Digital Commons Network^™

Modeling The Extent Of Virus Removal In Waste Stabilization Ponds To Support Reuse Of Wastewater, Kelly James Vannoy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Waste stabilization ponds (WSPs) are one of the most prevalent types of domestic wastewater treatment technologies employed worldwide, and global stressors such as urbanization, population growth, climate change, and water scarcity have increased the demand for reusing treated wastewater. The safe reuse of treated wastewater in agriculture can ease water scarcity, aid in food production, and reduce environmental degradation from the discharge of wastewater effluent to surface waters. The ability to predict virus concentrations in wastewater effluent is an important criterion for determining whether wastewater is suitable for discharge to the environment or for reuse in agriculture. However, many uncertainties …

Metabolic Therapy For Age-Dependent Impaired Wound Healing, Shannon Lynn Kesl

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Chronic wounds represent an under-acknowledged socioeconomic epidemic, affecting 1.8 million new patients per year and costing the US health care system upwards of $25 billion annually. This substantial cost is rapidly growing due to a disproportionate occurrence in the ever-aging population. Key features associated with age-related impairment of wound healing include limited energy and nutrient exchange, unremitting inflammations, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), and diminished blood flow. Most chronic wound therapies target specific molecular mechanisms; however, there are often multiple mitigating factors that prevent normal wound closure. This is likely one reason most wound therapies are minimally effective. In the …

Motivation Of Adult, Auditioned Community Choirs: Implications Toward Lifelong Learning, David James Redman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Knowledge of motivation factors can assist conductors and music educators at all levels in planning and implementation of musical goals. The purpose of this study was to identify motivational factors to join the choir and maintain membership in the choir as well as the role of stress/anxiety in maintaining choral membership. In addition, the role of musicianship was evaluated in terms of music aptitude and vocal ability. Participants (N=135) from four adult, auditioned community choirs participated in this study. Data was collected using Advanced Measures of Music Audiation, Singing Coach, measure of vocal ability and a questionnaire relating to topics …

Factors Associated With Sexually Transmitted Infections (Stis) And Multiple Sti Co-Infections: Results From The Evri Hiv Prevention Preparedness Trial, Ubin Pokharel

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of sexually transmitted co-infections and assess factors associated with a single infection and co-infections.

Methods: A total of 388 women were included in this study. At enrollment of the EVRI trial women were tested for five STIs: Human papilloma virus (HPV), Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) and Treponema pallidum. Prevalence of STI infections and proportion of women with different combinations of co-infections were calculated. Factors associated with single infection and STI co-infection were assessed using a polytomous logistic regression model and odds ratio …

Selective Enhancement Of Macropinocytosis For The Treatment Of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Raul Iglesias

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Over the past few years, researchers have focused their attention on the development of targeted cancer therapies to minimize the side effects associated with non-targeted treatments such as chemotherapy. Specifically, these approaches have focused on blocking growth factor receptors (GFR) that are overexpressed in cancer cells. In this thesis, we also focus on targeting overexpressed GFR; however, instead of blocking the GFR, our novel approach aims at using them to selectively enhance the endocytotic process of macropinocytosis to deliver peptides that either disrupts the mitochondria or inhibits glycolysis.

Herein, we show the selective enhancement of macropinocytosis by the fusion protein …

The Path To Violent Behavior: The Harmful Aftermath Of Childhood Trauma, Nicholas Michael Perez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Adverse childhood experiences can lead to a number of harmful outcomes throughout an individual’s life, ranging from medical problems to criminal behavior. These traumatic experiences, comprised of different forms of maltreatment and dysfunctional household environments, can affect the development of a child in a variety of different ways. The multitude of developmental changes can produce compounding harmful effects on the child’s life and lead to acutely maladaptive outcomes. Under the perspective of developmental psychopathology, the ever-changing biological, psychological, and social dynamics of children who experience trauma can contribute to deficiencies in all aspects of their subsequent development. Each of these …

