Gemstone Team Research

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/9070

The Gemstone Program at the University of Maryland is a unique multidisciplinary four-year research program for selected undergraduate honors students of all majors. Under guidance of faculty mentors and Gemstone staff, teams of students design, direct and conduct significant research, often but not exclusively exploring the interdependence of science and technology with society. Gemstone students are members of a living-learning community comprised of fellow students, faculty and staff who work together to enrich the undergraduate experience. This community challenges and supports the students in the development of their research, teamwork, communication and leadership skills. In the fourth year, each team of students presents its research in the form of a thesis to experts, and the students complete the program with a citation and a tangible sense of accomplishment.

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    System Analysis for a Fusion Propelled Spacecraft
    (2024) Chen, Yuca; Dorris, Zachary; Gallardo, Antonio; Gupta, Aroni; Hoffman, Caleb; Humphreys, Austin; Mejia, Jeremy; Wiedman, Alexander; Sedwick, Raymond J.
    Nuclear-fusion-based power generation has a multitude of potential applications, one being spacecraft propulsion. The extreme specific impulse achievable with fusion prod- ucts provides for large total momentum changes while using substantially less propellant. Several auxiliary subsystems are required to support the application of fusion-based power to spacecraft propulsion. These subsystems include one for efficient propellant heating, one for power generation, and one for reactor shielding and structural integrity. Two centrifugally-confined magnetic mirror configurations are utilized, one to confine the fu- sion plasma and one to trap and heat an auxiliary propellant in order to increase thrust. Estimates on propellant mass requirements and design constraints on the propellant cham- ber are derived. Power generation techniques utilizing byproduct radiation from the fusion process are integrated into the reactor structure. Waste heat from neutron power conver- sion provides preheating of propellant, and a radiator was optimally sized for removing the remaining waste heat. Solid-state thermionic power conversion technology is explored to utilize bremsstrahlung radiation. Models for the magnet shielding are created, and the rate of neutron absorption and energy deposition for several different shielding materials are de- termined. In order to address the tensile and compressive stresses resulting from the fusion reactor magnets, support beam cross-sections are optimized. A system of heat pipes, mag- nets, and an enclosing shroud is designed to support reactor functions and prevent damage to system components. Comparisons are drawn between existing propulsion systems and a model fusion system. The viability of our model fusion system for solar system exploration is discussed.
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    ADDRESSING ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE: ALOE VERA’S POTENTIAL FOR BACTERIAL INHIBITION AND DERMAL FIBROBLAST PROLIFERATION
    (2024) Mansoor, Iman; Rangachar, Nimisha; Lim, Natalie; Arango, Nadia; Tesfamariam, Ruth; Mohommed, Joshua; DeBus, Alexandra; Noguera, Mateo; Thangavelu, Aditi; Cao, Kan
    Antimicrobial resistance has been an emerging global issue over the last several decades. Acquired resistance renders antimicrobial agents useless, with a recent report projecting ten million deaths by 2050 caused by drug-resistant infections. In response, research output on biomedical and public health solutions to AMR has significantly increased, including investigations on active compounds in medicinal plants. Aloe vera is known for anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and cell proliferative properties stemming from its anthraquinones, flavonoids, and polysaccharides. In this review, Team Aloesporin applied qualitative and quantitative techniques to characterize the state of AMR awareness and discuss Aloe vera’s capacity for serving as an antimicrobial, wound-healing agent. First, a public opinion survey was distributed at the University of Maryland, College Park to assess community knowledge of antimicrobial resistance and related practices. Aloe vera’s potency was then investigated through a minimum inhibitory concentration assay with Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Lastly, a cell proliferation assay was designed for dermal fibroblasts with 2.5% w/v Aloe vera, 100 nM methylene blue, and 100 nM bacitracin-supplemented media. Though the public opinions survey provided insight into the gaps in knowledge surrounding antimicrobial resistance and consumer practices, the preliminary bacterial and dermal fibroblast assays yielded inconclusive results regarding Aloe vera’s respective antibacterial and proliferative effects. This research suggests a need for further investigation of the optimal state and concentration of Aloe vera for wound-healing and effective antimicrobial stewardship to address the escalating issue of antimicrobial resistance.
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    Vehicle-to-Vehicle Charging: Prototype Development and Future Potential
    (2024) Hatz, Garett; Modh, Samarth; Scarpelli, Levi; Beaudoin, Brian
    As widespread electric vehicle (EV) adoption faces hurdles due to limited charging accessibility, this research explores the potential of Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) charging technology, particularly for residents in multi-unit dwellings. To assess the feasibility of this concept, we constructed a functional V2V charger prototype through multiple iterations. Using various Arduino projects focused on PWM and charging circuits, we achieved a successful V2V charger prototype, enabling data collection to inform future advancements in this promising technology.
