Current Search: associations (x)
View All Items
(1 - 20 of 32)
Pages
- Title
- OBJECT ASSOCIATION ACROSS MULTIPLE MOVING CAMERAS IN PLANAR SCENES.
- Creator
-
Sheikh, Yaser, Shah, Mubarak, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
In this dissertation, we address the problem of object detection and object association across multiple cameras over large areas that are well modeled by planes. We present a unifying probabilistic framework that captures the underlying geometry of planar scenes, and present algorithms to estimate geometric relationships between different cameras, which are subsequently used for co-operative association of objects. We first present a local1 object detection scheme that has three fundamental...
Show moreIn this dissertation, we address the problem of object detection and object association across multiple cameras over large areas that are well modeled by planes. We present a unifying probabilistic framework that captures the underlying geometry of planar scenes, and present algorithms to estimate geometric relationships between different cameras, which are subsequently used for co-operative association of objects. We first present a local1 object detection scheme that has three fundamental innovations over existing approaches. First, the model of the intensities of image pixels as independent random variables is challenged and it is asserted that useful correlation exists in intensities of spatially proximal pixels. This correlation is exploited to sustain high levels of detection accuracy in the presence of dynamic scene behavior, nominal misalignments and motion due to parallax. By using a non-parametric density estimation method over a joint domain-range representation of image pixels, complex dependencies between the domain (location) and range (color) are directly modeled. We present a model of the background as a single probability density. Second, temporal persistence is introduced as a detection criterion. Unlike previous approaches to object detection that detect objects by building adaptive models of the background, the foreground is modeled to augment the detection of objects (without explicit tracking), since objects detected in the preceding frame contain substantial evidence for detection in the current frame. Finally, the background and foreground models are used competitively in a MAP-MRF decision framework, stressing spatial context as a condition of detecting interesting objects and the posterior function is maximized efficiently by finding the minimum cut of a capacitated graph. Experimental validation of the method is performed and presented on a diverse set of data. We then address the problem of associating objects across multiple cameras in planar scenes. Since cameras may be moving, there is a possibility of both spatial and temporal non-overlap in the fields of view of the camera. We first address the case where spatial and temporal overlap can be assumed. Since the cameras are moving and often widely separated, direct appearance-based or proximity-based constraints cannot be used. Instead, we exploit geometric constraints on the relationship between the motion of each object across cameras, to test multiple correspondence hypotheses, without assuming any prior calibration information. Here, there are three contributions. First, we present a statistically and geometrically meaningful means of evaluating a hypothesized correspondence between multiple objects in multiple cameras. Second, since multiple cameras exist, ensuring coherency in association, i.e. transitive closure is maintained between more than two cameras, is an essential requirement. To ensure such coherency we pose the problem of object associating across cameras as a k-dimensional matching and use an approximation to find the association. We show that, under appropriate conditions, re-entering objects can also be re-associated to their original labels. Third, we show that as a result of associating objects across the cameras, a concurrent visualization of multiple aerial video streams is possible. Results are shown on a number of real and controlled scenarios with multiple objects observed by multiple cameras, validating our qualitative models. Finally, we present a unifying framework for object association across multiple cameras and for estimating inter-camera homographies between (spatially and temporally) overlapping and non-overlapping cameras, whether they are moving or non-moving. By making use of explicit polynomial models for the kinematics of objects, we present algorithms to estimate inter-frame homographies. Under an appropriate measurement noise model, an EM algorithm is applied for the maximum likelihood estimation of the inter-camera homographies and kinematic parameters. Rather than fit curves locally (in each camera) and match them across views, we present an approach that simultaneously refines the estimates of inter-camera homographies and curve coefficients globally. We demonstrate the efficacy of the approach on a number of real sequences taken from aerial cameras, and report quantitative performance during simulations.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- CFE0001045, ucf:46797
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001045
- Title
- Ventilator-Associated Complications in the Mechanically Ventilated Veteran.
