Digital Commons Network^™

A Simple Treatise On The Origins Of Cracker Kung Fu Or Mai Violence, Mark Joseph Runge

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

My project tells the origins of the Cracker Kung-Fu system through personal narrative and government documents. The personal combat methods of the system are shown and described. The Tire Iron Form, or set of movements, is shown in its entirety, and each martial application is shown.

Identification Of The Nucleation Locus In Emulsion Polymerization Processes, Vineet Shastry

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Particle Nucleation is the forcing function in the Emulsion Polymerization processes and it plays an important role in dictating the final properties of the latex produced. Identification of the main nucleation sites and characterizing them in terms of their size and composition is important for elucidating the mechanism of particle nucleation.

This research focuses on identifying the most likely nucleation locus in emulsion polymerization processes by characterizing the initial conditions of the reaction mixture. In order to achieve this objective, a methodology was devised, which used a non-reacting model emulsion system instead of the original emulsion. The model emulsion system …

Investigation Of Spatial Filtering For Planar Range-Resolved Pulsed Laser Ablated Plume Imaging, James F. Winslow

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents a study of the intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) imaging of pulsed laser ablated plumes. Two-dimensional imaging of laser ablated plumes is a very important diagnostic for PLD. ICCD array photography is a useful tool for imaging PLD. The images obtained using the standard technique are characterized and compared with ICCD images of an altered plume, ICCD images intentionally violating standard imaging procedures, and film thickness. The depth resolving properties of a pinhole was investigated with the intention of applying it to PLD plume imaging. This results in a more thorough understanding of the depth resolving property of …

Influence Of C3S Content Of Cement On Concrete Sulfate Durability, Natalya G. Shanahan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The influence of tricalcium silicate content of cement on concrete durability has long been a topic of discussion in the literature. The objective of this investigation was to determine whether increasing tricalcium silicate content of cement has a negative effect on concrete sulfate durability. Several mill certificates were reviewed to select cements with similar tricalcium aluminate content and variable tricalcium silicate contents. Cements selected for this study were randomly labeled as cements C, D, D2, E, and P.

The following properties were assessed for the as-received cements: Blaine fineness, particle size distribution, chemical oxide content, and mineralogical content. Three different …

Mediating The Model: Women's Microenterprise And Microcredit In Tobago, West Indies, Cheryl A. Levine

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

From the perspectives of economic anthropology, feminist anthropology, and feminist theory, this applied anthropological study is an evaluation of a popular international development model targeting poor women. Based on the celebrated Grameen Bank of Bangladesh, the so-called "microcredit" model is designed as a poverty alleviation strategy to provide small loans to poor women in rural settings and is designed to facilitate microenterprise development. Due to the popularity of the microcredit model with the international development community, it is being replicated in different settings. Through an analysis of microenterprise development among Afro-Caribbean women, this study presents the argument that successful application …

In Search Of David Paul Davis, Rodney Kite-Powell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The 1920s land boom in Florida produced a wide variety of characters. Among the most important, but lesser known, of those was David Paul Davis. Davis was born in November 1885 in Green Cove Springs, Florida. His family moved to Tampa in 1895, where he attended school and held a number of different jobs. He left Tampa in 1908 and reappeared in Jacksonville in 1915. That same year, in Jacksonville, he married Marjorie H. Merritt.

The young couple moved to Miami in 1920, where Davis began to sell real estate. He became quite adept, developing a number of subdivisions in …

Studies On Antibacterial Activities Of N-Thiolated Β-Lactams And Their Polymeric Nanoparticles Against Mrsa, Jeung-Yeop Shim

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) is now the most challenging bacterial pathogen affecting patients in hospitals and in care centers, and has brought on the need to develop new drugs for MRSA. This thesis centers on studies of N-thiolated β-lactams, a new family of potent antibacterial compounds that selectively inhibit the growth of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Chapter 1 describes MRSA in more detail. Chapter 2 outlines experiments on the effect of a fatty ester group (CO₂R) on the C₄-phenyl ring of N-methylthio β-lactams, expecting that attachment of long chain ester moieties might increase the hydrophobicity, …

The Omar Torrijos Regime: Implications For The Democratization Process In Panama, Emma Scribner

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Since gaining independence from Colombia in 1903, Panama has witnessed both elitist democratic governments and authoritarian populist governments. The oligarchic system in place throughout much of Panama's history was a significant hindrance to real democracy taking hold within the country. Democracy was further set back by the inordinate power exerted by the US presence on the isthmus throughout the twentieth century. Omar Torrijos's time as head of the Panamanian government from 1969 to 1981 exhibited populist, paternalistic and personalistic characteristics. His government marked an attempt to establish a form of government based on popular democracy. While a number of social …

