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Cannabis-Induced Psychotic Disorder And Schizophrenia Diagnostic Comparison, Tyanna Brodhagen

Honors Theses

Recent changes in cannabis legalization will have broad societal impacts for decades to come, not the least of which are the unknown consequences to neuropsychiatric health, particularly for adolescents and young adults. Cannabis-induced psychotic disorder (CIPD) is a controversial and poorly understood neuropsychiatric condition characterized by a psychotic experience brought on by excessive cannabis intoxication and/or withdrawal. Although CIPD is currently an uncommon diagnosis, the overlapping symptomology and comorbidity with schizophrenia indicates CIPD may be underdiagnosed. Some authors suggest the under diagnosis of CIPD may be correlated to physician diagnostic practices. This honors thesis constitutes a scholarly literature review and …

Acid Attack: How Escherichia Coli Strains Resist Acid Stress, Lindsey Miller

Honors Theses

The systems used by Escherichia coli to combat heightened levels of acidity within their environment are varied and complex. Four distinct systems used by E. coli to resist acid-induced stress were identified in 2004 by Foster (1), though six now are known today. These systems include the glucose-repressed, glutamate-dependent, arginine-dependent, lysine-dependent, ornithine-dependent, and serine-dependent acid resistance systems. Each system is also known by its corresponding abbreviation, AR1-AR6. What is known about each system varies due to identification date, complexity of the pathway, and amount of research completed. Within this paper, each system will be identified and the pathway defined, combining …

Honoring Neurodiversity As An Occupational Therapist, Haley Munson

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to discover if and how current occupational therapists use neurodiversity affirming practices through their work with clients that identify as neurodivergent. Neurodiversity refers to variations in cognitive functioning that are considered normal since no two brains function the same. Occupational Therapists (OTs) frequently work with clients that identify as neurodiverse, including with individuals with diagnoses such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and sensory processing disorder. This study uses a qualitative approach with a semi-structured interviews to gain insight into OT’s integration of ND affirming principles into practice. Learning how OT’s implement ND affirming practices will …

Is The Fair Use Doctrine A Viable Argument For Generative Ai?, Olivia Bainbridge

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research paper is to examine whether or not the fair use doctrine, a pivotal piece of copyright law, is a viable argument on behalf of generative artificial intelligence companies that are currently being sued on the basis of accused infringement of copyrighted images that their programs are trained on. By examining whether or not fair use is viable, generative artificial intelligence companies will be able to better gauge the validity of their arguments as well as adjust their practices accordingly if needed. This research is necessary because this research is examining a new field of law …

Hazards And Perceptions Of Cigarette And E-Cigarette Waste, Jossalyn Rogalski

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Safe Patient Care Act Advocation, Julia Rhodes

Honors Theses

This paper discusses advocating for the Safe Patient Care Act and how it affects people in society. This topic is very relevant because it affects a vast majority of people including nurses, patients, and the healthcare systems as a whole. Methods used to advocate for this bill include grass roots activism, composing and presenting speeches, scheduling and attending meetings, presenting to different nursing school cohorts, collaborating with the Michigan Nurses Association, and participating in hearings held by the Michigan House of Representatives. Results consisted of positive feedback from representatives and their word to vote for the Safe Patient Care Act. …

Violence Against Healthcare Workers, Nichole Osgood

Honors Theses

Workplace violence is any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at work (US Department of Labor, 2023). There are a handful of different types of workplace violence that include but are not limited to physical violence, verbal abuse and threats, sexual harassment, and psychological trauma (US Department of Labor, 2023). Workplace violence, a multifaceted phenomenon, is not a new concern, but its pervasiveness and intensity in healthcare settings have reached alarming proportions in recent years. In a meta-analysis, it was noted that workplace violence against healthcare workers of any kind was …

Developing A Positive Self-Talk Toolbox, Megan Wagner

Honors Theses

The following thesis demonstrates how individuals can overcome high-pressure situations in both the business and athletic environments. Individuals are asked to perform in many different aspects of their lives. Oftentimes, individuals feel pressure when asked to perform at their optimal level. While there are many tactical skills to help individuals improve their skillset for a particular performance area, this thesis argues that a positive mindset can increase individual’s performance levels during the act of performing. Primary research has been conducted between two different research groups (business professionals and athletes) to determine that pressure exists in each respective environment based on …

