Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluation Of Antiviral Agents In Two Mouse Models Of Rna Virus Infections, John Hyrum Mcclatchy

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The first model we are evaluating is human influenza virus in mice. Influenza virus is a negative sense RNA virus, which the CDC estimates causes between 9.2 million and 35.6 million illnesses each year in the United States.^[1] In the current influenza season, H3N2 viruses have been the predominant subclade of influenza A virus in circulation.^[2] Development of a mouse model for influenza H3N2 virus infection has been difficult. In these studies, we endeavored to mouse-adapt influenza A/Hong Kong/4801/2014 H3N2 virus by serial passaging in AG129 mice. This virus strain was chosen as it overlaps in serotype with …

An Investigation Of The Impact Of Changing Social Norms On Female Clothing Attire Pre And Post Ww Ii, Bailey Marie Burningham

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Not only did World War II bring about changes to the economy and policy in the United States, it also changed women's fashion and, consequently, the way in which women's fashion was presented through marketing efforts. This study is an investigation of how changing social norms, as seen in various marketing material, may have impacted women's attire before and after World War II. The study will be conducted by analyzing various reports on how changes came to pass throughout this time, and how different factors may have instigated the change. Additionally, an analysis of marketing materials used pre and post …

Enamel Hypoplasia And Its Relation To Ethnicity And Socioeconomic Status In The 19th Century United States, Amanda Drew Olivas Cook

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) is a condition of tooth enamel characterized by linear bands in tooth enamel that result from metabolic stress during the childhood years of enamel formation. The presence of LEH has frequently been used in biological anthropology as a marker of stress experienced during childhood. This paper uses a biocultural approach to investigate the occurrence and severity of LEH defects on the teeth of African American and European American adult male remains in the Terry Anatomical Skeletal Collection. The Terry Collection consists of low socioeconomic status individuals whose remains were unclaimed at St. Louis morgues and hospitals, …

A Look At The Controversies Of The United States Export-Import Bank, Bo A. Johnson

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The Ex-Im Bank is the official export credit agency of the United States. The Bank was established in 1934 to aid a depressed economy and foster global trade. Ex-Im was mandated to improve economic conditions and international trade by providing financial assistance where the private sector fell through, while not competing against private firms. The bank has four main tools to perform its responsibilities - direct loans, loan guarantees, working capital financing, and credit-export insurance.

The Ex-Im Bank has enjoyed a long history of strong bipartisan support. Opposition surfaced in the late 2000's leading to an Ex-Im temporary shutdown. The …

Why Despite Bipartisan Support, The Embargo Against Cuba Won't Go Down Without A Fight, Victoria Scotte Rasmussen

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Within the past decade, there has been a dramatic shift in American politics. Once considered enemies, the United States and Cuba have reestablished diplomatic relations. The reestablishment of relationships is a surprise to many politicians because Cuba has not made the necessary changes to end the trade embargo put into place by the 1996 Helms-Burton act.

The majority of the friction in ending the embargo is from the Republican Party. While over half the Republicans in the country support ending the embargo, the Republicans in congress are not quite as divided on the issue. Still, some republicans are adamantly in …

The Affordable Care Act: Five Years Later, Andrew Dana Izatt

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The challenges facing the American health care system are well known and manifold. The United States pays substantially more for its health care than any other developed, industrialized nation. Per capita health care spending in 2012 was $8,745, up from $356 in 1970 without marked improvements in life expectancy, quality of life, or outcomes. But despite all of our health spending, large portions of our population go without health insurance. Being uninsured carries real consequences. A report published in the American Journal of Public Health, by researchers at Harvard Medical School, using statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and …

Majority Tyranny Or Minority Power? Impact Of Direct Democracy On Same-Sex Relationship Rights, Jylisa Renea Doney

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

This research study examined the conditions under which direct democracy advanced versus impeded gay relationship rights. Many policy makers argue that direct democracy works to create a “tyranny of the majority” in which the majority impedes the rights of minority citizens. However, other researchers disagree and note that direct democracy contests advance gay rights as seen in Switzerland (Frey & Goette, 1998). I hypothesize that direct democracy advanced gay relationship rights legislation when influenced by non-traditional norms regarding family and gender, and/or the contests occurred in states or cantons that were heterogeneous in their values, while direct democracy hindered gay …

Vitamin D Deficiency In The United States: How Common Is It?, Christine N. Arnold

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Background: Vitamin D deficiency in the US is more prevalent than before estimated. Given the numerous roles vitamin D plays in the body, it is becoming apparent that the need for adequate intake is vital. It is generally accepted that adults require 1,000 IU per day.

