bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hybrid Incompatibility Arises in a Sequence-Based Bioenergetic Model of Transcription Factor Binding
Authors: Tulchinsky Alexander Y , Johnson Norman A , Watt Ward B , Porter Adam H
Published: August 2014

Postzygotic isolation between incipient species results from the accumulation of incompatibilities that arise as a consequence of genetic divergence. When phenotypes are determined by regulatory interactions, hybrid incompatibility can evolve even as a consequence of parallel adaptation in parental populations because interacting genes can produce the same phenotype through incompatible allelic combinations. We explore the evolutionary conditions that promote and constrain hybrid incompatibility in regulatory networks using a bioenergetic model (combining thermodynamics and kinetics) of transcriptional regulation, considering the bioenergetic basis of molecular interactions between transcription factors (TFs) and their binding sites. The bioenergetic parameters consider the free energy of formation of the bond between the TF and its binding site and the availability of TFs in the intracellular environment. Together these determine fractional occupancy of the TF on the promoter site, the degree of subsequent gene expression and in diploids, and the degree of dominance among allelic interactions. This results in a sigmoid genotype–phenotype map and fitness landscape, with the details of the shape determining the degree of bioenergetic evolutionary constraint on hybrid incompatibility. Using individual-based simulations, we subjected two allopatric populations to parallel directional or stabilizing selection. Misregulation of hybrid gene expression occurred under either type of selection, although it evolved faster under directional selection. Under directional selection, the extent of hybrid incompatibility increased with the slope of the genotype–phenotype map near the derived parental expression level. Under stabilizing selection, hybrid incompatibility arose from compensatory mutations and was greater when the bioenergetic properties of the interaction caused the space of nearly neutral genotypes around the stable expression level to be wide. F2’s showed higher hybrid incompatibility than F1’s to the extent that the bioenergetic properties favored dominant regulatory interactions. The present model is a mechanistically explicit case of the Bateson–Dobzhansky–Muller model, connecting environmental selective pressure to hybrid incompatibility through the molecular mechanism of regulatory divergence. The bioenergetic parameters that determine expression represent measurable properties of transcriptional regulation, providing a predictive framework for empirical studies of how phenotypic evolution results in epistatic incompatibility at the molecular level in hybrids.
Thiol Peroxidase Deficiency Leads to Increased Mutational Load and Decreased Fitness in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Kaya Alaattin , Lobanov Alexei V , Gerashchenko Maxim V , Koren Amnon , Fomenko Dmitri E , Koc Ahmet , Gladyshev Vadim N
Published: August 2014

Thiol peroxidases are critical enzymes in the redox control of cellular processes that function by reducing low levels of hydroperoxides and regulating redox signaling. These proteins were also shown to regulate genome stability, but how their dysfunction affects the actual mutations in the genome is not known. Saccharomyces cerevisiae has eight thiol peroxidases of glutathione peroxidase and peroxiredoxin families, and the mutant lacking all these genes (∆8) is viable. In this study, we employed two independent ∆8 isolates to analyze the genome-wide mutation spectrum that results from deficiency in these enzymes. Deletion of these genes was accompanied by a dramatic increase in point mutations, many of which clustered in close proximity and scattered throughout the genome, suggesting strong mutational bias. We further subjected multiple lines of wild-type and ∆8 cells to long-term mutation accumulation, followed by genome sequencing and phenotypic characterization. ∆8 lines showed a significant increase in nonrecurrent point mutations and indels. The original ∆8 cells exhibited reduced growth rate and decreased life span, which were further reduced in all ∆8 mutation accumulation lines. Although the mutation spectrum of the two independent isolates was different, similar patterns of gene expression were observed, suggesting the direct contribution of thiol peroxidases to the observed phenotypes. Expression of a single thiol peroxidase could partially restore the growth phenotype of ∆8 cells. This study shows how deficiency in nonessential, yet critical and conserved oxidoreductase function, leads to increased mutational load and decreased fitness.
Plasmid Copy Number Underlies Adaptive Mutability in Bacteria
Authors: Sano Emiko , Maisnier-Patin Sophie , Aboubechara John Paul , Quiñones-Soto Semarhy , Roth John R
Published: August 2014

