Vertices: Duke's Undergraduate Research Journal最新文献

Evaluating SLAM Performance with Synthesized Datasets from Unreal-Based Emulators 利用基于虚幻模拟器的合成数据集评估 SLAM 性能

Vertices: Duke's Undergraduate Research Journal Pub Date : 2024-01-28 DOI: 10.55894/dv2.22

Muchang Bahng

{"title":"Evaluating SLAM Performance with Synthesized Datasets from Unreal-Based Emulators","authors":"Muchang Bahng","doi":"10.55894/dv2.22","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55894/dv2.22","url":null,"abstract":"The rapid advancement in visual-inertial simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) has opened numerous applications in computer vision. However, the scarcity of high quality, publicly accessible datasets hampers the evaluation of SLAM performance in varied and tailored environments. In this study, I employed the AirSim simulator and the Unreal Engine 4 to generate a trajectory resembling that of the TUM VI Room 1 ground truth dataset within the ArchViz indoor environment representing a well-lit, furnished room. I further modified the environment and trajectory through various expansions, addition of features, and data smoothing to ensure a more stable sequence of input frames into the SLAM architecture. I then examined the efficiency of visual ORB-SLAM3 by inputting images of resolution 256×144 and 512×288 at 30 frames per second (FPS), while also adjusting the feature threshold - the maximum number of feature points that ORB-SLAM3 tracks per frame. This investigation of the camera parameters within AirSim and ORB-SLAM3 has led to the essential finding that the resolution of the input images must coincide with the dimensions of the film. The subsequent runs under these variables reveal that higher resolution images lead to considerably better tracking, with an optimal feature threshold ranging between 3000~12000 feature points per frame. Moreover, ORB- SLAM3 demonstrated significantly enhanced robustness within dynamic environments containing moving objects when using higher resolution inputs, with a decreased error of close to 0cm compared to 23.19cm for lower resolutions (averaged over three runs). Finally, I conducted qualitative testing using real-life indoor environments recorded with an iPhone Xr camera, which produces results that highlight the challenges faced by ORB-SLAM3 due to factors such as glare and motion blur.","PeriodicalId":299908,"journal":{"name":"Vertices: Duke's Undergraduate Research Journal","volume":"264 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140491248","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

An Examination of Two Competing Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics with a Critique of the Kochen-Specker Theorem 对量子力学两种相互竞争的解释的研究以及对科亨-斯派克定理的批判

Vertices: Duke's Undergraduate Research Journal Pub Date : 2024-01-28 DOI: 10.55894/dv2.23

Eliza Miller

{"title":"An Examination of Two Competing Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics with a Critique of the Kochen-Specker Theorem","authors":"Eliza Miller","doi":"10.55894/dv2.23","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55894/dv2.23","url":null,"abstract":"There is ongoing discourse in philosophical and physics literature about whether the probabilistic essence of quantum mechanics indicates that deterministic interpretations of nature must be false. In 1967 two mathematicians, Simon Kochen and Ernst Specker, developed a mathematical theorem to the effect that particles do not have well-defined property values at a given time. A logical consequence of this is that there can be no well-defined hidden variables responsible for the outcomes of mysterious quantum behaviors. The theorem is thus fatal to the many deterministic interpretations of quantum mechanics that assume hidden variables, including pilot wave mechanics, a quantum theory developed by Louis de Broglie and David Bohm a few decades prior to the formulation of the Kochen-Specker Theorem. The purpose of this essay is to evaluate the legitimacy of the logical basis of Kochen’s and Specker’s argument considering its severe implications. It is concluded that Kochen and Specker do not provide sufficient evidence that deterministic theories must fail, due to their misinterpretation of the axioms on which hidden variable theories rely. This paper also finds that pilot wave mechanics is mathematically successful while remaining consistent with the deterministic understanding of broader physics and deserving of more serious consideration as a quantum theory. Above all it is emphasized that the nonsensicality of absolute randomness and indeterminism should be acknowledged, and theorems purporting to prove their existence should be critically examined, for such a discovery would undermine the legitimacy of logic itself.","PeriodicalId":299908,"journal":{"name":"Vertices: Duke's Undergraduate Research Journal","volume":"259 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140491283","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Effects on Status Striving: How Self-Perceived Value, Self-Esteem, and Personality Traits Impact Preferred Status 对争取地位的影响：自我认知价值、自尊和人格特质如何影响首选地位

