Search results

Title: Authigenic smectite clay mineral distribution in Cenozoic sediments of the Cape Roberts Project (CRP-3 Drillco RE), Victoria Land Basin, Antarctica.
Creator: Priestas, Anthony Michael
Date Issued: 2005-08-30
Identifier: FSDT160371_parent
Format: Set of related objects

Title: Figure 21.
Creator: Priestas, Anthony Michael
Abstract/Description: SEM micrographs of clinoptilolite within vugs of detrital clay (A-C; 207.65 mbsf) and on framework grains (D-F; 221.17 mbsf).
Date Issued: 2005-08-30
Identifier: FSDT160371_figure21
Format: Image (JPEG)

Title: The Yiddishekite Concerto (for violin and chamber/reduced orchestra).
Creator: Pittard, Mai Li
Date Issued: 2005-08-03
Identifier: FSDT160357_parent
Format: Set of related objects

Title: Copper bis(phenanthroline) complexes as simple models for molecular transducers.
Creator: Betancourt, Daniel., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Copper(II) complexes of the form [Cu(N~N)2](PF6)2 have been investigated as models for molecular transducers (N~N is 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine; 6,6'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine; 1,10-phenanthroline; and 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline). The potential use of these complexes to interconvert electrical and mechanical energy is based on the known changes in the metal-ligand geometry associated with the copper(II/I) couple. The complexes were prepared by reacting copper(II) nitrate with two...
Show moreCopper(II) complexes of the form [Cu(N~N)2](PF6)2 have been investigated as models for molecular transducers (N~N is 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine; 6,6'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine; 1,10-phenanthroline; and 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline). The potential use of these complexes to interconvert electrical and mechanical energy is based on the known changes in the metal-ligand geometry associated with the copper(II/I) couple. The complexes were prepared by reacting copper(II) nitrate with two equivalents of the ligand in water and the precipitating the complexes as their hexafluorophosphate salts. The complexes were studied by cyclic voltammetry in methylene chloride, acetonitrile, and acetone. The copper(II) complexes exhibited irreversible to quasi-reversible voltammograms in all solvents, with shifts in the peak reduction potentials consistent with the copper(I) oxidation state being favored by steric hindrance that favors a tetrahedral metal-ligand geometry. Attempts were also made to prepare a copper complex with 2,9-bis(hydroxymethyl)-1,10-phenanthroline in the hopes that the hydroxyl groups on the phenanthroline ligand could be used to provide a means of mechanically perturbing the metal-ligand geometry to induce a shift in redox potential; however, the ligand could not be prepared in sufficient yield and purity. A precursor in this ligand synthesis, 2,9-dicarboxaldehyde-1,10-phenanthroline, was reacted with copper(II) nitrate in water giving a significant decrease in pH of the reaction mixture, possible due to acidity of the germinal diol formed by hydrolysis of the aldehyde group upon coordination to copper(II). A novel method for preparation of the bis(2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline) copper(I) complex is described. Unlike the copper(II) complexes, this complex exhibited a classic reversible voltammogram corresponding to the Cu(II/I) couple.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 496281636, 368250, FSDT368250, fsu:19393
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The role of satire in Terry Pratchett's Jingo.
Creator: Naf, John R., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The author Terry Pratchett is widely regarded as a skilled and prolific writer that focuses on fantasy and children's novels. However, within these novels lies a deeply satiric undertone that lends itself to a drastically different reinterpretation of Pratchett's works. Within this thesis, the role of satire in Trery Pratchett's novel Jingo is examined, comparing the main character Vimes with that of Jonathan Swift's Gulliver. In addition, the plot and characters of Jingo containing satiric...
Show moreThe author Terry Pratchett is widely regarded as a skilled and prolific writer that focuses on fantasy and children's novels. However, within these novels lies a deeply satiric undertone that lends itself to a drastically different reinterpretation of Pratchett's works. Within this thesis, the role of satire in Trery Pratchett's novel Jingo is examined, comparing the main character Vimes with that of Jonathan Swift's Gulliver. In addition, the plot and characters of Jingo containing satiric elements will be discussed. We will also reference several of Pratchett's previous works, including Men at Arms and Feet of Clay. In doing so, I hope to demonstrate that the genre of fantasy can indeed be used for more than popular entertainment, prompting deeper readings of other popular works previously thought as such.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 469186802, 341823, FSDT341823, fsu:19392
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The sonic fetish: a study of the Marxist approach to popular music.
Creator: Westlake, Douglas., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Two problems arose during the twentieth century that posed major problems for Marxism: the introduction of the mechanical reproduction of art and the rise of apathy amongst the proletariat. The twentieth century saw the beginning of the dissemination of immaterial artistic media, and it has culminated in the contemporary digital revolution. Nowhere has it had more of an impact than on the realm of popular music. This poses a major problem for aesthetic Marxism, because so many analyses of...
Show moreTwo problems arose during the twentieth century that posed major problems for Marxism: the introduction of the mechanical reproduction of art and the rise of apathy amongst the proletariat. The twentieth century saw the beginning of the dissemination of immaterial artistic media, and it has culminated in the contemporary digital revolution. Nowhere has it had more of an impact than on the realm of popular music. This poses a major problem for aesthetic Marxism, because so many analyses of Marx have focused on his connection to materialism. The revolutionary action of the proletariat was also a much-discussed aspect of Marx's philosophy, and it too posed a major problem for Marxism. By the middle of the twentieth century, the proletariat seemed inactive, and uninterested in advocating change. The Frankfurt school arose to confront these crucial Marxist dilemmas. First and foremost, the members emphasized the theoretical basis of Marxism. Coupled with psychoanalysis the members of the Frankfurt school attempted to explain the Marxist deficiencies. Theodor Adorno became one of the most important members of the Frankfurt school. It was Adorno's notion of the culture industry that saved Marxism from the passive and apathetic proletariat. The cultural apparatus acts to standardize enjoyment, in order to guarantee that every aspect of the proletariat's life is controlled. Adorno explains the cause of the proletariat's apathy, but his dogmatic appeal to materialism was his downfall. If Marxists are going to confront the aesthetic concerns of digital media, they must realize that matter doesn't matter.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 471798484, 341822, FSDT341822, fsu:19391
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling in the brain-ventral tegmental area and its regulation of mood in rat.
Creator: Powers, Kyle., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: BACKGROUND: Emotions are not only accompanied by changes in our physiology but by changes in brain protein expression as well. Changes in expression and activity of several signaling proteins have been documented in response to chronic stress and changes in mood and motivation in rodents. One of these signaling proteins is the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) dependent signaling within the ventral tagmental area (VTA), a brain region involved in mediating responses to rewarding and...
Show moreBACKGROUND: Emotions are not only accompanied by changes in our physiology but by changes in brain protein expression as well. Changes in expression and activity of several signaling proteins have been documented in response to chronic stress and changes in mood and motivation in rodents. One of these signaling proteins is the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) dependent signaling within the ventral tagmental area (VTA), a brain region involved in mediating responses to rewarding and aversive stimuli, in animals and humans. Using virus-mediated gene transfer, we discretely manipulated ERK2 levels of expression in the rat VTA and then measured changes in animals' behavior. METHODS: Animals received microinjections of either HSV-GFP, HSV-ERKdn, or HSV-ERK2wt into the VTA. Two days later, depression-like symptoms were measured using the Forced Swim Test. RESULTS: The results show that ERK2 inhibition in the VTA had no significant effect, as compared to controls, on rat behavior, whereas ERK2 activation profoundly increased the rats' sensitivity to stress. CONCLUSIONS: The present study confirms that ERK2 is the signaling cascade linking stress (in the context of depression) to dopaminergic transmission. Moreover, discrete manipulation of ERK2 levels of expression in the VTA represents a means through which dopaminergic transmission in the VTA-NAc pathway can be regulated. It is safe to conclude ERK2's downstream regulation of DA in the mescorticolimbic brain areas is one of the key components that regulate depression-like behavior in animals.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 469741282, 341821, FSDT341821, fsu:19390
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Real-time assessment of microbial quality of salmon treated with natural antimicrobial materials using a novel microrespirometer.
Creator: Noguera, Amaris., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The effectiveness of the CO2 evolution rate (CER) method using a novel microrespirometer was evaluated to determine the effects of soy sauce, white wine, and ginger on the microbial quality of raw salmon and to compare it with the traditional aerobic plate count (APC) method.
Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 469184422, 341820, FSDT341820, fsu:19389
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Wilde women: gender and performance in the social comedies of Oscar Wilde.
Creator: Velasco, Schuyler., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This project discusses performance and gender issues in the social comedies of Oscar Wilde. Despite his strong identification as an aesthete, privileging art for its own sake separate from the natural realm, Wilde's social comedies deal with very real challenges of women during a transitional period in the history of European feminism, just before suffrage in England became an issue and the role of women began to shift to the public sphere. Wilde's comedies often been analyzed solely on the...
Show moreThis project discusses performance and gender issues in the social comedies of Oscar Wilde. Despite his strong identification as an aesthete, privileging art for its own sake separate from the natural realm, Wilde's social comedies deal with very real challenges of women during a transitional period in the history of European feminism, just before suffrage in England became an issue and the role of women began to shift to the public sphere. Wilde's comedies often been analyzed solely on the basis of text, rather than as pieces of art meant to be both viewed and read. My argument is that a full understanding of Wilde's plays requires both textual and performative analyses, and that Wilde's female characters, rather than the oft-studied male figures, are the characters that best exemplify the necessity of this dualistic study. In addition to looking at Wilde through the lens of performance theorists such as Judith Butler and Eve Sedgwick, this project analyzes adaptations of The Importance of Being Earnest and Lady Windermere's Fan from the silent film era to the present.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 471832288, 341819, FSDT341819, fsu:19388
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The biological meaning of notch and beta-actin interaction.
Creator: McKnight, Kelly., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The Notch signaling pathway is an evolutionarily conserved and multi-functional pathway. It has been reported to regulate cell fates, cell proliferation and cell death in multiple biological processes. Actin is also an evolutionarily conserved protein. Among other things, it is involved in cell division and cell signaling as well as cytoskeletal structure. One of the three isoforms of actin, ß-actin, is also located in the nucleus and is involved in gene transcription by associating with...
Show moreThe Notch signaling pathway is an evolutionarily conserved and multi-functional pathway. It has been reported to regulate cell fates, cell proliferation and cell death in multiple biological processes. Actin is also an evolutionarily conserved protein. Among other things, it is involved in cell division and cell signaling as well as cytoskeletal structure. One of the three isoforms of actin, ß-actin, is also located in the nucleus and is involved in gene transcription by associating with chromatin remodeling complexes. Recently we discovered that ß-actin binds to Notch. Therefore, ß-actin may be important in the transcription of Notch. The purpose of this experiment is to determine the biological importance of the interaction between ß-actin and Notch. To support our hypothesis, we formed knock-out experiments of ß-actin, and tested the expression of downstream Notch targets. We found that their expression was down regulated when ß-actin was not present. This data suggests that ß-actin is required for the transcriptional activity of Notch signaling.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 469203452, 341818, FSDT341818, fsu:19387
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Relationship between functional performance and bone mineral density of various skeletal sites in overweight postmenopausal women.
Creator: Humphrey, Kristen., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Functionality is a measurement of the ability of an individual to perform simulated daily tasks providing insight into the physical fitness of older adults. The overall purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between body composition, including bone mineral density (BMD) and weight/body mass index (BMI) with functionality performance in 37 overweight (BMI of 31.3«4.8 kg/mp2s) postmenopausal Caucasian women, aged 54.7«3.8 y. Participants completed functionality tests including: 8...
Show moreFunctionality is a measurement of the ability of an individual to perform simulated daily tasks providing insight into the physical fitness of older adults. The overall purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between body composition, including bone mineral density (BMD) and weight/body mass index (BMI) with functionality performance in 37 overweight (BMI of 31.3«4.8 kg/mp2s) postmenopausal Caucasian women, aged 54.7«3.8 y. Participants completed functionality tests including: 8 meter normal and brisk walks, 8 foot get up-and-go, handgrip strength assessment, one leg stance, and the chair-stand test. Dual X-ray absorptiometry technique with a Lunar iDXA instrument (GE Medical Systems, Madison, WI) was used to measure BMD of the total body, lumbar spine, dual femur (neck, Ward's triangle, trochanter, shaft, and total) and forearm (ulna and radius at ultradistal and 1/3 distance). BMI was less closely correlated with various functionality measures than age but was most correlated with ability to balance on one leg (r=-.465, P=.004) and normal step length (r=.354, P=.032). In multiple regression models containing age, and BMI, brisk walk speed was significantly associated with BMD of all femoral sites (except the trochanter), and total body (adjusted R2 range, 16%-25%; P<0.05). Normal walk speed and step length were not related to the BMD of any skeletal site of the femur or total body. Handgrip strength was significantly associated with forearm BMD at most of the sites (adjusted R2 range=13-21%, P ö< 0.05). Trends for associations were observed between the chair stand and femoral BMD (significant for shaft only; adjusted R2 range=12-14%). We conclude that functionality performance is related to BMD of various skeletal sites. Conditioning with regard to these functionality measures may be beneficial in osteoporosis prevention.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 465233194, 341817, FSDT341817, fsu:19386
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The number of repetitions needed for intrarater reliability of speech stimuli.
Creator: Hayes, Hillary., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this investigation was to determine if different numbers of stimuli repetitions affect the intrarater reliability of the scale ratings of speech samples. The research question was: How many repetitions of a stimulus does it takes to yield higher intrarater reliability ratings of a speech sample? It was hypothesized that untrained auditors would be more reliable when stimuli were repeated. For this experiment a total of ten raters were used to rate the samples. The raters were...
Show moreThe purpose of this investigation was to determine if different numbers of stimuli repetitions affect the intrarater reliability of the scale ratings of speech samples. The research question was: How many repetitions of a stimulus does it takes to yield higher intrarater reliability ratings of a speech sample? It was hypothesized that untrained auditors would be more reliable when stimuli were repeated. For this experiment a total of ten raters were used to rate the samples. The raters were junior and senior undergraduates at a university with no formal training in speech language pathology. Five were male and five were female. Eight speech samples were selected from KayPentax database. The samples were selected based on severity of diagnosis with 4 categories: normal, mild, moderate, and severe. Raters were given a sheet with a Likert-type scale, and asked to rate the samples on three descriptors: roughness, breathiness, and strain. The results indicate that among these naèive listeners that three or five repetitions do not improve a rater's ability to rate stimuli as opposed to one repetition. Multiple repetitions appeared to result in the listeners second guessing themselves and rate the healthy voices more severely. These data indicate that consistent ratings of voice disorder severity can be achieved with a single repetition of the sample.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 465233140, 341816, FSDT341816, fsu:19385
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: National identity & self definition during the Holocaust.
Creator: Keeley, Samuel Blaine., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This project was a historiography of anti-Semitism and its effect on Europe, particularly in German speaking countries leading up to and during World War II and the Holocaust. It focuses on the personal and social identity of Germans and Jews based on religion, nationality and other factors. An interview with a woman who lived through this period was one of the primary sources. Her name is Giulia Hine, and many letters written by her family are part of Florida State University's collections...
Show moreThis project was a historiography of anti-Semitism and its effect on Europe, particularly in German speaking countries leading up to and during World War II and the Holocaust. It focuses on the personal and social identity of Germans and Jews based on religion, nationality and other factors. An interview with a woman who lived through this period was one of the primary sources. Her name is Giulia Hine, and many letters written by her family are part of Florida State University's collections for the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience. The relevant materials from the interview were incorporated into the Thesis in order to put an individual's personal story into the context of the attitudes on identity at the time.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 468835216, 341815, FSDT341815, fsu:19384
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Identity crisis?: the writing of England, 1130-1230.
Creator: Boulos, Sarah., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This paper explores the means of identity construct through literature written in the twelfth century in Britain specifically through the re-emergence and subsequent dissemination of the King Arthur legend. The first chapter discusses the contextual surroundings of the three primary authors and their works; Geoffrey of Monmouth's The History of the Kings of Britain, Wace's Roman de Brut and Layamon's Brut, a subject critical to the understanding of the identity theme. Chapters two through...
Show moreThis paper explores the means of identity construct through literature written in the twelfth century in Britain specifically through the re-emergence and subsequent dissemination of the King Arthur legend. The first chapter discusses the contextual surroundings of the three primary authors and their works; Geoffrey of Monmouth's The History of the Kings of Britain, Wace's Roman de Brut and Layamon's Brut, a subject critical to the understanding of the identity theme. Chapters two through four deconstruct three separate levels of identity construct, respectively: identity through the state, identity through regional or social groups and identity and the individual.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 465226352, 341814, FSDT341814, fsu:19383
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Read all about it: a college musical.
