Digital Commons Network^™

Comparing Allistic And Autistic Honors Students’ Perceived Barriers To Succeeding In Honors And Their Preferred Resources, Vivian Brantley

Horticulture Undergraduate Honors Theses

In recent years, neurodivergent diagnoses have increased, particularly Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported that as of 2020, among eight-year-olds, one in 36 children were diagnosed with ASD. Among college students with ASD there are many barriers to succeeding in higher education, such as being predisposed to higher drop-out rates than their allistic counterparts. Students with ASD struggle with many basic skills required to succeed in higher education like language processing and executive function. Because of their ASD diagnosis students may also struggle with the additional responsibilities associated with honors programs such as maintaining certain …

Poultry Pose Estimation With Deeplabcut, Chiyou Vang

Computer Science and Computer Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

This honors thesis dives into the realm of deep learning-based pose estimation research and investigates the potential of DeepLabCut (Lauer, et al., 2021) in accurately and efficiently estimating the pose of poultry. With accurate pose estimation being a crucial aspect in understanding the behavior and movement of animals, this thesis aims to contribute to the development of more effective methods for pose estimation, especially for poultry.

To comprehensively evaluate the performance of DeepLabCut, two different types of chickens were tested in this thesis: a model toy chicken and actual live chickens. Videos were recorded for both types, and key points …

Tactical Urbanism On A University Campus: A Case Study Of Crossroads On Dickson, Noah Berg

Architecture Undergraduate Honors Theses

Tactical Urbanism is a method of creating temporary, low-cost interventions in a city’s built environment, aiming to test new ideas, gather community feedback, and create momentum for larger-scale changes. The approach is characterized by its focus on quick, iterative projects that can be easily implemented and adjusted, rather than large, expensive initiatives that take years to complete. Examples of Tactical Urbanism projects include pop-up bike lanes, parklets, and community gardens. The goal is to encourage community participation, foster a sense of ownership, and create a safer, more livable, and inclusive city. In spring 2022, a class called “Walk, Bike, Link” …

The Evolution Of The Jinn In Middle Eastern Culture And Literature From Pre-Islam To The Modern Age, Caroline Ford

World Languages, Literatures and Cultures Undergraduate Honors Theses

The legends of the jinn, romanized as djinn and anglicized as genies, have long been a part of mystical story telling tradition. The modern-day genies of Western film are lovable and comedic tricksters who grant wishes to the master that uncovers them, but this depiction is a far cry from their origin point in the Ancient Middle Eastern region known as Mesopotamia. Here they began as powerful nature spirits inspiring poets, soothsayers, and philosophers by sharing messages of the unseen world. The modern Western depiction of the jinn is devoid of cultural and historical context. The very name “jinn” is …

Solar Grazing As A Possible Vegetation Management Solution: A Budget Analysis, Byron Louk

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Undergraduate Honors Theses

A growing response to climate change among agricultural producers is to integrate renewable energy production in their portfolio of enterprises. Nonetheless, land use competition for agricultural production and solar energy production exists. To alleviate some of this competition, and possibly generate income for sheep grazers, photovoltaic (PV) system operators may save on operations and maintenance by grazing forages under solar panels rather than using mechanical or chemical means of vegetation management. “Solar grazing” operations have been shown to be economically feasible for PV system operators who own the land and pay for sheep grazing as a method of vegetation management, …

Detecting Pathobiomes Using Machine Learning, Valerie Jackson, Valerie Jackson

Industrial Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Machine learning is a field with high growth potential due to the overall continuous progressions, developments, advancements, and improvements caused by the way it is used to help interpret and use large amounts of data [1]. One type of data that can be collected and analyzed by these machine learning models is data that is associated with DNA and information that the DNA gives. The research will be focusing specifically on using machine learning technology to detect pathobiomes indicative of salmonella pork. The pathobiome associated with salmonella is very similar to others, and this causes a problem for classification/detection with …

Corruption In The U.S. Pharmaceutical Industry, Anna Woelfel

Supply Chain Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

A story that has to be told too often is that of the people who cannot afford lifesaving medications, and as a result do not survive. Doctor Nicky Mehtani says that the inability of a patient to afford their medication can be a common cause of death. This is an answer not accepted by grieving family members who have lost a loved one. It is estimated that more than a fourth of people in the United States needing medical treatment struggle with payment or simply cannot afford to pay for the lifesaving medications that they need (Mehtani, 2018). Deteriorating American …

Old School Versus New School? Are Visually Stimulating Syllabi More Effective In Retaining Course Information In Contrast To Text-Based Syllabi?, Karalee Taves

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

The students of Generation Z have been affected by the increase in technology and no longer have the same learning methods and techniques as former generations. These students notice improved knowledge and comprehension when using modern approaches in education. However, there is more room for updates in education. Instructors are accustomed to traditional, text-based syllabi that are overloaded with information, making it difficult to read and understand, while lacking conciseness.

