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Optimizing Expression Conditions For The Overexpression Of Iron Regulatory Protein Bol2 From C. Glabrata, Jade Ikahihifo-Bender, Dr. Caryn Outten, Mrs. Evan Talib

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

Due to its unique ability to serve as both an electron donor and acceptor, iron is utilized as a co-factor for many biological processes, including electron transfer, oxygen binding, and vitamin synthesis. Iron is also a key factor during fungal infections as the human host and invading pathogens battle over limited iron pools. The primary iron-responsive transcription factor Aft1 in the opportunistic pathogenic yeast Candida glabrata responds to iron deficiency by activating expression of iron acquisition genes. However, the mechanisms for sensing intracellular iron levels and regulating Aft1 activity in response to iron are unknown. The C. glabrata iron regulation …

Effect Of Ampk On Exercise-Induced Adipocyte Metabolism, Alec M. Giakas, Ran Hee Choi, Ho-Jin Koh

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

Regular physical activity is a recommended strategy to prevent obesity via increasing fatty acid metabolism. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been associated with the activation of lipolysis in adipose tissue. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that a single bout of exercise increases AMPK activity in adipocytes; however, the mechanism by which AMPK regulates exercise-induced adipocyte metabolism has yet to be determined. To examine the role of AMPK in exercise-induced adipocyte metabolism, we utilized fat-specific AMPK alpha 1 and alpha 2 knockout mice (FKO). Wild type (WT) and FKO mice were divided into sedentary (Sed) and exercise (EX) groups. After 6 …

The Effects Of Eating Disorder Knowledge On Dieting Beliefs, Kaitlyn Finn, Melanie Palomares, Kristin Kirchner

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

The study at hand was designed to look into the issues of eating disorder awareness and dieting attitudes. Specifically, it was hypothesized that individuals with more knowledge of eating disorders would be less likely to believe in dieting. It was additionally hypothesized that there would be a difference in amount of eating disorder knowledge seen between pre-determined age groupings. This was hypothesized due to the nature of the inception of eating disorders as a clinical diagnosis. Eating disorders did not begin to be added as a category into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual until the 80’s, suggesting that participants of …

Predicting Narcissism Through Social Media, Cameryn Freglette, Melanie Palomares

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

The objective of this study was to assess if narcissism can be predicted through social media behaviors such as frequency of posts, posting selfies, and social media presence on a variety of platforms. This study was conducted through a questionnaire related to social media use and a brief assessment from the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI- 16). Results indicated that social media use per day was significantly different between people who post selfies and those who do not. Participants that scored higher for narcissism used social media less but posted significantly more selfies. Results were not significant in predicting narcissism through …

White Antiracists: Everyday Antiracism And White Fragility Among Racially Progressive White Americans, Buffy Renea Duncan, Jaclyn Wong Ph.D

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

Despite the abolition of slavery and Jim Crow laws, racial inequity persists. Bonilla-Silva (2017) suggests that colorblind racism, or the assertion that race does not matter for one’s life chances, has perpetuated anti-Black racial inequality since the Civil Rights Movement. Now, through antiracist efforts such as the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, White Americans are increasingly expanding their notions of racism to include the subtle, institutional racial discrimination associated with colorblind ideologies (Crass 2015). A rejection of “colorblind” thinking places Whites in a position to address systems of White supremacy, both in themselves and the world around them, but it …

Connecting On Campus: Exploring The Motivations And Behaviors Of College Students On Dating Apps, Emma Doyle, Melanie Palomares

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

Dating apps are increasingly popular among young people, including college students. However, these apps can be quite versatile, and there can be a number of reasons why a college student would use them, whether they are looking for a serious relationship, casual sex, or anything in between. Our study evaluated the intents, behaviors, and satisfaction of college students who used dating apps. Using Chi-Square and independent samples t-test analyses, results show that while satisfaction ratings were similar between men and women, more men use dating apps than women, which suggests that women might have a more negative perception of dating …

