Digital Commons Network^™

The Application Of Multi-Isotope Analysis To Assist In Geoprofiling Unidentified Decedents Within Florida, Liotta D. Noche-Dowdy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The biochemistry of human tissues can provide information for geoprofiling (geographic birthplace or migration patterns) of an unidentified decedent. Utilizing isotope analyses (both stable and radiogenic) from teeth, bone, nails, and/or hair reveals specific isotopic information that correlates to diverse geographic regions reflecting an individual’s birthplace and migration patterns. Isotope analysis of enamel and bone has been employed in bioarchaeology for decades to reconstruct the diet, health, and migration patterns of past populations. Isotope ratios measured from enamel can then be compared to isotope ratios measured from bone of the individual to track patterns of migration. The enamel from the …

“Siguiendo Adelante”/ "Moving Forward:" Gender-Based Violence (Gbv) Service-Seeking And Survivorship Among Indigenous Guatemalan Women, Caitlynn C. Carr

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines Indigenous women’s access to and beliefs regarding gender-based violence (GBV) services and the Guatemalan legal system. It illuminates the legal, structural, and institutional challenges and power dynamics associated with seeking support and justice for women in Guatemala, as well as why and how women decide to seek formal assistance. This research also investigates changes in attitudes and beliefs regarding women’s rights, gender roles, and formal and informal forms of support for GBV survivors. Utilizing a mixed-methods, engaged anthropological approach during 10 months of ethnographic fieldwork in two primary locations in Guatemala, this dissertation explicates qualitative data collected …

Transfer Students Matter: A Case Study On The Student Experience Of First-Generation Transfer Students At A Four-Year Public University In A Bridge Program, Quishaundra R. Harris

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study aims to establish a knowledge base and learn about the experience of first-generation transfer students who have completed their Associate in Art (AA) degree from a community college and have transitioned to a four-year public university. The study aims to examine first-generation transfer students' sense of belonging and transition at a four-year public university. A qualitative case study was conducted to learn about the experiences of first-generation transfer students who transferred from state community colleges and are currently enrolled at a four-year university in a bridge program. This study was driven by two theoretical frameworks: Schlossberg's transition …

Essays On The Determinants Of Women's And Children's Health In Bangladesh, Md Shahjahan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

My dissertation is titled "The Determinants of Women's and Children's Health in Bangladesh." The first chapter studies the impact of a Bangladeshi schooling program on child immunization rates. The program provided a stipend and other incentives to attend secondary school, significantly increasing rural girls' education. I hypothesize that this would lead to higher immunization rates in the next generation since better-educated mothers have better knowledge of health practices. The study uses a regression model ("difference-in-differences"), which is based on differential exposure to the 1994 Female Secondary School Stipend Program (FSSSP) by birth cohort and rural residence. I find that the …

Modeling The Human Learning Process Using An Industrial Steam Boiler Analogy To Design A Psychophysiological-Based Hypermedia Adaptive Automation System, Liliana María Villavicencio López

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation aims to address the existing gap in the integration of various dimensions within the student learning system, encompassing cognitive, emotional, and physical variables. The primary objective is to construct a Personalized Learning Adaptive Automation model using Electroencephalography (EEG) technology.

To provide deeper insight into the intricate nature of the Human Learning Process, this study introduces a novel analogy with an Industrial Steam Boiler. This analogy serves as a distinctive contribution to research in the field.

The research methodology involved the collection of brainwaves data from engineering students while they undertook educational tasks of varying levels of difficulty, categorized …

Effects Of Diminazene Aceturate On Drosophila Melanogaster: A Lipidomic Analysis, Gabriela Suarez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Pesticides are agents designed to eradicate living organisms to preserve agricultural needs.¹ Today the most commonly used pesticides are termed “modern pesticides”, they are characterized by lower lipophilicity and limited stability, making them less time persistent in the environment. Among these modern pesticides are organophosphorus, urea, phenoxy alkanoic, triazine, chloroacetanilide, and glyphosate-based pesticides.² The issue faced with most of these pesticides is that they affect more than just the targeted pest and pose a danger to not only humans, but also entire ecosystems.^1,3,4 While there are many different types of pesticides, insecticides show the most variance and …

Automatic Image-Based Nutritional Calculator App, Kejvi Cupa

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nutrition plays a pivotal role in shaping an individuals’ health and quality of life, making the evaluation of dietary intake crucial for promoting healthier lifestyle choices. Various solutions, particularly mobile apps, have been developed to facilitate the process of dietary estimation. Accurate nutritional intake assessment relies on two key components: ingredient recognition and food portion estimation. For a mobile app to offer a comprehensive solution for automatic nutritional assessment, it must address both components.

