Class Projects

Khalid Al-Shethry, Elizabeth McAfee and Andy Shepler, "Art Nouveau"

Our goal is to tell the audience what Art Nouveau’s contribution to the art/design field is. We will be doing this through an original artistic layout of the Art Nouveau style alone with images and in depth research on what Art Nouveau was in the past and what impact it has had in the present art field. The entire tri-fold will be an art piece that goes along with our message.

Ferdinand Amanor, Ashley Nguyen, "A Forgotten Project: A Review on Alzheimer's Mechanism of Disease and Medicinal Drug Efficacy"

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is currently inflicting 5.7 million Americans, and this number continues to skyrocket as a new patient is diagnosed every 65 seconds. This irreversible neurodegenerative disease, characterized by mental decline and reduce cognition, has become the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. The cost required to care for diagnosed patients is $277 billion in 2018 and will reach $1.1 trillion by 2050; however, despite expensive medical costs, one in three patients are still expected to die from the disease. The current model for the mechanism of this disease suggests that AD is primarily caused by deteriorating cell-to-cell communication between brain cells. There are only five FDA-approved drugs to treat AD, each designed to target specific memory and cognitive symptoms of the disease at specific stages of progression. These drugs are either classified as cholinesterase inhibitors or N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonists. The project reviews the biomolecular mechanism and efficacy of donepezil and memantine, the two drugs most prescribed to Alzheimer’s patients, as individual and combinational therapies. The projected rise in AD patients and increase cost for their care emphasize the need for a better and more affordable treatment plan. While the development of new drugs is underway, these drugs continue to target only the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and are still unable to cure the disease itself. As a result, many doctors and scientists are working to create new and effective diagnostic tools that will definitively detect and help prevent the disease before its symptoms are observed.

Frank Amanor, Anne Norris Eslava, Meghan Dunn, "Diabetes"

The focus of this project is on the lifelong chronic disorder diabetes mellitus. Diabetes is a disease that occurs when a person’s blood glucose is too high. Blood glucose is the main source of energy and comes from food consumed. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps glucose from food get into cells to be used for energy. Sometimes the body doesn’t make enough—or any—insulin or doesn’t use insulin well. Glucose then stays in the blood and doesn’t reach the person’s cells. Over time, having too much glucose in your blood can cause health problems. The most common types of diabetes are type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes (other types being monogenic diabetes and cystic fibrosis- related diabetes) with type 2 diabetes being the most common. Symptoms of diabetes include increased thirst and urination, increased hunger, fatigue, blurred vision, numbness or tingling in the feet or hands, sores that do not heal, and unexplained weight loss. Diabetes can also lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, which can result in death. Although there is no finite cure for diabetes, having a healthy diet and maintaining an active lifestyle help to reduce the negative effects of diabetes.

Madison Artigues, Bridget Fahy, and Bruce Helmly, Kalyn Cotton, "Heart Failure"

This project is about the nutrition necessary for heart failure. In the project, it talks about the meal plan that is made for a patient, including all of the nutrients that are needed to prevent progression and the extent of heart failure. Also, this project explains the effects and the physiological means of heart failure. It will go into the diet therapy of the disease, which is what is needed to help the disease not progress and keep it as well managed as possible. It also explains important features of this disease that is not included in the anatomy, pathophysiology, or diet therapy sections. There are also questions to test understanding. Most importantly, this project is to help people see why nutrition is essential to maintain throughout life, even with a disease.

Alyssa Asaro, Jenna Cambias, Meghan Voguel, Hannah Frances Ford, "Alzheimer's Disease"

The purpose of this project is the case of Al Heimer, who is an elderly man suffering from Alzheimer’s, which is an extremely common form of dementia among older adults. Because our patient’s brain suffers from plaques and tangles in the tissues, his neurons have difficulty sending impulses to other parts of the brains. Additionally, the hippocampus is also affected, which impairs his ability to store memories. Because of this miscommunication within the brain, Al experiences difficulty storing memories and retrieving short-term memories. The pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s also includes other neural effects evident through Al’s behaviors, such as depression, social withdrawal, and irritability. Next, Al’s diet must consist of a well-balanced diet with supervision of his caregiver while establishing a fixed routine for his eating schedule. Our project includes facts regarding the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and offers treatment solutions through diet therapy and daily meal plans.

