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Development And Evaluation Of Novel Applications For The Ethos Cbct-Guided Online Adaptive Radiotherapy System, Nour Nasser

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Radiation therapy (RT) is an important pillar of modern cancer treatment, in neoadjuvant, curative, adjuvant, and palliative settings. The physics underlying RT is ionizing radiation that produces charged particles, which deposit their energy in the tissues they pass through. This energy results in unrepairable DNA damage resulting in the death of cancer tissue. The aim of RT is to deliver the desired radiation dose to the tumor while maximizing normal tissue sparing. Over the past decades, physics, engineering, and computational improvements has allowed advancement of external beam RT techniques, for example from 2D RT to 3D RT to now intensity …

A Longitudinal Investigation Of The Relationships Between Experiences With Sexual Harassment, Self-Objectification, And Self-Concept Clarity Among Women, Roxanne N. Felig

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This longitudinal research investigates the nuanced relationship between sexual harassment and self-concept development among both men and women over a six-week period, presenting a unified model that integrates theories of self-objectification and self-concept clarity. Across three waves of data collection (N= 370, N=315, N=279, respectively), I find evidence that women experience higher rates of sexual harassment, greater self-objectification, and lower self-concept clarity than men. Across time, I find that experiencing sexual harassment predicts heightened self-objectification, which further predicts a disrupted sense of self among both men and women. Critically, this work investigates the reciprocal nature of self-objectification and self-concept clarity, …

An Analysis Of Driven Pile Relaxation In Florida Soils, Dalton E. Knowles

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Prestressed concrete piles (PCP) are a common geotechnical foundational element employed in marine and land bridges. PCP are commonly driven by an impact diesel hammer until the desired nominal bearing resistance is reached at the end of the initial drive (EOID). At a later time, the pile resistance may be verified, but not always, via a restrike, usually with the same impact hammer. At the beginning of a restrike, the resistance of the pile is rarely equal to the resistance at the EOID either increasing, known as set-up, or decreasing, known as relaxation. Set-up is clearly beneficial, however, this thesis …

Context-Aware Data Analytics In Healthcare: A Fairness Perspective, Motahareh Pourbehzadi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The following dissertation is an accumulation of applied data analytics research in healthcare. In the first chapter, the focus is on detecting ineffective self-management in diabetic patients. Through the application of Natural Language Processing (NLP), the project investigates links between the diabetic patients' discharge notes and their compliance to exercise, dietary restrictions and medications. A bi-product of this research is the development of an online dashboard that allocates scores to six compliance categories. This tools allows healthcare provider to assess patient progress and compare it to the population averages. The dashboard also offers a patient summary generated using the Chat …

Dissolved Nitrogen Removal In Biochar Amended, High Permeability Media For Urban Stormwater Treatment, Mark Vicciardo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nutrient pollution in stormwater drives the eutrophication of inland and costal waterbodies which leads to sea grass retreat and the proliferation of harmful algal blooms (HAB). These anthropogenic effects destabilize ecosystems, and some HABs can pose direct human health risk. Bioretention, or the storage and controlled discharge of stormwater run-off in an ecologically engineered setting, is a potential solution to this problem. However, it relies heavily on the settling of particles as a nutrient removal mechanism, and thus struggles with pollutants, such as dissolved nitrogen, which is a particular problem in Florida where the geological prominence of phosphorus leaves nitrogen …

African Spirituality In Literature Written By Women Of African Descent, Brigét V. Harley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

African spiritual memory is the thread that connects members of the African diaspora, irrespective where we are or what we are doing. However, because of white supremacy, the longevity of African spiritual memory and its duration as a living, thriving, breathing force often becomes distorted under the weight of anti-black prejudice. This dissertation debunks the myth that people of African descent required outside input from non-Africans and Arabs to establish the world’s oldest and most studied civilizations, Ta-Seti and then the Egyptian Empire. Women writers of African descent capture the ever-present thread of African spiritual memory, providing a glimpse of …

