Dr. Lynne F. Margolies, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: From 1976 to 1983, the military government of Argentina kidnapped, tortured, and eventually killed thousands of Argentinean citizens, who became known as the "desaparecidos", the disappeared. They were victims of the government’s "dirty war", or "la guerra sucia." The research will discuss the events leading to this tragedy and the rationale used by the junta to justify its actions. It will then detail the means used to carry out the disappearances and the tortures endured by the desaparecidos. The efforts of groups such as the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo to discover the fates of the desaparecidos, to bring the leaders of the junta to justice, and to continue the fight for human rights in Argentina. The research will show that although the military government has been out of power for over ten years, human rights violations sill occur in Argentina.

Dr. Lynne F. Margolies, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: During the sixteenth century the Spanish began colonizing Latin America. Many people believe that this region is a homogeneous mix of people and culture that share the same history. This is not the case, each area has a unique heritage and this is a brief presentation of one of these regions. This gives a brief history of the pre-Columbian inhabitants of the area of present-day Guatemala, and then describes the events and people of the conquest.

Dr. Bonnie Stepenoff, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: The mills and millers are part of a larger scale research of the French colonial craftsmen, they were present in the mid-Mississippi river valley of Missouri and Illinois. This section is based mainly on primary sources that were not mentioned in many secondary sources. This paper addresses the history of the millers, types of mills, location of mills if known, and the possible construction of the French mills in which none survived today. As mentioned before, this is only a small part of the results of a three- year research project of the French colonial trades.

Dr. Ann Puryear, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Much research has focused on sex-role orientation and its development across the life span. However, few studies have examined the relationship between sex-role orientation and problem-solving ability. Correlations and Stepwise Regression were used to examine femininity, masculinity, and androgyny in relation to problem-solving abilities. Two hundred and twenty-one female and male undergraduates, graduates, and faculty members participated in the study. A demographic questionnaire assessed age, gender, level of education, and race. The Bem Sex-Role Inventory assessed participants’ feminine and masculine sex-role factors. The Problem Solving Inventory assessed participants’ perception of problem solving ability. Results indicated that relationships exist between sex-role characteristics and perception of problem-solving ability.

Dr. Mohammed Ali, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: A variety of different sulfides were oxidized into sulfoxides and sulfones via Jones Reagent on hydrated silica gel. The purpose of the silica gel was so minimize work-up at the end of the reaction, and also to reduce the dangers of toxic waste. After the reaction is finished, the mixture is simply suction filtered, separating the silica gel and inorganic by-products from the organic products. All inorganic molecules will adhere to the silica gel, which can be safely discarded causing no toxic threat to the environment.

Dr. William McKinney, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: A priori truth is generally viewed as "a truth independent of experience because it is purely analytical of our conceptual meanings," (Rosenthal, 4). This is the generally accepted definition, but by no means, a universally accepted definition. I intend to show that the minimal principle of contradiction is a type of a priori truth that exists. Through minimal principle of contradiction a statement can be evaluated as either entirely true or entirely false; the possibility of a statement being both true and false is disregarded as impossible. Hence, the minimal principle of contradiction is a priori truth.

Dr. Russell D. Renka, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Majority-minority districts were established to promote the election of minority candidates to the House of Representatives. Prior to the United States Supreme Court decision in Miller v. Johnson (1995), a decision which established that racially gerrymandered majority-minority districts were unconstitutional, many of these districts assumed extremely irregular shapes. As a result of Miller v. Johnson, most gerrymandered majority-minority districts were redrawn causing a decline in the percentage of black voters in particular districts. I find that the decline in black constituents within the new districts will place the black incumbents from these particular districts in jeopardy in the 1998 and 2000 elections unless the incumbents revamp their campaign strategies and voting loyalties so as to also appeal to the white voters within their new districts.

Dr. Leslee K. Pollina, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: This study was concerned with discovering if different religious orientations, such as Fundamentalism, Orthodoxy, and Quest, related to acceptance of nontraditional (interracial and homosexual) relationships. Ninety-one university students, 44 males and 45 females, ranging in age from 17 to 42, participated for credit in a class. The participants were administered an Attitude Questionnaire (Sebby & Christopher, 1997), an Inventory of Religion (Sebby & Christopher, 1997), the Quest Scale (Altemeyer & Hunsberger, 1992), McFarland’s (1989) Fundamentalism Scale, and the Christian Orthodoxy Scale (Hunsberger, 1989). Significant correlations (p<.05) indicated that individuals with a Fundamentalist orientation describe themselves as more religious than individuals with a Quest orientation. Individuals with a Quest orientation were more tolerant and accepting of individuals involved in homosexual relationships than were Fundamentalist or Orthodox individuals. No significant gender differences were obtained. The results of this research, however, are limited by the fact that all participants were college students at a Midwestern university and by the small sample size.

Dr. William McKinney, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Since 1995, the number of deformities found in frogs in the Great Lakes area has increased drastically. A small number of abnormalities (about 1 in 10,000) are normal in a population, however, the number of deformities present is well above normal. At one site, 96% of the frogs found were deformed. There are several suggested reasons for these types of deformities. Scientists have pointed at pollution, pesticides, ozone depletion, UV radiation, and parasites as a few of the possible causes. The purpose of this paper was to 1) identify and describe the possible causes; 2) identify what indication the deformities have for our environment; and 3) provide an explanation of what should be done to ensure that harm does not come to our environment.

Dr. Andrew L. Pratt, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Traditional Christian theology formulated a concept of God using such qualities as impassability and immutability; traditionally conceived, however, these qualities did not permit God to interact with the world. Process thought redefines these qualities and opens the doorway for divine interaction with the world. The process view has profound implications for the problem of evil and suggests a God who cares for and suffers with creation. Process thought presents a view of God who interacts meaningfully with creation, persuading all creation toward richer experience, envisioning a greater perfection in which all creation may participate.

