Honors Theses

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/2152/13341

This is a collection of undergraduate honors theses completed by UT Austin students. There is not a requirement for students to submit their thesis to Texas ScholarWorks, so the collection only includes those students who have opted in. If you are interested in submitting your honors thesis to this collection, please complete this form and send it along with the file for your thesis to tsw@utlists.utexas.edu. Please make sure to remove any signatures from your document before sending it.

If you are looking for a Plan II honors thesis, please see the Plan II Honors Theses collection.

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 657

Mapping the Ties Between the Built Environment and Social Capital
(2022-05) Lim, Natalie; Wegmann, Jake
Social capital is the sociological concept of the resources (both actual and potential) available to a person due to their relationships with other people. Urban planners and architects have studied how to increase social capital through the built environment and have designed neighborhoods and cities based on their research. Some of the most prominent designs come from architecture firms like DPZ CoDesign, which produce New Urbanist designs. New Urbanism places a focus on community building through mixed-use developments, grid-like designs, high density, and public spaces. However, it is important to note that studies on changes in social capital due to New Urbanist design elements have produced contrasting results: the relationship between an urban plan and a community's social capital is not well understood. This study reviews existing literature to analyze the potential connection between design and social capital to better discern if any link truly exists. Previous research demonstrates that there is a connection between the built environment and increasing social capital; however, larger amounts of social capital in residents of New Urbanist subdivisions (as compared to residents of standard suburban subdivisions) can be accounted for by a social bias variable. This variable is based on the idea that individuals moving into New Urbanist subdivisions are already likely to engage in community-centered actions and behavior. Overall, while there is a connection between the built environment and social capital, future research should include the social bias variable as a control more often to understand to what extent design features can influence social capital.
Understanding Cation Effects on the Oxygen Evolution and Reduction Reaction
(2023) Heffernan, Sean M.J.; Resasco, Joaquin
With the globalized demand for clean energy sources rapidly increasing, the scientific community has been tested in its ability to find novel ways of collecting and storing sustainable energy. One possible solution is to use electrochemical reactions to store the intermittent energy collected from renewable sources like solar and wind energy. However, useful reactions such as the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) have relatively slow kinetics that result in sub-optimal energy efficiency in products. While the effectiveness and activity of various (electro)catalysts for OER and ORR have been researched in depth, the effects of alkali metal cations in the supporting electrolyte is less explored, with conflicting explanations appearing in literature. While these effects are well documented, a clear explanation remains lacking. Developing a fundamental understanding of the interactions between cations and catalysts in OER and ORR in alkaline and acidic media is key to advancing renewable energy technology to be suitable for common use applications. This study explores the effects of the electrolyte in OER and ORR, and aims to further our understanding of the role of the electrolyte in controlling electrochemical activity.
p53 Impact Reactive Oxygen Species and Drug Resistance in Multiple Myeloma
(2023) Chiu, Ian; Matsui, William
Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable blood cancer characterized by the proliferation of malignant plasma cells. Several recurrent genetic alterations occur in MM, but mutations in the TP53 gene are associated with the worst clinical outcomes due to the rapid development of drug-resistant disease. The p53 protein, coded by the TP53 gene, is a tumor suppressor involved in coordinating responses to cellular stress, such as DNA damage, that lead to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Most chemotherapies lead to increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and ROS can activate p53, signal downstream of TP53, and be regulated by TP53 target genes. In MM, it is not clear whether p53 mutations impact ROS levels and whether changes in ROS are associated with drug resistance. We examined the impact of the loss of p53 via knockout of TP53 (p53KO) on ROS levels and drug sensitivity in the MM1.S myeloma cell line. We also found that baseline ROS levels were significantly lower in p53KO cells than in control cells from each MM cell line (p<0.05). Compared to wild-type cells, we also found that the IC50 of doxorubicin was approximately two-fold higher in p53KO cells (p<0.05). When cells were treated with N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), a ROS scavenger, and doxorubicin for 24 hours, ROS levels were significantly lowered compared to the doxorubicin single control cells in both control and p53KO cells (p<0.05). Furthermore, treatment with NAC significantly enhanced doxorubicin resistance (p<0.05). Our findings suggest that lower ROS levels are a characteristic of p53 loss, both before and after doxorubicin treatment, and the attenuation of ROS in p53KO cells leads to drug resistance. Overall, these studies will lead to a better understanding of the relationship between p53, ROS levels, and drug resistance and may lead to new strategies to improve the efficacy of chemotherapy in mutant p53 MM.
