Digital Commons Network^™

Credibility Perceptions Of Television And Online News, Charmy G. Sabigan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Three major factors influence audience's credibility perception of mediated news on television and on the internet. This study found that reporters' credibility, media credibility, and news credibility had direct influence to the credibility of news presented on both media. Reporters' credibility on both media could be measured by their expertise, intelligence, education, trustworthiness, and authoritativeness. Television and the internet were evaluated differently. Television was measured by its comprehensiveness, concern for the interest of the public, and fairness. The internet was assessed on its trustworthiness, consideration of public interest, and objectivity. News credibility for both media, however, could be evaluated using …

Generation And Characterization Of An Attenuated Mutant In A Response-Regulator Gene Of Francisella Tularensis Live Vaccine Strain (Lvs), Wendy L. Sammons

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Francisella tularensis is a zoonotic bacterium that must exist in diverse environments ranging from arthropod vectors to mammalian hosts. To better understand how genes are regulated in these different environments, a transcriptional response- regulator gene (genome locus FTL0552) was deleted in F. tularensis live vaccine strain (LVS). The FTL0552 deletion mutant exhibited slightly reduced rates of extracellular growth but was unable to replicate or survive in mouse macrophages and was avirulent in the mouse model using either BALB/c or C57BL/6 mice. Mice infected with the FTL0552 mutant produced reduced levels of inflammatory cytokines, exhibited reduced histopathology and cleared the bacteria …

An Experimental Analysis Of Activist Message Strategy Effect On Receiver Variables, Andrea Schuch

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Utilizing communication and activist organization perspectives, this empirical study examined activist message strategies and how they influence variables related to the receiver of activist communication. Specifically, J.E. Grunig's (1997) situational theory of publics and Fishbein and Ajzen's (1975) theory of reasoned action were used to explain the communication effects of the seven activist message strategies developed from Hazleton and Long's (1988) public relations process model. The findings of this study support the premise of situational theory of publics and contribute to the extension of the theory through the inclusion of goal compatibility as a predictor of information seeking behavior and …

Cellular Electrofusion Utilizing Corona Fields And Dc Pulse Technology, Joshua Stein

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cell fusion is an important technique that is used in the field of medicine and biomedical research. For instance, fusion can be used to create hybridomas and novel types of secretory hybrid cells. It may also be used to engineer cultured insulin-secreting pancreatic B-cell lines for the treatment of diabetes. Historically, the applications listed above have been accomplished by a number of methodologies including dielectrophoresis, centrifugation, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and viral fusion proteins. However, these approaches often fail to produce the desired results due to poor cell viability, lack of 1:1 fusion, and use of non-physiological environments. It is proposed …

Technology And Older Faculty: A Descriptive Study Of Older Florida Community College Faculty, Christopher D. Van Der Kaay

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Institutions of higher learning across the United States are experiencing an aging faculty population. A significant proportion of college and university faculty are over 55, a growth expected to continue in future years. Parallel to this growth and change has been an expanding use of technology in higher education. Despite this trend and potential implications, few studies have provided in-depth insight into older faculty and technology. The study used a quantitative descriptive design to provide a comprehensive look at older community college faculty and various aspects of technology. Areas examined included older faculty's perceptions of technology, their attitudes toward institutional …

Immunomodulatory Role Of Flagellin In Antigen-Presenting Cells, Ildefonso Vicente-Suarez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) expressed by cells of the immune system play a central role in the generation of immune responses against pathogens. Following TLR ligation, both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators are produced in order to elicit an immune response that controls the microbial infection while limiting tissue damage. Among these mediators, the proinflammatory cytokine IL-12 and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 are known to play major roles. Here, we show that in vitro or in vivo stimulation with flagellin, the TLR5 ligand, does not result in IL-10 production. Furthermore flagellin inhibits IL-10 production by other specific TLR ligands at the protein …

Hospitalizations Associated With Pneumococcal Infection Within The Medicare Population Among Vaccinated And Non-Vaccinated Patients, Silky Fanyelle Webb

