Digital Commons Network^™

The Effect Of Parental Population Density On Offspring Immune Function, Dana Davis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is well known that an individual's environment, genetic code, and gene by environment interactions have an effect on its overall phenotype. However, there is a growing body of work that shows that parents can have an effect on their offspring's phenotype beyond the inherited genetic code. Studies have shown that parents may affect their offspring through physiological mechanisms such as egg provisioning and epigenetic effects and through behavioral mechanisms such as maternal care. In many of these cases, the parental effect is triggered by an environmental cue. Previous work has shown that density can impact immune function and cuticle …

A Correlational Study Of Emotional Intelligence And Language Style Matching, Deprise M. Depass

Honors Undergraduate Theses

ABSTRACT

Individuals subconsciously convey emotions through language. The present study investigates the relationship between emotional intelligence (EQ) and language style matching (LSM). Emotional intelligence involves the ability to regulate, maintain, and express one’s emotions and to perceive the emotion of others. LSM involves the phenomenon that when individuals talk they tend to mimic each other’s word usage (Neiderhoffer & Pennebaker, 2002). The hypothesis of the present study is that individuals who are emotionally intelligent subconsciously match their language to their communication partner. Ten participants from the University of Central Florida’s Psychology Department were given an emotional intelligence test. The participants …

Impact Of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation On Baseline Levels Of Inflammatory Markers In The General Population, Alex Nhan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Inflammation is a complex physiological response normally initiated by the innate immune system, often as a response to exposure to otherwise harmful stimuli. While generally useful in humans as a protective response to foreign matter, chronically elevated quantities of associated inflammatory factors C-reactive protein, TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-1beta have been linked in literature with decreased overall lifespan and well-being in humans via inflammatory processes. It is possible that by lowering these associated factors, increased well-being and lifespan may be experienced by the general population. One common health supplement with such promise is fish oil, which, through compounds eicosapentaenoic acid and …

The Ability To Critically Evaluate Research Literature In Speech-Language Pathology, David Gregorio

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research in Speech-Language Pathology provides the basis for understanding how and to what degree therapeutic techniques and interventions affect the health and quality of life of individuals with communication disorders. Across numerous fields of healthcare, research serves just as important a function and is used to guide the practices of professionals across the public health sector. Several disciplines, including chiropracty, nursing, and physical therapy, rely on the implementation of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) to ensure that the process of rehabilitation and the techniques employed therein are carried out though the synthesis of best clinical judgment, empirical evidence, and patient values. The …

Dimensions Of State Fragility: Determinants Of Violent Group Grievance, Political Legitimacy, And Economic Capacity, Jason Christensen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

State fragility has severe political implications. In the literature, fragile states have been referred to as "chaotic breeding grounds" for human rights violations, terrorism, violent extremism, crime, instability, and disease (Patrick 2011, 3-4). International organizations have also expressed concern regarding the potential of "fragile states" to disrupt collective security as threats such as transnational terrorism and human displacement from violent conflict have the potential to permeate borders (Patrick 2011, 5). This research project aims at extending our understanding of state fragility by examining three distinct dimensions of state fragility proposed in the literature: i) state authority, ii) state legitimacy, and …

The Use Of Alcohol And The Impact On The Use Of Threats In Domestic Violence Cases, Amanda Zammit

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Domestic Violence is a public health issue that is affecting millions of people annually. Police reports can give a unique aspect of cases that involve domestic violence because the narrative is a firsthand report of the violent incident. Using domestic violence case reports gathered from a law enforcement database at a county Sheriff's office in Florida, the current study examines whether alcohol use in domestic violence incidents influences threats that the victim receives during the incident. Logistic regression analysis indicates that alcohol use does not significantly impact threats that the victim receives during a domestic violence altercation. However, the study …

Exploring The Experiences Of Learning Mathematics For A Child With Cancer: A Case Study, Elizabeth M. Bello

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In this research report, I utilize interpretative phenomenological analysis (Smith, Flowers, & Larkin, 2009) to examine the mathematics education experiences of a child with cancer. Two qualitative interviews with a 13-year-old male patient with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and his mother were analyzed. Findings revealed several storylines or themes: living with cancer, environmental barriers, and mathematics in virtual school. Grade level mathematics, content knowledge, and delivery during treatment in comparison to the child’s healthy peers are also discussed.