Dr. Bret Draayer, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Optical Correlation is a useful tool for recognizing objects in video scenes. In this paper, we explore the characteristics of a composite filter known as the equal correlation peak synthetic discriminant function (ECP SDF). Although the ECP SDF is commonly used in coherent optical correlation systems, the authors simulated the operation of a correlator using an EPIX frame grabber/image processing board to complete this work. Issues pertaining to simulating correlation using and EPIX board will be discussed. Additionally, the ability of the ECP SDF to detect objects that have been subjected to inplane rotation and small scale changes will be addressed by correlating filters against true class objects placed randomly within a scene. To test the robustness of the filters, the results of correlating the filter against false-class objects that closely resemble the true class will also be presented.

Dr. Lynne F. Margolies, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Diego Rivera his life and his education. Some of his most famous murals in Mexico and his commissions in the United States. The social impact his painting had on society and finally the days before his death.

Dr. Phillip Finney, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Fifty-eight undergraduate students were studied to see if the accuracy and inaccuracy of recall was related to scores on several lie scales and to self-reports about their memory. Participants were given a free recall task and then completed four lie scales. These scales were the K scale of the MMPI, the L scale of the EPI, the L scale of the MMPI and the L scale on the MACS scale. It was hypothesized that individuals who score high on the K scale of the MMPI, the L scale of the EPI, and the L scale of the MMPI will have greater inaccurate recall. Those who score low on the L scale of the MCSD scale will also have greater inaccurate recall. The L scale of the MMPI was the only lie scale that related to memory. High scores on the L scale of the MMPI were related to recall of more incorrect words. It was also found that people who reported experiencing more errors in the accuracy of their memory also tended to doubt the accuracy of their memory. Also, those who reported more experiences with errors in their memory also tended to score low on the L scale of the EPI and the K scale of the MMPI.

Dr. Steven J. Hoffman, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Little Dixie--more than any other region of Missouri--was a microcosm of the Upper South. By 1860, Little Dixie was unmistakably culturally linked with the Upper South and economically dependent on the Deep South. Research with contemporary documentation proves that Little Dixie was the most important agricultural region of the state, and was very Southern. Dependent on the stable cash crop system, slavery, and entrenched in a planter/plantation culture, all of which was transplanted to the region by migrating southerners primarily from the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia, Little Dixie controlled Missouri socially, politically, and economically with its agricultural might. Little Dixie also produced the bulk of Missouri’s hemp and tobacco crops and livestock trade, such as mules, the majority going to Southern markets in the Deep South. Little Dixie was the Missouri Southerner’s "land of milk and honey", the "Canaan of America", and was all located in a seventeen county area found along the Missouri River.

Dr. Gail Overbey, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Reactive Attachment Disorder of Infancy and Early Childhood (RAD) is a perplexing disorder which is characterized by serious social skill deficits. The diagnosis is reserved for children age five and under; however, children can exhibit symptoms over the age of five. RAD is the psychiatric diagnosis for the medical diagnosis of failure to thrive, more specifically; RAD has been termed non-organic failure to thrive. The characteristics of the disorder often confuse and trouble the caregiver as children lack the ability to establish relationships in that they may be very sensitive to physical contact and avoid attachment with an adult or they may establish relationships inadvertently, sometimes even with strangers. It is important to gain an understanding about the origins of the disorder and the importance of attachment in fostering healthy child development as well as the treatment often employed. Thus, a relevant literature review as well as information gained from interviews with professionals who treat children with RAD is discussed.

Dr. Norman Kinney, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Eighty-two subjects rated the perceived sweetness, fatness, pleasantness and creaminess of 9 different mixtures of milk products and sugar. Hedonic responses to 0%, 10%, and 20% sugar-adulterated samples of skim milk, whole milk, and heavy cream were reported. Previous research has reported that the addition of sugar greatly increased hedonic ratings for high-fat stimuli. Results are discussed in terms of previous research and the implications of this observed preference for sweetened high-fat foods in humans for the development of dietary-induced obesity and accompanying health problems.

Dr. Dieter Jedan, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: In the following presentation, I will explain how Friedrich Schiller has made his contribution to European, but especially German literature in the "Klassik" period. I will be citing pieces of work he has written in order to help the audience better understand his famous style of writing. Information about his life will be given to allow the audience to realize what kind of person he was.

Dr. Gail Overbey, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: A number of authors today insist that children are being pressured to succeed and hurried to grow up more than in the past. Other authors feel that the hurried child is simply a myth and that children actually live better today than in the past. In the present study, attitudes toward hurrying were assessed among college students and parents of children under the age of eight. Ninety-five participants completed a questionnaire which assessed attitudes toward the hurrying and the liking of children. The study found that younger adults and males were more likely to endorse attitudes of hurrying. Also, people who tended to score low on the Barnett Liking of Children Scale were more likely to endorse hurrying of children. Income was not found to be significant to the hurrying attitudes. Further study should be conducted on the Hurried Child Instrument used in this research. In addition, research should be conducted in areas linked to hurrying children, including beauty pageant and competition participation, parental history of being hurried as a child, and amount of pressure created by parental involvement in activities with their children.

