19468 research outputs found
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Resilience in Context: From low-opportunity environments to academic belonging
No full textThe current study investigates how structural neighborhood conditions, specifically defined by the Child Opportunity Index (COI), shape first-year college student’s adjustment and sense of belonging. Using a mixed methods design, the research combines quantitative data from 74 students at William & Mary with qualitative interviews from a subsample of students from low-COI backgrounds. Quantitative findings revealed high overall levels of resilience, school bonding, and belonging across the sample. However, no significant relationships were found between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and other variables. The ACEs scores from the subsample of students from low-COI areas was statistically significantly higher than the participants from non-low-COI areas. Qualitative data offered deeper insight into these students’ experiences, highlighting themes of financial hardship, intrinsic drive, and faculty connection. The findings underscore the importance of understanding student development through both an environmental and institutional lens, with implications for admissions, support services, and policy reforms aimed at fostering equity and inclusion in higher education.PsychologyBachelors of Arts (BA
Looking to the Stars: Celebrity Music Fandom the Search for Spiritual Meaning
No full textScholars have considered the increase of fandom and celebrity worship alongside the decline of organized religion, theorizing that fans look to the media and celebrities they ‘worship’ to find meaning in a secularized world. Limited empirical studies provide inconclusive results on the relationship between meaning, religion, and celebrity fandom. Participants completed a survey of celebrity worship, fan identity, eudaimonic and hedonic preferences in music/media selection, meaning in life, spirituality, and religion. Study 1 participants (N = 209) were undergraduates at William & Mary; participants in Study 2 (N= 201) were celebrity music fans (primarily of Taylor Swift and the Grateful Dead) recruited through online fan groups. In Study 1, participants whose favorite celebrity was an athlete or musician had the highest levels of CW and fan identity. Spirituality and religiosity positively correlated with celebrity worship in both Study 1 and Study 2. Results of Study 2 indicated that celebrity worship and fandom relate to the search for and presence of meaning in life in general and in music listening specifically, providing valuable insight into the motivations and outcomes of fandom. Study 2 found that fans were more interested in finding meaning than pleasure in the music they listened to; Study 1 found this result to be true only when considering music preferences specifically and not media consumption in general. Overall, results indicated a relationship between fandom and the search for spiritual meaning, and that this relationship may look different between fandoms.PsychologyBachelors of Arts (BA
Multiracial Individuals' Perceptions of Microaggressions
No full textAs microaggressions can have negative impacts on one’s sense of belonging, academic success, and engagement, it is important to examine their prevalence in Multiracial individuals, the fastest-growing population in the United States. The current study investigates how Multiracial individuals perceive various microaggressions in terms of offensiveness, upsetedness, and how often they occur. We examined the microaggressions in terms of broad categories such as Exclusion/Isolation, Exoticization/Objectification, Assumption of Monoracial Identity (mistaken identity)/Denial of Multiracial Reality and found which are the most frequent, offensive, and upsetting. A college sample (n = 42) and national sample (n = 58) of participants read 12 hypothetical scenarios involving microaggressions representing these three categories. Participants were asked to rate these 12 scenarios in terms of whether they had experienced a similar situation, how offensive they found them, and how upsetting they found the scenario. Results revealed that in both samples the Assumption of Monoracial Identity (mistaken identity)/Denial of Multiracial Reality was the most frequently experienced category of microaggressions. Additionally, for both samples, the Exclusion/Isolation Category was viewed as the most offensive and upsetting category of microaggressions. Together, these results suggest that Multiracial individuals experience microaggressions in which they are denied their Multiracial identity most often and feel the most offended and upset when they feel like they’re being excluded or isolated due to their mixed race.NeuroscienceBachelors of Science (BS
spe-54 required for directed cell motility in Caenorhabditis elegans sperm
No full textUnlike human flagellated sperm, C. elegans sperm use the movement of an extended pseudopod to reach and persist in the site of fertilization. This research uses a knockout mutant (spe-54) to examine the role of the protein SPE-54 in C. elegans sperm. To determine the impact of spe-54 on C. elegans male and hermaphrodite fertility, the success of male fertility between the mutant spe-54 and control strains was measured. The quantification of viable progeny and unfertilized oocytes showed decreased spe-54 fertility compared to him-5 (a wild-type nematode) in both male fertility and hermaphrodite fertility experiments. To determine the cause of reduced fertility in the spe-54 mutant, the distribution of fluorescent sperm was observed in the reproductive tract of fog-2 (mutant nematode) females following insemination by either spe-54 or him-5 males. DIC/fluorescent images show that spe-54 sperm fail to migrate to the site of