Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Use-Wear Experiments With Sardinian Obsidian: Determining Its Function In The Neolithic, Teddi J. Setzer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on identifying the function of obsidian tools from the Late Neolithic archaeological site of Contraguda on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia. The information obtained from use-wear analysis can provide information about changes in subsistence patterns, craft specialization, social differentiation and technology.

This research began by collecting geological samples of obsidian from two of the most exploited sources in the Monte Arci volcanic complex of Sardinia. Subsequently, an experimental set of tools was made from these samples, and they were used to work various raw materials that were presumably available in Sardinia during the Neolithic. Wear patterns were …

The Effects Of Overlearning On Long-Term Retention, Kelli M. Taylor

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Overlearning is defined as the continued study of an item immediately after it has been correctly recalled once. Based on past studies, the effectiveness of overlearning is uncertain. In the present study, the effectiveness of overlearning was tested in 3 experiments. In Experiment 1, participants studied 10 city-country pairs (e.g. doba, chad) to either a low or high degree of learning and were tested 1, 3, or 9 weeks later. In Experiments 2 and 3, participants studied varying numbers of word-definition pairs (e.g. vizard, mask) for a constant total study time. They were tested between 1 and 4 weeks later. …

Near-Death Experiences, Religion, And Life After Death, Holly Wallace

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates current scientific literature on near-death experiences (NDE), focusing on two common types of models used to explain the NDE: biological models and spiritual models. Four biological models and two spiritual models are presented and evaluated. During the evaluation, particular emphasis is placed on how these models accommodate veridical evidence. I found that, of the biological models, only one could account for veridical evidence, whereas both of the spiritual models provided explanations of these strange occurrences. From this conclusion, the implications of NDE research on human survival are explored.

Mapping Porewater Salinity With Electromagnetic And Electrical Methods In Shallow Coastal Environments: Terra Ceia, Florida, Wm. Jason Greenwood

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The feasibility of predicting porewater salinity based on calibrated surface electromagnetic methods is discussed in a coastal wetland on the southern banks of Tampa Bay in West-Central Florida. This study utilizes a new method to float commercial land based electromagnetic (EM) instruments in shallow marine waters of less than 1.5 meters. The floating EM-31 (Geonics, Ltd.) effectively sensed the magnitude and lateral extent of high and low salinity porewaters within mangrove lined ditches and ponds. Resistivity and EM geophysical methods are merged with direct sampling data to calibrate layers in electromagnetic models to infer shallow (<30m) groundwater salinity patterns. Initial marine resistivity surveys are necessary to discriminate between equivalent EM model solutions for seafloor conductivities beneath shallow (0.1-1.5m) marine (~30 ppt) waters. Using formation factors computed from nearby resistivity surveys, porewater conductivity predictions based on surface EM-31 and EM-34 measurements are successful at distinguishing overall porewater salinity trends.

At the Tampa Bay …

Analysis Of The Tel-Phone Telecoil Simulator Program, Julie Ann Coudurier

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The TEL-PHONE Telecoil Simulator Program was invented as a solution to the problem of customizing programmable telecoils (T-coils) in a standardized and convenient manner. The objective of this project was to evaluate the suitability of the device for clinical use. A preliminary review of the TEL-PHONE protocol revealed that the protocol was in need of refinement. Following a preliminary examination of the TEL-PHONE device, a detailed evaluation of acoustic and electromagnetic output was conducted. The output was analyzed using information gleaned from Electronic Industries Association Recommended Standard RS-504 (EIA RS-504) Magnetic Field Intensity Criteria for Telephone Compatibility with Hearing Aids …

The 24th Of July: A Novel-In-Progress, Kimberley A. Hanna

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

"The 24th of July" is a fictional novel set in the present day. The story centers around Michelle, an eighteen year old girl from Warm Springs, Idaho, who fears the sexual games she has played with her cousin Edna have tainted her for a Temple marriage. She meets Duke, a charismatic fundamentalist polygamist, who believes polygamy is part of the plan for eternal salvation as set down by the original doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the prophet Joseph Smith. Michelle sees Duke as her chance to put her relationship with Edna in the past …

The Development And Validation Of The Verbal Commentary On Physical Appearance Scale, Sylvia Herbozo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study involves the development and validation of a measure of physical appearance-related comments, The Verbal Commentary on Physical Appearance Scale (VCOPAS). Previous research has shown that the development of body image and eating disturbances is greatly influenced by teasing and negative appearance-related feedback. The limited research on positive appearance-related feedback is likely due to the lack of an empirically validated scale of positive appearance-related commentary. Consequently, the VCOPAS was developed to assess the frequency and effect of positive appearance-related comments and other types of appearance-related comments.

