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The Relationship Between Sleep, Behavior, And Pre-Academic Skills In Pre-Kindergarteners, Rachel B. Witte

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine prevalence rates of several sleep disorders symptoms in young children, and the relationship between symptoms of pediatric sleep disorders and other childhood problems. Eighty-six children aged 3 to 5 years were studied through parent report and academic assessment. Children rated as high risk for having a sleep disorder displayed more externalizing and internalizing problems, less developed social skills, and lower scores on a measure of pre-academic skills, as compared to children whose sleep was rated in the normal range. It was found that 33% of children were at high risk for having …

Uncontrollable And Unpredictable Stress With A Reminder Experience Induces Long-Lasting Effects On Physiology And Behavior: A Novel Approach To Modeling Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder In Rats, Phillip R. Zoladz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

People who endure horrific, life-threatening experiences are at risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, only about 25% of all individuals who experience trauma develop PTSD. Recent research indicates that the presence of certain physiological conditions, such as reduced cortisol and parasympathetic inhibition, during trauma may increase one's susceptibility to developing PTSD. Thus, I attempted to develop a novel animal model of PTSD and test the hypothesis that reduced adrenal and parasympathetic activity during stress would exacerbate its long-term effects on behavior.

In Experiment One, adult male rats were exposed to two stress sessions, each involving one hour of …

Hydrogen Isotopic Ratios Of Algal And Terrestrial Organic Matter In Lake Tulane, Florida: From A Modern Calibration To The Reconstruction Of Paleoclimatic And Paleohydrologic Conditions, Eric Charles Cross

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recent sedimentary records have indicated that climate in low latitude, continental environments have varied significantly throughout the mid to late Holocene. In subtropical North America, major climatic phenomena such as the migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and the Bermuda High have been shown to play a major role in this variability. Specifically, the northward migration of the ITCZ and the eastward position of the Bermuda High during summer months leads to warmer and wetter conditions over subtropical North America, and vice versa. A quantitative approach to understanding hydrologic dynamics (i.e. atmospheric circulation patterns, relative humidity) associated with these …

Small Scale Distribution Of The Sand Dollars Mellita Tenuis And Encope Spp. (Echinodermata), James P. Swigart

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Small scale distributions of Mellita tenuis and Encope spp. were quantified at Fort De Soto Park on Mullet Key, off Egmont Key and off Captiva Island, Florida during 2005. Off Captiva Island, Encope spp. were aggregated in 33.3% of plots in March. Off Egmont Key, M. tenuis were aggregated in 100% of plots in March but in no plots in September. At Fort De Soto Park, M. tenuis were aggregated in 37.5% of plots in May 12.5% in July and 50.0% in September. Sand dollars in 6.3% of the plots in September at Fort De Soto had a uniform distribution. …

An Evaluation Of The Relationship Between Stress, Depression, And Glycemic Control In Low-Income Patients With Type 2 Diabetes, Kristen Jennifer Wells

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

People in low socioeconomic status groups are at increased risk for diabetes mellitus, a group of diseases associated with high levels of blood glucose. High rates of depression have been found in people with diabetes. The study examined the relationship between stress, depression, and glycemic control in low-income type 2 diabetes patients. Participants were recruited at two community health centers that provide free medical care. The following hypotheses were examined: (1) experiencing stressful life events is positively correlated with blood glucose level; (2) negative stressful events have a greater association with glucose level than positive stressful events; (3) depression mediates …

The Role Of Organizational Culture In The Delivery Of Humanitarian Assistance And Inter-Organizational Collaboration, Jamie Antoinette Wilke Corvin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The international community has seen a dramatic increase in the complexity of aid operations, with increasing numbers of donors participating in humanitarian aid endeavors. Therefore, it is essential to determine factors that contribute to successful aid delivery. In an effort to guide more effective and efficient aid operations, this study investigated organizational culture in three distinct types of humanitarian organizations: (a) the U.S. military, (b) the International Federation of the Red Cross, and (c) a sampling of local and indigenous non-governmental organizations. Being a relatively unexplored area, this study took an exploratory approach, utilizing qualitative methods to analyze humanitarian aid …

