Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Lilliput Effect Dynamics Across The Cretaceous-Paleogene Mass Extinction: Approaches, Prevalence, And Mechanisms, Matthew Brett Jarrett

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

An organism's body size entails both physiological and ecological costs. Furthermore, as a parameter in analyzing organisms, it represents a fundamental and essential morphometric character. Reductions in size following mass extinction is a commonly observed phenomenon in the fossil record. This study examines the evolutionary significance of this phenomenon termed the: 'Lilliput Effect' by proposing that it represents a rapid evolutionary response to altered selection pressures during a mass extinction. This primary hypothesis is evaluated against two additional hypotheses of size reduction: 1) stunted growth as a response to stressed ecosystems, and/or 2) mass extinctions are size selective.

These hypotheses …

Predicting Malignant Nodules From Screening Ct Scans, Samuel Hawkins, Hua Wang, Ying Liu, Alberto Garcia, Olya Stringfield, Henry Krewer, Qiang Li, Dmitry Cherezov, Matthew Schabath, Lawrence O. Hall, Robert J. Gillies

Computer Science and Engineering Faculty Publications

Objectives

The aim of this study was to determine whether quantitative analyses (“radiomics”) of low-dose computed tomography lung cancer screening images at baseline can predict subsequent emergence of cancer.

Methods

Public data from the National Lung Screening Trial (ACRIN 6684) were assembled into two cohorts of 104 and 92 patients with screen-detected lung cancer and then matched with cohorts of 208 and 196 screening subjects with benign pulmonary nodules. Image features were extracted from each nodule and used to predict the subsequent emergence of cancer.

Results

The best models used 23 stable features in a random forests classifier and could …

Levels Of Distress Among Women Veterans Attending A Women’S Health Specialty Clinic In The Va Healthcare System, Debbie T. Devine

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Currently, between 21.9 and 23 million veterans have served in the United States armed forces. Of those, 2 million are women, and of those, only 6.5% use the Veterans Health Administration system. These females often suffer from physical and mental health disorders, and overall impaired quality of life (QOL), rendering their healthcare needs complex. Seeking, and providing care in this specialty area may become overwhelming not only for the women seeking the care, but also for healthcare systems that are unfamiliar with the specific needs of this population.

A retrospective medical records review was completed of 51 female veterans between …

The Effects Of Synthetic And Dietary Therapeutics On Learning, Memory, Motor Coordination, And Seizure In An Angelman Syndrome Mouse Model, Stephanie Lynn Ciarlone

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a rare genetic and neurological disorder presenting with severe developmental delay, ataxia, epilepsy, and lack of speech. AS is associated with a neuron-specific loss of function of the maternal UBE3A allele, a gene encoding an E3 ubiquitin ligase. Currently, no cure exists for this disorder; however, recent research using an AS mouse model suggests that pharmacological intervention is plausible, and can alleviate some of the detrimental phenotypes reported in AS patients.

Although there is no curative treatment for AS, seizure medication and behavioral therapies are most commonly prescribed in order to minimize symptoms. However, these options …

Gene Expression Profiling And The Role Of Hsf1 In Ovarian Cancer In 3d Spheroid Models, Trillitye Paullin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecological cancer, with over 200,000 women diagnosed each year and over half of those cases leading to death. These poor statistics are related to a lack of early symptoms and inadequate screening techniques. This results in the cancer going undetected until later stages when the tumor has metastasized through a process that requires the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). In lieu of traditional monolayer cell culture, EMT and cancer progression in general is best characterized through the use of 3D spheroid models. In this study, we examine gene expression changes through microarray analysis in …

Towards Computational Human Behavior Modeling For Just-In-Time Adaptive Interventions, Tylar Murray

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The advent of powerful wearable devices and smartphones has enabled a new generation of “in-the-wild” user studies, adaptive behavioral intervention strategies, and context measurement. Though numerous proof-of-concept studies continue to push the limitations of what a behavioral scientist can do with these technologies, there remains a major methodological roadblock separating behavioral theory and application. Avatar-user interaction theory, for example, is not well defined in its formulation, and thus guidelines for intervention designers depend on heuristic methods and designer intuition. Computational modeling has been slow to move into behavioral science in general, but a growing population of behavioral scientists recognize this …

