Digital Commons Network^™

The Effect Of Clay On The Inhibitory Effect Of Mustard Seed Meal On Velvetleaf Seedling Growth, Heeyun Oh

Honors Theses

Mustard seed meal (MSM) has been studied as a biofumigant in suppressing weed growth in an organic-friendly way. Previous studies have shown that MSM in the presence of elevated sand content was highly effective in suppressing the germination of velvetleaf seeds, and that as clay/silt in sand content increased, MSM effectiveness decreased in suppressing seed germination. Based on these results, it was postulated that clay may have effects on MSM by inhibiting this biofumigant from suppressing weed growth. Two different types of pure clay--kaolin and montmorillonite--were selected with their increasing concentrations. Low concentrations of clay do not seem to influence …

Art To Influence Creativity In Algorithmic Composition, Tyler Braithwaite

Honors Theses

Advances in Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) techniques have caused an explosion of problems posed that revolve around the mass analysis and generation of sequential data, including symbolic music. Building off the work of Nathaniel Patterson’s Musical Autocomplete: An LSTM Approach, we extend this problem of continuing a composition by examining the creative impact that injecting latent-space encoded image data, specifically fine art from the WikiArt Dataset, has on the musical output of RNN architectures designed for autocomplete. For comparison purposes with Patterson, we will also be using a corpus of Erik Satie’s piano music for training, validation, and testing.

A Man Not A Monster : Reimagining Disability In Hollow Crown's Richard Iii, Taylor E. Uphus

Honors Theses

Traditional portrayals of William Shakespeare’s Richard III (1592) in film interpret Richard’s physical disability as an outward reflection of his evil. In recent years, disabilities studies scholars have reconsidered the historic association of Richard’s physical deformity with immorality. Unlike previous Richard III films, the BBC’s Hollow Crown: Richard III (Dominic Cooke, 2016) highlights Richard’s mental abuse and trauma. While the film does not shy away from Richard’s villainy, its more empathic depiction of Richard contests the one-dimensional stage and film representation of him as a conniving monster. Ultimately, this film presents Richard III to critique society’s treatment of disabled individuals.

Classifying Pretzel Links Obtained By Strong Fusion, Jonathan Homan

Honors Theses

A link is a collection of circles embedded into 3-dimensional space. Pretzel links are an important family of links which comprises those links that fit a general form that includes many of the most common links. The strong fusion of a link joins two components of the link via a band and adds an unknotted circle about the band [4]; this naturally arises in the study of concordance and has been used to model biological phenomena such as site specific recombination in DNA [2]. Here we present a complete and original classification of those pretzel links which can be obtained …

Conditional Variational Autoencoder (Cvae) For The Augmentation Of Ecl Biosensor Data, Matthew Dulcich

Honors Theses

Machine Learning (ML) is vastly improving the world, from computer vision to fully self-driving cars, we are now able accomplish objectives that were thought to only be dreams. In order to train ML models accurately, they require mountains of information to work with, but sometimes it becomes impossible to collect the data needed, so we turn to data augmentation. In this project we use a conditional variational auto encoder to supplement the original video electrochemiluminescence biosensor dataset, in order to increase the accuracy of a future classification model. In other words, using a cVAE we will create unique realistic videos …

Reassessing The Parameters Of Phonotaxis In Female Acheta Domesticus, Jewel Murray

Honors Theses

To study phonotaxis in crickets a trackball system has been traditionally used, which consists of a spherical, air supported styrofoam ball placed in a soundproof container in which crickets are tethered to. Two computer mice detect its movement. A speaker is at one end of the container, and it is connected to a computer which generates calls with pre-set parameters. Once a cricket is attached to the trackball system, it can freely navigate toward the source of the sound, while the styrofoam ball remains stationary.

