Digital Commons Network^™

Demography And Population Dynamics Of Massive Coral Communities In Adjacent High Latitude Regions (United Arab Emirates), Kristi A. Foster, Greg Foster

HCAS Student Articles

Individual massive coral colonies, primarily faviids and poritids, from three distinct assemblages within the southeastern Arabian Gulf and northwestern Gulf of Oman (United Arab Emirates) were studied from 2006–2009. Annual photographic censuses of approximately 2000 colonies were used to describe the demographics (size class frequencies, abundance, area cover) and population dynamics under “normal” environmental conditions. Size class transitions included growth, which occurred in 10–20% of the colonies, followed in decending order by partial mortality (3–16%), colony fission (<5%) and ramet fusion (<3%). Recruitment and whole colony mortality rates were low (<0.7 colonies/m2) with minimal interannual variation. Transition matrices indicated that the Arabian Gulf assemblages have declining growth rates (λ<1) whereas the massive coral population is stable (λ = 1) in the Gulf of Oman. Projection models indicated that (i) the Arabian Gulf population and area cover declines would be exacerbated under 10-year and 16-year disturbance scenarios as the vital rates do not allow for recovery to pre-disturbance levels during these timeframes, and (ii) the Gulf of Oman assemblage could return to its pre-disturbance area cover but its overall population size would not fully recover under the same scenarios.

An Autoethnographic Journey Of Intercountry Adoption, Prema Malhotra

The Qualitative Report

In this autoethnographic essay, the author explores her struggles and desires to learn about her life prior to adoption. She portrays her journey to search for her beginning pieces of her adoption narrative by an assessment of “narrative inheritance” (Goodall, 2006), attempts to reframe her adoption narrative, and reflects on how her adoption narrative changed over a period of time. The author highlights major events of her search and provides meaning and understanding to her experience. The author concludes by providing her reflections of her search and attempts to redefine her adoption journey and what it means to be an …

2013-2014 Farquhar Forum, Farquhar College Of Arts And Sciences

The Farquhar Forum College Magazine

No abstract provided.

Modeling The Potential Spread Of The Recently Identified Non-Native Panther Grouper (Chromileptes Altivelis) In The Atlantic Using A Cellular Automaton Approach, Matthew W. Johnston, Samuel J. Purkis

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

The Indo-pacific panther grouper (Chromileptes altiveli) is a predatory fish species and popular imported aquarium fish in the United States which has been recently documented residing in western Atlantic waters. To date, the most successful marine invasive species in the Atlantic is the lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles), which, as for the panther grouper, is assumed to have been introduced to the wild through aquarium releases. However, unlike lionfish, the panther grouper is not yet thought to have an established breeding population in the Atlantic. Using a proven modeling technique developed to track the lionfish invasion, presented is the first …

Association Study Of Common Genetic Variants And Hiv- 1 Acquisition In 6,300 Infected Cases And 7,200 Controls, Paul J. Mclaren, Cedric Coulonges, Stephan Ripke, Leonard H. Van Den Berg, Susan Buchbinder, Mary Carrington, Andrea Cossarizza, Judith Dalmau, Steven G. Deeks, Olivier Delaneau, Andrea De Luca, James J. Goedert, David W. Haas, Joshua T. Herbeck, Sekar Kathiresan, Gregory D. Kirk, Olivier Lambotte, Ma Luo, Simon Mallal, Danielle Van Manen, Javier Martinez-Picado, Florencia Pereyra, Francis A. Plummer, Guido Poli, Ying Qi, Pierre Rucart, Manj S. Sandhu, Patrick R. Shea, Hanneke Schuitemaker, Ioannis Theodorou, Fredrik Vannberg, Jan Veldink, Bruce D. Walker, Amy C. Weintrob, Cheryl Winkler, Steven M. Wolinsky, Amalio Telenti, David B. Goldstein, Paul I. W. De Bakker, Jean-Francois Zagury, Jacques Fellay

