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Reinterpreting William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Using Entropic Brain Theory
No full textabstract: William Blake posits that without contraries, there will be no progress. The concepts of Heaven and Hell are originally used to represent the contrary of reason and energy, but it is also appropriate to represent Heaven and Hell in terms of order and entropy. This newly proposed contrary relies on the application of entropic brain theory, which states that normal, waking consciousness (secondary consciousness) has decreased entropy relative to primary consciousness. It is argued that Blake uses the concept of Hell to promote the use of psychedelics in order to progress human life by informing the surrounding world that the body limits human perception of the surroundings. This indirectly advocates for an increase in entropy in the brain because psychedelics induce a higher repertoire of functional connectivity motifs that allow for the dissolution of the “self� to help remove the doors of perception and reveal the infinite. Additionally, it is determined that Blake uses the contrary of entropy and order, which is representative of Hell and Heaven, to predict the impending wave of liberty/revolution (progress) in England. (abstract
Correlation between Larvicide Susceptibility and Quiescence in Aedes aegypti
No full textabstract: Mosquitoes are estimated to kill roughly 700,000 people each year through the transmission of vector-borne diseases. Vector control via insecticides is a widely used method in order to combat the spread of mosquito populations; however, this comes at a cost. Resistance to insecticides has the potential to increase vector-borne disease rates. Aedes aegypti is an invasive mosquito species in Arizona and is a known potential vector for a variety of infectious diseases including dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and yellow fever. In contrast to many other mosquito species Ae. aegypti mosquito eggs can undergo quiescence, an active state of dormancy, over long periods of time. Variation in quiescent periods correlates to climatic rainfall alterations and can ultimately influence hatching and mating between multiple generations. I have studied the effect of quiescence on larvicide (i.e., temephos) susceptibility using mosquito eggs collected from a susceptible lab strain and stored under optimal temperature and humidity conditions. After undergoing various quiescent periods (3, 7, 14, 28, 84, and 182 days), the experimental eggs as well as 7-day quiescent control eggs were hatched and reared to 3rd instar larvae. Temephos susceptibility was tested using the WHO bioassay procedure at lethal concentration (LC) 20, LC50, LC80, diagnostic dose (twice LC99), plus an untreated control. Each concentration dose was replicated four times with 20 larvae each. The 3-day experimental group was excluded from analysis because the mortality was significantly lower than the 7-day for both the experimental and control groups. The 3 day experimental eggs displayed decreased mortality which did not align with the hypothesis, as the quiescence period elongates under optimal conditions, susceptibility to insecticides decreases, and this could have likely resulted from unintentional selection for increased fitness and faster developing eggs because the larvae that developed to 3rd instar first were those used for larvicide testing. ANOVA testing demonstrates variability in the LC80 experimental group which suggests the need for further investigation into high dose temephos concentrations. For the experimental LC20 linear regression, there were significant differences in mortality. The results indicate mortality gradually decreases when the quiescence period elongates, therefore there are significant differences in insecticide susceptibility when quiescence is 182 days (or longer), compared to when quiescence is 7 days. Further investigation into field mosquito’s genetic diversity, insecticide resistance profile, and environmental conditions should be considered. (abstract
The Making of a COVID-19 Lab: A Business Exploration
No full textabstract: For our project, we explored the growth of the ASU BioDesign Clinical Testing Laboratory (ABCTL) from a standard university research lab to a COVID-19 testing facility through a business lens. The lab has pioneered the saliva-test in the Western United States. This thesis analyzes the laboratory from various business concepts and aspects. The business agility of the lab and it’s quickness to innovation has allowed the lab to enjoy great success. Looking into the future, the laboratory has a promising future and will need to answer many questions to remain the premier COVID-19 testing institution in Arizona. (abstract
Walker Norris
No full textabstract: Extreme heat is the deadliest weather and climate-related hazard in the United States, and the threat it poses to urban residents is rising. City planners increasingly recognize these risks and are taking action to mitigate them. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many plans. Building on a previous survey which queried city planners from across the United States about how concerned they were about extreme heat, and their heat management efforts. This thesis examines how these perceptions and efforts have changed in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. In general, it was found that public spaces which would typically have been used to shelter individuals from extreme heat conditions were closed to mitigate close-contact and to encourage social distancing. Furthermore, priorities were changed as the presence of the virus became commonplace, with plans being altered, delayed, or shelved to diverge more time and effort towards the crisis at hand. Working environments and conditions also changed, which in several cases led to technological shortcomings, resulting in further delays. Finally, most planners had attained a surface-level understanding of which socio-economic groups were most impacted by both COVID-19 and extreme heat, in congruence with the current literature written on the topic. Generally, it appears that planners feel that the impact of COVID-19 on heat planning efforts has been limited. (abstract
Five More Minutes: A Guide to Understanding the Esports Consumer
No full textabstract: With as rapid a growth that Esports has had and its current introduction to the public mainstream, there is yet to be sufficient studies and research compiled to fully develop the profile of an Esport consumer. While companies such as Neilson and others have begun scratching the surface of the Esport community, there is much that is relatively unknown. Consumer behavior patterns of traditional sports has been defined for years, however as the billion dollar a year industry that Esports is, Esport consumer behavior is still taking shape. This thesis will attempt to build upon previous studies conducted by former Arizona State University students to continue to define the Esport consumer. Through quantitative research conducted via an online survey consisting of demographic, behavioral, and psychographic questions, the stereotype of an Esport consumer will be dissolved to reveal their true nature. This study will prove to be an iteration among the previous research by -
