Digital Commons Network^™

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

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

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

(Daphne, 62)

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

Exploring The Swimming Behavior Of A Hydromechanical Copepod In The Context Of Positive Density Dependence, Eva J. Muir

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the swimming behavior and population dynamics of the marine copepod, Acartia tonsa. This copepod is of interest as it utilizes hydromechanical signals within the environment to navigate its surroundings, resulting in a distinctive hop/sink swimming pattern. This adaptive trait serves several purposes including searching for mates, obtaining food, and detecting predators, however the evolution of this unique swimming style has not been explored. To address this knowledge gap, the first chapter of this dissertation explores the swimming characteristics and escape responses of captive-reared and wild-caught A. tonsa. When reared in aquaculture, A. tonsa populations experience higher populations …

Elucidating The Role Of The Tumor Suppressor Gene Rna-Binding Motif 5 (Rbm5) In Models Of Traumatic Brain Injury, Kara L. Snyder

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a worldwide health burden that causes death and disability. Clinical management of TBI involves guideline-based protocols to limit secondary brain injury but there remains an unmet need for therapeutics to target neuroprotection and to improve cognitive outcomes in patients. This dissertation concerns the examination of RNA binding motif 5 (RBM5) as a potential therapeutic gene target to promote neuroprotection in models of TBI. RBM5 is a potent pro-death tumor suppressor gene in cancer. We hypothesized that it also promotes cell death in neurons in the brain and therefore its inhibition would decrease neuropathology following CNS …

Surface Modification Of Poly(4,4'-Oxydiphenilene Pyromellitimide) With Low-Pressure Plasma Treatment, Cihan Aktas

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the change of the wetting characteristics of commercially availablepolyimide (PI), Kapton® HN, films a type of poly(4,4′-oxydiphenylene-pyromellitimide), following treatment with low-pressure plasmas of carbon tetrafluoride (CF4), air, hydrogen (H2), carbon-dioxide (CO2) and oxygen (O2) gases as well as the surface texturing via laser-exposure procedure. The water contact angle (CA) and surface free energy (SFE) of untreated PI films were determined as 82.4°±0.8 and 45.0±0.3 mN/m, respectively. After CF4 plasma gas treatment, the CA value of PI films increased to 110.2°±1.0, while it decreased to 9.3°±2.3 after O2 plasma gas treatment. The surface free energy (SFE) of PI …

Development Of A Suspended Aerobic Membrane Bioreactor (Sambr) For Sustainable Wastewater Treatment On Early Planetary Bases, Talon James Bullard

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) ideally should treat all “waste” streams for recovery in a sustainable and near closed-loop manner. This will be critical for Partial Gravity Habitats (PGH) and Early Planetary Bases (EPB) that will be established on the Moon and Mars due to the lack of readily available resources. Currently, the Water Recovery System (WRS), onboard the International Space Station (ISS), recovers and purifies water from urine and graywater. While efficient, this system is not optimized for future missions and utilizes physical-chemical technologies that operate with single-use and hazardous consumables. In response to the lack of …

Human Motion Detection Evaluated Through An Evoked Cortical Potential Frequency Spectrum, Howard E. Painter

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Electrical potentials were recorded from scalp of normal male subjects while they were viewing continuously moving sinusoidal gratings. Responses from the occipital cortex were amplified, digitized, stored and then transformed from the time domain to the frequency domain using a microcomputer based Fast Fourier Transform algorithm. High frequency components (Beta Activity) of the resulting power spectrum were analyzed for evidence on neural generators (electrical sources) in the striate cortex driven presumably by transient-cells (Y-cells or Magnocellular) responding to the continuously moving grating. Several stimulus parameters were examined: angular velocity, spatial frequency, direction (orientation), color, and intensity. A16 Hz component of …

Methods For Analytical And Biophysical Analysis For Investigation Of Stimulator Of Interferon Genes In Drug Discovery, William Emmett Brian Lawless

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This work elaborates on analytical and biophysical techniques including high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), mass spectrometry quadrupole time-of-flight (MS-QToF), dynamic light scattering (DLS), microscale thermophoresis (MST), surface plasmon resonance (SPR), isothermal calorimetry (ITC), size exclusion chromatography, and native gel electrophoresis. A basic overview is described for each technique and is designed for easy understanding by both novice and experienced analysts. Best practices for each technique are discussed and suggestions are made for protocol improvements or troubleshooting. Protocol development is discussed, and a method is introduced for MST that can be adapted to any target protein for rapid screening of analog …

