Digital Commons Network^™

Development Of Micro/Nanosensor Elements And Packaging Techniques For Oceanography, Shyam Aravamudhan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this research, novel high resolution reinforced diaphragm MEMS piezoresistive pressure sensors were designed, fabricated and tested to measure physical phenomena (such as depth/pressure variations) in the ocean. To complement the physical sensing elements, a microfluidic electrochemical nitrate sensor, was also developed to detect chemical fluxes. The electrochemical sensor was designed and packaged to conform to a flow through system. The multisensor approach will enable better measurement quality compared to the current ocean sensors. This, in turn, will potentially improve the current understanding of physical and biogeochemical processes from coastal to deep-sea environment.

The pressure sensor element utilized a reinforced …

Yogi-Ing Purists, Trail Magic And Men In Skirts: An Analysis Of Appalachian Trail Culture, Shellie L. Andrews

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the motivations and experiences of those thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail in the 20th and 21st Century. A detailed analysis examines the influence of conservationism, urban development, and collective American values on trail culture. The analysis uses Susan Fast's methodology from her 2000 article, "Rethinking Issues of Gender and Sexuality in Led Zeppelin: A Woman's view of Pleasure and Power in Hard Rock," as a model. Personal experiences from hiking the A.T. in 2003 are analyzed in juxtaposition with other hiker's written accounts. The bulk of these journals come from the website TrailJournals.com.

The Appalachian Trail extends over …

Risk Reduction Decision Making In Women With Brca1/2 Gene Mutations, Heidi M. King

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With technological advances in testing for gene mutations, a new population of BRCA1/2 women is becoming aware of their increased risk for developing breast and/or ovarian cancer. A salient issue these women face is which risk-reducing option to choose. Little is known about the decision making factors underlying the choice of prophylactic mastectomy for women with a BRCA1/2 mutation. To address this issue, 137 unaffected, positive BRCA1/2 gene mutation carriers (42 who opted for prophylactic mastectomy, 95 who did not) served as participants. All women completed an on-line battery that assessed the following theory-based decision making variables: advantages and disadvantages …

Interagency Collaboration And Communication: Funders And Service Providers Working Together To Create A Management Service Organization, Beth E. Eschenfelder

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Charitable nonprofit organizations are growing in number and scope, but the body of literature and knowledge about communication within these organizations is limited. Today, charitable organizations face a flurry of economic and environmental factors that challenge their continued survival: growing community needs, mounting funding cuts from all segments of government, increased competition for funding, a limited pool of dedicated community leaders to serve on boards, decreased charitable giving for some causes, and persistent calls for greater accountability. As nonprofits explore new ways of coping with these socioeconomic pressures---such as reorganization, consolidation, mergers, and management service organizations---there is a clear need …

Cost/Effectiveness Analysis Of Obtaining Operational Estimates Of Reference Evapotranspiration, Peninsular Florida, Usa, Michael G. Kittridge

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study is to conduct a cost/effectiveness analysis of the computation of reference evapotranspiration (ETo) in the peninsular of Florida. A meteorological station on the Fort Meade Mine in Polk County, Florida was used to provide data for the calculation of ETo. Five ETo equations were tested to determine the accuracy and cost/effectiveness to the fully measured ASCE Penman-Monteith (Full ASCE-PM) equation on daily, monthly, and annually time steps. The ETo equations ranged in amounts of parameters from the Full ASCE-PM to the Hargreaves. The energy terms accounted for approximately 90% of the total ETo flux. Solar …

The Effects Of Decision-Making And Leadership Styles On Relationships And Perceived Effectiveness In The University Development Context, Rachael K. Van Loveren

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how employees' perceptions of leadership, decision-making, and relationships are associated with their perception of a development operations' effectiveness. Deans, development officers, central development staff, and unit development staff at the University of South Florida were surveyed via email. The results indicated that employees' perceptions of leadership, decision-making, and relationships are strongly related to their perceived job satisfaction, trust, commitment, and control mutuality and consequently their perception of the development operation's effectiveness.

