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Director's Message

Professor Joe Hodes,
Director of Honors Thesis Program

Student Presentations

Genesy Aickareth      Sai Pranathi Bingi      Nicholas E. Clark

Emily DeRuyter      Ricardo Isaiah Garcia      Megan Gower


Nathan Joseph Johnson      Trisha Nag      Tehya Pavelka


Tiara Salazar      Rebecca Schneider      Emily Schoener


Geuel Simiyu      Joe Vance      Miranda Wilson


      Jad Zeitouni    Gautam Bakliwal    

Genesy Aickareth

Abstract: Health is multifaceted. Although the physical element is always examined, the social and nutritional portion is often overlooked even though it is equally as important. Although the United States is the nation that spends the most amount of money on healthcare in the world, healthcare is unequally spread. The socioeconomic gradient of health severely impacts the population who are on both the hypothetical and physical fringe of society. With the help of the global pandemic, these populations have been isolated now more than ever before.

Storytelling and verbal communication brings people together and allows people to see perspectives that are not their own. It also has a therapeutic element to it; it facilitates social interaction that improves social and mental health. It allows the speaker to feel heard and validated. Having conversations will allow people from all walks of life to walk in the speaker's shoes. As future physicians, one will need to have strong conversational skills because one will extract a solution from the stories they are provided.

Especially during COVID-19, it is essential to address these parts of health because they are the ones that are being heavily neglected. Personally, I hope to learn from the individuals I talk to. Everyone has the wisdom they have learned throughout their lives, and they might want to pass it onto someone.

Sai Pranathi Bingi

Abstract: Chronic wounds are a critical healthcare concern and a significant economic burden. In the United State alone, it is estimated that roughly 6 million people are treated for chronic wounds annually. Just one type of chronic wound alone, venous ulcers, costs almost $3 billion dollars to treat annually. Typically, a chronic wound develops from improper healing, often due to a biofilm-associated infection extending the inflammation stage of the wound-healing process. Bacteria within biofilms have the benefits of water retention, mechanical stability, sorption of nutrients and ions, and nutrient storage provided by the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), which protects the bacteria within the biofilm. The EPS is composed of cellular components including polysaccharides, proteins, extracellular DNA, and lipids. The EPS also contributes to an increased bacterial tolerance to antibiotics. Biofilm dispersal has been proposed as a potential therapy to combat these infections and has demonstrated the ability to improve antibiotic potency. Passive dispersal, induced by the use of glycoside hydrolases (GHs), targets the exopolysaccharides within the EPS. GHs degrade exopolysaccharides, which act as the scaffolding of the biofilm EPS, resulting in a breakdown of the biofilm and dispersal of the cells inside. Previous work has shown that one GH, α-amylase, can disperse poly-microbial biofilms consisting of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. However, it has yet to be determined if bacteria develop phenotypic or genotypic changes in response to multiple, repeated treatments of GHs, which would be required in a clinical setting. In order to determine if bacteria are able to develop resistance to GHs, we repeatedly treated biofilms using an in vitro well-plate biofilm dispersal model. After a total of 9 passages, we determined that there was an increase in dispersal for both 5% α-amylase-treated biofilms and PBS (vehicle control)-treated biofilms. However, we also made the surprising observation that bacteria repeatedly passaged in vitro, but not in vivo, seemingly lost their ability to make biofilms. While this observation made our original hypothesis impossible to test, it raised interesting questions about how bacteria may adapt their biofilm-forming abilities in response to different environments. We also saw a potential decrease in the production of pyocyanin over the course of the 9 passes, raising the question of what other virulence factors may change over repeated passages. In the future, we will conduct repeated passages of α-amylase and PBS treated biofilms under antibiotic stress to test whether it will preserve biofilm formation and enable us to test whether resistance to GHs emerges. Furthermore, we hope to determine if changes in exopolysaccharide composition of biofilms explains the decrease in biomass we observe over the course of the 9 passes.

