Digital Commons Network^™

The Assertion Of Identity: Storytelling And Testimony In The Works Of Edwidge Danticat, Michael R. Kurban

Honors Theses

Haitian-American author Edwidge Danticat evokes the Haitian tradition of storytelling in many of her novels and short story collections. A tradition formulated by vodou religion and the amalgamation of African cultures, storytelling acts to entertain, educate and enlighten the people of Haiti. Additionally, her novels are often written in the context of traumatic events in Haitian history. While Danticat's works have been studied with focus on their depiction of storytelling and of trauma, little has been done on the restorative power that storytelling provides. In this thesis, I seek to examine the potential for Danticat's characters and works to create …

The Development And Morphology Of Zebrafish After Embryonic Ethanol Exposure, Frances Lee

Honors Theses

Maternal consumption of alcohol may subject the fetus to fetal alcohol syndrome or fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FAS or FASD). FAS/D is a public health problem, and affected children are defined by varying degrees of irreversible mental retardation, physical defects, behavioral issues, and vision problems from prenatal alcohol exposure (Riley et al. 2011). Recent studies on FAS have looked towards animal models, such as zebrafish, Danio rerio, that exhibit homologous physical and behavioral effects of alcohol (Bilotta et al. 2004). I exposed zebrafish embryos to low doses of ethanol (0.5% v/v or 1% v/v) in either chronic (at least 8 …

Nine, Emily C. Stuart

Honors Theses

N/A

Edible Activism: Food And The Counterculture Of The 1960s And 1970s, Sandra Johnson

Honors Theses

Food is an essential part of every person’s life. Not only does it provide sustenance, but it also holds cultural value. Throughout American history, food has played a significant role in activism because of its ability to form and express identity, build community, demonstrate allegiance with certain beliefs, and reject the status quo. In 1773, American colonists boycotted the controlling British Monarchy and the monopolistic East India Company by throwing tea into the Boston harbor in what later became known as the Boston Tea Party. During the Jacksonian era of the 1830s, radical vegetarians led by the ideologies of …

“Called Her Women Together” Home Birth In Maine, Margaret Kruithoff

Honors Theses

Nine months ago, I set out to write a thesis on childbirth: hippies having their babies in the woods, hospital politics, and women’s rights. The final product is very different than what I had intended. Instead of finding crazy hippies in the woods, I found a community of kind and skilled midwives and loving, openhearted mothers. I am deeply indebted to these inspiring women for their stories and wisdom, which fill the pages of this thesis. Interviewing these mothers, midwives, and home birth advocates was a tremendously empowering experience for me, a young woman.

A Web Application In Rest: The Design, Implementation, And Evaluation Of A Web Application Based On RePresentational STate TRansfer, William O’Brien

Honors Theses

It is no secret the Internet has evolved at an alarming rate since its public debut in the early 90s. What began as a simple way for users to publish files has evolved into a platform for impressively complex interactive applications. Now, applications once restricted to a single operating system are made available to all through advancements in browser technology and libraries. For a long time, Adobe has offered Photoshop as a far from trivial image editing program for around $100 to the Windows and Mac platforms. Recently, a web application emulating Photoshop’s features has been made freely available to …

A Poet Of The Sikhs: Aesthetic Embodiment In The Poetry Of A Young And Elderly Bhai Vir Singh, Todd Curcuru

Honors Theses

Bhai Vir Singh, famous 19^th and 20^th century Sikh poet, writer, and scholar is remembered for his great literary achievements and proliferation of the Pubjabi language. Raised in the Punjab, India after the fall of the Sikh kingdom to the British, Vir Singh grew up in a time of religious turmoil due to Western influence. Joining the Singh Sabha reformation movement, he dedicated his life wholeheartedly to return contemporary Sikh identity to its foundational roots as present in the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth.

Despite his desire to return to a fundamental Sikh identity, Bhai Vir Singh …

From Pond To Pump: Microalgae As A Feedstock For Biodiesel, Anna H. Leavitt

Honors Theses

The global reliance on fossil fuels is an unsustainable practice that has led to the depletion of finite resources and the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, leading to global climate change (Demirbas 2010). Transportation accounts for about a third of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the United States. Demand for oil continues to increase and resources are becoming more uncertain. Increased production of renewable fuels such as biofuels can help ease the dependence on fossil fuels. Although interest and production in biofuels has been increasing in the past decade, current feedstocks do not meet efficiency needs and some …

