Mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) is a recently discovered protein responsible for the regulation and survival of neurons. Studies have shown MANF to be a protective agent that prevents and repairs damaged nervous system tissue, however, how MANF achieves this effect is still poorly understood. We previously found that exposing A. domesticus crickets to a […]
B20: Effects of Reduced NOS Expression on Cricket Agonistic Behavior
Nitric oxide (NO) is an immune signaling molecule secreted primarily by blood cells of animals and plays a role in the inflammatory response. But NO also functions as a brain neurotransmitter and can regulate behaviors, including aggression, mating, and feeding. In mammals, NO is associated with learning, memory and social behavior; however, its role in […]
B21: Japanese 2.5D Musicals: Another Disney-on-Broadway effort to bring 2-dimensional pictures to life?
2.5D musicals refers to 3-dimensional theatrical adaptations of 2-dimensional animations, comics, and games (ACG) in Japan. 2.5D musical is a part of the 2.5D culture, which, according to Joel Gn, facilitates the dissemination of fictional content from Japanese ACG products (2D) to physical reality (3D) via intermedia communication (2023). Within the broader spectrum of 2.5D […]
B22: Soldiers of Two Nations – Reactions to Native American military service in the First World War
This project aimed to provide a deeper understanding of how Native American soldiers of the First World War were perceived by the world around them. Primary source materials, ranging from military reports, government publications, newspapers, and were compiled utilizing both physical and digital archives; they were then analyzed with the intent of better understanding how […]
B23: Contemporary Podcasting: Producing Authenticity & Shaping Fandom
Podcasts have become a popular medium where celebrities and media creators are able to engage in free-flowing conversations and express themselves authentically. Llinares et al. states that podcasting possesses “the advantages of the internet while expelling some of the pitfalls.” (2018) To analyze this idea further, it’s necessary to examine the opportunities and constraints of […]
B24: Supporting Community Based Organizations Serving Historically Marginalized Youth
This participatory action research project explored the role of community-based organizations (CBOs) in their efforts to empower and prevent historically marginalized youth from being caught in the funnel of the school-to-prison pipeline. Drawing from an asset-based community development model, my research investigated successful approaches and barriers encountered by two CBOs in the Cincinnati metro area. […]
B25: Intercultural Research in Multimedia Design with Pokémon
What does “culture” mean in terms of visual style? How do we determine when our art resonates authentically to the people in the communities from which we have borrowed these elements? As a multimedia designer, this becomes integral to be aware of when utilizing cultural inspiration. A perfect case study of multimedia medium that holds […]
B26: Navigating the Challenges of Learning Japanese: A Linguistic Analysis of Learner Difficulties, Pedagogical Solutions, and the Importance of Sociolinguistic Elements
When it comes to Language Acquisition and Language Pedagogy, Japanese is no easy task, especially for a native English speaker in a classroom setting. This is because the Japanese language has many unique characteristics that are far different from English, like the complexity of Kanji characters, counter-words, and many others. These unique characteristics in Japanese […]
B27: Italian Americans in Ohio Oral History Project
Madeline Northup discovered her love of storytelling at a young age from her grandfather, an American citizen born in WWII Italy. Every time he would stop a stranger to tell them his life story, she would hang on to his every word. As she got older, she realized that if she did not record his […]
B28: “It’s the Venom Symbiote from Spiderman”: Automaticity, FOMO and Social Media Mindfulness
Kaya Fung is a Senior at Miami University studying Strategic Communication. Her Honors Senior Project examines dimensions of social media usage, specifically related to automatic and unconscious social media behaviors. Drawing from a range of literature in the Communications, Psychology and other related fields, her project aimed to learn more about the relationship between automatic […]