With the use of technology, students have adapted to the use of visually stimulating methods. In the integration of modern-day learning, syllabi have not been updated to follow these standards. …

A Poor Third? A Reexamination Of Manuscript And Print Markets In Fifteenth And Sixteenth-Century Rouen, Kate Hodgson

School of Art Undergraduate Honors Theses

Manuscript and print scholars of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries have deemed Rouen a ‘poor third’ to the workshops in Paris and Lyon. Lacking the cultural status and political influence of these two major centers of book production, Rouen’s manuscript tradition has been coined an “eclectic” group of illuminators who were limited to a local, discontinuous demand for books and whose regional role hardly even bears examination. However, Between 1419 and 1449, Rouen was an epicenter of political and economic exchange between Normandy and England. The city’s manuscript ateliers experienced a period of unparalleled patronage from an international, elite clientele, …

In-Service Education And The Provision Of Educational Materials To Improve Awareness Of Chronic Wasting Disease Management Efforts In Arkansas, Mary Claire Stewart

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a disease caused by an accumulation of misfolded prions throughout the nervous system. This disease affects animals within the Cervidae Family, which includes deer, elk, moose, and caribou. This disease is fatal and physical symptoms often do not materialize until the animal is near death. CWD has become an increasing issue in Arkansas since an elk (Cervus canadensis) in Newton County tested positive for CWD in 2016. Since then, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) has worked with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture (UADA) and others to develop management strategies to slow …

Biochar As A Lake Management Option For Harmful Algal Blooms: Lab Experiments And Bioassays, Brittany Mc Intyre

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) are an increasing global concern for water management due to their increased frequency, distribution, and toxin production. In freshwaters the growth of cyanobacteria (commonly known as blue-green algae), due to anthropogenic nutrient enrichment is the primary driver of HABS; these are often referred to as cyanoHABs. The management of cyanoHABs should be focused on in the watershed through best management and conservation practices or the physical, chemical and biomanipulation of the lake or reservoir that is experiencing these blooms. In this study, we examine the use of biochar as an option for the management or treatment …

Evaluation Of Hydrogeochemical Characteristics Of San Joaquin, Tulare, And Mojave Aquifers, Southern California, Maedeh Hassanvand

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Before making attempts to enhance and manage the quality of water, a thorough understanding of these processes is necessary since the chemical quality of groundwater is impacted by a number of linked processes. This would be more important in arid and semiarid regions like the southern part of California where more rely on groundwater for agriculture and drinking water uses than the other states. As a result, fundamental knowledge of the governing processes of groundwater chemistry is required for effective water resource management. Thus, this study is primarily concerned with three aspects in Mojave, Tulare, and San Joaquin aquifers: The …

Evaluation Of Rice Stink Bug, Oebalus Pugnax (F.), Resistance To Lambda-Cyhalothrin And The Economic Impact On Rice Grain Quality For Multiple Foliar Insecticides, Trevor Bradley Newkirk

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rice stink bug, (RSB), Oebalus pugnax (F.), (Fabricius 1775) is the major pest of headed rice, Oryza sativa L. in the southern rice producing states. The evaluation of current insecticides is imperative to efficient and economical RSB management for rice growers. Multiple reports of field failures with lambda-cyhalothrin have been documented since 2019. Lambda-cyhalothrin has been the standard for RSB control for the past two decades. The objective for this research was to determine if RSB is becoming resistant to lambda-cyhalothrin in Arkansas, and the most economical insecticide choice for growers with respect to RSB control and grain quality. RSB …

Geophysical Assessment Of Internal Erosion Damage At The Crawford County Levee, Samuel Ross Hokett

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Levee failures during flooding events can result in catastrophic loss of life and property. Soil erosion during high water events is a primary cause of levee failures. Accordingly, this research focuses on the geophysical assessment of internal erosion damage in levees. This thesis presents a case study utilizing Capacitively Coupled Resistivity (CCR), Direct Current Electrical Resistivity Tomography (DC ERT), and Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) to assess internal erosion damage at the Crawford County Levee System in Van Buren, AR, that occurred during the 2019 Arkansas River flood. Geophysical surveys acquired included longitudinal CCR, DC ERT, and MASW lines …

Examining Fear Of Negative Evaluation In Oral Contraceptive Users And Naturally Cycling Women, Emily Furlow

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Oral contraceptive use has gained popularity over recent decades and is currently the most used form of contraception. However, women who take oral contraceptives may experience significant side effects that impact their bodies, moods, and emotions. The current study examined fear of negative evaluation in women taking oral contraceptives and women who were naturally cycling following a social stress test. I hypothesized oral contraceptive users would have a higher fear of negative evaluation in comparison to naturally cycling women following the Trier Social Stress Test. Results did not support this hypothesis. There was marginal support for the opposite effect. Following …