- Creator
-
Grano, Joan, Sole, Mary, Covelli, Maureen, Talbert, Steven, McGuirt, Aron, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Surveillance of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) has been the common outcome measurement used for internal and external benchmarking for mechanically ventilated patients; and although not a clinical definition, it is commonly used as an outcome measurement for research studies. Criteria in the VAP definition include both subjective and objective components, leading to questions of validity. In addition, recent legislation has mandated the public reporting of healthcare-associated...
Show moreSurveillance of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) has been the common outcome measurement used for internal and external benchmarking for mechanically ventilated patients; and although not a clinical definition, it is commonly used as an outcome measurement for research studies. Criteria in the VAP definition include both subjective and objective components, leading to questions of validity. In addition, recent legislation has mandated the public reporting of healthcare-associated infections, including VAP, in many states. Infectious disease experts have recently recommended monitoring a new outcome, ventilator-associated events (VAE), that contain specific objective criteria. The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) have refined this definition and released a new VAE protocol and algorithm, replacing the VAP surveillance definition, as a result. The VAE protocol assesses for ventilator-associated conditions (VAC). The primary aims of this study were to determine the incidence of VAC; and to assess four predictors for VAC, including two VAP prevention strategies (use of the subglottic secretion drainage endotracheal-tube [SSD-ETT]), and daily sedation vacation); and two patient-related factors (alcohol withdrawal during mechanical ventilation, and history of COPD). In addition, the incidence for VAE, using a new national algorithm was determined. Using a retrospective study design, electronic medical records of 280 veterans were reviewed to identify cases of VAC using the VAE algorithm. The setting was two intensive care units (ICU) at a large Veterans Administration Healthcare System (VAHCS) from October 2009 to September 2011. In addition to demographic information, variables were collected to determine if cases met event criteria (VAC, infection-related ventilator-associated complication [IVAC], and possible or probable VAP). Incidence rates were calculated for VAC and IVAC. Comparative data between those with and without VAC were assessed with independent sample T-test or non-parametric equivalents. The study sample was predominantly male (97.1%), Caucasian (92.1%), non-Hispanic (90.7%); with a mean (SD) age of 67.2 (10.4) years. Twenty patients met the VAC definition resulting in a VAC incidence of 7.38 per 1000 ventilator days. There were no statistically significant differences in demographics or disease characteristics found between the two groups (patients with VAC and patients without VAC). Using logistic regression, the impact of the four predictors for VAC was assessed. None of the four explanatory variables were predictive of the occurrence of VAC. Secondary outcomes (e.g. mechanical ventilation days, ICU days, hospital days, and mortality) of veterans with VAC were compared to veterans without VAC. Results indicated that the VAC group was associated with a significantly longer duration of ICU stay, longer mechanical ventilation period, more likely to have a tracheostomy, and had a higher mortality during hospitalization. Expanding mechanical ventilation quality performance measures to include VAE/VAC provides a better representation of infectious and non-infectious ventilator-associated problems, and provides more accurate morbidity and mortality in this high-risk ICU population. Further research is necessary to explore patient characteristics and prevention strategies that impact the development of all VAC.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0004853, ucf:49706
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004853
- Title
- The heritage of the Communist political association.
- Creator
-
Minor, Robert
- Date Issued
- 1944
- Identifier
- 363362, CFDT363362, ucf:5306
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FCLA/DT/363362
- Title
- MEMORY RETRIEVAL DEFICITS IN CHILDREN WITH ADHD: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF WORKING MEMORY.
- Creator
-
Hale, Nicole K., Rapport, Mark D., University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Children with ADHD exhibit impairments in memory retrieval processes that are required for successful performance in a wide range of activities including social/interpersonal interactions, as well as academic success. There have been few attempts of explaining the relationship between these memory retrieval deficits in children with ADHD and specific executive functions such as working memory. The current study addresses the possible mediating effects of the subsystems of working memory ...
