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(1 - 20 of 35)
Pages
- Title
- Red Tide and Other Stories.
- Creator
-
Vazquez, Heather, Peynado, Brenda, Bartkevicius, Jocelyn, Pugh, William, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Red Tide and Other Stories is a fictional collection of eleven short stories in which characters react to their struggles with loss, frustration, regret, loneliness, and love. Each story presents a strong sense of place and moment, while examining how characters are influenced by these elements. While individual stories present new characters and scenarios, they are connected by elements of water and include aspects of coasts and shorelines in the setting of the real world. The commonality of...
Show moreRed Tide and Other Stories is a fictional collection of eleven short stories in which characters react to their struggles with loss, frustration, regret, loneliness, and love. Each story presents a strong sense of place and moment, while examining how characters are influenced by these elements. While individual stories present new characters and scenarios, they are connected by elements of water and include aspects of coasts and shorelines in the setting of the real world. The commonality of water in the stories works to demonstrate a connectivity between all people and cultures because water is shared and linked between continents without regard to socioeconomics or political boundaries drawn throughout the world. Regardless of these drawn boundaries, we all share grief and disappointment, just as we share water.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0007110, ucf:51968
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007110
- Title
- Hunting Down Pigs.
- Creator
-
Astudillo, Anna-Lisa, Thaxton, Terry, Roney, Lisa, Uttich, Laurie, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Hunting Down Pigs is a hybrid collection of personal essays, ranging from lyrical to braided, which more often than not defy labeling. The essays explore themes of loss, faith, and self-reliance. Growing up Mormon, with all its strictures, and losing her dad at a young age, made faith an issue that the narrator grappled with continuously throughout her life. The narrator questions the validity and purpose of religion in essays like (")Possibilities(") and (")Going to Church.(") Specifically,...
Show moreHunting Down Pigs is a hybrid collection of personal essays, ranging from lyrical to braided, which more often than not defy labeling. The essays explore themes of loss, faith, and self-reliance. Growing up Mormon, with all its strictures, and losing her dad at a young age, made faith an issue that the narrator grappled with continuously throughout her life. The narrator questions the validity and purpose of religion in essays like (")Possibilities(") and (")Going to Church.(") Specifically, the narrator explores the doctrine of the Mormon church and the effects of such a strict upbringing. When divine intervention fails, the narrator must learn to transfer her faith in God to a personal faith in herself. In essence, this is a coming of age story for the late bloomer, for the forty-something woman who has realized or needs to realize that you can't rely on God or a man to save you(-) you have to save yourself, and in doing so you will receive the gift of faith in yourself.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006437, ucf:51492
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006437
- Title
- Dynamic Modeling Approach to Quantify Change Orders Impact on Labor Productivity.
- Creator
-
Al-Kofahi, Zain, Oloufa, Amr, Tatari, Omer, Uddin, Nizam, Xanthopoulos, Petros, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
In construction projects, change orders are commonly faced. These change orders, which are issued by the owner, may cause interruption to the contractor's work, resulting in damages such as loss of labor productivity, delay damages, and cost overruns which may lead to claims. The relationship between change orders and loss of labor productivity is not well understood because of the difficulty in linking the cause of the productivity loss to the change order. So, to receive compensation, the...
Show moreIn construction projects, change orders are commonly faced. These change orders, which are issued by the owner, may cause interruption to the contractor's work, resulting in damages such as loss of labor productivity, delay damages, and cost overruns which may lead to claims. The relationship between change orders and loss of labor productivity is not well understood because of the difficulty in linking the cause of the productivity loss to the change order. So, to receive compensation, the contractor needs to prove with a credible calculation that the productivity loss was a result of the change order issued by the owner. Compared to all available productivity loss quantification methods, the (")Measured Mile(") approach is considered the most acceptable and popular approach in litigation. In this study, loss of labor productivity due to change orders is studied using a system dynamics method. A system dynamics model is developed using Vensim Software, validated, and utilized to quantitatively measure the impact of the change in the project scope on labor productivity. Different road construction projects were analyzed using both methods: measured mile analysis and system dynamics model; then, the results from those two approaches were compared
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006430, ucf:51448
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006430
- Title
- Because You Are Beautiful and Dead.
- Creator
-
Amey, Yvonne, Thaxton, Terry, Stap, Donald, Uttich, Laurie, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The poems in Because You Are Beautiful and Dead deal with dysfunctional people, substance abuse, loss, and death and dying. The poems also highlight the struggle of the poet/speaker finding her place in a hideous world, which, paradoxically, she really doesn't want to belong. The poems are influenced by the playful and sad imagery and subject matter of poet Matthew Dickman. These poems, like Dickman's, are assessable and quirky. Michael Earl Craig and Terrance Hayes are two other influences....
