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....
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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...