Digital Commons Network^™

Chopped By A Double-Edged Sword: An Ethnographic Study Of Florida’S Ballroom Scene, Haiwen Yu

Theses & ETDs

In a time of increasing visibility and representation of LGBTQ+ issues, the ballroom community is finding itself thrust into the spotlight. In this thesis I examine these recent changes and their effects on this underground subculture. An account of my own learning process and journey into this community is supplemented with an oral history of the founding of a ballroom scene in the state of Florida. Through in-depth interviews and participant observation, I explore themes of cultural change, exchange, and appropriation as well as authority, performativity, authenticity and sincerity within ballroom. I look at ballroom culture itself, the dynamic of …

Queer As Florida: Sexuality And Gender Diversity In The Sunshine State, Hal Trejo

Theses & ETDs

This thesis explores the connections between identity and materiality, and seeks to understand how this research might best be disseminated using museum design. Chapter one discusses the importance of vulnerable researchers, and the life-saving potential of research that centers gender and sexuality. The second chapter introduces the concept of Flintstonification, and wrestles with the issue of contemporary frameworks being overlaid on the past. The third chapter provides transcribed portions of oral history interviews, as well as discussions surrounding identity and belongings. The fourth chapter discusses the construction of the exhibit portion of this thesis, with a brief exploration of methodology …

Conservation Genetics Of The Florida Duskywing Skipper (Ephyriades Brunnea), Amanda Markee

Theses & ETDs

In light of exponentially increasing human influences on the environment, there has never been a more important time for endangered species conservation. Likewise, as the negative effects of climate change continue to alter abiotic and biotic factors which allow species to persist, habitat specialists are explicitly at risk of becoming endangered. Habitat fragmentation is occurring synergistically in the presence of human development, which restricts gene flow, causing higher instances of negative genetic consequences. In rare specialized species, these consequences can more often than not lead to extirpation, or in the worst cases, extinction. The Florida Duskywing butterfly (Ephyriades brunnea) is …

The Effects Of Altitude On Asthma And Investigation Of Traditional Andean Treatments, Ian Imants Pumpurs

Theses & ETDs

Due to asthma’s high prevalence worldwide, it is important to understand how environmental factors such as elevation affect the expression of the disease in order to ultimately improve the quality of life of sufferers. This study reviews the biological basis of the disease and examines the impact that low and high altitude have on the expression and severity of asthmatic symptoms. This review was conducted by examining published articles assessing asthma in specific communities located at various elevations. There were notable differences in the severity of asthmatic symptoms among children and adult populations in these communities. It was determined that …

Keep Calm And Cyclo On: A Synthesis Of Cyclic Carbonates Through The Cycloaddition Of Carbon Dioxide And Epoxides, Rowan Brower

Theses & ETDs

In this work, the conversion of carbon dioxide into cyclic carbonates via cycloaddition involving epoxides with 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulphate as the catalyst is performed. These reactions have a potential atom economy of more than 99.9% and the ionic liquid catalysts are effective green reagents as they can be easily separated and reused after each reaction. The starting point for this work is based on previous experiments by K. Jasiak and A. Siewniak at the Silesian University of Technology in which carbon dioxide is reacted with propylene oxide in the presence of eight different ionic liquids. Important targets of this research …

Synthesizing Bn2tcma For Use In An Oxalate Degrading Enzyme Model, Riley Lewis

Theses & ETDs

Oxalate is a naturally occurring organic compound found in plants, bacteria, and fungi. In humans, excessive oxalate consumption is toxic and can cause numerous health issues such as kidney stones, and cardiological disorders. While humans do not contain any oxalate-degrading enzymes, many plants, bacteria, and fungi do. Two of the major oxalate digesting enzymes, oxalate oxidase (OXO) and oxalate decarboxylase (OxDc), contain manganese active sites responsible for catalytic activity, which can be of great interest to inorganic chemists. Not much is known about the mechanism of action for oxalate degradation, but deciphering it could have outstanding applications in the medical …

A Literary And Visual Analysis Of Extinction In The Anthropocene: Focus On Puma Concolor Coryi (Young And Goldman 1946) And Cyclargus Thomasi Bethunbakeri (W.P Comstock And Huntington 1943), Dani Patarroyo-Avila

