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Oceanic Interfaces: Investigations Of Biogeochemical Changes Across Nutriclines And Frontal Boundaries, Lori R. Adornato

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Biogeochemical changes across oceanic interfaces, and method development to study such changes, are described in this work. The interfaces studied include the Subtropical Front in the Pacific Ocean and the boundary at the base of the euphotic zone. Both interfaces are characterized by accumulations of phytoplankton, although the forcing functions that result in increased biomass are distinctly different.

The Subtropical Front, located at approximately 30°N in the Pacific Ocean, was detected during a cruise in the summer of 2002 by its diagnostic 34.8 salinity outcrop, in spite of the absence of its associated temperature signature. The front displayed elevated concentrations …

The Relationship Between Young Adults' Retrospective Perceptions Of Differential Parental Treatment, Quality Of The Childhood And Current Sibling Relationship And Current Psychological Adjustment, Tangela R. Clark Culpepper

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the relations among young adults' perceptions of differential parental treatment, temperamental style, attitudes toward their childhood and current sibling relationships, and psychological adjustment. Participants included 87 college students and their siblings between the ages of 18 and 25 years. Students completed measures in small groups, and siblings completed the surveys via mail. The data were analyzed using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM; Kashy & Kenny, 1999). Results revealed that participants' perceptions of their sibling relationship during childhood were related to their current attitudes toward the relationship. In addition, siblings were in agreement regarding their overall attitudes toward …

Effects Of Prescribed Fire On The Diversity Of Soil-Dwelling Arthropods In The University Of South Florida Ecological Research Area, Tampa, Florida, Celina Bellanceau

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Leaf litter samples were used to study arthropod diversity in the University of South Florida Ecological Research Area. Arthropods were collected from different plots of different prescribed burn frequencies (1year, 2 year, 5 year, 7 year and no burn frequencies). Differential responses of arthropods to burn frequency were studied. It was expected that burn frequency would affect arthropod richness and diversity and that the pattern of diversity and richness would follow the Intermediated Disturbance Hypothesis. It was also expected that richness and diversity would be correlated with the amount of leaf litter present. Preliminary results suggest that there are short-term …

Community Context And Health Disparities Among Older Adults, Helen M. Zayac

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

African Americans, Hispanics, and other minorities in the U.S. continue to face conditions of residential and educational segregation, lower socioeconomic status, and higher rates of mortality than whites. Better theory-based research that uses community and individual level factors to explain how health disparities are created and perpetuated is needed. The Community Context and Health Disparities Model, which extends the work of Schulz and Northridge (2004) with elements described by Williams and Collins (2001), is described. This framework identifies the pathways by which characteristics of the physical, built, social, economic, and healthcare environments impact health and are mediated by individual traits. …

Micro Coaxial Transmission Lines For Integrated Microwave Circuits, Saravana Prakash Natarajan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The research presented in this doctoral dissertation introduces a developmental path to realize micro coaxial transmission lines for wafer-level microwave and millimeter wave circuits. The micro coax lines conceptualized in this research are three-dimensional, with a uniquely low vertical profile of 20 mu m. They are distinguishable from other transmission line topologies due to frequency limitless, cross-talk free performance in high density circuits resulting from the totally shielded construction. Design and optimization was done using equations and electromagnetic simulations. Extensive process development has been carried out to fabricate these devices on CMOS grade silicon wafers using processes amenable to the …

Ultra-Wideband Electronics, Design Methods, Algorithms, And Systems For Dielectric Spectroscopy Of Isolated B16 Tumor Cells In Liquid Medium, Erick N. Maxwell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Quantifying and characterizing isolated tumor cells (ITCs) is of interest in surgical pathology and cytology for its potential to provide data for cancer staging, classification, and treatment. Although the independent prognostic significance of circulating ITCs has not been proven, their presence is gaining clinical relevance as an indicator. However, researchers have not established an optimal method for detecting ITCs. Consequently, this Ph.D. dissertation is concerned with the development and evaluation of dielectric spectroscopy as a low-cost method for cell characterization and quantification. In support of this goal, ultra-wideband (UWB), microwave pulse generator circuits, coaxial transmission line fixtures, permittivity extraction algorithms, …

