Digital Commons Network^™

The Correlation Between The Microbiome And Neurodegenerative Disorders Such As Alzheimer Disease, Aurora Mokris

Honors Theses

Recent studies suggest that there are 1.3 times as many microbial cells as human cells in the body (Abbot, 2016). Another study claims that the combined genomes of this microbiota is 150 times that of the human genome (Zhuang & Shen, 2018). If you have ever had the feeling that you are not alone in an empty room you are most certainly correct. Your body is teeming with millions of organisms living in mutualistic symbiosis with you and surrounding microbes, but at times, this seemingly harmonious relationship can be disturbed, resulting in serious physical and psychological changes to the human …

Best Organic Chemistry Practices In The Midwest, Claire Van Der Bosch

Honors Theses

Organic Chemistry is a gateway course to a handful of courses in higher chemical education. Unfortunately, it is notorious for its high-fail, high-withdrawal, and high-drop rate and has a reputation for being time-consuming, with difficult concepts that are oftentimes new to students. It is often taught in a two-semester sequence, with the courses named Organic I and Organic II, and both courses have a lab component. At Western Michigan University, the fail rate for these two courses are 53.5% and 36.9%, respectively. Most higher education institutions are certified with the American Chemical Society (ACS) and given a skeleton of a …

Communication Barriers Faced By Female College Students (18-24) During Business Internships, Gail Foldenauer

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to gain insight on the young, female intern experience specifically within the business industry. In order to be interviewed, all participants had to identify as female and have had a business internship while they were between the ages of 18 and 24. Potential participants were invited to be interviewed for this project via word of mouth or social media. Once they agreed to the terms of the study, they took part in a 30 to 45 minute interview and were asked to share experiences about their internship and how their coworkers shaped their intern …

Resting State Fmri Study Of The Olfactory Region In Autism, Madlyn Lawrence

Honors Theses

This thesis was conducted to further the investigation of the Olfactory system of a typically developing individual compared to an individual with Autism. The Olfactory system is unique in that it is the only sensory system that is not relayed through the thalamus in the brain. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), also known as Autism, is a developmental disorder which impairs a person's social, behavioral, developmental, cognitive and psychological aspects. Autism Spectrum Disorder can present with symptoms such as difficulty communicating, difficulty with social interactions obsessive thoughts and compulsions and repetitive behaviors. Subjects with Autism Spectrum Disorder present with an inability …

Investigation Of Fouling Mechanisms On Ion Exchange Membranes During Electrolytic Separations, Matthew James Edwards

Honors Theses

The global water crisis is a major problem in our developing world due to the increasing growth of our global population, the depletion of natural water resources, and the continuing contamination of existing water resources as a result of industrialization. Membrane separation is a potential solution for these issues. Electrodialysis (ED) is a separation process which employs membranes to separate inorganic and organic substances. This study investigated how different fouling agents influenced membrane surface characteristic and separation efficiency within an electrodialysis system. While applicable for waste water, this study focuses on model salt water solutions with various fouling agents added …

Gender Differences In Adhd, Jillian Vogley

Honors Theses

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a learning disability that is very prevalent in today’s society. A closer look at this disability reveals that there are differences with males and females with regards to how the symptoms manifest. Females have a tendency to exhibit inattention whereas males are often hyperactive, which is much more obvious to others around them. This difference in symptoms has led to a drastic difference in terms of how ADHD is diagnosed and causes it to be underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed in females compared to males. The consequences that this delayed diagnosis may have on females can be severe. …

The Presence Of Photoreceptor Sensilla In The Posterior Sucker Of Medicinal Leeches Inferred Through Functional Visual Response., Claire Spivey

Honors Theses

Medicinal leeches gather visual input from both its eyecups and photoreceptors across its body surface; each of its 21 midbody segments possesses 14 photoreceptive sensilla. It has been previously established that the posterior sucker is composed of seven body segments that are fused during embryogenesis. Similarly, four body segments fuse to create the anterior brain. There are five bilateral pairs of eyes located on the dorsal surface of the leech’s head and seven bilateral pairs of sensilla distributed over the surface of each midbody segment (Kretz et al., 1975). If no sensilla were lost during the fusion of the seven …

The Effects Of Climate Change And Forest Disturbances On Terpene Production Of White Pine (Pinus Strobus) And Red Pine (Pinus Resinosa) In Northern Michigan, Troy Dehagen

Honors Theses

The secondary impacts that climate change may have on the interactions between forests and the atmosphere through forest disturbances is of increasing interest as the climate continues to change. Anthropogenic climate change, which is a direct result of coal and fossil fuel emissions, is likely to impact forest ecology through increased temperatures and extreme precipitation events, thus increasing the frequency and severity of climate-induced forest disturbances. Forest disturbances may have a secondary impact on the production and emission of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) within forests. In the presence of oxides of nitrogen (NO_x) produced from fossil fuel …

