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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 …

Modifiable Factors For Disability: Is There Potential For Reducing Racial Disparities In Disability In Older Age?, Mihaela A. Popa

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

White-Black disparities in disability in the older population are consistently reported in the literature, and are usually ascribed to differences in socio-economic, health, and cognitive status. However, the role of modifiable influences on disability, such as health and lifestyle behaviors or health care utilization on these differences is less clear. This dissertation examines: (1) longitudinal White-Black differences in disability and the potential contributions of distinct health behaviors to these differences; (2) White-Black differences in the effects of health care utilization on trajectories of disability; and (3) whether cognition mediates the effects of health behaviors on disability in Whites and in …

Real Challenges, Virtual Challengers: The Democracy For America Movement, Noah Porter

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The project examines the effects of Internet use by the social movement organization (SMO) Dean for America/Democracy for America (DFA). This study describes the relationship between Internet usage and SMO beliefs, organization, causes, reasons for joining, strategies, reactions, and effects. Dean for America started out with few resources or supporters, and was seen as an unlikely contender for the 2004 presidential campaign. From its humble beginnings, it skyrocketed from being virtually unknown to frontrunner status in the span of a year. After Howard Dean withdrew from the race in February 2004, Dean for America transformed itself into Democracy for America, …

Examining The Issues Surrounding Violating The Assumption Of Independent Observations In Reliability Generalization Studies: A Simulation Study, Jeanine L. Romano

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Because both validity and reliability indices are a function of the scores on a given administration of a measure, their values can often vary across samples. It is a common mistake to say that a test is reliable when in fact it is not the test that is reliable but the scores on the test that are reliable. In 1998, vacha-haase proposed a fixed-effects meta-analytic method for evaluating reliability that is similar to validity generalization studies called reliability generalization (rg). This study was conducted to evaluate alternative analysis strategies for the meta-analysis method of reliability generalization when the reliability estimates …

Manifestations Of Ebenezer Howard On Disneyland, Michelle M. Rowland

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

While political praise and condemnation of Disney is commonplace in the literature, my research will focus instead on the origination of Disney's design plan for Disneyland and the theoretical and physical connections between key historical figures and the finished product. I will not consider what Disneyland means to the world today---that is a subject many others have covered, some even brilliantly; instead, I will consider what social concepts contributed to the initial design in an attempt to see the underlying values at work in this post-modern utopia. In this thesis, I intend to show that Walt Disney's initial design for …

Credibility Perceptions Of Television And Online News, Charmy G. Sabigan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Three major factors influence audience's credibility perception of mediated news on television and on the internet. This study found that reporters' credibility, media credibility, and news credibility had direct influence to the credibility of news presented on both media. Reporters' credibility on both media could be measured by their expertise, intelligence, education, trustworthiness, and authoritativeness. Television and the internet were evaluated differently. Television was measured by its comprehensiveness, concern for the interest of the public, and fairness. The internet was assessed on its trustworthiness, consideration of public interest, and objectivity. News credibility for both media, however, could be evaluated using …

In-Vivo Radiation Diode Dosimetry For Therapeutic Photon Beams, Amarjit Singh Saini

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In-vivo dosimetry with diode detectors is used in radiation therapy as a quality assurance tool. The diode sensitivity under radiation depends upon temperature, dose rate and SDD (source-to-detector distance), field size, beam angle, and energy. This dissertation presents the first systematic and quantitative study of dosimetric characteristics for most of the commercial radiation diodes (n-type and p-type) under different radiation beams.In the temperature dependence study, the systematic study on the dose rate dependence of svwt (sensitivity variation with temperature) was performed. It was concluded that sufficient preirradiation can eliminate dose rate dependence of svwt. However, preirradiation cannot eliminate dose rate …

Methods To Improve Bond On Frp Wrapped Piles, Andy Schrader

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) sheets can provide incredible structural strength while weighing only a fraction as much as steel. When applied to piles the FRP provides strengthening through both concrete confinement and tensile reinforcement. Mainly used in structural repair, its application is relatively simple in theory. However, many factors(some avoidable, some not) can interfere with the bond between FRP and concrete. When this bond is interrupted the strength of the repair becomes compromised.This thesis examines 2 new methods of improving FRP bond to concrete piles during the time the resin is curing. These methods are compared using 3 types of …

An Experimental Analysis Of Activist Message Strategy Effect On Receiver Variables, Andrea Schuch

