Digital Commons Network^™

Impacts Of Deepwater Horizon On Fish And Fisheries: What Have We Learned About Resilience And Vulnerability In A Coupled Human-Natural System?, S.A. Murawski, C.B. Paris, Tracey Sutton, M. Cockrell, S. O'Farrell, J. Sanchirico, E. Chancellor, L. Perruso

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches, Lectures

The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill occurred in a region of the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) supporting abundant, diverse and valuable communities of fishes and fishers. The economy of the northern GoM is inextricably tied to the natural resource bases of the region (tourism, fishing, oil and gas, etc.) and thus the coupling between the human and ecological systems is tight and subject both feed-back and, to some extent, feed-forward controls. Management actions taken during the 87-day DWH spill incident included the closure of over 280,000 km² of productive fishing area (about 1/3 of USA federal waters in the …

Academics’ Understandings Of The Literacy Needs Of International Graduate Students, Edwin Creely, Raqib Chowdhury, Jane Southcott

The Qualitative Report

This article critically explores the understandings about the English academic literacy needs of international graduate students from the perspective of academic teaching staff in a Faculty of Education at a large Australian university. Research suggests that international graduate students for whom English is another language, on coming to English speaking countries, acquire English academic literacies as part of a complex set of academic competencies needed for successful graduate study. In this study, 16 academic teaching staff participated in focus groups and revealed their understandings and practices about academic literacies in the context of their experiences of working with international graduate …

Validation Of Landsat 8 High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature Using Surfers, Quinton Vanhellemont, Robert J. W. Brewin, Philip J. Bresnahan, Tyler Cyronak

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Nearshore coastal waters are highly dynamic in both space and time. They can be difficult to sample using conventional methods due to their shallow depth, tidal variability, and the presence of breaking waves. High resolution satellite sensors can be used to provide synoptic views of Surface Temperature (ST), but the performance of such ST products in the nearshore zone is poorly understood. Close to the shoreline, the ST pixels can be influenced by mixed composition of water and land, as a result of the sensor’s spatial resolution. This can cause thermal adjacency effects due to the highly different diurnal temperature …

Two Models Of Coteaching From University Teaching Staff: Phenomenographic Research, Jesus Pinzón-Ulloa, Mariana Tafur Arciniegas Dr, Irma A. Flores H.

The Qualitative Report

The literature of coteaching in the post-secondary landscape encompasses a wide array of different conceptions. Having multiple meanings of coteaching in higher education may pose some challenges for effectively implementing and researching this collaborative model. We should have a clear picture of the qualitatively different ways in which educators who co-teach in post-secondary settings understand this practice. Aiming to offer one of the first contributions to this effort, we analyzed the experiences of 16 university coteaching practitioners from a top university in Bogotá, Colombia. The sample participants´ interviews were analyzed using a phenomenographic methodology (Marton, 1981), which seeks to capture …

Genome-Wide Association Study Reveals Genetic Variants Associated With Hiv-1c Infection In A Botswana Study Population, Andrey Shevchenko, Daria V. Zhernakova, Sergey Malov, Aleksey Komissarov, Sofia Kolchanova, Gaik Tamazian, Alexey Antonik, Nikolay Cherkasov, Sergey Kliver, Anastasiia Turenko, Mikhail Rotkevich, Igor Evsyukov, David Vlahov, Prisca K. Thami, Simani Gaseitsiwe, Vladimir Novitsky, Myron Essex, Stephen James O'Brien

Biology Faculty Articles

Although there have been many studies of gene variant association with different stages of HIV/AIDS progression in United States and European cohorts, few gene-association studies have assessed genic determinants in sub-Saharan African populations, which have the highest density of HIV infections worldwide. We carried out genome-wide association studies on 766 study participants at risk for HIV-1 subtype C (HIV-1C) infection in Botswana. Three gene associations (AP3B1, PTPRA, and NEO1) were shown to have significant association with HIV-1C acquisition. Each gene association was replicated within Botswana or in the United States–African American or United States–European American AIDS …

Identification Of Needs Of Community Schools Of Kavre, Nepal For Educational Improvement, Roshani Rajbanshi, Parbati Dhungana, Bal Luitel

The Qualitative Report

Needs assessment is a method to find out the current needs of the school that can be considered for providing quality education to the students. This paper presents the needs of five community schools intending to bring changes in the school community. Thus, this paper aims to identify the needs of the five community schools of Kavre, Nepal, and recommend possible interventions. In-depth interviews, observations, and focus group discussions with different stakeholders provided rich data for this study. School-specific needs were identified from the data based on which recommendations are made for intervention, which are: Teacher professional development, contextualized curriculum, …

