American Studies Commons^™

African American Women With Type 2 Diabetes: Understanding Self-Management, F Bridgett Rahim-Williams

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Prescribed self-management behaviors have been found to be important factors affecting the rates of morbidity and mortality in multiple medical conditions including chronic diseases such as diabetes, a condition that disproportionately affects high health risk populations such as African Americans.

This study focused on understanding health behaviors, beliefs, and associated factors such as support systems and access to care that played a role in diabetes self-management and glucose control. The study also explored diabetes self-management education and its role in diabetes self-management. The research conducted in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties in Florida, included twenty-five African American women between the ages …

Caffeine And Airway Resistance, Gwyn N. Crump M.D.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the effect of caffeine on airway resistance. The subjects were drawn from volunteers (18-90 years old) in good health, with no major cardiopulmonary conditions.

We found no association between the consumption of a single cup of the caffeinated beverage coffee and a decrease in airway resistance within one hour in a normal sample of subjects as measured by impulse oscillometry nor with conventional spirometry . It appears that any possible bronchodilatory effect of the caffeine from a single cup of coffee in a normal population is below the limit of detection of spirometry and impulse oscillometry or …

Lily’S Dilemma: Opposing Principles In The House Of Mirth, Debbie Lelekis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this study is Lily Bart and how she maneuvers in the cold, competitive world of upper class New York. To create a framework for my investigation, I draw upon naturalistic readings of the story which portray Lily as an outsider or "other" in her society. Lily's ethical principles lead to her destruction. Her marriage problem is just an example of her rejection of the life that her society expects her to lead. As she becomes more aware of a different philosophy of life--characterized by Selden's "republic of the spirit"--she finds it impossible to abide by the rules …

Globalization, Ecotourism, And Development In The Monte Verde Zone, Costa Rica, Edgar Allan Amador

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ecotourism has been promoted globally as a model for sustainable development because it simultaneously benefits the environment and the residents of the given destination. However, many conservationists have questioned the long term sustainability of ecotourism as it is difficult to mitigate the impact of even low levels of tourism on a particular ecosystem. Further, social scientists including anthropologists have similarly questioned whether most residents of a particular destination actually benefit significantly from the alternative tourism economy.

The Globalization Research Center in cooperation with the Monteverde Institue in the Monte Verde Zone, Costa Rica, is undertaking a longitudinal study -- dubbed …

The Effects Of Militant Press On Nigeria's Democratic Evolution, Oluwaniran Malaolu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This is an in-depth study of the Nigerian press, the ubiquitous behemoth which called itself the "defender" of Nigeria's national independence and the last "hope" of the common man. It's a bold attempt to critically examine its antecedents, its evolution or development especially the historical, political, technological and socio-economic events that had impacted its growth, its world views and ideologies. It's a thorough assessment of the press' influence on Nigeria's socio-economic and political development, as well as the suitability of its tactics and posturing toward attaining its set goals of economic and political emancipation of Nigerians. Most importantly, this study …

Copd Dyspnea Management By Family Caregivers, Loris A. Thomas

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

An estimated 14 million people in the United States currently have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This nonreversible illness causes progressively decreasing airflow and is manifested by frequent episodes of acute and chronic dyspnea. The purposes of this study were: 1) to examine the relationships between mastery (MS), negative affectivity trait (NA), perceptions of patient dyspnea severity (DSI), and perceptions of which dyspnea interventions are effective (DE) among family caregiver-COPD patient dyads and 2) to examine the degree of agreement between the dyad members regarding dyspnea assessment and management. The study subjects were elderly (patients = 71.6 years, caregivers = …

Building A Case For The Unfamiliar Cause In Cause-Related Marketing: The Importance Of Cause Vested Interest, Charles G. O'Brien

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Marketing and advertising practitioners are currently matching up a brand with a cause and broadcasting the association to consumers in a practice called cause related marketing (CRM). Scholars are building a stream of academic research which seeks to understand the relationship between a brand and a cause (a.k.a., alliance) in relation to the final outcome of a CRM campaign. Ostensibly, both partners benefit from this alliance, although many CRM studies seek to understand how to optimize this relationship for each partner.

