Digital Commons Network^™

Quality Assessment Of Pathology Board-Exam-Style Mcqs Produced By Chatgpt3.5: A Comparative Study, Arianna B. Morton, Zunaira Naeem, Allison F. Goldberg, Alexis R. Peedin, Joanna Chan

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Residents preparing for pathology board exams frequently use multiple-choice questions (MCQs) from question banks (QBs) like PathDojo and PathPrimer, which can be costly. ChatGPT, a free tool, has been used to generate MCQs for other tests like the SAT. This study compared the quality of pathology MCQs created by ChatGPT versus commercially available study questions for the American Board of Pathology’s (ABPath) certifying exams. A rubric adapted from the National Board of Medical Examiners’ (NBME) question writing guide was validated by two pathologists using commercially available pathology board exam questions. This rubric was then used to evaluate MCQs from commercially …

Reducing Data Requirements In Polymer Science: Deep Neural Networks For Predicting Surface Tension Of Copolymer Compatibilizers, Md Mushfiqul Islam

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In polymer chemistry, compatibilization involves adding a substance often a block or graft copolymerto stabilize polymer blends that would otherwise not mix well, leading to rough structures and weak me- chanical properties. Compatibilizers improve miscibility and reduce interfacial tension, which is critical for applications such as mixed-waste polymer recycling. Sequence-controlled polymers offer unique potential by combining the tunable chemistry of synthetic polymers with the precise, function-driven design of biological macromolecules, but unlike proteins, they lack large, evolution-shaped datasets to guide discovery. This research develops a deep learning framework to predict the surface tension of sequence-controlled copolymer compatibilizers across varying concentrations. …

Music's Effect On The Mental Health Of Differing Age Groups, Margaret Cleve, Kaniyah Newborn, Luke Magro

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Mental health disorders are a significant concern in today’s society. Music therapy has been shown to be an effective intervention for conditions such as anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, and insomnia. However, it is not clear if the benefits function the same across different ages. The present study examined the influence of music on mental health across age using a publicly available dataset from Kaggle.com. We hypothesized that music listening would be associated with improved mental health outcomes regardless of age and that increased listening time would correlate with lower anxiety and depression. Results indicated that daily hours of music …

Physical Activity And Memory Retention, Hannah Blackman, Marisa Ronner, Lindsay Biggs, Izzy Melendez

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Attached

Developmental Effects On Zebrafish Embryos Exposed To Alcohol, Tamya Mchaney

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Zebrafish are a good organism model due to their similarities with human biology. The transparency of their embryos allows for an easier view to see the developmental stages of the embryos, and easily and accurately note any mutations or defects in any of the embryos. In addition, they make excellent candidates to track potential effects that mirror human embryos with ethanol and alcohol will have on their developmental stages. The aim of this study was to measure the genetic size developmental differences of the embryo’s lens, eyes, and heart that are given 1% alcohol and 2% alcohol. This study’s experimental …

Metadata Analysis On The Relationship Between Sleep, Depression, And Cognition In Older Adults, Sara Miller, Kristie Stephens, Grayson Harris, Vincent Flegeance

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Metadata Analysis on the relationship between sleep, depression, and cognition in older adults

Abstract

Previous research has revealed that both sleep and depression play significant roles in influencing memory. Adequate sleep facilitates memory consolidation during rest, ultimately enhancing cognitive performance. In contrast, elevated levels of depression are associated not only with physical symptoms, but also with declines in cognitive functioning. The present study aims to determine whether the cognitive benefits of sufficient sleep duration outweigh the detrimental effects of depression on memory. We hypothesize that sleep duration will have a stronger influence on memory consolidation in older adults than depression. …

Culture Mediates Climate Opinion Change: A System Dynamics Model, Louis (Lou) Gross, Yoon Ah Shin, Sara M. Constantino, Ann Kinzig, Katherine Lacasse, Brian Beckage

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Modeling Deep-Shallow Mindset Through Student-Instructor Interactions Within The Classroom, David Chan, Kaden Sadler, Charles Ibitamuno, Oyita Udiani, Rani Satyam, Miriah Dudley, Ajay Manohar, Indranil Sahoo, Yanjun Qian, Nick Wong

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Statistical Challenges And Simulation Results For Pilot Clinical Trials, Weiliang Cen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: The effect size estimated from a pilot trial is often an inaccurate reflection of the true effect size observed in a large trial, leading to either underestimation or overestimation. Published data suggest that effect sizes from large trials are typically smaller than those reported in their corresponding pilot trials. To address this discrepancy, conservative or discount adjustment methods are widely recommended to modify pilot trial effect sizes when calculating sample sizes, thereby maintaining adequate statistical power. This study aims to assess effect sizes from both pilot and large trials and to evaluate the performance of existing adjustment methods.

