Digital Commons Network^™

A Comparative Study Of Middle Eastern Foreign Policy: How Middle Eastern Intelligence Agencies Shape Current Events, Megan A. Fink

Honors Theses

This study monitored the intelligence and foreign policy actions of Israel, Iran, and Saudi Arabia from August 2013 to August 2014. Data was collected from coverage by Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal, and Al-Jazeera, three reliable and respected news sources that cover global events. The actions taken by foreign policymakers in these countries were recorded throughout the study period.

These actions were organized into a taxonomy based on whether they were intelligence-based or non-intelligence based. Within those broad categories, more distinguishing characteristics were analyzed to show patterns of behavior within national intelligence services of the nations studied. These patterns …

The Evolution Of Body Size In The Order Siluriformes, D Cooper Campbell

Honors Theses

The evolution of body size has long been a topic of interest to biologists due to the close link between size and various aspects of an organism’s biology. Adult body size is influenced by the underlying tradeoff in energy allocation between maintenance, somatic growth and reproduction. I studied the evolution of a large group of globally distributed (primarily freshwater with some marine forms) fishes to test some basic hypotheses about the evolution of adult body size. Catfish (Siluriformes) are an excellent group for this type of research as they represent approximately 11% of fishes and species range in size from …

The Missing Link: The Impact Of Nutrition Education And The School Lunch Program, Rachel E. Calhoun

Honors Theses

In the U.S., the weight status of overweight and obesity in children is increasing from recent decades (Carrol & Ogden, 2010). Research shows that the prevalence of children developing chronic diseases is influenced by obesity and overweight statuses, shown by existing risk factors (Freedman, Dietz, Srinivasan, & Berenson, 1999). Recent legislation of the National School Lunch Program has aimed to improve the nutritional value of school lunches in elementary schools by requiring fruit and vegetable meal components be provided on each lunch tray (Nutrition Standards, 2012). This quasi experimental study aimed to increase fourth graders nutrition knowledge and fruit and …

Sehnsucht In The Heine Lieder Of Schubert’S Schwanengesang, Kathleen P. Brandau

Honors Theses

This thesis considers the theme of Sehnsucht in the context of German Romantic music, in particular, the Heine Lieder from Franz Schubert’s Schwanengesang. Of particular interest is the ordering of the Heine Lieder and the narrative that emerges when the songs are reordered to conform to the arrangement in Heinrich Heine’s poetic collection, Buch der Lieder. The final chapter identifies instances of Sehnsucht in the text and suggests a hidden poetic cycle that sheds light on some unusual musical connections between the poetry and Schubert’s settings of individual songs.

The Acoustics Of Introduction: An Analysis Of Vocalizations From The Captive Introduction Of An Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin, Tursiops Truncatus, Cheyenne M. Brady

Honors Theses

Vocalizations from dolphins were recorded using a hydrophone on several different occasions: from seven previously-housed dolphins prior to introduction of a new animal and from all eight dolphins together, both on the day of introduction and post-introduction. The vocalizations were categorized by visual inspection of spectrograms using Raven, then totaled and averaged. Total vocalizations appeared to peak during the physical introduction of a new individual to the previously-housed dolphins; however, the rates of vocalization per animal per hour showed that the post-introduction period had the most acoustic communications between individual dolphins. Whistles, chirps (a subcategory of whistles), and unmodulated burst …

The Pandemonium Of Change: Endurance Of The Carnivalesque Mode, Jeremy K. Horton

Honors Theses

The carnivalesque is a literary mode that takes the characteristics of medieval carnivals and brings them to literature. Academic study of the carnivalesque has thus far been relatively limited, leaving the researcher to explore a largely untapped field of literary analysis. The carnivalesque is most easily observable in the more celebrated mode of literature known as magical realism, which is a mode generally associated with Latin American authors, including several Nobel laureates. Magical realism deals with the insertion of traditional supernatural elements into otherwise natural worlds, which is the point where this mode intersects with the carnivalesque (though the two …

A New Species Of Euphorbia Subgenus Chamaesyce Section Alectoroctonum (Euphorbiaceae) From Limestone Hills Of Wayne County, Mississippi, Andrew C. Fennell

Honors Theses

As part of a project to document the vascular flora of Wayne County, Mississippi, an unusual Euphorbia, which keys to the Euphorbia corollata complex, was encountered in mature hardwood forests in limestone regions. Unlike typical E. corollata and E. pubentissima, these individuals have long petioles (0.4–1.2 cm), oval to ovate leaves, short stature, small cyathia, small seeds, and a different phenology. In order to test species boundaries, morphological character differences were explored using principal component analysis (PCA), and additional characters were gathered from plastid (rpL16) and nuclear (ITS) DNA data of the unusual individuals as well …

