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- Title
- IN MEDICAL EVIDENCE AND PRACTICE, WHAT LEVEL OF UNCERTAINTY IS ACCEPTABLE?.
- Creator
- Levine, Hannah, Kennedy, Ashley, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
-
This thesis addresses the level of uncertainty in medical evidence and practice and asks if this level is acceptable. Current medical standards consider randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as the best, and most certain, form of evidence. Similarly, medical practice largely relies on differential diagnosis and diagnostic testing to diagnose patients. I will argue that RCTs as well as differential diagnosis and diagnostic testing contribute to uncertainty in medical practice. In the former,...
Show moreThis thesis addresses the level of uncertainty in medical evidence and practice and asks if this level is acceptable. Current medical standards consider randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as the best, and most certain, form of evidence. Similarly, medical practice largely relies on differential diagnosis and diagnostic testing to diagnose patients. I will argue that RCTs as well as differential diagnosis and diagnostic testing contribute to uncertainty in medical practice. In the former, uncertainty stems from lack of representation, elimination of confounding factors, among other issues; while in the latter, uncertainty originates from technological limitations, similarity or variability in presentation, and number of diagnostic possibilities. I will argue that uncertainty in medical evidence and practice can and should be reduced. This can be done by expanding RCT testing and improving it by adding required mechanistic evidence, and by furthering research into better diagnostic technology and training.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00084
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- EFFECTS OF NATURAL AND ANTHROPOGENIC IMPACTS ON THE MICROBIOME OF THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON, FL, USA.
- Creator
- Bradshaw II, David J., McCarthy, Peter J., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
The Indian River Lagoon (IRL) FL, USA, is an Estuary of National Significance due to its economic and high biodiversity. Microbial populations are understudied in the IRL despite their numerous ecological services. A two-year, nineteen-site Lagoon-Wide Survey (LWS) was conducted to provide the first 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing data on the microbiome of the sediment in the IRL and determine how the microbiome changed in response to environmental and anthropogenic factors. The most influential...
Show moreThe Indian River Lagoon (IRL) FL, USA, is an Estuary of National Significance due to its economic and high biodiversity. Microbial populations are understudied in the IRL despite their numerous ecological services. A two-year, nineteen-site Lagoon-Wide Survey (LWS) was conducted to provide the first 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing data on the microbiome of the sediment in the IRL and determine how the microbiome changed in response to environmental and anthropogenic factors. The most influential variables that explained the variability between microbiomes were porewater salinity, total organic matter (TOM), and copper (Cu). These results correlated with some of the anthropogenic pressures the IRL faces such as freshwater discharges from St. Lucie Estuary (SLE), trace metal contamination, and the accumulation of fine-grained, highly organic sediment known as “IRL muck” (muck). Research then focused on determining the microbial differences between three sets of sample types: sediment from the IRL versus the SLE; sediment that had three muck characteristics versus those with zero; and high TOM sediment that had high Cu versus high TOM sediment that had low Cu. Differentially abundant prokaryotes between sample types were determined with novel indicator analysis techniques. One technique tested the effectiveness of an indicator list to separate samples based upon the product of the sensitivity and specificity of partitioning around medoids clustering in comparison to metadata classifications. The other technique allowed for the tracking of changes in the entire indicator microbiome. These new indicator analysis techniques were created using the original LWS data and tested to determine how sediment microbiomes responded during two opportunistic surveys: dredging of muck from an IRL tributary (Eau Gallie River) and Hurricane Irma. These studies have filled the knowledge gap regarding the unknown microbiome of the IRL and how sediment microbiomes respond to extreme events such as dredging and a hurricane. They also led to the development of new indicator analysis techniques that can be used by to track changes in the entire indicator microbiome.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013446
- Subject Headings
- Indian River (Fla. : Lagoon), Microbiota, Anthropogenic effects on nature, Estuarine ecology
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- YOU CAN STILL FALL IN LOVE AT THE END OF THE WORLD.
