Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Hibernation On The Hemostatic Properties Of The American Bullfrog, Rana Catesbeiana, Kiana Cullinan

Honors Program Theses

It is known that hibernating animals display a drastic reduction in metabolic rate, accompanied by reduced heart rate and rate of blood flow through vessels. Sluggish blood flow increases the risk for developing clots, yet it has been observed that hibernators conclusively display elongated clotting times. This observed impairment may be caused by the decrease in body temperature, due to a negative impact on the functioning of the enzymes involved in coagulation. Some hibernating endotherms, or “warm-blooded” animals, employ biological mechanisms as preventative means to prevent clotting during hibernation, such as the down-regulation of certain clotting factors or the production …

Digital Action: An Exploratory Documentary Of Artistic Process, Dana Renee Potter

Honors Program Theses

Digital Action: An Exploratory Documentation of Artistic Process is a short documentary film of the creation of artwork for my Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition, titled Digital Action. In the exhibition titled Digital Action, I created visualizations of my daily computer use to explore how digital experiences are simultaneously overwhelming and wildly inspiring. The video presents video of the steps of my process in a linear fashion with my voice-order explaining the process and theory behind the artwork. The documentary was filmed from September 2015 to December 2015.

The Analysis Of Diruthenium Compounds On Human Cells As Potential Chemotherapeutic Agents, Elizabeth Mcculloch

Honors Program Theses

Chemotherapy is a common method of cancer treatment, and cisplatin is a common anticancer compound used in chemotherapy. While effective, cisplatin is known to cause many side effects, and people can form resistance to it. Because of these problems, new chemotherapeutic compounds are needed. One compound that has shown anticancer properties, an ability to overcome resistance, and nontoxicity is ruthenium. Multiple mono-ruthenium compounds have been previously studied and were found to be effective. The current research project synthesized a diruthenium compound Cp₂Ru₂(bipy)₂(DMSO)₂ and exposed the compound to human liver cells (HepG2) to determine …

Similar But Different: An Analysis Of Differences In Clarinet And Saxophone Pedagogy And Doubler’S Misconceptions, Nicholas Jeremy Carlo

Honors Program Theses

Doubling, or the ability to play one or more secondary instruments, is an extremely important skill for the professional woodwind player to have. For a saxophonist, the ability to play clarinet can sometimes make the difference between winning an audition or not. On a more basic level, many clarinetists learn to play saxophone so they can participate in the school jazz band, while many saxophonists learn to play clarinet both as a double in jazz band or as a new challenge in the concert band setting. Many times a student will pick up an instrument and attempt to figure it …

Effects Of Atp And Atp Inhibitors On The P2x7 Receptor, Holly Marie Salzbrenner

Honors Program Theses

Extracellular ATP has been shown to increase the permeability of cells via the P2X7 receptor. This relationship could be important in understanding the physiology of the inflammation that occurs in bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC). My research involved testing to see if this relationship between ATP and the P2X7 receptor is present. Then, potential inhibitors of ATP were tested so they can be used in further research involving ATP and BRDC. To test bovine cells, Mac-T cells were treated with ATP and incubated for various periods of time before Yo-Pro (a fluorescent molecule) was added. The percent change in fluorescence …

Numuzart: An Original, Multi-Sensory, Creative Experience, Tori Christine Ovel

Honors Program Theses

NuMuzArt grew from a small seed planted in my brain over the summer of 2014, when I attended a few summer composition programs to experience and learn more about my compositional craft. While at the Charlotte Music Festival, I participated in a conversation about the sterile nature of music recitals in the academic and concert music world. This conversation stuck with me and became a no-brainer subject for my honors thesis. I would research the concert music world and construct an alternative which would solve a few of my personal vendettas against the standard recital format, while retaining a “serious …

Functional Analysis Of Drought-Resistant Genes In Barley Using Vigs, Natalie Catherine Martin

Honors Program Theses

The following study analyzed the role of the gamma-aminobutyric acid transaminase (GABAT) gene in the response of barley plants to drought stress. Expression of GABAT in barley was suppressed using virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS). In VIGS, an RNA virus is used to replicate a small portion of the target RNA. In this study, barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV), that carries a piece of the GABAT gene to infect barley, was used. As the virus replicates inside infected barley plants, it also makes RNA that is complementary to GABAT messenger RNA (mRNA) that is normally made by the host. The presence …

Analysis Of Protein Expression For Potential Biomarkers In Human Pancreatic Tumor Cell Lines, Jade Ashley Simpson