Computer Simulation Of Stand-Off Libs And Raman Lidar For Remote Sensing Of Distant Compounds, Dzianis Pliutau

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Long range stand-off Raman and Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) lidar signal simulations have been carried out using a modified UV-visible atmospheric transmission program and a modified lidar equation. The Hitran-PC atmospheric transmission program which normally operates over the wavelength range of 400 nm to the far-IR was modified to provide UV atmospheric attenuation (200 nm -- 400 nm) using the optical cross section data contained in the HITRAN database. The two-way lidar equation was modified in order to simulate the one-way propagation of the Raman and LIBS spectral, and thus provide calculations of the expected Raman or LIBS signal as …

The Art Of Existentialism: F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Norman Mailer And The American Existential Tradition, J'Aimã© L. Sanders

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of my research is to examine the philosophic influences on three literary works: F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, Ernest Hemingway's Death in the Afternoon, and Norman Mailer's An American Dream. Through an investigation of biographical, historical, cultural, and textual evidence, I will argue for the influence of several European philosophers---Friedrich Nietzsche, Søren Kierkegaard, and Martin Heidegger---on these authors and on the structures and messages of their works. I will discuss how the specific works I have selected not only reveal each author's apt understanding of the existential-philosophical crises facing the individual in the twentieth century, but also …

Src Kinase Inhibitors For The Treatment Of Sarcomas: Cellular And Molecular Mechanisms Of Action, Audrey Cathryn Shor

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sarcomas are rare mesenchymally-derived tumors with limited treatment options. Tyrosine kinases may serve as potential targets for sarcoma therapy because many are mutated or overexpressed in sarcomas and cell lines. One potential molecular target for sarcoma treatment is the Src tyrosine kinase. Three independently synthesized Src kinase inhibitors were evaluated in human sarcoma cell lines. Of the three, dasatinib, provided promising results as a potential sarcoma therapy. Until this study, dasatinib activity had not been characterized in sarcoma cells. Based on our previous findings of Src activation in human sarcomas, we evaluated the effects of dasatinib in twelve sarcoma cell …

"A Woman's Face, Or Worse": Otto Rank And The Modernist Identity, Michael L. Shuman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Otto Rank is a significant but generally overlooked figure in the early history of psychoanalysis, and his work provides an illuminating context for the study of subjectivity and modernist culture. The "modernist identity" of my title is intended to represent, first, the concept of the individual self identified and expressed during this period and, secondly, the unique identity of modernist culture developed by artists through creative acts and emanating as the intellectual ambiance of the era. Through an examination of Rank's later theories and the work of prominent modernist artists, including Lawrence, Yeats, and Eliot, this dissertation will show that …

Crystal Engineering Of Co-Crystals And Their Relevance To Pharmaceutical Forms, Tanise R. Shattock

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The research presented herein focus upon crystal engineering of co-crystals with an emphasis upon the exploration of co-crystals in the context of delineation of the reliability of hydrogen bonded supramolecular synthons and their hierarchies. The approach involves a combination of systematic Cambridge Structural Database analysis and a series of model co-crystal experiments. In addition, the viability of solid state methodologies toward supramolecular synthesis of co-crystals and the effect on polymorphism is also addressed. The application of the acquired knowledge is towards the crystal engineering of pharmaceutical co-crystals. The rational design and synthesis of pharmaceutical co-crystals accomplished by the selection of …

Reconstructing The Past: Heritage Research And Preservation Activities In Tampa Bay Communities, Courtney Ross Spillane

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There are numerous ways in which cultural heritage can be preserved, such as: physical museums, virtual museums, tours of historic homes, and community meetings. For this project, I participated in and observed heritage preservation activities in two very different communities--- Sulphur Springs and Seminole Heights in Tampa, Florida. My internship appointment was with OSHNA (Old Seminole Heights Neighborhood Association) under the direction of Dr. Steve Gluckman. My primary focus was assisting heritage preservation committee members in each of the two communities with heritage preservation projects specific to their community needs and interests. One project is the development of a heritage …

