Digital Commons Network^™

Interrelationships Among Local Values Of Wet Bulb Globe Temperature, Heat Index, And Adjusted Temperature, Andrea Giraldo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Occupational heat stress significantly affects outdoor workers who face challenges due to increased heat exposure. Because of the prevalence of heat illness, it is important to measure heat stress for outdoor workers. Monitoring occupational heat stress most often relies on the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) measure. Heat Index (HI) is a widely used measure to account for air temperature and humidity. Adjusted Temperature (Tadj) considers air temperature, humidity and estimates radiant heat. There is interest in predicting WBGT from HI and HI from WBGT. This study builds on previous USF research by Bernard and Iheanacho and Irvin to evaluate …

Knowledge Integration In Domain-Informed Machine Learning And Multi-Scale Modeling Of Nonlinear Dynamics In Complex Systems, Phat K. Huynh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nonlinear dynamical systems have been extensively used to model various phenomena in the changing world around us, especially in science and engineering fields. Thanks to breakthrough advancements in sensing technologies, an increasingly high volume of multi-modal sensor data has been collected, which enables us gain better insights into complex systems dynamics and build sophisticated data-driven machine-learning-based dynamic models without having the access to the underlying governing equations. However, integrating domain-specific knowledge in machine learning algorithms remains pivotal for various reasons: it promises enhanced predictive accuracy, better model interpretability, and increased generalizability. This dissertation delves into three core research questions, each …

Evaluation Of Two Methods To Estimate Wet Bulb Globe Temperature From Heat Index, Stephi Pofanl

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) is a common method to evaluate environmental factors that contribute to occupational heat stress. The Heat Index (HI) is readily available as an alternative to exposure methods. They both assess the most important contributors that are air temperature and humidity. WBGT also includes radiant heat and air motion. To account for radiant heat and/or air motion, some investigators have suggested adjustments to HI. The purpose of this study is to explore two methods to estimate the usefulness of WBGT from HI.

WBGT data were collected in a variety of locations that included direct sun …

Healthcare Iot System And Network Design, Halil Ibrahim Deniz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The developing IoT concept offers many opportunities to service providers in the medical field. However, the functionality of the developed systems is increasing day by day, and it brings many different problems. One of the most important problems is the transmission of biomedical data of real-time monitoring systems to the medical server with the least delay. Network architectures are changing to meet the changing needs of densely connected devices, and “computing at the edge” is the new architectural approach emerging in IoT networks. This architecture is more dynamic than computation in the cloud because it enables data processing at each …

Functional Morphology And Taphonomy Of Ordovician–Silurian Diploporan Echinoderms, Stephen Ashley Hill

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Diploporan echinoderms were one of the most speciose groups of stemmed echinoderms during the Ordovician. Despite this widespread abundance, the fossil record of diploporan fauna consists primarily of incomplete specimens, with complete specimens being rare. While the theca, or body, is more commonly preserved, the feeding appendages and the attachment structures (i.e. stems or holdfasts) are seldomly preserved. Insight into these features is highly valuable to the understanding the paleoecology, like the feeding and respiratory strategies, of these enigmatic creatures.

One group of diploporan echinoderms which does have an extensive fossil record, is the Holocystites Fauna, primarily known from the …

Crosswalking Wet Bulb Globe Temperature And Heat Index, Paul Irvin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) is a common metric to represent the environmental conditions in the assessment of heat stress. Because WBGT requires some technical expertise and sufficiently accurate equipment, there is interest in using heat index (HI) as a substitute index for the environment. Because the underlying science for understanding heat stress exposures does not exist for HI, it is necessary to crosswalk between HI and a data-driven exposure method. Expanding upon previous research, the focus of this study is the exploration of the interrelationships between WBGT and HI. The simulated weather data of Morris et. al. (2019) served …

Role Of Nhe3 In The Intestine And Thick Ascending Limb Of The Kidneys, Jianxiang Xue

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The sodium-hydrogen exchanger isoform 3 (NHE3, SLC9A3) mediates most Na+/H+ exchange in the gastrointestinal tract and the kidney, where it plays crucial roles in Na+ and fluid absorption as well as acid-base homeostasis. Whole body NHE3 knockout (NHE3-/-) mice show overt absorptive defects in both the intestine and kidneys. Genetic mutations of NHE3 gene in humans are associated with congenital sodium diarrhea (CSD). In the kidneys, NHE3 is expressed in the proximal tubule (PT) and the thick ascending limb (TAL). Whole kidney-specific (PT and TAL) NHE3 knockout (NHE3Pax8cre) mice and PT-specific NHE3 knockout (PT-NHE3-/-) mice have shown the importance of …

