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Using DNA nanotechnology a library of structures of various geometries have been built; these structures are modified chemically and/or enzymatically at nanometer precisions. With DNA being chemically very stable, these structures can be functionalized through an abundance of well-established protocols. Additionally, they can be used for various biological and medicinal

Using DNA nanotechnology a library of structures of various geometries have been built; these structures are modified chemically and/or enzymatically at nanometer precisions. With DNA being chemically very stable, these structures can be functionalized through an abundance of well-established protocols. Additionally, they can be used for various biological and medicinal purposes, such as drug delivery. For in vivo applications, the DNA nanostructures must have a long circulation life in the bloodstream; otherwise, they could be easily excreted shortly after entry. One way of making these nanostructures long lasting in the blood is to cover them with the biocompatible polymer, polyethylene glycol (PEG). Adding DNA to PEG before forming structures has been found to interfere in the hybridization of the DNA in the structure, resulting in formation of deformed structures. In this study we have developed a new methodology based on "click chemistry" (CC) to modify the surface of DNA nanostructures with PEG after they are formed. These structures can then be used for in vivo studies and potential applications in the future.
ContributorsSmith, Eric Lynn (Author) / Yan, Hao (Thesis director) / Liu, Yan (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (Contributor)
Created2015-05
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Description
Today, the global fashion industry is valued at $450 billion, and considered one of the most important sectors of the global economy (Global Action Through Fashion, 2015). The term fashion means more than just designing apparel or accessories as the industry encompasses jobs from production to inventory management, merchandising, marketing,

Today, the global fashion industry is valued at $450 billion, and considered one of the most important sectors of the global economy (Global Action Through Fashion, 2015). The term fashion means more than just designing apparel or accessories as the industry encompasses jobs from production to inventory management, merchandising, marketing, production, and retail management. The fashion industry is one of the world’s largest markets as it employs over 75 million people and generates $1.7 trillion in revenue annually (Global Action Through Fashion, 2015). It is a dynamic, fast-paced industry that requires constant innovation ideas and strategic planning.

Chloe Bosmeny and Audree López, senior marketing students at W. P. Carey have created a proposal for W. P. Carey School of Business and Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts to join together to create an interdisciplinary resource for students interested in pursuing a career in fashion. There are three recommendations in the thesis: the implementation of a Fashion Merchandising certificate encompassing both W. P. Carey and Herberger curriculum, ASU joining the Fashion Institute of Technology’s 3+1 program for dual degrees in New York City, and lastly, improving professional development and career recruitment for ASU students interested in fashion.

But why fashion at Arizona State University? Throughout college, Bosmeny and López struggled to gain the background, skills and experience needed to understand the fashion industry. They, like many of their peers, felt that without the credentials of a university-sponsored fashion program, they weren't marketable to employers. These challenges drove Bosmeny and López to advocate for more fashion resources at ASU.
Based on support from student surveys, in-depth interviews with industry professionals, feedback from ASU Alumni and input from ASU’s largest fashion organization, The Business of Fashion Club- there is a strong desire for increased fashion programming at ASU. There are currently 266 student theses surrounding the keyword “fashion” from Barrett, the Honors College, but there has not been a direct push from students to implement a program at ASU. This thesis aims to illustrate the important ways such programming will greatly benefit ASU and its stakeholders.

In our thesis we will investigate current ASU opportunities related to fashion, gather information from fashion business professionals, gauge student interest in pursuing careers in fashion, and look to peer and aspirational schools in an effort to better understand fashion career resources nationwide. Our hope is to build a stronger curriculum and more successful resources for students to give them the skillsets needed for a successful career in fashion.
ContributorsLopez, Audree (Co-author) / Bosmeny, Chloe (Co-author) / Ostrom, Amy (Thesis director) / Setlow, Jennifer (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor) / Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor)
Created2015-05
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Description
The globalization of dance offers a unique situation to encourage peace. The kinesthetic experience associated with dance builds communities and unites people without needing to share the same language or be in the same location on the planet. Dance is a vehicle to understand other cultures but how can people

