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Description
Psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found organically in psychedelic mushrooms, is currently classified as a Schedule I drug with no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Schedule I classification regulations on psilocybin largely makes doing significant research infeasible due to bureaucratic and financial barriers. Despite this classification, some researchers have studied the impact of ingesting psilocybin as a means of treating mental disorders and other conditions. Current and past research shows promising results for psilocybin’s ability to alleviate symptoms associated with mental disorders while also having a low abuse potential. In the interest of public benefit for the discovery of novel treatments and insight into brain function, psilocybin must be redesignated to allow for more extensive research in order to determine its therapeutic potential.
ContributorsPuttick, Jessica (Author) / Zarazua, Cristal (Co-author) / Rigoni, Adam (Thesis director) / Fong, Benjamin (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Complex Adaptive Systems (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Abstract: With the advent of the prophet Muhammad in the seventh century CE, Arabia was unified under a single state. Such a historical development is essential to understand and appreciate. The life and career of the Prophet has been analyzed by both Muslims and non-Muslims alike. There is generally a lot of overlap between both groups of interpretations. However, the hierarchy of contributing factors to the unification of Arabia remains controversial. In my thesis, I put forth the significance of the Islamic religious teachings in this process of unification and centralization of power.
ContributorsKhatib, Ahmad (Author) / Liew, Han (Thesis director) / Kefeli, Agnes (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Historical, Philosophical & Religious Studies, Sch (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
This project offers a multi-perspective overview of why art matters in ecology. Combining the research of others with my own art and insight from within the academic system, I address the breadth of applications that art has in science education. The goal of this project is to show that creative engagement can foster a sustainable mindset, make science-learning more accessible, and encourage progress in social and environmental justice in an integrative, interdisciplinary way.
ContributorsSvitak, Lo (Author) / Barca, Lisa (Thesis director) / Chew, Matthew (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Refugees are considered to be at risk for poorer health outcomes and it becomes important to understand the barriers for these individuals and providers who work with this population. There was no literature specifically addressing the inconveniences refugee providers face in having patients continue long-term medical care. This paper qualitatively investigated barriers to continuing care by looking from the perspective of professionals who work with these populations. Through conducting interviews with professionals within Arizona working with refugees, immigrants, and asylum seekers using guiding questions, qualitative data was gathered on key areas like communication barriers, cultural competency training needs, logistical hurdles, and resource limitations.
The findings reveal that the most significant obstacles faced by providers in achieving continuity of care are related to transferring medical records and referrals, health literacy, data tracking, language interpretation barriers, and transportation limitations. The most common barriers noted were gaps in patient education and health literacy, as well as budgeting and expenditure tracking. In discussion of these barriers, solutions found to be most effective, respectively, are scheduling upcoming appointments in-office, clear after-care visit summaries, community outreach/workshops, centralized tracking documents, and better utilization of cultural health workers.
Organizations working with refugee, immigrant, and/or asylum-seeker populations should consider these insights from providers when developing strategies to improve continuity of care. Though there is still a need to expand research on provider tools to ease long-term care to refugee patient populations, this study shows preliminary evidence of effective approaches that can inform policy decisions in refugee health.
ContributorsAbdullah, Mena (Author) / DeLargy, Pamela (Thesis director) / DiVito, Brittany (Committee member) / Kenny, Katherine (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
The overturning of Roe v. Wade in June of 2022 has left a lasting mark on the United
States as it entered a Post Roe era that has dramatically changed the course of reproductive
freedom, leaving much uncertainty throughout the country. With termination laws now at the
discretion of the states rather than the federal government, the fate of access to pregnancy
termination for medical indications is at stake. One area in healthcare where the overturning of
Roe v. Wade is expected to demonstrate a significant impact is within prenatal care for
individuals and couples at an increased risk of having a child affected by a genetic condition.
This study aims to understand the impact the Post Roe Era has had on the conversations
prenatal genetic counselors have with their patients considering termination in the southwest
of the United States across the states of California, Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico. The
complexities of prenatal genetic counselors’ experiences with Roe v. Wade will be described by
analyzing survey responses and informational interviews with practicing genetic counselors.
When Roe v. Wade was overturned, it changed how prenatal genetic counselors care for their
patients. The types of discussions providers have surrounding pregnancy termination now vary
widely across the fifty states.
ContributorsCasey, Allison (Author) / Hunt Brendish, Katherine (Thesis director) / Haskin, Jennifer (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Within ocean conservation marketing and campaigns, two schools of thought can be identified. The species savior mindset uses emotionally provoking imagery of specific keystone species like the polar bear or sea turtle in order to promote conservation. This method of marketing relies on audience familiarity and emotions and is easily exploitable for greenwashing by companies like Starbucks and Coca-Cola. Alternatively, the ecosystem mindset emphasizes a bottom-up view of the non-hierarchical interconnections between species in the food web, rather than just the minimizing trickle-down effects of keystone species. This form of marketing relates importance of all species to the health of ecosystems, as well as the vitality of biodiversity. This marketing is better suited to the future needs of the conservation movement and would translate better to lasting, meaningful change.
