Digital Commons Network^™

Gradient Boosting For Survival Analysis With Applications In Oncology, Nam Phuong Nguyen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cancer is one of the most deadly diseases that the world has been fighting against over decades. An enormous number of research has been conducted, via a wide scale of approaches, raging from genetic analysis to mathematical modeling. Survival analysis is a well-performed methodology frequently used to estimate the survival probability of a patient. Although there has been a large number of methods for survival analysis, efficient exploration of a high-dimensional feature space has been challenging due to its computational cost and complexity. This thesis adapts the component-wise gradient boosting algorithms for cancer survival analysis, and also proposes a new …

Disrupting The Heteronormative Mindset In Teacher Preparation Through Inclusive Children's Literature, Denise I. Donahue

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Because of discrimination that presents itself through bullying based on identity, and the lack of positive LGBTQIA+ representation within classroom lessons, there is a need for a higher quality of preparation for teachers in order to create inclusive environments.

All teachers, particularly new teachers, need to know how to effectively work with diverse learners to meet their needs academically, emotionally and socially. This includes preparing teachers to instruct students and work with families who include LGBTQIA+ members. LGBTQIA+ students are often marginalized, discounted, harassed or invisible. (Kosciw, Greytak, Zongrone, Clark, & Truong, 2018). There is a need for a higher …

Walking Each Other Home: Sensemaking Of Illness Identity In An Online Metastatic Cancer Community, Ariane B. Anderson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Increasingly, online settings serve as primary social contexts for patient interaction, playing a crucial role in ways participants access medical information and turn to each other for support. Stage IV (metastatic) cancer patients like myself know what it is like to be overwhelmed by the complex array of medical tests, treatments, and information we are expected to assimilate. My late stage disease status necessitates I routinely grapple with not merely the kinds of support I think I need or how those needs will be met, but also what meanings I assign to my experiences. Consequently, as a member of The …

The Efficacy Of Comedy, Mark Anthony Castricone

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Efficacy of Comedy: Focusing on the efficacy of comedy as a genre, utilizing Aristotle, Nietzsche, and Heidegger’s philosophy. It begins with a historical analysis of the efficacy of comedy in Ancient 4th and 5th century Athens focusing on Aristotle’s conceptions of comedy. It analyses what Aristotle wrote about comedy and attempts a reconstruction of what his book on comedy from the poetics may have said. It then examines the shift to aesthetics rather than the Philosophy of Art with a focus on Kant and the Critique of Judgment. Comedy here is used as an interpretive tool in order to …

Springs Of The Arabian Peninsula: Historical Trends, Current Status And Human Impact In Saudi Arabia, Oman And Jordan, Kamal M. Aljohani

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research was conducted to update previous studies of the springs of the Arabian Peninsula (Saudi Arabia, Oman and Jordan). Approach: 76 springs were surveyed in between March and July 2018: 15 Saudi Arabia, 41 Oman and 20 Jordan to ascertain the current status, water quality and zooplankton benthos and fish communities. Investigation of the changes of biota and chemical parameters downstream from the springs source in Saudi Arabia. Results: Mercury exceeded the WHO and USEPA maximum contaminant level (MCL) in 63 of 76 springs, Aluminum exceeded MCL in 8 of 76 springs, and both were the common dissolved heavy …

Influence Of Alumni Affinity Groups On Alumni Engagement And Alumni Giving, Gary R. Johnson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A student’s college experience lasts only a finite amount of time, but their role as alumni lasts for a lifetime. Alumni play an important role in higher education. The future financial success of a college or university is largely based on involvement and financial support by the school’s alumni. The purpose of this research was to learn about the role alumni affinity groups play in engaging alumni with the school and if they have the ability to impact alumni giving.

