Digital Commons Network^™

Investigating Plant Physiological Responses To Global Phylogenetic Diversity Of Glomeromycotina, David Z. Mowbray

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are ubiquitous symbionts of terrestrial plant species with associations predominantly characterized as mutualistic. In addition to well-documented enhancement of host growth response, more recent analyses have demonstrated the conferral of host benefits under numerous biotic and abiotic stressors. However, much of the established evidence originates from studies involving limited AM fungal diversity. Accordingly, this study sought to evaluate the potential effects of inoculation on plant host physiological traits within a growth chamber environment, investigate potential correlations between host trait responses, & assess the degree of phylogenetic signal observed in trait responses due to the presence of …

The Roles Of Media Multitasking And Technology Use In Selective Attention And Task Switching, Katina Chris

Honors Undergraduate Theses

A number of studies have explored the impact of multitasking on specific cognitive skills, primarily with regard to non-media multitasking activities. While briefly addressing technology, its use in the modern era regarding media multitasking and its associated cognitive declines has not been extensively examined. Forty-nine participants were required to complete a series of cognitive tasks including the Stroop Color and Word Test and the Trail Making Test. Data were also collected for how often participants media multitask, the amount of technology they use, as well as other demographic variables. The goal of this study was to empirically examine the role …

Development Of A Screening Methodology For The Analysis Of Rhodamine B In Foodstuffs, George T. Knecht

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Synthetic dyes that are used as color additives in foodstuffs are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C). The use of synthetic dyes not approved by the FDA, or the addition of dyes approved by the FDA above their maximum concentration limits in foodstuffs necessarily constitutes illegal food adulteration. Recently, rhodamine B (RhB), a bright-pink synthetic dye not approved for use in foodstuffs, has become an adulterant of interest due to its discovery in a large variety of food samples, and its identity as a potential carcinogen. Numerous chromatographic and spectroscopic …

Selma: A Filmic Description Of History, Hunter L. Tierman

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis will determine the validity of the claim made by Joseph Califano, an aide to President Lyndon Johnson, that the film Selma is not historically accurate, especially regarding the Johnson character. This topic was picked to critique historical accuracy in the film and provide a framework to determine if the film would be suitable for use in an educational setting. This thesis used multiple academic monographs, telephone conversations, interviews, and presidential archives to come to a conclusion. After thorough research, it has been determined that Selma can be used as an educational resource with appropriate cautions stated beforehand regarding …

Researching How Excess Social Media Use And Filters Affect Trust, Ula J. Mccarthy

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In the present day, excessive social media use has become synonymous with the younger generation. Prolonged social media interaction has resulted in new terminology describing the compulsive need for internet and social media use: internet addiction. This is a new term, and while it has not been defined as a clinical addiction used in acute care settings (Zahrai et al., 2022), it is important to understand its symptoms, like excessive social media use. Given the rapid speed of social media integration in modern society, it is important to investigate how excessive social media use (ESMU), as defined by Zahrai et …

The Prevention Of Sexualization Of Girls, Sarah P. Thomas

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Sexualization can affect individuals of all ages, colors, sexualities, and genders. Sexualization may affect women and girls more commonly and intensely, however. Sexualization occurs when one's value is placed solely on their appearance. Sexualization has been observed to happen through two main sources: the media and interpersonal relationships. Consequently, a third source may arise when girls internalize the sexualization. It has been demonstrated that sexualization can have negative and positive consequences for adolescent girls. Though sexualization may have positive consequences, such as sexual agency, the negative consequences seem to outweigh them. Despite the amount of attention this topic has received, …

Towards Explainable Ai Using Attribution Methods And Image Segmentation, Garrett J. Rocks

Honors Undergraduate Theses

With artificial intelligence (AI) becoming ubiquitous in a broad range of application domains, the opacity of deep learning models remains an obstacle to adaptation within safety-critical systems. Explainable AI (XAI) aims to build trust in AI systems by revealing important inner mechanisms of what has been treated as a black box by human users. This thesis specifically aims to improve the transparency and trustworthiness of deep learning algorithms by combining attribution methods with image segmentation methods. This thesis has the potential to improve the trust and acceptance of AI systems, leading to more responsible and ethical AI applications. An exploratory …

Binge Drinking And Non-Consensual Drug Intoxication, Jake Blendermann

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Sexual violence towards women on a college campus have remained an issue the past few decades, with about one out of every four female students becoming a victim of it (Rosoff, 2018). Coupled with high rates of binge-drinking on college campuses (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2021), it can be argued that now, more than ever, that attention needs to be drawn to how females can try to be aware of strategies to help combat such predators. Previous research also shows a link between functionally inhibiting drugs referred to as "roofies" that can be slipped into the drink …

