Digital Commons Network^™

Rethinking Rural Homelessness: A Comparison Of The Causes, Solutions, And Services For Persons Experiencing Homelessness In Appalachia Versus Urban Areas In The United States, Casey Frommeyer

Honors Theses

Although homelessness in urban areas has been analyzed extensively, there is little research and data on homelessness in rural areas, specifically in Appalachia. The goal of this research is to shed some light on rural homeless experiences by comparing them to their urban counterparts. Four people from organizations that work with persons experiencing homelessness were interviewed using a snowball sample and asked questions which compare the causes, services, and solutions for homelessness in rural and urban areas. Based on these interviews, it can be concluded that the issues people experiencing homelessness go through, such as mental health problems and stigma, …

Working As A Healthcare Professional On The Frontlines During A Pandemic, Lauren Hodlick

Honors Theses

The changes associated with the pandemic affected healthcare delivery, patient experiences in the healthcare system, and workflow for frontline workers. Pathophysiology, transmission, and infection control practices are reviewed connecting how the unique characteristics of COVID-19 influenced healthcare changes. This paper represents the basis for a video presentation on the lived experience in a Midwest U.S. hospital of a frontline healthcare worker during the summer of 2020. This lived experience video was developed to reinforce good infection control practices of first year nursing students.

An Analysis Of Natural Courts: How Vacancies And Replacements On The Supreme Court Best Determine The Ideological Shifts Of The Court And What Effect Longevity Has On Ideology., Lauren Moses

Honors Theses

This thesis seeks to explore natural courts and ideology among members of the Supreme Court. Most studies of the Supreme Court allocate focus to the chief justice such that the justice and his ideology determines whether the Court will be described as liberal or conservative for the chief's tenure. However, this thesis questions this model of distinction for the highest court in the land. An analysis of natural courts from Marshall through Roberts specifically targets the highest and lowest ideological shifts between natural courts to understand how vacancies and replacements manipulate the ideology of the Court. In addition to the …

Lyme Disease In Kentucky: Prevalence, Awareness, And Diagnosis In A Conventionally Low-Endemic Area, Rachel L. Carden Ots

Honors Theses

Lyme Disease is the fastest-growing vector-borne illness in the United States – including in low-endemic states, such as Kentucky; given Kentucky’s low Lyme disease incidence in prior decades, it has since experienced an increase of cases despite a lack of discussion on the condition and its implications on patient health and wellbeing. To measure current levels of knowledge and awareness of Lyme disease in Kentucky residents, a survey was distributed to Microbiology and Honors Program students at Eastern Kentucky University, and its results were discussed. While Lyme disease cases do continue to rise, the general public of Kentucky lacks in …

A Topological Analysis Of Gene Co-Expression Networks From Brain Data, Mary Lee

Honors Theses

Gene expression data is a compilation of gene activity expressed in a certain tissue. This data has the potential to help uncover genes associated with some disease, stimulus, and treatment. The Allen Brain Atlas has made available gene expression data describing the activity of genes in individuals and tissues related to aging, dementia, traumatic brain injury, brain cancer, and many other brain-specific conditions. This project uses statistical and information-theoretic metrics like Pearson correlation and mutual information to build gene co-expression networks, which are represented by nodes on a graph that correspond to a gene. The nodes are connected when they …

Social Housing And The Affordability Crisis: A Study Of The Effectiveness Of French And American Social Housing Systems In Meeting The Increasing Demand For Affordable Housing, Claire Sullivan

Honors Theses

The demand for affordable housing across OECD countries has sky-rocketed as the number of those cost-burdened by housing continues to increase each year. Social housing has been the traditional means by which governments have provided affordable housing to citizens, however in recent years the social housing systems of many countries have been strained to meet the rising demand for affordable housing. While this has consistently been an area of concern for major metropolitan areas, areas outside of cities are being impacted by the lack of affordable housing, as well.

