American Studies Commons^™

Time Course Of Perceptual Grouping In User Interface Displays, Melissa F. Schulz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Perceptual grouping describes the organization of small elements into larger objects. Research in user interface (UI) design has demonstrated effects of perceptual grouping on attention and navigation. However, grouping can be mediated by a variety of task factors. One such mediator is processing time. Recent discoveries in vision science suggest that elemental grouping can occur in more than one way, depending on how long elements are displayed. These findings have led to a new understanding of perceptual organization of elements in real-world spatial environments. However,these findings had not been explored within the context of UI environments. Time limits to UI …

Proposal For: “University Of South Florida Pinellas County Hearing And Speech Center – Usf-Pchsc”, Mary J. Francis B.A.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The University of South Florida Pinellas County Hearing and Speech Center (USF-PCHSC) is a nonprofit 501 (C) 3 organization that will offer comprehensive audiology and speech-language pathology services to people of all ages. USF-PCHSC is a facility founded by The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders of the University of South Florida, with Dr. Arthur M. Guilford as chairman. Researchers have determined that hearing loss is one of the three most prevalent medical conditions in the United States, affecting more than 28 million people over the age of sixty-five (Martin and Clark, 2002). According to yellowpages.com there are twenty-five hearing …

Molecular Mechanism Of Vitamin D Action And Its Implications In Ovarian Cancer Prevention And Therapy, Feng Jiang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25VD), the active form of vitamin D (VD), suppresses the growth of numerous human cancer cell lines by inhibiting cell cycle progression and inducing cell death. Genes that mediate each of these activities remain largely unidentified and there are no preclinical data for 1,25VD analogues in ovarian cancer (OCa). We hypothesize that 1,25VD and its analogues inhibit the development of OCa. In this study, we demonstrated, (a) 1,25VD causes cell cycle arrest at the G1/S and G2/M transition and induces apoptosis in OCa cells. (b) We also found that gadd45 is one of primary target genes for 1,25VD-mediated …

Operational Evaluation Of Right Turns Followed By U-Turns At Signalized Intersections As An Alternative To Direct Left Turns, Jingjing Fan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Direct left turn (DLT) movements have a lot safety and operation problems. They increase conflicts, delay and reduce capacity of the roadway. Increasing, many states and transportation agencies are considering using right-turns followed by u-turns as an alternative to direct left turns. Recently, Florida state are planning to close median openings in order to reduce the safety and operational problems caused by DLT. The left-turn egress movement would then to be made by turning right to the arterial road and then making a u-turn at an available downstream median opening or a signalized intersection. FDOT sponsored a project in 2001 …

The Impact Of Fidelity On Program Quality In The Healthy Families America Program, Stacey R. Kessler

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined the relationship between program fidelity, or adherence to the program model, and program outcomes using the Healthy Family America Program Model. Specifically, 103 program sites were evaluated based on their adherence to the program model. The outcome indices included the percentage of children with updated immunizations and the percentage of children with primary care physicians. First order correlations, multiple regression, and canonical correlation were used to analyze the data. The results of the study are mixed. Specifically, an overall index of fidelity is positively related the percentage of children with updated immunizations, but not to the …

Crystal Engineering Of Metal-Carboxylate Based Coordination Polymers, Jianjiang Lu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation endeavors to delineate practical paradigms for crystal engineering based upon the understanding of supramolecular chemistry and self-assembly, i.e. the design and synthesis of novel functional crystalline materials.

Two basic metal-organic building units, Zn(RCO₂)₂(py)₂ and (L₂)M₂(RCO₂)₄ (M = Zn, Cu), as well as nano-scaled secondary building units (nSBUs) that are constructed from Cu₂(RCO₂)₄ are researched and discussed. Design strategies have been developed to propagate these metal-organic synthons into predictable coordination polymer networks. A series of crystal structures, as well as their syntheses …

African Costume For Artists: The Woodcuts In Book X Of Habiti Antichi Et Moderni Di Tutto Il Mondo, 1598, Laura Renee Herrmann

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the woodcuts of African dress in Cesare Vecellio's 1598 costume book Habiti antichi et moderni di tutto il mondo. While Vecellio's book has been previously studied to understand its contribution to sixteenth-century conceptions of human variation across geography and Venetian identity making, I concentrate instead on the book's intended function. In doing so, I show how its woodcuts of Africans, should be understood primarily as proposals for costumes to be used in new artistic productions.