Nicholas E. Clark

College: Arts & Sciences
Major: Mathematics
Minor: Atmospheric Sciences

Thesis Title: "Exploring the Complexities in Atmospheric Boundary Layer Dynamics over Mountainous Regions and their Impact on Tracer Distribution"

Thesis Director: Dr. Sandip Pal, College of Arts & Sciences
Second Reader: Dr. Haydee Laza, College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources

Abstract:  The atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) is the lower most part of the troposphere that is directly affected by the earth's surface forcing and underlying terrain features, including land cover and land use. Our knowledge about the complexities in ABL over mountainous regions (henceforth, mountain boundary layer, MBL) and its impact on the tracer mixing processes remain limited mainly due to sparse observations and difficulties in simulating topographical impacts on MBL. In particular, understanding spatiotemporal variability in trace gases (e.g., Carbon Monoxide (CO), Methane, (CH4)) over mountainous regions in numerical simulations is oftentimes challenging due to unusual and complicated influences associated with atmospheric transport. In addition to transport processes, the effects of terrain-following and terrain-independent MBL depth variability in the morning and afternoon hours, respectively, on tracer mixing remains unexplored in the literature. Within this work, we explored airborne measurements of atmospheric state variables (e.g., temperature, pressure), trace gases, and greenhouse gases collected within the NASA's Atmospheric Carbon and Transport – America (ACT- America) project field campaigns in the Mid-Atlantic region over the Appalachian Mountains. This study aims to investigate the MBL spatial variability and its impact on vertical and horizontal mixing processes of the tracers over complex terrain. The key outcomes of this study will help explore MBL dynamical exchange processes and better simulate the vertical and horizontal distribution of tracers (water vapor, CO, and CH4) around the Appalachian Mountains to develop better numerical weather prediction models required for air quality monitoring in complex terrain regions. The empirical findings on the tracer vertical variability reported here will improve model physics, data assimilation, and multi-model ensemble systems for numerical simulations.

Emily DeRuyter

Abstract: There is limited scientific research into how residual decomposition volatile organic compounds change over time, with even less research into how the compounds change as a function of contact time between the decomposing substrate and the decomposition environment. The purpose of this study was to monitor abundances of the target odor vapors emanating from the soil after removal of decomposing human analogues (sus Scrofa animal model). This project is part of an ongoing collaboration with the Colombian National Police, School for Canine Handling and Training. One of Colombia's law enforcement problems lies in the detection of mass graves of missing or unrecognized bodies, created to remove any trace of crime. Thus, of crucial importance to enhance cadaver canine detection, is the understanding of the chemical composition of decomposition soil surfaces. The collection consisted of pigs decomposing for a period of 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours and 90 days, then removing the pig and sampling the soil. Instrumental analysis utilized Divinylbenzene/Carbon/Polydimethylsiloxane (DVB/CAR/PDMS) coated Solid Phase-Microextraction (SPME) fibers that were injected into a Gas Chromatography-mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) system for the identification of extracted soil headspace odor volatiles of target decomposition odors. The soil samples were taken in 10mL glass vials, shipped on dry ice, and allowed a period of 24 hours for headspace equilibration and then extracted via SPME methodology. Weather conditions such as temperature and humidity were recorded, as well as the pH and moisture content of the soil matrix. During each sample extraction, at each of the four intervals, abundance, and type of target volatiles were analyzed. Each interval exhibited distinct odor profiles depending on the surface contact time of the decomposing odor source before removal of the pig. This study has heightened the understanding of how residual decomposition odor changes over a period of time.

