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Diode Lasers For Use In Experiments On Cold Rydberg Atoms, Bill Whitledge

Honors Theses

This project was to measure the atomic density of (85)Rb atoms in a magneto optical trap using a low-intensity probe laser. Additionally, a dark spontaneous force optical trap was constructed in an attempt to boost the trap density. The dark spot failed to appreciably increase the overall trap density (which remained steady at - N = 10^10 atoms/cm^3) but it did increase the density of dark-state atoms in the trap by an order of magnitude. This is a useful result since many experiments on cold Rydberg atoms involve exciting atoms starting in the ground state rather than the first excited …

The Pollination Biology And Mating System Of A Peripheral Population Of Witheringia Solanacea (Solanaceae), Timothy Miller

Honors Theses

Pollinator visitation rates over the life of a flower are determined by pollinator abundance and floral longevity. If flowers are not visited frequently enough, pollen limitation may occur, favoring the evolution of self-compatibility (SC). In plant species with varying SC levels, central populations often are self-incompatible (SI) and peripheral populations are SC. Witheringia solanacea (Solanaceae) is a species that follows this trend with the exception of one population in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, which is peripheral yet SI. I investigated this population using multiple techniques including floral bagging, pollinator observations, microsatellite analysis, and floral longevity manipulations. My results confirmed …

Interactions Of Electrons And Rydberg Atoms In Ultra-Cold Plasmas, Cristian Vesa

Honors Theses

This thesis discusses an experimental technique for investigating electron temperature control by Rydberg atoms in ultra-cold plasmas. The objective we set ourselves was twofold. Firstly, we sought to gain an insight into the processes whereby the creation of Rydberg atoms within the plasma lengthens the lifetime of the plasma. To this end, we created the plasma using a Littman dye laser and subsequently, at a variable time delay, we excited neutral atoms in the plasma to specific Rydberg states using a narrow bandwidth pulsed dye laser. Secondly, we employed radio-frequency (rf) electric fields to excite electron oscillations within the plasma …

Photochemical Generation And Intramolecular Chemistry Of Β-Alkoxycarbenes, Kimberly Graves

Honors Theses

The photolytic phenanthrene-based precursors for both β-methoxycarbene and β-ethoxycarbene were synthesized with and without a deuterium label attached to the a carbon. The incorporation of this deuterium label allowed distinction between a 1, 2-H shift and a 1, 2-O shift pathway to the respective alkyl vinyl ether, without the influence of a primary kinetic isotope effect. Photolyses of these precursors gave rearrangement products of the expected β-alkoxycarbenes. In the case of β-methoxycarbene, no methyl vinyl ether was observed due to its volatility. However, the appearance of aldehyde peaks in the NMR spectra, from an apparent further rearrangement to acetaldehyde through …

Effects Of Alcohol And Training On Exercise Performance And Muscle Recovery Biochemistry In The Brown Anole (Anolis Sagrei), Maryclaire Mcgovern

Honors Theses

Contrary to previous research, training may improve exercise performance in a lizard, the brown anole. A brief, two-week training period resulted in increased performance speed and distance before exhaustion in trained lizards. Trained lizards were also able to more effectively use leg glycogen stores, however each of these improvements were not found in lizards treated with alcohol. Liver glycogen concentrations were also lower in alcohol-treated lizards, and patterns of liver glycogen concentrations during recovery indicate some hepatic lactate gluconeogenesis.