The Unexpected Significance Of Myosin A In Organization Of M-Line Protein Unc-89/Obscurin Within Striated Muscle Cells Of Caenorhabditis Elegans, Kar Men Lee

Honors Theses

This research investigates the unexpected significance of Myosin A in the organization of M-line protein UNC-89/obscurin within striated muscle cells of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). The study employs immunofluorescence techniques to examine the spatial and temporal dynamics of UNC-89/obscurin and Myosin A during embryonic development. The sarcomere, a fundamental unit in muscle cells, is governed by the 'sliding filament model,' where the M-line serves as a crucial anchor for Myosin A. This research seeks to understand the relationship between muscle function in humans and C. elegans, utilizing the latter's simple anatomy and genetic tractability. The …

We Are The Reason We Stand Still In The Face Of Climate Change., Sydney Hemp

Honors Theses

Many different factors can impact the way any information is received but it is especially important to see how scientific information is received because it is often backed up by a great deal of evidence, especially in the case of global climate change. Many of these factors have nothing to do with science and everything to do with social influences, political parties, and other demographic measures. Discussion of these relationships is important when discussing communication in a broad sense, but it can be even more important when bringing up things like global climate change, which has become a political topic …

Development Of An App For The Kalamazoo Nature Center, Ernest Au

Honors Theses

Kalamazoo Nature Center (KNC), which has been recognized by its peers as one of the top nature centers in the country, is home to over 14 miles of hiking trails winding through woods, wetlands, and prairies. There are numerous places/plots in KNC that have an interesting and impressive history besides being home to a variety of animals and hundreds of wildflowers and other plant life. To improve the visitor’s experience at KNC, we will design a software app via the senior capstone project at the department of Computer Science at WMU. As the first step towards establishing a reference model …

The Influence Of Aviation Technology On Human Complacency, Aurora Burton

Honors Theses

The thesis covers automation complacency in the aviation industry. The purpose being to provide a foundation of complacency-related accidents to support or dismiss the Federal Aviation Administration’s claim to automation-induced inattention. Complacency factors are outlined in a multitude of fields, creating a background for aviation discussion. To outline the parameters of literature review, behaviors associated with complacency are addressed. Next, a compilation of accident reports is examined and categorized. Specific, impactful accidents relating to complacency are detailed and explained. Summarily, three solutions to human-driven complacency are proposed, evaluated, and analyzed. Including the following: proficiency advancement, technology improvement, and change in …

The Factors Affecting Fashion Trends Have Changing Over The Years By Different Age Groups & The Evolution Of Media., Omnahqiran Dazz

Honors Theses

Introduction:

Fashion trends undergo continuous evolution, influenced by factors such as age groups and the ever-changing landscape of media. This research delves into the intricate relationship between these elements. Initially driven by a passion for fashion, the project expanded to explore the profound impact of social media evolution over the past 15-20 years.

Objectives: Investigate changing fashion trends across age groups.

Examine the evolution of media.

Analyze the factors affecting current-day fashion trends.

Explore the influence of social media on fashion choices.

This study provides invaluable insights for fashion designers, brands, and retailers, aiding in the development of effective market …

Loneliness Among College Students, Jaime Benson

Honors Theses

This study investigated the level of loneliness among health-focused scholars in the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS), Western Michigan University to improve student life experience, social opportunities, and support networks. We recruited participants from various CHHS programs using a convenience sampling method, requiring informed consent and program enrollment. The UCLA Loneliness Scale served as our measurement tool, allowing us to compare scores across program backgrounds using independent samples t-tests or non-parametric alternatives. Among 59 participants, 22.0% reported low loneliness levels, 49.1% moderate levels, 25.4% moderately high levels, and 3.4% high levels. Notably, the highest scores emerged in questions …

Transracial Adoption; Cultural Pedagogy In The Context Of Social Work, Tianna Smith

Honors Theses

Through a mixed-methods survey of a convenience sample of social workers' attitudes, this paper investigates foster care and adoption social workers’ attitudes toward the process of transracial adoption. Survey responses were analyzed using groups made up entirely of foster care and adoption social workers. The findings of this study support previous research on social workers' attitudes toward transracial adoption and difficulties they face in finding a family with different cultural backgrounds.