Carolyn Burrell, Carmen Smith, and Chris McNeely, Kori Lackey, "Chronic Kidney Disease"

The focus of this project is on the life-long condition of Chronic Kidney Disease. Some precursors include Diabetes Mellitus, hypertension, recurrent kidney infections, and a prolonged obstruction within the urinary tract. As this chronic disease progresses, the kidneys begin to lose function. The kidneys’ filtration abilities gradually decrease due to a failing glomerulus. In order to control the progression of chronic kidney disease, a patient must follow a strict diet therapy. This nutritional therapy includes a diet which is high in biological proteins and avoids food and beverages high in sodium. There are several complications that patients with chronic kidney disease face, including fluid retention, cardiovascular disease, anemia, decreased immune response, and many more. Unfortunately, chronic kidney disease does not have a cure. The best way to manage the disease is through treatment that aims to control signs, symptoms and reduce complications.

Anna Breland, Georgette Munezero, "An Overview of Tuberculosis Pathogenicity and It's Prevalence in the Developing World"

Tuberculosis kills nearly two million people annually worldwide making it one of the top ten causes of death worldwide and the leading cause of death for people who are HIV-positive. Once inhaled, the bacteria are localized in the alveoli of the lungs, and illness may develop with symptoms including severe cough, fever, weight loss, and night sweats. In many cases, the TB may go into a latent phase after infection; meaning one is not (yet) ill with TB and does not show symptoms of the disease. A combination of drugs taken over the course of up to nine months is used to treat tuberculosis: Isoniazid, Ethambutol, Rifampin, and Pyrazinamide. Isoniazid and Ethambutol work by weakening pre-existing bacteria’s cell walls while Rifampin and Pyrazinamide interfere with bacterial replication. While tuberculosis is a treatable and curable disease, multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a growing problem with resistance to rifampicin increasing yearly as a result of misuse of the drugs due to lack of resources, poor medical care, or stopping the treatment regimen early. MDR-TB can be treated with second-line drugs, but this treatment is far more expensive and longer. New treatments for MDR-TB include Bedquiline which acts similarly to Rifamipin and Delamanid which acts similarly to Isoniazid. Over 95% of TB deaths occur in low and middle-income countries, but the World Health Organization has designed the “End Tb Strategy” with the goal to eradicate TB by 2030.

Cameron Byrne, Maria Gomez Hoyos, "Corporate Tax Rates and Foreign Investment: Where do US Multinationals Invest?"

Globalization is a highly relevant topic in today’s world. Within this relatively short span of time, some countries have emerged as global superpowers while others have become stagnant. One of the driving forces behind this trend has been the companies in their respective countries. Multinational businesses and corporations have developed into highly powerful entities that can influence people, cultures, and countries across the world. Pros and cons both exist with some arguing that globalization allows for greater efficiency and others arguing that it hurts local economies. In order to analyze the effect of globalization, one needs to understand the incentives of companies’ expansion into foreign countries. Through this analysis, we will attempt to explain what motivates US based multinational companies to expand their operations and invest their capital in foreign territories. In this study, we will conduct a regression analysis, which will consist of five independent variables and one dependent variable. The dependent variable will be defined as capital expenditures in a particular country. The independent variables will be identical and will consist of the following: corporate tax rate in the foreign country, population, average income, and Gross Domestic Product. The legal regulations enforced in each country will also be examined. Instead, they will be ranked on a scale of 1 to 5 according to how strict each country’s regulations are in comparison to the others used in this study.

Rebecca Chase, Nicholas Weirath, "The Medcinal Landscape of Tourette's Syndrome"

Gilles de la Tourette’s syndrome (TS) is a neurological condition characterized by motor and vocal tics. The current research suggests that TS is caused by super-sensitive dopamine 2 (D2) receptors. Upon dopamine binding, D2 receptors activate a number of important signaling cascades that play a role in locomotion, reward, and hormone production. New findings have also revealed that patients with TS exhibit a modified version of the DRD2 gene, which may or may not be the cause of this super-sensitivity. The medications that are commonly used to treat TS are antipsychotics, which appear to block the D2 receptors and lessen symptoms. Unfortunately, these drugs tend to have significant side effects, such as tremors, weight gain, and onset of other movement disorders. Research is currently being done to find a more specific drug that will lessen side effects. Luckily due to its low incidence rate, 1% nationwide, drugs created to treat TS are granted orphan designation. While it’s exciting that the orphan designation gives incentive to drug companies to find new and better TS treatments, it also means that the prices of these new drugs are extremely high. Overall, more research needs to be done to determine the exact cause behind TS and the mechanisms of action of the drugs being used to treat it. Once this is accomplished, better drugs will be able to be created and work can begin to lower the prices of these new drugs.

