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Title: Reproductive parameters for nine avian species at Moore Creek, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Creator: Girard, G. Tanner, null, null, Natural Sciences
Abstract / Description: Florida Technological University College of Natural Sciences Thesis;
Date Issued: 1976
Identifier: CFR0004769, ucf:52980
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFR0004769

Title: FORCED MOTHERHOOD? AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY ON STATE GENDER EXPECTATIONS IN NICARAGUA.
Creator: Mendoza-Cardenal, Mikaela M, Reyes-Foster, Beatriz, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The dominant Sandinista party discourse of Nicaragua designates the family as the country's base social institution, but the prevailing machismo threatens the family's structure. Men - fathers - leave, either literally as migrant laborers or in the abandonment of their family responsibilities. In order to counteract the men's socially sanctioned absence, the state deploys a hegemonic expectation of motherhood in the passage of its complete abortion ban, one of the strictest in the world. All...
Show moreThe dominant Sandinista party discourse of Nicaragua designates the family as the country's base social institution, but the prevailing machismo threatens the family's structure. Men - fathers - leave, either literally as migrant laborers or in the abandonment of their family responsibilities. In order to counteract the men's socially sanctioned absence, the state deploys a hegemonic expectation of motherhood in the passage of its complete abortion ban, one of the strictest in the world. All forms of abortion, including saving the life of the mother, are banned in Nicaragua and both doctors and women are heavily penalized if an abortion is performed. The denial of this vital health service becomes much more threatening in the context of Nicaragua's increased maternal mortality and the highest adolescent fertility rate in Latin America. However, this thesis focuses on abortion within the social context of idealized maternity; here, abortion is not simply the removal of a fetus but a rejection of motherhood, a dangerous option to normalize when women are seen as those primarily responsible for the family's well-being. This study draws on seven weeks of fieldwork in early 2016 in Managua, Nicaragua and interviews with sixteen women to advance the argument that the abortion ban is a form of reproductive governance implemented to maintain a hegemony of maternal expectations in order to preserve the family.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFH2000128, ucf:46045
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000128

Title: REPRODUCTIVE DELAY IN THE FEMALE CAPE GROUND SQUIRREL (XERUS INAURIS).
Creator: Pettitt, Beth, Waterman, Jane, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The Cape ground squirrel, Xerus inauris, is a highly social cooperative breeder that forms groups containing multiple breeding females. While the distribution of reproduction among group members is fairly even (i.e. exhibits low reproductive skew), previous studies of Cape ground squirrels suggest the reproductive development of sub-adult females is inhibited by the presence of adult breeding female group mates. As reproductive delay is known to be influenced by a number of different...
Show moreThe Cape ground squirrel, Xerus inauris, is a highly social cooperative breeder that forms groups containing multiple breeding females. While the distribution of reproduction among group members is fairly even (i.e. exhibits low reproductive skew), previous studies of Cape ground squirrels suggest the reproductive development of sub-adult females is inhibited by the presence of adult breeding female group mates. As reproductive delay is known to be influenced by a number of different parameters, my goal was to determine if other factors affected the timing of sexual maturity, and if so, which factors are the most influential. In this study, I simultaneously test the relative power of seven different social and environmental parameters at explaining the variation in the female age of sexual maturity in two populations of Cape ground squirrels. Field work was conducted at two study sites in southern Africa, where trapping, behavioral and hormonal data were collected to determine the timing of reproductive development. Hormonal data was analyzed through the use of steroid enzyme immunoassay analysis to quantify the concentration of gonadal hormone in fecal samples which indicate the onset of sexual maturity. Prior to the start of the field season, I conducted an initial experiment to determine the best alternative form of fecal storage if freezing was unavailable. I found that drying feces provides a more reliable method for long-term preservation of fecal steroid concentrations when compared to storing fecal samples in alcohol. Data associated with each of the seven parameters was analyzed using model selection to simultaneously measure the ability of different combinations of parameters to explain the observed variation in female age of sexual maturity. I found that an increase in the number of adult breeding female group mates and related adult male group mates resulted in a substantial inhibition of female reproductive maturity. I concluded that a female Cape ground squirrel's age of sexual maturity is principally a result of the interaction between adult breeding females' capacity for reproductive suppression and sub-adults' ability to maximize lifetime reproductive success while minimizing inbreeding. The overall reproductive dynamics of each social group results from the tug-of-war between the adult and sub-adult female group mates to control breeding within the group, with minimal direct influence on sexual maturity by environmental factors.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: CFE0001021, ucf:46788
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001021