- Creator
- Buijk, Cherri, McKay, Becka, Florida Atlantic University, Department of English, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
- Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013464
- Subject Headings
- Creative writing, Fiction
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- VISUALIZING NANO-SCALE SYNAPTIC CHANGES DURING SINGLE DENDRITIC SPINE LONG-TERM POTENTIATION BY CORRELATIVE LIGHT AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPY.
- Creator
- Sun, Ye, Yasuda, Ryohei, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Dendritic spines are the major sites for receiving excitatory synaptic inputs and play important roles in neuronal signal transduction, memory storage and neuronal circuit organization. Structural plasticity of dendritic spines is correlated with functional plasticity, and is critical for learning and memory. Visualization of the changes of dendritic spines at the ultrastructural level that specifically correlated with their function changes in high throughput would shed light on detailed...
Show moreDendritic spines are the major sites for receiving excitatory synaptic inputs and play important roles in neuronal signal transduction, memory storage and neuronal circuit organization. Structural plasticity of dendritic spines is correlated with functional plasticity, and is critical for learning and memory. Visualization of the changes of dendritic spines at the ultrastructural level that specifically correlated with their function changes in high throughput would shed light on detailed mechanisms of synaptic plasticity. Here we developed a correlative light and electron microscopy workflow which combines two-photon MNI-glutamate uncaging, pre-embedding immunolabeling, Automatic Tape-collecting Ultramicrotome sectioning and scanning electron microscopy imaging. This method bridges two different visualization platforms, directly linking ultrastructure and function at the level of individual synapses. With this method, we successfully relocated single dendritic spines that underwent long-term potentiation (LTP) induced by two-photon MNI-glutamate uncaging, and visualized their ultrastructures and AMPA receptors distribution at different phases of LTP in high throughput.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013433
- Subject Headings
- Dendritic Spines, Neuroplasticity, Visualization, Microscopy, Long-Term Potentiation--physiology, Neurons--ultrastructure
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- ENTREPRENEURIAL ORIENTATION: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE INTERESTING.
- Creator
- Kloepfer, Kathryn, Neubaum, Donald, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Management, College of Business
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the contingencies that alter the link between entrepreneurial orientation (“EO”; a strategic posture characterized by behaviors and attitudes that display innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking) and firm outcomes. While conceptual claims unite on the belief that firms largely benefit from emphasizing innovation through proactive and risky initiatives, the empirical findings on a positive link between EO and performance are inconclusive....
Show moreThe purpose of this dissertation is to explore the contingencies that alter the link between entrepreneurial orientation (“EO”; a strategic posture characterized by behaviors and attitudes that display innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking) and firm outcomes. While conceptual claims unite on the belief that firms largely benefit from emphasizing innovation through proactive and risky initiatives, the empirical findings on a positive link between EO and performance are inconclusive. As such, several scholars have explored the contingencies that illuminate the boundary conditions to EO, however, most of this research has focused on external contingencies, i.e. those connected to the environment, while internal contingencies, i.e. those connected to the firm, have been fairly disregarded. Not only will the industry and market play a significant role in a firm’s ability to effectively carry out their desired strategic initiatives, so too will firm characteristics, such as communication and culture, as these internal factors are directly related to the level of value created from strategic actions. Therefore, this dissertation is an attempt to further clarify the boundary conditions of EO by focusing on these firm specific attributes. Chapter two, titled “Family communication patterns and entrepreneurial orientation in family firms” exposes the impact of specific family communication patterns on the performance outcomes from an entrepreneurial orientation. This chapter contributes to the corporate entrepreneurship literature, by confining the positive effects of EO to certain firm specific characteristic, as well as to the family business literature by further demonstrating the heterogeneity between family firms. Thereafter, chapter three, titled “Entrepreneurial orientation, organizational culture, and firm performance: The importance of a balanced approach”, argues and tests the importance of organizational culture, as defined by the competing values framework, as a contingency variable of the EO-performance relationship. This empirical chapter exploits a configurational approach, using fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (“fs/QCA”) to analyze the arrangements of different entrepreneurial orientation and organizational cultures that yield superior performance. Through this exploration, I advance research on the EO-performance relationship by integrating the firm’s corporate culture as a means of alleviating concerns with resistance by certain stakeholders to the ambiguity associated with entrepreneurial ventures.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013455
- Subject Headings
- Entrepreneurship, Corporate culture, Performance
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- EEG Topographic Changes in Opioid Use Disorder.