fertilization, causing unfertilized oocytes to be lain. To investigate the cause of reduced sperm movement, sperm were labeled with anti-MSP to determine the localization of MSP (Major Sperm Protein), a structural protein used for cell motility localized in the sperm pseudopod. Immunofluorescence images show a shortened, broadened MSP localization (crescent shape) compared to the extended rectangle/triangle shape of the control MSP localization. To determine the impact of a short pseudopod in sperm movement, the treadmilling (cyclic pseudopodal motion) rates of spe-54 sperm and him-5 controls were quantified. In general, the shortened pseudopod of spe-54 led to decreased treadmilling rates compared to control sperm. Thus, the shortened pseudopod contributes to lack of motility and subsequent failure to reach the site of fertilization in the reproductive tract. Further immunofluorescent analyses to determine how SPE-54 regulates sperm function produced different localization patterns of both SPE-6 and SPE-9 proteins between spe-54 and control sperm. Extension of a pseudopod and the fusion of Membranous Organelles (MOs) are two key features of C. elegans sperm activation. To determine if spe-54 impacts the process of sperm activation, a mutant that lacks MO fusion and an extended pseudopod (fer-1) was compared to spe-54 Using a membrane dye (FM1-43), fer-1 strains showed no MO fusion while both him-5 and spe-54 showed frequent presence of fused MOs. Thus, spe-54, while lacking pseudopodal extension, still retains MO fusion in the sperm activation process. In all, the lack of spe-54 is shown to lead to altered pseudopod shape and decreased treadmilling rates in C. elegans sperm. These findings provide the explanation of overall decreased fertility in the spe-54 mutant strains.BiologyBachelors of Science (BS
Investigating the relationship between calcium spiking frequency and neural development in Xenopus laevis
No full textCalcium transients have been implicated as a potential regulator for multiple aspects of neural development. Previous studies have identified a relationship between calcium activity and neural induction, morphogenesis, and neuronal differentiation. However, the exact nature of this relationship is unclear, and the reliance of previous work on calcium deprivation to reduce transients means that their results could be attributable to nutritional causes rather than regulatory ones. The goal of this thesis was to investigate the effects of highly elevated calcium spiking generated by mechanical perturbation on neural induction. In situ hybridization found that Sox2 expression, a marker of neural progenitor and stem cells, was reduced in perturbed embryos. Curving in the early tailbud stage revealed potential scoliokyphosis and impaired somitogenesis in perturbed embryos. These results contradict hypotheses that calcium transients promote neural induction and morphogenesis in linear fashion and identify areas where future RNA-seq analysis could provide additional insights into the effects of our perturbation-induced spiking treatments.BiologyBachelors of Science (BS
Beyond Human Players: Investigating AI Participation in Public Goods Games
No full textOur research explores how knowledge of an AI opponent impacts investment behavior in a public goods game, with the aim of shedding light on the dynamics of human-AI trust. We had three treatments of human subjects play the same VCM with varying levels of information about their opponents. While we did not find varying levels of knowledge to significantly impact investment, consistent with existing studies, we found ChatGPT to exhibit greater prosocial behavior than its human counterparts. Regardless of the opponent, human participants were likely to exploit players who exhibited high levels of prosocial behavior, leading to the paradoxical outcome of humans freeriding off AI. We also found the AI to be sensitive to prompting and system role content, suggesting that the desired level of cooperation can be fostered through parameterization. This paper provides a commentary on the current state of human-AI trust through a strategic game’s framework.EconomicsBachelors of Arts (BA
Modulation of Protein Function and Synthesis of Bioconjugates using Unnatural Amino Acids
No full textNature has evolved 20 amino acids that comprise all the proteins that compose living things. The limited lexicon of building blocks available to accomplish such a vast number of tasks is remarkable. My research aimed to augment protein chemistry by employing unnatural amino acids to modify proteins and introduce novel functionality. This was accomplished in three ways. First, we enabled modulation of Protein Methyltransferase function by incorporating a photocaged unnatural amino acid. A SAM510 Methyltransferase Assay revealed that the unnatural amino acid hindered methyltransferase activity in PRMT1 until irradiation with UV light, following which the photocaging group was removed, and protein activity was restored. Second, we achieved the dimerization of two proteins using a terminal alkyne-containing unnatural amino acid and a bioorthogonal Glaser-Hay reaction. We increased coupling efficiency by using a linker for this reaction. Finally, we synthesized a multivalent bioconjugate using a bromoalkyne unnatural amino acid and a reaction sequence including a bioorthogonal CuAAC followed by a Sonogashira. We demonstrated the use of an unnatural amino acid to confer spatiotemporal control over protein function. Additionally, we developed new pathways toward synthesizing bioconjugates, which have applications in targeted therapeutics, protein monitoring, and assays. Furthermore, a multivalent bioconjugate would expand the operational capacity of protein function by allowing the conjugation of multiple moieties, with each introducing a new function.ChemistryBachelors of Science (BS
