Digital Commons Network^™

The Efficiency And Accuracy Of Yolo For Neonate Face Detection In The Clinical Setting, Jacqueline Hausmann

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There are many face detection classification models available for download and use in the modern technological world. Based in the field of deep neural networks, these off-the-shelf solutions are generally inadequate to solve real world challenges. This work presents how current approaches biased towards detecting adult human faces must be modified in order to better accommodate face detection of the neonate in a NICU setting.

YOLO is a powerful object detection algorithm. Due to optimizations such as Cross mini-batch Normalization, Modified Spatial Attention Modules, Modified Path Aggregation Networks, Self-Adversarial Training, Mosaic Data Augmentation, DropBox Regularization, Multi-Input Weighted Residual Connections and …

Architecture Design And Optimization Of Edge-Enabled Smart Grids, Adetola B. Adeniran

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The emergence of modern monitoring, communication, computation, and controlequipment into power systems has made them evolve into smart grids that can be thought of as the electric grid of things. This evolution has enhanced the efficiency of the power systems through the availability of a large volume of system data that can help with system functions, nevertheless, it has intensified the communication and computation burden on these systems. While many of such computations were traditionally deployed in central servers, new technologies such as edge computing can provide unique opportunities to address some of the computational challenges and improve the responsiveness …

Using The Cipp Evaluation Model To Examine A Bachelor Of Science In Health Systems Management Program, Somer Goad Burke

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this formative evaluation was to explore the effectiveness of a Bachelor of Science in Health Systems Management (BS HSMT) program in supporting student success through gathering information that led to recommendations for program improvement. The evaluation setting was a public university in the southeastern United States that began enrolling students in the BS HSMT in the fall semester 2017. The BS HSMT was developed to meet the local workforce need for professionals trained in health management and to offer a non-clinical bachelor’s degree for students not competitive or not admitted to their first-choice selective major (described in …

Use Of Sugarcane Bagasse Ash As Partial Cement Replacement In Interlocking Stabilized Soil Blocks (Issbs), Adah Shair

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Global infrastructure needs for adequate housing, water provision and improved sanitation are on the rise. UN-Water estimates that 1 in 3 people still lack access to safe drinking water and about 4.2 billion people across the globe lack access to safely managed sanitation services. Rapid urbanization and the global refugee crisis have also increased the demand for adequate and efficient housing. UN Sustainable Development Goals cannot be achieved until these needs are met. Given the high environmental impact and cost of cement-heavy construction, alternate construction techniques like appropriate earth technologies need to be adopted. Interlocking stabilized soil blocks (ISSBs), a …

Biomechanics Of Independent Wheelchair Transfer In Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury, Ashleigh L. Fults

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

AbstractIndividuals with a low level spinal cord injury (SCI) at T1 or below must use a wheelchair for mobility and in order to accomplish daily activities, such as using a recreational wheelchair for sports. These individuals must transfer into and out of their wheelchair several times a day. It is most beneficial for the individual to complete these transfers independently, without the help of a caretaker or assistive device. It is important that these transfers be successful and safe, because improper technique can result in a serious injury from a fall or by repeated small damage to the arms and …

Identifying The Academic And Emotional Risk And Resource Factors Of Underrepresented Students In Accelerated Coursework, Jasmine L. Gray

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There are many benefits of student participation in accelerated curricula in high school such as the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBD) or Advanced Placement (AP) coursework. Benefits include skipping introductory coursework in college, being better prepared to deal with the stressors of college, and positive impacts on peer relationships, self-image, and the development of the concept of success (The International Baccalaureate Organization [IBO], 2019). However, the extent to which all students, regardless of demographic background, are able to participate in and benefit from such programs is a little less known. Previous research indicates that the IBD tends to enroll high-achieving …

Applying The Situational Theory Of Publics To Children's Sex Education In China, Baoyi Zeng

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In China, "sex" is a sensitive, even taboo topic. In this special cultural background, the lack of sex education for children is worthy of attention. This study aims to extend the Situational Theory of Public (STP) to the field of sex education for children. The results of an online questionnaire survey among 424 Chinese parents show that a high degree of problem recognition and high level of participation in child sex education will lead Chinese parents to actively search for relevant information on this issue. Being able to identify children's sex education problems, having a low barrier to solving the …

Succession In Native Groundwater Microbial Communities In Response To Effluent Wastewater, Chelsea M. Dinon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Aquifer storage and recovery techniques are used globally to mitigate increasing demands for groundwater. Microcosms were used to evaluate the effect of wastewater effluent that may be used for aquifer storage and recovery injection on native aquifer microbial communities. Sulfur Springs water was used as the source of aquifer water. The microcosms were 100% spring water, 100% unchlorinated filtered wastewater effluent, or one of three mixtures of unchlorinated filtered wastewater effluent and spring water. The mixture microcosms were 50%, 30%, and 10% unchlorinated filtered wastewater effluent with the balance as spring water. The effluent water was UV treated prior to …

