Between the Graduate School and Cataloging: How a Digital Collections Center Contributes Quality to the ETD Process

This presentation was given at the 2015 USETDA (United States Electronic Theses and Dissertations Association) conference in Austin, Texas explores the history of Digital Collections Center at Florida International University and where and how it functions in the process of publishing, archiving, and promoting the university's electronic theses and dissertations. Additionally, the functionality of Digital Commons is discussed along with the use of Adobe Acrobat for creating archival quality PDFs. The final section discusses promotion techniques used via social media for increased discoverability of ETDs.

A Map Through Time – Virtual Historic Cities: New Ways of Exploring Digital Collections

Presentation made by Jamie Rogers and John Nemmers at the Society of Florida Archivists annual meeting in Tallahassee, Florida. Jamie Rogers presented the "Coral Gables - Virtual Historic City" project at Florida International University. John Nemmers presented the "Unearthing St. Augustine’s Colonial Heritage" project at the University of Florida

On-screen pre-deblurring of digital images using the wavefront aberration function of the human eye to improve computer access for the visually impaired

Traditional Optics has provided ways to compensate some common visual limitations (up to second order visual impairments) through spectacles or contact lenses. Recent developments in wavefront science make it possible to obtain an accurate model of the Point Spread Function (PSF) of the human eye. Through what is known as the "Wavefront Aberration Function" of the human eye, exact knowledge of the optical aberration of the human eye is possible, allowing a mathematical model of the PSF to be obtained. This model could be used to pre-compensate (inverse-filter) the images displayed on computer screens in order to counter the distortion in the user's eye. This project takes advantage of the fact that the wavefront aberration function, commonly expressed as a Zernike polynomial, can be generated from the ophthalmic prescription used to fit spectacles to a person. This allows the pre-compensation, or onscreen deblurring, to be done for various visual impairments, up to second order (commonly known as myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism). The technique proposed towards that goal and results obtained using a lens, for which the PSF is known, that is introduced into the visual path of subjects without visual impairment will be presented. In addition to substituting the effect of spectacles or contact lenses in correcting the loworder visual limitations of the viewer, the significance of this approach is that it has the potential to address higher-order abnormalities in the eye, currently not correctable by simple means.

The White Ibis and Wood Stork as indicators for restoration of the everglades ecosystem

Large numbers of colonially nesting herons, egrets, ibises, storks and spoonbills were one of the defining natural phenomena of the historical Everglades. Reproduction of these species has been tracked over at least a century, and some clear responses to dramatic anthropogenic hydrological alterations have been established. These include a marked decline in nesting populations of several species, and a movement of colonies away from the over-drained estuarine region. Ponding in a large portion of the freshwater marsh has favored species that hunt by sight in deep water (egrets, cf. 25–45 cm), while tactile feeders (ibises and storks) that depend on concentrated prey in shallow water (5–25 cm) have become proportionately much less common. There has been a marked increase in the interval between exceptionally large breeding aggregations of White Ibises (Eudocimus albus). Loss of short hydroperiod wetlands on the margins of the Everglades have delayed nest initiations 1–2 months by Wood Storks (Mycteria americana) resulting in poor nesting success. These responses are consistent with mechanisms that involve foraging, and the availability and production of prey animals, and each of the relationships is highly dependent on hydrology. Here, we define a group of characteristics about wading bird dynamics (= indicators) that collectively track the specific ecological relationships that supported ibises and storks in the past. We suggest four metrics as indicators of restoration success: timing of nesting by storks, the ratio of nesting ibises + storks to Great Egrets, the proportion of all nests located in the estuarine/freshwater ecotone, and the interval between years with exceptionally large ibis nestings. Each of these metrics has historical (e.g., predrainage) data upon which to base expectations for restoration, and the metrics have little measurement error relative to the large annual variation in numbers of nests. In addition to the strong scientific basis for the use of these indicators, wading birds are also a powerful tool for public communication because they have strong aesthetic appeal, and their ecological relationships with water are intuitively understandable. In the interests of communicating with the public and decision-makers, we integrate these metrics into a single-page annual “traffic-light” report card for wading bird responses. Collectively, we believe these metrics offer an excellent chance of detecting restoration of the ecosystem functions that supported historical wading bird nesting patterns.

