Digital Commons Network^™

Assessment Of A Modified Double Agar Layer Method To Detect Bacteriophage For Assessing The Potential Of Wastewater Reuse In Rural Bolivia, Sakira N. Hadley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Water scarcity is a global concern that impacts many developing countries, forcing people to depend on unclean water sources for domestic, agricultural, and industrial needs. Wastewater is an alternative water source that contains nutrients needed for crop growth. Wastewater reuse for agriculture can cause public health problems because of human exposure to pathogens. Pathogen monitoring is essential to evaluate the compliance of wastewater with established World Health Organization (WHO) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wastewater reuse guidelines. Indicator organisms are commonly used to detect pathogens in water and wastewater because they are quick and easy to measure, non-pathogenic, and …

Refinement, Application, And Evaluation Of Cognitive And Affective Chemistry Measures For College Students, Keily Heredia

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This work describes three case studies conducted to address two major problems in the area of chemistry education research, the lack of reported psychometrics regarding instrument scores, and the need for well-characterized assessments to evaluate college chemistry curricula.

The first case study describes a psychometric evaluation of the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS), an instrument designed to assess student beliefs about the learning of chemistry. Results from this work suggest that the CLASS instrument provides fertile ground for short instruments with reasonable psychometric properties. Responses to a single scale instrument, created from CLASS, showed that students in an …

Characterizing Interactions Between Chromophores In Synthetic And Natural Macromolecular Films Via Maldi-Tof, Ibf And Dielectric Analyzer, Parul Jain

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the emergence of Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time-of-flight as a tool for diagnosis of diseases via proteomics, there is an increasing need for greater sensitivity. Analysis of peptides by MALDI-TOF-MS is affected by sample formulation and spotting onto a MALDI target. This dissertation investigates a novel MALDI sample preparation technique, Induction Based Fluidics (IBF), for depositing precise volumes (pL to nL) of samples onto the target. We have seen that while using IBF, the induced electric field accompanying deposition enhances matrix crystallization yielding smaller crystals with more homogeneity, as compared to conventional manual micropipette (MP) depositions. An investigation of the …

Chiral Phosphoric Acid-Catalyzed Acetalization And Iso-Pictet-Spengler Reactions, Matthew Jon Kaplan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The development of novel asymmetric reaction methodologies has been invaluable in both the academic and industrial world. In just 15 years, organocatalysis has provided a new means of developing asymmetric reaction methodologies using catalysts that are environmentally benign, relatively inexpensive, bench stable, and non-toxic. One development in organocatalysis that is important to our group in particular is chiral phosphoric acid-catalysis. BINOL-derived and VAPOL-derived phosphoric acids have proven to be excellent catalysts for a number of reactions.

The two projects I will discuss my efforts on are acetalization and iso-Pictet-Spengler reactions. These were projects that I performed during my first two …

Detecting Aberrant Responding On Unidimensional Pairwise Preference Tests: An Application Of Based On The Zinnes Griggs Ideal Point Irt Model, Philseok Lee

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the efficacy of the lz person fit statistic for detecting aberrant responding with unidimensional pairwise preference (UPP) measures, constructed and scored based on the Zinnes-Griggs (ZG, 1974) IRT model, which has been used for a variety of recent noncognitive testing applications. Because UPP measures are used to collect both "self-" and "other-" reports, I explored the capability of lz to detect two of the most common and potentially detrimental response sets, namely fake good and random responding. The effectiveness of lz was studied using empirical and theoretical critical values for classification, along with test length, test information, …

A Webquest For The Instruction Of Appropriate Online Behavior, Susan Heilig

Graduate Research Papers

The requirements of the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) and the expectations of the Iowa Department of Education's (2012) Iowa Core Curriculum 21st Century Skills increase the importance of having an organized collection of resources to teach Internet safety. These requirements and the literature reviewed confirmed the importance of preparing students to use the Internet safely and ethically and be productive digital citizens. While the teachers in the Calamus-Wheatland School District were already instructing students in appropriate online behavior, there wasn't an organized Internet Safety resource that could be used effectively within the time limits of the scheduled computer classes. …

