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- Title
- Control of hybrid generation microgrids based on consensus algorithm.
- Author
- Albaz, Rakan Khaled Kamal
- Abstract/Description
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Utility grid companies are currently facing many challenges. These challenges include energy management, efficiency, and power quality issues. It is well known that improving power systems' management, control, and quality results in better economic benefits, increased electronic device lifetime, and reduced power interruptions, leading to the satisfaction of utility and consumer. Many research efforts were done in the past decades focusing on power systems control, quality, and management....
Show moreUtility grid companies are currently facing many challenges. These challenges include energy management, efficiency, and power quality issues. It is well known that improving power systems' management, control, and quality results in better economic benefits, increased electronic device lifetime, and reduced power interruptions, leading to the satisfaction of utility and consumer. Many research efforts were done in the past decades focusing on power systems control, quality, and management. The need for more green energy resources has inspired these researchers to find ways to integrate renewable energy resources into the grid. The current grid is facing issues due to a number of reasons such as increased Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) types and number, increased loads' types and number, and the increased distance between the DERs, loads, and the grid. The study of this thesis aims at finding creative energy management and control solutions through observing and understanding the characteristics of the utility grid and implement these solutions in a simulation software called MATLAB/Simulink. Consensus-based control will be implemented in a hybrid generation microgrid which will support the grid and work on restoring voltage and frequency levels with optimum power sharing between the DER.
Show less - Identifier
- 1295678222, WFE0000777
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Characterizing the effects of atypical antipsychotics on the neutrophil model cell line, PLB-985.
- Author
- Robbs, Emily J.
- Abstract/Description
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Atypical antipsychotics (AAPs) are a class of drug used to treat several mental diseases like bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and schizophrenia. However, these substances are also known to cause a rare, yet severe and sometimes fatal syndrome known as neutropenia. Neutropenia (and its more acute form, agranulocytosis) is characterized by a significant decrease in an individual's circulating neutrophils--the most abundant white blood cell. Neutrophils are essential for proper...
Show moreAtypical antipsychotics (AAPs) are a class of drug used to treat several mental diseases like bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and schizophrenia. However, these substances are also known to cause a rare, yet severe and sometimes fatal syndrome known as neutropenia. Neutropenia (and its more acute form, agranulocytosis) is characterized by a significant decrease in an individual's circulating neutrophils--the most abundant white blood cell. Neutrophils are essential for proper innate immunity, and depletion can result in higher risk of developing life-threatening illnesses. How atypical antipsychotics induce neutropenia is not well-understood, though research is ongoing. In this study, we aim to characterize the effects of four AAPs--clozapine, olanzapine, quetiapine and aripiprazole--on PLB-985 cell viability, as assessed by the XTT Cell Viability Assay. We found that only aripiprazole is able to significantly decrease dPLB-985 cell viability after 48-hour treatment. We hypothesized that aripiprazole's negative effect on cell viability is through its unique mechanism of action as a partial dopamine agonist; however, our results suggest that aripiprazole's effects are independent of dopamine receptor agonism.
Show less - Identifier
- 1294639220, WFE0000774
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Development of a new unreacted equation of state for LX-17 with a genetic algorithm and a semiparametric model.
- Author
- Ginoza, Reid Rikio
- Abstract/Description
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Modeling the detonation of high explosives requires accurate simulations of shock propagation within the material of interest. The shock behavior is largely captured with the Hugoniot curve of an equation of state model, which describes the thermodynamic behavior of the unreacted material. While there are parametric forms for these models, such as linear and quadratic fits, that can be fit to shock data, in this work, a semiparametric Hugoniot curve was developed with cubic b-splines to allow...
Show moreModeling the detonation of high explosives requires accurate simulations of shock propagation within the material of interest. The shock behavior is largely captured with the Hugoniot curve of an equation of state model, which describes the thermodynamic behavior of the unreacted material. While there are parametric forms for these models, such as linear and quadratic fits, that can be fit to shock data, in this work, a semiparametric Hugoniot curve was developed with cubic b-splines to allow more flexibility in fitting the shock data. In order to optimize the fit, a genetic algorithm that respects convexity constraints performed a global search. In two test cases, the spline Hugoniot model was fit to artificial experimental data and resulted in good agreement with the known truth. Finally, we examined the existing Hugoniot, pop plot, and overdriven data for LX-17, an insensitive TATB-based explosive, and fit a new equation of state to this expanded data set with our semiparametric form. While previously published parameterizations of models did not satisfy all constraints, this new model was fit to all the collected data and respected all the constraints.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2021
- Identifier
- 1293880214, WFE0000760
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Thermal acclimation dynamics of Atlantic stingrays.
