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Visualizando La Conciencia Mestiza: The Relation Of Gloria Anzaldúa’S Mestiza Consciousness To Mexican American Performance And Poster Art, Maria Cristina Serrano

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores Gloria Anzaldúa’s notion of

mestiza consciousness and its

relation to Mexican American performance and poster art. It examines how the traditional

conceptions of

mestizo identity were redefined by Anzaldúa’s Borderlands/La Frontera

in an attempt to eradicate oppression through a change of consciousness. Anzaldua’s

conceptions are then applied to Guillermo Gomez-Peña’s performance art discussing the

intricacies and complexities of his performances as examples of

mestiza consciousness.

This thesis finally analyzes various Mexican American posters in relation to both

Anzaldúa and Gomez-Peña’s art works. It demonstrates that the similarities in the artist’s

treatment of hybridity illustrate a progressive change …

Characterization Of The Role Of Nicotine And Delta 9-Thc In Modulation Of Neuroinflammation, Jared C. Ehrhart

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Neuroinflammation is a major driving force in the progression of neurodegenerative disorders. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, as well as cannabinoid CB2 receptors, have been shown to have strong anti-inflammatory properties when activated. These effects are shown, in vivo, to be a result of stimulation of α7 nAChRs and CB2 cannabinoid receptors. Microglia cells, an immune cell in the brain, are shown to express both of these receptor subtypes. The studies detailed herein, investigated the ability of two compounds, nicotine and Δ9-THC, in modulation of inflammatory processes. Stimulation of these receptors on microglia using nicotine and Δ9-THC blocked the activation of these …

The Monitoring And Evaluation Of Geothermal Systems, Whitney E. Maynard

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the heightened importance of green engineering in today’s society, harnessing the Earth’s internal energy has become ever more important. Specifically, the use of geothermal heat pumps as a means of heating and cooling homes and municipal buildings is on the rise. However, due to the high cost of installation and limited amount of research conducted, geothermal systems in the State of Florida have yet to meet their potential as an alternative heating and cooling source. With Florida’s relatively constant ground temperature of 72°F, an above average temperature gradient for both heating and cooling of indoor areas is provided. To …

From Night To Dawn: The Cultural Criticism Of George A. Romero, Christopher Paul Wagenheim

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Analyzing George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead (1968) and Dawn of the Dead (1978) in relation to the early works of Marshal McLuhan, Erich Fromm, and Herbert Marcuse reveals an ideological parallel that can be explicated using Antonio Gramsci's theory of cultural hegemony. While McLuhan, Marcuse, and Fromm observe, in order to critique, social manifestations of power in a consumerist system, Romero presents a model of hegemony in his films that he exposes to extreme stress thereby allowing viewers to observe such manifestations of power for themselves. These analyses are significant because although Marcuse, McLuhan, Fromm, and Romero …

Using The Prevent-Teach-Reinforce Model With Families Of Children With Autism, Kacie M. Sears

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study involved families of young children with autism spectrum disorders to

examine the feasibility of implementing an adapted version of the school-based Prevent-Teach-

Reinforce (PTR) model. This research included two families who developed and implemented the

intervention for their children in collaboration with the researcher. The PTR manual was modified

for use in a family context. The PTR intervention was tested using a multiple baseline design

across routines. Procedural fidelity was assessed during training and coaching, as well as family

implementation fidelity and social validity. To examine the potential efficacy of the adapted PTR

intervention, the children’s target problem …

Analysis Of Stochastic Disruptions To Support Design Of Capacitated Engineered Networks, Andrés Fernando Uribe-Sánchez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This work is a compilation of four manuscripts, three of which are published and one is

in the second round of review, all in refereed journals. All four manuscripts focus on analysis

of stochastic disruptions to support design of capacitated engineered networks. The work

is motivated by limited ability to mitigate elevated risk exposure of large-scale capacitated

enterprise networks functioning in lean environments. Such inability to sustain enterprise

capacity in the face of disruptions of various origins has been causing multi-billion enterprise

