Digital Commons Network^™

The Use Of Electrical Charge To Produce Cell-Cell Contact Prior To Electrofusion, Jyothi Fernandes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

From previous studies it has been demonstrated that the fusion of tumor cells with antigen-presenting cells generates hybrids that are known to induce anti-tumor immunity. With the advancement of scientific research and medicine, the need to produce cell-cell hybrids for cancer immunotherapy and for various other applications is substantial.

Among the many methods used to generate these hybrid cells, electrofusion is a technique that is more widely used and recognized as a method to efficiently produce hybrids. Electrofusion requires two steps. In the first step, cells are brought into close adjacent contact either by a mechanical method like centrifugation or …

The Effect Of Conducting Gesture On Expressive-Interpretive Performance Of College Music Majors, Ronald Wayne Gallops

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of non-verbal conducting gesture on musicians’ stylistic response and whether conducting gestures alone elicit consistent musical responses from musicians. Through an analysis that utilized a Gestural Response Instrument (GRI) it was determined that, even if the use of verbal and facial cues were eliminated, some experienced conductors successfully utilized non-verbal conducting gestures to communicate specific musical interpretations. It appeared that musicians responded in specific ways to the musical interpretation of conductors who had command of a variety of conducting gestures. The results illustrated the existence of a perceptual contract that …

Toward Predicting Barrier Island Vulnerability: Simple Models For Dune Erosion, Laura A. Fauver

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study is to quantify the accuracy of two engineering models for dune erosion (SBEACH and EDUNE), and to determine which of the two models is best suited for predicting barrier island vulnerability due to extreme storm events. The first model, SBEACH, computes sediment transport using empirically derived equations from two large wave tank experiments. The second model, EDUNE, theoretically relates excess wave energy dissipation in the surf zone to sediment transport. The first mechanism for model comparison is sensitivity testing, which describes the response of the model to empirical, physical, and hydrodynamic variables. Through sensitivity tests, …

"No, We Don't Have Any T-Shirts": Identity In A (Self-Consciously) Consumerist Punk Subculture, William Force

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an ethnographic examination of a local punk subculture. Its focus is the processes of meaning construction and subcultural identity formation and maintenance. Through in-depth interviews and on-site observations, the meanings of punk emerge in acts of social co-construction. An empirical analysis of the ways by which individuals define and explore what is involved and valued in a punk identity provides insight into this subculture. The concept of punk as a social practice is investigated discursively through interviews and documented discussions. My goal is to uncover thematic ideas, beliefs, and values in these interactions that form a matrix …

A Comparison Of Two Prompting Procedures On Tacting Behavior, Kelley N. Gardner

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The focus of the current study was to determine the most effective way to teach tacts, or labels, to children with autism who have a language deficit. Two participants were included in the study, which compared two prompting procedures, the verbal prompting condition and the gestural prompting condition.

The verbal prompting condition included presenting a target picture and the verbal prompt, “What is it?” In the gestural prompting condition, a picture was presented, but rather than the verbal prompt, a pointing prompt was offered. Approximately 32 sessions were conducted 2-3 times per week. The effects of the two interventions were …

Cuidate: Tourism, Drugs, Sex And Hiv Among Young People In Monteverde, Costa Rica, Andrea Lee Freidus

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The main goal of this thesis is to understand a community’s perceptions of the potential impact of tourism on the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV/AIDS in Monteverde, Costa Rica. In particular, I examine the ways in which globalization and increased travel affect the overall health and behavioral patterns among young people from a community reliant on tourism. The impact of migration and population movement on the spread of infectious diseases has already been well documented. Moreover, there is a clear understanding of the impact of sex tourism on the spread of STIs. However, this project seeks to …

Study Of The Roles Of Lrba In Cancer Cell Proliferation And Ship-1 In Nk Cell Function, Joshua John Gamsby

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

LRBA (LPS Responsive Beige-like Protein Kinase A anchor) gene expression is induced by the mitogen LPS and is a member of the WBW gene family member which is comprised of genes that are involved in cellular proliferation and differentiation. This work provides evidence for the over-expression of LRBA in certain cancers, and that LRBA promoter activity and endogenous LRBA mRNA levels are negatively regulated by the tumor suppressor p53 and positively regulated by E2F transactivators. Furthermore, we demonstrate that inhibition of LRBA expression or function leads to decreased proliferation of cancer cells and that LRBA plays a role in the …

The Invisible Handshake: Interpreting The Job-Seeking Communication Of Foreign-Born Chinese In The U.S., Hongmei Gao

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Building upon Granovetter’s well-known study of the job search behaviors of white males, this research extended the degree to which his findings apply across cultures to Chinese minorities, and across time to the Internet age. Using quantitative and qualitative data collected through systematic observation, questionnaire surveys, and in-depth interviews, this research investigated the impact of culture, Internet usage, gender and age on the communication patterns of foreign-born Chinese jobseekers in the U.S.