In this work, we focus on a mobile app pipeline: the semi-automatic pipeline which focuses on automatic food ingredient recognition. This pipeline integrates state-of-the-art models for …

The Theoretical Epigenetic Relationship Between Complex-Ptsd And Adhd In Holocaust Survivors’ Descendants, Y. Sahara Brodsky

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

When comparing ADHD and Complex-PTSD, these two disorders share many overlapping features in both areas of the brain that are affected and the behavioral aspects due to deficits in certain brain regions, such as the prefrontal cortex. It is due to this similarity that I predict that c-PTSD is the precursor to the development of ADHD in later generations. Through epigenetic changes that are consistent with c-PTSD diagnosis, these changes to the brain are then passed down the generational line. When this is combined with trauma transference and generational trauma, it creates a situation where both the behaviors inform how …

Parents As Reporters Of Middle School Students’ Subjective Well-Being, Daijah N. Hines

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Historically, self-report has been the predominant method for assessing the subjective well-being of adolescents (SWB). Regarding the use of secondary reporters, especially parental/caregiver reports, in assessing adolescent SWB, there is a gap in the literature. Gaining a better understanding of how to best evaluate adolescent SWB can assist in the identification of adolescents who may be at risk for mental health concerns or who could benefit from increased well-being. It may also assist in the development of future interventions in positive psychology for adolescents. This validity study explored (1) What is the reliability of a newly developed parent report measure …

Exploring Educational Equity: An Ethnographic Case Study Of Non-Profit Initiatives In Early Childhood Education, Jovana Jovanovic

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Quality early childhood education is acknowledged as a crucial factor in paving the way for academic success and societal contribution. Childhood experiences greatly influence individual life trajectories, significantly shaping future endeavors. This research delves into the intricate dynamics between socioeconomic status (SES), educational outcomes, and non-profit organizations, emphasizing the challenges faced by students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. While factors such as limited resources, financial constraints, and substandard living conditions have been linked to negative consequences on educational attainment, this research seeks to understand the specific role of non-profits in enhancing educational opportunities. By shedding light on collaborative efforts between local …

From The Patient’S Perspective: Understanding The Colorectal Cancer Patient Experience Portrayed In Edutainment Television, Allison M. Fisher

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study qualitatively examined how edutainment television portrayed the colorectal cancer (CRC) patient experience, and whether it reflects the real-life CRC patient experience. This was done by first facilitating a textual analysis of edutainment television episodes from popular medical dramas and the docuseries Country Ever After. Interviews with real-life CRC patients were then facilitated to gather perspectives on whether edutainment television’s depictions were reflective of their experiences. This study utilized cultivation theory to identify whether edutainment television reinforces stigmas about the CRC patient experience. Additionally, uses and gratifications theory was implemented to investigate how CRC patients interact with media platforms …

“You Are Not The Same Person You Were:” On Diagnosis Seeking During A Liminal Period And Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Kaylee A. Appleton

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

“You are the healthiest looking sick person I’ve ever met”

(Daphne, 62)

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is one of many chronic illnesses considered to be “invisible.” Once the onset of symptoms occurs, the illness can drastically change the dynamic of an individual's life in ways that may not be noticeable to others, even before a chronic illness diagnosis. I discuss how these individuals experience the liminal period of developing symptoms and seeking a diagnosis. Furthermore, I discuss vignettes that exemplifies the occurrence of a liminal state while looking at the current for-profit set-up of healthcare in the United States. Utilizing …

Feasibility And Acceptability Of A Dance Fundamental Movement Skill Intervention For Symptoms Of Depression And Anxiety In Children, Juanita Patterson-Price

