Digital Commons Network^™

Endogenous Retrovirus Insertion In The Kit Oncogene Determines White And White Spotting In Domestic Cats, Victor A. David, Marilyn Menotti-Raymond, Andrea Coots Wallace, Melody E. Roelke, James Kehler, Robert Leighty, Eduardo Eizirik, Steven S. Hannah, George Nelson, Alejandro A. Schaffer, Catherine J. Connelly, Stephen J. O'Brien, David K. Ryugo

Biology Faculty Articles

The Dominant White locus (W) in the domestic cat demonstrates pleiotropic effects exhibiting complete penetrance for absence of coat pigmentation and incomplete penetrance for deafness and iris hypopigmentation. We performed linkage analysis using a pedigree segregating White to identify KIT (Chr. B1) as the feline W locus. Segregation and sequence analysis of the KIT gene in two pedigrees (P1 and P2) revealed the remarkable retrotransposition and evolution of a feline endogenous retrovirus (FERV1) as responsible for two distinct phenotypes of the W locus, Dominant White, and white spotting. A full-length (7125 bp) FERV1 element is associated with white …

The Current Volume 25 : Issue 2, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

No abstract provided.

A Cognitive Apprenticeship Approach For Teaching Abstract And Complex Skills In An Online Learning Environment, Reinaldo Fernandez

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Undergraduate courses such as mathematics, science, and computer programming require high levels of decision making, concentration, and cognitive demand. Researchers in the field of instructional design are interested in effective instructional strategies that can aid practitioners in teaching such abstract and complex skills.

One example of an instructional strategy that has proven effective in teaching these skills is cognitive apprenticeship (CA). While CA has been applied to courses such as mathematics and computer programming in face-to-face and blended learning environments, there is little evidence of the advantages of applying CA in a fully online computer programming course. Specifically, the introductory …

Relationships Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders And Their Fathers, Terry Keller, Julie Ramisch, Marsha Carolan

The Qualitative Report

This phenomenological study investigated the relationships between 7 fathers and their sons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Seven major themes emerged: Shared Activities, Developmental Sensitivity, Emotional Understanding, Fighting the Label, Fatherhood Expectations, Parent Responsibility, and Fatherhood Isolation. Fathers were sensitive to their sons’ emotional needs and developmental milestones. Clinicians can help fathers to develop appropriate relationships with their children that involve shared activities. Clinicians can also assist fathers in coping with isolation and expectations regarding fatherhood, developing desired fatherhood roles, and finding appropriate shared activities with their children.

Helping Children With Autism Learn With Mathematics Software, Michelle Hansen

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are conditions where a person may exhibit developmental disabilities, significant social, communication and behavioral challenges, and process information differently than people without ASD. The Federal Government guidelines mandate inclusion of all students into the public school facilities. All school age children in the United States are afforded the same opportunities for public education.

The goal of this investigation was to evaluate the effectiveness of Computer-Aided Instruction (CAI) as a treatment for teaching mathematics to a group of autistic pupils in an elementary school environment. The public later elementary school is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan and had …

Phenotypic Signatures Arising From Unbalanced Bacterial Growth, Cheemang Tan, Robert P. Smith, Ming-Chi Tsai, Russell Schwartz, Lingchong You

Biology Faculty Articles

Fluctuations in the growth rate of a bacterial culture during unbalanced growth are generally considered undesirable in quantitative studies of bacterial physiology. Under well-controlled experimental conditions, however, these fluctuations are not random but instead reflect the interplay between intra-cellular networks underlying bacterial growth and the growth environment. Therefore, these fluctuations could be considered quantitative phenotypes of the bacteria under a specific growth condition. Here, we present a method to identify “phenotypic signatures” by time-frequency analysis of unbalanced growth curves measured with high temporal resolution. The signatures are then applied to differentiate amongst different bacterial strains or the same strain under …

Seagrasses In The Age Of Sea Turtle Conservation And Shark Overfishing, Michael Heithaus, Teresa Alcoverro, Rohan Arthur, Derek A. Burkholder, Kathryn A. Coates, Marjolijn J. A. Christianen, Nachiket Kelkar, Sarah A. Manuel, Aaron Wirsing, W. Judson Kenworthy, James W. Fourqurean

HCAS Student Articles

Efforts to conserve globally declining herbivorous green sea turtles have resulted in promising growth of some populations. These trends could significantly impact critical ecosystem services provided by seagrass meadows on which turtles feed. Expanding turtle populations could improve seagrass ecosystem health by removing seagrass biomass and preventing of the formation of sediment anoxia. However, overfishing of large sharks, the primary green turtle predators, could facilitate turtle populations growing beyond historical sizes and trigger detrimental ecosystem impacts mirroring those on land when top predators were extirpated. Experimental data from multiple ocean basins suggest that increasing turtle populations can negatively impact seagrasses, …