Use Of Box-Pcr Subtyping Of Escherichia Coli And Enterococcus Spp. To Determine The Source Of Microbial Contamination At A Florida Beach, Miriam J. Brownell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Siesta Key Beach, located on the Gulf Coast of Florida, is frequently mentioned among the top ten beaches in the US. In summer 2004, high levels of indicator bacteria caused health warnings to be posted, and a storm drainage system was implicated as a possible source of microbial contamination. A study was initiated to determine whether indicator bacteria that persisted in the stormwater system could contribute to high microbial loads in receiving waters. Two sampling events, one within 48 hours of a rain event and the other during dry conditions, were conducted. Water and sediment samples were taken at various …

Metal-Organic Networks Based Upon Dicarboxylato Ligands, Zhenqiang Wang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Network structures based upon metal-organic backbones represent a new class of functional materials that can be rationally constructed by employing the concepts of supramolecular chemistry and crystal engineering. The modularity of design strategies, the diversity of prototypal structures, and the dynamic features of networks have afforded great advantages over traditional materials syntheses. The research presented in this thesis is primarily concerned with developing an in-depth understanding of the basic principles that govern the supramolecular behaviors of metal-organic networks and gaining an experimental control over the structure and function of these new classes of hybrid materials.

The use of rigid and …

Spatial And Temporal Patterns Of Feeding And Food In Three Species Of Mellitid Sand Dollars, Susan Elizabeth Hilber

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sand dollars are abundant and conspicuous macroinvertebrates in sandy habitats in the Gulf of Mexico. They ingest sediment and associated organisms. Given their high abundances, size, and deposit feeding, they likely are the most important consumer coupling primary productivity with the rest of the food chain in these habitats. Moreover, sand dollars bioturbate sediments and affect species diversity and community structure.

Three species of sand dollars in the family Mellitidae,

Mellita tenuis, Encope michelini and Encope aberrans, were studied off the West Coast of Florida. Food and feeding of these sand dollar species were studied to understand their relationship …

An Investigation Into The Antifungal Activities Of N-Thiolated Beta- Lactams Against Selected Candida Species, Marci Culbreath

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

β-lactam antibiotics have long been a reliable course of treatment for bacterial infections. However, with recent increases in resistance and rising populations of immunocompromised patients new β-lactams have been synthesized and tested. The Turos laboratory has recently discovered novel β-lactams that have a mode of action distinct from penicillin and other β-lactam antibiotics as cell lysis is not observed. In the current investigations, these compounds are shown to also have antifungal properties. The rising incidence and prevalence of invasive fungal infections has become an increasing concern. The most common fungal pathogens involved in these infections are species in the genus …

The Influence Of Habitat Features On Selection And Use Of A Winter Refuge By Manatees (Trichechus Manatus Latirostris) In Charlotte Harbor, Florida, Sheri L. Barton

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Investigating alternate winter refuges for Florida manatees is increasingly important

as sustained warm-water discharges from industrial and some natural sites becomes more

uncertain. This study examined habitat features of possible importance to manatees by

comparing a winter refuge in Charlotte Harbor, FL (the Matlacha Isles canal system) to

two nearby, seemingly similar sites that are not frequented by manatees during winter.

Water temperature, salinity, boat traffic, canal depth, and tidal flushing were assessed at

these sites. Additionally, this study examined when and how manatees use the Matlacha

Isles refuge by documenting movements, habitat use, and behaviors of manatees during

the …

Impacts Of Rainfall Events On Wastewater Treamtent Processes, Erin K. Mcmahan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Current research is revealing that stormwater can carry pathogens and that this stormwater is entering wastewater treatment facilities. During periods of intense rainfall, not only can stormwater carry higher amounts of pathogens, but it also increases the flow rate to the wastewater treatment facility. In many instances, the flow rate exceeds the facilities' treatment capacity and can impact treatment performance. The purpose of this study was to identify whether wastewater treatment is impaired during periods of increased rainfall, and to compare current policies that address this issue. The study was conducted using a case study approach to analyze historical precipitation …

