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USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

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Development And Implementation Of Telemetry Devices To Identify And Characterize Sources Of Intraocular Pressure Variability In Rats, Christina M. Nicou Mar 2023

Development And Implementation Of Telemetry Devices To Identify And Characterize Sources Of Intraocular Pressure Variability In Rats, Christina M. Nicou

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Eye health depends partially on intraocular pressure (IOP) as abnormal levels can lead to ocular tissue damage. Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease that affects nearly 80 million people worldwide [1]. It is associated with elevated IOP, which can lead to irreversible blindness. Relatively little is known about IOP dynamics and the physiological factors that affect it as IOP is typically monitored using tonometry. Tonometry is a common tool used by clinicians and researchers to measure IOP noninvasively. It provides a good estimate of IOP mean but not variance because data collection takes time. Readings can also be influenced by subject …


Teaching And Learning Together: Situating Information Literacy In The Library Social Services Landscape Of Practice Through Online Scenario-Game-Based Training, Denise R. Shereff Mar 2023

Teaching And Learning Together: Situating Information Literacy In The Library Social Services Landscape Of Practice Through Online Scenario-Game-Based Training, Denise R. Shereff

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A scoping literature review and a qualitative case study were conducted in this dissertation research to explore formal information literacy instruction and professional development for librarians and social workers in the context of library social services. This research provides avenues for increasing understanding about how each is prepared to provide mental health and social service information and resources in public libraries.The scoping literature review was conducted on 19 studies published since 2002 focusing on librarians’ roles in information literacy instruction in social worker education. Articles were reviewed according to published Scoping Review guidelines. Trends were described regarding instructional and technological …


An Analysis Of The Oil Pollution Act Of 1990: Regulatory Calibration In Anticipation Of 21st Century Environmental Disasters, Jessica S. Thornton Mar 2023

An Analysis Of The Oil Pollution Act Of 1990: Regulatory Calibration In Anticipation Of 21st Century Environmental Disasters, Jessica S. Thornton

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

After federal the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90) was promulgated in response to the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska, it helped restructure the nation’s environmental response capabilities and modernize the commercial shipping industry to effectively decrease environmental shipping disasters. However, in the 33 years since OPA 90’s inception, the oil and gas industry has transformed, especially in the offshore realm, as industry adopts new drilling technologies to gain access to deeper and heretofore untapped maritime environments. Though there have been two catastrophic offshore drilling accidents since the turn of the 21st century, OPA 90 remains categorically unchanged, …


Employing Individuals With A Criminal Record: How Prior Experience And Belief In Redeemability Impact Hiring Decisions, Kiera O'Connor Mar 2023

Employing Individuals With A Criminal Record: How Prior Experience And Belief In Redeemability Impact Hiring Decisions, Kiera O'Connor

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to better understand the mechanisms that play a part in employers’ hiring decisions when considering an applicant who has a criminal record. Specifically, two key variables were analyzed as a predictor of an employers’ willingness to hire (WTH): the presence and quality of an employer’s prior experience (PE) having hired an individual with a criminal record, and the extent to which they hold a belief in the redeemability (BiR) of those with a criminal record. Further, the current study aimed to contribute to the body of literature pertaining to WTH, PE and BiR by introducing BiR as …


Human Spacesuit Interaction During Eva Of The Legs Using A Force Sensing System, Niraliben D. Patel Mar 2023

Human Spacesuit Interaction During Eva Of The Legs Using A Force Sensing System, Niraliben D. Patel

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Astronauts perform a multitude of tasks in space, both in the spacecraft and outside of the spacecraft. Extravehicular Activity (EVA) refers to any activity that is completed outside of the spacecraft, whether it is work on the actual spacecraft, spacewalks, or conducting sample collections on other planets and moons. To do this safely, a pressurized Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) or commonly known as the spacesuit is used. There have been multiple iterations of the United States EMU with advances to further optimize the astronaut safety and EVA tasks. However, there is still relatively little information on the movement of the …