The dissertation data was collected using a qualitative methods research approach. Alumni data was gathered from two public universities from …

Cancer-Related Risk Behaviors And Screening Intention Among Recreational Sport Athletes, Aldenise P. Ewing

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The recreational sports arena provides a venue for young adults to increase physical activity and engage in a socially supportive environment. These are both important ways to decrease the risk for chronic diseases. It is assumed that physically active individuals lead healthier lifestyles and are more attuned to their long-term health needs. Recreational sport athletes also engage in risks for adverse cancer outcomes through increased sun exposure, intake of unhealthy diets, and recreational tobacco and alcohol use. It was of interest to assess cancer-related risk factors, cancer knowledge, and theory of planned behavior constructs in this group.

This study involved …

Chemical Tools And Treatments For Neurological Disorders And Infectious Diseases, Andrea Lemus

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Neurological disorders have multiple etiologies such as genetics and age. Stress related disorders are becoming more common and diagnosed more often. Mental health disorders are no longer being treated as purely psychological. Mechanisms into the underlying factors of these disorders continue to bring this area to new frontiers. Chapter 2 of this dissertation focuses on the efforts made to prove the association of the protein FKBP51 to the stress response. We synthesized and used a molecular tool to discover and prove these interactions.

The study of neurodegenerative diseases is of continued importance as the world reaches record numbers of an …

Antarctic Deep Sea Coral And Tropical Fungal Endophyte: Novel Chemistry For Drug Discovery, Anne-Claire D. Limon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Considered the pulse controlling the biological interactions and contributing to the ecological survival of organisms, natural products have intrigued, challenged, and stimulated the scientific and non-scientific minds for millennia. Drug resistance and the lack of suitable potent drugs against neglected tropical diseases further motivate the biological activity assessment of these secondary metabolites, when possible.

This thesis describes the chemical investigation of two marine organisms and the elucidation of eight novel structures.

The study of a deep sea Antarctic coral unveils six novel terpenoid structures from three different molecular classes: sesquiterpenoid alcyopterosins, a triterpene steroid, and three prostaglandins. While mass availability …

Cultural Competence: Reflections And Self-Efficacy In A Preservice Teacher-Education Program, Jennifer Fernandez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore preservice teachers’ sense of confidence working with English Learners, and the ability to transfer that confidence to self-efficacy in cultural competence. Specifically, the study evaluated an infused ESOL endorsement program integrated into a teacher preparation program at a local Florida state college. The qualitative study derived information from retrospective data from past assignments in two ESOL specific courses required for students in two different programs, Elementary Education, and Exceptional Student Education. Additionally, data were analyzed from semi-structured interviews in which five preservice teachers participated.

Findings uncovered four major themes and multiple subthemes. …

Closing America’S Retirement Savings Gap: Nudging Small Business Owners To Adopt Workplace Retirement Plans, Peter W. Kirtland

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Small businesses, with 50 or fewer employees, rarely offer workplace retirement plans. The lack of effective retirement plan options leads to employee stress, financial strain, and social instabilities. The purpose of this research is to study why small business owners make poor decisions about workplace retirement plans. The study evaluates the information supply chain and determines that financial advisors are a critical information delivery mechanism. However, they do not take the time to discuss the various retirement plan options available with the small business owners which leads to lack of plan adoption.

Elaborated Action Design Research (eADR) research methods are …

Our Place And Power: Testimonios From Latina Senior Student Affairs Officers, Julie A. Leos

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Latina leadership in higher education is more important ever. This study provides an empowering understanding of the experiences of Latina Senior Student Affairs Officers (SSAOs) in higher education in the U.S. and their practices related to wielding the power and influence associated with their roles. Latino Critical Race Theory (LatCrit) (Solorzano & Yosso, 2000), Intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1988), and Borderlands Theory (Anzaldua, 1987) served as a theoretical framework for this study and provides a basis for understanding the Latina experience from a critical perspective.