Creator: King, Chantel., Rodriguez, Kristen., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Read All About It: A College Musical is a full-length musical screenplay centered around five college students during the course the fall and spring semesters of one academic year. It was written in collaboration with Kristen Rodriguez. Two important themes addressed are "don't judge a book by its cover," "there is more than one path to take in life," and "there is more than one 'right' way." The purpose of the musical format is to add to the element of expression, which can often be...
Show moreRead All About It: A College Musical is a full-length musical screenplay centered around five college students during the course the fall and spring semesters of one academic year. It was written in collaboration with Kristen Rodriguez. Two important themes addressed are "don't judge a book by its cover," "there is more than one path to take in life," and "there is more than one 'right' way." The purpose of the musical format is to add to the element of expression, which can often be repressed by submission to conformity, refusals to speak out, or due to fear. In addition, music gives the words more purpose and phrasing than if they were to be merely spoken. It is an added layer to help tell the story and the point of the song. The songs in a musical often are very moving and powerful, serving as a driving force for the story while exploring the characters' motivations and actions. The main characters in the screenplay learn about life, not only through their classes, but even more so from their interpersonal relationships within their groups and interconnecting thread between the five of them. These students begin the fall semester thinking and believing one way and end the spring semester with a new outlook on each other and themselves., The screenplay, as a whole, is intended to address and oppose certain stereotypical roles, particularly those based on race, religion, and politics. We show individuals who experience different forms of prejudice and misjudgment, which are irrational and unjustifiable caused, and the emotional journey, sometimes physical, it takes them. The screenplay can serve as an insight to people yet to be in college or as a time of reflection for those who are or once were. Yet, people who have experience any sorts of prejudgments can identify with the themes and stories in our screenplay. As in real life, the main characters realize that people are unique, and those who come from different lifestyles can be just as important and principled as people who share different or similar qualities as themselves. This is the moral of Read All About It.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 468826465, 341813, FSDT341813, fsu:19382
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Promoting HPV vaccine acceptability in men.
Creator: Barley, Jessica., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a major health concern for men and women today. Most attention of the potentially devastating effects of this virus has been directed towards women, due to the strong link between HPV and cervical cancer. A three dose HPV vaccine has been marketed and available to women for about a year. Licensure of the HPV vaccine for men has not yet been approved, but is expected in the near future. The purpose of this study was to assess men's awareness and knowledge of HPV...
Show moreHuman papillomavirus (HPV) is a major health concern for men and women today. Most attention of the potentially devastating effects of this virus has been directed towards women, due to the strong link between HPV and cervical cancer. A three dose HPV vaccine has been marketed and available to women for about a year. Licensure of the HPV vaccine for men has not yet been approved, but is expected in the near future. The purpose of this study was to assess men's awareness and knowledge of HPV and to evaluate men's intentions to obtain the HPV vaccine once it is available. Undergraduate men (n = 356) were randomly assigned to receive a message that focused on the health benefits of the HPV vaccine for their personal health versus the health benefits for their personal health and their partner's health. Awareness of HPV infection was high (83%). HPV knowledge was relatively low at baseline, but increased with exposure to the health information. Exposure to the two messages led to equivalent intentions to receive the HPV vaccine, and the experimental manipulation did not interact with relationship commitment, sociosexual orientation, or empathic concern. Men who engaged in more promiscuous sexual behavior and men reporting higher levels of trait empathy reported higher intentions to receive the vaccine. This study offers insight into men's growing knowledge of HPV, potential effects for female partners, as well as potential barriers that the health care community may face in encouraging HPV vaccination.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 465225496, 341812, FSDT341812, fsu:19381
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Analysis of DNA gyrase A and gyrase B mutations possibly associated with resistance to ciprofloxacin in deep subsurface bacteria.
Creator: Swetnam, Daniele., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Several strains of bacteria that are resistant to the antibiotic ciprofloxacin were isolated from deep terrestrial subsurface sediments at the U. S. Department of Energy Hanford Site (HS) in Washington State. These bacteria were of special interest because they have never been exposed to manmade antibiotics or to genes that may have evolved in response to the use of these drugs. Having been isolated from the Earth's surface for several million years, the HS bacteria might have evolved and...
Show moreSeveral strains of bacteria that are resistant to the antibiotic ciprofloxacin were isolated from deep terrestrial subsurface sediments at the U. S. Department of Energy Hanford Site (HS) in Washington State. These bacteria were of special interest because they have never been exposed to manmade antibiotics or to genes that may have evolved in response to the use of these drugs. Having been isolated from the Earth's surface for several million years, the HS bacteria might have evolved and possess novel resistance mechanisms. Ciprofloxacin resistance can result from point mutations that occur in specific regions of four topoisomerase enzymes: DNA gyrase A, DNA gyrase B, topoisomerase IV C, and topoisomerase IV E. This study focused on mutations in the quinolone resistance determining regions (QRDRs) of gyrase A and gyrase B. The QRDR regions of these genes were PCR amplified and sequenced, after which the DNA sequences were converted to protein sequences. The sequences for resistant strains were compared to those of selected ciprofloxacin-sensitive strains to look for amino acid substitutions that might be resistance-conferring mutations. Several substitutions that were not present in any ciprofloxacin-sensitive strains were detected, and those that involved a marked change in the chemical nature of the amino acid at the position where the substitution occurred were identified as putative resistance-conferring mutations. Some of these mutations have been described previously, while others have not and, thus, could represent novel resistance mechanisms. Additional research will now be requited to confirm that these mutations actually do confer resistance to ciprofloxacin.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 471388718, 341811, FSDT341811, fsu:19380
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: I am the periphery: conceptual and material space in Salvador, Brazil's capoeira angola.
Creator: Miller, Jeran., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: To know the reasons behind the geographic placement of capoeira angola works in Salvador, Brazil, the application of models and traditional, economically driven theories of location selection are not enough; one must understand the thinking of the practitioners and teachers of the art. Through interviews, participant observation, and geographic information systems visualizations, I explore the spatial nature of this folkloric practice. As a result of the fieldwork that I conducted in Salvador...
Show moreTo know the reasons behind the geographic placement of capoeira angola works in Salvador, Brazil, the application of models and traditional, economically driven theories of location selection are not enough; one must understand the thinking of the practitioners and teachers of the art. Through interviews, participant observation, and geographic information systems visualizations, I explore the spatial nature of this folkloric practice. As a result of the fieldwork that I conducted in Salvador, I found that generational considerations and the desire to perpetuate the art among the marginal peoples of the city are important factors shaping where master practitioners choose to locate their schools.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 469184407, 341810, FSDT341810, fsu:19379
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Useless concrete staircases.
Creator: Ham, Brittany., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Useless Concrete Staircases is a poetry thesis by Brittany Ham (Defended on March 21, 2008) that consists of 30 English language poems and ten additional Spanish language poems with English translations. The first section of the thesis consists of relationship, "boyfriend/lover" poems, the second section of the thesis has various subjects, the third section consists of letter poems from significant historical figures and the fourth and final section of the thesis consists of poems written in...
Show moreUseless Concrete Staircases is a poetry thesis by Brittany Ham (Defended on March 21, 2008) that consists of 30 English language poems and ten additional Spanish language poems with English translations. The first section of the thesis consists of relationship, "boyfriend/lover" poems, the second section of the thesis has various subjects, the third section consists of letter poems from significant historical figures and the fourth and final section of the thesis consists of poems written in Spanish with English translations. The thesis, as a whole, uses nature/animal imagery and several references to classism, communism, anarchism, nihilism, skin/human organs, Sylvia Plath, the thesis title, and urban decay are made throughout the work.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 465226383, 341809, FSDT341809, fsu:19378
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A cry for justice: public opinion, U.S. foreign policy, and the Treaty of Locarno, 1925-1926.
Creator: Goodman, Joshua L., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The Treaty of Versailles, the instrument that liquidated World War I and created the League of Nations, left Europe with a number of pressing challenges in rebuilding the foundation for international relations in the post-war world. One of the most urgent and complex issues was the question of international security, a prerequisite for disarmament and other important projects for maintaining the peace. The Treaty of Locarno, concluded in 1925, sought to permanently secure Western Europe and...
