American Studies Commons^™

The Social Construction Of Workplace "Diversity", Brenda G. Shawver

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This is a study of "workplace diversity" from a social constructionist perspective. The perspective holds that while human meaning is socially created, it is the social order which gives us resources for making this meaning. There is much literature about workplace diversity from objectivist standpoints that takes for granted the term "diversity." What is missing is a comprehensive understanding of diversity: what does this term mean? What does it conceal? I attempt to contribute to a better understanding of diversity by interrogating its construction in popular culture.

I analyze the content of an advertising supplement called "Diversity Works," published in …

The Antidepressant Drug Tianeptine Blocks Working Memory Errors: Pharmacological And Endocrine Manipulations Of Stress-Induced Amnesia In Rats, Adam Marc Campbell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Stress has been shown to influence learning and memory in humans and rats (Diamond et al, 1996; Diamond et al, 1999; Krugers et al, 1997; Kirschbaum et al, 1996; Lupien et al, 1997). The hippocampus and is an area of the brain involved in memory function in humans and rats (Kirschbaum et al, 1996; Lupien et al, 1997) and is highly susceptible to stress (Diamond et al, 1990). Research has indicated that a number of stressors such as exposure to a predator (Diamond et al, 1999) can lead to stress effects. Recently efforts have been made to counteract the effects …

Important Extrema Of Time Series: Theory And Applications, Harith Suman Gandhi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

We describe techniques for fast compression of time series and hierarchical indexing of compressed series based on the assignment of importance levels to the extrema of time series and their derivatives. We formalize the distance functions used in compression and retrieval techniques. We describe retrieval techinques that use the developed compression and indexing techniques for fast retreval of series from a database that match a given pattern.

A Vhdl Implemetation Of The Advanced Encryption Standard-Rijndael Algorithm, Rajender Manteena

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has initiated a process to develop a Federal information Processing Standard (FIPS) for the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), specifying an Advanced Encryption Algorithm to replace the Data Encryption standard (DES) the Expired in 1998. NIST has solicited candidate algorithms for inclusion in AES, resulting in fifteen official candidate algorithms of which Rijndael was chosen as the Advanced Encryption Standard.

The Advanced Encryption Standard can be programmed in software or built with pure hardware. However Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) offer a quicker, more customizable solution. This research investigates the AES algorithm with …

Synthesis Of Nanoscale Structures In Single Crystal Silicon Carbide By Electron Beam Lithography, Jay A. Bieber

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nanostructures were formed on diced specimens of several silicon carbide polytypes and silicon using electron beam lithography. A general introduction to nanostructure synthesis and electron beam lithography,are presented. A scanning electron microscope was retrofitted with a commercially available electron beam lithography package and an electrostatic beam blanker to permit nanoscale lithography to be performed.

A process was first developed and optimized on silicon substrates to expose, poly-methyl-methacrylate (PMMA) resist with an electron beam to make nanoscale nickel masks for reactive ion etching. The masks consist of an array of nickel dots that range in size from 20 to 100 nm …

Effects Of Two-Way Left-Turn Lane On Roadway Safety, Haolei Peng

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Two-way left-turn lane (TWLTL) is one of the common median treatments on the roadway. It is found that a number of crashes reported in Florida State are related to TWLTLs. This research focused on evaluating the effect of TWLTLs on these crashes by using the statistical crash prediction model that can estimate the expected number of crashes on TWLTLs. The crash database for analysis was extracted from the Florida Traffic Crash Database based on the TWLTL section list provided by FDOT and combined with some traffic characteristics. It consisted of totally 1688 sample sections within a three-year period from 1996 …

Secondary Students Using Expert Heuristics In The Analysis Of Digitalized Historical Documents, Daniel W. Stuckart

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In time, more historical documents have become accessible through various technological modes including the Internet, CD-ROMs, and local databases. Teachers are now able to infuse a rich variety of resources into lessons with relative ease. This study measured expert historian heuristics in secondary students engaged in analysis of technologically-enhanced historical documents relating to women in the early United States republic. Nine 10th grade Advanced Placement world history students from an urban high school in the southeastern United States were assigned randomly to one of three conditions: paper historical documents, HTML historical documents, and HTML historical documents with simulated, limited Internet …

Human Topoisomerase Ii Alpha Nuclear Export Is Mediated By Two Crm-1 Dependent Nuclear Export Signals, Joel G. Turner

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs is a major obstacle in the treatment of leukemia and multiple myeloma. We have previously found that myeloma and leukemic cells in transition from low-density log phase conditions to high-density plateau phase conditions exhibit a substantial export of endogenous topoisomerase II alpha from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. In order for topoisomerase-targeted chemotherapy to function, the topoisomerase target must have access to the nuclear DNA. Therefore, the nuclear export of topoisomerase II alpha may contribute to drug resistance, and defining this mechanism may lead to methods to preclude this avenue of resistance. In the current report, …