Peruvian Fur Seals As Archivists Of El Niño Southern Oscillation Effects, Mickie Rae Edwards, Susana Cardenas-Alayza, Michael Adkesson, Mya Daniels-Abdulahad, Amy Hirons

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Peru’s coastal waters are characterized by significant environmental fluctuation due to periodic El Niño- La Niña- Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events. This variability results in ecosystem-wide food web changes which are reflected in the tissues of the Peruvian fur seal (Arctocephalus australis). Stable isotope ratios (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) in Peruvian fur seal vibrissae (whiskers) are used to infer temporal primary production and dietary variations in individuals. Sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) recordings from the Niño 1+2 Index region captured corresponding ENSO conditions. Fluctuations in δ¹⁵N values were correlated to SSTA records, indicating that …

Quality Management Development Through Gender Equality Based Leadership In Nahdlatul Ulama Universities, Rohmatun Lukluk Isnaini, Farida Hanum, Lantip Diat Prasojo

The Qualitative Report

There is still a wide quality gap between State Universities (SU) and Private Universities (PU) in Indonesia. This research aims to find the strategy pattern of Nahdlatul Ulama University (NUU) in the development of quality management through gender equality-based leadership. The pattern can be seen by using qualitative phenomenological research through interviews with the informants. Data analysis is done in five stages, namely writing all transcripts of interview results, finding statements about research focus, grouping these statements into meaningful units, and constructing all explanations about the meaning and essence of the informant's experience. The results showed that NUU implemented four …

Effectiveness And Safety Of Tranexamic Acid Use In Acute Traumatic Injury In The Prehospital And In-Hospital Settings: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Controlled Trials, Scott Rowe, Amy Liu, Israel Zagales, Muhammad Awan, Radleigh Santos, Mark Mckenney, Adel Elkbuli

Mathematics Faculty Articles

Background and Objectives:

This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) aims to assess efficacy and safety of tranexamic acid (TXA) use in acute traumatic injuries.

Methods:

PubMed and Cochrane libraries were searched for relevant RCTs published between January 2011 and January 3, 2021. Cohen’s Q Test for heterogeneous effects was used to determine the appropriateness of fixed versus random effects models.

Results:

Twenty-two studies met inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis of relative risk of mortality between treatment and placebo groups in the in-hospital, and perioperative settings was not significant. However, the risk of mortality is significantly lower in the …

Work Environment And The Teacher: A Qualitative Case Study Of Public Secondary Schools In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Edomgenet Hiba Issa

The Qualitative Report

This study examined the nexus between the public secondary school teacher and his/her work environment. To capture the nature and substance of this nexus, the study was mainly directed towards answering the following two research questions: Which attributes of work environment matter most to the public secondary school teacher? And why do they matter? The study was conducted on teachers in public secondary schools of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It adopted a qualitative case study design where data were collected through semi-structured interviews and then analyzed using a thematic analysis technique. The results show that basic school facilities, teacher-principal and teacher-student …

English Language Learning Through Non-Technology Games: A Case Study Of International Students At A Lithuanian University, Nagaletchimee Annamalai, Muhammad Kamarul Kabilan, Radzuwan Ab Rashid, Giedre Valunaite Oleskevicience, Vilhelmina Vaičiūnienė

The Qualitative Report

Research on gamified language learning often involves the use of digital games. Little is known about the use of non-technology games in promoting language learning despite their accessibility. This paper aims to fill in this lacuna by providing insights into international students’ engagement in non-technology gamified English language learning in the context of a Lithuanian university. The research, which used a case study approach as its methodology, involved a total of 30 international students at a Lithuanian university together with their two instructors. They were observed for two weeks, and then interviewed by the researchers. An inductive thematic analysis approach …

Climate Process Team: Improvement Of Ocean Component Of Noaa Climate Forecast System Relevant To Madden-Julian Oscillation Simulations, Toshiaki Shinoda, Suyang Pei, Wanqiu Wang, Joshua X. Fu, Ren-Chieh Lien, Hyodae Seo, Alexander Soloviev

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Given the increasing attention in forecasting weather and climate on the subseasonal time scale in recent years, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced to support Climate Process Teams (CPTs) which aim to improve the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) prediction by NOAA’s global forecasting models. Our team supported by this CPT program focuses primarily on the improvement of upper ocean mixing parameterization and air-sea fluxes in the NOAA Climate Forecast System (CFS). Major improvement includes the increase of the vertical resolution in the upper ocean and the implementation of General Ocean Turbulence Model (GOTM) in CFS. In addition to existing mixing …

Telescribe Scribeamerica - Undergraduate Research Halmos College Of Arts And Sciences, Tanya Mariah

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

No abstract provided.