Show moreThe poems in Because You Are Beautiful and Dead deal with dysfunctional people, substance abuse, loss, and death and dying. The poems also highlight the struggle of the poet/speaker finding her place in a hideous world, which, paradoxically, she really doesn't want to belong. The poems are influenced by the playful and sad imagery and subject matter of poet Matthew Dickman. These poems, like Dickman's, are assessable and quirky. Michael Earl Craig and Terrance Hayes are two other influences. Hayes' work is artistic and experimental. Michael Earl Craig's poems have a brilliance that isn't fueled in its complex or radical subject matter, but by the ability to see into the human condition in its most simple form. These poems are interested in language and form. The speaker in it often wants to tell someone I am sorry that I have forgotten you. You are still here, inside my poems. The poems bring people back to life. Sometimes these people are symbolic(-)not any specific person(-)but rather a representative of loss. Mostly the speaker wants to highlight the absurd and dysfunctional nature of humankind without any need to offer a remedy. Humans are predictable narcissists, they mess up their children, talk too much, and simply annoy. These poems are not predictable, boring, or always so fundamentally normal.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006556, ucf:51335
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006556
- Title
- The Fate of Nitrogen and Phosphorus from a SImulated Highway Cross-Section.
- Creator
-
Wasowska, Zuzanna, Chopra, Manoj, Randall, Andrew, Wang, Dingbao, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Nutrient pollution as a result of excessive fertilizer application is of major concern for Florida's water resources. Excess fertilizer can be lost either via surface runoff or by leaching through the soil mass eventually reaching water bodies and leading to eutrophication. The focus of this study is to analyze the effect of low rainfall intensities and overland flow from an adjacent roadway surface on the loss of nutrients from two different fertilizers. This study focuses on the fate of the...
Show moreNutrient pollution as a result of excessive fertilizer application is of major concern for Florida's water resources. Excess fertilizer can be lost either via surface runoff or by leaching through the soil mass eventually reaching water bodies and leading to eutrophication. The focus of this study is to analyze the effect of low rainfall intensities and overland flow from an adjacent roadway surface on the loss of nutrients from two different fertilizers. This study focuses on the fate of the nitrogen and phosphorus present in fertilizers utilized by the Florida Department of Transportation for the stabilization of highway embankments. This research was performed on a field-scale test bed and rainfall simulator located at the Stormwater Management Academy at the University of Central Florida.The loss of nutrients was measured from two soil and sod combinations typically found in Florida and used for highway stabilization (-)Pensacola Bahia on AASHTO A-2-4 soil and Argentine Bahia on AASHTO A-3 soil. Two different fertilizers were analyzed, an all-purpose, quick-release 10-10-10 (N-P-K) fertilizer previously used by FDOT, and the new slow-release 16-0-8 (N-P-K) fertilizer, both applied at a rate of 0.5 lb/1000 ft2 consistent with FDOT's practice. Each combination was analyzed under two rainfall intensities: 0.1 in/hr and 0.25 in/hr at a slope consistent with typical highway cross-sections found in Florida. Nutrient losses were measured by collection of runoff and/or baseflow that escaped the test bed. Additionally, from the soil samples collected throughout the testing period, the mass of the nutrients was compared to the mass balances values based on literature from a previous study on fertilizers performed at the Stormwater Management Academy.The experimental findings of this study showed that there was a reduction in total nitrogen and total phosphorus on both A-2-4 soil and A-3 soil at the 0.25 in/hr intensity as a result of switching to the slow-release 16-0-8 (N-P-K) fertilizer. Results from the 0.1 in/hr rainfall intensity, which were available only for the A-2-4 soil, showed that at this intensity there was no apparent benefit to the switch in fertilizers. Furthermore, it was found that less total nitrogen and total phosphorus was lost from A-3 soil than A-2-4 soil at 0.25 in/hr when using 10-10-10 (N-P-K). At 0.1 in/hr, there was no apparent difference in total nitrogen lost. However, less total phosphorus was lost at this intensity. The results of this study showed that there is an environmental benefit to applying slow-release fertilizers. This was more significant for the 0.25 in/hr intensity than the 0.1 in/hr intensity at which no apparent benefit was found. In addition, it was found that runoff was a greater source of nutrient loss than baseflow, although baseflow losses were substantial. Furthermore, it was found that total nitrogen tends to be lost via both pathways of runoff and baseflow while phosphorus has a lower tendency to leach through the soil but readily runs off the soil surface. It was also observed that because fresh sod tends to be heavily fertilized, applications of fertilizer could be reduced or avoided entirely after sod placement and applied as needed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFE0005440, ucf:50401
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005440
- Title
- TRACKERS.
