Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of Resistance Training In Managing Menopause-Related Changes, Alyson K. Strauss

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Resistance training serves as a critical non-pharmacological strategy for mitigating the physiological and psychological declines associated with the menopausal transition. This natural biological phase, marked by declining estrogen levels, typically leads to accelerated bone mineral density loss, sarcopenia, metabolic regulation disturbance, and heightened mood disturbances. To evaluate the efficacy of targeted exercise interventions, a systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. From an initial pool of 60 relevant articles, 13 studies met the specific inclusion criteria, focusing on structured resistance training protocols for perimenopausal, menopausal, and postmenopausal cohorts.

The synthesis of these studies indicates that resistance training is a highly …

Friends In Niche Places: An Examination Of Anole Abundance And Habitat Use In An Urban Environment Using Point Transect Distance Sampling, Ethan Gau

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Lizards in the genus anolis occupy a wide range of ecological niches, often sharing the same environment due to niche partitioning. In central Florida, the main species of anoles found are the native A. carolinensis and the invasive A. sagrei, two generalist anole species that partition into trunk-crown and trunk-ground niches in each other’s presences respectively. I surveyed the UCF main campus using Apollo Circle as the border for my study area, and I used point sampling to estimate the population abundance and density, while also collecting data on perch substrate, height, and canopy coverage. Population estimates for A. …

Life In Laughter: Comedy’S Impact On Student Health And Success, Julia Weinstein

Honors Undergraduate Theses

College students face rising rates of anxiety, depression, and stress, highlighting the need for accessible, stigma-free wellness interventions. While comedy is often seen as entertainment, research indicates laughter produces measurable psychological and physiological benefits, including reduced cortisol and increased endorphins. Life in Laughter, a creative-research hybrid project, investigates how live and digital comedy experiences affect college students’ mood, stress, and sense of belonging. Using mixed methods, data were collected through anonymous audience surveys, app-based reflections via JoyScroll, and interviews, supplemented by a mini-documentary. Findings suggest humor functions as both an emotional regulation tool and a means of fostering …

Between Borders - The Realities Of Immigration Limbo, Jennifer C. Valenzuela

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In this research, I looked into different immigration pathways in the United States and determined different characteristics from those pathways that might be leading the Latino population into a limbo status. With the Latino population being the largest minority group in the United States, and the continuously growing number of Latino immigrants, I decided to do this research to spread awareness of possible barriers and struggles that Latinos might face when applying for an immigration pathway. I researched the different immigration pathways, focusing on Asylum, TPS, and Family Reunification, to understand the requirements that each requires to apply and the …

Looking Beyond Traditional Therapy: The Promising Alternative Of Ketamine-Assisted Treatments In Improving The Quality Of Life Of Veterans, Noa Gutmann

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in United States veterans has a long history of treatment with standard care interventions and therapies. Unfortunately, many modern-day veterans experience treatment resistance and comorbid depressive symptoms that have yet to be resolved. This results in suicidal ideation, hospital readmission, and high treatment dropout rates of care plans. Recent evidence has shown a positive impact of ketamine, and esketamine, therapy on PTSD and depressive symptoms severity. Although, the outcomes and generalizability of this emerging therapy, compared to standard care, are not fully elucidated on. The purpose of this literary review was to further examine the current …

Differing Circulating Microrna Profiles Of Long-Lived Polish Populations, Fabrizzio Lijeron-Herrera

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Exceptional longevity, defined as a lower biological age relative to chronological age and maintenance of functional capacity or a slowing of functional decline, is a phenotype most readily observed in centenarians and nonagenarians. These individuals exhibit a phenomenon known as compressed morbidity, spending substantially less time in poor health compared to younger elderly populations, thus representing a unique human model of delayed aging. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs), potent post-transcriptional regulators of molecular pathways, have emerged as important modulators of aging-related pathways; however, no study has comprehensively profiled miRNAs from serum in long-lived individuals from Central Europe. In particular, Polish populations present …

Lenses Of Faith And Culture: Christian College Students' Perspectives On Infertility, Mary Samuels