In professional practice and academic research both practitioners and researchers have focused on established, popular, well-known causes in consideration …

Efforts To Promote Tourism As A Catalyst For Urban Redevelopment In Florida: Insights From The Anthropology Of Tourism And An Annotated Bibliography., John F. Collins

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Tourism is a major contributor to the global economy and is an agent of cultural change. Tourism has been utilized throughout the United States as an engine of economic renewal in the promotion of redevelopment within many of our most celebrated urban centers. Urban tourism as it is found within Florida is explored. A chapter is dedicated to Tampa, Florida. Anthropology has spent little time or effort in attempting to understand the complexities of urban tourism and what it means for the cities of 21st century. The anthropology of tourism is utilized in exploring the political economy of tourism within …

High Voltage Conversion For Mems Applications Using Micromachined Capacitors, Puneet Khanna

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores high voltage converter circuits for MEMS applications using micromachined devices. A novel MEMS based tunable DC-DC converter has been developed. Conventional high voltage converters based on charge pumps are unable to convert voltages to higher than few tens of volts due to power handling limitations of the CMOS components. In order to overcome this limitation a high voltage circuit has been proposed, which when integrated with micromachined switches will generate output voltages in the range of 100 Volts. The converter is based on a two phase switched capacitor circuit, and allows regulation of voltage conversion ratio. Three …

N-Thiolated Β-Lactams: Chemistry, Sar And Intracellular Target Of A Novel Class Of Antimicrobial And Anticancer Agents, Bart Allan Heldreth

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

N-Thiolated β-lactams (1) represent a promising new group of compounds with potent inhibition effects on bacteria, like Bacillus anthracis and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and onco-systems, like breast cancer and leukemia. Originally developed as part of a synthetic pathway to bicyclic lactams, N-thiolated β-lactams have been shown in this laboratory to possess intriguing biological activities. The antibacterial activities of this new class of agents rely on novel structural features unlike those of any existing family of β-lactam drugs. The lactams seem to exert their effects intracellularly, requiring passage of the bioactive species through the cellular …

Development Of A Sensitive And Specific Biosensor Assay To Detect Vibrio Vulnificus In Estuarine Waters, Robert M. Ulrich

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Biosensor development has the potential to meet the need for rapid, sensitive, and specific detection of pathogenic bacteria from natural sources. An antibody-based fiber-optic biosensor assay to detect low levels of Vibrio vulnificus in estuarine waters following an enrichment step was developed. The principle of the sensor is based on an immuno-sandwich assay where an anti-V. vulnificus polyclonal capture antibody preparation was first immobilized on a polystyrene fiber-optic waveguide using a biotin-avidin association. The capture antibody is responsible for binding the target cells to the waveguide. Cyanine-5-conjugated anti-V. vulnificus polyclonal antibodies are subsequently allowed to bind to immobilized …

Colombian Immigrant Children In The United States: Representations Of Food And The Process Of Creolization, María Claudia Duque-Páramo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation research is to study the experience of adjustment of Colombian immigrant children to living in the U.S. In order to understand the changes they have experienced as immigrants, the research focuses on the ways in which they talk about the food they eat hereand on the foods they ate in Colombia. Because of the symbolic importance of food in the construction of ethnic and personal identities, a study of how the children talk about food illuminates the process of blending elements from the immigrant culture with those of the U.S.

Based on the symbolic interactionism …

Studies On Modeling Angular Soil Particles Using The Discrete Element Method, Amr M. Sallam

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Discrete Element Method was first introduced by Cundall and Strack (1979) to model granular soils within the context of geotechnical engineering. The material is modeled as a random assembly of discrete elements. Each particle interacts with neighboring particles through contact forces that can be built up and broken at any time. The particles were modeled as discs in 2-D or as spheres in 3-D. Research studies have been conducted to improve the simulation of actual grain shapes. Ashmawy et al. (2003) developed the overlapping rigid clusters (ORC) method to accurately model irregular particle shapes. The idea relies on clumping …

Sports And The American Sacred: What Are The Limits Of Civil Religion?, Frank Ferreri

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines whether American civil religion, in its enactment in daily American life, is cosmological. That is, it questions whether the sacred behind American civil religion is present in the physical-material realm and not in a transcendental principle or being. It is interested in why, seemingly, what is sacred in American culture is always what is happening here and now. This is evidenced by and manifested in multiple vehicles of the sacred in American culture. These vehicles include a range of institutions from economics to politics to religion to education. They also include entities such as the mass media, …

Chemical And Photolytic Degradation Of Polyacrylamides Used In Potable Water Treatment, Peiyao Cheng

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Polyacrylamides (PAMs) are a class of polymers formed from acrylamide alone or copolymerized with other monomers. PAMs have been used in drinking water treatment as flocculants or coagulants in the highest volume among all the polymer types. In potable water treatment processes, polyacrylamides are often exposed to oxidants (e.g. chlorine and permanganate) and UV irradiation from sunlight or artificial sources. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the possible degradation of PAMs caused by chemical oxidation and/or UV irradiation.