Biology Faculty Articles

Multiple genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been performed in HIV-1 infected individuals, identifying common genetic influences on viral control and disease course. Similarly, common genetic correlates of acquisition of HIV-1 after exposure have been interrogated using GWAS, although in generally small samples. Under the auspices of the International Collaboration for the Genomics of HIV, we have combined the genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data collected by 25 cohorts, studies, or institutions on HIV-1 infected individuals and compared them to carefully matched population-level data sets (a list of all collaborators appears in Note S1 in Text S1). After imputation using the …

Transposon Fingerprinting Using Low Coverage Whole Genome Shotgun Sequencing In Cacao (Theobroma Cacao L.) And Related Species, Saemundur Sveinsson, Navdeep Gill, Nolan Kane, Quentin Cronk

Biology Faculty Articles

Background

Transposable elements (TEs) and other repetitive elements are a large and dynamically evolving part of eukaryotic genomes, especially in plants where they can account for a significant proportion of genome size. Their dynamic nature gives them the potential for use in identifying and characterizing crop germplasm. However, their repetitive nature makes them challenging to study using conventional methods of molecular biology. Next generation sequencing and new computational tools have greatly facilitated the investigation of TE variation within species and among closely related species.

Results

(i) We generated low-coverage Illumina whole genome shotgun sequencing reads for multiple individuals of cacao …

Vertical Ecology Of The Pelagic Ocean: Quantified Patterns And New Perspectives, Tracey Sutton

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

Applications of acoustic and optical sensing and intensive, discrete-depth sampling, in concert with collaborative international research programs, have substantially advanced our knowledge of pelagic ecosystems in the 17 years since the last Deep-water Fishes FSBI Symposium. Although the epipelagic habitat is the best-known, and remote sensing and high-resolution modeling allow near-synoptic investigation of upper layer biophysical dynamics, ecological studies within the mesopelagic and deep-demersal habitats have begun to link lower and upper trophic level processes. Bathypelagic taxonomic inventories are far from complete but recent projects (MAR-ECO and CMarZ, supported by the Census of Marine Life program) have quantitatively strengthened distribution …

Length Structure Of Deep-Pelagic Fishes Sheds New Light To Their Life Histories, M. Heino, David S. Boukal, Tone Falkenhaug, Uwe Piatkowski, F. M. Porteiro, Tracey Sutton

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

Here we use a new technique to study life history variation in deep-pelagic fishes from a mid-ocean ridge system. Shape of length distribution in a population is to a significant extent determined by the degree to which an average individual approaches its asymptotic maximum size. Analysing the material from the pelagic trawl hauls taken during the 2004 Mar-Eco expedition along the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge, we show that length distributions in many deep-pelagic fish species are characterised by negative skew (the left tail of the distribution is longer). In other words, a large proportion of individuals had a size close to …

Perspectives Summer-Fall 2013, College Of Health Care Sciences

Perspectives

No abstract provided.

Introduction: Wounds Of War: Meeting The Needs Of Active-Duty Military Personnel And Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Olympia Duhart, Kathy L. Cerminara

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Distribution Of Parasitic Isopods On Caridean Shrimp In South Florida Seagrass Beds, Sarah A. Briggs

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Caridean shrimp are a prominent element of seagrass faunal communities and play an important role in the energy transfer between trophic levels. They are a food source for other organisms and play an integral role in the ecosystem by feeding on algae and assisting with the breakdown of organic matter. Carideans are also fundamental to the marine fishery industry in that they are a food source for potentially valuable juvenile commercial fish. Ectoparasitic isopods (Cymothoida: Bopyridae) that infest caridean shrimps decrease the energy level of the shrimp, resulting in slower reaction time, greater predation rate, slower growth rate, and/or reduced …

Through Their Eyes: Using Photography With Youth Who Experienced Trauma, Karen Rice, Sarah Primak, Heather Girvin

