Oxytocin is a hormone well know for the stimulation of childbirth and milk letdown in mammals. Large levels of the hormone are also released during angiogenesis in the growth of the corpus luteum (CL), a temporary endocrine gland that forms on the ovaries following ovulation. Levels of oxytocin decline after...
Phenolic compounds are known to have biological activity with beneficial effects on human health. Fruit of cultivated tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) are a major source of phenolics in the U.S. diet because this crop is the second most consumed vegetable per capita, but actual levels are low compared to other...
Massive die-offs of Bufo bufo gargarizans were observed in May 2008 in Mangwal
Gee, Korea. To find out the causes for this disaster several different elements
were examined: pH, total nitrogen, dissolved oxygen (DO), and dissolved heavy
metal, suspension, introduced species, habitat change, disease, temperature
changes, and precipitation and humidity....
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights establishes the right to clean water, entitling everyone to “sufficient, safe, acceptable, physically accessible and affordable water for personal and domestic uses”. This rationale is the inspiration for comparing the effects of clean water strategies. A comparison between Tunisian and Egyptian approaches will evaluate...
Suicide attacks are a prevalent topic in modern international media. The devastation in the United States caused by suicide tactics on September 11, 2001 encouraged the development of counter-terrorism policies that could provide effective security and reduce the worldwide sense of vulnerability. The necessity for international collaboration on research regarding...
Background: Breastfeeding has many benefits but many new mothers find difficulties when
trying to breastfeed. This is a program evaluation of Baby Connection a feeding program for the
first year. Baby Connection is a volunteer program in Lane County, Oregon. Methods: Records
were analyzed during the first 15 months of...
Low Reynolds number airfoils have become of interest recently for applications on Micro-air Vehicles (MAVs). Airfoils at low Reynolds numbers and high angles of attack are known to be unstable due to low lift to drag ratios. This study investigates the effect of a movable leading edge flap on the...
This study considered collision data for Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon
in order to determine whether or not red light cameras are effective in reducing red light
running collisions. Red light running is extremely dangerous and is a leading cause of
urban automobile collisions in the United States. Red light...
The world is currently using an unsustainable system of meeting its transportation
needs with oil. This system is taking a toll on the world environment and on global politics.
The physical availability of oil is the system’s most immediate problem and will most likely
bring about a transition away from...
The pharmacy practices in Ecuador and the United States are different on three different levels: culturally, educationally and governmentally. Research was conducted to compare and contrast the differences of community pharmacy practices between the United States and Ecuador. Eight different pharmacists in Quito were interviewed with a series of questions....
The boom of the microcar market in India has lead to domestic and international firms taking advantage of this growth. Many places including India are experiencing this trend, but due to differences in cultures, preferences and values, the United States is not. Companies that want to venture into the microcar...
Written for PSY 482.
Throughout the history of psychotherapy, exposure and response (ritual) prevention (ERP) has widely been considered the most effective treatment for patients who suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) (Clark, 2005). Through the utilization of fear hierarchies that aim to desensitize feelings of anxiety and dread, ERP’s empirically...
The entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana are commercially available as microbial control agents for the black vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), the key root-feeding insect pest in Pacific Northwest small fruits and ornamentals. Understanding habitat selection is critical to improve the efficacy, persistence and cost of...
Farmers rely almost exclusively on the imported European honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) for fruit and vegetable crop pollination services. The recent decline in honeybee health has underscored the danger of relying on a single species to provide vital services. Increasing pollinator biodiversity with native bees may provide biological insurance against...
The western spotted cucumber beetle (Diabrotica undecimpunctata
undecimpunctata) and the western striped cucumber beetle (Acalymma trivittatum) are
pests of many crops, including vegetable, fruit, and nursery crops. Pesticides are
commonly used to control this pest. Trap and kill technologies are under development as
use in an alternative control for cucumber...
Thomas More’s text, Utopia, introduces the word “utopia” in conjunction with an ideal society, prodding readers to think of “utopia” as synonymous with “ideal.” Indeed, Utopia is structured as an egalitarian and communal place, rendering it highly ideal to those wishing for equality in their own worlds. However, More overturns...
