PRESENTATION
ABSTRACTS
1. The Economics of Death.
Amanda Milby, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science,
Southwestern University
Mentor: Therese Shelton, Department of Mathematics and Computer
Science, Southwestern University
I will model the cost of different scenarios that the body could go
through after a person dies. I will also look at the best way to
maximize the land of a cemetery.
2. A Web-based Academic Appeals System.
Robbie Sternenberg, Sergio Machado, Peter Hubner, Patrick Dosser,
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Southwestern University
Mentors: Barbara Owens, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science
and David Stones, Registrar, Southwestern University
The SU Office of the Registrar needs a more effective way to keep track
of academic appeals submitted by students.
Our team will design a database system to keep track of all submitted
appeals. The system will allow students to check on the current
status of their appeal, as well as allowing the Registrar's office to
easily update appeal status, view past appeal activity, and generate
reports on appeal statistics.
The database will be implemented using MySQL running on a Linux server,
with a web interface created with PHP and HTML. Students will access
the system using the campus internet, and administration on the appeals
will be available only to the Registrar's office. For security
purposes, Registrar personnel will be required to log in to the system
with a username and password.
3. 'Learning to Govern:' The Texas Experience.
Tiffany Barnes, Department of Political Science, Southwestern University
Mentor: Tim O'Neill, Department of Political Science, Southwestern
University
On January 14, 2003, the first Republican controlled Texas House of
Representative in 130 years was sworn into office. The Texas House of
Representative has been a bipartisan legislature since the 1970s. The
78th Legislature could shift to a partisan House should party
ideologies begin to trump bipartisan cooperation.
This study centers on the 2003 session of the Texas House and explores
how fundamental norms, procedures, and rules may have changed and how
the two parties organized themselves. Emphasis is placed on qualitative
measures of norms, rules and procedures using a combination of
participant-observation and elite interviews.
The emphasis on norms, rules and procedures is standard within the
study of both national and state legislatures. Legislatures are
institutions, and as institutions the members are molded by the rules
and procedures that determine how winners and losers are determined.
Such an approach does not ignore the role of ideologies, interests, or
partisan loyalties. But these individualistic factors play out within
the context of written and unwritten rules about appropriate behavior,
what constitutes a sensible argument, and what constitutes a winning
outcome
“'Learning to Govern:' The Texas Experience” focuses on the changes
that were wrought with in the Texas House of Representatives as the
Republican Party became accustomed to being the majority party and the
Democrats became accustomed to being the minority party. This research
analyzes on the shifts of each party’s position by identifying the
crucial “players” in this transition, ideological beliefs and material
interests at play and examining how old rules and procedures changed as
new rules and procedures develop. In brief, what are the significant
changes and continuities in the Texas House as the parties shift their
positions?
4. Pingueros, Jiniteras, and Chulos: an Evaluative
and Comparative Study of the Influence of Social, Political, and
Economic Factors on the Sex Tour Industry and Prostitution in Cuba,
Brazil and Thailand.
Dana Sanders, International Studies Program, Southwestern University
Mentor: Janet Adamski, Department of Political Science, Southwestern
University
In this project, I will use the distinct case studies of the
metropolitan areas of Thailand, Cuba, and Brazil to evaluate the
contributing domestic social, political, and economic stressors/factors
that impact growth of sex tourism and prostitution. Through
articles, books, and state reports on human trafficking, I intend to
uncover the primary factors behind the continuing growth, or lack
thereof, in the sex industry of the three countries. Further I
will and compare the way each country’s government has regulated and
enforced laws against to sex tourism and domestic prostitution.
5. Jessica Lynch: Hero or Victim? A Critical Analysis
of the Media Portrayal of the Jessica Lynch Story.
Emily Stewart, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Southwestern
University
Mentor: Dan Hilliard, Department of Sociology and Anthropology,
Southwestern University
What does it mean to be a hero in America today? The way that the
Jessica Lynch story was portrayed to the American people, both in news
articles and in television, illustrated a new definition for the word.
Previous research has shown that journalists use frames in order to
organize and give meaning to an event (Gitlin, 1980). This study
compares the way The Washington Post initially framed the Jessica Lynch
story to how the interview with Diane Sawyer 7 months later framed the
story. The data show that by using a standard victim story line to
frame the Jessica Lynch story, the reporters depicted her as both a
victim and a hero. However, as a victim of war, Lynch suffered for
America and managed to survive. It is her struggle for survival that
supports the new definition of a hero: any American, who is willing to
risk their life and suffer for their country.
6. Assessments of laterality in chimpanzees (Pan
troglodytes).
Nicole Buehler, Animal Behavior Program, Southwestern University
Mentor: Steve J. Schapiro, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer
Research Center and Southwestern University
Like humans, individual chimpanzees display handedness when performing
a variety of tasks, a finding potentially indicative of hemispheric
specializations or laterality that may be (qualitatively) similar
to those seen in humans. Unlike humans, however, chimpanzees do
not display the strong population bias toward right-handedness evident
in most human populations, as seen in previous studies that focused on
feeding-related assessments of handedness. To investigate this
area of research further I examined a wide variety of tasks in an
attempt to assess additional dimensions of laterality and therefore a
broader range of brain functions, specifically those related to
grooming, gesturing, and locomotion.
I observed over 120 chimpanzees and recorded the hand(s) they used to
1) groom one another, 2) gesture for food from a human, 3) take their
initial step when walking, and 4) eat. The data were analyzed to
determine whether individual chimpanzees display “handedness”, whether
there is a population-level bias toward handedness, and whether hand
preferences differ across the various tasks.
Individual chimpanzees displayed hand preferences for grooming,
gesturing, walking, and bimanual feeding. There were also
population-level biases toward right-handedness on the current tasks
and there were few differences in hand preferences across the four
tasks in this study. However, as stated above, the
population-level bias is not 90% right handed as it is in humans.
These results, from a variety of mostly non-feeding tasks, provide
additional evidence for a lateralization of function in chimpanzee
brains. The data suggest that like the human brain, chimpanzee
brains have evolved hemispheric specializations for a variety of
functions and reasons. Understanding handedness, lateralization,
and hemispheric specialization in chimpanzees will enhance our ability
to understand not only chimpanzee behavior, but human behavior as well.
7. New Procedure for Assessing Foraging Strategies in
Fish.
Elizabeth Cheaney, Animal Behavior Program, Southwestern University
Mentor: Jesse E. Purdy, Department of Psychology, Southwestern
University
Previous work in our lab (Purdy, Ravert, & Morrison, 1990; Purdy
& Perz, 1991; Purdy & Bales, 1992; Purdy, Roberts, &
Roberts, 1994) examined foraging strategies in fish using operant
conditioning procedures modeled after experiments by Fantino and Abarca
(1985). In these studies, goldfish(Carassius auratus) or carp (Carpio
carpio) produced with equal probability opportunities for food rewards
that were associated with delays of varying length. In general, the
results were consistent with Fantino's delay reduction hypothesis and
the optimal diet model. However, it was possible that fish were more
likely to swim around the tank during long delays to food and to stay
near the target during short delays to food. This would result in
greater rejection rates during long-delay reward opportunities and
could account for these findings.
The present experiment utilized a yoked procedure to control for this
possibility. Six koi (Cyprinus carpio) were trained to target strike
for a food reward. Following shaping, discrimination training was
provided in which the Master fish was required to strike the target
once to produce with equal probability either a short-delay or a
long-delay reward opportunity. Once performance was stable, the
photocells were activated and Master fish could reject the opportunity
by passing through the light beam twice. Koi lived in the operant tank
24 hours per day.
Once the Master fish were reliably rejecting long-delay reward
opportunities and accepting short-delay reward opportunities, the final
phase began. A 2 min delay was inter-positioned between rejecting the
opportunity and the possibility for producing a new opportunity for
food. This was to increase search cost so the fish would increase
acceptance for long-delay opportunities. Preliminary analyses reveal
that master fish produced opportunities for reward, they rejected
long-delay opportunities significantly more than short-delay
opportunities, and increasing search cost increased acceptance for
long-delay rewards.
8. Binding studies of CaM and peptide ligands related
to HIV-1gp-160.
Michael Brinkman, Department of Chemistry, Southwestern University
Mentor: Dr. Kerry Bruns, Department of Chemistry, Southwestern
University
Peptide ligands for calcium-calmodulin (CaM) were identified by phage
display, using agarose-immobilized calmodulin from bovine brain.