Vecellio situated his representations of African costume in a highly organized geographic framework that was shaped by travel narratives. These texts …

Twilight, Britzél Vásquez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

My thesis work and exhibition concerns bicultural issues dealing with gender roles, cultural identity, and class.

Procession: The Celebration Of Birth And Continuity, I Made Jodog

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The procession is an exhibition of sculpture which expresses the birth and continuity of life. It uses mixed material such as cloting, balloon, latex, epoxy, nylon and oil paint. The writen project is part of the exhibition.

An Exploration Of The Relationship Between Mode Choice And Complexity Of Trip Chaining Patterns, Xin Ye

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the relationship between mode choice and the complexity of trip chaining patterns. An understanding of the causality between these two choice behaviors may aid in the development of tour-based travel demand modeling systems that attempt to incorporate models of trip chaining and mode choice. The relationship between these two aspects of travel behavior is represented in this thesis by considering three different causal structures: one structure in which the trip chaining pattern is determined first and influences mode choice, another structure in which mode choice is determined first and influences the complexity of the trip chaining pattern, …

Ensenada, Julia Dearriba-Montgomery

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ensenada is a multi-media installation containing video,natural materials, and sound. This installation was located in the Bustillo Cigar Factory, in historic West Tampa. The exhibition explored issues of history, mapping, and cultural myth-making while also presenting a world in which life and death are connected. The artist utilized sugar sculptures, twine, spanish moss, video and sound to explore these themes. The written project for this installation contained stories and memories of the artist that reflected the ideas presented in the exhibition.

Sf-Sack: A Smooth Friendly Tcp Protocol For Streaming Multimedia Applications, Sivakumar Bakthavachalu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Voice over IP and video applications continue to increase the amount of traffic over the Internet. These applications utilize the UDP protocol because TCP is not suitable for streaming applications. The flow and congestion control mechanisms of TCP can change the connection transmission rate too drastically, affecting the user-perceived quality of the transmission. Also, the TCP protocol provides a level of reliability that may waste network resources, retransmitting packets that have no value. On the other hand, the use of end-to-end flow and congestion control mechanisms for streaming applications has been acknowledged as an important measure to ease or eliminate …

A Program Evaluation Of A Support Group For Children With Sickle Cell Disease, Rachel M. Cohen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Children with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) face medical, psychosocial, and cognitive challenges, which may impede their social and academic functioning. These complications can be lessened through the implementation of comprehensive interventions. This study reviews one comprehensive intervention, a support group, for children with SCD and their families, and reviews the challenges faced by the children and family who participate in the support group as well as those who do not participate. The study has a mixed-method design because the families participated in focus groups, and they completed quantitative instruments, including a knowledge survey, a behavior rating scale, and an instrument …

Mapping A Generation: Oral History Research In Sulphur Springs, Fl, Connie J. Brown

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an analysis of the pros and cons of doing ethnographic and oral history research with elders. The subjects are women born before 1933 and residing in Sulphur Springs, Florida for most of their adolescence and adult lives. They were selected from attendees of the semiannual reunion of students who attended the Sulphur Springs School during the years it served both elementary and junior high.

This method of research, with an elder population presents specific challenges and rewards. The pros and cons of such research are discussed within the context of doing ethnography of Sulphur Springs from the …

Effects Of Age And Stimulus Frequency On Gap Discrimination, Alan Carlton

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Deficits in temporal resolution may be one element underlying the speech understanding difficulties experienced by older listeners in degraded acoustic environments. In real listening environments, important temporal cues are surrounded by stimuli of varying frequencies. This study was designed to assess temporal resolution as a function of frequency region, frequency-disparity, and age in listeners with normal hearing.

Design: Gap duration difference limens (GDDLs) were measured using leading and trailing markers that were fixed at the same frequency (fixed-frequency) or at frequencies one-half octave apart (frequency-disparate) for two groups of listeners with normal hearing: (1) 18-22 years and …

A Structural Equation Analysis Of Florida Journey To Work Characteristics Using Aggregate Census 2000 Data, Srikalyan Challa

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The need for a better understanding of journey to work behavior has never before been so important. Many transportation corridors are functioning at unacceptable levels of service and many at times to their capacity. This phenomenon is more pronounced during peak period when majority of the population is making their work trip. This research builds on the recent developments in structural equations modeling technique for identifying the socio-demographic influences on the commute behavior of the population in Florida.