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis investigates the perspectives of Christian college students on infertility, adoption, and assisted reproductive technologies through focus group discussions. Following the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court decision, 13 states have established a total abortion ban, and 28 states have established abortion bans based on gestational duration. This study materializes because recently developed state-level abortion laws may impact in vitro fertilization (IVF) access if states expand legal protection of fetal personhood. Previous research has described that while Christian traditions demonstrate cultural pronatalism and opposition to abortion, Christian individuals’ concepts of infertility and views of treatments such …

Cultural Schemas Regarding Resilience And Strength In Blacks: Implications For Well-Being And Academic Success, Aniya G. Ashford

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Culturally shaped strength-based coping frameworks among Black college students, particularly the Strong Black Woman Schema and John Henry’s Active Coping, are associated with responses to racism-related stress and academic pressure, yet the ways these internalized expectations interact with emotional regulation, perceived cultural norms, and academic functioning remain unclear. Prior research has primarily examined these constructs in isolation or focused on psychological distress or physical health outcomes, often relying on single-method self-report designs that do not capture how culturally embedded coping processes are reflected in lived experiences; as a result, limited work has integrated identity-based schemas, behavioral coping strategies, and narrative …

Assessing Physiological Arousal During A Standard Versus Inverted Vigilance Task Using Heart Rate Variability, Taha Riaz

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Vigilance tasks require sustained attention over long periods of time while monitoring for rare critical signals. Inverted or reverse vigilance/sustained attention response tasks (SART) may impose greater response-control demands. Although prior studies have compared these tasks behaviorally, there are fewer investigations examining whether they differ in physiological arousal as indexed by heart rate variability (HRV).

Method: Undergraduate students from UCF completed a variation of either the X-CPT (standard vigilance task) or the CPT-3 (inverted/SART) task. Electrocardiogram data was recorded continuously. Data from 40 participants were analyzed. HRV was indexed using frequency domain analysis using the low-frequency to high-frequency ratio …

Texels: A Programmable Textile Interface For Replicating Textures, Maya E. Eusebio

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Self-moving fabric interfaces have massive potential for applications in fields ranging from art to haptic feedback to deployable space structures. However, current systems of implementation face the impracticalities of bulkiness, burnout, and energy consumption on top of limiting designs that can only contract uniformly or create one pre-programmed shape. For this technology to bring the change that it promises, we must break the barriers of usability and sustainability to make it a practical choice. This thesis aims to develop a scalable model of fabric that designers, programmers, and anyone else can acquire or create with accessible materials, integrate into design …

The Relationship Between Heteronormativity, Shame- Proneness, Shame-Withdrawal, And Empathy In College- Aged Men, Megan M. Tang

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Due to rising social discourse regarding “the male loneliness epidemic,” this study aims to examine possible predictors of empathy in cisgender, heterosexual, college-aged males. Empathy promotes prosocial behavior and is necessary for healthy interpersonal interactions, which may be limited in male experiences due to adherence to heteronormative values and lower levels of self-disclosure in men. Shame is more likely to occur when men stray from traditional gender roles, and people are more likely to engage in social withdrawal behaviors when experiencing shame. Shame-proneness has also been shown to inhibit empathetic behavior. This study explores two hypotheses, the first of which …

Recurrence And Co-Occurrence Of Enhancer-Promoter Interactions Across Human Samples, Satvik Gunjala

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Experimental mapping of enhancer-promoter interactions (EPIs) is resource-intensive, and current computational prediction methods struggle with intrinsic genomic complexity and reliance on limited training data. To address this bottleneck and provide insights for improved computational methods, this study systematically analyzed chromatin contact datasets to investigate the recurrence and co-occurrence of enhancer-promoter interactions across human samples. Putative interactions were evaluated across two HiChIP datasets comprising 218 total samples and one Hi-C dataset comprising 266 samples to assess recurrence across samples and assess sequencing depth related to unique EPIs. Additionally, a preliminary item-based collaborative filtering recommender model was developed to assess co-occurrence patterns …

Assessing The Effects Of A Novel Breathing Exercise On Respiratory, Postural, And Muscular Performances, Tristan P. Wilson

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Breathing exercises are used in both clinical and home settings for a variety of purposes. Their functions range from reducing anxiety and stress to recuperating pulmonary function, depending on the technique and style employed. Existing literature has demonstrated that breathing exercises increase Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) and may be able to improve postural stability due to engagement of the diaphragm when regularly practiced.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether a novel breathing exercise would be effective in improving respiratory, postural, and muscular function.