Show moreThe Treaty of Versailles, the instrument that liquidated World War I and created the League of Nations, left Europe with a number of pressing challenges in rebuilding the foundation for international relations in the post-war world. One of the most urgent and complex issues was the question of international security, a prerequisite for disarmament and other important projects for maintaining the peace. The Treaty of Locarno, concluded in 1925, sought to permanently secure Western Europe and provide mechanisms for arbitration in the event of discord. While the treaty itself did not enjoy great success over the long term, it was widely celebrated by people on both sides of the Atlantic as proof that conciliation and peaceful diplomacy could lead to great achievement. A Cry for Justice examines how the Treaty of Locarno was received by internationalists in the United States, who were able to use the initial success of the treaty to support their argument for increased American participation in world affairs, particularly in Europe.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 465233130, 341808, FSDT341808, fsu:19377
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Florida's army: home-guard cavalry and Confederate supply, 1861-1865.
Creator: Stoutamire, William F., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Throughout the Civil War, Florida's cavalrymen served under a unique dichotomy of military strategies. On the one hand, Confederate setbacks to the north - particularly in Tennessee and Mississippi - led to Florida's increasing importance as the primary supplier of provisional goods to the rebel cause. Despite this fact, however, the state's military suffered from repeated troop withdrawals, particularly in the summers of 1862 and 1864. As will be shown, the only organized forces to maintain...
Show moreThroughout the Civil War, Florida's cavalrymen served under a unique dichotomy of military strategies. On the one hand, Confederate setbacks to the north - particularly in Tennessee and Mississippi - led to Florida's increasing importance as the primary supplier of provisional goods to the rebel cause. Despite this fact, however, the state's military suffered from repeated troop withdrawals, particularly in the summers of 1862 and 1864. As will be shown, the only organized forces to maintain a continual presence in Florida from their inception until the end of the war were the 2nd Florida Cavalry Regiment and its progeny, the 5th Florida Cavalry Battalion. On numerous occasions, detachments of these troops single-handedly repulsed Union raids and protected the state's economic resources. These cavalrymen were Florida's Army.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 471388717, 341807, FSDT341807, fsu:19376
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Factors contributing to international non-intervention: the case of Zimbabwe.
Creator: Molony, Kate., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Despite the horrific accounts of human rights violations in Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe, the United States has abstained from intervening directly to resolve the situation. The purpose of this thesis is to initiate an understanding of why one of the world's leading humanitarian aid providers does not pursue further action. While international influences are only one of many facets to consider, the nature of human rights' universality demands it to be addressed. In order to do so, this thesis...
Show moreDespite the horrific accounts of human rights violations in Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe, the United States has abstained from intervening directly to resolve the situation. The purpose of this thesis is to initiate an understanding of why one of the world's leading humanitarian aid providers does not pursue further action. While international influences are only one of many facets to consider, the nature of human rights' universality demands it to be addressed. In order to do so, this thesis constructs a theoretical framework of four international factors that are likely to be considered by any government before undertaking an intervention policy, especially under humanitarian auspices. Chosen for their prominence, the factors were limited to the presence of ideological (and possibly physical) support from the international community, a dearth of more significant current and potential foreign policy issues, few possible threats developing from the intervention, and the absence of other more appropriate entities that may achieve the same goal. This thesis then applies these four issues to the current conditions between the United States and Zimbabwe, in addition to the global community, in an attempt to better understand a rationale behind Washington's inaction. As a result of the ensuing analysis, this thesis concludes that while a general disdain for human rights abuses exists, the remaining three factors are not conducive for American intervention. By overshadowing the first, these last three considerations render direct U.S. involvement unlikely.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 469204666, 341806, FSDT341806, fsu:19375
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Role of dietary zinc deficiency in adult neuronal stem cell proliferation in the olfactory bulb.
Creator: Reiter, Allison R., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: We now know that there are several regions of the human brain that have stem cells with the potential to divide and differentiate into neurons throughout the lifespan. These adult stem cells are found in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus, the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricles and the olfactory bulb (OB). One interesting feature of these proliferative regions, including the OB, is that the nutrient zinc can be found in higher concentrations relative to other areas of...
Show moreWe now know that there are several regions of the human brain that have stem cells with the potential to divide and differentiate into neurons throughout the lifespan. These adult stem cells are found in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus, the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricles and the olfactory bulb (OB). One interesting feature of these proliferative regions, including the OB, is that the nutrient zinc can be found in higher concentrations relative to other areas of the brain. Furthermore, we know that the OB is an area of the brain that is frequently impaired in the early stages of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Thus this work was designed to examine the effect of moderate zinc deficiency on cellular proliferation in the OB and begin to explore the role of the signaling pathways stimulated by brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Two groups of adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed either a zinc adequate (ZA, 30 ppm) or a marginally zinc deficient (MZD, 5 ppm) for three weeks (n=3). Immunoreactivity for the cell cycle protein Ki67 revealed an almost 3-fold increase the number of cells undergoing proliferation in the mitral cell layer (p<0.05) with no increases in cell death as measured by TUNEL labeling. While there was a trend toward a decrease in immunoreactive BDNF, there were no statistically significant changes in BDNF or the Trk B receptor. However, there was a significant decrease in the pan-trophic factor receptor p75NTR (p<0.01). Under normal conditions the p75 receptor is associated with decreased cell survival, suggesting that zinc deficiency may increase proliferative cell number by reducing signaling from this neurotrophin receptor. Future work will be needed to determine the p75 ligand that is responsible for this action.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 469741288, 341805, FSDT341805, fsu:19374
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Light scattering from solutions of nanoparticles.
Creator: Pawlikowski, Laura J., FAMU-FSU College of Engineering (Tallahassee, Fla.)
Abstract/Description: Light scattering is a powerful technique for characterization of polymers. It can be used to characterize the polymer molecular weight, radius of gyration, hydrodynamic radius and also the second virial coefficient of proteins or nanoparticles in a solvent. Knowledge of and the ability to control these properties are critical to any application and need to be determined before the polymer is put in use (membrane formation, coatings for monitors etc.). In this work, a novel light scattering...
Show moreLight scattering is a powerful technique for characterization of polymers. It can be used to characterize the polymer molecular weight, radius of gyration, hydrodynamic radius and also the second virial coefficient of proteins or nanoparticles in a solvent. Knowledge of and the ability to control these properties are critical to any application and need to be determined before the polymer is put in use (membrane formation, coatings for monitors etc.). In this work, a novel light scattering apparatus, with an angular range of 15 - 155À has been setup for characterization of polymers and nanoparticles. Polystyrene particles of three different molecular weights (9x10p5s, 3.9x10p5 sand 1.7x10p5 sg/mol) have been characterized with this device. The molecular weight, radius of gyration and second virial coefficient have been determined for all the three different polymers when suspended in two different solvents -- decalin which is a poor solvent for polystyrene and tetrahydrofuran which is a good solvent. The measured properties in these two different solvents are in good agreement with literature values. In addition, mixtures of the 9x10p5 sand 3.9x10p5 sin THF have been analyzed and the cross virial coefficient has been found.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 469186808, 341804, FSDT341804, fsu:19373
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Scruples over Tamagotchis: a study of scrupulosity, OC cognitions, responsibility, and religious devotion.
Creator: Marson, Stephanie., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Concerns of a religious nature are termed scrupulosity, which entails disturbing sacrilegious thoughts, excessive doubt, and ritual. A cognitive vulnerability commonly associated with scrupulosity is an inflated sense of responsibility. However, there has been no research directly manipulating responsibility. This study utilized a virtual pet known as a Tamagotchi to directly manipulate responsibility. Additionally, the literature has been contradictory regarding the role of religious...
Show moreConcerns of a religious nature are termed scrupulosity, which entails disturbing sacrilegious thoughts, excessive doubt, and ritual. A cognitive vulnerability commonly associated with scrupulosity is an inflated sense of responsibility. However, there has been no research directly manipulating responsibility. This study utilized a virtual pet known as a Tamagotchi to directly manipulate responsibility. Additionally, the literature has been contradictory regarding the role of religious devotion in the presentation of scrupulosity. This experiment sought to (1) replicate previous studies identifying OC cognitions associated with scrupulosity, in addition to further investigating the relationship between scrupulosity, (2) responsibility and (3) religious devotion. In line with previous research, we hypothesize that overestimation of responsibility/ threat estimation, perfectionism/ tolerance of uncertainty, importance/ control of thoughts will all be associated with scrupulosity. Also, increased responsibility and religious devotion will result in higher scrupulosity scores. Thirty-nine psychology undergraduates were randomly assigned to either a high responsibility condition, where participants were instructed to "care" for a virtual pet, or a low responsibility condition, in which participants had to look after a plastic egg for two weeks. Participants also completed a battery of questionnaires. Consistent with our prediction, the PIOS was associated with all three subscale of the OBQ. Scrupulosity remained significant with importance/control of thoughts after controlling for other variables. Contrary to our second hypothesis, increased responsibility did not increase scrupulosity. However, increased religious devotion was positively correlated with increased PIOS scores. The findings of this study will be discussed in light of our limitations and future research.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 468835432, 341803, FSDT341803, fsu:19372
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A look at form and pitch content in Toru Takemitsu's "Equinox".
