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Honors Theses

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The Application Of Rna Interference To Knock Out Groucho Expression In Drosophila S2 Cells, Savannah Mitchell Jan 2016

The Application Of Rna Interference To Knock Out Groucho Expression In Drosophila S2 Cells, Savannah Mitchell

Honors Theses

The development of a complex nervous system requires the actions of intricate genetic mechanisms that influence and maintain the differentiation of common nervous system progenitor cells into neurons and glial cells. In Drosophila melanogaster, the gene glial cells missing (gcm) encodes the transcription factor Gcm that, when active, causes early nervous system cells to preferentially differentiate into glial cells by activating the reversed polarity (repo) gene, as well as others. However, the Gcm protein also plays a role in the differentiation of both macrophages and tendon cells. This suggests that there are other transcription factors or cofactors that interact with …


Auteurs Of Revolution: The Work Of Godard, Pasolini, And Antonioni And The Student Protests Of 1968, Shelbi Stovall Jan 2016

Auteurs Of Revolution: The Work Of Godard, Pasolini, And Antonioni And The Student Protests Of 1968, Shelbi Stovall

Honors Theses

When one looks to analysis of Western movements of 1968, one commonly finds either partisan commentary on exact protest actions, ignorance to the movements' philosophical background, or no recognition of artistic responses to the political ideology of the student protesters. The image which emerges of 1968 in France, Italy, and the Unites States is thus simple, tedious, and without reference to the greater sphere of Marxist thought which exists in traditional politics or the cinematic realm. This thesis analyzes the historical moment of 1968 as it relates to and is reflected by the cinematic work and personal responses of directors …


Biochemical And Behavioral Effects Of Environmental Enrichment On Strain-Dependent Vulnerability To Anxiety And Depression In The Chick Separation Stress Paradigm, Sydney M. Anchor Jan 2016

Biochemical And Behavioral Effects Of Environmental Enrichment On Strain-Dependent Vulnerability To Anxiety And Depression In The Chick Separation Stress Paradigm, Sydney M. Anchor

Honors Theses

Increased attention has been directed towards determining how environment interacts with genetics on the manifestation of stress-related disorders. This study investigates the differential effects of an enriched versus impoverished environment on behavioral and biochemical endpoints of depression between stress-vulnerable and stress-resilient strains in the chick anxiety-depression model. Black Australorp and Production Red strains were housed in either enriched or impoverished conditions for 4 days and then socially isolated for 90 min. Rate of distress vocalizations (DVocs) were recorded throughout the isolation period and latency to behavioral despair was calculated. Immediately following testing, bilateral hippocampal tissue was harvested and brain-derived neurotrophic …


An Industry Giant's Struggles: Google's Relative Failure Within China, Zachary T. Cookston Jan 2016

An Industry Giant's Struggles: Google's Relative Failure Within China, Zachary T. Cookston

Honors Theses

This thesis aims to understand and further explain the reasons culminating in Google's relative failure in the Chinese search engine market. By examining Google's tenure in China, Google's fairings in other large East Asian markets, and other Western corporations' troubles adapting to the Chinese market, this paper works to exhibit the reasons for Google's failure in China. Many of Google's high-ranking officers have claimed censorship as the most important factor in forcing the industry giant to vacate one of the fastest growing and most populous search engine markets in the world, but this paper seeks to exemplify that Google's approach …


I Got It On Silk Road: An Examination Of Knowledge And Attitudes Towards Tor And The Dark Web, Zachary Mitchell Jan 2016

I Got It On Silk Road: An Examination Of Knowledge And Attitudes Towards Tor And The Dark Web, Zachary Mitchell

Honors Theses

As communication technology has grown, so has the potential for crimes to be committed with the new technology. The United States government has attempted to stay current with the times by introducing legislation to increase federal power to detect and stop these crimes, but some feel that some of these new laws and acts reduce personal freedoms and liberties. Enter Tor and the Dark Web, a set of often misunderstood tools and web-based resources designed to make users' data and behavior on the Internet anonymous. This paper describes the aforementioned laws, how Tor and the Dark Web work, and examines …


A Background And Chronological Take On High Frequency Trading, Quinn H. Murray Jan 2016

A Background And Chronological Take On High Frequency Trading, Quinn H. Murray

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze, in context of high frequency trading, potential market manipulation techniques (i.e. market making arbitrage, statistical arbitrage, market structure arbitrage, and directional strategies), and to review the subject from a chronological perspective from the 1960s onward, covering topics not limited to Regulation National Market System, the flash crash of May 6, 2010, and the August 24, 2015 market crash. To date, high frequency trading's effects on the United States market place have been well documented. This thesis will speculate about the true nature—whether adverse or beneficial-- of this fascinating, evolutionary, highly scrutinized topic.