Methods: …

Analysis Of An Effective Training Curriculum: Solutions Toincrease Participants' Interest In Training Teachingmaterials, Maulidya Husnul Khatimah, Yoto Yoto

Jurnal Pendidikan Sains

This research is important because it analyzes the curriculum as a primary tool for generating and maintaining participant interest. Curricula that are irrelevant, monotonous, or misaligned with participant needs are often the main causes of low motivation and participation. Furthermore, this research encourages the exploration and implementation of more innovative teaching methods and materials in training curricula. External pressure in the form of demands or instructions, rather than internal motivation, drives most training activities. This can reduce engagement and learning effectiveness. To overcome this, training institutions need to design programs that are relevant, flexible, and able to encourage participants' intrinsic …

Development Of E-Lkpd Assisted By Phet Colorado Basedon Discovery Learning: Critical Thinking Skills On Lightmaterial At Junior High School, Flora Yani Saragih, Pintor Simamora

Jurnal Pendidikan Sains

Critical thinking is necessary for 21st-century pupils, but PISA data suggest that Indonesian students, especially junior high school students, lack it. The junior high science/physics light material is abstract and involves in-depth reasoning (reflection, refraction, and shadow generation). Without critical thinking, kids memorize formulas or notions without analyzing real phenomena. Discovery learning involves pupils discovering concepts via observation and experimentation. Critical thinking requires initiative, exploration, and reasoning, which these foster. Therefore, this study aims to develop E-LKPD based on Discovery Learning assisted by an interactive simulation of PhET Colorado to strengthen the critical thinking skills of grade VIII students on …

Guided Inquiry Learning Assisted By Crossword Puzzlemedia: Student Scientific Literacy And Critical Thinkingability For Middle School, Agis Putri Niswa, Mariati Purnama Simanjuntak, Ramlan Silaban, Fauziyah Harahap, Ridwan Abdullah Sani

Jurnal Pendidikan Sains

Scientific literacy and critical thinking skills are two fundamental competencies that students need in the 21st century. Scientific literacy is essential for students to understand and use scientific knowledge to make informed decisions, while critical thinking trains students to analyze information, evaluate arguments, and solve problems logically. Therefore, the intent of this study was to determine the effect of the guided inquiry learning model assisted by crossword puzzle media on students’ scientific literacy and critical thinking skills. The type of research used was quasi-experimental with a two-group pretest-posttest design. The sample consisted of two classes: class VII-8 as the control …

Geographic Patterns Of Educational Achievement: A Methodological Case Study Of Regression Modeling Approaches, Leokadia Lipien

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This methodological case study introduces a novel approach to investigate the impact of student, teacher, and geographic factors on the academic achievement of virtual school students in Florida. Traditional linear regression models, and even multilevel models, often overlook spatial dependencies, which can lead to biased estimates and incomplete inferences. This research addresses this limitation by comparing a cross-classified multilevel model (CCMM) with a novel cross-classified spatial model (CCSM) that incorporates coefficients from geographically weighted regression (GWR). Utilizing secondary data from a statewide virtual school, including student demographics, teacher characteristics, and standardized test scores, along with U.S. Census Bureau data, the …

Witnessing A Wounded World: A Theology Of Ecological Trauma, Timothy A. Middleton

Theology

A crucial intervention at the intersection of ecotheology and trauma theology

We are in the midst of a global ecological crisis. At times, the scale of the suffering involved can be hard to fully comprehend. The whole planetary ecosystem feels out of kilter. Meanwhile, trauma theorists, and society at large, have become increasingly aware of the incidence of trauma in a growing variety of contexts. In Witnessing a Wounded World, Timothy Middleton asks what might be gained by viewing ecological suffering through the lens of trauma.

