University Honors Program

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Power and Prices in the Coffee Trade and East Africa
(2007-08) Engels, Elizabeth L.
A Snapshot of the Queer Movement: Four GLBTQ Activist Organizations in the Twin Cities
(2009) Kelley, Amy;
In this essay, I look at four GLBT/Queer activist organizations in the Twin Cities, as a snapshot of the Queer Movement as it is occurring locally. I view these organizations through the lenses of persuasion and rhetoric, because communication and communicative actions are the life blood of social movements. I then examine where these four organizations fall on the life-cycle or timeline of social movements, to find where the Queer Movement is on this timeline. In the introduction and conclusion, I discuss culture in a wider sense to demonstrate the cultural implications of social movements, and of the Queer Movement in particular. Concluding, I posit a few predictions for the future of the Queer Movement in the Twin Cities and the United States, drawn from my examination of these four organizations.
Cold Adaptation and Mitochondrial Function in S. cerevisiae
(2011-02-22) Leeaw, Phoebe
A major theory concerning the origin of life proposes that the first cells arose in cold, rather than hot, conditions. Regardless of its origin, life today can be found throughout the entire globe, even at the poles. Consequently, for survival to be possible, organisms must be capable of energy production under extreme temperatures. The main focus of this study is to determine the genetic basis of the ability of cells to grow at low temperatures. Yeasts are capable of fermentation in cold environments, but the effect of extreme temperatures on respiration is still under investigation. The objective of the experiment was to determine if S. cerevisiae mitochondrial function is important for growth at low temperatures. To test this hypothesis, we screened cold-sensitive mutants for their ability to grow on media that can only be metabolized via respiration. If the mutant gene is important for mitochondrial biogenesis or function, then its deletion may also hinder oxidative phosphorylation. Yeast mutants were grown in conditions at permissive and cold temperatures to observe differences in growth patterns. Our preliminary results suggest that most genes required for growth at low temperature do not affect mitochondrial function. Thus, most cold-sensitive mutants have robust mitochondrial function indicating that their inability to grow at low temperatures does not reflect an underlying mitochondrial defect.
How Did Peter Piper Pick a Peck of Organic Produce? An Examination of the Price Premiums and Price Behavior of Organic Produce at Wholesale and Retail Markets
(2011-07-01) Donohue-Hansen, Amanda
The organic produce market has commanded significant market share, occupying a stable and strong 11.4 points of the conventional produce market. Despite the significant growth and market share that organic produce commands in produce sector, price premiums remain high. This study seeks to understand the price behavior and structure of the organic produce market in the United States. While the largest price premium was expected to be applied at the retail level, the results found that the largest percent price differentials are observed at the wholesale level, although decreasing. This study also proved that the organic produce market operates much like a category of its own with the results revealing that organic prices at the retail level could largely not be explained by conventional prices. This suggests that organic price behavior is divergent from conventional produce at both markets, most notably at retail. This thesis attempts to reveal pricing behavior and structure of the organic produce market across two points in the supply chain in order to focus greater attention on the origins of organic price premiums and the factors that may explain them.
Informality, NGOs, and Cairo’s Trash Collectors: Economic and Social Welfare Policy in the Authoritarian Egyptian State
(2011-07-19) Abadeer, Caroline
The following analysis provides a theoretically informed explanation of how Cairo‘s Zabbaleen (informal trash collectors) fit into the political story of economic development in Egypt. Egypt presently faces much uncertainty as its citizens call for change during an era of political reordering. Their demands stem largely from the breakdown of the ―authoritarian bargain‖ that once characterized state-society relations, as since the 1970s, the government has promoted economic liberalization and abandoned social welfare provision as a fundamental objective. This move limited opportunities available to the urban poor through the public and private sectors, leading to escalated growth in the informal economy and the third sector of non-governmental organizations. The informal sector has offered greater opportunities for employment, even as social welfare provision became the responsibility of NGOs, whose influence is strongly apparent among Egypt‘s poor. As a dispossessed societal group, the Zabbaleen offer a useful lens through which to evaluate the effects of policy change upon one segment of the populace; many of the risks they face as informal workers have been partially mitigated by the efforts of numerous NGOs that support them. Yet the uncertainty that continues to characterize the condition of the Zabbaleen also provides insight into tensions inherent within the coexistence of the authoritarian state system and an extensive informal economy and third sector. More generally, greater understanding of the Zabbaleen narrative in relation to these two other sets of actors – the municipal and state governments and the NGOs that work within their communities – gives students of development politics a more nuanced perspective into the intricate relationships that thwart the advancement of simple solutions for poverty alleviation and economic growth in one developing country governed by an authoritarian regime.