- Creator
-
Rozanski, Robin, Hubbard, Susan, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Trackers is a collection of short stories that attest to the oddities and complexities found even in the non-exotic middle-class American suburbs. The characters in these stories experience disappointments that result from the physical and emotional distancing of families. In "Tokens," a woman's attempts at revenge on her cheating husband are unsatisfying because she ends up feeling more alone than before. In "Trackers," eleven-year old Richard hunts for Bigfoot as he and his family cope with...
Show moreTrackers is a collection of short stories that attest to the oddities and complexities found even in the non-exotic middle-class American suburbs. The characters in these stories experience disappointments that result from the physical and emotional distancing of families. In "Tokens," a woman's attempts at revenge on her cheating husband are unsatisfying because she ends up feeling more alone than before. In "Trackers," eleven-year old Richard hunts for Bigfoot as he and his family cope with the emotional aftermath of his sister's suicide attempt. In these stories people struggle to maintain normalcy in their lives--sometimes through inappropriate means. When their expectations are destroyed, they are forced to deal not only with specific abandonment, but also the reality that the world around them has no knowledge--let alone appreciation--of their personal struggles or fears. Occasionally, however, some good can come from this realization. In "Camilla," a ten-year-old girl learns that she can depend on her own experiences for strength rather than knowledge borrowed from fantasies inspired by a collection of obituaries. A woman recovering from the loss of a romantic relationship strengthens her bond with her young niece in "Cattywampus," and they are both strengthened by the world they share as women in different stages of self-discovery.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2004
- Identifier
- CFE0000242, ucf:46254
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000242
- Title
- MAPPING OF PRESSURE LOSSES THROUGH MICROCHANNELS WITH SWEEPING-BENDS OF VARIOUS ANGLE AND RADII.
- Creator
-
hansel, chase, Chew, Larry, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) have received a great deal of attention in both the research and industrial sectors in recent decades. The broad MEMS category, microfluidics, the study of fluid flow through channels measured on the micrometer scale, plays an important role in devices such as compact heat exchangers, chemical and biological sensors, and lab-on-a-chip devices. Most of the research has been focused on how entire systems operate, both experimentally and through simulation...
Show moreMEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) have received a great deal of attention in both the research and industrial sectors in recent decades. The broad MEMS category, microfluidics, the study of fluid flow through channels measured on the micrometer scale, plays an important role in devices such as compact heat exchangers, chemical and biological sensors, and lab-on-a-chip devices. Most of the research has been focused on how entire systems operate, both experimentally and through simulation. This paper strives, systematically, to map them through experimentation of the previous to untested realm of pressure loss through laminar square-profile sweeping-bend microchannels. Channels were fabricated in silicone and designed so a transducer could detect static pressure across a very specific length of channel with a desired bend. A wide variety of Reynolds numbers, bend radii, and bend angles were repeatedly tested over long periods in order to acquire a complete picture of pressure loss with in the domain of experimentation. Nearly all situations tested were adequately captured with the exception of some very low loss points that were too small to detect accurately. The bends were found to match laminar straight-duct theory at Reynolds numbers below 30. As Reynolds numbers increased, however, minor losses began to build and the total pressure loss across the bend rose above straight-duct predictions. A new loss coefficient equation was produced that properly predicted pressure losses for sweeping-bends at higher Reynolds numbers; while lower flow ranges are left to laminar flow loss for prediction.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002091, ucf:47537
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002091
- Title
- GRAVITY FAILS.
- Creator
-
Cowe-Spigai, Kereth, Rushin, Pat, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Gravity Fails is a collection of four short stories and two memoirs that explore the ways in which characters adjust and fit into to a world that is destructive, fragmented and sometimes alien. Many of these pieces deal not with the moment of crisis, but with the aftermath. In "Gravity Fails," the young Danielle struggles to feel safe after the violent murder of her mother. Eliza Morrison negotiates the disappearance of her husband in "More Colors." "Following Rebecca" chronicles a woman's...
Show moreGravity Fails is a collection of four short stories and two memoirs that explore the ways in which characters adjust and fit into to a world that is destructive, fragmented and sometimes alien. Many of these pieces deal not with the moment of crisis, but with the aftermath. In "Gravity Fails," the young Danielle struggles to feel safe after the violent murder of her mother. Eliza Morrison negotiates the disappearance of her husband in "More Colors." "Following Rebecca" chronicles a woman's return to normalcy after her alcoholic husband divorces her. These characters are not happy; they are not healthy. Their lives have, in some way, been fragmented. But they find ways to move on by whatever possible means, and at their core, they are searching not just for a way to survive, but for a way to put themselves back together and find wholeness.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2004
- Identifier
- CFE0000243, ucf:46268
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000243
- Title
- WOMEN'S PERCEPTIONS OF NURSING CARE AND MANAGEMENT AFTER FIRST TRIMESTER MISCARRIAGE.
