Digital Commons Network^™

Instrument-Specific Music Performance Anxiety, Aaron L. Manning

Honors Theses

For the musician, the occurrence of Music Performance Anxiety is a certainty. The extent, severity, and type of symptom of Music Performance Anxiety experienced vary depending on the performer. The instrument’s role in Music Performance Anxiety, however, might also be a factor in the type of symptom experienced by a performer. Does the type of instrument played lend itself to certain physical symptoms of Music Performance Anxiety? By studying the students of the University of Southern Mississippi’s School of Music, this thesis explores the relationship between instrument types and physical symptoms of Music Performance Anxiety. Its ultimate goal is to …

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 …

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 …

Fluctuating Asymmetry Of Menidia Beryllina As A Measure Of The Environmental Stress Caused By The 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Savannah A. Michaelsen

Honors Theses

Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) is often used as an indicator of environmental stress on a population. Stress encountered during development can result in asymmetries in bilateral traits. By quantifying fluctuating asymmetry in Menidia beryllina, FA can be used as an indicator of possible environmental stress linked to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The hypothesis states that the levels of FA will be greater in M. beryllina from post oil spill samples compared to pre oil spill samples. Menidia beryllina were used because they are a numerically dominant species found in high wave action coastal …

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 …

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 …

Exploring The Interactions Between Interleukin-8 (Il8) And Amyloid-Β (Aβ) Peptide In Traumatic Brain Injury, Olivia G. Gibson

Honors Theses

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive dysfunction and memory loss, and pathologically characterized by amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques and inflammation. Recent research has shown that these Aβ plaques are also found in traumatic

brain injury (TBI) patients. This discovery has led to a proposed pathway leading from traumatic brain injuries to dementia, more specifically AD. After a TBI, human granulin-A (GRN) and interleukin-8 (IL8) are released and the number of elastases in the brain increases in response to the inflammation response. IL8 is a cytokine that is released in acute inflammation responses, and the levels of IL8 …

Biophysical Characterization And Cross-Seeding Properties Of Lfaos, Novel Prion-Like Oligomers Of The Amyloid-Beta Peptide Involved In Alzheimer’S Disease, Morgan C. Woodrow

Honors Theses

The amyloid-beta (Aβ) protein is known to play an important role in the etiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Aβ peptide aggregates in the brains of AD patients to form soluble oligomers as well as insoluble fibrils. Oligomers of Aβ are now known to be the primary toxic agents in AD. Evidence is beginning to emerge regarding a conserved prion-like propagation mechanism in AD. One of the principal characteristics of prion diseases is their ability to self-propagate via a template-assisted-corruptive mechanism. Our lab has previously characterized a unique ‘Aβ prion’ called Large Fatty-Acid- Derived Oligomers (LFAOs). This project examines the ability …

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 …

An Examination Of The Social Functions Of Mouth Behaviors In Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus), Kirsten E. Lapuyade

Honors Theses

This project examines the social functions of mouthing behaviors in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). The Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences (RIMS) houses dolphins which are captive but in a natural habitat. The twenty-six dolphins are used in human interactions, but for the rest of their time they are allowed to roam naturally. These dolphins make it possible to examine natural social behavior in a captive setting. The following study examines video data of these dolphins obtained by Dr. Stan Kuczaj in 2009. Behavior of the dolphins in these videos was recorded, the primary focus being mouthing behaviors.