Summer Internship Program In Biomedical Research (Sip), Snigdha Marivada

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

No abstract provided.

Using Ecological Diversity Analyses To Characterize The Availability Of Healthy Food And Socio-Economic Food Deserts, Annie Goyanes, J. Matthew Hoch

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

“Food deserts” are usually defined as geographic areas without local access to fresh, healthy food. We used community ecology statistics in supermarkets to quantify the availability of healthy food and to potentially identify food deserts as areas without a diverse selection of food, rather than a binary as to whether fresh food is present or not. We test whether produce diversity is correlated with neighborhood income or demographics. Abundance and diversity of fresh produce was quantified in supermarkets in Broward County, Florida, USA. Neighborhood income level and racial/ethnic makeup were retrieved from the U.S. Census and American Community Survey. Although …

Megafauna Of The German Exploration Licence Area For Seafloor Massive Sulphides Along The Central And South East Indian Ridge (Indian Ocean), Klaas Gerdes, Terue Cristina Kihara, Pedro Martínez Arbizu, Thomas Kuhn, Ulrich Schwarz-Schampera, Christopher L. Mah, Jon L. Norenburg, Thomas D. Linley, Kate Shalaeva, Enrique Macpherson, Dennis Gordon, Sabine Stöhr, Charles G. Messing, Simon Bober, Theresa Guggolz, Magdalini Christodoulou, Andrey Gebruk, Antonina Kremenetskaia, Andreas Kroh, Karen Sanamyan, Kathrin Bolstad, Leon Hoffman, Andrew J. Gooday, Tina Molodtsova

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Background

The growing interest in mineral resources of the deep sea, such as seafloor massive sulphide deposits, has led to an increasing number of exploration licences issued by the International Seabed Authority. In the Indian Ocean, four licence areas exist, resulting in an increasing number of new hydrothermal vent fields and the discovery of new species. Most studies focus on active venting areas including their ecology, but the non-vent megafauna of the Central Indian Ridge and South East Indian Ridge remains poorly known.

In the framework of the Indian Ocean Exploration project in the German license area for seafloor massive …

Periodically Disturbing The Spatial Structure Of Biofilms Can Affect The Production Of An Essential Virulence Factor In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Rebecca J. Quinn, Ivana Barraza, Laura García-Diéguez, Camryn Pajon, Lauren E. Krausfeldt, Kerollos Ibrahim, Laura A. Enzinna, Morgan E. Thorn, Omar Tonsi Eldakar, Travis J. A. Craddock, Robert P. Smith

Biology Faculty Articles

Understanding the environmental factors that affect the production of virulence factors has major implications in evolution and medicine. While spatial structure is important in virulence factor production, observations of this relationship have occurred in undisturbed or continuously disturbed environments. However, natural environments are subject to periodic fluctuations, including changes in physical forces, which could alter the spatial structure of bacterial populations and impact virulence factor production. Using Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14, we periodically applied a physical force to biofilms and examined production of pyoverdine. Intermediate frequencies of disturbance reduced the amount of pyoverdine produced compared to undisturbed or frequently disturbed conditions. …

Metabolomics Of Healthy And Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease Affected Montastraea Cavernosa Corals, Jessica M. Deutsch, Olakunle A. Jaiyesimi, Kelly A. Pitts, Jay Houk, Blake Ushijima, Brian K. Walker, Valerie J. Paul, Neha Garg

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Stony coral tissue loss disease, first observed in Florida in 2014, has now spread along the entire Florida Reef Tract and on reefs in many Caribbean countries. The disease affects a variety of coral species with differential outcomes, and in many instances results in whole-colony mortality. We employed untargeted metabolomic profiling of Montastraea cavernosa corals affected by stony coral tissue loss disease to identify metabolic markers of disease. Herein, extracts from apparently healthy, diseased, and recovered Montastraea cavernosa collected at a reef site near Ft. Lauderdale, Florida were subjected to liquid-chromatography mass spectrometry-based metabolomics. Unsupervised principal component analysis reveals wide …

