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- Title
- EFFECTS OF HOST POPULATION FRAGMENTATION AND ISOLATION ON THE GENETIC STRUCTURE OF AN OBLIGATE ENDOPARASIT.
- Creator
- Maggio, Garrett J., McCoy, Michael W., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Environmental Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
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Pleurogonius malaclemys is a digenean trematode with a life cycle that begins in Ilyanassa obsoleta as a first and second intermediate host and Malaclemys terrapin as a definitive host. The fluke matures and reproduces within terrapins and, therefore, relies on terrapins for dispersal. Thus, we hypothesized that the genetic structure of flukes would reflect contemporary changes in the connectivity of terrapin populations. Flukes were sampled by dissecting mudsnails collected from eight sites...
Show morePleurogonius malaclemys is a digenean trematode with a life cycle that begins in Ilyanassa obsoleta as a first and second intermediate host and Malaclemys terrapin as a definitive host. The fluke matures and reproduces within terrapins and, therefore, relies on terrapins for dispersal. Thus, we hypothesized that the genetic structure of flukes would reflect contemporary changes in the connectivity of terrapin populations. Flukes were sampled by dissecting mudsnails collected from eight sites along the eastern United States. Following amplification of the COI mitochondrial marker, 21 haplotypes were identified and a high degree of structure was detected. We propose that this suggests the parasite could serve as a tool for monitoring terrapin populations. This study sets a foundation for the genetic diversity of the fluke, and provides a first step towards developing the species as a proxy for studying terrapin population size, connectivity, and health, which may help conserve both species.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014214
- Subject Headings
- Trematoda, Endoparasitic flukes, Terrapins, Host-parasite relationships
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- ESSAYS ON FINANCIAL MARKETS AND CORPORATE POLICIES.
- Creator
- Akter, Maimuna, Cumming, Douglas, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Finance, College of Business
- Abstract/Description
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The recent increase in common ownership makes it imperative to study the impact of common ownership on corporate policies. In this two-essay study, I examine how common owners interact with firms to make decisions and how they moderate the impact of market manipulation on corporate culture. In the first essay, I examine whether firms in the same industry make similar investment and financial policies when their large institutional owners overlap. This relationship is important given the...
Show moreThe recent increase in common ownership makes it imperative to study the impact of common ownership on corporate policies. In this two-essay study, I examine how common owners interact with firms to make decisions and how they moderate the impact of market manipulation on corporate culture. In the first essay, I examine whether firms in the same industry make similar investment and financial policies when their large institutional owners overlap. This relationship is important given the tremendous rise of common institutional owners and their significance on their portfolio firms’ policies. I hypothesize that common institutional owners cause their portfolio firms in the same industry to make similar policies by creating anti-competitive incentives, reducing information asymmetry, and influencing governance.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014168
- Subject Headings
- Finance, Corporations—Finance, Corporate culture
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF HEALTHCARE USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
- Creator
- Gogova, Jennifer, Marques, Oge, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Abstract/Description
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Digital transformation is rapidly changing the healthcare industry, and artificial intelligence (AI) is a critical component in this evolution. This thesis investigates three selected challenges that might delay the adoption of AI in healthcare and proposes ways to address them successfully. Challenge #1 states that healthcare professionals may not feel sufficiently knowledgeable about AI. This is addressed by Contribution #1 which is a guide for self-actualization in AI for healthcare...
Show moreDigital transformation is rapidly changing the healthcare industry, and artificial intelligence (AI) is a critical component in this evolution. This thesis investigates three selected challenges that might delay the adoption of AI in healthcare and proposes ways to address them successfully. Challenge #1 states that healthcare professionals may not feel sufficiently knowledgeable about AI. This is addressed by Contribution #1 which is a guide for self-actualization in AI for healthcare professionals. Challenge #2 explores the concept of transdisciplinary teams needing a work protocol to deliver successful results. This is addressed by Contribution #2 which is a step-by-step protocol for medical and AI researchers working on data-intensive projects. Challenge #3 states that the NIH All of Us Research Hub has a steep learning curve, and this is addressed by Contribution #3 which is a pilot project involving transdisciplinary teams using All of Us datasets.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014179
- Subject Headings
- Healthcare, Medical care, Artificial intelligence—Medical applications
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- DO FIRMS’ BANKRUPTCY ANNOUNCEMENTS ALTER PEERS’ RISK FACTOR DISCLOSURES?.
