Digital Commons Network^™

Bitterroot Landing: An Adaptation From Novel To Stage, Christy Leake

Theses and Dissertations

My thesis explores the process involved in adapting Sheri Reynolds' novel, Bitterroot Landing, into a stage play. During the adaptation process I faced numerous challenges, including structural issues, expanding or changing dialogue, omitting or melding scenes and characters, and dealing with the serious themes of incest and sexual abuse. This thesis describes these challenges and the steps I took to overcome them.

The Influence Of Physical Activity And Television On The Intention And Self-Efficacy To Engage In Health-Enhancing Behaviors, Ian Joseph Wallace

Theses and Dissertations

Cancer and heart disease account for the largest proportion of morbidity and mortality among all adult diseases in the United States. Research has focused on identifying causal risk factors among adolescents. However, theories of health behavior change also stress the intermediary factors of intention and efficacy for effective behavior change. Existing research supports the potential of physical activity (PA), particularly learned through the domains of exercise and sport, as a means to developing these necessary skills (Danish, Petitpas, & Hale, 1993). The current investigation examined the influence of PA and television watching (TV) on intentions and efficacy to engage in …

C - Reactive Protein, Coronary Heart Disease And Ischemic Stroke In The Elderly: The Cardiovascular Health Study, Xia Li

Theses and Dissertations

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP) has been associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke, but much of the research had focused on middle-aged populations with, limited prospective, population-based, longitudinal data. In this study, we examined data from an elderly population and described the distribution of CRP concentrations and the prevalence of elevated CRP levels (>3 mg/l), examined the association between CRP levels and incidence of CHD or ischemic stroke, and assessed the potential interaction of CRP with sex or race on the incidence of CHD or ischemic stroke.Methods: Baseline CRP levels were measured in a cohort …

Classification Of Dental X-Ray Images, Usman Qureshi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Forensic dentistry is concerned with identifying people based on their dental records. Forensic specialists have a large number of cases to investigate and hence, it has become important to automate forensic identification systems. The radiographs acquired after a person is deceased are called the Post-mortem (PM) radiographs, and the radiographs acquired while the person is alive are called the Ante-mortem (AM) radiographs. Dental biometrics automatically analyzes dental radiographs to identify the deceased individuals. While, ante mortem (AM) identification is usually possible through comparison of many biometric identifiers, postmortem (PM) identification is impossible using behavioral biometrics (e.g. speech, gait). Moreover, under …

Adolescent Religiosity And Conformity To Parents: Is Sex A Moderator?, Rebecca Kim Summers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examines relations between adolescent reports of conformity to their parents and religiosity and if these are moderated by the sex of the adolescent and parent. Self-report data was collected from 121 ninth and tenth graders enrolled in three non-metropolitan high schools. Religiosity was measured by Schumm et al.'s (1991) modified version of Gorsuch and Venable's (1983) scales. Conformity to Parents was assessed using Peterson's (Peterson, Rollins, & Thomas, 1985) Conformity to Parents scales. Four regressions were used. Results indicate that females: (a) report higher levels of conformity to parents and religiosity than males and (b) that when adolescent …

Model And Software Development For Predicting Fish Growth In Trout Raceways, Yin-Han Wang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A software program was built using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) in MicrosoftRTM Excel. The purpose of the software is to allow users to manage their raceways more efficiently by providing a tool to simulate the performance of an existing raceway or to predict the behavior of a raceway under a wide variety of operating scenarios. The program considers the behavior of a system of multiple raceways arranged both in series and parallel configurations, and allows for the addition, removal and combination of different cohorts at different times in different raceways. Input data required include properties of the incoming water …

An Economic Analysis Of Food Stamp Participation In West Virginia, Ahadu T. Tekle

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Poverty and food insecurity are challenging socio-economic problems that policy makers are trying to address for a long time. Among other things, providing financial and in-kind assistance are some of the initiatives taken to improve food security for low income households. Food Stamp Program is an important assistance program that serves to meet this goal. The objective of this study is to examine the implication of economic and policy variables on food stamp participation in West Virginia. To understand the current and lagged impact of economic variables on current food stamp participation, static and dynamic econometric models are used. These …

The Effects Of A Specifically Designed Pre-School Inclusion Course On The Attitudes Of Early Childhood Personnel, Kellie J. Morgan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The intent of this study was to examine the attitudes of early childhood personnel on preschool inclusion before and after participating in a preschool inclusion class that was specifically designed for preschool teachers. The attitudes of teachers were measured using a 7 point Likert type pre and post-assessment scale. The items on the scale dealt with the inclusion of children with disabilities in a typically developing classroom. The participants in the study included 96 early childhood personnel working in West Virginia. In this pre-experimental design, the total scores of each item for the pre-test were compared to total scores on …

