The process of successful skin healing from a wound involves different combinations of interactions. Moreover, by clearly understanding this process, we can provide and determine the appropriate amount of medicine to give to patients with varying types of wounds. Thus, this can improve the healing process of patients. In this research, we use the ADI method to solve a partial differential equation that models the wound healing process. Moreover, we try to explore the relationship between parameters in the model for different patients. Wound images are used as our dataset experiment. To segment the image's wound, we implement U-Net, a deep learning-based model, as our model for this segmentation problem. We believe the combination of ADI and Deep Learning helps us understand the process of wound healing.

Markov chains are stochastic models characterized by the probability of future states depending solely on one's current state. Google's page ranking system, financial phenomena such as stock market crashes, and algorithms to predict a company's projected sales are a glimpse into the array of applications for Markov models. In this research, we analyzed the board game "The Settlers of Catan" using transition matrices. Transition matrices are composed of the current states which represent each row i and the proceeding states across the columns j with the entry (i,j) containing the probability the current state i will transition to the state j. Using these transition matrices, we delved into addressing the question of which starting positions are optimal. Furthermore, we worked on determining optimality in conjunction with a player's gameplay strategy. After building a simulation of the game in python, we tested the results of our theoretical research against the mock run throughs to observe how well our model prevailed under the limitations of time (number of turns before winner is reached).

In the field of Riemannian geometry, the condition on the Riemannian metric so that a manifold has positive scalar curvature (PSC) is important for a number of reasons. Many famous researchers have contributed gradually to this area of geometry, and in this project, we study more about PSC metrics on such manifolds. Specifically, we refine and provide some details to the proof of Gromov and Lawson that the connected sum of 2 n-dimensional manifolds will admit a PSC metric, provided each of the manifolds has a metric with the same condition. We then derive some useful formulas related to the Riemann curvature tensor, the Ricci tensor, and the scalar curvature in many different scenarios. We compute the quantities for a manifold equipped with an orthonormal frame and its dual coframe, namely the connection one-form and the curvature two-form. Then, we observe the change in the structure functions, defined as a function that determines the Lie derivative of the orthonormal frame, under a nearly conformal change of the said frame. The aim of these calculations is that, by expressing the scalar curvature of a manifold M entirely in terms of the structure functions, we can determine a condition on the conformal factor so that when dividing the tangent bundle of M into two sub-bundles, then the scalar curvature restricted to one sub-bundle will “dominate” that of the other one, so that if we know the scalar curvature of the former sub-bundle is positive, we c

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on diet and health-related behaviors of adults

Background:
Study objectives were to describe how diet and health habits changed and identify factors impacting diet and health behaviors during the pandemic.

Methods:
An electronic, anonymous survey was developed and distributed via local social media and through a community food-bank following IRB approval. Data were coded into and analyzed for frequencies and correlations using SPSS.

Results:
Participants (n=80) were 97% (n=77) female and 41.37+/-11.7 years. Participants receiving food assistance primarily accessed community food/mobile pantries (22%, n=17). Participants (54%, n=43) agreed that, “I was healthier before the pandemic”, while 15% (n=12) disagreed. Participants (52%, n=42) reported 13.2+/-6.8 pounds unwanted, pandemic weight gain, while 22.5% (n=18) reported 14.1+/-13.9 pounds desired, weight loss. Among participants earning <$50,000/year, 89.5% (n=17) reported inability to afford healthy food, while 2.6% (n=1) earning >$150,000/year reported inability to afford healthy food. Inability to afford healthy food correlated with BMI (ρ=.40, p<.01). Income negatively correlated with pandemic weight gain (ρ=-0.31, p<0.05) and ability to afford healthy foods (ρ=-.73, p<0.01). Participants reported increased pandemic snacking (61.25%, n=49) and alcohol consumption (37.5%, n=30). Higher pandemic stress levels correlated with increased pandemic alcohol and snack consumption, (ρ=.30, p<.01) and (ρ=.44, p<.01), respectively.

Conclusion:
Changes in health perceptions and weight were common. BMI and income impacted ability to afford healthy foods. Increased stress levels were significantly associated with increased alcohol intake and snacking, although weight changes were not associated with alcohol or snacking. This research provides information about pandemic dietary and health behavior changes and how impacts differ based upon income level.

Determination of Caffeine Use and its Effects on University Students
Jason Balters, Senior-Coordinated Program in Dietetics; Jordan Pitts, Senior-Coordinated Program in Dietetics; Anne VanBeber, PhD, RD, LD, FAND, CCMS; Kelly Fisher, DCN, RD, LD, CSP; Lyn Dart, RD, LD, PhD - Department of Nutritional Sciences
Background
Many studies have observed caffeine intake of university students. Investigators have found that the majority of consumers who over consume caffeine were not aware of the FDA recommended limit of 400 mg caffeine/day. Purposes of this research were to determine the level of caffeine consumption among students attending Texas Christian University (TCU) and the perceived effects that users experienced related to sleep, stress, and withdrawal symptoms. A desired outcome of this research was to clarify confounding values of average caffeine consumption in the university population that varied from 124 mg/day to 228 mg/day in the existing literature.

Methods
A survey questionnaire was created to assess the quantity, modality and situational scenarios of caffeine consumption, as well as caffeine’s perceived effect on sleep, energy and stress. Caffeine withdrawal effects felt by students were also ascertained in the survey. The survey was administered via Survey Monkey® and distributed via the TCU email system to approximately 1000 students. Basic descriptive and frequency statistics were calculated using the Survey Monkey® software.

Results
The 217 respondents were 76.5% female with 94% between the ages of 18-25 years old and 94.0% current undergraduate students. Of the total respondents, 70.1% consumed 1-2 caffeinated beverages per day, 66.5% used caffeine to help study, and 67.5% used caffeine to increase energy. Negative perceptions of caffeine’s impact on sleep were reported by 30%; while 18.5% reported a negative impact on stress, and 73.7% reported withdrawal symptoms.

Conclusions
The consumption of 95-190 mg caffeine/day by the majority (54.9%) of study participants was consistent with reported scientific literature. While only 1.8% of those surveyed consumed more than the FDA recommendation of 400 mg caffeine/day, reasons for this are unknown. Additionally, of the 70% who stated they experienced withdrawal symptoms, it is uncertain if these symptoms were indeed caused from the caffeine withdrawal or from another unrelated cause. It is advised that the research survey be revised to include questions that more acutely seek information sought in the stated purpose of the study. Further research regarding caffeine consumption by consumers is also warranted to better assist registered dietitian nutritionists and other health professionals when assessing diet and lifestyle habits of patients.