Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Construction Of Smoking-Relevant Risk Perceptions Among College Students: The Influence Of Need For Cognition And Message Content, Jennifer Elaine Irvin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the potential joint influence of need for cognition (NC), the dispositional preference for engaging in (or avoiding) effortful cognitive processing of information, and type of smoking risk message (i.e., factual and evaluative messages similar in message content and length) on the construction of smoking-relevant risk perceptions among college smokers. A secondary purpose was to examine potential mechanisms through which changes in risk perception might occur. 227 college smokers evaluated one of three pamphlets, (1) a factual (i.e., primarily fact-based) smoking risk pamphlet, (2) an evaluative (i.e., primarily emotion based) smoking risk …

The Forgotten History: The Deinstitutionalization Movement In The Mental Health Care System In The United States, Nana Tuntiya

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The development of ideas on deinstitutionalization of mental patients has a much longer history in the United States than is commonly acknowledged. Evidence of intense discussion on the rights of the mentally disturbed, curative as opposed to control measures in their treatment, and the drawbacks of congregating the afflicted in large institutions can be found as early as the middle of the 19th century. This discussion was provoked by dissemination of knowledge about the oldest community care program of all: the colony of mental patients in Gheel, Belgium. Based on document analysis of publications in the American Journal of Insanity …

The Experience Of Loss Of Voice In Adolescent Girls: An Existential-Phenomenological Study, Deborah A. Cihonski

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the meaning of the Loss of Voice experience in adolescent girls using an existential-phenomenological interview approach. An open-ended interview was conducted and participants were asked to "Please think of a specific time when you had something important to say, but did not say it. In as much detail as possible, describe that experience." Each interview was tape-recorded, transcribed by the investigator, and then independently thematized (Jones, 1984) by the author and a doctoral colleague trained in Jones' (1984) analysis method. Interrater reliability of the themes reached 96% agreement for the overall sample. …

Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopic Imaging Of Prostate Histopathology, Daniel Celestino Fernandez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Vibrational spectroscopic imaging techniques have emerged as powerful methods of obtaining sensitive spatially resolved molecular information from microscopic samples. The data obtained from such techniques reflect the intrinsic molecular chemistry of the sample and in particular yield a wealth of information regarding functional groups which comprise the majority of important molecules found in cells and tissue. These spectroscopic imaging techniques also have the advantage of acquisition of large numbers of spectral measurements which allow statistical analysis of spectral features which are characteristic of the normal histological state as well as different pathologic disease states. Databases of large numbers of samples …

An Indepth Analysis Of Face Recognition Algorithms Using Affine Approximations, Lakshmi Reguna

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In order to foster the maturity of face recognition analysis as a science, a well implemented baseline algorithm and good performance metrics are highly essential to benchmark progress. In the past, face recognition algorithms based on Principal Components Analysis(PCA) have often been used as a baseline algorithm. The objective of this thesis is to develop a strategy to estimate the best affine transformation, which when applied to the eigen space of the PCA face recognition algorithm can approximate the results of any given face recognition algorithm. The affine approximation strategy outputs an optimal affine transform that approximates the similarity matrix …

Integrated Reliability And Availability Aanalysis Of Networks With Software Failures And Hardware Failures, Wei Hou

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation research attempts to explore efficient algorithms and engineering methodologies of analyzing the overall reliability and availability of networks integrated with software failures and hardware failures. Node failures, link failures, and software failures are concurrently and dynamically considered in networks with complex topologies. MORIN (MOdeling Reliability for Integrated Networks) method is proposed and discussed as an approach for analyzing reliability of integrated networks. A Simplified Availability Modeling Tool (SAMOT) is developed and introduced to evaluate and analyze the availability of networks consisting of software and hardware component systems with architectural redundancy. In this dissertation, relevant research efforts in analyzing …

Failure Of The Russian Democratic Reforms: The Democratization Of The Big Bear, Nicolé M. Hicks

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Looking back at the past twelve years, many would say that it appears Russia has lost the battle for liberal democratic reform. Among Russia watchers, the following question has been circulated: "Who lost Russia?" This debate has polarized most scholars into one of two camps: those who feel the reforms failed (the critics) and those who feel the reforms were a success (the supporters).

This paper will explain why the Russian reforms failed. By filling in the holes left by current research, the author will demonstrate that the truth may lie somewhere in between the two opposing sides.