One of the peptides selected from the library (Serpep) exhibited a high
degree of sequence identity with gp160, the SIV and HIV coat
glycoprotein precursor. A specific interaction between Serpep and
murine recombinant CaM was confirmed by analytical ultracentrifugation
and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), using a synthetic
preparation of the peptide. The ITC analysis revealed that two
mols of Serpep were bound, with differing affinities, per mol of
CaM. Several variants of Serpep displayed comparable
behavior. Recently, the interaction between CaM and the stnthetic
HIV-1 peptide spanning residues 216 to 226 (HIV216) was examined.
Although the binding stoichiometry was likewise 2:1, the association
constants (ka) were approximately an order of magnitude lower.
Differences in helical propensity may contribute to the disparate CaM
affinities of Serpep and HIV216.
9. Chemical Ecology: Using organic chemistry to
safely combat a major agricultural pest.
Kimberly K. Larson, Department of Chemistry, Southwestern University
Mentor: Frank S. Guziec, Department of Chemistry, Southwestern
University
Research completed at Universiteit van Amsterdam
The most destructive pest to the world’s potato crop is the potato cyst
nematode, which is responsible for annual losses in yield of
10%. Controlling this pest has so far been limited to
chemical treatments; however, governmental controls have severely
restricted the use of these chemical agents due to their negative
impact on the environment. Research was thus intensified to
investigate the possibility of a more environmentally friendly method
for controlling the potato cyst nematode. In 1986 Dutch
researchers identified the nematode’s hatching agent as solanoeclepin
A. Upon elucidation of the structure of solanoeclepin A at the
University of Amsterdam, researchers were able to undertake the
challenge of synthesizing this architecturally complex compound.
Successful synthesis of this natural product will provide a safe and
effective method for protecting the potato plant from its nematode
pest. Details of key steps towards the synthesis of solanoeclepin
A will be presented.
10. Taking Aim: The N Generation and Instant
Messaging.
Scott Landon Rocher, Department of Communication, Southwestern
University
Mentor: Bob Bednar, Department of Communication, Southwestern University
From the throngs of 80’s angst and baby boomer homes emerged a new
generation. What Don Tapscott (1998) calls the “Net Generation” has
come to represent 30 percent of the world population, a formidable
force to be recognized in most realms of world affairs. As unique as
the N-geners are, it’s their embrace of interactive media that sets
them apart socially from generations past. Simply put, they are growing
up in radically different ways than the generations which came before
them.
This project brings voice to N-geners as they emerge from adolescence
into adulthood. Using documentary film techniques, over twenty
individual N-geners were interviewed about their instant messaging and
online communication experiences. In the format of a film and
accompanied critical essay, "Talking AIM" weaves the powerful stories
of the Net Generation into a narrative that reveals how Instant
Messaging has changed the way we communicate. For the symposium, a
shortened version of the film will be screened followed by a Q&A
session with the filmmaker.
11. There's 'No-Place' like 'Good-Place;' Analyzing
Utopian Elements in Apartheid South Africa.
Courtland Quinn, Department of History, Southwestern University
Mentor: Thom McClendon, Department of History, Southwestern University
On May 26, 1948 the Afrikaner supported National Party assumed
governmental control over South Africa. This was accomplished under the
watchword ‘apartheid’, which in literal translation equaled
‘separateness.’ After roughly a forty-six year tenure, the complex and
evolving policies of ‘apartheid’ entailed changes, reflected
ideologies, and embodied aspirations which have come to represent a
severe epoch of white supremacy in one sense, and tempered human
resistance in another. The aim of my research is to analyze the various
movements, events, and reactions within the apartheid scope through the
lens of utopian theory, writing, and movements. I will emphasize the
‘Bantustans’ or forced ‘homelands’ in my study, positing their
existence as an example of an actualized ‘utopian inversion.’ In the
end, I hope to present an image of the meeting place between the
richness and depth of utopian theory, and the utter magnitude and
intrinsic revelations of South African history.
12. Tha Crossroads: Intersections of Race,
Resistance, Commercial Interest, and the Sacred in Rap Music.
Hazel Colina, Department of Religion and Philosophy, Southwestern
University
Mentors: Elaine Craddock and Laura Hobgood-Oster, Department of
Religion and Philosophy and Melissa Johnson, Department of Sociology
and Anthropology, Southwestern University
The attitudes and images presented in American rap and hip-hop music,
especially the ‘gangsta’ variety, have spurred widely varied scholastic
and popular reactions and have inspired heated discourse about the
concepts of performance, authority, reception, and resistance in our
culture. This presentation will explore some of the ideas that
have emerged within this discourse, and introduce some of the
challenges faced by those who study the music. With that caveat,
we will specifically examine the religious images put forward by this
music, and discuss how they resonate both as productions of resistant
African-American voices, and products consumed and understood largely
out of context.
13. Public Housing in Georgetown, Texas: Apartments
of Shady Oaks and Stone Haven.
Narda Hernandez, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Southwestern
University
Mentor: Maria Lowe, Department of Sociology and Anthropology,
Southwestern University
The researchers of Southwestern University initiated a study
investigating the needs of residents among two government housing
apartment complexes in Georgetown, Texas. By conducting questionnaires
on both neighborhoods and then selecting a surveyed resident for an
in-depth, semi-structured interview, the sociologists found a variety
of the residents’ concerns and suggestions for improvement in their
community. Although there is extensive research on government housing
assistance, this study is unique because it analyzes how social
institutions determine an individual’s strength of identification with
the community, the development of fear of crime, and a community’s
increasing desire for security. The findings that the researchers
collected were that more of Stonehaven residents than Shady Oaks
respondents felt secure when alone in their home; however, more of
Shady Oaks respondents than Stonehaven residents felt secure when
walking alone at night. This can be further explained by the conditions
of crime at each government housing complex. The present study is
intended to voice the opinions of public housing residents, to learn
about and compare the government housing apartment complexes, and to
increase the amount of resources that these residents have in order to
facilitate a better life.
14. Narcotown, U.S.A: Drug Trafficking on the
U.S.-Mexico Border.
Santiago Guerra, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Southwestern
University
Mentor: Melissa Johnson, Department of Sociology and Anthropology,
Southwestern University
While there has been a push within the academy to explore the arena of
border studies, the issue of drug trafficking has yet to be addressed
with such interest as has been devoted to the study of topics like
migration, bicultural studies, bilingual education, and linguistic
patterns.Yet, the presence of drug trafficking on the border has
greatly affected the lives of border inhabitants. Moreover, the
attention given to the problem of drug trafficking into the United
States has for some time now gained national media attention, meriting
the production of television news exclusives and newspaper headlines.
In Starr County, the area of my research, the drug subculture is a
central feature of everyday life and weaves many border inhabitants
into the complex web of international drug trafficking and consumption.
My interest in this project comes from my personal relation to
individuals who have at some point in their lives been involved in the
practice of drug trafficking. The aim of my project is to present their
stories, and to try to explain the social pressures that push
individuals to participate in the drug trade and the ways in which the
fear and violence of drug trafficking in the border region affects the
lives of border inhabitants.
15. Light Variations of a Quasar.
Allison Trumble, Department of Physics, Department of Mathematics and
Computer Science
Mentor: Mark Bottorff, Department of Physics, Southwestern University
Quasars (quasi-stellar radio objects) have fascinated astronomers since
their discovery in the 1960s. These objects are ultraluminous,
often outshining all the stars in their residing galaxy by factors of
thousands. Remarkably, the energy is emitted from a region less
than a light year across. The current paradigm is that a quasar
is a supermassive black hole surrounded by an accretion disk.
Light is released from the accretion disk as matter spirals into the
black hole. Because of a quasar's relatively small size,
disturbances cause variations in quasar brightness on timescales of 1
to 100 days. Observing the variations has proved useful in
understanding the structure of quasars since they cannot be directly
resolved using telescopes.
Thanks to a generous Mundy grant, student Allison Trumble, Dr. James
Friedrichsen, and Dr. Mark Bottorff, were able to initiate a quasar
monitoring project with Southwestern University's new 16”
telescope. The first observation campaign was carried out during
the fall semester of 2003. Several observations per week were
obtained including nine weeks of images of the quasar Markarian
335. Differential photometry, in which the brightness of a quasar
is compared to non-varying field stars, in the wavebands B (blue) and V
(green), were obtained for each observing session. The result is
two light curves, in B and in V, which reveal the activity of Markarian
335 during this time. In this presentation we will present the
results of our observations and discuss the observation program we have
begun.
