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Title: DIVORCE, SEPARATION, MENTAL HEALTH AND RISKY BEHAVIORS AMONG FATHERS: WHAT ARE THE CONNECTIONS AND HOW DOES IT AFFECT FAMILY HEALTH?.
Creator: Resciniti, Nicolas, Rovito, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Due to the fact that approximately 50% of US first marriages ending in divorce, there is a growing need to identify and understand the causal mechanisms behind these separations and what effects this event has upon the family unit. This study employed secondary data analyses on the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study to identify the differences in the frequency of adverse health behaviors among fathers that are coupled with their partner and those who are divorced/separated. Trends of...
Show moreDue to the fact that approximately 50% of US first marriages ending in divorce, there is a growing need to identify and understand the causal mechanisms behind these separations and what effects this event has upon the family unit. This study employed secondary data analyses on the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study to identify the differences in the frequency of adverse health behaviors among fathers that are coupled with their partner and those who are divorced/separated. Trends of the fathers from the baseline survey to the five-year follow-up allowed us to observe the following: Differences in adverse health behaviors, self-reported mental health status, and the potential impact relationship dynamics have upon the family unit. A bio-behavioral marker was created to assist in identifying possible future effects of adverse health behaviors upon the family. Results show the non-married fathers participate in alcohol consumption, illegal substances, cigarette consumption and show more symptoms of depression at higher rates and more frequently than the married fathers. The non-married fathers put their children at the greatest risk of developing adverse health behaviors later in life.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFH0004825, ucf:45448
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004825

Title: Development and Evaluation of an Instrument to Measure Mother-Infant Togetherness After Childbirth.
Creator: Lawrence, Carol, Norris, Anne, Byers, Jacqueline, Sole, Mary, Leon, Ana, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: No existing measure to date captures mother-infant togetherness. A valid measure of togetherness is essential to engage in evidence-based practice, evaluate obstetric delivery models and nursing interventions, and measure the level of togetherness which promotes optimal maternal-infant outcomes. When together and in close proximity, a women and her infant have access to one another to allow for mutual caregiving or caregiving on cue. A new measure entitled the Mother-Infant Togetherness Scale...
Show moreNo existing measure to date captures mother-infant togetherness. A valid measure of togetherness is essential to engage in evidence-based practice, evaluate obstetric delivery models and nursing interventions, and measure the level of togetherness which promotes optimal maternal-infant outcomes. When together and in close proximity, a women and her infant have access to one another to allow for mutual caregiving or caregiving on cue. A new measure entitled the Mother-Infant Togetherness Scale (MITS) was developed based on a review of the literature and conceptual framework of Mother-Newborn Mutual Caregiving. The MITS is a 35-item instrument composed of four subscales that measures the timing, duration, and intensity of togetherness of the mother-infant dyad during entire hospitalization. The purpose of this multiphase study was to obtain support for the validity of the MITS. Phase 1 determined the content validity at the scale (S-CVI), subscale, and item level (I-CVI) with a panel of expert judges. The final sample for the content validation consisted of 7 judges from medicine (n = 2), maternal-child nursing (n = 1), nursing research (n = 3), and social work (n = 1). Judges were instructed to use a 4-point Likert scale to rate the relevance of each item (I-CVI) to the construct of togetherness. The S-CVI was calculated from the mean I-CVI scores. The CVI-S of .88 was just slightly below the desired CVI-S ((>) .90). Of the four subscales, all had adequate CVI ((>) .90) at the subscale level except the delivery affective subscale (CVI = .74) and postpartum affective subscale (CVI = .89). The delivery events and postpartum events subscales had satisfactory CVI scores (CVI (>) .90), 1.00 and .94, respectively. The CVI-I results identified a total of seven items on the affective subscales that did not meet the desired I-CVI ((>) .78). Phase 2 pre-tested the readability and understandability of the MITS among eight postpartum women. During the interviews, the women were asked to complete the MITS and provide opinions about the readability and understandability of the directions and items. The audiotapes were transcribed word for word, reviewed for thematic content, and revisions made to the study instrument accordingly. This same sample of postpartum women participated in the content validation of the delivery affective subscale (items #4a-j) and postpartum affective subscale (items #17a-j). The I-CVI results identified that a total of six items on the affective subscales had a CVI-I of .75, just slightly below the desired I-CVI ((>) .78). Scale items were deleted or revised and the instrument retested until the desirable CVI at the scale and subscale level was achieved. Phase 3 used a descriptive study design to examine women's ability to accurately self-report birth events on the MITS delivery events subscale at 4 weeks postpartum, as compared to observer-collected data obtained at delivery to determine the most valid mode of administration. A purposive sample consisted of 45 women having delivered at a community hospital in southwest Florida. The research team completed the MITS delivery events subscale immediately after delivery. Women were sent the MITS for completion 4 weeks after delivery. McNemar Chi-Squares were (?) were calculated from the self-reported MITS delivery events subscale scores and the observer-collected MITS delivery events subscale scores. No significant difference (p (<) .05) was found supporting self-reported mode of administration for the MITS. Phase 4 is in-progress and evaluates the reliability and validity of the MITS subscale and total scale scores. The interim analysis was performed on a sample of 113 postpartum participants (composed of the final sample of 31 participants from Phase 3 and the first 82 participants from Phase 4) having delivered at three of the four participating hospital study sites. Adequate internal consistency reliability was found at the scale level with Cronbach's alpha (? = .89) and split-half reliability results (? = .79 (-) 81, r = .83 - .88). Of the 35 MITS items, 10 items (28.6%) were found to have item-total correlations less than .30, arguing against treating MITS items as a single total scale measure. Good internal consistency was found at the delivery events subscale level (? = .78). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) identified a two-factor solution. The two factors were named Taking In and Taking Control and had internal consistency reliability.79 and .65, respectively. Additional work needs to be done to improve the internal consistency of the Taking Control factor. The postpartum events subscale also had low internal consistency (? = .58). This subscale was not factor analyzed because the item response data did not meet the criteria for factor analysis. The items on the postpartum events subscale were assessed to be unique, singular, heterogeneous items that did not correlate well with other items. These results are conceptually logical given the nature of what the items are measuring (occurrence/intensity of specific events in time). The delivery affective subscale had good internal consistency reliability (? = .85) and a two factor solution. The two factors, named Feelings At Delivery and Delivery Concerns, had adequate internal constancy (? = .81 and ? = .80, respectively). The postpartum affective subscale had good internal consistency reliability (? = .92) and a one factor solution. Results for known groups testing based on feeding type and mode of delivery found all group differences were in the predicted direction. Higher scores were found for mother-infant dyads who breastfed than for mother-infant dyads who bottle fed. However, only group differences for the events subscales were substantive and statistically significant (p (<) 001.). Higher scores were found for mother-infant dyads who experiencing a vaginal delivery than for mother-infant dyads who experienced a cesarean delivery. Group differences were substantive and statistically significant (p (<) .01) for three of the four subscale scores. A post hoc power analysis on the means and standard deviations from the interim analysis and the between-groups comparison effect size observed for feeding type (d = .50) found a sample of 45 adequate to have statistical power at the recommended beta of .80 and alpha of .05. The post hoc power analysis on the effect size for mode of delivery (d = .75), found a sample of 156 are needed to obtain statistical power at the recommended beta of .80 and alpha of .05. Therefore, the desired sample size of 200 women for the final analysis is adequate to obtain statistical power. A third known group testing for the variable of central nursery availability could not be performed with the interim analysis data because no participants in the interim analysis sample reported this experience. However, this analysis will be performed with the final data set. This is the first study to operationalize togetherness during the entire hospitalization and to include all dimensions of the construct. The findings from this multi-phase study provide initial support for the reliability and validity of the MITS. Although the results from Phase 4 are interim and therefore tentative, they provide preliminary psychometric evidence for construct validity.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004567, ucf:49200
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004567

