Carolyn Wilson Digital Collections (Lipscomb Univ.)
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From Oral Traditions to Digital Screens: The Evolution of Folklore in the Modern Age
Full text linkThis research explores how folklore and oral traditions adapt within digital spaces, focusing on Native American Skinwalker narratives and Biblical parables. By exploring these stories’ transformation on modern platforms, we are able to see the impact of digital media on traditional storytelling. In Navajo mythology, Skinwalkers are individuals, typically male, who practice the Witchery Way, gaining the ability to transform into animals to cause harm and disrupt the natural order. However, modern media often portrays them as monstrous, alien-like creatures, stripping away their cultural significance. The rise of sensationalized narratives, such as those surrounding Skinwalker Ranch, further these misconceptions, linking Skinwalkers to UFOs and paranormal activity. This differing portrayal distorts their role in Navajo belief systems and also confuses them with other Native American figures, such as the Wendigo, further spreading an untrue narrative. Digital platforms are valuable for preserving folklore but can accelerate the spread of misinformation. If similar distortions were applied to Biblical parables, there would likely be widespread concern over the loss of their intended meaning. This parallel underscores the importance of protecting oral traditions from misinterpretation. As folklore continues to evolve in digital spaces the need for a balance between preservation and adaptation becomes critical. This project investigates the balance between preserving traditional storytelling and its evolution in today\u27s digital world
A Focus on Face-to-Face Communication as a Source of Relational Life and Renewal of Community Within the Church
Full text linkIncreased digital engagement at the cost of in-person interactions has negatively impacted communal life in the Gateway City Church — St. Charles Ministry. Amid an increase in online connectivity, relational connections have suffered as church members add more and more to their already busy schedules. Research has noted multiple ways in which this significant drift from inperson engagement has brought harm to people’s overall health. The literature demonstrates a key root of this phenomenon to be widespread efforts to incorporate digital church engagement in an attempt to supply convenient access to spiritual resources. This tension between convenience and suffering relational connections has left many discouraged. This project sought to understand how Gateway City Church members would experience connectivity changes after a focused series of in-person meetings. Partnerships were formed, six face-to-face meetings were planned, and weekly agendas were given for the gathering. These meetings contained scripture reading, prayer, mutual sharing, listening, and reflection. The subsequent interaction feedback revealed a strengthening and deepening of horizontal connections between partners. Additionally, the results demonstrated a vertical strengthening of their relationship with God and increased awareness of his presence and activity. This research shows the irreplaceable value of purposeful face-to-face interactions as a source of communal life within the church
Exploring the Effects of Indoor Plants on Executive Function
Full text linkThe link between greenery in schools and cognitive performance is underexplored, even with evidence of its benefits in other settings. Research indicates that adding green plants to an office can improve mood and lower stress (Bergefurts et al., 2021). This study explored the factors behind the psychological benefits of indoor plants on executive function in college students. The study proposed two competing hypotheses based on Attention Restoration Theory (ART) and Enrichment Theory. Hypothesis I: Based on the Attention Restoration Theory, integrating plants into the classroom benefits students’ executive function by giving them a sense of relief from fatigue. Hypothesis II: Derived from the Enrichment Theory, integrating plants into the classroom benefits students’ executive function due to the perceived feeling of well-being and environment comfort. The study is a 2x2 between-subjects factorial design, in which participants were exposed to environments with or without plants and with or without organizational enrichment. Participants were undergraduate and graduate students 18 years or older. Executive function was measured using the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART), while mood was measured using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). To measure Enrichment, the study used a modified Nieuwenhuis questionnaire (Nieuwenhuis et al., 2014). Separate Repeated Measures ANOVAs were used to analyze accuracy and reaction time (RT) differences from the SART across conditions and time. There was no significant main effect of time, condition, or time by condition interaction on response accuracy. The same results were found for reaction time. Results show no significant effect of plant presence or workspace organization on executive function as measured by SART task performance. Regarding enrichment, participants