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Introduction to Building Energy Modeling and Analysis using EnergyPlus
Full text linkRetail stores are dynamic environments where human activities significantly influence energy consumption patterns, particularly affecting heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) demands. Existing energy models, such as those developed using EnergyPlus, often rely on generalized assumptions about human occupancy and behavior, leading to discrepancies between predicted and actual energy usage. This research aimed to enhance the accuracy of energy modeling for retail stores by conducting a sensitivity analysis of occupancy using EnergyPlus simulations. The study investigated how variations in occupancy levels impact HVAC loads, cooling and heating demands, and overall energy use. Results showed that increasing occupancy leads to higher internal heat gains, which elevated annual cooling electricity demand by approximately 11.4% and fan energy electricity demand by 12.7%. Higher occupancy also necessitated increased outdoor air intake, resulting in greater heating penalties during winter months, with natural gas consumption for heating increasing by about 2.3%. These heating penalties indicated that the potential wintertime energy savings from occupant-generated heat gains are offset in the mixed-humid climate studied. By varying occupancy-related parameters, the research identified the impact that occupancy has on retail store building energy use. Overall, the study provides insights into the effects of occupancy in retail environments and supports the development of more reliable, energy-efficient management practices for large commercial spaces
Small Business Development in the Tourism Industry in Dangriga, Belize
Full text linkThe thesis, Small Business Development in the Tourism Industry in Dangriga, Belize, examines efforts to bolster economic opportunities and entrepreneurial resilience in a culturally rich but economically underserved town. The project focused on addressing the underperformance of Dangriga’s tourism sector relative to other Belizean destinations, despite its potential. By engaging directly with local entrepreneurs and organizations, the initiative aimed to improve marketing practices, digital presence, and long-term business viability through practical interventions.
Major accomplishments included the development of a reservation-capable website for the Bonefish Hotel, social media and marketing consultations for various small businesses, and advisory work for the Dangriga Town Council’s beautification and tourism efforts. Challenges included resistance from certain business owners and a lack of institutional support from national tourism agencies. Nonetheless, the project highlighted the transformative potential of grassroots entrepreneurship, youth engagement, and strategic marketing in driving inclusive growth and community development in Dangriga
Food Security in Mauritius
Full text linkLocated over 600 miles off the East coast of Madagascar, Mauritius is an island nation with a population of over 1.2 million people. In the summer of 2023, I had the opportunity to travel to Mauritius and conduct a representative food insecurity survey alongside other University of Arkansas and University of Mauritius students and professors. With more than 400 surveys in over 80 locations, we gathered data in every district on the primary island of Mauritius. The group used a survey based on the standard USDA question list and compiled the results to find that the population of Mauritius had a rate of food insecurity of ~48%. Beyond the surveys, I was able to have tremendous personal and professional growth throughout the trip
Relationship Between Nutritional Knowledge and Eating Disorder Risk Levels
Full text linkThe prevalence of disordered eating is a critical public health concern that often progresses towards the development of a diagnosable eating disorder (ED). This, in turn, has detrimental physical and psychological consequences for individuals. Organizations such as the American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) have recognized nutrition education as a crucial component of prevention and recovery. Determining the extent to which nutrition knowledge is related to risk factors for EDs is worth investigating due to its implications for healthcare approaches – especially among adolescent and young adult populations. The goal of this research was to collect data regarding the nutritional knowledge and eating disorder risk levels of non-nutrition students between the ages of 18-29 and to identify associations between the two variables. When filtered for eligible responses, 156 participants completed the survey. Overall, findings indicated disordered eating as not being related to nutrition knowledge, although when reviewing our female-only sample, a trend was found for a decrease in eating disorder risk levels as nutrition knowledge in the measured health management subcategory increased. Further research exploring the relationship will be necessary for clarifying outcomes among larger samples
Characterizing the Medial Forebrain Bundle in Adolescents with Anhedonic Depression
