Matching Items (272)
Description
Across large areas of eastern and midwestern North America, a severe reduction in multiple populations of bat species has been observed as the result of the emerging fungal disease, white-nose syndrome (WNS). WNS is caused by a psychrophilic (i.e. cold loving) fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), that invades the skin of bats during hibernation. Recent studies have shown that during hibernation, bats have decreased immune system activity which would suggest increased susceptibility to infection. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are an important component of the innate immune system and are expressed constitutively within all tissues that serve as barriers against infection. Killing pathogens at the level of the skin could prevent the need for more complex immune responses likely inhibited during hibernation, and therefore AMPs could be critical in combating infection by Pd and reducing population loss of susceptible bat species. In this investigation, the fungicidal activity of commercially available AMPs derived from the skin of multiple taxa, including amphibians, catfish, and humans were compared in order to study immunity at the level of the skin. Additionally, our aim was to create optimal methods for a low-cost antimicrobial-assay protocol that would provide quantitative results. We found that killing abilities at various concentrations of dermaseptin S-1 against Ca ATCC 10231 were consistent with literature values, while our values for magainin 2 and parasin 1 were far from the values previously recorded by other studies. It is possible that some differences can be accounted for by the difference in antimicrobial assay procedures, but our findings suggest potential differences to the well-known killing abilities of certain peptides nonetheless. Overall, the protocol established for the antimicrobial assays using serial dilutions and Sabouraud Dextrose plates was successful.
ContributorsLake, Alexis (Co-author) / Frazier, Eric (Co-author) / Moore, Marianne (Thesis director) / Penton, Christopher (Committee member) / W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Captive animals live in extremely controlled environments, within which they are seldom required to forage or hunt for their food, protect their territory from invaders, or generally seek out common resources necessary for survival in the wild. Typically, captive species will exhibit fewer behaviors than their wild counterparts, but this can be remedied through enrichment programs. This study recorded observations of Hamadryas Baboons at the Phoenix Zoo, who exhibited decreased foraging and drinking behaviors as well as an alternative form of social hierarchy. Analysis of these observations suggested further enrichments to encourage the emergence of these behaviors be adopted including an open water source, mobile visual barriers for the exhibit, and providing novel food items which require higher levels of processing.
ContributorsSmolinski, Hannah Joy (Author) / Martin, Thomas (Thesis director) / Caron, Martha (Committee member) / College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
This paper documents the work completed as part of the graduation requirements from Barrett, The Honors College. My project focused on researching, organizing, and presenting information to other ASU aviation students for the purpose of guiding them in how to effectively search for internships. My internship experiences led to a full-time job offer and this project aims to help provide other aviation students with the same opportunities.
ContributorsSmith, Ashley Nicole (Author) / Niemczyk, Mary (Thesis director) / Latham, Verne (Committee member) / Aviation Programs (Contributor) / College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Sexual violence is a serious epidemic plaguing college campuses in the United States. At Arizona State University, students are expected to care for themselves, each other, and their community. To help foster this community of care, ASU provides various resources and educational programs to teach students, staff, and faculty about sexual violence and their role in its prevention. Students, staff, and faculty have the ability to manipulate their environment to discourage sexual violence and encourage a culture in which sexual violence is not tolerated. As a student programming coordinator for Arizona State's Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Program (SVPEP), I have worked in collaboration with SVPEP Staff, the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and the Panhellenic Council to develop the Sexual Violence Prevention and Leadership Development Program for Sorority Women (SSVLP). The SSVLP is a six week, comprehensive sexual violence prevention program that provides emerging leaders in the sorority community with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to facilitate change in the culture of violence by taking action in their own community. The following project is consists of an overview of the program, evidence that the program helps to change behaviors and attitudes, and a participant weekly workbook that program participants are required to bring with them to their session each week.
ContributorsMillner, Riley Paige (Author) / King, Kristy (Thesis director) / Frick, Kimberly (Committee member) / School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (Contributor) / College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Nutrition has been around for as long as human beings have resided on the planet, giving it one of the most impactful roles in history, particularly in medicine. Certain herbs or dietary restrictions could help individuals recover from illnesses—this form of healing has been passed down generations, which medical providers from all over the world take advantage of. Before the era of antibiotics and pharmaceutical companies, food was the medicine used to treat. As civilization has flourished and become progressive, it seems that certain qualities of the past have been forgotten, such as the power of diet. Medical providers like to push patients towards pharmaceutical intervention because of the financial profit that this method entails, which has been shown to backfire. These interventions are not solving the true problem, but only applying a short-term solution. Dietary restrictions as well as the increase in heart-healthy foods can entirely reverse these conditions in order to avoid the fatal effects they may have. With the increase in nutritional education amongst the population via medical providers, specifically primary care providers, patients are able to reverse the symptoms of effects of chronic cardiovascular disease amongst others.
ContributorsTarin, Marjan (Author) / Huffman, Holly (Thesis director) / Moore, Marianne (Committee member) / College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-12
Description
This creative project aimed to combine knowledge, qualifications, and experience in networking and marketing to host a live music event. As a social media industry employee, an avid concertgoer, and a digital marketer, I felt sufficiently able to complete this task. The process included working within the Barrett budget to secure a venue and acts with the option of paid marketing for the event. Once I secured The Graduate Hotel and three acts— bands Study Habit and Moose Titans and DJ/emcee Malcolm Alexndr—it was time to publicize the event. I found a photographer and organized a photo shoot then created social media profiles and a website with these photos. In total, the attendance was roughly 100 people, and the night was a smash success.
