Digital Commons Network^™

Quantifying Non-Primary Dna Formations Through Mechanical And Geometric Models, Sonia E. Teodorescu

Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two

In this article, mechanical and geometric models for DNA strains (regarded as a helical structure in 3 dimensions, embedded into surfaces of various shapes (straight or curved cylinders, spheres, or projected into planes), are analyzed in order to obtain parameter estimates for DNA characteristics which can be used to detect the formation of secondary and tertiary formations in the presence of disorder. The models allow for the explicit representation of the DNA shape on constrained geometries and can therefore be implemented directly into {\it{ab initio}} or synthetic simulation studies.

Why Should Early-Career Scientists Publish In Society Journals, Stephen K. Dolan, Lori D. Banks, Wenqi Yu

Molecular Biosciences Faculty Publications

In this editorial, written by early-career scientists, we advocate for the invaluable role of society journals in our scientific community. By choosing to support these journals as authors, peer reviewers, and as editors, we can reinforce our academic growth and benefit from their re-investment back into the scientific ecosystem. Considering the numerous clear merits of this system for future generations of microbiologists and more broadly, society, we argue that early-career researchers should publish our high-quality research in society journals to shape the future of science and scientific publishing landscape.

The Inaugural Mbio Junior Editorial Board—Lessons Learned And The Path Forward Toward Improving The Peer Review Process, Cynthia Ayefoumi Adinortey, Stephen K. Dolan, Sarah Doore, Rebeccah Lijek, Diana Priscila Pires, Wenqi Yu, Elizabeth B. Draganova, Lennart Schada Von Borzyskowski

Molecular Biosciences Faculty Publications

The inaugural Junior Editorial Board (JEB) of mBio consisted of 64 early-career researchers active from 2022 to 2023. The goal of the JEB was to train early-career researchers in the art of peer review under the guidance of experienced editors. JEB members gained hands-on experience in peer review by participating in modules detailing the publishing process through the lenses of the journal, editor, and reviewer. Ultimately, JEB members applied this new knowledge by reviewing mBio manuscripts. Here, we summarize the background, the mission, and the achievements of the first mBio JEB. We also include possible trajectories for the future editions …

Species Of The Month Willow Flycatcher July 2024, Arizona Birds - Journal Of Arizona Field Ornithologists

Arizona Birds

No abstract provided.

A Community-Academic Partnered Approach To Designing A Virtual Village To Address The Needs Of Older Adults Living With Hiv, Annie L. Nguyen, Andrea N. Polonijo, Jerome T. Galea, Moka Yoo-Jeong, Jeff Taylor, Erik L. Ruiz, Karah Greene, Jasmine L. Lopez, Christopher Christensonf, Brandon Brown

Social Work Faculty Publications

Many older adults living with HIV face unique challenges, including comorbidities, loneliness, and isolation. This community-academic partnered study elicited viewpoints from older adults living with HIV about the characteristics of a digital environment (“Virtual Village”) to combat against loneliness and isolation. We utilized Choice-Based Conjoint Analyses to determine preferred attributes of a Virtual Village. We also conducted focus groups and interviews with older adults living with HIV and used an iterative, data-driven approach to systematically identify emergent themes. Participants (N = 82) were aged 50–82 years and racially/ethnically diverse. The majority were men (78%), gay (66%), and lived with …

Performing Presidential Age: "It's About How Old Your Ideas Are", Valerie Barnes Lipscomb

English Sarasota Manatee Campus Faculty Publications

During a February surprise appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers, President Joe Biden whipped out his trademark aviator sunglasses and traded quips with Meyers about a supposed conspiracy with Taylor Swift, much to the delight of the younger live audience. The next day, reviews were mixed about whether the president was trying too hard or did in fact manage to look hipper. To look younger. While US presidential nominees have been consciously performing their campaigns for decades, during this cycle, considering age as a performance has been especially prominent. Commentators and critics have specifically addressed the careful staging …

