Digital Commons Network^™

The Kinematics And Aerodynamics Of Freely Flying Tiny Insects, Evan J. Williams

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Tiny insects are an extremely diverse set of organisms that have important engineering and economic applications. These organisms often fly and readily disperse distances that far exceed their body lengths. The mechanisms behind tiny insect flight are not well understood and present complex kinematics and unintuitive aerodynamics that depart from both fixed-winged mechanisms and larger insects. In addition, their tiny spatial and fast temporal scales make them exceedingly difficult to study, and to date, the field has relied on numerical studies and dynamic scaling. Herein, we describe three projects that significantly advanced our understanding of tiny insect flight and experimental …

Designing A Cave Air Monitoring System: Guide And Feedback From 15 Years Of Monitoring The Cussac Cave (France), Nicolas Peyraube, Jessica D. Villanueva, Fabien Naessens, Roland Lastennet, Sylvain Mateo, Alain Denis

International Journal of Speleology

Understanding the cave’s ventilation system is important for determining how the cavity interacts with external airflow. This requires a well-designed monitoring system. This article addresses these key aspects: how to build a monitoring system for cave air parameters and how to assess the ventilation of a cave. We proposed a flowchart to help address the issues in: 1) the modularity of a monitoring system, 2) the use of “homemade device” or “ready to use device”, 3) the frequency of measure and its effect on the electrical consumption, 4) the duration of the survey, and 5) the accessibility of the recorded …

An Exploration Of The Experiences Of Perinatal Depression And Anxiety Among Pregnant And Parenting Adolescents In The Tampa Bay Area Of Florida, Olajumoke Adetoun Ojeleye

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Perinatal depression (PND) and perinatal anxiety (PNA) are increasing among pregnant and parenting adolescents (PPAs), with PNA often underrecognized. This leads to significant socioeconomic costs and adverse maternal consequences if untreated. Hence, this dissertation explores the experiences of PND and PNA among PPAs, focusing on their knowledge gaps, perception, mental health needs, care preferences, and access to PMH care. The research employs a qualitative design (free-listing and in-depth interviews) to gather participant insights. Key findings reveal that many PPAs possess limited knowledge about PNA when compared to PND. Lack of support from partners, family, and peers emerged as the topmost …

Development Of S(Vi) And S(Iv) Chemistry: From Asymmetric Synthesis To Covalent Reactive Groups, Chuan Shan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation mainly covers the development of synthetic methodologies related to several heteroatom functional groups, including phosphonates P(V), sulfoximines S(VI), sulfonimidamides S(VI), sulfonimidoyl fluorides S(VI), and sulfinamides S(IV). The interests in these functionalities are not only out of chemistry curiosity but also due to their pharmaceutical importance indicated by the existing drug molecules that contain these functional groups. The first chapter introduced the importance of phosphonates in biochemistry and organic synthesis, also provided some essential background of our synthetic efforts. The second chapter described the phosphonate synthesis from commercially available starting materials, with the purpose to obtain heterocyclic phosphonates in …

Respiratory Muscle Strength Training For Persistent Dyspnea In Individuals With Post-Covid-19, Sandra P. Morgan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 coronavirus has resulted in more than 775 million known cases and greater than seven million deaths globally. Up to 25% of patients experience ongoing symptoms three months after the acute illness, and up to 30% of these individuals report persistent dyspnea. The overall aims of this dissertation are to 1) examine the risk factors and predictors for developing persistent dyspnea, 2) measure the effects of respiratory muscle strength training on dyspnea, pulmonary symptoms, quality of life, pulmonary function, and functional capacity, and 3) compare the outcomes of two different respiratory muscle strength training interventions.