This apparatus has been used to measure the walking distance and angular orientation. When evaluating …

Phonotactic Tuning In Female Cricket Acheta Domesticus, Jessica Rim

Honors Theses

Phonotactic behavior of female cricket Acheta domesticus has been shown to vary among individuals. While some females are finely tuned to calls with syllable periods in the natural range of conspecific males, others respond phonotactically to a wider range of syllable periods and therefore lack the ability to discriminate between attractive and unattractive calls. When females are exposed to males but prevented from mating, their ability to discriminate attractive calls is reduced, suggesting that factors other than mating alter phonotactic behavior. This study evaluated the effect of male exposure on females’ phonotactic tuning and responsiveness in relation to underlying neural …

The Role Of The Prodomain In The Folding Of Carboxypeptidase A1, Masy Domecillo

Honors Theses

Carboxypeptidase A1 (CPA1) is an enzyme utilized in digestion. CPA1 contains a prodomain region, which must be cleaved for enzymatic function. The prodomain region has been hypothesized to be necessary for structural stability, as previous studies were unable to produce a functional CPA1 protein without the prodomain region. However, the recent discovery of a related enzyme, Carboxypeptidase 0 (CP0), which does not have a prodomain yet functions enzymatically, challenges this assertion. To determine if the prodomain is essential to the folding of CPA1, an HA-tag was added for detection, and the prodomain was deleted via PCR. A Western blot was …

Exploring The Efficiency Of Neural Architecture Search (Nas) Modules, Joshua Dulcich

Honors Theses

Machine learning is obscure and expensive to develop. Neural architecture search (NAS) algorithms automate this process by learning to create premier ML networks, minimizing the bias and necessity of human experts. From this recently emerging field, most research has focused on optimizing a promisingly unique combination of NAS’s three segments. Despite regularly acquiring state of the art results, this practice sacrifices computing time and resources for slight increases in accuracy; this also obstructs performance comparison across papers. To resolve this issue, we use NASLib’s modular library to test the efficiency per module in a unique subset of combinations. Each NAS …

Analysis Of Invasion Proteins Mmp2, Mmp9, Adam12, And Adam17 In Glioblastoma U87mg Cells Treated With Anti-Cancer Compound 3,4-Dimethoxybenzaldehyde, Andras Muranyi

Honors Theses

This research tested the effectiveness of novel compound 3,4-dimethoxybenzaldehyde, demonstrated to have anti-cancer properties. U87MG Glioblastoma cells were exposed to the compound at its LC50 concentration, then processed to collect proteins from the cells. Proteins were analyzed via Western blotting for specific protein levels of matrix metalloproteinase 2 and 9 (MMP) and disintegrin and metalloprotease 12 and 17 (ADAM). Previous research indicates these proteins are involved in the invasive properties of glioblastoma cells. Westerns were quantified with ImageJ and compared using a one-way ANOVA. Results indicate the compound has minimal effect upon the expression of MMP2, MMP9, ADAM12, ADAM17 proteins.

Phonotactic Tuning In Female Cricket Acheta Domesticus, Jessica Rim

Honors Theses

Phonotactic behavior of female cricket Acheta domesticus has been shown to vary among individuals. While some females are finely tuned to calls with syllable periods in the natural range of conspecific males, others respond phonotactically to a wider range of syllable periods and therefore lack the ability to discriminate between attractive and unattractive calls. When females are exposed to males but prevented from mating, their ability to discriminate attractive calls is reduced, suggesting that factors other than mating alter phonotactic behavior.

This study evaluated the effect of male exposure on females’ phonotactic tuning and responsiveness in relation to underlying neural …

"A Woman's Lot To Suffer" : Recognizing The Intersectionality Of Oppression And Resistance In Min Jin Lee's Pachinko, Elianna Srikureja

Honors Theses

Min Jin Lee's novel Pachinko (2017) portrays the historically based lives of a displaced Korean family during Japan's colonization of Korea from 1905-1945. The novel's attention to the ways that colonial endeavors complicate Confucian family and national structures exemplifies the interrelation between gender and racial oppression facing Lee's Korean women in both the public and private domain.