The Debt Burden Of Entry-Level Physical Therapists In Florida, Steven Benton Ambler

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite the education, autonomy, and high demand for physical therapists both nationally and in Florida, recent graduates have seen steadily rising education costs with disproportionate changes in income once they have graduated and entered the workforce. The growing debt burden of physical therapists entering the workforce, coupled with the growth in projected need and stagnant wages, raises concern about where and how entry-level physical therapists will practice and if these choices will be affected by their debt burden. The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional survey study was to identify the debt profile of entry-level physical therapists and explore the relationship …

Hypercapnic Hyperoxia Increases Free Radical Production And Cellular Excitability In Rat Caudal Solitary Complex Brain Slice Neurons, Geoffrey Edward Ciarlone

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The caudal solitary complex (cSC) is a cardiorespiratory integrative center in the dorsal medulla oblongata that plays a vital role in the central CO₂-chemoreceptive network. Neurons in this area respond to hypercapnic acidosis (HA) by a depolarization of the membrane potential and increase in firing rate, however a definitive mechanism for this response remains unknown. Likewise, CO₂-chemoreceptive neurons in the cSC respond to hyperoxia in a similar fashion, but via a free radical mediated mechanism. It remains unknown if the response to increased pO₂ is merely an increase in redox signaling, or if it’s the …

Regulation Of Palmitoylation Enzymes And Substrates By Intrinsically Disordered Regions, Krishna D. Reddy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Protein palmitoylation refers to the process of adding a 16-carbon saturated fatty acid to the cysteine of a substrate protein, and this can in turn affect the substrate’s localization, stability, folding, and several other processes. This process is catalyzed by a family of 23 mammalian protein acyltransferases (PATs), a family of transmembrane enzymes that modify an estimated 10% of the proteome. At this point in time, no structure of a protein in this family has been solved, and therefore there is poor understanding about the regulation of the enzymes and their substrates. Most proteins, including palmitoylation enzymes and substrates, have …

Family Communication Concerning End-Of-Life Care Preferences, Lindsay Jo Peterson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Communication concerning the care one wishes to receive at the end of life (EOL) is central to ensuring that wishes are honored. Many studies have examined doctor-patient or doctor-family EOL communication. However, relatively few studies have focused on the occurrence of EOL care discussions among family members. This is an important topic, as research suggests that advance directives (ADs) are ineffective if patients have not involved surrogate decision-makers, most of whom are family members. This study examined EOL care discussions among family members. It used quantitative and qualitative data from a diverse sample of older adults from West Central Florida …

Expansion Of The Performance Capabilities Of The Usf Inhalation Challenge Chamber, Laura Riley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the capability and performance of the University of South Florida’s (USF) Human Exposure Chamber (HEC) using aerosols in the thoracic range. The goals of this research were two-fold: to obtain an average particle size of 10 µm (thoracic-size range) inside the chamber during dust production and to test for evenness of dust concentration within the chamber. The USF HEC can be used for studies using gases and/or particulates. The chamber measurements are 4.16 ft x 2.67 ft x 6.75 ft, for a total volume of 75 ft³ or 2.13 m^{3 …}

Hormone Replacement Therapy (Hrt) Modulates Peripheral And Central Auditory System Processing With Aging, Tanika Williamson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

After the findings were reported for the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study in the past decade, there has been a significant decline in the overall use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) among women. However, there are still millions of middle-aged, menopausal women in the U.S. who are currently undergoing hormone therapy. Their reasons for continuing treatment include relief of severe menopausal symptoms, aid in the management of osteoporosis and reduction in the risk of colon cancer (Ness et al., 2005). The purpose of the following investigation was to evaluate the impact of HRT on the central and peripheral auditory systems …

Intraocular Pressure Sensing And Control For Glaucoma Research, Simon Antonio Bello