Towards this purpose a series of five structural equations models are estimated using aggregate level data from Census 2000. Each of these …

Auditory Sensitivity Of Sergeant Majors (Abudefduf Saxatilis) From Post-Settlement Juvenile To Adult, Sarah A. Egner

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is much evidence supporting the idea that pelagic larvae of coral reef fishes are active participants in their dispersal and return to a reef, however, the mechanisms used to navigate are still uncertain. It has been proposed that sensory cues, such as hearing, play a role. Sound is a potentially important cue for organisms in marine environments, especially in noisy environments like coral reefs. Sensory organs, including otolithic organs, of most coral reef fish form within the first few days of life. The auditory brainstem response (ABR) technique was used to measure hearing on a wide size range of …

Biological Indicators Of Wetland Health: Comparing Qualitative And Quantitative Vegetation Measures With Anuran Measures, Shannon M. Gonzalez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Understanding wetland responses to human perturbations is essential to the effective management of Florida's surface and ground water resources. Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) Rules (Chapter 40D-2.301(c) FAC) prohibit adverse environmental effects to wetlands, fish and wildlife caused by groundwater withdrawal. Numerous studies have documented the responses of biological attributes across taxa and regions to human disturbance. Biological assessment can provide information about ecological condition. Based on long-term monitoring conducted by the SWFWMD, the anthropogenic changes observed on the Starkey Wellfield are attributed to groundwater withdrawal.

Biological indicators are species, species assemblages, or communities whose presence, abundance, and condition …

The Artist And Her Muse: A Romantic Tragedy About A Mediocre And Narcissistic Painter Named Rachel Hoffman, Rachel Gavronsky Hoffman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Imagine a theater. Build one in your mind. I do not care if it is the largest theater in the universe or if it is the size of a shoebox. The theater can be an elaborate construction with gilded cherubs and priceless jewels. If you would prefer the theater to be a minimal design, imagine it that way. Maybe the theater is made out of glass or crystal. You can be all alone in the theater or maybe you are seated next to an alien, a cave man, or a robot.

As the curtain rises an enormous pipe organ is …

Effects Of Gloves And Visual Acuity On Dexterity, Mehdi Pourmoghani

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Work in many environments with chemical or biological agents requires the use of personal protective equipment such as gloves and respirators. It is well established that glove thickness affects finger dexterity. There is further evidence that visual constraints (e.g., visual acuity) and gender may also impede finger dexterity. Therefore, the personal protection may place a barrier to the agent, but performance or productivity will decrease. The purpose of this study is to examine the potential effects of gloves and visual acuity as well as gender and first order interactions on task performance using standard dexterity tests.

Five men and five …

Discovering The Source Of Gatsby’S Greatness: Nick’S Eulogy Of A “Great” Kierkegaardian Knight, Jaime' L. Sanders

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby has received extensive critical attention since the middle of the century, there remains an unaddressed and unanswered question that demands further exploration: what makes Gatsby "great?" It seems that the source of Gatsby's greatness, for narrator Nick Carraway, is that Gatsby has a quality that sets him apart from others: it is not a "flabby impressionability," but a "heightened sensitivity to the promises of life" and "an extraordinary gift for hope" that Nick has never seen before, nor does he expect to see again (6). I contend that what Nick sees as Gatsby's …

Sourcing Of Marble Used In Mosaics At Antioch (Turkey), Marie Jeanette Archambeault

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Artifacts made of durable materials, such as stone, can provide valuable clues to reconstruct the past. Marble sourcing, in particular,provides information about contact, trade, and other activities in the greater Mediterranean area. The Worcester Art Museum of Massachusetts (WAM) initiated a provenance study by requesting that an analysis of several marble artifacts occur at the University of South Florida's Archaeological Science Laboratory. The 55 marble samples used in this study are from the Worcester Art Museum's collection of Antioch mosaics. Positive results might reveal: 1) preferred sources of tesserae, 2) information about trade of specialized stone, 3) changes in preferred …

An Examination Of A Three-Dimensional Automated Firearms Evidence Comparison System, Natalie G. Carpenter

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an examination of a firearm identification system that creates a three-dimensional image of a bullet in order to record the depth and length of striations occurring along the bullet's surface. Ballistics evidence is an area of forensics in great need of further development. The advent of more sophisticated firearms such as semi-automatic and automatic weapons has increased the need for a matching system that connects bullets found at crime scenes with suspect guns. In the past, control bullets matching ones found at the crime scene have been test fired and then examined by a comparison microscope for …

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 …