Digital Commons Network^™

Explaining Nikki Fried's 2018 Victory For Florida Agricultural Commissioner, Caitlin Concannon

Honors Undergraduate Theses

What explains Nikki Fried's victory in 2018 for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture? What explains the difference between votes received by Commissioner Fried and fellow Democrat candidates on the ballot in four other Fl. statewide races in 2018 at the county level? Florida's unique plural executive branch and diverse demographics have led to competitive elections resulting in narrow vote margins with the victory more often tipping in favor of Republican candidates across state politics in the last two decades. The 2018 Florida midterm election provides an opportunity to analyze the margin-of-victory for a Democrat candidate in comparison to the vote margins …

College Adjustment In Ftic Students During Covid-19, Roksan Aydelman

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study looked at First Time in College (FTIC) students’ overall college adjustment and whether modality of instruction during students’ senior year of high school relates to subsequent college adjustment. Those high school seniors who completed the entire year virtually experienced greater social isolation and restrictions that may have further limited navigation of developmental tasks and experiences that prepare students for college. Due to the novelty of the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the first cohort where such a marked split in high school experiences could impact future college adjustment. College students (N=294) attending a large public university completed the College …

Conceptual Complexity And Terrorist Rhetoric: Examining Conceptual Complexity’S Role In Political Violence, Westley S. Hunter

Honors Undergraduate Theses

It is well-documented that leaders' conceptual complexity can affect their decision-making, but what about its broader effects on political violence? While Hermann & Sakiev (2011) and Conway & Conway (2011) have examined terrorists' conceptual complexity before attacks, this study generates a more extensive analysis by examining weapon types and target types. This research explored the connection between a terrorist leader's level of conceptual complexity and the violent attacks their organizations commit, arguing that complexity lowers before an attack and after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It employed a content analysis of Osama bin Laden's rhetoric from 1999 to 2003 to discern …

The General Population's Perception Of Factors Associated With Positive Or Negative Perceptions Of Physical Therapy Care In Those With Low Back Pain, Jada M. Strowbridge

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Low back pain (LBP) has a global impact on health and is a substantial contributor to long term disability. The economic burden of LBP is immense and it is advancing annually. Costs attributing to LBP in the United States is about $84.1 to $624.8 billion. Physical therapy is commonly recommended for those with LBP since it is linked to improved clinical outcomes. However, patient perceptions can influence how this treatment approach is perceived. It is unclear if these perceptions can influence outcomes for patients suffering from LBP. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify the factors associated with …

Exploring Generational Differences In Emotional Response To The Pandemic, Michelle Aros

Honors Undergraduate Theses

COVID-19 was a pandemic that has impacted the world in various ways and forced everyone to quarantine within the confounds of their homes. As studies investigated the effects of the pandemic, it was found that undergraduate students faced severe emotional and psychological difficulties being “at-risk” for greater psychological distress (Mayorga et al., 2021). Undergraduate students are currently made up of Generation Z individuals who are born from 1995 to 2010 (Ang et al., 2021). The present study investigates the relationship between mental health and generational cultural attitudes to explore whether there is a correlation between the stressors from COVID and …

Mental Health Attitudes And Knowledge Among Shia Muslims In America, Fatima Z. Hussain

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Mental health has received more attention and stigma associated with it has decreased over time in the United States. However, subpopulations have differing views on mental illness since cultural factors can shape perceptions of and influence access to mental health information. Previous studies have investigated such cultural factors among Sunni Muslims (the majority sect of Islam) and less so among Shia Muslims (the minority sect). To address this gap, two research questions were investigated in this project: (1) What are the mental health attitudes among Shia Muslim adults in the United States, and (2) How much mental health knowledge or …

Microplastic Abundances In The Guana River Estuary In Northeast Florida, Mckenna Keplinger

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Plastic never fully disappears, but instead breaks into smaller pieces referred to as microplastics (< 5 mm length). Microplastics are common worldwide, and more studies are needed to understand the accumulation and diversity of microplastics found in various environments. In this study, six locations were sampled for one year in the Guana River Estuary, a partially impounded system with heavily urbanized headwaters. This study was conducted in conjunction with the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTM NERR) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at their water sampling stations. The objectives of this study were to investigate: 1) distribution patterns across sample sites over time, 2) the color, size, and shape of microplastics found, and 3) polymer composition. Water samples were collected from surface waters in 1-L bottles, with five replicates at each site. Sampling occurred once a month, at the beginning of each month from August 2020-August 2021. Samples were analyzed for abundance and characteristics of microplastics using a dissecting microscope and the polymer composition was determined using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. No pattern was found in the distribution of microplastics from north to south or over time. Variations in plastic color, size, and polymer composition suggests that there are multiple sources of pollution into the Guana River Estuary.

