Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Using Community Science To Assess The Effect Of Wing Pattern And Weather On Butterfly Behavior, Abbigail Merrill

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Signaling in insects is used as communication and for attraction of mates. The physical appearance of the insect as well as conditions such as weather can play a role in visual signaling, by influencing the wavelengths of light available, and subsequent signal detection. We do not know, however, whether signals butterflies present broadly correlate with how they behave. In this study, we looked at the wing patterns and behavior of butterflies in Northwest Arkansas over a 3.5-year period to assess the relationship between wing pattern, weather, and behavior. We used observational data collected by hundreds of University of Arkansas students …

Effects Of Cottonseed Meal Containing Gossypol On Testis Physiology In Boars, Kristin Ryan

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Feral hogs are an invasive species found in 35 U.S. states without an effective control method to limit their population growth. According to a 2019 survey of 467 landowners in Arkansas, feral hogs caused an estimated $12 million in damages (Cook, 2019). While there are current control methods such as hunting and trapping, 65% of the feral hog population must be eliminated in a specific area to prohibit population growth (Cook, 2019). It is theorized that gossypol, a phenolic compound known to negatively impact reproductive function in other species, could cause sterility in boars. In this preliminary research study, 21 …

Effects Of One-Pass Microwave Drying On Rice’S Utilization In The Brewing Process., Christopher Stuckey

Food Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Rice is utilized as an adjunct grain by the beer manufacturing industry. Before utilization, the rice has to be dried to a desired moisture content. The drying process employed may have an impact on the rice’s physicochemical properties which influence the rice’s performance in the brewing process. This study focused on investigating the impact of microwave drying on rice’s physicochemical properties and utilization in the brewing process. Rough rice samples at an initial moisture content of 19.7% wet basis were exposed to microwave dryer set to deliver 525 kJ/kg of energy in a single drying pass. The effects of the …

Adjusting For Speaking Rate When Perceiving Speech In Background Noise., Dawson C Stephens

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Speech perception is a very relevant concept occurring every day. Acoustic context effects such as temporal contrast effects (TCEs) influence perception significantly. For instance, when a faster context sentence is spoken, the participant should perceive the following target word as slower and more like /t/ in “tier”; when a slower context sentence is spoken, the participant should perceive the following target sound as faster and more like /d/ in “deer”. Recent work by Bosker et al. (2020) concluded that selective attention (directing attention to a specific stimulus while ignoring surrounding stimuli) had no effect on TCEs, suggesting they were automatic …

The Use Of Hallucinogens In The Treatment Of Mental Health Disorders, Brianna Gagen

Honors College Theses

The percent of people with mental health disorders in the United States have skyrocketed over the past decade. With stigma surrounding the discussion of mental health and the symptoms associated with it, often those that are suffering do not receive sufficient treatment, as they might with a physical illness. The current, common treatment options for common psychological disorders, like depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, are sometimes not effective in patients, due to resistance or poor response outcomes. Consequently, in order to research alternative therapeutic approaches for mental health disorders, scientists are researching the effects of several hallucinogenic drugs in …

Quantification Of Dental Fissures Through Occlusal Topography Analysis, Duru Erkan

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Narrow, deep, and elaborate dental fissures are widely believed to increase the predisposition of enamel to develop carious lesions as these surfaces are thought to be ideal for cariogenic bacteria to adhere to. Therefore, dentists prescribe sealants as a preventative measure for patients with such fissures to avoid tooth decay. Yet to date, there is no objective data supporting the notion that fissure morphology actually affects caries susceptibility, nor is there a quantifiable, clinically practical method to characterize fissure patterns expected to increase risk of caries disease.

