Arts and Humanities Commons^™

African American Athletes And The Negotiation Of Public Spaces: An Examination Of Athletic Capital And African American Perceptions Of Success, Keona Lewis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the culture of sport among African American male football players as well as African American perspectives on sport and success. A case study of six African American, Division 1 FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) collegiate student athletes was conducted along with seventeen supplemental interviews with community members, parents, coaches and former athletes and fans. The participants answered questions that explored education, success, identity construction, ethnicity and sport. Archival data was also reviewed framing the discussion on football in Florida, links between education and sport participation and African American male academic achievement. While many perspectives varied, there were collective …

Down, But Not Out: An Ethnographic Study Of Women Who Struggled With And Overcame Methamphetamine Addiction, Jodi Nettleton

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Women suffer methamphetamine (meth) addiction at a rate much higher than rates for addiction to other drugs. Female meth users are susceptible and predisposed to gender-related risks: high rates of unprotected vaginal and anal sex, sex-work, and sexual coercion. Precursors for addiction (e.g., abuse, body dysphasia) put females in a difficult position for recovery and highlight the need for gender-specific research and treatment.

Methamphetamine (a synthetically derived stimulant) creates psychological and physical dependency that affects every neuron of the brain and damages the body immediately. Women ingest meth for initial effects that allay social pressures: feeling euphoric, connecting with others …

Antecedents And Consequences Of Channel Alienation: An Empirical Investigation Within Franchised Channels Of Distribution, Ivan Lapuka

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Investigating an important overlooked phase of interorganizational relationship evolution, which is currently hypothesized to progress through five stages of awareness, exploration, expansion, commitment, and dissolution, this dissertation proposes that in the long road between commitment and dissolution, the quintessential interfirm relationship is likely to be characterized by aprolonged period of relationship alienation, which then becomes the immediate precursor to the dissolution stage.

The dissertation utilizes social learning theory, behavior constraint theory, and alienation theory to explain apathetic behaviors of franchisees. The principal proposition is that certain characteristics of the franchise system’s operating environment inadvertently condition franchisee estrangement and failure, and …

Discovery Of Novel Viruses From Animals, Plants, And Insect Vectors Using Viral Metagenomics, Terry Fei Fan Ng

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Understanding emerging viruses is critical for disease monitoring and prediction; however, surveys of novel viruses are hindered by the lack of a universal assay for viruses. Viral metagenomics, consisting of viral particle purification and shotgun sequencing, is a powerful technique for discovering viruses in a wide variety of sample types. However, current protocols are not effective on tissue samples (e.g., lungs, livers and tumors), where they are hindered by the high amount of host nucleic acids which limits the percentage of sequences that originate from viruses. In this dissertation, a modified viral metagenomics protocol was developed and utilized to effectively …

Corrole Synthesis And Catalytic Applications Toward Cobalt(Iii)-Catalyzed Epoxidation, N-H Insertion, And Cyclopropanation, Chung Sik Kim

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A variety of bromocorroles, useful precusors for Pd-based cross coupling, were sucessfully synthesized in moderate to good yields. Chiral corroles were also synthesized through use of chiral amides in the aforementioned cross coupling reactions. Cobalt complexes bearing π-acceptor (CNtBu) and σ-donor (PPh3) ligands were also prepared in excellent yields. In this dissertation, cobalt (III) corrole complexes were applied to three different reaction areas: epoxidation, N-H insertion, and cyclopropanation. Cobalt(III) corroles were found to be efficient catalysts for epoxidation reactions. The epoxidation reactions can be carried out using ethyl phenyldiazoacetate, an acceptor/donor diazo compound, as a carbenoid precusor.The reaction provided highly …

Florida's Adolescent Literacy Policy: An Alternative Reading And Response, Diane Kroeger

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this qualitative case study, I constructed interpretations of the meanings conveyed by state-level discourse communities as they were manifested in the primary and secondary speech genres of Florida’s adolescent literacy policy. Meanings (or values, beliefs and feelings) are highly tacit understandings embedded in the language, actions and objects of policy (Yanow, 2000), and are conveyed through informal and formal speech (Bakhtin, 1986). Results revealed (a) state policy meanings convey multiple versions of literacy with a heavy focus on receptive aspects of literate practice; (b) a typology of students and their fit within the institutional system; and (c) an emphasis …

Comparison Of Safety Performance By Design Types At Freeway Diverge Areas And Exit Ramp Sections, Hongyun Chen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the safety performance of different freeway exit types used in current practical designs. More specific, the research objectives include the following two parts: 1) to compare the safety performance of different design types at freeway diverge areas and exit ramp sections; and 2) to identify the impact factors contributing to the crashes happening at these two specific segments.