However, by centering female voices all too often silenced, Lee also depicts resistance modes that subvert such oppression. Using feminist and postcolonial theory, historical analysis, and close reading analysis, this project examines both the construction of oppression and the subversive resistance measures taken …

Attempted Synthesis & Antibacterial Properties Of Apt-6k Against Ndm-1 K. Pneumoniae, Alec Bofetiado

Honors Theses

NDM-1 K. pneumoniae is a highly resistant bacterial organism that is capable of causing debilitating nosocomial infections in immunocompromised patients. Only "last-resort" antibiotics--such as colistin--work against this organism. Therefore, new antibiotics are needed to help fight against these types of infections. APT-6K is a novel compound that was demonstrated to be effective against MRSA with nanomolar concentrations in a prior study. Novel methods of APT-6K synthesis and its testing for antibiotic effects against NDM-1 K. pneumoniae were attempted in this research. APT-6K synthesis was unsuccessful. Commercially-prepared APT-6K also did not demonstrate growth inhibition against NDM-1 K. pneumoniae nor against a …

Examining Katniss Everdeen's Gender Ambiguity In The Hunger Games : How Suzanne Collins Utilizes The Ya Genre To Resist Feminine Stereotypes, Moriah K. Mcdonald

Honors Theses

Even those who passively engage with modern media are likely to notice a binary frequently imposed on young adult women—that of the kind, reputable and trustworthy “good girl” or the mean, scandalous and deceitful “bad girl.” Such themes remain significantly featured in young adult (YA) literature, a genre specifically aimed at teenagers. Thus, in analyzing The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, I undertake a twofold analysis. I illustrate how Collins’s works tackle the specific issue of binary representation of women in the media, thereby validating the usefulness of the YA genre in commenting on current day issues facing teens.

Monitoring The Immune Status Of Calves At The Agricultural Education Center, Jared Wallen

Honors Theses

Each year at the Andrews University Agriculture Education Center calves born to the resident cows and calves that are purchased are raised by the students in the animal science program. In each of the previous two years that calves have been raised, morbidities and mortalities have been observed. In order to prevent any calves from dying and reduce the rate of illness this research project was designed to monitor the calves’ immune status. By doing weekly blood draws, the total serum protein levels were determined and used as a standard for their health. Body temperature, food and water intake, and …

A Note On Cannibalism And Synchrony In Seabird Egg-Laying Behavior, Yosia Nurhan

Honors Theses

During years of high sea surface temperature, food resources for glaucous-winged gulls (Larus glaucescens) are scarce. In response, male gulls cannibalize the eggs of neighbors. When this occurs, female gulls in dense areas of the colony adopt a tactic of egg-laying synchrony, in which they lay eggs synchronously on an every- other-day schedule. Field observations show that the first laid egg of each clutch is the most likely to be cannibalized. In this paper, we analyzed a discrete-time model of egg-laying behavior that tracks egg order in the nest. Using Jury Conditions, we found that the equilibrium destabilizes into a …

Comparisons Of Silver Nanoparticle Synthesis Methods By Microwave And Non-Microwave Using Hydrogen Gas As A Reducing Agent, Sofia Erech Hanapin

Honors Theses

Synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles are of current interest. This research project describes a simple and rapid synthesis of silver nanoparticles upon reduction of Silver (I) oxide (Ag2O) by molecular hydrogen (H2) at elevated temperature (70 – 100 °C) and a pressure of > 1 atmosphere by heating the aqueous mixture using a common kitchen microwave. This reaction generates naked silver colloids that contain no foreign stabilizers other than metal particles in aqueous media. Its application of an antibacterial effect was monitored by using biological cultures using the Kirby-Bauer Test.