Teachers’ Use Of Sensory Activities In Primary Literacy Lessons: A Study Of Teachers Trained In Accelerated Literacy Learning, Margaret E. Stockdale

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated Accelerated Literacy Learning (ALL) trained teachers' implementation of sensory activities into their classroom instructional practice. There were 38 participants in Phase One that completed questionnaires using a 5-point response scale to indicate their frequency of use for each of 30 sensory activities. All but one participant reported a high use of sensory activities in their literacy lessons, although the grade level did influence the variety and frequency of their reported use. Most primary level teachers reported a high use on many of the activities. Seven teachers of the participants from Phase One participated in interviews for Phase …

Cellular Electrofusion Utilizing Corona Fields And Dc Pulse Technology, Joshua Stein

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cell fusion is an important technique that is used in the field of medicine and biomedical research. For instance, fusion can be used to create hybridomas and novel types of secretory hybrid cells. It may also be used to engineer cultured insulin-secreting pancreatic B-cell lines for the treatment of diabetes. Historically, the applications listed above have been accomplished by a number of methodologies including dielectrophoresis, centrifugation, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and viral fusion proteins. However, these approaches often fail to produce the desired results due to poor cell viability, lack of 1:1 fusion, and use of non-physiological environments. It is proposed …

Enduring Changes In Reward Mechanisms After Developmental Exposure To Cocaine: The Role Of The D2 Receptor, Kirstie H. Stansfield

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

During adolescent brain maturation, there are likely sensitive periods where environmental conditions, including drug exposure, may influence development by modifying neuronal connections. Altering neuronal function may produce different phenotypes than expected under normal conditions that may influence subsequent responding to drugs of abuse after the brain is fully mature. Experiment one investigated the relationship between novelty preference and cocaine place preference in adolescent and adult rats. High responding adolescent rats displaying greater free choice novelty exploration (but not forced novelty locomotion) expressed decreased cocaine place conditioning compared to low responding rats. No relationship was found in adult rats. Experiment two …

Clinical Supervision Of Child And Adolescent Counselors In Residential Foster Care: A Collective Case Study, Lee A. Teufel

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A collective case study is the study of more than one case (Stake, 1995). One therapist supervisor and three therapist supervisees from a child and adolescent residential foster care facility were observed during their individual clinical supervision and interviewed post-supervision. Currently, the literature on clinical supervision seldom addresses the supervision of working professional counselors; particularly those who are child and adolescent counselors (CACs).

Using a qualitative approach, two fundamental questions guided this inquiry: (a) what is the nature of clinical supervision involving a supervisor who provides clinical supervision to counselors in a child and adolescent residential foster care center that …

Changes In Abundance And Distribution Of Humpback Whales, Megaptera Novaeangliae, In Hervey Bay Marine Park, Australia, Based On Aerial Surveys Conducted In 1992 And 2004, Lucã­A De La Paz Suzacq

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Aerial surveys were conducted throughout Hervey Bay Marine Park between August and October 1992 and 2004 to determine changes in abundance and distribution of the Eastern Australia humpback whale population in this area. Due to concerns about possible effects of boat traffic on whale distributions associated with a growing whale watching industry, the number and location of vessels were also recorded during these surveys. Throughout the 1992 season, 17 flights were conducted and a total of 41.93 surveys hours were completed, recording 186 pods, and a total of 320 animals. In addition, 392 boats were spotted in the area. During …

Life As A Student At An Independent Day School, Diana R. Torres

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the interconnectedness of social class, education, and cultural capital. Considered academically elite, the independent school is be an ideal environment to find increased instances and opportunities for the acquisition and reproduction of elite, or "dominant" cultural capital. By implementing an ethnographic approach within an independent school setting, this study attempts to illuminate the student experience through adolescents' eyes. Past cultural capital studies focus on the relationship between cultural capital and academic achievement and/or social reproduction; instead, this study focuses on the everyday student experiences as they point to potential indicators of cultural capital. Results suggest that students' …

