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The Implications Of Case-Based Learning (Cbl) On Biochemistry Education: An Integrative Literature Review, Ryan C. Ripert

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The COVID-19 has significantly impacted the world as we know it, especially in higher education institutions. In response to COVID-19, most colleges and universities were forced to close their doors to students and switch to online learning over Zoom. Although most students are adjusted well to this new mode of education, other students, such as individuals pursuing degrees in the sciences, have difficulty adapting to the online mode of instruction. Case-based learning (CBL) is considered one of the best strategies in teaching a course like Biochemistry in a large classroom setting. Implementing CBL in biochemistry education may increase student engagement …

Influences Of Public Opinion Concerning Abortion, Enya A. Brackins

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This Honors Undergraduate Thesis seeks to examine the influences of public opinion on abortion policy. Race, Partisanship, and Gender are identified as driving forces which influences the public's opinion. As social and racial movements continue to progress so does the influence that it has on policy makers.

Awareness Of Genetic Predispositions That Increase The Risk Of Breast Cancer, Carly Huber

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women in the United States and is the leading cause of cancer-related death among women worldwide. Certain demographics, such as racial/ethnic, age, and gender groups, are underrepresented in breast cancer studies. This lack of representation results in issues with creating genetic tests, as variants associated with those groups are not being detected. Furthermore, these underrepresented demographics are receiving a worse prognosis than those that are overrepresented in research. This study aimed to understand how informed the understudied racial/ethnic, gender, and age populations are regarding breast cancer and genetic testing compared to …

Fluid-Structure Interaction For A Deformable Anisotropic Cylinder: A Case Study, Jared T. Decker

Honors Undergraduate Theses

For a structure designed to interact with the surrounding fluid, structural deformation under loads induced by fluid flows is an important factor to consider, and one which is traditionally difficult to account for analytically. Coupling the finite element method for structural analysis with the finite volume method for the determination of fluid response allows for accurate simulation of the pressure and shearing loads applied by the fluid onto the fluid-structure interface, while also determining localized structural displacements that would cause changes to the geometry of the interface. This work seeks to simulate the behavior of cylinders with varying heights and …

Analysis Of Lubricants At Trace Levels Using Infrared Spectroscopy, Tanmai Bandarupalli

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Analysis of trace evidence involved in sexual assault investigations holds considerable potential as a newer avenue of identification when bulk, larger evidence is not found or unreliable. Trace analysis of forensic materials involves common findings such as strands of hair, residues left on clothing, shards of paint or glass, etc. In recent research focused on the analysis of trace materials found as evidence in a sexual assault, there has been promise in condom and bottled lubricant classification based on their chemical profiles that can provide an associative link in an investigation. Few studies have considered the examination of lubricant evidence …

Generation Succession: Reconceptualizing Generations And Their Mark On The Social Landscape, Ryan Hill

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis explores the sociological underpinnings of generation by drawing on Mannheim's theory of generations and applying the concept as an explanative force in long-term societal change. Individuals of the same cohort and national culture make for a generation location; they share a similar parameter of experience within the stream of history. As individuals collectively enter into the formative years of adolescence, significant Imprint Events can forge a bond between them in terms of mindset and worldview (Habitus), which endure over the life course. This group of individuals, as a result, develop a generational consciousness that is distinct from other …

History, Ideology, And Evolution Of Criminal Profiling, Gayatri M. Ramesh

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Criminal profiling is the art of using evidence and crime scenes to deduce who the criminal is and where the criminals might be going next. In addition, criminal profiling is also used to link cases together with like victims. While its usage in law enforcement is relatively new, forms of the art have been around for decades. This thesis researches the history, ideology, and evolution of criminal profiling from the early 1870s to its current state. Cesare Lombroso and his research founded criminal profiling by examining how criminals and their minds vary from law-abiding citizens. Following Lombroso, various forms of …

A Qualitative Systemic Review On Maternal Health Disparities In Haitian Women, Alexandra Jean-Louis

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: It is universally known that pregnancy is a vulnerable time for a woman's health. Women of all backgrounds endure significant physiological and anatomical changes during pregnancy and after childbirth. But the latest research studies have called attention to the unique experience of Black mothers. Compared to other racial and ethnic groups, Black women encounter health disparities at an all-time higher rate. According to research studies conducted in Haiti and the United States, Haitian women are amongst the community of Black women who are experiencing disproportionate maternal outcomes.