Development Of Improved Models For Gas Sorption Simulation, Keith Mclaughlin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Computational chemistry offers one the ability to develop a better understanding of the complex physical and chemical interactions that are fundamental to macro- and mesoscopic processes that are seen in laboratory experiments, industrial processes, and ordinary, everyday life. For many systems, the physics of interest occur at the molecular or atomistic levels, and in these cases, computational modeling and two well refined simulation techniques become invaluable: Monte Carlo (MC) and molecular dynamics (MD). In this work, two well established problems were tackled. First, models and potentials for various gas molecules were produced and refined from first principles. These models, although …

Investigation Of Mercury Use, Release, Deposition, And Exposures In The Tampa Bay Area, Ryan Algernon Michael

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

I investigate the links between mercury use, release, deposition, and population exposure in Tampa Bay, with the focus of identifying levers for reducing population mercury exposures. To achieve this, I investigated the trends in mercury use and release by products and processes in the Tampa Bay area using a Material Flow Analysis. Analysis of USEPA National Emissions Inventory data over time (1999 - 2008) identified relevant air source emission categories, and explored and compared state and regional trends in mercury emissions. To understand source contributions to wet deposited mercury in the Tampa Bay area, I analyzed trends in mercury deposition …

Ecology Of The Late Neogene Extinctions: Perspectives From The Plio-Pleistocene Of Florida, Shubhabrata Paul

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The ecological impact of past extinction events is one of the central issues in paleobiology. In face of present environmental changes, a better understanding of past extinctions will enable us to identify the magnitude of biodiversity crises and their underlying processes. The Late Neogene was a time of extraordinary climatic reorganization, including Northern Hemisphere glaciation, the rise of the Central American Isthmus, and associated changes in environmental conditions. Therefore, the Late Neogene extinctions of marine molluscs of South Florida present an ideal platform to examine the interaction between environmental changes and biotic response. In the present study, three different aspects …

The Extent Of Phosporus Redox Chemistry In West Central Florida Waters, Jacqueline Marie Sampson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Phosphorus (P) has long been acknowledged as a vital nutrient for living organisms and is a key factor responsible for the fresh water eutrophication. Our understanding of the phosphorus cycle has been limited by: (1) the common assumption that all P in the environment occurs primarily as phosphates and (2) by the limited analytical methods available to identify P speciation. In an attempt to understand the distribution and chemistry of phosphorus within a freshwater system we must be able to identify individual P species. To this end, we used a coupled High Performance Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC) - Inductively Coupled Plasma …

Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers In Sediments Within The Hillsborough Bay Watershed, Candice Simmons

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a widely used class of flame retardants that are important sources for contamination in the marine environment. Sediments serve as a large reservoir for PBDEs due to their large sorption capacity. This research assessed the presence and distribution of PBDEs in Hillsborough Bay, a subdivision of Tampa Bay, FL, by determining levels in surface sediment samples, creating a historical profile of the contaminant in a sediment core taken from within the bay, and investigating sediment characteristics that control their distribution. Compositional patterns and temporal distributions of 8 of the 209 congeners of PBDEs (BDE-28, -47, …

Associational Resistance And Competition In The Asphondylia - Borrichia - Iva System, Keith Stokes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Indirect ecological effects such as associational resistance and resource competition have the potential to affect ecological interactions and influence the structure of ecological communities. Although resource competition is commonly studied, the effects of associational resistance are not as evident if studies are not designed to detect them. Additionally, the relative strengths of different ecological mechanisms ought to be measured in studies, rather than the strength of singular mechanisms. This permits proper attribution of causes and effects in community structure and detection of higher order interactions in a way that naïve reductionism will not.

In a series of experiments, I looked …

Development Of An Investigator-Designed Questionnaire Concerning Childbirth Delivery Options Based On The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Chun-Yi Tai

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study responds to the globally increasing rate of caesarean section, and specifically to the very high rate of elective caesarean section among Taiwanese mothers as evidence suggests that such elective caesareans pose potential health risks for mothers and babies. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a multi-component instrument based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to better understand Taiwanese pregnant women's decisions regarding their childbirth delivery options (spontaneous vaginal delivery or elective caesarean section). The study was a four-phased mixed method design. First, the TPB guided item development and instrument drafting. Second, pretesting and …

Examination Of The Relationship Of Community College Opticianry Student Outcomes With Instructional Delivery Method And Student Age, William Brent Underwood

