Thesis Archives Search
This search engine will let you explore the over 1800 theses written in Honors at The University of Maine since the Program’s inception in 1935. You may search our thesis archives based on any of the fields listed above. If the thesis is available at the Reynolds Library (Thomson Honors Center) or Fogler Library (Special Collections), the information will appear below the bibliographic data. At last count, we had about 1800 theses in the Reynolds Library.
Search Results
Abundance of Shell-Boring Polychaete Worms and Other Fouling Organisms in Aquacultured Oysters From Maine Used for Reef Restoration in Great Bay, NH
Author:
Haleigh
Wright
Major: Marine Sciences Graduation Year: 2021 Thesis Advisor: Paul Rawson
Description of Publication:
Restoration projects on the oyster reefs in Great Bay, NH have been active since 2009 with the most recent involving the transfer of oysters from Maine oyster farms into the Bay. In an attempt to prevent the transfer of non-native species from oyster farms to the reefs, samples of oysters from each farm were inspected for shell-boring polychaete infestations. Polydora websteri, a common shell-boring species worldwide, was in high abundance in reference samples from oyster farms in Great Bay and in samples from the restoration grounds, themselves. A second shell-boring species, provisionally identified as P. onagawaensis, is present on oyster farms in Maine but has not been observed previously in Great Bay. I used microscopic analysis of morphological features and molecular analysis of the mitochondrial CO1 (mtCO1) gene to identify worms extracted from the oyster samples from Maine farms to species, when possible. When intact worms could not be extracted from the shells, I used the shape of their burrows, which is distinct for P. websteri and P. onagawaensis, to infer the presence of the latter. I found that the abundance of shell-boring polychaetes was variable along the coast of Maine, with farms in close geographical proximity having very different loads of burrows and worms. Both P. websteri and P. onagawaensis were identified by molecular analysis on some Maine farms while only P. websteri was found in the samples from New Hampshire farms and restoration sites.
Location of Publication:
URL to Thesis: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/725
Major: Marine Sciences Graduation Year: 2021 Thesis Advisor: Paul Rawson
Description of Publication:
Restoration projects on the oyster reefs in Great Bay, NH have been active since 2009 with the most recent involving the transfer of oysters from Maine oyster farms into the Bay. In an attempt to prevent the transfer of non-native species from oyster farms to the reefs, samples of oysters from each farm were inspected for shell-boring polychaete infestations. Polydora websteri, a common shell-boring species worldwide, was in high abundance in reference samples from oyster farms in Great Bay and in samples from the restoration grounds, themselves. A second shell-boring species, provisionally identified as P. onagawaensis, is present on oyster farms in Maine but has not been observed previously in Great Bay. I used microscopic analysis of morphological features and molecular analysis of the mitochondrial CO1 (mtCO1) gene to identify worms extracted from the oyster samples from Maine farms to species, when possible. When intact worms could not be extracted from the shells, I used the shape of their burrows, which is distinct for P. websteri and P. onagawaensis, to infer the presence of the latter. I found that the abundance of shell-boring polychaetes was variable along the coast of Maine, with farms in close geographical proximity having very different loads of burrows and worms. Both P. websteri and P. onagawaensis were identified by molecular analysis on some Maine farms while only P. websteri was found in the samples from New Hampshire farms and restoration sites.
Location of Publication:
URL to Thesis: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/725
Abuse of the Powers of Thought: Presidential Campaigns, and Voter Information
Academic Achievement and Social Success: Do GPA and Social Anxiety Predict Social Skills and Self-Perception Among College Females?