This study tested natural products from cyanobacteria from the Red Sea in Egypt and marine tunicates from the Algoa Bay in South Africa. Products from marine organisms have been used as lead compounds for the synthesis of new drugs because of their biological activity mechanism. Specifically, these products may contain...
Fluctuations in one system affect adjacent systems; mechanistic understanding of linkages helps conservation efforts be more effective by focusing on influential species and areas that facilitate connections between ecosystems. This study explored marine-derived nutrient inputs to adjacent terrestrial communities. We quantified wrack (seaweed and other organic matter) deposition at sites...
Females more commonly injure their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in
athletics than do males. Despite many studies researching anatomical, neuromuscular,
and hormonal causes, the predisposing risk factors behind this occurrence are currently
unknown. This study compared 5 females who had injured their ACL to 15 healthy
females concentrating on three...
Pyrenophora tritici-repentis (Ptr) is the causal agent of the disease tan spot of wheat,
which can be responsible for the destruction of up to 50% of a wheat crop harvest.
Tan spot disease results in chlorotic and/or necrotic lesions triggered by the
pathogen’s production of one or several host-selective toxins...
Work engagement is demonstrated when employees are involved with, committed to,
enthusiastic, and passionate about their work. The goal of this study was to summarize
relevant information on work engagement, produce a working coding system to identify
evidence of work engagement, and discuss the implications of work engagement on an...
This thesis examined factors that contribute to residential mobility, specifically
looking at which aspects of a family’s current situation pushes them out of their current
home and what factors pull them into new locations. Residential mobility is of particular
interest to developmental scientists because of the possible detrimental consequences for...
Gluten intolerance is a condition that affects a significant portion of the world’s
population. While awareness about the condition has recently increased, the condition
remains poorly understood and therefore commonly mis- and underdiagnosed. In this
paper, I examine the challenges in obtaining a gluten intolerant diagnosis and attempt to
capture...
This study explores the extent to which the United States has conformed to the tenets of classical liberalism and/or civic republicanism with regard to private property and takings law. Mainstream scholarship suggests that classical liberal theory has played a dominant role in American property law since the founding. In the...
The goal of this research project is to better understand the impacts and
difficulties of offering gender-focused social programs through micro-lending banks.
Previous research has demonstrated not only the importance of micro-lending, and the
benefits of lending to women, but also the value of offering social programs specifically
designed to...
Mycoplasma haemolamae is associated with mild to marked anemia in stressed, immune-suppressed, and debilitated animals, and may be found in low numbers in healthy animals. The continued presence of the organism, detectable by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assay, may be associated with an underlying problem, such as stress or immune-suppression...
In ¬¬¬¬2009 the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Administration (FMCSA) conducted the “Safety Belt Usage by Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers Survey” for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The survey found that, nationally, 74% of commercial truck drivers wear their safety belts at all times. In the western region of...
The Society of Automotive Engineers organizes the Formula SAE competitions annually for universities internationally to compete in a series of events. Teams compete in several dynamic tests for the vehicle’s handling, performance, and fuel economy, as well as static events that judge the team’s assumptions for cost, design, and business...
This thesis describes the design and implementation of a motor controller that is a customizable and cost effective replacement for the motor controllers used by Edwards Robotics Company (ERC). Extensive research of comparable products available in the market was conducted. The research formed the basis for the design specifications of...
Gene synthesis is an important tool in molecular biology. However, the current
bench-top method of gene synthesis is a costly, time-intensive and reagent-consuming
process. Lab-on-chip technology has many benefits over current bench top methods.
Microchips consume smaller reagent volumes, are reusable and less expensive to make.
This thesis explores the...
A project to create a fundraising plan for remodeling the Milam Foods Labs accompanied by a personal reflection on the trials and experiences leading up to the completion of the University Honors College thesis project.
Due to the many advances in the areas of biotechnology and medicine, the need for long-
term storage and stabilization of biological materials is rapidly increasing. The field of
biopreservation is attempting to address these issues by finding ways to maintain the integrity and
functionality of proteins, cells, and organs...