Theses & ETDs

As growing evidence demonstrates the increased rates of biodiversity loss, methods and efforts for conservation are required to ameliorate flora and fauna devastation. My aim with this thesis is to review current biological and ecological barriers against the conservation of species, focusing on two recent case studies within Florida. Additionally, I consider the influence of visual conduits of conservation promotion for education and funding. I use previous literature on population loss to focus on the methods and results of new and ongoing conservation projects in regard to the Florida panther, Puma concolour coryi and the Miami blue butterfly, Cyclargus thomasi …

Pre-Existing Conditions: Christianity, Identity, Gender, And Bodily Autonomy, Alice Corinne Leavengood

Theses & ETDs

This art project is a culmination of research in Medieval and Gothic Christian culture, coupled with contemporary politics and social commentary on gender, identity, sexual freedom, and reproductive rights. Through an examination of the culture wars and development of the Religious Right and rise of anti-abortion propaganda, my thesis explores political iconography as a way to reaffirm personal freedom relating to gender, identity, and reproductive rights. Stained glass windows are simulated through screen printing on Plexiglass, a new technique of my own creation. Depicting narratives concerning the oppression of queer and female-bodied people and the need for the feminist and …

Investigation Of The Effects Of Conservation Management Involving Gopher Tortoises (Gopherus Polyphemus) On The Scrublands Of The University Of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee Campus, Cassandra B. Detrio-Darby

Theses & ETDs

Gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) play a crucial role in the habitats they live in. As a keystone species, the burrows they dig provide shelter for over 300 other species. Through habitat loss, fragmentation, and exploitation, gopher tortoise populations have been declining. To study how certain conservation strategies affect smaller populations in fragmented areas, this study observed the changes to the gopher tortoise population at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee (USFSM) Campus, referencing a former New College thesis from 2004. The thesis also mentioned a co-occurring, currently endangered plant species, Tillandsia utriculata, so this was also included in this study. …

Dynamics Of Outcrossing, Selfing, And Inbreeding Depression In Conjunction With Species Rarity In Polygala Lewtonii, An Endangered Florida Scrub Endemic, Elena Meyer

Theses & ETDs

Polygala lewtonii is an endemic, endangered Florida native with a highly fragmented population, and low levels of genetic diversity. In this thesis, I aim to improve our understanding of the mating system of P. lewtonii, and how the dynamics of that mating system are impacted by species rarity. In doing this, I will be working with a combination of both ecological and genetic data. First, I will be using ecological data from a genotyped population of P. lewtonii to assess if there is an observable differential in fitness between individuals of P. lewtonii based on their levels of genetic diversity …

The Role Of Laryngeal Physiology In Generating Xenopus Muelleri Vocalizations, Kelly Elizabeth South

Theses & ETDs

Understanding the mechanisms underlying the evolution of behaviors relies on identifying modifications to neural and muscular circuit physiology. Male African clawed frogs (Xenopus) produce species specific advertisement calls that vary in temporal complexity. Species that produce temporally simplified advertisement calls (X. borealis and X. boumbaensis) utilize different laryngeal mechanisms for generating these calls. Unlike X. boumbaensis, X. borealis faithfully converts neural stimulation into muscle contractions that mirror call temporal patterns. To understand whether this mechanism is conserved, I examined X. muelleri, a close relative of X. borealis, which produces advertisement calls of intermediate complexity. After recording vocalizations from live frogs, …

Autonomic Nervous System Response To Speech Production In Stuttering And Normally Fluent Preschool-Age Children, Victoria Tumanova, Nicole Backes

Communication Sciences and Disorders - All Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Undergraduate Academic Programs Overview 2019, Nova Southeastern University

Undergraduate Programs Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Bachelor Of Science-Applied Professional Studies 2019-2020, Nova Southeastern University

Undergraduate Programs Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Farquhar's Honors College, Nova Southeastern University

Undergraduate Programs Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Bachelor Of Science-General Studies 2019-2020, Nova Southeastern University

Undergraduate Programs Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

A Pilot Study Of The Relationship Between Childhood Trauma Among Prisoners And The Types Of Crimes Committed By Those Prisoners, Kathleen M. Schaefer

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to examine the stories of childhood trauma of prisoners, the relationship between childhood traumas among prisoners, and the types of crimes committed by those prisoners as adults. Semi-structured interview data and field notes were collected from 24 post-conviction adult felony offenders between the ages of 18 and 65 who experienced at least one type of childhood trauma. The data were analyzed using Rosenthal and Fischer-Rosenthal’s (2004) analysis of narrative data.