Stock Markets And Household Wealth: Can A Stock Market Crash Cause A Recession In The U.S. Economy?, Ishan Singh

Honors Theses

Stock market wealth effects on the level of consumption in the United States economy have been constantly debated; there is evidence for arguments for and against its prominence and its symmetry. This paper seeks to investigate the strength of its negative effect by creating models to analyze unexpected shocks to the Standard and Poor's 500 index. First, a transmission mechanism between the stock market and GDP is established through the use of second-order vector autoregressive models. Following which, theory from the life cycle model and adaptations of previous researchers' models are used to create a structural model. This paper finds …

Hamiltonian Constraint Analysis Of Vector Field Theories With Spontaneous Lorentz Symmetry Breaking, Nolan L. Gagne

Honors Theses

Recent investigations of various quantum-gravity theories have revealed a variety of possible mechanisms that lead to Lorentz violation. One of the more elegant of these mechanisms is known as Spontaneous Lorentz Symmetry Breaking (SLSB), where a vector or tensor field acquires a nonzero vacuum expectation value. As a consequence of this symmetry breaking, massless Nambu-Goldstone modes appear with properties similar to the photon in Electromagnetism. This thesis considers the most general class of vector field theories that exhibit spontaneous Lorentz violation-known as bumblebee models-and examines their candidacy as potential alternative explanations of E&M, offering the possibility that Einstein-Maxwell theory could …

Decisions To Abrogate Personal Liberty: Ethics Of Conscription In The United States, Jacqueline Shuttleworth Grady

Honors Theses

The military draft in the United States has been a controversial public policy in the past. Conscription has been used for six different wars; each draft has differed from the others because of the circumstances of the war for which it was enacted and because of the way in which it was implemented. Today, because of the wars the United States is fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, a new public policy has developed, called stop loss. Stop loss affects only those people who have already served in the military, forcing them to remain in military service after the originally contracted …

Microhabitat Selection By The Tortoiseshell Limpet, Tectura Testudinalis (Müller), In Tide Pools On The Mid-Maine Coast, Emily R. Lyczkowski

Honors Theses

Microhabitat selection of the limpet Tectura testudinalis, an important grazer along the rocky Maine coast is examined using both mensurative and manipulative experiments. T. testudinalis substrate selection is essential to its survival in the unpredictable and harsh regime of the intertidal zone. At three sites studied in the Gulf of Maine, T. testudinalis selectively inhabits tidal pools and vertically oriented substrates. Both of these microhabitats reduce the degree of environmental stress (desiccation, extreme temperature, and hypersaline conditions) and predation experienced by individuals. Differences among sites are common, indicating the importance of varying environmental factors in regulating and influencing habitat selection …

Reactions Of Atomic Carbon With Acid Chlorides, Daniel B. Herrick

Honors Theses

This thesis is the first report of reactions of atomic carbon with acid chlorides. Carbon is known to react with phosgene to afford dichlorocarbene. We report a similar reaction with carbon and acid chlorides, generating alkylchlorocarbenes. We examine both the nature of the carbene products generated through deoxygenation and the general reactivity of carbon with the acid chlorides. We report two ways in which carbon reacts with acid chlorides. First, as expected from prior work with phosgene, carbon deoxygenates the carbonyl group yielding alkylchlorcarbenes, which rearrange as expected. Second, carbon abstracts the chlorine, and generates the acyl radical, which, in …

Separating People And Wildlife: Zoning As A Conservation Strategy For Large Carnivores, Courtney L. Larson

Honors Theses

Large carnivores are some of the world’s most difficult species to conserve because of their large spatial requirements, low population density, and high potential for conflict with humans. However, large carnivores are valuable for ecological, cultural, and ethical reasons. Carnivore management can take a wide variety of forms, including translocation, sterilization, livestock compensation programs, regulated hunting, improved livestock husbandry practices, and zoning, among others. The objective of this thesis was to conduct a comparative analysis of examples of zoning from around the world to examine whether it is an effective carnivore management strategy.

