Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Some Combinatorial Structures Constructed From Modular Leonard Triples, Jessica Sobkowiak

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Let V denote a vector space of finite positive dimension. An ordered triple of linear operators on V is said to be a Leonard triple whenever for each choice of element of the triple there exists a basis of V with respect to which the matrix representing the chosen element is diagonal and the matrices representing the other two elements are irreducible tridiagonal. A Leonard triple is said to be modular whenever for each choice of element there exists an antiautomorphism of End(V) which fixes the chosen element and swaps the other two elements. We study combinatorial structures …

Exploring Writing Of English Language Learners In Middle School: A Mixed Methods Study, Robin L. Danzak

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The study's purpose was to assess, through mixed methods, written linguistic features of 20 Spanish-speaking English language learners (ELLs) in middle school. Students came from Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. Participants wrote two expository and two narrative formal texts, each in Spanish and English, for a total of eight writing samples each. Additionally, students developed 10 journal entries in their language of choice, and 6 randomly selected, focal participants were interviewed for the qualitative analysis.

The quantitative analysis involved scoring formal texts at the lexical, syntactic, and discourse levels. Scores were analyzed using Friedman's 2-way ANOVA by ranks, …

On The Concept Of Evil: An Analysis Of Genocide And State Sovereignty, Jason J. Campbell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The history of ideas and contemporary genocide studies conjointly suggests a meaningful secular conception of evil. I will show how the history of ideas supplies us with a cumulative pattern, or an eventual gestalt, of the sought-for conception of universal secular evil. This gestalt is a result of my examination of the history of ideas. The historical analysis of evil firmly grounds my research in the tradition of philosophical inquiry, where I shift the focus from the problem of evil, which is indebted to theological discourse, to an analysis of the concept of evil. Next, I show how this gestalt …

Communicating Spirituality, Dying And A “Good Death” At The End-Of-Life: The Role Of Hospice Interdisciplinary Team Members, Jillian A. Tullis Owen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hospices use interdisciplinary teams to aid patients and families as they cope with the imminence of death while helping them achieve a death free of physical and spiritual pain, also known as a good death. This study investigated the communication between hospice team members and their patients regarding spirituality, dying, death and a good death. Through 300 hours of participant observation and interviews with hospice staff at one large not-for-profit hospice in the Southeastern United States this project shows that team members understand patient's spirituality through a religious frame potentially compromising spiritual care. Talk between patients and their care …

Non-Contact Characterization Of Dielectric Conduction On 4h-Sic, Helen N. Benjamin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Consistent charge or defect control in oxide grown on silicon carbide (SiC) continues to be difficult to achieve and directly impacts the electrical performance of SiC-based metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) devices. This research applied non-contact Corona-Kelvin metrology to investigate the charge transport in oxides grown on n-type 4H-SiC epitaxial substrates. The cost and engineering science impact of this metrology are significant as device fabrication is avoided leading to quick determination of electrical characteristics from as-grown oxide films. Non-contact current-voltage (I-V) measurements of oxide on SiC were first demonstrated within this work and revealed that Fowler-Nordheim (F-N) current emission was the …

Air Toxics And Equity: A Geographic Analysis Of Environmental Health Risks In Florida, Angela Gilbert

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A large number of quantitative studies have examined social inequities in the geographic distribution of air pollution. Although previous research has made strides towards understanding the nature and extent of inequities, they have been limited methodologically in three ways. First, the presence of pollutants have been rarely linked to their adverse health effects, with many studies using proximity to sources as a proxy for risk. Second, there has been a tendency to study a single pollution source instead of assessing multiple types of sources. Finally, conventional statistical methods such as multivariate regression have been limited by their inability to discern …

The Role Of Trust In Judgment, Christophe Sage Hudspeth

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation I defend five claims about trust: 1) trusting and trustworthiness are conceptually but not causally connected; 2) trust is risky; 3) trust requires good will; 4) trust is a two-part relation; and 5) trust is an interpretative framework.

A concern for trust often appears in discussions about testimony and the expectation of truthfulness; Bentley Glass, John Hardwig, and Jonathan Adler each address the role of trust in science while assuming a necessary connection between trusting and trustworthiness. I argue that this conception is untenable because a justification for one fails to suffice as a justification of the …

One Season In An Other’S: Examining Teacher Preparation In Cultural Relevance Literacy Through Intentional And Focused Teaching Case Use, Coleen E. Sams

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Teacher educators need to develop better teaching methods in order to, ultimately, serve future students in classrooms that are increasing in diversity. It is vital that education majors do more than hear and read about social justice issues facing their prospective students; for them to both understand it and retain it, they need deeper interaction with the issues and alternative strategies for resolving them. This model for using teaching cases may enable teacher educators to demonstrate the relevance of their coursework to their midlevel education students, ultimately enhancing learning gains.

