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Shift Or Stagnation:: Analyzing Changing Japanese Attitudes Towards Various Minorities, Aïcha M. Camara Jan 2022

Shift Or Stagnation:: Analyzing Changing Japanese Attitudes Towards Various Minorities, Aïcha M. Camara

Honors Undergraduate Theses

As nations economically prosper, do future generations undergo a steady shift in values? This thesis seeks to analyze the Post-World War II intergenerational shift in Japanese attitudes toward Japanese women and the LGBT, multiethnic, and indigenous communities. Centered around Ronald Inglehart's "Materialist" and "Post-Materialist" theories, this research seeks to contribute to current literature surrounding the development of contemporary Japanese values. Inglehart's "Materialist" theory consists of the idea that individuals pursued various goals in hierarchical order with their base necessities such as sustenance and safety gaining priority. After their base necessities are satisfied, Inglehart believed that people's values shifted, emphasizing belonging, …


Differential Workload Levels For Primary And Secondary Tasks Using Virtual Reality, Ritesh Chandrasekaran Jan 2022

Differential Workload Levels For Primary And Secondary Tasks Using Virtual Reality, Ritesh Chandrasekaran

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Virtual reality (VR) has modernized the way that training has been done across multiple domains. Combining the benefits of using VR with the ability to measure workload levels from eye tracking data is a promising area of opportunity for all disciplines and jobs that require hands-on training. With VR becoming of increasing interest for optimizing training simulations and protocols for work around the world, this study aims to determine differential workload levels in virtual reality by using objective performance data in a simulation and subjectively assessing workload through the NASA-TLX survey. For this study, a 3x1 repeated measures ANOVA was …


The Impact Of Emotional Support On Identity In Breast Cancer Survivors, Sakinah Dewji Jan 2022

The Impact Of Emotional Support On Identity In Breast Cancer Survivors, Sakinah Dewji

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine the impact that breast cancer has on identity and how emotional support affects identity formation in women after cancer diagnosis and treatment. While there is much research on the medical treatment of breast cancer and the impact it has on women, there is a gap in research on the identity construction of women who have gone through breast cancer and the impact of emotional support for them during and after treatment. This is an important aspect of research as demonstrated by the rising number of women diagnosed with breast cancer each year. …


Impact Of Counsel Type On Initial Release Decisions And Case Outcomes, Nefertari Elshiekh Jan 2022

Impact Of Counsel Type On Initial Release Decisions And Case Outcomes, Nefertari Elshiekh

Honors Undergraduate Theses

When a defendant is arrested, they can choose to either hire a private attorney to represent them, have appointed counsel such as a public defender, or have no representation. While the Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to counsel regardless of a defendant’s ability to pay, this counsel is not always required at first appearance. In fact, only 14 states have made it a requirement to have counsel at first appearance, and even in those states, counsel is not always appointed immediately. However, at first appearance, the judge determines whether to release the defendant pending trial, and if the defendant is …


A Look Into Alzheimer’S Disease—Interventions At The Molecular Level, Priscila Feliciano Nieves Jan 2022

A Look Into Alzheimer’S Disease—Interventions At The Molecular Level, Priscila Feliciano Nieves

Honors Undergraduate Theses

There are puzzle pieces to the cure for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), and such can emerge by inspecting the biomolecular interactions and their effects on neuronal cells. The upcoming presented literature review will cover the molecular changes caused by AD pathological progression, explore the relationship between non-AD molecules and AD molecules in the body, and analyze potential contributing factors in AD. In addition, the information to be provided will highlight medicinal alternatives respective to a particular stage in AD.


Methods For Characterization Of Cl-001 Derived Exosomes As A Stimulating Agent For Nk Cells For Immunotherapy, Ilana Gomez Diaz Jan 2022

Methods For Characterization Of Cl-001 Derived Exosomes As A Stimulating Agent For Nk Cells For Immunotherapy, Ilana Gomez Diaz

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The immune system is a complex set of cells in the body that work to prevent disease or infection by recognizing and eliminating foreign material or unhealthy cells. One essential type of immune cell that is part of the innate immune response are Natural Killer (NK) cells. These cytotoxic effector lymphocytes can detect certain unhealthy cells, such as cancer cells, that normal B and T cells would miss. For example, many tumor cells have evolved to bypass immune system surveillance by not expressing major histocompatibility complex class I molecules (MHC class I), on their surface, reducing recognition by cytotoxic T …