Cultural Implications Of Starbucks Consumption In China: Why Do Chinese Have A Latte On Their Mind?, Garrett Hersh Jan 2016

Cultural Implications Of Starbucks Consumption In China: Why Do Chinese Have A Latte On Their Mind?, Garrett Hersh

Honors Theses

The aim of this thesis was gain a more comprehensive understanding concerning the Chinese consumers understanding of coffee and Starbucks in China as a luxury good. Considering China's recent history, as well as the introduction of a capitalist, consumer economy, examining the Chinese consumers' consumption pattern of this foreign, arguably luxury, good, is reflective of Chinese consumer ideals. A literature review analyzing the relationship between Chinese consumer ideals and the introduction of global consumerism, in addition to a set of interviews and surveys were conducted in attempts to understand the current Chinese consumption patterns of Starbucks coffee. After conducting the …


Barriers To Access Under The Affordable Care Act: An Analysis Of Marketplace Enrollment, Jessica Ann Johnson Jan 2016

Barriers To Access Under The Affordable Care Act: An Analysis Of Marketplace Enrollment, Jessica Ann Johnson

Honors Theses

This thesis seeks to understand how the Affordable Care Act impacted certain groups who had faced barriers to accessing health insurance prior to the passage of the act. It provides a fundamental understanding of the major provisions of the Affordable Care Act and discusses dis- parities amongst, and challenges incurred, by different groups in the current health insurance sys- tem, Research focused specifically on demographic factors of income, gender, primary language spoken, ethnicity, education and age as Ill as looked at the effect that urban setting and sufficient internet access had on enrollment rates. In order to understand the impact …


Dillon's Rule Versus Home Rule: A Comprehensive, Comparative Review Of The Impacts, Joseph R. Latham Jan 2016

Dillon's Rule Versus Home Rule: A Comprehensive, Comparative Review Of The Impacts, Joseph R. Latham

Honors Theses

There are two primary configurations of the American state-local relationship. The status quo configuration, pure Dillon's Rule, is a top-down organizational structure in which the state, primarily through its legislature, exercises close-to-complete oversight over decision-making at the local level — in municipalities, counties, towns, etc. An alternative configuration may be brought about by the institution of home rule, a constitutionally or legislatively conferred devolution of powers to substate governments that allows, at least nominally, for greater autonomy at the local level. This study utilizes institutional theory and a systematic review of the current body of literature concerning the tangible impacts …


How Proposed Legislation Could Affect Corporate Taxes, Kaitlin Aspinwall Jan 2016

How Proposed Legislation Could Affect Corporate Taxes, Kaitlin Aspinwall

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to explore in detail three tax reform proposals and to determine the effects that each would have on three different industries, manufacturing, service based, and technology. This study looks at the detailed tax reform plans of Congressman Dave Camp, Congressman Devin Nunes, and Senators Marco Rubio and Mike Lee. In order to determine the effects that each of these plans would have on the three industries, the financial statements of Lockheed Martin, Liberty Mutual, and Facebook are analyzed as representatives of their industries. This analysis revealed the effects that the proposals would have on …


The Evolution Of The Vampire Other: Symbols Of Difference From Folklore To Millennial Literature, Kate Buckley Jan 2016

The Evolution Of The Vampire Other: Symbols Of Difference From Folklore To Millennial Literature, Kate Buckley

Honors Theses

With its roots in Eastern Europe and rapidly spreading to Western society in the past few hundred years, the vampire has served as a double for humanity, with the division of self between monstrosity and the human ideal. Vampires in folklore and literature have been a means by which human cultures have identified concepts of human subjectivity (identity), particularly with regard to what various societies have defined as monstrous (being Othered) within human nature. This study examines how the vampire character evolves throughout the centuries, with a specific focus on the less monstrous contemporary vampires who form hybrid communities with …


Tigers, Flies, And Longines: The Chinese Corruption Crackdown And Its Effect On Conspicuous Consumption, Kayla Smith Jan 2016

Tigers, Flies, And Longines: The Chinese Corruption Crackdown And Its Effect On Conspicuous Consumption, Kayla Smith

Honors Theses

Through the analysis of Elle China magazine articles and annual financial reports, the researcher sought to find if the 2012 Xi Jinping campaign against corruption, extravagance and graft had an effect on luxury sales. The researcher has found that the campaign has little to no effect on the luxury consumption preferences of the upper and middle class in China, only effecting officials and luxury purchases made for gifting. To offset loses from the crackdown on gifting, luxury brands have begun selling more affordable high-end liquors and watches.


