Digital Commons Network^™

The Cinderella Tale: Oral, Literary, And Film Traditions, Olivia Camille Williams

Honors Theses

Folk and fairy tales have been told for centuries. The most prevalent medium of dispersing popular tales changed with technological advancements. Printed word superseded oral storytelling, to be succeeded by film. Some communal aspects of the tales were lost as print emerged, but with print came illustrations to describe the text. Film reimbued the tales with some of the theatrical elements of the oral tale while keeping, and heightening, the visual elements of the illustrated texts. The tale Cinderella has been, and still is, remarkably poplar. As such, it has received attention in academic circles and popular culture. The tale, …

Intentionally So: Morality In Children’S Literature, Anna Edwards

Honors Theses

There are tales that follow us from childhood and into adult life: they take the shape of children’s stories. Within these books there are moral lessons to be learned; often times these lessons are communicated through enchanting characters and strange settings. However, in addition to the morality that can be found in the pages of these texts, I believe there is also a morality surrounding their creation. More specifically, the way their authors approach their writing. By looking at the two works The Complete Adventures of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, a …

The Prickly Problem Of Pears Potential Effects Of Native Orthopteran Herbivory On An Invasive Woody Plant, Kaitlin Gawkins

Honors Theses

Across the United States, land managers are struggling to cope with a relatively new invasive species, Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana). Callery pear is currently one of the most important invasive species threatening prairies and early successional habitats in Ohio and the Midwest, and yet, no viable means of control exists for this species. This species is relatively resistant to herbicides and resilient against prescribed cutting and burning. One potential management of invasive species is biocontrol, or the intentional introduction of natural enemies to control the growth and propagation of a target organism. Previous experiments with Callery Pear have examined herbivory …

Cortisol Regulation Of Aquaglyceroporin Hc-3 Protein Expression In The Erythrocytes Of The Freeze Tolerant Tree Frog Dryophytes Chrysoscelis, Maria P. Labello

Honors Theses

Dryophytes chrysoscelis, commonly known as Cope’s gray treefrog, is a freeze tolerant anuran that freezes up to 65% of extracellular fluid during winter to survive. Glycerol is presumably used as a cryoprotectant during a period of cold-acclimation to protect cells from permanent damage due to hypoosmotic stress upon freezing and thawing. The passage of glycerol and water during cold-acclimation is mediated through aquaglyceroporin HC-3 in the nucleated erythrocytes (RBCs) of D. chrysoscelis. This thesis analyzes the mechanisms in which D. chrysoscelis prepares for cold-acclimation and glycerol synthesis. Cortisol is a stress hormone known to respond to osmolarity and metabolic challenges …

Misreading The Hybrid Face: The Alienation Of Performed And Authentic Self In Danzy Senna’S Caucasia And Chang-Rae Lee’S Native Speaker, William E. Landers

Honors Theses

Race is epistemological. It shapes worldviews, conceptions of self, and interactions with society. It defines who belongs in the national community and who counts as fully human. The myth of whiteness as a homogenizing and nativist identity creates false personas around and within racialized others. These personas define non-white populations according to exclusionary stereotypes. These stereotypes, in turn, separate populations based on appearance and cultural practice. This thesis applies Critical Race Theory and comparative racialization tools to examine the historical implications of race on the conception of an authentic, or internally true, identity. These implications are illustrated by the dynamics …

Establishing The Effect Of Ethanol On Listeria Infection, Ryan Evan Restrepo

Honors Theses

Excessive alcohol consumption is common in the United States, particularly among college campuses. Previous studies have shown that excessive drinking increases the risk of drug dependency, sexual assault and liver damage. Heavy drinking has also proven to impact immune capabilities. Immune cell function and numbers have been shown to be negatively impacted by alcohol treatment. This research project used different cell cultures to model human cells and investigated how exposure to alcohol affects susceptibility to bacterial infection. Listeria monocytogenes, a common foodborne bacterium, was used as a model pathogen. A high alcohol preferring mouse model was also used to examine …

The Effects Of L. Rhamnosus Consumption On Male Long Evans Rat Anxiety-Like Behavior, Amanda Marie Schleper

Honors Theses

Adolescent stress in humans has been correlated with an increased likelihood of an individual to develop an alcohol use disorder later in life. Literature has demonstrated that rats subjected to adolescent stress tend to show an increased preference and consumption of ethanol. Adolescence is a critical time of development. The link between adolescent stressors and alcohol use disorders is not fully understood yet. This study examined the relationship between adolescent stress and alcohol consumption and preference in rats. Probiotics are bacteria with potential health benefits and have been well accepted as a dietary supplement. Literature shows that probiotics could decrease …

