and aluminum, therefore supporting the manufacturer's claim.

Remote Controlled Robot

The purpose of my research project was to construct a radio control led robot that would be fully expandable. On both the transmitter and receiver ends, the circuitry is controlled by a Parallax BASIC II Stamp Microprocessor. Each microprocessor has a serial communications port connected to it that allows instantaneous reprogramming without disassembling the modules. The microprocessors are also equipped with extra In-Out (I/O) communications ports that could allow the user to add various sensing or controlling devices. For the wireless communications, the microprocessors work in conjuction with a transmitter and receiver operating at 300 Megahertz (MHz). On the remote controller, I have placed a half-wavelength (½-l) "whip" antenna and a full-wavelength (1-l) "whip" antenna on the robot. From my experimentation, I found that the built-in antennas on the transmitter and receiver were not adequate enough to sustain communications. The closer to a full-wavelength an antenna is on its reasonant frequency (in this case 300 MHz), the better efficiency it has. To keep a balance between antenna length and efficiency, I used a half-wavelength antenna (18.12 in.) on the transmitter and full-wavelength antenna (36.23 in.). This increases the effective range for radio communications to the robot. The drive motors on the robot are controlled by National Semiconductor 55 Volt LMD18200 H-Bridges. These H-bridges all ow the motors to be controlled (forward, reverse, left, right, or stop) using simple digital logic (binary 1 or 0). All electronics used in my project use rechargeable 12 Volt Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd), which assist in portability and energy restoration.

Sounding Out Surroundings (SOS)

Sounding Out Surroundings (SOS) is a hand-held device that I have constructed to help the millions of people with visual impairments. As the user walks, SOS detects any obstacle in the path of movement and relays a sound pitch to the user. The pitch alters in a musical progression depending on the distance between the obstacle and the user. SOS is powered by one 9-volt battery and consists of two main components: a microcontroller and a sonar board. When the device is turned on, a programmed I/O pin continually sends a signal to the input pin of the sonar board, causing a transducer to emit a sonar wave. The sonar wave travels through the air and returns to the transducer once the wave hits an obstacle. This signal is received and processed by the output pin of the sonar board. The microcontroller then subtracts the input time from the output time to yield the distance between the obstacle and the user. Another programmed I/O pin of the microcontroller sends a sound pitch associated with the measured distance to a monaural headphone. Thus, the user receives a new sound pitch every second and can alter his path of movement accordingly. SOS can be used by anyone with a visual impairment to improve their quality of life.

Strength of Materials

The purpose of this research was to determine which of the five selected materials would take the most pressure to fracture under each of the five conditions used. One of each of the five materials (Redwood, Cedar, Recycled Plastic, Douglass Fir, and Wolmanized) was placed in each of the five conditions (Lawn, Tap Water, Pool Water, Buried, and Indoors, which was the control). After eight weeks, all samples were taken to an engineering lab and pressed until each fractured. The weight necessary to fracture each sample was recorded. It was found that Douglass Fir took the most pressure to fracture in every condition used. Redwood had the lowest fracture pressure in all conditions used, while Recycled Plastic was the most consistent in its fracture pressures.

The AutoAlarm

The AutoAlarm is designed to help passengers on public transportation vehicles get off at their proper stop. The AutoAlarm allows passengers to sleep, work, or do whatever they'd like to do without having to worry about missing their stop. This dilemma becomes even more of a problem for very early and very late trips, where the rider can often be lulled to sleep by the moving vehicle. Everyone can relate to the somniferous effects of cars and buses. By inputting what stop one wants to get off at, the system keeps track of each stop passed and alerts the passenger when his stop arrives. Each seat on the vehicle has a liquid crystal display (LCD) on which they can choose their desired terminal. Then, every time a stop is passed, the driver increments the current stop on the bus' main unit, which then communicates with all of the passenger units through pulse width modulation to increment them. When a passenger's stop arrives, his seat unit beeps, alerting the person that his stop has arrived. With this device, passengers will not need to constantly check what stop the vehicle is at to make sure his stop hasn't been passed.

Give Me A Brake!

There are approximately 6,335,000 automobile accidents each yar, and these automobile accidents involve approximately 183 million drivers. The goal of "Give Me A Brake!" was to provide the instant and visual knowledge of a car's rate of deceleration to the driver immediately behind that car, therefore resulting in the appropriate reaction and reducing accidents. A linear potentiometer is attached to the brake pedal and one wire connects the potentiometer to a chip (LM3915 DOT/Bar Display Device). When the brake pedal is displaced, the slider on the potentiometer glides with the movement of the brake pedal. The potential difference measured from the potentiometer is then signaled to the chip. The chip is connected to ten LEDs in a single line. The chip will then in turn light a certain amount of LEDs proportional to the displacement of the brake pedal. The interval to light all the LEDs is inversely proportional to the amount of pressure exerted on the brake pedal. Hence, the more pressure applied to the brake pedal (i.e., panic stop), the quicker all LEDs will light. Similarly, gradual pressure applied to the brake will take a longer interval to light all the LEDs. Through these results, "Give Me A Brake!" will allow the driver behind the one decelerating to also decelerate at a safe rate to prevent accidents on the road.

The effect of natural terrain on cell phone signal strength

The purpose of this research was to show the effect of natural terrain on cell phone signals. Cell phone signal strength was measured by use of a cell phone with a strength meter to determine where the signal was strong or weak. The result was that the cell phone signal was strong in direct line of sight of the cell tower and the signal did not exist where a mountain was obstructing the line of sight. It was found that reliability the cell phone decreases as the terrain becomes more hilly.

A.D.A.P.T. (A Doorlight with A Personal Touch)

The purpose of my engineering project was to create and research new methods in accessing doors. For part of my project I created my own device which when the user touches the doorknob, two light emitting diodes light up. The mechanics for this device include a timer chip, a capacitor, an IC PC board, two light emitting diodes, resistors and a 6-Volt battery source. In addition to creating my own device, I researched developing technologies that may be used for future innovative methods of access. For these methods, I researched Ibutton technology created by Dallas Semiconductor and Personal Area Networks technology being researched by IBM. In both technologies, personal identification is embedded into a computerized chip for a user to carry. Using these personal identification systems, a more secure method of accessing doors or restricted areas may be developed.