Opportunities And Challenges For Socially Responsible Business In China, Liana Tai Jan 2016

Opportunities And Challenges For Socially Responsible Business In China, Liana Tai

Honors Theses

This thesis aims to demonstrate the unique circumstances that China poses for the development of socially responsible business in China. Socially responsible business is a concept that has emerged in Western nations in recent years, due to the growing environmental and social consciousness of consumers and their increasing demands for companies to meet higher standards in this regard. Socially responsible business refers to those corporate entities that use the market to stimulate change in peoples' awareness of and attitudes toward a certain social issue and, ultimately, consumer behavior and habits. China's irresponsible corporate environment has resulted in harmful and threatening …


Intentions To Purchase Genetically Modified Foods In The United States And Germany: The Impact Of Consumer Knowledge And Attitudes, Maggie Hall Jan 2016

Intentions To Purchase Genetically Modified Foods In The United States And Germany: The Impact Of Consumer Knowledge And Attitudes, Maggie Hall

Honors Theses

Genetically modified foods are a current, ongoing issue in the world today. Much research is done on the producers and governmental regulation systems regarding GMOs, but not much research exists about direct consumer actions towards genetically modified foods. Hence, in this thesis, I focus on the consumers in Germany and the United States and their attitudes and knowledge of GMOs. I chose Germany and the US as the two overarching cases due to their perceived and reported differences surrounding GMOs on many levels, such as production and government regulation. With the aid of Clickworker and Amazon Mechanical Turk, I utilized …


Setting Traps, Finn Waterstreet Udall Jan 2016

Setting Traps, Finn Waterstreet Udall

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


Keeping Students In School: An Analysis Of Dropout Prevention Methods In Canton, Mississippi, Mary Elizabeth Kakales Jan 2016

Keeping Students In School: An Analysis Of Dropout Prevention Methods In Canton, Mississippi, Mary Elizabeth Kakales

Honors Theses

With a graduation rate of 29.7% and a dropout rate of 59.8% reported in 2005, the Canton Public School District qualified as one of the most low-performing school districts in the United States. Recently, though, the district has experienced significant improvement in these areas, reporting a graduation rate of 72.2% and a dropout rate of 17.8% in 2013. In this thesis, I analyze Canton, Mississippi's dropout prevention methods and conclude that their success is attributed to the combination of a community-wide effort and desire to be worthy of honor and respect alongside Canton Public School District's extensive Dropout Prevention Plan. …


Students' And Pharmacists' Perspectives On The Issue Of Adhd Prescription Medication Abuse At The University Of Mississippi, Meghan Wagner Jan 2016

Students' And Pharmacists' Perspectives On The Issue Of Adhd Prescription Medication Abuse At The University Of Mississippi, Meghan Wagner

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


Optimizing Rna Extraction From Fungal-Algal Tissues For Transcriptomic Gene Expression Analysis, Michael J. Hohl Jan 2016

Optimizing Rna Extraction From Fungal-Algal Tissues For Transcriptomic Gene Expression Analysis, Michael J. Hohl

Honors Theses

Extracting high-quality RNA is critical for downstream applications such a qRT-PCR and RNA-Seq based transcriptomics. Single-stranded RNA is readily susceptible to degradation by environmental RNases, necessitating rapid and sterile homogenization techniques; freezing at -80°C, lysis buffer addition, and short bursts of beadbeating have been shown to increase yields and quality of extracted RNA. Utilizing fungal-algal tissues from the model symbiosis between the filamentous fungi Aspergillus nidulans and the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, three different commercial homogenizers and six RNA extractions kits were assessed and an optimized extraction protocol for total RNA from fungal-algal tissues was determined. Using the protocol designed …


Attitudes And Practices Among College Students Relative To Personal Listening Device Usage And Hearing Conservation, Molly Grace Williams Jan 2016

Attitudes And Practices Among College Students Relative To Personal Listening Device Usage And Hearing Conservation, Molly Grace Williams