Dreaming To Get Out The “Sunken Place”: Fantasy, Film, And The Inner-White- I(Eye), Jordan Battle Mar 2023

Dreaming To Get Out The “Sunken Place”: Fantasy, Film, And The Inner-White- I(Eye), Jordan Battle

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Since its inception during the transatlantic slave trade, blackness within the collective unconscious of Western society has been sutured to negative stereotypes, images, and feelings. In modern discourse on race and racism, the unconscious manifestations of anti-black racism adopted from cultural impositions, the impact of enslavement and colonization on the psyche of the subjugated, and the importance of the mind in revolutionary efforts are all too often undertheorized. Through an Afropessimist framework, this thesis uncovers the origination of the black imago in Western society, how and why it is habitually recreated, and how black theorists, artists, political activists, and others …


Eeg Classifier Validation Methods For Neuroprosthetic Hand Development, Keigo Yamauchi Mar 2023

Eeg Classifier Validation Methods For Neuroprosthetic Hand Development, Keigo Yamauchi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

To date, many challenges have been reported in the development of neuroprosthetic hands using EEG and neural signals. In this study, we report the results of a literature review on Brain Computer Interface (BCI) technology, an investigation of estimation methods using applications in MATLAB, and the results of Electroencephalography (EEG) classification to assist in the development of neural prosthetic hands using biological signals such as EEG. Confusion Matrix was created using Motor Imagery (MI) data as the predictive value, and the average accuracy of more than 90% was obtained for the K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) and decision tree method. The results …


Violence, Rents, And Elites: Institutional Determinants Of Political Order In Ethiopia, Rwanda, And South Sudan, Kaleb Demerew Mar 2023

Violence, Rents, And Elites: Institutional Determinants Of Political Order In Ethiopia, Rwanda, And South Sudan, Kaleb Demerew

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation aims to investigate why some African states make progress in political development while others remain stagnant or regress. The study adopts a political economy approach within the new institutionalism tradition, focusing on the agency of domestic elites and the impact of violence constraints on institutional outcomes. Specifically, the study employs the violence trap framework, which identifies developing countries as fragile states, basic natural states, and mature natural states. The research applies this framework to case studies of Ethiopia, Rwanda, and South Sudan using an analytic narratives methodology that combines elite interviews with primary and secondary source analysis. The …


Needs Assessment For A Web-Based Support Resource For Patients With A Pathogenic Variant In Lmna, Dylan M. Allen Mar 2023

Needs Assessment For A Web-Based Support Resource For Patients With A Pathogenic Variant In Lmna, Dylan M. Allen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Pathogenic variants (PV) in the gene LMNA cause autosomal dominant inherited “laminopathies” that can affect multiple different organs, most specifically the heart. Current resources for LMNA patients are sparse and disjointed, leaving a need for a comprehensive resource catering to the wants and needs of the patients. A needs assessment of LMNA support resources was completed through reviewing published literature and existing support resources and conducting 11 semi-structured interviews with individuals who have a PV in LMNA. The Social Support Theoretical Model and thematic analysis of interview transcripts were used to identify discrepancies between the support that affected individuals receive …


A Critical Analysis Of The Graduate Socialization Of Racially Minoritized School Psychology Students, Tatiana J. Broughton Mar 2023

A Critical Analysis Of The Graduate Socialization Of Racially Minoritized School Psychology Students, Tatiana J. Broughton

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

By centering the voices of racially/ethnically minoritized school psychology graduate students I sought to understand how racially minoritized individuals experience their socialization process into the field, to critique and expose oppressive structures in place in their graduate programs, and to utilize garnered information to provide implications to address and dismantle oppressive structure within school psychology programs. Additionally, I sought to provide insight for school psychology training programs by identifying antiracist practices that minoritized graduate students view as supports in their training programs. Participants were eight racial/ethnic minoritized graduate students who participated in one to two virtual interviews discussing their experiences …


