Digital Commons Network^™

Non-State United States Support For The Contras During The Reagan Era, Gillian Sheffy

Honors Theses

Under President Ronald Reagan, the White House pursued a complex foreign policy towards the Contras, rebels in trying to overthrow the Sandinista regime in Nicaragua, in Nicaragua. In 1979, the leftist Sandinista government seized power in Nicaragua. The loss of the previous pro-United States Somoza military dictatorship deeply troubled the conservatives, for whom eradication of communism internationally was a top foreign policy goal. Consequently, the Reagan Administration sought to redress the policy of his predecessor, Jimmy Carter, and assume a hard line stance against leftist regimes in Central America. Reagan and the conservatives within his administration, therefore, supported the Contra …

A Study Of The Niche Structure And Habitat Utilization Of Urban Dwelling Winter Birds, Thomas Huff

Honors Theses

A study was conducted to evaluate the distribution of urban birds relative to differences in habitat as determined by zoning type. A total of 1,948 individual birds and a total of 33 species were sampled across the four different zones (industrial, commercial, residential, and public use.) The industrial use zone contained the highest number of individuals whereas commercial zones contained the fewest. However, the four zones contained approximately equal species richness.

Industrial zones supported the greatest number of cavity nesting and seed eating species. Residential and public use zones contained greater numbers of insectivorous and cup nesting species. In the …

Effects Of Perceived Financial Accessibility Of Colleges And Universities On Studentsâ¿ Assesment Of Institutional Desirability, Tyler Mcclenithan

Honors Theses

This study focused on the effects of socioeconomic exclusivity indicators on college students¿ attitudes toward a hypothetical private liberal arts university. Students enrolled in two undergraduate courses in Education at an elite private liberal arts university in the northeast were randomly presented with one of three versions of an admissions brochure describing a fictitious university. The three versions of the brochure varied in their portrayals of the institution¿s financial exclusivity, ranging from high exclusivity to low exclusivity. Each student was asked to review the brochure and respond to a questionnaire, containing items pertaining to the overall desirability of the institution, …

Attempt To Synthesize The (S) Enantiomer Of A Glutathione Analog To Be An Inhibitor Of Glutathione Reductase, Sidney L. Mcclendon

Honors Theses

Malaria is a disease of the blood that is caused by a parasite and affects over forty percent of the world population today. This small parasite can be treated in a very short period of time; however, there are many countries that do not have access to advanced medicine. This means that the people infected with this disease will usually die from complications arising from the illness. Malaria is prevalent in tropical and subtropical countries close to the equator where more than half of the world’s population resides. Dominance of malaria in these areas is because of the low economic …

The Impact Of Self-Esteem And Religiosity On The Marital Readiness Criteria Of College Students, Molly J. Gunnels

Honors Theses

The focus of this exploratory study was to better understand the impact of self-esteem and religiosity on marital readiness criteria of college students. Data was collected from 18-25 year old students at a large, public university in Southern Mississippi. A total of 216 participants completed questionnaires that consisted of demographic information and self-esteem, religiosity, and marital readiness scales. Results indicated that self-esteem and religiosity combined have a statistically significant positive relationship with marital readiness criteria. In addition to the analysis among all of the variables, the independent relationship between each independent variable on marital readiness was examined. The relationship between …

“I Have Beene A Reall Actor”: Analyzing The Writings Of John Smith Through The Lens Of Performative Documentary Theory, Kristen L. Walker

Honors Theses

In this thesis I turn to two of the originating texts of American literature: John Smith’s The Generall Historie of Virginia, and A True Relation. The General Historie was first published in 1624, sixteen years after Smith had returned to England, and A True Relation was published in 1608, just a year after Smith arrived Jamestown. These two were not the first or only texts Smith published. During his time spent as a mercenary, solider, and explorer, Smith also wrote eight other works. These two featured texts, The Generall Historie and A True Relation, present Smith’s time …

Drosophila T-Box Transcription Factor Midline Functions In The Notch-Delta Signaling Pathway To Regulate Sensory Organ Precursor Cell Fate And Cell Survival And Embryonic Development Profile Of Midline, Senseless, And Achaete In The Cns And Pns, Joseph D. Saucier

Honors Theses

The gene mid of Drosophila is a highly conserved gene that codes for a T-box transcription factor with similar functionality to its vertebrate homolog Tbx20. Mid and Tbx20 are important for their roles in heart and CNS development. Additionally, these transcription factors aid in proper eye development but this area of research is vastly understudied. This study uses the eye of Drosophila to report that mid and its paralog H15 expression aid in the specification of sensory organ precursor (SOP) cell fates and cell survival in the pupal eye imaginal disc. Using RNAi interference to reduce mid expression resulted in …