- Creator
-
McGee, Jennifer, D'Amato-Kubiet, Leslee, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Spontaneous abortion, or miscarriage, is an event that affects approximately one in four women during their reproductive years. Despite the psychological and physiological trauma associated with the loss of pregnancy, few evidence-based practice recommendations exist to guide nursing care of women experiencing first trimester miscarriage. The purpose of this integrative review of literature was to examine research related to women's health care experiences of first trimester miscarriage and...
Show moreSpontaneous abortion, or miscarriage, is an event that affects approximately one in four women during their reproductive years. Despite the psychological and physiological trauma associated with the loss of pregnancy, few evidence-based practice recommendations exist to guide nursing care of women experiencing first trimester miscarriage. The purpose of this integrative review of literature was to examine research related to women's health care experiences of first trimester miscarriage and discuss common themes relating to nursing care. Inclusion criteria consisted of peer review research articles published after 2001 and available in the English language and women that experienced miscarriage during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Current literature was collected from Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), MEDLINE- EBSCOhost and PsycINFO databases using combinations of various key words. Six qualitative studies and one quasi-experimental study met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. The results indicated that nursing care of women experiencing miscarriage should include therapeutic communication, psychological support, and provision of information and follow-up care. While there is little research reviewing nursing interventions related to first trimester miscarriage, these themes may help guide the development of further research reviewing the efficacy and effectiveness of specific nursing interventions.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFH0004414, ucf:45134
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004414
- Title
- FOOD FOR THOUGHT: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THOUGHT SUPPRESSION AND WEIGHT CONTROL.
- Creator
-
Peterson, Rachel, Tantleff Dunn, Stacey, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The current study assessed the relationship between individuals' tendency to suppress thoughts, particularly related to food and body weight/shape, and outcomes such as weight loss maintenance and diet sabotaging experiences (e.g., binge eating). Community and university individuals (N = 347) who are or previously were overweight completed self-report measures of thought suppression, weight history, and eating behaviors. Suppression of specific thoughts about food/weight/shape was related...
Show moreThe current study assessed the relationship between individuals' tendency to suppress thoughts, particularly related to food and body weight/shape, and outcomes such as weight loss maintenance and diet sabotaging experiences (e.g., binge eating). Community and university individuals (N = 347) who are or previously were overweight completed self-report measures of thought suppression, weight history, and eating behaviors. Suppression of specific thoughts about food/weight/shape was related to weight cycling, binge eating, and food cravings. Participants who believed thoughts of food lead to eating were more likely to attempt suppression of food-related thoughts. Results have implications for improving weight loss maintenance and support further exploration of third wave interventions, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Mindfulness, in the treatment of obesity.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002231, ucf:47906
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002231
- Title
- LOW REYNOLDS NUMBER WATER FLOW CHARACTERISTICS THROUGH RECTANGULAR MICRO DIFFUSERS/NOZZLES WITH A PRIMARY FOCUS ON MAJOR/MINOR PRESSURE LOSS, STATIC PRESSURE RECOVERY, AND FLOW SEPARATION.
- Creator
-
Hallenbeck, Kyle, Chew, Larry, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The field of microfluidics has recently been gathering a lot of attention due to the enormous demand for devices that work in the micro scale. The problem facing many researchers and designers is the uncertainty in using macro scaled theory, as it seems in some situations they are incorrect. The general idea of this work was to decide whether or not the flow through micro diffusers and nozzles follow the same trends seen in macro scale theory. Four testing wafers were fabricated using PDMS...
Show moreThe field of microfluidics has recently been gathering a lot of attention due to the enormous demand for devices that work in the micro scale. The problem facing many researchers and designers is the uncertainty in using macro scaled theory, as it seems in some situations they are incorrect. The general idea of this work was to decide whether or not the flow through micro diffusers and nozzles follow the same trends seen in macro scale theory. Four testing wafers were fabricated using PDMS soft lithography including 38 diffuser/nozzle channels a piece. Each nozzle and diffuser consisted of a throat dimension of 100μm x 50μm, leg lengths of 142μm, and half angles varying from 0o – 90o in increments of 5o. The flow speeds tested included throat Reynolds numbers of 8.9 – 89 in increments of 8.9 using distilled water as the fluid. The static pressure difference was measured from the entrance to the exit of both the diffusers and the nozzles and the collected data was plotted against a fully attached macro theory as well as Idelchik's approximations. Data for diffusers and nozzles up to HA = 50o hints at the idea that the flow is neither separating nor creating a vena contracta. In this region, static pressure recovery within diffuser flow is observed as less than macro theory would predict and the losses that occur within a nozzle are also less than macro theory would predict. Approaching a 50o HA and beyond shows evidence of unstable separation and vena contracta formation. In general, it appears that there is a micro scaled phenomenon happening in which flow gains available energy when the flow area is increased and looses available energy when the flow area decreases. These new micro scaled phenomenon observations seem to lead to a larger and smaller magnitude of pressure loss respectively.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002391, ucf:47772
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002391
- Title
- What Remains.
