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Title: Continuum of Care and Recreational Physical Fitness for People with Lower Extremity Amputations.
Creator: Volz, Jennifer
Abstract / Description: Introduction. This case report addressed the importance of redesigning and implementing recreational physical fitness as part of the current intervention treatment for people living with lower extremity amputations to improve their overall quality of life. Background. Amputation places a heavy burden on all aspects of the patient’s quality of life; thus, altering the patient’s physical, psychosocial, mental, and emotional health. Many physical therapists are not included in the entire nine...
Show moreIntroduction. This case report addressed the importance of redesigning and implementing recreational physical fitness as part of the current intervention treatment for people living with lower extremity amputations to improve their overall quality of life. Background. Amputation places a heavy burden on all aspects of the patient’s quality of life; thus, altering the patient’s physical, psychosocial, mental, and emotional health. Many physical therapists are not included in the entire nine-step rehabilitation protocol currently administered in civilian care. The nine-step rehabilitation stages proposed by Esquenazi and DiGiacomo (2001), include: pre-operative care, amputation/dressing, acute post-surgical, pre-prosthetic, prosthetic fabrication/prescription, prosthetic training, community integration, vocational rehabilitation, and follow-up care. Currently, physical therapists are involved during amputation, acute post-surgical, and pre-prosthetic phases. Case Description. The patient was a 19 year old female who sustained multiple injuries in a head-on motor vehicle accident (MVA); ultimately, resulting in a right trans-femoral amputation. This report analyzed various information received including structured interview, observation, and medical documentation to describe the patient’s plan of care from intensive care treatment through current recreational fitness activity. Results. The results of this case report indicated greatly improved physical, mental, and emotional health following the implementation of recreational physical fitness into her daily regimen via patient self-report on multiple occasions.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: Volz_fgcu_1743_10117
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Core Stabilization: Considerations for Physical Therapists Treating Children with Obesity.
Creator: Mikaiel, Joanne Sherie, Marieb College of Health & Human Services
Abstract / Description: Research has established that obese children have decreased core stabilization and balance as compared to normal weight children. The decrease in core stabilization causes obese children to ambulate with a slower walking velocity, longer double leg stance, wider stance width, and a greater degree of asymmetry. This case report details the use of a core strengthening program with a middle school child who was obese and was demonstrating impaired gait mechanics. The child was referred to...
Show moreResearch has established that obese children have decreased core stabilization and balance as compared to normal weight children. The decrease in core stabilization causes obese children to ambulate with a slower walking velocity, longer double leg stance, wider stance width, and a greater degree of asymmetry. This case report details the use of a core strengthening program with a middle school child who was obese and was demonstrating impaired gait mechanics. The child was referred to physical therapy with an acute low back sprain, treatment was focused toward improving her core stabilization to decrease her current low back pain and to improve her gait mechanics. This case provides an example of how providing a core strengthening program to an obese middle school-age child can help improve the impaired gait mechanics found in obese children.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: Mikaiel_fgcu_1743_10076
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Correlation between Insulin Dependent Diabetes and Depression.
Creator: Alix, Bradley L.
Abstract / Description: Current research regarding insulin dependent diabetes and its relationship with depression lacks answers. Creating a greater understanding of the processes behind diabetes and comorbid depression is imperative to pushing researchers towards more telling results. Finding a correlation between insulin dependent diabetes and depression is a notion that has eluded researchers for centuries. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2007-2008, investigated by the United States...
Show moreCurrent research regarding insulin dependent diabetes and its relationship with depression lacks answers. Creating a greater understanding of the processes behind diabetes and comorbid depression is imperative to pushing researchers towards more telling results. Finding a correlation between insulin dependent diabetes and depression is a notion that has eluded researchers for centuries. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2007-2008, investigated by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Center for Health Statistics, provides sufficient data for testing correlations between the two conditions. By combining answers to depression and diabetes related questionnaires, datasets can be analyzed in the hopes of finding relationships. The resulting correlation was that insulin dependent diabetics are significantly more depressed than nondiabetic controls, and that there is a significant correlation between poverty ratio and depressive composite scores. Current research suggests the need to continue searching for a correlation that can be addressed other than being diagnosed with diabetes (a chronic illness), as well as continuing to search for more effective ways to treat and potentially cure both diabetes and depression.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: Alix_fgcu_1743_10154
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: CREATING A WATER AND NUTRIENT BUDGET FOR LAKE TRAFFORD, FL, USA.
Creator: Lucius, Mark
Abstract / Description: Eutrophication is a widespread problem plaguing water bodies throughout the world. The need to control nutrient loading into lakes has become paramount in lake management. Failing to do so can lead to numerous undesired effects, including algae blooms, fish kills, and even complete ecological regime shifts. Water and nutrient budgets are useful for quantifying nutrient loading into a hydrosystem while also revealing problematic areas or times of excessive nutrient deliveries. Lake Trafford is...