The Design, Production And Validation Of The Biological And Structural Performance Of An Ecologically Engineered Concrete Block Mattress – A Nature Inclusive Design For Shoreline And Offshore Construction, Ido Sella, T. Hadary, A. Rella, Bernhard Riegl, Denise Swack, S. Perkol-Finkel

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Over the past decade, the scientific community has studied, experimented, and published a notable body of literature on ecological enhancement of coastal and marine infrastructure (CMI). The Nature-Inclusive Design (NID) approach refers to methods and technologies that can be integrated into the design and construction of CMI to create suitable habitat for native species (or communities) whose natural habitat has been degraded or reduced. To examine the compliance of new environmentally sensitive technologies with structural requirements and fiscal restraints, while providing ecosystem and habitat value, this paper presents the findings of a structural-economical-biological analysis of ecologically engineered Articulated Concrete Block …

Stable Isotopes Used To Infer Trophic Position Of Green Turtles (Chelonia Mydas) From Dry Tortugas National Park, Gulf Of Mexico, United States, David C. Roche, Michael S. Cherkiss, Brian J. Smith, Derek A. Burkholder, Kristen M. Hart

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Evaluating resource use patterns for imperiled species is critical for understanding what supports their populations. Here we established stable isotope (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N) values for the endangered green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) population found within the boundaries of Dry Tortugas National Park (DRTO), south Florida, USA. There is little gene flow between turtles sampled at DRTO and in other rookeries in Florida, underscoring the need to study this distinct population. Between 2008 and 2015 we collected multiple sample types (skin [homogenized epidermis/dermis], whole blood, red blood cells, plasma, carapace) from 151 unique green turtles, including …

Contextual Considerations: Revision Of The Wiliam And Thompson (2007) Formative Assessment Framework In The Jamaican Context, Clavia T. Williams-Mcbean

The Qualitative Report

The research context should be carefully considered in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research as it influences the efficacy of the processes and outcomes. This paper describes how contextual factors in the teaching of English in Jamaican secondary schools led to changes in the Wiliam and Thompson (2007) formative assessment framework. Data collected through interviews and observations of 32 teachers of English in the qualitative phase of a mixed-methods study reinforced the conceptualization of formative assessment as a unified framework. However, they elucidated the manifestations of Jamaica’s colonial past and the language context in Jamaican classrooms that necessitated changes to …

Mapping A Language(S) Journey In Science; From Learning Biology To Teaching Biology: An Autoethnography, Primani S. Fernando, Maria Gindidis Dr, Rebecca Cooper Dr.

The Qualitative Report

This paper focuses on my experience as an English as an Additional Language (EAL) student in the context of multiple emigrations and investigates the formation of my identity as an EAL science student, science Education researcher, and science teacher. The study was guided by both my innate curiosity and the research question that sought to explore which factors significantly affected my journey of developing my English language and science knowledge based on my experience as an EAL student. The second and third authors acted as critical friends to provide a layer of reliability to the study. Within the autoethnography methodology …

An Upper Bound On The Spectral P-Norms Of Tensors And Matrix Permanent, Killian J. Hitsman, Vehbi E. Paksoy

Mako: NSU Undergraduate Student Journal

No abstract provided.

Summer To Autumn Population Of Wild Eumaeus Atala On The Ft. Lauderdale Campus Of Nova Southeastern University, Alexandra M. Lens

Mako: NSU Undergraduate Student Journal

Eumaeus atala is an endangered tropical butterfly native to the Caribbean and some parts of Florida, USA. Following population reductions primarily due to habitat loss, E. atala populations are now increasing due to conservation efforts of its cycad host plants, especially Zamia integrifolia (coontie). The purpose of this study was to observe, document, and measure the population of wild E. atala on the Ft. Lauderdale, Florida campus of Nova Southeastern University where landscaping use of host plants supports a natural population of E. atala. Forty-four host plants located in two different sites were observed for 14 weeks. One site …

Catalog Of Edge-On Galaxies Using The Pan-Starrs1 Survey Data, Dimitry I. Makarov, S. Savchenko, Alexander V. Mosenkov, Dmitry V. Bizyaev, Vladimir P. Reshetnikov, Alexandra V. Antipova, I. Tikhonenko, P. Usachev, S. Borisov, L. Makarova, Stefan Kautsch, A. Marchuk, E. Rub Edukov, M. Skryabina, P. Smirnova

Chemistry and Physics Faculty Articles

We have created a catalog of edge-on galaxies based on the publicly available DR2 data from the Pan-STARRS survey. The intensive use of an artificial neural network has significantly improved the quality of candidate selection. The catalog provides homogeneous information on astrometry, photometry, and non-parametric morphological statistics for 16551 edge-on galaxies. Our catalog is intended for studying the three-dimensional structure of galaxies with different morphologies and the scaling relations for disks and bulges.