Chemical And Genetic Composition Analysis Of Organic And Nonorganic Tortilla Chips, Aubrey White-Day

Honors Theses

The aim of this study was to explore the chemical and genetic differences between organic and nonorganic tortilla chips using GC-MS and PCR. Twenty chip brands were selected: 10 organic and 10 nonorganic. A survey on shopping preferences was created and distributed to compare results of public opinion to experimental data. It yielded 212 responses. All organic chip brands, and one out of ten nonorganic chip brands, tested negative for GMOs. This study concluded that there are minimal chemical differences based on Jaccard similarity indicies and stark genetic differences between organic and nonorganic tortilla chips. In comparing statistical analyses to …

Rso Longevity Fund, Martin Fitzgerald Walker

Honors Theses

The reason for this research is to create a solution for fraternity and sororities as well as registered RSO’s on campus to allow them to create a fund that can provide a steady stream of income that will be used to pay national expenses, chapter expenses and fund future programs and events which may include scholarships or initiatives that the organizations feel the need to support.

Throughout my research I look to solve problems such as: How to Generate the Funds to support the renewable investment, how to manage the fund and who within the organization should manage and spend …

Breaking The Academic Lockstep: Dr. Samuel Clark And The Birth Of Honors Education At Western Michigan University, Tashfia Raisa

Honors Theses

The Lee Honors College at Western Michigan University has grown so rapidly over the past few decades that one may overlook its humble beginnings. The first Director of the Honors College, Dr. Samuel Clark, contributed greatly to the establishment of the college and the development of the curriculum. This thesis, which examines the origin of honors programming nationally and at Western Michigan University, will allow future researchers and administrators to better appreciate today’s honors program at Western Michigan University in light of its past.

Of All That Continues To Change, Elizabeth Mckenzie

Honors Theses

I am researching the concept of metamorphosis as a reflection of myself and my journey for this Graduating Presentation project. I will be exploring the different components that influence this process of change and growth. Through my process I will inquire “What is necessary for this drastic evolution to occur, and what ideas must be present for it to follow through?” For this project, I will choreograph a staged work comprised of about 7-10 dancers (and understudies). I plan to take the audience through the ups, downs, and influences involved in the process of metamorphosis.

In order to experience growth …

Fundraising In The Theatre: A Reflection Of The Wmu Theatre Guild President's Performance, Lindsey Beck

Honors Theses

Fundraising is an important element to the success of any nonprofit organization, but arts organizations have unique opportunities to produce exciting, engaging, and creative fundraising events that coincide with their season programming. My thesis will explore what makes a successful fundraising event and compare best practices with the practices used at Western Michigan University for the annual Theatre Guild President’s Performance. I analyze the inner workings of the Theatre Guild Board of Directors and their approach to producing a special event, and interview professionals and board members to get a comprehensive overview of what defines a successful fundraising events look …

The Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic And Online Learning On Teacher Morale And What That Means For Students: A Systematic Review Of The Literature, Madison Thomas

Honors Theses

Teacher shortages have occurred in the United States over the past ten years and continue to rise (Darling-Hammond & Podolsky, 2019). Teacher shortages have continued to rise at an increased rate since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2020, multiple studies have addressed teacher morale and retention in the wake of a global pandemic (Matthews et al., 2022; Bill et al., 2022). Through a systematic review of the literature from the last three years, this review explored the factors most affecting teacher morale and retention in Michigan following the pandemic. The keywords used within the literature review were: teacher …

Anti-Microbial Peptide Screen For Crop Protection, Sydney Chen

Honors Theses

Vestaron currently uses an established and reliable peptide discovery and development research platform, particularly for the development of insecticidal peptides. The platform centers around a proprietary yeast expression system for peptide production (“Vestaron’s yeast expression system"). Vestaron aims to expand their portfolio and provide clean solutions in crop protection using peptide technologies to protect plants not only from insect pests but also microbial pests including phytopathogenic fungi and bacteria. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been studied extensively. However, it is questionable whether Vestaron’s yeast expression system can express AMPs heterologously. In this study, thirteen promising antimicrobial peptides were selected from literature …

Far From Home, Daniela Matta Chang

Honors Theses

Far From Home is a video documentary that focuses on International Students and their experiences of studying abroad. This documentary explores certain aspects of moving to the US for college, such as the motivation behind this significant decision, while shedding light on potential challenges that these students may encounter along their journey. Participants from different countries share their personal experiences and thoughts. Through candid interviews, they answer questions addressing a wide range of topics, including education, culture, language, social life and work opportunities. The participants in the documentary are all college students who moved to the United States specifically to …