Threshold Concepts In Quantitative Reasoning, Judith Canner, Jennifer E. Clinkenbeard

Numeracy

The idea of “threshold concepts” has been used to identify discipline-based concepts that are critical to that academic area. Threshold concepts are often difficult for students to assimilate in a meaningful way but, once done, can be powerful for the learner. In general, threshold concepts are 1) transformative to learner thinking; 2) bounded by the discipline; 3) integrative with other concepts; and 4) irreversible once understood (Meyer and Land 2003). This paper presents five threshold concepts in quantitative reasoning (QR) developed by transdisciplinary faculty workgroups that may be applicable for non-mathematics disciplines as well. They are as follows: 1) QR …

The Conflicting Needs Of Now And Forever: Designing Streaming Media Services At An Academic Library, John Abresch, Leetta Schmidt

USF Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

Fulfilling requests for media content in support of classroom and faculty research activities is demanding for academic libraries. Libraries strive to meet requests for media while working with challenges such as intellectual property license contracts, advances in digital communication technologies and copyright issues. This article provides an in-depth look at the changing demands of collections and services in addressing faculty requests for media, and outlines both a collection and a service strategy developed by librarians at the University of South Florida Libraries to provide faculty and students with access to diverse media titles in formats ranging from physical to streaming.

In Memoriam Walter Thurber (20 November 1942–21 December 2023), John Weser, Doug Jenness

Arizona Birds

No abstract provided.

Perspectives On Competency-Based Feedback For Training Non-Specialists To Deliver Psychological Interventions: Multi-Site Qualitative Study Of The Equip Competency-Based Approach, Abdelrhman Elnasseh, Varun S. Mehta, Gergana Manolova, Gloria A. Pedersen, Shannon Golden, Liyam Eloul, Frezgi Gebrekristos, Pamela Y. Collins, Teresia Mutavi, Anne W. Mbwayo, Muthoni Mathai, Tessa Concepcion, Rozane El Masri, Frederik Steen, Jerome T. Galea, Carmen Contreras, Josephine Akellot, Rosco Kasujja, Samuel Wasereka, Byamah Brian Mutamba, Wietse A. Tol, Mansurat Raji, Sacha Moufarrej, Alison Schafer, Brandon A. Kohrt

Social Work Faculty Publications

Background: The use of feedback to address gaps and reinforce skills is a key component of successful competency-based mental health and psychosocial support intervention training approaches. Competency-based feedback during training and supervision for personnel delivering psychological interventions is vital for safe and effective care.

Aims: For non-specialists trained in low-resource settings, there is a lack of standardised feedback systems. This study explores perspectives on competency-based feedback, using structured role-plays that are featured on the Ensuring Quality in Psychosocial and Mental Health Care (EQUIP) platform developed by the World Health Organization and United Nations Children’s Fund.

Method: Qualitative data were collected …

Brief Virtual Intervention Associated With Increased Social Engagement And Decreased Negative Affect Among People Aging With Hiv, Andrea N. Polonijo, Annie L. Nguyen, Karah Y. Greene, Jasmine L. Lopez, Moka Yoo-Jeong, Erik L. Ruiz, Christopher Christensen, Jerome T. Galea, Brandon Browni

Social Work Faculty Publications

Virtual Villages—online communities that deliver supports to promote aging in place—are proposed to mitigate isolation and support the health of aging populations. Using a community-engaged approach, we developed and pilot-tested a Virtual Village intervention tailored for people living with HIV (PLWH) aged 50+ . The intervention employed a Discord server featuring social interaction, regional and national resources, expert presentations, and mindful meditation exercises. In 2022, a sample of PLWH aged 50+ from three U.S. study sites participated in a four-week pilot. Pre- and post-intervention surveys assessed participants’ demographic characteristics; degree of loneliness, social connectedness, HIV-related stigma, and technology acceptance; mental …

