Digital Commons Network^™

Novel Management Methods: Immunocontraception And Other Fertility Control Tools, Giovanna Massei, Dave Cowan, Douglas C. Eckery

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Impacts of overabundant ungulate populations on human activities and conservation include crop and forestry losses, collisions with vehicles, disease transmission, nuisance behaviour, damage to infrastructures, predation on livestock and native species, and reduction of biodiversity in plant and animal communities (e.g. Curtis et ai., 2002; Massei et al., 2011; Reimoser and Putman, 2011; Ferroglio et ai., 2011; Langbein et al., 2011). Current trends in human population growth and landscape development indicate that human-ungulate conflicts in Europe, as well as in the United States, are likely to increase in parallel with increased expansion in numbers and range of many of these …

Invasive Rodent Ecology, Impacts, And Management With An Emphasis On The United States, Gary W. Witmer, William C. Pitt, Gregg Howald

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Many invasive rodent species have become established in the United States and its territories, both on the mainland and on islands. While most were introduced accidently, some were introduced for food or fur. These rodents have caused serious impacts to native flora and fauna, agriculture, and other resources. They have caused the extinction of many species of birds in insular ecosystems. Although many methods are used to control or eradicate introduced rodents, rodenticides and traps are the main tools. Since the early 1990s, agencies have been eradicating rodents from various islands, primarily for conservation purposes. There have been numerous eradication …

Use Of Dogs In The Mediation Of Conservation Conflicts, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Michael J. Lavelle, Jean-Marc Landry, Laurie Marker, Thomas M. Gehring

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Conflicts between wildlife and humans are of global importance and are increasing. These conflicts may negatively impact wildlife, humans, and other resources, primarily livestock. Human safety and economic well-being can be adversely impacted by depredation of livestock and perpetuation of wildlife-borne diseases in agricultural systems. Conversely, management approaches to mitigate these conflicts may employ primarily lethal control methods that can negatively impact wildlife populations of conservation importance. Dogs, principally livestock protection breeds, have been used for centuries in some cultures to protect livestock from predators. Dogs have also been used for a variety of other conservation-specific practices. Here we provide …

The Durability Of Private Claims To Public Property, Bruce R. Huber

Journal Articles

Property rights and resource use are closely related. Scholarly inquiry about their relation, however, tends to emphasize private property arrangements while ignoring public property — property formally owned by government. The well-known tragedies of the commons and anticommons, for example, are generally analyzed with reference to the optimal form and degree of private ownership. But what about property owned by the state? The federal government alone owns nearly one-third of the land area of the United States. One could well ask: is there a tragedy associated with public property, too? If there is, here is what it might look like: …

Accommodation, Establishment, And Freedom Of Religion, Richard W. Garnett

Journal Articles

This short essay engages the argument that it would violate the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause to exempt an ordinary, nonreligious, profit-seeking business – such as Hobby Lobby – from the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive-coverage rules. In response to this argument, it is emphasized that the First Amendment not only permits but invites generous, religion-specific accommodations and exemptions and that the Court’s Smith decision does not teach otherwise. In addition, this essay proposes that laws and policies that promote and protect religious freedom should be seen as having a “secular purpose” and that because religious freedom, like clean air, is an …

The Appeal Of Narrative In Research, Colette Daiute

Publications and Research

"I saw the bird flattened on the ground outside my door . One of the kindergarten child walked toward me slowly, crying. That's when I knew it was time to act."

The very brief narrative above occurs amid myriad spheres of social relations. These relations are not all apparent, but understanding narrative meaning requires understanding narrating as an interactive process. As researchers we enhance our Methods if we know how to read narratives as complex social processes. This openi11g narrative expresses a sequence of two past events.1 The narrative involves action ("walked," "act") and consciousness ("saw," "crying," "knew"). From the …

The Civil Rights Legacy Of Fr. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., Jennifer Mason Mcaward

Journal Articles

This Speech will discuss Fr. Hesburgh's advocacy on these core civil rights issues-education, employment, housing, and voting rights-and how his work changed the face of this country. The story of Fr. Hesburgh's civil rights advocacy is a key to understanding how he emerged-in the words of Vice President Biden-as "one of the most powerful unelected officials this nation has ever seen."

