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Shifting Local Ecologies: Biocultural Interactions And Ecuadorian Public Health, Sabrina Bradford

Honors Theses

Though biology is considered universal, this thesis argues against the assumption of the universal applications of biomedicine in favor of a biocultural approach, emphasizing shifting local ecologies in an increasingly globalized world. This research investigated Ecuadorian health within an ecological context in coordination with an international public health internship that was completed through the Universidad San Francisco de Quito and the Ecuadorian Ministerio de Salud Pública. Throughout this thesis, examples are provided demonstrating that globalization, though appearing as a homogenous process on the international level, creates heterogeneous effects on the local scale. To explain the mechanisms and implications of these …

Congress And Its Other Budget Problem: An Examination Of The Effect Of Campaign Contributions On Congress' Decision-Making, Joe Hollis Higdon

Honors Theses

While there is significant study concerning the source of money in Congressional campaigns, comparatively little is geared towards demonstrating the link between Congress’s decision-making and the interests of the donors. By examining individual statements made during the Congressional “Supercommittee” meetings and the overall voting behavior of the Congress during specific debates, this paper finds that the link between donors’ interests and members’ votes are varyingly correlated due to other factors, but in general the link is more tenuous than is popularly believed.

The Great Depression In Wilkinson County Mississippi: A Collection Of Oral Histories, Ashley Ann Johnson

Honors Theses

This research studied the time period of the Great Depression in the lives of seven individuals who lived in Wilkinson County, Mississippi. The individuals answered a series of questions, all the same, in an attempt to distinguish the differences and similarities in their lives during the Great Depression. The research focuses on the belief that many of the individuals went through the same experiences. The research discovered that even though the Great Depression caused much suffering across the nation, the rural people of Wilkinson County already suffered from bad times and the Great Depression did not alter their lifestyles negatively, …

Sheparding Gender: Queering Video Games In The Mass Effect Series, Karina Rene Popp

Honors Theses

The Mass Effect series is discussed as a case study for how video games construct gendered aspects of their lore and gameplay in order to appease what developers believe, and most likely is, their consumer base. While queering is possible both for the characters in the game and the gameplay as a performance it is also limited by appeasing an implied straight, male gamer.

Uphams Corner And "Other" Spaces: Racialized Youth Identities In Boston's Cape Verdean Community, Jessica F. Pires

Honors Theses

While embarking on this thesis project I have begun by viewing Cape Verdean-Americanness and Uphams Corner as linked; to study contemporary Cape Verdean-American lived realities means consulting this neighborhood space, and the area is mutually dependent on its Cape Verdean residents. In the particularly unpredictable world of ethnographic field research, as I focused on the collection of narratives, a new and surprising actor emerged: the neighborhood space, around which crucial tensions revolve. It is vital to understand how neighborhood provides not merely the scenery behind actions but more importantly how, as a conceptual framework, it can also be constitutive of …

Players: Gender And Sexuality In The Universe Of Don Delillo, Alexandria Nicole Tidwell

Honors Theses

This project considers Don DeLillo’s body of work (specifically the texts Cosmopolis, Players, White Noise and Libra) in terms of gender and sexuality, two areas often overlooked by the current body of scholarship on the writer. My analysis is informed by contemporary queer theory — that is to say, an assumption of the constructed nature of gender and sexual difference runs through the work. I begin by defining two intertextual systems at work within (My first chapter deals with the capitalist system of Cosmopolis and Players, a closed network serving to mirror and critique modernist assumptions; and my second chapter …

An Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of Incorporating Virtual Cadaver Study On Student Performance In Human Anatomy And Physiology, Mary Katherine Kerce

Honors Theses

In an ideal Human Anatomy & Physiology (Human A&P) laboratory, students would use human cadavers for study. However, due to the limited supply of human cadavers and high cost of constructing and maintaining laboratory facilities, many institutions choose to use various animal organs and models to teach human anatomy. Dissections are an irreplaceable tool to help students understand human anatomy because models often have garish colors that allow easy discrimination of structures but do not show the colors and textures associated with real tissue. Additionally, cadavers, organs. and models must remain within the laboratory, so students have limited access. The …

Ph Dependent Proteolysis Of Neural Cadherin, Candice Ashton Walters

Honors Theses

Cadherins are the primary calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion molecule and are essential to vertebrates. They ensure the integrity of epithelial barriers that allow for maintenance of homeostasis in humans and protection against invading microorganisms. A common invader capable of forging past this line of defense is the fungus Candida albicans. The main virulence mechanism of C. alibans in acidic environments is its secreted aspartyl proteinases (SAPs), which are hydrolytic enzymes that degrade cadherin-mediated cell adhesion leading to infection of the underlying tissues. Cadherin is normally resistant to cleavage by proteases due to stabilization of the protein structure by bound calcium and …