In Study 1, 50 undergraduate female students of ages 18 to 25 completed …

Tracing The Source Of The Elephant And Hippopotamus Ivory From The 14th Century B.C. Uluburun Shipwreck: The Archaeological, Historical, And Isotopic Evidence, Kathryn Anne Lafrenz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study is to establish the provenance of the elephant and hippopotamus ivory recovered from the 14th century B.C. Uluburun shipwreck in order to reconstruct the trade mechanisms and associated social relationships (e.g. diplomacy) operating in the eastern Mediterranean during the Late Bronze Age (LBA). Elephant ivory came either from Northeastern Libya, Southeastern Sudan via Egypt or northwestern Syria during this period. Hippopotamus ivory likewise was obtained from Syria, Palestine, or Egypt.

The Uluburun's cargo is reconstructed by the excavator, George Bass, as "royal," and primarily originates from Cyprus and Syro-Palestine. Indeed, LBA trade is largely understood …

The Link Between The Career Plateau And Mentoring – Addressing The Empirical Gap, Elizabeth Lentz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to empirically investigate the relationship between career plateauing and mentoring. First, the relationship between career plateauing and work-related attitudes was investigated. Next, the relationship between mentoring experience and work-related attitudes was examined. Finally, both experience as a mentor and mentoring provided were examined as moderators between career plateauing and work-related attitudes. Three hundred and six government employees located in the southeastern United States completed surveys (50.08% response rate). Of those, 110 reported mentor experience and 196 reported no mentor experience. In general, results provided support for the relationship between job content and hierarchical plateauing …

A Content Analysis Of Activist Group Use Of Dialogic Tools On The World Wide Web, Roberto Mazzini

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study is a quantitative content analysis of activist groups' use of dialogic tools on Web sites. The study was done in order to understand how activist groups use the Web to communicate with their publics in comparison to for-profit corporations. The Web is considered a powerful tool for activists and allows them to communicate better with their publics. Use of the Web should allow activist groups to level the field with corporations by enabling them to get their message out and interact better with their public. Dialogic communication is a necessity for activist groups. By measuring the use of …

Organizational Uncertainty Management: Developing A Framework For Public Relations Practitioner Involvement, Marcia L. Watson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the concept of organizational uncertainty and the involvement of public relations practitioners. Understanding organizational uncertainty is imperative to the success of an organization, but the effects of uncertainty have been relatively undertheorized within public relations.

To close the gap, this study blended multidisciplinary theories pertaining to uncertainty with a triangulated methodological approach. First, this study took a macro-organizational look at uncertainty by analyzing trends in the literature and conducting qualitative in-depth interviews with members of management and employees in an organization. The results of this portion of the study found uncertainty to be multi-layered and the most …

Symbolic Regression Of Thermo-Physical Model Using Genetic Programming, Ying Zhang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The symbolic regression problem is to find a function, in symbolic form, that fits a given data set. Symbolic regression provides a means for function identification. This research describes an adaptive hybrid system for symbolic function identification of thermo-physical model that combines the genetic programming and a modified Marquardt nonlinear regression algorithm.

Genetic Programming (GP) system can extract knowledge from the data in the form of symbolic expressions, i.e. a tree structure, that are used to model and derive equation of state, mixing rules and phase behavior from the experimental data (properties estimation).

During the automatic evolution process of GP, …

Educational Choices Of Undergraduate Women In Public Relations: A Quantitative Study, Moira K. Davis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Public relations is one of the fastest growing majors chosen by college students throughout the United States, and most of these students are women. This thesis attempts to define the important role that women play in the practice of public relations and to determine why female students choose this major as their desired field of study more often then men. There is a need for such a study because in 1996 women accounted for only 37 percent of managers in marketing, advertising, and public relations, although they comprised 62 percent of all public relations specialists in this country. This research …

School Functioning Of Children With Asthma: A Study Of The Elementary And Middle School Years, Shannon Elizabeth Johansen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the school functioning of children with asthma compared to the school functioning of children without asthma over a 9-year time span. The present study was a secondary analysis of data from one large school district in a southeastern state. Information was gathered from multiple sources, including student records and parent and teacher surveys. Variables related to academics, behavior, and teacher perception were examined. A total of 646 participants were initially included in the study. These participants included 296 students identified as having asthma and 350 students identified as not having asthma. Participants were matched on gender, race, …

Determining The College Sports Information Director's Management Role And Potential To Be Promoted To The Position Of Director Of Intercollegiate Athletics, Gil R. Swalls

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine the frequency with which college sports information directors (SIDs) are promoted to athletics director (AD) positions. Results reveal some reasons why SIDs, the primary communications officer in the athletics department, may or may not be considered as qualified candidates for AD jobs. This study illustrates that current ADs predominately come from the ranks of former coaches, compliance officers, business managers and fund raisers, while few were formerly SIDs. In addition, this study sought to determine whether the SID develops skills and experience most closely related with ADs.