Laura Beatrice Oliva-Mancini: Moglie, Madre, Poetessa
(2011-07-19) Stoker, Whitney
This thesis, written in Italian, explores the life of one female poet during the Italian Unification period, Laura Beatrice Oliva-‐Mancini. Her role within the upper middle-‐class society of nineteenth century Italy becomes apparent through the investigation of her familial relationships with her father, husband and children. The author examines her role within the nineteenth century salon culture through select poetic works and the later-‐published diary of Laura’s daughter, Grazia. Laura’s perception of the ideals of the time also become apparent in a close reading of her tragic work Ines which portrays the last days of the Castilian noblewoman Ines de Castro. All these topics combine to depict Laura’s life within the context of nineteenth century Italy.
Television Coverage of Violence in the Iraq War: 2008-2010
(2011-07-19) Thomson, Mark
Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black, weighing in on the Pentagon Papers case that came before the Court in 1969, wrote, “Paramount among the responsibilities of a free press is the duty to prevent any part of the government from deceiving the people and sending them off to distant lands to die of foreign fevers and foreign shot and shell”1. Justice Black is correct that the press assumes heightened responsibility in the run up to wars and while they are being executed. Decisions about whether to go to war, how to conduct it, and how to end it are some of the most important choices that citizens in a democracy must make, and they require an active media to communicate the necessary information. To make a prudent decision, the American public must have an accurate understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of a war. During the Vietnam War, the Pentagon Papers revealed crucial information to the public about the strategic failures of the United States military. The press’ decision to publish this material was in large part responsible for the increase in anti-war fervor that helped bring the war to an end. In the latter years of the 2000s, America’s focus on the Iraq War, begun in 2003, seemed to fade. With the War in Afghanistan competing for headlines along with a massive recession caused by a near-collapse of the world’s banking system, it seemed at times that America had forgotten about the War in Iraq. Collecting data from the start of 2008 to the end of the Iraq War in August of 2010, this study examines the extent to which two well-known television news programs continued to report on the ongoing war. Specifically, this study seeks to fill in gaps in literature on war coverage by American media by analyzing what images are aired during stories about violence, which have the most potential to impact viewers. In addition, this study will analyze the extent to which each station prioritizes war stories within its broadcast and the frequency with which the two stations air stories depicting war violence. When America goes to war, the media is the only window through which the public can objectively determine the success of the mission. In the unconventional and loosely defined War in Iraq, the media’s duty to communicate news to the public is all the more important. This study will assess, in part, whether television media provided the necessary reality-based coverage.
Looking for a Relationship Between Diversity Training and an Inclusive Company Culture
(2011-07-19) Bluemel, Ashley
Diversity training (any form of sensitivity training aimed at facilitating fair treatment and decreasing discrimination in the workplace) is widely used in the corporate world today. Though there are high rates of adoption, the exact outcomes of diversity training efforts are not explicitly understood. Diversity training has been linked empirically to factors such as career satisfaction and organizational commitment, but less is known about the link between diversity training and an inclusive company culture. This study will look for a link between diversity training and an inclusive company culture, attempting to associate certain methods of diversity training with a culture for inclusion. This information can help human resources professionals and executives make better informed decisions regarding their diversity training practices, hopefully allowing all these companies to foster a more inclusive, innovative, and welcoming culture.