- Creator
- Minnerly, Christopher, Tao, Rui, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine
- Abstract/Description
-
The present study aimed at quantifying the topographic distribution of spectral power as measured with electroencephalogram (EEG) in patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) across five broad band frequencies (δ, θ, α, β, and γ). Through comparative groups of healthy controls, patients with methamphetamine use disorder, and patients with alcohol use disorder, it was determined that OUD EEG spectral power was globally increased in the δ frequency, and more region-specific in others (frontal...
Show moreThe present study aimed at quantifying the topographic distribution of spectral power as measured with electroencephalogram (EEG) in patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) across five broad band frequencies (δ, θ, α, β, and γ). Through comparative groups of healthy controls, patients with methamphetamine use disorder, and patients with alcohol use disorder, it was determined that OUD EEG spectral power was globally increased in the δ frequency, and more region-specific in others (frontal lobes in θ and β frequencies). α frequency was reduced in occipital lobes in OUD. The observed changes are discussed in terms of the microcircuit-level changes in the cortex. Based on these findings, EEG may prove to be a valuable tool for diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of OUD.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013488
- Subject Headings
- Opioid-Related Disorders, Electroencephalography, Brain Mapping
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- WHISPERS FROM THE GHOST HOUSE.
- Creator
- Jones, Symantha, Ward, Julie Anne, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Visual Arts and Art History, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
- Abstract/Description
-
Whispers from the Ghost House is the concrete manifestation of the mutable nature of childhood memory held within the nebulous forms of home. In all of its many incarnations home exists as a construction out of time and space that absorbs the accumulation of life performed around and within its walls. Home is idealized and sought after, both sanctuary and snare. The iterations of home I created are primarily constructed from repurposed materials with inherent histories; unstable and malleable...
Show moreWhispers from the Ghost House is the concrete manifestation of the mutable nature of childhood memory held within the nebulous forms of home. In all of its many incarnations home exists as a construction out of time and space that absorbs the accumulation of life performed around and within its walls. Home is idealized and sought after, both sanctuary and snare. The iterations of home I created are primarily constructed from repurposed materials with inherent histories; unstable and malleable. Cardboard and paper holds the plastic veneer of various mediums to shape, color, and mar surfaces. The home develops an identity as it absorbs each action and material, gradually becoming an entity as well as a receptacle, to both display and obfuscate the nostalgic and the unattainable. Each hardened home becomes a haunted being in which memories interlace and fade away as they transform into the wild twisted houses of reverie.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013477
- Subject Headings
- Visual arts, Art, Mixed media works
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- ENTER THE LABYRINTH: A VR PROCEDURAL PSYCHOLOGICAL NIGHTMARE.
- Creator
- Horvath, John, Maraffi, Christopher, Florida Atlantic University, School of Communication & Multimedia Studies, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
- Abstract/Description
-
This thesis explores the history of virtual reality and how the medium can help make psychological horror adventure games become a more immersive experience. Project Labyrinth takes inspiration from psychological horror adventure games, Greek mythology, and experimental music to immerse the player in a VR dream/nightmare. Appealing to the senses of sight and sound, the moody visual effects and haunting music, along with the use of procedural generation, create an eerie atmosphere in which the...