It is found that jobseekers adopt either one or a combination of traditional (printed publications and direct application), institutional (the Internet, job fairs, and employment agencies), and personal …

Automatically Determining Route And Mode Of Transport Using A Gps Enabled Phone, Himanshu Gilani

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A system consisting of a GPS-enabled phone and a database has been designed and implemented. This system is capable of recording the route traveled by a user and determining the mode of transport (walk, bicycle, car or bus) used. The Java code running in the GPS-enabled phone automatically records location data, determines critical locations for the trip, and transmits the locations to a central database using the wireless capabilities of the phone. As the route information arrives at the database, it is processed by the mode detection algorithm that determines the mode of transportation being used by the individual for …

Aortic Valve Analysis And Area Prediction Using Bayesian Modeling, Miheer S. Ghotikar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Aortic valve stenosis affects approximately 5 out of every 10,000 people in the United States. [3] This disorder causes decrease in the aortic valve opening area increasing resistance to blood flow. Detection of early stages of valve malfunction is an important area of research to enable new treatments and develop strategies in order to delay degenerative progression. Analysis of relationship between valve properties and hemodynamic factors is critical to develop and validate these strategies.

Porcine aortic valves are anatomically analogous to human aortic valves. Fixation agents modify the valves in such a manner to mimic increased leaflet stiffness due to …

Maximizing The Benefits Of Its Deployments Based On Idas Performance Measures And B/C Ratios, Cuthbert R. Gibson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Traditional transportation planning models are not very sensitive to many of the benefits derived from Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technologies. With the recent availability of ITS Deployment Analysis System (IDAS), there is an opportunity to conduct detailed cost-benefit analyses of ITS Alternatives. IDAS is able to estimate the impacts, benefits, and costs resulting from the deployment of many ITS components. This is accomplished by comparing the average cost of deploying and integrating the appropriate technologies, to the estimated benefits experienced by the network. The ratio of average benefits to average costs is termed the B/C ratios. While the use of …

The Underdog Effect: Definition, Limitations, And Motivations. Why Do We Support Those At A Competitive Disadvantage?, Nadav Goldschmied

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

From politics to sports to business, people are quick to categorize those at a competitive disadvantage as ‘underdogs’. Moreover, there is ample anecdotal support that most people do not hesitate to align themselves with underdogs, a phenomenon called “the underdog effect”. A series of studies were conducted to examine the scope and limitations of the underdog effect. The first study explored the extent of the underdog effect and determined that resources play a crucial role in forming alliances with those whom we perceive to have the lower chance to succeed. A second series of experiments assessed whether participants, who demonstrated …

Vowel Identification By Monolingual And Bilingual Listeners: Use Of Spectral Change And Duration Cues, Merete Mã¸Ller Glasbrenner

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recent studies have shown that even highly-proficient Spanish-English bilinguals, who acquired their second language (L2) in childhood and have little or no foreign accent in English, may require more acoustic information than monolinguals in order to identify English vowels and may have more difficulty than monolinguals in understanding speech in noise or reverberation (Mayo, Florentine, & Buus, 1997). One explanation that may account for this difference is that bilingual listeners use acoustic cues for vowel identification differently from monolinguals (Flege, 1995).

In this study, we investigated this hypothesis by comparing bilingual listeners’ use of acoustic cues to vowel identification to …

The Influence Of Pre-Existing Memories On Retrieval-Induced Forgetting, Leilani B. Goodmon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

When people form episodic connections between memories that share a common retrieval cue, the tendency for those memories to interfere in later retrieval is often eliminated, and forgetting of the interfering information is reduced. For example, episodic integration protects memories from retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF), a phenomenon in which practicing retrieving some associates of a cue leads to the suppression of others that interfere with retrieval (Anderson, Green, & McCulloch, 2000). The purpose of this study was to determine whether semantic integration, as a result of pre-existing associations between practiced items and their unpracticed competitors, also moderates RIF. This research was …

Growth And Characterization Of Diamond And Diamond Like Carbon Films With Interlayer, Roja Gottimukkala

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Diamond and diamond-like carbon films, with their exceptionally good mechanical, chemical, and optical properties, are the best materials as protective hard coatings for electronic devices and cutting tools. The biocompatibility of these materials makes it suitable for bone implants. The wide range applications of these films are hindered because of the high compressive stresses developed during the deposition. Use of carbide and nitride interfacial layers has emerged as one of the methods to reduce the compressive stresses.

