Digital Commons Network^™

American Identity In The Illinois Territory, 1809-1818, Daniel Northrup Finucane

Honors Theses

Many histories have been writen about Illinois, both by early inhabitants and modern scholars. The histories are quite inclusive, yet none specifically address the topic that I am examining. Scarce material exists regarding the Americanism of the early settlers in Illinois. But, in fashioning my argument on the subject, I have taken from a variety of these cources bits and pieces of information about geography, demographics, economics, politics, and social life. My hope is that these facts and arguments will help to substantiate my suggestions regarding the mindsets of territorial Illinoisians. The work coming closest to my focus is an …

The Christian Century And The Fluidity Of American Ideologies, 1919-1932, Michael Levin

Honors Theses

The most fundamental belief echoed in the Christian Century during the '20s was a persistent optimism about human progress. Editors of the journal devoted such a great deal of energy to the task of diagnosing the ills of society because they held the improvement of the American system to be both beneficial and achievable. It is from this platform of optimism that the Century derived the various components of its complex worldview: its religious morality, pragamatic approach, and its egalitarian belief. All of these principles were dependent on the notion that tomorrow could and would be better than today. The …

Concepts Of Despair In Walker Percy's The Moviegoer, James Alan Finney

Honors Theses

This paper explores the concept of despair in Walker Percy's 1962 National Book Award winning novel The Moviegoer. It explores the philosophy of Kierkegaard's The Sickness unto Death as an important antecedent of the novel's portrayal of Binx Bolling's existential crisis. Additionally, the paper discusses Walker Percy's own thought about the devaluation of subjective experience in a modem scienctific world. Using these concepts as a vocabulary, the paper performs a reading of the text of the novel. The text asserts that the reader's own valuation of God and objectivity determine the possiblity or nonpossibility of Binx 's salvation by faith.

Hadivadlo In Chattanooga : A Critical Assessment Of The Process Of Producing School For Fools, Ben Williams

Honors Theses

The goal of this project was to create an experimental theatre production called School for Fools in the Studio Theatre of the UTC Fine Arts Center in February of 2003. Spanning nearly an entire year, the process for me was one of compiling a dramaturg's notebook ofresearch and materials related to the play, adapting and revising the text from the original, written by Belgian playwright Michel de Ghelderode in 1937, creating costume and set designs, appropriating a cast, raising funds for the production, and then directing the play. Particularly important to this production was the idea of style. In essence, …

The Vascular Plant Flora Of The Tennessee River Gardens Area, Amanda Erin King

Honors Theses

The purpose of this project was to identify all native and introduced vascular plant species near the Tennessee River Gardens. The field work resulted in 355 specimens that represent 81 families, 190 genera, and 268 species. In addition to collecting and identifying, I also compared my flora with that of Lookout Mountain Park to determine the degree of similarity between the two sites which are both south of the Tennessee River. Another comparison was completed contrasting my flora with the flora of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. The biotic similarity data I compiled are presented along with the biotic …

The Clarinet Through Western's Century: An Exploration Of Its Twentieth Century Repertoire With Additional Historical Commentary On Western Michigan University, Christopher M. Jacobson

Honors Theses

No abstract available.

The Ethics Of Service : A New Approach To Service Learning, Jonathan C. Zur

Honors Theses

The new model of service presented in this paper gives a framework for considering the possibilities for ethically grounded service. It does not solve al I of the problems with competing interests or tradeoffs in wellbeing, but is a solid foundation upon which many important discussions can be based. By examining the continuum of self-interest, the discussion of intent, preparedness, and outcome, and consideration for mandatory service, the paper has offered a comprehensive assessment of the ethics of service. The four parties - the volunteer, the client, the university, and the service site - have particular responsibilities to their own …

Flanking Sequences Modulate Diepoxide Cross-Linking Efficiencies At The 5'-Gnc Sste, Gregory A. Sawyer

Honors Theses

Diepoxybutane, diepoxyoctane, and mechlorethamine are cytotoxic DNA crosslinking agents that vary in their carcinogenic versus chemotherapeutic potentials. Interstrand cross-linking occurs between the N7 positions of deoxyguanosine residues on opposite strands of the DNA duplex. Each synthetic DNA oligomer used in this study contained four 5'-N\GN2CN3 sites (within a 32 base sequence) and we have systematically varied the bases in the N1 and N2 positions to determine the resulting cross-linking efficiencies of each cytotoxic agent. Each duplex was 5' -end labeled and incubated with cross-linking agent. Interstrand cross-links were purified through denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and then subjected to piperidine cleavage. …