Enlightenment Science And Nano-Science: Creating Order Out Of Magic, Elizabeth Ramsey Frey

Honors Theses

People today live in a world dominated by technology. All of the conveniences and technologies people enjoy and utilize today, however, would not exist without the foundation of empirical science laid during the Enlightenment. This thesis looks at the Enlightenment both as a philosophical movement and as the setting of the Scientific Revolution. The leaders of the Enlightenment and Scientific Revolution began the tradition of utilizing reason in research, founded empirical science, and developed the scientific method. This thesis traces the development of science during the Enlightenment and seeks to prove that Enlightenment science set the stage for the science …

Thematic Transformation In The Operas Of Francis Poulenc: Gender, Spiritual, And Psychological, Elizabeth Brooks Bruening

Honors Theses

Although Francis Poulenc is perhaps best known for his one hundred and fifty contributions to the genre of French art song, melodie, this study focuses on his mere three operatic compositions. This work illustrates and analyzes the theme of transformation within each of Francis Poulenc’s three operatic compositions: gender transformation of Les Mamelles des Tiresias (1944), spiritual transformation of Dialogues des Carmelites (1953), and psychological transformation of La Voix humaine (1959). Research was conducted through viewing each production and studying its musical score and libretto. Published works ranging from scholarly articles to Poulenc’s personal journal were consulted in order to …

The Art Of Peking Opera: Chinese And European Operatic Traditions: Commonalities And Divergences, Portia Nicole Davis

Honors Theses

Peking opera is an art form that combines music, singing, dancing, acting, and acrobatics. The skill necessary for performance is shown through the vigorous training required of the actors that portray characters on stage. A study of Peking opera’s history allows a better understanding of the developments and changes that have occurred to make Peking opera what it is today. Peking opera’s costuming and makeup, stylized movements, and stage presence set it apart from other Chinese art forms and operas that one could see around the world today. One major development of Peking opera occurred during the Cultural Revolution (1966-76). …

Nuove Esplorazioni In Ognina, Sicily, Gabrielle Dianne Coggin

Honors Theses

My thesis was built around my excavations in Sicily during the summer of 2012. I researched a church on a small islet, and some of its findings over the years. Not only did I use my excavation notes, but I also used the notes from the earlier excavation of the same site in the 1960s. I needed expert advice on the building and the lamp that was found, so I contacted a Byzantine architecture specialist, and an ancient lamp specialist to obtain their opinions on the site. In order to understand the findings from 2012,1 researched the basic history of …

The Pilgrimage Of Ibn Jubayr: A Microhistory Of Travel During The Late Twelfth Century, Trevor David Johnson

Honors Theses

This thesis focuses on The Travels of Ibn Jubayr. Ibn Jubayr was a Muslim pilgrim from medieval Spain who made a religious pilgrimage to Mecca between 1183 and 1185. Temporally this places him on the eve of the Third Crusade. Ibn Jubayr traveled throughout the Mediterranean world and the Arabian Peninsula. It is his travelogue that provides a template for understanding the conditions of travelling that Ibn Jubayr and his contemporaries would have faced. The primary research question of my study is: what did travel in the late twelfth century entail? The core of this thesis revolves around the aspects …

When Cultures Collide: A Comparative Study Of The Culinary Cultures Of Uruguay And The Lebanese Community In The Mississippi Delta, Claire Nicola Reid

Honors Theses

Every world culture defines itself differently through the application of similar qualifying processes. Gastronomy is an important one of these processes. This thesis aims to explain how food both aids in and exists as a reflection of cultural identity by asking these questions: What are the specifics of how gastronomical processes are applied in Uruguay and the Mississippi Delta? Do the two regions share similar cultural identification structures? If so, in what ways are they similar, and what do these similarities mean in the context of identity construction? In doing this, | aim to explain why culinary practices, more so …

Federal Farm Subsidies And Industrial Agriculture: A Case Study In Mississippi Agriculture And Policy Analysis, Travis Lenti Gray

Honors Theses

Over the last century, federal agricultural policy has shifted from supporting family farmers to protecting profits for a handful of the largest agricultural corporations and food producers. By guaranteeing a price-floor for commodity crops, farm subsidies encourage farmers to overproduce with no regard to traditional supply and demand economics. Under the current system, commodity crops are exceptionally cheap. The emphasis on quantity over quality has led to an array of negative externalities in this country, which include environmental, public health, and economic consequences.