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Animal models of ocular hypertension are important for glaucoma research but come with experimental costs. Available methods of intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation are not always successful, the amplitude and time course of IOP changes are unpredictable and irreversible, and IOP measurement by tonometry is laborious. This dissertation focuses on the development and implementation of two novel systems for monitoring and controlling IOP without these limitations. The first device consists of a cannula implanted in the anterior chamber of the eye, a pressure sensor that continually measures IOP, and a bidirectional pump driven by control circuitry that can infuse or withdraw …

Rhabdomyosarcoma Incidence And Survival In Whites, Blacks, And Hispanics From 1973-2013: Analysis From The Surveillance, Epidemiology, And End Results Program, Heather Tinsley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Purpose

Our objectives were to 1) determine the difference in Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) incidence and survival between different race/ethnicity groups, and 2) evaluate the difference in survival of RMS between children and adults of these race/ethnicity groups, using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) database between 1973-2013.

Patients and Methods

We analyzed racial characteristic and incidence data from 4,280 patients diagnosed with RMS, between 1973-2013, that were reported to the SEER database. Survival and hazard analyses were conducted on 4,268 patients with known follow-up data, with end point being death from any cause.

Results

Over the 40-year study period …

Access To Health Services And Health Seeking Behavior Among Former Child Soldiers In Manizales, Colombia, Adriana Marcella Dail

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Through the Colombian Institute for Family Welfare (ICBF), the Colombian government aims to provide comprehensive reintegration for children demobilized from the country’s various armed groups. The reestablishment of rights, including the right to health (guaranteed by the Colombian constitution), is a key factor in successful reintegration. This thesis explores the topic of access to health care and health seeking behavior among former child soldiers in Manizales, Colombia who are over the age of 18 and were previously in the Hogar Tutor program (foster care-based youth reintegration) in Manizales. This thesis utilizes semi-structured interviews (n=9) and body mapping (n=9) with former …

Association Between Folate Levels And Preterm Birth In Tampa, Florida, Carolyn Heeraman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: Preterm birth is one of the leading causes of perinatal mortality and morbidity and poses extensive economic liability. The rate of preterm births globally is approximately 11.1%, and in the US, the preterm birth rate has been estimated to be 12-13%. Folate and B₁₂ requirements increase during pregnancy as a result of increased cell division to accommodate maternal and fetal growth; inadequate levels can result in placental abnormalities and thus present implications for preterm birth.

Objective: To investigate the association between red blood cell (RBC) folate and B₁₂ concentrations with the risk of preterm birth.

Methods: Study …

Predictive Mapping Of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis At The County Level In The State Of Florida, Ali Moradi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: One of the major barriers to developing an accurate tuberculosis (TB) surveillance program for Florida is the design and implementation of a sampling system that will adequately monitor and predict varying sizes and characteristics of county-level vulnerable endemic sub-populations and their explanatory covariates (e.g., living or working in a residential care facility). The aim of this research study is to envision an endemic, tuberculosis-related web-based interface for use by public health officials in the State of Florida which includes generating essential information such as a real-time syndrome-based reporting to regulate automated and immediate 'Alerts' to public health officials, doctors, …

Hiv/Stis And Intimate Partner Violence: Results From The Togo 2013-2014 Demographic And Health Surveys, Anthony H. Nguyen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: Among clinic based studies, intimate partner violence (IPV) has been shown to contribute to HIV/AIDS among young girls and women. Results from studies among the general population have been less consistent. This study evaluated the associations between HIV infection, any sexually transmitted infections, and IPV in a population based sample of Togolese women.

