Digital Commons Network^™

Exploration Of The Range Overlap Between Cynomys Leucurus And Cynomys Ludovicianus, Kenneth D. Choi

Honors Theses

The ranges of two species of prairie dogs, Cynomys leucurus and Cynomys ludovicianus, overlap in a narrow area in the western Great Plains in Wyoming. We used GIS software to map their distributions and infer land cover preferences within and on either side of the zone of overlap. In general, both species used habitats in proportion to their availability and did not display strong selection of their expected vegetation types (based on the literature). However, both species of prairie dogs were overrepresented in areas of human settlements and crops, which may indicate that these species prefer human-modified habitats, or perhaps …

L3 Auditory Interneuron Responses To Dual-Frequency Calling Songs In Female Crickets (Acheta Domesticus), Jeong Bin Lee

Honors Theses

Female crickets exhibit positive phonotaxis in response to calling songs with specific carrier frequencies (4-5 kHz), syllable periods (SP; 50-70ms), and other parameters. Among a number of ascending prothoracic auditory neurons identified, only L3 has been proposed to be involved in SP selective phonotaxis. L3 responds with selective decrement to 5 kHz stimulus with attractive SPs. Furthermore, L3 is highly tuned to 16 kHz auditory stimulus, which has been correlated with aversive phonotactic behaviors. L3’s cellular responses to simultaneous 16 kHz and 5 kHz stimuli were examined through extracellular recording, thereby further establishing the connection between L3’s selective decrement and …

Imagery, Prayer, And Mind Wandering: Kataphatic Prayer, Martha M. O. Duah

Honors Theses

Mind wandering—reduced attention to external events—during prayer could pose a problem for Christians. However, different types of prayer make different cognitive demands. Kataphatic prayer, a common type of evangelical Christian prayer, makes use of mental imagery in hopes of experiencing God in a richer sense. Because both mind wandering and kataphatic prayer require imagery, tying up imagery resources in kataphatic prayer should block mind wandering thereby improving focus. Participants in this study prayed as they normally do, viewed a visual task, or engaged in kataphatic prayer while self-monitoring for mind wandering.

Adapting Architectural Models For Visualization Using Virtual Reality Headsets, Bernardo Martinez

Honors Theses

Business contracts represent a main source of income for Architects. Acquiring these contracts requires the latest and most immersive technology that improves their sales against competitors. Virtual reality provides an in-depth experience that allows clients to have a reasonable assurance that the building meets their physical expectations. Videos and photos are detached and mundane; while they provide some visual representation they will not allow the user to compare his physical characteristics (height, length, width) with a 3D model. In this paper, I describe a procedure for automatically importing 3D models from Revit into Unreal4. I also describe the workflow required …

The Effects Of Prompted Tutoring On An Emporium Model Math Course, Juliette Michelle Young

Honors Theses

My research goal is to investigate how specific prompting of students would affect their involvement and progress in an emporium developmental math course. With the aim of increasing the students’ involvement and progress I tested a method that was in tended to increase students’ perceived connectedness with the classroom and promote the use of the available tutors and teachers. I monitored consenting students’ progress in the Spring 2015 courses and sent emails to students who met any one of three different criterion: (1) If the students time investment was below a threshold. (2) If the student’s mastery pace was less …

Anticancer Activity Of Some Boronic Acid Arylidene Heterocycles, Joy Kim

Honors Theses

This research was done in order to investigate the anticancer activity of boronic acid arylidene heterocycles. Boronic acid, heterocycles, and aryl compounds have all independently exhibited various anti-microbial properties and have shown potential to be used in pharmaceuticals for the treatment of viruses and cancers. Using a one-step protocol developed by Dr. Murray, several different arylheterocyclic compounds were combined with an arylboronic acid to synthesize novel compounds. These were then tested for their anti-cancer activity on glioblastoma brain cancer cells. Although varied in potency, all had some amount of anti-cellular effect on the cancer cells. This is only the start …

The Art Of French Melodie: A Manual For Recital Preparation, Kristen Abraham

Honors Theses

This is a documentation of my journey through the research, development and execution of a voice recital, with a focus on the creation of guidelines for how one may achieve success in a future recital. Moving through three phases: Thinking, Doing, and Reflecting, I highlight the important processes required to transition seamlessly through the phases. During the entirety of this project, I kept a journal of each step, documenting everything to maintain the integrity of the process, and organizing the information into sections to make the findings easier to understand, learn, and replicate. My end goal is to produce a …

Relationship Between Health-Maintenance Preferences And Health, Kiara Dillard

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

This study examines the relationship between people’s general health and their health-maintenance practices, specifically, the use of over-the-counter medications (OTCs) and home remedies. These practices are used by many; however, there is still much uncertainty about how these impact one’s health. Subjects for this study are drawn from the Behavioral Sciences Research Participation Pool and will complete an adapted questionnaire taken from the Questionnaire to Document Self-Medicating Behaviours and the SF-36 Health Survey.