ContributorsStooks, Jacqueline (Author) / Han, Lisa (Thesis director) / Broglio, Ron (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) accounts for 10% of patients on dialysis and leads to a complete life transformation, as patients suffer from pain, fatigue, and isolation. With 22% of ADPKD patients experiencing depression, this study hoped to unveil specific coping strategies that mediate the link between patients’ sources of social support and levels of depression (Simms et al., 2016). Online survey data was collected with a sample of ADPKD adults (N= 81, 67.9% female), administering measures that capture social support (SS), coping strategies (CS), and depression. Mediation analyses revealed that the relationship between three types of social support (e.g., family, friends, and significant others) and depression, were significantly mediated by two types of coping strategies: acceptance (p < 0.05 - 0.01) and planning (p < 0.001). More specifically, acceptance coping partially mediated the link between the social support of family and significant others and depression, whereas acceptance coping demonstrated a trend towards partial mediation in the link between friends’ social support and depression, with acceptance mitigating depression. Interestingly, utilizing planning coping masked the link between familial social support and depression, such that planning increased depression. Taken together, ADPKD patients who learn to accept their diagnosis are less depressed, while those who plan ahead experience greater depression.
ContributorsFusciello, Chiara (Author) / Taylor, Teri (Thesis director) / Flores, Valerie (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Chromothripsis, a phenomenon characterized by complex chromosomal rearrangements, has garnered significant attention in cancer research due to its potential implications in disease pathogenesis and progression. In this study, we investigate the role of chromothripsis in multiple myeloma (MM) using the EJM cell line as a model system. Through a comprehensive analysis of genome assembly methods and alignment algorithms, we aim to elucidate the impact of chromothripsis on the genomic landscape of MM and its potential clinical relevance. Our results highlight the efficacy of HifiASM and Shasta assemblers in handling complex genomic rearrangements associated with MM, suggesting their utility in genomic research and clinical applications. Comparative analyses of alignment lengths and coverage provide insights into assembly methodologies and algorithmic nuances, emphasizing the importance of selecting appropriate tools for accurate reconstruction of chromothripsis-affected genomes. Additionally, our study underscores the need for further optimization of assembly methodologies and analysis metrics, as well as the exploration of novel therapeutic strategies targeting chromothripsis-mediated genomic alterations in MM. Overall, our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of chromothripsis in MM pathogenesis and pave the way for personalized treatment approaches in MM patients.
ContributorsKulkarni, Nisha (Author) / Lynch, John (Thesis director) / Keats, Jonathan (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Computer Science and Engineering Program (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Caregiving for a disabled or ill relative can be an extremely stressful role, leading to increased acute physiological responses to stress and also chronic cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes. Furthermore, an important consideration for studying CVD and daily stress in caregivers is less is known about gender differences in the effects of caregiving. The aims of this study were to examine the associations between gender and daily stressors on cardiovascular health in caregivers. A sample of 1,841 respondents (ranging from 33-84 years) from the Midlife in the United States study answered a question about caregiving and participated in both a daily diary and biomarker subprojects. Within the sample, only 13.04% of respondents classified themselves as caregivers. Regression analysis was used to test 1. whether stressor exposure and stressor reactivity, which is the emotional response to stress, differ by caregiver status and gender, 2. cardiovascular health as indicated by the American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple Seven measure (on scale of poor, intermediate, or ideal) is predicted by caregiving status and gender, 3. whether daily stress is associated with Life’s Simple Seven, and 4. whether daily stress moderates the associations between caregiving and gender with cardiovascular health. Important findings of the study included that caregivers and women experienced more daily stressors, while caregivers and men had greater cardiovascular risk, but this was not related to experience of daily stressors. These results are discussed within the context of study limitations and opportunities for future research building upon daily stress and caregiving.
ContributorsBiernot, Kelsey (Author) / Koffer, Rachel (Thesis director) / Gómez-Morales, Abigail (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
If students receive a form of sexual education, it usually occurs in their K-12 years in the United States. This education serves to prepare them for sexual activity as they transition into adulthood. The study sheds light on the importance of comprehensive and inclusive sexual education in reducing stigma and promoting healthy decision-making for all students. Our study aims to examine various factors influencing a college student's sexual health, including their sexual identity, religious affiliation, regional differences in K-12, sexual education, students' perceptions of their sexual education, and their comfort in discussing these topics with healthcare providers. A survey was conducted using responses from 200 ASU students, which collected data on their sexual behavior, and their responses were used to assess their level of sexual risk. Additionally, data was collected on topics outlined in our research questions, which explored several factors that can impact sexual health. Independent samples t-tests were conducted to analyze these correlations. The findings suggested a correlation between comprehensive sexual health education and increased positive and healthy behaviors related to sexual health. While some of our hypotheses were supported, the only statistically significant one was the impact of regional K-12 sexual health education on college students' sexual health. Overall, our study highlights the importance of implementing nationwide, comprehensive sexual education to promote healthy lifestyles and prepare adolescents with the knowledge to make informed decisions as they prepare for their transition into adulthood.
ContributorsStrasser, Maria (Author) / Brown, Taylor (Co-author) / Berkel, Cady (Thesis director) / Koskan, Alexis (Committee member) / Beaumont, Sarah (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2024-05