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Probing Interactions And Phase Separations Of Proteins, Colloids And Polymers With Light Scattering, Avanish Singh Parmar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The broad objective of my research is to investigate the physical characteristics and interactions of macromolecules and nanoparticles, and the corresponding effects on their phase separation behavior using static and dynamic light scattering (SLS & DLS). Light scattering provides a non-invasive technique for monitoring the in-situ behavior of solutes in solution, including solute interactions, sizes, shapes, aggregation kinetics and even rheological properties of condensed phases. Initially, we investigated lysozyme solutions for the presence of preformed aggregates and clusters that can distort the kinetics of protein crystal nucleation studies in this important model system for protein crystallization. We found that both …

Algorithms For Simple Stochastic Games, Elena Valkanova

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A simple stochastic game (SSG) is a game defined on a directed multigraph and played between players MAX and MIN. Both players have control over disjoint subsets of vertices: player MAX controls a subset V_MAX and player MIN controls a subset V_MIN of vertices. The remaining vertices fall into either V_AVE, a subset of vertices that support stochastic transitions, or SINK, a subset of vertices that have zero outdegree and are associated with a payoff in the range [0, 1]. The game starts by placing a token on a designated start vertex. The token is moved …

Rape Attitudes And Beliefs: A Replication Study, Rhissa Emily Briones

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The phenomena of sexual violence have been studied on college campuses for over 50 years. Despite changes in society's attitudes towards women and gains made by women in education and the work force since the 1960s, research reveals that the incidence and prevalence rates of date rape have not changed significantly over the years. Extant literature indicates that endorsement of rape myths has been found to be associated with sexual aggression by males. A review of existing instruments revealed that current assessments of rape supportive attitudes and beliefs appear outdated in their language and may not be geared for today's …

Structural Polarities In J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord Of The Rings, Quincey Vierling Upshaw

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

My thesis reflects an assessment of The Lord of the Rings centering on the idea of a structure of opposites. For each place, race, character and object in The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien included an element which serves as an antithesis. In addition, the style, pacing, and language of the work also contain antithetical pairs which continually engage and propel the reader to the work's conclusion. I contend that this deliberate pairing of opposing elements adds depth and verisimilitude to the work.

Tolkien was an avid student of what his contemporaries would have called "fantasy" or "fairy …

Uv Laser And Led Induced Fluorescence Spectroscopy For Detection Of Trace Amounts Of Organics In Drinking Water And Water Sources, Anna V. Sharikova

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A UV Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF) system, previously developed in our laboratory, was modified and used for a series of applications related to the development and optimization of UV LIF spectroscopic measurements of trace contaminants in drinking water and other water sources. Fluorescence spectra of a number of water samples were studied, including those related to the reverse osmosis water treatment and membrane fouling, domestic and international drinking water, industrial toxins, bacterial spores, as well as several fluorescence standards. Of importance was that the long term detection of the trace level of Dissolved Organic Compounds (DOC) was measured, for the …

Combinatorial Models For Dna Rearrangements In Ciliates, Angela Angeleska

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Motivated by genome rearrangements that take place in some species of ciliates we introduce a combinatorial model for these processes based on spatial graphs. This model builds up on two earlier models for pointer-guided DNA recombination (intramolecular model introduced in [22, 23] and intermolecular model introduced in [35, 36]) and is influenced by a molecular model for RNA guided DNA recombination (introduced in [2]).

Despite their differences, the intermolecular and intramolecular model formalize the recombination events through rewriting operations applied on formal words. Both models predict the same set of molecules as a result of correct rearrangement. Here, we give …

Blind Signal Detection And Identification Over The 2.4ghz Ism Band For Cognitive, Omar Zakaria

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

'It is not a lack of spectrum. It is an issue of efficient use of the available spectrum"--conclusions of the FCC Spectrum Policy Task Force.

There is growing interest towards providing broadband communication with high bit rates and throughput, especially in the ISM band, as it was an ignition of innovation triggered by the FCC to provide, to some extent, a regulation-free band that anyone can use. But with such freedom comes the risk of interference and more responsibility to avoid causing it. Therefore, the need for accurate interference detection and identification, along with good blind detection capabilities are inevitable. …

Blind Synchronization And Detection Of Nyquist Pulse Shaped Qam Signals, Evren Terzi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis proposes a blind receiver for the Nyquist pulse shaped quadratureamplitude modulation (QAM) signals. The focus is on single carrier signals. The blind receiver includes the estimation of the symbol rate, the roll-off factor of the filter, the optimal sample phase, the frequency offset, the phase offset and as well as the correction of frequency and phase offsets.