Hyperoxia-Induced Cardiac Pathophysiology In Guinea Pig Hearts, Zain Ul Abidin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hyperoxia, is regularly introduced to critically ill patients in ICU. Nevertheless, recent studies have shown the negative effects of this treatment on patients in critical care, including increased rates of lung and cardiac injury and thereby high in-hospital mortality. Large part of the literature related to hyperoxia was majorly focused on lung injury, with no or minimal investigations on cardiac injury. Our lab is the first to investigate the effect of hyperoxia on cardiac pathophysiology in mice and showed that mice exposed to hyperoxia for 3 days demonstrated brady-arrhythmia, cardiac hypertrophy, QTc prolongation along with other electrical remodeling and functional …

Activity-Dependent Regulation Of Extracellular Ube3a In A Novel Angelman Syndrome Rat Model, Andie Dodge

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Angelman Syndrome (AS) is a rare genetic and neurologic disorder affecting approximately 1 in every 15,000 people. This disorder is characterized by seizures, absence of speech, motor and cognitive deficits, ataxia, and notably an abnormal happy demeanor with frequent smiling and laughter. A neuron-specific loss of function of the maternal allele of UBE3A, encoding for an E3 ubiquitin ligase, leads to the manifestation of AS. There are currently no cures for AS and few therapeutic options to abate symptoms. Although much investigation is required, research using the null mutation AS mouse model suggests a plausible case for pharmacological intervention.

Major …

Quantifying The Impact Of Chronic Stress On Racial Disparities In Cardiovascular Disease, Nnadozie Emechebe

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: Despite declining mortality in cardiovascular diseases (CVD), racial disparities between non-Hispanic Blacks (NHB) and to non-Hispanic Whites (NHW) persist. Although the prevalence of traditional risk factors of CVD such as hypertension, is higher in NHB compared to NHW, adjusting for this difference does not eliminate the disparity completely. This suggests other factors might explain the persisting disparities. Thus, the purpose of this dissertation is to quantify the impact of chronic stress in explaining the racial disparities in cardiovascular diseases (CVD). This dissertation contains three studies that addressed the following Specific Aims: Specific aims: 1) To create and assess the …

Nurses And Needlesticks: Perceptions Of Stigma And Hiv Risk, Bethany Sharon Moore

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Health-care providers (HCPs) are vulnerable to occupational health hazards, including dirty needle-stick injuries (DNSIs), which increase the risk for infection with HIV and other blood-borne pathogens. This study examines the perceptions of nurses and nurse practitioners who work in various health care settings regarding HIV-risk and DNSIs, in order to ascertain how these perceptions inform their decision-making regarding their health and nursing practice. I utilize a phenomenological approach to analyze the lived reality and embodiment of the DNSI experience by HCPs. The study explores the personal and institutional level factors that may influence the timely reporting and treatment of DNSIs, …

Leaders Who Learn: The Intersection Of Behavioral Science, Adult Learning And Leadership, Natalya I. Sabga

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines if a relationship exists among three rich research streams, specifically the behavioral science of motivation, adult learning and leadership. What motivates adult professionals to continue learning and how is that connected to their style and efficacy as leaders? An extension of literature to connect Andragogy, Self-determination and Transformational Leadership Theory is explored. Responses to questions adapted from the Carré Model of Adult Orientation and Implication on Learning and Training Activities (Carré, 1997) and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (Avolio & Bass, 2000) are compared among a sample of adult professionals in leadership positions. Results indicate that learning motivation …

Differential Association Of Vitronectin And Fibronectin With Glass And Electrospun Fibers Of A Poly (D-Lysine) /Poly (Acrylic Acid), Syed Muhammad Sohaib Zafar Zafar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Proteins represent major constituent of the extracellular matrix which plays an important role in the formation, maintenance and remodeling of tissues, this project focuses on adsorption of two specific serum proteins fibronectin (FN) and vitronectin (VTN) responsible for mediating cell matrix interaction through integrin binding, tripeptide Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) sequence found in these protein features are recognized by αβV₃ integrin which ultimately helps in clot formation.

Design, Synthesis And Screening Of Peptidomimetics For Anticancer And Antiviral Drug Candidates, Yi Liang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The high demand of novel peptide and peptidomimetics based on the amount of genomic and proteomic data need be matched by synthesis and screening. The design and synthesis of peptide and peptidomimetics are so important because the peptide and protein-protein interaction play a key role in molecule recognition and signaling. The modified peptides have better stability and pharmacokinetic properties which may be guided by rational design and molecular modeling. Now many organic and medicinal chemists have chosen peptide and peptidomimetics as potential drug candidates for many targets.