Dr. Martha Zlokovich, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Michael Carnell in Paducah, Kentucky, Heath High School in Mississippi, Jonesboro, Arkansas. These are the most recent incidents of adolescents who murder. Most people only think of adults as being murderers, they do not think of children as capable of murder. However, the US Uniform Crime Reports show that more children under the age of 18 are committing murder. According to the US Uniform Crime Report of 1994, youth 18 and under account for 3,102 murder and non-negligent manslaughter cases in the United States. Three of those murders were committed by children under 10 years of age. The present study examines the difference in the responses of 20 adults who work with delinquent adolescents and 20 adults who work with mostly non-delinquent adolescents in a school setting. The adults were asked to make attributions regarding what should happen to adolescents who murdered. The significant results were that the juvenile facility staff disagreed more strongly with applications of the death penalty than did school staff even though they both disagreed. There was not a significant result in the differences of the story due to the sex or the emotional state of the adolescent before the murder. This means that the participants were not biased either due to the gender of the adolescent, or due to the emotional state of the adolescent before the murder.

Dr. Marc Strauss, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Dance therapy is a fairly recent attempt to help solve depression through self-expression. It has been proposed that dance therapy can significantly help patients suffering from mental disorders. However, my interest with the possibility that dance, as with other art forms, can provide participants with therapeutic benefits inherent to the activity itself. In this presentation, I will identify definitions of dance therapy and depression, and discuss the effects this type of treatment can yield. I will then present the results of an independent survey that will support my theory that dance itself can be therapeutic.

Dr. Dieter Jedan, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: A brief look at Moerike's life will precede the poem and an analysis of the poem. "Verborgenheit" is a sad poem full of pain and withdrawal. I will address the question, "Why did Moerike write such a poem?" Possible events that happened in the author's life that may have led to the writing of "Verborgenheit" will be examined.

Dr. Donald J. Schulte, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Teaching Shakespeare through performance is not a new idea. The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D. C. has been conducting performance workshops for several years. English Journal devoted an issue to articles on the topic. Everyone agreed teaching through performance was a great idea…but were any local teachers currently putting the ideas into practice? To find out, and interactive workshop was created to travel through Southeast Missouri. The workshop utilized multimedia and combined various methods of performance and interpretation. Students and teachers were asked to fill out surveys following the workshop. The information provided in these surveys was used to measure an attitude change about Shakespeare and performance in the classroom, as well as determine how many teachers and students had experienced learning through performance prior to the workshop. The results suggested a significant attitude change. Also, a surprising number of teachers claimed to have previously tried some performance in the classroom.

Dr. Lynne F. Margolies, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Liberation theology has become a basic part of the Latin American culture over the last three decades and continues to bring hope to the poor and oppressed. This paper will explore three different aspects of liberation theology. First, its historical development will be reviewed. Second, a descriptive analysis will be given, and third, liberation theology’s role for the future will be discussed. Finally, the paper will outline how liberation theology has impacted Latin American culture and draw conclusions about the effectiveness of the campaign for liberation.

Dr. Lynne F. Margolies, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: One of the best known Baroque literary figures of Mexico, Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz did much to further the cause of women in the late 1600’s. Her fierce determination that women should have the same educational opportunities as men was publicly promoted by her, most noticeably in her works. This paper will give a brief discussion of her life, as well as some of the underlying themes in her sonnets and other literary pursuits.

Dr. Dieter Jedan, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Heine, also being a Jewish poet, had tried to do many things to get recognition in his field. He wanted to be a writer who was able to support himself with his writing. He was friends of other popular German writers, including Goethe and Schiller. Heine, as a teenager, was being trained to go into business; however, he did not enjoy it. He had sponsors to support him through his life, since being a writer did not bring in much money. Later in life, he moved to Paris and loved it. Many of Heine’s works are over love and religion. He wrote poetry, fiction, and prose. One of his most popular works is titled, "Die Lorelei."

Karie Hollerbach, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: The basis of this study was that children in grades 1^st through 5^th were surveyed to determine how easily they could identify various celebrities, who appear frequently in the media. The children were then asked to give their opinions as to which of the celebrities best personified given personality traits. The research questions for this experiment ranged from whether or not media exposure would have and effect on children identifying celebrities, and to what extent age and gender would play a role in the children’s choices. The hypotheses that were developed proposed that there would be a definite relationship between media exposure and the celebrities that the children can most easily identify. Also, that age and gender will definitely serve as discriminants as to which celebrities' children can identify and the ones that they tend to associate with. The results of the study found all of the research questions and hypotheses correct in that the older children had a much easier time in recognizing celebrities than the younger children. Boys chose same-sex characters with their most desirable personality traits, more often than girls did. It is also evident that a positive correlation does exist between the amount of media exposure that a child has and the extent to which they can identify certain celebrities.

Dr. Allen Gathman, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: The goal of my research project has been to isolate and characterize genes that are preferentially transcribe during nitrogen starvation and to gain a better understanding of the genetics behind the nitrogen stress response in the wood decaying fungus Schizophyllum commune. Two cDNA libraries from S. commune were differentially screened with P³² labeled cDNA fractions that were used to create the libraries. The MIN library was generated from a sample of S. commune that was grown for four days on minimal medium and then transferred for 12 hours to medium that contained 1% of the normal nitrogen level. Using this differential screening method I have successfully isolated a gene that appears to be preferentially transcribed during nitrogen starvation. Sequencing revealed a reasonably long ORF and a GENBANK database search revealed no known similar genes. This suggests that the gene is one that is unique to S. commune, and future research will include deducing the function of its protein product.

Dr. Lynne F. Margolies, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Juan and Eva Peron are two of the most influential and important people in the history of Argentina. This paper will discuss briefly the lives of these two political figures and the influence they exerted and continue to exert on Argentinean politics. There are various points of view from which to judge the Perons’ actions; some critics argue that they were merely criminals who exploited the people who supported and loved them. Others celebrate all the social and economic improvements that the couple brought about in the nation. This paper will explore these two very different points of view to try to discover the truth.

