Digital Commons @ Texas A&M University-San Antonio
Not a member yet
3365 research outputs found
Sort by
The Effect of Alarm Pheromone in Honey Bees (Incentive Contrast)
No full textHumans, rats, and honey bees reject a reward if it was preceded by exposure to a larger reward; a phenomenon known as incentive contrast. Previous research shows that honey bees exposed to bee alarm pheromone show reduced appetitive learning as measured by proboscis extension responses (PER). This study explores the effects of alarm pheromone on incentive contrast. Bees were exposed to a main component of the alarm pheromone: ispopentyl acetate (IPA). During acquisition, bees were exposed to a pure odor with a 50% sucrose reward. During extinction the reward was downshifted to 0% sucrose. Before each training phase, bees were pre-exposed to either IPA or sham odor (mineral oil), resulting in four conditions: IPA/Oil, Oil/Oil, Oil/IPA, and IPA/IPA. These first two conditions replicate a previous study looking at IPA effects on honey bee learning in acquisition, and the latter conditions examine the effects of IPA on reward downshifts
THERMAL PHYSIOLOGY OF THE GIANT DAY GECKO, PHELSUMA GRANDIS
Get PDFEctotherms rely on their environment to regulate and maintain their body temperature. For this reason, environmental fluctuations strongly impact their biology. Lizards are ectotherms that are suitable models to investigate thermal physiology. However, the bulk of this research has been studied using new world Anolis lizards. In this study, the giant day gecko, (P.grandis), native to Madagascar but invasive in Florida, was selected as a model for comparison. In our physiotype of P.grandis we included measurements such as metabolic rates, sprint speed at relevant temperatures, thermal preference, critical thermal minimum, and voluntary thermal maximum. Our findings showed that the geckos maintained a relatively stable metabolic rate across relevant temperatures. As expected, their thermal preference was relatively near the voluntary thermal maximum. These results suggest that P.grandis has adapted well to warm environments. However, the stable metabolic rate may be a result of secondarily evolving diurnality
Are Mice a Bad Model for Successive Negative Contrast?
No full textSuccessive negative contrast (SNC) is a procedure in which animals trained with a large reward consume less of a subsequent smaller reward than animals always trained with the small reward. Studies of SNC in rats have emerged as an important tool in understanding the affective neuroscience of unexpected loss. Establishing a similar procedure in a murine model would allow access to a greater toolbox of neuroscience techniques (e.g., optogenetics, transgenics) that are more readily available in mice than rats. While the rat SNC literature has been thriving for decades, only a few studies report SNC effects in mice. This paper critically reviews the current literature on SNC in mice and presents a failure to replicate SNC using procedures commonly used in rats. Overall, the limited evidence available in mice and a lack of consistent findings suggest that mice may not be the most suitable model for studying the neurobiology of frustration, particularly when compared to the more established rat model
If We Must, We Must: A Better Way to Utilize Placement Exams
No full textCollege placement exams have been part of a student’s continuing education journey for many years. In a state like Texas, who has had a very extensive and dynamic history in regard to education assessment, students wishing to enter into college must take a state specific college placement exam. Is this state specific placement instrument helping its students? Texas pioneered a shift to a college and career ready focused state curriculum, so does this focused curriculum prepare students for the state college placement exam? How can this potentially be used in a way that can better serve its students? By analyzing the year-at-glance for two public school districts in San Antonio, Texas, against the college and career readiness standards set forth by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, as well as the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English III, we can uncover a potential trend across Texas schools
Archaeology and the Construction of Artifact Lineages: From Culture History to Phylogenetics
No full textThe Growing Teacher Shortage
No full textIn a time where well-trained and experienced teachers are in great demand, “Teacher attrition is a growing concern for the U.S. educational system” (Curry et al., 2012, p. 178). Even before the global pandemic, but especially after COVID-19, the teacher retention numbers are decreasing and the teachers who express teacher burnout are increasing. According to Dendge et al. (2023), occupational stress, teacher mental health, and self-esteem are only some of the contributing factors to teacher decline. Marais-Opperman et al. (2021) would argue that the teacher’s lack of ability to flourish and cope with stress impacts their intentions to leave the profession. Martinez et al. (2010) suggested that “disruptive student behaviors” largely impacted teacher retention in urban schools
Relating Motivation to Fitness Levels in Kinesiology Students
No full textIt is often thought that motivation is related to physical activity (PA) and exercise (EX), such that those who are more motivated will be more active. Kinesiology students (males=39, females=78, age=23.8±5.3 years, height=65.4±4.4 in, weight=170.2±41.0) completed a motivation questionnaire as well as a graded exercise test (GXT), PACER test, and 1-mile run. There was no significant relationship between motivation for PA and PACER (r(116)=-.10, p=.283), GXT (r(116)=.01, p=.969), and 1-Mile run (r(116)=.02, p=.780). There was also no significant relationship between motivation for EX and PACER (r(116)=.174, p=.061), GXT (r(116)=.15, p=.096), and Mile run (r(116)=-.08, p=.378). In this sample, this seems there is no association between motivation and PA or EX. Future studies should consider validating this questionnaire in college students
Assessing Water Discharge Sites and Effluent Composition in Texas Rivers
No full textEffluent discharge from oil and gas establishments can significantly affect the quality and ecological health of natural water bodies. This study identifies potential water discharge sites across various rivers, primarily in Texas, and evaluates effluent composition using historical disclosure reports. Through the analysis of the chemical constituents of these discharges, we assess their potential environmental impact on water quality. Understanding the composition of effluents and their compliance with regulatory standards is crucial for developing sustainable water management strategies. This research provides insight into the effectiveness of current disclosure practices and highlights areas where improved monitoring and mitigation efforts may be necessary
Logistic Population Modeling by Parameter Fitting and Gradient-Descent Techniques
No full textThis study examines the population growth of Mexico City since 1950. A logistic model is established to model the population in the city. The growth rate per capita and the carrying capacity of the city are set to be unknown parameters. We use part of the known population data to obtain these parameters by techniques of parameter fitting with Gradient-Descent and other optimization techniques. Computations are conducted by Matlab and Python coding language for different optimization approaches. Then the models are used to predict population of the city in recent years. The model is also analyzed for its predictability