Analysis of twelve case studies showed that …

Diffeomorphism Invariance In General Relativity, John P. Chung

Honors Theses

Einstein's general relativity is a geometrical theory of gravity in which the effects of gravity are due to the curvature of space and time. In contrast, all of the other fundamental particle interactions are described as quantum field theories that are invariant under gauge transformations. In efforts to unify gravity with these other particle theories, it is desirable to reexpress Einstein's general relativity as a gauge theory. The gauge symmetry in Einstein's theory can be identified as invariance under diffeomorphism transformations. This work examines the nature of this symmetry, how it is implemented, and how it behaves as a gauge …

Advocating At The Margins: Women’S Ngos In China, Ling U

Honors Theses

The development of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in China has been unprecedented in the past fifteen years. The 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women (FWCW) and parallel NGO Forum in Beijing, China, opened the door for the first time for the establishment of women’s NGOs in China. This paper examines the development of Chinese women’s NGOs with a particular focus on two organizations in Beijing for marginalized female populations: one focusing on lesbians and the other helping women with HIV/AIDS. I examine the structure and growth of each NGO; however, on a more personal level and perhaps more importantly, I use …

Effect Of Observed Biological And Non-Biological Movement On Human Action And Coordination, Walter L. Campbell

Honors Theses

Recently, it has been demonstrated that an individual’s rhythmic limb movements exhibit greater variability when viewing spatially incongruent biological limb movements, but not when viewing spatially incongruent non-biological movements. Some researchers have concluded that a ‘mirror-neuron system’ might mediate the intrinsic bidirectional link between perception and action underlying interpersonal, but not environmental, coordination (e.g., Kilner et al., 2003; Tognoli et al., 2007). The current study aimed to: 1) contest this recent finding; and 2) demonstrate that the self-organized entrainment processes of coupled oscillators can explain the differing influences of biological and non-biological movements. In the first experiment, participants intentionally coordinated …

State Political Action Committee Financing And The 2008 Presidential Election: A Detailed Look At Mitt Romney And The Commonwealth Pacs, Melyn Heckelman

Honors Theses

This study looks at the historical context in which PACs developed, as well as the current legal environment in which they operate. It will also briefly discuss the legal and procedural challenges that candidates face and the ways in which PACs alleviate some of these pressures in ways that presidential committees cannot. An understanding of the strategic dilemmas which cause candidates to seek extraneous structures through which to establish campaign networks is essential to extrapolating the potential future of campaign finance strategy. Furthermore, this study provides an in-depth analysis of the state Commonwealth PACs both in terms of fundraising and …

Moments Of Strength: Iranian Women's Rights And The 1979 Revolution, Caroline M. Brooks

Honors Theses

An Iranian women’s movement failed to materialize in the twentieth century. While women in Iran played important and essential roles in political and social movements, they never united with a single voice calling for women’s rights. Thus the activities of activist women were scattered through the decades of Iranian history, while their roles shifted and their goals evolved but they were involved. Women’s rights occupied moments. One of the most important moments for women in Iranian history came with their participation in the 1979 Revolution against the Shah. Mohammad Reza Shah was a complex ruler, embracing modernity and Westernization while …

Phosphorus Primer For Maine’S Lakes, Lindsay B. Philips

Honors Theses

Phosphorus plays a major role in aquatic systems and the life that they support. It is a macronutrient that constitutes 0.5lf microorganisms and zooplankton by mass. Phosphorus is of great importance in terrestrial, agricultural, and plant systems as a macronutrient, and when it comes to aquatic systems, we tend to look at phosphorus in terms of its influence on lake primary productivity. Lakes are often phosphorus sinks because they are maintained by hydrological sources that are capable of causing nutrient influx. To understand phosphorus cycling in lake systems, it is important to consider the many sources and forms of phosphorus …

Competition Or Community? Manifest And Unexpressed Functions Of The No Child Left Behind Act Of 2001, Sara Benjamin

Honors Theses

Any contemporary discussion of the American education system inevitably includes a discussion of current federal policy as set out in The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). Signed into law on January 8, 2002, NCLB has sparked tremendous controversy in the field of education. Although the title would suggest otherwise, NCLB does not aim to make sure no child is left behind. Instead, one might argue that it aims to provide quantifiable measures of comparison so as to allow the U.S. to assert educational and economic dominance in the global community. Thus, we can see a distinction between …