Creator: Settle, David, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This thesis serves as an analysis of Toru Takemitsu's "Equinox." This piece is one of a group of compositions for solo classical guitar that was written by a composer who was well established outside the world of classical guitar during the Twentieth Century, an idea that has led to an expansion of the instrument's repertoire. "Equinox" in particular manages to sound cohesive even with untraditional uses of harmony and form. The purpose of this project is to determine why this is using...
Show moreThis thesis serves as an analysis of Toru Takemitsu's "Equinox." This piece is one of a group of compositions for solo classical guitar that was written by a composer who was well established outside the world of classical guitar during the Twentieth Century, an idea that has led to an expansion of the instrument's repertoire. "Equinox" in particular manages to sound cohesive even with untraditional uses of harmony and form. The purpose of this project is to determine why this is using analysis of pitch-content, contour, and form.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 471388707, 341802, FSDT341802, fsu:19371
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A discussion of Salome during the Decadent Era.
Creator: Henry, Kathleen, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This essay discusses the character of Salome during the Decadent Era in mid-to-late nineteenth century France. It considers Salome from a historical and societal perspective, as well as her over-all Biblical history. It discusses works of art by Aubrey Beardsley and Gustave Moreau, as well as the play "Salome", by Oscar Wilde, and "Herodias" by Gustave Flaubert.
Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 465226400, 341801, FSDT341801, fsu:19370
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Perception of acoustically similar vowels from English and Hebrew.
Creator: Shames, Yonit A., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The most widely accepted theory on vowel perception, the formant theory, suggests that vowel are differentiated perceptually based on the presence of concentrated bands of harmonic energy in the vowel's acoustical signal. Vowels from different languages often contain formants with similar configurations, but it is unclear what effect cross-language variations have on the perception of the vowels. This study was completed to find when English-speaking listeners are able to differentiate...
Show moreThe most widely accepted theory on vowel perception, the formant theory, suggests that vowel are differentiated perceptually based on the presence of concentrated bands of harmonic energy in the vowel's acoustical signal. Vowels from different languages often contain formants with similar configurations, but it is unclear what effect cross-language variations have on the perception of the vowels. This study was completed to find when English-speaking listeners are able to differentiate between vowels spoken in two languages, North American English and Modern Hebrew. Natural vowels in kVp syllables were recorded and acoustically normalized using the Bark scale. The English and Hebrew vowels were paired in test groups based on the normalized formant values and the fundamental frequencies of the speakers. Listeners designated each pair as "same" or "different." It was hypothesized that listeners were more likely to differentiate between the vowels in English-Hebrew pairs than in same-language pairs, and that they were more likely to differentiate between vowels with higher Bark scale differences. Listeners demonstrated the least difficulty discriminating between different-language pairs containing /e/ and /o/ (60-90 percent accuracy), more difficulty for English /a/ and Hebrew /a/ (40-80 percent accuracy), and the most difficulty for /i/ and /u/ (10-60 percent accuracy).
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 471439233, 341800, FSDT341800, fsu:19369
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Talking trash: the influence of gender and social class on recycling.
Creator: Baker, Samantha., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Environmentalism has become an increasingly important issue to people in the U.S. Though recycling is an important means of reducing environmental degradation and is, essentially, a pro-social behavior, there is little literature on the social correlates of recycling. This paper investigates whether and how gender, social class, marital status, age, and race/ethnicity influence recycling. I focus on the relationships between gender, class and recycling and use research on the household...
Show moreEnvironmentalism has become an increasingly important issue to people in the U.S. Though recycling is an important means of reducing environmental degradation and is, essentially, a pro-social behavior, there is little literature on the social correlates of recycling. This paper investigates whether and how gender, social class, marital status, age, and race/ethnicity influence recycling. I focus on the relationships between gender, class and recycling and use research on the household division of labor and a class-resource framework to analyze these relationships. I test the independent effects of gender, income, education, marital status, age, and race on recycling using data from the General Social Survey (GSS). I also analyze whether the influence of gender on recycling varies by marital status or by education status. I also look at whether the influence of gender on recycling varies by employment status to try to assess whether there is a gendered division of household labor for recycling. Finally, I look at the interactions between race, education, and recycling to see if it is actually SES that is the driving force behind the differences in recycling practices across race/ethnic groups.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 465225492, 341799, FSDT341799, fsu:19368
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Vowel formant transitions in children and adults who stutter.
Creator: Acquaah-Harrison, Thelma E., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to compare the vowel formant transitions during the fluent utterances of those who stutter and those who do not. Two children (age 10 female, age 8 male) and two adults (age 18 female, age 21 male) who stutter participated in this study and were matched by age and gender to two nonstutterers. Participants were asked to read aloud 12 consonant + vowel + /t/ (CVt) syllables. The initial consonants were either the bilabial (/p/, /b/) or alveolar (/t/,/d/) stop...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to compare the vowel formant transitions during the fluent utterances of those who stutter and those who do not. Two children (age 10 female, age 8 male) and two adults (age 18 female, age 21 male) who stutter participated in this study and were matched by age and gender to two nonstutterers. Participants were asked to read aloud 12 consonant + vowel + /t/ (CVt) syllables. The initial consonants were either the bilabial (/p/, /b/) or alveolar (/t/,/d/) stop consonants. Each consonant was paired with the vowels /i/ /u/ //. The frequency shift and duration of the vowel formant transition was measured from the initial consonant to the vowel. There were significant differences in formant transition frequency shifts between stuttering individuals and their nonstuttering peers, as well as between children and adults. Similarly, a significant difference was observed in transition durations between children and adults.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 465194015, 341798, FSDT341798, fsu:19367
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A UV protection intervention for skin cancer prevention.
Creator: Schubert, Brittany L., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The present study integrated the content (appearance-based vs. health-based) and message framing literatures in order to develop an intervention that was maximally effective at promoting UV protection behavior. Undergraduate students (N = 216) were randomly assigned to one of five experimental conditions, including the appearance-based gain frame message, appearance-based loss frame message, health-based gain frame message, health-based loss frame message, and a no-information control. Those...
Show moreThe present study integrated the content (appearance-based vs. health-based) and message framing literatures in order to develop an intervention that was maximally effective at promoting UV protection behavior. Undergraduate students (N = 216) were randomly assigned to one of five experimental conditions, including the appearance-based gain frame message, appearance-based loss frame message, health-based gain frame message, health-based loss frame message, and a no-information control. Those in the loss-framed conditions reported higher intentions to use sunscreen, less favorable tanner prototypes, and higher perceived vulnerability. Any intervention condition compared to the no information control reported higher intentions to wear sunscreen, higher intentions to wear sunscreen while sunbathing, and higher intentions to engage in other sun protective behaviors. Continued research is needed to examine the potential interaction between gain vs. loss and health vs. appearance based messages in changing health behaviors and attitudes.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 471439229, 341797, FSDT341797, fsu:19366
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The mafia in America: the media's influence on stereotypes of Italian Americans.
Creator: Vaccarello, Jaclyn., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The Italian mafia has been a prominent theme in the media for decades. The media's portrayal of the mafia has created stereotypes for Italians that are largely accepted in American culture. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the history of the mafia in Italy and trace its journey to America. The true history of the mafia is not known for sure, but it can be argued that the mafia's roots date back to the Middle Ages when the feudal system was prevalent. This thesis then discusses...
