Digital Commons Network^™

16s Rrna Gene-Based Analysis Of Fecal Microbiota From Preterm Infants With And Without Necrotizing Enterocolitis, Yunwei Wang, Jeanette D. Hoenig, Kathryn J. Malin, Sanaa Qamar, Elaine O. Petrof, Jun Sun, Dionysios A. Antonopoulos, Eugene B. Chang, Erika C. Claud

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is an inflammatory intestinal disorder affecting preterm infants. Intestinal bacteria play a key role; however no causative pathogen has been identified. The purpose of this study was to determine if there are differences in microbial patterns which may be critical to the development of this disease. Fecal samples from twenty preterm infants, ten with NEC and ten matched controls (including four twin pairs) were obtained from patients in a single site Level III neonatal intensive care unit. Bacterial DNA from individual fecal samples were PCR amplified and subjected to terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and …

A Direct Solution Of The Robin Inverse Problem, Weifu Fang, Suxing Zeng

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Traveling-Wave Electrophoresis For Microfluidic Separations, Boyd F. Edwards, Aaron T. Timperman, R. Lloyd Carroll, Kyoo Jo, Jon M. Mease, Jarrod E. Schiffbauer

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

No abstract provided.

A Continuum-Based Model For Analysis Of Laterally Loaded Piles In Layered Soils, D Basu, Rodrigo Salgado, Monica Prezzi

Lyles School of Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

An analysis is developed to calculate the response of laterally loaded piles in multilayered elastic media. The displacement fields in the analysis are taken to be the products of independent functions that vary in the vertical, radial and circumferential directions. The governing differential equations for the pile deflections in different soil layers are obtained using the principle of minimum potential energy. Solutions for pile deflection are obtained analytically, whereas those for soil displacements are obtained using the one-dimensional finite difference method. The input parameters needed for the analysis are the pile geometry, the soil profile, and the elastic constants of …

The Watermark: A Journal Of The Arts - Vol. 18 - 2009, University Of Massachusetts Boston

The Watermark: A Journal of the Arts (1993-2014)

No abstract provided.

The Evolution Of Campaign Finance And Its Reform: An Expoloration And Economic Analysis, Meghan Milloy

Honors Theses

From the blunders of Theodore Roosevelt that initiated much of the debate on campaign finance reform to Bill Bradley's ideas on voting reform as a means to reform campaign finance, this is a topic that has inspired much debate and controversy. My hope is that throughout the following pages, through the history, opinions, and empirical evidence, the reader may formulate his or her own opinions on the good, evil, and necessity — or lack thereof — of reforming the system. History teaches where we have gone wrong. Econometric evidence tells us where we should go next. And opinions for future …

Developing Sustainable Spacecraft Water Management Systems, Evan A. Thomas, David M. Klaus

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

It is well recognized that water handling systems used in a spacecraft are prone to failure caused by biofouling and mineral scaling, which can clog mechanical systems and degrade the performance of capillary-based technologies. Long duration spaceflight applications, such as extended stays at a Lunar Outpost or during a Mars transit mission, will increasingly benefit from hardware that is generally more robust and operationally sustainable overtime. This paper presents potential design and testing considerations for improving the reliability of water handling technologies for exploration spacecraft. Our application of interest is to devise a spacecraft wastewater management system wherein fouling can …

Graph Theoretical Problems Computable By Networks Of Finite Automata., Cameron Taylor Byrum

Honors Theses

Graphs are a popular model in mathematics, and automata, or abstract models of machines, are a useful tool in computer science. Our research looks at combining these two powerful fields. We will begin by looking at some pre liminaries of graph theory and automata theory. We also discuss other meth ods for recognizing graph properties such as algebras, grammars, and monadic second-order logic. We will then explore the concept of “intelligent graphs,” or networks of finite automata operating at each vertex of a graph, and we will show implementations for using such networks to solve labryinth problems and to compute …

The Osmolytic Effect And Its Action On Topoisomerase-I, Matthew Paul Dukes

Honors Theses

While the presence of water within biological systems is acknowledged to be of utmost importance, its specific role at the molecular level within these systems has only recently been studied carefully. Of particular interest are the effects of water on the interactions that occur between topoisomerase-I and DNA. Topoisomerase-I relaxes supercoiled DNA, a process critical for cellular processes such as transcription and replication. Relaxation occurs when the enzyme breaks one strand of the double-stranded DNA, rotates a broken end around the intact strand, and rejoins the two broken ends. consequently changing the linking number of the supercoiled DNA by an …