Title: HOMELESS WOMEN IN THE ORLANDO SHELTER SYSTEM: A COMPARISON OF SINGLE WOMEN, FAMILIES, AND WOMEN SEPARATED FROM THEIR CHILDREN.
Creator: Dotson, Hilary, Wright, James, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Homeless women and families are among the most disenfranchised groups in society. Further, because of their homelessness and associated problems, many homeless women become separated from their children. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects on predictors of entering a shelter with or without children (shelter status) and whether or not one is separated from one or more children (child separation status) on various special need predictors. A second objective was to determine...
Show moreHomeless women and families are among the most disenfranchised groups in society. Further, because of their homelessness and associated problems, many homeless women become separated from their children. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects on predictors of entering a shelter with or without children (shelter status) and whether or not one is separated from one or more children (child separation status) on various special need predictors. A second objective was to determine the relationship between shelter status and child separation and to understand the unique experiences of homeless women who are separated from their children. These objectives were achieved via thematic analysis, quantitative methods and qualitative methods. Results suggest that shelter status significantly related to mental illness, drug abuse and domestic violence, but child separation status only significantly relates to drug abuse. The qualitative findings examined the origins of homelessness, child separation and the women's desires to be reunited with their children. Suggestions for further research and program changes are included.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: CFE0002526, ucf:47643
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002526