The Impact Of Weekly Workouts On Self-Reported Happiness Among College Students, Reid Davis, Melanie Palomares

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

College students are consistently at risk for depressive behaviors during a major time of habit transition (i.e., a time of gaining autonomy while developing their own lifestyle and health habits) and gaining in independence; this is met with only half of them not engaging in at least moderately vigorous exercise (Catellier 2013; Powell, 2019). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of types of exercise (cardio, weightlifting, and yoga/pilates) that undergraduate college students voluntarily engaged in on their subjective current and general happiness levels. There were 52 participants in the study, all undergraduates at the University of …

The Universe Under A Microscope, Claire Chabot

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Early Behavioral And Physiological Predictors Of Autism In 12-Month-Old Siblings Of Children With Autism, Nicolas Poupore, Kayla Smith, Abigail L. Hogan, Jane E. Roberts Ph.D.

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder defined by social-communicative deficits and repetitive behaviors. Complementing behavioral (i.e., The Autism Observation Scale for Infants (AOSI) scores) and physiological markers (i.e., respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), heart rate (HR)) may improve early identification of ASD and provide insights into the neurobiological mechanisms contributing to early ASD symptoms. Younger siblings of a child with ASD (ASIBs) had significantly higher AOSI Total Scores and AOSI Marker Scores in comparison to Low Risk Controls (LRCs). RSA significantly decreased from a Baseline to AOSI for both groups, but only for the ASIB group was a negative …

Commercializing The Body: Trade. Contract, And Agency In The Merchant Of Venice, John Gullege, Jennifer Tyburczy

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

In this article, I take Shakespeare’s play The Merchant of Venice as my backdrop to explore and illuminate how the commercialization of flesh and body in the play can only fully be understood through its contextualization in sociological concepts of gift-exchange, early modern contract law, and the rise of the merchant class during this period. At this time, English economy, contract law, and cultural notions of agency/autonomy were all shifting and expanding both theoretically and pragmatically, and much has been said about the historical consequences these changes caused – how mercantile culture permeated English society, how the reexamination of contractual …

Extending The “Pepsi Paradox” To Diet Cola, Charlotte Schallenberg, Melanie Palomares

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

Since the invention of cola, the rivalry between Pepsi and Coca-Cola (i.e., Coke) has been in existence. Coke has been the preferred brand over all other colas, despite the preference for Pepsi in blind taste tests. This has been coined as the “Pepsi Paradox.” In the current study, we evaluated the “Pepsi Paradox” in both regular and diet cola. We entertained the possibility that preferences for cola brands would be roughly equivalent in South Carolina since it borders North Carolina and Georgia, the state of origin of Pepsi and Coke, respectively. The data showed that most people stated they preferred …

Discovering The Southern Appalachian Grassy Balds, Nicholas Lenze

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

Grassy balds are unique Appalachian wonders, open meadows in the mountains where, ecologically, there should be trees. It has been hypothesized that some of the balds originated more than ten thousand years ago and were kept open by the grazing of large herbivores such as the mastodon and the wooly mammoth. Over the course of earth’s history, environmental and anthropogenic factors have shaped, modified and maintained the balds. Up to one hundred grassy balds were once recognized to exist in the southern Appalachians, but fewer exist today due to forest succession (Gersmehl, 1970). Collectively, the grassy balds share a common …

Response Interference And Activity-Based Anorexia In Rats, Nicole Streeb

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

Anorexia nervosa is a severe eating disorder characterized by extreme emaciation due to the inability to maintain a healthy weight. The disorder can result in many behavioral and physiological changes. Activity-based anorexia (ABA) in animals is a potentially viable model of anorexia nervosa, reproducing many of the core behavioral components of the disorder such as restriction of food consumption, dramatic weight loss, and increased drive for physical activity (i.e. wheel running). Some of the behavioral and physiological factors involved in this phenomenon have been examined by previous research; however, investigators have yet to determine the mechanisms by which this behavior …

