Digital Commons Network^™

Barcelona: An Economic Exception For Mega-Event Host-Cities., John Cantalin Wahl

Honors Theses

This thesis assesses the economic impact of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games by comparing its benefits and costs with those experienced by other cities chosen as Olympic venues or as hosts of similar "mega-events”. While it is true that the economic impacts of most such events have been found to be modest, Barcelona seems to be an exception.

Seasonal Changes In Bacterial Communities In Magnolia (Magnolia Grandiflora) Leaf Phyllosphere, William Craig Denney

Honors Theses

What is currently known about bacterial diversity of the phyllosphere has largely come from studies of plants involved in commercial agriculture. With very few studies dedicated to examining phyllosphere bacterial communities of natural forests, the issue of seasonal changes in bacterial communities in Magnolia gvandifloi'a leaf phyllosphere was investigated. In order to examine the issue, 16S rRNA sequencing techniques were used to identify and compare bacterial communities between leaf samples collected in February, May, August and December of 2008. When M. grandiflora DNA samples were examined with denaturing gel electrophoresis (DGGE), similarities between the bacterial communities of each leaf could …

Defending The Rorschach Blot, Mary Reagan Lightsey

Honors Theses

Like paint thrown on a page, folded and smooshed, DEFENDING THE RORSCHACH BLOT is a different image of my life every time I look at it. It was my goal to present a portrait of myself that is a raw portrayal. While we fight the idea of being malleable, there is something to be said for realizing that no one is made of steel; we are all molded by people, circumstances and experiences. DEFENDING THE RORSCHACH BLOT embodies themes of ambition, perfectionism and moderation while exploring many encounters with failure, imperfection and excess. It is conglomeration of color blotted out …

Influence Of Particle Size On Mixed Culture Bacterial Biofilms, Kaleb James Page

Honors Theses

Little research has investigated particle size as a structuring factor of microbial communities in aquatic environments. One study focused on the influence of particle size on microbial community structure as observed in nature, and the study described here tested those findings in vivo. Stream water was collected and used to inoculate samples containing glass beads of various sizes, fine (106 pm), medium (500 pm), and (1000 pm), and a mixture of all particle sizes; each sample had the same total surface area. Half of the samples were left standing, and half were rotated to simulate the movement of a stream …

Whose Right Is It? The Supreme Court And The Second Amendment Right To Bear Arms, Mary Mitchell Purvis

Honors Theses

In this thesis, I describe the history of debate surrounding the interpretation of the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, leading up to the United States Supreme Court weighing in on the issue in the case of District of Columbia v. Heller (2009). To find information for my study I examined many scholarly historical and legal journals Second Amendment interpretation. I chose to use as my sources journals which I felt were most representative of the oppposing sides in the debate. I also gained information from newspaper articles on the Heller case as it evolved, both to learn about …

The Motivational Forces Behind China's Foreign Policy In Africa: A Historical Comparison Between The 1960s And Today, Tatiana Claire Sarasin

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

China's Role In The Darfur Crisis: An Inquiry Into Global Ethics, Katie Malone Swain

Honors Theses

As the rise of globalization allows for greater trade, communication, and information sharing than ever before, the way states interact with one another and the world as a whole is being redefined. The rapid economic development that has occurred globally in the last century has not necessarily been accompanied with improvements in human rights worldwide. Now more than ever, there is a need to consider a global code of ethics. Though the role of states in advancing and policing human rights has been explored in innumerable treaties, conventions and other documents, there is currently no clearly defined standard of conduct …

Sincerely Yours: An Analysis Of The Nature And Strengths Of Epistolary Fiction, Elizabeth Anne Taylor

Honors Theses

This thesis focuses on the accomplishments of epistolary fiction and what it offers writers. The thesis begins with a study of the history and evolution of the form to develop a base for ideas presented in the following sections. It addresses the challenges posed by the epistolary foi*m as well as the form’s possibilities. The thesis investigates specific possibilities writing techniques used in epistolary form and their effects on both the characters and readers. The concentration is on six different epistolary novels written between the mid 1600’s and today. The central argument of this thesis offers an assessment of the …

On The Metaphysics Ofphenomenal Mental States: An Inquiry Into The Mind-Body Problem From Ordinary Intuition Ofthe Mental, Brian Kyle Ferriss

