Digital Commons @ Butler University

Spanning Eulerian subgraphs and Catlin’s reduced graphs

Wei-Guo Chen et al. — Fri, 13 Sep 2019 13:00:40 PDT

A graph G is collapsible if for every even subset R ⊆ V (G), there is a spanning connected subgraph H_R of G whose set of odd degree vertices is R. A graph is reduced if it has no nontrivial collapsible subgraphs. Catlin [4] showed that the existence of spanning Eulerian subgraphs in a graph G can be determined by the reduced graph obtained from G by contracting all the collapsible subgraphs of G. In this paper, we present a result on 3-edge-connected reduced graphs of small orders. Then, we prove that a 3-edge-connected graph G of order n either has a spanning Eulerian subgraph or can be contracted to the Petersen graph if G satisfies one of the following:

(i) d(u) + d(v) > 2(n/15 − 1) for any uv 6∈ E(G) and n is large;

(ii) the size of a maximum matching in G is at most 6;

(iii) the independence number of G is at most 5.

These are improvements of prior results in [16], [18], [24] and [25].

Properties of Catlin’s reduced graphs and supereulerian graphs

Wei-Guo Chen et al. — Fri, 13 Sep 2019 13:00:21 PDT

A graph G is called collapsible if for every even subset R ⊆ V (G), there is a spanning connected subgraph H of G such that R is the set of vertices of odd degree in H. A graph is the reduction of G if it is obtained from G by contracting all the nontrivial collapsible subgraphs. A graph is reduced if it has no nontrivial collapsible subgraphs. In this paper, we first prove a few results on the properties of reduced graphs. As an application, for 3-edge-connected graphs G of order n with d(u) + d(v) ≥ 2(n/p − 1) for any uv ∈ E(G) where p > 0 are given, we show how such graphs change if they have no spanning Eulerian subgraphs when p is increased from p = 1 to 10 then to 15.

On The Presence of Christ

William A. Peacock — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 14:15:54 PDT

On the Presence of Christ is a musical work for septet (three strings, three winds, percussion) exploring Christ’s presence throughout all time as described in Scripture, wherein the individual movements are thematically grounded and arranged from ancient past to coming future. “In the Beginning” is based on Genesis 1:1-2 and John 1:1-5; “At the Throne” is based on Revelation 4:2-11; and “With His Saints Forever” is based in Revelation 21:1-5a and 22-23. I use these chosen Scriptures to guide my musical exploration, allowing my reflections and perspectives on them to give this music its substance and form My hope is that this works points beyond my limited perspective concerning these Scriptures, and even the Scriptures themselves, to their divine source, and the goodness, beauty, and truth therein.

One Hundred Books: A journey through a century of John Newbery Award books

Tyler Sassaman — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 14:15:46 PDT

"On a quest to read all of the existing Newbery award-winning books (est. 1921), a reading specialist examines the history of the books and the award itself. Considered the “most distinguished contribution to children’s literature,” the John Newbery gold medal, awarded by the American Library Association, is a high-water mark for upper elementary-aged children across the United States. The author’s two decades of teaching experience provide the analytical perspective and memoir-style investigation. Interviews with a book buyer for the Scholastic publisher, children’s librarians, former Newbery committee members, and a visit to the famed Kerlan Collection of Children’s Literature, frame the author’s adventure as he reads all the winners."--Provided by the author.

Unmournable Bodies: Gothic Postcolonialism and The Spectre of Loss in Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things and Anuradha Roy's Sleeping on Jupiter

Sitara Kannan — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 14:15:37 PDT

"My thesis compares Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things and Anuradha Roy’s Sleeping on Jupiter in order to demonstrate how a) each text is a product of its moment and a reflection of corresponding critical thought and b) how an inversion of gothic tropes in Sleeping reflects a changed world dynamic, a melancholic exploration of epistemological and traumatic loss that can be seen not only as a recognition of the continued power of oppressive systems but a reflection on the failure of cosmopolitanism to “rescue” the global subject from her own isolation and recolonization. I claim that this is not only demonstrated by a change in form and how gothic tropes are presented, but in how homosexuality and deviant sexuality in particular is treated, a reminder that even in texts that attempt to condemn and reject colonizing tendencies, the political moment and its theoretical appendages continue to haunt postcolonial discourse, enabling recolonization and restratifying spaces of resistance. I claim that this recognition need not be totalizing or nihilistic, but that in the recognition itself lies the possibility for resistance, an act of rebellion that must be constantly re-enacted in order to deterritorialize what has been captured and displaced, a fluid and imaginative negotiation that, much like literature, is limitless in interpretation and offers readers constant and multiplicitous possibilities for agency in the face of equally fluid oppressive systems."--Provided by the author.

