American Studies Commons^™

Globalization: The Relationship Between The State And The Economy, Michael Mena

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Many people agree that we live in a changing world. It is a world transformed by globalization. I propose that changes in state policies have led to a change from an international economy to a global economy, thereby contributing to the emergence of contemporary globalization. Changes in state power/authority and policies have affected the overall economy. These changes have caused the economy to transform from a national economy to a global economy.

I test the hypothesis through a case study of Guatemala's Economy. The time period for this study is from 1982 to 2002. The economy of Guatemala is comprised …

A Comparison Of Weekend And Weekday Travel Behavior Characteristics In Urban Areas, Ashish Agarwal

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Travel demand analysis has traditionally focused on exploring and modeling travel behavior on weekdays. This emphasis on weekday travel behavior analysis was largely motivated by the presence of well-defined peak periods, primarily associated with the journey to and from work. Most travel demand models are based on weekday travel characteristics and purport to estimate traffic volumes for daily or peak weekday conditions. Much of the planning and policy making that occurs in transportation arena in response to weekday travel behavior and forecasts.

More recently, there had been a growing interest in exploring, understanding, and quantifying weekend travel characteristics. The ability …

The Effects Of Computer Simulation And Learning Styles On Emergency Vehicle Drivers’ Competency In Training Course, Jeffrey T. Lindsey

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The number of accidents over the past decade involving emergency vehicles is a major concern for emergency service providers. This study assessed the effectiveness of adding a driving simulator to a traditional training program. Potential relationships with students' learning styles using Gregorc Mind Style Delineator were also examined.

The general research design consisted of a quantitative portion (quasi-experimental) and a qualitative portion (phenomenological). The sample population consisted of Emergency Medical Technician students attending the National EMS Academy in Lafayette, LA. The didactic session was conducted first with 102 participants in attendance. The driving portion was conducted over five days. The …

Photosynthesis And Respiration In Five Species Of Benthic Foraminifera That Host Algal Symbionts, Robert A. Walker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Oxygen production and consumption were measured in five species of benthic foraminifers using a "Clark-type" oxygen electrode. Net photosynthesis and respiration were calculated and normalized to both μg Chl a and mm² upper surface area for the chlorophyte-bearing soritid foraminifers, Archaias angulatus and Cyclorbiculina compressa, and the diatom-bearing amphisteginids, Amphistegina gibbosa, A. lessonii and A. radiata. Photosynthesis/Irradiance curves were generated by fitting data to the hyperbolic tangent equation P = P_max tanh (α I/ P_max). Derived photosynthetic parameters, P_max, α, I_k were found to correspond to the general responses of …

Design, Fabrication And Characterization Of Thin-Film M-I-M Diodes For Rectenna Array, Subramanian Krishnan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A Metal-Insulator-Metal (MIM) diode is a high frequency device used for energy harvesting purpose in the RECTENNA. The main objective of this thesis work is to design, fabricate and characterize a thin-film MIM diode. A key issue associated in this research work is the development MIM diode with nanometer thin insulator region. The reason for the development of MIM diode is to rectify a wide spectrum of AC signal to usable DC power. In this thesis work, a planar MIM diode with Aluminum/Aluminum-Oxide/Gold has been fabricated. The thickness of the insulator region obtained was about 3nm. The Metal and insulator …

The Influence Of Amyloid-Beta, A Major Pathological Marker In Alzheimer's Disease, On Molecular Cognitive Processes Of App+Ps1 Transgenic Mice, Chad Anthony Dickey

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by anterograde amnesia followed by a progressive decline in cognitive function. Post mortem examination of forebrain tissue from sufferers reveals the presence of extracellular amyloid-beta plaques, intracellular neurofibrillary tangles, activation of glial cells and massive neuron loss. Transgenic mice expressing mutated forms of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilin-1 (PS1) genes develop neuritic amyloid plaques, glial cell activation and memory deficits, without the formation of intracellular tangles and neurodegeneration.

The mechanisms by which these transgenic mice develop mnemonic deficiencies are unclear. Gene expression of aged memory-deficient APP+PS1 mice compared with non-transgenic littermates measured by …

Perceptions From The Principals’ Desks: African American Elementary Principals And Reading Curriculum And Instruction In A Central Florida County, Keva Latrice Mitchell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This was a collective case study of African American elementary principals in a central Florida county. The study intended to discover through qualitative means, African American elementary principals perceptions of reading curriculum and instruction. More specifically, the study was concerned with discovering and presenting the attitudes, experiences,and beliefs of this specific population of leaders. The African American principal has the unique perception of one who has grown-up and been educated in the midst of the European American dominated system of education, thus making their perceptions of reading curriculum and instruction relevant to gaining additional knowledge in the area of literacy …

