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Title: CASSAVA AND TROPICAL DIABETES.
Creator: Rich, Praewpailin, Kennedy, Ashley, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: Cassava is the third-largest source of food carbohydrates in the tropics and is a major staple food among developing countries. Cassava contains cyanogenic glycosides which turn into cyanide and are toxic to the body when ingested in a high content. Cyanide poisoning causes many symptoms including severe abdominal pain which is also one of the symptoms occurring in patients with pancreatitis. Tropical diabetes or fibrocalculous pancreatitis diabetes mellitus is secondary to tropical...
Show moreCassava is the third-largest source of food carbohydrates in the tropics and is a major staple food among developing countries. Cassava contains cyanogenic glycosides which turn into cyanide and are toxic to the body when ingested in a high content. Cyanide poisoning causes many symptoms including severe abdominal pain which is also one of the symptoms occurring in patients with pancreatitis. Tropical diabetes or fibrocalculous pancreatitis diabetes mellitus is secondary to tropical pancreatitis which is a form of non-alcoholic chronic calcific pancreatitis found primarily in tropical regions. The symptoms include severe abdominal pain. In this study, I will hypothesize that there is a link between early life ingestion of cassava, inadequate protein intake, tropical chronic pancreatitis and tropical diabetes.
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Date Issued: 2020
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00003721
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: “WHAT ROLE DO DENTAL PRESCRIPTIONS PLAY IN THE OPIOID CRISIS?”.
Creator: Shah, Palak, Kennedy, Ashley, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 47,000 individuals died in 2017 due to an opioid overdose. Further, dentists are more likely to prescribe immediate-release opioids than other healthcare providers. In the late 1990s, dentists were responsible for 15.5% of prescriptions for immediate-release opioids, and 8% of these prescriptions in 2009. In this thesis I examine the reasons for this, including the ways in which a patient’s sex, age, race, and ethnicity play a...
Show moreAccording to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 47,000 individuals died in 2017 due to an opioid overdose. Further, dentists are more likely to prescribe immediate-release opioids than other healthcare providers. In the late 1990s, dentists were responsible for 15.5% of prescriptions for immediate-release opioids, and 8% of these prescriptions in 2009. In this thesis I examine the reasons for this, including the ways in which a patient’s sex, age, race, and ethnicity play a role in dental prescriptions, and conclude that dentists do not consistently use the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMPs) or the guidelines set by the American Dental Association. I argue that to help to prevent opioid misuse and abuse dentists should do a risk assessment before prescribing opioids.
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Date Issued: 2020
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00003722
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: RELIGIOUS IDENTITIES: VARIETIES OF COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS.
Creator: Stanton Kalani , Reilly Alexander, Lanning, Kevin, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: As an interdisciplinary endeavor, the study of consciousness is informed by a variety of scholarly perspectives that, when integrated, deepen our understanding of consciousness as a functional system of semiotic communication. This thesis explores linguistic behavior as a manifestation of collective consciousness via the incorporation of theory from psychology, sociology, and philosophy into an analytical framework for studying consciousness. Using this analytical framework, I present an...
Show moreAs an interdisciplinary endeavor, the study of consciousness is informed by a variety of scholarly perspectives that, when integrated, deepen our understanding of consciousness as a functional system of semiotic communication. This thesis explores linguistic behavior as a manifestation of collective consciousness via the incorporation of theory from psychology, sociology, and philosophy into an analytical framework for studying consciousness. Using this analytical framework, I present an analysis of patterns of linguistic behavior from online religious communitas on reddit.com. I analyze the patterns of linguistic behaviors in this data using tokenization and semantic analysis techniques, revealing the divergent manifestations of identity in each collective consciousness. Ultimately, I find a striking similarity between the language used across all the subreddits, but the differences between them validate the consideration of these as divergent interpretants of collective consciousness.
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Date Issued: 2020
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00003723
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING AGENTS AND UTERINE DEVELOPMENT.
Creator: Tolentino, Bernadeth, Moore, Jon, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women, causing more than 40,000 deaths per year. Tamoxifen is the most widely prescribed Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator, as it has been shown to enable prevention of 50% of breast cancers. It is also prescribed to prevent cancer remission after surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. It is frequently used amongst women that have a high risk for breast cancer prior to diagnosis as a cancer preventative drug. Unfortunately,...
