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Gay, Straight, Or Slightly Bent? The Interaction Of Leader Sexual Orientation And Gender On Leadership Evaluations, Fred George Macoukji

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Existing research has shown that gender stereotypes regarding characteristics of men and women influence others' perceptions of their fit with organizational roles, including leadership roles (cf. Eagly & Karau, 2002). However, little research has examined stereotypes regarding other demographic characteristics (e.g., race, sexual orientation) and how they may interact with gender stereotypes to influence leadership evaluations. The current study examined whether leader gender and sexual orientation interact to influence subordinates' evaluations of leader effectiveness, likability, and boss desirability using an experimental design. In addition to examining whether leader gender and sexual orientation interacted to predict leader evaluations, the present …

Contrast Adaptation In The Lateral Eye Of Limulus Polyphemus, Tchoudomira Valtcheva

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Luminance and contrast adaptation are neuronal mechanisms that the retina applies for continuous adjustment to light sensitivity though a collection of cellular and synaptic mechanisms distributed across the retinal network, thus accommodating the wide input range of the visual system within the constricted output range of retinal ganglion cells. Luminance mean adaptation has been demonstrated in the output neurons of the invertebrate eye (eccentric cells), and the aim of the study was to investigate whether the homology in visual processing extends to luminance variance (contrast) adaptation as well. The spike trains of individual eccentric cells were recorded from live horseshoe …

Skeletal Muscle Contraction Simulation: A Comparison In Modeling, Jonathan M. Ford

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Computer generated three-dimensional (3-D) models are being used at increasing rates in the fields of entertainment, education, research, and engineering. One of the aspects of interest includes the behavior and function of the musculoskeletal system. One such tool used by engineers is the finite element method (FEM) to simulate the physics behind muscle mechanics. There are several ways to represent 3-D muscle geometry, namely a bulk, a central line of action and a spline model. The purpose of this study is to exmine how these three representations affect the overall outcome of muscle movement. This is examined in a series …

Hydraulic Evaluation Of A Community Managed Wastewater Stabilization Pond System In Bolivia, Louis Lizima

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This work explores the hydraulic performance of a wastewater lagoon system located in San Antonio, Bolivia. The system consists of one facultative pond and two maturation ponds in series and is managed through a locally elected water committee. A tracer study was performed on the primary facultative pond and an analysis of the solids accumulation on the bottom of the facultative lagoon was also performed. The results were used to generate residence time distribution curves and provide an estimate of mean residence time in the system. The data was used to examine hydraulic efficiency as it relates to short-circuiting and …

The End Of Anarchy: Weapons Of Mass Destruction And The States System, Gregory Edward Johnson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The basis of this thesis is that weapons of mass destruction will continue to proliferate and will inevitably - given enough time- be used against civilian populations repeatedly.

As this occurs the opposition between support for international law and the power of the state will intensify. This will go on for some time and will, in all probability, become extremely destructive. Eventually, however, the states (and individual people) of the world will realize that the simultaneous existence of international anarchy and weapons of mass destruction runs counter to long term human survival. This realization will , very likely, lead people …

Desert In The Springs: Ethnography Of A Food Desert, Margeaux Alana Chavez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

"Food desert" commonly describes food insecure areas with few fresh food outlets. Though used in a number of sources, the definition of "food desert" remains largely undeveloped and research is often deficit oriented, failing to account for community assets that may exist within food deserts but are underutilized or under-supported. Using an assets-based, ethnographic approach, this study combines GIS and survey methodology with participant observation and qualitative interviews to assess the potential positive effect of urban agriculture on food accessibility in Sulphur Springs, a USDA identified urban food desert in Tampa, Florida.

Ethnographic data suggest that within this neighborhood, residents …

A Distributed Local-Leg Feedback Algorithm For Robust Walking On Uneven Terrain, Mayur Ramakant Palankar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Legged animals can traverse significantly more of the Earth's land mass than man-made wheeled and tracked vehicles~\cite{Anonymous67}. Their impressive mobility is largely due to multiple dexterous legs and the robust algorithms that coordinate and control them. A legged animal such as a squirrel can exhibit multiple locomotion modes such as walking, running and jumping and also multiple gaits or leg phase timings within each mode. A robot that could mimic this level of robust locomotion would be highly useful for planetary exploration, military reconnaissance, and time-critical search and rescue in cluttered or collapsed buildings.

A number of biological studies on …

An Application Developed For Simulation Of Electrical Excitation And Conduction In A 3d Human Heart, Di Yu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis first reviews the history of General Purpose computing Graphic Processing Unit (GPGPU) and then introduces the fundamental problems that are suitable for GPGPU algorithm. The architecture of GPGPU is compared against modern CPU architecture, and the fundamental difference is outlined. The programming challenges faced by GPGPU and the techniques utilized to overcome these issues are evaluated and discussed.