To understand the forces exerted on structures during tsunamis, model cities are subjected to human-generated tsunamis. The study of vertical evacuation, wherein individuals could take refuge in the upper levels of strong buildings, has resulted in a growing need for a low cost wireless acceleration data logger. Such a device...
Fair value accounting has become a very popular and controversial topic in light of the 2008-2009 liquidity crisis in the United States. Fair value, also called mark-to-market, implies that assets and liabilities get measured and reported in firms‘ financial statements at market value as opposed to historical value. This study...
In public high schools, drug and alcohol prevention programs and policies have been ineffective in their deterrence of drug and alcohol use and abuse (Skager R., 2007). It is important to consider the needs of students and to create an effective, student centered drug and alcohol prevention program and policy....
Optical tweezers are capable of trapping micron sized particles through the transfer of
the momentum of light. These capabilities are expanded through the use of computer
controlled holograms for beam shaping. This hologram creation is facilitated through the use of
a spatial light modulator, which is a liquid crystal device...
The Capacitive Touch Children’s Guitar is a fully functional electronic toy demonstrating
an application of Cypress Semiconductor’s CapSense touch sensing technology. It was
developed as a senior design project by myself and two other engineering students. I was
responsible for the guitar’s LED lights, main microcontroller and sound storage and...
There has been much controversy in recent years over the leaching of chemicals from plastic water bottles. In this study, two of the most common plastics used in water bottles, polyethylene terphthalate (PETE) and polycarbonate (PC) were studied. The leaching of the chemical bisphenol-A (BPA) from polycarbonate (Nalgene ™, Camelback...
This study explores the influence that the sustainability of hotels has on the choice of hotels. Because of recent concern about global warming and reducing energy consumption, many designers are planning sustainable buildings. But often attractiveness is sacrificed for the goal of making a building sustain in its environment. The...
This thesis argues for a similar politics of style behind the aesthetic experimentation in the short fiction of Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) and Clarice Lispector (1920-1977). By locating the two writers within the international trajectories of modernism, I contend that both Woolf and Lispector engage modernist experiments in consciousness as a...
A swing arm compressor was designed, built, and tested as an undergraduate senior design
project for Dr. Richard Peterson. The system developed, while not functioning entirely as
desired, gave some initial data and a good base of knowledge for a second iteration of the
project. This thesis describes in detail...
Old-growth dry-mixed conifer forests are valued as habitats for late seral forest species, for the
ecosystem services and landscape diversity they provide, and for their aesthetic appeal. The
structure of these forests has been heavily altered by historic logging of overstory ponderosa
pine and Douglas-fir. Additionally, changes in fire regime...
A Cell Phone Audio Controlled Point of Sale system was designed and built for an undergraduate electrical and computer engineering senior design project. The system was designed to enable a user to transfer data from any cell phone to a point of sale device using audio tones. The project involved...
Presented in this paper is an analysis of the body of scholarly work that attempts to apply
Thomas Kuhn’s theory of scientific revolutions to mathematics. These applications vary on
several levels, from the authors’ interpretation of Kuhn’s original work to the definitions
used for terms such as paradigm, revolution, and...
The freshwater snail Biomphalaria glabrata serves as the intermediate host of the
blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni. Previous studies using the 13-16-R1 strain of B.
glabrata demonstrated an association between the gene encoding Cu/Zn superoxide
dismutase (SOD1) and susceptibility/resistance to the parasite. This association is
assumed to involve a polymorphism that...
Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS’s) are a key element to NASA’s deep space exploration programs. As NASA looks towards new generations of smaller, modular spacecraft, appropriately smaller RPS’s will be needed. The Single General Purpose Heat Source Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (S-GPHS-RTG) has been developed to fill this role. The S-GPHS-RTG will...
For several years researchers have investigated how teachers’ beliefs
impact a classroom. Equally important to consider when striving to improve
education are the beliefs held by the students. College Algebra is an important
class for many collegiate students, and gaining an insight into their beliefs about
mathematics and desires for...
Among sensory and food scientists, the 9-point hedonic scale has been the most
commonly used scale for measuring liking and disliking of products. Recently, the
Labeled Hedonic Scale (LHS) was developed to overcome some recognized limitations
of the 9-point hedonic scale. One of the claimed advantages of the LHS is...
