Digital Commons Network^™

Influenza A And Flavivirus Manipulation Of Cell Death, Jeffrey E. Mclean

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Viruses employ a variety of strategies to manipulate cell fate and maximize their replication potential during infection. Interacting specifically with cell death pathways allows viruses direct control over the cellular decision to survive or die during infection.

Influenza A virus, of the family Orthomyxoviridae, encodes proteins that interact with the cell at several points along the apoptosis pathway to induce apoptosis. We demonstrate that caspase activation through pro-apoptotic Bax, a downstream target of Bcl-2, is a critical determinant of the nature of cell death induced by Influenza A infection. Influenza A virus cannot establish an apoptotic response without functional Bax, …

Crank Dat Soulja Boy: Understanding Black Male Hip Hop Aspiration In Rural Mississippi, Bruce O'Brian Foster

Honors Theses

Aspirations and attainment are affected by a number of factors, including socioeconomic status, neighborhood setting, family influence, and peer socialization. While previous scholarship has focused on these factors, separately and collectively, this research will examine an understudied but prevalent dynamic; Hip-Hop aspirations. Specifically, this research focuses on the relationship between aspirations to r^ and the space/place dynamics of the rural South. Drawing on qualitative data collected in rural. Southern communities through ethnographic research methods, this research explores how Black male aspirations may manifest themselves in ways that have come to be perceived as alternative and oppositional.

And Justice For All: Non-Native English Speakers In The American Legal System, Leah Michelle Nodar

Honors Theses

One of the most important rights enshrined in the American Constitution is the right to due process of law. However, the execution of this right has been sporadic, and some groups have been consistently disadvantaged. Speakers of English as a second language make up one such group, especially limited English proficiency (LEP) speakers. LEP speakers' access to due process took a step forward with the 1978 Court Interpreters Act, which guaranteed interpreters for anyone who ‘‘speaks only or primarily a language other than the English language." However, decisions as to who speaks “primarily” a foreign language and who speaks English …

Confucianism And The Modern East Asian, Paul Jennings Treutel

Honors Theses

This thesis sought to measure “Confucianism” in China, Japan, and South Korea. To this end, a thorough investigation of possible methods to measure Confucianism and exactly what “Confucianism” means was conducted. AsiaBarometer’s 2006 survey data was chosen as the basis of the quantitative portion of this study. Survey questions deemed good measures of Confucian values were compiled into four indexes. These indexes were used as dependent variables in four separate regressions, controlling for such demographic variables as age, sex, geographic location, income, etc. The regression results and their interpretation showed a picture of Confucianism considerably different than that discussed by …

Ecophilosophies And Environmental Perspectives In The Amazon Rainforest: Conservation Through Sustainable Use Projects, Scarlett Ashlen Andrews

Honors Theses

Non-governmental organizations are on the forefront of conservation strategies throughout the world, and the Amazon Rainforest is one of the most crucial regions in the world for these efforts. Though many conservation strategies in the past focused on the establishment of protected areas, there has been a recent increase in projects aimed at sustainable use of land with the goal of conserving natural resources and ecosystem processes. This thesis is an exploration of sustainable use projects in the Andes-Amazon border region, specifically those projects which focus on agriculture and forestry. By comparing historical and theoretical ecophilosophies and analyzing survey responses …

Have You Put On Weight? A Study On The Effects Of Certain Factors On The Increased Presence Of Eating Disorders In Modern Chinese Women, Kelli Michele Beard

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

De Mal En Peor: The Framing Of Felipe Calderón’S “War On Drugs” In The United States And Mexican Print Media, Peyton Britt Smith

Honors Theses

This work was written to explore the print media’s portrayal of the Mexican war on drugs started by Felipe Calderon in 2006. In order to do this, I looked at both Mexican and U.S. print media sources to compare coverage and to ascertain the frames that the media employs when covering the drug war. I analyzed national newspapers in both countries and also analyzed coverage of specific events in pairs of U.S. and Mexican city, namely Tijuana and San Diego, and Ciudad Juarez and El Paso. In my analysis frames of “war” were used repeatedly and national biases were seen …

Viridis: Green Living In The South”, Mary Elizabeth White

Honors Theses

Viridis magazine is a Southern cooking and lifestyle magazine centered around food, products, and places that are good for the body, good for the Earth, and good for personal wellness. Each issue, Viridis highlights interesting people, places, recipes, and consumer products all over the Southern United States that reflect a green, eco-conscious lifestyle of eating and living. It aims at Southerners who are proud of their region of the country and love being southern, but still care about what they eat and how they live.

