Digital Commons Network^™

Gender Negotiation Among People In Poly/Consensual Non-Monogamous Relationships, Vanessa Rijo - Sánchez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In the United States, people are encouraged and even coerced by social forces to behave and interact according to rigid social mores that tend to privilege individuals from a specific gender, racial, and class backgrounds. As many theorists have stated, sexual, gender, and racial minorities navigate their lives experiencing oppression at different levels and at the intersections of different systems of inequality. The marginal social location of these identities often results in people re-defining the social meanings through which they construct their social lives. Although much research has been devoted to investigating the different ways in which people resist the …

Florida's Rising Tide: Income Inequality Effects By County, Alyson E. Johnson

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Income inequality in Florida is higher than in many states and has been getting worse over time. Inequality has been argued as responsible for a wide-ranging array of economic and social problems, including suppression of lower- and middle-income growth, social fragmentation and separatism, urban sprawl, poor health and mental illnesses, violence, and shortened life expectancy. What explains variance in Florida county income inequality as measured by the GINI coefficient? Bivariate and multivariate weighted least square regressions are conducted for the years 2000 and 2016, and for the change between 2000 and 2016. Three variables achieve statistical significance in all three …

Micromanipulation And Genetic Analysis Of Individual Sperm Cells For Sexual Assault Investigations, Amanda Penn

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Sexual assault investigations utilize both physical and biological evidence to aid in the investigation. Physical evidence may include fingerprints, hair, fibers, stains, soil, and glass. Biological evidence may include semen, saliva, vaginal secretions, menstrual blood, and skin. Semen, often found in small or trace quantities, is of great importance when trying to identify the perpetrator. From the semen sample, DNA profiles using autosomal short tandem repeats (aSTRs) (gold standard in forensic science) or Y-chromosome short tandem repeats (Y-STRs) can be obtained and can be used to identify a perpetrator through comparison to suspect reference samples or by searching the profile …

Efficacy And Tolerability Of Atomoxetine Use For Patients With Autism Spectrum Disorders And Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd) Symptoms: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Angie El-Said

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Introduction: Patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show more symptoms of ADHD. Since there are more adverse events caused by psychostimulants compared to non-psychostimulants, the use of a non-psychostimulant such as atomoxetine might prove more beneficial for younger patients and/or those with comorbid ADHD. Objective: The aim of this thesis is to determine the efficacy and tolerability of atomoxetine in ASD patients presenting with ADHD, by examining (a) differences in ADHD symptoms for participants receiving atomoxetine versus those receiving placebos, and (b) risk differences in adverse events between these participants. Methods: An electronic search of both …

A Comparative Study Of Medical And Literary Representations Of Shell Shock, 1914-50, Madison Das

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis explores shell shock--a common but misunderstood disorder seen in soldiers of World War One--through a Medical Humanities framework. Chapter 1 conducts a traditional medical review of scientific articles published on the pathology, symptoms, and treatment of shell shock between 1914-50. Chapter 2 builds upon this by offering a literary reading of Rebecca West's novel, The Return of the Soldier, which was published as the war drew to a close in 1918. The reading of West draws upon the medical research detailed in Chapter 1 to offer new conclusions about Chris's shell shock. The thesis shows how taking an …

The Nuclear Taboo: A Real Effect On Public Perception?, Cody Marlin Kennedy

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This research experiment investigated whether the nuclear taboo was more influential on participants when considering the use of nuclear weapons, or if the participants were influenced more by cost-benefit analysis when deciding to use nuclear weapons. In this study, we presented a fake military scenario to respondents with a total of eight different versions that either did or did not include: genocide, high casualties, and nuclear weapons. Participants could then select whether they agreed, disagreed, or needed more information as there answer. Breaking respondents down into these three groups, the results show that for all three respondent groups the independent …

Investigating The Role Of Neuronal Aging In Fragile X-Associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome, Katlin Marie Hencak

