Digital Commons Network^™

Black And Blue All Over: Whose Lives Matter?, Bella Purvis

Honors Theses

This study investigated the influence of beliefs about race on support for the Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Blue Lives Matter (BluLM) movements, mediated by attitudes towards police and beliefs about white privilege. Utilizing a sample of undergraduate university students, data were obtained through a survey measuring beliefs in the biological and social constructs of race, support for police, belief in white privilege, and attitudes toward BLM and BluLM. Results indicated that individuals who perceive race as a biological construct are less likely to support BLM and more likely to support BluLM, while beliefs in white privilege and attitudes towards …

Cd46 Interaction With Adenovirus Type 64, A Causative Agent For Viral Pink Eye, Hanglin (Henry) Zhu

Honors Theses

Human adenovirus type 64 (Ad64) is a causative agent of contagious viral pink eye. We do not understand why Ad64 causes eye infections. One likely reason is the presence of a receptor molecule on the exposed surface of eye cells, but not other cells. Ad64 binds to a protein called CD46 on the cell surface. We aim to visualize how CD46 binds to the surface of Ad64. I mixed the extracellular portion of CD46 with purified Ad64 virus, then visualized it using negative stain transmission electron microscopy. In order to gain insight into how the virus binds CD46, we used …

Les Perceptions Françaises De La Technologie Racontées À Travers Le Temps Avec Jacques Tati, Agnès Varda, Jr Et Michel Serres, Na'dyah Wynn

Honors Theses

Les perceptions françaises de la technologie racontées à travers le temps avec Jacques Tati, Agnès Varda, JR et Michel Serres (French Perceptions of Technology Told Through Time with Jacques Tati, Agnès Varda, JR et Michel Serres), explores the relationship between technology and society as depicted in French cinema. By analyzing the works of filmmakers Jacques Tati, Agnès Varda, and JR, the thesis examines how these directors themselves have portrayed the impact of technology on French culture and society over time. in the end, Michel Serres helps explain the changes of perception over time by comparing the works of the three …

Cd46 Isoforms And Viral Receptor For Adenovirus Type 64d, Corina Stasiak

Honors Theses

Adenovirus Type 64 (Ad.64) belongs to the adenovirus subgroup D, which causes epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC), otherwise known as viral pink eye. There is currently no known effective treatment for EKC. Membrane Cofactor Protein (CD46) is an integral membrane glycoprotein that, in previous studies, has been identified as a protein receptor for the closely related Ad.37. It has been determined that Ad.64 uses CD46 as a receptor on the cell surface in HeLa cells. CD46 is alternatively spliced when expressed to have different isoforms of interest, including the BC and C isoforms. Certain cell types, like A549 lung carcinoma cells, express …

Cd46 Is A Protein Receptor For Human Adenovirus Type 64, Alexander Michael Robertson

Honors Theses

Adenoviruses are important gene delivery vectors and causative agents for a variety of human diseases such as the common cold and gastrointestinal infections. Human adenovirus type 64 (Ad64; formerly 19c) and type 37 are associated with epidemic keratoconjunctivitis. Based upon its high homology and similar disease tropism to Ad37, we hypothesized that Ad64 would have the same protein receptor, CD46 (membrane cofactor protein), as Ad37. We show that a recombinant Ad64 containing an enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein transgene (Ad64.eGFP) enters Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing human CD46 (CHO-CD46) on the surface. Entry into human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cells is increased …

#Booktok: Social Media’S Influence On Literature, Madison Hyatt

Honors Theses

Exploring the social media phenomenon, TikTok, and its influence on the community, #Booktok is the newest way readers stay up to date on new books, and what to read. Is this a good thing? A bad thing? And how has this new way of consuming books influenced reading and literature?

(Re)Constructing Race: How Essentialist Beliefs Shape Social Justice Support, Abbey Alvarado

Honors Theses

The political climate and social discourse around social justice has grown increasingly tense and hostile in recent years. The current study investigated potential predictors of the opposition to support for racial equity and social justice reforms. Research illustrates that a biological conceptualization of race (“essentialism”) has powerful implications on information processing and social-psychological outcomes regarding issues of race and racism. In the current study, we conducted a survey of 164 University of Richmond undergraduate students. The survey examined the interplay of essentialism and beliefs about systemic racism and white privilege on social justice support. The results showed that essentialist beliefs …

Departure From Magical Realism: Female Agency In Latin American Post-Boom Literature, Nicole Darian Llacza Morazzani

