The purpose of this survey of selected Chinese restaurants in the Greater Miami area is to determine management and guest perceptions as to the role of alcoholic beverage with respect to profits, competition and image in Chinese restaurant.

Italianità on Tour is a cultural history of Italian consciousness in Italy and Southeast Florida from 1896 to 1939. This dissertation examines literary works, folktales, folksongs, artworks, buildings and urban planning as imprints and cultural constructions of Italianità on both sides of the Atlantic, with a special emphasis on the transformations experienced on that journey. The real and/or imagined geo-cultural similarities between the Mediterranean and the Caribbean encouraged pioneers in Southeast Florida to conjure in their new setting an idea of Italianità, regardless of the presence of Italians in the area. Therefore, assessing Italianità, constitutes an important feature in understanding cultural constructions of identities in Miami and neighboring areas. This study, seeks to add Southeast Florida’s Caribbean-Italian identity to the existing scholarship on several Italian diaspora representations, whether from a cultural ethnic perspective or from a sense of national belonging. More generally, it will show that there was no quintessential Italian national culture, but only representations of it that élites in Italy and South Florida manufactured, and on the other hand, immigrants imagined and performed upon arrival to America.

Using aerial census techniques, I collected data on the population, reproduction and nesting habits of Bald Eagles in Florida Bay, Florida, for three consecutive breeding seasons (Oct - Mar, 1987 - 1990). For analysis I consolidated my data with those collected by Robertson et al. between 1959 and 1986 for a total of 26 seasons. The breeding population of Bald Eagles in Florida Bay has been stable since censuses began in 1959. However, numbers of subadult eagles in Florida Bay have declined sharply since the early 1960’s. Breeding density was apparently limited by territoriality. Nesting success was positively correlated with early commencement of nesting, number of active breeding territories and the history of individual breeding territories. Success was negatively correlated with the amount of rainfall during the breeding season. Most (87%) nesting failures occurred during the incubation stage. Nearly all nests were built in mangrove [Laguricularia racemosa, Avicenia germinans and Rhizophora mangle) trees and of these more than half were dead. The success of a nesting attempt was independent of changes in nests or nest sites.

This project empirically determined the controls of groundwater discharge potential and surface water chemistry in southern Taylor Slough, Everglades National Park, Florida. Potential for groundwater discharge was calculated as the difference in equivalent freshwater stage between groundwater and surface water on a daily basis for two sites (upland and coastal) along southern Taylor Slough. Upstream water stages were shown to vary most similarly to the timing of groundwater discharge potential in coastal Taylor Slough. Surface water major ion chemistry did not apparently change as a result of groundwater discharge potential. Surface water major ion chemistry at the coastal site was controlled by surface water flow direction, while at the more inland site surface water major ion chemistry was controlled by upstream water levels and evapotranspiration. Surface water phosphorus concentrations at the coastal site were controlled by groundwater discharge and flows of local surface water.

Methanogenesis was studied in soils from two sawgrass wetlands of the Florida Everglades. Marl soils exhibited a significantly higher potential rate of methanogenesis than peat soils. In these wetlands, methanogenesis: (1) decreased rapidly with increasing soil depth, (2) increased at higher temperatures and lower Eh, (3) was stimulated by organic compounds (cellulose, glucose and acetate), and (4) remained unaffected by added ammonium. Lowering the Eh in the peat and marl soils with sulfide or sulfate stimulated methanogenesis. In January 1990, phosphate caused a significant increase in methanogenesis. The potential rates of methanogenesis decreased to undetectable levels when water levels dropped below the surface, and peaked one month after the start of the wet season. Methanogenesis appeared to be a relatively important process in carbon cycling in marl soils and these soils do not accumulate peat. Therefore, one possible explanation for peat accumulation in sawgrass wetlands may be their low rates of methanogenesis.

The relationship between socially oriented client characteristics and facilitative therapist variables on client perceptions of the therapeutic relationship (CPTR) was investigated. Subjects were75 undergraduate students who answered a pretherapy questionnaire to measure the socially oriented client variables trusting, warmth, dominance (16PF), sex role orientation (Bem Sex Role Inventory), wanted and expressed inclusion, control, and affection (FIRO-B). Subjects were blocked on trusting and expressed affection and randomly assigned to a warm or neutral therapist condition where they saw a counselor for one fifty minute session. CPTR was measured using the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory, Counselor Rating Form, Therapist Rating Scales and Global Warmth Rating. Results indicated that subjects perceived a difference in the warm and neutral therapist conditions. And there was a significant interaction between the client variables of trusting and therapist condition. In addition, a significant interaction between the client variables of trusting and expressed affection was found. Additional correlational analysis indicated that certain other client variables are also related to CPTR.