The Qualitative Report

Adolescent youth in foster care are often exposed to multiple traumas and often leave the child welfare system without processing thoughts, feelings, or plans for the future. This study employed photo elicitation with a group of adolescent youth in foster care to discover what is important to them. Eight themes emerged. Family and friends, or the need to have someone who is always there for them was the most frequent theme photographed. Utilizing photo elicitation with youth who have been abused and/or neglected is an engaging and empowering method as it allows for individualized case planning that is guided by …

The Effects Of Para-Chloromercuribenzoic Acid And Different Oxidative And Sulfhydryl Agents On A Novel, Non-At1, Non-At2 Angiotensin Binding Site Identified As Neurolysin, Kira L. Santos, Megan A. Vento, John W. Wright, Robert C. Speth

HPD Articles

A novel, non-AT1, non-AT2 brain binding site for angiotensin peptides that is unmasked by p-chloromercuribenzoate (PCMB) has been identified as a membrane associated variant of neurolysin. The ability of different organic and inorganic oxidative and sulfhydryl reactive agents to unmask or inhibit 125I-Sar1Ile8 angiotensin II (SI-Ang II) binding to this site was presently examined. In tissue membranes from homogenates of rat brain and testis incubated in assay buffer containing losartan (10 μM) and PD123319 (10 μM) plus 100 μM PCMB, 5 of the 39 compounds tested inhibited 125I-SI Ang II binding in brain and testis. Mersalyl acid, mercuric chloride (HgCl2) …

Pictures From An Exhibition ... Of Online Learning: A Creative Representation Of Qualitative Data, Michael Barbour, Jason Paul Siko, Kaye Simuel-Everage

The Qualitative Report

K - 12 online learning at the K - 12 level has been around for approximately two decades and is continuing to grow. While researchers have researched a variety of issues related to K - 12 online learning, there has been little published on the student experience in web - based learning environments. In this article, two doctoral students were tasked with analyzing existing data, then representing and situating their findings in a format other than the traditional “results” and “discussion” sections found in a typical six - section journal manuscript. One student created an image that focused upon the …

Visionary Summer 2013, College Of Optometry

Visionary

No abstract provided.

Allelopathy As An Emergent, Exploitable Public Good In The Bloom-Forming Microalga Prymnesium Parvum, William W. Driscoll, Noelle J. Espinosa, Omar T. Eldakar, Jeremiah D. Hackett

Biology Faculty Articles

Many microbes cooperatively secrete extracellular products that favorably modify their environment. Consistent with social evolution theory, structured habitats play a role in maintaining these traits in microbial model systems, by localizing the benefits and separating strains that invest in these products from ‘cheater’ strains that benefit without paying the cost. It is thus surprising that many unicellular, well-mixed microalgal populations invest in extracellular toxins that confer ecological benefits upon the entire population, for example, by eliminating nutrient competitors (allelopathy). Here we test the hypotheses that microalgal exotoxins are (1) exploitable public goods that benefit all cells, regardless of investment, or …

The Current Volume 24 : Issue 1, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

No abstract provided.

A Phenomenological Study Of Falling Out Of Romantic Love, Joanni L. Sailor

The Qualitative Report

Romantic love is considered a necessary ingredient in marriage. In this study, the experience of falling out of romantic love with one’s spouse was examined. Eight individuals who had fallen out of romantic love with their spouse were interviewed. By using Moustakas’ Transcendental Phenomenological method, several themes emerged which provided a description of the experience of the phenomena. These themes included loss of trust, of intimacy, and of feeling loved; emotional pain; and negative sense of self. Gradual decline was identified as a slow, progressive deterioration of the relationship in which over time the romantic love decreased and eventually ended. …

