Digital Commons Network^™

“The Spirit Of Revolution:” The Impact Of Rum On The Formation Of The United States, Charles Streator

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis explores the impact of rum, be it the distillation, consumption, or trade of it, upon the formation of the American Revolution and the desire of American Colonists for independence. Through the analysis of three distinct subfactors: rum as an economic force, rum as a political tool, and the cultural and societal impacts of the rum trade and its subsequent removal from the American ethos, this project contends that rum as a commodity became a driving factor in the creation of the United States. While much has been written on the roles of stamps, sugar, and tea in the …

Medical Knowledge As A Recalcitrant Epistemological System: An Application Of Standpoint Epistemology In The Analysis Of Marginalization Within U.S Healthcare, Abby Deshazo

CMC Senior Theses

Research on healthcare disparities outside the field of epistemology tend to miss the true origins of oppressions imposed on marginalized individuals by the U.S healthcare system. This happens because of the false belief that these oppressions are reducible to social or political oppressions. By employing the perspective of a standpoint epistemologist, we can better identify the origins of these oppressions and subsequently consider more appropriate solutions. The standpoint epistemologist’s perspective (1) provides an intuitive case for the role individuals’ schemas play in the evaluation of what healthcare professionals know; (2) situates medical knowledge within epistemology, leading us to …

The Joy Of Listening: Three Voices In The Poetry Of Wisława Szymborska, Mimi Thompson

CMC Senior Theses

One of the greatest feats that a poet may achieve in his or her lifetime is to develop a voice so characteristic of themself, it would be impossible to confuse it with that of any other poet. Polish-speaking and non-Polish-speaking scholars alike have agreed that the voice of 1996 Nobel Laureate Wisława Szymborska is utterly distinct, despite the fact that her poems explore a wide range of topics and are told from multiple narrative perspectives, rarely featuring herself through any personal details. How, then, is it possible for hundreds of poems, each with their own narrator, to still be “heard” …

The Self And Memory: How Theories Of Self Are Crucial In Aiding End-Of-Life Decision Making For Dementia Patients, Eric Oregel, Eric E. Bauer

CMC Senior Theses

This paper analyzes the source of what we consider to be the self and how such conclusions should inform whether Advance Euthanasia Directives (AEDs) are valid means of exacting end-of-life decisions for patients with dementia. The paper begins with a survey aimed at investigating various popular theories of self and ultimately arrives at John Locke’s memory-based theory of personal identity as the most promising of such arguments. I then address two important critiques of the theory, the branching problem, and the various issues that arise in cases concerning significant memory loss. Ultimately, I analyze the use of Alternative Euthanasia Directives …

On The Wrongs Of Fake News, Samuel Fiske

CMC Senior Theses

While fake news has become a hot political issue in the past years, it presents novel and apolitical philosophical problems that are often neglected. This paper explores the epistemic and moral wrong of fake news, drawing on work from Immanuel Kant, Seana Shiffrin, and Miranda Fricker to explain exactly why fake news is so problematic. I argue that creating and sharing fake news violates Kant’s Categorical Imperative because it cannot be willed into a universal law and because it fails to respect rational agents as ends in themselves. I also argue that fake news presents distinct epistemic harms as it …

Agro-Environmental Approaches To The Moderation Of Outmigration From Northeast Thailand, Megan Perron

CMC Senior Theses

Thailand’s increasing migration rates out of the country’s poorest region over the past few decades have resulted in a range of issues for both migrants and relatives of the migrants who choose to remain at home. A combination of rapid urban growth in Bangkok and a declining agricultural sector in the Northeast, driven by climate change and unsustainable farming practices, is driving rural-to-urban migration that subjects them to harsh working conditions and social marginalization. To attract migration back to Isaan, the implementation of Climate-Smart Agriculture in the near term and eventually, Regenerative Agriculture, will likely build climate resilience in the …

On The Total Communicative Efficacy Of Music And Its Synthesis To Written Word Through Bob Dylan And Kendrick Lamar, Skyler Addison

CMC Senior Theses

In a social conversation, words spoken carry less than 35% of the interaction’s social meeting, with 65% conveyed by the non-verbal. While poetry relies on the word and it's subtext, songwriting may also weld the other 65%. By dissecting the dynamic communicative aspects of song, modern poets may find useful ways in which they can make their lines have more staying power with the listener, encompassing both the rhythmic catchiness of their lines to an all-encompassing emotive transfer. We may isolate the interwoven components of a song that dictate how a story is told in order to better understand how …

