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  “The Sign of the Four” Book Design

  Riley Abston

  Originally published in 1890, The Sign of the Four is the second of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes novels. The text explores the mind of Holmes as seen through the eyes of his colleague, John Watson. From cover to cover, to chapter heads, all the way down to page color, font choice, and text layout, conceptual decisions were made to create this newly redesigned edition of the story. The book uses several visual and physical elements to further express Holmes’ unique personality and Watson’s emotions throughout their adventure, as well as invite the reader to engage and interact with the mystery themselves. Different uses of typography push attitudes and emphasize ideas while words and sentences move across the page to match scenery and add rhythmic motion to the text. Loose pieces of evidence and clues are tucked away within the pages of the book for the reader to find, and handwritten notes are placed throughout the story so that the reader can follow Holmes’ detective processes and help solve the mystery of the Agra Treasure.

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  The CBD Industry: A Silent Growing Giant

  Sara Adkinson

  Chinese Emperor Shen Neng discovered the first cannabidiol (CBD) benefits in 2737 BC. Originally, Emperor Shen Neng used CBD in a medicinal tea to help ease numerous ailments similar to the common uses seen today (Releaf Pharmaceuticals, n.d.). Uses of CBD range from pain and anxiety relief, inflammation reduction, and memory and sleep improvement (Harvard Health, 2021). However, despite these varying utilizations, many consumers are reluctant to use CBD due to its confusion with marijuana. While CBD can be derived from marijuana plants, all legal forms of CBD products that fall under the 2018 Agricultural Improvement Act are created from hemp plants. Under this act, more commonly called the Farm Bill, all CBD products in the United States must contain no more than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (Vaden, 2018). This chemical compound allowed users to experience a heightened sense of the effects of CBD without the same “high” associated with marijuana consumption.

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  Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Government Sales Tax Revenue

  Sophia Ajemba

  The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in a dramatic change in the way people, businesses and government dealt with their day-to-day operations. The virus was spreading at an exponential rate, causing several restrictions to be placed on a state, federal and global level, such as limitation in face-to face interactions, a decrease in travelling, and eating out. Substantially, that affected the economy, such as businesses shutting down, unemployment rising, and economic growth declining. With that in mind, it is comprehensive to make an assumption that it also affected the government in terms of their revenue aspect, specifically sales taxes.

  The questions that came to mind are: Did sales taxes decrease or increase during the peak pandemic year? Was their high impact on revenue in states that dealt with a lot more cases or less? Was there a correlation between the stringency index and the sales tax? In order to get answers for these interesting questions that arose, I decided to gather data from the Census website which consist of various data ranging from the state level sales tax to federal level sales tax. Furthermore, I also gathered data on the stringency index, in order to identify a correlation between the two variables.

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  Glad Advertising Campaign

  Brianna Bailey

  This demonstration seeks to show the general public the work that goes into an advertising campaign and how much research needs to be put behind it. The final product (a theoretical advertising poster series for GLAD) will be shown along with the process that was used to get there. Surveys, market research, sketching, and creation all combine graphic design with advertising. It displays the artist’s hand in our everyday life and how truly integrated graphic design is with our lives.

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  Women in Type

  Brianna Bailey

  Most literature about type design and typefaces are mainly about the men who are widely recognized in this type of work. While the accomplishments of male type designers clearly need to be celebrated, as they have contributed much to typography and its history, it's only reasonable that women's roles be recognized as well. The influence of women in type design and typography is widely unseen in the modern world. The research completed in this paper serves to bring to light many forgotten women in this field and a general synopsis of some of their individual impacts. It also aims to discuss the influence and experience of women in the typographic field both in history and present day.

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  Investigation of TCOF1 Variations: An Insight to Treacher Collins Syndrome

