Digital Commons Network^™

Open Arms: Adult Faith-Based Volunteers: Expectations And Needs To Work With Youth With Disabilities, Merritt B. Vise

Honors Theses

Religious organizations can offer many benefits to society at large such as extended social groups, opportunities for physical activity and service, and emotional support. People with disabilities are often in need of these opportunities most because of the social pressures, rejection, and isolation many experience at school or home. This study was designed to assess the experiences and needs of adult religious volunteers who work with students with disabilities in order to determine expectations and knowledge needs of these volunteers. This study examined the published research about the benefits of religious organizations to students with disabilities, the rate of involvement …

Ogt Glycosylation Of Histones In T Cells May Participate In Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Jared Luke Ridgeway

Honors Theses

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that primarily affects women. The etiology is not known yet, but genetics and environmental factors trigger the disease. These epigenetic changes modify gene expression and contribute to the development of the disease. It is known that T cells from patients with lupus overexpress genes that may contribute to the onset and progression of the disease. Dr. Gorelik has shown that OGT (O-linked N-acetyl-Glucosamine Transferase), which is an X-linked gene, is overexpressed in women with SLE. OGT adds b-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) to serine and threonine residues of proteins. …

Characterization Of Bpa Sensitive Strains In C. Elegans, Giulianna I. Escobar

Honors Theses

Bisphenol A (BPA) has been present in our environment since 1891 when it was first synthesized by Aleksandr Dianin. BPA has since been a topic of interest due to the possibility of diseases associated in human consumption of the chemical. Interestingly, Caenorhabditiselegans, commonly known as C.eleganshave shown to be able to tolerate the chemical. Thisorganism is an advantageous model organism for research since they are simple organisms to study, cheap, produce a large brood size, and have a short life cycle. Previously a forward genetic screen was done to isolate 2000 healthy strains in order to determine which strains showed …

Assessing Solvent Viscosity Impact On The Physical Characteristics Of Polymeric Organogels, Cameron Hong

Honors Theses

Traditionally, studies of polymeric organogels focus on the impact of polymer factors (e.g., molecular weight and polymer concentration) on the gels’ mechanical and transport properties. Alternatively, this study seeks to assess the impact of altering solvent viscosity, while holding polymer factors constant. The gels in this study were composed of different viscosity mineral oils, styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS) triblock copolymer as a gelator, and oleic acid (OA) as a model drug. Samples were formulated to have 6.5, 11.2, and 15.7 wt% SEBS copolymer for each mineral oil, varying in viscosity from ≈30 mPa*s to ≈500 mPa*s. Uniaxial mechanical testing was performed to …

Dissociating Socioeconomic Influences On Maternal Language Input And Child Language Outcomes, Klaudia Kulawska

Honors Theses

Early language development is associated with children’s socioeconomic status (SES). Specifically, children from lower SES backgrounds, on average, exhibit slower language development compared to their peers from higher-SES backgrounds. Even though SES is a multidimensional construct, research often relies on a single dimension or a composite measure when studying child language development. In this article, I investigate four dimensions of SES, including maternal education, income-to-needs ratio, financial security, and neighborhood SES. Specifically, I examine whether the quantity and quality of maternal linguistic input mediates the relationships between dimensions of SES and child receptive language skills. Mothers and their 36-40 months …

Assessing The Impact Of Block-Selective Homopolymers On The Diffusion Of Payload Through Polymeric Organogels, Ian Coates

Honors Theses

Styrenic polymer gels have received recent attention for their application in transdermal patches due to their unique properties. Previous research in the pharmaceutical industry has identified that polymeric gels, specifically styrenic gels, have the potential to encompass multiple functions of the transdermal delivery patch including controlling mechanical and delivery properties. To tailor styrenic gels either the gel nanostructure or the drug complex can be controlled. Specifically, this thesis investigated the effect of gel nanostructure in an attempt to control the gel diffusivity and mechanical properties. To control gel nanostructure a phase selective styrene homopolymer was used at varying concentrations. It …