Honors Theses

As technology has advanced, the popularity of personal listening devices (PLD) has become widespread among the millennial generation. It is normal in today's culture to see members of the millennial generation using their PLDs in most any setting. Due to this growth in popularity and usage of PLDs, there is an increased and relatively undocumented opportunity for noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) among the people in the millennial generation. In order to research the effects of this shift in culture relative to PLD usage, college-aged members of the millennial generation were asked to participate in a study via word of …


Patient Experiences With Small-Scale Pharmacy Compounding, Morgan Cawthon Jan 2016

Patient Experiences With Small-Scale Pharmacy Compounding, Morgan Cawthon

Honors Theses

Investigators examined patients' use, knowledge and perceptions of pharmacy compounding at an independent compounding pharmacy in Mandeville, Louisiana. Data were collected using a self-administered survey that patients could complete in hard-copy in the pharmacy or at home, or online using Qualtrics. Investigators found that, in some instances, patients who use compounded medications, or have a member of their household who uses compounded medications, may be more knowledgeable or have more positive perceptions of compounded medications. However, patients who did not have experience with compounds were not unknowledgeable about the practice and did not report any negative perceptions of compounding. These …


A More Perfect Union? An Analysis Of Schuette V. The Coalition To Defend Affirmative Action And Minority Group Rights In Multicultural Democracies, Robert Barber Jan 2016

A More Perfect Union? An Analysis Of Schuette V. The Coalition To Defend Affirmative Action And Minority Group Rights In Multicultural Democracies, Robert Barber

Honors Theses

In 2006, the State of Michigan passed Proposal 2, an amendment to the Michigan Constitution which effectively banned affirmative action and race-conscious admissions policies at Michigan's public universities. Despite arguments that this policy placed an undue burden on certain ethnic and racial minorities by suppressing their participation in the American political process, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Proposal 2 as constitutional in the 2014 case Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action. This thesis seeks to argue for the necessity of restoring the access to political participation removed with the passage of Proposal 2, as well as present a convincing …


The Olfactory System In Schizophrenia: An Rsfmri Study Of The Piriform Cortex, Sara Kiparizoska Jan 2016

The Olfactory System In Schizophrenia: An Rsfmri Study Of The Piriform Cortex, Sara Kiparizoska

Honors Theses

This thesis is a study of rsfMRI imaging in order to examine coactivation patters of the piriform cortex between healthy subjects and people with schizophrenia. As part of the olfactory system, the piriform cortex is an integral part of the smell sensation. Our studies showed that coactivation among the piriform cortex and other sensory brain regions differ in people with schizophrenia compared to healthy subjects. People with schizophrenia exhibit patterns of less coactivation among their sensory brain regions compared to control subjects, specifically the intracalcarine cortex, the right planum temporale, and the left occipital lobe. The purpose of this study …


The Effect Of Level Of Democracy In Importing States On Global Arms Transfers, Including A Case Study On France, Cody R. Bradford Jan 2016

The Effect Of Level Of Democracy In Importing States On Global Arms Transfers, Including A Case Study On France, Cody R. Bradford

Honors Theses

Cody R. Bradford: The Effects of Level of Democracy in Importing States on Global Anns Transfers, including a Case Study on France (Under the direction of Michèle Alexandre)


A Comparative Analysis Of Curriculum Content Among Undergraduate Integrated Marketing Communications Programs, Braxton A. Jones Jan 2016

A Comparative Analysis Of Curriculum Content Among Undergraduate Integrated Marketing Communications Programs, Braxton A. Jones

Honors Theses

The following thesis is an analysis of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) undergraduate programs. This thesis asks what the characteristics of an ideal undergraduate IMC program are and does any existing program have all these characteristics. The rise of IMC as a communication approach, combined with its adoption by many companies as the new marketing standard, has led many different universities to offer a curriculum in IMC, but the curriculum varies greatly. Since it is still a new subject, colleges place the new program in different disciplines, including the business school, the communications program, and the journalism department. While there are …


Memory In The Fingers: An Exploration Of Knitting Through The Lens Of Modern Knitters' Lives, Sinclair Rishel Jan 2016

Memory In The Fingers: An Exploration Of Knitting Through The Lens Of Modern Knitters' Lives, Sinclair Rishel

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the history of knitting through the lens of modern knitters' lives. Information about the history of knitting was gathered from various printed and online sources. A series of interviews were conducted with knitters of different ages, experience levels, professions, and socioeconomic circles. Among these were beginning knitters, casual knitters, semi-professional knitters, professional knitters, and a knitting celebrity. The interviewees were asked about their knitting lives, including personal history, motives, preferences, and habits. Using the research and the interviews to inform each other, the researcher compiled a report on each subject which included their responses and the historical …