Title: Managing an Epidemic: Zika Interventions and Community Responses in Belize.
Creator: Gray, Deven, Mishtal, Joanna, Harris, Shana, Reyes-Foster, Beatriz, Branting, Scott, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Implementing effective health interventions in recent epidemics has been difficult due to the potentially global nature of their spread and sociocultural dynamics, raising questions concerning how to develop culturally-appropriate preventive measures, and how these health threats are understood locally. In Belize, health policy makers have only been marginally effective in managing infections and mosquito vectors, and Zika has been declared endemic in multiple regions of the country,...
Show moreImplementing effective health interventions in recent epidemics has been difficult due to the potentially global nature of their spread and sociocultural dynamics, raising questions concerning how to develop culturally-appropriate preventive measures, and how these health threats are understood locally. In Belize, health policy makers have only been marginally effective in managing infections and mosquito vectors, and Zika has been declared endemic in multiple regions of the country, particularly on the island of Caye Caulker. With one locally confirmed case of microcephaly on this small island already, this disease has the potential to severely impact the health and wellness of pregnant women and future generations. Based on ethnographic and Geographic Information Systems research conducted primarily in 2017, I examine how perspectives of Zika-related health risk are shaped, and how state interventions to manage Zika are understood. I argue that despite its declared endemic status, Zika is not perceived as a true health concern for community members due to numerous neoliberal structural challenges. Moreover, the state's restrictive form of reproductive governance which limits family planning services is forcing individuals to weigh conflicting conceptions of health consequences. This also contributes to an ambiguous healthcare environment for health practitioners, giving them an unclear picture of the scope of Zika as a public health concern and limiting their ability to treat patients. This thesis also considers how critical medical anthropology and feminist analytical approaches are useful in exploring these questions and contributing to understandings of the health impacts of Zika.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007402, ucf:52068
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007402

Title: Using Biomarkers to Assess the Migratory Ecology and Reproduction of the Florida Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas).
Creator: Chabot, Ryan, Mansfield, Kate, Worthy, Graham, Seminoff, Jeffrey, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Migratory connectivity between breeding and foraging areas is a vital component of the ecology of a diverse collection of marine vertebrates. Habitat quality, composition, and resource availability at these locations have direct ramifications for individual fitness. The green turtle (Chelonia mydas) is a long-lived, highly migratory species of conservation concern. Important green turtle nesting habitat in Florida is protected, but more information is needed to identify foraging habitats and...
Show moreMigratory connectivity between breeding and foraging areas is a vital component of the ecology of a diverse collection of marine vertebrates. Habitat quality, composition, and resource availability at these locations have direct ramifications for individual fitness. The green turtle (Chelonia mydas) is a long-lived, highly migratory species of conservation concern. Important green turtle nesting habitat in Florida is protected, but more information is needed to identify foraging habitats and the influence these habitats have on reproduction. Here, I used stable isotope analysis of ?13C, ?15N, and ?34S and satellite telemetry validation to determine the number of putative foraging areas used by the breeding aggregation at the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge (ACNWR), and the relative contribution of each foraging area. I evaluated the influence of foraging area and other variables on egg size, clutch size, hatching success, and emerging success using model selection frameworks. Isotopic values of skin and eggs were used to build conversion equations between the two tissue types. Results suggest strong migratory connectivity between the ACNWR and the Florida Keys/Florida Bay complex. I found that the influences of foraging area are likely to be more detectable when evaluating female-centric fitness metrics like clutch size and egg size; these influences are more muted in hatching and emerging success, which are strongly influenced by nest incubation conditions. These are the first green turtle-specific tissue conversion equations for ?13C and ?15N, and the first ?34S equation for any marine turtle species. These will allow researchers to have a (")common currency(") between frequently collected samples to better compare results.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006574, ucf:51314
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006574

Title: HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS' PERSPECTIVES ON MALE INVOLVEMENT IN THEIR SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE NEEDS.
Creator: Milanes, Lilian, Mishtal, Joanna, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Young men are at the greatest risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) within the U.S. male populations, yet are the least likely to make a sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care visit. Clinical approaches in these areas that include the outreach to and the involvement of male partners of female patients can prove particularly useful in expanding SRH care to men and can also improve health outcomes for women who have sex with men. In this study I examined UCF's healthcare...
Show moreYoung men are at the greatest risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) within the U.S. male populations, yet are the least likely to make a sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care visit. Clinical approaches in these areas that include the outreach to and the involvement of male partners of female patients can prove particularly useful in expanding SRH care to men and can also improve health outcomes for women who have sex with men. In this study I examined UCF's healthcare provider's approaches to educate and involve men (between the ages of 18 and 30) and male partners of female patients in their SRH needs. I conducted qualitative semi-structured interviews with 18 health care providers at the Student Health Center; including physicians, physician assistants, and registered nurses. This study found that there were significant differences in perception of men's SRH risk behaviors among the providers. In addition, this study revealed issues that might deter male students from accessing care, specifically how patients are required to state to the operator (who is also an undergraduate student) their name, PID and exactly why they are scheduling a visit to the clinic, thus many men say they have cold symptoms instead of issues with SRH. This study is significant because it can contribute to improvements in the delivery of SRH care to male students on campus.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFH0004225, ucf:44954
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004225

Title: Reproductive Rights and Justice Advocacy in Central Florida: Who is Represented?.
Creator: Hager, Mary, Mishtal, Joanna, Harris, Shana, Reyes-Foster, Beatriz, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This thesis examines the racial understanding and social relationships of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida staff and volunteers. As well, this research explores how Planned Parenthood supporters organize and promote diverse advocacy work to promote reproductive justice in social media and volunteer education. Planned Parenthood has been at the forefront of reproductive rights campaigns for over a century, and their work has often tied into contemporary feminist and...
Show moreThis thesis examines the racial understanding and social relationships of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida staff and volunteers. As well, this research explores how Planned Parenthood supporters organize and promote diverse advocacy work to promote reproductive justice in social media and volunteer education. Planned Parenthood has been at the forefront of reproductive rights campaigns for over a century, and their work has often tied into contemporary feminist and political issues. Of note, feminists of color have called for a shift from advocacy for (")reproductive choice(") to (")reproductive justice(") as a way to identify the needs and predicaments of a wider range of women and to promote advocacy that is more representative of the population it aims to serve. Yet, how key non-governmental organizations such as Planned Parenthood engage with intersectional issues of ethnicity, race, sex, gender, and socioeconomic class in their advocacy work has been understudied. Using ethnographic methods of participant observation and semi-structured interviews, this research examines how volunteers and staff apply their understandings of racial disparities and inclusive advocacy efforts to better aid Central Florida's marginalized communities and communities of color. This project contributes to the greater call for policy and organizational analysis through applied anthropology and feminist studies in the United States and addresses how organizations balance the desires of their funders against the diverse needs of their patients.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007011, ucf:52048
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007011