Show moreBreast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women, causing more than 40,000 deaths per year. Tamoxifen is the most widely prescribed Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator, as it has been shown to enable prevention of 50% of breast cancers. It is also prescribed to prevent cancer remission after surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. It is frequently used amongst women that have a high risk for breast cancer prior to diagnosis as a cancer preventative drug. Unfortunately, tamoxifen can cause damage to developing embryos if taken during pregnancy, and can lead to serious side effects, including endometrial cancer. The purpose of this work was to examine how tamoxifen induces uterine proliferation using an in vivo gene knockdown screen using shRNAmir viral technology. The shRNAmir library will identify epigenetic regulator proteins that associate with the estrogen receptor to stimulate uterine proliferative genes, allowing us to understand the extent at which tamoxifen leads to the development of cancerous cells.
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Date Issued: 2020
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00003724
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: ASSESSING THE DEVELOPMENT OF TOLERANCE TO AMPHETAMINE USING C. ELEGANS.
Creator: Torres Valladares, Dayana, Carvelli, Lucia, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: Amphetamine (AMPH) is a potent psychostimulant and is a known substance of abuse, also used to treat attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. AMPH acts at the dopaminergic neurons through the dopamine transporter (DAT), and it leads to DAT-mediated efflux, resulting in an overall increase of dopamine (DA) in the synaptic cleft. It is known that exposure to AMPH may cause sensitization and/or tolerance. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying tolerance to AMPH are not yet...
Show moreAmphetamine (AMPH) is a potent psychostimulant and is a known substance of abuse, also used to treat attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. AMPH acts at the dopaminergic neurons through the dopamine transporter (DAT), and it leads to DAT-mediated efflux, resulting in an overall increase of dopamine (DA) in the synaptic cleft. It is known that exposure to AMPH may cause sensitization and/or tolerance. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying tolerance to AMPH are not yet well understood. Because DA has an inhibitory effect in C. elegans’ locomotion, the animals fail to sustain their normal swimming behavior when exposed to AMPH and paralyze within few minutes. This behavior, termed Swimming Induced Paralysis (SWIP), was used to test whether C. elegans develops sensitization and/or tolerance to AMPH. Our results show that repetitive exposures to AMPH reduced SWIP suggesting that C. elegans develops tolerance to AMPH after repeated exposures.
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Date Issued: 2020
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00003725
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: DIETARY ANALYSIS OF THE FLORIDA EAST COAST DIAMONDBACK TERRAPIN ( Malaclemys terrapin tequesta ).
Creator: Torres, Davidsamuel, Moore, Jon, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: The diamondback terrapin ( Malaclemys terrapin ) is the only exclusively estuarine turtle. Terrapins live in coastal mangroves and salt marshes ranging from Massachusetts to Texas. While previous studies have documented the diet of terrapins in temperate salt marshes, the diet of the Florida East Coast terrapin subspecies ( M. terrapin tequesta) living in mangrove habitats is largely unknown. Other diamondback subspecies feed on a variety of prey categories, with plants, gastropods, and...
Show moreThe diamondback terrapin ( Malaclemys terrapin ) is the only exclusively estuarine turtle. Terrapins live in coastal mangroves and salt marshes ranging from Massachusetts to Texas. While previous studies have documented the diet of terrapins in temperate salt marshes, the diet of the Florida East Coast terrapin subspecies ( M. terrapin tequesta) living in mangrove habitats is largely unknown. Other diamondback subspecies feed on a variety of prey categories, with plants, gastropods, and bivalves being the most dominant, depending on the subspecies. For my thesis research, I examined the diet of M. terrapin tequesta from the Indian River Lagoon by analyzing 13 terrapin fecal samples. The remains of decapod crustaceans occurred in all 13 samples and made up 96.3% of the fecal mass; a small amount of vegetation, bivalves, gastropods, insects, and debris also occurred in many of the samples. This is the only study to find crustaceans to be the dominant food of a terrapin subspecies. This difference probably relates to preferred prey availability in mangrove habitats.
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Date Issued: 2020
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00003726
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: TESTING FOR CHYTRID FUNGUS INFECTION IN SOUTHEAST FLORIDA CRUSTACEANS.
Creator: Turn, Jeffrey, Trivigno, Catherine, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, chytrid fungi (Chytridiomycota) species known for their lethality in amphibians by chytridiomycosis, were tested for in crayfish (Procambarus alleni and Procambarus fallax) and eastern grass shrimp (Palaemonetes paludosus). From 2019 to 2020, these crustaceans were gathered from 21 sites in southeastern Florida and were frozen, dissected, and swabbed with sterile swabs. Samples from the same site were pooled together and...
