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2018

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Wolbachia Detection In The Tawny-Edged Skipper (Polites Themistocles), Gabriella Elmir Jan 2018

Wolbachia Detection In The Tawny-Edged Skipper (Polites Themistocles), Gabriella Elmir

Theses & ETDs

In this study, I screened a Tawny-edged Skipper (Polites themistocles) population of 26 individuals collected from northeastern South Dakota for Wolbachia. Wolbachia is an endosymbiotic bacteria that negatively affects host reproduction. PCR products for Wolbachia 16S and arthropod 28S were prepared and gel electrophoresis was used to detect Wolbachia infection in the population. This study found that 96% of the Tawnyedged Skipper population presented with Wolbachia. This supports the literature that Wolbachia is prevalent in insect species. I then selected five P. themistocles (Poth) individuals from the population and performed sequence analysis using an established multilocus sequence typing (MLST) protocol …

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Striving To Be Sehat: An Ethnographic Investigation Of Indonesian Medical Practices, Trevor Johnson Jan 2018

Striving To Be Sehat: An Ethnographic Investigation Of Indonesian Medical Practices, Trevor Johnson

Theses & ETDs

There is evidence of a particular practice of medical syncretism in the contemporary medical practices of those in the central Javanese province/city of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Individuals were often found to have combined ideas of traditional Javanese practice and ideas of cosmology as a dualistic means of determining healthcare choices in relation to the Indonesian national healthcare system established in 2014. This provides insights into how these choices, that at may seem counter to contemporary trends at first glance, are active, conscious understandings of how best to live a healthy lifestyle as informed by a large local, and national history.

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The War Isn’T Over: The Decolonial Praxis Of Laying Bare Environmental Violence In The #Nodapl Movement, Sadé Holmes Jan 2018

The War Isn’T Over: The Decolonial Praxis Of Laying Bare Environmental Violence In The #Nodapl Movement, Sadé Holmes

Theses & ETDs

Modern/colonial states and corporate interests perpetually engage in industrial practices that cause environmental violence ( NYSHN and WEA 2014 ), and th is is a continuation of the logics of modernity/coloniality that developed at the onset of settler colonialism in the Americas (Mignolo 2000; Quijano 1991). Decolonial art plays an integral role in the formation of responses to modernity/coloniality (Maldonado-Torres 2002) and environmental violence, which can be clearly seen within the #NODAPL movement (Martineau and Ritskes 2014). This thesis engages in a qualitative content analysis of creative writings of contemporary Indigenous women artists in a #NODAPL-inspired issue of the Apogee …

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The New College Arboretum: A Site-Specific Analysis Of Trees In An Urban Landscape, Malcolm Wells Jan 2018

The New College Arboretum: A Site-Specific Analysis Of Trees In An Urban Landscape, Malcolm Wells

Theses & ETDs

Trees play key roles in moderating negative impacts of anthropogenic climate change and global urbanization. Their unique physiology and anatomy critically influence natural systems, facilitating life and playing an integral role in the health and functionality of urban landscapes. The arboreal diversity and sheer number of trees present on the New College of Florida campus begs the question: Why isn’t the school an arboretum? In this thesis, I explore this inquiry by investigating the botanical diversity of New College, and statistically comparing characteristics of New College with existing arboreta. By articulating the number of tree species present on the New …

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Reef Safe Sunscreens Are Not Less Toxic Than Standard Sunscreens To The Fertilization And Larval Survival Of Lytechinus Variegatus, Paul Marick Jan 2018

Reef Safe Sunscreens Are Not Less Toxic Than Standard Sunscreens To The Fertilization And Larval Survival Of Lytechinus Variegatus, Paul Marick

Theses & ETDs

Sunscreen and other skin care products are pollutants that enter the water via the skin of swimmers. “Reef safe” sunscreen is claimed by manufacturers to be safer for marine organisms. Reef safe sunscreens often lack known dangerous ingredients such as oxybenzone and nano-scale metal oxides. The purpose of this research is to establish if reef safe sunscreen is better for marine life by raising Lytechinus variegatus from gamete to embryo in three concentrations (0.0001%, 0.001%, and 0.01% by weight value) of both reef safe and standard sunscreens. There was no difference in the LC50 numbers of the reef safe and …