The Level Of Commitment Of Intrinsic Religiosity And Relational Aggression In Middle-Aged Women, Hannah E. Allen

Honors Theses

The study examined the relationship between the level of commitment to intrinsic religiosity and the role of relational aggression in the lives of middle-aged women. Research has shown that middle-aged women participate in relational aggression, but few studies have investigated it. The causes and methods of prevention in relational aggression are something to be considered, and a first step is examining risk and protective factors. Is intrinsic religiosity a protective or risk factor for participating as an instigator in relational aggression? Does intrinsic religiosity actually buffer the negative effects associated with victimization in relational aggression? Based on research that previously …

As Seen In Vogue: An Analytical Observation Of Nudity In French And American Vogue, Elizabeth A. Kiehn

Honors Theses

For centuries, Europe has been the leader in fashion production and innovation. At the heart of this continent lies the fashion capital of the world—France. French designers have always been on the cutting edge of fashion. Setting trends, shocking consumers, and enticing the world have been normal everyday activities for them as if it is in their blood. French culture is much more daring and open about sexuality in comparison to American culture, however, American designers and retailers are still heavily influenced by French fashion designs. This begs the question then: Are French fashion magazines equally influential on American fashion …

The Effect Of Joint Attention Intervention Techniques On Expressive Language Ability In Preschool Children With Autism, Beverly L. Locker

Honors Theses

This study sought to investigate the effect of an intervention program for joint attention on joint attention and expressive language skill. The participants were five males with autism spectrum disorders who were attending a reverse inclusion preschool in the southeastern United States. The investigator observed the participants in their classrooms over a five-week period. The most significant finding was variation in the participants’ joint attention and language behaviors. Only one participant showed improvement across the period of the study. One important clinical implication from this study is the idea that therapy for joint attention might be more effective in a …

Holy Experiments And Unholy Acts: Sex, Law, And Religion In Colonial Massachusetts, Rhode Island, And Pennsylvania, Anna L. Todd

Honors Theses

This thesis uses the law codes and court cases of sexual misconduct from the colonies of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania to determine the degree to which the colonies’ stated understandings of the relationship between church and state were practically applied to the governing of their societies as well as how that understanding affected the daily lives of colonial women. Thus, this analysis uses the lens of female sexual deviance to determine the degree to which church and state were integrated or separated within the three colonies.

Chapter 1 discuses the law as it was written. It examines the sexual …

U.S. Gaap Versus Ifrs: Reconciling Revenue Recognition Principles In The Software Industry, Jason T. Babington

Honors Theses

In the world of financial accounting, a demand for universal standards exists. The two primary standard setting boards, The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), have made some strides in developing universal standards, but they still are not fully reconciled in the area of software revenue recognition. The main reason the two standards are not reconciled in the area of software revenue recognition is that a difference exists in the critical event between the standards. The critical event refers to the exact time a company recognizes revenue on its books. The purpose of the …

The Digital Commons And Copyright: The Conflict Between Property Rights And Free Speech, Ashley Turacek

Honors Theses

U.S. copyright law as most laws are based off of British law. This paper examines the origin of copyright law in Britain and traces its development throughout 19th America up until the 21st century. While tracing the development of copyright I also examine the implications occurring on the freedom of speech as technological advances create more changes in copyright law.

Built On Friendship: A Study Of Formal And Informal Business Culture In Carbondale, Illinois, Sarah E. Depuy

Honors Theses

Business practices in urban centers have garnered much of the research and interest by anthropologists, sociologists, and economists with very little focus on small business communities in rural areas. In this paper I explored the social connections and relationships between business owners in the region of Southern Illinois and their communities and the ways in which they integrate their public and private lives. To do this, I interviewed members of the formal, semi-formal, informal, and online business communities in Carbondale, Illinois. For my analysis, I used a variety of sources including Claudia Strauss' Partly Fragmented, Partly Integrated: An Anthropological …

Super Terror: The Complex Relationship Between Sequential Art And Real World Political Violence, Tyler R. Chance

Honors Theses

While scholars have recognized that the media plays a very important role in the understanding of terrorism and other forms of political violence, alternative and popular forms of media (such as the Comic Strip, Graphic Novel, Cartoon, etc.) have not been examined as closely by social scientists.

This research is concerned with the reaction by graphic narratives to events of terror and the graphic work as a way of influencing the public in its opinion of terror.