Elaboration, Resolution, And Coping In The Covid-19 Narratives Of College Students: Relations To Identity Development, Maha Y. Halabi Jan 2022

Elaboration, Resolution, And Coping In The Covid-19 Narratives Of College Students: Relations To Identity Development, Maha Y. Halabi

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Previous research has shown that talking about highly significant experiences in more elaborative ways and with greater meaning-making is related to better identity development in emerging adults (McLean & Pratt, 2006). Expressing personally significant experiences through narratives allows individuals to construct coherent autobiographical stories about the self, connecting their past, present, and future selves into a coherent whole, which ultimately contributes to healthy identity development (Pennebaker & Seagal, 1999). In this research, we examined the Covid-19 narratives of college students in relation to identity development. Data was collected from 218 emerging adult college students, ages 18 and above, both males …


The Effect Of Young Blood Anti-Aging Treatment On Protein Markers Of Age And Huntington Disease, Sujena H. Koilpillai Jan 2022

The Effect Of Young Blood Anti-Aging Treatment On Protein Markers Of Age And Huntington Disease, Sujena H. Koilpillai

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Huntington disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by expansion of a polyglutamine tract within the huntingtin (HTT) protein, forming mutant HTT (mtHTT). HD patients suffer from psychiatric, behavioral, cognitive, and motor abnormalities, with death typically occurring 15-20 years after symptom onset. Currently, there are no treatments able to slow disease progression or delay onset. HD is a disease of aging. Despite the mtHTT protein being produced throughout life, symptoms do not typically appear until adulthood. Furthermore, many cellular effects of normal aging are also seen in HD, including altered intercellular communication and loss of proteostasis. Recently, our lab found …


Regulation Of The Protease Activity For The Mitochondrial Omi/Htra2, Simon Larson Jan 2022

Regulation Of The Protease Activity For The Mitochondrial Omi/Htra2, Simon Larson

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Human High Temperature requirement A2 (HtrA2) also known as Omi, is a serine protease located in the mitochondria with an important function in both cell survival and death. My results show the proteolytic activity of Omi/HtrA2 varies under different conditions. I characterized the optimal condition for Omi/HtrA2 protease activity using an in vitro assay system. Additionally, I identified a new allosteric regulation of Omi/HtrA2 through interaction with a specific substrate, the MUL1 protein. MUL1 is a multifunctional E3 ubiquitin ligase anchored in the outer mitochondrial membrane with domains both inside mitochondria and in the cytoplasm. The data shown here strongly …


The Effect Of Transgender Salience On Judgement Of Gender Perception, Gabriella Markovich Jan 2022

The Effect Of Transgender Salience On Judgement Of Gender Perception, Gabriella Markovich

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Two studies were performed to examine the effect of salient awareness of transgender individuals on the choices of individuals on dating apps. This study posited that transgender individuals may represent a threat to the sexual and romantic identities of others, and that being reminded of transgender individuals’ existence on dating apps would cause participants to take longer to choose who to connect with, connect with fewer individuals, and make lower judgements of the individuals’ gender and attractiveness. Participant reaction time, choice in potential partners (swipe choices), gender perception, and ratings of attractiveness were compared across a control and threat condition. …


Sport, Masculinity, Race And Nation: A Case Of Fandom And The Football Industry, Paula Andreina Natera Benitez Jan 2022

Sport, Masculinity, Race And Nation: A Case Of Fandom And The Football Industry, Paula Andreina Natera Benitez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Football (or soccer in America) is one of the most popular sports in the world, it is played worldwide from the United Kingdom to the Laos Islands. Usually called the beautiful game, fans' traditions are inherited from parents to children, and legendary players are venerated as demigods. However, with its growth, also came the growth of a billions-worth “non-profit” industry governed by FIFA. The love of the game is also used to explore the concept of “nation” and has a long history with dictatorships using “passion” to cover up their human rights violations as well as attempts to use it …


The Intertwined Relationship Of Stress And Sleep Quality Of Undergraduate Students During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jordan Nguyen Jan 2022

The Intertwined Relationship Of Stress And Sleep Quality Of Undergraduate Students During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jordan Nguyen

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study aims to examine the relationship between stress and sleep of undergraduate students during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. The possibly correlational relationship between these two parameters was determined with respect to how this population was faring during recent times, two years into the pandemic. The study also served to examine how this relationship changed over time based on three time frames: before the pandemic, during the advent of the lockdown (March 2020-May 2020), and during recent times. A survey was developed to collect data from the undergraduate participants for correlation and regression analysis to determine the relationship …