Methods: Data from the Togo 2013-2014 Demographic and Health Surveys were utilized for these analyses. Women aged 15-49 who were currently married, had HIV test results and answered the Domestic Violence Module were analyzed (n = 2386). Generalized linear mixed-models adjusting for sociodemographic variables, risk behaviors, …

Hidden Markov Chain Analysis: Impact Of Misclassification On Effect Of Covariates In Disease Progression And Regression, Haritha Polisetti

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Most of the chronic diseases have a well-known natural staging system through which the disease progression is interpreted. It is well established that the transition rates from one stage of disease to other stage can be modeled by multi state Markov models. But, it is also well known that the screening systems used to diagnose disease states may subject to error some times. In this study, a simulation study is conducted to illustrate the importance of addressing for misclassification in multi-state Markov models by evaluating and comparing the estimates for the disease progression Markov model with misclassification opposed to disease …

Contribution Of Epithelial Hypoxia Signaling To Pulmonary Fibrosis: Role Of Fak1 And Galectin-1 As Driver Molecules, Jaymin J. Kathiriya

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a deadly disease of unknown origin, which causes 80,000 deaths every year in the US and Europe combined. Unknown etiology and late diagnosis, combined with limited treatment options, contribute to a dismal survival rate of 3-5 years post diagnosis. Although molecular mechanisms underlying IPF pathogenesis and progression have been studied for over two decades, lack of in vivo models that recapitulate chronic, progressive, and irreversible nature of IPF have contributed to limited therapeutic success in clinical trials. Currently, only two drugs, Pirfenidone and Nintedanib, are approved for IPF treatment in the US, with their efficacy …

Adaptive Styles And Coping Strategies Of Youth Diagnosed With Cancer: Relationship To Well-Being, Psychosocial And Educational Adjustment, And Parents’ Adaptive Styles, Renee Corbett

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although almost 16,000 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer each year, the incident rates have remained stable over recent years, and mortality has decreased consistently since 1975 (American Cancer Society, 2016). With increased survivorship, research and practice in pediatric oncology has focused more on the psychosocial well-being of patients during and after treatment. With research repeatedly indicating that patients and families appear to exhibit great resilience and adjustment, and low incidences of psychosocial difficulties (e.g., Kazak, 1994, Eiser et al. 2000), some researchers have examined adaptive style as a possible construct that may help explain the predominantly positive outcomes …

Designing The Haptic Interface For Morse Code, Michael Walker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Two siblings have a muscular degenerative condition that has rendered them mostly blind, deaf and paraplegic. Currently, the siblings receive communication by close range sign language several feet in front of their vision. Due to the degenerative nature of their condition, it is believed that the siblings will eventually become completely blind and unable to communicate in this fashion. There are no augmented communication devices on the market that allow communication reception for individuals who cannot see, hear or possess hand dexterity (such as braille reading). To help the siblings communicate, the proposed communication device will transmit Morse code information …

Contextual Factors And The Syndemic Of Alcohol Use And Risky Sexual Behaviors Among Men Who Have Sex With Men, Humberto López Castillo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Since the early 1990s with the AIDS pandemic, there has been an increasing interest on the importance of risky sexual behaviors, especially among men who have sex with men (MSM). An important antecedent for these behaviors is alcohol use. Studies consistently show an increased frequency of both alcohol use and risky sexual behaviors in MSM populations. However, to date, there has not been a precise estimate of the effect size in these diverse populations and a consistent way to measure it. More so, the importance of context is often cited as a source of variability, but is rarely measured in …

Examining Content Validity Of The Nurse Competence Scale In The United States, Jessica B. Shearer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nursing competence is a necessity as it affects public health, safety and welfare; however there are very few reliable and valid tools that measure nursing competence. The Nurse Competence Scale has been used in many different countries outside of the United States and is based on Benner’s Novice to Expert theory. The purpose of this study was to examine the content validity of the Nurse Competence Scale using a mixed methods approach. Descriptive statistics were used to report results of the frequency of use scale and the critical to practice scale. Nursing faculty indicate Prioritizing My Activities Flexibility According to …

Racial And Ethnic Differences In Low-Risk Cesarean Deliveries In Florida, Yuri Combo Vanda Sebastiao

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background and Significance: Cesarean delivery rates increased by more than 50% between 1996 and 2011 in the United States. The large increase in rates for the procedure was generally not associated with significant improvements in obstetric outcomes, raising concern about quality and prompting recommendations for prevention. Primary cesareans provide the best opportunity to reduce overall cesarean rates, and the group of first-time mothers considered low-risk for cesarean (known as nulliparous, term, singleton, vertex, NTSV) constitutes the focus of prevention efforts. Studies increasingly report racial and ethnic differences in NTSV cesareans, which remain after controlling for health factors. However, the reasons …