Synthesis Of Montiporynes A And B, Traci Jenelle Speed

Honors Theses

This thesis reports the first complete synthesis of monriporynes A and B. isomeric diacetylenes that bear α, β unsaturated ketone functionalities. Recently isolated from the stony coral Montipora sp. these compounds are reported to possess in vitro cytotoxic activity against several human solid tumor cells. We have synthesized both isomers in three simple steps. In the first step, l-iodononyne was prepared by reacting 1-nonyne with N-iodosuccinimide and a catalytic amount of silver nitrate. This iodoalkyne was then coupled with propargyl alcohol using copper iodide as the catalyst to give 2,4dodecadiynyl alcohol. Finally, the diacetylenic alcohol was subjected to the Swern …

From Maine Farms To Maine Colleges: The Symbolism And Reality Behind The Local Purchasing Efforts At Colby, Bates, And Bowdoin, Kathryn L. Spirer

Honors Theses

The idea for this thesis emerged out of my experience last summer, when I worked for an organization in Ellsworth, Maine called the Locally Grown Foods Project. The purpose of this organization is to facilitate the relationship between farmers and restaurants or other small institutions in the Bar Harbor area. After talking with one farmer at length about his experiences working with local institutions, I became curious about the growing institutional market for locally grown foods. I began to wonder what larger institutions throughout the state were doing to support local farmers and why they were interested in purchasing local …

Quantitative Analysis Of Diepoxybutane Damage Within The Chicken Β-Globin Domain, André M. Pilon

Honors Theses

In industrial polymer and synthetic rubber production facilities, workers are exposed to 1,3-butadiene. This compound is converted in vivo to 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane (DEB) and has been linked to increased incidences of cancer in these individuals. Carcinogenesis has been attributed to formation of DEB induced DNA interstrand cross-links. Previous studies have demonstrated that DEB cross-links deoxyguanosine residues within 5'-GNC sequences in synthetic DNA, in restriction fragments, and in defined sequence nucleosomes. The current study utilized the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to examine DEB damage frequencies within nuclear genes, found within "open" regions of chromatin, as compared to regions of unexpressed sequence that …

Sedimentological And Plant Taphonomic Evaluation Of The Early Middle Devonian Trout Valley Formation, Jonathan Allen

Honors Theses

The Trout Valley Formation of Emsian-Eifelian age, outcropped in Baxter State Park, Maine, consists offluvial and coastal deposits preserving early land plants. Massive, crudely bedded conglomerate represents deposits of proximal braided channels on an alluvial fan complex. Lithic sandstone bodies in channel-form geometries represent deposits of river channels draining the Acadian highlands whereas associated siltstones represent overbank deposits, intertidal flats, and tidal channels. Localized lenticular quartz arenites represent nearshore shelf bar deposits that were storm influenced. The majority of plant assemblages preserved mainly in siltstone lithologies are allochthonous and parautochthonous, with only one autochthonous assemblage identified in the sequence. Plant …

Double Stranded Dna-Binding Studies Of Potential Rhodium(Ll) Antitumor Complexes, Amity Elizabeth Burr

Honors Theses

In 1952, Dwyer and coworkers began testing a series of metal complexes for potential inhibition of cancer cell proliferation in animals.[l] The complexes tested were unsuitable for such studies due to their high toxicity. Therefore, no further work was done on the project. However, in 1965, Rosenberg and coworkers revisited the possibility of potential metal-based drugs. Serendipitously, they discovered that cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(lI) (cisplatin) inhibits cell division in E. coli.[2] Further studies of this and other platinum compounds revealed inhibition of tumor cell lines sarcoma 180 and leukemia LI2l0 in mice.[l] Cisplatin was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1970 …

Sluc Foundation 2003 Endowment Study, Jean Sebastian Leite

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

A Blueprint For Environmental Sustainability Along The James River, Trevor S. Macdougall

Honors Theses

The paper is the result of a research project conducted through the University of Richmond, the desired end of which is to produce a Blueprint for Environmental Sustainability Along the James River, a document that provides guidelines for managing the urban riverfront in a sustainable fashion.

