Digital Commons Network^™

Rædende Iudithðe: The Heroic, Mythological And Christian Elements In The Old English Poem Judith, Judith Caywood

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This project, devoted to the Old English epic fragment Judith, argues that the title character arises from the complex multicultural forces that shaped Anglo-Saxon society, positing that she exists between the mythological, the heroic and the Christian. Simultaneously Christian saint, Germanic warrior and pagan demi-goddess or supernatural figure, Judith arbitrates amongst the seemingly incompatible forces that shaped the poet’s world, allowing the poem to serve as an important site for the making of a new Anglo-Saxon mythos, one which incorporates these disparate yet co-existing elements. Judith becomes a single figure who is able to reconcile these opposing forces within …

A Study Of Ethics For Accounting Students At East Tennessee State University, Jordan Warhurst

Undergraduate Honors Theses

What is being done to stop the increase of accounting scandals and frauds? This study focuses on ethics teaching for accounting students at the undergraduate level. This study asks the question, "have students increased in their use of professional judgement as defined by the AICPA code of Professional Conduct?"

Tobacco And Tar Babies: The Trickster As A Cultural Hero In Winnebago And African American Myth, Catherine Squibb

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis explores the trickster character through the lens of his role as a cultural hero. The two characters that I chose to examine are from North American myth, specifically Winnebago Hare and Brer Rabbit. These two characters represent the duality of the trickster while simultaneously embodying the lauded abilities of the hero. Through their actions these two characters shape culture through the very action of disrupting societal norms.

Demography And Disease Of The Rare Shrub Buckleya Distichophylla (Santalaceae) In Northeastern Tennessee, William Seth Ratliff

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Piratebush (Buckleya distichophylla (Nutt.) Torr.) is a rare, hemiparasitic shrub with the only extant populations in western North Carolina, northeastern Tennessee, and southwestern Virginia. The preferred natural hosts of piratebush, Carolina and eastern hemlocks, have seen sharp declines over the last decade due to the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid. Virginia pine, another important host of piratebush, is also susceptible to disease, specifically Cronartium appalachianum, a rust fungus for which piratebush is the secondary host. This study described and analyzed current demographic parameters of three Tennessee piratebush populations. Additionally, spatial patterns of disease and demographic characters were analyzed. These …

The Role Of Autonomy In The Physician-Patient Relationship, Rachel N. Wagner

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Maintaining the proper physician-patient relationship in health care is vital to the well-being of patients, especially when considering end of life decisions such as euthanasia. Because this topic has been in the forefront of media in recent years, there appears to be a need to understand how the relationship between physician and patient works in these practical situations, as well as understand what the most appropriate model of patient care is in regards to maintaining patient autonomy. However, before this can be done this paper will begin with a brief look at the overall permissibility of euthanasia, using the arguments …

An Examination Of The Residential Mortgage Systems In The United States And Canada During The Great Recession, Katelyn B. Vittatoe

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In 2007, the United States suffered what is known as the "Subprime Mortgage Crisis". This took an enormous toll on the United States Economy. However, nearby country, Canada did not experience this situation. The objective of this thesis is to determine why such different outcomes were seen in order for future economic stability. This research will examine mortgage processes, mortgage management, foreclosures on mortgages of both countries. It will then paint the economic picture that each country faced in 2007, while providing an explanation as to why the United States fared much worse than Canada during this time.

Logic Gates Using The Digilent Basys3, Austin H. Duncan

Undergraduate Honors Theses

ENTC 3370 teaches students the basics of digital circuits. Until recently the students were taught using an analog device called a Protoboard. With the acquisition of the Digilent Basys3, a digital device, the class will begin to be taught using digital modeling techniques. This is a collection of lab activities designed to be used with the Basys3 within the class. The activities were designed in a way so that students with little programming knowledge could complete the tasks.