A testimonio research design was used to explore the following wonderments: (1) What meaning do Latina SSAOs …

The Peculiar Nature Of Florida’S Sandhill Wetlands, Ponds & Lakes— Their Ecohydrology, Relationship With The Regional Aquifer & Importance Within The Landscape., Renae Starr Nowicki

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the ecohydrology of Florida’s peculiar and poorly studied sandhill wetland and water features, particularly those located in west-central Florida. The primary research goals include: compilation and summarization of the available ecohydrologic information for features across Florida; comparison of water level and water geochemistry data between sandhill wetlands and waters and the regional aquifer to provide evidence of regional hydrologic control; and use of geophysical applications to examine the hydraulic connections between sandhill wetlands and waters and the regional aquifer.

From this research, a natural history of sandhill wetland and water ecohydrology is presented, highlighting: the differences between …

Use Of Spectrofluorometry To Detect Petroleum Hydrocarbons In The Marine Environment, Mary Iris Abercrombie

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The genesis of this research was the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which discharged petroleum and gas into the Gulf of Mexico for 87 days in 2010. High-resolution fluorescence spectroscopy was employed for the detection of petroleum in seawater samples following the oil spill. Fluorescence arises from the chemical structure of π-bonding in C=C bonds, especially those in aromatic structures. Spectrofluorometry was also used to observe and track the formation of petroleum plumes in seawater undergoing controlled physical dispersion in a wave tank, both with and without the addition of chemical dispersant. Further, the changing fluorescence characteristics of a broad range …

Constituent Partitioning Consensus Docking Models And Application In Drug Discovery, Rainer Metcalf

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This work expounds on some of the current computational tools and programs available and the best practices associated with their use. A high-level introduction, intended for both novices and the semi-experienced, focusing on the more common programs used in scientific literature is the scope of this topic. Both classical and quantum techniques are described. Classical methodologies include Molecular Dynamics, Monte Carlo, energy minimization methods, molecular docking, low-mode, and homology modeling. Quantum chemistry techniques are also discussed encompassing Hartree-Fock, Post-Hartree-Fock theories, and Density Functional Theory along with associated basis sets.

Along with established methodologies, novel theoretical methods are introduced for furthering …

Development Of A Voxel-Based Monte Carlo Radiation Dosimetry Methodology For A Targeted Alpha Particle Therapy, Christopher John Tichacek

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The use of targeted ligands to deliver radioisotopes directly to tumor cells is a promising therapeutic strategy. Because of the short path length and high LET of alpha particles, targeted alpha particles are ideal for treating metastatic disease while minimizing damage to non-targeted tissues. However, clinical methods for determining 3D radiation dosimetry in patients with multiple metastatic lesions are needed to support clinical translation of novel targeted alpha particle therapies for personalized treatment, especially in patients that have previously received radiotherapy. Recently interest in novel radiopharmaceutical development has grown significantly. However, compared to external beam radiation therapy, progress in customizing …

Trial & Error: Royal Authority & Families In The Colonization Of The British Floridas, 1763-1784, Deborah L. Bauer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation will examine the relationship between families, the British Crown, and colonization patterns in mid-eighteenth-century Florida. Agents of royal authority, such as colonial governors, and White, European, Protestant families, would serve as the bulwark upon which the Crown would design and implement its ideal colonization scheme. Carefully created by royal officials, adherence to the plan would result in the successful establishment and growth of loyal and productive colonies. Noncompliance ultimately foreshadowed failure. The state used the social unit of families in East and West Florida as a "tool of empire” to ensure the political, economic, and military success of …

The Activity And Structure Of Cu2+-Biomolecules In Disease And Disease Treatment, Darrell Cole Cerrato

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite its relatively low concentration in the human body, copper is an essential transition metal ion. Under normal circumstances, it is a well-regulated trace element that is introduced via diet or environment depending on the organism. Its strong reactivity and binding to some biologically essential chemicals can be detrimental to the host organism. Herein the oxidative chemistry of copper and its possible prevention in humans and agricultural organisms is discussed, as well as the potential avenues as metal-targeting disease treatment via novel-peptide and peptoid products.