forfeitures and hefty insurance premiums. At the same time, decision support methodologies

for reliable design of dynamic capacitated …

Phenotypic And Genotypic Analysis Of In Vitro Selected Artemisinin Resistant Plasmodium Falciparum, Matthew Scott Tucker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Artemisinin and its derivatives provide faster clearance of parasitemia than any other antimalarial drugs and these drugs are part of frontline combination therapies in areas where drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum exists. Clinical resistance to artemisinins is emerging on the Thailand-Cambodia border, making it imperative to investigate mechanisms of artemisinin resistance. Previous work in our laboratory showed ring-stage parasites enter a dormant state after exposure to artemisinin. We hypothesize that this period of dormancy is directly related to recrudescence and prolonged parasite clearance times in patients, and possibly resistance. The target of artemisinin is currently unknown, and potential resistance mechanisms are not …

News Media Representations Of Women In The U.S. Military Post September 11, 2001, Colleen Krepstekies

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This paper examines newspaper portrayals produced by the

Washington Post, the New York Times, and the Los Angeles Times of women in the military from Sept. 11, 2001, to Sept. 11, 2009. The purpose was to identify how the three nationally recognized U.S. newspapers depict women’s expanding combat roles on contemporary battlefields that lack definitive front lines. Because the news media are the primary vehicle to update the general public on military matters, how the news media portray military women can play a role in shaping audience perceptions of military women. In turn, this relationship can influence the …

An Evaluation Of The Prevent-Teach-Reinforce (Ptr) Model In A Community Preschool Setting, Laura L. Kulikowski

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated the use of the Prevent-Teach-Reinforce (PTR) model with two four-year-old children in a community preschool classroom. A multiple baseline design across activities was used to assess the teacher implementation of the behavior intervention strategies developed during the PTR team process and the changes in child problem behavior and engagement. Additional measures associated with the outcomes, such as researcher procedural integrity and social validity were assessed. The results suggest that the team of teachers were able to implement the PTR intervention with fidelity, which resulted in a decrease in the children’s problem behavior and an increase in their …

The Relationship Between Knowledge And Beliefs About Human Papillomavirus, Acceptance Of The Human Papillomavirus Vaccine, And Intentions To Practice Safer Sex Behaviors Among Female College Students, Theresa Scorcia-Wilson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Introduction. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to be highly prevalent among young women, and STIs continue to be a challenging health issue on college campuses. Studies have shown that the highest prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) is among young adult women, ages 20 to 24, including female college students. While the HPV vaccine has proven to be highly effective in preventing certain high-risk types of HPV, it is not effective in preventing all types of HPV or other STIs. Practicing other safer sex behaviors, in addition to condom use, also can help individuals protect themselves and their partners from …

Predictors Of Peer Referral Intentions For Individuals At Risk For Suicide Related Behavior: An Application Of The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Sarah J. Tarquini

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The role of peer gatekeepers is crucial in connecting individuals at risk for suicide

related behaviors to mental health service providers. However, limited research has

focused on the role of peers as potential helpers for those at-risk. The current study

utilized a mixed experimental and correlational design to examine predictors of female

college students’ referral intentions following hypothetical interactions with peers at-risk

for suicide related behavior. More specifically, the current project examined the utility of

an extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model of peer-referral intentions. In

addition to the original TPB constructs of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived

behavioral …

Molecular Detection Of The Toxic Marine Diatom Pseudo-Nitzschia Multiseries, Jennifer A. Delaney

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The marine diatom genus Pseudo-nitzschia includes species that produce domoic acid, a neurotoxin responsible for illness and mortality in both humans and marine wildlife. Because of the expertise and time required for the microscopic discrimination of species, molecular methods that monitor environmental concentrations of Pseudo-nitzschia provide a rapid alternative for the early detection of blooms and prediction of toxin accumulation. We have developed a nucleic acid sequence-based amplification with internal control RNA (IC-NASBA) assay and a quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) assay for the detection of the toxic species P. multiseries targeting the ribulose- 1,5-biphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase small subunit (rbcS) gene. …