The Contributions Of Mental Health Issues, Traumatic Brain Injury, And Adverse Childhood Experiences To Recidivism Among Rural Jail Incarcerees, Lauren N. Miley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recidivism should be a major concern, particularly for American jails. The Unites States incarcerates 2.3 million people, a number exceeding rates in any other country. Approximately 90% of those individuals will reenter society at some point, and roughly half of those people will ultimately return to jail. This revolving door costs U.S. taxpayers upwards of $39 billion per year, and undermines public safety. Therefore, breaking this cycle of incarceration and recidivism is of utmost concern, and the focus of this dissertation. Mental health problems, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are three potential risk factors for recidivism …

Integration Of Algae And Biomass Processes To Synthesize Renewable Bioproducts For The Circular Economy, Jessica Martin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rapid population growth and global industrialization have substantially heightened the demand for fossil-based fuels and products in various sectors of the global economy, including energy production, transportation fuels, and as raw materials for petrochemicals. The intense consumption of fossil fuels has caused immense environmental impacts, especially pertaining to carbon dioxide emissions. Shifting to renewable feedstocks (raw materials) is expected to reduce these emissions by lowering the carbon footprint of fuels and products compared to traditional fossil-derived alternatives. This transition aligns with the goal of creating a sustainable and circular economy, emphasizing efficient resource use, and reducing waste generation through recycling …

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

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

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

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

Role Of The Glutamine-Polyamine-Hypusine Axis In Cd8+ T Cell Fate And Function, Aya Gamal Aly Sadek Elmarsafawi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

T cells are critical effectors of the immune response against pathogens and malignancies and, given the recent success of T-cell immunotherapies in cancer, there is now an urgent need to enhance the efficacy and durability of T-cell immune responses to improve anti-tumor immunity. Formation of memory T cells is a critical step of a successful immune response as it ensures maintenance of long-term immunity and protection from re-exposure to foreign antigens. Notably, metabolism regulates the fate and function of T cells and is a powerful tool to modulate T-cell activity and memory differentiation. Accordingly, metabolic interventions to augment T-cell memory …

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

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

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

Swelling Induced Buckling Of Photopatterned Hydrogel Beams, Chinar Yogesh Kokaje

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The main goal of this study was to learn more about swelling induced buckling of surface-attached gel lines photo-patterned from thermally responsive polymers. A library of 10 different polymer compositions was synthesized using methacryloyloxybenzophenone (MABP) as the photo-cross-linking monomer. For each of the polymers, a series of beam-like patterns were prepared on polystyrene tissue culture dishes by first depositing a known amount of polymer into the tissue culture dish followed by pattern generation using a photo-lithography mask with line widths of 10, 20, 30, 50, and 80 μm. The target height of each polymer line was 100 μm. After development …

The Discussion – Conclusion Section Of Quantitative Versus Qualitative Research Articles In Second Language Writing: Rhetorical Structure And Interactional Metadiscourse, Oksana Bomba

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzed and compared the rhetorical structure of the Discussion – Conclusion sections from quantitative versus qualitative research articles (RAs) in the interdisciplinary field of Second Language Writing (SLW). Although Discussion and Conclusion sections are critical components in the RA genre that present a challenge to novice writers, little is known about the rhetorical organization of RA Discussion – Conclusion sections and how quantitative and qualitative research paradigms may shape the ways RA writers present and discuss their findings.

This corpus-based study analyzed the rhetorical structure of the SLW RA Discussion – Conclusion sections from quantitative and qualitative research …

In Silico And In Vitro Drug Discovery Strategies And The Chemical Investigation Of Endophytic Fungi, Sarah Grace Dietrick

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The biodiversity of our global marine ecosystems provides substantial treasure to discover: chemistry. Marine organisms that live in proximity to one another use their unique chemistry to compete with one another and thrive in their environment. Benthic invertebrates, specifically, that lack physical means of protection will produce secondary metabolites as a means of defense from their surroundings and predators. The compounds which they produce are ordinarily species-specific, highly diverse biomolecules. Biosynthetic processes within an organism construct these secondary metabolites from fragments of primary metabolites (amino acids, fatty acids, sugars, and so on). Their roles in protection have antibiotic, toxic, and …

Syntheses, Photophysics, & Application Of Porphyrinic Metal-Organic Frameworks, Zachary L. Magnuson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Porphyrins are a group of heterocyclic macrocycles that play crucial roles in various biological processes such as electron transfer, catalysis, and sensing. Hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood of mammals, and chlorophyll, which drives photosynthesis in plants and algae, are both porphyrins. The ability of porphyrins to bind metal ions and their unique electronic and photophysical properties make them an excellent platform for designing functional materials for various applications, often drawing inspiration from their function in nature. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of porous materials that have been extensively studied in recent years due to their high surface …