Good Times, Politics, And Collapse: The Archaeology Of Old St. Joseph, Florida, Christopher N. Hunt

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The town of St. Joseph, established in 1835, served as a deep-water port for receiving and shipping dry goods up the Apalachicola River north along the vast network of navigable inland waterways in the southeastern U.S. during the early nineteenth century. Unfortunately, this town was hit with a yellow fever epidemic, a fire, and a series of hurricanes that, combined with the infancy of its cotton trade activities, eventually devastated its economy and population. The town disappeared by 1842, only much later to be replaced by modern Port St. Joe (est. 1909), located north of the original settlement. However, St. …

The Drama Of Last Things: Reckoning In Late Medieval And Early Modern English Drama, Spencer M. Daniels

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Historian Albrecht Classen’s contention that “the culture of death . provides us with a measuring stick for human society at large” is particularly illuminating when analyzing death and Christian salvation near the religious chasm of the Reformation divide. My study focuses on reckoning as it is illustrated in late medieval and early modern allegorical English drama. The Christian belief in a soul’s redemption or damnation after death was preceded by a crucial supernatural happening, a reckoning. Informed by God’s judgment, this event became the crux of the ars moriendi (the art of dying) tradition that permeated medieval and early modern …

Evaluation Of A Treatment Package To Increase Food Variety For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder With Food Selectivity, Julissa Robles

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities are often likely to develop feeding disorders and certain food selectivity (Wood et al., 2009). Various approaches have been taken to assess food selectivity in children with ASD to increase food consumption. Koegel et al. (2012) found that participants were more likely to try new foods when provided with contingent reinforcement with the choice of their preferred item or toy along with hierarchical exposure to novel foods. The purpose of this study was to extend the findings from Koegel et al. (2012) and assess the effects of using hierarchical exposure …

Programmable And Scalable Bit-Sliced Vlsi Architecture For Decision Tree Based Machine Learning Edge Inference, Raaga Sai Somesula

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As the volume and diversity of Internet-of-Things (IoT) data continues to grow, traditional cloud-based processing methods face significant challenges, including latency, bandwidth constraints, and privacy concerns. Our research focuses on employing decision trees (DTs) as an intelligent filtering mechanism on the edge. Preliminary comparisons across four datasets revealed DTs are significantly more efficient than multilayer perceptrons (MLP), saving 97-98\% in area and power, leading to the selection of DT for our proposed architecture for lightweight IoT devices. We propose a novel programmable and scalable custom application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) architecture designed for Decision Tree based ML inference. Each bit-slice …

Automatic Image-Based Nutritional Calculator App, Kejvi Cupa

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nutrition plays a pivotal role in shaping an individuals’ health and quality of life, making the evaluation of dietary intake crucial for promoting healthier lifestyle choices. Various solutions, particularly mobile apps, have been developed to facilitate the process of dietary estimation. Accurate nutritional intake assessment relies on two key components: ingredient recognition and food portion estimation. For a mobile app to offer a comprehensive solution for automatic nutritional assessment, it must address both components.

In this work, we focus on a mobile app pipeline: the semi-automatic pipeline which focuses on automatic food ingredient recognition. This pipeline integrates state-of-the-art models for …

Bird Strike Hazard Assessment For The Tampa International Airport, Florida, Usa, Yakubu Ogwu Isah

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Managing wildlife at airports poses a challenge for ensuring safety for aviation traffic. Airports, with their surrounding habitats and infrastructure, serve as attractants for avian species. Threats created by these species have led managers to develop management techniques in and around airports (DeVault et al 2013). One approach is the use of geographic information systems (GIS) for analyzing avian strike data and airport bird surveys. Spatial analysis of strike data identifies species of threat by categorizing strike occurrence, species sizes, phase of flight, and risk of damage. In addition, GIS can be used to map hotspots of bird strikes. These …

Semi-Automated Cell Annotation Framework Using Deep Learning, Abhiram Kandiyana

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Unbiased stereology refers to a field of applied mathematics \cite{intro-to-stereology} focused on accurate (model and assumption-free) quantification of three-dimensional (3D) objects, typically based on their appearance in 2D sections (planes) through the objects. In the biological sciences, these techniques are widely used for making unbiased estimates of arbitrary-shaped (stochastic) objects such as stained cells, blood vessels, region volumes, etc., in tissue sections through a region of interest (ROI).

