Matching Items (52)
Filtering by
Description
The use of synthetic cathinones or "bath salts" has risen dramatically in recent years with one of the most popular being Methylendioxypyrovalerone (MDPV). Following the temporary legislative ban on the sale and distribution of this compound , a multitude of other cathinone derivatives have been synthesized. The current study seeks to compare the abuse potential of MDPV with one of the emergent synthetic cathinones 4-methylethcathinone (4-MEC), based on their respective ability to lower current thresholds in an intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) paradigm. Following acute administration (0.1, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg/kg i.p.) MDPV was found to significantly lower ICSS thresholds at all doses tested (F4,35=11.549, p<0.001). However, following acute administration (0.3,1,3,10,30 mg/kg i.p) 4-MEC produced no significant ICSS threshold depression (F5,135= 0.622, p = 0.684). Together these findings suggest that while MDPV may possess significant abuse potential, other synthetic cathinones such as 4-MEC may have a drastically reduced potential for abuse.
ContributorsWegner, Scott Andrew (Author) / Olive, M. Foster (Thesis director) / Presson, Clark (Committee member) / Sanabria, Federico (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
The transition to lead-free solder in the electronics industry has benefitted the environment in many ways. However, with new materials systems comes new materials issues. During the processing of copper pads, a protective surface treatment is needed to prevent the copper from oxidizing. Characterizing the copper oxidation underneath the surface treatment is challenging but necessary for product reliability and failure analysis. Currently, FIB-SEM, which is time-consuming and expensive, is what is used to understand and analyze the surface treatment-copper oxide(s)-copper system. This project's goals were to determine a characterization methodology that cuts both characterization time and cost in half for characterizing copper oxidation beneath a surface treatment and to determine which protective surface treatment is the best as defined by multiple criterion such as cost, sustainability, and reliability. Two protective surface treatments, organic solderability preservative (OSP) and chromium zincate, were investigated, and multiple characterization techniques were researched. Six techniques were tested, and three were deemed promising. Through our studies, it was determined that the best surface treatment was organic solderability preservative (OSP) and the ideal characterization methodology would be using FIB-SEM to calibrate a QCM model, along with using SERA to confirm the QCM model results. The methodology we propose would result in a 91% reduction in characterization cost and a 92% reduction in characterization time. Future work includes further calibration of the QCM model using more FIB/SEM data points and eventually creating a model for oxide layer thickness as a function of exposure time and processing temperature using QCM as the primary data source. In doing my Capstone project for Intel, a large electronics manufacturing company, I feel it is important to remember the effects of our tools and industry on the environment and to consider the product life cycle in terms other than monetary gain and raw material recycling. To this end I will be discussing how lead is and was used in manufacturing, how it is disposed of, and how this effects the environment including plant, animal, and insect life, as well as ground water contamination. Since the ban was enacted several years ago, I will compare how lead-free alternatives currently in use compare in environmental impact and possibly raise the question of whether we have simply traded one evil for another.
ContributorsBranch Kelly, Marion Zoe (Author) / Adams, James (Thesis director) / Krause, Stephen (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Materials Science and Engineering Program (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Although wind turbine bearings are designed to operate 18-20 years, in the recent years premature failure among these bearings has caused this life to reduce to as low as a few months to a year. One of the leading causes of premature failure called white structure flaking is a mechanism that was first cited in literature decades ago but not much is understood about it even today. The cause of this mode of failure results from the initiation of white etched cracks (WECs). In this report, different failure mechanisms, especially premature failure mechanisms that were tested and analyzed are demonstrated as a pathway to understanding this phenomenon. Through the use of various tribometers, samples were tested in diverse and extreme conditions in order to study the effect of these different operational conditions on the specimen. Analysis of the tested samples allowed for a comparison of the microstructure alterations in the tested samples to the field bearings affected by WSF.
ContributorsSharma, Aman (Author) / Foy, Joseph (Thesis director) / Adams, James (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Program (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Females are highly vulnerable to the effects of methamphetamine, and understanding the mechanisms of this is critical to addressing methamphetamine use as a public health issue. Hormones may play a role in methamphetamine sensitivity; thus, the fluctuation of various endogenous peptides during the postpartum experience is of interest. This honors thesis project explored the relation between anxiety-like behavior, as measured by activity in an open field, and conditioned place preference to methamphetamine in female versus male rats. The behavior of postpartum as well as virgin female rats was compared to that of male rats. There was not a significant difference between males and females in conditioned place preference to methamphetamine, yet females showed higher locomotor activity in response to the drug as well as increased anxiety-like behavior in open field testing as compared to males. Further study is vital to comprehending the complex mechanisms of sex differences in methamphetamine addiction.
ContributorsBaker, Allison Nicole (Author) / Olive, M. Foster (Thesis director) / Presson, Clark (Committee member) / Hansen, Whitney (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
This research examines the presentation of ASD in fictional children's literature. The goal is to use the research collected to determine what symptoms of ASD are receiving coverage versus what is not being covered but needs to be in a children's book about ASD. This was accomplished by first consulting background literature on ASD before examining 40 children's books about characters on the spectrum. It was found that girls on the spectrum received less coverage than boys did, and that most books conformed to one of two types: looking at ASD through the eyes of a neurotypical child and looking at it through the eyes of a child who has it. This led to the proposed idea of a book about a girl on the spectrum that would alternate between her point of view and the point of view of her neurotypical friend, and the subsequent draft of said book.
