Digital Commons Network^™

The Real Antagonist In Jane Austen’S Northanger Abbey, Trevor Borg

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Northanger Abbey is so loaded with irony that its main antagonist is someone we would never suspect. This hidden adversary maneuvers Catherine Morland into a conflict. The conflict seems a creation of the protagonist’s overactive imagination. However, the novel drops enough clues to indicate Henry Tilney willfully manipulates Catherine to produce the conflict. Finally, several hints in the novel suggest this same person also narrates it, thus sealing the novel’s irony.

The Effect Of Thimerosal On Gene Expression In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae: An Application Of Microarray Technology, Christie Rubio

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Thimerosal is a preservative and anti-fungal used in many vaccines which is metabolized to ethylmercury (about 50% by weight) and thiosalicylate (used as an analgesic agent). In 1999, thimerosal was removed from vaccines (or left only in trace amounts) as a public health precaution. In 2007, the average human will receive a concentration of 0.01% thimerosal per vaccine. This is equivalent to 50μg thimerosal per 0.5mL dose. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the maximum amount of thimerosal that a two-year old, fully-vaccinated child could possibly receive is 106.4μg, which is equivalent to 53.2μg of mercury. This reflects …

Synthesis Of New Ruthenium (Ii) Complex, [Ru(Bipycn)2]2+ And Its Interactions With Dna, Terry-Ann Dawes

Undergraduate Student Symposium

A new Ru(II) complex, [Ru(bipyCN)₂]²⁺ (where bpyCN is 4,4'-Bis(cyanomethyl)- 2,2'-bipyridine), was synthesized and characterized, and the effect on the emission spectra of the complex was studied. The interaction of the complex with DNA was investigated by UV–visible and emission spectroscopy.

Self Image: Juxtapose, Iva Christina Marc

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The name of my film is Self Image: Juxtapose. The theme of the film explores the emotions of negative and positive self image. This is an Avant Garde film. The purpose of this film is about moving toward self love. My principle cast member is Iva Marc. My crewmembers are Katrina Jackson and Nerissa Street.

Streptococcus Pyogenes: A Versatile Human Pathogen, Maria E. Cevallos

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Streptococcus pyogenes is one of the most medically relevant genera of Gram positive bacteria. S. pyogenes belongs to group A streptococcus (GAS), the most pathogenic streptococci. S. pyogenes is exclusively a notorious human pathogen that is known for its ability to cause a wide array of infections ranging from superficial pharyngitis and impetigo to evasive and life threatening conditions including septicemia, necrotizing fasciitis, and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. The dissemination of S. pyogenes within a human host is dependent upon virulence factors aimed at host immune system evasion leading to infection. More specifically, S. pyogenes’ virulence factors are required for …

Shipping Out: The Effects Of Outsourcing, Kristen Franchy, Morgan Mcwhorter, Caroling Lugg, Vanessa Palacios

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The purpose of this research was to define and explain the process of outsourcing by providing examples and focusing on the pros and cons as well as the short and long term effects. Possible solutions and the role of outsourcing in the future were also discussed. Outsourcing is when a company would rather hire workers from an external source to perform certain tasks in order to achieve full benefit of their capital. Businesses that outsource save money by hiring workers that will work for lower pay. These new workers may be less skilled and are able to perform the simpler …

A Cost-Benefit Analysis Of Possible Alternatives For The Chemical Triclosan, Besty Jacob

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The chemical Triclosan is currently being used in a variety of household products. Soap, shampoo, dishwashing solution, detergents, cosmetics and lotions all utilize this product. These and other similar products market Triclosan as a bactericide. However Triclosan may not be as effective at killing bacteria when combined with these commercial products as advertised. There may potentially be safer and more effective alternatives. A potential problem with the overuse of Triclosan, is current and potential bacterial resistance. For instance, some strains of MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Auereus) have already developed resistance to this chemical. On the other hand, there are …

Effects Of Colored Words On Memory Retention, Adriana Gutierrez

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Color seems to have an impact in our everyday lives. Memory color is a phenomenon in which an object's characteristic color enhances our memory retention. The objective of the present study is to examine which color can best facilitate memory retention. A sample of 30 participants (15 males and 15 females) were recruited from Nova Southeastern University. The participants were tested on their ability to recall a list of 20 words in the colors blue, green, orange, and red. Participants were also tested to determine what color they would be able to best recall. The list of 20 words included …

An Application For A State Designated, Federally Approved No Discharge Area For Boston Harbor, Ma, City Of Boston Environment Department, City Of Quincy Harbormaster, Urban Harbors Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston, Charles River Watershed Association

Urban Harbors Institute Publications

The municipalities surrounding Boston Harbor are requesting that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts designate the waters of Boston Harbor as a No Discharge Area (NDA) pursuant to the Clean Water Act, Section 312(f)(3). An NDA is a body of water in which the discharge of vessel sewage, whether treated or not, is prohibited. The No Discharge Area would be called the Boston Harbor No Discharge Area.

