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Geodynamic Constraints On The Flow Of Samoan-Plume Mantle Into The Northern Lau Basin, Nathan Katsiaficas

Honors Theses

The northernmost portion of the Lau basin, South Pacific, features numerous geochemical and geophysical anomalies. These include: (1) a strong latitudinal gradient in the trace element and isotopic (Sr-Nd-Pb) enrichment of basalts erupted along the various back-arc spreading centers (BASCs) within the basin, (2) high 3He/4He (up to 28 times RA, where RA, the ratio in Earth's atmosphere, is 1.4 x 10-6) in basalts erupted along some portions of the BASCs (e.g., Rochambeau Bank), and (3) the presence of trench-parallel shear-wave splitting near the Tonga arc. The occurrence of these anomalies has been attributed to the southward flow of mantle …

Cameras, Satellites, And Surveys: A Multi-Platform Approach To Monitoring Lake Conservation Behavior, Daniel D. Homeier

Honors Theses

Shoreline buffers are essential to maintaining lake water quality and there are numerous methods for their assessment. There is uncertainty in the benefits and drawbacks of different shoreline buffer assessment methods. In this study I explore three methods of remotely assessing shoreline buffers in the Belgrade Lakes Region of Maine: household surveys, geotagged shoreline photos, and satellite imagery. By comparing these three methods I will evaluate their accuracy and applicable scale when used to assess the presence and quality of shoreline buffers.

I used both parametric and non-parametric analysis to (1) evaluate the relative accuracy of 154 household surveys in …

From Pond To Pump: Microalgae As A Feedstock For Biodiesel, Anna H. Leavitt

Honors Theses

The global reliance on fossil fuels is an unsustainable practice that has led to the depletion of finite resources and the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, leading to global climate change (Demirbas 2010). Transportation accounts for about a third of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the United States. Demand for oil continues to increase and resources are becoming more uncertain. Increased production of renewable fuels such as biofuels can help ease the dependence on fossil fuels. Although interest and production in biofuels has been increasing in the past decade, current feedstocks do not meet efficiency needs and some …

“What Strange Creatures Brothers Are!: An Exploration Of Sibling And Pseudo-Sibling Relationships In Jane Austen’S Novels, Sarah Danielle Thornton

Honors Theses

In this thesis, I compare true sibling relationships with pseudo-sibling relationships in Jane Austen’s novels. I detail why siblings who become friends are generally more successful than friends who attempt to become siblings. With real siblings such as the Bennet sisters, the Dashwood sisters, and Fanny and William Price, there is already a familial obligation that allows them to transform their relationship into something deeper and more meaningful. In the cases of pseudo-siblings such as Catherine Morland and Isabella Thorpe, Emma Woodhouse and Harriet Smith, Fanny Price and Edmund Bertram, and Emma Woodhouse and Mr. Knightley, the transformation from friends …

Mechanism Of Action Of A Novel Antifungal Compound, Amber Ward

Honors Theses

Opportunistic fungal infections have become problematic in recent years. There has been an emergence of new fungal pathogens, development of antifungal resistance, and increasing prevalence. In addition, toxicity, resistance, and lack of efficacy as a single agent limit the effectiveness of current antifungal drugs. Therefore, new drugs targeting new pathways are greatly needed. An analog derived from the marine natural product phloeodictine, analog PHL5-34A, was identified as having strong in vitro antifungal activity. In this study, its mechanism of action (MOA) was investigated in the model yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This study made use of a collection of 166 yeast mutants …

Elucidation Of B-N And B-P Stretching Vibrations Using Raman Spectroscopy And Electronic Structure Calculations, Dana Nicole Reinemann

Honors Theses

Boron-nitrogen (B-N) and boron-phosphorus (B-P) dative bond stretching vibrational frequencies were studied using vibrational spectroscopic methods and electronic structure calculations. There has been a great controversy over the assignment of B-N dative bond vibrational frequencies for many years with a range of inconsistent assignments in the literature. The B-N dative bond stretching frequency in N-methyliminodiacetic acid (MIDA) esters was analyzed here using infrared, Raman, and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopic methods and compared to the results of electronic structure calculations employing the MP2 and M06-2X methods with a triple zeta basis set. The mode including the B-N stretching motion proved to …

