Digital Commons Network^™

The Targeting Of Women In The Advertising And Weight-Loss Industries, Lauren Adamczyk

Undergraduate Student Symposium

“The most powerful diet pill ever discovered! No diet or workout required. The secret weight-loss pill behind Fitness models, Show Biz and Entertainment professionals! No prescription required to order” (USFTC 14).

There is an ever-increasing desire to be thin among women in the United States. Why is this? Advertising is one of the primary reasons pencil thin women have become the ideal. Previous to the depiction of women as extremely thin, full figured women were the sign of health, beauty, and status. Now that the advertising industry has chosen these images to portray success and attractiveness, the weight loss industry …

The Princess And The Dragon, Jennifer Keating

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Even if one kingdom was on friendly terms with Edinburg, King Farvuew would have to relinquish his whole kingdom to the other. Then how could he face his ancestors who had been fighting for this land for generations. No, his daughter would have to marry a knight. The thought of a man not brought up in the royal ways taking his place humiliated Farvuew, but not as much as passing over the kingdom. King Farvuew was witnessed now and again pacing around the castle muttering, “a prince? No, it must be a knight. But a knight is so degrading. But …

A Possibility, Angela Cuyugan

Undergraduate Student Symposium

She’s only seventeen, naïve little thing.

Big dreams with positive motivation, as far as it seems,

      destiny confirms doubtful obligations.

She’s only a princess, praying for her prince.

What is it she strives for? What is it she lives and breathes for?

Look at her, sitting there—just waiting.

The way she smiles—there is only one.

The way she laughs—there are so many.

Social Perceptions Of Cohabitation In Undergraduate College Students, Lela Rogers-Whitson, Natasha Romero, Sivan Shammay, Ana M. Rodriguez

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The present study investigated undergraduate college students’ perceptions, attitudes, and values about cohabitation. Cohabitation is operationally defined as a couple living together in an intimate, heterosexual union, without being legally married (Sassler, 2004). Current research demonstrates that cohabitation is becoming a transitional stage between singlehood and marriage in the United States (Seltzer, 2000). This study was designed to examine differences between individuals who never cohabitated versus those who would. Participants were from a private southeastern college campus. Recruited college students (N = 195) completed a Likert-test scale consisting of 50 questions about their attitudes toward cohabitation and 10 demographic questions. …

Should The Consumer Population Purchase Juvenon To Slow Down The Aging Process?, Katina Campos

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley have conducted a clinical study which claims to slow down the aging process of cells, by restoring proper carnitine acetyltransferase (CAT) function via combining the substrate acetyl L-carnitine (ALCAR) with alpha lipoic acid (LA). CAT is an enzyme involved in the breakdown of food molecules in the mitochondria. One result from this study is the commercially available health supplement, Juvenon. This "award winning team of scientists" claim that Juvenon, as advertised in Popular Science magazine promotes healthy brain cell functioning, slows down the clock on your aging cells, sustains energy levels …

Rna Analysis Prior To Use In Microarrays, Zakiat Darojat

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Extracting RNA from an organism and isolation of mRNA is an intermediate step done prior to its use in further applications. Therefore, assessment of RNA presence, including its quality is important. There are many techniques that are currently available; however, they can be time consuming or sample consuming. The purpose of this experiment was to determine an efficient way to assess RNA prior to using the sample in a microarray-based study. Twenty hours after Saccharomyces cerevisiae was plated on YEPD media, RNA was extracted using Ambion’s RiboPure Yeast Kit. Different protocols were examined to determine an efficient way to analyze …

Further Studies To Determine Subspecies Identity Of Panthers By Examining The Nadh-5 Gene Obtained Originally From Clotted Blood And Hair For Conservation Applications, Marta Hubert, Marimer Gonzalez

