Digital Commons Network^™

An Experimental Analysis Of The Effect Of Crisis Response Message Strategies On Consumer Emotions, Perceptual Beliefs And Intended Behavior, Valentina Ahumada

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the different dynamics of consumer responses to crisis communication strategies employed by businesses during challenging situations. Focusing on emotions, attitudes, and behavioral intentions, the research explores the impact of denial, diminish, and apology crisis messages on consumers. Drawing on a comprehensive analysis of a crisis scenario, the study illuminates the intricate relationship between these strategies and consumer emotions such as anger, disgust, sadness, and happiness. The findings reveal nuanced patterns, demonstrating that while denial messages evoke strong negative emotions and unfavorable attitudes, diminish messages, when perceived as deflecting blame, can lead to mixed emotional responses and ambiguous …

Liminal Legality, Social Exclusion, And The Island Community: The Uncertain Futures Of Brazilian Immigrant Youth In Martha’S Vineyard., Bárbara F. De Paula

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This project explores the realities of Brazilian undocumented immigrant youth who entered the United States before the age of 18 and have settled in the island community of Martha’s Vineyard located in Massachusetts. This project analyzes the barriers that Brazilian undocumented youth encounter in pursuing their dream futures, in the light of their legal status and the island context. The theoretical frameworks used in the study drew from notions of segmented assimilation and modes of incorporation (Bean, 2011; Patler, 2018a), immigrant social networks (Assis, 2003; Padilla, 2006), liminal legality, (Cebulko, 2014; Menjíver, 2006; Patler, 2018a) citizenship frames, (Friorito, 2019; Patler, …

Online News Portrayal During The Covid-19 Health Crisis And Journalism's Role In Misinformation In The U.S., Michou Ducilon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a wealth of new information regarding the virus's origin and treatment. Regrettably, the vast amount of online information has resulted in the proliferation of misinformation, as the World Health Organization reported. To investigate whether journalists may have contributed to this problem, a qualitative analysis was conducted on 15 news articles from top-tier media outlets. Using NVivo software, the articles were analyzed to identify linguistic words and visuals that fell into coding categories based on Behrendt's (2008) contextual analysis for evaluating text. Each article was then coded again to identify common themes. During this process, new …

Regulated Intramembrane Proteolysis By M82 Peptidases: The Role Of Prss In The Staphylococcus Aureus Stress Response, Baylie M. Schott

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Staphylococcus aureus is a major threat to human health, which is only exacerbated by its resistance to methicillin and other frontline antibiotics. Consequently, annual hospitalizations resulting from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have been recorded in the hundreds of thousands for decades. However, the global impact of this opportunistic pathogen cannot solely be attributed to its antibiotic resistance, as S. aureus is also an expert at adapting to host conditions and responding to external stress. Here we attempt to gain a better understanding of a S. aureus factor that aids in circumventing such external insult - PrsS - a membrane protease …

The Sun Shines On Us, Too: Bobby Smith And Tampa's Early Lgbtq Community, Connor G. Lasseter

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Bobby Smith (1923-2008) was a Tampa Bay butch lesbian, photographer, and earlyLGBTQ Florida figure, together with his partner of nearly fifty years, Katherine “Kay” Thompson (1923-2009). Coming of age as the Second World War provided women and girls with a certain level of independence, Smith easily found comfort presenting in a masculine, butch fashion outside of certain spheres such as school, and quickly dropped any remaining femininity once he left it. Throughout his life, in the workplace, at social gatherings, and at home, he maintained a masculine presentation for his entire life. As a photographer, Smith documented numerous photographs of …

Evaluating Video Feedback To Improve Esports Performance In Street Fighter V, Romel C. White

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

eSports is a newly rising field with rapidly increasing cultural validity. Despite the wide array of similarities between eSports and traditional sports, behavioral skill acquisition interventions have yet to be applied to video game skills. Feedback-based behavioral interventions in particular have been commonly used and implemented for effective skill acquisition for traditional sports. Although video feedback has been established as effective in conjunction with video modeling for traditional sports, further research is needed to validate its efficacy as a standalone intervention. In this study, the effects of video feedback were analyzed with three participants in a nonconcurrent multiple baseline across …