- Creator
-
Leavitt, Michael, Poissant, David, Roney, Lisa, Peynado, Brenda, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Grief is a personal thing, as unique as it is ubiquitous, and each character in What Remains approaches their grief in a different way and handles it with differing degrees of success. The collection blends both realist and fabulist stories in its efforts to explore these themes, from the eponymous (")What Remains,(") in which a man attempts to reconcile his feelings about the death of his abusive, absentee father, and what that means for his relationship with his own son; to (")Convoy,(") a...
Show moreGrief is a personal thing, as unique as it is ubiquitous, and each character in What Remains approaches their grief in a different way and handles it with differing degrees of success. The collection blends both realist and fabulist stories in its efforts to explore these themes, from the eponymous (")What Remains,(") in which a man attempts to reconcile his feelings about the death of his abusive, absentee father, and what that means for his relationship with his own son; to (")Convoy,(") a story of a Marine who confronts the culture of violence into which he's been indoctrinated, and which separates him from society; to (")Anaerobic,(") about a teenage girl whose super-speed can't save her sister from brain death in a hospital bed. Other stories look at their characters' losses through the different lenses of loneliness, of desperation, of divorce, and of parenthood, but all of them essentially attempt to unearth the answer to the question, (")How do we keep going in the face of loss(-)and where do we go?(")
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0007037, ucf:52000
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007037
- Title
- The effects of urbanization on cypress (Taxodium distichum) in central Florida.
- Creator
-
McCauley, Lisa, Jenkins, David, Quintana-Ascencio, Pedro, Hoffman, Eric, Ewel, Kathy, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Urbanization is accelerating in the United States and is contributing to fragmentation of natural habitats, causing changes in species composition and declines in native species. Human population growth in Orlando is typical of growth in the southeastern United States and throughout the range of cypress (Taxodium distichum). Orlando has numerous isolated cypress wetlands, called cypress domes, and many remain among the current urbanized area. This makes Orlando ideal to study the effects of...
Show moreUrbanization is accelerating in the United States and is contributing to fragmentation of natural habitats, causing changes in species composition and declines in native species. Human population growth in Orlando is typical of growth in the southeastern United States and throughout the range of cypress (Taxodium distichum). Orlando has numerous isolated cypress wetlands, called cypress domes, and many remain among the current urbanized area. This makes Orlando ideal to study the effects of urbanization on cypress domes. Specifically, I tested how urbanization and its effects on fragmentation, hydrology, and fire regime) affected (a) the numbers and spatial pattern of cypress domes in central Florida and (b) the recruitment of cypress within cypress domes. Analysis of historical loss found over 3,000 cypress domes identified in images from1984, of which 26% were lost or degraded (i.e., no longer cypress-dominated) by 2004. Due to changed land use, many remaining cypress domes, formerly surrounded by natural lands, have become surrounded by urban lands causing spatial clustering and homogenization. Surprisingly, I found that both natural and urban cypress domes showed lower recruitment than agricultural cypress domes, where the natural fire regime has not been altered. The probability of cypress recruitment in cypress domes urbanized for more than 20 years is very low. Previous to that, cypress tends to recruit on the edge of cypress domes where there is less competition and hydrological conditions are more favorable. I estimate that only ~50% of the current cypress domes are recruiting and the existence of those wetlands are tied to the lifespan of the current adults. By 2104, I estimate that ~89% of the cypress domes currently recruiting will fail to recruit. I believe that reducing urban sprawl and restoring the natural fire regime to natural cypress domes will mitigate the current fate of cypress domes. Without this, cypress in isolated wetlands in central Florida, and providing Orlando urbanization is typical, throughout urbanized areas of the range, could be at risk. Cypress in urban areas will be then relegated to riparian zones and with unknown consequences for the species that utilize the former cypress dome habitat.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0004136, ucf:49065
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004136
- Title
- Patterns in Dental Health and Disease at the Archaeological Site of Kuelap in Chachapoyas, Peru.