This fundamental methodology is widely used for evaluating structural changes that occur in diseases, aging, and pharmaceutical interventions, thereby ensuring reliable outcomes. In terms of limitations, stereology is tedious, time- and labor-intensive, …

The Prevalence And Perceptions Of Self-Relevant Research (“Me-Search”) In Psychological Science, Andrew R. Devendorf

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Self-relevant research (i.e., me-search; SRR) is research that is informed by lived experience or having close connections to a topic. The disclosure of SRR may impact how a researcher is viewed in professional contexts, like an application to graduate school, and thus can impact who is recruited and retained in psychology. Although SRR appears to be common in psychology, little systematic research exists on its prevalence by subfield of psychology or how SRR is perceived. This study examined SRR across psychology disciplines. An online survey was administered to faculty and graduate students (N = 1313) affiliated with accredited doctoral programs …

Evaluation Of Pediatric Genetics Clinics’ Workflows, Efficiencies, & Genetic Counselor Job Satisfaction, Ashlyn M. Keziah

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The organizational structures and workflows of pediatric/general genetics clinics exhibit significant variability across institutions. However, there is a notable lack of studies exploring which structural components within pediatric clinics contribute to increased patient volumes, while concurrently upholding genetic counselor work satisfaction and mitigating burnout risks. To address this gap, this multiple case study delves into the operational dynamics of several pediatric genetics clinics located throughout the state of Florida. We employed surveys and interviews to identify shared patterns and distinctions in clinic workflows and structures, subsequently evaluating efficiency and genetic counselor job satisfaction/burnout at each site. This study includes survey …

Retirement And Cognitive Aging: Modifying Factors, Britney M. Veal

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Due to the increase in the aging population and individuals spending more years in retirement, researchers and public health policymakers have expressed a growing interest in understanding retirement and the overall effects on health and aging. One area that is gaining attention is retirement and its effect on cognition. However, the association between retirement and cognition remains unclear, and pre-retirement modifying factors such as reasons for retirement and longest-held occupation have not been thoroughly assessed. Therefore, using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS; n = 3,838) and mixed effects models, this dissertation aimed to examine the association between …

Latent Growth Model Analysis Of Saebrs Scores: Establishing Typical Rate Of Growth And Predictive Validity Of Academic Outcomes, Thomas Koza

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There are rising rates of student social-emotional and behavioral (SEB) concerns for students in the United States. Universal screening tools, such as the mySAEBRS (student self-report) and SAEBRS (teacher report), can be used to help identify students who may need additional SEB support. The current study uses Latent Growth Modeling (LGM) as a novel approach to identify growth trajectories of student mySAEBRS and SAEBRS domain scores (i.e., social domain, academic domain, and emotional domain) and aReading scores to provide insight into typical SEB growth rates and the ability of these domain scores to predict reading achievement. The study uses a …

Effects Of Unobservable Bus States On Detection And Localization Of False Data Injection Attacks In Smart Grids, Moheb Abdelmalak

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In an era increasingly marked by sophisticated cyber-attacks, this thesis investigates the critical issue of bus unobservability in smart grids and its impact on the effectiveness of cyber-attack detection and localization models. Given that unobservability is a prevalent challenge in smart grids due to various factors, researchers have developed numerous algorithms for optimal Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) placement under scenarios of limited observability. However, these models primarily focus on enhancing network observability, often without considering whether this placement optimally facilitates attack detection. This research is driven by the hypothesis that a deeper understanding of the effects of unobservable buses can …

Tangled Threads: The Emerging Ideology Of Far-Right Islamic Conservatism In The Muslim Diaspora, Veli John Muhammed Aydoner