Chemical Analysis Of Metabolites From Mangrove Endophytic Fungus, Sefat E Munjerin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Natural products hold a significant place in drug discovery for their abundant and unique secondary metabolites. These secondary metabolites which encompass a range of organic compounds such as alkaloids, phenols, peptides, flavonoids, polyketides, and terpenoids, can easily be exploited for drug development. Endophytic fungi, residing harmoniously with its host, have emerged as generous producers of bioactive secondary metabolites, displaying efficacy against a wide array of human pathogens, including the challenging ESKAPE pathogens.

The research explores endophytic fungi and their prospective for drug discovery and development through the synthesis of distinctive secondary metabolites. Endophytic fungus, HM13-26C-2B, collected from Honeymoon Island, Florida …

Use Of Silica Dust And Lunar Simulants For Assessing Lunar Regolith Exposure, Layzamarie Irizarry-Colon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The utilization of the lunar regolith holds immense potential for future space exploration, but the potential health risks associated with lunar regolith are a significant concern. This literature review seeks to critically assess the use of silica and lunar simulants standards and permissible exposure limits (PELs) to evaluate the adverse health effects of lunar regolith. The literature review covers an extensive analysis of existing research, health risks, toxicological properties, and physical and chemical composition associated with silica, lunar simulants, and lunar regolith by using three main sources: regulations, scholarly articles, and Kennedy Space Center (KSC) discussion. This comprehensive analysis forms …

Damned & Damned: Examining Vexatious Litigation And The Vexatious Litigant Statute In Florida Courts, Sarah L. Harper

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines self-represented litigants subjected to limitations under the Vexatious Litigant statute (F.S. 68.093) and related case law. It draws data from official records, surveys, interviews with judges, and a thematic analysis of court orders. The present research consists of two studies: Study I focuses on the application of Florida's Vexatious Litigant statute and similar sanctions, and Study II explores judges' decision-making in cases involving challenging self-represented litigants. Restrictions on litigants' court access raise concerns about due process rights, and an assessment of the use of these sanctions and litigants' practices is vital for understanding their application. The findings …

An Examination Of Reward-Based Crowdfunding Performance And Success, Matthew Alan Grace

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Reward-based crowdfunding (RBCF), where fundraisers raise funds from a crowd of investors in return for a reward, has carved a niche as a proven option for not just entrepreneurs seeking early-stage funding, but also for established firms looking to presell or market a new product or service. Establishing crowdfunding performance and success factors is important for researchers and practitioners alike. Fortunately, a large portion of the RBCF academic literature is immediately applicable to entrepreneurs, with very little additional interpretation required. However, important questions about RBCF remain. The first paper in this three-part dissertation, a systematic literature review, examines some of …

The Effect Of Psychopathy Trait Descriptions On Mock Juror Decision-Making, Bailey A. Hall

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Layperson misconceptions and stigma surrounding mental illness can have devastating consequences in criminal trials, especially capital (death penalty) cases. Psychopathy is a particularly stigmatizing disorder often used as an aggravating factor in capital cases. The present experimental study examined how case vignettes that included descriptions of psychopathic traits (i.e., criterion effects) differentially influenced juror decision-making. Specifically, undergraduate participants read case facts about a convicted defendant and were randomly assigned to read one of five expert witness testimony conditions describing the defendant using: interpersonal-affective psychopathy traits (e.g., superficially charming, manipulative), antisocial-lifestyle traits (e.g., reckless, aggressive), combined interpersonal-affective and antisocial-lifestyle traits, or …

Cervical Cancer Screening Modalities: A Study Of Decision-Making Processes, Heather N. Owens

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation includes three studies, and the purpose was to explore cervical cancer screening adherence and factors related to screening behaviors among women.

The purpose of the first study was to examine cervical cancer screening recommendation adherence trends in a nationally representative sample using Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 1995-2018 data. Adherence rates declined for every definition of adherence evaluated over time. Social determinants of health predictors and their impacts varied based on the years of data included in and the data source.