- Author
- Morris, Alexandra Anne
- Abstract/Description
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Acclimation dynamics are an important, but little studied, aspect of fish thermal ecology, that quantify the pattern and speed with which fish readjust to acute changes in water temperature. When exposed to an acute temperature shift, fish implement a sequence of behavioral, physiological and/or molecular changes to ameliorate adverse temperature and restore homeostasis. Homeostatic changes due to temperature change can be tracked by monitoring shifts in critical thermal maximum values....
Show moreAcclimation dynamics are an important, but little studied, aspect of fish thermal ecology, that quantify the pattern and speed with which fish readjust to acute changes in water temperature. When exposed to an acute temperature shift, fish implement a sequence of behavioral, physiological and/or molecular changes to ameliorate adverse temperature and restore homeostasis. Homeostatic changes due to temperature change can be tracked by monitoring shifts in critical thermal maximum values. Acclimation dynamics have been determined for several species of bony fish but are unknown in other fish groups. In this study acclimation dynamics were determined for three groups of Atlantic stingrays (Hypanus sabinus) acutely transferred to higher temperatures. Atlantic stingrays acutely transferred from 15 to 23°C, 23 to 30°C, or 30 to 34°C, accrued heat tolerance relatively quickly, with most of the acclimation process completed between 2 and 3 days. Atlantic stingrays acclimate more quickly to temperature change than teleost fishes. For example, guppies (Pocillia reticulata) require 15 days to fully acclimate. Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) took 15-20 days to reach full acclimation. Sheepshead minnow -- a hyperthermic specialist capable of enduring temperatures of nearly 45° - took 17 days to reach full acclimation (Fangue et al., 2014). Atlantic stingrays are regularly exposed to rapid, unexpected temperature shifts and the ability to acclimate quicklyr allows stingrays to exploit shallow thermally variable habitats.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2021
- Identifier
- 1293874302, WFE0000758
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Professional industry certifications as the guiding factor for cybersecurity course content delivery.
- Author
- Arenas, Victor Ramón
- Abstract/Description
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Cybersecurity faculty do not have the time to respond to the rapid and pervasive cybersecurity academic landscape. For faculty to respond to this challenge, they are expected to continuously adapt to remain competitive. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to explore the cybersecurity faculty's perceptions of their need to embark on an ongoing and sustained professional development to transfer commercial content in the form of professional certifications to the course...
Show moreCybersecurity faculty do not have the time to respond to the rapid and pervasive cybersecurity academic landscape. For faculty to respond to this challenge, they are expected to continuously adapt to remain competitive. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to explore the cybersecurity faculty's perceptions of their need to embark on an ongoing and sustained professional development to transfer commercial content in the form of professional certifications to the course content delivery at the Opportunity Learning Center (referred to hereafter as O.L.C.) in South Florida. This study's methods aligned with a qualitative descriptive phenomenological process supported by Carroll's (1963) degree of learning based on the concepts of opportunity to learn, quality of instruction, perseverance, and aptitude. The data I collected via interview described faculty's perceptions regarding these concepts to learn a pervasively changing subject. Five participants at O.L.C. perceived professional certifications as beneficial. Most professional certifications are valuable; besides, Florida's state's Department of Education encourages state colleges to include them. The data revealed that despite the likelihood of obtaining a certification, increases in faculty receiving high-level instruction, learning experience, and quality of teaching resources, faculty face a significant challenge in preparing and getting ready to obtain professional certifications. Despite the challenge, the study showed that faculty have no other option but to leverage various open educational resources to remain competitive. The study recommends expanding research to determine the correlation between the absence of professional development in the cybersecurity academic context and faculty's motivation to self-train to remain competitive.
Show less - Identifier
- 1294536245, WFE0000772
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Investigating the epigenetic effects of microplastic exposure in Bluegills (Lepomis macrochirus) using methylation sensitive-AFLPs.
- Author
- Wilkinson, Sheridan Mae
- Abstract/Description
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Marine debris is an increasing threat to the world's oceans and the abundant organisms that inhabit them. Microplastics are remnants of macroplastics that have broken down to fragments smaller than 5mm through wave action and other natural processes or were originally manufactured to have micron-sized dimensions. These fragments are then consumed by microscopic marine organisms, like zooplankton, and are bioaccumulated up the trophic levels. Accumulation of plastics in the gut of organisms...