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A Comparative Analysis: Recapture Rates Of The Blacktip Shark (Carcharhinus Limbatus) In The Noaa Gulfspan Survey (2000-2016) And The Terra Ceia Bay And Sarasota Bay, Florida Study (2017), Justina Mei-Jing Bernard Jan 2018

A Comparative Analysis: Recapture Rates Of The Blacktip Shark (Carcharhinus Limbatus) In The Noaa Gulfspan Survey (2000-2016) And The Terra Ceia Bay And Sarasota Bay, Florida Study (2017), Justina Mei-Jing Bernard

Theses & ETDs

Elasmobranchs, known as the cartilaginous fishes and including sharks, skates, and rays, play a critical role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Through tag-recapture studies, many factors that influence the population model for elasmobranch populations can be investigated to monitor the health of a fish stock. A triple tagging method was used, where the tertiary tag was a triangular notch punched in the first dorsal fin of the shark to provide indication for whether it was part of the 2017 in the case of tag shedding. This study didn’t find a significant difference between the recapture rates of blacktip sharks captured …

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Art, Abuse, And Anger Exploring Traumatic Memory, Ariel Sartori Amsberry Jan 2018

Art, Abuse, And Anger Exploring Traumatic Memory, Ariel Sartori Amsberry

Theses & ETDs

Life is full of boundaries which are essential guidelines into developing a healthy personal lifestyle. Healthy interactions between people are the ones where people recognize and respect the boundaries that individuals have. We develop boundaries in as an empathetic response to interactions and as we have experiences they become central to who we are and our own interpersonal relationships. It is these experiences that shape our memory and how we will interact with people in future endeavors. However, in cases of domestic abuse and relationship violence these boundaries have been violated. These experiences become memories which will not be healthy …

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The Radical And Mystical Space Of Marginalized Motherhood: Reimagining And Redefining The Immaculata And Multi-Media Installation, Body With A Heart Shaped Face, Bree Nieves Jan 2018

The Radical And Mystical Space Of Marginalized Motherhood: Reimagining And Redefining The Immaculata And Multi-Media Installation, Body With A Heart Shaped Face, Bree Nieves

Theses & ETDs

This thesis analyzes representations of and ideals about motherhood using Patricia Hill Collin’s theories about the “Hegemonic Domain,” one of four interrelated domains of power in society. Motherhood is both a constructed pedagogical system and a place for radical love and creativity. In this thesis, I focus on the Christian history of motherhood and analyze the authority that Church fathers give to the Virgin Mary through biblical references and images. I focus on the misreading of biblical scripture and argue for the necessity to reimagine and rework time-worn constructs of motherhood. I also discuss the Genesis account, Christian biological assumptions …

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Sarasota Bay: A Newly Defined Nursery For Blacktip Sharks (Carcharhinus Limbatus) On The Gulf Coast Of Florida, Lukas Heath Jan 2018

Sarasota Bay: A Newly Defined Nursery For Blacktip Sharks (Carcharhinus Limbatus) On The Gulf Coast Of Florida, Lukas Heath

Theses & ETDs

Nursery areas provide juvenile sharks with abundant prey and protection from predators. Defining these Essential Fish Habitats is an integral component of effective species management and conservation plans. The blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) is a species of major economic importance in the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf coast represents nearly continuous habitat for this species, but parturition is thought to occur in discrete nursery areas. Sarasota Bay, on the Gulf coast of Florida, is a 56-mile-long urbanized coastal lagoon system, comprised of five embayments, joined by the Intracoastal Waterway and separated from the Gulf of Mexico by a complex of …

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Characterizing The Bacterial Microbiome Of Corals Resilient To Climate Change And Ocean Acidification In St. John, Us Virgin Islands, Constance Sartor Jan 2018

Characterizing The Bacterial Microbiome Of Corals Resilient To Climate Change And Ocean Acidification In St. John, Us Virgin Islands, Constance Sartor

