Digital Commons Network^™

Identifying Antecedents And Consequences Of Mental Imagery: The Use Of Sor Theory In The Context Of Immersive Digital Exhibitions, Yeonjae Kim

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

With innovative technologies, various types of immersive digital experiences (IDEs) have gained significant attention in the past few years. Despite their popularity, little research has been conducted on the factors that examine visitors’ experiences and behavioral intentions. This study applies experience economy within the framework of the SOR (Stimulus-Organism-Response) theory, indicating the dimensions of IDE function as stimulus (S), mental imagery and attitude as the organism (O), and behavioral intentions as the response (R). This study aims to identify the antecedents and consequences of mental imagery to explain and understand the mechanism behind visitors’ evaluations for future decisions.

A total …

Unveiling Financial Performance As A Mediator In Vacation Rentals' Valuation: Evidence From The Central Florida Market, Marcos Medeiros

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This dissertation innovatively extends the hedonic value model by crafting a comprehensive and novel econometric framework to analyze the mediating role of financial performance in the valuation of vacation rental properties. The study not only conducts an empirical analysis of the fundamental hedonic determinants of vacation rentals’ performance and value but also examines the influence of vacation rental performance on their valuation by leveraging the capitalization rate theory, a prevalent metric for evaluating commercial real estate value, to ascertain its applicability in forecasting the worth of vacation rentals. The core contribution of this study is the discovery of how short-term …

Contextualizing Tiktok Controversies: Critical Discourse Analysis Of Platform Privacy Debates, Bshaer Kameil Aharazi

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This study focuses on online news coverage of TikTok's privacy policies to uncover accusations related to security threats between October 2020 and May 2023. Using critical discourse analysis, the research compares TikTok's discourse with other platforms like Facebook and YouTube, highlighting the role of governments, tech companies, and users in shaping this discourse. Furthermore, it demonstrates how cultural and political factors influence privacy discussions, particularly regarding the controversies, discussions, and accusations between the United States and China. AI tool ChatGPT analyzes the discourse by focusing on the news texts' most prominent topics and keywords. The goal is to identify key …

Home, Sweet Home: Gender The Civil War And Reunion Through Popular Music, Nathanial E. Bock

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

“Home, Sweet Home” is widely considered the most popular tune of the American Civil War, but its enduring popularity before, during, and after the war has never been fully explored. This thesis combines classic and modern histories of the music of the Civil War with some of the latest work in gender studies and the post-war era to explore the continued popularity of this song throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It begins by examining the life of the song’s unusual author, John Howard Payne, and why Americans were predisposed to find both Payne and his song so compelling. It …

Defining The Roles Of Blari Orthologs In Mycobacterium Abscessus, Lauren E. Bonefont

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The increasing incidence of Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab) infections is a global concern as the treatment failure rate is more than 50%. Mab is an opportunistic pathogen, thriving in harsh conditions in the environment and in hosts. To respond to these conditions, Mab employs many signal transduction mechanisms. This work characterizes two non-redundant systems using a novel mechanism in Mab: BlaRI-type protease-mediated two-component systems. In the Staphylococcus aureus prototype, BlaR binds β-lactams with a C-terminal extracellular sensing domain, activating BlaR through acylation and autoproteolysis. Activated BlaR then cleaves DNA-bound dimerized BlaI, disrupting repression by BlaI and enabling transcription …

Application Of A Zinc-Borate Based Nanoparticle To Impede The Spread Of Huanglongbing, Carlos J. Flores

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Huanglongbing is a citrus disease devastating the worldwide citrus industry. It is caused by the pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), and spread through the Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP). ACP vectors HLB as a host for CLas and spreads the bacteria through the saliva when feeding on citrus leaves. There is no cure for the disease, making preventative measures a top priority for the citrus industry. Previously used methods such as individual protective covers and insecticides have proven effective but costly to slow the spread of the disease. In this thesis, we report on the interactions of a novel zinc-borate spray-on …

Development Of A Novel Mitochondria Biosensor, Randall K. James

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Developing new label-free paradigms for functional assays in biomedical research has the potential to catalyze efforts in drug discovery and improve the understanding of complex disorders. Mitochondria are an essential organelle in nearly every eukaryotic organism that perform vital functions such as ATP production, redox signaling, reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis and regulation of programmed cell death. These activities are regulated by electrophysiological processes that occur in the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) and outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM) in response to metabolic demands, making them an important physiological marker for bioenergetic studies. Mitochondria dysfunction is an early pathological biomarker of complex …

Chinese Masculinities During The Maoist Era: Representations Of Model Men, Daniel L. Izadirad Mr.