The study area includes four subjects, the freeway widely-spaced diverge areas; the freeway closely-spaced diverge areas; the left-side off-ramps and the exit ramp sections. For the freeway diverge areas, design types were defined …

Design And Synthesis Of Beta-Hairpin Peptidomimetics For Modulating Integrin Mediated Cell Adhesion, Abeta Fibrillogenesis And P53-Mdm2 Protein-Protein Interactions, Priyesh Jain

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Inhibiting therapeutically important protein-protein interactions has been a tremendous challenge for medicinal chemists. The folded 3D structures of peptides and proteins, mainly comprise secondary structural elements i.e α-helices and β-sheet have created an opportunity to design small molecules and peptidomimetic inhibitors of protein-protein interaction (PPI). Hence, information about the formation and stabilization of these secondary structures is vital for designing future drugs. In this dissertation, several cyclic beta-hairpin peptidomimetics that mimic the recognition surface have been designed and synthesized as inhibitors for different targets such as integrin mediated extracellular matrix -cell adhesion in multiple myeloma, p53-MDM2 PPI, amyloid beta fibrillogenesis …

Dna Methylation And Its Association With Prenatal Exposures And Pregnancy Outcomes, Jennifer Straughen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Altered DNA methylation may lead to suboptimal fetal programming, increasing the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes such as small for gestational age (SGA); however, few studies have examined the associations between DNA methylation, prenatal exposures, and fetal outcomes. Cross-sectional data from a larger, ongoing study were used to assess the impact of prenatal smoking on gene specific methylation of umbilical cord blood derived DNA and to investigate the association between gene-specific methylation and risk of SGA. The association between gene-specific DNA methylation and birthweight was also assessed. Maternal and infant covariates were abstracted from medical records, cigarette smoke exposure was …

Advanced Signal Processing Techniques For Single Trial Electroencephalography Signal Classification For Brain Computer Interface Applications, Kun Li

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Brain Computer Interface (BCI) is a direct communication channel between brain and computer. It allows the users to control the environment without the need to control muscle activity [1-2]. P300-Speller is a well known and widely used BCI system that was developed by Farwell and Donchin in 1988 [3]. The accuracy level of the P300-BCI Speller as measured by the percent of communicated characters correctly identified by the system depends on the ability to detect the P300 event related potential (ERP) component among the ongoing electroencephalography (EEG) signal. Different techniques have been tested to reduce the number of trials needed …

Evaluation Of Common Inherited Variants In Mitochondrial-Related And Microrna-Related Genes As Novel Risk Factors For Ovarian Cancer, Jennifer Permuth Wey

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among women in the United States, and the etiology is incompletely understood. Common, low penetrant genetic variants such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) likely contribute to a significant proportion of EOC. We examined whether SNPs in two understudied yet biologically important types of genes, mitochondrial-related and miRNA-related genes, may contribute to EOC susceptibility using data from a large, homogeneous study population of 1,815 EOC cases and 1,900 controls (frequency-matched on age-group and race/ethnicity) genotyped through stage 1 of an ongoing genome-wide association study. Inter-individual variation in genes involved …

Epidemiological Study Of Contributing Factors In The Development Of Peptic Ulcer And Gastric Cancer Initiated By Helicobacter Pylori Infection In India, Rahul Suresh Mhaskar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a significant risk factor for peptic ulcer (PU) and gastric cancer (GC). Apart from the virulent CagA genotype of H. pylori environmental and dietary factors influence disease outcomes. There have been no studies addressing these factors in Western India. Hence, we conducted a case control study enrolling PU, GC patients and controls at Pune, India.

Methods: Risk factors for PU and H. pylori infection were assessed in participant interview. H. pylori status was assessed from stool by monoclonal antigen detection. To understand treatment effect, we followed 100 H. pylori positive patients.

Results: We …

A Framework For Determining The Reliability Of Nanoscale Metallic Oxide Semiconductor (Mos) Devices, Wilkistar Otieno

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

An increase in worldwide investments during the past several decades has pro-pelled scienti c breakthroughs in nanoscience and technology research to new and exciting levels. To ensure that these discoveries lead to commercially viable prod-ucts, it is important to address some of the fundamental engineering and scientific challenges related to nanodevices. Due to the centrality of reliability to product integrity, nanoreliability requires critical analysis and understanding to ensure long-term sustainability of nanodevices and systems. In this study, we construct a relia-bility framework for nanoscale dielectric lms used in Metallic Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) devices. The successful fabrication and incorporation of metallic …

