Digital Commons Network^™

Beyond Labels And Captions: Contextualizing Grounded Semantics For Explainable Visual Interpretation, Sathyanarayanan Narasimhan Aakur

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

One of the long-standing problems in artificial intelligence is the development of intelligent agents with complete visual understanding. Understanding entails recognition of scene attributes such as actors, objects and actions as well as reasoning about the common semantic structure that combines these attributes into a coherent description. While significant milestones have been achieved in the field of computer vision, majority of the work has been concentrated on supervised visual recognition where complex visual representations are learned and a few discrete categories or labels are assigned to these representations. This implies a closed world where the underlying assumption is that all …

An Interprofessional Service-Learning Experience With Low-Income Elders: Use Of A Near-Peer Teaching Strategy, Margaret A. Avallone, E. Renee Cantwell, Staci Pacetti

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

This session describes a unique interprofessional service-learning experience for Accelerated Baccalaureate Student (ABS) nurses. Using a near-peer teaching strategy, fourth-semester students mentored second-semester students. They joined an interprofessional team to provide health promotion and management for elderly residents with complex health needs in a low-income diverse urban housing development.

Evaluation Of Clinical Outcomes In An Interdisciplinary Abdominal Pain Clinic: A Retrospective, Exploratory Review., Amanda D. Deacy, Craig A. Friesen, Vincent S. Staggs, Jennifer Verrill Schurman

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Background: Pediatric functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are common and well-accepted to be etiologically complex in terms of the contribution of biological, psychological, and social factors to symptom presentations. Nonetheless, despite its documented benefits, interdisciplinary treatment, designed to address all of these factors, for pediatric FGIDs remains rare. The current study hypothesized that the majority of pediatric patients seen in an interdisciplinary abdominal pain clinic (APC) would demonstrate clinical resolution of symptoms during the study period and that specific psychosocial variables would be significantly predictive of GI symptom improvement.

Aim: To evaluate outcomes with interdisciplinary treatment in pediatric patients with pain-related …

Applying Trichloroacetimidates To The Synthesis Of Benzylic Trichloroacetamides & Functionalized Indoles, Tamie Suzuki

Dissertations - ALL

Allylic trichloroacetimidates have been previously shown to be versatile substrates for the synthesis of C-N bonds through [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangements. This work explores a similar reaction, the rearrangement of benzylic trichloroacetimidates to access benzylic trichloroacetamides. The benzylic rearrangement was shown to proceed under two different sets of conditions: thermal and Lewis-acid catalyzed (TMSOTf). The corresponding secondary benzylic trichloroacetamides were produced in good to high yields with either protocol. The convenience of having two protocols was demonstrated in the study as it allows for extensibility and flexibility of the substrate scope. The usefulness of the benzylic rearrangement of trichloroacetimidates was demonstrated in …

Queering Virtual Groups: Exploring Facebook Groups As A Space For Identity Construction And Social Justice Among The Lgbtq Community In India, Sreyoshi Dey

Dissertations - ALL

India has emerged as one of the top users of the Internet. However, the question is how the rise of the Internet influences a society like India, which is still struggling with issues like poverty, literacy, employment, religion, and gender. This research endeavors to explore one aspect of that question by studying the role of the social media platform – Facebook Groups, for the LGBTQ community in India against the backdrop of the societal taboos and lack of legal support for the queer community, coupled with the existing infrastructural loopholes like education and technology. Over the past couple of decades, …

Observations And Modeling Of A Hydrothermal Plume In Yellowstone Lake, Robert A. Sohn, Karen Luttrell, Emily Shroyer, Christian Stranne, Robert N. Harris, Julia E. Favorito

Faculty Publications

©2019. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved. Acoustic Doppler current profiler and conductivity-temperature-depth data acquired in Yellowstone Lake reveal the presence of a buoyant plume above the “Deep Hole” hydrothermal system, located southeast of Stevenson Island. Distributed venting in the ~200 × 200-m hydrothermal field creates a plume with vertical velocities of ~10 cm/s in the mid-water column. Salinity profiles indicate that during the period of strong summer stratification the plume rises to a neutral buoyancy horizon at ~45-m depth, corresponding to a ~70-m rise height, where it generates an anomaly of ~5% (−0.0014 psu) relative to background lake water. …

Single Particle Impact Electrochemistry: Analyses Of Nanoparticles And Biomolecules, Jian-Hua Zhang, Yi-Ge Zhou

Journal of Electrochemistry

Single particle impact electrochemistry (SPIEC) has grown rapidly in recent years and shown great promise in the analysis of nanoparticle properties as well as the detection of biomolecules including DNA, RNA, protein, enzyme, bacteria, virus, vesicles and others. This minireview summarizes recent advances in electroanalytical applications of SPIEC according to different analytical methods, i.e., direct electrolysis of nanoparticles or labeled nanoparticles, direct electrolysis of soft particles encapsulated redox molecule, indirect electrochemistry of particles, area and diffusion blocking, and changes in current magnitude and collision frequency.

