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Sialic Acid Modulation Of Cardiac Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Gating Throughout The Developing Myocardium, Patrick J. Stocker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The proper orchestration of voltage-gated ion channel gating is vital to maintaining normal heart rhythms throughout an animal's lifespan. Voltage-gated sodium channels, Na_v, are responsible for the initiation of the cardiac action potential, which leads to cardiac systole. Comparison of neonatal ventricular and atrial myocyte Na_v gating with adult indicated that the neonatal ventricular Na_v gated following a ~10 mV greater depolarization than did atrial or adult ventricular Na_v. In this study I questioned whether development- and/or chamber-dependent changes in Na_v-associated functional sialic acids could account for these differences. When desialylated with …

The Early Ontogeny Of Feeding In Two Shark Species: Developmental Aspects Of Morphology, Behavior, And Performance, David C. Lowry

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Early ontogeny is a time of rapid anatomical and behavioral development in most organisms. The degree of synchrony between form and function during this period, and the concomitant performance consequences, can strongly impact individual survival. Understanding the development of feeding during early ontogeny is important because nutrient acquisition universally influences organismal biology. A one-year, longitudinal feeding study was conducted for two elasmobranch species that were selected for their disparate morphology, behavior, and habitat: the whitespotted bambooshark Chiloscyllium plagiosum and the leopard shark Triakis semifasciata. To quantify changes in cranial morphology, external attributes of the feeding apparatus were measured weekly. …

Effects Of Long-Term Administration Of Caffeine In A Mouse Model For Alzheimer’S Disease, William Schleif

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A recent epidemiological study suggested that higher caffeine intake reduces the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Caffeine, a widely consumed stimulatory drug, is a non-selective adenosine receptor antagonist that has been shown to increase plasma adenosine levels in rodents. To determine any long-term protective effects of caffeine in a controlled longitudinal study, caffeine was added to the drinking water of APP_sw transgenic (Tg) mice between 4 and 9 1/2 months of age, with behavioral testing done during the last 6 weeks of treatment. The average daily intake of caffeine per mouse (1.5 mg) was the human equivalent of 5 …

Molecular Subtyping And Antibiotic Resistance Analysis Of Salmonella Species, Aparna Tatavarthy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The genus Salmonella, comprised of 2400 serotypes, is one of the leading causes of foodborne illnesses in the US and has been used for the deliberate contamination of food. A rapid system for detection, isolation, typing and antibiotic susceptibility profiling is essential for diagnosis and source tracking in natural outbreaks or a bioterrorism event. Pure culture is essential for molecular typing and antibiotic resistance testing. The virulence and the resistance mechanisms of Salmonella are rapidly evolving and many are still unexplained. The first aim of the study was to rapidly detect and isolate Salmonella from intentionally contaminated food. The …

Automatic Attention To Aggression Cues And Alcohol Cues Using A Dichotic Listening Task And A Parafoveal Visual Task, Michelle Edington Levasseur

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ongoing investigations of drunken aggression tend to focus on 1) situational cues, and 2) individual variables such as personality traits. This study investigated the hypothesis that an undergraduates attention would be pulled toward a nonconscious presentation of aggression stimuli, especially in the presence of alcohol cues, and especially if he or she was high on trait anger [as measured using the State Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI); Spielberger, 1988] and had high expectancies for behaving aggressively while drinking alcohol [as measured using the Expectancy Questionnaire for Alcohol and Aggression Lo Dose (EQAAL); Epps, Hunter, LeVasseur, Steinberg, and Hancock, unpublished manuscript]. …

Zooplankton Of The West Florida Shelf: Relationships With Karenia Brevis Blooms, Kristen M. Lester

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Blooms of the toxic dinoflagellate Karenia brevis are common on the West Florida Shelf (WFS), yet little is known of the relationships between zooplankton and K. brevis. A comprehensive analysis was undertaken to examine 1) perturbations in zooplankton community composition within K. brevis blooms 2) the contribution of zooplankton ammonium and phosphate excretion to K. brevis bloom nutrient requirements, and 3) the role of zooplankton grazing in K. brevis bloom termination. Prior to undertaking the first portion of the study, an examination of the perturbations in the normal zooplankton assemblage within K. brevis blooms, it was first necessary to …