Methods: In order to evaluate this claim, a randomized, double-blind, controlled study …

Addressing Barriers To Preventing Shaken Baby Syndrome In Low-Income Populations: A Pediatric Nursing Approach To Advocacy And Education, Deborah Fayomi

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) is a serious issue that affects infants, especially in low-income communities. This paper examines ways to prevent SBS through education, advocacy, and nurse-led interventions. Fifteen articles published between 2001 and 2025 were reviewed, with a focus on risk factors, prevention programs, and the role of health visitors in the United Kingdom. The research shows that poverty, parental stress, and low social support increase the risk of abusive head trauma. The thesis explores the range of intervention measures that have been successful to prevent SBS. Health visitors play a critical role, providing community-based support, culturally sensitive guidance, …

Performance Analysis Of Sparse Neural Networks In Brain Abnormality Detection, Megan Danh

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Neuroimages have held the capability of revealing to medical professionals patterns for brain abnormalities since their development. However, more recently, these professionals and researchers are looking to use neural networks to identify these brain abnormalities through neuroimages for early detection that would allow more effective treatment. Neuroimage datasets, specifically functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), are extremely large in size. This would result in their processing and training to be computationally expensive, even with smaller neural networks. Fortunately, recent pruning methods have recently emerged, where network weights and neurons are pruned to reduce computational cost without compromising too much accuracy. By …

Quantifying Amendment Impact On Microbial Respiration Rate, Qwynn Starrwalker

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Wetlands play a critical role in the global carbon cycle by acting as carbon sinks, where the flooded anaerobic conditions cause slow microbial respiration compared to other soils. Comparatively more carbon is stored in the soil as organic matter than is released as carbon dioxide (CO₂). Making wetland pools of soil organic matter less available to microbes for respiration could reduce overall atmospheric CO₂ and slow global warming. This study examined the effect of kaolinite, goethite, and lime on microbial respiration rates in wetland soils under alternating hydrologic conditions. Homogenized soil from a cypress dome was separated …

Bloody Sunday: A Comparative Analysis Of Nonviolent Marches In Selma And Derry, Samantha J. Romero

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis examines two different nonviolent civil rights marches: Selma’s march for voting rights in 1965 in the United States and Derry’s march to end internment without trial in 1972 in Northern Ireland. The two marches yielded drastically different outcomes despite employing the shared tactic of nonviolence. This research addresses the vital role that the political opportunity structure, rather than tactical repertoire alone, plays in determining whether state repression leads to reform or further conflict. Through a controlled comparative analysis, the research positions the march itself as a constant across the two cases. Subsequently, governmental allies, institutional openness, and regime …

Immigration Securitization And Educational Access: The Impact Of U.S. Immigration Policy On International Students, Cossir Carter

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study examines the securitization of international students within the broader transformation of United States immigration policy from the post-9/11 era to the present administration. Following the September 11 attacks, immigration governance was increasingly reorganized under a national security framework, significantly altering the regulatory environment surrounding student visas. Subsequent policy shifts have intensified monitoring mechanisms and administrative controls that directly shape international students’ access to education and mobility. Given the sensitivity of immigration-related participation in the current political climate, this research employs qualitative policy analysis rather than direct student surveys. Under the Trump administration, this securitization intensified through stricter visa …