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) is an X-linked late-onset neurodegenerative disorder caused by a noncoding trinucleotide repeat expansion in the FMR1 gene. This gene produces fragile x mental retardation protein (FMRP), an RNA binding protein whose targets are involved in brain development and synaptic plasticity. One of the proposed mechanisms of FXTAS pathogenesis is an RNA gain-of-function in which the repeat expansion causes toxic mRNA that sequesters important proteins in the cell, interfering with their functions. Another suggested method of pathogenesis is through a mutant protein called FMRpolyG. This protein results from repeat-associated non-AUG (RAN) translation, in which the expanded …

An Exploration Of The Relationship Between Young Women's Body Esteem, Stigma Consciousness, And Ambivalent Sexism, Manuela Uribe

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis seeks to explore how young women's body esteem is influenced by their beliefs about ambivalent sexism and stigma consciousness. In this study, a sample of 168 undergraduate female students at the University of Central Florida were asked to complete an online battery containing six psychological measures. The measures in this study included measures of body esteem and objectified body consciousness, perception and attitudes toward sexism, experiences with sexist events, and stigma consciousness. The results showed an association between higher body esteem and higher beliefs in benevolent sexism, and no relationship was found between hostile sexism and body esteem. …

After Hurricane Maria: Puerto Rican Migrants And Residential Segregation In The Orlando Msa, Gabriella Ospina

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The intent of this thesis is to analyze the racial attitudes of residents in the Orlando MSA towards Puerto Rican migrants that have moved as a result of Hurricane Maria and analyze the effects these attitudes may have on racial residential segregation in Central Florida. As the state with the third largest population of Latinos, Florida's residential landscape continues to be uniquely formed by a diverse, and markedly Latino, population. Florida's location in relation to South American and Caribbean countries has made it an opportune destination for immigrants and refugees. Therefore, it came as no surprise that when Hurricane Maria …

The Mediating Role Of Resilience In The Relationship Between Attachment Style And Symptoms Of Depression And Anxiety, Melanie Jurgensen

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Although previous research has identified a relationship between insecure attachment styles and symptoms of depression and anxiety, evidence regarding the mechanisms of action driving this relationship has been lacking. Consequently, the current study examined the mediating role of resilience in the relationship between insecure attachment styles (i.e. anxious-avoidant, anxious-ambivalent, helpless-disorganized and frightened-disorganized) and symptoms of depression and anxiety. The current study included a sample of 182 participants (i.e., 87 men and 95 women) who completed six questionnaires that assessed each participants' relationship with their caregivers during their childhood, present symptoms of depression and anxiety, and their resilience. Correlational analyses indicated …

All Things Considered: Child Custody After A Same-Sex Dissolution Of Marriage, Alissa M. Williams

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Following the decision rendered in Obergefell v. Hodges, there have been unabating talk as to how courts may rule on disputed matters involving same-sex marriages. One specific aspect this thesis intends to focus on is what to expect from custody rulings following dissolutions of same-sex marriages. The purpose of this thesis is to interpret just how courts may rule regarding child custody in same-sex divorces, based on the concept of stare decisis. Given the fresh face of marriage equality in America, there is a lack of research done in the area. This thesis will serve as a substructure and reference …

Reinforcement Learning For Optimal Control Of Network Epidemic Processes, Alec H. Kerrigan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Our society is increasingly interconnected, making it easy for cascades/epidemic (diseases, disinformation etc). Current epidemic control efforts are based on approximate network epidemic models, which often ignore the unique complexity and rich information embedded in the complex interconnections of real-world networks/populations.Deep reinforcement learning (RL) is a powerful tool at learning policies for these nonlinear, complex processes in high-dimension. To control an epidemic outbreak on a Susceptible-Infected-Susceptible network epidemic model, we design a RL framework with a custom reward structure using the node2vec embedding technique. Results indicate deep RL is able to determine and converge on an optimal intervention policy in …

Evaluating Lactobacillus Acidophilus As A Model Organism For Co-Culture Cancer Studies, Samuel A. Mikhail