Analytical Strategies In Deciding Bus Route Alignments, Sandeep Seshan Iyer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this research a heuristic algorithm is developed for searching and identifying preferred actions as applied to the bus route design problem. The search routine evaluates each subsequent segment added to the route in the context of the value of that segment and also the value of future decisions and opportunities for subsequent segments. The total overall maximum accessibility of the system is calculated using a minimum path network between each node pair and adding the accessibility of all route segments. This is equivalent to assuming that there was a direct shortest path route between every two destinations in the …

Phylogeography And Evolution Of The Florida Crown Conch (Melongena Corona), Kenneth A. Hayes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Melongena corona and closely related congeners are a conspicuous part of the marine intertidal benthic communities of Florida and southeastern Alabama. Significant genetic differentiation among adjacent populations has been conjectured based on variation in shell morphology, habitat discontinuity, low levels of adult motility, and the presence of an aplanic lecithotrophic larval stage. Furthermore, studies of the highly variable shell morphology often have resulted in confusing specific and subspecific definitions of these gastropods, which are often referred to as the "corona complex". Variation in shell morphology may indicate local adaptation or environmentally induced phenotypic plasticity. In this study I utilized mitochondrial …

Empirical Mass Balance Calibration Of Analytical Hydrograph Separation Techniques Using Electrical Conductivity, Joseph A. Cimino

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Analytical baseflow separation techniques such as those used in the automated hydrograph separation program HYSEP rely on a single input parameter that defines the period of time after which surface runoff ceases and all streamflow is considered baseflow. In HYSEP, this input parameter is solely a function of drainage basin contributing area. This method cannot be applied universally since in most regions the time of surface runoff cessation is a function of a number of different hydrologic and hydrogeologic basin characteristics, not just contributing drainage area.

This study demonstrates that streamflow conductivity can be used as a natural tracer that …

Characterization And Correlation Analysis Of Pharmaceutical Gelatin, Pascal Georges Felix

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The properties of the aged gel and subsequent softgels were examined using mechanical and chemical testing methods. Our hypothesis was that a negligible variation will exist between the aged gel of the same type. The greater difference is expected to be seen between the types of gels described as 150 Bloom (alkaline treated collagen) and 195 Bloom (acid treated collagen).

The types of gelatin used were the acid processed (195 Acid Bone) and alkaline processed (150 Lime Bone). Because of the differences expressed as the result of their manufacture sequence (namely their molecular weights), it follows that physical attributes will …

Design And Construction Of Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition Reactor And Directed Assembly Of Carbon Nanotubes, Joshua David Schumacher

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The goals of this research project were the design and construction of a carbon nanotube (CNT) reactor based on the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) principle and the development of a method for directed assembly of CNTs by catalyst patterning. PECVD was selected as the growth method due to the requirement of a catalyst for the growth process, thereby facilitating directed assembly and controlled diameter CNT growth at well-defined locations.

The reactor was built in accord with horizontal flow design using standard ultra high vacuum components. The controllable parameters of the reactor include sample temperature, DC plasma intensity, chamber …

Radiation Induced Degradation Pathways For Poly (Methyl Methacrylate) And Polystyrene Polymers As Models For Polymer Behavior In Space Environments, Kenneth Henry Heffner

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Modeling methods are required for predicting the chemical stability of macromolecular materials used in critical spacecraft components of satellites orbiting in the high-energy radiation environment of near earth and deep space planetary magnetic belts. Methods for establishing degradation mechanisms and predicting and simulating the total absorbed dose and ionization for long term space missions are presented herein. This investigation evaluates cross-linking, main-chain scission and elimination products in a linear series of narrowly dispersed poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polystyrene (PS) polymers. A comparison is made of the scission radiation yield (G_s) and crosslinking (G_x) predicted for the …

Characterization And Generation Of Streaming Video Traces, John N. Shahbazian

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis describes two methods collectively called Time Series Generation (TSG) that can be used to generate time series inputs modeling packet loss to test IP-based streaming video software. The TSG methods create packet loss models that recreate the mean, variance, and autocorrelation signatures of an actual trace. The synthetic packet loss traces can have their inherent statistics altered, thus allowing for thorough testing of video software in ways that could not be done on actual networks. The two methods comprising TSG, which are individually called the primary and secondary method, use the principle of iterated uniformity to create a …

A Model For The Benefits Of Electronic Toll Collection System, Rajesh H. Chaudhary

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Due to the degree of complexity related to measuring the advantage of establishing Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) systems, literature generally stops short of modeling an all-inclusive set of benefits of the system. In this research, a model that incorporates the impact on both the users and the society as a whole and evaluates the financial benefits over the lifespan of the ETC investment is developed.