Title: Life history response to infection and the potential for dishonest signals in the ground cricket, Allonemobius socius.
Creator: Copeland, Emily, Fedorka, Kenneth, Hoffman, Eric, Crampton, William, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In order to maximize fitness, individuals must partition their limited resources among competing physiological processes, creating negative statistical associations between processes known as (")life-history trade-offs("). Evidence indicates that individuals tend to decrease their reproductive investment when confronted with a significant immunological challenge in order to increase investment in immune defense. This trade-off is often accompanied by a significant decrease in the sexual...
Show moreIn order to maximize fitness, individuals must partition their limited resources among competing physiological processes, creating negative statistical associations between processes known as (")life-history trade-offs("). Evidence indicates that individuals tend to decrease their reproductive investment when confronted with a significant immunological challenge in order to increase investment in immune defense. This trade-off is often accompanied by a significant decrease in the sexual signal, which provides an honest signal of the male's infection status to potential mates. However, if individual residual reproductive value is low, they may instead increase their reproductive investment to maximize reproductive success before the end of their life (a.k.a. terminal investment). Here, we investigate the potential for terminal investment in the ground cricket Allonemobius socius by inoculating males with varying dosages of an immune challenge. We predicted that both high dose and advanced male age would induce terminal investment. Furthermore, we predicted that terminally investing males would produce a dishonest signal by increasing their signaling effort. We found that upon infection We found that upon infection, young males and old males differentially alter their reproductive strategy. Young males exhibited the classic deceleration of reproductive effort. However, old males increased their calling song energetics and decreased their parental investment (nuptial gift size), suggesting that old males are dishonestly signaling their condition to the female.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004529, ucf:49249
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004529

Title: THE EFFECTS OF AGE ON REPRODUCTION IN A CITRUS ROOT WEEVIL DIAPREPES ABBREVIATUS.
Creator: Chasez, Heather, Fedorka, Kenneth, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Understanding the factors influencing mate choice is a major focus of sexual selection. Many factors are potentially involved, including age of the individual. The good genes model and the youth advantage model both make predictions about the effect of age on mate choice. Under the good genes model older mates would be the more preferable due to their proven high survivability. The Ã‚Â"youth advantageÃ‚Â" model, predicts that young to intermediate age males...
Show moreUnderstanding the factors influencing mate choice is a major focus of sexual selection. Many factors are potentially involved, including age of the individual. The good genes model and the youth advantage model both make predictions about the effect of age on mate choice. Under the good genes model older mates would be the more preferable due to their proven high survivability. The Ã‚Â"youth advantageÃ‚Â" model, predicts that young to intermediate age males would be more advantageous as mates because of a decrease in sperm quality and the possibility of increased germ-line mutations in older animals. I examined the effects of age on behavioral and physiological factors in Diaprepes abbreviatus experimentally. Both males and females were found to be the least optimal as mates during the intermediate stage of their lives, with preferences for young and old age classes. Females had higher fertilization rates when young and fertilization steadily declined with age, consistent with the youth advantage model. Males overall had higher fertilization rate and procured matings faster when they were older, which was in accordance with the good genes model, though experience could also play a role in this result. These data here suggest that in D. abbreviatus age may play an important role in mate choice decisions.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0003568, ucf:48924
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003568

Title: Abortion Attitudes and Subjective Religiosity: Examining a Fourfold Typology.
Creator: Guido, Christopher, Gay, David, Corzine, Harold, Lynxwiler, John, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This is an exploratory study that examins the relationship between religious persons and attitudes toward legal abortion. This study presents a fourfold typology of respondents: (1) pro-choice, but not religious, (2) pro-choice and religious, (3) pro-life, but not religious, and (4) pro-life and religious. This study looks for characteristics of respondents in these categories. As previous research was examined on the relationship between religion and abortion attitudes, the question on what...
Show moreThis is an exploratory study that examins the relationship between religious persons and attitudes toward legal abortion. This study presents a fourfold typology of respondents: (1) pro-choice, but not religious, (2) pro-choice and religious, (3) pro-life, but not religious, and (4) pro-life and religious. This study looks for characteristics of respondents in these categories. As previous research was examined on the relationship between religion and abortion attitudes, the question on what social characteristics make up the four categories of pro-choice and pro-life respondents was examined. Findings show that social characteristics of respondents vary across categories of subjective religiosity and attitudes toward legal abortion typology. Recommendations are made for future research to utilize this data to continue exploring the relationship between social attitudes towards abortion alongside a person's religiosity.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006742, ucf:51872
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006742