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Streptococcus pneumoniae is the primary causative agent of pneumonia in older adults. Vaccination is the only tool to protect against pneumococcal infection; however, vaccination rates remain far below the Healthy People 2010 objective of 90% coverage. The number one reason for such low rates is attributed to controversy over the protective efficacy of the vaccine in preventing nonbacteremic pneumonia (eg, community-acquired pneumonia [CAP]). OBJECTIVES: The primary objectives of this study were to assess the incidence of pneumonia, pneumonia requiring hospitalization, and pneumonia hospitalization costs. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study of Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years in 2003, subjects …

The Influence Of Masculinity Ideology On High-Risk Sexual Behavior Among Men Who Have Sex With Men, Christopher Wheldon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Epidemiologic evidence shows that the incidence of HIV among men who have sex with men (MSM) is on the rise. high-risk sexual behaviors are the primary mode of transmission and are responsible for increased rates of infection. a growing body of evidence suggests that endorsement of normative beliefs and values regarding manhood and masculinity, or masculinity ideology, may help to explain certain high-risk sexual behaviors. this study investigated the associations between a measure of masculinity ideology and sexual risk taking among a sample of MSM. in addition, indirect pathways in which masculinity ideology may lead to sexual risk taking were …

Evaluating The Effects Of A Reinforcement System For Students Participating In The Fast Forword Language Program, Catherine C. Wilcox

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A computer-assisted language intervention program called Fast ForWord(R) (Scientific Learning Corporation, 1998) has received a great deal of attention over the past few years. The Scientific Learning Corporation claims that the use of Fast ForWord will improve students' language, reading and learning skills, leading to improved communication skills and increased self-esteem in and out of the classroom. Researchers have explored the effects of Fast ForWord training on reading and spoken language. However, little research has examined the effects on student's reading level and FFW scores when a reinforcement system is used in conjunction with FFW. This study was conducted in …

Secondary World History Teachers’ Integration Of Technology Into The Classroom: A Mixed-Method Approach, Shelli A. Whitworth

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the social studies classroom, using technology, students may gain access to expansive knowledge, broaden their exposure to diverse people and perspectives, and engage in critical thinking activities necessary for citizenship education (Berson, 1996; Berson & Balyta, 2004; Berson & Berson, 2003; Bolick, McGlinn, & Siko, 2005; NCSS, 1994, 2006; Risinger, 1996; Whitworth & Berson, 2003). 21st Century Skills are valuable for students as they examine vast amounts of content relating to historical events, figures, societies, technological growth and examine the relationship of the content to today's global interactions. Research indicates that there remains a call for documentation of exemplary …

It Takes More Than Sun, Sea And Sand: The Case Of Tourism In The Tampa Bay Region, Circa 1970-2000, Joshua Wolf

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Coastal counties in the United States have placed a new emphasis on tourism related employment. The shift away from normal maritime work, such as fishing and import/export shipping has ushered in an era of service-oriented economies and communities scattered along the US coast lines. This trend which is associated with the transition from Fordism to post-Fordism can be seen most prevalently in Florida's Tampa Bay region. The counties that make up Tampa Bay include Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, and Sarasota.The lure of sandy beaches and blue seas are the obvious tourist draws to any tropical locale, including the …

A Surviving Legacy: Nonviolent Resistance In The Congresssional Black Caucus 2001-2007, Rhone Sebastian Fraser

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Select members of the Congressional Black Caucus through their votes, speeches, arrests and nonviolent forms of protest practice a renewed kind of nonviolent resistance against a neoconservative political agenda advanced by the executive branch of the U.S. government in the past six years. Their practices are nonviolent according to the definition of nonviolence discussed by Martin Luther King, Jr. in his 1962 New York Times Magazine article: "we will take direct action against injustice without waiting for other agencies to act...We will try to persuade with our words---but if our words fail we will try to persuade with our acts." …