Three-Dimensional Interstitial Space Mediates Predator Foraging Success In Different Spatial Arrangements, Stephen Gregory Hesterberg

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Habitat structure modifies the strength of predator-prey interactions, but it remains unclear how to describe the three-dimensional spatial arrangement of structural components in a way that consistently predicts outcomes. Interstitial space may provide a useful target for measurement, but most studies use only two-dimensional methods to describe 3D space, limiting their predictive power. Using a novel technology to produce identical components, this study tests whether the 3D interstitial space of oyster shell mimics modifies the ability of blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) to capture their mud crab prey (Eurypanopeous depressus) in mesocosms and a variety of reef-associated …

“It’S Not Like A Movie. It’S Not Hollywood:” Competing Narratives Of A Youth Mentoring Organization, Carley Geiss

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Direct social service workers face a variety of difficulties including low pay, limited upward mobility, role ambiguity, and emotional exhaustion. This study adds to the understanding of the complexities of front-line service work with an analysis of the storytelling of case managers working with Big Brothers Big Sisters. Interview participants describe a problem of “volunteer expectations,” which they define as related to the organizational storytelling of the program: the images that entice people to volunteer do not match actual volunteer experiences. I argue that glamorized storytelling through marketing and recruitment tactics creates unintended, negative consequences for volunteers and case managers. …

Elastin Like Polypeptides As Drug Delivery Vehicles In Regenerative Medicine Applications, Alex Leonard

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Elastin like polypeptides (ELPs) are a class of naturally derived biomaterials that are non-immunogenic, genetically encodable, and biocompatible making them ideal for a variety of biomedical applications, ranging from drug delivery to tissue engineering. Also, ELPs undergo temperature-mediated inverse phase transitioning, which allows them to be purified in a relatively simple manner from bacterial expression hosts. Being able to genetically encode ELPs allows for the incorporation of bioactive peptides and functionalization of ELPs. This work utilizes ELPs for regenerative medicine and drug delivery.

The goal of the first study was to synthesize a biologically active epidermal growth factor-ELP (EGF-ELP) fusion …

Chemical Investigation Of Antarctic Marine Organisms & Their Role In Modern Drug Discovery, Jacqueline Lee Fries

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The chemicals produced by biological systems, whether proteins, peptides, or terpenes, will always provide an intriguing topic for researchers. Invisibly controlling every aspect of nature, these molecules are responsible for life, evolution, and death. Specifically, here is described the secondary metabolites produced by Antarctic marine organisms as well as others, and how they are used to defend or attract other animals while potentially providing health benefits to mankind. This is done through collection, extraction, and separation of individual specimens. The respective mixtures of compounds after isolation are then analyzed via spectroscopic methods such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, …

Design, Synthesis And Screening Of Peptidomimetics For Anticancer And Antiviral Drug Candidates, Yi Liang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The high demand of novel peptide and peptidomimetics based on the amount of genomic and proteomic data need be matched by synthesis and screening. The design and synthesis of peptide and peptidomimetics are so important because the peptide and protein-protein interaction play a key role in molecule recognition and signaling. The modified peptides have better stability and pharmacokinetic properties which may be guided by rational design and molecular modeling. Now many organic and medicinal chemists have chosen peptide and peptidomimetics as potential drug candidates for many targets.

In this dissertation, research efforts in design and synthesis of cyclic peptides with …

The Ecological Succession Of Mosquitoes Inhabiting Waste Tires In A Subtropical Swamp And Upland Forest In Central West Florida, Emily Thuong Nguyen Dinh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Literature has not yet seen a contribution involving the description of successional patterns of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) inhabiting discarded automobile tires in sylvan areas nor an investigation into the macro- and micro-environmental factors that may influence the seasonal shifts in species composition and abundance in that respective habitat. Waste tires in undeveloped forests are a hazard to human and animal health because they can support a population of vector mosquitoes. Locating productive waste tire mosquito habitats is problematic in wooded areas but is crucial for diminishing pathogen transfer in areas where humans have regular access to forests because of possible …