Learning Organic Chemistry Reactions As A Nursing Student, Anna Bell

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

This paper delineates a clear way to learn the fundamentals of organic chemistry and biochemistry for students ranging from those preparing for careers in the health field to non-science majors. It looks in depth at the reactions relevant to the biochemical processes of the human body, such as the reactions involving alcohols, carboxylic acids, esters, amines, amides, and disulfides. The objective is to present the subject matter in such a way that peer students can clearly relate it to topics relevant to their particular fields of study. This can be done using mnemonic assists such as acronyms, or by using …

The Cranial Morphology Of Large Wild Versus Captive Felids, Bryttin Boyde, Hannah Selvey

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

Studies have shown that carnivores in captivity that are fed soft diets have more periodontal problems and that the morphology of their skeletons, skulls specifically, responds to environmental and behavior factors. Considering that captive diet affects teeth and gums, we have conducted research on Dr. Adam Hartstone-Rose’s hypothesis that variation will also be discernible through the examination of cranial morphology. We compared captive and wild lions Panthera leo and tigers Panthera tigris to see if differences were present, then analyzed data collected by a microscribe using a 3D morphometric analysis program. Next, Principal Component Analysis was completed to account for …

A Review Of Video Game Effects And Uses, David Corso

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

Video games are versatile in their form and function. Whether they’re training doctors or offsetting Alzheimer’s disease, video games can exercise both mental and physical features, train specific skills for a number of jobs, educate players about events and phenomenon in our world, research and understand natural human processes, and they can be designed for a number of other purposes. Multiple studies have demonstrated the effects of video games on physiological and cognitive levels—positive, negative, and everything in between. This paper identifies various physical and psychological effects that video games produce, and it suggests ways in which video games can …

An Exploration Of The Application Of Threshold Concepts In Sport Management, Debra Burke, Kadie Otto, Aj Grube, Charlie Parrish, Dan Grube

Global Sport Business Journal

Jan Meyer and Ray Land introduced the theory of threshold concepts to identify learning outcomes that represent a fundamental shift in the understanding of a subject which distinguishes how experts in the discipline internalize the discipline (Meyer & Land, 2006). They described the mastery of threshold concepts as being “akin to passing through a portal, opening up a new and previously inaccessible way of thinking about something” (Meyer & Land, 2006, p. 3). Threshold concepts as defined by Meyer and Land (2006) are characterized by these features:

• Transformative: Once understood, a threshold concept changes the way in which the student …

Sexism In Unexpected Places: An Analysis Of Country Music Lyrics, Anna Rogers

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

This study aims to show that sexism exists in all facets of society by exposing its existence in the widely unexpected area of country music. Within sociology, much work has been done on sexism in the popular musical genres of rock and rap, but little attention has been given to country music. The focus of this study is an area of society where sexism is often thought to be less salient. In order to do this I will use a perspective developed from sociological perspectives on culture, gender, and music, and look at popular country songs for sexist lyrics. Using …

Learning About Learning: Cognitive Gaming As A Technology Of The Self, David Corso

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

Humans perceive and interpret video games in various ways. When viewed as a cognitive process, video games facilitate intellectual growth and development. This piece analyzes selected works by French intellectual Michel Foucault and educational game design researcher Kurt Squire to explain how video game play elicits various cognitive and metacognitive processes. The video discusses how gameplay contributes to the development of cognitive skills, such as memory and attention. It explains how gameplay facilitates learning about learning as well as how video games provide transferable knowledge. An interpretation of Foucault’s “technology of the self” indicates how individuals might use gameplay to …

The Best And The Brightest Vda Awards Prizes At 2018 Virginia State Science Fair, William Burston Dmd

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

Are You Osha Compliant?, Henry M. Botuck Dds

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

Va Dent J October, November And December 2018

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

Va Dent J January, February And March 2019

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

After The Morning Light, Fiona Candland

English Honors Projects

One fall morning, Clarice, a woman in her mid-twenties, is getting ready for the day when she finds a black ground beetle crawling along her bedroom wall. The beetle consumes her, and throughout the day, Clarice undergoes a metamorphosis. Rendered in poetry and prose, After the Morning Light explores the cultivation of a self, questions the boundaries between humans and their environment, and portrays the fragile relationship between women and the act of being seen.

