Digital Commons Network^™

Ensuring Non-Repudiation In Long-Distance Constrained Devices, Ethan Blum

Honors Theses

Satellite communication is essential for the exploration and study of space. Satellites allow communications with many devices and systems residing in space and on the surface of celestial bodies from ground stations on Earth. However, with the rise of Ground Station as a Service (GsaaS), the ability to efficiently send action commands to distant satellites must ensure non-repudiation such that an attacker is unable to send malicious commands to distant satellites. Distant satellites are also constrained devices and rely on limited power, meaning security on these devices is minimal. Therefore, this study attempted to propose a novel algorithm to allow …

Events To Record: An Examination Of Required Activation For Body-Worn Cameras, Allison Reed

Honors Theses

There has been a lot of research on the effectiveness of body-worn cameras in policing including the impacts that body-worn cameras have on police officers, individual citizens, and the community. Results from prior literature show that police body-worn cameras are only sometimes highly effective. This project investigates why police body-worn cameras may not be effective by examining the required activation policies. Data for this project derive from the 2016 Law Enforcement Management Administrative Statistics – Body-Worn Camera Supplement (LEMAS-BWCS) study conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The main components of these data are the required events officers are to …

An Exploration Into Health Equity Discourse In Mississippi: Organizational Commitments And Practitioner Perspectives, Thuy-Vy Lillian Pham

Honors Theses

This thesis takes a sociological approach to examine healthcare workers' beliefs and medical organizations’ solidarity statements related to diversity and equity and how these discourses aligned and/or diverged. Through interviews with healthcare providers in Mississippi and content analysis of solidarity statements, the study finds that discussions on health disparities more frequently addressed socioeconomic inequality rather than systemic racism, diverging from organizational statements. This emphasis may partly stem from the demographics of the study participants, who were predominantly White—which also reflected the staff where they worked. Additionally, while healthcare workers recognized structural issues related to health disparities, they often showed hesitancy …

Diver Perceived Value And Satisfaction On The Mississippi Gulf Coast, Ka'lon Duncanson

Honors Theses

The Mississippi Gulf Coast is known for its coastal beauty and the tourism that comes from the recreational activities associated with the water. However, there appears to be an underserved segment of the tourism industry. The coast provides opportunities for local scuba divers to take part in a range of diving activities, but there is minimal support for this tourism activity in Mississippi. There is a need for greater understanding about what local divers value in their diving experiences and how this might lead to greater satisfaction with this activity. Along with overall perceived value, the argument is made that …

Investigating The Relationship Between Consistent Workout Regimen On Quality Of Life Among Crossfitters In South Mississippi, Christian Glass

Honors Theses

Robust literature exists to support the utility of CrossFit in improving metabolic and cardiovascular well-being. However, a metaphorical chasm exists not in the study of the physiological effects of CrossFit but in the psychological effects, namely quality of life (QOL). This thesis aimed to offer an installment into this gap by investigating trends among a population of 81 CrossFitters in south Mississippi. To best fulfill this task, a quantitative study was conducted using a 32-item survey composed of a mixture of questions from the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version (WHOQOL- BREF) to assess reported quality of life …

Nurses’ Perceptions Of Ppe Compliance Among South Mississippi Medical- Surgical Nurses, Jenna Roush

Honors Theses

Utilizing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) appropriately is critical in protecting nurses and patients from contracting infectious diseases. Poor compliance with PPE is associated with increased hospital-acquired infections and directly impacts infection control measures. This thesis delves into the perceptions of PPE compliance and awareness among medical-surgical nurses in South Mississippi. A quantitative study utilizing a 28-item survey was implemented. Likert-style and open-ended survey questions were completed by n=28 participants. Univariate analysis was used to determine compliance among each PPE item, awareness and confidence of PPE items, and whether there was a lack of training or a PPE shortage. Based on …

Barriers In Immigrant Mental Healthcare: Women, Children And Fathers, Alisa Pickett