By bringing concepts and methodologies from trauma theology to bear on questions that …

Electrochemical Breath Sensors In Medical Diagnostics: Emerging Trends And Future Directions, Natalie E. Strom, Courtney J. Weber, Olja Simoska

Faculty Publications

With the rising prevalence of metabolic diseases, infections, and mental health disorders, there is a growing demand for noninvasive diagnostic tools that enable early detection and continuous health monitoring. In this context, exhaled breath biomarkers provide insight into physiological and pathological processes. Electrochemical breath sensors (EBSs) have emerged as a promising platform for rapid, real-time, and cost-effective disease tracking via the detection of volatile breath biomarkers, such as NH₃, NO, and CO₂. Recent advancements in electrode materials, biological recognition elements, and sensor architectures—spanning nanomaterials, enzymes, aptamers, and molecularly imprinted polymers—have enhanced the analytical performance of EBSs. …

Electrochemical Breath Sensors In Medical Diagnostics: Emerging Trends And Future Directions, Natalie E. Strom, Courtney J. Weber, Olja Simoska

Faculty Publications

With the rising prevalence of metabolic diseases, infections, and mental health disorders, there is a growing demand for noninvasive diagnostic tools that enable early detection and continuous health monitoring. In this context, exhaled breath biomarkers provide insight into physiological and pathological processes. Electrochemical breath sensors (EBSs) have emerged as a promising platform for rapid, real-time, and cost-effective disease tracking via the detection of volatile breath biomarkers, such as NH₃, NO, and CO₂. Recent advancements in electrode materials, biological recognition elements, and sensor architectures—spanning nanomaterials, enzymes, aptamers, and molecularly imprinted polymers—have enhanced the analytical performance of EBSs. …

Effects Of Code Scaffolding In Increasing Student Confidence In Programming Cryptography, John Denny

LSU Master's Theses

Cryptography is essential for secure communications, and new threats require more students willing to program and interact with cryptographic systems. Previous research is focused on tools for teaching these systems at a high level, teaching through attacks against these systems, and proper use of these systems in software development. In this paper, we seek to design a workshop to use scaffolded Python code to teach how these cryp- tographic systems are designed. We explore the use of code scaffolding for students to program an example implementation of the McEliece crypto- graphic system to build confidence in working with these systems. …

Systematic Review Of Elementary Cybersecurity Education: Curriculum, Pedagogy, And Barriers, Na Liu, Siyu Long, Florence Martin

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

Abstract -As children increasingly engage with digital platforms, the need for effective cybersecurity education has become urgent. This systematic review synthesizes 81 studies published between 2017 and 2024 to examine global curricula research focus and topics, pedagogical approaches and assessment methods, and key challenges in elementary cybersecurity education. The findings reveal six major thematic categories: student awareness, parental mediation, teacher engagement, curriculum design, community and policy support, and pedagogical innovation. Among instructional strategies, game-based learning and narrative storytelling emerge as the most frequently explored. Despite this growth, major gaps remain in curriculum consistency, teacher preparation, assessment rigor, and stakeholder coordination. …

Losing Focus In The Age Of Tik Tok: Clinical Evidence For Policy Action On Social Media Use, Megan Conefrey, Robert Griffin

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

No abstract provided.

Unheard And Underserved: Exploring Support For Male Victims Of Partner Abuse, Michael Keenan, Colletta Dalikeni

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Chronic Pain On Income And Employment, Jordan Vaarsi, Amber Jolly, Karim S. Ladha

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

No abstract provided.

From Recognition To Action: Advancing Nutrition Care In Irish Healthcare, Aoife Gillane, Sarah Donovan, Lisa Ryan

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

No abstract provided.

From Conflict To Connection: Educators Leading The Shift Towards Restorative Practices (Rp) In Deis Primary Schools, Ellen Slattery, Clara Hoyne

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

No abstract provided.