Kinematic And Experimental Evaluation Of Commercial Wheelchair-Mounted Robotic Arms, John William Capille Jr.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Commercially available wheelchair-mounted robotic arms (WMRAs) are becoming more prevalent internationally but have yet to be largely developed and approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the United States. The purpose of this study was to experimentally evaluate commercially available WMRAs in a controlled test environment. The goal was to quantitatively compare each device through a standardized testing protocol. The study produced theoretical manipulability measurements as well as efficacy ratings of each device based on Denavit-Hartenberg kinematic parameters and physical testing, respectively. Both the manipulator and control devices of WMRA systems were evaluated. The iARM WMRA system was presented …

Exploring The Human Interactivity With A Robot To Obtain The Fundamental Properties Of Materials, William L. Christian

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research studies the way in which humans and robots interact with each other. When two humans are working together through a set of robotic devices, do they tend to work together or fight with each other more? In which Cartesian direction do they have the most difficulty? Does fighting drastically affect the performance of the team? Finally, what measures can be taken to promote better cooperation between humans and robots to ultimately allow humans to work just as comfortably with a robotic partner as with a human partner? This research answers these questions and provides an analysis of human-robot …

Ocbs Gone Bad: The Moderating Roles Of Burnout And Role Overload, Kevin Loo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Previous literature has typically assumed that organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) are beneficial to both employees and organizations. Researchers have begun to question this assumption. This paper seeks to identify situations when OCBs are detrimental to employees or organizations. Specifically, two variables (burnout and role overload) are hypothesized to moderate the relationship between OCBs and outcomes (job satisfaction, turnover intentions, and task performance), such that when burnout and role overload are high, negative outcomes occur. Moderated regression was used to test the hypotheses. There was little evidence for burnout as a moderator, but interactions involving role overload were significant; however, the …

Understanding School Readiness Abilities Of Bilingual Latino Head Start Children And The Differences Among Latin American Regions, Liza Arango

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Limited research has been conducted focusing on the school readiness abilities among bilingual Latino children. Additionally, little is known about how children from different Latin American regions may differ in their readiness skills. This study examines the differences in school readiness abilities in both English and Spanish of a group of bilingual Latino Head Start children in five counties in Florida (n = 202). Specifically, the study investigates the differences in abilities among children from different Latin American Regions (i.e., North American, Caribbean, Central American, and South American). School readiness skills were assessed using subtests from the Woodcock Johnson III …

The Virtual Hip: An Anatomically Accurate Finite Element Model Based On The Visible Human Dataset, Jonathan M. Ford

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine if element decimation of a 3-D anatomical model affects the results of Finite Element Analysis (FEA). FEA has been increasingly applied to the biological and medical sciences. In order for an anatomical model to successfully run in FEA, the 3-D model’s complex geometry must be simplified, resulting in a loss of anatomical detail. The process of decimation reduces the number of elements within the structure and creates a simpler approximation of the model. Using the National Library of Medicine’s Visible Human Male dataset, a virtual 3-D representation of several structures of the …

Small Antennas Design For 2.4 Ghz Applications, Ibrahim Turki Nassar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In many wireless devices, antennas occupy the majority of the overall size. As compact device sizes become a greater focus in industry, the demand for small antennas escalates. In this thesis, detailed investigations on the design of a planar meandered line antenna with truncated ground plane and 3D dipole antenna at 2.4 GHz (ISM band) are presented. The primary goal of this research is to develop small, low coast, and low profile antennas for wireless sensor applications. The planar meandered line antenna was designed based on a study of different miniaturization techniques and a study of the ground plane effect. …

A Comparison Of Feedback Procedures On Teachers’ Use Of Behavior Support Strategies And Children’S Problem And Alternative Behaviors In Preschool Classrooms, Jada-Rae D. Traub