Androgen Receptors In The Bonnethead Shark, Sphyrna Tiburo: Cdna Cloning And Tissue-Specific Expression In The Male Reproductive Tract, John P. Tyminski

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Androgens and the androgen receptor (AR) play important roles in virilization, spermatogenesis, and sexual behavior in vertebrates. An understanding of the distribution and levels of expression of the ARs on the cellular and tissue level demonstrates the pattern of responsiveness to the androgenic hormones in a given organism. In this study, a fragment of the AR gene was cloned and sequenced from the bonnethead shark, Sphyrna tiburo, an elasmobranch species with a well-defined annual reproductive cycle. Acquiring this gene sequence facilitated the construction of species-specific AR polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers and species-specific AR mRNA probes that were used to …

Narrative Efforts At Social Redemption By People With Aids/Hiv, Andrea Zolnier Thelen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores four narrative texts written about AIDS/HIV and evaluates each one by applying Kenneth Burke's redemption drama, consisting of guilt, purification, and redemption. The methodology is a close textual analysis using rhetorical analysis as a way to highlight the use of the redemption drama in language. The first chapter explores the history of AIDS/HIV and makes the argument for using Burke's rhetorical approach. The second chapter briefly highlights the plot of the four narratives and provides background information and context for each book. The third chapter applies the concept of guilt to all four narratives. The fourth chapter …

Immunomodulatory Role Of Flagellin In Antigen-Presenting Cells, Ildefonso Vicente-Suarez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) expressed by cells of the immune system play a central role in the generation of immune responses against pathogens. Following TLR ligation, both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators are produced in order to elicit an immune response that controls the microbial infection while limiting tissue damage. Among these mediators, the proinflammatory cytokine IL-12 and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 are known to play major roles. Here, we show that in vitro or in vivo stimulation with flagellin, the TLR5 ligand, does not result in IL-10 production. Furthermore flagellin inhibits IL-10 production by other specific TLR ligands at the protein …

The Relationship Between School Connectedness And Bullying Vicitmization In Secondary Students, Janet Urbanski

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Bullying is a complex behavior that can cause academic and social problems for students and can contribute to a negative school climate. Students who feel isolated or do not feel connected to their school may experience similar risks to those who are victimized by peers. Recent school violence incidents have led to an increase in bullying behavior research. The importance of the school climate is also emerging in educational discourse prompting a growth of research in school connectedness and positive relationships. However, research on the impact that relationships and school connectedness may have on bullying victimization at school is limited. …

Effect Of A Preoperative Warming Intervention On The Acute Phase Response Of Surgical Stress, Vanda Doreen Wagner

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

When a patient is exposed surgical stress, the endocrine system secretes hormones in response to that stress. These hormones further activate the immune system to release cytokines and other acute phase reactions. These processes are supposed to protect the body by upregulating the innate immune system and producing an inflammatory response that acts to protect and heal. However, uncontrolled surgical stress may cause a weaker immune response that may lead to delayed wound healing. The phenomenon of unplanned perioperative hypothermia is known to expose patients to additional surgical stress. The purpose of this preliminary experimental study was to determine the …

Subtyping Psychopathy: Exploring The Roles Of Degree Of Punishment, Cognitive Dissonance And Optimism, John M. Weir

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

For over half of a century, social and behavioral scientists have been investigating the construct of psychopathy. Even so, psychopathy is still a highly misunderstood personality construct. Even though it has been estimated that psychopaths make up only about 1% of the general population, they are believed to consist of 15-25% of the prison population (Hare, 1996). However, not all psychopaths are in prison. Psychopaths can also be found in such fields as the legal profession, the business world and in politics (Babiak, 1995). In terms of criminal behaviors, psychopaths are arrested at earlier ages, have a higher rate of …