The Subprime Mortgage Crisis: Effects On Women And Minorities, Shakitha Paquita Harden

Honors Theses

This paper briefly describes how the subprime mortgage crisis emerged. General observations are made concerning the effect of the crisis on the economy as a whole, but the focal point explains how women and minorities have been affected. To illustrate this point, areas of investigation include predatory and discriminatory lending. Furthermore, this document provides data illustrating the financial impact the subprime mortgage crisis has had on different minority groups compared to non-minority groups. The data that has been gathered for this paper comes from examining previous academic journals and results, researching various internet sources, and attending panel discussions held on …

Reconciling Southern Identity: Revising The Public Memory Of Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar, James Matthew Hopper

Honors Theses

This project explores the accepted historical narrative of white male Southern identity based upon L.Q.C. Lamar's public memory. My objective is to reinterpret some long held beliefs about Lamar s life, career, and politics, while analyzing the effect of those interpretations in fostering and challenging white male Southern identity. I found that Lamar was never fully reconstructed from his Confederate views and many of his pre-war principles made him popular and garnered loyalty among his constituency. In reinventing himself as a reconstructed politician, he used the death of Charles Sumner to offer a reconciliatory version of Southern masculinity in an …

Whole Body Vibration Effects On Activation Of Lower Extremity Muscles In Recreationally Trained Females, Margaret Jean Lancaster

Honors Theses

Purpose: The purpose of this experiment was to measure the differences in activation in four different conditions: maximum voluntary contraction with vibration (MVC + V), maximum voluntary contraction (MVC), vibration only (V), and control group with no vibration (C). Muscles of interest were tibialis anterior (TA), vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL), and medial gastrocnemius (MG). This information was obtained for a larger study involving improvement of vertical leap through vibration conditions. Methods: A sample of 13 (n=13) recreationally females was studied. EMG electrodes were used to measure activations of the TA, VM, VL, and MG. Vibration was applied at …

On Generalized Mersenne And Fermat Primes, Bette Catherine Putnam

Honors Theses

The classical Merseniie and Fermat primes are, respectivel3^ primes of the form 2^' - 1 and 2^‘ + 1. The Mersenne primes have been studied since antiquity. It is known that if 2^ - 1 is prime then k is prime. As of September 2008, there are forty-six such primes known. Fermat primes, of the form 2^’ -h 1, seem to be more rare. It is known that if 2^' -I- 1 is prime, then k must be a power of 2. To date only 2“*^ -I- 1, 2^* -f 1, 2^^ -f-1, 2'^^ -t-1, and 2^^ -|-1 are known …

The Influences And Effects Of Political Communication On Young Voters In The Digital Age, Kristen Michelle Robinson

Honors Theses

(The effects of political communication has been a topic in which many political communication researchers have devoted attention. In this digital age, the role of the Internet has a great effect on the political process that people may experience during campaign times. To understand how various forms of political communication affect the political process, one must understand what political communication is and how political communication has evolved into the digital age. Furthermore, to understand these effects, specific target segments should be analyzed separately. This study explores the evolution of political communication from the election of 1952 to the present, specifically …

Big And Small: Using Large Scale Puppets In Low Budget Theatre, Lauren E. Wakefield

Honors Theses

The art of puppetry has existed for as long as any other creative medium, and its role within the theatrical world has long been an important one. Characters and creatures portrayed in foam and felt often touch the hearts of audiences, and theatergoers enter a show involving puppetry ready to be entertained. Broadway productions such as Avenue Q and The Lion King push the limits of puppets' capabilities and use this creative source to express ideas that human actors would less effectively convey. This paper will explore the capabilities that each person has to create similar characters and creatures on …

Calcium Binding Affinity Properties Of Neural Cadherin Domains 1 And 2, Thomas Thayer Wood

Honors Theses

Cadherins are a family of cell adhesion receptors that are crucial for binding of mutual vertebrate cells. Cadherins are calcium-dependent, homophilic, cell-adhesive molecules that are found in varying types of cell-cell contacts. Cell-cell contacts that contain cadherins include adherens junctions, desmosomes, and synapses. Cadherins play an Important role in regulating maintenance of adult tissue structural design and integrity. tissue morphogenesis and synaptogenesis, and embryogenesis. Cadherins have an intracellular, cytoplasmic, region, a transmembrane region, and an extracellular region where calcium binding occurs. In classical cadherins, the extracellular region has five modular P-barrel domains and calcium binds to the interfaces between domains. …

