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Honors Theses

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Memory Retention Rates Of Gossip-Related Information, Hannah R. Rogers Jan 2017

Memory Retention Rates Of Gossip-Related Information, Hannah R. Rogers

Honors Theses

The aim of this study is to determine if gossip-related information produces higher memory retention rates than scientific information. Participants completed a two-part survey. During the first part of the survey, participants read nine paragraphs, separated into three categories. Three were scientific, three were non-celebrity gossip, and three were celebrity gossip. After reading each article, participants rated each on a scale of 1-10 based on both personal relevance and how interesting they found each article. After a week delay, participants completed a multiple-choice memory test about the articles read the week before. The study found that while scientific articles were …


Population Genetics Of The Giant Red Centipede Along The Appalachian Mountains, Kayla Elayne Ladner Jan 2017

Population Genetics Of The Giant Red Centipede Along The Appalachian Mountains, Kayla Elayne Ladner

Honors Theses

This study focused on population genetics of the giant red centipede, Scolopocryptops sexpinousus, in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Two genetic markers were used—the mitochondrial COI gene, and the nuclear RNA Polymerase II gene. The goal of this study was to determine how many genetically distinct populations of this invertebrate species exist within the study area, and to understand the spatial distribution of genetic diversity within and among populations. I hypothesized several genetically distinct populations of S. sexpinosus would be detected because the complex topographic characteristics and historical climate cycles of the region are thought to limit movement of many forest …


Synthesis Of Difluoromethyl And Monofluoromethyl Ketones For Biological Evaluation At The Gaba-B Receptor, Mallory Maier Jan 2017

Synthesis Of Difluoromethyl And Monofluoromethyl Ketones For Biological Evaluation At The Gaba-B Receptor, Mallory Maier

Honors Theses

The central nervous system communicates using neurotransmitters. Most are excitatory neurotransmitters, such as acetylcholine, dopamine, and serotonin, but


Psychosocial Care In The Syrian Refugee Crisis, Miller Richmond Jan 2017

Psychosocial Care In The Syrian Refugee Crisis, Miller Richmond

Honors Theses

The Syrian civil war created millions of refugees who are internally displaced across Syria and in surrounding host countries. The use of violence and forms of warfare against the Geneva Convention make this crisis particularly traumatic for civilians, leading to high rates of PTSD and depression among the refugee population. Relying on concepts of structural violence and the ecology of health, I justify the use of a psychosocial framework to build refugee crisis response in Jordan. I performed ethnographic fieldwork to collect data in the form of stakeholder and care provider interviews and training manuals, and I analyzed and critiqued …


Healthcare Professionals Knowledge And Attitudes Regarding Biosimilars In Northern Mississippi, Amanda Seals Jan 2017

Healthcare Professionals Knowledge And Attitudes Regarding Biosimilars In Northern Mississippi, Amanda Seals

Honors Theses

The emergence of biologics over the past the past few decades has led to a new interest in the production of a classification of drugs known as biosimilars. The vast complexity involved in the discovery, development, and manufacturing of biologics and biosimilars has made researching the knowledge and perceptions among healthcare professionals important. Healthcare professionals must have an understanding of biologics, as these medications are used for some of the most rare diseases. Healthcare professionals in northern Mississippi were surveyed on their knowledge of and attitudes towards biologics and biosimilars in order to gain insight on the current status of …


Development And Evaluation Of Quercetin Nanoparticles And Hot Melt Cast Films For Retinal Neuroprotection, Chau Truong Jan 2017

Development And Evaluation Of Quercetin Nanoparticles And Hot Melt Cast Films For Retinal Neuroprotection, Chau Truong

Honors Theses

The aim of this study was to prepare optimized nanoparticles and hot melt cast films of quercetin and to investigate the release and permeability profile across corneal membranes. The results demonstrate that all formulations can be successfully employed for delivery of quercetin into the eye through the topical route of administration, with films showing significantly better transcorneal permeability.