Field Perceptions Of The Vision Initiative For Children's Preschool Vision Screening Training Model, P. Kay Nottingham Chaplin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Because lay vision screeners rarely receive formal training in how to screen vision and because older children were seen in clinic with vision disorders that should have been detected earlier through vision screening, a pediatric ophthalmologist and the researcher created the Vision Initiative for Children (VIC) in 2001 as a statewide program of the West Virginia University Eye Institute. VIC has trained, equipped, and provided ongoing support to lay individuals who are mandated or want to screen preschoolers' vision. This program evaluation study explored, from the perspective of Head Start personnel, whether VIC prepares Head Start personnel to screen preschoolers' …

Screening For Cystic Fibrosis: The Importance Of Using The Correct Tools, Uzma Shah, Tariq Moatter

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Background: Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a potentially lethal genetic disorder. The most frequent mutation worldwide in the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) gene is designated as the Delta F508 mutation. This mutation was found in only 33% of Pakistani patients studied. Since the common Pakistani mutations remain to be identified, appropriate screening tools are required to identify disease. Sweat chloride determinations remain the gold standard for diagnosing CF. This study was done to emphasize the importance of using the correct tests.
Methods: The study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital. The CFTR delta F508 mutation was tested …

Affecting Schools Through A Health Education Initiative, Tashmin Kassam-Khamis, Sadia Muzzafar Bhutta

Book Chapters / Conference Papers

No abstract provided.

Cloning And Analysis Of Putative Collagenases Of The U32 Family In Streptococcus Mutans And Streptococcus Agalactiae (Group B Streptococci), Valerie Carson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Analysis of the genomic sequences of Streptococcus mutans UA159 and Group B Streptococcus (GBS) strains Streptococcus agalactiae NEM316 and S. agalactiae 2603V/R indicated the presence of two putative collagenase genes in each organism. smcol1 from S. mutans was previously cloned and analyzed and the results indicated that the enzyme belonged to the U32 family of collagenases/peptidases. This enzyme shares homology with the prtC of Porphyromonas gingivalis, one of the principal examples of the U32 family of peptidases. Considering the potential role of these enzymes in the pathogenicity of P. gingivalis (periodontitis or gum disease), GBS (premature rupture of the amniochorionic …

The Association Of Head Circumference With Selected Cognitive Outcomes In Older Adults In Charlotte County, Florida, Cathleen Copenhaver

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

OBJECTIVE: The brain reserve hypothesis was examined in a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from a community-based sample of 468 older adults residing in Charlotte County, Florida. The objective of the analysis was to determine the association between head circumference and eight cognitive outcomes and to assess any potential effect modification of existing associations by Apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype. METHODS: Cognitive outcomes include scores from the Modified Mini-Mental State Exam (3MS), the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised (HVLT-R), Stroop Color-Word Test, Trail-Making Test A and B, and a word-stem completion task measuring implicit memory. Descriptive statistics were calculated for each variable. …

Herbivory By Leaf Miners On Florida Scrub Oaks, Tatiana Cornelissen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated effects of plant quality and natural enemies on the abundance and survivorship of several leaf miner species on Florida scrub oaks over several ecological scales. Three oak species (Quercus laevis, Q. geminata, and Q. myrtifolia) and four leafminer species (Acrocercops albinatella, Brachys tesselatus, Stilbosis quadripustulatus, and Cameraria sp. nova) were the main focus of five separate studies, addressing effects of bottom-up and top-down factors at regional, local, and individual scales. At the regional scale, it was observed that Cameraria sp. nova was aggregated into sites, and sites closer to …

Rapid Detection Of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis In Lung Tissue Using A Fiber Optic Biosensor, Kimberly A. Denton

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is no rapid diagnostic technique at medical examiners' offices to determine if a decedent is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Present diagnostic testing requires at least one month for results. A biosensor-based sandwich immunoassay for the detection of M. tuberculosis was developed in this study. M. tuberculosis polyclonal antibody was used for target antigen capture and detection in the immunoassay. Live attenuated M. tuberculosis (ATCC 25177) suspended in phosphate-buffered saline with 0.1% Tween 20 was used as the antigen in the detection assay. The Analyte 2000 was the initial biosensor platform. Initial testing was of Freund's adjuvant complete. M. tuberculosis …

Functional Topology And Regulation Of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase And Associated Caveolar Components, Brenda R. Flam

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The discovery of nitric oxide (NO) as the endothelial-derived relaxing factor has led to significant research on NO and the proteins involved in its function, generation, location and regulation. Synthesis of NO by blood vessel endothelial cells results from the enzymatic oxidation of arginine by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) resulting in the formation of equimolar amounts of NO and citrulline. Citrulline is sequentially recycled to arginine by successive reactions involving the enzymes argininosuccinate synthase (AS) and argininosuccinate lyase (AL), respectively.