In this study, three new methods to quantitatively characterize fissure pattern in mandibular …

Structural Formation And Functionality Of The Spoiie Protein In Clostridium Difficile, Rachel Siebenmorgen

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

My research efforts were directed toward the structure and functionality of a protein, designated SpoIIE [11], which previously has been shown to regulate C. difficile peptide utilization in addition to sporulation and toxin release. The SpoIIE protein is found in all spore-forming gram-positive bacteria and is a crucial component in activation of transcription factors and septum formation thus affecting the regulation and timing of spore development [11,12]. A truncated form of the SpoIIE protein named SpoIIE∆TM was used in an effort to determine the structure of an important but uncharacterized linker domain of the protein. If the structure and specific …

Examining Difference In Social Perceptions Between Women Using Hormonal Contraceptives And Naturally Cycling Women, Caroline B. Johnson

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The term “stress” refers to a person’s psychological and physiological response to the demands and pressures of the world around them (Farlex, 2021). Past research has shown that stress can have negative side effects on a person’s well-being (Aneshensel et al., 1991; Wunsch et al., 2017; Michie, 2002). Although people experience stress, some people perceive more stress than others. Perceptions are important because the way one understands certain conditions can elicit distinct emotional and physiological responses (Kemeny, 2003). An important factor that has not received a lot of attention is women’s use of hormonal contraceptives. In the United States, 24.4% …

Regulation Of The Reaction Between Cytochrome C And Cytochrome C Oxidase In The Mitochondria, Anders Nowell

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Cytochrome c (Cc) is a multifunction protein that has important life and death functions in the cell. In the electron transport chain (ETC), Cc transfers electrons from cytochrome bc₁ to cytochrome c oxidase (CcO), which helps build the electrochemical gradient that drives ATP synthase. The reaction of Cc with CcO is very important in ETC regulatory processes. Previous research shows phosphorylation sites in Cc that affect the binding with CcO, with measurable effects on k_d, k_f, and K_D. These effects result in changes in mitochondrial membrane potentials, respiration, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) …

Using Ai To Examine Nocturnal Moth Pollination, Conor Moriarty

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The importance of insect-mediated agriculture cannot be understated especially in the wake of pollinator population declines. Most research of insect-mediated pollination is focused on diurnal pollinators like the honeybee (Apis mellifera). Deepening our understanding of how other pollinators, such as nocturnal pollinators, can benefit agriculture and ecosystems will be very important as honeybee populations decline. I explored nocturnal moth interactions with flowering apple flowers during their pollination season to better understand how these nocturnal pollinators interact with the plants. To accomplish this, I used a University of Arkansas farm area with a dedicated apple orchard. I gathered my raw data …

The Effects Of Executive Function Between Anxiety And Math Achievement In Adolescents, Mckenzie Hall

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Anxiety in Children can develop into pervasive disorders in adulthood if not treated. Research shows dysfunctional Executive Function (EF) and anxiety are both shown to have a negative impact on math achievement in children and adolescents (Trezise & Reeve, 2018; Kalaycioglu, 2015; Owens, Stevenson, Hadwin & Norgate, 2012). Chung, Weyandt, and Swentosky (2014) found biological and neuropsychological support for EF as a unitary and multifaceted processor for regulating our emotional states as well as our daily procedures. Anderson’s (2002) model of Executive Control System (ECS) allows the factors of EF to be examined using a developmental approach towards EF processes. …

Attentional Focus And The Development Of Skilled Performance, Harjiv Singh

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A central question in the development of skilled movement is: how a performer should focus their attention while preparing for the execution of a motor skill? Considerable evidence has shown that directing attention towards an intended movement effect (i.e., external focus) results in performance benefits relative to focusing on body movements (i.e., internal focus). While most of the previous research has emphasized the effects of internal versus external foci, evidence also suggests that external foci located at greater distances from the body (distal foci) are more effective than external foci located in greater proximity to the body (proximal foci) and …

Mechanisms For Funding Biosecurity And Declared Pest Management In Western Australia - Report By The Biosecurity Council Of Western Australia, Biosecurity Council Of Western Australia

Biosecurity published reports

There are five legislated funding mechanisms used for biosecurity-related purposes in wa declared pest rates, Industry Funding Schemes (IFSs), fees for service through the Agricultural Produce Commission (APC), specified area rates and the Modified Penalties Revenue Account. Of these, three were assessed as sustainable sources of biosecurity funding:

• Declared pest rates (DPRs) - rates chargeable on land in a prescribed area. The funds collected via this mechanism are matched dollar-for-dollar from the State's Consolidated Account and used for activities to control declared pests, including biosecurity threats.
• IFSs - schemes that enable agricultural industries to collect funds from producers. The funds …

Reconstructing Bison And Mammoth Migration During The Late Pleistocene And Early Holocene Of Central Texas Using Strontium Isotopes, Joshua John Porter

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

During the Late Pleistocene (LP; past 130,000 years), over two-thirds of large mammal (>45kg) species went extinct globally. While the role of humans is hotly debated, the effect of these extinctions is growing clearer; the extinctions resulted in widespread and lasting faunal community reorganization. However, the impact of these extinctions on dietary and migratory behavior within faunal communities is unknown. Our study examines the impact of the megafaunal extinctions on the dietary and migratory behavior of surviving Bison individuals in Texas using carbon, oxygen, and strontium isotopes. Strontium isotopes are incorporated into mammalian enamel during their tooth development and …

The Work Of La Via Campesina Regarding The Intersection Of Land Occupation And Food Sovereignty, Josephine Drydale

International and Global Studies Undergraduate Honors Theses

La Via Campesina (LVC), a global movement that supports small and local farmers and their communities, is one of the world’s largest food and agricultural rights movements and advocates for agricultural rights in terms of land, ecology, human rights, and more. LVC is known for its establishment of food sovereignty, defined as the right to control one’s production and consumption of food. This new concept placed them on the map, accompanied by their aggressive editorial and advocacy work against ideals they view as neoliberal and food policies that benefit large food moguls while disenfranchising the small farmer. The concept of …

The Last Leg: A Social Sustainability Assessment Of Ovine Agriculture, Sydney Golding

International and Global Studies Undergraduate Honors Theses

Post-war agricultural transformations and the rise of Sustainability discourses have dictated the trajectory of sector industries. The implications of agriculture in lateral policy schemes have neglected the careful consideration of the social health of farmers in decision-making processes, creating a greater divide between the interests of the state and our once revered providers. This study aims to capture the complexity of social matters in agriculture within the specific context of sheep farming in the United Kingdom and the United States and how the concurrent systems have adapted considering the impacts of relevant contemporary historical contexts. The principles of Janker, Mann, …

Parental Stress In Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, Jenny Do

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) is a multi-systemic genetic disorder with great clinical variability. As the needs of one child with TSC may vastly differ from another, parenting demands may similarly differ. Characterizing parental stress, or emotional maladaptation arising from parenting duties, can enable healthcare providers to assist parents of children most efficiently with TSC-related symptoms and improve both parent and child health outcomes. This study surveyed 269 parents of children (aged 0-12 years) with TSC and received the following information: children’s TSC clinical features, parent demographics, and a Parent Stress Index (PSI) score. Parents reported higher stress levels for children …

Multi-Trophic Biodiversity Increases With Increasing Structural Complexity Of Forest Canopy, Ayanna St. Rose

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the effects of forest canopy structural complexity on multi-trophic diversity is critical for conserving biodiversity and managing land sustainably. But multi-trophic diversity is often ignored when making decisions about land management due to lack of cost- and time-effective methods to evaluate it. Here, we explored a new method based on widely available remote sensing data to quantify canopy structural complexity and its relationships with multi-trophic biodiversity at landscape scale using 32 forested sites of the National Ecological Observatory Network. We investigated the influence of vertical and horizontal structural complexity of forest canopy on multi-trophic (primary producers, herbivores (beetles), omnivores …

Eat Well, Be Well: Basic Needs Initiative's Online Hub For Nutrition Education, Misha Moseley