Honors Theses

The American Psychological Association has identified immigrant families as a vulnerable population, whose access to mental healthcare is impacted by numerous barriers (DeAngelis, 2023). Within these communities there is a need for mental health resources, but due to the many barriers these communities face they are often left without care. In this literature review, I will identify the mental health needs, and the barriers that each member of the family (e.g., mothers, children, and fathers) uniquely faces. The discussion will review how these barriers are currently being addressed, specifically looking at changes within practices, use of logotherapy, and changing the …

Decades Of Don Quixote: Tracking Social Progression Through Marcela And Grisóstomo, Allison Jackson

Honors Theses

In this essay, I will track the evolution of academic opinions in the late 20th and early 21st century of two main components of the episode: Marcela’s character and what it says about Cervantes’ perception of women’s autonomy, as well as Grisóstomo’s death and the rejection of the notion of suicide by past academics. Marcela’s dramatic rejection of societal demands and Gristósomo’s tragic and confusing death are radically exciting since there is so much left to be assumed about the two main characters that is not explicitly written. The story relies on irony and subversion to enunciate a certain message; …

Examining The Microbial Diversity Of A Generalist Ant Along An Urban-Rural Gradient, Abdol-Munim Abazid

Honors Theses

After sampling the exoskeleton microbiomes of 225 ants from 3 different locations along a rural-urban gradient in the Chattanooga area, a photo library was collected and microbial diversity and morphospecies evenness of each location was determined. It was determined that there was no significant difference in either microbial diversity or morphospecies evenness between sites along the rural-urban gradient, even after adjusting data to be between only rural and urban areas. Urbanization was quantified using % impervious surface; however, a future study could quantify urbanization by other means, such as soil nutrient composition. Additionally, it was determined that there was no …

On The Causation Of The Mexican-American War, Emery Benson

Honors Theses

In 1844, Whig, former President, and then-Representative John Quincy Adams reflected on President John Tyler’s bill to annex Texas, writing about his anxiety over “the degeneracy of my country… under the transcendent power of slavery and the slave-representation.” Adams celebrated the treaty’s failure later that year, praising the nation’s escape from “slave-tainted monarchy, and of extinguished freedom.” In 1847, in the midst of the Mexican-American War, Reverend John Dudley of Vermont gave a fiery sermon in which he excoriated “the two leading sins of this nation, SLAVERY AND WAR.” Reverend Dudley continued, claiming “that the present war has its origin …

The Factors Affecting Fashion Trends Have Changing Over The Years By Different Age Groups & The Evolution Of Media., Omnahqiran Dazz

Honors Theses

Introduction:

Fashion trends undergo continuous evolution, influenced by factors such as age groups and the ever-changing landscape of media. This research delves into the intricate relationship between these elements. Initially driven by a passion for fashion, the project expanded to explore the profound impact of social media evolution over the past 15-20 years.

Objectives: Investigate changing fashion trends across age groups.

Examine the evolution of media.

Analyze the factors affecting current-day fashion trends.

Explore the influence of social media on fashion choices.

This study provides invaluable insights for fashion designers, brands, and retailers, aiding in the development of effective market …

Open Or Closed? An Analysis Of Fire Effects And Patterns On Wooden Door Assemblies For The Practitioner, Christopher M. Heavren

Honors Theses

The present study investigates if there are any consistent fire effects or patterns that persist on a door assembly after a fire to indicate the position of the door within a fire. There is currently a lack of research on this topic within the field. This causes practitioners to rely on their subjective interpretation of fire patterns within the room. Experiments were conducted with a door assembly 1/6^th bench scale model of an ISO standard room. The door assembly was placed in three positions: open, partially open, and closed. Each position was tested ten times, totaling thirty trials. These …

The Death And Life Of Major League Baseball, Abraham H. Mikels

Honors Theses

Major League Baseball has long been considered America’s pastime, but recently, it has faced significant challenges to its popularity. This thesis examines the complex trajectory of Major League Baseball over the last few years, tracking the factors contributing to its decline and the new bold strategies that have fueled and can fuel its comeback. The decline in popularity can be attributed to several factors, including but not limited to the perceived slow pace of the game, different entertainment preferences, and a new focus on analytics and statistics. These factors have all played roles in diminishing its appeal, especially among the …