eNOS activity has been shown to be regulated by post-translational modifications including dynamic phosphorylation on multiple serine/threonine and tyrosine …

Confronting College: Foster Care Youth Deciding Whether To Participate In Higher Education Programs, Linda K. Herlocker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study's purpose was to explore the college choice process for foster care youth who are aging out of Florida's protective services system. The research methodology included three components. First, a survey of the Independent Living Coordinators throughout the state of Florida solicited data regarding participation rates and enrollment patterns among foster care youth. Next, in a meeting setting, a survey was administered to foster care youth, probing the extent to which they considered certain college choice decision factors. Finally, upon completion of the survey, participants remained for a guided focus group discussion to further explore their decision criteria.The results …

Brain-Compatible Research: Using Brain-Based Techniques To Positively Impact Student Learning, Laurie A. Herson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis discusses brain-based methodology and how educators can use brain-based techniques to impact, support, and advance cognitive growth. Current research on learning and memory is enabling educators to better understand how the brain learns and what environmental factors assist in or detract from student learning. Brain-based learning techniques are considered by brain-based researchers as one way to create a learning environment that fosters student learning at individual academic levels while concurrently challenging each student and promoting academic growth. Teachers can further student academic advancement through the direct manipulation of the classroom environment rather than by purchasing a particular program …

Tyrosinase-Like Activity Of Several Alzheimer’S Disease Related And Model Peptides And Their Inhibition By Natural Antioxidants, Kashmir Singh Juneja

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Neurodegenerative diseases are associated with loss of neurons ultimately leading to a decline in brain function. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is considered one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders that affects 16 million people worldwide. The cause of the disease remains unknown, although significant evidence proposes the amyloid Beta-peptide (A-Beta) as a potential culprit. The binding of Cu2+ by the soluble fragments of A-Beta have shown to form Type-3 copper centers and catalyze the oxidation of catechol-containing neurotransmitters. Furthermore, the use of flavonoids as antioxidants to slow or inhibit the neurotransmitter oxidation has suggested further health benefits with their consumption. A …

Laboratory Analysis Of Staphylococcus Aureus In Florida From January 1, 2003 To December 31, 2005 With An Emphasis On Methicillin Resistance, Stephanie Kolar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Staphylococci are gram-positive bacteria that cause infections in humans and can produce severe morbidity and mortality. Methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates are resistant to all beta-lactam antibiotics, such as methicillin, and cephalosporins making treatment of these infections more difficult. MRSA has become prevalent throughout the United States, spreading in the health care setting and the community.The purpose of this study is to examine methicillin resistance among S. aureus isolates in an outpatient population in the state of Florida and asses possible associations between methicillin resistance and age group, gender, and geographic area. It is important to define methicillin …

Be Active!: An Examination Of Social Support's Role In Individual Vs. Team Competition In Worksite Health Promotion, Lauren Kriz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Millions of dollars are being spent on health care claims. To try and reduce these claims, corporations are implementing worksite health promotion programs. Some success has been associated with these programs. Many programs implement different types of incentives and competitions. Some incentives and competitions are based on individual participation while others are based on team participation. The purpose of the study was to determine the role social support plays in individual and team health promotion programs and discover if social support was the key factor for the differences in such programs. All participants of the study were responsible for keeping …

Occupancy And Function Of The Hepatic Hmg-Coa Reductase Promoter, William Raymond Lagor

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

HMG-CoA reductase (HMGR) catalyzes the rate controlling step in cholesterol production. This enzyme is highly expressed in the liver where it is subject to extensive hormonal and dietary regulation. This study was undertaken to examine the occupancy and function of the hepatic HMGR promoter in regards to insulin and sterol regulation. HMGR protein and mRNA are substantially decreased in diabetic animals and rapidly restored by administration of insulin. Nuclear run-on assays revealed that HMGR transcription was substantially reduced in the diabetic rats, and fully restored within two hours after insulin treatment. In vivo footprinting revealed several areas of protein binding …

Electrically Charged Sol-Gel Coatings For On-Line Preconcentration And Analysis Of Zwitterionic Biomolecules By Capillary Electrophoresis, Wen Li

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Novel on-line methods are presented for the extraction, preconcentration and analysis of zwitterionic biomolecules using sol-gel-coated columns coupled to a conventional UV/visible detector. The presented approaches do not require any additional modification of the commercially available standard CE instrument. Extraction, stacking, and focusing techniques were used in the preconcentration procedures. The positively charged sol-gel coatings were created using N-octadecyldimethyl[3-(trimethoxysilyl) proply]ammonium chloride (C18-TMS) in the coating sol solutions. Due to the presence of a positively charged quaternary ammonium moiety in C18-TMS, the resulting sol-gel coating carried a positive charge. The negatively charged sol-gel coatings were due to the presence of sulfonate …

