Barrett

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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Creation of Veterinary Educational Materials (VEMs) for English Second Language (ESL) Spanish Speakers

Description
The purpose of this creative thesis project was to create a line of veterinary educational materials (VEMs) for the target population of English Second Language (ESL) Spanish Speakers. Target population research and personal veterinary clinic experience resulted in the selection of five topics for consideration, these were: vaccination, surgical sterilization,…

The purpose of this creative thesis project was to create a line of veterinary educational materials (VEMs) for the target population of English Second Language (ESL) Spanish Speakers. Target population research and personal veterinary clinic experience resulted in the selection of five topics for consideration, these were: vaccination, surgical sterilization, feline leukemia, canine parvovirus, and euthanasia. The two formats chosen for subject matter presentation was a line of Spanish brochures as a physical resource for clients and a line of newsletters in both English and Spanish for online viewing purposes. The overarching objectives during the creation of the VEMs were to encourage communication between veterinary staff and clients while increasing client education and compliance. During design formatting emphasis was placed on creating a line of VEMs that would be consistent, concise, and modern in order to achieve maximum client interest. The completed line of VEMs successfully fulfilled the overarching objectives of encouraging communication, increasing client education, and increasing client compliance to ultimately increase patient care.
ContributorsHammer, Jessica Nicole (Author) / DeNardo, Dale (Thesis director) / Rosales, Jesus (Committee member) / Howard, Jennifer (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2015-05
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Muscles Serve as a Water Source for Egg Development in Children's Pythons (Antaresia childreni)

Description
Water-balance is a critical but understudied consideration for animals reproducing in dry environments, as females invest a significant amount of water into their offspring. What makes water especially challenging, is that few animals are known to have true water storage, whereas energy as fat storage is well-documented. Recent studies have…

Water-balance is a critical but understudied consideration for animals reproducing in dry environments, as females invest a significant amount of water into their offspring. What makes water especially challenging, is that few animals are known to have true water storage, whereas energy as fat storage is well-documented. Recent studies have suggested the possibility that, when drinking water is scarce, animals can catabolize their muscles, thereby extracting cellular water. In this study, the aim was to show this as a potential method used by animals reproducing in dry environments to cope with dehydration and still produce a clutch. Children's pythons (Antaresia childreni) were used to investigate this phenomenon due to the fact that they experience two, distinctive, reproductive phases- vitellogenesis (when protein and energy are mobilized and invested into the yolk) and gravidity (when the major water investment into the egg occurs, as well as egg shelling). Other factors that make them excellent candidates are that they are pure capital breeders (don't eat during the reproductive season) and can withstand periods of water deprivation that far outlast their reproductive gravid phase. Reproductive and non-reproductive females were deprived of water for the duration of gravidity, and their mass decrease, epaxial muscle shrinkage, blood osmolality, total protein, uric acid, triglycerides and ketones were measured at the onset of each reproductive stage; these values were compared to their water-provided counterparts. Water-deprived females experienced greater mass loss, epaxial muscle loss, blood plasma osmolality, and uric acid than water-provided females. These findings suggest that muscle catabolism is used as a method of dealing with water-deprivation during gravidity.
ContributorsKaminsky, Brittany Michele (Author) / DeNardo, Dale (Thesis director) / Angilletta, Michael (Committee member) / Brusch, George (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Department of English (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
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The Effect of Hydration State on Voluntary Maximum Temperature of a desert reptile, Heloderma suspectum.

Description
An organism's ability to maintain optimal body temperature is extremely important for sustaining physiological and behavioral processes necessary for survival. However, like other physiological systems, thermobiology can be influenced by the availability of resources. Water is a vital resource that has profound implications on many aspects of biological function, including…