Transport Characteristics Using Nor- Dihydroguaiaretic Acid (Ndga)- Polymerized Collagen Fibers As A Local Drug Delivery System, Eric Guegan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Dexamethasone and dexamethasone 21-phosphate were loaded into NDGA-polymerized collagen fibers and release rate studies were performed to calculate their diffusion coefficients. Dexamethasone loaded fibers were placed in a PBS solution for specified time intervals (1, 3, 6, 7, 12, 24, 30, and 48 hours) after which the eluant was removed and analyzed by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). CZE is a tool that can be utilized for quantitative analysis of chemical compounds. This data was incorporated into mathematical models to determine the diffusion coefficient. The diffusion coefficient (D) for dexamethasone in NDGA-polymerized collagen fibers is D = 1.86 x 10^{-14 …}

The Role Of Poly (Adp-Ribose) Polymerase-1 Inhibitors: Prevention Of Non Glutathione-Dependent Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Hepatotoxic, Paul Christopher Grivas

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is a hepatotoxicant known to elevate alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and other liver enzyme levels, and cause lipid peroxidation, as well as centrilobular necrosis. A number of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors were administered via intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections to male ICR mice as cotreatments at various time intervals relative to the CCl4. Aminophylline, a water soluble complex consisting of two molecules of theophylline bridged by ethylene diamine, was administered one-half hour, one hour and two hours after CCl4. The levels of ALT in the serum, as well as malondialdehyde and its equivalent markers of oxidative damage in the …

Development Of Biocompatible Multi-Drug Conjugated Nanoparticles/Smart Polymer Films For Biomedicinal Applications, Kerriann R. Greenhalgh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

It has been reported by the American Burn Association that 4,000 people die every year due to burn injury. After survival of the initial trauma, the next major obstacle that must be overcome is combating bacterial infection, the primary cause of mortality for burn victims (Chapter 1). The polyacrylate nanoparticle drug delivery system was created to provide a water-based solution for delivery of highly lipophilic antimicrobials; such as N-thiolated β-lactams, however, with the success of this system for these antimicrobials, it was extended towards other, commercially-available water-soluble antimicrobials through acrylation of the drug monomers, including those with observed bacterial resistance …

Development Of A Method To Determine Vapor Pressure Data Of Low Volatile Chemicals From A Knudsen Effusion Technique, Andrew R. Harshman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Vapor pressure data are vital to understanding impacts that substances, specifically pesticides, may exert on the environment. They enter into atmospheric deposition models for such chemicals which determine the fate and transport of these species in the environment. At normal application temperatures (i.e. room temperature) the vapor pressures of many of these chemicals are too low to be determined by conventional means. An isothermal Knudsen effusion technique was designed and developed in our laboratory for such measurements. The effusion mass as a function of time is measured in our technique using a thickness shear mode (TSM) acoustic wave sensor, which …

Exploring Childcare Professionals' Pedagogical Choice When Guiding Children's Social And Behavioral Development, Mary E. Harper

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

To date the research in the area of social emotional competence has focused on child-based intervention and outcomes. The findings cite effective approaches to assisting children in the area of social and emotional development involving promotion of appropriate social skills, explicit instruction of behavioral expectations, and support for emotional literacy and awareness (Wester --

Stratton, 1990; Hyson, 2004; Fox et al, 2003; Denham & Burton, 1996). These recommended practices requires teacher knowledge and skill, content knowledge in the area of social emotional developmental, and skills in using pedagogical techniques that support acquisition of the aforementioned areas. Educational researchers and specialists …

Attitudinal Factors Related To Driving Behaviors Of Young Adults In Belize: An Application Of The Precaution Adoption Process Model, Ismael A. Hoare

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Young adults' risk-taking attitudes, risk perception, and knowledge of road laws and signs influence their driving behaviors. The adoption of risky driving behaviors increases young adults' risk of motor vehicle crashes. The purpose of this study was to increase the understanding of the factors that lead to increased risks of MVC-related mortality and morbidity for young adults in Belize, to provide support for the development of evidence-based programs, and, more importantly, to investigate the relationships involving young adults' risk-taking attitudes, risk perception, and knowledge of road laws and signs and their relation to driving behaviors. The Precaution Adoption Process Model …