  Hunter Ballard and Alyssa Jones

  Treacher Collins Syndrome (TCS) is a genetic disease in which the development of facial bones and tissues is affected. It is very rare, affecting approximately one in every 50,000 people. TCS is caused by a mutation in one of three genes: TCOF1, POLR1C, or POLR1D. Although it can occur in all three of these, the TCOF1 gene accounts for 81 to 93 percent of cases. Why a mutation in these genes causes TCS revolves around the fact that these proteins aid in the production of ribosomal RNA (rRNA), which helps assemble amino acids into new proteins. A mutation causes the amount of rRNA produced to decrease, which then triggers some facial-building cells to destroy themselves (apoptosis). Symptoms of TCS are primarily physical, so it typically has no effect on mental stability or intelligence. Unfortunately, there is no cure for Treacher Collins. However, some of the symptoms can be treated by means of genetic counseling classes, physical aids such as hearing aids, or various surgeries that may be able to lessen the effects of this disease. In this project, two different mutations of the TCOF1 gene are studied to determine the pathogenicity of each. Both missense mutations, F39L and E621V, are of uncertain significance. The pathogenicity, structure, and the conservation of variants across species are under investigation via multiple public databases and molecular prediction software including Simple Clinvar, PolyPhen 2, AlphaFold, Uniprot, and YASARA. Through these tools, a conclusion will be formed about the likely pathogenicity of each variant, and any patterns discovered will be noted and shared with the greater scientific community.

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  Gamification Marketplace

  Victoria Barkley

  In the class Software Engineering II, my team and I were tasked with the project of creating the design implementation of a Marketplace application. The purpose of the Marketplace application is to give instructors the ability to create purchasable items in a store that can be used with real in-course effects that students can buy and activate. With this project, we focused more directly on the different developmental stages of the app. We took on more of a managerial role or a product owner role rather than the roles of the programmer or software designer. In these roles, we focused on determining what needed to be included in the application and what the client (Dr. Thornton) wanted the application to accomplish, what features the client wanted, and any other information, ideas, and aspects the client wanted the development team to achieve with their application. This application would be built into a Learning Management System (LMS) such as Canvas or Blackboard and can be used throughout any course within a school. With this application, a teacher can create items that they can sell to the students through the Marketplace using a fake online currency that the teacher awards to the students. The application is connected to the Learning Management System of the school, so the teacher would be able to access the Marketplace from their LMS. In the Marketplace application, they will be able to view any items they created, view items that belong to certain classes, and see the balances of the students in their classes. For the development of this application, we spoke with the client (Dr. Thornton) and interviewed him about what he wanted for the application. Once we had the design aspects of the application, we began to work through the functional and nonfunctional requirements that would be needed. These were combined to make the software system requirements. We then created a use-case diagram to map out the most important features of the application. Next, we created the sequence diagrams which were based on the different features of the use-case diagram. The sequence diagrams were meant to go more in-depth with the features. Then, we completed the class diagram which would give the software developers the starting points and methods that they would need for the project. We created the database schema which is essentially the structure for the database. Finally, we created the data dictionary and the interface mockups. The data dictionary is meant to give the client, the team members, and the product developers that defined attributes from the database schema. The interface mockups were meant to present the application’s basic functionalities and display the visual details that the client wants with their product.

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  Graphic Design 1 | Carlie Benefield

  Carlie Benefield

  Program Cover Award recipient

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  β-Alanine Supplementation and its Effect on Sports Performance

  Will Bernhardt

  β-alanine is a commonly used supplement within the realm of athletics. Although it is produced in the human liver and found in poultry and meats, supplementation in higher amounts appears to affect athletic performance positively. Immediate effects on performance are believed to be increased resistance to fatigue and, potentially, increased force production. Carnosine is a dipeptide molecule composed of L-histidine and β-alanine. β-alanine acts as the rate limiter for carnosine production. Intramuscular carnosine is a diffusible Ca2+/H+ exchanger at the sarcomere, auguring skeletal muscle force production. Carnosine is more readily available with an increased presence of β-alanine via supplementation. During high-intensity exercise, intramuscular H+ ions accumulate, and carnosine binds. Thus, carnosine acts as a pH buffer, attenuating muscular fatigue. Additionally, the increased binding of carnosine and H+ induces Ca2+ unloading at the sarcomere, increasing cross-bridge formation and, thus, force production.

  In order to understand the function of β-alanine concerning muscle fatigue and performance, β-alanine has been evaluated in various sports conditions. During anaerobic activity, it is found that β-alanine is effective at reducing muscular fatigue by attenuating the onset of muscular acidosis. Bouts of exercise ranging from 60-240s saw significant improvements in anaerobic endurance. Acidosis is not a limiting factor in activity lasting less than the 60s, so it is not relevant to β-alanine supplementation. Additionally, β-alanine supplementation significantly improves aerobic endurance in activity over 4 minutes. This athletic performance improvement was not limited to open-end tasks or the continuation of an exercise until failure. In closed-end tasks, participants of the testing group in certain studies saw a decrease in time to completion, while the placebo group saw no improvement.