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This thesis analyzes male characters from Maoist era movies, novels, and posters to argue that the Importance of Wen masculinity, a man’s intellectual and artistic talents, was downplayed, and even feminized while the importance of Wu masculinity, a man’s martial and athletic talents, was increased and encouraged as these forms of media came under increasingly stringent regulation from the Chinese Communist Party. This thesis examines sources from 1949-1976 dividing them into three periods: the Early People’s Republic (1949-1965), the Early Cultural Revolution (1966-1969), and the Late Cultural Revolution (1970-1976). Each chapter studies revolutionary protagonists and counterrevolutionary antagonists and explores how …

Flora And The Cloud Maker: Exploring Burnout Through Animation, Tiffany Marin

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Flora and The Cloud Maker is a two-dimensional (2D) animated short film inspired by my personal experiences as a graduate student learning to balance work-life demands. Pursuing higher education has generated many unanticipated challenges. One of these challenges includes experiencing the state of psychological exhaustion, or “burnout”. Flora and The Cloud Maker’s purpose is to show that burnout is common, and recovery is possible. Many graduate students struggle with work-life balance, burnout, and anxiety in their daily lives. Through strong use of color theory and charming visuals, Flora and The Cloud Maker demonstrates that though the road to higher education …

The Investigation Of The Effects Of Adolescent Substance Use On Socioeconomic Outcomes During Adulthood, Bedis Elkamel

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Adolescence is a crucial point in life where choices, behaviors, and environmental influences can significantly shape future outcomes. This research investigates the increasing concerns surrounding adolescent substance use and examines its long-term effects on socioeconomic status (SES) in adulthood. Substance use during adolescence has been shown to have significant long-term physiological impacts, as the brain is still developing at this age. Additionally, many short- and long-term effects are associated with substance use, such as impacts on academics, physical and emotional well-being, and social life. Several studies have been conducted to explore the relationship between substance use and SES, however, …

The Contribution Of The White Working-Class Toward Their Own Political And Economic Disenfranchisement, Dana De Castro

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this study was to answer the following question: why are the white working-class in America complicit in their own political and economic disenfranchisement? Moreover, this paper utilizes two time periods in American history, specifically, the Antebellum period and the Jim Crow era, and examines the white working-class’s behavioral pattern in these periods with the historical context in mind that took place in each of the eras. Through an analysis of the two studies, it is revealed that the white working-class has long been disenfranchised politically and economically. The white working-class of the past (specifically, the Antebellum period …

Financial Issues And Trends Among Testicular Cancer Patients: A Review Of Patient-Reported Outcomes, Treatments, And Employment, Staphana Valery Edouard

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The present study reviewed existing literature on the effects of treatment and recovery costs on the multidimensional wellness of testicular cancer (TC) survivors. Peer-reviewed and scholarly articles were systematically searched and analyzed to determine the extent and impact of the overall financial effects of a TC diagnosis. This study aimed to uncover evidence indicating the possible decline in overall health-related quality of life (HRQoL) due to the potential deleterious effects on TC survivors’ financial well-being.

We found that TC survivors’ HRQoL is affected due to the damages of high out-of-pocket treatment costs, possible loss of employment, disability, and any other …

Exploring Evidence-Based Intervention Methods In The Juvenile Justice System, Edgar J. Quinones-Gomez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

A large body of research has been devoted to understanding evidence-based interventions (EBI) and their effectiveness in the juvenile justice system. This systematic review examines three commonly used interventions used to reduce recidivism among adolescents involved in the juvenile justice system: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Functional Family Therapy (FFT), and Multisystemic Therapy (MST). The systematic review analyzes findings from prior studies evaluating the impact of CBT, FFT, and MST on recidivism among adjudicated youth. The sample includes 23 peer-reviewed studies that utilized samples of adjudicated youth in the United States and were published after 2010. Findings revealed CBT as the most …

Sars-Cov-2 Infection History Is Positively Correlated With Frequency Of Psychotic Symptoms In Schizophrenia, Jackson D. Beecher

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Previous work in human and animal studies has implicated aberrant insular cortex (IC) activity in the pathophysiology of hallucinations. Of note, the IC overlaps with the olfactory cortex (OC), a region of the brain that receives extensive projections from sensory neurons of the olfactory epithelium. SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) is a highly infectious coronavirus with a demonstrated ability to cause anosmia; the virus does this by colocalizing with and damaging support cells in the olfactory epithelium, ultimately leading to alterations in olfactory receptor cell signaling to the OC. Given the overlap between OC and IC, we asked the question of whether COVID-19 …