Show moreEutrophication is a widespread problem plaguing water bodies throughout the world. The need to control nutrient loading into lakes has become paramount in lake management. Failing to do so can lead to numerous undesired effects, including algae blooms, fish kills, and even complete ecological regime shifts. Water and nutrient budgets are useful for quantifying nutrient loading into a hydrosystem while also revealing problematic areas or times of excessive nutrient deliveries. Lake Trafford is a shallow 600 ha natural hydrosystem of circular shape with ambiguous boundaries, surrounded mostly by wetlands (e.g. Corkscrew swamp) and located near the city of Immokalee, Collier County, FL, USA. The lake has been subjected to decades of cultural eutrophication and still exhibits the turbid water state of eutrophic shallow lakes dominated by phytoplankton despite the completion of sediment dredging in 2011. To determine the current sources of nutrient loading and to calculate the total maximum daily loads (TMDL) for nitrogen and phosphorus, a water and nutrient budget was developed. Unlike most budgets which rely on modeling and numerous assumptions or estimates (e.g. the Florida Department of Environmental Protection established TMDL for L. Trafford), direct measurements of atmospheric (dry and wet), surface water (canals), and groundwater nutrient loading were made at high spatio-temporal definition. Using the measured components of the water and nutrient budget, estimates of diffuse runoffs from the surrounding watershed and out to the adjacent wetlands were made, along with estimates of internal loading of nutrients and biological uptake. Data was collected in biweekly sampling events between October 2015 and May of 2016. Groundwater seepage meters were used to asses groundwater discharge and recharge paired with pore water wells for groundwater sampling. Surface water nutrient loading from five drainage canals was monitored with Sontek IQ units and ISCO 3700 automatic water samplers. Meteorological data were collected at a weather station built on the lake, and were used to determine direct precipitation and evaporation rates. A homemade wet/dry deposition sampler was also employed to collect composite samples of atmospheric deposition on the lake. Results showed that the vast majority of water entering Lake Trafford was through the five drainage canals which delivered 34% (35066 m3 d-1) of the daily water influx, while direct precipitation (24%; 13324 m3 d-1) and groundwater discharge (14%; 7736 m3 d-1) contributed less water overall. Outflow was dominated by sheet flow moving out to Corkscrew Swamp which accounted for 65% (-44696 m3 d-1) of all effluxes, while evaporation (34%; -23544 m3 d-1) and groundwater recharge (1%; -371.6 m3 d-1) accounted for less. Sheet flow was calculated as a net value and was negative on average (-44696 m3 d-1) indicating that more sheet flow was leaving Lake Trafford rather than entering. Nitrogen loading into Lake Trafford was highest from groundwater discharge (48%; 109.5 kg TN d-1), while loading of phosphorus was dominated by surface water discharge from the five drainage canals (51%; 8.66 kg TP d-1). The residual component of the budget was assumed to be controlled by processes within in the lake (e.g. internal loading, sedimentation, biological uptake), and was found to be a negative value on average (-87.8 kg TN d-1; -12.5 kg TP d-1) indicating that in-lake nutrient dynamics were dominated by sequestration processes, such as biological uptake. The total daily load was found to be 227 kg d- 1 and 20.9 kg d-1 for TN and TP, respectively. These values are higher than those found in the lake’s adopted TMDL report of 190.5 kg d-1 for TN and 18.6 kg d-1 for TP, which was estimated during a seven year modeling period using land-use based runoff modeling. Dry season rainfall was higher than average (525 mm October 2015 – May 2016; 330 mm historic average October –May) and influenced the results. The final water and nutrient budgets provided insight into the hydrological dynamics of Lake Trafford, although future work should be conducted to better understand its hydrogeology as well as the nutrient loading into its drainage canals; particularly the eastern most canal which is an ideal area for remediation.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: Lucius_fgcu_1743_10205
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Personnel.
Creator: Ivancevich, Danica M.
Abstract / Description: The purpose of this quantitative study is to determine if Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training needs to be extended to Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel based on the frequency of calls for service involving persons experiencing a psychological episode, assaults perpetrated by persons experiencing a psychological episode, and restraint use on persons experiencing a psychological episode administered by EMS personnel. Prior mental health training for EMS personnel and agency...
Show moreThe purpose of this quantitative study is to determine if Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training needs to be extended to Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel based on the frequency of calls for service involving persons experiencing a psychological episode, assaults perpetrated by persons experiencing a psychological episode, and restraint use on persons experiencing a psychological episode administered by EMS personnel. Prior mental health training for EMS personnel and agency protocols for addressing violent patients will help determine if there is a need to extend CIT Training to EMS personnel. Additionally, this study will examine if EMS personnel are willing to undergo Crisis Intervention Training and if they believe the training would be beneficial when providing services to patients with psychological disorders. Although no research examines whether there is a need to extend CIT Training to EMS personnel, previous research suggests that mental health training for EMS personnel is effective by improving emergency responses, confidence levels of emergency responders, patient-provider communication, and the safety of patients and emergency responders. Therefore, it is hypothesized that there is a need to extend CIT Training to EMS personnel. Results of this study suggest that 60.2% of EMS personnel were not assaulted on duty, 45.2% came into contact with persons experiencing psychological disorders at low frequencies, and 60.2% restrained patients experiencing a psychological episode at low frequencies, despite their lack of CIT Training. However, 53.8% of EMS personnel reported that they would be willing to complete CIT Training and 85.7% of EMS personnel believe that CIT Training would be a valuable skill set to have when responding to calls for service involving persons experiencing a psychological episode. Surveys were administered face-to-face to Florida certified firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs employed with a central Florida fire agency. The survey was anonymous.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: Ivancevich_fgcu_1743_10147
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Culture as an Influence of Academic Achievement for Afro-Caribbean Student Immigrants.