Predicting Delinquency In Adolescence And Young Adulthood: A Longitudinal Analysis Of Risk And Protective Factors, Amy E. Green

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Longitudinal studies that track individuals from childhood into adulthood may be the best method to identify risk and protective factors for crime and delinquency. The primary goals of this study were to determine 1) the ability of risk factors identified by the end of elementary school to predict delinquency referrals, 2) the extent to which positive assets (promotive factors) add to the prediction of delinquency, and 3) potential interactions between these risk and promotive factors that moderate the relationship between risk and delinquency referrals. The final purpose was to identify gender and racial differences in these relationships. The current study …

Before The Inca: Prehistoric Dietary Transitions In The Argentine Cuyo, Nicole Shelnut

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A dietary reconstruction was performed in order to understand changing prehistoric subsistence patterns in the Central Andean geographical area of the Argentine Cuyo that includes the provinces of San Juan and Mendoza. Archaeologically, the Cuyo is also known as a boundary between Andean agriculturalists and the foragers of Patagonia. One hypothesis being tested is whether this area was one of the last South American cultural groups to convert to maize cultivation, probably around 2000 BP. The process of stable isotope analysis is used to reconstruct the diets of individuals, as it reveals the relative proportions of C3 and C4 plants …

Animal Husbandry At Tell El Hesi (Israel): Results From Zooarchaeological And Isotopic Analysis, Shannon Marie Peck-Janssen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Located in today’s southern Israel, Tell el Hesi provides archaeologists with important clues to political and social changes in the ancient Near East. Zooarchaeological and stable isotopic analyses were conducted to evaluate shifts in animal husbandry practices during changing socioeconomic and sociopolitical conditions in the southern Levant.

During the Early Bronze Age, Tell el Hesi thrived as an agricultural grain producing center for the southern Levant. The acropolis served as both a storage and redistribution center for the inhabitants of Tell el Hesi. Coinciding with the collapse of the southern Levant, Tell el Hesi was abandoned throughout the Middle Bronze …

Breaking Down The Wall: An Examination Of Mental Health Service Utilization In African American And Caucasian Parents, Idia O. Binitie

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the influence of parents' gender, race, and psychopathology on barriers and attitudes to mental health utilization for themselves and for their children. It was hypothesized that mothers and Caucasian¹ parents would have more positive attitudes and would perceive fewer barriers to mental health services than fathers and African American² parents. A total of 194 African American and Caucasian parents were recruited from the community to participate in this study. Parents completed measures on barriers and attitudes toward treatment for themselves and their children, utilization of mental health services for themselves and their children, and their own current …

The Enthymeme’S Role In Modern Discourse, Ryan Meehan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this paper, I wish to demonstrate how enthymemic argument pervades modern discourse. First, I will define the enthymeme in Aristotelian terms and compare its qualities to its sibling, the syllogism. Next, I will attempt to demonstrate how the enthymeme functions, paying close attention to its psychological effects as well as analyzing how the media helps promote enthymemic discourse. Finally, I will propose a way that composition instructors can harness the idea of the enthymeme to facilitate critical thinking in the classroom. The purpose of the paper is to provide evidence that a rebirth of this classical term is in …

Investigation Of Cretaceous Molluscan Shell Material For Isotopic Integrity: Examples And Implications From The Baculites Compressus/Cuneatus Biozones (Campanian) Of The Western Interior Seaway, Ashley Da Silva

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Whether a global greenhouse interval is a distinct or distant future, it is important to understand the dynamics of a greenhouse system. During such intervals the oceans, in the absence of sizeable polar ice caps, flood the continental shelf. The stratification and circulation of these epicontinental seas are open to debate, because there are no Recent analogs. The carbon and oxygen stable isotope record of fossil molluscan shell from epicontinental seas has the potential to reveal their stratification and seasonal cycles. As a study sample, mollusks from the Baculites compressus and Baculites cuneatus biozones of the Western Interior Seaway of …