Dr. Walt Lilly, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: The normal growth of fungi, such as the wood-decaying basidiomycete Schizophyllum commune, is dependent upon the activity of a variety of hydrolytic enzymes. Among these enzymes are esterases which are responsible for cleaving ester linkages between distinct organic moieties. In my research I electrophoretically characterized esterase activity in S. commune. Fifteen different activity bands, corresponding to 15 different esterase enzymes, were detected using the substrate a-naphthyl acetate. Several of these were chosen for intensive study. I found that these could be divided into three classes that differed by size. Within each class, the individual enzymes differed from each other by charge, not size. The esterases have the ability to cleave a variety of a-naphthyl-substrate, with greater activity against smaller substrates. There also appears to be some specificity for the substrate within the classes. Cycloheximide, which blocks the synthesis of new proteins, was used to investigate the in vivo stability of the individual classes of esterase activity. The higher molecular weight esterases disappeared from extracts faster than the smaller esterases when the fungus was transferred to medium containing cycloheximide. This means that the smaller molecular weight esterases are more slowly degrade than the larger ones.

Dr. Lynne F. Margolies, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: As a missionary in South America I had the unique opportunity to live in a new culture, and learn to love a society for its simplicity. In the two years I learned a lot about me and who I am. As a missionary I had the opportunity to help people, and in service I was able to put other people before my personal desires.

Dr. Mangho Ahuja, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Some interesting things happen when one looks at the decimal expansion of 1/7. It has a repeating decimal of 6 digits, and using those 6 digits, one can get 6 points that all lie on an ellipse. Also, the 6 digits form what is known as a cyclic number, which has some interesting properties. One such property is that when multiplied by a number from 1 to 6, an altered order of the original digits is produced. In general, 1 divided by a prime seems, for the most part, to yield similar results.

Dr. Carol A. Morrow, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Historical archaeology, as a relatively young sub-discipline of archaeology, has borrowed its interpretive theories and perspectives from the realms of prehistoric archaeology and social anthropology. The first part of this paper will examine several of these borrowed theories and the explanations they produce regarding past lifeways and behavior. Secondly, this paper will address they types of information historical data are able to yield in the interpretation of archaeology at a historic site. Lastly, the explanations for past behavior afforded by the borrowed theories will be compared to the answers historical data can provide to determine each theory’s applicability for historical archaeology. The predictive nature of archaeology theory is readily applied to the prehistoric, but does the presence of historical data negate their application to historic periods.

Dr. Rick Burns, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Rats were trained in an L-shaped runway to discriminate one of three trials in a series. Trials 1 and 2 of the series were always rewarded with either plain Noyes pellets (P) or Noyes sucrose pellets (S). Trial 3 was never rewarded and resulted in 30-sec confinement in an unbaited goalbox. One group (n=7) received rewards of either PS (n=4) or SP (n=3), and a second group’s (n=7) rewards were arranged so that in a 4-day period all possible combinations (PS, SP, PP, SS) were received twice in irregular order. The memory theory would predict that the first group would quickly learn to run fast on rewarded trials and slow on the terminal nonrewarded trial by using memories of the preceding trial as a cue. This theory would also predict that since the second group (those receiving all possible combinations) would not have a constant reward sequence with which to predict upcoming trials, they would not learn that the terminal trial is nonrewarded and would consistently run fast. The position theory would predict that both groups would come to run slow on the nonrewarded trial, but unlike the second group that was forced to use position cues, the first group could use position and memory cues to predict trials. Results up to day 32 show that both groups learned to run fast on the first two rewarded trials and slow on the final nonrewarded trial. On Day 33 the series were shifted to nonrewarded trials, NNN. The memory theory would predict that without memory cues, the first group would be disrupted and would run fast on all trials, but this did not occur. Both groups ran in the previously established pattern, suggesting a view that memory is only one component of position learning.

Dr. Rick Burns, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Rats were trained three times per day on a four-trial series in which Trials 1, 2, and 4 were always rewarded with either plain Noyes pellets (P) or Noyes sucrose pellets (S). Trial 3 was always nonrewarded (N) and resulted in 15-sec confinement in an unbaited goalbox. Half of the rats (n=3) were given SPNS, and the other half (n=3) were given PSNP. As of Day 28, all rats were running fast on rewarded trials and slow on nonrewarded trial as expected. Day 33 will be a transfer day in which all rats will receive three series of NNNN. One view, the memory theory, would explain the established running pattern as the ability of the rats to use the outcomes of preceding trials to anticipate upcoming trials. This view contends that the shift to NNNN will prevent this ability and will cause the rats to run fast on all four trials. Another view, the position theory, would explain the established running pattern as the use of item position to predict upcoming trials. This view would expect no change in running during the NNNN shift, as it is position cues that allow the rats to anticipate upcoming trials. A recent view in connection with the position theory, for which I will argue, has shown that when rats are forced to use position only, they respond favorably, and when given a choice between memory and position, they respond as though position and memory are integrated.

Dr. Leon C. Book, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Research done between two geographical and cultural entities, the United States and Central America, demonstrates similar and different aspects of life between the two. In the present study, five Southeast student from Central America (specifically Nicaragua, Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica, and Honduras) were interviewed separately and questioned about different areas of their lives in their homeland compared to their lives in the United States. Their answers suggested a large difference among the forms of government and also a wide gap with regard to economical issues such as average income. Aspects that the five agreed are common between the two cultures are the influence of sports and religion to daily life, and the importance of education. Other cultural topics were also compared and correlated, such as food quality, family structure, and personality characteristics. The results showed that the absence or presence of similarities and contrasts between the United States and Central America depends solely on the topic discussed.

