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The Role Of Lipocalin 2 In Early Stage Colon Cancer Metastasis To The Liver, Fides Elamparo

Senior Theses

Metastasis, frequently from the colon to the liver, is the major cause of death with colorectal cancer, reducing the five-year survival to less than 6%. Metastasis occurs due to productive collaborations between tumor cells and host-derived cells in the tumor microenvironment, where a pre-metastatic niche is created to prime for cancer cell invasion into the target organ. In a highly metastatic colorectal cancer cell line implanted into the cecum of Balb/c mice, microarray analysis showed lipocalin 2 (Lcn2) is one of the most highly expressed proteins in the liver of tumor-bearing mice prior to metastasis.

When RT-PCR was performed, greater …

A Comparison Of Angiography Versus Intravascular Ultrasound In The Treatment Of Peripheral Arterial Disease, Michael Pompliano

Senior Theses

Peripheral Arterial Disease is a growing epidemic throughout the United States. It is estimated that 8 to 12 million Americans currently suffer from PAD, a disease of the circulatory system that limits blood flow to your hands and feet. This limited blood flow is due to the narrowing of the arteries that supply blood throughout your body and can disrupt the balance of the nerves and tissues that make up your extremities. If left untreated, it can cause irreparable, life- threatening damage that may result in amputation of the diseased limb. Although the mechanism of PAD is known and well …

"Transforming Care Through Disruptive Design": Incorporating A Midwifery Model Of Care Into Obstetric Practices, Lauren Marsh

Senior Theses

Maternal and child health outcomes in the United States are far poorer than in other industrialized nations. To improve women’s experiences with the maternity care system, nurse-midwife Sharon Schindler-Rising developed the CenteringPregnancy (CP) group model of prenatal care (PNC). Research comparing CP with ‘traditional’ one-on-one PNC has found that implementing CP results in decreased rates of preterm birth and low birth weight, increased rates of breastfeeding, and improved outcomes for women who typically experience health disparities, including African Americans. Documented success of the model in the Greenville Health System convinced the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services of …

What's Wrong With The Christian West, Joseph Studemeyer

Senior Theses

Western Christian groups are losing significant numbers of adherents in the area formerly known as Christendom (Western Europe and European-dominated former colonies), a trend which seems to be quickening with time. In addition, the same Western Christian denominations are in the midst of an unprecedented period of fragmentation, with many splitting over questions of doctrine and practice. More controversially, traditionalists both within the Western churches and outside of them have claimed that the Western denominations are also experiencing a qualitative decline, asserting that the Christianity of the West has been doctrinally compromised. This thesis posits an underlying philosophical reason for …

"What Happens In Romania..." Comes Back To The United States And Becomes A Quilt, Ashley Ehlers, Kaitlyn Torres

Senior Theses

Our senior thesis project is a quilt that chronicles our experiences on the Maymester trip to Romania through the Honors College, during which we were able to shadow surgeons in the Oncology Hospital and General Surgery III Hospital in Cluj-Napoca. In our quilt, we included some of the most common surgeries we saw while shadowing Romanian doctors: breast removal, gall bladder removal, appendix removal, removal of a section of the large intestine, and removal of the uterus. The final product of this quilt shows every level of the abdominal muscles and organs from the anterior skin to the kidneys.

To …

School Of Law Commencement: May 10, 2014, University Of North Dakota

UND Commencement Programs

School of Law Commencement program from May 10, 2014.

Fox Squirrel Response To Bark Calls, Michael Ryan Keller

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Sciurus niger (fox squirrel) produces a characteristic bark call that has long been assumed to serve as an alarm call. However, to date, no definitive research has been conducted to support these assumptions. Over the course of six months, I executed an audio playback study with free-living fox squirrels in central Indiana. When a squirrel came into view, its behavior was video recorded during a 30 second playing of either an S. niger bark call or a cardinal (Cardinalis cardinals) control call. The subjects were also filmed thirty seconds prior to and immediately following the call. Each squirrel's behavior was …

University Of Southern Maine Commencement Program 2014, University Of Southern Maine

Commencement Programs

University of Southern Maine commencement program, 2014

Saturday, May Tenth, Two Thousand and Fourteen

Address by David Shaw , founder of IDEXX Laboratories

2014-2015 A&S Signed Budget Bill, Abdool Aziz

Legislative Branch Publications

No abstract provided.