Creativity In An Arts Integrated Third Space: A Case Study Of Elementary School Students In An International Collaboration, Susan Hyatt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

This qualitative case study examined the impact of an arts integrated international collaboration on elementary school students’ creativity when the students were communicating and creating exclusively through a technological third space. Two organizations, one in the U.S. and one in Mexico, served as the sites for the case study. Five findings emerged from the study relating to the nature of creativity and two findings related to the impact on students’ creativity when engaged in arts-integrated international collaboration. The findings for the first question were: 1. Students and teaching artists view creativity as a process that is reflexive and engaging, 2. …

Completion: Artistic Transmutation, Eduardo Rosas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

Symbols connect our deepest thoughts with our senses. This thesis explores the Alchemical symbols, developed by mythical deity Hermes Trismegistus, whose symbols remnant of geometric shapes represent the classical elements of Earth, Water, Fire and Air. Watercolor, graphite, and gesso are my primary materials as they can be manipulated by the classical element of water. With this, I can create representations of the symbols through the language of drawing. The audience is invited to open their thoughts and all senses to the Alchemical symbols and the distinctive forms that appear from the visual mixture of the materials.

Contested Spaces: Ntfps, Livelihoods, And Conservation Planning, Christine M. Mitchell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

This research examines tensions between Latino/a farmworkers, who rely on the seasonal harvest of saw palmetto (Serenoa repens [W. Bartram] Small) berries for increased livelihood security, and conservationists and land-managers who view harvesting as detrimental for wildlife. Informal harvesting occurs on public and private lands, sometimes without permission. Berries, though ubiquitous on the landscape, have become a contested resource. The rapid conversion of rural wildlife habitat into suburban development has increased State urgency to bring natural areas into protection along the Florida Ecological Greenways Network. Habitat infringement and associated pressures on wildlife by development has led to the promotion of …

Context-Aware Hybrid Data Dissemination In Vehicular Networks, Monika M. Rathod

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

This work presents the development of the Context-Aware Hybrid Data Dissemination protocol for vehicular networks. The importance of developing vehicular networking data dissemination protocols is exemplified by the recent announcement by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to enable vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology. With emphasis on safety, other useful applications of V2V communication include but are not limited to traffic and routing, weather, construction and road hazard alerts, as well as advertisement and entertainment. The core of V2V communication relies on the efficient dispersion of relevant data through wireless broadcast protocols for these varied …

Cytogenetic Of Chromosomal Synteny Evaluation: Bioinformatic Applications Towards Screening Of Chromosomal Aberrations/ Genetic Disorder, Sandhya Sharma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

The research efforts refer to tracking homologus loci in the chromosomes of a pair of a species. The purpose is to infer the extent of maximum syntenic correlation when an exhaustive set of orthologs of the species are searched. Relevant bioinformatic analyses use comparative mapping of conserved synteny via Oxford grid. In medical diagnostic efforts, deducing such synteny correlation can help screening chromosomal aberration in genetic disorder pathology. Objectively, the present study addresses: (i) Cytogenetic framework of syntenic correlation and, (ii) applying information-theoretics to determine entropy-dictated synteny across an exhaustive set of orthologs of the test pairs of species.

Comparison Of Treatment Plans Calculated Using Ray Tracing And Monte Carlo Algorithms For Lung Cancer Patients Having Undergone Radiotherapy With Cyberknife, Andreea Pennington

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

The purpose of this research is to determine the feasibility of introducing the Monte Carlo (MC) dose calculation algorithm into the clinical practice. Unlike the Ray Tracing (RT) algorithm, the MC algorithm is not affected by the tissue inhomogeneities, which are significant inside the chest cavity. A retrospective study was completed for 102 plans calculated using both the RT and MC algorithms. The D95 of the PTV was 26% lower for the MC calculation. The first parameter of conformality, as defined as the ratio of the Prescription Isodose Volume to the PTV Volume was on average 1.27 for RT and …

Ctni N-Terminal Deletion: An Agent For Rescuing Restrictive Cardiomyopathy, A Disease Caused By Mutations Of Cardiac Troponin I, Cecile A. Getfield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) is represented in part by left ventricular stiffness and diastolic dysfunction. Missense mutations of the cardiac troponin I (cTnI) gene cause idiopathic RCM. These mutations are located in the C-terminus of cTnI and affect cardiac relaxation. Transgenic mouse models presenting the pathology observed in clinical patients with RCM have been generated previously and express the mutant cTnI in their hearts. RCM-linked mutations increase cardiac myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity and promote diastolic dysfunction in the heart. Previous studies using double transgenic mice (cTnI/R193H/ND) showed that ventricular relaxation is enhanced in the cTnI/R193H transgenic mice. In this study, another double …

Dante’S Lucifer In The Commedia: Music, Pride, And The Corruption Of The Divine, Rosina P. Zimmer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

The entity of Lucifer has long been an area of study and confusion throughout history. Among notable literary minds, Dante Alighieri stands out as an illuminating poet who brings to light the essence and nature of this nefarious character and his influence on mankind. In his revelatory work, the Commedia, Dante touches on but does not explicitly detail the scope and importance that music and specifically, song, has on the redemptive purgation of the soul. This work provides a more in depth investigation into the generally overlooked issue, that is, the origin and initial intent of song, the perversion of …