Show moreThis thesis explores the history of virtual reality and how the medium can help make psychological horror adventure games become a more immersive experience. Project Labyrinth takes inspiration from psychological horror adventure games, Greek mythology, and experimental music to immerse the player in a VR dream/nightmare. Appealing to the senses of sight and sound, the moody visual effects and haunting music, along with the use of procedural generation, create an eerie atmosphere in which the player must explore and problem-solve in order to find their way through the labyrinthine game. The environment changes and evolves as the game is replayed, creating a dream or nightmare-like setting, stirring the sensation of déjà vu. The game was developed in VR using the Oculus Quest, a device that allows the player to freely move about without being tethered to a computer. The Quest’s ability to use hand, body, and room tracking significantly improves an already immersive experience.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013471
- Subject Headings
- Virtual reality, Games, Computer adventure games--Interactive multimedia
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- WHAT MECHANISMS UNDERLIE SYNCHRONOUS HATCHING IN LOGGERHEAD TURTLE NESTS?.
- Creator
- Field, Angela, Salmon, Michael, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
The goal of this study was to determine if hatching synchrony occurs in loggerhead sea turtle nests and if it does, what mechanism(s) promote that synchrony. Synchrony may occur because oviposition takes place during a single evening, and because incubation temperatures within the nest show relatively little variation; thus, rates of embryonic development among the eggs are similar ("temporal synchrony hypothesis"). Alternatively, synchrony might be enhanced through embryo-to-embryo...
Show moreThe goal of this study was to determine if hatching synchrony occurs in loggerhead sea turtle nests and if it does, what mechanism(s) promote that synchrony. Synchrony may occur because oviposition takes place during a single evening, and because incubation temperatures within the nest show relatively little variation; thus, rates of embryonic development among the eggs are similar ("temporal synchrony hypothesis"). Alternatively, synchrony might be enhanced through embryo-to-embryo communication that stimulates and synchronizes development ("coordinated hatching hypothesis"). Experiments were designed to distinguish between these two hypotheses. I found that if only a few embryos survive, temporal synchrony occurs. However, if many embryos survive, the duration of incubation and hatching shortens, presumably because embryonic movements inside soft-shelled eggs are detected by and transmitted between eggs and stimulate development, expediting hatching synchrony.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013505
- Subject Headings
- Loggerhead turtle, Nests, Eggs—Incubation, Synchrony
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Dhayam VR: Adapting a Traditional Board Game into a Virtual Reality Experience.
- Creator
- Ramachendran Selvaraj, Monisha, Maraffi, Christopher, Florida Atlantic University, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
- Abstract/Description
-
Ancestral forms of entertainment were not only meant as a pastime but also to carry forward the cultural values and stories over generations. With the ease of access to the technologically advanced and immersive games, we do not necessarily opt for traditional board games that are a representation of our culture. Dhayam VR is an amalgamation of a traditional Indian board game and virtual reality technology. Inspired by the story of Mahabharata – a Hindu epic, it creates an expressive,...
Show moreAncestral forms of entertainment were not only meant as a pastime but also to carry forward the cultural values and stories over generations. With the ease of access to the technologically advanced and immersive games, we do not necessarily opt for traditional board games that are a representation of our culture. Dhayam VR is an amalgamation of a traditional Indian board game and virtual reality technology. Inspired by the story of Mahabharata – a Hindu epic, it creates an expressive, educative, and entertaining experience. It provides an opportunity to contribute toward keeping traditional and cultural values alive, in a more expressive form using the latest technologies which are relatable to the current and future generations.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013499
- Subject Headings
- Virtual reality, Board games, Mahābhārata--Adaptations, Culture and technology, Dice games--India
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- ACCURATE HIGH ORDER COMPUTATION OF INVARIANT MANIFOLDS FOR LONG PERIODIC ORBITS OF MAPS AND EQUILIBRIUM STATES OF PDE.
- Creator
- Gonzalez, Jorge L., Mireles-James, Jason, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
The study of the long time behavior of nonlinear systems is not effortless, but it is very rewarding. The computation of invariant objects, in particular manifolds provide the scientist with the ability to make predictions at the frontiers of science. However, due to the presence of strong nonlinearities in many important applications, understanding the propagation of errors becomes necessary in order to quantify the reliability of these predictions, and to build sound foundations for future...