S.I.G.N.A.L (System Integrating GPS to Nullify Absence and Lateness)

Have you ever missed your bus? Have you ever been stuck with no way to get to work or school? If the answer is yes, then you have to try our project, entitled S.I.G.N.A.L. S.I.G.N.A.L. stands for a System Integrating GPS to Nullify Absence and Lateness. S.I.G.N.A.L. does exactly what its title says. Using a PCMCIA Global Positioning Card, a computer located on board a bus (a school bus or mass-transit) is able to connect with Global Positioning Satellites and pinpoint its exact location. The computer, pre-programmed with a list of passengers and their addresses, is then able to place a call to a passenger's pager (via a PCMCIA modem connected to a cellular telephone) whose stop is approaching. Thus, the passenger will be informed that their bus is near, and having absolutely no way of missing it. For example, say my bus stop is on the corner of Main Street and 15th Avenue. When the bus is at Main Street and 10th Avenue, the computer will call my pager and send me a message saying that the bus will be at my stop within 5 minutes. This way, if I am still eating my breakfast, I will have ample time to reach my bus - saving me from a lot of trouble.

Web-Controlled Robotic Assistant

The Robotic Assistant is a mechanical arm designed to assist persons with physical challenges in the performance of simple desktop tasks. To this end, a special computer code has been developed or through a computer- controlled operation of the robotic arm. Thus, it is very flexible in its operation and my conveniently be adapted to the needs of any particular user. The Robotic Assistant has the capability to manipulate envelopes, cards, sheets, disks, and other small objects typically found in the office, and thus can be of great assistance to the physically challenged in the performance of commonly required desktop tasks. A major feature of the Robotic Assistant is its ability to be controlled remotely over the Internet. The actual robot is physically connected to the server, or the local machine, which in turn can receive instructions not only directly through a user interface but also remotely over an Internet connection. This methodology has many future applications in general for using the Internet to control peripheral devices and other appliances.

Portal: A New Mars Polar Lander

Portal is a revolutionary new space exploration system to whether there is life on Mars, in particular, in the Martian icecaps? The system is currently under development, but the concept is fully specified. The delivery system, or IPDV (InterPlanetary Delivery Vehicle), consists of the lander, or LV, two large hydrogen tanks for fuel, the VSIMR engine, the satellite transmitter/receiver, monitoring equipment, and the four MPS (Martian Positioning System) satellites for pinpointing the rover’s location on the surface of Mars. The LV itself is the delivery vehicle for the rover. Upon impact with the ice cap, the parachute detaches and the LV breaks open to release the rover. The Mars Positioning System, or MPS, uses a ring of satellites emitting a signal to the rover. The rover is a tool for gathering information on Mars. It’s heavyset, durable, titanium spiked tracks provide a firm grip on the Martian ice fields. With tracks, the rover can climb a 70’ incline with relative ease. It is powered by dual 25hp electric power plants, which derive their power from several large, rechargeable batteries, protected within the rover’s frame. Future missions can benefit from this knowledge. Lessons learned from previous Mars landers were such things as temperature, soil consistency, that there actually is water on Mars, and atmosphere consistency. With Portal we hope to add to this knowledge, thus the purpose: explore the ice fields for life frozen in the ice caps.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

A Better Deer Repellent

The purpose of this research was to determine if natural deer repellents are better than those on the market. In Branchburg, New Jersey, over the course of three months, five natural deer repellents were tested on hostas. A mint and H20 spray, Deer Off (made of putrescent whole egg solids, capsaicin, and garlic), orange peels with cloves, Lily of the Valley plants and marigolds were planted around the 5 sites. The site where orange peels with cloves were used was damaged only once - the others were damaged multiple times. It was found that orange cloves with peels are the best deer repellent out of those tested.

The Effects of Polyaspartic Acid When Used As A Soil Enhancement

The purpose of my experiment is to find out whether or not polyaspartic acid, the major component of disposable diapers, significantly promotes plant growth when used as a soil enhancement. Radish seeds were exposed to three different kinds of artificial environments, all of which were found in petri dishes. The control group consisted of potting soil alone, one experimental group consisted of potting soil mixed with polyaspartic acid, and the second experimental group consisted of polyaspartic acid alone. Ten radish seeds were placed in ten petri dishes, that is, ten petri dishes for each of the three different environments, for a total of 300 seeds in each trial. The seeds were given five days to grow; the biomass and number of germinations were then recorded. The seeds were then dehydrated for three days so that a dry biomass could be recorded. A total of five trials were conducted. The results of the experiment show that the seeds grew best in the soil and the polyaspartic acid alone was not a beneficial environment for growth. The t-test showed a significant difference between the biomass of the control (soil) and the two experimental groups. The polyaspartic acid, however, proved (chi square confidence level of 99.9%) to be beneficial to the germination of the seeds.

What causes high carbon dioxide levels in the home and classrooms?

The purpose of this research was to determine what causes high carbon dioxide levels in the home and in classrooms. Each room was tested for one hour with one sample taken every two minutes for a total of thirty samples per hour, using a carbon dioxide sensor. In the home, the kitchen and living room had the highest average ppm, followed by the basement, the bedroom, and the family room. In the classrooms, the classroom with no windows open had the highest average ppm, followed by the classroom with sun most of the day, the music room, the classroom with shade most of the day, and, last, the gymnasium. It was found that humans caused high carbon dioxide levels; heat also seemed to influence the readings. Ventilation and bigger areas appear to keep the carbon dioxide levels low. Proximity to the garage had no apparent effect.