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Contemporary political science literature has done well to cover the recent resurgence of the far-right within Western political discourse. However, one notable blind spot within this literature comes from an even more recent development: Far-Right Islamic Conservatism (FRIC). FRIC represents an ideology constructed through an attempted synthesis of far-right conservative political thought with a particular interpretation of the Western Muslim and Islamic identities. This paper seeks to help alleviate this gap in the literature by contextualizing the foundations of FRIC’s attempted theoretical synthesis and by exploring its engagements within Western political discourse. Following a formative assessment of FRIC’s ideological development, …

Comparative Analysis Of Abortion Coverage In Cnn And Fox News From The Perspective Of Agenda Setting Theory, Xinyu Chang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the impact of media framing on public perception and discourse concerning the contentious issue of abortion legislation, as delineated by two major U.S. news outlets, CNN and Fox News. Incorporating the principles of Agenda-Setting and Framing theories, this research utilizes a textual analysis approach to dissect the narrative structures, framing strategies, and the role of key actors within the media outlets' coverage. The investigation focuses on news articles published between 2010 and 2022, applying both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to scrutinize linguistic constructs, framing techniques, and potential biases.

A comprehensive analysis reveals marked ideological disparities, viewpoints, and …

Lights, Camera, Recruitment: Analyzing Dod-Hollywood Synergy And Its Effects On Attitudes And Behaviors Towards The Military, Jose-Andres Leon-Gil

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to research priming effects on DoD influenced films and uncover if there are significant effects affecting attitudes, beliefs, military support, and behaviors. This study is important because there is a lack of literature on the effects of DoD-influenced films. A portion of top grossing films are influenced by the DoD while there is little research on the effects consumers have. This study conducted an experiment testing the effects of behaviors and attitudes when a priming stimulus is presented. The priming stimulus was a military-influenced film clip and a military advertisement. Three groups were made, …

Under Pressure: The Soft Robotic Clap-And-Fling Of Cuvierina Atlantica, Daniel Mead

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Evolution over billions of years has led to unique animals of all types. The tiny sea butterfly is one that remains mostly anonymous because of its size and low place on the food chain, but it is a swimming creature that when examined closely reveals a surprise. Shockingly, it has a swimming motion nearly identical to small insects flying at intermediate Reynolds numbers, referred to as the clap-and-fling. The centimeter long pteropod flapping briskly at 5Hz escapes attention with its size and speed. Modeling the clap-and-fling motion of the sea butterfly at a larger scale allows the benefits and uniqueness …

Nutrient Removal Of Biochar Amended Modified Bioretention Systems Treating Nursery Runoff, Nicholas Richardson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Excess inputs of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, to surface water bodies can lead to the presence of harmful algal blooms (HABs). HABs can damage their surrounding environments and the economies dependent on them. Nutrient pollution can be properly controlled and monitored at point-sources, such as wastewater treatment plants, but is more difficult to control for non-point sources, such as fertilizer runoff. One form of fertilizer runoff that remains overlooked is runoff from plant nurseries. Controlled release fertilizers (CRFs) embedded in plant containers at nurseries can leach excess nutrients into the runoff. For nurseries in Florida, best management practices …

The Theoretical Epigenetic Relationship Between Complex-Ptsd And Adhd In Holocaust Survivors’ Descendants, Y. Sahara Brodsky

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

When comparing ADHD and Complex-PTSD, these two disorders share many overlapping features in both areas of the brain that are affected and the behavioral aspects due to deficits in certain brain regions, such as the prefrontal cortex. It is due to this similarity that I predict that c-PTSD is the precursor to the development of ADHD in later generations. Through epigenetic changes that are consistent with c-PTSD diagnosis, these changes to the brain are then passed down the generational line. When this is combined with trauma transference and generational trauma, it creates a situation where both the behaviors inform how …