  The findings for beta alanine’s influence on strength output are much more mixed than those for endurance. Most studies find insignificant changes in 1RM maximal effort strength across multiple movements, such as the barbell back squat or bench press. However, β-alanine supplementation improved resistance to fatigue and achievable total exercise volume. β -alanine supplementation is also associated with minor improvements in resistance to neuromuscular fatigue, consistent with previous contradictory results. However, more prolonged supplementation and an older population benefit more than younger people or supplements for shorter durations.

  In all areas, supplementing β-alanine appears to aid in athletic performance in those that consume β-alanine daily for a minimum of 4 weeks. Supplementing for longer improves the athletics performance effects. Overall, β-alanine is a safe and effective supplement for most populations at appropriate doses regarding athletic performance. The only known side effect is paraesthesia (tingling feeling), but studies find that this can be mitigated by lowering the dosage.

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  Toxic Air Pollution in Louisiana

  Cassidy Bolt

  Louisiana has been suffering from toxic air pollution in industrialized cities for decades. The areas in Louisiana affected heavily by industrial pollution range from north to south Louisiana. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, some regions in “Cancer Alley” show higher risks of various types of cancer. The chemicals released in the air and ground can lead to colon, lung, and bladder cancer. The air quality is expected to decrease with the chemical industry growing rapidly in this area. The national spread of toxic chemicals in the air has been declining since the 80s, but results in Louisiana are not as significant as in other high-polluting states. Increased air toxicity levels with cancer-causing chemicals predominantly affect marginalized communities within the state. Louisiana is the seventh in the nation with the highest cancer rates, while some large industrial companies still refuse to admit the direct link between pollution and cancer. While smoking and obesity are significant cancer contributors, they do not entirely explain the geographical patterns of high health risks throughout this state. Using maps that show race, poverty, and pollution levels can accurately represent the effect air pollution has on the state. The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality has been informed and advised by scientists to reevaluate their measurements on air pollution exposure. Yet, they insist that industrial pollution is not a significant cause of cancer in Louisiana. These parishes will continue to endure the burden of toxic air pollution without environmental justice.

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  The Relationship Between Changing Land Cover and Macroinvertebrate Diversity over Twenty Years in Choccolocco Creek, Northeast Alabama

  Kindall Brown

  Alabama rivers, creeks, and springs are considered a global hotspot of biodiversity. In this region, one stream that is an important diversity hotspot is Choccolocco Creek, one of the largest tributaries in the Coosa River drainage system. The headwaters of the creek begin in the Talladega National Forest in Cleburne County, and flows through Calhoun, Clay, and Talladega counties to the confluence with the Coosa River. One way that diversity can be measured is through identifying Aquatic macroinvertebrates (aquatic insects, mollusks, worms, and crustaceans) as these species are considered ‘canaries in the coal mine’ for detection of pollution and habitat degradation in freshwaters and are used as tools to determine stream health by the US EPA and state monitoring agencies. Choccolocco Creek is surrounded by a variety of land use that affects water quality and habitat. These include agriculture, urban, and industrial uses. Based on comparisons 2000 and 2011 survey of the creek, declines in macroinvertebrate diversity were detected and an ongoing survey (summer 2022 to spring 2023) as part of my master’s thesis will determine if declines are ongoing. In addition, changes in invertebrate diversity will be correlated to changing land use over the 23-year period using data made available by the National Land Use Land Cover land sat imagery. These long-term assessments of watersheds are critical for determining biodiversity changes due to stream degradation and results from this study will hopefully promote more interest in biodiversity in Alabama streams.

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  Gene Variant KLHDC8B and Its Phenotypic Expression in Classic Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

  BriAnn Buford

  Hodgkin’s Lymphoma was a variation of the known cancerous Lymphoma. It was classified by the swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck, groin, or armpits; which could be present as painless swelling or swelling that was painful to the patient. Other traditional symptoms such as fatigue, fever, chills, and weight loss were also associated with the diagnosis. There were 50 gene variants associated with generalized lymphoma, however, gene variant KLHDC8B was specifically associated with the Hodgkin’s manifestation of Lymphoma. The aforementioned gene variant was studied in order to determine the predicted expression of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Various online databases such as NBCI’s ClinVar and YASARA Bioscience software were used to visualize the manipulation and specification of the gene in terms of its phenotypic expression and alternations of expression based upon said manipulation.