Development of ideal filtration system for purification of pond water

Water from a local pond was filtered through five homemade systems in hopes of developoing a portable filtration system for drinking water in a survival situation. Four systems were home made from combinations of sand, gravel, charcoal, fabric, Styrofoam, paper towels, and sponges. One commercial portable filtration unit was also tested. The contaminants analyzed were ammonia, carbon dioxide, chloride, sulfide, silica, and the water's pH level and hardness. After filtration of the pond water through each system, I discovered that all systems improved the quality of the water significantly. The commercial system, in particular, stood out in that it successfully removed 100% of the ammonia, 85% of the carbon dioxide, and was the only system to remove any chloride, thus, making the water much safer to drink. The best home made system was composed of Styrofoam and gravel.

Which is the Best Buffer?

The purpose of this experiment was to determine which is the best buffer to neutralize the effects of acid rain on plants. Three groups of Wisconsin Fast Plants were each watered with acid rain of the following three pH levels: 4.0, 5.0 and 6.0. The soil stayed above 6.0. The buffers were never added because the pH of the soil was not low enough to need adjusting. However, the results of weighing the dried plants at the end of the experiment indicated that the 4.0 pH watered plants showed significantly lower growth than the 5.0 and 6.0 plants, leading to the conclusion that the 4.0 acid rain did affect plant growth. The fact that the soil pH did not change leads to the conclusion that the plants were absorbing the effects of the acid rain. Further research is being done growing the plants in flats instead of quads. The flats are being split up into fourths; one fourth with lime added, on fourth with sodium bicarbonate added, one fourth left as a control and, finally, one fourth with blank soil. Also, the buffers are being added from the beginning.

Controlling Deer with Flowers

The purpose of this research was to test the efficiency of the "deer resistant" plants zinnias, petunias, snap-dragons, and black-eyed susans. Three gardens were planted in an area frequently visited by deer. All three gardens contained the control plants, phlox and marigolds in the center. The control garden contained only the control plants while the experimental plants were arranged along the perimeter of the other two gardens. Various forms of data were collected on 34 days throughout the summer. Once the deer found the gardens the first thing they ate were the leaves of the black-eyed susans. Next they ate the petunias and the zinnias. Last they ate the snap-dragons. It was found that the most efficient test plant was the snap-dragons followed by the zinnias, petunias, and black-eyed susans, which were the least efficient.

Brown Hydra Utilized as Toxicity Test Animals.

Recent research suggests that herbicides, used to kill weeds, grasses and unwanted plants, may actually have an effect on organisms that live in springs and ponds where chemicals may contaminate it. Brown Hydra were used as test organisms to determine effects of Roundup (active ingredient-Glyphosphosate, N-(phosphonomethyl glycine, 0.96%), in concentrations from 100ml/1L to .1ml/1L diluted in spring water. Three to four hydra were separated into petri dishes for exposure to the control solution (spring water) or experimental solutions. The cultures were maintained between room temperature (20oC), for observations, and overnight refrigerated incubation (10oC). The organisms were fed once a day (Monday through Saturday) with Brine shrimp, after 1 hour, all cultures were rinsed and refilled with either spring water or test solutions. At the highest concentration tested, within twenty minutes all organisms were found floating and not viable. As the concentrations decreased so did the effects observed. From these experiments, it can be seen that the use of herbicides in proximity to bodies of fresh water can have an altering effect on the organisms.

Carbon Dioxide Study of Trees in Pennsylvania and New Jersey

The purpose of this research was to determine which species of trees tested in each of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey regions reduced carbon dioxide levels the most. In the Pennsylvania region, carbon dioxide levels around ten trees were tested eight times. In the New Jersey region, carbon dioxide levels around ten trees were tested twenty times. In both cases the maple tree reduced carbon dioxide levels the most. It was found that the maple tree was the best tree to use in carbon dioxide reduction.

Phytoextracation of Selenium Contaminated Soils Using Mustard Plants

Although selenium is a necessary nutrient in both humans and animals, it can also be a hazard to the environment, as demonstrated in the western states of the United States. One solution to the problem is the phytoextracation of selenium, in which plants take up the contaminant through their vascular system. I tested whether the mustard plant could successfully phytoextract selenium from contaminated soils. I transferred mustard plants that had already grown for two weeks into soils containing various concentrations of selenium in them and let them stay in there for another week. Later, I took the plants to be tested with an atomic absorption spectrometer. From the results obtained, my hypothesis that the mustard plants could significantly phytoextract selenium from soil was proven correct. Also while conducting my experiment, I noticed that the selenium had an impact on the growth of the mustard plant itself.

The Direct Effects of Herbicides on Earthworms

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of various herbicides on earthworms. Weeds were planted in five boxes with ten earthworms in each box. Four professionally prepared herbicides were used on these weeds for a period of one month, from August 15th to September 15th 1999. The 5th box was the control and did not contain any herbicides. Earthworms were examined for changes in color, length, skin texture, and agility. It was found that the most earthworms died in Box 2 (10 out of 10) and the fewest died in Box 1 (7 out of 10). The differences were probably in the level of hazardous chemicals in each of the herbicides.

Earthworms and Their Effects on Plants

The purpose of this research was to determine whether earthworms would affect the growth of Spinacia oleracea, spinach plants. Beginning in early August, spinach seeds were planted in four sets, grown, and observed for seventy-five days in our Hillsborough garden. Earthworm amounts varied in each set. Plants grew at the same rate, each with similar leaf amounts. Photosynthesis was uniform in each plant set, as determined by the rapid growth and plant pigments. It was found that plants with more earthworms were greener for a longer period of time than those with fewer worm amounts.

Air Pollution Study in the Iselin, NJ Area

Major areas of possible pollution are present all around John F. Kennedy Memorial High School. There are major highways in the form of the Parkway, Turnpike, and Routes 1 and 9, as well as industrial areas in Sewaren and Port Reading. This project will investigate if there is a connection between wind direction/speed and the amount of pollution present in the air. Samples will be collected at random and analyzed for particles of lead investigate a possible connection.

Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeders: Fact or Fiction?

