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Articles 2851 - 2880 of 3744
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An Undivided Heart: How Mary Unites What Sin Divides According To John Paul Ii’S Theology Of The Body, Ann M. Michalica
An Undivided Heart: How Mary Unites What Sin Divides According To John Paul Ii’S Theology Of The Body, Ann M. Michalica
Honors Theses
Today, personhood is often threatened by the tendency to divide the human person into two contrasting parts: body and soul. Many times, this causes the human person to be reduced to a disembodied spiritual being or a disposable object rather than a whole person called to love and be loved. In his teachings known as Theology of the Body, John Paul II uses a personalistic approach to illuminate the human person as the integration of body and soul. Scripturally based, Theology of the Body is the study of God’s reflection in the human body and human sexuality. Using John Paul …
The Role Of The Arista On Lucilia Sericata In Sensing Wind And Airflow, Relative Humidity And Volatile Compounds, Alexandra Elaine Jacob
The Role Of The Arista On Lucilia Sericata In Sensing Wind And Airflow, Relative Humidity And Volatile Compounds, Alexandra Elaine Jacob
Honors Theses
Lucilia sericata is a species of blow fly that has important applications in the fields of forensic entomology and medicine. L. sericata is one of the first organisms that arrives at decaying carrion in response to decay odors released by the carrion. The attraction stimuli are presumably the decay volatiles, but wind flow, and humidity may also influence the blow fly resource-oriented behavior. This fly species has feather-like structures known as arista that project from the antenna. The function of these structures is not completely understood, however they may play a role in sensing airflow and wind, humidity, and volatile …
Classifying The Functionality Of Primosome Protein A In Deinococcus Radiodurans, Jacob Boone
Classifying The Functionality Of Primosome Protein A In Deinococcus Radiodurans, Jacob Boone
Honors Theses
Deinococcus radiodurans is an extremophile bacterium with the capacity to withstand tremendous DNA damage that causes disruption of replisome complex activity. The efficiency of origin-independent replisome reloading directly correlates to effectiveness of DNA damage coping strategies, and remains largely undefined in D. rad primosome components. Investigation of D. rad PriA as a helicase protein was conducted to determine if PriA could be classified as a fossilized helicase. This project tested the three functions of known helicases by comparing E. coli and D. rad PriA. DNA binding, DNA unwinding, and ATP hydrolysis assays were performed on both proteins separately and results …
Red Light Green Light: A Novel Approach To Studying The Interaction Between Enhancers And Gene Promoters, Jordan E. Vellky
Red Light Green Light: A Novel Approach To Studying The Interaction Between Enhancers And Gene Promoters, Jordan E. Vellky
Honors Theses
The human genome consists of over 3 billion base pairs, but only about 2% of this extensive supply of genetic information is recognized as a functional protein coding sequence. The remaining 98% was once considered to be “junk DNA” that lacked functional elements. Recently, this assumption has been replaced by an understanding that the non-coding genome contains many functional elements involved in gene regulation. These elements include promoters, or the region where gene expression is initiated, and enhancers, which communicate to promoters information about the cells in a body and when a specific gene’s expression should be ON or OFF. …
Determining The Transcription Factor Genes Populating A Fruit Fly Pigmentation Gene Network And Their Regulatory Connections, Samantha Stringer
Determining The Transcription Factor Genes Populating A Fruit Fly Pigmentation Gene Network And Their Regulatory Connections, Samantha Stringer
Honors Theses
Morphological traits for organisms result from the concerted action of numerous genes that are interconnected into a gene network at the level of transcriptional regulation. In each network, transcription factors control the spatial, temporal, and even sex-specific patterns of gene transcription. To better understand how a gene network operates during development, I investigated the network controlling a male-specific pattern of Drosophila melanogaster abdominal pigmentation. Using RNA interference, I reduced the expression of 558 transcription factor genes to identify those needed for normal pigmentation by the occurrence of aberrant pigmentation patterns. From this, I identified 28 genes, which include several that …