A Vascular Plant Inventory And Description Of The Twelve Plant Community Types Found In The University Of South Florida Ecological Research Area, Hillsborough County, Florida, Anne Candace Schmidt

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The University of South Florida Ecological Research Area (USF Eco Area), located in west central Hillsborough County, is an approximately 306 hectare (756 acre) natural area on the Hillsborough River composed of twelve plant communities. While surrounded on three sides by urbanization, the USF Eco Area makes up the western most section of an extended natural corridor that runs approximately 88 kilometers (55 miles) east and north along the Hillsborough River. An inventory of the vascular flora and the associated ecological communities was developed to better assess the USF Eco Area for educational and research purposes as well as enhance …

Characterizing Sound Production In Nearshore Rockfishes (Sebastes Spp.), Bryan Nichols

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rockfishes of the genus Sebastes are trophically important in most nearshore environments of the west coast of North America, and support important commercial and recreational fisheries. Though the 72 northeast Pacific species have drumming muscles along their swim bladders, little is known about sound production in the genus. Sounds produced by nearshore rockfish were recorded using fixed hydrophones and underwater video in aquaria, and acoustical dataloggers in the field. Sounds were analyzed from six species: Sebastes nebulosus, S. atrovirens, S.carnatus, S. chrysomelas, S. caurinus, and S.maliger. These six species are closely related, mostly bottom …

Expanding The Science Of Successful Aging: Older Adults Living In Continuing Care Retirement Communities (Ccrcs), Kathryn H. Petrossi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rowe and Kahns theory of successful aging identifies three main components of aging successfully: reducing the risk of disease and disability, maintaining high cognitive and physical function, and engagement with life. While there is compelling evidence that suggests the legitimacy of this concept in the 50-75 year old community dwelling population, three areas of expansion are necessary: 1.) programmatic research; 2.) extending the existing research samples to include older samples and those living in continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs); and 3.) the integration of data collection and analysis to move beyond investigation of just one successful aging outcome to include …

Tardigrade Evolution And Ecology, Phillip Brent Nichols

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A character data set suitable for cladistic analysis of tardigrades at the family level was developed. The data matrix consisted of 50 morphological characters from 15 families of tardigrades and was analyzed by maximum parsimony. Kinorhynchs, loriciferans and gastrotrichs were used as outgroups. The results agree with the currently accepted hypothesis that Eutardigrada and Heterotardigrada are distinct monophyletic groups. Among the eutardigrades, Eoyhypsibiidae was found to be a sister group to Macrobiotidae + Hypsibiidae, while Milnesiidae was the basal eutardigrade family. The basal heterotardigrade family was found to be Oreellidae. Echiniscoideans grouped with some traditional Arthrotardigrada (Renaudarctidae, Coronarctidae + Batillipedidae) …

Sigma Receptors Modulation Of Voltage-Gated Ion Channels In Rat Autonomic Neurons, Hongling Zhang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sigma receptors have been implicated in the regulation of the cardiovascular system. Some of the cardiovascular effects of sigma receptors may be through the modulation of autonomic neurons. Studies on the expression and cellular function of sigma receptors in autonomic neurons were conducted in neonatal rat intracardiac (ICG) and superior cervical ganglia (SCG).

