2022 Honors Program Theses
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Item Do Face Masks Degrade our Ability to Remember Face-Name Associations?(Honors Program, The University of Tampa, 2022-05-07) Rodriguez, Alexandra; Sara B. FestiniIn response to the COVID-19 pandemic, face masks have become a required item of attire. Holistic face processing refers to how the human visual system integrates facial features into a whole rather than as separate parts. However, face masks obstruct the bottom portion of our faces, restricting us from standard holistic processing upon meeting someone new. The present study examined the influence face masks have on memory predictions and memory performance for new face-name associations. Participants studied face-name pairs presented for 8 seconds (Experiment 1) or 10 seconds (Experiment 2). Half of the face-name pairs included a face mask obstructing the nose and mouth of the pictured face, counterbalanced across participants. Participants provided item-by-item memory predictions (judgements of learning, JOLs) and completed subsequent recall and recognition memory tests. Both experiments demonstrated that face masks impaired memory for newlylearned names, however, the magnitude of the impact was under-predicted by participants. Therefore, the presence of a face mask negatively influences memory performance to a greater degree than expected. Results from this experiment have implications for name learning during pandemics, as well as in other settings where face masks are common (e.g., the medical field).Item Investigating Quinone-Mediated Treatments on the Warburg Effect(Honors Program, The University of Tampa, 2022-05) Miller, Jarred; Kimberly Dobrinski, PhDBreast cancer is the most prevalent cancer amongst women in the United States, encompassing approximately 30% of all newly diagnosed cancers each year. It is also the second leading cause of cancer-related death in women in the United States. The main challenge in current therapeutic treatments is the increasing resistance of breast cancer cells to targeted therapies. Drug resistant cancer deaths are often the result of heterogeneous cell populations that may utilize different growth strategies. Drug resistant cancer cells prefer to generate ATP energy pools through the process of aerobic glycolysis (AG), known as the Warburg effect, rather than proceeding through oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), to avoid a buildup of toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS). This proposal challenges the current paradigm that concurrent use of antioxidants with chemotherapy yields antiapoptotic effects through the investigation of capsaicin, resveratrol, and shikonin on two breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. While MCF-7 cells are nondrug resistant and grow via glycolysis in combination with OXPHOS, MDA-MB-231 cells are drug resistant and utilize the Warburg effect as a growth strategy. We hypothesize that the quinones tested will drive an AG-OXPHOS switch in the MDA-MB-231 cell line by upregulation of OXPHOS genes w/ concomitant downregulation of AG genes, thereby increasing ROS and leading to apoptosis. The quinones’ ability to induce death in a breast cancer cell line was validated by administering three concentration levels of each quinone in short term culture. Concentration levels vary for each quinone depending on their prior efficacious measures from the researched studies. Cytotoxicity was assessed by CyQUANT NF Cell Proliferation Assay. Statistical significance in MDAMB- 231 cell viability as a response to capsaicin, resveratrol, and shikonin treatment was confirmed using ANOVAs (p-value = 0.0004, p-value = 0.0002, and p-value < 0.0001, respectively). This study is important, as it could elucidate quinones that may be useful as therapeutics against drug resistant cancer, as well as investigate mechanisms used by drug resistant cells committed to growth via Warburg.Item The Broadening of Competency Based Premed Requirements: An Open Ended Approach to Medical School Preparation for Undergraduate Students(Honors Program, The University of Tampa, 2022-05) Manno, Sarah; Alyssia M. Miller De Rutté, PhD (chair); L. Michael Carastro, PhD; Ann H. Williams, PhDWhile scientific knowledge is fundamental to the world of medicine, a holistic human approach and bedside manner are fundamental to patient care as a physician. Current premedical (premed) requirements in the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) American-Accredited Schools in the United States and Puerto Rico are not unanimously reflective of the same approaches. The premed world is growing to focus on students demonstrating competency in both scientific and humanistic requirements as opposed to extensive knowledge in only the core sciences. This research project investigates the current, required and recommended premed curriculum across all 155 AAMC American- Accredited Schools in the United States and Puerto Rico. The results are indicative of a broadening of open-ended competency requirements to demonstrate readiness of undergraduate students for medical school.Item The Psychological and Physiological Effects of Stress on the Human Epigenetic Profile and Brain(Honors Program, The University of Tampa, 2022-05) De Kock, Jana; Stephen KuceraThe role of stress in the brain has been an intense topic of debate in the 21st century due to the spike in societal pressure, depression and anxiety globally. As our lives become busier and more stressed, it is vital that we stop to look at how this effects both our epigenetic profile and our brain functioning. When we understand this we are able to make key lifestyle and medical changes in order to prevent effects such as early onset Alzheimer's, cancer, auto-immune disorders, etc. One of the most significant factors that counteract chronic stress is social interaction and community. Emphasising this in a world that seems to increasingly move away from traditional community structures is pivotal in reviving the stressed, chronically depressed, and exhausted.Item The Promises and Perils of Blockchain in Auditing(Honors Program, The University of Tampa, 2022-05) Lammon, Hannah; Dr. Robert Marley; Professor Rachel Gambol; Dr. Leon FaifmanThis paper discusses the promises and perils of blockchain in auditing. By synthesizing available literature and data, this paper provides a comprehensive summary of blockchain technology, technological pitfalls, and how it could change auditing.