Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection
Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University proudly showcases the work of undergraduate honors students by sharing this collection exclusively with the ASU community.
Barrett accepts high performing, academically engaged undergraduate students and works with them in collaboration with all of the other academic units at Arizona State University. All Barrett students complete a thesis or creative project which is an opportunity to explore an intellectual interest and produce an original piece of scholarly research. The thesis or creative project is supervised and defended in front of a faculty committee. Students are able to engage with professors who are nationally recognized in their fields and committed to working with honors students. Completing a Barrett thesis or creative project is an opportunity for undergraduate honors students to contribute to the ASU academic community in a meaningful way.
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- All Subjects: Gut Microbiome
ContributorsNguyen, Sophie (Author) / Marvi, Hamidreza (Thesis director) / Ceylan, Hakan (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Chemical Engineering Program (Contributor)
Created2023-12
ContributorsNguyen, Sophie (Author) / Marvi, Hamidreza (Thesis director) / Ceylan, Hakan (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Chemical Engineering Program (Contributor)
Created2023-12
Description
Microbial dysbiosis is a condition where one’s gut bacteria colonies and species are imbalanced due to infection, antibiotics, and diet. Dysbiosis can lead to chronic illnesses like inflammatory bowel disease where current clinical treatments, such as probiotics and fecal matter transplant, have limitations from precisely delivering the right bacteria species in the right location in the gastrointestinal tract. With recent developments of magnetically actuated endoscopy bots which are precisely controlled and less invasive, magnetically-controlled robotic solutions can be applied to solving microbial dysbiosis. Two GI bot designs were developed, an accordion and concertina design, which differ in geometry. These designs involved a soft Ecoflex body, four ring magnets that are made of NdFeB and Ecoflex (in a 4:1 weight ratio) and magnetically actuated in the same direction, and a 3D-printed plastic capsule. The design rationale involved introducing the GI bot to external magnetic fields to deliver a payload, i.e. bacteria, for an application in solving microbial dysbiosis.
First, the design was optimized. Tensile and compression testing were used to determine an optimal Ecoflex coating combination with Ecoflex 00-10 making the first layer and Ecoflex 00-50 making the second layer. Afterward, two main functions were tested for in the robot: (1) precise magnetic control of the robot’s movement and direction and (2) magnetic control of the GI bot’s compression to trigger a payload release. Orientation control of the GI bot was demonstrated with a robot arm introducing a magnetic field of 4.08 mT. The test demonstrated proper control of the robot for five degrees of freedom. Lastly, delivery capabilities for the designs were established under a 173 mT external magnetic field with the accordion and concertina having dyed water (payload) release efficiencies of 35.33% and 40.16% respectively. From these results, a GI bot in the gut is achievable, and the accordion or concertina models provide a basis for further exploring and optimizing the safety and efficiency of this clinical robotic and magnetic solution. Moreover, the results showcase that magnetic actuation can be used for both orientation and delivery control as they are decoupled based on the external magnetic field strength.
ContributorsNguyen, Sophie (Author) / Marvi, Hamidreza (Thesis director) / Ceylan, Hakan (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Chemical Engineering Program (Contributor)
Created2023-12
Description
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is an intricate neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social functioning and communication, repetitive behavioral patterns, and specialized interests (Olesova et al., 2020; Osredkar et al., 2023). Despite the efforts of modern science, the biological origin of ASD is unknown, and no known biomarker for ASD currently exists (Olesova et al., 2020; Osredkar et al., 2023). Indoxyl sulfate has been identified as a toxin associated with ASD and its related symptomology in addition to a number of other conditions, including chronic kidney disease, acute kidney injury, heart failure, Parkinson’s disease, and various mood disorders (Cao et al., 2015; Cassani et al., 2015; Karbowska et al., 2020; Zhao et al., 2013). This article will review what is currently known about indoxyl sulfate in relation to ASD and its comorbidities in an attempt to determine the validity of indoxyl sulfate as a potential biomarker for ASD. Articles for the purposes of this review were collected via Google Scholar, PubMed, and the ASU Library using key words such as “indoxyl sulfate,” “Autism,” and “indican,” and chosen based on relevancy. Through this review, indoxyl sulfate was identified as a potential physiological biomarker for a subset of ASD, with additional research required to verify the findings presented. The identification of a biomarker for ASD could change the current methods of testing for ASD, greatly improving our understanding and treatment of the disorder.
ContributorsHill, Zoë (Author) / Adams, James (Thesis director) / Flynn, Christina (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor) / Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
In today's dynamic societal landscape, the critical evaluation of public policies holds paramount importance. This thesis project, undertaken by a Barrett Honors student of Public Policy, endeavors to contribute to this essential discourse by creating a policy critique podcast.
