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- Creators: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Description
Meteorology is an uncommon term rarely resonating through elementary classrooms. However, it is a concept found in both fourth and sixth grade Arizona science standards. As issues involving the environment are becoming more pertinent, it is important to study and understand atmospheric processes along with fulfilling the standards for each grade level. This thesis project teaches the practical skills of weather map reading and weather forecasting through the creation and execution of an after school lesson with the aide of seven teen assistants.
ContributorsChoulet, Shayna (Author) / Walters, Debra (Thesis director) / Oliver, Jill (Committee member) / Balling, Robert (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Contributor)
Created2012-12
Description
Plants are essential to human life. They release oxygen into the atmosphere for us to breathe. They also provide shelter, medicine, clothing, tools, and food. For many people, the food that is on their tables and in their supermarkets isn't given much thought. Where did it come from? What part of the plant is it? How does it relate to others in the plant kingdom? How do other cultures use this plant? The most many of us know about them is that they are at the supermarket when we need them for dinner (Nabhan, 2009) (Vileisis, 2008).
ContributorsBarron, Kara (Author) / Landrum, Leslie (Thesis director) / Swanson, Tod (Committee member) / Pigg, Kathleen (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Contributor)
Created2012-12
DescriptionBased on previous research and findings it is proven that a non-profit class to create awareness will be beneficial in the prevention of eating disorders. This analysis will provide significant research to defend the proposed class.
ContributorsAllen, Brittany (Author) / Chung, Deborah (Author) / Fey, Richard (Thesis director) / Peck, Sidnee (Committee member) / Mazurkiewicz, Milena (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Contributor)
Created2012-12
Description
Restraint stress is the most commonly used laboratory stressor. It is difficult to characterize as psychological or physical, because past studies show psychological features, but the nature of confinement adds a physical dimension. This was the first study to investigate how experience with restraint stress affects brain response to the next stress without a physical burden. Pair-housed adult male rats were transported to a novel context and restrained or left undisturbed (6hr). The next day, rats were returned to the same context and were either restrained or left undisturbed in the context (n=8/group). After 90min, rats were euthanized to determine functional activation in limbic structures using Fos immunohistochemistry and to measure HPA axis reactivity through blood serum corticosterone levels. Regardless of day 1 experience, context exposure on day 2 enhanced Fos expression in CA1 and CA3 of the hippocampus, basolateral amygdala, and central amygdala. Conversely, other regions and corticosterone levels demonstrated modulation from the previous day's experience. Specifically, rats that were placed back into the restraint context but not restrained on day 2 showed enhanced Fos expression in the dentate gyrus suprapyramidal blade (DGSup), and infralimbic cortex (IL). Also Fos expression was attenuated in rats that received two restraint exposures in the IL and medial amygdala (MEA), suggesting habituation. Only the DG infrapyramidal blade (DGInf) showed enhanced Fos expression to restraint on day 2 without influence of the previous day. While context predominately directed Fos activation, prior experience with restraint influenced Fos expression in the DGSup, IL, MEA and corticosterone levels to support restraint having psychological components.
ContributorsAnouti, P. Danya (Author) / Conrad, D. Cheryl (Thesis director) / Hammer, Ronald (Committee member) / Hoffman, N. Ann (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Contributor)
Created2012-12
Description
For over a century, researchers have been investigating collective cognition, in which a group of individuals together process information and act as a single cognitive unit. However, I still know little about circumstances under which groups achieve better (or worse) decisions than individuals. My dissertation research directly addressed this longstanding question, using the house-hunting ant Temnothorax rugatulus as a model system. Here I applied concepts and methods developed in psychology not only to individuals but also to colonies in order to investigate differences of their cognitive abilities. This approach is inspired by the superorganism concept, which sees a tightly integrated insect society as the analog of a single organism. I combined experimental manipulations and models to elucidate the emergent processes of collective cognition. My studies show that groups can achieve superior cognition by sharing the burden of option assessment among members and by integrating information from members using positive feedback. However, the same positive feedback can lock the group into a suboptimal choice in certain circumstances. Although ants are obligately social, my results show that they can be isolated and individually tested on cognitive tasks. In the future, this novel approach will help the field of animal behavior move towards better understanding of collective cognition.