Transgender Identity And Media In Historical Perspective, Melanie L. Bilbrey

Honors Theses

Despite recent advances in the public sphere, the transgender community remains vulnerable and underrepresented in daily life. While the media has been fascinated with transgender stories since the 1930s, these stories have been skewed in ways that undermine what it truly means to be a transgender person living in the contemporary United States. The disconnect between dominant media narratives and the daily lives of transgendered people is harmful, because it shields the mainstream from the harsh realities of every day life for these individuals and allows violence, discrimination, and transphobia to continue. This study analyzes the growing visibility of the …

The Relationship Between Receptacle Design, Normative Conduct, Environmental Concerns, And Recycling Behavior, Molly Arnold

Honors Theses

Conservation psychology is a growing field that explores how people interact with and interpret their roles in the environment. I conducted a three part study that incorporates conservation psychology principles to examine the effects of recycling bin design and normative conduct on recycling behavior as well as the ecological orientation of UTC students based on survey responses. Experiment 1 compared two recycling bin conditions (non-lidded bin vs. bin covered with a lid with two holes indicating the shape of recyclables) to determine which bin design was more effective in promoting recycling behavior. No difference was found between the two designs. …

Modifications Of Lysozyme By Substituted Benzoquinones, Hendrik J. Greve

Honors Theses

Amyloidosis, which involves the precipitation of mis-folded protein aggregates, is a prominent process that occurs in many neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease; the protein aggregates being amyloid-β for Alzheimer’s disease and α-synuclein for Parkinson’s disease. This study has focused on lysozyme modifications induced by metabolites of the commonly found pollutants known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs are found in substances ranging from grilled meats to cigarette smoke to cosmetics, and they can be metabolized into a family of biological toxins known as benzoquinones. The molecules of interest for this study were 1,4-benzoquinone (pBQ), 2-chloro-1,4-benzoquinone (CBQ), …

A Comparison Of Cyfra 21-1, Nse, And Cea For The Serodiagnosis Of Lung Cancer, A Alexandra Knopp

Honors Theses

There were 224,210 new cases of lung cancer in the US during 2014, and of those cases, there 159,260 that died from lung cancer during 2014. Since early diagnosis and treatment leads to a better prognosis, the medical community is actively looking for new, noninvasive tests for the disease. This includes the search for new and effective tumor markers. Tumor markers are used in combination with other tests to diagnose cancer. After the diagnosis, they are used to follow a patient’s case. The three tumor markers studied were neuron specific enolase (NSE), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and CYFRA 21-1. In this …

The Modern And The Celestial: Re-Imagining Hawthorne’S ‘The Celestial Railroad’, Connor J. Bell

Honors Theses

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s commentary through his works of fiction are said to be timeless. However, what would his fiction look like in response to the direction that society has taken since he has passed? This thesis seeks to illustrate Nathaniel Hawthorne’s sentiments in regards to modern society. Through close analysis of Hawthorne’s works, his life, and his morals, his ideas have been illustrated in a contemporary reimagining of one of Hawthorne’s most profound satires, “The Celestial Railroad.” In this re-write, modern technologies and mentalities are brought into consideration in accordance to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ideals.

Far Over The Misty Mountains Cold: An Ecocritical Reading Of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, Benjamin Maxwell Garner

Honors Theses

In her introduction to The Ecocriticism Reader, Cheryl Glotfelty concisely, and perhaps too simply, defines the field of literary criticism that is ecocriticism. For all intents and purposes, is it an earth-centered approach to literary studies. It is suggested in her definition, but not explicitly stated, that ecocriticism can be defined as the study and interpretation of text from an ecological and environmental perspective. To read a text ecocritically then, is to examine the specific role of nature, environment, and ecology in the text, and from that reading of the text to apply the observations to offer solutions and alternative …

The Historical Evolution Of Endoscopy, Sarah Ellison

Honors Theses

INTRODUCTION: Minimally invasive surgery is on the rise and is becoming more common. Its advantage over traditional open surgery is a quicker recovery time and minimized risk of infection along with an aesthetically more pleasing smaller scar. Although many different scopes and instruments perform minimally invasive techniques, all minimally invasive instruments evolved from endoscopy. It wasn’t until the 20^th century that they began to diverge to separate studies. Therefore endoscopy is considered in regards to instrument evolution. History is full of twists and turns as different pieces of the scope progressed so its advancement has been separated into the …