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK AND THE EFFORTS OF GEORGE BUCKNAM DORR: HOW THE PRESERVATION FRONTIER MOVED EAST AND THE CHALLENGES FOR ACADIA’S SECOND CENTURY
Through the intrepid efforts of George Bucknam Dorr and the Hancock County Trustees of Public Reservations (HCTPR), Acadia National Park fostered a preservation frontier in the Eastern United States. As a trustee organization, the HCTPR was one of the first in the world to gather lands together with the express mission of preserving them for public use and recreation. While summer residents had more than enough money and legal right to divide up the island between themselves in private ownership, through a distinctive philanthropic effort they donated land and funds to the creation of a shared public space. Federal protection arrived on Mount Desert Island when Sieur De Monts was created as a National Monument, saving a unique natural space in the midst of a rapidly industrializing world. The arduous process of shepherding land from National Monument to National Park was driven by Dorr’s passion and tenacity, making Acadia the first National Park east of the Mississippi River. Finally, as the park approaches its centennial, its future is uncertain due to political happenings and environmental change. Its appreciation and protection is of paramount importance.
Author:
Sean
Cox
Major: History Graduation Year: 2015 Thesis Advisor: Richard Judd
Description of Publication:
Location of Publication: fogler reynolds
URL to Thesis: http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/209/
Major: History Graduation Year: 2015 Thesis Advisor: Richard Judd
Description of Publication:
Location of Publication: fogler reynolds
URL to Thesis: http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/209/
Acetylcholine-Induced Membrane-Potential Oscillations in Xenopus laevis Oocytes
Achieving a Greater Understanding of the Current Relationships of French and Spanish Minorities in the United States Through an Examination of History
ACQUISITION AND SPECTRAL ANALYSIS OF ACOUSTICAL DATA FROM A MOBILE PLATFORM
Author:
Erika
L.
Morin
Major: Mechanical Engineering Graduation Year: 2016 Thesis Advisor: Michael Peterson
Description of Publication:
The United States government has spent millions of dollars on border patrol and still does not have the best solution to control the border between the US and Canada. The area along the border is densely wooded and difficult to monitor by air due to tree cover, having manned vehicles is expensive and hazardous to field officers. The solution being proposed by the 2016 capstone class is an autonomous land based vehicle with audio and data acquisition to traverse the wilderness and monitor the border. An important part of the land based vehicle is its ability to collect and monitor acoustical data from the surroundings. The audio must be collected and then analyzed to determine whether there may be an imminent threat to the safety and control of the border. This report describes the beginning stages of a system to collect and analyze data from the border surroundings. The system collects and stores the data to an SD card that then has to be placed in a computer to be read and analyzed. The current system analyzes the audio files and provides frequency data for each file. The results have been consistently accurate and provide clear spectrums to analyze for further information. Future improvements should allow the system to process data in real time rather than having the delay between collection and analysis. The analysis should also allow for better noise filtering, narrowing in on frequencies that do signal a threat, versus those frequencies from wildlife and nature.
Location of Publication: fogler reynolds
URL to Thesis:
Major: Mechanical Engineering Graduation Year: 2016 Thesis Advisor: Michael Peterson
Description of Publication:
The United States government has spent millions of dollars on border patrol and still does not have the best solution to control the border between the US and Canada. The area along the border is densely wooded and difficult to monitor by air due to tree cover, having manned vehicles is expensive and hazardous to field officers. The solution being proposed by the 2016 capstone class is an autonomous land based vehicle with audio and data acquisition to traverse the wilderness and monitor the border. An important part of the land based vehicle is its ability to collect and monitor acoustical data from the surroundings. The audio must be collected and then analyzed to determine whether there may be an imminent threat to the safety and control of the border. This report describes the beginning stages of a system to collect and analyze data from the border surroundings. The system collects and stores the data to an SD card that then has to be placed in a computer to be read and analyzed. The current system analyzes the audio files and provides frequency data for each file. The results have been consistently accurate and provide clear spectrums to analyze for further information. Future improvements should allow the system to process data in real time rather than having the delay between collection and analysis. The analysis should also allow for better noise filtering, narrowing in on frequencies that do signal a threat, versus those frequencies from wildlife and nature.
