Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of School Meal Consumption On School-Related Factors In Elementary School-Aged Children, Megan Reynolds

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine teacher perception of student school meal preferences in an elementary school setting. This was a cross-sectional mixed-methods study that is part of a larger study to develop a nutrition education program for elementary school children. Focus groups and surveys were administered to faculty at a charter school in downtown Orlando to gain insight into the types of food offered at school and student response to these food items. All members of the faculty were invited to participate in the study, and seven teachers volunteered to take part in this study. Focus groups …

Reimagining Drugs: An Anthropological Analysis Of U.S. Drug Policy Frameworks And Student Activism, Megan A. Sarmento

Honors Undergraduate Theses

As the repercussions of the nearly 50-year U.S. War on Drugs are revealing themselves to be harmful and life-threatening, especially to lower-class and minority populations, social movements aimed at drug policy reform have been on the rise. While today's generation of college students were raised on abstinence-based discourses, which constantly warned and threatened them about the dangers of drug use, these same students often change their perspective, some as early as high school, when they begin having their own experiences with drugs and engage in more drug-related conversations. As a result, many students become motivated to change drug policy and …

Nursing Students' Attitude And Commitment Toward Substance-Abusing Patients, Amy L. O'Conner

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The topic of substance-abuse has received increasing attention in recent years, as the number of individuals experiencing drug abuse and addiction is on the rise. With substance-use on the rise, the number of patients admitted to the hospital with this disorder is increasing also. It is important hospital staff are aware and educated on how to provide adequate care to these patients without judgement regarding their choices or their lifestyle. This study was done to determine how prepared nursing students are to care for patients with drug abuse or addiction. Specifically, the project explores student nurses' attitudes and commitment toward …

The Pay Equity Dilemma Women Face Around The World, Lana D. Mcmurray

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In this research, I examine the pay equity dilemma women face around the world and how it is different in various regions of the world. My research question focuses on “how a nation’s cultural characteristics affect pay equity?” It is already documented that men are paid more than women. The goal of this study is to explain how individual characteristics of national culture (such as masculinity, individualism, power distance, and uncertainty avoidance) impacts this inequality. By increasing the understanding of pay inequality, changes can be made that will improve the lives of not just women but the families of those …

Explaining The Difference In Support For President Trump And Senator Rubio In The 2016 Election In Florida, Florencia Miguez Devesa

Honors Undergraduate Theses

What explains the difference between the county level vote received by President Donald Trump and U.S. Senator Marco Rubio in the 2016 Florida general election? Over the last couple of decades, Florida has earned a reputation for being a highly competitive state that impacts control of the White House and congress. As Florida’s electorate becomes increasingly diverse, will the Democratic Party begin to win more often as their usual base grows, or will the Republican Party figure out a way to remain competitive? The 2016 general election presents an opportunity to analyze the structure of support for two Republican candidates …

The Effects Of Wearable Fitness Devices On Pediatric Obesity: An Integrative Literature Review, Kevin Sabina

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Childhood obesity is a foremost concern throughout the health care community. Approximately 17.6% of the pediatric population meet the criteria for obesity, which can lead to health disparities later in life, such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome. Emerging mobile and wearable lifestyle tracking devices can be a viable solution to the challenging problem of childhood obesity through behavior changes, feasibility, and adherence. The purpose of this literature review was to determine the effect that mobile and wearable activity tracking devices have on the obese pediatric population. A centralized review of the literature was conducted using various …

Infection Dynamics Of Herpesvirus In Gopher Tortoises, Joanne Saldanha

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Gopherus polyphemus, commonly known as the Gopher Tortoise, is a dryland reptile native to the southeastern United States. It is commonly a resident of longleaf pine and dry oak sand hill habitats. It is considered a keystone species because they dig deep burrows that provide shelter to them as well as many other animals. Habitat loss, fragmentation, and disease are major threats and have caused this species to be federally listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Disease is a major threat to the gopher tortoise’s survival, and with declining populations, the need to investigate …

Parasympathetic Nerve Derived Exosomes Inhibit Hyperglycemia Induced Apoptosis In Cardiomyoblast Cells, Reetish K. Singla

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Diabetic cardiomyopathy involves both forms of cardiac cell cell death such as apoptosis and necrosis. However, this remains unknown whether hyperglycemia induced apoptosis in the cell culture system is inhibited by parasympathetic nerve derived exosomes. We isolated parasympathetic and sympathetic nerves and derived exosomes. We developed hyperglycemia induced apoptosis in H9c2 cells. H9c2 cells were divided into 4 groups: 1) Control, 2) H9c2+ Glucose 100 mmol, 3) H9c2+ Glucose +parasympathetic-exo, 4) H9c2+ Glucose+sympathetic-exo. We determined cell proliferation and viability with MTT assay kit and apoptosis with TUNEL staining and cell death detection ELISA kit. Data was further confirmed with pro-apoptotic …

