ikatkov/journal-of-student-research-hs-articles huggingface dataset:
How a Soviet Past Influences the Present: Vaccine Hesitancy in the Russian-speaking Population Today
Authors: Jonathan Tyshler; Nathan Manning
Date: 05-31-2022

The Russian-speaking population in the United States has shown a notoriously high prevalence of vaccine hesitancy. The same trends are present in the former Soviet republics. This was illuminated during the COVID-19 pandemic as World Health Organization cited this demographic as among the lowest vaccinated. This study aims at discovering key factors behind vaccine hesitancy in the Russian-speaking population in former Soviet republics and the USA.  From August to November of 2021, twenty five 30-minute interviews with subjects ranging between ages 16-81 were conducted in Russian. Through these 25 interviews, 15 with immigrants in the Russian-speaking community in Washington State and 10 with residents of Russia and Ukraine, coupled with reviews of published literature and online sources, a strong relationship between vaccine hesitancy and a multitude of factors was established.  The key factors behind vaccine hesitancy documented in this study were tied to subjects’ experiences and culture in the former Soviet Union. Among these was a strong distrust of government, doubts towards the healthcare system, mistrust of medical professionals, a Soviet medical culture that questions prophylactic treatment options, the eruption of a consumer-dominated society in the post-soviet era, and misinformation in the media. For immigrants in the U.S., a general confusion with the American healthcare system was also a contributing factor.  These findings reveal key drivers of vaccine hesitancy in one of the lowest vaccinated demographics overall, highlighting the persisting importance of Soviet background. Shining light on these factors is essential for combating vaccine hesitancy in this population.
Exploring Indian Views on the underrepresentation of female teenagers in STEM
Authors: Abhishek Mukherjee; Aamina Rahim
Date: 05-31-2022

Only 15% to 20% of tenured faculty at Indian universities are women, while 14% of employed researchers in STEM fields are women. To investigate reasons for this problem, the present research study was conducted to gather data for Indian respondents’ perceptions of the reasons for understanding of the women underrepresentation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) fields, focusing on female teenagers. The study asked respondents to rate the overall underrepresentation and the importance of different factors on a scale of 1 to 7, along with their own explanations and suggestions. The study found that the most important factor to explain the underrepresentation was Poverty, followed by Parent’s Traditional values. In contrast, the least important factors were Feminine Attributes and the idea that female teenagers wanted to avoid the male field, while Absorb Stereotypes (the idea that female teenagers subconsciously take in stereotypes of STEM being a male field), Teacher’s Discouragement and Less Confidence were given ratings closer to the middle. Additional factors suggested by respondents included females having to take care of family responsibilities and lack of role models in STEM fields. This suggests Indians have increased awareness of the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields.
Dopamine Agonists and their Optimality in Treating Parkinson's Disease Compared to Other Treatments
Authors: Samarth Keerthivasan; Jotsna Kethar, Rajagopal Appavu
Date: 05-31-2022

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that has been plaguing tens of thousands of people each year, and as a result, there has been lots of research to find a drug or compound which, if used correctly, will allow for a decrease in the symptoms of the disorder. One idea that is of question is whether dopamine agonists might be able to help reduce the effects that the disease has upon a person. As a result, the question of how useful dopamine agonists are in the treatment of or minimization of the effects of Parkinson’s Disease rises. This paper focuses heavily on the topic of the optimality of dopamine agonists in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and relies upon past research on the subject of PD treatments/therapies. Although an agonist, in scientific terms, is known as a chemical substance capable of combining with a specific receptor on a cell and initiating the same reaction or activity typically produced by the original substance itself, these dopamine agonists have not proven to be as effective as can be assumed. These agonists, even with the ability to imitate the reaction of dopamine agonists, are not as useful as other treatments to PD, such as Levodopa. In this paper, comparisons were conducted between the two largest categories of PD therapy to derive a conclusion. The findings indicate some rather surprising results, and prove that dopamine agonists might not be as useful in the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease as one might assume.
Analyzing Receptivity of Indian Respondents for Introduction of a Regulated Cryptocurrency Market
Authors: Kashvi Jindal; Akanksha Chhetri
Date: 05-31-2022

