Digital Commons Network^™

Genome-Wide Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Variation (Gmtv) Database: A New Tool For Integrating Sequence Variations And Epidemiology, Ekaterina N. Chernyaeva, Marina V. Shulgina, Mikhail Rotkevich, Pavel Dobrynin, Serguei Simonov, Egor A. Shitikov, Dmitry S. Ischenko, Irina Y. Karpova, Elena S. Kostryukova, Elena N. Ilina, Vadim M. Govorun, Vyacheslav Y. Zhuravlev, Olga A. Manicheva, Peter K. Yablonsky, Yulia D. Isaeva, Elena Y. Nosova, Igor V. Mokrousov, Anna A. Vyazovaya, Olga V. Narvskaya, Alla L. Lapidus, Stephen J. O'Brien

Biology Faculty Articles

Background

Tuberculosis (TB) poses a worldwide threat due to advancing multidrug-resistant strains and deadly co-infections with Human immunodeficiency virus. Today large amounts of Mycobacterium tuberculosis whole genome sequencing data are being assessed broadly and yet there exists no comprehensive online resource that connects M. tuberculosis genome variants with geographic origin, with drug resistance or with clinical outcome.

Description

Here we describe a broadly inclusive unifying Genome-wide Mycobacterium tuberculosis Variation (GMTV) database, (http://mtb.dobzhanskycenter.org) that catalogues genome variations of M. tuberculosis strains collected across Russia. GMTV contains a broad spectrum of data derived from different sources and related to M. …

The Current Volume 24: Issue 28, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

No abstract provided.

Encountering The Viper: Edward Bliss Emerson And Slavery, Annette B. Ramírez De Arellano

The Qualitative Report

The journal of Edward Bliss Emerson often mentions topics that piqued his curiosity because they were unusual or puzzling. Few subjects were as foreign to him as slavery. Writing in 1831-32, Emerson provides us a series of aural and visual vignettes rather than a coherent commentary on slavery as a way of life. Focusing on the everyday aspects of the institution instead of the politics and economics behind it, Emerson nevertheless suggests the different lenses through which slavery was viewed by a New England intellectual and others.

Challenges & Strategies For Conducting Qualitative Research With Persons Diagnosed With Rare Movement Disorders, Kori A. Ladonna, Michael J. Ravenek

The Qualitative Report

Unique features of Huntington’s disease and young-onset Parkinson’s disease, both neurodegenerative movement disorders, can pose challenges for conducting qualitative research. From the perspectives of two doctoral candidates conducting research with these groups, a number of challenges are presented and discussed alongside strategies for managing such challenges. Challenges are organized according to physical (e.g., movement), psychological (e.g., cognition) and social (e.g., speech impairment) aspects of these diseases. The strategies presented emphasize the importance of ethical reasoning in situations that can arise, as well as the relationships developed with the research participants. Author transparency and ethical reasoning are both important in conducting …

Managing Illness Through Creative Engagement: Women, Hiv, And The Stitches Doll Project, Jacqueline Lewis, Kathleen Gerus-Darbison

The Qualitative Report

The Stitches Doll Project is a community-based initiative that enables women and girls to express their feelings about living with HIV/AIDS through creating a doll that speaks for them. In a very personal and powerful way, women and girls are able to tell their stories both visually, through their dolls, and verbally/non-verbally, through their dolls’ monographs. The completed dolls become part of an online and traveling oral history exhibit. Based on an analysis of the dolls and their monographs, interviews with doll contributors and project coordinators, and archived Stitches materials, this paper explores the meaning making and identity work/repair articulated …

Edward Bliss Emerson, The Medical Tourist, Wilfredo A. Géigel

The Qualitative Report

Traveling for health reasons was not an unusual event for wealthy and wellto-do members of society both in North America and Europe in the early 19th century. Edward Bliss Emerson is an example of those who traveled for health reasons. Books and newspapers at that time, like today, incited the infirm to travel to far-away places where the climate and the surroundings would take care of their ills. This essay will look at medical tourism, especially in the Caribbean, as seen through the eyes of Edward Emerson.