Title: THE USE AND DEVELOPMENT OF LASER MICRODISSECTION TO SEPARATE SPERMATOZOA FROM EPITHELIAL CELLS FOR STR ANALYSIS.
Creator: Sanders, Christine, Ballantyne, Jack, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Short Tandem Repeat (STR) analysis has become a valuable tool in identifying the source of biological stains, particularly from the investigation of sexual assault crimes. Difficulties in analysis arise primarily in the interpretation of mixed genotypes when cell separation of the sexual assailant's sperm from the victim's cells is incomplete. The forensic community continues to seek improvements in cell separation methods from mixtures for DNA typing. This report describes the use of laser...
Show moreShort Tandem Repeat (STR) analysis has become a valuable tool in identifying the source of biological stains, particularly from the investigation of sexual assault crimes. Difficulties in analysis arise primarily in the interpretation of mixed genotypes when cell separation of the sexual assailant's sperm from the victim's cells is incomplete. The forensic community continues to seek improvements in cell separation methods from mixtures for DNA typing. This report describes the use of laser microdissection (LMD) for the separation of pure populations of spermatozoa from two-donor cell mixtures. In this study, cell separation was demonstrated by microscopic identification of histologically stained spermatozoa and female buccal cell mixtures, and STR analysis of DNA obtained from the separated sperm cells. Clear profiles of the male donor were obtained with the absence of any additional alleles from the female donor. Five histological stains were evaluated for use with LMD and DNA analysis: hematoxylin/eosin, nuclear fast red/picroindigocarmine, methyl green, Wright's stain, and acridine orange. Hematoxylin/eosin out-performed all other stains however nuclear fast red/picroindigocarmine could be used satisfactorily with STR analysis. In addition, three DNA isolation methods were evaluated for LMD collected cells: QIAamp (Qiagen), microLYSIS (Microzone Ltd.) and Lyse-N-Go (Pierce Chemical Co.). MicroLYSIS performed poorly, yielding low levels of PCR product. Lyse-N-Go extraction was effective for the recovery of DNA from LMD collected sperm cells while QIAamp isolation performed best for the recovery of DNA from LMD collected epithelial cells. LMD is shown to be an effective, low-manipulation separation method that enables the recovery of sperm while excluding epithelial cell DNA.
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: CFE0000876, ucf:46652
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000876

Title: BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS VERSUS PHARMACEUTICAL INTERVENTIONS TO REDUCE PREOPERATIVE ANXIETY IN SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN.
Creator: Cline, Jennifer J, D'Amato-Kubiet, Leslee, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Surgical procedures that require general anesthesia can be stressful and create needless anxiety for school-age children. Interventions aimed at reducing preoperative anxiety can improve cooperation and enhance postoperative outcomes by lowering anxiety levels prior to induction of general anesthesia. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of behavioral interventions versus drug therapy in reducing pre-operative anxiety in children. The secondary purpose was to compare methods...
Show moreSurgical procedures that require general anesthesia can be stressful and create needless anxiety for school-age children. Interventions aimed at reducing preoperative anxiety can improve cooperation and enhance postoperative outcomes by lowering anxiety levels prior to induction of general anesthesia. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of behavioral interventions versus drug therapy in reducing pre-operative anxiety in children. The secondary purpose was to compare methods used to integrate anxiety reduction interventions into pre-operative care and to evaluate the most widely used and effective strategy for clinical practice. A literature review exploring behavioral based stress reduction interventions and drug therapy targeted at reducing preoperative anxiety was conducted from various online databases. Peer reviewed articles, published in the English-language between 2006 and 2015 that focused on postoperative outcomes in which preoperative interventions to reduce anxiety in children age two years and older, as well as the parent's perspective of the outcome, were included for synthesis. Results from 9 randomized controlled trials that used behavioral based interventions implemented on the day of surgery, prior to anesthesia induction were compared for effectiveness at anxiety reduction versus the use of drug therapy prior to surgery. The studies suggest more successful post-surgical outcomes related to shorter length of stay and post-operative delirium for behavioral interventions to reduce anxiety prior to surgery and demonstrated even greater optimal outcomes for combined behavioral interventions. Drug therapy alone to decrease anxiety prior to anesthesia induction showed mixed results in reduction of physiologic and general outcomes following surgery. No significant difference between behavioral based interventions versus drug therapy was shown in any of the reviewed studies to have a significant effect on post-surgical outcomes. However, potentially promising behavioral based interventions such as clowns, electronic devices, parental presence and music over drug therapy prior to surgery, require further evaluation for their use in decreasing pre-operative anxiety in school-age children and having a positive impact on post-operative outcomes.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFH2000090, ucf:45566
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000090

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.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002391, ucf:47772
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002391

