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2014 Commencement - Graduate - Farquhar College Of Arts And Sciences, Graduate School Of Computer And Information Sciences, Graduate School Of Humanities And Social Sciences, H. Wayne Huizenga School Of Business And Entrepreneurship, Institute For The Study Of Human Service, Health And Justice, And Oceanographic Center, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

The Dynamic Proliferation Of Cansines Mirrors The Complex Evolution Of Feliforms, Kathryn B. Walters-Conte, Diana L. E. Johnson, Warren E. Johnson, Stephen J. O'Brien, Jill Pecon-Slattery

Biology Faculty Articles

Background: Repetitive short interspersed elements (SINEs) are retrotransposons ubiquitous in mammalian genomes and are highly informative markers to identify species and phylogenetic associations. Of these, SINEs unique to the order Carnivora (CanSINEs) yield novel insights on genome evolution in domestic dogs and cats, but less is known about their role in related carnivores. In particular, genome-wide assessment of CanSINE evolution has yet to be completed across the Feliformia (cat-like) suborder of Carnivora. Within Feliformia, the cat family Felidae is composed of 37 species and numerous subspecies organized into eight monophyletic lineages that likely arose 10 million years ago. Using …

Genetic Variations Affecting Serum Carcinoembryonic Antigen Levels And Status Of Regional Lymph Nodes In Patients With Sporadic Colorectal Cancer From Southern China, Yu Liang, Weizhong Tang, Tiquiang Huang, Yong Gao, Aihua Tan, Xiaobo Yang, Haiying Zhang, Yanling Hu, Xue Qin, Shan Li, Shijun Zhang, Linjian Mo, Zhenjia Liang, Deyi Shi, Zhang Huang, Yingyong Guan, Jicheng Zhou, Cheryl Winkler, Stephen J. O'Brien, Jianfeng Xu, Zengnan Mo, Tao Peng

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Background:  Serum carcinoembryonic antigen (sCEA) level might be an indicator of disease. Indeed, an elevated sCEA level is a prognostic factor in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. However, the genetic determinants of sCEA level in healthy and CRC population remains unclear. Thus we investigated the genetic markers associated with elevated serum sCEA level in these two populations and its clinical implications.

Methods and Findings:  Genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted in a cohort study with 4,346 healthy male adults using the Illumina Omni 1 M chip. Candidate SNPs associated with elevated sCEA levels were validated in 194 CRC patients on ABI …

The Child Maltreatment Survivor's Description Of The Process Of Becoming A Parent: A Grounded Theory Study, Roseanne E. Roberts

The Qualitative Report

This research study was conducted to investigate the processes experienced by survivors of child maltreatment as they became parents. The study utilized a grounded theory approach to answer the research question, “How do survivors of child maltreatment experience the process of becoming a parent?” The goal of the study was to generate a theory about the actions, interactions, and emotions experienced by survivors of child maltreatment as they became parents. It was the intention of this study to enhance the knowledge base of the psychological profession. The research problem, the methodology chosen to answer the research question, and the findings …

The Accordion And The Deep Bowl Of Spaghetti: Eight Researchers' Experiences Of Using Ipa As A Methodology, Chris Wagstaff, Hyeseung Jeong, Maeve Nolan, Tony Wilson, Julie Tweedlie, Elly Phillips, Halia Senu, Fiona Holland

The Qualitative Report

Since 1996 Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) has grown rapidly and been applied in areas outside its initial “home” of health psychology. However, explorations of its application from a researcher's perspective are scarce. This paper provides reflections on the experiences of eight individual researchers using IPA in diverse disciplinary fields and cultures. The research studies were conducted in the USA, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and the UK by researchers with backgrounds in business management, consumer behaviour, mental health nursing, nurse education, applied linguistics, clinical psychology, health and education. They variously explored media awareness, employee commitment, disengagement from mental health services, …

Global Summation Of Radial Frequency Patterns And The Effect Of Sudden Onset Glare On Shape Discrimination, Edgar Ekure

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

ABSTRACT Global summation of radial frequency patterns and the effect of sudden onset glare on shape discrimination The purpose of this study was to provide evidence of global pooling around the circumference of the Radial frequency (RF) pattern, and to study the effect of sudden onset glare on shape discrimination. The RF stimuli were generated by the amplitude modulation of the radius of a circle which deforms them from circularity, while the cross sectional luminance profile was the fourth derivative of Gaussians (D4). The amplitude of the stimuli determines how distinct the pattern is and thus measures the degree of …