Synthetic Studies Of Potential New Ketogenic Molecules, Mohammad Nazmus Sakib

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

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

Why Teachers Stay: An Exploration Of Why Mid-Career Teachers Remain In Teaching, Jennifer K. Mccorvey

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Much of the current literature on teacher retention centers around early-career teachers, with far less addressing mid-career teacher attrition. This research study explores the positive and negative experiences of five mid-career teachers, Toni, Sean, Susan, Debbie, and Jacqueline, explicitly focusing on the experiences that influenced their decisions to remain teaching. The participants were Teacher Leadership Academy alumni, a professional learning community in two separate Professional Development School programs. I used a qualitative case-study approach to examine the teachers’ experiences and Identity Theory as a lens through which to view the findings. Semi-structured interviews and participant-constructed timelines were the primary sources …

Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes Simulations Of Nearshore Langmuir Circulation And The Formation Of Oil-Particle Aggregates, Juan J. Penaloza Gutierrez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Langmuir turbulence in the inner shelf coastal ocean is characterized by Langmuir circulation (LC) or cells that can span the full depth of unstratified water columns. A Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulation strategy resolving full-depth LC coupled with an oil-particle aggregate (OPA) formation model is introduced. The RANS methodology is employed in two different cases. The first case corresponds to a shallow shelf zone of uniform depth, focusing on vertical mixing and transport of OPAs. The second case pertains to a surf-shelf transition zone with variable depth, comprising vertical and horizontal mixing of OPAs. In the latter case, a wave model …

Lgbtq+ Inclusivity In The Implicit And Explicit Social Studies Curriculum: A Descriptive Exploratory Study In Teacher Self-Efficacy, K. B.F. Francis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This descriptive exploratory study describes teacher self-efficacy in providing LGBTQ+ support in the implicit and explicit social studies curriculum in the wake of numerous anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in education in Florida. Four high school social studies teachers from three different Florida public school districts were interviewed to answer three main questions. All participating teachers expressed broad knowledge of their subject matter but could not identify LGBTQ+ inclusivity in their state and district-mandated curriculum. All participants had a great sense of self-efficacy in supporting their LGBTQ+ students but low self-efficacy in educating their colleagues about these issues. All participating teachers expressed a …

The Contextualization Of Socioscientific Issues In An Age Of Accountability, Karrie A. Wikman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The overarching aim of this research was to ultimately support global resiliency through science education, preparing citizens to laudably negotiate the contentious socio-cultural science- and technology-based issues of modern times. Correspondingly, this mixed methods study aimed to move a large, diverse school district toward school environments conducive to contextualized socioscientific issues (SSI)-based learning. Of interest to teachers, administrators, and policymakers, the research investigated the effects of subsuming standards-based objectives within the SSI instructional framework on science achievement. Analysis of variance of multilevel assessment and classroom observation protocol data revealed that students experiencing the SSI intervention showed statistically significant gains in …

Elucidation Of Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Novel Multi-Targeted Therapy Strategies For, Qianqian Hu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

EML4-ALK fusion non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) represents a distinct subset of lung cancers that possesses unique molecular and clinical features, paving the way for targeted therapeutic interventions. Despite the promise of ALK-directed therapies, challenges such as metastasis at the time of diagnosis and treatment resistance persist, necessitating deeper research into the underlying mechanisms and potential solutions. In the context of these challenges, our study embarked on two specific objectives. The first goal, elucidated in Chapter 2, revolved around brain metastasis, an event critically facilitated by cell migration. Here, we assessed the anti-migratory activities of several clinical ALK inhibitors in …

The Functions Of Oligodendrocyte Lineage-Derived Laminins Under Homeostatic And Intracerebral Hemorrhagic Stroke Conditions, Minkyung Kang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Oligodendrocyte lineage is a glial cell population in the central nervous system. The lineage starts with oligodendrocyte precursor cells, which differentiate and mature into mature oligodendrocytes. Myelination, the major function of mature oligodendrocytes, plays a significant role for normal function of the central nervous system, and its dysfunction leads to many demyelinating diseases, such as multiple sclerosis. During the lineage progression, an extracellular matrix protein, laminin, actively regulates the cells' biology, including cell proliferation, differentiation, and myelination. However, the cellular sources of the laminin that controls oligodendrocyte lineage cells remain largely unknown. Interestingly, previous studies have shown that oligodendrocyte lineage …

Utilizing Binding-Based Proteomic Profiling And Mass Spectrometry Imaging As Innovative Tools For Lipid Research, Suzeeta Bhandari