The Role Of Stress In The Differential Diagnosis Of Apraxia Of Speech And Aphasia, Jennifer G. Ferranti

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The intent of this thesis is to explore and develop the quantification of AOS features, particularly the deficits of prosodic elements, lexical stress and duration. This study investigated whether PVI can be used as a sensitive tool for the differential diagnosis of AOS. Specifically, we sought to determine whether analysis of vowel length of stressed and unstressed syllables is helpful in differentiating between individuals with AOS and aphasia versus aphasia alone. Significant differences support the hypothesis that PVI, analyzed from vowel length, is uniquely affected in AOS. This yields reason for further research in prosodic deficits in differential diagnosis, as …

Memory Of Words: A Categorization Task, Paulina Maxim

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Through the years, the Deese-Roediger-McDermott Paradigm has demonstrated to be a useful method of observing false memories from semantically related word lists. The present study was conducted fully online and measured memory performance dependent on categorization of words by using groups, as well as dragging words across the page as a form of interaction. In a 2 (Categorized, Non-Categorized) x 2 (Interactive, Non-Interactive) between-subject factorial experiment, 56 undergraduate students were shown 18 different lists of 15 associative words to be studied, one list at a time. Participants were given a free recall test immediately after studying each individual list. Participants …

The American Dream Short-Lived: The Decline Of Academic Achievement And College Confidence Through Acculturation, Perceptions Of Ethnic Discrimination, And Concerns With Confirming Stereotypes, Alexis N. Miller

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In this exploratory study, the goal was to examine patterns of perceived ethnic discrimination, stereotype confirmation, and acculturation within the context of a diverse, inclusive university. It was predicted that reported rates of perceived ethnic discrimination would be low, but the majority of students would still experience some type of discrimination at least once. The second hypothesis for this study was that higher levels of discrimination, acculturation and stereotype confirmation would result in lower levels of college self-efficacy and GPA. These factors were also predicted to be positively associated with each other as well. The personality trait, conscientiousness was predicted …

Mechanical Properties Of The Skeleton Of Acropora Cervicornis, Bridget Masa

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This research explores the instantaneous mechanical behavior of the skeleton of the critically endangered staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis. Both bleached and sanded skeletons were used in this experiment. The Raman spectroscopy test showed that there was no significant change in the Raman shift between the three branches tested. The shifts were nearly identical to Raman shifts of calcium carbonate. Vickers hardness test found that 1 Bleached had the average hardness of 3.44 GPa with a standard deviation of 0.12 GPa. The sanded sample also had a similar value of 3.54 GPa with a standard deviation of 0.13 GPa. Samples from …

Marketing Practices Of Socially Responsible And Sustainable Businesses, Brooke A. Bivins

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The topic of this research is marketing practices of socially responsible and sustainable businesses. It examines the strategies companies and brands use to represent themselves to the public through products, advertising, and philanthropy. This includes an evaluation of existing frameworks and case studies, as well as in-depth interviews. The question that this research will answer is as follows: How can new or existing companies embrace and integrate social responsibility or sustainability in a way that is authentic and contributes to a positive public reputation?

Younger generations are increasingly willing to switch to and, in some cases, pay more for products …

Feeding The Children: A Paleodietary Reconstruction Of Juveniles From Kuelap, Peru, Marley Denierio

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Before reaching adulthood, every individual experiences a period of dependency, the juvenile period, during which they rely on the older, more experienced members of their society for their security, subsistence and care. This juvenile period is an important stage of life for human physical and physiological development. In bioarchaeology, there has been limited research conducted on juveniles, particularly, the development of their own social identity and influences. The research method of stable carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) isotope analysis is used to reconstruct the paleodiet of juveniles to determine their dietary composition. Specifically, this research is focused on Kuelap, located …

Exploring The Value Of The Bachelor's Degree For Teachers In The Early Childhood Education Field: A Research Synthesis, Melissa A. Hogan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The implementation of standardized testing has changed education in the United States resulting in a content ripple effect from the higher grades down to preschool-aged children. To match that ripple effect early childhood education can be evaluated and reformed accordingly by exploring many factors that make up the early childhood education system. This manuscript addressed one factor, early childhood teacher preparation, through a synthesis of literature related to the potential benefits of earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Development and Education, or a BS. The theories of early brain development were explored first and then …