Honors Theses

his thesis explores depictions of female agency in post-colonial Latin American literature. I highlight three primary texts: Gabriel García Márquez's (1927-2014) 1967 One Hundred Years of Solitude, a canonical magical realist novel; Isabel Allende's (1942-present) 1982 The House of Spirits, her debut novel and a multi-generational story similar to Márquez's, and Isabel Allende's 2022 Violeta, a historical novel offering an autodiegetic narrative of a woman's 100 years of life in an unnamed South American country, to analyze how female characters evolve in response to changing sociopolitical landscapes and literary movements in Latin America. My central focus is Allende's most recent …

La Perception Et La Représentation Du Corps Des Femmes Africaines Par Rapport À La Colonisation Française, Mofiyinfoluwa Tunji-Ekundayo

Honors Theses

The thesis proposes an analysis of the perception that the French colonizers had towards the bodies of black women in France, women from northern Africa, and women from western Africa. Then, the work evaluates how this perception manifests in current French and francophone media. Furthermore, it traces how much influence these perceptions have on the depiction and representation of African female bodies. This influence could manifest as a reinforcement or an opposition to colonial perceptions.

The Impact Of U.S. News And World Report College Rankings On Prospective Students’ Decisions And Enrollment Outcomes, Camilla Schneider

Honors Theses

The following paper further expands on previous research using more recent data which is important given changes in the last decade. This paper will answer the question: How do U.S. News and World Report college rankings impact college application and enrollment decisions for prospective students within American public and private colleges and universities? Application decisions refer to the choice to apply to a school while enrollment decisions refer to the choice to attend a school after being accepted. This paper analyzes Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDs) admissions/applicant, fall enrollment, and financial data alongside historical USNWR rankings lists to investigate …

The Effect Of Factors And Constraints On Sporting Attendance, Joshua D. Whitlow

Honors Theses

21,625 fans packed the confines of Brooks stadium on September 3, 2022, for a clash between the Army Black Knights football team and the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers football team. This was a new record at Brooks stadium, and was followed with just 12,261 the next week vs. Gardner Webb. Meanwhile, a 2022 Coastal Carolina Women’s Soccer game draws in less than 200 spectators. On the surface level, the disparity of these numbers appears confusing and unconnected to one another, however there are a multitude of factors that go into the number of people who show up to a particular sporting …

Investigation Of Zinc And Iron In Wildflower Honey, Savannah Simpson

Honors Theses

Honey acts as a valuable food source for both animals and humans. When found in contaminated environments, there is an increased likelihood that honey samples will have high metal concentrations. It has been discovered that honey concentrations in metals can be different based on location. This experiment aims to determine the amount of two valuable metals, zinc, and iron, in various honey sources. These metals can be important to the human body because they help boost immunity and allow the body to carry out the functions required for survival. However, if these elements are present in copious quantities, then it …

College Student Attitudes Toward Student-Athlete's Ability To Profit From Name, Image, And Likeness (Nil), Daniel G. Panzano

Honors Theses

Since the recent passing of legislation allowing student-athletes to profit from their own personal brands and sponsorships (Name, Image, and Likeness; NIL), there has been very little research. The purpose of this study was to measure the attitudes and support students have towards the financial compensation of their student-athlete counterparts. The researchers surveyed 67 Coastal Carolina University students. Using a quantitative study, data was gathered pertaining to the opinions toward NIL, feelings of team affiliation, and demographic information. Statistically significant differences were found toward some elements of NIL and gender, major, and academic year. A statistically significant correlation was also …

Hazards And Perceptions Of Cigarette And E-Cigarette Waste, Jossalyn Rogalski

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Is The Fair Use Doctrine A Viable Argument For Generative Ai?, Olivia Bainbridge

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research paper is to examine whether or not the fair use doctrine, a pivotal piece of copyright law, is a viable argument on behalf of generative artificial intelligence companies that are currently being sued on the basis of accused infringement of copyrighted images that their programs are trained on. By examining whether or not fair use is viable, generative artificial intelligence companies will be able to better gauge the validity of their arguments as well as adjust their practices accordingly if needed. This research is necessary because this research is examining a new field of law …

Violence Against Healthcare Workers, Nichole Osgood

Honors Theses

Workplace violence is any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at work (US Department of Labor, 2023). There are a handful of different types of workplace violence that include but are not limited to physical violence, verbal abuse and threats, sexual harassment, and psychological trauma (US Department of Labor, 2023). Workplace violence, a multifaceted phenomenon, is not a new concern, but its pervasiveness and intensity in healthcare settings have reached alarming proportions in recent years. In a meta-analysis, it was noted that workplace violence against healthcare workers of any kind was …