Social Media: Current Trends Among Children and Their Parents and Implications Regarding Interpersonal Communication
(2011-07-19) Simonpietri, Stacie
Social media is an ever-evolving form of technological communication that affects different generations in different ways. As modern children have grown up with social technologies integrated into their daily lives, parents have been left in the midst of a generational gap. Recent studies have shown that older generations are now greatly increasing their social media use, in an effort to, among other reasons, connect with their “digitized” children. Children’s current social media trends indicate slightly slowing growth of new social media users among youth. Both parents and children view modern social media as having both positive and negative consequences, and largely maintain that face-to-face communication is more desirable than communicating through social media. This study examines social media and parent-child communication in the context of Instructional-Affective Communication Theory and Media Richness theory, and presents findings of an originally conducted survey to examine the trends in social media use among children and their parents and what these trends imply regarding interpersonal communication.
Fallen Bridge, Moral Duties: A Study on the Ethical Principles of Disaster Journalism
(2011-07-19) Coss, Kevin
It was 6:05 p.m. on a typical Wednesday in 2007 when disaster struck Minneapolis. Drivers spanning the I-35W Bridge over the Mississippi river felt a tremendous vibration, then dropped. "I was driving the car and I screamed when I heard it crack," said Janet Stately. "It's like it went in slow motion. I heard the crack and I saw the cars going straight in.”1 The unpredictable event caught Minneapolis off guard. The scene’s first responders were rescue personnel. Behind them, to spread the word of the shocking occurrence, came journalists. News coverage of a disaster is essential to the community. Reporters in the field must work to actively gather the story in an environment devoid of comfort or safety. Instead, destruction and tragedy are the standard fare. Journalists must interview sources who are so immersed in grief they can barely tell their story, and sometimes simply cannot from the shock. Authorities are weary and tense from the constant pressure to pull the scene into order and help the victims out of the mess. Injuries plague many of the victims not claimed by death. And through it all, journalists must determine what happened, portray it humanely and inform the masses. Yet the journalist’s role is more complicated than simply to report, write and photograph. The scene of a disaster is a fragile environment, where careless media personnel could do more harm than good. Journalists may interfere with rescue operations, intrude on emotional moments between those on the scene and further aggravate those already suffering from trauma. After the incident, their stories and reports can mislead, shock or simply disturb readers of all demographics with grotesquely graphic descriptions of gore, false information and exaggerated language. An untrained, or uncaring, journalist could be a hazard to society rather than a boon. Few beats in journalism place as much necessity in a sound sense of journalistic ethics as that of disaster coverage. The subject has always been relevant for newsrooms; playing a major role in coverage of 2005’s damage from Hurricane Katrina, 2010’s earthquake in Haiti and countless other disasters. Just as police and paramedics must be trained to handle even the most unpredictable events, so must journalists learn how to cover disasters with ethics intact. Such an understanding is a responsibility of their job. This study focuses on five key processes of the journalist’s work. It discusses ethical ways to gain access to the scene, to use authorities as sources, to treat witnesses and victims, to maintain accuracy and make omissions, and to communicate ethics in the newsroom. It compares these findings to the ethical principles presented in previous literature. Ultimately, it will examine how journalists can ethically yet effectively gather and present the news during the event of a disaster.