Of equal importance to their professional development, prospective teachers need …

Praxis And Theōria: Heidegger’S “Violent” Interpretation, Megan E. Altman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This paper attempts to mark out new ground in the connections between the philosophical writings of Martin Heidegger and Aristotle by posing an interesting question that has never been addressed. Both writers devote much of their early thoughts to questions concerning human beings' practical ways of understanding. However, in their later thoughts Heidegger and Aristotle suddenly seem to completely change the subject to ideal or transcendental ways of understanding. At first glance these ideal modes of human apprehension seem to have nothing to do with each other. Yet, Heidegger and Aristotle seem to have similar motives for turning away from …

Associate In Science (As) To Bachelor Of Science In Applied Science (Bsas) Transfer Students: An Analysis Of Student Characteristics, Engagement, And Success, Jerry C. Collins

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to examine and comprehensively describe transfer students who have earned a two-year technical or occupational Associate in Science (AS) degree at the community college and entered the university to pursue the Bachelor of Science in Applied Science (BSAS).

The BSAS degree is a specialized baccalaureate degree program created to allow AS degree holders an opportunity to efficiently transfer into the university affording them full recognition of their two-year degree. This statewide articulated program at the University of South Florida is the first of its kind in the state of Florida. The program only began admitting its first …

Social Shopping, Rebecca Anderson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Social shopping is one of the latest trends on the Internet. Websites dedicated to social networking with a focus on shopping have been emerging on the web for a few years. The basic idea is that consumers are looking for product information on the Internet and social shopping sites provide a place for consumers to find this information from other consumers. These sites provide a place for their users to engage in socialization and shopping simultaneously, sometimes following recommendations of premier users, who are labeled from other users. However, purchases aren't made through these sites. So, there may still be …

Truth And Judgment, Jeremy J. Kelly

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

I examine the difficulties that several philosophers of language are liable to encounter in their attempts to provide an account of the connection between truth and assertion. I then attempt to provide an account of this connection. The analysis is concerned chiefly with difficulties which consist in elucidating the conceptual connection between truth and assertion in a way that respects certain linguistic intuitions while at the same time rendering the concept of truth amenable to a semantic interpretation. The proposed view suggests one way in which we might go about meeting the theoretical demands implicit in addressing this concern, among …

Women In Wargasm: The Politics Of Womenís Liberation In The Weather Underground Organization, Cyrana B. Wyker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis I examine women's participation in the violent revolutionary organization, Weatherman/Weather Underground. My attempt is to uncover Weatherman's view of women's liberation, their differences to the women's liberation movement and examine the practices implemented. I discuss Weatherman, more generally, in the context and circumstances of their emergence from the Students for a Democratic Society in the late sixties. Influenced by popular revolutionary thinkers Weatherman declared itself and its members revolutionaries dedicated to bringing about a socialist revolution in the United States through strategies of guerilla warfare. Weatherman's insistence on revolutionary violence situated masculinity and machismo within the center …

The Pessimism Of Horror Cinema: A Comparative Study Between Modernist And Postmodernist Horror Cinema, Michael Jeknavorian

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative thesis examines levels of pessimism as they relate to modern and postmodern horror cinema. Beyond assumed differences in levels of pessimism between the two genres, the study also examines implicit and explicit moralization of these categories. Specifically, the study questions if postmodern horror cinema's characteristic increase in pessimism is simply a change in the genre's convention, yet a change that is irrespective of either genre's capabilities to moralize. First, the study singularly examines the conventions of each genre as it relates to levels of pessimism. Second, the study discusses works that bridge the two genres. And third, the …

Mental Health Service Delivery Systems And Perceived Qualifications Of Mental Health Service Providers In School Settings, Decia Nicole Dixon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Latest research on the mental health status of children indicates that schools are key providers of mental health services (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2003). The push for school mental health services has only increased as stakeholders have begun to recognize the significance of sound mental health as an essential part of academic success (Adelman & Taylor, 2002). However, while schools are recognized as playing an important role in the delivery of mental health services, it is not well understood about the types of mental health services provided, qualifications of providers, and the link to student outcomes (United …

A New Perspective On The Work-Family Interface: Linking Achievement Motivation And Work-Family Balance, Tiffany N. Smith