Transmissibility of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) to Pacific Coral Species
No full textStony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) is a devastating coral disease first observed in 2014 near Virginia Key in Miami, Florida. It has since spread to 33 Caribbean countries and U.S. territories. However, it has yet to be observed in the Pacific. Prior studies have demonstrated the transmissibility of SCTLD via simulated ship ballast water, and the Panama Canal represents a potential avenue by which the disease could spread into the Pacific. It is therefore imperative to determine whether Pacific coral species are susceptible to SCTLD, and if so, to develop disease diagnostics. Two ex-situ waterborne disease experiments tested the susceptibility of the common eastern Pacific coral species, Pavona clavus, Pocillopora sp., and Porites lobata to SCTLD. Additionally, Orbicella faveolata and Acropora cervicornis were used as Atlantic susceptible and non-susceptible controls, respectively, to compare disease signs and susceptibility in Pacific species. Treatments included disease-exposed water (waterborne transmission), disease adjacent (near-contact transmission), and healthy coral-exposed water (no-disease control). Transmission data collected demonstrated that P. clavus and Pocillopora sp. are not immune to SCTLD, as some corals developed rapid tissue loss under near-contact and waterborne transmission. A survivorship analysis revealed that the susceptibilities of P. clavus and Pocillipora sp. to SCTLD could be similar to O. faveolata, a moderately-susceptible Atlantic species.. Tissue samples were collected and processed for 16S metabarcoding of microbial communities to assess variation among treatments and the presence of SCTLD indicator taxa. Sequencing results are forthcoming. Combined, these data provide a cellular and molecular diagnosis of SCTLD in P. clavus and Pocillopora sp., allowing the development of in-situ monitoring tools to evaluate the spread of disease in the Pacific Ocean. This information is critical for the management and prevention of SCTLD in coral reefs, providing further insight to the potential microbial origin of SCTLD, and developing SCTLD mitigation strategies across ocean basins.BiologyBachelors of Science (BS
Immigration-related Stress, Social Support, Drinking to Cope, and Problematic Alcohol Use among Latine College Students: A Moderated-Mediation Model
No full textProblematic alcohol use among U.S. college students remains a significant public health concern, with high rates of binge drinking and alcohol-related consequences documented across campuses. While research has examined general risk factors for problematic drinking, less is known about how students with marginalized identities, particularly Latine college students who face unique stressors such as immigration, are at heightened risk to engage in problematic alcohol use. The present study examined whether immigration-related stress indirectly influences problematic alcohol use outcomes through drinking to cope motives among Latine college students, and whether perceived social support moderates these relationships. Participants included Latine college students (n = 270) across eight universities in six U.S. states who consumed alcohol in the past month. The majority of participants identified as being of Mexican origin (67.0%), female (71.5%), and reported a mean age of 20.35 years (SD = 3.0). Within our mediation model, results indicated that immigration-related stress was significantly associated with more alcohol-related consequences via greater endorsement of drinking to cope motives (indirect β = .06). Within our moderated-mediation model, social support was negatively associated with alcohol coping motives (β = -.26, CI [-0.43, -0.09]), but the interaction between immigration-related stress and social support was not statistically significant. Overall, our findings suggest that drinking to cope is a key mechanism through which immigration-related stress relates to problematic alcohol use among Latine college students. For at-risk students, campus interventions should aim to strengthen social support networks while addressing maladaptive coping mechanisms that develop in response to immigration-related stressors. Keywords: latine/x, coping motives, alcohol consequences, immigration stress, social supportPsychologyBachelors of Science (BS
Synthesis of Pyridine Derivatives: Cycloaddition/Cycloreversion of 1,4-Oxazinone Intermediates
No full textThis project's purpose is to develop a new method of synthesizing oxazinones using widely available amino alcohol precursors. Oxazinones are fascinating and understudied heterocyclic ring systems that have their own respective importance, but are also reactive intermediates that lead to the production of pyridines. Pyridines are the second most common nitrogen-containing ring structure found in FDA approved therapeutic molecules such as anti-cancer and anti-malarial agents. Currently there are limited methods of synthesizing oxazinones that rely on harsh reaction conditions. We have developed a new method to prepare oxazinones derivatives from commercially available amino alcohol precursors, which has allowed for downstream conversion to pyridine structures of interest. So far, this project has seen success in the synthesis of seven oxazinones and their subsequent pyridine derivatives. Xylanigripone A, a molecule isolated from the Xylaria nigripes fungus that has tranquilizing effects on the central nervous system, was prepared using this chemistry. Future research will explore different amino alcohols precursors in the synthesis of oxazinones and applications toward synthesizing natural products containing the pyridine motif.ChemistryBachelors of Science (BS