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The George-Anne Daily, Georgia Southern University

George-Anne Media Group: Newsletters & Magazines

No abstract provided.

Newsroom, Georgia Southern University

Newsroom (2006-2023)

• Georgia Southern Student Recognized for Registering 300 Bone Marrow Donors
• Waters College of Health Professions Researchers Studying Racial Disparities in Cardiovascular Disease

Midweek Memo, Georgia Southern University

Midweek Memo

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The Role Of Gender On Holistic Grief Effects Experienced By College Students, Christiana Olaleye, Mary Alice Varga

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

This study examined the grief effects college students experience when losing a loved one and whether grief effects vary based on gender. Grief effects were outlined by the Holistic Impact of Bereavement and included emotional, cognitive, physical, behavioral, interpersonal, and spiritual effects. The researchers hypothesized that college students would experience all six grief effects, primarily emotional and cognitive effects. The researchers also hypothesized that female students would experience statistically significantly greater grief effects than male students, specifically emotional and cognitive effects. Results indicated a statistically significant difference in the emotional, physical, cognitive, and behavioral grief effects experienced between female and …

The Use Of Silica Nanoparticles For Controlled Drug Delivery Of Nicotine, Jennifer C. Iwenofu

Honors College Theses

Drug molecules can be administered in different ways to the human body. Nanotechnology stands out over other alternatives by delivering drugs to specific locations and reducing reactivity time. In this research, the hydrogen bond between silica nanoparticles and the drug molecule, nicotine, were studied to controllably deliver nicotine by varying pH values.

Faculty Senate Agenda

Faculty Senate Agendas

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Disturbance Intensity On Total Bacteria Concentration In The Water Within Artificial Streams, Seth C. Davis

Honors College Theses

Bacterial communities persist longer in sediment than in the water because sediments offer beneficial conditions for proliferation and formation of self-sustaining colonies. However, environmental- and human-caused sediment disturbance may resuspend bacteria in the water, thus increasing the potential for harmful bacterial to interact with humans and other organisms. I tested the hypothesis that the level of sediment disturbance affects the abundance and duration of bacterial resuspension in artificial stream microcosms. Three treatments were administered: control (no disturbance), low intensity disturbance, and high intensity disturbance (n=5). Water samples were collected before disturbance treatment (P), and at 0, 6, 24, 48, and …

Type Of Synthetic Microfiber Influences Ingestion By Freshwater Worms, Sarah A. Martinez

Honors College Theses

Plastics enter the environment from many sources, including clothing made from synthetic textiles, which shed a form of microplastics (microfibers) during their production, use and disposal. The impacts of microfibers on freshwater organisms are relatively unknown, therefore we tested the hypothesis that short- and long-term effects of microfibers on the aquatic worm, Lumbriculus variegatus, depend on the type of synthetic microfiber present. Microcosms containing L. variegatus, sediment and water were exposed to either no fibers (control) or one of three microfiber treatments (nylon, polyester or olefin) at the same concentration for 48 hours or 28 days. At the …

Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Health Behaviors And Mental Health During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review, Kara C. Middleton

Honors College Theses

The Coronavirus pandemic had many negative impacts on healthcare. During the COVID-19 pandemic, specialist care providers closed their offices to reduce transmission. Maternal healthcare was severely impacted. Mothers were unable to receive the prenatal and perinatal care they needed. Other specialist care, such as mental healthcare was severely impacted as well. There was also a lack of prenatal care occurring due to offices being closed. There is an established link between anxiety, depression, emotional eating, and Gestational weight gain. Gestational Weight Gain is associated with a higher prevalence of behavioral health conditions that were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Analysis Of The Light Responsive Azobenzene Peptide Nucleic Acid Duplexes, Kat Nguyen

Honors College Theses

Peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) are oligonucleotide analogues in which the sugar-phosphate backbone has been replaced by a pseudopeptide skeleton. Since PNAs use the natural nucleobases (Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine, Uracil, and Guanine) found in either DNA and/or RNA, they are able to hybridize according to Watson-Crick base-pairing to form duplexes. PNA is a promising therapeutic agent because they can function as antigene or antisense chemical agents. To further enhance their utility, we aim to incorporate a photoswitchable moiety using azobenzene. Here, we report the results of the synthesis and purification of a photoswitchable 11 mer PNA along with initial characterization efforts.