ContributorsAnderson, Sarah (Contributor) / Baldini, Cajsa (Contributor) / Adams, James (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2014-12
Description
The semiconductor industry looks to constantly improve the efficiency of research and development in order to reduce costs and time to market. One such method was designed in order to decrease time spent inducing warpage in integrated circuits in an Intel research process. Intel's Atom product line seeks to compete with ARM architecture by entering the mobile devices CPU market. Due to the fundamental differences between the Atom's Bonnell architecture and the ARM architecture, the Intel Atom product line must utilize such improved research and development methods. Until power consumption is drastically lowered while maintaining processing speed, the Atom product line will not be able to effectively break into the mobile devices CPU market.
ContributorsLandseidel, Jack Adam (Author) / Adams, James (Thesis director) / Krause, Stephen (Committee member) / Anwar, Shahriar (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor) / Materials Science and Engineering Program (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
Sports related concussions, or mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI), have recently increased in prevalence, and thus gained a great deal of recognition from the public and the media. While the acute symptoms associated with concussions are well known, which include headaches, dizziness, vomiting, and fatigue, recent research has indicated that there can be severe chronic consequences of multiple conditions. Most notably, a disease called Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) has been linked to multiple mTBIs, which produces symptoms similar to Alzheimer's disease and dementia, in addition to personality changes, increased suicidality, and in some cases death. This knowledge has led the NFL to take steps to protect their players, and increase both the understanding and awareness of the problems associated with multiple concussions. This comes with many problems, however, as players and fans alike are quick to resist any type of change to the rules or policies present in football, in fear that it may damage the integrity of the game. The NFL is thus forced into a difficult position, and must balance public opinion and player safety. There are things that can be done, however, that do not threaten the game itself, such as investing in concussion research and safety equipment design that will more effectively protect the brain from concussions.
ContributorsAiello, Mimi Elizabeth (Author) / Olive, M. Foster (Thesis director) / Bimonte-Nelson, Heather (Committee member) / Camp, Bryan (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
The characteristics possessed by undergraduates who have enjoyed success in an intern position are defined. Through an interview process, four traits were identified: multitasking, strong team work understanding, an inquisitive nature, and application of a cross-disciplinary mindset. An exposition of how these four traits are employed to ensure success in an internship setting is then given. Finally, a personal account of a project with Intel is expounded upon. This project addressed the unoptimized characterization test time of an Intel package quality control process. It improved throughput by developing a parallel testing method by increasing package carrier capacity and utilizing simultaneous testing. The final design led to a 4x increase of throughput rate.
ContributorsHusein, Sebastian Saint Tsei (Author) / Adams, James (Thesis director) / Krause, Stephen (Committee member) / Jarrell, Joseph (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Materials Science and Engineering Program (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
Thirty six percent of Americans are obese and thirty three percent are overweight; obesity has become a known killer in the U.S. yet its prevalence has maintained a firm grasp on the U.S. population and continues to spread across the globe as other countries slowly adopt the American lifestyle. A survey was compiled collecting demographic and body mass index (BMI) information, as well as Tanofsky-Kraff’s (2009) “Assess Eating in the Absence of Hunger” survey questions. The survey used for this study was emailed out to Arizona State University students in Barrett, The Honors College, and the ASU School of Nutrition and Health Promotion listservs. A total of 457 participants completed the survey, 72 males and 385 females (mean age, 24.5±7.7 y; average body mass index (BMI), 23.4 ± 4.8 [a BMI of 25-29.9 is classified as overweight]). When comparing BMI with the living situation, 71% of obese students were living at home with family versus off campus with friends or alone. For comparison, 45% of normal weight students lived at home with family. These data could help structure prevention plans targeting college students by focusing on weight gain prevention at the family level. Results from the Tanofsky-Kraff (2009) survey revealed there was not a significant relationship between external or physical cues and BMI in men or women, but there was a significant positive correlation between emotional cues and BMI in women only. Anger and sadness were the emotional cues in women related to initiating consumption past satiation and consumption following several hours of fasting. Although BMI was inversely related to physical activity in this sample (r = -0.132; p=0.005), controlling for physical activity did not impact the significant associations of BMI with anger or sadness (P>0.05). This information is important in targeting prevention programs to address behavioral change and cognitive awareness of the effects of emotion on over-consumption.
ContributorsGarza, Andrea Marie (Author) / Johnston, Carol (Thesis director) / Jacobs, Mark (Committee member) / Coletta, Dawn (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
The unemployment rate for adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) sits between 88 and 95 percent. With the prevalence of ASDs growing by the year, the transition into adulthood is a problem this country will increasingly face. To shed light on this issue and spread awareness, the method was to create a documentary 26 minutes in length about the transition adults with ASDs face after graduating high school. The result was "Breaking the Spectrum," which includes testimony from adults with ASDs who have jobs, attend skills programs or go to college, experts in the field and founders of organizations who seek to decrease the unemployment rate.
ContributorsLancial, Alexandra Marie (Author) / Craft, John (Thesis director) / Adams, James (Committee member) / Dodge, Nancie (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor)
Created2014-05