Useless

Seth Stone — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 14:15:30 PDT

Useless is a short story collection about people who feel lost in the world and go searching for fulfillment. Six disconnected stories about six disconnected people. The collection deals with themes of loss, identity, loneliness and the exploration of niche subcultures.

Basement Heart

Samantha Constance Tkac — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 14:15:22 PDT

Basement Heart is a collection of short stories with a goal of documenting the manifestations of rage and how it evolves throughout a woman’s life. In these stories, femininity is explored through the aesthetics of the grotesque. Female protagonists seek to inhabit new definitions of female sexuality that combat tired expectations made by society’s misogynistic and objectifying culture. Often, their feelings of unprovoked grief manifest themselves as pursuits of the flesh, which becomes the underlying heartbeat of each story; themes revolve around sex and obsession and explore what happens when sexual fantasies are realized and lived out in the real world. When characters inhabit their bodies in ways that American culture tells women not to, they become viscerally self-aware and better their understanding of what they want. And doing what they want is all these women care about. The characters in Basement Heart are angry, restless, and at times driven mad by their own lust for control.

A Constant Haunting

Russ Wilcox — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 14:15:15 PDT

A three movement work for wind ensemble and soprano soloist.

Only One Went through the Green Door

Rachel Sahaidachny — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 14:15:06 PDT

Written in three parts, Only One Went through the Green Door, explores abandonment, homelessness, childhood, womanhood, and choices made or unmade that create the complicated and winding path of life. The poems use narrative and lyric to examine the effects of childhood trauma on the development of a persona, and its shadow. Emotional realities explored through natural landscapes, and at times through child-like language, create an unsettled speaker who quests for some final understanding that might lead to peace.

Maximizing Wins or Profit: Designated Players in Major League Soccer

Zachary Willis — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 13:37:16 PDT

This paper seeks to add to the existing literature regarding sports teams and whether they follow a win-maximizing or profit-maximizing strategy. Specifically, this paper seeks to analyze Designated Players (DPs) in Major League Soccer (MLS) and see if DPs contribute more toward a team’s on-field success, measured as win percentage, or overall revenue. Prior studies have analyzed soccer leagues across Europe and found that most teams follow win-maximizing strategies over profit-maximizing strategies. This analysis has not yet been carried over to MLS, which is not the most prevalent sports league in its home country and features a unique DP structure. Match-specific and DP data was collected over the span of four MLS seasons from 2014 to 2017, while financial data was compiled from annual reports published by Forbes. The data was analyzed through a series of linear regressions. The results showed that DPs have a positive effect on both win percentage and team revenue, and that DPs can explain a larger amount of the variation in team revenues than the variation in win percentage. The results imply that teams in MLS may be signing DPs in order to maximize short-term profits over long-term on-field successes.

Comparison of patient outcomes in a pharmacist-led outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy program

Zachary Howe — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 13:37:08 PDT

Purpose: Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) is a therapeutic option meant to conserve healthcare resources when treating infections requiring the administration of IV antibiotics over a prolonged treatment course. In November 2016 at Franciscan Alliance Indianapolis, a dedicated pharmacist was hired to build a formal OPAT program for all patients discharged on IV antimicrobials under the care of the infectious disease physician group. The number of “good catch” events observed since the program’s formal inception has encouraged the creation of this study designed to examine the impact of this program on patient outcomes and antimicrobial stewardship.

Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of adult patients with a discharge order for at least one IV antibiotic from Franciscan Health Indianapolis from December 1st, 2016 to May 31st, 2017. Patients receiving OPAT consults during their index hospital stay were compared to patients with similar infections who did not receive a consult. Patients residing in a nursing home or long-term care facility prior to admission were excluded from the analysis. Comparisons between patients with and without a readmission were also conducted in order to identify commonalities and differences in risk factors between groups. Demographic information collected included: the indication for parenteral antimicrobial therapy, sex, age, weight, and the type of provider prescribing the antimicrobials. The primary objective was 30-day readmission rate, with each instance being stratified based on the reason for readmission. Secondary objectives included: type of infection, antibiotic type, disposition at discharge, and duration of treatment. At least 122 patients were needed in each arm in order to detect a difference of 50 percent between treatment groups with a power of 80 percent for the primary objective.

