Digital Commons Network^™

Troglofauna Of Van Buren And White County: A Survey Of Four Caves In The Mideastern Cumberland Plateau, Gavin Page

Honors Theses

The Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee has the highest cave-obligate biodiversity in North America. Cave-obligate species are entirely restricted to subterranean habitat and demonstrate unique troglomorphy. These species are categorized as troglobionts. However, because of their isolated occurrences, theses species are vulnerable to a variety of disturbances. This issue is furthered in the fact that only approximately 7% of the caves in this region have been surveyed. Of these caves that have been surveyed, only a small portion were professional entomological surveys, while almost no cave has ever been extensively repeat sampled. This study involved newly sampling one cave and repeat …

Increasing Stress Tolerance In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Using Lipocalin Genes, Ximena Leon

Honors Theses

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a microorganism that is commonly used in industries, but its productivity is significantly hindered by its inability to resist high stress levels found in industrial processes. By increasing stress tolerance in S. cerevisiae, its role in industrial processes could be maximized. The objective of this study is to determine if complementation of lipocalin genes into the wildtype and knockout strains of S. cerevisiae can increase stress tolerance against a variety of stressors. We identified the knockout yeast strains, ALD3, ALD4, PDX3, and ILV1, as being sensitive to various stressors including salinity, heat, oxidative, and osmotic stresses. Arabidopsis …

The Effects Of Urbanization On Insect Morphology: A Meta-Analysis, Evann L. Bailey

Honors Theses

Urbanization has been shown to create a rapid change in the environment as you move from rural areas to urban areas. It can create a multitude of effects on the environment. Some examples include, land disturbance, pollution, increasing temperatures and a disturbance in vegetation and biodiversity. Insects are useful organisms that provide maintenance and upkeep for ecosystem functioning. The rapid development of urbanization and how it is changing the environment may impact insect morphology. Measuring morphological change in organisms have been used successfully as indicators of environmental and ecological disturbance. Changes that take place in an insect’s morphology may indicate …

Chickens In Texas: A Farce In One Act, Lawson Marchetti

Honors Theses

Herein lies a one-act farce written by Lawson David Marchetti, an English major in the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College at the University of Mississippi. His emphasis is in Creative Writing, and his minors are in Theatre Arts and in Music. This farce was written as his senior thesis, for the completion of requirements of the Honors College. The play was conceived in August of 2020, and completed in April of 2021. The play itself is set in modern times, sans pandemic, and is highly whimsical in style. It requires a cast of twelve comedic actors, and several complicated technical …

5g Technology, U.S. - China Race, And The Competition For Dominance, Rhodes M. Walker

Honors Theses

For much of the 21^st century, the United States and China have been competing to determine which world superpower will have the upper-hand for decades to come.The creation of 5G networks has raised new questions which are imperative to understanding the outlook for the competition between the United States and China for global dominance. This thesis sought to answer the question: Why would implementing the first 5G networks be the key to global dominance for the next decade or longer? In addressing this question, this thesis discusses the current state of 5G networks in China, the U.S., and Europe …

Archaeological Analysis Of An Early Mississippian Frontier Structure In Southwestern Virginia, Sophie Husslein

Honors Theses

Ely Mound (44LE12) is a significant prehistoric frontier site located in Lee County, Virginia. Frontier sites are important in understanding processes of cultural hybridity and the formation of social hierarchies. Through an analysis of artifacts recovered from a household structure during a 2019 excavation, this research explores Ely’s function on the Mississippian cultural frontier, and discusses its relationship to the Carter Robinson site located within the county (44LE10). Finally, I conclude that the occupants of Ely Mound were a local people engaging with select Mississipian cultural practices and suggest that this site could be an example of Mississippianization.

The Art And Importance Of Deliberative Rhetoric In Political Communications, Cameron Sadler

Honors Theses

This project explores the use of deliberative rhetorical appeals in political communications. Seven professionals spanning all levels of politics were interviewed about their work as communications specialists and strategists. Their insights further proved the necessity for attention to rhetoric in messaging.