The second study examined the hypothesized factor structure underlying multiple scales (i.e., Health Belief Model constructs and …

Exploration Of Corona Charge As A Novel In Vitro Human T Cell Dna Transfection Method, Molly A. Skinner

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With gene-based immunotherapies on the rise to treat a multitude of diseases, the ability to genetically modify cells in a rapid and efficient fashion is necessary to keep up with demand. Gene electrotransfer (gene transfer by electroporation) is an appealing transfection method due to its low cost, high efficiency compared to other physical forms of gene delivery, and low toxicity compared to liposomal or viral vectors.

Traditional gene delivery via electroporation is done within a cuvette where the cell suspension is placed between two plate electrodes. This method requires cells to be moved from the treatment cuvette to a growth …

Determinants Of Hormonal Contraceptive Use Among Adolescent Females In The Republic Of Benin, Marlene Joannie Bewa

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Globally, 17 million adolescent girls—ages 15-19-- give birth every year, which affects educational and professional outcomes such as school completion, future employment, and economic empowerment. In Benin, adolescent girls have a substantial unmet need for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and services. More specifically, the need for hormonal contraceptive products and services, as well as accurate, age-appropriate, and comprehensive sexuality education, is not met universally.

Objective: This research objective is to understand personal, behavioral, and environmental barriers and facilitators to the access and uptake of modern contraceptive methods among adolescents in Benin. This will inform recommendations for improving …

The Process Of Government In Clearwater, Florida, Picot Deboisfeuillet Floyd

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Based upon participant observation as city manager, the dissertation examines political processes involved in four episodes relating to the government of the City of Clearwater, Florida: the selection of a site for a branch campus of the University of South Florida, the application of technology assessment techniques to growth issues, attempts to regulate a pornographic movie and supply store, and the arrest of the city attorney. Non-mathematical game theory is used as a model for the analysis, which demonstrates that game-like processual activity takes place in a governmental structure based upon cooperation. Such analysis can have a direct impact on …

Development Of Bioactive Peptidomimetics, Lei Wang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the past two decades, a lot of different peptidomimetics, such as β-peptides, oligoureas, azapeptides, peptoids, aromatic oligoamides, and others, have been developed. These peptidomimetics with distinctive scaffolds have shown potential in protein surface recognition and mimicry, PPI regulation, catalysis, etc. Moreover, these bioactive peptidomimetics demonstrate much better bioavailability and biostability than the bioactive peptides. To expand the application of peptidomimetics, our group have developed a new sequence-specific peptidomimetics- γ-AApeptide, which is derived from chiral γ-PNA. It shows excellent advantages including highly resistant to various proteolytical degradations and has the potential to increase chemodiversity. γ-AApeptide also exhibits remarkable biomedical applications, …

For Love Or Money: Investor Motivations In Equity-Based Crowdfunding, Jason C. Cherubini

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Crowdfunding is an increasingly popular method for entrepreneurial ventures to raise financing from a large number of small supporters (the “crowd”) instead of raising it through a small number of larger supporters. Crowdfunding is normally conducted through online platforms such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo, where the entrepreneurial venture runs a campaign directly seeking support from individual funders. Most of the research into crowdfunding to date has been focused on what elements of the crowdfunding campaign lead to eventual successful funding, especially in the rewards-based crowdfunding space. The comparatively new equity-based crowdfunding has not been as heavily researched and is technically …

Selective Framing And Narrative As Anthropocentric Agents In Yellowstone: America’S Eden, Breanna Lee Hansen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Yellowstone: America’s Eden is but one example of nature documentaries tackling the complexities of nature-culture relationships during the age of the Anthropocene. Yellowstone National Park, the first to be named, is a primary example of how our relationship to the natural world developed through conservation and commodification. Yellowstone: America’s Eden demonstrates how film techniques conceal nature as a human construct through selective framing and narrative. By analyzing editing techniques made in the representation of Yellowstone National Park, this thesis bridges anthropocentrism to nature documentaries. Drawing on interdisciplinary research from media studies, environmental humanities, and anthropology, this thesis analyzes the ways …