Parameterization Of The Light Models In Various General Ocean Circulation Models For Shallow Waters, Hari Warrior

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Solar energy is incident on the earth's surface in both short-wave and long-wave parts of the spectrum. The short-wave part of the spectrum is of special interest to oceanographers since the vertical distribution of temperature in the top layer of the ocean is mostly determined by the vertical attenuation of short-wave radiation. There are numerous studies regarding the temperature evolution as a function of time (see Chapter 2 for details). The diurnal and seasonal variation of the heat content (and hence temperature) of the ocean is explored in this thesis. The basis for such heat budget simulation lies in the …

Effects Of Hydrodynamic Regime On Photosynthesis In The Green Alga Caulerpa., Mark D. Driscoll

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The delivery of nutrients to the surface of marine algae can be controlled by the local hydrodynamic regime: in higher flow velocities, the Diffusive Boundary Layer (DBL) at the uptake surface is thinner, which can increase the flux of dissolved chemicals to the algal surface. If the primary productivity of an alga is controlled by the availability of a dissolved chemical, increased water flow should result in greater primary productivity due to increased chemical flux. To test the hypothesis that increased water flow will increase Photosystem II kinematics (PSII) in the green alga Caulerpa we used a Diving Pam Fluorometer …

Improving The Environment In Distance Learning Courses Through The Application Of Aesthetic Principles, Darryl J. Hancock

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The primary goal of this project has been to research and create aesthetic visual environments in distance-learning media through the application of expert criteria and to explore the effects of those environments on student satisfaction and motivation. To accomplish this three instructors with distinct courses were selected to apply aesthetic criteria within the process of analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. Courses selected were Art Appreciation -- ARTS 1100, Advanced Surveying -- ENGR 2502, and Introduction to Sociology -- SOCI 1101.

The project goal was subdivided into four objectives.

1) Develop criteria for the inclusion of visual aesthetics in the …

Chemical Investigation Of Three Antarctic Marine Sponges, Young Chul, Park

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis describes the chemical investigation of three marine sponges from Antarctica and the total syntheses of natural products erebusinone (12) and its derivative, erebusinonamine (52). Investigation of the yellow Antarctic marine sponge Isodictya setifera resulted in the isolation of two secondary metabolites, purine analog (32) and 3-hydroxykynurenine (24). Chemical investigation of Isodictya setifera led to the isolation of six secondary metabolites which included 5-methyl-2-deoxycytidine (25), uridine (28), 2-deoxycytidine (31), homarine (37), hydroxyquinoline (33), 3-hydroxykynurenine (24). The latter two compounds …

Laboratory Statnamic Testing, Michael Jeffrey Stokes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite advancements in the analysis of statnamic load testing data, there exists uncertainty with underlying procedural assumptions. Two such assumptions are that the system mass and soil-related damping coefficient remain constant throughout the loading event. These assumptions are the culprit of aberrant predictions of the static capacity at small displacements when the overall displacement is large. An exploration of the assumptions may validate prior existing test results as well as solidify the current analysis process. However, an exploration could also reveal an overestimation or underestimation of portions of the predicted static load responses.

The testing program outlined herein consists of …

Feedback In Distance Learning: Do Student Perceptions Of Corrective Feedback Affect Retention In Distance Learning?, Lori S. Kielty

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a correlation between students' perception of corrective feedback and retention in online classes. A total of 134 community college students were enrolled in six online classes taught by three full-time instructors. The research questions addressed were as follows:

RQ1. How are the students' perception of corrective feedback and student retention related?

RQ2. Are students who attend course orientation meetings more likely to complete the course?

RQ3. Are students who attend distance learning technical workshops more likely to complete the course?

RQ4. Are students who have taken other online classes …

Efforts Toward The First Enantioselective Total Synthesis Of Praziquantel And Synthetic Model Studies On Ecteinascidin 743 By Novel Aromatic C-H Insertion Methodology, Chiliu Chen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The thesis is composed of three chapters. The aim of this thesis is to apply the novel dirhodium perfluorobutyrate-catalyzed intramolecular aromatic C-H insertion methodology to the enantioselective total synthesis of praziquantel and synthetic model studies on ecteinascidin 743, which belongs to the important tetrahydroisoquinoline family.

The first introductory chapter deals with the biological significance and previous synthetic methodologies. Our novel methodology is based on dirhodium perfluorobutyrate-catalyzed intromolecular aromatic C-H insertion reaction, which is crucial in the pivotal carbon-carbon bond formation when constructing isoquinolone moiety, which is ubiquitous in numerous natural products of significant biological and pharmacological activities.