The origin of mutations under selection has been intensively studied using the Cairns-Foster system, in which cells of an Escherichia coli  lac mutant are plated on lactose and give rise to 100 Lac+ revertants over several days. These revertants have been attributed variously to stress-induced mutagenesis of nongrowing cells or to selective improvement of preexisting weakly Lac+ cells with no mutagenesis. Most revertant colonies (90%) contain stably Lac+ cells, while others (10%) contain cells with an unstable amplification of the leaky mutant lac allele. Evidence is presented that both stable and unstable Lac+ revertant colonies are initiated by preexisting cells with multiple copies of the F′lac plasmid, which carries the mutant lac allele. The tetracycline analog anhydrotetracycline (AnTc) inhibits growth of cells with multiple copies of the tetA gene. Populations with tetA on their F′lac plasmid include rare cells with an elevated plasmid copy number and multiple copies of both the tetA and lac genes. Pregrowth of such populations with AnTc reduces the number of cells with multiple F′lac copies and consequently the number of Lac+ colonies appearing under selection. Revertant yield is restored rapidly by a few generations of growth without AnTc. We suggest that preexisting cells with multiple F′lac copies divide very little under selection but have enough energy to replicate their F′lac plasmids repeatedly until reversion initiates a stable Lac+ colony. Preexisting cells whose high-copy plasmid includes an internal lac duplication grow under selection and produce an unstable Lac+ colony. In this model, all revertant colonies are initiated by preexisting cells and cannot be stress induced.
The influence of sports activities for personality of judoist
Authors: Beygul I.O.
Published: August 2014

Purpose: the testing of personality quality, physical and psychical health of judoists within preparatory and contest periods of their activities. Material: 52 sportsmen, the age from 17 to 22 years old, have been took part in investigation. Results: found that the features of the influence of sports activities on the quality of individual athletes are caused by their stress tolerance and the conditions under which it is carried out (training or competitive). Significant and strongly influence the results of performances of athletes in competitions are such qualities as self-confidence, composure, calmness. Athletes are aware that they need to mobilize their strength and skills to be as active and ready for action in unfamiliar situations. Conclusions: the complication of activities conditions for sportsmen in contests period has been demonstrations presence of negative changes of personality virtue, absence of professional and qualitative psychological training.
Features of development of coordination abilities features of athletes in sports aerobics in initial training
Authors: Bodrenkova I.A.
Published: August 2014

Purpose : to develop theoretically and experimentally justify the methodology of development of coordination abilities of athletes aged 7-9 years involved in sports aerobics. Material : the study involved 20 participants (7-9 years). 8 athletes performed the test tasks. The choice of tests carried out on the basis of the analysis of the dominant motor mode competition exercises. Results : It was found that the coordination abilities are necessary in the development of speed, density, and the number of running technical elements. With more than a significant increase in performance test tasks that characterize: musicality, coordination, dynamic balance. The basic tools, methods, techniques, and requirements for the exercises. The level of development of coordination abilities. Conclusions : the author's method of development of coordination abilities include: rational choice of means and methods of training impact on their similarities and differences with the target competitive activity.
Specific characteristics of physical fitness at work anaerobic endurance type of rowers in canoe
Authors: Guo Penchen , Diachenko A.U.
Published: August 2014

Purpose: to determine the effect of the reactive properties cardiorespiratory system to a special performance by canoe paddlers who specialize in the 200 m. Material : The study involved 22 paddler aged 18 - 29 years. Results : there were significant indicators of the reaction due to pulmonary performance and efficiency of anaerobic metabolism. The range of correlation coefficients (r) was -0.54 - 0.77 (T 50 V E) and 0,55-0,71 (V E). Conclusions : It was found that the optimization of the reactive properties of the cardiorespiratory system to realize the potential impact endurance rowers when using anaerobic nature. The greatest number of significant connections were indicators of efficiency and response of pulmonary ventilation. This allowed the evaluation of the functional improve information security work and increase specialized training sessions focus in the development of anaerobic endurance while working character in canoeing.
Healthsaving activity of comprehensive educational establishments’ leaders as psychological and pedagogical problem
Authors: Gres O.V.
Published: August 2014

Purpose: to show the essence and structural components of healthsaving activity of comprehensive educational establishments’ leader. Material: conducted an analysis of psychological and pedagogical sources. Results: healthsaving activity of comprehensive educational establishments’ leader was conducted. An integral part of leader’s management-pedagogical activity directed on creation of healthy environment (physical-subjective, psychological-communicative, educational) of educational establishment. Also floating, saving and strengthening of health of all participants (pupils, pedagogues, parents) of pedagogical process. It was analysed contents of main components (planning, organization, stimulation, control) of healthsaving activity of leader. Conclusions: constant pedagogical monitoring allows to estimate an effectiveness of educational work of establishment according to the degree of achievement of assigned tasks and to make corresponding corrections in a decision of healthsaving questions of pedagogical process participants.
The structure of physical fitness and its correlation analysis at young players aged 16-17 years at the stage of basic training
Authors: POPOV A.N.
Published: August 2014

Purpose : The questions about the importance of physical fitness of young players to improve the management and correction of the training process. Material : In the research participated 40 players aged 16-17 years of specialized youth football school of FC "Obolon-Brewery". Data for the study of physical fitness were teacher observations and teacher testing carried out under the direct training of young players. Results : It is shown that the structure of physical fitness among all the studied parameters there is a close correlation relationship, except for a parameter that characterizes the start speed. It was found that the above regularities indicate the advisability of excluding the studied parameters in the structure of physical fitness of young players to improve the efficiency of the training process at the base of specialized training. Conclusions : It is recommended to improve the starting speed to use non-gaming and technical and tactical exercises.
Dynamics of comprehensive physical fitness in artistic gymnasts aged 7-10 years
Authors: Boraczyńska Sandra , Boraczyński Tomasz , Boraczyński Michał , Michels Anna
Published: August 2014

Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate the somatic development and comprehensive physical fitness of artistic gymnasts aged 7-10 years. Materials and methods: Gymnasts (n = 307), split up into four age groups performed eight Eurofit tests. The results were evaluated in points according to the development standards prepared in scale T for the Polish girls population. Results : The gymnasts obtained the highest growth rate in balance test - FLB (13 points), arm and shoulder muscular endurance test - BAH (7 points) and speed of the upper limb movement test - PLT (4 points) out of eight physical fitness tests. Conclusions. High and very high level of performance in the six Eurofit tests and increased total number of points in the subsequent age groups of artistic gymnasts proved high effectiveness of training in shaping the key components of a comprehensive physical fitness in artistic gymnastics - balance, strength, endurance, speed and flexibility. Relatively little progress in isometric hand strength (HGR) and standing broad jump (SBJ) suggests a significant influence of genetic factors on the level of these abilities. The results provide an objective information useful in optimizing control system of training effects in comprehensive physical fitness and optimization of artistic gymnasts training at the comprehensive stage of sports training.
THE STRATEGICAL FRAMEWORKS OF THE PHYSICAL REHABILITATION IN SURGICAL TREATMENT OF THE PATIENTS WITH LOW BACK PAIN
Authors: LAZARIEVA Olena , CIEŚLICKA Mirosława , STANKIEWICZ Błażej , MUSZKIETA Radosław , PRUSIK Krzysztof
Published: August 2014

Aim of work was to develop strategic foundations of physical rehabilitation in the surgical treatment of patients with lumbar and sacral vertebrogenic compression syndromes. Methods are applied in our research: analysis of literature and theoretical research methods (analysis, interpretation and synthesis) of scientific and manual literature on the study. Abstraction (or idealization, or schematization) is an allocation of the essential foundations. There was an experimenting with schemes (as a development of their content, check reasonableness and practicality) during the development of concepts, practical models and physical rehabilitation programs. Materials: researching performed on the basis of analysis of an medical data of 542 patients, that treated on the base of SO “Institute of Neurosurgery named after acad. A.P. Romodanov NAMS of Ukraine” and rehabilitation department of the SO “Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics NAMS of Ukraine”. Results: effectiveness of the surgical treatment depends on the timely, differentiated, adequate application of physical rehabilitation which should be based on the principles of continuity and duration of effects, which requires developing a plan for physical rehabilitation. A plan which developing, should be based on the results of the rehabilitation`s diagnosis and including the need for rehabilitation and the rehabilitation prognosis. Conclusions: the developed integrated assessment of rehabilitation potential and the need to determine the amount and intensity of physical rehabilitation.
Tubulocystic Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Rare Renal Tumor
Authors: Bhullar Jasneet Singh , Bindroo Sandiya , Varshney Neha , Mittal Vijay
Published: August 2014

Tubulocystic renal cell carcinoma of the kidney is a rare entity with less than one hundred cases reported so far. It was previously considered to have some similarities to various other renal cancers although this tumor has distinct macroscopic, microscopic, and immuno-histochemical features. It is now a well-established entity in renal neoplastic pathology and has been recognized as a distinct entity in the 2012 Vancouver classification of renal tumors. This review aims to give an overview of tubulocystic renal cell carcinoma after extensive literature search using PubMed and CrossRef.
Effects of Childhood Stuttering on Attention Regulation in Emotionally Arousing Situations
Authors: Bush Alison Lee
Published: September 2014

The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between children’s attention regulation and stuttering in three different emotionally arousing situations. Participants were 15 monolingual, Standard American English speaking, preschool children who stutter (CWS) and 17 monolingual Standard American English speaking, preschool children who do not stutter (CWNS) between the ages of 3; 0 (years; months) and 5; 7. All participants had speech, language, and hearing development within normal limits, with the exception of stuttering for CWS. Measures included two indices of attention regulation (i.e., looks away from the computer monitor and off-topic statements), that were observed during the first three minutes of a “book reading” narrative production task. This task occurred immediately after listening to a pre-recorded emotionally arousing background conversation (negative, positive, and neutral). It was predicted that children who stutter would less efficiently regulate their attention in a negative emotionally arousing situation. Main findings indicated that CWS take fewer looks away from the computer monitor than CWNS during the narrative task and that it initially takes CWS longer to first look away from the computer monitor than CWNS. Findings were taken to suggest that CWS fixate their attention on a stimulus and are less able to disengage when required and/or appropriate while CWNS have the ability to flexibly shift their attention away from the same stimulus, especially in a negative arousing situation.
Hydroxyl Tagging Velocimetry and Methods of Dynamic Image Analysis
Authors: Webb Jonathan Hogan
Published: September 2014