The second part of the thesis presents an application developed with GPGPU technology to simulate the electrical excitation and conduction in a 3D human heart model based on cellular automata model. The algorithm and implementation are discussed in detail and …

Myoglobin Detection On Sic: Immunosensor Development For Myocardial Infarction, Alexandra Oliveros Villalba

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Silicon carbide (SiC) has been around for more than 100 years as an industrial material and has found wide and varied applications because of its unique electrical and thermal properties. In recent years there has been increased attention on SiC as a viable material for biomedical applications. Among these applications are those where SiC is used as a substrate material for biosensors and biotransducers, taking advantage of its surface chemical, tribological and electrical properties.

In this work we have used the proven bio- and hema-compatibility of SiC to develop a viable biorecognition interface using SiC as the substrate material for …

Robotic Swarming Without Inter-Agent Communication, Daniel Jonathan Standish

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Many physical and algorithmic swarms utilize inter-agent communication to achieve advanced swarming behaviors. These swarms are inspired by biological swarms that can be seen throughout nature and include bee swarms, ant colonies, fish schools, and bird flocks. These biological swarms do not utilize inter-agent communication like their physical and algorithmic counterparts. Instead, organisms in nature rely on a local awareness of other swarm members that facilitates proper swarm motion and behavior. This research aims to pursue an effective swarm algorithm using only line-of-sight proximity information and no inter-agent communication. It is expected that the swarm performance will be lower than …

Zero Tolerance For Marginal Populations: Examining Neoliberal Social Controls In American Schools, Brian Gregory Sellers

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study's purpose is to investigate the expansion of social control efforts in American elementary and secondary school settings, particularly the use of zero-tolerance policies. These policies entail automatic punishments, such as suspensions, expulsions, and referrals to the juvenile and criminal justice systems for a host of school-based infractions. The widespread implementation of zero-tolerance policies and the application of harsh, exclusionary sanctions have intensified over the past decade. Numerous studies have documented this rise; however, there has been little effort to explore the explanation of the expansion of school-based social controls.

A potential explanation is found in the application of …

Vapor-Liquid-Solid(Vls) Grown Silica (Siox) Nanowires As The Interface For Biorecognition Molecules In Biosensors, Eduardo Murphy-Pérez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

SiOx nanowires grown through the VLS mechanism were electrophoretically deposited on top of Au electrodes. GOx was immobilized using APTES and the EDC-NHS chemistry. Cyclic Voltammetry was used as the method to characterize the electrodes through their processing steps, and CV was also used to detect glucose in a PBS based solution. Ferro-Ferri Cyanide couple was used as the mediator.

A Study On The Optimization Of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells, Md Imran Khan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Considering biocompatibility, the Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSC) based on titanium dioxide should play a major role in the future of solar energy. In this ongoing study, different components and ambient process conditions for the fabrication of were investigated. Titanium dioxide substrate thickness and morphology was found to have a direct impact on the cell efficiency. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used to investigate the TiO2 nanostructure. Different chemical treatments and electrolytes were also explored towards optimizing the cell performance. A group of porphyrin based organic dyes were synthesized and evaluated. Standard solar cell characterization techniques such as current-voltage and …

A Life-Course Approach To Sexual Offending: Examining The Continuity Of Juvenile Sexual Offending Into Adulthood And Subsequent Patterns Of Recidivism, Maude Beaudry-Cyr

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Current sex offending legislation and public opinion present an image of sexual offenders as specialized predators who are likely to exhibit continued sexually deviant behavior over the life-course. Although sex offending continuity and post-release recidivism has been independently assessed in prior research, the potential link between sex offending continuity and post-release recidivism has yet to be investigated. Using data collected on random samples of sex offenders from a Northeastern state, the present study examines the predictability of sex offender continuity and its potential linkages with general and sex recidivism, as well as identifying distinguishable risk factors related to these outcomes. …

A Biocompatible Sic Rf Antenna For In-Vivo Sensing Applications, Shamima Afroz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A continuous glucose sensor employing radio frequency (RF) signals is presented using the biocompatible material Silicon Carbide (SiC). Unlike biosensors that require direct contact with interstitial fluids to trigger chemical reactions to operate, this biocompatible SiC sensor does not require a direct interface. The sensing mechanism for this SiC sensor is based upon a shift in resonant frequency, as a function of change in glucose levels, which electrically manifests itself as a change in blood permittivity and

conductivity. For in vivo applications the antenna sensor needs to operate inside the body environment, and it has been found that the best …

Efficient And Private Processing Of Analytical Queries In Scientific Datasets, Anand Kumar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Large amount of data is generated by applications used in basic-science research and development applications. The size of data introduces great challenges in storage, analysis and preserving privacy. This dissertation proposes novel techniques to efficiently analyze the data and reduce storage space requirements through a data compression technique while preserving privacy and providing data security.