Most of the values for the parameters used for calculating the benefits are taken from Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and from similar studies conducted by transportation agencies, which is the setting that has motivated the …

Vibrofluidized Bed Drying Of Citrus Processing Residue For Byproduct Recovery, Eric A. Roe

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Approximately 44% of the citrus that is processed becomes processing residue. The residue consists of the non-juice components of a citrus fruit, primarily peel and pulp, and is recovered by conversion to animal feed. The material is hygroscopic, agglomerating, has a wide particle size distribution, and must be carefully dried to avoid thermal damage to nutrients and flavors. This dissertation evaluates the possibility of utilizing a vibrofluidized bed dryer for citrus processing residue. Results demonstrate that it is possible to overcome the agglomeration difficulties associated with this material, offering an economically viable alternative processing methodology.

To properly analyze this proposed …

Scheduling Of 2-Operation Jobs On A Single Machine To Minimize The Number Of Tardy Jobs, Radhika M. Yeleswarapu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on the study of a unique but commonly occurring manufacturing problem of scheduling of customized jobs consisting of two operations on a single multi-purpose machine with the performance objective of minimizing the number of tardy jobs (jobs that are not completed by their due dates). Each customized job to be complete needs one unique operation and one common operation performed on it. We considered a static case in this work. The objective of minimizing the number of tardy jobs is considered where all jobs have equal weights and the maximum tardiness has no effect on the performance. …

Design And Fabrication Of Multi – Dimensional Rf Mems Variable Capacitors, Hariharasudhan T. Kannan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this work, a multi dimensional RF MEMS variable capacitor that utilizes electrostatic actuation is designed and fabricated on a 425um thick silicon substrate. Electrostatic actuation is preferred over other actuation mechanisms due to low power consumption. The RF MEMS variable capacitor is designed in a CPW topology, with multiple beams supported (1 - 7 beams) on a single pedestal. The varactors are fabricated using surface micromachining techniques. A 1um thick silicon monoxide (Er - 6) is used as a dielectric layer for the varactor. The movable membrane is suspended on a 2.5um thick electroplated gold pedestal. The capacitance between …

Self-Interference Handling In Ofdm Based Wireless Communication Systems, Tevfik Yücek

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is a multi-carrier modulation scheme that provides efficient bandwidth utilization and robustness against time dispersive channels. This thesis deals with self-interference, or the corruption of desired signal by itself, in OFDM systems. Inter-symbol Interference (ISI) and Inter-carrier Interference (ICI) are two types of self-interference in OFDM systems. Cyclic prefix is one method to prevent the ISI which is the interference of the echoes of a transmitted signal with the original transmitted signal. The length of cyclic prefix required to remove ISI depends on the channel conditions, and usually it is chosen according to the worst …

Learning Average Reward Irreducible Stochastic Games: Analysis And Applications, Jun, Li

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A large class of sequential decision making problems under uncertainty with multiple competing decision makers/agents can be modeled as stochastic games. Stochastic games having Markov properties are called Markov games or competitive Markov decision processes. This dissertation presents an approach to solve non cooperative stochastic games, in which each decision maker makes her/his own decision independently and each has an individual payoff function. In stochastic games, the environment is nonstationary and each agent's payoff is affected by joint decisions of all agents, which results in the conflict of interest among the decision makers.

In this research, the theory of Markov …

Simple Models For Predicting Dune Erosion Hazards Along The Outer Banks Of North Carolina, Lauren Mckinnon Wetzell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hurricane hazards result from the combined processes of wind, waves, storm surge, and overwash (Lennon et al., 1996). Predicting the severity of these hazards requires immense effort to quantify the processes and then predict how different coastal regions respond to them. A somewhat simpler, but no less daunting task is to begin to predict the hazards due to potential erosion of barrier islands. A four-part scale has been developed by Sallenger (2000) to provide a framework for understanding how barrier islands might respond during extreme storm events. These four regimes describe how beach and dune elevations interact with surge and …

Distributed Supervisory Control Of Workflows, Pranav Deshpande

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The need for redesigning existing business processes to improve their efficiency makes it essential to adequately represent, study, and automate them. The WFMC defines "workflow" as computerized facilitation or automation of a business process in whole or part. It is actually a representation of the given process, which is made up of well-defined collection of activities called tasks.