Taking Things At Face Value: Typeface And Its Influence On Reading, Memory, Judgment And Time Perception, Danielle Hollingsworth Jan 2017

Taking Things At Face Value: Typeface And Its Influence On Reading, Memory, Judgment And Time Perception, Danielle Hollingsworth

Honors Theses

Differing typefaces, such as serif, sans serif, or script, offer varying physical characteristics and can aid or inhibit legibility. These distinctions between typefaces lead to fonts being deemed as either perceptually fluent or disfluent. As fluency of a text is altered, the notion is offered that processing changes occur, which can influence factors of reading a text. Altering fonts have previously been shown to influence reading speeds, memory, and time estimation judgment. This thesis tests the relationship of font type with these aspects, with the addition of another judgment portion regarding perception of text quality. Determining the aspects which can …


Comparative Effectiveness Of An Exercise And Sedentary Break Intervention On Mood Profile And Dietary Behavior In Young Adults: Pilot Study, Hannah Dau Jan 2017

Comparative Effectiveness Of An Exercise And Sedentary Break Intervention On Mood Profile And Dietary Behavior In Young Adults: Pilot Study, Hannah Dau

Honors Theses

Exercise and sedentary behavior are both important subsets of PA (Physical Activity) to study, with emerging research demonstrating that sedentary behavior may predict mental health outcomes independent of PA. Additionally, a correlation has been observed between diet and PA, but few studies on this topic have employed an intervention design. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine whether changes in PA and sedentary behavior influence mood profile and dietary behavior. The PA intervention consisted of progressively increasing their vigorous-intensity PA (jogging) over a 4-week period among an inactive population. The sedentary group was asked not to exercise, but …


Cannabidiol Mitigates Opioid Reward On Conditioned Place Preference In Mice, James Roland Markos Jan 2017

Cannabidiol Mitigates Opioid Reward On Conditioned Place Preference In Mice, James Roland Markos

Honors Theses

This study sought to determine whether the cannabis constituent, cannabidiol (CBD), is able to attenuate morphine reward in the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. Mice received IP injections of either saline or morphine and increasing doses of CBD that were paired with a distinct environment in the CPP apparatus. Morphine-produced place preference was dose-dependently blocked by CBD. Furthermore, none of the tested doses of CBD exhibited reward or aversion. The finding that CBD blocks opioid reward suggests CBD may be useful as an abuse deterrent, particularly in the setting of opioid use for pain management.


There's Only This: Atheism And The Search For Meaning In Ian Mcewan's Fiction, Olivia Hope Davis Jan 2017

There's Only This: Atheism And The Search For Meaning In Ian Mcewan's Fiction, Olivia Hope Davis

Honors Theses

In this thesis, I offer readings of Ian McEwan's Enduring Love, Saturday, and The Children Act to study the relationship between meaning and faith. This is an important question because some New Atheists have pointed to McEwan's work as proof that meaning is possible in the absence of God. In this thesis I suggest that while McEwan makes a strong case for the possibility of meaning through aesthetic experiences, he also complicates meaning by suggesting that it is only achievable in the context of belief in the irreducibility of ideas like love, beauty, and wonder.


Effects Of Temperature On Activity Of Aquatic Hyphomycetes: A Microcosm Study, Kyra Harrington‌‌ Dec 2016

Effects Of Temperature On Activity Of Aquatic Hyphomycetes: A Microcosm Study, Kyra Harrington‌‌

Honors Theses

Predicted increases in temperature under climate change scenarios are expected to affect not only atmospheric and water temperatures, but also the rate of heterotrophic activity and carbon dynamics and retention in ecosystems. The magnitude of the increase in metabolic activity of living organisms with increased temperature can be predicted by the Metabolic Theory of Ecology, however, multiple factors can cause deviations from simple predictions. The goal of this study is to assess the temperature sensitivity of aquatic hyphomycetes and fungi-mediated leaf litter decomposition by following responses to temperature of fungal biomass accrual, respiration and decomposition rates in laboratory microcosms simulating …


Idealizing Patriarchy: Patterns Of Hierarchy And Patriarchal Values In English Household Literature, 1520-1600, Conor Howard Dec 2016

Idealizing Patriarchy: Patterns Of Hierarchy And Patriarchal Values In English Household Literature, 1520-1600, Conor Howard

Honors Theses

This thesis examines English household literature of the sixteenth century to assess normative patterns of masculinity and patriarchy. Throughout that century, in spite of prolific changes having occurred in the realm of English material and intellectual culture, the patterns of masculinity observed in these texts show a remarkable pattern of consistency. This lack of change is in keeping with the works of other historians who have argued that the most salient feature of the norms of English masculinity throughout the early modern period was in fact continuity. Chapter one of this thesis shows how this body of literature prescribed access …