This article presents the method of analyzing a mach 2 flow of air through a scramjet and over a cavity using hydroxyl tagging velocimetry (HTV). This method is of particular use in supersonic engines, where, fuel is ignited by a flame protected from airflow by a cavity. Emphasis of the experiment discussed is placed on the image analysis portion of the HTV experiments. The current software used to analyze laser intersections, created by Michigan State University, is user-intensive and inefficient because of the large number of inputs needed to produce a result. The conceptual method behind this imaging software is explained along with the mathematical algorithms related to the spatial correlation technique. The spatial correlation technique offers a way to determine the distance that an object has moved from one photograph to another. This work focuses on improvements to the dynamic analysis of images to expand the applicability of current software tools. The failures and successes of each method are explained.
The Effects of Electoral Concerns on Presidential Foreign Policy: The Case of Ronald Reagan
Authors: Randolph, Jr. Christopher S.
Published: September 2014

Although previous scholarship indicates that foreign policy has only a minimal impact on voter behavior, contemporary research suggests voters do act upon their foreign policy preferences. Recognizing voters’ policy concerns, political leaders have frequently modified their foreign policy positions to mitigate electoral vulnerability. Ronald Reagan’s policies offer an example of such a shift. Reagan maintained hawkish positions toward Central America and the Soviet Union for most of his first term but, sensing public concern over such policies, adopted more conciliatory foreign policy positions, especially towards the Soviet Union, to reduce potential vulnerabilities in preparation for his 1984 reelection campaign. Notably, Reagan did not return to more aggressive policies following his reelection. Reagan’s foreign policy shift demonstrates the impact that public opinion and domestic politics may have on foreign relations.
Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda: Reactionary Revolutionaries in the New Political Islam
Authors: Cartmell IV Nathaniel Madison
Published: September 2014

With the events of September 11th, an unfamiliar terrorist organization known as Al-Qaeda announced its presence, its capabilities, and its willingness to engage in massive violence to the world. Americans, generally poorly informed on the history of the Middle East and blithely unaware of serious foreign threats in the post-Soviet era, were not well equipped to assess the threat. This essay, utilizing a critical analysis of Al-Qaeda’s communiqués as well as the increasingly vast body of secondary literature, defines this new threat through an exploration of the sources of its animosity and proposes a more effective means of combating the threat, all while placing the issue in a larger historical context and filling the knowledge gap for non-specialists. Among the most notable findings is the realization that Al-Qaeda’s core objective is a political one and a purely militaristic counterterrorist strategy will have a low probability of success. It may even worsen the situation by contributing to the public appearance of a clash of civilizations. Additionally, there are preliminary indications that the threat posed by Al-Qaeda, though significant, is ultimately self-destructive.
Re-Newing New Orleans: A Look at Why New Urbanism is the Key to Rebuilding New Orleans
Authors: McKinney Nicole M , Tacker Mallory
Published: September 2014

The widespread destruction of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina represents a unique opportunity to rebuild the public infrastructure and residential landscape of a major city on a different set of principles for urban planning and design. This exploratory article reviews the social and demographic condition of the city of New Orleans before and after the national disaster, presents new urbanism as a potential framework for urban renewal, and provides a case study of the Hill District in Pittsburgh as a model for local policymakers.
Effect of Prenatal Cocaine Exposure on D2 Receptors and DAT in Rhesus Macaques
Authors: Pryweller Jennifer R
Published: September 2014

Five adult rhesus monkeys with a history of prenatal cocaine exposure (PNCE) and two saline-exposed control animals were used to optimize positron emission tomography (PET) imaging methods and to gather preliminary data on the effects of PNCE on dopamine systems in the adult non-human primate central nervous system. Dynamic PET scans were performed on each monkey to measure the binding kinetics of PET ligands specific for dopamine D2/D3 receptors ([18F]fallypride) and dopamine transporter ([18F]FECNT). PET scans were coregistered to structural T1-weighted MR images to aid in identification of regions with significant dopamine innervation for tracer kinetic analysis. Brain regions of interest (ROI) included caudate, putamen, substantia nigra and anterior cingulate cortex. Kinetic modeling using a cerebellum reference region was implemented in the PMOD software package to determine ligand binding

potentials for D2/D3 receptors and dopamine transporters (DAT) in each of the ROIs to test whether fallypride and/or FECNT binding potentials, measures of D2/D3 and DAT levels respectively, were influenced by prenatal cocaine exposure. Preliminary results suggest a trend of reduced D2/D3 binding potential with increased PNCE, but future research is necessary.
The Battered Women’s Syndrome: A History and Interpretation of the Law of Self-Defense as it Pertains to Battered Women who Kill their Husbands
Authors: England Christina L
Published: September 2014

This paper seeks to address the role of the battered women’s syndrome in criminal court cases where battered women have killed their husbands in self-defense. A historical analysis of law pertaining to domestic relationships and violence reveals the male biases imbedded in the law and the obstacles women face in seeking equality and justice in the legal system.