Antigen Specific Induced T Regulatory Cellular Therapy For Graft-Versus-Host Disease Following Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplantation, Jessica Lauren Heinrichs

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT) has been a successful cellular therapy for patients suffering from hematological malignancies for many decades; however, the beneficial effects of graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) are classically offset by graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). GVHD occurs when major and/or minor human leukocyte antigen (HLA) mismatches between donor and recipient cause rapid expansion and activation of donor effector T cells (Teffs) resulting in end organ damage to the recipient’s epithelial tissues. Given the lymphoproliferative nature of this disease, the standard treatment option is broad immunosuppression, which can result in primary disease relapse, steroid refractory GVHD, and/or opportunistic infection. A more …

Dialectical Behavior Therapy In College Counseling Centers: Practical Applications And Theoretical Considerations, Carla Chugani

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Authors over the last two decades have discussed the myriad of challenges present in managing college students with severe mental health disorders. During the same time period, Marsha Linehan developed dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) as an empirically sound intervention for individuals with suicidal and self-injurious behaviors and this treatment grew to be an evidence-based practice for a range of challenging clinical issues. I argue that one solution to continued increases in college students who present for treatment to their college counseling centers with difficult-to-treat mental health issues, including but not limited to, borderline personality disorder (BPD), is to implement DBT …

A Depiction Of Women In Tennessee With Low Literacy Skills And Their Access To Higher Education And Employment, Rebecca Puig

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This phase one study was conducted using qualitative research methods in order to describe to policymakers and local literacy program experts more completely the current challenges and needs some adult women in Tennessee with low-literacy skills face when pursing higher education or a professional career. In turn, such information can assist them in better identifying appropriate resources and interventions to serve these women.

Data were collected through a cross-case analysis of two individual case studies and five interviews with three adult learners and two literacy program experts. Artifacts (e.g., flyers) were also collected, but provided no substantial contribution to the …

Resource Recovery Through Halophyte Production In Marine Aquaponics: An Evaluation Of The Nutrient Cycling And The Environmental Sustainability Of Aquaponics, Suzanne Boxman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Aquaculture, the farming of aquatic animals and plants, is an important component of global food production, which supplies a nutritious protein source for millions of people. Interest in improving the sustainability of aquaculture has led to the development of aquaponics in which fish production is combined with plant production to create zero-discharge systems. A need for more fundamental science and engineering research on marine aquaculture and growing interest in production of halophytes motivated this novel research on marine aquaponics. One objective was to evaluate the growth and nutrient removal capacity of halophytes in marine aquaponics. Bench-scale studies were conducted to …

Synthesis Of Agents For The Treatment And Analysis Of Tropical Diseases, Jeanine Yacoub

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Toxoplasmosis is an opportunistic disease caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The parasite is usually staved off by a healthy immune system and remains dormant in the body. In immunocompromised patients, the parasite can become active and spread throughout the body causing symptoms such as encephalitis, cognitive disorders, seizures, and death. Combination drug therapy is the usual treatment for toxoplasmosis; however, patients suffer from problems of intolerance, allergic reactions, and cytotoxicity. In an effort to identify new drug targets for toxoplasmosis, a series of compounds have been synthesized that can be used as tools to probe the unique …

Ammonium Removal From High Strength Wastewater Using A Hybrid Ion Exchange Biological Process, Veronica Ester Aponte-Morales

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Anaerobic digestion (AD) has been shown to be an effective technique for energy recovery and stabilization of livestock wastes, municipal sludges and industrial wastewaters. However, further treatment is required to remove nitrogen from AD effluents to avoid detriments to surface and ground waters. The high free ammonia (FA) concentrations present in AD effluents can inhibit nitrification processes in conventional biological nitrogen removal (BNR) systems. The overall goal of this research was to develop a process for removal of nitrogen from AD swine waste (ADSW) effluent. The proposed solution was to incorporate particulate chabazite, which has a high cation exchange capacity, …