Show moreThe Italian mafia has been a prominent theme in the media for decades. The media's portrayal of the mafia has created stereotypes for Italians that are largely accepted in American culture. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the history of the mafia in Italy and trace its journey to America. The true history of the mafia is not known for sure, but it can be argued that the mafia's roots date back to the Middle Ages when the feudal system was prevalent. This thesis then discusses numerous films in which the Italian mafia was present and the images it portrayed of Italians. Widely popular films and television shows such as The Godfather, Goodfellas, and The Sopranos and the specific images they portray of Italian American women and men are analyzed. Films like these create negative stereotypes for Italians that are glorified by the flashy lifestyles of the gangster characters. Finally, this thesis then compiles statistical data about Americans' perceptions of Italians based on the images portrayed in the media and the facts about Italian Americans that contradict these images. Unfortunately, most Italian Americans embrace these stereotypes of their own ethnicity, thereby reinforcing it in the eyes of other non-Italian Americans.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 471831354, 341796, FSDT341796, fsu:19365
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: An exploratory investigation of optimal retail selling strategies, motivation, and intercultural communication competence.
Creator: Kozak, Matthew, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This paper is a case study that proposes optimal selling methods in an increasingly diverse retail environment. Adaptive selling behavior, motivation and intercultural communication competence are considered and research on the aforementioned is advanced. A survey was distributed in an electronics retail store and tested for gender and racial matching biases. The Tallahassee areas demographics consist of 60% white people and 34% black people. This study will focus on identifying the effects...
Show moreThis paper is a case study that proposes optimal selling methods in an increasingly diverse retail environment. Adaptive selling behavior, motivation and intercultural communication competence are considered and research on the aforementioned is advanced. A survey was distributed in an electronics retail store and tested for gender and racial matching biases. The Tallahassee areas demographics consist of 60% white people and 34% black people. This study will focus on identifying the effects of racial matching between whites and blacks, as well as identifying any correlations between matching salesmen and saleswomen to their same and opposite genders. The results show that there is substantial evidence to suspect a statistically significant relationship between racial matching and higher transaction outcomes. Conversely, gender matches are not found to produce any statistically significant results. The results are considered and influences of motivation, training, and decisions made on a managerial and sub-managerial level are also acknowledged. Suggestions for an optimal guiding principle in each category are developed.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 468826468, 341795, FSDT341795, fsu:19364
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Rheology of colloidal gels.
Creator: Breuer, Kristina K., FAMU-FSU College of Engineering (Tallahassee, Fla.)
Abstract/Description: Nanoparticles of silica are used in a number of products such as toothpastes, hair gels, and even as drug delivery vehicles. In all of these applications, the particles are suspended in a liquid and then the resulting suspension is processed to give the desired product. A key property which affects these processes is the flow of these nanoparticle suspensions (viscosity and elastic modulus). Viscosity determines how easily the suspension flows while elastic modulus determines the rigidity of...
Show moreNanoparticles of silica are used in a number of products such as toothpastes, hair gels, and even as drug delivery vehicles. In all of these applications, the particles are suspended in a liquid and then the resulting suspension is processed to give the desired product. A key property which affects these processes is the flow of these nanoparticle suspensions (viscosity and elastic modulus). Viscosity determines how easily the suspension flows while elastic modulus determines the rigidity of the suspension. It is important to know how these properties change as the concentration of the silica particles and mixes particles of different kinds are changed. The goal of this work is to develop a model silica system with known interaction energies and to then systematically study the flow properties of the resulting gel. In this paper, 37, 89, and 165 sized particles were successfully synthesized, coated with octadecanol and suspended in decalin to form a model system. The flow properties were systematically studied using temperature as a variable to induce the formation of gels. By using the experimentally measured gel boundaries and elastic modulus, the strength and range of attraction between the particles were obtained by comparison with the recently developed naèive mode coupling theory with the Yukawa interaction potential. The experimental data showed an overlapping of the elastic modulus for the three particles, graphed on a scaled basis with respect to Dp3s/kT as suggested by the theory. This is in contrast to the very different values of the un-scaled elastic modulus of the varying particles at corresponding temperatures. Preliminary experiments are reported on mixtures of particles and suggestions are given for future work.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 465232549, 341794, FSDT341794, fsu:19363
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Kate Chopin's The Awakening: examining Edna Pontellier in Catholic Creole society.
Creator: Shovlin, Christina Marie., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Originally titled A Solitary Soul, Kate Chopin's The Awakening offers a glimpse into turn of the 19th century New Orleans, Louisiana. The text is unlike other literature in the same time period because Edna defies society's standards in an attempt to transition beyond the identity set for women. In a society where the patriarchy strictly regulates the role of women, her rebellion against the role of wife and motherhood were unfathomable. Unfairness and injustice for southern women of the 19th...
Show moreOriginally titled A Solitary Soul, Kate Chopin's The Awakening offers a glimpse into turn of the 19th century New Orleans, Louisiana. The text is unlike other literature in the same time period because Edna defies society's standards in an attempt to transition beyond the identity set for women. In a society where the patriarchy strictly regulates the role of women, her rebellion against the role of wife and motherhood were unfathomable. Unfairness and injustice for southern women of the 19th century was so pervasive that all women were expected to work with diligence and self sacrifice in regard to their maternal and marital duties. These tasks were viewed and judged not only by her husband, but by society in general. Doomed to a life of forced social obedience, Edna Pontellier evolves into an independent thinker who was well ahead of her time. In order to understand why Edna becomes depressed, Catholic Creole society needs to be examined because it is the cultural, patriarchal, and religious aspects of the community that lead her to commit suicide as a means of escape.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 471444827, 341793, FSDT341793, fsu:19362
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Levels of narcissism and self-reported expression of anger.
Creator: Steadham, Jennifer., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Much of the research on narcissism has produced mixed results, specifically regarding levels of self-esteem and biological sex in relation to expression of anger. It was expected that narcissism, self-esteem, and biological sex would account for much of the variance in anger expression. Using undergraduate psychology students as subjects, this study was conducted using the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and the Structured Clinical...
Show moreMuch of the research on narcissism has produced mixed results, specifically regarding levels of self-esteem and biological sex in relation to expression of anger. It was expected that narcissism, self-esteem, and biological sex would account for much of the variance in anger expression. Using undergraduate psychology students as subjects, this study was conducted using the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR Axis II Personality Disorders, Version 2.0 (SCID-II). Significant relationships were found between narcissism and anger expression, and between self-esteem and anger expression. Future studies should examine measures that consider both overt and covert narcissism. Future studies should also consider the effect of sex roles on anger expression.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 471447214, 341792, FSDT341792, fsu:19361
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Does free will affect workplace performance?.
Creator: Meyer, Kari., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This study analyzed the correlation between a belief in free will, from temporary manual workers, and better workplace performance. Free will is the ability to override one's natural tendency to choose another action, and research shows that a belief in free will can bring about much happiness in one's life. Free will was measured by using the Free Will and Determinism scale. Workplace performance was evaluated by a direct supervisor on work effort and positive social impact. Results showed...
Show moreThis study analyzed the correlation between a belief in free will, from temporary manual workers, and better workplace performance. Free will is the ability to override one's natural tendency to choose another action, and research shows that a belief in free will can bring about much happiness in one's life. Free will was measured by using the Free Will and Determinism scale. Workplace performance was evaluated by a direct supervisor on work effort and positive social impact. Results showed that those workers who believed in free will demonstrated a better workplace performance.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 469184402, 341791, FSDT341791, fsu:19360
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Global evolution of synoptic-scale vorticity maxima.
Creator: Bogdanoff, Alec Setnor., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: A preliminary, coarse data set has shown that storm onsets off the eastern coasts of North America and Asia alternate approximately weekly. A newly published data set by the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, the ERA-40 (European Center Reanalysis), consists of 45 years of globally reanalyzed data. This data set gives the advantage of a 2.5À by 2.5À grid for 10 variables at 23 levels of the atmosphere for four times a day. With this superior data set, analyses of storm onsets...
Show moreA preliminary, coarse data set has shown that storm onsets off the eastern coasts of North America and Asia alternate approximately weekly. A newly published data set by the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, the ERA-40 (European Center Reanalysis), consists of 45 years of globally reanalyzed data. This data set gives the advantage of a 2.5À by 2.5À grid for 10 variables at 23 levels of the atmosphere for four times a day. With this superior data set, analyses of storm onsets will be more robust and accurate. Using the 45 years of global weather analyses, storms exceeding certain thresholds were composited for the ten days preceding and following reaching the initial vorticity maximum determined by the threshold. This allows one to follow the global antecedents and consequences of mid-latitude storms. Results shows that small scale vorticity maximum does occur at approximately 5 days after the onset of the vorticity maximum off the eastern coast of North America. Furthermore, a small scale vorticity maximum also occurs approximately 6 days after the onset of the vorticity maximum off the eastern coast of Asia.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 465232317, 341790, FSDT341790, fsu:19359
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Maintenance rules in friends with benefits relationships.
