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- Title
- GUNS AND TIMES: ORIGINALISM AND THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT DECISION IN NEW YORK STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASSOCIATION, INC. V. BRUEN, 597 U.S. ___ (2022).
- Creator
- Gray, Haven, Tunick, Mark, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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The recent United States Supreme Court decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen, 597 U.S. ___ (2022), written by Justice Clarence Thomas, established that states enacting restrictions on the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms must now demonstrate that their restrictions are “consistent with the Nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation”. The notion that the Supreme Court should defer to historical sentiments and the perceived original intent of...
Show moreThe recent United States Supreme Court decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen, 597 U.S. ___ (2022), written by Justice Clarence Thomas, established that states enacting restrictions on the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms must now demonstrate that their restrictions are “consistent with the Nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation”. The notion that the Supreme Court should defer to historical sentiments and the perceived original intent of the framers of the Constitution is known as originalism and is becoming increasingly prevalent in the decisions of the Court. Originalism fails in that it requires U.S. Supreme Court justices to rely on biased amicus curiae briefs and an incomplete understanding of history when rendering their decisions. I will argue that Justice Thomas’s appeal to historical understandings in NYSRPA v. Bruen is not only a flawed theory of constitutional interpretation, but also historically inaccurate.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00258
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- AN ANALYSIS OF UNITED STATES ECONOMIC DATA TO DETERMINE IF INEQUALITY OF EDUCATION AFFECTS ECONOMIC PRODUCTIVITY AND THE INCOME GAP.
- Creator
- Jaber, Fatimah, Ferrara, Zachary, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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Income inequality has long been a topic of discussion among economists and policymakers. It is well-known that high levels of income inequality can negatively affect society, including lower economic productivity. In recent years, there has been growing interest in understanding how income inequality can affect economic productivity and society's overall well-being. This research explores the relationship between income inequality and economic productivity, comparing data from six...
Show moreIncome inequality has long been a topic of discussion among economists and policymakers. It is well-known that high levels of income inequality can negatively affect society, including lower economic productivity. In recent years, there has been growing interest in understanding how income inequality can affect economic productivity and society's overall well-being. This research explores the relationship between income inequality and economic productivity, comparing data from six metropolitan cities within the United States; I will explore a range of variables that may impact income inequality, such as average household size, crime rates, education, and GDP.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00259
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF SPINY BACKED ORB WEAVER (Gasteracantha cancriformis) COLOR MORPHS IN THE AMERICAS.
- Creator
- King, Samuel, Wetterer, James, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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The spiny-backed orb weaver, Gasteracantha cancriformis, is widely distributed in the Americas. Females are recognizable by their crab-like back plate with six spines. The back plate may be white, red, yellow, or black, and the spines may be red or black. I analyzed the geographic distribution of various color morphs using geo-tagged photographs posted to the iNaturalist website. I found great differences in which color morphs are most prominent in certain areas. For example, morphs with...
Show moreThe spiny-backed orb weaver, Gasteracantha cancriformis, is widely distributed in the Americas. Females are recognizable by their crab-like back plate with six spines. The back plate may be white, red, yellow, or black, and the spines may be red or black. I analyzed the geographic distribution of various color morphs using geo-tagged photographs posted to the iNaturalist website. I found great differences in which color morphs are most prominent in certain areas. For example, morphs with white back and red spines are dominant in the Florida peninsula, yet appear to be almost nonexistent in South America. This analysis may be useful in further research to determine what genetic and/or environmental factors influence this geographic distribution.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00260
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- FLORAL INVENTORY AND HISTORICAL ANALYSIS OF THE FAU ECOLOGICAL PRESERVE.
- Creator
- Mnayarji, Hannah, Wetterer, James, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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The ecological site at the Boca Raton campus of Florida Atlantic University, a 0.3 𝑘𝑚2 natural preserve site, is an excellent study in the effects of human disturbance at natural sites. A floral inventory was conducted using stratified sampling of macro plots to determine changes in biodiversity, nonnative species ratios, and wetland species ratios compared to a similar 1990 study. It was found that the site was 25.56% less biodiverse and contained 18.47% more nonnative species in the past...
