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Associate In Science (As) To Bachelor Of Science In Applied Science (Bsas) Transfer Students: An Analysis Of Student Characteristics, Engagement, And Success, Jerry C. Collins

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to examine and comprehensively describe transfer students who have earned a two-year technical or occupational Associate in Science (AS) degree at the community college and entered the university to pursue the Bachelor of Science in Applied Science (BSAS).

The BSAS degree is a specialized baccalaureate degree program created to allow AS degree holders an opportunity to efficiently transfer into the university affording them full recognition of their two-year degree. This statewide articulated program at the University of South Florida is the first of its kind in the state of Florida. The program only began admitting its first …

Women In Wargasm: The Politics Of Womenís Liberation In The Weather Underground Organization, Cyrana B. Wyker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis I examine women's participation in the violent revolutionary organization, Weatherman/Weather Underground. My attempt is to uncover Weatherman's view of women's liberation, their differences to the women's liberation movement and examine the practices implemented. I discuss Weatherman, more generally, in the context and circumstances of their emergence from the Students for a Democratic Society in the late sixties. Influenced by popular revolutionary thinkers Weatherman declared itself and its members revolutionaries dedicated to bringing about a socialist revolution in the United States through strategies of guerilla warfare. Weatherman's insistence on revolutionary violence situated masculinity and machismo within the center …

Mental Health Service Delivery Systems And Perceived Qualifications Of Mental Health Service Providers In School Settings, Decia Nicole Dixon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Latest research on the mental health status of children indicates that schools are key providers of mental health services (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2003). The push for school mental health services has only increased as stakeholders have begun to recognize the significance of sound mental health as an essential part of academic success (Adelman & Taylor, 2002). However, while schools are recognized as playing an important role in the delivery of mental health services, it is not well understood about the types of mental health services provided, qualifications of providers, and the link to student outcomes (United …

A New Perspective On The Work-Family Interface: Linking Achievement Motivation And Work-Family Balance, Tiffany N. Smith

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify whether three achievement motivation variables (LGO, GNS, and AO) were positively related to work-family balance, and to investigate plausible interactions between these variables and work-family stressors on balance perceptions. Relationships of these variables to work-family conflict and facilitation outcomes were also analyzed in order to identify differential relationships. Data were collected from 428 individuals through a web-based survey. Results indicated that all three achievement motivation variables were clearly related favorably to work-family balance and facilitation, while only AO was negatively related to conflict. The relationships between schedule flexibility and all work-family outcomes …

Immunomodulatory Effects Of Novel Therapies For Stroke, Aaron A. Hall

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Each year, approximately 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke. About 610,000 of these are first attacks, and 185,000 are recurrent attacks (Carandang et al. 2006). Currently the only FDA approved treatment for ischemic stroke is recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (Alteplase) (Marler and Goldstein 2003). Unfortunately its use is restricted to a short, 4.5 hour, time window. Two promising therapies in the treatment of stroke at delayed timepoints are human umbilical cord blood cells (HUCBC) and the sigma receptor agonist DTG

The first series of experiments were conducted to characterize the effects of sigma receptors on various aspects of …

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 …

The Effects Of Diameter Fluctuations And Coiling On The Sensitivity Of Sapphire Single Crystal Optical Fiber Evanescent Wave Fluorescence Sensors, Jimmy Ray Gamez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of diameter fluctuations on the sensitivity of sapphire multimode optical fibers used as evanescent wave fluorescence sensors. It was predicted that fluctuations in the diameter of the fiber would act as a series of bi-tapers converting lower order modes to higher order modes increasing the evanescent wave penetration depth thereby increasing the excitation of a cladding of fluorescent fluid. Induced fluorescence from the fluid cladding would then couple back into the fiber more efficiently increasing the sensitivity of the sensor.

The effect of coiling the fiber on the sensitivity of …

City Level Development New Key To Successful Development, Gina Herron

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Development is one of the most debated issues in political science today. There has never been a clear consensus reached on what is one successful path to developmental success for nations to follow. Organizations such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund and already developed nations have long touted a policy based on rapid privatization, which has been often referred to as shock therapy.