Application Of Neural Networks For Intelligent Video Game Character Artificial Intelligences, Simon D. Mikulcik Dec 2016

Application Of Neural Networks For Intelligent Video Game Character Artificial Intelligences, Simon D. Mikulcik

Honors Theses

Much of today’s gaming culture pushes for increased realism and believability. While these movements have led to much more realistic graphics, we also need to keep in mind the behavior of artificial intelligence characters also in the game. Neural Networks are complicated data structures that have shown potential to learn and interpret complex behavior. This research analyzes the application of neural network as primary controllers for video game characters’ artificial intelligence. The paper considers the existing artificial intelligence techniques, and the existing uses of neural networks. It then describes a project in which a video game was created to serve …


A Correlative Study Of Epidemiological Mortality And Morbidity Rates: Appalachian Vs Non-Appalachian Counties Within Kentucky, Nicholas E. Vossenberg, Lindsay Calderon Dec 2016

A Correlative Study Of Epidemiological Mortality And Morbidity Rates: Appalachian Vs Non-Appalachian Counties Within Kentucky, Nicholas E. Vossenberg, Lindsay Calderon

Honors Theses

In this study, differences in mortality rates were statistically analyzed between Kentucky Appalachian County Populations (KACP) and Kentucky Non-Appalachian County Populations (KnACP) for 2013. Health – risk factors and socio – economic conditions were also assessed to determine if they put KACP at a higher risk of the five most common causes of death in Kentucky. Estill County, a KACP, was also specifically examined for its mortality and health – risk factor rates. By examining the 2013 database provided by the Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it was determined that …


"Literally Psycho"--Empathy For Those Who Have None, Through The Use Of Literature, Tyla Poindexter Dec 2016

"Literally Psycho"--Empathy For Those Who Have None, Through The Use Of Literature, Tyla Poindexter

Honors Theses

In today’s society, the word “Psychopath” gets thrown around very easily. But does society really know what it means to truly be a clinically diagnosed Psychopath? This thesis is all about uncovering the truth about what Psychopathy looks like, how Psychopathy is handled in the courtroom, and why people should not despise, but have empathy for Psychopaths. This was accomplished by writing a thrilling short story about a young clinical psychologist by the name of Dr. T Campbell who is assigned to interview a very charismatic man named Peter Vetrov for the court. Peter has been deemed guilty of 3 …


The Effect Of Wee1 On Mitosis In The Spb Mutant, David Leroy Dec 2016

The Effect Of Wee1 On Mitosis In The Spb Mutant, David Leroy

Honors Theses

The speedbump mutant has been identified as an early arrest mutant, becoming apparent as soon as 80% epiboly (8.5 hours of development). This mutant has a mutation in wee1, which is a protein regulating entry into mitosis ensuring the completion of DNA replication before mitosis. The lack of this protein in speedbump allows for early entry into mitosis resulting in damage to the chromosome. Here, we investigate two questions: if mitosis in the speedbump mutant phenotype is more frequent than wild-type phenotype, and, if so, is there a phase in which the mutant phenotype favors. We used phosphorylated histone H3 …


The Theoretical Application And Comparison Of The Olfactory Sensory Organs In Swine Vs Canines For Accelerant And Explosives Detection, Naomi M. Sigler Dec 2016

The Theoretical Application And Comparison Of The Olfactory Sensory Organs In Swine Vs Canines For Accelerant And Explosives Detection, Naomi M. Sigler

Honors Theses

Swine may be able to work alongside scent detection canines, or replace them completely, in the scent detection field. Miniature pigs are the focus of this study since their larger counterparts can cause damage to potential evidence and to the scene itself. Ignitable Liquid Residues (ILRs) are searched for in post-fire conditions, and unconsumed explosives are searched for in major transportation hubs. Swine have more functional olfactory genes and less pseudogenes than humans, canines, and mice. Swine also have a highly functioning and exceedingly organized olfactory system. Swine are social creatures, which allows them to bond with a distinct handler. …


Retinal Ganglion Cell Neuroprotection Induced By Neuropharmacological Agents In An In-Vivo Model Of Glaucoma, Quinn Ameel Dec 2016