Deans Of Students As Crisis Managers: Perceptions Of Roles And Leadership Competencies In 12 Public Higher Education Institutions In Florida, Deloris Benjamin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

This mixed methods study collected data from a sample of Deans of Students in the Florida State University System (SUS). The study sought to determine deans of students’ definitions for crisis and crisis management with an analysis of the institutional chain of command for a more in depth understanding of crisis management response processes. The study also sought to identify development levels of deans of students’ leadership competencies as crisis managers, gauge crisis management training frequencies for each dean of students as it related to 14 crisis scenarios commonly found on higher education campuses, and identify crisis management program foci …

Design And Implementation Of Driver Drowsiness Detection System, Aleksandar Colic

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

There is a substantial amount of evidence that suggests that driver drowsiness plays a significant role in road accidents. Alarming recent statistics are raising the interest in equipping vehicles with driver drowsiness detection systems. This dissertation describes the design and implementation of a driver drowsiness detection system that is based on the analysis of visual input consisting of the driver's face and eyes. The resulting system combines off-the-shelf software components for face detection, human skin color detection and eye state classification in a novel way. It follows a behavioral methodology by performing a non-invasive monitoring of external cues describing a …

Detection And Classification Of Marine Mammal Sounds, Mahdi Esfahanian

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

Ocean is home to a large population of marine mammals such as dolphins and whales and concerns over anthropogenic activities in the regions close to their habitants have been increased. Therefore the ability to detect the presence of these species in the field, to analyze and classify their vocalization patterns for signs of distress and distortion of their communication calls will prove to be invaluable in protecting these species. The objective of this research is to investigate methods that automatically detect and classify vocalization patterns of marine mammals. The first work performed is the classification of bottlenose dolphin calls by …

Digital Music Streaming In The 21st Century: The Music Industry Becomes Radio-Active, Kaitlyn Paradise

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

Digital music streaming websites have taken over the musical landscape. While the digital music market is booming, both data and time have revealed that the current system as it exists will not provide a sustainable future for creators of content or for technology companies. Although some consumers are willing to pay for content they can access for free, many are still enjoying content without paying. Both the technology companies and creators of content have sacrificed to meet consumer demands, but the technology companies have been too willing to make creators of content be the ones paying for ‘free.’ Recent legislative …

Develpmental Partnerships: Understanding And Modeling Developmental Relationships In The 21st Century, Bryan Joab Deptula

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

The present research introduces a framework for multiplex developmental partnerships. First, using a qualitative case study methodology, I found that developmental partnerships are dyadic multiplex relationships involving flexible and permeable intra-relational role boundaries, comprised of interdependent dyad partners. I integrated role theory and social interdependence theory to help understand the affective, behavioral, and cognitive interdependence dimensions present in developmental partnerships. Analysis of interviews revealed that each dimension of interdependence is associated with a specific intra-relational role: companion, collaborator, and balanced developer. Second, I created a measure, the Developmental Partnerships Inventory. Results indicate the new measure demonstrates adequately reliability and validity …

Disordered Caffeination: A Biocultural Analysis Of Adverse Reactions To Caffeine, Carlyn M. Porter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

While coffee culture has long since been positively associated with intellectual and working life, the health and safety of its primary stimulant, caffeine, has recently fallen under scrutiny by the FDA. This medical anthropology thesis provides a biocultural synthesis of caffeine culture, health effects, and biological variation in adverse effects related to pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics. Supporting evidence for variation in responses to caffeine was found through surveying 100 participants, investigating caffeine consumption levels, perceptions and health beliefs, adverse effects experienced, and medical encounters. Increased rates of adverse effects were found for students, pharmaceutical and over-the-counter drug users, and for participants …

Determining Functionality And Living Patterns: A Phosphate Analysis Of Two Prehistoric Structures In Río Blanco, Ecuador, Brittany L. Reneau

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

Archaeologists have identified many prehistoric structures affiliated with the Manteño culture (500 CE to 1532 CE) of coastal Ecuador, but the function of those constructions is rarely understood. As part of an ongoing project by Florida Atlantic University to explore the function of these buildings, I conducted systematic soil phosphate testing in and around two archaeological structures and, for ethnoarchaeological comparison, four contemporary households. The two prehistoric structures are located 200 meters from each other and on two different river terraces within the same river valley. They are part of a larger site (C4-084). I found clear spatial patterning in …

Dosimetric Comparison Of Inverse Planning By Simulated Annealing (Ipsa) And Dosepoints Optimized Treatment Plans In High Dose Rate (Hdr) Brachytherapy Of Skin Lesions Using Freiburg Flap Applicator, Bereket Tewolde Ghebremichael