There …

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 …

Targeted Delivery Of Ribonucleotide Reductase Sirna In Cancer Cells Via Gold Nanoplexes, John Caleb Grenn

Honors Theses

Cancer treatment has much room for improvement, as therapies today cannot differentiate well between what cells are part of a tumor and which are healthy. Our research involves targeting cancer cells by their overexpressed folic acid receptors, and delivering small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to silence genes crucial to cell survival by the RNA interference gene knockdown pathway. By using Gaussia luciferase siRNA (siGLuc) as a model for cell delivery, we have been able to test our ability to deliver siRNA via a gold nanoparticle delivery system, also developed in our lab. We also synthesized ribonucleotide reductase siRNA (siRRM2), which will …

Determination Of 14c-Acetate Incorporation To Fungal Mass Conversion Factors Of Selected Saprophytic Fungal Organisms, Jakayla M. Harrell

Honors Theses

A growing body of evidence has emerged over the last several decades on the usefulness of the fungal sterol, ergosterol, in quantifying fungal biomass within decaying plant litter and the technique for measuring instantaneous growth rates of fungi via rates of [¹⁴C]-acetate incorporation into ergosterol. Although popular, an underlying problem with these methods is the paucity of studies that have determined conversion factors that relate the precursor molecules to meaningful measurements of fungal biomass and growth rates, respectively. This research was conducted to establish conversion factors relating rates of ¹⁴C-acetate incorporation to rates of fungal mass synthesis …

Developing Methods To Measure Small Attenuation Coefficients Using Short Distance Radiation Detection, Erica F. Bloor

Honors Theses

Accurate radiation measurements are very important for a variety of health, security, and industrial applications. The work described in this thesis is based upon developing a correction for the response of a sodium iodide (NaI) gamma-ray detector that is accurate enough to be used for determination of small mass-attenuation coefficients, such as for air, with short distance measurements. The goal is to find and apply appropriate corrections for the raw data provided by the NaI detector to enable the measurement of the gamma-ray mass-attenuation coefficients of air for detection distances of less than 1 meter. If measurements of the mass-attenuation …

Cloning And Expression Of The Cbbo (0910) Gene From Halothiobacillus Neapolitanus And Its Potential To Code For Rubisco Activase, Emily F.E. Bustin

Honors Theses

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase or RubisCO is an enzyme found in autotrophic organisms that functions to fix CO₂ and therefore plays an important role in the global carbon cycle. In order for RubisCO to increase its slow enzymatic rate, it must be exposed to high amounts of its substrate, CO₂. Carboxysomes, which sequester the RubisCO and its substrate, provide this function. It was previously believed that all the components necessary for carboxysome function were encoded by genes within the traditional cso operon. Recently, however, a gene in an operon located downstream of the cso operon was found to encode …

Using Manipulative Models To Develop Tree-Thinking, Donaven C. Mclaurin

Honors Theses

It is well known that students often struggle with tree-thinking, a core aspect of evolutionary education. Scientists consider phylogenetic trees multidimensional hypotheses of evolutionary relationships. However, student view textbook diagrams as static, two-dimensional images. Physical manipulatives have been used to facilitate learning science content in areas such as genetics, but these instructional tools have not yet been tested in tree-thinking. In order to circumvent students’ tree-thinking struggles, I investigated the use of manipulative, three-dimensional tree models in an introductory biology course designed for non-science majors (n=163). Specifically my research questions included: What are the differences in tree-thinking learning gains when …

Characterization Of The Function Of A Mold Specific Gene, Ms95, In The Pathogenic Dimorphic Fungus, Histoplasma Capsulatum, Danielle J. Williamson

Honors Theses

Histoplasma capsulatum is a dimorphic fungus that causes the respiratory disease histoplasmosis. At 25°C, the fungus grows as a multicellular mold in soils contaminated by bird and bat excreta. Once the soil is disturbed, spores are released and inhaled into the lungs. The fungus shifts to a unicellular, pathogenic yeast within the lungs at 37°C. Our laboratory’s main objective is to characterize the genes that are involved in the mold-to-yeast dimorphism. This study focuses on the mold-specific gene, MS95. According to The Broad Institute Histoplasma capsulatum GenBank Blastx search, MS95 has several homologs, including the well-studied Saccharomyces cerevisiae. …

