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An Examination Of The Ways In Which Transdisciplinary Research Could Be Used To Incentivize Local Communities To Combat The Illegal Wildlife Trade, Jessica Rios

FIU Undergraduate Research Journal

The illegal wildlife trade (IWT) is currently one of the most critical conservation concerns, given its direct impact on biodiversity loss, endangering local ecosystems, and adding pressure to all species at a point when they face dangers like deforestation and mass extinctions. This industry also significantly impacts local communities, many of which are compelled to engage in it as a result of their precarious socioeconomic conditions. While effective countermeasures to this global issue have been identified, successful implementation of these countermeasures require diverse disciplines and collaborators. This paper argues that a transdisciplinary approach that converges knowledge and skills from social …

The Burden Of High Fasting Plasma Glucose In South American Countries 1990–2019 An Analysis For The Global Burden Of Disease Study, Sergio Espinoza

AMNET XX Conferencia Internacional

No abstract provided.

Internações Por Diabetes Mellitus Nas Regiões E Unidades Federativas Do Brasil: Tendência Temporal Entre 2011 E 2019., Ludmila Ferreira Da Costa, Taisa Lara Sampaio, Lenildo De Moura Dr, Roger Dos Santos Rosa Dr, Betine Pinto Moehlecke Iser Dr

AMNET XX Conferencia Internacional

Objetivo: Analisar a tendência temporal das internações ocorridas no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), nas Regiões e Unidades Federativas no Brasil, com o diagnóstico principal de diabetes mellitus (DM), entre 2011 e 2019. Método: Estudo ecológico com análise de séries temporais dos dados secundários provenientes do Sistema de Informações Hospitalares do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), referentes a população brasileira. Foram incluídas os residentes no Brasil que foram internados por DM (CID10 - E10 ao E14). A tendência temporal foi analisada por regressão linear generalizada de Prais-Winstern, com nível de significância de 5%. Resultados: De 2011 a 2019, foram registradas …

Investigating The Association Between Median County Income In Florida And Rate Of Covid- 19 Infection And Death, Carlos Correa, Xiao Rui Yang, Ligia Perez Phd, Juan Lozano Md, Msc

Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine Medical and Graduate Students & Residents Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Public School Funding And Prevalence Of Teenage Pregnancy In Florida, Daniel Orlan, Alec Schubert, Areeba Khan, Marcia Varella Md, Mph, Phd

Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine Medical and Graduate Students & Residents Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

An Intervention To Debunk Facts Vs. Myths In Intermittent Fasting: A Quality Improvement Project, Melissa Winch, Deana Goldin, Pamela Dudkiewicz

Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing Student Projects

Intermittent fasting (IF) is gaining popularity as an eating regimen to promote health and optimize wellbeing. IF is the voluntary avoidance of food over a period and is not a diet, but an eating behavior (Teong et al., 2021). Despite the increased emphasis on obesity and diet-related diseases, IF education remains lacking in formal training programs and can influence HCC’s attitudes and behaviors when engaging in IF dialogue with patients in clinical settings. Evidence suggests that IF is beneficial for weight loss and has been shown to have positive effects on the brain, heart, liver, muscles, intestines, blood, and various …

Relationship Of Blood And Urinary Manganese Levels With Cognitive Function In Elderly Individuals In The United States By Race/Ethnicity, Nhanes 2011–2014, Arturo J. Barahona, Zoran Bursac, Emir Veledar, Roberto Lucchini, Kim Tieu, Jason R. Richardson

Department of Biostatistics Faculty Publications

Manganese (Mn) is an essential metal with a biphasic relationship with health outcomes. High-level exposure to Mn is associated with manganism, but few data explore the effects of chronic, lower-level Mn on cognitive function in adults. We sought to determine the relationship between blood/urinary manganese levels and cognitive function in elderly individuals using 2011–2014 data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Weighted multivariate regression models were used to determine correlations, adjusting for several covariates. Blood Mn was inversely associated with the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease (CERAD) immediate learning of new verbal information (p-value …

Population Ecology Of A Caribbean Epiphyte Trichocentrum Undulatum (Orchidaceae): Defining Habitat And The Effects Of Herbivory And Hurricanes At Its Peripheral And Core Range, Haydee Borrero

