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- 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
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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.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00003729
- 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
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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.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00003722
- 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
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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.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00003728
- 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
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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.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00003723
- 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
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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.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00003726
- 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
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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.
Show less - 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
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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.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00003725
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- CASSAVA AND TROPICAL DIABETES.
- Creator
- Rich, Praewpailin, Kennedy, Ashley, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
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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.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00003721
- 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
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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.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00003727
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- CONSCIOUSNESS AND CRIMINALITY.
- Creator
- Baniotaite, Paula, Lanning, Kevin, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
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To what extent are we responsible for the actions performed in our dreams? If I hurt someone while I’m sleepwalking, should my behavior be excused? In cases of multiple personalities, if one identity commits a crime, should the main identity be accountable? We can raise such questions in courts today due to early psychological research in consciousness and awareness. I will begin by reviewing the early notions that have been explored in psychology, such as sleep, repression and even hypnosis...
Show moreTo what extent are we responsible for the actions performed in our dreams? If I hurt someone while I’m sleepwalking, should my behavior be excused? In cases of multiple personalities, if one identity commits a crime, should the main identity be accountable? We can raise such questions in courts today due to early psychological research in consciousness and awareness. I will begin by reviewing the early notions that have been explored in psychology, such as sleep, repression and even hypnosis that all tie back to theories of consciousness. I will then review various disorders that involve irregularities in consciousness: sleep disorders such as sleepwalking and sleep apnea, as well as less frequently observed mental disorders, such as dissociative identity disorder. After discussing criminal cases involving consciousness related disorders, I argue that a consensus on treatment of individuals with severe consciousness related disorders should be established.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013657
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Immigration Reform and the Factors that Determine its Success or Failure.
- Creator
- Toledo Garcia, Adrian, Steigenga, Timothy, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
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The last time the United States was witness to a successful comprehensive immigration reform law was 1986. This thesis explores the question of why it has not happened since and the factors that have halted every effort since 1986. The 1986 law did not clear the United States of immigration problems. While the law granted amnesty to over a million undocumented immigrants, there were millions more who were left in the shadows. So why has nothing happened since? The factors that led to success...
Show moreThe last time the United States was witness to a successful comprehensive immigration reform law was 1986. This thesis explores the question of why it has not happened since and the factors that have halted every effort since 1986. The 1986 law did not clear the United States of immigration problems. While the law granted amnesty to over a million undocumented immigrants, there were millions more who were left in the shadows. So why has nothing happened since? The factors that led to success in 1986 have changed and so have the priorities of the two major parties. The efforts immediately following the 1986 law failed to find the kind of consensus that the 1986 law had, making future efforts more difficult. This thesis explores the factors that make comprehensive immigration reform difficult and argues that the factors aligned against immigration reform have only grown stronger since the 1986 law was passed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013669
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A Fairy Without Wings.
- Creator
- King, McKenzie, Luria, Rachel, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
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The Fae have become targets for hunters in search of profit, due to various media sources quickly spreading false rumors to the population. A Fairy Without Wings is an Urban Fantasy novel-in-progress that follows the active kidnapping of two female Fae: Melli and Bridge. Melli and Bridge, unlike many others, make no attempts to hide their Fae features. This made the girls easy targets for poachers. The novel-in-progress uses the theory of evolution in relation to the fantasy race known as Fae...
Show moreThe Fae have become targets for hunters in search of profit, due to various media sources quickly spreading false rumors to the population. A Fairy Without Wings is an Urban Fantasy novel-in-progress that follows the active kidnapping of two female Fae: Melli and Bridge. Melli and Bridge, unlike many others, make no attempts to hide their Fae features. This made the girls easy targets for poachers. The novel-in-progress uses the theory of evolution in relation to the fantasy race known as Fae in an urban setting to demonstrate the impact of misinformation from the media on social climate. This demonstration acts as a metaphor for real world misconceptions and social climate revolving around evolution. This thesis aims to illustrate the relation between the novel’s themes of media misrepresentation of information and real-world examples affecting our current society. This relation is the damaging impact that media misrepresentation has on social opinions that can lead to radicalizing of social issues such as racism, homophobia, and xenophobia.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013659
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- DEFINING RELATEDNESS WHILE CROSSING STATE LINES: CHANGES IN THE AMERICAN CULTURAL CONSTRUCTION OF INCEST.
- Creator
- May, Elizabeth, Corr, Rachel, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
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Incest is known in Anthropology as a social construct that is defined as the prohibition of sex or marriage between certain genetic or affinal relatives. It was once believed that incest was an instinctually avoided behavior in humans, but that hypothesis is no longer supported. Because incest is a culturally constructed idea, the specific nature of its defining boundaries changes across cultures. To build upon the idea that incest is a cultural construction, I investigated the notion that...