Internal State Language And Coping In Narratives Of Covid-19: Relation To Psychological Well-Being, Divya Pradipkumar Patel Jan 2022

Internal State Language And Coping In Narratives Of Covid-19: Relation To Psychological Well-Being, Divya Pradipkumar Patel

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The Covid-19 pandemic had global consequences for billions of individuals, including high rates of mortality and morbidity, lost income, and prolonged social isolation. In the short and long term, this crisis will have an impact on people's lives and mental health. The current correlational study looks at how internal state language, stress, and coping are used in college students' narratives concerning the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown experiences in relation to psychological well-being. A sample of 216 undergraduate students completed surveys that recorded their narrative experiences of COVID-19, psychological well-being, depression severity, and measure of how stressful occurrences in one’s life …


The Use Of Exogenous Acrp30 As A Promising Amelioratory Compound Regarding Insulin Resistance And Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus, Stephen L. Romero Jan 2022

The Use Of Exogenous Acrp30 As A Promising Amelioratory Compound Regarding Insulin Resistance And Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus, Stephen L. Romero

Honors Undergraduate Theses

As numerous bodies of research have characterized the adipocytokine adiponectin (ACRP30) as an anti-diabetic compound, this work serves as an analysis to partly elucidate the potential usage of supplementary adiponectin as a therapeutic compound in the treatment of type II diabetes mellitus. In this work, a meta-analysis was conducted to centralize large amounts of data on adiponectin’s insulin sensitizing characteristics in conjunction with like-minded studies utilizing metformin treatment as the diabetic standard of care. Upon comparison of fasting glucose, fasting insulin, and glucose tolerance test area under the curve reduction percentages, it is quite clear that ACRP30 has significant insulin …


Investigating Ground Interactions Of A Rotocraft Landing Vehicle On Titan, Adam Rozman Jan 2022

Investigating Ground Interactions Of A Rotocraft Landing Vehicle On Titan, Adam Rozman

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The exploration of celestial bodies has recently advanced from rovers to rotorcraft. This includes the recent flights of Mars Ingenuity and the upcoming Dragonfly mission to explore the terrain of Saturn’s moon Titan as part of NASA’s New Frontiers Program. Flight-based landers can travel quickly to sites kilometers apart and land in complex terrain. Although cruise conditions for these rotorcrafts are well understood, studies are necessary to understand take-off and landing. In ground effect conditions, a rotor wake impinges and reflects off the ground, creating changes in aerodynamics such as increased lift. Additionally, operating over loose surfaces, the rotors can …


Multicolor Ramsey And List Ramsey Numbers For Double Stars, Jake Ruotolo Jan 2022

Multicolor Ramsey And List Ramsey Numbers For Double Stars, Jake Ruotolo

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The core idea of Ramsey theory is that complete disorder is impossible. Given a large structure, no matter how complex it is, we can always find a smaller substructure that has some sort of order. For a graph H, the k-color Ramsey number r(H; k) of H is the smallest integer n such that every k-edge-coloring of Kn contains a monochromatic copy of H. Despite active research for decades, very little is known about Ramsey numbers of graphs. This is especially true for r(H; k) when k is at least 3, also known as the multicolor Ramsey number of …


The Pardon Paradigm: The Presidential Pardons Of Donald J. Trump, Hlynur Saemundsson Jan 2022

The Pardon Paradigm: The Presidential Pardons Of Donald J. Trump, Hlynur Saemundsson

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The presidential pardon power is an oft-overlooked political institution that seems to be perceived as being innocuous and irrelevant to larger political concerns. This research examines the pardons issued by President Donald J. Trump in an effort to evaluate whether they align with constitutional expectations regarding the use of this unrestricted presidential power. Dr. Jeffrey Crouch, a leading scholar on the subject, has demonstrated that the pardon power was intended to be used as a disinterested act of grace or an act in the public interest. A close survey of President Trump’s use of this power shows that many of …


Self-Assessment Of Elementary Lesson Plans Through An Ecological Lens, Scott Edward Sebree Jan 2022

Self-Assessment Of Elementary Lesson Plans Through An Ecological Lens, Scott Edward Sebree

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Classrooms are ecosystems. Classrooms have well defined boundaries and host living and nonliving elements. These elements interact as classroom lessons and day to day ongoings occur. These interactions have potential to be synergized to increase learning outcomes. The purpose of this research is to develop a self-reflective instrument for teachers to consider the elements, interactions, and synergy of lessons. An instrument was developed based on models of other survey instruments (Cantu, 2015) (Appendix A). Content validity experts were recruited, and the instrument was refined as a self-reflective tool. As a self-reflective instrument teachers can use reflective practice to further intentional …