Show moreBatrachochytrium dendrobatidis and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, chytrid fungi (Chytridiomycota) species known for their lethality in amphibians by chytridiomycosis, were tested for in crayfish (Procambarus alleni and Procambarus fallax) and eastern grass shrimp (Palaemonetes paludosus). From 2019 to 2020, these crustaceans were gathered from 21 sites in southeastern Florida and were frozen, dissected, and swabbed with sterile swabs. Samples from the same site were pooled together and sent to the San Diego Zoo Amphibian Lab for TaqMan PCR to verify the presence of chytrid fungi. Excluding the positive control, the results from the TaqMan PCR returned negative for the presence of either chytrid fungi species. This could indicate that these chytrid fungi are not yet present at the sites tested, or that these crayfish and shrimp species do not act as vectors for chytrid fungus in Southeast Florida. Alternatively, chytrid infection may be seasonal in Southeast Florida.
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Date Issued: 2020
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00003727
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: HOW COMMISSION RATES IMPACT REAL ESTATE AGENT’S PERFORMANCE: AN ECONOMIC REGRESSION OF AGENT PERFORMANCE IN JUPITER.
Creator: Vandenbraak, Tracy, Nur-tegin, Kanybek, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: Real estate agents charge their clients a percentage on every property sold and this percentage, or commission, can range from five to six percent. The reason for this difference is unclear. Using an ordinary least squares regression, I attempt to find a connection between real estate agent performance and the amount commission which he or she charges. The premium agent effect assumes that more efficient, or “successful”, agents charge more for their services because they are overall better...
Show moreReal estate agents charge their clients a percentage on every property sold and this percentage, or commission, can range from five to six percent. The reason for this difference is unclear. Using an ordinary least squares regression, I attempt to find a connection between real estate agent performance and the amount commission which he or she charges. The premium agent effect assumes that more efficient, or “successful”, agents charge more for their services because they are overall better than the agents who charge a lower commission. Efficiency in this paper is determined by the percent difference in the listing price and sold price as well as the total days the property is on the market. My preliminary results provide strong evidence of the existence of the premium agent effect when agent performance is measured in terms of the percent difference in the listing price and the sold price, but not when measured using the total number of days the property is on the market.
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Date Issued: 2020
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00003728
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: THE EFFECTS OF CASH ON CHANGES IN HOME PRICE: A STUDY OF CASH OFFERS ON RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE IN JUPITER FLORIDA.
Creator: Venugopalan, Sanjay, Nur-tegin, Kanybek, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: Real estate transactions are fraught with risks and costs. Transaction delay and failure are risks directly linked to loan approval. Real estate sellers tend to prefer the proceeds from the sale of their home with immediacy and surety rather than with a delay but waiting for loan approval causes such a delay. Using an ordinary least squares regression analysis, I assess whether home sellers are willing to concede discounts to buyers who offer to pay cash, to avoid the risks of transaction...
Show moreReal estate transactions are fraught with risks and costs. Transaction delay and failure are risks directly linked to loan approval. Real estate sellers tend to prefer the proceeds from the sale of their home with immediacy and surety rather than with a delay but waiting for loan approval causes such a delay. Using an ordinary least squares regression analysis, I assess whether home sellers are willing to concede discounts to buyers who offer to pay cash, to avoid the risks of transaction failure and delay of payment. I claim that, in contrast to a loan, a cash offer reduces the risk of a failed transaction, and this reduced risk is reflected as a discount on the price of the house greater than any discounts for loan-based transactions. This paper will also assess the magnitude of any discounts as a percentage of the home’s last list price on the market.
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Date Issued: 2020
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00003729
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE AMONG BACTERIA NEAR SEWAGE OUTFALLS IN BERMUDA.
Creator: Alker, Amanda, Moore, Jon A., Voss, Joshua D., Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: Antibiotic resistance among bacteria is a portentous global concern, which threatens the ability of medical professionals to successfully treat bacterial infections. In Bermuda, there is no wastewater treatment plant; therefore, about 4.3x106 L per day of untreated sewage is released into the ocean through two marine outfalls. Water samples were collected from 12 sample sites (outfalls, offshore sites, and onshore beach sites near the outfalls) over 4 sampling events between August and...