Effects Of Age On Induced Glaucoma In An In Vivo Rat Model, Robert Cox

Honors Theses

Previous in vitro studies from this lab have demonstrated that injection of a hypertonic saline solution into the episcleral vein of the rat’s eye mimics the effect of glaucoma. However, the age of the rat related to the amount of cell loss in the retina ganglion cell (RGC) layer is unknown. To address this issue, we propose to analyze the correlation of age and cell loss between 3-6 month and 1-year-old Long Evan rats. When inducing glaucoma in the Long Evan rats, the left eye in each rat was left untreated and used as an internal control. In the right …

Crizotinib: A Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor, Graham Mclaren

Honors Theses

Crizotinib is a small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor that is currently being marketed by Pfizer under the trade name Xalkori^®. After its development in 2005, an appropriate target was discovered in 2007. By 2011 the FDA had approved crizotinib for use in patients with ALK+ non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). ALK+ NSCLC is caused by a genetic mutation that truncates and flips a section of the EML4 gene and attaches it to a section of the ALK gene. The result is the EML4-ALK oncogene. The resulting protein from this mutation is capable of undergoing ligand independent dimerization, …

If The Shoe Fits…An Artistic Analysis Of The Classic Fairy Talecharacter Cinderella, Corinne Andrew

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Toward A Global Organic Culture: Ethnographic Perspectives On Wwoofing Practices In Peru And New Zealand, Tara Suprunowicz

Honors Theses

In this thesis, I explore the meaning behind sustainable living among organic farmers and their families in two countries. It is based on original, ethnographic research that I conducted in New Zealand in fall 2012 and Peru in summer 2012 with support from the Department of Sociology and Anthropology Meerwarth Undergraduate Research Fund. In carrying out my research I relied on participant-observation, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and writing ethnographic fieldnotes. Drawing on contemporary scholarship in the anthropology of food and the environment, my thesis contributes to cross-culturally understandings of sustainability and local and global foodways. Specifically, I will interpret the …

Intraocular Pressure Measurements In A Rat Glaucoma Model, Michael Doyle

Honors Theses

The main objective of this study was to determine if consistent intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements could be obtained from an in vivo Long Evans rat glaucoma model. An increase in IOP is the primary risk factor associated with glaucoma and reliable IOP measurements would validate our in vivo glaucoma model that we are inducing in rats. The study used nine Long Evans rats. Three rats severed as controls, three received surgery to induce glaucoma and three were administered PNU-282987 neuroprotective eye drops and then surgery to induce glaucoma. IOP measurements were obtained by tapping the retina of the rat eye …

Determination Of Trace Metals, Volatile Organic Compounds, And Other Water Standards In Wmu Drinking Water, Tyler Walter

Honors Theses

The USEPA creates drinking water maximum contamination levels to support safety in all environments. Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), Watersafe® Drinking Water Test kits, and solid phase microextraction with gas chromatography were used to assess the safety of drinking water in three buildings (Davis Hall, the Chemistry Building, and the Dalton Center) on the campus of Western Michigan University. ICP-OES was used to determine the concentration of several trace metals (Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and As), Watersafe® Drinking Water Test kits were used to determine the concentration of common contaminants and conditions (E. coli, pesticides atrazine and …

The Effects Of Eutrophication And Salinization On Methane Production In Urban And Rural Lakes, Rebecca Kiekhaefer

Honors Theses

Asylum lake is an urban lake in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The lake is located near the intersection of two major roadways which are heavily salted during the winter. Wintergreen lake is a rural lake that is on the property of the Kellogg Biological Station in Augusta, Michigan. The lake is surrounded by the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary and is relatively isolated from major roadways. Both lakes are eutrophic, Asylum lake because of high salinity and lack of turnover (Macleod, et aI., 2011) and Wintergreen lake because of high nutrient inputs (Threlkeld, 1979). Previous work suggests that road salt deicers can change the …