The Adolescent Female's Lived-Experience Of Obesity, Jamie L. Randall-Arell, Rose Utley

The Qualitative Report

For adolescent girls, negative messages about obesity and body image from society, media, school, family, and peers are plentiful. Yet the lived-experience of obese adolescent girls has rarely been reported in scientific literature. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived-experience of the obese adolescent female and understand the impact of the messages received. A descriptive phenomenological approach was used to conduct face-to-face interviews with eight adolescent girls, age 11-18. Participants were recruited through network sampling and had a body mass index of 30 or more. Merleau-Ponty’s philosophy of embodied perception guided interpretation and data analysis. Seven themes …

Aligning Perspectives Of Subjective Well-Being: Comparing Spouse And Colleague Perceptions Of Social Worker Happiness, John R. Graham, Micheal L. Shier, Andrea M. Newberry, Elena Esina

The Qualitative Report

Social workers experience higher rates of burnout and attrition when compared to other health related occupational groups. Previous research on the well being of social workers has tended to focus on the social workers themselves. But the development of well-being is dynamic and is fostered through relationships and interactions with others. In the case of social workers, these relationships include workplace, professional, and personal life interactions. This research sought to better understand the level of congruence between a social worker’s perspective of well-being and perspectives held by significant people in their workplace and at home. Utilizing qualitative methods we interviewed …

Cytokine Production But Lack Of Proliferation In Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells From Chronic Chagas' Disease Cardiomyopathy Patients In Response To T. Cruzi Ribosomal P Proteins, Silvia A. Longhi, Augusto Atienza, Graciela Perez Prados, Alcinette Buying, Virginia Balouz, Carlos A. Buscaglia, Radleigh Santos, Laura M. Tasso, Ricardo Bonato, Pablo Chiale, Clemencia Pinilla, Valeria A. Judkowski, Karina A. Gomez

Mathematics Faculty Articles

Background

Trypanosoma cruzi ribosomal P proteins, P2β and P0, induce high levels of antibodies in patients with chronic Chagas' disease Cardiomyopathy (CCC). It is well known that these antibodies alter the beating rate of cardiomyocytes and provoke apoptosis by their interaction with β1-adrenergic and M2-muscarinic cardiac receptors. Based on these findings, we decided to study the cellular immune response to these proteins in CCC patients compared to non-infected individuals.

Methodology/Principal findings

We evaluated proliferation, presence of surface activation markers and cytokine production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) stimulated with P2β, the C-terminal portion of P0 (CP0) proteins and T. …

Chronic Illness And Disasters: Development Of A Theoretical Framework, Jacqueline K. Owens, Donna S. Martsolf

The Qualitative Report

In a disaster, individuals with chronic illnesses risk poor outcomes. This grounded theory study sought to develop a framework that describes how these individuals manage health-related challenges during disasters. The five phases of disaster response (non-disaster, pre-disaster, impact, emergency, reconstruction) and the individual, local, state, and federal level model served as conceptual frameworks. Using purposive sampling, 30 individuals with chronic illnesses and 10 lay caregivers were recruited from Florida and New Orleans. Data sources included interviews and media data. Constant comparative analysis techniques were used to build the theoretical framework. Transcript analysis suggested that participants used four unique ways to …

Advantages, Disadvantages, And Lessons Learned In Conducting Telephone Focus Groups To Discuss Biospecimen Research Concerns Of Individuals Genetically At Risk For Cancer, Alexis M. Koskan, Janique Rice, Clement K. Gwede, Cathy D. Meade, Ivana Sehovic, Gwendolyn P. Quinn

The Qualitative Report

Advances in telecommunication technology allow biomedical researchers to explore new, inexpensive opportunities for conducting focus group research. This article reports our experiences using such technology to engage individuals genetically at risk for cancer about biospecimen research. Telephone-based focus groups were conducted with a total of 40 individuals, and participants were asked about their experiences and perceived benefits and limitations of participating in a telephone focus group about biospecimen research. The lessons learned can effectively be applied to other areas of health research. In particular, this method may be most useful to engage individuals who are less apt to speak in …