A wireless power transfer system using inductive coupling was designed and implemented as part of a three-member project team. The system uses coupled magnetic fields at a frequency of 606kHz to transfer electromagnetic energy from a charging base to the batteries of portable devices. It succeeded in transmitting power to...
This study sought to explore the differences between the varied academic advising models in the College of Science at Oregon State University through the feedback of its undergraduate students and advisors. Using parallel surveys of students and their academic advisors, it found that the decentralized and centralized models each had...
Circadian clocks are internal mechanisms regulating many physiological processes.
Research suggests that the circadian clock may regulate repair of cellular damage caused
by reactive oxygen species (ROS), but molecular pathways from the clock to ROS repair
are not known. The gene cncC, known in mammals as Nrf2, and its repressor...
As a result of numerous financial scandals at the turn of the 21st century, Congress passed the Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Act of 2002, requiring all publicly-listed companies to comply with regulations aimed at reducing the amount of material misstatements in the financial statements, both frauds and errors. Although the costs of...
CantonS wild-type flies were used to determine sex-specific differences in the daily
locomotor activity patterns in males and females. Under light entrainment, when flies are
kept in a 12:12 light-dark condition, both males and females showed bimodal activity
with a morning peak around lights-on and an evening peak around lights...
The proper way to order knowledge and find truth about the natural world in the eighteenth century lay in one’s ability to correctly learn and employ the quality of reason. While all had the right to seek reason, only a privileged few achieved its proper use, creating an intellectual elite...
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are carcinogenic chemical compounds found in the
environment, largely as a result of partial combustion of organic compounds. PAHs are
present in the atmosphere in populated cities worldwide. Because of the health risks they
create, PAHs are a global health concern. PAHs are introduced into the...
Sulfide is an important species to measure in environmental water samples. The
spectrophotometric detection method for reduced sulfur species (sulfide) based on
generation of methylene blue was adapted to work in an apparatus utilizing microfluidic
PDMS mixing and observation cells with flow channels in the 100 μm range. The
benefits...
The purpose of this thesis is to explain why the reservation system manifested so
disappointingly for the Native American groups of Southwest Oregon. It seeks to characterize the
struggle that raged in Southwest Oregon from 1850 to 1856 between three main groups there:
indigenous peoples, white squatters and miners, and...
For wood beams, it is often assumed that the neutral axis is located at the centroid of the
beam. The neutral axis of isotropic, homogeneous materials is located at the centroid of the
material, but wood is neither isotropic nor homogeneous. The varying grain patterns and
knots located throughout wood...
Post-menopausal women are at an increased risk for osteoporosis due to increased
bone resorption associated with estrogen deficiency. Subcutaneous administration of leptin, a
hormone produced primarily by adipocytes, attenuates bone loss in the ovariectomized (ovx)
rat, an animal model for post-menopausal bone loss. Leptin has both direct peripheral and
indirect...
A topic of concern for feminists, film critics, media researchers, and film scholars
alike who believe in a causal connection between film violence and real life violence have
found an enemy in the slasher film. Critics of slasher films, a subgenre of horror, often
charge these films are uniquely violent...
This thesis is a comparative study of the two processes of currency change that occurred in Ecuador in 2000 and in France in 2002. Although the background of these two countries and the motivations behind each currency change varied, Ecuador and France have experienced many similar outcomes. Each of the...
Using returnable bottles within a brewery setting can lower costs associated with
purchasing new bottles as well as reduce the energy associated with recycling glass
bottles. A commercial dishwasher was retrofit specifically to wash bottles. The design
and assembly of the piping flow network, testing of water flow through the...
The production of the fullerene C60 and its emerging applications in consumer
products imply its ultimate release to the environment. Due to the molecule’s relative
novelty, the aqueous characteristics of C60 have not been fully assessed, though it may
potentially harm human or ecological health. C60 is highly insoluble in...
This thesis discusses the African American authors Richard Wright and James Baldwin, and their views regarding how literature should be written. These views are examined as laid out in a selection of each author‟s essays, as well as through an analysis of the characters Bigger Thomas and Rufus Scott in...