Explaining Drinking Patterns And Heavy Drinking Among Racial And Ethnic Subgroups In The United States, Michael S. Caudy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The study of racial differences in the consumption of alcohol and the prevalence of alcohol-related problems has clearly matured in recent years. Researchers have moved away from single-factor explanations and are beginning to develop and test theories focusing on the complex interplay of psychological, historical, cultural, and social factors that describe and explain alcohol use among racial and ethnic subgroups in the United States. The current study continues this maturation process by further examining the complex interaction effects of predictor variables that have established their utility in explaining racial/ethnic subgroup differences in alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems. This study analyzes …

Improving Pediatric Cardiology Consultation Methods By Introducing Digital Interactive 3-D Heart Models: A Proof Of Concept Study, Adam Verigan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of a pediatric cardiology consultation is to inform, or educate, the patient and family of all aspects surrounding a certain congenital heart defect. Consultation education methods and materials may include verbal descriptions, two-dimensional (2-D) heart diagrams, and take-home pamphlets. Because the human heart is a complex three-dimensional (3-D) object, the problem lies within the clarity to which these methods are performed by the doctors and understood by the patients and families. Therefore, during a consultation the cardiologist must a) possess the ability to describe a defect visually as well as verbally and b) ensure that the patient and …

Parenting Style, Home-Based Involvement, And Educational Expectations Of Black Parents: Their Roles In The Development Of Pre-Literacy Readiness Of Black Children, Iravonia Rawls

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of parenting style, home-based involvement, parents’ educational expectations and pre-literacy readiness. Sixty-two preschool children and his or her parent or guardian participated in this study of: 1) The relationship between parenting style and pre-literacy readiness of Black children enrolled in Head Start programs; 2) The relationship between parents’ educational expectations of Black children enrolled in Head Start programs and preliteracy readiness; 3) The relationship between home-based involvement of Black parents and levels of pre-literacy readiness of their children enrolled in Head Start programs; and 4) The relationship between the predictor …

Prediction Of English And Spanish Early Literacy Skills Of English Language Learners In The Primary Grades, Giselle Sanchez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explored how language, emergent literacy, and reading skills in both English and Spanish develop with a group of English language learners (ELLs) (n = 267). Specifically, the researcher investigated what early language and literacy skills were the most important predictors of reading abilities as indicated by the Book Task in prekindergarten through first grade. Early language and literacy skills were assessed utilizing subtest from the Woodcock Language Proficiency Batter - Revised, the Woodcock Language Proficiency Battery - Revised - Spanish Form and the Phonological Awareness Task. Participants came from households where Spanish was one of the languages spoken. …

Wheelchair Positioning And Pulmonary Function In Children With Cerebral Palsy, Lee Barks

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: In children with cerebral palsy (CP), poor trunk control fosters spinal deformity, pulmonary compromise (Canet, et al., 1998), increased health risks, and costs of long-term care (Braddock, 2001). Evidence links posture and pulmonary function, but influence of wheelchair parameters on pulmonary mechanics is unknown.

Objectives: 1) Determine relative contribution of five wheelchair configuration parameters to improvement in pulmonary mechanics--total airway resistance (RAW), tidal volume, minute ventilation (MV), and deadspace to tidal volume ratio; 2) Describe recruitment and retention of school-aged children with CP; and 3) Discuss response of the participants to the protocol.

Method: This within-subjects, descriptive study employed …

The Relationships Among Pain, Dyspnea, Constipation And Quality Of Life In Lung Cancer Patients Enrolled In A Hospice Program, Lisa A. Laches

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is evidence of a relationship between pain and associated symptoms, specifically constipation and dyspnea, and quality of life. Literature supports that endstage lung cancer patients suffer more symptoms than those with other types of cancers, and the course of treatment is primarily palliative, as many of these diagnosed patients cannot be cured. The purpose of this secondary analysis of data was to evaluate the relationships between pain and other common symptoms in end stage lung cancer patients in hospice care, and the relationships among pain, dyspnea, constipation and quality of life. The study sample included fifty lung cancer patients …

