Digital Commons Network^™

Ensembles For Distributed Data, Larry Shoemaker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Many simulation data sets are so massive that they must be distributed among disk farms attached to different computing nodes. The data is partitioned into spatially disjoint sets that are not easily transferable among nodes due to bandwidth limitations. Conventional machine learning methods are not designed for this type of data distribution. Experts mark a training data set with different levels of saliency emphasizing speed rather than accuracy due to the size of the task. The challenge is to develop machine learning methods that learn how the expert has marked the training data so that similar test data sets can …

Development Of Laser System To Measure Pavement Rutting, Hongzhi Wang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Asphalt pavement rutting is one of the most common and destructive pavement distresses observed on U.S. roads, particularly in the urban environment at intersections. They are an important indicator of the structural integrity of the pavement as well as having an impact on road user safety. For these reasons, most road agencies regularly monitor the levels of rut depths on their pavement. There are four technologies used for estimating rut depth in automated measurement way: ultrasonics, point lasers, scanning lasers, Optical.

This thesis will focus on the development of the laser scanner rut depth measurement system, including the improvement of …

Mapping Tampa Bay Cynoscion Nebulosus Spawning Habitat Using Passive Acoustic Surveys, Sarah Lyle Walters

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Spotted seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus, spawning locations as well as associated environmental variables were determined for Tampa Bay, Florida during the 2004 spawning season using a mobile hydrophone survey. Hydrophones, a type of underwater microphone, can be used to detect and record spawning sounds of soniferous fishes. During their spawning season in Tampa Bay which generally occurs between March and September, mature male spotted seatrout generate sounds associated with courtship in the crepuscular and evening periods by vibrating sonic muscles against the swim bladder. Active spawning sites can be located using hydrophones to find these calling males.

Using a random …

Nanomaterial Sensing Layer Based Surface Acoustic Wave Hydrogen Sensors, Krishnan Srinivasan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis addresses the design and use of suitable nanomaterials and surface acoustic wave sensors for hydrogen detection and sensing.

Nanotechnology is aimed at design and synthesis of novel nanoscale materials. These materials could find uses in the design of optical, biomedical and electronic devices. One such example of a nanoscale biological system is a virus. Viruses have been given a lot of attention for assembly of nanoelectronic materials. The tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) used in this research represents an inexpensive and renewable biotemplate that can be easily functionalized for the synthesis of nanomaterials. Strains of this virus have been …

Creation, Analysis, And Evaluation Of Remote Sensing Sinkhole Databases For Pinellas County, Florida, Larry D. Seale Jr.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A database of likely sinkholes in Pinellas County, Florida, created using airborne laser swath mapping (ALSM a.k.a LIDAR for light detection and ranging), correlates poorly with other databases of likely sinkholes created from modern and historic aerial photographs. Urbanization appears to be the cause of the poor correlation. Buildings obscure much of the ground surface in urban areas, and many man-made depressions can be confused with natural sinkholes. Additionally, the lack of air photos contemporaneous with the ALSM data hinders ALSM analysis in rapidly developing areas.

Selecting a lightly-developed portion of the county for further study reduced the effects of …

Examining Emotional Intelligence And Leadership, Shannon Webb

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Varying theories have been presented about the relationship of emotional intelligence to transformational leadership. The present study examines the extent to which a self report measure of emotional intelligence, based upon an ability model, can predict each of the four components of transformational leadership. This study further considers the extent to which the quality of a leader-follower dyad's Leader-Member Exchange relationship can moderate the relationship between emotional intelligence and transformational leadership. Study results demonstrate that emotional intelligence is related to several components of transformational leadership, and that both the quality of the Leader-Member Exchange relationship and the tenure of the …

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. …

Does Agreeableness Help A Team Perform A Problem Solving Task?, Frederick R. B Stilson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between mean team Agreeableness and team performance has not been shown definitively. The present study was performed looking at archival data from a study that assessed team performance from 62 two person teams using the DDD and involving two types of training and two types of information probes during the computer task. In addition, each of the participants took a personality test based on the IPIP with an emphasis on Agreeableness and its 6 facets. Using HLM analysis, it was determined that Agreeableness does not have a significant effect on team performance for a problem solving tasks (delta …

An Exploration Of The Lumbar Loads And Affective Responses To Lumbar Pain On Lower Limb Amputees Who Use A Prosthesis, Tracy Ann Perrotti

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

80% of the American population experiences back pain and it is the most common cause of limited activity in people of age 45 and under. Determining the reasons for back pain and developing new ways to treat it have been extensively researched over the past decade. However, very little research has been done on low back pain of amputees.