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify whether three achievement motivation variables (LGO, GNS, and AO) were positively related to work-family balance, and to investigate plausible interactions between these variables and work-family stressors on balance perceptions. Relationships of these variables to work-family conflict and facilitation outcomes were also analyzed in order to identify differential relationships. Data were collected from 428 individuals through a web-based survey. Results indicated that all three achievement motivation variables were clearly related favorably to work-family balance and facilitation, while only AO was negatively related to conflict. The relationships between schedule flexibility and all work-family outcomes …

Immunomodulatory Effects Of Novel Therapies For Stroke, Aaron A. Hall

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Each year, approximately 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke. About 610,000 of these are first attacks, and 185,000 are recurrent attacks (Carandang et al. 2006). Currently the only FDA approved treatment for ischemic stroke is recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (Alteplase) (Marler and Goldstein 2003). Unfortunately its use is restricted to a short, 4.5 hour, time window. Two promising therapies in the treatment of stroke at delayed timepoints are human umbilical cord blood cells (HUCBC) and the sigma receptor agonist DTG

The first series of experiments were conducted to characterize the effects of sigma receptors on various aspects of …

The Preference Of Protein Powders Among Adult Males And Females: A Protein Powder Taste Study, Joshua Manter

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Protein is essential in one's diet because it is an important component in many organs and tissues throughout the body. Athletes ingest protein in order to stimulate protein synthesis and increase lean muscle mass. In order to assist with obtaining adequate amounts of protein, athletes and bodybuilders purchase supplemental protein in the form of protein powders. Protein metabolism and digestion play key roles in this because if the protein is not metabolized or digested effectively, then those who are wishing to gain fat free mass will not be successful. A high quality protein will be digested, metabolized, and directed towards …

Ivcon: A Gui-Based Tool For Visualizing And Modularizing Crosscutting Concerns, Nalin Saigal

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Code modularization provides benefits throughout the software life cycle; however, the presence of crosscutting concerns (CCCs) in software hinders its complete modularization. This thesis describes IVCon, a GUI-based tool that provides a novel approach to modularization of CCCs. IVCon enables users to create, examine, and modify their code in two different views, the woven view and the unwoven view. The woven view displays program code in colors that indicate which CCCs various code segments implement. The unwoven view displays code in two panels, one showing the core of the program and the other showing all the code implementing each concern …

Gis Spatial Analysis Of Multiple Scenes In Criminal Homicides, Casey C. Anderson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Anthropological studies of community structures and human relationships of today's societies are becoming increasingly important for crime analysis. Law enforcement agencies are often challenged with the task of connecting multiple locations to persons involved in crimes to solve cases. Using the structures of the target communities and the social relationship between the victim and offender, spatial distributions of crimes can be reconstructed.

Data used in this analysis were collected from Hillsborough County, Florida (n=420) and Lancaster County, Nebraska (n=48) law enforcement agencies within the years 1997-2007. The hypothesis of this paper is: if the social relationship between the victim and …

Ovarian Morphology, Oogenesis, And Changes Through The Annual Reproductive Cycle Of The Female Blue Crab, Callinectes Sapidus Rathbun, In Tampa Bay, Catalina E. Brown

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The blue crab, Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896, was studied because of its high dollar value to Florida's commercial and recreational fisheries. The purpose of this study was to describe the structure of the ovary and oogenesis in the blue crab and the morphological changes in the female reproductive developmental stages over time. Histological techniques for high-resolution light microscopy were used to determine sexual maturity of female blue crabs. The ovarian morphology, oogenesis, and changes through the annual reproductive cycle of blue crabs in Tampa Bay were investigated for a period of two years, from January 2005 to January 2007. Ovarian …

Penn State: Symbol And Myth, Gary G. Desantis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis will focus on the popular culture iconography of the Pennsylvania State University: the Nittany Lion-as a symbol and apolitical mascot; Happy Valley, the geographic area in which the university is located, as a kind of sacred place and utopia in the Keystone State; football-its hallowed shrines, legendary coaches, and heroic players; regional foods and delicacies-from the unique offerings of the area's diners to the University Creamery (where patrons yearly consume more than 750,000 ice cream cones); and Lion Shrine and the adjacent Nittany Lion Inn-where the faithful have made pilgrimages since the early-twentieth century. The sum of these …

The Effects Of Diameter Fluctuations And Coiling On The Sensitivity Of Sapphire Single Crystal Optical Fiber Evanescent Wave Fluorescence Sensors, Jimmy Ray Gamez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of diameter fluctuations on the sensitivity of sapphire multimode optical fibers used as evanescent wave fluorescence sensors. It was predicted that fluctuations in the diameter of the fiber would act as a series of bi-tapers converting lower order modes to higher order modes increasing the evanescent wave penetration depth thereby increasing the excitation of a cladding of fluorescent fluid. Induced fluorescence from the fluid cladding would then couple back into the fiber more efficiently increasing the sensitivity of the sensor.