Selective Inhibition Of Angiotensin Receptor Signaling Through Erk1/2 Pathway By A Novel Peptide, Jun Liu, Gina L. Yosten, Hong Ji, Dan Zhang, Wei Zheng, Robert C. Speth, Willis K. Samson, Kathryn Sandberg

HPD Articles

A seven-amino acid peptide (PEP7) is encoded within a short open reading frame within exon 2 (E2) in the 5'-leader sequence (5'LS) upstream of the rat ANG 1a-receptor (rAT1aR) mRNA. A chemically synthesized PEP7 markedly inhibited ANG II-induced Erk1/2 activation in cell culture by 62% compared with a scrambled PEP7 (sPEP7) [pErk1/2/Erk1/2 (AU): ANG II, 1.000 ± 0.0, ANG II+PEP7, 0.3812 ± 0.086, ANG II+sPEP7, 1.069 ± 0.18; n = 3]. Under these same conditions, PEP7 had no effect on ANG II-stimulated inositol-trisphosphate production. PEP7 also had no effect on epidermal growth factor- and phorbol methyl ester-induced Erk1/2 activation, suggesting …

The Current Volume 24 : Issue 27, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

No abstract provided.

Stigmatization Experiences Among People Living With Borderline Personality Disorder In Puerto Rico, Eliut Rivera-Segarra, Glendalys Rivera, Robmarie López-Soto, Gladys Crespo-Ramos, Domingo Marqués-Reyes

The Qualitative Report

The experiences of stigmatization among people living with specific Serious Mental Illnesses (SMI), such as Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) has not been addressed by the scientific literature. In this study we wanted to explore how people living with BPD experience stigmatization. We examine the experiences of 8 people (7 women and 1 man) living and receiving treatment for BPD in Puerto Rico. We used an exploratory qualitative design with semi-structured interviews. To interpret our data, we conducted a thematic analysis. We discuss three categories that focus on one identified theme: the interpersonal dimension of the stigmatization process. These categories are …

Growing Up With A Mother With Depression: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Hanna Van Parys, Jonathan A. Smith, Peter Rober

The Qualitative Report

The aim of this study was to explore the childhood experience of living with a parent with depression from a retrospective point of view. Five women between 39 and 47 years of age, who grew up with a mother with depression, were interviewed about their current perspectives on their childhood experiences. Interviews were semi-structured and the data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Data analysis led to a narrative organized in two parts. The first part (retrospective understanding of childhood experiences) reports on feelings of desolation contrasted to exceptional support, context-related dwelling on own experiences, and growing into a caring …

Edward Bliss Emerson: The Blazing Star Of A Complex Constellation, Silvia E. Rabionet

The Qualitative Report

Edward Bliss Emerson, a younger brother of Ralph Waldo Emerson and a promising scholar in his own right, traveled to the West Indies at the age of 26 hoping to alleviate his pulmonary afflictions. While in the islands, from January 1831 to July 1832, he logged his daily activities in a pocket journal. The journal falls short in revealing Edward’s childhood, his years at Harvard, and his brief time as teacher and lawyer. This biographical essay aims to enhance the understanding and enjoyment of the journal. It unveils defining stages in Edward’s life. Using a wide variety of archival documents, …

Ideology And Etiology In The Treatment Of Edward Bliss Emerson's Pulmonary Consumption, Annette B. Ramírez De Arellano

The Qualitative Report

Although Edward Bliss Emerson’s life had unusual promise, his death was quite ordinary: he died of pulmonary consumption, which accounted for one in five deaths in the 1830s. He went to the West Indies in search of a more healthful climate, and sought it in St. Croix and Puerto Rico. But his quest was short-lived, and he died in 1834 at the age of 29. Because there was no consensus on the cause of consumption, treatment for the condition varied widely, and included a number of nostrums and therapies that may be considered “self-care.” Edward adopted a series of practices …