The globalization of dance offers a unique situation to encourage peace. The kinesthetic experience associated with dance builds communities and unites people without needing to share the same language or be in the same location on the planet. Dance is a vehicle to understand other cultures but how can people be given the keys? As the 2014 Circumnavigator Travel Study Grant recipient for Arizona State University (ASU), I traveled to six countries in three continents over seventy-two days conducting ethnochoreology (dance ethnography) research. Upon returning I had a passion to share my experience through dance. Therefore I organized a charity dance concert. To share my kinesthetic education from my trip I taught six high schools each a dance from the countries I visited. An additional high school, elementary school and ASU students joined the concert. The performers and audience members gained new understanding, curiosity and appreciation. The proceeds of the concert have started a new scholarship for ASU students pursuing dance or studying abroad. This journey has come full circle just like the Circumnavigator trip which began this project. Knowledge of other dances from around the world invites participants to see into the heart of the culture, creating empathy. Therefore dance can ignite peace.
ContributorsCoury, Melia Ann (Author) / Vissicaro, Pegge (Thesis director) / Ostrom, Amy (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor)
Created2015-05
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Description
College is an exciting time in a young student's life filled with many new experiences and opportunities for self-discovery. It also comes with a variety of challenges and stressors that must be traversed in a way that is healthy and beneficial for the student. During this time a variety of

College is an exciting time in a young student's life filled with many new experiences and opportunities for self-discovery. It also comes with a variety of challenges and stressors that must be traversed in a way that is healthy and beneficial for the student. During this time a variety of pressures may arise that lead to the onset of eating disorders. The purpose of this study is to discover students' awareness of the eating disorder resources available at Arizona State University (ASU) and design a series of creative documents based on the less-known resources that are available. This study used data from the ASU Wellness department, a primary research study done at ASU, as well as data from the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA). Findings indicate that ASU is not effectively promoting its resources to students. However, by implementing the marketing strategies discussed here, it is possible to educate students and in turn introduce them to resources that could drastically improve their health.
ContributorsHilton, Caitlin M (Author) / Ostrom, Amy (Thesis director) / Fehler, Michelle (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Efforts to quantify the diversity of the T cell repertoire have generally been unsuccessful because not all factors accounting for diversity have been considered. In order to get an accurate representation of the T cell repertoire, one must incorporate analysis of germline gene diversity, diversity from somatic recombination, joining diversity

Efforts to quantify the diversity of the T cell repertoire have generally been unsuccessful because not all factors accounting for diversity have been considered. In order to get an accurate representation of the T cell repertoire, one must incorporate analysis of germline gene diversity, diversity from somatic recombination, joining diversity from N- and P- nucleotides, and TCR chain pairing diversity. Because of advances in high-throughput sequencing techniques, estimates have been able to account for diversity from TCR genes. However the ability to account for chain pairing diversity has been more difficult. In order to do so, single cell sorting techniques must be employed. These techniques, though effective, are time consuming and expensive. For this reason, no large-scale analyses have been done on the immune repertoires using these techniques. In this study, we propose a novel method for linking the two TCR chain sequences from an individual cell. DNA origami nanostructure technology is employed to capture and bind the TCRγ and TCRδ chain mRNA inside individual cells using probe strands complementary to the C-region of those sequences. We then use a dual-primer RT and ligation molecular strategy to link the two sequences together. The result is a single amplicon containing the CDR3 region of the TCRγ and TCRδ. This amplicon can then be easily PCR amplified using sequence specific primers, and sequenced. DNA origami nanostructures offer a rapid, cost-effective method alternative to conventional single cell sorting techniques, as both TCR mRNA can be captured on one origami molecule inside a single cell. At present, this study outlines a proof-of-principle analysis of the method to determine its functionality. Using known TCRγ and TCRδ sequences, the DNA origami and RT/PCR method was tested and resulting sequence data proved the effectiveness of the method. The original TCRγ and TCRδ sequences were linked together as a single amplicon containing both CDR3 regions of the genes. Thus, this method can be employed in further research to elucidate the γδ T cell repertoire. This technology is also easily adapted to any gene target or cell type and therefore presents a large opportunity to be used in other immune repertoire analysis and other immunological studies (such as the rapid identification and subsequent production of antibodies).
ContributorsPoindexter, Morgan Elizabeth (Author) / Blattman, Joseph (Thesis director) / Yan, Hao (Committee member) / Schoettle, Louis (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2015-05
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Description
With a quantum efficiency of nearly 100%, the electron transfer process that occurs within the reaction center protein of the photosynthetic bacteria Rhodobacter (Rh.) sphaeroides is a paragon for understanding the complexities, intricacies, and overall systemization of energy conversion and storage in natural systems. To better understand the way in