Show moreThe ecological site at the Boca Raton campus of Florida Atlantic University, a 0.3 𝑘𝑚2 natural preserve site, is an excellent study in the effects of human disturbance at natural sites. A floral inventory was conducted using stratified sampling of macro plots to determine changes in biodiversity, nonnative species ratios, and wetland species ratios compared to a similar 1990 study. It was found that the site was 25.56% less biodiverse and contained 18.47% more nonnative species in the past thirty years. The percentage of wetland species found decreased 32.80% and upland species have increased by 19.86% in the same time period. These results are consistent with ecological trends found in natural sites in South Florida, a result of human alteration of the land in the past century.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00265
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- THE ETHICS OF TERRITORIES: THE UNCONSTITUTIONALITY OF PUERTO RICO’S STATUS AS AN UNINCORPORATED TERRITORY.
- Creator
- Rosa, Annabelle, Tunick, Mark, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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The fourteenth amendment of the United States Constitution states that all persons “born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens. The island of Puerto Rico has been a territory of the U.S. since 1898, after it was acquired following the conclusion of the Spanish-American War. Subsequently, the citizens of Puerto Rico are considered U.S. citizens, however, there are certain constraints to that citizenship. The Insular Cases, a series of Supreme...
Show moreThe fourteenth amendment of the United States Constitution states that all persons “born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens. The island of Puerto Rico has been a territory of the U.S. since 1898, after it was acquired following the conclusion of the Spanish-American War. Subsequently, the citizens of Puerto Rico are considered U.S. citizens, however, there are certain constraints to that citizenship. The Insular Cases, a series of Supreme Court Opinions from 1901, decided the status of the territories acquired following the conclusion of the Spanish-American War (i.e. Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines). Through these opinions, the Court created a distinction between incorporated and unincorporated territories. Despite their citizenship, citizens of unincorporated territories are not afforded the same rights and privileges of mainland citizens. In this paper, Puerto Rico will be used as a case study to determine not only the ethics of maintaining territories, but also the constitutionality of partial incorporation of such territories.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00269
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A FAUNAL ANALYSIS OF HIGHLAND BEACH (8PB9636).
- Creator
- Peramune, Esther, Fewkes, Jacqueline, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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Highland Beach (8PB9636) is a pre-historic archaeological site located in coastal southern Palm Beach County. While several studies have been conducted on human skeletal remains and other collections taken from this site over the past few decades, no prior faunal analysis has been conducted. The purpose of this study was to investigate the lifeways of the local Native American and to identify what faunal resources they were exploiting. My analysis focused on both invertebrate and vertebrate...
Show moreHighland Beach (8PB9636) is a pre-historic archaeological site located in coastal southern Palm Beach County. While several studies have been conducted on human skeletal remains and other collections taken from this site over the past few decades, no prior faunal analysis has been conducted. The purpose of this study was to investigate the lifeways of the local Native American and to identify what faunal resources they were exploiting. My analysis focused on both invertebrate and vertebrate faunal material taken from levels 3-6 of Column Sample 'A' which was excavated from the site in 2001. More than 11 000 fragments of shell and bone were analyzed over the four levels, which led to the identification of several species of mollusks, crustaceans, fish, sharks, rays, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. The results of this study showed that the Native Americans primarily exploited marine resources and overtime there was an increased reliance on saltwater over freshwater resources.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00267
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- SUPERMODEL OF THE WORLD: HOW RUPAUL AND RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE FORGED A QUEER PERFORMANCE EMPIRE.
- Creator
- McNeill, Michael, Nur-tegin, Kanybek, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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The art of drag, once looked down upon in society and criminalized for many years, has seen a recent surge in popularity and become celebrated and welcomed internationally. RuPaul and their Emmy-award-winning television franchise RuPaul’s Drag Race have created a whole new industry and career path for what was once seen as a menace to society and unwanted for its challenges against cis-gendered and heterosexual norms. Changing the media industry and political landscape for LGBTQ+ people,...
Show moreThe art of drag, once looked down upon in society and criminalized for many years, has seen a recent surge in popularity and become celebrated and welcomed internationally. RuPaul and their Emmy-award-winning television franchise RuPaul’s Drag Race have created a whole new industry and career path for what was once seen as a menace to society and unwanted for its challenges against cis-gendered and heterosexual norms. Changing the media industry and political landscape for LGBTQ+ people, RuPaul and their show have positively uplifted queer performers by providing a platform to show off their talents and opportunities to make money they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to. Despite the backlash from non-supporters, queens have been able to turn their television fame into large fanbases, international spin-offs, and financially successful cosmetic, media, and hospitality industries.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00264
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- THE FBI’S RAID OF TRUMP’S MAR-A-LAGO AND THE LIMITS OF EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE.