16. The Mystery of Faith: The Challenge of
Representing Liturgical Theology in Music.
Johnathan Kana, Department of Music, Southwestern University
Mentors: Lois Ferrari, Department of Music and David Polley, Department
of Fine Arts, Southwestern University
The simple, yet profound Mystery of Faith is contained in three
acclamations: Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come
again. Within this simple phrase lies the heart of Christian
theology--the redemptive power of Jesus' death, the fulfillment of
Scriptural prophecy in the resurrection, and the hope of eternal
salvation through Christ. The biblical story of Jesus' life
provides a framework within which this liturgical phrase takes its
rightful place. Specifically, the narrative includes the passion
and death of Jesus, followed by the mysterious approach to the tomb on
Easter morning and the joyous news of Jesus' resurrection. A time
of excited confusion follows, and then comes the state of assurance in
which the church of the New Testament was founded--a time in which we,
too, live and await the triumphant return of the Christ.
"Mysterium Fidei" is an original 6-1/2 minute work for symphonic
woodwinds I composed over a period of approximately six months in which
I have attempted to capture, musically, the essence of this liturgical
theology. A single theme is developed throughout, remaining
unchanged in melodic and rhythmic proportion yet changing character in
the midst of its surrounding textures and harmonic contexts. The
piece, which will be premiered on April 4 by the University Wind
Ensemble, is an idiomatic work for woodwinds and represents one of the
most intellectually complex pieces of music I have ever composed.
17. Bilingualism in the Actos of El Teatro Campesino:
Reflecting and Reshaping Chicano Reality.
Natalie Goodnow, Department of Theatre, Southwestern University
Mentor: Sergio Costola, Department of Theatre, Southwestern University
This is an investigation into why El Teatro Campesino chose to present
its actos using a mixture of English and Spanish and, in particular,
what function that bilingual dialogue serves within the actos.
Analysis of several actos, Las Dos Caras del Patroncito, Quinta
Temporada, Los Vendidos, La Conquista de Mexico, No Saco Nada de la
Escuela, Huelguistas, Vietnam Campesino, and Soldado Razo, in addition
to research concerning the nature of bilingual discourse in the
American Southwest indicates that this unique mixture of English and
Spanish, though partly a matter of necessity for El Teatro Campesino,
serves several other purposes as well. It reflects the reality of
the Chicano people, their power struggles and identity crises, through
humor and characterizations, but is also used as a tool to change that
reality.
The inclusion of both English and Spanish vocabulary
provided El Teatro Campesino more opportunities for humorous wordplay,
and also allowed the group to develop simple, direct characterizations
along with more subtle ones with a great deal of precision due to the
specific nuances associated with each language. El Teatro also
used bilingual discourse in order to propose a new social vision, one
in which Spanish-speaking or bilingual Chicanos do not view their
language and their heritage as marks of shame, but instead as sources
of power, identity, and pride. Additionally, El Teatro used
varying English and Spanish names and labels to demonstrate the effect
that language choice can have on a Chicano’s identity.
Ultimately, the function of language variety in the
actos is analogous to the function of the actos themselves in Chicano
society: to simultaneously reflect and reshape the social reality of
the Chicano.
18. A Study of Spindle Checkpoint Proteins in Fission
Yeast.
Jill McClain, Departments of Biology and Chemistry, Southwestern
University
Mentor: Shelly Sazer, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and
Biochemistry, Baylor College of Medicine
The spindle checkpoint plays a crucial role in ensuring proper
chromosome segregation during cell division. If microtubules do
not properly attach to the kinetochores of all chromosomes during
metaphase, the spindle checkpoint initiates a cell cycle delay until
the defect is repaired. I used the fission yeast S. pombe to
study the spindle checkpoint. Several proteins essential to the
checkpoint have already been identified, but genetic evidence indicates
not all components of the pathway have been found, and the biochemical
function of all known proteins has not yet been determined.
One major goal of my project was to identify novel checkpoint mutants
from a pool of chemically mutagenized strains. Checkpoint mutants are
characterized by their sensitivity to the microtubule destabilizing
drug thiabendazole (TBZ), which interferes with microtubule binding to
kinetochores, and by their failure to arrest the cell cycle when mph1,
an upstream checkpoint component, is overexpressed. I identified
two strains that fit these criteria and may represent novel checkpoint
mutants because the mutations are not linked to a known checkpoint gene.
In other organisms, it has been shown that the homolog of the
checkpoint protein Mph1, acts upstream of two branches of the spindle
checkpoint pathway: (1) the metaphase to anaphase transition, described
above, and (2) the septation pathway. To test the hypothesis that
Mph1p acts upstream of these two pathways in S. pombe, mph1 was
overexpressed in cells that were missing mad2, an essential component
of the metaphase to anaphase checkpoint, or dma1, an essential
component of the septation pathway. DNA was visualized using the
fluorescent dye DAPI, spindles were visualized using GFP-tubulin, and
cell walls were observed using the fluorescent dye calcoflour to
identify cells arrested in metaphase or septating cells. When
compared to wild type cells, the decrease in metaphase arrested cells
in the mad2 null strain and the decrease in septation in the dma1 null
strain indicates that Mph1p does act upstream of both pathways.
19. Gene Therapy and purification of the
adeno-associated virus.
Katy Eby, Department of Biology, Southwestern University
Mentor: Martin Lock, James Wilson, Division of Medical Genetics,
University of Pennsylvania
Research is being conducted on the use of adeno-associated viruses
(AAV) as gene therapy vectors for diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF)
and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AAT). AAV is advantageous for
gene therapy because of its high efficiency of transduction, as
demonstrated in CF patients as well as AAT murine models. There
is encouraging evidence for the use of newly discovered serotypes AAV-7
and AAV-8 as vectors in gene therapy because when tested against
heterologous antisera neutralizing antibodies were scarce in
humans. The clinical testing of adeno-associated virus vectors
requires purification of large quantities which would not prove
practical using current methods. We endeavored to formulate a new
scalable method for the purification of AAV-7 & AAV-8 in sufficient
quantities.
We chose to create a scalable purification method
for these novel serotypes using ion-exchange column
chromatography. Based on ion exchange resins used for other
serotypes of AAV we performed gravity flow screening on 0.5 mL columns
of both cation and anion- exchange resins. The following resins
were screened: Poros 50 PI, Fractogel EMD TMAE, Fractogel EMD DEAE,
Fractogel EMD S03, SP Sepharose HP, and Source 15Q. We obtained
quantitative data from our column fractions using transduction assays
with the 8-31 cell line and real-time PCR. Based on the elution
profiles of AAV-7, we believe that tandem chromatography using Poros 50
PI and Source 15Q resins may be a viable process, while for AAV-8,
Poros 50 PI resin and Fractogel DEAE are promising candidates.
20. Immediate and Perceived Needs of Residents at
Derechos Humanos.
Ana Villalobos, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Department of
Political Science, Southwestern University
Mentor: Melissa Johnson, Department of Sociology and Anthropology,
Southwestern University
The focus of my research was to examine and analyze the work of
American Christian Missionary Groups and their effectiveness in
Derechos Humanos. Through the interviews I hoped to find out what
those NGO's (non-governmental organization) viewed as being the
immediate needs of Derechos Humanos, how they went about in fulfilling
the colonias needs and their success. I also wanted the opinion of
colonia residents in regards to the work of NGO's and how they felt
about their presence in Derechos Humanos. I wondered if there was a
possibility that the needs perceived by the NGO's were different than
the actual needs of those living in the colonia. As was expected,
all of the motivations driving these individuals to partake in this
missionary trip were directly related to God and their own values as
Christians. Most claimed that their intent was not to arrive and do
what they willed, but rather to listen to what the community wanted (as
well as God's will). The question of who constituted such community
arose several times. The NGO's and colonia residents had different
ideas of who formed this "community", thus resulting in dissatisfaction
amongst residents as to who had a home built.
Colonia residents differed in their views of these missionary groups
but nonetheless appreciated the homes and resources brought forth by
such groups. Originally I assumed that one major need the
residents felt needed to be addressed would be the canal. Yet when I
conversed with residents none brought it up in conversations.
21. Hofstede's Model for Multinational Organizational
Purposes in Spain.