What Faculty Know About Designing Online Materials In Compliance With Current U.S. Copyright And Fair Use Laws, Phyllis C. Sweeney

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Digital technology has vastly increased the ability of individuals to copy, produce and distribute information, making the behavior of individuals a far more significant factor in the enforcement of copyright and fair use laws than in the past. This research investigates the resources used by university faculty and their knowledge of fair use regarding web-based course materials. Specifically, the research A) identifies prevailing trends in faculty use of resource materials in the development of web-based courses including digital images, text, video and sound; B) determines how faculty members have gained and applied their fair use knowledge; and C) interprets any …

Studies In Rhodium Catalyzed Intramolecular C-H Insertion Of Amino Acid Derived Α-Diazo-Α-(Substituted)Acetamides And Its Application To The Total Synthesis Of Clasto-Lactacystin Β-Lactone, David L. Flanigan Jr.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Lactacystin is a microbial metabolite isolated by Omura that exhibits neurotrophic activity in neuroblastoma cell lines. Lactacystin and especially its β-lactone analog are the first examples of non-polypeptide small molecules capable of specifically inhibiting the 20S proteasome. Various asymmetric total syntheses of lactacystin and its analogs have been reported. The total synthesis of clasto -lactacystin β-lactone is achieved using L-serine methyl ester as the starting material and the sole source of stereochemical induction. The success of this synthesis hinges on two featured transformations. The first key step involves formation of the γ -lactam core via rhodium (II) catalyzed intramolecular C-H …

The Organization Of The Visual System In The Bonnethead Shark (Sphyrna Tiburo), Amy L. Osmon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this project was to examine the visual system of the bonnethead shark (Sphyrna tiburo). The eyes of this shark are located at the extreme lateral ends of a broad, elongated cephalofoil. Better understanding of their visual system may aid in determining the adaptive benefits of their usual head shape. The proposed project examined one specific aspect of their visual system: the organization of retinal ganglion cells and identification of areas of increased resolution. Two experiments were conducted to realize these aims: (1) staining of retinal ganglion cells, to examine their distributional pattern, and (2) retrograde staining of …

Biomedical And Psychosocial Determinants Of Problematic Birth Outcomes, Charlan Day Kroelinger

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the associations between psychosocial stressors, urine sugar levels, and subsequent birth outcomes, specifically high birth weight babies and Caesarean section births. In a prospective cohort study, 506 Black and White women of childbearing age were followed for the duration of one pregnancy in Tuscaloosa and Mobile counties in Alabama from 1990 to 2001. Participants were interviewed twice throughout pregnancy, during the first and third trimesters, respectively, and birth outcome data were collected via medical chart reviews. Six percent (6.1%) of the women in the sample had a high birth weight baby, …

Heavenly Venus: Mary Magdalene In Renaissance Noli Me Tangere Images, Michelle Lambert-Monteleon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mary Magdalene has fulfilled many roles since she was first mentioned in the New Testament. Some of the most popular characters she has played are as First Witness to Christ's resurrection, follower and companion of Christ, Apostle to the Apostles, penitential whore, and exemplar for Christian women. This thesis was researched and written to explore some of these personae as they appear in Renaissance images of the Noli Me Tangere scene. The Noli Me Tangere story, which describes Christ's post-resurrection appearance to Mary Magdalene, comes from the Gospel of John Chapter 20:12-15. Until the fourteenth century the Noli Me Tangere …

The Developing Nucleus Accumbens Septi: Susceptibility To Alcohol’S Effects, Rex Montgomery Philpot

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The mesolimbic dopamine (DA) system has been implicated in providing the basis of pleasure, guiding the general mechanism of reinforcement as well as motivation. Support for these roles have grown from neurochemical research in the field of addiction. It is now well known that DA activity increases in the nucleus accumbens septi (NAcc) with exposure to addictive substances. Moreover, pharmacological manipulation of this system produces predictable changes in the administration of drugs of abuse, as well as natural reinforcers. This system is responsive to natural reinforcers and addiction may be the transference of routine mesolimbic function to environmental stimuli predictive …

Antagonistic Allies: Bridging The Abyss Between Nietzsche And Democracy, Melinda Rosenberg

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the often tumultuous relationship between Friedrich Nietzsche and democracy. Nietzsche has always had an antipathy towards democracy. Nietzsche has claimed that democracy espouses a will to equality which levels the greatest men along with the most average men. For Nietzsche, his Ubermenschen must emerge from the muddle of mediocrity and similitude in order to set themselves apart from the herd. The herd is more than happy to live in a democratic society since no one will be rendered better or greater than anyone else.