Child Out-of-Home Placement: Assessment Process as Contributing Factor to Racial Disparities
(2011-07-19) Rieland, Ashley
The social work system, like many other organizations is bombarded with laws, rules, and guidelines. Weber‟s theory of formal rationalization warns of a system in which human judgments are wiped away and replaced by non-human technologies that carry out processes designed to create a profit by the most cost effective means possible. Although the social work system is a state agency organized to offer services to families and individuals in need rather than to create a profit, elements of a formally rational system are apparent. Substantive rationality, or the use of values to make decisions, is decreased by the implementation of assessment tools designed to take the error out of the human decision making process. The assessment process used to determine whether a child should be placed in out-of-home care has created victims to the system, another element of a formally rational operation. According to data published by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (2010), there is a clear discrepancy between Native American, African American, and Caucasian American populations in regards to the rates of children that have been placed in out-of-home care. Through conducting my research I am attempting to explore certain factors that have led to these disparities in placement rates among different racial groups in Minnesota. The current research will focus on the social workers‟ assessment process and how their tools and discretion affect placement rates. I chose to focus on the assessment process rather than on the possible reasons for increased reporting and therefore placement of minority racial groups. With higher reporting of minority groups to Child Protection Services it is assumed that the placement rates will be higher as well; however it will be interesting to determine what, if any, factors are built into the assessment process that mitigate higher reporting rates. Reporting is based on the community, teachers, doctors and others in connection with children whom they may perceive to be in danger. The standards of what constitutes proper child treatment vary among different people, especially when it comes to different races and their differing practices (Brissett-Chapman 1997). I am interested in analyzing how the social work system helps, if at all, to alleviate the higher reporting of some races by taking into account differences in child treatment by different racial groups. Specifically, I address the following research questions: With stricter guidelines and the use of standardized assessment tools, is it possible to include substantive rationality or the use of values in the social work system? What facets of the assessment tools are specifically designed for racial sensitivity? To what extent are social workers able to use their own judgments to determine whether children need to be removed from their homes and how do they take differing racial norms into consideration?
The Politics of Pot: Motivators of Medicinal Marijuana Legislation
(2011-07-19) Rosen, Zachary
Fifteen states and the District of Columbia have passed medical marijuana legislation either through a ballot initiative or through their respective state legislature. These states have chosen to disregard the federal Controlled Substances Act by legally sanctioning the growth, possession, and use of marijuana by sick patients suffering from diseases like AIDS and cancer. This choice has sparked polarized outrage and compassionate support regarding the issue because over 300,000 individuals are using a substance prohibited by the federal government; furthermore, the medicinal states are sanctioning this behavior, and as a result, breaking federal law. The question of why a state would be willing to accept such a risk and what motivates such legislation logically follows. This thesis attempts to answer those questions by isolating California, Michigan, and Minnesota as case studies of policy motivations. By first reviewing relevant legal history and case law, we can begin to understand the growth of public support and the emergence of the first piece of compassionate legislation. Then a deeper analysis of the ballot initiative and political cultures as motivating factors, as well as others, can be addressed. This is ultimately followed by a conclusion of predictions and future implications.
Regulation of Guanylyl Cyclase-B: Characterizing the Roles of Gö6976, ATP, and P-site Inhibitors
(2011-07-19) Lou, Xiaoying
Guanylyl cyclases (GC) play important roles in a wide range of organisms. Three transmembrane GC receptors bind natriuretic peptides with varying affinities. C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) activates guanylyl cyclase-B (GC-B/NPR-B), which stimulates cGMP synthesis. Although the physiological effects of GC receptors have been well characterized, their regulatory mechanisms are not well understood. The inhibitory effects of the indolocarbazole, Gö6976, on GC-B activity were characterized, and data indicated that Gö6976 potently inhibits the GC activity of GC-B via a process that does not require changes in known phosphorylation sites, inactivation of all catalytic sites, or intact cell architecture. As an ATP analog, Gö6976 may inhibit GC-B by blocking the ability of ATP to activate and/or stabilize the receptor. Maximum activation of GClinked natriuretic peptide receptors in broken cell preparations requires natriuretic peptide binding to the extracellular domain and ATP binding to an unknown intracellular region. Additionally, natriuretic peptide activation of GC-B requires that the intracellular domain be phosphorylated on multiple serine and threonine residues. The dual role of ATP as an allosteric activator of GC-B and a substrate for the kinase that phosphorylates GC-B has led to confusion in the field. Enzymatic timecourse experiments conducted in crude membranes at low and high GTP concentrations support the role of ATP as an allosteric regulator of GTP. Previous studies indicated that dephosphorylation explains long-term inactivation of GCs. However, the deactivation and downregulation of a constitutively phosphorylated version of GC-B were identical to those of the wild type receptor, which indicates that these processes are phosphorylation-independent. One explanation for the time-dependent inactivation of GC-B is the binding of product compounds to the GC domain, similarly to how purine site (P-site) inhibitors inhibit adenylyl cyclase. Preliminary studies characterized the effect of 2’d3’GMP and PPi on GC-B activity in order to gain insight into the catalytic mechanisms of GC receptors.
