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Abstracts

Author ↑ Department Professor Title Year
Aaron M. Adams and Lisa M. Larkin Biology Mike Angell Development of a Scaffold-less Three-Dimensional Engineering Neural Conduit Utilizing Nerve-Fibroblast Induced Adipose-Derived Stem Cells (ADSCs)
Nerve transection injuries may necessitate surgical intervention. We previously established the use of scaffold-less engineered neural conduits fabricated from primary cells in sciatic nerve repair surgeries. We proposed that engineered neural conduits fabricated from induced stem cells would successfully recover a similar nerve transection. The ability to utilize stem cells would eliminate the limitation of conduit material and have minimal host donor site morbidity. We established protocols for isolating stem cells from inguinal adipose tissues, differentiation into fibroblast and neural lineages, and co-culturing methods. Both cell types were integrated into a 3-dimensional scaffold-less conduit. In vitro morphology and histology of these conduits showed similarity to primary cell conduits. These conduits can now be evaluated in vivo as a bridge for regenerating nerve in transection injuries.
2011
Abdulhamit Arvas English Language and Literature Craig Dionne Come, The Recorders!' Hamlet's Postmodern Subjectivity on Screen
In a time of the recent shift from literary culture to electronic media culture, 'Shakespeare' on screen, particularly Hamlet, has been a significant component of film studies with adaptations from high-budget Hollywood movies to musicals, animations, and erotic movies that attest to the hybrid productions of the plays in different cultural contexts. This paper is an investigation of "Hamlet on film," which has always been a popular window for directors to look at Shakespeare and find their own Shakespeare from silent era to post-industrial age. The focus will be on Coronado's 1976 and Almereyda's 2000 adaptations of Hamlet to present how directors of these films, as opposed to mainstream Shakespearean films, explore and exploit the play-text in a self-conscious mode to bring in a striking, imaginative, and every inch filmic Hamlet on screen through re-visiting and re-contextualization of the play from a specific point of view, which is, in this case, a postmodern one.
2010
Abdulla Ali Economics David Crary Impact of Economic Variables on Monthly Tourist Arrivals to the Maldives from Selected Source Countries
The Maldives depends heavily on the income generated from tourism; therefore, it is crucial for the government and tourism industry as a whole to understand the uncertainty in monthly tourist arrivals due to changes in the economic outlook of the source countries, especially the major ones. The aim of this presentation is to understand the impact of major economic variables on monthly tourist arrivals from five major source countries to the Maldives: the UK, Italy, Germany, France, and Japan. Monthly tourist arrival data for the selected countries have been used along with some macroeconomic variables to estimate their impact on tourist arrivals. The result indicates that some economic variables have significant impact on tourist arrivals, and tourist arrival is highly seasonal from these countries.
2012
Absalam D. Al-Ahmari English Language and Literature Beverley Goodman and T. Daniel Seely Verb-Deriving Morphology in an Ethiopian Cushitic Language: Oromo
Oromo verbal morphology seems very complex, although it functions in a quite systematic way. Three derived verb stems are attested in this language: autobenefactive (or middle), passive, and causative. These derived stems are followed by inflectional morphemes that express aspect and subject agreement. Two approaches are proposed in analyzing the derivational morphology in Oromo. The first one is concerned with the structure of these morphemes in the lexicon and how they are arranged if more than one form co-occurs. Halle's Word Formation model provides an explanation to both forming and arranging of the derivational affixes in Oromo. Findings suggest that these morphemes are structured in the lexicon according to certain operations. A contrasting approach, on the other hand, is based on the syntactic interference with the derived morphology. Evidence shows that the syntactic conditions play a crucial role in determining these forms.
2011
Adam A. Cook, Kirsten E. Freiberger, Derek Spinei Geography and Geology Ted Ligibel and Dan Bonenberger Modernism in Michigan: Efforts to Preserve the Recent Past
As the 21st century progresses, the protection and preservation of architectural resources dating from the 'recent past,' defined as the prior 50 years, has inspired vigorous debate both within and outside the field of Historic Preservation. Many of these resources were built in modernist architectural styles that have fallen out of favor and are deemed unimportant in the eyes of a general public young enough to remember their construction. Among architectural historians and preservationists, the need to protect recent past resources is acknowledged, though consensus has not been reached when discussing the relative importance of these resources, considering the wide body of extant work designed by noted modernist architects and their firms. This presentation will discuss the issues involved in recent past preservation; efforts to preserve the work of two modernist architects based in Michigan, Alden B. Dow and Minoru Yamasaki, will be used as case studies.
2010
Adam M. Sheaffer Communication, Media, and Theatre Arts Lee Stille ciphers to this great accompt': Globe Performativity, Actor Training, and the Production of Shakespeare
My current research considers the artistic, pedagogical, and phenomenological shifts which original staging rehearses and produces and considers how the actor's process might benefit from these shifts. Drawing on Research Bulletins from the first six seasons at Shakespeare's Globe, I will consider the production process in light of established Shakespearean dramaturgy and pedagogy, performance theory, and academic and artistic accounts/research of Globe practitioners and scholars. The Globe project, since its construction and more than a decade of production and research, remains a lightning rod for various and often competing artistic and academic interests and investments. I wish to take a step back and ask what implications the conventions employed at the Globe, universal lighting, direct address, 'scene change' in full view of the audience, and many others, might have on the evolving ways Shakespearean 'characters' are constructed.