Didactic Democracy: Rethinking The Roles Of Individuality, Political Freedoms And “Cultural Values” In The Process Of Development, Sabrina Hartono

CMC Senior Theses

Working off of Amartya Sen’s “Development as Freedom,” this paper challenges the conception of political freedoms and their instrumental, constructive and intrinsic roles in the development of society. I explore how identity formation is not as individualistic as Sen implicitly assumes in his framework. Using Elizabeth Anderson’s work on the importance of community in developing an individual identity, as well as incorporating ideas from Marx and Somers, I argue that there is strong reason to believe that Sen’s emphasis on the instrumental and constructive roles of political freedoms is exaggerated. I challenged Sen’s conception of the intrinsic value of political …

‘It’S Like Baking A Cake’: An Analysis Of Conscience Voting In The New Zealand House Of Representatives Since The Introduction Of The Mixed-Member Proportional System In 1996, Harrison Hosking

CMC Senior Theses

Conscience voting in the New Zealand House of Representatives offers a unique opportunity to assess Sam Peltzman’s ‘Principal-Agent Theory’ as outlined in his 1984 paper, Constituent Interest and Congressional Voting.

This thesis begins with a brief assessment of the principal-agent model (and other literature regarding parliamentary representation) before looking at the New Zealand Parliamentary system and the phenomenon of private member’s bills and how they aid the legislative process. This is followed by an exploration of a constructed dataset of conscience votes that have occurred since the inception of the mixed-member proportional (MMP) electoral system in 1996. An analysis …

Reconstruction Of Ancient Microbial Genomes From The Human Gut, M. C. Wibowo, Z. Yang, M. Borry, A. Hubner, K. D. Huang, B. T. Tierney, S. Zimmerman, F. Barajas-Olmos, C. Contreras-Cubas, H. Garcia-Ortiz, A. Martinez-Hernandez, J. M. Luber, K. Reinhard Et Al.

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Molecular Characterization And Phylogenetic Analysis Of Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (Ibdv) From Commercial Broiler Farms In Luzon, Philippines, Mark Lawrence G. Atienza

Undergraduate Theses

Decades after its discovery, the infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) still poses significant risks in poultry industry, due to its immunosuppressive effect on afflicted animals. This study aims to determine the different genotypes of IBDV that are present in the country, through molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of the VP2 hypervariable domain of infectious bursal disease virus. Nested RT-PCR was used to confirm the presence of IBDV in samples collected from 10 farms. Subsequent genetic analysis through nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis revealed the presence of three (3) variants in Luzon broiler farms. The variant IBDV was found to be …

B-Mode, M-Mode And Doppler Echocardiographic Features In Dairy Water Buffalo Calves, Mary Jovy B. Chavez

Undergraduate Theses

Thirty-two crossbreeds (Philippine Carabao x Bulgarian Murrah) of buffalo calves weighing 18-125 kg, with age range of one day to six- months, were classified according to sex and examined using an ultrasound machine equipped with a multi-frequency scanner at 3rd to 5th ICS, right parasternal long axis view. Cardiac structures were described using B- mode, measurements were obtained using M-mode echocardiography and

blood flow was measured and characterized using pulsed-wave Doppler and color flow Doppler, respectively. The different heart chamber walls and septa appeared as hypoechoic bands while the atria, ventricles and aorta were visualized as anechoic lumen. There were …

Prevalence Of Asymptomatic P. Falciparum Gametocyte Carriage Among School Children In Mbita, Western Kenya And Assessment Of The Association Between Gametocyte Density, Multiplicity Of Infection And Mosquito Infection Prevalence., Victor A. Mobegi, Jeremy K. Herren, Abdoulie O. Touray, Fred Wamunyokoli, Hellen Butungi

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background: Asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum gametocyte carriers are reservoirs for sustaining transmission in malaria endemic regions. Gametocyte presence in the host peripheral blood is a predictor of capacity to transmit malaria. However, it does not always directly translate to mosquito infectivity. Factors that affect mosquito infectivity include, gametocyte sex-ratio and density, multiplicity of infection (MOI), and host and vector anti-parasite immunity. We assess the prevalence of gametocyte carriage and some of its associated risk factors among asymptomatic schoolchildren in Western Kenya and to further analyse the association between gametocyte density, multiplicity of infection (MOI) and mosquito infection prevalence. Methods: P. falciparum …