Show moreThe study of the long time behavior of nonlinear systems is not effortless, but it is very rewarding. The computation of invariant objects, in particular manifolds provide the scientist with the ability to make predictions at the frontiers of science. However, due to the presence of strong nonlinearities in many important applications, understanding the propagation of errors becomes necessary in order to quantify the reliability of these predictions, and to build sound foundations for future discoveries. This dissertation develops methods for the accurate computation of high-order polynomial approximations of stable/unstable manifolds attached to long periodic orbits in discrete time dynamical systems. For this purpose a multiple shooting scheme is applied to invariance equations for the manifolds obtained using the Parameterization Method developed by Xavier Cabre, Ernest Fontich and Rafael De La Llave in [CFdlL03a, CFdlL03b, CFdlL05].
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013468
- Subject Headings
- Invariant manifolds, Nonlinear systems, Diffeomorphisms, Parabolic partial differential equations, Differential equations, Partial
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- AN ANALYSIS OF THE FOUCAULDIAN ELEMENTS OF POWER-KNOWLEDGE IN STANISLAW LEM’S SOLARIS AND ARTHUR C. CLARKE’S RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA.
- Creator
- Junco, Marie, McGuirk, Carol, Florida Atlantic University, Department of English, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
- Abstract/Description
-
The aim of this thesis is to explore the elements of power-knowledge in two SF novels written amid the Space Race during the Cold War era. While the dominant interest of both Stanislaw Lem’s Solaris and Arthur C. Clarke’s Rendezvous with Rama generally revolves around the implications of human interactions with an alien presence, my focus is primarily on the power structures that propel those interactions: questioning the intentions of scientific pursuits and analyzing the effects of...
Show moreThe aim of this thesis is to explore the elements of power-knowledge in two SF novels written amid the Space Race during the Cold War era. While the dominant interest of both Stanislaw Lem’s Solaris and Arthur C. Clarke’s Rendezvous with Rama generally revolves around the implications of human interactions with an alien presence, my focus is primarily on the power structures that propel those interactions: questioning the intentions of scientific pursuits and analyzing the effects of Foucauldian power relations on the human individual. I do this by applying Foucault’s theories of the duality of the subject and his work on biopolitics. What is gleaned is not only a study of the interests of power, but an emphasis on the intersectional restrictions of power and cognition.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013478
- Subject Headings
- Lem, Stanisław Solaris, Lem, Stanisław--Criticism and interpretation, Clarke, Arthur C (Arthur Charles), 1917-2008 Rendezvous with rama, Clarke, Arthur C (Arthur Charles), 1917-2008--Criticism and interpretation, Foucault, Michel, 1926-1984, Science and philosophy
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A Little Extra: A Collection of Personal Essays.
- Creator
- Brittany K. Rigdon, Schmitt, Katherine, Florida Atlantic University, Department of English, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
- Abstract/Description
-
After losing over a hundred pounds, between the years of 2010 and 2015 and having two invasive revisionary plastic surgeries, I wrote this book of personal essays to explore how trauma—both externalized and internalized—shapes and misshapes the body. As individuals living in a western, consumer-driven culture, we have become adept at scrutinizing our bodies—to the point of self-immolation. In this way, our bodies have become fragmented. In this collection, I am building a narrative 'body.'...
Show moreAfter losing over a hundred pounds, between the years of 2010 and 2015 and having two invasive revisionary plastic surgeries, I wrote this book of personal essays to explore how trauma—both externalized and internalized—shapes and misshapes the body. As individuals living in a western, consumer-driven culture, we have become adept at scrutinizing our bodies—to the point of self-immolation. In this way, our bodies have become fragmented. In this collection, I am building a narrative 'body.' The text explores body issues and anxieties in an attempt to rebuild the marginalized body through voice. Each personal essay is thematically bound to a body part. In the essays, fragmentation and objectification meet connectivity and the wholeness that can be found in the interstices.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013492
- Subject Headings
- Essays
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A QUALITATIVE INQUIRY OF SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS’ PERCEIVED LEVEL OF COMPETENCY IN SUICIDE PREVENTION, ASSESSMENT, AND INTERVENTION.
