2008 Proceedings - St. Cloud State University

Abstracts
Session N Paper Presentation Competition III South Voyageurs
Fuzzy Logic and Fuzzy Intervals
The traditional binary system of logic uses only two values, true and false, which can be represented as 1 and 0 respectively. Paradoxes
can arise from the use of binary logic. The specific paradox that will be dealt with here is the Liar‘s Paradox, which can be set up as
follows: sentence S1 says that sentence S2 is false, and S¬2 says that S¬1 is true. This leads to contradicting truth values for S1.
Differing from binary logic is fuzzy logic, which instead uses the continuum of all values between 0 and 1. Using fuzzy interval theory,
which allows for a statement to have a truth interval [a,b] within this continuum as opposed to a single value, a solution to the Liar‘s
Paradox can be found. This presentation will deal with that solution.
Presentation Index: N1
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Department: Mathematics
Project Sponsor(s):
Student Presenter(s): Braith, Justin
Walk, Stephen
4-Nonylphenol Binding to Glass as a Possible Toxicity Mechanism in Diatoms, an Important Aquatic Producer
4-Nonylphenol (4-NP) is a ubiquitous estrogen mimic found in many aquatic environments. It is produced and used in large quantities as
commercial surfactants to facilitate the mixing of lipophilic compounds with water. Due to its high use, the compound is often detected in
wastewater effluents in low ìg/L concentrations. Previous research shows that sensitivity to 4-NP is not universal across aquatic primary
producers. Freshwater algae diatoms have consistently shown a greater sensitivity to 4-NP then other members of the aquatic primary
production community, including green and red algae. Clearly there is some feature of diatom physiology that induces a greater sensitivity
to this chemical than is seen in other algal groups. Diatoms are characterized by a siliceous frustule that surrounds the bulk of the cell,
and through which the cell interacts with its environment. The hypothesis put forth is that 4-NP binds to this glass frustule of the diatom,
interfering with the extracellular matrix, and the diatoms ability to interact with its environment, ultimately culminating in cell mortality. The
goal of this project is to identify if 4-NP does indeed bind to glass and to what degree. This confirmation would provide a mechanism for
the pattern of its greater impact on diatoms when compared to other aquatic primary producers. This is a particularly important process to
understand, as diatoms are a vital component in all aquatic ecosystems. Aside from the loss of the diatom as a food source, the binding
raises concerns for a potential bioaccumulation pathway to higher aquatic trophic levels.
Presentation Index: N2
Time: 2:20 p.m.
Department: Biological Sciences
Project Sponsor(s):
Student Presenter(s): Stephanek, Josh
Julius, Matthew
Amending Our Morals
Throughout history, political and policy advocacy groups have attempted to impose moral standards on the American people by amending
the U.S. Constitution. By and large, these efforts have met with limited success. In fact, with the exception of the 18th Amendment
(Prohibition), the constitutional amending process has been used successfully only to address the federal government‘s structure, power,
and level of involvement in citizens‘ private lives.
Despite this fact, there is still no shortage of proposed amendments that seek to regulate moral behavior. Voters in the 2006 election, for
example, were asked to consider an astonishing 200 ballot initiatives in their states. The most controversial initiatives included limiting
access to abortions and defining marriage as between one man and one woman. These ballot measures represent the latest attempts by
reformers to legislate ―moral‖ behavior by amendment. The mere fact that there are so many such initiatives should prompt the nation to
question the legitimacy of this form of liberty-limiting legislation. Indeed, we should learn from our past mistakes: the 18th and 21st
Amendments demonstrate why citizens should think critically before voting for morality-based constitutional proposals. Our experience
with Prohibition offers important lessons regarding the detrimental societal effects of such legislation. These lessons are both timely and
relevant to current efforts to impose moral standards on ―we the people‖ by amending our Constitution.
Presentation Index: N3
Time: 2:40 p.m.
Department: Political Science
Project Sponsor(s):
Student Presenter(s): Thompson, Rose
Uradnik, Kathy
High Speed Optical Data Link
This project is a two semester design of an optical data link with 25 MHz bandwidth which is designed for use with high speed internet
applications. The digital signal is converted to a 2 VPP signal using OFDM methods. To accomplish this, a BEL 0804-5000-03 Powerline
Module is used in conjunction with an ASIX AX88178 Ethernet controller. The design utilizes both a transmitter and receiver used to pass
a 2 VPP analog signal through the air a distance of 10 feet. The transmitter is based on a design commonly used for fiber-optic
communication. It utilizes two transconductance amplifiers to convert the voltage signal to a current. The current is biased and used to
drive an LED. The receiver is comprised of a series of amplifiers used to receive the signal from a photodiode. The receiver uses an
automatic gain control amplifier to adjust the gain of the circuit for various distances between the transmitter and receiver.
Presentation Index: N4
Time: 3:00 p.m.
Department: Electrical and Computer Engineering
Project Sponsor(s):
Student Presenter(s): Zimmerman, James; LeClaire, James; Mikkelsen, Brent Vogt, Timothy
St. Cloud State University Student Research Colloquium 47
April 22, 2008