A Determination Of Phylogeny And Hybridization History Within Clematis L. (Ranunculaceae) Using Actin And Nitrate Reductase Intron Sequences, Kimberly Fearn Do

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The phylogeny of Clematis, section Viorna, was characterized in this study using molecular data. Two nuclear introns were sequenced for a variety of taxa: actin and nitrate reductase. Actin intron sequence data yielded very little phylogenetic information. Some basal clades were resolved, but there were very few well supported relationships between species of the Viorna section in both the neighbor joining and maximum parsimony analyses. Nitrate reductase intron sequence data was slightly more variable. The number of well supported relationships in both the neighbor joining and maximum parsimony analyses for nitrate reductase was greater, but still not sufficient …

Chronic/Life Threatening Illnesses From The Perspective Of Latino Men, Melissa Sierra

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Much of the research on illness focuses on how people, particularly white men, cope with chronic/life threatening illnesses often adopting a "sick role" identity. For Latinos this type of identity transformation is complex as there is no place for dependency and passivity in traditional depictions of Latino masculinity. Latino men take pride in their manhood. As a result, they have trouble accepting their illness and the sick role. They do not tend to take their illness seriously, nor are they comfortable admitting to others the seriousness of their illness. My research focuses on how Latino men renegotiate a sense of …

Control Of Hydrogen Sulfide From Groundwater Using Packed-Bed Anion Exchange And Other Technologies, Camilo Romero Cotrino

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hydrogen sulfide imparts odors and taste to drinking water and can be corrosive to distribution systems. Groundwater sources used to produce drinking water tend to have sulfide concentrations ranging from below 0.1 to over 3 mg/L. Under anaerobic conditions, hydrogen sulfide can be formed from reduction of sulfate and elemental sulfur through chemical or biological reactions. Therefore, to decrease the potential for hydrogen sulfide in water systems, control of all forms of sulfur should be consistent.

Hydrogen sulfide in groundwater can be controlled through conversion or removal mechanisms. Conversion reactions result from chemical or biological reactions that oxidize hydrogen sulfide …

Image Restoration Theory: An Empirical Study Of Corporate Apology Tactics Employed By The U.S. Air Force Academy, Glen F. Roberts

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Adverse relationships between an individual or corporation and its publics can destroy credibility, relationships, marketability, and economic welfare. As such, a genre of discourse is needed to help individuals and organizations respond to charges of wrongdoing. Therefore, the study of image restoration is worthwhile because it provides insight into an important function of our lives. For this thesis study, a content analysis was conducted of media releases and stories produced by the U.S. Air Force regarding a series of sexual assaults at the Air Force Academy in 2002. The purpose of the study is two-fold. First, it determines the image …

Gender Differences In Age Of Onset For Delinquency:Risk Factors And Consequences, Laura M. Gulledge

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The age of onset of delinquency has long been viewed as a primary indicator for further delinquency and criminality. However, studies on the risk factors for onset, and future delinquency have focused predominantly on males. The purpose of this study was to explore gender differences and similarities in risk factors for onset and frequency of arrest. The data used in these analyses were from a longitudinal study, Pathways to Adulthood: A Three Generational Urban Study, 1960-1994. Sixty-six percent (N=1,758) of the eligible children completed the final survey. Of these children, only 515 were used in this particular study because they …

An Evaluation Of The Along Track Reef Imaging System (Atris) For Efficient Reef Monitoring And Rapid Groundtruthing Of Eaarl Lidar, Nicole O. Caesar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Along-Track Reef-Imaging System (ATRIS) is a vessel-mounted, digital camera, depth sounder and Global Positioning System (GPS) package that facilitates the rapid capture of underwater images in shallow-water benthic environments. This technology has the potential to collect ecologically significant data, particularly in benthic habitats less than 10 m in depth, with better location referencing and in less time than is required for surveys carried out by Scuba divers. In October 2004, ATRIS was tested coincidently with SCUBA-assisted video along transects on five patch reefs in Biscayne National Park. Images from both data sets were subsampled, viewed, and benthic cover under …

Chemo-Enzymatic Route To Synthesis Of Biodegradable Polymers And Glycolipid Analogs, Surbhi Bhatt

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

New catalytic synthetic methods in organic chemistry that satisfy increasingly stringent environmental constraints are in great demand by the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. Studies over last 15 years have revealed that activity of enzymes can be increased in organic solvents rather than their natural aqueous environment. Because of their ease of use, high selectivity and environment friendliness, enzymes are enjoying increasing popularity in today's synthesis world.