Does Presence Of A Mid-Ocean Ridge Enhance Biomass And Biodiversity?, Imants G. Priede, Odd Aksel Bergstad, Peter I. Miller, M. Vecchione, Andrey Gebruk, Tone Falkenhaug, David S. M. Billett, Jessica Craig, Andrew C. Dale, Mark A. Shields, Gavin H. Tilstone, Tracey Sutton, Andrew J. Gooday, Mark E. Inall, Daniel O. B. Jones, Victor Martinez-Vicente, Gui Menezes, Tomasz Niedzielski, Thorsteinn Sigurdsson, Nina Rothe, Antonina Rogacheva, Claudia H. S. Alt, Timothy Brand, Richard Abell, Andrew S. Brierley, Nicola J. Cousins, Deborah Crockard, A. Rus Hoelzel, Age Hoines, Tom B. Letessier, Jane F. Read, Tracy Shimmield, Martin J. Cox, John K. Galbraith, John D. M. Gordon, Tammy Horton, Francis Neat, Pascal Lorance

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

In contrast to generally sparse biological communities in open-ocean settings, seamounts and ridges are perceived as areas of elevated productivity and biodiversity capable of supporting commercial fisheries. We investigated the origin of this apparent biological enhancement over a segment of the North Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) using sonar, corers, trawls, traps, and a remotely operated vehicle to survey habitat, biomass, and biodiversity. Satellite remote sensing provided information on flow patterns, thermal fronts, and primary production, while sediment traps measured export flux during 2007–2010. The MAR, 3,704,404 km² in area, accounts for 44.7% lower bathyal habitat (800–3500 m depth) in the …

Medical Education Digest, Vol. 15 No. 3 (May/June 2013), Nova Southeastern University

Medical Education Digest

No abstract provided.

Comparative Visual Function In Predatory Fishes From The Indian River Lagoon, D. Michelle Mccomb, Stephen M. Kajiura, Andrij Horodysky, Tamara M. Frank

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Visual temporal resolution and spectral sensitivity of three coastal teleost species (common snook [Centropomus undecimalis], gray snapper [Lutjanus griseus], and pinfish [Lagodon rhomboides]) were investigated by electroretinogram. Temporal resolution was quantified under photopic and scotopic conditions using response waveform dynamics and maximum critical flicker fusion frequency (CFF_max). Photopic CFF_max was significantly higher than scotopic CFF_max in all species. The snapper had the shortest photoreceptor response latency time (26.7 ms) and the highest CFF_max (47 Hz), suggesting that its eyes are adapted for a brighter photic environment. In contrast, the …

Scottish Nephrops Survey Phase Iii: Evaluation Of Measures For Reducing Bycatch And Discards In A Nephrops Fishery, Rosanna Milligan, Amaya Albalat, Douglas Neil

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Reports

No abstract provided.

De Novo Transcriptome Analysis Of The Marine Sponge Cinachyrella Spp: A Potential Model Organism For Oil And Dispersant Ecotoxicology, Emily Smith

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

In order to study the potential effects of an oil spill on coral reef organisms, the marine sponge, Cinachyrella spp. was investigated. In this study, Cinachyrella spp. was placed in a closed aquaculture system and exposed to sub-lethal water-accommodated fractions (WAFs) of Macondo crude oil and chemically-enhanced water accommodated fractions (CE-WAFs) of the dispersant, Corexit 9500, over a 24-hour time course, in order to model the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill and oil spill sponge response. Illumina RNA sequencing and gene expression analysis utilizing hierarchical clustering, principal component analysis, and KEGG bioinformatic database generated 34,147 unique transcripts with …

A Phenomenological Examination Of Context On Adolescent Ownership And Engagement Rationale, Melissa Cater, Krisanna Machtmes, Janet E. Fox

The Qualitative Report

Youth ownership and engagement are foundational pieces of the service - learning cycle. Youth voice is posited as a promising practice for building engagement and ownership. As community programs search for proven methods of sustaining youth participation, research that examines the links between practice and outcomes is essential. This study is a phenomenological examination of how adolescents in a non - formal youth development program make meaning of having a voice and its contributions to their ownership and engagement of the program. Findings indicate that an autonomy - supportive environment is a prerequisite for engagement and ownership to develop.