Ivermectin On Twitter: Investigating Early Advocacy For Covid-19 Vaccine Alternatives, Daniel Gabriel

Honors Undergraduate Theses

An emerging pattern of public doubt in scientific and political authorities has been seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, where numerous alternatives to vaccinations have gone viral. Ivermectin's growth from a relatively known specialist drug to a political controversy is a striking example of the amplification that social media can provide. Doubt in the dangers of illness has occurred in regard to previous diseases with limited impact, including the Zika virus, Ebola, and H1N1. However, the COVID-19 pandemic's impact in the United States is a much larger example of the gaps in current risk assessments and methods of public health authorities. …

The Implications Of Religion And Internal Motivations On Health Behaviors, Sarah Jamaleddine

Honors Undergraduate Theses

It is considered that religion and internal motivations may act as guiding forces behind the thoughts and actions of individuals. The purpose of this thesis is to explore if religiousness and internal motivations may influence individual health behaviors. To explore these relationships, a convenience sample using a 5-minute Qualtrics survey with questions regarding religiousness, internal motivations, and health behaviors was developed. This survey was offered to UCF students over the course of a few semesters. It is hypothesized that individuals that indicate more religiousness and stronger internal motivations (greater internal locus of control and self-efficacy) will demonstrate more positive health …

Detection Of Familiar Versus Unfamiliar Auditory Stimuli, Nupur S. Kumar

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis explored auditory thresholds relating to the cocktail party effect and ringtones. The cocktail party effect describes when meaningful stimuli are able to be detected at lower thresholds when compared to other stimuli. Speech has always been considered special in its perception, especially with its connection to the cocktail party effect; however, other auditory stimuli may also be significant. Previous literature has examined how the motor system may be involved in speech perception and the qualities of speech that make its perception unique. At the same time, other research has examined how other auditory stimuli may also require special …

The Effects Of Virtual Reality-Based Mindfulness Meditation On Cognition, Rafael Leite

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Due to relatively recent strides made in the field of virtual reality, the technology's potential use in a clinical setting has been the focus of a growing body of research. Multiple studies focus on benefits of its combination with meditation interventions; however, few explore its impact following a short-term period of utilizing both. This investigation aims to explore that gap in the literature by determining whether an improvement on mindfulness and working memory test scores would be seen following a single session of virtual reality meditation. That was done by randomly assigning participants to one of two conditions. One group …

Antiziganism And The Rise In Electoral Success Of Extreme Right-Wing Parties In Central And Eastern Europe, Mohamedameen I. Osman

Honors Undergraduate Theses

My thesis explores the association between Roma's perceptions of discrimination against them by native populations and electoral support of populist or extreme right-wing parties in Central and Eastern Europe. Roma communities have historically been discriminated and persecuted; however according to findings in the literature, during the Cold War there had been improvements in terms of protection of their rights and their economic advancement. Following the end of the Cold War, however, Roma lost these protections and their status worsened. This deterioration is partly attributed to the rise of far-right parties in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe; this connection, …

Evaluation Of The Violence And Stigmatization Against Children With Disabilities: A Literature Review, Nmesoma Ozougwu

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Violence and Stigmatization against children with disabilities are critical public health issues. Children with disabilities are a vulnerable population as they are exposed to various forms of discrimination and violence globally. The forms of abuse include, but are not limited to, physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. The experiences of Children with disabilities are massively undocumented and there is also a lack of existing literature addressing the issue. The abuse and violence against children with disabilities are also underreported specifically in cultures where this abuse is socially accepted. There are gaps in the literature regarding the condition of children with disabilities …

Learning Disabilities And The Impact Of Accommodation Programs In Post-Secondary Education, Jacqueline Persaud

Honors Undergraduate Theses

As enrollment rates for students with learning disabilities steadily increase, post-secondary institutions must become more inclusive. Current literature reveals a gap in studies between post-secondary education and student views on access programs. Our endeavor focused on this community. The survey was distributed using SONA and by the Student Accessibility Services Office via Qualtrics. Our study looked at 312 participants, aged from 18 - over 30 years old and who varied in sex. More satisfaction with accommodations equated to more academic competence towards goals. However, the results showed less satisfaction with personal lives and self-acceptance. This is possibly due to participants …

Provider Perceptions On The Usage Of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy To Influence Behavior Change In Individuals With Substance Use Disorders, Leia T. Rausch