A Hispanic Generational View On Mental Health, Daniela Martinez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study aims to investigate the relationship between generation status and acculturation on mental health literacy and stigma, specifically with Binge Eating Disorder in Hispanic populations. The current literature focuses on mental health literacy levels in Hispanic populations in relation to depression and anxiety, but not binge eating disorder. Additionally, there is very little on how generation status and acculturation interact and can affect mental health literacy all together. To study their relationship, a survey and a short narrative piece about a character who is experiencing Binge Eating Disorder while in college were created alongside questions about the behaviors displayed …

Effects Of Hydrogen Enrichment And Premixing On Flame Stability In A High-Pressure Axial-Stage Combustor, Alexandre Fernandes C. Santiago Filho

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The addition of hydrogen to conventional fuels enhances reactivity and can increase the risk of flashback in premixed gas turbine combustors. This study investigates the effects of premixing length and hydrogen concentration on flame stability in a high-pressure axial-stage combustor. Experiments were conducted at the UCF Propulsion and Energy Research Laboratory using a two-stage configuration, where the primary stage provided a high-temperature vitiated crossflow using a hydrogen-piloted, premixed methane–air mixture, and hydrogen-enriched methane–air mixtures were injected through a concentric fuel-tube injector in the axial stage. Premixing length was varied for pure hydrogen flames, and hydrogen concentration was varied at a …

Effect Of Plant-Based Vs. Standard American Diet On Cardiovascular Parameters In College Students, Timothy J. Horanic

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study examines how adherence to different dietary patterns—specifically a plant-based diet compared to the standard American diet—can influence physiological indicators tied to cardiovascular health, including heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure (BP), and heart rate (HR). Among these markers, HRV is considered especially sensitive to autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulation and may offer earlier insight into physiological stress or dysfunction than HR or BP alone. Although nutritional habits are widely believed to impact heart health, few investigations have focused on how specific long-term diets affect autonomic and cardiovascular metrics in healthy, college-aged adults. This study aims to investigate if …

Investigating The Relationship Between Metacognition And False Feedback, Sarah M. Grillo

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Accepting false feedback may lead to performance decreases and skewed confidence. Identifying who is more susceptible to false feedback can help us understand how to prevent performance declines and overconfidence. We believe that individuals with low metacognition may be more susceptible to blindly accepting false feedback because they often rely on external sources of feedback for self-evaluation, whereas high metacognitive individuals may be protected because they often rely on accurate internal judgements for self-evaluation. Feedback is important for successful task execution; it can highlight errors (negative feedback) or successful behaviors (positive feedback) to guide future behavior. Individuals with higher metacognition …

Convergencias Y Divergencias: Un Estudio Comparativo De Lenguas Y Literaturas Española Y Portuguesa En España Durante La Temprana Edad Moderna Europea, Eduardo A. Rodrigues D'Abruzzo

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study examines the literary and linguistic relationships between Spain and Portugal during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries through literary works and their translations. A period characterized by the Iberian Union, vernacularization, and the consolidation of early modern literary systems. It explores the interaction of Spanish and Portuguese texts within a shared yet asymmetrical cultural space shaped by translation, genre adaptation, and hierarchies of linguistic prestige. The research employs comparative textual analysis grounded in historical sociolinguistics, philology, and translation studies. Key works analyzed include Alfonso X’s historiography, Francisco Rodrigues Lobo’s Corte na aldeia and its Spanish translation, and Luís de …

Bridging The Gap: Investigating The Impact Of Adequate Prenatal Care On Adverse Maternal Outcomes Among Black And African American Women, Ciaera Ambroise

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The United States continues to face a maternal health crisis marked by persistent racial disparities, with Black women experiencing pregnancy-related mortality rates three times higher than those of White women. Despite national efforts to expand access to prenatal services, inequities in maternal outcomes remain, indicating that the quality of prenatal care may be as critical as its timing and frequency. The purpose of this thesis is to examine whether adequate prenatal care, compared to inadequate prenatal care, is associated with reduced adverse maternal outcomes among Black and African American women in the United States. Guided by a PICO question, this …

Ai-Thropology: A Study Of Artificial Intelligence Use In Anthropology, Carly R. Junod