I Ain’t Superstitious: Hoodoo and Blues Epistemologies in East Texas
(2024-05) Bankston, June; Gill, Lyndon K.
This study examines the interplay between Hoodoo and the blues, highlighting Hoodoo as the primary epistemological framework through which cultural and spiritual knowledge is understood and transmitted. Hoodoo, a traditional African American spiritual practice, provides a foundational way of knowing that shapes the beliefs, practices, and worldviews within this cultural context. The blues, as a musical and cultural form, serves as a powerful medium for expressing the lived experiences and spiritual insights rooted in Hoodoo. By analyzing the historical and cultural connections between Hoodoo and the blues, the article explores how the blues conveys the nuances of Hoodoo beliefs, offering a rich tapestry of storytelling, emotion, and resilience. Through this exploration, the article sheds light on the enduring influence of Hoodoo as a guiding philosophy in African American cultural expressions and its profound impact on the blues as a conduit for spiritual and cultural knowledge.
Patients and Prisons: Relating Race, Incarceration, and Health
(2024-05) Sharan, Anika; Goosby, Bridget J.
There is much research connected race and incarceration and race and health separately, but there is considerably less literature examining the relationship between all three. This thesis seeks to synthesize existing research and to draw comprehensive relationships between race, incarceration, and the differential health outcomes that result from both. This includes a review of the historical processes of incarceration and the policies that led to the modern carceral state, and examinations of the health of currently incarcerated people, formerly incarcerated people, and the loved ones of incarcerated people. To do this, I will review disease prevalence, stress and its physiological effects, mental health, and the social conditions which lead to poor health outcomes. Each of these will also consider racial/ethnic breakdowns, and this paper will also attempt to explain why differential health outcomes by race/ethnicity exist.
Mindfulness and Early Childhood: A Developmental Neuroscience Perspective
(2021-05-11) Khanna, Prachi; Bryan, Amy; Schnyer, Rosa
Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have become increasingly popular in K-12 settings, and many people have started exploring MBIs for use in early childhood settings—since brain development is so rapid during this developmental period. However, to date, there is no systematic review that explores existing research on MBIs in early childhood education. First, I provide an overview of brain development during early childhood, including the impact of environmental stressors. Next, I discuss mindfulness and related underlying brain processes. Finally, I summarize the literature on the use of MBIs in early childhood settings. Eleven studies are included in this review, and they are summarized around three outcome domains: self- regulation and executive functioning, academic performance, and socio-emotional well-being. Based on this small body of work, there appears to be strong evidence that MBIs are associated with the improvement of self-regulation and executive functioning in young children. There is modest evidence that MBIs impact socio-emotional well-being during early childhood, and there is limited evidence that MBIs improve the academic performance of young children. Characteristics of successful mindfulness interventions include common practices (e.g., movement activities, breathing exercises, mindfulness and the brain discussions, exercises pertaining to the five senses, and yoga), teacher facilitators, and long duration (twelve weeks or longer), with daily or near daily implementation.