Aspects Of The Life History Of The Snowy Grouper, Epinephelus Niveatus, In The Gulf Of Mexico, Kelley Kowal

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Knowledge of many life history parameters are essential to properly assess and manage fish species. Although the snowy grouper, Epinephelus niveatus, is a commercially valuable fish, which is harvested throughout the Gulf of Mexico, little is known about its age, growth, and reproduction from this region. In this study, snowy grouper from the northern and eastern regions of the Gulf of Mexico were examined primarily using commercially-derived samples that were collected between 1984 and 2004. A total of 1,200 snowy grouper with fork lengths between 242 and 1,190 mm were collected. Sectioned saggital otoliths were used to determine the age …

1,2,3,4-Tetrahydroacridones As Potential Inhibitors Of Atovaquone-Resistant And Atovaquone- Susceptible P. Falciparum Isolates Tm90-C2b And W2, Lisa Luong

Outstanding Honors Theses

Malaria is one of the most significant parasitic diseases affecting mankind today, exceeding 200 million annual cases worldwide1. This disease has been a serious issue due to developed resistance to commonly available antimalarial drugs including atovaquone and artemisinin2, the most relevant modern treatment (figure 1.1). This project focuses on the preparation of 1,2,3,4- tetrahydroacridones (figure 1.2) that can be tested for their activity against P. falciparum isolates TM90-C2B (an atovaquone-resistant parasitic strain) and W2 (an atovaquone-susceptible parasite). In the past, studies have shown that endochins (4(1H)-quinolones) 3 and acridines (figure 1.1) have been found to exhibit antimalarial activity4. The research …

Planning To Make A Difference: A Retrospective Account On Learning How To Organize, Christina Gomez

Outstanding Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

A Multi-Level Study Investigating The Impact Of Workplace Civility Climate On Incivility And Employee Well-Being, Raymond Charles Ottinot

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study used Zohar‟s (2000) multi-level model of climate to examine the extent to which shared perceptions of workplace civility climate relate to teacher job satisfaction, affective commitment, and counterproductive work behaviors (CWB-abuse) towards other teachers. Workplace civility climate is defined as employee perceptions of how management uses policies, procedures, and practices to maintain a civil workplace. An online-survey was used to assess a cross-sectional sample of K-12 teachers (N = 2222) nested in 207 schools in a large US school district. There was adequate agreement among teacher perceptions of school civility climate for aggregation and between-group variance of civility …

The Pragmatic Influences On Thou And Ye In Some Middle English Romances, Aislinn Meyer

Outstanding Honors Theses

The standard explanation of the semantics of power and solidarity for second person Middle English pronoun choice, advanced by Roger Brown and Albert Gilman and accepted by many Middle English scholars since, has proven insufficient to explain many choices between thou and ye that fictional characters make. This paper applies the discourse theories of pragmatics and politeness, developed by Penelope Brown and Stephen C. Levinson, to the relatively untouched data set of non-Chaucerian romances in order to account for some of those anomalies. By examining the pronouns of address in Floris and Blancheflour, Havelok the Dane, Ywain and Gawain, …

Design, Synthesis And Sar Of A New Class Of Small Molecule Inhibitors Of Β-Secretase., Jordan M. Anderson

Outstanding Honors Theses

β-Secretase is the enzyme responsible for the Amyloid-β plaques found in Alzheimer’s disease. Inhibition of this enzyme should prove to be very useful in combating Alzheimer’s disease by preventing this build-up. After a computational screening of the NCID-2 library a molecule was found to possess a 2- propanol structure with aromatic groups on either side. This moiety was replicated by a combinatorial library of 150 compounds. These compounds were screened initially against β-secretase at 100, 50, and then 25 μM to narrow down to 17 structures showing 50% inhibition at 25 μM. The IC50 for each of the 17 molecules …

Shift To Cesareans As Preferred Birthing Method: Implications, Risks, And Recommendations, Elizabeth Angelica Bernstein

Outstanding Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Regulation Of Claudin-1 Expression Via Activation Of Ron Tyrosine Kinase And Transforming Growth Factor-Beta Signaling Pathways In Ovarian Carcinoma, Saya Karim

Outstanding Honors Theses

Epithelial ovarian carcinoma is the most common cause of death among gynecologic malignancies in the United States. In the U.S., more than 21,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer and about 15,000 women will die of the disease this year alone. Although migration and invasion play key roles in tumor progression, the specific molecular events leading to dissemination of ovarian tumor cells have not been well delineated. Tight junctions are an integral component of epithelial junction complexes, which play a vital role in maintaining epithelial integrity and cell polarity. Disruption of tight junctions is a hallmark of epithelial cancer …

Isolation And Identification Of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus In Mosquito Pools, Timothy Bender

Outstanding Honors Theses

The Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEV) is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes of many genera. This virus has a high mortality rate and frequent life-altering complications for survivors of infection. The current practice for isolating and identifying the EEEV has been restricted to testing pools of 50 or less mosquitoes. A procedure for simulating one infected mosquito in a pool of 100 was established and tested. Data collected shows the threshold pool size can be increased to 100 without loss of specificity or accuracy. This increased will be met with many benefits including economic savings and increased time efficiency.

