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Does Vegetation Density affect Insect Populations? An Analysis of Insect Biodiversity on the Ouachita Baptist University Campus with essays: The Musings of a Wildlife Enthusiast
Full text linkAs insect populations continue to decrease worldwide, scientists are continuing to search for answers as to why their numbers have been decreasing for decades and how anthropogenic influences play a role. One possible deleterious effect is the clearing/removal of vegetation and overgrowth in environments where insect populations are high and may depend on said overgrowth for food and safety. This paper uses the data of a 2013 study conducted on the Ouachita Baptist University campus to compare how insect populations have changed from 2013 to 2024 in areas that have been cleared of overgrowth in between that time frame. Pitfall and pan traps were used and insects were identified to Order. The results of the study found that insect populations in the areas studied had decreased significantly in between studies (4,658 insects in 2013 compared to 1,446 in 2024). Diversity in insect Order had also decreased, as nine Orders present in 2013 were absent in 2024. These findings indicate that the clearing of overgrowth in the areas studied, as well as the passage of time, may have had a negative impact on the insect populations on campus
Developing Patterns of Phage Infection by Investigating Superinfection Immunity
No full textWe are seeing an epidemic of antibiotic resistance in bacterial infections. When searching for a solution to refrain from killing good bacteria and avoiding multi-drug-resistance in certain bacterial infections, we stumble across the use of phage therapy
Analysis of BPA Leaching in Various Types of Athletic Wear Using Fluorescence Spectrophotometry
Full text linkBisphenol A (BPA) is the most common endocrine-disrupting chemical that has been used in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. BPA has been linked to several health issues due to binding to estrogen receptors. BPA is associated with an increase of ovarian, breast, prostate, and testicular cancer as well as low sperm count, motility and abnormal morphology of sperm, birth defects, early puberty, and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
The item of focus for this research project was athletic wear. BPA can be absorbed dermally which is concerning because clothes have prolonged dermal contact with various types of tissue. Prior research at Ouachita Baptist University had found the presence of BPA in several brands of leggings. BPA leaching from different types of athletic wear were tested in a 50:50 methanol/water mixture as well as in artificial sweat.
BPA leaching was observed and measured with a spectrofluorometer. BPA is a fluorescent compound, which means following excitation, it will emit radiation at a longer wavelength than the exciting wavelength. BPA is excited at 275 nm and emits at 306nm. This emitted light was measured and correlated to the concentration of BPA present in the sample. Fluorescence is a very sensitive and selective technique, which makes it possible to determine very low concentrations of BPA with few concerns about contamination.
To compare the BPA leaching behavior of different types of athletic wear, a calibration curve was first established to help correlate the concentration of BPA in a standard solution to fluorescence emission intensity. The BPA leaching was monitored over the course of six hours, and a leaching curve was prepared for each sample. BPA is found in very small concentrations in clothes; therefore, the standard addition method was used to calculate the unknown BPA concentration by the addition of a BPA standard solution to the testing solutions
Re-evaluating Social Determinants of Health Tools: Addressing Limitations and Proposing a New Measure for Improved Assessment
No full textThe idea that social factors have an impact on health and wellbeing is relatively new, with the earliest research beginning in the early 19th century. The onset of the Industrial Revolution led to a significant uptick of destitution and disease, which prompted scientists to consider elements other than biology for these afflictions. Though the social factors that influence health have been researched for several centuries, the term social determinants of health was not introduced until the 1990s by the World Health Organization (WHO). According to the Healthy People 2030 initiative, social determinants of health are described as ... the conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks. In other words, they are the non-medical, non-biological components of life that are largely outside our realm of direct control and impact our physical, mental, and emotional well-being for better or for worse.
Today, it is widely accepted that the study of social determinants of health ( which will henceforth be referred to as SDOH) leads to a more holistic understanding of health and increased equity of health outcomes. However, there are plenty of barriers to reaping the benefits that understanding SDOH offers. Recent cuts in government spending to programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security will endanger children, the elderly, and disabled individuals who rely on these crucial services to reduce the disparities in health that they face. A reduction in federal grants from the National Institute on Disability, Rehabilitation Research, and the National Institutes of Health is depleting the resources of nonprofits that work to protect the rights of, provide support for, and create research projects on behalf of disadvantaged groups. These new governmental developments are compounded by an alarming lack of empathy from the American public for those who suffer in our society