- Creator
-
Tran, Vu, Toyne, J. Marla, Schultz, John, Dupras, Tosha, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Social organization influences individual well-being and overall community health, which may lead to health disparities that manifest in teeth. The research in this thesis explores social variability by analyzing patterns in dental disease at the archaeological site of Kuelap in Chachapoyas, Peru. The ancient Chachapoya (AD 900-1535) were a complex society but the nature of that complexity is not well understood based on traditional archaeological correlates. Since burials at Kuelap lack...
Show moreSocial organization influences individual well-being and overall community health, which may lead to health disparities that manifest in teeth. The research in this thesis explores social variability by analyzing patterns in dental disease at the archaeological site of Kuelap in Chachapoyas, Peru. The ancient Chachapoya (AD 900-1535) were a complex society but the nature of that complexity is not well understood based on traditional archaeological correlates. Since burials at Kuelap lack grave goods that are often used to discriminate variation in social status or identity, bioarchaeological dental proxies were tested. The dental remains of 106 individuals (7 subadults, 54 adult males, and 46 adult females) from five different types of mortuary contexts were analyzed using a two stage methodological approach. Three pathological indicators (caries, antemortem tooth loss, and calculus) were examined to explore cultural influences of diet and the external environment on human biology. While no significant differences exist in any of the conditions among individuals from five diverse mortuary contexts, there were statistically significant differences between males and females. These results indicate that there was a lack of explicit health disparities and hierarchical ranking (social inequality) at Kuelap. Instead, bioarchaeological analysis suggests that there is social variability with gendered differences in oral health. This thesis presents the first analysis of dental pathology from Kuelap and furthers knowledge of ancient dental health patterns and social variability in both the Chachapoya and larger Andean region. Overall, this research broadens anthropological understanding of the interconnectedness among health, social variability and complexity in ancient societies.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006192, ucf:51090
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006192
- Title
- Large Eddy Simulations with a Tabulated Conditional Moment Closure Moment Closure Model for Turbulent Premixed Combustion with Heat Loss.
- Creator
-
Velez, Carlos, Vasu Sumathi, Subith, Martin, Scott, Kassab, Alain, Das, Tuhin, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The Tabulated Premixed Conditional Moment Closure (T-PCMC) method has been shown to provide the capability to predict turbulent, premixed methane flames with detailed chemistry and reasonable run times in a RANS/URANS adiabatic environment. Here the premixed T-PCMC method is extended in a Large Eddy Simulation (LES) framework for non-adiabatic premixed flames, allowing heat loss to occur in the mixture before, during and after combustion. It is proposed that the LES framework is a more...
Show moreThe Tabulated Premixed Conditional Moment Closure (T-PCMC) method has been shown to provide the capability to predict turbulent, premixed methane flames with detailed chemistry and reasonable run times in a RANS/URANS adiabatic environment. Here the premixed T-PCMC method is extended in a Large Eddy Simulation (LES) framework for non-adiabatic premixed flames, allowing heat loss to occur in the mixture before, during and after combustion. It is proposed that the LES framework is a more suitable representation for both chemical and turbulent scales in premixed combustion. By resolving the high energy turbulent scales and modeling the small scale turbulence, it is expected that the resolution of the turbulence and transient effects are better captured in a LES framework leading to better predictions of the mixing rate and consequently the reaction rate, which is the main focus and source of error in combustion modeling. The LES T-PCMC model is implemented using the open source CFD software OpenFOAM for its open access to C++ source code and large library of turbulence and thermo-physical models. The proposed model validated with PIV and Raman measurements of a turbulent, enclosed reacting flame of a single jet and backward facing step geometry. The DLR data sets provide both unity (E.g.Methane) and non-unity (E.g. Hydrogen) Lewis number fuels, allowing for the proposed numerical model to be validated against both unity and non-unity Lewis # flames. Velocity, temperature and major/minor species are compared to the experimental data. Once validated, this model is intended to be useful for designing lean premixed combustors for gas turbines which operate primarily in the corrugated premixed combustion regime, where chemical and turbulent time scales are of the same order requiring adequate models for their interaction.LES results match the experimental data better than the Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS/URANS) solution and is able to better resolve the transient features of the flame with an increase in run time of only 50 %, when compared to URANS.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0006234, ucf:51058
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006234
- Title
- MODELING LOAN LOSSES: A MACROECONOMIC APPROACH.
- Creator
-
Hughes, Jeremy, Smith, Stanley, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
A sound banking system is essential to a well-functioning economy. With the financial crisis beginning in 2007, a renewed interest in the safety of financial institutions has dominated both the political and financial landscape. Mounting loan losses in real estate lending led to the failing of over 460 banks from 2008 to 2012. This crisis is not unique; in fact, the Savings & Loan Crisis of the 1980's to early 1990's led to the closure of 700 savings institutions. Both instances created a...