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The goal of this project to further research done previously to determine the subspecies identity of a panther (named Sasha) currently living in a zoo in Ecuador. Although Sasha is thought to be a South American puma (Puma concolor concolor). This is primarily due to local belief and she is likely to actually be a Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) brought to Ecuador from south Florida in the early 1980s. The mitochondrial gene NADH-5 (ND5) has been used as a genetic marker in several large- scale studies establishing genomic ancestry and subspecies identity of pumas. As …

Do Cells Grown In The Same Environment At The Same Time Express The Same Genes: Got Cdna?, Maria Farrell

Undergraduate Student Symposium

An innovative and powerful tool for analyzing gene expression is the microarray. In this experiment, Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast cells) were examined to determine whether gene expression would be similar for two samples grown in the same environment. RNA was extracted and its quality and quantity was assessed. cDNA was made from the mRNA (taken from the total RNA sample) and its subsequent presence was verified by amplifying a known gene that should always be expressed, TDH1, and visualizing it on an agarose gel. The cDNA samples were labeled with the appropriate fluorescent dyes and hybridized to the array. The slide …

Cosmic Ray Telescope, Andrew Barry, Rezwan Alam, Adriana Ardeljan, Moataz Behairy, Fahd Sattar, Sally Gaertner, Shweta Shah

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The purpose of this project was to construct an apparatus known as a “Cosmic Ray Telescope” and use it to detect cosmic ray activity by detecting the frequency and intensity of muon emittance by these cosmic rays. Muons are subatomic particles that travel at relativistic speeds and contribute to a harmless amount of “background radiation” originating from outer space. The presence of this radiation was first recorded in 1911 by Austrian physicist Victor Hess during a series of experiments with a Geiger counter in a hot air balloon to detect the radiation at that elevation level. This project has similar …

An Investigative Study Using Computer Games As A Method For Creating Friendships, Thomas Brown

Undergraduate Student Symposium

This research projects examines, if any, the relationship between establishing friendships and computer games. As more people start to play Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games or MMORPG, the chance to interact with multitudes of other people arises. The question that this research examines is whether computer games, in particular MMORPG, can be used as a basis to establish friendships. It seems only natural that friendships could be formed from playing these types of games considering the fact that on a daily basis people are interacting with one another. Unfortunately, most of the current research involving computer games is about computer …

The World Is Spoiled With Oil, Michael Bergbauer

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Alternative energy sources such as hydrogen and solar power are not feasible fuels for the automotive industry, or any industry. Despite their plausibility as energy sources, they have too many glaring drawbacks—such as cost effectiveness and compatibility—to act as primary fuel sources. As our nonrenewable oil supplies run low, many people believe that alternative fuels will serve as suitable replacements for oil. This article informs people about the serious flaws of alternative fuels—hydrogen and solar power—and the threat of oil depletion.

The Library, Stephen Deck

Undergraduate Student Symposium

A short story about a librarian who breaks his glasses on his way to work, and the day he spends without them. The focus is primarily on the visual aspects of being without glasses, the world as it appears to the myopic. Freed somewhat from a reliance on normal sight, the protagonist discovers a new clarity and freedom.

Shock Collar: Love Hurts?, Vien Tran

Undergraduate Student Symposium

This is a persuasive policy speech aiming at reducing the usage of shock collar, an electronic device to stop dogs from barking. The problem with shock collar is that it produces undesirable results, such as instilling fear in the animals or increasing their aggressive behaviors. This speech calls for moderate intervention from the state government, like requiring a license for possessing shock collars, and attempts to persuade the audience to help by keeping the public informed about the ineffectiveness of shock collars.

Seppuku, Stephen Deck

Undergraduate Student Symposium

A poem of self immolation and redemption. It is set in an extended metaphor of the Japanese samurai's ritual suicide, undertaken when no other option would allow the samurai's honor to survive. The poem attempts to capture the idea of discarding, violently, old identities when they are no longer viable, and the need for recreating a functional self afterwards.

