Digital Commons Network^™

An Analysis Of The Baby Boomers: The Impact Of Their Approaching Retirement, Allison Elizabeth Buckley

Honors Theses

This paper intends to address some of the major financial concerns facing the Baby Boom generation as they enter retirement. This generation faces struggles with savings, the high costs of health care coupled with their high demand for it and Social Security and Medicare issues. The Boomers, through their financial strain, will affect change in federal policy programs for future generations. This paper is supplemented with newspaper stories I wrote that address some of the same topics discussed in more detail within the text. These stories, published in the Oxford Eagle^ were written to inform the public of major financial …

Dynamics Of Transcriptional Repression By Λ Cro Repressor In Vivo, Dustin Land Markle

Honors Theses

Cro is a regulatory protein that participates in the life cycle switch of bacteriophage lambda (X). While wild-type Cro is produced as a single domain polypeptide monomer, two monomers must assemble to form a dimer before Cro can act as a functional transcriptional repressor. We suspect that dimerization of Cro monomers determines, in part, the dynamics of the activity of the protein in vivo. Rate and equilibrium constants for dimerization of several Cro variants have already been determined in vitro,, and dimerization of Cro monomers is slow relative to other similar proteins. This study is concerned with exploring the in …

The Absence Of Financial Feminism, Blythe Leigh Keenum

Honors Theses

This thesis describes alumni donor behaviors for University of Mississippi double-alumni married couples and analyzes those behaviors through the lens of gender. I used data from the University of Mississippi Foundation databases. A subsequent review of scholarly literature dealing with gender and philanthropy gave additional context for analyzing results. These analyses showed a considerable tendency for UM double-alumni households to favor males’ schools across multiple variables and the presence of household bargaining is strongly indicated.

Freedom Through Education: The Sunflower County Freedom Project, Susan Rebecca Morrison

Honors Theses

The United States intelligence community is an integral part of the security of our' nation. It has been continually growing and redesigning itself for the past 230 years to suit the needs of the people and of the nation. Inhibiting the American intelligence system, however, is the struggle for the U.S. to find a balance between the rights of the people and the security of the nation. This struggle has been at the basis of change in almost every instance of intelligence redesign. It is these changes that have become the study of this thesis. Major trends found in the …

Gifts And Curses: Prometheus' Theft Of Fire In The Works Of Percy Shelley, Mary Shelley, And Lord Byron, Natalie Nicole Hopper

Honors Theses

The myth of Prometheus and his theft of fire is a popular theme in Romantic literature; however, each Romantic author has a different story to tell about the ancient Titan. This thesis examines three Romantic authors and their distinct approaches to the Promethean myth. Percy Shelley portrays Prometheus as a hero worthy of adoration, Mary Shelley depicts him as inconsiderate and power hungry, and Lord Byron paints the picture of a noble—yet troubled—figure. The diverse ideologies and personal experiences of these three writers cause them to view the motives and consequences of Prometheus in drastically different lights.

Mexico's Cult Of Death: An Analysis Of The Days Of The Dead And Its Literary And Artistic Counterparts, Samantha Kay Pettit

Honors Theses

This thesis investigates the Mexican celebration known as Days of the Dead and some of the literary and artistic efforts based on it. Research was conducted during a four-month study abroad program in Queretaro, Mexico, during the fall of 2006 and during the spring semester of 2007 through the completion of an independent research course under the direction of Dr. Melvin Arrington. An investigation of Aztec and pre- Hispanic ideologies was conducted, and an analysis of the celebration’s transformation since the Spanish Conquest through modem times was undertaken, including a consideration of the resultant syncretism between pre-Hispanic religion and Catholicism. …

Bailey Junior High And The Desegregation Of Jackson Public Schools, Marcial Davidson Forester Iii

Honors Theses

This thesis details the history of Jackson, Mississippi through the eyes of education, specifically through the public schools, and in particular Bailey Junior High (present day Bailey Magnet School). Newspaper articles from Jackson’s primary media suppliers, along with personal interviews and academic essays, were used to gather information on the subject. Chapter One explores the early years of segregated public education in Jackson, as well as the beginning of Bailey Junior High and the community investment in Jackson Public Schools in the 1930s and 1940s. After World War II, the city’s growing population brought greater demands for classroom space, and …