Trust Development In Research With Indigenous Communities In The United States, Catherine E. Burnette, Sara Sanders

The Qualitative Report

A historical backdrop of oppression and exploitation has set the stage for distrust in research relationships with many indigenous communities. Although distrust poses a barrier to conducting research with indigenous communities, it also provides a distinct opportunity to examine factors related to trust development. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to understand the factors that relate to trust development in research relationships with indigenous communities in the United States. This qualitative descriptive study explored the experiences of 13 indigenous and non-indigenous researchers working with indigenous communities. Historical oppression, risk and reputation, power balancing across multiple levels, reciprocity and benevolence, …

Guatemalan Ex-Combatant Perspectives On Reintegration: A Grounded Theory, Randall Janzen

The Qualitative Report

While reintegration programs for ex‐combatants have become a major focus of cease fire agreements, their success remains elusive. In this study, I interview members of Nuevo Horizonte, an intentional community comprised of Guatemalan ex‐guerrillas. These men and women reflect on two questions: what was reintegration like, and what advice do you have for other reintegrating ex-combatants. Using a grounded theory approach, common themes (such as being united) were developed and lead to a substantive theory of their transformative reintegration process. The collective voice of these ex‐ combatants challenges conventional reintegration programs by (a) challenging the demobilization prerogative showcasing how their …

Chinese Biology Teaching Assistants' Perception Of Their English Proficiency: An Exploratory Case Study, Xuan Jiang

The Qualitative Report

Many Chinese graduate students are teaching assistants (TAs) in mathematics, science and engineering departments in the U.S. universities. TAs’ English proficiency has been a subject of concern or even criticism for years in the U.S. However, only one research has been found around international TAs’ English proficiency per discipline. No research has been found about Chinese TAs’ English proficiency. None has been done on Chinese TA’s perception of their English proficiency in biology. With this gap noticed, I deployed interviews to explore what the three biology TAs perceived as to their English proficiency. The study found that their perception was …

Looking Through A Different Window: Chronic Disease Management In Public Health. Application Of Symbolic Interactionism And Institutional Ethnography, Yuliya Knyahnytska

The Qualitative Report

Chronic diseases are defined as illnesses that are prolonged, do not resolve spontaneously and are rarely cured. They constitute 46% of the global burden of diseases and are responsible for 59% of deaths in Canada, tallying billions of dollars in annual medical expenditures. Regardless of the variety of available treatments, a vast majority of patients with chronic conditions report they do not receive the care they need or expect. The efficacy of chronic disease management (CDM) has been proven effective for the general population; the focus of this paper, however, is around populations who are less responsive to mainstream behaviour …

A Qualitative Inquiry Into The Life Experiences Of Unaccompanied Korean Adolescents In The United States, Tae-Sik Kim

The Qualitative Report

Recognizing the lack of comprehensive academic study concerning the life experiences of unaccompanied Korean adolescents overseas, this study inquired into many aspects of the daily life of the young sojourners. In order to achieve a comprehensive understanding of their living experiences, the present study set broad research questions: What do unaccompanied adolescents experience in host homes, schools, and communities in the United States? How do they build personal relationships with people in the United States? How do they deal with new experiences in different sociocultural environments? A total of 31 Korean students in Oklahoma City, Boston, and Dallas participated in …

Studying The Study: Reflections On Exploring The Health And Disability Narratives Of Long-Term Sickness Benefits Recipients In The Uk, Kayleigh Garthwaite

The Qualitative Report

Researching sensitive topics such as sickness and disability can encompass a wide range of demands that must be continually negotiated throughout the research process by both the researcher and research participants. Therefore, a studying the study approach is important when exploring the quality and ethical practice in qualitative research on sensitive issues with vulnerable populations. This becomes especially important within a UK context when considering the negative discourse surrounding the sickness benefits process in the UK. Drawing upon semi-structured interviews with 25 long-term sick and disabled benefits recipients in the UK, the study sought to uncover the health and illness …

The Effects Of Consuming A High Protein Diet (4.4 G/Kg/D) On Body Composition In Resistance-Trained Individuals, Jose Antonio, Corey Peacock, A. Ellerbroek, B. Fromnoff, Tobin A. Silver

Department of Health and Human Performance Faculty Articles

BACKGROUND:

The consumption of dietary protein is important for resistance-trained individuals. It has been posited that intakes of 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg/day are needed for physically active individuals. Thus, the purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of a very high protein diet (4.4 g/kg/d) on body composition in resistance-trained men and women.