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

A detailed dosimetric comparison between Inverse Planning by Simulated Annealing (IPSA) and Dose Points (DP) optimized treatment plans has been performed for High Dose Rate (HDR) brachytherapy of skin lesions using Freiburg Flap applicator in order to find out whether or not IPSA offers better clinical dosimetric outcomes for lesions categorized into four different curvatures. Without compromising target coverage, IPSA reduced the volume of Planning Target Volume (lesion) that received at least 125% of the prescription dose on average by 41%. It also reduced the volume of the healthy skin surrounding the lesion that receives at least 100% of the …

Does Leadership Matter?: The Relationship Of School Leadership To A Safe School Climate,Bullying, And Fighting In Middle School, Jonathan M. Leff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a relationship between transformational principal leadership style, a safe school climate, and school safety (specifically, the number of reported fights and reported bullying incidents) in Broward County, Florida’s middle schools. This study also investigated if a relationship exists between transformational leadership and a safe school climate, transformational leadership, and the number of bullying incidents and student fights, and a safe school climate and the number of bullying incidents and student fights. The study surveyed 12 middle schools located in a large, urban district in south Florida. Principal leadership …

Documentary Theatre: Pedagogue And Healer With Their Voices Raised, Kathryn M. Morris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

The beginning of the new millennium finds documentary theatre serving as teacher and “healer” to those suffering and in need. By providing a thought provoking awareness of the “other,” it offers a unique lens with which to examine the socio-political similarities and differences between various cultures and ethnicities in order to promote intercultural understanding. Documentary is also used by teachers, therapists, and researchers as a tool for healing. By sharing personal stories of trauma and illness with others who are experiencing similar difficulties, emotional pains are alleviated and fears are assuaged. Documentary theatre has expanded in definition from the “epic …

Effects Of The Four Pillars On Statewide High School Graduation Rates, Harry M. Daniel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

This study investigated the relationship of statewide high school graduation rates of student ethnic groups from 2002 to 2006 to the four policy pillars of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001: Accountability for Results; Expanded Flexibility and Local Control; Expanded Options for Parents, Strengthening Teacher Quality. The quantitative, non-experimental, multivariate, correlational design addressed four research questions and six hypotheses. The research population was composed of high school students in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The predictor variables were the four policy pillars themselves. Data were collected through archival reports from the Education Commission of …

Durability Of A Recycled Aggregate Concrete Base Course Material Under Coupled Environmental Exposure And Cyclic, Lillian Gonzalez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

Long term durability is a major concern for wide-scale use of recycled aggregate materials in civil engineering construction. The purpose of this study is to provide an insight into the damaging effects of combined wet-dry cycles and repeated mechanical loading in a recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) base course material made from recycled crushed concrete aggregate and cement. A coordinated experimental program followed by a mechanistic pavement modeling and life cycle analysis was conducted as part of this research study. This laboratory investigation was divided into three phases each consisting of both wet-dry exposed specimens (WD), and control or non wet-dry …

Electromagnetic Field Emissions From Underwater Power Cables, Christopher Dibiasio

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

This study is performed as a partial aid to a larger study that aims to determine if electromagnetic fields produced by underwater power cables have any effect on marine species. In this study, a new numerical method for calculating magnetic fields around subsea power cables is presented and tested. The numerical method is derived from electromagnetic theory, and the program, Matlab, is implemented in order to run the simulations. The Matlab code is validated by performing a series of tests in which the theoretical code is compared with other previously validated magnetic field solvers. Three main tests are carried out; …

Ecosystem Health And Environmental Influences On Innate Immune Function In The Loggerhead (Caretta Caretta) And Green (Chelonia Mydas) Sea Turtle, Patricia L. Sposato

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green (Chelonia mydas) turtles recruit to nearshore environments as juveniles. These often degraded habitats are associated with emerging diseases such as green turtle fibropapillomatosis (GTFP), however there are few studies on immune function in sea turtles. The objective of this research was to quantify phagocytosis of the innate immune system by flow cytometry and compare levels between animals from a degraded habitat (the Indian River Lagoon, FL) to a more pristine environment (the Trident Basin, Port Canaveral, FL), and across a range of temperatures. While in vitro temperatures did not alter rates of phagocytosis, it was …

An Implementation Of The Ieee 1609.4 Wave Standard For Use In A Vehicular Networking Testbed, Kyle Kuffermann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

We present an implementation of the IEEE WAVE (Wireless Access in Vehicular Environments) 1609.4 standard, Multichannel Operation. This implementation provides concurrent access to a control channel and one or more service channels, enabling vehicles to communicate among each other on multiple service channels while still being able to receive urgent and control information on the control channel. Also included is functionality that provides over-the-air timing synchronization, allowing participation in alternating channel access in the absence of a reliable time source. Our implementation runs on embedded Linux and is built on top of IEEE 802.11p, as well as a customized device …