We present an efficient technique to compute an analytical query called spatial distance histogram (SDH) using spatiotemporal properties of the data. Special spatiotemporal properties present in the data are exploited to process SDH efficiently on the fly. General purpose graphics processing units (GPGPU or just …

Maximizing Citizenship With Minimal Representation: An Analysis Of Afro-Argentine Civil Society Organizing Strategies, Prisca Suarez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the organizing strategies and successes of Afro-Argentine civil society organizations (CSO) in Buenos Aires. I argue that despite low representation, Afro-Argentines have strategically designed their initiatives in ways that draw on national discourses of identity rights and nationalism; and, as well, have used cultural inclusion to influence state actors, creating agency and increasing visibility. Afro-Argentines are a highly understudied population due to the common belief that they do not exist in Argentina as a group. This thesis not only dispels that myth with a history of the long hidden importance of Afro-Argentines contributions to the formation of …

Classification Models In Clinical Decision Making, Eleazar Gil-Herrera

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, we present a collection of manuscripts describing the development of prognostic models designed to assist clinical decision making. This work is motivated by limitations of commonly used techniques to produce accessible prognostic models with easily interpretable and clinically credible results. Such limitations hinder prognostic model widespread utilization in medical practice.

Our methodology is based on Rough Set Theory (RST) as a mathematical tool for clinical data anal- ysis. We focus on developing rule-based prognostic models for end-of life care decision making in an effort to improve the hospice referral process. The development of the prognostic models is …

Physicians As Gatekeepers: Uncovering Barriers And Facilitators To Participation In A Prostate Cancer Prevention Intervention Clinical Trial, Theresa T. Crocker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Clinical trials play an important role in advancing therapeutic and preventive care with many current modalities resulting from prior research. While prior research has described barriers to participation in therapeutic clinical trials, much less in known about barriers related to participation in trials aimed at prevention, prostate cancer prevention in particular. Physicians have been shown to play a critical role in access to trials; however, less is known about the individual and structural factors that influence their participation in prostate cancer prevention trials. This research provides rich ethnographic detail within the context of an ongoing trial. Research participants included physician/investigators …

Characterizing Interactions Between Chromophores In Synthetic And Natural Macromolecular Films Via Maldi-Tof, Ibf And Dielectric Analyzer, Parul Jain

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the emergence of Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time-of-flight as a tool for diagnosis of diseases via proteomics, there is an increasing need for greater sensitivity. Analysis of peptides by MALDI-TOF-MS is affected by sample formulation and spotting onto a MALDI target. This dissertation investigates a novel MALDI sample preparation technique, Induction Based Fluidics (IBF), for depositing precise volumes (pL to nL) of samples onto the target. We have seen that while using IBF, the induced electric field accompanying deposition enhances matrix crystallization yielding smaller crystals with more homogeneity, as compared to conventional manual micropipette (MP) depositions. An investigation of the …

"It's This Simple, You Really Have To Want To Be Together": A Qualitative Study Of African American Military Couples, Emelda Curry

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recent studies have reported that African American couples in the military are less likely to divorce than their civilian counterparts. This dissertation was designed to document the experiences of African American military couples in order to understand the challenges they face while serving in the armed forces and the strategies they have used to maintain their marriages. A grounded theory approach was utilized to produce 12 main themes that categorize experiences of both the individual and the couple within the context of their respective military branch. Photo-elicitation was incorporated into semi-structured interviews with 10 couples to identify what they consider …

Embodying Social Practice: Dynamically Co-Constituting Social Agency, Brian W. Dunst

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Theories of cognition and theories of social practices and institutions have often each separately acknowledged the relevance of the other; but seldom have there been consistent and sustained attempts to synthesize these two areas within one explanatory framework. This is precisely what my dissertation aims to remedy. I propose that certain recent developments and themes in philosophy of mind and cognitive science, when understood in the right way, can explain the emergence and dynamics of social practices and institutions. Likewise, the view I construct explains how social practices and institutions shape the character of cognition of their constituent agents. Moreover, …

Modeling State Transitions With Automata, Egor Dolzhenko

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Models based on various types of automata are ubiquitous in modern science. These models allow reasoning about deep theoretical questions and provide a basis for the development of efficient algorithms to solve related computational problems. This work discusses several types of automata used in such models, including cellular automata and mandatory results automata.