College Students' Knowledge Of The Relationship Between Diet And Facial Acne, Caroline Moulton

Honors Theses

A common struggle for many young adults is the infamous acne vulgaris. Americans spend millions of dollars on acne medication, treatments, and dermatology and cosmetic visits each year. One area that is greatly lacking in research is the relation of nutrition and facial skin appearance. In clinical settings this topic is not commonly discussed, but evidence shows diet changes could greatly benefit those struggling with acne. The present study sought to investigate the knowledge of college students regarding various food and beverage items and facial skin appearance by electronically distributing a self-report survey to a sample of 385 college students …

Experimental Evolution And Local Adaptation In Pseudomonas Fluorescens, Alexander England

Honors Theses

Local adaptation occurs in populations when multiple subsets of the same population are exposed to different environmental conditions causing the beneficial evolution of each species in its respective environment (Delph 2018). PURPOSE: Using Pseudomonas fluorescens as a model organism, this project sought to understand how an individual’s relative fitness will be affected after undergoing local adaptation in three different environments. METHODOLOGY: To conduct this experiment, three identical strains of SBW25 and three identical strains of lacZ were grown up in three separate environments. Each environment contained an M9 minimal salt media supplemented with either dextrose, xylose, or a 50/50 mixture …

Healthy Food Accessibility In Rural Mississippi And Potential For A Corner Store Intervention, Anna Conner

Honors Theses

Some areas of the United States have poorer food environments than others. The Mississippi Delta has limited access to nutritious food, often relying on corner stores for sustenance. The impact of a poor diet can increase chronic disease prevalence, creating additional barriers to health and nutrition for Mississippians. The purpose of this study was to document and explore the rural food environment and discuss urban intervention studies in light of the current state of stores in the Delta. An adapted version of the Baltimore Healthy Kids survey and store impact questionnaire was used to record owner perceptions and food availability. …

An Analysis Of Accounting Principles Through Case Studies, Marisa Panasci

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze various accounting principles through an evaluation of fictional and non-fictional case studies that helps to create an understanding of accounting philosophies in real-world situations. In contrast to the more traditional research approach to a thesis, I was given 10 cases to dissect specific questions regarding economics, ethics, accounting methodologies, personal experiences and more. Dr. Dickinson led this course to allow time for presentations with accounting professionals in tandem with complex questions about films, readings, and cases that challenged us to think outside the box. We also participated in accounting case competitions to …

Changing The Script: An Investigation Of How Gender Roles And Stereotypes Influence Women’S Career Choice In Marketing, Skylar Laine Read

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how the portrayal of gender roles and stereotypes have influenced young women growing up and how this representation has affected women’s career choices—specifically in sales. This thesis will explore the evolution of the Disney Princess, how the gender roles of these characters have influenced young girls’ perception of their role models, career choices, and perceptions of themselves in the workplace. This exploration is done through three different studies. The first is a case study of three Disney Princesses and the portrayal of women in their respective eras. The second study consists of …

Analyzing The Consumer’S Decision-Making Process To Visit Walt Disney World During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Corinne Kincade Williams

Honors Theses

During the Covid-19 pandemic, people have had differing opinions about traveling and visiting popular destinations. This study analyzes why people decide to visit or not visit Disney World during the pandemic. To understand motivational factors affecting customers’ visit intention, a Qualtrics survey was administered through GroupMe, Disney Facebook fan pages, and MTurk. Questions applied the theory of planned behavior and additional constructs of perceived severity and perceived vulnerability to understand the reasons behind participants’ decision-making process to visit or not visit Disney World.

From the 553 responses analyzed, it was found that the most influential factors on Disney World visit …

Case Study In Enterprise Risk Management: Happy Tails, Inc., Clay Chance

Honors Theses

Enterprise risk management is a necessity for businesses in today’s marketplace. Firms that are unaware of risks they are facing often find themselves in unexpected trouble. The field of enterprise risk management has been growing since the 1990s as an effort to minimize the costs that risk imposes on firms. In this case study, I identified risks for Happy Tails, Inc. and recommended various techniques to manage the risks. I found that not only does Happy Tails face many of the same major risks faced by most firms in the marketplace today, but it also faces some unique risks due …

Responses To Fine Particulate Matter (Pm2.5) Exposures In Two Wild-Type Zebrafish Strains, Connor Necaise

Honors Theses

Atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) exposure poses great health risks across the globe, causing both acute and chronic illnesses in humans. Therefore, a more complete understanding of the mechanisms in which PM_2.5 induces these adverse health effects is urgently needed. Oxidative stress due to PAHs and other common components of PM_2.5 is a proposed mechanism for its adverse health effects. However, little is known about the actual mechanisms of PM_2.5 damage in humans. This study aimed to distinguish behavioral differences in two lines of zebrafish (AB & 5D) as a result of developmental exposure to …