Results: No statistically significant difference between the readmission rates of the consult group and the non-consult group was observed (14.73% versus 31.82%, p>0.05). The usage of antipseudomonal coverage (39.58% versus 86.36%, p<0.0001) and ceftriaxone (9.47% versus 45.45%, p<0.0001) was significantly lower in the consult group, demonstrating the potential improvements in antimicrobial stewardship an OPAT program can provide. Use of agents requiring therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) was higher in the non-consult group, specifically vancomycin (86.36% versus 41.05%, p<0.001) and gentamicin (6.32% versus 22.73%, p<0.05). Furthermore, patients discharged to an extended care facility (ECF) or a short-term acute rehabilitation center (SAR) after receiving a consult were less likely to be readmitted (16.23% versus 54.55%, p<0.001). The difference in use of drugs requiring TDM for patients sent to a SAR with a consult may also have contributed to this trend (50.46% versus 100%, p<0.0001).

Conclusion: The OPAT service did not show a statistically significantly reduction in the 30-day readmission rate during the first 6 months of the program. However, the number of patients without a consult meeting the inclusion criteria was markedly lower than anticipated, which led to the study being underpowered. Additionally, use of the program was associated with improved antimicrobial stewardship through reduced use of antipseudomonal coverage and ceftriaxone as well as reduced readmissions in patients requiring SAR placement.

Utilizing Multi-level Classification Techniques to Predict Adverse Drug Effects and Reactions

Victoria Puhl — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 13:36:59 PDT

Multi-class classification models are used to predict categorical response variables with more than two possible outcomes. A collection of multi-class classification techniques such as Multinomial Logistic Regression, Na\"{i}ve Bayes, and Support Vector Machine is used in predicting patients’ drug reactions and adverse drug effects based on patients’ demographic and drug administration. The newly released 2018 data on drug reactions and adverse drug effects from U.S. Food and Drug Administration are tested with the models. The applicability of model evaluation measures such as sensitivity, specificity and prediction accuracy in multi-class settings, are also discussed.

If You're Not Cheating, You're Not Trying: An Economic Analysis of the Financial Futility of NCAA Sanctions

Travis Freytag — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 13:36:50 PDT

The front page of sports news for the past few years has been filled with a cycle of recruiting and academic scandals from universities all over the country. Despite the repercussions that schools face from the NCAA for cheating, they continue to break the rules to obtain the top high school recruits in men’s basketball and football. Why has this become the common culture across college sports? In this study, we used data from a variety of sources, including the NCAA Legislative Database and the US Department of Education, to estimate the relationship between a university’s athletics revenue and the major NCAA violations for which the school received penalties. We used the fixed effects model format in a multiple linear regression to estimate a general model, as well as models which controlled for sport, conference, and school size as measured by endowment. We found that the number of years of probation that a school received was the only statistically significant violations-related variable that negatively affected a school’s revenue. In contrast, recruiting restrictions provided a significant boost to athletics revenue. Overall, we found that the effect of getting caught by the NCAA and receiving a penalty is minimal, and when it does have an effect, it is generally a positive effect on revenue. This aligns with earlier research that NCAA sanctions largely fail to regulate universities and even provide an incentive to cheat when recruiting and retaining top student-athletes in men’s basketball and football.

Frequency of Academic Interactions with Racial and Ethnic Minority Students and Student Attitudes towards Campus Diversity and Diversity Programs

Sydney Theerman — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 13:36:42 PDT