In …

Cyanobacteria And Algae From Chýnov And Koněprusy Caves (Czech Republic), Michaela Wipplingerová, Jan Pokorný, Jan Kaštovský

International Journal of Speleology

Algae and cyanobacteria have been studied in two so far phycologically unexplored show caves (Chýnov and Koněprusy) in the Czech Republic. Taxa were identified morphologically using cultivation and subsequent light microscopy, while problematic cyanobacterial species were verified by sequencing the genes for 16S rRNA and 16S–23S internal transcribed spacer. A total of 13 cyanobacterial taxa were found, two Bacillariophyceae, three Xanthophyceae, four Chlorophyceae, six Trebouxiophyceae, 11 Streptophyta, and three Euglenida; many of these species were found for the first time in the caves. The darker parts of the caves were dominated by cyanobacteria, and green algae were found predominantly right …

“Smart Trap”: A Portable Device For Real-Time Mosquito Capturing And Classification Using Image-Based Analysis, Fahim Rahman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Capturing mosquitoes in real-time and taking high-quality images for classification with state-of-the-art methods is not only time-consuming but also expensive. Sometimes even carefully controlled environments and experimental setups fail to capture living mosquitoes. Catching live mosquitoes is necessary to be able to study aspects of their physiology and behavior that cannot be investigated by collections of resting mosquitoes and dead specimens, and to help estimate the local population numbers. My thesis introduces a “Smart Trap”, a small portable device that can attract mosquitoes in real-time, capture them, take high-quality images with dual cameras, and store those images in the cloud. …

Vietnam Syndrome And The Genetic Consequences Of Agent Orange Poisoning: A Materialist Approach, Moriah M. Haley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this thesis was to propose and apply a materialist approach to “Vietnam Syndrome” found at the intersection of masculinity, disability, and state power as it manifests in modern military strategy. Through an analysis of the physical veteran body rendered infertile from Agent Orange poisoning during the Vietnam War, the material conditions of infertility are found to have threatened the hegemonic masculinity on which the military relied for its justification and continuation amongst young American men. The turn to technological warfare was intended to remedy the insufficiency of the military body, but the solution was costly and ineffective …

Protracting The Immediate: Time As Form In Contemporary Horror, Kennedy Kelley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the expression and experience of temporality in horror films of the last decade. Whereas early twenty-first century horror was characterized by high-octane jump scares, current horror is marked by contemplative slowness. I argue that the elongated duration of recent horror extends an experience of indeterminate anxiety that attunes us to an expansive relationality, offering a corrective not only to contemporary logics of immediacy, but also to the frequently constricting nature of embodiment as a theoretical concept. Recent horror scholarship tends to center sensuous propinquity in response to a long history of gaze theory’s disembodied passivity. While these …

The Manosphere’S Reception Of The Women Auteurs Behind The ‘Man-Eating’ Jennifer’S Body (2009) And ‘Man-Hating’ Barbie (2023), Hilda Sheridan-Hewlett

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Scholarship on women filmmakers has not significantly emphasized the burden women auteurs carry when bracing themselves for the reception from misogynistic community discourse online, the manosphere. Director Greta Gerwig and screenwriter Diablo Cody are not simply perceived as filmmakers but as birth mothers of their work: Barbie (2023) and Jennifer’s Body (2009) which convey inherently popular feminist narratives. I argue Cody and Gerwig faced the wrath of the men online because they are inextricably linked to their productions, the feminization of their work in the eyes of the manosphere equals personalization. Despite Cody having the freedom to write any film …

Predicting Freshwater Spring Distribution Using Maxent Modeling: A Case Study In Groundwater Management Area 9 (Gma-9), Texas, Zayed Mallick

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Freshwater springs are one of the most vital groundwater sources and they have been a reliable water source for mining, irrigation, drinking, and farming, particularly in hot and arid regions like Groundwater Management Area-9 (GMA-9), Texas. However, excessive groundwater extraction, climate change, and environmental degradation have created tremendous stress on the sustainability of freshwater springs and as a result, they might not be able to meet the future water demand. This study uses the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model to predict the distribution of springs in GMA-9 and to identify the key topographic and climatic factors influencing their occurrence. This study …

