Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Quest Towards The Design And Synthesis Of Functional Metal-Organic Materials: A Molecular Building Block Approach, Dorina F. Sava

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The design of functional materials for specific applications has been an ongoing challenge for scientists aiming to resolve present and future societal needs. A burgeoning interest was awarded to developing methods for the design and synthesis of hybrid materials, which encompass superior functionality via their multi-component system. In this context, Metal-Organic Materials (MOMs) are nominated as a new generation of crystalline solid-state materials, proven to provide attractive features in terms of tunability and versatility in the synthesis process. In strong correlation with their structure, their functions are related to numerous attractive features, with emphasis on gas storage related applications.

Throughout …

Plp-Dependent Α-Oxoamine Synthases: Phylogenetic Analysis, Structural Plasticity, And Structure-Function Studies On 5-Aminolevulinate Synthase, Tracy D. Turbeville

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

5-Aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS) and 8-amino-7-oxononanoate synthase (AONS) are two of four homodimeric members of the alpha-oxoamine synthase family of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzymes. The evolutionary relationships among α-oxoamine synthases representing a broad taxonomic and phylogenetic spectrum have been examined to help identify residues that may regulate substrate specificity.

The structural plasticity of ALAS has been documented in studies of functional circularly permuted ALAS variants and the single polypeptide chain ALAS dimer (ALAS/ALAS) exhibiting a greater turnover number than wild-type ALAS. An examination of the contribution of each ALAS/ALAS active site to the enzymatic activity shows that each active site makes …

The Role Of Interference In Moderating The Relationship Between Working Memory Capacity And Cued-Recall, Umit Akirmak

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although much research has been done on how well working memory predicts processing of consciously activated information, research on the possible influences of working memory on automatically activated information is scarce (Barrett, Tugade, & Engle, 2004). Working memory capacity (WMC) may be related to how much information is activated automatically by either aiding ease of access to relevant information or by its role in inhibiting irrelevant thoughts and information (i.e., noise). The purpose of the present study was to examine the contribution of individual differences in WMC on implicit and explicit processes in cued recall. Participants studied target words and …

Making And Keeping The Peace: An Analysis Of African Union Efficacy, Nicholas Temple

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The African Union (AU) has pledged to create a continent of peace and solidarity. However, dozens of socio-ethnic conflicts occur across the continent despite the AU's best efforts to prevent them. In this thesis, case studies of Darfur and Western Sahara were used to assess the efficacy of the AU in the realm of peacemaking and peacekeeping. Within each of these studies, AU impediments to peacemaking and peacekeeping on financial, political, and socio-cultural fronts were analyzed. The findings suggest that while socio-cultural conflict continues to proliferate, the AU has neither the financial resources nor the political clout to meet peacemaking …

Factors Affecting The Utilization And Quality Of Long-Term Care, April Temple

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The aging of the nation in the coming decades will contribute to an increased demand for long-term care. Given this trend, it is becoming increasingly important to understand utilization of services along the continuum of care and to determine factors that influence the provision of quality care. These insights are needed to reduce national expenditures on long-term care and to maximize independence and well-being among older adults.

The purpose of the present dissertation was to explore factors that influence the utilization and quality of long-term care by conducting three separate studies. The first study examined risk of nursing home (NH) …

Synergy And Resistance Mechanisms In R115777 And Ps-341 Models Of Myeloma And Leukemia, Robert William Buzzeo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The farnesyl transferase inhibitor R115777 (Zarnestra, Tipifarnib) has been found to have clinical activity in diverse hematopoietic tumors. Clinical efficacy, however, does not correlate with Ras mutation status or inhibition of farnesyl transferase. To further elucidate the mechanisms by which R115777 induces apoptosis and to investigate drug resistance, we have identified and characterized a R115777-resistant human myeloma cell line. 8226/R5 cells were found to be at least 50 times more resistant to R115777 compared with the parent cell line 8226/S. 8226/R5 cells were insensitive to a diverse group of antitumor agents including PS-341 (Bortezomib, Velcade). Comparison of gene expression profiles …

Southern Rock Music As A Cultural Form, Brandon P. Keith

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Southern rock bands of the 1970s were a cultural formation that displayed racially and politically progressive views in the post-civil rights South through the cultural form of southern rock music. Southern rock bands, such as The Allman Brothers Band, and Lynyrd Skynyrd, responded to the political and social changes in the South brought forth by the civil rights movement by reconciling pride for southern heritage with progressive racial views through their music. The southern rock era was essentially between the years of 1969, when The Allman Brothers Band released their first album, until 1977, whe n a tragic airplane crash …

Studying The Effects Of Motivation On The Emergence Of Untrained Verbal Operants, Alysia Gilliam

