Digital Commons Network^™

Developing A Circuit Model To Study The Mechanisms Of Dna Damage And Repair Feedback Dynamics In Cancer Cells, Thomas M. Deangelo

Honors Theses

Cancer therapies over the last decade have promoted a growing interest in the manipulation of DNA damage and repair pathways due to its beneficial consequences on cancer cell viability. Simultaneously attacking genetic code with DNA-damaging chemotherapies while eliminating mechanisms of DNA repair – the protectors of our genome – has enormous therapeutic potential. Biological circuit engineering interfaces biochemistry and systems biology with electrical engineering analyses to accurately model and simulate biological pathways such as DNA damage and repair. Circuit models can also be used to identify weaknesses within pathways, highlighting the most efficient protein targets for drugs that aim to …

The Role Of Socioeconomic Status In Cognition And Brain Health Across The Lifespan, Erica Chung

Honors Theses

Disparities in cognition are inevitable throughout the lifespan due to socioeconomic gaps. Individuals of lower socioeconomic status (SES) may have fewer access to environmental resources, especially with regard to education, than individuals of higher socioeconomic status. Differences in available resources from a young age may affect brain development, leading to detriments in cognition and behavior, further impacting socioeconomic success in adulthood. In the present study, we modeled the development of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and changes in cognitive function throughout the life trajectory in the Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research Rockland Sample. The DLPFC volume was predicted to …

The Perceptions And Practices Of Japanese Identity In Contemporary France, Sara Gardner

Honors Theses

France is well known for promoting dominant white ideals of “Frenchness” over all others, stemming from the French republican ideal of culture-blind and colorblind universalism.. This universalism, however, is often criticized for glossing over individual heritage and struggles, and studies surrounding this issue often focus on ethnic groups that have made headlines, such as Muslim and North African populations in France. But what about less studied communities, such as the Japanese in France? These less studied populations are worth investigating as we can look at their experiences to further understand the impact of French nationalism. Through a primarily interview-based ethnographic …

Memories And New Beginnings: Chinese American Restaurants And Food As A Contact Zone In Early-Twentieth Century California, Nicholas Kim

Honors Theses

In previous Asian American studies, authors largely focus on urban centers. In my thesis, I center rural Chinese American communities in early-twentieth century California in the making of the Chinese American identity. I argue that they, along with Chinese American food, acted as contact zones for Chinese and non-Chinese Americans. This paper covers a range of themes, including most prominently the connection between food and culture. I additionally address how Chinese American restaurants and food challenged perceptions of Chinese Americans as foreigners, their role in gender relations, and what we consider to be authentic. This paper largely uses archival newspaper …

Pfas Environmental Contamination In Central Maine, Megan H. Andersen

Honors Theses

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are toxic, persistent, and bioaccumulative chemicals that are used in a variety of consumer products and industrial applications. Paper mills across the state of Maine have used PFAS in their industrial paper making processes, and their wastes often flow for treatment into municipal sewage treatment facilities. PFAS contaminated municipal wastewater from the general use of PFAS consumer products are also processed by these plants. Liquid waste is condensed into solid waste septage and sludge, and in what was thought to be an environmentally friendly repurposing practice, municipal sludge and septage has been spread on plots …

“Green” Marketing In The Apparel Industry: The Spectrum Of Veracity, Stephanie R. Keane

Honors Theses

Apparel companies’ propensity for manipulation in their marketing of environmental initiatives contributes to immense environmental pollution from petrochemical textile material production. Public scrutiny pressures these businesses to adopt “green” initiatives to avoid losing devoted consumers. In some cases, these initiatives disguise the real operations of a company or claim benignity for the company when this is not the reality. Previous business ethics research analyzed the emergence of “greenwashing” in corporations and thus concluded that corporations market themselves as eco-friendly to portray commodification as sustainable. In the form of case studies, this paper scrutinizes four companies: Zara, Patagonia, Lululemon, and Pact. …