Characterizing the role of eATP and the eATP receptor in the modulation of root growth and development in Arabidopsis thaliana
(2020-05-12) Kakkilaya, Akash
Although ATP is classically known for its role in metabolism, it also functions as a crucial extracellular signaling molecule (eATP) in both plants and animals. In this project, the role of eATP in the signaling pathways that mediate root growth and development in Arabidopsis thaliana, a small flowering plant and popular model organism, were analyzed. The role of 8- Nitro cGMP was also analyzed as it is a secondary messenger in the eATP signaling pathway. Experiments were done to analyze the role of DORN1, the primary eATP receptor in plants, in primary root length by using an over- expresser (DORN1 OX) and a null mutant (dorn 1-1r). Furthermore, the role of auxin transporter ABCB1, g-protein 𝛼 subunit GPA1, and g-protein β subunit AGB1 were analyzed by creating null mutant abcb1 and double mutant gpa1-4/agb1-2. Furthermore, pea apyrase psNTP9(PS) and “designer gene” psNTP9-DM(DM) were ectopically expressed in A. thaliana to characterize the role of ectoapyrases in primary root length and root hair quantity and length. DORN1 was well characterized as an eATP receptor as DORN OX seedlings were longer and dorn 1-1r seedlings were shorter than Col-0 wildype.8-Nitro cGMP experiments were found to be inconclusive. Experiments with abcb1 displayed that it does play a role in eATP mediated root hair growth pathway as abcb1 seedlings did not respond to eATP treatments. gpa1-4/agb1-2 probably do not play a role in mediating the effects of eATP on root hair growth, since the double mutant seedlings responded to eATP treatment. In the PS and DM experiments, PSOE2 and DM2 seedlings were found to have longer root hairs near the tip compared to Col-0. At the root-shoot junction, PSOE3 and DM4 seedlings were found to have longer root hairs, and PSOE2 and DM2 had shorter root hairs. The primary root length was also observed to be shorter in DM4 and PSOE2. Thus far these preliminary results on the effects of ectopic expression of pea apyrase are inconsistent so more experiments are needed.
Expanding Bibliotherapy Programs in Public Libraries to Improve Mental Health Outcomes in Low Socioeconomic Status Youth
(2023-04) Ghaffar, Shehza; Gaydosh, Lauren
Bibliotherapy, the use of literature to supply mental relief, is a versatile, accessible, and low cost alternative therapy method, especially when compared to traditional therapy methods often used in clinical settings. It is particularly beneficial to children of low socioeconomic status who disproportionately face poor mental health outcomes due to the unique challenges and traumas associated with poverty. Although bibliotherapy has been around for many centuries, contemporary mental health programs have yet to utilize the full potential of bibliotherapy or optimize alternative therapy’s reach through the existing public library infrastructure. There are numerous psychological ailments or traumas that only continue to have growing incidence, making a public health intervention imperative to reduce the morbidity. The value of public libraries in contemporary society is undisputed and remains especially strong for vulnerable populations, and developing bibliotherapy programs by increasing funding, training specialized library staff, and expanding resources may be an effective way to make a widespread, positive public health impact on at-risk youth. Furthermore, if used in conjunction with scientifically supported traditional therapy methods, bibliotherapeutic treatment could be integrated across multiple societal sectors, different technological modalities, or even into commercial spaces to supplement effective mental health treatment efforts. Ultimately, a program like this could reinforce the value of public libraries and increase pro-social output to society.