The Kodiak Study: Narratives Of Diversity And Acceptance On The American Frontier, Steve Drewry

The Qualitative Report

This article describes a qualitative study of diversity and acceptance on the American frontier comprised of interview data and ethnographic observations gleaned from a sample of residents on Kodiak Island, Alaska. Convenience and snowball sampling methods were used to select the study population, after which individual interviews with people who are members of various cultural groups were completed by the researcher. Also included in the study are elements of anthropological investigation, historical context and thick description. The data were analyzed using (primarily) narrative and thematic analysis placed in the cultural context of life on Kodiak Island. Findings suggest that multiple …

Edward Bliss Emerson's Transnational Journal: Danish West Indies, Puerto Rico, New England, 1831-1834, José G. Rigau-Pérez

The Qualitative Report

The journal and letters written by Edward Bliss Emerson in the Caribbean provide exciting, idyllic, and at times troublesome visions of that region, but also insights on the life of a sick, poor, religious and brilliant young man. Emerson’s reflections on life in St. Croix remain unquoted, and although brief excerpts from the Puerto Rico portion of the journal appeared in print in 1959 and 1991, his more extensive text supplements the contemporary publications, which only praised the colonial administration. A third, and equally important location, is the implicit base for his perspective – New England in the period of …

Relevance Of Family Therapy In The Resolution Of Family Dispute Among Couple: Indian Perspective, Binod Kumar, Amool Ranjan Singh

The Qualitative Report

This paper addresses the relevant of institution of family that had come under considerable strain with the changing present scenario. The aim of this paper is to help middle class family to resolve frequent conflicts that threaten interpersonal relationship and to explore best alternative possible solutions. Employing phenomenological approach, psycho social factors of immediate social environment was assessed using semi structured qualitative interview, telephonic conversations, and observations during therapy sessions over a period of seven months. Depression of the patient and family functions were assessed using Zung self-rating scale and McMaster family assessment device respectively. Results showed that family therapy …

Qualitative Research By A Non-Hierarchical Team, José G. Rigau-Pérez, Silvia E. Rabionet, Annette B. Ramírez De Arellano, Wilfredo A. Géigel, Raúl Mayo-Santana, Alma Simounet

The Qualitative Report

In this and subsequent issues, The Qualitative Report will publish eight articles about a journal written by Edward B. Emerson (1805-1834), a younger brother of American philosopher and writer Ralph Waldo Emerson. This introduction will describe the origins of the project, the sources, the process and the outcomes of the collaboration. The authors hope to document and illustrate the richness and value of interdisciplinary qualitative inquiry, while providing specifics of how the Emerson Journal Project evolved. We provide examples to illustrate the characteristics of effective teamwork, but also present the challenges along the way and how they were surmounted. The …

Measuring Viability Of The Red-Tide Dinoflagellate Lingulodinium Polyedra Following Treatment With Ultraviolet (Uv) Light, Scott Riley

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Harmful algae blooms (HABs) have caused millions dollars in annual losses to the aquaculture industry, inhibited beach recreation, and have threatened marine and human health. HABs and red tides can develop suddenly and their frequency, geographic range, and intensity have increased over the past decade. A possible source for spreading and seeding new areas expanding the geographic range of HABs is ballast water. The process of ballast water discharge has been identified as a primary vector for the translocation of non-indigenous species (NIS) and invasive species. National and international efforts are currently underway to address the impact of NIS and …

Full Time Moms, Full Time Heroes, Paola Zaidi

Undergraduate Student Symposium

“Full Time Moms, Full Time Heroes” is a documentary film about women who by their own volition decided to quit their jobs and become full-time moms. Did they make a mistake? Are they as happy as they thought they would be? How fulfilled do they feel in their lives? Do they feel appreciated and compensated in any way? Many women who work full-time dream of the day they don’t have to go to work and can just stay at home enjoying themselves. Many of our impressions of stay-at-home moms come from reality television shows; are such impressions similar in any …