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether student outcomes are a function of participation in different modes of delivery in an Opticianry program at the community college level. First, the intent was to determine whether differences in instructional delivery methods and background characteristics impact student performance in an Opticianry program. The three instructional delivery methods were traditional face-to-face instruction, online delivery, and a hybrid format where students take theory courses online and attend face-to-face laboratories on campus. A second objective was to determine the role of background variables such as student age, which was the age when entering …

Effects Of Virtual Reality On The Cognitive Memory And Handgun Accuracy Development Of Law Enforcement Neophytes, Richard A. Wright

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of virtual reality training on the development of cognitive memory and handgun accuracy by law enforcement neophytes. One hundred and six academy students from 6 different academy classes were divided into two groups, experimental and control. The experimental group was exposed to virtual reality training for a period of 8 hours. The control group was exposed to the traditional, non-interactive training that occurred on a gun range, also for a period of 8 hours. After exposing the groups to their respective training, a counter-balance technique was utilized to expose …

Synoptic To Interannual Variability In Volumetric Flushing In Tampa Bay, Fl Using Observational Data And A Numerical Model, Monica Wilson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research provides insight into changes in volumetric flushing of the Tampa Bay estuary caused by synoptic scale wind events. The two main studies of this dissertation involve 1) using wavelet analysis to investigate the link between the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the frequency and strength of volumetric flushing driven by synoptic variability and 2) using a multi-decadal model simulation to examine how extratropical/winter storms and hurricanes affect the overall flushing rates for Tampa Bay, FL.

In the first study, two analyses are performed on 55 years of observational data to investigate the effect of multiple small wind events …

Nonlinear Techniques For Stochastic Systems Of Differential Equations, Tadesse G. Zerihun

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Two of the most well-known nonlinear methods for investigating nonlinear dynamic processes in sciences and engineering are nonlinear variation of constants parameters and comparison method. Knowing the existence of solution process, these methods provide a very powerful tools for investigating variety of problems, for example, qualitative and quantitative properties of solutions, finding error estimates between solution processes of stochastic system and the corresponding nominal system, and inputs for the designing engineering and industrial problems. The aim of this work is to systematically develop mathematical tools to undertake the mathematical frame-work to investigate a complex nonlinear nonstationary stochastic systems of differential …

Measuring Technical Efficiency Of The Japanese Professional Football (Soccer) League (J1 And J2), Dan Zhao

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This is the first paper to measure the efficiency of the Japan Professional Football League clubs both the first and the second divisions. In Chapter 1, a non-parametric method Data Envelopment Development (DEA) is used and the data covers six seasons from 2005 to 2010. The input variables are payroll, cost besides payroll, and total assets. The output variables are attendance, revenue, and points awarded. I use different output combinations in order to check the sensitivity of the efficiency of the clubs after the original composition. This is also the first research to include more than one division of the …

World Karst Reviews

International Journal of Speleology

No abstract provided.

Student Affairs Viewbook, 2013-2014, Division Of Student Affairs, Illinois State University

Student Affairs Viewbook

No abstract provided.

Promises And Challenges Of Teaching Statistical Reasoning To Journalism Undergraduates: Twin Surveys Of Department Heads, 1997 And 2008, Robert J. Griffin, Sharon Dunwoody

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

This research is dedicated to the memory of Victor Cohn, former science reporter for the Washington Post and often considered the dean of science writers, who collaborated on the first wave of the survey. The 1997 survey was supported by a grant from the American Statistical Association and the 2008 survey by a grant from the Communication graduate program at Marquette University. Special thanks to research assistants Kathryn Zabriskie and Gongke Li for their valuable help in the survey. The analyses and conclusions are solely those of the authors.

A Window Of Opportunity: Assessing Behavioural Scoring, Kenneth Kennedy, Brian Mac Namee, Sarah Jane Delany, Michael O'Sullivan, Neil Watson

Articles

After credit has been granted, lenders use behavioural scoring to assess the likelihood of default occurring during some specific outcome period. This assessment is based on customers’ repayment performance over a given fixed period. Often the outcome period and fixed performance period are arbitrarily selected, causing instability in making predictions. Behavioural scoring has failed to receive the same attention from researchers as application scoring. The bias for application scoring research can be attributed, in part, to the large volume of data required for behavioural scoring studies. Furthermore, the commercial sensitivities associated with such a large pool of customer data often …

A Matlab Primer In Four Hours With Practical Examples, Jerome Casey

Instructional Guides

No abstract provided.