Evaluation of Convolutional Neural Network Brain Structure Segmentation Tools for Multiple Sclerosis
(2023-05-01) May, Emily; Freeman, Leorah
Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic and disabling inflammatory disorder of the central nervous system that affects approximately 1 million people in the United States. MS is characterized by high heterogeneity of clinical phenotypes, prompting considerable efforts to identify predictive markers of clinical severity and treatment response. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is commonly obtained at time of diagnosis and throughout the course of the disease to detect progression of disease and response to therapies. Deep gray matter structures and cortical atrophy have been identified as predictors of physical and cognitive disability in MS. Common analytical tools used to segment MRI scans are time-consuming, which limits their clinical utility. Faster convolutional neural network (CNN) tools, on the other hand, have not been trained on MS subjects or validated in this population. Objective: To validate faster tools for the segmentation of brain MRI images in MS. Methods: Two CNN-based segmentation tools, FastSurferVINN and DARTS, were identified based on speed, evaluation metrics, pretrained, open-source availability, and structures segmented. The tools were used to segment the brain MRI images of a cohort of relapsing-remitting (RR) MS and secondary-progressive (SP) MS subjects, and healthy controls. We used the Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC), Sensitivity, and Precision to evaluate the quality of the segmentations. Results: Higher DSC scores were observed with FastSurferVINN compared to DARTS in all structures evaluated, notably in the cortex and grey matter. Both FastSurferVINN and DARTS showed significant difference in segmentation quality between RRMS, SPMS, and healthy controls. Conclusion: Based on the differences observed in segmentation quality, future exploration and training in populations with neurodegenerative disorders is necessary to utilize these tools to accurately evaluate atrophy as a predictor of disability MS in the clinical setting.
Effects of Increased Broadband Access and Bandwidth Capacity on Information Nationalization and Voter Partisan Affect (2014 - 2018)
(2024-08) Shears, Dylan R.; Sparrow, Bartholomew H.
This thesis examines how increased broadband access and bandwidth capacity influenced the nationalization of information in the 2014 to 2018 U.S. House elections. Expanding on Trussler's (2021) analysis, this research incorporates bandwidth speeds to assess the effects of internet access on electoral outcomes. The study hypothesizes that expanded broadband access and higher speeds increase voter exposure to national political information, which reduces the incumbency advantage and increases instances of straight-ticket voting, with greater broadband speeds being a better proxy of nationalization than the change in broadband providers alone. Panel Linear Modeling of the changes in broadband providers and bandwidth speeds across congressional districts over the 2014-2018 election cycles determined that higher internet speeds contributed to election nationalization by facilitating access to partisan content. The research expands on how these trends have led to a more polarized electorate via the current architecture and incentives of Internet Platforms, such as YouTube's recommendation system potentially directing users to extremist content, reframing the existence of echo chambers on Facebook, and the increase of disinformation on X/Twitter resulting in increased partisan affect online.
Understanding How Mutations in the RNA Helicase Dhr1 Suppress Loss of the Methyltransferase Bud23 in Biogenesis of Small Ribosomal Subunits
(2020-03) Elmir, Ezzeddine; Johnson, Arlen
Ribosomes are molecular machines that decode the cell’s genetic information and translate it into protein. Each ribosome is composed of a small subunit (40S) and a large subunit (60S) that are assembled from RNA and proteins. The Small Subunit (SSU) Processome is an early precursor of the small ribosomal subunit and contains many assembly factors, as well as RNA and ribosomal proteins. The SSU Processome undergoes several dynamic changes in order to mature to its next phase, the pre-40S. However, the process of how biogenesis factors regulate and drive maturation is not fully understood. Literature suggests that the methyltransferase Bud23 plays a role in facilitating the maturation of the SSU Processome. In order to understand the function of Bud23, a large-scale genetic screen was conducted to identify suppressors of bud23Δ. These suppressors established a genetic network of factors associated with Bud23 that facilitate maturation. Suppressing mutations were then mapped to the resolved structure of the SSU Processome. The results suggest a model in which the binding of Bud23 to the 18S rRNA inside the SSU Processome facilitates the release of different factors and consequently drives the maturation process forward. Dhr1, a helicase involved in this network, was a hotspot for mutations. Dhr1 unwinds the U3 small nucleolar RNA and consequently drive maturation of the SSU Processome. The mutant variants of Dhr1 were assayed for ATPase activity to understand how the mutants bypass bud23Δ. The lack of correlation between bud23Δ suppression and ATPase activity appears to rule out the simple model that the mutants all lead to activation of Dhr1.
Developing a Selection-Driven Transposition Approach for Increasing and Stabilizing Burdensome Gene Expression in Acinetobacter baylyi
(2024-04-30) Manriquez, Elizabeth; Barrick, Jeffrey E.