Hearing Evaluation In Infants: An Update For Pediatricians, Janet E. Sullivan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This paper provides an overview of developmental timetables relevant to hearing and of current pediatric audiological techniques and practices. The first sections summarize structural and functional development of the auditory pathway and the development of primary auditory processing. These developmental sequences appear to follow similar paths in humans and animals. Speech and music perception involve more complex processing and are strongly influenced by experience. Hearing disorders affect the perception of complex sounds in a variety of ways, depending on the site(s) of lesions. Early onset hearing impairment, including conductive loss from chronic otitis media, can seriously impede language development.

Language …

"For Peace And Civic Righteousness": Blanche Armwood And The Struggle For Freedom And Racial Equality In Tampa, Florida, 1890-1939, Michele Alishahi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Blanche Armwood was a remarkable black woman activist, from Tampa, Florida, who devoted her life to improving the political, social, and economic status of blacks in the Jim Crow South. Local historians have kept Armwood's legacy alive by describing her achievements and by emphasizing her dedication to the African-American population during one of the most racist periods in American history. In their efforts to understand Armwood's career, scholars depend upon race as the primary category of analysis and focus mainly on the external forces that defined Armwood's world. They argue that she became resigned to her lot in life as …

Designing Interactive Multimedia For The Anthropology Exhibit Gallery, Kelley Curtis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Computer-based multimedia offer an alternative means of providing instruction to learners in two primary, yet disparate, ways. Multimedia can be used to convey information to learners, or alternatively, learners can make use of multimedia to impart information. One example of the use of multimedia technologies at the University of South Florida is an interactive computer kiosk installed in the Anthropology Exhibit Gallery. The development of the educational program featured on the kiosk's touchscreen computer is the subject of this paper.

The purpose of the kiosk's program was twofold: 1) to introduce the field of anthropology to university students and the …

A Coral Window On Western Tropical Pacific Climate During The Pleistocene, Kelly Halimeda Kilbourne

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Monthly δ¹⁸O and Sr/Ca records generated from modern and fossil corals from Southwestern Pacific Ocean sites in the Republic of Vanuatu are used to assess the differences in mean climate state, seasonality, and interannual variability between a glacial and interglacial period.

The modern coral contains a well-defined annual signal in δ¹⁸O and Sr/Ca. The top 40 cm of the coral used in this study has a mean δ¹⁸O value of -4.99+/-0.13%VPDB (2σ) and a mean Sr/Ca value of 8.691+/-0.015mmol/mol (2σ). El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events are characterized by positive δ¹⁸O and Sr/Ca …

Charitable Choice In Florida: The Politics, Ethics And Implications Of Social Policy, Angela Gomez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation research is a study of the anthropology of policy with welfare reform in general and charitable choice in particular as its focus. The study begins with the notion that policies work as instruments of governance and consequently have social and political implications. These policies are examined by exploring the manner in which Catholic Charities and policy makers in Florida are responding to the charitable choice mandate and how their views are shaping local policies.

The study is framed within anthropological principles pertaining to economic, humanistic and philosophical tenets. The study provides a historical background of poverty, the development …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Trust Issues In The Journalist/Government Communicator Relationship: An Exploratory Study, Davina Yetter Gould

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

At a glance, journalists and public relations practitioners appear to have a dysfunctional relationship, despite having many professional similarities. Both groups use comparable skill sets in their jobs, including writing, information gathering, and making decisions based on news values. Both groups often work with each other in their professional positions; journalists look to public relations practitioners for sources and news tips, while public relations practitioners look to journalists to help send organizational messages to publics.

To better understand the issues of trust in this unique working relationship, ten journalists and ten government public information officers from the Tampa Bay, Florida …

Inhibitory Effects Of Food Matrices On Inhibition Real-Time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction Detection Of Foodborne Viruses, Kevin Patrick Mcmullen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated 23,000,000 cases of viral gastroenteritis caused by Norovirus in 2000, 40% of which were transmitted by food including: a variety of fresh produce, cake, deli meats, fruit salad, cheeses and ice. (CDC, 2003). An estimated 83,391 cases of Hepatitis A virus was reported in 2000, of which 5% was attributed to foodborne transmission (CDC, 2003). These figures underscore an urgent need for a method that can isolate virus from a variety of food matrices.