Passing On The Left, Alaina Siminovsky

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Small, everyday activities often reflect on subconscious thoughts. The world we live in grows more fast-paced by the day. There are not enough hours daily for all of the things that one wishes to do to be finished so people rush. People rush through work; they rush through life. Why? Because everyone wants to achieve and be the best. This is explored through the simple action of driving and being held up by a slow car in the left lane. The constant desire to pass people on the road is reflexive of our daily lives where we often seek to …

I Love Lucy, Rafia Chodhry

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Cloning is a very controversial issue in our society today. This journalistic piece of writing is the author’s opinion about the possibility of cloning her dog Lucy. The author first describes her love for Lucy and later discusses that because she loves her so much she might actually clone her.

Holy Cheese-Us!, Rafia Chodhry

Undergraduate Student Symposium

This journalistic piece of writing is the author’s opinion about Diana Duyser who sold her holy grilled cheese sandwich for $28,000. The author describes her disbelief about the price that the sandwich was sold for and contradicts the fact that there is actually a Virgin Mary inscribed on the sandwich.

The author also mentions how religion is a sacred thing and profiting from the sale of an ambiguous figure in a sandwich is wrong.

Governance By The Hope Of Love, Alaina Siminovsky

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Castiglione’s The Courtier was the decorum book of its time. Everyone was trying to achieve the perfect courtier status so Castiglione used a series of conversations at the court of Urbino to tackle the issue. Through the course of the novel, many people speak of attainable characteristics that the courtier should have. They speak of skills at arms, reputation, breeding and courtier’s dealings with others. Only one person’s speech breaks the mold. Pietro Bembo speaks not of characteristics but of love, neoplatonic love. It can be questioned as to whether this atypical characterization is a necessity in the novel, and …

Emilia, Marlon Villalobos

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Fear was indeed the rule he used to measure people’s worth, strength, and chances of success, a determining factor on judging whether people were below him or at his same level, but never above him since he did not believe people to exist above others. So he went through life thinking that no one nor anything could impose such a feeling on him; Marlon, however, would be unpleasantly surprised on the morning of November 29, 1987 when his friend Luciano and him were to attend a meeting in one of the small villages of the western region of the parish …

Day After The Storm, Vien Tran

Undergraduate Student Symposium

“Day After the Storm” is an essay celebrating the wonders of life. The day after a storm hits his town, the author travels on a journey through a devastated park to visit a young oak tree he helps plant there. His anxiety and imagination personify the elements of nature such as rushing wind, quiet water or fallen branches as wishing him defeat in finding his tree in a good state of being. To his own amazement, the young oak tree survives the hardship of nature. In this experience, the author gains appreciation for the victory of life, as humble as …

An Opinion On Small Children And Gender Roles, Alisha Van Hoose

Undergraduate Student Symposium

In this article, examples of small children (i.e. between the ages of 4 and 6) who express a “men are in charge of women” attitude that goes beyond the usual playground “boys are better than girls” sort of competition are presented. Examining this, possible sources for the development of such attitudes are brought up, and the conclusion is reached that without the likelihood of prominent gender roles being observed in adults in preschools and playgroups, such attitudes are most likely learned at home. Families are cautioned to examine the expressions of decision-making and other facets of their relationships which may …

A Siren Of The Sea Clutching My Pearls, Marie Cuneo

Undergraduate Student Symposium

What is this thing inside me . . . aching breaking rejuvenating

again and again Incessant nagging at the mind

and wrenching of the heart my strand of pearls slapping against the skin

What is this thing inside me . . .

aching

breaking

rejuvenating

       again and again

Incessant nagging at the mind

and wrenching of the heart

my strand of pearls slapping against the skin

Transmission, Symptoms And Complications Of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Sherry Langstaff, Leslie Friedberg, Marisa Dominguez

Undergraduate Student Symposium

A sexually transmitted disease is an infection acquired through direct sexual contact. This poster explores the symptoms and portals of entry for transmission of different STD’s. Many sexually transmitted diseases may lead to severe infections such as Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), perihepitis and infertility. These complications will be explored as well as the methods to diagnose and treat sexually transmitted diseases. The STD’s to be covered include gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, HIV/AIDS, bacterial vaginosis, chlamydia, genital warts, granuloma, lymphogranuloma, trichomoniasis, hepatitis, chancroid, and molluscum.