Safe Patient Care Act Advocation, Julia Rhodes

Honors Theses

This paper discusses advocating for the Safe Patient Care Act and how it affects people in society. This topic is very relevant because it affects a vast majority of people including nurses, patients, and the healthcare systems as a whole. Methods used to advocate for this bill include grass roots activism, composing and presenting speeches, scheduling and attending meetings, presenting to different nursing school cohorts, collaborating with the Michigan Nurses Association, and participating in hearings held by the Michigan House of Representatives. Results consisted of positive feedback from representatives and their word to vote for the Safe Patient Care Act. …

The Unexpected Significance Of Myosin A In Organization Of M-Line Protein Unc-89/Obscurin Within Striated Muscle Cells Of Caenorhabditis Elegans, Kar Men Lee

Honors Theses

This research investigates the unexpected significance of Myosin A in the organization of M-line protein UNC-89/obscurin within striated muscle cells of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). The study employs immunofluorescence techniques to examine the spatial and temporal dynamics of UNC-89/obscurin and Myosin A during embryonic development. The sarcomere, a fundamental unit in muscle cells, is governed by the 'sliding filament model,' where the M-line serves as a crucial anchor for Myosin A. This research seeks to understand the relationship between muscle function in humans and C. elegans, utilizing the latter's simple anatomy and genetic tractability. The …

We Are The Reason We Stand Still In The Face Of Climate Change., Sydney Hemp

Honors Theses

Many different factors can impact the way any information is received but it is especially important to see how scientific information is received because it is often backed up by a great deal of evidence, especially in the case of global climate change. Many of these factors have nothing to do with science and everything to do with social influences, political parties, and other demographic measures. Discussion of these relationships is important when discussing communication in a broad sense, but it can be even more important when bringing up things like global climate change, which has become a political topic …

Development Of An App For The Kalamazoo Nature Center, Ernest Au

Honors Theses

Kalamazoo Nature Center (KNC), which has been recognized by its peers as one of the top nature centers in the country, is home to over 14 miles of hiking trails winding through woods, wetlands, and prairies. There are numerous places/plots in KNC that have an interesting and impressive history besides being home to a variety of animals and hundreds of wildflowers and other plant life. To improve the visitor’s experience at KNC, we will design a software app via the senior capstone project at the department of Computer Science at WMU. As the first step towards establishing a reference model …

Odorant Binding Causes Cytoskeletal Rearrangement, Leading To Detectable Changes In Endothelial And Epithelial Barrier Function And Micromotion, Annabella Nilon

Honors Theses

Non-olfactory cells have excellent biosensor potential because they express functional olfactory receptors (ORs) and are non-neuronal cells that are easy to culture. ORs are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), and there is a well-established link between different classes of G-proteins and cytoskeletal structure changes affecting cellular morphology that has been unexplored for odorant sensing. Thus, the present study was conducted to determine if odorant binding in non-olfactory cells causes cytoskeletal changes that will lead to cell changes detectable by electric cell-substrate impedance sensing (ECIS). To this end, we used the human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), which express OR10J5, and the …

The Open Web Versus Dark Web: Examining User Engagement In Online Illicit Opioid Markets, Ciara Wildes

Honors Theses

The state of the modern-day opioid epidemic produces the need to understand how people choose to engage in opioid markets on the web. Specifically, it is important to understand why people choose to use the open web rather than the dark web to engage in online opioid markets. Applying the theoretical frameworks of Cohen and Felson’s (1979) Routine Activity Theory and Clarke’s (1999) CRAVED principles, the decision making processes of individuals was examined using three separate Experimental Vignette Methodology surveys (EVM) administered through Connect CloudResearch. The decision-making processes of individuals engaging in online illicit opioid markets was measured using a …

Impact Of Body Image Ideals On Form And Frequency Of Exercise In College Students, Isabella Dipippo

Honors Theses

Objective: Body image issues are very prevalent among college students and can cause a variety of physical and mental health problems as determined by previous research. The SUNY Cortland student population, which tends to have a higher active student population than other campuses, may have a unique correlation between exercise and body image. This study aims to examine the impact of body image ideals in SUNY Cortland students in relation to exercise habits.