Food Safety Attitudes In College Students, Rachelle Booth

Honors Theses

College students are one of the most at-risk population groups for food poisoning, due to risky food safety behaviors. Using the Likert Scale, undergraduate students were asked to participate in a Food Safety Survey which was completed by 499 students ages 18-25. Data was analyzed using SPSS and AMOS statistical software. Four conceptual definitions regarding food safety were defined as: general food safety, bacterial food safety, produce food safety, and politics associated with food safety. Knowledge seems to be an important factor in shaing student's attitudes regarding general and bacterial activity. Ethnicity plays a role in how people view the …

Sustainability In School Architecture: Learning From Tradition And Modernity, Jose Quezada

Honors Theses

The terms "sustainability," "sustainable." or "green" are often used to define products or processes that ironically result in limited or negative environmental benefits. Today, our contemporary building construction industry tends to solve environmental performance issues with technological solutions that in some instances have become superficial "green" practices. At times, they lead to counterproductive outcomes and tend to disregard environmental lessons and processes used in the historical buidling traditions. The best traditional architecture responds to local environmental issues using the generational lessons from the past and present. The goal of this thesis is to identify how the best sustainable building practices …

The Discriminating Mother : Own V. Alien And Male V. Female, Eric Mcdaniel

Honors Theses

The Discriminating Mother: Own v. Alien and Male v. Female It is o en stated that one of the greatest bonds that exists is between mother and child. Previous research has shown that mothers experience modi cations in their brain chemistry and structure due to the e ects of pregnancy, parturition, and motherhood in animal models (Lambert & Kinsley, 2012). If an individual cannot have children of her own she may chose to adopt a child to l ll that niche and rge a similar bond. One may ask, however, whether this bond between mother and child is equivalent in …

Your Body Is A Temple: Type-2 Diabetes In Mississippi And The Potential Role Of The Black Church In Diabetes Education And Intervention, Jonathon Troy Jackson

Honors Theses

Type-2 diabetes and obesity are two major health complications that are affecting many Mississippians, namely the African American population. A substantial amount of research has been conducted that explains the high prevalence rate of type-2 diabetes and obesity in the African American community as partially due to many secondary factors, including the Southern cuisine, food scarcity, physical inactivity, and poverty. Recently, efforts to reach the African American population about diabetes education and prevention in other Southern states have been directed to faith-based organizations. Researchers have hoped that faith-based intervention might be better suited at helping a wider audience in a …

Into The Magic Mirror: The Narratives That Reflect Our Lives And Dictate How We Should Live, Chany Fehr Buchanan

Honors Theses

This thesis investigates the influence fairytales have on society, how they dichotomously reflect cultural worldviews yet set standards for appropriate behavior and prescribe hegemonic ideologies. It specifically explores the fairytales told in America over the last couple of centuries, examining how those stories have evolved in correlation with the shifting values of the country. Each chapter lays a foundation for how certain characters are normally portrayed in fairytale tradition - the hero, the beauty, and the villain - and then evaluates how our culture has Americanized those figures, consequently making each of them less idealistic or archetypal and evolution of …

The Role Of Cortisol In Modern Society: Linking Psychosocial Stress And Health, Logan Dwayne Fair

Honors Theses

Glucocorticoids are a class of steroid hormones, which can act on almost all cells in vertebrate tissue through binding to glucocorticoid receptor. Cortisol, which falls into this class, is released in response to stress and provides our bodies with the necessary energy to cope with a wide variety of stressors. This function of cortisol is brought about through its action on numerous metabolic and immunological pathways. However, when cortisol levels remain elevated for extended periods of time, many of these acute effects of cortisol can bring about long-term health problems, including many associated with metabolic S5mdrome, such as obesity and …

Diurnal Time-Activity Budgets Of Schoolmaster Snapper (Lutjanus Apodus) In South Water Caye Marine Reserve (Belize), Catherine Filley Howe

Honors Theses

Diurnal time-activity budgets from a sample of 588 schoolmaster snapper (Lu^'anus apodus. Family Lutjanidae) were recorded over a period of two and a half weeks in the South Water Caye Marine Reserve (Belize) during May and June of 2010. Each fish was observed for a 20-second time period, and the amount of time they spent swimming, stationaiy (resting), foraging, and performing “other” (less common activities) behaviors was recorded. The specific objectives of my study were to: (1) quantitatively describe the behavior of schoolmaster with time-activity budgets, (2) assess differences in schoolmaster size distribution by location (habitat type), and (3) analyze …

Conditioned Place Preference As A Means To Measure Analgesic Drug Effects On Cancer Pain In Murine Models, Hannah Elizabeth Burson