Community Interventions To The Food Insecurity Crisis Inuit Currently Face In Nunangat, Alyssia R. Getschow

Honors Theses

Inuit living in Nunangat, a northern territory in Canada, are facing unprecedented rates of food insecurity. The increasing impacts of anthropogenic climate change are rapidly changing the Arctic landscape in Nunangat, posing challenges to Inuit hunters who hunt and live completely self-sufficient off of the land. This lack of access to country foods and the impacts these conditions are having on Inuit communities are forcing Inuit to consider aid propositions from the Canadian government. Due to a long history of conflict with white settlers during the colonization of Canada, there is a feeling of distrust and cultural distaste between Canada …

Science And Sadness: Critiques On How We Handle Alzheimer’S Disease And Dementia, Katherine Martinez

Honors Theses

In our society, an individual’s worth is tied to the state of their cognitive function which affects the discourse about neurodegenerative illnesses, causing it to mostly fall under two branches: “The Dread” and “Science as the Holy Grail”. “The Dread” addresses how Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and other dementias are typically perceived as devastating illnesses to be feared. “Science as the Holy Grail” represents the hope and faith that is invested into potential technoscientific developments without the guarantee of any consequential results. Limiting the narrative to these two categories negatively impacts the quality of life (QOL) of AD patients, caregivers, and …

Characterizing Cellular Stress, Hippocampal Function, And Behavior In A Novel Rat Model Of Alzheimer's Disease, Anne A. Schulman

Honors Theses

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects over 5 million individuals in the United States alone. While AD is primarily thought of as a disease that destroys neural networks required for memory recall and formation, AD also cause impairment in emotional regulation, cognitive flexibility, and executive function pathways. The cause of AD is unknown; however, the allele ApoE4 has been identified as a risk factor for the onset of AD. ApoE4 provides a valuable opportunity to study AD through animal models. This thesis utilized a human ApoE4 transgenic rat model (hApoE4) to investigate the biological and behavioral …

"It's Not About The Polar Bears": Evangelical Christian Arguments For Environmentalism, Teresa D. White

Honors Theses

In recent history, white conservative evangelical Christians have formed an influential voting bloc of the Republican party in United States politics. Historically, conservatives have often denied the reality of human-induced climate change and have opposed climate change action and many environmental regulations. However, a number of conservative evangelical Christians have split from their traditionally conservative political views and have accepted the reality of climate change, becoming strong advocates for climate change action. This paper examines the arguments often presented by such advocates. I argue that evangelical environmental advocates craft specific arguments to convince fellow evangelicals to care for the environment …

"It’S Just Another Thing”: Perceptions Of Well Water Quality And Barriers In An Arsenic Hot Spot, Linzy Rosen

Honors Theses

Privately owned water is the primary source of drinking water for 43 million Americans. Although residential or private wells are susceptible to a variety of contaminants, the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 positions individuals as responsible for the testing, remediation, and management of this water. Despite the elevated presence of arsenic in Maine, which is linked to various cancers, cardiovascular disease, and neurological damage, little is known about how private well owners perceive the safety and quality of their own water.

This study takes a qualitative approach to understanding concerns and opinions by conducting semi - structured interviews with …

Double Trouble: The Development And Use Of A Novel Spatial Memory Task To Study Depression In A Female Rodent Model, Ekaterina L. Koelliker

Honors Theses

Preclinical rodent models of depression are important for improving our understanding of the behavioral and neurobiological implications of the disorder. However, the current behavioral assays used to assess depressive symptoms in rodents have substantial shortcomings; they are basic, test animals individually, and do not evaluate animals for extended periods. The primary goals of the present study, which was divided into two experiments, were to develop a novel task that could be used to study spatial memory and to apply the task to rodent models of depression. Both experiments used a circular arena with 10 identical jars to analyze the spatial …

The Multifront Battle Waged Against Female Autonomy: A Comparative Study Of Ancient Medical And Literary Texts, Leah K. Montello