Creator: Desmore, Keiana Latriece
Abstract / Description: In this study, an investigation of the educational experiences of Afro-Caribbean student immigrants who were academically successful in the United States at the higher education level was conducted. Although immigrants of African descent experienced barriers such as immigrant status and racial minority status which led to a double disadvantage in educational institutions, this group was more likely to persist and achieve academic excellence. For this study, academic excellence is defined by...
Show moreIn this study, an investigation of the educational experiences of Afro-Caribbean student immigrants who were academically successful in the United States at the higher education level was conducted. Although immigrants of African descent experienced barriers such as immigrant status and racial minority status which led to a double disadvantage in educational institutions, this group was more likely to persist and achieve academic excellence. For this study, academic excellence is defined by achieving near completion (junior level) or completion of a bachelor’s degree or higher. The methodology utilized was qualitative in nature, and included an ethnographic case study. The purpose of this study was to understand the cultural influences motivating Afro-Caribbean student immigrants to work towards, and complete, a higher education degree. The data for this study were collected through in-person interviews, an online survey, and a focus group meeting of Afro-Caribbean student immigrants (first and second generation) who were graduates (or nearly graduates) of a mid-sized state university located in Southern North America. In this study, there were similar cultural aspects identified which may have influenced the study participants to achieve academic success. A cross-case analysis was used in conjunction with the Cultural Ecological Theory as the theoretical framework to analyze the interview and focus group data. The themes discovered included, familial influences, the impact of diverse pedagogical practices, social adjustment and assimilation issues, racism and discrimination, and cultural influences as themes. Additional research should be conducted to investigate the differences between first- and second-generation (or more) immigrants.
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Date Issued: 2018-05-22
Identifier: fgcu_ETD_0239
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Current physical therapy for stroke rehabilitation in the clinical setting in Florida : a survey.
Creator: Barbee, Kelsey, Fioravante, Casey
Abstract / Description: The purpose of this study was to inquire which approaches physical therapists practicing in stroke rehabilitation in Florida utilize in the clinical setting. In addition, the researchers wanted to determine which theoretical approach physical therapists prefer to utilize for a variety of interventional strategies. Lastly, the researchers wanted to create a useful resource that will be beneficial to educational institutes and other currently practicing physical therapists involved in stroke...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to inquire which approaches physical therapists practicing in stroke rehabilitation in Florida utilize in the clinical setting. In addition, the researchers wanted to determine which theoretical approach physical therapists prefer to utilize for a variety of interventional strategies. Lastly, the researchers wanted to create a useful resource that will be beneficial to educational institutes and other currently practicing physical therapists involved in stroke rehabilitation.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: fgcu_ETD_0498
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Danse Macabre : an anatomy of the vampire in Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake, vampire hunter novel.
Creator: Higgins, Joseph Alan
Abstract / Description: So, in this anatomy, we will examine the vampire as abject being, specifically the postmodern vampires of Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter novels, as well as examining the fearful fascination that vampires evoke in American culture. Hamilton would seem to have created a postmodern milieu that provides a framework for studying both the literary and the cultural aspects of the vampire. She has, like Stoker and Anne Rice, given us an evolutionary step in the "life" of the...
Show moreSo, in this anatomy, we will examine the vampire as abject being, specifically the postmodern vampires of Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter novels, as well as examining the fearful fascination that vampires evoke in American culture. Hamilton would seem to have created a postmodern milieu that provides a framework for studying both the literary and the cultural aspects of the vampire. She has, like Stoker and Anne Rice, given us an evolutionary step in the "life" of the literary vampire. In addition, her work provides us insight into ourselves and our culture. My purpose is to further both monstrous scholarship and Hamilton scholarship in the hopes of adding something of value to cultural analysis is as a whole and to the enrichment of my own cultures in particular. Using Kristeva's notion of abjection, Foucault's theory of bio-power, and Bomstein's notion of the "third," it is hoped that insights into not only the literary vampire can be gained, but insights into American culture as well These insights will hopefully be of use far beyond the confines of a literary analysis. The Antemortem will address the theorists used in the anatomy and how they apply to Hamilton's postmodem vampire, and will also address previous cultural analyses of the vampire in order to locate the anatomy in that history. Chapter One of the Mortem addresses our fearful fascination with the vampire and how the various theorists can be used in an anatomy. Chapter Two addresses the novels of Laurell K. Hamilton directly delving deeper into the theoretical aspects of the vampire in relation to American culture. Chapter Three presents a case study using Anita's cast of vampires and how they apply to the notions presented in the first two chapters. Finally, the Postmortem presents the implications of this anatomy for both literary and cultural analysis.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: fgcu_ETD_0464
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Desperado coast : Florida's internal civil war along the lower Gulf coast, 1861-1865.
Creator: Mack, William B.
Abstract / Description: Florida in the 1860s had two distinct socio-economic realities. Middle Florida, the panhandle area around Tallahassee, was home to large plantations reliant on slave labor, whereas the south Florida frontier was home to small family farms and free-range cattle. There were a few plantations along the St Johns River, but most small farmers owned few slaves and relied on family labor. Most farmers in the southern peninsula operated on a subsistence basis that was made even more difficult due to...