METHODS:

Thirty healthy resistance-trained individuals participated in this study (mean ± SD; age: 24.1 ± 5.6 yr; height: 171.4 ± 8.8 cm; weight: 73.3 ± 11.5 kg). Subjects were randomly assigned to one of the following groups: Control (CON) or high protein (HP). The CON …

Experiences Of Therapists And Occupational Therapy Students Using Video Conferencing In Conduction Of Focus Groups, Theresa Marie Smith

The Qualitative Report

A paucity of literature exists on how to conduct an online focus group. The purpose of this study is to describe and learn from participants’ experiences in using virtual technology in a focus group conducted to refine a low vision assessment. Ten low vision therapists and five master’s level students participated. Two cycles of data collection and analysis occurred, one for focus group transcripts of therapists and another for student replies to a questionnaire. A case-by-case matrix was created and data sorted into three categories including: (1) benefits to using the technology; (2) challenges to using the technology; and (3) …

A Conversation Between Kip Jones And Patricia Leavy: Arts-Based Research, Performative Social Science And Working On The Margins, Kip Jones, Patricia Leavy

The Qualitative Report

This paper reports a conversation between international pioneers in ArtsBased Research and Performative Social Science, Patricia Leavy and Kip Jones. They begin by delineating the differences between research and/or dissemination that use tools from the Arts in their production. Leavy turns to her fiction writing as an example, while Jones discusses the making of his research-based short film, Rufus Stone. The conversation then turns to how these novel approaches have changed the way in which they work and these efforts in relation to the academy. The concept of “audience” is raised. Both then give examples of taking alternative routes in …

Demands And Rewards Of Working Within Multidisciplinary Teams In Pediatric Oncology: The Experiences Of Canadian Health Care Providers, Sonia Gulati, David Dix, Anne Klassen

The Qualitative Report

Pediatric oncology care in Canada is delivered by multidisciplinary teams consisting of healthcare providers with different areas of expertise. Limited information is available on how the multidisciplinary team influences jobrelated rewards, demands, and stress in pediatric oncology. A qualitative approach was adopted to learn about healthcare providers’ experiences of working within a multidisciplinary team in pediatric oncology. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 33 healthcare providers (13 oncologists, 9 nurses, 5 social workers, and 6 child-life specialists) from four pediatric oncology centres. Topics explored included: demands and rewards associated with how the multidisciplinary team worked; description of one’s area of expertise; …

Medical Education Digest, Vol. 16 No. 3 (May/June 2014), Nova Southeastern University

Medical Education Digest

No abstract provided.

Moving ‘Beyond Neutrality’ And Cross-Cultural Training: Using World Café Dialogue To Address End-Of-Life Care Inequalities, Jacqueline N. Font-Guzman

Peace and Conflict Studies

In this article I discuss how World Café Dialogues can be used to unveil structural and cultural violence that drive the behaviors that maintain end-of-life care inequalities, especially among minorities, in acute healthcare hospitals. Conflict practitioners are rarely included in conversations of end-of-life care inequalities and when included it is to “solve a problem” through bioethics mediation or provide training in cross-cultural competence. I argue that conflict practitioners need to broaden their approach to conflict and use their skills to surface unequal power structures and implicit beliefs that maintain the unjust status quo in end-of-life care disparities.

