Digital Commons Network^™

Performance Analysis Of Beethoven's Violin Sonata Op.23: Freedom Of Interpretation In Passages Of Formal Anomaly, Arielle E. Cady

Honors Theses

Beethovens Violin and Piano Sonata Op. 23 in A minor is a multi-movement sonata that has three unexpected formal events: two occurring in the Presto (movement one) and one in the Allegro Molto (movement three). These formal anomalies, discovered through the creation of form diagrams, present potentially challenging moments of interpretation for performers. The question this project addresses is whether or not the three areas of formal anomaly allow performers more freedom in personal interpretation than normative formal events. The results of this research show that performers do take additional freedom in interpretation during such unexpected formal events.

Non-Labeled, Real-Time Detection Of H1n1 Dna Hybridization Using Combined Qcm-D System, Sandra P. Prieto

Honors Theses

Detection of H1N1 or other seasonal and highly contagious viruses are of vital importance, since early diagnosis from a patient's fluid, such as saliva, would accelerate treatment and containment of the flu. Current lab tests often require cumbersome labeling steps and several hours to detect the presence of viral DNAs. The QCM-D (quartz crystal microbalances with dissipation) technology was used to detect presence as well as distinguish H1N1 and H1N5 DNAs in real-time (a few minutes) with the use of relatively small sample volume (200-500 ul). Single stranded complementary H1N1 DNA was immobilized via Neutravidin-biotin linkage on a gold substrate …

The Important Role And Benefits Of Academic Research In Musical Interpretation: An Application To The Performance Study Of Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures At An Exhibition, Denny Hong

Honors Theses

The ultimate duty of a performing musician is to share a transcendental experience of aural artwork with society. Before doing so, the musician is obligated to conduct thorough research on the cultural, historical, and artistic components of the repertoire in order to create a holistic picture that can then be used to shape a convincing and thoughtful interpretation. My study explores and analyzes the creative tools and analytical methods involved in musical interpretation as applied to my own personal interpretation of Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition through public performance. My goal is to validate the multifaceted benefits that research …

Performance Techniques For Four Avant-Garde Piano Pieces By Henry Cowell, Gabrielle E. Smith

Honors Theses

Using a traditional approach or technique to perform nontraditional works may lead to a deviance in the way the pianist plays the music. This research hypothesis is to demonstrate how applying an understanding about Henry Cowells life and Irish heritage, while practicing and eventually in the performance, can lead to a more meaningful and accurate presentation of his works. Instructions of practice techniques are provided with each piece to help facilitate the desired effect. Henry Cowells works were chosen because they are relatively unknown to most music students, in addition to a personal interest in 20th-century music of this genre.

The Tyrant And The Rogue: Political Implications Of Redemption In William Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale, Jonathan Barrett Koch

Honors Theses

Starting with the negative behavior exhibited by Leontes and Autolycus, this paper traces the process of redemption through the experiences of both characters, considering material both from the play and the Stratford production. The political and civic effects of Leontes‘ tyranny will be contrasted with Autolycus‘ roguery, followed by a comparison of the various agents of redemption. These characters and the offers of redemption they make have a profound effect on their respective redemptions, but only so far as Leontes and Autolycus receive them. The paper closes with a discussion of the results of the redemptions, and the interrelated meaning …

The Gatekeepers: An Evaluation Of Clergy Knowledge, Attitudes, And Perceptions Regarding Mental Health Issues, Collaboration, And Referral To Treatment, Alix R. Sandman

Honors Theses

The data from which this analysis originates is part of a an evaluation project which was designed to assess how clergy from various denominations collaborate with mental health service providers and refer church members to needed services. A survey of 215 clergy in Kent County, Michigan was conducted to gain a better understanding of clergy knowledge and perceptions of mental illness and their willingness to make referrals to mental health professionals. Initial frequencies, bivariate and Chi-square analyses were conducted using SPSS v. 16. Findings indicate that, compared to Caucasian clergy, ethnic minority clergy were less willing to make referrals and …

Is Vegetarianism A Diet? Implicit Associations Of Vegetarians And Omnivores On A Vegetarian Campus, Ashley Raethel

Honors Theses

This study examines the differences in implicit attitudes toward meat and vegetables in religious vegetarians and omnivores on a religious, vegetarian campus. Response times and error rates from the Implicit Association Task (IAT) were used to examine whether external diet commitments consistently affect internal attitudes. We found a significant main effect of diet on IAT responses, but no significant interaction of diet with a self-control depleting task. Thus, participants' explicit responses were by far the strongest predictor of their implicit attitudes, demonstrating that, unlike short-term dietary choices, long-term dietary choices are robust in the face of self-control depletion.

