American Studies Commons^™

What’S That Racket? Experiencing Racquet Sports (And Handball) And An Analysis Of Their Trends And Appealing Factors, Christian Dean L. Faral

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

The Unsung Heroes Of College Basketball: A Closer Look At The University Of South Florida Men’S Basketball Team, Jared Brantley

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

There is very little research or information in regards to men’s college basketball staff positions. This study will focus on five positions on the University of South Florida men’s basketball team and explain what they do and whether it is necessary to the functioning of the basketball team. As a member of the University of South Florida men’s basketball team, I will work alongside these five positions and note their responsibilities and the amount of work that goes into upholding those responsibilities. I will also conduct an interview with each position as to gain any additional information that may add …

Comparative Analysis Research Of Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy, Jonathan Barlaan, Huy Nguyen

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

Introduction: The goal of laparoscopic prostatectomy is to excise the cancer completely, provide good urinary continence post-operatively, and maintain the ability to have erections after the surgery, if present prior to surgery. Robotic assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy is a procedure performed with the assistance of a surgical robot that provides improved magnified vision in order to help achieve these goals while minimizing surgical incisions. With experience in performing this type of procedure, surgical doctors should be able to reduce operating time, blood loss, and margin error.

Methods: We reviewed the records of 200 patients who underwent treatment between July 2008 and …

Comparing And Contrasting Expressionism, Abstract, And Pop Art, William Johnson

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Barrel Length On The Muzzle Velocity And Report From A Mosin-Nagant 7.62x54r Rifle, Brandon Louis Clark

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

The present paper describes an experimental study into the effects of barrel length for the Mosin Nagant 7.62x54R rifle. The parameters investigated were primarily the muzzle velocity and quality of sound produced i.e. report. The original barrel length of 28.75 inches was reduced to a final length of 16.75 inches in two inch increments. At each barrel length a digital chronograph was utilized to measure projectile velocity approximately ten feet downrange, while the sound profile was recorded via a microphone and audio software on a laptop computer. Testing took place in a single day, outdoors in a rural location in …

Putting The Puzzle Together: Factors Related To Emotional Well-Being In Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Olivia F. Macdonald

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

Autism spectrum disorders now affect 1 in 110 children. Thus, thousands of families are facing the unique challenges associated with raising a child with an ASD. The purpose of the current study was to investigate how parental well-being relates to coping strategies, social support, and isolation. Mothers and fathers were recruited through the email lists of autism organizations, and 221 parents completed an anonymous, online survey. A decrease in reported feelings of anxiety and depression with greater use of social support supported the literature on the beneficial role it has on emotional well-being. Analyses also suggested that informal sources of …

The Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behaviors Of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual And Transgender University Of South Florida (Usf) Students Concerning Human Papillomavirus (Hpv) And The Hpv Vaccine, Andrea E. Larson

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases and can cause several types of cancer, including cervical and anal cancer. The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) population is an often overlooked subgroup at risk for HPV. The purpose of this research was to describe LGBT college students‟ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors pertaining to HPV and the HPV vaccine. An online survey consisting of 54 items was created and sent to members of an organization consisting primarily of LGBT students at the University of South Florida. A total of 155 students completed the survey. Several major …

An Examination Of The Mind-Body Coordination Of Vocal Technique, Justina Mathew

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

This paper seeks to review the principles of vocal technique as seen from both an artistic and scientific standpoint and ultimately connect these two seemingly incompatible entities. This paper also seeks to review the application of physics to singing; specifically, enhanced coordination between the neural center of the body – the brain – in distinct cortical areas with extremely complex musculature and associated vocal tissues necessary for the production of musical notes. Biophysical modeling can be used to study these intricate processes vis-à-vis the relationship between certain variables such as tract air pressures and the gradients required for song. Such …

The Pronoun Problem: Possible Changes In The Use Of Epicene Pronouns, Brittany Norton