Marian Cook, Cecilia Dupepe, Grace Gundlach, Aubrey Whitten, and Chris Mines, "Eyewitness Accuracy"

For over 40 years, researchers have found compelling evidence that eyewitness testimony is fallible (e.g., Loftus & Palmer, 1974; Wells & Olsen, 2003). Issues related to leading questions (Loftus, Miller, & Burns, 1978), false implanted memories (Loftus & Pickrell, 1995), and confirmation bias (Brewer & Treyens, 1981) might affect how an eyewitness recalls and reports an incident to the police. The present study examines the effect of leading questions on memory recall. More specifically, we examined false suppositions and true suppositions. Results and applications will be discussed.

Doc Davis, Morgan Manning, Randi Evans, Hanna Malloch, "Tuberculosis"

The focus of this project is the infectious disease, Tuberculosis, and the nutritional therapy recommended for patients. Tuberculosis is an important topic as it is a leading killer worldwide. The bacteria, Myobacterium tuberculosis, primarily infects the lungs and is very difficult to eliminate due to its pathophysiology and the anatomy of the bacteria itself. The bacteria is transmitted via droplets of fluid expelled by coughing, sneezing, etc. It is encased in a capsule that makes destruction by white blood cells or antibiotics extremely difficult. An individual’s geographic location can make them more likely to contract TB, other risk factors include substance abuse, a weakened immune system, occupation, and other health complications. It is extremely important to have a healthy diet that is rich in antioxidants and iron. These nutrients can be obtained through dark leafy greens, vegetables, and meats. Whole grain breads and cereals are also highly beneficial as fiber works to maintain colon health. Tuberculosis is responsible for 3 million deaths each year, most of which are avoidable through vaccination. 10 million new cases are reported each year. Education about TB is extremely important as it is such a prominent infectious disease. It is a vital aspect of prevention and also understanding the implications of the disease cross-culturally.

Joanna Dembowski, Jared Jacoby, "The Arts and Crafts Movement"

William Morris, the leader of the Arts and Crafts Movement, was an author, designer, translator, and political activist. He advocated for an end to the division of labor and the reversion back to simpler, more natural, humanized production. In fact, he called for an end to the Industrial Revolution as a whole. He is widely known for his beautiful handcrafted decor and furniture for the home. His company, Morris and Co, did textiles, wallpaper, stained glass windows, etc. Some of his most famous designs are Strawberry Thief, Snakeshead, Pimpernel, Rose, illustrations and designs throughout The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, A Leaf From the Kelmscott Chaucer, La Belle Iseult, and Cabbage and Vine tapestry.

Jennifer Frederick, "Hostile Architecture and Poverty"

My project focuses on the rise in hostile architecture related to neoliberalism and how it is a visible symbol of the rise in the criminalization of poverty and homelessness. By keeping in mind that the recent rise in hostile architecture since the 1990s, I will focus on how hostile architecture is related to the rise in neoliberalism and the focus on consumers while pushing those in need out of sight. As there has been a rise in homelessness, it is important to understand whether the roots of homelessness are being treated or if the homeless are being pushed out of sight without trying to find a way to minimize the problem.

Dalton Garret, Lauren Parnell, Courtney Roberts, Eden Marblel, "Cirrhosis of the Liver"

For this project, we will be informing you on the topic of Cirrhosis. This disease is the product of liver damage resulting in scar tissue. The buildup of scar tissue increases the difficulty of liver functions, such as producing vitamins and cleansing the body. This disease results from a multitude of factors including Hepatitis B and C, chronic alcohol abuse, and Cystic Fibrous. As a result of Cirrhosis, the anatomy of the body changes by making the surface of the liver corse and bumpy, causing the skin to have a yellow tint, swelling and pain in the leg, ascites in the abdomen, spider-like formation of blood vessels, and many other effects. Due to these effects, a cirrhosis patient's nutritional habits need close attention. Proper protein and energy intake is key in nutritional therapy for cirrhosis. Also, Esophageal varices cause issues in nutritional habits. Health Professionals recommend soft, low fiber foods to the patient with these varices. When the patient suffers from ascites, health professionals recommend a sodium restriction in the diet. Due to the severity of the disease, there is not a known cure for Cirrhosis. However, there are methods to help prevent the further damage to the liver.