Creator: Smith, Lindsay Ann., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Friends with benefits relationships (FWBRs) are relationships between cross-sex friends in which the friends engage in sexual activity but do not define their relationship as a committed romantic relationship (Hughes et al, 2005). The current study examined the relative priority people place on rules to maintain FWBRs, as well as how mating-related individual differences (sociosexual orientation and dispositional jealousy) might affect the way people prioritize particular rules. Participants...
Show moreFriends with benefits relationships (FWBRs) are relationships between cross-sex friends in which the friends engage in sexual activity but do not define their relationship as a committed romantic relationship (Hughes et al, 2005). The current study examined the relative priority people place on rules to maintain FWBRs, as well as how mating-related individual differences (sociosexual orientation and dispositional jealousy) might affect the way people prioritize particular rules. Participants rated the importance of six rule categories associated with maintaining FWBRs (negotiation, sex, emotional, permanence, secrecy, and communication), provided responses to measures of sociosexuality and jealousy, and answered questions regarding their attitudes about FWBRs. Sex rules were rated as particularly important whereas permanence rules were rated as the least important. People who were sexually unrestricted were more likely to participate in FWBRs, had more positive attitudes about FWBRs, and placed less importance on sex and permanence rules. This research provides a textured view of the priority placed on guidelines for acceptable behavior in the context of these unique hybrid relationships.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 471439235, 341789, FSDT341789, fsu:19358
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Coastal habitat restoration of St. George Island.
Creator: Plastini, Michael Antony., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: St. George Island is a microtidal barrier island located on the Gulf Coast of the Florida panhandle. This research evaluated different plant species for use in restoration of disturbed coastal areas across barrier island foredune, interdune, and backdune habitats. A long-term study of the vegetation on St. George Island was used to identify six species that have been particularly resilient to severe storms that affect coastal areas and may be useful for coastal restoration following these...
Show moreSt. George Island is a microtidal barrier island located on the Gulf Coast of the Florida panhandle. This research evaluated different plant species for use in restoration of disturbed coastal areas across barrier island foredune, interdune, and backdune habitats. A long-term study of the vegetation on St. George Island was used to identify six species that have been particularly resilient to severe storms that affect coastal areas and may be useful for coastal restoration following these storms. Two storm-resilient species were selected from each of the three barrier island habitats: Uniola paniculata and Fimbristylis species from the foredunes, Sporobolus virginicus and Centella asiatica from the interdunal area, and Muhlenbergia capillaries and Schizachyrium maritimum from the backdunes. An experiment was designed to evaluate effectiveness of these species for restoration in disturbed coastal areas in each of the three dune habitats. Individuals of these species were harvested from St. George Island, maintained for 2-3 months in a greenhouse, and then transplanted into areas where dunes had been damaged in an earlier storm. The survival and growth of these individuals were monitored to evaluate the potential for using these species to restore damaged coastal dune areas. Preliminary findings show that there is a significant effect of dune habitat on transplant success, but, as yet, little evidence of habitat-specific species differences.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 469186815, 341788, FSDT341788, fsu:19357
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Analyzing the symbolism of Judy Chicago and Simone de Beauvoir: the construction, deconstruction, and reconstruction of motherhood.
Creator: Howard, Virginia., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Judy Chicago, a visual artist, and Simone de Beauvoir, an existentialist, present differing, yet still complementary evaluations of the contemporary situation of the western mother. Chicago, with her art series The Birth Project, focuses on the emotional/intuitive experience of the mother and relates the entire societal experience to a spiritual event by using goddess imagery. In stark contrast, de Beauvoir elaborates on the social construction of motherhood as an exploitative and...
Show moreJudy Chicago, a visual artist, and Simone de Beauvoir, an existentialist, present differing, yet still complementary evaluations of the contemporary situation of the western mother. Chicago, with her art series The Birth Project, focuses on the emotional/intuitive experience of the mother and relates the entire societal experience to a spiritual event by using goddess imagery. In stark contrast, de Beauvoir elaborates on the social construction of motherhood as an exploitative and objectifying experience. She expands upon the notion that mothers exist mainly as a societal scapegoat. The combination of the analysis performed by each woman provides a clear understanding of the role of the mother as an intuitive experience with oppressive societal origins. Evaluating Chicago and de Beauvoir in relation to each other broadens the analysis of motherhood and the social changes necessary to improve the experience of the mother and re-empower women.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 465226410, 341787, FSDT341787, fsu:19356
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Psychopathic personality traits and semantic processing of emotional Stroop stimuli.
Creator: Plonski, Jared.
Abstract/Description: Blunted reactions to distressing and fearful stimuli have long been implicated in the development of psychopathic personality traits. The emotional Stroop task is one of the hallmark measures of assessing attentional bias for emotional stimuli, but is has not been incorporated into research on psychopathic personality traits. The current study developed an emotional Stroop task to assess the hypothesis that individuals elevated in psychopathic personality traits would display less...
Show moreBlunted reactions to distressing and fearful stimuli have long been implicated in the development of psychopathic personality traits. The emotional Stroop task is one of the hallmark measures of assessing attentional bias for emotional stimuli, but is has not been incorporated into research on psychopathic personality traits. The current study developed an emotional Stroop task to assess the hypothesis that individuals elevated in psychopathic personality traits would display less interference of color naming for negative emotional word stimuli than individuals low in psychopathic personality traits. A mixed-gender sample of 68 college students was recruited from a larger screening sample characterized by high and low scores on the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale. Participants took the emotional Stroop measure developed for this study, and average times for positive, negative, and neutral stimuli were converted to interference scores to determine emotional bias for positive and negative word stimuli relative to neutral word stimuli. Contrary to the prediction, there were no group differences for the Stroop interference scores. Implications of these findings for greater theoretical modeling are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 469795514, 341786, FSDT341786, fsu:19355
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The social implications of specific language impairment in school age children.
Creator: Geiger, Brittany Middleton, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Numerous studies have been conducted involving preschoolers with specific language impairment (SLI), suggesting a potential relationship between their communicative abilities and social acceptance. Because social status is highly valued by children and youth, this possible relationship warrants further exploration. The purpose of this study was to further describe children with SLI in kindergarten, first, and second grade, to determine if there was a difference between their social ratings...
Show moreNumerous studies have been conducted involving preschoolers with specific language impairment (SLI), suggesting a potential relationship between their communicative abilities and social acceptance. Because social status is highly valued by children and youth, this possible relationship warrants further exploration. The purpose of this study was to further describe children with SLI in kindergarten, first, and second grade, to determine if there was a difference between their social ratings and the ratings of their typically developing peers TDP. Participants for this study included six children with SLI and forty-two classroom peers. The sociometric rating-scale was used to measure the peer acceptance of these two groups. Five of the six participants with SLI had lower mean ratings than their TDP. Children with SLI also demonstrated a higher occurrence of negative ratings than their TDP. Speech-language pathologists, parents, and educators should consider the implications of LI beyond the arena of academic achievement and target social language skills as well.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 465225530, 341785, FSDT341785, fsu:19354
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Read all about it: a college musical.
Creator: King, Chantel., Rodriguez, Kristen., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Read All About It: A College Musical is a full-length musical screenplay centered around five college students during the course the fall and spring semesters of one academic year. It was written in collaboration with Kristen Rodriguez. Two important themes addressed are "don't judge a book by its cover," "there is more than one path to take in life," and "there is more than one 'right' way." The purpose of the musical format is to add to the element of expression, which can often be...
Show moreRead All About It: A College Musical is a full-length musical screenplay centered around five college students during the course the fall and spring semesters of one academic year. It was written in collaboration with Kristen Rodriguez. Two important themes addressed are "don't judge a book by its cover," "there is more than one path to take in life," and "there is more than one 'right' way." The purpose of the musical format is to add to the element of expression, which can often be repressed by submission to conformity, refusals to speak out, or due to fear. In addition, music gives the words more purpose and phrasing than if they were to be merely spoken. It is an added layer to help tell the story and the point of the song. The songs in a musical often are very moving and powerful, serving as a driving force for the story while exploring the characters' motivations and actions. The main characters in the screenplay learn about life, not only through their classes, but even more so from their interpersonal relationships within their groups and interconnecting thread between the five of them. These students begin the fall semester thinking and believing one way and end the spring semester with a new outlook on each other and themselves., The screenplay, as a whole, is intended to address and oppose certain stereotypical roles, particularly those based on race, religion, and politics. We show individuals who experience different forms of prejudice and misjudgment, which are irrational and unjustifiable caused, and the emotional journey, sometimes physical, it takes them. The screenplay can serve as an insight to people yet to be in college or as a time of reflection for those who are or once were. Yet, people who have experience any sorts of prejudgments can identify with the themes and stories in our screenplay. As in real life, the main characters realize that people are unique, and those who come from different lifestyles can be just as important and principled as people who share different or similar qualities as themselves. This is the moral of Read All About It.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 468826465, 341784, FSDT341784, fsu:19353
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Humility and social behaviors: using humility as a tool to increase prosocial behavior.