After a brief description of the development of self-defense law and Lenore Walker’s “battered women’s syndrome”, court cases starting mostly from the mid-1970’s during the second wave of the women’s movement are examined. Legal criteria for self-defense are then analyzed along with important precedents that trace the emergence through a series of court cases of legal opportunities to use this psychological condition to support pleas for self-defense. In addition, important precedents are studied that have been made over the past few decades permitting expert witness testimony in the courtroom to explain this psychological theory as it pertains to the case.

The latter part of the paper deals mostly with controversies surrounding the use of the battered women’s syndrome in the courtroom and the current state of self-defense law. I conclude with a proposal for reformation of expert witness testimony and for redefining legal terms in the criteria for self-defense.
Reform, Resentment, and Revolution: The Administration of Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia and Its Causal Effects on the 1948 Civil War in Costa Rica
Authors: Fotouhi David
Published: September 2014

In 1948, revolution, armed conflict, and democratic turmoil enveloped one of the most historically stable and “exceptional” nations in the Western Hemisphere: Costa Rica. While the events which led directly to the annulment of the 1948 presidential election by Congress and the following armed conflicts have drawn much attention, this article argues that the change of direction and widespread reforms attempted during the administration of President Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia (1940-1944), along with his missteps, shortcomings, and the reactions which they garnered had more of a causal impact on the ensuing conflict than any other single actor or event. While Calderón would play a direct role in the events of 1948 and beyond, the author finds that his most influential actions came during his one term in office. By laying the groundwork to which nearly all future players reacted and (sometimes) rebelled against, the administration of Calderón significantly influenced the uncharacteristic events of the late 1940s and profoundly altered the course of this Central American nation.
Culinary Tourism in the Music City: The Place of Culinary Icons and Local Flavors in Nashville Tourism
Authors: Benzmiller Heather L
Published: September 2014

Food and culinary traditions are among the most important cultural markers that define community and regional identity. They often reflect locally grown plants and locally raised animals, as well as traditional recipes and cooking techniques of the specific region. While traditional sightseeing allows tourist to view the cultural Other, culinary tourism provides a more integrated way to explore the diverse cultural offerings of unfamiliar communities through taste, smell, and touch as well as sight. The development of a distinctive culinary style is common to all cultures, so culinary tourism provides a way for travelers to explore another culture while remaining grounded in a familiar context. The present content analysis examines culinary tourism in Nashville, Tennessee through in-depth study of restaurants along two indices: locality and iconicity. Four restaurants were selected as representative of the quadrants that correspond to the intersection of these indices. These restaurants are examined on two criteria directly controlled by the restaurant (self-description and menu) and two criteria not directly under the restaurant’s control (location and reviews). Local restaurants are more creative in their menu offerings and more favorable reviewed than non-local restaurants. Iconic restaurants are more likely to capitalize on their visibility by promoting their name, whereas non-iconic restaurants must market themselves through other means. This study examines the many dimensions along which restaurants offer culinary products to tourists and locals alike.
Activity Based Proteomic Profiling of Lysophosphatidic Acid Treated Cancer Cells
Authors: Hillman Aryeh B
Published: September 2014

Ovarian cancer is a debilitating disease lacking effective treatments. A key feature of the disease is elevated levels of the mitogenic lipid lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) found in the ascities fluid surrounding tumors. LPA evokes a wide array of pro-tumorgenic effects in cells and was recently shown to stimulate the expression of a cancer-associated protease, urokinase type plasminogen activator (uPA). To discern whether LPA treatment resulted in active uPA, I applied a novel proteomic technique, activity-based protein profiling (ABPP), that specifically monitors the amount of protein activity rather than abundance. I utilized ABPP to examine the effect of the bioactive lipid LPA on uPA in a human ovarian cancer cell line SKOV-3. To achieve this I first developed a new strategy for analysis of secreted proteins and then determined that treatment of SKOV-3 cells with LPA does indeed result in increases of active uPA. In addition to this finding, I also detected elevated uPA activity upon treatment of structurally distinct forms of LPA that vary in acyl chain length. This finding has not previously been reported and demonstrates the power of ABPP to identify changes in the functional state of low abundance enzyme activities.
Off to a bad start: John Adams’s tussle over titles
Authors: Alexander James C
Published: September 2014

From the first days, of the first session, of the first Congress of the United States, the Senate was consumed by an issue that would do immense and lasting political harm to the sitting vice president, John Adams. The issue was a seemingly unimportant one: titles. Adams had strong opinions on what constituted a proper title for important officers of government and, either because he was unconcerned or unaware of the damage it would cause, placed himself in the middle of the brewing dispute. Adams hoped the president would be referred to as, “His highness, the President of the United States of America, and Protector of the Rights of the Same.” The suggestion enraged many, amused some, and was supported by few. He lost the fight over titles and made fast enemies with several of the Senators he was constitutionally obligated to preside over. Adams was savaged in the press, derided in the Senate and denounced by one of his oldest and closest friends. Not simply an isolated incident of political tone-deafness, this event set the stage for the campaign against Adams as a monarchist and provided further proof of his being woefully out of touch.
Naturalism and the Empfindsamerstil in 18th-Century Europe
Authors: Whiteside Dean
Published: September 2014