The present research focuses on the study of different materials as the interfacial layers for diamond and tetrahedral amorphous carbon films. For tetrahedral …

Reconfigurable Wireless Sensor Platform For Training And Research In Networked Embedded Systems, Oscar V. Gonzalez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ever since the University of California, Berkeley released the first commercial Wireless Sensor Network, (WSN), "mote", applications that employ the WSN technology have increased many fold. There are many kinds of prototypes and architectures for WSNs that are being developed by major communication companies. Due to the lack of a common standard for different physical and MAC layer protocols, interoperability among the wireless systems is constrained. Additionally, remote sensing capability, reconfigurability and interoperability have not yet been designed. In the current platforms hardware upgrading has to be performed on-site by replacing the old sensors with new ones. This procedure increases …

Asperger Syndrome: A Case Study On One Family’S Understanding, Ben Graffam

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the way members of one family understand the presence of developmental delays, especially Asperger Syndrome, in the children of that family. Specifically the study sought to glean how each parent constructed individual understanding of the presence of Asperger Syndrome in their twin, 13 year-old boys. It also sought to explore how each twin experienced the phenomenon of being labeled a child with Asperger Syndrome, and how their experiences affected their growing understanding of the syndrome. A third son, 10 years old, with PDD-NOS, was also a central focus in this study in that he also created and …

Educational Outcomes For Children With Early-Onset Behavior Problems, Allison Gibson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research has consistently shown a greater likelihood of negative outcomes later in life for children with early-onset behavior problems. Understanding the educational outcomes for these children is essential information that can help educators and families to provide targeted interventions in an effort to positively impact these at-risk children’s school experiences. The current study used archival data and a causal comparative research design to examine the educational outcomes (academic achievement, suspension rates, retention rates, and dropout rates/failure to complete high school) for children identified as at-risk for early-onset behavior problems in grades 1 through 3 for a cohort of children in …

The Role And Regulation Of Argininosuccinate Synthase In Endothelial Function, Bonnie L. Goodwin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

While cellular levels of arginine greatly exceed the apparent Km for endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), nitric oxide (NO) production is limited by availability of arginine. Results from this work have provided a unique understanding of endothelial NO production, showing that arginine regeneration, that is the recycling of citrulline back to arginine by argininosuccinate synthase (AS) and argininosuccinate lyase (AL), defines the essential source of arginine for NO production. Using RNA interference analysis, selective reduction of AS expression was shown to directly correspond with a diminished capacity of endothelial cells to produce NO, despite saturating levels of arginine in the …

Ground Penetrating Radar Response To Thin Layers: Examples From Waites Island, South Carolina, Swagata Guha

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Thin layers (layers that are not resolvable in terms of GPR wavelengths) are very common in sedimentary deposits. To better understand ground penetrating radar (GPR) wave behavior in sequences of thin layers with contrasting electromagnetic parameters, 1D FDTD simulations are run for simple layer distributions. Laminated (mm-scale) sequences can produce reflected energy with 10-20% of the amplitude of reflections from equivalent isolated contacts. Amplitude spectra from laminae packages are shifted toward higher frequencies. Such spectral shifts in radar profiles may potentially be used as indicators of fine-scale laminations. A comparative study of GPR records and models generated from core data …

Attenuation Of Bromobenzene-Induced Hepatotoxicity By Poly(Adp-Ribose) Polymerase Inhibitors, Kelly Waggoner Hall

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies have shown extensive cellular damage can activate poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) and cause a rapid decrease in the levels of NAD+ and ATP, thereby preventing apoptosis and promoting necrosis and inflammation. The purpose of this study was to extend previous observations that inhibitors of PARP-1 could alter acetaminophen and carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity. Bromobenzene (BB) a glutathione dependent hepatotoxicant was tested. Groups of male mice were treated with a single dosage of 112mg/kg (0.075 ml/kg) BB by the intraperitoneal (ip) route. All animals were maintained in a controlled environment and provided food and water ad libitum. This dosage of BB …

Prehistoric Human Subsistence Patterns In Northern Patagonia, Argentina: Isotopic Evidence For Reconstructing Diet, Scott Grammer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the isotopic signatures of human skeletal remains that were recovered from several sites along the coast and inland in the north-central Patagonian region of Argentina. Human skeletal remains, dating from 2500 BP through the early historic period, are examined to determine the relative significance of terrestrial and aquatic food resources and subsequently, the extent to which coastal food resources were exploited by indigenous Argentinians. Carbon and nitrogen isotopes contained within human bone collagen and apatite are measured quantitatively to determine the relative significance of marine and terrestrial foods. This study, one of the first isotopic studies of …

Development Of A Dna Vaccine Against Streptococcus Mutans: A Novel Approach To Immunization Against Dental Caries, Thomas Han

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Streptococcus mutans is the main causative agent of dental caries, which is a widespread infectious disease. A number of surface molecules are involved in the pathogenicity of this organism, including adherence and aggregation factors. The wallassociated protein A (WapA) of Streptococcus mutans GS-5 was previously demonstrated to be a sucrose-dependent adherence and aggregation factor, and is a larger precursor to extracellular antigen A (AgA), a candidate antigen for a dental caries vaccine.