Narratives Of Racism And Microaggressions, Tayana J. Rich

Honors Undergraduate Theses

As the nation becomes more multicultural, more research has inquired into the identity development of diverse individuals through their racial identity. The presence of racism and microaggressions presents an interesting obstacle in underrepresented groups’ identity development. Microaggressions, which are ambiguous slights toward a member of a minority group, have become more prevalent in society and have caused a shift in how victims of these aggressions cope and integrate these experiences into their racial identity. Much research has focused on how these daily insults affect health in terms of lower life expectancy, however there is a lack of research regarding how …

Psychological Reactance And Sensation Seeking As Risk Factors For Perpetration Of Sexual Violence, Elana Gabriel

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Sexual violence is a major public health issue within the United States, particularly that with perpetrators who are men and victims who are women. Understanding risk factors for sexual violence perpetration is necessary to decrease the overall severity of sexual violence. In past research, psychological reactance has been shown to be associated with sexual violence perpetration, yet there is limited research on this association. Additionally, previous research has found that other traits may enhance the predictive properties of psychological reactance and that sensation seeking can predict sexual violence risk factors and sexual violence perpetration. Yet there is little to no …

Heterogenous Reduction Of Co2 Over Boron-Rich Alb2, Jose C. Berger

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Evidence suggests that the recent drastic changes in the global climate have been caused by greenhouse gases, especially CO­₂. As a result, scientists are aiming to develop processes that either minimize the production of these gases or convert them into products of higher value. To that end, the catalytic properties of a two-dimensional boron-rich material were investigated. Herein is reported that such a material can reduce CO₂ into benzene, C₃ species, and C₄ species at relatively low temperatures (225-450 ℃) and pressures (0.38 MPa). Current data suggest that a low-temperature induction period (e.g., 225 ℃) …

A Meta-Analysis: Significance Of Biofluid Biomarkers In Sports-Related Traumatic Brain Injury, Stephanie Oliveira

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: To reduce the reliance on clinical judgment for the regulation of sports-related traumatic brain injury, identifying and measuring objective to biofluid biomarkers can provide important insight into the diagnosis (Determining the type and origin of a disorder) and prognosis (Determining the chance of survival of a disorder) of SR-TBIs. A biomarker is a qualitative or quantitative measurement that provides a measure of a subject’s physiological or pathological condition at a specific time or during a disease state. Recent literature has suggested that biomarkers can help in the screening of patients exhibiting symptoms of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Despite …

Differences In Performance Anxiety Between Expert And Amateur Dressage Riders, Hanna E. Benne

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Performance anxiety is a challenge most individuals in a sport face. From experts to novices in dressage, various individuals attempt to find harmony between horse and rider. Performance is a large part of dressage sport riding. This thesis will examine the following topics: the differences in expert and amateurs’ performance anxiety; the anxiety level of an expert or amateur who has been involved in a sport related injury; if the individual has a neurotic personality, whether more performance anxiety may occur while riding. A Mini IPIP five-factor personality test, Sports anxiety scale, Sports injury anxiety scales, and dressage questionnaires will …

Targeting L-Arginine Metabolism To Control Small Cell Lung Cancer Transformation, Robert L. Burns Jr.

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Cancer is known for its unregulated and mutagenic characteristics. The topic of targeting cancer by inhibiting the metabolic pathways it uses to thrive has been a focus of modern cancer research. Specifically, in lung cancer, the transformation from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a focus. This transformation often comes with a grimmer prognosis and reduced survival rate. This is primarily due to SCLC being resistant to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors. This frontline treatment for EGFR mutant NSCLC has shown to be quite effective until transformation to SCLC occurs. To further study …

A Comparative Analysis Of The People's Republic Of China And Its Treatment Of Uyghur Muslims And Nazi Germany And Its Treatment Of The Jewish People, Jordan R. Ellis

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Like many before, this thesis uses the tragedy of the Holocaust as a historical comparison to an event occurring today, mainly in the Xinjiang region of the People’s Republic of China. Many historians have argued that comparisons to the Holocaust should be academically or intellectually prohibited. Many have stated that such an effort could minimize the perceived severity of or unintentionally raise other events to the level of the Jewish genocide. However, such comparisons should be permitted and are necessary to help prevent a similar atrocity from ever occurring again. There is much to be learned from Nazi policy and …

Examining The Effects Of Synthetic Dye Yellow No. 5 (Tartrazine) Exposure On Mouse Neuro2a Neurons In Vitro, Jenna L. Farnum