Effects Of Water Quality On Oyster Health On Georgia Coast, Laurel Henderson

Honors College Theses

ABSTRACT

Oysters are an economically and ecologically important shellfish species found along most coastlines. Along the Georgia coastline, oysters form extensive reefs, and are economically important as a food source. In addition, oysters perform a vital role in maintaining water quality due to their high filtration capacity in coastal waters. Oyster reefs form solid, 3-D substrate that prevent coastline erosion and provide structure for numerous other coastal species to grow, including many commercially and recreationally important species. Water quality factors, such as temperature and salinity, can influence oyster density, condition, and growth, and ultimately affect the services the reefs provide …

The Potential Role Of Phenotypic Plasticity In The Ability Of Hydrocotyle Bonariensis To Occupy Two Different Habitats, Harold Ralph Parsons Iii

Honors College Theses

Phenotypic plasticity is the ability of an organism to change morphology and/or physiology in response to changes in the environment. Hydrocotyle bonariensis is a coastal perennial herb found in both coastal sand dunes and inland coastal plain habitats in Georgia. The purpose of this study was to determine if there were differences in leaf morphology for populations of H. bonariensis in coastal sand dune and inland coastal plain habitats. Leaf morphology and microenvironmental variables were compared between H. bonariensis populations at Tybee Island (TI), GA, representing the coastal sand dune habitat, and Georgia Southern University Armstrong Campus (GSU) in Savannah, …

Analysis Of Properties Of Asphalt Binder With The Addition Of Lignin, Frank A. Martin Junior

Honors College Theses

As asphalt ages, its resistance to shear diminishes due to a change in composition, resulting in the need for repaving of roads. Current additives to asphalt binder focus on increasing the strength of the binder, but do nothing to prevent the ageing of the asphalt binder. Lignin is a biological additive that is known for its resistance to ultraviolet radiation. This research aims to study Lignin as an asphalt additive, which exhibits properties that can increase the resistance of degradation due to aging, as well as increasing the strength of the asphalt binder. This was done through the comparison of …

Characterization Of Folic Acid, 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate And Synthetic Folinic Acid In The High-Affinity Folate Transporters: Impact On Pregnancy And Development, Ana M. Palacios, Rachel A. Feiner, Robert M. Cabrera

Health Policy & Community Health: Faculty Publications

Objectives:

Folates are B vitamins that are essential for several molecular, cellular, and biological processes, including nucleotide synthesis, methylation, and methionine cycling. The physiological impacts of these processes on health also extend to cell proliferation, folate deficiency anemia, and reduction of the risk of birth defects during pregnancy. The primary objective of this study was to characterize the binding affinities of different folate forms, folic acid (FA), 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5MTHF), and folinic acid, to the folate receptors α and β, and to the bovine milk folate binding protein. These three dietary forms of folate are found in enriched grains (FA), various …

Newsroom, Georgia Southern University

Newsroom (2006-2023)

• Alumni, Musician, Media Executive, Public Health Official, Nonprofit Executive and Pentagon Analyst to Speak at Spring 2022 Commencement Ceremonies
• Georgia Southern Receives $1.1M National Science Foundation Grant to Support Development of Regional Mathematics, Science Teachers

Dna Methylation Among Chestnut-Crowned Babblers, Caddie E. Nguyen

Honors College Theses

Many Australian birds, including chestnut-crowned babblers, commonly use cooperative breeding. In these species, individuals may delay or refuse dispersal to provide care to the offspring of the others instead of producing their own. This system challenges natural selection evolution and postulates that reproductively advantage genes will be more favorable. One possibility that contributes to chestnut-crowned babblers’ dispersal behavior is the epigenetic modifications interacting between the genome and the environment during development. Chestnut-crowned babblers (Pomatostomus ruficeps) are usually found in arid and semi-arid zones, which are varied and poor-conditioned. In the undesired conditions, helpers are needed for breeding to occur …

Wrongful Conviction Compensation In The United States, Brenda I. Morel

Honors College Theses

Although the United States has signed a United Nations agreement that stipulates that all wrongfully convicted individuals have a right to compensation, not all states have compensation laws. In addition, it is not guaranteed that exonerees living in states with compensation statutes will be compensated. This thesis examines the scope of wrongful conviction compensation statutes across states. Furthermore, it examines whether exoneree characteristics, as identified by the National Exoneree Registry, map onto state-level differences in laws and effectiveness in compensating exonerees. I compile two sources of data to link individual exonerees with their state of conviction.

Faculty Senate Agenda

Faculty Senate Agendas

No abstract provided.

College Of Education News, Georgia Southern University

College of Education: News & Publications (2003-2023)

• Georgia Southern Receives $1.1M National Science Foundation Grant to Support Development of Regional Mathematics, Science Teachers

The Microbial Load On Used Disposable Face Masks: Exploring Sustainable Disinfection Methods, Clara Ray

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Face masks have become common-place in public settings since the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic, with many people choosing to wear masks in order to mitigate the risk of becoming infected with viral or bacterial infections. Two of the most widely-available types of masks are cloth masks, which may be reused if cleaned properly, and disposable surgical masks. Despite the fact that surgical masks are intended for one-time use, many people chose to store and re-wear them. The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in biological contamination on surgical face masks after daily wear and overnight …

Common Data Set, Georgia Southern University

Georgia Southern Common Datasets

No abstract provided.