There are four million existing amputees living in America and 250,000 people become new amputees each year. 70% of this group is lower limb amputees and a large number use a prosthesis of some kind to aid in the functions of …

The Relationship Between Teaching Experience And Style And Primary Student Gains In Mathematics Using An Integrated Learning System, Marilyn N. Meub

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to ascertain using multiple tools and methods, the impact of teachers' interaction with primary students on mathematics performance using the Successmaker Integrated Learning System to determine effective teacher practices. The sample of nineteen primary teachers from an elementary school in southwest Florida included five first grade teachers, seven second grade teachers, and seven third grade teachers.

Data analysis included total years of teaching experience, years of experience in Florida schools, and years of experience at each grade. Both the total years of teaching and the years of teaching at the research site …

Sexual Functioning In Breast Cancer Survivors, Heidi M. King

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer diagnosis and treatment has been suggested to effect sexual functioning. Little is known about how breast cancer patients compare to women without a history of cancer on measures of sexual functioning, as well as the psychological and physical factors may contribute to these difficulties. To address these issues, 71 breast cancer patients and 40 of their nominated friends were recruited and served as participants. All women received and returned via the mail measures on general background information, depression, fatigue, marital satisfaction, body image, vaginal symptoms, and sexual functioning. All the psychological and physical variables assessed correlated with a …

Monte Carlo Simulations As A Tool To Optimize Target Detection By Auv/Rov Laser Line Scanners, Martin Alejandro Montes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The widespread use of laser line scanners (LLS) aboard unmanned underwater vehicles in the last decade has opened a unique window to a series of ecological and military applications. Variability of underwater light fields and complexity of light contributions reaching the receiver pose a challenge for target detection of LLS under different environmental conditions. The interference of photons not originating at the target (e.g. water path, bottom) can often be minimized (e.g., time-gated systems) but not excluded. Radiative transfer models were developed to better discriminate noise components from signal contributions at the receiver for two continuous LLS: Real-time Ocean Bottom …

Stress And Cognitive Performance In Older Adults, Christopher B. Rosnick

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The current dissertation sought to examine stress in three different, but overlapping, ways. The first study examined how self-reported negative life events, in the aggregate and individually, are associated with cognitive performance. The results suggested that there was no significant relationship between the aggregate measures of self-reported negative life events and cognitive performance. On the other hand, several individual negative life events were associated with cognitive functioning. The findings support previous research indicating that using estimates of individual stressors rather than aggregate measures of stressors increases the predictive validity of stress measurement.

The second study assessed the cross-sectional and longitudinal …

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 …

The Compositional Style Of Francesco Geminiani: A Reflection Of Theory And Practice In His Music And Guida Armonica Treatise, Valerie R. Weber

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Francesco Geminiani was highly regarded as a violinist, composer, and theorist during the late Baroque era. During his lifetime he was considered equalin status to the foremost composers of the day; however, relatively little information is available regarding his life and works today. This lack of information is largely a result of controversy among his peers regarding the merit of his work, specifically in reference to melodic style, structural consistency and harmonic practices. Critical views of such authors as Sir John Hawkins and Charles Burney have been reflected in later historical writings, considerably suppressing further interest in the composer.

The …

Changes In The Perception And Sense Of Self Of Individuals With Aphasia: An Ethnographic Study, Erline Vieira Nakano

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Little is known about the perceived changes in identity and sense of self in individuals with aphasia. Seminal research using qualitative methods and personal narratives has been conducted in England regarding the experience of living with aphasia (see for instance Parr, Byng, Gilpin & Ireland, 1999; Parr, Duchan & Pound, 2003; Byng, Pound & Hewitt, 2004), but the use of such methodologies is still emergent in the United States. In addition, despite the great achievements of the disabilities movement in countries such as the U.S. and the U.K., individuals with aphasia have remained largely at the margins due to the …

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) …

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 …

Investigation Of Geometrical Effects On Microneedle Geometry For Transdermal Applications, Smitha Shetty

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hollow biocompatible microneedle arrays were designed and fabricated using two different bulk micromachining techniques-Deep Reactive Ion Etching and Coherent Porous Silicon technology to investigate their reliability for transdermal applications. An in-house experimental setup was developed for microneedle fracture and split thickness penetration force measurements. Out of plane needle array configurations (100and#956;m needle length) with intra array geometric variations including needle shape, diameter, intra-array pitch and density (1a 625) were characterized on cadaver skin to predict skin barrier penetration without fracture. Use of microneedle array as transdermal patch necessitates reliable penetration and not just pushing against stratum corneum like a bed …

Material Properties And Volumetric Porosity Of Biomaterials For Use In Hard Tissue Replacement, Christopher G. Papangelou

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Metal implants are a type of hard tissue replacement currently used. Metals used for implants include: stainless steel, titanium, chrome, and cobalt alloys. Such implants often fail at the interface with bone. Metal implants fail when the surface of the implant is coated with an osteoconductive material. An osteoconductive material provides scaffolding for cellular migration, cellular attachment, and cellular distribution. A reason for metal implant failure could be the vastly different material properties than bone. Motivation for the research was to find a suitable bone substitute other than metal. Materials considered were: zirconia toughened alumina, carbon fiber reinforced epoxy, and …