Chapter 1 describes chemo-enzymatic synthesis of various glycolipid analogs. A highly regioselective macrolactonization was achieved using lipase from Candida antarctica as a catalyst. It also describes evaluation of lipases from different source and their …

The Characterization Of Non-Ionic Surfactant Vesicles: A Release Rate Study For Drug Delivery, Kristina Ok-Hee Dearborn

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Drug delivery methods for the treatment of brain tumor cells have been both inefficient and potentially dangerous for cancer patients. Drug delivery must be done in a controlled manner so that the effective amount of medication is delivered to the patient and ensure over-dosage does not cause adverse side reactions in the patient. The focus of this investigation is to design a drug delivery system that would allow for site-specific administration of the drug, protection of the drug from the surrounding environment, and controlled sustained release of the drug. We have proposed a model that incorporates a niosome, which is …

The Effects Of A Parent Training Course On Coercive Interactions Between Parents And Children, Lezlee Powell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Coercion within parent/child relationships can have lasting effects on the behavior

of children. The Family Safety/Applied Behavior Analysis Initiative at the University of

South Florida is part of a statewide project designed to serve foster parents and the

children in the foster care system, has developed a training program entitled .Parenting

Tools for Positive Behavior Change.. To date, the effectiveness of the parenting course

has been evaluated in two ways. First, parents have been tested in role-play situations

before and after training, and have shown improvements in their use of positive parenting

skills. Second, frequency of foster home placement disruptions …

Secondary Seed Dispersal Of Longleaf Pine, Pinus Palustris, And Sand Live Oak, Quercus Geminata, In Florida Sandhill, Shannon Elizabeth Ansley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Studies of secondary seed dispersal by small mammals have largely been focused on the interaction between nut-bearing tree species and sciurid rodents such as squirrels, and on heteromyid rodents in the southwestern United States. However, there is now evidence that wind-dispersed tree species such as pines also undergo a process of secondary seed dispersal, where animals redistribute (cache) seeds that have already fallen to the ground, often in microhabitats more suitable for successful seed germination. In Florida sandhill, where fire suppression has threatened wind-dispersed longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) by encouraging the encroachment of hardwoods such as sand live oak (Quercus …

The Mucilage Of Opuntia Ficus Indica: A Natural, Sustainable, And Viable Water Treatment Technology For Use In Rural Mexico For Reducing Turbidity And Arsenic Contamination In Drinking Water, Kevin Andrew Young

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The use of natural environmentally benign agents in the treatment of drinking water is rapidly gaining interest due to their inherently renewable character and low toxicity. We show that the common Mexican cactus produces a gum-like substance, cactus mucilage, which shows excellent flocculating abilities and is an economically viable alternative for low-income communities. Cactus mucilage is a neutral mixture of approximately 55 high-molecular weight sugar residues composed basically of arabinose, galactose, rhamnose, xylose, and galacturonic acid. We show how this natural product was characterized for its use as a flocculating agent. Our results show the mucilage efficiency for reducing arsenic …

The Effect Of Dem Resolution On The Computation Of Hydrologically Significant Topographic Attributes, David Alexander Crosby

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Terrain attributes computed from Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) are widely used in hydrology and hydrologic modeling. It is important to consider that the values of the attributes can be different depending on the resolution of the DEM from which they are derived. The question arises as to how much exactly the high-resolution DEMs created through LIDAR remote sensing techniques change the values of the terrain attributes when compared to lower resolution DEMs.In this thesis a LIDAR-derived DEM of 20 feet resolution was resampled using a nearest-neighbour algorithm to various coarser resolutions to examine and quantify the effect of DEM resolution …