Honokiol Loaded Mpeg-Pcl Micelles For The Treatment Of Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Amna Shahid

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Age related Macular Degeneration (AMD), a multi-factorial age-related retinal hypoxic disorder resulting in irreversible loss of vision is the foremost cause of blindness in United States. Current treatment strategies used to treat disease involve multiple intraocular injections of Anti – VEGF agents into the vitreous of eye. In addition to the issues of drug localization and targeted delivery, the need to frequently inject drug into the eye raise patient compliance issues. These challenges call for sustained drug delivery system. In this study, a sustained drug delivery system was prepared by loading an anti- HIF agent, honokiol into MPEG-PCL polymer. These …

The Weekly Challenger, October 29, 2020, The Weekly Challenger, Et Al

Weekly Challenger Newspaper Collection

The October 29, 2020, issue of The Weekly Challenger.

Longitudinal Examination Of A Dual-Factor Model Of Mental Health: Academic Adjustment And Stability Of Group Membership In High School Students In Academically Accelerated Curricula, Letty Langton Dileo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Middle adolescence (ages 14 to 18 years old) has been associated with declines in both psychopathology and subjective well-being (SWB). This study examined a dual-factor model (DFM) of mental health, which conceptualizes complete mental health as including both low levels of psychopathology and high levels of SWB, across three time points, each 9-12 months apart, in a sample of 328 9th grade students enrolled in accelerated coursework. This study aimed to determine (1) the stability of students’ mental health status over time, (2) the role of psychopathology versus SWB for students who changed mental health status, and (3) the relationship …

Motivation To Volunteer, Lendi N. Joy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The rate of volunteering in the U.S. remains low in spite of the many positive benefits that volunteering yields. Prior research has suggested various theories to help explain motivation to volunteer. Nonetheless, none of the theories have been both comprehensive and specific enough to allow for their practical application in recruitment efforts or campaigns to increase motivations to volunteer. The purpose of the current study was to test a comprehensive model of volunteer motivation by integrating the Volunteering Functions Inventory into the Theory of Planned Behavior as behavioral and normative beliefs that influence attitudes and subjective norms. The hypothesized model …

Latino/A Student Success In Higher Education: A Study In Persistence, Ronald K. Maccammon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to provide a detailed accounting of the experiences of Latinos students who persist in higher education. The supports and barriers they encountered, as well as their recommendations for educational stakeholders looking to effect persistence were examined. The grand tour question guiding this research was: “What do some Latino students and their institutions do to enable decisions to persist and how do they do it?” Sub-Questions providing depth for the research were: (a) how do the participants make meaning of their experiences to persist to graduate; (b) what are the participants’ perceptions of the …

The Quantification Of Heavy Metals In Infant Formulas Offered By The Florida Wic Program, Naya Martin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Many infants rely on the WIC program to provide their main source of sustenance in theform of infant formula. In 2016, about 86% of the eligible infant population participated in this program. Infants in Florida account for about 30% of participation in the Southeast. For this reason, it is necessary to ensure that the formulas offered by this program provide the best opportunity for an optimal health outcome.

Exposure to heavy metals can have detrimental effects on the development of infants and children. Arsenic, lead, and cadmium specifically have been commonly found in certain types of infant formulas. Significant exposures …

Hepatobiliary Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons In Pelagic Fishes Of The Gulf Of Mexico, Madison R. Schwaab

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Fisheries populations and their ecosystems are negatively impacted by both chronic and acute inputs of pollutants, including oil spills such as the Deepwater Horizon platform blowout in 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). After Deepwater Horizon, toxicological studies of demersal fishes of the northern GoM were undertaken to characterize impacts and to establish baseline contaminant levels in the aftermath of the spill. In this study, I quantify polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in eight pelagic fish species to demonstrate oil exposure differences between species, region and time. Analysis of biliary PAH metabolite equivalents using high performance liquid chromatography was …

Why Are Women Leaving Stem? An Examination Of Workplace Rivalry, Joseph Regina

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Past research on workplace rivalry has framed the construct as a motivating force that is desirable for individuals and organizations. Using social comparison theory as a framework, the potential harmful correlates of rivalry were examined. Specifically, the relationships between the status of having a rival, as well as one’s perception of their relative standing to (i.e. being better or worse than) their rival, and the outcomes of turnover intention, perceived competence, and imposter syndrome were analyzed. Further, to examine how STEM fields may be particularly impacted by these relationships, both job and STEM turnover were measured, and the moderating effect …

