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Description
Dr. Jesse Senko has what he describes as the “secret sauce” with his FIS 494 Sea Turtles, Sharks, & Fisheries of Baja California study abroad class. Students meet with him and assistant instructor Ph.D. candidate Cindy Vargas weekly to learn more about the marine megafauna and the fisheries that impact La Paz, Baja California, Mexico. Then, during spring break, the students travel to La Paz to explore the world they have been studying. After the week-long trip, students resume class and reflect on their experiences. By the time students arrive in La Paz during their spring break, they possess a vast knowledge of the topics they have learned in class and have built a sense of community among their classmates and teachers. While in La Paz, students get once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to swim with sea lions, safely capture and monitor sea turtles, and visit the Isla El Pardito to speak with local fishermen. Dr. Senko is bringing his students to a real-world research opportunity only accessible through this trip, and for a lot of students, their first time abroad. This experience has proven to be life-changing for many students, including myself. Students leave with not only a greater knowledge of La Paz but also genuine fieldwork experience with experts in their field. FIS 494 Sea Turtles, Sharks, & Fisheries of Baja California is the only class of its kind here at Arizona State University.
ContributorsZaynor, Nina (Author) / Senko, Jesse (Thesis director) / Vargas, Cindy (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Biological & Health Systems Engineering (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory gynecological disease, characterized by endometrial tissue growing outside of the uterus in lesions. It is predominantly a women's disease but has been found in men in rare cases. There is not a known pathogenesis, although there are multiple theories. The most accepted is retrograde menstruation; however, there are limitations to the theory due to its inability to account for endometriosis in men and ectopic lesions. Currently, it is debated and unclear if endometriosis should be labeled as an autoimmune disease. The purpose of my project was to research specifically autoimmunity in relation to immune responses to endometriosis and its immune dysfunction to provide a recommendation as to whether it should be relabeled as an autoimmune disease. The main argument for why endometriosis is not an autoimmune disease is that immune cells are not primarily attacking the normal endometrial tissue self-antigens. Instead, due to immune dysfunction, there is reduced apoptosis of the endometrial cells shed during menstruation, leading to their persistence, migration and invasion into different tissues, and proliferation into lesions. The immune response to lesions leads to production of autoantibodies that recognize and attack the self-antigens of the endometrial cells in the lesions. The presence of autoantibodies against endometrial self-antigens would provide support for it being an autoimmune disease. Multiple factors of autoimmune diseases are also associated with endometriosis: increased likelihood of developing other autoimmune diseases, similar immune cell populations, imbalance in Th1 and Th2 lymphocytes, dysfunction of cell apoptosis, immune dysfunction, genetic contributors, high risk HLAs, autoantibodies, polyclonal B cell activation, and responsiveness to immunomodulatory treatments. Due to these factors and the immune system's ability to recognize and attack the self-antigens in the lesion, endometriosis should be considered an autoimmune disease.
ContributorsSpencer, Haleigh (Author) / Weaver, Jessica (Thesis director) / Mehta, Jinal (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Biological & Health Systems Engineering (Contributor) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Background: High-grade gliomas, including the most common and aggressive type, glioblastoma, are the most prevalent and malignant brain tumors. They are often resistant to standard treatments due to their high degree of molecular heterogeneity, which is further complicated by sex-based variations in incidence and prognosis, particularly so in glioblastoma, with males generally exhibiting a higher rate of occurrence and shorter survival times than females. In light of these complexities, this thesis seeks to investigate sex differences in molecular characteristics in high-grade gliomas, particularly glioblastoma, focusing on the genetic expression of key hallmarks associated with immune signaling, cell cycle regulation, and inflammatory responses. The nuanced expression patterns of these hallmarks are essential in understanding tumorigenesis given the molecular and histological heterogeneity of glioblastoma, which complicates treatment and worsens prognosis.
Methods: Using data derived from bulk RNA-sequencing on 202 tumor samples collected across 58 patients (n = 22 females; n = 36 males), this thesis employs differential gene expression and gene set enrichment and variance analyses to examine how select molecular characteristics—IDH mutation (n = 21 mutant; n = 173 wildtype) and MGMT promoter methylation status (n = 47 methylated; n = 89 unmethylated)—influence sex-distinct gene expression in the aforementioned hallmark gene sets of interest.