This research attempts to determine the economic feasibility of farm subsidy reform by examining the impact of …

Photocatalysis Using Cdse Quantum Dots, Luis K. Garibay

Honors Theses

In this project, we synthesized water soluble CdSe quantum dots (QDs) that photocatalyzed the reduction of reazurin to resorufin. Absorption spectra of the CdSe QDs in water solution is the same as in the toluene suspended QDs solution. The retention of optoelectric properties implies tht the QDs retain their chemical properties upon water solubilization. Absorption spectra also showed photoreduction of resazurin to resorufin after a period of light exposure only in the presence of quantum dots. These preliminary results suggest that CdSe quantum dots could be viable photocatalyst for productoion of hydrogen gas through the wate splitting reaction.

Hawksbill Turtle Eretmochelys Imbricata Nesting Environment And Population Study In Cuero Y Salado Wildlife Refuge On The Coast Of Northern Honduras, Ariana Emily Cunningham

Honors Theses

This report outlines my contributions to ProTECTOR's Hawksbill turtle conservation project along the beachfront at Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge of Honduras. Observation-focused nightly beach patrols were conducted so as to census numbers of turtles nesting in this location presently and beach characteristic surveys were undertaken to create a map of environmental factors relevant to Hawksbill nesting along this beach. Resulting environmental maps were correlated with known factors contributing to Hawksbill nest site choice in order to assess the suitability of this beach for Hawksbill nesting, and thus determine its value for preservation efforts and ongoing funding. Of the 10 …

Spatial And Seasonal Variation In The Stable Isotopic Composition Of Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel Fecal Pellets As An Estimate Of Variation In Diet, Allie Chacko

Honors Theses

We performed stable isotope analyses of fecal pellets to investigate temporal and spatial patterns in the diet of free-ranging, thirteen-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus). Samples were collected opportunistically from a population in SW Michigan from May to September 2012. We found a statistically significant increases in d13C values throughout the study period, possibly correlating to a late-season flush of C-4 plants. Also, samples collected within 25 m of a cornfield had a mean d13C value of -20.470%, a value significantly higher than those outside the 25 m border (mean=26.192%). This patternmay be indicative of a C-4 rich diet probably due …

Spatial And Seasonal Signals In Stable Isotopes Of Incisor Enamel From Free-Ranging, Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrels, Jacob Andrew Brassington

Honors Theses

From early May through late September, 2012, we captured, tagged, and collected body masses from multiple, free-ranging thirteen-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) in southwestern Michigan, with 14 individuals recaptured 1 or more times through the season. Beginning in mid-June, we captured and euthanized 12 or these individuals (on average, about 1 per week) to allow study of their lower incisors. We serially micro-sampled enamel along squirrel incisors using laser ablation and determined stable isotope ratios (d13 and d18 O) with gas chromatography-isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (GC-IRMS). The resulting values fell into two spatial groups. Specimens collected within 25 m of a …

Variation In The Calling Song Of The Cricket Gryllus Pennsylvanicus Across Geographic Longitudinal Change, Ioana Danci

Honors Theses

Variation of cricket calling songs can be attributed to environmental factors, including temperature, humidity, vegetation, season, solar elevation, and geographic location. Recent studies found that latitudinal position affects the calling song of male Gryllus pennsylvanicus. My project evaluates whether longitudinal position influences the calling song of G. pennsylvanicus. Using the predicted values of 4 song features based on a mathematical model (Burden 2009), I evaluated data from 6 locatons along a longitudinal axis. I calculated R2 values to determine how well the model predicted the values in my sample populations. The model was found to be a poor predictor.

An Evaluation Of A Probiotic Supplement On Dairy Calf Growth: Birth - 60 Days Old, Kristy Quezada

Honors Theses

The objective of this study was to determine if feeding probiotics to a young calf ould result in earlier development of rumen function and the concomitant increase in daily grain intake, permitting the calf to be weaned at a younger age. A total of heifer calves were assigned at birth to one of two groups: the control group was fed grain without any probiotics and the treatment group was fed the same grain, but with the probiotics added. The probiotic used was Dairyman's Edge Pro(R). The calves were measured for height and weight at birth, 30 days, weaning, and 60 …

Effect Of Latrunculin B On Phonotaxis In Induced Selective Crickets Treated With Jhiii (Acheta Domesticus), Jerome Martin

Honors Theses

The purpose of this experiment is to determine the effect of the actin kinase inhibitor, latrunculin B, on previously unselective crickets. We expected the injecion of a mixture of latrunculin B and juvenile hormones (JHIII) into the prothoracic ganglion would cause a reduction in the affect of JHIII in older crickets, causing them to remain unselective. Based on the results we can conclude that latrunculin B reduces the effect of JHIII, which indicates that creating new synapses is at least a partial effect of JHIII.

