|
Jenny Syverson, Packaging Engineering
Audio Prescription Labeling
systems (APLs) are a revolutionary form of packaging. They were
designed to reduce medication errors and were developed mainly for
the visually impaired and illiterate populations. APLs use microchip
technology to audibly relay important drug information to patients.
There are currently close to 100,000 deaths a year that result from
medical mistakes, half of which are preventable. Based on existing
research, by removing the large financial obstacle that comes with
the installation of APL and other electronic systems, multiple
thousands of deaths and injuries will be prevented each year. APLs
will save long-term financial costs because with increased adherence
to medication, there will be fewer emergency room visits. 42% of the
US population experience difficulty reading or understanding the
directions and warnings on their prescriptions. APL improves the
overall quality of life for patients by providing a sense of
independence and freedom for the patients who use them.
Advised by Dr. Claire Sand
Laura
Goergen, Lisa Hajek, and Kathleen Mitchell,
Psychology
This study’s purpose was to
explore the beginning therapists’/counselors’ impressions of the
effective and ineffective uses of humor in a therapy session. A
focus group model, composed of University of Wisconsin-Stout
counseling/family therapy graduate students, was utilized. There
were four participants observed during a twenty-minute block of a
therapy session. Discussion centered on utilizing humor in-session
and the participants view regarding their use of humor as both
therapists and as clients. During data analysis, two unique concepts
regarding humor were revealed with the first, a ritual celebrating
an event, and the second as a style of gender-dictated humor that
may serve to include or exclude persons from therapeutic circles.
Advised by Dr. Terri Karis
Scott Brown,
Casey Wohlers, Marci Denil, Tanya Stephens, Deanne Pieper,
Mathematics Statistics and Computer Sciences
Sister Mary
Celine Fasenmyer made a name for herself with her 1945 doctoral
thesis (in Mathematics) on a general expression for hypergeometric
functions with significant applications to computerized proofs. Our
investigation begins with a refresher of hypergeometric functions,
since they are a very important part of Sister Celine’s research.
Sister Celine is famous for what is known as Sister Celine’s Method,
which involves linear algebra and hypergeometric functions. Using
this method and computer programs, such as Maple, has simplified
some very complex mathematical proofs. Sister Celine was a
mathematician ahead of her time, whose research will be highly
valued and admired for years to come.
Advised by Dr. Steven Deckelman
Family Impact Analysis of Wisconsin Statutes Addressing Parental
Responsibility for Juvenile Misbehavior
Laura Pollesch, Human
Development Family Living Community Educational Services Human
Development and Family Studies Program
One of the
more fundamental premises of family functioning in our society is
the right and responsibility of parents to control and direct the
upbringing of their children. Not only do parents have legally
protected rights and authority to care for their children, they also
have the moral obligation and responsibility to do so. All states
have parental liability statutes that hold parents responsible for
when their minor child commits a crime. These parental
responsibility laws vary in specificity and intent but all attempt
to influence and regulate parenting behaviors with the goal of
reducing juvenile misbehavior. Are they effective? What
consequences do they have for families? Family Impact Analysis is a
research method that allows family scholars to assess the intended
and unintended consequences of public policies on families. This
study applies the principles of Family Impact Analysis to evaluate
the consequences of Wisconsin parental responsibility statutes on
family behavior and functioning.
Advised by Dr. Denise Skinner
A
Study on the Mineral Contents in the Seed Coat in Relationship with
Canning Quality in Different Dark Red Kidney Beans (PHASEOLUS
VULGARIS L.)
Xiaojun Wu, Food Science
and Nutrition
Three
different dark red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars (cv.
85, cv.453 and cv.Nickols) grown in Wisconsin were studied in this
research. Correlations of the mineral contents in the seed coat and
seed coat splits in the canned beans were investigated. In the
canned product, highly significant differences (p£0.01)
in percentage of split seed coat were found among the three
cultivars studied. Canned cv. 85 had significantly fewer seed coat
splits than the other two cultivars. Significant negative
correlations were found between the percentage of seed coat splits
and minerals, such as sodium (r = -0.89, p£
0.01), calcium (r = -0.74, p£0.01)
and iron content (r = -0.79, p£0.05)
in the seed coat. A positive correlation was found between sodium
content and calcium content (r = 0.69, p£0.05)
in the seed coat. Increased calcium content in the seed coat was
accompanied with increased sodium content. This research suggested
that several factors of the seed coat, including sodium, calcium,
and iron content, may play important roles in the integrity of the
seed coat during thermal processing.