The full-length wapA gene and a C-terminal truncated version agA encoding the AgA were cloned into the mammalian expression vector pcDNA 3.1/V5/His-TOPO. The above constructs were …

Full-Page Versus Partial-Page Screen Designs In Web-Based Training: Their Effects On Learner Satisfaction And Performance, Phillip Eulon Grace

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This is a report on research regarding the screen layout of Web-based training (WBT) programs, conducted with an eye toward providing evidence-based guidance for the design and development of WBT interfaces. Specifically, the study investigated the relative instructional benefits of two general types of WBT screen design, full-page and partial-page, in terms of both learner performance and learner satisfaction. The main hypotheses of the study were that the full-page design option would yield significantly better outcomes in both categories of interest.

The study employed a mixed-method design, generating both quantitative and qualitative data. The main phase of the study was …

Reducing Pollutants In Industrial Stormwater Runoff: Improved Water Quality Protection Using Prioritized Facility Regulation, Lindsay M. Griffen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Stormwater pollutants originating from industrial facilities can lead to degraded water quality, even in residentially dominated regions of the country. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit program regulates stormwater pollutants generated at industrial sites using Multi-Sector General Permits (Generic permits) for industrial facilities and a permit requirement for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) operators. All industrial facilities within 11 broad categories of industry are responsible for self-identifying the need to comply with the Generic permit, and subsequently, implementing self-selected pollution prevention strategies. MS4 operators are required to identify and inspect “high risk” industrial and commercial facilities that may …

Reliability Of Hand Measures Of Ultrasound Analysis, Sarah A. Hardin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As ultrasound imaging gains popularity in speech research, an important question to address is the reliability of the measures taken from these images. This study examines the reliability of hand measures of ultrasound data collected by graduate student researchers in the University of South Florida’s speech science lab. Speech production data from “Ultrasound analysis of velar fronting” (Wodzinski, 2004) and “Ultrasound study of errors in speech production” (Frisch, 2003) were used to obtain inter-rater reliability measures. This study compares the rater’s choice of video frame depicting alveolar or velar closure image, anterior and posterior points of closure, tongue blade and …

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Urbanicity And Children With Emotional Disturbances Served In Restructuring Public Schools, Karen Monk Harris

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Efforts to affect changes in student achievement through altering the manner in which schools operate have been countless. However, there are few empirical studies on the relationship between these reform activities and student outcomes, especially outcomes for students with emotional disturbances from geographically diverse locations.

The current study was a secondary analysis of data collected as part of the School and Community Study and the Urban School and Community Study conducted by the Research and Training Center for the Childrenís Mental Health at the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute at the University of South Florida. Both studies …

Imagination In Action: A Phenomenological Case Study Of Simulations In Two Fifth-Grade Teachers’ Classrooms, Cher N. Gauweiler

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to describe how two fifth-grade teachers help students understand social studies and language arts concepts through simulations. I observed two fifth-grade teachers, Lindsey and Paula, as they conducted a simulation focused on the Lewis and Clark expedition. I spent 100 hours over a period of eight weeks in the teachers’ classrooms. The following research questions guided my inquiry:

1. Why do the two teachers use simulations?

2. How do the two teachers implement simulations?

3. How do the ten students respond to simulations?

4. What do the ten students think about simulations?

To answer …

“Ethnographizing” Service-Learning: Creating Politically Engaged Anthropology, Wendy Ann Hathaway

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Service-Learning is a popular teaching method that is increasingly being adopted by institutions of higher learning throughout the nation and is enthusiastically promoted as a progressive method for mediating the alleged decline in civic responsibility and ameliorating subsequent social ills. Servicelearning courses are also seen as an answer to growing student disinterest by connecting students to “real world” experiences while simultaneously providing much needed community support in the face of receding social services in this “Post-Welfare” moment (Goode and Maskovsky 2001a).

Anthropological insights, born out of a liberal humanistic tradition, can be employed to critically examine this popular educational and …

Spatial Analysis Of Pedestrian Accidents, Tomoyuki Hashimoto

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Improving traffic safety for pedestrians is an urgent task for the Hillsborough County. The objective of this research is to understand the contributing factors that cause pedestrian accidents in Hillsborough County in the State of Florida. Specifically, this research attempts to determine the effects of demographic, land use, roadway and traffic volume factors on the number of pedestrian accidents. Five hypotheses were proposed to examine these factors. GIS was used to perform spatial analysis. Based on pedestrian accident records from 1999 to 2001, accident density map was created using Kernel density method. The value of the accident density was assigned …