This study seeks to address the impact of social housing systems …

"Relentless": The Social Identity Of Chronic Illness And Disability, Mary Boujaoude

Honors Theses

Despite the steady growth of rights and acceptance of people from other minority groups, the significance of the issues faced by people with chronic illnesses and disabilities has not enjoyed the same public endorsement. This population has experienced disproportionate disadvantages that have prohibited them from realizing their full potential as active members of society. Much of the scholarship in the area of Disability Studies and research into the social issues faced by people with chronic illnesses and disability is academic in nature, while most advocacy work is non-academic in nature. Relentless is a book of essays that blends personal narrative …

Use Of Nanotechnology And Phytochemical Approaches To Investigate Boar Spermatozoa, Robyn E. Hadden

Honors Theses

Mass semen production for genetic conservation and large commercialization is considerably limited in the swine industry. Boar semen have specific features that prevent mid- and long-term preservation in cooling and freezing extenders, respectively. The success of long-term semen preservation in liquid nitrogen following deep-freezing, also known as cryopreservation, is drastically limited in swine farms. Meanwhile, the preservation of chilled extended boar semen has limitations due to the progressive decrease of sperm fertility potential during storage. With the ultimate goal of producing high quality semen for larger distribution, there is a need to investigate novel approaches to improve boar semen quality, …

On The Basis Of Sex: Personal Status Law Reforms And Economic Growth, Kylie Bring

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze how law reform toward gender equity has an impact on economic growth in Arab countries in the Middle East. Personal status law reform granting women economic, social, and personal freedoms is spreading across the region and showing substantial change. Using case studies of major PSL reforms in Tunisia and Morocco, this thesis outlines qualitative and quantitative evidence to support the case that gender equity benefits the economic growth of the given country.

“What Did You Say To Me?” – Social Feedback, Body Image, & Eating Disorders In Modern Day Society, Caitlin N. Mehs

Honors Theses

Eating disorders are one of the most lethal psychological disorders and need further insight into how they are developed. After an extensive literature review, I am proposing that social feedback influences body image, and body image influences eating disorders. It was predicted that there will be a strong, positive correlation between body image (as measured by body dissatisfaction) and eating disorders. It was also predicted that there will be a strong, positive correlation between social feedback and body image. A meta-analysis was conducted to determine the correlation between body image and eating disorders, yielding a moderately strong, positive correlation ( …

Booked Up: An Appalachian Graphic Novel, Brandi K. Mills

Honors Theses

Booked Up is a graphic novel detailing a young Appalachian girl's life as a big sister with a maternal role, escapism through books, and desire to win a writing competition that can help her reach her goal of attending college.

Beyond The Veil Of Ignorance: An Analysis Of Global Regulations For Assisted Suicide And The Guided Next Steps For America, Abigail B. Coogan

Honors Theses

The concept of assistance in dying goes back to the ancient Greco-Roman world, but it is still a topic of much debate today. This paper attempts to address this debate by completing a thorough examination of the topic of assisted dying in America. It begins with a thorough examination of assisted dying through the legal lense of the United States Constitution and court decisions, moves into an analysis and rebuttal of common objections regarding assisted dying, and examines assisted dying regulations around the world in order to examine what qualities are important in developing assisted dying regulations, along with what …

The Creation Of Nona: A Look At Fantasy Literature, Real Life Trauma, And World-Building, Collin P. Davis

Honors Theses

My Honors Thesis Project looks at the relationship between fantasy literature, real life trauma, and world-building. The scholarly portion of my thesis includes research that looks at the relationship through both literary and psychological perspectives. This research included looking at the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, as well as fantasy games like Dungeons & Dragons, and how they both relate or have been used to cope with trauma. The works of Cathy Caruth and Bruno Bettelheim are used to look at the relationship from a psychological perspective with the introduction of trauma theory and its ties to literature. My project …

Incorporating Diverse Literature Into The Middle Grades Classroom, Katheryn A. Heinrich

Honors Theses

In the field of education, we know from existing research that the literature students are exposed to has an impact on how they view themselves as students, as people, and as citizens of the society in which they live. It can have a lasting impact on their success in school, in work, and in their relationships with others. However, almost all research also shows that it’s not just about which books are taught, but how they are taught. For this project, I have designed a series of unit plans that can be used as a tool for any middle grades …

Madame Bovary Syndrome: The Female Protagonist's Plight, Audrey C. Giesler

Honors Theses

The Madame Bovary Syndrome is a phenomenon that occurs among different female protagonists of the nineteenth century. Based on Gustave Flaubert’s novel Madame Bovary, this syndrome was defined by French philosopher Jules De Gaultier to describe chronic affective dissatisfaction with one’s life. The Madame Bovary Syndrome can be applied to the female protagonists in George Sand’s Indiana, Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper”, and Kate Chopin’s The Awakening. Each protagonist in these stories exemplifies chronic feelings of dissatisfaction, hopelessness, and despair due to the lack of control over their lives. With the rise of the middle class, women were now …