The second chapter …

Are Preservice Instructional Designers Adequately Prepared For Tomorrow’S Diverse Learning Audiences?—A Cultural Content Analysis Of Textbooks (1993-2003) Used For Instructional Design, Sujie Man

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study used content analysis to examine the coverage of cultural issues in the five phases of instructional design within ID/ISD textbooks published between 1993 and 2003. The results indicated that not all the ID/ISD textbooks examined in this study covered cultural issues. Among the textbooks that did cover cultural issues, none of them reached more than 10% coverage of the total pages of any one book. The phase of Analysis and the Other category received the highest amount of coverage in both the 53 books sample and 36 books sample; whereas the phase of Implementation received the least amount …

Assessment Of Organizational Readiness To Change And An Intervention Program, Kimberly H. Richards

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This purpose of the study was twofold: to create and assess factors affecting organizational preparation for change and to assist the USF College of Medicine's administrators in developing and implementing an initiative in order to comply with regulations of the accreditation board. Randomly selected program directors participated in three training modules between September and November 2002. The training was targeted toward the development and implementation of learning objectives for medical residents. A panel evaluated the learning objectives developed by both trained and control directors to see whether the training resulted in the development of superior objectives. Additionally, program directors, residents …

A Comparison Of Centrifugal Forces To Reduce The Inhibitory Effects Of Food Matrixes On Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction For The Detection Of Food Borne Viruses, Kristina Kim Carter

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The CDC estimated that foodborne infections resulted in approximately 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths per year in the United States (Mead, 1999). There are over 200 known diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites, toxins, metals, or prions that can be transmitted through food. Of these illnesses caused by foodborne disease, the CDC estimates that 38.6 million cases are from identifiable pathogens and 30.9 million of these cases are caused by viruses. Hence, approximately 80% of foodborne illnesses of known etiology result from viral transmission (Mead, 1999). Viral gastrointestinal illness may be caused by virus families such as: …

The History And Results Of Archaeological Investigations At 1cv32, The Mitchell Site, In Covington County, Alabama, Tray G. Earnest

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the history and results of investigations at 1Cv32, the Mitchell Site, in Covington County, Alabama. The Mitchell Site is perhaps the largest recorded Middle Woodland mound center in southeast Alabama. Data from limited testing are examined here with particular emphasis on the ceramic assemblage. Ceramic data indicate that the portion of this site investigated is predominately Middle Woodland, with distinct Weeden Island attributes.

A Model To Create Bus Timetables To Attain Maximum Synchronization Considering Waiting Times At Transfer Stops, Anitha Eranki

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Due to the steady increased in public transportation demand, there is a need to provide more desirable and user-friendly transit systems. Typically, the public transportation timetables are modeled as an assignment problem, which often has objectives such as reducing the cost of operation, minimizing waiting time between transfer points or improving the quality of performance. This research considers the problem of developing synchronized timetables for bus transit systems with fixed routes when a waiting time limit exist at each transfer stops, for the passengers making connections. The objective of this research is to have maximum number of simultaneous arrivals.

Different …

Prediction Of Commuter Choice Behavior Using Neural Networks, Aaron L. Gregory

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In order to reduce air pollution and reduce the amount of traffic on highways in the western United States, certain states have set up worksite trip reduction programs. Employers in these states must comply with worksite trip reduction laws and submit trip reduction plans to their respective regulatory agency each year. These plans are currently evaluated manually, and are either rejected or accepted by the agency. There are two major flaws in this system; the first is the amount of time required by the agency to review a plan could be a matter of months, and the second is that …

Effects Of Faculty And Peer Mentoring On Perceived Stress And Social Support Of College Student Athletes, Valerie R. Pfister

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mentoring programs often focus on assisting students with the transition to college life and encouraging academic success. This study consisted of a quantitative examination of faculty and peer mentoring and freshmen student athletes' perceived transitional stress and social support. Surveys that provided a numerical value to perceived stress and social support supplied a basis for comparison. In addition, a qualitative element, consisting of personal interviews, was used to assess the quality of the mentoring relationships that developed.