The Florida Legislature responded to the national call for education reform by passing four statutes in 1991, referred to as Blueprint 2000. One intent of the legislation was to encourage change in schools through local community involvement in School Advisory Councils (SAC). The SAC, composed of parents, community members, teachers, and students was responsible for guiding the school through the process of school improvement. The purpose of the study was to investigate the role of the SAC in the implementation of Florida school improvement initiatives. The study was designed to identify local factors affecting the interpretation of policy and to develop understanding of the members of the SACs defined their roles. Four elementary schools in Duval County, Florida, were selected for study. A case study approach over one year was used to gather data from written materials, participant observation, and interviews. The data were analyzed to develop understanding of the roles of the SAC from the participants' perspectives. Findings indicated that SACs were fulfilling their basic responsibilities as outlined in the legislation. Evidence showed that no decision was entirely site based and the extent of the SAC's influence was greater than intended. Members' perceptions of influence to implement change may be more potent than the actual authority given to the SAC by law.

This study investigated the degree to which teacher expectations of at-risk students affect the teacher's instructional behaviors. Four elementary teachers were observed and videotaped for 20 minutes each during a language arts lesson. The videotapes were analyzed using an instrument consisting of ten behaviors from the Florida Performance Measurement System that reflect Rosenthal's four factors of teacher expectations, climate, input, output, and feedback. The teacher's instructional behaviors were recorded each time the behavior occurred during the 20 minute observation. The data were analyzed to determine if a relationship exists between the teacher's expectations for average or above average students and at-risk students and the teacher's instructional behaviors. The findings are displayed in two forms: raw score numbers and percentages of the behavior occurrences. The results of the study appear to indicate that teacher's expectations of different ability level students affect the teacher's instructional behaviors.

The mechanisms of transepithelial absorption of dietary D-glucose and D-fructose in the American lobster, Homarus americanus, were investigated in this study in order to determine whether sugar transport proteins have been conserved throughout evolution. Whole lobster intestine was isolated and mounted in a perfusion chamber to determine transepithelial mucosal to serosal (MS) and serosal to mucosal (SM) mechanisms of 3H-D-glucose and 3H-D-fructose transport across the intestine. Unidirectional MS and SM fluxes were measured by adding variable concentrations of 3H-D-glucose and 3H-D-fructose (2.5 to 50uM) to either the perfusate or the bath respectively and sampling the amount of radioactivity that exited the opposite side of the intestine. Both the transepithelial MS and SM transports of 3H-D-glucose and 3H-D-fructose were hyperbolic functions of sugar concentration. The net flux of both sugars indicated a net absorption of D-glucose and D-fructose into the serosal compartment. Inhibitory analysis showed that while phloridzin decreased MS 3H-D-glucose transport via a sodium glucose transport (SGLT 1-like) protein located on the mucosal membrane, 3H-D-fructose transport was not affected by the drug. Mucosal phloretin decreased MS D-fructose transport but not MS D-glucose transport. Immunohistochemistry analysis revealed the presence of a mucosal GLUT 5 transport protein on the mucosal membrane. Increasing serosal concentrations of phloretin decreased both SM D-glucose and D-fructose transport suggesting the presence of a serosal GLUT 2 used by both sugars. The results of this study support the concept of conserved mechanisms of sugar transport in multicellular animals.

The curriculum developed in this project was designed to meet the needs of primary students in the areas of self-concept, decision-making, and locus of control. It provides activities that enhance these areas in the hope of positively influencing school achievement. The related literature and research review attempts to show the interrelationships between self-concept, school achievement, decision-making, and locus of control.The project consists of 10-15 minute activities that do not require lengthy teacher preparation or numerous materials. The activities take into consideration Piaget's and Kohlberg's stages of development for kindergarten through second grade students. The content of the activities is not arranged in any particular sequential order. The focus of the content is in the affective domain with the activities dealing primarily with feelings, values, relationships with others, self-awareness, and making choices.The curriculum was evaluated by surveying a team of primary teachers. Feedback was gathered concerning the appropriateness of the activities for primary students and the practicality of its use in the classroom.