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In Skinner's (1957) analysis of verbal behavior, the tact and mand are suggested to be functionally independent verbal operants. Many studies evaluating the verbal operants have provided results consistent with Skinner's notion of functional independence. For example, previous studies have yielded results showing that responses taught as tacts failed to emerge as mands unless they were directly trained as such. However, in many of the studies evaluating the functional independence of the verbal operants it is unclear whether the mand conditions were designed to actually evaluate that response function. The current study replicated and extended the findings of Wallace, Iwata, …

Thyroid Hormone Regulation Of Cholesterol Metabolism, Lindsey R. Boone

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this study, we examined the effects of thyroid hormone on regulatory processes of cholesterol metabolism. Specifically, the pathways of cholesterol synthesis and cholesterol efflux were investigated. Hepatic HMG-CoA reductase (HMGR) is the rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol synthesis. Hypothyroid rats exhibit decreased expression of this gene, which can be induced by subsequent treatment with thyroid hormone. The mechanism of this activation was previously unknown. Utilizing in vivo electroporation, we identified HMGR promoter elements necessary for the induction of HMGR by thyroid hormone. The -316/-321 element, the sterol response element, and nuclear factor-y site were all found to be necessary to …

Opportunities For Nutrient Recovery From Post-Digestion Sludge Handling: Analysis And Feasibility Study Using Municipal Scale Aerobic And Anaerobic Digesters, David Starman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The wastewater treatment process has developed with the primary goals of protecting receiving water ecosystems and human health. Over time, there have been continuous innovations in process efficiencies, energy recovery, and nutrient removal. Wastewater offers opportunity for recovery of resources of various economic values, and recent research aims at process innovation to optimize resource recovery while still achieving the primary goals of the treatment process. The objective of this study is to assess the logistical and economic feasibility of recovery of nitrogen and phosphorus at two municipal treatment plants in the Tampa Bay area, one employing aerobic digestion and the …

Sequential Afterglow Processing And Non-Contact Corona-Kelvin Metrology Of 4h-Sic, Eugene L. Short Iii

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a wide band-gap semiconductor with advantageous electrical and thermal properties making it attractive for high temperature and power applications. However, difficulties with oxide/SiC structures have posed challenges to the development of practical MOS-type devices. Surface conditioning and oxidation of 4H-SiC were investigated using a novel sequential afterglow processing approach combined with the unique capabilities of non-contact corona-Kelvin metrology. The use of remote plasma assisted thermal oxidation facilitated film growth at low temperature and pressure with the flexibility of sequential in-situ processing options including pre-oxidation surface conditioning. Corona-Kelvin metrology (C-KM) provided a fast, non-destructive method for electrical …

The Florida Education Finance Program From 1981 To 2009: A Historical Review And Equity Analysis, Curtis Todd Bowden

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In 1973, the state of Florida implemented the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP). The program was developed to distribute available funds to public school districts in a more equitable manner than the Minimum Foundation Plan it replaced. Almost immediately, the Florida Education Finance Program came under attack as less equitable and unnecessarily complex.

The Florida Education Finance Program provides funding to local school districts based on the number students and the types of educational programs in which they are enrolled. Through a system of program cost factors and district cost differentials the Florida Education Finance Program adjusts for the type …

An Inconsistency-Based Approach For Sensing Assessment In Unknown Environments, Jennifer Diane Gage

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

While exploring an unknown environment, an intelligent agent has only its sensors to guide its actions. Each sensor's ability to provide accurate information depends on the environment's characteristics. If the agent does not know these characteristics, how can it determine which sensors to rely on? This problem is exacerbated by sensing anomalies: cases where sensor(s) are working but the readings lead to an incorrect interpretation of the environment, e.g. laser sensors cannot detect glass. This work addresses the following research question: Can an inconsistency-based sensing accuracy indicator, which relies solely on fused sensor readings, be used to detect and …

Increasing Medicaid Dollars Billed For Services By School Psychologists Using A Performance Improvement Package, Megan M. Hybza

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Organization Behavior Management (OBM) is a subfield within the discipline of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) involving the application of ABA principles and practices to organizational settings. One successful intervention used in OBM is the implementation of a performance improvement package. This approach has proven to be an effective problem solving strategy in a variety of settings, based on effective components such as goal-setting, prompting, and feedback. In this endeavor a performance improvement package was applied within an educational setting. In this school district, school psychologists are required to complete documentation for Medicaid reimbursement to the district, but were inconsistent in …

Evaluation Of Advanced Materials To Protect Against Fall-Related Head Injuries, Michael V. Kerrigan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Falls among the elderly population continue to be a growing concern in the healthcare industry and are marked by staggeringly high social and economic costs. The incidence of falls is known to increase with age, and currently the elderly population is growing at an astounding rate as baby-boomers are now entering this age group. Also, recovery following fall-related injuries decreases with increased age. These confounding factors currently make falls a very important area of research. Of the injuries typically seen in falls among the elderly, head injuries are one of the most debilitating. Death due to head trauma among the …