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Yellow Dye No. 5, also known as tartrazine (TRZ), is widely used[1] and has an accepted daily intake (ADI) of 0-7.5 mg/kg of body weight per day^[2]. Consuming TRZ dosages greater than the ADI can lead to reduced levels of antioxidant enzymes in the brain, chromosomal alterations, or neuronal dendritic changes, [3, 4] which can result in oxidative stress, impaired neuronal functioning and potential mutagenic effects. Within the ADI, there have been observed reductions of the copper zinc superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) enzyme levels.[5]We hypothesize that TRZ interacts pre-translationally inside the cell, resulting in the reduction of SOD1 mRNA. …

The Relationship Between The Population's Perception Of Herniated Intervertebral Disks And Their Known Physical Presentation, Jonah D. Gant

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The second most common lumbosacral diagnosis in the United States is a herniation or prolapse of the intervertebral disc. Individuals with herniated discs can have a wide variety of clinical presentations, ranging from asymptomatic to severe spinal cord compression and pain. Studies suggest that an individual’s pre-existing perception of a condition is likely to influence their course of recovery. Currently, perceptions the general public holds regarding the consequences of disc herniation is unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess current views regarding disc herniations in the general population with their reported prevalence and clinical outcome. This was …

Clostridioides Difficile Motility In Defined Culture Media And Its Response To Nutrients, Mary Ishak

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In recent years, Clostridiodes difficile has caused a sharp increase in hospital-acquired infections. Patients on multiple courses of antibiotics experience a general clearing of normal gut microbiota, leading to dysbiosis and an opportunity for C. difficile to colonize the colon. Understanding which nutrients produce optimal respiratory metabolism in C. difficile will help to determine the reasoning behind whether the microbe invests its energy into various cellular processes, such as motility. Different C. difficile strains were first cultured in BHIS broth (brain-heart infusion, supplemented) and CDMM broth (C. difficile minimal media) before being used to inoculate soft agar wells. The …

Investigation Of Catalysis Of Nitration By Cytochrome P450s, Lannika Johnson

Honors Undergraduate Theses

TxtE is a protein related to cytochrome P450 enzymes, which catalyze a number of reactions that typically involve oxygen and not nitrogen. It has been discovered that TxtE can nitrate tryptophan through an unusual reaction in which it uses nitric oxide (NO) as a nitrogen donor to install the nitro group despite NO typically being considered toxic to bacteria. This project will determine if all cytochromes P450 can catalyze nitration as long as they are given NO. This will have an impact on understanding drug delivery and metabolism for which nitration is important.

Mesenchymal Stromal Cell And Chondrocyte Mobility In 3d Bioprinted Hydrogel Constructs, Alesia Lokshina

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive cartilage degeneration disease with a complex pathologic mechanism. Although OA has devastating effects on patient quality of life and places a significant burden on the healthcare system, no disease-modifying drugs have been found, and surgical treatment options are often unsustainable. 3D bioprinting is a novel field within tissue engineering that focuses on developing biocompatible constructs that can be implanted to replace an organ or tissue. Such constructs have a great potential to become treatments for OA. Understanding cell mobility within hydrogels could play a vital role in advancing the development of biocompatible constructs. However, due …

Examining The Prevalence And Representation Of Diverse Populations In Children's Literature Found In Elementary Classroom Libraries, Trishell M. Matthews

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The intent of this thesis is to (1) examine the prevalence of diverse populations in the pieces of children’s literature found in three Title I third grade classrooms, and (2) to examine if the diverse populations are authentically and relevantly represented. Researchers have emphasized the impact and importance of children’s literature that represent student’s diverse backgrounds authentically and relevantly, as they have the potential to affect students’ motivations, aspirations, and how they view themselves and the world at large. Particularly, Bishop (1990) suggested that students need books that act as “mirrors” that allow them to see themselves, their experiences, and …

“Stay Home, Save Lives": A Study On Covid-19 And Intimate Partner Violence, Grace E. Messina

Honors Undergraduate Theses

With the introduction of COVID-19, preliminary data suggests that the forms and frequency of abuse relating to intimate partner violence (IPV) have changed. Most of society was unaware of the arising silent pandemic which was happening to the individuals in abusive relationships who were being quarantined with their abuser. The IPV resources were extremely aware of this silent pandemic due to large numbers of individuals seeking emergency shelter. However, there was only a priority for public safety due to COVID-19 when in hindsight, there needed to be a balance of public safety as well as increased aid for the individuals …

Flashbulb Memories Among College Students During Covid-19, Sabah Qureshi

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Flashbulb memories are formed through widely shared events that have affected the culture and community. The “flash” in flashbulb memories refers to the specific details that individuals have developed in their memories. The presented research focuses on the specific event of college students at the University of Central Florida (UCF) hearing about university closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This research study sought to identify the variables that have affected the accuracy of flashbulb memories formation regarding the event of college students hearing about university closure because of the pandemic. The variables of the students’ relevance to the university, location, …