Show moreMarine debris is an increasing threat to the world's oceans and the abundant organisms that inhabit them. Microplastics are remnants of macroplastics that have broken down to fragments smaller than 5mm through wave action and other natural processes or were originally manufactured to have micron-sized dimensions. These fragments are then consumed by microscopic marine organisms, like zooplankton, and are bioaccumulated up the trophic levels. Accumulation of plastics in the gut of organisms can have a variety of repercussions, such as starvation due to blockage in the digestive tract, chemicals used in producing plastics leaching into the cells of organisms, and modifications to the genome. One such modification is methylation which is often associated with a decrease in gene activity. While methylation has been studied in teleost fishes, little work has been done to show how microplastic exposure affects this process in any species. For this study, we investigated the accumulation of methylation due to microplastic exposure within the genome of cultured Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) cells using methylation sensitive-AFLPs. Following MSAFLPs, the methylation state was analyzed through capillary gel analysis and electropherograms and found that differential methylation occurred between several of the control and experimental groups; however, these differences were not proven to be dose- or time-dependent.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020, 2020
- Identifier
- 1222212928, WFE0000735
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Japanese rule in Formosa and Korea: a contrast in colonial regimes?.
- Author
- Mortensen, Dylan Matthew
- Abstract/Description
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This thesis seeks to discuss the differences in rule that Korea and Formosa experienced under the Japanese Empire, looking at the status of each colony prior to colonization, during initial colonization, and what followed later; as well as ultimately discerning if the the concepts of direct and indirect rule are applicable to these cases. This thesis uses the definitions of direct and indirect rule, as given by Gerring et al. 2011. The time frame outlined for this thesis is 1895-1926. Through...
Show moreThis thesis seeks to discuss the differences in rule that Korea and Formosa experienced under the Japanese Empire, looking at the status of each colony prior to colonization, during initial colonization, and what followed later; as well as ultimately discerning if the the concepts of direct and indirect rule are applicable to these cases. This thesis uses the definitions of direct and indirect rule, as given by Gerring et al. 2011. The time frame outlined for this thesis is 1895-1926. Through analysis of Japanese rule, such as the empire's modernization attempts on their colonies, resource abstraction, and governance both de facto and de jure, it is shown that the Japanese empire indeed did differ in their forms of rule of each colony. Japanese rule over Korea and Formosa showcases textbook examples of indirect and direct rules that did change over time as the empire and its needs changed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020, 2020
- Identifier
- 1202267406, WFE0000722
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Exploring elementary teachers' efficacy experiences with using a reading workshop instructional method.
- Author
- Rio, Hayley Harrison
- Abstract/Description
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Many teachers encounter low efficacy resulting in difficulty providing effective instruction, low levels of job satisfaction, and a greater chance of depression (Bandura, 1993; Cansoy & Parlar, 2018; Chung & Chen, 2018). The purpose of this qualitative interpretive phenomenological study was to explore the efficacy experiences of elementary reading teachers who use a reading workshop instructional method at selected schools in the Southeast of the United States. Five elementary reading...
Show moreMany teachers encounter low efficacy resulting in difficulty providing effective instruction, low levels of job satisfaction, and a greater chance of depression (Bandura, 1993; Cansoy & Parlar, 2018; Chung & Chen, 2018). The purpose of this qualitative interpretive phenomenological study was to explore the efficacy experiences of elementary reading teachers who use a reading workshop instructional method at selected schools in the Southeast of the United States. Five elementary reading teachers from three different schools shared their experiences through semistructured one-on-one interviews and a focus group session. The interview questions targeted the constructs of Bandura's (1993, 1997) self-efficacy theory, which was developed to explain human behavior. The interview questions explored mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion experiences, and elementary reading teachers' physiological and affective states while using a reading workshop instructional method. Themes of professional growth, student growth and motivation, mentors, collaboration, feedback, and enjoyment and fulfillment emerged. The study concludes that (a) teachers are willing to work hard and persevere with challenging instructional methods if they perceive them to be beneficial, (b) efficacy for teaching reading through a reading workshop instructional approach grows over time, (c) teachers push themselves to continue to learn when their administrators respect them as professionals, (d) teachers can gain vicarious experiences through conversation, and (e) teachers' attitudes and feelings may transfer to their students. Future research could explore teachers' efficacy experiences in other content areas such as math and science in secondary schools, and investigate the intersection of instructional methods and teacher efficacy.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2021
- Identifier
- 1298723737, WFE0000796
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Machine learning guided by linguistic and behavioral knowledge.