Immune Modulation As A Therapeutic Target In An Α-Synuclein Model Of Parkinson’S Disease, Meena Subhashini Subbarayan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder affecting about 1.5 million people in the United States with more than 60,000 people diagnosed each year. It is classically characterized by four major symptoms: tremor, postural instability, stiffness in joints, and slow movement (bradykinesia). Pathologically PD is characterized by up to 70% loss of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) of midbrain and accumulation of presynaptic protein called α-synuclein (α-syn) within dopaminergic neurons that extend to the striatum. This disrupts the nigrostriatal pathway leading to the motor symptoms seen in PD patients. Microglia, the innate immune cells …

Diagnosis Of Freeway Bottlenecks During The Mass Evacuation For Hurricane Irma On Florida's Turnpike Mainline, Brian Michael Staes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Prevailing traffic conditions were examined for a bottleneck that occurred on northbound SR-91 (Florida’s Mainline Turnpike) during the mass evacuation for Hurricane Irma in September 2017. Radar detector count, occupancy, and speed data polling at 1-minute intervals were collected from the Regional Integrated Transportation Information System (RITIS) and employed to identify the distinct periods one particular bottleneck was active at a service plaza along SR-91. With this rich data, three distinct periods were identified in which the bottleneck was active at a service plaza off-ramp, lasting a total of 27.5 hours during this colossal evacuation. To identify the activation time …

A Review Of American College Campus Tobacco Or Smoke Free Policies: A Case Study Of A Large Urban University, Sarah E. Powell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Objective: A year after a tobacco free policy was passed, the University of South Florida (USF) was interested in the overall policy opinions and efficacy. To assess this a project was completed that included a survey and geospatial data. The survey measured tobacco policy enforcement behavior and a geographic information system (GIS) mapped tobacco policy violation. This project introduces an evaluation process that can efficiently assess an institutions tobacco-free policy. Methods: Using a cross-sectional survey sent to students, faculty, and staff, understanding of policy and resources, tobacco use observations, stage of change regarding policy enforcement, self-efficacy to enforce, and perceived …

The West Knows Best: East Germans Left Behind After Unification, Arwen A. Puteri

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The East-German euphoria of unification in 1989 and the subsequent transition from a communist to a market economy that had promised West German standards and prosperity in East Germany vanished rapidly. A hastily negotiated unification treaty and emerging West German dominance – in numbers and economic power – resulted in vast unemployment, bankruptcies, and the large-scale collapse of the East German economy. In addition, East-German culture, accomplishments, and experiences were not respected and valued in a unified country that was focused on Western values, languages, and ways of life. With nothing to offer, East Germans became hopeless and resentful and …

Physician Self-Efficacy And Risk-Taking Attitudes As Determinants Of Upcoding And Downcoding Errors: An Empirical Investigation, Samantha J. Champagnie

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Physicians across the United States are burdened with the pressure of accurate coding while trying to maintain quality patient care. Despite the economic importance of coding accuracy, investigators have not reached consensus on the factors that contribute to coding errors. This study fills this gap by investigating physician characteristics that explain the variation in physician coding accuracy, specifically evaluation and management upcoding and downcoding errors. An electronic survey was distributed to 325 physicians that measured physicians’ attitudes towards risk and coding self-efficacy. Regression analysis found physicians with low self-efficacy had more conservative coding behaviors, resulting in higher incidences of downcoding. …

Higher Sense Of Control Predicts Long-Term Well-Being After Depression, Andrew R. Devendorf

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Excellent outcomes after major depression, including the possibility of optimal well-being (OWB), are understudied. In a previous investigation, nearly 10% of initially depressed adults met OWB criteria 10-years later, yet little is known about factors that explain OWB after depression. This study examined whether sense of control (SOC) beliefs and coping behaviors, specifically, reappraisal and seeking social support, predict OWB after depression. Secondary data analyses were conducted on Waves 1 and 2 of the Midlife Development in the United States (1995–1996; 2004–2006; MIDUS) study, which includes a nationally representative sample of middle-aged adults. Participants in the present analyses met DSM-III …

Humanistic Climate Philosophy: Erich Fromm Revisited, Nicholas Dovellos

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Given the current juncture in history, humanity is faced with the herculean task of adapting to a tumultuous present and a gimmer future. Should climate projections be accurate, there is little time to waste. This work makes the claim that we are not only in a political gridlock but also in an academic one. Researching climate philosophy from its inception, the concluding view is that no major progress, outside of a standardized descriptive analysis, has been achieved. Thus, the work evaluates an array of climate philosophers e.g. Stephen Gardiner, James Garvey, Peter Singer, Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, etc., with specific emphasis on …

Methods And Compositions For Treating Drug Resistance In Cancer, Subhra Mohapatra, Shyam S. Mohapatra, Mark Howell, Rajesh Nair

USF Patents

Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for treating cancer. Further provided herein are compositions and methods for reducing, inhibiting, or preventing resistance of cancer to tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The methods may include administering an anti-resistance agent such as a CYP51A1 inhibitor or an agonist of miRNA-764 (SEQ ID NO: 4) to a subject. A tyrosine kinase inhibitor may also be administered to the subject in addition to the anti-resistance agent.