Full text linkAdolescent depression has quickly grown in prevalence, yet the underlying neuropathology remains poorly understood. Anhedonia–the diminished ability to experience pleasure–is a core symptom of melancholic depression. Early identification of biomarkers associated with anhedonic depression could help mitigate the severity of the disorder by enhancing treatment efficacy. Blunted functionality of the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), the reward center of the brain, and abnormal dopaminergic activity in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) have both been linked to depression. Furthermore, glutamatergic input from the hypothalamus modulates the VTA which in turn, downregulates dopamine release in the NAcc. However, there is limited evidence supporting that the white matter tract connecting these three microstructures, the infero-medial medial forebrain bundle (imMFB), exhibits any abnormalities. The aim of this study was to characterize the imMFB in adolescents with anhedonic depression. Data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study was extracted to create a total sample size of 2,931 subjects, which was broken down into four subgroups: high depression and high anhedonia (hDhA), high depression and low anhedonia (hDlA), low depression and high anhedonia (lDhA), and low depression and low anhedonia (lDlA). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from the Monetary Incentive Delay (MID) task was collected to examine NAcc activity during reward anticipation. Structural coherence of the imMFB was quantified by using fractional anisotropy (FA), a metric used in diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI). Subjects with high levels of anhedonia exhibited lower structural coherence in the last 25% of the left imMFB and higher structural coherence in the first 25% of the right imMFB. Subjects with high levels of depression exhibited blunted NAcc activity while anticipating small rewards; however, this decreased functionality was not correlated to FA values of the imMFB. Results indicated that structural abnormalities found in the imMFB may be more strongly associated with anhedonia, while functional blunting of the NAcc is linked to depression
Structural stability of FGF1-FGF2 dimer established via salt bridges with mutation K296Q
No full textFibroblast Growth Factors (FGFs) are a family of cell-signaling proteins. FGF, specifically the FGF-1 subfamily, which contains FGF-1 and FGF-2, is important in several biological functions such as wound healing, cell proliferation, and angiogenesis. FGF-1 has cell proliferation properties and FGF-2 has angiogenic properties. These FGFs have great potential for wound-healing therapy medications...
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Prosecuting the Material Support of Terrorism in the Post-9/11 Era
Full text linkBefore the attacks of September 11th, material support of terrorism using the 18 U.S.C § 2339B statute was hardly investigated and prosecuted. In the years following 9/11, however, the government began to charge and prosecute material support offenders at an increasing rate. Structural-contextual theory is used to explain this phenomenon by analyzing how the government utilized tightened coupling to expand what they looked for and charged under 18 U.S.C § 2339B. The current study furthers past literature by analyzing 2339B offender demographics, case outcomes, counts outcomes, conviction rates, and the length of sentences. The findings solve discrepancies in past literature regarding sentence length and the use of the statute in federal courts before 9/11. The results demonstrate that defendant\u27s demographics vary in 2339B cases. Additionally, the findings show that case outcomes and average sentence length can be predicted after 9/11. Conviction rates under the 18 U.S.C § 2339B material support statute can be expected to increase after 2001. Ultimately, it is found that the widening of what the government was investigating and prosecuting as material support affected conviction outcomes, sentence lengths, and count outcomes. These findings suggest that future research should analyze the effects that terrorist group category and the type of material support provided have on outcome variables
“Cry Harder!”: How Parents Traffic Their Children Through Forced Child Begging and Child Labor
Full text linkThis thesis examines the complex intersection of socioeconomic and cultural factors influencing forced child begging, a form of human trafficking, across different global regions. Through comprehensive literature analysis and examination of data from the Global K-anonymized Dataset from Counter-Trafficking Data Collaborative (2021), this research reveals a critical gap in human trafficking discourse: the absence of a unified definition and understanding of forced child begging. Despite affecting millions of children worldwide, forced child begging remains fragmented in academic literature, scattered across disciplines including child welfare, anthropology, and media studies rather than being centrally addressed in anti-trafficking frameworks. The research identifies that while street-based begging by older boys in regions like Senegal represents the most documented form, other manifestations such as internet-based exploitation through family vlogging and kidfluencer culture meet the same criteria yet receive minimal recognition. The study highlights inconsistencies in policy approaches, noting that NGOs like Anti-Slavery International, Polaris, and Freedom United provide the most comprehensive frameworks for addressing this issue. This thesis concludes that forced child begging constitutes a severe human rights violation that operates in plain sight, sustained by interconnected societal problems including poverty, inequality, and food insecurity. By establishing the need for definitional clarity and cross-disciplinary recognition, this research lays groundwork for more targeted interventions and reveals how human trafficking manifests in everyday environments, often unrecognized despite its pervasiveness