Individual neurons from SCG and ICG were shown to express transcripts encoding the sigma-1 receptor. The effects of sigma receptors activation on high-voltage-activated Ca²⁺ channels was studied in isolated neurons of these ganglia. Bath application of sigma receptor agonists depressed peak calcium channel currents in a …

Wavelet-Based Monitoring And Analysis Of Cardiorespiratory Response To Hypoxia, Vuslat Nazilli

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Obstructive sleep apnea is a potentially life-threatening condition characterized by repetitive episodes of upper airway obstruction that occur during sleep, usually associated with a reduction in blood oxygen saturation. In US population, 9% of women, 24% of men, and 2% of children have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, suggesting that 18 million people may suffer from the consequences of nightly episodes of apnea. One of the most significant symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea is profound and repeated hypoxia. The analysis of the interaction between cardiovascular and respiratory signals has been a widely-explored area of research due to the significance …

Where The Students Do The Grading: A Content Analysis Of Ratemyprofessors.Com, Mlisa A. Manning

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

"I would have been better off using the tuition money to heat my apartment last winter."

"Three of my friends got As in his class and my friends are dumb."

"The movies are so bad, even he has to leave the room."

These are just a few of the "Funny Ratings" from a page on RateMyProfessors.com, a web site dedicated to providing information to students so they may make a difference in (their) education (http://www.RateMyProfessors.com/ faq.jsp). The online evaluations differ in origin, use and content from traditional teaching evaluations as they are the result of a virtual atmosphere …

Cloning, Expression, And Sequence Analysis Of Camelysin, A Zinc Metalloprotease From Bacillus Anthracis And B. Cereus, Andrew Ross Myers

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Bacillus anthracis and B. cereus are well known etiological agents, which cause disease in healthy and immunocompromised individuals. Considering the abundance and lethality of these organisms it is imperative that research is performed to identify and analyze new factors that may contribute to their pathogenicity. Camelysin is a membrane bound, zinc metalloprotease isolated from B. cereus. Assays performed on purified camelysin demonstrate that the protease exhibits fibrinolytic, collagenolytic, and actin degradation activity, any of which can contribute to the organisms ability to invade host tissues and cause damage. Considering the putative role of camelysin in pathogenicity, it would be …

Dose Time Response Modeling Of Neurobehavioral Screening Data: Application Of Physiologically Relevant Parameters To Allow For Dose Dependent Time Of Peak Effects, Michael Raymond Wessel

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In collaboration with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the University of South Florida Health Risk Methodology Group has developed dose-time-response models to characterize neurobehavioral response to chemical exposure. The application of dose-time-response models to neurobehavioral screening tests on laboratory animals allows for benchmark dose estimation to establish exposure limits in environmental risk assessment. This thesis has advanced dose-time-response modeling by generalizing a published toxico diffusion model to allow for dose dependent time of peak effects. To accomplish this, a biphasic model was developed which adopted the effect compartment model paradigm used in pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics to estimate a distributional rate …

Assessment Of Resource Selection Using Remote Sensing And Geographic Information Systems (Gis) For Two Vertebrates In Disparate Habitats: The Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus Polyphemus) And The North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalaena Glacialis), Cherie A. Keller

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a treatise on spatially-explicit resource selection on two very different vertebrate species. The North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) is the most endangered large whales in the world. Ship strikes and fishing gear entanglement are impediments to recovery. The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is an imperiled species whose upland habitats are shrinking from urban and agricultural development. Determining spatial distribution of important resources is important for conservation strategies. Historical and modern thinking of habitat selection theory and analytical techniques are reviewed and applied to these species. Fine-scale resource selection of sea surface temperature …

Characterization Of The Dopaminergic Potential Of The Human Ntera2/D1 (Nt2) Cell Line In Vitro, Iwona E. Misiuta

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Our laboratory is working with the human NTera2/D1 (NT2) cell line which have properties similar to progenitor cells in the CNS. These neural-like precursors cells can differentiate into all three major lineages - neurons, astrocytes, andoligodendrocytes. The pure neuronal population, called the hNT cells, possess characteristics of dopamine (DA) cells. In this dissertation, we performed various experiments to examine the neuronal and dopaminergic development of this cellline. We first cultured our hNT neurons with cells from the developingnigrostriatal (NS) pathway, the ventral mesencephalon and striatum, to determine their influence on survival, neuritic outgrowth, and DA phenotype. The survival ofhNT neurons …