Synthesis, Characterization And Delamination Studies Of Metallic Thin Films Prepared Using Sputtering And Ebeam Evaporation Methods, Anoop Joseph

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In many mechanical applications, including the manufacturing, automotive, and cutting tool sectors, metallic thin film coatings are crucial due to their tribological and protective properties. This research focuses on the development of metallic thin films of Aluminum (Al), Chromium (Cr) and Titanium (Ti) using deposition techniques like Sputtering and Electron Beam Evaporation. Metallic thin films were fabricated, with variations in thickness for each material, allowing for an in-depth study of the effects of Sputtering and Ebeam Evaporation deposition method on film characteristics. The thickness of these metallic thin films were evaluated using High-Resolution Scanning Electron Microscopy (HRSEM) and Profilometer while …

Functional Characterization Of Cryopreserved Plasmodium Yoelii Sporozoites In Vitro, Victoria I. Mills

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Malaria is a major global health burden, contributing to morbidity and mortality across various continents. Due to challenges in malaria research and its advancements, developing novel interventions and further understanding host-parasite interactions is required for future studies. Plasmodium vivax is a human malaria species that is difficult to maintain in laboratory settings, posing obstacles in research. Cryopreservation offers a reliable method to provide a consistent supply of sporozoites for reproducible studies. Plasmodium yoelii is a rodent malaria model commonly used in studies due to its genetic similarity to human malaria species. Utilizing cryopreserved P. yoelii sporozoites potentially extends their usability …

Genetic Counseling Student Anxiety, Self-Efficacy, And Study Strategy Use For The Genetic Counseling Board Certification Exam., Teagan E. Nunnery

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With a 76% pass rate for the 2024 American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) certification exam, it's crucial to evaluate the study strategies used by candidates and their alignment with evidence-based practices. This study surveyed 84 genetic counseling students and graduates from 35 U.S. and Canadian training programs, focusing on demographic data, study strategy usage, anxiety, and self-efficacy. Study strategies were categorized into one of three groups: 1) active strategies, which promote recall and understanding, 2) passive strategies, and 3) hybrid, for strategies that involve both active and passive engagement as well as three metacognitive strategies: regulating learning, monitoring learning, …

Breaking Binaries: Gender Non-Conforming Lesbians And The Undercurrent Of Biopower On Dating Apps, Lily M. Connolly

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how gender nonconforming lesbians experience and navigate algorithmic constraints, commodification, and self-expression on dating apps. Drawing on Michel Foucault’s concept of biopower, this study analyzes focus group discussions to argue that dating apps encode and enforce traditional gender norms. However, rather than acting solely as sites of constraint, dating apps also provide spaces where gender nonconforming lesbians creatively resist these limitations and subvert platform design to assert their politicized queer identities. This research highlights how biopower operates within digital dating platforms while also illuminating the subversive strategies users employ to reclaim agency. By situating gender nonconforming lesbian …

Crow's Nest, March 10, 2025, Crow's Nest Staff

Crow's Nest

The March 10, 2025, issue of Crow's Nest.

Antarctic Tunicate Synoicum Species-Derived Alkaloids And Methods Of Treatment, Bill J. Baker, Laurent J. Calcul, Kim Pham, Sofia Kokkaliari, Alexander Dettmar Crawford, Nargess Shahbazi

USF Patents

Pharmaceutical compositions containing one of five novel alkaloids isolated from a deep water Antarctic tunicate and methods of uses thereof are presented. The alkaloids belong to a family of compounds with known central nervous system (CNS) activity. The compounds display more oxidation than other members of the family, which may bestow additional bioactivity.

Crow's Nest, February 24, 2025, Crow's Nest Staff

Crow's Nest

The February 24, 2025 edition of Crow's Nest.