Treating The Trauma: Evaluating The Perceived Effectiveness Of Narrative Therapy On Individuals Who Have Experienced Trauma, Emily Faith

Honors Theses

Abstract

Narrative therapy (NT) has been utilized by many clinicians and found to be effective as an intervention with clients facing a wide range of issues. Focusing on one’s narrative has been given attention in many academic disciplines (e.g., social sciences, humanities and healthcare) and especially among popular written media and academic journals. Despite this attention and the various studies on its efficacy, there is a lack of research on client and non-client perceptions of this therapy. This ethnographic study’s purpose was to compare the perceived effectiveness of the NT between those who had previously participated in narrative therapy and …

Could The P75 Neurotrophin Receptor P75ntr Help Unlock The Mysteries Of Infertility?, Mayci Fullmer

Honors Theses

Histology is the study of microscopic tissue structures that examines the correlation between structure and function. This technique was utilized when analyzing the biological processes of folliculogenesis and oogenesis. These processes study the maturation of the ovarian follicle and production of an ovum, respectively. The p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75^NTR)has been identified to contribute to the maturation of ovarian follicles, but the role of p75^NTR in ovulation remains unknown. To investigate the role of p75^NTR in ovulation, an animal study analyzing the histology of the mouse ovary was conducted. In this study, the number of primary follicles, …

Slipping Through The Cracks: Addressing Mental Health Needs Of Students In The K-12 Classroom, Emily H. Kerr

Honors Theses

Mental health illnesses have become more prevalent over the past 20 years. With this increase in mental health disorders, schools have failed to provide students with the necessary support and resources needed for them to be successful in the classroom. The objective of this study is to highlight the prevalence of mental health illnesses and give insight to strategies that can be implemented by the school system in order to give every child the opportunity to be successful. This study focuses on adolescents with anxiety and/or depression. Research has been conducted to identify the increase in cases of mental health …

A Summary Of Current Research Into Neurodegenerative Disorders Using Drosophila Melanogaster, Chase Cortese

Honors Theses

Neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease are characterized by damage to neural cells causing widespread neurological deficits. Historically, these diseases were deemed as inevitable declines in cognitive and neurological function that occurred with aging. Recent research has revealed, however, that these diseases have molecular bases allowing potential clinical intervention. The groundbreaking discoveries have been made using differing model organisms, which can replicate the phenotype and physiological cause of these disorders. One major model organism that has been used is the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. They have served various roles in elucidating gene pathways and neurophysiological bases seen in these diseases. …

Food Insecurity In Mississippi: Examining The Relationship Between Food Insecurity And Race, Cady Cooper

Honors Theses

The relationship between food insecurity and race is examined in this thesis. The author analyzes the history and background of food and race in Mississippi to bring about a recommendation to change policy. An analysis of USDA data as well as a spatial analysis was used as the primary method for investigating the relationship between race and food insecurity in Mississippi. The findings indicate that, in the urban setting, at ½ mile, 61% of whites are food insecure, and in the urban setting, at the 1 mile, 64% of whites are food insecure. In urban settings, the White population of …

China And Natural Gas: The Importance Of Natural Gas To China With Regard To The South And East China Sea Conflicts, Erin Foelker

Honors Theses

China has a strong interest in natural gas, as it is a resource of which usage can lead to economic growth, energy security, domestic social stability, and reduced climate change impacts. One of the best ways for China to gain easier access to this resource is to obtain legal rights to what they claim is their territory in the South and East China Seas. In this thesis, I review the situations in these two areas and I argue that natural gas is a significant motivator for the conflicts that are occurring.

