Office of Undergraduate Research
Recent Submissions
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Pondell, Christina (August 19, 2008)[more][less]
Abstract: Sediment samples from Simpson Bay, Alaska were analyzed to determine the influence of earthquake events on the accumulated organic matter. Radiochemical analysis of 210Pb activity in the sediment dated the cores and determined the depths of the layers from 1964 and 1974, two years where large earthquakes affected this region. Organic carbon (OC) to total nitrogen ratio (C/N) variation suggests a change in the source of organic matter in the targeted earthquake layers. However, the stable profiles for lignin-derived biomarkers and stable carbon isotopes imply that the earthquake events did not disrupt the drainage basin of Simpson Bay enough to change the signatures of the organic matter deposited shortly after these occurrences. The OC, C/N and biomarker signatures were then used to determine the geographic distribution of sediments and organic matter throughout the bay. Organic carbon and lignin biomarker concentrations suggest sources of organic matter to the system from the East Bay and from the North Bay. Biomarker analysis also implies that the source from the East Bay has a higher terrestrial organic matter input than the source in the North Bay. Stable carbon isotopic data imply that the dominant source of organic carbon in the open portions of the bay has a marine source, due to the fact that terrigenous material is deposited at the mouths of the rivers and creeks that feed the system. URI: http://handle.tamu.edu/1969.1/85747 Files in this item: 1
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Abernethy, Olivia (August 19, 2008)[more][less]
Abstract: The objective of this research was to shed light on African Americans and Women poets influenced by the Beat Generation. I chose LeRoi Jones/Amiri Baraka, Diane di Prima and Bob Kaufman. I researched each poet's background, poetics, published works and criticisms so I could determine the impact of their poetry. I determined his/her connection and reaction to society through their poetry. Di Prima wrote as a woman, mother and poet in a time when women were struggling to establish their own poetics; Jones/Baraka wrote to find his identity as an African American in society; and Kaufman wrote in the margin against conformity and effacement. Along with their own opinions and point of views, each poet brings a fresh and invigorating look at poetry that definitely stands the test of time to influence generations today. URI: http://handle.tamu.edu/1969.1/85746 Files in this item: 1
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Rasch, Leslie (August 19, 2008)[more][less]
Abstract: Wine tourism has become an important driver of business for wineries in many regions around the world, while Texas wine regions are only starting to emerge as important tourism destinations. A study was conducted to investigate how effectively Texas wineries conduct online marketing of wine tourism through their own establishments as well as in a regional context. A specific focus was placed on indications of collaborative wine tourism marketing practices on winery websites. Additionally, Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVBs) websites were analyzed to investigate the online wine tourism promotion. The results indicate that wineries’ websites provide basic visitor information but are missing out on strategic opportunities to market wine tourism to their areas. The results show that very few CVB websites mention wineries on their homepage. Only two websites had a wine hyperlink on their homepage. Nearly half of the CVB websites provided descriptions or contact information about the wineries at least somewhere on the website, while the other half did not even mention wineries on their websites. To a large degree, many CVB websites have the potential to further contribute to the regional image of wine destinations in Texas. URI: http://handle.tamu.edu/1969.1/85745 Files in this item: 1
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Russey, William Andrew (August 19, 2008)[more][less]
Abstract: Melanophores are pigment bearing cells, which have been used as a practical method to demonstrate mechanisms of hormone interaction. A current teaching laboratory has been restructured in order to increase student participation, provide tangible results, and reduce subjectivity in procedures to more accurately analyze hormone interaction. To accomplish this, digital cameras were used to photograph scales of red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), which were then analyzed using ImageJ software to determine melanosome area. From collected data, a region posterior to the pelvic fin and dorsal to the lateral line on the red drum was determined to yield stable basal melanophores to provide a standard starting state for student experiments. By measuring the area of basal melanophores, one can compare dispersed melanophore area after hormone treatment (α-MSH and norepinephrine) to quantify a hormone’s effect. Hormone interaction can be illustrated by subjecting scales to different hormones in series. Other chemicals such as IBMX and a K+ rich medium were also used to demonstrate melanophore regulation. Experiments showed that basal state of melanophores could not be manipulated by changing illumination of environment or by removing scales from red drum at different times of day. Physiological doses of hormones to be used in the laboratory were determined by testing various doses’ effect on melanophore activity over time. Once physiological doses were established, a sequence of serial chemical treatments was developed to best demonstrate melanophore activity by examining dispersing and aggregating effects in the presence of other chemicals. This method of melanophore analysis has proven useful as a teaching tool, but may also be used to analyze novel treatments on melanophore activity. URI: http://handle.tamu.edu/1969.1/85744 Files in this item: 1
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Horbaczewski, Adam Michael (August 19, 2008)[more][less]
Abstract: Increasing attention has been directed towards paleoecolological studies in understanding the relationship between modern live communities and death assemblages as a means of better understanding fossil assemblages preserved in the rock record. In order to study this relationship, benthic molluscan live and dead assemblages are being collected from an ongoing time series and a spatial transect from Copano Bay, Texas. Previous work on this time series transect has demonstrated that death assemblages are more dynamic than previously recognized, and that they reflect short-term fluctuations in their living community counterpart. The spatial transect, collected in June 2007, and the time series transect are considered here to further assess this relationship as well as estimate the full range of variation in the site locality and identify any significant change through time. Results show that richness corrected for sample size and evenness are highly variable for the live communities and has been considerably variable for the death assemblages for new samples added to the time series. Furthermore, cluster analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling ordinations indicate a compositional shift in the new data (last seven samples) for the living community, and a compositional rebound toward samples collected 22-years ago for the death assemblages. In addition, additive partitioning of evenness on the spatial transect does not indicate any detectable gradient at the time of collection. URI: http://handle.tamu.edu/1969.1/85743 Files in this item: 1
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