There have been increasing concerns regarding the cryptocurrency market for several reasons, regarding its decentralized system, and impact on the current financial market. Thus, the introduction of a regulated cryptocurrency market has sparked the public’s interest. This research study aimed to evaluate Indian respondents’ knowledge of cryptocurrencies and their receptivity (on the basis of several factors) towards the introduction of a regulated cryptocurrency market in India by conducting an online survey using a mixed-method research approach. Among the eight different factors examined, the study found the level of liquidity to be the highest-rated factor amongst respondents in influencing their receptivity. This finding suggests that the Indian public prefers a fast-flowing and smooth trading market, like the cryptocurrency market. Another top-rated factor was the level of security, possibly due to the increasing concern of cyberattacks in the financial markets.  Conversely, anonymous usage, inflation risk, and operation cost were the least influential, highlighting the Indian public’s unique characteristics. Data revealed that respondents who were finance professionals and had IT experience were generally more receptive to the idea of a regulated cryptocurrency market in India. As a result, additional nuanced marketing strategies targeted at different sectors, especially the finance and IT sectors, as identified through the results include: introducing a regulated cryptocurrency market to the Indian public by highlighting their concern for the level of security and attracting them by highlighting how its regulation by authorities would keep in check the threats it poses.
The Psychopath's Brain: Is it Structurally Different From the Normal Brain?
Authors: Shiwon Chang; Kimberly Pyland
Date: 05-31-2022

Antisocial personality disorder, also called psychopathy, is caused by an individual’s brain structure. This paper analyzes the methods, limitations, and findings of the research that supports this claim. Case studies and correlational studies show a connection between gray matter volume in brain regions and psychopathic emotionlessness. Experiments show the inner workings of a psychopath’s brain as they display dishonesty and lack of empathy. Furthermore, this paper will also explain the relevance of this research to the field of psychology, and the practical applications of the research in society as a whole outside, including in the fields of law and medicine.
COVID-19 Uncertainty and Its Impact on Stock Prices
Authors: Steven Yao; Jenny Hu
Date: 05-31-2022

This paper develops a stock-pricing model to investigate how the COVID-19 induced uncertainty affects stock prices. Through utilizing a series of mathematical techniques and conducting a comparative static analysis, we find that when economic uncertainty intensifies, the future payouts of firms, such as dividend payments to stockholders, tend to diminish, indicating a deterioration of firms’ stability and prospect. As a result, investors expect a reduction in the future payoffs of the stocks issued by firms. Given that the price of a stock reflects the present values of its expected future payoffs, the rising level of COVID-19 uncertainty, which undermines the future payoffs of the stocks that investors expect to receive, decreases stock prices.
Comparison and Review of DAT Scan, PET Scan, and α-synuclein In Relation to Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Pranav Vijay Kumar; Rajagopal Appavu
Date: 05-31-2022

In this article, the role of the Dopamine Active Transporter (DAT) scan, and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan along with the role of α-synuclein with regards to Parkinson’s disease will be discussed. Furthermore, their applications and dependence as diagnostic techniques, as well as biomarkers, are also reviewed. In short, DAT-SPECT and PET scans can be used well to differentiate between Parkinson’s and other Parkinsonian syndromes, but it takes experts with many years of experience to help with diagnosis. Ɑ-synuclein on the other hand may not serve as a good biomarker but it does have potential in therapeutic treatments.  Furthermore, a few common diseases that are most often misdiagnosed with Parkinson’s are also discussed. They include Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. MS deals with the degeneration of the myelin sheath which PSP deals with the build-up of a certain protein in the brain called tau. In both cases, neuronal degeneration occurs, similar to what happens with respect to Parkinson’s. Unfortunately, there is no current cure for Parkinson’s, PSP, or MS.&nbsp;  Lastly, this paper also reviews the author's future plans with regard to Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases in general. There is a dire need for biomarkers and/or a concrete diagnostic technique that can detect Parkinson’s earlier such that progression is either delayed or treatment is developed based on this.
The Relationship Between the Type of Government and Support for War: Research on Major Wars Fought Since 1965
Authors: Joon Sung Kim
Date: 05-31-2022

Throughout the history of wars, especially during the 20th century, as wars became a national effort not only limited to the military, public support for wars has been an important factor in a government’s decision to start, continue and end a war. This paper observes major wars that were fought during the second half of the 20th century, up to contemporary times, and examines the relationships between the warring nations’ political systems, and how much support they have received from their people. The paper uses its own scale to measure both variables at play. The paper initially hypothesized that authoritarian states gain more support from their people during times of war, but eventually concluded that there is no significant correlation between the two variables.
Enter The Darkness To Bring Others Into The Light  Human Trafficking: The Modern-Day Version of Slavery
Authors: Mike Zoi; Kaley Ciluffo
Date: 05-31-2022

This research primarily examines how human trafficking systems in the Balkan region of Europe compare and contrast to the ones in the United States. Trafficking in these specific areas can be analyzed and summarized using the perspectives of shame in trafficking, lack of social support, and the need for reform in schooling and the general public’s understanding of human trafficking. Using comparative analysis with cultural patterns and ethnographic data, I discuss various genres of human trafficking, the patterns and methods of trafficking in the areas specified, the effects on the victims, and how trafficking culture had shifted. I provide case-specific examples of scenarios the various victims of human trafficking face, primarily focusing on women. These findings indicate a need for further analysis on the differences between trafficking systems around the world and prevention methods.
Robots - Inanimate or Living: To evaluate the receptivity of Xenobots by Indian Respondents
Authors: Aarav Agrawal; Saurav Debnath
Date: 05-31-2022