Transposons are mobile genetic elements that have the ability to insert themselves into the genome at locations distant from the original copy. Over generations of replication, multiple copies of genes they carry can become distributed throughout a genome. This activity could potentially be leveraged to distribute many copies of a burdensome gene within a genome, increasing its expression and reducing its risk of becoming inactivated by mutations as more copies are added to a host cell. The purpose of this study is to examine whether high and stable expression of a transgene can be accomplished via selection-driven transposition. I first engineered an Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1-ISx strain that encodes a single hyperactive Himar1 mariner transposase in its chromosome and has a cognate mini-transposon inserted at a distant location. The mini-transposon includes a selectable kanamycin resistance gene and a screenable green fluorescent protein (GFP), used as a model transgene. Adding increasing amounts of kanamycin is known to select for cells that accumulate additional copies of the kanamycin resistance gene, which can occur through transposition or tandem gene duplications. I conducted an evolution experiment over six days in which the engineered ADP1-ISx strain was serially transferred into fresh liquid media containing increasing concentrations of kanamycin. The experiment also included a negative control that consisted of the same engineered ADP1-ISx with the transposase gene removed to account for the occurrence of tandem duplications. Whole-genome sequencing of the resulting strains found that more copies of the antibiotic resistance gene evolved, but mostly due to tandem amplifications that did not result in increased expression of gfp, rather than transposition events that copied the whole mini-transposon. I also began to investigate whether engineering a new strain with higher expression of the transposase resulted in more transposition during evolution. Additionally, I studied the effects of off-target mutations in elongation factor G (FusA) that complicated these experiments. My results provide a foundation for using mini-transposons to distribute burdensome genes throughout a bacterial genome to improve their expression and stability.
Generating lightly immortalizing T-Cells to study the host immune response and immunotherapies
(2023-04) Hoffman, Ashley S.; Umlauf, Benjamin J.
Immortalized T-cell lines are key tools for studying disease response, immune pathways, and novel treatments. However, many of these lines are transformed into undefined cancerous cells to maintain unlimited growth potential, limiting their utility as an accurate model of host T-cells. This creates a need for T-cell lines that mimic healthy behavior, especially for testing T-cell-mediated therapies (e.g., CAR T-cell and checkpoint inhibitor) and T-cell exhaustion, a phenomenon observed in patients undergoing intense chronic therapies, that can still be shared amongst the scientific community. To this end, we have developed a method of lightly immortalizing T-cells from human donor peripheral blood monocytes (PBMCs), without producing a cancerous phenotype, by only expressing 2 genes: human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) and cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (Cdk4). Cdk4 and hTERT are key genes in driving cell cycle and survival. Over expression of these genes should create a slowly dividing T-cell population that is still capable of responding to immune cues and signals. Lightly immortalized T-cells will serve as a key resource for studying T-cell-mediated therapies such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells and effects of chronic treatment, including T-cell exhaustion. Here, we present a robust method for lightly immortalizing T-cells from PBMCs. Our protocol successfully extends the lifespan of PBMCs and selects for effector and helper T-cell populations in two donor PBMCs. To verify successful transfection and selection of T-cells hTERT and Cdk4 we used western blotting and FACs. We also observed typical T-cell behavior post-immortalization and achieved a resting population of healthy, actively dividing T-cells with measuring expression of CD3. In conclusion, this method provides a straightforward, reproducible, and shareable tool for understanding T-cell response to treatment and studying T-cell exhaustion in multiple patients.
Progress Toward the Total Synthesis of Formicamycin H
(2019-05) Buksh, Benito F.; Krische, Michael J.
The type II polyketide formicamycin H is a complex pentacyclic molecule possessing a tetracyclic core and an element of axial chirality. Our synthetic strategy highlights a recently developed [4+2] cycloaddition developed by the Krische laboratory for a convergent synthesis of the natural product, which, to date, has no previously reported synthesis. Our progress toward formicamycin H is described.