Bookends: Freemasonry In Russia, Past And Present, James Patrick Greene Mar 2023

Bookends: Freemasonry In Russia, Past And Present, James Patrick Greene

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis seeks to explore Russian Freemasonry in both the reign of Peter I and in theRussian Federation following the collapse of the Soviet Union, two periods where the relevant scholarship has largely fallen silent. The first chapter argues that early Masonic influences were both present at the court of Peter I and accepted by the Tsar. These intellectual trends, traceable in the libraries, social connections, and writings of individual Jacobites, would reemerge in the institutional Freemasonry in the reign of Catherine II. The printing and translation activities of Novikov and Lopukhin indicate a strong interest in these mystical ideas …


Healthcare Decision Makers' Perspectives On Barriers And Facilitators To Hiring Genetic Counselors In Huntington Disease (Hd) Clinic Settings, Bailey Hummel Mar 2023

Healthcare Decision Makers' Perspectives On Barriers And Facilitators To Hiring Genetic Counselors In Huntington Disease (Hd) Clinic Settings, Bailey Hummel

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Huntington disease (HD) is a hereditary, neurodegenerative autosomal dominant disorder for which there are currently no effective options to prevent the onset of symptoms. Although meeting with a genetic counselor (GC) is recommended as part of national guidelines for predictive HD genetic testing and a GC is required for Centers of Excellence, not all HD centers have hired a GC. To explore drivers for, valued outcomes of, and barriers to the creation of GC positions in clinics that treat patients with HD, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 11 individuals involved with HD clinics and/or hiring decisions at 8 clinics across …


Consumer Purchase Intent In Opinion Leader Live Streaming, Jihong Huo Mar 2023

Consumer Purchase Intent In Opinion Leader Live Streaming, Jihong Huo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 prompted the live-streaming industry to become popular, and live streaming by opinion leaders became a new way of shopping. In live-streaming by opinion leaders, the time from understanding the product to completing the purchase behavior is short; opinion leaders, in turn, use live-streaming to boost sales and personal exposure. Despite the popularity of opinion leaders' live consumption, there are still relatively few studies on it. Therefore, this paper will study what factors promote consumers' purchase intention during the live streaming of opinion leaders.Using the Stimulus-Organism-Response Model (SOR) as a theoretical framework, this paper uses a quantitative research approach …


Land Use/Land Cover Uncertainty Analysis Using Hydrological Modeling In The Northern Watershed Of Lake Okeechobee, Andres Lora Santos Mar 2023

Land Use/Land Cover Uncertainty Analysis Using Hydrological Modeling In The Northern Watershed Of Lake Okeechobee, Andres Lora Santos

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Over the past 150 years, Florida has undergone a major land-form transformation, transitioning from a natural to a primarily built environment. The state's population has grown exponentially, from less than 50,000 residents in the 1850s to approximately 22 million residents today. This population growth has led to significant changes in land use, including urbanization, mining, and agriculture. This trend is expected to continue, with projections indicating an increase in urbanization across the state. 2070 land use/land cover projections were used as input for the Watershed Assessment Model (WAM) to analyze the potential impact of these changes on flow, total nitrogen …


Piloting A Spanish-Language Web-Based Tool For Hereditary Cancer Genetic Testing, Gretter Manso Mar 2023

Piloting A Spanish-Language Web-Based Tool For Hereditary Cancer Genetic Testing, Gretter Manso

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cancer genetic services (including genetic counseling and testing) help identify patients and families at increased risk of developing cancer so that steps can be taken to reduce risks or find cancers early. Receipt of genetic services in the Hispanic/Latinx population is low due, in part, to a shortage of Spanish-speaking genetic counselors. To address this concern, a 12-minute online tool designed to inform individuals about cancer genetic services was translated into Spanish. The objectives of this pilot study were to determine if the educational tool improves knowledge and informed decision making and to assess usability and appropriateness of the tool …