Title: A Study of Crystallization Behavior in Phase Separated Chalcogenide Glasses.
Creator: Buff, Andrew, Richardson, Kathleen, Sohn, Yongho, Gaume, Romain, Fargin, Evelyne, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Chalcogenide glasses (ChG) are known for their wide transmission ranges in the infrared and for their high refractive indices. However, applications for ChG are often limited by their poor thermal/mechanical properties. Precipitating a secondary crystalline phase in the glass matrix can improve these properties, but too much crystallization and/or large or multiple phase crystallites can lead to a loss in infrared (IR) transmission. Controlled crystallization can be used to tune the...
Show moreChalcogenide glasses (ChG) are known for their wide transmission ranges in the infrared and for their high refractive indices. However, applications for ChG are often limited by their poor thermal/mechanical properties. Precipitating a secondary crystalline phase in the glass matrix can improve these properties, but too much crystallization and/or large or multiple phase crystallites can lead to a loss in infrared (IR) transmission. Controlled crystallization can be used to tune the properties of these glasses. This work examines the crystallization behavior in phase separated chalcogenide glasses in the GeSe2-As2Se3-PbSe glass system.Specifically, the research presented in this thesis work has investigated the crystallization behavior in the 20GeSe2-60As2Se3-20PbSe (20 PbSe) and 15GeSe2-45As2Se3-40PbSe (40 PbSe) glasses for an IR optical system operating in the 3 to 5 (&)#181;m range. While both of these glasses were found to have droplet-matrix phase separation, the morphology differed from each other in two key ways. First, the droplets seen in the 20 PbSe glass (100-130 nm) are roughly twice as big as those in the 40 PbSe glass (35-45 nm). The droplet sizes seen in the base glass directly affect the short wavelength cutoff of the two glasses where the 20 PbSe glass (1.993 (&)#181;m) has a longer wavelength cutoff than the 40 PbSe (1.319 (&)#181;m). Secondly, the 20 PbSe glass has Pb-rich droplets and the 40 PbSe glass has a Pb-rich matrix, impacting where the initial stages of crystallization are initiated. Crystallization occurs in the Pb-rich phase and affects the glass-ceramic properties differently depending on whether the Pb-rich phase is the minority phase (20 PbSe) or the majority phase (40 PbSe). When the crystallization occurs in the majority phase, it greatly affects the hardness, density, and refractive index. When the crystallization occurs in the minority phase, the hardness and density change negligibly while the refractive index still shows significant change. While both glasses show an effective index change and 3-5 (&)#181;m transmission in their base form, only the 40 PbSe maintains the transmission window after the heat-treatments used in this study.The work reported in this thesis has shown how the crystallization process can be used to develop a gradient refractive index (GRIN) component in an IR optical system. While the composition and crystallization protocols are not optimized for further transfer of the technology to commercial products, the basis of this work shows the process of developing a glass-ceramic for the application.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006271, ucf:51032
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006271

Title: Aerodynamic Characteristics of a Gas Turbine Exhaust Diffuser with an Accompanying Exhaust Collection System.
Creator: Bernier, Bryan, Kapat, Jayanta, Deng, Weiwei, Raghavan, Seetha, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The effects of an industrial gas turbine's Exhaust Collector Box (ECB) geometry on static pressure recovery and total pressure loss were investigated in this study experimentally and computationally. This study aims to further understand how exit boundary conditions affect the performance of a diffuser system as well as the accuracy of industry standard computational models. A design of experiments approach was taken using a Box-Behnken design method for investigating three geometric...
Show moreThe effects of an industrial gas turbine's Exhaust Collector Box (ECB) geometry on static pressure recovery and total pressure loss were investigated in this study experimentally and computationally. This study aims to further understand how exit boundary conditions affect the performance of a diffuser system as well as the accuracy of industry standard computational models. A design of experiments approach was taken using a Box-Behnken design method for investigating three geometric parameters of the ECB. In this investigation, the exhaust diffuser remained constant through each test, with only the ECB being varied. A system performance analysis was conducted for each geometry using the total pressure loss and static pressure recovery from the diffuser inlet to the ECB exit. Velocity and total pressure profiles obtained with a hotwire anemometer and Kiel probe at the exit of the diffuser and at the exit of the ECB are also presented in this study. A total of 13 different ECB geometries are investigated at a Reynolds number of 60,000. Results obtained from these experimental tests are used to investigate the accuracy of a 3-dimensional RANS with realizable k-? turbulence model from the commercial software package Star-CCM+. The study confirms the existence of strong counter-rotating helical vortices within the ECB which significantly affect the flow within the diffuser. Evidence of a strong recirculation zone within the ECB was found to force separation within the exhaust diffuser which imposed a circumferentially asymmetric pressure field at the inlet of the diffuser. Increasing the ECB width proved to decrease the magnitude of this effect, increasing the diffuser protrusion reduced this effect to a lesser degree. The combined effect of increasing the ECB Length and Width increased the expansion area ratio, proving to increase the system pressure recovery by as much as 19% over the nominal case. Additionally, the realizable k-? turbulence model was able to accurately rank all 13 cases in order by performance; however the predicted magnitudes of the pressure recovery and total pressure loss were poor for the cases with strong vortices. For the large volume cases with weak vortices, the CFD was able to accurately represent the total pressure loss of the system within 5%.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004517, ucf:49296
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004517