In response to concerns about differential access to higher education and the recognition of the value of diversity, universities are developing new programs to promote diversity and inclusive learning experiences on their campuses. Given this, it is important to understand what factors increase student support and understanding of the benefits of campus diversity in order to create an inclusive and tolerant campus environment. A number of studies have examined the impact of close friendships with people of minority race or ethnicity on students’ experiences with racial/ethnic diversity. This study adds to this research by focusing on interracial and interethnic academic and school-sponsored activity interactions. The purpose of this study is to examine whether frequency of substantive academic and extracurricular interactions with people of minority races and ethnicities is related to students’ support for and attitudes towards campus diversity and diversity programs. Academic and extracurricular interactions include interactions with others of minority race and ethnicity at events related to schoolwork or education, along with outside school-sponsored organizations. I hypothesize that greater frequency of interaction with students in minority racial and ethnic groups is associated with greater support for campus diversity and greater knowledge of, and participation in, diversity programs. Additionally, I hypothesize that greater frequency of interaction with students of minority racial and ethnic groups is related to more positive opinions of diversity programs on campus. Student interaction information and information concerning knowledge and opinions on campus diversity programs was collected via survey from 150 Butler students. Contrary to my main hypothesis, no significant relationship was found between academic and extracurricular interactions with minority students and student attitudes towards campus diversity. However, consistent with my other hypotheses, greater frequency of academic and extracurricular interactions was found to be related to greater awareness of and participation in diversity programming, as well as more positive attitudes towards Butler’s diversity programs.

"Chicas Raras:" A Comparative Literary Study of Historical Spanish and 21st Century Feminism

Serenity Dzubay — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 13:36:33 PDT

How have women learned to rebel creatively against male-dominated political structures when their public voices are silenced? How has literature aided in feminist rhetoric and helped to protest the patriarchy? In 1987, Carmen Martín Gaite created the term “chica rara” to describe female protagonists in novels who revolted against their gendered positions in society. Women of Spain have faced severe repression of identity due to the Franco regime; however, his oppressive ideologies helped to produce a rich history in feminist protest through literature from Spanish authors who I would argue are real-life chicas raras, because they rejected their traditional roles in society through their writing. I have done a comparative historical and literary study of four female authors- Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Concha Méndez, Carmen Martín Gaite, and Ana Rossetti. Sor Juana lived and wrote during the 17th Century and creates a framework for the other three authors who lived and wrote before, during, and after the Franco regime in Spain. Although each woman lived in a different time, wrote on varying subject matters, and had a unique life experience, they all revolt against their gendered positions in society through their literary accomplishments. These women help give context to modern Western feminism, as their ideologies reflect upon vanguard feminist philosophy and rhetoric. Thus, I have also included my own philosophical analysis and reactions to each of their works in a creative-political pause between my analysis of each author

Sex Differences in the Play of African Elephant Calves (Loxodonta africana) in Captivity

Samantha Ruppert — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 13:36:24 PDT

African elephants (Loxodonta africana) live in a tiered society, with hundreds of elephants in a population (Moss, Croze, & Lee, 2011). Calves below eight years of age are within five meters of their mother 80% of the time, but spend a fair amount of time with other calves (Moss et al., 2011). Calf play in the first year of life includes: pushing each other’s heads (sparring), wrestling, and chasing. These activities prepare each sex for its adult role (Shoshani, 2000). I predicted that male and female calves would have different, but overlapping, behavioral repertoires and the behavior of elephant calves ex situ would resemble that of elephant calves in situ. I observed video obtained from a pair of calves, both conceived by artificial insemination, and born and housed at the Indianapolis Zoo. The pair included a male calf (Ajani) and a female calf (Amali). I analyzed archival data collected during 2000-2003, with each observation session lasting between 30-60 minutes, focusing on social play behaviors between the calf pair. The male calf engaged in more reproductive behaviors: play-mount, and trunk-over-back-from-behind, typical of male African elephant calves in situ. The female calf engaged in more affiliative behaviors including: trunk-to-genitals, and trunk-to-mouth, typical of female African elephant calves in situ. The key behavioral difference was the male engaged in stereotypical male mating behavior, while the female did not. These calves had never observed an adult male elephant. Thus, it seems likely the mating behaviors displayed by the male were innate reflexes.

Do Socially Conscious ETFs Match their Active Counterparts?

Ryan Cultice — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 13:36:15 PDT

Over the past decade, Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) has grown at a rapid pace and, by some estimates, now represents a quarter of the $48 trillion in assets under professional management in the United States. At the same time, investors have broadly shifted from active to passive investing strategies. While there is significant research in each of these respective areas, we believe that we are the first to examine whether a socially conscious investor can employ a passive approach or if the constrained nature of SRI necessitates active management. As such, we examine the performance of socially conscious ETFs versus a matched sample of actively managed SRI mutual funds. We find the performance, as a whole, to be insignificantly different between the two groups, suggesting that social investors may be able to follow a passive approach without sacrificing performance.