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study examines how undergraduate anthropology students utilize Artificial Intelligence tools in their coursework and the impact on perceptions of learning. As the use of AI becomes more commonplace, I investigated whether it has been integrated into the praxis of undergraduate anthropology students. Using a Likert-scale survey distributed to 26 anthropology students across multiple subfields, I investigated AI usage patterns, perceptions of academic integrity, and correlations with demographic factors. The results reveal that anthropology students exhibit conservative AI usage patterns, with the majority rarely using AI for core academic tasks such as drafting papers. ChatGPT and Grammarly emerged as the …

Evaluation Of The Long-Term Sealability Performance Of Aramid Fiber Nitrile-Based Gaskets, Salome Ramirez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The reliability of sealed, oil-filled containers is critical for maintaining the operation of high-voltage energy systems, in which the sensitive electronics need to be isolated from the cyclic conditions associated with outdoor environments. New materials bring the possibility of extending service lifetimes and maintenance intervals. Aramid fiber nitrile-based gaskets are an attractive alternative to conventional gasket choices due to their long-term stability in various environments and compatibility with porcelain, metals, and plastics. For newly designed porcelain-to-metal fittings, understanding the behavior of the candidate gasket material under realistic loading conditions is essential to ensure long-term seal integrity and equipment safety. Traditional …

Discomfort In Silence: Investigating Workplace Discrimination In Relation To Employee Disclosure Of Menopausal Health Issues, Alysia Furbish

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Menopause is a universal developmental transition for women that often coincides with peak career years, yet it remains underexamined in organizational research and is frequently treated as a private or taboo workplace topic. This lack of visibility shapes whether women feel able to disclose menopause-related challenges, seek accommodations, and access organizational support. Drawing on literature related to pregnancy and motherhood discrimination, menopause stereotypes, and disclosure literature, this study examines how symptom burden, ideal worker norms, and stigma-related identity management contribute to anticipated workplace discrimination and disclosure decisions. Data were collected via an online survey of 106 working women recruited through …

Centralism: Ecuador's Major Constraint Towards Decentralization, Daniel A. Moreira Castañeda

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Centralized governance has predominantly characterized Latin America, with few countries adopting decentralized systems or federalism. This study explores why decentralization and federalism remain uncommon in the region, focusing on Ecuador’s persistent centralist traditions. Despite federalism being proposed as an alternative governance model, its adoption has been limited due to structural constraints and historical legacies. Ecuador’s centralized authority, rooted in its independence, has shaped institutional arrangements and political dynamics over time. Through a comparative analysis of the decentralization process and governance quality in Ecuador, Colombia, and Argentina, the research argues that Ecuador’s ongoing centralist practices stem from historical path dependency. This …

Customer Perceptions Of Tipping In Minimal-Service Food Settings, Fabian R. Rodriguez Gomez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

As digital payment systems and point-of-sale technologies become increasingly common, customers are encountering more frequent requests to tip in minimal-service food settings, such as coffee shops, pizza parlors, and quick-service restaurants. These changes have prompted discussions regarding the fairness of tipping, customer willingness to tip, and the growing phenomenon of tipping fatigue. The purpose of this study was to examine how employee effort, social pressure, and social obligation influence customer perceptions of tipping in minimal-service food settings.

A quantitative experimental research design was used with 328 participants recruited through the online platform Prolific. Participants were randomly assigned to scenarios manipulating …

The Effects Of Bicultural Identity On Risk-Taking And Moral Decision-Making In South Asian American College Students, Meera Puthukkudy

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The intent of this thesis was to explore how biculturalism in South Asian American college students impacts their behaviors, specifically moral decision-making and risk-taking behaviors. Bicultural individuals must navigate the complexities of their identity by integrating norms, values, and expectations from both their heritage culture and their dominant Western culture, which inherently creates a unique cognitive and psychological framework for evaluating choices. Participants in this study completed a survey online and were asked to complete three measures. First, the extent to which participants feel cultural harmony or conflict between their respective cultural identities was measured using the Bicultural Identity Integration …