Title: Characterization of Innate Immunity in the Female Reproductive Tract for the Prevention of HIV Acquisition.
Creator: Eade, Colleen, Cole, Alexander, Jewett, Travis, Naser, Saleh, Khaled, Annette, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infects 30 million people worldwide. In sub-Saharan Africa, the region most affected by HIV, women comprise 60% of the infected population. Heterosexual transmission is a major mode of viral acquisition, mandating further research of the process and prevention of HIV acquisition via the female reproductive tract (FRT). The FRT is a dynamic environment, protected by host immune mechanisms and commensal microbes. The disruption of either of these elements can...
Show moreHuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infects 30 million people worldwide. In sub-Saharan Africa, the region most affected by HIV, women comprise 60% of the infected population. Heterosexual transmission is a major mode of viral acquisition, mandating further research of the process and prevention of HIV acquisition via the female reproductive tract (FRT). The FRT is a dynamic environment, protected by host immune mechanisms and commensal microbes. The disruption of either of these elements can increase susceptibility to HIV. Accordingly, one common risk factor for HIV acquisition is the microbial shift condition known as bacterial vaginosis (BV), which is characterized by the displacement of healthy lactobacilli by an overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria. As the bacteria responsible for BV pathogenicity and their interactions with host immunity are not understood, we sought to evaluate the effects of BV-associated bacteria on reproductive epithelia. Here we have characterized the interaction between BV-associated bacteria and the female reproductive tract by measuring cytokine and defensin induction in FRT epithelial cells following bacterial inoculation. Four BV-associated bacteria were evaluated alongside six lactobacilli for a comparative assessment. Our model showed good agreement with clinical BV trends; we observed a distinct cytokine and human ?-defensin-2 response to BV-associated bacteria, especially Atopobium vaginae, compared to most lactobacilli. One lactobacillus species, Lactobacillus vaginalis, induced an immune response similar to that elicited by BV-associated bacteria. These data provide an important prioritization of BV-associated bacteria and support further characterization of reproductive bacteria and their interactions with host epithelia. We next evaluated the effect of this interaction on HIV infection by investigating the soluble effectors secreted when FRT epithelial cells were cocultured with A. vaginae. We observed increased proviral activity mediated by secreted low molecular weight effectors, and determined that this activity was not likely mediated by cytokine responses. Instead, we identified a complex mixture containing several upregulated host proteins. Selected individual proteins from the mixture exhibited HIV-enhancing activity only when applied with the complex mixture of proviral factors, suggesting that HIV enhancement might be mediated by synergistic effects.In addition to characterizing the immune interactions that mediate the enhanced HIV acquisition associated with BV, we also evaluated the safety and efficacy of RC-101, a candidate vaginal microbicide being developed for the prevention of HIV transmission. RC-101 has been effective and well tolerated in preliminary cell culture and macaque models. However, the effect of RC-101 on primary vaginal tissues and resident vaginal microflora requires further evaluation. Here, we treated primary vaginal tissues and vaginal bacteria, both pathogenic and commensal, with RC-101 to investigate compatibility of this microbicide with FRT tissue and microflora. RC-101 was well tolerated by host tissues and commensal vaginal bacteria, while BV-associated bacteria were inhibited by RC-101. By establishing vaginal microflora, the specific antibacterial activity of RC-101 may provide a dual mechanism of HIV protection.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFE0004677, ucf:49867
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004677

Title: Repro, But Make It Fashion: Discourses on Sex, Sexuality, and Reproduction in Teen Vogue Magazine.
Creator: Londono, Estefany, Carter, Shannon, Armato, Michael, Donley, Amy, Bubriski, Anne, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: There are many possible sources for youth to become educated about sexuality and reproduction, however the media are cited as particularly powerful and prominent sources of information (Jaworski, 2009). Particularly in an era in which abstinence-only messaging dominates sex education, media become a source to which young people turn and where they receive much of their sex-based messaging. Due to backlash over problematic content that perpetuates gender stereotypes and relays harmful messages...
Show moreThere are many possible sources for youth to become educated about sexuality and reproduction, however the media are cited as particularly powerful and prominent sources of information (Jaworski, 2009). Particularly in an era in which abstinence-only messaging dominates sex education, media become a source to which young people turn and where they receive much of their sex-based messaging. Due to backlash over problematic content that perpetuates gender stereotypes and relays harmful messages about sex and sexuality, some magazines, including Teen Vogue, have attempted to shift towards more feminist-minded content (Keller, 2011, Milkie, 2002). This study is a qualitative critical feminist media analysis that examined the framing of sex, sexuality, and reproduction content in a sample of 60 Teen Vogue articles, an online publication that targets adolescents and young adults. The analysis revealed that overall, articles conveyed positive representations of sexuality, advocating for affirming and evidence-based sex education, self-empowerment through knowledge, and comprehensive reproductive healthcare for all. However, contradictory frames of sex stigmatization and a reproductive rights framework that advocates primarily for abortion rights were still highly prevalent in the data. Considering media is a significant component of the sexual socialization of youth, Sex Positive framing of sexuality which prioritizes pleasure, healthy relationships and sexual dynamics, and inclusive and affirmative sex education helps to create new narratives in media concerning how sex is viewed. These messages may have positive impacts by creating healthier sexual scripts and becoming dominant narratives in the future. However, articles in the data also utilized fear-mongering tactics that are notoriously used in abstinence-only sex education. These messages aid in further stigmatizing young people not only for having sex but also for not being informed of the potential associated risks, creating a harmful paradox that may counteract the goals of sexual health and sex positivity. Additionally, reproductive rights and reproductive justice messaging and the presentation of policy updates relevant to young readers has the potential to inform and socialize young people to be better informed about sex and sexuality, which may, in turn, lead to greater sexual empowerment. Such messaging may also empower youth activists in a time of political turmoil, connecting teen readers to what is going on around them, and providing concrete actions they can take to create political change. ?
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Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFE0007832, ucf:52815
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007832