With a quantum efficiency of nearly 100%, the electron transfer process that occurs within the reaction center protein of the photosynthetic bacteria Rhodobacter (Rh.) sphaeroides is a paragon for understanding the complexities, intricacies, and overall systemization of energy conversion and storage in natural systems. To better understand the way in which photons of light are captured, converted into chemically useful forms, and stored for biological use, an investigation into the reaction center protein, specifically into its cascade of cofactors, was undertaken. The purpose of this experimentation was to advance our knowledge and understanding of how differing protein environments and variant cofactors affect the spectroscopic aspects of and electron transfer kinetics within the reaction of Rh. sphaeroides. The native quinone, ubiquinone, was extracted from its pocket within the reaction center protein and replaced by non-native quinones having different reduction/oxidation potentials. It was determined that, of the two non-native quinones tested—1,2-naphthaquinone and 9,10- anthraquinone—the substitution of the anthraquinone (lower redox potential) resulted in an increased rate of recombination from the P+QA- charge-separated state, while the substitution of the napthaquinone (higher redox potential) resulted in a decreased rate of recombination.
ContributorsSussman, Hallie Rebecca (Author) / Woodbury, Neal (Thesis director) / Redding, Kevin (Committee member) / Lin, Su (Committee member) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2015-12
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Description
This study was conducted to observe the effects of vitamin C supplementation upon the expression of sICAM-1 in asthmatic subject. Two groups were created, each with a sample size of 4 subjects. One group was the vitamin C group (VC) and the other was the placebo group (PL). The study

This study was conducted to observe the effects of vitamin C supplementation upon the expression of sICAM-1 in asthmatic subject. Two groups were created, each with a sample size of 4 subjects. One group was the vitamin C group (VC) and the other was the placebo group (PL). The study was analyzed through observing concentrations of biomolecules present within samples of blood plasma and nasal lavages. These included vitamin C, sICAM-1 expression, and histamine. The following P-values calculated from the data collected from this study. The plasma vitamin C screening was p=0.3, and after 18 days of supplementation, p=0.03. For Nasal ICAM p=0.5 at Day 0, p=0.4 at Day 4, and p=0.9 at Day 18. For the Histamine samples p=0.9 at Day 0 and p=0.9 at Day 18. The following P-values calculated from the data collected from both studies. The plasma vitamin C screening was p=0.8, and after 18 days of supplementation, p=0.03. The change of vitamin C at the end of this study and the combined data both had a P-value that was calculated to be lower than 0.05, which meant that this change was significant because it was due to the intervention and not chance. For Nasal ICAM samples p=0.7 at Day 0, p=0.7 at Day 4, and p=1 at Day 18. For the Histamine p=0.7 at Day 0 and p=0.9 at Day 18. This study carries various implications although the study data was unable to show much significance. This was the second study to test this, and as more research is done, and the sample size grows, one will be able to observe whether this really is the mechanism through which vitamin C plays a role in immunological functions.
ContributorsKapadia, Chirag Vinay (Author) / Johnston, Carol (Thesis director) / LaBaer, Joshua (Committee member) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2015-12
Description
This thesis provides an analysis on the crowdfunding environment in comparison to traditional fundraising methods in an effort to understand the relationship between the two types of fundraising and why crowdfunding has gained traction. Additionally, this thesis provides a study on good vs. bad crowdfunding to formulate a strategy for