Dialogic Reading With Adolescent Mothers, Diana L. Abarca

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching dialogic reading (DR) strategies to adolescent mothers as measured by DR strategy use during shared book reading with their children. The secondary purpose was to determine the impact of adolescent mothers' implementation of DR strategies on their preschool children’s single word vocabulary. A single subject multiple baseline across behaviors research design was implemented with one adolescent mother and her twin boys. Based on visual analysis of graphical representation of the data, it was determined there was a moderate to strong functional relation between educating an adolescent mother on …

Preventing Childhood Obesity In School-Aged Children: Relationships Between Reading Nutrition Labels And Healthy Dietary Behaviors, Kimberly S. Bogers

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Childhood obesity is a prevalent problem in the United States. Obesity increases the risk for many diseases. Obese children are likely to become obese adults with additional comorbidities. Studies have reported mixed findings regarding associations between reading nutrition labels and improved dietary behaviors/healthy weight status. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the frequency of children reading nutrition labels is related to frequency of performing 12 dietary behaviors. De-identified baseline data from a previous quasiexperimental pilot study were analyzed. Data were collected from 4th and 5th graders (n = 42) at an after-school program. An adapted paper survey …

Pregnant Women's Knowledge About Fetal Movement Count, Jade Hanna Bowen

Honors Undergraduate Theses

BACKGROUND: Fetal movement count (FMC) is a non-invasive tool used to evaluate fetal well-being and prevent stillbirth. FMC decrease the chances of stillbirth occurrence (Tveit et al., 2009), but in other countries, research shows that women are not taught about the benefits of FMC (Berndl, O'Connel, & Mcload, 2013). The purposes of this study were to discover 1) the knowledge of pregnant women in their third trimester about FMC and 2) sources through which women learn about FMC.

METHODOLOGY: The study is a quantitative descriptive design. An original survey consisting of 12 questions was created for the study. Inclusion criteria …

"Back" To The Future: An Evaluation Of Morphological Integration In Kyphosis, Kristyna L. Ceuninck

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Morphological integration refers to the interdependence of two or more phenotypic structures. The morphological integration concept is based on the fact that parts of complex organisms do not vary randomly and instead display degrees of non-independence that are thought to occur from shared genetic or developmental origins, and/or functional demands. Integrated traits may develop, evolve, and be inherited together. One instance of morphological integration can be found between the vertebral column and the skull. Due to the position of the skull resting atop of the vertebral column, posture may influence skull development and overall craniofacial morphology. Morphological integration within or …

Exploring Diet, Physical Activity, And Self-Reported Health Status Among Individuals In The Medically Underserved Population, Kelley R. Devoe

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The primary purpose of this study is to determine if certain lifestyle and health behaviors (e.g. smoking, physical activity, diet) in the medically underserved population have any influence on particular health statuses. This study also looked to determine if these health behaviors resulted in particular medical aliments being more prevalent or specific to this community. The secondary purpose of this study aims to gain information that may help health care providers practicing in this community to earlier identify risk factors in patients before a medical problem becomes more severe, difficult and expensive to treat. A survey, adapted from the CDC's …

Studies Of Norspermidine Uptake In Drosophila Suggest The Existence Of Multiple Polyamine Transport Pathways, Michael Dieffenbach

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Polyamines are a class of essential nutrients involved in many basic cellular processes such as gene expression, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. Without polyamines, cell growth is delayed or halted. Cancerous cells require an abundance of polyamines through a combination of synthesis and transport from the extracellular environment. An FDA-approved drug, D,L-α-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), blocks polyamine synthesis but is ineffective at inhibiting cell growth due to polyamine transport. Thus, there is a need to develop drugs that inhibit polyamine transport to use in combination with DFMO. Surprisingly, little is known about the polyamine transport system in humans and other eukaryotes. Understanding the …

The Effectiveness Of Functional Movement Screening Testing In Prevention Of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries In Women's Collegiate Soccer, Morgan P. Ferrara

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The Functional Movement Screen (FMS), invented in 1995, has been adopted among Division One sports programs across the country. Being a women’s soccer player at the University of Central Florida (UCF), this particular topic had been of interest for years. The FMS is a series of seven tests evaluated at the beginning and end of each season. The UCF team's preventative rehabilitation was based upon the measurements from the FMS testing. The team engaged in preventative rehabilitation three times a week. Each year of my membership, the team of 28 to 30 players had no less than two anterior cruciate …

Considering Stress In A Nursing Student Context: Pre-Admission To Pre-Graduation, Daniel M. Regner

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In moderation, stress is a normal response to a perceived challenge which can motivate an individual to perform at their best. Nursing students consistently report a significant amount of stress which has been found to be greater than their non-nursing peers. The purpose of this study is to assess the level of stress reported by second-semester freshman and sophomore students who have declared nursing as a major, compared with the level of stress experienced by junior and senior students who are enrolled in the university's nursing program. Through this comparison, a conclusion can be drawn as to the level of …