Internal Controls And Regulation Of The Not-For-Profit Sector: Increasing Transparency For Churches, Sarah Catherine White

Honors Theses

Reaulation of for-profit organizations and fraud within them are commonly researched areas; however, many overlook the need for adequate internal controls and reaiilation of the not-for-profit sector, particularly religious not-for-profit organizations. Fraud has been a problem in this sector for a while, but it is frequently neglected due to the false sense of security that people have when dealing with not-for-profits. The notfor- profit sector is much less regulated than the for-profit sector, and religious not-for profit organizations are not subject to any of the regulations that other not-for-profit organizations face. In order to gather appropriate data for determining ways …

Pediatric Brain Tumors & Subsequent Communication And Swallowing Disorders., Emily Kathryn Chambers

Honors Theses

This study was designed to determine if there were speech, language, or swallowing disorders in a child with a brain stem glioma tumor or medulloblastoma tumor. It also was designed to determine if motor speech was more affected than swallowing in a child with a brain stem glioma tumor and in a child with a medulloblastoma tumor. Thirdly, this study investigated the incidence and treatment of speech, language, or swallowing disorders through survey. The surveys were sent through the United States Postal Service to speech-language pathologists (SLPs). The SLPs worked in pediatric hospitals or hospitals with pediatric floors. The purpose …

Dopamine D2 Receptor Antagonist Raclopride's Effects On Core Temperature Alone And During Methamphetamine Administration At Varying Ambient Temperatures, Danielle Marie Fulbright

Honors Theses

Rationale Methamphetamine (METH) induces hypothermia at cool (18°) ambient temperatures and hyperthermia at neutral (24°) and warm (30°) ambient temperatures. Our objective was to determine if pretreatment with raclopride (RAC), a dopamine D2 receptor antagonist would alter METH-induced core temperature changes. Methods Two experiments were conducted. In Experiment 1, RAC was administered alone, to determine its effects, if any, on core temperature. In Experiment 2, rats received pretreatment injections of 0.3, 0.6, or 1.2-mg/kg RAC or a saline control (sal) injection; rats then received injections of 10 mg/kg METH or sal injection. In both Experiment 1 and 2, core temperature …

Military And Civilian Speech-Language Pathologists' Attitudes Towards Evidence-Based Practice: A Pilot Study, Lauren Nicole Furr

Honors Theses

The renewal of military combat in Iraq and Afganistan (2001-) and the subsequent influx of soliders with traumatic brain injury (TBI) revealed shortcomings in the military’s healthcare relative to patients with TBI. To address these concerns, the military drastically reformed TBIrelated healthcare policy and services. Military healthcare policy reform claims to address the shortcomings of previous military heathcare policy, which include insufficient TBI training for healthcare providers , a problem that policy reform alone cannot remedey. Questions remain relative to the status of TBI-related military healthcare; specifically, were the shortcomings in TBI-related miltiary healthcare a function of inefficient systemic healthcare …

Acetylcholine Muscarinic Receptor-Mediated Contractility Of Ovine Pulmonary Arteries: Changes With Maturation And Chronic Hypoxia, Dangtue Hu Nguyen

Honors Theses

Pulmonary vasculature tone is mediated by Acetylcholine Muscarinic Receptors (mAChR) located on the vascular smooth muscle wall which are responsible for vasoconstriction through the activation of Ca^'*’ dependant intracellular signaling pathways and by the endothelium which is responsible for vasodilation through the generation of Nitric Oxide (NO). The dismption and subsequent loss of the endothelium results in vasoconstriction of pulmonary arteries (PA). This effect is observed in several studies utilizing different animal models. Chronic Hypoxia (CH) has been shown to dismpt the endothelium which in turn alleviates the vasodilatory response associated with acetylcholine (ACh) stimulation. The interplay between smooth muscle …

Barcelona: An Economic Exception For Mega-Event Host-Cities., John Cantalin Wahl

Honors Theses

This thesis assesses the economic impact of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games by comparing its benefits and costs with those experienced by other cities chosen as Olympic venues or as hosts of similar "mega-events”. While it is true that the economic impacts of most such events have been found to be modest, Barcelona seems to be an exception.