The primary objective of this project is to produce two podcast episodes that delve into the intricacies of housing policy. Through a meticulous examination, these episodes will dissect the implications of the selected housing policy. By offering a nuanced perspective, the podcast aims to illuminate the complexities inherent in housing policy issues, enriching the understanding of listeners.
This thesis project represents a scholarly endeavor to engage in informed discussions about the efficacy and implications of policies, specifically housing policies. Through the medium of podcasting, the project seeks to bridge the gap between academic research and public discourse to foster a deeper understanding of housing policy among a diverse audience.
Ultimately, this thesis project aims to contribute to the ongoing dialogue surrounding public policies, particularly in the realm of housing policy, by providing listeners with valuable insights and fostering critical thinking about contemporary policy challenges.
ContributorsCruz, Corinn (Author) / Uebelherr, Joshua (Thesis director) / Gaughan, Monica (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Public Affairs (Contributor)
Created2024-05
ContributorsCruz, Corinn (Author) / Uebelherr, Joshua (Thesis director) / Gaughan, Monica (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Public Affairs (Contributor)
Created2024-05
ContributorsCruz, Corinn (Author) / Uebelherr, Joshua (Thesis director) / Gaughan, Monica (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Public Affairs (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
The microorganisms that form the gut microbiome begin colonizing the gut at birth. The microorganisms will establish a symbiotic relationship with the host when in a state of eubiosis. However, when there is an imbalance or lack of diversity in the microorganisms present in the gut microbiome, it will shift to a state of dysbiosis, which increases the risk of inflammatory bowel and neurodegenerative diseases. There are known factors that affect the infant intestinal microbiome: mode of delivery, gestational age, and exposures, such as the use of antibiotics and feeding methods. Studies have shown that maternal lifestyle, particularly stress levels and diet, has an association with the infant microbiome diversity. However, there is limited literature that examines how postpartum maternal sleep influences the intestinal microbiome diversity in infants. We hypothesized that sleep efficiency below 85%, total sleep time and nocturnal sleep time below 7 hours, and later nocturnal sleep onset would be associated with decreased gut microbiome diversity within the sample and between samples. 27 Mother-infant pairings were used for this sub-analysis. Postpartum maternal sleep data was obtained via actigraphs and sleep diaries while infant intestinal microbiome data was obtained through fecal samples swabbed from soiled diapers. Actigraphs recorded time, movement, temperature, and light for five 24-hour periods, and sleep diaries were used to supplement the actigraphy and ease the scoring of sleep. DNA samples were extracted and sequenced using next-generation sequences, and QIIME2 was used to analyze these sequences. Alpha- and beta-diversity results following sequencing revealed good postpartum maternal sleep efficiency is associated with increased infant gut microbiome diversity within and between samples. There was a trend for nocturnal sleep onset being associated with beta-diversity measurements which were driven by phylogenetic differences and abundance of bacteria. Nocturnal total sleep time and 24-hour total sleep time were not associated with alpha- and beta-diversity. Our findings as well as the scarcity of the literature illustrate the need for further investigations on the mechanics of maternal sleep efficiency association with infant gut microbiome. Future research is needed to further evaluate the trending nocturnal sleep onset influences on the infant gut microbiome beta-diversity with a larger and more diverse sample.
ContributorsMacias, Janet (Author) / Petrov, Megan (Thesis director) / Whisner, Corrie (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution & Social Change (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Optimizing the microbiome to improve gut health has become a prominent research topic that aids in relieving stomach issues through nutrition and the introduction of beneficial bacteria. By incorporating a few gut-healthy foods into the diets of developing children, I hope to decrease their chances of developing pediatric diseases and experiencing stomach problems as they grow older. The purpose of this cookbook is to use ingredients that are beneficial to the gut microbiome and incorporate them into healthy recipes that children can easily understand and create themselves. Additionally, many factors influence the fluctuation of the gut microbiome, one of which is nutrition, so it is important to maintain a diet rich in foods beneficial to the gut microbiome because it can prevent the onset of certain pediatric diseases. By including gut-healthy recipes in a cookbook targeted towards kids, they can gain independence, engage in a bonding activity with their parents, and be guided into creating and consuming things that are good for their gut and will benefit their health in the future. There are also many benefits for children who use this cookbook, such as developing healthy habits and preventing common disorders like obesity, IBS, and IBD. However, the overarching goal is to create a fun and engaging way for kids to prioritize good gut health for a healthy future. I hope that through this cookbook, kids can take control of their diet and engage in an activity that I enjoyed as a child.
ContributorsThex, Sophia (Author) / Dixon, Kathleen (Thesis director) / Mayol-Kreiser, Sandra (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2024-05
ContributorsNguyen, Sophie (Author) / Marvi, Hamidreza (Thesis director) / Ceylan, Hakan (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Chemical Engineering Program (Contributor)
Created2023-12