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  The Psychology of The Scarecrow: Looking at What Makes Scarecrow The Scarecrow

  Chase Capes

  Since September of 1941, the D.C. universe and Gotham City have been haunted by the presence of Jonathon Crane A.K.A The Scarecrow. He toys with his victims and controls them using the one thing he loves: fear. He is determined to force everyone to face their greatest fear because he had to face his. There must be something deeper contributing to his evil ways. Over the years many people have questioned why Crane does what he does, but no one can seem to agree on one or even multiple things contributing to his motives. The research in this paper attempts to construct a psychological profile of Crane and a list of possible mental illnesses he may suffer from. This analysis will be backed up by the symptoms he exhibits across the various iterations of the character, from the comics, movies, and the Arkham video games. This paper will discuss Crane's mental health issues and his symptoms and looks at how Gotham might be different if Crane had never been abused as a child. It will also discuss how Crane could work directly with Batman if it weren’t for his tragic past. The findings, though limited to one fictional character, could help more people understand why offenders in the real world commit their crimes. It can also serve as a learning tool for people wanting to know more about certain mental illnesses and the effects they could have on an individual.

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  Analysis of Student Learning Through Elegiac Writing

  Hannah Cornett

  This research project was initiated by JSU’s Secondary Education department. Every semester, we complete an assignment in our classrooms that challenges us to analyze the learning development of our students on a larger scale. We are to create a learning segment that we teach to our students. This is the tricky part: we include a pre- and post-assessment of their learning to develop our data. Now, I know that data that assesses student learning looks much different than scientific data or statistics you see for political purposes, or other types of common data. In fact, the type of data we collect in the classroom is even different from the information we collect on a larger scale for education nationally. We know these students. We know their names, their friends and families, and academically, we know their strengths and weaknesses. As teachers, we build incredibly special relationships with these students, and we must handle them with care, so the purpose of this data is collected for the benefit of each and every student in that specific class. This data isn’t determined so this child can become a statistic on a data chart on a national education website. We as teachers are responsible for assessing this data and further accommodating for the student or adapting our teaching styles to fit the needs of each student in the classroom. This feels like an impossible task most of the time, but this is the type of education these students deserve, and that is why I feel this research is worthy to be presented to those who value the importance of research and its many benefits, whether determined on a large or small scale.

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  An Evolutionary Comparative Study of Congenital Stationary Night Blindness Associated TRPM1 Genetic Variants of Uncertain Significance in Humans and Horses Utilizing Caenorhabditis elegans

  Gabrielle Davis and Sara Morris

  Congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB) is a heterogeneous collection of genetic diseases affecting the eyes and vision in humans and horses. Current research has implicated several genetic mutations impacting different genes involved in phototransduction and signal transmission. This includes autosomal recessive mutations in the TRPM1 gene, which encodes for an ion channel expressed on the dendrites of bipolar cells involved in signal transmission from rods. In horses, genetic mutations in TRPM1 also result in a leopard-spotted coat pattern. Studies of Caenorhabditis elegans have revealed an orthologous TRPM1 gene known as gon-2 that regulates a transient receptor potential channel required for the initiation and continuation of postembryonic cell divisions of gonad cells. If a TRPM1 missense variant has been associated with CSNB in humans and horses and/or spotted coat patterns in horses, then the genetic variant could result in gon-2 dysfunction and a phenotype in the mutant nematode. Identification of conserved variants of uncertain significance (VUS) within the TRPM1 were identified in both humans and horses. The human and horse TRPM1 genes, along with the nematode gon-2 gene were utilized to examine conservation of 31 missense VUS through multiple sequence alignments and 3 were identified to be conserved across all 3 species. These conserved VUS were at the following human TRPM1 locations: E1324K, H1195R, and I875V. Conducting a gene mutational analysis revealed the VUS at H1195R and I875V were most likely to be pathogenic due to their positioning next to pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants reported through ClinVar. Through Poly-Phen 2 analysis, I875V was predicted to be likely pathogenic (HumDiv score 0.775). Protein models were generated and analyzed, and it was observed that I875V impacts the mutant protein structure compared to wildtype protein. Therefore, the VUS I875V was selected for further investigation. Future experiments include generating a CRISPR-Cas9-engineered C. elegans model containing the TRPM1 missense VUS in the nematode loci of gon-2 for in vivo assessment. Primers were designed and optimized to amplify the I875V VUS region in C. elegans using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), gradient PCR, and gel electrophoresis. CRISPR RNA guides and a DNA repair template have been designed and will be used for microinjection of nematodes along with Cas9 protein to generate the potential mutant strain. The optimized PCR-based assay will be used for mutant nematode screening. Ultimately, we plan to analyze phenotypic differences present in the mutant nematode strain when the gon-2 gene is edited with the TRPM1 VUS. If the VUS does impact function of gon-2, then it is expected to impact gonadal and vulva development. This study will provide in vivo assessment of this CSNB-associated VUS shedding light on its clinical significance for humans and horses.

