American Studies Commons^™

Does Crowding Obscure The Presence Of Attentional Guidance In Contextual Cueing?, Steven William Fiske

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The contextual cueing effect was initially thought to be the product of memory guiding attention to the target location. However, the steep search slopes obtained in contextual cueing indicate an absence of attentional guidance. We hypothesized that crowding could be obscuring the presence of attentional guidance and investigated this possibility in 2 experiments. Crowding was manipulated by varying the density of items in the local target region in a contextual cueing task. We observed a significant reduction in search slopes between the novel and repeated conditions when crowding was reduced. Enhancing crowding eliminated the contextual cueing effect. These findings suggest …

Emotional Reactivity And Regulation In Current And Remitted Depression: An Event Related Potential Study, Lauren M. Bylsma

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is thought to be characterized by emotion regulation deficits, including decreased use of adaptive strategies such as reappraisal, but little is known about the exact nature of these deficits and whether or not they are specific to the depressed mood state. The late positive potential (LPP) is a sustained positive deflection of the event-related potential (ERP) associated with responding to emotionally-valenced stimuli, and reappraisal strategies have been found to reduce LPP magnitude in response to emotional stimuli in healthy individuals, but this effect has not been examined in MDD. This study utilized ERPs to examine emotional …

Characterization Of The Serologic Responses To Plasmodium Vivax Dbpii Variants Among Inhabitants Of Pursat Province, Cambodia, Samantha Jones Barnes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Plasmodium vivax Duffy Binding Protein (DBP) is the ligand in the major pathway for P. vivax invasion of human reticulocytes, making it an appealing vaccine candidate. Region II of DBP (DBP-RII) is the minimal portion of the ligand that mediates recognition of the Duffy Antigen Receptor for Chemokines (DARC receptor) on the reticulocyte surface and constitutes the primary vaccine target. Analysis of natural variation in the coding sequences of DBP-RII revealed signature evidence for selective pressure driving variation in the residues of the putative receptor-binding site. We hypothesize that anti-DBP immunity in P. vivax infections is strain-specific and hindered …

Solid-State Synthesis Of Imide Ligands For The Self-Assembly Of Metal-Organic Materials, Jason Alexander Perman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this research project, reduction or complete elimination of organic solvents is explored in the synthesis of cyclic imides using a technique that brings reagents into favorable position to react. Cocrystal Controlled Solid-State Synthesis (C³S^y3), takes advantage of supramolecular interactions such as hydrogen bonding and π-π stacking to form a cocrystal which can sequential be heated to complete the condensation reaction and produce a desirable product. Twenty-five successful condensation reactions result in high and clean yield.

C³S^y3 of cyclic imides with auxiliary hydrogen bonding moieties like carboxylic acid, carboxylate or pyridyl groups are …

Nursing Students’ Attitudes Toward People With Mental Illness: Do They Change After Instruction And Clinical Exposure?, Rachel Morrison

Outstanding Honors Theses

People with mental illness are among the most stigmatized groups of patients in the healthcare setting (Putnam, 2008). Nurses comprise roughly 15.3 percent of the healthcare team (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010) and have frequent direct interactions with patients. As one of the larger groups of healthcare providers, nurses can potentially influence this stigma, either by contributing to the prevalent negative attitudes, or by confronting expressions of stigma. A requirement for licensure is to take a course in Mental Health. One of the goals of this course is to decrease stigma toward people with mental illness (American Association of …

Determination Of Ibuprofen Isotherm Using Supercritical Fluid Chromatography, Loi Ho

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Chromatography is widely used to determine physiochemical properties data including adsorption isotherm. In the separation of enantiomers through sorptive processes, supercritical fluids allow efficient and green alternatives to liquid solvent based systems. The isotherm information is vital in the development of operating policies and design of preparative chromatographic or moving bed separation schemes. Determination of sorption isotherms from experimental chromatographic elution data is automated and compared with different chromatogram model. Procedures were developed and validated for separation of R- and S- ibuprofen with supercritical 〖CO〗_2 and ethanol mixture as the mobile phase over a chiral stationary phase. The isotherms for …

Coping With Hobgoblins: Rethinking Journals Processing In The E-Journals Environment At The University Of South Florida, Carol Ann Borchert

Academic Resources Faculty and Staff Publications

Many libraries grapple with how to develop new skills for processing electronic journals, while still handling the print format as well. Journals in a print format have always been complex, and adding the electronic component has made them more so. Few libraries are adding staff to handle this workload. The University of South Florida Tampa Library has tried a number of workflow changes--not always successfully--to handle this transition. This paper will explore these changes, explaining why some were not successful and why others have resulted in efficiencies, and concludes with lessons learned that could benefit others.