In this dissertation, research efforts in design and synthesis of cyclic peptides with …

On The Selection Of Just-In-Time Interventions, Luis Gabriel Jaimes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A deeper understanding of human physiology, combined with improvements in sensing technologies, is fulfilling the vision of affective computing, where applications monitor and react to changes in affect. Further, the proliferation of commodity mobile devices is extending these applications into the natural environment, where they become a pervasive part of our daily lives. This work examines one such pervasive affective computing application with significant implications for long-term health and quality of life adaptive just-in-time interventions (AJITIs). We discuss fundamental components needed to design AJITIs based for one kind of affective data, namely stress. Chronic stress has significant long-term behavioral and …

The Detection And Quantitative Analysis Of Endocannabinoids And Endogenous Fatty Acid Amides In Apis Mellifera And Tribolium Castaneum, Perry Robert Mitchell Jr.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Endocannabinoids, and the fatty acid amides from which they are a member, have garnered greater scientific interest in the last two decades due to the cannabimimetic properties of these endogenous molecules. The most well-known of these is Anandamide, which has thus far been discovered in several species of animal ranging from C. elegans, fruit flies, to bovine and humans. Because of the importance and increasing impact of these compounds a brief overview is first presented herein, with a major focus on the N-acyldopamines due to the direct impact they potentially pose to human physiology.

Secondly, the detection and …

Weakness Of Will: An Inquiry On Value, Michael Funke

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

One dominant scientific view holds that willpower is a type of muscle which can be weakened through use in the short term and strengthened through use over time. However, evidence from neuroscience, social psychology and behavioral economics suggest that willpower is regional, subverted through desire and strengthened by strategy--these are features a muscular account would not predict. It is better to think about willpower as a skill with a physiological component. Willpower strategies extend the brute effort of self-control through the use of reason and have the practical effect of increasing self-regulation. Willpower is "worth wanting" because there is a …

Enhanced Magnetoimpedance And Microwave Absorption Responses Of Soft Ferromagnetic Materials For Biodetection And Energy Sensing, Jagannath Devkota

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A combination of magnetic sensors with magnetic nanoparticles offers a promising approach for highly sensitive, simple, and rapid detection of cancer cells and biomolecules. The challenge facing the field of magnetic biosensing is the development of low-cost devices capable of superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID)-like field sensitivity at room temperature. In another area of interest, improving the sensitivity of existing electromagnetic field sensors for microwave energy sensing applications is an important and challenging task. In this dissertation, we have explored the excellent magnetoimpedance and microwave absorption responses of soft ferromagnetic amorphous ribbons and microwires for the development of high-performance magnetic …

Can Anyone With Low Income Be Food Secure?: Mitigating Food Insecurity Among Low Income Households With Children In The Tampa Bay Area, Edgar Allan Amador

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the US over the last few years, approximately 14.5% of households experience food insecurity at some point throughout the year. While studies on food insecurity in the US have determined that household income and specifically income available to spend on food is of critical importance to food security, it is still unclear why some households with low income are able to maintain food security while others experience food insecurity in a pattern characterized as not constant but recurrent. This dissertation compares households with children at different levels of food security and insecurity using the USDA Core Food Security Module …

Can The Usa National Weather Service Heat Index Substitute For Wet Bulb Globe Temperature For Heat Stress Exposure Assessment?, Ivory Iheanacho

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Heat stress occurs when the body cannot adequately cool itself due to the combined contributions of metabolic heat, environmental factors and clothing. Heat stress found in the workplace puts employees at risk of developing heat-related illnesses, disorders and could be fatal. The wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) index is the current method used to assess environmental contributions to heat stress in an occupational setting. The purpose of this thesis was to explore whether the National Weather Service's Heat Index (HI) could substitute for the WBGT Index during occupational heat stress exposure assessment. The possibility of using the HI for heat …

Design, Simulation, Prototype, And Testing Of A Notched Blade Energy Generation System, Henry Cabra

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation addresses the design, simulation, prototype, and test of a new energy generation system, which transforms rotational motion into electricity by the use of an innovative turbine-generator. The system is divided in two assembled subsystems that interact to finally transform kinetic energy into electricity. The first subsystem is a miniaturized notched impulse turbine system, and the second one is a millimeter permanent magnet generator (PMG) assembled into the turbine.

The conversion of biomechanical energy to electric energy, using clean and free energy produced by a living organism, is being increasingly researched [1]-[11]. These are all viable options, but advantages …

Classification Models In Clinical Decision Making, Eleazar Gil-Herrera

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, we present a collection of manuscripts describing the development of prognostic models designed to assist clinical decision making. This work is motivated by limitations of commonly used techniques to produce accessible prognostic models with easily interpretable and clinically credible results. Such limitations hinder prognostic model widespread utilization in medical practice.