Title: PARTICLE SEPARATION THROUGH TAYLOR COUETTE FLOW AND DIELECTROPHORETIC TRAPPING.
Creator: Bock, Christopher, Chen, Quanfang, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: As the world population approaches seven billion, a greater strain is put on the resources necessary to sustain life. One of the most basic and essential resources is water and while two thirds of the earth is covered by water, the majority is either salt water (oceans and seas) or it is too contaminated to drink. The purpose of this project is to develop a portable device capable of testing whether a specific source of water (i.e. lake, river, wellÃƒÂƒÃ‚...
Show moreAs the world population approaches seven billion, a greater strain is put on the resources necessary to sustain life. One of the most basic and essential resources is water and while two thirds of the earth is covered by water, the majority is either salt water (oceans and seas) or it is too contaminated to drink. The purpose of this project is to develop a portable device capable of testing whether a specific source of water (i.e. lake, river, wellÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â‚ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â…) is potable. There are numerous filtration techniques that can remove contaminants and make even the dirtiest water clean enough for consumption but they are for the most part, very time consuming and immobile processes. The device is not a means of water purification but rather focuses on determining the content of the water and whether it is safe. Particles within the water are separated and trapped using a combination of a Taylor Couette fluid flow system and Dielectrophoretic electrodes. This paper explores Taylor Couette flow in a large gap and low aspect ratio system through theory and experimentation with early stage prototypes. Different inner cylinder radii, 2.12cm, 1.665cm and 1.075cm, were tested at different speeds approaching, at and passing the critical Taylor number, 3825, 4713 and 6923 respectively for each cylinder. Dielectrophoretic (DEP) electrodes were designed, fabricated, coated and tested using latex beads to determine the method of integrating them within the fluid flow system. Taylor Couette theory, in terms of the formation of vortices within the large gap, small aspect ratio system, was not validated during testing. The flow pattern generated was more akin to a chaotic circular Couette flow but still served to move the particles toward the outer wall. Fully integrated tests were run with limited success. Recommendations were made to pursue both circular Couette flow as the basis for particle separation and dimensional changes in the setup to allow for the formation of Taylor vortices by increasing the radius ratio but still allowing for a larger volume of fluid.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0003129, ucf:48634
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003129

Title: Pearl Necklaces.
Creator: Redmond, Jordan, Thaxton, Terry, Stap, Donald, Neal, Mary, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Pearl Necklaces aims to excavate raw moments of connection and find beauty in the depravity of self and situation. Set in the Deep South, this collection of poems thrives on lusty nights, hard love, and the twinge of memory. The voices within range from youthful to jaded as they speak across pages, flowing into one another to create a pain-body which ultimately seeks closure in relationships with objects, family, drugs, lovers, body parts, heroes, and setting. Tuned to the lyrical voices of...
Show morePearl Necklaces aims to excavate raw moments of connection and find beauty in the depravity of self and situation. Set in the Deep South, this collection of poems thrives on lusty nights, hard love, and the twinge of memory. The voices within range from youthful to jaded as they speak across pages, flowing into one another to create a pain-body which ultimately seeks closure in relationships with objects, family, drugs, lovers, body parts, heroes, and setting. Tuned to the lyrical voices of poets Kim Addonizio, Lynn Emanuel, and Dorianne Laux, poems such as (")Learning Shapes,(") (")Things that Make Me Feel Cool,(") (")Can't Say Daddy, and (")Don't Miss Mississippi(") seek out what makes up a person as the collection continues to practice manipulation with language, tradition, and context in works like (")Pearl Necklaces(") and (")Golden Boy.(") Faithfully and sarcastically, these collected poems drive to the fuzzy edges of attachment and never come back.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006489, ucf:51394
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006489