The Vascular Flora Of Bill Yeck Park: Supporting The Conservation Of Local Biodiversity, Taylor Sparbanie

Honors Theses

Maintaining and fostering biodiversity is a critical component of natural areas management and conservation because of its known links to ecosystem function and stability. Identifying and documenting species through a floristic inventory is an important strategy for detecting the presence of rare or unique species, as well as invasive species that pose a threat to biodiversity. Bill Yeck Park is a 194-acre nature park maintained by Centerville-Washington Park District and is largely surrounded by residential areas. The goal of this project was to generate list of vascular plant species for Bill Yeck Park, a large park within the Centerville-Washington Township …

In The Face Of Antimicrobialsfactors Contributing To Listeria Monocytogenes Survival And Development Of Resistance, Andrea M. Vietti

Honors Theses

Bacterial antibiotic resistance is on an alarming rise worldwide, thus posing an urgent threat to human health. The rise in antibiotic resistance can be attributed to the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in both the healthcare and agricultural industries. In order to address this concern, this research aimed to identify environmental conditions that may lead to the development of antibiotic resistance in Listeria monocytogenes. L. monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen capable of causing the disease listeriosis and is especially dangerous for immunocompromised populations. Although infected individuals are treated with antibiotics, an alarmingly high mortality rate of 20 percent still persists; …

Disclosing Virtue, Michael Zahorec

Honors Theses

This project is about the shape of our moral understanding and discourse. Herein, I describe the moral discourse and understanding afforded through narrative. I understand narrative as both a medium of discourse (i.e. storytelling) and a mode of understanding (i.e. a way to understand oneself, others, and the world(s) in which we find ourselves). In order to describe the ethical understanding and discourse constructed through narrative, I use the meta-ethical framework of Aristotelian virtue theory. The language of virtue theory constitutes the framework upon which I construct my argument regarding the irreplaceable and efficacious nature of narrative. The preface tells …

Bones, Holly Palmer

Honors Theses

For my thesis I am using all of the technique I acquired in my oil painting class, as well as my past three life drawing classes. Working with oils allows me to achieve smooth color gradients and rich pigments. Life drawing taught me to understand ratios between different parts of a subject as well as the relationship between it and its negative space. By using all of these techniques I am working to create the most accurate representation of the pieces as possible. I am painting a series of bones floating on the canvases over different tones, allowing each one …

Antibacterial Effects Of Silver Magnetic Nanoparticles Against Escherichia Coli, Salmonella Enterica Serovar Typhimurium And S. Anatum, Hannah Kruse

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Global And Gene-Specific Regulation In Freeze-Tolerant Anuran Dryophytes Chrysoscelis, Elizabeth Claire Sinnathamby

Honors Theses

Cope’s Gray Treefrog, Dryophytes chysoscelis, seasonally tolerates freezing. During this process, it is subject to cellular stress from factors such as metabolic starvation, DNA damage, toxin accumulation (from cellular metabolism), and the risk of protein misfolding. Preliminary transcriptome data indicates that many mRNA transcripts vary in relative abundance within hepatocytes of D. chrysoscelis during discrete periods of warm acclimation, cold acclimation, freezing, and thawing. Physiological changes that occur in this frog are likely the result of epigenetic regulation—an alteration in gene expression that does not influence DNA sequence. This modification in gene expression can be observed by the subsequent change …

Nitrate Contaminant Tracing In Surface And Groundwater In The Great Miami River Watershed: Environmental Isotope Approach, Rachel Kristine Buzeta

Honors Theses

The global population has increased exponentially causing several challenges surrounding sustainability, including greater food production needs. To meet these demands and boost agricultural productivity, more efficient practices and fertilizers are used. Synthetic fertilizers and other nutrient sources have resulted in water quality degradation and pollution. Much of the Great Miami River Watershed’s streams and aquifers in southwestern Ohio are affected by nitrate contaminants originating from anthropogenic sources including synthetic and organic fertilizer used for agriculture, human wastes (domestic, industrial, and municipal wastes), and urbanization. High nitrate concentrations cause ecological disturbances across all trophic levels. Nitrate levels greater than 10 mg/L …

Stigma Mitigation Through Fine Arts, Kendall Owens

Honors Theses

Social stigma has plagued our society for centuries. It isolates groups of people based on erroneously defined characteristics causing stigmatized persons to be viewed as socially “abnormal”. This debarment from full social acceptance results in poor population health and well-being. Fine arts have been an integral component of society since the beginning of civilization; current and past research have found involvement in fine arts to improve health and well-being in many ways. In this project, relevant studies related to stigma, fine arts, and population health will be reviewed to support the argument that “fine arts combat and mitigate the …