Retinal Ganglion Cell Neuroprotection Induced By Neuropharmacological Agents In An In-Vivo Model Of Glaucoma, Quinn Ameel

Honors Theses

Recent discoveries from this lab have demonstrated that activation of alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7 nAChRs) on retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in the retina is linked to neuroprotection of RGCs that are typically lost in glaucoma-like conditions. Various chemical agents have been produced to increase overall neurotransmission of ACh from cholinergic neurons. DMP-543 is an agent that increases calcium release from cholinergic synaptic terminals. Donepezil is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor that inhibits the breakdown of ACh in the synaptic cleft, prolonging ACh’s effect. In this study, the neuroprotective activity of these two agents was analyzed at the synapse between starburst amacrine …


Calculating And Analyzing Night Sky Brightness For The Commerce/Greenville, Texas Area, Rebecca Bosmans Dec 2016

Calculating And Analyzing Night Sky Brightness For The Commerce/Greenville, Texas Area, Rebecca Bosmans

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


A Visual Representation Of Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Heather Leigh Hoskins Dec 2016

A Visual Representation Of Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Heather Leigh Hoskins

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


Mating Behaviors Exhibited By A Captive Male Pacific Walrus (Odobenus Rosmarus Divergens), Jessica M. Mccord Dec 2016

Mating Behaviors Exhibited By A Captive Male Pacific Walrus (Odobenus Rosmarus Divergens), Jessica M. Mccord

Honors Theses

Understanding mating behaviors of a species can be utilized to help protect the species. Results of population surveys have shown the walrus population to be on the decline, and over the history of walruses being held in captivity, few pups have been born or survived. Not much is known about Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) due to the isolated Arctic habitats in which walruses live making wild population studies difficult. Few studies have examined wild observations of walrus mating behaviors and virtually none for captivity. The purpose of this study was to observe a captive male Pacific walrus for mating …


Sedimentology Of A Small Estuarine Marsh Along East (Pensacola) Bay, Florida, Jesse Pfadenhauer Dec 2016

Sedimentology Of A Small Estuarine Marsh Along East (Pensacola) Bay, Florida, Jesse Pfadenhauer

Honors Theses

Sediment samples from a marsh along East (Pensacola) Bay were analyzed using various laboratory techniques. The color, magnetic susceptibility, organic content, carbonate content, and sediment size distribution of each sample was measured to attain an overall profile of the sedimentary characteristics of the area. Using the GPS coordinates of each collection site, samples were categorized into sub-environments based on their position within the marsh. The trends within the study area and sub-environments were evaluated and interpreted. The data indicate that this marsh is a siliciclastic, fining-inland area that is frequently inundated with tidal fluctuations and storm surges. These storm surges …


Perceptions Of Campus Community Members Regarding Wrongful Convictions In Mississippi, Tera Wilson Dec 2016

Perceptions Of Campus Community Members Regarding Wrongful Convictions In Mississippi, Tera Wilson

Honors Theses

The American criminal justice system is a series of checks and balances meant to protect the American people. However, on occasion, the system fails, and innocent people are convicted of crimes, leaving the truly guilty perpetrator free to potentially commit other crimes. This study aimed to determine the beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes of university community members regarding the issue of wrongful conviction in Mississippi. This was executed by hosting a public forum including the Director of the Mississippi Innocence Project on the campus of Southern Mississippi. During this forum, participants were provided with the opportunity to complete two surveys in …


Functional Significance Of Branch Points In Mirtrons, Britton A. Strickland Dec 2016

Functional Significance Of Branch Points In Mirtrons, Britton A. Strickland

Honors Theses

MicroRNAs are a heterogeneous group of small regulatory RNAs generated by many pathways. Mirtrons (miR) are a class of microRNAs produced by splicing, and some mirtrons contain a 3’ tail located downstream from the self-complementary hairpin. During RNA splicing, a loop-like “lariat” intermediate structure is created when the 5’ end of the RNA is attached to an adenine called the branch point. The goal of this project is to uncover the contribution of branch point location to the processing of tailed mirtrons into functional gene regulators. This project approaches this issue from two directions. First, branch points were identified by …


Expression Of Glycine-Rich Proteins Found In Salivary Glands Of The Lone Star Tick (Amblyomma Americanum) Using A Mammalian Cell Line, Annabelle Clark Dec 2016