C.P.E. Bach was the most notable composer of the empfindsamerstil, an 18th-century musical style in Germany that highlights an important change in the production and reception of music. This change is seen in the aesthetic philosophy of this period, which reflects a conflict between old forms of naturalism and a new modality of taste, in which subjective avowals of like or dislike become the criteria for aesthetic judgment. This paper addresses the interrelationship of the empfindsamerstil and aesthetics of its period, providing an account of this conflict between old forms of objective musical codification and a wholly modern account of subjective pleasure.
OCD: An Analysis of Clinical Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Modern Society
Authors: Ma Michael Yiran
Published: September 2014

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, known as OCD in short, is a relatively recent psychological phenomena that has begun to demand an increasing amount of attention and focus from medical and psychiatric institutions due to higher rates of clinical diagnosis. While estimates of OCD sufferers range from less than 1% to more than 5% of the total population, symptoms of OCD are commonly found within a significant percentage of all individuals at one point or another of their lives.

This paper attempts to examine the current research that has been conducted of OCD and to examine released statistical data for any emerging patterns of diagnosis. This paper also attempts to clear up any current myths about OCD as portrayed by either the media or pop culture. The importance of research on OCD to our society is also mentioned within the paper, as well as potential root causes of the disorder. Finally, a prescriptive section dealing with possible effective treatment techniques and methods is detailed at the end of the paper.
Marc Chagall's White Crucifixion: An Enduring Work of Political Art
Authors: Kravitz Ariel M
Published: September 2014

The works of Marc Chagall, a prominent and prolific Jewish artist, are among the most significant and recognizable creations to have emerged during the 20th century. The White Crucifixion was Chagall’s passionate response to the escalating atrocities by the National Socialist German Workers’ (Nazi) Party that resulted in Kristallnacht. This paper examines the early life of the artist in Czarist Russia amidst historical persecution and anti-Semitism, as well as the social and political milieu in which the White Crucifixion was created. The painting’s unique combination of Christian and Jewish imagery, with an illuminated and crucified “Jewish Jesus” at the focal point, and surrounded by scenes depicting Jewish suffering at the hands of the Nazis is explored in detail. The paper demonstrates that the distinctive religious and cultural experiences of Marc Chagall provided the palate from which the plight of the Jews was immortalized on canvas and which expressed his outrage. Condemning the world for their silence and imploring them to act in the face of inhumanity, the White Crucifixion remains an enduring work of political art whose message is as applicable today as it was in 1938.
Next to Nora
Authors: Seely Megan Taylor
Published: September 2014

Henrik Ibsen’s classic play A Doll’s House and Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt’s rock musical Next to Normal were written over a century apart, yet each boldly portrays a woman’s desire to leave her family without berating her decision. The relationship of Natalie, Diana’s daughter, and her classmate Henry parallels the relationship between Mrs. Linde and Krogstad. The mothers in both plays have a somewhat romantic relationship with the doctors of the plays to whom they both tell their secrets, reflected in Dr. Rank’s unrequited love for Nora and Diana’s “intense and very intimate” dance with her psychiatrist. Both plays exhibit Brian Johnston’s idea of three “seismic convulsions” that eventually shatter the home. Next to Normal is A Doll’s House of our generation that continues Nora’s story by choosing to focus on the consequences of the wife’s final action. While the setting, illusion, and final action of both plays are wildly similar, the role of the children in each is radically different, changing the entire perception by the audience. While family dysfunction is accepted as normal, these plays show the danger of living in such a house. A Doll’s House does this by portraying the harm of this life on the wife, Next to Normal by illustrating the harm on the family. Each shows the pain of living a lie and conveys the controversial idea that a woman’s duty, above all else, is to herself.
A Butterfly Answers Customer Service Calls in China: The Tempestuous Response to Service Offshoring Across the Globe and Why It’s Irrational
Authors: Hogan Joseph P
Published: September 2014

This paper will discuss the current and future status of service offshoring, and will argue primarily that owing to certain natural constraints on offshoring, there is limited prospect for future growth in this field. In particular service offshoring will not be the cause of massive job dislocations as was the case with manufactures offshoring. The paper will examine both empirical and theoretical reasons why this is the case, and will synthesize the two when appropriate. Particular attention is paid to diverse reasons for the rise of offshoring, including those resulting from economic, political, historical and managerial rationales. The interplay of factors that gave rise to manufactures offshoring is examined, as is its relation to future growth in service offshoring. The paper will then entertain arguments against service offshoring and its continued growth, and will argue that such growth is likely to be mild and short-lived, and that benefits redound to all participants in offshoring, but especially to developed Anglophone nations. Finally, the associated issue of the particular effects of offshoring on developing-country participants is discussed, as are possible political and economic remedies for those minor adverse effects of increased offshoring, both for developed and developing countries.
Understanding the Economic Implications & Constraints of U.S. Multilateral & Bilateral Free Trade Agreements by Analyzing NAFTA and the U.S.-Colombian FTA
Authors: Duarte Fabiani A , Duarte Fabiani A
Published: September 2014