An Analysis Of The Developmental Enrichment Of The Seattle Children's Playgarden, Caitlin Koob

Honors Theses

This paper analyzes the opportunities for developmental enrichment, as provided by the Seattle Children’s PlayGarden, from the perspective of occupational therapy. The PlayGarden, located in Seattle, Washington, is an inclusive playground, preschool, and summer camp that promotes inclusion of children with disabilities. The analysis highlights each area of occupation, as identified in the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework, and discusses the garden’s contribution to facilitate growth in those specific skills (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2014). The intentionality of the design and program structure advocates for children to maximize their independence in activities of daily living, despite the play-based approach. …

Exploring A Connection Between Learning And Student Perception Of Place, Katelyn Roberts

Honors Theses

The quality of the physical environment is understood to impact overall health, wellbeing, and capacity to learn and engage in daily life. This pilot study explores how students in the Speech Language and Hearing Sciences program at Western Michigan University view the effects of indoor and outdoor nature spaces at the College of Health and Human Services on the East Campus of Western Michigan University on their learning experience. Results of the study suggest that there are significant relationships between the participant’s perception of interesting qualities in the College of Health and Human Services and feeling a sense of connection …

The Use Of Nature As A Treatment Modality In Occupational Therapy, Lauren Koch

Honors Theses

Nature is inherently therapeutic. Applying the principles of occupational therapy within the natural environment integrates the physical, mental, and socio-emotional health benefits afforded by nature into therapeutic intervention practices. The nature centered context of the outdoors addresses performance skills and patterns, highlighting its use as a therapeutic modality. As such, nature may be used as an effective treatment modality in the practice of occupational therapy due to the benefits that it affords. The incorporation of nature into therapeutic intervention may be based upon the environmental factors, available resources, and function of the natural environment. The goal of this literature review …

Predator Diet Affects Perceived Oviposition Site Quality For Mosquitoes, Brandon Mcdaniel

Honors Theses

Ovipositing freshwater organisms rely primarily on cues to determine site quality (Silberbush and Blaustein 2008) and to select an ideal habitat for their offspring (Resetarits 2014). Characteristics of high quality oviposition sites that yield the greatest fitness for offspring include the absence of predators and high resource availability that allows for optimal growth and development (Kershenbaum et al. 2012). It has been shown that predator presence is a large deterrent of oviposition due to threats of offspring survival, however, there is a little information about the predatory cues mosquitoes experience before ovipositing (Angelon and Petranka 2002). One hypothesis is that …

The Relationship Between Housing Price And Proximity To Public Land In Denver, Co, Connor Wyman

Honors Theses

This study examines how proximity to public lands influences housing values. This will be done using a hedonic pricing strategy, which is useful when analyzing heterogeneous goods such as a house or apartment. The data for this study comes from the American Community Survey (ACS) of Denver, CO from 2010 and 2017. This study also includes four variables related to distance from large open public spaces: one each for the distance from the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge, Cherry Creek State Park, and Chatfield State Park. Multiple linear regressions were used to analyze the …

Assessing The Invasive Potential Of Najas Minor In Maine, Kaitlin M. Volk

Honors Theses

Najas minor (European naiad), a relatively new invasive aquatic plant to the state of Maine, is thought be spreading more aggressively than previous invasive aquatic plants have. Once established, N. minor grows into dense monocultures that replace all native plant species, leading to a disruption in ecosystem functioning, a loss in food and habitat for invertebrates and fish, and a decrease in the recreational value of a waterbody. Understanding the natural history of N. minor – how it is dispersed and how long seeds can survive – is important for understanding the invasive potential of the species. However, no previous …

Pickles And Pastrami: The Core Of The American Jew, Theo Satloff

Honors Theses

This thesis argues the there is a strong, interdependent relationship between the creation of the American Jewish deli and the growth and progress of the food technology, food safety, and society within American life. The importance of recognizing the Jewish deli as a key element in tracing the history of American life post-1800s has been underemphasized throughout the deli’s entire existence. Jewish delis represented the intersection of centuries-old technologies and modern innovations, the meeting of centuries-old cultures and new communities, and formed the basis for a force that would have an outsized impact on American politics thereafter.