The purpose of this experiment was to test the effectiveness of squirrel-proof bird feeders, baffles, and methods currently on the market. Feeders and methods were observed for one hour a day for two weeks each; the two feeders were tested for one week placed in a tree, and for a second week mounted on a pole. The third method was the mixture of cayenne pepper in with the seeds, and the amount of pepper was raised daily for a week. The results showed that the squirrel-proof bird feeder deterred the squirrels both in the tree and on the pole, the feeder with the baffle worked on the pole but failed in the tree, and the seed mixed with cayenne pepper failed. It was found that squirrel-proof feeders and baffles will deter the squirrels and they have a higher success rate when mounted on a pole.

MICROBIOLOGY

The effect of Valeriana Offincinalis on reproductive patterns of Ceanorhabditis elegans.

This project in its present form is the result of observed effects of valerian on the fertility rate of Ceanorhabditis elegans. The specimen used in the experiment consists of two sexes: a male and a hermaphrodite, and has a generation cycle of 3 days, while the entire life span from egg to mature adult is usually a maximum of 15-18 days. Self-fertilizing hermaphrodites were used in the actual experiment. They were cultured on Nematode Growth Agar and fed Escherichia coli, in an environment of 20 degrees Celsius. Three L4 stage ( in this stage the worm becomes mature and capable of reproduction) hermaphrodites were secluded on three separate petri dishes in order to self-fertilize and provide C_elegans from three separate gene pools which would be used in the experiment. The population obtained provided for the establishment of three experimental groups : the Control Group, Group A - one drop (0.1 mL) of valerian added, and Group B - two drops (0.2 mL) of valerian added. Each group consisted of three petri dishes with a single L4 hermaphrodite worm from each gene pool. The experiment had a span of five days. After the experimental worms were initially placed on the petri dishes (6 in total), after 24 hours they were moved to a new petri dish with the use of a sterilized metal inoculating loop. During the next 2 days ( 48 hours), the worms were moved two times a day in order to ensure thorough egg count. Day 4 and day 5 were each marked with only one transfer. The eggs were counted with the use of a compound microscope after each transfer. Each specimen laid the expected amount of eggs, ranging from 286 to 298 ( 300 is the approximate amount). The valerian did not significantly alter the fertility rate of the worms.

How does Calcium Propionate affect mold growth in bread?

The purpose of the experiment I conducted was to see if preservatives, when added to bread in different quantities, affect the rate of mold growth. The preservative I used in this experiment was Calcium Propionate. Calcium Propionate is used mostly in breads to inhibit the growth of mold. Since most molds that grow regularly on bread can be pathogenic, I used a special mold that was non-pathogenic in order to complete my experiment. The mold was diluted with two pints of sterilized water in order for it to be sprayed onto the bread slices later on in the experiment. I made four loaves of bread; one with no Calcium Propionate and the other three with .75, 1.5, and 3grams of the preservative. I then took two slices from each loaf and placed them separately in a ziploc bag labeled with the amount of Calcium Propionate the slices contained. The slices were sprayed with ten sprays of the diluted mold solution and sealed in a ziploc bag. I then observed the slices for a period of eight days and looked for any changes. The results in my experiment were inconclusive because somehow, during the experiment, the breads got contaminated with another type of mold.

Developing Antibody-base Therapies

Using DNA encoding the variable regions from fully human mAbs that were generated from the HuMAb-MouseTm, we have constructed and expressed single-chain bispecific and trispecific molecules (sc-BSM and sc--TSM). These molecules bind simultaneously to the receptor for the Fc portion of human IgA (FcaRI, CD89) and to receptors overexpressed on tumor cells. sc-BSM consisting of an sc-Fv fragment of mAb 14.1 (anti-CD89) fused via a flexible peptide linker to an sc-Fv fragment of mAb 3F2 (anti-HER2) has been generated. sc-TSM was constructed by the addition of the EGF ligand to the sc-Bsm, in order to target both HER2 and EGF-R expressing tumor cells. The variable regions of the mAbs were cloned and characterized using RT-PCR and DNA sequencing, and each moiety (sc-Fv, ligand) was pieced together in a mammalian expression vector. These constructs were then transfected into a myeloma cell line, and fusion protein from culture that was subcloned and expanded was purified using protein L chromatography. Flow cytometry experiments indicated that each sc-Fv and the EGF portion in these single-chain molecules bind specifically to their respective cell surface receptors. Both constructs mediated specific lysis of HER2 expressing tumor cells with purified CD89 expressing polymorphonuclear leukocytes, monocytes or whole blood effector cells. The sc-TSM had the additional capability of mediating lysis of EGF-R expressing tumor cells as well. These mAbs were produced by mice which have been genetically altered to express human IgG, and thus potential problems such as imnlunogenicity may be elmnated.

Temperature and Bacteria Growth in Mascara

Tubes of clear mascara were cut open and one gram of sample removed. The samples were diluted to 9 ml, using 9% saline solution. 1 ml of innoculated broth was then added. Samples were placed at cold (refrigerator), body, and room temperature for 48 h. The samples were analyzed using a spectrophotometer. Greater transmittance was taken to indicate fewer bacteria.

Bleach as a Disinfectant

Bleach is used as a disinfectant even in hospitals and laboratories. How effective is it? Various concentrations of bleach were applied to cultures of a known strain of E. coli that is commonly used in research. The effectiveness of the concentration was measure by using spectrophotometry and by measuring zones of inhibition. Spectrophotmetric samples were considered more effective if there were more transmission. Petri dish samples were more effective if the zones of inhibition were greater.