Honors Accounting Thesis, Joseph Harris

Honors Theses

During the fall and spring of the 2019-2020 school year, I was a part of the Honors 420 accounting thesis class. This class was led by Dr. Vicki Dickinson as a series of case studies featuring several notable speakers throughout the year. Dr. Dickinson was a fantastic instructor. She greatly helped me in my recruiting process by giving me real-world tips that directly translated into navigating both accounting socials and interviews. Even throughout the COVID period of the spring semester, Dr. Dickinson was constantly giving me advice on how to navigate interviewing and networking opportunities. Each separate case presented in …

Repurposing Antiplatelet Drugs To Treat Platelet Mediated Metastasis, Brianna Chambers

Honors Theses

By applying cardiovascular drugs, which already have been proven effective and safe, to other diseases we can speed the drug discovery process, specifically to translate them into treatments for platelet-mediated metastasis. Each cardiovascular drug within antiplatelet drugs, targets one of the four following pathways: COX-1, thromboxane, P2Y12, or thrombin. There has been varying levels of success with treating adenocarcinomas like breast and colorectal cancer. Continued success in treatment could be the result of pharmacogenetics and further evaluation of dosage levels. By isolating mutation rates in various adenocarcinomas there is the possibility of a targeted treatment based on the mutated gene.

Examining The Role Of The Drosophila Melanogaster Unc13 Protein In Open Field Activity Using Rnai, Islam Orabi

Honors Theses

Unc13 are proteins in the presynaptic neurons essential in controlling synaptic vesicle fusion and synaptic transmission. Recently, the reduction of Drosophila melanogaster Unc13 proteins (Dunc13), were found to result in a resistance to alcohol, highly reminiscent of tolerance formation. I investigated whether genetically reducing Dunc13 activity in Drosophila brain regions leads to different forms of behavioral plasticity using an open field activity paradigm. In my approach, a Dunc13 RNAi transgene was expressed in the Drosophila brain within the mushroom body, the ellipsoid body, and in all neurons. The activities of the flies were examined in the open field paradigm to …

The Biodiversity Of Deadwood-Associated Arthropods In The Southern Appalachian Mountains, Isabelle Ong

Honors Theses

A biodiversity hotspot is a location that has significantly elevated levels of biodiversity including many species found nowhere else, and which is also in danger of losing much of this diversity. By identifying biodiverse regions, conservation efforts can be targeted to those locations where they are likely to have the most beneficial impacts. We looked at deadwood associated arthropods within the Southern Appalachian Mountains to examine centers of biodiversity. Nine logs were sampled, three of which were located in Bankhead National Forest and six were located in the Great Smoky Mountains. Polymerase chain reaction was used to amplify the mitochondrial …

Effectiveness Of Visual Representations In Undergraduate Human Anatomy And Physiology I & Ii, Mary Agnes Mestayer

Honors Theses

The objective of this project was to explore intersections between student preferences and student performance on anatomical visual representations in Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II. Visual representations are a critical resource for the formation of relationships between function and structure furthermore; students interpret these representations uniquely based on specific factors (learning objective, prior knowledge, the diagram studied, etc.). Phase I of this project gathered undergraduate responses to ten Likert-style questions on their opinions on diagrams and their use in the A&P classroom. Phase II of this project presented participants with twelve manipulated diagrams sourced from three diagram with …

Accountancy Practicum, Connor Mccarthy

Honors Theses

The cases enclosed within this thesis discuss a variety of accounting topics. These were selected by Dr. Dickinson to focus on a number of concepts that aid young professionals like myself in addressing the expectations of the financial reporting world.

Each case involved either formal research or a completion of a task that represented the fulfillment of this overarching goal. A synthesis of knowledge gained was usually included unless otherwise instructed. Two of the enclosed cases were completed alongside fellow students – Case 4 and Case 8, but two case competitions not featured here were also team-based.

The conclusions reached …

An Analysis Of Current Accounting And Financial Matters, Payton Argabright

Honors Theses

This document demonstrates and represents the work done over the course of a full year for Accounting 420, the Honors Thesis Practicum course under Dr. Dickinson at the University of Mississippi. The case studies following delve into a wide variety of topics mean to simulate what various future careers in accounting could like, as well as to expose current issues and debates that are ongoing in the business world.