Finding Optimal Opa-Iblc Derivatized Amino Acid Analysis Parameters With Three-Dimensional Fluorometric Scans For Hplc Method Validation, Aaron Jacobs

Honors Theses

Three-dimensional fluorometric scans of OPA-IBLC derivatized glutamic acid and histidine solutions revealed that decreasing concentration maintained maximum λem but produced different maximum λex. In pH 0.4 M sodium borate buffer (pH 10.4), 50 μM derivatized amino acid solutions had maxima around 350- to 450-nm λex-λem where 12.5 μM solutions had maxima around 230- to 450-nm λex- λem. In the lower concentration, the λex peak at 230 nm was about 80% higher than 350 nm. Thus, collecting spectra with 230 nm λex would provide better LOD and LOQ. Results inform HPLC standard concentrations since differential quenching effects may produce non-linear calibration …

Computational Difficulty And Invariants Of The Snake Cube Puzzle, Adrian Negrea

Honors Theses

The snake cube is a popular puzzle that has been analyzed for its computational difficulty and shown to be NP-complete. Conceiving of the puzzle as a Hamiltonian path in an n x n x n graph, we offer a novel mathematical analysis by considering invariants of the puzzle. This allows us to determine necessary conditions for a particular snake cube to be solvable and eliminate a large class of possible puzzles as unsolvable. In particular, we establish upper and lower bounds on the possible number of straight components in solvable snake cube puzzles.

The Impact Of Technology On The Developing Visual And/Or Auditory Memory In School-Aged Children, Cameron Mayer

Honors Theses

This study aimed to determine whether time spent on technology impacts the developing auditory or visual memory in school-aged children. A survey was completed with the child participants to acquire a catalog of time spent on both technological devices and non-technological activities. Tests included a visual and auditory memory assessment adapted from the Preschool Language Scales Fifth Edition (PLS-5). The results indicated that there was no significance between the time spent on technology and the visual and auditory memory scores. However, the researchers did find that the auditory mean scores were significantly different from the visual mean scores across the …

Thermodynamic Analysis Of Pamam Dendrimer Synthesis, Ryutaro Einar Jacobson

Honors Theses

The objective of this research was to determine kinetic and thermodynamic data about the reaction between ethylene diamine and methyl acrylate which is used in the production of PAMAM dendrimers. Establishing a rate law and finding values such as rate constant, activation energy, and Arrhenius coefficient will help in determining the best possible conditions for the reaction. A rate law was established through the method of initial rates, comparing the rates of reactions with different initial concentrations to one another. Additional reactions were run with active cooling to observe the effects on rate and reaction progress, and finally reactions were …

Enamel Corrosion Levels On Squirrel Teeth From The Fox Canyon Locality, Pliocene Of Kansas, Emma Tennyson

Honors Theses

The enamel of teeth may be corroded after death, especially if the teeth pass through the digestive tract of a predator with low gastric pH. This study characterized enamel corrosion of fossil squirrel teeth from two species (Otospermophilus rexroadensis and Ictidomys meadensis) obtained from the Fox Canyon locality of Kansas. Using microscopic imaging, I categorized teeth based on corrosion level. Overall, 45% of specimens exhibited heavy to extreme corrosion. There were no significant differences in the distribution of corrosion categories between both upper and lower teeth of either species (O. rexroadensis: X2 (3, N = 140) = .562, p= .905; …

Producing Music Using Negative Harmony, Jeremy Ahn

Honors Theses

This project uses Negative Harmony as a basis and reference point for producing original songs in the style of instrumental jazz and funk. Negative harmony is a loose term that describes a technique of reharmonization made popular by musician Jacob Collier. While negative harmony is best understood as a reharmonization technique, writing new songs and chord progressions that strive to replace common chord progressions with their negative harmony counterparts can also be an effective way to demonstrate negative harmony. Music can be made with unconventional sounding but harmonically viable chords that challenge both the musician and the listener to grow …

Evaluation Of Phonotactic Behavior In Male-Exposed Female Cricket Acheta Domesticus, Janelle An

Honors Theses

Phonotaxis is defined as the movement of organisms in response to an auditory stimulus. It plays an important role in helping animals find a potential mate, and thus it is worthwhile to understand what factors may influence phonotaxis. Phonotactic behavior in virgin female cricket Acheta domesticus has been the focus of multiple studies, which have reported a degree of variability among individuals. Several factors that have been reported to influence such variability include age, environmental temperature, and the presence of certain neuromodulators. This study investigated possible changes in the behavioral responses of young females when raised with males but not …