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

The Civil Engineering Balancing Act, Elena M. Rodriguez

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

The capstone design project for the civil engineering students at the University of South Florida involved designing a replacement bridge for the current Anna Maria Island Bridge in Anna Maria, Florida. The new bridge would replace the current low-level, two-lane drawbridge with a high-level fixed bridge. As part of a group of learning engineers, the task at hand was to develop an economically optimal design proposal and then carry this design to a refined stage. However, it is a common misconception among the members of society that designing is the civil engineer’s only obligation to a project. In order to …

The Slap Tear: A Modern Baseball Focus, Jonathan Koscso

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

New Haven Dialect The Linguistic Impact Of Southern Italian Immigrants In Connecticut, Andrew Gargano

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

This thesis will focus primarily on the dialect which exists in New Haven, Connecticut. In order to identify the features specific to this dialect, the standard American English vernacular, General American, will first be outlined so that the distinct differences between the two can be clearly identified. In addition, this thesis will also attempt to explain the rationale behind what has caused the specific features of this dialect to occur. The main reason of this is believed to be the strong im-pact which Italian immigrants in the New Haven area have had on the language over time. Therefore, the characteristics …

Improving Cost Efficiencies Related To The Discharge Policy: An Analysis Of The Retail Pharmacy At Moffitt Cancer Center And Research Institute, Seth Richards

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Intimate Partner Violence And Alcohol Abuse In The Indigenous Populations Of Panamá, Addie K. Cant, Sarah E. Pheiffer

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

Indigenous communities in the Chiriqui province of Panamá, Central America, the Ngöbe and Buglé tribes, identified a growing problem with alcohol abuse and intimate partner violence (IPV). The College of Nursing at the University of South Florida was invited to conduct research to determine the extent of the problem and to assist with community intervention development. A descriptive correlational study adapting an interview-style survey from the 2005 World Health Organization‟s “Multi-country study on women’s health and domestic violence against women: Summary report of initial results on prevalence, health outcomes and women’s responses” was conducted to provide baseline research that identifies …

Brain Plasticity Influencing Phantom Limb And Prosthetics, Heather Scott

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Intimate Partner Violence And Alcohol Abuse In Panama: A Comparison Of Indigenous And Non-Indigenous Population, Sarah Pheiffer

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Unspoken Moons, Hunter Taylor

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

A Study Of Campus Recreation Usage: Developing Our Student Body Into Well-Balanced Graduates, Carson Hardy, Garrett Hellman

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Does Immune Suppression After Moderate Stressors Occur To Free Resources In The House Sparrow (Passer Domesticus)?, Alexandra Urban

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

Stressors affect immune functions, but exactly why has yet to be discerned entirely. Two non-exclusive hypotheses have been proposed to explain this phenomenon: (i) immunosuppression abates the autoimmune response to self-antigens exposed by the rigors of a stressor, and (ii) immunosuppression allows allocation of resources to functions more valuable than protection against infection during a stressful event, (e.g., physical performance augments predator evasion). In this experiment, the second hypothesis was tested in wild house sparrows (Passer domesticus) by comparing rates of change in vertical flight performance versus antibacterial capacity of blood over a six week period of captivity. I predicted …

A Retrospective And Prospective Comparison Of Hungarian Children Who Have One Or Two Episodes Of Depression, Vanessa Panaite

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Early onset depression is associated with high recurrence rates later in life. Recurrent depressive episodes during childhood may be particularly problematic, if additional episodes have a scarring effect that hinders healthy development. Distinguishing between first onsets and recurrences has been useful in understanding adult depression. This distinction has seldom been examined in pediatric depression, in part because it is difficult to enroll adequate samples of children with recurrent depression. We conducted archival analyses of carefully-diagnosed pediatric probands with depression first onset between ages of 4 and 12. Probands who reported one depressive episode (N = 435) were compared with probands …

How Technology Can Improve Oral Hygiene And Overall Health With The Use Of Electronic Toothbrushes, Alexandra Griffin

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

Purpose. To demonstrate that technology can improve oral hygiene which will contribute to improved overall health with the use of electronic toothbrushes.