Research Aims: The aim of this systematic review is to …

Targeting T Cell Metabolism To Ameliorate Graft-Versus-Host Disease, Karin Zikra

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is an important form of therapy for hematological genetic disorders and malignancies, particularly hematological cancers. However, common usage of this procedure is obstructed by graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), in which transplanted donor T cells wage an attack on recipient antigens, causing severe tissue damage and mortality. GvHD prognosis remains poor, and current treatment methods continue to be insufficient, especially for patients with more advanced and severe GvHD. T cells have been identified as the fundamental force behind GvHD, and their cellular metabolism is deemed vital to their fate and function, especially in pathogenic environments. A hallmark …

Interactive Coast, Manuela Monsalve

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Interactive Coast is a moving-image art installation that will mix 16mm film and digital footage. Inspired by the cyclical nature of the biological concept of succession, this installation will focus on human interactions with nature and architecture, specifically at the beaches on the East Coast of Florida. In its biological definition of the word, “Succession is the gradual transformation or creation of a biological community as new species move into an area and modify local environmental conditions” (Rehkopf 1581). The coast, once with its undeveloped tract of mangroves and sand dunes is now interspersed with construction, oil spills, and …

Computation Of Effective Properties Of Smart Composite Materials With Generalized Periodicity Using The Two-Scales Asymptotic Homogenization Method, David Guinovart Sanjuan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

In this work, a general mathematical models for flexoelectric heterogeneous equilibrium boundary value problems are considered. A methodology to find the local problems and the effective properties of flexoelectric composites with generalized periodicity is presented, using a two-scales asymptotic homogenization method. The model of the homogenized boundary values problem is presented. A procedure to solve the local problems of stratified multilayered composites with wavy geometry with perfect contact at the interface is proposed. Further, a study of a multilayered piezoelectric composite with imperfect contact at the interface and the influence of the flexoelectric constituents in the behavior of heterogeneous structures …

Psychological Distress And Affective, Behavioral And Cognitive Experiences Of Stuttering, Randy W. Panzarino

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Adults who stutter (AWS) are vulnerable to the development of various psychopathological symptoms, although prevalence data are mixed, and even less clarity exists as it relates to the factors that potentially influence their occurrence. The current study sought to shed light on the prevalence of self-reported psychopathology in AWS and aimed to identify relationships between affective, behavioral and cognitive (ABC) experiences of stuttering and psychological distress. This was based on AWS' reports of speech situation-specific anxiety and speech disruption, the use of behaviors to avoid or escape stuttering, and one's communication attitude. The self-reports administered to 40 AWS via Qualtrics, …

Mechanical Behavior Of Bioceramic Materials: Case Study Of The Skeleton Of The Staghorn Coral, Acropora Cervicornis And The Tibia Of The Laboratory Mouse, Mus Musculus, Mahmoud Omer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

I studied two types of bioceramics: (A) the aragonite CaCO3 skeleton of the staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis and (B) the hydroxyapatite Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 bones of the laboratory mouse, Mus musculus. The research aimed to analyze coral deformation behavior and study dietary and estrogen depletions effects on bone strength. I compared the mechanical and structural properties of staghorn coral skeletons cleaned by chemical bleaching and biological processes. Optical microscopy and computed tomography (CT) revealed a sophisticated microstructure of non-homogenously distributed pores. Staghorn coral skeletons showed ''gracious" fracture, where the unique pore arrangements resisted catastrophic crack growth and prevented instantanous failure. Elastic moduli …

Critical Modding: A Design Framework For Exploring Representation In Games, Kenton Howard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

In this project, I created a framework for exploring problems with representations of marginalized characters in video games called "critical modding." The main goal of this project was to provide a method for addressing issues with portrayals of queer characters in video games through modification of a game's narrative and gameplay systems. I also created a video game prototype called Life in the Megapocalypse as a digital tool for engaging in critical modding. In addition, I created classroom assignments based on the game prototype aimed at helping people learn more about problems with portrayals of queer characters in games through …

Qualitative Reconceptualizations Of Success In Physics From A Feminist Lens, Brian Zamarripa Roman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

To address the critical issue of the underrepresentation of women in physics, the Physics Education Research community has focused on exploring the factors contributing to student success; however, few studies have explored the meaning of success in physics as seen by women and other marginalized populations. This study, guided by Feminist Standpoint Theory and Critical Race Nepantlera Methodologies, incorporates qualitative methods to explore the central question, "how do women in physics conceptualize the meaning of success in physics?" We begin with an analysis of metaphors of success in physics constructed by nine women studying physics at a single institution, followed …

Processing Of 3d Porous Biomaterial Scaffolds To Enhance The In Vitro Breast Cancer Tumor Microenvironment, Zi Wang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Tumors contain heterogeneous cell populations within the tumor microenvironment (TME). TME supports tumor progression and development via the function of multiple cell types and cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions. 3D porous biomaterial scaffolds can be a type of in vitro tumor models to mimic TME ECM. Current tumor models lack structural complexity replicating tumor ECM, tunable mechanical properties, and have limited mass exchange between cells and their microenvironment. In this work, we firstly developed scaffolds with a hierarchical pore structure via the Freeze-FRESH(FF) fabrication technique that combines 3D printing and freeze-casting. Later, we studied the effect of varying processing parameters and …