The Usa Patriot Act: A Constitutional Analysis, Dean Sterling Kidd

Honors Theses

This thesis is an examination of various arguments for and against the constitutionality of the USA Patriot Act in regard to the First and Fourth Amendments. The arguments are generally in a framework of competing interests: national security and civil liberties. Specifically, Sections 203, 206, 213, 215, 216, 218, and 505 of the Act are discussed. The analysis of these sections includes their actual language, and commentary from law journal articles. Relevant Supreme Court and lower court cases that relate to national security are also incorporated. The thesis also has a general commentary about the teiTor attacks which led to …

Bowen Family Systems Theory In The Life And Works Of Ernest Hemingway, Allison Brooke Morgan

Honors Theses

For my thesis I researched Bowen Family Systems Theory, a psychological theory that concentrates, not on the individual, but rather on the system within which an individual is involved as a means of explaining behavior. After further explaining this theory in terms of its eight concepts, I looked at the life of Ernest Hemingway, his relationships, his writing style and central theme, his success, and his hardships. For his works, I concentrated on Hemingway’s collection of orgamc short stories entitled In Our Time for the application of Bowen Theory. My research has led me to conclude that Hemingway managed anxiety …

A Comparative Analysis Of Institutions, Policies, And Vehicle Emissions Between The United States And The European Union, William Lee Ramsey Iii

Honors Theses

The following thesis undertakes a comparative analysis of the United States and European Union’s institutions in place for the decision making process concerning environmental policy, as well as certain policies that have come out of this process (most specifically those concerning vehicle emissions). Several concerns over the environment have come about in the last few years, and the problem of pollution is one that must be addressed. I will examine how the EU and US are dealing with these concerns about the state of the environment, as well as the processes that are involved in creating legislation to tackle the …

Deficit Reduction In The U.S. Senate : The Search For Moral Leadership In The Budget Process, David Kendall Roberts

Honors Theses

Contemporary deficit reduction and fiscal responsibility are central to the economic wellbeing of future generations as well as their ability to freely decide their own policy priorities. Many scholarly publications and popular commentary on budget policy describe the obstacles to deficit reduction and political leaders' unwillingness to address the nation's long-term fiscal problems. However, current discussions of budget deficits and the national debt have not been informed by a comprehensive empirical analysis of attempts to reduce the deficit. This thesis examines all deficit-affecting floor amendments to budget legislation from 1975 to 2005 in order to assess whether the bleak account …

Direct Marketing Of Table Grapes In Southern Illinois: Consumer Purchase And Consumption Habits, Attitudes, And Impressions Of Locally Grown Table Grapes, Sean Lynch

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Diversification's Effects On Liquidity, Ben Pelg

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Brain Responses To Smoking-Related And Emotionally Positive Pictures In Smokers And Non-Smokers, Ashley Parker

Honors Theses

The effects of anticipating smoking-related pictures on a brain measure of anticipation, the contingent negative variation (CNV), were assessed in 6 habitual smokers and in 6 nonsmokers. Groups were balanced by gender. The CNV was measured using a standard 16-channel EEG cap. The participants viewed 30 repeated images that were smoking-related, positive, or neutral. Smokers generated a greater CNV during the anticipation of smoking-related pictures, compared to non-smokers. The present findings indicate that the procedures used in the present study might be useful to assess the effects of smoking cessation treatments and individual differences in the degree to which smokers …

An Analysis Of Hip-Hop Theatre: From Roots To Performance, Jessica Dee Bocade

Honors Theses

Hip Hop theatre has the potential to be an extremely useful art form with the ability to bring younger audiences back to the realm of live theatre. However, several challenges have prevented it from becoming such a powerful influence in the theatrical world. These problems continue to stifle the potential power of hip-hop theatre to reach a greater audience, as well as the ability to be seen in the theatrical world as a legitimate, effective, and stable genre of theatre - not just a "fad."

An Assessment Of Family And Medical Leave Policy, Stefanie Wilde

Honors Theses

The US Family and Medical Leave Act (Public Law 103-3, or 29 CFR 825) and similar policies throughout the world, such as maternity leave policies (PL507 Rev 4) in the UK, or Maternity and Parental leave in Canada, are policies that require employers to provide an employee with a period of leave for the birth or adoption of a child, family and dependent health needs, or personal illness. Under these acts, typically the employer must allow the employee to return to the same position or a position similar to that held before taking the leave. In the United States, an …

The Role Of Professional Women In Pakistani Society, Sarah Husain

Honors Theses

This paper attempts to outline key factors that negatively affect women in Pakistan, including poverty, lack of education, and gender discrimination. First, I will use data that shows the underlying economic problems prevalent there. I will also use information gathered from the interviews that describes how professional women are advocating for positive change in the social structure of the country. Thirdly, I will discuss the role of NGO's in assisting the plight of Pakistani women. Lastly, I will examine the role of religion and how it affects the values of the general public in regard to women.