Insects And The Evolution Of Developmental Pathways: Functional Analysis Of Genetic Sex Determination Mechanisms In Oncopeltus Fasciatus, Josefine Just

Honors Theses

Natural selection alters genetic pathways over evolutionary time. However, different pathways have been shown to maintain mutations at varying rates, leading to different levels of conservation across developmental pathways. Sex determination pathways, in particular, show vast diversity across animals despite the fundamental conservation of biological sex itself. Here, I investigated the sex determination pathway of the hemimetabolous insect, Oncopeltus fasciatus. The large milkweed bug, O. fasciatus, is part of the order Hemiptera, which provides a relevant outgroup study to other insects in which sex determination has been studied to date. I studied three sex determination genes, intersex, fruitless …

Detecting Cyanobacteria Toxins: The Human Health Impact Of An Environmental Problem, Lillian E. Naimie

Honors Theses

Cyanobacteria blooms are a growing concern in the world, as they can form a dense and sometimes toxin scum on water bodies. This paper will outline and discuss the environmental conditions that produce cyanobacteria bloom with a focus on the toxins produced by blooms and specifically the detection of these toxins through two analytical methods. Of the various toxins cyanobacteria are capable of producing, this paper will focus on microcystins and BMAA, a family of hepatotoxins and a specific neurotoxin respectively. The two analytical methods discussed are liquid chromatography coupled mass spectrometry and ELISA kit techniques. The advantages and drawbacks …

Tracking The Endangered Northern Black Racer, Coluber Constrictor Constrictor, In Maine To Determine Areas Of Conservation Importance, Josiah Johnson

Honors Theses

The Black Racer (Coluber constrictor) is a large-bodied snake species found across North America. One subspecies, the Northern Black Racer (C. constrictor constrictor) is listed as endangered in Maine because of its restricted range in York County. Racers have generally been found to prefer open habitats and ecotones, but the specific habitat preferences of racers in Maine is unknown, hindering efforts to preserve habitat for racer conservation. To address this knowledge gap, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) has an ongoing project tracking black racer movements in Sanford and Kennebunk, Maine, and I had the opportunity to …

We're Having A Moment, Sophia Pelosi

Honors Theses

Hi.

Thank you for being here, for reading this. Given that you’re here, I assume that you are a close friend, or a thesis advisor, or a relative, or maybe some nosy peer who just happened upon it, and found themselves curious. No judgement. I get it. I’d probably do the same to you, if it were your thesis, your heart, your soul, your memories on the page.

I wrote this because I wanted to. I wrote this because I knew it would be special for me, to get to unabashedly care about my writing and want to make it …

Asian Jumping Worm (Megascolecidae) Impacts On Physical And Biological Characteristics Of Turfgrass Ecosystems, Ella L. Maddi

Honors Theses

Asian Jumping worms (Megascolecid spp) were introduced to North America in the early 1900s and have been altering soils in forest ecosystems as they spread throughout the continent. The worms differ from other introduced earthworms in their ability to consume large densities of organic material and potentially alter nutrient cycling in the ecosystems that they invade (Greiner et al. 2012). This study examined if and how Asian jumping worms alter turfgrass systems by changing the biological or physical properties of soil. To do this we conducted a mesocosm experiment and observational field study. For the mesocosm study we inoculated boxes …

Something Punny To Precede The Colon: Marking Whiteness And Exploring Blackness In Standup Comedy, Andrew Destaebler

Honors Theses

The general goal of this project is to investigate strategies and approaches used by comedians who rely heavily on racial humor in their acts. To do so, I consider the work of Dick Gregory, Richard Pryor, and Dave Chappelle, all African American male comedians. The first chapter focuses on a strategy employed by all three of these comedians called “marking whiteness.” Greta Fowler Snyder coined this term in her essay, “‘Marking Whiteness’ For Cross-Racial Solidarity” (2015), and uses it to describe strategies that force the “hyper-visibility” of whiteness. This happens through the portrayal of “average” white behavior, with the understanding …

African Savannah Elephant Group Size And Behavior In The Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Botswana, Katherine S. King

Honors Theses

African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana), the largest elephant species, influence the structure of the environment they inhabit. Elephants exhibit complex patterns of social behavior between individuals within a population. Many behavioral studies focus on interactions among individuals within a population rather than broader trends related to group size. My study seeks to understand how male African savannah elephant group size is influenced by seasonality, age, physical condition and distance to permanent water resources. I examined the interaction of these variables in two ways: (1) a literature review of elephant behavior and conservation, and (2) an analysis of male …

Developing A Predictive And Dynamic Moose-Vehicle Collisions Model In Maine, Yue Yu

Honors Theses

Wildlife-vehicle collisions are a major form of human-wildlife conflict. Predictive animal-vehicle collision models have been developed to identify collision hotspots in Maine and guide mitigation strategies. However, most current models are static and unable to produce dynamic forecasts that incorporate changing climate and weather. The goal of my study was to develop a predictive and dynamic model of animal-vehicle collisions in Maine, USA. More than 6,700 moose-vehicle collisions (MVC) occurred from 2003 to 2017 in Maine, raising road safety, socio-economic, and wildlife conservation concerns. I sought to identify factors that contribute to a higher probability of MVCs by comparing two …