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Utilizing communication and activist organization perspectives, this empirical study examined activist message strategies and how they influence variables related to the receiver of activist communication. Specifically, J.E. Grunig's (1997) situational theory of publics and Fishbein and Ajzen's (1975) theory of reasoned action were used to explain the communication effects of the seven activist message strategies developed from Hazleton and Long's (1988) public relations process model. The findings of this study support the premise of situational theory of publics and contribute to the extension of the theory through the inclusion of goal compatibility as a predictor of information seeking behavior and …

Vadose Zone Processes Affecting Water Fluctuations: Conceptualization And Modeling Considerations, Nirjhar Shah

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on a variety of vadose zone processes that impact water table fluctuations. The development of vadose zone process conceptualization has been limited due to both the lack of recognition of the importance of the vadose zone and the absence of suitable field data. Recent studies have, however, shown that vadose zone soil moisture dynamics, especially in shallow water table environments, can have a significant effect on processes such as infiltration, recharge to the water table, and evapotranspiration. This dissertation, hence, attempts to elucidate approaches for modeling vadose zone soil moisture dynamics. The ultimate objective is to predict …

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 …

Assessing The Reproducibility Of Skeletal Geochemistry Records In Atlantic Corals Using Montastraea Annularis Coral Heads From The Dry Tortugas, Florida, Kristine L. Stair

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Core samples were collected in September 1995 from live coral heads of Montastraea annularis at Bird Key reef in the Dry Tortugas, Florida (24 degrees 55 minutes N, 82 degrees 92 minutes W). Four 4 mm-thick coral slabs from two cores were continuously sampled at 12 samples per year (0.025 cm per sample for Core 31, 0.023 cm per sample for Core 35). Visual inspection of X-radiographs indicates an average skeletal extension rate of about 3 mm per year in Bird Key corals. The goal of this study was to perform a replication test in Montastraea annularis by using elemental …

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 …

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' …

Technology And Older Faculty: A Descriptive Study Of Older Florida Community College Faculty, Christopher D. Van Der Kaay

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Institutions of higher learning across the United States are experiencing an aging faculty population. A significant proportion of college and university faculty are over 55, a growth expected to continue in future years. Parallel to this growth and change has been an expanding use of technology in higher education. Despite this trend and potential implications, few studies have provided in-depth insight into older faculty and technology. The study used a quantitative descriptive design to provide a comprehensive look at older community college faculty and various aspects of technology. Areas examined included older faculty's perceptions of technology, their attitudes toward institutional …

What The Spirit Knows: Charles Williams And Kenneth Burke, Grace Veach

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

What the Spirit Knows: Charles Williams and Kenneth Burke examines the Arthurian poetry of Charles Williams using a methodology derived from Kenneth Burke. This is an experiment in literary criticism of a Christian poet using a methodology that is not specifically Christian. Key critical ideas found in Burke are utilized in reading poems from Taliessin Through Logres and Region of the Summer Stars. Burke's work on form and symbol (primarily from Counter-Statement) is addressed first. Form in an individual poem (using "Taliessin's Song of the Unicorn) and in an entire cycle is examined. Burke lists several uses for symbol in …

Online Delivery Of Career Choice Interventions: Preferences Of First-Year Students In Higher Education, Melissa Venable

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Career services professionals are increasingly involved in decisions regarding the use of technology to perform their jobs. The millennial generation, increasingly enrolling in distance education, is characterized as being comfortable with technology, expecting efficient services, and valuing convenience. Understanding the technology-related preferences of today's students is fundamental for those planning and developing student career services. Brown and Ryan Krane (2000) identified five critical interventions important to career decision-making: (a) Written Exercises, (b) Individualized Interpretations and Feedback, (c) Information on the World of Work, (d) Modeling, and (e) Attention to Building Support.

This study investigated the following questions: (1) what are …

Experimental And Analytical Modeling Of The In Vivo And In Vitro Biomechanical Behavior Of The Human Lumbar Spine, Tov I. Vestgaarden

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation has two major parts; Analytical and Experimental. The analytical section contains a study using Finite Element Analysis of dynamic instrumentation to demonstrate stress reduction in adjacent level discs. The experimental section contains biomechanical testing of facet fusion allograft technique and finally a comparison between In Vivo and In Vitro intradiscal pressures to determine forces acting on Lumbar spine segment L4-L5. A comprehensive study of available data, technology and literature was done. Conventional fusion instrumentation is believed to accelerate the degeneration of adjacent discs due to the increased stresses caused by motion discontinuity. A three dimensional finite element model …