Dr. Jai Dahiya, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Today's information storage technologies rely on laser diodes to read and record data. These storage capabilities are inversely related to the wavelength of the laser light, and are currently restricted to the larger wavelengths associated with red light. To expand our storage capabilities, we need diode lasers which produce lower wavelengths, such as blue or violet light. Gallium nitride (GaN) is one of the best semiconductor materials currently known that produced blue light when excited. It has already been used in light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which produce incoherent light. GaN laser diodes have not been produced yet, however, due to the crystalline lattice mismatch between the GaN and its substrate, either silicon carbide (SiC) or sapphire. This mismatch results in surface strain, which alters the light-emitting qualities of the GaN. Raman spectroscopy is used in this investigation to measure the surface strain of GaN samples, leading to a better understanding of the strain phenomena. This better understanding will aid in the further development of GaN laser diodes.

Dr. Joseph M. Paikeday, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: The differential scattering cross-section (DCS) for electrons scattered elastically by Neon and Argon atoms is studied using a model potential. In the present study, the long range polarization potential is represented by an energy-dependent function and the short range part is constructed from the non-relativistic Hartree Fock wave function of the target atom. The computed differential cross-section obtained using the approximate effective interaction potential for electrons scattered by Neon and Argon atoms in their ground state is compared with available published results. In the present study the parameters contained in the energy dependent effective potential are determined by the minimization of the DCS with respect to angle and the incident energy. The resulting DCS in the angular range of 2 degrees to 178 degrees is found to be in good agreement with the available experimental and theoretical results in the intermediate energy range.

Dr. Norman E. Kinney, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Subjects listened to two successive audio tape excerpts, each in the presence of background music (either tonal or atonal), and were then tested over excerpt contents. The order of the excerpts, as well as that of the types of music, was counterbalanced. Previous research has indicated that background music affects learning, including listening comprehension, and that tonality is an important variable. It was hypothesized that tonality would affect comprehension scores. No significant results related to the hypothesis were found. Results are discussed in terms of a number of key variables present in published studies.

Dr. Mohammed Ali, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: The important role of disulfides in biological systems is very interesting to organic chemists. Disulfides act as a molecular "on/off" switch during damaging oxidation/reduction conditions, thus protecting living cells. Oxidation agents, such as peracids, molecular oxygen, transition metal-based reagents, and halogens, had been used to synthesize disulfides from thiols. The procedures used to prepare the disulfides using these oxidizing agents usually involve long reaction times, low yields of the disulfide, toxic reagents, and difficult procedures. We have devised a procedure for the oxidation of thiols to disulfides that is simple, efficient, and environment-friendly. This method uses hydrated silica gel as a support for the oxidation of the thiol with molecular bromine.

Dr. John Scheibe, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: I used cost of transport models to compare cost of gliding and quadrupedal locomotion in captive Petarus breviceps. Performance trials were conducted in an effort to estimate glide speed, glide angle, glide distance, initial vertical drop, climbing speed, and running speed. Data for short glides from a 6.1m launch platform were supplemented with published wind tunnel data. Launch performance was evaluated using still photography and high speed strobes. Cost of gliding in P. breviceps is considerably higher than in similar sized Glaucomys volans, primarily because of slow climbing and running speeds. Petaurus launches are at lower angles, slower speeds, and require less kinetic energy than those of G. volans. The cost of effective glide distance for P. breviceps is about 100m, compared to 5-6m for G. volans. The results do not support the hypothesis that gliding evolved as a consequence of transport economics.

Dr. Lynne F. Margolies, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Fidel Castro is one of the most controversial leaders of our time. He has instigated a form of government upon his country which has made him loved and loathed. This paper discusses Fidel Castro's rise to power and analyzes the controversy surrounding the man in recent times.

Dr. Lynne F. Margolies, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Using Fantasy Theme Analysis I want to critique the impact of Chicano Literature movement on the Chicano community. I will define and explain fantasy theme analysis. I want to take the works of Chicano American authors and critique their works using fantasy theme analysis. I will evaluate the impact of Chicano Renaissance on the Chicano community.

Dr. Lynne F. Margolies, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: The ruins of Copan, located in western Honduras, are one of the most studied Mayan cities. Copan is home to more than 3,500 archaeological ruins. The ruins of Copan contain more sculpted monuments and more hieroglyphic inscriptions than any other site in the New World. This is the main reason that the ruins of Copan are known as the Athens of the New World. The Mayan civilization at Copan flourished during the Classic Period (A.D. 300-900). The Copan valley was ruled for 400 years by the descendants of Yax-K'uk-Mo'. The collapse of Copan began around A.D. 820. The ruins were first discovered in the early 16^th century by Spanish explorers.

Dr. Ginny Moore, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: This paper and presentation discusses various elements of the first law internship for Southeast Missouri State University. It includes information that is historical about the office, the tasks that were performed, and the intern's reaction to the internship. Other information presented includes the intern's opinions of the worthiness of the internship, and the correlation to classwork that is relevant. The conclusion supports this experience as being good for the program and the University.

Dr. Dieter Jedan, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: This paper analyzes the biography of Friedrich Holderlin's life and examines some of his works. Holderlin was born on March 20, 1770. He died June 7, 1843. While he was alive he accomplished many things and wrote a variety of different poems. He was involved in the Poet's Society in 1788 and had contacts with Schiller and Goethe. This paper will examine some of his poems and his different volumes of Hyperion and how his life influenced these works.

Dr. Dieter Jedan, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: It is the purpose of this paper to give biographical background on Rainer Maria Rilke and relate this information to his poetry. Selected poems will be used to illustrate the relationship of his personal life to the themes of his poems.