The Effects Of Higher Education On Socioeconomic Mobility: A Comparative Analysis Of Outcomes At Bucknell University, Katrien Weemaes

Honors Theses

Income inequality and the lack of higher-education opportunities across the United States often correlate with families' socioeconomic status. In this honors thesis, the following questions will be examined: How does the social mobility of Bucknell Students compare with students from other national universities? How do a student’s race and financial aid status affect their ability to achieve social mobility? How has the rate of social mobility through Bucknell changed in recent years? How does a student’s current family socioeconomic status affect their ability to achieve high-income success upon graduation? Does the level of accessibility to Bucknell change when socioeconomic status …

Rights For The “Non-Conforming” Woman: The Intersectionality Of The Fight For Women’S Rights And Lgbtq+ Rights In Argentina, Talia C. Housman

Honors Theses

Argentina has faced many challenges throughout its history of activism as the people have pushed for an equal society. Different movements have sprung up over the years, but they have begun to twist together in recent times due to the need for support during repressive regimes. This brings into question the concept of intersectionality, which spans feminist, queer, and legal theory in its attempt to explain the need for overlap, modeling the natural development of personal identities and groups like family. The feminist movement and the LGBTQ+ movements have woven together in many rallies, especially during El Encuentro Nacional de …

Perceptually Improved Medical Image Translations Using Conditional Generative Adversarial Networks, Anurag Vaidya

Honors Theses

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can help visualize various brain regions. Typical MRI sequences consist of T1-weighted sequence (favorable for observing large brain structures), T2-weighted sequence (useful for pathology), and T2-FLAIR scan (useful for pathology with suppression of signal from water). While these different scans provide complementary information, acquiring them leads to acquisition times of ~1 hour and an average cost of $2,600, presenting significant barriers. To reduce these costs associated with brain MRIs, we present pTransGAN, a generative adversarial network capable of translating both healthy and unhealthy T1 scans into T2 scans. We show that the addition of non-adversarial …

Twelve Angry Men: A Twenty-First Century Reflection Of Race, Art, And Incarceration, Mackenzie A. Gross

Honors Theses

Twelve Angry Men: A Twenty-First Century Reflection of Race, Art and Incarceration is a Comparative and Digital Humanities Honors Thesis concentrating on Africana Studies, theatre, sociology and legal studies to demonstrate the importance of investing in incarcerated communities through theatre and education.

In Chapter I, I critique the loss of identity attached to incarceration, and introduce the foundation for Black bodies individuals being discriminated against in the prosecution system. I analyze the “Punishment vs Progress” mentality, and introduce current educational programs in place in prisons. I elaborate on the details of our production, as well as the makeup of actors. …

Food Insecurity At Bucknell University: A Look At Student Experiences And Contributing Factors, Emma Curtin

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the prevalence of food insecurity at Bucknell and examines the contributing factors. Two research questions frame the present study: 1) What factors contribute to food insecurity on Bucknell’s campus? And 2) How do students at Bucknell experience food insecurity? Additionally, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on college student food insecurity is explored. The theoretical framework used in this thesis is Bourdieu’s theory of social reproduction. This framework coupled with a phenomenological approach to analyzing the data are the most appropriate for the present study because food insecurity is a systemic phenomenon, maintained by institutions but lived …

Synthesis, Gari Eberly

Honors Theses

Synthesis is a scientifically-aware collection of poetry that explores how gender relations and race amalgamate to impact the maturation of an individual. Employing both sonnet and computer code, I reflect on my experiences as a mixed-raced girl growing up in central Pennsylvania, my growth through several romantic relationships, and how I currently navigate male-dominated spaces as a woman.