By providing over $24 billion in foreign assistance to 154 countries, the United States was the largest economic and humanitarian aid donor in the world in 2008 (Schaefer, 2006; Tarnoff & Lawson, 2009). By viewing the U.S. government through this lens, U.S. free trade agreements (FTA), like U.S. foreign aid, assist economically-weaker countries to develop while advancing specific U.S. foreign policy initiatives. By analyzing NAFTA’s effects on Mexico’s economic growth and the provisions of the signed U.S.-Colombian Free Trade Agreement, this paper demonstrates the inefficiencies and unintended consequences of multilateral and bilateral FTAs. The analysis concludes by suggesting an alternative approach to proactive and productive economic development: regional economic FTAs.

Keywords: free trade agreement (FTA), tariff, economic development program, foreign direct investment (FDI), internally displaced persons (IDPs), bilateral FTA, multilateral FTA, regional FTA
Sí Se Puede: Boycotting the Human Cost of Grapes in Delano, CA
Authors: Lau Shuisum
Published: September 2014

From the fields to our plates, much of our nation’s fresh produce comes from workers living in conditions steeped with injustice. They labor exhaustively in fields that burst with vegetables and fruit, yet subsist in constant hunger. Along with the struggle to obtain minimum wage, fair and safe working conditions, adequate housing, and health care, the excessive use of pesticides in the fields is a crucial issue of environmental justice as well. The effects of pesticides on the health of farmworkers and their families are scientifically proven to be both crippling and fatal. The pesticides continue to ruin laborers’ livelihoods and health, intensifying every other problem that the farmworkers face. In the 1960s and 70s, one union of farmworkers fought to raise awareness of the many cruelties in the current system of agricultural production. The situation of the California workers highlighted racial, legal, and cost-profit tensions that continue to affect our food systems today. The actions of the farmworkers and the leadership of César Chávez in the grape boycotts of Delano left the face of progress and civil rights in America forever changed. Organizing California’s migrant workers, some of the least empowered and most exploited groups in America, actualized Chávez’s once-impossible dream.
Measuring Radial Velocities of Low Mass Eclipsing Binaries
Authors: Rattray Rebecca E , Hebb Leslie , Stassun Keivan G
Published: September 2014

Due to the complex nature of the spectra of low-mass M type stars, it is difficult to determine their metallicities and temperatures directly. By studying eclipsing binary pairs comprising one F, G, or K type star with an M type star, we are able to use what we know about the primary star to learn more about the secondary star. Measuring the orbital reflex motion of the primary star, together with the eclipse light curve of the M star as it transits the primary star, allows us to determine the mass, radius, temperature, and metallicity of the M star.

We studied 23 low mass eclipsing binaries (EBLMs) previously discovered by SuperWASP photometry. We obtained spectra using the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) SMARTS 1.5-meter echelle spectrograph between June 2009 and January 2011. Each EBLM target was typically observed ~8 times over this time period. The spectra were processed using standard astronomical software, and a cross-correlation method was used to measure the radial velocity of the target star at each observed epoch.

Radial velocities were successfully determined for 21 of the 23 EBLM target objects. Orbital periods, radial velocity amplitudes, and eccentricities for these EBLMs could be determined from these radial velocities together with the preexisting light curves. Using these values and by assuming a mass for the primary star, we will be able to calculate the masses of the secondary M type star in each EBLM system.
Authenticating Identity: The Quest for Personal Validation through Authenticity in Music
Authors: Green Emily Cannon
Published: September 2014

“Music City, U.S.A.” celebrates many cultures and music, but often Nashville is identified with singing cowboys with southern drawls. Some are quick to call this country-western image “inauthentic,” pointing out that middle Tennessee’s forested hills were never home to cattle ranches or Gene Autry. Indeed, the labels of “authentic” or “inauthentic” have become widely used in contemporary society to denote whether a thing is essentially true or untrue. In his evaluation of the 1960s music “myth” in which folk music was deemed authentic and pop music inauthentic, sociologist Simon Frith argues that the central issue was less about the music itself and more about the communication of a person’s identity through that music. An examination of the concept of authenticity as it has evolved through history and presented itself in recent scholarship and a survey of Nashville residents and college students reveal that the quest for authenticity in tourism and consumerism is closely linked to the construction of identity. While the concept of authenticity is demonstrably problematic, it retains its power because it provides a framework against which individuals can define themselves in an increasingly global world. The quest for authenticity in music, then, becomes a quest for truth about oneself for which there is no objective answer. Authenticity is fundamentally a question of perspective. Who can say whether Nashville is authentic or not? All that can be said is simply that Nashville is.
How the Built Environment Contributes to the Adolescent Obesity Epidemic: A Multifaceted Approach
Authors: Lanza Amy L. , Pope Jamie , Mayrsohn Brian
Published: September 2014