From Personas To Talks: Revisiting The Impact Of Personas On Llm-Synthesized Emotional Support Conversations, Shenghan Wu, Yimo Zhu, Wynne Hsu, Mong-Li Lee, Yang Deng

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The rapid advancement of Large Language Models (LLMs) has revolutionized the generation of emotional support conversations (ESC), offering scalable solutions with reduced costs and enhanced data privacy. This paper explores the role of personas in the creation of ESC by LLMs. Our research utilizes established psychological frameworks to measure and infuse persona traits into LLMs, which then generate dialogues in the emotional support scenario. We conduct extensive evaluations to understand the stability of persona traits in dialogues, examining shifts in traits post-generation and their impact on dialogue quality and strategy distribution. Experimental results reveal several notable findings: 1) LLMs can …

Adasteer: Your Aligned Llm Is Inherently An Adaptive Jailbreak Defender, Weixiang Zhao, Jiahe Guo, Yulin Hu, Yang Deng, An Zhang, Xingyu Sui, Xinyang Han, Yanyan Zhao, Bing Qin, Tat-Seng Chua, Ting Liu

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Despite extensive efforts in safety alignment, large language models (LLMs) remain vulnerable to jailbreak attacks. Activation steering offers a training-free defense method but relies on fixed steering coefficients, resulting in suboptimal protection and increased false rejections of benign inputs. To address this, we propose AdaSteer, an adaptive activation steering method that dynamically adjusts model behavior based on input characteristics. We identify two key properties: Rejection Law (R-Law), which shows that stronger steering is needed for jailbreak inputs opposing the rejection direction, and Harmfulness Law (H-Law), which differentiates adversarial and benign inputs. AdaSteer steers input representations along both the Rejection Direction …

Chain Of Strategy Optimization Makes Large Language Models Better Emotional Supporter, Weixiang Zhao, Xingyu Sui, Xinyang Han, Yang Deng, Yulin Hu, Jiahe Guo, Libo Qin, Qianyun Du, Shijin Wang, Yanyan Zhao, Bing Qin, Ting Liu

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The growing emotional stress in modern society has increased the demand for Emotional Support Conversations (ESC). While Large Language Models (LLMs) show promise for ESC, they face two key challenges: (1) low strategy selection accuracy, and (2) preference bias, limiting their adaptability to users’ emotional needs. Existing supervised fine-tuning (SFT) struggles to address these issues, as it rigidly trains models on single gold-standard responses without modeling nuanced strategy trade-offs. To overcome these limitations, we propose a novel two-stage framework that optimizes strategy selection preferences at each dialogue turn. We first leverage Monte Carlo Tree Search to construct ESC-Pro, a high-quality …

Composition Pedagogy As Ai‑Native Coding: From Design Kit To Scholarly Framework, Daniel Plate, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

This article advances a field-ready framework that reconceives first-year composition as AI-native coding, translating a complete “design kit” into scholarly method, evaluative protocol, and curriculum architecture. Background: Contemporary composition pedagogy emphasizes process, genre awareness, and collaborative revision; meanwhile, modern software practice operationalizes iteration through version control, test-driven development, and continuous integration. The uploaded kit demonstrates that these cultures are isomorphic: writing stages align with SDLC phases, and automated pipelines can lint prose, execute argument “tests,” and publish artifacts with auditable histories. Approach: The study systematizes that kit into (1) a conceptual map that recasts authorship as orchestration and verification, (2) …

Perspectives On Firearm Storage Conversations: Summary Of Health Care Provider Interviews And Parent Focus Group, Rachel M. Gallo Mph

Publications

This report summarizes perspectives from Maine parents who own firearms and health care providers on safe firearm storage and related conversations in health care settings. Through interviews and a parent focus group, the project explored how firearms are stored, what influences storage decisions, and how families and providers feel about discussing firearm safety. Parents emphasized the importance of responsible ownership, education, and individualized storage solutions, while identifying cost as a key barrier to safer storage options. Many health care providers expressed interest in addressing firearm safety but cited limited time, lack of training, and concerns about patient trust as challenges. …

Examining The Perception Of Maritime Instructors In Upskilling And Reskilling Seafarers Towards Decarbonization, Michelle Margallo

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Navigating Equity In The Digital Era : Addressing Challenges And Advancing Rights Of Female Seafarers Through Policy Reform, And Artificial Intelligence, Margaret Dixon

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.