Prokaryotic Diversity Of The Wastewater Outfalls, Reefs, And Inlets Of Broward County, Alexandra Mandina Campbell

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

We applied culture-independent, next-generation sequencing (NGS) high throughput pyrosequencing, to characterize the microbial communities associated with near shore seawater in Broward County, FL. These waters flow over coral reef communities, which are part of the Florida reef tract, and are close to shore where bathers frequent. Through a close partnership with the NOAA FACE program, 38 total seawater samples were taken from 6 distinct locales -the Port Everglades and Hillsboro Inlets, Hollywood and Broward wastewater outfalls, and the associated reef waters-over the course of one year. Tagged 16S rRNA amplicons were used to generate longitudinal taxonomic profiles of marine bacteria …

The Detection Of Amazonian Manatees (Trichechus Inunguis) Using Side-Scan Sonar And The Effect Of Oil Activities On Their Habitats In Eastern Ecuador, Caitlin E. Brice

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Substantial hunting pressure and habitat destruction caused by oil extraction has critically endangered the Amazonian manatee in Ecuador. The current population status is unknown because an effective method to observe them in the wild has yet to be developed. This study explored whether the Amazonian manatee persists or has been extirpated in the eastern Ecuadorian Amazon utilizing side-scan sonar to increase odds of detection. Spatial differences in probability of detection were quantified if manatees were observed. The level of chemical contamination was determined and compared spatially and temporally against historical data. Data were collected using opportunistic transect surveys and grab …

Behavioral Criteria For The Diagnosis Of Domoic Acid Toxicosis In Zalophus Californianus, Christiana Wittmaack

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Introduction

California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) health is severely compromised by domoic acid toxicosis, which occurs in high levels during harmful algal blooms of Pseudonitzschia australis along the coast of California. Current diagnostic protocols are often inconclusive due to a 2-48 hour window of detectability within the urinary, circulatory, and gastric systems (Cook, et al. 2011 and Monte, Pers Comm, 2012). Past studies suggest that Z. californianus, with domoic acid toxicosis, commonly display abnormal behaviors (Goldstein, et al. 2008). However, many of these abnormal behaviors are also associated with other diagnoses and are therefore unreliable as diagnostic indicators. …

Racial And Ethnic Diversity In Grounded Theory Research, Claire Burke Draucker, Halima Al-Khattab, Dana D. Hines, Jill Mazurczyk, Anne C. Russell, Pam Shockey Stephenson, Shannon Draucker

The Qualitative Report

National initiatives in the United States call for health research that addresses racial/ethnic disparities. Although grounded theory (GT) research has the potential to contribute much to the understanding of the health experiences of people of color, the extent to which it has contributed to health disparities research is unclear. In this article we describe a project in which we reviewed 44 GT studies published in Qualitative Health Research within the last five years. Using a framework proposed by Green, Creswell, Shope, and Clark (2007), we categorized the studies at one of four levels based on the status and significance afforded …

The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly: The Construction Of Othering In Edward Bliss Emerson's Caribbean Journal Of 1831-1832, Alma Simounet

The Qualitative Report

This paper examines the vocabulary, grammar structures and rhetorical devices that appear in Edward Emerson’s journal based on his trip to the Caribbean. The end-in-view is to identify the devices that Emerson utilized, mostly unconsciously, in his depiction and construction of others; in the case of this journal, of the peoples he encountered in the Caribbean. The methodological approach of critical discourse analysis guides this examination.

Nature Writing, American Exceptionalism, And Philosophical Thoughts In Edward Bliss Emerson's Caribbean Journal, Raúl Mayo-Santana

The Qualitative Report

Through the use of qualitative content analysis (Patton, 2002), this essay examines the philosophical thoughts presented in the journal and family letters of Edward B. Emerson for 1831-1834, written in the Caribbean while he was seeking relief from consumption (tuberculosis). The analysis focused on the themes of nature writing, American Exceptionalism, and the journal as evidence of a liminal life-death event. Edward was actively engaged in the genres of travel and nature writing, where Transcendentalist ideas were not evident. In contrast, important elements of that movement emerged in his philosophical expressions. Edward evinced an acute and creative mind until the …

Progress Of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy For Neural And Retinal Diseases, Tsz Kin Ng, Veronica R. Fortino, Daniel Pelaez, Herman S. Cheung

Biology Faculty Articles

Complex circuitry and limited regenerative power make central nervous system (CNS) disorders the most challenging and difficult for functional repair. With elusive disease mechanisms, traditional surgical and medical interventions merely slow down the progression of the neurodegenerative diseases. However, the number of neurons still diminishes in many patients. Recently, stem cell therapy has been proposed as a viable option. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), a widely-studied human adult stem cell population, have been discovered for more than 20 years. MSCs have been found all over the body and can be conveniently obtained from different accessible tissues: bone marrow, blood, and adipose …