Digital Commons Network^™

The Real World: Differential Equations, Tania Lopez, Brandy Shafer, Bryan Candela, Gerardo Davila, Andrew Dweck

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Mathematics can be used, and is used, to describe the physical phenomena of the world we live in. Differential equations are an application of the ideas of calculus to our everyday lives. In differential equations we seek to model real-life situations in Mathematical terms. Thus, differential equations are used for scientific modeling to describe the dynamics of diverse state variables, such as daily temperature, proportion of a population infected by influenza, chemical concentration in a tank, or stock prices by observing real-time data. Once the model is created it is used as a representation of the real-world system and predictions …

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 …

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 …

Vista: April 3, 2008, University Of San Diego

USD Vista (1965-)

No abstract provided.

The Grizzly, April 3, 2008, Matt Flyntz, Lane Taylor, Juliane Katz, Terry Kelley, Kristi Blust, Roger Lee, Jeremiah Long, Ashley Mccomeskey, Kristin O'Brassill, Ryan Tole, Alex Ernst, Laurel Salvo, Matt Short, Jason Davis, Ashley Drogalis, Danielle Langdon

Ursinus College Grizzly Newspaper, 1978 to Present

Crude Awakening: Ways to Beat Surging Gas Pump Prices • Airband Turns 25 • Herpes Hindrance: Part Two • Literary Food Fest • Lou's Too: The Charming Steak Shop • "Fully Loaded" EV Performance Attracts Full House • Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Goldsmith • Opinions: Fed Bailout? Fed, Butt Out!; Olympic Controversy • Men's Lax Defeats McDaniel • Women's Lax Shames McDaniel

Most Popular Downloads -- March 2008

Institutional Repository Information

The month of March 2008 saw a record number of downloads from (73,204) and uploads to (814) the Digital Commons. Of 12,663 available open-access articles, 9,138 were downloaded at least once (72.2%). Overall, articles averaged 5.78 downloads for the month.

The 15 Most-Downloaded, March 2008:

The Probe, Issue 213 – November/December 2000 (3,523 downloads) — Monthly newsletter of the National Animal Damage Control Association. This issue is so amazingly popular because it contains a product review of the “Collarum,” a non-lethal device for capturing coyotes and stray or feral dogs. All those Internet users that you didn’t know were dogs …

Blaxican Identity: An Exploratory Study Of Blacks/Chicanas/Os In California, Rebecca Romo

NACCS Annual Conference Proceedings

Abstract:

This paper explores the racial/ethnic identities of multiracial Black-Mexicans or ‘Blaxicans.’ In- depth interviews with 12 Blaxican individuals in California reveal how they negotiate distinct cultural systems to accomplish multiracial identities. I argue that choosing, accomplishing, and asserting a Blaxican identity challenges the dominant monoracial discourse in the United States, in particular among African American and Chicana/o communities. That is, Blaxican respondents are held accountable by African Americans and Chicanas/os/Mexicans to monoracial notions of ‘authenticity.’ The process whereby Blaxicans move between these monoracial spaces to create multiracial identities illustrates crucial aspects of the social construction of race/ethnicity in the …

April 2008: Pascal Delivers...And How!, Dacus Library

Dacus Focus

No abstract provided.

Turning Blind Eyes And Profits: The Foreign Role In Argentina’S Dirty War, Brittany Krupski

Reason and Respect

When faced with social unrest and an inability to participate in the political sphere, conflict and rebellion blossom. When economics preside over politics, all interaction is divisive and will always be composed of varying layers of two groups: the oppressor and the oppressed. Rather than fighting economic systems then, we should be fighting for human rights. We should fight to become more informed citizens, understanding that if repression can be supported abroad, it can be supported domestically too.

Citizens For Peace Minutes 03-12-08, Linda J. Lieder

Citizens for Peace

The film “Building a World Beyond War: A Roadmap for Citizens” was viewed by the group. It is meant to inspire us to look more deeply at shared assumptions that must shift in order for us to accept differences and adopt practical, nonviolent alternatives to war. The film also presents hopeful examples of effective strategies that result in safety and security for all the world’s people. The Mission: Beyond War is a community of people from around the world who are committed to ending the use of warfare in this century. They explore, model and promote practical ways of resolving …

Dipl 6114 Conflict Prevention, Jack Jarmon Phd

Diplomacy Syllabi

The course will cover the paradigm shift in warfare and identify the role and function of the principal actors working to prevent international conflict in theory and practice. Particular focus will be on the organizations and processes in a post September 11 world, as well as an analysis of the new arena of conflict. The course is interdisciplinary drawing on the areas of political economy, international relations, social movements, and security. 3 credits

Political Structure And Continuing Reality, Vandiver Chaplin

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

Opus: Spring 2008, Hope College

Opus: 2000-2009

An issue of Opus from spring 2008.

History's Moral Turn, George Cotkin

History

No abstract provided.