From Fetish to Fashion: Japanese Style as Commodity in 19th and 20th Century Britain

Rebecca Schmiegel — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 13:36:05 PDT

Japanese representation in art and design brought about an age when, according to a reporter at a 1878 international exhibition in Paris, “even the greatest mistresses of European crafts lay down their weapons in shame.”1 women’s fashions were able to transcend national borders through the development of Japanese designs, Orientalist ideals, and the importance of the body. Eastern eroticism was heightened through British designers, as seen in the development of the Western kimono. From Fetish to Fashion focuses on how the relationship between the state and culture can be established by an unexpected medium: women’s fashion.

This thesis examines how the British women’s fashion designers of the second half of the nineteenth century accessed themes of Japanese design following the opening of Japan to foreign trade. It also examines the nexus of state politics and culture in an Orientalist frame, exposing the relationship of Japanese trade and the rising fascination with Japanese culture. By incorporating traditional Japanese motifs of naturalism and the symbolism of the geisha seen in exhibitions and expositions, designers were able to produce a new genre of fashion that would influence the relationship between Britain and Japan leading up to the twentieth century. Japonism in fashion ushered in a wave of Orientalism toward Japan, creating a cultural fascination that would grow into a unique form of cultural appropriation.

Assessment and analysis of H.pylori infection treatment strategies of St. Vincent Hospital's family and internal medicine clinics

Rebecca Orr — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 13:35:55 PDT

Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative bacteria that is responsible for causing chronic gastritis, ulcers in the stomach and intestine, and eventually even gastric lymphoma or cancer. Multiple treatment options have been recommended for treating an H. pylori infection based on kidney function, previous antibiotic exposure, and whether or not the infection is recurrent. The most common regimens used at St. Vincent's primary care centers closely mimic the American College of Gastroenterology's clinical guidelines. However, these medications (clarithromycin and levofloxacin) have been associated with high rates of resistance in other countries. The United States has very limited data on H. pylori's resistance rates to these medications and there is not sufficient data to prove the efficacy of these regimens. This project aims to identify what percentage of H. pylori infections diagnosed at St. Vincent's Family Medicine and Internal Medicine clinics are being successfully treated with current, guideline-directed therapy. It also aims to obtain a general understanding of H. pylori resistance rates to clarithromycin and levofloxacin in the Indianapolis area based on treatment failure rates.

Soil Health Indicators and Sustainable Practices on Indy Urban Farms: An Investigation of Ecosystem Functionality

Rebecca Lewis — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 13:35:46 PDT

Urban agriculture is capable of restoring ecosystem services like food production, recreation, and clean soil and water to cities. Urban farms in particular can help relieve pressure for areas with limited food access, also known as food desserts. This is especially important to the community of Indianapolis because the city is tied for the most food desert areas within a U.S. metropolitan area. To help a community, an urban farm must have healthy, nutrient rich soils. Nitrogen is the most limiting nutrient for plants when it comes to growth and development. Plants cannot produce nitrogen; they acquire the mineral by external inputs (mulch, manure, fertilizer etc.) or internal N-fixing bacteria. If biological nitrogen fixation increases, the immediate and long-term nitrogen supply would increase, leading to an increase in ecological sustainability. In addition to nitrogen, carbon is another mineral that can tell researchers a lot about the health of a soil system. Organic carbon is a major factor for plants, it promotes the structure, of soil, and it also acts as a pH buffer.

The goal of this project is to test if common urban farming management processes are increasing the health of the ecosystem at the level of the soil. To analyze this, we looked at multiple different health indicators including: organic matter composition, percentage of carbon and nitrogen, carbon nitrogen ratio, soil pH, and bulk density of the soil samples collected. It is hypothesized that soil samples retrieved from actively farmed land will have increased health indicators. If this is true, farmed samples will be more similar to naturally established ecosystems than controlled, unfarmed samples with regard to the indicators tested. The soils used were collected from multiple sites around the city. Because of this, the data collected can be analyzed in a larger context with the goal of helping farms across Indianapolis restore fundamental ecosystem functions and improve overall sustainability.