For the past four years, I have sought to bridge the gap between my two academic commitments: poetry and science. Both poetry and science exist as a means to ask and answer questions about the messy interactions that shape personalities and relations …

Arab Media's Representation Of Arab-Israeli Normalization Agreements, Rylan L. Forester

Honors Theses

When, on August 13, 2020, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced it was normalizing relations with the state of Israel, few could have predicted the effects it would have. However, since the Emirati decision, three other Arab countries - Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco - have reached agreements with Tel Aviv to normalize relations. Such events are a sharp divergence from the status quo and thus, this thesis examines, through the application of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and analyzed through a constructivist framework, how three Arab media sources - Al-Jazeera, Al-Arabiya, and Al-Mayadeen - discuss and represent these normalization agreements. By …

Korean Fusion: Consuming A Globalized Korea Through Food And Music, Ashley Hong

Honors Theses

In Koreatown, Los Angeles, one of the largest centers of Korean immigrants in the Western hemisphere, restaurant owners are constantly creating new forms of Korean cuisine that both challenge and preserve traditional methods of Korean culinary methods. Based on participant observation and semi-structured interviews conducted in Koreatown, Los Angeles in December 2020, I examine how Korean restaurant owners are navigating the current food scene while also maintaining their ethnic identity in a globalized landscape such as Los Angeles. I conceptualize the idea of a “twist” which can be understood as components of fusion food that allow Korean restaurant owners to …

Impacts Of Using Tubular Sections In Open Web Steel Joists, Hollis (Cas) L. Caswell V

Honors Theses

Open web steel joists are lightweight structural trusses used in place of I-beams to support long-span floors and roofs of open space buildings. Their slender geometry makes them highly efficient in resisting flexure, but susceptible to out-of-plane buckling in a failure mode known as lateral-torsional buckling. This failure can be avoided by running lateral bracing between joists called bridging or potentially by using tubular sections to build up the joists rather than angle sections.

It is possible that a joist design using tubular cross-sections could require less bridging and prevent the need to use erection bridging for initial joist construction. …

A Comparative Analysis Of Chinese And American Cinematic Depictions Of The Female Adolescent Life Transition, Lily Li

Honors Theses

The thesis examines the representation through film of the ways social systems in Western and Eastern societies impact female adolescents’ growth. My study focuses on the transition from childhood to adolescence, from a relatively "naive" state to a reflective state of mind, filled with uncertainty about oneself and the future. In this process, there are emotions of confusion, insecurity, struggle, anxiety, and intergenerational conflicts. Some crucial factors such as friendships, family relationships, and societal pressures are influential in adolescents' formation of their personalities. This transformational process is universal across all cultures, as every adolescent experiences the transition from youth to …

Biking At Bucknell: The Evaluation Of The Built Environment, Societal Environment, And Individual Behavior And Attitudes In Relation To Biking At Bucknell University, Makenna Cerney

Honors Theses

A biking market in this thesis is defined by three major contributors: (a) the built environment such as the engineering and construction of bike lanes, parking corrals, and other aspects of the physical infrastructure for biking, (b) the societal environment which includes the norms and communal acceptance of biking, and (c) individual beliefs, behaviors and attitudes toward biking. These three areas form the foundation of the factors that stimulate the demand for biking in the biking market, which in turn drives the supply of biking and biking services. This thesis intends to conduct research on the built environment, societal environment, …

Determination Of Hydrogel Degradation By Passive Mechanical Testing, Avery Rosh-Gorsky

Honors Theses

This paper details a new technique to measure the mechanical properties of ETTMP PEGDA hydrogels using Hertz Contact Theory and simultaneously analyze both the model drug release and gel erosion in situ. This method involves curing a drug loaded hydrogel in a standard cuvette and placing a glass bead and phosphate buffer solution (PBS). Over time, the cross-linked network of the hydrogel breaks down, and, as a result, the ball sinks into the hydrogel. This method provides a macroscopic and inexpensive way to continuously and passively measure properties of the hydrogel as the hydrogel degrades. By plotting both the …