Discrimination Against Disabled Persons In Malawi And The United States: A Comparative Study, Stephen Crum
Discrimination Against Disabled Persons In Malawi And The United States: A Comparative Study, Stephen Crum
Honors Theses
Physically disabled individuals experience hardships that are more severe than the general public in both Malawi, African and in the United States. Disabled Malawians and Americans experience lower employment rates and lower annual incomes than the general public. Additionally, there is a lower educational attendance rate among disabled individuals in each country. This study sought to determine what factors contributed to these educational and employment deficiencies in both countries. Possible factors for the deficit may include discrimination, poor infrastructure, or the severity of the physical disability. A survey was administered to students (N = 52) at the University of Dayton …
Sex-Dependent Electrophysiological Responses Of Lucilia Sericata To Concentration Gradient Of Indole, Erin T. Filbrandt
Sex-Dependent Electrophysiological Responses Of Lucilia Sericata To Concentration Gradient Of Indole, Erin T. Filbrandt
Honors Theses
I investigated the responses to specific concentrations of indole in the adult stage of Lucilia sericata, the common green bottle fly. Indole is a commonly used attractant at concentrations between 0 and .04% that has a floral scent at low concentrations and a fecal odor at high concentrations (Cragg, 1950). There were three treatment cages: one all male, one all female, and one mixed male and female. The purpose of these conditions was to observe the difference between sensory responses of males, non-mated females, and mated females. All cages were placed in an incubator to maintain uniform temperatures and …
Impact Of Amur Honeysuckle (Lonicera Maackii) Leachate On Culex Pipiens Life History Attributes, Lauren Shewhart
Impact Of Amur Honeysuckle (Lonicera Maackii) Leachate On Culex Pipiens Life History Attributes, Lauren Shewhart
Honors Theses
The purpose of this study was to look at the impact of a highly invasive plant, Lonicera maackii, on the primary vector of West Nile Virus in the Eastern United States, Culex pipiens. Three different assays using two different microcosms experiments were conducted to determine the rate of survivorship, pupation, emergence, and larval growth of mosquito larvae in native (Platanus occidentalis and Acer saccharum) and invasive (L. maackii leaf and flower) leachates. It was found that L. maackii has the potential to increase mosquito populations due to the fast decaying nature of its leaves and …
Examination Of Host Range Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Phages Ut1, Sn-T, And Pev2 For Treatment Of Bacterial Biofilms In Fuels, Kathleen M. Sellick
Examination Of Host Range Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Phages Ut1, Sn-T, And Pev2 For Treatment Of Bacterial Biofilms In Fuels, Kathleen M. Sellick
Honors Theses
Biofilms are slimy substances made up of bacteria that attach to surfaces. Biofilms can be found in humans (lung of Cystic Fibrosis patients), natural settings (rocks in streams) and man-made environments (medical devices, pipelines). Biofilms are also found in aviation fuel tanks, causing physical issues such as clogging in fuel lines and changing the chemical makeup of the fuel via bacterial metabolism. Bacterial viruses, known as bacteriophage, show potential for reducing biofilms through phage therapy. The goal is to find a phage or combination of phage with a broad host range that would be most effective in reducing the biofilms …
Epinephrine Regulates Aquaglyceroporin Hc-3 Expression And Subcellular Localization In Cultured Erythrocytes From The Freeze-Tolerant Treefrog, Hyla Chrysoscelis, Connor J. Ratycz
Epinephrine Regulates Aquaglyceroporin Hc-3 Expression And Subcellular Localization In Cultured Erythrocytes From The Freeze-Tolerant Treefrog, Hyla Chrysoscelis, Connor J. Ratycz
Honors Theses
Cope’s gray treefrog Hyla chrysoscelis, accumulates and distributes glycerol as a cryoprotectant in anticipation of freezing. Transmembrane glycerol and water flux in H. chysoscelis erythrocytes likely occurs through HC-3, an ortholog of mammalian aquaporin 3. HC-3 protein is in higher abundance and is preferentially localized to the plasma membrane in RBCs from cold-acclimated treefrogs as compared to warmacclimated animals. It is hypothesized that neuroendocrine agonists via receptor mediated second messenger pathways integrate signals derived from fasting, dehydration, diurnal, and/or temperature changes during cold-acclimation to regulate HC-3 expression as part of the mechanism of freeze tolerance. In this study, cultured …