The variables examined in this …

The Effects Of Seasonal Change On Copepods And Euphausiids Off The Western Antarctic Peninsula: Results From Biochemical Assays And Respiration Studies, Joël Laurent Bellucci

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

We compared four metabolic indicators of nutritional state: citrate synthase activity (CS), malate dehydrogenase activity (MDH), lactate dehydrogenase activity (LDH) and percent body protein to each other and to respiration measurements. These comparisons were made for four species of copepods (Calanoides acutus, Metridia gerlachei, Paraeuchaeta antarctica and another form of Paraeuchaeta that was unidentifiable to species due to its early life stage), three species of Euphausids (Euphausia crystallorophias, Euphausia triacantha, Euphausia superba (including both F6-furcilial and adult stages)) and Thysonessa macrura which were collected off the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) during Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter. …

The Essay In The Postmodern Era, Xiqiao Wang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The overarching goal of this study is to suggest that the essay as a genre, although seeming to manifest the epistemological conceptions of the modern, possesses certain qualities from its origin that justify and strengthen its position in the paradigm of the postmodern condition. It is my argument that misconceptions about such qualities have led to its mistreatment by writing teachers in accordance with two dominant pedagogical approaches, formalism (current-traditionalism) and romanticism (expressivism). My argument requires a detailed examination of the political, historical and cultural reality that cultivated and nurtured the genre of the essay, and a major focus of …

Structural Diversity In Metal-Organic Nanoscale Supramolecular Architectures, Heba Abourahma

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Supramolecular synthesis has gained much attention in recent years. Such an approach to synthesis represents an attractive alternative to traditional, multi-step synthesis, especially for making complex, nanoscopic structures. Of particular interest, in the context of this work, is the use of metal-organic interactions to direct the self-assembly of nanoscopic architectures. These interactions are highly directional, relatively "strong" (compared to other supramolecular interactions) and kinetically labile, which allows for "self-correction" and in turn the production, often in high yield, of defect-free products. This also means that a number of related, yet structurally diverse products (supramolecular isomers) could be isolated.

The work …

Fabrication And Testing Of A Cylindrical Ion Trap Microarray For Tunable Mass Spectrometers, Mangesh Telrandhe

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research presents a novel microfabrication approach and testing methodology for cylindrical ion trap (CIT) microarray tunable for mass- spectrometers. The growing interest in cylindrical ion trap (CIT) mass-spectrometers is primarily due to ease with which cylindrical geometry can be realized as compared to hyperbolic surfaces found in conventional quadrupole ion traps. Also due to the fact that the potential at the center of hyperbolic electrode in quadrupole ion trap and cylindrical electrode in cylindrical ion trap (CIT) does not differ significantly[2].

Since the RF voltage required to eject a given mass-to-charge ion scales as the square of the ion …

Learning From Spatially Disjoint Data, Divya Bhadoria

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Committees of classifiers, also called mixtures or ensembles of classifiers, have become popular because they have the potential to improve on the performance of a single classifier constructed from the same set of training data. Bagging and boosting are some of the better known methods of constructing a committee of classifiers. Committees of classifiers are also important because they have the potential to provide a computationally scalable approach to handling massive datasets. When the emphasis is on computationally scalable approaches to handling massive datasets, the individual classifiers are often constructed from a small faction of the total data. In this …

Replacement Prioritization Of Precast Deck Panel Bridges In Florida, Ganesh Deshmukh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

During the mid 70's and early 80's, several precast deck panel bridges were constructed in Florida. These utilize prestressed precast panels as stay-in-place forms and are designed to act compositely with a cast-in-place deck which is poured subsequently. Such bridges offer advantages of quicker construction and lower costs. However, several such bridges built in Florida developed extensive cracking and spalling. Following localized failures, the Florida Department of Transportation have decided to replace all 127 precast panel deck bridges in Districts 1 and 7. Since deck replacement is contingent on funding, it is necessary to develop a rational procedure to decide …

Georeferencing Digital Camera Images Using Internal Camera Model, Alok Nagdev

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The NASA Airborne Topographic Mapper (ATM) is a laser scanning instrument which is used mainly to collect dense topographic data over much of the conterminous US coastline. The inclusion of two digital cameras in consonance with the ATM instrument now gives 3-band (RGB) imagery apart from a very rich topographic data. This imagery, in its crude form, has limited applications due to it being not georeferenced and having a heavy camera lens distortions. As thesis, a processing system - Park-View - is developed to bring this imagery into a more suitable format for the scientists for analytical and interpretational purposes. …

Competencies And Skills In The Globalized Workforce, Mary Ellen, Reilly

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to contribute to the understanding of international programs in preparing participants for effective engagement in the world's economy and the complexity of multiple societies and cultures. The study's objective is to identify and assess the skills and competencies that are in demand for graduates of international programs, from both the United States and foreign perspectives, and their main economic social and civic contributions.