Mouth, Sex, And Hungry Heart: Anatomy Of The Short-Form Fairy Tale Retelling, Emma M. Murray

English Honors Projects

This project traces the past fifty years of short-form fairy tale retellings authored by women, identifying formal and thematic continuities that define the mode. Building on Adrienne Rich’s concept of “revisioning,” it argues that the political work of these intertextual tales has evolved alongside feminist and queer theory, the emergence of fairy tale studies, and the cultural dominance of children’s fairy tale media. It delineates the short-form retelling as a distinct genre, highlighting its subversive feminist tendencies, and draws on affect, aesthetic, and queer theory, and genre studies to show how these texts reshape narrative expectations and cultural norms.

Exploring Microbiome Communities Of Two Belize Coral Species Five Years After Reciprocal Transplant, Lily E. Kratz

Biology Honors Papers

Coral holobionts, which include the coral animal host, dinoflagellate algae, bacteria, etc., support coral reef biodiversity by providing habitat to many marine species. In the face of global change, identifying and understanding the microbial diversity of corals is extremely important because their survival indicates overall ocean health. Coral-associated bacterial and algal communities contribute to the health and survival of a coral species through creating resistance to stressors and supplying essential nutrients. As coral reef environments continue to change, microbial communities must respond to ensure the survival of reef-building corals. To investigate if coral microbiomes possess the ability to acclimatize to …

Bats In A Modified Suburban Landscape, Brittany Morgera

Biology Honors Papers

This research assesses bat species richness and activity across a gradient of suburban habitat modification surrounding Ursinus College and Green Lane Park in Montgomery County, located in southeastern Pennsylvania. Habitat modification was quantified using GIS-based land-cover metrics (e.g. impervious surfaces and canopy cover), and bat activity and species richness were measured though acoustic surveys conducted at 15 sites during the summers of 2024 and 2025. The project tests the hypothesis that increasing habitat modification has a negative correlation with bat species richness and activity.

Differences In Gendered Educational Experiences Through A Hegemonic Lens: Cultural Influences On Schooling Norms, Camille M. Hubbs

Educational Studies Honors Papers

Recent research literature has found boys to be failing in school compared to girls; because of this a wave of awareness and furthered research on boys has followed. However, girls’ struggles in education must not be ignored as a result of boys’ issues. This project aims to describe and analyze the differences in educational experiences that both sexes have, and it operates under the understanding that culture is a primary influence on these different experiences. Experiences are divided into three broad sections: academic outcomes, confidence, and behaviors. In short, boys generally have worse academic outcomes, girls have poor confidence, and …

Occupational Therapy Program Development In Unhoused Communities, Abbigayle Jackson, Emma Pacheco, Mariko Turley, Jennifer Wickham, Tina M. Deangelis, Edd, Ms, Otr/L, Faota

Doctorate of Occupational Therapy Program Capstone Presentations

Objectives

- Outline the Modified Delphi process and its purpose for manual development

- Describe foundational elements of occupational therapy (OT) program development for unhoused populations

- Illustrate a program's community and societal impact

From Crops To Kilowatts: The Growing Energy Potential Of Modern Agriculture, Karlee M. Crowe

Honors Theses

Agriculture has traditionally been defined as merely the production of food, fiber, and raw materials. Growing global challenges such as rising energy demand, resource depletion, and environmental degradation are reshaping the agricultural industry. This paper argues that modern agriculture has the potential to expand beyond its conventional roles by integrating renewable energy production—specifically through agrivoltaics and biomass generation—into existing agricultural practices. By focusing on these two main systems, this study highlights how the agriculture industry can implement energy production into already existing practices. Drawing on scientific literature and government sources, this study analyzes the environmental, economic, and social implications of …