University Of Mississippi 161st Commencement, 2014, University Of Mississippi, Daniel W. Jones, Morris H. Stocks, Phil Bryant

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Latinos In America: A Consideration Of Food Accessibility Factors With Implications For The Indianapolis Community, Abigail C. Robison

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Studies discuss personal choices or cultural influences of food consumption, but they may not integrate these findings with the accessibility of food. These factors cannot be ignored when considering the health of populations. Understanding the intricate relationship between food choices and food accessibility is vital to the realm of urban public health. This paper attempts to investigate these relationships and relate the findings to the local sphere, in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Investigation Of Fshr-L Protein Function In Regulating Synaptic Transmission At The Neuromuscular Junction In C. Elegans, Julie Christine Kolnik

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

euronal communication (synaptic transmission) is critical for nervous system function. This communication occurs at specialized junctions called synapses where chemical neurotransmitters signal from presynaptic to postsynaptic cells. Additional signaling via neuropeptide activated G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) fine-tunes synaptic communication. GPCRs are a large family of transmembrane receptor proteins that bind extracellular neurotransmitters and neuropeptides to activate intracellular signaling pathways. My project investigated the function of FSHR-l, a GPCR and potential neuropeptide receptor, in regulating synaptic transmission at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) in Caenorhabditis elegans roundworms, which share conservation of nervous system structure and function with humans. Worms lacking the fshr-I …

The New York Times Influence On Stem Cell Research, Elizabeth Huntley Hamilton

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Stern cells are regarded as holding the secrets to disease eradication and alleviation, longevity, and genetic modification. In the not too distant past, it was considered a futuristic concept meant for the generations to come. Now, in 2014, stern cells are being used in practices for a wide variety of once incurable ailments. The history of stern cells is one of amazing discovery, controversy, and political setbacks. Throughout its exciting journey, print newspapers have provided all the information to its readers, and the potential of stern cells gained popular approval for its research.

The Passive Perching Mechanism In Passeriformes Birds, Deena Ahmed Elsahy

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Passeriformes, or perching birds and songbirds, are an order of birds that includes crows, jays, starlings, wrens, cardinals, finches and many other species. It has been suggested that these birds are able to passively perch due to a tendon locking mechanism. This mechanism allows them to rest for hours in trees without falling. When the bird's foot is placed on a perch, the weight of the bird causes the tendons to pull, thus closing the toes around the perch. However, there is currently much debate about whether the mechanism is entirely passive. Recent studies argue that the mechanism must be …

Quantification Of Salicylic Acid And Analysis Of Defense-Related Genes In The Moss Physcomitrella Patens, Ryan Jospeh Eller

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The moss Physcomitrella patens is an invaluable non-vascular plant specimen to study genetic interactions because its entire genome is sequenced. Therefore, any gene studies conducted in more evolved vascular plants can be transferred to this specimen fairly easily by utilizing comparative genomic techniques made possible through the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). The questions that were asked in this thesis revolved around the Systemic Acquired Resistance, or the basic mechanism that allows plants to protect themselves against biotic and abiotic stressors. Two main approaches were used to analyze this complex system. First, an analytical chemistry technique was used to …

The Effects Of Jasmonic Acid And Chemicals In The Ja Pathway On The Defense Systems And Gene Expression In Moss, Physcomitrella Patens And Amblystegium Serpens, Allison Shanks

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is a defense system used by plants that results in increased resistance to future pathogen infection following an initial pathogen exposure. SAR in vascular plants has been well documented; however, a similar defense system has only recently been documented in non-vascular plants. It is believed that chemicals in the jasmonic acid (JA) pathway are able to activate the SAR response in vascular plants. The non-vascular plant, Amb/ystegium serpens, will be used as a model to test if SAR is triggered by JA and two other molecules in the JA pathway, 12-oxo-phytodieonic acid, and methyl jasmonate. To …

Commencement Convocation Exercises - May 2014, Prairie View A&M University

Commencement and Convocation Exercises

No abstract provided.