Exploring Filipino Restaurants In Greater Orlando, Jeremy Quinn T. Braga

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This ethnographic study examines how Filipino restaurants in Greater Orlando leverage traditional foodways and interior design to gain and sustain customer followings. Data elicitation techniques such as participant observation, semi-structured interviews, photography, and mapping help build a general portrait of these niche out-to-eat venues in central Florida. Collected findings suggest that Filipino restaurants in Greater Orlando are extremely varied from the type of eatery they are, the mode of consumption and their interior design choices. Dine-in, takeout from turo-turo stores, or fast food are the many ways one can get food. Most of the time the interior design of the …

Predicting Willingness To Attain Telehealth Medical Treatment From Personality Variables, Maxwell J. Belshe

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The continued integration of technology into healthcare has made telehealth a vital resource. Yet, factors influencing individuals' willingness to seek telehealth treatment remain relatively underexplored. In this study, I examined the relationship between social media use, personal growth, environmental mastery, and social anxiety, as well as their relationship to college students’ willingness to utilize telehealth services. A sample of 402 participants was surveyed and a multiple regression analysis was conducted to assess these variables' abilities to predict willingness to use telehealth services. The model explained 10.6% of the variance in willingness to use telehealth with social media use and personal …

Elements Of The Criminal Mind, Kelsie A. Esposito Ms.

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Studying human behavior and societal dynamics has captivated scholars across time. From ancient philosophers like Plato to contemporary researchers, the quest to comprehend our distinctiveness and the mechanisms that enable harmonious coexistence remains paramount. This thesis examines the enigmatic realm of the “criminal class,” looking at their identity and actions and the cognitive processes underpinning their behavior. Focusing on violent criminal offenders, this thesis seeks to provide greater meaning and understanding of the criminal mind.

Insights Into The Heart Microstructure: A Case Study, Sarah Bulger

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis focuses on better understanding the structures of the heart at the micro-scale. Cardiomyocytes and the branching of cardiomyocytes are of specific interest. A literature review was performed to extract key information on cardiomyocyte size, the branching type and frequency of cardiomyocytes, and cardiomyocytes' organization in general. The purpose of conducting the literature review was to find quantifiable data on the micro-structure of the heart. Three studies in particular provided data on the branching of cardiomyocytes. Two of these studies were conducted on rat hearts, while one other study was conducted on human hearts. The methods and terminology between …

Rats And Emperors: The Justinianic Plague And A Shaken Empire, Miranda Allaire

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Spring 2024

For this research proposal, I decided to analyze the question of how the Justinianic Plague affected Eastern Roman politics. The benefits of taking a Research-Intensive class are easy to see, especially as a History major. Through constructing this research proposal, I noticed how my skills of critical thinking, source analysis, and comprehension of evidence improved. By participating in this project, this has continued to confirm my desire to pursue even higher education.

Social Media In Schools, Lily Cring, Olivia Skvarenina, Brianna Philips, Rachel Blank, Joshua Carrizales

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Spring 2024

For our service-learning project for our final semester as part of LEAD Scholars Academy, we dove into deliberative dialogue. In our class, we research 2023 Florida State Bill 52. This bill requires public schools to provide education on the social and emotional impacts of social media, limiting social media usage during schools hours, and limiting cell-phone usage on school property as a whole.

Through this project and the interactions we had in class we learned just how powerful social media is, and the importance of awareness around the negative impacts it can have, especially on youth and teens.

Impact Of Senate Bill 1580: Medical Conscience In Florida, Rishi Nair, Nicholas Mistry, Vishanth Murugesan, Hunter Burtha, Douglas D'Amelio

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Spring 2024

In 2023, the Florida Legislature passed Senate Bill 1580 (SB 1580), which enshrined protections of medical providers’ conscience into law. Upon enactment, proponents have hailed the bill’s leadership in enabling providers to uphold their personal values and refuse to provide care on such grounds. Opponents have questioned SB 1580’s ability to ensure accessible healthcare by enabling personal beliefs to potentially overshadow the scientific consensus. We analyzed the benefits and drawbacks of this new law in relation to existing research on the impact of medical conscience on health outcomes. SB 1580 draws upon affirmations of the Hippocratic Oath and moral practices …

Leadership Through The Special Olympics Florida, Aubrey M. Anthony, Brooke Leggiero, Cameron Weeks, Octavius Woods

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Spring 2024

The Special Olympics is a nationwide organization that focuses on providing a safe environment for individuals with intellectual disabilities. In Florida, this organization provides many opportunities for us to get involved and is why we chose this organization. We admired their mission for positivity and inclusivity, and therefore jumped at the opportunity to get involved. Some of this involvement included attending the recreational sporting events, playing with the athletes, and contacting the staff that was involved. We learned through this service learning, that the Special Olympics Florida is a truly congruent organization, and shows that their espoused values align with …

Social Media And Kids: An Issue Guide, Timothy A. Mcallister, Mekhai Ryan, Connor Sands, Matthew Turman, Spencer Friedberg

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Spring 2024

Our goal with this project is to foster civil discourse on issues relating to kids and social media, examining both the potential benefits and harms they may experience. We used HB 1: Online Protections for Minors as a starting point, as a relevant example of regulatory measures aimed at safeguarding children online.

