Thesis (D. Ed.)--Florida International University, 1994. / Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 216-220).

From 1988 to 1990 a study of the reproductive ecology of the burrowing owl was conducted to determine seasonality and reproductive success in Dade and Broward Counties. Reproductive data for each of the three years (1988- 1990) reveal a higher reproductive success rate (54%) for 1990 than 1989 (40%) and 1988 (40%). Owls using previously used burrows had a higher success in fledging young (63%) than newly excavated burrows (19%). T-tests were conducted on several appendage measurements of male and female owls to determine sexual dimorphic traits. Metatarsus lengths of males and females were different (t=2.36, p=0.02). As of 1990,197 owls had been banded in the study area. In 1989, 75% and in 1990, 83% of the banded adults were found on the same territory. Only 4 of 129 banded nestlings have been reencountered in the study sites.

O tratamento farmacológico de patologias bucais é conduzido, geralmente, por via de adminis-tração local. No entanto, devido ao pouco tempo de permanência do fármaco no local de ação, esse tratamento pode ser bastante comprometido. Assim, este trabalho teve por objetivo o de-senvolvimento de formas farmacêuticas que proporcionem a liberação local de triancinolona na cavidade oral. Foram produzidos filmes e comprimidos mucoadesivos a partir de polímeros naturais como gelana e pectina. Os filmes bucais foram preparados por meio de evaporação do solvente (solvent casting) utilizando diferentes quantidades de polímeros. As matérias-primas e os filmes foram caracterizados fisico quimicamente utilizando espectroscopia vibracional (in-fravermelho com transformada de Fourier e Raman) e difração de raios X. As propiedades físicas e mecânicas dos filmes também foram avaliadas. Além disso, realizou-se os ensaios de mucoadesividade e de dissolução do fármaco. Os comprimidos foram preparados por com-pressão direta usando como base os polímeros naturais. Diferentes parâmetros em relação as misturas e as formulações foram avaliados tais como as propriedades de fluxo dos pós consti-tuintes, peso médio, dureza, friabilidade e desintegração. Em relação aos filmes bucais, estes foram obtidos com sucesso através de um método simples, sem a utilização de agentes reticu-lantes, ácidos ou solventes orgânicos. Todos apresentaram bons resultados nas propriedades avaliadas, no entanto as formulações com quantidades intermediarias de polímeros foram as melhores. Dentre as formulações de comprimidos preparadas, apenas 4 apresentaram boas ca-racterísticas, no entanto, os resultados dos ensaios de dissolução mostraram que estas formula-ções têm capacidade de agir como sistema de liberação controlada de fármacos. / Pharmacological treatment of oral pathologies is usually conducted by local administration. However, due to the short time the drug stays in the site of action, this treatment can be quite compromised. Thus, the objective of this work was to develop pharmaceutical forms that pro-vide the local release of triamcinolone in the oral cavity. Mucoadhesive films and tablets were made from natural polymers such as gellan and pectin. The buccal films were prepared by sol-vent casting using different amounts of polymers. The raw materials and films were characte-rized physically chemically using vibrational spectroscopy (FTIR and Raman) and X-ray diffraction. The physical and mechanical properties of the films were also evaluated. In addi-tion, the mucoadhesive and drug dissolution tests were performed. The tablets were prepared by direct pressing with the natural polymers. Different parameters in relation to mixtures and formulations were evaluated such as the flow properties of the constituent powders, average weight, hardness, friability and disintegration. In relation to oral films, these were successfully obtained by a simple method, without the use of crosslinking agents, acids or organic solvents. All presented good results in the evaluated properties, however the formulations with interme-diate amounts of polymers were the best. Among the tablet formulations prepared, only 4 sho-wed good characteristics, however, the dissolution test results showed that these formulations have the ability to act as a controlled drug delivery system.

Minimum Student Performance Standards in Computer Literacy and Science were passed by the Florida Legislature through the Educational Reform Act of 1983. This act mandated that all Florida high school graduates receive training in computer literacy. Schools and school systems were charged with the task of determining the best methods to deliver this instruction to their students. The scope of this study is to evaluate one school's response to the state of Florida's computer literacy mandate. The study was conducted at Miami Palmetto Senior High School, located in Dade County, Florida. The administration of Miami Palmetto Senior High School chose to develop and implement a new program to comply with the state mandate - integrating computer literacy into the existing biology curriculum. The study evaluated the curriculum to determine if computer literacy could be integrated successfully and meet both the biology and computer literacy objectives. The findings in this study showed that there were no significant differences between biology scores of the students taking the integrated curriculum and those taking a traditional curriculum of biology. Student in the integrated curriculum not only met the biology objectives as well as those in the traditional curriculum, they also successfully completed the intended objectives for computer literacy. Two sets of objectives were successfully completed in the integrated classes in the same amount of time used to complete one set of objectives in the traditional biology classes. Therefore, integrated curriculum was the more efficient means of meeting the intended objectives of both biology and computer literacy.