Tuberculosis Treatment Loss To Follow-Up In Children Exposed At Home: A Prospective Cohort Study, Meredith B. Brooks, Brittney J. Van De Water, Leonid Lecca, Chuan-Chin Huang, Letizia Trevisi, Carmen Contreras, Jerome T. Galea, Roger Calderon, Rosa Yataco, Megan Murray, Mercedes C. Becerra

Social Work Faculty Publications

Background: Loss to follow-up (LTFU) from tuberculosis (TB) treatment and care is a significant public health problem. It is important to understand what drives LTFU in children – a population whose treatment and management depend on an adult caregiver – to better provide support services to families affected by TB.

Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of household contacts in Lima, Peru (2009–12). Using multilevel logistic regression analysis, we explored individual-level characteristics of children and their adult household members with TB disease to identify risk factors for LTFU among children initiated on treatment for TB.

Results: A total of …

More Than Sleep Problems? Testing Five Key Health Behaviors As Reasons For Quality Of Life Issues Among Shift Workers, Yuxin Chen, Kaiyi Deng, Ian M. Hughes, Claire E. Smith, Hongdao Meng, Minh Quan Le, Min Sun, Xianyan Zhang, Danping Liu

Psychology Faculty Publications

The shift work schedule is a common work arrangement that can disrupt typical sleep-wake rhythms and lead to negative health consequences. The present study aims to examine the effect of shift work on health-related quality of life (QoL) and explore potential behaviorial mediators (i.e., sleep, eating, exercise, smoking, drinking). A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 4,449 petroleum workers in southwest China. Data on shift work status, health behaviors, and physical and mental health QoL were collected. We tested our model using path analysis and the Monte Carlo approach among 2,129 included participants. After adjusting for covariates, shift work did not …

Asymmetry In The Digital Age: Cyber Deterrence Strategies For Small States, Tony Yuan Li

Journal of Strategic Security

In an era where cyberwarfare poses an invisible but potent threat to national security, traditional deterrence theories fall short in providing nations with a viable strategy to defend themselves. This is especially the case for small states, where limited national resources and cyber capabilities prevent them from effectively deterring larger powers. This paper investigates whether small states can achieve cyber deterrence, and the means to do so. This research challenges the preconception that small states are at a disadvantage in cyber contestation, and instead proposes that their small size offers unique defensive benefits. A smaller attack surface, faster incident response …

Autochthonous Plasmodium Vivax Infections, Florida, Usa, 2023, Swamy Rakesh Adapa, Kami Kim, Liwang Cui

College of Medicine & TGH Faculty Publications

During May–July 2023, a cluster of 7 patients at local hospitals in Florida, USA, received a diagnosis of Plasmodium vivax malaria. Whole-genome sequencing of the organism from 4 patients and phylogenetic analysis with worldwide representative P. vivax genomes indicated probable single parasite introduction from Central/South America.

Creative Placemaking For Productive Landscapes: Imagined Futures For Aaran’S Pond, M. Paige Garvin, Serena A. Echols, E. Christian Wells

Weather, Climate, and Society REU

This poster examines three alternative pondscape designs to address community concerns about Aaran’s Pond, a stormwater pond in the University Area Community near the USF Tampa campus. Stormwater ponds are important forms of green infrastructure used to mitigate and adapt to flooding in the Tampa Bay area. These ponds also can help attenuate the flow of nutrients into the bay, which can cause harmful algal blooms that impact people and ecological habitats.