While the waters of Boston Harbor are under the jurisdiction of a number of different municipalities, water quality issues affect the harbor as a whole. Past efforts to clean up the harbor have occurred across …

Sandspur, Vol 114, No 20, April 04, 2008, Rollins College

The Rollins Sandspur

Rollins College student newspaper, written by the students and published at Rollins College. The Sandspur started as a literary journal.

No-Till Corn After Bromegrass: Effect On Soil Carbon And Soil Aggregates, Ronald F. Follett, Gary E. Varvel, John M. Kimble, Kenneth P. Vogel

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Grasslands in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in the USA may be converted to grain crops for bioenergy. The effect of no-till conversion of a smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss) grassland to no-till corn (Zea mays L.) production on soil organic carbon (SOC) in the western Corn Belt was monitored for over 6 yr. A different ¹³C/¹²C isotope signature is imparted to SOC by C4 plants including corn versus C3 plants such as bromegrass. Changes in C isotope ratios in SOC in three soil depths (0- to 5-, 5–10, and 10–30 cm) by particle size …

The Effects Of The Herbal Enzyme Bromelain Against Breast Cancer Cell Line Gi101a, Alexandra Paroulek

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Bromelain is a proteinase derived from the stem of pineapple and has been studied for its anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic, and antimetastatic properties. Bromelain has also been known to significantly reduce local tumor growth and to raise the impaired cytotoxicity of monocytes in the immune system against tumor cells. The goal of this project is to advance the mechanistic knowledge of herbal remedies and to confirm the already known antimetastatic properties of Bromelain. Standardization of MTS assay to check the cell viability is in progress. To test the cytotoxic effects of Bromelain, GI101A breast cancer cells cultured to the required confluency of …

What You Can’T See Can Hurt You! Bacterial Invasion At Nsu, Samarah Al-Jamali

Undergraduate Student Symposium

College campuses are typically areas where large numbers of students from diverse geographical areas converge. Close contact in public places such as classrooms, restrooms, and computer labs is common. Illnesses quickly spread through a college campuses population. Many germs are spread via respiratory droplets which can survive on surfaces for hours and even days. I sampled 14 separate locations at NSU to see which surfaces harbored the most bacteria. Bacterial samples were collected using sterile Q-tips which were swabbed over a one square inch area for approximately 10 seconds. The Q- tips were then used to transfer any bacteria present …

Effects Of Beach Renourishment On Inshore Macroinfauna Off John U. Lloyd Beach State Park, Broward County, Fl, Jessica Boyd

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The marine benthic macrofauna at John U. Lloyd Beach State Park (Broward Co., FL) has been surveyed at intervals since 1987 to examine effects of periodic beach renourishments. The current study followed the most recent renourishment, which ran from May 2005 to February 2006. A total of 20 quantitative sediment core samples (926.667 cm³) were taken from four sites (5 replicates per site), ~100 m offshore at depths of 2-5 m in May 2007. Samples were fixed in 10% seawater formalin with Rose Bengal stain, and subsequently passed through a 0.5-mm-mesh sieve and transferred to 70% ethanol in …

Drowned, Amy Carol Harvey

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Written by Amy Harvey in 2007, this poem offers more than meets the eye. The poem is actually an allegory. Its allegorical meaning is based on the true experiences of the author. Here the experience is given a different location, which aids indirectly to the poem's explanation. This poem was created for personal reflection and healing. In sharing it with others, it is the author's hope that those suffering from sexual abuse will find their voice and demand to be heard.

Purification Of Photosystem Proteins From Spinach Leaves, Anisa Andoni, Hai Pham, Priya Somnaran

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Photosystems are protein-pigment complexes responsible for the conversion of light energy into an electron flow in plants. There are two photosystems called photosystem I and photosystem II. Photosystem II is responsible for splitting water molecules into protons and oxygen. In this work, we have used a biochemical protocol to purify photosystems from spinach leaves by detergent solubilization and centrifugation. The photosystem II activity was measured using a Clarke-type oxygen electrode as an indicator for its intactness and purity. This protocol provides us a tool to compare the photosystem protein from spinach with other species.

Anatomy Cat Dissection Software: Developing A Study Resource Cd-Rom For Physiology Students, Nick Rocco

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The purpose of this research project is to develop an interactive CD-ROM study tool, specifically designed for cat dissections. A team of NSU Pre-Medical Students will be performing dissections on triple injected cats as well as gathering data to study the effectiveness of the program on student’s lab performance. The students will be taking still pictures along with interactive video to demonstrate various dissection procedures in addition to viewing anatomical structures. Dr. Paul Arena will be the advising professor along with Dr. Robin Sherman who will be assisting in the dissection process and providing her expertise in mammalian dissections. The …

Is There A Gender Difference Regarding Perceived Efficacy Of Openly Gay Tutors?, Randy Denis

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Research has shown that many college students have more negative attitudes toward homosexuals than toward other minority groups (Liang and Alimo, 2005), even when they do not openly endorse homophobic attitudes (Nosek, 2007). For example, lectures given by homosexuals were rated as having lower quality than identical lectures given by heterosexuals, possibly demonstrating subtle prejudice (Ewing, Stukas and Sheehan, 2003). In addition, recent findings indicate that heterosexual women tend to have a more favorable perception than heterosexual men of male homosexuality (Herek, 1998). In a between-participants design, forty heterosexual undergraduate students will be exposed to a male tutor with a …