Show moreFlorida in the 1860s had two distinct socio-economic realities. Middle Florida, the panhandle area around Tallahassee, was home to large plantations reliant on slave labor, whereas the south Florida frontier was home to small family farms and free-range cattle. There were a few plantations along the St Johns River, but most small farmers owned few slaves and relied on family labor. Most farmers in the southern peninsula operated on a subsistence basis that was made even more difficult due to wartime shortages. Florida refugees who fled to Union lines came largely from this poor, yeoman class. Middle Floridians and city dwellers seem to have been more prone to support the Confederacy. The conflict between these two classes cannot be termed a class struggle, as refugees were not seeking to improve their station in life but simply to survive and ensure the safety of their families. Floridians who supported the Union often did so because the Union offered the opportunity for these men to remain in the state and provide for their families, whereas the Confederacy conscripted adult males, sent them to fight at far removed battlefields and sometimes confiscated their family's means of sustenance.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: fgcu_ETD_0444
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: DETERMINANTS OF STUDENT SUCCESS IN EIGHTH GRADE ALGEBRA I.
Creator: Pollitt, Brian T.
Abstract / Description: Algebra is considered a gateway course that helps to close the achievement gap between ethnic and socioeconomic subgroups. Using a predictive correlational design, this research investigated whether demographic, school-related, and previous test score variables could be used to predict Algebra I and Algebra II success. Demographic predictor variables included age, gender, ethnicity, and status regarding disability, giftedness, retention, suspension, and mobility. School predictor variables...
Show moreAlgebra is considered a gateway course that helps to close the achievement gap between ethnic and socioeconomic subgroups. Using a predictive correlational design, this research investigated whether demographic, school-related, and previous test score variables could be used to predict Algebra I and Algebra II success. Demographic predictor variables included age, gender, ethnicity, and status regarding disability, giftedness, retention, suspension, and mobility. School predictor variables included Title I status and school grade. Test scores included seventh grade reading and mathematics state assessment scores. Univariate analyses of variance (ANOVA) were computed to determine significance and effect size (eta squared value). Multiple regression analyses were used to determine prediction models for both the Algebra I and II end of course assessment scores. Finally, standardized beta coefficients were plotted to determine the effect of the variables on Algebra I and Algebra II success over time. The demographic and school-related variables in isolation were not strong enough to predict Algebra I and Algebra II success; however, in combination, the demographic, school-related, and previous test score variables did produce a significant prediction model that was stronger than prediction by test score alone.
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Date Issued: 2018-04-24
Identifier: fgcu_ETD_0229
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Determination of the importance of three reactive oxygen species in a novel photocatalytic system used to oxidize model organic toxicants.
Creator: Cullipher, Steven Gene
Abstract / Description: In the sections that follow, this thesis will outline the use of anodized Ti foil as an effective photocatalyst for the purposes of decontaminating model systems as well as determining the important mechanisms for that destruction. Section II will provide a complete description of materials and methods used to conduct the research. Section Ill will provide results of experimentation. Section IV will provide a discussion of the results. Section V will summarize the work that was completed,...
Show moreIn the sections that follow, this thesis will outline the use of anodized Ti foil as an effective photocatalyst for the purposes of decontaminating model systems as well as determining the important mechanisms for that destruction. Section II will provide a complete description of materials and methods used to conduct the research. Section Ill will provide results of experimentation. Section IV will provide a discussion of the results. Section V will summarize the work that was completed, illustrate the completion of the objectives of this work, and examine possibilities of further research.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: fgcu_ETD_0467
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Determination of the Presence and Biomagnification of Caribbean ciguatoxins and benthic algal toxins in fishes from the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
Creator: Catasus, Adam Benjamin
Abstract / Description: Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) is a common syndrome affecting coastal communities in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions, including the Greater Caribbean. This severe illness is caused by the ingestion of reef fish contaminated with ciguatoxins (CTXs). The source of CTXs has been associated with epiphytic dinoflagellates of the genus Gambierdiscus (among others) which reside on macroalgae that are grazed by herbivores. The entry of algal CTX precursors (often referred to as gambiertoxins)...
Show moreCiguatera fish poisoning (CFP) is a common syndrome affecting coastal communities in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions, including the Greater Caribbean. This severe illness is caused by the ingestion of reef fish contaminated with ciguatoxins (CTXs). The source of CTXs has been associated with epiphytic dinoflagellates of the genus Gambierdiscus (among others) which reside on macroalgae that are grazed by herbivores. The entry of algal CTX precursors (often referred to as gambiertoxins) into the food web initiates a cascade of trophic transfer events and biotransformations that have not yet been fully elucidated in the Greater Caribbean region. A critical knowledge gap addressed in the present study was to gain better predictive capability of CTX presence in fishes across trophic levels in a sub-tropical hotspot for CFP (i.e. the Florida Keys). A variety of fish including herbivores (e.g., representatives of Acanthuridae and Pomacathidae) up to apex predators (e.g., Sphyrena barracuda and Mycteroperca bonaci) were collected from a long-term monitoring site in the Florida Keys. Extracts of fish were assessed for neurotoxicity and CTX activity using the sensitive in vitro neuroblastoma (N2a) assay. Twenty five of the 66 fish (38%) examined in this study expressed sodium channel-dependent toxicity in both sensitized and non-sensitized cell treatments, highlighting the likely presence of multiple toxin classes in these reef fish. Monospecific sodium channel activity was observed in 3% of fish represented by one species: S. barracuda. Stable isotope analysis was used to determine fish trophic level and in the calculation of a food web magnification factor (FWMF) of 1.114 for CTX and CTX-like compounds, indicative of the biomagnification of these toxins. The presence of toxic fish indicates a need for risk assessment and management consideration in the Florida Keys.