Marcela Berdion, Department of Economics and Business, Department of
Political Science, Southwestern University
Mentor: A.J. Senchack, Department of Economics and Business,
Southwestern University
Social science theories reflect the national culture from which they
originate. Therefore, US multinational organizations must modify
(mostly Americanized) theories before applying them in another host
country.
This study describes the use of Geert Hofstede’s model for successfully
accomplishing organizational objectives in different cultural settings.
This research then analyzes the differences between Spanish and
American cultures by comparing the index values from Hofstede's Five
Dimensions of National Culture. Finally, the implications of the
findings for creating culture-adjusted management and organizational
objectives are explored.
CLASSIFICATIONS: Business, cross-cultural literacy, psychology, and
sociology.
22. Winning Games Versus Winning Seasons:
Determinants for Game Attendance.
Katherine Campbell, Department of Economics and Business, Southwestern
University
Mentor: Richard Prisinzano, Department of Economics, University of Texas
This paper discusses the relative importance of absolute and relative
quality on baseball attendance. The motives behind fan attendance
at games are important to understand for attendance ultimately drives
team profits. The research here finds that absolute quality, the
team’s winning percentage for the season so far, is more important than
relative quality, that particular games’ predicted outcome, to fans in
deciding whether or not to attend baseball games.
23. Finding the American Eve: Voices Outside the
Masculine Tradition of the American Novel.
Ginger Jurecka, Department of English, Southwestern University
Mentor: Elisabeth Piedmont-Marton, Department of English, Southwestern
University
Since the 1970's there has been a movement in American literary study
to carve a niche in critical thought and in the American literary canon
for voices outside of the masculine literary tradition. Feminist
scholars have attempted to recover repressed voices of the authorial
American Eve, giving the canon an infusion of the feminine-authorial
perspective that were hushed to a low
murmur. Many feminist critics, as well as non-feminist critics, would
have a mixed response to the success of attempts to find an equal
feminine voice in the American literary canon. Thus, the American Eve
that feminist critics should search out is not a mythical female
character comprised of a specific set of qualities asserting her
“Americanness” while, hiding loose in American fictional wilds. Rather
they should seek an authorial female voice or, even better, set of
female voices that are able to function within the canonical system.
Specifically, female textual voices equal to the plethora of masculine
voices that create the American literary Adam.
I would argue that Kate Chopin's The Awakening
and Ellen Glasgow's The Sheltered Life are parts of an emergent
American literary Eve. However, these texts thwart as well as embody
the efforts of feminine textuality. In examining what feminine
perspectives are missing from these texts one can predict the next
textually progressive step for establishing an American Eve equal to
the entrenched Adam. I venture that Caroline Lee Hentz's Linda; or The
Young Pilot of the Belle Creole is the next evolutionary step for the
feminist, as well as American, canon due to its perspective on female
roles and relationships to morality, physical beauty and the
possibility of implementing a female individualism and adventurousness.
24. "An Emancipated, Intellectualized Bundle of
Nerves:" New Woman Identity and Hysteria in Nineteenth Century England.
Tolly Moseley, Department of English, Southwestern University
Mentor: Eileen Cleere, Department of English, Southwestern University
Emerging in England towards the late nineteenth century, the “Woman
Question” was arguably a set of destabilizing questions surrounding the
nature and role of woman. Preceded by several advances in women’s
rights, such as the 1882 Married Women’s Property Act, increased
employment opportunities for women, and the formation of several
women’s suffrage societies, the New Woman – a literary and social
figure – came to embody an independent feminist female who rejected the
Englishwomen’s exalted domestic station. In all of her guises,
the New Woman changed the way England viewed social institutions once
taken for granted: marriage, education, even dress code.
Satire magazines of late nineteenth century England such as _Punch_
tended to depict the New Woman as intellectual, fiercely independent,
eschewing the fripperies of fashion for more masculine dress, and above
all, singular in her purpose. However, in many anti-feminist as
well as pro-New Woman literary works – not to mention in the lives of
actual feminists, such as Eleanor Marx and Olive Schreiner – this
female is much less decisive about the new freedoms afforded women, and
continually grapples with feminist issues of the day. Is a sexual
free union really desirable to monogamous marriage? Is grueling
labor in a textile factory much more favorable than the gentler work of
a governess? Perhaps more disturbingly, the New Woman is
frequently represented as psychologically precarious by her opponents
and her supporters, suffering depression and mental breakdown. Do
fits of psychological instability reduce the New Woman to her old
cliché - an object of feeling - or rather, signal an important
rupture in collective women identity? In other words, is the New
Woman’s hysteria on an individual level symptomatic of collective
progress – the purging of one woman’s hegemonic identity as an analogue
to eroding control of the female on a societal level?
My research focuses on the literary representation of the New Woman,
specifically employing works by George Egerton, George Gissing, Sarah
Grand, Thomas Hardy, Olive Schreiner, and Bram Stoker. Examining
the notions of space, reading, and cross-dressing in these novels, I
theorize why hysteria – too often the stereotypical trope of the
Victorian woman - is reappropriated by New Woman literary advocates as
a subversive tool for social change.
25. Southwestern University Grading Assistant.
Natalie Berry, Christy Garcia, Tim Moore, Daniel Gibson, EJ Nonmacher,
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Southwestern University
Mentor: Barbara Boucher Owens, Department of Mathematics and Computer
Science, Southwestern University
The Southwestern University Grading Assistant is a web-based grade book
for recording and computing grades. Individual professors have
the capability to create new classes, edit existing classes, and
generate individual and class score reports. Additionally,
students will have the ability to view their individual score reports
throughout the duration of the course via the Internet. All class
information will be stored in a database accessible only to the
professors using the software, whereas students will only have the
ability to view and not alter their individual information. This
project is being developed by a group of students in the senior
software engineering capstone course for use by Dr. Cameron Sawyer in
the Mathematics department. Potentially, other professors and
departments on campus could also use the product. The project was
modeled based on the Grader-Aider software for DOS.
26. Superellipsoids and other 3-D Supershapes.
Kelson Gist, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science,
Southwestern Univsersity
Mentor: Suzanne Buchele, Department of Mathematics and Computer
Science, Southwestern University
Inventing the Circle: The Geometry of Nature (2003), by Johan Gielis,
offers a mathematical formula, called the superformula, based on the
structure of the superellipse, which is capable of describing a vast
multitude of geometric shapes in two-dimensions. This formula is
capable of producing the simple geometric shapes seen in everyday life,
such as circles, squares, pentagons, and octagons, as well as shapes
that closely mimic many natural objects, including eggs, starfish, and
flower petals. The superformula could prove to be a valuable tool in
realistic modeling of both two- and three-dimensional objects in the
realm of mathematics and computer science. The strength of the
superformula lies in the small number of parameters in the formula,
which can define a great number of shapes.
An extension of this formula into three dimensions provides an even
greater potential for description of shapes. By combining multiple
shapes defined by the superformula, a variety of complex
three-dimensional shapes can be modeled. The presentation will
demonstrate some of the applications for the superformula in three
dimensions and some of the complex shapes that may be modeled with only
a few parameters.
27. Economy, Ecology, and Pentecostalism on
the US/Mexico Border.
Kelly Sharp, Department of Religion and Philosophy, Southwestern
University
Mentors: Laura Hobgood-Oster and Elaine Craddock, Department of
Religion and Philosophy, Emily Niemeyer, Department of Chemistry, and
Melissa Johnson, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Southwestern
University
Scholars of religion could not fail to notice the seemingly exponential
growth of Pentecostalism in Latin America over the past 50 years. In
Mexico, this growth rate invites attention not only for its magnitude,
but also for its presence in a country long-considered to be content
with Catholicism. My thesis, based on two summers of research in
Derechos Humanos - a colonia in Matamoros, Mexico - explores reasons
for the popularity of Pentecostalism on the U.S/Mexico borders. These
reasons are two-sided: on the one hand I describe contextual factors –
cyclical poverty, environmental degradation, and a particular burden on
women - that create a need for a responsive spiritual movement,
and on the other I describe characteristics of Pentecostalism –
charisma, healing, and acceptance of plurality - that answer this need.
Although the border has as many elements to its character as any other
place, the three that stuck out most to me during ethnographic and
written research as elements inspiring Pentecostal growth were the
following: political/economic injustice and helplessness, environmental
destruction, and a particular burden on the women who represent an
overwhelming percentage of the religious community, Catholic and
Pentecostal alike. I will discuss the role of NAFTA and borderland
dynamics in creating and coloring this situation, especially as it
pertains to life in Derechos Humanos.