Antibody Targeting Of Non Ionic Surfactant Vesicles To Vascular Inflammation, Elizabeth D. Hood

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and particularly atherosclerosis is a leading cause of morbidity in the developed world. Atherosclerosis and the rupture of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque cause 70% of deaths from CVD. The progression of atherosclerosis has been identified as a pathological inflammatory process. Targeting atherosclerotic drug therapies to inflammatory markers has emerged as an important and growing research area. The adhesion molecule CD44 has been implicated in the onset and build-up of atherosclerotic lesions throughout the course of development. The research in this dissertation is aimed at targeting anti-inflammatory therapy to activated vascular endothelium with directed with an anti-CD44 antibody, IM7, …

High-Stakes Testing In Florida: Media Portrayals And Parental Realities, Jennifer Gilroy Hunsecker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In 1998, Florida implemented a system of standardized testing known as the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). While initially designed as one among many tools to assess student and school progress, the FCAT has become a high-stakes test. Schools whose students fail to meet certain benchmarks are in danger of losing their students to "school choice plans" (which enable parents of children attending failing schools to choose another, more highly rated school) while parents must contend with ever broadening educational policies. The implications of this policy have been far reaching. Textbook makers now market individualized textbooks that teach FCAT content, …

Raman Spectroscopy Of Inas/Gaas Quantum Dots Patterned By Nano-Indentation, Lindsay K. Hussey

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Patterns of InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) grown by the combination of nanoindentation technique and molecular beam epitaxy were studied. The resulting QDs tend to preferentially nucleate on indented areas rather than other regions. We studied the strain on the indentations, regions surrounding the indents, and non-indented areas. The QD LO mode for the patterned areas shifts by 7 cm-1 when compared to the non-patterned area. The biaxial strain in the indented areas producing this shift is four times larger than that in non-indented areas, explaining the QD preferential formation within these areas. This larger strain suggests that QDs on the …

The Development Of Leadership Skills Through Diversity Of Student Organizational Leadership, Daniel M. Jenkins

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The steady increase of racial and ethnic diversity in public universities has provided student leaders with many challenges. However, little is known about the effects of racial and ethnic diversity on the development of these student leaders. This study aims to evaluate the effects of racial and ethnic diversity in college student organizations on the development of student leaders and the perceived value of such diversity on their development. The sample consists of 833 student leaders from Florida's ten public universities who completed online surveys. The questions asked were designed to evaluate their past and present leadership roles and skills, …

Public Relations Practices In Puerto Rico: An Exploratory Qualitative Study, Delia R. Jourde

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This explorative study is a qualitative assessment of culture as a critical aspect of public relations practice in Puerto Rico. Reviewing definitions of culture, Hofstede's dimensions of cultural values, the Excellence Theory, and international case studies, this study sought to answer the following research questions: What national cultural traits have an impact on the practice of public relations in Puerto Rico? Do Puerto Rican practitioners feel their own cultural characteristics have an impact on their practice of public relations? Does the cultural diversity of Puerto Rico have an impact on public relations practice in that country? Does the country's strong …

Optimization Of Anti-Abeta Antibody Therapy, Rachel Anne Karlnoski

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, a disease that gradually destroys brain cells and leads to progressive decline in mental function. The presence of high densities of neuritic plaques composed of Abeta in the cerebral cortices is a criterion for the post-mortem diagnosis of AD. The view that Abeta deposition drives the pathogenesis of AD (amyloid hypothesis) has received support from a wide range of molecular, genetic, and animal studies. This hypothesis has been the focus of therapeutic intervention leading to the development of anti-Abeta immunotherapy as a potential treatment. There is a great deal of …