Discovery Of A Functional Ecdysone Response Element In Brugia Malayi, Tracy Enright

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study was to determine whether functional ecdysone response elements (EcREs) exist within the genome of Brugia malayi, a parasitic nematode that causes lymphatic filariasis. The hypothesis that EcREs exist in B. malayi stemmed from previous demonstration of a functional ecdysone response system in B. malayi (Tzertzinis et al., 2010). Real-time PCR (qPCR) experiments were conducted to measure gene expression levels for twelve genes proximal to five putative EcREs in 20-OH ecdysone treated and untreated B. malayi embryos. Seven genes showed consistent upregulation with 20-OH ecdysone treatment. Each of the five putative EcREs had at least one …

Supplemental Assignments To Increase The Retention Of Knowledge For Biology I And Ii Lecture, Krystyn Vitale

Outstanding Honors Theses

Supplemental assignments for Biology I and II lectures were designed to increase the understanding of important biology concepts. Topics from each lecture, and frequently misunderstood details from that topic, were chosen as the concepts for each assignment. The questions posed allow students to process the information step-by-step and form a conclusion from their piece-wise work. This format allows students to foster their critical thinking skills and increase their retention of the knowledge learned through problem solving sessions.

Comparative Analysis Research On Treatments Of Prostate Cancer Obtaining And Comparing Results Of Patients Who Have Received Laproscopic, Robotic-Labroscopic, Or Cryosurgery, Radiation Therapy, Huy Nguyen

Outstanding Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Large-Scale Production, Biochemical And Structural Characterization Of Lactate Dehydrogenase For The Discovery Of Novel Small Molecule Inhibitors, Erol Jahja

Outstanding Honors Theses

Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) catalyzes the interconversion of pyruvate and lactate in the final step of anaerobic glycolysis. Many invasive tumors depend on an increased rate of glycolysis in order to maximize their growth potential under hypoxic environments, a phenomenon known as the "Warburg Effect." By finding a way to inhibit LDH, contributions would be made towards the management of cancerous cells by inhibition of their energy production.

Human LDH isoenzyme A was subcloned into an in-house vector (pET28a with a PreScission cleavage site) and overexpressed in E. coli Tuner(DE3) cells as a fusion protein with maltose binding protein (MBP) to …

Johan Nieuhof’S Cathay: Aspects Of Inventing A Travelogue In Early Modern Europe, Ryan Walsh

Outstanding Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

What’S That Racket? Experiencing Racquet Sports (And Handball) And An Analysis Of Their Trends And Appealing Factors, Christian Dean L. Faral

Outstanding Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Comparing And Contrasting Expressionism, Abstract, And Pop Art, William Johnson

Outstanding Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Unsung Heroes Of College Basketball: A Closer Look At The University Of South Florida Men’S Basketball Team, Jared Brantley

Outstanding Honors Theses

There is very little research or information in regards to men’s college basketball staff positions. This study will focus on five positions on the University of South Florida men’s basketball team and explain what they do and whether it is necessary to the functioning of the basketball team. As a member of the University of South Florida men’s basketball team, I will work alongside these five positions and note their responsibilities and the amount of work that goes into upholding those responsibilities. I will also conduct an interview with each position as to gain any additional information that may add …

Comparative Analysis Research Of Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy, Jonathan Barlaan, Huy Nguyen

Outstanding Honors Theses

Introduction: The goal of laparoscopic prostatectomy is to excise the cancer completely, provide good urinary continence post-operatively, and maintain the ability to have erections after the surgery, if present prior to surgery. Robotic assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy is a procedure performed with the assistance of a surgical robot that provides improved magnified vision in order to help achieve these goals while minimizing surgical incisions. With experience in performing this type of procedure, surgical doctors should be able to reduce operating time, blood loss, and margin error.

Methods: We reviewed the records of 200 patients who underwent treatment between July 2008 and …

Effect Of Barrel Length On The Muzzle Velocity And Report From A Mosin-Nagant 7.62x54r Rifle, Brandon Louis Clark

Outstanding Honors Theses

The present paper describes an experimental study into the effects of barrel length for the Mosin Nagant 7.62x54R rifle. The parameters investigated were primarily the muzzle velocity and quality of sound produced i.e. report. The original barrel length of 28.75 inches was reduced to a final length of 16.75 inches in two inch increments. At each barrel length a digital chronograph was utilized to measure projectile velocity approximately ten feet downrange, while the sound profile was recorded via a microphone and audio software on a laptop computer. Testing took place in a single day, outdoors in a rural location in …

Putting The Puzzle Together: Factors Related To Emotional Well-Being In Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Olivia F. Macdonald

Outstanding Honors Theses

Autism spectrum disorders now affect 1 in 110 children. Thus, thousands of families are facing the unique challenges associated with raising a child with an ASD. The purpose of the current study was to investigate how parental well-being relates to coping strategies, social support, and isolation. Mothers and fathers were recruited through the email lists of autism organizations, and 221 parents completed an anonymous, online survey. A decrease in reported feelings of anxiety and depression with greater use of social support supported the literature on the beneficial role it has on emotional well-being. Analyses also suggested that informal sources of …

An Examination Of The Mind-Body Coordination Of Vocal Technique, Justina Mathew

Outstanding Honors Theses

This paper seeks to review the principles of vocal technique as seen from both an artistic and scientific standpoint and ultimately connect these two seemingly incompatible entities. This paper also seeks to review the application of physics to singing; specifically, enhanced coordination between the neural center of the body – the brain – in distinct cortical areas with extremely complex musculature and associated vocal tissues necessary for the production of musical notes. Biophysical modeling can be used to study these intricate processes vis-à-vis the relationship between certain variables such as tract air pressures and the gradients required for song. Such …