Ricardo Isaiah Garcia

Abstract: Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, with over 40,000 suicides per year. Suicide risk is particularly elevated among young adults and individuals with bipolar disorder. In this thesis, I will review the existing literature on the psychological phenomenon of stigma and suicide. More specifically, I will explore the stigma among young adults who suffer from bipolar disorder and from suicide ideation. I discuss how primary care settings could present a worthwhile target to reduce stigma and attempted suicides. I identify risk factors for generating and cultivating stigma and how it relates to primary care. I then discuss the utilization of primary care settings to reduce the current amount of stigma and suicide. I later synthesize a list of barriers that three levels (individual, societal, primary care facility) of impact currently have in preventing suicide because of stigma. I conclude with possible solutions to these barriers by utilizing the ecological model of healthcare.

Megan Gower

Abstract: The measure of the integrity of any nation's justice system is not in how the system treats the favorable, but in how the system safeguards the rights of the condemned. Following the decision of the United States Supreme Court in Furman v. Georgia 408 U.S. 238 (1972), a national moratorium was placed on capital punishment until states could revise their sentencing statutes to safeguard against a growing problem of arbitrary and capricious death sentences. Texas' revised statute requires that persons convicted of capital murder must be deemed a future danger to society by jurors before they can be sentenced to execution. Defense advocates and professional organizations have contended since the imposition of the requirement in 1973 that this determination constitutes an arbitrary and capricious standard, one which should not be used when the result determines life or death. This thesis explores if future danger determinations are reliable and consistent with the Court's decision in Furman and evolving case law. Examination of the legislative genesis of future danger determinations, long-term studies on capital inmate behavior, and developing case law concludes that future danger determinations have made the current state of capital punishment in Texas indistinguishable from that which caused the majority in Furman to put a moratorium on the practice.  This thesis deduces that the finality of death leaves no room for arbitrary standards, requiring the elimination of future danger determinations from Texas' capital sentencing statue.

Nathan Joseph Johnson

Abstract: Modern Era Europe, a time strife with power struggle, nationalistic growth, and scarred people and landscapes. France, a country unsheltered from the era's terrors, faced a great struggle not unique to the rest of Europe; a country, a political mechanism, and populations of people supporting and accelerating Antisemitic beliefs. The once brave bastions of freedom once again fell into tyranny - a self-tyranny in a sense - where racism and antisemitism ruled their agendas. Beginning with Alfred Dreyfus and his exile and still propagating to this day, the Free French have become less about freedom and more about oppression and purification. At the root of this evil stood several major French publications, pushing a political mechanism. How were these publications controlled, were they under ideological control of the government? Are the journalists of these publications under guise of the propaganda machine or are they free thinking individuals who whole heartedly see the Jewish population to blame for major French downfalls? Are the “freedom fighters”, who are writing in protection of the Jewish population, doing so by way of clear conscious or career incentivization? What personal risks do these journalists take from the burden of speaking their truths? Also, as the period progresses and the 20th century truly takes hold, are the antisemitic beliefs held by the French remnants of the Dreyfus Affair, or are they influenced by current ideas held in Nazi Germany?

Trisha Nag

Abstract: The following thesis is an exploration of the variables that encourage users to recreate in the outdoors through a gamified mobile application and the derived benefits and negative impacts to affected parties outside of the intended users. In order to determine answers, a detailed analysis of prior research on geo-based and outdoor recreational applications' usability was conducted and benefits from mobile applications were researched more in-depth. Additionally a survey experiment was conducted on a college-aged population where half of the sample tested a pilot mobile application and the other half did not. Although the primary goal of this analysis is to find factors that attract users to the mobile application, secondhand benefits and damages were important to consider. Findings from this research indicate that mobile applications can help encourage users to recreate in the outdoors, but generally users must have had a previous interest in the outdoors or interest in locations to explore. Furthermore, a large proportion of the study's sample was not drawn to an app-based approach to experiencing the outdoors if they had no previous experience with similar platforms.