- Creator
- Nam, Jiwon, Kohlbeck, Mark, Florida Atlantic University, School of Accounting, College of Business
- Abstract/Description
-
Since 2005 corporate managers must discuss their firm’s significant risk factors that may materially and unfavorably affect corporate outcomes in the Item 1A Risk Factor Disclosure (RFD) section of their 10-K filings. However, there is limited research on whether firms change the sentiment of their mandatory disclosures after a significant economic event. I use bankruptcy announcements as a unique setting in this study to assess non-announcing firms’ responses to these events as a bankruptcy...
Show moreSince 2005 corporate managers must discuss their firm’s significant risk factors that may materially and unfavorably affect corporate outcomes in the Item 1A Risk Factor Disclosure (RFD) section of their 10-K filings. However, there is limited research on whether firms change the sentiment of their mandatory disclosures after a significant economic event. I use bankruptcy announcements as a unique setting in this study to assess non-announcing firms’ responses to these events as a bankruptcy announcement generates significant concern to non-announcing industry peer firms. I explore whether industry peers change four measures of sentiment (i.e., length, negative tone, specificity, forward-looking statements) of Item 1A RFDs after a rival firm’s bankruptcy filing. Using textual analysis methodology, I find that industry peer firms have shorter, less negative, and less forward-looking RFDs after another firm’s bankruptcy announcement. These results imply that industry peers are likely to adjust their tone of mandatory filings (i.e., Item 1A RFDs) in response to a rival firm’s bankruptcy announcement. I further provide evidence that firms do not use separate subsections to disclose their firm- and industry-specific risks within their Item 1A RFDs. Lastly, the lengths of financial, litigation, other-idiosyncratic, and other-systematic topic disclosures significantly decrease for non-announcing industry peers while the length of tax relevant risk topic does not significantly change after a bankruptcy filing. This study adds to mandatory research by identifying the spillover effect of a bankruptcy announcement on Item 1A RFDs. This research also contributes to accounting literature by providing evidence that non-announcing industry peers significantly adjust the sentiment of their risk factor information. Market participants including investors, shareholders, and financial analysts can improve investment decision accuracy by analyzing the industry peers’ risk factor information.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014189
- Subject Headings
- Bankruptcy, Risk, Accounting, Disclosure in accounting
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- EXAMINING STATISTICAL MODELS TO PREDICT ACADEMIC SUCCESS IN EARLY COLLEGE USING MIDDLE SCHOOL DATA.
- Creator
- Timar, Agnes A., Vaughan, Michelle, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry, College of Education
- Abstract/Description
-
The study explored whether middle school students’ select academic (grade point average [GPA], Accuplacer mathematics, reading, and writing scores, admission interview scores) and non-academic characteristics (race, ethnicity, the middle school they attended, their gender, their parents’ educational level) have any predictive power with regard to their success at an early college high school. This study compared binary logistic regression (BLR) and predictive discriminant analysis (PDA)...
Show moreThe study explored whether middle school students’ select academic (grade point average [GPA], Accuplacer mathematics, reading, and writing scores, admission interview scores) and non-academic characteristics (race, ethnicity, the middle school they attended, their gender, their parents’ educational level) have any predictive power with regard to their success at an early college high school. This study compared binary logistic regression (BLR) and predictive discriminant analysis (PDA) statistical models. First-year early college academic success can be predicted using BLR and only six input factors from middle school (Accuplacer math scores, interview scores, gender, and race, as three dummy variables) with a 91% accuracy. However, a student academic success prediction model using middle school data for a student’s first year college success could not be built. This finding asserts Astin’s Student Development Theory (1993, 1999a, 1999b), the theoretical framework that guided this study, that students can grow and improve over time and educators need to focus on cultivating and developing students’ smartness through high level instruction and coaching instead of identifying and celebrating smartness by accepting only the most prospective students into colleges (Astin, 1977, 1993, 1999a, 2017, 2018).