The Influence Of Masculinity Ideology On High-Risk Sexual Behavior Among Men Who Have Sex With Men, Christopher Wheldon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Epidemiologic evidence shows that the incidence of HIV among men who have sex with men (MSM) is on the rise. high-risk sexual behaviors are the primary mode of transmission and are responsible for increased rates of infection. a growing body of evidence suggests that endorsement of normative beliefs and values regarding manhood and masculinity, or masculinity ideology, may help to explain certain high-risk sexual behaviors. this study investigated the associations between a measure of masculinity ideology and sexual risk taking among a sample of MSM. in addition, indirect pathways in which masculinity ideology may lead to sexual risk taking were …

Graduate Students/Mothers Negotiating Academia And Family Life: Discourses, Experiences, And Alternatives, Shirlan A. Williams

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the experiences and perceptions of graduate students who are mothers. Based on discourse analysis, one-on-one interviews, and focus groups, this study argues that institutional discourses and practices place graduate students who are mothers in untenable and irreconcilable positions between "mom" and "student," between "family" and "the academy," between "self" and "success." These irreconcilable differences are created in discourse, enacted in institutional policies, and lived by the participants. The study offers action-based alternatives to the status quo policies of the university based on the self-described needs of these women. It reveals that support from all fronts--the home, the …

Signaling In Natural Killer Cells: Ship, 2b4 And The Kinome, Joseph A. Wahle

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The NK cell is a large granular lymphocyte that plays a key role in protecting the body against numerous pathogens including parasites, intracellular bacteria, viral infections, as well as showing anti-tumor activity and playing a role in the rejection of allogeneic BM. Unlike other lymphocytic cell types, that utilize rearranging receptors, NK cells are regulated by a complex array of germ line encoded activating and inhibitory receptors. NK cells are often described as a front line or rapid defense given their response to stimuli can be immediate, although they also maintain functions that extend their role well into the adaptive …

Caregivers’ Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of The Helping Our Toddlers, Developing Our Children’S Skills Parent Training Program: A Pilot Study, Jillian Leigh Williams

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to evaluate a parent training curriculum: Helping Our Toddlers Developing Our Children's Skills (HOT DOCS© ) using archival data collected between August 2006 and April 2007. The evaluation studied the impact of specific components of the parent training program on both participants' knowledge and attitudes and their perceptions of targeted children's behavior. One-hundred-forty-six caregivers of children between the ages of 14 months and ten years of age participated in the parent training program and were included in the analyses. Measures included a pre/post knowledge test, rating scales of child problem behavior, weekly progress monitoring forms for …

Physical, Kinetic, And Immunological Studies Of Monomeric (Periplaneta Americana) And Dimeric (Isostychopus Badonotus) Arginine Kinases, Brianne Wright-Weber

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Arginine kinase catalyzes the reversible phosphorylation of arginine using ATP. This phosphotransferase is found throughout invertebrate species; whereas a homologous enzyme, creatine kinase, is found in both vertebrate and invertebrate species. Arginine kinases are found as monomers of 40 kDa or 80 kDa and dimers of 80 kDa while creatine kinases are found as dimers of 80 kDa, monomers of 150 kDa, or octamers of 320 kDa. The significance or advantage of the dimeric state or various quaternary structures is still not understood for this family of enzymes. Here, arginine kinase from Isostychopus badonotus muscle was purified to homogeneity and …

Functional Characterization Of Roles Of Histone Deacetylases In The Regulation Of Dna Damage Response, Zhigang Yuan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are a family of enzymes whose functions have been overwhelmingly associated with gene expression and chromatin dynamics by modifying the histone tails. In recent years, intensive studies have demonstrated that many non-histone proteins also could serve as substrates for HDACs. And their functions and activities have been found to be regulated by posttranslational acetylation on the ε-amino group of lysines. Here, we report that two DNA repair factors including NBS1 (Nijmegen breakage syndrome 1) and ATDC (Ataxia-Telangiectasia Group D Complementing) are acetylated proteins. SIRT1 could maintain NBS1 in a hypoacetylated state, which is required for ionizing radiation-induced …