Three types of PAM products (nonionic, cationic and anionic) were studied under free chlorine and permanganate oxidation, UV irradiation, and …

Mineral Solubilization From Municipal Solid Waste Combustion Residues: Implications For Landfill Leachate Collection Systems, Lisa R. Rhea

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Leachate collection systems consist of a series of pipes installed beneath the waste at the base of a landfill. The liquid drains toward a central location where it is pumped and then treated, discharged, or recirculated. In some landfills, solid precipitates form in the collection system resulting in clogging and malfunctions of the drainage system. The formation of the precipitates is linked to the chemical and biological stability of the leachate generated within the landfill. To control the formation of precipitates and prevent clogging of leachate collection systems, it is important to understand factors that influence leachate characteristics.

Ashes from …

Examining The Current U.S. Beef Trade Policies Concerning The Testing For Mad Cow Disease, David C. Miller

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite existing mad cow disease surveillance efforts in the United States, in place since the 1980s, a cow that tested positive for mad cow disease was granted entrance into the U.S. in December, 2003. The cow that tested positive, according to witnesses, displayed no symptoms that are synonymous with advanced bovine spongiform encephalopathy, BSE. This occurrence had detrimental effects on the U.S. beef export market, as many countries banned American beef. Estimates of the damage inflicted reach into the billions of dollars. BSE in the U.S. has the potential of causing damages in other aspects as well. Aside from the …

Examining The Handbooks On Environmental Journalism: A Qualitative Document Analysis And Response To The Literature, Lisa Rademakers

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis addressed the question, "How should journalists cover the environment, according to the conversation between the scholarship on environmental journalism and the handbooks on environmental journalism?" Do the handbooks, written for practicing journalists, agree with the academic scholarship on environmental journalism?

The conversation between the literature and handbooks is important to examine, as the handbooks are tools journalists may use when reporting on the environment. The handbooks could influence a journalist, who influences the public, who make decisions in a democracy. As well, examining the conversation between the literature and the handbooks reveals whether or not the academy and …

Performance Evaluation Of Multi-Product Kanban-Like Control Systems, Sachin S. Deokar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Over the years, much attention has been given to the analysis of the pull type ordering system to reduce in-process inventory and to improve product quality. Kanban Control Systems are widely used to control the release of parts in multi-stage manufacturing systems operating under a pull mechanism. Considerable research has been done to study the individual manufacturing systems for multi stage and single product. However, not much research has been done to compare different pull control policies for multi product manufacturing systems.

Most of the research done in multi-product system assumes that a kanban card is dedicated to a part …

Lake Stage Fluctuation Study In West-Central Florida Using Multiple Regression Models, Jie Gao

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Multiple linear regression models were developed to calculate lake fluctuation that occurs between 10 percent, 50 percent, and 90 percent of the time lake surface elevation is exceeded. A total of 48 lakes were selected from Hillsborough, Pasco, Highlands and Polk counties, which were identified as natural lakes through the study the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) conducted in 1999 and 2002 to develop the models. "Natural lake" refers to lakes that were not impacted by ground water pumping.

Among these 48 lakes, 22 lakes from Hillsborough and Pasco counties sit in the coastal lowlands area. 26 lakes from …

Modeling Alternate Strategies For Airline Revenue Management, Kapil Joshi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ever since the deregulation of the airline industry in 1978, fierce competition has made every airline try and gain a competitive edge in the market. In order to accomplish this, airlines are turning to advanced optimization techniques such as revenue management. Revenue management is a way for airlines to maximize capacity and profitability by managing supply and demand through price management.

Over the last few years research in the field of revenue management has steadily progressed from seat inventory control techniques such as single leg seat inventory and network inventory control to ticket pricing techniques. Ticket pricing techniques involve setting …

Gait-Based Recognition At A Distance: Performance, Covariate Impact And Solutions, Zongyi Liu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

It has been noticed for a long time that humans can identify others based on their biological movement from a distance. However, it is only recently that computer vision based gait biometrics has received much attention. In this dissertation, we perform a thorough study of gait recognition from a computer vision perspective. We first present a parameterless baseline recognition algorithm, which bases similarity on spatio-temporal correlation that emphasizes gait dynamics as well as gait shapes. Our experiments are performed with three popular gait databases: the USF/NIST HumanID Gait Challenge outdoor database with 122 subjects, the UMD outdoor database with 55 …

An Event Driven Single Game Solution For Resource Allocation In A Multi-Crisis Environment, Rashmi S. Shetty