Angiotensin Type 1 Receptor Resistance To Blockade In The Opossum Proximal Tubule Cell Due To Variations In The Binding Pocket, Ravi Nistala, Bradley T. Andresen, Lakshmi Pulakat, Alex Meuth, Catherine Sinak, Chirag Mandavia, Thomas Thekkumkara, Robert C. Speth, Adam Whaley-Connell, James R. Sowers

HPD Articles

Blockade of the angiotensin (ANG) II receptor type 1 (AT(1)R) with angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) is widely used in the treatment of hypertension. However, ARBs are variably effective in reducing blood pressure, likely due, in part, to polymorphisms in the ARB binding pocket of the AT(1)R. Therefore, we need a better understanding of variations/polymorphisms that alter binding of ARBs in heterogeneous patient populations. The opossum proximal tubule cell (OKP) line is commonly used in research to evaluate renal sodium handling and therefore blood pressure. Investigating this issue, we found natural sequence variations in the opossum AT(1)R paralleling those observed in …

An Exploration Of Positive Identity Development In Women Living With Chronic Pain, Hillary Sharpe, Sandra Collins

The Qualitative Report

We explored the concept of living positively with chronic pain using a mixed - methods design that relied primarily on hermeneutic phenomenology. Ten women described their experiences of developing a positive identity while contending with chronic pain. Throughout their journeys, the women interviewed experienced a number of key themes including: the sense of being separate from their bodies, the failure of the biomedical system, and the creation of support networks. Three major categories emerged from the data: (a) Before Diagnosis , (b) Redefinition of Self, and (c) Moving Forward. The implications for healthcare providers and the limitations of this study …

A B Cell Mediated Model Of Humoral Immune System Function, Abbiana Arenas

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Influenza claims hundreds of thousands of lives each year world wide. Unfortunately these numbers are relatively unchanged over the past few decades. Influenza vaccines work to prime the humoral immune response for subsequent challenges by the influenza virus. With this initial priming the humoral response will produce specific and highly effective antibodies for the given virus. While effective, the mechanisms of humoral memory formation and maintenance are relatively less explored than the cell mediated response. In primary infections, the innate response and CD8⁺ T-cells will often clear the bulk of the virus before the humoral response can produce a …

A Comparative Study Of The United States Response To Haiti's 2010 Earthquake And Indonesia's Indian Ocean Tsunami In 2004, Yineth Sanchez

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The 2010 Haitian Earthquake resulted in approximately 220,500 casualties and 1.8 million people displaced. Similarly, the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004 caused catastrophic effects in the southeast region of the globe devastating more than twelve countries in less than ten minutes. In Indonesia alone, the tsunami caused 225,000 deaths and left 1.7 million individuals displaced. Both of these disasters were regarded as national emergencies for their respective countries. During the initial recovery period, Haiti and Indonesia faced serious relief challenges that led them to ask the international community for assistance. As one of the major global contributors of aid in …

A Novel Method Of 3d Reconstruction Of Mitochondrial Morphology In Mouse Models Of Alzheimer's Disease, Jonathan Romanes

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Mutations in Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) and Presenilin 1 and 2 (PS1, PS2) proteins underlie the progression of familial Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques are the hallmark of AD. The disease mechanism remains elusive, however, mounting data indicate implication of mitochondrial dysfunction and energetic stress early in disease progression. We have previously demonstrated that loss of mitochondrial motility observed in embryonic neurons from APP/PS1 and PS1 transgenic mice was among the earliest abnormalities detected in these animals prior to the loss of mitochondrial function, the onset of memory or neurological phenotype or deposition of amyloid plaques. These …

A Social Interaction Model For The Formation Of Local Hotspots Of Criminal Activity, Dean Gardner

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Areas of highly concentrated criminal activity, or hotspots, are a key concern of law enforcement agencies. A large portion of criminal offenses are committed in a relatively small number of these stable zones. We develop a model to study the mechanisms that lead to the formation of these hotspots. In particular we incorporate the contribution of social interactions to the dynamics of the propensity for a criminal agent to act. Hotspots manifest as a form of equilibrium solution of this model. We develop taxonomy of equilibrium solutions based upon the parameters of the model. We explore effectiveness of various strategies …