- Creator
- Hughey, Brandy C., González, Manny J., Florida Atlantic University, School of Social Work, College of Social Work and Criminal Justice
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this study was to explore how social work practitioners employed in schools perceive their level of competency in suicide prevention, assessment, and intervention and to identify educational and professional challenges specific to this area of inquiry. This study sought to explore the following research questions: 1) How do school social workers perceive their level of competency in suicide prevention, assessment, and intervention with at-risk suicidal children and youth? 2)...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to explore how social work practitioners employed in schools perceive their level of competency in suicide prevention, assessment, and intervention and to identify educational and professional challenges specific to this area of inquiry. This study sought to explore the following research questions: 1) How do school social workers perceive their level of competency in suicide prevention, assessment, and intervention with at-risk suicidal children and youth? 2) What are school social workers educational or professional challenges in providing suicide prevention, assessment, and intervention? This research study was predicated on a qualitative research design and conventional content analysis. The research design allowed for an in-depth examination of school social workers’ ability to make critical decisions when providing suicide prevention, assessment and intervention to youth at risk of suicide. The findings of this study suggest that, despite past and current education, training, and clinical practice experience working with at-risk suicidal youth, continual training is necessary in increasing perceived professional competency and addressing familial, organizational and societal challenges pertinent to at-risk suicidal youth.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013473
- Subject Headings
- Social workers, Professional Competence, School children, Suicide--Prevention
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE NURSERY EFFECT OF SELECT REEF FISHES ALONG THE SOUTHERN FLORIDA COAST.
- Creator
- Pressly, Andrew, Hindle, Tobin, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
The nursery effect is a process where juvenile fish utilize coastal habitats to help them survive before moving to their adult habitat. This process establishes an important link between marine ecosystems. This study examines the nursery effect and nursery habitat utilization in the Indian River Lagoon and Florida Bay systems, and the coral reefs adjacent to them. Quantitative and spatial techniques were utilized to identify patterns of presence and abundance and the size structure of select...
Show moreThe nursery effect is a process where juvenile fish utilize coastal habitats to help them survive before moving to their adult habitat. This process establishes an important link between marine ecosystems. This study examines the nursery effect and nursery habitat utilization in the Indian River Lagoon and Florida Bay systems, and the coral reefs adjacent to them. Quantitative and spatial techniques were utilized to identify patterns of presence and abundance and the size structure of select fish species. Spatial analyses were also used to investigate distribution patterns. Findings from this study suggest that several species utilize to a high degree the Indian River Lagoon and Florida Bay as nurseries. Furthermore, the abundance of adults on coral reefs is strongly connected to the presence of nurseries. This study has implications in fisheries management such as locating where juveniles of species develop. With such knowledge, better management plans could be implemented to ensure healthy fish stocks.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013490
- Subject Headings
- Reef fishes, Florida Bay (Fla ), Indian River (Fla : Lagoon), Fisheries management, Marine nurseries
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- AN EXAMINATION OF ADOLESCENT MATERNAL–INFANT ATTACHMENT RELATIONSHIP OUTCOMES FOLLOWING A FIRSTPLAY® THERAPY INFANT STORYTELLING-MASSAGE INTERVENTION: A PILOT STUDY.
- Creator
- Baldwin, Karen M., Thompson, Heather, Florida Atlantic University, School of Social Work, College of Social Work and Criminal Justice
- Abstract/Description
-
Adolescent mothers experience many factors that affect their ability to securely attach to their infants and are therefore considered a high-risk population. In addition, infants of adolescent mothers are at an increased risk of developing insecure attachment. FirstPlay® Therapy Infant Storytelling-Massage is an attachment-based, parent–infant adjunctive play therapy model founded on the theoretical underpinning of attachment theory. The current study implemented a one-time intervention with...