- Author
- Rahgooy, Taher
- Abstract/Description
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The recent success of AI has been primarily driven by the extraordinary progress in the field of machine learning. The ultimate goal of machine learning is to develop algorithms capable of making accurate predictions in an explainable way by learning efficiently from a small amount of training data. Despite an exceptionally fast-paced growth, machine learning has been exceedingly successful in achieving accurate predictions, at the cost of sacrificing most of, if not all, explainability and...
Show moreThe recent success of AI has been primarily driven by the extraordinary progress in the field of machine learning. The ultimate goal of machine learning is to develop algorithms capable of making accurate predictions in an explainable way by learning efficiently from a small amount of training data. Despite an exceptionally fast-paced growth, machine learning has been exceedingly successful in achieving accurate predictions, at the cost of sacrificing most of, if not all, explainability and by relying on huge amount of training data. Recent work has, on the other hand, shown that domain knowledge, when properly incorporated in learning algorithms, can facilitate learning from small data sets and provide various forms of explainability. In this dissertation, I propose novel ways of incorporating linguistic and behavioral knowledge into machine learning models for achieving different goals such as improving prediction accuracy, using less data, increase explainability, and evaluating cognitive biases. We exemplify our novel approaches on some challenging tasks that require special treatment either due to lack of data and/or need for explainable predictions. We first consider extracting spatial relations from language, which is a complex task due to the ambiguity of spatial relations and scarcity of available training data. To this end, we use linguistic knowledge to define various constraints imposed on classifiers to infer the correct classifications holistically. Human choice prediction is the other domain that we consider because of the fundamental role it plays in the understanding of human behavior and in the design of intelligent systems. We propose novel methods to leverage procedural knowledge, in the form of psychological models of decision making, in combination with machine learning, to achieve better predictions, understand the underlying deliberation processes, and elicit user preferences. Finally, we extend our work to the domain of sequential decision making by designing agents that learn constraints from demonstrations and then use cognitive models as orchestrators to exploit these learned constraints for making choices between conflicting goals. We use various real world and synthetic data to evaluate our proposed methods throughout this dissertation. Our experimental results show the efficacy of our methods which significantly improves upon the state-of-the-art in all of the considered tasks.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2021
- Identifier
- 1298723050, WFE0000795
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Thermal tolerance determination of the red-eared slider, Trachemys Scripta Elegans.
- Author
- Tatum, Abigail
- Abstract/Description
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Red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) are considered one of the most abundant and successful invasive turtle species in the world. Currently, red-eared sliders are known to have reproducing populations on every continent with the exception of Antarctica. In areas where they have become established, red-eared sliders often outcompete and in some areas extirpate native turtle fauna. A key adaptation recognized in red-eared sliders is their ability to survive a wide range of...
Show moreRed-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) are considered one of the most abundant and successful invasive turtle species in the world. Currently, red-eared sliders are known to have reproducing populations on every continent with the exception of Antarctica. In areas where they have become established, red-eared sliders often outcompete and in some areas extirpate native turtle fauna. A key adaptation recognized in red-eared sliders is their ability to survive a wide range of environmental temperatures. Across their native range, the turtles are noted to survive long-term winter freezing temperatures, as well as prolonged exposure to summer temperature extremes. Although temperature plays an important role in shaping red-eared slider ecology and distribution, relatively little is known about their thermal requirements. This study is the first to use Critical and Chronic Thermal Methodology to define the red-eared slider's thermal niche. The chronic maximum temperature was 43°C ± 0.3, while the chronic minimum was 18°C ± 0.3. Critical Thermal Maximum increased in correlation to acclimation temperature, 41.8°C ± 0.3 at 15°C, 43.2°C ± 0.3 at 22°C, 44.1°C ± 0.5 at 28°C, and 45.7°C ± 0.2 when acclimated to 35°C. Critical Thermal Minimum also increased in relation to the acclimation temperature, -0.04°C ± 0.3 at 15°C, 2.7°C ± 0.1 at 22°C, 3.3°C ± 0.3 at 28°C, and 5.1°C ± 0.2 when acclimated at 35°C. Using the results of this study, the thermal polygon of red-eared sliders was able to be quantified and paves the way for future thermal studies in this species.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020, 2020
- Identifier
- 1220950656, WFE0000734
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Predicting disordered eating behaviors with internet addiction, socia media use, and FOMO.