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Population ecology studies are central to species conservation. My dissertation focused on the Florida state-listed endangered orchid, Trichocentrum undulatum at its northern-most range in the Everglades National Park (ENP), Florida and multiple populations throughout its core range in Cuba. Through surveying populations of T. undulatum across this range from 2013-2021, I made a new reporting on the occurrence of a specialized insect herbivore, Melanagromyza miamensis in Cuba (Chapter 1). This flower-crippling herbivore was previously known only in the ENP. With this discovery I assess the intensity and impacts of this herbivore, as well as others on T. undulatum across the …

Knowledge Awareness Of Camouflage Skills In Females With High-Functioning Autism Among Health Care Providers In Miami-Dade County, Florida: A Quality Improvement Project, Tahnee Diaz Rodriguez

Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing Student Projects

Healthcare providers are more likely to recognize autism in males than females in the United States (U.S.). Females with high-functioning autism are under screened, misdiagnosed, or receive an autism diagnosis at a later age at higher rates than their male counterparts in the U.S. Research indicates that camouflage skills in females with high-functioning autism, as well as knowledge deficits among healthcare providers contribute to the clinical problem. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to increase knowledge awareness of camouflage skills in females with high-functioning autism among healthcare providers in Miami-Dade County, Florida. This project aimed to contribute to …

Accounting For Variability When Resurrecting Dormant Propagules Substantiates Their Use In Eco-Evolutionary Studies, Megan L. Vahsen, Rachel M. Gentile, Jennifer L. Summers, Helena S. Kleiner, Benjamin Foster, Regina M. Mccormack, Evan W. James, Rachel A. Koch, Dailee L. Metts, Colin Saunders, James Patrick Megonigal, Michael J. Blum, Jason S. Mclachlan

All Faculty

There has been a steady rise in the use of dormant propagules to study biotic responses to environmental change over time. This is particularly important for organisms that strongly mediate ecosystem processes, as changes in their traits over time can provide a unique snapshot into the structure and function of ecosystems from decades to millennia in the past. Understanding sources of bias and variation is a challenge in the field of resurrection ecology, including those that arise because often-used measurements like seed germination success are imperfect indicators of propagule viability. Using a Bayesian statistical framework, we evaluated sources of variability …

Detectability And Impact Of Repetitive Surveys On Threatened West African Crocodylians, Michel N. Ahizi, Christine Y. Kouman, Allassane Ouattara, N’Dri Pascal Kouamé, Azani Dede, Emilie Fairet, Matthew H. Shirley

All Faculty

West African crocodylians are among the most threatened and least studied crocodylian species globally. Assessing population status and establishing a basis for population monitoring is the highest priority action for this region. Monitoring of crocodiles is influenced by many factors that affect detectability, including environmental variables and individual- or population-level wariness. We investigated how these factors affect detectability and counts of the critically endangered Mecistops cataphractus and the newly recognized Crocodylus suchus. We implemented 195 repetitive surveys at 38 sites across Côte d’Ivoire between 2014 and 2019. We used an occupancy-based approach and a count-based GLMM analysis to determine the …

Exploring Epigenetics As A Tool For Population Assessment And Conservation In Large Marine Predators, Andria Paige Beal

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Worldwide, many large marine predator populations are in decline. These populations can be difficult to study due to the extensive home ranges and migration patterns often exhibited by these species. Molecular tools are therefore necessary to measure specific parameters on these populations that would otherwise be nearly impossible to obtain. This dissertation pioneers the use of environmental epigenetic approaches for that purpose, and specifically the epigenetic modification known as DNA methylation, using sharks and small cetaceans as model organisms. This work is organized into five chapters. Chapter I is an introductory chapter that lays out the fundamentals of environmental epigenetics …

Plantago Campestris (Plantaginaceae), A Rare New Species From Southern Brazil, Supported By Phylogenomic And Morphological Evidence, Gustavo Hassemer, Elliot M. Gardner, Nina Rønsted