The Relationship Between Body Image And Culture, Risel Borrego, Giselle Gaviria, Jennifer Haselberger, Natasha Romero

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The purpose of this research is to determine how individuals rate body image based on shape of the body and ethnicity of the person being evaluated. Further, this research explores whether culture of the participant is a variable that impacts individuals’ sense of body image. By discovering whether culture plays a role in how individuals view body image, people and organizations may be better able to work with individuals who have body image issues. The participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire. The questionnaire is composed of 5 questions which are used when looking at 15 pictures. The pictures …

The Effects Of Media In Times Of War, Alana Trombetta, Diane Kedzierski, Monique Mendez, Jane Fray

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Throughout time and most recently, the media has been presumed to have a great impact on the way the general population forms opinions about a wide range of topics. Research shows that the media may not affect people directly, but can change their attitudes about someone or something because of the manner in which it is presented, especially highly controversial topics (Gunther & Storey, 2003; Reedy, 2003). The purpose of this study is to determine whether the media has an effect on subjects’ views on a hotly debated topic such as the Iraq War. A fifteen item questionnaire was designed …

Lung Cancer And Angiogenesis, Ruzeen Patwa

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Lung cancer usually forms from cells that line the airways and nearby glands since these cells come into contact with the air we breathe which may contain carcinogens (such as tobacco smoke, asbestos, and benzene). Specifically lung cancer can be divided into two major groups: Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) and Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). The purpose of this literature review project is to discuss how angiogenic activators such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and platelet derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF) have a prognostic significance in the development of lung cancer. Lung cancer occurs over a …

Adhesion Of Transferrin To Fda Group I And Group Iv Contact Lenses, Kaliope Tsirogiannis, Andre Graves, Vicky Kosakowski, Viviana Sumi Lee, Graham Rasanen, Areege Afaneh, Urbano Zamora

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The adhesion of tear proteins to contact lenses contributes to lens deterioration and ocular pathology. Tears contain a number of proteins, among them being lysozyme, albumin, transferrin, lactoferrin, immunoglobulins and tear lipocalin. Here we examine the adhesion of transferrin to FDA group I (low water non-ionic) and group IV (high water ionic) contacts lenses. Lenses were incubated in a solution of transferrin for 1, 2, 3, and 4 days, and transferrin adhesion was determined using the bicinchoninic acid assay. Transferrin adsorbed to Group I lenses in a steadily increasing pattern, resembling the pattern seen with albumin but not with lysozyme. …

Gracias Garcia, Danielle Garcia

Undergraduate Student Symposium

I entered the room

and within minutes they hit me

“Hola”

“Cómo se llama”

“De donde eres”

“Cómo está”

“Y tú” “Bien” “Gracias” “Igualmente”

Unfamiliar words rolling off their tongues

I stood still trying not to attract any attention

“Hola niña, entra”

“Cómo se llama”

De donde eres”

“Cómo está”

God, Angela Cuyugan

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Sunshine, how you dance upon my face, when you sneak

     between the shadows of the tree leaves.

Breeze, enlighten me; when the ocean’s still becomes a ripple,

     walk upon the shore and rush up to my ear and whisper.

Earth, feel so healthy beneath my soles and lively in the

      atmosphere, rise up, and rise up to the universal limit.

Final Exam, Stephen Deck

Undergraduate Student Symposium

A lighthearted and nonsensical little poem about distraction during a final exam. Set in the form of an internal monologue, the poem uses stream of consciousness to convey the scattered mind of a test taker. To this end, the poem shifts from a serious musing on the nature of a final exam and what it means, into a recognition of life outside the classroom, though the speaker does not permit itself to pursue these tangents far enough for analysis.