Technology In Low Socio-Economic K-12 Schools: Examining Student Access And Implementation, Katherine J. Kemker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Over the past twenty years, there has been an enormous financial investment in technology for K-12 schools to help bridge the digital divide between high and low socioeconomic (SES) students. These investments have included hardware, software, professional development, and research studies on the effectiveness of technology in the classroom. This dissertation explored the essential conditions for the integration of technology, access, student-centered learning environment, and teacher use in the curriculum. Florida's elementary schools were divided into quartiles based on free and reduced lunch to investigate differences between the top quartile of high SES schools (n=400) and the lower quartile of …

Source Credibility And Public Information Campaigns: The Effect Of Audience Evaluations Of Organizational Sponsors On Message Acceptance, Deena G. Kemp

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study establishes a link between research on organizational source credibility and the effects of public information campaigns. Research has established that source credibility is one factor audiences evaluate when responding to messages and that credible information sources enhance message acceptance, while untrustworthy sources can interfere with desired message effects. Although source credibility studies have typically focused on the person delivering a message, recent studies indicate that audience perceptions of the organization sponsoring a message has a direct effect on message acceptance as well. Additionally, a few studies indicate that non-profit sources of health information are viewed as more credible, …

Rkem Implementation For Strain Gradient Theory In Multiple Dimensions, Abhishek Kumar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Reproducing Kernel Element Method (RKEM) implementation of the Fleck-Hutchinson phenomenological strain gradient theory in 1D, 2D and 3D is implemented in this research. Fleck-Hutchinson theory fits within the framework of Touplin- Mindlin theories and deals with first order strain gradients and associated work conjugate higher-order stress. Theories at the intrinsic or material length scales find applications in size dependent phenomena. In elasticity, length scale enters the constitutive equation through the elastic strain energy function which depends on both strain as well as the gradient of rotation and stress. The displacement formulation of the Touplin Mindlin theory involve diffrential equations …

Sol-Gel Immobilized Cyano-Polydimethylsiloxane And Short Chain Polyethylene Glycol Coatings For Capillary Microextraction Coupled To Gas Chromatography, Sameer M. Kulkarni

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Two highly polar sol-gel coatings were developed for capillary microextraction (CME). One of the coatings contained cyanopropyl-polydimethylsiloxane (CN-PDMS) and the other low molecular weight polyethylene glycol. These highly polar coatings were immobilized via sol-gel chemistry allowing for direct chemical bonding to the inner surface of fused silica capillaries. These sol-gel coated microextraction capillaries were employed in CME for solvent-free microextraction and preconcentration of trace analytes (polar, moderately polar, and nonpolar) from aqueous matrices. CN-PDMS and short chain PEG extraction phases exhibit both polar and polarizable characteristics. Therefore, both sol-gel CN-PDMS and short chain sol-gel PEG coatings were able to extract …

Literatura, Lenguaje Y “Realidad”: La Relación Entre La Literatura Y Sus Referentes Socio Históricos Según Rayuela Y Tres Tristes Tigres, Erin N. Laureano

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study is to examine the theme of literature in Rayuela (Julio Cortázar, 1963) and Tres tristes tigres (Guillermo Cabrera Infante, 1967), taking into account the importance of this theme within the socio-historical and intellectual context of 1960's Latin America, an era characterized not only by the triumph of the Cuban Revolution in the political field, but also the height of poststructuralist literary theory, which arrives in Latin America via Europe. As we will see, the convergence of these two historical and literary moments implies the co-existence in Latin America of a call for a politicized …

Practical Vibration Evaluation And Early Warning Of Damage In Post-Tensioned Tendons, Jaime Lopez-Sabando

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Severe corrosion damage and even complete failure was recently discovered in external post-tensioned (PT) tendons of three Florida's pre-cast, segmental bridges over seawater. A key deterioration factor was the formation of large bleed water grout voids at or near the anchorages. Steel corrosion may occur at the grout-void interface or in the air space of the void itself. Since the tendons are critical to the structural integrity of the bridges, reliable and non-intrusive damage detection methods are desirable to manage or prevent future occurrences. In recent years several indirect non-destructive methods have been developed or improved to evaluate the conditions …