Show moreAdolescent mothers experience many factors that affect their ability to securely attach to their infants and are therefore considered a high-risk population. In addition, infants of adolescent mothers are at an increased risk of developing insecure attachment. FirstPlay® Therapy Infant Storytelling-Massage is an attachment-based, parent–infant adjunctive play therapy model founded on the theoretical underpinning of attachment theory. The current study implemented a one-time intervention with an adolescent mother population in a group home setting. A pretest/posttest design was utilized to measure the impact of FirstPlay® Therapy on the variables of an adolescent mother’s levels of maternal attachment and comfort with physical touch. Participants in this study (N = 5) were adolescent mothers ages 18–21 years old, who were recruited from four maternity group homes in two counties in South Florida. Five adolescent mothers completed the FirstPlay® Therapy for pre and posttest data. No significant differences were found in the areas of maternal attachment and predisposition to touch before and 2 weeks after the intervention. There were some significant relationships found among the demographic variables specific to an adolescent mother’s history of employment status and her child welfare history as well as the age of the mother and the age of her infant. In addition, at posttest, a significant relationship was found between the sex of the infant and the total score on the PCAQ. Although no statistically significant findings were presented, recommendations for further research include extending this intervention to a broader population of adolescent mothers across a variety of settings to focus on early infant-attachment relationships.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013451
- Subject Headings
- Adolescent mothers, Teenage mothers, Mother and infant, Play therapy
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A REFERENCE ARCHITECTURE FOR NETWORK FUNCTION VIRTUALIZATION.
- Creator
- Alwakeel, Ahmed M., Fernandez, Eduardo B., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Cloud computing has provided many services to potential consumers, one of these services being the provision of network functions using virtualization. Network Function Virtualization is a new technology that aims to improve the way we consume network services. Legacy networking solutions are different because consumers must buy and install various hardware equipment. In NFV, networks are provided to users as a software as a service (SaaS). Implementing NFV comes with many benefits, including...
Show moreCloud computing has provided many services to potential consumers, one of these services being the provision of network functions using virtualization. Network Function Virtualization is a new technology that aims to improve the way we consume network services. Legacy networking solutions are different because consumers must buy and install various hardware equipment. In NFV, networks are provided to users as a software as a service (SaaS). Implementing NFV comes with many benefits, including faster module development for network functions, more rapid deployment, enhancement of the network on cloud infrastructures, and lowering the overall cost of having a network system. All these benefits can be achieved in NFV by turning physical network functions into Virtual Network Functions (VNFs). However, since this technology is still a new network paradigm, integrating this virtual environment into a legacy environment or even moving all together into NFV reflects on the complexity of adopting the NFV system. Also, a network service could be composed of several components that are provided by different service providers; this also increases the complexity and heterogeneity of the system. We apply abstract architectural modeling to describe and analyze the NFV architecture. We use architectural patterns to build a flexible NFV architecture to build a Reference Architecture (RA) for NFV that describe the system and how it works. RAs are proven to be a powerful solution to abstract complex systems that lacks semantics. Having an RA for NFV helps us understand the system and how it functions. It also helps us to expose the possible vulnerabilities that may lead to threats toward the system. In the future, this RA could be enhanced into SRA by adding misuse and security patterns for it to cover potential threats and vulnerabilities in the system. Our audiences are system designers, system architects, and security professionals who are interested in building a secure NFV system.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013434
- Subject Headings
- Virtual computer systems, Cloud computing, Computer network architectures, Computer networks
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A Mathematical Modeling Approach Using Time Constraints: The Case of Economies of Scale and Sustainability in Intermodal Facilities.
- Creator
- Goulianou, Panagiota, Kaisar, Evangelos I., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Abstract/Description
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Over the last thirty years, intermodal freight transportation has been a constantly expanding sector. The vast increase of freight volumes contributes to the increase of various issues in the freight corridors as well as the urban environment. The deterioration of congestion in the urban environment and the increase on freight movements on the highways have resulted in the increase of emissions. For this reason, new policies and regulations are put forth to address the environmental effects...