Honors Program Theses

Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive cancer of the pancreas that has been shown to have extremely low survival rates. It can be quite lethal because of its asymptomatic early stages and inability to detect cancer at the cellular level. Once diagnosed, the cancer will have usually spread or metastasized beyond surgical resection. Thus, research is focused on finding potential biomarkers in tumor cell lines to help in earlier diagnosis of this disease leading to better treatment options. Previous work using bioinformatics data suggest several cellular genes including, CTHCR1, EPPK1, AHNAK2, and IGHG3, can be potential biomarkers for pancreatic cancer. The …

Above- And Belowground Biomass And Soil Respiration In A Low-Input Perennial Biofuel Production System, Jordan Young, Jessica Abernathy, Kenneth Elgersma

Undergraduate Student Work

Backgroud

• Global climate change largely depends on the atmospheric carbon balance, of which soil respiration is a significant component.
• Native perennial prairie vegetation is being tested as an alternative to corn for renewable biofuel production.
• Mixtures of this vegetation are considered ‘carbon negative’ because net CO2 sequestration exceeds atmospheric release¹.
• Studies have shown that aboveground biomass and the rate of carbon sequestration are both increased by planting a diverse mixture of species versus a monoculture¹.

Research Question:

How does the diversity of biofuel vegetation mixtures affect soil respiration, aboveground biomass and belowground biomass?

Analysis Of Ipomoea (Morning Glory) Leaf Mutants, Abigail Anne Lee

Honors Program Theses

Ipomoea (morning glory) is the largest genus in the family Convolvulaceae. Cultivation of morning glory plants began in the late Edo period in Japan, and this horticultural success resulted in thousands of plants with varying floral displays. In addition to the different flower morphologies, leaf shape is highly variable within this family making it an ideal group in which to study leaf development. We selected four mutants that vary in lobe number and lobe depth: 1) Tokyo Standard (TKS1065; wild-type; 3 lobes), yellow maple (ym1018; 5 lobes), delicate maple (dlm620; 5 deep lobes), and maple willow …

Losing Robin Williams: An Analysis Of User-Generated Twitter Content Following The Sudden Death Of A Celebrity, Samantha Mallow

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of my thesis is to examine how people use social media, in this case Twitter, to share content that reflects their attitudes toward the loss of a celebrity and the issue of mental illness. To complete my research, I examined how users of Twitter created content expressing their reactions to the sudden passing of comedian and actor Robin Williams on August 11, 2014. Williams’ death raised mental illness issues that he had faced during his life. After analyzing the data I created a short survey with eight tweets that referred to mental illness. The survey was administered to …

Age Variation In Nonverbal Cue Recognition In Computer-Mediated Communication, Nathaniel Beyerink

Honors Program Theses

When interacting with someone in a face-to-face setting you not only communicate with spoken words, but with other sorts of communicative tools, such as tone of voice or facial expressions. However, now interlocutors are frequently communicating through channels, such as email, that restrict their ability to use such tools. Therefore, one may wonder how one retains the same level of communication. The purpose of the research reported in this paper was to attempt to attain a better understanding of the ways in which people interpret text-based computer-mediated communication (e.g. texting, instant messaging, and email). More specifically, this study looks at …

Assessing Study Abroad Outcomes: Groundwork For Change In Curriculum, Avary Bradford

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine the outcomes of participating in a short-term study abroad program. This study outlines experiences of undergraduate students from the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) who completed a three-week study abroad course in Southern Italy in May 2015. Data for this study were collected through the use of three online surveys. I compare and contrast survey results in order to provide a model for analysis such that study abroad programs like this provide both rigorous and relevant content and structure which increases the well-roundedness and global awareness of students. According to past studies, …

The American Symphony Orchestra: Factors Affecting Concert Attendance And Predictions For The Millennial Ticketholder, Hayley Graham

Honors Program Theses

This research investigates the perception of live orchestral music performances among members of the American millennial generation, born between 1985 and 1997. Specifically, it describes the most common factors and trends affecting attendance decisions, looking at aspects such as past musical experience, marketing strategies used, and accessibility of performances. Current programming, marketing, and educational trends in several orchestras are also considered. Information for this study was gathered from a survey of University of Northern Iowa students, as well as from case studies of orchestras. This thesis provides predictions and recommendations for how to best reach this demographic as orchestras move …

Finding Community: The Importance Of Intergroup Dialogue Within Diversity Workshops, Joslyn Nycole Aldape

Honors Program Theses

The number of students with diverse backgrounds has increased across universities and colleges nationwide. In fact, some institutions have hired Chief Diversity Officers. According to Jeffery L. Wilson, close to 150 institutions were a part of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE) in 2009 (433). As campuses experience an influx of new demographics, there is an increasing need to discuss diversity issues. The rapidity of this movement has created great conflict on college campuses, such as the hate crime incident that occurred at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) in October 2014. Surrounding the application Yik …