The Effect Of Race On Parents' Intent To Vaccinate Their Children Against Human Papillomavirus, Ariana L. Ruiz Aguilar

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted disease that often presents as genital warts, but may also lead to cancers, including those of the vagina, penis, mouth and tonsils. Despite three vaccines being currently available to prevent HPV, the HPV vaccine retains a low national average vaccination rate when compared to the Tetanus-Diptheria- Pertussis (Tdap) vaccine. Considering the need for improvement it is important to identify factors that may be contributing to this low national immunization rate, one of them being parental race. The purpose of this literature review is to identify whether race affects parents' intent to vaccinate their …

Effects Of The Influenza Vaccine On The Oral Cavity, Laura Sawires

Honors Undergraduate Theses

According to existing literature, there is a suggested correlation between certain vaccinations and oral cavity symptoms. Studies have shown that the Diphtheria, Tetanus, Acellular Pertusis, as well as Polio Vaccinations have an association with presented symptoms of bleeding gums, sores, ulcers, white spots in the mouth or on lips, and unpleasant breath odor. Although these symptoms may not occur simultaneously or directly after administration of the immunization, there has been supported evidence of correlation. Given the relevance of an association between vaccinations and orally manifested side effects, an investigation on the presence of such association with the widely administered flu …

The Implications Of Domestic Party Ideologies On Refugee Policy: A Case Study Of Bangladesh And The Rohingya, Samuel S. Schiffer

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Why do some political parties in Bangladesh discriminate against the Rohingya, while some do not? Much has been written about the conflict in Myanmar, but the plight of Rohingya in Bangladesh remains understudied. This lack of understanding is underscored by the five million Syrian refugees fleeing their own civil war that dominates the news and the attention of scholars. The Rohingya, however, are stateless: they are denied citizenship in their native Myanmar and are forced to find refuge in whichever country will take them.

Much has been published that links immigration policy to security considerations and the national identity and …

Sexualized Music's Effect On Adolescent And Emerging Adult Behavior: A Meta-Analysis, Brittany M. Scholl

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Reports on sexual activity among U.S. adolescents have shown a rise in their seriousness (Martino, Collins, Elliott, Strachman, Kanouse, & Berry, 2006). Such young sexual initiation is seen as a predictor of overall riskier sexual behavior such as having a multitude of sexual partners, not using any protective birth control and taking part in unwanted sex (Brown, L'Engle, Pardun, Guo, Kenneavy, & Jackson, 2006; Martino et at., 2006; Parkes, Wight, Hunt, Henderson, & Sargent, 2013; Price & Hyde, 2009; Primack, Douglas, Fine, & Dalton, 2009; Steinberg & Monahan, 2010). It is apparent that such riskier sexual behaviors result in higher …

Filling The House: Engaging A Millennial Performing Arts Audience, Sarah Schreck

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this research is to identify best practices for public relations professionals when engaging with a Millennial performing arts audience, focusing on Hon and Grunig's relationship management theory (1999) and Kent and Taylor’s theory of dialogic communication (2014) to build interactivity in a digital space. Performing arts organizations have successfully engaged with previous generations, but are facing new challenges when communicating with millennial audiences. Changing demographics have led to a stagnation and decline of performing arts attendance as the millennial generation has come of age. This massive population has new priorities for spending and consumption of entertainment, and …

A Machine Learning Approach To Assess The Separation Of Seismocardiographic Signals By Respiration, Brian Solar

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The clinical usage of Seismocardiography (SCG) is increasing as it is being shown to be an effective non-invasive measurement for heart monitoring. SCG measures the vibrational activity at the chest surface and applications include non-invasive assessment of myocardial contractility and systolic time intervals. Respiratory activity can also affect the SCG signal by changing the hemodynamic characteristics of cardiac activity and displacing the position of the heart. Other clinically significant information, such as systolic time intervals, can thus manifest themselves differently in an SCG signal during inspiration and expiration. Grouping SCG signals into their respective respiratory cycle can mitigate this issue. …

New Courland, Tobago: A Gis Analysis Of A 17th-Century Settlement, Amanda Sumner

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Caribbean island of Tobago was contested by several European powers. Among them was an unlikely colonizer, the small Duchy of Courland, located in the western part of modern-day Latvia, which established the New Courland colony on the west coast of Tobago, in May 1654. The aim of this study was to determine the exact geographic location of this settlement through examination of historical texts, maps, and geographic information systems (GIS) data. Remote sensing and GIS methods were used to map the Courlander Fort Jacob on the site of an earlier Dutch fortification, Nieuw …