Digital Initiatives Newsletter, Issue 1

Digital Initiatives is the newsletter of FIU Libraries’ Digital Collections and Institutional Repository (IR). This biannual newsletter serves as a resource for FIU students and faculty to keep up-to-date with the latest projects, collections, and services available from the FIU Digital Collections Center.

Digital Initiatives Newsletter, Issue 2

Digital Initiatives is the newsletter of FIU Libraries’ Digital Collections and Institutional Repository (IR). This biannual newsletter serves as a resource for FIU students and faculty to keep up-to-date with the latest projects, collections, and services available from the FIU Libraries.

FIU Digital Commons Annual Report, FY 2012-2013

The Digital Commons Annual Report is a document that interested parties may use as a means of monitoring the yearly progress of Florida International University Libraries’ institutional repository. The report includes download and page hit statistics for all collections held in FIU Digital Commons.

FIU Digital Commons Annual Report, FY 2011-2012

The Digital Commons Annual Report is a document that interested parties may use as a means of monitoring the yearly progress of Florida International University Libraries’ institutional repository. The report includes download and page hit statistics for all collections held in FIU Digital Commons.

FIU Digital Commons Annual Report, FY 2013-2014

The Digital Commons Annual Report is a document that interested parties may use as a means of monitoring the yearly progress of Florida International University Libraries’ institutional repository. The report includes download and page hit statistics for all collections held in FIU Digital Commons.

Synthesis of a PbTx-2 photoaffinity and fluorescent probe and an alternative synthetic route to photoaffinity probes

A natural phenomenon characterized by dense aggregations of unicellular photosynthetic marine organisms has been termed colloquially as red tides because of the vivid discoloration of the water. The dinoflagellate Karenia brevis is the cause of the Florida red tide bloom. K. brevis produces the brevetoxins, a potent suite of neurotoxins responsible for substantial amounts of marine mammal and fish mortalities. When consumed by humans, the toxin causes Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning (NSP). The native function of brevetoxin within the organism has remained mysterious since its discovery. There is a need to identify factors which contribute to and regulate toxin production within K. brevis. These toxins are produced and retained within the cell implicating a significant cellular role for their presence. Localization of brevetoxin and identification of a native receptor may provide insight into its native role as well as other polyether ladder type toxins such as the ciguatoxins, maitotoxins, and yessotoxins. In higher organisms these polyether ladder molecules bind to transmembrane proteins with high affinity. We anticipated the native brevetoxin receptor would also be a transmembrane protein. Photoaffinity labeling has become increasingly popular for identifying ligand receptors. By attaching ligands to these photophors, one is able to activate the molecule after the ligand binds to its receptor to obtain a permanent linkage between the two. Subsequent purification provides the protein with the ligand directly attached. A molecule that is capable of fluorescence is a fluorophore, which upon excitation is capable of re-emitting light. Fluorescent labeling uses fluorophores by attaching them covalently to biologically active compounds. The synthesis of a brevetoxin photoaffinity probe and its application in identifying a native brevetoxin receptor will be described. The preparation of a fluorescent derivative of brevetoxin will be described and its use in localizing the toxin to an organelle within K. brevis. In addition, the general utility of a synthesized photoaffinity label with other toxins having similar functionality will be described. An alternative synthetic approach to a general photoaffinity label will also be discussed whose goal was to accelerate the preparation and improve the overall synthetic yields of a multifunctional label.

A Digital Collection Center's Experience: ETD Discovery, Promotion, and Workflows in Digital Commons

This presentation was given at the Digital Commons Southeastern User Group conference at Winthrop University, South Carolina on June 5, 2015. The presentation discusses how the digital collections center (DCC) at Florida International University uses Digital Commons as their tool for ingesting, editing, tracking, and publishing university theses and dissertations. The basic DCC workflow is covered as well as institutional repository promotion.

From the Elementary to the Circuitous: Digital Processing Workflows at FIU

This presentation was given at the FLVC regional conference at Broward College on May 7, 2015 and introduced scanning, processing, record creation, dissemination, and preservation in FIU Libraries' Digital Collections Center. The main focus was on processing, specifically employing OCR technology with difficult sources.