The Bookworm's Brain: An Analysis On Emotion-Evoking Literature, Savannah Hoffman

Honors Theses

This thesis draws on several literary studies to create and propose the idea that fiction can cause genuine attachment for audiences as well as produce strong, emotional reactions. This attachment can be achieved through the use of universal literary elements found in writing. Through the use of literary elements, authors are able to convey stories that allow audiences to grow true attachment towards their worlds, characters, and ideas. In addition, the acknowledgement of these elements is helpful in understanding why readers often feel emotional connections to the fictional stories they consume. Being able to understand these elements is important for …

Exploring The Ethics Of Human Space Travel: Navigating The Challenges And Implications Of Missions Past, Present, And Future, Emily A. Brettschneider

Honors Theses

This comprehensive exploration delves into the multifaceted landscape of human space travel, spanning physiological challenges, astronaut training, spacecraft manufacturing, ethical considerations, societal influences, and technological frontiers. The study elucidates the physiological impacts of microgravity on astronauts, emphasizing the necessity of personalized interventions and rigorous exercise protocols. Psychological dimensions, including isolation, interpersonal dynamics, and support systems, emerge as critical considerations. Astronaut training is dissected, encompassing physical conditioning, systems proficiency, and cultural competence. The paper delves into spacecraft manufacturing, emphasizing adherence to stringent standards, quality control measures, and the integration of additive manufacturing. Space governance challenges, the role of the private sector, …

Purdue Pharma: Appalachia's Worst Nightmare, Malina C. Gaworski

Honors Theses

This thesis describes the legal implications of Purdue Pharma’s vital role that implicated them in the opioid crisis after their release of the renowned drug, OxyContin. Purdue Pharma released the infamous drug in 1995 and the world of drugs and addiction has never been the same. Thousands of oxycontin-related deaths, pharmacies and medical professionals found liable, and countless lawsuits against the powerful company. This research expands on these lawsuits, the implications of these against Purdue Pharma, and the improvements made in the pharmaceutical company to prevent a disaster such as the opioid crisis from repeating itself.

Unraveling The Impact Of Trap-Neuter-Release (Tnr) Programs On Feral Cat Populations, Emma Koch

Honors Theses

Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is a humane and effective method for managing outdoor cat populations. The process involves trapping feral or free-roaming cats, sterilizing them, and then returning them to their original location. While sterilization is crucial in curbing population growth, successful TNR programs require more than just the surgical aspect. Vetting is essential for addressing health concerns and ensuring the overall well-being of the cats. Moreover, colony care, including regular feeding and monitoring, is vital for their survival. Outdoor cats, often considered an invasive species, pose a threat to local wildlife and natural habitats. TNR provides a humane and long-lasting solution …

Loneliness Among College Students, Jaime Benson

Honors Theses

This study investigated the level of loneliness among health-focused scholars in the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS), Western Michigan University to improve student life experience, social opportunities, and support networks. We recruited participants from various CHHS programs using a convenience sampling method, requiring informed consent and program enrollment. The UCLA Loneliness Scale served as our measurement tool, allowing us to compare scores across program backgrounds using independent samples t-tests or non-parametric alternatives. Among 59 participants, 22.0% reported low loneliness levels, 49.1% moderate levels, 25.4% moderately high levels, and 3.4% high levels. Notably, the highest scores emerged in questions …

Notions Of Liberty- Traditional And Modern, Zachary D. Weston

Honors Theses

This essay examines, primarily, how notions of liberty have evolved over time in America. Starting from the point of establishing America’s foundation in Thomistic natural law, the essay then seeks to identify, define, and analyze different segments of American political thought that have sprung off from this staring point. Three segments are identified, Conservatism, Liberalism, and Progressivism, and then defined on how they view the self. The conservatives from God, the liberals from reason, and the progressives from how the individual interacts with society. After this, these different segments of American political thought are contrasted by viewing how they offer …

Integrating Mindfulness- Based Practice Into University Curriculum: Building Resilience Among Undergraduate Health Science Students, Avery M. Carpenter