Having discussed the context in the colonia and identified a need for
an actively responsive spiritual movement, I will discuss those
elements of Pentecostalism – charisma, healing, and plurality – that
make it especially amenable to the situation in Derechos Humanos. I
will offer a brief historical, theological, and comparative overview of
Pentecostalism, but my focus will be on its capacity as a spirituality
of resistance in this area. My conclusion thus far is that
Pentecostalism – or, “Christianity” as it is known in Derechos Humanos
– provides a “sustainable theology;” one that does not overtly fight
the status quo, but instead slowly builds influence from the individual
outward, strengthening women, communities and, eventually, entire
peoples.
Aside from my main points, I will also include methodological
commentary on both my research and the research done by others; my
sources are a combination of both those things.
28. Where Have All the Prophets Gone?
Paul Maletic, Department of Religion and Philosophy, Southwestern
University
Mentors: Elaine Craddock, Laura Hobgood-Oster, and David Stewart,
Department of Religion and Philosophy, Southwestern University
Prophets were a vital part of the religious and cultural life of
Ancient Israel as depicted through the Hebrew Bible. These
distinct prophetic roles must have some corresponding piece or pieces
in today’s religious culture that help to fill a similar role as the
prophets of ancient civilizations. Yet unfortunately the prophets
of today, if such a cultural figure can be deemed as existing, do not
have the legitimizing force of canonized scripture to retroactively
reinforce their minority viewpoints into the majority. Prophets
during the time of the Hebrew Bible, though thought of as unpopular and
counter-culture during their own time, eventually gained favor and
shifted towards a majority perspective shown by the inclusion of
prophecy in the Hebrew cannon. However prophecy as it might be
sought out today, is harder to directly identify with because the
categories of canon and scripture have become much less flexible and
much more permanent. Thus other methods of communication and
culturally relevant ways to establish connection, such as can be found
in the language of poetry, become essential for the modern day prophet
as he or she seeks to become a vital part of society. This project
examines the roles of prophets in the contemporary world through the
interpretive lens of prophecy in ancient Israel.
POSTER AND CREATIVE WORKS PRESENTATIONS
29. Detection of tetracycline antibiotics and
tetracycline-resistance genes in surface water and topsoil surrounding
livestock operations.
Jade
Hatley, Department of Chemistry, Southwestern University
Mentors: Kerry Bruns and Emily Niemeyer, Department of
Chemistry,
Southwestern University
Tetracycline antibiotics are added to livestock feed in sub-therapeutic
levels to promote enhanced growth. Concerns about their usage
necessitate the development of new approaches for monitoring
antibiotics entering the environment. Tetracycline antibiotics
present in soils can lead to selection for resistant bacteria; these
strains have the potential to transfer resistance genes to pathogenic
bacteria. For this project, paired samples consisting of surface water
and topsoil were collected from county parks in Tom Green County,
Texas. Sites were chosen based on proximity to several feedlot
and dairy operations in the area. High-performance liquid
chromatography was used to isolate tetracycline, oxytetracycline, and
chlortetracycline from the water samples, and europium-sensitized
fluorescence spectroscopy was used for quantification. Bacterial
DNA was isolated from the soil samples for use in a polymerase chain
reaction analysis to determine the presence/absence of several genes
that convey tetracycline resistance (genes for drug efflux pumps and
ribosomal protection proteins).
30. The Effects of Concurrent
Articulation on Homophony and Rhyming Judgments.
Aubrey Buckert, Department of Psychology, Southwestern University
Mentor: Julie Fiez, Departments of Psychology and Neuroscience,
University of Pittsburgh
The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of concurrent
articulation on homophony, pseudohomophony, and rhyming
judgments. In a 3 (Judgment Task: Rhyming, Homophony, or
Pseudohomophony) x 2 (Suppression Condition: Concurrent Articulation or
No Concurrent Articulation) within-subjects design, six undergraduates
(3 women, 3 men) made speeded judgments about a series of word
pairs. Half of the word pair judgments were made under concurrent
articulation conditions. As predicted from previous studies, the
accuracy of homophony judgments was not affected by concurrent
articulation whereas the accuracy of rhyming judgments was
significantly affected by concurrent articulation. The accuracy
of pseudohomophony judgments, which have not yet been adequately
explored in the literature, was also shown to be significantly affected
by concurrent articulation. These findings suggest that different
mechanisms in phonological coding are used in making homophony and
rhyming decisions. Studies of the neural regions used during these
tasks using fMRI are currently in progress.
31. Eating Disorder Traits and Dimensions of Romantic
Attachment.
Brandy Ledbetter, Department of Psychology,
Southwestern University
Mentor: Bryan Neighbors, Department of Psychology, Southwestern
University
The current study sought to examine the
interrelationship among two independent dimensions underlying romantic
attachment (avoidance and anxiety) and eating disorder problem
dimensions. Participants were 101 female university students ages
18-24, who volunteered to participate after being recruited through a
mailed advertisement. Participants completed the Eating Disorder
Inventory-2 (EDI-2) and the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised
(ECR-R), and their scores were examined. Five of the EDI-2
subscales revealed statistically significant associations with levels
of anxiety, while two of the subscales approached significance for the
avoidance dimension. The results partially support the hypothesis
that romantic attachment dimensions are related to eating disorder
problem dimensions. However, the pattern of intercorrelations suggests
that only the dimension of anxiety in romantic attachment is linked to
eating related disturbance. This suggests that, in romantic
relationships, attachment related anxiety may be an important factor in
the development of eating disordered beliefs and behaviors.
32. Attachment and Psychopathology: The Role
of Parent and Child Gender.
Genevieve Pruneau, Department of Psychology,
Southwestern University
Mentor: Bryan Neighbors, Department of Psychology, Southwestern
University
It is well documented that a secure parental
attachment relationship serves as protection against the development of
psychopathology. This study explored the relationship between
attachment security to mothers and fathers and psychopathology.
One hundred and eighty-four students (120 female, 64 male) from a small
liberal arts university completed a questionnaire that used the
Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment to measure attachment security
to mother and father, and the Brief Symptom Inventory to measure
symptoms of psychopathology. Multiple linear regressions,
computed separately for male and female participants, revealed that
attachment security to parents was significantly related to
psychopathology. An unexpected gender difference emerged, such
that for men only paternal attachment security was related to
psychopathology, whereas for women only maternal attachment security
was related to psychopathology. These results are consistent with
the emerging body of literature investigating the differential roles of
child and parent gender in attachment research.
33. Whodunit? Attractiveness Stereotypes and
Children's Responses to Leading
Questions.
Ashley Still, Kamini Verma, Rebecca Stelter,
Department of Psychology, Southwestern University
Mentor: Jacqueline Muir-Broaddus, Department of
Psychology, Southwestern University
One limitation in children's memory is their susceptibility to the
suggestions implied in leading questions (Bruck & Ceci, 1999). For
example, when told that a classroom visitor was "clumsy" children were
more likely to erroneously assent to leading questions that were
consistent with this stereotype (Leichtman & Ceci, 1995).
Stereotypes can also be culturally shared, such as the notion that
"beauty is good" (Ramsey & Langlois, 2002). The present study was
designed to show that children are more likely to assent to suggestive
questions about negative events when the presenter is less attractive
and that this effect is mediated by individual differences in memory.
Pairs of male or female class visitors who varied in attractiveness
made negative suggestive statements as they performed four science
demonstrations for seven kindergarten classes. Two weeks later 80
children answered questions about actual events and leading questions
about events that did not happen.
Children reported that they had seen an average of 1.5 of the 4 false
events about which they were questioned. When asked leading questions
about the events, the children were more likely to agree to false
suggestions (max. = 11) about the less attractive (M = 9.40) than the
more attractive (M = 8.80) presenters as predicted, but only when the
presenters were male. For the female presenters the opposite was found,
with children being more likely to agree to the false suggestions about
the more attractive (M = 9.32) than less attractive (M = 8.97)
presenters, p < .08. With respect to the role of memory, children
with more accurate memories for the actual events were less likely to
agree to the suggestive questions, r ( 75) = -.20, p < .08. These
results suggest that children's responses to leading questions are
influenced by attractiveness stereotypes and by individual differences
in memory.
34. All of Your Virii are Belong to
Us.