Affordable Processing Of Edible Orthopterans Provides A Highly Nutritive Source Of Food Ingredients, Forkwa Tengweh Fombong, John Kinyuru, Jeremiah Ng’Ang’A, Monica Ayieko, Chrysantus Mbi Tanga, Jozef Vanden Broeck, Mik Van Der Borght

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Edible orthopterans (grasshoppers, crickets, and locusts) are major delicacies, especially across sub-Saharan Africa. Their promotion as food ingredients is increasingly gaining momentum. This study evaluates the nutritional profiles of three widely consumed orthopterans: Gryllus bimacu-latus, Locusta migratoria, and Schistocerca gregaria after blanching and oven-drying. All three species had high protein (65.3, 54.2, and 61.4% on a dry matter (DM) basis for G. bimaculatus, L. migratoria, and S. gregaria, respectively) and fat contents. Oleic (22.9–40.8%) and palmitic (26.1–43.0%) were the two most abundant fatty acids. All essential amino acids (in mg/100 g protein) were present, with glutamic acid (120–131), alanine (90.2–123), …

Prospects On The Nano-Plastic Particles Internalization And Induction Of Cellular Response In Human Keratinocytes, Pm Gopinath, Ks Twayana, P Ravanan, John Thomas, A Mukherjee, Df Jenkins, N Chandrasekaran

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Abstract Background Today, cosmetic products are very popular with both men and women to improve their appearance and increase their social acceptability. Results In this study, nano-sized (30–300 nm) plastic particles were isolated from the commercial face-scrubs and treated on the human keratinocytes. The observed adherence of polyethylene nano-plastics (PENPs), polystyrene NPs (PSNPs), and face-scrubs isolated nano-plastics (NPs) on the keratin layer reveals a significant attachment of NPs from the cosmetics that are applied on the skin for a short duration. This attachment property could facilitate further adherence of protein molecules on NPs and the protein-corona formation. The protein-corona mimics …

A Review Of The Uk And British Channel Islands Practical Tidal Stream Energy Resource, Daniel Coles, Athanasios Angeloudis, Deborah Greaves, Gordon Hastie, Matthew Lewis, Lucas Mackie, James Mcnaughton, Jon Miles, Simon Neill, Matthew Piggott, Denise Risch, Beth Scott, Carol Sparling, Tim Stallard, Philipp Thies, Stuart Walker, David White, Richard Willden, Benjamin Williamson

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

This review provides a critical, multi-faceted assessment of the practical contribution tidal stream energy can make to the UK and British Channel Islands future energy mix. Evidence is presented that broadly supports the latest national-scale practical resource estimate, of 34 TWh/year, equivalent to 11% of the UK’s current annual electricity demand. The size of the practical resource depends in part on the economic competitiveness of projects. In the UK, 124 MW of prospective tidal stream capacity is currently eligible to bid for subsidy support (MeyGen 1C, 80 MW; PTEC, 30 MW; and Morlais, 14 MW). It is estimated that the …

Crispr Systems For Covid-19 Diagnosis, Hossein Rahimi, Marziyeh Salehiabar, Murat Barsbay, Mohammadreza Ghaffarlou, Taras Kavetskyy, Ali Sharafi, Soodabeh Davaran, Subhash C. Chauhan, Hossein Danafar, Murali M. Yallapu

School of Medicine Publications

The emergence of the new coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) was first seen in December 2019, which has spread rapidly and become a global pandemic. The number of cases of COVID-19 and its associated mortality have raised serious concerns worldwide. Early diagnosis of viral infection undoubtedly allows rapid intervention, disease management, and substantial control of the rapid spread of the disease. Currently, the standard approach for COVID-19 diagnosis globally is the RTqPCR test; however, the limited access to kits and associated reagents, the need for specialized lab equipment, and the need for highly skilled personnel has led to a detection slowdown. Recently, …

Cellular And Molecular Mechanisms Of Neuronal Degeneration In Early Stage Diabetic Retinopathy, Sonal V. Jha, Laura Valdez, Andrew T C Tsin