Theses & ETDs

The health of coral reefs is in decline worldwide and scientists are investigating assisted evolution as a tool for coral restoration. Assisted evolution allows scientists to enhance naturally occurring traits within corals through methods including selective breeding and manipulation of microbial communities. Unique mangrove communities in Hurricane Hole, U.S. Virgin Islands host corals that exhibit resistance to both thermal stress and ocean acidification. Through molecular sequencing of the microbial communities of these resistant corals, the factors that influence this resiliency may be identified and used for restoration via assisted evolution. Samples from three coral species—Colpophyllia natans, Diploria labyrinthiformis, and Orbicella …

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Kinetic Characterization Of Inhibitory And Activating Additives To C. Elegans Metabolic Enzyme Isocitrate Dehydrogenase 1, Madhavi Baiju Jan 2018

Kinetic Characterization Of Inhibitory And Activating Additives To C. Elegans Metabolic Enzyme Isocitrate Dehydrogenase 1, Madhavi Baiju

Theses & ETDs

Isocitrate Dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) is an enzyme found in the second step of the citric acid cycle which converts isocitrate to alpha-ketoglutarate, with the reduction of NADP+ to NADPH and the release of CO2. Mutations of the IDH1 enzyme have been found to further tumorigenesis that leads to fatal and belligerent tumors in the brain called glioblastomas. Investigation of IDH1 in C. elegans offers a simple biological model which has the potential to lead to an understanding of what can affect enzyme activity as well as how the wild-type activity compares to the activity of any mutant forms. Additives that …

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Power Is Sexy; Climate Change Is Not: A Look Into How Green Energies Can Mitigate Climate Change While Allowing Growth, Daviana King Jan 2018

Power Is Sexy; Climate Change Is Not: A Look Into How Green Energies Can Mitigate Climate Change While Allowing Growth, Daviana King

Theses & ETDs

The thesis research investigates finding out how first climate change works and influences the globe, how that influences human activities and economies, and then how best markets can respond to climate change with focus on green energy. Research shows that (1) green technology in much of its production of energy has been in the small scale compared to fossil fuels but have grown to become effective sources of energy, (2) government support by subsidy, education, regulation, or guidance is necessary to getting the energy to be implemented and cost-effective, (3) many programs have risen in the US and globally and …

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Metamorphosis Of Self: A Monstrous Exploration Of Emotions And Dreams, Kierra Boyd Jan 2018

Metamorphosis Of Self: A Monstrous Exploration Of Emotions And Dreams, Kierra Boyd

Theses & ETDs

Dreams are remarkable subconscious vehicles for processing and exploring emotions, amplifying many of their complexities and unpleasantries. I utilize dreams as a template for my own artistic work, imbuing my artworks with specific moods and emotions in a manner which parallels the theoretical dream studies of Sigmund Freud, Rosalind D. Cartwright, and Carl Jung. My work examines the delicate, informative relationship between emotions, dreams, and the psyche itself through a series of disjointed mininarratives populated by monsters. Additionally, I discuss the concept of metamorphosis in conjunction with psychological development and examine artists of the folk art and pop surrealist movements …

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Deterministic And Stochastic Simulation Of The Dynamics Of Protein Synthesis With Autoregulation, Blaise Defranco Jan 2018

Deterministic And Stochastic Simulation Of The Dynamics Of Protein Synthesis With Autoregulation, Blaise Defranco

Theses & ETDs

As a means of maintaining homeostasis, a cell must actively respond to external stimuli by employing regulatory mechanisms that may influence the synthesis rate of specific proteins. These regulatory mechanisms are often triggered by external signals that are transmitted between genes, forming genetic interactions. Recurring patterns of interactions within cells are known as genetic motifs. For this study, one such motif, called auto-regulation, was mathematically modeled in order to explore its dynamic response to transient signals. Auto-regulation can be either positive or negative; this study focused on a positive auto-regulatory model, on which transient signals of varying strength and persistence …

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“Self-Indulgent Nonsense”: Why Academics Write Badly And Why It Matters, Liliana Solomon Jan 2018