2010
Adam Mitchell English Language and Literature Martin Shichtman On Plots and Plodding Deathward: Approaching the Holocaust
The Holocaust represents a profound and unspeakable trauma. Victims of our species' first industrial genocide were not simply murdered but pushed through a complex factory system designed to utterly obliterate any trace of their humanity. They were erased. The absurd, abject cruelty of such a crime represents a lingering threat to signification, to master narratives of civilization, progress, and the Enlightenment's conception of humanity. To speak the Holocaust is to cast words into a vast silence; to speak the Holocaust is to risk speaking over and re-victimizing those who were silenced. When we study such a profound trauma, we walk a fine line between archiving and assaulting. Building on the work of Primo Levy and others, this project is an attempt to provide an approach to literary study of the Holocaust that does the least violence to the victims and the ever-dwindling number of Holocaust survivors.
2010
Adam Ostrowski Art Michael Reedy Form
This presentation focuses on my body of work in the MFA painting program. I will talk about the origin of my paintings, which include influences from feminist theory. I'll expand on how advertisements depict women in a negative way, referencing body image, the male gaze, and gender performance. After talking about how women's issues relate and influence my work, I'll give a brief visual history of the reclining female nude throughout western art. During this point in the presentation I'll identify key visual aspects of the female nude and relate them to the current direction of my studio work.
2012
Aditi M. Sengupta, Allison Boone, Saroya Jamal, Catherine Lenaway Leadership and Counseling Marlena Bravender An Overview of the Higher Education System in India
With strong economic growth over the past two decades, dynamic development of its political system and the second largest population in the world, India has become increasingly important in the global marketplace. Much of the continued growth and potential competitiveness of India will hinge on the future of one significant element: education. A basic understanding of some important issues pertaining to higher education in India in comparison to the United States, in addition to recommendations for future tertiary education within the country, may lead to an understanding why India is becoming a fast emerging global hub for higher education and technical training for future generations.
2010
Adrienne Hirschfelder Mathematics Jiuqiang Liu Using the Matrix Tree Theorem for Special Classes of Graphs
The Matrix Tree Theorem is used to find the number of distinct spanning trees in a graph and can be used to generate closed formulas for special classes of graphs. The number of spanning trees is of interest in the analysis of electric networks. We have created proofs for closed formulas for the number of spanning trees in a variety of special classes of graphs using the Matrix Tree Theorem. We prove formulas for wheels and fans, whose formulas are based on the Fibonacci numbers, 'windmills,' and tri-partite and n-partite graphs. We also give bounds for the number in Cartesian products of graphs (GxH) based on the number of spanning trees in G and in H.
2012
Aesha S. Shah Engineering Technology Vijay Mannari Study of Structure: Property Relationship in Polyurethane Coatings
Polyurethane (PU) is a unique polymer that offers great mechanical properties like elasticity, toughness, and durability responsible for its wide application in automobile, coating, upholstery, and construction areas. Mechanical properties of polyurethanes can be controlled by manipulation of chemical structure and morphology. This poster highlights our study of mechanical properties of a series of PU coatings as a function of a) polymer backbone structure and b) cross-linked density (XLD). Mechanical properties are characterized by Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA), Thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), bulk hardness, MEK rub test, and Abrasion resistance. Theoretical and experimental cross-linking densities (XLDs) have also been compared. This study provides useful model to tailor properties of PU coatings for specific end-use applications.
2010
Aesha Shah Engineering Technology Vijay Mannari Characterization of Anti-corrosion Properties of Nano-composite Coatings Produced by UV Initiated Sol-gel Process
The sol-gel process is becoming widely applicable and a viable alternative to other available systems in coating industries due to its low temperature route to make thin films, easy application on metallic substrates, and potential for barrier protection. In this system, the sol-gel process was initiated by ultraviolet light. A photo acid generator catalyzes the sol-gel reaction upon UV exposure. This results in a nano-composite coating with potentially excellent barrier properties. Dry film thickness, cure condition, and inhibitor concentration were varied. The anti-corrosion properties of the resulting coating will be characterized by the ASTM B117 salt-spray test and DC potentiodynamic polarization.
2011
Agnishikha Choudhuri Technology Studies Shinming Shyu Using Collaborative Methods in Classroom Design
This project developed out of the 2009 Open Architecture Challenge: Classroom. The project required a classroom design to be developed in partnership with a school. Taking this on as an independent project, the design team collaborated with a local charter school, New Beginnings Academy in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The team had eight classroom sessions with 25 students of fourth and fifth grades. Over two and a half months, the students explored the ideas of spaces and their functions. They were also introduced to the concept of design and how design decisions could impact the quality of their learning environment. Through a series of drawing projects and classroom activities, the students identified and communicated their needs to the team. The final submission to the Open Architecture Challenge was an integration of their input and the design team's observations and research findings.