School of Medicine Publications

DR is a common complication of diabetes in which every cell type in the retina is affected or damaged, resulting in irreversible vision loss. Although DR was classically considered a vascular disease, evidence now supports DR as a neurovascular disease, in which neuronal damage is present much earlier than vascular pathology or clinically observable abnormalities. The mechanisms by which neurons are damaged in early DR are linked to the effects of reactive oxygen species, apoptotic signaling by capase-dependent, caspase-independent, and Fas/FasL pathways and glial cell reactivity resulting in excitotoxicity, neurotrophin imbalance, and breakdown of neurovascular coupling. Although some features of …

Involvement Of Tgfβ Signaling Pathway In Oxidative Stress And Diabetic Retinopathy, Reanna Rodriguez, Kristine L. Lowe, Megan Keniry, Andrew Tsin

School of Medicine Publications

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of blindness in the U.S. However, not much is known of underlying molecular mechanism and how oxidative stress contributes to its development. In the present study, we investigated the involvement of TGFβ signaling pathway on the effect of oxidative stress on VEGF secretion and viability of retinal cells. VEGF is the hallmark that exacerbates DR progression in prolonged diabetes. Some major concerns that have arisen are the underlying effects of antioxidants in elevating VEGF secretion in diabetes. In this study, we evaluated how hypoxia (or low oxygen) impacts viability and VEGF secretion using …

Earthworm Density Differences Among Tallgrass Prairies Over Time In The Ozark Highlands, Carlee Hensley, Kristofor R. Brye, Mary C. Savin, Edward E. Gbur, Lisa S. Wood

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

To mitigate the loss of tallgrass prairies through fragmentation and conversion to other land uses, prairie restoration efforts have been undertaken to reclaim areas that have been previously used for agricultural production. Earthworms are a key component of the soil ecology of natural, undisturbed ecosystems. However, limited research exists on earthworm populations in prairie restorations and how earthworm densities may change over time. The objectives of this study were (a) to evaluate earthworm densities in the upper 20 cm of soil over time (i.e., May 2007 and May 2019) in a native prairie and chronosequence of three prairie restorations (i.e., …

Evaluation Of Corn Herbicide Programs With And Without Atrazine, Jason K. Norsworthy, Jacob Thomas Richburg, L. Tom Barber, Trenton Roberts, Edward Gbur

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Atrazine is a foundational herbicide in corn (Zea mays L.) because of its broad-spectrum weed control and utility for pre-emergence or postemergence applications. Extensive atrazine use has led to traces in groundwater, surface water, and aquifers. This research explored corn herbicide regimes with little or no atrazine. Pre-emergence herbicide treatments [S-metolachlor (0.955 lb acre^–1); saflufenacil (0.054 oz acre^–1) plus dimethenamid-P (0.473 lb acre^–1)] and postemergence herbicide mixtures [bicyclopyrone (0.040 lb acre^–1) plus mesotrione (0.161 lb acre^–1) plus S-metolachlor (1.429 lb acre^–1); thiencarbazone-methyl (0.013 lb …

Earthworm Differences Among Mound Positions In Native Prairies In The Ozark Highlands, Carlee D. Hensley, Kristofor R. Brye, Mary C. Savin, Lisa S. Wood, Edward E. Gbur

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Mounded, tallgrass prairie ecosystems are a unique, endangered ecosystem due to severe disturbance for agricultural production and/or urban expansion. Limited research exists on earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris) dynamics in mounded, tallgrass prairies, particularly in the Ozark Highlands region of northwestern Arkansas. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of soil moisture regime (SMR), landscape position (LP), and sample date on earthworm densities in the top 20 cm of soil in two mounded, native prairies in the Ozark Highlands region of northwestern Arkansas. Juvenile and total earthworm densities were five times greater (P < .05) in the udic- and aquic-inter-mound combinations than any other SMR-LP combination in October 2018 and May 2019, respectively. Adult earthworm densities were two times greater (P < .05) in the aquic-inter-mound at Searles Prairie than any other SMR-LP combination in either mounded prairie. Juvenile earthworm densities were three times greater (P < .05) in May 2019 than in May 2018 at Chesney Prairie, but adult and total earthworm density did not change over the same period of time. Combined across all data, juvenile and total earthworm densities were positively correlated (P …