All Faculty

High-throughput sequencing, when combined with taxonomic expertise, is a powerful tool to refine and advance taxonomic classification, including at the species level. In the present work, a new species, Plantago campestris, is described out of the P. commersoniana species complex, based on phylogenomic and morphological evidence. The main morphological characters that distinguish the new species from P. commersoniana are the glabrous posterior sepals and the slightly broader leaves. The new species is known from only three localities, all in natural high-elevation grasslands in Paraná and Santa Catarina states, southern Brazil. According to the IUCN criteria new species should be assessed …

Food Waste And Its Association With Diet Quality Of Foods Purchased In South Florida, Vanessa Mijares, Jair Alcivar, Cristina Palacios

All Faculty

The objective of this study was to explore the associations between food waste and the diet quality of foods purchased and with grocery purchasing behaviors. This was a cross-sectional study among 109 primary household food providers conducting primary shopping. Participants were recruited outside of local grocery stores and were asked to complete a survey assessing amounts of avoidable food waste and grocery purchasing behaviors. The diet quality of the foods purchased was assessed from grocery receipts using the Grocery Purchase Quality Index-2016 (GPQI-2016). Variables were associated using linear regression, analysis of covariance, and point biserial correlations. We found that fresh …

Comparison Of Modern And Mid-Holocene Benthic Foraminifera To Assess Recent Environmental Change In Almirante Bay, Caribbean Panama, Maria N. Gudnitz

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study used the diversity and distribution of benthic foraminiferal assemblages of Almirante Bay, Caribbean Panama, as environmental proxies to compare modern coral, seagrass and mangrove habitats to mid-Holocene coral reef facies on the island of Isla Colón, to investigate both natural and human-influenced changes.

The modern study associated species and assemblage characteristics with environmental conditions related to degraded water quality. Assemblages were fairly similar among neighboring habitats but differed in species proportions, while several stress-tolerant taxa might indicate eutrophic conditions. Diversity appeared to be regionally controlled by freshwater input irrespective of habitat type, was generally lower near the mainland …

Impact Of Extreme Weather On Healthcare Utilization By People With Hiv In Metropolitan Miami, Daniel Samano, Shubhayu Saha, Taylor Corbin Kot, Jonell E. Potter, Lunthita M. Duthely

All Faculty

Extreme weather events (EWE) are expected to increase as climate change intensifies, leaving coastal regions exposed to higher risks. South Florida has the highest HIV infection rate in the United States, and disruptions in clinic utilization due to extreme weather conditions could affect adherence to treatment and increase community transmission. The objective of this study was to identify the association between EWE and HIV-clinic attendance rates at a large academic medical system serving the Miami-Dade communities. The following methods were utilized: (1) Extreme heat index (EHI) and extreme precipitation (EP) were identified using daily observations from 1990–2019 that were collected …

Covid-19 Incidence And Mortality In Lombardy, Italy: An Ecological Study On The Role Of Air Pollution, Meteorological Factors, Demographic And Socioeconomic Variables, Roberto G. Lucchini, Stefano Renzetti, Marialuisa Volta, Elena De Angelis

Coronavirus Research at FIU

Lombardy, the most populated and industrialized Italian region, was the epicentre of the first wave (March and April 2020) of COVID-19 in Italy and it is among the most air polluted areas of Europe. We carried out an ecological study to assess the association between long-term exposure to particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) on COVID-19 incidence and all-cause mortality after accounting for demographic, socioeconomic and meteorological variables. The study was based on publicly available data. Multivariable negative binomial mixed regression models were fitted, and results were reported in terms of incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and standardized mortality ratios …

Life Expectancy And Mortality In 363 Cities Of Latin America, Anna Coates, Arachu Castro, Michael Marmot, Oscar J. Mujica, Gerry Eijkemans, Cesar G. Victora

Security Research Hub Reports

"The significant challenges to equity in health in the Region of the Americas, as detailed in the report of the Pan American Health Organization Independent Commission on Equity and Health Inequalities in the Americas, gave original impetus to this Special Issue on Equity in Health by the Pan American Journal of Public Health. The report, Just Societies: Health Equity and Dignified Lives, analyzed a vast body of evidence that indicated the overwhelming inequalities in the Region that relate to three factors: structural drivers, conditions of daily life, and governance for health equity (taking action). Highlighting the continued realities of the …

