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Humanity, Monstrosity and Uniquity: A Stirnerian Theory of Art-Horror
Get PDFThis thesis explores the connections between Max Stirner\u27s philosophy, particularly his concept of personalist egoism, and the genre of horror in cultural production, analyzing themes of humanity, monstrosity, and societal roles within art-horror narratives
Border Restrictions in the Rise of Anti-Immigration Politics
Get PDFAs anti-immigration sentiments have increased across the world, border restrictions have come under the spotlight from extremist right parties (ERPs). In a number of countries, ERPs are gaining support from their immigration rhetoric, which calls for heavily restricting or sometimes closing borders. This thesis examines the impact of restrictive border policies on support for anti-immigration platforms and ERPs. Using the Dataset of World Refugee and Asylum Policies Index and voting records of ERPs over time, a relationship between anti-immigration parties and border restrictions is hypothesized to produce one of three results: the more restrictive a border, the more likely an ERP is to gain electoral success, the less restrictive a border, the more likely an ERP is to gain success, or border restrictions do not have an effect on the level of support for ERPs. The results of this study support the null hypothesis since neither more restrictive nor more open border policies have a consistent effect on support for ERPs. A close examination of the contrasting cases of Slovenia and Slovakia shows that border policies can have opposing effects, depending on the national context
Fighting Modern Battles, Brawling a Breast Cancer From the Past: A New Combination Therapy Technique Combining a Platinum-based Agent and HDAC Inhibition Agent
No full textCarboplatin and tucidinostat are two often-used chemotherapeutic drugs in combating cancers. After seeding BT-549 cells in vitro and single-drug treatments were completed, IC50 values and treatment curves were determined for both drugs with CompuSyn software. The Tucidinostat IC50 value of 0.28614 µM indicates effective 50% inhibitory activity at less than one micromolar. Carboplatin treatment revealed an IC50 value of 273.792 µM, indicating ineffective treatment. Combination therapy revealed an antagonistic effect with a CI50 value of 210.406. This may be due to experimental errors with pipetting or cell seeding, or drug-ailment mismatch
Leannie Jusino, Head of Commuter Central & Assistant Director of Student Engagement
No full textDigital photograph of Leannie Jusino browsing in a book store. A printed version of this photograph was temporarily installed on the interior of the Myrin Library building on the Ursinus College campus as part of the Spring 2025 COSA celebration.https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/art_envportraits/1044/thumbnail.jp
The Thermodynamic Fate of Isolated Quantum Systems
No full textIsolated quantum systems are typically observed to come to thermal equilibrium. The weak Eigenstate Thermalization Hypothesis (wETH) states that the vast majority of eigenvectors are thermal. This implies that most initial states should thermalize. Studying the rare cases in which they fail to thermalize could reveal insight into quantum dynamics. In our experiment, we excite Rydberg atoms and allow them to exchange energy via dipole-dipole interactions. We find that they do not thermalize. We present numerical and theoretical results that show that our experimental initial state is not typical
Utilization of Hexadecylamine-SWCNT Functionalization and Thiol-Ene “Click Chemistry” to Inhibit Bacterial Biofilm on Polydimethylsiloxane
No full textSilicone-based materials, such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), are a widely used material within the healthcare industry due to their biocompatibility and flexibility. However, due to their chemically inert nature, bacterial biofilm formation is a frequent occurrence, which in turn attributes to high rates of device-associated bacterial infections, specifically within a clinical setting. As a hope to combat these infections without the presence of antibiotics, this project aimed to utilize single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and their hydrophobic properties to inhibit biofilm formation. Additionally, as a potentially more effective approach, we implemented SWCNT functionalization via hexadecylamine attachment, as well as thiol-ene click chemistry, which can covalently attach oleylamine-functionalized SWNTs to modified PDMS surfaces
From Embarrassment to Prejudice: Online “Cringe Culture” as an Affective and Social Phenomenon
No full textWhen scrolling through the myriad content found online, you’re bound to find something that leaves you with negative emotions strong enough that you cringe. While this is largely an involuntary response, “cringe” becoming an adjective, and therefore a label, occurs due to the conscious othering of a user for the nature or presentation of their content. This project conceptualizes cringe as a multidimensional phenomenon rather than a singular emotion, which allows us to more easily make sense of how online cringe specifically has morphed into what is colloquially known as “cringe culture.” Through analysis of academic literature (from disciplines ranging from philosophy to marketing to media studies) and primary sources (YouTube videos created both by amateurs and professionals), I identify the characteristics that make online cringe distinct from other dimensions, which have received much more frequent scholarly attention. Due to how frequently certain minority groups are targeted and how easily ridicule can turn into hate, I argue that these definitive attributes contribute to a novel and more covert form of bullying. Far from purely entertainment, online cringe can quickly become problematic, indicating a need to examine this phenomenon in order to avoid restriction of creative and personal development among online users, as well as to determine best practices for Internet decorum
Development of Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Coupling Reaction of Unprotected Indoles
No full textIndoles are nitrogen-containing heterocycles widely distributed in natural products and are one of the most important structural scaffolds for the design of new pharmaceuticals from antibiotics to anti-cancer drugs. However, the chemical reactivity of unprotected indoles can lead to side reactions, posing a definite synthetic challenge. For instance, many of the standard protocols for palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions fail in the presence of substrates bearing free NH groups. We previously performed Suzuki- Miyaura cross-coupling reactions, although the indole NH group was always protected, adding an onerous extra step to our synthetic route. The goal of this study was to explore the use of different catalysts, bases, and solvents to perform Suzuki cross-coupling reactions on unprotected indoles—in a more efficient and green manner. Catalyst loading, temperature, and reaction time were also reduced allowing for milder conditions. With optimized reaction conditions in hand, next steps include exploring substrate scope to assess the applicability to a wide range of derivatives
Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Rhodol Esters
No full textFluorescent molecules are powerful due to their role in biological imaging and detection. Rhodols are a family of fluorophores that have desirable properties for fluorescent tools and have a variety of uses in biological imaging, including pH sensing. However, these compounds are underexplored due to current limitations in their synthesis. The goal of this research is to design a direct synthetic route from fluorescein, an inexpensive fluorescent compound, into rhodols. This research describes a novel method to directly convert fluorescein to rhodols. This approach provides a one step process to install the key C-N bond under mild, metal-free conditions. The rhodols were characterized by their photophysical properties by their corresponding absorbance and fluorescence spectra. The described concise synthetic route allows for rapid access to various types of rhodols for application in fluorescent tools
The Perfect Woman 5
No full textGraphite drawing of a woman\u27s portrait. Presented as part of the 2025 Annual Student Exhibit in the Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus College.
One of a series of eight.https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/asae_2025_images/1019/thumbnail.jp