The aim of this study was to develop an overall assessment of the inhibitory effects of a variety …

Harold Frederic's The Damnation Of Theron Ware: A Study Guide With Annotated Bibliography, Robin Taylor Rogers

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Harold Frederic's The Damnation of Theron Ware (1896) is an important work of American fiction that deserves greater critical attention. My intention in creating a website devoted to Frederic's masterpiece is not only to promote awareness of the novel but also to provide high school and undergraduate students, as well as their teachers, with a resource that will situate The Damnation of Theron Ware within an historical as well as a literary and cultural context. Significant events and discoveries in the fields of science, technology, religion, philosophy, art, and literature shaped Frederic's thinking and writing, particularly the events and characters …

The Influence Of Air Mass Origin On The Wet Deposition Of Nitrogen To Tampa Bay, Florida, Ronald David Smith Jr.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen has been implicated in the destruction of seagrass beds and in the decline of water quality of Tampa Bay, Florida. The objective of this research was to determine the tendency for air masses of different origins to wet-deposit nitrate and ammonium species to the bay.

Precipitation chemistry data was obtained via the NADP AIRMoN Gandy Bridge monitoring site for the period of 1 August 1996 through 31 December 2000. Rainfall events were classified by using the NOAA HYSPLIT trajectory model, precipitation chemistry data, and tropical storm history data. Average nitrate and ammonium concentrations and nitrogen fluxes …

An Analysis Of Workplace Amputation Injuries In Florida, Eve N. Hanna M.D.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nationally, 10,852 workplace amputation injuries in the US were reported in 1997. This number has been gradually decreasing over time to 9,658 amputations in 2000. In Florida, the amputation injuries have been increasing from 272 in 1997 to 417 in 2000. The reason for this increase is unclear and deserves further study. The purpose of a portion of this study was to examine the Federal and Florida BLS data to determine the characteristics of the typical worker with an amputation injury. A worker with an amputation injury was most likely to be a white male between the ages of 35 …

Gender Stereotypes Of Citizenship Performance, Lisa Wilkinson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between citizenship performance and overall performance and the relationship between citizenship performance and reward recommendations were investigated, with gender and scale type as possible moderators. Two hundred and fifty-four University of South Florida students were used in this study. The majority of these participants were undergraduate, psychology majors, female, and between the ages of 17 and 23. Participants were given statements describing a teacher's performance and were asked to evaluate the professor on citizenship and overall performance and recommend them for rewards. No support was found for the hypothesis that men would have a stronger relationship than women …

A Case Study Of Identity Theft, Stuart F. H Allison

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an investigation of identity theft, although not a new crime it has recently attracted public concern. This concern has led to both federal and state governments to establish new laws to provide increased protection. Government agencies and the media have warned the public that an individual's social security number and other personal information are the tools that unscrupulous criminals can use to gain access to an identity. Once your identity is assumed criminals can use that new identity to obtain goods and services freely available in this world of instant credit lines.

The purpose of this study …

Catalytic Oxidation Of Methane Using Single Crystal Silicon Carbide, Akshoy Gopalkrishna

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

SiC is a hard man-made material and has emerged as an excellent material for a wide range of applications which are exposed to extreme conditions such as high temperatures and harsh chemical environments. These applications range from SiC being used as an abrasive, to a refractory material, to a semiconductor material for high power and high frequency electronic devices. The properties of the material for each application is different, with the semiconductor grade material for electronic devices being the most refined. SiC, with its excellent thermal properties and high resistance to harsh chemical environments, lends itself to being an ideal …

Population Structure Of The Gopher Tortise (Gopherus Polyphemus) In Florida, Using Microsatellites, Tonia S. Schwartz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) population sizes have drastically declined in the past 100 years. Much of this decline has been attributed to past human predation, to habitat loss from human development, and potentially to the recently discovered upper respiratory tract disease. An understanding of the genetic structure among populations is critical for the long-term success of relocation and other management strategies. This research focuses on the development of a suite of genetic markers and the answers they provided to questions concerning present day population genetics and its use in management. In addition, this study provides inference on historical …

Modeling Dynamic Interactions In A Software Development Project, Chetan D. Vajre

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Software industry is getting very competitive in the wake of recession. In most cases, an organization that quotes a lower price and promises to deliver the product at the earliest walks away with the project. But the factor of quality of the product delivered is also very important because that in turn determines the reputation of an organization, which also plays an important role in getting the next project.