Exploration In The Effectiveness Of Solid Lipid Nanoparticle Formulations In Enhancing Ocular Delivery Of Win 55, 212 In The Management Of Glaucoma, Emily Ann Nesbit Jan 2016

Exploration In The Effectiveness Of Solid Lipid Nanoparticle Formulations In Enhancing Ocular Delivery Of Win 55, 212 In The Management Of Glaucoma, Emily Ann Nesbit

Honors Theses

Glaucoma is a progressive and degenerative ocular disease which, without proper treatment, can result in permanent blindness. Due to a complex organization of lipophilic and hydrophilic ocular membranes, topical delivery of therapeutic agents has also proved to be a challenging task. Cannabinoids, such as Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), have intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering and neuroprotective capabilities. Due to the unfavorable physiochemical characteristics of these molecules, delivery into the eye through a topical route is very difficult. Previous research has shown that prodrug derivatization and formulations such as solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) improve the physiochemical characteristics and ocular bioavailability of such molecules. WIN …


Political Underrepresentation And Domestic Terrorism: The Deficiency Of Minority Descriptive Representation As A Causal Factor Of Violent Radicalization In Western European Democracies, Erica Shannon Mcgraw Jan 2016

Political Underrepresentation And Domestic Terrorism: The Deficiency Of Minority Descriptive Representation As A Causal Factor Of Violent Radicalization In Western European Democracies, Erica Shannon Mcgraw

Honors Theses

Electoral systems are vital in controlling the levels of minority descriptive representation in a government because each system contains characteristics that make it easier or more difficult for a member of a minority group to be elected to office. Because of this power, I focus on the role of electoral systems in Western European democracies as a possible, causal factor of domestic terrorism by way of their effect on the level of a country's minority descriptive representation, and therefore, levels of minority inclusion. To test my hypotheses, I use both quantitative and qualitative data in linear regression models, and a …


Preparation And Evaluation Of Aripiprazole-Loaded Ph-Modulated Solid Dispersion Via Hot-Melt Extrusion Technology, Haley Mcfall Jan 2016

Preparation And Evaluation Of Aripiprazole-Loaded Ph-Modulated Solid Dispersion Via Hot-Melt Extrusion Technology, Haley Mcfall

Honors Theses

The objective of this study was to prepare aripiprazole (ARI)-loaded solid dispersions (SDs) to enhance solubility and dissolution via hot-melt extrusion (HME) technology. ARI was chosen due to its poorly water-soluble properties. Solubility screenings of various polymers and acidifiers were performed to select appropriate excipients for the SD. Succinic acid (SA) and Kollidon 12 PF (PVP) were selected as the acidifier and the polymer, respectively. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis were used to determine the miscibility, interactions, and thermal stability of the drug and selected excipients. MODDE 8.0 is a design of experiment software that was implemented to produce …


Stuck In Traffic: The Effects Of Regional Trade On Human Trafficking, Jacob Smith Jan 2016

Stuck In Traffic: The Effects Of Regional Trade On Human Trafficking, Jacob Smith

Honors Theses

Human trafficking represents one negative side affect of an increasingly interconnected, globalized world. What characteristics of regional trade drive bilateral human trafficking flows? Resource dependent states, or states with an economy established primarily through resource exports, interact with more industrialized states to push and pull populations into human trafficking schemes as a byproduct of economic and political linkages. The adverse conditions of resource dependence push populations into trafficking networks while traffickers and trafficking victims are drawn to economic opportunity in more stable regional trade partners. This theory is tested using ordinal logistic and OLS regression, utilizing cross sectional and time …


Harbor Magazine: Preaching The Gospel Of Philanthropy Through The Analysis Of Benefit Corporations, Caroline Hughes Jan 2016

Harbor Magazine: Preaching The Gospel Of Philanthropy Through The Analysis Of Benefit Corporations, Caroline Hughes

Honors Theses

Harbor magazine is a philanthropic, fashion magazine that advocates the use of sustainable goods in an industry of business moguls simply seeking monetary gain. The brands and philanthropists interviewed and highlighted in the publication have made a difference in some way to the community and the world, developing revolutionary companies that are radically altering the way business is conducted. The brands included in Harbor magazine are recognized as Certified Benefit CorporationsTM, promising to align their business intentions around a public good. Businesses, along with consumers, have an equal responsibility to the planet, and Harbor magazine seeks to make these powerful, …