- Author
- Harris, Evan
- Abstract/Description
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Past research has found possible relationships between addictive internet use, social media use, and the fear of missing out (FOMO) and disordered eating behaviors. However, little research has been conducted to determine if these three factors can predict whether or not someone will engage in a disordered eating behavior. The present study was designed to establish such a relationship. Participants answered questions from a survey with from validated questionnaires (PIUQ, SME, FOMO, and EAT...
Show morePast research has found possible relationships between addictive internet use, social media use, and the fear of missing out (FOMO) and disordered eating behaviors. However, little research has been conducted to determine if these three factors can predict whether or not someone will engage in a disordered eating behavior. The present study was designed to establish such a relationship. Participants answered questions from a survey with from validated questionnaires (PIUQ, SME, FOMO, and EAT-III) that measured their addictive internet use behaviors, their social media use, their FOMO levels, and whether or not they engaged in five disordered eating behaviors: fasting, restricting meal size, using food substitutes, skipping meals, and smoking. Five hypotheses were developed and tested via logistic regression, predicting that the three independent variables would successfully predict participant engagement in all the disordered eating behaviors except for smoking. The results support the hypotheses, with fasting, restricting meal size, using food substitutes, and skipping meals all being significantly predicted by addictive internet usage, social media use, and FOMO. Social media use was a particularly significant predictor of reducing meal size and using food substitutes, and FOMO was a particularly significant predictor of reducing meal size and skipping meals.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020, 2020
- Identifier
- 1202021247, WFE0000716
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- An investigation of vibrio vulnificus and the influence of environmental factors on bacterial abundance and activity in a subtropical coastal estuary, Santa Rosa County, Florida, USA.
- Author
- Prousalis, Mark
- Abstract/Description
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Biotic and abiotic factors regulate marine microbial growth, activity, and biomass. We investigate how these environmental parameters influence bacteria within Indian Bayou of Santa Rosa County, Florida, over a period of fifteen months, with an interest in enumerating Vibrio vulnificus. Residents on properties surrounding the bayou were concerned that storm effects were discharging clay sediment into the bayou, disturbing the established ecosystem, and leading to a more hazardous environment...
Show moreBiotic and abiotic factors regulate marine microbial growth, activity, and biomass. We investigate how these environmental parameters influence bacteria within Indian Bayou of Santa Rosa County, Florida, over a period of fifteen months, with an interest in enumerating Vibrio vulnificus. Residents on properties surrounding the bayou were concerned that storm effects were discharging clay sediment into the bayou, disturbing the established ecosystem, and leading to a more hazardous environment for recreational activities by increased associated risk of V. vulnificus infection. In this study, heterotrophic bacterial activity and abundance are measured with regard to nutrient availability, chlorophyll, TSS, salinity, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and precipitation. We used epifluorescence microscopy and radioisotope-labeled amino acid incorporation to determine the abundance and activity of total prokaryotes (bacteria) and qPCR to determine the presence and abundance of total bacteria and V. vulnificus. We investigated how bacteria were influenced by storm events and normal seasonal fluctuations. No pathogenic V. vulnificus was detected. Bacterial abundances determined by microscopy revealed a significant positive relationship with temperature and high TSS concentrations. Salinity exhibited a positive correlation with cell size and free-living abundances. No inorganic nitrogen or phosphorus species studied had a positive relationship with bacterial abundances (microscopy or qPCR). However, there was a positive correlation between phosphate and cell size. Heterotrophic activity increased with temperature and chlorophyll, TSS, and ammonium concentrations.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020, 2020
- Identifier
- 1206365157, WFE0000729
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The emergence of WAC in first-year composition at UWF.
- Author
- Sanders, Bridgette Dale
- Abstract/Description
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This project proposes that the implementation of a WAC approach to UWF's first-year composition program improves the likelihood that knowledge transfers to different contexts beyond the first-year courses. WAC is an important area of study because it fosters effective communication across majors and disciplines, which will, ultimately, benefit students not only in academics but also in their professional career. This project examines the WAC Inquiry Project assigned to three sections of first...