Losing The Streaming Wars: What Netflix Loses In Television Narrative And Participatory Fan Cultures, Annabelle G. Naudin Mar 2023

Losing The Streaming Wars: What Netflix Loses In Television Narrative And Participatory Fan Cultures, Annabelle G. Naudin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on the rise of streaming television and subsequent “binge-watching” and its impact on the narrative structure of a series. By looking at shows such as Stranger Things, which pioneered the rise in this new form of television, one can see the shift in narrative structure in comparison to previous long- form television such as LOST. This shift can be seen in the slow disappearance of “game-changer” cliffhangers within episodes that build to a larger implication in a season arc in favor of one longer mystery that stretches throughout the season. In this thesis, I argue that this …


Spatial Mismatch Between Electric Vehicles (Evs) And Ev Charging Stations In Florida, Chuang Yin Mar 2023

Spatial Mismatch Between Electric Vehicles (Evs) And Ev Charging Stations In Florida, Chuang Yin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Carbon emission is a key contributor to global warming and climate change. Reducing carbon emissions has posed as a challenge for several decades, prompting a rising alliance of nations, municipalities, corporations, and other establishments to commit to achieving net-zero emissions. One of the trends in many countries is to replace traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles with alternative fuel vehicles, especially electric vehicles (EVs). The Global EV Outlook 2021 report by IEA reveals that there was a 41% surge in the registration of electric cars in 2020, resulting in the sale of approximately 3 million electric cars worldwide. Since the …


Using The Genetic Counseling Skills Checklist To Characterize Prenatal Genetic Counseling, David A. Cline Mar 2023

Using The Genetic Counseling Skills Checklist To Characterize Prenatal Genetic Counseling, David A. Cline

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Genetic Counseling relies on communication skills to help patients understand and adapt to a genetic disease or risk. However, little is known about which skills are most commonly used or the extent to which genetic counseling sessions vary. A novel process measure titled the "Genetic Counseling Skills Checklist" (GCSC) was developed in a prior pilot study and includes 8 broad categories each consisting of 5-8 skills. This study is the first to apply the final GCSC to characterize 20 mock prenatal sessions conducted by 5 genetic counselors (GCs) for 2 prenatal indications using 3 trained actors as patients. Two experienced …


Spatial Pattern And Environmental And Social Factors Of Monkeypox In The Contiguous United States, Linbo Han Mar 2023

Spatial Pattern And Environmental And Social Factors Of Monkeypox In The Contiguous United States, Linbo Han

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Monkeypox is a rare viral disease that is usually transmitted to humans through contact with infected animals, such as rodents or primates. Although its symptoms are similar to those of smallpox, monkeypox is generally less severe and rarely fatal. In recent years, however, there has been an uptick in the number of reported cases, with a large outbreak occurring in several parts of the world in May 2022. This has raised concerns among public health officials and researchers, who are working to better understand the factors that contribute to the spread of the disease. One promising approach to studying the …


Advocating For Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion: A Study Of The Nhl’S #Hockeyisforeveryone Campaign On Twitter, Jessica Martinez Mar 2023

Advocating For Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion: A Study Of The Nhl’S #Hockeyisforeveryone Campaign On Twitter, Jessica Martinez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With more than 6.8 million followers on Twitter (as of Feb. 2023), the National Hockey League (NHL) has a large platform that has the potential to influence societal change not only in the United States and Canada, but also globally. This study aims to understand how corporate social responsibility initiatives pair with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. Furthermore, this research seeks to understand how organizations communicate these messages with their publics through social media. This study specifically examines news frames and charity support behaviors implemented by the NHL in messages about its DEI campaign, “Hockey Is For Everyone,” and …


Modeling Leachate Treatment Processes In Adsorbent-Amended Hybrid Constructed Wetland, Ishfaqun Nisa Mar 2023

