Digital Commons Network^™

Ecological Impacts Of Invasive Crayfish In A Naïve Riparian System, Gregor L. Hamilton

Biology ETDs

Aquatic and riparian food webs are inextricably linked. In deserts, they provide critical energy subsidies to surrounding terrestrial food webs, but these vital subsidies are not guaranteed; streams in arid lands are especially sensitive to perturbations. In this dissertation, I investigated the role of an oft-cited threat to stream communities in the lower Colorado River basin: non-native crayfish. I contributed to methodologies in passive integrated transponder use and length-weight relationships in crayfish to aid future research. I leveraged stable isotope analysis of δ¹⁵N, δ¹³C, and δ²H to understand crayfish role in the food webs. …

Predictors And Characteristics Of Rib Fracture Following Sbrt For Lung Tumors, Michael P. Carducci, Baskaran Sundaram, Benjamin Greenberger, Maria Werner-Wasik, Gregory C. Kane

Department of Radiology Faculty Papers

Background: The utilization of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is increasing for primary and secondary lung neoplasms. Despite encouraging results, SBRT is associated with an increased risk of osteoradionecrosis-induced rib fracture. We aimed to (1) evaluate potential clinical, demographic, and procedure-related risk factors for rib fractures and (2) describe the radiographic features of post-SBRT rib fractures.

Methods: We retrospectively identified 106 patients who received SBRT between 2015 and 2018 for a primary or metastatic lung tumor with at least 12 months of follow up. Exclusion criteria were incomplete records, previous ipsilateral thoracic radiation, or relevant prior trauma. Computed tomography (CT) …

Predicting Groundwater Spring Locations From Topographic And Climatic Data Using Maxent Modeling, Ayten Ece Koc

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The World Resources Institute reveals that 17 countries face extremely high levels of water stress. Moreover, with increasing population and industrialization, the gap between water supply and demand increases day by day around the world. Groundwater is a key freshwater source, and springs are important resources as they enable to access groundwater. Therefore, it is crucial to monitor, protect, and manage groundwater springs. The first step in spring management is to recognize and define freshwater resources and to determine the locations of groundwater springs that serve as natural discharge points. Traditionally, field studies have been employed to determine the locations …

Ecological Stability Of Late Pleistocene-To-Holocene Lesotho, Southern Africa, Facilitated Human Upland Habitation, Robert Patalano, Charles Arthur, William Christopher Carleton, Sam Challis, Genevieve Dewar, Kasun Gayantha, Gerd Glexiner, Jana Ilgner, Mary Lucas, Sara Marzo, Rethabile Mokhachane, Kyra Pazan, Diana Spurite, Mike W. Morley, Adrian Parker, Peter Mitchell, Brian A. Stewart, Patrick Roberts

Biological and Biomedical Sciences Department Faculty Journal Articles

Investigation of Homo sapiens’ palaeogeographic expansion into African mountain environments are changing the understanding of our species’ adaptions to various extreme Pleistocene climates and habitats. Here, we present a vegetation and precipitation record from the Ha Makotoko rockshelter in western Lesotho, which extends from ~60,000 to 1,000 years ago. Stable carbon isotope ratios from plant wax biomarkers indicate a constant C3-dominated ecosystem up to about 5,000 years ago, followed by C4 grassland expansion due to increasing Holocene temperatures. Hydrogen isotope ratios indicate a drier, yet stable, Pleistocene and Early Holocene compared to a relatively wet Late Holocene. Although relatively …

What Constitutes A Community? A Co-Occurrence Exploration Of The Costa Rican Avifauna, Mélusine F. Velde, Elizabeth M. Besozzi, Billi A. Krochuk, Kate M. Henderson, Brian R. Tsuru, Sara Velásquez Restrepo, Holly M. Garrod, Jacob C. Cooper

Neotropical Biodiversity

No abstract provided.