Location of Publication: fogler reynolds
URL to Thesis:
Actin-Based Motility of Mycobacterium marinum within Cultured Porcine Proximal Tubule Cells
Action Plan in Response to Future Pandemics
Author:
Amber
Ferris
Major: Animal and Veterinary Sciences Graduation Year: 2021 Thesis Advisor: Anne Lichtenwalner
Description of Publication:
Zoonotic pandemics are rare and finding cures can be difficult, especially if the disease is new to scientists. Early containment can be challenging if protocols are not in place to help limit the spread. The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic hit suddenly, and the number of cases grew dramatically over a short period of time. The escalation of the disease outpaced the ability of many businesses and institutions to implement protocols to keep their practice safe while remaining open. This project researched the effect COVID-19 had on small animal veterinary practices. In order to answer the research question, “How has COVID-19 affected small animal veterinary practices in Maine?”a survey (approved by the University of Maine Institutional Review Board) was used to ask practitioners how COVID-19 affected daily operations, customer relations and long-term operations. Participants were asked about the protocols they implemented as a result of this pandemic. The goal was to obtain information on what worked well, what did not work well, and what lessons were learned. This University of Maine Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved survey was created using Qualtrics. It was emailed to 94 veterinary practices across the state of Maine (3 bounced back and 5 failed) Of the 86 practices contacted, 13 practices responded to the anonymous survey resulting in a 15% participation rate. The participants reported, to varying degrees, having to reduce hours of operation, working with a limited staff and struggling to get supplies. In regards to the implementation of safety measures they reported using curbside services, contactless payment processes, wearing masks, six-foot distancing and making modifications to work spaces. They reported that their negative economic impact from COVID-19 was a result of losing clients, limited hours of operation, and having to increase prices to cover costs. Six of the thirteen practices responding to the income impact question reported an income shortage compared to other years, and three of these six reported having to increase prices to make up for the difference. Understanding how COVID impacted these practices could help inform a best-practices plan to provide guidelines for practitioners to implement if another pandemic outbreak were to occur. It is presumed that many of these best practices would be effective in responding to other zoonotic or human-human disease transmission events, and the guidelines could be implemented in other, smaller-scale scenarios.
Location of Publication:
URL to Thesis: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/657/
Major: Animal and Veterinary Sciences Graduation Year: 2021 Thesis Advisor: Anne Lichtenwalner
Description of Publication:
Zoonotic pandemics are rare and finding cures can be difficult, especially if the disease is new to scientists. Early containment can be challenging if protocols are not in place to help limit the spread. The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic hit suddenly, and the number of cases grew dramatically over a short period of time. The escalation of the disease outpaced the ability of many businesses and institutions to implement protocols to keep their practice safe while remaining open. This project researched the effect COVID-19 had on small animal veterinary practices. In order to answer the research question, “How has COVID-19 affected small animal veterinary practices in Maine?”a survey (approved by the University of Maine Institutional Review Board) was used to ask practitioners how COVID-19 affected daily operations, customer relations and long-term operations. Participants were asked about the protocols they implemented as a result of this pandemic. The goal was to obtain information on what worked well, what did not work well, and what lessons were learned. This University of Maine Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved survey was created using Qualtrics. It was emailed to 94 veterinary practices across the state of Maine (3 bounced back and 5 failed) Of the 86 practices contacted, 13 practices responded to the anonymous survey resulting in a 15% participation rate. The participants reported, to varying degrees, having to reduce hours of operation, working with a limited staff and struggling to get supplies. In regards to the implementation of safety measures they reported using curbside services, contactless payment processes, wearing masks, six-foot distancing and making modifications to work spaces. They reported that their negative economic impact from COVID-19 was a result of losing clients, limited hours of operation, and having to increase prices to cover costs. Six of the thirteen practices responding to the income impact question reported an income shortage compared to other years, and three of these six reported having to increase prices to make up for the difference. Understanding how COVID impacted these practices could help inform a best-practices plan to provide guidelines for practitioners to implement if another pandemic outbreak were to occur. It is presumed that many of these best practices would be effective in responding to other zoonotic or human-human disease transmission events, and the guidelines could be implemented in other, smaller-scale scenarios.
Location of Publication:
URL to Thesis: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/657/