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Team Number: 019 School Name: Bloomfield High School Area of Science: Veterinary Medicine Project Title: Tracking the Spread of Vesicular Stomatitis Project Abstract: http://mode.lanl.k12.nm.us/97.98/abstracts/019.html Interim Report: http://mode.lanl.k12.nm.us/97.98/interims/019.html Final Report: http://mode.lanl.k12.nm.us/97.98/finalreports/019/finalreport.html
INTENT: Vesicular stomatitis is a disease that occurs in livestock, such as horses, sheep, swine and cattle. This disease is spread by contact with infected animals. It is carried by insects, mainly black flies. Humans who come in contact with fluids from infected animals' blisters may also be infected. Human symptoms may resemble the flu and self-limiting blisters may appear on the hands and in the mouth. The first signs of the disease are slobbeing and loss of appetite, follwed by blisters that form in the mouth and on the dental pad, tongue, lips, nostrils, hooves, and teats. There is no cure for the disease, nor is there any treatment available, but it is seldom fatal, and animals usually recover in about two weeks. There have been 99 cases investigated and 31 diagnosed in New Mexico since August 15, 1997. Our intent is to track the spread of vesicular stomatitis and predict where it will happen next. If we can do that, we can issue precautions to ranchers.
PLAN TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM: We will be using the supercomputers to help process data from a program called STELLA, which is a modeling program. STELLA allows us to enter data and create graphs and charts using different variables. The data necessary for STELLA to run will be figured from information resulting from C++ programs that the team will create.
PROGRESS TO THIS POINT: When we started school this year, we were all in a class called Supercomputer Challenge, so we are able to meet every day. At the beginning of the year, we brainstormed and came up with the idea of our project. We have met every day up to this point. We have done all our research, and started to learn how to use the programs we need to accomplish our tasks. We have also worked on class projects as well.
The team mebers each have their own task, and have added other tasks as time has gone on. Alicia Rile is the group leader and has done all of the research on the Internet. She has also been working on learning STELLA and C++. She will work on drafting the final document. Lacey Caywood has also been working on C++ and STELLA. She has been in charge of collecting newspaper articles. She will aos be a part of composing the final draft. Rachel Arment, along with Alicia and Lacey, has been working on C++ and STELLA. While in Glorieta, she was the main spokesperson for the group. She too will work on drafting the final report. Shane Cooley, along with the rest of the group, is learning STELLA and C++. He runs all the errands and carries messages between advisors. He has also worked on preparing the rough draft for this report. All of us have done class projects including doing demonstrations on PowerPoint and critical thinking problems.
EXPECTED RESULTS: Our project will predict where the next cases of vesicular stomatitis will occur in New Mexico. It should also allow us to track the spread of the disease throughout the state.