The Relationship Between Pass Completion Percentage And Perceived Player Workload In Ncaa Division I Women's Soccer, Alexa L. Passingham

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In an attempt to demonstrate the interconnecting nature of the pillars of sport (Hacker, 2000) this thesis explores the relationship between physical, psychological and technical variables. Five National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Women’s Soccer players were analyzed in four conference matches. The athlete's rate of perceived exertion (RPE) values were correlated to pass completion percentages (PC%) to investigate the potential effect that psychological satisfaction or dissatisfaction of technical performance has on perceived exertion ratings. PlayerLoad^TM (PL) values, gathered through the utilization of a Catapult Minimax S4 GPS device (miniMax-10 Hz, Catapult Innovations, Melbourne, Australia), were used as …

A Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic Model For Vancomycin, Rebekah White

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Vancomycin is an antibiotic used for the treatment of systemic infections. It is given

intravenously usually every twelve or twenty-four hours. This particular drug has a

medium level of boundedness, with approximately fty percent of the drug being free

and thus physiologically eective. A physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK)

model was used to better understand the absorption, distribution, and elimination of

the drug. Using optimal parameters, the model could be used in the future to test

how various factors, such as BMI or excretion levels, might aect the concentration

of the antibiotic.

Innocent Until Proven Guilty: Shakespeare's Use Of Source Material In Three Plays, Alexandria C. Mcqueen

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In my thesis, I discuss and analyze William Shakespeare’s utilization and adaptation of source texts within three of his dramas: Henry IV, Part I, a history; Twelfth Night, a comedy; and Julius Caesar, a tragedy. By comparing Shakespeare’s adaption of sources to the contemporary United Kingdom intellectual property policies, it becomes possible for me to determine whether Shakespeare’s extensive and popular dramas would violate modern copyright law.

The first chapter, “Printing and Writing in the Early Modern Period,” discusses the development of proprietary interests among the Elizabethan people. I break down the individual components of the printing process in …

To Whom It May Concern: Support-Seeking Within Letters Of Stigmatized College Students In The Southeast U.S., Anna E. Nolte

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Individuals with stigmatized identities have been shown to have more negative health outcomes and shorter life expectancy than individuals who don’t carry a stigmatized label. One factor that acts as a buffer to protect stigmatized individuals against negative outcomes is support. However, how an individual seeks support can have an impact on whether they receive it. This study attempted to discover if the anticipation of either acceptance or rejection affected the type of support-seeking present in letters written by college students with either concealable or visible stigmatized identities. Results indicated stigmatized individuals displayed significantly more indirect support seeking in their …

"A Spark" With Critical Introduction "Ore And Lore: Mining, Literature, And Loss", Andrea J. Warren

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis explores the emotional, physical, and familial repercussions of coal mining in the Appalachian region, especially in regards to relationships within the community. The thesis is divided into two parts; a critical essay in which the objective facts, statistics, and histories of coal mining are addressed, and a short story which shares the subjective experience of the Hicks family.

Life In The Lgbtq+ Community: Protective Factors Against Depression In The Community And In Everyday Life, Kristen Paris

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

In this study, we examined potential protective factors against depression in the LGBTQ+ community by determining whether outness, self-esteem, perceived social support, life meaning, courage to challenge or resilience/hardiness, life satisfaction, and hope were correlated with less depression. There were 149 participants in the study, 38 of whom identified as members of the LGBTQ+ community, and 107 of whom identified as heterosexual. Participants completed an online survey that took approximately 30 minutes. It was predicted that protective factors would be negatively related to depression. Results of both correlation and regression analyses revealed no significant relations between protective factors and …

Inadequate Translations: Spanish/English Discrepancies In The Translated Sonnets Of Garcilaso De La Vega, Jessica V. Palmer

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The intimate relationship one develops with his or her native language is an experience which cannot be replicated through any amount of education. Diction, vocabulary, intonation and the connotations which accompany the many facets of language all develop along with us as we progress through life's experiences. Because of this deeply ingrained personal understanding, each individual's perspective towards a work of art, namely poetry, is completely unique to his or her experiences with the language in which it is written. Therefore, no amount of diligent translation can make a poem inhabit the same sentiment and effect in any language other …

Do Stress Levels Differ Between First Semester Nursing Student Early In The Semester Vs. The End Of The Semester?, Alissy Heisey

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study intends to determine how stress levels change over time in nursing students in the Baccalaureate program at East Tennessee State University. The instrument utilized for this survey was the Perceived Stress Scale by Mind Garden, Inc. This survey was passed at the beginning of the semester and at the end of the semester. There was no-significant difference found between the two time spots, leading us to conclude that the level of stress perceived by nursing students is a steady factor during their school semester.