- Creator
- Mulvaney, Amanda, Tunick, Mark, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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Each president of the United States is afforded a right to withhold sensitive information from other branches of the U.S. government in order to maintain confidential communication within the executive branch. Many presidents have invoked this executive privilege. However, this right is not absolute; the Supreme Court has set some restrictions on executive privilege. After examining former President Donald Trump’s invocation of executive privilege in keeping sensitive documents at his home in...
Show moreEach president of the United States is afforded a right to withhold sensitive information from other branches of the U.S. government in order to maintain confidential communication within the executive branch. Many presidents have invoked this executive privilege. However, this right is not absolute; the Supreme Court has set some restrictions on executive privilege. After examining former President Donald Trump’s invocation of executive privilege in keeping sensitive documents at his home in Mar-a-Lago after his presidential term expired and reviewing the history of executive privilege, its origin and its previous uses and limits, I argue that executive privilege can have more limits following the Trump administration; however, the current limits will be sufficient to prevent former President Trump from misusing executive privilege in this case.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00266
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Investigating Drosophila leg kinematics with an automated behavioral tracking system.
- Creator
- Maier, Kate, Vernon, Laura, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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Responding to dynamic environmental stimuli, animals quickly adapt and optimize walking behaviors to conform to goal-appropriate locomotive states. However, the precise mechanisms by which animals’ nervous systems regulate these essential movements are largely a mystery, resulting in insufficient courses of action for spinal cord injuries, neurodegenerative diseases and disorders, and prosthetic limb fit and design. With the help of an unparalleled sophisticated genetic toolkit, the fruit fly...
Show moreResponding to dynamic environmental stimuli, animals quickly adapt and optimize walking behaviors to conform to goal-appropriate locomotive states. However, the precise mechanisms by which animals’ nervous systems regulate these essential movements are largely a mystery, resulting in insufficient courses of action for spinal cord injuries, neurodegenerative diseases and disorders, and prosthetic limb fit and design. With the help of an unparalleled sophisticated genetic toolkit, the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) serves as a useful model system to investigate neuronal control of walking behavior. Thus, analyzing fruit-fly behaviors during activation of locomotion-inducing neurons can facilitate novel treatments. In this study, we developed an automated, multi-camera 3D pose tracking system that precisely quantifies fruit-fly joint positions and angles with markerless pose estimation software. Further, we evaluated the effectiveness of the tracking system by performing kinematic analysis of unilateral turning during optogenetic activation of P9 neurons.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00262
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Identifying Tethering Proteins Important for Mitochondria-Actin Interactions.
- Creator
- Purimetla, Tejas, Rangaraju, Vidhya, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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The brain consumes 20% of the total energy of the human body despite its 2% volume, and deficiencies in its energy supplies lead to brain disorders. Understanding how neurons meet their high energy demands, especially during synaptic plasticity, may help solve these challenging brain conditions. Prior research shows that mitochondria exist as stabilized compartments within dendrites, and this stabilization is accomplished via tethering to the cytoskeleton. This mitochondria–cytoskeleton...
Show moreThe brain consumes 20% of the total energy of the human body despite its 2% volume, and deficiencies in its energy supplies lead to brain disorders. Understanding how neurons meet their high energy demands, especially during synaptic plasticity, may help solve these challenging brain conditions. Prior research shows that mitochondria exist as stabilized compartments within dendrites, and this stabilization is accomplished via tethering to the cytoskeleton. This mitochondria–cytoskeleton tethering is likely achieved by proteins, but the specific proteins involved remain unclear. This project will determine the protein mechanisms tethering and stabilizing mitochondria in regions of high energy demand. We hypothesize that knocking down the expression of key tethering proteins will decrease the percentage of interaction between mitochondria and the actin cytoskeleton within neuronal dendrites. As mitochondrial dysfunction is implicated in neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Parkinson’s, rescuing mitochondrial stability may bring us closer to curing them.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00268
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A Study to Elucidate Matrix Metalloproteinase 14 in Pancreatic Cancer Cell Lines Under Both Normoxic and Hypoxic Conditions.