Software Automation For Measurement-Based Behavioral Models Of Microwave, Daniel Sosa Martin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents a study and implementation of several measurement procedures used to efficiently generate non-linear measurement-based behavioral models primary for microwave amplifiers. Behavioral models are a solution for representing devices that can present linear and/or non-linear behavior when little or no information about the internal structure is known. Measurement-based behavioral models are an advantage since they can be extracted from a direct measurement of the device. This work addresses some of the challenges of these types of measurements. A set of software modules has been produced that combine several modern techniques to efficiently generate practical models using equipment commonly …

Robots Without Faces: Non-Verbal Social Human-Robot Interaction, Cindy L. Bethel

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Non-facial and non-verbal methods of affective expression are essential for naturalistic social interaction in robots that are designed to be functional and lack expressive faces (appearance-constrained)such as those used in search and rescue, law enforcement, and military applications. This research identifies five main methods of non-facial and non-verbal affective expression (body movement, posture, orientation, color, and sound). From the psychology, computer science, and robotics literature a set of prescriptive recommendations was distilled for the appropriate non-facial and non-verbal affective expression methods for each of three proximity zones of interest(intimate: contact - 0.46 m, personal: 0.46 - 1.22 m, and social: …

Nanocrystalline Diamond For Rf Mems Applications, Srinath Balachandran

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) due its outstanding thermal, mechanical and tribological properties is an ideal candidate for MEMS/NEMS devices. NCD offers the possibility to increase the reliability and life time of RF-MEMS switches and by mitigating the problems of stiction, charge trapping, surface wear and cold welding found in traditional all metal MEMS devices.

In this work, nanocrystalline diamond cantilever beams and bridges have been fabricated on a low resistive silicon substrate by using standard micromachining techniques. The diamond structures are then integrated onto alumina and aluminium nitride substrates upon which microwave transmission lines in the microstrip and coplanar waveguide (CPW) …

Evaluation Of The First Year Of A Statewide Problem Solving/Response To Intervention Initiative: Preliminary Findings, Jose Michael Castillo Educational Specialist

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This program evaluation study examined the relationship between Problem Solving/Response to Intervention (PS/RtI) training and technical assistance and educator and implementation outcomes following the first year of a 3-year project. Educators from 40 pilot schools in eight districts participating in the study received ongoing professional development targeting the rationale for the initiative, systems change issues, and the steps of the PS/RtI model. Data on educator beliefs, educator perceived and demonstrated PS/RtI skills, and PS/RtI implementation were collected throughout the year from the 40 pilot schools as well as 33 comparison schools. To examine the relationships between PS/RtI training and technical …

Blogs: Balanced Local And Global Search For Non-Degenerate Two View Epipolar Geometry, Aveek Shankar Brahmachari

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The problem of epipolar geometry estimation together with correspondence establishment in case of wide baseline and large scale changes and rotation has been addressed in this work. This work deals with cases that are heavily noised by outliers. The jump diffusion MCMC method has been employed to search for the non-degenerate epipolar geometry with the highest probabilistic support of putative correspondences. At the same time, inliers in the putative set are also identified. The jump steps involve large movements guided by a distribution of similarity based priors while diffusion steps are small movements guided by a distribution of likelihoods given …

Lived Experience: Diverse Perspectives On Raising A Child With Autism, Heather J. Brace

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examines the lived experience of culturally diverse caregivers to children with ASD. The study is situated within the theoretical framework of the life-course theory. Specifically, the impact of the transition of diagnosis on the trajectory of the primary caregiver's life-course is explored. Further, coping mechanisms, caregiver burden/satisfaction, diagnosis, and other components which contribute to the larger construct of lived experience are discussed. Participant stories were obtained through the use of interactive interviewing techniques and transcripts were transformed into a cohesive narrative designed to evoke emotion within the reader while preserving the authenticity of the data. Further, the …

Cephalopods Of The Broad Caribbean: Distribution, Abundance, And Ecological Importance, Heather L. Judkins

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Broad Caribbean region is defined as the Gulf of Mexico, and the coastal and marine areas of the Caribbean Sea, including the chain of islands forming the Greater and Lesser Antilles, Turks and Caicos, the Bahamas, and the gulf coasts of the United States, Central and South America (Stanley, 1995). The cephalopods of the Broad Caribbean were examined in terms of distribution, abundance, and ecological importance. A suite of 5190 preserved cephalopod specimens were identified and catalogued to produce regional maps of cephalopod distribution within the Broad Caribbean. Eighteen range extensions were noted for known species. Regional species richness …

A Family „Affear‟: Three Generations Of Agoraphobics, Sherri Elizabeth Green B.A.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