“Self-Indulgent Nonsense”: Why Academics Write Badly And Why It Matters, Liliana Solomon

Theses & ETDs

In this thesis, I discuss the long-standing trend of academics writing inaccessibly, and explore the consequences of this writing for academics and the general public. In Chapter One, I review the most cited and trusted texts about writing to establish a basis for “good” and “bad” writing, and provide a brief history of how academic writing came to be so “bad.” In Chapter Two, I explore the tangible consequences of bad academic writing in high school, undergrad, postgrad, and beyond. In Chapter Three, I take on the project of “translating” and “rewriting” three prime examples of inaccessible academic writing, to …

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Partial Synthesis Of A Novel Oxazolidinone Analogue, Jessica Calzadilla Jan 2018

Partial Synthesis Of A Novel Oxazolidinone Analogue, Jessica Calzadilla

Theses & ETDs

Bacterial infections are a leading cause of death in many countries worldwide. Antibiotic resistance is becoming more and more prevalent, leading to outbreaks of resistant bacteria. Additionally, there have been few successful attempts at making new antibiotics in the past three decades. This thesis is an attempt to create a 1,2,3-triazole analogue of linezolid: an oxazolidinone antibiotic. The goal of creating this antibiotic is to increase gramnegative activity of this antibiotic as compared to linezolid, and to create an antibiotic that bacteria are not yet resistant to, as resistances to oxazolidinones have already been discovered. Three model click reactions were …

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Bacterial Endosymbiont Wolbachia: Infection And Horizontal Transfer In Local Pollinators, Meagan Ash Jan 2018

Bacterial Endosymbiont Wolbachia: Infection And Horizontal Transfer In Local Pollinators, Meagan Ash

Theses & ETDs

The bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia is a potential threat to its endangered pollinator hosts. Wolbachia alters reproduction in its hosts in several ways that could threaten small or endangered populations. This threat could be perpetuated by horizontal transfer, yet the mechanisms and frequency of such transfers remains unknown. Understanding patterns of Wolbachia infection and relation at the community level can help in evaluating the potential for horizontal transfer. Local common pollinators were captured, tested for Wolbachia, and sequenced at the Multi-Locus Sequence Typing genes. These sequences were used to investigate the genetic relationships of the Wolbachia with external Wolbachia sequences and …

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Elasmobranch Diversity And Abundance In A Known Shark Nursery Terra Ceia Bay, Florida, Danielle Zeris Jan 2018

Elasmobranch Diversity And Abundance In A Known Shark Nursery Terra Ceia Bay, Florida, Danielle Zeris

Theses & ETDs

Elasmobranchs (sharks, skates, and rays) are influential parts of the ecosystems in which they reside. If there is a drastic drop or shift in their population it can affect not only them, but other species as well. Knowing which areas certain species are using as nursery areas is important from a conservation and management standpoint. In order to classify an area as a nursery site for a species, certain criteria must be met. If an area is being used as a nursery site for one species, often times other species are using it as a nursery ground as well. Terra …

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Epigenetics Of Gulf War Illness, Gaurav Kiri Jan 2018

Epigenetics Of Gulf War Illness, Gaurav Kiri

Theses & ETDs

GulfWar Illness (GWI) is a multisymptomatic chronic illness that affects veterans of the First Gulf War (1990-1991) and symptoms continue to persist decades later. The most troubling symptoms are neurologic changes such as fatigue, memory loss, mood changes, and depression. Past epidemiologic research has implicated exposure to two chemical agents, pyridostigmine bromide (PB) and permethrin (PER), that were used during the Gulf War. There has been suggestion that long-term effects of GWI could be due to epigenetic mechanisms that are in play. There has been limited published research conducted on epigenetic mechanisms in GWI. The present study aimed to identify …

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“Curiouser And Curiouser”: Imperialism In Victorian Children’S Literature, Sarah Olsen Jan 2018

“Curiouser And Curiouser”: Imperialism In Victorian Children’S Literature, Sarah Olsen