Show moreChildren with ADHD exhibit impairments in memory retrieval processes that are required for successful performance in a wide range of activities including social/interpersonal interactions, as well as academic success. There have been few attempts of explaining the relationship between these memory retrieval deficits in children with ADHD and specific executive functions such as working memory. The current study addresses the possible mediating effects of the subsystems of working memory (phonological short-term memory, visual-spatial short-term memory, and the central executive) on memory retrieval. Children ages 8-12 with ADHD and typically developing children completed a counterbalanced series of working memory tasks that were specific to the subsystems (phonological and visual-spatial). The Central Executive portion of working memory was obtained using a regression approach of these measures. The children also completed the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement (KTEA-II), as the associational fluency task was used as the memory retrieval measure for this investigation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFH2000479, ucf:45906
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000479
- Title
- New Student Orientation and First Year Retention Rate of Associate Degree Nursing Students.
- Creator
-
Yanni, Molly, Cintron Delgado, Rosa, Owens, J. Thomas, Olan, Elsie, Morgan, Mark, Penfold Navarro, Catherine, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This study was conducted to explore the relationship between a program-specific orientation program for associate degree nursing students and first semester course grades, retention, and persistence to graduation. Previous research of orientation programs for associate degree nursing students has proved inconclusive in promoting student success. A significant difference was identified in first semester course grades between the orientation and no orientation groups, with the orientation group...
Show moreThis study was conducted to explore the relationship between a program-specific orientation program for associate degree nursing students and first semester course grades, retention, and persistence to graduation. Previous research of orientation programs for associate degree nursing students has proved inconclusive in promoting student success. A significant difference was identified in first semester course grades between the orientation and no orientation groups, with the orientation group having an average lower course grade. The potential for confounding variables was discussed. There were no significant differences found in the relationship between orientation participation and first-year retention rates or orientation participation and persistence to graduation. Data analysis also determined that student age did not influence the prediction of first-year retention rates for students who did or did not participate in the orientation program. The results of this study suggest that there is no relationship between a program-specific orientation program for associate degree nursing students and their first-year retention and persistence rates.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006201, ucf:51107
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006201
- Title
- GOOD GUYS DON'T ALWAYS FINISH LAST: THE MODERATING ROLE OF BRAND EXTENSION FIT ON PRODUCT EVALUATIONS BASED ON CORPORATE ABILITY (CA) AND CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR) ASSOCIATIONS.
- Creator
-
Johnson, Zachary, Mao, Huifang, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Termed corporate associations, consumer corporate brand perceptions influence evaluations of new products made by consumers. Corporate associations are conceptualized as falling within two categories (Brown and Dacin 1997): a corporation may develop a reputation for Corporate Ability (CA) by developing quality products or for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) through its corporate commitment to societal obligations. Past research suggests that product-related CA associations lead to more...
Show moreTermed corporate associations, consumer corporate brand perceptions influence evaluations of new products made by consumers. Corporate associations are conceptualized as falling within two categories (Brown and Dacin 1997): a corporation may develop a reputation for Corporate Ability (CA) by developing quality products or for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) through its corporate commitment to societal obligations. Past research suggests that product-related CA associations lead to more favorable product evaluations than CSR, which is a contextual association that is less product-related. However, past research has been limited to line extensions, which are evaluated in a piecemeal cognitive process. Unlike line extensions, evaluations of brand extensions include an intervening categorization process that determines consumers' evaluative strategies. This research merges the corporate association and brand extension literature streams and, in four studies, contributes to the literature by establishing that brand extension fit moderates the influence of corporate associations on product evaluations. This finding is developed further by demonstrating that both individual differences (self-construal) and brand-related attributes moderate this interaction.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0004015, ucf:49164
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004015
- Title
- ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN LOW-CARBOHYDRATE DIET SCORE AND PROGNOSTIC FACTORS AMONG ADULTS WITH DIABETES MELLITUS: AN ANALYSIS OF THE NHANES 2005-2016.