The analysis revealed that the severity of childhood trauma may be linked with aggressive behavior, which may result in criminal activity such as crimes …

The Effect Of Moderate Alcohol Consumption On Sodium-Dependent Nutrient Co-Transport In Intestinal Epithelial Cells In Vitro And In Vivo, Molly Rae Butts

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background: Alcohol consumption leads to a variety of different health consequences including cardiovascular disease, cancer and malnutrition. This malnutrition is in part due to a sub-optimal diet but also due to the malabsorption of nutrients along the small intestine. Many studies have shown that ethanol directly decreases nutrient absorption along the small intestine; however, few studies have investigated the effect of a moderate dose of ethanol on the transmembrane nutrient co-transporters that line the brush border membrane of the small intestine. The primary fuel source for the small intestine, glutamine, as well as for the entire body, glucose, are …

Che 682-102: Polymer Structure And Properties, Kathleen Mcennis

Chemical and Materials Engineering Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Che 365-102: Chemical Engineering Computing, Roman Voronov

Chemical and Materials Engineering Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Ene 360-002: Water And Wastewater Engineering, Lucia Rodriguez-Freire

Civil and Environmental Engineering Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Ene 262-006: Introduction To Environmental Engineering, Brook Crossan

Civil and Environmental Engineering Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Ene 262-002: Introduction To Environmental Engineering, Paul Schorr

Civil and Environmental Engineering Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Sts 205-H02: Introduction To Research Methods, Elizabeth Petrick

Humanities Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Ene 262-004: Introduction To Environmental Engineering, Brook Crossan

Civil and Environmental Engineering Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Evaluating The Efficacy Of Systematic Patient Feedback In An Integrated Mental Health And Primary Care Setting, Alex Lengerich

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

The implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA, 2010) has resulted in efforts to make healthcare more affordable and effective. One strategy for making healthcare more affordable and effective is the integration of behavioral health and primary care. In today’s healthcare system, it is estimated that approximately one in three patients seen in a primary care setting meet the criteria for a mental health disorder and another third – while not meeting those criteria – are experiencing psychological symptoms that impair their functioning (Kessler, 2005). Despite the evidence supporting behavioral health services in a primary care setting, treatments tend to …

Person-Environment Interactions: The Psychological Implications Of Behaviors, Confidence, And Self-Efficacy In Falls Management., Lisa S. Roberson

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Strong evidence supports medication review and management, health and safety education, and home modifications as a holistic approach to falls prevention. Current research demonstrates that individual interventions reduce the risk of falls yet do not statistically reduce the number of falls (Gallo, Stelmach, Frigeri, & Ahn, 2018). The problem this Capstone project addressed was the limited psychological considerations, awareness of behaviors, confidence, and self-efficacy, as they relate to falls prevention. These psychological factors have not been previously studied in a single study.

Purpose: To determine the relationship or significance of psychological considerations as they relate to fall prevention. Increase …

Bog Flora In The Grand Rapids, Michigan, Area: A Comparative Study Across Sites And Over Time O 1901 To 2017, Devani Antuma Jolman, Jenna L. Van Donselaar, David P. Warners, Garrett E. Crow

Faculty and Professional Research

Michigan’s natural landscape includes a diverse assemblage of ecosystems, among the most distinctive of which are peatlands, and more specifically, those known colloquially as “bogs.” When botanist Emma J. Cole published the Grand Rapids Flora in 1901, she included a large number of bog species documented in the greater Grand Rapids area (16 townships in two counties, an area of 585 square miles). Cole’s Flora is still the most comprehensive catalog of vascular plants found in West Michigan. This study is part of an ongoing update of Cole’s work undertaken by the Calvin University Herbarium to relocate and inventory Emma …

Floristic Quality Assessments Of Remnant Natural Areas In The Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan Region: Evaluating Botanical Change Since The 1890s, Alan W. Stockdale, Garrett Crow, David P. Warners

Faculty and Professional Research

In 1901, Emma J. Cole, a beloved high school teacher and distinguished botanist, published Grand Rapids Flora. Cole’s floristic inventory remains the most comprehensive botanical study of the greater Grand Rapids, Michigan region, even though this area has experienced significant land- scape alterations since her publication. To address this knowledge gap, in 2014 we embarked on a multiple-year project aimed to discover and reassess the sites Cole described, as well as to catalog other natural remnant locations within the Grand Rapids area. This paper reports botanical invento- ries that were completed at eight sites within Kent County during 2015 and …

Arboretum Annual Report 2019, Miles Schwartz Sax

Annual Reports

No abstract provided.