The Democratization Of Spain: The Role Of Consensus And Moderation, Meghan Sifuentes

Honors Theses

The Spanish transition to democracy is justly deemed a success story due to the relative fluidity of the process, the non-violent means in which Spain was able to consolidate, and the stability of the democratic system over the last quarter of a decade. Particularly noteworthy to Spain's success at democratic consolidation was the history and events that preceded its foundation. The failures of Spain's previous attempt at a democratic state, the brief and chaotic Second Republic (1931-36), gave rise to the Spanish Civil War, a costly and bloody conflict that polarized a nation. The Civil War in turn gave birth …

Exploring The Relationship Between U.K. Midwives And First-Time Mothers Receiving One-To-One Vs. Standard Midwifery Care During The Postnatal Period, Danielle Matthys

Honors Theses

Initially when researching how to best use the opportunity to travel to the United Kingdom (U.K.) and integrate the exploration of midwifery practice into an honors thesis research project, many ideas emerged. One stood out in particular. As an American nursing student, only one form of U.S. midwifery practice had been observed; namely, where the expectant mother receives care from a multitude of practitioners. This care was observed both in a large tertiary center and smaller community hospitals. Unknown prior to researching the history of midwifery, however, a model of midwifery care called One-to-One began in 1993 in England (Page, …

On Conway's Generalization Of The 3x + 1 Problem, Robin M. Givens

Honors Theses

This thesis considers a variation of the 3x+1, or Collatz, Problem involving a function we call the Conway function. The Conway function is defined by letting C3(n)=2k for n=3k and C3(n)=4k±1 for n=3k±1, where n is an integer. The iterates of this function generate a few 'short' cycles, but the s' tructural dynamics are otherwise unknown. We investigate properties of the Conway function and other related functions. We also discuss the possibility of using the Conway function to generate keys for cryptographic use based on a fast, efficient binary implemenation of the function. Questions related to the conjectured tree-like structure …

Social Hierarchy In Leaderless Groups, Angie B. White

Honors Theses

The idea of social rank-ordering (indicative of status. dominance. or potential leadership capacity) was first extensively researched by Robert F. Bales in the early I 950's. Bales shaped group communication around the principle that groups inevitably evolve into unequal power structures and develop a hierarchy of participation and status (Bales et. al, 1951 ). This hierarchy is evident in many different areas of life, such as social interactions, socio-economic status, and task-related rank, and the idea of dominance is established early on in life. From 1961, when Gellert observed dyads of 4- to 6- year-old children and found that a …

Examination Of The Ace And Actn3 Genes In Utc Varsity Athletes And Sedentary Students, Ian Mayne

Honors Theses

Growing evidence suggests that genetic variants of certain genes are linked to athletic performance. This study presents a comparative analysis of genetic variation of the ACE and ACTN3 genes in varsity athletes (n=90) and sedentary students (n=48) at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The ACE gene codes for the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE), which is an integral part of the Renin-Angiotensin system. It is responsible for regulating blood volume,arterial pressure, electrolyte balance, and cardiac and vascular function.Polymorphisms of the ACE gene effect serum and tissue levels of the enzyme, and are genetically distinguished by either an insertion (I-allele) or …

Notes, Notas: A "Trilingual" Education In Words And Pictures, Whitney Dykhouse

Honors Theses

No abstract available.

Synthesis Of 2-Oxo-16-(3', 4'-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-Trans-15-Hexadecene, Adelajda Zorba

Honors Theses

This work presents the progress made towards synthesizing 2-oxo-16-(3', 4'methylenedioxyphenyl)-trans-15-hexadecene, an antimycobacterial compound that was originally isolated from the leaves of Piper Sanctum. The hydrocarbon chain of the molecule was synthesized first by opening a 15-pentadecanolactone ring by means of HI, and performing an E2 elimination reaction on the molecule followed by an organolithium reaction with CH3Li. Hexadec-15-en-2-one that was afforded this way was later reacted with 5-bromobenzo[d][1,3]dioxole following the appropriate Heck reaction protocol that allows for the formation of a palladium catalyzed carbon-carbon bond.