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Date Issued: 2019-06-06
Identifier: fgcu_ETD_0299
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Determining Improved Water Quality Targets with Sparse Data: Dissolved Oxygen in Southwest Florida Impaired Waterbodies.
Creator: Talbott, Jeffrey Woodward
Abstract / Description: This research investigates the reference water body approach to development of numeric criteria for dissolved oxygen in freshwater water bodies, using Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) targets for several impaired waters in the Everglades West Coast (EWC) basin of Florida as examples. The goal of this research is to critically evaluate the reference water body approach as it applies to setting site-specific numeric nutrient targets for use in TMDLs located in the EWC basin. The reference...
Show moreThis research investigates the reference water body approach to development of numeric criteria for dissolved oxygen in freshwater water bodies, using Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) targets for several impaired waters in the Everglades West Coast (EWC) basin of Florida as examples. The goal of this research is to critically evaluate the reference water body approach as it applies to setting site-specific numeric nutrient targets for use in TMDLs located in the EWC basin. The reference approach assumes that information about nutrients in the reference waters during a period when they are assumed to be unimpaired is sufficient to characterize unimpaired conditions in similar waters for which data are insufficient. The reference site approach is one method specified by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), which is used when biological end points are not sufficiently understood or characterized. The Florida agency responsible for analyses of the target waters, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), chose to specify a target as the 75th percentile of all reference waters' median concentration, a choice this research contests. The research uses existing data from waterbodies judged to be unimpaired, and applies statistical methods to chemical data on total nitrogen (TN) and dissolved oxygen (DO) conditions in those waters over the available period of record. The research considered variation among waterbodies, to investigate whether a single unimpaired archetype characterizes all south Florida flowing waters; variation over time, to investigate whether a single long-term average is adequate to judge the health of a south Florida waterbody; whether those waterbodies conform to two metrics (one each for two separate seasons, wet and dry instead of one; and considers the impact of selecting a period of record) on the computed numeric target. Conclusions note how the nutrient target for the EWC basin can change based on various decisions regarding the processing of the reference water body data. Data are shown to be sensitive to the period of record, as the 75th percentile of the median data collected outside of the verified period yields TN level of 1.0955 mg/L as opposed to 0.74 mg/L. Statistical similarities between waterbodies for TN also change when taking into account data collected before and after the verified period, this additional data also changes the waterbodies overall mean for both TN and DO. Results with DO demonstrate the inadequacy of selecting a single numeric target, based on a central tendency of a constituent in each of multiple water bodies, followed by a central tendency of those waterbodies in aggregate. This is inadequate because the distribution of DO varies substantially and a single central-tendency target would allow for conditions that fail to conform to important upper-tail characteristics of the distribution, thus failing to remove the impairment. Instead the target should include a central tendency (such as median) as well as at least one target elsewhere in the distribution, such as the 75th or 90th percentile of the aggregate data. The results also show DO is the preferred target constituent, as changes in DO, the stated problem, do not mathematically track historical data of changes in TN. Historical data also clearly demonstrate the DO in these south Florida water behaves very differently, such that a target selected as an annual average may not be protective of waterbodies for entire seasons; long enough to affect ecosystems in the long term, thus failing to remove the impairment. Further data suggests DO nutrient fluctuation during wet and dry seasons, with DO being impaired during the wet Florida months (June-Sept) and relatively unimpaired during the dry months (Jan-May, Oct-Dec) which suggests that target levels should recognize these seasonal changes, instead of one nutrient target being set for the entire year.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: Talbott_fgcu_1743_10026
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Developing a video learning tool as a learning strategy in the instruction of physical therapy documenatation.
Creator: Kaplan, Michael S., Marieb College of Health & Human Services
Abstract / Description: This project was designed to present an alternative teaching method for documentation in the curriculum for doctorate of physical therapy students. Accurate and detailed documentation is a requirement for communication between health care professionals as well as a means of reimbursement for services provided. Thorough documentation prevents costly medical errors and ultimately improves health care delivery. Current curriculum for documentation consists of case scenarios written in paragraph...
Show moreThis project was designed to present an alternative teaching method for documentation in the curriculum for doctorate of physical therapy students. Accurate and detailed documentation is a requirement for communication between health care professionals as well as a means of reimbursement for services provided. Thorough documentation prevents costly medical errors and ultimately improves health care delivery. Current curriculum for documentation consists of case scenarios written in paragraph format with corresponding lectures. The alternative teaching method presented in this study consists of videos depicting four different evaluation scenarios: shoulder impingement, spinal cord injury (ASIA assessment), low back pain, and plantar fasciitis. Students are asked to watch a video, individually complete the appropriate documentation forms that coincide with that video, and then form small groups to discuss individual findings. Students are also prompted to answer questions at the end of each video. This project offers an integrative approach to documentation instruction by accommodating various student learning styles and by simulating a genuine patient-therapist relationship. This study seeks to prepare physical therapy students in their first year of the doctorate program and increase their knowledge and confidence in documentation skills prior to their first full-time clinical experience.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: fgcu_ETD_0516
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: DEVELOPMENT OF A LOW-BUDGET PROSTHETIC SOCKET WEAVE DESIGN.