Effects Of Age And Exercise On Density Of Sympathetic Innervation And Localization With Nerve Growth Factor And Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor In Vascular Tissue, Kori Mecklenburg

Honors Theses

Hypertension is a condition that affects nearly 75 million people in the United States (Merai et al, 2017). To better understand this mostly idiopathic condition, the role of survival factors on arterial innervation must be understood. Nerve growth factor (NGF) and glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) have been shown to support development and maintenance of the sympathetic nervous system. The aim of this study was to reveal how density of sympathetic innervation changes in mesenteric arteries over time and with six-months of exercise. Additionally, this study aimed to reveal the localization of GDNF and NGF alongside these changes in …

Interstellar Travel And Tourism: The Possibilities In The Dawn Of The New Face Of Business And Its Structure, Haley Barber

Honors Theses

Interstellar Travel and Tourism: The Possibilities in the Dawn of the New Face of Business and its Structure

By Haley Barber

Mentor Dr. Lana Carnes

Professor of Corporate Communication & Technology

Business faces a new frontier, and it is my argument that there is a possibility that business will develop an entirely new structure to face the space age. I will be investigating the scientific, legal, and business structure currently in place and how these structures intend to adapt or may be abandoned in this quickly developing age. This new frontier will affect everyone on this planet, in the environment, …

Design And Synthesis Of A Novel Lsoxazoline As A Potential Pam-Agonist, Josselyn Roosenberg

Honors Theses

Progression of Alzheimer's disease is associated with a loss of Ml receptor activation in the brain. However, a lack of clinical success following attempts to activate the Ml receptor at the orthosteric site has contributed to a transition towards the allosteric pocket of the receptor. Here, positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) interact to potentiate the acetylcholine response. Recent research proposes that optimization of PAM activity at the expense of intrinsic agonism may posit a means to limit adverse side effects. Therefore, this project proposes a design and synthesis of a novel isoxazoline as a potent PAM agent with weak intrinsic agonism.

Analysis Of Dl-Amino Acid Ratios In Eggshells Using Reverse Phase-High Pressure Liquid Chromatography, Gergana Milkova

Honors Theses

HPLC methodology was developed to determine the concentrations and ratios of D to L amino acids in emu and ostrich eggshells treated with heat at different temperatures . We aimed to determine an internal standard and how ratios were affected under different conditions. An HPLC method was determined that gave consistent retention times and satisfactory enantioseparation . Calibration curves for each amino acid were developed from single and multi-amino acid containing dilution series producing a model that most closely replicates the eggshell-extracted amino acids.

Isolation And Characterization Of Novel Arginine-Derived Heterocyclic Amines, Nathaniel Srikureja

Honors Theses

Most known heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are potent mutagens present at significant concentrations in cooked meats, and can be synthesized from burned mixtures of L-creatin(in)e with various amino acids. We hypothesize that novel mutagenic HCAs may be synthesized from a heated plant-based food simulating binary amino acid mL'\:ture: L-arginine and L-threonine. A two-part solid phase extraction was used to separate nitrogen heterocycles from byproducts followed by prep­ HPLC and the Ames mutagenicity assay using Salmonella TA98 to determine the mutagenicity of various isolates. The results indicate that this binary amino acid mixture does not yield a mutagenic sample.

The Impact Of Male-Exposure In The Neuronal Response Of The L3 Auditory Intemeuron To Model Calls, Shekinah Dosunmu

Honors Theses

The L3 auditory neuron in female cricket Acheta domesticus responds to phonotactically attractive calls with decrement: a reduction in the number of action potentials in response to consecutive sound pulses within a chirp. Such unique response has been reported only in virgin females. This study evaluates the response of the L3 in male-exposed females to determine whether they respond to auditory stimuli differently from those exhibited by virgin female crickets.

Preliminary data indicate that L3 in young exposed female crickets responds with different decrement patterns as those reported for virgin females. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Neuronal And Behavioral Response Relationships In Virgin Females Of Acheta Domesticus, Brandon Shin

Honors Theses

Animals that communicate acoustically serve as models for investigating how organisms respond to sound. For instance, in field crickets, females exhibit phonotaxis (directed movement towards the sound's source) to calls with a specific frequency, intensity, and syllable period (SP) - the time between the beginning of one sound pulse and the beginning of another within the same chirp. Additionally, auditory neurons in females produce action potentials in direct response to the sound pulses of a male 's call. A previous study on the species Gryllus bimaculatus demonstrated a relationship between an individual female's behavioral and neuronal responses; however, no such …