Title: EFFECTS OF A SHORE PROTECTION PROJECT ON LOGGERHEAD AND GREEN TURTLE NESTING ACTIVITY AND REPRODUCTION IN BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA.
Creator: Brock, Kelly, Ehrhart, Llewellyn, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Marine turtle reproductive success is strongly correlated with the stability and quality of the nesting environment. Because females show fidelity to key nesting beaches, the management and physical characteristics of these beaches directly affect future generations of marine turtles and may be essential for the recovery of these threatened and endangered species. The impacts of beach restoration on loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) and on green turtles (Chelonia mydas) were investigated....
Show moreMarine turtle reproductive success is strongly correlated with the stability and quality of the nesting environment. Because females show fidelity to key nesting beaches, the management and physical characteristics of these beaches directly affect future generations of marine turtles and may be essential for the recovery of these threatened and endangered species. The impacts of beach restoration on loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) and on green turtles (Chelonia mydas) were investigated. Previous studies concerning beach nourishment projects have focused on loggerhead turtles. I compared data between nourished and non-nourished areas and between loggerhead and green turtles. I found, at one season post-nourishment, negative effects on nesting success and no significant effect on reproductive success for both loggerheads and established the same relationships with green turtles. Physical attributes of the fill sand, which did not facilitate acute scarp formation or severe compaction, did not physically impede turtles in their attempts to nest. Instead, the decrease in nesting success was attributed to an absence of abiotic and or biotic factors that cue nesting behavior. The increase in loggerhead nesting success rates during the second season post-nourishment was attributed to the equilibration process of the seaward crest of the berm. After the beach was restored, both species of turtles placed nests significantly farther from the water in the nourished area than in the non-nourished area. Green turtles nested on or near the dune and loggerheads nested on the seaward crest of the berm. The tendency of loggerheads to nest closer to the water resulted in more loggerhead than green turtle nests being "washed out" by erosion during the equilibration process. There was a significant increase in hatching success only for loggerheads when wash outs were excluded, thus illustrating the importance of nest placement and the detrimental effects of the equilibration process to the reproductive success of loggerheads. A decrease in reproductive output occurred during the first season post-nourishment. The reduction in the estimated total number of hatchlings produced (reproductive output) was a consequence of decreased nesting success lowering nest numbers. This reduction demonstrates that, regardless of similar reproductive success rates, marine turtles incurred net losses during the first season following nourishment. These results further reveal the impacts of decreased nesting success and the importance of minimizing excessive non-nesting emergences associated with beach nourishment.
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: CFE0000493, ucf:46365
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000493

Title: SEX-BIASED PARASITISM AND THE REPRODUCTIVE COSTS OF PARASITES IN A SOCIAL AFRICAN GROUND SQUIRREL.
Creator: Hillegass, Melissa, Waterman, Jane, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Vertebrate males frequently carry higher numbers of parasites than females. This bias in parasite loads could be a consequence of sexual selection. Grouping species are also assumed to be afflicted with larger numbers of parasites than solitary animals and associated costs of this parasitism could vary with group size or structure. I examined sex-biased parasitism and the influence of group size on parasite loads in Cape ground squirrels (Xerus inauris), a highly social species that occurs in...
Show moreVertebrate males frequently carry higher numbers of parasites than females. This bias in parasite loads could be a consequence of sexual selection. Grouping species are also assumed to be afflicted with larger numbers of parasites than solitary animals and associated costs of this parasitism could vary with group size or structure. I examined sex-biased parasitism and the influence of group size on parasite loads in Cape ground squirrels (Xerus inauris), a highly social species that occurs in the arid regions of southern Africa. Males carried three times as many ectoparasites as females, but females harbored nearly three times more endoparasites than males. Amount of time spent (per hour) autogrooming was similar between males and females, but amount time spent allogrooming by adult female was over eleven times that of adult males. Longer allogrooming of group members could be decreasing the numbers of ectoparasites of group members and ultimately the group. Males infrequently give or receive allogrooming and travel in very large home ranges, potentially increasing their exposure to ectoparasites. However, movement throughout a large home range may result in males foraging in areas with lower densities of fecal pellets, which could explain the lower endoparasite loads observed in males. When I considered the age class of group members, female age classes were similarly parasitized but male age classes were not. Sub-adult males carried similar ectoparasite loads to adult males and similar endoparasite loads to adult females. This result is of particular interest because sub-adult males are becoming scrotal but typically remain in the group until adulthood. Sexual selection does appear to influence parasite loads in this species, and parasite removal or avoidance potentially mitigates individual parasite loads and their associated costs. Parasites can be detrimental to the health, longevity, and reproduction of their hosts, but these costs are rarely quantified. I removed ectoparasites and endoparasites from Cape ground squirrels for three months and evaluated changes in female body mass, reproduction, burrow use, and grooming in response to parasite removal. Female body mass did not increase with parasite removal, but reproductive success (per capita offspring raised to emergence) increased nearly four-fold, while allogrooming by treated females decreased. Since breeding is highest in the late winter dry season when fewer resources are available, the impact of parasites may be highest during this season. Lactation and gestation are the most physiological stressful processes that females undergo, and the dramatic increase in reproductive success in treated females suggests that these females are able to allocate more resources to reproduction than females afflicted with parasites. These results suggest that studies investigating reproduction and fecundity must consider the vulnerability of the host to parasite infection and the potential impact on reproductive success.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: CFE0001958, ucf:47455
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001958