Optofluidic Spectroscopy Platform For Detection Of Hemolysis, Edikan Archibong

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the United States alone, hundreds of millions of blood tests are performed annually, and a significant number of those tests are compromised due to hemolysis: e.g., 31% compromised in emergency rooms (inpatient) and 10% at blood banks, clinics, and other outpatient venues. Currently there is no way to reliably detect hemolysis without plasma separation. As a result, significant delays ensue, potentially negatively affecting patient diagnosis and treatment. In addition to in vitro hemolysis, which compromises the quality of blood tests, hemolysis can also occur in vivo. The in vivo occurrence of hemolysis is an indication of life-threatening complications. …

The Relationship Of Childhood Stress To Adult Health And Mortality Among Individuals From Two U.S. Documented Skeletal Collections, Late 19Th To Early 20Th Centuries, Rhonda Coolidge

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although the association between social inequality and poor adult health is well established, the mechanisms by which inequality is translated into poor adult health are less clear. Increasingly, evidence suggests that many adult health problems and health disparities have their origins in early life; the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) hypothesis provides an explanatory mechanism linking adverse early life conditions with permanent structural or functional changes that increase the risk for disease. This hypothesis is consistent with bioarchaeological research noting reduced lifespan among individuals exhibiting signs of childhood stress.

The principal aim of this dissertation is to contribute …

The Relationship Between Social Networks, Exchange And Kids’ Food In Children’S Peer Culture, Stephanie Tillman Melton

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates children’s peer culture, social networks and the role that kids’ food plays in peer exchanges during middle childhood. During this stage children develop social competencies as they join peer groups with other children and become socialized into children’s peer culture. In order to immerse myself within children’s culture, I conducted ethnographic fieldwork at two afterschool programs providing care for elementary school children. I investigated friendships, social networks and exchanges among third through fifth grade children at the programs. The study included participant observation and participatory group interviews with a sample of the children at both sites. The …

Risk And Resiliency Factors At School Entry: Relations To Academic And Behavioral Outcomes In Early Adolescence, Krystle Kuzia Preece

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how early academic and behavioral variables in kindergarten (i.e., academic performance, first time kindergarten status, early school-related emotional adaptation, prosocial behavior, externalizing behaviors, and internalizing behaviors) were related to academic and behavioral outcomes in eighth grade (i.e., academic performance, retention, suspension, externalizing behaviors, internalizing behaviors, and having an educational/mental health diagnosis). Archival data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study—Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K) database that included approximately 5,700 participants from across the U.S., were examined to answer three research questions: (1) How are early academic and behavioral variables related to each other among youth …

Lipoproteins And Health Outcomes: Cognitive And Physical Function In Older Adults, Marianne Chanti-Ketterl

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular health is a major determinant of quality of life and mortality, especially in older adulthood. With the world’s oldest population increasing at expedited rates, challenges from cardiovascular conditions and its implications are spawning. Although it is well known that dyslipidemia may lead to cardiac events, less is known about the effects on cognitive and physical function in older adults. Epidemiological studies show that optimizing current preventive strategies even at older ages may reduce the incidence of cardiovascular comorbidity (e.g. hypertension, stroke) and increase quality of life. Determining the association between lipoproteins and cognitive and functional performance in older adults …

In Vacuo Fabrication And Electronic Structure Characterization Of Atomic Layer Deposition Thin Films, Michael Schaefer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Improvement of novel electronic devices is possible by tailor-designing the electronic structure at device interfaces. Common problems observed at interfaces are related to unwanted band alignment caused by the chemical diversity of interface partners, influencing device performance negatively. One way to address this problem is by introducing ultra-thin interfacial dipole layers, steering the band alignment in a desired direction. The requirements are strict in terms of thickness, conformity and low density of defects, making sophisticated deposition techniques necessary. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) with its Ångstrom-precise thickness control can fulfill those requirements.