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The causality dilemma between dysbiosis and cancer has given rise to numerous studies both exploring the mechanisms behind cancer progression and the associative shifts in the microbiota upon carcinogenesis. Aside from the hallmark study of Dr. Barry Marshall in establishing the true causal relationship between Helicobacter pylori and gastric adenocarcinoma, studies have only been successful in adding associative links of carcinogenesis mediated by bacteria to the literature. The current field is limited in its ability to establish causative relationships, and further work is needed to construct a reference community whose physiological responses reflect global community responses. In this thesis, the …

Lower Osteocalcin Is Linked To Genetic Polymorphisms In Tnfrsf1a/1b And Mycobacterium Paratuberculosis Infection Among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients, Ahmad K. Odeh

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder that results in inflamed joints and osteoporosis. Previous studies have shown that Mycobacterium avium subspecies Paratuberculosis (MAP) has a role in the downregulation of active osteocalcin in Crohn’s disease (CD). Since RA and CD have a similar pathology, we hypothesize that active inflammation following MAP infection will result in downregulation of active osteocalcin in RA patients. In this study, a total of 82 individuals (48 RA and 34 healthy) were examined for MAP status and for active osteocalcin. Out of the 48 RA patients, 18 were MAP positive compared to only 1 out …

Mechanochemically Synthesized Cobalt Oxide-Based Particles For The Reduction Of Nitrophenols And Impacting Factors To Its Mechanism, Lorianne R. Shultz

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Mechanochemically synthesized cobalt oxide-based particles are employed for the catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4NP), a toxic water contaminant. This reduction produces 4‑aminophenol (4AP), a less toxic, pharmaceutical precursor for drugs such as paracetamol. The indicated reduction has been completed previously using noble metals and/or catalysts requiring extensive solvent use, and time as part of their preparation. The cost and synthesis of these noble metal catalysts hinders the sustainable broad scale application as an environmental remediation solution. The catalyst synthesis explored in this study utilizes the green chemistry technique of vibratory ball-milling and annealing cobalt oxide-based particles at different temperatures, producing …

The Honorary White Population: Fighting For Self-Identification, Reina E. Chehayeb

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The intent of this thesis is to explore the history of classification of Arab-Americans within the United States, showcase how Arab-Americans have encountered systematic racism, and give reasons why Arab-Americans should be able to self-identify. Currently, according to the Census definition, Middle Easterners fall under the "White" category. This is a misrepresentation of Middle Easterners as they should be considered a minority in light of societal treatment and policies set forth by policy makers. Even though much research has been conducted by the Census, they have elected to withhold the Middle Eastern or North African (MENA) category from the 2020 …

A Survey Of Dissociation, Identity Distress, And Rejection Sensitivity In Adult Adoptees, Lee J. Mclamb

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study quantitatively measures dissociation, rejection sensitivity, and identity distress among adults who experienced adoption as a child and the relationship between these factors. This study also compares groups of adoptees recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) and social media to assess whether these two recruitment methods achieve similar results. An online survey was conducted of adopted adults and non-adopted adults to serve as controls using both MTurk and social media. A total of 539 participants were recruited representing 151 non-adopted individuals recruited exclusively through Mturk, and 388 adoptees, 247 of whom were recruited through MTurk and 141 through social …

The Influence Of Mental Imagery On Myofascial Restriction, Juan P. Rodriguez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Introduction: Mental imagery (MI) has been shown to influence flexibility when used with treatments such as stretching. Currently, little evidence supports the efficacy of MI as an independent tool to increase flexibility. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to test if a guided mental imagery protocol could positively influence subject physical measures, including myofascial length, muscle tone and range of motion measures.