The blind receiver is proposed for the cognitive radio applications. Cognitive radios are intelligent devices which can adapt themselves according to its user and its environment, i.e. they are aware of the user and the environment. Another importance of cognitive radios …

Non-Contact Characterization Of Dielectric Conduction On 4h-Sic, Helen N. Benjamin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Consistent charge or defect control in oxide grown on silicon carbide (SiC) continues to be difficult to achieve and directly impacts the electrical performance of SiC-based metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) devices. This research applied non-contact Corona-Kelvin metrology to investigate the charge transport in oxides grown on n-type 4H-SiC epitaxial substrates. The cost and engineering science impact of this metrology are significant as device fabrication is avoided leading to quick determination of electrical characteristics from as-grown oxide films. Non-contact current-voltage (I-V) measurements of oxide on SiC were first demonstrated within this work and revealed that Fowler-Nordheim (F-N) current emission was the …

One Season In An Other’S: Examining Teacher Preparation In Cultural Relevance Literacy Through Intentional And Focused Teaching Case Use, Coleen E. Sams

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Teacher educators need to develop better teaching methods in order to, ultimately, serve future students in classrooms that are increasing in diversity. It is vital that education majors do more than hear and read about social justice issues facing their prospective students; for them to both understand it and retain it, they need deeper interaction with the issues and alternative strategies for resolving them. This model for using teaching cases may enable teacher educators to demonstrate the relevance of their coursework to their midlevel education students, ultimately enhancing learning gains.

Of equal importance to their professional development, prospective teachers need …

Truth And Judgment, Jeremy J. Kelly

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

I examine the difficulties that several philosophers of language are liable to encounter in their attempts to provide an account of the connection between truth and assertion. I then attempt to provide an account of this connection. The analysis is concerned chiefly with difficulties which consist in elucidating the conceptual connection between truth and assertion in a way that respects certain linguistic intuitions while at the same time rendering the concept of truth amenable to a semantic interpretation. The proposed view suggests one way in which we might go about meeting the theoretical demands implicit in addressing this concern, among …

The Preference Of Protein Powders Among Adult Males And Females: A Protein Powder Taste Study, Joshua Manter

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Protein is essential in one's diet because it is an important component in many organs and tissues throughout the body. Athletes ingest protein in order to stimulate protein synthesis and increase lean muscle mass. In order to assist with obtaining adequate amounts of protein, athletes and bodybuilders purchase supplemental protein in the form of protein powders. Protein metabolism and digestion play key roles in this because if the protein is not metabolized or digested effectively, then those who are wishing to gain fat free mass will not be successful. A high quality protein will be digested, metabolized, and directed towards …

Ivcon: A Gui-Based Tool For Visualizing And Modularizing Crosscutting Concerns, Nalin Saigal

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Code modularization provides benefits throughout the software life cycle; however, the presence of crosscutting concerns (CCCs) in software hinders its complete modularization. This thesis describes IVCon, a GUI-based tool that provides a novel approach to modularization of CCCs. IVCon enables users to create, examine, and modify their code in two different views, the woven view and the unwoven view. The woven view displays program code in colors that indicate which CCCs various code segments implement. The unwoven view displays code in two panels, one showing the core of the program and the other showing all the code implementing each concern …

Penn State: Symbol And Myth, Gary G. Desantis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis will focus on the popular culture iconography of the Pennsylvania State University: the Nittany Lion-as a symbol and apolitical mascot; Happy Valley, the geographic area in which the university is located, as a kind of sacred place and utopia in the Keystone State; football-its hallowed shrines, legendary coaches, and heroic players; regional foods and delicacies-from the unique offerings of the area's diners to the University Creamery (where patrons yearly consume more than 750,000 ice cream cones); and Lion Shrine and the adjacent Nittany Lion Inn-where the faithful have made pilgrimages since the early-twentieth century. The sum of these …

Artemisinin-Based Combination Therapy (Acts) Drug Resistance Trends In Plasmodium Falciparum Isolates In Southeast Asia, Jessica L. Schilke

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Plasmodium falciparum, one of the parasites that cause clinical malaria, is a continuous public health concern, especially in Asia and Africa. Unfortunately, the parasite has developed resistance to many drugs created to treat and prevent the disease. Artemisinin and its derivatives are the new gold standard for treatment of malaria, yet treatment failures in clinical studies are starting to be reported. Clearly, artemisinin resistance needs to be characterized and dealt with accordingly. In support of the Gates Foundation Artemisinin Consortium, we conducted a blinded study to elucidate the phenotypic response of artemisinin derivatives of parasites derived from patient blood …