In the first study, copper is implicated in the progression and onset of Alzheimer’s disease. …

Ecological Responses Of Seascape Heterogeneity, Dinorah H. Chacin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A core aim of landscape ecologists as well as conservation and management practices has been to understand how processes that structure communities vary as a function of landscape context. Landscape heterogeneity (i.e. landscape composition, configuration) and fine-scale habitat characteristics can influence ecological interactions across habitat patches at a range of scales. Therefore, the main objective of this work is to apply a landscape ecology perspective to understand how seascape heterogeneity can influence demographic rates, community patterns, and ecological processes. To accomplish this overall goal, I conducted a literature review on oyster reefs from a seascape ecology perspective (Chapter 1) and …

Lung Cancer Cells Survive Egfr Tki Exposure Through Upregulation Of Cholesterol Synthesis, Mark Howell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer related death in both males and females. About 20% of all non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients are expected to harbor an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activating mutation. EGFR inhibitors have been shown to provide clinical benefits over chemotherapy for lung cancer patients with EGFR activating mutations. However, despite the initial clinical responses to these EGFR targeted therapies, long-term efficacy is not possible because acquired drug resistance hampers the effectiveness of these therapies. We found that a fiber inspired smart scaffold (FiSS) platform established in our laboratory allows growth of …

High Ammonia Strength Wastewater Treatment Using Algae, Bacteria And Ion Exchange, Nadezhda Zalivina

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nitrogen pollution has been considered one of the major problems of the 21st century. Discharge of nitrogen from improperly treated wastewaters into surface water bodies causes eutrophication and hypoxia, which results in significant environmental, public health and economic damages. In addition to the incoming flow, wastewater treatment plants generate internal highly concentrated ammonium streams, such as anaerobic digestion sidestream. As a current practice, sidestream without prior treatment is returned to the head of the plant, which increases the total incoming nitrogen load by 20-30% and often exceeds the treatment capacity. The most commonly used conventional biological nitrogen removal processes are …

Innovating Green Stormwater Infrastructure For Nutrient Management: Long-Term Field And Modeling Studies Of Conventional And Modified Denitrifying Bioretention Systems, Emma V. Lopez-Ponnada

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Urban stormwater and nutrient management are increasingly important topics to address globally, as coastal urbanization increases, disturbing the natural landscape, hydrology, and water quality. Untreated urban stormwater runoff carries pollutants that enter our waterways, such as rivers and marine environments, which serve as drinking water sources, recreational sites, and locations for economic livelihood. One pollutant and nutrient of concern for water quality is reactive nitrogen (N). Since pre-industrial time, reactive nitrogen has doubled from human activity. When found in excess in waterways, nitrogen causes an overabundant growth of algae, which can result in eutrophic and hypoxic conditions, impacting ecosystems, human …

Trajectory Based Traffic Analysis And Control Utilizing Connected Autonomous Vehicles, Yu Wang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recent scholars have developed a number of stochastic car-following models that have successfully captured driver behavior uncertainties and reproduced stochastic traffic oscillation propagation. While elegant frequency domain analytical methods are available for stability analysis of classic deterministic linear car-following models, there lacks an analytical method for quantifying the stability performance of their peer stochastic models and theoretically proving oscillation features observed in the real world. To fill this methodological gap, this study proposes a novel analytical method that measures traffic oscillation magnitudes and reveals oscillation characteristics of stochastic linear car-following models. We investigate a general class of stochastic linear car-following …

Amyloid Protein Aggregation And Associated Toxicity, Chamani A. Niyangoda

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Amyloidosis is a group of diseases in which amyloid fibrils accumulate and deposit into plaques and intracellular inclusions which lead to disruption of the tissue architecture and function. Most of the amyloid diseases are incurable due to a lack of understanding of the amyloid formation, as well as associated toxicity. My research work is focused on three different aspects of amyloid aggregation.