Taylor Guy, Jordan Iosue, Cara Murphy, and Genna Jordan, "Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome"

The purpose of this project is to focus on life long suffering of May Williams, who has inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Genetic predisposition along with environmental triggers cause this life long disease, which is composed of 2 separate illnesses: Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Crohn’s Disease (CD). UC is inflammation of the mucosal layer of the intestinal wall of the large intestine, while CD is inflammation of all layers of the intestinal wall. UC only affects the large intestine, but CD can affect the small intestine and/or the large intestine. The organ system most affected by this disease is the digestive tract, specifically the small and large intestines. The loss of function of the small intestine is associated with greater risk for nutritional depletion and is followed by severe symptoms of diarrhea and intestinal bleeding. Therefore, patients with IBD are at a great risk for nutritional depletion and malabsorption. Abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and bloody stool are the main symptoms that accompany this disease. Diet therapy is used to help minimize these symptoms. Diet therapy includes food items that May should limit or increase in her diet, for example she should increase fiber during times of remission and increase omega 3 fatty acids during flare ups. Our project includes a one-day meal plan which contains examples of meals she could eat either during times of remission or flare ups. Our group researched Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome and the importance of nutrition as a form of treatment.

Abigail Hanson, Carley Jenkins, Nick Noonan, Zach Schultz, and Melannie Stewart, "Coping with Burnout"

Academia consists of multiple oscillating stages in a student’s development: first, primary education (i.e., grade school level); second, secondary education (i.e., high school level); and lastly, tertiary education (i.e., undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate levels). The further one progresses within this system, the greater the expectation and workload is for the student; and consequently, the amount of stress. As a result, college students in the U.S. have been found to be among the most stressful people in society. Given the severe dangers proven to come as a result of stress, the source of this problem must be addressed head-on, so that these students can receive the professional help required to balance their social lives and educational responsibilities. In our research, the Student Rating of Environmental Stressors Scale (STRESS) was used in conjunction with the Coping with Academic Demands Scale (CADS) in order to measure each participant’s source of perceived stress and the measures he/she takes in response to cope with that stress. Locating the source of student stressors and coping methods is paramount to constructing a stress-free environment at colleges and universities for their student body.

Jon David Hirsch, Victor Villarreal, Dylan Mire, "Proposed Schizophrenia Mechanism and Treatment"

Schizophrenia is a complex, unresolving, and severe mental illness that affects just over one percent of Americans and approximately one percent of the world. Schizophrenia impedes an individual’s thoughts, emotions, decision-making, and relations. Because the root cause is unknown and the disease encompasses a conglomeration of molecular, environmental, and genetic factors, there is no cure for schizophrenia. One of the most established disease hypotheses is the dopaminergic pathway which states that increased dopamine activity, complexed with an elevated number of D2 receptors, is involved with the psychotic symptoms experienced by schizophrenic patients. Though several drugs are on the market to treat Schizophrenic symptoms, Abilify is of interest as a cost effective and efficacious atypical, second generation antipsychotic used to treat both positive symptoms such as erratic behavior or hallucinations and negative symptoms such as withdrawal or lethargy. While the mechanism is not fully understood, it is thought that aripiprazole increases dopaminergic activity in areas where it is too low, such as in the mesocortical pathway, and decreases dopaminergic activity in areas where it is too high, such as in the mesolimbic pathway. Abilify is slightly more expensive than older first generation antipsychotics such as Largactil but has fewer adverse side effects, and Abilify treats both positive and negative symptoms while first generation antipsychotics show no efficacy towards negative symptoms. Researchers have advanced in deciphering the disease mechanism of schizophrenia; however, more research is necessary to develop new drugs, preventative measures, and personalized medicine to those diagnosed with this disease.