During this current period of globalization it has never been more important for underdeveloped nations to successfully move towards development, in order for those nations to not be left behind in an ever increasing …

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 …

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 …

Examining The Title X Family Planning Program’S (Public Law 91-572) Legislative History Through A Feminist Lens: A Thematic Analysis And Oral Histories With Key Stakeholders In Florida, Cheryl A. Vamos

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Title X Family Planning Program (Public Law 91-572), enacted by President Richard Nixon in 1970, provides federal funds for voluntary, confidential family planning services to all women, regardless of their age or economic status. This federal legislation aspired to prevent unintended pregnancies and poor birth outcomes to those in most need. However, over the past three decades, Title X has faced political, financial and social challenges. Despite its enormous success in improving the health and well-being of women and children by decreasing unintended pregnancies, the need for abortions and providing key comprehensive preventive services, without a newfound political will …

Digging It: A Participatory Ethnography Of The Experiences At A School Garden, Branimir Cvetkovic

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This case study of a school garden focuses on concepts of community that are fostered and embodied at this setting. By utilizing participatory ethnographic methodologies, this research explored gemeinschaft and gesellschaft concepts of community. Data reveals that students are able to learn mastery, belonging, generosity and independence while participating in the garden work. Teachers manage students who attempt to challenge the boundaries of this community by utilizing and ethic of care which allows teachers to de-emphasize authority and to first consider the networks of relationships and how to mend and improve them. Students are able to experience governmentality and an …

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" …

The Effect Of Ethical Ideology And Professional Values On Registered Nurses’ Intentions To Act Accountably, Susan R. Hartranft

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hospitals today focus on creating a culture of patient safety and reducing error. Registered nurses are mandated by the American Nurses Association's Code of Ethics to advocate for the patient at all times and to act accountably to ensure patient safety. There is a paucity of literature relating to how nurses' values and ethical ideology may affect their decision to act accountably.

This study tested two hypotheses. Hypothesis 1 predicted that registered nurses who demonstrated a low relativistic ethical ideology would score higher on a measure of professional values than would registered nurses who demonstrate a high relativistic ethical ideology. …

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 …

The Impact Of Wearable Weights On The Cardiovascular And Metabolic Responses To Treadmill Walking, Kristine M. Fallon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The growing public health burden associated with insufficient physical activity has resulted in the development of numerous health initiatives and products aimed at stabilizing and reversing the negative trends reported in epidemiological literature. A relatively novel product that has only recently made its way to the market are wearable weights called Body Togs®. These products are designed to be worn on the lower legs and arms along with regular clothing as a means to increase caloric expenditure. However, no research to date has tested the efficacy of this product. PURPOSE: Compare the physiological responses within bouts of aerobic exercise that …

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 …

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.

Can Colored Dissolved Organic Material Protect Coral Reefs By Reducing Exposure To Ultraviolet Radiation?, Lore Michele Ayoub

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although mass coral bleaching events are generally triggered by high seawater temperatures, experiments have demonstrated that corals and reef-dwelling foraminifers bleach more readily when exposed to high energy, short wavelength solar radiation (blue, violet and ultraviolet [UVR]: Lambda ~ 280 - 490 nm). In seawater, colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), also called gelbstoff, preferentially absorbs these shorter wavelengths, which consequently bleach and degrade the CDOM. Alteration of watersheds and destruction of coastal wetlands have reduced natural sources of CDOM to reefal waters.

I tested the null hypothesis that CDOM does not differ between reefs that differ in coral health, …

Land –Based Sources Of Pollutants To Coastal Waters Of Southern Belize – Comparison Of Predictive Model With Empirical Data, Victor Eduardo Alegria

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A Level III fugacity-type model was applied to southern Belize (Stann Creek and Toledo Districts) to predict which of the pesticides most heavily used in banana and citrus farms are most likely to end up in streams and coastal waters via surface runoff. Concentrations of all target pesticides in coastal waters of southern Belize were then measured during two sampling campaigns (dry season and rainy season) in 2008. Several pesticides were measured in significant levels, including some as far out as waters overlying coral reefs. The presence of these pesticides in the coastal waters indicates that agricultural activities in southern …

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 …

Theology, Spirituality, And The Academic Study Of Religion In Public Universities, Don Saunders

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines whether the secular institutions of American higher education should address students questions of meaning, purpose, wisdom, and human destiny. That is, it investigates the place of the normative analysis of religious experience and behavior within the public university. I use the work of Ninian Smart, Russell T. McCutcheon and Ivan Strenski to illustrate the case against the inclusion of theology and spirituality in the academic study of religion. In their view, theology is at best an artifact, like ritual or religious art and not an academic discipline. Conversely, I use the work of Paul Tillich, John Dunne, …

Germania-Based Sol-Gel Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Coatings For Capillary Microextraction, Li Fang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

For the first time, germania-based hybrid organic-inorganic sol-gel materials were developed for analytical sample preparation and chromatographic separation. Being an isostructural analog of silica (SiO₂), germania (GeO₂) is compatible with silica network. This structural similarity, which is reflected by the relative positions of germanium and silicon in the periodic table, stimulated our investigation on the development of germania-based sol-gel hybrid organic-inorganic coatings for analytical applications.