The modes of action of 2-oxo-16-(3', 4'-methylenedioxyphenyl)-trans-15hexadecene are comparable to the ones of rifampicin, a …

A Broad-Spectrum Mer Operon In A Multi-Drug Resistant Strain Of The Fish Pathogen, Aeromonas Salmonicida, Erin Parry

Honors Theses

Aeromonas salmonicida AS03, a potential fish pathogen, was isolated from Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, in 2003. This strain was found to be resistant to ≥1000 mM HgCl2 and ≥32 mM phenylmercuric acetate as well as multiple antimicrobials. Mercury (Hg) and antibiotic resistance genes are often located on the same mobile genetic elements, so the genetic determinants of both resistances and the possibility of horizontal gene transfer were examined. Specific PCR primers were used to amplify and sequence distinctive regions of the mer operon. A. salmonicida AS03 was found to have a pDU1358-like broad-spectrum mer operon, containing merB as well as …

Position Tracking And Motion Prediction Using Fuzzy Logic, Patrick Rodjito

Honors Theses

Unlike with traditional, computationally expensive algorithms, with Fuzzy Logic (FL) one does not have to own a fast computer or very precise measuring instruments to get good results. At lower costs, FL provides a simple way to arrive at a definite conclusion based upon vague, ambiguous, imprecise, noisy, or missing input information. This is a facet of AI that appears to resemble human intuition in an important way: the ability to make quick and urgent judgment calls, on the spot, without the need to be absolutely certain of the input. The benefit brought by a low-cost solution like FL to …

Resistance Of Forest Community Types To Structural And Compositional Change Following Beech Bark Disease Infestation, Sarah Ann Hoskinson

Honors Theses

Pathogens change forest composition and structure by selectively eliminating susceptible individuals and species. Caused by a complex between an exotic scale insect and fungi, beech bark disease has infected mature American beech (Fagus grandifolia) trees through most of the species range. Before succumbing to the disease, infected trees generate root sprouts, transforming beech from a dominant canopy species into an abundant subcanopy species. Root sprouting can create dense beech thickets that interfere with the regeneration of other species. Exclusion of species from the understory has ecological and economic implications. This study compared forest community types for their resistance to compositional …

Kichi Mondai (The Military Base Problem) : A Study Of How American Bases In Okinawa Are Presented To The American People, Mark Carney

Honors Theses

Media representations play a role in how one perceives a particular space. The American media presented the American military bases in Okinawa during the period of American civil administration (1945-1972) as necessary and beneficial for the Okinawan people . Because the media linked the bases and the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands (USCAR) as dependent upon one another, the media considered the benefits brought to Okinawa by the existence ofUSCAR a result of the bases as well. Despite Okinawan resistance to both USCAR and the military bases, the press presented the Okinawan people as actually wanting the …

Development Of Proliferation Assays To Explore The Role Of Calcium Activated Potassium Channels In Cell Proliferation, Sean Foster

Honors Theses

Due to the large variety of K^† channel families implicated in cancer cell proliferation, it is desirable to develop techniques capable of quickly and reliably screening a variety of potential channels for a role in proliferation. While there are many established cell counting procedures, the time-consuming nature of such protocols limits their usefulness in broadly identifying particular channels in uncharacterized cell lines. For this reason, a primary goal of the present research was the development of techniques capable of implicating particular ion channels in proliferation with both qualitative and quantitative data. Once this goal was accomplished, the project sought …

The Effects Of Heart Rate Variability, Measures Of Impulsivity, And Activity Level In College Students, Laura Katie Laird

Honors Theses

The objectives of this study were to assess the relationships of breathingassociated heart rate variability and measures of impulsivity using EKG-derived heart rate, the BaiTatt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11), and the Conners’ Continuous Performance Test (CPT-II). To measure activity level as a proxy for fitness. activity monitors were worn by most participants and all participants completed the International Physical Activity Questiomiaire (IPAQ). Fifty-two college students (23 male and 29 female, ages 18-22) participated in the study. Auscultatory blood pressure, EKG-derived heart rate, and mean successive difference of interbeat intervals were collected during 2 ten-minute rest periods and during the CPT-II. Participants …