The purpose of this project is to characterize mixing effects of the Beta 2 tool that is under development by the Hewlett Packard Pinot team. By optimization of a stage oscillation process, the undesirable effects of a locally high concentrated drug elution within a well plate can be alleviated. This...
Part 1: A Diels-Alder Approach to the Synthesis of Novel Analogues of the Natural
Product Siamenol
Due to the prevalence of biaryl motifs in natural product synthesis, the Carter
research group has been exploring the utility of a Diels-Alder approach to biaryl
synthesis. The Diels-Alder approach involves a [4+2] cycloaddition...
According to The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS report of regional
statistics for HIV/AIDS from 2001-2008, Latin America has the third highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS
among children and adults in the world with about 2 million infected in 2008. Among all of these
countries, Mexico has the...
Wire and fiber ropes used in rigorous CBOS (cyclic bend over sheave)
applications were investigated. Small diameter stainless steel, tungsten, and Vectran®
ropes were tested over small sheaves at high loads and cycle speeds. Sheaves were made
with Al6061-T6511 and Al7075-T651 and were coated with 0.002” hard coat anodize;
some...
Water movement, from forest soil to streams, has traditionally been modeled by translatory flow. A hypothesis was presented by Brooks et al. (2010) suggesting that, in addition to translatory flow, there exists an immobile pool of water trapped in small pores with low matric potential. Comparisons of water stable isotope...
Generating solutions to Sokoban levels is an NP-hard problem that is difficult for even modern day computers to solve due to its complexity. This project explores the creation of a Sokoban solver by eliminating as many potential moves as possible to greatly limit the overall search space. This reduction is...
Hemodynamic forces regulate vascular homeostasis and arterial structure through mechanical stimuli by a process called mechanotransduction. Cellular response to mechanical forces involves coordination between cell surface receptors and intracellular signaling pathways. While previous work has focused on the role of integrin receptors in mechanotransduction, little is known about the role...
Many Gram-negative bacteria use a type III secretion system (TTSS) to establish a relationship with a host. Pathogens can use the secretion system as a way to deliver proteins known as type III effectors (TTEs) into a host cell and block host defense. The variation and redundancy of the type...
Epidermal RNA samples from FVB/N mice treated with PAH standards and
environmental PAH mixtures were harvested and purified using Trizol extraction and
RNeasy mini prep kit purification. Epidermal RNA integrity was low (RIN mean 3.5),
indicating significant RNA degradation and the need to modify handling, collection, and
processing of skin...
Fifty years ago, swine production was a lot different than it is today. Today, swine are being produced in much tighter confinement, which maximizes production and ultimately profit. As more people educate themselves about swine production, there seems to be an increasing level of concern for swine welfare in terms...
Farmers rely almost exclusively on the imported European honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) for fruit and vegetable crop pollination services. The recent decline in honeybee health has underscored he danger of relying on a single species to provide vital services. Increasing pollinator biodiversity with native bees may provide biological insurance against...
Carbonation of Carbon is of concern for reinforced concrete bridges. While long-term environmental deterioration of structures is unavoidable, protective design allows a structure to fulfill its service life without any significant serviceability or strength loss due to deterioration. Understanding the process of concrete carbonation and the effect it has on...
Hemodynamic forces regulate vascular homeostasis and arterial structure through mechanical stimuli by a process called mechanotransduction. Cellular response to mechanical forces involves coordination between cell surface receptors and intracellular signaling pathways. While previous work has focused on the role of integrin receptors in mechanotransduction, little is known about the role...
With the growing importance of sustainability, organizations in the non-profit
sector need a way to measure, track, improve, and report their sustainability. Through
research in current literature and a survey of practices within local non-profits, it is
shown these organizations need a simple, flexible process with stakeholder participation
to measure...
Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world. Most of the people live in villages below the poverty line, and do not have access to basic health care and a primary education. Living standards are very low, and surviving day to day is a lifetime struggle. Most villages...