Modeling and specification of a workflow involves the following steps: 1) Provide formalism for modeling and specification of workflow 2) specify the tasks together with the associated information and 3) enter the applicable business rules in form of inter-task dependencies.

Earlier …

A Vlsi Architecture For Rijndael, The Advanced Encryption Standard, Naga M. Kosaraju

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The increasing application of cryptographic algorithms to ensure secure communications across virtual networks has led to an ever-growing demand for high performance hardware implementations of the encryption/decryption methods. The inevitable inclusion of the cryptographic algorithms in network communications has led to the development of several encryption standards, one of the prominent ones among which, is the Rijndael, the Advanced Encryption Standard. Rijndael was chosen as the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) by the National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST), in October 2000, as a replacement for the Data Encryption Standard (DES). This thesis presents the architecture for the VLSI implementation …

Kinematic Analysis And Evaluation Of Wheelchair Mounted Robotic Arms, Edward Jacob Mccaffrey

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this thesis is the kinematic analysis and evaluation of wheelchair mounted robotic arms. More specifically, to address the kinematics of the wheelchair mounted robotic arm (WMRA) with respect to its ability to reach positions commonly required by an assistive device in activities of daily living (ADL).

A robotic manipulator attached to a power wheelchair could enhance the manipulation functions of an individual with a disability. In this thesis, a procedure is developed for the kinematic analysis and evaluation of a wheelchair mounted robotic arm. In addition to developing the analytical procedure, the manipulator is evaluated, and design …

Characterization Of Large Area Cadmium Telluride Films And Solar Cells Deposited On Moving Substrates By Close Spaced Sublimation, Vishwanath Kumar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With CdTe based photovoltaics developed by close spaced sublimation reaching efficiencies of over 16%, commercialization of this technology draws serious attention. Today large area industrial modules have not been able to produce the same performance of their laboratory counterparts. This work provides a means for understanding the various technical challenges in developing an effective deposition technology for large area processing.

The submodule process investigated provides a model for continuous and sequential processing of subsequent films. The system has a unique design and constructed with the provision for a moving transport module for the substrate transport. The process was developed to …

Characterization Of Cadmium Zinc Telluride Solar Cells, Gowri Sivaraman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Currently thin film solar cells have efficiencies in the range of 16-18%. Higher efficiencies of 20% or more can be achieved by two junction solar cells in which two p-n junctions are connected in series one on top of the other in a tandem structure. The ideal bandgaps for optimum efficiency in a tandem structure are about 1eV for the top cell and 1.7 eV for the bottom cell. Copper Indium Gallium di-Selenide (CIGS) with a bandgap of 1 eV is a suitable candidate for the bottom cell and Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) with a tunable bandgap of 1.44-2.26 eV …

Development And Testing Of A Haptic Interface To Assist And Improve The Manipulation Functions In Virtual Environments For Persons With Disabilities, Rohit Tammana

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Robotics in rehabilitation provides considerable opportunities to improve the quality of life for persons with disabilities. Computerized and Virtual Environment (VE) training systems for persons with disabilities, many of which utilize the haptic feedback, have gained increasing acceptance in the recent years. Our methodology here is based on creating virtual environments connected to a haptic interface as an input device. This robotic setup introduces the advantages of the haptic rendering features in the environment and also provides tactile feedback to the patients.

This thesis aims to demonstrate the efficacy of assistance function algorithms in rehabilitation robotics in virtual environments. Assist …

An Assessment Of Paired Similarities And Card Sorting, Theodore James Dwyer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol expectancies have been shown to be predictive of risk for alcohol problems. Experimental research studies have challenged participants' expectancies with the end result demonstrating a mediational effect on participant drinking. Cognitive research using priming and word recognition tasks have led to the theory that expectancies operate in an associative network. Using dissimilarities information this network has been mapped using multidimensional scaling. The current techniques for collecting dissimilarities information directly in alcohol expectancy research has been limited to the use of the paired comparisons tasks. In order to investigate the utility of a different similarities task a comparison was made …

A Mathematical Model For Colloidal Aggregation, Colleen S. O'Brien

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The characterization of fine particles is an area of immense significance to many industrial endeavors. It has been estimated that 70% of all industrial processes deal with fine particles at some point in the process. A natural phenomenon occurring in these processes is colloidal aggregation. This study examines aggregation in colloidal systems in order to characterize, examine, and control this occurrence in industrial processes. The study of particle aggregation has been broken into many different areas, such as collision mechanisms, interaction energy etc, but a complete model that integrates these different aspects has never been fully realized. A new model …