Role Of Short Interspersed Nuclear Elements (Sines) Of Maternally Imprinted Microrna Clusters In Hemochorial Placental Antiviral Immunity, Ishani Wickramage

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The evolution of hemochorial placentas in which the fetal trophoblast is bathed in maternal blood has vastly improved fetal development and survival in primates and rodents, due to the enhanced efficiency of nutrient, gas and waste exchange between the mother and the fetus. However, the extensive contact between the fetal tissues and maternal blood in these placentas also poses an increased risk of vertical transmission of pathogens such as viruses from the mother to the fetus. In response to this selection pressure, hemochorial placentas have evolved robust defense mechanisms to protect the immunologically naive fetus. Unlike somatic cells that require …

Synthesis Of Small Molecule Modulators Of Non-Traditional Drug Targets, Jamie Nunziata

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This work details the effort toward structure-activity-relationship (SAR) studies and synthesis of the small molecule modulators of two non-traditional drug targets. The first part of this manuscript (chapters 1–2) will discuss the collaborative work and synthesis of an inhibitor of Slingshot Homology 1 (SSH1) with the potential therapeutic application toward Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) treatment. The second part (chapters 3–6) will discuss the synthetic efforts toward modulation of a protein target known as STING, or stimulator of interferon genes, with the therapeutic application toward autoimmune disease or anti-tumor activity.

AD is a progressive and degenerative illness that holds the title of …

Synthesis Of Tools For The Investigation And Treatment Of Infectious Diseases, Grant Lawrence

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Modern medicine’s ability to treat a wide array of diseases is due mainly to the development of small-molecule drug discovery. Thousands of years of traditional medicines have been dwarfed in less than a hundred years. In addition, drug discovery has becoming a more consistent process with the introduction of the clinical trials process as well.Plasmodium is a genus of tropical parasites that have the potential to wreak havoc on billions of people globally. Current methods of drug discovery aimed at defeating these parasites require expensive assays that use radioactive material. By using an alkyne-labeled agent instead of a tritium-labeled agent, …

Exposure Characteristics Of Environmental Chemicals By Life Stages, Nisha Vijayakumar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Environmental chemicals are ubiquitous and can contribute to human exposure. These exposures can result in long-term health consequences if they occur in early life. However, exposures to environmental chemicals are not evenly distributed throughout childhood. As a result, there exists variation in the levels of chemical exposure depending on the developmental stages, pathways of exposure, and broader systemic factors. However, in early life, limited research exists on exposures to environmental chemicals, particularly phthalates, pesticides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In addition, environmental exposures to phthalates, pesticides, and PAHs, considering life stages, have not been fully explored. Hence it is imperative …

From Counter-Strike To Counterterrorism: How The Cheater Reconfigures Our Understanding Of Asymmetric Warfare, Enya C. Silva

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Around the turn of the century, as the United States increased its military presence in the Middle East in what was widely known as the War on Terror, computer games were also rising in popularity. Military inspired narratives and settings are very common in video games, especially in the genre known as the first person shooter – characterized by a single player, first person point of view. Alexander Galloway provides a vocabulary for understanding the video game, and the first person shooter in particular, derived from the framework of game studies. Scholarship around video games usually either seeks to affirm …

Machine Learning Approach For Static Ransomware Analysis, Aldin Vehabovic

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ransomware is a form of malware which uses encryption methods to make data inaccessible to legitimate users. This cyberthreat has emerged as one of the most serious security challenges today, and a wide range of ransomware families have been developed and deployed, causing immense damage to governments, corporations, and private users. As this malware type continues to expand, governments across the world are taking serious steps to limit its reach. In addition, researchers have proposed a range of ransomware detection and attribution schemes, most of which use advanced machine learning (ML) techniques to process and analyze real-world empirical data from …

Optimizing The Membrane-Assisted Recovery Of Solids (Mars) Technology For Nutrient Removal And Recovery From Concentrated Waste Streams, Ben Yamin Hoque