MATHEMATICS and COMPUTERS

Exploring the Patterns Created by Using Negative Integral Values of n in Binet's Formula

This research explored the properties of the numbers created by using negative integer values of $n$ in Binet's formula, which allows one to compute the value of a Fibonacci number $F(n)$ given only the term in the sequence $n$. Negative values of $n$ were substituted in Binet's formula to find $F(n)$. Induction was used to conclude that Binet's formula follows the principle rule of the Fibonacci sequence, $F(n) = F(n - 1 ) + F ( n - 2 )$, for all integers. The distances between several points $( n , F ( n ))$ and $( n + 2 , F ( n + 2 ))$, where $n member "{" roman "negative odd integers" "}"$, were calculated. Induction was used again to conclude that the Fibonacci sequence appears under the radicals of these distances, such that the distance equaled the square root of $ | F ( n + 4 ) F ( n = 2 ) |$. The properties of the distance formula allow one to expand this for use with positive $n$. When $n > 0$ the distance between $(n , F ( n ))$ and $(( n - 2 , F ( n - 2 ))$ equals the square root of $| F ( n - 4 ) F ( n + 2 ) |$. These facts constitute Gentile's Conjecture for finding the distance between $ n , F ( n ))$ and $ n + 2 , F ( n + 2 ) )$, where $n member "{" roman "negative odd integers" "}"$ and between $( n , F ( n )) $ and $( n - 2 , F ( n - 2 ))$, where $n member "{" roman "positive odd integers" "}"$.

Optimizing Time Critical Multistage Decision Processes - A Two-year Study

In a multistage decision making process, the objective is to make a set of decisions through a series of decision points that would lead to the goal in an optimal manner. Over the years, research focusing on this problem has yielded various algorithms and techniques. A fundamental assumption of these algorithms and techniques is that for the duration of the decision making process and during the execution of the decision, the system either remains stationary or changes in a known fashion. In the first year of my project, I characterized a class of time critical multistage decision processes (TCMDP) where the time required to find the optimal decision at a decision point is significant when compared to the time required for the execution of the decision, and the system is changing rapidly in an unpredictable manner. I proposed a new approach to the solution of these time critical multistage decision processes, and evaluated it mathematically for a TCMDP where decision choices available at each stage are independent of decisions made at previous points. In the second year of the project, I studied the behavior of my approach in a TCMDP characterized by a first-order Markov chain, where the decisions available at a given state are a function only of decision made at the immediately previous point. The results showed that in both systems where the time required to evaluate a decision is on the order of the time required to execute that decision, an algorithm which can make more frequent though less optimal decisions may be more effective in achieving the goal than an algorithm which searches for the best decision at the expense of time. This conclusion has practical implications ranging from decision making by day-traders in the stock market to real-time allocation of resources in a combat zone.

Distributed Computing Through Java Applets

The purpose of my project is to create a working virtual supercomputer using Java. I have designed and written a set of Java progams that will work in conjunction with each other to spread the workload of a complex computational problem over many computers. I have written client Java applets that will be embedded in webpages. When a person visits this webpage, the applet will harness any spare proccessing power of that person's computer in order to calculate a small part of the problem. A server application, also written in Java, distributes the workload across the client computers and recives data back from the clients in order to formulate the final answer. The rate of the overall system is the sum of the rates of all of the client machines. If implemented on a major web server, the combined proccessing power of the system will rival major supercomputers at a fraction of the cost.

Auto Navigation Intelligent Robot

My objective was to demonstrate how a machine can think and function for itself. I accomplished this by creating ANIR, an acronym for Auto Navigation Intelligent Robot. It is a motorized robotic vehicle that can be programmed to respond to external conditions, and react appropriately. ANIR consists of an individual electric motor and gearbox, for each of the two drive wheels, mounted on a metal chassis. Power is supplied to the motors, and the sensors are interfaced to the microcontroller by printed circuit boards that I designed and etched. This facilitates mobility and obstacle detection, as well as tracking a specified course. A separate level-detecting switch is used to react to steep inclines. Its intelligence is based on a BASIC X-24, which is a microcontroller I programmed using the "BOS" language. By building a test track with obstacles and a course line for the vehicle to follow, I was able to record the results and ascertain the feasibility of my study. After many modifications to steering, drive mounting and sensor placement, the data I collected confirmed the ability of auto navigation.

Development of Java Software to Expedite GIS Data Transfer and Analysis through the Internet.

This report analyzes the development process for an improved Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping program that makes use of the Java programming language. The envisioned program can be divided into three major components. The first component is the client program that runs in the web-browser locally on the user computer. The second component is the file transfer software that allows the user to send his data to the map server. The third component is the map server software. There are currently several versions of GIS software, but they do not have the capability of inserting data through the internet browser. This third part also comprises the program that runs on the Unix-based system to interpret the GIS data, convert the data into a map, and send a screen shot back to the user where it can be studied. There are numerous GIS resources available to the public that can serve maps over the Internet, but they all rely on previously saved maps, and data. New data is obtained by field researchers has to be inserted directly into a GIS program before it can be given to a webmaster for publication on the Internet. Through the use of this new software, researchers can make use of their new data through an Internet interface, and share it with the scientific community more easily.

Simulating the white-tailed deer population of Hunterdon County

The purpose of this research was to see if a computer program could be created to accurately simulate the white-tailed deer population of Hunterdon County. Historical data was used in the program, thus allowing data generated by the program to be checked against the historical data. Making these comparisons, it was concluded that the program created was accurate, and its data could be used to make long-term predictions about population trends of the white-tailed deer in Hunterdon County.

RevTelnet: TCP/IP Stream Piping and Redirection

RevTelnet is a two part project. The first part of the project is a combination of Java applications. This part of the project allows redirection and filtering of TCP/IP streams. This means that any given connection on the internet could be bounced to any other arbitrary point through another point. The ramifications of such a connection are the ability to route around broken computers, bounce your connection off other computers, or even bypass restrictive measures put upon a network (such as firewalls). The second part of the project is a daemon written for the linux OS. This daemon in coordination with a kernel patch allows screening of any sort of packet coming into a server, then translating that to execution of arbitrary code (in this case ICMP screening to execute a RevTelnet client). When these two are combined they allow you to remotely reroute connections from any part of the internet without being restricted by the increasingly strict security measures being implemented.