Disabling The Abled Eye: Disability In Contemporary Art, Audrey Washuta

Honors Theses

In this thesis I examine the disability identity reflected in contemporary art history. This thesis utilizes theorists in disability studies to expose the lack of meaningful discourse regarding the disabled experience. By focusing on the need to dismantle the abled lens and highlighting disabled artists themselves, I bring to light the need for disability to be viewed as a social construct and not something to be fixed or eliminated. I highlight the importance of bringing disability to contemporary art as it fosters a space for the disabled narrative to come to light. I also highlight that the field of the …

"Taming Of The Shrew(S)": Explorations Of Gender And Power In Directing An Original Adaptation Of William Shakespeare's The Taming Of The Shrew, Katharine Cognard-Black

Honors Theses

In Fall 2021, I directed my own adaptation of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, entitled “Taming of the Shrew(s).” This project served as both the creative portion of my honors thesis as well as a Senior Showcase within the Bucknell Department of Theatre & Dance. From a young age, I have been fascinated by the malleability of Shakespeare’s plays, and having acted in and seen multiple productions of The Taming of the Shrew, my project began with a desire to take on the gendered complexities of this so-called “problem play.” The Taming of the Shrew is problematic in its sexist …

To Believe Or Not To Believe: Voters’ Responses To Sexual Assault Allegations In Politics, Emily Brandes

Honors Theses

Since the viral 2017 #MeToo movement, public opinion on cases of sexual misconduct has been shaped by the mainstream media coverage of high-profile stories. A shift in public attitude towards these issues has encouraged more victims to come forward and share their stories, many detailing harrowing events perpetrated by successful businessmen and politicians. Credible accusations continue to come forward, and while some end in legal action, many do not, and perpetrators face little to no consequences. I examined how individuals respond to issues of sexual misconduct and assault in politics, and based on the severity of the accusation, how they …

Autistic Personality Traits And Processing Of Ironic Language, Jaclyn Opie

Honors Theses

Whereas typically developing adults tend to show processing differences for ironic versus literal language, recent research has demonstrated that adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder do not show a difference. Building on these findings, the present study examined whether similar effects would emerge in a sample of college students who were assessed on autistic personality traits. Through an eye tracking during reading experiment, participants read sentence contexts in which factors of emotional language, ironic versus literal language, and sentence perspective were manipulated. Results showed that participants who had a low degree of autistic traits somewhat replicated the two-stage processing model of …

Comparison Of Cardiac Muscle Between Male And Female Rats With Exercise And Aging: Analyzing Vitals, Gdnf Expression, Ngf Expression, Rna Expression, Sympathetic Innervation, Parasympathetic Innervation, And Sensory Innervation, Katelyn Kurrie

Honors Theses

The direction of my research-based thesis answers the question of how exercise affects the cardiovascular system with aging in male and female rats. My study would highlight the important differences of the cardiovascular system of both sexes which could lead to sex-specific insight on the cardiovascular disease epidemic which prevails as the most common cause of death in the United States. The studies completed will test the hypothesis: neurotrophic factor will be higher in females than males due to the higher presence of estrogen in females. The trophic factor is predicted to increase in both males and females with regular …

An Interdisciplinary Analysis Of Health Equity As Evaluated Through The Covid-19 Response Concerning French-Speaking Refugees., Margaret Henning

Honors Theses

A collaborative approach is needed to understand the multifaceted medical bias and inequalities experienced by refugee camps of Francophone (French-speaking) nations. A combination of interest and passion for anthropology, medicine, and the French language presents a unique window of intersectionality to analyze this issue. Through a comprehensive review of literature published in both English and French languages, and connections with directors and leaders of refugee camps located in France and French-speaking African nations, we have elucidated a few examples of alarming medical bias experienced by both refugees and migrants. Although an exhaustive list of medical bias could be presented on …

Mortgage Discrimination And District Manipulation: Deterrents To Minority Mobility, Megan M. Rice