Results & Conclusion: The results highlight that interferon signaling pathways exhibit sex-distinct upregulation, with a notable divergence based on IDH mutation status. Meanwhile, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition hallmark demonstrates greater enrichment in males, particularly in MGMT-unmethylated tumors, supporting its role in promoting the more aggressive, treatment-resistant tumor phenotypes more often seen in male patients. Hallmarks such as the G2M checkpoint, E2F targets, and MYC targets–key in tumor cell proliferation–were more enriched in MGMT-methylated samples in both males and females, providing insights into the underlying molecular landscape of glioblastoma and suggesting potential avenues for targeted therapies. These results, if taken together with future work analyzing larger, more diverse cohorts, could enhance our understanding of sex-based molecular heterogeneity, thus contributing to improved precision in glioblastoma treatment.
ContributorsShakir, Neha (Author) / Swanson, Kristin (Thesis director) / Curtin, Lee (Committee member) / Jackson, Pamela (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Biological & Health Systems Engineering (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2024-12
Description
This thesis discusses speech therapy and ways to improve upon current interventions used. First, an in-depth analysis of mouth models used in speech therapy to treat speech disorders was performed. Areas where current models are insufficient are identified and explored. The engineering design process was followed to produce a mouth model that fills all of the gaps in current models. The methods that were used to create the prototype are discussed. Finally, the final product is analyzed in comparison to current models.
ContributorsOpferman, Rachel (Author) / Delp, Deana (Thesis director) / Bruce, Laurel (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / School of Biological & Health Systems Engineering (Contributor)
Created2024-12
Description
Tonal is a state-of-the-art workout system equipped with artificial intelligence, designed to cater to a high-end market where user engagement and satisfaction are paramount. Mental and physical fatigue have been identified as key factors that deter user engagement and reduce the likelihood of returning users. This study aimed to assess the mental and physical fatigue experienced by users while utilizing the Tonal equipment. Research indicates that changes in the eyes can reliably reflect both mental and physical fatigue; therefore, Tobii Pro II glasses, considered the gold standard in eye-tracking technology, were selected to monitor the changes in the eyes of the subject. The results revealed that users experience both physical and mental fatigue while using the equipment. However, the degree of fatigue observed in this study does not appear to significantly impact overall user engagement, as users demonstrated relatively quick recovery. Nonetheless, mitigating these fatigue-related barriers would further enhance user satisfaction and promote consistent engagement. To address physical fatigue, recommendations include implementing features such as overexertion monitoring, hydration reminders, and overtraining warnings. Similarly, mental fatigue can be reduced by simplifying the interface navigation to streamline the user experience and minimize cognitive load. By effectively reducing both physical and mental fatigue, these enhancements would lower barriers to continued use while developing an environment for the user that encourages sustained engagement and satisfaction.
ContributorsLangland, Ethan (Author) / Coza, Aurel (Thesis director) / Santello, Marco (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Biological & Health Systems Engineering (Contributor)
Created2025-05
Description
This chapter examines the intricate relationship between culture, politics, religion, and HPV vaccination to guide future public health policies and educational initiatives. Interdisciplinary perspectives, along with qualitative and quantitative research methods, form the foundation of the chapter, including literature review, surveys, interviews, and media analysis. These methods provided insight into how cultural and religious beliefs that contribute to vaccine hesitancy, political narratives influence vaccination policy, and the impact of social stigma, such as that surrounding female sexuality and homosexuality, on public health decisions. Key findings include the role of increasing misinformation following the COVID-19 pandemic, the influence of social media and the development of anti-intellectualism, along with the historical and gender-based disparities in HPV vaccine promotion. The role of cultural identities, such as being religious or from a rural area, were also explored and produced valuable insight on how misinformation can develop roots in our communities. The results of these subsections all suggest that decreasing HPV related cancers through vaccination will require more than simply spreading information and educating, but will also require truly understanding, connecting with, and building trust in the communities that our healthcare system serves.
ContributorsKey, Charis (Author) / Struver, Tyler (Co-author) / Ghetes, Celeste (Co-author) / Hall, Kamilah (Co-author) / Kok, Gordon (Co-author) / Para, Natalie (Co-author) / Urbatsch, Dana (Co-author) / Compton, Carolyn (Thesis director) / Hurlbut, Ben (Committee member) / Bronowitz, Jason (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Biological & Health Systems Engineering (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor)
Created2024-12
Description
Understanding the biomedical and molecular basis of Human Papillomavirus (HPV), is critical to understanding the role of HPV in cancer and in understanding the vaccines that are available to prevent HPV infection. Towards that goal, this chapter will break down the biological aspects of HPV into three main sections: Virology (HPV classification, the HPV lifecycle, and the history of HPV as a cancer-causing agent), Cancers (cervical cancer and head and neck cancer), and Vaccines (preventive vaccinations, therapeutic vaccinations, and clinical/future vaccinations). Understanding the biology behind HPV and its vaccine will help remove the mystery and stigma of HPV itself, in addition to clarifying any doubts that may be had about its vaccines, so that informed decisions can be made. Despite the amount of research that goes into HPV, there are still some gaps in knowledge. Future studies may address these gaps, which would facilitate the development of improved vaccinations and potential treatments.