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014161
- Subject Headings
- Prediction of scholastic success, Middle school education, Universities and colleges--Admission
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- BONE COLLECTORS: PERSONHOOD AND APPEAL IN THE SALE AND TRADE OF HUMAN SKELETAL REMAINS ON FACEBOOK.
- Creator
- Breda, Evelyn, Ellis, Meredith A.B., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Anthropology, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
- Abstract/Description
-
The desire to own human skeletal remains has been prevalent for many years; in our modern technological age avenues for this market have exploded across the internet. This research focuses on Facebook groups dedicated to oddity sales and collecting. Purchasing human remains is illegal in Georgia, Louisiana, and Tennessee as well as prohibited by Facebook terms of service, but these sales persist. Over the course of 2021, 319 listings for human skeletal remains were recorded across six...
Show moreThe desire to own human skeletal remains has been prevalent for many years; in our modern technological age avenues for this market have exploded across the internet. This research focuses on Facebook groups dedicated to oddity sales and collecting. Purchasing human remains is illegal in Georgia, Louisiana, and Tennessee as well as prohibited by Facebook terms of service, but these sales persist. Over the course of 2021, 319 listings for human skeletal remains were recorded across six Facebook groups. These listings accounted for most skeletal elements found within the human skeleton. Many elements are artistic in nature, something viewed as “Giving a second life” to the remains, as observed within these groups. To fully understand the driving force behind this market requires cultural insight about the perception of human remains as well as the culture found within these groups. Kinship, friendship, and trust are all clearly expressed between buyers and sellers.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014173
- Subject Headings
- Human skeleton--Collectors and collecting, Human remains (Archaeology), Personhood
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Build a Better Mousetrap: A Review of State School Accountability Models and Their Relation to the Socio-Economic Status of Students.
- Creator
- Houchens, Paul, Reyes-Guerra, Daniel, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, College of Education
- Abstract/Description
-
This study aims to identify [or create] equitable accountability systems that can be used to drive sustainable school improvement. In this context, equitable accountability is defined as a measure more of the school’s impact on student achievement and less a measure of the socio-economic status of the students enrolled in the school. To do this, the study begins with a review of the history and current state of school accountability policies in the US and its relation to the concepts of...
Show moreThis study aims to identify [or create] equitable accountability systems that can be used to drive sustainable school improvement. In this context, equitable accountability is defined as a measure more of the school’s impact on student achievement and less a measure of the socio-economic status of the students enrolled in the school. To do this, the study begins with a review of the history and current state of school accountability policies in the US and its relation to the concepts of school improvement, between accountability and student achievement, a review of accountability policy in each state and the possible future model of accountability policy. This study uses both qualitative and quantitative methods with a policy analysis informing state correlational comparisons, which in turn informed the models to be applied to the Florida data to identify how they perform (correlate), culminating in the development of a new school accountability model. The policy analysis revealed current school accountability in all 50 states and the District of Columbia as well as the relationship between socio-economic status and school accountability in each where data were available. Five of these state models were shown to be significantly less related to socio-economic status than Florida. However, only two of these models performed similarly when applied to Florida data. Finally, a model was proposed that included aspects from these states and available literature that performed similarly to these two states. This study represents an important first step in a larger policy discussion of how to hold schools accountable for their impact on students and not a measure of the demographics of the students they are serving.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014138
- Subject Headings
- Education policy, Education and state, Educational sociology, Educational leadership
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- COMPARATIVE PHARMACOKINETICS, BIODISTRIBUTION AND DOSIMETRY OF 212Pb (ALPHA-EMITTER) LABELED ANTIBODY VS PEPTIDE VS SMALL MOLECULE.
- Creator
- Moshiri, Nader Sedeh, Leventouri, Theodora, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Physics, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
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With the advent of newly and more reliably designed targeted therapy methods in the past several years, targeted radionuclide therapy has attracted more attentions around the world as a more reliable treatment modality in combination with other well established traditional cancer treatments i.e., external beam radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Alpha particles have a high relative biological effectiveness (RBE) due to their high linear energy transfer (LET). However, to utilize them for...