Inhibition Of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme-2 (Ace-2) Activity And Radioligand Binding Of A Putative Ace-2 Inhibitor, Andrea Linares

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The objective this study was to test the efficacy of a novel angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) inhibitor JFS101. A potent inhibitor of ACE-2 (MLN-4760) was developed, but then abandoned when it became clear that ACE-2 metabolizes angiotensin II (Ang II) to form Ang 1-7. We developed a radioiodinizable analog of MLN-4760 (JFS101) that would more closely mimic Ang II. Both the uniodinated and monoradioiodinated as well as the S,S versus the S,R analogs were tested for their ability to inhibit ACE-2 metabolism of an artificial ACE-2 substrate (MCA-APK[Dnp]) using recombinant human ACE-2 (rhACE-2) and for their ability to bind to ACE-2 …

Philosophically Speaking, Capital Punishment Is Not The Answer, Nathaniel J. Dolan

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Like all species of animal creature on our planet, humans – each and every one – are entirely capable of committing the most heinous acts imaginable. What draws the distinction for the criminal elements among us is merely a missing level of restraint in the face of conflict, duress, pressure, disappointment, perceived threats, and our own immutable passions. When responding to criminal acts through a system of jurisprudence we are each forced to confront the morass of distinct philosophies underscoring the particular issues. The American system of justice is fundamentally flawed in that it simply cannot determine the most effective …

Symbolist Movement Of Modern Theatre, Angelica Zadak

Undergraduate Student Symposium

A quote by the French symbolist playwright Paul Claudel claims, “All that passes is raised to the dignity of expression; all that happens is raised to the dignity of meaning. Everything is either symbol or parable.” The development of the symbolist movement of modern theatre from 1874 to 1915 gained clout through those who shared in Claudel’s observation. Throughout the paper, the symbolist movement of modern theatre will be explored along with those who struggled to make the movement come to life on the stage. The struggle between realists and symbolists concerning what is real and what is incredulous fantasy …

The Transatlantic Drug Trade: Explaining The Shift From Colombia To Venezuela, Carla Magno

Undergraduate Student Symposium

This project involves uncovering why Venezuela emerged as a center of drug trafficking in Latin America over the last decade. To explain this shift, I will examine the foreign policies of Venezuela, the United States, and Colombia. Specifically, this project focuses evaluating the interactions of Venezuela with the United States, focusing on the implementation of ‘Plan Colombia’, which was the departing point for the increase of narcotic trafficking in Venezuela to Central America and Europe. Also, several political actions taken by the Venezuelan government in the last two decades will be taken into consideration as a possible influence. The effect …

A Case Report Of Improving Running Biomechanics Through Movement Pattern Training In A Female Competitive Runner, Anya Ellerbroek, Stephanie Hauck

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Running-related musculoskeletal injuries occur with an overall yearly incidence rate between 37 and 65%. Most are lower extremity with 50-75% of all running injuries classified as overuse. These injuries have been linked to faulty running biomechanics such as foot over pronation, and excessive hip adduction and internal rotation. Therapists have primarily focused on strengthening the hip muscles to prevent excessive motion. However, little evidence supports the efficacy. This case outlines the use of functional movement pattern training rather than isolated muscle training to improve faulty biomechanics. The participant was a 19 year old female competitive distance runner with a history …

A P450 Metabolism Experiment For Undergraduate Biochemistry Laboratories, Catherine Chiafair

Undergraduate Student Symposium

A laboratory experiment is described to provide students hands-on experience in learning some aspects of microsomal P450-catalyzed metabolism. Undergraduate students in the biochemistry laboratories detect and quantify the metabolites produced from butylated hydroxytoluene by liver microsomes using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques. The laboratory provides training to students for handling active microsomes, sample cleanup of biological matrices, extraction of organic metabolites, GC-MS analysis and data interpretation of complex mixtures, and collaborative work.