reported perceived levels of Fatigue, Concentration Problems, Decreased Motivation, and Physical Activity after tasks 1 and 2. A One-Way ANOVA revealed no differences at T1 for all four indicators. Similar results were found at T2, except that there was a significant effect of condition on motivation at T2. Post hoc tests showed that participants in the stationary office items condition had reduced motivation compared to those in the plant & movable office items condition. This could potentially be related to them having the option to move the items to their liking. These findings suggest that while indoor plants may not directly enhance executive function in short tasks, their presence, combined with an enriched environment, results in less motivation loss compared to traditional office items
Harmony of the Swine: An Analysis of Circe in Homer’s The Odyssey
No full textHomer’s The Odyssey has remained significant for readers in dissecting the introspective attributes of Odysseus and the characters he meets throughout his journey. One character in particular has sparked much conversation in exploring the symbol of the woman in mythology. Circe, the enchantress who infamously turns Odysseus’ men into swine, has faced thousands of years under the microscope as scholars have questioned her role in the myth and the importance of her character. Circe’s actions directly derive from her goddess background; however, that is often overlooked when scholars discuss the progression of the myth after Circe’s episode, focusing instead on the elusive or alluring attributes given to her allegorical character. This paper explores the ways transformation and power are used to manipulate and create tension that carry the myth further. I aim to examine how Circe’s sorcery is pivotal for the progression of this myth, asking the ever important question “Why pigs?” that has clouded Circe’s character for centuries
Effects of Valerobetaine in Fatty-Acid Induced Breast Cancer Cell Proliferation
No full textBreast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women with 287,500 new cases of invasive breast cancer and 43,250 deaths reported in 2022. In fact, 75% of these deaths aren’t from the initial tumor but due to the spread of breast cancer tumors to other sites, also known as metastases. Breast cancer occurs when breast tissue cells mutate and proliferate uncontrollably, resulting in a lump or mass. In breast cancer, the origin of proliferation, or the primary site, for cancer cells is mostly within the milk ducts. Then, tumor cells can start migrating away from its primary site into other parts of the body, where a secondary site will be developed. This is known as metastasis. Recent studies have shown fat metabolism to be a potential contribute to metastasis in breast cancer cells. Fat metabolism utilizes fatty acids, which are considered an important energy source for tumor cells to proliferate. Recently, there is a novel molecule, Valerobetaine, that can inhibit fat metabolism and does not produce toxic side effects in vivo. Therefore, Valerobetaine can potentially reduce the proliferation rates induced by fat metabolism in breast cancer. To test this, we incubated breast cancer cells in a high-fat environment with the fatty acid, oleate, and performed flow cytometry to measure and compare the cell’s proliferation in relation to the distribution of Valerobetaine. We hope to show evidence that Valerobetaine can be a potential therapeutic to decrease breast cancer metastasis in order to improve patient outcomes
A Design of Our Own: Legal ramifications of progressing our own replacements one face at a time
No full textInvestigating the Effects of Albendazole on the Hatch Rate and Motility of C. elegans Eggs
No full textOver 1.5 billion individuals a year are infected with soil-transmitted helminths (STH) such as whipworm, hookworm, and Ascaris. These infections have detrimental effects on human growth, nutrition, and cognition leading to a cycle of poverty. Currently, The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes four drugs to treat STH for mass drug administration which consist of two mechanisms of action. These fall into two classes, nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists and benzimidazoles. Albendazole, the drug of choice, is a beta-tubulin inhibitor that induces the immobilization and death of STH (Malik and Dua, 2023). The widespread use of these drugs and the limited mechanism of action, prompt the emergence of drug resistance. Extensive preliminary research has demonstrated the effectiveness of using C. elegans as a model organism as Albendazole has been shown to decrease the health motility of L4 C. elegans (Weaver et al., 2016). Our research aims to expand these findings and investigate the effectiveness of Albendazole across various stages in the life cycle of C. elegans, specifically eggs. We treated C. elegans eggs with multiple concentrations of Albendazole and monitored the hatch rate over twenty-four hours along with the health motility for seven days. We hypothesized that increasing drug concentration would decrease the hatch rate and health motility scores of C. elegans. Our results demonstrated a general decrease in egg hatching and motility health within higher concentrations of Albendazole