The first part of this work is dedicated to cellular automata. These automata form an important class of discrete dynamical systems widely used to model physical, biological, and chemical processes. Here we discuss a way to study the dynamics of one-dimensional cellular automata through the theory of …

More Than Feeding: Lived Experiences Of Low-Income Women Receiving Lactation Support, Emily Anne Dunn

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Increasing breastfeeding duration, especially among low-income women, has become a national public health priority. These mothers and their babies have less equitable access to support, resources, and the health benefits of breastfeeding. This thesis examines breastfeeding from a biocultural perspective with a focus on political economy, embodiment, and human rights. This research explores the lived experiences of new mothers who receive services from a community non-profit lactation support program which is aimed at providing in-home postpartum breastfeeding support to low-income/at-risk mothers. Evaluation of program services and analysis of women's narratives will provide insight into improvement of lactation services for all …

Self-Concept Clarity And Self-Esteem In Adolescence: Associations With Psychological, Behavioral, And Academic Adjustment, Danielle Findley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Self-concept clarity reflects the consistency or structure of self-concepts, and is distinct yet related to self-esteem or valence of feelings towards the self. However, research on self-concept clarity is novel and mostly conducted in adults only; studies on self-concept clarity in adolescence are limited. In the present study, self-concept clarity was examined as a related yet distinct construct from self-esteem in middle school. Factor structure and criterion validity of self-concept clarity and self-esteem was established by using factor analysis and examining associations with self- and teacher-reported psychological, behavioral, and academic indices of adjustment. Moreover, mean level gender, grade, and ethnic …

Survivorship, Infertility And Parenthood: Experiencing Life After Cancer In Puerto Rico, Karen Elizabeth Dyer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

While incidence rates are increasing for many cancers in Puerto Rico, mortality rates are declining (Torres-Cintron, et al. 2010), resulting in growing numbers of survivors and creating a situation in which long-term survivorship concerns are beginning to emerge as priorities. The importance of quality-of-life among survivors of cancer is increasingly being recognized among healthcare providers, although there remains a gap in knowledge of how young adult survivors cope with long-term treatment-related physical effects, such as infertility, and of the impact of cancer on survivors' social relationships and future goals.

Because understandings of "cancer survivorship," as well as of reproduction, vary …

The Professionalization And Practice Of Lactation Consulting: Medicalized Knowledge, Humanistic Care, Aimee R. Eden

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Breastfeeding support for mothers and their babies historically was the informal work of family and community members. In the United States today, breastfeeding support is embedded in the biomedical system, and is provided by a new allied health professional: the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). This dissertation explores this professionalization of breastfeeding support and the origins of this new profession. It studies how IBCLCs working in the U.S. cultural context perceive and practice the profession and examines the relationship between the profession of lactation consulting and the medicalization of breastfeeding. Oral history interviews with 17 founders of the profession, …

The Role Of Consumer Gender Identity And Brand Concept Consistency In Evaluating Cross-Gender Brand Extensions, Laura Rose Frieden

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cross-gender brand extensions are a developing and valuable strategy that has quickly grown to become a vital component of strategic communications management. The goal of this study is to gain a greater insight on what makes for a successful cross-gender brand extension. In order to expand upon the Basic Model of Brand Extension Evaluation (Doust & Esfahlan, 2012), this study examines how marketing factors, more specifically product positioning, combined with consumer gender roles and brand concept, affect how consumers evaluate cross-gender brand extensions. In the past gender and brand concept have been studied within cross-gender brand extension research. Yet, the …

Proteolytic Processing Of The Amyloid Precursor Protein During Apoptosis And Cell Cycle: Implications For Alzheimer's Disease, Tina N. Fiorelli

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the presence of amyloid plaques, made up primarily of Aϐ peptides, and neurofibrillary tangles, containing hyperphosphorylated tau. Aϐ is generated by sequential proteolysis of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) by beta and gamma secretases. The leading hypothesis of Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis is the amyloid cascade hypothesis, which suggests that amyloid is central to the disease process. However, tau pathology correlates more closely with cognitive dysfunction and follows a predictable anatomical course through the brain. We hypothesize that if Aϐ is upstream of tau pathology and tau pathology follows this predictable course through the brain, Aϐ …

The Mevalonate Pathway: A Potential Therapeutic Target For Jak2-Driven Myeloproliferative Neoplasms, Lori Nicole Griner

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Mevalonate Pathway: A Potential Therapeutic Target for JAK2-driven Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

Lori Nicole Griner

Abstract

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are diseases of hematopoietic stem cell origin and are characterized by uncontrolled growth of cells of the myeloid compartment. The Philadelphia chromosome negative classical MPNs, including polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia, and myelofibrosis, are diseases of dysregulated JAK2 signaling. In fact, the majority of MPN patients have activating mutations in JAK2 (e.g JAK2-V617F), a tyrosine kinase that contributes to the growth and survival of myeloid cells. While MPNs were first described over sixty years ago, a significant need remains to develop therapeutic strategies …