Honors Theses

Health science majors are both physically and emotionally demanding educational pathways with high expectations. These difficult fields of study place students at risk for stress-related illness, such as anxiety and depression. Many health science students are expected to succeed in their educational programs and provide care for others, despite the mental challenges they face daily. These psychological factors are continuously pushing this population of students to seek treatment for their mental well-being. A large body of assessment literature suggests that mindfulness can be used as a practice to relieve stress and enhance the mental well-being of undergraduate college students. Studies …

Back-Imaging Of Pressure-Sensitive Paint To Determine Close Proximity Ground Effects Of Propellers, Jacob Kulig

Honors Theses

The ground effects of propellers have been extensively studied. Although the flow field between a propeller and a ground plate has been theoretically and experimentally analyzed through a variety of methods, there are limitations to the current work, especially in globally analyzing the nature of the flow along the ground plate and unsteady analysis. This study provides a proof of concept that back-imaged pressure-sensitive paint (PSP) can successfully analyze the pressure along such a ground plate. The pressure field was successfully measured utilizing this technique. By analyzing the pressure field in the frequency domain, the unsteady characteristics of the flow …

Determining The Effects Of Propionate On Listeria Monocytogenes Lysozyme Susceptibility, Jeanne Paula E. Sering

Honors Theses

Listeria monocytogenes is a gram-positive facultative anaerobe and harmful pathogen transmitted through contaminated food. Listeriosis, the infection associated with L. monocytogenes, is rare but potentially fatal, with a twenty to thirty percent mortality rate. For that reason, the lack of safe strategies to prevent infections can be detrimental to public health. Current infection preventative strategies rely on stringent food surveillance and recalls, but we want to determine alternative tactics to further protect the public from L. monocytogenes. More specifically, we want to identify environmental factors that can compromise the ability of L. monocytogenes to cause infections before the pathogen reaches …

The Transition To A Renewable Energy Electric Grid In The Caribbean Island Nation Of Antigua And Barbuda, Patrick Hoody

Honors Theses

The present study outlines the development and implementation of a computer model for Antigua and Barbuda's national electricity system, a dual-island nation in the Caribbean. The primary objective of this research is to investigate the cost-effective integration of renewable energy sources, including solar photovoltaics (PV), wind, and in the most novel contribution to the study, concentrating solar power (CSP). In addition to these technologies, the study explores the potential of battery and hydrogen energy storage to facilitate the transition towards 100% renewable electricity generation and the reduction of carbon emissions. This thesis is not solely a theoretical endeavor; it also …

Effect Of Ploidy On Salinity And Temperature Tolerance In Early Life Stages Of The Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea Virginica), Christian Boudreaux, Jessica Pruett, Alexz Carpenter, Kristie Willett, Deborah Gochfeld

Honors Theses

The U.S. Gulf of Mexico contains the largest remaining wild oyster fishery in the world, but populations have declined in recent decades. A growing interest in off-bottom aquaculture that relies on triploid eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) has emerged in the Gulf region, yet these faster growing oysters suffer high mortality as adults during low salinity events (< 5 ppt) in warmer summer months. The combined effects of salinity and temperature stressors on early life stages of triploid oysters are unknown. Early life stages are particularly crucial to understand because triploid oysters do not occur naturally and must be reared in hatchery settings, requiring appropriate water conditions to yield the greatest survival and growth. Thus, we tested the effects of different temperatures (28oC and 32oC) and salinities (5, 10, and 15 ppt) on diploid and triploid oysters at three critical production stages: veliger, pediveliger, and spat. Veliger survival was significantly lower for triploids relative to diploid oysters at all experimental conditions, but triploid veligers had faster growth than diploids at 32oC and 15 ppt. Pediveliger settlement was not affected by ploidy type and only reduced at high temperature (32oC) and the lowest salinity (5 ppt). Diploid spat showed highest survival at 28oC and 15 ppt, while triploids survived best at 32oC and 15 ppt. Triploid spat attained greater shell height compared to diploids in our 6-day exposures, but growth decreased for both ploidies at lower salinities. At the salinity and temperature levels examined, diploid early life stages performed best at 28oC and 15 ppt, whereas triploids were more successful at 32oC and 15 ppt. A broader understanding of the combined effects of environmental stressors will improve the success of hatchery production yields and the resulting economic and environmental benefits of the oyster industry.