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The problem of resource allocation and management in the context of multiple crises occurring in an urban environment is challenging. In this thesis, the problem is formulated using game theory and a solution is developed based on the Nash equilibrium to optimize the allocation of resources to the different crisis events in a fair manner considering several constraints such as the availability of resources, the criticality of the events, the amount of resources requested etc. The proposed approach is targeted at managing small to medium level crisis events occurring simultaneously within a specific pre-defined perimeter with the resource allocation centers …

The Stress Response, Psychoeducational Interventions And Assisted Reproduction Technology Treatment Outcomes: A Meta-Analytic Review, Karen Rose Mumford

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The psychological impacts of infertility have been well documented in the literature, providing evidence to support that at least some women who confront infertility are at risk for heightened distress and depressive symptoms. In response to this accumulated evidence, it has been argued that psychoeducational interventions may provide an important component to the treatment of infertility. While several theoretical models postulate the effects of stress on infertility treatment outcomes, results of these investigations have led to conflicting conclusions. However, a synthesis of the accumulated data examining the effects of stress on ART treatment outcomes was nonexistent until the conduct of …

Bayesian Inference In Forecasting Volcanic Hazards: An Example From Armenia, Jennifer N. Weller

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Scientists worldwide are increasingly faced with the need to assess geologic hazards for very infrequent events that have high consequence, for instance, in siting nuclear facilities for volcanic hazards. One of the methods currently being developed for such assessments is the Bayesian method. This paper outlines the Bayesian technique by focusing on the volcanic hazard assessment for the Armenia Nuclear Power Plant, (ANPP), which is located in a Quaternary volcanic field. The Bayesian method presented in this paper relies on the development of a probabilistic model based on the spatial distribution of past volcanic events and a geologic process model. …

Counting Of Mostly Static People In Indoor Conditions, Amit A. Khemlani

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The ability to count people from video is a challenging problem. The scientific challenge arises from the fact that although the task is pretty well defined, the imaging scenario is not well constrained. The background scene is uncontrolled. Lighting is complex and varying. And, image resolution, both in terms of spatial and temporal is usually poor, especially in pre-stored surveillance videos. Passive counting of people from video has many practical applications such as in monitoring the number of people sitting in front of a TV set, counting people in an elevator, counting people passing through a security door, and counting …

Low Power Technology Mapping And Performance Driven Placement For Field Programmable Gate Arrays, Hao, Li

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As technology geometries have shrunk to the deep sub-micron (DSM) region, the chip density and clock frequency of FPGAs have increased significantly. This makes computer-aided design (CAD) for FPGAs very important and challenging. Due to the increasing demands of portable devices and mobile computing, low power design is crucial in CAD nowadays. In this dissertation, we present a framework to optimize power consumption for technology mapping onto FPGAs. We propose a low-power technology mapping scheme which is able to predict the impact of choosing a subnetwork covering on the ultimate mapping solution. We dynamically update the power estimation for a …

Efficient And Effective? The Hundred Year Flood In The Communication And Perception Of Flood Risk, Heather Bell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In response to the rising costs of floods, the United States has adopted sophisticated programs to mitigate the loss of life and property. However, the efficient implementation of certain aspects of flood policy has taken precedence over effective communication. The scope of the National Flood Insurance Program and the efficient coding of "the 100 year flood" have led to a pervasive use of the term in both formal and informal risk communication. When officials began consciously communicating flood policy to the public, they assumed a narrow "engineering" model and did not fully anticipate the influence of informal communication on the …

Modelling Distance Functions Induced By Face Recognition Algorithms, Soumee Chaudhari

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Face recognition algorithms has in the past few years become a very active area of research in the fields of computer vision, image processing, and cognitive psychology. This has spawned various algorithms of different complexities. The concept of principal component analysis(PCA) is a popular mode of face recognition algorithm and has often been used to benchmark other face recognition algorithms for identification and verification scenarios. However in this thesis, we try to analyze different face recognition algorithms at a deeper level. The objective is to model the distances output by any face recognition algorithm as a function of the input …

Isolation And Identification Of O-Linked-Β-N-Acetylglucosamine Modified Proteins (O-Glcnac) In The Developing Xenopus Laevis Oocyte, Sreelatha Paspuleti

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Oocyte development in Xenopus laevis spans six morphologically distinct stages (stage I-VI), and is associated with a decrease in protein O-GlcNAc levels. As a first step in elucidating the role of O-GlcNAc in developing oocytes, initial efforts were focused on isolation and identification of fifteen modified proteins that decrease during oocyte development. Stage I oocytes due to their high amounts of these proteins, were used as starting material for purification. Multiple affinity and specific antibody based purification technique were initially used in an attempt to enrich the O-GlcNAc proteins. Due to the unique properties of the proteins …