Vertices: Duke's Undergraduate Research Journal Pub Date : 2024-01-28 DOI: 10.55894/dv2.24

Sua Cho

{"title":"Effects on Status Striving: How Self-Perceived Value, Self-Esteem, and Personality Traits Impact Preferred Status","authors":"Sua Cho","doi":"10.55894/dv2.24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55894/dv2.24","url":null,"abstract":"Prior research shows that despite the belief that humans universally desire high status in group settings (i.e., leadership roles), individuals with low self-perceived value (SPV) perceive themselves as being unable to make meaningful contributions to the group’s success. Thus, they prefer low status to conform to the external social pressure of other group members’ expectations. Yet, internal factors such as self-esteem and personality traits may also shape individuals’ preferred status by buffering the effects of external factors. To examine these hypotheses, two studies were conducted, in which the participants’ self-perceived value and self-esteem were manipulated. The results from these studies were consistent with previous studies, showing that participants with higher SPV preferred and expected higher status than participants with lower SPV. Moreover, individuals’ personality traits predicted the status they preferred and expected: more extroverted participants preferred and expected higher status than less extroverted participants, while participants with higher levels of neuroticism preferred and expected lower status than participants with lower levels of neuroticism. Participants with higher self-esteem were also more likely to prefer and expect higher status. Lastly, low self-esteem was associated with lower preferred status for participants with low SPV, but not high SPV. Because self-esteem is correlated with individuals’ socioeconomic status (SES), this study further highlights the need to address the self-esteem gap between individuals in high and low SES to prevent pre-established social hierarchies from perpetuating.","PeriodicalId":299908,"journal":{"name":"Vertices: Duke's Undergraduate Research Journal","volume":"101 11-12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140491753","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Investigating Serotonin Dynamics and Simulating Effects of Antidepressants Using Variation in Enzyme Expression 利用酶表达的变化研究血清素动力学并模拟抗抑郁药的作用

Vertices: Duke's Undergraduate Research Journal Pub Date : 2024-01-28 DOI: 10.55894/dv2.21

Alexander Diefes

{"title":"Investigating Serotonin Dynamics and Simulating Effects of Antidepressants Using Variation in Enzyme Expression","authors":"Alexander Diefes","doi":"10.55894/dv2.21","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55894/dv2.21","url":null,"abstract":"Serotonin plays a crucial role in the symptoms of depression, and understanding its dynamics in the brain is of the utmost importance in determining how to mitigate the effects of depression. We investigate a mathematical model presented by Best et al. (2020) that examines serotonin dynamics in the substantia nigra pars reticulata. By incorporating experimental data and a stochastic systems population model, several biological mechanisms and observations are further understood. A populations model is utilized to account for enzymatic expression level variation from 75% to 125% of their base values. When generating the population model, uniform distributions are assumed when simulating maximum velocity values, which correspond to enzyme expression levels. We investigate this assumption and show that it is reasonably insensitive; that is, changes in the distributions used to generate these values do not significantly change the results of the model. We also use the model to simulate the effects of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), one of the first treatments discovered for depression. We then use similar methods to simulate the effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), the most common antidepressant used today. We demonstrate that low enzyme expression levels of tryptophan hydroxylase and neutral amino acid transporter are most associated with low extracellular serotonin values at the steady state, indicating that these two enzymes may play key roles in predicting which patients may or may not respond to SSRI treatment.","PeriodicalId":299908,"journal":{"name":"Vertices: Duke's Undergraduate Research Journal","volume":"237 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140491083","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Comparing experiences with mental health issues to perceptions of their prevalence: A study of Duke University undergraduates 比较心理健康问题的经验和对其普遍程度的认识:一项对杜克大学本科生的研究

Vertices: Duke's Undergraduate Research Journal Pub Date : 2023-01-19 DOI: 10.55894/dv1.23

Sean Woytowitz, Paul Seli Ph.D.