Investigation Of Dna Hybridization In Localized Systems In Close Proximity, Ashley M. Sewsankar Jan 2022

Investigation Of Dna Hybridization In Localized Systems In Close Proximity, Ashley M. Sewsankar

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Hybridization of two or more DNA or RNA strands is well documented for the process taking place with all strands free in solution or when one strand is immobilized on a substrate. This study contributes to the investigation of the hybridization process when two single DNA strands (ssDNA) are in close proximity. We took advantage of an X sensor in which hybridization of four DNA strands enables the formation of a DNA four-way junction (crossover or X) structure. We immobilized multiple layers of crossover structures to study its hybridization being triggered by short ssDNA coming from solution and further investigate …


Instanton Counting, Matrix Models, And Characters, Spencer Tamagni Jan 2022

Instanton Counting, Matrix Models, And Characters, Spencer Tamagni

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In this thesis we study symmetries of quantum field theory visible only at the non-perturbative level, which arise from large deformations of the integration contour in the path integral. We exposit the recently-developed theory of qq-characters that organizes such symmetries in the case of N = 2 supersymmetric gauge theories in four dimensions. We sketch the physical origin of such observables from intersecting branes in string theory, and the mathematical origin as certain
equivariant integrals over Nakajima quiver varieties. We explain some of the main applications, including the derivation of Seiberg-Witten geometry for quiver gauge theories and the relations to …


The Role Of The Prefrontal Cortex And Stress In Huntington Disease-Mediated Aggression, Kadambari Vyas Jan 2022

The Role Of The Prefrontal Cortex And Stress In Huntington Disease-Mediated Aggression, Kadambari Vyas

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Huntington Disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by motor, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms. Although HD onset is determined by motor symptoms, psychiatric symptoms, like depression and aggression, can develop earlier, have a larger impact on quality of life, and are understudied due to stigma. Our lab has observed hyper aggression in our humanized HD mouse model (Hu97/18) compared to our knock-in HD mouse model (Q175FDN). We characterized these differences and found that the Hu97/18 mice overreact in neutral situations, behaving as if they are in threatening situations. We are now using this novel model of HD-related …


The Relationship Between Sarcopenia And Diabetes Among Different Ethnic Groups, Rachel K. Williams Jan 2022

The Relationship Between Sarcopenia And Diabetes Among Different Ethnic Groups, Rachel K. Williams

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Sarcopenia and diabetes are two conditions that reflect ongoing changes in global health trends: aging and obesity. Sarcopenia affects approximately 10-40% of the global population and type II diabetes affects around 415 million individuals (6.28% globally), with obesity contributing to a majority of the cases. Currently, approximately 9.3% of the population (727 million individuals) is aged 65 years or older; this number is predicted to reach 16% of the global population (around 1.5 billion individuals) in 2050. Many developed countries are undergoing demographic population pyramid rearrangements whereby an increasingly aging population must be supported by a shrinking youth cohort. Sarcopenia …


The Cost, Politics And Controversy Of Human Space Flight In Nigeria Or How To Put The First African Astronaut Into Space, Desiree Winns Jan 2022

The Cost, Politics And Controversy Of Human Space Flight In Nigeria Or How To Put The First African Astronaut Into Space, Desiree Winns

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The most pressing barriers between reality and the dream of the first African astronaut in space are a lack of resources, cooperation, and support. However, Nigeria presently suffers from the threat of famine, intercommunal violence, and population displacement as a result of terrorism and food insecurity. The reliance upon humanitarian aid from countries such as the United States and international NGOs creates a question of whether Nigeria should even be considering exploration of space. It can be said that any investment into space should instead be granted to displaced people, water and food security, and cracking down on terrorism. Why …


The Global Impact Of Covid-19 And Tourism On Conservation Rangers' Guardianship Capabilities, Zachary Bockler Jan 2022

The Global Impact Of Covid-19 And Tourism On Conservation Rangers' Guardianship Capabilities, Zachary Bockler

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis explores how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted wildlife rangers with an emphasis on the influences of tourism rates. Two sets of data are used: one is a survey of rangers around the world and the other looks at global governmental tourism data. While coming from a routine activities perspective, the problem of decreased capable guardianship becomes apparent in the form of massively decreased tourism arrivals and troubling ranger perceptions. This data allows for the establishment of tourism trends and changes during COVID. The findings of this thesis link the downturn in tourism with impacts on formal and informal …