Keywords: event planning, social media, music
Keywords: event planning, social media, music
ContributorsGilliam, Taylor Mikel (Author) / Shockley, Gordon (Thesis director) / Hultsman, Wendy (Committee member) / College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
PACS AmeriCorps is a partnership program between AmeriCorps and the Maricopa County Superior Court. The program provides grant funding to staff the Court's Law Library Resource Centers with AmeriCorps members. These members provide self-represented litigants with assistance in a variety of areas, including with court forms, protective orders, and general court information and navigation. Their work is critical in providing access to justice for some of Maricopa County's most vulnerable residents who are navigating both a complex judicial system and, often, a difficult and emotional time in their personal lives. Now in its third grant year, the program has grown significantly in size and scope, and this growth underscored the need for a physical training and reference manual for the incoming class of members. The main undertaking of this project was to create such a manual. For this project, members of the 2016-2017 PACS AmeriCorps program were surveyed about their experiences with both their training and learning on the job. Members identified the strengths and weaknesses of past training sessions and provided ideas for future ones. The results of this survey were then incorporated into the development of a comprehensive training and reference manual that was utilized during training sessions for the 2017-2018 class of members on September 25th and 26th, 2017. After several weeks, a post-survey similar to the pre-survey was administered to the new class of members, and their answers were analyzed and compared to the feedback from 2016-2017. The results of the survey showed an increase in on-the-job confidence and overall satisfaction with training after the addition of the training manual, although some members noted aspects in need of development. Based on the results of the survey, ideas for further improvement in subsequent years were identified.
ContributorsOliver, Nicole Brianna (Author) / Roe-Sepowitz, Dominique (Thesis director) / Haught, Shawn (Committee member) / School of Public Affairs (Contributor) / College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-12
Description
The truth about animal husbandry is not being explained properly to those who visit zoos, or, more importantly, to those who vehemently oppose zoos and animal captivity. Currently, the quality of modern zoos is communicated from within the zoo, where most animal rights activists would never step foot. I have researched the current influence of animal welfare on the practice of behavioral husbandry in modern institutions. In order to bring benefits of behavioral research to the debate on animal welfare, I have also observed two tigers at the Out of Africa Wildlife Park in Camp Verde, Arizona. The reality is that modern zoos are dedicated to improving the quality of life in captivity for rescued animals and to providing education and genetic diversity for their species. Accreditation standards are constantly evolving with discovery and criticism from professionals in the field of animal husbandry and behavior. Even tigers at the Out of Africa Wildlife Park display minimal stereotypic behaviors compared to other studies of captive tigers, and both of these cats also participate in healthy play and environmental enrichment use. Current advancements in animal welfare, enrichment, and animal husbandry project an excellent outlook for the zoological facilities of the future.
ContributorsSamuelson, Maisy Louise (Author) / Meloy, Elizabeth (Thesis director) / Caron, Martha (Committee member) / College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-12
Description
I analyzed a non-profit's educational content website called SolarSPELL and proposed to redesign its interface. SolarSPELL is a solar-powered, offline site that can be accessed without wifi. It looks and behaves exactly like a real website. SolarSPELL is used by children and community members in developing countries across the world, including Africa and the Pacific Islands. The original site was not intuitive or easy to use, which deterred users with low technical literacy, lowering its effectiveness and defeating its purpose of providing educational materials to schools in the community, because users were less likely to use it to access educational content. The website was not responsive, meaning that it did not resize well to fit tablet and mobile devices. I redesigned the site's UX based on user feedback and expert advice to create wireframes that improved the site's layout and user flow to make it more intuitive. I pulled user comments from past surveys on the site and designed solutions to each of the user's complaints. I implemented a filter system and a universal search bar to improve the process of finding specific pieces of content. I designed prototypes using Adobe Illustrator to create the visual side of the interface. I designed my wireframes and prototypes with responsiveness in mind, creating versions for desktop, mobile and tablet. I also illustrated banners for the East Africa and Native American versions of the site, featuring landscape and wildlife from the respective regions. This interface redesign will be coded into a working site and distributed to communities around the world.
ContributorsThielen, Bethany Meishal (Author) / Hosman, Laura (Thesis director) / Ralston, Laurel (Committee member) / College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Mikhail Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita has been misunderstood by some scholars in terms of interpreting the character of Ivan, otherwise known as Homeless. Past researchers have looked at Ivan and found him to be a spiritual failure in not carrying on the tale of the Master's novel. In this paper, it is argued Ivan the poet actually achieves a spiritual state superior to the other character's in the novel. By the novel's end readers witness a rebirth of Ivan into one who yearly has a intimate spiritual vision involving Yeshua. Meanwhile other characters like the Master or his love Margarita end the novel in only a purgatory-like space which leaves them neither in the arms of a spiritual experience nor on earth. But Ivan is able to experience both the spiritual and the physical at the same time. Conclusions of this nature are drawn from the writings of Orthodox Father Pavel Florensky whose writings on aesthetics are heavily reflected in the novel. Ivan comes to embody the standard of Fr. Florensky's writings which glorify a person who has turned towards God. This then is the ultimate in beauty, the reflection of God who is the standard of goodness and beauty. Ivan then at the novel's end is able to experience a sense of closeness with God through a vision where he sees a Christlike figure. The dream causes him to become calm and at peace. He has in effect turned towards God and then embodies the goodness of God. Therefore, the spiritual state of Ivan is one who has garnered a closer connection with God than any other character in the novel.
ContributorsPierce, Phillip David (Author) / Orlich, Ileana (Thesis director) / Sipka, Danko (Committee member) / College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05