With increasing frequency and intensifying flooding events due to climate change, some stormwater ponds, such as Aaran’s Pond, are becoming less effective at flood management and increasingly characterized …

Stormwater Infrastructure As A Socio-Ecological System: The Case Of Aaran’S Pond, Cya Moore, Serena A. Echols, E. Christian Wells

Weather, Climate, and Society REU

This poster examines stormwater ponds as complex adaptive ecosystems in the urban environment, in which community residents and other stakeholders are integral components. Stormwater ponds are important forms of green infrastructure used to control flooding in the Tampa Bay area. These ponds also can help mitigate the flow of nutrients into the bay, which can cause harmful algal blooms that impact people and marine life. With increasing frequency and intensity of flooding events due to climate change, some stormwater ponds, such as Aaran’s Pond in the University Area Community near the USF Tampa campus, are becoming less effective at flood …

Hurricane Evacuation Capability Of Older Adults In Pinellas County, Florida, Zion Powell, Elizabeth Dunn, Rashida Jones, Maria Paula Ibarcena-Woll

Weather, Climate, and Society REU

In September 2022, Hurricane Ian made landfall near Cayo Costa, FL as a Category 5 hurricane which resulted in 148 deaths— majority 55 and older. Further research is needed to understand factors that hinder older adults from evacuating.

Characteristics Of Vulnerability Of Tampa Residents Proximate To Superfund Sites, Christian Muisener, Beverly G. Ward, Robin Ersing

Weather, Climate, and Society REU

Using a mixed methods approach, both census data of six selected census tracks in Hillsborough County and interviews with community stakeholders were employed to determine the vulnerability and what current actions are being taken to improve the situation. The vulnerability of these communities was compared to their superfund site proximity to examine the correlation. A correlation exists in the selected census tracts between higher percentages on indicators of vulnerability and distance from both superfund and hazardous waste sites.

Mitigating The Effects Of Excessive Heat In Hillsborough County's Vulnerable Neighborhoods, Paige Burchell, Robin Ersing, Beverly Ward

Weather, Climate, and Society REU

In 2023, Hillsborough County faced a particularly hot summer. Maximum daily heat indices in Tampa reached at least 100°F for 90 days, 55 of which had heat indices of at least 105°F, and 26 of which had heat indices of at least 108°F.

Hillsborough County is home to over 1.5 million residents, and it is composed of various types of communities. While the entire county faces excessive heat, some populations within the county are more at-risk of heat-related complications than others. Physically vulnerable populations include older adults, young children, pregnant females, and people with asthma or other disabilities that make …

Analyzing Vulnerable Census Tracts In Hillsborough County: Are They Disaster Ready?, Mariah Austin, Robin Ersing, Beverly G. Ward

Weather, Climate, and Society REU

Vulnerability and Resilience

FEMA’s Community Disaster Resilience Zones (CDRZ) areas are designated by either being in the top 1% of their state with their NRI (national risk index) score or the top 50 of the country and by being designated as disadvantage with the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool.

• There are 483 CDRZs in the US
• Most vulnerable – least prepared
• Hillsborough County has one CDRZ, census tract 121.03

Climate Change

Heat

• Tampa experiences about 73 days each year that feel like 100F and up

*Flooding and Increased Storms

• Affects water quality
• Safety issues with transportation and walking

Habitats …

Agriculture Against The Wall: Barriers And Opportunities For Agroecological Transitions In California’S Industrial Agricultural Landscapes, Estelí Jiménez-Soto, Madeleine Fairbairn, Joji Muramoto, Carol Shennan

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Agroecology emphasizes a shift from low diversity, high chemical input farming to more biodiverse agroecosystems cultivated in conjunction with natural ecosystem processes and embedded in socially just relationships. Yet achieving such agroecological transitions presents enormous challenges in industrial agricultural landscapes dominated by consolidation and overproduction. We examine both the challenges and the opportunities for agroecological transition in one particular industrial agricultural context: the fumigant-dependent strawberry production of California’s Central Coast. We do so by exploring adoption of Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation (ASD), an agroecological alternative to fumigation which has shown considerable promise but has been historically underutilized. Building on previously identified …

Usft 2024-2025 Usf Libraries Annual Report, Usf Libraries

Library Annual Reports

No abstract provided.