- Creator
- Martin, Kathryn, Fields, Gregg B., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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Various key players have been implicated in the development of pancreatic cancer, among these is a member of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family of proteolytic enzymes, MMP 14. This enzyme’s proteolytic activities have been implicated in cancer proliferation, invasion, and metastasis; however, little is known about its non-proteolytic and/or intracellular roles. Furthermore, research to date has focused on in vitro cell culture conditions under normoxic conditions, yet cancer exists...
Show moreVarious key players have been implicated in the development of pancreatic cancer, among these is a member of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family of proteolytic enzymes, MMP 14. This enzyme’s proteolytic activities have been implicated in cancer proliferation, invasion, and metastasis; however, little is known about its non-proteolytic and/or intracellular roles. Furthermore, research to date has focused on in vitro cell culture conditions under normoxic conditions, yet cancer exists physiologically under hypoxic conditions. Under physiological hypoxic conditions members of the MMP family have been associated with altered cellular behavior. Thus, there is a need to elucidate MMP-14’s roles under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. This study seeks to: (1) characterize the expression of MMP-14 in representative pancreatic cancer cell lines in relation to other cancer associated MMPs; (2) elucidate the impact of hypoxic conditions on MMP-14 expression and/or functionality; and (3) monitor the differences in MMP-14 at both the gene and protein expression levels.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00263
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- INVESTIGATING THE NEURAL CIRCUITRY BEHIND DROSOPHILA LOCOMOTOR MOVEMENTS.
- Creator
- Kulkarni, Rhea, Bidaye, Salil, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is one of the most widely used model organisms, as many human genes have orthologs in the Drosophila genome, and many fundamental biological mechanisms and pathways are shared by both organisms. Drosophila have a large repertoire of sophisticated behaviors, and neural circuits represent the proximate causes of these behaviors. The goal of this study is to identify the causal neurons labeled by the VT40017 line which, upon activation, induce flying, and...
Show moreThe fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is one of the most widely used model organisms, as many human genes have orthologs in the Drosophila genome, and many fundamental biological mechanisms and pathways are shared by both organisms. Drosophila have a large repertoire of sophisticated behaviors, and neural circuits represent the proximate causes of these behaviors. The goal of this study is to identify the causal neurons labeled by the VT40017 line which, upon activation, induce flying, and when inhibited, induce walking. In this study, we identified a subset of neurons that may be implicated in this behavior using a fly line that labeled only the cholinergic neurons from the VT40017 line, bringing us closer to the goal of identifying the individual neurons responsible for this behavior. Studying the roles of individual neurons in Drosophila can help further the understanding of the neural circuitry behind debilitating motor function conditions in humans.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00261
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Forms of Mental Health Stigma Affecting Treatment and Help - Seeking in the Indian Population.
- Creator
- George, Evangeline A., Vernon, Laura, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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With the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic, awareness of mental health and the mental health crisis increased sharply on the global stage. In some countries, strides have been made to understand and combat barriers that people encounter in recognizing and treating mental health problems. Some other countries have faced difficulties in this, including India. India has encountered particular challenges in the acceptance and expansion of mental health awareness and treatment. One driving factor...
Show moreWith the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic, awareness of mental health and the mental health crisis increased sharply on the global stage. In some countries, strides have been made to understand and combat barriers that people encounter in recognizing and treating mental health problems. Some other countries have faced difficulties in this, including India. India has encountered particular challenges in the acceptance and expansion of mental health awareness and treatment. One driving factor may be stigma. Stigma has been found to vary in different cultures as it is influenced by the cultural climate of the community. When there are high levels of stigma, there is typically less identification and treatment of mental health concerns. Stigma is vital to understand and combat in the cultural setting. This thesis will explore the role of Indian culture on stigma and its effects on treatment.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00257
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- FROZEN STRAITS: AN ANALYSIS OF U.S-CUBA FOREIGN POLICY AS A MULTI-LEVEL GAME.
- Creator
- Garcia-Navarro, Ruben D., Steigenga, Timothy, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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This thesis analyses U.S.-Cuban relations through the lens of William LaGrande’s (1998) two level game theory. An historical analysis of the chills and thaws is in U.S.- Cuban relations prior to, during, and after the Cold War suggests that U.S. and Cuban policy makers consistently address both domestic and international concerns before deciding the course of their diplomatic actions. In other words, policy outputs are impacted by lobbyists, sub-national groups, the makeup of Congress,...