A Framework To Develop An Interactive Web Database For Delivery Of Water Resources Field Data Over The Internet, Swarna Pujari

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of the research is to develop a user friendly framework for an internet GIS (Geographic Information Systems) application. The study aims at providing a map with GIS capabilities without requiring the clients (users of the website) having to install ArcGIS (a product of ESRI) software on their personal computers along with the facility to download hydrological data. It also aims at providing a methodology to synthesize data in case of data gaps. High resolution data was collected in a small watershed in west Central Florida to measure hydrologic storages and fluxes during 2001-2004. Meteorological, surface and groundwater data …

Multibeam Observations Of Mine Scour And Burial Near Clearwater, Florida, Including A Test Of The Vims 2d Mine Burial Model, Monica L. Wolfson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The ability to detect buried mines on the seafloor remains one of the most important tasks in mine countermeasures. As such, there is a vested interest in the development of predictive models of mine burial. This research was conducted in support of the Office of Naval Research Program in Mine Burial Prediction. Repeat high-resolution multibeam bathymetry data were collected over the Indian Rocks Beach (IRB) mine burial experiment site during January through March of 2003, in order to observe in situ scour and burial of instrumented inert mines and mine-like cylinders. These data were also used to test the validity …

The Effects Of Labyrinthula Sp. Infection, Salinity, And Light On The Production Of Phenolic Compounds In Thalassia Testudinum, Jennifer M. Sneed

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the fall of 1987, several areas of Florida Bay were severely affected by the sudden die-off of the seagrass Thalassia testudinum Banks ex Konig (turtle grass). Although the cause is still unknown, several factors were suggested as influencing the on-set of the die-off event including increased salinity, light stress due to self-shading, and disease. Blades of seagrass plants found in the area of die-off were infected by Labyrinthula sp, a pathogenic protist. A similar die-off occurred in another species of seagrass, Zostera marina, in the 1930s that was attributed to the pathogenic protist, Labyrinthula zosterae. Zostera …

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 …

Reconstructing Writer Identities, Student Identities, Teacher Identities, And Gender Identities: Chinese Graduate Students In America, Peiling Zhao

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The increasing presence of Chinese international graduate students in American higher education has mandated a closer examination of their multifaceted lives against stereotypes that hinder their efforts to find, transform, or assert their identities in the dominant discourses of American academia and culture.

Cross cultural studies of Chinese international students tend to reinforce stereotypes of their writer identities, learner identities, and teacher identities. Examining these various identities discloses dichotomies that read Chinese students’ traits and behaviors as handicaps and thus characterize them as “abnormal” in relation to the “normal” traits and behaviors of Chinese students’ Western counterparts. Whereas Western student …

A Design Methodology For Implementation Of Serial Peripheral Interface Using Vhdl, Jyothsna Kurapati

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, an approach is proposed for the design and implementation of a serial peripheral interface using Complex Programmable Logic Devices, (CPLD's). The focus of this research was to develop an effective Serial Peripheral Interface. The Serial Peripheral Interface, (SPI), created by Motorola is also known as Microwire, which is a trademark of National Semiconductor. The SPI is a full-duplex, synchronous, serial data link that enables communication between a host processor and peripherals.

The Serial peripheral interface can be programmed in software or built strictly in hardware inside a microcontroller. However, Complex programmable logic devices offer a quicker and …

The Role Of Choice Versus Preference: An Analysis Of Why Choice Interventions Work, John D. Adelinis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has shown that providing students with the opportunity to choose the type of academic assignment could reduce a variety of problem behavior. However, procedural limitations of previous research prevent definitive conclusions regarding the mechanism by which choice interventions effect behavioral change. Furthermore, because research related to choice interventions has been limited primarily to children with developmental and emotional disabilities, the generality of such interventions is unclear. Therefore, the current study set out to extend the efforts of previous researchers by attempting to further isolate the mechanism by which choice procedures produce improved behavioral performance and attempted to further …

Corrosion Performance Of Concrete Cylinder Piles, Kingsley Lau

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Concrete cylinder piles produced by a centrifugally cast, vibrated, roller compacted process have shown promising corrosion durability in marine environments. Three bridges in the Florida Panhandle with approximately 40 years of service in aggressive marine service were examined. A newly constructed marine bridge utilizing concrete cylinder piles was also examined to verify corrosion performance of piles manufactured with modern building materials and construction compared to piles built several decades ago. Survey of the marine bridges showed minimal corrosion distress despite low design concrete cover to steel hoop reinforcements (20-40 mm). Typical concrete distress included minor rust staining but not necessarily …