An organism's ability to maintain optimal body temperature is extremely important for sustaining physiological and behavioral processes necessary for survival. However, like other physiological systems, thermobiology can be influenced by the availability of resources. Water is a vital resource that has profound implications on many aspects of biological function, including thermoregulatory pathways. However, water availability has a tendency fluctuate within any given ecosystem. While several studies have investigated the influence of water availability on a range of thermoregulatory pathways, very little attention has been given to its influence on Voluntary Maximum Temperature (VMT). We investigated the effects of dehydration on Voluntary Maximum Temperature in a captive population of Gila monsters (Heloderma suspectum). Gila monsters are large-bodied, desert dwelling lizards that experience periods of seasonal dehydration. Additionally, the effects of dehydration on their physiology and behavior have been extensively studied. We hypothesized that dehydration would reduce VMT. As expected, there was a significant decrease in exit temperature as blood osmolality increased. This is presumed to be in an effort to decrease water loss. Adaptations that allow desert dwelling organisms to conserve water are highly advantageous due to seasonal water constraints. Our findings offer insight on how the behavior of these organisms may change in response to changes in climate.
ContributorsHartson, Callie Elizabeth (Author) / DeNardo, Dale (Thesis director) / Angilletta, Michael (Committee member) / Camacho, Agus (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05

Wandering Paws

Description
Objective: To explore the dimensions of the human animal bond and provide a community needs assessment to inform the community stake holders such as the Arizona Humane Society and Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust Foundation how many animals are in need of veterinary services within the homeless population of Phoenix,…

Objective: To explore the dimensions of the human animal bond and provide a community needs assessment to inform the community stake holders such as the Arizona Humane Society and Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust Foundation how many animals are in need of veterinary services within the homeless population of Phoenix, Arizona. In addition to this, pets of the homeless individuals will be able to gain access to veterinary services for eight consecutive weeks. Background: Pets have an important impact on human mental, physical, social, and emotional health. It has been reported that about one third of the homeless population in Arizona has pets that are not able to gain access to veterinary care (Wang, 2015). Most homeless shelters will not allow people to access services with pets. As a consequence people will sleep out in the streets. Animals as Lifechangers and Lifesavers: Pets in the Redemption Narratives of Homeless People (Irvine, 2013) contains interviews of homeless people based on their life stories. A common theme among interviewees was that they felt they had a responsibility to their pets that served as a motivating purpose for giving up horrible personal habits because they had a sense of responsibility. Methods/Materials: Wandering Paws was launched in February 2015, but did not officially start as an eight-week study until March 2016. This pilot program serves the homeless populations' dogs and cats with veterinary care. The Arizona Humane Society was approached to acquire their services for this project including a veterinarian, a technician, and usage of their seventy-one foot mobile unit. Homeless individuals who wanted veterinary services were recruited and asked to fill out a twenty-three-question survey. Secondary data was procured from the Arizona Humane Society about the animal and services rendered for that pet. Results: Over the course of the first four weeks 22 surveys have been completed. 86% of the surveys completed indicate a strong bond between the owner and animal. The remaining 14% of the surveys completed indicate a weaker bond between the animal and owner. Conclusion/Implications: The research indicates a strong connection between most people and their animals. The veterinary services provided for the homeless population should be continued on a monthly basis as a wellness clinic in the future, as these services are in great demand.
ContributorsHowarth, Amber (Author) / DeNardo, Dale (Thesis director) / Thatcher, Craig (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
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Physician and Veterinarian Suicide: A Comparative Literature Review

Description

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and statistical analysis of suicide by profession reveals that physicians and veterinarians experience abnormally high suicide rates. This paper seeks to provide a comprehensive literature review over what some general theories of suicide are, why these professions exhibit high suicide…

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and statistical analysis of suicide by profession reveals that physicians and veterinarians experience abnormally high suicide rates. This paper seeks to provide a comprehensive literature review over what some general theories of suicide are, why these professions exhibit high suicide rates, what assistance is currently being provided, and where do these assistance efforts succeed or fail. Moreover, this paper addresses what advancements may be made within these fields to further combat suicide in physicians and veterinarians. To achieve this, general theories behind suicide, risk factors unique to or heavily prevalent in these professions, and current assistance efforts are read, organized, and summarized.<br/><br/>A summary of these risk factors includes stress and mental health disorders accumulated through school and work, personal and professional isolation, access to lethal substances, suicide contagion, exposure to euthanasia, and the role of perfectionism. There are several assistance efforts in place with the most successful ones being highly personalized, but many are still underutilized. Moreover, the stigma of suicide pervades these professions and is addressed by several researchers as something to combat or prevent. Going forward, it is hopeful that not only will more assistance efforts will be created and provided for physicians and veterinarians suffering from suicidal tendencies, but efforts to reduce the stigma of suicide be implemented and utilized as soon as possible.
ContributorsSinclair, Andrew (Author) / DeNardo, Dale (Thesis director) / Sterner, Beckett (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05