A Comparison of the Mathematical Pattern of Pine Cones

The purpose of this study was to determine the mathematical patterns that exist in pine cones. Ovulate cones were collected from trees of 11 species of conifer and measured for dimensions, number of scales, and spiral patterns. All the cones' spiral patterns used Fibonacci numbers. Other patterns in the cones seemed to form along lines of general shape, not of genera as was expected. None of the dimensional correlations were stronger than O.92, and, except in the pines, regularity of dimensions seemed to break down as size of cone increased. The results suggest that mathematical patterns do exist in pine cones, and form according to general shape of cone.

MEDICINE and HEALTH

Counter Oscillating Waves (COW) for Pain Control.

Pain is a sensation a person may experience when dealing with various injuries. In everyday life, pain serves as a valuable "alarm" that alerts a person to seek immediate medical attention in order to prevent further damages to their body. However, in instances concerning chronic pain in which terminally ill patients or amputees may be in constant discomfort, pain does not have a specific purpose; rather, it is a nuisance. As a result of such a problem being prevalent in medicine today, a more effective way of treating chronic pain is imperious. Drugs used to combat pain, such as morphine, are not 100% effective and involve dangerous side effects, thus further stressing the need for an alternative method. The Counter Oscillating Wave (COW) contrivance will consist of a micro device which will be small enough to be surgically embedded in a region of a person's body. Because nerve impulses of the injured tissues are transmitted along peripheral nerves to the spinal cord leading to the brain, the COW device will be implanted in the spinal cord. There, it will be able to locate and intercept pain waves by blocking pathways to the brain and sending counter waves to cancel out the actual impulses before they reach the brain. However, it must be noted that the device exists in theory only. Being born of the conclusion that pain impulses can be interpreted as a type of mathematical waveform, it is logical to deem that a comparable counter wave can be sent in such a way that it will destructively interfere with the pain wave, successfully eliminating pain.

Muscle Cramps: The most affective way of alleviating them

I have research about muscle cramps, what happens during them and how to prevent and alleviate them. During a muscle cramp, your muscle loses water and electrolytes, therefore making it contract and be very painful. There are many common methods to help relieve and prevent muscle cramps, like drinking water, taking electrolytes, stretching before playing a sport or activity, massaging the muscle, or taking apple cider vinegar and honey. Keeping this in mind, I devised a questionnaire asking many people about their experiences with muscle cramps, and how they have relieved and prevented them. With all of this prood, I have then concluded which method is most affective in alleviating the pain and occurances of muscle cramps.

Ultraviolet Radiation and E. coli Growth

Ultra violet radiation is said to be harmful to living things. Is UV harmful to bacteria and can bacteria be used as a model for experimentation? E. coli was spread onto Rodax plates and the plates were divided into trial groups. These groups were exposed to UV. The exposure time for each trial varied from ten seconds to two hours. The plates were incubated at room temperature for 48 hours and then the colonies were counted.

The Cardiovascular Health of High School Students at MKA

It is often assumed that consistently athletic people have better cardiovascular health in comparison to people who infrequently exercise. We constructed an experiment to determine whether there is a correlation between the cardiovascular health of athletes--people who exercise for 10 or more hours per week--and non-athletes in a high school. We studied the health trend of five percent of the student body at Montclair Kimberley Academy over a span of four tests. The data we received from these tests support most of the assumption to be true: the athletes have larger lung capacties and lower increase of heart rate, when stimulated for 2 minutes, than non-athletes. However, we also found that there is no significant difference between the blood pressures of the students in both groups.

The characteristcs of DNA extracted from a diabetic patient.

In my experiment, I researched to see if there was a connection between the HIV virus and the DNA make-up of an individual. The study of DNA and viruses and their interaction with host cells has been a major motivation for the host of fundamental biological studies at a molecular level. In my research paper I introduced DNA and the structures of DNA. I also touched on RNA, and how the DNA code is transferred to messenger RNA. In researching about AIDS, I found out that it does have a connection with DNA. Like DNA, the HIV virus replicates itself. In order to replicate itself, and HIV particle must get its RNA, which is the genetic blueprint for a new particle, inside the host cell. Once the viral particle has successfully bonded to the host cell, its core can pass through the cell wall into the cell's cytoplasm. The core then dissolves, leaving RNA and catalyzing enzymes ready to begin the process of replication. In conclusion, based on my research the HIV virus does have a connection with the DNA makeup of an individual.

At What Temperature Do Different Flies Become Dormant?

Abstract At what temperature do fruitflies stay dormant? Fruitflies are little pest that are always flying around one’s fruit. In my project I tried to prove at which temperature fruitflies stayed dormant, thus not in one’s way. I divided the fruitflies into 4 batches of 20 and each batch was kept at a different temperature (20*F, 30*F, 40*F, and 70*F) for 2 minutes at a time. In the two trials that were conducted it proves conclusively (t- test confidence level of 99.99%) that temperature does have an effect on the fruitflies.

eMassager: The search for a better device to accomplish the task of compression therapy

Edema is an excessive accumulation of serous fluid in tissue spaces or a body cavity. I have developed an automatic device, called the eMassager, for treating this condition. It is based on Nitinol, a shape memory wire with remarkable super-elasticity property activated by heat or current. In the model eMassager, five Nitinol wires with a diameter of 150 $mu$m have been sewn parallel to each other, anticipating a current flow. As the micro-controller outside sends current of 6V per second to each wire at a different interval of time, an average movement of 4 centimeters (3-5% shrinkage) per wire is attained. The result of this sequence of currents is a wave-like motion imposing a significant force, massaging and compressing the limb to loosen the stiffness and increase tissue pressure. The warmth provided from the wires during activation also results in stimulation of the immune system and causes production of white blood cells. Last but not least, electricity currents form a magnetic field around the area, increasing blood flow and oxygen-carrying capacity. The prototype device experienced some overheating of the wires during the tests. Except for this flaw, which is very amenable to repair by further tuning of the design, this prototype demonstrated the possibility of conglomerating four major therapies into one handy device: eMassager, as everyday therapy equipment or as a special aid to rehabilitation.