Biodegradation And Partitioning Of Triclosan From A Model Municipal Waste Water Treatment Plant, Besty Jacob

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Triclosan is the commercial name of 5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)phenol), an antibacterial and antifungal compound used in a variety of household products. Even at low levels, 0.03 to 0.15% by weight, Triclosan is effective at killing bacteria. Products include soaps, toothpaste, shampoos, tissue paper, and cosmetics. There is a growing trend among manufacturers of diverse products to add the antimicrobial as a marketing edge regardless of its utility. Recent studies indicate triclosan is more persistent in the environment than initially reported. In order to study the effectiveness of wastewater treatment on the degradation of triclosan, a small scale water treatment process was duplicated. …

The Effects Of Laughter On Attention, Raquel Sanchez, Marcia Garcia

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Laughter is a cardinal part of human behavior: it is rooted within personality, functions within social dynamics, and is mediated through a species physiological form. Numerous studies have depicted the benefits of laughter (Martin, 2002; Kimata, 2007), but none have thoroughly analyzed its role within cognition. Cognition is required to incite laughter in the instances where humor appreciation must be delineated. Accordingly, in instances where a cognitive task occurs concurrently with humorous stimuli, there is potentially a competition for attentional resources, thereby reducing cognitive abilities during humor processing. The primary goal of the current proposal is to utilize brain electroencephalographic …

Reducing Carbon Dioxide Levels Through Carbon Sequestration, Mari Holderby, Hira Hussain, Sebastian Jofre, Aurea Mendez

Undergraduate Student Symposium

There has been a growing interest as to what is identified as global warming over the past five years. Studies have demonstrated that the earth’s atmosphere has become warmer thanks to the increasing levels of carbon dioxide, which trap heat that would normally exit into outer space. Much focus has additionally been placed on the causes of this phenomenon, such as the burning of fossil fuels, using coal-fired power plants, and deforestation. The purpose of this research is to discuss how carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced by the use of carbon sequestration. The significant challenge being addressed by this …

Illinois State University 12th Annual Jazz Festival, April 4, 2008, School Of Music

School of Music Programs

ISU Center for the Performing Arts
April 4 and 5, 2008

The Inkwell, Armstrong Atlantic State University

The Inkwell

No abstract provided.

The Bg News April 4, 2008, Bowling Green State University

BG News (Student Newspaper)

The BGSU campus student newspaper. April 4, 2008. Volume 98-Issue 133.

Advances In Magnetic Resonance Electrical Impedance Mammography, Nataliya Kovalchuk

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Magnetic Resonance Electrical Impedance Mammography (MREIM) is a new imaging technique under development by Wollin Ventures, Inc. in conjunction with the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute. MREIM addresses the problem of low specificity of magnetic resonance mammography and high false-positive rates, which lead to unnecessary biopsies. Because cancerous tissue has a higher electrical conductivity than benign tissue, it may serve as a biomarker for differentiation between malignant and benign lesions. The MREIM principle is based on measuring both magnetic resonance and electric properties of the breast by adding a quasi-steady-state electric field to the standard magnetic resonance …

Brca1 185delag Mutant Protein, Brat, Amplifies Caspase-Mediated Apoptosis And Maspin Expression In Ovarian Cells, Joshua D. O'Donnell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ovarian cancer is a deadly disease that kills an estimated 15,000 women annually in the United States. It is estimated that approximately 10% of ovarian cancers are due to familial inheritance. The most commonly mutated genes in familial ovarian cancer are BRCA1 and BRCA2. It has been reported that cells carrying the BRCA1 185delAG mutation undergo an enhanced caspase-3 mediated apoptotic response. Here, we report on the transfection of cDNA coding for the putative truncated protein product of the BRCA1 185delAG mutant gene into BRCA1 wild-type human immortalized ovarian surface epithelial (IOSE) cells and ovarian cancer cells. Cells transfected …

Multifunctional Nanoparticle/Lipid Self-Assemblies, Geoff Bothun

Amgen Seminar Series in Chemical Engineering

Lipid bilayer membranes provide the physical barriers that define the structure, function, and stability of living cells. Specifically, they play a key role in governing molecular and phase toxicity, anesthetic action, the bioaccumulation of hydrophobic or amphiphatic pollutants, and cell-surface interactions. In addition to their ubiquity in nature, vesicles (or liposomes) self-assembled from synthetic lipid bilayers provide a biologically inspired route for the design of, for example, drug delivery systems, nanostructured materials and devices, and biosensors. We currently have two research thrusts in our laboratory related to lipid assemblies: (1) Utilizing synthetic lipid bilayers as model cell membranes to study …

Mustang Daily, April 3, 2008

Cal Poly Student Newspaper

Student newspaper of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA.

Observer, Central Washington University

Student Newspaper

Student newspaper for Central Washington University for April 3, 2008

University Of New Mexico Board Of Regents Minutes For April 03, 2008, University Of New Mexico Board Of Regents

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

Minutes from the April 3rd, 2008 Board of Regents Meeting