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Recent research studies and clinical trials have suggested that psychedelic therapy with psychological support can offer beneficial and synergistic effects in reducing or eliminating substance use disorder (SUD) patterns and symptoms. However, very little is known about SUD healthcare providers' perceptions of the usage of psychedelic-assisted therapy in SUD treatment. The present study assesses biomedical SUD healthcare providers' perceptions and concerns to better understand potential barriers to the effective implementation of psychedelic-based therapies and formulate further recommendations for research efforts surrounding them. This study collected data through a short survey and qualitative semi-structured interviews from nine participants involved in SUD …

The Role Of Mental Health Evaluations In The Prevention And Intervention Of School Shootings, Livine Saint-Louis

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In 2022, there were forty-two mass school shootings, a record that surpassed the previous years. As of April 2023, there have already been fourteen school shootings that have resulted in injury or death. Each year, the frequency of mass school shootings and the number of victims continue to rise. Regarding the shooters' characteristics, some have reported a history of mental illness, instability within the home, poor academic performance, and more. In the United States (U.S.), one out of five children and adolescents are diagnosed with mental health disorders (Brookman, 2017). This study will examine four significant perpetrators that committed mass …

Effect Of Molecular Crowders On The Activation Of Cholera Toxin By Protein Disulfide Isomerase, Niral Shah

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Cholera toxin (CT) is a classic A-B type protein toxin that has an A subunit (A1 + A2) and a pentameric B subunit. The catalytic A1 domain is linked to the A2 domain via a disulfide linkage. CTA1 must be dissociated from the rest of the toxin to cause a cytopathic effect. Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) can reduce the CTA1/CTA2 disulfide bond, but disassembly of the reduced toxin requires the partial unfolding of PDI that occurs when it binds to CTA1. This unfolding event allows PDI to push CTA1 away from the rest of the toxin.

My research question is …

Analyzing The Effectiveness Of Kinesio-Taping In Golf-Induced Chronic Low Back Pain Management, Yushan Zhang

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Kinesio-Taping (KT) in golf-induced chronic low-back pain management. The golfing population continues to grow each year, and the risks of golf-induced chronic low back pain (CLBP) remain high. The Kinesio-taping technique is a non-invasive treatment intervention utilized in sports injury rehabilitation and prevention. Due to the lack of research on KT in golf-related injuries, this study addresses the injury mechanism of golf-induced CLBP and the proposed physiological mechanism and therapeutic effects on the musculoskeletal system of KT. This study is a comprehensive review of the golf swing, prevalence and …

The Mental And Dental Repercussions Of Obstructive Sleep Apnea And Its Treatments, Emily E. Mcgoohan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between dental and mental health. To dive deeper into seeing this connection, patients with sleep apnea will be asked to share their experiences with the treatments for sleep apnea and how it had affected their mental or dental health.

Propaganda, Criticism, And War: A Study Of Regime Criticism By Propagandists In War, Jack C. Seay

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This paper investigates when propagandists criticize their country's war effort, examining instances where propagandists openly criticize the regimes they are expected to support during an armed conflict. This is a unique and relatively unexplored angle on propaganda, differing from widespread research on the range of effects that propaganda has on a target population, the reasons behind using propaganda on a target population, and the methods propagandists use to raise support for a political authority. Understanding when propagandists criticize their country's war effort can mitigate their influence by helping audiences identify when and how propagandists use criticism to their advantage. The …

Ruffled: Examining Feminism & Femininity Through Animation, Savannah Berry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The animated short film Ruffled confronts the subjects of Feminism and Femininity through the after-hour musings of a young seamstress. Sewing to patterns and working from their papered paradigms she discovers her unique voice that is both referential of the past while remaining distinctly modern. The struggle twenty-first century Feminists may encounter when determining their place within a history rich with prejudice, confrontation, and triumph is metaphorically represented in each of the character's attempts at garment creation. Within the film, not only does this clothing harken back to vintage apparel but whimsically transforms her surroundings to reflect three visually distinct …

Design Considerations And Imaging Setup For Liquid Fuel Droplet Detonation Wave Experiments, Nicolas Berube

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Initial results, design considerations, and experimental validation of a new detonation tube are presented to further improve detonation wave interaction research. The new structure consists of four independent portions: the deflagration to detonation initiation section, transition expansion section, operating test section, and dump section. The initiation, transition, and test sections are designed to operate within a temperature limit of 150°C and a maximum detonation pressure of 100 bar. The test section is comprised of interchangeable 155 cm stainless steel 316 plates assembled to create a 10x10 cm square hollow structure, sealed with longitudinal O-rings between plates and lateral O-rings between …