Breathing Easier: Ethnographic Study Of Acute Respiratory Infection In Children In Rural Ecuador, John S. Luque

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation research utilizes anthropological methods to determine the degree to which the signs and symptoms female caregivers identify as causes of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in under-fives in rural Ecuador correspond with Western biomedical categories. By employing both a semi-structured medical history questionnaire and more open-ended ethnographic methods such as in-depth informant interviews and focus group research, the researcher identifies the factors which determine timely health care-seeking behaviors of female caregivers in this case study. Economic factors such as the cost of medications and lost work hours were determined to be the primary financial obstacles for timely health care-seeking. …

The Role Of The Home Literacy Environment In The Development Of Early Literacy Skills And School Readiness In Kindergarten Children From Low Socioeconomic And Minority Families, Nicole R. Martin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigated the relationship between two predictor variables and children's Dynamic Indicators of Basic Literacy Initial Sound Fluency (ISF) and Letter Naming Fluency (LNF) scores, as well as Early Screening Inventory-Kindergarten (ESI-K) scores. The two predictor variables were 1) parents' perception of their home literacy environment, and 2) parental beliefs about the importance of literacy (race had to be dropped out of the study due to the limited amount of participants per race variable). The participants were 68 kindergarten students and their parents from two schools in a school district in West Central Florida. Results showed that the …

The Effects Of American Diabetes Association (Ada) Diabetes Self-Management Education And Continuous Glucose Monitoring On Diabetes Health Beliefs, Behaviors And Metabolic Control, Jodee Meisenhelder-Smith

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether adults with type 2 diabetes participating in American Diabetes Association (ADA) diabetes self-management education (DSME) randomly assigned to an intensive follow-up group (IFG), utilizing continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS), or a standard follow-up group (SFG) have any significant differences in mean HgbA1c values and health belief scores over time. Baseline HgbA1c values and health beliefs were measured using the revised Expanded Health Belief Model (HBM) questionnaire. The questionnaire measured the 8 HBM domains: perceived susceptibility; severity; treatment benefit; cues to action; motivation; barriers; self-efficacy and structural elements. Twelve weeks after DSME, …

Group Fission-Fusion Dynamics And Communication In The Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops Truncatus), Ester Quintana-Rizzo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The bottlenose dolphin exhibits a fission-fusion social structure characterized by temporary associations lasting from minutes to hours. Although social structure has been described for some dolphin communities, the selective pressures affecting fission-fusion patterns and their consequences on dolphin communication are not well understood. The goals of the present study were three-fold: 1) to quantify the rate with which fission-fusion occurred and identify the selective pressures influencing an individual's decision to leave and join a temporary group; 2) to examine the communication signals produced during temporary separations; and 3) to estimate the distances over which dolphins could remain in acoustic contact …

Educational Backgrounds And Teaching Styles Of Athletic Training Educators In Entry-Level Caahep Accredited Athletic Training Programs Valerie J. Rich, Valerie J. Rich

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe the educational backgrounds and teaching styles of athletic training educators and to see if a relationship existed between educational backgrounds and teaching styles. An electronic survey was e-mailed to 338 Program Directors of CAAHEP accredited undergraduate and graduate athletic training education programs. The survey was also posted on the athletic training educator's listserv to recruit more participants. The survey contained questions regarding demographics and educational history, as well as the Teaching Styles Inventory (Grasha, 2002). A total of 198 athletic training educators responded to the survey, and 174 filled out the survey …

Correlates Of Weight In Adolescents: A Path Analysis, Angela T. Sheble

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the interrelationships between adolescent weight and several other variables thought to impact weight and obesity: physical activity, depressive symptoms, binge-eating symptoms, dieting, socio-economic status, special education status, gender, and ethnicity. The sample consisted of 251 high school students in rural Florida who completed measures of depression, binge-eating, dieting, and physical activity. Measurement instruments included the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale-2nd Edition (RADS-2), the bulimia scale of the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2), the dieting scale of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ), and a physical activity questionnaire derived from the Youth Risk Behavior Scale for Students (YRBSS). The study …

Maternal Interaction Style, Reported Experiences Of Care, And Pediatric Health Care Utilization, Wendy Lauran Struchen Shellhorn

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

U.S. immunization and well child-care rates are below desired levels with lower income individuals being at higher risk for receiving inadequate care. To enhance the understanding of motivating factors to health care utilization, this study explored relationships between a mother's interaction style (secure, anxious, avoidant), her reported experiences with pediatric health care and her child's utilization of pediatric health care. Participants included 126 US-born, English-speaking women with an infant 12 to18 months of age. Linear regression analyses found no bivariate associations between maternal interaction style and reported experiences of care. Poisson regression analyses measured associations of maternal interaction style, reported …