The Acute Effects Of Aerobic And Resistance Exercise On Cardiovascular Function And Arterial Stiffness, Hayleigh Elizabeth Raiff
The Acute Effects Of Aerobic And Resistance Exercise On Cardiovascular Function And Arterial Stiffness, Hayleigh Elizabeth Raiff
Honors Theses
The cardiovascular system changes acutely to the stresses of exercise to support the increased metabolic demand of the working tissues. This is accomplished through the augmentation of several parameters including heart rate, blood pressure, and vascular tone such as arterial stiffness. Exercise training has been shown to elicit changes in arterial stiffness but the acute effects of exercise on arterial stiffness have not been thoroughly studied. The current study examined the acute effects of no (control), aerobic (30 minutes of cycling at ~70% maximum heart rate), and resistance exercise (30 minutes, 3 sets of 10 repetitions for 6 exercises) on …
Population Variation In Fossil Graptolites: A Quantitative Study Based On Single Species Assemblages, Elliott Matthias Mazur
Population Variation In Fossil Graptolites: A Quantitative Study Based On Single Species Assemblages, Elliott Matthias Mazur
Honors Theses
There are several different types of variation in populations of fossil organisms. These include intra-specific (population) variation, evolutionary variation (specimens on a slab accumulating over thousands of years), and preservational variation. An understanding of the extent and type of variation present in a population is fundamental to biological and paleontological studies. This study examines several populations of fossil graptolites from which population variation can be studied without the influence of the other types, and includes several types of morphometric analyses to examine population variation in several species of fossil graptolites. These analyses include isolating three dimensionally preserved specimens from limestone, …
Auditory Information In The Form Of A Scratching Sound Enhances The Effects Of The Rubber Hand Illusion, Bridget O'Mera
Auditory Information In The Form Of A Scratching Sound Enhances The Effects Of The Rubber Hand Illusion, Bridget O'Mera
Honors Theses
The body schema describes an internal representation of the body in space, and is generated from a number of different sense modalities such as vision and proprioception. Botvinick and Cohen's rubber hand illusion (1998) demonstrates the relative contributions of vision, tactile perception and proprioception to body awareness. In this illusion, a participant's real hand is concealed from view and a prosthetic rubber hand is seen in its place. An experimenter simultaneously administers tactile stimulation to both the seen rubber hand and participant's actual hidden hand. The combination of this visual and tactile information overrides proprioceptive cues to body perception, creating …
Synthesis And Characterization Of A Tetra-Ruthenated Naphthylbiliverdin, Ashley M. Berding
Synthesis And Characterization Of A Tetra-Ruthenated Naphthylbiliverdin, Ashley M. Berding
Honors Theses
A new naphtylbiliverdin compound has been synthesized which offers intense absorption with the photodynamic therapy window (600 nm – 850 nm). The compound has been characterized by proton NMR, high resolution electrospray mass spectrometry, elemental analysis, and UV/vis spectroscopy. Coordination of four ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes was accomplished by standard procedures. The new tetra-ruthenated naphthylbiliverdin was characterized by elemental analysis. Cyclic voltammetry measurements reveal that all four ruthenium moieties are coordinated to the pyridyl groups of the biliverdin compound. The intense metal to ligand charge transfer (MLCT) bands of the peripheral ruthenium groups overshadow the absorption due to the biliverdin compound; …
Brown Capuchins (Cebus Apella) Exhibit Self-Control On A Delay Of Gratification Food Exchange Task When Food Options Differ Qualitatively, Kimberly Ann Fisher
Brown Capuchins (Cebus Apella) Exhibit Self-Control On A Delay Of Gratification Food Exchange Task When Food Options Differ Qualitatively, Kimberly Ann Fisher
Honors Theses