As industrialization continues, the world is introduced to many challenges, such as Global Warming and Pollution. Even with adverse effects on the environment, synthetic materials continue to be commonly used. To tackle this, scientists from the University of Vermont combined the fields of AI and bio-technology to develop a robot capable of performing specific functions e.g, locomoting and manipulating objects, using cells. Other than reducing the use of synthetic materials, this robot can directly help in collecting microplastics from the ocean, while being biodegradable. With time, as manufacturing gets automated, the capability of these robots will be widened. Though it’s not an immediate concern, the idea of a living robot can be seen to come with many ethical concerns. To understand the reservations it can create, this research paper intends to evaluate the receptivity of Xenobots by high-school students and teachers. A total of 30 respondents from various urban and suburban locations of the country were surveyed on their knowledge and interest of Xenobots, before and after watching an informational video, and their thoughts on its ethical concerns and effectiveness were collected from open-ended questions. Qualitative and Quantitative tools such as t-tests, mean, SD tests and thematic analysis were used to study the accumulated data. The video positively impacted their rating of knowledge, however interest remained equally high. Further thematic analysis revealed that respondents were doubtful about its usefulness as well as its drawbacks, which notifies aspiring companies and governments that it might be too soon for such technology.&nbsp;
A Microfluidic Chip Designed for Stimulating Drug Diffusion
Authors: Chenchen Zheng; Xin Xie
Date: 05-31-2022

Two-dimensional, three-dimensional or microfluidic chip-based cell cultures have been extensively used to identify effective compounds for drug development in the past few decades. Nevertheless, these traditional strategies of cell cultures are unable to capture the in vivo process of drug administration and diffusion. Here, we exploited the techniques of microfluidic chips and developed a new platform to dynamically simulate drug delivery and diffusion. Using this platform, we designed two experiments to quantify the diffusivity from source channel to target channel: (1) the pH value in target channel regulated by the diffusion of input solution from source channel; (2) the oxygen concentration in target channel regulated by the diffusion of oxygen produced by oxygen-enriched water in source channel. The input channel and the target channel were separated by nanoporous membranes mimicking biological tissue walls. These two experiments as proof-of-concept demonstrated that our platform can simulate the in vivo process of drug diffusion and be applied to study drug diffusivity.
Preparation for the Next Pandemic: A Study on Past Techniques Used During Pandemics
Authors: Tara Flynn, Mr. Mark Crowder; Dr. Reto Asmis
Date: 05-31-2022

When citizens of Wuhan, China starting contracting Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), it was inevitable that the diease was going to spread to the rest of the world, therefore resulting in a pandemic. This disease is caused by SARS-CoV-2 and was discovered for the first time in December of 2019. COVID-19 affects the lungs and has symptoms that are similar to the common cold, pneumonia, or the flu. Over 6 million people have died from COVID-19 and number continue to rise.  When there was first talk of the pandemic in the United States, it was said that the United States of America was the most prepared country in the world to tackle a pandemic. The United States ended up having one of the worst outcomes when COVID-19 struck and this was because of faulty planning. It is crucial to know information about COVID-19 before looking into what the United States did wrong. The research provided in the following study shows the lack of testing, bad mask mandates, poor public health funding, etc. Along with this, a plan is created on what to do if a pandemic were to hit the United States once again in the future and how to stop it before it wrecks havoc on the nation.&nbsp;
Effects of Adding Noise to Circuit Model and Numerical Model of Spontaneous Otoacoustic Emissions
Authors: Lucy Feng; Carey Witkov
Date: 02-28-2022

Spontaneous otoacoustic emissions have long been modeled using self-excited, nonlinear oscillators. The van der Pol oscillator is a common choice, as many of its properties reflect those of SOAEs: both can begin oscillation in the absence of a direct stimulus, both have narrow frequency bands, and both become stable over time, to name a few. Yet such an idealized equation cannot have a one-to-one correspondence with SOAEs in all factors. Many previously used mathematical and circuit models lack the addition of noise to more accurately show how real world SOAEs operate in an organism’s ear, where noise from the environment is almost entirely unavoidable. The inclusion of uniformly distributed noise in both numerical and circuit models of the van der Pol oscillator was studied to determine whether these models can still accurately explicate SOAEs when modified to be more realistic. In both cases, both models retained the attributes of real world SOAEs despite the addition of noise, allowing them to serve as more useful and accurate models of the phenomenon.  &nbsp;
What are the Risks and Benefits of Alternative Assets?
Authors: Kirill Vorobyev; Niklas Schmitz
Date: 02-28-2022