Show moreOver the last thirty years, intermodal freight transportation has been a constantly expanding sector. The vast increase of freight volumes contributes to the increase of various issues in the freight corridors as well as the urban environment. The deterioration of congestion in the urban environment and the increase on freight movements on the highways have resulted in the increase of emissions. For this reason, new policies and regulations are put forth to address the environmental effects of freight transportation. This study deals with the intermodal freight network design problem from the shipping company's perspective, aiming to simultaneously minimize emission levels and cost of freight transportation. We propose a mathematical model for optimizing the design of an intermodal freight network and the location of intermodal hubs between the origins and the destinations, under delivery time constraints. The goal is to identify the mode choice patterns considering transport cost and emissions, and the effects of new emission regulations on network costs. We consider a network with marine terminals as the origins, inland intermodal terminals as the hubs, and fulfillment centers as the destinations. Numerical experiments highlight that the proposed model can provide useful insights to the shipper.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013439
- Subject Headings
- Intermodal transportation, Containerization, Containerization--Mathematical models, Container ships--Environmental aspects, Economies of scale
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY OF CERCOPITHECUS LOMAMIENSIS IN THE LOMAMI NATIONAL PARK AND BUFFER ZONE, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO.
- Creator
- Korchia, Charlene S. Fournier, Detwiler, Kate M., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
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In 2012, a new monkey species, Cercopithecus lomamiensis (lesula), was discovered in the Central Congo basin. Lesula is a semi-terrestrial rainforest guenon endemic to the area. Using a systematic grid approach, three terrestrial camera trap surveys (two inside the Lomami National Park; one in the buffer zone) were conducted over three years to capture the cryptic species. The objectives of my study were to expand knowledge on the behavioral ecology of lesula and evaluate lesula’s sensitivity...
Show moreIn 2012, a new monkey species, Cercopithecus lomamiensis (lesula), was discovered in the Central Congo basin. Lesula is a semi-terrestrial rainforest guenon endemic to the area. Using a systematic grid approach, three terrestrial camera trap surveys (two inside the Lomami National Park; one in the buffer zone) were conducted over three years to capture the cryptic species. The objectives of my study were to expand knowledge on the behavioral ecology of lesula and evaluate lesula’s sensitivity to hunting threats. The main findings from my study included: confirmation of terrestriality and diurnality, births clustering during the wet season, social group living of one male and multiple females, and high impact of hunting on group size. By studying the latest added species to the Cercopithecini tribe, my thesis helps to better understand the ecological diversity occurring within this radiation of African primates and contributes to the species’ long-term conservation efforts.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013479
- Subject Headings
- Cercopithecus lomamiensis, Cercopithecus--Behavior--Africa, Congo (Democratic Republic), Behavioral ecology
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- In the Land of Lakes and Volcanoes: A Ceramic Analysis of the Santa Cristina Site, Chinandega Nicaragua.
- Creator
- Testa, Taylor C., Brown, Clifford, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Anthropology, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
- Abstract/Description
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Nicaragua falls on the edge of what is often referred to as Mesoamerica’s “southern periphery.” Only a small amount of archaeological research has been conducted in Nicaragua, and there has been little of it in the northwestern portion of the country. Because of this, there are no local ceramic typologies or sequences which can make the identification and classification of artifacts difficult. The proposed research focuses on investigating the ceramic assemblage from the Santa Cristina...
Show moreNicaragua falls on the edge of what is often referred to as Mesoamerica’s “southern periphery.” Only a small amount of archaeological research has been conducted in Nicaragua, and there has been little of it in the northwestern portion of the country. Because of this, there are no local ceramic typologies or sequences which can make the identification and classification of artifacts difficult. The proposed research focuses on investigating the ceramic assemblage from the Santa Cristina archaeological site located in the Department of Chinandega, in northwest Nicaragua. The goal of this research will be to create a ceramic typology for the site, taking into consideration ceramic wares, groups, types, and varieties that have already been identified in other parts of Central America and defining taxa that have not been previously identified. Establishing the ceramic typology and defining taxa will help establish cultural affiliations as well as chronological markers.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013496
- Subject Headings
- Chinandega (Nicaragua), Ceramics--Analysis, Archaeology
- Format
- Document (PDF)