Show moreWith the advent of newly and more reliably designed targeted therapy methods in the past several years, targeted radionuclide therapy has attracted more attentions around the world as a more reliable treatment modality in combination with other well established traditional cancer treatments i.e., external beam radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Alpha particles have a high relative biological effectiveness (RBE) due to their high linear energy transfer (LET). However, to utilize them for therapeutic purposes, precise human body dosimetry calculation is required. The measurement of their uptake and biodistribution can be quite challenging. Also, due to the complex biology of different types of cells, their shapes and functions, there is not a simple and clear understanding of the mechanism of action that fits all. This study aims to estimate and compare the human organ dosimetry of the alpha emitter, 212Pb, from animal data assuming that it is conjugated with three different types of commonly used targeting nanoparticles. For this purpose, the pre-published animal data of three different radionuclide labeled peptide, antibody, and small molecule carriers were selected and converted to human data. Then a compartmental model was designed for each of them to fit the model to the human data with 212Pb, half-life of 10.64 hours. Once each model reached the desired fit, the area under the curves were extracted then the estimated human organ dosimetry calculations took place via the MIRD scheme. The organ dosimetry results for 212Pb + three different carriers are presented in Tables 14, 17, and 20.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014215
- Subject Headings
- Cancer--Treatment, Lead-212, Nuclear Medicine
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- DEVELOPMENT OF A HIFI-Α LENS SPECIFIC KNOCKOUT MOUSE AS A MODEL FOR HYPOXIA DRIVEN LENS DIFFERENTIATION.
- Creator
- Adele, Adedamola, Kantorow, Marc, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine
- Abstract/Description
-
During eye lens development the lens receives oxygen from a network of capillaries that comprise of the tunica vasculosa lentis and the anterior pupillary membrane. In development there is regression of this capillaries with the vitreous and aqueous humor, which is the lens only source of oxygen, leaving the lens in low oxygen state. The lens contains a decreasing oxygen gradient from the surface to the core that parallels the differentiation of immature surface epithelial cells into mature...
Show moreDuring eye lens development the lens receives oxygen from a network of capillaries that comprise of the tunica vasculosa lentis and the anterior pupillary membrane. In development there is regression of this capillaries with the vitreous and aqueous humor, which is the lens only source of oxygen, leaving the lens in low oxygen state. The lens contains a decreasing oxygen gradient from the surface to the core that parallels the differentiation of immature surface epithelial cells into mature core transparent fiber cells. These properties of the lens suggest a potential role for hypoxia and the master regulator of the hypoxic response, hypoxia-inducible transcription factor 1 alpha (HIF1a), in the regulation of genes required for lens fiber cell differentiation, structure, and transparency. Previous studies by our lab discovered the HIF1a-dependent gene expression patterns of lens genes by utilizing a Multiomics approach that integrated analysis from CUT&RUN, RNA-seq, and ATACseq. Additionally, our lab also established a hypoxia and HIF1a-dependent mechanism for the non-nuclear organelle degradation process required to form mature transparent fiber cells.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014167
- Subject Headings
- Cell differentiation, Lens, Crystalline, Eye lens
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- DEVELOPMENT OF MULTIFUNCTIONAL BETA-TRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE SCAFFOLDS FOR ANGIOGENESIS AND OSTEOGENESIS.
- Creator
- Qian, Enze, Kang, Yunqing, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Rapid and efficient vascularization is still a considerable challenge of a tissue engineered β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) scaffold. To overcome this challenge, branched channels were created in the porous scaffold to stimulate the instant flow of blood supply. The branched channeled porous β-TCP scaffold was fabricated using 3D printing and template-casting method. Human bone mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSC) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were seeded in the scaffolds and...
