Honors Program Theses: Spring 2017
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10675.2/625605
Browse
Recent Submissions
Item Restricted Bisphenol A (BPA) Contamination in Yellow-Bellied Sliders (Trachemys scripta scripta)(Augusta University, 2017-05) McDavid, Kayla; Department of Biological SciencesBisphenol A, also known as BPA, is a chemical that is recognized for being in a variety of consumer products, particularly to make plastic food containers and drink bottles (Makinwa, 2015). It was estimated in 2011 that about 5.5 million metric tons of BPA have been consumed globally (Flint, 2011). This is cause for alarm because it is classified as moderately toxic to aquatic life by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (Flint, 2011). BPA can negatively affect gene expression and hormone pathways. It is also known for triggering sex changes during embryonic stages in turtles and caiman (Flint, 2011). A major source of BPA is littering of plastics, which enter ponds and wetlands and may become incorporated into the food web of aquatic species (Campani, 2013). When plastic products degrade, BPA is leached into the soil and can potentially flow into neighboring waterways (Makinwa, 2015). Animals acquire BPA through direct ingestion of plastic particles or through consuming plants or animals that have accumulated BPA. Previous research has shown that Bisphenol A acts as an endocrine disruptor on painted turtles, caiman, fish, and amphibians (Jandegian, 2015). It mimics the hormone estrogen, which at sufficient concentrations, may cause developing male embryos to produce female reproductive tissue. Snails have been observed to undergo “superfeminization” when exposed to about 1 μg/L (Flint, 2011). This superfeminization caused “additional female organs, enlarged sex organs, and oviduct deformities” (Flint, 2011). There is evidence that Bisphenol A causes feminization in most animals that have been studied, although the mechanism has yet to be found (Krüger, 2005). Turtles are often used as environmental indicators because they are omnivorous and tend to be long-lived. Their longevity makes them more likely than short-lived species to bioaccumulate toxins.If BPA concentrations are high in turtles, then it is likely that humans have absorbed a certain amount that may contribute to unknown biological consequences. Research has shown that there are links between this contaminant and the rates of cancer development, obesity, and the probability of a child developing neurological problem when exposed. According to the analysis of 315 urine samples “93% of people had detectable levels of BPA” (Kinch, 2015). The objective of my research was to quantify BPA concentrations in Yellow-bellied sliders (Trachemys scripta scripta) and their habitat. Blood samples were collected from the subcarapacial or dorsal coccygeal vein of each turtle captured. Additionally, soil samples were taken at the edge of the water. Study Areas Blood samples were collected from 9 turtles trapped at Reed Creek Park. Additional samples were collected from 22 turtles from Brick Pond Park. Reed Creek Park is in Martinez, Georgia (33.53375598, -82.08555523) (Google maps, 2016). Brick Pond Park is in North Augusta, South Carolina (33.4874273, -81.9786814) (Google maps, 2016). Ten soil samples were collected at each location. The soil samples were analyzed for BPA quantities and compared with the amounts of BPA that were recorded from the blood samples taken from the captured turtles. [Introduction]Item Restricted Rebecca Harding Davis: Spatial, Gender, and Labor Roles in Literary Realism(Augusta University, 2017-05) Humphrey, Katie; Department of English and Foreign LanguagesRebecca Harding Davis, a West Virginia writer, explores how conceptions of gender shifted in the United States, especially during the Industrial Revolution. Davis published her novel in six separate issues of The Atlantic literary magazine from October of 1861 until March of 1862 in monthly installments. These pieces were eventually published as a novel entitled Margret Howth in 1862. This story explores the life of the young woman after whom the book is named. Davis’s approach emphasizes the recording of daily life as it is happening, commenting especially on the relationship between women and labor during the early Civil War period in the United States. Davis’s focus on the daily details of life allows her to bring attention to gender and labor inequalities in the nineteenth century Midwest. Davis’s female characters depict how women felt unable to make decisions, especially if their decisions brought them out of their home and away from the family. She also brings light to women’s treatment from both men and the upper class, who