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  Fastest Velocity: JSU Fastballs

  Hannah Davis

  When examining a baseball pitcher’s performance, one variable that is reviewed is fastball velocity. This study sought to determine if certain pitchers on the JSU baseball team have a significantly higher fastball average than JSU’s estimated average, as given by the JSU pitching coach. Pitching data was collected using Flightscope at 18 JSU home baseball games. Every pitch was tracked, categorized by the author, and saved into multiple Excel files. The 1431 observations were compiled into a single Excel file to be used in R. An ANOVA model was used to predict the mean and variance of each pitcher’s fastball. Results for the mean suggested that pitchers two, three, and seven had significantly slower fastballs than the team average, while pitcher nine had a significantly faster fastball than the team average. Results for the variance suggested that pitchers one, three, six, ten and twelve had more variance, which could be useful when planning game strategy.

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  Oral Creatine Supplementation and Athletic Performance

  Ariya DeVine

  Creatine is an organic compound produced in the body from the amino acids glycine, arginine, and methionine. It is one of the most popular nutritional supplements for athletes due to its consistent output of results. Studies show that creatine supplementation increases the body’s intramuscular creatine concentrations, leading to noticeable improvements in high-intensity exercises and strength. Research has also shown that in addition to athletic improvement, creatine supplementation may enhance post-exercise recovery, prevention of injuries, rehabilitation, as well as protection of nerves in the spinal cord. Additionally, several clinical applications of creatine supplementation have been studied involving neurodegenerative diseases (such as muscular dystrophy, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s disease), as well as diseases such as diabetes, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, aging, brain and heart ischemia, adolescent depression, and pregnancy. All of these studies provide such a large pool of evidence that creatine supplementation can not only improve exercise performance but can also play a role in preventing and/or reducing the severity of the injury, enhancing rehabilitation from injuries, and helping athletes tolerate heavy training loads. In the clinical application of this study, researchers found that using creatine supplements, whether short-term or long-term, is safe in infant to elderly populations.

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  How Is Empathy Correlated with the Big 5 Personality Traits?

  Gracie Dooley

  In this study, we correlated the Ferguson Empathy Scale (FES) and the empathic concern and perspective-taking scales of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) with the Big Five Inventory (BFI) (John et al., 1991). Consistent with previous research looking at empathy and the Big 5, we expected the strongest relationship to be with agreeableness followed by openness (Antinori et al., 2017; Del Barrio et al., 2004). This is because empathic people care about others and are also more motivated to explore the world visually and cognitively (e.g., Koivisto et al., 2021). Although other studies have occasionally found correlations with the other Big 5 factors of extraversion, neuroticism, and conscientiousness, these correlations appear small and sporadic. Thus, we did not predict empathy to be correlated with these scales. Undergraduate students (N = 426) completed the FES, IRI, and Big Five Inventory for extra credit. Overall, most identified as female/woman (67%), were first-year students (62.4%), and white/Caucasian (80.3%). FES empathy, IRI empathic concern, and IRI perspective-taking were most strongly related to agreeableness and openness but unrelated to extraversion, neuroticism, and conscientiousness. Thus, the hypotheses were supported and my discussion will explore these ideas further along with possible limitations.