ContributorsSasaki, Takao (Author) / Pratt, Stephen C (Thesis advisor) / Amazeen, Polemnia (Committee member) / Liebig, Jürgen (Committee member) / Janssen, Marco (Committee member) / Fewell, Jennifer (Committee member) / Hölldobler, Bert (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
Description
The spread of invasive species may be greatly affected by human responses to prior species spread, but models and estimation methods seldom explicitly consider human responses. I investigate the effects of management responses on estimates of invasive species spread rates. To do this, I create an agent-based simulation model of an insect invasion across a county-level citrus landscape. My model provides an approximation of a complex spatial environment while allowing the "truth" to be known. The modeled environment consists of citrus orchards with insect pests dispersing among them. Insects move across the simulation environment infesting orchards, while orchard managers respond by administering insecticide according to analyst-selected behavior profiles and management responses may depend on prior invasion states. Dispersal data is generated in each simulation and used to calculate spread rate via a set of estimators selected for their predominance in the empirical literature. Spread rate is a mechanistic, emergent phenomenon measured at the population level caused by a suite of latent biological, environmental, and anthropogenic. I test the effectiveness of orchard behavior profiles on invasion suppression and evaluate the robustness of the estimators given orchard responses. I find that allowing growers to use future expectations of spread in management decisions leads to reduced spread rates. Acting in a preventative manner by applying insecticide before insects are actually present, orchards are able to lower spread rates more than by reactive behavior alone. Spread rates are highly sensitive to spatial configuration. Spatial configuration is hardly a random process, consisting of many latent factors often not accounted for in spread rate estimation. Not considering these factors may lead to an omitted variables bias and skew estimation results. The ability of spread rate estimators to predict future spread varies considerably between estimators, and with spatial configuration, invader biological parameters, and orchard behavior profile. The model suggests that understanding the latent factors inherent to dispersal is important for selecting phenomenological models of spread and interpreting estimation results. This indicates a need for caution when evaluating spread. Although standard practice, current empirical estimators may both over- and underestimate spread rate in the simulation.
ContributorsShanafelt, David William (Author) / Fenichel, Eli P (Thesis advisor) / Richards, Timothy (Committee member) / Janssen, Marco (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
I conducted a qualitative, comparative study on the nursing education systems in the United Kingdom and the United States, focusing on two universities—Arizona State University in Phoenix, Arizona and Leeds Beckett University in Leeds, England. The goals of my thesis included comparing the educational, economic, and cultural aspects of the countries and how those aspects impact nursing students on both sides of the pond. The educational and economic aspects were compared by utilizing existing literature and open data sources such as the university websites and publications from comparative education journals, while the cultural differences were evaluated by conducting short, one-on-one interviews with students enrolled in the Adult Health courses at both universities. The findings from the interviews were transcribed and coded, and findings from the sites were compared. While there is an extensive amount of research published regarding comparative education, there has not been much published comparing these developed countries. While there is a significant difference in the structure and cost of the nursing programs, there are more similarities than differences in culture between nursing students interviewed in the US and those interviewed in the UK.