Show moreA sound banking system is essential to a well-functioning economy. With the financial crisis beginning in 2007, a renewed interest in the safety of financial institutions has dominated both the political and financial landscape. Mounting loan losses in real estate lending led to the failing of over 460 banks from 2008 to 2012. This crisis is not unique; in fact, the Savings & Loan Crisis of the 1980's to early 1990's led to the closure of 700 savings institutions. Both instances created a panic in financial markets and heavy losses to deposit insurance funds. These losses are ultimately borne by taxpayers and prudently managed banks, especially if the insurance fund requires re-capitalization. The focus of this paper is on explaining the contributing factors to different categories of loan losses. Namely, total loan losses, residential real estate loan losses, commercial real estate loan losses, and commercial and industrial loan losses are examined. A multivariate regression approach is taken in this paper to explain the four rates of loan losses for the period of 2001 to 2012. Aggregate macroeconomic data from 2001 to 2012 is used to explain loan losses across categories. It was found that the delinquency rate of loans, the consumer financial obligations ratio, and the financial crisis were all significant factors in explaining loan losses.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFH0004370, ucf:45001
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004370
- Title
- THE EDGE OF THINGS.
- Creator
-
Koman, Robin, Hubbard, Susan, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
ABSTRACT The Edge of Things is what I like to call a love song to the dispossessed. Each of the eight stories in the collection is an examination of the lives of women who are exiled from modern American consumer culture, whether by circumstance or by choice. This separation brings them heartache, risk, and sometimes even hope. The collection is fueled by the landscape of Florida, observed at its most beautiful and most corrupted, from highways, landfills, and trailer parks to housing...
Show moreABSTRACT The Edge of Things is what I like to call a love song to the dispossessed. Each of the eight stories in the collection is an examination of the lives of women who are exiled from modern American consumer culture, whether by circumstance or by choice. This separation brings them heartache, risk, and sometimes even hope. The collection is fueled by the landscape of Florida, observed at its most beautiful and most corrupted, from highways, landfills, and trailer parks to housing developments, gardens, and secret forests. Setting is a constant source of revelation, the external landscape offering insight into the internal struggles of the characters. Regardless of age, race, or sexual orientation, the women of The Edge of Things find themselves moving toward, or just past, incredible changes in their lives. In "Seed of the Golden Mango", "Raising the Dead", and "The Girl Who Loved Bugs", young women deal with the loss of loved ones. The women of "Zyczenie", "It Cannot Hold", and "Wasp Honey" must deal with old losses in order to survive the realities of the outside world that they have long ignored. "The Edge of Things" and "The Secret Letters" both deal with love, and the consequences of an inability to communicate. In each of these tales I hope to present unforgettable characters, women whose journeys will haunt, reminding readers that on some level, the love song of the dispossessed calls to us all.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002024, ucf:47615
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002024
- Title
- BLOODLINES.
- Creator
-
toner, Pamela, Bartkevicius, Jocelyn, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
"Bloodlines" is a collection of personal essays that focus on the process of remembering, imagining, and reflecting on the past through the lens of a perpetually shifting present. They consider situations ranging from mental and physical illnesses, from cancer to alcohol addiction, to career changes, to the often dysfunctional and displaced family ties that distance and adulthood have not severed. In "Searching," I write the narrative of the ongoing search for my birthmother, and how the...
Show more"Bloodlines" is a collection of personal essays that focus on the process of remembering, imagining, and reflecting on the past through the lens of a perpetually shifting present. They consider situations ranging from mental and physical illnesses, from cancer to alcohol addiction, to career changes, to the often dysfunctional and displaced family ties that distance and adulthood have not severed. In "Searching," I write the narrative of the ongoing search for my birthmother, and how the search complicates the relationship with my adoptive mother, who always feared she'd lose me. Similarly, "Of Flesh and Blood" recounts and negotiates how hereditary and environmental factors have shaped my identity. Loss and betrayal are weaved throughout "Flight Patterns" when I trace the links between relationships among my family and my pets. In "Signs and Stars" and "Seeing Stars," I search for ways of dealing with my cancer diagnosis and alcoholism, weaving through my past as I fight for recovery. By exploring the subjective nature of memory and circumstance through sensory, expositional, structural, and even written documentation, I have attempted to capture what is, for me, the tenuous hold on intertwined moments in time by creating a palimpsest of perspectives.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- CFE0001053, ucf:46819
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001053
- Title
- MODELING AND ANALYSIS OF POWER MOSFETS FOR HIGH FREQUENCY DC-DC CONVERTERS.