Phospholipases D: Making Sense Of Redundancy And Duplication, Andrew J. Morris

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Why have two genes when one would suffice? Evolutionary pressure means that biology, unlike government, is generally intolerant of wasted effort. Therefore, when multiple genes exist presumably they are there to provide some benefit to the organism even if that benefit is not immediately obvious to us scientists. A recent report from Raghu and colleagues (Biosci. Rep. (2018) 38, pii: BSR20181690) [1] sheds some light on one possible reason for the existence of two Phospholipases D genes in chordates when only one is present in invertebrates.

Unraveling The Neurogenin/Ngn-1 Gene Regulatory Network Of C. Elegans Using Classical Genetics And Comparative Transcriptomics, Elyse Christensen

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Proper nervous system development is required for an organism’s survival and function. Defects in neurogenesis have been linked to neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders. Understanding the gene regulatory networks that orchestrate neural development, specifically cascades of proneural transcription factors, can better elucidate which genes are most essential in governing early neurogenesis. Neurogenins are a family of such factors that are both sufficient and necessary for the development of neural sub-types in mice, primarily through the regulation of other factors, particularly NeuroD. The objective of this study was to evaluate previously established regulatory targets of neurogenin(ngn-1 …

Perinatal Mood And Anxiety Disorders: Findings From Focus Groups Of At-Risk Women, Lorraine Byrnes

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMAD) have profound negative effects on women, infants and families. Little is known about awareness of PMAD among at risk women and their utilization of mental health services. Results from 2 focus groups (n=25) comprised of minority low-income women are presented.

Sinkhole Lake Infiltration Of Contaminants Of Emerging Concern From Onsite Water Treatment Systems, Ethan A. Upton

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The advancement in synthetic chemicals commonly referred to as contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and their application has led to an increase in environmental pollution. The use of septic tanks otherwise referred to as onsite water treatment systems (OWTS), promotes the introduction of CECs into the environment while allowing little in the way of remediation. In order to study the impacts of CECs from OWTS as they infiltrate the environment and the aquifer system, water, sediment, and vegetation samples were collected around a sinkhole lake surrounded by residential housing using OWTSs. The main question of this research project is what …

Understanding The Implementation Of Integrated Care For People Living With Hiv, Vickie A. Lynn

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: The integration of physical and behavioral health services is an innovative method of delivering health care services for persons dual or triply diagnosed with HIV, mental health and/or substance use disorders. Reducing the fragmented delivery of health services by integrating services into one setting is essential to providing holistic patient-centered care and address the complex health needs of this population. Although research shows integrated care improves health outcomes, little is known about the implementation of integrated care in real-world settings because the perspectives and experiences of those delivering and receiving integrated health and social services are underrepresented in the …

The Grandma Reporter Issue Two: Intimacy, Salty Xi Jie Ng

The Grandma Reporter

A collaborative project by Betty Canham, Crystal Sasaki, Ellen Gee, Erika Dedini, Jacqui Jackson, Maureen Phillips, Mildred Winters, Pamela Sky Jeanne, Roshani Thakore, Salty Xi Jie Ng, Sharon Cooper, Susan Green, Tammy B, and Valerie Wrede

The Grandma Reporter is a collaborative publication project on senior women's culture across the Earth. We are a space for intimate exchange about: style, isolation, and adventure; aging bodies, wrinkles, bunions, caregiving, and death; considering the struggles of growing old in a young, technology-focused world; swimming as a magical way to keep fit in spite of on-land mobility challenges; food, genes, and other things …

Galcanezumab In Episodic Migraine: Subgroup Analyses Of Efficacy By High Versus Low Frequency Of Migraine Headaches In Phase 3 Studies (Evolve-1 & Evolve-2)., Stephen D. Silberstein, Virginia L. Stauffer, Katie A. Day, Sarah Lipsius, Maria-Carmen Wilson

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Patients with high-frequency episodic migraine (HFEM) have a greater disease burden than those with low-frequency episodic migraine (LFEM). Acute treatment overuse increases the risk of migraine chronification in patients with HFEM. Galcanezumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody binding calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), is effective for migraine prevention with a favorable safety profile. Here, we investigate whether there are differences in galcanezumab efficacy in patients with LFEM or with HFEM.