The main piece examined is Alan Moore’s V for Vendetta which was made as a discussion of the justification of terror witch specific …

Contemporary Hollywood And The Attention Economy, Caitlin Falco

Honors Theses

This thesis had two goals: to explore the transformation of Hollywood from the 1930s to present, and to investigate how Contemporary Hollywood functions in a growing attention economy. Evident in the types of films that it produces as well as its evolving industrial structure, Contemporary Hollywood significantly differs from the Classical Hollywood of the 1930s. New digital technologies like surround sound and computer-generated imagery (CGI) have allowed studios to create a different type of film like the blockbuster and to have more extensive control over their films. Additionally, growing exhibition and distribution platforms have also fundamentally altered the industrial landscape …

A Quantitative Comparison Of Energy Expenditure Between Exergames And Physical Activity Recommendations, Dalton A. Newell

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to analyze the energy expenditure associated with two commercially available exergames (Dance Dance Revolution 2 (DDR2) and Wii Sports 1: Tennis) and evaluate whether or not this type of activity could be used as a means to obtain the recommended amount of physical activity. Thirty individuals (15 males, 15 females) participated in the study. Each participant attended 3 sessions: a 30-min familiarization session and 2, 45-min testing sessions. During each testing session, participants played one of the exergames for 30 min while continuously being measured for oxygen consumption (VO₂), respiratory exchange ratio …

Disagreeable, Villainous, And Wimpy: The Child As Antihero In Burnett, Colfer, And Kinney, Blakely J. Owens

Honors Theses

Although children’s literature is often dismissed as largely didactic and supportive of entrenched power structures, an examination of the antihero’s development in children’s literature reveals the genre’s complexity and subtle challenges of social mores. Critics focus extensive attention on the redemption of a less-than-ideal character from social deviancy to normalcy in fiction for young readers, but more rarely do they discuss those characters that remain static in their lack of heroic qualities and fail as role models for children. The on-going discussion on conventional subgenres like the school story does not often include texts that subvert the form with bullying …

Black Empowerment And Mobilization: A Comparison Of Urban And Small City Trends, Samantha D. Rayborn

Honors Theses

This research to follow compares voting trends between blacks in urban cities and smaller, non-urban cities. The research aims to replicate the findings based on studies of large cities that blacks tend to have higher or lower turnout rates when there is a black public office holder. Election results were taken from mayoral elections in Alexandria, LA and Monroe, LA. Previous research indicates that blacks have a high rate of turnout in urban areas when there is a black elected official. However, does this effect hold true in non-urban, small cities? Blacks in smaller, non-urban cities, this study finds, do …

Dive Into The Pit: Moshing And Its Effects On Perceived Stress, Sense Of Belonging, & Self-Esteem In College Undergraduates, William Tyler Edwards

Honors Theses

Moshing has been underrepresented in the research field. This is especially true in the area of Therapeutic Recreation. Moshing has been seen as a dangerous and violent form of dance. However, in a controlled environment moshing has the potential to be used as a therapeutic modality.

This study examined the effects of moshing on perceived stress, sense of belonging, and self esteem in undergraduate college students at the University of Southern Mississippi. Data was collected during a five-week moshing dance session through the use of three assessments/surveys, which included the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Rosenburg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and the …

Explaining Leisure Interests, Personality, Work Centrality, And Vocational Interests, Stormy Z. Speaks

Honors Theses

The current study examined the relations between leisure interests and other vocational constructs among undergraduate university students. Methods included utilizing previously obtained data from a sample of 194 undergraduate students at the University of Minnesota, where study measures were given in 2007. Data collected included the Leisure Interest Questionnaire, used to determine leisure interests and activities outside the workplace; the International Personality Item Pool, a measure of five main personality traits; and the Strong Interest Inventory, a measure of vocational interests. Work centrality, or the importance of the role of work, was also assessed to determine the relations between leisure …

“A Very Different Looking Class Of People”: Racial Passing, Tragedy, And The Mulatto Citizen In American Literature, Stephanie S. Rambo

Honors Theses

This project explores the mulatto citizen as one who prevails against tragedy, uses passing as an escape route to freedom and equality, and establishes a fixed racial identity in a color struck world. In nineteenth-century American literature, the mulatto penetrates a seemingly solid world of color to reveal racial anxieties of the time. Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin, or Life Among the Lonely (1852), William Wells Brown’s Clotel, or the President’s Daughter (1853), Frank J. Webb’s The Garies and Their Friends (1857) and Frances E.W. Harper’s Iola Leroy, or Shadows Uplifted depict these mulatto characters as agents of social …

The Trap-Neuter-Return Program As A Means For Collecting, Analyzing, And Comparing Data In Animal Care Facilities In Florida, Louisiana, And Mississippi, Stephanie T. Doty