Uav-Based Wetland Monitoring: Multispectral And Lidar Fusion With Random Forest Classification, Robert Van Alphen, Kai C. Rains, Mel Rodgers, Rocco Malservisi, Timothy H. Dixon

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

As sea levels rise and temperatures increase, vegetation communities in tropical and sub-tropical coastal areas will be stressed; some will migrate northward and inland. The transition from coastal marshes and scrub–shrubs to woody mangroves is a fundamental change to coastal community structure and species composition. However, this transition will likely be episodic, complicating monitoring efforts, as mangrove advances are countered by dieback from increasingly impactful storms. Coastal habitat monitoring has traditionally been conducted through satellite and ground-based surveys. Here we investigate the use of UAV-LiDAR (unoccupied aerial vehicle–light detection and ranging) and multispectral photogrammetry to study a Florida coastal wetland. …

Learn From The Past, Covid-19 And Beyond: The Case Of Türkiye, Gül Erkol Bayram, Ali Turan Bayram, Melike Sak

Journal of Mediterranean Tourism Research

The tourism sector has a delicate balance that is affected by its era. Political, economic, sociological problems and events affect the course of tourism, and when necessary, they can stop tourism movements. Epidemics affect tourism negatively. Covid-19 has a very different feature in terms of its effects on world tourism. In this context, the study examines the effects of Covid-19 on world and Turkish tourism. Within the scope of the study, related literature was reviewed, the effects of Covid-19 on world and Turkey tourism were examined with a qualitative approach. As a result, it can be expressed that travel restrictions …

Climate Monitoring In The Caumont Cave And Quarry System (Northern France) Reveal Near Oxygen Isotopic Equilibrium Conditions For Carbonate Deposition, Ingrid Bejarano-Arias, Carole Nehme, Sebastian Breitenbach, Hanno Meyer, Sevasti Modestou, Damase Mouralis

International Journal of Speleology

The study of modern cave deposits forming under near isotopic equilibrium conditions can potentially help disentangle the processes influencing the oxygen isotope system and suitability of stalagmites as archives of past hydrological or thermal changes. We used cave monitoring to evaluate the impact of kinetic isotope fractionation and assess the conditions under which modern cave carbonates form in the Caumont cave and quarry system, located in Normandy, northwest France. Over 20 months, we collected climatological data, dripwater, and modern carbonate samples at 2–4-week intervals at three different stations inside the Caumont cave and quarry system. We find highly stable (10.4 …

Effect Of Influencers On The Intention To Taste Local Food And Beverages, Yeliz Demir, Serkan Bertan

Journal of Mediterranean Tourism Research

The study aims to determine the impact of influencers promoting local food and beverages on individuals’ intention to taste local food. In this study, Instagram accounts were selected as the social media platform. The research data were obtained from Turkish Instagram users over the age of 18 by using an online survey and purposive sampling method, and usable data were obtained from 81 people. Of the participants, 56.8% stated that they follow Instagram accounts related to gastronomy, and 43.2% stated that they do not follow these social media accounts but look at the photos and videos of gastronomy accounts when …

Willet (Tringa Semipalmata) Status Update In Southeastern South America., Natalia S. Martínez-Curci, Adrián B. Azpiroz, Andros T. Gianuca, Dimas Gianuca, Rick E. Simpson, Rafael A. Dias

Ornitología Neotropical

No abstract provided.

Uso De Collpa Y Otras Observaciones Del Maracana Cabeciazul (Primolius Couloni) En El Sureste De Perú., Claudia Torres-Sovero, Huw Lloyd, Donald J. Brightsmith

Ornitología Neotropical

No abstract provided.

Breeding Passerines Communities In The Valdes Peninsula (Patagonia, Argentina)., Fabio Pruscini, Federico Morelli, Davide Sisti, Paolo Perna, Andrea Catorci, Marcelo Bertellotti, Marco Bruno Luigi Rocchi, Riccardo Santolini

Ornitología Neotropical

No abstract provided.