Role Model Fathers Or Deadbeat Dads? A Study Of Peromyscus Paternal Behavior, Taylor Wapshott

Senior Theses

Paternal behavior is a largely understudied and poorly understood topic, especially in mammalian species. Many current mammalian models for paternal behavior use a comparative approach, taking advantage of natural differences in behavior between closely related species. This study compared paternal behavior in two rodent species, namely Peromyscus maniculatus (BW) and Peromyscus polionotus (PO). PO rodents have been shown to be monogamous, but there have been no studies of their paternal behavior at this time. 10 PO males and 12 BW males were filmed in their home cage for a 10 minute period following initial disturbance of their nest and removal …

Genome Sequence And Phenotypic Characterization Of Caulobacter Segnis, Sagar Patel

Senior Theses

Caulobacter segnis is a unique species of Caulobacter in that it is slow growing, found in soil samples, and has other phenotypic differences from the freshwater Caulobacter that it is most closely related to. Initially deemed Mycoplana segnis, it was reclassified after a 16s rRNA analysis and found to be most closely related to the Caulobacter NA1000 branch. Because the annotated sequence available in GenBank contained a large number of pseudogenes (126), we compared the original sequencing data to the GenBank sequence and determined that many of the pseudogenes were due to sequence errors in the Genbank sequence. Consequently, …

Determining A Correlation Between Individual Differences In Eye Movements And Working Memory, Mackenzie Sunday

Senior Theses

This study determined if a relationship exists between individual differences in eye movements and working memory measures. The eye movement system can provide insight into processes that occur in the mind as well as a better understanding of the relationship between quantifiable aspects of eye movements and the more abstract inner workings of the mind. Recently, consistent and reliable individual differences have been found in individuals’ eye movement behaviors. For example, individuals with longer fixation durations for one visual task have longer fixations across all other visual tasks. The eye movements of participants were collected during four different viewing tasks …

Special Needs In The Community, William Lightle

Senior Theses

Currently, there are very few summer camps for children with special needs. I co-founded a special needs camp called Camp Chip and Love for children who have mild physical and mental disabilities. The camp was created to help give special needs children the opportunity to become involved in a summer camp and introduce them to golf, tennis, and arts and crafts. Starting a camp is very challenging. I was responsible for ordering supplies, t-shirts, trophies, obtaining medical releases for the participants, and registration of campers. I made this camp free of charge by going to different corporations and asking for …

Your Guide On Learning How To Play The Piano, Jankiben Patel

Senior Theses

I’ve had a strong desire to learn how to play a piano ever since my first music class in elementary school. I asked my parents if I could receive piano lessons. They saw how extremely excited I was and they agreed to seek out a piano instructor for me. Unfortunately, my parents soon realized that they simply could not afford the fees. I brought up the topic a few more times, but to no avail. In middle school, I joined the band to play the clarinet. Although my hopes of playing the piano were put on hold, I grasped this …

Let's Talk Science, Krupesh Dave, Courtney Malo, Savannah Savage

Senior Theses

The focus of our senior thesis, “Let's Talk Science!", was to increase the exposure of elementary school-aged students to science. In particular, we focused on increasing the students’ opportunity to experience fun science experiments that still presented a strong take-home lesson. In doing this, our goal was to increase the students’ interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers.