Seasonal Changes In Bacterial Communities In Magnolia (Magnolia Grandiflora) Leaf Phyllosphere, William Craig Denney

Honors Theses

What is currently known about bacterial diversity of the phyllosphere has largely come from studies of plants involved in commercial agriculture. With very few studies dedicated to examining phyllosphere bacterial communities of natural forests, the issue of seasonal changes in bacterial communities in Magnolia gvandifloi'a leaf phyllosphere was investigated. In order to examine the issue, 16S rRNA sequencing techniques were used to identify and compare bacterial communities between leaf samples collected in February, May, August and December of 2008. When M. grandiflora DNA samples were examined with denaturing gel electrophoresis (DGGE), similarities between the bacterial communities of each leaf could …

Defending The Rorschach Blot, Mary Reagan Lightsey

Honors Theses

Like paint thrown on a page, folded and smooshed, DEFENDING THE RORSCHACH BLOT is a different image of my life every time I look at it. It was my goal to present a portrait of myself that is a raw portrayal. While we fight the idea of being malleable, there is something to be said for realizing that no one is made of steel; we are all molded by people, circumstances and experiences. DEFENDING THE RORSCHACH BLOT embodies themes of ambition, perfectionism and moderation while exploring many encounters with failure, imperfection and excess. It is conglomeration of color blotted out …

Influence Of Particle Size On Mixed Culture Bacterial Biofilms, Kaleb James Page

Honors Theses

Little research has investigated particle size as a structuring factor of microbial communities in aquatic environments. One study focused on the influence of particle size on microbial community structure as observed in nature, and the study described here tested those findings in vivo. Stream water was collected and used to inoculate samples containing glass beads of various sizes, fine (106 pm), medium (500 pm), and (1000 pm), and a mixture of all particle sizes; each sample had the same total surface area. Half of the samples were left standing, and half were rotated to simulate the movement of a stream …

Whose Right Is It? The Supreme Court And The Second Amendment Right To Bear Arms, Mary Mitchell Purvis

Honors Theses

In this thesis, I describe the history of debate surrounding the interpretation of the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, leading up to the United States Supreme Court weighing in on the issue in the case of District of Columbia v. Heller (2009). To find information for my study I examined many scholarly historical and legal journals Second Amendment interpretation. I chose to use as my sources journals which I felt were most representative of the oppposing sides in the debate. I also gained information from newspaper articles on the Heller case as it evolved, both to learn about …

The Motivational Forces Behind China's Foreign Policy In Africa: A Historical Comparison Between The 1960s And Today, Tatiana Claire Sarasin

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

China's Role In The Darfur Crisis: An Inquiry Into Global Ethics, Katie Malone Swain

Honors Theses

As the rise of globalization allows for greater trade, communication, and information sharing than ever before, the way states interact with one another and the world as a whole is being redefined. The rapid economic development that has occurred globally in the last century has not necessarily been accompanied with improvements in human rights worldwide. Now more than ever, there is a need to consider a global code of ethics. Though the role of states in advancing and policing human rights has been explored in innumerable treaties, conventions and other documents, there is currently no clearly defined standard of conduct …

Sincerely Yours: An Analysis Of The Nature And Strengths Of Epistolary Fiction, Elizabeth Anne Taylor

Honors Theses

This thesis focuses on the accomplishments of epistolary fiction and what it offers writers. The thesis begins with a study of the history and evolution of the form to develop a base for ideas presented in the following sections. It addresses the challenges posed by the epistolary foi*m as well as the form’s possibilities. The thesis investigates specific possibilities writing techniques used in epistolary form and their effects on both the characters and readers. The concentration is on six different epistolary novels written between the mid 1600’s and today. The central argument of this thesis offers an assessment of the …

On The Metaphysics Ofphenomenal Mental States: An Inquiry Into The Mind-Body Problem From Ordinary Intuition Ofthe Mental, Brian Kyle Ferriss

Honors Theses

Brian Kyle Ferriss-On the Metaphysics of Phenomenal Mental States: An Inquiry into the Mind-Body Problem from Ordinary Intuition ofthe Mental (Under the direction of Dr. Robert Barnard)

The purpose ofthis thesis is to explore certain metaphysical issues central to the mind-body problem. This thesis approaches the debate by first addressing ordinary intuitions about the mind arguing that such an approach is appropriate and a necessary starting point for any insightful discussion on the mind. This essay, then, applies what it claims to be ordinary beliefs about the mind to a number of philosophical and psychological theories. It investigates these theories …