Modeling Leachate Treatment Processes In Adsorbent-Amended Hybrid Constructed Wetland, Ishfaqun Nisa

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Due to their efficiency in removing ammonia nitrogen, Constructed Wetlands (CW) are currently considered a very useful method for on-site leachate treatment. In recent years, the use of adsorbent media in CWs, such as zeolite and biochar, to improve pollutant removal efficiency has been explored and these studies indicate that incorporating zeolite can improve the nitrification process, while the addition of biochar can enhance the denitrification process and the removal of organic compounds. However, studies on mechanistic/process models simulating performance of adsorbent-amended CWs for treating landfill leachate are limited. This study presents simulation results for both unamended and adsorbent-amended hybrid …


Identifying Barriers And Facilitators To Family Communication Regarding Genetic Testing For Hereditary Cancer, Andrea K. Shields Mar 2023

Identifying Barriers And Facilitators To Family Communication Regarding Genetic Testing For Hereditary Cancer, Andrea K. Shields

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cascade testing, whereby at-risk family members are tested for known pathogenic or likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants in high risk cancer genes, provides the opportunity for changes in medical management (e.g., increased surveillance to detect cancer early or preventative surgery to reduce cancer risk). However, the rates of cascade testing are low which suggests that one-time communication may be insufficient to prompt action among family, and an increase in understanding of how to promote ongoing communication about genetic testing within families is needed. We surveyed individuals with P/LP variants in inherited cancer genes and conducted multiple linear regression with forward analysis …


Remote Medical Diagnosis Via Infrared Thermography And Augmented Reality, Frederick M. Selkey Mar 2023

Remote Medical Diagnosis Via Infrared Thermography And Augmented Reality, Frederick M. Selkey

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Fast, accurate, and non-invasive diagnostic techniques are required by the medical industry to increase the success of medical treatments and enhance the quality of patient care. Medical IRT has been demonstrated reasonably effective at diagnosing and monitoring several physiological conditions. Diversities in the human body, physical and psychological condition, measurement equipment, and environment all influence the sensitive readings obtained by passive IR measurement devices. New standards for medical IRT and fever screening have been demonstrated effective, but there is limited adherence to the guidelines [36]. Absolute temperature readings require regular calibration checks and can easily be thrown off by noise. …


Ecohydrology, Cultural Perceptions, And Recovery Of Freshwater Wetlands In A Heavily Managed Urban Aquifer, Jessica Ashley Balerna Mar 2023

Ecohydrology, Cultural Perceptions, And Recovery Of Freshwater Wetlands In A Heavily Managed Urban Aquifer, Jessica Ashley Balerna

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Freshwater wetlands provide essential ecosystem services that influence, and are influenced by, human perceptions and behaviors. I explore these feedbacks in the Tampa Bay region, which hosts numerous freshwater wetlands subjected to population increases, economic growth, and shifting management policies. These wetlands are embedded in urban and residential areas, where people can observe and respond to changes in wetland condition over time. I utilized long-term (1991–2018), high sample size (n=152) datasets to assess how wetland inundation responds to the interactive effects of climate variation and shifts in water conservation policies primarily related to cutbacks in groundwater extraction. As wetland ecosystem …


Evaluation Of A Story-Telling Approach To Educate Minority Populations About Inherited Cancer, Celestyn B. Angot Mar 2023

Evaluation Of A Story-Telling Approach To Educate Minority Populations About Inherited Cancer, Celestyn B. Angot

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Utilization of hereditary cancer genetic counseling and testing services is substantially lower among minority populations compared to white populations due, in part, to lower levels of awareness and knowledge. To help improve awareness, we designed a 7-minute video that uses storytelling to translate knowledge of genetic testing and hereditary cancer to individuals who have a personal history or family history of cancer. Consented participants were asked baseline questions about hereditary cancer and genetic testing, reviewed the video, and provided feedback on its content, understandability, and visual appeal during semi-structured interviews. Data were coded and analyzed to identify themes and determine …