Madeline Jones, Sofi Ruiz-Castaneda, "Heptatitis C"

Chronic Hepatitis C is a blood-borne viral infection that damages the liver. Complications such as cirrhosis and liver cancer kill about 399,000 annually out of the 71 million people who are affected globally. Unlike Hepatitis A and B, there are currently no vaccines for Hepatitis C. The virus is a single RNA strand, enveloped in a protein capsid, that codes for structural and non-structural components (E1, E2, core, NS2, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, NS5A, NS5B) that form a replication complex and allow the virus to propagate itself. Standard treatment involves a combination therapy of interferon-α and ribavirin; however, these drugs are general, inhibiting viral RNA replication rate, and require months of injections and pills to generate a positive response for only 50-70% of the population. Harvoni, on the other hand, is a newly-developed pill that targets the Hepatitis C virus specifically by inhibiting two of its proteins, NS5A and NS5B. It is a combination of ledipasvir (90 mg) and sofosbuvir (400 mg) and has shown to be 96-99% effective for genotype 1 and 93-96% for genotypes 4, 5 or 6. The total cost for the standard treatment is roughly $42,000, but the cost of Harvoni is roughly $94,000, presenting a significant barrier. Despite generic manufacturing reducing the cost, the drug remains difficult to obtain. However, these costs may continue to drop as current legislation pushes for better insurance coverage and as future drugs such as odalasvir, provide economic competition, thus improving patients’ access to treatment and care.

Julianne Kerr, Zack Smith, Elizabeth Guice, "Bauhaus Movement"

Since its beginnings in Weimar, Germany in 1919, and even to its untimely end in the 1930s, the Bauhaus school has made many lasting contributions to modern graphic design. Its strict emphasis on “de-ornamentation” and adoption of a “less is more” philosophy have influenced design from art as small as modern logos and typefaces to architectural structures as large as skyscrapers. In addition to reforming design, the movement has also changed how it is taught to students by teaching a variety of art classes instead of just concentrating on one skill, which is how design is taught today. Despite the school’s end in 1933 amid Germany’s unstable political environment, its legacy continued as many teachers relocated to the United States and brought Bauhaus art with them.

Elizabeth Klein, "Drug Options for Malaria in Africa"

Malaria is a parasitic disease that plagues many developing countries, especially in Africa. Some of the largest problems with drug treatment are access and affordability. There are currently effective combination treatments for malaria but drug-resistant malarial strains remain problematic. On a global-scale, mosquitoes carrying protozoan parasites remain a deadly menace in sub-Saharan regions of Africa, where an estimated 90% of deaths due to malaria occur. After the mosquito injects sporozoites infecting the liver, the schizont matures, ruptures and releases the sporozoites into the bloodstream. The sporozoites are the infective agents and the schizont is the malarial cell. Drugs used to treat malaria include Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine. Chloroquine (CQ)—brand name Aralen—functions by increasing the basicity of the parasite’s food vacuole and hindering the detoxification of heme byproducts, which is essential for malarial infection. Affecting the pH of intracellular compartments alters processes such as protein degradation, assembly of macromolecules in the endosomes, and post-translational modification of proteins in the Golgi apparatus. However, resistance to the drug increases when mutations of the Chloroquine resistance transporter (PfCRT) occur, leading to decreased concentrations of the drug in the digestive food vacuole. Another malarial drug, Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ)—brand name Plaquenil—has less toxic effects and similar activity to CQ. Combination therapy with CQ and HCQ is most effective and affordable in reducing drug-resistant malarial strains. These drugs treat malaria within three days, are easy to take and they have no side effects. Future malarial treatment objectives include improving accessibility and affordability for malarial drugs.

Viktor Kvarnlöf, Tilman Schober, "Analysis of the differences in household prices in Germany and USA"