Testing Mice At Risk Of Pancreatic Cancer For Altered Protein Pathways Found In Diabetes, Henley Cheung

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Pancreatic cancer is nearly asymptomatic, which can result in extensive grow and even metastasis to other organs before detection. When diagnosed at a late stage, the survival rate is 3%. Early detection is therefore the key to treating pancreatic cancer. Diabetes was identified as a risk factor for the development of pancreatic cancer, but the mechanism remains unknown. In this project, the objective was to delineate a link between diabetes and pancreatic cancer by examining their shared protein signaling pathways. In a previous study, hyper-activation of AKT1 resulted in a pre-diabetic phenotype and also increased upregulation of downstream phosphorylated mTOR …

Development Of A Compact Broadband Optical Parametric Oscillator For Ultra-Sensitive Molecular Detection, Sean O. Crystal

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Every gas molecule has a unique absorption spectrum that can be captured using optical spectroscopy to identify an unknown sample's composition. Frequency combs systems can provide an extremely broad mid-infrared spectrum that is very useful for molecular detection. A degenerate optical parametric oscillator (OPO) was built to generate the down-converted and shifted frequency comb spectrum. This system utilizes an ultra-short pulse 1.56µm pump laser and a never before used orientation patterned gallium-phosphide crystal. Periodically polled lithium niobate (PPLN), Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) and Gallium Phosphide are all crystals used to accomplish this task. GaP, in comparison to PPLN, has (i) a …

What Happened To Sanders? Millennials Analyses Of The 2016 Election Post-Primaries, Jacquelyn R. Fernandez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The Millennial generation is now the largest living generation. This generation has absorbed many labels, including the one of not being civically engaged. Many news sources focused on their lack of engagement throughout the 2016 election, stating that they were the key to a win in the election. Since Bernie Sanders was the first candidate to capture the attention of such a large amount of the Millennial generation, this research is designed to understand why and provide an in-depth analysis of the thoughts about Sanders from the largest living generation. The data was collected by conducting 15 in-depth interviews with …

Ichetucknee Springs: Measuring The Effects Of Visitors On Water Quality Parameters Through Continuous Monitoring., Sarah Faraji

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ichetucknee Springs System is in north central Florida, under the jurisdiction of the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD). The Ichetucknee River is one of the most pristine spring-fed rivers in Florida and became a state park in 1970. Over 400,000 people visited the Ichetucknee Springs State Park in 2016. From that total, over 130,000 people came during the tubing season alone (Memorial Day to Labor Day). During the tubing season, only 750 visitors per day are allowed to launch from the North Launch, near the Ichetucknee Head Spring. The park enforces visitor usage of the river during these time …

Detection Of Inorganic Phosphate In Environmental Water Samples Using A Terbium And Gold Nanoparticle-Based Fret Chemosensor, Madeleine Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A novel chemosensor for the detection of inorganic phosphate (Pi) in environmental water samples is outlined. The sensing solution is comprised of a luminescent lanthanide, terbium (Tb3+), chelated to ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) acid in solution with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)- capped gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The Tb-EDTA and AuNPs undergo a Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) mechanism in which the Tb3+ luminescence is quenched. Upon the addition of inorganic phosphate (Pi), the AuNPs begin to aggregate and precipitate out of solution. The aggregation of AuNPs results in the restoration of the Tb-EDTA signal which can then be correlated to Pi concentration in …

