Digital Commons Network^™

Black Brother, Angela Cuyugan

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Black brother, love me so tenderly.

         Feel you running thru my veins, pooling with joy.

I’m at natural state when I’m with you.

          Incomparable to those brighter shades of the rainbow.

Black brother, deep as the ocean runs, strong as a lion, swift like the cheetah, graceful as crane, witty like that of the feline, loyal to woman as her heart will allow, and beautifully structured in every way God’s blessed you.

The Use Of Biomarkers In Diagnosis And Treatment Of Traumatic Brain Injury, Claudia X. Cortes

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major central nervous system (CNS) disorder. The most frequent indicators of TBI are magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computerized tomography (CT) scans, which are highly expensive, and their sensitivity is limited to the first 24 hours after injury. There is a substantial need for finding other reliable methods including the development of biomarkers to assess the condition of brain cells after presumed injury. Biomarkers are correlated with disease severity, time course of disease progression and drug response. This literature review focuses on four different types of biomarkers –Serum S100B, II-spectrin Breakdown Products, Serum T^{c …}

Tgf-β Signaling And Oncogenesis, Nika Ferdowsi

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The objective of this literature-based investigation is to review the current model used to describe how TGF-β signaling is involved in the oncogenic process. The transforming growth factors-β are a group of signaling polypeptides that control cell growth, differentiation and apoptosis. TGF-βs and their receptors are expressed in virtually all tissues. TGF-β works as tumor suppressor in pre and early oncogenic stages. However, as tumor growth progresses, TGF-β switches to pro-oncogenic activities. TGF-β type proteins work via a signal transduction pathway that involves the activation of key proteins known as Smads. Smads are directly involved in transcription by entering the …

Social Perceptions Of Jealousy In Relationships Over Time, Crystal Carrio, Jaclyn Mombrea, Ed Vargas, Rudy Brown

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The proposed research investigates people’s opinions regarding emotional aspects of jealousy in a relationship over time. Previous research has established that young men are more focused on the sexual aspects of a relationship than young women (Buss & Kanrick, 1998; Eagly & Wood, 1999). More specifically, men tend to be more jealous when their spouses have sexual affairs with other men, whereas women tend to be more jealous when their spouses have emotional affairs with other women. The present study extends these initial findings by looking at how elderly people experience jealousy in a relationship. We surveyed 206 people on …

Application Of Culture Manipulation To Investigate Life Histories, Diversity And Ubiquity Of Naked Amoebae From Mangroves, Justine Ben-Hain, Sophie Buzgon, Tatianna Vassilopoulos

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Three high school students from the University School of NSU manipulated cultures of mangrove amoebae to investigate the hypothesis that naked filose amoebae are actually stages in the life cycle of dinoflagellates. As these protists have been implicated in harmful algal blooms, any new information concerning their life histories would help to develop successful models for predicting bloom events. Additional objectives of the culture manipulation trials include the identification of emerging species, naming and describing of novel species, and enumeration of the diversity of species found under a variety of culture conditions. This final aspect addresses the hypothesis that most, …

The Power Of The Written Word, Alaina Siminovsky

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Two great American authors, John Steinbeck and Herman Melville, both wrote pieces regarding those with defective mental faculties. In addition, these characters were giants, strong and hard working. This compensation was to show society’s treatment of these people. We often judge based on actions alone and not on person. These two giants committed crimes, but not of their own true doing. Either manipulation or the sheer failure to know one’s own strength caused each to falter, committing the greatest crime: murder. How to treat these criminals was the central question of each tale. In Of Mice and Men you pity …

Hay No!!!, Victoria Drescher

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Coming to Florida,

Yo no creo que almost

Todas las personas

Hablan espanol.

In my native country Austria,

Die mehrzahl der Leute spricht

Obviously deutsch.

Over here in southern florida,

Especialmente en Weston,

Donde I have muchos amigos,

It is almost impossible

To comprende something,

If you don’t habla espanol.

Different Approaches To A Moral Dilemma, Nancy Philippe

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The purpose of this philosophical analysis was to demonstrate some of the different viewpoints that can be used to evaluate a moral dilemma. The moral dilemma discussed in this paper involves keeping a promise. Jeffrey, best friend and cousin of Elijah, made a promise to Elijah to keep to a certain piece of information confidential, which went against his beliefs and values. Jeffrey was faced with a problem that seems to have only two options: breaking the promise and doing what was right, or keeping the promise and ultimately his cousin’s friendship. In discussing these two options that Jeffrey had, …

Crisis In Haiti, Rafia Chodhry

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Hurricane Jeanne impacted Haiti in the most devastating way. This journalistic piece of writing is the author’s opinion about what our society is not doing to help aid Haiti in its crisis against poverty. The article also discusses Haiti’s cry for help especially during the hurricane season where hurricane Jeanne caused much devastation to the already poverty stricken Haiti.