Our methodology is based on Rough Set Theory (RST) as a mathematical tool for clinical data anal- ysis. We focus on developing rule-based prognostic models for end-of life care decision making in an effort to improve the hospice referral process. The development of the prognostic models is …

Applications Of Agent Based Approaches In Business: A Three Essay Dissertation, Shankar Prawesh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this dissertation is to investigate the enabling role that agent based simulation plays in business and policy. The aforementioned issue has been addressed in this dissertation through three distinct, but related essays. The first essay is a literature review of different research applications of agent based simulation in various business disciplines, such as finance, economics, information systems, management, marketing and accounting. Various agent based simulation tools to develop computational models are discussed. The second essay uses an agent-based simulation approach to study important properties of the widely used most popular news recommender systems (NRS). This essay highlights …

Biomechanics Of Patient Handling Slings Associated With Spinal Cord Injuries, Julie Kahn

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Pressure ulcers and related skin integrity threats are a significant problem in current transfer/transport systems used for spinal cord injury patients. To understand this problem twenty-three different slings with varying type, material, and features were analyzed in hopes to identify at-risk areas for skin integrity threats such as pressure ulcers. Population samples included non-disabled (otherwise referred to as "healthy") volunteers as well as SCI patients from the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital. High resolution pressure interface mapping was utilized to directly measure the interface pressures between the patient and sling interface. Overall results provide relevant feedback on the systems used …

Improving The Throughput And Reliability Of Wireless Sensor Networks With Application To Wireless Body Area Networks, Gabriel Arrobo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation will present several novel techniques that use cooperation and diversity to improve the performance of multihop Wireless Sensor Networks, as measured by throughput, delay, and reliability, beyond what is achievable with conventional error control technology.

We will investigate the applicability of these new technologies to Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs) an important emerging class of wireless sensor networks. WBANs, which promise significant improvement in the reliability of monitoring and treating people's health, comprise a number of sensors and actuators that may either be implanted in vivo or mounted on the surface of the human body, and which are …

Martian Modules: Design Of A Programmable Martian Settlement, Craig A. Trover

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The evolution of human beings is marked

by adaptation. The ability to adapt to and

manipulate our environment is one definer of

intelligence, and ours is unique among life

on Earth. Since moving off of the African

Continent, humans have migrated to inhabit

every part of the Earth. Human existence

and perpetuity in the universe depends upon

the success of this adaptation, and inevitably,

migrating off of this planet. The technological

advances being developed today will change

our way of life, and enable people to travel to

and live permanently on the Moon and Mars.

This study involves the architectural …

Active And Passive Microwave Radiometry For Transcutaneous Measurements Of Temperature And Oxygen Saturation, Thomas A. Ricard

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this work we explore two novel uses of microwave technology in biomedical applications. Introductory material on the electrical properties of biological tissues is presented to form the groundwork for the basic theory behind both techniques.

First, we develop a technique that uses 60 GHz signals to detect changes in blood oxidation levels. Several atmospheric propagation models are adapted to predict oxygen resonance spectra near this frequency. We are able to predict and observe the changes in these levels as the blood ages up to 48 hours. Identical testing procedures performed using arterial blood gas (ABG) calibration samples with controlled …

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, …

A New Questionnaire To Determine The Frequency And Severity Of Symptoms Caused By Inhaled Odors, Chemicals And Irritants In Normal Subjects And Their Relation To Health-Related Quality Of Life, Stephen E. Williamson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Individuals may develop symptoms in response to inhaled odors, chemicals, and irritants. This may affect their quality of life. Little is known about the prevalence and severity of symptoms that result from exposure to odors, chemicals and irritants. This study demonstrates the development of a new respiratory questionnaire to detect the prevalence and severity of symptoms experienced upon exposure to chemicals, odors, and irritants, and relates these symptoms to quality of life. This questionnaire was submitted to 96 volunteers at the University of South Florida College of Public Health who responded to items regarding symptoms developed in response to exposure …

A Descriptive Study Of Students’ Perspectives On Controversial Issues Embedded In A College Environmental Science Course, Chyrisse P. Tabone

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study described non-science undergraduate majors' responses to controversial issues embedded in an introductory level environmental science course in a liberal arts college located in the southeastern United States. Participants enrolled in this 12-week summer course were both traditional college-age (late teens to early twenties) and non-traditional age student (thirties to fifties). Approximately 76 percent were female. Students demonstrated various lifestyles (e.g., gay, single-parent, living at home), socioeconomic statuses (e.g., middle-income, low income), employment (e.g., employed, unemployed, ex-military) and ethnicities. The structure of the environmental science course was consistent with the science education reform movement standards applied to K-12 …