A Phylogenetic Analysis Of Polygyridae (Gastropoda: Pulmonata) Based On Mitochondrial Dna Sequence Data, Nicholas A. Defreitas

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Transnationalism And Identity: The Concept Of Community In Ghanaian Literature And Contemporary Ghanaian Culture, Devin M. Geary

Honors Theses

In my thesis, I use anthropology, literature, and adinkra, an indigenous art, to study Ghanaian concepts of community from an interactive standpoint. While each of these disciplines has individually been used to study the concept of community, the three have not previously been discussed in relation to one another. I explore the major findings of each field—mainly that in anthropology, transnational informants find communities upheld; in literature, transnational characters find the opposite; and in adinkra, there are elements of both continuity and dissolution—to discuss Ghanaian constructs of community in the transnational world. Throughout time, there have always been transnational individuals …

Food Preparation Habits Among College Students: An Exploration And Culinary Intervention, Mary Lindsey Simpkins

Honors Theses

The obesity rate among Americans has been growing at an alarming rate in recent years; because of this, there has been much inquiry into the possible causes, interventions, and prevention methods for this problem. One major trend that appears to have an impact on this obesity epidemic is the large proportion of meals eaten outside the home namely, at fast food or sit-down restaurants. This trend is especially prevalent among college students, whose lifestyle is generally marked by an abundance of stress coupled with a lack of time and money. Because of this lifestyle and a lack of food preparation …

The Influence Of Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe On The Legacy Of The Bauhaus, Zachary Whiteaker Branson

Honors Theses

This paper addresses three color theorists of the Bauhaus and their connection to a single historical source, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. It begins with an overview of the Bauhaus and a brief chronology of the school, and then moves into a description of Goethe’s work, primarily Theory of Color. I then discuss Wassily Kandinsky, his writings in Concerning the Spiritual in Art and From Point and Line to Plane, and his impact on the other teachers of the Bauhaus. The third chapter addresses Johannes Itten’s book. The Art of Color, and his influence on the Bauhaus and its students through …

Conditioned Place Preference As A Means To Measure Analgesic Drug Effects On Cancer Pain In Murine Models, Hannah Elizabeth Burson

Honors Theses

Pain associated with cancer is unpredictable and may reflect an inability to quantify it in animals. We hypothesize that Conditioned Place Preference (CPP) testing is sensitive to pain relieving drugs in animal models of cancer pain and that CPP scores will reflect varying degrees of pain relief To test this, mice were assigned to one of four groups: tumor or non-tumor groups conditioned to saline or morphine during preference testing. After baseline preference testing in the CPP apparatus, animals received either saline or morphine in the S+ chamber (initially non-preferred chamber). All animals received saline in the S- chamber (initially …

Investigations Of Physiological Changes In Gulf Of Mexico Sharks During Acute Stress Events With Emphasis On The Atlantic Sharp Nose Shark, Wood Whittington Dale

Honors Theses

Blood samples were taken from seven species of shark found in the Gulf of Mexico. The species examined were Atlantic sharpnose (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae), blacknose (Carcharhinus acronotus), blacktip [Carcharhinus limbatus), bull {Carcharhinus leucas), finetooth {Carcharhinus isodon), spinner (Carcharhinus brevipinna), and tiger (Galeocerdo cuvier). The blood of 63 sharks was collected and analyzed for hematocrit, leukocrit, and plasma percent volume. Plasma osmolality values were also analyzed. Sharks were captured using hook and line (n=24) and longline (n=39). Hook and line captured sharks were submitted to a stress protocol described by Hoffmayer and Parsons (2001) and longline captured sharks were submitted to a …

Diurnal Time-Activity Budgets Of Schoolmaster Snapper (Lutjanus Apodus) In South Water Caye Marine Reserve (Belize), Catherine Filley Howe