We coordinated our outreach program with the Waverly After-School Program, a student organization that operates through the University of South Carolina Honors College in Columbia, South Carolina. Through the Waverly After-School Program, we were able to carry out our senior …

Labeling And Framing Of Human Trafficking Victimhood, Elizabeth Regina Ramirez Kemp

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Victims and victimhood are socially constructed concepts that are given meaning through interaction. Human trafficking victims face labels that are interpreted through a variety of frames due to the complex nature of discourses surrounding human trafficking. Based on 304 hours of participant observation and 10 semi-structured interviews with service providers, law enforcement, and survivors of human trafficking I first seek to identify the ways service providers and law enforcement officials use labels and neutralization techniques to support an overall frame of human trafficking as an issue of human rights. Second, I analyze how their efforts to neutralize the label of …

Hofmeister Anion Effects On Thermodynamics Of Caffeine Partition Between Aqueous And Cyclohexane Phases, Bradley Allen Rogers

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The Hofmeister series, discovered in 1888, originally ranked ions in correspondence to their relative effects on protein solubility. The series has shown stunning consistency for the relative effects of specific ions on physical phenomena that occur in aqueous solution. Protein denaturation, micelle formation, and surface tension comprise some of the aqueous processes of significance for Hofmeister ion discoveries. Despite significant research efforts confirming series’ ranking, the mechanisms that explain the observed effects are not well understood. This research project herein investigates the specific anion effects on the thermodynamics of caffeine partition between aqueous and cyclohexane phases. The Gibbs free energy, …

Microtubule Organization And Cell-To-Cell Communication In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Lauren Michelle Schulte

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The presence of a cell wall means that plant cells require great coordination in their growth because of their inability to move relative to each other. In order to coordinate cell growth, plants have a variety of ways to communicate cell-to-cell, including the plasmodesmata, tiny channels that connect the cytoplasm of neighboring cells. Important developmental proteins travel between cells using the plasmodesmata network. CAPRICE (CPC) is a signaling protein in the root epidermis that travels between atrichoblast (non-hair) and trichoblast (hair) cells using the plasmodesmata. The radially swollen 6 (rsw6) mutant is a microtubule organization mutant that is believed to …

Role Of Ss-Amylase1 (Bam1) In The Recovery Of Arabidopsis Plants From Osmotic Stress, Jonathan Michael Schmitz

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Starch, a polymer of glucose, is a source of stored energy and carbon for plants. Starch accumulates in chloroplasts during the day and is broken down at night. Many enzymes are involved in this degradation, but the main players are in the β-amylase family of enzymes. In Arabidopsis, the β-amylase (BAM) family consists of nine proteins, six of which are plastid targeted. One of these plastidic BAMs is BAM1, which was suggested to be catalytically active during the day in guard cells to aid in the opening of stomata. Also, when exposed to osmotic stress, plants close their stomata, slowing …

Immunodiagnostic Analysis Of Lacritin In Human Breast Milk, Veronica Christine Vassilev

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Purpose: Human breast milk and tears share a number of common proteins including lysozyme, lactoferrin, albumin, secretory immunoglobulins, and mucins. Human breast milk has been used as self-medication for conjunctivitis and has been recently reported to improve corneal healing in an animal model system. Lacritin is prosecretory, mitogenic and when cleaved, antimicrobial. Topical application promotes sustained basal tearing in rabbits. This study aims to determine if lacritin can be detected in human breast milk. Methods: Milk fat from human breast milk was removed by centrifugation and samples were subjected to DEAE and Hydrophobic Interaction Chromatography (HIC) to separate proteins in …

Examining Tail Development Models In The Four-Toed Salamander, Hemidactylium Scutatum, Peter Daniel Rossbach

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Tails are common among most vertebrates. The embryonic tails of most vertebrates grow into adulthood while other vertebrates absorb them. Interestingly, some species of salamanders have the ability to add axial segments to their tails post-embryonically. In the salamander, Hemidactylium scutatum, postembryonic growth of the tail is due to the development of new caudal vertebrae, as well as the growth of pre-existing segments. The mechanisms that drive the postembryonic segmentation in salamanders are relatively unexplored and may offer insights on the molecular nature of tail development in vertebrates. I found evidence that larval and adult tail growth could be utilizing …

The Role Of Ambient Temperature In The Recovery From Major Surgical Stress, Mary Katherine Garbarini

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

No abstract provided.