The Effectiveness of Sunscreen at Blocking UV Radiation

Prolonged ultraviolet radiation exposure is associated with three types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Half of the new cancers are skin cancer, making skin cancer the most commone cancer. Sunscreen is recommended for blocking UV radiation, but just how effective is it? By using sunprint paper the relative amount of UV radiation to penetrate the sunscreen is shown. Bain De Soliel sunscreen worked better than Coppertone sunscreens, though they both worked better than a paper towel or the control on sunny days. On cloudy days the Bain De Soliel still worked best, though the paper towel proved more effective then the Coppertone sunscreens.

PHYSICS and EARTH SCIENCE

Can Orbital Umbrellas Save the Earth from Global Warming ?

Global Warming is caused by the increase of the amount of solar energy received and retained by the Earth. We propose a potentially simple solution to the Global Warming problem: physically block the increase of solar energy by putting a large number of giant "umbrellas" into satellite orbits. Such "umbrella" should have an ability to open and close in order to regulate the degree of the sunlight screening. We assume that screening 0.1% to 0.3% of the total amount of solar energy could result in effective control of the Earth's climate. This percentage is characteristic to the 11 year sun spot cycle, which is known to lead to the draughts. We have studied technological and computational aspects of our proposal. "Umbrellas" made of film with the thickness between that of the cell membrane and one-micron will weigh between ten thousand to a million tons. With the cost of satellite delivery to the orbit expected by 2005 the cost of lifting the "umbrellas" into orbit will be in the hundreds billions of dollars. If the umbrellas' film is photovoltaic converting solar energy into electricity, the cost of the project may be offset by providing trillions of dollars worth of electricity annually. We have experimentally and computationally shown that the effective orientation of the umbrellas can be regulated by the pressure of the solar radiation which would always orient "umbrellas" with their convex surfaces toward the sun, as well as enable the orbital acceleration or deceleration of the "umbrellas".

Isolating Plasma Species - Initiating Internal Electrostatic Fields for Plasma Heating

This work has two interrelated objectives: 1) to determine if kinetic temperature changes would result from isolating and then subsequently re-introducing electrons into plasma and 2) to quantify the relationship between re-introduced electron density and kinetic temperature changes resulting from initiated electrostatic fields. I constructed a Paschen-type apparatus to generate the plasma, by means of applying a potential difference of 1.44 kV DC to breakdown the working gas (air) evacuated to 100 mTorr. Three cylindrical magnets were aligned axially along the plasma tube as follows: two permanent magnets (0.29T) placed on either side with a variable electromagnet ($+-$0.03\ T) placed in the center. The directions of the two permanent fields were the same, and the variable field was aligned either parallel or antiparallel to them to reintroduce or isolate the electrons, respectively. A Langmuir probe was used to measure kinetic temperature. Measurements taken were used to imply relative density of the plasma as the magnetic configuration was changed. All temperatures were recorded within both permanent magnets and averaged. With the variable field off, the mean kinetic temperature was 1.84$~ +-$0.03\ eV. With the variable field opposing the permanent fields, the species are isolated, and the mean kinetic temperature was 1.94$+- 0.03$\ eV, independent of the central density. Variation was observed when the species were reintroduced by setting the variable field to reinforce that of the permanent magnets. At a coil current of 4.0 amps ($wig$0.03\ T) the mean kinetic temperature was 2.12$+- 0.03$\ eV, while at 3.2 amps it was 2.25$+- 0.03$\ eV, giving, respectively, increases of 0.28\ eV and 0.41\ eV over the zero-field value. Over several trials, I observed that the electromagnet coil current is inversely related to the diameter of the plasma in the central region. Since the number of electrons allowed to interact increases with the central cross-section, which in turn decreases with the central field, these results support the initial hypothesis that the particles that interact between the two regions cause a heating of the plasma.

Why is Weekend Weather Worse?

The purpose of this research was to find out if ground level ozone measurements affect weekend precipitation. Measurements were collected daily for precipitation, ozone, temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure for fifteen cities across the Eastern United States daily from June 1999 through September 1999. It was found that ozone measurements followed a weekly pattern, in which measurements with lows Monday, rising during the week, peaking on Saturday, and finally dropping again the following Monday. Precipitation data was inconclusive. The cause of this could be from pollution from commuters, although more research would be needed to substantiate this.

The Effects Upon Weather From the Relation Between Wind and Clouds

The public often jokes about how difficult it is to forecast the weather, often ridiculing the "weatherman" and his foibles. Are weather patterns knowable, at best through a simple method? There are a number of ways to forecast the weather: the present billion dollar system of instrumentation that is in place today; projections based on historical occurrences of rain and the "no skill" method --- chances are high that the weather patterns remain the same (if it rains today, it will probably rain tomorrow). There has to be a better, simpler way. The wind must be a key. Sifting through yearly, monthly, daily, hourly, and minute-by-minute readings. I looked for patterns. In many cases I found, the wind can predict the weather. Wind direction, in fact, rather than wind speed, is an excellent indicator of weather patterns.

Get up & Go!

The inconvenience of being late is often caused by the misuse of an alarm clock system. The advancement, Get Up and Go! was designed to make optimal use of the alarm clock system, by using specially calculated pressure sensory padding. By replacing the wiring in the button used to deactivate the alarm, to fit the sensory pad, the user must now physically get out of bed to turn the alarm off. The goal of this project was to effectively change the alarm clock system to better fulfill the job of waking the user, and keeping the user awake.

Does Extreme Temperatures Affect the Birefringence of Plexi-Glass?

I have studied whether extreme temperature affects the stress (birefringence) of plexi-glass. I used 9 (equal sized and equal thickness) pieces of plexi-glass. Then I subjected three to heat, three to cold and three to room temperature. Using my homemade twisting device I was able to twist all the pieces of plexi-glass while looking through two polarized disks. This allowed me to view all the stress marks that occurred. When my experiment was complete, I had proved that the colder the pieces get the more stress they have and the easier it is to break them.