A Literature Review Of Wipe Sampling Methods For Pesticides In Published Exposure Measurement Studies In The United States, Christopher Michael Low

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Pesticides in the United States are frequently used to control pests in many settings from residential homes to agricultural crops. Most pesticides, when used in accordance with their manufacturer's label are relatively safe, and will naturally degrade once exposed to the environment, however, these natural degradative processes can be hindered when introduced indoors. Furthermore, it has been shown that pesticides can easily bond to surface dislodgeable residues (SDRs) commonly known as dust. There are various methods that can be used to characterize the presence and exposure of pesticides indoors. Wipe sampling is one of the important methods commonly used to …

Characteristics And Predictors Of Fatigue Among Men Receiving Androgen Deprivation Therapy For Prostate Cancer: A Controlled Comparison, Ashley M. Nelson, Brian D. Gonzalez, Heather S.L. Jim, Julie M. Cessna, Steven K. Sutton, Brent J. Small, Mayer N. Fishman, Babu Zachariah, Paul B. Jacobsen

Aging Studies Faculty Publications

Purpose: Although fatigue is a common problem for men with prostate cancer undergoing androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), there has been little systematic research on this issue. The present study examined changes in fatigue among prostate cancer patients receiving ADT compared to controls and predictors of heightened fatigue in ADT patients.

Methods: Prostate cancer patients treated with ADT (ADT+ group, n = 60) completed assessments of fatigue prior to or just after ADT initiation (baseline) and 6 and 12 months later. Prostate cancer patients treated with prostatectomy only (ADT- group, n = 85) and men without cancer (CA- group, n = …

Population Analysis Of Adverse Events In Different Age Groups Using Big Clinical Trials Data, Jake Luo, Christina Eldredge, Chi C. Cho, Ron A. Cisler

School of Information Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Understanding adverse event patterns in clinical studies across populations is important for patient safety and protection in clinical trials as well as for developing appropriate drug therapies, procedures, and treatment plans.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of our study was to conduct a data-driven population-based analysis to estimate the incidence, diversity, and association patterns of adverse events by age of the clinical trials patients and participants.

METHODS: Two aspects of adverse event patterns were measured: (1) the adverse event incidence rate in each of the patient age groups and (2) the diversity of adverse events defined as distinct types of adverse …

The Effect Of Seasonality On Pulmonary Function Tests, Nicholas James Cotter

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Lung spirometry data from three working-class industry populations were analyzed using logistic and linear regression to see if seasonality adversely affected test outcomes. Populations included emergency responders, general industry, and shipwrights. The data was organized into allergy and non-allergy seasons using NOAA meteorological data and regression and logistic analysis was run on these separate populations to test for demographic and seasonal effects on lung spirometry test outcomes. The American Thoracic Society gold standard was as a point for determining impaired lung function (FEV₁/FVC > 0.80). It was found that seasonality imparted a slight linear effect on the predictive values …

Discriminability And Perceptual Saliency Of Temporal And Spectral Cues For Final Fricative Consonant Voicing In Simulated Cochlear-Implant And Bimodal Hearing, Ying-Yee Kong, Matthew B. Winn, Katja Poelmann, Gail S. Donaldson

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Publications

Multiple redundant acoustic cues can contribute to the perception of a single phonemic contrast. This study investigated the effect of spectral degradation on the discriminability and perceptual saliency of acoustic cues for identification of word-final fricative voicing in “loss” versus “laws”, and possible changes that occurred when low-frequency acoustic cues were restored. Three acoustic cues that contribute to the word-final /s/-/z/ contrast (first formant frequency [F1] offset, vowel–consonant duration ratio, and consonant voicing duration) were systematically varied in synthesized words. A discrimination task measured listeners’ ability to discriminate differences among stimuli within a single cue dimension. A categorization task examined …