Physiological And Transcriptomic Responses Of Two Artemisia Californica Populations To Drought: Implications For Restoring Drought-Resilient Native Communities, Hagop S. Atamian Dr., Jennifer L. Funk

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

As climate change brings drier and more variable rainfall patterns to many arid and semi-arid regions, land managers must re-assemble appropriate plant communities for these conditions. Transcriptome sequencing can elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying plant responses to changing environmental conditions, potentially enhancing our ability to screen suitable genotypes and species for restoration. We examined physiological and morphological traits and transcriptome sequences of coastal and inland populations of California sagebrush (Artemisia californica), a critical shrub used to restore coastal sage scrub vegetation communities, grown under low and high rainfall environments. The populations are located approximately 36 km apart but …

Exploring Niche Alteration In Nonprofit Organizations, Duncan J. Mayer, Robert L. Fischer

Faculty Scholarship

The organizational niche is a concept integral to organizational ecology, reflecting an organization’s mission, expertise, capacity, and resource requirements. The choice of niche is crucial to the viability of the organization; however, the reasons organizations alter their niche are poorly understood. We hypothesize that nonprofit organizations alter their niche to reduce environmental pressure and gain access to resources. The results indicate that niche alteration predicts increases in total revenue with average increases in revenue from program services and contributions (depending on the measure). Additionally, nonprofits that are younger, larger, and have more concentrated revenue, are more likely to alter their …

Accommodations Needed For Asd Patients During Dental Care, Krystal Eischen Olsen

Undergraduate Student Symposium

This project aimed to investigate caregiver perspective regarding dental provider care for visits for their child[ren] with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD is a developmental disorder that affects communication, sensory processing, and behavior. ASD can cause problems regarding oral health care and treatments due to the overwhelming sensations experienced by the patient, resulting in refusal behaviors regarding prevention, maintenance, diagnosis, and treatment of oral health care needs (Zhou et al., 2020). Dental providers aren’t extensively trained on treatment or support techniques recommended for this population, leading to a drop-off in patient care and a lack of caregiver training or support …

A Review Of Healthcare-Related Decisions Faced By Women At Risk For Hereditary Breast Cancer, Rathika Manikandan, Ilan Nedjar

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Hereditary breast cancer is defined as cancer that results from pathogenic mutations that are generationally inherited. In the U.S., hereditary cancer accounts for 5-10% of all cancer cases. Furthermore, approximately 264,000 newly diagnosed breast cancer cases are linked to pathogenic mutations. Pathogenic mutations in BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, and other genes are linked to a higher lifetime risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer; women with these pathogenic mutations have lifetime risk of breast cancer up to 85% and lifetime risk of ovarian cancer up to 54% . Previvors are defined as individuals with an identified pathogenic mutation prior to a …

A Simple Method To Assess Porphyrin Basicity Using Competition Studies, Pranav Madadi, Ofek Gur, Ayush Desai

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Competition studies of three freebase porphyrins (H2OEP, H2OETPP, and H2TPP) were carried to assess their basicities. These porphyrins were selected because they are a good representation of natural occurring ones. In each experiment, the resultant UV-vis spectra were obtained by mixing and analyzing two porphyrins in a double-sided cuvette in which one was protonated using either trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) or hydrochloric acid (HCl) while the other was kept as a freebase. After mixing, the two porphyrins “compete” available protons, thus the most basic of them will acquire most of the protons. By adjusting the ratios of dications and freebases we …

A Search For A Solution To Antibiotic-Resistance: Uncovering Phage From Soil Samples That Bind To A Type Iii Secretion System Of Yersinia Pestis, Shruti Patel, Ritika Vonguru, Kenya Reid, Jewel Mousa, Megha Kurian

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has recently become a major global health concern, requiring new methods to successfully combat these highly resistant microbes. One promising alternative to traditional antibiotics is phage therapy, where bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) are utilized to target and kill bacteria. This study primarily focuses on discovering phages that are effective against Yersinia pestis (Y. pestis), the bacteria responsible for bubonic and pneumonic plague. One distinctive aspect of Y. pestis is its utilization of a type III secretion system (T3SS), a needle-like structure used to inject host cells with toxins that lead to infection. …

Acute Toxicity Study Of Novel Melanoma Actives In Mice, Trisha Seal, Samaya Danthurthy