No Change No Gain: A Comparative Framing Analysis Of The Nfl’S Inspire Change Campaign, Kia K. Cannon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research provides a basis for understanding how public relations practitioners should present CSR initiatives in their organizations and how the media may interpret its initiatives. The researcher analyzed how the NFL framed its Inspire Change campaign and how it was translated in the media. First, a qualitative textual analysis determined how the NFL strategically framed its newly founded social justice initiative. Then, another textual analysis examined how the media framed the Inspire Change initiative and if the NFL’s preferred frames were reflected in the media. The results reveal that while two out of three of the NFL’s frames of …

Parents As Reporters Of Middle School Students’ Subjective Well-Being, Daijah N. Hines

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Historically, self-report has been the predominant method for assessing the subjective well-being of adolescents (SWB). Regarding the use of secondary reporters, especially parental/caregiver reports, in assessing adolescent SWB, there is a gap in the literature. Gaining a better understanding of how to best evaluate adolescent SWB can assist in the identification of adolescents who may be at risk for mental health concerns or who could benefit from increased well-being. It may also assist in the development of future interventions in positive psychology for adolescents. This validity study explored (1) What is the reliability of a newly developed parent report measure …

Influence Of Merck Gardasil 9 Advertisements On Male Vaccination Behavior Through A Health Belief Model Framework, Lauren Kierpa

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Merck’s Gardasil advertisements for human papillomavirus (HPV) traditionally targeted women, thus feminizing the vaccine (Daley et al., 2017). With the release of newer gender-neutral Gardasil vaccine advertisements, this study seeks to understand the influence this campaign has on college-aged males’ intent to vaccinate. This study, grounded in the health belief model, analyzes the “Numbers Move You” advertisement through in-depth interviews. Then, for increased validity, a textual analysis of Merck Gardasil broadcast advertisements was conducted with the health belief model as a framework. The health belief model seeks to understand the reasoning behind health behavior change. The health belief model includes …

Analyzing The Relationship Between Preeclamptic Severity And Placental Methylation, Mackenzie C. Maggio

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Preeclampsia (PE) is a life-threatening hypertensive disorder in pregnancy (HDP) characterized by high blood pressure and proteinuria after 20 weeks of gestation. PE poses significant risks to both maternal and child health. An incomplete etiopathogenesis, diverse disease heterogeneity, and limited intervention and detection strategies further exacerbate and perpetuate PE as a major public health concern. By assessing symptom severity of placental tissues from PE pregnancies and analyzing the DNA methylation differences, this thesis aimed to identify epigenetic variations contributing to disease heterogeneity. Using the publicly available dataset GSE 98224, differentially methylated region (DMR) analysis on placental samples (n=48) revealed increasing …

Utilizing Machine Learning Techniques For Accurate Diagnosis Of Breast Cancer And Comprehensive Statistical Analysis Of Clinical Data, Myat Ei Ei Phyo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer represents a formidable malignancy, presenting a substantial threat to global health and individual well-being. Conventionally, it is widely held that the prognosis for breast cancer patients hinges predominantly upon the timing of diagnosis and the extent of cancer progression, typically delineated by its stage. However, emerging evidence from robust regression and machine learning analyses challenges this prevailing notion. The results indicate that survival months cannot be solely attributed to diagnosis and socio-economic factors. Instead, additional variables such as existing diseases and treatment complexities may contribute to the intricate landscape of breast cancer outcomes.

This research aims to delve …

Risk Assessment Of Blood-Borne Pathogen Exposure For Emergency Responders, Jill A. Ireland

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Emergency responders face a significant risk of exposure to blood-borne pathogens (BBPs), such as HIV and hepatitis, due to the nature of their work environment. This study investigates this issue utilizing a dual approach of data analysis and online surveys to assess exposure rates, risk perceptions, factors that contribute to risk and prevention practices. In addressing issues ranging from personal protective equipment (PPE) usage to levels of concern surrounding blood and bodily fluid contact, the findings underscore the need for tailored safety measures, comprehensive education, and improved prevention strategies.

The examination of 346 worker's compensation exposure claims highlighted a significant …