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  I Own a Self-Driving Car

  Ryan Eubanks

  A self-driving car can be beneficial for most of us including busy college students. It can help students save time by getting them to and from classes and activities more quickly and efficiently. Additionally, a self-driving car can help reduce their stress levels by taking on the task of driving themselves around campus. This can be especially beneficial for students who have a lot of activities and commitments outside of class. Finally, it can help save money by eliminating the need for a parking permit since the car could just drive back home reducing the number of cars around campus. As fully self-driving cars are not yet available for purchase, and it's also uncertain if they will be affordable for the general public, I have decided to build a simulated self-driving car for myself with my advisor’s help. In this demonstration, I will show you the car I built and how it helps me go to places navigating through a virtual environment, highlighting the current state of self-driving car technology and its potential impact on the transportation industry.

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  Flood Hazards on Trails

  Allie Field

  In the Appalachian Province more than three million visit the Appalachian Trail each year, “Approximately three million people visit the Trail every year”. (Media Room). The severity of some areas with flooding leads a risk of landslides, erosion, falling trees, and even more. This puts hikers at risk, not even knowing when a natural disaster could occur while on the trail. With the use of DEM (Digital Elevation Model) and Arc Hydro Tools, and past reported areas of flooding we can see where flooding may occur again.

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  Blood Flow Restriction Improves the Rehabilitation Process in Anterior Cruciate ligament Reconstruction Among Collegiate Athletes: A Critically Appraised Topic

  Justin Files

  Context: Muscle weakness and muscle atrophy are commonly experienced after a musculoskeletal injury occurs. For example, after an athlete has anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery, there is typically muscle atrophy of the quadriceps muscle group. Athletic trainers are constantly researching methods to improve rehabilitation techniques. Blood flow restriction (BFR) is an emerging therapeutic modality that utilizes a pneumatic to limit the amount of blood flow to an extremity. The purpose of this critically appraised topic is to evaluate the effectiveness of blood flow restriction training post-surgically for the ACL in the population of collegiate athletes.

  Methods: A computerized search was completed in October 2022. The search terms used were “blood flow restriction”, “ACL reconstruction”, “ACL rehabilitation protocol”, and “perioperative ACL rehabilitation”. Electronic databases used were Jacksonville State University Library, PubMed, and Sports Discus. Inclusion criteria: Studies involving BFR training, studies that were in the English language, and studies evaluating ACL rehabilitation. Exclusion criteria: Studies that included additional injuries other than ACL rupture with meniscus and studies focused on the geriatric population. Validity of the selected studies was determined using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale and the Strengthening in the Reporting of Observations Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE). One author independently reviewed the studies, scored each paper, and reviewed the completed appraisals to come to a consensus on study quality

  Results: The literature search retrieved seven total articles and three were excluded based upon exclusion criteria, resulting in four studies. Research has shown that a longer duration of moderate pressure BFR training (15 weeks) combined with low resistance muscular training may increase the quadriceps cross-sectional area to a greater extent than low resistance training alone. Additionally, the sets and repetitions should be 1 set of 30, followed by 3 sets of 15. Studies showed that BFR was a quality modality to be used during ACL reconstruction rehabilitation when compared to not using BFR.

  Conclusion: BFR is a reliable modality when used in post-surgical cases for ACL reconstruction, with results showing improvement in hypertrophy of the quadriceps and hamstring groups. Future research should include the effects of BFR post-surgically on an upper body injury such as a labral tear or rotator cuff tear. In addition, future studies can also be conducted on the long term cardiological effects of BFR, along with how long term BFR use affects muscular function.

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  The Use of Xenopus Embryos for Determining the Developmental Toxicity of Acid Fuchsin

  Vaderick Fowler

  Acid fuchsin is a dye that is used in materials such as textile fabrics, silk, nylon, wool, and leather. These materials may pollute the water, due to synthetic dye pollution. This pollution can be harmful to the animals in these environments. Amphibians are aquatic organisms that are sensitive to harmful pollutants and there has been a large reduction of amphibian populations in the past 40 years. To determine if acid fuchsin can potentially cause developmental effects to amphibians the Frog Embryo Teratogenesis Assay -Xenopus (FETAX) was used. This assay uses early-stage frog embryos exposed for 4 days (96-hrs) in various concentrations of acid fuchsin. During this time they develop from an early-stage cell blastula to a free-living tadpole. Plastic petri dishes of embryos in 8 MLs of test solution was used as the experimental unit. Four controls and 2 replicates for each concentration were used. Every 24 hours dead embryos were removed, and solutions were renewed. At the end of the four days mortality, malformations and embryo length were recorded. Means, Standard error, probit analysis (for LC50 and EC50(malformation)), ANOVA and Bonferroni’s post hoc test were calculated using Systat. The teratogenic potential was calculated using the formula 96-hr LC50/96-hr EC50(malformation). The 96-hr LC50 was >1000 and the 96-hr EC50(malformation) was approximately 120 mg/L. At the high concentrations length was significantly affected. Also, there were severe malformations of spine, eye and gut. These preliminary results indicate that acid fuchsin may be teratogenic and further testing is needed.