Mucking About: Hydrologic Regime And Soil Carbon Storage In Restored Subtropical Wetlands, Alicia Huber

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Wetlands are extremely important ecosystems that have declined drastically worldwide, continue to be lost, and are threatened globally. They perform a number of important ecosystem services such as flood control, provide habitat for many species, and have aesthetic and recreational value. Wetlands are also important to the global carbon (C) cycle. Wetland soils are especially effective C sinks because they have high primary productivity and low decomposition rates due to flooded, anoxic conditions. Increased recognition of wetlands' value has led to more ecological and hydrological restoration of degraded wetlands to mitigate the effects of wetland destruction. Hydrological restoration, which attempts …

Characterization Of Novel Borrelia Burgdorferi Transcripts Expressed During Tick And Mammalian Infection, Philip Adams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to characterize the transcriptome of Borrelia (Borreliella) burgdorferi to discover novel transcripts, important for pathogenesis. As a spirochete and the etiological agent of Lyme disease, the foremost vector-borne bacterial infection in the world, B. burgdorferi fulfills a distinctive niche among bacterial pathogens. Persisting in the disparate environments of a tick vector and mammalian reservoirs, it is absolutely dependent on its hosts for transmission and nutrient acquisition. B. burgdorferi harbors a complex fragmented genome which is largely linear, unlike that of most prokaryotes, lacks an array of classically described metabolic genes, and contains an unusually …

Protocol Based Screening Tools To Identify Sepsis Patients Transported By Emergency Medical Services, Isaiah Moser

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Sepsis is a complicated disorder in which an infection has reached the bloodstream and caused a cascade of events that in time will lead to death. Interventions aimed at identifying sepsis early in its progression are imperative to stopping the process. The purpose of this study is to examine the current state of the literature regarding sepsis screening tools utilized by emergency medical services. A literature review exploring the various tools in place was conducted to see their value in predicting sepsis and secondary what the initiation of a sepsis alert has on the patients’ outcome. Results found included that …

Pain Management In Patients With Fibromyalgia, Linsey Fischer

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Fibromyalgia is a chronic widespread pain disorder that can also cause fatigue, depression, sleep disturbances, and cognitive symptoms. Because the etiology of fibromyalgia is unknown, it is difficult to treat. Research shows that medication alone is insufficient to treat the symptoms of fibromyalgia and that complementary therapies are required to fully manage this disorder. The purpose of this research was to determine what complementary therapies patients with fibromyalgia were currently using. The sample for the survey was taken from fibromyalgia support groups throughout the state of Florida. A total of 15 people diagnosed with fibromyalgia participated in the survey. The …

Exploring Barriers And Consequences Related To Nurses Reporting Child Abuse, Asmita Devkota

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Child abuse is a pervasive and serious problem in the United States. Over 3 million children are the victims of some kind of physical assault by adults. Due to their prolonged contact with children and opportunity to report, nurses should be trained to accurately assess, identify, and manage cases of child abuse. The purpose of this study was to examine student’s experiences with Child Protective Services, and explore their confidence and attitudes related to identifying and reporting child abuse. Factors associated with non-reporting were identified.

Methodology: This was an exploratory, descriptive study. Students enrolled in the online …

Associations Between Pre-Pregnancy Weight Status And/Or Gestational Weight Gain And Obesity In Older Children, Marisa P. Hammond

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Childhood obesity is a global health concern that puts children at risk for developing serious health complications. With increasing rates worldwide, it is important to determine how to decrease its prevalence and promote prevention in future generations. Emerging evidence indicating that pre-pregnancy weight status and/or gestational weight gain (GWG) may be linked with overweight/obesity in children. Much of this body of research focused on weight status of offspring at birth and at preschool age. The purpose of this study is to: (1) analyze the research findings regarding obesity in children 5 to 18 years and their mother’s pre-pregnancy weight status …

Canine-Assisted Therapies Among U.S. Veterans With Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: An Integrative Review Of The Literature, Olivia A. Kondos