The effect of coiling the fiber on the sensitivity of …

City Level Development New Key To Successful Development, Gina Herron

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Development is one of the most debated issues in political science today. There has never been a clear consensus reached on what is one successful path to developmental success for nations to follow. Organizations such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund and already developed nations have long touted a policy based on rapid privatization, which has been often referred to as shock therapy.

During this current period of globalization it has never been more important for underdeveloped nations to successfully move towards development, in order for those nations to not be left behind in an ever increasing …

“According To Wikipedia…”: A Comparative Analysis Of The Establishment And Display Of Authority In A Social Problems Textbook And Wikipedia, Alexander A. Hernandez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this study, I aim to examine (1) how authority is established and (2) how it is displayed. Through the use of content analysis, I investigate how the topics of "gender" and "race" within a contemporary social problems textbook compares and contrasts to corresponding Wikipedia articles. Through my research I wish to shed light on the social construction of knowledge within our modern society while also shedding light on the role that authority plays within knowledge. In order to examine how authority is established I examined the number of citations found in each topic, the publishing date of each reference …

Evaluation Of The Impact Of Membrane Change At A Membrane Softening Water Treatment Plant, Michael Keen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

At the water treatment plant in Dunedin, Florida, reverse osmosis membranes remove the hardness from groundwater sources. Reverse osmosis membranes remove salts, pathogens, and organics from the feed water but can create an aggressive permeate. The membranes strip most ions in the process and the resulting permeate, if not subjected to blending on post treatment, has a tendency to leach metals from lead and copper pipes in the distribution networks. To prevent such problems, the permeate needs to be blended with partially treated raw water or to be chemically treated to re-mineralize and add alkalinity back into the water. In …

Artemisinin-Based Combination Therapy (Acts) Drug Resistance Trends In Plasmodium Falciparum Isolates In Southeast Asia, Jessica L. Schilke

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Plasmodium falciparum, one of the parasites that cause clinical malaria, is a continuous public health concern, especially in Asia and Africa. Unfortunately, the parasite has developed resistance to many drugs created to treat and prevent the disease. Artemisinin and its derivatives are the new gold standard for treatment of malaria, yet treatment failures in clinical studies are starting to be reported. Clearly, artemisinin resistance needs to be characterized and dealt with accordingly. In support of the Gates Foundation Artemisinin Consortium, we conducted a blinded study to elucidate the phenotypic response of artemisinin derivatives of parasites derived from patient blood …

Form And Numbers: Mathematical Patterns And Ordering Elements In Design, Alison Marie Thom

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In America, buildings are often constructed with the intent of being utile only 30-40 years. All over the world though, there are buildings that are hundreds of years old that are still very functional. Historically, architecture was a part of mathematics, and in many periods of the past, the two were indistinguishable. Architects were often required to be also mathematicians in ancient times. The idea of this thesis is to identify the relationship between mathematics and architecture and to reintroduce them in order to create a module for successful design .

Presence of mathematical boundaries help to attain visual consistency …

Using Keeling Plots To Trace Δ13C And Δ18O Of Co2 Through Processes Of Heterotrophic Respiration, Diffusion And Soil Water Equilibration In Artificial C3- And C4-Grassland Soils, Jennifer Chelladurai

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Global carbon cycle dynamics and fluxes of CO₂ between biosphere and atmosphere have been progressed through the use of Keeling Plots. Processes that control and effect the isotopic composition of soil-respired CO₂, soil CO₂, and equilibrated soil carbonate are specifically addressed in this study through the use of Keeling Plots. Replicate grassland soil profiles containing either C3 or C4 homogenized organic matter were constructed and maintained under controlled settings to encourage the production of soil-respired CO₂ and the precipitation of pedogenic carbonate. Soil CO₂ was sampled over five months and analyzed with IRMS. …

Examining The Title X Family Planning Program’S (Public Law 91-572) Legislative History Through A Feminist Lens: A Thematic Analysis And Oral Histories With Key Stakeholders In Florida, Cheryl A. Vamos

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Title X Family Planning Program (Public Law 91-572), enacted by President Richard Nixon in 1970, provides federal funds for voluntary, confidential family planning services to all women, regardless of their age or economic status. This federal legislation aspired to prevent unintended pregnancies and poor birth outcomes to those in most need. However, over the past three decades, Title X has faced political, financial and social challenges. Despite its enormous success in improving the health and well-being of women and children by decreasing unintended pregnancies, the need for abortions and providing key comprehensive preventive services, without a newfound political will …