An Approach To Mitigating Excess Medical Waste, Ryan M. Kania, Jordan B. Markel

Outstanding Honors Theses

We present a literature-based review on global health disparities and a health economics perspective on utilizing low cost interventions to improve these disparities. We then introduce the need for a non-for profit organization that specializes in excess medical waste as a low cost intervention to empower targeted communities and improve global health disparities while decreasing the burden of medical waste. Medical waste is defined and a literature-based review is presented on the current body of knowledge concerning medical waste such as how much exists and why it exists. We then present a research study survey that will be executed to …

Vladimir Nabokov And The Vulgar Aesthetic, Will Farina

Outstanding Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Monster In The Closet: Misperception Of Mental Illness, Sarah Alexandra Bernstein

Outstanding Honors Theses

Mental illness affects all major aspects of an individual‟s life. From basic needs such as shelter and employment, to interactions with family, partners, and friends, the diagnosis represents likely difficulties due to stigma and negative attitudes. Efforts to bring forth the recognition and acceptance of mental illness in the United States, as well as around the world, start by confronting misconceptions through examination of causes. Increased access to needed resources and funding for treatment are also needed and may be accomplished through the use of media, education, and rising voices lobbying for the rights of people with mental illness.

Get M.A.D.D.: America's Battle To Overcome Drunk Driving, Elizabeth Martinez

Outstanding Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Before The Storm: Evacuation Intention And Audience Segmentation, Homer J. Rice

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe the predictors of evacuation intention among coastal residents in the State of Florida and to determine if there are meaningful segments of the population who intend to evacuate when told to do so by governmental officials because of a major hurricane. In the America’s and the Caribbean, 75,000 deaths have been attributed to hurricanes in the 20

th century. A well planned evacuation can reduce injury and death, yet many people do not have an evacuation plan and do not intend to evacuate when told to do so. The study used secondary …

The Economically Important Nitrogen Pathways Of Southwest Florida, Elon M. Malkin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The global phenomenon of burgeoning coastal population growth has led to coastal watershed landscape transformation and ecosystem degradation, prompting policy-makers to set limits on freshwater withdrawals and labile nutrient loads. Important components of Florida’s economies lie in the state’s expansive coastal zone; the organisms driving the billion-dollar recreational fishing industry are rooted in coastal habitats, while the agriculture and real-estate industries sprawl throughout numerous coastal watersheds. This study aimed to identify the connections between anthropogenic land use and essential juvenile fish nursery habitats within the coastal zone, which is the first critical step for sustaining the ecology and related economies …

Modern Variation In Predation Intensity: Constraints On Assessing Predator-Prey Relationships In Paleoecologic Reconstructions, James Funderburk

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The complex interaction between predators and their prey is rarely preserved in the fossil record. However, predation of marine mollusks by drilling gastropods leaves a diagnostic hole in the shell of the prey, possibly allowing for quantitative analysis of this ecological interaction. Drilling frequency, as measured in marine mollusks both in the Modern and fossil record, has been heralded as a potential opportunity to quantify these ecological interactions and use these values in the testing of hypotheses.

This study employed the collection, tallying, and analysis of bulk samples derived from shelly deposits on 45 Modern beaches along the contiguous coast …

Chromatin Unfolding By Cdt1 Regulates Mcm Loading Via Opposing Functions Of Hbo1 And Hdac11-Geminin, Philip G. Wong

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The efficiency of metazoan origins of DNA replication is known to be enhanced

by histone acetylation near origins. Although this correlates with increased MCM

recruitment, the mechanism by which such acetylation regulates MCM loading is

unknown. We show here that Cdt1 induces large-scale chromatin decondensation that is

required for MCM recruitment. This process occurs in G1, is suppressed by Geminin, and

requires HBO1 HAT activity and histone H4 modifications. HDAC11, which binds Cdt1

and replication origins during S-phase, potently inhibits Cdt1-induced chromatin

unfolding and re-replication, suppresses MCM loading, and binds Cdt1 more efficiently

in the presence of Geminin. We also …