Honors Undergraduate Theses

A sizeable number of U.S. veterans of all ages experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which can impact their quality of life; physically, mentally and socially. Consequences of PTSD are associated with physical and emotional disabilities, including ideation of self-harm and even suicide. Increasingly, animal-assisted therapies (AAT) are used to treat PTSD and other physical and behavioral conditions in veterans. Over the decades, AATs have used dogs, cats, horses, and dolphins among other animals. The purpose of this integrative review is to examine the use of AAT focusing on canine assisted therapy (CAT) among veterans diagnosed with PTSD. The methodology involved …

The Microbial Ecosystem Of Beer Spoilage And Souring: Competition And Cooperation In The Age Of Bioinformatics, Andrew Kettring

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The brewing industry generates $350 billion in revenue in the US annually, representing 1.9% of the gross domestic product. Spoilage is a persistent problem throughout production and distribution that causes economic loss, and is therefore meticulously avoided. Contrarily, artisanal sour beers are necessarily produced by a diverse variety of these spoilage organisms metabolically interacting in symbiosis as a microbial ecosystem. We sought to gain insight into factors driving assembly of microbial communities by testing a long-debated Darwinian hypothesis. A collection of community members were screened in co-culture and novel bioinformatics tools were developed to predict observed interactions. A fundamental understanding …

Effects Of Collaboration Between Speech-Language Pathologists And Third-Grade Teachers On Student Vocabulary Outcomes, Mary Mitchell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A persistent literacy crisis continues to be reflected in international (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD], 2013), national (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2015), and local literacy outcome data. Educators, including speech-language pathologists (SLPs), are called upon to collaborate to support students who struggle with academic language/literacy. However, few studies have operationally defined collaboration and investigated the effects of collaboration on student achievement. As a result, there is insufficient guidance for educators about ways to design, implement, and assess the effectiveness of collaboration models, defined in terms of their effects on student outcomes. There were two main objectives …

A Comparative Study Of Student Performance, Attendance, And Discipline In A Community School In A Large Urban School District In The Southern United States, Juanita Morrow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this research was to investigate the impact of the community school practices such as extended/supplemental enrichment time, character development, anger management, counseling, tutoring, and mental and physical healthcare on student performance, attendance and discipline at a community school in a large urban school district in the southern U.S. The select population and sample for this study was the school's 2011-2012 senior cohort, before the school's implementation of community school practices and the school's 2015-2016 senior cohort, after implementation of community school practices at the select community school. In an effort to more accurately determine the effectiveness of …

The Influences Of Mindfulness And Neuromotor Exercise Mode On Balance In Healthy Older Adults, Maxine Hicks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the roles of mindfulness and balance to optimize strategies for fall prevention in healthy older adults. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of mindfulness with respect to balance in healthy older adults who are experienced in meditative versus non-meditative modes of neuromotor exercise. This was a comparative descriptive study that used a convenience sample of N=86 older adults (20 male; mean age = 69.33 ± 7.24; range: 60 – 93 years). The sample included experienced participants of meditative (e.g., yoga, Tai chi) and non-meditative (e.g., partnered dance) neuromotor exercise recruited from community yoga, …

Plasticity Of Central And Peripheral Nervous System: Effects Of Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation (Ogd) And Chronic Intermittent Hypoxia (Cih), Jin Chen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Transient receptor potential canonical 6 (TRPC6) channels are permeable to Na+ and Ca2+ and are widely expressed in the brain. In this study, we investigated the role of TRPC6 following ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) and oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). We found that TRPC6 expression was increased in wild type (WT) mice cortical neurons following I/R and in primary neurons with OGD, and that deletion of TRPC6 reduced the I/R-induced brain infarct in mice and the OGD- /neurotoxin-induced neuronal death. Using live-cell imaging to examine intracellular Ca2+ levels ([Ca2+]i), we found that OGD induced a significant higher increase in glutamate-evoked Ca2+ influx compared to …