Optimum Time To Add The Feed Additive Availa-Zmc To Reduce The Incidence Of Bacterial Chondronecrosis With Osteomyelitis Lameness In Broiler Chickens, Ashley Ault

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Lameness is a health condition threatening the welfare of broiler chickens in the poultry industry. It can be caused by a bacterial infection called Bacterial Chondronecrosis with Osteomyelitis (BCO). Zinpro has created Avalia-ZMC, a feed additive that has been proven to reduce lameness by 20% in wire-flooring pens and 25% in litter-flooring pens (Alrubaye et al., 2020). This experiment focuses on the optimal time to add Availa-ZMC to the diet of the broiler chickens to help reduce the incidence of lameness. This trial took 56 days with 26 pens at the University of Arkansas Poultry Research Farm. At the start …

Measuring Energy Demands Of Dynamic Remodeling Events During Embryogenesis In Live Drosophila Embryos, Grayson Young

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Embryonic development is a complex process requiring dynamic cell movements to create complex tissue structures. We assume that these embryonic dynamic remodeling events are highly energy intensive and that this energy expenditure is mediated by mitochondria. However, this has been difficult to demonstrate in live embryos. Convergent extension of the Drosophila neuroectoderm is a promising system to study the bioenergetics of tissue remodeling because it changes from a static to a dynamically remodeling tissue with temporal precision. We hypothesize that the switch from static to dynamic development at the onset of convergent extension will be accompanied by an increase in …

Prevalence Of Ehrlichia And Rickettsia Within Ticks In Arkansas State Parks, Haley Stanton

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Within the past few decades, the number of diagnoses of tick-borne diseases – such as spotted fever rickettsiosis and ehrlichiosis – has steadily increased throughout the United States, with Arkansas having one of the highest rates in the country. These diseases pose a risk to both humans and animals, as both can acquire these infections from ticks. Due to the increasing geographic range of ticks, rise in cases, and likely underdiagnosis of these diseases, this study aimed to identify the infection rate of ticks themselves in multiple state parks in Arkansas. Four Arkansas state parks were each visited once a …

Climate Change, Food Security, And The Myth Of Unlimited Abundance, Susan A. Schneider

Journal of Food Law & Policy

The Biden-Harris White House can be commended for convening the historic White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health highlighting the critical connections between access to healthy food and sustaining a healthy population. This article explores the impact of climate change and seeks to fill a critical gap in the national discussion. It argues that dramatic changes are needed in the way we think about domestic food security and that meaningful change will be required to assure an adequate supply of healthy food, as envisioned by the White House Conference. It explores the impact of the changes to the climate …

Determining The Effectiveness Of Rosemary Essential Oil On The Shelf Life Of Ground Beef Under Different Lighting Conditions, Jordan Looper

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of rosemary extract on the shelf life of ground beef patties under different retail display conditions. Ground beef patties were produced from an 85% lean and 15% fat blend purchased from a local grocery retailer, finely ground through a 0.953 cm plate and separated into 151.2 g patties (n=64). Patties were randomly assigned into a control group (no antioxidants added) or a 0.20% concentration rosemary extract group. Patties were individually packaged using polyvinyl chloride overwrap. Antioxidant and control patties were randomly assigned into one of two lighting intensity …

Early Childhood Educational Toys Through An Architectural Perspective, Anindhitha Sudhakaran

Architecture Undergraduate Honors Theses

This capstone explores the overlaps between architectural training and early childhood education, and how architectural design can inform the design process of creating educational toys for young children. Through an analysis of pedagogies used throughout history in early childhood education and my own personal experiences of architecture school, an understanding of how an architectural perspective can influence activities for three- to five-year-olds is developed. Precedent studies of open-ended educational toys designed by educators and designers introduced the design thinking mindset necessary to create an effectively enriching toy. The next phase of this project involves designing an educational toy for the …

Adhd In Classroom Design, Conley Lents

Architecture Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper identifies interventions that primary schools should implement to make their physical environments more conducive to learning for students with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and, by extension, the entire student body. The school environment's impact on children is often underestimated, leaving children to be blamed for issues that could have been prevented. This oversight is mainly caused by a general need for more understanding of these students and this environment's vital role because of the limited research on both. The evidence-based interventions developed are based on a review of research on the impact of the school environment and ADHD …

Springdale Arkansas' Form-Based Code: Analyzing Urban Dispositions, Nate Cole

Architecture Undergraduate Honors Theses

Springdale, Arkansas, has witnessed population growth, public and private development, and interest from stakeholders throughout the Northwest Arkansas region in the past six years. The impetus for this case study is the rapid urbanization of Springdale, catalyzed by the adoption of a downtown Form-Based Code in 2017. The study analyzes four projects representing a range of typologies and uses, selected from many new and upcoming projects in the FBC area. Utilizing multiple techniques to present each project's spatial and social characteristics, the study presents these nuances and provokes further discussions. A literature review covering complexity and complex adaptive systems supports …