Systems And Methods For Determining Cell Number Count In Automated Stereology Z-Stack Images, Palak Pankajbhai Dave, Dmitry Goldgof, Lawrence O. Hall, Peter R. Mouton

USF Patents

Systems and methods for automated stereology using deep learning are disclosed. The systems include an update in the form of a semi-automatic approach for ground truth preparation in 3D stacks of microscopy images (disector stacks) for generating more training data. The systems also present an exemplary disector-based MIMO framework where all the planes of a 3D disector stack are analyzed as opposed to a single focus-stacked image (EDF image) per stack. The MIMO approach avoids the costly computations of 3D deep learning-based methods by using the 3D context of cells in disector stacks; and prevents stereological bias in the previous …

Gnsi Decision Brief: Critical Resources For National Security, Sarah Brown, Heather Ward

GNSI Decision Briefs

Natural resources consist of any raw material, whether biological, mineral, or environmental, that nature provides without human intervention, but which humans can utilize for their benefit (both material and immaterial).i These resources play a crucial role in a country’s economic prosperity and influence various aspects of domestic and military operations as these materials are used in manufacturing and infrastructure projects. Natural resources have always played a critical role in national security – from the grain basins of Egypt to feed the armies of Romeii to the oil-rich Dutch West Indies required for Imperial Japan’s Navy in the Pacific War.iii In …

Sensitive And Robust Biosensing Using Plasmonic Enhancement Of Fluorescence By Rapid Thermal Annealed Silver Nanostructures, Shuangming Li, Venkat R. Bhethanabotla

USF Patents

Chips and metallic nanostructure biosensors comprising a dielectric substrate and discontinuous and disordered metallic nanostructures of flat island shapes thereon are disclosed herein. Also disclosed are methods of making and using the same.

Drug For Treating Tinnitus, Joseph P. Walton, Luisa Lynn Scott

USF Patents

Compounds, pharmaceutical compositions, and methods for treating tinnitus in a subject in need thereof. The methods include administering a therapeutically effective amount of a compound having a structure represented by Formula I as described herein. The compounds and compositions are administered transdermally or orally, preferably via a sustained release mechanism. The compounds and compositions reduce at least one behavioral correlate of tinnitus and/or at least one neurophysiological correlate of tinnitus. The compounds and compositions reduce hyperactivity in the auditory system.

Methods For Optimizing A Transmittance And/Or A Self-Cleaning Property Of A Substrate Using A Self-Cleaning Coating, Dharendra Yogi Goswami, Mohammed Khaleel M. Alhussain

USF Patents

Described herein relates to methods for optimizing a transmittance and/or a self-cleaning property of a substrate using a self-cleaning coating. As such, the substrate may be treated using a photocatalytic reaction of titanium dioxide (hereinafter “TiO2”)-based solution via a light treatment. The substrate may be treated using a combination including but not limited to wet chemicals, dry-cleaning, and/or mechanical polishing. Additionally, the substrate may then be overlayed with a self-cleaning coating, such that the transmittance and the self-cleaning properties of the substrate may be optimized. Furthermore, the methods for optimizing the transmittance and/or the self-cleaning functionality of the substrate may …

Status Of The Semipalmated Sandpiper In Washington And Northern Idaho, John W. Weber

Continental Birdlife

No abstract provided.

On The Field Identification Of Yellow-Green, Red-Eyed, Philadelphia And Warbling Vireos, Scott B. Terrill, Linda S. Terrill

Continental Birdlife

No abstract provided.

Full Issue, Continental Birdlife

Continental Birdlife

No abstract provided.

Recent Literature In Field Ornithology, Continental Birdlife

Continental Birdlife

No abstract provided.

Answer To Snap Judgment 9, Kenn Kaufman

Continental Birdlife

No abstract provided.

Field Studies Of Bird Migration - A Brief Overview And Someunanswered Questions, Kenneth P. Able

Continental Birdlife

No abstract provided.

Full Issue, Continental Birdlife

Continental Birdlife

No abstract provided.