Honors Theses

Brian Kyle Ferriss-On the Metaphysics of Phenomenal Mental States: An Inquiry into the Mind-Body Problem from Ordinary Intuition ofthe Mental (Under the direction of Dr. Robert Barnard)

The purpose ofthis thesis is to explore certain metaphysical issues central to the mind-body problem. This thesis approaches the debate by first addressing ordinary intuitions about the mind arguing that such an approach is appropriate and a necessary starting point for any insightful discussion on the mind. This essay, then, applies what it claims to be ordinary beliefs about the mind to a number of philosophical and psychological theories. It investigates these theories …

The Effects Of Background Stress On Cardiovascular Responses To Acute Stress, Christine Malishka Jean Bocek

Honors Theses

The goal of this study was to investigate further the nature of the relationship between background stress and cardiovascular response to relationships between mood and background stress, and background stress and psychological distress were also explored. The background stress levels of 59 undergraduate students were measured using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Measures of psychological distress were taken using the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), mood was assessed with the Brief Mood Induction Scale (BMIS), and other relevant data were collected. Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and heart rate were measured through three 8-minute test periods, an 8-minute Mood Induction …

The Inextinguishable Longing For Elsewhere: Escapism In Recent Pulitzer Prize Winning Novels, Charles Barton Wynn

Honors Theses

In reading a selection of Pulitzer Prize winning literature since 1980,1 found that many of the novels included characters who, either literally or metaphorically, longed to escape from the reality of their lives. Four novels in particular embodied this theme: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz, Martin Dressier: The Tale of an American Dreamer by Steven Millhauser, and The Road by Cormac McCarthy. All four books treated escape and escapism ambiguously-sometimes escape is a flaw; sometimes escape is a virtue. Upon closer readings of the four …

The Cost Of Myth-Making: Racial Tension And School Desegregation In Memphis, Amy J. Barger

Honors Theses

In Memphis, the desire of white parents to keep their children out of integrated schools stemmed partially from their fear of contact with blacks. This push factor may seem obvious; surely misconceptions about race contributed to nearly every instance of white flight in the South. I argue that in Memphis, however, racial tensions caused many whites to harbor an especially acute fear of contact with blacks. By the time of the debates over busing, two traumatic events had lodged themselves in the recent memories of white Memphians: the sanitation strike of 1968 and the Black Monday school boycotts of 1969. …

The New Meaning Of Marketing: How Branding Changed The Fashion Industry, Leah Shesky

Honors Theses

PowerPoint presentation discussing the changes to the fashion industry and the move towards branding and marketing.

Oxidation Resistance Studies Of Crain Coatings On 430 Stainless Steel, Kurtis Wickey

Honors Theses

The requirements of low cost and high-cost temperature corrosion resistance for interconnect plates in solid oxide fuel cell stacks has directed attention to the use of metal plates with oxidation resistant coatings. We have investigated the performance of stainless steel plates with homogenous coatings of CrAIN. The coatings were deposited using RF magnetron sputtering, with Ar as a sputtering gas and N as reactive gas. The Cr/A1 composition ratio in the coatings was varied in a combinatorial approach. The coatings were subsequently annealed in air for up to 25 hours at 800°C. The composition of the coated plates and the …

The Anonymous Text Of Ms Bodley 451 And The Intellectual Character Of The Abbey Of The Blessed Virgin Mary, Winchester, Johnna L. Ap'morrygan

Honors Theses

This thesis will begin by describing MS Bodley 451 and its texts in detail and will continue with the close examination of a previously unpublished text appearing there. It will conclude with an assessment of the evidence offered by Oxford MS Bodley 451, other contemporary documents, and the overall historical record about the likely intellectual character and activities of the house during the early twelfth century.