Perceptions Of School Based Mental Health Services By Directors And Supervisors Of Student Services, Decia N. Dixon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Key stakeholders in schools must be educated about the importance of increasing access to mental health services in schools. School-based mental health services are designed to increase children's competence and help them meet the societal expectations of school success. The present study examined types of mental health services provided to students in school districts throughout Florida; the extent to which those services were provided to children and families; the beliefs of student services directors and supervisors regarding qualifications of school mental health service providers to provide mental health services; and their beliefs about the impact of mental health services on …

An Urban Model Of Applied Preservation, David Stewart Barksdale Butler

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research prioritized the identification and retention of African American cultural heritage in the face of dramatic landscape alteration associated with comprehensive redevelopment. As an approach aimed at providing the most comprehensive understanding of cultural phenomenon, the holistic tradition applied by anthropology asserts that it is productive to identify and apply as many sources of data toward engaging research as is possible. Consistent with this goal, this study applied several categories of data toward investigating material symbols of African American cultural heritage in Tampa, Florida. The holistic anthropological approach demonstrated the relevance and complementarity of research documenting cultural heritage and …

The Tip Of The Blade: Self-Injury Among Early Adolescents, Moya L. Alfonso

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study described self-injury within a general adolescent population. This study involved secondary analysis of data gathered using the middle school Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) from 1,748 sixth- and eighth-grade students in eight middle schools in a large, southeastern county in Florida. A substantial percentage of students surveyed (28.4%) had tried self-injury. The prevalence of having ever tried self-injury did not vary by race or ethnicity, grade, school attended, or age but did differ by gender. When controlling for all other variables in the multivariate model including suicide, having ever tried self-injury was associated with peer self-injury, inhalant use, …

“Girls Play With Dolls And Boys Play With Soldiers”: Examining Teachers And Parents' Gender Beliefs And The Gender Identity Of 8-10 Year Old Jamaican Boys, Christopher Carlyle Clarke

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This multi-case ethnographic study examined the gender beliefs of two teachers and 12 parents and the gender identity of thirty 8-10 year old boys in two primary schools in Jamaica. The study was conducted against the background of gross underachievement among Jamaican boys and the research literature pointing to gender socialization as a factor in the declining results and interest in academic studies. Through 10 weeks of observations, interviews and focus group discussions answers were sought for the following questions:

1. What beliefs do teachers hold about gender?

2. What beliefs do parents hold about gender?

3. What are boys' …

Alternative Targets For The Treatment Of Stroke, Craig T. Ajmo Jr.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Stroke is cerebrovascular injury that has been reported to be the third leading cause of death and the first leading cause of disability in the world (W. H.O. 2007). Currently, there is only one FDA approved treatment for stroke which is recombinant tissue plasminogen activator. This treatment has a narrow therapeutic window of three hours after ischemic stroke and can adversely cause the production of oxygen free radicals and intracranial hemorrhage. These limitations result in only 2-3% of all stroke victims as being candidates for this therapy as many patients do not arrive at the hospital in time to receive …

The Validation Of A Methodology For Assessing The Impact Of Hybrid Simulation Training In The Minimization Of Adverse Outcomes In Surgery, Peter J. Fabri

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Institute of Medicine report "To Err is Human," released in late 1999, raised the issue of human error in medicine to a new level of attention. This study examines the frequency, severity, and type (FST) of errors associated with postoperative surgical complications at a tertiary care, university-based medical center, addressing the intersection of three domains: patient safety, graduate medical education, and simulation-based training. The study develops and validates a classification system for medical error that is specific to surgery, affirming reliability internally and externally. Baseline data on the FST of errors is collected over a 12-month period. A hybrid, …

Effects Of A Body Image Manipulation On Smoking Motivation, Elena Nicole Lopez Khoury

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Smoking is now the leading cause of preventable death and disease in women. Understanding women's motivations to smoke is important in developing effective cessation and relapse prevention programs. Previous descriptive, correlational, and quasi-experimental research has established that weight concerns and negative body image are associated with tobacco smoking, cessation, and relapse, particularly among young women. This study, building upon a previous experimental study (Lopez, Drobes, Thompson, & Brandon, 2008), examined whether activation of negative body image cognitions would produce greater urges to smoke and would affect actual smoking behavior.