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Although there have been promising advances in melanoma drug discovery, the average overall survival of patients with late-stage metastatic melanoma is approximately 3 years, which suggests a need for identifying new melanoma targets. We previously reported a discovery of melanoma actives acting via binding and down regulating human nuclear ribonuclear protein H1/H2 (hnRNP H1/H2), which is a novel target with unknown toxicity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to study the safety of novel anti-melanoma compounds 2155-14 and 2155-18 in mice. The methodology of the study involved injecting male and female Balb/C mice three times a week for three …

Are Students In Broward County, Fl, Who Get Less Sleep More Likely To Experience Depressive Symptoms?, Kelly Nyman, Alissa Lopez, Lauren Herrera

Undergraduate Student Symposium

It is commonly known that sleep can significantly affect overall health in both physical and mental states, but can getting less sleep be an attributing factor to high school students experiencing symptoms of depression? In this study, we will determine whether less sleep is associated with feelings of sadness or hopelessness which are common symptoms of depression. Finding a link between the two could allow us to implement sleep education programs that would lower rates of depression in high school students. Using data collected from the 2019 YRBSS from Broward County, Florida, data was run comparing high school students who …

An Optimal Strategy For Using Mixture-Based Combinatorial Library Data To Find T-Cell Epitopes, Sofia Celis

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Positional scanning libraries are well established in their use for peptide sequence identification and binding site optimization. Their use in identifying T cell stimulatory peptides has also previously been explored. Here we present a retrospective analysis on the results of mixture based positional scanning libraries of T-cell stimulatory peptides done before 2019 in order to identify an optimal strategy for using mixture based combinatorial library data to find T cell epitopes. The screening of positional scanning libraries against CD4+ and CD8+ T cell clones was analyzed using biometrical analysis approaches of various kinds in order to evaluate their relative effectiveness …

Analysis Of Errors In Ecgs Data Captured By Patients Using At-Home Device Compared To Qualified Healthcare Professionals, Colin Pulickathadam

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 17.3 million deaths per year. General at-home care has been proven to improve patient outcomes and decrease hospitalization rates. The purpose of this presentation is to present pilot data results comparing the electrocardiogram (ECG) readability from patients and their caregivers, who conducted at-home ECGs in the experimental group, versus data on ECG readability from patients at routine office visits, where a qualified healthcare professional takes the ECG readings as the control group. The pilot data involves a sample of 20 patients’ 105 ECG records analyzed using SPSS with …

Assessing Social Humanoid Interaction Across Levels Of Trust, Persuasion, And Empathy, Expert Panel Survey Validation, Nitya Alaparthy, Brigitte Wodrich

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Social humanoids present a wide range of opportunities regarding interactions with humans with the purpose of using artificial intelligence systems to aid with day-to-day activities. Humanoids can be programmed to provide high levels of intelligence for task fulfillment such as assisting caregivers/patients, washing human limbs autonomously, assisting with lift-and-transfer patients, and even delivering blood samples. Additional tasks include carrying objects, opening doors, operating telehealth consultations, providing demonstrations, coaching, and serving companionship for any patients. Researchers are assessing the interactions between social humanoids and patients across levels of trust, persuasion, and empathy. This project aims to explore such interactions in the …

Assessment Of Brain Function And Putting Performance Of Collegiate Golfers, Marissa Bonsangue

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Electroencephalography (EEG) is a noninvasive method for assessing brain activity. Significant correlation has been indicated between performance outcome and brain wave measures. During a putting sequence, a golfer requires significant focus to successfully perform the skill, therefore certain brain wave frequencies are more apparent. Male and female golfers (n = 11) from a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II Program were asked to complete 10 putts at 5 varied hole distances (total- 50 putts) on an outdoor putting surface. EEG was recorded in 4-second epochs and assessed to the extent of power spectral density (PSD). Each epoch was classified …

Assessment Of Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus Polyphemus) Activity And Faunal Diversity Associated With Tortoise Burrows Using Trail Cameras At Three South Florida Natural Areas, Reginald Kempson Iii, Indaya Byer, Grace Mikus, Emma Pinard, Hiba Ali