American History Between The Civil War And World War Ii, Marco Meier

Undergraduate Student Symposium

This historical analysis will describe historical events between the end of the Civil War in 1865 and the beginning of World War II. Social as well as economic changes revolutionized America significantly. This paper is a journey from the end of slavery and domestic Reconstruction to a country that enters major wars in order to fight for freedom throughout the entire world.

Telomerase Inhibitors As A Developing Therapeutic Drug For Cancer Cells, Viviana Sumi Lee

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The objective of this literature review project is to investigate current therapeutics involved in the treatment of cancer, particularly telomerase inhibitors. One current hypothesis regarding cancer growth is that it requires activation of telomerase to replicate. One way that cancer cell growth may be controlled is by inhibiting telomerase, an enzyme involved in shortening the DNA telomeres. This project reviews several clinical trials which show a promising telomerase inhibitor that is specific to cancer cells:2’-O-methoxyethyl oligonucletide (MOE), which binds to the telomerase RNA template, hTR. Certain telomerase inhibitors are more specific towards the telomerases that extend the telomere …

Tetrahydrobiopterin: Potential Role In Treatment Of Phenylketonuria, Brianna Woods

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an autosomal recessive metabolic disease caused by a genetic mutation that inhibits the conversion of the amino acid phenylalanine (Phe) into tyrosine. PKU diagnosis is based on detection of high concentrations of Phe in the blood serum. When blood levels of Phe are too high (hyperphenylalaninemia), the condition is toxic and could lead to mental retardation, epilepsy or other neurological abnormalities. Some patients diagnosed with PKU are also defective in the production of or lack the ability to produce tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) due to a genetic defect. BH4 is the cofactor for the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH), which …

Social Security And Social Contract, Lauren Adamcyzk, Jessica Alabastro, Gisella Garcia, Stephanie Rapaci, Jahmila Williams

Undergraduate Student Symposium

During the Great Depression President Franklin Roosevelt forged a Social Contract between the U.S. Government and the American people with his New Deal legislation. Social Security legislation was the cornerstone of the emerging social contract which also included unemployment insurance and work place safety laws. Over the next 40 years this concept of social contract was strengthened, particularly in the area of civil rights and with efforts to reduce income inequality.

During the past 35 years, however, there have been consistent efforts to erode the concept of social contract as we know it. Today the final vestige of social contract, …

The Five Pillars Of Islam, Marissa S. Dass

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The five pillars of Islam are perhaps the most fundamental characteristics of Islam which frames every Muslim’s life. Approximately 1.2 billion people in the world are Muslim, which is 22 percent of the world’s population. The five pillars of Islam is the foundation that upholds all Muslims. The pillars are woven with faith, prayer, fasting, charity and a pilgrimage. These five, of perhaps the most fundamental characteristics of this dynamic religion is, Shahada or the Declaration of Faith, Salat or Prayer, Saum or Fasting, Zakat or Charity and finally Hajj or the Pilgrimage to Mecca. These five pillars provide not …

Cultural Perceptions Of Alcohol Use In Children And Adolescents, Dujon Chang

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The proposed project investigates how people’s attitudes toward alcohol consumption vary across ethnic groups. Previous research has clearly shown that patterns of alcohol use are influenced by a group’s norms and attitudes regarding alcohol use. Groups with more liberal attitudes toward alcohol consumption are more likely to have frequent heavy drinkers than groups with more conservative norms and attitudes (Caetano & Clark, 1999). The current study investigates how a group’s norms toward alcohol use extend and apply to the use of alcohol in children and adolescents. We designed a 30-item questionnaire on various eating and drinking habits in adults, adolescents …

Take Back The Night, Danielle Garcia

Undergraduate Student Symposium

A newspaper article covering the emotional Take Back The Night, an event from Unity Week, at Nova Southeastern University. Take Back The Night united students in an effort to educate each other about violent acts against humanity. The article covers all the important guest speakers and traditions that take place during Take Back The Night. The rally included an informatal session, an open mic piece, and a campus march where students were able to shout out their feelings. The article itself tries to capture the strength of the rally and uses photographs to promote the message.

Nova Southeastern’S Rowing Team, Danielle Garcia

Undergraduate Student Symposium

A newspaper article promoting the Spring season for Nova Southeastern University's amazing rowing team. The piece discusses the dedication of the team, the rigorous practice, and the numerous accomplishments the team achieved in a year of existence. Included is a detailed description of practices and director quotes from Coach John Gartin who is confident in the future success of his remarkable team. The team was named Breakout team of 2004 by a top rowing magazine and that is evident once the readers see the determination of the rowers' faces in the included photographs.