We analyzed whether the population size, economic growth, unemployment rate, the number of new houses built, and long-term interest rates has a correlation with housing prices in Germany and the United States. We wanted to see what variables, if any, were the most significant when explaining the increase and decrease in housing prices over the years. To get a better idea we decided to compare the same variables for the USA with Germany. We gathered data from 1991 to 2016 and calculated the percentage changes for each year. We then performed a regression analysis to get a model that possibly could help us understand the question, and also help us to see the similarities and differences of the two countries. For Germany, we found that the population size, unemployment rate, and long-term interest rates were important factors. The only factor for the USA being significant according to the model was the unemployment rate, meanwhile the other four factors were insignificant in explaining housing prices. We argue that our findings rest on cultural differences. Germany and the United States are two very different countries considering government, culture, and family traditions. For example, United States’ population has exponentially increased over time, meanwhile in Germany population has more or less stayed the same for 25 years. In addition, in Germany there is a completely idea behind buying a house – it is mostly close to the place you grew up and a house is seen as an investment for a lifetime. In the US, a house is mostly a temporary place to stay and Americans move every 5 years on average. In Germany they also use more expensive materials which explains the higher cost and the importance of long-term interest rates while in the US short term interest rates seem to be more important since people are buying new houses way more frequently. All of those cultural difference help to explain the importance of different variables for the housing prices in Germany and the US. Only unemployment is important for both which demonstrates the universal importance of keeping unemployment low.

Adele Lemm, Alicia Watts, "Pictorial Modernism"

Pictorial modernism was a design movement that occurred in the late 19th century-early 20th century. Its primary focus was creating posters that used pictorial references as a way to visually enhance and ultimately communicate more persuasively the view of the artist. To accomplish this, artists combined expressive and symbolic images as well as total visual organization on the picture plane.This era produced many famous posters including I want you for the US Army and the poster for Kassama corn flour. It had a profound effect on the graphic design world during its time and continues to influence modern society in numerous ways.

Lydia Losch, "Rivalry, Relationships, and Identity: How Internal Political Factionalization Affects Interethnic Relations in Iraqi Kurdistan"

This paper seeks to understand the relationship between internal political factionalization (IPF) and interethnic relations (IER) in Iraqi Kurdistan between the Kurds and Assyrians. In order to test if the hypothesis that IPF has a positive effect on IER as well as further understand how the two variables interact in other cases, the Iraqi Kurdish case will be compared to the cases of three independent states (Israel, India, and Lebanon).

Maria Mengis, "Civil War Poetry & Longfellow's "Hawthorne"

My project is based on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem “Hawthorne”, specifically into what genre of poetry it falls. Historically, this poem has been read as a eulogy for Longfellow’s friend Nathaniel Hawthorne and, since its origins seem very clear, there has not been much in-depth research done regarding this poem. However, when I first came across it, I somewhat ignorantly read it as a Civil War poem, a wayward thought that came together through my subsequent research. According to Patriotic Gore: Studies in the Literature of the American Civil War by Edmund Wilson, most Civil War poetry is strictly narrative, outlining events that happened during battle in poetic verse rather than prose. This precedent was broken with the work of Walt Whitman, who wrote about abstract feelings regarding the war yet still is considered a Civil War poet. I see Longfellow as a more Walt Whitman-y Walt Whitman, as his ties to the Civil War are even more abstract than those in Whitman’s pieces, yet still undeniably resonate with Civil War poetry. Interestingly, Emily Dickinson’s work is viewed much the same way as Longfellow’s: it was written in the time period of the Civil War, but due to the lack of explicit statement of war themes, it is not considered Civil War poetry. Why not? I argue that Longfellow’s “Hawthorne” is, in fact, a Civil War poem, based on close reading of it, Whitman’s poems, and Dickinson’s poems. Longfellow’s inclusion into this group of poets will lead to more poets to enter into it as well, creating a more vibrant genre and historical legacy as a whole.

Alexis McGruder, "Asking for a Friend: A Sex RE-education Dialogue and Presentation"

A presentation and dialogue was held on April 17th to educate and discuss the disparities among our current sex education system, how it impacts us emotionally, mentally and physically, and what we could/ should do to remedy this.

Audrey Nelson, "Gender-Role Ideology"

Gender-role ideology and attitudes, i.e., beliefs regarding gender-appropriate roles and responsibilities of men and women, are derived by the societal norms of any given culture (Kroska, 2007). Given that these societal expectations are so pervasive, people in each society tend to share similar attitudes regarding the appropriate behaviors of wives, husbands, fathers, and mothers (Scanzoni & Szinovacz, 1980). As a consequence, women and men tend to internalize these ideals (Tang & Tang, 2001).