The public health status of the United States is in a critical state. Rates of overweight and obese children are on the rise in nearly every community in the nation, and obesity is quickly becoming a global problem as well. While there are many biological, cultural, and psychological factors that play into the rising rates, social factors as a cause of decreasing health are often overlooked. The “built environment,” or each community’s living, working, and eating spaces, plays a large role in determining the actions taken by individuals in a community. In this study, the built environments of two socioeconomically different neighborhoods in Nashville, Tennessee, are analyzed. The resulting data is compared to Tennessee state health census reports to posit that a decreased quality of food and physical activity related built environments parallels a rise in chronic health problems.
Limb Regeneration in Humans: Micromanaging a Plastic Environment
Authors: Dunk Sarah A.
Published: September 2014

A popular topic as of late, stem cell research has intrigued many with its remarkable potential in the realm of human health. Multipotent stem cells have been found throughout the entire human body, indicating that adult tissues may be able to repair and regenerate themselves. Although organs such as the heart, liver, or lungs do not currently regenerate in humans, the presence of these somatic stem cells indicates that we possess the necessary structures to do so. By studying the axolotl, a species of salamander known to effectively regenerate limbs and organs, scientists have come closer to understanding human regeneration. After various studies performed on the axolotl, results have indicated that limb regeneration occurs in a step-wise fashion, in which certain qualifications must be met to progress to the next step. This is groundbreaking because the lack of human regeneration can be attributed to the absence of a correct preliminary environment, not in our sheer inability to do so. If we can determine the factors that influence each individual step of limb regeneration, we could theoretically micromanage regenerating environments to provide the exact outcome we desire.
The Effect of Circadian Alteration and Temperature on Reproductive Fitness in Cyanobacteria
Authors: Safren Lowell A. , Donahue Patrick , Shrout Tara , Ameha Aynalem , Black Hollie , Derryberry Stephen , Pionk Hayley , Pribish Abby
Published: September 2014

The reproductive fitness of cyanobacteria is altered by variation of temperature conditions and differential mutation of Kai genes that contribute to circadian rhythms. The degree and significance of these effects were tested in three distinct strains of Synechococcus elongatus cyanobacteria: a wild-type strain (AMC149) and two mutated strains with either an optimized or a disrupted circadian rhythm. These strains were allowed to compete in mixed cultures to determine the adaptive value of circadian clocks in relation to the reproductive fitness of cyanobacteria. Pure cultures served as controls, ensuring that growth rates were the same. Results illustrate that under constant light conditions at high temperatures, the strains with mutant circadian rhythms were both more reproductively fit than the wild-type strain. In conclusion, we found that circadian clocks do not confer a reproductive advantage for cyanobacteria when the cycle of the circadian clock does not match the light/dark cycle of the environment.
Autotrophic Ethos in Mill's Arboretum
Authors: Taylor Christopher R.
Published: September 2014

In this paper, I use the tree analogy at the heart of Mill’s discussion of individuality as a lens through which to interpret On Liberty and its connection to Utilitarianism. I propose five alternative interpretations: (1) the tree as a symbol for Enlightenment progress as an outgrowth of originality, (2) the tree as a symbol for the capacity for choice within Mill’s hedonistic conception of happiness, (3) the tree as the mystery of human choice, (4) the tree as the uninhibited human spirit, arising out of a plant-animal dialectic, and (5) the tree as the embodied ideal conception of the self. I then argue that the multiplicity of interpretations lends itself to an autotrophic intellectual ethos, wherein the tree becomes as a symbol of the liberty of interpretation.
One Final Message: The Painted Programs of Alexandrian Tombs
Authors: Witt Rachel
Published: September 2014

Art historical analysis of the Greco-Roman tombs in Alexandria suggests that the tomb owners’ synthesized iconographic elements belonging to Greek, Roman, and Egyptian artistic styles. Classical decorative motifs and figures reflect the tombs owners’ understanding and acceptance of Greco-Roman practices. Tomb owners incorporate Egyptian figures into the funerary spaces, yet the compositions lack the homogeneity and religious connotations present in previous Egyptian painted programs. The seeming defiance of representation indicates that the tomb owners were not interested in correctly rendering Egyptian ideology; rather, the tomb owners were interested in painting Egyptian figures for the sake of each figure’s supernatural and protective meaning. Synthesis of the Classical and Egyptian funerary elements demonstrate the tomb owners’ decorative predilections and desires to communicate one final message concerning beauty, political allegiance, and religious identity.