Executive Function Predictors Of Children's Talk, Jacqlyne D. Weber

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Relatively few studies have investigated the relationship between executive functioning (EF) and language development, and even fewer have researched hot and cool EF as a predictor language development. This study is an investigation into the relationship between EF and language development in preschool aged children. More specifically, the ability for hot or cool EF to predict language, this will be the focus of the study. It was found that hot EF was a better predictor of language development in preschool aged children.

Environmental Social Activism In The San Diego-Tijuana Transborder Region, Christina M. Hirt

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper examines the obstacles and opportunities social activists face when attempting to fight environmental injustices in the San Diego-Tijuana transborder region. The study undertakes a case study of the Environmental Health Coalition (EHC) - the leading environmental justice organization in the region, which operates on both sides of the US-Mexico Border. The analyses conclude that despite a strong rhetoric of binationalism employed throughout border activists’ campaigns, the strategies that are utilized on the ground have been vastly local and short-term in focus. While activist organizations like the EHC demonstrate a keen awareness of the binational implications of environmental injustices …

Making The Vision A Reality: Staging The Unreal In Realist Theatre, Sarah Zentner

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper seeks to understand why visionary elements are sometimes implemented in otherwise realist works of theatre. Beginning with the father of realism, Henrik Ibsen, and discussing some of the social and domestic conventions present in his work, the paper then moves through an analysis of visionary elements, as they have been implemented in the following works: August Wilson's The Piano Lesson (1987) and Two Trains Running (1990), Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire (1947), Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman (1949), and Elizabeth Egloff's The Swan (1993). In doing so, the paper investigates how visionary elements can be effective …

The Effects Of Sustained, High-Velocity Exercise On Gene Expression In California Yellowtail (Seriola Lalandi), Kelli Hatter

Undergraduate Honors Theses

California Yellowtail muscle fibers have been observed to exhibit two drastically different development patterns resulting from the speeds at which they are exercised. When fish are exercised at a moderate rate their epaxial fast-twitch muscle fibers grow in diameter—hypertrophy; when they are exercised at a fast speed, more new epaxial fast-twitch muscle fibers are produced—hyperplasia. To determine the underlying reason for this difference in muscle development, my summer research project and honors thesis exercised fish at: fast, moderate, and control speeds for a sustained amount of time to determine what is happening on a cellular level to cause the observed …

Shaky Foundations: The Tradeoff Between Structural Safety And Financial Security, Grace Daly

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper investigates the relationship between the financial positions of a subcontractor and their performance on the construction site. Financial default by a subcontractor can cost general contractors additional time and expense, as they try to find replacements and keep the projects on schedule. This highlights the importance of vetting subcontractors before awarding a bid. This study attempts to bridge the gap between the subjective nature of construction quality and the more technical financial analysis in determining the overall quality of subcontractors. Safety measures are also incorporated into performance ratings. Data is collected for the years 2009 through 2014 from …

The Suitability Of Habitats And The Effects Of Human Activities In Osupuko And Olepolos Wildlife Sanctuaries On Maasai Giraffes, Sydney P. Davis

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Habitat quality and resource availability within wildlife dispersal areas in the Amboseli ecosystem are experiencing degradation due to pastoralism and agriculture by humans, which negatively affects the wildlife species that utilize these dispersal areas. Maasai giraffes are a common species that utilize these areas, but information on how human activities and the presence of domestic livestock affects the Maasai giraffe is limited. This study was conducted in two wildlife sanctuaries: Osupuko and Olepolos. Habitat condition assessment was done to determine the quality of habitats found within each sanctuary. The Point-Centered Quadrat Method was used to determine the number of five …

Investigating Sleep Behaviors In Autistic Infants, Alanna R. Flynn

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is defined by social, emotional, and learning deficits. Past research suggests that ASD and sleep problems often co-occur. The goal of this research was to investigate sleeping behaviors in autistic infants in comparison to typically developing infants (TD). The data of this study has been acquired at the University of California San Diego Autism Center of Excellence. One main goal of this center is to identify early indicators of ASD in infants (1-3 years of age), which could lead to earlier treatment and better therapy techniques. The current study used a sleep questionnaire to compare parent-reported …

United Nations: Perpetuating Peace? A Historical Overview With A Contemporary Analysis, Taylor Rae Noonan

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

The United Nations is an institution that has been constantly critiqued regarding its efficacy as well as its equitability. In order to analyze this institution in the modern era, it becomes necessary to understand it in light of history, specifically the integral influence of the end of the Cold War. In this paper I will analyze several different aspects of this institution: I will first provide a historical overview of the United Nations and distinguish between the different peace operations. I will answer the questions as to how the end of the Cold War transformed the Peacekeeping Operations, how …

Mechanisms Of Axial Polarity Modification During Postembryonic Development Of The Basal Bilaterian Convolutriloba Macropyga, Laura N. Crowther, James M. Sikes Ph.D.