Show moreThis project proposes that the implementation of a WAC approach to UWF's first-year composition program improves the likelihood that knowledge transfers to different contexts beyond the first-year courses. WAC is an important area of study because it fosters effective communication across majors and disciplines, which will, ultimately, benefit students not only in academics but also in their professional career. This project examines the WAC Inquiry Project assigned to three sections of first-year composition courses and a focus group conversation comprised of students that demonstrate the academic, social, and professional benefits of WAC pedagogical approaches. The deliberate integration of WAC at UWF--in the first-year curriculum--introduces a more robust understanding of writing and rhetoric and demonstrates how writing functions differently across disciplinary contexts, emphasizing a deep study of how textual conventions adhere to the expectations of different audiences and genres.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020, 2020
- Identifier
- 1220943353, WFE0000732
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Attitudes about menstruation: a qualitative study of implicit and explicit attitudes.
- Author
- Baldwin, Kaitlyn
- Abstract/Description
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Studies have been conducted to understand menstrual stigma, supporting the hypothesis that women internalize stigma and feel required to modify their behaviors to adapt to societal rules surrounding menstruation. Conflicting results have been reported regarding current attitudes toward menstruation, with some reporting that the stigma is still prevalent, while others have found no evidence of stigma. The purpose of the current research is to expand on these studies, further exploring the...
Show moreStudies have been conducted to understand menstrual stigma, supporting the hypothesis that women internalize stigma and feel required to modify their behaviors to adapt to societal rules surrounding menstruation. Conflicting results have been reported regarding current attitudes toward menstruation, with some reporting that the stigma is still prevalent, while others have found no evidence of stigma. The purpose of the current research is to expand on these studies, further exploring the prevalence of and reasons for menstruation stigma and to explore individual perceptions surrounding the discussion of women's menstrual cycles in college women and men. In a pilot study (Study 1) we found that, on a 7-point Likert scale, women and men self-report neutral to slightly positive attitudes toward menstruation, averaging slightly positive. In contrast, 87.7% of women and 76.9% of men have witnessed menstruation related bullying, and 52.3% of women have personally experienced it. These findings expose a discrepancy between experienced menstruation stigma and expected biases. As such, we modified our previous survey with more direct questions to better reveal the true attitudes of college students. The modified survey (Study 2) included questions regarding perceived stigma, internalized stigma, experienced stigma, and menstruation related stereotypes and an Implicit Association Task (IAT) to measure internalized menstruation stigma. We expected that Study 2 would replicate previous results regarding societal perceptions of menstrual stigma and personal attitudes toward menstruation trending positively. In addition, we expect to find that the IAT reveals participants to hold implicit negative associations about menstruation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- Identifier
- 1151766549, WFE0000684
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The marine pinfish, Lagodon rhomboides, as a model for developmental neurogenesis and retinal development.
- Author
- Moseley, Patience Elizabeth
- Abstract/Description
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In contrast to mammals, the fish CNS produces new neurons throughout life and, following injury, neurons fully regenerate and function is restored. Understanding how and why persistent neurogenesis and CNS regeneration occur in fish, but not in mammals, is crucial for developing the ability to treat CNS injury and disease in humans. The zebrafish has a relatively simple early developmental period compared with many marine fish species and does not represent the full diversity of developmental...
Show moreIn contrast to mammals, the fish CNS produces new neurons throughout life and, following injury, neurons fully regenerate and function is restored. Understanding how and why persistent neurogenesis and CNS regeneration occur in fish, but not in mammals, is crucial for developing the ability to treat CNS injury and disease in humans. The zebrafish has a relatively simple early developmental period compared with many marine fish species and does not represent the full diversity of developmental mechanisms among vertebrates. Therefore, our objective is to develop the pinfish, Lagodon rhomboides, as a marine fish laboratory model that will improve our understanding of the complex factors that affect retinal neurogenesis. In early experiments, the Rhodopsin gene, a critical visual pigment in rod photoreceptors, was cloned from the pinfish retina and sequenced. Next generation sequencing was used to sequence the entire pinfish genome, which will be gradually assembled. Additionally, pinfish have been maintained in fiberglass tanks equipped to control light cycle, temperature, and other environmental factors that usually induce spawning in marine fish. Manipulating these factors to simulate the ideal conditions for the spawning will allow this project to be carried out throughout the year. Spawning has been induced, and larvae have been raised up to metamorphosis. Early data suggest that salinity may influence the timing of metamorphosis. In lower salinity, the onset of metamorphosis was observed at 9 days. However, in higher salinity, metamorphosis was not observed up to 17 days post hatch. The next step is to determine whether salinity affects timing xi of metamorphosis. Subsequently, we will determine the timing of photoreceptor genesis during development.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019, 2019
- Identifier
- 1152895571, WFE0000694
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Measuring depression, anxiety and stress in nursing students using the DASS-21 scale.