Tehya Pavelka

Abstract: Cardiovascular diseases, especially valvular diseases, are a prevalent issue regarding the health of the population in the United States. Severe cases of these diseases, such as aortic stenosis, usually require replacement of the damaged valve with mechanical, bioprosthetic, or polymeric heart valves. Mechanical and bioprosthetic valves have commonly experienced problems, such as risk of blood damage and shortened longevity, respectively. There has been increased interest in the study of polymeric heart valves because of their potential to most accurately mimic native heart valves' geometry, longevity, and mechanical behavior. Simulation of replacement valves is important to the understanding and success of valve replacement. This study aims to identify the effects of fundamental curves on the geometric orifice area (GOA) and coaptation area (CA) to evaluate performance of polymeric valves. This is done by varying control points of the attachment curve, free edge, and belly curve to create eight different valve leaflet geometries. The GOA and CA were analyzed using a two-level Taguchi Orthogonal Array design. All eight models were subjected to time-varying transvalvular pressure. For evaluation of opening performance, it was found that the control coordinate of the attachment curve has the greatest contribution to the GOA. It was also concluded that the control coordinate of the belly curve had the greatest effect on the closing performance, measured by CA. Understanding the individual effects of control points is important to successful valve design, and these findings can be used in further efforts to optimize aortic valve geometry for use in replacement valve research.

Tiara Salazar

Abstract: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in a variety of areas. These areas specify accommodations that need to be met for people with disabilities, one group being Deaf people. Although the ADA is regarded to be a huge step in the Deaf community, the general scholarly consensus about this issue is that the ADA is not as effective as it should be. The ADA was monumental for disabled people, however, like most laws it requires necessary adjustments. The accommodations defined in the law are lacking in various areas. One area in particular that this thesis focuses on is the definition of what a “qualified interpreter” is. Specifically, this thesis will focus on the federal government's definition versus various states' definitions. The ADA's definition of a “qualified” interpreter is vague, which gives the state governments leeway when defining what they deem a “qualified” interpreter to be. Research will show how these definitions differ and produce negative impacts on the Deaf community. This issue creates communication issues between Deaf people and hearing people. At times, they are misinformed or not informed enough. Interpreter's responsibilities are to give communication access; however, this communication is sometimes faulty due to the fact that they are not trained adequately enough. This thesis argues why the federal government needs to revise its definition of what a “qualified” interpreter is also acknowledges the potential benefits of having this definition redefined. One benefit being that the states would be legally obligated to redefine their own definitions, thus removing their freedom of allowing someone who is not truly “qualified” to interpret for the Deaf.

Rebecca Schneider

Abstract: The opportunistic bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the leading causes of nosocomial or hospital-acquired infections, especially in populations of highly susceptible patients within intensive care units (ICUs). Numerous infection control procedures have been implemented to protect these vulnerable patients, including routine testing for bacterial contamination. In conjunction with University Medical Center (UMC) Infection Control in Lubbock, TX, our lab previously found P. aeruginosa to be prevalent in water sources throughout the ICUs; we isolated Pseudomonas spp. from sink drains in the Burn ICU (BICU), Surgical ICU (SICU), and Medical ICU (MICU). Concurrently, we collected isolates from patients that contracted active P. aeruginosa infections while receiving medical treatment in the ICUs. We investigated whether cross-transmission was occurring between the Pseudomonas in the hospital environment and ICU patients by examining the relatedness of our isolates. We hypothesized that patient and environmental isolates from the same ICU would share the same pathogenic phenotype, indicating close relatedness and possible cross-transmission. To evaluate relatedness between isolates, we compared the phenotypic traits exhibited by these isolates by performing virulence assays, including measuring biofilm production, protease activity, and pyocyanin production. Our results suggest that certain virulence factors are markers for patient infections in different ICUs. Specifically, in the MICU, high levels of PQS quorum sensing and protease are important for the establishment of wound and abscess infections. BICU isolates have high levels of LasR quorum sensing and biofilm production which suggest these virulence factors provide an advantage in establishing burn and medical device-associated infections. In contrast, SICU patient isolates were relatively avirulent. Overall, our data suggests that biofilm formation connects the patient and environmental isolates and is a key factor in the establishment of infections. Since P. aeruginosa nosocomial infections have high rates of morbidity and mortality, we ultimately hope to identify microbial factors that contribute to transmission in the ICUs at UMC. Results from this type of research could help hospitals refine their infection control procedures and prevent future devastating outbreaks.