Dr. Lynne F. Margolies, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: La Malinche has been a very controversial figure in Mexican history and remains so today. She is seen as both traitor to and mother of her people. La Malinche is also known as Dona Marina and "La Llorana" in legends that vary only slightly from her original story. La Malinche was born a princess of her tribe but time and circumstance took her to different peoples in strange lands. After a colorful life that both alienated her from her people and made her a godlike figure to those who loved her, La Malinche died in mysterious and less than noble surroundings. However, her legend and legacy live on in the Mexican peoples.

Dr. Elaine Jackson, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: The United States national pregnancy rate of 21% for adolescents is far higher than the rest of the developed world (14-15%). Studies have shown that 20% of all adolescent births are to rural adolescents. In 1993, three of the five Missouri counties with the highest rates of adolescent births were located in the Missouri Bootheel. The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify and describe the parenting attitudes, similarities, and differences, of rural white pregnant adolescents and those of their mothers residing in the Missouri Bootheel. The study emphasizes the importance of the role of the mother of the pregnant adolescent as a support person and the necessity for including the mother in the adolescent’s care during pregnancy.

Dr. Dieter Jedan, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: I propose to write my paper over the influence of blacks in German literature during the Classicism and Naturalism periods. I intend on collaborating, both works dealing in nature and works written by blacks to create a clear picture of the contributions of blacks to the writings of this period.

Dr. Lawrence Clark, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Throughout history, red tides have been recorded all over the world. However, it seems that the number of red tide occurrences has been growing. This could just be due to the fact that scientists are more aware of the problem than in the past, or it could actually be an increasing problem due to man’s harmful effects on the environment. Red tides are toxic algal blooms, caused mostly by microscopic organisms called dinoflagellates. The name comes from the fact that the blooms can be so dense that the actually appear to change the color of the water. These organisms can produce harmful toxins that can result in mass mortalities of marine organisms, respiratory irritation in humans, and contamination of shellfish. Red tides can also have devastating economic effects on the shellfish industry. If the occurrence of red tides is in fact increasing, much more research will need to be done in this field. The public needs to be educated about the health risks involved, and high risk areas will need to be constantly monitored. Research is currently underway to discover possible organisms or substances to control this problem, and hopefully a solution will be found in the near future.

Dr. Lynne F. Margolies, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Various aspects of life in Honduras will be included in this paper. This paper will give a background of the country and general characteristics of the people, climate, and environment. Honduras is a country with significant problems, but also some flourishing advantages. The paper will discuss the Mayan Ruins of Copan, Honduras, the general tourist attractions and a brief explanation of major imports and exports. Each area of this paper will also be accompanied by photographs.

Dr. Bonnie Stepenoff, Faculty Sponsor and Dr. Carol Morrow, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: The professionals who work in the fields of archaeology, museum administration, and archives administration all have a similar charge and common goal. They are stewards of the past, and as such they are responsible for presenting to the general public a holistic, unbiased, accurate past. Furthermore, their professional commitment is to make available to the public all remnants of the past that they have in their possession and to interpret and analyze how these objects and documents reflect and add to our understanding of prehistory and history. With the understanding that each object, artifact, and/or document can contribute new information about our culture and society, one would assume that cultural resource professionals would all support an ethical standard that deters people from the personal collection of these objects. Such collection practices, after all, hamper scholarly research and produce incomplete and thus often inaccurate analyses of the information. Nonetheless, only a few professions have such an ethical standard outlined in their code of ethics. Recognizing this discrepancy, it is the intent of this discussion to delve into the reasoning behind why the professionals involved in the protection of human cultural remains have such differing views concerning professionals’ personal collection habits, an activity that obviously does both direct and indirect damage to the furtherance of the profession and the education of the public.

Dr. Walt Lilly, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Wood decaying fungi can continue to grow at the hyphal apices under conditions of nutrient deprivation. This continued growth is the result of autolytic processes in the mycelium that are dependent upon hydrolytic enzymes. To determine if the developmental phases of the organism affect activation of hydrolytic enzymes in S. commune, three strains of the fungus were examined. A normal homokaryon designated as 4-40, a dikaryon designated as 4-40 x 4-39 and a developmental mutant designated at 4-47 were grown over four and six day periods. Duplicate samples of each strain were grown on minimal medium (Min) and on low nitrogen medium (M01), harvested, weighed, and proteins and enzymes extracted. Total protein, typical hydrolytic enzyme activities and activities of proteolytic enzymes were then determined. When the fungus was transferred to the low nitrogen medium, the fungus exhibited a 70% - 90% decrease in total mycelial protein for each of the three strains. This decrease in total protein occurs because the nitrogen present in proteins is used to make other nitrogen-containing molecules necessary to maintain radial growth. As predicted, several enzymes, including those that act on a more general group of substrates and endoproteases, showed an overall increase in activity under nitrogen-starved conditions. However, a number of enzymes showed decrease in activity and they tended to be those that act on specific substrates.

Dr. Lynne F. Margolies, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: In my presentation, I would like to talk about the historic sites of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Those places will include such Mayan ruins as the Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Tulum, and some others. My purpose is to inform and educate about the historical pyramids of the Yucatan. There are many amazing Mayan sites in the Yucatan Peninsula that are often overlooked by the general population. My purpose is to inform and gather interest in the remarkable world of the ancient Maya.

Dr. Norman Kinney, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Subjects pressed two separate computer keys to maximize virtual coin rewards. Each key rewarded responses on one of three different random interval schedules. Each of the three groups were assigned a different pair of random VI schedules and tested in three counterbalanced, successive sessions in a computer lab setting. Responses were tabulated as left key reinforcements/total key reinforcements. Results are discussed in terms of evidence of the matching of responses with reinforcement availability, the generalizability of the Herrnstein’s Matching Law to humans, and the reported presence of a degree of undermatching in humans as opposed to animal subjects.