Title: SINBAD AUTOMATION OF SCIENTIFIC PROCESS: FROM HIDDEN FACTOR ANALYSIS TO THEORY SYNTHESIS.
Creator: KURSUN, OLCAY, Favorov, Oleg V., University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Modern science is turning to progressively more complex and data-rich subjects, which challenges the existing methods of data analysis and interpretation. Consequently, there is a pressing need for development of ever more powerful methods of extracting order from complex data and for automation of all steps of the scientific process. Virtual Scientist is a set of computational procedures that automate the method of inductive inference to derive a theory from observational data dominated by...
Show moreModern science is turning to progressively more complex and data-rich subjects, which challenges the existing methods of data analysis and interpretation. Consequently, there is a pressing need for development of ever more powerful methods of extracting order from complex data and for automation of all steps of the scientific process. Virtual Scientist is a set of computational procedures that automate the method of inductive inference to derive a theory from observational data dominated by nonlinear regularities. The procedures utilize SINBAD – a novel computational method of nonlinear factor analysis that is based on the principle of maximization of mutual information among non-overlapping sources (Imax), yielding higher-order features of the data that reveal hidden causal factors controlling the observed phenomena. One major advantage of this approach is that it is not dependent on a particular choice of learning algorithm to use for the computations. The procedures build a theory of the studied subject by finding inferentially useful hidden factors, learning interdependencies among its variables, reconstructing its functional organization, and describing it by a concise graph of inferential relations among its variables. The graph is a quantitative model of the studied subject, capable of performing elaborate deductive inferences and explaining behaviors of the observed variables by behaviors of other such variables and discovered hidden factors. The set of Virtual Scientist procedures is a powerful analytical and theory-building tool designed to be used in research of complex scientific problems characterized by multivariate and nonlinear relations.
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Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: CFE0000043, ucf:46124
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000043

Title: ON THE NATURE OF THE FLOW IN A SEPARATED ANNULAR DIFFUSER.
Creator: Dunn, Jason, Kapat, Jayanta, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The combustor-diffuser system remains one of the most studied sections of the turbomachine. Most of these investigations are due to the fact that quite a bit of flow diffusion is required in this section as the high speed flow exits the compressor and must be slowed down to enter the combustor. Like any diffusion process there is the chance for the development of an unfavorable adverse pressure gradient that can lead to flow separation; a cause of drastic losses within a turbine. There are...
Show moreThe combustor-diffuser system remains one of the most studied sections of the turbomachine. Most of these investigations are due to the fact that quite a bit of flow diffusion is required in this section as the high speed flow exits the compressor and must be slowed down to enter the combustor. Like any diffusion process there is the chance for the development of an unfavorable adverse pressure gradient that can lead to flow separation; a cause of drastic losses within a turbine. There are two diffusion processes in the combustor-diffuser system: The flow first exits the compressor into a pre-diffuser, or compressor discharge diffuser. This diffuser is responsible for a majority of the pressure recovery. The flow then exits the pre-diffuser by a sudden expansion into the dump diffuser. The dump diffuser comprises the majority of the losses, but is necessary to reduce the fluid velocity within acceptable limits for combustion. The topic of active flow control is gaining interest in the industry because such a technique may be able to alleviate some of the requirements of the dump diffuser. If a wider angle pre-diffuser with separation control were used the fluid velocity would be slowed more within that region without significant losses. Experiments were performed on two annular diffusers to characterize the flow separation to create a foundation for future active flow control techniques. Both diffusers had the same fully developed inlet flow condition, however, the expansion of the two diffusers differed such that one diffuser replicated a typical compressor discharge diffuser found in a real machine while the other would create a naturally separated flow along the outer wall. Both diffusers were tested at two Reynolds numbers, 5x104 and 1x105, with and without a vertical wall downstream of the exit to replicate the dump diffuser that re-directs the flow from the pre-diffuser outlet to the combustor. Static pressure measurements were obtained along the OD and ID wall of the diffusers to determine the recovered pressure throughout the diffuser. In addition to these measurements, tufts were used to visualize the flow. A turbulent CFD model was also created to compare against experimental results. In the end, the results were validated against empirical data as well as the CFD model. It was shown that the location of the vertical wall was directly related to the amount of separation as well as the separation characteristics. These findings support previous work and help guide future work for active flow control in a separated annular diffuser both computationally and experimentally.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: CFE0002953, ucf:47944
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002953

Title: Appropriate Adjective: Executive Authority and the Classification of Enemy Combatants.
Creator: Davis, Taraleigh, Merriam, Eric, Bledsoe, Robert, Edwards, Barry, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Is the term enemy combatant an established legal category of persons under international law? Has the President exceeded his constitutional authority in classifying United States citizens who are suspected terrorists as enemy combatants? In 2018 a U.S. citizen was released after being held for 13 months as an enemy combatant. He was detained without being charged with a crime and without the ability to challenge the legality of his detention. This thesis serves two purposes. First, it will...
Show moreIs the term enemy combatant an established legal category of persons under international law? Has the President exceeded his constitutional authority in classifying United States citizens who are suspected terrorists as enemy combatants? In 2018 a U.S. citizen was released after being held for 13 months as an enemy combatant. He was detained without being charged with a crime and without the ability to challenge the legality of his detention. This thesis serves two purposes. First, it will seek to trace the history of the term enemy combatant and highlight the evolution of its use by the executive branch. This thesis then examines whether the executive has exceeded his constitutional authority to classify a United States citizen as an enemy combatant. While most of the literature focuses on the treatment and detention of enemy combatants, existing scholarship largely overlooks the issue of authority to classify enemy combatants. This thesis will argue that the executive is overstepping the boundaries of its presidential power when the executive branch creates the criteria (a legislative function) for enemy combatants and applies the criteria in the classification of enemy combatants (a judicial function). This qualitative study will use normative legal research focusing on the principles of the law in classifying a suspected terrorist as an enemy combatant as well as the legal history of the term. The analysis of the legal history of the term enemy combatant will be completed by content analysis using Nvivo 12 software of various government documents as well as case studies of enemy combatant cases.
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Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFE0007448, ucf:52703
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007448