The work presented here encompasses the implementation of an …

Characterization Of Two Novel Gene Regulatory Systems In The Zoonotic Bacterium Bartonella Henselae, Nhan Tu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The genus Bartonella contains Gram-negative arthropod-borne bacteria that are found in many small animal reservoirs and are capable of causing human disease. Bacteria utilize a general stress response system to combat stresses from their surrounding environments. In α-proteobacteria, the general stress response system uses an alternate σ factor as the main regulator and incorporates it with a two-component system into a unique system. Our study identifies the general stress response system in the α-proteobacterium, Bartonella henselae, where the gene synteny is conserved and both the PhyR and alternate σ factor have similar sequence and domain structures with other α-proteobacteria. …

Mass Spectrometry-Based Investigation Of App-Dependent Mechanisms In Neurodegeneration, Dale Chaput

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most prevalent form of dementia affecting the elderly, and as the aging population increases the social and economic burden of AD grows substantially. Pathological hallmarks of AD include the accumulation of extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), as well as significant neuron loss. Amyloid plaques consist of aggregated amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide, which is generated from the proteolytic processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP) in addition to several other peptides. While the processing of APP has been characterized, its primary physiological function and its involvement in AD pathology are poorly understood. Developing a …

Engaging Overqualified Employees: The Role Of Job And Nonwork Crafting, Soner Dumani

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined the relationship between perceived overqualification and work engagement through basic need satisfaction at work and further incorporated job crafting and nonwork crafting to understand the indirect role of need satisfaction. In study 1, a new measure for targeted nonwork crafting was developed and validated. The final scale provided adequate reliability and validity evidence, and predicted life satisfaction and job satisfaction above and beyond the measures of intrinsic motivation and recovery experiences. The main study included a total of 321 full-time employees who had been working in their current job for at least 3 months and represented …

A Comparative Analysis Of Portable X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry And Stable Isotopes In Assessing Ancient Coastal Peruvian Diets, Theresa Jane Gilbertson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores a cross-cultural analysis of the dietary signatures of four coastal cultures of prehistoric Peru. A combination of elemental analysis based on portable x-ray fluorescence spectrometry (pXRF), testing trace elements presented in 209 individuals’ skulls representing the Nazca (38), Cañete (33), Lima (40), and Moche (98) valleys and/or cultures of the first millennium AD, is weighed in conjunction with isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) to analyze human bone collagen and bone apatite derived from a portion of the individuals represented in the Nazca, Cañete, and Lima cranial samples.

Evidence from the results of both tests are weighed using …

The Efficacy Of Child Parent Relationship Therapy When Conducted In An Online Format On Levels Of Parental Acceptance, Brenna Michele Hicks

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Children’s mental health is a topic of concern, not only in the escalating number of children who meet diagnostic criteria for disorders, but also for the practitioners desiring to treat them effectively. Parental involvement in treatment results in more favorable outcomes with longer treatment gains observed, thus reducing mental health issues.

An additional factor in children’s mental health is the effect of levels of parental acceptance toward the child. Parental acceptance is a positive outcome that has been observed in previous studies conducted with Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT).

There are many reported barriers to seeking treatment for mental health issues, …

Gatekeepers For Gifted Social Studies: Case Studies Of Middle School Teachers, Teresa Michelle Bergstrom

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This is a multiple case study of the ways middle grades social studies teachers, as curricular-instructional gatekeepers, may make decisions to provide their gifted students with purposeful differentiated instruction. More specifically, this study explores what teachers believe they should do to instruct gifted students, in what ways teachers prepare and adapt curriculum and instruction for gifted students, and how instruction for gifted learners can take place in a middle school social studies classroom. Through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and supportive visual evidence, six middle grades (6-8) social studies teachers disclosed in what ways they differentiate their middle grades social studies …