Honors Theses

Pain associated with cancer is unpredictable and may reflect an inability to quantify it in animals. We hypothesize that Conditioned Place Preference (CPP) testing is sensitive to pain relieving drugs in animal models of cancer pain and that CPP scores will reflect varying degrees of pain relief To test this, mice were assigned to one of four groups: tumor or non-tumor groups conditioned to saline or morphine during preference testing. After baseline preference testing in the CPP apparatus, animals received either saline or morphine in the S+ chamber (initially non-preferred chamber). All animals received saline in the S- chamber (initially …

‘The Triple Bottom Line’: Examining Eu Support For Organic Agriculture With Examples From Italian Wine Producers, Kimberly M. Biagini

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Celebratory Activism: A Media Portrayal Of Southern Identity, Elizabeth Myhr Lynch

Honors Theses

Celebratory Activism: A Media Portrayal of Southern Identity (Under the Direction of Dr. Mark Dolan)

The objective ofthis paper is to investigate the media's role in portraying southern identity and to determine the media's effect on the surrounding communities. It specifically addresses the three media institutions of Thacker Mountain Radio, The Oxford American, and The Southern Foodways Alliance and determines how they represent and celebrate southern culture. The methodology of the paper consists of the assessment of existing literature in the field of the media's depiction of the South followed by case studies on Thacker Mountain Radio, The Oxford American, …

In Time, Bfa Thesis Exhibition By Clay Crawford, Clay Howell Crawford

Honors Theses

In Time, my BFA solo exhibition, was an installation of three four-foot-by-six-foot looping video projections shone directly onto the walls of Meek Hall's Gallery 130. create this body of work, I performed as both photographer and subject. Performance in its simplest form exists completely autonomous of technology, and when the photographer or videographer documents a performance s/he produces something and more tangible than simply engaging in the performance's live exchange. As I work with time-based media, the idea of time is central to my art-making process and conceptual development. In these works, I alter standard time structures by imposing my …

Technical And Stylistic Changes In Jewelry From The Time Of Theophilus To The Time Of Cellini, Katherine Gresham Hodges

Honors Theses

My thesis consists of research from an art historical perspective concerning a number of changes in the design, style, and fabrication of jewelry from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance and the influences that brought about those changes. I have found that social political, geographical, technological, and philosophical shifts in the Renaissance all wielded significant impact on the changes in design and style of jewelry. I have approached the subject by studying jewelry as an art form equal to other art forms such painting and sculpting, rather than as a decorative art or craft. By focusing on one prominent goldsmith …

The River Thief: A Collection Of Short Fiction, Andrew David Paul

Honors Theses

With this collection of short stories, 1 attempt to ereate linked pieces with a heavy emphasis on Southern Jewish identity and Eastern European folktale influences. It is in my opinion that the cuiTent Refomi Judaism movement, while modem and accessible. seeks to imitate popular. Western religious trends with no emphasis on uniqueness or authenticity. I looked towards Southern writers with distinct tones and storytelling abilities such as Lewis Nordan, Mark Richard, and Ban*y Hannah for inspiration. In addition, 1 incoiporated iconic Jewish archetyties into some of these stories such as the Wandering Jew and the Golem ot Prague. Although Southern …

Antibiotic Resistance Of Bacteria Isolated From Leafy Green Salad Vegetables, Brooke Elizabeth Reynolds

Honors Theses

Bacterial isolates obtained from samples of five varieties of leafy green vegetables were tested for resistance to four different antibiotics: ampicillin. erythromycin, streptomycin, and tetracycline. Isolates were separated based on media type (TSA vs. R2A media), sterilization techniques (surface sterilized vs. unsterilized). cultivation methods (conventional vs. organic), and specific lettuce type origins. Resistances were tested using a microscale broth culture technique, which allowed for growth of isolates in the presence of different concentrations of antibiotic. Antibiotic resistance was observed in all groups of isolates, although levels of resistance varied depending on the particular isolate and the antibiotic tested. Isolates were …

Currency: The Fantastic Festival Of The Mind, Kristen Marie Vise

Honors Theses

Currency: The Fantastic Festival of the Mind is an exploration of memory and ephemerality through abstracted imagery originating in the wonder of childhood, the magic of festivals, and the divinity of nature. In the work, an underlying “current” or essence of wonder serves as the “currency” of subjects ranging from carousels to clocks to Sycamore trees. The work explores fragmented concepts of time and memory that intertwine with whimsical imagery in the mind over time, leading to the development of fanciful percepdons and reassembled experience. Pulling from sources as diverse as Environmental Graphic Design, contemporary grapic design. Surrealism, and German …