Show moreAntibiotic resistance among bacteria is a portentous global concern, which threatens the ability of medical professionals to successfully treat bacterial infections. In Bermuda, there is no wastewater treatment plant; therefore, about 4.3x106 L per day of untreated sewage is released into the ocean through two marine outfalls. Water samples were collected from 12 sample sites (outfalls, offshore sites, and onshore beach sites near the outfalls) over 4 sampling events between August and October, 2013. Water samples were analyzed for the presence of Escherichia coli, Enterococcus sp., and Staphylococcus aureus. Antibiotic susceptibility of each purified isolate was tested and classified using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute standards. PCR analysis confirmed the presence of at least one methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolate. Documentation of antibiotic resistant bacteria in Bermudian waters supports the need for improved sewage treatment to ensure safe recreational use of these areas.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013646
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: THE GARDENER’S LAMENT: REHABILITATION AND RESPONSIBILITY INSIDE LEAVENWORTH PRISON.
Creator: Bromell, Laccia, Tunick, Mark, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: In this thesis, I assess the debate over whether inmates should have privileges as a means of rehabilitation within United States prison populations. I focus on the example of Carl Bowles, a convicted murderer residing in Leavenworth Prison, who was given a garden to tend, only to have it taken away by a new regime. My argument is twofold: I will first discuss the normative question of whether an inmate like Carl Bowles ought to be given his garden in the first place. I will then address the...
Show moreIn this thesis, I assess the debate over whether inmates should have privileges as a means of rehabilitation within United States prison populations. I focus on the example of Carl Bowles, a convicted murderer residing in Leavenworth Prison, who was given a garden to tend, only to have it taken away by a new regime. My argument is twofold: I will first discuss the normative question of whether an inmate like Carl Bowles ought to be given his garden in the first place. I will then address the empirical question of whether giving him the garden is beneficial to him and society. I unfold my argument by first discussing some central theories of punishment and then applying these theories to the distinct questions concerning treatment of inmates.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013647
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: NATIVE VERSUS EXOTIC ANTS AS A FOOD SOURCE FOR THE ANT LION, (Myrmeleon crudelis).
Creator: Brothers, David G., Wetterer, James K., Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: Solenopsis invicta, a fire ant originally from South America, has become an important exotic pest in the southeastern US. Solenopsis invicta is well known for its powerful sting and are known to attack native wildlife, such as hatchling sea turtles. I examined the suitability of S. invicta as prey for a native antlion, Myrmeleon crudelis, in South Florida. I compared the growth and survival over 12 week period of 16 ant lions fed S. invicta and 16 fed a native pyramid ant, Dorymyrmex bureni....
Show moreSolenopsis invicta, a fire ant originally from South America, has become an important exotic pest in the southeastern US. Solenopsis invicta is well known for its powerful sting and are known to attack native wildlife, such as hatchling sea turtles. I examined the suitability of S. invicta as prey for a native antlion, Myrmeleon crudelis, in South Florida. I compared the growth and survival over 12 week period of 16 ant lions fed S. invicta and 16 fed a native pyramid ant, Dorymyrmex bureni. I found antlions fed S. invicta had significantly lower growth and survival than antlions fed D. bureni. Thus, S. invicta does not appear to be suitable prey for M. crudelis, and may have a negative impact on M. crudelis in areas where it invades.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013648
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: THE IMPACT THAT VISION, OLFACTION, AND MAGNETIC SENSE OF DIRECTION HAVE IN THE HOMING BEHAVIORS OF GOPHERUS POLYPHEMUS - A PRELIMINARY REPORT.
Creator: Kelly, Sarah, Moore, Jon, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: Gopherus polyphemus, commonly known as a gopher tortoise, is a keystone species found in the southeastern United States that uses homing behaviors to locate their burrow after traveling. These behaviors are influenced by multiple systems- visual landmarks, olfaction, and magnetic sense of direction but the extent of the influence has never been established. This experiment was an attempt to gauge the extent that each had in influencing the homing ability of the tortoises by temporarily...
Show moreGopherus polyphemus, commonly known as a gopher tortoise, is a keystone species found in the southeastern United States that uses homing behaviors to locate their burrow after traveling. These behaviors are influenced by multiple systems- visual landmarks, olfaction, and magnetic sense of direction but the extent of the influence has never been established. This experiment was an attempt to gauge the extent that each had in influencing the homing ability of the tortoises by temporarily blocking these senses before moving the tortoise approximately 46 m away from the burrow it was found in or closest to and timing how long it took for the tortoise to locate a burrow. The results of the experiment support the idea that visual landmarks have the greatest influence closely followed by olfaction since the vision deprivation trials were the longest, irritated the tortoises most, and the tortoises starting blatantly using olfaction to get their bearings.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013649
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION STRATEGIES IN THE REINTEGRATION OF LIBERIAN FORMER CHILD SOLDIERS.