{"title":"Comparing experiences with mental health issues to perceptions of their prevalence: A study of Duke University undergraduates","authors":"Sean Woytowitz, Paul Seli Ph.D.","doi":"10.55894/dv1.23","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55894/dv1.23","url":null,"abstract":"Mental illness affects all populations but has disproportionately affected college students in the recent past. Universities provide a unique setting in which students often live away from their families and must make an effort to stay socially engaged. While plenty of research on mental health has been conducted on children and adults, the field is lacking in research on college-aged individuals. The present study identifies the frequency of symptoms of depression and anxiety among the Duke University undergraduate community, as well as demographic factors that are correlated with these symptoms. The data were obtained through a survey asking students about their experiences with well-established symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. The data indicate that students at Duke University experience symptoms of depression and anxiety at a higher rate compared to the average 18-29 year old person in the United States. Other findings include a greater prevalence of mental illness symptoms among low-income students, students with small social-circles, and non-religious students. The results of this study and related studies to follow will be used to inform improvements to mental health counseling and outreach to at-risk individuals at universities across the United States.","PeriodicalId":299908,"journal":{"name":"Vertices: Duke's Undergraduate Research Journal","volume":"39 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127570872","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Data Corroboration of The Catastrophic Chernobyl Tragedy Using Arc-Length Estimate Conjecture 用弧长估计猜想对切尔诺贝利灾难的数据确证

Vertices: Duke's Undergraduate Research Journal Pub Date : 2023-01-19 DOI: 10.55894/dv1.24

M. Choudhury, Anurag Dutta, Arnab Kumar De

{"title":"Data Corroboration of The Catastrophic Chernobyl Tragedy Using Arc-Length Estimate Conjecture","authors":"M. Choudhury, Anurag Dutta, Arnab Kumar De","doi":"10.55894/dv1.24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55894/dv1.24","url":null,"abstract":"Nuclear power is perhaps one of the biggest keys to empowerment for any country. In fact, nuclear power has been the backbone of the international superpowers like the US and USSR since the 20th Century. Alongside its merits, nuclear power carried some demerits propping on it. One of the biggest amongst all was the Chernobyl nuclear cataclysm that occurred on the 26’th April 1986. Within hours of the explosion, nuclear radiation blanketed the whole city of Pripyat, Ukraine. In this paper, we have developed a notion namely “Arc-Length Estimate Conjecture” to detect anomaly, and fairness in data sets. If an anomaly is found, the Arc Length Estimate Conjecture is capable of dissecting the anomality in magnitudical terms. Further we have analyzed the Radiation that emerged from the Chernobyl Catastrophe by looking at the concentration of radioactive elements that were measured from different parts of the world. We have considered the elements I131 and Cs134 as elements of utmost importance and have tried to verify the data put forward by USSR regarding the radiation emission level of these radio actives. social-circles, and non-religious students. The results of this study and related studies to follow will be used to inform improvements to mental health counseling and outreach to at- risk individuals at universities across the United States.","PeriodicalId":299908,"journal":{"name":"Vertices: Duke's Undergraduate Research Journal","volume":"33 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129969295","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 4

iPSC differentiation into various neuron subtypes iPSC分化为不同的神经元亚型

Vertices: Duke's Undergraduate Research Journal Pub Date : 2023-01-19 DOI: 10.55894/dv1.21

Emily Cruz, Mohamad Mikati MD, PhD

引用次数: 0

Application of Palladium Chemistry in Organic Synthesis Techniques: the Larock Indole Synthesis, a Literature Review 钯化学在有机合成技术中的应用:Larock吲哚合成的文献综述

Vertices: Duke's Undergraduate Research Journal Pub Date : 2023-01-19 DOI: 10.55894/dv1.22

Angikar Ghosal

{"title":"Application of Palladium Chemistry in Organic Synthesis Techniques: the Larock Indole Synthesis, a Literature Review","authors":"Angikar Ghosal","doi":"10.55894/dv1.22","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55894/dv1.22","url":null,"abstract":"As one of the most important biologically active and naturally occurring molecules, indole is an organic compound of great importance. For more than a century, the standard method of lab preparation of the indole family of compounds has been the Fischer indole synthesis. In 1994, Richard C. Larock and Eul Kgun Yum prepared indole and indole derivatives using a new technique involving organometallic chemistry, what has since then come to be known as the Larock indole synthesis [1]. In this literature review, we give a background to the techniques involved in the Larock indole synthesis, including similar precursor methods in palladium chemistry. We mention the motivations for this reaction method, based on earlier work done. We then give a detailed overview of Larock’s work, including the reaction mechanism, kinetic effects, and effects of substituents. We also consider limitations of the Larock indole synthesis. We then study the various applications of this synthesis technique, especially synthesis of those compounds with pharmaceutical applications. We also then consider improvement to Larock’s original work, including newer, more improved techniques that built on Larock’s work, and how these newer discoveries are more beneficial to us. We end this review paper with some future questions to pursue.","PeriodicalId":299908,"journal":{"name":"Vertices: Duke's Undergraduate Research Journal","volume":"32 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132100714","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