Morality And Identity: A New Framework, Adriana Seda

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Moral identity, moral personality, and moral emotion have all been suggested to influence moral behavior individually, however, the results have been mixed and contradictory. Furthermore, they have never been tested together to determine their relative contribution in predicting moral decision-making. An anonymous online survey was administered to undergraduate students (N = 432). Moral Reasoning was assessed by a series of six hypothetical moral dilemmas. Participants were asked which of two choices they would prefer, one being a more deontological choice, in other words, follow a principle such as “tell the truth”, and the other being a more utilitarian choice, …

Career Termination: The Collegiate Athletes' Self-Identity With The Transition Through The Grief And Loss Cycle, Dylan B. Street

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The research seeks to understand and explain the impact, if any, on the transition out of sport, based on the level of commitment to sport being a Collegiate Athlete. Interest for this study came from personal experience as an athlete, as well as knowing numerous athletes who have gone or are going through, questioning their Identity once their playing days came to an end. This study includes extant literature discussing Athletic Identity. It offers a different perspective than other studies working through grief and loss after losing the ability to play a sport.

The purpose of this study is to …

The Deaf Community And Their Preferences In A Clinical Psychological Setting, Alexandra Alonso

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The focus of this study was to examine the Deaf community and their preferences for both a psychologist and the language utilized in a clinical psychological setting. The study gave each participant a mock profile for a psychologist and then asked participants to answer questions on their perceptions of the psychologist provided. A total of 22 participants who identified as Deaf, deaf, hard-of-hearing, or as an individual with hearing loss were surveyed. Results indicated that participants randomly assigned to the Deaf psychologist had higher rates of satisfaction and trust over participants who were assigned to other psychologists. The study also …

Unmoored: Exploring Identity And Change, Michelle Bondzie

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Many of the shifts in our identity are as surprising as they are inevitable. As with our bodies and our minds, it’s easy to forget that our identities are in a constant state of change — that is, until a situation forces us to face ourselves and examine who we’ve become. For adolescents, college students included, reckonings with their sense of self come frequently; they feel seismic each time they occur.

My thesis will be a short screenplay in which the central character is recovering from severe executive dysfunction, the impairment of basic skills that include working memory, mental flexibility, …

The Role Of Individual Differences And Personality Factors In Distracted And Aggressive Driving Behaviors, Alyssa M. Holcomb

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Government reports indicate that, on average, more than 3000 people die due to distracted driving each year, accounting for nearly 10% of all fatal car crashes. Other reports claim that two-thirds of fatal car accidents result from aggressive driving. Previous research has been inconclusive regarding how personality impacts distracted and aggressive driving behaviors. Therefore, the goal of this current study is to fill the gap in the literature concerning the role that personality plays in distracted and aggressive driving behaviors. We also explored the role that distracted and aggressive driving behaviors played in accident involvement. A sample of (N=327) participants …

Public Transportation In Central Florida: Setting The Tone For Public Rail Use, Zoe Johnson

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this research is to analyze the use of the public train usage in Central Florida to determine the feasibility of high-speed rail usage in the future. This study will be split into parts and expanded upon. The first part will observe rider perspective, values, and issues regarding rail transportation as is available in Central Florida. In further installations, which will be conducted separately from this thesis, there will be an analysis of the providers of rail transportation. It is hypothesized that there will be a moderate demand for rail transportation used by the public.

Original: The main …

Understanding Barriers To Leaving Abusive Military Relationships, Christina Lopez Gonzalez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This research investigates intimate partner cyber abuse (IPCA), physical, sexual, and psychological intimate partner violence (IPV) in which the abuser is on active duty, reserve, or a veteran service member within the United States Armed Forces. Using an online survey, I gathered quantitative and qualitative data. I also presented a case study of a woman who experienced IPV within her relationship with a United States Armed Forces member. Specifically, I (1) explored the barriers that this victim encountered when seeking help or leaving the abusive relationship that may be unique to the military context, and (2) examined the context of …

Emotional Neglect In Childhood And Attachment Anxiety In Adult Relationships As Predictors Of Social Networking Addiction, Latasha N. Mcdowell

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study investigated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and social networking addiction to determine if it was mediated by anxious-avoidant attachment. It was hypothesized that the presence of an anxious-avoidant attachment pattern developed as a result of childhood maltreatment would mediate the correlation between anxious-avoidant attachment and social networking addiction. This would mean that participants who developed an anxious-avoidant attachment style due to childhood maltreatment would use social media in unhealthy ways. To measure childhood maltreatment, the Adverse Childhood Experiences scale (ACE) was used. The Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised scale (ECR-R) was used to measure anxious-avoidant attachment. Finally, social networking …