My thesis explores the disabling condition agoraphobia with panic disorder across the life spans of three individuals who are related: 63 year old Grandmother, her daughter - 43 year old Mother, and her grandson - 23 year old Son. As their life stories are told, glimpses of experienced stigma, emotional management, creation of identities, and coping mechanisms are revealed. These are analyzed using the sociological theories of Goffman, Ellis, Cahill, and Davidson. The notion of nature versus nurture is most apparent in Son's story which details the effects of growing up with Grandmother's severe agoraphobic episodes. While each individual does …

Magnetization Dynamics And Interparticle Interactions In Ferrofluids And Nanostructures, Marienette B. Morales

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nanoparticle assemblies are of current interest as they are used in a wide variety of industrial and biomedical applications. This work presents two studies aimed at understanding the magnetization dynamics and interparticle interactions in nanoparticle assemblies and various types of ferrofluids. First, we studied the influence of varying strengths of dipolar interaction on the static and dynamic magnetic properties of surfactant-coated monodispersed manganese-zinc ferrite nanoparticles using reversible transverse susceptibility. We tracked the evolution of the anisotropy peaks with varying magnetic field, temperature, and interaction strength. The anisotropy peaks of weakly interacting particles appears as non-symmetric peaks and at lower fields …

Automatic Red Tide Detection Using Modis Satellite Images, Wijian Cheng

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Red tides pose a significant economic and environmental threat in the Gulf of Mexico. Detecting red tide is important for understanding this phenomenon. In this thesis, machine learning approaches based on Random Forests, Support Vector Machines and K-Nearest Neighbors have been evaluated for red tide detection from MODIS satellite images. Detection results using machine learning algorithms were compared to ship collected ground truth red tide data. This work has three major contributions. First, machine learning approaches outperformed two of the latest thresholding red tide detection algorithms based on bio-optical characterization by more than 10% in terms of F measure and …

Identification And Characterization Of Mitochondrial Genome Concatemers In Aids-Associated Lymphomas And Lymphoma Cell Lines, Felipe Bedoya

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite recent advances in the understanding of the molecular bases of hematological malignancies, the specific mechanisms on how they originate and why some subtypes are more prevalent than others still remain to be elucidated. These two important aspects have been even more difficult to analyze when dealing with individuals under immune suppression because other factors must be considered. Questions still remain as to why individuals with AIDS tend to develop lymphoproliferative disorders differently from those observed in individuals under iatrogenic immunosuppressive therapy. Most of lymphomas occurring in transplant recipients are B-cell neoplasias typically associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. In …

Public Service Television Policy And National Development In Morocco, Bouziane Zaid

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Like many developing countries, and for many years, Morocco has sought the help of television to disseminate development ideas to its citizens. The Moroccan government has recently given policy considerations to regulate the use of television and radio airwaves as important outside sources for promoting its development objectives. The newly assigned importance of television in Moroccan developmental policies makes a study on the relationship between television and development interesting and crucial. This study investigates the extent to which the Moroccan public service television meets the challenges of effectively contributing to the development objectives of the nation. It focuses on the …

An Evaluation Of Peer Mediated Social Skills Training For A Child With Asperger’S Syndrome And Peers, Kristin Fowler

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A lack of social skills is a major deficit for children with autism spectrum disorders and related disabilities. Peer mediated social skills training is an effective method to increase social skills for these children. The present study evaluated the use of two peer-mediated intervention procedures in promoting social interaction skills of a child with Asperger's syndrome and his three typical peers, in the context of an inclusive elementary classroom. A multiple baseline design across peers was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions. A multiple probe design was used to evaluate the generalization and collateral effects of the intervention …

An Exploratory Study Of The Use Of Imagery By Vocal Professionals: Applications Of A Sport Psychology Framework, Patricia Louise Bowes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the use of imagery in vocal professionals' efforts to achieve optimal performance based on research from sport psychology. The four Ws of imagery use: where, when, what, and why have been applied to this study from the fields of athletics (Munroe, Giacobbi, Hall, & Weinberg, 2000) and dance (Nordin & Cumming, 2005). These were adopted after many years of research in athletic performance excellence, with particular reference to the Analytic Framework of the Cognitive and Motivational Functions of Imagery (Paivio, 1985; Hall, Mack, Paivio, & Hausenblas, 1998). This theoretical framework …

Evaluating The Effects Of Exergaming On Physical Activity Among Inactive Children In A Physical Education Classroom, Victoria A. Fogel

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Childhood obesity is a serious concern that requires the attention of the behavioral community. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2007) recommends that children engage in physical activity for 60 minutes per day. Children spend the majority of their day in school, making school an ideal environment to increase the opportunity for physical activity. Simple, straightforward interventions that can be applied in the school setting, which take into consideration the environment and focus on maintenance by making the process of engaging in physical activity reinforcing, are greatly needed. Video games have been noted in the literature as a …