Transgenic Mouse Model For Conditional Fkbp51 Expression And Related Methods, Chad Dickey, Bo Zhang, Laura Jenelle Blair

USF Patents

The subject invention pertains to transgenic non-human animals comprising a transgenic nucleotide sequence, integrated into the genome of the animals, comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding human FKBP51 operably linked to a tetracycline response element. In some embodiments, the transgenic animal comprises an additional transgenic nucleotide sequence, integrated into the genome of the animal, comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a tetracycline transactivator (tTA) operably linked to a promoter; wherein the tTA is expressed upon activation of the promoter and binds the tetracycline response element, thereby causing expression of FKBP51. The invention also pertains to methods for screening for agents for the …

Regulation Of The Heat Shock Response And Hsf-1 Nuclear Stress Bodies In C. Elegans, Andrew Deonarine

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Heat Shock Response (HSR) is a highly conserved stress responsive molecular pathway that functions to promote appropriate protein folding in the cell. The HSR accomplishes this primarily through the use of molecular chaperones that serve to bind to misfolded or unfolded proteins to assist in stabilizing and folding proteins back to their native functional state. The master regulator of this pathway is a transcription factor known as Heat Shock Factor 1 (HSF1). HSF1 regulates molecular chaperone expression in the cell’s basal state, but can also be stress induced by diverse biotic and abiotic signals including thermal shock, oxidative stress, …

Warfare In Christianity And Islam: Unveiling Secular Justifications And Motivations Behind So-Called Religious Violence, Onur Korkmaz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The phenomenology of religion has received the most attention in social science because it has shaped society on social, political, and economic levels throughout history. Religion can be an organization that brings people together and develops a sense of identification, while also acting as a divisive structure for those of other faiths or nonbelievers. And so, we have witnessed the rise of both religious tendencies and violent acts for the last two decades, occasionally intertwined. Various belief systems have increasingly become a factor that politicians, intellectuals, and the mainstream media associate with violence-based modern warfare. However, scholars and analysts who …

A Sustainability Machine: The Incineration-Based Waste Regime In Tampa, Fl, Usa, Kevin P. Martyn

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recent history has seen some significant changes in terms of how society thinks about and deals with its wastes. Increasingly troubling indications of the immediacy of ecological concerns, now often described by the Anthropocene concept, have been provocative of a reinvigorated fervor for a sustainability transition. As a result, sustainability has become well-established as both an urgent pursuit and an eminently pliable buzzword. This research describes and explains one key aspect of society’s pursuit of some version of sustainability: our relationship with waste.

The site of this research is Tampa, Florida, a sunbelt city with a unique waste management system. …

Using Geospatial Data To Predict The Locations Of Groundwater Discharge To Salmon-Bearing Streams, Alaska, Mary Gerlach

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Identification and protection of groundwater resources are considerations of increasing interest as climate shifts but can be challenging to accomplish in remote areas. To that end, a series of GIS techniques and weight of evidence approach were applied to determine the feasibility of remotely identifying likely areas of ground discharge. Through the confluence of topographic analyses and a novel geologic dataset, these techniques were found to consistently identify areas characterized by either shallow subsurface or aquifer-fed groundwater discharge or evidence of ephemeral surficial water features. Two distinct GIS techniques to build spatial proxies of the effects of topography and geology …

Reproductive Ecology And Phenology Of Thalassia Testudinum (Hydrocharitaceae) In Tampa Bay, Florida, Sheila Scolaro

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Successful sexual reproduction and recolonization are critical in maintaining genetic diversity within seagrass meadows. Thalassia testudinum flower, fruit and seedling production were assessed visually at 10 sites within Tampa Bay, Florida approximately every 4 weeks from May to July 2017 to determine if there is spatial and temporal variation in sexual reproductive effort and if location within a meadow effects sexual reproductive effort. Results from this study reveal strong temporal variability throughout the reproductive season. The month of May was observed as peak Thalassia testudinum anthesis and June was peak fruiting in Tampa Bay during 2017. Flower and fruit density …