1025 research outputs found
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Calling All Animals: Suffering as an Equalizer Among Species
No full textIn this presentation, I will discuss the rights of living beings within the moral framework of utilitarianism. The main problem I will address is the failure of human beings to acknowledge the effects of our behavior on non-human animals. If we were to admit that our behavior causes other beings to suffer, and concede that this suffering is unnecessary, we would have to change the ways in which we behave. It is necessary for human beings to face the great atrocities we have committed, and are still committing, towards the other animals
Freedom of Speech on College Campuses
Get PDFThis study is an attempt to understand why people, specifically college students, do or do not tolerate different forms of speech and expression. Political tolerance is the classic dependent variable used to measure opinion on civil liberties. Existing literature on political tolerance suggests that it is affected by political leanings, education, perception of opposing ideologies, and gender, among other things. Prior research is lacking that targets college students and that differentiates opinions of free speech relating to public life from opinions relating to life on a private campus. A survey of 522 Susquehanna University students delivered results that were used to analyze the relationship between an array of independent variables and several dependent variables relating to opinions on the regulation of speech. The results indicate that a student’s political affiliation, interest in politics, political sophistication, perception of racism, status as a victim of derogatory speech, year in school, and gender all have a significant effect on opinions relating to the regulation of speech both in public life and on a private campus
The Impact of Exercise on Risk-Taking Behavior and Object Recognition in Rats
No full textExercise has been associated with improved performance in cognitive tasks, specifically object recognition memory, and changes in risk-taking behavior. The impact of exercise on risk-taking behavior and object recognition in adult Long-Evans male rats were examined in a four-week and six-week wheel running experiment. The four-week wheel running study was comprised of 15 rats: 7 experimental exercise rats—who exercised for an hour every day for a total of four weeks (one hour per day, seven days a week) and 8 control non-exercise rats—who spent their time in their cages. The six-week wheel running study had a similar structure as the previous study, however it was comprised of 12 rats: 6 rats in each group. After four weeks and six weeks of wheel running, the rats were subjected to a battery of tests, including the elevated plus maze and the novel object recognition task (consisting of the habituation phase, familiarization phase, and the testing phase), respectively. We expect to see an enhancement in object recognition memory in the exercise rats in relation to the non-exercise rats. We also expect to see reduced risk-taking behavior in the exercise rats compared to the non-exercise rats
Correlation Between Altered VEGF Signaling & Abnormal Skeletogenesis as a Result of Thalidomide Exposure in Developing Sea Urchin Embryos
No full textDuring the 1950’s, thalidomide was a widely marketed drug given to pregnant women as a treatment for morning sickness. Its unforeseen teratogenicity resulted in over 10,000 children born with severe congenital birth defects. Thalidomide was withdrawn from the worldwide market in 1961. It returned to the U.S. market in 1997 due to its anti-angiogenic and anti-inflammatory properties under strict regulations and guidelines for its use. Today, thalidomide is used to effectively treat a variety of medical conditions and diseases. For over one-hundred years, sea urchin embryos have served as a model organism for early deuterostome development. Sea urchin embryos exposed to thalidomide in culture exhibit development delays, abnormal skeletogenesis and morphology. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway is responsible for the migration of primary mesenchymal cells (PMCs) in sea urchins and angiogenesis in humans. Based upon studies in the literature, we hypothesize that thalidomide exposure following fertilization may disrupt the VEGF signaling pathway. Studies in this laboratory suggest that the PMCs of thalidomide treated embryos exhibit decreased VEGF staining compared to controls. In sea urchins, PMC migration is essential since the cells fuse to form the syncytial cables which serve as the axis for subsequent larval skeleton formation. Stored and fixed embryos treated with thalidomide will be examined using immune-histochemical staining with a labeled VEGF antibody. Alterations in VEGF signaling comparing thalidomide treated embryos to controls could indicate a potential correlation between thalidomide exposure and the disruption of the VEGF signaling pathway leading to abnormal skeletogenesis