Acehnese Attitudes Towards Their Heritage Language: A Qualitative, Inter-Generational Study, Zulfadli Abdul Aziz, Yunisrina Qismullah Yusuf Dr., Naula Aulia

The Qualitative Report

Due to the dominant position of Indonesian as the national and official language, local languages have been less favoured amongst their native speakers. Even one of the most widely used languages in Aceh Province, Acehnese seems to be neglected by younger generations, especially in urban areas. This study investigates the practice, attitudes, and maintenance of the Acehnese language. Three generations of Acehnese women were interviewed in-depth on their language use. Most respondents, in this study, still use Acehnese in their daily communication. All respondents in the first generation and most in the second generation obtain a positive attitude towards Acehnese …

Inhibition Of Aminoglycoside 6’-N-Acetyltransferase Type Ib [Aac(6′)-Ib]: Structure-Activity Relationship Of Substituted Pyrrolidine Pentamine Derivatives As Inhibitors, Kenneth Rocha, Jesus Magallon, Craig Reeves, Kimberly Phan, Peter Vu, Crista L. Oakley-Havens, Stella Kwan, Maria S. Ramirez, Travis Lavoi, Haley Donow, Prem Chapagain, Radleigh Santos, Clemencia Pinilla, Marc A. Giulianotti, Marcelo E. Tolmasky

Mathematics Faculty Articles

The aminoglycoside 6′-N-acetyltransferase type Ib [AAC(6′)-Ib] is a common cause of resistance to amikacin and other aminoglycosides in Gram-negatives. Utilization of mixture-based combinatorial libraries and application of the positional scanning strategy identified an inhibitor of AAC(6′)-Ib. This inhibitor’s chemical structure consists of a pyrrolidine pentamine scaffold substituted at four locations (R1, R3, R4, and R5). The substituents are two S-phenyl (R1 and R4), an S-hydroxymethyl (R3), and a 3-phenylbutyl (R5) groups. Another location, R2, does not have a substitution, but it is named because its stereochemistry was modified in some compounds utilized in this study. Structure-activity …

The Variability Of Seawater Carbonate Chemistry In Two Florida Urban Mangrove Ecosystems, Alexandrina R. Rangel

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions into the atmosphere are yielding serious impacts across the world’s ocean, including ocean acidification, sea level rise, and increasing seawater temperature. However, these changes are not occurring uniformly across all marine ecosystems. Coastal ecosystems, such as mangroves, already experience extreme and variable environmental conditions due to natural biogeochemical and physical processes. The goal of this study was to document small-scale variability in two urban mangrove ecosystems to gain insight into how ocean acidification will manifest within these systems. Using a stand-up paddleboard, a suite of sensors, and traditional bottle sampling techniques, we measured …

Effects Of Covid-19 On Global Research In Stem, Michelle Hoang, Santanu De

Biology Faculty Articles

A global public health emergency like the Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic requires accurate and timely data collection in the research community. High impact research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has been prioritized in the fight against COVID-19. The present study investigated the impact of COVID-19 on STEM research and the collaboration between global research institutions and industries. It was noted that COVID-19 had caused significant delays in non-COVID-19-related research projects and the onset of several remote studies. Most importantly, researchers in the STEM fields directed their attention and expertise to help mitigate virus transmission, treat patients, …

Short- And Long-Term Effectiveness Of Coral Disease Treatments, Karen L. Neely, Colin P. Shea, Kevin A. Macaulay, Emily K. Hower, Michelle A. Dobler

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Since 2014, stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) has led to large-scale mortality of over 20 coral species throughout the Florida Reef Tract. In 2019, in-water disease intervention strategies were implemented to treat affected corals. Two treatment strategies were employed: (1) topical application of an amoxicillin paste directly to disease margins, and (2) application of a chlorinated epoxy to disease margins as well as an adjacent “disease break” trench. Effectiveness of treatments on 2,379 lesions from 725 corals representing five species was evaluated using mixed effects logistic regression models which demonstrated substantially greater effectiveness of amoxicillin compared to chlorine-treated lesions …