Emily Schoener

Abstract: Children with untreated disruptive classroom behaviors can interfere with instruction, their own and other children's prosocial development, and academic performance, which can all lead to further problems in adolescence and adulthood (Webster-Stratton & Herman, 2010; DuPaul et al., 2020). Structured parent training has been proven to be effective in reducing behavior problems in children. However, there are few studies within the last decade that have examined parent training programs and whether the effects generalize to the school setting. One goal of this systematic review is to examine what areas parent training programs have already explored on school outcomes in children. For example, a range of school-related outcomes were found, including externalizing problem behaviors (e.g., conduct problems, ADHD), social behavior (e.g., prosocial behavior), emotional regulation, academic achievement (e.g., standardized test scores), and academic engagement (e.g., concentration, attendance). Another goal is to examine the extent to which the effect of parent training at reducing behavior problems in children generalize to classroom settings. Initial abstraction yielded 232 studies, and 13 articles met the final inclusion criteria. Results indicate that parent training programs had a positive impact on children's externalizing problem behaviors and social behaviors in the school setting. The outcome areas of emotional regulation, academic achievement, and academic engagement expressed mixed results of positive effects or no effects for the child. Findings suggest that parent training programs may have a positive impact on children's school adjustment. However, due to the limited number of studies on the subject, further studies examining the generalization of parent training programs into other settings, particularly the school setting, are needed. 

Geuel Simiyu

Abstract: Membrane proteins have presented a great challenge for biomedical researchers for many years primarily because of their hydrophobicity. Despite this, they are an important milestone to overcome because of several factors. Coding for these proteins takes up 20-30% of our genome and mutations in these genes or improper protein activity, have been shown to cause diseases such as cerebral palsy, neurodegenerative diseases, and cystic fibrosis. In addition, they are located in the membrane and dictate what comes in and out of the cell as well as detection of signals for metabolic cascades. This is the reason why they make great targets for many current drugs. Because integral proteins are partially embedded into the hydrophobic core of the membrane, these sections are highly hydrophobic. At the same time, these proteins have hydrophilic sections that interact with the intracellular, extracellular, or both environments. Membrane mimetic systems such as nanodiscs have shown great promise in their ability to stabilize these proteins. Here, I present a new family of polymer-encased nanodiscs using the Zwitterionic Styrene Maleic Amide (zSMA) copolymers, based on the Styrene Maleic Acid copolymers. These new nanodiscs show improved stability of nanodiscs in acidic and polyvalent environments.

Joe Vance

Abstract: The neurological differences present in the brains of people with ADHD have been extensively studied in the past 30 years using neuroimaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), among others. After going through the history of ADHD research, this paper reviews a wide range of research conducted using these two techniques and uses their findings to attempt to persuade skeptics that ADHD is not simply ‘people being lazy'—it is a real, neurologically differentiated disorder involving functional deficiencies in multiple specific brain regions. Differences in neural activation rates in the ventral striatum and ventral anterior thalamus greatly hinder the reward-processing capabilities of individuals with ADHD, making it more difficult for them to make wise decisions. Lower frontal striatal network activation in ADHD brains hinders response-inhibition capabilities. Methodological concerns involving the differences between selective attention and response inhibition are also addressed. Activation differences in the left inferior prefrontal cortex, cerebellum, and left inferior parietal lobe adversely impact ADHD individuals' ability to accurately judge timing. Heightened activation in the precuneus and posterior cingulate cortex leads to issues with the brain's default mode network in ADHD populations. Lowered activation in the frontal parietal, lateral prefrontal, temporal, striatum, and posterior parietal regions of the brain are associated with decreased working memory capabilities, the possible source of ADHD people's characteristic scatterbrained tendencies. There is evidence to suggest that ADHD has a genetic component, specifically involving the DAT-1 genotype. In conclusion, people with ADHD are not simply ‘being lazy'—they are often trying their best to cope with neurological differences that make life more difficult for them than for those without the disorder.