2010
Ahmed Saeed Manati English Language and Literature T. Daniel Seely The Ezafat Suffix in Farsi: A Morphosyntactic Analysis
The Ezafat suffix '-e/ye' is an important part of Farsi noun phrases, adjective phrases, and prepositional phrases. More importantly, a noun phrase cannot form a constituent without the Ezafat Suffix. Its occurrence is syntactically motivated by the presence of a following right-branching modifier or complement within the phrase, and it significantly contributes to the semantics of the phrases in which it is used. I provide an introduction to the underlying structure of the suffix and an analysis of its behavior, and I attempt to determine its precise role in the mapping from underlying form to surface form, within generative syntax. This provides insights about an aspect of Farsi syntax in particular, and about syntactic theory more generally.
2012
Aimee Moore and Susan Bowyer Psychology Renee Lajiness-O'Neill Brain Correlates of Direct Versus Averted Gaze Examined with Magnetoencephalography (MEG) in Autism: Latency of Onset
Despite difficulties with social cognition and nonverbal communication, there are a limited number of neuroimaging studies that have examined the neural correlates of direct versus averted gaze in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). To examine potential aberrant connectivity, brain activation during direct versus averted gaze was compared in individuals with autism and matched controls using Magnetoencephalography (MEG), a noninvasive technique that maps magnetic fields arising from cortical electrical activity. Brain activity was analyzed with MR-FOCUSS, a current density technique (Moran et al., 2005). Latency of brain activation was measured during direct gaze and averted gaze (-0.1 to .65 sec). Differences between ASD's and controls in latency of activation are hypothesized to occur with averted versus direct gaze and may be dependent on left versus right gaze procedures, consistent with hemispheric differences in neuronal processing.
2010
Akiko Harada World Languages Hitomi Oketani Japanese Language Learner's Proficiency Assessment
OPI (Oral Proficiency Interview) is a standardized procedure for a global assessment of speaking ability that was developed by the ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages). Unlike other assessments that aim to measure achievement, OPI aims to measure proficiency. It is conducted not only in English but also in many other languages. In this project, I will conduct a 15-30-minute interview with Japanese language students and then analyze it in terms of phonology, morphology, syntax, socio-linguistic features and appropriateness, changing nature of language, and dispositions. Through this project, I will also discuss the procedures as well as teaching methods to improve learners' proficiency in Japanese language classes at college.
2010
Aleesa R. Searcy Communication, Media, and Theatre Arts Jessica Alexander Witness: Home
At events such as The Alzheimer's Association's Memory Walk, there are few if any survivors to testify to what Alzheimer's awareness and research has done for them. They do not walk for themselves. In autoethnographic performance, one is asked to bear witness, to give voice to others and groups who have no voice. Depending on the stage and severity of the memory loss, patients with Alzheimer's and dementia cannot speak about their pasts because they do not remember them. Their memories are in the hands of those who watched them live. Can ethnographic and autoethnographic performance give voice to those whose memories have dissolved and who live only in the present? In this narrating self-performance, I work to give voice to memory loss patients through the lens of my great-aunt, a tiny, loud, self-proclaimed 'fox' who lived boldly on a tiny island and found herself years later in another island: a gated assisted-living facility.
2011
Alicia M. Totten Psychology Alissa Huth-Bocks Maternal Transmission of Trauma Symptoms to Children
The purpose of this study is to examine rates and severity of trauma symptoms in toddlers in relation to direct trauma exposure and maternal trauma symptoms. Data will be collected from approximately 100 mother-child pairs from a longitudinal study. Mothers' trauma symptoms will be measured using the PTSD Checklist during pregnancy (T1) and when the child is 2 years old (T4). Trauma symptoms will be measured in the children at T4 using the Toddler Trauma Symptoms Questionnaire as well as the Toddler Exposure to Traumatic Events. It is hypothesized that children who have not experienced trauma directly will exhibit trauma symptoms if they are reared by a mother who indicates high levels of trauma on the PTSD checklist.
2012
Alicia N. Anderson Marketing Matt Sauber Domino's Pizza: Growing Sales with Technology
This case study examines the history and current state of Domino's Pizza in the competitive landscape in which they operate. Strengths and weaknesses are assessed along with restaurant industry opportunities and threats. A strong emphasis is placed on Domino's competitive edge in technological leadership with the Pulse Point-Of-Sale System. The foundation is laid for students reading the case to decide on what strategic direction Domino's should pursue.
2011
Alireza Aghamohammadi Technology Studies Samir Tout Software Insecurity Distribution through Social Networking
Virtually connecting with family members, friends, and colleagues in cyberspace has become a way of communication and collaboration among many Internet users. Social interaction is not a new concept because social network analysis has been used in social science disciplines and even in the medical field. More recently, social networking has become a topic in computer science and information security fields. Many researchers have focused on cyber networking and information security to address some of the challenges, but there are still many risks associated with the use of social networking sites. One of the main risks of cyber networking is software insecurity distribution, which simply means that software insecurities can propagate through social networks of a computer user. This paper focuses on various techniques and methods used by hackers that cause software insecurity distribution through social networking.
2010

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