Honors Theses

Male authors have long waged a multifront campaign against female independence. In this thesis, I focus on two specific fronts: literary and medical texts of the Classical Greek period. This thesis intends to explore the varying strategies in a selection of works, employed to reinforce prescribed gender norms. I approach this with a feminist lens to critique attempts made by elite educated Greek men to define what a woman ought to be like. I do not, however, explore every single tactic a medical and literary writer has applied to uphold patriarchal norms. My two body chapters revolve respectively around two …

Better Late Than Never: Electronic Cigarettes And A Failed Federal Regulatory Response, Cameron Mccue

South Dakota Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Trial Of Cinque - Steven Spielberg's Amistad, Jonathan K. Van Patten

South Dakota Law Review

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of A Visual Imagining Teaching Procedure To Increase Recall Of Past Events With Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Julie M. Dunbar

Doctoral Dissertations - College of Arts and Sciences

"Individuals with developmental disabilities demonstrate deficits in intellectual and adaptive functioning that can include difficulty describing past events; accurate recall may be improved by learning to engage in precurrent, or problem solving, behavior. Visual imagining is a problem-solving strategy that involves seeing in the absence of the stimulus that was once seen. In the current study, a systematic training model using visual imagining in addition to prompting and reinforcement was evaluated with seven young men ages 12 to 19 with an autism spectrum disorder. Following training, an increase in independent and accurate tacting of stimuli from previously-seen images was observed …

Concurrent Schedules Of Differential Reinforcement Of Alternative Behavior In The Treatment Of Problem Behavior Without Extinction, Chelsea Rose Fleck

Doctoral Dissertations - College of Arts and Sciences

"Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) without extinction is an effective intervention for reducing problem behavior maintained by socially mediated reinforcement, particularly when implementing dense schedules of reinforcement for appropriate behavior. Thinning schedules of reinforcement for an alternative response may result in resurgence of problem behavior. Resurgence may be of particular concern in the treatment of problem behavior without extinction because problem behavior that resurges is also likely to encounter reinforcement and thus can be expected to maintain. In the present investigation, we compared the effectiveness of single and concurrent DRA schedules on decreasing the probability of resurgence when problem …

Dynamics Of Human Fixed-Ratio Performance, Andrew E. Nuzzolilli

Doctoral Dissertations - College of Arts and Sciences

"Human sensitivity to fixed-ratio (FR) schedules was examined in terms of running rate, pre-ratio pause (PRP), inter-response time (IRT), response force, and verbal behavior. College students pressed a force transducer to produce access to video media under a variety of multiple FR schedules. During Experiment 1, ten students participated in a single session with juxtaposed small (FR 5) and large (FR 20, 40, and 80) schedules. For all participants except two, running rate was faster during the large ratio. Response latencies, subsuming both PRP and IRT, decreased within session. Response force also tended towards smaller values when comparing early and …

An Examination Of Delay Discounting With And Without Contingency Descriptions, Stephanie Upshaw

Doctoral Dissertations - College of Arts and Sciences

"Delay discounting preparations have been used across species to assess the degree to which delays devalue consequences. Among the studies that have used these preparations with humans, none have assessed indifference points in the absence of contingency descriptions, making the relative role of contingency descriptions and reinforcers in determining responding unclear. In Experiment 1, we examined discounting under circumstances with and without contingency descriptions in a preparation designed to make discrimination of contingencies difficult. Experiment 2 was designed to examine the role of contingency descriptions in a closer approximation to previous discounting preparations. In this experiment, a concurrent schedule with …

Teaching Pretend Play To Toddlers With Autism, Laura E. Wilhelm

Doctoral Dissertations - College of Arts and Sciences

"Pretend play is a social skill that emerges early in typically developing children and has been shown to be an important contributor to the development of a participant’s social and language skills (MacDonald et al., 2005, 2009). Unlike typically developing children, children with autism often exhibit persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, in addition to engaging in restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. A multiple probe design across play scenarios within and across participants was used to evaluate in-vivo modeling, least-to-most prompting, and multiple exemplar training on the quality of pretend play skills …