- Creator
-
Charles, Elta N, Lee, Eunkyung, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is one of the leading chronic diseases affecting Americans. There is a lack of literature discussing the link between diet and prognosis of those already diagnosed with DM. Objective: To provide insight into which diet is better for the outlook of diabetes mellitus by examining the associations between the low-carbohydrate diet (LCD) score and three diabetes-related health indicators: blood hemoglobin (HbA1c), triglycerides, and retinopathy. Methods: A...
Show moreBackground: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is one of the leading chronic diseases affecting Americans. There is a lack of literature discussing the link between diet and prognosis of those already diagnosed with DM. Objective: To provide insight into which diet is better for the outlook of diabetes mellitus by examining the associations between the low-carbohydrate diet (LCD) score and three diabetes-related health indicators: blood hemoglobin (HbA1c), triglycerides, and retinopathy. Methods: A total of 3,313 U.S. adults with DM were selected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2016. Presence of retinopathy was ascertained through self-reporting. Dietary intake was measured with 24- hour dietary recalls, and LCD scores were calculated from the proportion of energy of three macronutrients. Scores ranged from 0-30, with a higher score indicating lower carbohydrate intake. Results: There was no significant difference in HbA1c levels between the highest and the lowest quintile of LCD score (mean = 7.42% [95% CI: 7.23, 7.61] vs. 7.32% [95% CI: 7.13, 7.51]). There was no significant association between blood triglyceride levels and LCD score, comparing quintile 1 to quintile 5 (mean= 168.64 mg/dl; 95% CI = [150.14, 187.14] vs. mean= 162.44 mg/dl; 95% CI = [143.76, 181.11]). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio of having retinopathy comparing the highest to the lowest quintile was 1.01 (95% CI: 0.59, 1.72). Conclusion: Proportion of carbohydrate in diet was not associated with DM prognosis factors. Future studies should focus on carbohydrate quality as well as quantity.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFH2000476, ucf:45834
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000476
- Title
- AN EXAMINATION OF BEST PRACTICES IN RETENTION IN THE ASSOCIATE DEGREE NURSING PROGRAMIN THE FLORIDA COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM.
- Creator
-
Lewis, Mary, Evans, Ruby, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
ABSTRACT This mixed-methods research examined student nurse retention methods perceived as best practice by directors and coordinators in selected Associate Degree Nursing (AND) programs within the Florida Community College System (FCCS). A critical nursing shortage is expected to worsen over the next twenty years due to the aging workforce and the inadequate supply of qualified nurse graduates. The Associate degree nursing programs supply the majority of nursing graduates to the workforce....
Show moreABSTRACT This mixed-methods research examined student nurse retention methods perceived as best practice by directors and coordinators in selected Associate Degree Nursing (AND) programs within the Florida Community College System (FCCS). A critical nursing shortage is expected to worsen over the next twenty years due to the aging workforce and the inadequate supply of qualified nurse graduates. The Associate degree nursing programs supply the majority of nursing graduates to the workforce. Thus, the associate degree nursing programs and student retention measures were studied. The research was conducted using a Delphi survey of directors of nursing in ADN programs within the FCCS. This survey served as the template for faculty surveys, which were distributed to faculty members under the selected ADN program directors. Students were surveyed with a similar Likert type scale with focus groups to allow for open-ended interviewing. Following analysis of the data, directors of nursing, faculty, and students in the ADN programs identified eleven best practices. Extensiveness strengthened the research. Resulting information will be helpful for nursing program curriculum and program planning. Future research can examine best practices quantitatively. This study can also be replicated at other venues.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- CFE0000893, ucf:46631
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000893
- Title
- EFFECTIVENESS OF PROBIOTICS IN PREVENTING ANTIBIOTIC ASSOCIATED DIARRHEA AND CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFICILE IN LONG TERM CARE.