Creator: Holland, Leia Marie
Abstract / Description: The variety of existing socket designs all have different advantages, but there is still a need for a low-budget prosthetic socket for people who have limited access to resources or the conventional care from a professional prosthetist. This study reviews the literature of modern prosthetic socket designs and the designs that have been implemented in developing countries. Important elements identified for the novel prosthetic socket design include the ease of donning and doffing, pressure and...
Show moreThe variety of existing socket designs all have different advantages, but there is still a need for a low-budget prosthetic socket for people who have limited access to resources or the conventional care from a professional prosthetist. This study reviews the literature of modern prosthetic socket designs and the designs that have been implemented in developing countries. Important elements identified for the novel prosthetic socket design include the ease of donning and doffing, pressure and force distribution, and use in functional activities. It will introduce new concepts in prosthetic socket design by using a weave design to aid in suspension. The suggested testing and evaluation of the prosthesis includes testing for objective data with a Qualisys motion capture system for pistoning during functional activities, and an Instron cyclic loading test to test its durability. Other measures of testing will gather subjective data. These tests will include a revised survey of the TAPES-R and Prosthetic Evaluation Questionnaire for user satisfaction. Further development and investigation of materials may come from the evaluation of the device with a person with trans-radial level amputation. This novel prosthetic device introduces ideas to provide low-budget medical supplies to under-resourced areas.
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Date Issued: 2020-05-06
Identifier: fgcu_ETD_0328
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Diel movements of juvenile smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata): Implications for defining the size of a nursery hotspot.
Creator: Huston, Cecily Ann, College of Arts & Sciences
Abstract / Description: Habitat use and movements of juvenile (1-year-old fish (1–3 years old), remained along the northern shoreline of the river in a protected cove. The younger age class remained closer (
Show moreHabitat use and movements of juvenile (<3 yr old) Critically Endangered smalltooth sawfish Pristis pectinata were studied in the Peace River in southwest Florida to estimate the size of a known nursery hotspot (high-use area). A total of 23 smalltooth sawfish were tagged during the peak recruitment period of April and May 2014 and were tracked until the end of September 2014 using passive acoustic monitoring. Active tracking was used to estimate positions of individuals relative to the shoreline and major habitat types. During the day, sawfish <1500 mm stretched total length (STL; n=11), representing <1 year old fish, and those measuring 1504 to 1881 mm STL (n=12), representing >1-year-old fish (1–3 years old), remained along the northern shoreline of the river in a protected cove. The younger age class remained closer (<25 m) to red mangrove-dominated shorelines than did the older age class. At night, both age classes moved away from the shoreline and away from the protected cove; the older individuals made the longest excursions (~5 km), toward the southern shoreline of the river. The discovery of these regular diel movements has led to the expansion of the boundaries of the single recognized nursery hotspot in the Peace River, which was previously defined solely by daytime catch data. These data are crucial for aiding the conservation of this Critically Endangered species and adding an extra layer of protection within its federally-designated Critical Habitat.
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Date Issued: 2017-06-13
Identifier: Huston_fgcu_1743_10259
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Diet of the introduced Black Spiny-Tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura similis) on Keewaydin Island, Florida.
Creator: Funck, Sarah A.
Abstract / Description: The presence of introduced species is one of the most problematic sources of environmental degradation worldwide. Introduced species often lack natural controls in foreign environments (Cox, 1999) and establish new populations that may alter the natural functions of an ecosystem. The Central American black spiny-tailed iguana, Ctenosaura similis, has disjunct populations throughout south Florida (Krysko et al. 2003; Townsend et al. 2003b), one residing on Keewaydin Island (KI) in Collier...