Modernización Y Espacio Urbano: El Protagonismo De La Ciudad En La Literatura Latinoamericana De Fin De Siglo (1880-1920), Gabriela Carolina Escobar Rodríguez

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Urban space has played a prominent role in late nineteenth century and early twentieth century Latin American literature and culture due to the historical and political importance that cities have had and to the relevant role they played in the passage of Latin-American to modernity at the end of the nineteenth century. In spite of this, the fin de siècle´s city novels have not received the attention they deserve. They have often been misclassified (the Latin American urban novel has been studied almost exclusively as a phenomenon of the second half of the 20th century) and/or ignored even though they …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On African American Communities In The United States, Elana A. Cyrus, Rachel Clarke, Dexter Hadley, Zoran Bursac, Mary Jo Trepka, Jessy G. Devieux, Ulas Bagci

Coronavirus Research at FIU

No abstract provided.

Taking Apart The Time Machine: Investigating Space-For-Time Substitution Modeling In The Florida Everglades, Theresa Kelly Brown

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Space-for-Time substitution modeling has been used with increasing frequency to identify functional relationships between environmental drivers and ecological responses. I investigated the use of space-for-time substitution as a null model and beta diversity as a validity test for this null model in the Greater Everglades aquatic metacommunity. I began by conducting a literature review and analysis to investigate the suitability of the space-for-time substitution method as a null model. I then analyzed beta diversity of the Greater Everglades aquatic metacommunity through a sums-of-squares approach. Finally, I tested for correlation between the beta diversity analysis and the space-for-time models. Results indicate …

Conservation And Management Of Arapaima Spp. In The Colombian Amazon, Ana A. Rojas

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In order to conserve megafaunal, charismatic freshwater fish species, an interdisciplinary, translational ecology approach is needed. This thesis explores trends in conservation of the pan-Amazonian Arapaima spp., with two major components. First, I examined research trends on Arapaima over the last 50 years by categorizing articles by theme and geography. My results showed that aquaculture and biology were dominant themes, with most research conducted in the Brazilian Amazon. Second, I conducted field research in the Colombian Amazon to examine perceptions of Arapaima management at various geographic and political scales. One important finding was the crucial role of communities and small-scale …

Interventional Systems Ethnography And Intersecting Injustices: A New Approach For Fostering Reciprocal Community Engagement, Danielle Devasto, S. Scott Graham, Daniel Card, Molly Margaret Kessler

Community Literacy Journal

Effectively addressing wicked problems requires collaborative, embedded action. But, in many cases, scholarly commitments, social justice, privilege, and precarity collide in ways that make it difficult for community-engaged scholars to ethically navigate competing duties. This article presents our efforts to support reciprocal community engagement in addressing cancer- obesity comorbidity and risk coincidence in underserved communities. Partnering with community healthcare professionals, we conducted an adapted Systems Ethnography/Qualitative Modeling (SEQM) study. SEQM offers an alternative ethical framework for community-engaged research, one that supports reciprocity through enabling participant-centered community self-definition, goal setting, and solution identification.

Signal From The Noise: Model‐Based Interpretation Of Variable Correspondence Between Active And Passive Samplers, Joseph Parkos Iii, Jeffrey L. Kline, Joel C. Trexler

HWCOM Faculty Publications

Combining information from active and passive sampling of mobile animals is challenging because active‐sampling data are affected by limited detection of rare or sparse taxa, while passive‐sampling data reflect both density and movement. We propose that a model‐based analysis allows information to be combined between these methods to interpret variation in the relationship between active estimates of density and passive measurements of catch per unit effort to yield novel information on activity rates (distance/time). We illustrate where discrepancies arise between active and passive methods and demonstrate the model‐based approach with seasonal surveys of fish assemblages in the Florida Everglades, where …

Effects Of Phosphorus On Benthic Diatom Assemblage Network Structure, Eric M. Massa

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ecological network analysis helps identify how relationships among species differ over time and across sets of species. Microbial assemblages are ideal for evaluating changes in species interactions due to environmental changes because they are speciose and respond at multiple scales. To determine how phosphorus limitation influences diatom network structure, I analyzed relationships among 257 species of diatoms from benthic microbial (periphyton) mats from 10 years of annual samples from 136 sites. Expected evidence of changes in network structure in response to periphyton TP were not found, likely due to species replacement with increased TP. Analysis of species connection distributions and …