Self-Destructive Behaviors Of Adolescent Girls And Boys, Carolyn A. Curtis

Honors Theses

From a social constructionist perspective linked with a feminist standpoint, I examine three forms of adolescent self-destructive behaviors: eating disorders, self-mutilation and substance abuse. The social construction of adolescents’ norms, values, and beliefs, as based upon their interactions with family, peers, and the media, helps explain these self-destructive actions. In addition to a comprehensive literature review, I interviewed five adults who work with adolescents in the state of Maine, and used these professionals’ experiences and knowledge to support the current theories pertaining to these acts of self-harm. To better understand what drives some adolescents to harm their own bodies, I …

Carbon Neutrality At Colby College, Jamie K. O’Connell

Honors Theses

Carbon neutral is a term used to describe any organization, entity, or process that has a net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions level of zero (Dautremont-Smith et al. 2007a). Since carbon neutrality only requires a net greenhouse gas emissions level of zero, organizations do not need to eliminate all carbon pollution to become carbon neutral. Net emissions differ from gross emissions in that gross emissions are the sum of all emissions released by the individual or entity, whereas net emissions are equivalent to the gross emissions minus any carbon offsets. A carbon offset is any activity that reduces carbon emissions so …

In The Absence Of Family: How Ideas Of The Substitute Family In Honduran Children's Homes Shape Perception Of The Needs Of At-Risk Youth, Stephanie Bowman

Honors Theses

Through an interdisciplinary analysis of children’s homes in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, this project reflects on how conceptions of family affect the prioritization of the needs of the homes’ beneficiaries. One consequence of the impoverished nature of Honduras are orphaned, abandoned, mistreated, malnourished, abused, neglected and disowned children who have come to live in group children’s homes that, for the most part, meet their short-term physical needs. But what about children’s developmental, social and educational needs? In this study, we analyze what needs homes meet according to the kind of familial substitute they provide as either a group home or …

The Selective Synthesis Of Oxacalix[6]Arenes And The Exploration Of Azacalix[N]Arenes, W. Christian Crannell

Honors Theses

Calix[n]arenes, cyclIc molecules composed of "n" benzene rings meta-linked by a methylene to form a macrocycle, are very prevalent jn the literature and enjoy a wide range of applications. However, the oxygen bridged and nitrogen bridged systems, oxacalllx[n)arenes and azacalix[n]arenes, respectively, are far less common because they are synthetically challenging. Furthermore, the selective synthesis of oxacalix[6]arene systems has not previously been well documented, but the systems can now be accessed in a facile approach disclosed here. The insight and knowledge gained from the synthesis of oxacalix{6]arenes has provided a foray into the synthesis of azacalix[nlarenes.

Effects Of The Anticancer Agent Cloretazine On Human Apurinic Endonuclease-1 Activity, Jennifer L. Bushee

Honors Theses

The carbamolyating activity of Cloretazine, a novel anticancer prodrug, modifies protein function and acts synergistically with the choroethyalting species, which a1kylales DNA. The reactive subspecies responsible for carbamolylating activity is methyl isocyanate, which reacts with sulfhydryl groups and amines. DNA repair enzymes have been identified as potential targets for the modification by methyl isocyanate; in particular, base excision repair enzymes. Enzymes in DNA base excision repair include DNA polymerase beta (Pol ?) and apurinic/apyrimidic endonucease-l (APE/Ref-1). APE/Ref-1 hydrolyzes the 5' -phosphodiester DNA backbone from an abasic DNA template, where the base was excised by a DNA glycosylase. The entire nucleotide …

"System Of Silence": Philadelphia Orphanages And The Limits Of Benevolence, 1780s-1830s, Brian Sweeney

Honors Theses

In 1831, Mathew Carey, a well-known Philadelphia economist, wrote a city official describing the situation of black children in the city. He called for the creation of an orphanage to aid these children and described the motives for this action as not only the “humanity and benevolence” of Philadelphians, but also “personal interest”, as this class could otherwise turn “lawless”. Unknown to Carey, the Association for the Care of Coloured Orphans had been established in 1822 by a group of benevolent Quaker women dedicated to aiding this destitute class in an effort to promote compensatory justice for generations of oppression …