Dr. William Snell, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Although considerable research has been focused on parenting and perfectionism, little research has been focused on parenting perfectionism. The present study sought to examine the association between recalled parenting style and parenting perfectionism. To measure this relationship, 51 undergraduate students were administered the Multidimensional Parenting Perfectionism Questionnaire (Snell & Overbey, 1997) and the Parental Authority Questionnaire (Buri, 1991). The results indicated that several relationships exist between people’s recalled parenting style and their own parenting perfectionistic tendencies. All three parenting styles were found to be associated with levels of parenting perfectionism. Implications and future research needs are also discussed.

Dr. Jai Dahiya, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: A very precise marker shaper circuit is designed for a microwave spectrometer operating in the x-band of frequencies. The modulated signal after being reflected from the resonant cavity appears in the form of a butterfly. The dielectric response of a material is studied by recording the frequency shifts and width changes of the microwave resonant signal. This is achieved by placing the markers on the left, center, and right peaks of the butterfly signal. To produce the markers, a part of the microwave signal is combined with a standard frequency taken from an oscillator and a radio receiver is used to detect the difference between those two frequencies. By using the process of frequency multiplication a series of markers are produced. The purpose of the marker shaper circuit is to minimize the noise level in the markers. This enables the markers to identify the exact peaks of the microwave signal and hence reduces the error.

Dr. Mike Readnour, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this research was to determine the stability constant(s) for the formation of complex ions between lead (II) and fluoride ions. The stability constant(s) were found by using a fluoride specific electrode, which was connected to a millivolt meter. All voltage measurements were taken on solutions at a constant ionic strength of 1.0 and at a constant temperature of 25.0 ^oC. First, the relationship between the voltage and the logarithm of the molality of fluoride ion was determined by making potential measurements of solutions containing potassium nitrate and potassium fluoride. The relationship was found to be linear with a straight line equation of y = 60.1 x –124. Then, potential measurements were made on solutions containing lead nitrate, potassium fluoride, and potassium nitrate to determine that the lead (II) ions had been complexed by fluoride ions.

Dr. Frank Nickell, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: One of the rights that American citizens hold as valuable is the right of free speech. Though many believe this right to be absolute, that is not always the case. Perhaps the most tested times of American history regarding the right to free speech have been during war. The American Civil War was a period of four years that our nation was divided and many believed that the Union could not be reformed. However, not only did Abraham Lincoln have to deal with the fire in front of him, but also had to deal with a fire in the rear. The Northern Democrats, also called the Copperheads, were the center of the storm that opposed the war and the administration of Lincoln. Historians have consistently failed to agree on their proper place within American history, even though it has been 132 years since the close of the war. This study focuses on the perception of the Copperheads since the Civil War and how historians writing during various times in American history have been influenced by events of those times and how those events influenced their opinions of the Copperheads.

Dr. Lynne F. Margolies, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: There are several aspects of the Incan religion and culture that have affected the culture of the present population in Peru. First, there are five important aspects of the religion that have affected the culture of Peru. First, there is great veneration of Gods by the Incas. Second, sacrifices are very important in the religion of the Incas. Third, the temples that are used for worship and sacrifice are an important part of the religion. Fourth, the monthly festivals are important are important in the religion of the Incas. Finally, the use of superstition is important in the religion of the Incas. There are four important parts of the Inca culture that have affected the culture of Peru. First, the importance of kings and emperors is important in the culture. Second, there is great importance in the daily life. Third, the large buildings and how they were created are very important to the Incan culture. Finally, war and the reasons for war are very important in the culture of the Incas. Each of the aspects of culture and religion are present in the culture of the people of Peru.

Dr. Steven Hoffman, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Immigrating in three waves from England in 1638, 1710, and 1852, the Tayloe family illustrates a chronology of architectural morphology as well as historic migration patterns which verifies the process of cultural diffusion of vernacular house forms. Considered houses owned and built by the Tayloe family are in Colonial Williamsburg, Washington, D.C., throughout the Midwest, to Wyoming and Hollywood, California. The most noted examples are Mount Airy, the earliest example of Palladian architecture in America, and the Octagon House, whose architect, Dr. William Thornton, also designed the U.S. Capitol. Used as the White House after the original was burned by the British during the War of 1812, the Octagon House was the first building to be historically preserved by the American Institute of Architects, serves as their museum, and headquarters for the AIA are sited on the property. Research for this paper was conducted via fieldwork, archival study, and e-mail/internet search.

Dr. Joe Pujol, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: While several studies have investigated the effects of music on cardiovascular endurance performance and perceived exertion during moderate intensity exercise, few studies have investigated the effects of music on supramaximal exercise bouts. The purpose of the present study was to determine if music affects performance of the Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAT). Each of the 15 subjects (12 males, 3 females) was required to report to the laboratory on two occasions, once for tests in the music condition, once for the test in the non-music condition. The order of testing was randomly selected. All music selections were set at the same tempo. On each testing day subjects performed a series of three WAT with a thirty second rest interval between tests. In the third test, subjects were asked to continue pedaling until fatigue. Average power output, maximum power output, minimum power output, fatigue index, and power drop were compared between conditions for each test using a MANOVA. Time to fatigue in the third trial was compared by ANOVA. No significant differences were found between the measured variables.

Dr. Lawrence Clark, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Moment of clarity can be defined as periods in our lives in which reality, or cognitive awareness, and comprehension of a task or situation are operating at greatly enhanced levels. They can be triggered by one of two very strong and very different forces, optimal performance and sensory intensive experience. This investigation delves into the literature surrounding the phenomenon of sensory intensive experience and introduces a conceptual design for the study of its influence on memory, creativity, and well being. The research of Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi on "flow" provides us with a well-respected working definition of optimal performance. Using portions of his research, and the research of others as a template, we can now construct a viable instrument to study the elusive second force, sensory intensive experience.

