Within the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) galaxy, there are huge gaseous outflows that originated from violent supernovae explosions within this galaxy. Observing this outflow that is being kicked out from the LMC reveals that there is ionized gas present, which can be trace by using Ha emission. Using observations from the Wisconsin Ha Mapper (WHAM) in Chile, we are mapping out the Ha emission that is being kicked out of the LMC. In this project, I am removing the imprint of the Earth’s atmosphere in order to isolate the gas cloud. This will be used to determine how much gas is being thrown out of the galaxy. The more gas the galaxy loses, the more it would not be able to make stars in the future.

Interaction between galaxies is of critical importance to the formation and evolution of galaxies. We are conducting a study on both isolated and interacting low-mass galaxies to determine how their environment impacts their star-formation ability. We compare the features of gas and stars in isolated and interacting galaxies to examine the differences and similarities. The interaction-triggered star-formation activity will be further discussed to analyse how the internal properties of galaxies are influenced by the outer environment. This investigation is based on data from the fourth-generation Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-IV) / Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA), and is part of the project No.0285 in SDSS-IV.

Restitution describes a functional relationship between the action potential duration (APD) and the preceding diastolic interval (DI). It plays an important role in the function of the heart and is believed to determine the stability of heart rhythms. We investigate the effects of various antiarrhythmic drugs on dynamic and standard (S1-S2) restitution properties of APD of ventricular cells by using a canine ventricular cell model. The restitution hypothesis suggests that the slope of the restitution curve governs the transition to alternans, believed to be a precursor to the development of ventricular arrhythmias, particularly ventricular fibrillation (VF). Our study examines the slope of these restitution curves for three classes of drug to determine whether they are proarrhythmic or antiarrhythmic and to test the hypothesis for the prediction of alternans.

Respiratory tract infections are easily among the most diagnosed illnesses in modern medicine, especially involving infants and the elderly. Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are especially dangerous, often capable of producing lasting respiratory problems, increased hospitalization, and life-threatening illness. Our research is targeted towards uncovering a possible mechanism behind the spreading of LRTIs, in hopes of illuminating the connection between the diffusion of a given virus and the speed of mucous transfer within the respiratory tract. This project more specifically focuses on a system of nonlinear ordinary and partial differential equations which simulate the diffusion and advection driven dynamics of an infected respiratory system. With a more realistic spatiotemporal approach, we hope to find possible relationships between given rates of advection and diffusion, and the depth and duration of infection; a potential framework for understanding and preventing an otherwise refractory human affliction.

Terror Management Theory suggests that individuals rely on worldview defenses to contend with mortality concerns. Similarly, religious individuals bolster their specific beliefs in order to defend against the awareness of death. Five studies examined the intersection between quest religiosity (e.g., individuals whose religious worldviews are to doubt and question), worldview defense, and existential anxieties. We hypothesized that quest individuals have weakened religious beliefs causing greater death thought accessibility. Additionally, quest individuals should display heightened secular worldview striving following mortality salience and less certainty in their own religiosity.