Show moreThe presence of introduced species is one of the most problematic sources of environmental degradation worldwide. Introduced species often lack natural controls in foreign environments (Cox, 1999) and establish new populations that may alter the natural functions of an ecosystem. The Central American black spiny-tailed iguana, Ctenosaura similis, has disjunct populations throughout south Florida (Krysko et al. 2003; Townsend et al. 2003b), one residing on Keewaydin Island (KI) in Collier County. Currently, little is known about how this population has adjusted to the environment on KI. In this study, I investigated the diet of C. similis to determine if life history or temporal factors contribute to diet variation. I also consider potential negative impacts of the iguanas on the local flora and fauna. I obtained specimens by noose pole capture, opportunistic hand captures, and by donation from Rookery Bay. Immediately post-mortem I measured morphometries. I performed necropsies on each individual to verify age class and sex, and reveal mouth, esophageal and stomach contents. Parametric analyses, including analysis of covariance and linear regression determined how each independent factor (age class, sex and sampling period) influenced the dependent variables (volume of food item types). Logistic regression analyses predicted how each independent factor influenced the dependent variables. I also used niche breadth and Pianka's diet overlap equation (Pianka, 1986) calculated for each age class, sex, and sampling period of capture. Data from 54 iguanas revealed 197 unique prey (56 different prey categories) within the stomachs of iguanas. Results revealed that age class, sex, and sample period all influence diet variation in C. similis. An ontogenetic diet shift was observed near 100- mm snout-vent length (SVL). At 100-mm SVL, juveniles appear to switch from a diet composed of predominantly animal prey to a vegetative diet as adults. Sex also appears to have influence on diet when considering the size of the iguana, but only in regards to volume of animal prey consumed. Diet varied among sample periods as well, with iguanas captured in August 2010 consuming significantly more plant prey volume than in any other sampling period. There was no significant difference in the amount of native versus non-native prey items consumed (QR=-354.378, df=3). Dietary niche breadth analysis found juvenile iguanas (8=3.24) had the highest niche breadth between age classes, and iguanas captured in August 2010 (B=3.26) had the highest niche breadths among sampling periods. The diet of C. similis on KI is influenced by life history traits (e.g. age class and sex) and environmental factors (e.g. time of capture), though this list is not inclusive. Iguanas on KI consumed a diversity of native and non-native plant and animal prey. Some prey items on KI belong to families with protected species in Florida, including tree snails (Bulimulidae), and the plants Galactia (Fabaceae), Eugenia (Myrtaceae), Forestiera (Oleaceae), Chamaesyce (Euphorbiaceae), Opuntia (Cactaceae), Asclepias (Apocynaceae), and Salicaceae. The combination of its dietary breadth and plastic feeding capabilities warrants concern for C. similis as a potentially successful invasive species in south Florida and wherever it has established introduced populations. The diet of C. similis on KI suggests that this population has potential to be a successful invader in a non-native environment. They are feeding as opportunistic omnivores, depredating native wildlife, and consuming potentially protected prey. They are also capable of consuming noxious prey with no immediately visible adverse effects to their health. Natural resource managers may be able to use these data to prioritize control efforts on properties where C. similis has become established. Not only do these data show exact GPS locations of the population, but they also provide information regarding which groups consume certain prey and when these prey items may be at the greatest risk of depredation. As Cooper and Yitt (2002) proposed, this population of iguanas is probably foraging to best meet their daily energetic requirements. Future studies may consider additional sampling periods and years to expand our understanding of temporal variation, or investigating population demographics of C. similis on KI, prey availability on KI, prey choice by C. similis, gut retention times in C. similis, seed dispersal, and germination rates of seeds passed through the gut of C. similis. Each of these additional research components would continue to build upon the knowledge base established in this study, and aid resource managers in their control efforts.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: fgcu_ETD_0480
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Differential Diagnostic Process for Male Toddler with Pain and Regressing Postural Control, Strength and Function.
Creator: Schmitt, Nicole
Abstract / Description: Background and Purpose: Direct access brings added responsibility for physical therapist to comprehensively screen patients for medical referral, if necessary. The therapist should always question if the patient is appropriate for physical therapy, requires a medical referral, or both. The purpose of this case study is to describe the evaluation of a toddler referred to physical therapy with a diagnosis of muscle weakness and discuss the clinical reasoning process to determine deferral of...
Show moreBackground and Purpose: Direct access brings added responsibility for physical therapist to comprehensively screen patients for medical referral, if necessary. The therapist should always question if the patient is appropriate for physical therapy, requires a medical referral, or both. The purpose of this case study is to describe the evaluation of a toddler referred to physical therapy with a diagnosis of muscle weakness and discuss the clinical reasoning process to determine deferral of physical therapy treatment and referral back to the pediatrician. Case Description: The child, who typically developed his motor skills until approximately 11 months of age began demonstrating breath holding spells, had progressive muscle weakening, decreasing postural control, pain, and weight loss. His mother wanted him to achieve his motor skills and expressed concerns about spinal muscular atrophy. The patient presented with pain, decreased neck range of motion, lower extremity and core muscular weakness, and decreased gross motor and functional mobility skills. Outcomes: The therapist contacted the pediatrician to express concerns about pain, weight loss, and underlying medical pathology. The pediatrician agreed and stated intent to contact the neurologist about concerns of neuromuscular pathology. One week later, the patient had a MRI, ordered by the neurologist, which revealed an intramedullary spinal cord tumor from T2-T8 with severe cervical syringohydromyelia. The tumor was surgically removed 3 days later and diagnosed as pilocytic astrocytoma. The child was referred to physical therapy after hospital discharge and is undergoing intensive treatment for an acquired spinal cord injury. Discussion: In this case, the patient was not appropriate for physical therapy and required additional medical evaluation. Effective peer communication with the pediatrician improved continuity of care for this patient, who received the appropriate diagnosis and intervention. Therapist need to develop strong peer relationships with physicians, perform skilled examination and evaluation, and communicate competently to provide quality and well-coordinated care patients.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: Schmitt_fgcu_1743_10198
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Do Reebok EasyTone shoes promote changes in gait pattern compared with barefoot walking and regular walking.
Creator: Downing, Ashley
Abstract / Description: The purpose of this study is twofold: first to confirm/invalidate Reebok's claim for women that wearing Reebok EasyT one shoes increases muscle recruitment on the posterior leg muscles, specifically the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, biceps femoris, semimembranosus, semitendinosus, and gastrocnemius in comparison to regular fitness shoes or ambulating barefoot, second to analyze changes in gait patterns between barefoot, regular fitness shoes, and Reebok EasyTone shoes. Method: 15...