Title: reasoning about frame properties in object-oriented programs.
Creator: Bao, Yuyan, Leavens, Gary, Dechev, Damian, Jha, Sumit Kumar, Cash, Mason, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Framing is important for specification and verification of object-oriented programs.This dissertation develops the local reasoning approach for framing in the presence of data structures with unrestricted sharing and subtyping.It can verify shared data structures specified in a concise way by unifying fine-grained region logic and separation logic. Then the fine-grained region logic is extended to reason about subtyping.First, fine-grained region logic is adapted from region logic to express...
Show moreFraming is important for specification and verification of object-oriented programs.This dissertation develops the local reasoning approach for framing in the presence of data structures with unrestricted sharing and subtyping.It can verify shared data structures specified in a concise way by unifying fine-grained region logic and separation logic. Then the fine-grained region logic is extended to reason about subtyping.First, fine-grained region logic is adapted from region logic to express regions at the granularity of individual fields. Conditional region expressions are introduced; not only does this allow one to specify more precise frame conditions, it also has the ability to express footprints of separation logic assertions.Second, fine-grained region logic is generalized to a new logic called unified fine-grained region logic by allowing the logic to restrict the heap in which a program runs. This feature allows one to express specifications in separation logic.Third, both fine-grained region logic and separation logic can be encoded to unified fine-grained region logic. This result allows the proof system to reason about programs specified in both styles.Finally, fine-grained region logic is extended to reason about a programming language that is similar to Java. To reason about inheritance locally, a frame condition for behavioral subtyping is defined and proved sound.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0007279, ucf:52195
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007279

Title: Rhetoric of Imagery: Gendering Identity and Consumption Throughout Interwar American Advertisment.
Creator: Delgado, Natalie, Dandrow, Edward, Crepeau, Richard, French, Scot, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Interwar American advertising rose alongside new levels of hygiene, personal appearance, and technology in order to sell their products to target audiences. Despite the abundance of scholarship on media and gender, few studies have examined the gendered techniques through which interwar advertisers communicated with consumers in response to changing social norms and economic stability. The question this thesis explores is how these changes and communication shifted in response to consumer...
Show moreInterwar American advertising rose alongside new levels of hygiene, personal appearance, and technology in order to sell their products to target audiences. Despite the abundance of scholarship on media and gender, few studies have examined the gendered techniques through which interwar advertisers communicated with consumers in response to changing social norms and economic stability. The question this thesis explores is how these changes and communication shifted in response to consumer culture and how advertisers utilized early market research and persuasion techniques to target their audiences. Building on the studies of gender, consumption, and identity, this thesis examines the relationship between American advertisers and their targeted male and female consumers between 1920 and 1940. By exploring how admen and women within Madison Avenue's top advertising agencies utilized psychology and consumer feedback to develop a two-way communication with middle-classed consumers, this thesis draws from social, cultural, and gendered studies to understand how advertisers communicated with and tried to appeal to their target audiences. Utilizing both copy and imagery as sources of communication, this study examines every issue of the top circulating American magazines between 1920 and 1940 to explain how advertisers rose with early consumer behavioral psychology and new standards of sanitation and hygiene, how a growing consumer culture and American notion of identity and gender affected the selling of selfhood and personal beauty products, and how gendered media representations and persuasion techniques helped advertisers sell modernity and individuality to readers. This analysis surveys specific advertising campaigns before, during, and after the Stock Market Crash to follow shifts in appeals to masculinity and femininity in response to changing social norms. By delving into this intersection of gender, media, and identity, this study finds various nuances through which advertisers and their audiences communicated in and alongside a growing consumer culture.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006870, ucf:51740
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006870