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Basic Needs Initiative at California State University, Monterey Bay is a department that provides students with food, housing, and wellness resources. Over half of the university's students experience food insecurity, and over 85% use non-academic resources to learn about nutrition. This project adds a dietary health section to the department’s website to increase students’ access to nutrition education. It addresses the micro-level agency problem that too few students eat a healthy, balanced diet. Unhealthy eating is a risk factor for food insecurity, so the project indirectly addresses the macro-level health problem that too many college students in California experience food …

Regaining Effort-Based Food Motivation: The Drug Methylphenidate Reverses The Depressive Effects Of Tetrabenazine In Female Rats, Deanna Pietrorazio

Honors Scholar Theses

Tetrabenazine (TBZ), a vesicular monoamine transporter type 2 (VMAT-2) inhibitor, depletes dopamine and induces motivational deficits and other depressive symptoms in humans. Methylphenidate (MPH) is a dopamine transport blocker that is used to enhance motivational function. Previous studies have shown that in male rats, TBZ induces a shift in effort-related choice such that a low-effort bias is induced. In male rats this occurs at a dose range of 0.75-1.0 mg/kg TBZ, and this effect is reversible with co-administration of MPH. Recent studies have shown that females need a higher dose of TBZ (2.0 mg/kg) to show the low-effort bias. The …

Case Study: Effects Of Ultrasonic Vocalizations On Rat Behavior And Place Cell Remapping In The Hippocampus, Qingli Hu

Honors Scholar Theses

Spatial information is known to be encoded in the hippocampus, and small changes in the environment can alter the way that it is represented by our hippocampal place cells in a process called remapping. Hearing is an important sense that can be used to orient ourselves and react to the environment accordingly. In this case study, a rat model is used to test the effects of emotional auditory stimuli, behaviorally significant ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) (50 kHz, emitted during play; 22 kHz, emitted during danger), on rat behavior on a linear track and place cell remapping in the hippocampus. Behaviorally, it …

Behavioral Effects And Neurobiological Mechanisms Of 3-Aminobenzimide In A Rodent Model Of Chronic Psychological Stress, Liza Wills

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of disability worldwide, with a lifetime prevalence rate of approximately 20%. Inadequate pharmacological treatment methods for MDD are a significant debilitating factor. Patient estimates suggest that the treatment resistance rate for pharmacological interventions is over 30%. Postmortem analyses of human tissue of individuals diagnosed with MDD have shown an increase in Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1) mRNA gene expression in prefrontal cortical white matter when compared to psychiatrically normal brain tissue. In order to further investigate this issue, the present study used the social defeat stress/chronic unpredictable stress (SDS + CUS) rodent …

Invisible Disabilities, Academic Capital And Competitiveness Of Genetic Counseling Applicants, Natalie E. Stoner, Meagan Choates, Carla Mcgruder, Debra Murray, Theresa Wittman, Sara Wofford, Claire N. Singletary

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The field of genetic counseling has historically lacked diversity. Recent research has begun to explore how visible diversity may present barriers to a genetic counseling applicant becoming competitive, but has not yet characterized potential barriers with invisible diversities, such as being a first-generation college student, or a part of the LBGTQ+ community. Therefore, this study aimed to address this gap among those with invisible diversities, as well as explore their academic capital (AC), a theoretical framework used to identify factors that make students more likely to succeed in post-secondary work including supportive networks, trustworthy information, family uplift, college knowledge, overcoming …

Operatic Mysticisms: Mountains, Deserts, Waterscapes, Andrew Demczuk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Operatic Mysticisms: Mountains, Deserts, Waterscapes examines the ways we encounter environments as readers/viewers of operas, literature, film, and sound recordings, and how each medium requires different detail-gathering techniques. Respective to the previously mentioned mediums, Sun & Sea (2017), Mount Analogue (1952), El Mar La Mar (2017), and Energy Field (2010) are analyzed by engaging with environmental media studies and invention. Reflecting the nature of each landscape—summits of mountains, aporias of deserts, and mysteries of waterscapes—an elemental approach is taken in investigating how these spaces may be noticed, internalized, recorded, and traversed by both the artist and viewer. …