When Evil Met Science: Nazi Medicine And Eugenics, Ashley Corey

Honors Theses

During World War II, millions of innocent people were murdered in Nazi Germany. For Hitler and his followers, having a pure race meant having a strong, unified country, and Germany took this idea to extreme and disturbing lengths. Corruption filled the government at all levels. As physicians were the only people authorized to run the gas chambers, traditional healers became death symbols. The Nazis and their physicians used their power to manipulate and murder for the collective goals of the country, as well as the personal gains that came with the high-end job titles. As I reveal the history and …

Prevalence Of Pregnancy Folkloric Beliefs Among Nurse-Midwifery Client Populations, Iris Aleece Campbell

Honors Theses

OBJECTIVE: To explore prevalence of pregnancy related folklore beliefs by conducting a survey of CM/CNMs in the United States. Research questions included: What folklore beliefs are most commonly encountered by nurse-midwives? Does the prevalence of folklore beliefs differ by geography? Does the type of folklore beliefs differ by the ethnicity and culture of the nurse-midwifery clientele?

METHODS: After IRB and ACNM approval, a geographically diverse sample of 1,000 active CM/CNM members was sent an invitation email. The survey was developed following a literature review to include 12 pregnancy beliefs. Responders were asked to rate how frequently they heard each (never-I, …

Roman Religion, Medicine, And Disease, Stephanie Clark

Honors Theses

Medicine, as experienced in the Roman Empire, was rapidly evolving. Balancing the newly developed theories with the already-established religious belief sparked the beginning of medical secularization. There were separate worlds, that of science and medicine, and that of the every day public, that had to be bridged in a way that honored both traditions, yet kept their integrity. The development of science and medicine pioneered by Galen, a philosopher whose medical knowledge and theory guided practitioners for almost two millennia, hit levels of exploration and understanding in ancient Rome that warranted its basis as common medical theory. However, the world, …

Adenovirus Type 5 Virions Asymmetrically Lose Icosahedral Structure At Low Phs Of Endosomes, Jennifer Marie Jarboe

Honors Theses

After receptor mediated endocytosis into an endosome, human Adenovirus Type 5 (Ad5) undergoes structural changes that allow the virus to release a viral protein, pVI, that lyses the endosome and releases the virus core into the cytosol, where it travels to the nucleus to insert its genome. Structural studies of Ad5 at a range of pHs typical of endosomes (7.5-4.5) using a transmission electron microscope show that Ad5 undergoes asymmetrical loss of proteins from vertex regions at the pH of the late endosome (pH5.15). Following further acidification, Ad5 ejects core material preferentially through one vertex—indicating an asymmetry at one vertex …

The Influence Of Word Problem Structures On Algebraic Expression Construction, Taylyn Hulse

Honors Theses

Certain learning domains come naturally to humans. Evidence supports that core knowledge systems of objects, number, action and space are innate for infants (Spelke, 2007). These core domains remain throughout development and they also give rise to more complex cognitive skills (Spelke, 2000). As we develop, we form new concepts that transcend the core learning domains (Carey, 2009). These new concepts, unlike core knowledge, are not innate and are learned under social and cultural pressures (Carey, 2009). This means that there is a transition from practicing core knowledge that is learned naturally and higher-functioning cognitive skills that must be specifically …

One-Pot Reactions Of Ethyl Propiolate, Ana Maria Neferu

Honors Theses

Through an efficient one-pot reaction sequence, ethyl propiolate can be transformed into a complex, usefully functionalized bicyclic product. Thioconjugate addition yielding Z-selective enoates has been developed for both aromatic thiols (trialkylamine-catalyzed) and aliphatic thiols (KOt-Bu-catalyzed). The oxidation of the thioenoates thus generated is followed by Li-catalyzed oxidation to sulfones using mCPBA, and Li-catalyzed Diels–Alder addition of cyclopentadiene. These subsequent steps are performed in situ, without any purification of intermediates. The yields obtained using the described synthesis are acceptable for a one-pot three-step sequence. Preliminary conjugate addition results with alcohols and amines as nucleophiles are also presented.