The first chapter is designed to outline the layout of this report. The subsequent literature review is divided into four chapters: The Ecological Model, An Overview of Sustainability, Sustainable Practices in Other Cities, and Richmond Development: Past and Present. The first pair of these chapters provide a general assessment of two important environmental paradigms, …

Diversity And Community Structure Of Littoral Zone Macroinvertebrates In Southern Illinois Reclaimed Surface Mine Lakes, Thomas Heatherly Ii

Honors Theses

I sampled fourteen reclaimed surface mine lakes within the Sparta Illinois National Guard training facility for benthic macroinvertebrates in spring of 2003 as part of an overall environmental assessment of the property. The objectives of this research were: (1) to inventory the aquatic macroinvertebrates present; (2) to evaluate the current quality of the aquatic habitats so that the effects of subsequent management and development by the National Guard can be assessed; (3) examine which factors influence invertebrate community structure in these systems; and (4) observe the applicability of several commonly used stream bioassessment metrics to Midwestern surface mine lakes. A …

The Effect Of Slavery On Southern Farmland Values In The Antebellum And Postbellum Era, Brandon Devlin

Honors Theses

In the past 30 years, the legacy of African-American slavery has experienced a transformation in historical perspective. Morality aside, several historians have suggested that the accepted views regarding slavery need revision, particularly in an economic sense. Utilizing cliometrics, census records, diaries, and first-hand accounts of slavery in the South, economic historians such as Robert Fogel and Stanley Engennan have made a compelling case for the viability and profitability of slavery by exposing the nuances of the system that historical generalities often ignore. Of course, words like "viable" and ''profitable" do not necessarily mean "virtuous"or even "preferable", but it does imply …

Cultural Imposition Or Cross-Cultural Communication: An Auto-Ethnographic Exploration Of Christian Missionary Rhetorics, Marian Draffin

Honors Theses

This project is a tropological and visual exploration of the rhetorics of Christian missionary culture written in an auto-ethnographic mode. The texts explored include a sample of recruitment brochures produced by mission's organizations, recorded accounts of those who were affected by missions, either as a missionary or as a member of the respondent culture, and journals and photographic images from my own short term missionary work. This exploration is driven by my curiosity about the power dynamics of Christian missionary work: Is the work of a Christian missionary culture a type of cultural imposition and domination? Can Christian missionary work …

Fecal Coliforms And Antibiotic Resistance Of Tuckahoe Creek, Catherine C. Parker

Honors Theses

The Tuckahoe Creek has been classified impaired by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) indicating that one of the following parameters exceed the accepted limits: pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), phosphates, nitrates, and concentration of fecal coliforms. Throughout the course of this study, two selected sites have been monitored monthly in order to measure these parameters. Route 288 is located near a construction site, and Route 621 is near Sycamore Creek Golf Course in a more rural area. The results from this study have shown that the fecal coliforms have been uniformly within the set legal limit of 1,000 …

Trusting Organizations : Organizational Structure, Trust, And The Implications For Leaders, Jeremiah Robert Winters

Honors Theses

The religious context blurs vision and judgment when looking at issues related to matters that can be construed as theological matters. Religious issues are anchored deep inside individuals and the slightest challenge or questioning of an individuals beliefs brings about defensiveness. Long standing traditions are extremely difficult to change much less do way with. The structure of the two organizations clearly has an impact on the type and style of leadership practiced.

The Presbyterian Church structure, the denominational structure that places the power in the hands of the people was a direct response to the abuses found in the Catholic …

Leading A 'Torn Country' : Turkey's Ideological And Civilized Divide, Joshua Walker

Honors Theses

Turkey, since 1923, has proven to be a valuable case study in ideological and religious tensions and national identity crisis; however, with a newly elected government, Turkey appears ready to write a new chapter in its history. The complexity of the issues that exist within a modern state along with the diversity of traditional cultures and rich history of Turkey do not allow for a singular civilizational inclusion as Huntington advocates, nor a single ideological path to follow. The Kemalist heritage of this young country has presupposed the necessity for adopting modernity as defined by the West. but the tension …

The Evolution Of Interpretive Standards For The Establishment Clause, Jacob A. Dickerson

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

On The Origin Of Ethics, John Ashley Kimble

Honors Theses

This essay will be an exploration of Darwin’s theory of natural selection and the implications that the theory holds for the field of ethics. It will investigate the intellectual climate of Darwin’s day and discuss how his theory was received both by his fellow scientists and by the general public. It will provide a brief background of Darwin’s life leading up to his famous voyage aboard the H.M.S. Beagle, as well as relevant biographical details from his later life. It will provide a brief history of the gene and the science of genetics and how this science has changed Darwin’s …