The 1994 Federal Crime Bill: An Evaluation Of The Past, Present, And Future Of Its Impact On The Criminal Justice System, Jade R. Philpot

Honors College Theses

The 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act was signed into law in response to the crack cocaine and crime epidemic of the 1980s. In this thesis I address the major elements of this bill, the racial, financial, and ethical conflicts that arose thereafter, and the reforms that should be implemented today to correct said conflicts.

In The Face Of Climate Change, Does Human Trampling Affect Dune Resilience And Alter Ecosystem Services?, Alexandra O. Findlay

Honors College Theses

Sand dunes play a valuable role on the coastline supporting unique native species and protecting beach communities. The City of Tybee Island, Georgia, USA has undergone extensive dune restoration to expand and rehabilitate its shoreline to better defend the town against the increasing frequency of hurricanes and storm surge. The project included the recovery of existing dune structures and construction of new dunes filled with sand pumped from offshore and vegetated with a variety of native species. To analyze the impact of human trampling on dune vegetation occurring adjacent to footpaths and crossovers in new and established dunes, we measured …

Exploring The Relationship Between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder And Creativity, Anna Shea Hall, Anna Shea Hall

Honors College Theses

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is an important topic to study because of its prevalence, impact, and a multitude of unknown interactions of the disorder with creativity. Creativity is a cognitive process defined by lessened cognitive control and lower inhibitions in the prefrontal cortex (Chrysikou, 2018), which are characteristics of ADHD (APA, 2017; Brunkhorst-Kanaan et al., 2021; Kirov & Brand, 2014; Laugesen et al., 2017; Moen et al., 2014; Staikova et al., 2013) This study explored how ADHD is connected with three sub-variables of creativity: divergent thinking, uniqueness of generated ideas, and flow of ideas. Connections were explored via a survey of …

Biophilic Design In Higher Education: Exploring Nature-Based Design Inclusion In Classrooms, Danielle Burton

Honors College Theses

This study investigated how biophilic design (nature-based design) optimizes one's well-being within a classroom learning environment. It is necessary to understand how a student’s performance in higher education depends on the environment. Research supports that when students have access to daylight, feel a sense of belonging and well-being in their classrooms they are able to perform at higher levels. Using a semi-experimental method, a classroom was assessed. Classes using this classroom were surveyed at the beginning of class and at the end of the same class time. The concurrent mixed method sequential design included both quantitative and qualitative data and …

Health And Kinesiology News, Georgia Southern University

Health Sciences & Kinesiology: News & Publications (2015-2023)

• Annual Experimental Biology Conference

Analysis And Identification Of Lipolytic Bacterial Species For The Degradation Of Wastewater Lipids, Lindsay C. Smoak

Honors College Theses

The aim of this study was to isolate native bacterial strains from the wastewater treatment facilities of Statesboro, GA to identify their lipolytic activities. Obtained bacterial strains were further assessed via morphological and biochemical methods to determine their enzymatic capabilities. Use of the detergent Tween-20 in growth mediums was the first criteria to assess lipase activity, and these isolates were further investigated to quantitatively measure lipase presence and activity. Lipase protein was precipitated and dialyzed to perform a lipase activity assay, followed by Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate–Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) to confirm the presence of the lipolytic enzymes. Sanger sequencing was …

Between Us: A Short Story Cycle, Kelly C. Wilcox

Honors College Theses

“Between us” is a short story cycle that alternative between the perspectives of two sisters, Skylar and Harmony, and their love interest–Michael. This thesis explores the various ways in which people differently respond to grief and the impacts grief has on lives, relationships, and families. These stories also review the roles race and identity play in the loss of a parent, specifically when the mother is of one race and the father is of another. This thesis contains the first two stories of the longer, in-progress collection.

Molecular Characterization Of Rickettsial Agents In Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) From Sri Lanka, Gregory A. Dasch, Marina Eremeeva, Maria L. Zambrano, Ranjan Premaratna, S. A. M. Kularatne

Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Environmental Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Because the majority of spotted fever group rickettsiae are transmitted to humans by tick bites, it is important to understand which ticks might play a role in transmission of rickettsial pathogens in Sri Lanka. The purpose of our study was to conduct molecular surveillance of 847 ticks collected in different locations in central Sri Lanka to determine which were infected with Rickettsia and Anaplasmataceae. Molecular methods were used to identify the ticks and the agents detected. Most ticks (Amblyomma, Haemaphysalis, and Rhipicephalus) were collected by flagging, and lower number was collected from dogs, cattle, pigs, a …

A Study In Words, Will Hodges

Honors College Theses

The etymology of words can provide insight into the language we speak today, explaining why certain words possess derogatory meanings, or simply why they hold their current definitions. C.S. Lewis published Studies in Words in 1960, and it contained an examination of the etymologies of various English words, explaining changes in meaning and usage throughout time. This thesis is structured similarly, exploring the etymologies and usage history of different English words, providing context for their modern meanings and an explanation of the importance behind understanding their histories.