Fueling Performance: Determining The Efficacy Of Low-Carbohydrate Diet Models For Athletic Populations, Chelsea Jackle

Honors Theses

Advocates of low-carbohydrate (LC) diets assert that these diets help lessen dependence on sugar while aiding in the metabolism of fat tissue. Additionally, it is believed that lipolysis helps dieters feel more energetic, lose weight, and improve physical performance. For these reasons, many athletes and active people are drawn to diets such as the Atkins Diet, the South Beach Diet, the Paleo Diet, and the Zone Diet. According to current evidence, excessive weight loss, ketosis, reduced glycogen availability, dehydration, and increased stress hormone levels make LC diets that severely limit carbohydrates disadvantageous for athletes. Although LC diets are widely followed, …

Influence Of Road Salt Deicers On Anaerobic Respiration And Metal Speciation In Soils, Danielle Dupuis

Honors Theses

Road salt deicers, especially NaCl and CaCl₂, are used throughout the world on paved areas during the winter. Previous studies suggest that road salt deicers can alter the biogeochemistry of sediment located near roadways and influence the mobility of heavy metals. The goal of this study is to investigate the influence of CaCl₂ on wetland soil biogeochemistry, especially trace metal speciation. Sediment cores were collected in the fall from a freshwater wetland near an urban kettle lake (Asylum Lake, Kalamazoo, MI) and incubated for 100 days in deionized water (control), 5 g/L of CaCl₂, or …

The Effects Of Adderall On Maternal And Fetal Health, Alyson Brady

Honors Theses

Information available for woman prescribed Adderall to treat ADHD and the effects that it may have on her fetus is limited. However, Adderall and methamphetamine have similar pharmacological and addictive qualities. This paper is concerned with whether there is an adequate approach to treatment that balances the needs of the mother and the fetus. With Adderall use becoming more prevalent, it is essential that society is aware of the physiology and pharmacology of this drug, as well as, the need for more research on this subject to be produced.

The Elements Of Healing And Wellness Post Diagnosis Of Cancer: A Review Of The Literature And A Personal Account, Tiffany Bystra

Honors Theses

Being diagnosed with cancer is an earth-shaking experience that can break even the most strong and stable of individuals. Thoughts of uncertainty and anxiety are commonly experienced for those having been diagnosed, and when one’s health is compromised, nothing else seems to matter except becoming healthy and well again. This honors thesis deeply investigates my personal experiences being a recent cancer survivor in conjunction with reviewing the research and literature to investigate how one can promote their healing and wellness through holistic means despite going through medical treatments that are physically, emotionally, and spiritually taxing on every level. A thorough …

Technology And Nutrition: Interactive Strategies For Children To Learn Nutrition, Nicole Bogden

Honors Theses

This manuscript aims to describe nutritional requirements and needs for children and how technology is being used to improve nutritional knowledge among them. Several technologies and applications are explored, and recommendations are given for ways to improve. Four interactive nutrition games for children are examined: two computer games and two mobile applications. Through revision of performance, nutrition content, attraction, design and attention capabilities, HealthyHeroes was chosen to be the best game for children to learn and have fun with the subject of nutrition.

Out Of Place: Stories, Molly Beckwith

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Importance Of Preserving History: A Conservation Of An Edwardian Wedding Dress, Brittany Aris

Honors Theses

The Importance of Preserving History: The Conservation of an Edwardian Wedding Dress

This thesis concentrates on the significance of recorded history, and the importance of conserving artifacts such as an Edwardian wedding dress. Such treasured pieces contribute to our perception of the past, not only as artifacts but as an insight into how, why, and by whom, they were created.

The Edwardian period is so important in women’s fashion because it was such a short-lived era. The socio-economic times that preceded the Edwardian era, such as the Industrial Revolution and the Victorian era, all had profound impacts which helped influence …

An Analysis Of Free-Will, Matthew Campbell

Honors Theses

The following paper is a broad analysis of the concept of free-will. Free-will can be defined as having the ability to act outside of necessity, such that one can be the ultimate author and initiator of their actions and decisions. Stated differently, possessing free-will allows an individual to be held accountable for their behaviors, because those behaviors are the result of something controllable within the individual, rather than something external to the individual and beyond their control.