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Anxiety and depression are highly prevalent mental health conditions in children. Rates of both disorders are rising, surpassing the capacity of available treatment services (albertapatients, 2022; Edwardson, 2022; Statistics Canada, 2020). Lack of treatment can often result in worsening of symptoms towards serious long-term effects (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). Additional treatment supports must be made available. The goal of this doctoral research is to examine the feasibility and acceptability of genre-inclusive dance as a psychosocial intervention for anxiety and depression in children. The first manuscript of this doctoral work shares lessons learned in a program evaluation using …

Multi-Model Digital Twins With Ai Forecasting For Seed To Stand Supply Chain, Rania Sherif Elashmawy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present dissertation embodies a multi-faceted investigation aimed at enhancing strawberry production pre-harvest and post-harvest quality through data-driven approaches. It unfolds multi-stages framework.

The first stage presents a complete data collection and its preliminary statistical analysis obtained from the first phase of a large-scale soil study on how to improve strawberry production and achieve sustainable and high-quality harvests through sensor-assisted real-time field monitoring. Six real-time loggers were placed in an operational commercial strawberry farm in Central Florida for the entirety of a harvest season from soil preparation to planting to harvesting. Along with high-resolution soil sensory measurements including water content, …

Employing The Use Of Molecular Dynamics To Explore Protein Stability And Optimize Free Energy Protocols, Taylor A. Rodman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Molecular dynamics (MD) is a powerful technique that can be used to provide informationabout a system over time. MD simulations can be used to explore behaviors of many systems such as protein-ligand interactions protein-protein interactions. Additionally, these simulations can be used to generate trajectories of a system to further be used for free energy simulations. The work discussed in Chapter 2 involves the use MD simulations to identify potential drug candidates capable of binding to and stabilizing the nuclear binding domain of the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator protein. Using ProBiS, we were able to find a potential binding site …

Synthetic Studies Of Potential New Ketogenic Molecules, Mohammad Nazmus Sakib

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The ketogenic diet has gained popularity in the past few decades among people and physicians due to its various health benefits. A significant amount of research has been done for the modification of the original ketogenic diet and investigation of its potential health benefits. However, synthesis of novel ketogenic compounds as a dietary supplement has not received the same level of attention. That is the primary objective of this research project. The first chapter of this manuscript describes the synthesis of various short and medium chain esters of different polyols that have been done so far, and areas of their …

Psychological Distress, Resilience, And The Impact On Quality Of Life In Breast Cancer Survivors With Taxane-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy, Lauren Schwab

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation study was to longitudinally examine psychological distress (depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms), resilience, and the impact on quality of life (QOL) in breast cancer survivors (BCS) with taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy (TIPN). The specific aims were 1) to describe psychological distress (depressive and anxiety symptoms) in BCS with TIPN and the impact on QOL using a scoping review; 2) to determine the relationship between psychological distress, QOL, and resilience in BCS with TIPN over time in a 16-week randomized controlled trial (RCT); and 3) to determine if resilience moderates psychological distress and QOL in BCS with …

Learning After Retirement: The Stories Of Three Chinese Senior Citizens, Yanan Li

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

China, with its vast population, has qualified as an aging society. As a response to this, education and learning have become an important means of improving the quality of life for older people in China. The primary objective of this study is to uncover what stimulates three older Chinese individuals to engage in learning activities by exploring their personal stories. The two research questions guiding the study are: (a) How do three senior Chinese citizens describe their life and learning experiences? and, (b) What factors motivate and influence these three senior Chinese citizens to participate in learning activities? In this …

Big Data Analytics For Healthcare Social Media: New Algorithms And Insights, Negar Maleki

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Over the last two decades, there has been a rapid evolution in information and communication technology, including the emergence of social media. Social media has a significant impact on various fields such as politics, business, culture, education, careers, innovation, and especially healthcare. This influence is not a new phenomenon since a survey from ten years ago showed that up to 78\% of American adults used the internet to look for health-related information for themselves or someone else. With the shift towards on-demand services in society, healthcare is also affected by this trend. Instead of waiting for weeks or months to …

“I Was Doing The Best With What I Had”: Exploring Student Veterans’ Experiences With Community Reintegration, Food Insecurity, And Health Challenges, Jacquelyn N. Heuer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Food insecurity is a concern for many populations, including college students and military veterans. The impacts of food insecurity on student veterans are understudied, especially in relation to community reintegration and health. Employing the theoretical frameworks of structural violence and embodiment, this dissertation explores how community reintegration, food insecurity, diet quality, and health interact and influence one another among post-9/11 student veterans in Florida. In doing so, this dissertation considers how the experiences of student veterans are shaped by social inequities (i.e., structural violence) and how these experiences become embodied, thereby shaping student veterans’ health outcomes.