Methods: Electronic searches were conducted using Google Scholar and Elsevier databases. Search terms included “vitamin D deficiency”, “vitamin D deficiency US”, and “vitamin D screening”. Databases were reviewed for prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the US.

Results: Populations at high risk for deficiency include the elderly, adolescents, people with darker skin, those who …

The Election Cycle, And The U.S. Withdrawal From Vietnam, Steven Thomas Stoddard

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Few events in American history have proved to be as divisive and controversial as U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. Although U.S. policy in Indochina has its roots in the Truman Administration, the two presidents most closely associated with the conflict are Lyndon B. Johnson, and Richard M. Nixon. These two are particularly important because they both occupied the White House during the highest levels of direct U.S. involvement in the war. In terms of troop deployments to Southeast Asia, the level and intensity of U.S. involvement peaked under the Johnson Administration and it was at this time that the …

The Evolution Of Congress: A Citizen's Ability To Influence Politics Today, Rebecca Ashley Nudd

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

-Constitution of the United States

Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus and spurred a year long political bus boycott that helped later change the U.S. Constitution. A mother with a cause rallied a million other moms to march onto Capital Hill and …

Changes In The Intertemporal Relation Between The U.S. And Japanese Stock Markets, Rustin Paul Diehl

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

This paper finds a decreasing relationship between daytime trading in previous-day US equity markets and the Japanese market performance in the current period. On the other hand, the connection has increased between current US equity markets and current, after-hour Japanese markets. These changes have corrected a previous violation of the efficient market hypothesis, and suggest that as internet trading has increased volumes of off-hour trading, the Japanese equity markets have been better able to digest information from current US markets.

The Evolution Of U.S. Foreign Policy Towards Cuba, Nicholas Drew Gordon

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Cuba's location has determined the island's political, social, and economic history. No other political entity in the Western Hemisphere has been as contested as Cuba has, and no other society has passed from colonial status, to a republic, to a socialist state in less than 100 years. The largest and most western island of the Antilles archipelago, Cuba is centrally located between North and South America, and guards access to the Caribbean Sea. For hundreds of years, its strategic position and its rich soil, abundant harbors, and mineral reserves have attracted foreign powers-first Spain, then the United States, and then …

The Herbal Supplement Market In The United States: A Look At St. John's Wort, Lorena Lanford

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Herbal supplements have become increasingly popular in United States during the past decade. This trend begs the question: why are so many people turning to supplements?

The increased use of herbal supplementation appears to stem from a public demand for changes in health care. This paper will focus on the regulations placed on the supplement market and the impact that supplementation has on patient care. To illustrate these points, St. John's Wort (SJW) will be examined in detail.

Currently regulation in the United States comes from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and voluntary organizations within the supplement industry, such …

Portion Distortion Plays A Major Role In The American Obesity Epidemic, Amanda Kay Larsen

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The prevalence of overweight and obesity among the American population is on the rise. This epidemic can be attributed to an increase in energy intake. Research has shown that increased consumption is associated with both individual and societal factors including an increase in the size of portions, the influence of the food industry, and confusion on the part of the consumer. The findings indicate that dietitians and other healthcare providers need to do their part by informing society of the importance of decreasing portions and helping the consumer recognize appropriate portion sizes.

Tightrope Walking: Finding The Balance Between The Military And The Media During Modern Wars, Marcie A. Young

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Access to information during national conflict is like walking a tightrope, and the military and the media are dependent on the tension to keep balance.

In times of war, the military and the media fight a battle of their own - a battle revolving around the dichotomy of secrecy and information. The military, notorious for keeping secrets, and the media, notorious for finding and reporting those secrets, are naturally in opposition.