The Bench Synthesis Of Silver Nanostructures Of Variable Size And An Introductory Analysis Of Their Optical Properties, Aoife Power, Tony Betts, John Cassidy

Articles

A laboratory practical was designed for use by both undergraduate and second level students to demonstrate the synthesis and characterisation of tuneable silver colloids. It clearly illustrates the novel optical properties of silver nanoparticles compared to the bulk metal. The synthesis is both rapid and repeatable, and can be conducted on the laboratory bench at room temperature.

G-Strands And Peakon Collisions On Diff(R), Darryl Holm, Rossen Ivanov

Articles

A G-strand is a map g : R x R --> G for a Lie group G that follows from Hamilton's principle for a certain class of G-invariant Lagrangians. Some G-strands on finite-dimensional groups satisfy 1+1 space-time evolutionary equations that admit soliton solutions as completely integrable Hamiltonian systems. For example, the SO(3)-strand equations may be regarded physically as integrable dynamics for solitons on a continuous spin chain. Previous work has shown that G-strands for diffeomorphisms on the real line possess solutions with singular support (e.g. peakons). This paper studies collisions of such singular solutions of G-strands when G = Diff( …

Seaweed-Based Functional Foods, Nissreen Abu-Ghannam, Sabrina Cox

Books/Book Chapters/ Proceedings

Functional foods are foods that provide health benefits in addition to basic nutrition. They are categorized through identification, characterization, and evaluation of the health-promoting properties they present. New high-value nutrition and wellness products, manufactured by reformulation of existing products through development of nutraceutical or functional foods, present an exciting opportunity for the food industry worldwide. Many bioactive constituents to which a beneficial physiological function has been directly or indirectly attributed, originating mainly from plant extracts, have been incorporated in already existing food products or have been commercialized in the form of pharmaceutical products such as pills, capsules, solutions, and gels …

Improving Performance By Re-Rating In The Dynamic Estimation Of Rater Reliability, Alexey Tarasov, Sarah Jane Delany, Brian Macnamee

Conference papers

Nowadays crowdsourcing is widely used in supervised machine learning to facilitate the collection of ratings for unlabelled training sets. In order to get good quality results it is worth rejecting results from noisy/unreliable raters, as soon as they are discovered. Many techniques for filtering unreliable raters rely on the presentation of training instances to the raters identified as most accurate to date. Early in the process, the true rater reliabilities are not known and unreliable raters may be used as a result. This paper explores improving the quality of ratings for train- ing instances by performing re-rating. The re-rating relies …

Expecting The Unexpected : Measuring Uncertainties In Mobile Robot Path Planning In Dynamic Envionments, Yan Li, Brian Mac Namee, John D. Kelleher

Conference papers

Unexpected obstacles pose significant challenges to mobile robot navigation. In this paper we investigate how, based on the assumption that unexpected obstacles really follow patterns that can be exploited, a mobile robot can learn the locations within an environment that are likely to contain obstacles, and so plan optimal paths by avoiding these locations in subsequent navigation tasks. We propose the DUNC (Dynamically Updating Navigational Confidence) method to do this. We evaluate the performance of the DUNC method by comparing it with existing methods in a large number of randomly generated simulated test environments. our evaluations show that, by learning …

Design, Construction And Load Testing Of The Pat Daly Road Bridge In Washington County, Mo, With Internal Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymers Reinforcement, Zhibin Lin, Mostafa Fakharifar, Chenglin Wu, Genda Chen, Wesley James Bevans, Arun Vijay Kumar Gunasekaran, Sahra Sedigh

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The overarching goal of this project is to deploy and assess an innovative corrosion-free bridge construction technology for long-term performance of new and existing bridges. The research objective of this project is to conduct a comprehensive study (instrumentation, construction, both laboratory and field evaluation) of a rapidly constructed and durable, three-span bridge with cast-in-place cladding steel reinforced concrete substructure and precast concrete decks/girders reinforced with glass fiber reinforced polymers (GFRP). The bridge has one conventional concrete-girder span, one conventional steel-girder span, and one innovative concrete box-girder span. The conventional concrete and steel girders were used to demonstrate the effective use …

Ivory Tower Graduates In The Red: The Role Of Debt In Higher Education, Nicholas D. Hartlep, Lucille Eckrich

Faculty Publications - College of Education

No abstract provided.