“According To Wikipedia…”: A Comparative Analysis Of The Establishment And Display Of Authority In A Social Problems Textbook And Wikipedia, Alexander A. Hernandez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this study, I aim to examine (1) how authority is established and (2) how it is displayed. Through the use of content analysis, I investigate how the topics of "gender" and "race" within a contemporary social problems textbook compares and contrasts to corresponding Wikipedia articles. Through my research I wish to shed light on the social construction of knowledge within our modern society while also shedding light on the role that authority plays within knowledge. In order to examine how authority is established I examined the number of citations found in each topic, the publishing date of each reference …

Evaluation Of The Impact Of Membrane Change At A Membrane Softening Water Treatment Plant, Michael Keen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

At the water treatment plant in Dunedin, Florida, reverse osmosis membranes remove the hardness from groundwater sources. Reverse osmosis membranes remove salts, pathogens, and organics from the feed water but can create an aggressive permeate. The membranes strip most ions in the process and the resulting permeate, if not subjected to blending on post treatment, has a tendency to leach metals from lead and copper pipes in the distribution networks. To prevent such problems, the permeate needs to be blended with partially treated raw water or to be chemically treated to re-mineralize and add alkalinity back into the water. In …

Using Keeling Plots To Trace Δ13C And Δ18O Of Co2 Through Processes Of Heterotrophic Respiration, Diffusion And Soil Water Equilibration In Artificial C3- And C4-Grassland Soils, Jennifer Chelladurai

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Global carbon cycle dynamics and fluxes of CO₂ between biosphere and atmosphere have been progressed through the use of Keeling Plots. Processes that control and effect the isotopic composition of soil-respired CO₂, soil CO₂, and equilibrated soil carbonate are specifically addressed in this study through the use of Keeling Plots. Replicate grassland soil profiles containing either C3 or C4 homogenized organic matter were constructed and maintained under controlled settings to encourage the production of soil-respired CO₂ and the precipitation of pedogenic carbonate. Soil CO₂ was sampled over five months and analyzed with IRMS. …

Identities Of Alternative Medicine Practitioners, Mychel Estevez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to collect and analyze information from massage therapists on how they construct their identities. It is meant to be a starting point in giving voice to a group of alternative health practitioners who have been marginalized and misunderstood. It also helps us to understand what it means (to them) to be massage therapists and practitioners of "alternative medicine." This study was conducted through semi-structured interviews with five licensed massage therapists in two metropolitan areas in Florida. Massage therapists work at the micro level to boost the image of themselves and their form of "alternative" …

An Assessment Of The Impacts Of Relocation On Public Housing Youth, Emily Zupo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This paper will explore the social and economic impacts of public housing revitalization on households with minor children. The research traces the relocations of families from two public housing complexes to other public housing complexes or market housing, using Housing Choice formerly Section 8 vouchers. We contrast and compare the socioeconomic characteristics of the original neighborhoods to the relocation sites from the census tract level, exploring changes in resources available to families.

Historical Imagination In/And Literary Consciousness: The Afterlife Of The Anglo-Saxons In Middle English Literature, Richard Joseph Ellman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the afterlife and literary presence of the Anglo-Saxons in three literary works from the Middle English period. Middle English writers appropriated classical and French traditions for decidedly English purposes, but relatively few scholars have noted the way in which individuals in the Middle English period (particularly in the fourteenth century) drew upon and (re)constructed an organic English identity or essence emblematized by the Anglo-Saxons. Post-Conquest English men and women did not relate to their Anglo-Saxon forebears in an unproblematic manner; changes in language and culture, precipitated by the Norman Invasion, placed a vast, unwieldy gap between Middle …

Communication As A Cultural Construct At The United Nations Arabic Translation Service, Amina Iraqi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, I examine the practical challenge of constructing communication at the Arabic Translation Service (ATS) of the UN through the process of translation. Unlike in English in which "communication" has only one equivalent, in Arabic it has many depending on the context. My analysis focuses on analyzing the occurrence of two translation equivalents, namely ittissal and tawassul given that their use in translation sometimes proves to be cultural.

I conducted participant observation over the course of a two-month internship at the UN Headquarters in New York. Using grounded theory, I pieced together insights from a database of occurrences …

Social Implications Of Fair Trade Coffee In Chiapas, Mexico: Toward Alternative Economic Integration, Joseph J. Torok

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The coffee trade in Chiapas, Mexico is a unique approach of sustainable development and economic integration, demonstrating that local social movements can change behaviors in international trade regimes. The Zapatista community of Chiapas, Mexico, has an impact on the global trade system, where resultant changes begin at the local level. In the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, factors contributing to the Zapatista rebellion have led actors within civil society to form new socio-political organizations capable of changing participation, norms, and economic outcomes during the post-rebellion period (1994 - present). This study explores the dilemmas facing the autonomy of actors in …