Sealds: A Quantitative Content Analysis Of #Donttrashyourvote On Twitter, Viviek Patel

Honors Theses

Public relations research has slowly integrated with the study of advocacy organizations, but little research has integrated this and social movements. Using the pyramid model of mobilization-driven relationship-building social media based advocacy, this study employed a quantitative content analysis to examine the prevalence of previously identified communicative functions in social media messages by SEALDs. Unlike previous research on advocacy and health organizations, action messages were the most common. This study also investigated the influence of message type on audience engagement through retweets. The results indicate that information tweets had the most retweets. This study also analyzed how social movements recruit …

Classroom To Classroom: How Many Do You See? The Lack Of African American Teachers In K-12 Public Schools And How To Address This Issue Through Diverse Curriculum Development In Teacher Education Programs, Deonna Starks

Honors Theses

This study provides a descriptive study of DEI courses and admissions requirements among 4-year public universities and colleges. Using data and formation collected from Georgia State University, University of Georgia, Kennesaw State University, Fort Valley State University, the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, University of Memphis and Middle Tennessee State University, this thesis will examine the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) courses offered at each individual university and propose a ClearPath and recommendations for further implementation of DEI curriculum and the retention and recruitment of preservice African American teachers. Previous research shows that the …

A Meta-Analysis Of The Human Uses Of Pteridophytic Species In Tennessee, Diana Sevier

Honors Theses

Pteridophytes are an ancient lineage of plants, composed of ferns and fern allies, which are spread across the globe. There is also a long record of humans using pteridophytes to their benefit, which includes the broad categories of medicine, ornamentation, food, phytoremediation, and agriculture. Understanding these concepts, the goal of this thesis was to conduct a meta-analysis which pulled together data from many resources on the 94 Tennessee pteridophyte species to create a repository of human use information, as well as to examine, analyze, and comment on the trends present within and between taxonomic groups of pteridophytes. The methods used …

Identifying Observation Unit As Best Practice, Justin Abraham

Honors Theses

The rising demand for acute care is attributable to several factors, including poor access to unscheduled primary care and an aging population with complex chronic illnesses which place an increasing demand on crowded ED and hospitals in the United States (American College of Emergency Physicians, 2009). Observation (OBS) services are provided to patients with an acute clinical condition whose need for acute care hospitalization is unclear after their initial evaluation and management. Center for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) define hospital observation as those services that are reasonable and necessary to evaluate the outpatient's condition whose need for the patient to …

Building Professional Development Through The Research Of Financial Accounting, Amanda Starrett

Honors Theses

The following work is compiled from twelve cases assigned by Dr. Victoria Dickinson over the course of an academic year. The program used in creating this work was designed to enhance students’ professionalism and enhance their exposure to real world examples of accounting methods. Each case provided different outlooks on accounting standards and provided the opportunity to examine specific issues regarding financial statements. Public accountants face a wide variety of problems when working with clients; learning from real world situations, students are able to create a better understanding of what challenges may await them in their future careers. By the …

A Comprehensive Analysis Of Accounting Topics Through Case Studies, Grant M. Rudow

Honors Theses

The following thesis is a combination of twelve accounting case studies that were presented as curriculum in the Accounting 420 class. Each case contains a different topic and demonstrates a deep analysis in accounting theory and the current industry, in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles set by the Financial Accounting Standards Board. This thesis demonstrates an in-depth knowledge of core accounting principles and standards, and their relation to academia and industry practice. The case studies were completed under the direction of Dr. Victoria Dickinson in fulfillment of the requirements for The University of Mississippi, Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors …

Informational And Normative Influences In Youth Sport, Hannah Von Zup

Honors Theses

It is widely accepted that participation in youth sport has abundant benefits. These include improving overall fitness, higher self-esteem, and socialization with others. In a 2014 study on those between the ages of six to 18, 27 million reported participating in team sports, and 60 million reported participating in any form of organized athletics within the United States (DiFiore et al.). Sports are an enormous part of American society and a great pastime for viewers and players alike. Most athletes report starting their sport at an early age, and many adults claim some of their best memories are from their …

Board Gender Diversity, Esg, And Corporate Performance, Novena Sutiono

Honors Theses

No abstract available.

White Supremacy Culture And Capitalism As Co-Dependent Systems Of Oppression, Allegra Kistler Ellis

Honors Theses

This thesis seeks to discuss questions surrounding the intricacies and intertwining narratives of white supremacy culture and capitalism, and other systems of oppression that they fuel. For my research, I intentionally used anecdotes, essays, poems, books, and social media posts by primarily queer, trans, Black and Indigenous women and femmes. In doing so, I delve into the inherent relationship between whiteness, white exploitative institutions, and power. I discuss the history of the two systems of oppression in the United States through analyzing pillars and characteristics of white supremacy culture and capitalism, western colonized science and research, sexism, white feminism, fatphobia, …