Forget the Stress: Retrograde Amnesia for Restraint Enhances Extinction Learning
No full textStress has been found to influence learning in different ways. In particular, previous research has shown that stress enhances original learning but disrupts extinction learning. The aim of our experiments was to replicate earlier findings that acute stress would disrupt extinction learning using a passive avoidance paradigm with rats. The second aim was to determine whether cycloheximide (a protein synthesis inhibitor commonly used as an amnestic agent) given immediately following the restraint stressor would block the stress effects on extinction learning. Results showed that we were able to replicate the effects of acute stress blocking extinction learning in rats; in addition, our results demonstrated that the stress event is susceptible to retrograde amnesia
Technology in Education
No full textThis study looks at the use of technology in the elementary classroom. Many different technology tools and resources are implemented during instruction to grow knowledge and comfort with the use of the technology. Then, the connection between an educator\u27s comfort with this technology and the successful of a lesson is identified
Impact of Parenting Styles and Future Care-giving Decisions
No full textThe intention of this study was to examine participants’ scores on the Parental Authority Questionnaire (PAQ) (Buri, 1991) and ascertain the likelihood that they will provide care for their aging parents in the future. Limited studies have investigated this adult-child/aging-parent dyad, making this study a novel contribution to understanding role reversal. Ninety-six participants (Mage = 19.47, SD = 1.18) completed an online questionnaire, consisting of the PAQ and single-item predictors for future care-giving intentions. A hierarchical multiple regression was conducted, which accounted for 24% of the variance. The likelihood of caring for aging parents in the future yielded significance for authoritative parents F(6, 80) = 4.10, p \u3c .01, R2 = .24. This explore the relationship between parenting styles and future care-giving, which delves into the impact that upbringing has on religious preferences. This shines an interesting perspective on factors that impact the likelihood that aging parents will be taken care of by their adult-children in the future
Adipogenesis and the Effect of Saccharin on Transcription Factor PPARy
No full textOver 65% of the American population is overweight or obese. This weight gain can be attributed to over eating, sedentary lifestyles, and other factors, which result in the formation of excess adipose tissue. Adipocyte (fat cell) formation from stem cells is stimulated by transcription factors, such as PPARγ and C/EBPa, that initiate the process of adipogenesis (fat cell development). The artificial sweetener saccharin has been shown to enhance the process of adipogenesis in the 3T3-L1 cell model system of fat cell development. Our research is investigating the relationship between the artificial sweetener saccharin and the transcription factor PPARγ. We hypothesized that saccharin directly activates PPARγ, thereby stimulating adipogenesis. We have transfected DNA plasmids containing a luciferase reporter gene attached to a PPARγ promoter response element into 3T3-L1 cells containing PPARγ, and tested whether saccharin enhanced transcription of the reporter gene. The results of this research will improve our understanding of the role of saccharin in enhancing fat cell development in the 3T3-L1 model system
The Facebook Influence
No full textAmid purported fake news, increased social media usage, and the 24-hour news cycle, the way politicians and political organizations communicate, and how we, as an audience, receive and perceive that communication has become more important than ever. Politicians worldwide are investing effort and time into the creation and curation of social media profiles, often with the help of trained staff. Social media has evolved through modern-day technology on a local, national, and international scale. One of the most important platforms of social media is Facebook. Across the globe, Facebook draws in a total of more than 2.13 billion monthly active users (Noyes). The United States alone touts a total of 214 million Facebook users, with 39.4 million of those users representing the age group of 18 to 24 (Statista). Looking at this number, it is not difficult to see what draws political candidates to social media sites like Facebook. Politicians can often market themselves to a wide group of people for a very little cost. This study uses a survey to measure the feelings of a college-aged voter when prompted with a screenshot of a Facebook profile for a candidate. Surveys are used to test whether a “Facebook influence” exists when evaluating candidates using adjectives like trustworthy, modern, legitimate, credible, convincing, and official
