Digital Commons Network^™

The Evolution Of Cancer Research And The Dietary Intervention That Could Save Lives, Kara Starkweather

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Perennial: An Undergraduate Thesis In Poetry, Austin Wines

Honors Theses

A chapbook of poetry that explores sexuality, gender identity, mental illness, naming, and the experience of the contemporary non-binary, male bodied, Queer. "Perennial" functions as a force of resistance to hegemony, celebration, mourning, and eroticism. Through the cultivation and implementation of a personal and/or familial folklore, the poems culminate a century of inter-generational knowledge as the author draws upon the symbols of their childhood to explicate the violence and tenderness of their own Queer experience. These poems serve as a poetical feminist history and reclamation of the author's matrilineage, and the simultaneously paramount and arbitrary nature of language as it …

Gene Isoforms Involved In Zebrafish Traumatic Stress Response, Joseph Fischer

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Comparisons Between Chinese And Japanese Characters, Ahmina Graves

Honors Theses

The complexity of the Chinese and Japanese writing systems has intrigued those in the West from their first encounter with the characters. Though the two languages are very different, they share components of their writing systems that have been adapted to each language. This paper looks at the differences and similarities between the two strikingly different languages, as well as the effects on literacy the complexity of the orthographies has had in East Asia. The reforms created by each respective government and the motivations behind these reforms is also explored, as well as the future of the use and form …

Business Plan: Consulting Firm Focused On Manufacturing Digitalization, Edward Mulford

Honors Theses

The goal of this paper outlines a business framework for the development of a digitization consulting firm focused on the manufacturing sector. The firm’s goal is to help organizations in Michigan leverage technology to keep their business vibrant and workers skilled. The primary services for the firm will be related to the implementation of products and services within Industry 4.0, the cyber-physical smart factory industrial revolution. The beginning of the paper explains the ecosystem surrounding digitalization as well as the nine technologies (ex: big data, simulation, additive manufacturing) driving the innovation. The framework for this business plan uses the business …

Mechanisms Of Sleep And The Brain, Doungbagai Leo

Honors Theses

One of the most important homeostatic functions of the brain and body is sleep. This literary review analyzes the genes that are involved in sleep: Clock, Bmal1, Period, and Cryptochrome. It also explains the role of melatonin, GABA, orexin, and melanopsin during sleep regulation. The genes and neurotransmitters influence the suprachiasmatic nuclei and the circadian rhythm that our brain, and every cell of our bodies, have connections to. These connection help to ensure the homeostatic function of our bodies. The analysis of sleep-like states in other animals may show an evolutionary connection of sleep from non-mammals to mammals, but may …

Comparison Of Equine Behavior To Parelli Horsenality, Rebecca Kirchhoff

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Elucidation Of Zebrafish Gene Networks And Pathways Associated With Ptsd, Noor Faisal

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Aging & Exercise On Production Of Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Protein By Fast & Slow Skeletal Muscle, Maria Jaramillo

Honors Theses

Exercise is a positive form of reinforcing positive lifestyle choices. There are many benefits to exercising such as decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and improved mental condition (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). In addition, exercise can serve a protecting role for the nervous system. One form in which exercise can protect the nervous system is by increasing the production of neurotrophic factors, specifically glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor. Another way by which exercise can protect the nervous system is by preserving muscle tissue due to actively recruiting it. The goal of this study was to explore the effects of …

Gdf-15 As A Biomarker For Glaucoma, Caylee Pattison

Honors Theses

Biomarkers are measurable substances in an organism that are indicative of some phenomenon. Examples of biomarkers in clinical settings are body temperature and blood pressure. Body temperature is indicative of a fever while blood pressure can be used to monitor someone’s risk of a stroke. Previous studies have investigated the possibility of there being a potential biomarker for glaucoma. One possible biomarker identified is growth differentiation factor 15 or GDF15. These studies prompted a study in our lab using a rat glaucoma model. The objective of this study was to show there is a biomarker present for the neurodegenerative disease, …

Do Global Diets Affect The Rate Of Type 2 Diabetes?, Demetria Meyer

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine whether different global diets correlate with the increase in type 2 diabetes rates. Type 2 diabetes is the main diabetes type being looked at due to it being the one that can be maintained primarily by glycemic control, which is controlled by a good diet. Five different countries from different regions will be examined: Brazil, China, Micronesia, Nigeria, and the United States. The diets of these countries will be broken down into smaller pieces, like calories consumed each day and the percentage of macronutrients that make up the calories. Eleven food groups …

Effects Of Muscle Activation On Gdnf Protein Content In Skeletal Muscle, Ramsey Potter

Honors Theses

Impairment of neuromuscular function as a result of aging is primarily associated with degeneration of the peripheral nervous system and loss of type II muscle fibers (Lexell et al, 1988). Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is a neurotrophic factor found in skeletal muscle that has been shown to rescue motor neurons from axotomy-induced cell death (Oppenheim et al., 1995) and to induce NMJ plasticity (Keller-Peck et al., 2001). The aim of this study was to examine GDNF protein content following muscle activation in vitro and in vivo models. GDNF protein content was measured in rat gastrocnemius muscles following differing …