Tim Moore and Peter Hubner, Department of Mathematics and Computer
Science, Southwestern University
Mentor: Todd Watson, Information Technology Service,
Southwestern University
Since November of 2001, all e-mail sent to and from Southwestern
University has been scanned for the presence of computer virii.
Any detected virus is intercepted and quarantined instead of delivered
to the recipient. To date over 300,000 computer virii,
trojans, worms, and malicious scripts have been quarantined. We
have developed a set of programs to archive representative data
collected from the quarantined messages into a database for later
statistical analysis. Additionally, we have created a web-based
interface for dynamically generating graphical representations of the
collected data in a variety of formats. This is essential due to
the large amounts of data gathered, which would otherwise be difficult
to interpret either whole or in part.
35. A Cyclic Voltammetric Investigation of Various
Amino Acids, Metal Ions, and Other Compounds in a Pyrazole Imidazole
Eutectic.
Harvey Liu, Department of Chemistry, Southwestern University
Mentor: Fred Hilgeman, Chemistry Department, Southwestern University
Electrochemistry involves the transfer of electrons from one substance
to another. This transfer causes the production of a current,
whose magnitude can be observed and can give insight into the
properties of the substance or compound. Cyclic voltammetry (CV)
is a technique used in the study of electrochemistry, more
specifically, it is a technique that observes the thermodynamics and
kinetics of the electrons in a sample. Cyclic voltammetry is a
method of analysis that allows for the study of the electroactivity of
the electrons in a sample. It can be used to probe coupled
reactions, which can be used to determine the mechanism and rate of a
redox reaction. In addition, the surface of the working electrode
may also be studied to observe the products of reactions. The
most fundamental goal of a CV study is to discover a reversible redox
reaction. The analytes that were investigated in this study
included various amino acids. Previous works in the laboratory
showed that p-aminophenol exhibited reversibility in this pyrazole and
imidazole eutectic. This research will research on not only the
amino functional group, but will also study the carboxyl as well as the
various functional groups on amino acids to see if they may demonstrate
similar behavior.
36. "His and Her" Heart Attacks:
The Effects of Perceived Relevance on Women's Perceptions of Heart
Disease Risk.
Abigail L. Riggs, Aubrey D. Buckert, and Erin E. Crockett, Department
of Psychology, Southwestern University
Mentor: Traci A. Giuliano, Department of Psychology, Southwestern
University
Compared to breast cancer--which receives enormous media attention and
is clearly a threat to women--heart disease is perceived as a "man's"
problem, a notion that may be perpetuated by the use of sexist language
and an underrepresentation of female sufferers in the media.
Thus, the goal of the current study was to determine if the use of
inclusive language (e.g., he or she) and female examples would increase
women's awareness of heart disease. Data were collected from 98
women (ages 35 - 92) who read a fictitious magazine article about heart
disease which varied the gender of the accompanying picture of a
survivor and the type of language used throughout the article
(exclusive or inclusive). The article was followed by questions
assessing participants' reactions to the article, their perceived risk
of experiencing a heart attack, their intentions to engage in future
health-related behaviors, and their desire to receive a pamphlet
containing more information.
Preliminary analyses revealed that age moderated the
results; thus, all analyses were conducted using age as a
variable. Our results confirmed that women generally reacted more
positively to the female-relevant article (e.g., they thought it was
informative, of good quality, and that it increased their awareness of
heart disease). Consistent with our predictions, younger women (i.e.,
those 60 and under) were more likely to request an informational
pamphlet after reading a female-relevant article than after reading a
male-relevant article. Woman older than 60, however, were more
likely to request an informational pamphlet after reading the
male-relevant article, contrary to our predictions. Future research
needs to further explore age differences in reactions to health-related
information; however, it is apparent from the current study that gender
representation affects women's perceptions of their health and thus
warrants the attention of those who disseminate health knowledge to
women.
37. Life after college?: How students make
their post-graduation plans.
Sarah Barnett, Nicole Blanchett, and Erin Puckett, Department of
Psychology, Southwestern University
Mentor: Jacqueline Muir-Broaddus, Department of Psychology,
Southwestern University
“Emerging adulthood”; (18-25 years) is a newly identified developmental
stage (Arnett, 2000) during which many life-changing decisions are
made, such as what to do after graduating from college. The present
study was designed to explore the decision-making process underlying
post-graduation planning and to uncover personality variables that may
affect it. 42 seniors (16 male, 25 female, 1 undeclared) from
Southwestern University completed surveys of their attitudes toward
various post-graduation options and their decision-making criteria.
They also completed several demographic and personality measures,
including family socioeconomic status, locus of control, optimism, need
for closure, and attachment to parents. Findings showed that employment
was the most popular post-graduate option (M = 7.57, SD = 3.07),
followed by education (M = 5.81, SD = 3.52), travel (M = 3.58, SD =
3.34) and service (M = 2.31, SD = 2.54). The most important criteria
were interest in (M= 8.52, SD= 1.55), financial considerations (M=
8.05, SD= 1.93), and qualifications (M= 7.31, SD= 1.97). Students who
reported considering more post-graduate options tended to value
financial considerations (r =.40) and self-exploration (r = .353) more
as decision-making criteria. Family income was related to student
priorities, such that the lower the family income the more emphasis
students place on financial considerations when considering employment
as an option (r = -.33). Additional data analyses are underway to
examine whether students' decision-making processes map onto formal
reasoning models and whether the other individual difference variables
also predict decision-making.
38. The SCHIP Program: Is It As Beneficial As
It Seems?
Laurel Tucker, Department of Political Science, Southwestern University
Mentor: Tim O'Neill, Department of Political Science, Southwestern
University
I am doing a policy evaluation of the Texas State Children's Health
Insurance Program, "The SCHIP Program: Is It As Beneficial As It
Seems?". The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
was created by Title XXI of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. It
is a program designed to provide health insurance to children who live
in poor working families who would not otherwise receive it. I am
using the program in the state of Texas as a case study. Two
central questions need to be answered with regard to the SCHIP
program. Is the SCHIP program the most effective way to deal with
the problem of children's health? Is the SCHIP program meeting
the goals created in the original legislation? Most of my
research has come through personal interviews I have conducted around
Texas and in Washington, D.C. Along with information drawn from
the personal interviews, I am using theories pertaining to public
policy implementation and evaluation to explain aspects of the SCHIP
program. My findings will show whether or not the program is
effective. With regard to the case study, the findings will
explain the ramifications of significant changes to the SCHIP program
in Texas.
39. Determination of phthalate ester concentrations
in PET bottles exposed to UV radiation.
Heather Martin, Department of Chemistry, Southwestern University
Mentor: Emily Niemeyer, Department of Chemistry, Southwestern University
Phthalate esters are commonly used as plasticizers in PVC containers.
PET, polyethylene terephthalate, is produced from the polycondensation
of terephthalic acid. The phthalate ester plasticizers in PET bottles
often leach into the liquid they contain. A variety of potential
hazards, including reproductive toxicity and teratogenesis, have been
associated with many phthalates, in particular
Di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) and Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP).
Many other phthalate esters are under current investigation for
toxicological effects. Previous studies have determined that an
increase in temperature of bottled water in a PET container increases
the concentration of phthalate esters released into the bottled water.
PET bottles are frequently exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light and so in
response to increased bottled water consumption and use of PET bottles
in the U.S., combined with the potential risk of increased phthalate
exposure, this study attempts to quantify a variety of phthalate esters
leached from PET bottles after exposure to UV light. Using solid-phase
extractions, coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS),
we have determined the various phthalate ester concentrations in the
bottled water as a function of UV light exposure.
40. Pink Slips and Black Cats: The
Relationship Between Stress and Superstition.