Synthesis Of An Ideal Inhibitor For The Lpxc Enzyme, Taejun Lee

Honors Theses

Due to the growing need of antibiotics in modern day medicine, this study attempts to apply a method of medicinal chemistry that would create a novel inhibitor for a lesser known target of gram negative bacteria, the LpxC enzyme. This study proposes that a synthetic plan which consists of combining components of different molecules would create a more effective inhibitor. These components include a binding group for the active site of the enzyme, a hydrophobic chain which has been shown to interact with an allosteric site on the LpxC enzyme, and the isoxazoline ring which interacts with the zinc ion. …

Hermaphroditism And The Rhetoric Of Shifting Sexual Identity In Early Modern Europe, Thomas Hudson

Honors Theses

This project is a historical examination of shifting sexual identities and intersex individuals in early modern Europe. This project focuses primarily on anatomical “hermaphrodites” (as they are termed in contemporary sources) and their place within the established binary society. This project answers questions pertaining to intersex individuals and their treatment throughout early modern Europe, depending on country, region, or communities in question. Using primary sources such as Spanish inquisition tribunal transcripts, among other official documents, this project sheds a new light on cultural gender norms of early modern society, producing deeper understanding and hopefully appreciation to our modern culture.

Manipulating Light: Creating A Biomimetic Photonic Crystal Material Inspired By The Chameleon, Love L. Richburg

Honors Theses

The purpose of this project is to create a chameleon-inspired biomimetic material using guanine crystals and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to form a tunable photonic crystal and then characterize the material. The method for developing this material is to first synthesize a photonic crystal made of a guanine microsphere lattice. Then embed the guanine lattice in PDMS. Since PDMS is an elastomer, it can be stretched to adjust the spacing between the guanine crystals. This should allow for the photonic crystal to be adjusted similarly to the way that the chameleon adjusts the photonic crystal in its skin by changing the spacing …

Stage Based Matrix Modeling Of Trifolium Stoloniferum Restoration Populations At Taylor Fork Ecological Area, Madison County, Kentucky, Theodore J. Brancheau

Honors Theses

Trifolium stoloniferum is a federally endangered plant species that was once abundant from parts of the eastern United States like West Virginia and Kentucky and into parts of the west, such as Kansas, but was considered extinct for many years before the species was rediscovered. Although the species is recovering overall and is pending to be downlisted to threatened, this species, and many others, can benefit from more detailed population viability analyses such as the one conducted for the project. The objective of this research was to conduct a stage-based population viability analysis of restoration populations five and seven, located …

More Than A Lady: How Jane Austen’S Works Impacted The Role Of Women In English Society In The Late 18th And Early 19th Centuries, Chloe E. Rojas Ms.

Honors Theses

In Jane Austen’s works, the role and expectations of women in the 18th and 19th centuries are both reflected and questioned. My thesis outlines how Austen used her novels to represent the society in which she lived and how that society placed a sense of duty on women, specifically in terms of family, education, and marriage. Along with the representation of these duties, I also focus upon on how Austen uses her protagonists, primarily in the novels Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion, and Mansfield Park, to question those standards and provide for her readers examples of women whom they …

The Effects Of Sublethal Antibiotics On Listeria Monocytogenes, Marlena Rae Merling

Honors Theses

Antibiotics can be found in sublethal levels environmentally as pollution and within the body when used as medication. Antibiotics induce stress responses and sometimes act as signaling molecules in bacteria. In order to better understand the relationship between antibiotics and bacterial infections, the effects of sublethal antibiotic exposure on the ability of Listeria monocytogenes to infect macrophages was studied. Listeria monocytogenes is an intracellular pathogen of the gastrointestinal tract that is facultatively anaerobic. Two strains of Listeria monocytogenes were tested: a lab strain and a clinical cardiotropic strain. The strains were grown in liquid media overnight aerobically or anaerobically with …

Propionate Enhances The Antimicrobial Defenses In Macrophages Against Listeria Monocytogenes, John Weis

Honors Theses

Propionate is a short chain fatty acid produced by the bacteria in the human gut. It has a wide range of nutritional functions in the human body. Several studies have also reported the effects of propionate on immune cell activation. In this study, we used Listeria monocytogenes as a model pathogen to determine how and what the effects of propionate on immune cells influence cell susceptibility to infections. Listeria is a dangerous intracellular pathogen that can replicate inside immune cells such as macrophages. Therefore, we can assess the impact of propionate on infection susceptibility by performing cell culture infections. We …

Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen Dynamics In Swash Zone Sands Of Long Bay, Sc, Alexis F. Echols

Honors Theses

A key component affecting the biogeochemistry of the sedimentary environment is pore water between grains of sediments. Sedimentary microorganisms are constantly modifying chemical compounds as part of their life functions which are then exchanged between the sediment column and the overlying water column. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen, a major element for life, takes on several forms including nitrate, nitrite, and ammonium which vary in concentration throughout the sediment and with respect to each other. The relative concentrations of these nitrogen species have been previously briefly explored in sandy columns, where redox gradients that control their relative concentrations can be fairly deep …