Dialectal And Developmental Influences On Real Word And Non-Word Spelling Tasks, Stephanie Joy Dickerson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Spelling development is a linguistic process which involves the interaction of phonological, orthographic, and morphological knowledge (Bahr, Silliman, & Berninger, in press). It is also clear these linguistic factors are influenced by a person's dialect. Previous research has indicated that use of African American English (AAE) does influence spelling performance (Kohler, Bahr, Silliman, Bryant, Apel, & Wilkinson, 2007); however, few studies have considered how dialect use influences spelling as a function of spelling task (i.e., real vs. non-word tasks), error category (phonological, orthographic, or morphological) or grade. A secondary goal was to note if dialectal or developmental errors predominated in …

“The Best We Can With What We Got”: Mediating Social And Cultural Capital In A Title I School, Jarin Rachel Eisenberg

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined teachers' perceptions and attitudes of Title I students at an urban elementary school in which over 90% of the student population receives free or reduced-priced lunch. Using participant observation and in-depth interviews, this research analyzed three avenues for Title I students to acquire cultural and social capital at school: material and non-material resources, language acquisition, and the building of positive teacher-student relationships. In order to analyze these avenues, this study explored the following questions: How do teachers talk about and perceive Title I students? Do their attitudes and the images constructed from these perceptions impact students' ability …

Closure Between Apparent And Inherent Optical Properties Of The Ocean With Applications To The Determination Of Spectral Bottom Reflectance, James Edward Ivey

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on comparing six different marine optical models, field measurements, and laboratory measurements. Inherent Optical Properties (IOPs) of the water column depend only on the constituents within the water, not on the ambient light field. Apparent Optical Properties (AOPs) depend both on IOPs and the geometric underwater light field resulting from solar irradiance. Absorption (a) and scattering (b) are IOPs. Scattering can be partitioned into backscattering (b[subscript b]). Remote Sensing Reflectance (R[subscript rs]), the ratio of radiant light leaving the water to the light entering the water surface plane (E[subscript d]), is an AOP. R[subscript rs] is proportional …

Statistical And Data Mining Methodologies For Behavioral Analysis In Transgenic Mouse Models Of Alzheimer’S Disease: Parallels With Human Ad Evaluation, Ralph E. Leighty

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder and the leading cause of human senile dementia. Alzheimer’s represents a significant public health concern, having widespread social and economic implications. Consequently, protocols for early detection and therapeutic intervention (both behavioral and pharmacologic) constitute important targets for medical investigation. Furthermore, contemporary research depends upon comprehensive neurobehavioral assessment and advanced statistical and computational analytic methodologies for characterizing AD-associated sensorimotor and cognitive impairment, as well as evaluating therapeutic efficacy. This dissertation introduces data mining-based techniques (decision trees, neural networks, support vector machines) for behavioral analysis in both nontransgenic and Alzheimer’s transgenic mice, to evaluate …

Natural Audiotopias: The Construction Of Sonic Space In Dub Reggae, John Baker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Dub reggae is widely regarded as an early form of the remix. Dub artists modify previously recorded reggae songs by manipulating a song's individual tracks with a mixing board and layering them in aural effects such as reverb and echo. These effects are fundamentally spatial in quality, giving the listener an impression of vast open space. This paper is an analysis of the techniques utilized in dub's construction of sonic space as well as an investigation of the cultural meaning of those spaces. My analysis utilizes Josh Kun's theories about "audiotopias" (temporary aural spaces created through music) in order to …

Novel Roles For B-Raf In Mitosis And Cancer, Meghan E. K Borysova

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The MAP kinase pathway is well known for its key roles in regulating cell proliferation and cell cycle progression. MAP kinases have also been implicated in mitotic functions, however these functions are less-well understood. Recent studies from our laboratory used Xenopus egg extracts to identify B-Raf as an essential activator of the MAPK cascade during mitosis. Therefore, the first objective of my dissertation research was to determine if B-Raf has functional significance during mitosis in human somatic cells.

Using RNA interference against B-Raf and various immunofluorescence techniques, I show that B-Raf: (1) localizes to and is phosphorylated at a key …

Indoor Environmental Quality Within An Elementary School Classroom: Measurements Of Felis Domesticus I, Dermatophagoides Pteronyssinus I, Dermatophagoides Farinae I, And Blatella Germanica In Carpeting, Jennifer Fowler

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The United States Environmental Protection Agency acknowledges that indoor environments can impact the health of students and can affect concentration, attendance, and student performance (USEPA 2008). In a school year, children are required by the Florida Department of Education to be in school for a total of 180 days, which is 795 hours spent in a classroom (FLDOE 2008). In the elementary school setting, kindergarten classes typically spend a portion of the school day with floor-based activities. The American Lung Association (ALA) states that over 6.8 million children under the age of 18 are affected by asthma (ALA 2008). Allergic …