Methods: This study was conducted through survey-based methodology and distributed to various classes and organizations of undergraduate SUNY Cortland students through Google Forms. A total sample of …

Portraits Of Happiness (The Performance Of Happiness: A Cultural Critique), Meaghan Hibbs

Honors Theses

While happiness may be something seemingly everyone, or most, people wish for, what happiness consists of, how to obtain it, and how to determine if/when one is truly happy remains elusive. One may view happiness as a simple wish, but then arises the question: what exactly does one wish for in wishing for happiness? Or, moreover, what may a society wish for or wish to ensure through the imperative to be happy? My thesis will primarily involve an interpretation of philosopher Sara Ahmed’s book The Promise of Happiness, in which she offers a critique of “happiness,” or, moreover, the cultural …

The Black Caucus: A Theatrical Exploration Of The Black Experience In A Predominantly White Institution, Isaiah Owens

Honors Theses

The foundation of my thesis was laid in May of 2022 when I had the privilege of taking part in a transformative journey to Kenya through the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's Honors College. During this remarkable experience, we immersed ourselves in the lives of the Kenyan people in Nairobi and the Maasai Mara, looking to unravel the interplay between innovation, empathy, and culture. As an African American, I experienced a profound sense of belonging in a majority Black environment for the first time in my life, which left an indelible impression on me, offering a sense of relief and …

Fighting Aids With No Help: Radical Solidarity And How Community Organizations Overcame A Neglectful Federal Government, Sophia Kennan

Honors Theses

Community organizations have forever shaped the history of the United States. As de Tocqueville noted in a visit to the US in the 19th century, volunteerism and forming associations is a way of life ingrained in American society. The way that these community organizations operate in relation to government action is incredibly important to understanding democratic processes in the US, and one such period that is of note is the AIDS crisis of the 1980s. During this time, the government was infamously silent and neglectful on themes surrounding the epidemic, and this inaction greatly informs how community organizations operated during …

Ensuring Non-Repudiation In Long-Distance Constrained Devices, Ethan Blum

Honors Theses

Satellite communication is essential for the exploration and study of space. Satellites allow communications with many devices and systems residing in space and on the surface of celestial bodies from ground stations on Earth. However, with the rise of Ground Station as a Service (GsaaS), the ability to efficiently send action commands to distant satellites must ensure non-repudiation such that an attacker is unable to send malicious commands to distant satellites. Distant satellites are also constrained devices and rely on limited power, meaning security on these devices is minimal. Therefore, this study attempted to propose a novel algorithm to allow …

Examining The Microbial Diversity Of A Generalist Ant Along An Urban-Rural Gradient, Abdol-Munim Abazid

Honors Theses

After sampling the exoskeleton microbiomes of 225 ants from 3 different locations along a rural-urban gradient in the Chattanooga area, a photo library was collected and microbial diversity and morphospecies evenness of each location was determined. It was determined that there was no significant difference in either microbial diversity or morphospecies evenness between sites along the rural-urban gradient, even after adjusting data to be between only rural and urban areas. Urbanization was quantified using % impervious surface; however, a future study could quantify urbanization by other means, such as soil nutrient composition. Additionally, it was determined that there was no …

An Exploration Into Health Equity Discourse In Mississippi: Organizational Commitments And Practitioner Perspectives, Thuy-Vy Lillian Pham

Honors Theses

This thesis takes a sociological approach to examine healthcare workers' beliefs and medical organizations’ solidarity statements related to diversity and equity and how these discourses aligned and/or diverged. Through interviews with healthcare providers in Mississippi and content analysis of solidarity statements, the study finds that discussions on health disparities more frequently addressed socioeconomic inequality rather than systemic racism, diverging from organizational statements. This emphasis may partly stem from the demographics of the study participants, who were predominantly White—which also reflected the staff where they worked. Additionally, while healthcare workers recognized structural issues related to health disparities, they often showed hesitancy …

Diver Perceived Value And Satisfaction On The Mississippi Gulf Coast, Ka'lon Duncanson

Honors Theses

The Mississippi Gulf Coast is known for its coastal beauty and the tourism that comes from the recreational activities associated with the water. However, there appears to be an underserved segment of the tourism industry. The coast provides opportunities for local scuba divers to take part in a range of diving activities, but there is minimal support for this tourism activity in Mississippi. There is a need for greater understanding about what local divers value in their diving experiences and how this might lead to greater satisfaction with this activity. Along with overall perceived value, the argument is made that …