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Biogeochemical Cycling Of Nutrients And Carbon In Subtropical Wetlands, Lauren N. Griffiths

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As human development intensifies, ecosystems around the word are being exponentially destroyed and degraded. Wetlands have the capacity to mitigate some of the possible problems by retaining nutrients and carbon, keeping them from harming downstream ecosystems or being released into the atmosphere. This project focuses on the processes that make wetlands successful by studying two unique ecosystems: 1) a created urban stormwater treatment wetland and 2) mangrove wetlands in Florida and Puerto Rico that were affected by hurricanes in 2017.

The first phase of this study investigates the role of sedimentation and vegetative and algal uptake of nutrients to retain …

The Role Of Financial Insecurity And Expectations On Perspectives Of Mental Health Services Among Refugees, Jacqueline M. Siven

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines how perspectives of mental health among refugees are situated within the realities of the refugee resettlement system, a population for which information on this issue is quite limited. Through in-depth interviews and participant observation with Congolese refugees and non-Congolese refugee-serving professionals in a major Florida city, this dissertation examines how perceptions of mental health and mental health services among refugees were affected by financial insecurity and disparities in expectations. Local Congolese refugees expected the American Dream; they believed that once they arrived they would find prosperity through hard work. Instead they experienced frustration and distress because the …

Prokaryotic And Viral Community Composition Of Freshwater Springs In Florida, Usa, Kema Malki, Natalie A. Sawaya, Anna J. Székely, Michael J. Tisza, Mya Breitbart

Marine Science Faculty Publications

Aquifers, which are essential underground freshwater reservoirs worldwide, are understudied ecosystems that harbor diverse forms of microbial life. This study investigated the abundance and composition of prokaryotic and viral communities in the outflow of five springs across northern Florida, USA, as a proxy of microbial communities found in one of the most productive aquifers in the world, the Floridan aquifer. The average abundances of virus-like particles and prokaryotic cells were slightly lower than those reported from other groundwater systems, ranging from 9.6 × 10³ ml⁻¹ to 1.1 × 10⁵ ml⁻¹ and 2.2 × 10³ ml …

Pharmacist-Led Chronic Care Management For Medically Underserved Rural Populations In Florida During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Madison Como, Chenita White Carter, Margareth Larose-Pierre, Kellie O'Dare, Cynthia R Hall, Jason Mobley, Gervin Robertson, Jason Leonard, Lindsey Tew

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Medically underserved patients in rural areas are more vulnerable to poor health outcomes, including the risks associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Pharmacists, student pharmacists, and other health care professionals are working together to implement new, innovative ways to deliver the same standard of care during the COVID-19 pandemic to these vulnerable patients. These services include telehealth with virtual and telephone medication therapy management sessions led by ambulatory care pharmacists and student pharmacists. Pharmacists, student pharmacists, and other health care professionals should continue to adapt to these new technologies to improve health outcomes for their patients during the pandemic.

An Evaluation Of Florida’S Zika Response Using The Who Health Systems Framework: Can We Apply These Lessons To Covid-19?, Jennifer Marshall, Blake Scott, Jennifer Delva, Cedrick Ade, Santiago Hernandez, Jaladhikumar Patel, Mantero Moreno-Cheek, Dogeli Rojas, Jean-Paul Tanner, Russell S. Kirby

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Objectives: From 2016 to 2018 Florida documented 1471 cases of Zika virus, 299 of which were pregnant women (Florida Department of Health, https://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/mosquito-bornediseases/surveillance.html , 2019a). Florida's response required unprecedented rapid and continuous cross-sector communication, adaptation, and coordination. Zika tested public health systems in new ways, particularly for maternal child health populations. The systems are now being challenged again, as the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic spreads throughout Florida. This qualitative journey mapping evaluation of Florida's response focused on care for pregnant women and families with infants exposed to Zika virus.

Methods: Fifteen focus groups and interviews were conducted with 33 public health …

Utilizing Ecological Niche Modelling To Predict Habitat Suitability Of Eastern Equine Encephalitis In Florida, Claire Burch, Rebecca Loraamm, Thomas R. Unnasch, Joni A. Downs

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEV) is a virus found predominantly east of the Mississippi River in the United States that can be fatal to both equines and humans. The disease has previously been most prolific in states like Florida, but there has been an increase in the prevalence in other states further up north on the east coast of the United States in recent years. The purpose of this research is to use the ecological niche modelling program Maxent to model EEEV habitat suitability probability. This research utilized data of fatality incidence in equine hosts, versus sentinel chicken infection data, …

Using A Rapid Assessment Methodology To Identify And Address Immediate Needs Among Low-Income Households With Children During Covid-19, Shreela V. Sharma, Amier Haidar, Jacqueline Noyola, Jacqueline Tien, Melinda Rushing, Brittni M. Naylor, Ru-Jye Chuang, Christine Markham

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Objective: Brighter Bites is a school-based health promotion program that delivers fresh produce and nutrition education to low-income children and families. Due to COVID-19-related school closures, states were under "shelter in place" orders, and Brighter Bites administered a rapid assessment survey to identify social needs among their families. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the methodology used to identify those with greatest social needs during this time ("high risk"), and to describe the response of Brighter Bites to these "high risk" families.

Methods: The rapid assessment survey was collected in April 2020 across Houston, Dallas, Washington DC, and …