Multi-Material 3d Printing With Hybrid Direct Ink Writing-Volumetric Additive Manufacturing (Diw-Vam) System, Jose Zapata

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The rapid growth of 3D printing has led to many new iterations of additive manufacturing techniques. However, the current 3D printing techniques encompass only one printing method and have gradually expanded the ability to print multiple materials simultaneously. In this research, a hybrid 3D printing system is created by integrating direct ink writing (DIW) into volumetric additive manufacturing (VAM) to achieve multi-material printing. Compared to traditional DLP and SLA printing systems, the hybrid DIW-VAM system can create parts 95% faster. Meanwhile, the developed hybrid system takes advantages of DIW's precision to suspend a secondary liquid resin through extrusion into a …

Following Faculty Engaging In Collaborative Action Research To Approach Curricular Change In Undergraduate Biochemistry, Christopher Nix

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This study engaged in a curricular redesign of an undergraduate biochemistry course undertaken by a collaborative action research group. The initial portion of this study investigated student conceptual understanding of foundational concepts via a rigorously tested concept inventory. the impact of the redesign on the student foundational conceptual understanding was determined by comparison with a baseline data set. Findings suggest that students enter and exit the biochemistry course with little understanding of key foundational concepts. Examination of student performance after the incorporation of creative exercises showed a significant impact of the curricular changes on two of the concepts of interest. …

A Conceptual Model For Quality 4.0 Deployment In U.S. Based Manufacturing Firms, Thomas Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Manufacturing is currently undergoing a fourth industrial revolution, referred to as Industry 4.0, enabled by digital technologies and advances in our ability to collect and use data. Quality 4.0 is the application of Industry 4.0 to enhance the quality function within an organization. Quality practitioners are uniquely positioned within organizations and already possess data application skillsets. Despite a perception that Quality 4.0 will be critical to future success shared by a majority of industry, most companies have not attempted to implement Quality 4.0 strategy, and those that have report very low rates of success. The goal of this study was …

Variation In Genetic Structure And Dispersal Of Juvenile Green Turtles, Gustavo Stahelin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Sea turtles are long-lived, globally distributed animals with a complex life-history. Individuals from different populations often share the same foraging areas (mixed stock aggregations). Understanding patterns of dispersal and connectivity between reproductive populations and mixed stock aggregations is fundamental for the development of effective conservation plans. Recently, green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) populations in several reproductive areas have increased, providing an opportunity to evaluate how demographic changes in reproductive areas impact dispersal to, and the composition of, mixed stock aggregations. In this dissertation, I evaluated how dispersal from reproductive populations in the Greater Caribbean to mixed stock aggregations may have …

Probing Electron Correlations With First-Principles Calculations Of The High Harmonic Spectrum In Solids, Didarul Alam

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

High harmonic generation (HHG) is an extreme non-linear phenomenon where strong laser fields interact with a medium to produce coherent and high-frequency harmonics of the incident light. It has emerged as a rapidly growing research area in bulk materials since its first observation in ZnO crystals in 2011. Over the past decade, pioneering studies have already been made in understanding the details of the microscopic mechanism behind this phenomenon, like the role of intra- and inter-band transitions, the contribution of the modulus and the phase of the dipole moment to even and odd harmonic peaks, the role of the oscillating …

Dna Capture And Translocation Through Nanopore, Swarnadeep Seth

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This thesis investigates DNA dynamics and translocation through nanopores using Brownian dynamics (BD) simulations, offering insights into sequencing technologies, DNA marker detection, and accurate barcoding utilizing solid-state nanopore platforms. First, we in silico study the intricate process of capture and translocation in a single nanopore. Our simulation reveals a high probability of hairpin loop formation during the capture process. However, attaching a charged tag to one end of DNA improves multi-scan rates and enhances unidirectional translocations. We use modulating voltage biases to multi-scan a lambda-phage dsDNA with oligonucleotide flap markers (tags) through a single and double nanopore system. Our study …

Exploring Stakeholder Experiences To Co-Design Policy Alternatives For The Bright Futures Scholarship Program, Sherry Paramore

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Despite decades of research and promising strategies to ensure educational equity for all students, a significant disparity persists between the racial majority and marginalized students in the United States. Attaining educational equity is a complex problem illustrated by state-funded merit-based scholarships, including the State of Florida Bright Futures Scholarship. Since Florida's merit-based Bright Futures Scholarship Program's (BFSP) inception, the average percentage of black scholarship recipients has been minimal compared to other races. The equitable distribution of scholarship funds is critical to investigate since attaining a post-secondary education advances social mobility consequently breaking the cycle of poverty for lower socioeconomic students …