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  Business Information: Excel Dashboard

  Tyler Gallahar

  Suppose data expense entries for a construction firm need to be analyzed, interpreted, and presented. The data includes vendors, subcontractors, and overhead expenses for the firm and requires columns of categorical and quantitative information. The firm's owner must receive this data in a clean, dynamic spreadsheet with the option to select dates, vendors, and purchasing methods. The spreadsheet also needs to be simple for anyone to use and the results displayed on a dashboard screen. For ease of use, the owner desires buttons that will control the charts and amounts on the dashboard. The firm believes it could become more productive and profitable if it adjusted to modern technology and methods alongside its accounting software. Not having the necessary tools to build and maintain a product is the central problem. The program can be developed using functions and elements within Excel. After inputting all the data into Excel, the owner requests that the program be compatible with new data entries. The resolution is to use the data validation functions to choose categories from a dynamic drop-down list controlled on the spreadsheet. The data validation function will automatically update when new vendors subcontractors, or expenses are added. Supplying user-friendly lists guarantees that anyone can add or update information as needed. Next, to present the information on a dashboard, the table created for data entry will be the foundation for a pivot table. The pivot tables created will contain separate data which will be cycled and sorted with slicers. Pivot tables and slicers are what make the spreadsheet dynamic. If it were not for these two elements, the spreadsheet would not be influential, and the company would not have a need for new methods. Therefore, creating the necessary pivot tables and slicers will allow the user to choose what the dashboard displays. Summarily, I plan to demonstrate the creation, adjustment, and use of custom dynamic expense dashboards. I will walk through all functions and resources used to develop the program alongside all the applications it can endure. Although built for a construction firm, individuals can use this program for personal expense tracking by customizing the title and names of the document. Overall, the dynamic dashboard has been pivotal for my family's construction company and personal applications. For many years, my family has used various methods to track and report expenses, but recently this dashboard has increased productivity and profitability. Due to those results I wish to share with the audience what I have created.

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  Air Pollution and Asthma Equity Index in Alabama

  Tim Gaskins

  One of the most important environmental problems that is threatening public health is air pollution. In some regions of the world, this issue is becoming a severe health risk due to uncontrolled industrial activities, consumption of fossil fuels and population density. Air pollution can lead to premature mortality, cardiovascular disease, bronchitis, asthma, and cancer especially in vulnerable population groups. Therefore, evaluation of demographic data related to air pollution and social equity among communities is a necessary component of responsible governmental policy interventions. Here, this study aims at analysis of the spatial and temporal of air pollution and population data in Alabama to assess the social and racial equity in communities. Initially, a spatial database consisting of air pollution parameters and demographic data were collected and the spatial-temporal relationships between the air pollution and demographic data was analyzed and mapped to prioritize the populations at risk across the state of Alabama.

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  Protein & Exercise

  Kennedy Gavin

  The approach that will be taken with this topic is how protein use can enhance performance in athletes and the benefits of using protein pre-workout and post-workout. As a collegiate athlete, this is a very familiar topic. As a collegiate athlete protein intake is something that has to be considered on a daily basis. The purpose of this abstract is to inform other athletes how protein can enhance their performance. It is important that other athletes or people who are active know when to consume protein. According to the research, fitness enthusiasts recommend consuming protein supplements 15-60 minutes after exercising. This is said to be the perfect timeframe for getting the most out of nutrients like protein. It is vital for people to know the reason for consuming protein after exercising, which is to repair or rebuild the muscles they have broken down from exercising. Protein is not used just for recovery. Consuming a high amount of protein can lower body fat, create lean muscles, and assist weight loss while still maintaining muscle mass. Consuming a high amount of protein can enhance your performance as an athlete. This is said to be true because protein creates amino acids, which is used to fuel the muscles that are being used during performance. Throughout this presentation people will be informed on different sources of protein, the benefits of consuming protein, the amount of protein to consume, and results on how it has enhanced performance for athletes.