marked them as unable to do work outside the home because they believed they were physically and emotionally built only for domestic life. [Introduction]Item Restricted Sex, Swimsuits, and Sports Illustrated: Visually Analyzing the Evolution of Style, Skin, and Place in the SI Swimsuit Edition(Augusta University, 2017-05) ConKright, Lucia; Department of CommunicationsOf the countless magazines in circulation in the United States, the widespread popularity of the Sports Illustrated is obvious; in fact, one can hardly pass a newsstand without seeing one. Since 1964, when model Babette March appeared on the cover of SI in a white bikini against the tropical backdrop of an island paradise, the SI Swimsuit Edition has graced shelves annually during the winter months. Since receiving “special issue” status in 1997, the magazine has become the single best-selling issue in the magazine franchise of Time Inc., selling more than one million copies on newsstands and boasting more than three million subscribers (Spector, D., 2013). In 2016, the SI Swimsuit Edition once again appeared on shelves nationwide; this time with three separate covers. Notable about these covers was, for the first time in the history of the edition, the inclusion of a plus-size model and a professional athlete, both a noticeable step away from the traditional models featured on the cover of the Swimsuit Edition in years past. Whether a signifier of changing times or a precursor to evolving standards of magazine models, the 2016 covers of the SI Swimsuit Edition marked a dramatic change in the magazine. In investigating this development, this study covers the history of the SI Swimsuit Edition magazine and asks the question: how has the magazine changed in terms of swimwear, setting, and cover model from the first cover in 1964 to the three covers released in 2016? [Introduction]Item Restricted Operant Responding for Alcohol: A Specially Bred Animal Model of Anxiety and Alcohol Use Disorder(Augusta University, 2017-05) Berg, Warren S.C.; Department of Psychological SciencesAlcohol abuse and dependence affects a significant portion of the United States population. In America alone, approximately 17 million adults ages 18 and older and an estimated 855,000 adolescents ages 12-meet diagnostic criteria for addiction (National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2016). In order to be diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder (AUD), an individual must meet specific criteria detailed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). According to the most recent edition (DSM–5), a person meeting at least two of 11 criteria during a 12-month period meets the diagnostic criteria for an AUD (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). The severity of an AUD—mild, moderate, or severe—is based on the number of criteria met (see Appendix B for a list of the 11 diagnostic criteria for AUD). Unfortunately, not everyone seeks assistance for their addiction. According to a report published in 2015 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), fewer than 10% of individuals with an AUD received treatment at a specialized facility. Thus, this is a very serious health concern. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that those who do receive treatment will get better. That is, despite extensive research on the etiology of AUD, high incidence, low treatment numbers, and broad treatment methodologies, researchers and clinicians have a tenuous understanding of this disorder at best. [Introduction]Item Restricted Investigation of the Properties of Stem Loop DNA(Augusta University, 2017-05) Benny, Reshma; Department of Chemistry and PhysicsDNA or deoxyribonucleic acid is the genetic material of almost all living organisms and it is a polymer of deoxynucleotide monomers that are linked together by phosphodiester bonds. Each deoxynucleotide consists of a phosphate group and a nitrogen-containing base that are both attached to a 5-carbon sugar known as deoxyribose. The nitrogenous bases found in DNA are adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T). The primary structure of DNA consists of a single DNA strand with two distinct ends. The 5’ end, in most cases, terminates in a phosphate group and the 3’ end terminates in the hydroxyl group on a sugar molecule. When two strands of DNA come together to form a double helix, the strands lie anti-parallel to each other, where the 5’ end of one strand will align with the 3’ end of another strand; this helix depicts the tertiary structure and the most common form of DNA (Figure 1). The two strands of DNA are held together by complementary base pairing which involves the specific interaction of A with T and G with C. These base pairs are stabilized by hydrogen bonds and stacking interactions.