ContributorsTahiliani, Shreja (Author) / Hagler, Debra (Thesis director) / Allen, Angela (Committee member) / Arizona State University. College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
The goal of this creative project is to explain the different roles of advanced practice nursing as well as the role of a registered nurse. Advanced practice nursing roles include Certified Nurse Practitioner, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Certified Clinical Nurse Specialist, and Certified Nurse Midwife. The role of the registered nurse is included in this website because this role is the foundation for becoming an advanced practice nurse and is an equally important role. The target audience for the website is potential nursing students, current nursing students, and licensed nurses who desire to advance their career and are looking for more information about each role. This comprehensive website includes the scope of practice, salary, educational programs, and an interview with a nurse in each role. The description of each advanced practice role includes audio and visual aids to appeal to different types of learners. In depth education regarding advanced practice nursing roles will make current and future nurses more aware of the endless possibilities of a career in nursing. Nurses provide education to patients every day, but there is rarely adequate education provided to nurses regarding their profession or professional advancement opportunities. Nursing is a patient-focused career and sometimes nurses forget to focus on their own personal growth while caring for others. This one-stop website promotes nurse to nurse education by thoroughly explaining each advanced practice role. All of the information in this website is publically available through the internet and this website is meant solely for educational purposes.
ContributorsThompson, Rachel (Co-author) / Banchik, Jennifer (Co-author) / Peterson, Katherine (Thesis director) / Kriz, Lindsey (Committee member) / Spahr, Nancy (Committee member) / School of Community Resources and Development (Contributor) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor) / Arizona State University. College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation (Contributor) / T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2015-12
Description
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most prevalent form of cancer in both genders and second highest cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Despite the availability of preventative CRC screening, Latinos as a group are of particular concern for CRC as they tend to have a lower screening rate, contributing to the possibility of late-stage diagnosis or even death. However, little is known about the perceptions of CRC screening and factors which contribute to beliefs about CRC in Latinos. Most studies are quantitative and rarely include a qualitative approach focusing on cultural aspects and communication with physicians. The purpose of this study was to explore participants' perceived facilitators and barriers to CRC screening, as well as perspectives on physician recommendation and fatalism, using a qualitative approach. A convenience and snowball sampling were used to collect the data. Eight English-speaking Latino individuals (M age=56 years; 75% female) in the Phoenix, Arizona area were invited to 60-90 minute in-depth interviews on perceptions of the colorectal cancer screening process. Ten major themes emerged from the interviews: (1) lacking awareness and knowledge of CRC screening, (2) attitude toward CRC and screening, (3) availability of preventive care, (4) physician trust, (5) fear, (6) desire for increased information, (7) personal learning, (8) lifestyle factors, (9) cultural impact, and (10) willingness to change lifestyle. Results indicated varying levels of perceived knowledge of colorectal cancer, little perceived risk of diagnosis, desire for more information, and a high level of physician trust. Implications for nursing included increased need for CRC screening educational resources, as well as further investigation of the influence of fatalistic belief in CRC screening compliance for the Latino population.
ContributorsMagdaleno, Claire Rose (Author) / Kim, Sunny (Thesis director) / McNulty, Julie (Committee member) / Arizona State University. College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2015-12
Description
This past summer, I met a young lady named Ashley (name has been changed) who has been diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease. Upon researching this condition in greater detail, I learned that many medical providers who base their practice on the best evidence do not support treating patients for a chronic Lyme infection, the existence of which has not been substantially supported with research. I inquired about the process that led her to seek treatment for chronic Lyme disease at Jemsek Specialty Clinic. I learned that after many inaccurate diagnoses and years of unhelpful treatments, Ashley finally rejected the help offered by traditional medical doctors because she felt they were uncaring and inattentive, and went somewhere she felt heard. What she deserved, however, was both care that was based in scientific research and care that felt compassionate, as has been promoted by the nursing field. Despite the lack of a confirmed medical diagnosis, Ashley's day to day symptoms and struggles could be addressed with nursing care. I then constructed a nursing care plan to be implemented by Ashley's family and friends to help her feel her best and live a fulfilling life despite chronic disease. Patients should not have to choose between a healthcare provider who utilizes the strongest scientific evidence and one they feel understands them, though many do. Nursing can unite these mindsets by alleviating the daily challenges patients face. Please see the website http://careplanforashley.blogspot.com
ContributorsKnochel, Amanda Marie (Author) / Panchmatia, Bella (Thesis director) / Mishark, Kenneth (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Arizona State University. College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation (Contributor)
Created2014-05