Erin E. Crockett and Abigail L. Riggs, Department of Psychology,
Southwestern Universtiy
Mentor: Traci Giuliano, Department of Psychology, Southwestern
University
Research has linked stress with a number of different health problems
(e.g., obesity, memory loss, and depression), making it a major health
concern. (Griffin & Holmes, 1998). Powers et al. (2002) found
that stress is particularly harmful to people who use avoidant coping
strategies. Because avoidant coping strategies are potentially
harmful, it is important to identify when people are using such
strategies. On the assumption that superstitious beliefs are a
type of avoidant coping strategy, the current study used a
correlational approach to explore the relationship between
superstitious beliefs and stress. A convenience sample of 118
undergraduate students (62 women and 56 men) at a small, private
liberal arts university in Texas completed a questionnaire that
measured demographic characteristics, superstition, and perceived
stress. Items assessing superstitious beliefs were adapted from
the Paranormal Belief Scale (Tobacyk & Mildford 1983); items
measuring stress were taken from the Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen,
Kamarck, & Mermelstein, 1983). As predicted, the results
revealed a significant positive relationship between superstition and
stress, r(116) = .26, p = .005. Our results are consistent
with previous research conducted during the Gulf War showing that
people who lived in high-combat areas reported more magical thinking
(Keinan, 1994). Keinan (1994) presents three reasons for this
correlation. First, stress may cause regression back to childhood, a
time when magical thinking is more common. Second, individuals may use
magical thinking to attain personal control. Finally, an
information processing approach suggests that stress affects the
allocation of cognitive resources. Future research should further
investigate the cognitive processes that are involved in stress and
superstition (e.g., determining whether the illusion of control created
by superstitious beliefs is beneficial). Moreover, future
research should further explore the relationship between stress and
superstition in order to better equip individuals to cope with
anxiety-provoking situations.
41. Abiotic and biotic influences on
Apple Snail life history.
Rebecca K. Marfurt, Department of Biology, Southwestern University
Mentor: Romi Burks, Department of Biology, Southwestern University
Recently, the state of Texas recognized that the channeled applesnail
(Pomacea canaliculata) may dramatically impact many South Texas
estuaries. This invasion poses a serious threat to native ecosystems
and biodiversity. Applesnails are voracious eaters and serve as
intermediate hosts for various diseases. Rice paddies and small
freshwater ponds may be more susceptible to invasion as snail
populations flourish where macrophyte abundance is high. Although the
impacts of applesnails may be substantial, management efforts suffer
from the lack of basic ecological data.
Salinity in East Texas estuary systems fluctuates widely, ranging from
1.4 parts per thousand to as high as 20ppt (seawater is typically
35ppt). Because Pomacea canaliculata only recently invaded Texas
estuaries, the impact of extreme salinity conditions on the snail is
not known. We tested the impact of four levels of salinity on snail
mortality and body mass. Adult snails tolerated salinity levels as high
as 8 parts per thousand. The higher levels (20ppt and 35ppt) led to
snail mortality within 24 hours, suggesting that salinity did
significantly affect mortality at the higher treatments (1-way ANOVA
and post-hoc tests, p < 0.05). Weight change did not
differ between the treatments (t-test, p = 0.XX).
Besides abiotic factors such as salinity, biotic factors, such as
predators, may also impact applesnails. Through natural processes (i.e.
excretion, defecation, molting), different aquatic organisms release
chemicals (i.e. kairomones) into the water that they serve as signals
to other organisms. These chemicals trigger predator-avoidance
behaviors, such as burying by hatchlings, when sensed by their prey
organisms. Our future experiments will test which possible predators
elicit this behavior in applesnails by observing the reaction of the
hatchlings when exposed to the chemical cues from possible bayou
predators including crayfish, sunfish, turtles, and maybe even
alligators. More inquiries into the basic ecology of these
applesnails will lead to better management efforts.
42. Affect and Performance of Collegiate
Swimmers During an Intensive Training Period.
Jessica Lovorn, Department of Psychology, Southwestern University
Mentors: Scott P. McLean, Department of Kinesiology, Southwestern
University and John Bartholomew, University of Texas at Austin
Staleness, a physiological product of over-training, may result in a
negative shift in the affective state of the athlete. A successful
period of over-training should be accompanied by affective recovery in
addition to physiological recovery as indicated by a return to or above
pre-training performance levels. PURPOSE: To assess the effect of
over-training on affect and performance during a seven day period in 18
collegiate swimmers (age = 19). METHODS: The affect grid was used to
assess two dimensions of affect, pleasure-displeasure and
arousal-sleepiness, prior to each training session. Performance was
measured using a maximal effort 100-m freestyle swim. Performance tests
were completed at the beginning, midpoint and end of the training
period. Changes in affect were assessed using 7 X 2 (day X affective
dimension) repeated measures ANOVA. A regression analysis was used to
examine the relationship between affect and performance. RESULTS: A
strong negative correlation existed between the pleasure-displeasure
dimension and performance, r = -0.483, p=0.005, as well as the
pleasure-displeasure dimension and the arousal-sleepiness dimension of
the affect grid, r = -0.380, p=0.027. Training resulted in a reduction
of both dimensions of affect by the midpoint of the training period.
Pleasure-displeasure decreased by approximately 16% (p<0.001) and
arousal-sleepiness decreased by approximately 7% ( p=0.091). A full
recovery of these measures was observed by the end of the training
period. When these changes were considered with respect to performance,
only the change in pleasure-displeasure accounted for 23.3% (p=0.011)
of the variance in performance. CONCLUSION: The affect grid provides a
useful and efficient method for monitoring the psychological state of
an athlete during a period of over-training. However, with affective
changes accounting for only 23% of the variance in performance clearly
other factors are influencing performance during this period, including
physiological and biomechanical manifestations of over-training.
43. A Preliminary Analysis of the Upstream
Regulatory Region of the Drosophila melanogaster Enhancer of split gene
mbeta.
Katy Eby, Department of Biology, Southwestern University
Mentor: Deborah Eastman, Department of Biology, Southwestern University
In Drosophila melanogaster the Notch pathway is best known for its
roles in determining the fate of a cell. Within the Notch pathway
an activated Notch intracellular protein interacts with a specific
binding protein, Suppressor of Hairless, which is located in the
nucleus. This complex is responsible for upregulating the
Enhancer of split (E(spl) genes. mbeta is one of seven Enhancer
of split genes, and is believed to influence the production of wing
veins. Evidence for this comes from the definite difference in
expression pattern in the wing disc between mbeta0.4 and
mbeta0.18. mbeta0.4 and mbeta0.18 refer to two contructs of the
E(spl) mbeta gene that have different number of nucleotides in the
promoter region upstream of the TATAA box. There is a 220 bp
deletion from mbeta0.4 to make the mbeta0.18 vector.
Using two different approaches I attempted to rescue expression of the
wing veins that are present in mbeta0.4 but absent in mbeta0.18.
There exists a common sequence between Drosophila melanogaster and
Drosophila hydei, within the 220 bp that are the difference between
mbeta0.4 and mbeta0.18, that I am testing for its likely role in the
wing vein expression pattern. The common sequence was isolated
and purified, as was the lacZ reporter vector into which the common
sequence will be cloned. In the future I aim to clone the common
sequence so that I may transform the vector construct into flies and
analyze their wings discs for the predicted rescue of expression
pattern resulting from the mbeta0.4 gene.
44. Proprioceptive Training Effects on
Postural Sway.
Jason Mitchell, Department of Kinesiology, Southwestern University
Mentor: Scott P. McLean, Department of Kinesiology, Southwestern
University
Many rehabilitation protocols include exercises to improve
proprioception because a higher integrity of proprioception has been
associated with a decreased risk of injury. Postural sway, as
measured by the migration of the center of pressure during a balance
test, has been used as a measure of proprioception.
PURPOSE: To examine the effects of proprioceptive training on
postural sway during a single leg balance test. METHODS:
Fourteen healthy subjects (age=20.6±1.3 yrs.,
mass=78.1±22.3 kg, height=169.3±8.3 cm) without lower
extremity injury performed a 10-second balance test standing on their
dominant leg prior to and upon completion of a four-week training
period. Subjects were randomly assigned to a control, moderate
intensity (one training rotation per session) or high intensity four
training rotations per session) training group. Each training
rotation consisted of a six-minute exercise using a series of five
proprioceptive blocks. Three training sessions were completed per
week for four-weeks. A 3x2 mixed model ANOVA was used to evaluate
the differences in postural sway between groups and between pre and
post training balance tests. RESULTS: Mediolateral (ML),
Anterolateral (AL), and Total Sway was not significantly different
(p>0.05) between groups and between pre and post training
evaluations. The mean pre-post differences for the control and
moderate intensity training groups were characterized by small effect
sizes for all three measures of sway (ES<0.22). Post-training
sway values were smaller than pre-training sway values for the high
intensity training groups. For this group AP sway was reduced by
13.4%. This difference was characterized by a moderate effect
size (ES=0.51). ML and Total sway were reduced by 23.5% and
18.2%, respectively. These differences were characterized by
large effect sizes (ES = 1.16 and 0.92, respectively).