This paper explores the risks and benefits of alternative assets (private equity, hedge funds and cryptocurrency), and assesses whether they are worth investing in. The evaluation of the safety of the investments was done with the use of different measures of risk, such as maximum drawdown and standard deviation. I also calculated Sharpe ratio to compare different kinds of assets and correlation between them to understand how they would fit in a portfolio. The analysis shows that though cryptocurrencies (especially bitcoin) show very high returns, the risk of fall is too large to consider them as safe investments. Broadly speaking, the safest type of investment in alternative assets are hedge funds as their main goal is “to hedge risks”. Private equity is much riskier than hedge funds, but its returns are more likely to be higher. Even with the safer investments, picking the right funds becomes crucial as performance of top-quartile funds and the others tend to differ significantly. Correlation is high between hedge funds, private equity and stocks, and low between bitcoin and other types of assets. In general, the market of alternative assets is very prospective and investors should consider them as possible diversifiers in their portfolios.
Understanding Alzheimer’s Risk Factors Associated with the Prevalence of US Populations and Women
Authors: Krrishika Saxena; Sabin Nettles
Date: 02-28-2022

Alzheimer's disease (AD), a fatal neurological disease, is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States&nbsp;43, affecting millions of people. This is a great concern as, by 2060, the number could grow to 13.8 million if no cure is discovered0.&nbsp;Despite sophisticated research and technology, finding a solution&nbsp;in the near future&nbsp;appears unattainable due to financing and the brain's complexity. Due to Alzheimer's disease affecting millions of people, the goal of this research is to inform and educate people about the risk factors, prevalence in individuals, and therapeutic treatments available early on for this disease so that one can minimize their risk of developing it. People are unaware of genetic, behavioral, and environmental vulnerabilities that raise their chances of&nbsp;acquiring&nbsp;the disease&nbsp;chronically, which is why this disease has affected millions and is one of the leading causes of mortality. People would avoid these risks if they were aware of them early on. Methods to reduce the chance of developing Alzheimer's disease are discovered through examining the risks and existing therapeutic treatments, as well as analyzing the prevalence of the disease in different ethnic groups and women in the United States&nbsp;through a variety of sources. The findings&nbsp;identified&nbsp;the major causes of Alzheimer's disease, why particular ethnic groups are more susceptible to the disease, and why women are disproportionately&nbsp;impacted by the disease compared to males. Knowing all of this, plus the therapies,&nbsp;can help reduce the number of AD cases in the US.&nbsp;
What Does Western White Prose Fiction Teach the Woke Generation About Othering and Belonging?
Authors: Coco Cresswell; Mrs. T. Anslow
Date: 02-28-2022

This research explores the portrayal of otherness and non-conformity in Western literature and proves that modern phenomena such as “cancel culture” are giving contemporary authors a new relevance. Using William Faulkner’s Light in August and Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness as my foundation, I intend to demonstrate that the lessons they provide on race, gender, and extremism are often ignored by Generation Z, yet applicable to modern discourse. By referencing earlier works including Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, as well as George Orwell’s dystopian Nineteen Eighty-Four, I want to prove that the warnings given about the consequences of trying to eradicate otherness are multi-dimensional and deeply entrenched. Ultimately, my research illustrates that despite the societal tendency to make distinctions between normative and “other”, the line between the two is non-existent: in attempts to eliminate otherness, we become violent "others" ourselves, possessing characteristics to the “bestial” individual that we originally sought to oppress.
Brain Computer Interfaces: Wireless Recording of Brain Signals with Electro-Plasmonic Nanoantenna
Authors: Alexa Lowe, Safaa Hussain, Grace Xia; Ahsan Habib, Ali Yanik
Date: 02-28-2022

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) recording brain signals via implantable sensors aims to substitute, restore, improve, add, or enhance human functions. However, wiring requirements for power transfer and signal transmission, acute immune response to implanted electrodes, and the limited scalability of the ever-popular microelectrode arrays prevent wide adaptation of BCIs. Here, we show that electro-plasmonic nanoparticles, plasmonic nanoparticles loaded with an electrochromic polymer, can overcome the limitations of the conventional implantable microelectrode arrays as BCI probes. Much like radio frequency identification (RFIDs) tags that use backscattering for remote readout, electro-plasmonic nanoparticles report the spiking activity of neurons by modulating the input light and the re-radiated light spectrum.&nbsp; Our electro-plasmonic nanoantennas are non-invasive, wire-free, highly sensitive (field sensitivity up to 15.5%) and require no surgical implantation. We believe that electro-plasmonic neural probes can help usher in a new era of BCIs.