Sol-gel sorbents and stationary phases reported to date are predominantly silica-based. Poor pH stability of silica-based materials is a major drawback. In this work, this problem was addressed through development of …

Nutrient Distribution Effects From Freshwater Discharge At Franklin Lock And Dam (S-79) In 2005 And 2006 On The Caloosahatchee Estuary And San Carlos Bay, Fort Myers, Florida, Kristan M. Uhlenbrock

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nutrient distribution correlates with discharge of freshwater from Franklin Lock and Dam structure (S-79) by delivery into the Caloosahatchee Estuary (CE) and out of this area, including the surrounding San Carlos Bay (SCB) and adjacent West Florida Shelf. This study analyzed the temporal and spatial distribution of nutrients along the CE waterway and illustrates the effects high freshwater discharge from S-79 has on the coastal and offshore environments, providing a potential source of nutrient input. This study consisted of a 7-station transect monitored biweekly from April 2005 thru August 2006 for nutrients, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll a, and salinity, along …

New Port Richey: Myth And History Of A City Built On Enchantment, Adam J. Carozza

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis aims to discover, understand and appreciate the history of New Port Richey. New Port Richey's growth was affected by many of the same social changes taking place all over Florida, most notably the coming of the railroad, the popularity of the automobile, and the land boom of the 1920s. Post-World War II prosperity, pest control, air conditioning, and interstate highways attracted people to this city nicknamed the "Gateway to Tropical Florida." Unique to this area was the Legend of Chasco, an invented tradition to draw tourists and new residents to the area, and the beautiful Pithlachascotee River meandering …

Perspectives On Reclaimed Water Among Urban Residents In Tampa, Florida, Jonathan Max Bloch

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Increasing urbanization coupled with increased domestic and industrial uses of water has made water conservation an important aspect of environmental management. Reclamation of wastewater is one way in which such conservation can proceed, and the aim of this thesis is to provide a case study about the perspectives of residents and officials involved in the use of reclaimed water in an urban development in Tampa, Florida. Using semi-structured interviews, it seeks to understand the range of opinions on the safety of reclaimed water, its potential prospects as an alternative drinking water supply, and its contribution to the sustainable use of …

Reducing Sediment And Bacterial Contamination In Water Using Mucilage Extracted From The Opuntia Ficus-Indica Cactus, Audrey Lynn Buttice

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Throughout the past decade an increased amount of attention has been drawn to the water contamination problems that affect the world. As a result, a variety of purification methods targeted at communities in developing countries have surfaced and, although all have contributed to the effort of improving water quality, few have been accepted and sustained for long term usage. Case studies indicate that the most beneficial methods are those which use indigenous resources, as they are both abundant and readily accepted by the communities. In an attempt to make a contribution to the search for water purification methods that can …

Constructions Of Narrative Identities Of Women Political Candidates, Amy E. Daniels

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

I evaluate the ways in which newspaper articles constructed the gendered cultural and personal narratives of a woman Presidential and a woman Vice-Presidential candidate during the 2008 Presidential Election season. Drawing upon West and Zimmerman's "Doing Gender" (1987) that explains gender is performed constantly throughout life, I assess the stories told about each candidate and the way she performed gender. There are two different types of stories created. The first is a personal narrative which tells the story of each individual candidate, Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin. The second is a cultural narrative which tells the story of a dis-embodied …

Leaching Of Active Ingredients From Blueberries And Cranberries Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide And Ethanol As An Entrainer And Analyzing Using Gc/Ms, Nada H. Elsayed

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Routine consumption of blueberries and cranberries has been shown to have great health benefits. Blueberries have high amounts of anthocyanin content per serving. Anthocyanins are known to be powerful antioxidants and are linked to the reduction of heart disease and cancer. New research suggests that the berries may also play a role in slowing down age related diseases such as memory loss and tissue damage caused by Alzheimer's. In addition the berries have a variety of essential vitamins and minerals that are important for overall health. Cranberries have long been used to treat urinary tract infections due to the high …