Marine Reserves Shape Seascapes On Scales Visible From Space, Elizabeth M.P. Madin, Alastair R. Harbonne, Aaron M.T. Harmer, Osmar J. Luiz, Trisha B. Atwood, Brian J. Sullivan, Joshua S. Madin

Department of Biological Sciences

Marine reserves can effectively restore harvested populations, and ‘mega-reserves’ increasingly protect large tracts of ocean. However, no method exists of monitoring ecological responses at this large scale. Herbivory is a key mechanism structuring ecosystems, and this consumer–resource interaction's strength on coral reefs can indicate ecosystem health. We screened 1372, and measured features of 214, reefs throughout Australia's Great Barrier Reef using high-resolution satellite imagery, combined with remote underwater videography and assays on a subset, to quantify the prevalence, size and potential causes of ‘grazing halos’. Halos are known to be seascape-scale footprints of herbivory and other ecological interactions. Here we …

La Enseñanza De La Lectura En América Latina: Desafíos Para El Aula Y La Formación Docente, Pelusa Orellana García

Revista Electrónica Leer, Escribir y Descubrir

Aunque el desarrollo de la alfabetización en América Latina muestra un notable progreso en los últimos veinte años, la proporción de analfabetismo funcional se mantiene alta en muchos países. Ello impide a su población acceder a oportunidades laborales y educacionales que mejoren su calidad de vida. Esta situación se vuelve más compleja para los estudiantes ante demandas de la creciente interacción con textos digitales. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar cómo algunos ajustes a estos dos aspectos podrían favorecer un mayor desarrollo de las habilidades de alfabetización, en especial de la lectura, en el contexto latinoamericano. Específicamente, se describen …

Revista Electrónica Leer, Escribir Y Descubrir Julio 2018 Vol 1 No 3, International Literacy Association

Revista Electrónica Leer, Escribir y Descubrir

La Enseñanza De La Lectura En América Latina: Desafíos Para El Aula Y La Formación Docente - Pelusa Orellana García

Alfabetización Inicial. Marcos Pedagógicos De Inclusión - Rosa Julia Guzmán Rodríguez

Primera Infancia Y Literacidad. Leer Con Los Bebés Es Indispensable Y Es Posible - Alma Carrasco Altamirano

De La Comunidad A La Escuela Y De La Escuela A La Comunidad: La Experiencia Del Proyecto Alianzas De Lectura - Ruth J. Sáez Vega

Literatura Infantil Y Juvenil. Génesis, Contexto Y Evolución Sociocultural De Gustavo Naranjo Chacón - Carlos Rubio Torres

Principales Conclusiones Del Informe De Lo Que Está Candente En …

Spatial And Temporal Patterns Of Arctic Nearshore Fish Community And Food Web Structures, Mark B. Barton

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Climate change and increasing anthropogenic activities are causing rapid changes to environmental and ecological processes in the Arctic Ocean. To better understand these changes, scientists have increased research efforts in these regions, but to date the number of studies on Arctic nearshore habitats are lacking. My dissertation responds to the paucity of information and investigates patterns in Arctic nearshore fish communities and food webs to gain insight to how these ecosystems may shift as these changes continue. I used multivariate statistical analysis to examine patterns in community structure and composition to determine that Arctic nearshore fish communities are largely driven …

The Real Snowbirds Of South Florida: Using Citizen Science To Assess The Ranges Of South Florida's Overwintering Birdsh, Alexander V. Levine

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The overwintering ranges of North American bird populations are shifting and the winter ranges of south Florida’s landbirds remain understudied. Expert-drawn range maps used for scientific studies and environmental public policy could therefore be depicting inaccurate ranges for many migratory birds. This study used citizen science data from eBird (2001–2017) to evaluate patterns in overwintering avian species richness and identify discrepanciesin expert-drawn species range maps for overwintering passerines in south Florida. Most of Florida’s overwintering bird species were sighted in south Florida. Of the species observed there between 2001 and 2017, 66% had range map discrepancies. Fifteen target species were …