Title: EPIDEMIOLOGICAL MODELS FOR MUTATING PATHOGENS WITH TEMPORARY IMMUNITY.
Creator: Singh, Neeta, Rollins, David, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Significant progress has been made in understanding different scenarios for disease transmissions and behavior of epidemics in recent years. A considerable amount of work has been done in modeling the dynamics of diseases by systems of ordinary differential equations. But there are very few mathematical models that deal with the genetic mutations of a pathogen. In-fact, not much has been done to model the dynamics of mutations of pathogen explaining its effort to escape the host's immune...
Show moreSignificant progress has been made in understanding different scenarios for disease transmissions and behavior of epidemics in recent years. A considerable amount of work has been done in modeling the dynamics of diseases by systems of ordinary differential equations. But there are very few mathematical models that deal with the genetic mutations of a pathogen. In-fact, not much has been done to model the dynamics of mutations of pathogen explaining its effort to escape the host's immune defense system after it has infected the host. In this dissertation we develop an SIR model with variable infection age for the transmission of a pathogen that can mutate in the host to produce a second infectious mutant strain. We assume that there is a period of temporary immunity in the model. A temporary immunity period along with variable infection age leads to an integro-differential-difference model. Previous efforts on incorporating delays in epidemic models have mainly concentrated on inclusion of latency periods (this assumes that the force of infection at a present time is determined by the number of infectives in the past). We begin with reviewing some basic models. These basic models are the building blocks for the later, more detailed models. Next we consider the model for mutation of pathogen and discuss its implications. Finally, we improve this model for mutation of pathogen by incorporating delay induced by temporary immunity. We examine the influence of delay as we establish the existence, and derive the explicit forms of disease-free, boundary and endemic equilibriums. We will also investigate the local stability of each of these equilibriums. The possibility of Hopf bifurcation using delay as the bifurcation parameter is studied using both analytical and numerical solutions.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: CFE0001043, ucf:46801
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001043

Title: SEX EDUCATION OR SELF EDUCATION? LGBT+ EXPERIENCES WITH EXCLUSIONARY CURRICULA.
Creator: Reeves, Karli, Mishtal, Joanna, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Though much research exists on LGBT+ exclusion from school-based sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education, the strategies used by LGBT+ individuals during their search for knowledge regarding the subject are not as widely documented. Using the ethnographic research method of semi-structured interviews, this research explores the experiences of young LGBT+ adults with formal sexual and reproductive health education and examines the self-education methods employed by this population in...
Show moreThough much research exists on LGBT+ exclusion from school-based sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education, the strategies used by LGBT+ individuals during their search for knowledge regarding the subject are not as widely documented. Using the ethnographic research method of semi-structured interviews, this research explores the experiences of young LGBT+ adults with formal sexual and reproductive health education and examines the self-education methods employed by this population in the context of exclusionary and cisheteronormative curricula. This project also functions to contribute to existing literature in the field of anthropology and other social sciences regarding the subject of SRH education, particularly LGBT+ SRH education. Furthermore, this study supports the need for additional research through the use of applied anthropology concerning interactions between institutions, policy and individual experiences of health.
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Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFH2000500, ucf:45692
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000500

Title: PROTECTION OF THE FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE TRACT IN THE PREVENTION OF HIV.
Creator: Diaz, Camila, Cole, Alexander, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Worldwide, more than half of all HIV-infected individuals are women. Since mucosal surfaces are the primary gateway for HIV entry, maintaining the integrity of the female reproductive tract (FRT) is essential for preventing infection. The FRT employs many immune mechanisms that serve as the first line of defense against HIV transmission. Among these are vaginal fluid secretions rich in antimicrobial peptides, and commensal bacteria that colonize the vagina and prevent infections. We sought to...
Show moreWorldwide, more than half of all HIV-infected individuals are women. Since mucosal surfaces are the primary gateway for HIV entry, maintaining the integrity of the female reproductive tract (FRT) is essential for preventing infection. The FRT employs many immune mechanisms that serve as the first line of defense against HIV transmission. Among these are vaginal fluid secretions rich in antimicrobial peptides, and commensal bacteria that colonize the vagina and prevent infections. We sought to study vaginal fluid as an innate immune component of the FRT in the prevention of HIV infection. Additionally, we investigated the anti-HIV microbicide candidate RC-101 as a possible treatment against pathogenic bacteria that disrupt the healthy microbiota of the FRT and create a suboptimal immune state that increases host susceptibility to viruses, such as HIV. Here we report that vaginal fluid collected from healthy females inhibits HIV infection. Moreover, our studies reveal that vaginal fluid collected from Black and White women exhibit disparate anti-HIV activity, possibly rendering Black women more susceptible to HIV infection. In addition, we show that RC-101, which is active against HIV, can also inhibit pathogenic bacteria that compromise FRT innate immunity, providing a dual mechanism of protection against HIV acquisition. Overall, these findings show that vaginal fluid is an important part of female innate immunity that protects the host from heterosexual HIV acquisition. Furthermore, the microbicide RC-101 may prevent HIV infection by both directly preventing viral entry, and by restricting the growth of pathogenic bacteria that disrupt the protective commensal vaginal flora. Together, innate mechanisms and bolstered protection present a multifaceted approach to maintaining effective host immunity.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFH0004150, ucf:44842
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004150