Show moreRapid and efficient vascularization is still a considerable challenge of a tissue engineered β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) scaffold. To overcome this challenge, branched channels were created in the porous scaffold to stimulate the instant flow of blood supply. The branched channeled porous β-TCP scaffold was fabricated using 3D printing and template-casting method. Human bone mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSC) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were seeded in the scaffolds and characterized through double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) assay, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) assay and cell migration. Scaffolds were then implanted in the subcutaneous pockets in mice. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and Immunohistochemical staining on vascularization, bone-related markers were carried out. Results showed that branched channels significantly promoted HUVECs’ infiltration, migration, proliferation, and angiogenesis and also promote the proliferation and osteogenesis differentiation of hBMSCs. Scaffolds did not show significant pro-inflammatory effects. In vivo results showed that in the early stage after implantation, cells significantly migrated into branched channeled scaffolds compared to non-channeled and straight channeled scaffolds. More and matured blood vessels formed in the branched channeled scaffolds compared to in non-channeled and straight channeled scaffolds. Besides promoting vascularization, the branched channels also stimulated the infiltration of bone-related cells into the scaffolds. These results suggested that the geometric design of branched channels in the porous β-TCP scaffold promoted rapid vascularization and potentially stimulated bone cell recruitment. To further enhance the function of the scaffold to promote the MSCs differentiation, MnO2 hollow and solid nanoparticles were doped into the scaffold with different concentrations.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014193
- Subject Headings
- Tissue engineering, Bone Regeneration, Beta-tricalcium phosphate
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- CONSUMING INISFAIL: THE DOMESTICATION OF MAN AND ARBOREAL LANDSCAPES IN JAMES JOYCE’S ULYSSES.
- Creator
- Busch-Mullen, Jacqueline, Ulin, Julieann, Florida Atlantic University, Department of English, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
- Abstract/Description
-
This thesis serves as an exploration of the environment in James Joyce’s Ulysses which holds accountable the violent material politics of England against Ireland and the acts of consumption committed against human and nonhuman bodies, which is a radical critique of the patriarchal discourse and action that decimated a once sovereign nation and its landscape. I argue through an eco-critical lens that intersects the human body, a once impenetrable landscape, and the elision of Brehon Gaelic law...
Show moreThis thesis serves as an exploration of the environment in James Joyce’s Ulysses which holds accountable the violent material politics of England against Ireland and the acts of consumption committed against human and nonhuman bodies, which is a radical critique of the patriarchal discourse and action that decimated a once sovereign nation and its landscape. I argue through an eco-critical lens that intersects the human body, a once impenetrable landscape, and the elision of Brehon Gaelic law as a victim of colonial usurpation. There is a deep focus geared towards masculinity and its imposition upon the female body, but also an important look at the relationship between man and nature. While sexuality and nature co-exist in Ulysses, we can envision this novel as an “epic of living with animals" and their human predecessors.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014148
- Subject Headings
- Joyce, James, 1882-1941, Joyce, James, 1882-1941. Ulysses
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- IGNITING COUNTERPRODUCTIVE WORK BEHAVIOR (CWB): THE ROLE OF PERSONALITY.
- Creator
- Allen, Kevin, Harari, Michael, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Management Programs, College of Business
- Abstract/Description
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Evidence in literature suggests that factors of personality are theoretically and empirically linked to counterproductive work behavior (CWB). This paper advances that personality is related to CWB through the prediction of a relationship between personality trait neuroticism factors volatility and withdrawal and CWB factors deviance and withdrawal. Further, workplace stressors are tested as moderators for personality and CWB dimensions. Useful data were provided by 542 working participants....
Show moreEvidence in literature suggests that factors of personality are theoretically and empirically linked to counterproductive work behavior (CWB). This paper advances that personality is related to CWB through the prediction of a relationship between personality trait neuroticism factors volatility and withdrawal and CWB factors deviance and withdrawal. Further, workplace stressors are tested as moderators for personality and CWB dimensions. Useful data were provided by 542 working participants. The study affirms a personality-behavior connection between subscales of Neurotic personality, volatility, and withdrawal, with the two behavioral manifestations of counterproductive work behavior, deviance, and withdrawal. Moderating results are modest, with results indicating a moderating effect limited to only organizational constraints on the volatility-deviance relationship.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014123
- Subject Headings
- Organizational behavior, Personality
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- INVESTIGATING AND IMPROVING FAIRNESS AND BIAS IN MACHINE LEARNING MODELS FOR DERMATOLOGY.
- Creator
- Corbin, Adam, Marques, Oge, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) have significantly improved their application in dermatology. However, bias issues in AI systems can result in missed diagnoses and disparities in healthcare, especially for individuals with different skin types. This dissertation aims to investigate and improve the fairness and bias in machine learning models for dermatology by evaluating and enhancing their performance across different Fitzpatrick skin types. The...