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Acoel flatworms have varied modes of asexual reproduction that involve dramatic postembryonic modification of their anterior-posterior (AP) axis. The acoel species Convolutriloba macropyga reproduces through a reversed polarity budding process in which offspring develop from two posterior budding sites with a complete reversal of the AP axis compared to the parent. Reversed polarity budding is preceded by the development of a zone of tissue with disorganized musculature that is incapable of regeneration, suggesting a transient loss of axis polarity at each budding site. For this reason, these tissues are titled the polarity transition zone (PTZ). While this alteration of existing …

Bitcoin: Currency Of The Future Or Investment Property, Kelly Y. Yu

Undergraduate Honors Theses

We live in a digital age where almost every aspect of our lives is based on computerized information. In 2009, currency became digital in the form of Bitcoin. The existence of Bitcoin has brought a variety of obstacles to government agencies and regulators. Specifically, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been debating the treatment of virtual currencies such as Bitcoin for tax reporting purposes. In March 2014, the IRS issued a notice classifying Bitcoin and other convertible virtual currencies as investment property, similar to stocks and bonds. The notice from the IRS provoked outrage from the Bitcoin community. This project …

Twelve-Tone Serialism: Exploring The Works Of Anton Webern, James P. Kinney

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Mathematics and Music are related and intertwined, and the invention of serialism in the 20th century highlights this fact. Serialism is a technique of music composition that uses mathematics to structure different elements of music, such as pitch and rhythm. For hundreds of years, music all over the Western world was tonal, which means there is a hierarchy of some pitches being more important than others. Serialism is a form of atonality, which is the composition of music that attempts to use all twelve pitch-classes equally. I examine twelve-tone serialism, which was created by Arnold Schoenberg and developed by his …

The International Criminal Court In Crisis: Is Local Outreach The Route To Stability?, Taylor J. Kilpatrick

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The International Criminal Court is at the forefront of the international transitional justice realm today. Despite its omnipresence, there is a seemingly ceaseless succession of arguments against the Court. As this disapproval abounds, it effectively obscures the specific issues at hand. The strain on the interaction between global and local levels of justice within the scope of the ICC arguably underscores the entire crisis situation. More specifically, there is a seemingly unbridgeable distance, both physical and cultural, between the entity of the ICC and the local communities it purportedly serves. This paper seeks to address the absence of local narratives …

Drug Violence And Public (In)Security: Mexico's Federal Police And Human Rights Abuse, Dominic Pera

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Violence in Mexico, with dramatic political, social, and economic consequences on both Mexican and US populations, has risen dramatically in the past decade. Research has shown that the Mexican military is largely responsible for human rights abuses in Mexico. This paper will seek to answer why there are so many human rights abuses committed by the Federal Police, as public security is a police role and its deterioration threatens lives, security, and the rule of law. This paper will look at what scholars have said about the causes of police violence and public insecurity. Some say that history is responsible, …

Local Patterns In Host-Selection By Anemone Symbionts In Bocas Del Toro, Panama, Samantha Mercer

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The associations made between many symbiotic cleaner shrimps and their host anemone species are influenced by local ecological factors, resulting in regional variations in symbiont-host preferences. These relationships are crucial parts of aquatic ecosystems, and as we face rapid global environmental change, understanding the local patterns of this host specificity will be essential to maintaining healthy marine environments. However, sea anemones, as well as their symbiotic relationships, from the Caribbean coasts of Panama have been poorly studied and are largely under-represented in the current literature. The purpose of this study is to identify the local host-selection patterns, specifically regarding host-size …

Expanding Hope In Payatas, Rhea Cristine S. Bautista

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Informal settlements, also known as slums or squatter settlements, are a way of life for millions around the world, especially within urban centers. The challenge is to provide a better quality of life, both physically and socially. This thesis provides a critical look into the conditions, limitations, strengths, and hopes of the community of Payatas in Metro Manila, Philippines, with recommendations of measures to support and strengthen the community, by building upon the community’s positive elements to develop social impact.