Transboundary Animal Diseases And Their Likelihood To Be Used In An Agroterrorist Attack On The United States, James Willard Allen

Honors Theses

All data and information contained in this investigation are open source and publically available. The assessment uses six different transboundary animal diseases which are not currently routine occurrences in the United States and through analytic methods, assesses the likelihood that each might be used in an agroterrorist attack on the United States' animal production sector. The assessment examines each disease using key details that would directly affect the likelihood of its use in an attack, focusing on potential economic damage. The three main animal populations considered are bovine, swine, and poultry due to their large size and value in domestic …

Anniversary Of The Death Of Empress Josephine, Ana Grahovac, Emily Kettell

Napoleon Translations

Josephine de Beauharnais was born June 23, 1763 and died May 29, 1814 of pneumonia. She was married to Napoleon Bonaparte from May 18, 1804 to January 10, 1810. During Napoleon’s reign, she was known as Empress, but they divorced in 1810 because she did not bear him any children. The author of this text celebrates all the good deeds Josephine did during her life. According to this text Josephine was loved by the French people for all of her benevolent deeds and empathy for the lower classes. The author portrays her as the Mother of all of France.

Development And Implementation Of A Small Group Program To Foster Numeric Growth At The Fresno Spanish Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Antonio Huerta

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem The Fresno Spanish Seventh-day Adventist Church has a 65 year history in the city of Fresno. From the year of 1995 until the year of 2005 when I became the pastor for this church, I realized that the numeric growth rate in this congregation had dropped significantly. I soon became aware of the urgent need for a comprehensive analysis that would enable the Fresno Spanish Church to regain its growth momentum. Method The solution and the vision to solve the problem was the development and the implementation of a small group program that would help train, equip, and mobilize …

Formation And Implementation Of A Leadership Development Program For The South Malawi Field Of The Adventist Church In Africa, Elphes Luwani

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The South Malawi Field membership for 2005 was characterized by an annual growth rate of just 3 percent, which was quite low compared to other parts of the Malawi Union. Furthermore, 74 pastors and their laity baptized only 164 members total on average while apostasies claimed as high as 26 persons per year. Therefore, this research aims at discovering the effect that equipping pastors and church leaders with effective leadership skills might have on addressing the challenges that seem to inhibit growth in the South Malawi Field.

Method

A body of up-to-date literature focusing on leadership and management skills …

Proposed Solution To The Problem Of Member Retention For The South Sao Paulo Conference, Nilson S. Ferreira

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem. The South São Paulo Conference loses an average of 32 percent of its members per year as a result of dissatisfaction with the church. According to the Office of Archives and Statistics of the Central Brazilian Union, the South São Paulo Conference baptized 2,057 people in 2004 and 797 dropped out of the church, resulting in a 38 percent church dropout rate in that year. In 2005, the conference baptized 2,516 people and 1,000 dropped out, for a disaffiliation rate of 39 percent. In 2006, 2,746 were baptized and 456 dropped out, for a disaffiliation rate of 19 percent. …

Reigniting The Lifecycle Of Plateauing Churches In Brazil Through A Prayer-Based Intensive Growth Approach, Otoniel De Lima Ferreira

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Purpose of the Project. This project seeks to create and develop a comprehensive prayer-based evangelism strategy to reignite the lifecycle in plateauing churches in Brazil. Through this project, pastors, church leaders, members and new members will be motivated and equipped to experience a better prayer life.

Method. The method used for this study was based on qualitative research: a review of prayer as it is presented in the Bible, theoretical texts on prayer, and practical books written by prominent Christian authors, and a comprehensive study of the lifecycle of some Seventh-day Adventist churches in Brazil. These profiles were studied and …

A Program Of Physical And Spiritual Practices For Youth At Takoma Academy, Anthony A. Medley

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem. Encouraging high school youth to embrace the long-term benefits of holistic Christian activities that foster healthy lifestyle outcomes is challenging. The values of today’s youth are focused on the short-sightedness of immediate gratification, with little regard of the long-term consequences from spontaneous and often harmful choices. Furthermore, the ideals of society advocate that the pleasures of life are to be obtained in the present without a critique of their values or consequences thereof. Through compartmentalization and individualized living, adolescents, without an understanding of the holistic life of physical and spiritual disciplines, are prone to make choices that so often …

A Strategy For Poverty Reduction Among Seventh-Day Adventist Members In Kenya, Joseph B. Nyagwoka

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem. Poverty is a challenge in Kenya today and is significantly impacting the Seventh-day Adventist Church. This problem is reflected in recent tithe and offering reports that suggest that the majority of the Seventh-day Adventist members and new converts in Kenya do not have a regular source of income. Hence, there is a need for local congregations to address this problem of poverty.