Men, and especially women, who seek entry into domains dominated by the opposite-sex, are often encouraged to conform to the prototypical person in that domain in order to be successful or leave the domain entirely (Butler, 2014; Ethier & Deaux, 1994). Butler (2004) implies that doing “gender” can result in our “being undone;” for example, women may perform their gender in certain ways in order to gain male acceptance, but this may in turn implicitly devalue their “femaleness.” The current study examines the differences in preferences for gendered behavior in families (as measured by the Preferences for Wife, Husband, Father, Mother Scale; Scanzoni & Szinovacz, 1980) based on gender-role ideology (as measured by the Attitudes Toward Women Scale; Spence, Helmrich & Stapp, 1978).

Victoria Shepherd, Rachel Triay, "Chronic Pain in America"

Approximately 25 million adults in the United States have daily chronic pain. The wide variety of medications available, both over-the-counter and prescription, for pain increases almost yearly. Cost of treatment ranges from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars per week that a patient is spending. There are numerous described mechanisms for how pain becomes chronic, so there are many treatments available—some of which are not effective for patients. One mechanism that describes chronic pain involves the activation of adenylate cyclase in neurons, which leads to the activation of calcium channels, ultimately releasing neurotransmitters (glutamate) to cause a neural impulse. Several treatments work to stop or slow the activation of adenylate cyclase in neurons. Opioids, including Norco or Lortab, bind to opioid receptors on neurons, which leads to the inhibition of adenylate cyclase. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) inhibit COX enzymes, thus inhibiting the production of prostaglandins that normally activate adenylate cyclase and cause pain. A less understood mechanism for chronic pain involves voltage-gated sodium channels, which cause release of glutamate at neural junctions. There currently is an opioid epidemic occurring across the U.S. as opioids are highly addictive and tolerance builds fast. Taking too many NSAIDs has deleterious side effects as well. Looking toward the future, therapeutics such as NAV inhibitors are being explored for the treatment of chronic pain. There is a possible therapeutic that currently has an orphan drug status and is being researched.

Nicole Stout, "Save a Tree Story"

In Writing 495: Very Strange Things the class was assigned to write a “save a tree” story. The only guidelines given were to tell a story without putting it down on paper. This challenge presented us with the opportunity to create a truly unique narrative. Today people are on their phones more than ever, myself included, and I decided to make use of this technology in my save a tree story. Using my iPhone and MacBook I wrote a modern-day breakup via text message. Through the use of a screen video a glimpse into the mind of the protagonist, Alice, is granted, and every typo, punctuation choice, and social media update is open for public speculation.

Eryn Swarn, "Does Music Really Effect That?"

This study reviews any possible effects rap music has on the education and career goals of young black men. Rap music is played on radio stations all across the nation and children understand what these rappers are talking about. Many express negative emotions towards education and the working/middle class lifestyle. This disdain for education causes the reckless young men to see two ways to the top, fame or crime. I was able to reach my conclusions after reviewing what literature was already available on the subject. After gathering information, I designed an interview with questions that would get at how the literature said rap music negatively affected education. Interviews found that young men believe the education they receive after basics like reading, writing, and elementary math skills is useless. They also believe that higher education is equally as useless besides for opportunities to network many play sports on a higher level. There was also the belief throughout the literature that schools need to reform their history classes to be more inclusive of other ethnicities and that there can be positive uses of rap music in the classroom and other controlled mediums.

William Walker, "Corruption: Understanding the Effects on African Democracy"

Following the end of colonialism in Africa and the era of self-independence throughout the continent, scholars have tried to explain the different factors that have affected democracy since independence and the surge of democracy in the 1990’s. Although there was a global spread of democracy at the end of the 20th century, Africa continues to follow behind other continents in the quality of their democracies. Scholars have put forward various causes for democracy’s performance, but the major ones focused on throughout much of the field are corruption and violence, and the post-colonial legacy and the foreign influence that accompanies it. Therefore, the question becomes how do these factors hinder democracy, and in in turn which of these factors has the biggest effect? The research has shown that corruption has the largest negative effect on governmental institutions, so it stands to reason that corruption would most harm the success of democracy in these states. Using several cases from across the continent with various levels of corruption, this paper will examine to what extent different types of corruption hinder the democratic institutions and criteria for a liberal democracy. By analyzing what specific kinds of corruption that largely affect democracy it becomes possible to suppress these cases in the hopes of forming stronger democracies in Africa and across the globe.