The Blue Devil Buddies Program: Preliminary Evaluation and Suggestions for Future Research in Support of Undergraduate Student Wellbeing at Duke University 蓝魔伙伴计划:杜克大学本科生福利支持的初步评估和未来研究建议

Vertices: Duke's Undergraduate Research Journal Pub Date : 2022-07-01 DOI: 10.55894/dv1.13

I. Gupta, Nicole Izquierdo, Kiran Sundar, Victoria Wang

{"title":"The Blue Devil Buddies Program: Preliminary Evaluation and Suggestions for Future Research in Support of Undergraduate Student Wellbeing at Duke University","authors":"I. Gupta, Nicole Izquierdo, Kiran Sundar, Victoria Wang","doi":"10.55894/dv1.13","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55894/dv1.13","url":null,"abstract":"Duke University recently established the Blue Devil Buddies (BDB) program, a two- semester peer mentorship that pairs first-year students with upperclassmen to facilitate a smooth transition from high school to college. This study examined the efficacy of the program by measuring the psychological well-being and sense of belonging of students before and after the program. Although the initial hypotheses were not supported, there was a significant interaction effect of participation in the BDB program on psychological well-being, F(1, 54) = 3.116, p = 0.083, η2 = 0.043, and sense of belonging, F(1, 54) = 8.888, p = 0.004, η2 = 0.091. The semester of participation (either Fall 2020 or Fall 2021) did have a significant effect on psychological well-being scores, F(1, 36) = 4.153, p = 0.049, η2 = 0.081; however, there was no significant interaction effect of semester and time on psychological well-being, F(1, 36) = 2.263, p = 0.141, η2 = 0.012. Although there were no significant effects of semester on sense of belonging, F(1, 36) = 0.811, p = 0.374, η2 = 0.012, there was a significant interaction effect of semester and time on post-program sense of belonging scores, F(1, 36) = 6.435, p = 0.016, η2 = 0.059. The lack of effects indicates that a subsequent study with a much larger sample size must be conducted before any definitive conclusions about the program can be drawn. Nonetheless, the results hint at the possibility that the BDB program may attract students who are already thriving socially and mentally. Thus, this study lays the groundwork for future studies to investigate whether the program effectively identifies and supports the students who need peer mentorship the most.","PeriodicalId":299908,"journal":{"name":"Vertices: Duke's Undergraduate Research Journal","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125841344","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Customizable crying and connection: personalization and its effect on player emotion and empathy 可定制的哭泣和联系:个性化及其对玩家情感和同理心的影响

Vertices: Duke's Undergraduate Research Journal Pub Date : 2022-07-01 DOI: 10.55894/dv1.14

Devinne Moses

{"title":"Customizable crying and connection: personalization and its effect on player emotion and empathy","authors":"Devinne Moses","doi":"10.55894/dv1.14","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55894/dv1.14","url":null,"abstract":"Player choice sets video games apart from other visual media, and narrative designers work with game developers to implement tools that allow players to make choices and feel involved. Prior research focuses on games that include emotional themes and character customization, which are seen as effective ways to create empathy between player and protagonist. However, most research compares different games with various levels of customization, opening doors to several confounding variables. To address this gap, it is essential to explore how character customization and narrative context influence player emotion, character connection, morality, and engagement in a single game. This study involved participants playing a custom-built interactive fiction game demo (MOSAIC). Overall, players’ attitudes toward the demo were consistent across all three experimental groups and the control group, although character connection was higher in groups where participants were given additional story information and/or opportunities to customize the protagonist. This is a valuable step towards understanding video games and player emotion, especially considering gaming’s global presence and constant expansion.","PeriodicalId":299908,"journal":{"name":"Vertices: Duke's Undergraduate Research Journal","volume":"32 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116680587","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0