Theses & ETDs

In my thesis, I explore how British imperialism is presented in Victorian children’s literature. I specifically examine the portrayals of race and gender and how the presentations of these ideas have been impacted by the imperialism in the period. The novels I explore in this thesis are: The Water-Babies: Fairy Tale for a Land-Baby (1863) by Charles Kingsley, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There (1872) by Lewis Carroll, and Treasure Island (1882) by Robert Louis Stevenson. Each of these pieces have their own perspective on imperialism and the resulting societal implications caused …

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Mitochondria On The Move: Studying The Effect Of Motor Protein Knockdown On Calcium-Mediated Spermathecal Contractions, Yara Nathalie Rincon Jan 2018

Mitochondria On The Move: Studying The Effect Of Motor Protein Knockdown On Calcium-Mediated Spermathecal Contractions, Yara Nathalie Rincon

Theses & ETDs

Caenorhabditis elegans are ~1 mm long transparent worms producing as many as 1,200 progeny when fertilized by males. To achieve such impressive numbers, C. elegans must have a highly efficient reproductive system. The C. elegans spermatheca is a tube made up of smooth muscle tissue in which fertilization of oocytes occurs. Entrance of the egg initiates a stretch-sensitive signaling pathway, resulting in the release of Ca2+ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and contraction of the spermatheca. Because mitochondria play a role in the modulation of Ca2+ in regions (microdomains) of high Ca2+ concentration, the ramifications of knocking down genes that are …

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Dna Microarrays: Applications And Prospects In Dental Medicine, Gavin Zitman Jan 2018

Dna Microarrays: Applications And Prospects In Dental Medicine, Gavin Zitman

Theses & ETDs

DNA microarrays are a technology that developed rapidly in the 1990s, transforming and advancing certain areas of research in the biological sciences, specifically gene expression profiling. The effects of this technology on the field of dentistry through techniques such as global gene expression profiling has been the topic of much research in the past five years. Several recent experiments have shed light on this technology’s abilities and potential to improve patient outcomes. Numerous recent studies have demonstrated their possible effects on the study of both oral cancer and dental caries. Advances in microarrays have allowed for millions of data points …

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Stress, Sashay Away: Examining Stress Resilience In Dancers, Mackenzie Browning Jan 2018

Stress, Sashay Away: Examining Stress Resilience In Dancers, Mackenzie Browning

Theses & ETDs

As humans continue to push ourselves in new ways to overcome the challenges and demands that the modern world throws at us, methods of managing our stress responses become increasingly important. In the current study, dance is explored as a viable option for stress management, as tested through resilience to stress. Three groups of people were evaluated based on their habitual sedentary, dance, and exercise habits. The stress responses of these three groups were measured through the Perceived Stress Scale, the State Trait Anxiety Inventory, and salivary cortisol (a hormone often associated with the stress response) samples before and after …

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Pursuing Harmony Within Life’S Flux: The Pragmatic Value Of Experience For Modern Life In The Varieties Of Religious Experience By William James And Aldous Huxley’S Island, Max Jodoin Jan 2018

Pursuing Harmony Within Life’S Flux: The Pragmatic Value Of Experience For Modern Life In The Varieties Of Religious Experience By William James And Aldous Huxley’S Island, Max Jodoin

Theses & ETDs

Throughout their respectively prolific careers, William James and Aldous Huxley established themselves as two of the most prominent voices of the twentieth century in the West. The breadth of knowledge that is expressed in The Varieties of Religious Experience (1901) by James and Huxley’s Island (1962) aims to address the chaotic pluralism and industrial objectivity of modern life according to the multitude of causes which have rendered the increasingly destructive state of society. Upon looking at James’s proposed “Science of Religion” and Huxley’s ideal vision for human life and society, one encounters the expansive, restless, and experimental nature of their …

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The Blade Of Witchcraft: The Construction Of Evil As The Flawed Occam’S Razor Of Feminine Spirituality In The Middle Ages, Conner Nicole Cherniak Jan 2018

The Blade Of Witchcraft: The Construction Of Evil As The Flawed Occam’S Razor Of Feminine Spirituality In The Middle Ages, Conner Nicole Cherniak