Susceptibility And The Stockholm Syndrome, Karina S. Cabrera Jan 2022

Susceptibility And The Stockholm Syndrome, Karina S. Cabrera

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis intends to explore the relationship between three specific types of abuse and their susceptibility to developing Stockholm syndrome. Stockholm syndrome is the psychological phenomenon of a victim empathizing with their abuser. It can occur under various types of abuse, such as captivity, domestic violence with a partner, and child sexual abuse. A thorough literature review was conducted on the topic to determine which type of abuse makes a person more susceptible to developing the syndrome. It was concluded that the circumstances involved in child sexual abuse make a victim more inclined to sympathize with their abuser. By understanding …


Investigation Of Pitching And Plunging Motions On A Tandem Wing Configuration, Riley M. Capiro Jan 2022

Investigation Of Pitching And Plunging Motions On A Tandem Wing Configuration, Riley M. Capiro

Honors Undergraduate Theses

From the beginning of the history of flight, inspiration has been drawn from nature. Evolution has spent millions of years optimizing creatures that rely on flight as their means of locomotion. Today, aerial vehicles are very different to those from the time of the Wright brothers. One kind of vehicle that stands to benefit in mimicking nature is the drone, particularly smaller drones. Commonly used today by militaries, industry and civilians, drones are increasingly affordable while also decreasing in size thanks to advancements in electronics and manufacturing methods. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how pitching and rolling …


Mental Health Of Puerto Ricans Who Stayed In Puerto Rico Compared To Those Who Migrated To Florida After Hurricane Maria, Sophia Chapdelaine Jan 2022

Mental Health Of Puerto Ricans Who Stayed In Puerto Rico Compared To Those Who Migrated To Florida After Hurricane Maria, Sophia Chapdelaine

Honors Undergraduate Theses

September 20th, 2017 was a devastating day for many Puerto Ricans as Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico. A majority of people were left without electricity, water, transportation, and communication between friends and family. In addition, many experienced losses such as destruction of their home and personal belongings as well as the death of family members and friends. This resulted in a decline in mental health. According to previous literature, key indicators of poor mental health in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria were increased diagnoses of depression, anxiety, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This study provides a comprehensive …


A Mixed Methods Study On Levels Of Physical Activity And Degree Of Fear Of Falling In Older Adults, Oscar L. Garcia Jan 2022

A Mixed Methods Study On Levels Of Physical Activity And Degree Of Fear Of Falling In Older Adults, Oscar L. Garcia

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Maintaining a physically active lifestyle has shown to decrease the risks of falling by slowing down the degenerative changes that occur with aging adults. But despite these physical changes, research has recognized the development of the fear of falling (FOF) as also attributing to the aging adults’ risk of falling. Furthermore, increases the risk of falling and subsequently increases the loss of independency. This study aimed to: 1) examine the relationships between the levels of physical activity, degree of FOF, and fall risk using quantitative approach; and 2) explore the changes of FOF and understand its cause using qualitative approach. …


Sexual And Intimate Partner Violence Among The Lgbtq+ College Population, Courteney Lewis Jan 2022

Sexual And Intimate Partner Violence Among The Lgbtq+ College Population, Courteney Lewis

Honors Undergraduate Theses

College-aged students have the highest sexual assault and intimate partner violence victimization rates. Previous studies have linked victimization with poor mental health scores, especially in the LGBTQ+ college population. They also showed a higher rate of victimization for LGBTQ+ students. The goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between victimization and mental health in the LGBTQ+ college population. To conduct this study, I used data from the Spring 2021 and 2022, American College Health Association (ACHA) - National College Health Assessment (NCHA). The results of the study established statistical significance in the rates of sexual violence in LGBTQ+ …


Genetic Algorighm Representation Selection Impact On Binary Classification Problems, Stephen V. Maldonado Jan 2022

Genetic Algorighm Representation Selection Impact On Binary Classification Problems, Stephen V. Maldonado

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In this thesis, we explore the impact of problem representation on the ability for the genetic algorithms (GA) to evolve a binary prediction model to predict whether a physical therapist is paid above or below the median amount from Medicare. We explore three different problem representations, the vector GA (VGA), the binary GA (BGA), and the proportional GA (PGA). We find that all three representations can produce models with high accuracy and low loss that are better than Scikit-Learn’s logistic regression model and that all three representations select the same features; however, the PGA representation tends to create lower weights …