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of two feedback procedures: written feedback and written feedback plus audio feedback on two teachers’ use of behavior support strategies and two children’s problem and alternative behaviors in two community preschool settings. A non-concurrent multiple-baseline design across teacher-child dyads with an A-B-C sequence was used to assess the effects of the feedback procedures on teacher and child target behaviors. A 10-second partial interval recording system was used to measure child target behaviors during 10-minute sessions and an event recording system to measure teacher use of strategies. The results indicated that …

N-Glycosylation Modulates Gating And Antibiotic Block Of The Human Potassium Channel, Herg1a, Sarah A. Norring

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Arrhythmias are often caused by aberrant ion channel activity, resulting in remodeling of the cardiac action potential. Two K

+ currents, IKs and IKr, contribute to phase III repolarization of the human cardiac action potential. Human ether-a-go-go-related gene 1 (hERG1), a voltage-gated potassium channel, underlies IKr. Alterations in the repolarization phase of the action potential, and in particular IKr, can lead to arrhythmias, long or short QT syndrome, heart disease, and sudden cardiac death. HERG1A has two putative N-glycosylation sites located in the S5-S6 linker region, one of which is N-glycosylated. The aim of the first study was to …

Factors That Influence Faculty Intentions To Support The Community College Baccalaureate, Lori Kielty

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

An increasing number of community colleges in the United States are becoming baccalaureate-granting institutions. Proponents of the community college baccalaureate (CCB) argue that the CCB provides students with access to higher education, while others argue the CCB will compromise the community college's core values.

The purpose of this study is to explore faculty members' intention to support the CCB transition. Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior provides the theoretical framework for the study. The theory assumes that changes in behavior are intentional and, therefore, can be planned. This theory posits that attitudes, subjective (social) norms, and perceived behavioral control predict intentions …

Academic Performance, Persistence, And Degree Completion Of Associate In Arts Degree Recipients Transferring To A Four-Year Multi-Campus Institution, Saul Reyes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study assessed if there were differences in the academic performance, persistence, and degree completion for Associate in Arts transfer students in selected majors who enrolled in the different campuses of a multi-campus university. This causal comparative study analyzed historical student enrollment data from a large, urban, public, research university. Multiple and logistic regression techniques were used to simultaneously control for important independent variables identified in the literature. Variables that were significant (p < .05) for at least one of the three dependent variables included campus, major, community college GPA, gender, and ethnicity. Significant campus differences were found in academic performance, but not for persistence or degree completion. Significant differences by major were reported for academic performance, persistence, and degree completion.

The Emotional Guardianship Of Foreign-Born And Native-Born Hispanic Youth And Its Effect On Violent Victimization, Amy Sheena Eggers

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study seeks to expand the scope of assimilation theory by integrating it with elements of routine activities theory to better understand what influence assimilation has in regard to violent victimization. Specifically, the purpose of this study is to determine whether or not differences in victimization rates between foreign-born and native-born Hispanic youth are related to variations in emotional guardianship. Emotional guardianship refers to the aspect of relationships (i.e., affection and communication) between Hispanic youth and their parents that serve to protect the youth from being victimized. I hypothesize that foreign-born Hispanics have greater emotional guardianship than native-born Hispanics, and …

An Ethnography Of The Bay Area Renaissance Festival: Performing Community And Reconfiguring Gender, Matthew Johnson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This performance ethnography analyzes the means by which performers at Tampa, Florida‘s Bay Area Renaissance Festival constitute community and gender through performance. Renaissance Festivals are themed weekend events that ostensibly seek to allow visitors to experience life in an English Renaissance village. Beginning with the theoretical assumption that performance is constitutive of culture, community, and identity, and undergirded by David Boje‘s festivalism, Richard Schechner‘s restored behavior, Victor Turner‘s liminoid communitas and Judith Butler‘s performative agency, The Festival is explored as a celebratory community that engages in social change through personal transformation.