A randomized 2 X 2 crossed factorial, between-subjects design (body image …

The Effects Of Homophobia, Legislation, And Local Policies On Heterosexual Pupil Services Professionals' Likelihood Of Incorporating Gay Affirming Behaviors In Their Professional Work With Sexual Minority Youths In Public Schools, Lance Santoro Smith

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that non-judgmental, unbiased counseling (that includes an advocacy component) is effective in addressing the psycho-social needs of sexual minority youths--a population of students considered at-risk (Reynolds & Koski, 1994; Savin-Williams, 1994). The ability to provide such services is impeded if the clinician has not first come to terms with his or her own feelings and attitudes about homosexuality (Pederson, 1988). This study examined the attitudes and anticipated professional behaviors relevant to sexual minority youths of 309 pupil services professionals in the fields of school psychology, school social work, school nursing, and school counseling. Participants from two regions of …

Uncovering The Missing Link In Flexible Work Arrangement Utilization: An Individual Difference Perspective, Kristen M. Shockley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Changes in the workforce have led to in an increase in work-family conflict for many employed individuals. Fortunately, many organizations have recognized and responded to employees’ work-family issues through the implementation of family-friendly benefits, such as flexible work arrangements (FWA).

While offering family-friendly benefits is an important step in easing work-family conflicts, the mere availability of such initiatives may not be enough, as research shows that availability of benefits and utilization are only moderately correlated. These statistics highlight the presence of intermediating factors in the relationship between availability and utilization of family-friendly benefits. With this in mind, some researchers have …

A Maslovian Approach To The Motivations Of Shakespeare’S Transvestite Heroines In The Two Gentelmen Of Verona, As You Like It, And The Merchant Of Venice, Angela Eward-Mangione

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

"Motivation" is the force that drives an individual to perform a certain action. Abraham Maslow (1908-1970), an American psychologist profoundly influenced by the existential and teleological paradigms, expounded a motivation theory that remains precise and replicable, as well as applicable to other spheres of study, including the humanities. Indeed, psychology experts and non-specialists are by and large familiar with Maslow's Pyramid of Human Needs. Moreover, despite the abundance of literary criticism that utilizes Freudian-based theory to analyze the motivations of literary characters, critics have largely neglected the use of other paradigms, including Maslow's. In this thesis, I use Maslow's texts …

The Effects Of Ambiguous Appearance-Related Feedback On Body Image, Mood States, And Intentions To Use Body Changes Strategies In College Women, Sylvia Herbozo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has demonstrated the influential role of physical appearance-related feedback in the development of body image and eating disturbances. Teasing and negative feedback have been established as strong correlates and predictors of body dissatisfaction, maladaptive eating behaviors, and psychological distress. However, very little is known about ambiguous appearance-related feedback and its impact on others. The current study sought to explore this area with an experimental study to examine the effects of ambiguous appearance-related feedback on body image, mood states, and intentions to use body change strategies. Undergraduate women (N=146) were randomly assigned to an ambiguous appearance-related or ambiguous nonappearance-related …

The Relationship Between Parent Identified Sleep Problems, Internalizing Behaviors, Externalizing Behaviors, And Adaptive Functioning In A Pediatric Population, Kyle Marissa Popkave

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Pediatric sleep problems are among the most common pediatric health issues faced by families today. Sleep problems can have a deleterious impact on children's academics, behaviors, social-emotional development, health, and/or safety. Once sleep problems are identified and treated, many of the associated negative impacts can be ameliorated. The purpose of the current study was to examine prevalence rates of symptoms of sleep disorders in young children, and the relationship between these symptoms and various behavior problems. One hundred and four children, ages 2 to 5 years, attending a pediatric health clinic served as the participants in this study. Data on …