Show moreAdvancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) have significantly improved their application in dermatology. However, bias issues in AI systems can result in missed diagnoses and disparities in healthcare, especially for individuals with different skin types. This dissertation aims to investigate and improve the fairness and bias in machine learning models for dermatology by evaluating and enhancing their performance across different Fitzpatrick skin types. The technical contributions of the dissertation include generating metadata for Fitzpatrick Skin Type using Individual Typology Angle; outlining best practices for Explainable AI (XAI) and the use of colormaps; developing and enhancing ML models through skin color transformation and extending the models to include XAI methods for better interpretation and improvement of fairness and bias; and providing a list of steps for successful application of deep learning in medical image analysis. The research findings of this dissertation have the potential to contribute to the development of fair and unbiased AI/ML models in dermatology. This can ultimately lead to better health outcomes and reduced healthcare costs, particularly for individuals with different skin types.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014131
- Subject Headings
- Diagnostic Imaging, Machine learning, Dermatology, Artificial intelligence
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- HAITIAN FOLKTALES AND CULTURAL REPRESENTATION: A CROSSCULTURAL COMPARISON OF IDENTITY AND FOLK LITERATURE.
- Creator
- Cadet, Rudina, Harris, Michael, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Anthropology, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
- Abstract/Description
-
This thesis outlines the cultural and literary interpretations of Haitian folktales among Haitians, Haitian Americans, and Americans of non-Haitian descent. This thesis seeks to explain how folktales can be used to highlight cultural identity through symbolic analysis, cultural reflexive theory and a cross-cultural analysis model. The nuanced differences found in the reception of the folktales that are associated with the characters of Uncle Bouki and Ti Malis by the three research groups...
Show moreThis thesis outlines the cultural and literary interpretations of Haitian folktales among Haitians, Haitian Americans, and Americans of non-Haitian descent. This thesis seeks to explain how folktales can be used to highlight cultural identity through symbolic analysis, cultural reflexive theory and a cross-cultural analysis model. The nuanced differences found in the reception of the folktales that are associated with the characters of Uncle Bouki and Ti Malis by the three research groups forms the basis of this thesis research design. The characters of Uncle Bouki and Ti Malis are, in effect, cultural literary examples of how folktales could be used to explain Haitian rural societal values or norms
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014136
- Subject Headings
- Folk literature, Haiti, Ethnology, Folklore
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- HYPOSALINITY STRESS TOLERANCES OF THE CORALS MONTASTRAEA CAVERNOSA AND PORITES ASTREOIDES IN SOUTHEAST FLORIDA AND IMPLICATIONS FOR COASTAL FRESHWATER MANAGEMENT.
- Creator
- Davis, Haley A., Voss, Joshua, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Coastal development shifts natural hydrology through water redirection, increased impervious surfaces, and increased connectivity to the coastal ocean through inlets. In Southeast Florida, watershed alterations can cause flash-freshening in nearshore coastal habitats, threatening coral reef ecosystems. This study assessed the hyposalinity tolerance threshold of two prominent scleractinian corals in Southeast Florida. In a series of experiments, we determined that Montastraea cavernosa corals...
Show moreCoastal development shifts natural hydrology through water redirection, increased impervious surfaces, and increased connectivity to the coastal ocean through inlets. In Southeast Florida, watershed alterations can cause flash-freshening in nearshore coastal habitats, threatening coral reef ecosystems. This study assessed the hyposalinity tolerance threshold of two prominent scleractinian corals in Southeast Florida. In a series of experiments, we determined that Montastraea cavernosa corals have an LC50 of 19 PSU but can survive for at least 21 days at an intermediately stressful salinity of 25 PSU. Porites astreoides corals demonstrated an LC50 of 19 PSU, but experienced mortality when exposed to 25 PSU for 17–18 days. Prior to mortality, corals displayed decreased polyp activity, altered coloration, and decreased tissue integrity. These data suggest that lower-volume, longer-duration releases of freshwater from reservoirs may preserve coral health in Southeast Florida.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014207
- Subject Headings
- Montastraea, Porites, Coral reef ecology--Florida, Hydrology
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- FEDERATED LEARNING FOR MEDICAL IMAGE CLASSIFICATION.