Miranda Wilson

Abstract: This thesis, written in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Honors Sciences and Humanities undergraduate degree at Texas Tech University, aims to explore, from my personal perspective, what it's like to grow up in the Anthropocene, a world plagued by human-caused climate change. The thesis is based on the idea that Kahn and Friedman proposed in their 1995 study that “with each generation, the amount of environmental degradation increases, but each generation takes that amount as the norm.” As the effects of climate change deepen, the norm for each generation increases. The climate concerns of my generation are different than those of my parents. Instead of worrying about the extinction of species like polar bears and koalas, we are more preoccupied with the impending end of humankind. In these six personal essays, I tackle population growth and childrearing, resource consumption, the Great Extinction on the smallest scale, the relationship between business and environment, COVID-19 and its relationship to climate change, and the desert, exploring the process of learning how to survive and thrive in the twenty-first century.

Jad Zeitouni

Abstract: The Syrian refugee crisis provides a modern context for a very old problem. One of the smallest and most financially and politically unstable nations, Lebanon has become one of the largest receivers of Syrian refugees. As the Assad regime has taken control of most of Syria, the Syrian Civil War and its ramifications are far from over for many refugees. This thesis will revolve around the Syrian Civil War in the context of Lebanon in three parts. The first part will examine the historical overview of the Syrian Civil War, Lebanon's history and treatment of refugees, the role of the NGO in Lebanon, and the current economic and political crisis in Lebanon. This first part will be looked at through the lens of the Syrian Refugee Crisis, its impact on Lebanon, and the emerging crises in Lebanon. The second part will delve into my experience in Lebanon teaching in a refugee camp, and the current educational and health challenges in Lebanon. The third portion of this thesis will look into the role of storytelling and narrative as historical artifact and act of witnessing via a digital website. 
I challenged my students, ranging in age from nine to fourteen, to tell a story and believe that in the process of writing their lives they might find a moment of healing and an outlet of control. The third section will also delve into a digital presentation of the stories through a website. The overarching question that will be examined is how the situation for the Syrian refugees in Lebanon has evolved and what solutions could be established to improve the education and health, particularly mental health, of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

Gautam Bakliwal

Abstract: Fast, accurate, and early plant stress phenotyping is critical to enhancing agricultural productivity, maintaining crop quality, and minimizing associated risks. Traditionally, the agriculture industry has relied on plant pathologists and physiologists to diagnose plant anomalies caused by biotic and abiotic factors. However, owing to the lack of a standard protocol, visual examination and detection approaches are subjective to individual perception, inconsistent, and often time consuming and labor-intensive. The uncertainty in crop production and crop health surrounding the agricultural industry attributed to the use of subjective approaches to identify plant stress has a significant impact on planning resource management. Several image processing techniques and robotic methods have addressed the problem in diagnosing the symptoms associated with plant stress in the field. Researchers have obtained successful results with models trained on a particular dataset; however, the performance deterioration on unseen datasets from different environments limits the adoption in the industry. Such models require frequent implementations of advanced analysis in each condition, which is not feasible because of the limited availability of equipment and expertise to perform such evaluation. The proposed research aims to scale precise plant stress phenotyping with improved training times and data requirements by applying a hybrid model calibrated at multiple stages without any required expertise in the computational field. The suggested approach offers a comprehensive output consisting of segmented images to conduct any other form of analysis, disease classification of each leaf, calculating number of infections, percentage of infected field corresponding to each disease, and severity of infection on each leaf/collective farm to establish sustainability and profitability in crop yield.