Creator: Meyers, Jacob-Joon., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this thesis is to determine if humility can increase prosocial behaviors. Humility may increase prosocial behaviors because it allows the individual to accurately depict an event and self-assessment rather than distort it to more negative, aggressive thinking. In the proposed study I will induce humility and obtain measures of positive behaviors. I predict that the participants that receive the humility induction versus those who do not will behave in a more prosocial manner.
Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 469184405, 341783, FSDT341783, fsu:19352
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Humanisms in Kurt Vonnegut.
Creator: Heath, Alexander, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The literature of American author Kurt Vonnegut, from the idyllic society of 1950s post-war America in his earliest unpublished stories to his ultimate confrontation with an America run by "sickies" in 2005's A Man Without a Country, displays remarkable philosophical consistency which embodies Vonnegut's unique Humanism. A middle-class mentality helps define Vonnegut's emphasis on the importance of human compassion and common decency, his career's most consistent and recurring theme. In this...
Show moreThe literature of American author Kurt Vonnegut, from the idyllic society of 1950s post-war America in his earliest unpublished stories to his ultimate confrontation with an America run by "sickies" in 2005's A Man Without a Country, displays remarkable philosophical consistency which embodies Vonnegut's unique Humanism. A middle-class mentality helps define Vonnegut's emphasis on the importance of human compassion and common decency, his career's most consistent and recurring theme. In this thesis, "Humanisms in Kurt Vonnegut," I discuss many of Vonnegut's unpublished short stories made available through the Kurt Vonnegut Collection at Indiana University's Lilly Library in Bloomington, IN. With the aid of a Florida State University Bess H. Ward Honors Thesis Grant, I traveled in October of 2007 to research for a week these important unpublished documents. At the Lilly Library I studied nearly one hundred unpublished stories for the purpose of examining Vonnegut's early elements of Humanism and situating these stories within the larger context of Vonnegut's published work. The thesis is composed of four chapters which focus on American 1950s culture, World War Two, science-fiction, the notion of "progress," Post-Humanism, and evolution.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 465226388, 341782, FSDT341782, fsu:19351
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: College women and marital expectations.
Creator: Comeau, Melissa., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This thesis work examines marital expectations in a population of single female college students. The objective of the study is to measure whether relationship experience affects expectations of marriage. A relationship experience measure was developed for this study to measure the participants' relationship experience in high school and college. The Expectation Level Index (ELI) was used to measure the participants' marital expectations (Sabatelli, 1984:1986). The ELI was previously...
Show moreThis thesis work examines marital expectations in a population of single female college students. The objective of the study is to measure whether relationship experience affects expectations of marriage. A relationship experience measure was developed for this study to measure the participants' relationship experience in high school and college. The Expectation Level Index (ELI) was used to measure the participants' marital expectations (Sabatelli, 1984:1986). The ELI was previously developed for a married sample, thus modified for the sample in the current study. A correlation and stepwise regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between the participants' relationship experience and marital expectations.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 465226360, 341781, FSDT341781, fsu:19350
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Condensin recruitment to the DNA double-strand break in meiosis.
Creator: Damit, Michael James., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The DNA double-strand break (DSB) is an essential mechanism of meiotic recombination and genetic exchange. However, failure to repair DSBs can lead to genomic instability, which can promote carcinogenesis. Evidence suggests that protein-DNA interactions are integral to modulation and repair of DSBs. Of interest is condensin, a structural maintenance of chromosome (Smc) protein complex. Condensin is a conserved protein complex that functions in the condensation of chromosomes prior to...
Show moreThe DNA double-strand break (DSB) is an essential mechanism of meiotic recombination and genetic exchange. However, failure to repair DSBs can lead to genomic instability, which can promote carcinogenesis. Evidence suggests that protein-DNA interactions are integral to modulation and repair of DSBs. Of interest is condensin, a structural maintenance of chromosome (Smc) protein complex. Condensin is a conserved protein complex that functions in the condensation of chromosomes prior to chromosome segregation. Our preliminary suggests that condensin also plays a role in DSB repair. Here we use the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, to address the novel question whether condensin is recruited to the DSB site in meiosis. We have established an inducible DSB system to generate a site-specific meiotic DSB. A strain was created with the HO endonuclease under the control of a meiosis-specific promoter. Upon induction of meiosis HO cleaves at a specified target site generating a DSB. Once DSB formation is verified chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) can be utilized to determine condensin enrichment at regions flanking the break site. In our study we generated a site-specific DSB in meiosis to study condensin recruitment. The ChIP technique proved successful, however the ChIP analysis was performed in the absence of a DSB. Future experiments will be conducted in order to determine condensin's role in meiotic DSB repair. Our work will provide insights into the molecular mechanism by which DSBs are repaired and mechanisms responsible for genomic integrity.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 465225514, 341780, FSDT341780, fsu:19349
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Jealousy and implicit evaluations of perceived romantic rivals.
Creator: Hooker, Valerie., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This experiment tested the hypothesis that people placed in a jealous state, particularly those who display high dispositional levels of romantic jealousy, would form implicit negative evaluations of attractive same-sex targets. A jealousy prime led to an increase in implicit negative evaluations of attractive same sex targets by people high in dispositional jealousy. The effect was only observed for highly attractive same-sex targets, as these are the individuals who can pose the most threat...
Show moreThis experiment tested the hypothesis that people placed in a jealous state, particularly those who display high dispositional levels of romantic jealousy, would form implicit negative evaluations of attractive same-sex targets. A jealousy prime led to an increase in implicit negative evaluations of attractive same sex targets by people high in dispositional jealousy. The effect was only observed for highly attractive same-sex targets, as these are the individuals who can pose the most threat to a person's own romantic interests. No effects were found for other types of social targets, or among participants low in dispositional jealousy, who tend to not worry about threats posed by potential rivals. This study investigates the basic cognitive aspects of mate-guarding and integrates social cognitive and evolutionary approaches to psychology.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 465226402, 341779, FSDT341779, fsu:19348
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: [1+∞=¿]: Eden, Dystopia, and a theistic humanism.
Creator: Yates, Stephen., Florida State University
Abstract/Description: After over millennia of ideological dominance throughout much of the world, theism found itself set against a new philosophical system known as humanism which valued the proliferation and evolution of humanity apart from theism's Divine control. This struggle has played itself out in numerous skirmishes, from Cold War aggressions between capitalism and communism to modern debate over evolutionary theory and education. Current research in both fields shows that this continuous ideological war...
Show moreAfter over millennia of ideological dominance throughout much of the world, theism found itself set against a new philosophical system known as humanism which valued the proliferation and evolution of humanity apart from theism's Divine control. This struggle has played itself out in numerous skirmishes, from Cold War aggressions between capitalism and communism to modern debate over evolutionary theory and education. Current research in both fields shows that this continuous ideological war has hurt the proliferation of either philosophy, leaving them often unable to constructively engage with the advancement of society. Because of this lack of engagement, one must look to pictures of the future to theorize how the two ideologies can engage one another for the benefit of humanity. Dystopian literature displays this future. However, Dystopia offers its explanation through a combination of the two ideologies, a theistic humanism that acknowledges Divine creation and control yet depicts the history of man as a struggle against that control in pursuit of his own evolution. This is presented through re-depictions of the Biblical narrative of Eden as a story of man's escape from a complex system of control. In analyzing Dystopian narratives throughout the 20th century (Zamyatin's We, Orwell's 1984, Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, Gibson's Neuromancer, and Sterling's Schismatrix), this study reveals the evolution of the ideas of the nature and power of God, control, and human development, eventually culminating in the possibility of human divinity as evolution brings about the post-human, and with it a liberal and freeing definition of Deity.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: 471832944, 341778, FSDT341778, fsu:19347
Format: Document (PDF)

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