Hypothesis and Research Question:

Does one’s preferred self-medication practice relate to health?

There is a relationship between at least one of these forms of self-medication practices and …

Family Matters!: Examining The Relationship Between Family Climate And Suicidality, Depression, And At-Risk Behaviors Among Seventh-Day Adventist Adolescents World-Wide, Isaac Suh

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

Recent research indicates that suicide is a growing cause of death in our country (CDC, 2010). Over the twelve year period (1999 to 2012), suicide rates increased by a staggering 40%. This is especially evident among adolescents (13-17 years). In spite of this trend, much remains to be known about the variability of this phenomenon across various subcultures. This study examines suicidal ideation and the effect of various demographic, psycho-social, and religious predictors among adolescents of a conservative religious denomination.

Research Question:

How does family climate effect the instances of at risk behaviors in adolescents in a conservative religious population?

Man’S Search For Meaning: The Case Of Legos Revisited, Michael Choi

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

How do perceived meaning, levels of resilience, and job-rotation affect productivity and labor supply? Answering this question will provide further insight on how manipulating tasks can influence labor supply, motivation, and productivity in almost any field of labor, such as school and the workplace. Further, this study will explore motivation and the “least-common-denominator of meaningfulness that is shared by virtually all compensated activities” (Ariely et. al., 2008). This study is a replication and extension upon Man’s search for meaning: The case of Legos (Ariely et. al., 2008).

Laser Beam Optical Trapping Of A Nanoparticle, Rufaro Musvosvi

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

Optical trapping is the use of a laser beam, to trap small particles, similarly to using tweezers. A straight beam of light, focused correctly, can provide a force strong enough to control a nanoparticle. The objective of this project is to set up a Modular Optical Trapping Kit for the purposes of research and teaching. The project is split into two main parts. Part one is assembling the Trapping Kit, which includes building a Printed Circuit Board (PCB). Part two is measuring the necessary laser-force for different particles. This is an on-going project.

The Art Of French Melodie: A Manual For Recital Preparation, Kristen Abraham

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

I document my journey through the research, development and execution of a recital, resulting in guidelines for how one would achieve a future recital. This recital is focused on French mélodie, a genre of art song classified by its intense lyricism and precision. Moving through three phases: thinking, doing and reflecting, I highlight the important processes required to transition seamlessly through each. While going through the project, each step is documented in a journal to maintain the integrity of the process. My end goal is to present a “How To” manual with information on planning, preparing and ultimately presenting a …

Mechanism Analysis Of Copper (Ii) Ions Interacting With Dimethylaminocyanostilbene, Eui Bin You, Ryan T. Hayes Ph.D.

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

Previous research has suggested that the fluorescence of dimethylaminocyanostilbene (DCS) is selectively quenched by copper(II) ions.¹ This study aimed to elucidate the fluorescence quenching mechanism and to explore its potential application to screen for copper ions in water samples. A spectroscopic Job Plot analysis was used to determine the stoichiometric ratio of DCS–copper(II) ion binding.² Additionally, DCS was mixed with various buffered metal ion solutions and tested in different pH environments to reveal any ion-dependent and/or pH-dependent fluorescence response. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) analysis of DCS mixed with various amounts of buffered copper(II) solution was also performed …

Modeling Mammalian Carboxypeptidase O Expression Patterns With The Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel (Ictidomys Tridecemlineatus), Christian Bardan, Peter Lyons

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

Carboxypeptidase O (CPO) is a protease that cuts acidic amino acids from the carboxyl terminus of a substrate protein. Besides its potential digestive application, not much else is known about its other activities in the body. This study aims to describe the expression pattern of CPO using the thirteen-lined ground squirrel as a model mammalian system. Thus far we have sampled tissue from one ground squirrel and analyzed those samples via Western blot. Immunoreactive bands likely to be CPO (molecular weight approximately 42 kDa) were seen in kidney, liver, and small intestine tissue samples. Further investigation will include immunohistochemical analysis.

Religiosity And Perceived Stress Among College Students, Cooper Hodges

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

What is the relationship between religiosity and perceived stress among college students? Previous research has suggested that religiosity is a buffer against outside stressors. Our study specifically focused on two forms of religiosity internalization: identified regulation and introjected regulation. Seventy-nine undergraduate students, in attendance at Andrews University, self-reported their perceived stress and religiosity levels as participants in a subject pool. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that identified regulation was a significant predictor of stress perception levels compared to introjected regulation. We conclude that students who have a more internalized religious belief system are more likely to exhibit lower stress levels.