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is a protected keystone species found in our area. The excavated burrows they create are shelter for hundreds of commensal species during wildfires and extreme heat. Nine motion-activated trail cameras (three at each site) were mounted outside burrows in three local natural areas (Fern Forest (FF), Military Trail (MT), and Deerfield Island Park (DI)). Pictures and videos of animals were recorded at burrow entrances intermittently over an 11-month period between January 2022 and November 2022. Cameras were left in the field between 15-30 days at a time before retrieval and exchange of SD …

Association Between School Mental Health And Suicide Prevention Education Policies And Adolescent Suicide Attempts, Sonia Rao

Undergraduate Student Symposium

In the past ten years, the intensity and complexity of declining mental health has been on the rise among high school students. This increasing trend may impact the rates at which students consider or even attempt suicide. In 2019, 10,520 of high school students in the United States reported attempting suicide out of which 8,749 (83.2%) needed medical attention. The current ecological study investigates the association between state-level mental and emotional health education and suicide prevention education policies to suicide attempts among high school students. Secondary data collected from the CDC’s Youth Behavior Risk Surveillance System (YRBSS) and National Association …

Associations Between Minority Status, Culture, And Mental Health Help-Seeking, Ariana Ali, Zahra Aziz, Samhita Doranala, Shannon Parma M.S.

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Many cultural attitudes foster a stigma towards mental health. Mental health stigma within minority cultures often leads to limited mental health-related conversations within households, due to the “taboo” nature of the topic. Lack of familial openness can influence an individual’s attitudes and behaviors toward mental health care. This study aims to investigate whether differences exist between minority and White students and mental health help-seeking behaviors and perceived cultural openness to mental health.

A cross-sectional study was conducted as part of a mental health literacy project at a private university in South Florida. We examine the relationship of cultural and familial …

Awareness Of Autism In Black And Brown Communities, Varun Kota

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects a multitude of races and ethnicities as its impact varies from person to person. ASD is typically diagnosed around the age of two to three years old since signs and symptoms of Autism become clinically apparent at that time. Increased reporting of Autism in local communities has surged from diagnostic tools and criteria. However, even with these advancements, the African American community suffers a delayed diagnosis of ASD. This issue poses problems for both the parents and children with Autism and has broader implications for the South Florida community; opportunities are limited for developmental services …

Behavioral Responses Of Aplysia Californica To Three Amino Acids, Adrian Ditore

Undergraduate Student Symposium

For the sea slug Aplysia californica, chemical detection allows the location of food, avoidance of predators, and ability to encounter potential mates. This is an important sensory modality because other sensory structures (optical and acoustic) are limited. It is hypothesized that food is detected via concentration gradients of specific food-derived amino acids in the water column. This study examines the behavioral reactions of Aplysia to L-alanine, L-serine, and L-methionine at a concentration of 20 mM in contrast to a food stimulus. Test subjects were placed in an aquarium and 50 mL of the amino acid was added near the …

Biopiracy: The Exploitation Of Medicinal Plants From Countries And Communities, James Murray

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Biopiracy is the appropriation of knowledge and biological resources of medicinal plants from indigenous communities. In addition, researchers and organizations secure patents over medicinal plants resulting in a monopoly over the use of them. This has caused local communities where the plant originated from to be excluded from proper financial compensation. Many people are unaware of what biopiracy is and how it may negatively impact communities. The goal of this project is to raise awareness about biopiracy and its harmful effects on indigenous communities. I will discuss two plant species widely known for their medicinal capabilities in the local communities …

Body Composition Metrics In Offensive And Defensive Football Players Training For The Nfl Combine, Arzoo Hassanzada, Angie Dusak

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Previous research has examined body composition in football players. However, there is minimal research comparing body composition differences in offensive (O) and defensive (D) football players training for the NFL Combine. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to compare body composition in O and D football players. 28 football players (O n=13; D n = 15) were used for this study. Body composition testing was conducted using a non- invasive InBody (InBody770) scan as football players followed the manufacturer’s testing protocol. An independent samples T-Test was used to examine group differences. All statistics were analyzed using statistical analysis software …