Methods: Individuals with no history of lower limb injuries that would affect hamstring flexibility underwent initial measures, random assignment to a mental imagery or control group, and post-intervention measures. The imagery group followed a guided visualization of …

An Examination Of Oppression Via Anti-Abortion Legislation, Saphronia P. Carson

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis utilizes a reproductive justice framework to discuss the impact of anti-abortion legislation and the anti-abortion movement on women of color and low-income women, arguing that reduced access to abortion is oppressive to minority women. Chapter 1 outlines the theoretical framework of this thesis, focusing on feminist Marxism, Intersectionality, Critical Race Theory, and radical and third wave feminist perspectives. Chapter 2 provides an overview of the anti-abortion movement and the major state and federal laws and court cases that have defined women's access to abortion in the United States, including Roe v Wade, the Hyde Amendment, Planned Parenthood v …

Anti-Lgbt Backlash And The Shifting Public Opinion On Lgbt Rights In Contemporary Russia: A Case Study, Sean T. Skillings

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The wealth of literature which intends to explain various aspects of LGBT rights, politics, and activism in Eastern Europe has been well established (Swimelar, 2017, p. 912). There are currently two opposing theories on the effect of backlash on LGBT attitudes and activism. One theory, purported by O'Dwyer, suggests that backlash is beneficial to the visibility of LGBT issues and for attracting international attention and support. Rosenberg argues that right-wing backlash is detrimental to attitudes and activism (Rosenberg 2008, p. 344-347). These two arguments for and against the "benefits to backlash" approach are clearly defined and testable. With this paper, …

Perceived Factors That Contributed To The Success Of College Students With Dyslexia, Jessica Doyle

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this pilot project was to determine the factors or supports that college graduates perceived as helping them to thrive and attempt higher education, despite having a learning disability, specifically dyslexia. Based on the literature review, this pilot study examined the four main kinds of support that most students receive while growing up; including family support, peer support, teacher support, and support from other programs and resources. The specific research question explored: What encouraged or discouraged these now adults in their pivotal growing years in regards to dyslexia? This pilot study used a mixed-methods research design which included …

Stochasticity In An Artificial Neuron Using Ag/2d-Mos2/Au Threshold Switching Memristor, Madison Manley

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Neuromorphic computing comprises of systems that are based on the human brain or artificial neural networks, with the promise of creating a brain inspired ability to learn and adapt, but technical challenges, such as developing an accurate neuroscience model of the functionality of the brain to building devices to support these models, are significantly hindering the progress of neuromorphic systems. This has paved the way for artificial neural networks (ANN) to meet these criteria. The memristor has become an emerging candidate to realize ANN through emulation synapse and neuron behavior. In this work, we are fabricating an Ag/MoS­₂/Au …

Quantifying The Shortage Of Mental Health Care In Venezuela Through Media Content Analysis, Andrea B. Alfonsi

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The aim of this thesis was to assess the gaps and deficits in the mental health care staffing and related prescription drug or therapeutic intervention availability in Venezuela using media content analysis. This thesis also assessed the measures suggested by Venezuelan medical professionals for addressing the population's needs for mental health services amid the nation's crisis. The shortage of mental health care in Venezuela was assessed because various stressors, including life events, chronic stressors, and daily hassles, are substantially less than optimal among Venezuelans. The mental health consequences of these factors, along with the detrimental psychosocial demands commonly faced by …

Development Of Nonlocal Green-Kubo Formalism With Applications To Coupled Heat And Mass Transport, Kevin Fernando

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Nonlocal equations for coupled heat and mass transport are developed within the Green-Kubo formalism. Nonlocal thermal transport in Lennard-Jones solids is computed to establish the existence of semi-ballistic transport. Deviations from the diffusive theory are shown by comparing the Fourier transform of the response function from the nonlocal theory to that of the diffusive one. It is shown that the deviations from the local theory correspond to acoustic phonons, whose frequency dependence gives rise to the observed deviations from the local theory.