Alfred Russel Wallace Notes 21: Wallace & The Doorway To The Universe, Charles H. Smith

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

An important yet largely unrecognized theme in the thought of Alfred Russel Wallace (1823−1913) was his insistence that all dependably-reported phenomena, even those of aberrant nature, were worthy of a respectful kind of attention: that is, a kind which did not automatically banish difficult subjects to the realm of myth or superstition. In this work, Wallace’s philosophy in this direction is documented, and linked to the world of post-Age-of-Enlightenment revisionism.

Land Rich, Cash Poor: Hispanic Subsistence Agri-Culture On Acequia Farms Of Northern New Mexico, 1880-1950s, José A. Rivera Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Acequia-based agriculture in Hispanic northern New Mexico originated with the arrival of settlers from the central valley of Mexico in the late sixteenth century and later following the Camino Real into the upper Río Grande and its tributaries. The high desert environment required irrigation for food production and survival. Land parcels in the rural villages of northern New Mexico were small, and crop yields were limited to home consumption on a subsistence basis, an economy that lasted well into the territorial period and statehood of New Mexico. Despite a wage economy introduced with the arrival of the railroad around 1880 …

Early Detection Of Atypical Motor And Neurobehavior Of Infants At Risk Secondary To Opioid Exposure: A Prospective Study, Kara Boynewicz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Prenatal opioid exposure has been studied in relation to infants' medical outcomes. However, large gaps exist in the literature supporting early identification of atypical neurobehavior and motor development of infants with prenatal opioid exposure. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether prenatal opioid exposure has a negative influence on a newborn infant’s neurobehavior and motor development to aid in the early identification of potential delays. Using a prospective quasi experimental design, infants motor development using the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) and neurobehavior using the NICU Neonatal Network Scale (NNNS) was assessed on 58 infants in a …

Pandemics And Animal Welfare: A Quantitative Inquiry Into How The Covid-19 Pandemic Has Affected The Companion Animal Industry In Northwest Arkansas, Kayla N. Desmet

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2019, industries have been impacted globally. The companion animal care industry has not received much recognition in mainstream news, and though multiple grants have been allocated (Nolen, 2020), limited resources were available to individual facilities such as animal shelters, animal day cares, and boarding facilities. Little is known about the long-term effects of the pandemic on these facilities and how companion animal care may have changed. The purpose of this study was to explore the day-to-day impacts and long-term effects of COVID-19 on the companion animal industry in Northwest Arkansas from …

Assessment Of The University Of Rhode Island's Dining Halls And Student Perceptions Of On-Campus Dining, Maria Cherry

Senior Honors Projects

University dining halls are understudied food environments that affect student diet quality. This study (1) assessed dining hall offerings at the University of Rhode Island (URI) using the Partnership for a Healthier America’s Healthier Campus Initiative (PAHA) criteria for healthier campus food environments and (2) evaluated student perceptions of the dining hall through a campus-wide survey (n=165). We evaluated breakfast, lunch, and dinner using spring cycle menus (16 weeks in 2019 and 4 in 2021) from two full-service dining halls totaling 29 meals in 2019, and 84 meals in 2021 to determine adherence with PAHA criteria for availability of: 1) …

Effects Of Cognitive Style On Food Perception And Eating Behavior, Thadeus Lyndon Beekman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Within the fields of psychology, notably cultural psychology, the analytic-holistic cognitive style theory has been introduced, developed, fine-tuned, and validated across a wide range of situations, stimuli, and populations. This research, combined with recent applications of the analytic-holistic theory, suggests that the differences in analytic or holistic tendencies of individuals in food, sensory, and consumer tests can impact food perception and associated behaviors. This dissertation aimed to investigate the impact of analytic-holistic cognitive styles of consumers in food situations. The first objective to accomplish this goal was to conduct exploratory research to identify if and where the analytic-holistic theory may …