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    Enhancement of Detection and Diagnosis of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Through The Improvement of Machine Learning and AI Models
    (2024) Beshaw, Yael; Cancro, George; Chang, Darren; Fomengia, Jayda; Mehta, Vanshika; Vedantham, Arjun; Yaragudipati, Ritvik; Feizi, Soheil
    Due to low survival rates and an unparalleled burden of non-small cell lung cancer on underserved communities, there is great urgency for innovative and accessible methods that will improve healthcare access for lung cancer patients. To combat this inequity, Team DOC aims to develop an AI model that is able to not only improve lung cancer diagnoses but also predict the progression of non-small cell lung cancer. We intend to evaluate the performance of a convolutional neural network on the LIDC-IDRI dataset and retrain the final layers of the model to improve its performance on the same dataset. Repeating this process on different model architectures allows us to determine which model performs optimally, providing a foundation to develop an end-to-end explainable AI workflow that can extract clinically relevant predictions of cancer progression for further analysis. Throughout our training process, we resolve to address the accuracy and potential for bias. Additionally, we are carrying out a survey among underserved populations and communities to discern the need for our improved cancer detection model. We hope that our model will be able to be implemented in communities with lack of access to healthcare systems to bridge the gap between underprivileged communities and unbiased care.
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    Analyzing Honey Bee Flight with Event-Based Vision
    (2024) Fatima, Ayman; Harrington, Kalonji; Kukadia, Riya; Lynch, Matthew; Majumder, Zain; Mathur, Rohan; Park, Daniel; Strucko, Richard; Taeckens, Elijah; Traska, Stefan; Tremba, Matthew; Horiuchi, Timothy K.
    An estimate of bee hive activity allows beekeepers and researchers to better understand trends in a colony’s health. This work presents a system utilizing an event-based vision sensor (e.g., Dynamic Vision Sensor, or DVS) to track flying bees in real-time with the intent of accurately monitoring the flow of bees in and out of an Apis mellifera colony. Neuromorphic event-based vision sensors like the DVS are well-suited to the detection of small, fast-moving bees with minimal latency due to the asynchronous pixels. Rather than processing and transferring full images, these pixels detect changes in brightness independently, only sending updates where movement occurs, dramatically reducing the computational load. Using this spatio-temporal input, event-based algorithms are able to track fast-moving bees in real-time to determine the position of the bee relative to the hive entrance, and by defining a boundary, count the number of bees leaving and returning. Due to the sensor’s temporal resolution, the flapping bee wing can be observed in flight and its wingbeat frequency can be estimated during tracking in real-time. To evaluate the proposed event-based tracking system, a side-by-side comparison with a frame-based camera at an active colony was performed. Real-time tracking of trends in bee activity should provide early warning signs of problems such as robbing, swarming, absconding, etc. Detailed analysis of wingbeat frequency may eventually provide a real-time detection system for invading insects.
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    Microplastic Analysis and Removal in Industrial and Natural Ecosystems
    (2024) DiGiorgio, Josh; Ginsburg, Alana; Grafstein, Julia; Hobbs, Cameron; Moore, Lindsey; Pang, Robert; Pereyra, Jonah; Zabel, Fiona Quin; Yonkos, Lance
    Numerous methods have been developed for microplastics isolation and quantification in various environmental media, many of which require elaborate or expensive analytical equipment and decontaminated lab space. This study seeks to create a reproducible and economical method for isolating microplastics in surface water that rely on Nile Red staining. We use a Nile Red pre-staining step prior to sample digestion, density separation, and filtration to mitigate downstream in-lab contamination before quantification of microplastics via fluorescent microscopy. To test the method, we collected replicate surface water samples from several reaches of an urban stream in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, USA seasonally for one year. The proposed sampling and quantification method found some success in these surface water samples with specific microplastics (≥20 μm) able to be enumerated.
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    Pharmaceutical Innovation through Laser Lithography Strategies
    (2024) Akintoba, Anjola; Boegner, Mark; Fleischmann, Scott; Knudsen, Lars; Lau, Fuk-Lam; Levisohn, Tani; Schwartz, Jillian; Shah, Devki; Wehland, Mark; Sochol, Ryan
    The Human Immunodeficiency Virus is an autoimmune disease which targets the body’s immune system, leaving individuals at risk of worse infections, such as AIDS. Currently, HIV is treated via drug cocktails limited by synthesized particle size, architecture, material composition, and lack of controlled drug release. Advancements in additive manufacturing through the use of Direct Laser Writing (DLW) and biodegradable structures have allowed for new methods of drug cocktail delivery. This project utilizes additive manufacturing to develop a biodegradable capsule with geometry that can be easily modified to control the release of the HIV drug cocktails. A mixture of PEGDA 250 and PETA was optimal for fabricating microcapsules, a teardrop design was tested for shell performance, and microchips facilitate targeting liquid to the shell. Our research shows promise towards the delivery of medications via controlled release mechanisms by allowing for continuous administration of medication to maintain the therapeutic window.