Columbus State University Honors College: Senior Theses, Fall 2022/Spring 2023/Summer 2023, Les Anderson, Olympia Badwin, Ian Becerra, Lucy Clarke, Maya Davis, Kaylee Day, Dradley Defore, Rajvi Desai, Hannah Dickerson, Molly Foster, Andrew Holmes, Haley Johnson, Sana Khan, Nicole Kincaid, Kayleen Linge, Keenan Pasqua, Marc Pierre, Richard Rogers, Timothy Sabau, Kaitlyn Shepherd, Havahna Wilkes, Destinee Williams

Senior Theses from the Honors College

This is a collection of senior theses written by honors students at Columbus State University during the Fall 2022, Spring 2023, and Summer 2023 semesters.

Titles:

- "Mise En Scene: Healing Through a Cinematic Lense" , by Les Anderson

- "SCS22: Determining Molecular Function and Its Role in Heat Shock Protection in Saccharomyces Cerevisiae" , by Olympia Badwin

- "The Design and Activity of Novel Antimicrobial Hairpin Peptides" , Ian Becerra

- " Food Justice and Public Health: A Systematic Literature Review of Food Insecurity Prevalence among Black and Indigenous Populations Before and During COVID-19", by Maya Davis

- "The …

Empathy In Education: A Critical Review, Ziqian Zhou Dr

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

This paper offers a systematic review of the literature on the nature of empathy in educational research. This synthesis of the literature will reveal four salient themes that SoTL authors have used to understand the concept of empathy. The value of empathy, according to SoTL researchers, will also receive a summarized treatment in this paper. Findings from this first part of the paper promote more accurate interpretations and comparisons of publications about empathy. Relatedly, a less ambiguous definition of empathy allows researchers and practitioners to design more precise studies that attempt to measure empathy in tutors or students, and to …

The Shifting Shapes Of Early Texas: Some Highlights From Uta Libraries Special Collections, Ben W. Huseman

Virginia Garrett Lectures on the History of Cartography Gallery Guides

This exhibit to accompany the Thirteenth Biennial Virginia Garrett Lectures on the History of Cartography featured not only cartographic materials showing Texas’ physical and political boundaries but also original rare prints, books, broadsides, letters, sheet music, paper money, and photographs. These materials reflect the ideas and ideals that shaped early Texas history, which itself has undergone shifting interpretations that continue to change with time.

A Modified Spectroscopic Approach For The Real-Time Detection Of Pollen And Fungal Spores At A Semi-Urban Site Using The Wibs-4+, Part I, Emma Markey, Jerry Hourihane Clancy, Moisés Martínez-Bracero, Finnian Neeson, Roland Sarda-Estève, Dominique Baisnée, Eoin Mcgillicuddy, Gavin Sewell, David J. O’Connor

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

The real-time monitoring of primary biological aerosol particles (PBAP) such as pollen and fungal spores has received much attention in recent years as a result of their health and climatic effects. In this study, the Wideband Integrated Bioaerosol Sensor (WIBS) 4+ model was evaluated for its ability to sample and detect ambient fungal spore and pollen concentrations, compared to the traditional Hirst volumetric method. Although the determination of total pollen and fungal spore ambient concentrations are of interest, the selective detection of individual pollen/fungal spore types are often of greater allergenic/agricultural concern. To aid in this endeavour, modifications were made …

Ameliorative Effects Of Nitric Oxide On Growth, Physiology And Biochemistry Of Chickpeaplants Under Salinity Stress, Esi̇n Dadaşoğlu

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Salinity is one of the major environmental constraints affecting agriculture in major regions of the world. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of exogenous nitric oxide (NO) treatments on two chickpea cultivars (Cagatay and Inci) under salt stress conditions. Different NO doses (0. 75 and 100 μM sodium nitroprusside (SNP)) as an NO source were applied to chickpea plants grown under saline (presence of 50 and 100 mM of NaCl) and nonsaline conditions. In this study, plant shoot fresh and dry weight, root fresh and dry weight, chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophyll, chlorophyll reading value (CRV), relative water …