Show moreIncest is known in Anthropology as a social construct that is defined as the prohibition of sex or marriage between certain genetic or affinal relatives. It was once believed that incest was an instinctually avoided behavior in humans, but that hypothesis is no longer supported. Because incest is a culturally constructed idea, the specific nature of its defining boundaries changes across cultures. To build upon the idea that incest is a cultural construction, I investigated the notion that not only do laws defining incest vary between cultures, but they also show variance within the same society. I showed this by tracing the origins of Anglo-American incest laws from the colonial period to the present, as well as the differences between US state incest laws and how they changed over time.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013661
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- NOVEL GENE THERAPY TECHNIQUE TO TREAT HEREDITARY DEAFNESS.
- Creator
- Mc Comie, Myca-Lee, Wetterer, James K., Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
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Autosomal recessive deafness-9 (DFNB9), caused by mutations in the otoferlin gene (OTOF), is the most common form of hereditary deafness, accounting for 2-8% of all cases. Here, I review recent research on using dual adeno associated virus (AAV) mediated gene therapy to treat DFNB9 in a mouse model system. Dual AAV gene therapy repairs these mutations by injecting pairs of AAV vectors carrying separate fragments of Otoferlin DNA into the round window membrane to the affected cochlea. When...
Show moreAutosomal recessive deafness-9 (DFNB9), caused by mutations in the otoferlin gene (OTOF), is the most common form of hereditary deafness, accounting for 2-8% of all cases. Here, I review recent research on using dual adeno associated virus (AAV) mediated gene therapy to treat DFNB9 in a mouse model system. Dual AAV gene therapy repairs these mutations by injecting pairs of AAV vectors carrying separate fragments of Otoferlin DNA into the round window membrane to the affected cochlea. When these AAV vectors recombine, they produce the expression of the full-length gene and restores hearing. Dual AAV gene therapy provides a biologically regenerative treatment that is faster and less invasive than the cochlear implant currently used to treat DFNB9. This breakthrough will reshape the treatment of genetic diseases.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013663
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- PERSONALITY AND GEOGRAPHICAL PSYCHOLOGY.
- Creator
- Perez, Marina N., Lanning, Kevin, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
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This exploratory analysis aims to examine personality in relation to geographical location. As opposed to grouping participants by state, participants are grouped based on cultural regions outlined by Colin Woodard in American Nations (2012). By taking into account the sub-nations that exist in the United States and the history of their settlements, we can illustrate a more comprehensive and complete picture of the people who live there. In order to examine geographical regions according to...
Show moreThis exploratory analysis aims to examine personality in relation to geographical location. As opposed to grouping participants by state, participants are grouped based on cultural regions outlined by Colin Woodard in American Nations (2012). By taking into account the sub-nations that exist in the United States and the history of their settlements, we can illustrate a more comprehensive and complete picture of the people who live there. In order to examine geographical regions according to personality scores, Colin Woodard’s American Nations data was used in conjunction with William Revelle’s and Lorien Elleman’s SAPA data and corresponding code. Participants were divided into nations and personality scores were then calculated for each nation. The personality scale Liberalism (e.g. Left Coast)/Conservatism (e.g. Deep South) was the greatest measure of variability across nations. Despite small effect sizes, results showed distinct personality profiles for each nation, based on a seven-factor model produced from factor analysis.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013664
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- THE DEATH POSITIVE COMMUNITY AND CHANGE IN AMERICAN MORTUARY RITUAL.
- Creator
- Sharrard, Taylor, Corr, Rachel, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
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American mortuary ritual, including either embalming and burial or cremation, has largely gone unchanged since the Civil War. The growing movement of “death positivity” started by mortician Caitlin Doughty has been educating the American public about funeral alternatives that advocates believe are better for survivors of the deceased as well as the environment. I analyze past criticisms that have influenced Doughty to craft the death positive movement’s ideals and discuss these in terms of...
Show moreAmerican mortuary ritual, including either embalming and burial or cremation, has largely gone unchanged since the Civil War. The growing movement of “death positivity” started by mortician Caitlin Doughty has been educating the American public about funeral alternatives that advocates believe are better for survivors of the deceased as well as the environment. I analyze past criticisms that have influenced Doughty to craft the death positive movement’s ideals and discuss these in terms of capitalistic greed as well as death denial culture. I describe the downfalls of the current embalming and cremation practices that the death positive movement opposes. Furthermore, I highlight the eco-friendly and family involvement-based funeral rituals that the death positive community promotes and how these are changing the homogeneity of American funeral rituals. I will demonstrate how the death positive movement is providing ritual change to U.S. funeral rituals, moving past uniformity.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013667
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- SYNESTHESIA AND THIN BOUNDARIES OF THE MIND.
- Creator
- Mayernik, Samantha M., Lanning, Kevin, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
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Synesthesia is a phenomenon in which the lines between senses are blurred, suggesting permeable boundaries in the mind. This notion of boundary permeability is inherently linked with Openness to Experience, one of the Big Five personality traits. Conversely, some people are characterized by heavy boundaries and thus a lack of Openness. Since the 1930s, the relationship between Openness and boundaries has been important in political psychology, as previous research has established that...