Show moreThis thesis analyses U.S.-Cuban relations through the lens of William LaGrande’s (1998) two level game theory. An historical analysis of the chills and thaws is in U.S.- Cuban relations prior to, during, and after the Cold War suggests that U.S. and Cuban policy makers consistently address both domestic and international concerns before deciding the course of their diplomatic actions. In other words, policy outputs are impacted by lobbyists, sub-national groups, the makeup of Congress, changing international contexts, and other factors not otherwise explained by systems level theories (Neorealism) or ideological differences. Understanding the multiple input factors in U.S. policy helps to explain why little progress has been made in U.S.-Cuban relations more than 30 years after the end of the Cold War.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00255
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- APPROACHING CHINA’S BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE: A STUDY OF DEBT-TRAP DIPLOMACY VERSUS ECONOMIC PROSPERITY.
- Creator
- Gatimi, Irene, Nur-tegin, Kanybek, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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This thesis examines whether China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is promoting economic development or downfall in the form of debt-trapping to 4 participating economically emerging countries. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is the world's largest infrastructure program, launched by the Chinese government in 2013. Since its inception, Chinese financial institutions and businesses have financed and constructed a wide range of global projects. I utilize qualitative and quantitative methods...
Show moreThis thesis examines whether China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is promoting economic development or downfall in the form of debt-trapping to 4 participating economically emerging countries. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is the world's largest infrastructure program, launched by the Chinese government in 2013. Since its inception, Chinese financial institutions and businesses have financed and constructed a wide range of global projects. I utilize qualitative and quantitative methods in the form of primary and secondary sources and data on economic growth rates and debt accumulation rates to explore the effects of the BRI in participating countries. There was no uniform consequence of the BRI, but rather characteristic-dependent effects that varied across cases. Further, my analysis does not suggest an overall trend of debt-trapping. By understanding the impact of the BRI in these countries, we can better recommend how countries carrying similar characteristics to participating countries should approach the BRI.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00256
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- SCHOOLHOUSE ECONOMICS: EXPLORING THE LINK BETWEEN PALM BEACH COUNTY'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND PROPERTY PRICES.
- Creator
- Fleites, Joel, Nur-tegin, Kanybek, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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This paper investigates the relationship between elementary school quality, as assessed through standardized test scores and ratings, and residential property values in Palm Beach County, Florida. Multiple regression analysis found a strong positive connection between these two variables. Our results indicate that a one-point increase in school rating would lead to an estimated $7,100 increase in property value; this signals a tangible appreciation for higher-quality schools. All the houses...
Show moreThis paper investigates the relationship between elementary school quality, as assessed through standardized test scores and ratings, and residential property values in Palm Beach County, Florida. Multiple regression analysis found a strong positive connection between these two variables. Our results indicate that a one-point increase in school rating would lead to an estimated $7,100 increase in property value; this signals a tangible appreciation for higher-quality schools. All the houses examined were bought in 2019, providing a current Palm Beach County housing market analysis. The relevance of our findings cannot be overshadowed: it is essential for realtors and homeowners to comprehend the link between school quality and property values so they can make better choices about allocating resources efficiently and selecting suitable homes when buying that will benefit their children’s future.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00254
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- COMPUTER VISION: A PAIR OF FRESH EYES TO STUDY ANIMAL BEHAVIOR.
- Creator
- Yee, Warren, Fily, Yaouen, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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Computer vision has completely changed the way we study animal behavior. Over the past 15 years, researchers have developed several computer vision-based tools to automatically track an animal’s position and pose through time. This data can then be used to uncover the reasons behind the animal’s behavior. In this talk, I will compare two tracking tools, one based on contrast detection (Trilab-Tracker), and one based on machine learning (DeepLabCut), to determine which performs better on an...
Show moreComputer vision has completely changed the way we study animal behavior. Over the past 15 years, researchers have developed several computer vision-based tools to automatically track an animal’s position and pose through time. This data can then be used to uncover the reasons behind the animal’s behavior. In this talk, I will compare two tracking tools, one based on contrast detection (Trilab-Tracker), and one based on machine learning (DeepLabCut), to determine which performs better on an existing set of videos of Mexican cavefish (Astyanax mexicanus) collected in Johanna Kowalko’s lab.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00280
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- TWO PARMOTREMA LICHEN SPECIES AS POLLUTION BIOINDICATORS IN FLORIDA.