- Creator
- Blazanovic, Danica, Zhu, Xingquan, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Machine learning (ML) has traditionally been used to make predictive models by training on local data. However, due to concerns regarding privacy, it is not always possible to collect and combine data from different sources. On the other hand, if there are insufficient data available, it might not be possible to construct accurate models to produce meaningful outcomes. This is where Federated Learning comes to the rescue. Federated Learning (FL) represents a sophisticated distributed machine...
Show moreMachine learning (ML) has traditionally been used to make predictive models by training on local data. However, due to concerns regarding privacy, it is not always possible to collect and combine data from different sources. On the other hand, if there are insufficient data available, it might not be possible to construct accurate models to produce meaningful outcomes. This is where Federated Learning comes to the rescue. Federated Learning (FL) represents a sophisticated distributed machine learning strategy that enables multiple devices hosted at different institutions such as hospitals, to collaboratively train a global model while ensuring that their respective data remains securely stored on-premises. It addresses privacy concerns and data protection regulations, because raw data does not need to be shared or centralized during the training process. This thesis research studies how two different FL architectures, centralized and decentralized FL, affect medical image classification. To study and validate the findings, skin cancer images dataset is used in a federated learning setting with five sites/clients, and a center for centralized FL. Experimental results show that using both centralized and decentralized (peer to peer) version of FL for classification of skin cancer images outperforms using the traditional ML. In addition, two different FL settings, centralized federated learning (CFL) and decentralized federated learning (DFL), are compared using different data distributions across sites/clients. Our study shows that the best accuracy (95.14%) was achieved with the DFL model when tested on the original dataset (without adding bias to the class distributions). This asserts that class distribution imbalance between sites has a significant impact to the federated learning.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014205
- Subject Headings
- Medical imaging, Diagnostic Imaging--classification, Machine learning
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- FIELD EXPERIMENT OF MIXED TRAFFIC – HUMAN DRIVER INTERACTION BETWEEN ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL (ACC) AND HUMAN DRIVERS.
- Creator
- Natrajan, Swarna Lexmi, Kan, David, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Abstract/Description
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Mainstream vehicles sold today are equipped with the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) known as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). ACC automatically adjusts speeds and maintains a safe following distance with the preceding vehicle. This enables partial automation by automating longitudinal car-following. Despite the ever-increasing market penetration, ACC-equipped vehicles will likely operate in a mixed environment with other human-driven vehicles first. However, the traffic flow impact of...
Show moreMainstream vehicles sold today are equipped with the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) known as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). ACC automatically adjusts speeds and maintains a safe following distance with the preceding vehicle. This enables partial automation by automating longitudinal car-following. Despite the ever-increasing market penetration, ACC-equipped vehicles will likely operate in a mixed environment with other human-driven vehicles first. However, the traffic flow impact of human driver behavior when following ACC-equipped vehicles is largely unknown, and it is uncertain whether this deserves special consideration when modeling human driver behavior near ACC enabled vehicles. This study conducted a preliminary real-world experiment on a freeway (a portion of Interstate 95) and an urban arterial (a portion of state route A1A) to investigate the human driver behavior with and without the presence of vehicles in ACC mode as the leaders. This unbiased experiment was conducted in naturalistic traffic conditions. Results from the field experiments demonstrate that in a mixed environment with ACC-equipped vehicles as leaders, the human driven vehicles as the follower adopt similar headway, spacing, and acceleration on both freeway and arterial, with no statistically significant difference. The only exception is when traveling at speeds below 15 mph on urban arterials, where human drivers adopt significantly larger spacing while following ACC-enabled vehicles. We expect that findings from these field experiments will provide important initial insights to future research on human driver car following models in a mixed traffic environment and dedicated lanes for automated vehicles.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014190
- Subject Headings
- Driver assistance systems, Automated vehicles, Automobile drivers--Behavior--Evaluation
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN AT-RISK HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
- Creator
- McCormic, Kathryn, Sherman, Diane, Florida Atlantic University, School of Social Work, College of Social Work and Criminal Justice
- Abstract/Description