Title: PROTOTYPE OF AN EDUCATIONAL GAME FOR KNOWLEDGE RETENTION IN YOUTH HEALTH EDUCATION.
Creator: Vogel, Jennifer, Montagne, Euripides, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: There is some debate about the most effective and least controversial means of sex education in schools. In several states, state law does not require education about Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (STDs and HIV/AIDS.) There is also debate about the effect and pervasiveness of sexual situations in video games and its effect on the healthy sexual development of adolescents. This research therefore aims to try to solve...
Show moreThere is some debate about the most effective and least controversial means of sex education in schools. In several states, state law does not require education about Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (STDs and HIV/AIDS.) There is also debate about the effect and pervasiveness of sexual situations in video games and its effect on the healthy sexual development of adolescents. This research therefore aims to try to solve these two problems and answer the following question: Is it possible to represent sex in a more realistic and educational way through a video game while teaching more medically accurate and necessary information? The completion of this study will be able to provide some insights on the feasibility and benefits of widespread implementation of serious video games for health education in the United States and also point to the necessity of future research into this topic.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFH0004656, ucf:45257
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004656

Title: IN THE CRITICAL TRADITION: AN EXAMINATION OF NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED TEACHERS IN A CENTRAL FLORIDA SCHOOL DISTRICT.
Creator: Flanigan, Jacquelyn, Holt, Larry, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In 1986, the Carnegie Forum on Education and the Economy published A Nation Prepared: Teachers for the 21st Century in which it recommended that a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) be established to ascertain and institute criteria for teacher excellence (Steiner, 1995). No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) mandated that every classroom employ a "highly qualified teacher" (No Child Left Behind, 2001a); moreover, NCLB articulated the relationship between improving...
Show moreIn 1986, the Carnegie Forum on Education and the Economy published A Nation Prepared: Teachers for the 21st Century in which it recommended that a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) be established to ascertain and institute criteria for teacher excellence (Steiner, 1995). No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) mandated that every classroom employ a "highly qualified teacher" (No Child Left Behind, 2001a); moreover, NCLB articulated the relationship between improving student achievement and higher standards for qualifying classroom teachers (Rotberg, Futrell & Lieberman, 1998). Research conducted in Miami-Dade County supports Florida's use of National Board Certification (NBC) as an "effective signal of teacher quality"(CNA Corporation, 2004, p.1). Critical theorist, Michael Apple, emphasized the role of education as an agent for the maintenance of hegemony (Apple, 2004). However, Apple further posited that the actual bureaucracy of school – the institution of education itself – is reflective of the same consumerist ideology of society, thus making the hegemony even more complete. Using the aforementioned theoretical construct, the researcher examined the development of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), the distribution of Nationally Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) in a central Florida school district, and their professional responsibilities as a means of examining whether this mechanism for identifying "highly qualified teachers" achieves its stated aim of providing every student with access to a "highly qualified" teacher, as is legislated and funded per NCLB.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002366, ucf:47805
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002366