Theses & ETDs

Upon discovering the medieval text, Malleus Maleficarum , a witchcraft treatise written by Heinrich Kramer in 1485, I found that a witch is not characterized by broomstick-flying or concoction-brewing. The methodology Kramer utilizes for his witch hunt mirrors the new inquisitional structure of the sacrament of confession introduced at the Fourth Council of the Lateran in 1215, which came to be utilized in the early Christian church to keep heresy in check by monitoring church-goers’ devotion to God. What the Malleus Maleficarum revealed to me about witches and their “craft” lies in the necessary nature of the witch as an …

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A Synthetic Model Of Hemocyanin, Ross Lustgarten Jan 2018

A Synthetic Model Of Hemocyanin, Ross Lustgarten

Theses & ETDs

Hemocyanin is a very common respiratory protein which is known to contain a di-copper active site which selectively binds dioxgygen. There has been extensive study of this protein for many years due to its relative ubiquity. Since the active site of the protein is difficult to isolate and study, molecular models have proven very useful in studying hemocyanin. This project aimed to develop a new model of the copper III systems such as hemocyanin. While a variety of other models have been explored in the past; a bis-tris(imidazole) ligand was of particular promise. By following the work of others, several …

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Menstruation As A Spiritual Experience: The Means Of Empowerment, Marissa Vitols Jan 2018

Menstruation As A Spiritual Experience: The Means Of Empowerment, Marissa Vitols

Theses & ETDs

Menstruation is a natural occurrence for the woman, however, it is still often discussed in negative, hushed tones. It is due to a prevalent patriarchal society that women look down upon themselves and their bodies. For many feminists and Goddess followers, menstruation is presented as an empowering experience. This research involves bridging the gap between women and their bodies through feminism and faith. This has been done by drawing upon feminist-centered primary sources and religious texts. In my research, the conclusion was drawn that for those who participate in feminist, Goddess-centered religions, menstruation becomes recognized as a natural and spiritual …

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Back To The Future Of Education: A Summer Camp To Improve Science Literacy In Elementary Students., Jessica Reckmeyer Jan 2018

Back To The Future Of Education: A Summer Camp To Improve Science Literacy In Elementary Students., Jessica Reckmeyer

Theses & ETDs

The ocean makes up more than seventy percent of the Earth’s surface and has effects on every habitat on the planet. The ocean is also greatly affected by terrestrial life. Because of this codependence, the protection of marine ecosystems is very important. This is a marine science and conservation summer camp curriculum designed to improve science literacy in elementary school children. It was created with a cacophony of educational theories in mind, but especially those of the Progressive Movement and of Montessori to help keep the children engage with the material as well as provide more effective learning strategies. The …

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Facing The Future: Reading Reproduction Through Science And Speculative Fiction, Rory Sharp Jan 2018

Facing The Future: Reading Reproduction Through Science And Speculative Fiction, Rory Sharp

Theses & ETDs

This thesis examines the relationship between biological reproduction and the future in three works of science and speculative fiction, Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men , Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan Saga , and Octavia Butler’s Lilith’s Brood . Each work is shaped by an imaginative change to the operation of reproduction. Applying critical frameworks ranging from Lee Edelman’s No Future: Queer Theory and the Death Drive to bell hooks’ “Eating the Other: Desire and Resistance” I argue that these narratives reflect contemporary cultural anxieties about who, and what, should be reproduced from one generation to the next. I begin by looking …

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The Nature Of Relationships In Combat And Their Impact On Ptsd Outcomes, Matthew Came Jan 2018

The Nature Of Relationships In Combat And Their Impact On Ptsd Outcomes, Matthew Came

Theses & ETDs

The aim of this study was to interrogate the widely reported link between close relationships and the development of PTSD and to contribute to the overarching discussion of PTSD among combat veterans. Participation was limited strictly to combat veterans. Participants were recruited through private combat veteran groups on social media, vetted combat veteran support groups in the Sarasota FL. area, and through the Sarasota VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Post 3233, (n=65). Participants completed the Modified ECR, a 20 question survey based on the Experiences in Close relationship scale and answered questions regarding PTSD diagnosis and symptoms. On average, relationships …

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