A Survey Of The Cost-Benefit Analyses Of Uninsurance, Prasanna Marathe

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Health care spending is carving up an increasing share of the US national gross domestic productapproximately 18%- but the absolute number-46 million- and the proportion of uninsured Americans15%- are also on the rise (McConnell, Microeconomics: Principles, Problems, and Policies, 2012). These counterintuitive trends are alarming and cannot be sustained without significant net economic costs. A survey of the cost-benefit analyses of uninsurance reveals that uninsurance has tremendous opportunity costs (ex: foregone economic productivity and higher mortality) and is economically (net) harmful. It also reveals that extending insurance to currently uninsured will be economically (net) beneficial to our nation as a …

A Web Interface For Visual Galaxy Classification, Chau Phung

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Galaxies can have a variety of shapes. These morphologies range from disk-dominated to elliptical and irregular appearances. Understanding galaxy morphology is crucial in order to address questions concerning the evolution and formation of galaxies and their dark matter content. However, determining galaxy morphology is a difficult task. While galaxies can be classified using automatic algorithms, the human classification by eye is more sensitive to fine structures such as spiral arms and galaxy interaction features. Unfortunately, galaxy catalogs are very big, making it a time consuming process to classify thousands of galaxies. In order to expedite this process, we developed a …

An Exclusive Look At Cordell Aikman, Tania Aikman

Undergraduate Student Symposium

“An Exclusive Look at Cordell Aikman” is a short documentary film about a brilliant girl (Cordell Aikman) who can do anything she puts her mind to, including gymnastics and acting. She is already an actress with a very impressive resume at the age of 7. The film is directed by Tania Aikman. Other crew members include Ashley Fletcher, Sharon Copeland, and Yesenia Reyes.

Antibacterial Activity Of Natural Plant Extracts On Escherichia Coli And Staphylococcus Auereus, Palina Woodhouse, Bibiana Avendano, Joanna Theodorou

Undergraduate Student Symposium

In recent years, medicinal plants have become increasingly popular as potential alternative treatments for a variety of ailments. Due to the growing problem of antibiotic resistant pathogens, development of new antimicrobials is a necessity. The essential oils of plants have many chemical components that exhibit antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Biologically active plant extracts have the potential to combat the detrimental effects of pathogens without the risks sometimes associated with synthetic drugs. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of various classes of plants against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. During the study, the essential oils …

Complete Synthesis Of Carbonyl-Containing Compounds: A Guided Inquiry Approach, Amelia Hartzell

Undergraduate Student Symposium

This project focuses on the design of an upper level synthetic organic chemistry course, which is intended as a bridge between undergraduate organic chemistry courses and graduate school. It will allow students to gain useful experience in the laboratory before entering graduate or professional school. The course will allow students to advance their abilities to evaluate novel work. Students will judge classmates’ proposed synthetic routes, utilizing a peer-review approach. Novel synthetic routes focused on carbonyl chemistry will be designed, and the target compounds obtained will be purified and characterized throughout the course of the class. Research thus far has focused …

Contributions Of Various Pollution Sources To The Air Quality In South Florida, Aarabhi Rajagopal

Undergraduate Student Symposium

This study aims to understand the impact of various pollution sources, including ships and wildfires, on the air quality in South Florida. Based on docking schedules at the ports at Miami and Fort Lauderdale, the daily frequency patterns of ships and the heavy and light emission days are computed from 2009 to 2011. The levels of key air pollutants, such as fine aerosols and nitrogen dioxide, have shown to be elevated on select days, likely associated with ship emissions. Furthermore, a case study demonstrates the critical impact of episodic events on the regional air quality, even at a rather long …