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- Creators: School of International Letters and Cultures
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Description
Heterotrophs such as E. coli contain metabolic pathways with enzymes called carboxylases that are capable of fixing CO2 gas to form metabolites, which has implications for aiding with CO2’s role in climate change. The reductive branch of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle serves as an important pathway for NAD+ regeneration in enteric bacteria in anaerobic conditions and leads to the production of succinate, a useful industrial product. The enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase is responsible for fixing CO2 in the conversion of PEP to OAA within this pathway and has potential to be a significant carbon fixation module in heterotrophic organisms. This project explored pck genes from select organisms by transforming plasmids to test if these variants have improved kinetics compared to the native E. coli Pck and to investigate their ability to improve succinate bioproduction.
ContributorsModukuri, Shree (Author) / Wang, Xuan (Thesis director) / Godar, Amanda (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Histology, the microscopic examination of tissues, is a pivotal tool in research. By providing a detailed view of cellular structures and their organization, this technique allows researchers to advance knowledge in many different disciplines including women’s health and ovarian studies. Studying the female reproductive system is of utmost importance due to its multifaceted effects on aspects such as biological functions, cellular mechanisms, and complex behavioral patterns in women. Therefore, the aim of this honors thesis is to refine and adapt a set of protocols from the Mayer-Dyer Laboratory for ovarian and follicular processing so that they are optimal to use in the Bimonte-Nelson Laboratory of Memory and Aging in the Department of Psychology at Arizona State University. The subsequent aim for the thesis is to replicate and extend the new protocols to complete histology of the ovaries from an interdisciplinary study that evaluated the consequences of hysterectomy with and without estrogen replacement for brain and cognition. This dual-pronged approach will not only contribute to the ongoing discussion regarding the effects of hysterectomy, but also provides a valuable framework for future research endeavors in the field.
ContributorsMitbander, Avantika (Author) / Bimonte-Nelson, Heather (Thesis director) / Mayer, Loretta (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / School of Public Affairs (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor)
Created2024-05
ContributorsLuca, Michael (Author) / Yan, Hao (Thesis director) / Stephanopoulos, Nicholas (Committee member) / Blattman, Joseph (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Cell immunotherapies have revolutionized clinical oncology. While CAR T cell therapy has been very effective in clinical studies, off-target immune toxicity limits eligible patients. Thus, NK cells have been approached with the same therapy design since NK cells have a more favorable safety profile. Therefore, the purpose of this research project is to explore DNA nanotech-based NK cell engagers (NKCEs) that force an immunological synapse between the NK cell and the cancer cell, leading to cancer death. DNA tetrabody (TB) and DNA tetrahedron (TDN) are fabricated and armed with HER2 affibody for tight adhesion to HER2+ cancer cell lines like SKBR3. Overall, relationship between TB-NK treatment and cancer cell apoptosis is still unclear. TB-NK treatment induces an apoptotic profile similar to PMA/IO stimulation. Pilot cell assay needs to be replicated with additional controls and a shortened treatment window. For DNA TDN fabrication, HER2 affibody polishing with Ni-NTA affinity chromatography achieves high purity with 20% to 100% high-imidazole elution gradient. ssDNA-HER2 affibody conjugation is optimal when ssDNA is treated with 40-fold excess sulfo-SMCC for 4 hours. In conclusion, the manufacturing of DNA-based NKCEs is rapid and streamlined, which gives these NKCEs the potential to become a ready to use immunotherapy.
ContributorsLuca, Michael (Author) / Yan, Hao (Thesis director) / Stephanopoulos, Nicholas (Committee member) / Blattman, Joseph (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor)
Created2024-05
ContributorsLuca, Michael (Author) / Yan, Hao (Thesis director) / Stephanopoulos, Nicholas (Committee member) / Blattman, Joseph (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
This narrative literature review explores how perceived stress affects sleep quality in dementia caregivers by examining various factors. Ten studies from 2013 to 2022 across four continents were analyzed, focusing on caregiver stress levels, sleep quality, caregiver burden, and depression. Higher stress levels were linked to poorer sleep quality, alongside factors like emotional distress and disrupted sleep patterns. The findings highlight the importance of targeted interventions to reduce stress and improve sleep quality among dementia caregivers, suggesting the need for longitudinal and empirical studies with standardized measures for a better understanding.
ContributorsBadhwar, Karan (Author) / Giasson, Hannah (Thesis director) / Koffer, Rachel (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
With the reality that 60% of post-graduates are less satisfied with their social life in adulthood than in college, many young adults find themselves searching to solve the shared fear of finding communities in new spheres of life. Jillian Cote and Mia Cavalier's social application concept, "The Loop", addresses this problem through unique recommendations based on location services, authentic UGC, and entertaining digital appearances. Through extensive research and development, a prototype has been designed for the application interface, and intensive surveys and interviews have been conducted to pinpoint target markets, consumer interest, and ultimate adoption potential.
At its core, "The Loop" is a modern, efficient, and functional social application for young adults and post-graduates to stay connected to key parts of their lives regardless of the life phase they’re in. It allows each individual to focus on what’s important to them, while the app keeps them in the loop for everything else.
ContributorsCote, Jillian (Author) / Cavalier, Mia (Co-author) / Byrne, Jared (Thesis director) / Swader, Melissa (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Recidivism is one of the most discussed issues in the topic of criminal justice reform due to how it contributes to the problems of crime and mass incarceration. To address this problem, correctional facilities across the United States have developed reentry systems, which prepare an incarcerated individual for their release back into society near the completion of their sentence. When implemented and run correctly, reentry programs can be effective at significantly reducing the likelihood that individuals will recidivate. This thesis focuses on programs run in Arizona and Michigan, which both have significantly lower recidivism rates than the national average. The programs analyzed in this paper were found to be particularly efficient at reducing recidivism by providing individuals with essential services and opportunities for reintegrating back into society. The common factors between these programs included large amounts of funding, collaboration between state agencies and non-profit organizations, and providing access to services from the beginning of an individual’s sentence to months after their release. By adopting similar practices and programs, other states may be able to more effectively address recidivism in the way that Arizona and Michigan have.
ContributorsCollins, Charles (Author) / Barnhart, Patricia (Thesis director) / Brehman, Brian (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / School of Criminology and Criminal Justice (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
This thesis is a continuation of the Humanities Lab “Narratives of School Shootings” class, which analyzed the impact of school violence on students and communities and examined the narratives and factors that exist relating to school shootings. A primary focus of the class was youth activism and advocacy. In collaboration with the Greenlights Grant Initiative, which was created to combat violence in schools, Barrett students were partnered with school districts to assist in grant writing. Using projects from “Narratives of School Shootings”, the team deduced which grants best supported each school district and worked with the districts to write and submit them. These grants are used for proactive and reactive measures to keep student emotionally and physically sound. Through this process, Barrett students analyzed the intricacies of grant writing and government funding, as well as how those contribute to cycles of inequality.
ContributorsBrammer, Elizabeth (Author) / Miller, Allison (Co-author) / Zimmerman, Daniel (Co-author) / Lindstrom Johnson, Sarah (Thesis director) / Blasingame, James (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Department of English (Contributor)
Created2024-05
ContributorsSanchez, Tomas (Author) / Casanova, Pablo (Co-author) / Green, Aaron (Co-author) / Dalvi, Tejas (Co-author) / Dudas, Caleb (Co-author) / Byrne, Jared (Thesis director, Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor)
Created2024-05