Emulating Evolutionary Principles For Agriculture: Designing A Biomimetic Vertical Garden By Mimicking Tracheophyte Evolution, Earl M. Riddell

Honors Theses

Biodiversity, particularly in the world’s equatorial regions, is under threat from human industry. Among the most daunting problems facing these biomes is that of the food industry’s continual expansion into what was once rainforest. Expansive monoculture (large cultivated swaths of a single crop species) are the primary threat to tropical biodiversity. This method of agriculture is harmful because it requires the clearing of land that once supported thousands of species in order to replace it with rows of a single crop. If more plants could be grown in a smaller horizontal square footage, farms need not rely so heavily on …

The Effect Of Cloud-Based Platforms On Auditing Standards Set By The Pcaob, Quinn Bourland

Honors Theses

As accounting software has evolved over time, so have the procedures and expectations associated with those programs. Similarly, cloud-based platforms have become more and more prevalent, and theoretically, there ought to be more procedures and expectations associated with these platforms. While there are many sources of regulation for the accounting industry, audits are given careful consideration due to the influence they have on the decision of external users of financial statements. One such place where the procedures and expectations are explicitly defined is for audits of public companies through the Auditing Standards created by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board …

Interprofessional Collaboration Between Occupational Therapy And Applied Behavior Analysis, Elizabeth Fairchild

Honors Theses

The fields of Occupational Therapy and Applied Behavior Analysis are currently two of the most common treatment approaches for children with autism spectrum disorder. Unfortunately, a lack of understanding and mutual respect between the fields has led to poor interprofessional collaboration among professionals in each practice area, negatively impacting client outcomes. While both fields differ greatly in treatment approaches, collaboration is crucial between practitioners as they address similar skills in a child with autism spectrum disorder. Interprofessional collaboration can allow practitioners to share their individualized background and lens with another field in order to mutually address client goals. This project …

The Contradictions Of First-Year Teaching: Why New Teachers Don't Want To Return To The Classroom, Maddison L. Hewitt

Honors Theses

Teachers are leaving the profession at an alarming rate. Beginning teachers are one of the largest groups of teachers to leave the profession every year. This paper examines the common internal and external conflicts that first-year teachers struggle with in order to create their teaching identity and how that affects their retention. Through the analysis of educational experts and their evidence-based research, the conflicts of new teachers have been collected and analyzed to determine the reasons why new teachers are not staying in the profession. Conclusions are drawn regarding how education teachers, district/school officials, and political officials can make changes …

Role Of G1p3-Rab5 Interaction In Breast Cancer Gene Expression, Madelyn Terrell

Honors Theses

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide with millions of cases diagnosed each year. Despite modern treatments, over 40% of patients can expect to relapse after initial cancer eradication. Consequently, it is crucial to unravel the mechanisms by which breast cells confer their cancerous properties to develop novel treatments that improve patient survival. G1P3 is a mitochondrial localized protein found to be upregulated 50x in estrogen receptorpositive breast cancer and is correlated with overall poor patient survival. G1P3-overexpressing cells display increased amounts of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) and G1P3 as an ISG indicates these genes potential to promote …

I Know What You Did On Wattpad: Understanding The Adolescent Desire To Write Self-Insert Fanfiction, Kerra Miles

Honors Theses

Fanfiction has always been popular, but through the expansion of the internet, it can be viewed as well as published anywhere at any time. Fanfiction written by young female authors tends to follow similar themes and tropes across the age group, and often, are self-insert fanfictions. Self-insert is a term to describe a character who is the author’s surrogate character. In my research, I wanted to determine what the appeal of writing these types of characters would be. By extensively looking at many research papers and published fanfictions, I have determined that the main appeal for young women to write …