Interactions in a software development are dynamic in nature and involve human factors. Models are built taking into account all possible factors so as to present a realistic picture of the …

School Psychologists' Perspectives On Parent Involvement Activities, Michelle M. Darter-Lagos

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to analyze school psychologists' perspectives on 27 parent involvement and empowerment activities focused upon improving students' school success. A sample of 36 school psychologists from high and low minority schools in a large urban school district rated the degree to which they believed the activities should be offered to parents and the extent to which they were feasible to implement over the next five years. The activities rated highest for offer and feasibility by psychologists at both high and low minority schools were related to information dissemination and one-to-one meetings. The activities rated …

The Effect Of Digital Technology On Late 20th Century And Early 21st Century Culture, Jennifer Clarke

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recently, artists have begun using digital technology to create new cultural forms in the fields of art, literature, and music, and a new cultural form known as interactive digital multimedia has emerged, which combines elements from the new artistic, literary, and musical forms. Many of these artists have produced works that explore the interactive capabilities of digital technology. These interactive digital cultural forms have encouraged collaborative efforts that would have otherwise been difficult or even impossible to achieve before the advent of digital technology. In addition, this element of interactivity has redefined the traditional relationship between artist and audience. As …

Count Or Pointcount: Is Percent Octocoral Cover An Adequate Proxy For Octocoral Abundance?, Matthew J. Lybolt

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Florida Keys Coral Reef Monitoring Project (CRMP) began video transect sampling in 1996 and has continuously monitored 107 Florida Keys stations through 2002. The video was downward pointing and produced images from which planar projection data were calculated to determine percent cover of living benthic organisms. An absence of data assessing correlation between octocoral percent cover and octocoral abundance motivated a study to compare octocoral percent cover with abundance data acquired from the same video transects. The methods employed to extract octocoral abundance data from videotape were validated. Temporal changes in octocoral abundance, size and taxonomic group were determined …

Alexander Pope's Opus Magnum As Palladian Monument, Cassandra C. Pauley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The overarching goal of this study is to suggest that Alexander Pope did not abandon his project for a "system of ethics in the Horatian way," but rather that in his final days he did find a way to unite the parts at hand into a viable whole. Constructing such an argument, however, requires a similar building up from the parts, and so the core focus becomes a study on the way the image of an arch can serve as a metaphor for Pope's reconciliation scheme in his Moral Essays as he "steers betwixt" seeming opposites.

To justify this approach, …

Placement Of Utilities In Right Of Way Model Using Fuzzy And Probabilistic Objective Coefficients, Vijayakumar S. Shanmugam

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on a decision-making model for finding the locations for placement of utilities in roadway corridors. In recent years, there has been a rapid growth in the volume of traffic on roadways and in the number of utilities placed in Right of Ways. The increase in the demand for utilities is making it more difficult to place all the utilities within the Right of Way and also provide safe roads and highways with good carrying capacity. The public agencies approving the location for utilities are now using a first come first served method, which provide neither an efficient …

Pipe Dreams And Primitivism: Eugene O'Neill And The Rhetoric Of Ethnicity, Donald P. Gagnon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Eugene O'Neill included within his vision of humanity a series of complex, emotionally and psychologically developed black characters. Despite critical controversy over his methods or effectiveness, from his eerily silent mulatto in "Thirst" through the grandiose incarnation of The Emperor Jones and the everyman of Joe Mott and The Iceman Cometh, O'Neill created characters of African descent that thrilled and infuriated critics and audiences alike.

A closer exploration of the issues involved in his portrayal of ethnically identified characters seems necessary, an exploration that does not limit itself to an interrogation of ethnicity per se in O'Neill's plays, but …

"Intelligent" Design Of Molecular Materials: Understanding The Concepts Of Design In Supramolecular Synthesis Of Network Solids, Brian D. Moulton

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This work endeavors to delineate modern paradigms for crystal engineering, i.e. the design and supramolecular synthesis of functional molecular materials. Paradigms predicated on an understanding of the geometry of polygons and polyhedra are developed. The primary focus is on structural determination by single crystal x-ray crystallography, structural interpretation using a suite of graphical visualization and molecular modeling software, and on the importance of proper graphical representation in the presentation and explanation of crystal structures.

A detailed analysis of a selected series of crystal structures is presented. The reduction of these molecular networks to schematic representations that illustrate their fundamental connectivity …

A Distributed Routing Algorithm For Er-Lsp Setup In Mlps Networks, Naga Siddhardha Garige

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The rapid growth of the Internet, in the last few years, has generated a need to enhance the existing IP networks in the areas of availability, dependability and scalability in order to provide a mission critical networking environment. In contemporary IP networks, data packets are routed as a function of the destination address and a single metric such as hop-count or delay. This approach tends to cause message traffic to converge onto the same link, which significantly increases congestion and leads to unbalanced network resource utilization. One solution to this problem is provided by Traffic Engineering (TE), which uses, bandwidth …