Self-control allows an individual to obtain a more preferred outcome by forgoing an immediate interest. Self-control is an advanced cognitive process because it involves the ability to weigh the costs and benefits of impulsive versus restrained behavior, determine the consequences of such behavior, and make decisions based on the most advantageous course of action. Self-control has been thoroughly explored in Old World primates, but less so in New World monkeys. There are many ways to test self-control abilities in non-human primates, including exchange tasks in which an animal must forgo an immediate, less preferred reward to receive a delayed, more …
Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus Apella) Fail To Be Equitable In An Ultimatum Game, Mackenzie Florence Smith
Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus Apella) Fail To Be Equitable In An Ultimatum Game, Mackenzie Florence Smith
Honors Theses
The ultimatum game is a commonly used economics game testing humans' sense of fairness. In the game, a "proposer" is given a sum of money and is told they can split it however they want with another human partner. The partner can then either accept the division and both proposer and responder receive the proposed amounts, or the responder can reject the offer and neither player will get anything. Human subjects from most western cultures typically share almost half of an allotted amount, but it remains unknown whether our close primate relatives share this generosity. Recent attempts to present chimpanzees …
Formyl Group Activation Of Bromopyrrole Suzuki Cross-Coupling: Application To A Formal Synthesis Of Lamellarin G Trimethyl Ether, Andrew Harrison
Formyl Group Activation Of Bromopyrrole Suzuki Cross-Coupling: Application To A Formal Synthesis Of Lamellarin G Trimethyl Ether, Andrew Harrison
Honors Theses
Many biologically interesting compounds have been isolated from marine natural products, many of which contain characteristic pyrroles. Compounds such as polycitones, storniamides, ningalins, and lamellarins have been of particular interest for synthesis due to their vast pharmaceutical potential including the ability to fight tumors as well as induce cytolysis of drug resistant cancer cell lines. Previous studies on the synthesis of Lamellarin G trimethyl ether by the Gupton Group have relied upon vinylogous amide derivatives as building blocks.2 A new pathway utilizing a formylated pyrrole ring provides an interesting method for the synthesis of Lamellarin G trimethyl ether. Regioselective Suzuki …
The Fluvial Sequence Of A Latest Changhsingian, Pre-Pt Extinction River Complex, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, Tara Chizinski
The Fluvial Sequence Of A Latest Changhsingian, Pre-Pt Extinction River Complex, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, Tara Chizinski
Honors Theses
The Permian–Triassic mass extinction, dated between 251.941 ± 0.037 and 251.880 ± 0.0371 Ma, is well documented in the marine record, but details of the event on land are still ambiguous and widely debated within the scientific community. This project focuses on the stratigraphic record leading up to the PT boundary at one of the critical sections in the Karoo Basin of South Africa, Wapadsberg Pass. A transition in river styles is reported to have occurred across the landscape from meandering Permian sandstone-dominated channels to Triassic braided complexes. This transition can be recorded by architectural elements, which reflect sensitive variations …
Optimization Of A Chemical Genetic Screen To Identify Druggable Targets In U138 Cells Treated With Laromustine, Kathryn Coe
Optimization Of A Chemical Genetic Screen To Identify Druggable Targets In U138 Cells Treated With Laromustine, Kathryn Coe
Honors Theses
Laromustine is an experimental sulfonylhydrazine prodrug used in late-stage clinical studies against acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Despite initial promise for both indications, clinical trials for GBM have not been as successful as those for AML. To investigate methods for improving the effectiveness of laromustine in GBM and to learn more about the mechanism of action of laromustine, a chemical genetic screen will be conducted to identify agents that sensitize GBM cells to the anti-proliferative effects of laromustine. The library, which will include approximately 450 FDA-approved drugs, will be screened using a newly optimized high throughput assay …
Variations In Intra- And Interspecific Response To Mobbing Calls By The Black-Capped Chickadee (Poecile Atricapillus), Katerina M. Faust
Variations In Intra- And Interspecific Response To Mobbing Calls By The Black-Capped Chickadee (Poecile Atricapillus), Katerina M. Faust
Honors Theses