Show moreSynesthesia is a phenomenon in which the lines between senses are blurred, suggesting permeable boundaries in the mind. This notion of boundary permeability is inherently linked with Openness to Experience, one of the Big Five personality traits. Conversely, some people are characterized by heavy boundaries and thus a lack of Openness. Since the 1930s, the relationship between Openness and boundaries has been important in political psychology, as previous research has established that conservatives tend to be low in Openness, while the opposite is true for liberals. Authoritarianism can be seen as the embodiment of a mind with thick boundaries, while the most pure example of a thin-bounded mind would be synesthesia. I perform a text analysis of Reddit comments made by 117 self-reported synesthetes and compare their responses to the Openness category of the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC), to examine whether synesthesia correlates with Openness.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013662
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Understanding America’s Modern Political Polarization Through Media History.
- Creator
- Sauro, Frank, Strain, Christopher B., Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
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Political polarization in the United States has rapidly developed into a key source of division within the country’s electorate. Though the clashing of contentious political ideologies has historically served as the catalyst for beneficial political, social, and economic change in America, modern political discourse is threatening to propel the country towards regression. Academics, politicians, and commentators have accused the media of perpetuating division through incendiary rhetoric and...
Show morePolitical polarization in the United States has rapidly developed into a key source of division within the country’s electorate. Though the clashing of contentious political ideologies has historically served as the catalyst for beneficial political, social, and economic change in America, modern political discourse is threatening to propel the country towards regression. Academics, politicians, and commentators have accused the media of perpetuating division through incendiary rhetoric and biased reporting. This project seeks to evaluate the validity of such accusations through the analysis of America’s media history and its impact on the country’s electorate. Following an overview of media’s developmental timeline, the work leans heavily on the research of Markus Prior, Professor of Politics and Public Affairs at Princeton University. His findings provide crucial insight into the links between voter behavior and media broadcasting with the intention of understanding the rise of political polarization in America.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013666
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- THE MOST EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR CANINE INTERVERTEBRAL DISC DISEASE.
- Creator
- Kruisland, Gillian Breanne, Wetterer, James, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
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Intervertebral disc disease, or IVDD, involves damage to the discs between vertebrae in the spinal column of vertebrates. The disease is progressive and has a significant genetic component as well as influences from the patient’s lifestyle. This thesis examines IVDD in canines, evaluating the cause, currently available and under research treatment options, and considers future research into mitigating the severity of disease progression. Results suggest that with current knowledge, a...
Show moreIntervertebral disc disease, or IVDD, involves damage to the discs between vertebrae in the spinal column of vertebrates. The disease is progressive and has a significant genetic component as well as influences from the patient’s lifestyle. This thesis examines IVDD in canines, evaluating the cause, currently available and under research treatment options, and considers future research into mitigating the severity of disease progression. Results suggest that with current knowledge, a combination of surgical correction and conservative management yields the best outcome for the patient, decreasing in effectiveness as the disease progresses. Novel treatment options include cell-based, gene, and growth factor therapies that have greater potential with severe cases. This paper suggests targeting the root of the problem to minimize the extent of treatment needed. Educating breeders and pet owners to catch the early onset of the disease will not only minimize detriment to the patient but also increase the number of cases seen by veterinarians, which will allow a greater understanding of the disease’s mechanisms and increased knowledge for laboratory work. The One Health concept allows the transfer of knowledge of the disease between human and veterinary medicine, which should be pushed to further expand the research of IVDD.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013660
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- TARGETING CANCER STEM CELLS USING ONCOLYTIC ADENOVIRUSES.
- Creator
- Rodriguez Suarez, Michelle, Wetterer, James, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
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Cancer stem cells play a significant role in both cancer resurgence and progression. Because of this, it is essential to target cancer stem cells when treating cancer. Unfortunately, these cells can evade the cytotoxic effects of standard cancer therapeutics such as chemo- and radiotherapy. Oncolytic adenoviruses have emerged as a therapeutic that is capable of successfully eliminating cancer stem cells. These viruses can be engineered to target specific cell surface markers on the surface of...
Show moreCancer stem cells play a significant role in both cancer resurgence and progression. Because of this, it is essential to target cancer stem cells when treating cancer. Unfortunately, these cells can evade the cytotoxic effects of standard cancer therapeutics such as chemo- and radiotherapy. Oncolytic adenoviruses have emerged as a therapeutic that is capable of successfully eliminating cancer stem cells. These viruses can be engineered to target specific cell surface markers on the surface of cancer stem cells for infection. After infection, they can hijack the cell’s replication machinery to produce new progeny that will eventually lyse the cell. There are limitations to this therapeutic, most importantly that these viruses cannot hide themselves from the host’s immune system that recognizes them as a threat and eliminates them. However, various studies have provided encouraging results that demonstrate the effectiveness of these adenoviruses both in vitro and in vivo when injected intratumorally
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013665
- Format
- Document (PDF)