Honors Theses

Diurnal time-activity budgets from a sample of 588 schoolmaster snapper (Lu^'anus apodus. Family Lutjanidae) were recorded over a period of two and a half weeks in the South Water Caye Marine Reserve (Belize) during May and June of 2010. Each fish was observed for a 20-second time period, and the amount of time they spent swimming, stationaiy (resting), foraging, and performing “other” (less common activities) behaviors was recorded. The specific objectives of my study were to: (1) quantitatively describe the behavior of schoolmaster with time-activity budgets, (2) assess differences in schoolmaster size distribution by location (habitat type), and (3) analyze …

Antibiotic Resistance Of Bacteria Isolated From Leafy Green Salad Vegetables, Brooke Elizabeth Reynolds

Honors Theses

Bacterial isolates obtained from samples of five varieties of leafy green vegetables were tested for resistance to four different antibiotics: ampicillin. erythromycin, streptomycin, and tetracycline. Isolates were separated based on media type (TSA vs. R2A media), sterilization techniques (surface sterilized vs. unsterilized). cultivation methods (conventional vs. organic), and specific lettuce type origins. Resistances were tested using a microscale broth culture technique, which allowed for growth of isolates in the presence of different concentrations of antibiotic. Antibiotic resistance was observed in all groups of isolates, although levels of resistance varied depending on the particular isolate and the antibiotic tested. Isolates were …

Currency: The Fantastic Festival Of The Mind, Kristen Marie Vise

Honors Theses

Currency: The Fantastic Festival of the Mind is an exploration of memory and ephemerality through abstracted imagery originating in the wonder of childhood, the magic of festivals, and the divinity of nature. In the work, an underlying “current” or essence of wonder serves as the “currency” of subjects ranging from carousels to clocks to Sycamore trees. The work explores fragmented concepts of time and memory that intertwine with whimsical imagery in the mind over time, leading to the development of fanciful percepdons and reassembled experience. Pulling from sources as diverse as Environmental Graphic Design, contemporary grapic design. Surrealism, and German …

‘The Triple Bottom Line’: Examining Eu Support For Organic Agriculture With Examples From Italian Wine Producers, Kimberly M. Biagini

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Healthcare Reform In Context Of The Unique Case Of Mississippi's Diabetic Population, Alley Estelle Ronaldi

Honors Theses

Healthcare reform in the United States is a highly complex issue that is influenced by a number of economic, social, and political factors. These factors have converged in Mississippi to exacerbate reliance on acute care and the high costs associated with tertiary-level diabetes treatment. It has been thoroughly researched that continuous primary care is most the cost effective and convenient treatment for diabetes, yet such treatment centers are scarce in Mississippi due to healthcare payment structures. It is for these reasons that Mississippi is used as an excellent test case for reform proposals. Two of the most polar and popular …

Investigation Of Brown Recluse (Loxosceles Reclusa) And Black Widow (Latrodectus Mactans) Spider-Bite Diagnoses By Medical Professionals Across Three Regions Of Mississippi, Hillary Michelle Howell

Honors Theses

During 4 weeks of the spring of 2011 and 5 weeks of the fall of 2011, interviews were conducted with medical professionals practicing in Mississippi regarding the diagnosis of brown recluse {Loxosceles reclusa) and black widow {Latrodectus mactans) spider bites. During the spring, a total of 19 interviews were held with emergency room physicians and dermatologists practicing in urban and rural, non-medically underserved areas of Mississippi. The participants varied in their location of practice across the 3 regions of Mississippi. During the fall, a total of 5 interviews were conducted with nurse practitioners and one pediatrician practicing in rural, medically …

History, Culture, And Religion In The Development Of Racial Ideology: A Case Study Of The Dutch Reformed Church Of South Africa And The Presbyterian Church Of America, Alexandria Claire Denton