Mobbing calls are produced by a variety of bird species in response to predator sightings. These mobbing calls often function in intraspecific recruitment, but have recently been shown to have an interspecific response component as well. The mobbing calls produced by the Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) are distinct and encode information about the threat level of the predator. Conservation biologists often use playbacks of chickadee mobbing calls to detect species of birds and numbers of individuals in an area with higher accuracy than counts conducted without the use of playbacks. In this study, the factors that could potentially …
Influence Of The Sea Surface Microlayer On Ozone Deposition Velocity, Kathryn Moore
Influence Of The Sea Surface Microlayer On Ozone Deposition Velocity, Kathryn Moore
Honors Theses
The biogeochemical cycles of both iodine and ozone are strongly linked to human health and global climate and are tightly coupled through chemical processes occurring in the surface ocean and troposphere. The concentration and distribution of these compounds have the potential to drive the oxidizing capacity and suite of chemical reactions occurring in the marine boundary layer. However, modeling coupled ocean-atmosphere systems involving them is challenging because of a limited understanding of the magnitude and dominant mechanisms controlling the fluxes of both species, in addition to temporally and spatially heterogeneous distributions of ozone and iodine in the sea surface and …
Quantumness And Coherence In Photosynthesis, Brian Doolittle
Quantumness And Coherence In Photosynthesis, Brian Doolittle
Honors Theses
Long-lived oscillations lasting up to 1800 fs have been observed in the Fenna--Mathews--Olsen (FMO) Pigment-Protein complex. It is unclear if the oscillations are quantum or classical in origin. Quantized intra-pigment normal modes are responsible for these long-lived oscillations. In this thesis we simulate a bacteriachlorophyll dimer in the FMO Complex at physiological conditions. Our model describes two electronically coupled pigments coupled to the vibrational protein environment. Our goal is to find system parameters that allow long-lived quantum coherences to exist in photosynthetic complexes. We calculate the time evolution of our system's density matrix using the numerically exact quantum adiabatic path …
The Role Of Underutilized Fish In New England's Seafood System, Taylor Witkin
The Role Of Underutilized Fish In New England's Seafood System, Taylor Witkin
Honors Theses
The global fisheries crisis has led to an increasing recognition for the need to relieve pressure on overfished, popular food fish stocks. Opportunities exist to shift consumer demand toward more sustainable choices, including fish that may be locally abundant. Attempts have been made to market underused fish (sometimes termed “trash fish”) that represent more sustainable alternatives; however, it is unclear whether consumers will choose to purchase these more sustainable options, particularly if underused fish are also unfamiliar. Chapter 1 reviews existing research and current issues surrounding sustainable seafood and the recent shift toward local, abundant, undervalued species in New England’s …
The Relationships Between Local Food And Food Security In Maine, Erin Love
The Relationships Between Local Food And Food Security In Maine, Erin Love
Honors Theses
There is a food systems paradox in Maine: the State has one of the highest levels of food insecurity in the nation, while simultaneously experiencing a local agriculture boom. Maine has some of the largest percentages of young farmers and women farmers in the country and is home to the second highest number of artisan cheese makers of any state in the country. Amidst this exciting, sometimes quirky, agricultural activity there is a critical need for food systems development in the state, especially in the context of serving vulnerable populations. This thesis explores the ways in which Mainers are working …
The Effect Of Azo Textile Dyes On Gross Primary Production And Community Respiration In An Artificial Environment, Theresa L. Petzoldt
The Effect Of Azo Textile Dyes On Gross Primary Production And Community Respiration In An Artificial Environment, Theresa L. Petzoldt
Honors Theses
Azo dyes are the largest category of textile dyes in production today, with over 100,000 tons of dye produced yearly in the United States. Ten to fifty percent of this dye is not fixed to the fabric during the textile production process, and is therefore discarded as effluent. Because dye waste is difficult to process in wastewater treatment facilities, it is important to understand how this waste affects aquatic systems using a whole ecosystem approach. This study used an artificial stream to model the effects of four azo dyes on benthic biofilm production and respiration. Dyes were found to have …