This is a dissertation about urban systems; within this broad subject I tackle three issues, one that focuses on an observed inter-city relationship and two that focus on an intra-city phenomenon. In Chapter II I adapt a model of random emergence of economic opportunities from the firm growth literature to the urban dynamics situation and present several predictions for urban system dynamics. One of these predictions is that the older the city the larger and more diversified it is going to be on average, which I proceed to verify empirically using two distinct datasets. In Chapter III I analyze the Residential Real Estate Bubble that took place in Miami-Dade County from 1999 to 2006. I adopt a Spatial-Economic model developed for the Paris Bubble episode of 1984-1993 and formulate an innovative test of the results in terms of speculative intensity on the basis of proxies of investor activity available in my dataset. My results support the idea that the best or more expensive areas are also where the greatest speculative activity takes place and where the rapid increase in prices begins. The most significant departure from previous studies that emerges in my results is the absence of a wider gap between high priced areas and low priced areas in the peak year. I develop a measure of dispersion in value among areas and contrast the Miami-Dade and Paris episodes. In Chapter IV I analyze the impact on tax equity of a Florida tax-limiting legislation known as Save Our Homes. I first compare homesteaded and non-homesteaded properties, and second, look within the subset of homesteaded properties. I find that non- homesteaded properties increase their share of taxes paid relative to homesteaded properties during an up market, but that this is reversed during a down market. For the subset of homesteaded properties I find that the impact on tax equity of SOH will depend on differential growth rates among higher and lower valued homes, but during times of rapid home price appreciation, in a scenario of no differential growth rates in property values, SOH increases progressivity relative to the prior system.

The McKay-Alperin-Dade Conjecture, which has not been finally verified, predicts the number of complex irreducible characters in various p-blocks of a finite group G as an alternating sum of the numbers of characters in related p-blocks of certain subgroups of G. The sub-groups involved are the normalizers of representatives of conjugacy classes of radical p-chains of G. For this reason, it is of interest to study radical p-chains. In this thesis, we examine the group L3(2) and determine representatives of the conjugacy classes of radical p-subgroups and radical p-chains for the primes p = 2, 3, and 7. We then determine the structure of the normalizers of these subgroups and chains.

Cette Habilitation en est une de géographie et d'analyse culturelle. Elle comporte trois parties. Dans la première, j'aborde le problème que pose la culture à l'analyse scientifique. Je pose la question : est-il possible d'étudier scientifiquement la culture ou un phénomène culturel que l'on ne peut objectiver que partiellement. Cette partie se termine sur l'exposé de méthodologie générale de l'analyse culturelle, qui a été adoptée et adaptée pour l'étude du multiculturalisme. La deuxième partie, intitulée "De la différence et de la diversité culturelle en Amérique du Nord" est à la fois une analyse du multiculturalisme comme phénomène culturel, social et politique, et une exploration du continent de référence sur le multiculturalisme : l'Amérique du Nord. La troisième partie est consacrée à l'analyse d'une situation multiculturelle : celle de la région métropolitaine de Miami-Dade (Miami dans le sud de la Floride). Dans la géographie américaine, cette ville fait figure de ville paradigmatique.

The karst Biscayne aquifer is characterized by a heterogeneous spatial arrangement of porosity, making hydrogeological characterization difficult. In this dissertation, I investigate the use of ground penetrating radar (GPR), for understanding the spatial distribution of porosity variability in the Miami Limestone presented as a compilation of studies where scale of measurement is progressively increased to account for varying dimensions of dissolution features. In Chapter 2, GPR in zero offset acquisition mode is used to investigate the 2-D distribution of porosity and dielectric permittivity in a block of Miami Limestone at the laboratory scale (< 1.0 m). Petrophysical models based on fully saturated and unsaturated. water conditions are used to estimate porosity and solid dielectric permittivity of the limestone. Results show a good correspondence between analytical and GPR-based porosity estimates and show variability between 22.0-66.0 %. In Chapter 3, GPR in common offset and common midpoint acquisition mode are used to estimate bulk porosity of the unsaturated Miami Limestone at the field scale (10.0-100.0 m). Estimates of porosity are based on the assumption that the directly measured water table reflector is flat and that any deviation is attributed to changes in velocity due to porosity variability. Results show sharp changes in porosity ranging between 33.2-60.9 % attributed to dissolution areas. In Chapter 4, GPR in common offset mode is used to characterize porosity variability in the saturated Biscayne aquifer at 100-1000 m field scales. The presence of numerous diffraction hyperbolae are used to estimate electromagnetic wave velocity and asses both horizontal and vertical changes in porosity after application of a petrophysical model. Results show porosity variability between 23.0-41.0 % and confirm the presence of isolated areas that could serve as enhanced infiltration or recharge. This research allows for the identification and delineation areas of macroporosity areas at 0.01 m lateral resolution and shows variability of porosity at different scales, reaching 37.0 % within 1.3 m, associated with areas of enhanced dissolution. Such improved resolution of porosity estimates can benefit water management efforts and transport modelling and help to better understand small scale relationships between ground water and surface water interactions. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

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The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has shown that carbon monoxide (CO) exposure levels which can induce carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) formation in excess of 5 percent can result in serious health consequences. In Dade County, Florida county vehicle inspectors are routinely exposed to CO on the job. To evaluate CO exposure levels, a Ecolyzer direct reading CO meter was placed in inspection lanes in 10 Dade County vehicle inspection stations. The results of this study indicate that in 3 stations, an 8-hour time-weighted exposure to carbon monoxide will induce inspector COHb levels in excess of 5 percent, and all stations have work sites where inspectors encounter ceiling exposure levels which may alter their predicted level of COHb formation. Although CO exposure in Dade County vehicle inspection stations was found to be influenced by several factors, the extent and severity of exposure can be reduced by engineering and administrative controls.