- Creator
-
Xiong, Yali, Shen, John, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Evolutions in integrated circuit technology require the use of a high-frequency synchronous buck converter in order to achieve low cost, low profile, fast transient response and high power density. However, high frequency operation leads to increased power MOSFET switching losses. Optimization of the MOSFETs plays an important role in improving converter performance. This dissertation focuses on revealing the power loss mechanism of power MOSFETs and the relationship between power MOSFET...
Show moreEvolutions in integrated circuit technology require the use of a high-frequency synchronous buck converter in order to achieve low cost, low profile, fast transient response and high power density. However, high frequency operation leads to increased power MOSFET switching losses. Optimization of the MOSFETs plays an important role in improving converter performance. This dissertation focuses on revealing the power loss mechanism of power MOSFETs and the relationship between power MOSFET structure and its power loss. The analytical device model, combined with circuit modeling, cannot reveal the relationship between device structure and its power loss due to the highly non-linear characteristics of power MOSFETs. A physically-based mixed device/circuit modeling approach is used to investigate the power losses of the MOSFETs under different operating conditions. The physically based device model, combined with SPICE-like circuit simulation, provides an expeditious and inexpensive way of evaluating and optimizing circuit and device concepts. Unlike analytical or other SPICE models of power MOSFETs, the numerical device model, relying little on approximations or simplifications, faithfully represents the behavior of realistic power MOSFETs. The impact of power MOSFET parameters on efficiency of synchronous buck converters, such as gate charge, on resistance, reverse recovery, is studied in detail in this thesis. The results provide a good indication on how to optimize power MOSFETs used in VRMs. The synchronous rectifier plays an important role in determining the performance of the synchronous buck converter. The reverse recovery of its body diode and the Cdv/dt induced false trigger-on are two major mechanisms that impact SyncFET's performance. This thesis gives a detailed analysis of the SyncFET operation mechanism and provides several techniques to reduce its body-diode influence and suppress its false Cdv/dt trigger-n. This thesis also investigates the influence of several circuit level parameters on the efficiency of the synchronous buck converter, such as input voltage, circuit parasitic inductance, and gate resistance to provide further optimization of synchronous buck converter design.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002278, ucf:47858
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002278
- Title
- PRESSURE LOSSES EXPERIENCED BY LIQUID FLOW THROUGH PDMS MICROCHANNELS WITH ABRUPT AREA CHANGES.
- Creator
-
Wehking, Jonathan, Chew, Larry, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Given the surmounting disagreement amongst researchers in the area of liquid flow behavior at the microscale for the past thirty years, this work presents a fundamental approach to analyzing the pressure losses experienced by the laminar flow of water (Re = 7 to Re = 130) through both rectangular straight duct microchannels (of widths ranging from 50 to 130 micrometers), and microchannels with sudden expansions and contractions (with area ratios ranging from 0.4 to 1.0) all with a constant...
Show moreGiven the surmounting disagreement amongst researchers in the area of liquid flow behavior at the microscale for the past thirty years, this work presents a fundamental approach to analyzing the pressure losses experienced by the laminar flow of water (Re = 7 to Re = 130) through both rectangular straight duct microchannels (of widths ranging from 50 to 130 micrometers), and microchannels with sudden expansions and contractions (with area ratios ranging from 0.4 to 1.0) all with a constant depth of 104 micrometers. The simplified Bernoulli equations for uniform, steady, incompressible, internal duct flow were used to compare flow through these microchannels to macroscale theory predictions for pressure drop. One major advantage of the channel design (and subsequent experimental set-up) was that pressure measurements could be taken locally, directly before and after the test section of interest, instead of globally which requires extensive corrections to the pressure measurements before an accurate result can be obtained. Bernoulli's equation adjusted for major head loses (using Darcy friction factors) and minor head losses (using appropriate K values) was found to predict the flow behavior within the calculated theoretical uncertainty (~12%) for all 150+ microchannels tested, except for sizes that pushed the aspect ratio limits of the manufacturing process capabilities (microchannels fabricated via soft lithography using PDMS). The analysis produced conclusive evidence that liquid flow through microchannels at these relative channel sizes and Reynolds numbers follow macroscale predictions without experiencing any of the reported anomalies expressed in other microfluidics research. This work also perfected the delicate technique required to pierce through the PDMS material and into the microchannel inlets, exit and pressure ports without damaging the microchannel. Finally, two verified explanations for why prior researchers have obtained poor agreement between macroscale theory predictions and tests at the microscale were due to the presence of bubbles in the microchannel test section (producing higher than expected pressure drops), and the occurrence of localized separation between the PDMS slabs and thus, the microchannel itself (producing lower than expected pressure drops).
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002289, ucf:47865
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002289