Perspectives On Why The Glass Ceiling Still Exists For Women In Advertising And Media And Tools To Help Shatter It, Olivia Hottle Mossman

Honors Program Theses

This ethnographic study provides current insights into the barriers women experience as they seek executive positions in the media and advertising industries—careers largely held by men. Interviews with women who currently or have previously held management roles in media and advertising companies are analyzed and presented. The knowledge gained from these interviews raises awareness of the lack of women’s voices on the media channels that influence a society’s perception of what is socially and culturally acceptable. This research also counteracts an absence of recent research regarding this topic. As the study evolved, it looked more at the relationships between women …

Best Practices For Adoption Of An Inquiry Learning Model In K-5 Education, Michelle M. Kruse

Graduate Research Papers

This study describes best practices employed by successful teacher librarians in adopting and implementing an inquiry learning model within their schools and the obstacles overcome in doing so. It focuses on seven teacher librarians in the Grant Wood and Mississippi Bend Iowa Area Education Agencies who have completed their master's degrees or hold state licensure, and have at least one year of teaching experience. Participants took part in hour-long face-to-face, semi-structured interviews, and provided documentation of a lesson or a unit they have taught utilizing their school's inquiry learning model. After transcribing rich data from the interviews, the researcher coded …

Plaque Manufacturing Process, Rhys South

Graduate Research Papers

The project is to use TQM principles like standardization to modify the processes whereby we make wooden plaque blanks, bases and engrave the image on the plaques. The problem I have addressed is that the previous method of production was highly dependent on the skill level of the students (workers) and took too long to finish the production run. I mentioned in the introduction that the students display Beginner Skill Level with most machines and processes. The processes used for the first year were almost an artisan approach. Each of the 300 parts was made one by one with very …

On The Prediction Of The Peak Demand Of Electrical Energy Use, Mahmoud Elbokl

Graduate Research Papers

Prediction of electricity peak demand is an integral part in any electrical utility. Many models were previously proposed for prediction, ranging from short-term, intermediate to long-term prediction. Prediction of electricity peak demand is crucial in avoiding unneeded expenses to upgrade the electrical power supply. It is a continuous process that is still in need of study and improvement. University of Northern Iowa is an educational institution with 10,380 undergraduate students, 66% of whom reside in university housing and 59% of the total electricity demand is purchased from Cedar Falls utilities. The university utilizes a model based on computerized live reading …

Uni Scholarworks Readership Snapshot, January 2015, Bepress

Library Documents & Reports (entire collection)

No abstract provided.

Communiqué: College Of Humanities, Arts & Sciences Alumni Magazine,Volume 4, Winter 2015, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Humanities, Arts, And Sciences.

Communiqué: College of Humanities, Arts & Sciences Alumni Magazine

Contents:

-- Dean's Message
-- Harlem Hellfighters
-- American Panthers in London
-- Little Free Libraries
-- Special Olympic Torch
-- Vertigo A-GoGo
-- World of Kurt Vonnegut
-- Donor Feature Regina Neville
-- CHAS Applause
-- News in Short
-- A New Learning Environment
-- Castle in Budapest
-- INSPIRE
-- Sixteen Strong: NCUR
-- Biology Living and Learning Community
-- Yager Award
-- Roboshop
-- Students in the news
-- Transitions
-- Book Nook
-- Donor Feature Gerald Intemann
-- Dean's Fund Donor Listing
-- Alumni News

The Update, January/February 2015, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Humanities, Arts And Sciences.

Update

Inside this issue:

-- FORTEPAN Iowa: UNI Professors Collaborate to Build a Digital Database of Iowa Photographs

-- Department News

-- School of Music Events
-- Theatre UNI Spring 2015 Shows
-- Yager Awards: Annual Yager Awards Event Yields a Memorable Experience
-- Alumni Spotlight: Technology: Greg Smith
-- Alumni Spotlight: Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders: Jamie Flatness
-- Student Spotlight: Department of Mathematics: Jacob Snyder
-- Featured Organization: Philosophy Club, Department of Philosophy and World Religions
-- Student Spotlight: Department of Art: Justin Allen
-- Student Spotlight: Department of Music: Malcolm Burke
-- Featured Organization: Women in Computing, …

The Wright Message, 2015-2016, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Mathematics.