Narrative And The Maintenance Of Great Lakes Native American Cultural Identity, Lacey E. Barroso

Honors Theses

This paper examines the relationship of the trickster character to the maintenance of Great Lakes Native American cultural identity by using interviews and literary analysis. The interviews gathered statements from participants about their personal experiences with narrative, and the social context of narrative, within their tribes. The literary analysis examines three stories in the Manabozho cycle: "The theft of fire," "Manabozho and wolf," and "The flood." The themese in these stories fulfill all four of William Bascom's four functions folklore. The hypothesis that narrative is a necessary factor of cultural maintenance has been supported by both the interviews and the …

What Women Want: Masculine Images And Gender Construction In The Old Spice And Dos Equis Ad Campaigns, Ashley Meyer

Honors Theses

The award-winning Dos Equis "The most interesting man in the world" and Old Spice "the man your man could smell like" campaigns are unique not only for their creativity and humor, but also for their portrait of ideal men. These campaigns propose idealized images of masculinity which engage societal conceptions of manhood in the 21st century. Using rhetorical criticism, we can identify underlying ideologies in these campaigns, which combine the traditional and modern masculine constructs to present a new identity that aims but ultimately fails to be universally pleasing. The campaigns also reinforce sexist views of women as childlike and …

The Prevalence Of Encysted Toxoplasma & Sarcocystis In Consumer-Grade Pork, Beef, And Lamb In Michiana, Ross Trecartin

Honors Theses

Commonly present in the muscle of animals are the tissue cysts of Toxoplasma and Sarcocystis. The aim of this study was to determine the presence and levels of Toxoplasma/Sarcocystis tissue cysts in retail pork, beef, and mutton throughout the Michiana area. A total of 36 samples from the three species of interest were exposed to a digestive solution mimicking stomach conditions. The solution consisted of 0.75% pepsin, 0.86% NaCl, and HCl adjusted to a pH of 1-2. The digested samples were then strained through several layers of cheesecloth, centrifuged, and examined for the presence of parasites. Toxoplasma/Sarcocystis were detected in …

Cleaning Symbiosis Of Caribbean Reef Fish: Analysis Of Biological Factors That Affect Cleaning Frequency, Kathryn Janeanna Shell

Honors Theses

Cleaning symbiosis is an important mutualistic relationship for both cleaner and client fish on the coral reef. Until recently, factors affecting the frequency of cleaning stations surrounding the reef have remained unstudied. The purpose of this study was to determine which factors affected cleaning stations in the South Water Caye Marine Reserve (Belize), with particular focus on the role played by parasites. Cleaning stations were observed for a 2-week period, and analyses were made to compare depth, cleaner and client species, and time of day to frequency of cleaning observed. Parrotfish and Surgeonfish were observed most frequently at cleaning stations …

Influence Of Tidal Cycles On Movements Of Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) In South Carolina Coastal Environments, Lauren Albrittain

Honors Theses

When studying estuarine environments that are directly fed by the ocean tides, the impact of the changing tide is vital in studying the migration and travel behaviors of organisms within those environments. This study was aimed at determining the influence of the daily tidal currents on movement with or against the tides by Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Data collection occurred from March to October 2012, at three study sites: the ACE River Basin National Wildlife Refuge, the Hilton Head estuary, and the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. Photo identification transect surveys were conducted to observe resident Atlantic bottlenose dolphins …

The Effect Of The Female Athlete Triad On Performance: Both Physiologically And Psychologically, Constance Darlington

Honors Theses

The female athlete triad is a condition that is composed of an interaction of three separate disorders: low energy intake due to the presence of an eating disorder or disordered eating, menstrual dysfunction, such as, oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea, and osteoporosis. Separately, each disorder can affect performance; however, when the disorders are combined, the consequences are magnified. The female triad has a profound effect on an athlete's performance both physiologically and psychologically. The female athlete triad can affect any female athlete; however, it is more prevalent among the athletes that specialize in aesthetic sports or sports that emphasize leanness, for example, …

The Debate On Marine Mammals In Captivity, Lorna C. Scribner

Honors Theses

Are marine mammal species better off today because of captivity? Is captivity ethical and should it be continued? As this debate grows stronger, both of these sides of the argument offer substantial evidence in their favor. In this paper, I discuss data for both sides and evaluate the justifications of marine mammal captivity. Ideally, no matter the outcome, this research will educate the public on influential factors of wild and captive populations.

Quantifying Acclimation Levels Of Mimus Polyglottos In The Presence Of People, Jordan Rutherford

Honors Theses

The northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) is a common bird species found in North America that in the past 150 years has expanded its distribution north. It is now commonly seen in urban and suburban areas were at one point, it was rarely seen outside of rural and forested areas. For the study, I observed northern mockingbirds at nine different sites over a period of a month between September and October 2012. After the study, I determined that there is a negative relationship between the number of people in the surrounding area and the distance when the birds flew away.