METHODS: Data were pooled from two double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trials; EVOLVE-1 and EVOLVE-2. Patients were 18-65 years old, experienced 4-14 monthly migraine headache days (MHDs) for ≥1 year prior, with …

Improvement And Mechanism Of Processing Quality Of Buckwheat Flour Based On Extrusion Cooking, Zhang Wenlei, Li Qingqing, Jiang Song, Chen Zhongwei, Yang Qingyu, Xiao Zhigang, Xu Bin

Food and Machinery

In this study, buckwheat flour was used as raw material to analyze the effect of extrusion cooking on its room temperature viscosity and gel properties. The molecular weight distribution of starch was analyzed by size exclusion chromatography, and the mechanism of pregelatinizing to improve the gel properties of buckwheat flour was discussed. Finally, based on the texture evaluation method of dough sheet, the proportion of pregelatinized buckwheat flour in 50% buckwheat noodles was optimized. The results showed that the buckwheat flour can form a gel in cold water without heating after extrusion cooking, and the viscosity of pregelatinized powder significantly …

Research Progress Of Chitosan Phenolic Complex Film, Hu Fei, Sun Tao, Xie Jin, Kang Yongfeng, Shao Zehuai, Gan Jianhong, Li Xiaohui

Food and Machinery

This paper from the aspects of covalent bonding or blending of chitosan with phenolic compounds, the preparation of chitosan with gallic acid, caffeic acid and ferulic acid, the mechanical, antioxidant and antibacterial of covalent bonding film were reviewed at first. Then summarize the effect of curcumin, tea polyphenols and apple polyphenols on mechanical, antioxidant and antibacterial of blending film.

Afro-Latinx Online Communities: Creating Connections Through Social Action., Rita Damiron Tallaj

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Considering the power of online media to create communities, this thesis examines how the power of social media is harnessed by the Afro-Latinx individuals to mobilize and call to actions those who identify under the same social category and create a powerful online community to come together in support and advocacy virtually. Through a digital ethnography, this research observes three Instagram pages and performs a textual analysis on 3 posts to further understand the Afro-Latinx community and their adoption of Instagram to create online communities. Find-ings emphasize the importance of creating and maintaining a niche, user engagement and mem-ber satisfaction

Neural Development To Neurodegeneration Through The Mind Of A Worm, Miranda Arnold

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Defects in the nervous system can impact the normal function of an organism. By examining mutations during neuronal development, we can better understand the significance of specific pathways. The EphR/ephrin pathway is crucial for axonal guidance during development. The simple organism, C. elegans, allow us to study the impact of EphR/ephrin genes on neuronal morphology, synapse connections, and basic behavior. In specific EphR/ephrin mutants, we see change in morphology and loss of synapses in a thermosensory and also a chemosensory circuit. These mutations can also lead to defects in food searching behaviors. These observations lead us to conclude that …

State V. Gordon Respondent's Brief Dckt. 46481

Not Reported

No abstract provided.

Where Do We Go From Here?: Credible And Actionable Evidence In Extension, Scott R. Cummings, Benjamin Silliman

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

The evolution of evaluation in the Cooperative Extension System (Extension) has gone through many changes over the years, from focusing on participation, to the measurement of outcomes, and then impacts. Now, the new evolution in Extension is the use of credible and actionable evidence. This special edition of the Journal of Human Sciences and Extension (JHSE) explored the theme, “What is credible and actionable evidence in Extension programs?” The authors of the articles in this issue wrote about the important concepts ahead of us as we begin on the road to more credible and actionable evidence. This article provides some …

Molecular Detection Of Pathogenic Leptospira Throughout The Caribbean, Zamara R. Garcia Truitt

Biology Theses

Leptospirosis is a common widespread zoonotic disease found throughout the Caribbean. The infection is produced by a pathogenic Leptospira species found in tropical and subtropical regions. The severity of the disease ranges from a mild asymptomatic infection to death. Leptospirosis is a neglected tropical disease due to the lack of public awareness and health approaches. Therefore, misdiagnosis is common because the symptoms are similar to that of other tropical endemic diseases. The aim of the study was to determine the presence of pathogenic Leptospira in water samples collected from Puerto Rico and Trinidad. Sixty-four environmental water samples were collected throughout …

Engineering Affinity And Specificity Of Antibodies Targeting Protein Modifications, Dan Li

Doctoral Dissertations

Antibodies targeting protein post-translational modifications (PTMs) are an essential tool in scientific research and clinical investigations. Due to the transient and heterogeneous nature of protein PTMs, high specificity and affinity of PTM-specific antibodies are critical for their sensitive and reproducible detection. However, recent studies have revealed an alarming degree of non-specific binding found in these antibodies, and whether the affinity meets the required detection sensitivity is unclear. To address these challenges, we investigated whether directed evolution could be applied to improve the affinity of a high-specific antibody targeting phospho-threonine 231 of the human microtubule-associated protein tau. We developed a novel …

Immunohistochemical Expression Of Cyclin D1 In Urothelial Carcinoma Of Urinary Bladder, Wasan Abdulwahab Al-Siadi, Salim Rasheed Hammodi Al-Obaidi, Sameem Atia Rekan