One Writer, Two Genres: Composing And Analyzing Creative Nonfiction And Fantasy, Kara Herrera

Honors Theses

Creative writers face a wide range of options when they sit down to craft art out of words. Available to them are many genres, each with their own characteristics or traits. Additionally, many writers have accomplished self-reflection in interviews, Q&A sessions, and in print. It is not unusual to find writers taking their craft and turning it into their subject matter. This project aims for the same. In order to analyze the similarities and differences in the writing process across genres, a “writing about writing” essay is included along with four creative nonfiction essays and a young adult fantasy novel …

Modulation Of Apoptosis In Breast Cancer Cells Mda-Mb-157, 93a And 93b By Aqueous Extract Of Chinese Medical Herb Scutellaria Barbata, Nathaly Manrique

Honors Theses

Scutellaria barbata (S. barbata), a Chinese herb used in Traditional Chinese Medicine has been known to contain anti-cancer properties. SB has been investigated as a potential treatment for multiple types of cancer including colon cancer, glioblastoma, and ovarian cancer. Breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-157 and its APC-mutants 93A and 93B are more resistant to treatment due to genetic modifications. In this study, the effectiveness of S. barbata in apoptotic modulation of breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-157, 93A, and 93B was investigated. Assessments were performed using green/red/blue fluorescent Apoptosis/Necrosis Detection Kit and the Human Apoptosis Antibody Array - Membrane (43 Targets) …

Socioeconomic Status And Ethnicity As Predictors Of Childhood Career Aspirations, Sydney Saint-Jean

Honors Theses

Beginning at an early age, children discuss what they want to be when they grow up. This is known as their career aspirations. There are multiple factors that influence the career aspirations of children. Some of which includes familial income level, grade level and ethnicity. Although studies suggest that there is a relationship between income level and career aspirations, there is a gap in the literature when examining the relationships between socioeconomic status, ethnicity, grade level, and their effects on the career aspirations of children. This study explores this multi-level relationship on what a child wants to be when they …

Comparison Of Enamel Microstructure Of Ictidomys Tridecemlineatus Formed During Hibernation Versus The Active Season, Amanda Cho

Honors Theses

Ground squirrel incisors grow continuously, preserving a record of their most recent weeks of life. Previous research demonstrated that an abnormality in the surface of incisor enamel and dentin of thirteen-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) corresponded with hibernation. Using scanning electron microscopy, we compared internal microstructure of incisor enamel deposited during and outside of hibernation to determine if surface disruptions corresponded to differences in internal microstructure. For one specimen, hibernation enamel displayed irregularities in microstructure that were not present in non-hibernation enamel, but this difference was not observed in other specimens. Given these inconclusive results, further research is warranted.

The Exploration And Analysis Of Mancala From An Ai Perspective, Trevon J. Hunter

Honors Theses

Through the study of popular games such as Chess and Go, countless artificial intelligence (AI) research has been conducted in an attempt to create algorithms equipped for adversarial search problems. However, there are still a plethora of avenues that offer insight into further development. Mancala is traditionally a two-player board game that originated in the East and offers a unique opponent-based playing experience. This thesis not only attempts to create a competitive AI algorithm for mancala games by analyzing the performance of several different algorithms on this classic board game, but it also attempts to extract applications that may have …

Variable Autoencoders For Biosensor Data Augmentation, Solomon Kim

Honors Theses

Over the past decade machine learning and artificial intelligence's resurgence spawned the desire to mimic human creative ability. Initially attempts to create images, music, and text flooded the community, though little has been learned regarding constrained, one-dimensional data generation. This paper demonstrates a variational autoencoder approach to this problem. By modeling biosensor current and concentration data we aim to augment the existing dataset. In training a multi-layer neural network based encoder and decoder we were able to generate realistic, original samples., These results demonstrate the ability to realistically augment datasets, improving training of machine learning models designed to predict concentration …