CONCLUSION: These data suggest that there was a noticeable
improvement in postural sway associated with the high intensity
training.
45. Proteomic Analysis of
Eosinophil Whole Cell and Granules.
Christof Straub, Department of Chemistry and Department of Business and
Economics, Southwestern University
Mentor: Alexander Kurosky, Department of Biochemistry, University of
Texas Medical Branch
Proteomics is a discovery-based science approach to describe cellular
protein expression more globally under a variety of conditions. This
research applied proteomic studies to ultimately understand the
influence of allergens, asthma, and viral infection on eosinophil
function. These studies were intended to initialize characterization of
the complete eosinophil proteome map for subsequent use in comparative
research applications. Many proteins in eosinophils have already been
characterized; however, there are still many more proteins that have
yet to be systematically identified. Human blood eosinophils were
isolated and proteins were extracted from whole cells and, in separate
experiments, from their granules. The proteins were solubilized under
denaturing conditions and applied to isoelectric focusing. The focused
protein strips were then applied to SDS-PAGE and allowed to further
separate in the second dimension according to their relative size. The
proteins were then fixed using a 7% acetic acid-10% methanol solution,
stained with Sypro Ruby, destained, and then scanned using the
ProEXPRESS imager prior to image analysis using Nonlinear Progenesis
Discovery Informatics software. Protein spots were selected for robotic
gel picking and processing, including trypsin hydrolysis, prior to
peptide mass fingerprint analysis using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.
Typically, four replicates were used for each eosinophil preparation.
Of 146 protein spots picked, significant identification of 38 proteins
(26%) was obtained. A number (5) of these proteins represented new
discoveries for proteins indicated in the human genome database. Their
identification also established their occurrence in eosinophils for the
first time. These results represent an initial and partial
establishment of a proteome map for eosinophils.
46. We’re Two White Women, What Do We Know?: A
Resource Guide for the Advancement of Multicultural Education.
Lisa Cook and Katie Peterson, Department of Education, Southwestern
University.
Mentor: Alicia Moore, Department of Education, Southwestern University
“Women and whites predominate the teacher force: 73% of all public
school teachers are women, and 87% of those teaching in public schools
are white” (Cooper 129). This majority of white teachers,
however, is not teaching a majority white student body
population. According to demographic trends, “36% of school age
children are [people of color,] a figure that is expected to increase
in the coming years” (Cooper 102). Research has shown that
students exhibit higher achievement in academics when teaching is
culturally responsive. As pre-service teachers and future
multicultural educators, we recognize the need for educators to seek
out experiences that will increase cultural knowledge, allowing
teachers to better relate to students.
This presentation compiles resources that current and future educators
can use to learn about methods of discovery of cultures other than
their own. We have conducted interviews with people on the
Southwestern campus, in Georgetown, in Austin and surrounding
areas. We visited book stores and libraries around the area and
researched best practices in discovering information about
cultures. We conducted research on the internet to discover
community groups, organizations and sites that will aid educators in
learning about the cultures represented in their classrooms.
Finally we attended events in and around the Georgetown/Austin area to
learn about the many cultures that make up our community. The
information that we gathered from all of these sources was summarized
and compiled in booklet form. This booklet includes pictures taken at
various events, addresses and names of informative contacts, and a
section on implementation in the classroom.
This research will provide educators with a starting off point from
which to embark on their own journey of understanding various cultures,
making the task less daunting. It should also leave readers
feeling empowered and confident about their abilities to learn about
cultures and how to implement their new knowledge in the classroom.
47. Regulatory Policy Making, Judicial Activism and
the New Wave of Political Battles over the American Environment.
Charles Stern, Department of Political Science, Southwestern University
Mentors: Timothy O'Neill, Department of Political Science, Southwestern
University
Since the late 19th Century, water resource law in
the arid, Western half of the U.S. has gone unchanged for the most
part, usually backing up the extractive, human centered resource
management techniques for property such as prior appropriation and
irrigated agriculture that were initiated during the early settlement
of the frontier. The role of the federal government has supported
this status quo for the better part of the 20th Century, as well, by
setting up such government programs as the Reclamation Act in the early
1900’s. However, since its arrival on the national political
scene in the 60’s, the environmental movement has presented a political
challenge to the way resources are viewed and utilized throughout the
country. Based on the development of traditional resource values
in the West combined with the rise of environmentalism, the political
outcome for the region were acts of government which were popular at
the time, but have since been severely criticized by many. Prime
examples of these are the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water
Act, two policies initiated at the height of the environmental movement
in the early 70’s. The past of these policies, along with modern
case studies in the Klamath Basin (Endangered Species Act) and the
Florida Everglades (Clean Water Act), suggests that major changes in
either policy are currently most likely to occur either out of
executive alterations to regulatory policy based on subjective
scientific reports in sensitive environmental/political areas, or out
of activist court decisions in the judicial branch of government.
These two distinct avenues for political change are the most likely
areas of contention in the near future as all sides continue their
efforts to either transform or maintain the political and ecological
norms of the West.
48. Effects of sex ratio and female mate history on
copulation duration, wing beats, and mate guarding in Xanthopimpla
stemmator.
Jamie L. King, Department of Biology, Southwestern University
Mentor: Stephanie Fabritius, Department of Biology and Office of the
Provost, Southwestern University
The study investigated the effects of sex ratio and female mate history
on copulation duration, wing beats, and mate guarding in Xanthopimpla
stemmator, a solitary endoparasitoid. The study included
cataloguing the reproductive behavior of males before, during, and
after copulation using different sex ratio treatments (1:5, 3:3,
5:1). The investigation also included comparing male reproductive
behavior when mating with a virgin female versus a once mated
female. Males had a longer copulation duration and had a larger
number of wing beats when the sex ratio was heavily male biased.
Males also participated in post-copulatory mate guarding when male
density was higher. When virgin males were mated with virgin
females and once mated females, copulation duration was longer and
number of wing beats larger when mating with virgin females.
49. Female Empowerment in Restoration Theatre
Playhouse Creatures Costume Designs.
Christopher Ray Stout, Department of Theatre, Southwestern University
Mentor: Kerry Bechtel, Department of Theatre, Southwestern University
The opportunity to design the costumes for Southwestern University
Theatre Department's production of April de Angelis' Playhouse
Creatures was an incredibly rewarding experience. In a play
centered around the first actresses of the Restoration theatrical
stage, costumes most certainly play an intregal part, both in
re-creating the historical period and assisting the actors in the
movements and behaviors of the time. The ultimate goal for the
design was simplicity as the number of costumes and changes required is
immense. With the aid of the extraordinarily talented S.U.
Theatre Professor, Kerry Bechtel, I developed a concept for the designs
that would essentially highlight the play's themes of female
empowerment and destruction during the Restoration. From there
the focus was on practicality, dressing all the women in the essential
garments of the time, i.e., petticoats, bodices, overskirts. The
most exciting part of the design then became finding ways in which to
distinguish each of the actresses through varying bodice styles and
distinct colors and fabrics, helping to define each character's
individuality and personality through costumes. Overall, I found
the entire process challenging to me as a student and an artist and am
deeply grateful for the chance to develop my skills as a costume
designer.
50. Bridging the Gap between Theory and Practice:
Let's get R.E.A.D.Y.
Aurora Low, Danver Chandler, Joshua Keltner, Department of Education,
Southwestern University
Mentor: La Vonne Neal, Department of Education, Southwestern University
Currently there is a paucity of culturally responsive and
interdisciplinary curriculum material available for teachers to utilize
in their classrooms. Although educational theories concerning thematic
units and multicultural education have been researched and proven
successful, the wide practice of these theories is yet to be seen
(Geneva Gay, 1995). Therefore, academic achievement of students from a
wide range of cultural backgrounds is still low, which is reflected in
the results of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test
(National Assessment of State’s Progress, 2000).
This poster session will highlight the results of a
research study that explored how to design culturally-responsive lesson
plans and resources. Commonly, teachers are forced to search out
materials in a variety of stores and internet shops to design
culturally-responsive lessons. The recognition of necessity was the
impetus for the design of the R.E.A.D.Y. Kit (Resources for Educators,
easily Accessible for Developing Young minds); a practical resource
that incorporates culturally-responsive materials into a traditional
curriculum. The R.E.A.D.Y. Kit was designed and field-tested in urban
schools to explore how teachers can close the gap between theory and
practice in order to benefit all students.