Asian American Stereotypes in the Media and their Effects in Politics
(2022-05-10) Xiong, Grace; Reece, Robert L.
Many scholars of anti-Asian racial discrimination have attempted to understand the dynamics between racial groups through racial frameworks, such as, “racial triangulation.” Racial triangulation describes the position of Asian Americans along two dimensions – relative valorization (“model minority”) and civic ostracism (“yellow peril”). Much of this work is historical, with little discussion of how the current media may or may not perpetuate the racial triangulation theory, specifically in its portrayal of Asian presidential candidates in comparison to white and black candidates. This thesis compares how The New York Times depicts Andrew Yang, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump through a rhetorical analysis of racial and stereotype language and a random sampling of fifty New York Times articles discussing their political candidacy. The results indicate that the rhetoric of The New York Times for each candidate align with the racial triangulation theory, suggesting that the racial stereotypes and the racial dynamics between different racial groups continue to permeate the media and possibly affect how voters perceive candidates and, consequently, who they vote for in elections. This continuation may reinforce the underrepresentation of Asian Americans in politics. Future directions could use a quantitative analysis to analyze the rhetoric of print media or perhaps an experiment using hypothetical candidate biographies and pit them against each other to analyze white American voter preference.
Acoustic Klein tunneling in topological nanoscale phononic crystals
(2022-11) Jahanbani, Shahin; Lai, Keji
The knowledge of emergent many-body phenomena in phononic systems has important implications for our fundamental understanding of the quantum origins of matter as well as technological applications of acoustic devices in quantum acoustics and quantum information processing platforms. In this work, the theoretical foundation for investigating the acoustic version of a many-body phenomenon in nanoscale phononic crystals known as Klein tunneling is presented. The advantage of such an exploration in acoustic systems is that they would provide a natural platform for studying the Dirac pseudospin fields, manifested as acoustic modes in the crystals, with unprecedented details, which is superior to performing experiments at ultra-low-temperatures to explore similar effects in many-body electron systems. The analysis outlined in this work is supplemented with a comprehensive study of the analytic mechanical band structures in topological phononic crystals, along with finite-element modeling of the simulated designs in COMSOL Multiphysics software. Furthermore, the nanoscale-resolution imaging of the transmission mode of Microwave Impedance Microscopy of the propagated acoustic waves in some of the designed phononic crystals will be showcased.
Using biofilm samples to quantify toxic heavy metal concentrations in Waller Creek
(2024) Rocha, Anisa Jo; Shear, Ruth I.
Biofilms are microbial communities that can consist of algae, fungi, and bacteria that congregate together in a slimy or thick film formed on biotic or abiotic surfaces; this research focuses on microalgal biofilms that can be found on the surfaces of small rocks within Waller Creek, an urban waterway that runs through the UT campus. Biofilms can be used to monitor pollution due to their ability to incorporate contaminants such as heavy metals. Biofilm samples may be more representative of the true pollution levels faced by the creek due to their ability to accumulate pollutants over time, as opposed to water samples, whose often fluctuating variability is representative of pollution levels at the sample time only. Biofilm and water samples were collected from several locations along Waller Creek. These samples were then filtered, ashed in a furnace (biofilm samples), and diluted before the analytes of interest were quantified using inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Concentrations of the seven most common heavy metal environmental pollutants (lead, arsenic, zinc, copper, chromium, silver, and cadmium) were studied. In this research, levels of chromium, silver, cadmium, and lead were more highly concentrated in biofilm samples as compared to water samples; however, wide variability between replicates makes it difficult to determine the magnitude of increased detectability. Moreover, there is not a clear way to compare the mass of heavy metals found in the biofilm per square centimeter of cobble surface area with mass per unit volume levels measured for water samples and recommended as the CCC. Future experimentation should include repeat sampling and expansion of biofilm sampling sites to better compare to water samples.