Dr. James E. Champine, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Enrichment cultures, derived from King Salmon and Red Cedar Creek sediment microcosms, capable of dechlorinating 1,2-dichloropropane to propene (Loeffler et al., AEM 63:2870) were studied by traditional bacteriological techniques and sequence analysis of PCR amplified 16S rDNA. Community DNA was extracted from independent enrichment cultures that were grown in media containing glycerol and acetate respectively. Amplified products, 1.5 kbp, were ligated into Pcr2.1 and cloned plasmids were subjected to Eco RI digestion and Southern hybridization to assess the diversity of the enrichment cultures. Sequence analysis of King Salmon and Red Cedar Creek clones, resulting in partial sequences, showed homology with anaerobic species Desulfotomaculum guttoideum and Acetobacterium woodii. This was consistent with the observed microbial reductive dechlorination occurring in the anaerobic enrichment cultures.

Dr. Norman Kinney, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Caffeine is the world’s most used and abused psychoactive drug. The average American consumes approximately 211 grams of caffeine daily. Millions of Americans chronically ingest caffeine, which directly affects the central nervous system, but little research has focused on the effects of chronic, ad lib caffeine ingestion. Fifteen male Swiss-Webster albino mice (Mus musculus) were given four 10-minute exploration sessions in an open field box prior to testing. Three baseline activity measurements on three activity measures were taken before caffeine was introduced into the drinking water of subjects. During five successive days on caffeine, subject activity levels were measured during daily 4-minute sessions in the open field box. Three additional daily measurement sessions were conducted on the 12^th day following cessation of caffeine ingestion. Results on the three activity measures are discussed in view of the expected decline in activity often reported in studies using acute administration of caffeine, as well as expected changes in thigmotaxis.

Dr. Ann Puryear, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Since the early 1980s the application of Bandura’s self-efficacy theory to career decision-making has received considerable attention. Although research has indicated that self-efficacy is predictive of career indecision, there is a need to clarify the complexity of this relationship for the purpose of explaining and predicting factors which contribute to career indecision. In an attempt to explore the relationship between career decision-making self-efficacy and general decision-making skills, the present study attempted to assess cognitive, affective, and behavioral variables in correlating decision-making coping style with self-efficacy measures and to distinguish the situation of developmentally appropriate career undecidedness from more pervasive indecisiveness. The results of the pilot indicate a positive correlation between career decision-making self-efficacy and general decision-making skills. Data collection for the research phase has just been completed and data analysis is presently ongoing.

Dr. Ike Ehie, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: East Perry Lumber has been processing logs into usable hardwood lumber. Recently, they have had a problem with sapstain appearing in their lumber after it has been dried in their kiln. This causes their lumber to be downgraded, and with downgrading they were losing profits. We checked out several solutions. The most viable solution was to dip their lumber into a chemical solution in order to prevent the staining. We spoke with the people at East Perry Lumber to see what steps they have taken. We then went to Schaller Hardwoods to see how their process worked. We also spoke with a representative from Kop-Coat about the chemical solution. From the information they gave us, we decided that a dipping system at East Perry would be the best way to prevent the sapstain, and the benefits would outweigh the cost of the system.

Dr. Mohammed Ali, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Jones' Reagent is an effective, but toxic reagent used to oxidize a myriad of organic molecules. Jones' oxidation procedure employs water/acetone biphase media. When using Jones' Reagent (comprised of CrO₃) workers are at risk of exposure to the toxic reagents. In procedures similar to ours, water contaminated with toxic byproducts presents a disposal problem. We have developed an environmentally benign procedure for oxidation of secondary alcohols to ketones on hydrated silica gel which utilizes Jones' Reagent. A simple filtration removes the toxic byproducts. Therefore, potential exposure to toxic reagents is diminished for workers.

Karie Hollerbach, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: Using previous studies that found that people like to watch television with others, the researcher set out to determine if watching television together would increase floor community in college residence halls. Through a survey on watching television with floormates, evidence was gathered to determine whether watching television together helped build floor community. The study failed to find significant evidence to show that watching television together did have an impact on floormates bonding and building floor community.

Dr. James E. Champine, Faculty Sponsor

ABSTRACT: In order to assess the prevalence and nature of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the environment, water samples from the Mississippi River, a ditch, a pond, and a meat-packing plant sewage lagoon were plated on LB medium containing 50 mg ml^-1 ampicillin. From those respective sources, the log₁₀ Amp^r CFU ml^-1 were 3.5, 3.2, 3.5, and 4.5 respectively. Two isolates from the meat-packing plant, FDM-4 and FDM-13, were observed to contain 5 and 7 plasmid-bands on agarose gel elecrophoresis. FDM-4 is a non-motile, gram negative, rod-shaped, facultatively anaerobic bacterium that ferments a wide variety of sugars, but produces no CO₂, and most closely resembles Serretia fonticola. By the Kirby-Bauer agar diffusion test it was seen to be Amp^r, Pen^r, Str^r, and Ery^r. FDM-13 is a non-motile, gram negative, rod-shaped, oxidase positive, non-fermentative bacterium that most closely resembles Bradyrhizobium japonicum or Rhizobium loti. It grows best at 25 ^oC. The 1.5 kbp 16S rRNA gene from each has been PCR-amplified. There was no hybridization of plasmid or chromosomal DNA from FDM-4 or FDM-13 when probed with a randomly primed, digoxigenin-labeled 0.5 kbp Dde I fragment of the TEM-1 b-lactamase gene from pBsGth. These results show that Amp^r bacteria are present in the environment, but there may be more diversity with regards to modes of resistance than is currently recognized.