Characterization Of Volatile Compounds Nongrafted And Pumpkin-Grafted Bitter Gourd(Momordica Charantia L.), Arzu Karataş, Yusuf Şavşatli

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) is a unique vegetable-fruit possessing several multifarious health benefits. In this study, the plant extraction obtained from grafted bitter gourd onto pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) and nongrafted bitter gourd cultivated under greenhouse conditions were evaluated for their constituents of volatile compounds. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPMEGC-MS) techniques were employed to determine these compounds in the leaves (young, middle, and old-age) and fruits (unripe and ripe) of bitter gourd. The volatile compounds in the leaves of pumpkin during the three stages mentioned above were also investigated. Overall, 72 in leaves and 56 in fruits of bitter gourd compounds …

Biochemical Content Of Cherry Laurel (Prunus Laurocerasus L.) Fruits With Edible Coatings Based On Caseinat, Semperfresh And Lecithin, Yasemi̇n Yavuz Abanoz, Zühal Okcu

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Cherry laurel is one of the most important cherry species and naturally grown in Black sea region in Turkey. Its fruits are sold at high price in local markets in northern parts of Turkey. Cherry laurel fruits are very perishable with a limited shelf life due to a high metabolic activity and susceptibility to mechanical damage and microbial attack. The effect of edible coatings (EC) based on caseinat, Semperfresh and lecithin on the fruit quality, bioactive content and antioxidant activity of cherry laurel fruits stored at 4 ± 1 °C for 15 days was evaluated. The EC fruits compared with …

Effects Of Thai Traditional Formularies Medicine Treatment In The Breast Cancer Mouse Model, Ariya Khamwut

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Breast cancer (BC) is an important global health problem impacting women globally. Standard treatments are also limited, so developing novel alternative therapies is needed. Thai traditional formulary medicines (TTFMs) comprise various herbs, which have been reported to contain anti-cancer properties to treat several types of cancer. The TTFM recipes utilized in the current investigation were taken from the traditional Thai medicine scripture, Atisaravak scripture. These TTFMs have been used to treat cancer and digestive systems disorders. Nevertheless, the impact of TTFMs' anti-cancer activities on breast cancer is poorly understood. Moreover, the underlying molecular mechanism of TTFM still needs to be …

Synthesis Of Iron Phosphide Catalyst On Nanoporous Carbon Derived From Vinasse Waste For Green Diesel Production, Phetcharat Nenyoo

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Nanoporous carbon was successfully synthesized from vinasse waste, using pyrolysis carbonization and potassium hydroxide (KOH) activation. The nanoporous carbon (NPC) exhibited a maximum surface area of 1,018 m2/g and was used as a catalyst support for the conversion of palm oil into green diesel fuel. The NPC consolidated with well-dispersed iron phosphide (FeP) particle, was synthesized by simple wet impregnation. The physicochemical properties of the synthesized FeP/NPC catalyst were evaluated by various techniques including XRD, nitrogen sorption, and TEM with EDS mapping. The effect of deoxygenation reaction temperatures of 280-360 °C was studied in the palm oil conversion. The FeP/NPC …

Effect Of Cinnamon And Nutmeg Essential Oils On The Smoked Meat (Se'i Sapi) Quality, Ulil Afidah

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Se’i sapi is a traditional Indonesian smoked meat product that is normally degraded by both microorganisms and lipid oxidation. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of essential oils on the quality of sterilized se’i sapi. Firstly, antioxidant activity and total phenolic compounds of cinnamon (CEO) and nutmeg (NEO) essential oils, and liquid smoke were investigated. It was found that CEO and NEO had good potential on their antioxidant activities, while liquid smoke exhibited very low antioxidant activity. Total phenolic content of CEO and NEO showed a high value, which were 110.64 and 109.13 mg GAE/g, respectively. …