Annotated Features Of Domestic Cat – Felis Catus Genome, Gaik Tamazian, Serguei Simonov, Pavel Dobrynin, Alexey Makunin, Anton Logachev, Aleksey Komissarov, Andrey Shevchenko, Vladimir Brukhin, Nikolay Cherkasov, Anton Svitin, Klaus-Peter Koepfli, Joan Pontius, Carlos A. Driscoll, Kevin Blackistone, Cristina Barr, David Goldman, Agostinho Antunes, Javier Quilez, Belen Lorente-Galdos, Can Alkan, Tomas Marques-Bonet, Marilyn Menotti-Raymond, Victor A. David, Kristina Narfstrom, Stephen J. O'Brien

Biology Faculty Articles

Background: Domestic cats enjoy an extensive veterinary medical surveillance which has described nearly 250 genetic diseases analogous to human disorders. Feline infectious agents offer powerful natural models of deadly human diseases, which include feline immunodeficiency virus, feline sarcoma virus and feline leukemia virus. A rich veterinary literature of feline disease pathogenesis and the demonstration of a highly conserved ancestral mammal genome organization make the cat genome annotation a highly informative resource that facilitates multifaceted research endeavors.

Findings: Here we report a preliminary annotation of the whole genome sequence of Cinnamon, a domestic cat living in Columbia (MO, USA), …

Com Outlook Fall 2014, College Of Osteopathic Medicine

COM Outlook

No abstract provided.

Visionary Summer 2014, College Of Optometry

Visionary

No abstract provided.

Microbial Community Assembly Found With Sponge Orange Band Disease In Xestospongia Muta (Giant Barrel Sponge), Rebecca Mulheron

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

The giant barrel sponge, Xestospongia muta is an iconic and essential species of the coral reefs in South Florida. The sponge has primary roles providing ecosystem services and creating unique habitats for diverse microbial communities. On April 27, 2012 an outbreak of Sponge Orange Band Disease (SOB) was detected off the coast of South Florida. The disease begins with sponge bleaching, followed by mesohyl or “mesohyl” necrosis and often total mesohyl disintegration. Sampling from two diseased populations at Boynton Beach and Fort Lauderdale, FL took place on May 11th and May 29th, 2012. Each of the nine diseased sponges from …

Long-Term Stony Coral Transplantation Success Offshore Southeast, Florida, Usa, Theresa Elizabeth Robitaille

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Transplanted coral (Order: Scleractinia) colony condition was surveyed at five injury event sites, two coral nurseries, and one impact minimization location off the coast of Broward County, Florida, USA in 2012. Because stony corals are long-lived and slow growing, generally growing less than one centimeter in diameter per year, determining transplantation success requires long-term (greater than two years) monitoring. Long-term monitoring efforts, however, are rarely completed. This study is unique in that it examined stony coral transplantation success of several projects over a time period of 6-17 years. Control colonies were also surveyed in order to compare naturally growing coral …

Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta Caretta) Hatchling Disorientation In Broward County, Florida, Allison Durland Donahou

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Hatchling disorientation after emergence is a major factor impacting sea turtle populations. This study utilized data from over 1,200 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Marine Turtle Disorientation Report forms from years 2006 to 2011 to assess changes in the severity and locations of disorientation events and the impact of municipal beach lighting ordinances. While the FWC forms were completed for all sea turtle species observed, this study focused only on loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta). A Disorientation Severity Index (DSI) was derived from the number of hatchlings and the direction of their tracks leaving the nests …

Association Of Trauma Exposure With Proinflammatory Activity: A Transdiagnostic Meta-Analysis., M Tursich, R W J Neufeld, P A Frewen, S Harricharan, J L Kibler, S G Rhind, R A Lanius

Faculty Articles

Exposure to psychological trauma (for example, childhood/early life adversity, exposure to violence or assault, combat exposure, accidents or natural disasters) is known to increase one's risk of developing certain chronic medical conditions. Clinical and population studies provide evidence of systemic inflammatory activity in trauma survivors with various psychiatric and nonpsychiatric conditions. This transdiagnostic meta-analysis quantitatively integrates the literature on the relationship of inflammatory biomarkers to trauma exposure and related symptomatology. We conducted random effects meta-analyses relating trauma exposure to log-transformed inflammatory biomarker concentrations, using meta-regression models to test the effects of study quality and psychiatric symptomatology on the inflammatory outcomes. …

Uncovering Ed: A Qualitative Analysis Of Personal Blogs Managed By Individuals With Eating Disorders, Jacqueline Gies, Sara Martino