I argue that Nietzsche does not realize democracy's …

The Influence Of The El Niño-Southern Oscillation On Cloud-To-Ground Lightning Activity Along The Gulf Coast Of The United States, Mark R. Lajoie

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the response of lightning to the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in the vicinity of the U.S. Gulf Coast region and nearby adjacent waters of the Gulf of Mexico, for the years 1995-2002. The Gulf Coast region was selected for this study because of its high flash density (Orville and Huffines, 2001) and because it is an area where the ENSO fingerprint is very clearly demonstrated on both temperature and precipitation patterns (CPC, 2002). Additionally, this geographic domain roughly matches the only known study on this topic (Goodman et al., 2000). Winter is the season …

A Comparative Study Of Artificial Neural Networks And Info Fuzzy Networks On Their Use In Software Testing, Deepam Agarwal

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

It is very important that the software being delivered to the user is reliable and fault free. This makes software testing one of the most important phases in the software development life cycle. The problem being faced by everyone is the time it takes to test the software, which is normally huge. An important part of the software testing process is running and evaluating test scenarios. The objective of this part is to evaluate how well the application under test conforms to its specifications. One of the ways to achieve this is to generate the test cases and make use …

A Wavelet Based Multiscale Run-By-Run Controller For Multiple Input Multiple Output (Mimo) Processes, Santosh Kothamasu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Run-by-Run (RbR) control is an online supervisory control strategy designed for the batch manufacturing industry. The objective of RbR control is to minimize process drift, shift and variability between machine runs, thereby reducing costs. The most widely used RbR controllers use the Exponentially Weighted Moving Average (EWMA) filter. However, the linear nature of the EWMA filter makes these RbR controllers inefficient for processes with features at multiple frequencies (also known as multiscale processes). Recent developments in wavelet theory have enhanced the ability to analyze events in multiscale processes. New RbR control strategies have started to emerge that incorporate wavelet analysis. …

A Stable Isotopic Examination Of Particulate Organic Matter During Karenia Brevis Blooms On The Central West Florida Shelf: Hints At Nitrogen Sources In Oligotrophic Waters, Julie Ann Havens

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Blooms of the red tide dinoflagellate Karenia brevis occur annually on the west Florida shelf. In the late summer/early fall months, background concentrations increase from 10³ cells L^-1 to excesses of 10⁶ cells L^-1. Blooms are most common between Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor, and may be maintained for months. The region’s hydrography may play a role in the initiation, maintenance and termination of blooms.

The west Florida shelf is depauperate in inorganic nutrients. Inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus rarely exceed the limits of detection, whereas dissolved organic nitrogen is often present at concentrations of 15 …

Preparation And Characterization Of Ribonucleic Acid (Rna)/Inorganic Materials Interfaces Using Photoemission Spectroscopy, Brian, Doran

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this master s thesis is the preparation and characterization of ribonucleic acid (RNA)/inorganic material interfaces by electrospray deposition and photoemission spectroscopy. This was done through investigation of the chemical and electronic structure of the surface of Highly Ordered Pyrolytic Graphite (HOPG) and gold before and after multiple steps of RNA thin film deposition by electrospray. Great interest has been shown by researchers into RNA due to its self-assembling ability. A series of experiments was conducted depositing RNA Poly adenosine, RNA Poly cytidine, and (for control purposes) DI water on HOPG. RNA Poly adenosine was also deposited on …

Florida Bay Microalgae Blooms: Physiological Characteristics And Competitive Strategies Of Bloom Forming Cyanobacteria And Diatoms Of Florida Bay, Ralph William, Richardson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Areally expansive, persistent and recurring blooms frequently dominated by cyanobacteria have developed primarily in the north-central region of Florida Bay since approximately 1991. This part of the bay has a history of the following: periodic hypersalinity, high sediment-derived turbidity, P limitation, N limitation, light limitation and long water residence time. Clonal isolates of selected dominant bloom species of cyanobacteria (Synechococcus cf. elongatus and Synechocystis sp.) and diatoms (Chaetoceros cf. salsugineus and Thalassiosira cf. oceanica) from Florida Bay were examined in an effort to explain their relative dominance of the phytoplankton community.

The following physiological characteristics and nutrient …

Social Perception And Performance, Danyel Hancock

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

When stigmatized or oppressed groups are able to protect their self-esteem by attributing a negative outcome to prejudice and/or discrimination, this has been titled "attributional ambiguity". Whereas it has been proven in many studies that attributional ambiguity does exist among the stigmatized and oppressed groups the methodological approach of these studies were bias. In these studies the evaluator(s) has always been white and/or physically able. The goal of this study was to investigate whether attributional ambiguity is utilized by any individual (stigmatized/oppressed or non-stigmatized/non-oppressed) who feels that their outcome is the result of prejudice and/or discrimination. Our methodological approach allowed …

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.