• Developing a functional segmentation of Esport consumers, which will allow for marketers within the industry to better understand their audience in their attempts to persuade/incentivize
• Understanding and dissecting the scale of influence that content creators (those who play Esports for the purpose of entertaining through various platforms) and competitive Esport athletes have on certain segmentations of consumers
• Discovering the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on certain segmentations in regards to their time spent playing themselves
After compiling results from this questionnaire, marketers that are both endemic and non-endemic brands seeking to partner within the Esports space will have a better understanding of their audience and how to connect with them. (abstract
So Bad It's Good: A Study of Cult Films
No full textabstract: A podcast that discusses the phenomenon of cult cinema deemed “so bad, it's good�. It takes a look at what makes these films enduring and entertaining, with the ability to create near-religious followings. Moreover, it discusses the financial aspect of the filmmaking and how these followings affect the market. (abstract
A Determination of the Sequence-Dependent Kinetic Constants of Uracil-DNA Glycosylase
No full textabstract: Mutations in the DNA of somatic cells, resulting from inaccuracies in DNA replication or exposure to harsh conditions (ionizing radiation, carcinogens), may be loss-of-function mutations, and the compounding of these mutations can lead to cancer. Such mutations can come in the form of thymine dimers, N-� glycosyl bond hydrolysis, oxidation by hydrogen peroxide or other radicals, and deamination of cytosine to uracil. However, many cells possess the machinery to counteract the deleterious effects of such mutations. While eukaryotic DNA repair enzymes decrease the incidence of mutations from 1 mistake per 10^7 nucleotides to 1 mistake per 10^9 nucleotides, these mutations, however sparse, are problematic. Of particular interest is a mutation in which uracil is incorporated into DNA, either by spontaneous deamination of cysteine or misincorporation. Such mutations occur about one in every 107 cytidine residues in 24 hours. DNA uracil glycosylase (UDG) recognizes these mutations and cleaves the glycosidic bond, creating an abasic site. However, the rate of this form of DNA repair varies, depending on the nucleotides that surround the uracil. Most enzyme-DNA interactions depend on the sequence of DNA (which may change the duplex twist), even if they only bind to the sugar-phosphate backbone. In the mechanism of uracil excision, UDG flips the uracil out of the DNA double helix, and this step may be impaired by base pairs that neighbor the uracil. The deformability of certain regions of DNA may facilitate this step in the mechanism, causing these regions to be less mutable. In DNA, base stacking, a form of van der Waals forces between the aromatic nucleic bases, may make these uracil inclusions more difficult to excise. These regions, stabilized by base stacking interactions, may be less susceptible to repair by glycosylases such as UDG, and thus, more prone to mutation. (abstract
Science and Social Governance: Lessons from the Human Genome Editing Debate
No full textabstract: This thesis responds to the question, "Can Science Make Sense of Life?" through a structural lens of the Human Germline Genetic Editing debate. I explore who is absent from the table, and how the ways of thinking that dominate marginalize and exclude alternative frameworks and considerations. This analysis is centered around an examination of several perspectives from the disability community and an in-depth study of how the Orthodox Jewish community contends with genetic disease. These perspectives illuminate several lessons that prove to bring insight not merely to questions of permissibility on genetic editing, but also offer reflections on the larger relationship between science, technology, and society. I then return to the mainstream genetic editing debate to show how the culture it is born out of and the structures it has ingrained prevent lessons such as these from impacting the conversation. In light of such structures that continuously reproduce the assertion that it is science, not humanity, that is able to make sense of life, my final argument is that though science tends to gatekeep questions of emerging technologies by centering conversations on highly advanced and methodological considerations, public individuals need not feel as if they are irrelevant or unessential. Though science may offer one solution, it is the individuals and communities, not results from a lab, that are equipped to determine if it is the best solution. (abstract
Energy Insecurity Workgroup Facilitation: Framework Implementation and Guidebook
No full textabstract: Energy insecurity has become increasingly common in Maricopa County, Arizona. Households are not able to meet energy demands, resulting in vulnerability and the sacrifice of basic needs. Various root causes and pathway dependencies have exacerbated this issue, creating detrimental health, societal and environmental outcomes.
The project, Energy Insecurity and Public Health: Going Further through Cross-Sector Collaboration, aims to improve the health of communities by promoting projects that are community-engaged, action-oriented, and equity-focused (Interdisciplinary Research Leaders, 2020). Eventually, the final deliverable of this project will be an energy insecurity toolkit that can be leveraged by stakeholders to make a change in their local communities. To achieve this deliverable, a stakeholder workgroup was created to assess all aspects of energy insecurity in Maricopa County. To avoid typical pitfalls of stakeholder workgroups, the Learning and Action Alliance (LAA) Framework was chosen to be applied to the workgroup. The LAA Framework leverages social learning and promotes knowledge sharing between stakeholders (O’Donnell et al, 2018). The framework is implemented in five phases and can be customized to fit any wicked problem. The accompanying guidebook, "Applying the Learning and Action Alliance Framework: Energy Insecurity in Maricopa County’, was created to simplify the framework’s implementation phases and provide ‘real-world’ examples of how the framework was implemented into the energy insecurity stakeholder workgroup. The guidebook will be used by the Maricopa County Department of Public Health to facilitate other sustainability workgroups. Thus far, the Maricopa County Department of Public Health has approved the guidebook and is looking forward to integrating the guidebook into workgroup standard practices
Health & Wealthness Podcast
No full textabstract: “Health and Wealthness� is a podcast where your hosts, Emily Weigel and Hanaa Khan, discuss pressing and trending topics about health and wealth that everyone should know about. Our thesis focuses primarily on the opioid epidemic - the science and business sides. (abstract