Creator: Leahy, Jaspar A., Steigenga, Timothy J., Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: This thesis examines the challenges surrounding the reintegration of former child soldiers in post-conflict Liberia and recommends alternative education strategies for their reintegration. Formal schooling has not met the needs of many Liberian former child soldiers, and consequently alternative education programs and strategies are an essential approach towards reintegration. I analyze educational theory, policy, and case studies in post-conflict countries to recommend the most effective...
Show moreThis thesis examines the challenges surrounding the reintegration of former child soldiers in post-conflict Liberia and recommends alternative education strategies for their reintegration. Formal schooling has not met the needs of many Liberian former child soldiers, and consequently alternative education programs and strategies are an essential approach towards reintegration. I analyze educational theory, policy, and case studies in post-conflict countries to recommend the most effective alternative education strategies for reintegrating Liberian former child soldiers and ensuring their further intellectual, social, and economic development. I argue that programs combining community and peer support with professional guidance and apprenticeships have been the most effective in reaching this population. This research will serve as a basis for implementing adult education programs at The Pa’s Hat Academy, a school intended to serve former child soldiers and subsequent generations of males in the West Point area in Monrovia, Liberia.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013650
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: INOSITOL PYROPHOSPHATE AND UBIQUITIN-PROTEASOMAL PATHWAYS REGULATE CELL SIGNALING AND METABOLISM.
Creator: Mora, Hector, Chakraborty, Anutosh, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: The prevalence of obesity and type-2 diabetes (T2D) related comorbidities in the US emphasize the need for their treatment. Enzymes implicated in these diseases are favorable targets due to their specific catalytic activity. The Chakraborty lab discovered that inositol hexakisphosphate kinase-1 (IP6K1), an enzyme that synthesizes the signaling inositol pyrophosphate IP7, promotes fat accumulation and insulin resistance. Thus, IP6K1 is a novel target in obesity/T2D. However, how IP6K1...
Show moreThe prevalence of obesity and type-2 diabetes (T2D) related comorbidities in the US emphasize the need for their treatment. Enzymes implicated in these diseases are favorable targets due to their specific catalytic activity. The Chakraborty lab discovered that inositol hexakisphosphate kinase-1 (IP6K1), an enzyme that synthesizes the signaling inositol pyrophosphate IP7, promotes fat accumulation and insulin resistance. Thus, IP6K1 is a novel target in obesity/T2D. However, how IP6K1 expression, stability, and activity are modulated in vivo remains unknown. Recent experiments establish that IP6K1 interacts with a novel ubiquitin ligase, Ube4A. Studies are ongoing to determine the cellular role of Ube4A as well as the physiological consequences of IP6K1-Ube4A interaction.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013651
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: THE SOUTHERN BELLE EFFECT: A STUDY OF THE STRONG FEMALE CHARACTERS IN SOUTHERN AMERICAN LITERATURE.
Creator: Myers, Taylor M., Luria, Rachel C., Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: The Southern belle trope has long been a method through which authors explore social and political experiences. The Southern belle began as a way for authors to represent a convoluted past, while describing the aesthetic beauty of the land and people who lived on it. Although some iconic characters such as Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire, and Janie in Their Eyes Were Watching God, challenge the traditional understanding of what it means to be a Southern belle, they serve the same purpose...
Show moreThe Southern belle trope has long been a method through which authors explore social and political experiences. The Southern belle began as a way for authors to represent a convoluted past, while describing the aesthetic beauty of the land and people who lived on it. Although some iconic characters such as Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire, and Janie in Their Eyes Were Watching God, challenge the traditional understanding of what it means to be a Southern belle, they serve the same purpose in each respective novel as the more classic Southern belles that I examine such as Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind, and Skeeter Phelan in The Help. This thesis will explore how the presence of the Southern belle within a novel acts as a thoroughfare by which an author can explore the topics of equality, racism, naturalism, exploitation of women, and the impossibility of social growth.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013652
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: COMPUTERS MAKE THE BEST LISTENERS: A HISTORY AND EXPERIMENT ON NATURAL LANGUAGE PROCESSING.