Breaking News: The Presence Of Framing In Partisan Cable News Network's Coverage Of Officers Murdering Black Victims, Andrea Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This study analyzed how the most partisan cable news networks, FOX News and MSNBC, framed victims and officers in their coverage of cases where officers murder Black victims. In addition, this work investigated how these networks discussed systemic racism within their reports. Using Feagin's white racial frame as a framework, the findings suggest that both networks exhibited anti-black and pro-white framing within their reports, although the frequency and the severity varied across networks. Results also show when counter framing was present, MSNBC still perpetuated the anti-black and pro-white frames. These results have implications for how media should improve their coverage …

The Motuporamines Act Through Rho1 And Rac To Control Actin Dynamics In Drosophila, Corey Seavey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Given that most cancer patients die from metastatic disease, there is an urgent need to develop drugs that inhibit the spread of tumors. Studies show that the motuporamines activate the small GTPase RhoA to prevent cancer cell migration, but little is known about the mechanism of action of dihydromotuporamine C (Motu33) and its synthetic derivative Motu-(CH2)-33. In the present study, I investigated the biomolecular processes of these compounds in Drosophila by reducing the gene dose of positive and negative regulators of actin dynamics. Consistent with previous findings, reduced gene dose of Rho1 (the Drosophila RhoA ortholog) attenuates motuporamine activity confirming …

Evaluating Source Water Quality, Pretreatment, And Particulate Mass Transport In A Nanofiltration Membrane Process, Courtney Powell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This document details the source and occurrence of particulates in a nanofiltration (NF) process, considers the implementation of additional pretreatment to improve feedwater quality, and investigates the impact of submicron particles on membrane performance. Much of this research was performed in cooperation with the City of Boynton Beach (City) at the West Water Treatment Plant (WTP) and stemmed from particulate fouling concerns in the pretreatment and NF membrane processes. The water quality of the individual wells that supply the West WTP was evaluated to identify the source of particulates which overload the pre-filters (5-μm cartridge filters) and may contribute to …

The Effect Of Polyelectrolyte Modification Of Ultrafiltration Membranes On Fouling Resistance And Rejection Of Contaminants Of Emerging Concern, Kunal Olimattel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This research attempted to leverage the unique properties of poly (allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH)/poly (acrylic acid) (PAA) bilayer coatings to enhance antifouling and antimicrobial properties of a commercially available ultrafiltration (UF) membrane as well as the removal of PFOA and PFOS—the two CECs that most frequently represent the class of PFAS. The effects of selected water matrix components (humic acids [HA] and cations) on PFOA and PFOS removals were also investigated when using the functionalized membrane. PAH/PAA films were first deposited on the membrane using a fluidic layer by layer (LbL) technique and then crosslinked, followed by embedding of the silver …

Remediation Of Roadway Runoff Nutrients: Querying Sources Delivery Mechanism, Efficacy Of Stormwater Best Management Practices, And Stormwater Routing Through Karst Geology, Mohammad Shokri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Stormwater road runoff is a widespread non-point source of contaminants such as nutrients, which endangers water bodies, especially in vulnerable karst areas such as Florida. While roadside vegetated filter strips (VFSs) and stormwater basins are generally accepted best management practices (BMPs) for stormwater management, uncertainties about VFS nutrient removal are reported and stormwater basins are concerned of facilitating contaminant transport. In this dissertation, the application and efficacy of engineered infiltration media was tested as a subgrade for the enhanced nutrient removal from roadway runoff. Results of field-scale laboratory testing indicated that a VFS with engineered biosorption activated media (BAM) outperformed …

Initiation Of Alcohol Use In College Students, Gabrielle Lynch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Alcohol use contributes to widespread harm in college students, and postponing initiation of drinking can reduce negative consequences and risk for developing an alcohol use disorder (Palmer et al., 2010). This study focused on variables related to initiation of alcohol use among new students, and maintenance of abstinence among those who chose not to drink. Data was collected from 467 first year college students, 7.5% of whom initiated alcohol use in college, 33% had never consumed alcohol, and 59.5% started drinking before starting college. Several a- priori hypotheses were supported. Perceptions of peer drinking/attitudes mediated the relationship between academic involvement …

An Evaluation Of The Differences Between Perpetrators In Completed And Averted School Shootings, Ashley Winch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

School shootings have received a substantial amount of media attention and there have been a variety of explanations proposed as to their cause. While completed school shootings have been evaluated extensively, little research has been done into school shootings that have been averted, and even fewer studies have evaluated between group differences between completed and averted school shootings. The purpose of the present study was to assess the differences in completed and averted school shootings primarily with respect to the age of the perpetrators, the number of perpetrators, and participation in leakage warning behaviors. Additional demographic variables were assessed with …