Language Of Sex: Moral Socialization And Reproductive Education In Public Schools, Melyn Heckelman

Honors Theses

This thesis is the product of my five weeks of ethnography in three classrooms in Waterville, Maine and the surrounding area, in addition to individual and group interviews with both students and the educators themselves. It seeks to understand why, in a culture so saturated with images of sexuality and naked bodies, the teachers I observed were largely unwilling or unable to discuss human sexuality in public schools as anything more than a public health issue. Since the 1960s sex educators have been fighting to teach about contraceptives. Recent longitudinal studies have confirmed what proponents of comprehensive education have been …

The Impact Of The Common Agricultural Policy On Agricultural Productivity, Flemming Schneider Rhode

Honors Theses

In 2004 10 new countries, primarily Eastern European countries, joined the European Union (EU) with much media speculation concerning how this would affect their economies. This paper will look at how the Common Agricultural Program (CAP) affects agricultural productivity by measuring four independent variables and by using the 2004 entry as a natural experiment. The paper will estimate how the CAP affects the average farm size, fallow land area, proportion of farming dedicated to organic farming, and GOP growth. This is expected to impact agricultural productivity through increasing returns to scale, input availability, efficiency of land use and the Environmental …

Textbook Bundling : Is It Really Worth The Sum Of Its Parts, Kati Simmons

Honors Theses

Studies have been conducted examining the impact of commodity bundling on company profits and the premium prices charged for these bundles. With recent news of the skyrocketing costs of higher education, it is critical to highlight the specific effects of commodity bundling on the prices of textbooks. A study performed by the Government Accountability Office in 2005 cited that a main cause of increasing textbook prices is the recent inclusion of textbook supplements such as software and workbooks. This paper investigates the impact that different types of supplements have on the overall price paid for the bundle. Aggregate sales data …

Crisis Rhetoric : A Theory Of Communication In Times Of Crisis, Eric D. Loepp

Honors Theses

We conducted an experiment to assess the effect of presidential rhetoric in a time of crisis. Our study was based in part on terror management theory, which posits that subtle reminders of death (mortality salience) lead to increased support of leaders an authority figures. Subjects were randomly placed in either a mortality salient condition or control condition. We also composed two speeches - one charismatic and one non-charismatic - and subjects were randomly assigned to hear one of the two. Based on elements of terror management theory, we hypothesized that in a time of crisis the charismatic speech would be …

Modulation Of Fast-Inactivating Potassium Channels By Accessory Subunits And Fatty Acids : A Role For Calcium?, Michelle M. Drzewiecki

Honors Theses

Potassium channel interacting proteins (KChIPs) co-assemble with Kv4 a subunits to form native complexes that encode considerable components of neuronal somatodendritic A- type K+current (Is,J in neurons, and transient outward current (ho) in cardiac myocytes. The binding of KChIPs to the cytoplasmic N-termini of Kv4 a subunits enhances surface expression by facilitating intracellular trafficking, stimulates subunit assembly, and regulates the functional gating properties of Kv4 channels. KChIPs, like many other neuronal calcium sensor proteins, contain four EF-hand calcium binding sites; two of which (EF-3 and 4) have particularly high affinity for calcium. Because Ca2+ is an important signaling molecule for …

The Exploration Of Novel Symbiotic Bacteria That May Have Influential Roles In Sponge Life History, Brittany E. West

Honors Theses

Sponges produce an impressive variety of secondary metabolites that perform a variety of ecological functions. Many marine sponges even harbor diverse carotenoid compounds, an unusual class of secondary metabolites that animals are incapable of producing. Furthermore, sponges serve as hosts to an astonishingly diverse microbial community that can occupy up to sixty percent of a sponge's biomass. Our research ultimately hopes to link microbial species to the production of secondary compounds, like carotenoids, and to assess the ecological role of such compounds and their effect on sponge life history strategy. This study describes the ecological distribution of two species of …