Creator: Raja, Shan A., McGovern, Warren, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: In this thesis I will be using natural language processing techniques, particularly text classification and language modeling with Naïve Bayes, to categorize data from social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram in order to optimize the user experience. The categorical classifications will serve as meaningful events that may occur in people’s lives so that the user may essentially filter posts for important content such as anniversaries, birthdays, job promotions, or relocation...
Show moreIn this thesis I will be using natural language processing techniques, particularly text classification and language modeling with Naïve Bayes, to categorize data from social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram in order to optimize the user experience. The categorical classifications will serve as meaningful events that may occur in people’s lives so that the user may essentially filter posts for important content such as anniversaries, birthdays, job promotions, or relocation of friends in an application setting. I will apply the algorithm using the Java programming language and the Eclipse Integrated Development Environment.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013653
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: THERMOREGULATION OF THE GOPHER TORTOISE (GOPHERUS POLYPHEMUS).
Creator: Schaffner, Abigail, Moore, Jon, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: Thermoregulation is a critical mechanism that allows reptiles to enhance physiological performances such as digestion, running, and embryo development. Gopherus polyphemus relies on thermoregulatory behavior to reach an optimum threshold for active behavior outside of their burrows. This study used internal and external temperature readings of tortoises found in the Abacoa Jupiter Greenway range VIA and compares them to behavior exhibited by the tortoise and environmental temperatures...
Show moreThermoregulation is a critical mechanism that allows reptiles to enhance physiological performances such as digestion, running, and embryo development. Gopherus polyphemus relies on thermoregulatory behavior to reach an optimum threshold for active behavior outside of their burrows. This study used internal and external temperature readings of tortoises found in the Abacoa Jupiter Greenway range VIA and compares them to behavior exhibited by the tortoise and environmental temperatures recorded. The results were compared to previous research conducted on gopher tortoises on sites of similar latitude and the results remained relatively consistent between study populations. A mean external carapace temperature of 31.8° C was determined for active behavior as well as a mean internal (cloacal) temperature of 32.3° C for active behavior. This internal temperature is slightly below previously recorded research, which states that active gopher tortoises have internal body temperatures ranging from 34-35° C.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013654
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: PRIVACY AND THE RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH.
Creator: Uribe, Alejandra A., Tunick, Mark, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: Because of the nature of their jobs and lifestyles, public figures are more likely to suffer intrusive invasions into their private lives and cannot generally expect to receive privacy in public places. However, the right to respect for a person’s privacy and the right to freedom of expression are both vitally important rights. Drawing on a balancing test similar to that used by the European Court of Human Rights that attempts to give due weight to each right, I argue that, with matters that...
Show moreBecause of the nature of their jobs and lifestyles, public figures are more likely to suffer intrusive invasions into their private lives and cannot generally expect to receive privacy in public places. However, the right to respect for a person’s privacy and the right to freedom of expression are both vitally important rights. Drawing on a balancing test similar to that used by the European Court of Human Rights that attempts to give due weight to each right, I argue that, with matters that are considered to be private like medical issues, a right to free speech should not trump a celebrity’s right to privacy.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013655
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Thomas Pynchon's Philosopher Detectives: An Investigation into the Epistemic Cyborg.
Creator: Votypka, Jonathan, White, Daniel R., Harrawood, Michael, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: Thomas Pynchon's novels have puzzled audiences for decades, in the same way his conspiracy plots lead his characters into labyrinthine networks of events and people. These two novels feature female detective protagonists pursuing elusive secrets and conspiracies while struggling with technological advancement that is altering the world they think they know. These detectives are Oedipa Maas in The Crying ofLot49 (1966) and Maxine Tarnow in Bleeding Edge (201 3). The Crying of Lot 49 is set in...
Show moreThomas Pynchon's novels have puzzled audiences for decades, in the same way his conspiracy plots lead his characters into labyrinthine networks of events and people. These two novels feature female detective protagonists pursuing elusive secrets and conspiracies while struggling with technological advancement that is altering the world they think they know. These detectives are Oedipa Maas in The Crying ofLot49 (1966) and Maxine Tarnow in Bleeding Edge (201 3). The Crying of Lot 49 is set in the Cold War mid-1960's, while Bleeding Edge begins in April of2001, and ventures through the events of September 11th, 2001. Pynchon places his detectives in these volatile eras so that they might serve to immerse the reader, enabling her then to understand the techno-social developments of the present. As the characters assimilate their new experiences into an intelligible design, so too does the reader need to augment his epistemological framework.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013656
Format: Document (PDF)

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