- Creator
-
Edwards-Marshall, Marva, Wink, Dianne, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Purpose: Antibiotic associated diarrhea (AAD) and clostridium-difficile diarrhea (CDAD) are the most common forms of infectious diarrhea in long term care facilities. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of probiotics in preventing AAD and CDAD in the long term care geriatric population, and to identify interventions which can be used to improve clinical practice. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study. The study population consisted of residents of a LTC...
Show morePurpose: Antibiotic associated diarrhea (AAD) and clostridium-difficile diarrhea (CDAD) are the most common forms of infectious diarrhea in long term care facilities. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of probiotics in preventing AAD and CDAD in the long term care geriatric population, and to identify interventions which can be used to improve clinical practice. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study. The study population consisted of residents of a LTC facility who were sixty-five years of age and older who were administered antibiotic therapies with or without co-administration of probiotics. A data collection instrument which was created for this study was piloted prior to its use in the study. Chi-square test of independence and CochranÂÂ's Q were the proposed statistical analysis procedures used to determine relationships between variables. Results: Eighty-three residents received antibiotics. In the forty-four residents who were administered probiotic with antibiotic, five cases of diarrhea were reported. In the thirty-nine residents who received antibiotics without probiotics, two cases of diarrhea were reported. Analysis with chi-square test of independence comparing the relationship between antibiotic administration with and without probiotic and AAD prevention, was (X²(1) =1.041, p=0.308). No cases of CDAD were found in the group who received antibiotic (s) and a probiotic. One case of CDAD was found in the group which received no probiotic with the antibiotic. Analysis with chi-square test of independence comparing the relationship between antibiotic administration with or without probiotic and CDAD prevention was (X²(1) =1.142, p=0.285). Discussion/Implication: The results of this study showed no statistically significant evidence to support the effectiveness of probiotic use in the prevention of AAD or CDAD in this population. The incidence of AAD was higher in the group who received a probiotic at the time of antibiotic administration.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- CFE0003281, ucf:48532
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003281
- Title
- VISION BASED TRAJECTORY TRACKING OF SPACE DEBRIS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY VIA INTEGRATED ESTIMATION AND CONTROL.
- Creator
-
Li, Ni, Xu, Yunjun, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The increasingly cluttered environment in space is placing a premium on techniques capable of tracking and estimating the trajectory of space debris. Unlike the debris smaller than 1 cm or larger than 10 cm, it is always a challenge for spacecraft or satellite mission designers to consider explicitly the ones ranged from 1 cm to 10 cm a priori. To tackle this challenge, a vision based debris' trajectory tracking method in close proximity using two cameras onboard satellites in a formation is...
Show moreThe increasingly cluttered environment in space is placing a premium on techniques capable of tracking and estimating the trajectory of space debris. Unlike the debris smaller than 1 cm or larger than 10 cm, it is always a challenge for spacecraft or satellite mission designers to consider explicitly the ones ranged from 1 cm to 10 cm a priori. To tackle this challenge, a vision based debris' trajectory tracking method in close proximity using two cameras onboard satellites in a formation is presented in the thesis. Also to differentiate the target debris from other clutters, data association is investigated. A two-stage nonlinear robust controller is developed to adjust the attitude of the satellites such that the desired field of view can be achieved for the target debris. Capabilities of the proposed integrated estimation and control methods are validated in the simulations.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0003731, ucf:48775
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003731
- Title
- By Book and School: The Politics of Educational Reform in France and Algeria during the Early Third Republic.
- Creator
-
Brooks, Michael, Lyons, Amelia, Crepeau, Richard, Larson, Peter, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
During the era of New Imperialism, the newly-formed French Third Republic continued France's civilizing mission both in France and in Algeria. Founded on a series of reforms, republican leaders and educational experts judged primary level education taught in the French language to be the most effective means of uniting a linguistically and culturally diverse population in the metropole. These republican values, based on revolutionary tenet of universality, would help France to sustain a...