Implicit Theories Of Relationships : Prediction Of Dating Strategies And Relationship Initiation, Heather Stone

Honors Theses

The present study aimed to merge research on initial attraction and implicit theories of relationships by examining how beliefs about relationships influence dating strategies. Research has examined role of implicit theories in the functioning of existing relationships but there is much room for growth in the area of initial attraction and dating strategies. Results revealed that destiny theory (theory that relationships are either meant to be or not) predicted increased likelihood of internet dating, a lower frequency of dating, and dating to avoid loneliness and missing opportunities. Growth theory (theory that relationships improve by cultivation and development) predicted dating to …

Foundations And Interpretations Of Quantum Mechanics, Cory Johnson

Honors Theses

The first famous thought experiment of Einstein gives rise to his theories of relativity, the bedrock of modern astrophysics and cosmology. His second famous thought experiment begins the investigation into the foundations of quantum mechanics. It leads to a paradox, inspiring various 'no-go' theorems proven by Bell, Kochen, and Specker. Physicists and philosophers worldwide become increasingly dissatisfied with the probabilistic complementarity interpretation (Born-Bohr) and eventually offer their own accounts of the theory. By the end of the 20th century two alternative approaches stand out as the best candidates: Both the hidden variables interpretation (de Broglie-Bohm) and the many worlds interpretation …

Temperature And Magnetic Field Dependence Of The Electronic Excitations In The Nickel Chain Compound Nino, Lucas Laviolet

Honors Theses

Temperature and magnetic field dependent absorbance spectra were taken on the Ni2+ chain compound NINO (Ni(C?H??N?)?NO?(ClO?)) in the range from 8,500 to 25,000 cm-?. The identification of an effective C?v symmetry about the nickel ions is supported by assignment of the low temperature absorbance bands. The intensity of many bands is found to be temperature dependent, and in several bands, a shift to higher energy is observed at lower temperatures. A correlation is noted between the field dependence of the spin forbidden electronic transitions and the magnetic properties of NINO. Below a crossover magnetic field, Hc ? 10 T, the …

Effects Of Context Of Natural And Artifactual Objects On Categorization, Linsey Walker

Honors Theses

Categorization of animals and vehicles in different contexts was investigated in three experiments using event related potentials (ERPs). The presence of a background and congruency of the background in relation to the object were both manipulated in order to determine the effects of context on visual processing. In Experiment 1, adults were presented with images of animals and vehicles in two conditions: situated in a congruent context (e.g. an animal in a field) and in the absence of a context (an animal in a white homogeneous background). In experiment 2, adults were presented with images of animals and vehicles in …

Coalitions For Victory: The Necessity Of Alliance Creation For Progressive Ballot Initiative Campaigns, Julie Bero

Honors Theses

My paper consists of three sections. In the first, I explain the function of ballot measures and discuss why Americans have supported or opposed the use of direct democracy. I will also offer the history of direct democracy. In the second section, I will discuss the current national state of affairs in direct democracy, specifically analyzing recent ballot measures. I will analyze three cases, focusing on information gathered from the news media and personal interviews with campaign organizers. Finally, I will draw conclusions about these three measures and assert implications for the future of direct democracy.

Designing A Green Graduation At Colby College, Alaina J. Clark

Honors Theses

Lately, there has been a growing trend of “green” events. The increase in understanding and discussions about the future climate has caused people throughout the world to become concerned about their contribution to climate change. This is true in the Northeast United States as well. Many New England colleges and universities, including Colby College in Waterville, Maine, are becoming leaders in climate change mitigation. As a teaching institution, Colby has recognized that public education is an important part of the solution to the climate crisis. Colby also understands that commencement weekend is an ideal opportunity for climate change education. As …

Hydrologic And Water Quality Assessment Of Miller Run: A Study Of Bucknell University’S Impact, Alison C. Schaffer

Honors Theses

Human development causes degradation of stream ecosystems due to impacts on channel morphology, hydrology, and water quality. Urbanization, the second leading cause of stream impairment, increases the amount of impervious surface cover, thus reducing infiltration and increasing surface runoff of precipitation, which ultimately affects stream hydrologic process and aquatic biodiversity. The main objective of this study was to assess the overall health of Miller Run, a small tributary of the Bull Run and Susquehanna River watersheds, through an integrative hydrologic and water quality approach in order to determine the degree of Bucknell University’s impact on the stream. Hydrologic conditions, including …

Social Perceptions Of Underdog Job Applicants, Maggie Place

Honors Theses

Research demonstrates that there are several characteristics that could render someone an underdog as a job applicant, including gender, race, able-bodied or disabled, immigrant status, and age. Study 1 used a between-subjects design to examine support for the underdog and the top dog in a low-consequence and high-consequence scenario. The underdog was given more support in low-consequence than high-consequence scenarios, but most participants indicated a neutral response instead of offering more support for either when asked to choose between the two applicants. Study 2 employed a forced-choice task on SuperLab in which participants chose which applicant they would hire in …