The Cinderella Tale: Oral, Literary, And Film Traditions, Olivia Camille Williams

Honors Theses

Folk and fairy tales have been told for centuries. The most prevalent medium of dispersing popular tales changed with technological advancements. Printed word superseded oral storytelling, to be succeeded by film. Some communal aspects of the tales were lost as print emerged, but with print came illustrations to describe the text. Film reimbued the tales with some of the theatrical elements of the oral tale while keeping, and heightening, the visual elements of the illustrated texts. The tale Cinderella has been, and still is, remarkably poplar. As such, it has received attention in academic circles and popular culture. The tale, …

The Effects Of Marine Natural Products On The Microenvironment Of Pancreatic Cancer, Whitney D. Davis, Esther Guzman

Honors Theses

Pancreatic cancer is the 4th leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, with that number increasing each year. New drugs need to be developed to treat this disease. One source of new drugs is marine natural products. Two compounds—HB-131 and HB-018—were tested for potential anti-cancer properties. Pancreatic cancer cells were exposed to these compounds for six hours and the conditioned media from this treatment was used to further our understanding of the effects of these compounds. A western blot was used to determine matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression, while a zymogram was used to determine MMP activity. A sandwich …

Character And Water Quality Of Sandpiper Pond: A Coastal Pond Assessment, Fifteen Years After Restoration, Nicholas E. Workman

Honors Theses

Sandpiper Pond is a coastal pond at Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina. Originally a tidal inlet surrounded by marshland, it was isolated in 1989 and rechanneled in 2004-2005 under a community-based wetland restoration project. The project was designed to restore the pond to a tidal inlet to improve water quality and biodiversity. Since then, the tidal connection with the ocean has been severed once more and the main influx of seawater occurs from the marsh during spring high tides. In this three-month study, the current state of Sandpiper Pond is evaluated using fundamental biogeochemical indicators that are indicative of …

Modulation Of Listeria Monocytogenes Carbon Metabolism By Short Chain Fatty Acids, Diksha Bedi

Honors Theses

Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterial pathogen, is associated with foodborne infections in humans. Listeria encounters short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) during its transit through the intestine but its metabolic responses to SCFAs are not fully understood. To determine how Listeria metabolism is affected by SCFAs, I performed basic microbiology assays, including monitoring optical density, determining acetoin production, and measuring culture pH levels. I also performed preliminary 13C-NMR assays to provide a more in-depth look into carbon metabolism in SCFA-treated Listeria. I found that propionate-supplemented Listeria produced significantly more acetoin compared to no supplemented controls. Because acetoin is a product of central …

Analysis Of Change In The Biodiversity Of Fish And Macroinvertebrates Following Low Dam Modification And Kayak Chute Installation In The Great Miami River In Downtown Dayton, Ohio, Madison E. Conway

Honors Theses

Over two years, from 2015-2017, the Miami Conservancy District and Five Rivers Metroparks completed a project to modify the low dam above Monument Avenue into a kayak chute and constructed a second, entirely new kayak chute about one-half mile upstream near Riverscape Metropark in downtown Dayton, Ohio. Low dams have a negative impact on river habitat by decreasing water velocity in the impoundment behind the dam. Physical habitat, which should consist of alternating pools and riffles, is disturbed and replaced by deeper, slower-moving water that accumulates deposits of sediment on the river bottom degrading its value as habitat. The conditions …

Generation Of Silver Nanoparticle Pharmacokinetic Profiles In A Lung Model, Rachel Galaska

Honors Theses

Nanomaterial technologies are becoming increasingly prevalent in consumer and industrial applications, including drug delivery, energy harvesting, environmental applications, and medicine due to their unique physiochemical properties. As nanomaterial use increases, so too does human exposure. This has made it progressively more important to understand the toxicological effects of nanomaterials and their interactions with the human body. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are one of the most commonly used nanomaterials due to their antibacterial properties. As inhalation is one of the most common exposure routes, understanding the toxicity of these AgNPs on lung tissue was studied. Using A549 cells for a lung tissue …

The Prickly Problem Of Pears Potential Effects Of Native Orthopteran Herbivory On An Invasive Woody Plant, Kaitlin Gawkins

Honors Theses

Across the United States, land managers are struggling to cope with a relatively new invasive species, Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana). Callery pear is currently one of the most important invasive species threatening prairies and early successional habitats in Ohio and the Midwest, and yet, no viable means of control exists for this species. This species is relatively resistant to herbicides and resilient against prescribed cutting and burning. One potential management of invasive species is biocontrol, or the intentional introduction of natural enemies to control the growth and propagation of a target organism. Previous experiments with Callery Pear have examined herbivory …