Human Umbilical Cord Blood Cells Migration To Stroke Cns Tissue Extracts And The Potential Cytokines And Chemokines Involved, Mary B. Newman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Human umbilical cord blood (HUCB) cells consist of a heterogeneous population of cells, rich in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. These cells have been used in the treatment of various nonmalignant and malignant hematopoietic diseases. With in the last few years HUCB cells have been used in pre-clinical animal models of brain and spinal cord injuries, in which functional recovery has been shown. The properties of cord blood cells that could be important in cell transplantation (repair or replacement) of CNS injury or disease are currently being evaluated. The major focus of this study was to determine whether HUCB cells …

The Rapid Unexpected, Daniel Pantano

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

These lyric poems were written between August 2003 and June 2005 and bear witness to the human condition in all its facets, from birth and the first taste of lemon ice to exile and suicide. Within a landscape that encompasses many locales, the poems included here attempt to portray the particular to denote the universal and are always confronted by the ineffable connection between the two.

Virtual Cadaver Navigation System: Using Virtual Reality For Learning Human Anatomy, Abhijit V. Lothe

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The use of virtual reality (VR) for visualization can revolutionize medical training by simulating real world medical training procedures through intuitive and engaging user interface. Existing virtual reality based visualization systems for human anatomy are based on 3D surface and volumetric models and simulative systems based on model libraries. The visual impact as well as facilitation for learning are inadequate in such systems. This thesis research is aimed at eliminating such inadequacies by developing a non-immersive virtual reality system framework for storage, access and navigation of real human cadaveric data. Based on this framework, a real time software system called …

Effects Of Adoptive Transfer Of Beta-Amyloid Sensitive Immune Cells In A Mouse Model For Alzheimer’S Disease, Daniel Shippy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

One major therapeutic target for preventing and treating Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is removal of excess β-amyloid (Aβ) from the brain. Both active and passive immunotherapies targeting Aβ have proven effective in reducing brain Aβ levels and improving cognitive function in mouse transgenic models of AD. However, these approaches can induce adverse neuropathologic effects and immunologic over-activation. Indeed, clinical trials of active Aβ immunotherapy in AD patients were halted due to development of meningoencephalitis, apparently resulting from wide-spread neuroinflammation. Here we show that a more restricted and specific immune re-activation through a single adoptive transfer of Aβ-specific T cells can provide …

Investigating Affective Dimensions Of Whiteness In The Cultural Studies Writing Classroom: Toward A Critical, Feminist, Anti-Racist Pedagogy, Allison Brimmer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation seeks to help teachers understand the ways that affect is tied to the dominant ideology of white supremacy in contemporary U.S. society. It argues that affect—the complex confluence of feeling and judgment—is bound intricately to racism, sexism, classism, heterosexism, etc. In this work I attempt to deconstruct the social construction of affect that fuels dominant white ideology— what some scholars call whiteness—in the context of white teachers and students in the cultural studies writing classroom. With the lofty yet ultimately empowering goal of effecting anti-racist change in the classroom and in the profession, I trace affective dimensions of …

Role Of Stat3 In Regulating Hif-1alpha Expression And Tumor Angiogenesis, Jon J. Briggs

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Increased vascularization (angiogenesis) is a required adaptation for sustained tumor growth, and the primary mediator of de novo blood vessel formation is vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The central transcriptional activator of VEGF is hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), a heterodimeric transcription factor composed of an inducible HIF-1α subunit and a constitutively expressed HIF-1β subunit. In addition to HIF-1, it has recently been reported that signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) is required for VEGF production and angiogenesis. Although it is known that Stat3 is an important mediator of many of the oncogenic signaling pathways that regulate HIF-1α, it …

Robust Algorithms For Property Recovery In Motion Modeling, Medical Imaging And Biometrics, Yong Zhang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The past two decades has witnessed growing interest in physics based techniques in computer vision, computer graphics and medical imaging. The main advantage of a physical model is its mathematical rigor and physical soundness, which makes it an ideal tool to study complex nonrigid motion. However, since a model based on continuum mechanics is computationally demanding, an idealized framework is often adopted where physical motion parameters are significantly simplified, which inevitably affects the accuracy and reliability of modeling results.