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 …

Narratives Of Lesbian Transformation: Coming-Out Stories Of Women Who Transition From Heterosexual Marriage To Lesbian Identity, Clare F. Walsh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Women who have transitioned to a lesbian identity from a previously heterosexual one lack a voice in the academic literature. Identity formation in this subset of women, those who chose a heterosexual marriage, had children, and later in life self identify as lesbian, has not been fully investigated. For this project, eight women were asked to answer this question: How have you negotiated the path from heterosexuality to lesbianism? Four main themes were found dealing with heteronormativity and accountability, relationship with children, transition, and acceptance by the lesbian community. Additionally, I introduce a new term---gender-normativity---to describe these women who only …

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 …

Effect Of Personal And Practice Contexts On Occupational Therapists' Assessment Practices In Geriatric Rehabilitation, Mirtha Montejo Whaley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite considerable debate surrounding an age associated cognitive decline in non-demented elders, recent studies indicate that changes attributable to normal aging affect cognitive processes and fluid abilities. Additionally, studies indicate that factors such as physical illness, depression, neurological damage, medication side effects, drug interactions, and the effects of surgery and anesthesia may also cause varying degrees of cognitive impairment. Impairment of cognitive function is known to affect treatment and rehabilitation outcomes for older persons, and increase their likelihood of institutionalization. Although proper screening and identification of cognitive deficits in geriatric patients are crucial in developing treatment plans, there is evidence …

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 …

Pneumatic Tool Hand-Arm Vibration And Posture Characterization Involving U.S. Navy Shipboard Personnel, Charles R. Wilhite

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The United States Navy incorporates many different occupations to ensure it achieves its overall mission. These occupations are extremely diversified and present a wide spectrum of occupational exposures. Many of these exposures have been well studied and documented. However, shipboard pneumatic tool hand-arm vibration, (HAV) and how it relates to different body postures is an area of occupational exposure that has received little attention. The chief objective of this study was to assess whether there is a difference in hand-arm vibration levels, while working on one of two surface orientations (e.g., horizontal and vertical) among distinctly different pneumatic tools while …

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 …

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 …

Honor – A Double Edged Sword: An Examination Of The South’S “Culture Of Honor” Wounding Of Two Races, Vernetta K. Williams

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This work expands the understanding of the "culture of honor" that social psychologists maintain exists in the American South. Social psychologists attribute the higher incidence of violent crimes, especially murder committed by white men in the South as compared to Northern white men, to this "culture of honor." While social psychologists have restricted their work to white men, this work explores how this distinct culture has impacted the Southern black community while uncovering deeper ways in which the culture has affected the Southern white community. Using historically-based literature and film by African Americans, the work provides a more comprehensive look …

Modeling Considerations For Vadose Zone Soil Moisture Dynamics, Jing Zhang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Reproducing moisture retention behavior of the upper and lower vadose zone in shallow water table settings provides unique challenges for integrated (combined surface and groundwater) hydrological models. Field studies indicate that moisture retention in shallow water table settings is highly variably affected by antecedent state and air entrapment. The theory and vertical behavior of a recently developed integrated surface and groundwater model (IHM) is examined through comparisons to collected field data in West-Central Florida. The objectives of this study were to (1) Identify important considerations and behavior of the vadose zone for reproducing runoff, ET and recharge in shallow water …

Body Image, Attitudes, And Self-Efficacy As Predictors Of Past Behavior And Future Intention To Perform Breast And Skin Self-Examinations, Sari R. Chait

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Breast self-examinations (BSE) and skin self-examinations (SSE) provide people with a cost-effective and time-efficient approach to the detection of cancer. Given the utility of these self-examination behaviors, it is important to determine who is likely to perform them regularly and why. Prior research has demonstrated a relationship of attitudes and self-efficacy with performance of and intention to practice the exams. Body image, although not previously studied, can be hypothesized to influence performance of these behaviors as well. To address these issues, the current study sought to determine if there are relationships between attitudes, self-efficacy, and body image and the practice …

Landscape Change In The South Prong Alafia River Basin, Kimberly Sarah Koenig

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

West-central Florida has supplied much of the national and global demand for phosphate for over 100 years. The two main tributaries of the Alafia River, the North and South Prongs, have been extensively modified by the strip mining, benefaction, and chemical processing activities associated with the phosphate mining industry. Using aerial photos, an analysis of landscape change in the South Prong Alafia River drainage basin (357.4 km2) between 1940, 1970, and 2004 was conducted. A modified Florida Land Use, Land Cover, and Forms Classification System code (FLUCCS) was used to classify and measure change through the study period. Change in …