Employing reflexive ethnography and narrative as inquiry, Chapter Two …

Utilizing Facebook Application For Disaster Relief: Social Network Analysis Of American Red Cross Cause Joiners, Jennie Wan Man Lai

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the exponential growth of Facebook users worldwide, this platform for social network online has become a powerful tool to connect individuals and share information with each other. This study explores the phenomenal trend of utilizing a Facebook application called Causes to help users organize into online communities for a specific cause and mobilize their resources for disaster relief during the Haiti earthquake disaster. Two separate samples of 100 joiners each from the American Red Cross (ARC) Cause on Facebook were randomly selected before and after the Haiti earthquake disaster to examine the differences of the composition (i.e., attributes) and …

Preservice Teachers’ Developing Understandings About Culturally Responsive Teaching In A Field-Based Writing Methods Course, Susan V. Bennett

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

I investigated eight preservice teachers’ understandings about culturally responsive pedagogy as they participated in a writing methods course in which they tutored children from different ethnic, socioeconomic, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds in an afterschool program at a local community center. I also investigated how these preservice teachers demonstrated culturally responsive teaching within the writing curriculum. I recognized the need for research relevant to my own personal beliefs and how to strive for more equitable schools. I want to contribute further to the understandings and insights related to culturally responsive pedagogy. According to the literature, it appears teachers remain unprepared to …

Effects Of A Shallow-Water Hydrothermal Vent Gradient On Benthic Calcifiers, Tutum Bay, Ambitle Island, Papua New Guinea, Brienne E. Engel

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ocean acidification is occurring in response to rapidly increasing concentrations of atmospheric CO2. Shallow-water hydrothermal vent systems have been proposed as natural laboratories for studying the effects of elevated pCO2 on benthic communities. Hydrothermal vents occur at depths of approximately 10m in Tutum Bay, Ambitle Island, Papua New Guinea; these vents are surrounded by a typical-appearing fringing coral-reef community. Groups of live specimens of seven species of reef-dwelling, larger benthic foraminifers, along with segments of calcareous green algae broken from live thalli, were collected from a reef location, placed in small mesh bags, and deployed for five days at six …

Between Agency And Accountability: An Ethnographic Study Of Volunteers Participating In A Juvenile Diversion Program, Marc R. Settembrino

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Since the 1970s, the United States has witnessed a great expansion of community-based restorative justice programs. These programs serve as alternatives to the traditional court and probation system. Unlike the traditional justice system, restorative justice focuses on repairing harm done by an offense and works toward restoring the offenders to good standing in the community. While there is a significant amount of research which has examined the effectiveness of community-based programs, relatively little research has focused on the community volunteers who participate in these programs. I conducted an ethnographic study (observations and interviews) of community volunteers participating in a juvenile …

Evaluating Behavioral Skills Training And In-Situ Training To Teach Greeting Skills To Adults With Developmental Disabilities, Shannan Smith

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has demonstrated that behavioral skills training (BST) is effective in teaching social skills to individuals with developmental disabilities, but often the skills fail to generalize. One strategy to promote generalization has been the use of in situ training. In an effort to improve upon previous research BST plus in situ training was evaluated to teach greeting skills to adults living in a group home setting. The percentage of correct greeting responses was evaluated in a multiple baseline across participants design. Results showed that BST was only partially effective in teaching greeting skills to the participants. However, In-situ training …

N400 Activations In Adults Who Stutter In A Picture-Word Priming Task Requiring Attention To Probe Word Phonology, Angela A. Pizon-Moore

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Objective: A neuroscientific picture-word task was used to investigate semantic and phonological activation spreading in adults who stutter (AWS).

Method: Fourteen AWS and 14 adults who do not stutter (AWNS) participated. On each trial, a picture was named at a delay. Sometimes, an attended probe word was heard before naming. Some probes were Semantically-Related to the labels. Those same probes also appeared following pictures with Unrelated labels. N400 ERPs recorded to these two probe types were compared (Semantically-Related versus Unrelated). Other probes were Phonologically-Related to the labels. Those same probes also appeared following pictures with unrelated labels (P-Unrelated). N400 ERPs …