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The purpose of this study was to examine the factors associated with academic achievement in at-risk high school students attending one of four charter schools in south Florida geared toward dropout prevention. Several factors were identified through a thorough review of the literature to identify the common demographic variables associated with lower academic achievement including race and ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, and an identified learning disability. Each of these variables...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to examine the factors associated with academic achievement in at-risk high school students attending one of four charter schools in south Florida geared toward dropout prevention. Several factors were identified through a thorough review of the literature to identify the common demographic variables associated with lower academic achievement including race and ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, and an identified learning disability. Each of these variables became the control variables in this study. More recent research has examined the role of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and resilience (via protective factors) in predicting academic outcomes. None of the studies found examined the role of ACEs, resilience, and academic achievement in a student population that has been identified as being at risk for high school dropout. In addition, it was explored whether ACEs (by type) and resilience (by type) varied by life stage. Administrative data was collected on 160 randomly selected students, 80 of whom were considered adolescents (15-17), and 80 who were considered emerging adults (18-21). Descriptive statistics (frequencies, mean, and standard deviation) were examined. Multiple regression with hierarchal entry was then used to test the first two research questions, and 5 hypotheses, analyzing the impact of total ACEs (and then ACEs by type) and total resilience (and then resilience by type) on academic achievement. Results were not statistically significant for either question. A one-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was then run to explore whether ACEs by type or resilience by type varied based on life stage (adolescence or emerging adult). The results were not statistically significant. Outcomes of the study are discussed as are the limitations of the study and suggestions for future research.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014146
- Subject Headings
- High school students, At-risk youth, Academic achievement
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Fibropapillomatosis in stranded green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in Florida: 20 years of spatiotemporal trends and associations with environmental factors.
- Creator
- Niland, Hannah, Perrault, Justin, Salmon, Michael, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
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Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a tumor disease that has reached panzootic proportions in green turtles (Chelonia mydas). FP is associated with chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5, although the etiology of FP is likely multifactorial, since high FP prevalence is often observed in degraded habitats. However, specific environmental cofactors for tumor development remain unknown. To explore this, I collated statewide green turtle stranding data from 2000–2020 to evaluate spatiotemporal trends of FP in...
Show moreFibropapillomatosis (FP) is a tumor disease that has reached panzootic proportions in green turtles (Chelonia mydas). FP is associated with chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5, although the etiology of FP is likely multifactorial, since high FP prevalence is often observed in degraded habitats. However, specific environmental cofactors for tumor development remain unknown. To explore this, I collated statewide green turtle stranding data from 2000–2020 to evaluate spatiotemporal trends of FP in Florida, and co-analyzed these data alongside patterns of river flow, chlorophyll-a (Chla), sea surface temperature (SST), El Niño (ENSO), and red tide (HAB). I found that FP was stable during 2000–2020. HAB (positively) and SST (negatively) correlated with statewide FP prevalence, as well as several interactions between various factors. These results suggest that SST and HABs may act as cofactors in the development of FP, and future work should be equally interdisciplinary in their investigation of this multifactorial disease
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014191
- Subject Headings
- Green sea turtles, Chelonia mydas, Sea turtles--Diseases
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- GENDER, N170 EVENT RELATED POTENTIAL, AND IMPLICIT RACIAL BIAS.
- Creator
- Heerdegen, Dieter, Anzures, Gizelle, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Psychology, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
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To better understand the N170 event related potential (ERP), we examined how factors such as participant gender and implicit racial bias might reflect upon amplitude and latency. White male (18) and female (34) participants performed an implicit association test (IAT) and Simple viewing EEG task with own-race White and other-race Asian faces. We were able to make several conclusions from the data. (1a) Participants generally showed an implicit racial bias favoring their own race group. (1b)...
Show moreTo better understand the N170 event related potential (ERP), we examined how factors such as participant gender and implicit racial bias might reflect upon amplitude and latency. White male (18) and female (34) participants performed an implicit association test (IAT) and Simple viewing EEG task with own-race White and other-race Asian faces. We were able to make several conclusions from the data. (1a) Participants generally showed an implicit racial bias favoring their own race group. (1b) The degree of this implicit racial bias did not differ between male and female participants. (2) Male, compared to female, participants expressed longer N170 latencies but similar amplitudes. (3) Lower compared to higher levels of implicit racial bias did not appear to influence the N170. (4) Participant gender, stimulus race, and implicit racial bias did not interact to influence the N170.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014210
- Subject Headings
- Evoked Potentials, Racial bias, Bias, Implicit
- Format
- Document (PDF)