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mass spectrometry-based omics research involves global identification and quantification of molecules in the biological system, which can form the basis of the multi-omics approach integrating multiple layers of information to provide a comprehensive overview of systems biology. The investigation of fatty acid amides (FAA) is one such research avenue that benefits significantly from the high-throughput, multi-level, and interdisciplinary approach of integrative omics. Currently, FAA research is dominated by lipidomic-based studies that have successfully identified and quantified >100 different FAAs in different model systems. Few studies are credited with exploring the biological function and evolution of FAA-dependent signaling pathways. Previous literature …

Interdependency Between Water And Road Infrastructures: Cases And Impacts, Shihab Uddin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation studies the interdependency between road and water infrastructures and associated interdependency impact on these two critical infrastructure systems. Critical infrastructures and the interdependency among these infrastructures have gained much attention recently because of its growing complexity, importance, and vulnerability to natural and man-made threats. In response, researchers have spent significant effort to study these infrastructures individually as well as when they are interdependent to understand complex interdependency relationship and to figure out ways to make these infrastructures more reliable, robust, and resilient. However, water and road infrastructure systems have not been studied as vastly as other critical infrastructures …

Advanced Multiscale Molecular Dynamics Simulations Of Amorphous Polymers, Sahar Zenoozi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Polymers are in a wide range of material forms with various resources, including natural to synthetic processes. Polymers consist of covalently bonded monomers to each other. The chain length of polymers varies from a few monomers to thousands of monomers. This wide range of chain length enables polymers with attractive capabilities of chemical and physical properties. Thus, polymers are highly attractive in different scientific and industrial applications such as drug delivery, optical coatings, catalysts, semiconductors and organic photovoltaics. This work has combined updated accurate methods for accurate initial conformations, and modified force field parameters to produce a generalized method for …

Trace Metal Cycling During Phytoplankton Growth In The Southern Ocean, North Pacific, And Tampa Bay, Shannon Michelle Burns

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The trace metals iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and cadmium (Cd) are essential to primary production in the oceans. They act as micronutrients, used in intracellular enzymes for macronutrient acquisition, light harvesting, and mediation of reactive oxygen species. In some cases, they can also substitute for each other when a primary trace metal micronutrient is depleted. Characterizing the interplay amongst trace metals, macronutrients, and phytoplankton growth is vital for understanding the biogeochemical underpinnings of primary production, and for modelers who develop biological pump frameworks for global carbon cycling.

In Chapter two, I investigated …

Investigating Mobility In The Northern Balkans During The Fifth Millenium Bc Through Strontium Analysis Of Human Tooth Enamel, Aurélien Tafani

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates how individual mobility among ancient populations in Romania during the Eneolithic, between 5000 and 4000 BC, may be related to the spread of the material culture known as Kodjadermen-Gumelniţa-Karonovo VI (KGK VI) that extended over most of southern Romania and Bulgaria. This work seeks to combine results on individual mobility with other lines of archaeological evidence to provide a better understanding of the social context and kinship relationships that were in place when these events took place.

Strontium isotopic analyses were performed on 130 individuals from two sites located in the southern Romania: 49 from Sultana and …

Targeting Bet Proteins Downregulates Mir-33a To Promote Synergy With Pim Inhibitors In Cmml, Christopher T. Letson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia (CMML) is a rare myeloid malignancy with a dismal prognosis and no therapeutic options which are capable of altering the natural course of the disease. There remains a significant need for novel therapies that are able to meaningfully improve patient outcomes. In this study we explore the effectiveness of Bromodomain and Extra-Terminal domain protein inhibitor (BETi) combinations in CMML. Preclinical studies in myeloid neoplasms have demonstrated efficacy of BETi. However, BETi demonstrate poor single agent activity in clinical trials. Several studies suggest that combinations with other anti-cancer inhibitors may enhance the efficacy of BETi. To nominate BETi …

Coupling Chemical And Genomic Data Of Marine Sediment-Associated Bacteria For Metabolite Profiling, Stephanie P. Suarez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Marine sediment-associated bacteria house many new and exciting novel secondary metabolites. These metabolites can be tested for bioactivity against various types of cancer and fungal, bacterial, and viral infections. In this thesis, we investigated the combination of biosynthetic gene cluster information with mass spectra to perform a chemical profiling of sediment- associated bacteria. Furthermore, we utilized a scoring technique to provide an identification and confidence score to each annotated compound. The sediment was collected from east Arthur Harbor, Palmer Station, Antarctica, at depths of 20 ft and 60 ft. After plating on agar, 52 unique bacterial strains were isolated, with …