Methods. This is a two part study. The first part will include 12 individuals divided into three groups with 4 persons per control group; depending on the toothbrush they use on a regular basis. The three types of toothbrushes utilized will be manual, Sonicare and Oral-B. All individuals will be examined and scored based on their level of gingival inflammation using the Silness-Loe index along with a plaque index measurement at the neck of each tooth. The second …

Aging With Independence And Interaction: An Assisted Living Community, Steven J. Flositz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As the U.S. population gets older, there is an increased need for senior housing. However, elderly housing is currently associated with dependence and isolation. There is a great disconnect from the retired community with its surrounding context. Senior housing and nursing homes are becoming more similar to miniature hospitals rather than a residential type. This negative view of nursing homes is becoming clear to the general population. In fact, most seniors fear the idea of living within an aging complex. Also, people generally avoid these places, even while visiting family. Florida is on the frontline for the effects of the …

Autonomic Emotion, Dylan Hodill

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Electrowetting Induced Cassie-Wenzel Transition On Textured Surfaces, Kenza Mouttaki

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

The electrowetting field expanded drastically during the last decade. It combines several laws and theories out of which Young's equation, Cassie law and Wenzel law. The main focus of electrowetting is the transition between a superhydrophobic state -Cassie- and a hydrophilic state -Wenzel-. This transition allows a wide range of applications such as microfluidics, lab-on-a-chip devices, chemical microreactors and management of microelectronics.

The purpose of this research is to provide a standard operational procedure for the fabrication of substrates that allow the Cassie to Wenzel transition. Theoretical equations are compared to experimental results. These substrates will be implemented in future …

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Elementary Education Teacher Candidates' Authentic Assessments And Performance On The Professional Education Subtests On The Florida Teacher Certification Exam (Ftce), Thomas Raymond Lang Ii

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

According to Wilkerson and Lang (2003, p.1) with approximately "90% of schools, colleges, and departments of education using portfolios of one form or another as decision-making tools for standards-based decisions regarding certification or licensure (as well as NCATE accreditation), it is appropriate to explore the legal and psychometric aspects of this assessment device."

This study was conducted to examine how well the authentic assessments created in the Chalk and Wire ePortfolio initiative, which was created to provide authentic assessments of the Accomplished Practices, relate to the measures in the Professional Knowledge subtests on Florida Teacher Certification Examination.

The sample …

From Start To Strike: A Lesson Plan For The Whole Theatre Experience, Kelly Crotty

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Bon Bon Appetit Business Plan, Valerie Schein

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

The Appeal Of Social Networking, Payal Arora

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Anti-Malarial Activity Exhibited By Florida Mangrove Endophytes, Jacqueline Lee Salm

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

Many organisms around the world including plants, marine organisms, and microbes release chemicals used for things such as pigment or defense against other organisms. These chemicals are known as secondary metabolites and have been found to exhibit promising activity against many infectious diseases and cancer. Natural products chemistry is the study of these secondary metabolites with one of the purposes to discover new small organic molecules for potential pharmaceutical use in the future. With parasitic diseases, such as malaria, prominent throughout the poorest regions of the world, there are great opportunities for discovering anti-malarial drugs from natural products. Approximately 250 …

A Global Assessment Of Large Scale Earthquakes: The Impact Of Mitigation And Preparation Policies On The Loss Of Human Life, Derek Hayward

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

This research examines emergency management mitigation and preparation polices in the hazard area of seismic events. With major earthquakes receiving high profile attention in the media, these events have caused widespread fear, physical damage to buildings and infrastructure and loss of life. This research evaluates the weaknesses that are currently affecting areas where earthquakes remain a constant threat. This study uses cases to provide rich description regarding several events and looks in-depth at six seismic events. Variables are sourced from the United Stated Geological Survey and show the magnitude of the earthquake and the official death and injury count for …