Effects of Light at Various Wavelengths on Penicillium Rogueforti.

Many people in the cheese making business are constantly trying to come up with new techniques to accelerate the growth rate of the fungus used for that particular cheese. One type of fungus is Penicillium roqueforti used in making Roquefort cheese. This project was used to determine if the spectral lights would be beneficial to fungal growth and thus in the dairy industry. The way science is, it was not too much of a surprise that the end results for some of the variables differed from the hypothesis. The hypothesis was that the spectral lights would have some type of an affect on the growth of Penicillium roqueforti. The number of spores for some of the variables were not greater than that of the control. That is why the t-test was done to verify that some of the variables did reject the null hypothesis while some did not. The neon and mercury lights accepted the null hypothesis while the hydrogen, helium, and UV lights did not with the significant level at either the 0.05 p-level or the 0.1 p-level. This means there was some type of a cause for the two variables that accepted the null hypothesis and one factor could be human error in the set-up, conducting the experiment,and/or counting the number of spores.

Determining the Accuracy of The Farmers Almanac Weather Predictions.

The purpose of this research was to determine the accuracy of the Farmer's Almanac by comparing data collected over a six month period to the predictions given in the almanac. Temperature and precipitation readings were collected and recorded for 16 regions in the United States (May 1999 to October 1999). Results were consistent, with 1999 temperatures and 1999 precipitation higher than the almanac predictions. It was found that the Farmer’s Almanac is fairly accurate in its prediction of temperature, but predicting precipitation is dependent on prevailing conditions rather than long-term forecasting.

ZOOLOGY

Attraction of common mosquitos to different colors under various environments

The purpose of this research was to examine the attration of the common mosquito (theobaldia anulata) to common colors under different environments. New Boston Air Station Forest, NH; the Metuchen Dismal Swamp, NJ; and a Pennsylvania farmland were used as study sites during the hours of sunset (6:00-8:00 p.m.). Results showed that the color attracted the most mosquitoes in the New Boston Air Station Forest was red while in the Metuchen Dismal Swamp, mosquitoes preferred white. However, in the Pennsylvania farmland, the color that attracted the most mosquitoes was green. It was found that overall, the color that attrached the highest number of mosquitoes was red.

Ecdysone and Fruit Fly Reporductive Rate

Drosophila Melanogaster were treated with ecdysone, a hormone which effects molting in insects, to see if exposure would change the reproductive rate. A control with no added ecdysone, treatment I with a l umol concentration and treatment II with a 0.1 umol concentration were placed in an incubator for two weeks. At the end of two weeks the offspring were counted. It was determined that the 0.1 umol concentration produced the greatest offspring.

The Effects of Commercial Fungicide on Lady Bugs.

While fungicides are commonly used in gardens for fungus control, ladybugs are often utilized, as well, because they are avid aphid-eaters. I set up five terrariums, with a plant in each, for means of sprayed feeding. I also sprayed different concentrations of fungicide on the ladybugs every seven days for the duration of two weeks for each trial, with the control group sprayed with water. I recorded the number of deaths daily, with significant findings, in the first trial, of all ladybugs dying at the highest concentration of the fungicide, which was double the recommended dose. During the second trial, notable results showed that the number of ladybugs that died in each experimental group at least doubled that of the control group. This data proved that this particular fungicide harms the beneficial ladybug.

The Behavior of Fruit Flies Raised on Food Containing Caffeine

The objective of this project was to determine whether or not fruit flies have a preference for caffine. Fruit flies were kept in a jar with caffeine food for one week. The next week a non-caffeine food was placed in the same jar. The behavior of the fruit flies was observed over the two-week period.

The Decline in the Freshwater Mussel Population of the Raritan River

The purpose of this research was to discover the reason for the decline of the freshwater mussel population in the Raritan River. Four points were selected along the Raritan River where mussels were regularly counted. At the conclusion of the research, mussels were least abundant near the dam. It was found that water impoundment was an impediment to mussel growth.

Evidence for Emmetropization by Trial and Error

Emmetropization is a process of matching the axial length of the eye to the focal length of its optics. Studies have shown active emmetropization by fitting chick eyes with defocusing lenses and measuring the changes in growth of the eyes to compensate for the imposed nearsightedness or farsightedness. However, the detailed mechanics of emmetropization are not yet understood. If the eye were able to detect the direction and the magnitude of the defocus, it would emmetropize steadily to reach perfect vision. However, I hypothesize that the eye is incapable of such detection and will use a trial and error system to reach emmetropia. Experiments were performed to test this hypothesis. Thirteen chicks were fitted with +6D lenses on their experimental eyes and the refractive error of each eye were measured four times a day at six hour intervals with a refractometer. The results demonstrated a clear fluctuation of refractive errors in both the experimental and the control eyes of the thirteen birds. Residuals of the points of a smoothing function and the raw data points were used to show the difference of oscillation between the control and the experimental eyes. Two sample t-test showed that the standard deviation of the residuals of the experimental eyes were greater than those of the control eyes with a p-value of 0.0009. The data indicates that a significantly greater oscillation occurs in the emmetropizing eye than in a regular controlled eye. In the future, studies of articial methods to control the emmetropization process may be a key to fixing certain types of vision impairment.

The Effect of Temperature on Cynthia virginiensis Larvae

I studied the affects of temperature on Cynthia Virginiensis larvae. High temperatures caused the larvae to grow rapidly. The butterflies that grew from these larvae were mutated and could not fly. At lower temperatures the larvae grew much more slowly. The butterflies that grew from these larvae were smaller in size than normal. There was a higher occurrence of death in the higher and lower temperature ranges. If butterfly larvae were forced to grow at higher temperatures in nature, a part of the food chain would be destroyed. If the "greenhouse effect" ever occurs, plants would not propagate because of the lack of pollination.