- Author
- Snow, Morgan
- Abstract/Description
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Nursing school students were predicted to have high levels of depression, anxiety, and stress due to academic and career pressures. Academic literature research showed that the DASS-21 was a reliable tool to measure depression, anxiety, and stress in nursing students and registered nurses. Before the assessment, a pilot study with two volunteers was completed; their responses are not included in the final data set. A sample of 50 nursing students from the Fall 2019 University of West Florida...
Show moreNursing school students were predicted to have high levels of depression, anxiety, and stress due to academic and career pressures. Academic literature research showed that the DASS-21 was a reliable tool to measure depression, anxiety, and stress in nursing students and registered nurses. Before the assessment, a pilot study with two volunteers was completed; their responses are not included in the final data set. A sample of 50 nursing students from the Fall 2019 University of West Florida Bachelor of Science in Nursing program volunteered to take the DASS-21 using a secure online survey tool, Qualtrics. Depression levels were the lowest of the three domains. The average scores for depression, anxiety, and stress were 4.84 out of 14, 7.96 out of 10, and 9.08 out of 17 respectively.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- Identifier
- 1153935905, WFE0000702
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Oral hygiene regimes: how oil pulling and conventional mouthwashes affect dental biofilms, focus on Cariogenic Streptococci.
- Author
- Bercier, Charles H.
- Abstract/Description
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This research addresses whether nontraditional oral hygiene regimes provide antimicrobial efficacy comparable to commercially available synthetic mouthwashes. A common interest among holistic communities is "oil pulling"--a practice originating in ancient Ayurveda oral hygiene. It consists of rinsing the mouth with vegetable oils, of which sesame and coconut oils are preferred, to enhance oral hygiene. This study focused on whether oil pulling reduces cariogenic Streptococcus mutans to the...
Show moreThis research addresses whether nontraditional oral hygiene regimes provide antimicrobial efficacy comparable to commercially available synthetic mouthwashes. A common interest among holistic communities is "oil pulling"--a practice originating in ancient Ayurveda oral hygiene. It consists of rinsing the mouth with vegetable oils, of which sesame and coconut oils are preferred, to enhance oral hygiene. This study focused on whether oil pulling reduces cariogenic Streptococcus mutans to the same degree as does common mouthwash. Volunteers above age 18 were to participate in this UWF-IRB-approved study. Participants would provide oral rinses of 20mL with sterile saline before and after treatments of Listerine®, or pulling oil; the rinses were transported to the lab to test for S. mutans and other oral bacteria. After the first round of treatments were complete, a 1-week "reset" period allowed normal microbial flora to re-establish, after which another treatment regime began; the cycle continued until all participants underwent all treatments. Samples were plated on a highly selective medium, favoring growth of S. mutans. Samples were also used to inoculate two broth dilution-tube series consisting of 1) a non-selective general medium TSB, and 2) a S. mutans-selective medium. Preliminary trials of this protocol showed that Listerine® reduced S. mutans and other oral bacteria by over 1-thousand-fold. Furthermore, almost all visible background growth was eliminated from the media plates after Listerine® treatment.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- Identifier
- 1153936619, WFE0000704
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Female experiences in math courses at a Florida college using stereotype threat.
- Author
- Calloway, Joc Thomas
- Abstract/Description
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In 2013, changes to Florida Statute ʹ 1008.30(3)(a) and State Board of Education Rule 6A-10.0315 reduced the number of developmental courses required for students to complete before advancing to college-level coursework (Florida K-20 Education Code, 2018b). With these changes, eligible Florida college students have additional course options to consider when registering for college math courses. The researcher identified the underrepresentation of women in college math STEM courses and careers...