Method. In this study current literature dealing with poverty has been reviewed and analyzed. This includes books, journal articles, programs, reports, and internet materials. The available data from the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist church is …

Application Of Biblical Worship Principles In The New Life Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Nairobi, Kenya, Thomas Masimba

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem. The New Life Seventh-day Adventist Church has practiced the traditional style of worship since its establishment in 1986. In this style of worship, reverence is expressed through silence, and both emotional expression and congregational response are discouraged. Neither clapping of hands nor applauding ministers is acceptable. Seemingly, the new generation of members has embraced the opposite. As a result, the church is experiencing a conflict as to which style of worship should be observed.

Methods. A literature review of contemporary authors, the Bible, historical Adventist writings, commentaries, and relevant articles concerning style of worship were examined. A questionnaire was …

Spiritual Formation Within The Faith Community: The Beginning Of A Life Journey, Esteban Ricardo Palacios

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem. Providing effective opportunities for church members to learn how to grow spiritually is becoming increasingly important, especially since the benefits of many programs do not seem to last over the long term. This project was designed to test whether a multi-dimensional program shows promise of being more effective than a more traditional program.

Method. A multidimensional pilot program was designed, implemented, and evaluated. It included the social dimension by creating a community emphasis, the emotional health and maturity dimension that culminated in discovering a God-ordained life calling, and an integration of the spiritual disciplines of Bible study, worship, and …

Discipleship Master Plan: A Disciple-Making Strategy For The South Flint Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Melvin S. Santos

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The lack of a disciple-making plan and irregular leadership training for members in the South Flint Seventh-day Adventist Church resulted in undeveloped and ill-equipped members operating in a reactive and survival mode leading to frustration and leader “burn outs.”

Method

The Discipleship Master Plan was developed and implemented in the South Flint Seventh-day Adventist Church in Burton, Michigan, which consisted of two major formats: (1) Four Levels of Discipleship Training, and (2) a Discipleship Master Plan Infrastructure. The four levels of discipleship focus on the development of all members. This training took place primarily during Sabbath afternoons and worship …

A Lay Visitation Program To Help Reclaim Inactive Members At The Hillsboro Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Hillsboro, Oregon, Rodolfo N. Salazar

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem. There are many members in the Hillsboro Seventh-day Adventist Church who do not attend the weekly worship service on a regular basis. More than half of the members on the books are inactive. For the last 5 years, attendance at the Hillsboro Church has declined. The present study determined the impact of a visitation program on church attendance. In the program attending church members visited inactive members.

Method. Theological considerations on the importance of the involvement of church members in visitation led to the development of a visitation program. This program was implemented at the Hillsboro Church and evaluated …

Loving Conversations: A Seminar To Assist Hispanic Families In Advance Planning For Their End-Of-Life Care At El Divino Salvador Presbyterian Church And Monrovia Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Edgar Enrique Urbina

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Advanced technology is currently available to prolong life, but often there is a lack of preparation or documentation of the family and family wish for end-of-life care. It has been estimated that between 18 percent and 30 percent of Americans have completed an advance directive. The percentage drops even further among Hispanics. Advance planning on end-of-life care is a process people can use to prepare themselves and their loved ones for dying. The purpose of the project was to develop and evaluate the participants’ response to a seminar to encourage family conversations among members of Hispanic churches on practical …

Building Healthier Babies & Adults For Tomorrow, Linda E. May

Faculty and Staff Publications

Current studies intimate the fetal cardiovascular and respiratory systems benefit from exercise throughout pregnancy. These changes persist after birth suggesting that exercise exposure has long-term health benefits lasting into adulthood. Individuals exposed to exercise in utero show no signs of cardiovascular disease (CVD) as adults. Considering the pandemic of CVD in the U.S., these findings suggest further research is warranted concerning the effects of exercise during pregnancy on childhood and adult health outcomes.