Show moreThe purpose of this study is twofold: first to confirm/invalidate Reebok's claim for women that wearing Reebok EasyT one shoes increases muscle recruitment on the posterior leg muscles, specifically the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, biceps femoris, semimembranosus, semitendinosus, and gastrocnemius in comparison to regular fitness shoes or ambulating barefoot, second to analyze changes in gait patterns between barefoot, regular fitness shoes, and Reebok EasyTone shoes. Method: 15 participants (ages 21- 36) ambulated a short distance (approximately 40 feet) four times for each trial on the electronic walkway of the GAITRite: one trial barefoot, one trial with the participant's regular tennis shoes, and one trial with the Reebok EasyTone shoes. Results: Several gait characteristics were evaluated revealing the following results. There was no significant difference between the types of shoe wear for base support (f = 1.54, p > 0.05), toeing in and out (f= 0.175, p > 0.05) cadence (f= 2.97, p > 0.05), step time (f= 1.52, p > 0.05), or cycle time (f= 1.92, p > 0.05). There was significant difference between the types of shoe wear for step length (f = 3.14, p < 0.05). Results also show significant difference between the types of shoe wear for stride length (f= 3.43, p < 0.05). Differences occurred between Reebok EasyTone and barefoot and Reebok EasyTone and regular footwear, but not between barefoot and regular footwear. Discussion: No significant differences were noted for cadence, this could be due to the fact that participants were instructed to maintain normal walking speed throughout each trial. Analysis revealed differences in step length and stride length as a shorter stride with easy tone shoes. This may indicate that there is greater energy expenditure; however, further research is needed to establish if there is greater muscle recruitment during gait when compared to ambulating barefoot or with regular tennis shoes. Conclusion: Overall, results demonstrated that there was significant difference between the barefoot vs. Reebok EasyTone shoes and regular tennis shoes vs. Reebok EasyTone shoes; therefore this study indicates that selected gait parameters might change while wearing the Reebok EasyTone shoes. Future research should examine the directionality of these changes and cause and effect factors.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: fgcu_ETD_0488
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Does fire history influence the severity of hurricane impacts on a pine scrub ecosystem?.
Creator: Holtzclaw, Rhonda J.
Abstract / Description: Disturbances occur in all ecosystems, and can strongly influence their structure and function, but the synergy of interactions between multiple disturbance types is underexamined and poorly understood. This is certainly true of the interactions between fire and hurricanes. Both fire and wind can be a primary structuring force in forest ecosystems. Both disturbances reduce vertical physical structure and biomass, and may influence dispersal or establishment of new propagules. However, fires,...
Show moreDisturbances occur in all ecosystems, and can strongly influence their structure and function, but the synergy of interactions between multiple disturbance types is underexamined and poorly understood. This is certainly true of the interactions between fire and hurricanes. Both fire and wind can be a primary structuring force in forest ecosystems. Both disturbances reduce vertical physical structure and biomass, and may influence dispersal or establishment of new propagules. However, fires, particularly controlled burns, tend to affect lower strata of vegetation and reduce fuel loads, whereas hurricanes most directly impact the upper vegetation layers, canopy trees, and significantly increase fuel loads. The focus of this study is the interaction between fire regimes and hurricanes. The location selected for the study is the xeric sand pine scrub ecosystem at the Archbold Biological Station. There were two specific objectives for this study: l.To investigate the interactions between previous fires and subsequent hurricane impacts; and 2. To establish plots in unburned areas that could be used for a future study of the post-hurricane impact of controlled burns. On the Archbold Biological Station (ABS), we selected four long-unburned sand pine scrub sites, one sand pine scrub site burned in 1986, and one sand pine scrub site burned in 1998 for the study sites. We established 100 m long by 5 m wide belt transects in each area. We assessed vegetation physical structure, species composition, and hurricane damage within each transect. We quantified vegetation structure by canopy closure and height, vegetation density, and determination of coverage by different vegetation classes. We assessed the vegetation community composition by estimating plant coverage by species. Hurricane damage quantification focused on the canopy trees in, or near, each transect. We identified and estimated percent cover for 27 species. We identified, measured, and assessed 189 trees greater than 10 cm in diameter at breast height (dbh). The sand pine (Pinus clausa) comprised 68.25% of the trees measured. We found vegetative debris coverage averaged 17.5 % overall on all transects. Coverage for 10,000 hour fuel loads (logs> 20 cm diameter) averaged 3.8 %. Vegetative composition by species did vary some among transects. The degree and type of tree cover varied considerably among transects. Data analyses indicate that the bum history may have influenced the severity of hurricane impacts. The most recent, 1998 bum area, consistently showed more open canopy, a lower canopy, lower average tree heights, lower cover in the vertical structure analysis, and lower percent cover of canopy and subcanopy vegetative layers. Litter cover and fuel loads show similarities between the older (1986) bum area and the unburned plots. The 1986 bum and the unburned plots showed very similar damage severity, with the 1998 burn area lower in both compositional (mortality) and structural damage, the latter significantly so. This study indicates that physical structure may be more important than species composition in predicting damage following subsequent disturbances. This study further indicates that 20 years following a controlled burn, the legacy of fire disturbance may be lost. However, seven years after a controlled burn, the fire may still impact the severity of hurricane disturbance.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: fgcu_ETD_0472
Format: Document (PDF)

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