Excuse The Mess, But We Live Here: Roseanne In The Meme World, Meghann Holt

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

For The Ones Who Come After You, It Will Be Easier: An Exploration And Analysis Of Eugenics In The Reproductive Dystopian Genre, Morgan Manning

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Experiences Of Asexual People In The Lgbtq+ Community, Z Rankin

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Testing The Reliability Of The Use Of The Draminski® For Estrus Detection In Heifers, Ashlyn Thomas

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Eggshell Coloration On Egg Cannibalism Among Glaucous-Winged Gulls, Isabelle Hwang

Honors Theses

A common source of reproductive loss in gulls is egg cannibalism. At a large Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens) colony on Protection Island, Washington, cannibalism accounts for 55% of egg loss. Because cannibalism is a form of predation and birds have a highly developed sense of vision, I hypothesized that visible light coloration of Glaucous-winged Gull eggs plays a role in determining whether they are cannibalized. I used logistic regression to test whether egg fate was related to egg brightness, specific coloration, specific spot coverage, coloration relative to the most common coloration, and spot coverage relative to the most common spot …

A Note On The Onset Of Synchronous Egg Laying In A Seabird Behavior Model, Dorothea Gallos, Christiane Gallos

Honors Theses

Protection Island, Washington hosts a large colony of Glaucous-winged gulls (Larus glaucescens). These birds are known to exhibit every-other-day egg-laying synchrony in dense areas of the colony in response to egg cannibalism, which is the main source of egg loss. Here we present an equilibrium analysis of a discrete-time animal behavior model for egg laying. We use Jury Conditions to find the stability criteria for the equilibrium as a function of the colony density and show that a 2-cycle bifurcation occurs when the equilibrium loses stability. The 2-cycle pattern in egg laying becomes increasingly synchronous as the colony density increases. …

Farm To Liberation: Towards Feminist Food Justice, Elisabeth Spector

Honors Theses

Women are one of the many vulnerable populations experiencing the detrimental effects of human-induced climate change, and our current system of food production is one of the largest contributors to this global problem. Not only do modern methods of food production contribute significantly to climate change, but they devalue women’s knowledge and strip away their opportunities. A number of communities and individuals have begun to work against this system and work towards food justice through small-scale farming and growing their own food. Through the use of ecofeminist scholarship and original interviews, this project examines the problems within our current food …

The Emotional Bond Between A Horse And A Child With Autism During Therapeutic Horseback Riding, Sarah K. Cox

Honors Theses

This qualitative case study aimed to determine if the formation of an emotional bond between a horse and a child with the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) during a Therapeutic Horseback Riding (TR) lesson is a key component to maximizing therapeutic benefits. Before collecting any data, it was initially hypothesized that this emotional bond was something that had to be established over time in order to be significant and a therapist should aim to use the same horse each time in order to maximize other positive therapeutic outcomes. Resources included in this case study will describe all of the …

Optimization Of Camera Trapping Methods For Surveying Mesopredators In The Appalachian Foothills, Courtney R. Hayes

Honors Theses

The global decline of apex predators has allowed mesopredator populations to increase, a phenomenon described by the mesopredator release hypothesis (MRH). Some mesopredator species, however, are of conservation concern, such as the eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius). To assess camera deployment strategies and survey for the presence of eastern spotted skunks in the Appalachian Foothills, I conducted baited camera trap surveys in Kentucky, a state for which systematic methodological data is lacking. I surveyed 64 sites across 10 counties over more than 1,200 trap days from October 2017 to April 2018. I detected approximately 400 individual mesopredators of …

“Thy Kingdom Come”: Catholicism And The Nueva Canción, 1966-1982, Elizabeth Turnwald

Honors Theses

Within Latin America’s tumultuous political atmosphere during the 1960s through the 1980s, a grassroots musical genre called the Nueva Canción emerged. Meaning “new song,” it sought to unify the poor and marginalized through a combination of folk influences, indigenous musical styles, and politically-charged lyrics. Although they achieved similar commercial success to U.S. contemporaries such as Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, and Joan Baez, the folkloristas [folksingers] of the Nueva Canción often incorporated references to and elements of Catholic liturgical practice. Considering the reforms of the Second Vatican Council and the advent of a Latin American Liberation Theology, the time was ripe …

The Other Woman: Mate Poaching Across The Menstrual Cycle, Margaret M. Jaeger

Honors Theses

The goal of the present work was to empirically examine how mate poaching, or romantically pursuing an individual already in a committed relationship (Schmitt & Buss, 2001), varies across the menstrual cycle. The existing literature strongly suggests that partnered women are wary of ovulating women because they are deemed threatening rivals (Krems, Neel, Neuberg, Puts, & Kenrick, 2016). The series of experiments described here tested this assumption by examining both the mate poaching behaviors and perceptions of ovulating women across the menstrual cycle. The first experiment examined if ovulating women would be more willing to mate poach an attractive man. …