21st Century Engagement Among Ucf Students: Exploring Metrics & Platforms, Daniel N. Robles Duprey

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This research analyzes the political and social engagement of UCF College of Business students in order to grasp a better understanding of what youth engagement looks like in the 21^st century. Through the implementation of a survey, data is collected on the level of students' social involvement, political participation, and civic engagement – the three vital metrics of citizen engagement. These metrics are then split across the online and offline realm, as well as across key demographics of race, gender identity, political ideology, and party affiliation. Data is also collected about which social media platforms students engage most on, …

Elucidating The Role Of Oxygen And Biotype In The Environmental Persistence Of Vibrio Cholerae, Amy M. Freiberg

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Vibrio cholerae is a natural inhabitant of aquatic environments and serves as the etiological agent for the severe diarrheal disease, cholera. Cholera epidemics follow a regular seasonal pattern, which account for tens to hundreds of thousands of deaths in a given year. V. choleraenaturally persist between epidemics through entry into a dormant state known as viable but nonculturable (VBNC). Research has shown that V. choleraein this VBNC state experience drastic morphological and metabolic changes, which serve as survival mechanisms until environmental conditions become suitable again. The natural marine ecosystem that V. cholerae inhabitis comprised of a complex …

Appropriate Adjective: Executive Authority And The Classification Of Enemy Combatants, Taraleigh Davis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Is the term enemy combatant an established legal category of persons under international law? Has the President exceeded his constitutional authority in classifying United States citizens who are suspected terrorists as enemy combatants? In 2018 a U.S. citizen was released after being held for 13 months as an enemy combatant. He was detained without being charged with a crime and without the ability to challenge the legality of his detention. This thesis serves two purposes. First, it will seek to trace the history of the term enemy combatant and highlight the evolution of its use by the executive branch. This …

Superforecasting Or Snafu: The Forecasting Ability Of The Us Military Officer, David Raugh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

What is the impact of military institutional tendencies and habits on U.S. Army senior officer forecasting accuracy and how does this forecasting ability shape success in battle? Military leaders plan operations based on the forecasted strengths and vulnerabilities of their adversary. Negative habits, such as limited option development, confirmation bias, doctrinal overreliance, and over-consideration of sunk costs, inhibit effective forecasting. The tempo of the modern battlefield, hierarchical culture, and institutional tendencies of the US Army may promote and reinforce these habits. I surveyed Colonels in US Army War College programs to measure their individual tendencies, levels of education, and accuracy …

Unraveling The Role Of Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase (Pnmt+) Cells In-Vivo, Sanjana Manja

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (Pnmt) is the enzyme that N-methylates norepinephrine to produce the stress hormone/neurotransmitter, epinephrine, which is abundantly expressed in adrenal glands. Developmental studies have also identified Pnmt expression in the embryonic heart and several areas of the brain, including brainstem, cerebellum, and hypothalamus. Thus, we hypothesize that selective ablation of Pnmt+ cells will have detrimental effects on cardiovascular, neuromuscular, and metabolic processes. To uncover the importance of Pnmt+ cells in vivo, we generated a novel Diphtheria Toxin A (DTA) suicide model (Pnmt+/Cre; R26+/DTA) to selectively ablate Pnmt-expressing (Pnmt+) cells in mice. Appearing normal at birth, Pnmt-Cre/DTA mice began to …

An Investigation Of College Student-Athletes' Mental Health Stigma, Help-Seeking Attitudes, Depression, Anxiety, And Life Stress Scores Using Structural Equation Modeling, Saundra Tabet

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the directional relationship between student-athletes' degree of mental health stigma, help-seeking attitudes, depression, anxiety, and life stress scores. This investigation tested the theoretical model that student-athletes' (N = 621) degree of mental health stigma (as measured by the Perceived Devaluation-Discrimination Scale – Adapted [PDD-A; Eisenberg et al., 2009]) contributed to their attitudes towards help-seeking (as measured by the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help – Short Form [ATSPPH-SF; Fisher & Farina, 1995]) and levels of depression (as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire – 9 [PHQ-9; Kroenke et al., 2001]), anxiety (as …