Honors Theses

This thesis deals with the Christian religious tradition in relation to the ideology of white supremacy. By contrasting the history and ideologies of the Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa and the Presbyterian Church of America, this thesis will attempt to show that past history and the present culture affect the way religious communities interpret sacred texts. The primary objective of this thesis is to demonstrate the interactive role of history, culture, and religion within religious communities and society in order to breed conscious awareness of how these institutions are mutually effective. Religious adherents are not only products of their …

The Effect Of Calcium Concentration And Ph Levels On The Proteolysis Of The Two-Domain Neural-Cadherin Construct, Matthew Lafayette Dove

Honors Theses

Neural Cadherin (NCAD) Is a classical cadherin that plays a critical role In synaptogenesis and regulation of synaptic plasticity. One of Its characteristics as a classical cadherin Is Its calcium-dependent resistance to proteolytic cleavage. However, Candida albicans, the most common fungal pathogen of humans, has a virulence mechanism In which host tissue Is Invaded by degrading cadherin with secreted aspartyl proteases (SAPs). To Investigate the conditions In which this Invasive species proteolyzes cadherin, we used a-chymotrypsin as a model protease and the first two domains of Neural Cadherin (NCAD12). We performed time-dependent, Ca^^- dependent, and pH-dependent proteolysis of NCAD12 to …

An Investigation Of Host Variation In The Host-Parasite Interaction Of Sciurus Carolinensis And Cuterebra Emasculator, Miles Moore Debardeleben

Honors Theses

Within a population, susceptibility to parasitism may vary. Individuals possessing certain intrinsic or extrinsic traits are often more likely to be parasitized than individuals within that population that do not possess those certain traits. As a result, parasites can have profound effects of the population dynamics of theirs hosts. Much research has been done on the host-parasite interaction of the eastern grey squirrel {Sciurus caroUnensis) and the tree squirrel hot fly {Cuterebra emasculator). However, relatively little research has been done on host susceptibility to this parasite. Knowing that bot flies can lower reproductive success, reduce fitness, and cause death of …

The Effect Of Temperature And Turbidity On The Swimming Performance Of Golden Shiner (Notemigonus Crysoleucas)., Emily Katherine Hildebrandt

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of turbidity and temperature on golden shiner critical swimming speed, and tail beat frequency, and how these relationships might be altered when fish are in a group. It was found that both temperature and turbidity positively affected critical swimming speeds; critical swimming speeds increased significantly with rising temperature and turbidity values. Tail beat frequencies increased with increasing temperature and turbidity, echoing the rise in critical swimming speed. A group effect was only evident at the lowest temperature for the highest turbidity, but tail beat frequencies indicate greater stress when alone …

The Role Of Cortisol In Modern Society: Linking Psychosocial Stress And Health, Logan Dwayne Fair

Honors Theses

Glucocorticoids are a class of steroid hormones, which can act on almost all cells in vertebrate tissue through binding to glucocorticoid receptor. Cortisol, which falls into this class, is released in response to stress and provides our bodies with the necessary energy to cope with a wide variety of stressors. This function of cortisol is brought about through its action on numerous metabolic and immunological pathways. However, when cortisol levels remain elevated for extended periods of time, many of these acute effects of cortisol can bring about long-term health problems, including many associated with metabolic S5mdrome, such as obesity and …

Gull Egg Mass As A Function Of Length And Width, Melissa Mccormick

Honors Theses

The mass of a Glaucous-winged gull (Larus glaucescens) egg provides a convenient estimation of parental energy allocated towards reproduction. Obtaining accurate mass measurements, however, can be hindered by logistical constraints associated with field research. In this study, I create a mathematical model to estimate egg mass from easily determined measurements of length and width. Egg measurements were collected at a gull colony on Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge, WA. These measurements facilitated the estimation and validation of model parameters. A multi-variable allometric model incorporating both length and width variables provided the best estimation of egg mass.