Title: THE ANTI-HIV-1 ACTIVITY OF HUMAN SEMINAL PLASMA.
Creator: Martellini, Julie, Cole, Alexander, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has become a global pandemic over the past few decades, with new infections and related deaths in the millions each year. There is no cure in sight for HIV-1 infection, and there has been little progress in developing an efficacious vaccine. Heterosexual transmission of HIV-1 remains the principal mode of transmission throughout the world and thus measures, such as topical vaginal microbicides, to prevent infection of the female reproductive tract are...
Show moreHuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has become a global pandemic over the past few decades, with new infections and related deaths in the millions each year. There is no cure in sight for HIV-1 infection, and there has been little progress in developing an efficacious vaccine. Heterosexual transmission of HIV-1 remains the principal mode of transmission throughout the world and thus measures, such as topical vaginal microbicides, to prevent infection of the female reproductive tract are actively being explored. Recent trials of topical vaginal microbicides have shown that their interaction with the mucosal surfaces of the female reproductive tract as well as semen can hinder microbicide effectiveness against HIV-1 infection. Therefore, understanding the role these fluids play in HIV transmission would be critical towards developing effective antiviral prophylaxes. A recent study from our group demonstrated that human cervicovaginal secretions contained numerous cationic antimicrobial peptides and proteins, which collectively inhibited HIV-1 infection of target cells and tissues. To ascertain if human seminal plasma (SP), the main vector responsible for transmitting HIV-1, exhibited antiviral activity we utilized several anti-HIV assays in the presence or absence of minimally manipulated SP. The majority of the intrinsic anti-HIV-1 activity of SP resided in the cationic polypeptide fraction. Antiviral assays utilizing luciferase reporter cells and lymphocytic cells revealed the ability of whole SP to prevent HIV-1 infection, even when SP was diluted 3200-fold. Subsequent fractionation by continuous flow acid-urea (AU)-PAGE and antiviral testing revealed that cationic polypeptides within SP were responsible for the majority of anti-HIV-1 activity. A proteomic approach was utilized to resolve and identify 52 individual cationic polypeptides that contribute to the aggregate anti-HIV-1 activity of SP. One peptide fragment of semenogelin I, termed SG-1, was purified from SP by a multi-step chromatographic approach, protein sequenced, and determined to exhibit anti-HIV-1 activity against HIV-1. Anti-HIV-1 activity was transient, as whole SP incubated for prolonged time intervals exhibited a proportional decrease in anti-HIV-1 activity that was directly attributed to the degradation of semenogelin I peptides. Collectively, these results indicate that the cationic polypeptide fraction of SP is active against HIV-1, and that semenogelin-derived peptides contribute to the intrinsic anti-HIV-1 activity of SP. Conversely, naturally occurring peptidic fragments from the SP-derived prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) have been reported to form amyloid fibrils called "SEVI" capable of enhancing HIV-1 infection in vitro. In order to understand the biological consequence of this proviral effect, we extended these studies in the presence of human SP. PAP-derived peptides were agitated to form SEVI and incubated in the presence or absence of SP. While PAP-derived peptides and SEVI alone were proviral, the presence of 1% SP ablated their proviral activity in several different anti-HIV-1 assays. The anti-HIV-1 activity of SP was concentration dependent and was reduced following filtration. Supraphysiological concentrations of PAP peptides and SEVI incubated with diluted SP were degraded within hours, with SP exhibiting proteolytic activity at dilutions as high as 1:200. Sub-physiological concentrations of two prominent proteases of SP, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and matriptase, could degrade physiological and supraphysiological concentrations of PAP peptides and SEVI. While human SP is a complex biological fluid, containing both antiviral and proviral factors, our results suggest that PAP peptides and SEVI may be subject to naturally occurring proteolytic components capable of reducing their proviral activity. Our studies demonstrate the overall antiviral activity of human SP, but there is still a critical need for effective topical vaginal microbicides that can prevent HIV-1 transmission. The synthetic human retrocyclins are cyclic antimicrobial peptides that are remarkably active against HIV-1, and are being developed as topical vaginal microbicides. Herein, we assessed whether the putative proviral SEVI was able to adversely affect the anti-HIV-1 activity of the retrocyclin analog RC-101. While SEVI alone enhanced viral infection, this effect was completely negated in the presence of RC-101. Retrocyclins such as RC-101 are inhibitors of HIV-1 entry, by preventing gp41-mediated viral fusion. Interestingly, using an HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) specific assay, we also determined that RC-101 directly inhibited the activity of RT in a dose dependent manner, suggesting a secondary mechanism of viral inhibition. Our group has determined that RC-101 induces only a modest level of resistance in HIV, which may be due in part to RC-101's dual mechanisms of viral inhibition.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0003583, ucf:48916
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003583

reproductive success (4)	+ -
HIV (3)	+ -
Reproductive Justice (2)	+ -
beach nourishment (2)	+ -
epidemic model (2)	+ -

hegemony (2)	+ -
reproduction (2)	+ -
reproductive effort (2)	+ -
reproductive rights (2)	+ -
sea turtles (2)	+ -
sexual and reproductive health (2)	+ -
sexual selection (2)	+ -
Abortion (1)	+ -
Adolescent Media (1)	+ -
Adolescent Socialization (1)	+ -
Bacterial Vaginosis (1)	+ -
Belize (1)	+ -
Birds (1)	+ -
Birth Control (1)	+ -
Brachyhypopomus (1)	+ -
Central America (1)	+ -
Communication (1)	+ -
Critical Feminist Media Analysis (1)	+ -
Ecology model (1)	+ -
Electric organ (1)	+ -
Electrogenesis (1)	+ -
Electroreception (1)	+ -
FeLV (1)	+ -
Felis catus (1)	+ -
Female Reproductive Tract (1)	+ -

ETD Collection (20)	+ -
Honors Collection (5)	+ -

University of Central Florida (24)	+ -
Mishtal, Joanna (4)	+ -
Cole, Alexander (3)	+ -
Fedorka, Kenneth (3)	+ -
Reyes-Foster, Beatriz (3)	+ -

Carter, Shannon (2)	+ -
Crampton, William (2)	+ -
Ehrhart, Llewellyn (2)	+ -
Harris, Shana (2)	+ -
Quintana-Ascencio, Pedro (2)	+ -
Waterman, Jane (2)	+ -
Afflerback, Sara (1)	+ -
Armato, Michael (1)	+ -
Branting, Scott (1)	+ -
Brock, Kelly (1)	+ -
Bubriski, Anne (1)	+ -
Chabot, Ryan (1)	+ -
Chasez, Heather (1)	+ -
Copeland, Emily (1)	+ -
Corzine, Harold (1)	+ -
Diaz, Camila (1)	+ -
Donley, Amy (1)	+ -
Eade, Colleen (1)	+ -
Flanigan, Jacquelyn (1)	+ -
Gay, David (1)	+ -
Girard, G. Tanner (1)	+ -
Grauerholz, Elizabeth (1)	+ -
Gray, Deven (1)	+ -
Guido, Christopher (1)	+ -
Hager, Mary (1)	+ -

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