The Effect Of Varying Sound Intensities On Phonotactic Selectivity In Female Acheta Domesticus, Re'jeanne Greene, Benjamin Navia Ph.D.

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

Female cricket Acheta domesticus recognize and respond to the call of the conspecific male by walking towards it (phonotaxis). Such phonotactic response has been described as selective, e. g. females are more likely to respond phonotactically to calls with syllable periods typical of the males’ calling song than they are to respond to calls with unattractive syllable periods (Stout et al., 1983). A previous study by Popov and Shuvalov (1977) concluded that phonotaxis can be altered by internal and external conditions. One internal condition that can modify selective phonotaxis is age (Henley et al. 1992; Stout et al. 2010). …

Gender, Family, And Morality In Ben Jonson’S Volpone, Shanelle Kim

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in England, the transformation in categories of value resulting from a money economy clashed with older forms of institutionalized values. Ben Jonson’s dramatic satire Volpone (1606) diagnoses social ills arising from the emerging proto-capitalist culture of his time. Though Jonson critiques the corrosive impact of a money culture, the two distinct embodiments of moral good in Jonson’s play, Celia and Bonario, prove ineffective in battling the creeping value transformations associated with money. In part, their failure derives from systemic fissures in Early Modern understandings of the family unit and gendered roles within such a …

C. S. Lewis’S The Great Divorce: An Adaptation For Reader’S Theater, Olivia Ruiz-Knott

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

This project—a Reader’s Theater production of C. S. Lewis’s short allegorical novel The Great Divorce (1946)—pursues the values of truth and beauty by relating the rich theological realities of Lewis’s work through drama and voice. Reader’s Theater differs from traditional theater in that the voice, rather than blocking and costuming, carries the drama. The script is read rather than memorized, resulting in a directed, well-rehearsed dramatic presentation. This project requires the creation of an abridged script together with a substantial introduction detailing the process of production, and all elements of production from inception to a final stage performance of approximately …

Microstructural Evaluation Of Deap Material After Stress Relaxation, Cody Rieger, Gunnar Lovhoiden, James Magbanua, Boon-Chai Ng Ph.D.

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

Dielectric Electro Active Polymers (DEAP) has the potential of converting mechanical energy into useful electrical energy. This material consists of a silicone dielectric film material with a special corrugated surface and a very thin layer of metallic electrodes on both sides of the surface. As these materials allow large mechanical deformations with low operating forces, potential applications include using this material to convert the energy from the ocean waves, and wind. This work examined the capacitance to provide useful information in optimizing the electrical properties for specific applications, and to investigate how the electrical properties are affected by electrical and/or …

Relationship Between Health-Maintenance Preferences And Health, Kiara Dillard

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

This study examines the relationship between people’s general health and their health-maintenance practices, specifically, the use of over-the-counter medications (OTCs) and home remedies. These practices are used by many; however, there is still much uncertainty about how these impact one’s health. Subjects for this study are drawn from the Behavioral Sciences Research Participation Pool and will complete an adapted questionnaire taken from the Questionnaire to Document Self-Medicating Behaviours and the SF-36 Health Survey. My hypothesis is there is a relationship between at least one of these forms of self-medication practices and health.

Man’S Search For Meaning: The Case Of Legos Revisited, Michael Choi

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

How do perceived meaning, levels of resilience, and job-rotation affect productivity and labor supply? Answering this question will provide further insight on how manipulating tasks can influence labor supply, motivation, and productivity in almost any field of labor, such as school and the workplace. Further, this study will explore motivation and the “least-common-denominator of meaningfulness that is shared by virtually all compensated activities” (Ariely et. al., 2008). This study is a replication and extension upon Man’s search for meaning: The case of Legos (Ariely et. al., 2008).

Demographic, Psycho-Social, And Religious Predictors Of Suicide Attempts Among Adolescents Of A Conservative Religious Denomination, Isaac Suh

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

Recent research indicates that suicide is a growing cause of death in our country (CDC, 2010). Over the twelve year period (1999 to 2012), suicide rates increased by a staggering 40%. This is especially evident among adolescents (13-17 years). In spite of this trend, much remains to be known about the variability of this phenomenon across various subcultures. This study examines suicidal ideation and the effect of various demographic, psycho-social, and religious predictors among adolescents of a conservative religious denomination.