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    Prototyping a Programmable Matter System
    (2024) Armyn, Lucas; Lee, Joshua; Lim, Mateo; O'Leary, Eric; Pervez, Wasif; Tsegaye, Hanock; Raspa, Sierra; Chen, Po-Yen
    Programmable matter is well-researched from a theoretical perspective, but existing prototypes are yet to demonstrate all possible functionalities. This project aimed to create a functional system of self-assembling robots by integrating ideas from various projects. Areas of interest were the robot shape, electronics, actuation/latching method, wireless communication, and assembly algorithm. Electropermanent magnets were thought to be viable for latching with minimal power requirements, but material availability issues and insufficient magnetic force output were obstacles to successful actuation. Standard solenoids were considered as an alternative but also unsuccessful due to low magnetic force output. Currently, no alternative for actuation at this prototype’s scale has been found. An assembly algorithm was created that succeeds in small-scale situations required by the prototype, but would have issues being scaled; alternatives have been identified but not implemented. Overall, this prototype system was not functional but discovered important limitations on actuation previously considered theoretically viable.
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    Cleaning Up Clean Energy: Sustainable End-of-Life Practices for Photovoltaics
    (2024) Correll-Brown, Riordan; Didriksen, Ashley; Du, Vincent; Fagan, Eric; Ganley, Shannon; Hanspal, Vikram; Horvath, Ryan; Shockley, Steven; Zhou, Christine; Yang, Bao
    As the first generation of large-scale solar installations begins to reach the end of their 25-year lifespan and solar power becomes more prevalent, solar waste is becoming an increasingly pressing global issue. Solar panels are difficult to disassemble and often end up in landfills, where they leach toxic metal compounds into the environment after disposal. Solar panel recycling can help ameliorate these environmental impacts, but existing recycling techniques often employ harmful chemicals or thermal treatments, which produce undesirable byproducts. This project aims to address environmental concerns associated with ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) removal, one of the most challenging aspects of solar cell recycling. EVA is an adhesive polymer that joins the glass, silicon solar cell, and backsheet layers together. In this work, we investigate the effect that five chemical alternatives to toluene have on EVA. Gasification and pyrolysis are also explored as an alternative to chemical dissolution methods. Mass loss data and qualitative observations of post-treatment indicate that the chosen solvents can effectively aid in panel disassembly, with some demonstrating results similar to toluene. This project identifies multiple solvents that are promising candidates for the chemical treatment of solar cells for recycling purposes, whose environmental impacts are lower than those currently used in industry. However, the findings also underscore the difficulty of developing a solar panel recycling process free from harmful chemical waste and demonstrate the need to design panels with recycling in mind, especially through the use of alternative encapsulant and backsheet materials.
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    Anti-pancreatic Cancer Effects of Novel Artemisinin-containing Nanogels
    (2024) Trivedi, Mukti; Pierpaoli, Elisa; Fox, Noam; Stewart, Warren; Guralnik, Kayla; Barski, Elizabeth; Oberoi, Natasha; Delavari, Delyar; Lowe, Tao
    Pancreatic cancer has a 12% five-year survival rate in the United States, making it the fourth deadliest cancer. Current treatment options include chemotherapy with and without radiation therapy, targeted therapy, or surgery; however, these options have limited success due to low efficiency and adverse effects. In this research, we investigate the efficiency of a proprietary technology NanoART631 (PCT/US2023/019974) invented by our advisor Dr. Tao Lowe and her collaborator Dr. Curt Civin in treating pancreatic cancer. NanoART631 is a nanogel system composed of thermoresponsive poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) and biodegradable dextran-lactate-2-hydroxyethyl-methacrylate, encapsulated with an artemisinin (ART) dimer with a molecular weight of 631 Da. NanoART631 previously demonstrated effective killing of human leukemia cells and sustained the release of ART631 for more than one month in the Lowe lab. However, NanoART631 has not been tested in regard to pancreatic cancer. In our study, we used Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) to characterize the chemical structures of NanoART631s containing different amounts of ART631: 0, 2, 5 and 10 wt%. We also used Zetasizer Ultra to characterize the hydrodynamic particle size, polydispersity index (PDI) and zeta-potential of NanoART631s in water and two culture media for human pancreatic PANC-1 and MiaPaCa2 cells. The results showed that NanoART631s were monodisperse with hydrodynamic diameters between 100 and 230 nm and PDI <0.25 at 37 oC and both the cell culture media decreased the particle size and there was no difference of the effects of the two cell culture media on the particle size. The magnitudes of the zeta potential of 0, 2, 5 and 10 wt% NanoART631 in water at both room and body temperature were consistently below 20 mV. In both cell mediums at body temperature, the magnitudes of the zeta potential of 0, 2, 5 and 10 wt% NanoART631 were consistently below 5mV. We additionally used MTT assay to study the cytotoxicity of NanoART631s to PANC-1 and MiaPaCa2 cells as a function of concentration and determined the effectiveness of NanoART631s in killing the two cells by calculating their IC50s. The IC50s of NanoART631s containing 2, 5 and 10 wt% ART631 were between 20 and 200 nM depending on the cell type. The effectiveness of killing the both human pancreatic cancer cells increased with increasing the amount of ART631 in the nanoparticles. The NanoART631s have potential as an effective novel therapy to treat pancreatic as well as many other cancers.