A Strategy For Church Planting In Northern Nigeria Beginning In Zangon-Kataf, Francis F. Daria

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The first Adventist missionaries came to Northern Nigeria in 1930. Their intent to establish medical and evangelistic work in Southern Kaduna was restricted by three opposing factions. These were Sudan Interior Mission (SIM), Islam and African Traditional Religion (ATR). They frustrated the indigenous people from understanding the concept of the missionaries. Eighty years later there is still no Adventist presence in this area, which is part of the 10/40 Window that encompasses all of Northern Nigeria. During these 80 years no Adventist Church has been established in this region. There is, therefore, a need to develop a church planting …

Differences In Eubacterial And Archaeal Soil Communities Along A Precipitation Transect In The Mojave Desert, Elaine Pressly Bryant

Master's Theses

Deserts occupy one third of the total land mass of Earth, yet little is known about microbial soil communities under conditions of low precipitation and humidity. The Mojave Desert of the Southwestern United States provides an opportunity to observe microbial communities along a precipitation transect. The diversity of these communities can elucidate which specific groups of Eubacteria and Archaea are best adapted to limited liquid water.

Two methods were utilized to determine patterns and trends of the microbial soil communities under varying precipitation levels. Viable plate counts allowed comparison of culturable microorganisms over a four-year period. Molecular techniques distinguished unculturable …

Developing A Model For Spiritual Guidance And Peer Mentoring For Youth And Young Adults In The New Life Seventh-Day Adventist Fellowship In Berrien Springs, Michigan, Hollis H. Mceachrane

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Research has pointed out a factor essential to the spiritual guidance of youth and young adults in the Seventh-day Adventist Church: How teenagers think is dependent (Fields & Robbins, 2007) on how they are spoken to and how effective the messages are delivered; however, a majority of youth from New Life SDA Fellowship do not receive adequate mentoring that would pair them up as a support for each other or that would build good interpersonal relationships with their peers. While the Fellowship offers a designated staff for church services, there is no provision for youth to mentor each other …

Industry-Based Ministry: A Pilot Project At The New Dimension S.D.A. Church, Sednak Kojo Duffu Yankson

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The Seventh-day Adventist Church, from my pastoral observation here at the New Dimension Seventh-day Adventist congregation in Brooklyn, has not been as successful in retaining the unskilled and uneducated urban poor as other ministries (for example, the Nation of Islam). We preach evangelistic messages to change the lifestyles of the poor and in the process we either lose them or leave them on government assistance because we have no viable economic program to sustain them in our faith.

Purpose

The purpose of this project was to develop and implement a model of industry- based ministry by which members could …

A Training Program To Equip Local Churches For Small Group Evangelism In The East Ghana Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Kwasi Ansah-Adu

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Many Adventists in the East Ghana Conference like others in the global church erroneously perceive ministry as limited to activities at the church premises on the Sabbath or specific programs or events like a three-week evangelistic series, rather than a lifestyle. Even so few participate in ministry leaving the bulk of the membership in the pew as spectators.

Method

My research was based on the study of the Bible, E. G. White counsels, literature on church growth, statistics on growth trends of the East Ghana Conference, and the church in Ghana, as well as my personal journey as a …

Synthesis Of Hybrid Inositol Glycan Analogues, Smita Fulzele

Master's Theses

Inositol glycans (IGs) are small oligosaccharides exhibiting insulin-like metabolic activities in insulin-sensitive cells. The signal transduction pathways activated by IGs in these cells are still under study, but it is known that there is cross talk between the IG-signaling pathway and the insulin-signaling pathway downstream of the insulin receptor. Therefore, IGs may have potential for use in the treatment of type II diabetes mellitus. However, natural IGs are heterogeneous and difficult to isolate. Hence, synthetic IGs and their analogues have been chemically synthesized and evaluated for insulin-mimetic properties by various research groups. Unfortunately, the most biologically active IG analogues are …

Social Support And Gender Effects On Academic Confidence In Foster Youth, Carolyn Suzanne Gillard

Master's Theses

Finding the predictors for academic success is critical for foster youth to become productive citizens as adults. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of social support in the academic confidence of transitional foster youth. Because the literature suggests men and women benefit from social support differentially, I also examined gender as the moderating variable for social support and academic confidence. A sample of 82 foster youth (15-18 years old) from San Joaquin County's Human Service Agency volunteered to participate. Participants were given the Student Perceived Availability of Social Support Questionnaire (SPASSQ) to assess their perceptions of …

Million Dollar Red, Jennifer Marie Ghastin

Master's Theses

The novel Million Dollar Red connects the lives of six women in Eastside San Jose in pursuit of a common set of desires to be beautiful, happy, and something other than what they were when they walked into Quynh's Nail Salon. The third person limited point of view shifts protagonists every time a character comes into contact with a certain shade of red nail polish, Million Dollar Red. According to Quynh, the owner of the salon, the polish has the magical power to give women what they need but not what they want. Once the six women have encountered the …