Effect Of Soy Co-Products In Supplements For Grazing Cattle On Growth, Complete Blood Cell Counts, And Physiological Response Following A Lipopolysaccharide Challenge, Bralee Lansdell

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of soy co-products (soybean meal and soy oil) in the diet on the growth and hemocytology of cattle during a 56-day growing phase and the physiological/behavioral response to an endotoxin challenge. Angus crossbred steers (n = 36; 289 ± 31 kg, initial body weight ± SD) were stratified by body weight and sire; and assigned randomly to pastures (n = 9; 0.45 ha/mixed-grass pasture). Pastures were assigned randomly to 1 of 3 dietary treatments: 1) a control supplement containing no soy co-products, 2) a supplement containing soybean meal, or 3) …

Early Life Stress Predicts Future Conduct Disorder In Adolescents, Savannah Ellis

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Early Life Stress (ELS) and adversity increase people’s risk for developing mental, social, or emotional dysregulation and disorders later in life. The objective of this study was to test whether ELS in adolescents could prospectively predict future conduct disorder. The study additionally tested potential neural mediators of the effect of ELS on future conduct disorder, and specifically targeted the structural connections from the anterior insula and medial prefrontal cortex to the Nucleus Accumbens (NAcc). Data for the project came from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (ABCD study), which is a longitudinal multi-site consortium funded by the National Institutes of …

Exploring The Effects Of Microarchitecture On Astrocyte Behavior And Vascular Remodeling In Spinal Cord Injury, Devin Gerber

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a common condition and is characterized by traumatic and progressive damage that results in limited neuron regeneration and thus a restricted recovery. In SCI, the vasculature is also severely damaged, which exacerbates inflammation at the injury site. Specifically, insufficient angiogenesis occurs at the site of injury due to the fibrotic pathological microenvironment1 . SCI also leads to the formation of a fluid-filled cavity and thus gliosis and fibrosis, forming a dense glial and fibrotic scar around the cavity. The microenvironment at the injury site plays a significant role in astrocyte behavior, promoting the transformation of …

The Opportunities And Challenges Of Automation: Insights From An Internship Experience At Ultrasource Llc, Olivia Madden

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis provides insight into Olivia Madden's time as an intern at UltraSource LLC. UltraSource LLC is a Kansas City company that produces meat manufacturing equipment and operational supplies. Olivia worked as a finance intern, where she was tasked with automating processes for the accounts receivable and payable teams and also did ad hoc projects for the finance department as a whole. These insights are recorded through weekly journal entries describing what was done and what was learned every week.

These insights are translated into research on the opportunities and challenges of automation, and the impact automation has on worker …

Evaluation Of Landowner Perceptions Of Participating In Conservation Easements In The Beaver Lake And Illinois River Watersheds: Motivators And Barriers, Lauren Gwaltney

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Conservation easements (CEs) are an effective way to protect natural resources with minimal impact on the daily activities of landowners (LOs), but there is still resistance to CE adoption among landowners in Northwest Arkansas and Northeast Oklahoma. Therefore, there is a need to characterize LOs’ perceptions of CEs in these regions and adjust easement organization programming accordingly. This study followed a non-experimental, exploratory survey research design to gather information regarding demographics, awareness, attitudes, and preferences of LOs in the Beaver Lake and Illinois River watersheds. Likert-scale survey responses were assigned numerical values and averaged to find Pearson correlation coefficients between …

Pilot Study: The Effect Of Individual Versus Group Animal-Assisted Therapy On Undergraduate Student Anxiety, Jessica Hanson, Hannah Tucker

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship of Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) on undergraduate student test anxiety; comparing an individual AAT session to a group AAT session. AAT may be a solution for decreasing anxiety for undergraduate students. The study adds empirical knowledge to the field of AAT and student anxiety coping methods. The study question was: What is the effect of one-on-one and group Animal-Assisted Therapy sessions on undergraduate student anxiety?

Methods: This study used a convenience sample randomly assigned to either a group of 3 to 5 students (n=9) or an individual AAT session (n=10) …

Subterraneans: A Regional Earth Dwelling For Comfort And Beauty, Isaak Benchoff

Architecture Undergraduate Honors Theses

Subterraneans is a study of an affordable, self-sufficient, sustainable, and dignified housing prototype for the region of Northwest Arkansas. It is a design process investigation based on the ideas of turning a local, sustainable material into affordable homes that can be built within a community of people sharing land and resources. The homes would utilize as many natural materials as possible to minimize the impact on the Earth and the cost to the owners.

Research looked at many different vernacular building precedents as well as the work done by contemporary design firms in the area of economical, low-impact, and passively …