Sea turtles are endangered species that can be censused with aerial surveys, but the number of turtles in an area must be extrapolated to include animals that are submerged. Twenty-one satellite tags were attached to juvenile loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in North Carolina. I analyzed surfacing and dive behavior...
After traveling to Africa and experiencing the struggles and confusion of interacting with a new culture, I saw the need for some sort of orientation device that would adequately prepare first timers, but also not be too lengthy and daunting for a person that will only be spending a few...
Cyanobacterial blooms are a growing concern in the Pacific Northwest because of their
threat to watershed health and drinking water supplies. Bacteriophages are pathogens of
bacteria and may contribute to the growth and decline of seasonal blooms. Bacteriophage
S-CRM01, a lytic T4-type myophage, has been isolated from a freshwater strain...
The capability of Pluronic® F68 to stabilize human recombinant Factor VIII in solution was
assessed using zeta potential measurements. Hemophilia A is a genetic disorder in which the
body is missing Factor VIII (FVIII) from the blood coagulation cascade. The pharmaceutical
industry developed recombinant Factor VIII (rFVIII), the largest cloned...
Many students at the undergraduate level struggle with finding a niche that satisfies their various interests, specifically those in the arts and sciences. This study examined via interviews with fourteen current or recently graduated Oregon State Students, along with my own experience at the University, how students define art and...
Health care and immigration in the United States are complex and
controversial topics. Undocumented immigrants have to overcome numerous
barriers in order to gain access to health care services. This study examines the
personal experiences of undocumented immigrants in Oregon and how they
sought out care and overcame these barriers....
The current study investigated the way in which gender of a character and the presence or absence of a male stereotype affect the perceived masculinity of said character. Forty undergraduates from Oregon State University completed a questionnaire rating the masculinity of one of four possible characters – one male without...
The intent of this paper is to bring more attention to the mastery involved with film composition as an art form. The research focuses specifically on the life, style, influences, and works of John Williams as a conductor, film composer, and composer. It addresses his biography, filmography, and working relationships,...
Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is a promising technique for the production of
biologically safe, wear resistant and corrosion protective coatings for orthopedic
applications. In this work, the impact of coating thickness and surface preparation on the
hardness (H), elastic modulus (E), wear resistance, and delamination of ALD Al2O3 films
is...
Through the use of daily online surveys, this study investigated the weekly trends associated with college binge drinking. It also investigated the relationship between personality risk factors and binge drinking. Personality risk factors were assessed using the TCI measures of novelty seeking and harm avoidance, and the ATQ measure of...
Erwinia amylovora is a plant pathogenic bacterium that causes the destructive disease fire blight of apple and pear. We examined the plasmid content of a collection of 305 isolates of E. amylovora from Washington and Oregon with PCR assays and RFLP. Nearly all isolates of E. amylovora carried plasmid pEA29,...
Antimicrobial coatings used to reduce the risk of infection caused by tissue-contacting medical devices must address specific biocompatibility requirements including prevention of thrombosis and rise of bacterial resistance. An antimicrobial-loaded poly(ethylene-oxide) (PEO) coating has been tentatively shown to be non-fouling with sustained antimicrobial activity. However, the presence of the antimicrobial,...
In recent years, tsunami events have caused great devastation and loss of life around the globe. The coast of Oregon is highly vulnerable to a nearfield tsunami event caused by a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake, yet lacks a clear plan for evacuation and disaster mitigation. Vertical evacuation is a proposed...
Madagascar, home to a high degree of endemic species and has been subject to numerous programs and organizations intent on preserving its biodiversity, which is currently pressured largely by anthropogenic causes. Protected areas, including national parks, make up a central part of these conservation efforts, combining ecotourism and restricting access...
Several compounds have been recently identified which are effective against dengue virus, a tropical arbovirus highly prevalent in southeast Asia and central America. Initial intrinsic fluorescence characterization of the mechanism of action of compound B reveals binding affinity to the dengue capsid protein. A molecular beacon unwinding assay and malachite...
Every year, hundreds of low-income families on the Oregon Coast are forced to choose between putting food on the table and paying the bills. A local, non-profit agency on the Oregon Coast is working to alleviate the level of crisis that many families face, by offering a holistic approach to...