Utilizing findings from surveys …

A Gis Workflow For Analyzing Spatiotemporal Variance In Food Pantry Access: A Case Study For Hillsborough County, Florida, Molly J. Darby

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Researchers often use geographic information systems (GIS) to measure accessibility to food pantries, but the impact operating hours have on accessibility remains understudied. Unlike grocery stores or healthcare facilities, food pantries have irregular distribution schedules, therefore, measuring geographic accessibility alone potentially creates an inaccurate or inflated representation of access. This study proposes a GIS workflow for analyzing food pantry accessibility over space and time by considering hours of operation and location, allowing researchers to examine when and where access to food assistance is most limited over the span of a typical week. The method was applied to Hillsborough County, Florida …

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 …

Entanglements Of Teenage Food Security Within High School Pantries In Pinellas County, Florida, Karen T. Díaz Serrano

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Food insecurity has the ability to shape an individual’s or a family’s everyday life and take emotional, psychological, and physical tolls. Among adolescents, not having access to nutritious food could lead to physical effects during growth and development. Moreover, the stress and anxiety of not knowing where their next meal is coming from and the social stigma associated with being food insecure can have negative effects on mental health. A recent solution to these issues is locating food pantries in high schools. Purpose: This exploratory study examined how high school students in Pinellas County, Florida perceive the use of a …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Anaerobic Digestion Of Brewery Waste Including Spent Yeast And Hops, Dhanashree Rawalgaonkar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Florida is home to more than 300 craft breweries, that brew over a million barrels of beer annually. Brewing is an energy intensive process and produces large quantities of high strength waste including spent grains, yeast, hops, and high strength wastewater. Brewery wastewater, and spent yeast have high Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) concentrations between 5000 mg/L – 10,000 mg/L, and 200,000 mg/L – 300,000 mg/L respectively. Brewery effluent wastewater is sent to Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) which implement high surcharges based on the strength of brewery effluent (COD concentration). While some of the spent yeast and hops can be …

Resource Recovery From Crew Metabolic Wastes In Lunar And Martian Habitats: Reuse Of Effluent From An Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor Treating Fecal Organic Matter As Fertilizer Source For Plants, Alexandra A. Smith

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As humans set their sights on exploration of the Moon and Mars human focused challenges like providing potable water, supplying nutritious food to the astronaut crew, and managing their waste present themselves. There are no readily available resources on the Moon and Mars, therefore nothing should be considered unusable including the organic wastes (i.e., feces and urine) produced by the crew. Fecal matter is not currently recycled and is treated as solid waste. After collection, it is discarded out of the International Space Station where it is incinerated upon re-entry. This approach will not work on the Moon’s surface. There …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Service Access For Children And Adolescents With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities Across Florida, Alyssa N. Hanley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Businesses worldwide closed to lessen the spread of the virus. Due to an increased need for specialized services compared to the general population, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) may have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 shutdowns. Without access to schools and centers where services are provided, therapeutic progress was halted. Services, such as special education, occupational therapy, and physical therapy, were paused, impacting access and maintenance for individuals with I/DD. In addition, services that continued did so using modified delivery methods such as telehealth. To investigate the impact of the COVID-19 …

“I’M Still Suffering”: Mental Health Care Among Central African Refugee Populations In The Tampa Bay Area, C. Danee Ruszczyk

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

An estimated 500 Central African refugee families have been resettled in the Tampa Bay Area since 2002 (RPC, 2022). The cycles of trauma that they have endured place them in vulnerable positions regarding their mental health. Struggling to exist within underfunded social programs that are rigid in their expectations and with the current system of reactive care vs preventative care, the refugees in Tampa are put in a difficult situation of navigating their own health and wellbeing in lieu of having the full support of the United States government and their community. I will discuss how these refugees experience and …