- Creator
- Womble, Hunter, Wetterer, James K., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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Lichens are commonly used as bioindicators of air pollution. For my thesis, I tested the utility of two easily identified lichen species as bioindicators. Parmotrema perforatum is considered to be pollution intolerant, while Parmotrema subrigidium is considered to be somewhat pollution tolerant. I surveyed P. perforatum and P. subrigidum growing on the trunks of southern live oak trees (Quercus virginiana) at two sites on the John D. MacArthur campus of Florida Atlantic University in Jupiter,...
Show moreLichens are commonly used as bioindicators of air pollution. For my thesis, I tested the utility of two easily identified lichen species as bioindicators. Parmotrema perforatum is considered to be pollution intolerant, while Parmotrema subrigidium is considered to be somewhat pollution tolerant. I surveyed P. perforatum and P. subrigidum growing on the trunks of southern live oak trees (Quercus virginiana) at two sites on the John D. MacArthur campus of Florida Atlantic University in Jupiter, Florida that differed in exposure to road traffic. One site on the interior of campus (AOS1) was distant from any road, while the other site (AOS2) was along a busy road. I identified lichen samples from using keys and chemical spot tests. I found AOS1 had a higher density of P. perforatum, and whereas AOS2 had a higher density of P. subrigidum, confirming the utility of these two lichens as bioindicators of pollution.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00279
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- THE EVOLUTIONARY BASIS OF SENSORY-MOTOR INTEGRATION THROUGH CRISPR/CAS9.
- Creator
- Zaninelli, Samantha, Duboué, Erik R., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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Startle responses are evolutionarily conserved behaviors that play key roles in the daily necessities of an animal, including foraging and predator avoidance. While the neuronal mechanisms underlying startle responses are well understood, less is known about the evolutionary mechanisms that modify this behavior. This study places a focus on uncovering the evolutionary and genetic basis of sensory-motor integration through the analysis of startle response behavior. We address this question...
Show moreStartle responses are evolutionarily conserved behaviors that play key roles in the daily necessities of an animal, including foraging and predator avoidance. While the neuronal mechanisms underlying startle responses are well understood, less is known about the evolutionary mechanisms that modify this behavior. This study places a focus on uncovering the evolutionary and genetic basis of sensory-motor integration through the analysis of startle response behavior. We address this question using the emerging evolutionary model, Astyanax mexicanus, which consists of 2 different populations: a river-dwelling surface fish and a cave-dwelling fish. These populations drastically evolved differential traits due to their environment. This study focused on the extracellular leucine-rich repeat and fibronectin type III domain containing 1 (elfn1) gene, and its impact on sensory-motor behaviors utilizing the CRISPR/Cas 9 gene- editing technique. It was found that there is no statistically significant involvement of startle response with this gene. Together, this study helps reveal genetic mechanisms underlying the evolution of conserved sensory-motor behavior. Startle response behaviors are evolutionarily fundamental assets to life, and understanding the role genetics play in this will assist us with identifying a continuous circuit of genes with significant roles in sensory overload.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00281
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A NEW LABOR MOVEMENT: WHAT MOTIVATES WORKERS TO UNIONIZE AND WHAT STANDS IN THEIR WAY?.
- Creator
- DiGangi, Dawid, Steigenga, Timothy, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, union rates in the United States were at their lowest since the 1980s. The recent success of unionization efforts at companies such as Amazon and Starbucks raise questions about what makes unionization successful and which factors explain the current resurgence in labor organizing. This thesis explores theories about what drives workers to unionize, including feelings of dissatisfaction and estrangement (Marx), the gap between an employee's expectations and...
Show morePrior to the COVID-19 pandemic, union rates in the United States were at their lowest since the 1980s. The recent success of unionization efforts at companies such as Amazon and Starbucks raise questions about what makes unionization successful and which factors explain the current resurgence in labor organizing. This thesis explores theories about what drives workers to unionize, including feelings of dissatisfaction and estrangement (Marx), the gap between an employee's expectations and achievements (Wheeler), community and social movement solidarity, legal frameworks, and other factors. I conclude that the communication between workers and the resources of the movement are directly proportional to its success, while shop size is inversely proportional. The current state of weak union laws in the United States, particularly in Republican-controlled states, causes employees to face adversity in unionizing and negotiating with employers.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00248
- Format
- Document (PDF)