Angiotensin Ii As A Potential Regulator Of Inflammatory Cytokines In Inducing Hypertension In Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Khush Singh Aujla

Honors Theses

The disease Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is a chronic inflammatory, autoimmune disorder that primarily affects women during their reproductive years. Women with SLE are at a greater risk of developing hypertension, which increases their risk of mortality from a cardiac related event. A proposed mechanism for SLE hypertension suggests that inflammation in the kidneys causes renal dysfunction, presumably resulting in less water excretion, increased plasma volume, and thus high blood pressure. This experiment tests the hypothesis that the T-cells from a mouse model of SLE hyper secrete the inflammatory cytokines IL-17, IL-10, and DFN- y, and are more sensitive to the …

Investigations Of Physiological Changes In Gulf Of Mexico Sharks During Acute Stress Events With Emphasis On The Atlantic Sharp Nose Shark, Wood Whittington Dale

Honors Theses

Blood samples were taken from seven species of shark found in the Gulf of Mexico. The species examined were Atlantic sharpnose (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae), blacknose (Carcharhinus acronotus), blacktip [Carcharhinus limbatus), bull {Carcharhinus leucas), finetooth {Carcharhinus isodon), spinner (Carcharhinus brevipinna), and tiger (Galeocerdo cuvier). The blood of 63 sharks was collected and analyzed for hematocrit, leukocrit, and plasma percent volume. Plasma osmolality values were also analyzed. Sharks were captured using hook and line (n=24) and longline (n=39). Hook and line captured sharks were submitted to a stress protocol described by Hoffmayer and Parsons (2001) and longline captured sharks were submitted to a …

An Investigation Of Host Variation In The Host-Parasite Interaction Of Sciurus Carolinensis And Cuterebra Emasculator, Miles Moore Debardeleben

Honors Theses

Within a population, susceptibility to parasitism may vary. Individuals possessing certain intrinsic or extrinsic traits are often more likely to be parasitized than individuals within that population that do not possess those certain traits. As a result, parasites can have profound effects of the population dynamics of theirs hosts. Much research has been done on the host-parasite interaction of the eastern grey squirrel {Sciurus caroUnensis) and the tree squirrel hot fly {Cuterebra emasculator). However, relatively little research has been done on host susceptibility to this parasite. Knowing that bot flies can lower reproductive success, reduce fitness, and cause death of …

The Effect Of Temperature And Turbidity On The Swimming Performance Of Golden Shiner (Notemigonus Crysoleucas)., Emily Katherine Hildebrandt

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of turbidity and temperature on golden shiner critical swimming speed, and tail beat frequency, and how these relationships might be altered when fish are in a group. It was found that both temperature and turbidity positively affected critical swimming speeds; critical swimming speeds increased significantly with rising temperature and turbidity values. Tail beat frequencies increased with increasing temperature and turbidity, echoing the rise in critical swimming speed. A group effect was only evident at the lowest temperature for the highest turbidity, but tail beat frequencies indicate greater stress when alone …

Investigation Of Brown Recluse (Loxosceles Reclusa) And Black Widow (Latrodectus Mactans) Spider-Bite Diagnoses By Medical Professionals Across Three Regions Of Mississippi, Hillary Michelle Howell

Honors Theses

During 4 weeks of the spring of 2011 and 5 weeks of the fall of 2011, interviews were conducted with medical professionals practicing in Mississippi regarding the diagnosis of brown recluse {Loxosceles reclusa) and black widow {Latrodectus mactans) spider bites. During the spring, a total of 19 interviews were held with emergency room physicians and dermatologists practicing in urban and rural, non-medically underserved areas of Mississippi. The participants varied in their location of practice across the 3 regions of Mississippi. During the fall, a total of 5 interviews were conducted with nurse practitioners and one pediatrician practicing in rural, medically …

Uneven-Ing, Samantha Taylor Ivy

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Cognitive Style And Degree Of Familiarity On Belief In Supernatural Events In Religious Stories, Brandi Elizabeth Soper

Honors Theses

Two studies assessed whether individual differences in cognitive style, familiarity with religious content, or the inclusion of supernatural details in religious stories had any effect on individual religious beliefs. Two scales intended to indentify individual differences in the need for cognition and the need for cognitive closure were used to cognitive style. Three different types of religious beliefs were measured by Hunt’s (1972) Literal, Anti-literal, Metaphorical religious belief scale and also by a similar scale that measured participants’ belief in actual Biblical stories. The Bible stories manipulated to include either familiar or unfamiliar details as well as supernatural natural details. …