Act And Cbt: A Comparison Of Predictors For Depression And Anxiety, Madeline Yorke

Honors Theses

Depression and anxiety are among the most commonly diagnosed mental health issues in the United States and across the world. Given the increasing prevalence of both diagnoses, the science community has emphasized research in the treatment of disorders, including therapies. Two common treatments used are Cognitive Behavioral Theory (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT operates on the theory of psychological flexibility as its core construct. CBT uses repetitive negative thoughts and worry as its core constructs. The overall purpose of the study is to determine how well ACT variables compared to CBT variables explain the variation in depression …

A New Approach To Financial Literacy Education Through An Introductory Business Course, Megan Klein

Honors Theses

This study discusses the overall definition of financial literacy, dissects the shortcomings of financial education, and identifies key factors that influence financial awareness of young adults. The survey is conducted through the use of classroom-based survey on a population of collegeage students at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. As a result, we found that although significant improvement was not present between the pre and post-course surveys, the student’s perception of their personal knowledge and confidence in applying the topics tested significantly improved throughout the course of the semester. In conclusion, we believe that further research should be examined into …

Characterization Of Shinella 6-Hydroxy-(L)-Nicotine Oxidase (6hlno-Se), Kaitrin Funckes

Honors Theses

6-hydroxy-(L)-nicotine oxidase, isolated from the organism Shinella sp. HZN7 (6HLNO-SE), is an enzyme that during the catabolism of nicotine catalyzes the oxidation of (S)-6-hydroxynicotine to 6-hydroxypseudeooxynicotine. This enzyme is a member of the monoamine oxidase (MAO) structural family of flavoproteins, which contain a highly conserved FAD-binding domain. Within the binding domain is a conserved lysine residue that can be traced throughout evolutionary history in this family. 6HLNO isolated from Arthrobacter nicotinovorans serves as a model enzyme for the one isolated from Shinella as both catalyze the same reaction in this biochemical pathway and much has been studied about the Arthrobacter …

Literature Replication: Insect Gut Cell Isolation Protocols, Sophie Pickelner

Honors Theses

A large problem in science is the lack of literature replication, especially for subjects in which there is little published research. Literature replication is an integral part of the scientific method and is important for validating methods and results of published studies. A study from Nature found that out of 1,500 scientists interviewed, over 70% have been unable to reproduce literature studies and over half of them have been unable to reproduce even their own studies (Baker, 2016). This problem is even more pronounced in the field of biology, with 80% of scientists reporting that they are unable to replicate …

The Importance Of The United Nations Peacekeeping Operations: A Study On Mali, The Democratic Republic Of Congo, And South Sudan, Tess Whitehurst

Honors Theses

This thesis presents the history of UN peacekeeping and how it has evolved over time to create more effective solutions to peacebuilding. This is done by providing a comparison of the backgrounds of three different peacekeeping missions, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), and the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), with a historical and demographical background on the host country in order to demonstrate the importance of peacekeeping on that country. Through critical research of peer reviewed sources and contextual information from …

Impact Of Cultural Perceptions Of Education On Mental Health Outcomes Among Asian And Asian-American Students, Firzana Syazania

Honors Theses

Many Asian countries are greatly influenced by Confucianism and are labelled Confucian Heritage Culture (CHC) countries (Tan & Yates, 2010). Confucianism incorporates teachings of filial piety, respect for elders, emphasis of social values, benevolence, and the importance of education ("Confucius”; Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2021). In CHC countries and other Asian countries like India, bringing honor and pride to one’s family is highly valued. In India, bringing honor to one’s family through obtaining a career with a higher salary could be perceived as a form of duty to one’s family. These values are taught and emphasized at an early age, …

Mental Health In Aviation: A Study Of Aviation Students On Their Perceptions Of The Federal Aviation Administration’S Rules Governing Mental Health, Laila Stein

Honors Theses

This study aims to understand collegiate aviation students, faculty, staff, and flight instructors’ perceptions of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) regulations governing mental health assistance. It also aims to examine the impact of the perceptions held by students, faculty, staff, and flight instructors regarding their desire to seek mental health assistance. A study at Western Michigan University’s (WMU) College of Aviation (COA) was developed to test the hypothesis that students, faculty, staff, and flight instructors had a restrictive perception of the FAA rules regarding seeking mental health assistance, and that students, faculty, staff, and flight instructors had lower desire to …