[Introduction]Item Restricted The Effects of Heavy Noise Levels on the Production of Corticosterone in the Squirrel Tree Frog (Hyla squirella)(Augusta University, 2017-05) Harris, Barbara; Department of Biological SciencesBackground and Objective: Urbanization of the environment is making animal communication more difficult. Sounds degrade over the distance traveled and therefore by adding additional noises, like roadside traffic, the interpretation of ‘the message’ becomes increasingly difficult (Naguib, 2013). This increase in difficulty to communicate day-to-day messages can lead to negative effects on the animal. Previous research has been conducted with female wood frogs, Lithobates sylvaticus, on the effects of traffic noise on the production of corticosterone, a hormone related to stress also known as CORT (Tennessen, 2014). The research with the wood frogs determined that not only did the production of corticosterone increase but the females’ ability to travel and find a mate was impaired (Tennessen, 2014). Previous research conducted on the Gulf Toadfish focused on the production CORT levels released during exposure to a playback (Remage-Healey, 2014). The Gulf Toadfishes that were exposed to aggressive vocalizations playbacks had an increase in CORT levels (Remage-Healey, 2014). This leads us to believe that using playbacks of traffic noise will give us an accurate conclusion on the effects of heavy noise on CORT production. The objective of the following research focuses specifically on squirrel tree frogs (Hyla squirella) and the effects of increasing traffic noise on CORT production. We hypothesized that H. squirella exposed to higher levels of roadside noise will display higher concentrations of CORT production. Methods: Frogs (n=33) were placed in cages lined with terrarium moss. Temperature and humidity were monitored daily. Corticosterone levels were measured through a noninvasive waterborne technique. Frogs were placed in 50 ml conical centrifuge tubes with 10 ml of water for 30 minutes, CORT diffused out of the frog’s skin and into the 10 ml of surrounding water. The CORT was extracted on three different occasions; once before exposure, another time after 3 weeks of exposure, and the final CORT extraction was 6 weeks after beginning treatment. The water/CORT samples were then passed through C-18 columns to separate corticosterone away from the water. The columns were eluted with 3mL of methanol to recover the corticosterone and stored in a -30 °C freezer until ready to be thawed for extraction. Using a centro-vap, the excess methanol was removed. Samples were then suspended in assay buffer and analyzed via a corticosterone enzyme-linked immunoassay kit. Results: The frogs within the experimental cage were observed outside of the refugia more frequently and the coloration of these frogs dulled over time. There was no significant change in mass (g) detected. There was no significant difference in baseline CORT prior to treatment. Upon 3 weeks of noise exposure, experimental cages had an average corticosterone level significantly higher than both of the control cages. No significant difference between experimental and controls was detected at the final extraction. Implications: It appears that overall there is a stress related reaction with frogs exposed to heavy noise compared to those frogs not exposed. As predicted, it appears that if the frogs are exposed for a long period then eventually the frogs will acclimate. This is probably due to the fact that producing high stress for a long amount of time has physiological effects and may eventually lead to death if the animal is unable to adjust.Item Restricted Progress City: An Honors Thesis Exhibition(Augusta University, 2017-05) Conway, Baillie; Department of Art and DesignProgress City is a full-scale art exhibition examining the way history can be visually represented through sculpture. Focusing specifically on the time period during which America transitioned from an industrial to a service-based economy, it examines the effects this departure had on cities throughout the Southeast. Comprised of a series of sculptural buildings juxtaposed alongside a collection of found objects, this project mixes different forms of media together to create a conceptual display for the viewer to enjoy. As you will see, the project has undergone many revisions and edits over the course of this process. The final product is nowhere close to the ideas I had initially proposed at the beginning. However, you will come to see that, although this project may have seen many changes, it still revolves around the same theme, and that’s progress. [Introduction]