Title: Design, Development, and Testing of a Miniature Fixture for Uniaxial Compression of Ceramics Coupled with In-Situ Raman Spectrometer.
Creator: Jordan, Ryan, Orlovskaya, Nina, Kwok, Kawai, Ghosh, Ranajay, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This thesis is about the design, development and integration of an in-situ compression stage which interfaces through the Leica optical microscope coupled with a Renishaw InVia micro-Raman spectrometer. This combined compression stage and Raman system will enable structural characterization of ceramics and ceramic composites. The in-situ compression stage incorporates a 440C stainless steel structural components, 6061 aluminum frame, a NEMA 23 stepper motor. Two load screws that allow to...
Show moreThis thesis is about the design, development and integration of an in-situ compression stage which interfaces through the Leica optical microscope coupled with a Renishaw InVia micro-Raman spectrometer. This combined compression stage and Raman system will enable structural characterization of ceramics and ceramic composites. The in-situ compression stage incorporates a 440C stainless steel structural components, 6061 aluminum frame, a NEMA 23 stepper motor. Two load screws that allow to apply compressive loads up to 14,137 N, with negligible off axis loading, achieving target stresses of 500 MPa for samples of up to 6.00 mm in diameter. The system will be used in the future to study the structural changes in ceramics and ceramic composites, as well as to study thermal residual stress redistribution under applied compressive loads. A broad variety of Raman active ceramics, including the traditional structural ceramics 3mol%Y2O3-ZrO2, B4C, SiC, Si3N4, as well as exotic materials such as LaCoO3 and other perovskites will be studied using this system. Calibration of the systems load cell was performed in the configured state using MTS universal testing machines. To ensure residual stresses from mounting the load cell did not invalidate the original calibration, the in-situ compression stage was tested once attached to the Renishaw Raman spectrometer using LaCoO3 ceramic samples. The Raman shift of certain peaks in LaCoO3 was detected indicative of the effect of the applied compressive stress on the ceramics understudy.
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Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFE0007824, ucf:52809
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007824

Title: Physical-Virtual Patient Simulators: Bringing Tangible Humanity to Simulated Patients.
Creator: Daher, Salam, Welch, Gregory, Gonzalez, Laura, Cendan, Juan, Proctor, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In lieu of real patients, healthcare educators frequently use simulated patients. Simulated patients can be realized in physical form, such as mannequins and trained human actors, or virtual form, such as via computer graphics presented on two-dimensional screens or head-mounted displays. Each of these alone has its strengths and weaknesses. I introduce a new class of physical-virtual patient (PVP) simulators that combine strengths of both forms by combining the flexibility and richness of...
Show moreIn lieu of real patients, healthcare educators frequently use simulated patients. Simulated patients can be realized in physical form, such as mannequins and trained human actors, or virtual form, such as via computer graphics presented on two-dimensional screens or head-mounted displays. Each of these alone has its strengths and weaknesses. I introduce a new class of physical-virtual patient (PVP) simulators that combine strengths of both forms by combining the flexibility and richness of virtual patients with tangible characteristics of a human-shaped physical form that can also exhibit a range of multi-sensory cues, including visual cues (e.g., capillary refill and facial expressions), auditory cues (e.g., verbal responses and heart sounds), and tactile cues (e.g., localized temperature and pulse). This novel combination of integrated capabilities can improve patient simulation outcomes. In my Ph.D. work I focus on three primary areas of related research. First, I describe the realization of the technology for PVPs and results from two user-studies to evaluate the importance of dynamic visuals and human-shaped physical form in terms of perception, behavior, cognition, emotions, and learning.Second, I present a general method to numerically evaluate the compatibility of any simulator-scenario pair in terms of importance and fidelity of cues. This method has the potential to make logistical, economic, and educational impacts on the choices of utilizing existing simulators.Finally, I describe a method for increasing human perception of simulated humans by exposing participants to the simulated human taking part in a short, engaging conversation prior to the simulation.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007750, ucf:52402
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007750

Title: DIVIDED GOVERNMENT AND CONGRESSIONAL FOREIGN POLICY: A CASE STUDY OF THE POST-WORLD WAR II ERA IN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT.
Creator: Feinman, David, Houghton, David, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The purpose of this research is to analyze the relationship between the executive and legislative branches of American federal government, during periods within which these two branches are led by different political parties, to discover whether the legislative branch attempts to independently legislate and enact foreign policy by using "the power of the purse" to either appropriate in support of or refuse to appropriate in opposition to military engagement abroad. The methodology for this...
Show moreThe purpose of this research is to analyze the relationship between the executive and legislative branches of American federal government, during periods within which these two branches are led by different political parties, to discover whether the legislative branch attempts to independently legislate and enact foreign policy by using "the power of the purse" to either appropriate in support of or refuse to appropriate in opposition to military engagement abroad. The methodology for this research includes the analysis and comparison of certain variables, including public opinion, budgetary constraints, and the relative majority of the party that holds power in one or both chambers, and the ways these variables may impact the behavior of the legislative branch in this regard. It also includes the analysis of appropriations requests made by the legislative branch for funding military engagement in rejection of requests from the executive branch for all military engagements that occurred during periods of divided government from 1946 through 2009.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0003657, ucf:48840
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003657

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