The Impact Of Dams On Nitrogen Cycling In The Messalonskee Stream, Rebecca K. Forgrave
The Impact Of Dams On Nitrogen Cycling In The Messalonskee Stream, Rebecca K. Forgrave
Honors Theses
The Messalonskee Stream in central Maine has five hydroelectric dams on 16.6km. Each dam drastically changes the flow regime of the stream, dividing it into segments with different patterns of sediment settling and organic matter retention. I investigated how these disruptions impact nitrogen cycling, specifically nitrification rates above and below each dam. I expected higher nitrification rates above the dams, where levels of organic matter are higher, and lower rates below the dam where scouring removes organic matter and fine sediment from the streambed. I measured sediment nitrification rates with a nitrapyrin-inhibition assay and potential drivers of nitrification including sediment …
The Talbot Effect, Malia Kawamura
The Talbot Effect, Malia Kawamura
Honors Theses
The goal of this project is to experimentally investigate the optical Talbot effect and the electron Talbot effect. The Talbot effect is a near-field diffraction effect which occurs when plane waves are incident upon a grating. The Talbot effect creates full grating revivals at integral Talbot lengths and revivals with greater spatial periodicity at fractional Talbot lengths. We use a green helium neon laser and Ronchi rulings to take CCD camera images of the fractional Talbot revivals directly. Additionally, a photodiode records light intensity as a function of time as a second identical grating is moved to verify the presence …
Octocoral Physiology: Calcium Carbonate Composition And The Effect Of Thermal Stress On Enzyme Activity, Hadley Pearson
Octocoral Physiology: Calcium Carbonate Composition And The Effect Of Thermal Stress On Enzyme Activity, Hadley Pearson
Honors Theses
Octocorals are a diverse group of organisms, and within the Caribbean they contribute substantially to coral-reef cover. In this thesis, two different studies performed on these marine organisms are detailed. In Section I, the percent calcium carbonate composition of several species was analyzed. Octocorals produce sclerites: calcium carbonate crystals that serve as the skeletal elements of the coral. Determining the percent calcium carbonate composition of eight Caribbean octocoral species can give comparative insight into the form and function in these animals. This study also offers clues about potential evolutionary tradeoffs between rigidity and flexibility, as well as establishes some basic …
Dna-Based Species Identification And Population Genetics Of The Eastern Subterranean Termite, Reticulitermes Flavipes, In The Southern Appalachian Mountains, Benjamin Collins
Dna-Based Species Identification And Population Genetics Of The Eastern Subterranean Termite, Reticulitermes Flavipes, In The Southern Appalachian Mountains, Benjamin Collins
Honors Theses
This study investigates the distribution patterns of Reticulitermes flavipes, an important recycler of nutrients and well-known destroyer of man-made structures, in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. As a precursor to this work, it was first necessary to distinguish the target species from other co-occurring termite species. To combat this problem, a modified Polymerase Chain Reaction- Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay that uses a 384-bp segment of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit II (COII) gene was designed. To test the accuracy of this tool, predictions made from using this method were compared to predictions made by genetic sequencing. This modified PCR-RFLP …
Host-Specialization Of Bartonella In Flea Vectors Collected From Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs, Mark D. Massaro
Host-Specialization Of Bartonella In Flea Vectors Collected From Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs, Mark D. Massaro
Honors Theses
At least 22 species of Bartonella bacteria have been named and many are associated with one of a list of potential mammalian reservoirs and arthropod vectors. One example of such a system is the parasitism of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) of the Western U.S. by Oropyslla hirsuta and Pulex simulans fleas. These vectors are thought to maintain B. washoensis infection in these mammals, but little is known about their role in the specialization of this strain to this reservoir. We found that the more specialist O. hirsuta fleas were much more likely to be infected with B. washoensis than …