The Ownership Of Cultural Objects : Means, Mechanics And Masteries, Anne Marie Salloum

Honors Theses

The issues surrounding cultural objects and their ownership have risen to greater prominence in the recent past. Consider the Elgin Marbles, to take a well-known and hotly debated example. They were taken from the Parthenon by Lord Elgin when Greece was part of the Ottoman Empire, and as soon as Greece gained its independence, it demanded their return. Even this relatively simple case raises questions about cultural objects and ownership. To whom do cultural objects belong? Why? What effect do the changing circumstances brought about by the passage of time have on ownership? And the Elgin Marbles are only one …

Deporting "Red Emma" : The Political And Legal Battles For Citizenship, 1917-1921, Kara D. Schultz

Honors Theses

As Americans worked to construct a national creed in the early nineteenth century, xenophobia and cultural exceptionalism were in constant tension with conceptions of free speech and personal liberty. The emergence of deportation as the solution to America's "radical problem" was built upon representations of the political subversive that had little grounding in reality. The differing ideologies and organizations of the anarchist and communist movements in America were constantly being reshaped, yet ... the press and political rhetoric blurred distinctions between parties, assuming that both philosophies were elements of the same menace that sought violent overthrow of the government. Reducing …

Maternal Experience And Alzheimer's Disease : Degenerative Differences In The Female Rat, Lindsay W. Victoria

Honors Theses

Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative disease found in many aging adults. The presence of amyloid precursor protein (APP) is an early indicator of the onset of Alzheimer’s, primarily in memory-related brain regions like the hippocampus. Hormones accompanying pregnancy, such as estrogen, may provide the female brain with protection against neurodegeneration and deposits of APP. The present study will compare concentrations of APP in the brains of parous and nulliparous animals and examine the interaction of APP with estrogen receptor beta (ERβ). Young and aged animals will also be compared to determine any early effects of APP or ERβ. It is …

The Influence Of Auditory Stimuli On Judgements Of Word Valence, Chris E. Chandler

Honors Theses

The present study examined the link between affect and auditory stimuli in three parts. The first sought to determine the affective norms for the auditory stimuli. The second assessed the influence of a musical note’s register on the evaluation of a positive or negative word, while the third assessed the influence of harmonic musical intervals. Participants were simultaneously presented with auditory stimuli and a word, and their task was to judge as quickly as possible whether the word was positive or negative by pressing a corresponding key. It was hypothesized that congruence between auditory valence and word valence would facilitate …

Competing Visions: The Cia, The Congress For Cultural Freedom And The Non-Communist European Left, 1950-1967, Scott Kamen

Honors Theses

The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate that by utilizing cultural influence and adopting Silone's vision, the CCF was able to pursue the support of left-leaning European intellectuals, writers and artists who were often alienated by the policies of both the US and the USSR. The ability of the CCF to reach out to these individuals made it an extremely valuable asset to the CIA and contributed to the CIA's emerging strategy of promoting the NCL as a reliable anti-communist force that would come to be the theoretical foundation of the CIA's political operations against communism over the next …

Food Marketing Association: Fund Raising Task Force, Miranda K. Owen

Honors Theses

The objective of this project was to develop a sustainable fundraising program for the Food Marketing Association, a Western Michigan University student organization, which would not only provide income to the organization but provide an educational experience for the students. The concept was to contact a food manufacturer or marketing group and offer the resources of the student organization to introduce and test one of their new products on WMU's campus in exchange for a donation to the organization. The following report summarizes and outlines the process followed in order to obtain this position.

Market Efficiency : Testing Price Discovery In The Bond And Credit Derivative Markets, Justin M. Polselli

Honors Theses

Recent developments in credit markets over the past few months have seen credit spreads widen dramatically for a range of debt products. Almost overnight, credit spreads for both investment grade and high yield bonds jumped as news continued to worsen about credit quality. The speed with which credit spreads increased this past summer led many investors to ask if markets were efficient in conveying material information, and to see if there were any indications prior to the credit crunch that the market for credit was going to tighten. New products such as credit derivatives have increased the number of indicators …