Studies On The Role Of Foldign Of The Cro Protein In The Genetic Switch Of The Bacteriophage Lambda, Chinwendu Chioma Onwubiko

Honors Theses

The Cro protein plays a critical role in the genetic switch, which governs the life cycle of the lysogenic bacteriophage lambda. Cro is a slow folding protein. The aim of this thesis is to test the idea that the folding rate of Cro has a direct effect on the dynamics of gene regulation in living cells. One way to test this hypothesis is to increase the rate of folding inside cells. SlyD is a peptidylprolyl isomerase that increases the rate of Cro folding in vitro. Strains of E.coli with varying levels of SlyD were infected with the lambda virus and …

Synthesis Of Polymer Nanofibers Through Emulsion Polymerization, James Douglas Hankins

Honors Theses

Emulsion polymerization has been used for decades to synthesize polymer latexes for both industry and academia, and theory suggests that the process may also be useful in the detailed study of individual polymer chains or “nanofibers”. To date, however, no successful attempts have been made to use emulsion polymerization in such a manner. Therefore, this work seeks to gather information about polymer nanofibers formed through emulsion polymerization and, as a result, incite its use for similar research in the future. Emulsion polymerization was used to create numerous polystyrene solutions with varying concentrations of cetyltrimethylammonium p-toluenesulfonate (surfactant) and sodium chloride (salt). …

Doing All You Can, Brother?': Visual Themes Of World War Ii American Propaganda Posters, Justin Rives Nicholas

Honors Theses

This thesis is a result of an in-depth analysis of the three thousand plus propaganda posters used in the United States during World War II. The bulk of these posters are housed at National Archives II in College Park, Maryland. The analysis was conducted within the context of several questions. What were the goals of the propagandists? How were those goals visually represented in the posters? What were the visual themes? Why were these goals and themes deemed necessary? How do the goals and themes fit into the overall context of a total war? The concept of being in a …

The Uk And The Emu: An Economic Examination Of The United Kingdom As A Relevant Factor Of Success For Europe To Achieve Economic And Monetary Union, John Gabriel Roberts

Honors Theses

Currently the United Kingdom is not participating in the European Monetary Union. In 1992, it decided to “opt-out” of the first of three stages set out in the Maatricht Treaty that some European countries began implementing in an attempt to move the continent closer to monetary union. The people of the United Kingdom will have the chance, in 2003, to decide the United Kingdom’s role in the EMU eleven years after it first deferred its membership. If this upcoming decision were to be made on an economic basis, the degree of integration between the United Kingdom’s economy with the EMU …

Capital Punishment And Martial Law In Ireland, 1916-1923, Thomas Michael Taff

Honors Theses

My thesis, “Capital Punishment and Martial Law in Ireland 1916-1923”, deals with the early years of the Irish Dominion. After the ratification of a peace treaty in December of 1921 between Great Britain and Ireland, the lower twenty-six counties of Ireland became a Dominion of the British Empire. The following summer a civil war occurred between the armed forces in Ireland who supported and rejected the treaty. During the Irish civil war, which lasted from June 1922 until April 1923, nearly eighty IRA men were executed by the Pro-Treaty government in Dublin. My thesis looks into the legal and political …

Implementation Of Sap's Campus Management At The University Of Mississippi, Kimberly Nicole Weston

Honors Theses

The objective of this project was to analyze the undergraduate admissions process at the University of Mississippi before and after the implementation of SAP’s student information system known as Campus Management. Areas of focus include the following: l Whether any improvements were achieved in terms of efficiency such as time to process a typical admissions application l Whether any improvements were achieved in terms of customer service l The usability of the web application l Impact on related processes such as account generation l Positive and negative impact to university offices l Potential areas for future work These areas and …

Defining Microcredit Success In Bolivia, Kelly Miller

Honors Theses

The structure of this study is as follows: The first chapter describes the origin of microcredit and the three major lending models. This chapter also includes a description of the motivation of the study as well as the methodology used. The second chapter illustrates the changes of development strategies in Bolivia and identifies the motivation behind and significance of each development method. The third chapter discusses the informal sector, which is the targeted population of microcredit. This chapter presents several theories about the development of the informal sector and illustrates how politics shape the informal sector in Bolivia. The fourth …