An Examination Of Parent-Child Relationships And Teen Substance Use, Brianna Johnson

Honors Theses

What is the relationship between parent-child relationships and teen substance use? Our relationship with our parents can impact our lives for the better or the worse. To study this we analyzed a survey done by the Community that Cares. Alcohol use, marijuana use and tobacco use were determined by the respondent's self-reported substance use within the last within their lifetime on a 7 point Likert scale that ranges from 0 times to 40 times. Parental Relationships was measured by the respondents' feelings about how close they felt to their parents on a 4 point Likert scale ranging from no to …

Bioremediation Of Arsenic Contaminated Soils Using Rudbeckia Hirta And Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi, Michael Shaw

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Stopping For Death: Plays, Poetry, And Prose, Sally Johnson

Honors Theses

Thesis consists of plays and poetry composed by Sally Johnson.

Harley-Davidson, Inc.: A Strategic Audit, Sheila Lenz

Honors Theses

Thesis presents a strategic audit to assess the strategy of Harley-Davidson, Inc. Includes financial information, risks and strategies, and marketing information.

Design Of A Near-Constant Force Spring For Orthopedic Implants, Christopher Hartman, Paul Rotarius

Honors Theses

The design and testing of a spring assembly for the attachment of an orthopedic implant is presented. The assembly is intended to supply a constant compressive force of approximately 800 lb. at the bone-implant interface, while exhibiting insensitivity to changes in the displacement of the clamping device. This near-constant force will aid in-growth of bone tissue at the implant surface. This constant compressive force was ultimately not attained due to the packaging dimensions and materials available. However, significant improvement was made upon the current design in use by lowering the spring constant around 800 lb.

The final assembly fits in …

Using Led Lights As Prompts To Teach Receptive Identification To Preschool Children With Autism, Allison Pavlicek

Honors Theses

The purpose of the study "Using LED Lights as Prompts to Teach Receptive Identification to Preschool Children with Autism" is to implement a different prompting procedure than traditional least-to-most prompting procedures in teaching. One prompting procedure commonly used in discrete trial training classrooms involves least-to-most prompting in the form of gestural and physical prompts to guide children to make correct responses during teaching procedures. To specifically teach receptive identification skills, an apparatus with LED lights was used as a prompting device to vary light intensities on stimuli that the child will choose from. This alternate method of prompting may enable …

Proposing Research: An Undergraduate Learning Experience (Using Led Lights As Prompts To Teach Receptive Identification Of Preschool Children With Autism), Allison L. Pavlicek

Honors Theses

The purpose of the study “Using LED Lights as Prompts to Teach Receptive Identification to Preschool Children with Autism” is to implement a different prompting procedure than traditional least-to-most prompting procedures in teaching. One prompting procedure commonly used in discrete trial training classrooms involves least-to-most prompting in the form of gestural and physical prompts to guide children to make correct responses during teaching procedures. To specifically teach receptive identification skills, an apparatus with LED lights will be used as a prompting device to vary light intensities on stimuli that the child will choose from. This alternate method of prompting may …

African Water: An Experience With Project Management In Bulima, Tanzania, Robert Sharp

Honors Theses

Details the author's experiences researching, designing, and implementing a water system for a boarding school in Africa.

Gravel Bars, Walking Sticks, Scorchers, And Archies: An Ethnographic Look At The Sub-Culture Of Native American Artifact Collectors, Raymond Gathright

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Consumers' Attitudes Towards Traceability Of Food And Meat Products, Kulmani Rana

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research is to survey consumers on their support for Radio Frequency Identification tags on fruit and vegetable containers and their willingness to pay for traceability of meat products. Ironically, there is no single universally accepted definition of traceability. There is evidence that the US has fallen behind its major trading partners in terms of implementing a nationwide food traceability system. Researchers in the past have concluded that consumers' WTP for traceability increases significantly when bundled with additional assurances. There is real concern among consumers about implementation of traceability systems in food as well as meat products. …

Army Supply Chain Management: Trends And Parellels With Industry, Matthew C. Olson

Honors Theses

Documents assembled as part of a supply chain management study to compare the tools and concepts used by private industry with the public sector, specifically the Department of Defense and the United States Army.

Assessing Change In Range Of Motion Using Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Self-Stretching As An Alternative To Static Stretching, Kendra Camblin

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Student Recital, Erin Yanacek

Honors Theses

Trumpet performance. Includes program notes with descriptions of performed pieces and flyers.

My 21st Century Expedition: Following The Route Of Schoolcraft 1820, 1832 To The Source Of The Mississippi River, Lorah Patterson

Honors Theses

The journal of Lorah Patterson during her expedition from Schoolcraft, Michigan, to the source of the Mississippi River. Supplemental file contains complete Herbarium. The thesis includes only a few examples.

Strange Bedfellows: The Trumpet Finds New Partners, Erin Yanacek

Honors Theses

Musically and technically, it was challenging to partner with "strange bedfellows," or instruments that the trumpet would not usually play with in chamber music. While the trumpet is generally used as a militaristic and loud instrument, these pieces demonstrate that the trumpet can also provide a lyrical and melodic voice, thereby operating beyond its traditional roles. Also, no matter how peculiar the instrumentation of a piece happens to be, we as musicians must learn to blend our sounds and match one another stylistically to make music together.