Volunteer mentors were trained on mentoring strategies by the researcher. Sixty-one student-athlete volunteers from the sports of baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, competitive …

Development Of An Instrumented Mannequin For Training Of Caregivers In Safe Patient Handling And Movement, Oneida Dugarte Westhoff

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A common problem associated with patient handling is the risk of bodily injury due to acute or cumulative trauma. The objective of this research was to develop an integrated solution, using commercially available components, to help health care providers handle patients in a safe manner. The objective was achieved by retrofitting a mannequin with flex sensors, electrogoniometers, pressure sensors, and photocells. The sensors were capable of quantifying angular displacement, skin pressure distribution and undignified exposure. All of these variables were monitored by a computer-based data acquisition system. The design of this integrated system was implemented using National Instruments LabView software, …

Weblogs And The Technology Lifecycle: Context, Geek-Chic And Personal Community, James M. Milne

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Weblogging is an Internet social practice that became known as a technology. This project investigated weblogging (blogging) as an example of a media technology that arose under particular historical circumstances. To investigate this, blogs were examined in detail, participant-observation was used to construct and run a blog, and practicing bloggers were interviewed. The study found that blogging, like all technology, originates within existing social practice (context); has a diffusion process that causes it to spread between people (Geek-Chic); and leads to certain social outcomes (Personal Community). This is seen as a general pattern for the lifecycle of technology, serving to …

Evaluation Of The Prognostic Criteria For Medicare Hospice Eligibility, D Helen Moore

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This work evaluates Medicare Hospice Benefit (MHB) eligibility standards that are referenced throughout this work as either "Medicare prognostic criteria," or "Local Medical Review Policies." Following the Chapter 1 overview of prognosis in end-stage disease, association between the Medicare clinical predictors and survival outcomes in dementing, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular illnesses are described in Chapter 2. Chapter 3 examines the prognostic belief systems of multidisciplinary hospice personnel. Chapter 4 seeks to improve the predictive performance of the Medicare prognostic criteria for dementia. The fifth and final chapter critiques the Medicare prognostic criteria from conceptual, methodological, and applied perspectives and suggests related …

The Development And Validation Of The Thinness Expectancy Questionnaire (Teq), Ari R. Steinberg

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although the research on expectancy theory and body image and eating disturbance is very limited, it appears to be an extremely useful and promising line of study. It appears likely that the application of expectancy theory would lend itself well to the area of body image disturbance and eating disorders. Within the field of body image disturbance and eating disorders research, expectancies would most likely refer to the anticipated consequences of being thin. Such expectancies may be established by an individual's direct experience with weight loss and dieting or through the observation of the messages concerning the societal "thin ideal" …

A Learning Approach To Obtain Efficient Testing Strategies In Medical Diagnosis, Saif Fakih

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Determining the most efficient use of diagnostic tests is one of the complex issues facing the medical practitioners. It is generally accepted that excessive use of tests is common practice in medical diagnosis. Many tests are performed even though the incremental knowledge gained does not affect the course of diagnosis. With the soaring cost of healthcare in the US, there is a critical need for cutting costs of diagnostic tests, while achieving a higher level of diagnostic accuracy. Various decision making tools assisting physicians in diagnosis management have been presented to the literature. One such method, called analytical hierarchy process, …

"My Journey", Douglas Smith

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This is a copy of my thesis which I have written in its original form as a travel journal that I brought with me on a trip I took driving across the country. I have duplicated it word for word so that it may be more accessible to review. Accompanying this copy are a few photographic samples of different places I've been that offer a visual feeling of what I'm talking ahout thru-out the journal. The original copy of the journal will be displayed as part of my show (March 1st-5th at the Oliver Gallery) and can be viewed in …

Detection And Quantification Of Karenia Brevis By Carbon Fixation Gene Expression Analysis, Michael Alan, Gray

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Karenia brevis (Davis cf. Hansen & Moestrup = Gymnodinium breve) is the non-peridinin containing dinoflagellate responsible for many harmful algal blooms (red tides) in the Gulf of Mexico. These recurrent blooms can have significant negative ecological, economic, and human health impacts including fish kills, tainting of shellfish, poisoning of marine mammals, loss of tourism revenue due to beach closures, and respiratory distress and food poisoning in humans.

A method for detection of Karenia brevis was developed based upon amplification of the mRNA for the plastid-encoded gene of the carbon fixing enzyme ribulose 1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) large subunit (rbcL). …

Teachers’ Mathematics Preparation And Eighth Grade Student Mathematics Achievement: Can An Integrated Learning System Provide Support When Teachers’ Professional Preparation Is Limited?, Christine Kerstyn

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Teaching vacancies are increasing nationally and the task of placing an experienced, subject-certified teacher in the classroom is getting more difficult for school districts. About 23% of all secondary teachers do not have a minor in their main teaching field. This is true for more than 30% of mathematics teachers and the proportion of such teachers is much greater in high-poverty schools and lower-level classes. In schools with the highest minority enrollments, students have less than a 50% chance of getting a science or mathematics teacher who holds a license and a degree in the field which he or she …