The Wright Message

Inside this issue:

-- Dear Alumni and Friends
-- Dr. Edward Rathmell retires from UNI
-- 2015 Hari Shankar Lecture
-- Around Wright Hall
-- Congratulations to....
-- Faculty Highlights
-- Student News
-- 2015-2016 Tenure-Stream Faculty
-- Alumni Spotlight: Clayton Edwards & Mary Theilen
-- Department Interviews: Adrienne Stanley, Joel Haack, , Benjamin Castle & Suzanne Shontz
-- UNI Students Travel to Korea
-- Trijitzsky Scholarship Winner Emily Wardenburg
-- Student Spotlights: Amber Irlmeier, Britney Bockstahler, Derek Hofland & Julia Robinson
-- PAEMST Award Winner Allysen Lovstuen
-- Donor Spotlight: Alan and Barbara Hubbard
-- News fro KME
-- …

Unibusiness: The Alumni Magazine Of The College Of Business Administration University Of Northern Iowa, 2015, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Business Administration.

UNIBiz

Inside This Issue:
-- Dean's Message ••• 2
-- Global Experience = Global Careers ••• 4
-- Satisfying an Entrepeneurial Hunger ••• 8
-- MIS: 25 Years of Success ••• 10
-- Pella Pride ••• 12
-- Professional Readiness Program ••• 14
-- UNIBusiness in Action ••• 16
-- Annual Report on Giving ••• 18
-- Donor Spotlight •• 21
-- Faculty ••• 24
-- Graduation Celebration ••• 26
-- UNIBusiness Alumni ••• 30

Iowa Conference On Communicative Disorders [Program, 2015], Iowa Conference On Communicative Disorders

Iowa Conference on Communicative Disorders Programs

The Iowa Conference on Communicative Disorders provides continuing education activities in speech- language pathology that are acceptable to the State of Iowa and the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association. Areas of emphasis include adults and pediatrics.

How Does The Use Of Corporate Social Responsibility And Employee Volunteer Programs Impact The Image Of Manufacturers?, Krista L. Wahl

Graduate Research Papers

This research study will answer the question of how manufacturers use CSR and EVPs to improve their image. The shift in perspective from manufacturing as a dirty polluting industry to a socially responsible one giving back more than they consume needs to be better understood in order to implement strategies in other countries who continue to lag behind. Further it is important to continue to understand the impact of manufacturers who give back as compared to those who don't and how they see the benefits of their contributions.

The Use Of Marketing In Nonprofit Organizations, Elizabeth Kehret

Graduate Research Papers

The focus of this research is to conduct a comprehensive literature review on how marketing first began in the nonprofit sector, how it has grown and changed, and finally how nonprofits utilize marketing today using a variety of tools. All nonprofit organizations face competition in today's market whether it is from other nonprofit organizations or from the business sector. Leadership of nonprofit organizations must understand the strengths and weaknesses of different strategies; how to best utilize marketing them; and how to make them effective for their organization in order to capture their share of the market. In today's market, every …

Middle School Leisure Reading Selection: Influences During Selection And Implications For School Library Programs, Jessica A. Elliot

Graduate Research Papers

Numerous studies have been conducted in the past on the decline in amount of time students spend reading for leisure as they age. However, few studies have explored the specific factors that influence how middle school students select leisure reading materials. The purpose of this combined, qualitative and quantitative study is to explore the leisure reading habits of grade 8 students in order to explore the specific factors that influence middle schools students when they select leisure reading materials. Additionally, the study aims to determine if there are significant differences in how male and female students select their reading materials. …

Ela Teacher Perceptions Of The School Librarian's Role In Standards Implementation, Franny Frey

Graduate Research Papers

School library literature contains a wealth of ideas about the ways in which school librarians can be instrumental in implementing the Common Core State Standards for English language arts (CCSS ELA Standards). However, professional literature and important documents in other fields do not promote the school librarian’s role in standards implementation. It is unclear whether or not ELA teachers are aware of how the school librarian can support CCSS instruction. The purpose of this research study was to ascertain the perceptions and values middle school ELA teachers have of the school librarian’s role in implementing CCSS ELA standards. The research …

Teacher Librarians & Literacy Coaches: Their Roles In Reading Support, Nicole N. Ruthaivilavan

Graduate Research Papers

According to AASL (2010), multiple research studies have confirmed that there is a correlation between school library programs staffed by certified school librarians and increased student achievement; yet, many schools are also beginning to employ literacy coaches to improve reading achievement. With the teacher librarian being a well-established part of the school system, and playing a vital role in supporting students’ reading achievement, a clear definition of roles is needed. The purpose of this case study was to analyze roles and responsibilities of teacher librarians and literacy coaches and to determine how schools can utilize one or both of these …