Dietary Variation Of Social Elites Within A Late Horizon Cemetery (A.D. 1470-1532) At Túcume, Peru: Stable Carbon And Nitrogen Isotopic Analysis Of Huaca Las Abejas., Dylan Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Food choices can create and maintain group membership, also distinguishing groups based on dietary preferences and the perceived social value of foods. The food behaviors of social elites within complex societies are often governed by differential access and cultural factors determining the menu within a regional ecology. This study employs bioarchaeological and stable isotopic analyses to investigate the evidence for dietary variation of social elites within the Late Horizon (A.D. 1470–1532) cemetery of Huaca Las Abejas at Túcume using stable nitrogen and carbon isotopes. Paired teeth (early life diet) and bones (later life diet) were sampled from 23 individuals to …

Mechanics Of Low Dimensional Biomimetic Scale Metamaterials, Hossein Ebrahimi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Combination of topology and material could play an important role in giving rise to nontraditional behavior in mechanical structures and is a typical strategy in nature. Topology is concerned with the geometrical and spatial properties of the objects, which are preserved under continues mechanical deformation of the object such as stretching, bending, twisting, etc. In this work, we focus on structures based on fish scale inspired surface topology. The utilized idea for surface topology is a bioinspired design on the substrate of biological scale-covered systems. Scales are a path breaking evolutionary adaptation that accompanied vertebrate evolution for the past 500 …

Fine-Grained Lower Bounds For Problems On Strings And Graphs, Gary Thomas Hoppenworth

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The motivation of this thesis is to present new lower bounds for important computational problems on strings and graphs, conditioned on plausible conjectures in theoretical computer science. These lower bounds, called conditional lower bounds, are a topic of immense interest in the field of fine-grained complexity, which aims to develop a better understanding of the hardness of problems that can be solved in polynomial time. In this thesis, we give new conditional lower bounds for four interesting computational problems: the median and center string edit distance problems, the pattern matching on labeled graphs problem, and the subtree isomorphism problem. These …

Influence Of Ecm Composition And Intracellular Calcium On Endothelial Biomechanics And Prediction Of Cellular Stresses Using Machine Learning, Vignesh Aravind Subramanian Balachandar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Endothelial cells, which form the inner layer of the vasculature, constantly interact with their external microenvironment called the extracellular matrix (ECM) by exerting contractile cell-substrate stresses called tractions and cell-cell stresses called intercellular stresses. This cellular mechanosensing can become aberrant and act as a precursor for many vascular pathological and physiological processes such as cancer metastasis, atherosclerosis, cell differentiation, migration, and morphogenesis. Also, intracellular calcium signalling plays an important role in endothelial cell motility and in maintaining vascular tone. Alteration in ECM composition has been linked to several pathologies, in fact, a transition to a fibronectin-rich matrix from a type …

Diffusion Biomarkers To Characterize Tissue Microstructure In Chronic Myocardial Infarction, Mohammad Tanjib Rahman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Non-invasive imaging techniques to detect and characterize infarcted myocardium are critical for myocardial infarction (MI) prognosis and post-MI risk assessment. Many existing imaging techniques (such as T1-mapping) for MI detection require the use of contrast agents, which are not recommended for patients with renal failure. Cardiac diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (cDTI), a non-contrast imaging technique, allows estimating the aggregate cardiomyocyte microstructure in healthy subjects and its remodeling as a result of cardiac diseases. Two main questions are investigated in this thesis: 1) how cDTI based biomarkers can characterize microstructural changes occurring post-MI; and 2) if cDTI based biomarkers can …

Systemic Inequalities For Afro-Brazilians, Teya De Oliveira

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Brazil is commonly viewed as a racial paradise on the world front due to its highly mixed-race population. Compared to the United States and South Africa, race-based discriminatory laws and racially motivated violence in Brazil have been absent. Despite these factors, African descendants in Brazil have been at a socioeconomic disadvantage since the nation's birth. Brazilian anthropologist Gilberto Freyre put forth the racial democracy ideology, stating that anyone can ascend the socioeconomic ladder no matter their race. This thesis opposes the racial democracy theory by exposing the various aspects in which Afro-Brazilians are systemically oppressed. In education, jobs & wages, …

The Lived Experience Of Chronic Pain: On The Contributions Of Phenomenology In Understanding Chronic Pain Disorders, Riley C. Smith

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Chronic pain disorders are estimated to affect a significant proportion of the global population. These disorders are often debilitating and pose a substantial challenge to the everyday life of those affected. Modern medicine has made great strides in understanding the physiological processes involved in chronic pain. However, chronic pain is more than merely a physiological process. Chronic pain is an embodied mode of being-in-the-world that manifests in multiple aspects of lived experience, from the ability to perform day-to-day tasks to the relationship between body and self. Consequently, it is essential to cultivate a rich appreciation of chronic pain as a …