Perilous Place: Personal Stories Point To Possible Solutions To Widespread Flooding In The Mississippi Delta, Jared Poland

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate and create journalistic stories highlighting the Yazoo Backwater Pumps Projects relationship to climate change while utilizing narrative storytelling techniques. Before explaining the methodology used for conducting research and interviews, the researcher describes the influence that innovations of mass communication channels have had on the way humans form groups and persuasively advocate for their positions. The researcher describes their historical perspective of mass media innovations that were vital considerations during their discovery and investigation of this politically divisive issue. The researcher more specifically focuses on the innovations that have occurred since the digital …

The Role Of Cannabinoid Receptor 2 In Zebrafish Toxicities Following Developmental Exposure To Thc Or Cbd, Haley Watts

Honors Theses

As the laws concerning the regulation of Cannabis Sativa change across the globe, maternal use of cannabinoid-containing products during pregnancy is a greater concern than ever before. Little research has been conducted on the consequences of maternal use and developmental exposure to ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD. In this study, larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) were used to measure CBD and THC-mediated adverse outcomes including effects on larval length, eye area, and behavior in the cnr^+/+ and cnr2^-/- zebrafish strains where we discovered that cannabinoid exposure results in a decrease in each of these endpoints. Adult …

Analyzing The Effects Of E-Hook Peptides On Kinesin-1, Ashton Ward Murrah, Baylee Hope Howard

Honors Theses

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. Cancerous growth is a result of oncogenes, or mutated genes that increase the rate of cell division in an uncontrolled manner. Cell division, which consists of mitosis and cytokinesis phases, is dependent upon the active movement of kinesin motor proteins along microtubules to rearrange the cytoskeleton for equitable distribution of genetic material to daughter cells. As kinesins are vital to this process, if we could prevent kinesin from binding to the microtubules, cell division would cease.

The goal of this study is to develop a method to prevent …

Financial Accounting: A Collection Of Case Studies, Dalton Gibson

Honors Theses

Financial accounting encompasses many topics such as different accounting methods, ethical practices, financial reporting, and more. We were assigned students case studies, each covering a different category of financial reporting, including case studies about accounting methods, accounting standards, and financial statements. The cases are designed to help students understand real examples, think critically to solve problems, and develop strong research and collaboration skills. At the conclusion of this course, students had an improved technical knowledge of accounting and a better understanding of the importance of proper financial accounting methods. The knowledge learned will continue to benefit students in their future …

An Experiment To Test For Rapid Evolution In An Introduced Ectomycorrhizal Symbiosis, Valerie Rewa

Honors Theses

The rapid evolution of introduced ectomycorrhizal-plant partnerships is an under- explored topic that may have immense impacts on ecosystems around the world. This experiment sought to identify and quantify this evolution and its impacts on both fungal colonization as well as plant growth. I used a laboratory experiment to analyze these factors in native and exotic genotypes of Suillus cothurnatus and Pinus species. Much of the data was not able to be collected, but that which was did not support the presence of rapid evolution in the mutualistic partnership. Pine species was seen to have a significant effect on plant …

Examining Race And Anxiety Sensitivity As Predictors Of Electronic Cigarette Use And Dependence, Carson Schmitz

Honors Theses

Electronic Cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have gained popularity among U.S. adults with rates of use significantly increasing over the past decade. As such, the current literature has begun to explore factors associated with e-cigarette use in significantly affected populations. Anxiety sensitivity (AS), the fear of the sensations associated with the experience of anxiety, is a known transdiagnostic risk factor for tobacco use. Additionally, higher AS has been shown to be associated with higher levels of e-cigarette use, greater perceived benefits of use, greater positive outcome expectancies, greater perceived risks of use, more quit attempts, and more difficulty quitting. Further, preliminary research focusing …

The Root Of The Problem: Mississippi And The School-To-Prison Pipeline, Matthew Brennan Hendley

Honors Theses

The Root of the Problem: Mississippi and the School-to-Prison Pipeline is a solutions journalism piece about the “schoolhouse to jailhouse” theory, which represents a phenomenon in which grade school students, the majority of which are minority youth, are funneled into the criminal justice system via schools through policies and procedures that criminalize student misbehavior. The piece is an in-depth analysis of the arrival, history, and current state of the school-to-prison pipeline in Mississippi, featuring one specific effort to dismantle the phenomenon in the Sunflower County Consolidated School District in the Mississippi Delta. In addition to this analysis, the piece explores …

A Stolen Culture: The Harmful Effects Of Cultural Appropriation, Amirah Lockhart

Honors Theses

Entertainment has always been an outlet from reality, no matter the culture. Whether in the form of music or television, entertainment has something for everyone. Different factors influence the content of the entertainment being consumed, but culture is one of the most important and decisive elements. The appropriation of entertainers in their work is not always immediately obvious to all consumers of entertainment, but members of the affected culture are quick to notice and usually shut out. I argue that the cultural appropriation of Black culture in most cases facilitates results that are harmful and damaging to the Black community. …