How The Taiwanese Podcast Bailingguo News Framed The 2019 Hong Kong Movement: A Framing Analysis Of The Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill, Yu-Fei Chiu Mar 2023

How The Taiwanese Podcast Bailingguo News Framed The 2019 Hong Kong Movement: A Framing Analysis Of The Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill, Yu-Fei Chiu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nowadays, people can access different types of media to get information. Podcast is one of them and became more popular in recent years. In Hong Kong, the anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill movement took place in 2019. In this research, we are looking for the frames that Kylie and Ken as the hosts of the Taiwanese podcast - Bailingguo News used when they talked about the movement. The researcher applied framing theory to conduct this study, using textual analysis to analyze five episodes that mentioned the movement on Hong Kong from Bailingguo News. The researcher extracts the themes in the podcasters' …


"Emerging And Submerging": Silence, Commemoration, And Sexual Violence In Minneapolis, Alissa Roy Mar 2023

"Emerging And Submerging": Silence, Commemoration, And Sexual Violence In Minneapolis, Alissa Roy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Dedicated in Minneapolis in October 2020, the Survivors Memorial became the first permanent memorial to survivors of sexual violence in the United States. However, as my research reveals, sexual violence has long been a part of the commemorative landscape in northeast Minneapolis. Whereas the Survivors Memorial explicitly commemorates survivors of sexual violence, a much older site, the 1936 Pioneers Monument - commemorates sexual violence through silence. This thesis argues that with the building and dedication of the Survivors Memorial, a different memory than the one embodied within the Pioneers Monument begins to take shape. An older narrative of peaceful conquest …


Framing, Emotion, And Contradiction In The Tampa Bay Times’ Climate Change Coverage, Madison Veeneman Mar 2023

Framing, Emotion, And Contradiction In The Tampa Bay Times’ Climate Change Coverage, Madison Veeneman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

How the media covers climate change is a crucial issue because it can impact public opinion and influence policy, and local newspapers are an understudied yet essential source of media. Previous media research has utilized framing approaches, considered ideology and hegemony, and begun to seriously examine emotion. The purpose of this research project is to synthesize these approaches to examine how the Tampa Bay Times covers climate change. Using research questions that focus on how the coverage is framed and how emotion is used, I collected two samples of articles from different newspaper sections and conducted textual analysis. I identify …


"Queen Of The Mother-Tucking (Western) World": Authenticity And Nationality On Drag Race, Zane A. Willard Mar 2023

"Queen Of The Mother-Tucking (Western) World": Authenticity And Nationality On Drag Race, Zane A. Willard

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Against the backdrop of legislation across the United States regulating drag performances, I turn to the reality television (RTV) franchise Drag Race as a popular media site where queer identities are represented. More specifically, I analyze the series RuPaul’s Drag Race: UK vs The World (UKVTW) which is the first series in the franchise to feature participants from different countries competing for the title “Queen of the Mother-Tucking World.” Furthermore, the series suggests it represents “global” drag. Understanding that no singular RTV series can represent a singular global drag identity, I ask: how does the series represent global drag? Turning …


The Role Of Eco-Tourism In The Environmental Protection Of The Mountains Of Pamirs, Furough Shakarmamadova Mar 2023

The Role Of Eco-Tourism In The Environmental Protection Of The Mountains Of Pamirs, Furough Shakarmamadova

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACTThe Central Asian nation of Tajikistan became independent in 1991. Tajikistan is a mountainous country with a great potential for tourism development. Nevertheless, there are limitations to the development of eco-tourism. I conducted my study to investigate the potential for developing eco-tourism in the eastern part of Tajikistan (the Pamirs). My overarching question was how does eco-tourism relate to the protection of the environment in Pamirs and can it improve the quality of people's lives? To answer this question, I focused on identifying the Best Management Practices (BMP) of eco-tourism in the region and what specific policies, if any, exist …