Show moreIn 2013, changes to Florida Statute ʹ 1008.30(3)(a) and State Board of Education Rule 6A-10.0315 reduced the number of developmental courses required for students to complete before advancing to college-level coursework (Florida K-20 Education Code, 2018b). With these changes, eligible Florida college students have additional course options to consider when registering for college math courses. The researcher identified the underrepresentation of women in college math STEM courses and careers as the problem for this study. The primary purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of academically at-risk female students at a two-year Florida college, while the secondary study purpose was to explore the manner in which their experience in math courses might have influenced their career pathways. The researcher used stereotype threat theory as the theoretical framework to explore the perspectives and career pathways of participants. A qualitative, interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to collect and analyze data from the study's participants. The researcher conducted interviews with 16 female college students that were part of the site institution's Student Support Services program. Findings were presented based on themes that emerged during the data analysis. Based on the findings, the researcher discovered themes of stereotype threat theory associated with historical gender oppression and contemporary societal viewpoints, the changing gender role in STEM fields, advising and math course selections, and the perseverance of women and college math courses. Future research may include analyzing the perseverance rate of female college students exposed to stereotype threat theory and research related to the role of women in STEM education.
Show less - Identifier
- 1128883400, WFE0000650
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Assessing multiple placement methods for college mathematics at a two-year college.
- Author
- Weirick, Chad William
- Abstract/Description
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Students who attend two-year institutions are not always academically prepared for the level of work that is required to be successful. Two-year institutions determine students' readiness for college-level mathematics courses using one of three placement methods. However, few empirical studies have investigated which placement methods are most effective in predicting academic success. The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify the placement methods that best predict student...
Show moreStudents who attend two-year institutions are not always academically prepared for the level of work that is required to be successful. Two-year institutions determine students' readiness for college-level mathematics courses using one of three placement methods. However, few empirical studies have investigated which placement methods are most effective in predicting academic success. The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify the placement methods that best predict student success in college-level mathematics courses at a two-year college located in the midwestern United States. Through binary logistic regression, data obtained from the academic records of 1,330 students from a Midwestern U. S. two-year institution revealed a positive statistically significant relationship between placement methods and students' academic success. Students placed using ACT/SAT mathematics score or ACCUPLACER methods, respectively, were 1.85 (p < .05) and 3.91 (p < .001) times less likely to pass their college mathematics course compared to those students who were placed using high school grade point average (GPA). Students who took pre-calculus were 1.66 times more likely to pass than students who took statistics (p < .05) after controlling for the sociodemographic and placement type variables in the model. Age had a positive relationship with passing (OR = 1.05, p < .01). Full-time students were 1.50 times less likely than part-time students to pass (p < .05). Pell Grant eligible students were 1.57 times less likely than non-Pell Grant eligible participants to pass (p < .05). Placing students using high school GPA may improve success in college-level mathematics courses. Higher education policymakers should consider the use of high school GPA as the central method to place students into these courses.
Show less - Identifier
- 1130062385, WFE0000680
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The impact of social change: a study of the community of Christ.
- Author
- Rose, Roger Allen
- Abstract/Description
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This study investigates factors that contributed to organizational changes that happened in the Community of Christ church between 1955 and 1970. Social movements including the Civil Rights Movement, the women's rights movement, the free speech movement, and the anti-war movement each played influential roles in shaping the United States in the 1950s and 1960s. The movements of the era called into question long-held beliefs, traditions, and authority at many societal levels. The movements...
Show moreThis study investigates factors that contributed to organizational changes that happened in the Community of Christ church between 1955 and 1970. Social movements including the Civil Rights Movement, the women's rights movement, the free speech movement, and the anti-war movement each played influential roles in shaping the United States in the 1950s and 1960s. The movements of the era called into question long-held beliefs, traditions, and authority at many societal levels. The movements also influenced faith traditions in the United States including the Community of Christ. Archival research of the two most widely circulated periodicals produced by the Community of Christ at the time revealed conceptual shifts during the period. Archival research also revealed a small group of individuals who were involved in facilitating the changes. Other primary resources indicated a slow but direct change in church ideology, policy, self-understanding, and theology during the period. Open-ended interviews with 12 influential leaders from the era showed that their early experiences influenced their desires to act in leadership roles in the Community of Christ and also influenced their desire to facilitate organizational change in their church. The three data sources were triangulated to create a historical narrative exploring the changes that took place during what became known as the Decade of Decision. The narrative is a story about how leaders in one faith tradition were influenced by the compelling social experiences of the 1950s and 1960s and in turn facilitated social and educational transformation in their church when they became leaders.
Show less - Identifier
- 1129599547, WFE0000672
- Format
- Document (PDF)