The Qualitative Report

Previous studies have investigated the potential harmful effects of pro-eating disorder (ED) websites. Websites, such as personal blogs, may contain eating disorder content that may hold important information as well and must be considered. Fifteen blogs hosted by the site “Tumblr” were qualitatively analyzed. Each blog owner was anonymous and all were female. Ten main themes were extracted using grounded theory: interaction, negative self-worth, mind and body disturbances, pictures, eating disorders, suicide, diet, exercise, stats, and recovery. Additional themes also appeared in the study. Results indicate that although each individual blog is unique to its owner, common concepts existed among …

On The Inside Looking In: Methodological Insights And Challenges In Conducting Qualitative Insider Research, Melanie J. Greene

The Qualitative Report

As qualitative researchers, what stories we are told, how they are relayed to us, and the narratives that we form and share with others are inevitably influenced by our position and experiences as a researcher in relation to our participants. This is particularly true for insider research, which is concerned with the study of one’s own social group or society. This paper explores some of the possible methodological insights and challenges that may arise from insider research, and suggests several techniques and tools that may be utilized to aid in, rather than hinder, the process of the telling and sharing …

Environmental Variability And Biodiversity Of Megabenthos On The Hebrides Terrace Seamount (Northeast Atlantic), Lea-Anne Henry, Johanne Vad, Helen S. Findlay, Javier Murillo, Rosanna Milligan, J. Murray Roberts

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

We present the first remotely operated vehicle investigation of megabenthic communities (1004–1695 m water depth) on the Hebrides Terrace Seamount (Northeast Atlantic). Conductivity-temperature-depth casts showed rapid light attenuation below the summit and an oceanographic regime on the flanks consistent with an internal tide, and high short-term variability in water temperature, salinity, light attenuation, aragonite and oxygen down to 1500 m deep. Minor changes in species composition (3–14%) were explained by changes in depth, substratum and oceanographic stability, whereas environmental variability explained substantially more variation in species richness (40–56%). Two peaks in species richness occurred, the first at 1300–1400 m where …

Biophysical Interactions In The Straits Of Florida: Turbulent Mixing Due To Diel Vertical Migrations Of Zooplankton, Cayla Whitney Dean

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Diel vertical migrations (DVM) comprise the largest animal migration on the planet and are a phenomenon present in all bodies of water on Earth. A strong sound scattering layer undergoing DVM was observed in the Straits of Florida via a bottom-mounted Acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) Workhorse Longranger 75 kHz (Teledyne RD Instruments) located at the 244 m isobath. ADCP average backscatter showed a clear periodicity corresponding with sunrise and sunset times indicating the presence of a nocturnal DVM. Analysis of the ADCP backscatter data indicated zooplankton swimming velocities were faster during sunrise than sunset times. In several cases the …

Socioeconomics Of The Lionfish Derby Fishery, Kristina Ann Trotta

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Throughout the western North Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico, invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) have established dense populations, greatly impacting their host environments. Lionfish tournaments have been an important tool for resource managers and other concerned stakeholders in suppressing local populations of lionfish. Tournaments can also bring economic benefits to the communities where they are held, despite this not being the primary purpose.

Five derby events in Florida and the Bahamas were surveyed and 119 participants were interviewed on site, using a survey asking them to describe (1) the lionfish derby experience; (2) non-derby related lionfish …

A Mitogenomics View Of The Population Structure And Evolutionary History Of The Basking Shark Cetorhinus Maximum, Kimberly A. Finnegan

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

The basking shark, Cetorhinus maximus, has historically been a target of international fisheries, leading to well-documented declines in parts of its global distribution. Currently, the basking shark is listed as globally ‘Vulnerable’ and regionally ‘Endangered’ (North Pacific and Northeast Atlantic) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, rendering the species an international conservation priority. Here, we assessed the global matrilineal genetic population structure and evolutionary history of the basking shark by completing the first whole mitochondrial genome sequence level survey of animals sampled from three globally widespread geographic regions: the western North Atlantic (n = 11), the …

A Review Of Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops Truncatus) Vocalizations And An Investigation Into The Existence Of Signature Whistles In A Captive Dolphin Population, Gillian Reily

HCNSO Student Capstones

Individual recognition of conspecifics is important for various reasons in both terrestrial and marine dwelling species and is carried out through a variety of modes including visual, chemical and auditory cues. The ability to recognize individuals acoustically is often carried out through the use of signature vocalizations. The production and use of signature whistles within bottlenose dolphins has been extensively tested since their existence was first suggested almost 50 years ago. From the research, two primary hypotheses have emerged: the signature whistle hypothesis and the whistle repertoire hypothesis. This work discusses the various acoustical means of individual recognition found within …

Perspective Volume 2: Number 2, Summer-Fall 2014, College Of Health Care Sciences

Perspectives

No abstract provided.