Incorporating The History Of Mathematics Into Secondary Curriculum, Lacy Gaines

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Consumer Opinions And Rfid Implementation, Anna K. Brown

Honors Theses

Radio frequency identification (RFID) has been in use for a number of decades tracking various products and materials in a wide range of industries. The objective of this study was to find simple factors and relationships explaining the usage of Internet shopping and online banking, and the attitudes toward RFID in hospitals. The question being addressed is whether the general population is accepting of the technology application in the tracking of patients and their medical histories in a hospital environment. A randomly selected survey of the population in the Midwest was taken to examine relationships between privacy attitudes and behaviors …

Microbial Stoichiometry And Homeostasis Of Nutrient Ratios In Fungi, Desiree Leach

Honors Theses

Stoichiometry is the ratio of elements in a substance or microbial biomass. This paper investigates microbial stoichiometry and the responses of microbes to dissolved nutrient concentrations and ratios. The current work assesses both autrotrophic and heterotrophic responses to nutrient enrichment: autotrophic and heterotrophic states are defined mainly by ecosystem primary production and respiration. In ecosystems dominated by autotrophic microbes, nutrient enrichment can lead to increased biomass and biomass-specific rates of primary production. Heterotrophic ecosystems rely on subsides of organic carbon from outside the system. Their enrichment with N and/or P can accelerate microbial respiration rates and result in carbon losses …

Preferential Fish Consumption Based On Omega-3 Fatty Acids And Mercury Concentrations For Maximum Health Benefits, Katrina Smith

Honors Theses

The regular consumption of seafood offers a variety of protective effects, including the reduction of the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, due to the presence of omega-3 fatty acids in fish. These protective effects may be diminished by the contamination of seafood by mercury. Mercury increases the risk of cardiovascular problems and impedes neurological development. The objective of this project was to determine the fish species that are appropriate for consumption based on low levels of mercury and recommended intake levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Species that are high in omega-3s and low in mercury include salmon, trout and …

Defined Benefit Vs. Defined Contribution Plans: Only 45 Years To Retirement: What A Recent College Graduate Needs To Know, Lauren Mouse

Honors Theses

This paper defines and explains the terms essential for understanding retirement planning. It then describes the types of plans involved, defined benefit and defined contribution plans, and discusses the debate surrounding the privatization of Social Security. This paper provides statistics and facts about each of these options to better prepare a person in his or her 20s who is about to graduate from college and enter a career. Finally, the paper supplies tips on what a young person can do now to ensure a financially stable life upon retiring.

Enron Vs. General Electric: Is Earnings Management Worth The Risk?, Brett Robertson

Honors Theses

The main objective of this paper is to provide a review on why companies use earnings management and the benefits and consequences as a result. There is a large grey area between aggressive accounting and outright fraud and this paper focuses on narrowing down that area so companies know when to stop. General Electric is an example of a company that used earnings management to its advantage because they used it cautiously. However, there is the other side where earnings management started off small and ended up spiraling out of control like with Enron. This paper will examine both how …

Catalytic Decomposition Of Peroxynitrite And Superoxide By Nafion Films Modified With Iron And Manganese Porphyrin, Amanda Stull, Victor Sarpong

Honors Theses

Nafion films alone and modified with inert electrolytes and metalloporphyrins were tested in their effectiveness of decomposition of aqueous peroxynitrite (PN) and superoxide. Films that were modified with a cationic manganese porphyrin, which has been shown to be responsible for catalytic decomposition of superoxide ion, were found to be most effective. Peroxynitrite was generated in solution by the decomposition of 3-morpholinosydnonimime (SIN-1) that generates nitric oxide and superoxide ion, which rapidly combine to form peroxynitrite. The tyrosine analogue 4-hydroxyphenylacetic (4-HPA) was used to trap the PN in pH 7.00 PBS buffer and was its nitrated product was detected by observing …

Rhizocephalan Parasites Of Mud Crabs In South Carolina Estuaries, Erin Burnette

Honors Theses

Rhizocephalan parasites often infect commercially important crustacean species such as the blue crab (Callinectes sapidus). In this experiment, the prevalence of rhizocephalan parasites was determined by sampling mud crabs (Panopeus herbstii) in three different locations; Huntington Beach State Park, Waites Island, and Murrells Inlet. Crabs were determined to be parasitized by the presence of an externae extruding from their apron. Unparasitized crabs were also collected to serve as a control group. The externa were removed and DNA extractions were performed. Polymerase chain reactions (PCR) were done to prove whether the crabs were parasitized by Loxothylacus texanus or Loxothylacus panopaei. Results …