The Developmental Expression of Surfactant Protein-A (SP-A) in the Murine Intestinal Tract
(2011-07-19) Theisen, Erin
Surfactant protein-A (SP-A) plays a critical role in the innate immune system and has well characterized effects in the lung where it attenuates inflammatory responses and controls invasion of bacteria. Extra-pulmonary sources of SP-A have also been indentified: SP-A mRNA and protein have been detected in the adult gastrointestinal (GI) tract, while significant levels of SP-A protein have been detected in amniotic fluid. To date it is not clear if newborn intestinal exposure to SP-A comes from ingested amniotic fluid or from production in the newborn intestinal tract. RNA in situ hybridization with a digoxigenin-labeled anti-sense SP-A probe was used to detect cells with the SP-A mRNA message in the intestinal tract of post-natal day (PND) 3 and PND 6 mice. Immunohistochemistry in PND 7 mice was used to determine intestinal SP-A protein expression. We report positive staining for SP-A protein in cells of the lamina propria of the intestinal tract, although results were mixed as some SP-A null intestinal tissue also stained positively. RNA in situ hybridization with a digoxigenin-labeled anti-sense SP-A probe hybridized to SP-A mRNA in the lamina propria and muscularis externa of the intestinal tract, the same cells that stained positively for SP-A protein. These results indicate that SP-A is likely produced in the intestinal tract in newborn mice.
Computational Studies of Rotations and Quaternions
(2011-07-19) Tuttle, Joseph
As a fundamental description of motion, rotations are important aspects of kinematics and engineering. All rotations can be described either as vector rotations, in which a series of vectors are rotated, or frame rotations, in which the entire frame is rotated. Each type of rotation can be expressed through three main notations. The first is the directional cosine matrix or DCM. Through matrix multiplication of the DCM and a vector, the resultant vector is produced. By applying the product of three DCMs, the Aerospace Rotation sequence can be expressed in terms of the Euler Angles. These three angles can describe the orientation of the body in almost every position. A series of rotations can also be expressed as a single rotation with a known angle and axis of rotation. With these two parameters, the rotation can be expressed through quaternions. Through hyper complex operations, quaternions offer another method of calculating both frame and vector rotations. Each of these representations are investigated and related through computational means. Although each representation has their own advantages and disadvantages, quaternions are very significant for applications with a known axis of rotation. An example is proving the intersection of any plane and a double cone produces the conic sections. To eliminate a variable and express the intersection in two dimensions, a rotation must be applied. By calculating the axis and angle of rotation, the required rotation is found by method of quaternions.
Role of the Family in the Organ Donation Decision: Minority Populations
(2011-07-19) Xu, Alice
Many people wish to help others—through family, friends, or even strangers. Whether this desire is a manifestation of altruism proposed as common to all humans26 or simply of one’s personality, its fruits need not stop at death. Promoted as giving the “gift of life” by the United Network for Organ Sharing and many donor organizations,33 donating one’s organs can save or help as many as 50 people.17 There are, however, many challenges associated with organ donation. This essay focuses on the role of the family—specifically, families of racial minority background—in contributing to the organ donation shortage. It considers ethical standards such as informed choice and respect for autonomy to propose that education of the family unit would increase the number of organs ultimately donated.