Expression Of Glycine-Rich Proteins Found In Salivary Glands Of The Lone Star Tick (Amblyomma Americanum) Using A Mammalian Cell Line, Annabelle Clark

Honors Theses

Ticks play an important ecological role as well as a growing role in human health and veterinary care. Ticks are hosts to a plethora of microbial pathogens that can be transferred during feeding to cause tick-borne diseases in humans and many animals. Ticks may in large part owe the success of the transfer of these pathogens between hosts to their complex saliva. The saliva secreted upon a tick’s attachment to a host serves the following, among other, functions: anti-hemostasis of the blood pool, preventing an inflammatory response at the bite site, and serving as a natural anti-microbial substance. An important …


Super Pac Funding And Its Impact On Voting Behavior In The U.S. House Of Representatives, Michael J. Scariano Dec 2016

Super Pac Funding And Its Impact On Voting Behavior In The U.S. House Of Representatives, Michael J. Scariano

Honors Theses

In light of the increasing levels of polarization in terms of voting behavior among members of the U.S. House of Representatives over the 112th, 113th, and 114th Congresses, coupled with the recent Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commision 558 U.S. 310 (2010), which authorized the use of unlimited fundraising and expenditure by outside groups in elections, the question was raised whether or not there was a correlation between these two occurrences. Specifically, this paper asks “what role does Super PAC funding play in the roll call vote choices of House Members of the 114th Congress?” To …


Identifying And Preventing Insider Threats, Matthew D. Waters Nov 2016

Identifying And Preventing Insider Threats, Matthew D. Waters

Honors Theses

Insider threats, or attacks against a company from within, are a pressing issue both domestically and internationally. Frequencies of these threats increase each year adding to the overall importance of further research analysis. In fact, many case studies have been conducted which state that these employees who participate in insider attacks tend to exhibit certain personality and characteristic traits, as well as certain observable behaviors, that would indicate to other employees that an attack is imminent. It is hypothesized that companies will be able to take a more preventative stance of security as opposed to a reactive stance by identifying …


Curiosity Beyond The Classroom: Developing Engaging Education Programming At The Grand Rapids Public Museum, Sara Forman Nov 2016

Curiosity Beyond The Classroom: Developing Engaging Education Programming At The Grand Rapids Public Museum, Sara Forman

Honors Theses

This project was designed to examine the impact of museums as authentic learning environments for traditional students, and analyze the role of student-centered educational programming in such an environment has upon student’s growth and connection to social studies content. The aim of this project was to develop an education program for secondary students, implement the program in a museum setting, and assess its effectiveness in encouraging student growth. The education program was created and taught at the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) in relation to the exhibit, Whales: Giants of the Deep. The program was developed under the supervision of …


The World Of Finance In Russia, Matthew Thomas Nov 2016

The World Of Finance In Russia, Matthew Thomas

Honors Theses

Russia is currently in an economic crisis the likes of which the Russian people are unfortunately familiar with in their turbulent past. Economic sanctions, paired with a global downturn in oil prices, have stalled any progress that had been occurring after the 2008 global economic meltdown. The Central Bank of Russia, which was founded after the fall of the USSR in the early 1990s, was quick to respond to the sanctions and domestic economic issues by laying out an Anti-Crisis plan along with the aid of the rest of the government. They raised interest rates to over 20%, passed legislation …


Research Methods Used To Study Pharmacological Intervention Of Nicotine-Induced Breast Cancer Formation And Metastasis, Bethany Breakall Oct 2016

Research Methods Used To Study Pharmacological Intervention Of Nicotine-Induced Breast Cancer Formation And Metastasis, Bethany Breakall

Honors Theses

The effects of iPLA2β (Ca2+-independent Phospholipase A2β) and MMP-9 (Matrix Metalloproteinase-9) have been a recent focus of research in the progression of cancer cell proliferation and migration. However, their roles are not entirely known, especially concerning nicotine-induced breast cancer cell advancement. The purpose of this study was to determine the involvement of iPLA2β in nicotine-induced breast cancer cell proliferation. BEL (bromoenol lactone), a suicide inhibitor of iPLA2β, was hypothesized to attenuate nicotine-induced breast cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth. Following the BEL treatment, the in-vitro results exhibited a significant decrease …