The aim of the first project is to investigate the potential use of deep-blue autofluorescence (dbAF) as an intrinsic optical probe to study amyloid self-assembly. This novel fluorescence signal is excited at the long wavelength edge of the …

Perceived Discrimination And Cardiovascular Outcomes In Blacks: A Secondary Data Analysis Of The Heart Score Study, Marilyn Aluoch

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite the consistent reduction in morbidity and mortality associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) over the last four decades, CVD remains the leading cause of death globally. In the United States, Blacks are disproportionately affected by CVD compared to Whites. Blacks are also more likely to report incidence of perceived discrimination. Perceived discrimination has been linked to cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking, hypertension (HTN), hyperlipidemia, and obesity. However, the relationship between perceived discrimination and cardiovascular outcomes such as stroke, myocardial infarction, acute ischemic syndrome, coronary revascularization, and cardiac death remains unclear. The primary goal of this study was to examine …

Relationship Between Membership In Honors College And Participation In High-Impact Activities And Perceived Gains, Clara H. Ohannes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research study investigated the relationship between membership in the Honors College and senior-level students’ self-reported involvement in high-impact educational activities and their perceived gains from their college experience. This quantitative study analyzed secondary data from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) collected from senior-level students in Spring 2017 at a large, four-year, public research institution in the southeast United States.

A logistic regression analysis was used to explore the relationships between the involvement in high-impact educational activities and Honors College membership. The relationship between Honors College membership and several high-impact activities were found to be significant (p<.05), which included participation in a leadership role, study abroad, research with faculty and a senior capstone experience. Since membership in Honors was found to significantly contribute to participation in four out of the six high-impact practices listed in NSSE, it could be said that generally, at the particular institution in this study, Honors students are more likely than Non-Honors students to participate in high-impact learning activities.

Then, …

Student Attitudes And Behaviors Regarding Academic Dishonesty, Kelly A. Pearson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research study investigated the relationship between students’ attitudes toward academic dishonesty and their self-reported cheating behaviors. Additionally, the study investigated the potential differences between gender and the academic variables class level and cumulative GPA and both students’ attitudes toward academic dishonesty and their self-reported cheating behaviors. This quantitative study analyzed secondary data from a Spring 2014 administration of the Academic Integrity Student Survey (AISS) to examine the attitudes and behaviors of undergraduate level students (N = 574) at a large, four-year, public, research intensive institution in West-Central Florida.

Results indicated a statistically significant correlation between students’ attitudes toward academic …

The Progressive Transformation Of Medellín- Colombia: A Successful Case Of Women's Political Agency, María Auxiliadora González-Malabet

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Medellín, Colombia, once one of the most corrupt and violent cities in the world, is now one of the most progressive and democratic cities in South America. This transformation was due to the mobilization of women’s movements and the influx of women in the city’s executive branch. Female political agency and new urban development programs reshaped democratic practices for the citizenry. This research examines the robust association between women’s organizations, women from Compromiso Ciudanano (CC), and a solid and active civil society. The theoretical framework covers democratization, good governance, and Latin American/Indigenous Feminism. The sources include interviews, polls, news articles, …

Disciplinary D/Discourses: Navigating And Negotiating Disciplinary Paradigms, Michael R. P. Bailey

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Over the past twenty-five years, in the United States, zero-tolerance policies that were initially implemented to deter gun violence and drugs in schools have expanded to include a wide range of discretionary offenses such as disrespect and defiance. As a result, many students have been denied access to educational opportunities, been excluded from their peers, and had their lives irrevocably changed due to systemic sanctioning of exclusionary practices. Educators, who are caught between competing societal demands, job expectations, and ethical beliefs about their profession are tasked with balancing the instructional and interactional components of their work in an attempt to …

Promoting Healthy Sleep Practices Among Parents Of Young Children: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial, Kristin Lynn Edwards

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

One of the most significant and underrecognized public health concerns in young children is related to the consequences of inadequate sleep. Inadequate sleep may result in problems related to behavioral regulation, executive functioning, and academic performance. ‘Sleep hygiene’, a term that describes consistent daytime and nighttime practices that promote healthy sleep, has been found to significantly increase sleep duration and improve sleep quality in the pediatric population. Researchers have found that many parents have a poor understanding of sleep hygiene. The purpose of this study was to determine if an educational intervention increased parental knowledge and practices of sleep hygiene …