This thesis provides an analysis on the crowdfunding environment in comparison to traditional fundraising methods in an effort to understand the relationship between the two types of fundraising and why crowdfunding has gained traction. Additionally, this thesis provides a study on good vs. bad crowdfunding to formulate a strategy for crowdfunding success. Methods of analysis include the execution of a situational analysis for both fundraising environments, and the collection of primary and secondary data of case studies of both crowdfunding failures and successes. Results showed that although crowdfunding provides lower search cost, greater efficiency, and eliminates geographical limitations leading to successful fundraising, the industry itself is too new and unexplored to be solely relied upon. Fundraising campaigns are most effective when crowdfunding is used complimentary to traditional fundraising methods. This thesis finds that crowdfunding offers unparalleled connectivity between creators and funders, but the transparency of the crowdfunding process is not ready to be trusted entirely. Until more data is collected on the crowdfunding environment, crowdfunding is best utilized in conjunction with traditional fundraising methods.
ContributorsRoth, Ari Lawrence Max (Author) / Giles, Bret (Thesis director) / Schlacter, John (Committee member) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
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Description
This paper features analysis of interdisciplinary collaboration, based on the results from the Kolbe A™ Index of students in the Nano Ethics at Play (NEAP) class, a four week course in Spring 2015. The Kolbe A™ is a system which describes the Conative Strengths of each student, or their

This paper features analysis of interdisciplinary collaboration, based on the results from the Kolbe A™ Index of students in the Nano Ethics at Play (NEAP) class, a four week course in Spring 2015. The Kolbe A™ is a system which describes the Conative Strengths of each student, or their natural drive and instinct. NEAP utilized the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® (LSP) method, which uses abstract LEGO models to describe answers to a proposed question in school or work environments. The models could be described piece by piece to provide clear explanations without allowing disciplinary jargon, which is why the class contained students from eleven different majors (Engineering (Civil, Biomedical, & Electrical), Business (Marketing & Supply Chain Management), Architectural Studies, Sustainability, Anthropology, Communications, Philosophy, & Psychology).

The proposed hypotheses was based on the four different Kolbe A™ strengths, or Action Modes: Fact Finder, Follow Through, Quick Start, and Implementor. Hypotheses were made about class participation and official class twitter use, using #ASUsp, for each Kolbe type. The results proved these hypotheses incorrect, indicating a lack of correlation between Kolbe A™ types and playing. The report also includes qualitative results such as Twitter Keywords and a Sentiment calculation for each week of the course. The class had many positive outcomes, including growth in the ability to collaborate by students, further understanding of how to integrate Twitter use into the classroom, and more knowledge about the effectiveness of LSP.
Created2015-12
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Description
Advances in peptide microarray technology have allowed for the creation of fast-paced and modular experiments within affinity ligand discovery. Previously, low density peptide arrays of 10,000 peptides were used to identify low affinity peptide ligands for a target protein; an approach that can be subsequently improved upon with a number

Advances in peptide microarray technology have allowed for the creation of fast-paced and modular experiments within affinity ligand discovery. Previously, low density peptide arrays of 10,000 peptides were used to identify low affinity peptide ligands for a target protein; an approach that can be subsequently improved upon with a number of techniques. VDAP[a] offers more information about the relative affinity of protein-peptide interactions via signal intensity in contrast to high throughput screening (HTS) and display technologies which offer binary data. Now, high density peptide arrays with 130,000 to 330,000 peptides are available that allow screening across peptide libraries of greater diversity. With this increase in scale and diversity, faster analytical tools are needed to adequately characterize array data. Using the statistical power available in the R programming language, we have created a flexible analysis package that efficiently processes high density peptide array data from a variety of layouts, rank existing peptide hits, and utilize signal intensity data to generate new hits. This analysis provides a user-friendly method to efficiently analyze high density peptide array data, generate peptide leads for targeted therapeutic development, and further improve peptide array technologies.
ContributorsMoore, Cody Allen (Author) / Woodbury, Neal (Thesis director) / Diehnelt, Chris (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2015-12