Honors Theses

This paper explores the relationship between gerrymandering and home loan discrimination. Gerrymandering, the process of manipulating district plans for political gain, and discrimination in mortgage lending are both illegal; and yet, they still occur in today’s society. By using individual loan application data from the HMDA’s website, a series of regressions will be run using applicant characteristics to measure loan discrimination at the state level. Once a state level model has been constructed, a measure of gerrymandering called the Efficiency Gap will be added into the regression in order to explore the relationship between home loan discrimination and gerrymandering. Regression …

Industry 4.0 In The Retail Sector: Sustainability Of Food Retail With A Focus On Food Insecurity In Dayton, Oh, Katrina Alexis Coleman

Honors Theses

In recent years, large scale agricultural and food processing industries have experienced a great worldwide digital transformation. The advent of Industry 4.0, which has become popular in Europe, has helped many industries optimize their operations. Relatively new is the idea that food processing industries and other stakeholders in the food distribution supply chain cannot only optimize their processes but also, track and provide timely customer service. This has technical and managerial challenges that might limit the potential benefits of industry 4.0 in the efficient distribution of fresh food produce. For example, food retailers have to meet the increasing customer desire …

Designing And Implementing A Peer-To-Peer Led Behavioral And Energy Reduction Program For Low-Income Neighborhoods, Jenn Hoody

Honors Theses

Reduction in energy consumption from fossil fuels is a necessary step toward combating climate change as more and more studies are revealing the catastrophic outcomes if the current trends do not change. Residential programs generally managed by energy utilities promoting energy cost savings and reduced consumption are being enacted to decrease the greenhouse emissions. However, thus far, little to no measures have been taken to extend the reach of such programs to low-income communities. Reducing household energy consumption would be particularly beneficial for these communities as it would lower utility bills for low-income households who spend a substantially greater portion …

Upper Extremity Motion Assessments In Virtual Reality Environments, Lanna Nicole Klausing

Honors Theses

Traditional upper extremity rehabilitation techniques often utilize tedious and repetitive reaching motions. Fully immersive virtual reality (VR), involving a VR headset, is a technology with the potential to have non-gaming uses and applications, specifically as an upper extremity rehabilitation tool. This study was designed with the long-term goal of evaluating immersive VR as an upper extremity rehabilitation tool. The purpose of this research is to quantify different movement deficits that may arise due to MS or Parkinson’s, and to understand how the motions of patients with MS or Parkinson’s may differ from healthy controls. This thesis documents the first step …

Effect Of Airfoil-Preserved Undulations On Wing Performance And Wingtip Vortex, Faith A. Loughnane

Honors Theses

The effect of undulation placement (leading edge, trailing edge, leading and trailing edge) on the wing performance and the wingtip vortex was investigated. Experiments were performed at the University of Dayton Low Speed Wind Tunnel (UD-LSWT) on undulated wings where the NACA 0012 airfoil cross-section is preserved along the wingspan. Sensitivity studies were done on the undulation wavelength along the span (λ/c 0.31, 0.21 and 0.15) and undulation placement (leading edge, trailing edge, and both leading and trailing edge). The leading edge undulations delayed stall until higher angles of attack, however, the maximum aerodynamic efficiency was reduced. The trailing edge …

The Tolerance Of Shewanella Woodyi For Electric Potentials And Heavy Metals As Biofilms, Christopher Thomas Mortensen

Honors Theses

Shewanella woodyi is a bioluminescent marine organism that is known to be metal tolerant and modulate the intensity of its luminescence with electrochemical potential. The viability of S. woodyi as a bioreporter for the toxic heavy metal zinc, copper, and silver was analyzed. Biofilms of S. woodyi was grown on marine broth agar plates and then exposed to various concentrations of each metal ion to evaluate biofilm response to the metal ions that were generated from an operating short circuited electrode containing either Zn, Cu, or Ag metal. The ability of the bacteria to tolerate the heavy metals and continue …