This research project develops, pilots and validates a list of critical competencies and skills for persons starting careers in international settings, creating a unique and valuable product. In addition, the project …

Real Time Digital Signal Processing Adaptive Filters For Correlated Noise Reduction In Ring Laser Gyro Inertial Systems, David A. Doheny

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Existing opportunities in advanced interceptor, satellite guidance and aircraft navigation technologies, requiring higher signal processing speeds and lower noise environments, are demanding Ring Laser Gyro (RLG) based Inertial Systems to reduce initialization and operational data latency as well as correlated noise magnitudes. Existing signal processing algorithms are often less than optimal when considering these requirements. Advancements in micro-electronic processes have made Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC) a fundamental building block for system implementation when considering higher-level signal processing algorithms.

Research of real time adaptive signal processing algorithms embedded in ASICs for use in RLG based inertial systems will help to …

Characterization Of Cadmium Zinc Telluride Films And Solar Cells On Glass And Flexible Substrates By Rf Sputtering, Jagadish Gaduputi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

High performance multijunction solar cells based on polycrystalline thin films will require a wide bandgap top cell with at least 15% efficiency. With the bottom cell being CIGS which have already demonstrated the required efficiencies, this work aims to study the complete fabrication and performance of Cd_1-xZn_xTe solar cells with a bandgap of 1.7eV on glass and flexible polyimide substrates.

Cd_1-xZn_xTe films were deposited by RF magnetron co-sputtering with CdTe and ZnTe sources. By varying the composition of Cd_1-xZn_xTe being deposited the required bandgap of 1.7eV was achieved. …

An Analysis Of Household Vehicle Ownership And Utilization Patterns In The United States Using The 2001 National Household Travel Survey, Abdul Rawoof Pinjari

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Vehicle ownership and utilization have a profound influence on activity-travel patterns of individuals, vehicle emissions, fuel consumption, highway capacity, congestion and traffic safety. The influence could be further skewed by the diversity of the vehicle fleet. This thesis presents a detailed analysis of the 2001 National Household Travel Survey data to understand the vehicle ownership patterns, fleet mix, allocation and utilization in the context of household and person socio-demographic characteristics. Along with a rich descriptive analysis, models of vehicle ownership and utilization are estimated to distinguish four vehicle types; cars, SUVs (sport utility vehicles), vans and pickup trucks based on …

Where The Palm Grows: The Ybor City Revitalization Project, Alexandra Fitos

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Increasingly there has been a new model for inner-city redevelopment and revitalization, in which an urban area is commodified and turned into a festival market and an exclusive shopping district referred to as a shopertainment area. Ybor City in Tampa, Florida, is typical of this new model of redevelopment where urban entertainment and shopping with an active nightclub and dinning scene, entices new visitors to area, and most recently a growing residential population. The residential population that is developing is one of exclusivity and privilege, exceedingly far removed from Ybor City's humble beginnings as a company town or the blighted …

She Fell To Her Knees And Other Stories, Karen Brown Gonzalez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

These collected stories represent a culling from a portion of work that shares a similar theme of loss--its manifestation, its channeling, by various fictional characters, into the palpable and sensate, into the physical world of the body. They are people, mostly women, who have lost their hold on the world to which they are accustomed, who become entangled in situations where their bearings are skewed, their judgment faulty, their decisions based solely on a physical, most often sexual, attraction that simultaneously depletes a sense of worth, while providing its semblance.

The loss stems, at times, as in "Manifold," from beyond …

Development Of A Direct Type Road Roughness Evaluation System, Fengxuan Hu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Roughness is an important indicator of pavement riding comfort and safety. It is a condition indicator that should be carefully considered when evaluating primary pavements. At the same time, the use of roughness measurements plays a critical role in the pavement management system.

There are many devices used for roughness evaluation. The major tools used for road roughness quantify are the road profilers. In the thesis research, in order to obtain useful pavement surface condition data for pavement evaluation, two direct type road roughness evaluation systems were developed with the combination of modern sensor technology and computer technology.

The thesis …

The Story Behind Service With A Smile: The Effects Of Emotional Labor On Job Satisfaction, Emotional Exhaustion, And Affective Well-Being, Hazel-Anne M. Johnson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study examines the process of emotional labor as performed by customer service employees. This research investigates some of the consequences of performing emotional labor such as emotional exhaustion, affective well-being, and job satisfaction, and attempts to determine which individual and organizational variables play moderating roles in these relationships. One hundred and seventy-six participants from 10 customer service organizations, ranging from retail stores to call centers, completed a 126-item survey. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to test the proposed hypotheses. Results indicate that gender, emotional intelligence, and autonomy are key moderator variables in the relationship between emotional labor …