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Transitional cell carcinoma is the most common cancer in urinary bladder. Bladder carcinoma is the 5th from the most common ten cancersin Iraq, It is the 2nd in males and the 10th in females according to Iraqi Cancer Registry. It is the 4th most common cancer in inmales, 8thin females in the USA. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of cyclin D1 in transitional cell carcinoma of urinary bladder and its role in predicting type, grade, stage, progression and prognosis of the tumor. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is retrospective study of 40 bladder biopsy (formalin fixed ,paraffin embedded). …

Chronic Complications Of Venous Thromboembolism (Vte), Cynthia W. Ward

General Submissions: Presentations (Oral and Poster)

Presentation Outline:

• Recall VTE risk factors and prevention
• Describe post-thrombotic syndrome and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH)
• Identify nursing implications of caring for patients with post-thrombotic syndrome and CTEPH

Iron-Virus Interactions: Development And Testing Of The Ferrojan Horse Hypothesis, Chelsea Bonnain

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Iron is an essential micronutrient for phytoplankton metabolism that limits growth in many regions of the surface ocean. More than 99.9% of oceanic dissolved iron is organically complexed to an iron-binding ligand, many of which have yet to be characterized. This thesis puts forth the Ferrojan Horse Hypothesis, which predicts a role for marine phages in oceanic iron cycling. Based on evidence from non-marine model systems, the Ferrojan Horse Hypothesis suggests that some marine phages (short for bacteriophages, or viruses that infect bacteria) can use iron as a “Trojan Horse” to gain access to host siderophore-bound iron receptors for infection. …

International Teaching Assistants’ Perceptions Of English And Spanish Language Use At The University Of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez, Edward G. Contreras Santiago

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Globalization and sociopolitical factors impact migration patterns all over the world. In Puerto Rico, these factors created superdiverse environments where languages users have pushed the boundaries of language in order to make sense of their worlds. Even though this language dynamic is natural for locals, it is those who visit from different countries, specifically international graduate students, that have a difficult time adjusting to Puerto Rico’s rich use of English and Spanish. Understanding how international graduate students perceive the language used at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez (UPRM) upon arrival is essential to provide a better experience for future …

Womenpreneurs In A Digital Environment: Utilizing Instagram To Build A Personal Brand, Michelle N. Nuñez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Personal branding on social media is a growing and expanding field. The present research works to uncover the processes and practices of womenpreneurs and the ways in which they utilize social media, specifically Instagram, to build and maintain their personal brands. Grounded theory is used to underpin the research and provide a basis of which the study is conducted. The review of literature provides the context necessary to support the methods of a content analysis and semi-structured interviews. There is a gap in research as it pertains to the conceptualization of personal branding practices on Instagram and the present study …

Cysteine And Cystamine Co-Self-Assembled Monolayers For In Vivo Detection Of Ascorbic Acid, Yue Zhang, Tao-Tao Feng, Wen-Liang Ji, Mei-Ning Zhang

Journal of Electrochemistry

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), which form highly ordered monolayers on the electrode surface through the gold-suffer bond, have attracted much attention in recent years. This stable layer not only can regulate the wettable properties of surface, but also can act as a promoter towards redox-active molecules. Here, we developed a simple and effective method to construct cysteine and cystamine co-self-assembled monolayer on gold microelectrode for  in vivo detection of ascorbic acid (AA). The molar ratio at 1:1 of mixed monolayer has been found the optimum to enhance the electron-transfer kinetics of AA oxidation at low potential (ca. 0.10 V), meanwhile, it …

Prevalence Of Viral Hepatitis B, C, And Human Immunodeficiency Virus Among End Stage Renal Disease Patients On Hemodialysis, Marwa Anees Abdilazeem, Nadia Aziz Nasir

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Viral hepatitis infections are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis (HD), and its prevalence varies considerably among different areas of the world. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to investigate the prevalence of the HBV, HCV, and HIV among patients with ESRD on HD in a Hemodialysis Center in Baghdad, and to identify the factors associated with their transmission. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out in the HD Center in Al-Kindy Teaching Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq. A total of 302 patients with ESRD on HD were enrolled …

Effect Of Gamma Knife Radiosurgery In Meningioma, Abdulameer Jasim Al-Khafaji, Zaid Sameer Naji

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Meningioma is a common disease affects middle age patients especially females. Surgery is the first choice of treatment, gamma knife usually is a treatment for residual tumor or sometimes initially when surgery is risky. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the short time effectiveness of gamma knife in treatment of meningioma with associated complications including necrosis and edema and assessing factors that favor success PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study from April 2017 to October 2017 in Neurosciences hospital of 35 patients, 25 female and 10 male, age range 36-70 years, brain MRI done before and 6 months after gamma knife, …