Investigating The Quantity And Types Of Microplastics In The Organic Tissue Of Oysters And Crabs In The Indian River Lagoon, Heidi Waite

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Microplastics are widespread and abundant. Few studies have examined the diversity and abundance of microplastics in wild organisms. This study determined the microplastic quantity and types in the organic tissues of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica and Atlantic mud crab Panopeus herbstii from the Indian River Lagoon (IRL). This study also investigated whether location affected the microplastic abundance and variety. Organisms were collected from three sites across Mosquito Lagoon in the northern IRL. Oysters were frozen after collection. Crabs were placed in containers for 5 days before freezing. The soft organic tissue was chemically digested using hydrogen peroxide, filtered, …

The Sound Of Politics: An Examination Of Political Orientations And Musical Preferences Among College Aged Adults, Omari Stringer

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Music fits in a larger media culture that can influence the thoughts and beliefs of many people. Specifically, there is an interest in the relationship between music and any influences it may have on political views or orientations. Based on the existing literature, it is hypothesized that there will be a significant correlation between political orientations and involvement in music and political orientations with music genre preferences. It is also hypothesized that there will be a relationship between socioeconomic status and music preferences. Furthermore, it is expected that participants will report a high level of music involvement, considering how accessible …

Domestic Parent-Child Interaction Problems And Working Memory: The Mediating Role Of Inattentive Adhd Symptoms, Svetha Mohan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The intent of this thesis is to explore the mediating effects of ADHD Inattentive symptoms on domestic parent-child interaction problems and working memory. Inattentive symptoms in children with ADHD are known to cause forgetfulness, slow processing speed, and negative parent-child interactions. Working memory deficits in phonological short term memory and the central executive are also well-established in children with ADHD. However, it is currently unknown to what extent inattentive symptoms are responsible for home behavior problems in conjunction with phonological working memory deficits. The aims are tested using two validated, common clinical questionnaires: The Teacher Report Form and the Home …

The Role Of Frabin (Fgd4) In Aggressive Prostate Cancer, Alexia M. Bossan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

A major problem in prostate cancer (PCa) management is the development of drug resistance. It is known that there are changes in PCa biology upon prolonged treatment with drugs, including anti-androgen drugs that alter cellular signaling processes leading to the development of castration resistant PCa. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are regulatory molecules that modulate gene expression through inhibition of protein translation and modulate cellular functions. Altered expression of miRNAs is often noted in drug resistant cancer including PCa. Studies from our laboratory have identified a number of down-regulated miRNAs in PCa, including miR-l 7-92a miRNAs. Frabin (FGD4) is a target of the …

A Measurement Of Campus Presence: The Cognitive Link Between Campus Engagement And Positive Outcomes In College Students, Daniel M. Kleiman

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Prior research has shown that positive psychological states and attitudes are known outcomes in students who are engaged on their college campus. Although many studies prove this to be evident, literature lacks examination between these two variables. The purpose of the current study was to find a cognitive link between student engagement and the measured outcomes of self-esteem, college self-efficacy, college affiliation, and levels of optimism/pessimism. The study proposed that there is a process of developing an internal sense of presence on campus, which occurs in those students that are actively engaged in activities outside of the classroom. Individual personality …

The Effect Of Biofeedback On Coping For Patients With Depression, Amber L. Atkinson

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Individuals with depression have a higher incidence of comorbidity which significantly decreases their ability to function and increases their utilization of health care. Due to the severity of the economic burden resulting with depression, research is needed to further examine the most effective treatments for depression. Biofeedback is a therapy that teaches patients how to control the physical affects that manifest during depression.

Aim: The purpose of this review of literature is to discover the benefits of biofeedback for patients diagnosed with depression.

Method: An electronic literature search was conducted using various databases to retrieve articles examining biofeedback as …