The Racialization of Hispanics and the Subordination of Spanish at UT Austin: Explorations and Recommendations
(2024-05) Ducloux, Mishell Magnus; Toribio, Almeida Jacqueline
This thesis explores the challenges faced by university students who identify as Latine, specifically the impediments occasioned by the historical racialization of Hispanics and the subordination of Spanish in the United States. It provides a historical and contemporary analysis of the presence of persons of Spanish-language origin and of the Spanish language in the United States and closer to home: at the University of Texas at Austin, a Hispanic-Serving Institution. This grounding motivates the mixed-methods study, whose findings signal the enduring effects of language ideologies, as reflected in students’ linguistic insecurity and imposter phenomena, among other psychological attributes. Interpretations of the findings lead to concrete recommendations for interventions in promoting Latine welfare and success on the University of Texas campus and beyond.
Effects of executive control on memory integration and inference in adults
(2021) Quesada, Lauren L.; Preston, Alison R.
Expanding knowledge in the face of associated and potentially competitive information depends on memory integration. Prior research shows evidence of memory integration in associative learning tasks, which is often correlated with prefrontal activation. While prefrontal regions are implicated in executive control, there’s little evidence of the causal role of executive control on integration. In the present research, adults (N=12) completed a well-established associative learning task in which they learned a series of character-object AB pairs followed by overlapping object-object BC pairs. Following learning, integration of the overlapping pairs was assessed through inference task performance, in which they were tested for knowledge of the novel AC pairs. Critically, half of the overlapping BC pairs were learned while completing a divided attention task in which participants were asked to count simultaneously presented sounds, whereas the other half of BC pairs were incidentally encoded as in prior research, thus serving as a within-participant baseline performance comparison. The divided attention manipulation was designed to engage executive control processes, thus preventing utilization of such processes for additional tasks, namely for formation of the relation between AB and BC pairs online during overlapping learning. Retrieval of direct pairs learned in the divided attention condition was worse compared to pairs in the control condition, suggesting that the manipulation impaired attentional resources. Moreover, adults demonstrated decreased inference accuracy and increased response times for AC items learned under the divided attention condition relative to pairs learned in the control condition, even when direct AB and BC memory was controlled. These results demonstrate how targeting executive processes results in decreased integration, thus providing direct evidence for the role of executive control in flexible memory integration.
Stroke Awareness and Proposed Stroke Health Campaign in Mombasa, Kenya
(2021) Meghani, Kinza; Garcia, Alexandra
Stroke is the second leading cause of death and a significant source of disability worldwide. With two-thirds of stroke mortalities occurring in Sub-Saharan Africa, there is a need for researchers to comprehend the current understanding of stroke and its related factors in this region. Since stroke knowledge in the general public has been shown to mitigate the incidence of stroke and improve timely treatment-seeking behavior, the purpose of this thesis is to conduct 1) a stroke awareness assessment in Mombasa County, Kenya, and 2) a literature review of stroke interventions and health campaigns. The stroke awareness assessment surveyed 155 community members, collecting demographic data, perceptions, and knowledge about risk factors, warning signs, and response for stroke. Chi-square tests and odds ratios were used to analyze significant associations between knowledge of stroke and demographic characteristics. Findings from this study were that generally, the respondents were aware that stroke risk can be increased by poor lifestyle habits and that stroke needs to be treated at a hospital; however, their understanding of stroke and its warning signs and specific risk factors were fairly low. Majority of this sample had completed higher education but still scored low on awareness thus counties surrounding Mombasa County with lower proportions of high education may have substantially less stroke knowledge. These findings demonstrate a need to improve response time and outcomes of stroke, while reducing its prevalence. A review of the literature on stroke campaigns highlighted four main types of prevention methods that have been implemented in various countries and regions: mass media campaigns, educational presentations, health screenings, and multi-modal community programs. Through exploration of these campaigns, an optimal stroke prevention campaign for Mombasa would combine elements of a multi-modal community approach and a mass media campaign due to the intensive and wide-spread nature of these methods.

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