Show moreDuring the era of New Imperialism, the newly-formed French Third Republic continued France's civilizing mission both in France and in Algeria. Founded on a series of reforms, republican leaders and educational experts judged primary level education taught in the French language to be the most effective means of uniting a linguistically and culturally diverse population in the metropole. These republican values, based on revolutionary tenet of universality, would help France to sustain a republican regime, would thwart attempts to reestablish monarchical rule, and would teach future French citizens what it meant to be politically active. At the same time, another group of metropolitan republicans set out to reform the educational system in Algeria, the crown jewel of the French empire. These men, using the civilizing mission as their justification, wanted to export the reformed metropolitan curriculum to Algeria in order to inculcate French values into the indigenous populations. The exclusive use of the French language and of metropolitan educational materials, based on assimilationist beliefs, resulted in the devaluation of Algerians' culture, language, and traditions. A third group of leaders and educational experts who had lived in Algeria recognized the peril involved in the direct export of metropolitan education. This third group championed Algerian exceptionalism, arguing that local circumstances must be considered when reforming education in Algeria so that indigenous culture is respected. Their associationalist perspectives predated the metropolitan shift in colonial ideology from assimilation to association.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006078, ucf:50942
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006078
- Title
- A CHORUS LINE: DOES IT ABIDE BY RULES ESTABLISHED BY ACTORS' EQUITY ASSOCIATION FOR THE AUDITION PROCESS?.
- Creator
-
Hardin, Mark, Weaver, Earl, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
I have been cast as "Bobby" in A Chorus Line at Orlando Broadway Dinner Theatre in Orlando. I will use this opportunity as my thesis role. As part of my thesis defense, I will combine an analysis of the character of "Bobby" in A Chorus Line with an assessment of Actors' Equity Association's audition policies from 1970 to the present, and investigate whether the audition held in the show abides by the policies established by AEA for Broadway calls. "Bobby" has an interesting arc of development...
Show moreI have been cast as "Bobby" in A Chorus Line at Orlando Broadway Dinner Theatre in Orlando. I will use this opportunity as my thesis role. As part of my thesis defense, I will combine an analysis of the character of "Bobby" in A Chorus Line with an assessment of Actors' Equity Association's audition policies from 1970 to the present, and investigate whether the audition held in the show abides by the policies established by AEA for Broadway calls. "Bobby" has an interesting arc of development as he actually gives the director what he (the director) does not want, yet is still cast in the fictitious Broadway show. Why he would choose to stray from the director's instructions is an interesting question and demanding study. To facilitate my research on the character (aside from script and score analysis), I will interview Thommie Walsh (about for whom the role was written and the original "Bobby" on Broadway) as well as other men who have played the role to get insights into the character that will enhance my performance. Mr. Walsh will also elaborate on his real-life relationship with Michael Bennett and how that compares and contrasts with the relationship between "Bobby" and "Zach." I also will interview as many of the original cast members as possible (namely Baayork Lee) to get contributing memories and anecdotal evidence from the original production. A Chorus Line captures the one element all performers experience – the audition. The audition process has changed over the years, and I will focus on the development of protocol from the early 1970's (when A Chorus Line takes place) to the present. I will explore the manner in which the process has evolved and what A Chorus Line's contribution was (if any) to that process. This show has become so much a part of the musical theatre vernacular that historical exploration of procedures would also clarify how this work was structured. Were actors subjected to that intense style of audition on a huge stage in the early 1970s? Are they still today? My research will trace the history and rules governing auditions, performers and staff as delineated by Actors' Equity Association. I will also include a comparison of Equity to the variety of non-Equity auditions. Other sources will include rulebooks from AEA and interviews with dancers (past and present), AEA staff and Patrick Quinn, President of AEA.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- CFE0000927, ucf:46753
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000927
- Title
- Investigation of factors contributing to fog-related single vehicle crashes.
- Creator
-
Zhu, