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- Title
- A Compiler-based Framework for Automatic Extraction of Program Skeletons for Exascale Hardware/Software Co-design.
- Creator
-
Rudraiah Dakshinamurthy, Amruth, Dechev, Damian, Heinrich, Mark, Deo, Narsingh, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The design of high-performance computing architectures requires performance analysis of large-scale parallel applications to derive various parameters concerning hardware design and software development. The process of performance analysis and benchmarking an application can be done in several ways with varying degrees of fidelity. One of the most cost-effective ways is to do a coarse-grained study of large-scale parallel applications through the use of program skeletons. The concept of a `...
Show moreThe design of high-performance computing architectures requires performance analysis of large-scale parallel applications to derive various parameters concerning hardware design and software development. The process of performance analysis and benchmarking an application can be done in several ways with varying degrees of fidelity. One of the most cost-effective ways is to do a coarse-grained study of large-scale parallel applications through the use of program skeletons. The concept of a ``program skeleton'' that we discuss in this paper is an abstracted program that is derived from a larger program where source code that is determined to be irrelevant is removed for the purposes of the skeleton. In this work, we develop a semi-automatic approach for extracting program skeletons based on compiler program analysis. We demonstrate correctness of our skeleton extraction process by comparing details from communication traces, as well as show the performance speedup of using skeletons by running simulations in the SST/macro simulator. Extracting such a program skeleton from a large-scale parallel program requires a substantial amount of manual effort and often introduces human errors. We outline a semi-automatic approach for extracting program skeletons from large-scale parallel applications that reduces cost and eliminates errors inherent in manual approaches. Our skeleton generation approach is based on the use of the extensible and open-source ROSE compiler infrastructure that allows us to perform flow and dependency analysis on larger programs in order to determine what code can be removed from the program to generate a skeleton.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0004743, ucf:49795
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004743
- Title
- Selective Multivariate Applications in Forensic Science.
- Creator
-
Rinke, Caitlin, Sigman, Michael, Campiglia, Andres, Yestrebsky, Cherie, Kuebler, Stephen, Richardson, Martin, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
A 2009 report published by the National Research Council addressed the need for improvements in the field of forensic science. In the report emphasis was placed on the need for more rigorous scientific analysis within many forensic science disciplines and for established limitations and determination of error rates from statistical analysis. This research focused on multivariate statistical techniques for the analysis of spectral data obtained for multiple forensic applications which include...
Show moreA 2009 report published by the National Research Council addressed the need for improvements in the field of forensic science. In the report emphasis was placed on the need for more rigorous scientific analysis within many forensic science disciplines and for established limitations and determination of error rates from statistical analysis. This research focused on multivariate statistical techniques for the analysis of spectral data obtained for multiple forensic applications which include samples from: automobile float glasses and paints, bones, metal transfers, ignitable liquids and fire debris, and organic compounds including explosives. The statistical techniques were used for two types of data analysis: classification and discrimination. Statistical methods including linear discriminant analysis and a novel soft classification method were used to provide classification of forensic samples based on a compiled library. The novel soft classification method combined three statistical steps: Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Target Factor Analysis (TFA), and Bayesian Decision Theory (BDT) to provide classification based on posterior probabilities of class membership. The posterior probabilities provide a statistical probability of classification which can aid a forensic analyst in reaching a conclusion. The second analytical approach applied nonparametric methods to provide the means for discrimination between samples. Nonparametric methods are performed as hypothesis test and do not assume normal distribution of the analytical figures of merit. The nonparametric permutation test was applied to forensic applications to determine the similarity between two samples and provide discrimination rates. Both the classification method and discrimination method were applied to data acquired from multiple instrumental methods. The instrumental methods included: Laser Induced-Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Some of these instrumental methods are currently applied to forensic applications, such as GC-MS for the analysis of ignitable liquid and fire debris samples; while others provide new instrumental methods to areas within forensic science which currently lack instrumental analysis techniques, such as LIBS for the analysis of metal transfers. The combination of the instrumental techniques and multivariate statistical techniques is investigated in new approaches to forensic applications in this research to assist in improving the field of forensic science.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFE0004628, ucf:49942
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004628
- Title
- CERAMIC ANALYSIS AT IKE'S CUT, BAHAMAS COMPARED WITH FT. LIBERTE, HAITI AND EL MANGO, CUBA.
- Creator
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Kays, Melissa A, Sinelli, Peter, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This thesis compares pottery from Ike's Cut, Inagua, Bahamas with assemblages from the site of El Mango, Cuba, analyzed by Ashley Brooke Persons and the site of Ft. Liberte, Haiti, analyzed by Irving Rouse. The Ike's Cut site was a seasonally occupied location on the largest bank on Inagua, and was utilized for its access to marine resources. The migrants living here brought with them Meillacoid ceramics that were manufactured somewhere in the Greater Antilles. The objective of this research...
Show moreThis thesis compares pottery from Ike's Cut, Inagua, Bahamas with assemblages from the site of El Mango, Cuba, analyzed by Ashley Brooke Persons and the site of Ft. Liberte, Haiti, analyzed by Irving Rouse. The Ike's Cut site was a seasonally occupied location on the largest bank on Inagua, and was utilized for its access to marine resources. The migrants living here brought with them Meillacoid ceramics that were manufactured somewhere in the Greater Antilles. The objective of this research was to evaluate whether the ceramics at Ike's Cut share more in common with either the Hispaniolan or Cuban assemblages. These similarities can provide evidence from where these people came. Noting the frequency of certain traits in the distribution allowed me to draw conclusions regarding the similarities and differences in pottery characteristics among these Taino sites. Upon completing a comparison of decorative modes and an analysis of rim types, I was able to conclude that these sites showed considerable similarities despite being situated in different regions. These results indicate the differences in site purposes and their corresponding ceramics, and also shed light on the continuity between decorative motifs throughout Taino sites and the Caribbean. This indicates that Rouse's initial hypothesis, that migration throughout these islands was unilateral, was false and that there was significant interaction between these three sites over time.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFH2000331, ucf:45827
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000331
- Title
- A SOFTWARE-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM USING NARRATIVE TEXTS.
- Creator
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McDaniel, Thomas Rudy, Dombrowski, Paul, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Technical and professional communicators have in recent research been challenged to make significant contributions to the field of knowledge management, and to learn or create the new technologies allowing them to do so. The purpose of this dissertation is to make such a combined theoretical and applied contribution from the context of the emerging discipline of Texts and Technology. This dissertation explores the field of knowledge management (KM), particularly its relationship to the...
Show moreTechnical and professional communicators have in recent research been challenged to make significant contributions to the field of knowledge management, and to learn or create the new technologies allowing them to do so. The purpose of this dissertation is to make such a combined theoretical and applied contribution from the context of the emerging discipline of Texts and Technology. This dissertation explores the field of knowledge management (KM), particularly its relationship to the related study of artificial intelligence (AI), and then recommends a KM software application based on the principles of narratology and narrative information exchange. The focus of knowledge is shifted from the reductive approach of data and information to a holistic approach of meaning and the way people make sense of complex events as experiences expressed in stories. Such an analysis requires a discussion of the evolution of intelligent systems and narrative theory as well as an examination of existing computerized and non-computerized storytelling systems. After a thorough discussion of these issues, an original software program that is used to collect, analyze, and distribute thematic stories within any hierarchical organization is modeled, exemplified, and explained in detail.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2004
- Identifier
- CFE0000012, ucf:46117
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000012
- Title
- A HYBRID SIMULATION METHODOLOGY TO EVALUATE NETWORK CENTRICDECISION MAKING UNDER EXTREME EVENTS.
- Creator
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Quijada, Sergio, Sepulveda, Jose, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Currently the network centric operation and network centric warfare have generated a new area of research focused on determining how hierarchical organizations composed by human beings and machines make decisions over collaborative environments. One of the most stressful scenarios for these kinds of organizations is the so-called extreme events. This dissertation provides a hybrid simulation methodology based on classical simulation paradigms combined with social network analysis for...
Show moreCurrently the network centric operation and network centric warfare have generated a new area of research focused on determining how hierarchical organizations composed by human beings and machines make decisions over collaborative environments. One of the most stressful scenarios for these kinds of organizations is the so-called extreme events. This dissertation provides a hybrid simulation methodology based on classical simulation paradigms combined with social network analysis for evaluating and improving the organizational structures and procedures, mainly the incident command systems and plans for facing those extreme events. According to this, we provide a methodology for generating hypotheses and afterwards testing organizational procedures either in real training systems or simulation models with validated data. As long as the organization changes their dyadic relationships dynamically over time, we propose to capture the longitudinal digraph in time and analyze it by means of its adjacency matrix. Thus, by using an object oriented approach, three domains are proposed for better understanding the performance and the surrounding environment of an emergency management organization. System dynamics is used for modeling the critical infrastructure linked to the warning alerts of a given organization at federal, state and local levels. Discrete simulations based on the defined concept of "community of state" enables us to control the complete model. Discrete event simulation allows us to create entities that represent the data and resource flows within the organization. We propose that cognitive models might well be suited in our methodology. For instance, we show how the team performance decays in time, according to the Yerkes-Dodson curve, affecting the measures of performance of the whole organizational system. Accordingly we suggest that the hybrid model could be applied to other types of organizations, such as military peacekeeping operations and joint task forces. Along with providing insight about organizations, the methodology supports the analysis of the "after action review" (AAR), based on collection of data obtained from the command and control systems or the so-called training scenarios. Furthermore, a rich set of mathematical measures arises from the hybrid models such as triad census, dyad census, eigenvalues, utilization, feedback loops, etc., which provides a strong foundation for studying an emergency management organization. Future research will be necessary for analyzing real data and validating the proposed methodology.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- CFE0001243, ucf:46926
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001243
- Title
- MODELING AND ANALYSIS OF THE EDS MAGLEV SYSTEM WITH THE HALBACH MAGNET ARRAY.
- Creator
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Ko, Wonsuk, Ham, Chan, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The magnetic field analysis based on the wavelet transform is performed. The Halbach array magnetic field analysis has been studied using many methods such as magnetic scalar potential, magnetic vector potential, Fourier analysis and Finite Element Methods. But these analyses cannot identify a transient oscillation at the beginning stage of levitation. The wavelet transform is used for analyzing the transient oscillatory response of an EDS Maglev system. The proposed scheme explains the under...
Show moreThe magnetic field analysis based on the wavelet transform is performed. The Halbach array magnetic field analysis has been studied using many methods such as magnetic scalar potential, magnetic vector potential, Fourier analysis and Finite Element Methods. But these analyses cannot identify a transient oscillation at the beginning stage of levitation. The wavelet transform is used for analyzing the transient oscillatory response of an EDS Maglev system. The proposed scheme explains the under-damped dynamics that results from the cradle's dynamic response to the irregular distribution of the magnetic field. It suggests this EDS Maglev system that responds to a vertical repulsive force could be subject to such instability at the beginning stage of a low levitation height. The proposed method is useful in analyzing instabilities at the beginning stage of levitation height. A controller for the EDS maglev system with the Halbach array magnet is designed for the beginning stage of levitation and after reaching the defined levitation height. To design a controller for the EDS system, two different stages are suggested. Before the object reaches a stable position and after it has reached a stable position. A stable position can be referred to as a nominal height. The former is the stage I and the latter is the stage II. At the stage I, to achieve a nominal height the robust controller is investigated. At the stage II, both translational and rotational motions are considered for the control design. To maintain system stability, damping control as well as LQR control are performed. The proposed method is helpful to understand system dynamics and achieve system stability.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- Identifier
- CFE0001697, ucf:47196
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001697
- Title
- CENTRAL FLORIDA HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE FLORIDA SCHOOL INDICATORS REPORT.
- Creator
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Gaught, William, Hahs-Vaughn, Debbie, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions that central Florida public high school principals had regarding the Florida School Indicators Report (FSIR) and its usefulness. The FSIR, published by the Florida Department of Education, was designed to be a comprehensive, single source document for parents, lawmakers, and school administrators to compare key performance indicators to similar schools or districts state wide. It provided information on 74 different indicators of...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions that central Florida public high school principals had regarding the Florida School Indicators Report (FSIR) and its usefulness. The FSIR, published by the Florida Department of Education, was designed to be a comprehensive, single source document for parents, lawmakers, and school administrators to compare key performance indicators to similar schools or districts state wide. It provided information on 74 different indicators of school or district performance. A total of 70 public high school principals from 13 central Florida school districts responded to a postal survey and provided their perceptions regarding the importance of indicators in the FSIR, how they used the FSIR at their schools, and what barriers they felt affected the ability of their administrative staffs to collect and analyze data on the FSIR indicators. Eighteen of the 70 principals participated in follow-up telephone interviews. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of the postal surveys and interviews revealed the principals perceived FSIR indicators related to Florida's mandated Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) as the most important indictors in the FSIR. The indicators FCAT Results and FCAT Writes were ranked first and second respectively in priority by the participating principals. This finding demonstrated the importance that principals placed on the state's high-stakes test. Other categories of FSIR indicators are were also ranked in the findings reported in this study, along with how the principals used the FSIR at their schools. The data collected from the postal survey revealed there was a statistically significant relationship between the priority principals assigned to the FSIR indicators and their ability to collect and analyze data related to them. In addition, survey data allowed development of multiple regression models that could be used to predict the priority principals assigned to several FSIR categories of indicators based on the ability to collect and analyze data. The study findings indicated that principals perceived lack of time for data analysis as the biggest barrier they faced when evaluating the FSIR indicators. After the lack of time, principals rated lack of administrator training in data analysis as the second biggest obstacle to using the FSIR. The findings indicated that principals felt the availability of data and technology were not significant barriers to their staff's ability to conduct data analysis on the FSIR. The conclusions drawn from the study were that central Florida high school principals perceived the results on the state's mandated Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) to be the most important indicators in the FSIR. In addition, the research identified that the lack of time was the single greatest barrier principals encountered when it came to collecting and analyzing data on the FSIR. A lack of training programs in data collection and analysis for administrators was also noted in the findings.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- Identifier
- CFE0001688, ucf:47204
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001688
- Title
- MODEL STUDIES OF TIME-DEPENDENT DUCTING FOR HIGH-FREQUENCY GRAVITY WAVES AND ASSOCIATED AIRGLOW RESPONSES IN THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE.
- Creator
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Yu, Yonghui, Johnson, Michael, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This doctoral dissertation has mainly concentrated on modeling studies of shorter period acoustic-gravity waves propagating in the upper atmosphere. Several cases have been investigated in the literature, which are focusing on the propagation characteristics of high-frequency gravity wave packets. The dissertation consists of five main divisions of which each has its own significance to be addressed, and these five chapters are also bridged in order with each other to present a theme about...
Show moreThis doctoral dissertation has mainly concentrated on modeling studies of shorter period acoustic-gravity waves propagating in the upper atmosphere. Several cases have been investigated in the literature, which are focusing on the propagation characteristics of high-frequency gravity wave packets. The dissertation consists of five main divisions of which each has its own significance to be addressed, and these five chapters are also bridged in order with each other to present a theme about gravity wave ducting dynamics, energetics, and airglows. The first chapter is served as an introduction of the general topic about atmospheric acoustic-gravity waves. Some of the historical backgrounds are provided as an interesting refreshment and also as a motivation reasoning this scientific research for decades. A new 2-D, time-dependent, and nonlinear model is introduced in the second chapter (the AGE-TIP model, acronymically named atmospheric gravity waves for the Earth plus tides and planetary waves). The model is developed during this entire doctoral study and has carried out almost all research results in this dissertation. The third chapter is a model application for shorter period gravity waves ducted in a thermally stratified atmosphere. In spite of mean winds the thermal ducting occurs because ducted waves are fairly common occurrences in airglow observations. One-dimensional Fourier analysis is applied to identify the ducted wave modes that reside within multiple thermal ducts. Besides, the vertical energy flux and the wave kinetic energy density are derived as wave diagnostic variables to better understand the time-resolved vertical transport of wave energy in the presence of multiple thermal ductings. The fourth chapter is also a model application for shorter period gravity waves, but it instead addresses the propagation of high-frequency gravity waves in the presence of mean background wind shears. The wind structure acts as a significant directional filter to the wave spectra and hence causes noticeable azimuthal variations at higher altitudes. In addition to the spectral analysis applied previously the wave action has been used to interpret the energy coupling between the waves and the mean flow among some atmospheric regions, where the waves are suspected to extract energy from the mean flow at some altitudes and release it to other altitudes. The fifth chapter is a concrete and substantial step connecting theoretical studies and realistic observations through nonlinearly coupling wave dynamic model with airglow chemical reactions. Simulated O (1S) (557.7 nm) airglow images are provided so that they can be compared with observational airglow images. These simulated airglow brightness variations response accordingly with minor species density fluctuations, which are due to propagating and ducting nonlinear gravity waves within related airglow layers. The thermal and wind structures plus the seasonal and geographical variabilities could significantly influence the observed airglow images. By control modeling studies the simulations can be used to collate with concurrent observed data, so that the incoherencies among them could be very useful to discover unknown physical processes behind the observed wave scenes.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- Identifier
- CFE0001717, ucf:47316
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001717
- Title
- THE DARK SIDE OF THE TUNE: A STUDY OF VILLAINS.
- Creator
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Biggs, Michael, Weaver, Earl, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
On "championing" the villain, there is a naïve quality that must be maintained even though the actor has rehearsed his tragic ending several times. There is a subtle difference between "to charm" and "to seduce." The need for fame, glory, power, money, or other objects of affection drives antagonists so blindly that they've no hope of regaining a consciousness about their actions. If and when they do become aware, they infrequently feel remorse. I captured the essence of the villain...
Show moreOn "championing" the villain, there is a naïve quality that must be maintained even though the actor has rehearsed his tragic ending several times. There is a subtle difference between "to charm" and "to seduce." The need for fame, glory, power, money, or other objects of affection drives antagonists so blindly that they've no hope of regaining a consciousness about their actions. If and when they do become aware, they infrequently feel remorse. I captured the essence of the villain by exposing these lightless characters to the sun. On Monday, April 9th and Tuesday, April 17th, 2007, on the Gillespie stage in Daytona Beach, Florida, I performed a thirty-minute, one-act cabaret entitled The Dark Side of the Tune. By selecting pieces from the musical theatre genre to define and demonstrate the qualities of the stock character, the villain, I created a one-man show; a musical play, including an inciting incident, rising conflict, climax, and dénouement, with only a few moments of my own dialogue to help handle the unique transitions for my own particular story. By analyzing the arc of major historical villains and comparing them to some of the current dark characters, I will discuss the progression of the villain's role within a production and the change from the clearly defined villain to modern misfits who are frequently far less scheming or obvious. My research includes analysis of the dark references within each piece's originating production, and how it has been integrated into the script for The Dark Side of the Tune and a breakdown of my cabaret's script (Appendix A). I explore actors' tools, specifically voice, movement, and characterization, and their use in creating villainous characters. I also discuss similarities in story progression for the deviant's beginning, middle, and final positions within the plot structure of a production.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002446, ucf:47709
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002446
- Title
- DEVELOPMENTAL TRAJECTORY OF AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR IN CLINICALLY REFERRED BOYS: A RASCH ANALYSIS.
- Creator
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LaFond, Scott, Rapport, Mark, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
A majority of research investigating aggression and its development in children has relied upon the use of rating scales such as the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). These scales are typically developed using a conventional factor analytic approach for the selection and retention of scale items, but may not contain sufficient numbers of items to adequately assess the unidimensional construct or developmental trajectory of aggressive behavior in youths. The present study evaluates specific...
Show moreA majority of research investigating aggression and its development in children has relied upon the use of rating scales such as the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). These scales are typically developed using a conventional factor analytic approach for the selection and retention of scale items, but may not contain sufficient numbers of items to adequately assess the unidimensional construct or developmental trajectory of aggressive behavior in youths. The present study evaluates specific psychometric properties of CBCL Aggressive and Delinquency Problems clinical syndrome scale items to determine the degree to which they reflect the breadth and established developmental trajectory of aggressive behavior in youth.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002487, ucf:47683
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002487
- Title
- USING STUDENT MOOD AND TASK PERFORMANCE TO TRAIN CLASSIFIER ALGORITHMS TO SELECT EFFECTIVE COACHING STRATEGIES WITHIN INTELLIGENT TUTORING SYSTEMS (ITS).
- Creator
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Sottilare, Robert, Proctor, Michael, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The ultimate goal of this research was to improve student performance by adjusting an Intelligent Tutoring System's (ITS) coaching strategy based on the student's mood. As a step toward this goal, this study evaluated the relationships between each student's mood variables (pleasure, arousal, dominance and mood intensity), the coaching strategy selected by the ITS and the student's performance. Outcomes included methods to increase the perception of the intelligent tutor to...
Show moreThe ultimate goal of this research was to improve student performance by adjusting an Intelligent Tutoring System's (ITS) coaching strategy based on the student's mood. As a step toward this goal, this study evaluated the relationships between each student's mood variables (pleasure, arousal, dominance and mood intensity), the coaching strategy selected by the ITS and the student's performance. Outcomes included methods to increase the perception of the intelligent tutor to allow it to adapt coaching strategies (methods of instruction) to the student's affective needs to mitigate barriers to performance (e.g. negative affect) during the one-to-one tutoring process. The study evaluated whether the affective state (specifically mood) of the student moderated the student's interaction with the tutor and influenced performance. This research examined the relationships, interactions and influences of student mood in the selection of ITS coaching strategies to determine which strategies were more effective in terms of student performance given the student's mood, state (recent sleep time, previous knowledge and training, and interest level) and actions (e.g. mouse movement rate). Two coaching strategies were used in this study: Student-Requested Feedback (SRF) and Tutor-Initiated Feedback (TIF). The SRF coaching strategy provided feedback in the form of hints, questions, direction and support only when the student requested help. The TIF coaching strategy provided feedback (hints, questions, direction or support) at key junctures in the learning process when the student either made progress or failed to make progress in a timely fashion. The relationships between the coaching strategies, mood, performance and other variables of interest were considered in light of five hypotheses. At alpha = .05 and beta at least as great as .80, significant effects were limited in predicting performance. Highlighted findings include no significant differences in the mean performance due to coaching strategies, and only small effect sizes in predicting performance making the regression models developed not of practical significance. However, several variables including performance, energy level and mouse movement rates were significant, unobtrusive predictors of mood. Regression algorithms were developed using Arbuckle's (2008) Analysis of MOment Structures (AMOS) tool to compare the predicted performance for each strategy and then to choose the optimal strategy. A set of production rules were also developed to train a machine learning classifier using Witten & Frank's (2005) Waikato Environment for Knowledge Analysis (WEKA) toolset. The classifier was tested to determine its ability to recognize critical relationships and adjust coaching strategies to improve performance. This study found that the ability of the intelligent tutor to recognize key affective relationships contributes to improved performance. Study assumptions include a normal distribution of student mood variables, student state variables and student action variables and the equal mean performance of the two coaching strategy groups (student-requested feedback and tutor-initiated feedback ). These assumptions were substantiated in the study. Potential applications of this research are broad since its approach is application independent and could be used within ill-defined or very complex domains where judgment might be influenced by affect (e.g. study of the law, decisions involving risk of injury or death, negotiations or investment decisions). Recommendations for future research include evaluation of the temporal, as well as numerical, relationships of student mood, performance, actions and state variables.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- Identifier
- CFE0002528, ucf:47644
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002528
- Title
- THE SPIRITUAL COMPETENCY SCALE: A COMPARISON TO THE ASERVIC SPIRITUAL COMPETENCIES.
- Creator
-
Robertson, Linda, Young, Mark, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Spiritual and religious beliefs are significant aspects of a person‟s worldview and have been well established within many disciplines as a resource for physical and mental health. Therefore, they are relevant topics for counselors. The governing bodies of the counseling profession support the discussion of these beliefs in counseling. To meet the ethical mandates for competency in this area, the Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling (ASERVIC) produced...
Show moreSpiritual and religious beliefs are significant aspects of a person‟s worldview and have been well established within many disciplines as a resource for physical and mental health. Therefore, they are relevant topics for counselors. The governing bodies of the counseling profession support the discussion of these beliefs in counseling. To meet the ethical mandates for competency in this area, the Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling (ASERVIC) produced the Spiritual Competencies. Despite these efforts, spiritual and religious material continues to be neglected in counselor training programs. In the absence of a formal measure of spiritual competency, curricular recommendations have been based more on speculation about what should be taught than on empirical evidence of students‟ deficits in spiritual competency. A further concern is that there is no existing measure to empirically evaluate the efficacy of this type of training. The purpose of this study was to meet these needs through the development of the Spiritual Competency Scale (SCS). The pilot instrument was administered to 100 participants at a southeastern secular university. The final study included 602 participants from 25 secular and religiously-based universities in 17 states across the nation. All participants were master‟s level students who were enrolled in mental health, community, school, marriage and family, and pastoral counseling tracks. The items were drawn from the literature and address each of ASERVIC‟s nine Spiritual Competencies. Content validity was establishing through item-competency consensus by an expert panel. A 6 factor oblique model was extracted through exploratory factor analysis and an item analysis supported the revised instrument. The pilot instrument yielded favorable test-retest reliability (i.e., .903) and internal consistency coefficients (i.e., .932). Cronbach‟s alpha for the 28-item revised instrument (i.e., .896) and for each of the resultant factors (i.e., from .720 to .828) was also satisfactory. There was no evidence of socially desirable response sets in either administration. The discriminant validity of the SCS was supported by this finding and through a contrasted groups approach. Students from religiously-based schools had significantly higher scores than their secular counterparts. There were also differences in scores based on a variety of demographic variables. The findings of this study support the use of the SCS to inform curriculum development, as a measure of training outcomes, and as a tool for the certification of spiritually competent counselors. Recommendations are made for future analysis of the psychometric properties of the SCS and the limitations of the study are discussed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002422, ucf:47740
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002422
- Title
- BENCHMARK STUDIES FOR STRUCTURAL HEALTH MONITORING USING ANALYTICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL MODELS.
- Creator
-
Burkett, Jason, Catbas, Necati, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The latest bridge inventory report for the United States indicates that 25% of the highway bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. With such a large number of bridges in this condition, safety and serviceability concerns become increasingly relevant along with the associated increase in user costs and delays. Biennial inspections have proven subjective and need to be coupled with standardized non-destructive testing methods to accurately assess a bridge's condition for...
Show moreThe latest bridge inventory report for the United States indicates that 25% of the highway bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. With such a large number of bridges in this condition, safety and serviceability concerns become increasingly relevant along with the associated increase in user costs and delays. Biennial inspections have proven subjective and need to be coupled with standardized non-destructive testing methods to accurately assess a bridge's condition for decision making purposes. Structural health monitoring is typically used to track and evaluate performance, symptoms of operational incidents, anomalies due to deterioration and damage during regular operation as well as after an extreme event. Dynamic testing and analysis are concepts widely used for health monitoring of existing structures. Successful health monitoring applications on real structures can be achieved by integrating experimental, analytical and information technologies on real life, operating structures. Real-life investigations must be backed up by laboratory benchmark studies. In addition, laboratory benchmark studies are critical for validating theory, concepts, and new technologies as well as creating a collaborative environment between different researchers. To implement structural health monitoring methods and technologies, a physical bridge model was developed in the UCF structures laboratory as part of this thesis research. In this study, the development and testing of the bridge model are discussed after a literature review of physical models. Different aspects of model development, with respect to the physical bridge model are outlined in terms of design considerations, instrumentation, finite element modeling, and simulating damage scenarios. Examples of promising damage detection methods were evaluated for common damage scenarios simulated on the numerical and physical models. These promising damage indices were applied and directly compared for the same experimental and numerical tests. To assess the simulated damage, indices such as modal flexibility and curvature were applied using mechanics and structural dynamics theory. Damage indices based on modal flexibility were observed to be promising as one of the primary indicators of damage that can be monitored over the service life of a structure. Finally, this thesis study will serve an international effort that has been initiated to explore bridge health monitoring methodologies under the auspices of International Association for Bridge Maintenance and Safety (IABMAS). The data generated in this thesis research will be made available to researchers as well as practitioners in the broad field of structural health monitoring through several national and international societies, associations and committees such as American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Dynamics Committee, and the newly formed ASCE Structural Health Monitoring and Control Committee.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- CFE0000636, ucf:46514
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000636
- Title
- ANALYSIS AND DESIGN OF MINIATURIZED RF SAW DUPLEXER PACKAGE.
- Creator
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Dong, Hao, Wu, Thomas, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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This dissertation provides a comprehensive methodology for accurate analysis and design of miniaturized radio frequency (RF) surface acoustic wave (SAW) duplexer package. Full-wave analysis based on the three dimensional (3-D) finite element method (FEM) is successfully applied to model the package. The die model is obtained by combining the acoustics and die busbars parasitics models. The acoustics model is obtained using the coupling-of-models (COM) technique. The die busbars, bonding wires...
Show moreThis dissertation provides a comprehensive methodology for accurate analysis and design of miniaturized radio frequency (RF) surface acoustic wave (SAW) duplexer package. Full-wave analysis based on the three dimensional (3-D) finite element method (FEM) is successfully applied to model the package. The die model is obtained by combining the acoustics and die busbars parasitics models. The acoustics model is obtained using the coupling-of-models (COM) technique. The die busbars, bonding wires and printed circuit board (PCB) are modeled using full-wave analysis. After that, the models of package, die, and bonding wires are assembled together to get the total response. To take into account the mutual couplings, the methodology is extended to model the package, die busbars, and bonding wires together. The advantages and disadvantages of the methodology are also discussed. Based on the methodology, the Korea personal communication system (KPCS) duplexer is analyzed and designed. The isolation of KPCS duplexer package is significantly improved by redesigning inner ground plane, bonding wire scheme and ground via. A KPCS duplexer package is designed and excellent transmitter to receiver isolation in the transmission band is achieved. Simulation and measurement results are compared, and excellent agreement is found. Although we focus on investigating the methods to improve the isolation, the passband performance is also improved. The methodology is also successfully used for flip chip duplexer. The simulation results from our assembling method match the measurement results very well. Optimization method is applied to improve the transmit band isolation. With the new package and die design, the transmit band isolation can be improved from -53.6 dB to -65.2 dB. Based on the new package, the effect of the Rx ground trace on the isolation is investigated and the transmit band isolation can achieve -67.3 dB with the modification of the Rx ground trace. The technique developed in this dissertation reduces the design cycle time greatly and can be applied to various RF SAW device packages.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- CFE0000688, ucf:46493
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000688
- Title
- THE USE AND DEVELOPMENT OF LASER MICRODISSECTION TO SEPARATE SPERMATOZOA FROM EPITHELIAL CELLS FOR STR ANALYSIS.
- Creator
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Sanders, Christine, Ballantyne, Jack, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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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.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- CFE0000876, ucf:46652
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000876
- Title
- DEVELOPMENT OF A SPANISH VERSION OF THE MAIN CONCEPT ANALYSIS FOR ANALYZING ORAL DISORDERED DISCOURSE.
- Creator
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Simonet, Karla, Kong, Anthony Pak-Hin, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Aphasia is an acquired language impairment caused by damage in the regions of the brain that support language. The Main Concept Analysis (MCA) is a published formal assessment battery that allows the quantification of the presence, accuracy, completeness, and efficiency of content in spoken discourse produced by persons with aphasia (PWA). It utilizes a sequential picture description task (with four sets of pictures) for language sample elicitation. The MCA results can also be used clinically...
Show moreAphasia is an acquired language impairment caused by damage in the regions of the brain that support language. The Main Concept Analysis (MCA) is a published formal assessment battery that allows the quantification of the presence, accuracy, completeness, and efficiency of content in spoken discourse produced by persons with aphasia (PWA). It utilizes a sequential picture description task (with four sets of pictures) for language sample elicitation. The MCA results can also be used clinically for targeting appropriate interventions of aphasic output. The purpose of this research is to develop a Spanish adaptation of the MCA by establishing normative data based on native unimpaired speakers of Spanish. In the pilot study, thirty-eight unimpaired Spanish participants were recruited by previous student researchers. Each participant was asked to complete a demographic questionnaire and a short form of the Cognitive Linguistic Quick Test was administered to rule out any unidentified language problems. The MCA was then be administered to participants and their oral description was audio recorded for later orthographic transcription. A total of 81 unimpaired participants that consisted of different genders, ages (young, middle-aged, and older groups), levels of education (high versus low), and dialect origins (e.g., Spain, Puerto Rico, Columbia) were recruited in the main study to establish a more balanced set of data. One person with aphasia (PWA) was recruited for this study. Based on the collected normative samples, the essential information was identified for each participant. A dialect-specific scoring criteria including target main concepts and lexicons of the Spanish-MCA were developed. The Spanish-MCA was conducted to test the validity of the assessment battery. In the current study, a preliminary set of data using the MCA scoring criteria has been established. Similar to findings in Kong and Yeh 2015, the results of the Spanish-MCA showed age and education did impact discourse performance. Results from one-way ANOVA revealed statistical differences between age groups and education levels of the unimpaired participants recruited. The groups of participants with a higher education conveyed more AC concepts compared to the other dialect groups. To compare data for PWA, it is suggested that a larger sample size of PWA be recruited to validate the Spanish-MCA.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFH2000553, ucf:45622
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000553
- Title
- DETERMINING COMMON PATTERNS OF GASTROINTESTINAL HEALTH IN EMERGING ADULTS: A LATENT CLASS ANALYSIS APPROACH.
- Creator
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Vivier, Helize, Cassisi, Jeffrey E., University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Emerging adulthood is often-overlooked in current gastrointestinal (GI) health research; however, epidemiological evidence suggests that GI disorders are increasing in this population. The purpose of this study was to first define common GI symptom subgroups within emerging adults and then to characterize these group differences with key biopsychosocial factors encompassing diet, depression and anxiety symptoms, as well as physical and social functioning related to quality of life. A total of...
Show moreEmerging adulthood is often-overlooked in current gastrointestinal (GI) health research; however, epidemiological evidence suggests that GI disorders are increasing in this population. The purpose of this study was to first define common GI symptom subgroups within emerging adults and then to characterize these group differences with key biopsychosocial factors encompassing diet, depression and anxiety symptoms, as well as physical and social functioning related to quality of life. A total of 956 emerging adults from a southeastern US university were surveyed on GI symptoms, psychosocial factors, and demographics. Latent class analysis uncovered three statistically significant GI symptom patterns within the sample identified by the degree of severity: Normal (n=649), Mild (n=257), and Moderate (n=50). This study demonstrated that significant impairment in GI functioning emerges at much earlier ages that are commonly assumed. In addition, these GI symptom levels were associated with important biopsychosocial factors. Assessing GI functioning in emerging adults may provide important insights into understanding the development of FGIDs.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFH2000461, ucf:45919
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000461
- Title
- FEEDING THE CHILDREN: A PALEODIETARY RECONSTRUCTION OF JUVENILES FROM KUELAP, PERU.
- Creator
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Denierio, Marley, Toyne, J. Marla, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Before reaching adulthood, every individual experiences a period of dependency, the juvenile period, during which they rely on the older, more experienced members of their society for their security, subsistence and care. This juvenile period is an important stage of life for human physical and physiological development. In bioarchaeology, there has been limited research conducted on juveniles, particularly, the development of their own social identity and influences. The research method of...
