Capstones 2014
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- The mystery of fut2: a population genetics analysis of the secretor gene using the 1000 genomes project
- [28] pp.; 28 cm., Because the ability to resist infectious disease has been a constant factor in the survival of humans over the past few millennia, disease resistance has played a crucial role in shaping the genes of the immune system. One of these genes, FUT2, is suggested to have evolved as an adaption reinforcing the immune system, although the specific function of its Lewis b and ABO blood group antigens in body fluids and secretions are still unclear. However, nonfunctional alleles are present in populations worldwide at frequencies higher than expected under neutral evolution. To elucidate the role of FUT2 in the immune system, my analysis examined the nucleotide variation of FUT2 using an array of neutrality tests and sequence data from the 1000 Genomes Project. My analysis, like those preceding mine, was inconclusive with respect to the possible role of FUT2 in the immune system. It is possible that FUT2 is undergoing directional selection in Asians or that the gene is undergoing no natural selection at all. Either way, both conclusions have direct implications for public health, but this needs to be investigated further to decide what the implications are., Submitted by Jamie Smith (jamie.smith@gallaudet.edu) on 2014-09-22T19:32:22Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1089 bytes, checksum: 0a703d871bf062c5fdc7850b1496693b (MD5) BriennaHeroldHonorsCapstone2014-1.pdf: 718698 bytes, checksum: 8e1b732c5ffceca39d35208d1104b037 (MD5), Made available in DSpace on 2014-09-22T19:32:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1089 bytes, checksum: 0a703d871bf062c5fdc7850b1496693b (MD5) BriennaHeroldHonorsCapstone2014-1.pdf: 718698 bytes, checksum: 8e1b732c5ffceca39d35208d1104b037 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-05-05
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- The role of childhood environment and outdoor exposure on connectedness to nature
- 44 pp.; 28 cm., There may exist a relationship between the type of environment one is raised in, amount of exposure to the outdoors as a child and later connectedness to nature as an adult. This study attempts to identify childhood experiences, which may have an influence on adult tendency toward specific patterns of attachment, belief, behavior, and emotions in relation to the natural world. Results show no significant relationship between childhood environment and preference of indoor or outdoor activities in this study sample. However, frequency of exposure through field trips has been found to have a significant impact on connectedness to nature. The implication of this research is it can be used in encouraging maximum exposure to the outdoor environment not only when people are children, but in adulthood as well. Limitations of this study include a relatively small sample size as well as a sample of convenience and issues of internal reliability of the measurements. Future research could study the link between a person's feelings of connectedness to nature and their mental or physical health; include more demographic data; expand the sample to include deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing participants; and further divide rural, suburban and urban environments into sub-categories., Submitted by Jamie Smith (jamie.smith@gallaudet.edu) on 2014-09-10T15:12:56Z No. of bitstreams: 1 KallissaBaileyHonorsCapstone2014.pdf: 779873 bytes, checksum: b61a0ca29362c4d860b8583899e1b36e (MD5), Made available in DSpace on 2014-09-10T15:12:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 KallissaBaileyHonorsCapstone2014.pdf: 779873 bytes, checksum: b61a0ca29362c4d860b8583899e1b36e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-05-05
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- Turtle town: creating a self-sustainable ecosystem using an ecological approach to turtle aquarium design
- 20 pp.; 28 cm., Typical pet turtle tank setups do not utilize the complete nutrient cycle seen in a functional natural ecosystem. This dysfunction results in waste and nutrient buildup, which is currently managed by water changes and regular tank cleaning. This type of maintenance can be costly and time-consuming -- not to mention unpleasant and hazardous to the aquarium owner's health. This study tested the effectiveness of using plants as part of a proposed ecological tank design to minimize waste buildup by utilizing nutrients. Wastewater from a dirty turtle tank was transferred to a tank setup containing three plants (Experimental Batch 1), while the dirty turtle tank received clean water (Experimental Batch 2). Water samples were collected from each tank over a period of approximately two weeks and each tank's concentration of phosphorus and nitrogen were measured. NH4+ analysis showed that the rate of turtle N buildup equals about 4.5 times as much as plant N use. PO43- analysis results shoed that the rate of turtle P buildup is about 0.2642 uM per day, however plant P use did not show a significant trend. Further studies on plant P use and forms of N should be carried out to explore this anomaly. Results from this study and further studies of this kind can be used to estimate and standardize the amount of plant mass needed to create a self-sustainable cycle in a 40-gallon tank. Turtle owners can use this information to improve the water quality, using an ecologically friendly design. In future studies, researchers can test further additions to create a complete ecological tank design - including organic filter sponges, a worm compost farm, and a complete garden situated above the tank - against typical mechanical filtration systems to compare quality of life for the turtles., Submitted by Christopher Shea (christopher.shea@gallaudet.edu) on 2014-09-10T17:44:03Z No. of bitstreams: 1 SheenaODonnellHonorsCapstone2014.pdf: 34660306 bytes, checksum: b4b6bc166d426c343de344ccc6d4dd87 (MD5), Made available in DSpace on 2014-09-10T17:44:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 SheenaODonnellHonorsCapstone2014.pdf: 34660306 bytes, checksum: b4b6bc166d426c343de344ccc6d4dd87 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-05-15
Collection Usage Stats
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6
| Label | PID |
Page Views |
|---|---|---|
| Turtle town: creating a self-sustainable ecosystem using an ecological approach to turtle aquarium design | gaislandora:9614 | 2,888 |
| The social integration of Civil War veterans with hearing loss: the roles of government and media | gaislandora:9617 | 709 |
| The role of childhood environment and outdoor exposure on connectedness to nature | gaislandora:9616 | 646 |
| Deaf sex education in India: a study of deaf Indians in the U.S. | gaislandora:9613 | 437 |
| The mystery of fut2: a population genetics analysis of the secretor gene using the 1000 genomes project | gaislandora:9612 | 110 |
| Group productivity in varying communication mediums: testing face-to-face and virtual interaction | gaislandora:9615 | 84 |