Characterization Of The Glycosylation Of Aquaglyceroporin Hc-3 In Erythrocytes From The Freeze Tolerant Anuran, Dryophytes Chrysoscelis, Dante L. Pezzutti

Honors Theses

By utilizing an extreme physiological adaptation known as freeze-tolerance, Cope’s gray tree frog, Dryophytes chrysoscelis, freezes and then subsequently thaws up to 65% of its extracellular fluid to survive the winter. During these periods of freezing and thawing, erythrocytes (RBCs) of D. chrysoscelis utilize a protein, aquaglyceroporin HC-3, that facilitates transmembrane flux of both water and cryoprotective glycerol to mediate osmotic adjustments. RBCs from cold-acclimated tree frogs up-regulate HC-3 protein expression, which coincides with more abundant membrane localization and higher levels of glycosylation. However, the functional significance of HC-3 glycosylation on membrane localization and cellular freeze tolerance is currently not …

Chronic Administration Of Probiotic L. Rhamnosus Increases Anxiety-Like Behavior In Group-Housed Male Long Evans Rats, Parker Maddison Griff

Honors Theses

Early life stress is a risk factor for later development of alcohol use disorders and anxiety disorders in humans. Using rodent experimental models, we know that rats experiencing social isolation as early-life stress exhibit greater anxiety-like behavior and alcohol consumption than rats housed in groups. Examining potential preventive strategies, we investigated the effects of probiotics, which have previously been shown to decrease rodent anxiety-like behavior, on the relationship between early-life stress and anxiety-like behavior in rats. We hypothesized that probiotics consumption would decrease anxiety-like behavior in socially isolated rats, as well as in rats housed in groups. To our surprise, …

The Effects Of Adolescent Housing Condition And Voluntary Exercise On Alcohol Intake And Stress Response In Male Long-Evans Rats, Caroline Lynch

Honors Theses

Can regular exercise during adolescence, combined with living in a social environment, decrease the negative effects of chronic stress and lower alcohol intake later in life? The aim of this research is to answer this question using a rat model that introduces a novel behavioral intervention in the form of regular voluntary exercise in order to counteract the negative effects of chronic stress caused by socially isolated housing during adolescence. Chronic stress has been linked to the development of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) in humans, and this study attempts to both model and hamper this phenomenon in rats using voluntary …

Re-Painting The Lion: Female Transgression And Authorial Reincarnation In The Works Of Marie De France And Jane Austen, Katherine Rachel Mccaffery

Honors Theses

In this thesis, I argue that Marie de France and Jane Austen transgress social and gender norms in their writings and participate in a process of female authorial reincarnation; through using their voices, these female authors challenge the dominant patriarchal temporal narrative. In Chapter One I explore the Lais of Marie de France, focusing on her anonymity as an author and the implications of her stories as a rejection of the role of women in traditional chivalric romance. Chapter Two deals with Jane Austen’s life, specifically how little we really know about it, and the often overlooked, transgressive aspects of …

Revising The Geological Time Scale: A Conop9 Graptolite Composite From The Middle Ordovician Rocks Of Newfoundland, Katherine Michel

Honors Theses

The Geological Time Scale is a fundamental tool for geoscientists that is revised and republished every eight years. It is a representation of the geologic record - a system composed of radioisotope dates interpolated into fossil successions that can be used to correlate rocks. The current Geologic Time Scale for the Ordovician Period (GTS 2012) is composed of a sequence of species ranges from a group of fossils called graptolites with interpolated radiometric dates. Building a global geologic time scale requires correlating between different biofacies.

In this thesis I will attempt to combine stratigraphic range data from different kinds of …

Alcohol Deprivation Effect: An Investigation Of A Model Of Alcohol Dependence And Relapse Behaviors In Male And Female Long Evans Rats, Hanna J. Peterson

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to understand relapse behavior through a pre-clinical rodent model of relapse which models the important aspects of the human addiction and relapse condition, called the alcohol deprivation effect (ADE) model. It has been found to model alcohol addiction and relapse in rats and can therefore allow for further understanding of relapse behavior as well as allow for testing of the effects of various variables like stress or therapeutic drugs on relapse behavior. The model gives rats baseline access to ethanol and then allows them access to only water, called deprivation periods, and then gives …

Interference Of The Inflammasome Via Interferonβ, Madeline Sauer

Honors Theses

Metabolic disorders such as type two diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity are known to have a chronic low grade inflammatory tissue environment as well as an increase in excess lipids. Current research suggests that a tightly regulated oligoprotein complex known as the NLRP3 inflammasome is highly activated in T2DM and obesity. However, it is not well understood the interplay between excess lipids, which was previously shown in our lab to cause lysosome damage, and inflammation. A key transcription factor that is known to have both an inflammatory effect as well as an effect on lipid metabolism is PPARγ. For this …