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The effective management of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, in decentralizedwastewater treatment environments is a pressing challenge. These nutrients pose significant risks to the environment and public health when discharged into water bodies, while their recovery and reuse can help alleviate nutrient shortages in various industries, including agriculture. Conventional biological treatment methods used in centralized facilities are not suitable for decentralized systems due to operational complexities and space limitations. Chemical treatment mechanisms, such as adsorption, ion exchange, precipitation, and air-stripping, offer potential solutions but are accompanied by challenges like high costs and logistical issues. Therefore, finding a sustainable and …

Defining A Factor-Induced Signaling Signature For Endothelial Tubulogenesis, Sprouting, And Pericyte Recruitment, Prisca Kuanting Lin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Endothelial cells (ECs) form the inner lining of blood capillary walls. Our laboratory has developed a serum-free, defined Factor system that allows for human ECs to sprout, form lumens and tube networks, recruit pericytes, and induce capillary basement membrane deposition in 3D extracellular matrices. We have shown that the Factor system drives morphogenesis through the activation of multiple signaling pathways; however, we do not know if all factors in the Factor system are needed to induce maximal EC morphogenesis. If so, we have yet to identify why the Factors are critical to the model other than that they induce activation …

The Relationship Between First-Year Expectations And Persistence For Students Who Self-Identify As Having Not Declared A Major, Shane Combs

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research aligned with protocols established by the Florida Board of Governors in 2016 to form a new funding model tied to the institution's performance. The literature review highlighted a disparity between students' expectations and the reality of college which could negatively impact persistence, and therefore funding to the institution. This quantitative study utilized the Beginning of College Survey of Student Engagement (BCSSE) to explore the correlation between incoming, undeclared FTIC students' expectations of co-curricular involvement, faculty interaction, and learning support services utilization and their persistence to the end of the second fall semester. The sample consisted of 1,042 respondents …

Understanding How Cancer Adapts To Stress And Therapy Using Evolutionary Game Theory, Mariyah Pressley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Adaptive responses in cancer promote disease initiation, progression, and resistance to treatment. Understanding the underlying evolutionary dynamics behind these adaptive responses is crucial for developing effective therapeutic strategies. Evolutionary game theory (EGT) has proven a useful tool in analyzing how different cellular behaviors and evolutionary forces shape the dynamics of tumor growth, response to therapy, and the emergence of resistance. In this dissertation, we utilize EGT to understand the adaptive responses of cancer through the lens of ecology and evolution. By employing fitness-generating models and exploring various ecological contexts, we aimed to unveil critical factors influencing aggressive cell phenotypes, treatment …

Visualizing Empire: Advancing Roman Archaeology In Sicily And Malta Through 3d Digitization And Spatial Technologies, Stephan N. Hassam

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation addresses the negative effects of data fragmentation and heterogeneity on the Roman archaeology of Malta and Sicily. Roman period villas in Sicily and Roman period ceramics in Malta have both been marginalized within scholarship on Roman archaeology due to historical processes, bureaucratic organizations, and different academic trajectories and cultures. Digital technologies, especially 3D digitization and spatial information are well poised to address the fragmentation of these two contexts from wider discussions on the Roman Mediterranean. The dissertation introduces two long term projects, the E-unification of the De Piro Collection (EDPC) and the Digital Atlas of Roman Sicily – …

Zinc-Mediated Reductive Acylation And Silylation Of Various P-Quinone Derivatives, Katrinah I. Tirado

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Quinones are compounds containing cyclohexadiene diones and can be found in a variety of biological systems. Quinones participate in redox cycling to initiate the formation of free radicals which contributed to their overall biological activity. When quinones are reduced by either biological or chemical reductants, they can become unstable and undergo autoxidation back to their quinoidal form. One way to avoid autoxidation is the use of protected hydroquinones. Many protected hydroquinones in literature have been shown to be efficient in drug delivery as probes or molecular containers or they can act like prodrugs to be released into active forms to …