Indiscriminate Friendliness and Executive Functioning in Post-Institutionalized Children
(2011-07-19) Lepp, Kelsey
Previous studies have found children internationally adopted from institutions more likely to exhibit socioemotional and cognitive deficits. This study examined the relationship between indiscriminate friendliness and executive functioning behaviors in postinstitutionalized (PI) children. Internationally adopted children and non-adopted children were observed and coded for indiscriminate friendliness and assessed using five executive function tasks. Subjects per analysis varied because the study is still ongoing (see participant information, Table 1). The study is part of a larger longitudinal research project. Preliminary data found that post-institutionalized children displayed higher levels of indiscriminate friendliness and lower levels of executive functioning, however no relationship was found between the two variables. When children with IQ levels below 70 were removed from the analysis, a significant relationship was found between working memory and the social disinhibition factor at both sessions. Results suggest that by one year post-adoption, post-institutionalized children continue to show deficits compared to non-adopted children. Further research is necessary to determine appropriate means of intervention.
Elections and Partisan Behavior in the U.S. Senate
(2011-07-19) Hayward, Matthew
Senate elections affect senators’ partisan behavior. Senators encounter incentives to display party loyalty, but they must win reelection every six years to continue pursuing ideological, partisan, and career-based goals in the U.S. Senate. Since most senators desire reelection, they respond to credible electoral threats. Therefore, a senator’s electoral vulnerability affects his party loyalty. In this thesis, I examine the effect of elections on senators’ party loyalty through interviews with Senate staffers, analysis of senators’ roll-call voting, and studies of four senators’ careers. I conclude that senators facing competitive elections display less party loyalty toward the end of their terms relative to their colleagues. I also find that the effect of elections on senators’ party loyalty during the last two years of a Senate term parallel the effect of elections on the party loyalty on House incumbents seeking reelection. Overall, senators’ perceptions of electoral vulnerability influence how they represent their constituents.
Identities in Crisis: Complex, Overlapping Religious Constructions in the Post-Soviet Space of the Altai Republic
(2011-12-14) Heimark, Erik;
Regulation of Human HRASI Minisatellite Stability During Stationary Phase
(2011-12-14) Brosnan, Laura;
The majority of eukaryotic cells exist in a quiescent state outside of the cell cycle known as stationary phase, or G0. Although quiescent cells are non-proliferating, they retain the ability to reenter the cell cycle. Events such as DNA alterations can take place in stationary phase cells that are associated with a risk for inappropriate reentry into the cell cycle and the development of cancer. Such alterations can occur in repetitive tracts of DNA known as minisatellites. When change in the number or order of minisatellite repeat units occurs, rare alleles of minisatellite tracts may arise. Many of these rare alleles are associated with human diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and epilepsy. Previous work in our lab has demonstrated that certain genes are involved in regulating the stability of a synthetic minisatellite in stationary phase cells. In order to relate these findings to the association between minisatellites and human disease, we inserted the human minisatellite associated with the HRAS1 oncogene into the ADE2 gene of S. cerevisiae to determine how its stability is regulated during stationary phase. Our lab has developed a novel assay for studying stationary phase minisatellite stability in S. cerevisiae. When minisatellites are destabilized and undergo a change in repeat number or order, a novel color phenotype known as blebbing occurs. Blebbing mutants were constructed and we found that the zinc transporter ZRT1, the DNA repair gene RAD27, the checkpoint gene RAD53, the Polε subunit DPB3, and several checkpoint genes (including MRC1, TOF1, CSM3) regulate the stability of the human HRAS1 minisatellite. Upon examination of minisatellite alterations in these blebbing mutants, we saw both expansions and contractions of the minisatellite tract; through further analysis, these alterations were found to be dependent upon homologous recombination.

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