Show moreBefore reaching adulthood, every individual experiences a period of dependency, the juvenile period, during which they rely on the older, more experienced members of their society for their security, subsistence and care. This juvenile period is an important stage of life for human physical and physiological development. In bioarchaeology, there has been limited research conducted on juveniles, particularly, the development of their own social identity and influences. The research method of stable carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) isotope analysis is used to reconstruct the paleodiet of juveniles to determine their dietary composition. Specifically, this research is focused on Kuelap, located in the highlands of Peru, a large settlement inhabited from 900-1535 AD, including pre-Inca (900-1469 AD) and Inca periods (1470-1535 AD). The primary aim of this research is to determine if juveniles consumed different foods through different time periods. Another aim of this research is to determine if juveniles were treated differently than their adult counterparts. Bone collagen samples, primarily ribs, from 32 juveniles were analyzed. The average ?13C value for the pre-Inca juveniles was -13.1%, and -13.4% for the Inca period juveniles. There was no statistically significant difference in ?13C values between juvenile groups or between adult and juvenile subsamples. The average ?15N for the pre-Inca juveniles was +8.1% and +7.8% for the Inca period juveniles. The Mann-Whitney U test determined there was not a statistically significant difference in ?15N values between the juvenile burial groups; however, there was a statistically significant difference between the juvenile and adult subgroups. The findings suggest that there may have been preferential treatment toward or metabolic stressors on the juvenile. The results of this study offer insights to availability of dietary components, societal roles based on developmental age stages, and the potential role of parenting in Kuelap.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFH2000415, ucf:45758
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000415
- Title
- SEX DETERMINATION USING DISCRIMINANT FUNCTION ANALYSIS OF CARPALS FROM MAYA SITES IN BELIZE FROM PRE-CLASSIC TO SPANISH COLONIAL PERIOD.
- Creator
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Labbe, Michelle D, Williams, Lana, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The sexing of human skeletal remains is important for identification and demographic purposes. It is made more difficult when elements such as the skull and pelvis are not recovered or are in too poor of a condition to assess. Previous studies have used carpal (wrist) bones of contemporary populations to assess the viability of these skeletal elements exhibiting sexual dimorphism, as these bones are small, compact elements that are usually recovered in good condition. This study evaluates the...
Show moreThe sexing of human skeletal remains is important for identification and demographic purposes. It is made more difficult when elements such as the skull and pelvis are not recovered or are in too poor of a condition to assess. Previous studies have used carpal (wrist) bones of contemporary populations to assess the viability of these skeletal elements exhibiting sexual dimorphism, as these bones are small, compact elements that are usually recovered in good condition. This study evaluates the use of carpal bones recovered from an ancient Maya population from Belize to determine the biological sex of individuals. The study sample is part of the Maya Archaeological Skeletal Collection (MASC), which contains individuals from the sites of Lamanai, San Pedro, Altun Ha, and Marco Gonzalez and dates from the Late Maya Pre-Classic (400 BC-AD 250) to the Spanish Colonial period (AD 1521-1821). Multiple measurements were taken on 36 capitate, 34 lunate, 34 scaphoid, 27 trapezium, 24 hamate, 22 triquetral, 22 trapezoid, and 16 pisiform bones from several individuals. Discriminant function analysis was used to determine if sexual dimorphism is measurable in this population using these elements. Previous studies used populations with known identities, assessing individuals from crypts, graveyards, or medical collections from the last few centuries. This study varies from previous studies as it utilizes archaeological remains, making this study one of the first to evaluate non-contemporary remains with unknown sex. Results of this study demonstrate that this population exhibits sexual dimorphism and discriminant function analysis can be used to distinguish between two groups. This demonstrates that carpals could be used to help determine biological sex of archaeological populations as well as a tool to help with identification in forensic cases.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFH2000562, ucf:45645
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000562
- Title
- A REAL OPTION STRATEGIC SCORECARD DECISION FRAMEWORK FOR IT PROJECT SELECTION.
- Creator
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Munoz, Cesar, Rabelo, Luis, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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ABSTRACT The problem of project selection is of significant importance in management of information systems. Almost $2 trillion is spent worldwide every year on IT projects, with over $600 billion spent in the US alone. Traditionally, managers have being using the classical net present value (NPV) method in conjunction with multicriteria scoring models for ROI analysis and selection of IT project investments The multicriteria models use ad-hoc evaluation criteria to assign priority weights...
Show moreABSTRACT The problem of project selection is of significant importance in management of information systems. Almost $2 trillion is spent worldwide every year on IT projects, with over $600 billion spent in the US alone. Traditionally, managers have being using the classical net present value (NPV) method in conjunction with multicriteria scoring models for ROI analysis and selection of IT project investments The multicriteria models use ad-hoc evaluation criteria to assign priority weights and then rate the alternatives against each criterion. These models have two limitations. First, the criteria and weights are based on subjective judgments, allowing the introduction of politics in the information management decision process and the generation of arbitrary results. Second, the classical approach uses deterministic estimations of the cost, benefits and the returns of the projects, without considering the impact of uncertainty and risk in the business decisions. This research proposed a better alternative for ROI analysis and selection of IT projects using a real option strategic scorecard (ROSS) approach. In contrast with traditional methodologies and previous research work, the ROSS decision framework uses a more comprehensive, axiomatic approach for systematically measuring both the business value and the strategic implications of IT project investments. The ROSS approach integrates in a unified IT project management decision framework the best elements of real option theory, strategic balanced scorecards, Monte Carlo simulations and analytical network processes to fully analyzes the effect of uncertainty and risk in the IT investment decisions. In addition, the ROSS approach complies with the critical success factors that have being identified in the literature for validation of IT decision frameworks. The main benefit of the ROSS approach is to enable managers to better compare and rank projects in the IT portfolio, optimizing the ROI analysis and selection of information system projects.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- CFE0001331, ucf:46975
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001331