Advised by Dr. Russell James
Creating Texture Screens
Briana L. Rutherford,
Media/Photography
Texture
screens have been a part of photography and darkroom processing for
around 60 years. The process itself can be rather simple, however
the possibilities are tremendous. This paper, gives a brief history
and the comprehensive theories behind texture screens. Also included
are research and experiments with the creation of six tests, and two
resultant texture screens. The research continues using the
subsequent screens on a sample photograph, creating a thorough
documentation of the many possibilities available. This paper will
show, step by step, that quite interesting effects in photography
can be achieved at a very low cost by producing one’s own texture
screens using a simple darkroom setup.
Advised by Peter Schlosser
Asymptotic Techniques in Enzyme Kinetics
Ryan Borek, Eric Wolf,
Dallas Hamann, Carrie Ruda, Carissa Staples,
Applied Mathematics
Asymptotic techniques in enzyme kinetics is a very large and in-depth
subject. This paper will introduce the reader to a couple of the
asymptotic techniques in enzyme kinetics. In order to introduce the
reader to these techniques, the paper also introduces elementary
ideas needed before investigating the asymptotic techniques. These
elementary ideas include: compartmental diagrams, the law of mass
action, and enzyme basics. Once an understanding of these
elementary ideas is achieved, the paper discusses two approximation
techniques used in approximating the rate of an enzyme reaction.
These approximation techniques are the Equilibrium Approximation and
the Quasi- Steady-State Approximation. This paper finds that these
techniques are similar but still have some differences when
approximating the rate of enzyme reactions.
Advised by Dr. Steven Deckelman
Perceptions of the Alcohol and Other Drug Environment at UW-Stout
G.
Scott Davis, Brad Griesbach, Richard Koopman Jr., Jared M. Samuels,
Applied Psychology
This study
gathered information about the perceptions of the alcohol and other
drug environment at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Through a
revision of a May 2000 survey conducted by the Chancellor’s
Coalition Addressing Problem Drinking (CCAPD), 217 University
faculty/staff and 1,463 students were surveyed. Student and
faculty/staff participants were chosen from the Outlook
Informational Directory for the UW-Stout campus and surveyed using
an on‑line survey consisting of qualitative questions. Results
indicated that while both students and faculty/staff perceived an
alcohol and other drug problem at UW-Stout, the cause of the problem
is perceived differently. University employees most frequently
identified the community and UW-Stout as the causative factor for
these problems and a need for more educational information. Students
identified individual factors and a need for more enforcement by
both the University and the community as the number one action to
reduce the alcohol and other drug problem. The findings of the study
indicate that these two groups believe there is an above average
alcohol and other drug problem on campus and more intervention
practices are needed. The research ends with suggestions forwarded
by the authors regarding possible implications of this study.
Advised by Dr. Lou Milanesi
Does
the Gender of Initial Contact Affect Premature Termination of
Therapy?
Natasha Barnes, Heather Guttormson, Peggy Troller,
Marriage and Family Therapy
The decision to
engage in therapy is complex and there are many factors that enter
into this decision. This study examines the marital and family
therapy files closed in a university-counseling center. Gender of
the individual who makes initial contact to arrange therapy, therapy
modality, and number of therapy sessions completed data was
collected. The results of this study show that the number of therapy
sessions completed in marital and family therapy are significantly
increased if the female member of the couple or family makes the
initial contact.
Advised by Dr. Terri Karis
Modeling Oxygen Concentrations in Reaction Diffusion Systems
Mark
Anderson, Frances Butek, Andrew Dettinger, Daniel Hecker, Mark
Osegard, Applied Math and Computer Science
This research
describes our expository research into the nature of the
mathematical principles governing a biological reaction-diffusion
system, specifically as they pertain to the diffusion of oxygen
through a muscle fiber. While oxygen does readily diffuse through a
cellular membrane and into a muscle fiber on its own, oxymyoglobin
increases the overall amount of oxygen available in the cell. This
binding of oxygen to myoglobin facilitates the diffusion process.
In order to model such a process, we first developed a general
three-dimensional model of diffusion where no reactions are
occurring or are accounted for. Once developed, it is then applied
in a one-dimensional setting, without reactions, to explore the
properties of the model. This model is then expanded to account for
the addition of reactions, which occur during diffusion,
specifically the reaction between oxygen and myoglobin. Finally,
the model is rescaled to three dimensions to more realistically
model the diffusion of oxygen, facilitated by myoglobin, within a
muscle fiber. These tools allow us to analyze the concentration of
oxygen in a muscle fiber and to predict the likelihood of oxygen
debt based on the amount of myoglobin present.
Advised
by Dr. Steven Deckelman & Dr. Anne Parsons
| 