Bathymetric Alterations Due To Urbanization And Their Effects On Residual Salinity, Flow Field And Transport Time For Tampa Bay, Florida, Amanda J. Linville

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Growth and development over the past one hundred years has resulted in the construction of causeways and navigational channels in Tampa Bay. Urbanization has lead to bathymetric alterations of the bay, and thus has effectively changed the residual salinity, flow fields, and transport time in Tampa Bay. In this study a numerical ocean model of Tampa Bay was first used to simulate the circulation for 2001-2003 using present day bathymetry. Then, an identical simulation was performed using the bathymetry generated from 1879 depth soundings. The residual (30-day time average) circulation fields and salinity, along with transport times was intercompared for …

The Bioinorganic Chemistry Of Copper-Containing Systems: From Type-3 Systems Pertinent To Alzheimer’S Disease To Mononuclear Hydrolysis Involved In Biological Development, Giordano Faustini Zimmerer Da Silva

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although transition metals are essential for life, misregulation of redox-active metal uptake, delivery, storage, and excretion has been linked with a series of neurodegenerative disorders. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is considered an epidemic and is the most widespread of all forms of dementia. Copper ions found in large concentrations localized in amyloid-ß plaques in the brain of AD patients have been linked with the generation of reactive oxygen species which are suspected to be the culprits leading to neuronal cell death. Herein a series of mechanistic and spectroscopic studies elucidate the chemistry about the metal-centered oxidation of biomolecules, including catecholamine neurotransmitters …

The Historical Production Of Elemental Phosphorus In Pinellas County, Florida: An Environmental Assessment, Stephen D. Robinson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis was completed in order to assess and document the environmental effects that are the result of elemental phosphorus production in Pinellas County Florida. The study utilized a collection of information resources that included: personal interviews, technical references, historical documents, legal documents and field observations. By utilizing five different sources of information a broad understanding of the problem was developed.

Pinellas County and Tarpon Springs officials were interested in creating a more diversified economy in the years following World War-II. The Victor Chemical Works Company responded to the interest in economic diversity by proposing to build an elemental phosphorus …

Trauma-Based Priming And Attentional Bias To Smoking Cues: A Stroop Task Study, Pattie B. Sherman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Past research has highlighted the importance of better understanding the high rate of smoking among individuals exposed to trauma. However, few studies have investigated the cognitive mechanisms that may contribute to the smoking-trauma relationship. The primary goal of the present study was to examine the associative relationship between smoking and trauma at a cognitive level, by examining the extent to which trauma-relevant pictures primed attentional biases to smoking-related words on a modified Stroop task. Eighty trauma-exposed smokers (classified as having low, medium, or high levels of post trauma symptomatology) ink-named smoking-related and neutral words after being primed with trauma-related, positive, …

Two Essays On Venture Capital: What Drives The Underpricing Of Venture Capitalbacked Ipos And Do Venture Capitalists Provide Anything More Than Money?, Donald Flagg

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation includes two chapters that investigate the role venture capitalists (VCs) play in the underpricing and in the long-run performance of IPOs. The first chapter focuses on the underpricing of IPOs and attempts to determine the role that VCs play in this underpricing process. The evidence is consistent with a view that VCs agree to underpricing to ascertain benefits from both "grandstanding" and "spinning." The second chapter examines the long-run performance of IPOs and tries to determine the role that VCs play in the development of IPOs. Here, the evidence suggests that VC-backed IPOs appear to have better access …

Rock, Paper, Scissors, Josef Benson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rock, Paper, Scissors has developed into a story about Wren, a young man fresh out of the Navy, trying to make a name for himself in the world. Wren finds himself in Tampa, Florida because his oldest pal, Allen, has moved there, even though his younger sister has been diagnosed with leukemia back home. The problem is that Allen somewhere along the way has lost his mind. Wren finds out that Allen has recently been fired from a job as a server in a restaurant called the Bolognese, the same restaurant that Allen promised Wren a job. Wren decides to …