The Role Of Protein Kinase C In The Supraesophageal Ganglion Of Female Acheta Domesticus, Sunny Kim

Honors Theses

The phonotactic response of female Acheta domesticus to the male's calling song is modulated by hormones. The presence of Juvenile Hormone III in the supraesophageal ganglion causes crickets to be more selective. This project evaluates the possibility of a second messenger system involving protein kinase C as the molecular mechanism of Juvenile Hormone III control. A solution of Juvenile Hormone III and a protein kinase C blocker was nanoinjected into the supraesophageal ganglion of nselective female crickets, causing them to remain unselective. This suggests that Juvenile Hormone III utilizes a protein kinase C-mediated second messenger system.

The Effects Of A Valproate Fatty Acid Prodrug On The Inositol Biosynthetic Pathway, Gina Kang

Honors Theses

Bipolar disorder is characterized by alternating episodes of mania and extreme depression. Compounds such as omega-3 fatty acids and valproate individually treat symptons of bipolar disorder, one of which is elevated inositol levels. Lithium and valproate are known to reduce iniositol levels. The goal of this project is to combine linoleic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid substitute) with valproate and observe the prodrug's effects on the inositol biosynthetic pathway using Saccharomyces cervisiae yeast as the model system. Since inositol is required for growth, the effects of the prodrug on the inositol biosynthetic pathway was determined by comparing its impact on …

Never Two Ladies Lov'd As They Do: Queer Theory And As You Like It's Celia, Theron L. Calkins

Honors Theses

Though most performances of William Shakespeare's As you like it focus on the comedy of Ganymede/Rosalind's interactions with Orlando, director Des McAnuff's 2012 Stratford Shakespeare Festival production instead manifests homoerotic tension between Celia and Rosalind. Shakespeare's textual allusions provide ample evidence to support this homoerotic reading which McAnuff actualizes between Cara Rickett's Celia and Andrea Runge's Rosalind through blocking and speech inflection. My analysis encompasses a detailed investigation of this particular production as well as a study of homoerotic desire between women, faciliating a critique of the methods of queer theory by engaging and refining its generalized critical principles.

Effect Of Velvetleaf Root Exudates On Indole-3-Acetic Acid Production By Rhizobium Rubi At3-4rs/6, Amy Nadane

Honors Theses

Rhizobium rubi AT3-4RS/6 was isolated from the velvetleaf rhizosphere and is being tested as a potential biological control of velvetleaf. The purpose of this research is to test the levels of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) produced by Rhizobium rubi AT3-4RS/6 after exposure to and incubation in velvetleaf root exudates. IAA production has been found in other rhizobacteria that are deleterious to weed growth. Velvetleaf seeds were sprouted and the roots suspended in a sterile mineral solution, which was then recovered and inoculated with R. rubi. Levels of IAA and numbers of viable bacterial colonies were then determined. The average level of …

The Effect Of 4-Aminopyridine On Phonotactic Selectivity In Female Crickets, Lauren Martin

Honors Theses

My research project was designed to explore the effects of 4-aminopyridine (a potassium channel blocker) on phonotactic selectivity in female crickets, Acheta domesticus. These crickets underwent pre-tests for selectivity on a non-compensating treadmill during which their response to a range of male calling songs (30-90ms syllable periods) was recorded. A solution of 9.2 nl of saline or 10(-5)M 4-aminopyridine was nanoinjected into the supraesophageal ganglion. After a ten-minute recovery period, post-tests were performed, identical to the pre-tests. There was no significant effect of 4-aminopyridine on the females' selectivity.

An Evaluation Of Electrical Conductivity As A Practical Tool In Mastitis Detection At Andrews University Dairy, Carrie Mesiar

Honors Theses

An infection in a cow's udder, also known as mastitis, has been a persistent problem for the U.S. dairy community. Mastitis not only decreases milk production, but also shortens the productive life of dairy cattle and can be fatal if left untreated. Mastitis presents in both subclinical and clinical forms - clinical is easy to diagnose and treat, whereas subclinical cases are much harder to detect as they present no physical symptons, yet can still become clinical in time. At the Andrews University Dairy, part of the milking system includes electrical conductivity (EC) determination which measures the ionic composition of …