A belief in free-will is widely assumed, for we hold individuals both legally and morally accountable for their actions. Nevertheless, it remains a …

Habitat Suitability Study Of Parcel In Gourdneck State Game Area For Downy Woodpeckers, Emma Fojtik

Honors Theses

This study examines the habitat suitability for Downy woodpecker for a parcel of land in Gourdneck State Game Area, Portage, Michigan. Land within the State Game Area has undergone habitat restoration from forest and shrub to savanna and prairie, intentionally excluding two parcels directly north of the restoration. This study took place on one of the excluded parcels. Using the Habitat Suitability Index Model produced by the Fish and Wildlife Service, basal area and number of snags within the study site were measured to determine suitability of the study site for Downy woodpeckers. Ten-1/10th acre sample plots were randomly chosen …

Investigation Of The Genetic Interactions Between Hippo Signaling Pathway And Drosophila C-Terminal Src Kinase (Dcsk), Hailey Jimin Kwon

Honors Theses

The focus of my research revolved around the intersection between the Hippo tumor suppressor pathway and the Src oncogenic pathway. Both pathways control tissue and organ size during development by regulating cell proliferation, cell death, cell migration, and cell adhesion. Aberrant functions in either pathway are often detected in human cancers and correlate with poor prognosis. The Drosophila C-terminal Src kinase (dCsk) is a genetic modifier of warts (wts), a tumor-suppressor gene in the Hippo pathway, and interacts with the Src oncogene. Reduction in dCsk expression and the consequent activation of Src are reported in hepatocellular and colorectal tumors. …

Practical Cosmopolitans: The Diversity Of A Changing Indian Ocean, 1500-1750, Jordan Seitz

Honors Theses

The Indian Ocean has served as a catalyst for trade throughout history, connecting multiple cultural and geographical spheres. My goal was to dissect the ways in which social and cultural norms were impacted by the large amount of diversity found within Indian Ocean port cities between 1500 and 1800. Specifically, I chose to investigate the possibility of the creation of a virtue of diversity, similar to the concept of Cosmopolitanism. In this case, this would mean a variety of people who differ in cultural, ethnicity, and religion sharing mutual respect within a particular space. Among the factors which shaped these …

Chitinozoan Biodiversity In The Ordovician Of Gondwana: An Interval-Free Approach Using The Quantitative Stratigraphic Correlation Program Conop9, Rachel Sales

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the biodiversity patterns of a group of fossil organisms called chitinozoans. Chitinozoans are organic-walled, planktonic microfossils that first appear in the Early Ordovician Period (488 million years ago) and diversify rapidly through the Paleozoic Era. The Ordovician Period was a time of great global climate change, and by studying this group of fossil plankton, we hope to better understand how modern plankton, which are the base of the marine food chain, might respond to climate change. We used a method called constrained optimization (CONOP9) to construct a composite range chart of 152 …

Genre Controversy: Human Universality Or Plagiarism In The Dystopian Genre?, Taylor V. Kingston

Honors Theses

In a fusion of behavioral psychology, evolutionary psychology, and literary analysis, this thesis considers the possibility that human nature dictates the types of rhetoric utilized in any given genre. Operant conditioning emerged as the governing device in a case study of the dystopian genre since readers must be made to associate fear or hope with particular government structures. Implicitly then, literature is molded into its genres by the human desires addressed by that genre’s reigning themes. This “mold” seems to have created a strain of novels within the dystopian genre that are so similar there have been accusations of plagiarism. …

Removing Aflatoxin M1 From Milk Using Activated Carbon And Its Effects On Protein Concentration, Kaylin Chaney

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Exercise Training On Skeletal Muscle Gdnf Content And Neuromuscular Physiology In A Mouse Model Of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis., Nicole Carpp

Honors Theses

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease accompanied by the loss of motor neurons, leading to paralysis and death. Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) promotes neuron health and function and has been proposed as a therapeutic treatment for ALS. GDNF protein expression in skeletal muscle is regulated by physical activity. The aim of this study was to determine if low intensity exercise would increase GDNF expression in skeletal muscle and slow degeneration of motor neurons in a mouse model of ALS. Following the first sign of disease onset, transgenic ALS mice were randomly assigned to one of three …

Horses: How Saddle Style Defines A Culture And The Skeletal System, Brandy Morgan

Honors Theses

This paper examines the way in which various parameters affect injury type and prevalence in horse eventing. The human-horse relationship has a long history that has continued to evolve, and their relationship is still strong today, especially in the role of sports and entertainment. In equestrian sports, horseback riding has been found to be extremely dangerous in terms of prevalence and severity of injury. This paper evaluates how saddle style, the sex of the rider, rider experience, and nature of event impacts injury patterns specifically within horse eventing which utilizes an English styled saddle.