Children In Armed Conflict: A Human Rights Dilemma, Afia Asamoah

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

Despite the efforts of the United Nations and other international organizations, more than 300,000 children worldwide are currently forced into active combat roles and encouraged to commit crimes against humanity. This paper explores principles of natural justice, human rights, and human dignity through classical political rationalism as it relates to the issue of children in armed conflict. In doing so, this paper aims to provide a rational and objective standard to counter the practice of destroying childhood innocence through forced participation in war crimes and thus encourage the world to no longer turn a blind eye to this human rights …

My Plea: A Musical Portrait Of A Japanese Internment Poem By Mary T. Matsuzawa, Michael M. Momohara

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

The internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II caused the suffering and fragmentation of many families. One internee, Mary T. Matsuzawa, authored a prayerful poem entitled “My Plea” that I see as expressing her thoughts on freedom, equality, and servitude as a “cross-bearer” for the Japanese-American people. Musical imagery, text painting, and historical context are used to craft a choral setting of Matsuzawa’s poem, scored for SATB mixed choir and cello. The purpose of this work is both to draw attention to the Japanese-American internment and to portray Matsuzawa’s suffering and longing while displaying the hope and comfort she had …

Understanding Jalul Through Ceramics, Krystal C. Uzuegbu

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

Three-dimensional ceramic scans provide many advantages for research and publication. These 3-D scans can be shared for examination purposes with distant scholars who do not have access to the physical sherd. Using a special software, we can convert the 3-D color scans into 2-D computer drawings that represent the cross section of the pottery sherd, which is the standard way in which pottery sherds are presented in publication. Using the program, features that may be overlooked with the naked eye are highlighted, allowing for a more accurate and insightful analysis. My presentation will explain how ceramic analysis has aided our …

The Effect Of Stress-­ Relaxation Cycles On The Capacitance Of Dielectric Electro Active Polymers, Cody Rieger, Boon-Chai Ng

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

Dielectric Electro Active Polymers (DEAP) has the potential of converting mechanical energy into useful electrical energy. This material consists of a silicone dielectric film material with a special corrugated surface and a very thin layer of metallic electrodes on both sides of the surface. As these materials allow large mechanical deformations with low operating forces, potential applications include using this material to convert the energy from the ocean waves, and wind. This work examined the capacitance to provide useful information in optimizing the electrical properties for specific applications, and to investigate how the electrical properties are affected by electrical and/or …

Locating Gravitational Waves With Bayeswave, Belinda Cheeseboro, Tiffany Summerscales

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

LIGO is the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory. Its mission is to detect gravitational waves that could be caused by the interaction of massive gravitating bodies such as coalescing black holes, inspiraling neutron stars, etc. BayesWave is an algorithm that can analyze possible gravitational wave event data and determine the properties of candidate events such as sky location. This algorithm uses a combination of Bayesian probability theory and the Reverse Jump Markov chain Monte Carlo (RJMcMC) method to accomplish this goal. BayesWave is able to simultaneously model the gravitational wave signal the noise by using multi-component models. It uses the …

Imagery, Prayer, And Mind Wandering: Kataphatic Prayer, Martha M.O. Duah

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

Can having petitioners engage in kataphatic prayer block or at least reduce mind wandering? Mind wandering—reduced attention to external events—during prayer could pose a problem for Christians. However, different types of prayer make different cognitive demands. Kataphatic prayer, a common type of evangelical Christian prayer, makes use of mental imagery in hopes of experiencing God in a richer sense. Because both mind wandering and kataphatic prayer require imagery, tying up imagery resources in kataphatic prayer should block mind wandering thereby improving focus. Participants in this study prayed as they normally do, viewed a visual task, or engaged in kataphatic …

The Possible Effects Of Deleterious Rhizobacterial Combinations On The Growth Of The Weed Velvetleaf, Athena Smith, Robert Zdor Ph. D.

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

The use of biological agents in the control of the invasive weed velvetleaf Abutilon theophrasti is attractive due to this weeds development of herbicide resistance. One option is the utilization of deleterious rhizobacteria with amendments to optimize their effectiveness. Indole acetic acid (IAA)- producing Rhizobium rubi (AT3-4RS/6 (RS) and cyanogenic Pseudomonas putida ATH2-1RI/9 (RI) were used to inoculate soil with and without amino acid amendments. RS & tryptophan (a precursor of IAA synthesis) caused the least velvetleaf shoot growth. All roots were colonized by rhizobacteria, on average, 1.40E+10 CFU/ gram of dry root.

The Identity And Role Of The Gift-Giving Spirit In Numbers 11, Jeanmark Kessler

Honors Theses

Current scholarship analyzes spiritual gifts predominantly from Acts 2, Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4. With the assumption that the actions of the Spirit are constant and persistent throughout Scripture, this study develops an Old Testament perspective on the Spirit's identity and role as gift-giver. This exegetical research investigates Numbers 11:16-29 as the key passage, where the Holy Spirit bestows His gifts upon Israel's leaders. In addition, the valid connections between Numbers 11 and 2 Kings 2 provide a broader and more consistent contextual interpretations of the identity and role of the Holy Spirit within the Old Testament.