Throughout our project, we've learned a lot to deeply understand the various perspectives on this issue. From concerns about the detrimental effects on mental and physical health to considerations of privacy and freedom of speech, we have definitely expanded our own knowledge on the topic while completing this …

Taylor Davis - Eportfolio, Taylor Davis

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Fall 2024

The purpose of my ePortfolio project is to serve as a digital collection of the many and various experiences that I have had the privilege of accumulating throughout the last several years as an undergraduate student. Through the process of creating this ePortfolio, I was given the opportunity to reflect on a comprehensive recollection of all of these experiences, gaining a more insightful approach and examining how these events will influence my future endeavors. Key activities included compiling a variety of materials including photos, videos, proposal documents, certifications, and more to create an all-encompassing portfolio of experiences. This compilation helped …

History Of Injustices And The Current Interim Government Actions In Bangladesh, Kazi S. Salsabil

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Fall 2024

The project illustrates the knowledge I obtained through the U-LEAD global leadership course and the research project assessing global issues. This illustration will discuss the past and current situation of Bangladesh. It has only been 53 years since Bangladesh became independent. Unfortunately, the country has a long history of political struggles. The country is recovering from the destabilized government left by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The purpose of this project is to assess the political and societal obstacles faced by Bangladesh.

Additionally, psychological well-being and accessibility to resources will be evaluated. For this project, I used Google Forms to …

Doing Good With Goods And Grace, Piper Sunvold

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Fall 2024

Goods and Grace is a non-profit grocery store located in Casselberry, Florida, specifically founded to serve the low income community in Central Florida. Goods and Grace’s mission is “To nourish Bodies & Souls with Dignity and Grace” (Goods and Grace, n.d.). They fulfill this mission by providing lower priced grocery store items to families that meet the low income requirements, and by providing members with advice on job hunting, cooking, and other areas. While serving with Goods and Grace, I was a cashier, who checked people out as well as restocked shelves. However, there were also many people who just …

Pathways To Potential: Guiding Middle School Students Through Career Exploration, Megan Rhodes

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Fall 2024

Megan partnered with a local middle school to supplement their curriculum through career development small groups and class lessons, focusing on soft skills and learning about the self. She worked with sixth graders in small groups, and a mix of all grades for classroom lessons. The goal of these interventions is for students to feel more confident in their knowledge about themselves, and to be more equipped with knowledge about their different interests and strengths. The focus of each intervention includes skills, grit, Holland codes and interests, community helpers, and effort. Megan learned how to confidently communicate to students in …

"Addressing Sexual Abuse: Unveiling Hidden Realities", Shanzida Toha

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Spring 2024

My inspiration was from my IDS 4939 course where we had to present about a topic that we are devoted towards. It could be conveyed through PowerPoint, video, etc. but for me I chose to write a research paper about the indiscriminate circumstances that influence Sexual Abusers behavior, and how it profoundly directs their course of action. After an endless time spent on gaining data, this sensitive topic sent me to a black hole of no return. With boundless sources of support with the help of the internet I was feeling guilty as to what I could do with this. …

Experiencing Opening Your Heart To Hope, Lucia Quinones

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Fall 2024

Working at the HOPE Chest Thrift Store, I got to learn about looking through quality of clothing, talking with the community, staff members, cleaning up the store, and learning what it's like from an outsider's perspective vs a behind the scenes perspective on how workers are in the back. Main learning lessons, discipline and hard work can go a long way for impacting others. Everyone is doing their best and being the leader to see the background, leads to an open-mind. My goal was to work at a food pantry but it turned into working at a thrift store that …

Unlocking The Path To Psychology: A Guide To Building A Career In The Field, Kazi S. Salsabil

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Spring 2025

The Psychology 3074: Career Readiness 2 course offers an integrative learning experience aimed at enhancing students' professional development. This project reflects my journey as a student in building a solid foundation in professional communication, self-presentation, job market navigation, and the continuous growth fostered by embracing feedback. Throughout the course, we developed essential career readiness skills, including refining resumes and cover letters, participating in mock interviews, cultivating resilience in response to feedback, and crafting compelling elevator pitches. Additionally, resources such as the UCF Writing Center and Handshake played a pivotal role in advancing my resume, cover letter, and interview preparation, contributing …