The Role Of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5 (Cdk5) In Neurodegeneration, Ivan Jozic

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The purpose of this literature research project is to investigate the role of Cyclin- dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) in neurodegenerative diseases by summarizing its function in brain development, learning and memory. Cdk5 is a proline directed protein kinase that phosphorylates serine and threonine residues. Additionally the role of Cdk5 in the regulation of NMDA receptor, N-cadherin-mediated adhesion as well as the drugs that inhibit their normal functions will be examined. Recent studies regarding neurodegenerative pathology of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis reveled a crucial role of this kinase in central nervous system development, particularly in the …

A Life-Altering Moment, Earl Tinsley

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Off the coast of Maui stands Weston College, 300,000 square feet and 4 stories tall, surrounded by tons of green acre to the right and to the left, the hot sandy beach of Hawaii. One of Weston College’s most known residents is athletic scholar Cody Dallas – tall, dark, and blond – all the natural qualities for Maui’s local playboy. He is a man with a mission, a man who will break all the rules to bed his next mark. There isn’t a day that goes by that the entire student body is not talking about Cody and his latest …

Taking It Back, Jason Peebles

Undergraduate Student Symposium

You always thought you were right. You always thought you had the answer.

Well, here are some of the things you thought, that are wrong.

You thought that I went to the Police to spite you. Wrong.

You thought that I had you admitted to the Psych Ward, to make you sorry. Wrong again.

You thought that I left you to make you hurt. Absolutely wrong.

Relieved, Angela Cuyugan

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Emotionally drained, feeling insincere...

Crying tears in vain, wishing you were here.

Just not feelin’ the vibe of today, my head’s poundin’

Getting’ sick of givin’ sides in this game, I dread countin’

...The time tickin’ away, in my insomniac world.

Ego Tripping (There May Be A Reason Why) By Nikki Giovanni, T-Neisha Tate

Undergraduate Student Symposium

EgoTripping was written by Nikki Giovanni in 1973. The poem will be performed as a monolog.

My Vagina Was My Village, Jaymie Brooks

Undergraduate Student Symposium

For literary performance presentations, I will be performing an excerpt from theVagina Monologues called “My Vagina Was My Village.” This monologue piece is about a Bohemian woman representing all the Bohemian women who were allowed to be sexually assaulted, or raped by the enemy soldiers as a tactic of war. This is one woman’s story on her experience when she was interviewed by the author of the Vagina Monologues Eva Ensler.

Neurocardiogenic Syncope, Alisha Van Hoose

Undergraduate Student Symposium

This research was conducted by reviewing studies conducted on neurocardiogenic syncope, primarily in the United States and India, in an attempt to better understand the causes of the condition.

Neurocardiogenic syncope, also referred to as vasovagal syncope vasodepressive syncope, neurally mediated syncope, and neurally mediated hypotension, is the most commonly diagnosed form of syncope, accounting for 3-5% of emergency room visits and from 1-6% of hospital admittances yearly.

The condition is incompletely understood and quite often difficult to diagnose: the most common diagnostic tool, the Head-Up Tilt Table Test, results in false positives 2-6% of the time through passive testing, …

Exploration Of Personality Preferences Between College Students And College Student Athletes, Taylor Liput

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The goal of this research study was to explore whether there existed differences in personality preferences between college non-student-athletes and college student-athletes. Participants were given the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), which is a personality survey with questions relating to general perceptions about oneself. The researchers handed out surveys to students in their school environment and asked them to fill out the questionnaire. The 93-question survey took around 10 to 20 minutes for each person to fill out. 90 undergraduate students at Nova Southeastern University completed the MBTI, 41 of which were student-athletes and 49 of which were non-student-athletes. t- tests …

Untitled, Angela Cuyugan

Undergraduate Student Symposium

I stood there, not even knowing of his existence, and he approached me with a cheap line.

Who woulda known he would throw me off, and sweep me off my feet?

I shoulda known, from the bottom of what was left of my needy heart,

He came, to say hello, and a possible talk.

How much I would give to return to the innocence of adolescence.

To feel as confident, yet knowing my unsurpassing naïveté.

Coming Of Age, Angela Cuyugan

Undergraduate Student Symposium

...I still hold the last pieces of broken glass. I sit alone, wondering, all by myself, over the years trying to repair the shattered window; the only looking-glass that was to our future, our past, and even our present. God, how I pathetically still stare at the jagged fragments of sharp objects scattered on the floor like leaves blown off a tree. Staring blindly into an unknown realm, I try to peer out of the now unprotected hole in the wall. So secure, so untouched, and now it was judgment day. Time to finally accept time, time to finally accept …

Almost, Marie Cuneo

Undergraduate Student Symposium

     I’ve been slayed

     by subtle

     intricate

     daring

                    things      that you do

                                          or wish you could

not suppositions,

          but the longing

           I see lurking

                                             behind      your      eyes

The Nova Southeastern Lawyer, Spring-Summer 2005, Volume 12, Number 6, Nova Southeastern University - Shepard Broad Law Center

Nova Lawyer

No abstract provided.

The Alumni Network, Spring 2005 (Vol. Xix No. 1), Nova Southeastern University

Alumni Network Newsletter

No abstract provided.