In this study, a new modeling approach is developed that features the reconstruction of actual material properties such as the Young's …

Assessment Of Invasive Activities Of Ovarian Cancer Cells In Vitro, Hetal Shah

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The interactions between neighboring cells and between cells and their attached substrate have long been studied in tissue culture. These in vitro studies may provide information regarding cell behavior in vivo including cell movement, cell proliferation, tissue development and wound healing. Transcellular resistance (or impedance) measurements, using various dc or ac techniques have been used to study the barrier function of epithelial and endothelial cell layers. With an appropriate equivalent circuit used for data analysis, junctional resistance between cells and other cellular properties, including cell membrane capacitance, can be determined. However, these techniques have seldom been applied to fibroblastic cell …

Association Between Area Socioeconomic Status And Hospital Admissions For Childhood And Adult Asthma, Tomas Tamulis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite an improved understanding of the disease, the prevalence of asthma and asthma-related morbidity continue to rise, particularly among minority and inner-city populations. Despite the growing epidemic of asthma, the surveillance of disease at the state or even local levels is very limited. Such information is very important to identify high-risk population groups and to design more effective community-based preventive interventions or risk management programs that may modify these trends.

The study provided important information about spatial differences by the geographical area of residence and changes in asthma hospital admissions over time in the selected area. Environmental exposure to ambient …

Fantastic Visions: On The Necessity Of Feminist Utopian Narrative, Tracie Anne Welser

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Works of feminist utopian literature project longing for and predict political change while confronting current social inequities. Often, they effectively interrogate Western models of citizenship and the institutions which reify them, suggesting alternate models. Here, I define Western citizenship as determined by the maintenance of the nation-state through gendered social roles that restrict women to the private sphere and men to the public. This thesis asserts that feminist utopian literature, like politically conscious music, art, and other forms of feminist praxis, is a politically necessary component of feminist consciousness because it facilitates much-needed visions of a more equitable future for …

More Than Man’S Best Friend: A Look At Attachment Between Humans And Their Canine Companions, Samantha E. Kennedy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, there are currently more than 60 million pet dogs in the United States. This is an increase of nearly eighteen percent since 1991, coinciding with a growing area of research on human’s relationships with companion animals and companion animals’ place in society.

For years dogs have been thought of as “man’s best friend” because of their loyalty and faithfulness. The increasing popularity of activities such as canine daycare and puppy school suggests that dogs have become more than a best friend to some and even an integral part of the American family unit. …

Comparison Of Hatching Failure In A Wildland And Suburban Population Of The Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma Coerulescens), Sonya Christine Leclair

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Egg hatchability has been correlated with many factors, including clutch size, presence of helpers, timing of breeding and predation risk. Hatching failure is higher in a suburban population of Florida Scrub-Jays than in a wildland population, but the reasons for this pattern are unclear. An analysis of long-term demographic data on scrub-jays in both habitats revealed the factors that best explained variation in hatching failure, and an experiment tested whether two potential site factors, ambient temperature and predation risk, could increase hatching failure in the suburbs.

Although a global model was best supported by the data for occurrence of partial …

Lysogeny: Practical Applications And New Discoveries., Lauren Mcdaniel

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Part 1:

Prophage induction has been demonstrated to be a sensitive indicator for a wide variety of toxic and mutagenic compounds and, as a consequence, has been utilized for biologically based carcinogen screenings. Fourteen marine bacterial isolates were screened for development into the Marine Prophage Induction Assay (MPIA), for marine samples. The selected isolate (P99-4S3) was identified by 16S rDNA sequencing as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This isolate demonstrated a log-linear response to increasing dose of mutagens, and sensitivity to known environmental contaminants. Field-testing of the assay over two years demonstrated the MPIA would be a useful screening tool for environmental …