Honors Theses

The TNR program has been met with both scrutiny and approval as a result of conflicting data from studies that examine its usefulness as a means of controlling the free-roaming cat population explosion (Levy & Crawford, 2004). Though the differing opinions will be discussed, it is not the intention of this paper to provide evidence in support of one or the other; instead, the purpose is to examine the various clinics’ implementation of the TNR program and its usefulness in providing data. In addition, an analysis of the data was done to determine what they may suggest about the free-roaming …

If You Build It, They Will Come: A Study Of Imperial Design In Victorian Britain, Scarlett A. Jones

Honors Theses

The Crystal Palace (1851) and Paddington Station (1854) utilized imperial design in their construction as a tool to infuse the British public with pride in the empire. This study considered how the buildings were discussed in the press and other descriptive materials, such as guidebooks and architectural critiques to provide a general perception of how imperial propaganda utilized descriptions of imperial design to garner support for the empire. The study concluded that the impact of imperial design as propaganda for the empire was influenced by the function of the buildings. Attitudes towards imperial design varied, hinting at a division in …

Attitudes Of Clinically Practicing Registered Nurses In Southern Mississippi Toward Physician-Assisted Death, Robin E. Smith

Honors Theses

Problem

The purpose of this study is to discover unique themes related to the attitudes of nurses in Southern Mississippi toward physician-assisted death (PAD).

Methods

This study is a qualitative, inductive content analysis. The sample comprised three registered nurses currently practicing in Southern Mississippi. The researcher guided each participant’s one-hour interview with questions, then recorded and transcribed the texts for data analysis; and coded and analyzed data. Themes were selected if there was inter-rater agreement of 100% between the researcher and thesis adviser.

Results

The interview questions focused on (a) the presence or absence of support for legalization of PAD, …

Deletion Of Putative Msa Operon Gene Fragment And Its Phenotypic Characterization In Community Acquired-Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Usa300 Strain Lac, Reem A. Dawoud

Honors Theses

Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen that causes a wide variety of diseases. Many S. aureus strains have emerged which are resistant to the penicillin class of antibiotics. Of primary importance is methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), which has cause frequent hospitalizations due to infections. In the past, MRSA was typically confined to hospital settings, but recently, community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) have been reported. CA-MRSA poses a major public health threat because of increased virulence and success in infecting otherwise healthy individuals. Previously we discovered a gene, msa, which plays a critical role in biofilm formation and regulation of the …

The Portraiture Of Women During The Italian Renaissance, Rachel D. Masters

Honors Theses

From research, it is clear that gender is one of the greatest influences on Italian Renaissance portraiture. Gender affects multiple aspects of portraiture including its function, position of sitter, emphasis of costume, and the degree to which a sitter is idealized. Until recent years, art historians performed little research on the subject of women as seen in Italian Renaissance paintings. In the 1970s, scholars began to assess the representation of women from this time period using Renaissance treatises, recorded debates, and paintings.

This study of the portraiture of women during the Italian Renaissance seeks to interpret the function of portraiture, …

Study Of Students' Knowledge Of The Profession Of Graphic Design, Rachael C. Thomas

Honors Theses

Research, or rather the lack thereof, seems to indicate a lack of appreciation for graphic design, designers themselves, and the work they do in both the public and scholarly society. Without proper acknowledgement from the public and academia, graphic design as a profession is in danger of disappearing. The problem may stem from graphic design being a relatively new field if one is to think of it as really taking off with the invention of computers. This lack of understanding may also contribute to the absence of a single definition for graphic design. To address these concerns, this study will …

The Relation Of Adhd Characteristics To Positive Illusory Bias Among Gifted Elementary Students: Iq As A Possible Moderator, Meredith S. Manguno

Honors Theses

The current study examined the relation between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) characteristics and Positive Illusory Bias (PIB) in gifted elementary students. Children with ADHD have a propensity toward a PIB—or seeing themselves in a more positive light than other standards would indicate—even among domains in which they struggle (Owens, Goldfine, Evangelista, Hoza, & Kaiser, 2007). This tendency toward a PIB may be linked with their encounters of a great number of setbacks and could be a way to create hope and positivity. In comparison, gifted students frequently meet and surpass goals, often with few setbacks. Thus, twice-exceptional students (e.g., gifted students …

The Who, What, Where, And How Of Foreign Languages: A Study Of Foreign Language Curricula At Four-Year Colleges In Mississippi, Mariah S. Senegal

Honors Theses

This paper studies the eight four-year public universities within the state of Mississippi and their French and Spanish foreign language curriculums in order to compare their curriculums to those of The American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages’ standards of the Five C’s: communication, communities, culture, connections, and comparisons. The results are broken down into three sections by each college’s overall rankings, each college’s individual course offerings, and culture offerings. The data provides interesting results that shows that while a university may offer more or less foreign language courses, their curriculum did not necessarily reflect the standards that ACTFL …