Global Population Structure Of The Dusky Shark And Geographic Sourcing Of Shark Fins From Commercial Markets, Teagen K. Gray

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

The dusky shark, Carcharinus obscurus, is a globally distributed, coastal-pelagic species subject to an apparent high level of exploitation. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists this species as “Vulnerable” globally, and “Endangered” within western North Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico waters due to an over 80% decline in this region, with no evidence of population recovery. The extensive exploitation of dusky sharks may partly be attributed to the high market value of its fins, but the contribution of individual dusky shark stocks to the fin markets is unknown. This knowledge would be helpful to detect …

Coral Reef Conservation Program (Crcp) Local Action Strategy (Las) Project 3b “Southeast Florida Coral Reef Fishery-Independent Baseline Assessment” – 2012-2013 Interim Report, Kirk Kilfoyle, Brian K. Walker, Steven G. Smith, Richard E. Spieler

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Reports

Reef fishes are important biologic, ecologic, and economic resources of the marine ecosystem which must be managed for sustainability. Until recently there was no long-term monitoring program in place to assess the condition of fish resources of the northern Florida Reef Tract (FRT) (northern Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Martin counties). An assessment/monitoring plan for the northern Florida reef tract was designed through a joint cooperative effort by scientists at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, NOAA-Southeast Fisheries Science Center and Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center (NSUOC). This report is a synoptic compilation of the …

Southeast Florida Shallow-Water Habitat Mapping & Coral Reef Community Characterization, Brian K. Walker, Katelyn Klug

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Reports

Baseline mapping and quantitative assessment data are required prior to future permitted or un-permitted impacts in order to determine the pre-existing state of the benthic resources; therefore, it is imperative that these data be collected on the ecologically sensitive and economically valuable shallow-water coral reef habitats in southeast Florida. In southeast Florida, the nearshore reef habitats are most vulnerable to coastal construction activities and other anthropogenic impacts, therefore these habitats were the focus for this study. The study goals were to provide a spatially appropriate map of increased resolution and a regional quantitative characterization of nearshore benthic resources to evaluate …

Glycosylation Modulates Melanoma Cell Α2Β1 And Α3Β1 Integrin Interactions With Type Iv Collagen, Maciej J. Stawikowski, Beatrix Aukszi, Roma Stawikowska, Mare Cudic, Gregg B. Fields

Chemistry and Physics Faculty Articles

Although type IV collagen is heavily glycosylated, the influence of this posttranslational modification on integrin binding has not been investigated. In the present study, galactosylated and non-galactosylated triple-helical peptides have been constructed containing the α1(IV)382-393 and α1(IV)531-543 sequences, which are binding sites for the α2β1 and α3β1 integrins, respectively. All peptides had triple-helical stabilities of 37 °C or greater. The galactosylation of Hyl393 in α1(IV)382-393 and Hyl540 and Hyl543 in α1(IV)531-543 had a dose dependent influence on melanoma cell adhesion which was much more pronounced in the case of α3β1 integrin binding. Molecular modeling indicated that galactosylation occurred on the …

A Collaborative Autoethnographic Search For Authenticity Amidst The "Fake Real", Trenia L. Walker, Colette M. Taylor

The Qualitative Report

This manuscript explores the importance of "authenticity" for the maintenance self-identity for social justice educators in higher education. A collaborative dialogue between two female faculty authors of different ethnicities explores and interprets how to balance one’s own situated understanding of themselves, shared discourse community, and a social justice paradigm. The authors systematically juxtapose their reflections on their experiences as educators in higher education to examine points of similarity and difference. By sharing and interrogating their individual experiences in higher education, the authors argue that the relationship between authenticity, identity, and social justice is complex and multifaceted. The authors conclude by …

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 Air-Sea Interface And Surface Stress Under Tropical Cyclones, Alexander Soloviev, Roger Lukas, Mark A. Donelan, Brian K. Haus, Isaac Ginis

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Tropical cyclone track prediction is steadily improving, while storm intensity prediction has seen little progress in the last quarter century. Important physics are not yet well understood and implemented in tropical cyclone forecast models. Missing and unresolved physics, especially at the air-sea interface, are among the factors limiting storm predictions. In a laboratory experiment and coordinated numerical simulation, conducted in this work, the microstructure of the air-water interface under hurricane force wind resembled Kelvin-Helmholtz shear instability between fluids with a large density difference. Supported by these observations, we bring forth the concept that the resulting two-phase environment suppresses short gravity-capillary …