ContributorsValli-Doherty, Isabella (Author) / Chen, Lea (Co-author) / Lirtzman, Isabella (Co-author) / Macko, Sophia (Co-author) / Melton, Isabella (Co-author) / Singh, Atithi (Co-author) / Toelle, Elijah (Co-author) / Wakefield, Elizabeth (Co-author) / Compton, Carolyn (Thesis director) / Jacobs, Bertram (Committee member) / Salamone, Damien (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Biological & Health Systems Engineering (Contributor)
Created2024-12
Description
This chapter offers a comprehensive analysis of the economic factors influencing the HPV vaccine across its lifecycle. It examines critical phases, including research and development, pricing and market dynamics, marketing strategies, supply chain management, and post-market economic impacts on consumers and healthcare providers. By exploring these interconnected stages, the chapter aims to display the economic viability of the HPV vaccine market and its potential long-term benefits. Additionally, the chapter discusses future research directions, particularly in relation to the evolving regulatory landscape and the implications of emerging vaccine technologies.
ContributorsPeterson, Kylie (Author) / Viton, Rosalia (Co-author) / Ger, Benjamin (Co-author) / Salter, Martha (Co-author) / Kizer, Aidan (Co-author) / Compton, Carolyn (Thesis director) / Iqbal, Aneel (Committee member) / Xie, Man (Committee member) / Larson, David (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Watts College of Public Service & Community Solut (Contributor) / School of Biological & Health Systems Engineering (Contributor)
Created2024-12
Description
This study aims to integrate physiological and behavioral assessments to enhance our understanding of dog problem behaviors, utilizing heart rate variability (HRV), cortisol changes, and the Qualitative Behavior Assessment (QBA) as prognostic tools. HRV is monitored through the Polar H10 device to assess how effectively dogs respond to stressors. By analyzing HRV data from dogs seeking dog problem behavior treatment, we investigate potential links between HRV metrics and the intensity of problem behaviors. Alongside HRV, we applied a modified version of the QBA to capture the owner perspectives of their dogs 'emotional expressivity,' using pre-selected terms and a novel assessment form to document observed behaviors. This dual approach aims to define problem behaviors from the owner's perspective. In this preliminary phase (n=5), only dogs whose owners are actively pursuing an initial behavior consultation and have completed the recheck appointment have completed this study. The findings may allow for behavioral prognoses based on a combination of physiological markers and owner-driven assessments, potentially leading to improved welfare outcomes for dogs.
ContributorsLa Rosa, Angelo (Author) / Lockhart, Thurmon (Thesis director) / Moffat, Kelly (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Biological & Health Systems Engineering (Contributor) / College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (Contributor)
Created2024-12
Description
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease currently affecting approximately 7 million Americans. It accounts for most dementia cases and is an ultimately fatal disease. Currently, there are two FDA approved drugs that slow the progression of AD by targeting amyloid-beta plaques, but there is no known cure. Through research, two biological pathways for AD have been identified, the accumulation of amyloid-beta plaques and tau protein neurofibrillary tangles. Since evidence has shown a correlation between the onset of clinical dementia symptoms and tau pathology, it is necessary to further research its mechanism and evaluate tau protein as a potential therapeutic target for AD. This research studies dysfunctional proteolysis of tau protein as an underlying mechanism of tau pathology by determining the correlation between tau-derived peptides and neurotoxicity. Specifically, cytotoxicity assays were performed on neuroblastoma cells to evaluate each peptide’s ability to induce cell death. Identifying cytotoxic tau-derived peptides and determining their mechanism for inducing cell death can potentially identify new therapeutic strategies for AD.
ContributorsMoskalik, Alena (Author) / Huseby, Carol (Thesis director) / Tseng, Jui-Heng (Henry) (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / School of Biological & Health Systems Engineering (Contributor)
Created2025-05