Boldness And Endurace In Wild And Domesticated Sailfin Mollies, Claire Scobie

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Environment is known to influence physiological and behavioral differences, even within the same species. We compared the boldness and endurance levels of sailfin mollies (Poecilia latipinna) from domestic environments (pet stores) and wild habitats. We caught wild sailfin mollies from several freshwater sites in the South Florida area and purchased sailfin mollies from pet stores. We then used a boldness testing apparatus with a shelter and obstacles, recording each trial in a series of images. The time fish spent in latency (within the shelter while doors were open) was recorded and the recording of movement around the tank …

Characterization Of Marine Communities Associated With Peanut Island Boulder Reefs: An Educational Outreach Project, Gabriel Droz, Andrew Kuntz, Elena Brooks, Emma Horton, James Puentes, Marlin Postlewait, Morgan Pfeifer

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Peanut Island attracts thousands of Florida residents and out of state visitors annually to enjoy the beaches and snorkel the nearshore marine habitat. The island was created from spoil dredged during the creation of Lake Worth Inlet. The periphery of the island was designated as a county park and includes a manmade boulder reef easily accessible from shore. Few resources are available for visitors to identify the various marine creatures. Surveys using Go Pro camera videos and photos were conducted monthly during high tide between August and November 2022. The data was used to identify and enumerate the fishes and …

Cocaine Use Among White Pregnant Women With Unmet Clinical Depression In The U.S., Calah Martin, Kristen Hay, Militza Mckissick

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Unmet clinical depression during pregnancy could lead women to have an increased risk and prevalence of misusing substances, including cocaine. This is significant in public health because cocaine misuse among pregnant women has been linked to extremely negative health consequences for women and their babies. The objective of this study is to interpret how unmet mental health needs, such as clinical depression, could lead to white pregnant women in the U.S. using cocaine during their pregnancy. It is hypothesized that cocaine misuse during pregnancy could be caused by increased pre-existing symptoms of depression before pregnancy, which then affects their emotional …

Comparing Effectiveness Of Aducanumab And Gantenurumab On Reducing Amyloid-Beta Plaques, Nikhila Paleati, Akhil Godbole, Pranav R. Neravetla

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a degenerative neurological disorder that destroys memory and other important cognitive functions. As time progresses, brain cell connections, as well as the brain cells themselves, atrophy and die. AD is caused by a missense mutation in the amyloid-beta peptide within the amyloid precursor protein (APP). The mutation results in glutamine being replaced with glutamic acid. Previously conducted studies showed that mutated forms of the amyloid-beta peptide fragment have a greater tendency to stick together and form protein clumps or aggregates. The abnormal build-up of aggregates in and around the brain cells has been found to be …

Comparison Of Behavior Of Mangrove Mosquitofish Across Their Range And Identification Of Their Hybridization With Eastern Mosquitofish Using Genital Morphology, Rose Leeger

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The Mangrove Mosquitofish is found in many brackish and freshwater ecosystems surrounding southeast Florida and Cuba. Historical range distribution in Florida has found these fish solely in the Florida Keys and parts of Miami. This research provides an update to the northernmost range that Mangrove Mosquitofish have been observed. As the name implies, Mangrove Mosquitofish reside in areas of critical habitat: Mangrove Forests. These forests are constantly battling habitat loss and reduction due to increased urbanization in native areas. Mangrove Mosquitofish are poecillid fish species with a modified anal fin called a “gonopodium” that allows for internal fertilization. This research …

Comparison Of Two Methods Of Post-Activtion Performance Enhancement On Symmetry And Power Output In Elite American Football Players, Robert Rocanelli, Morgan Siegel

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Post-activation potentiation performance enhancement (PAPE) refers to acute power increases after near maximal load exercise (e.g., jumps after heavy squats). Maximum effort (ME; low volume, slow bar speeds, high loads) and dynamic effort (DE; high volume, fast bar speeds, moderate loads) are two PAPE training methods. We sought to determine the influence of training method across sets in peak power (PP;W/kg), reactive strength (RS; m/s), jump height (JH; in.), and interlimb asymmetry in eccentric (EIA; %) and concentric (CIA; %) jump phases. Twenty-eight players training for the National Football League draft were separated into ME (n=13, age, 22.9 ±0.9 yrs, …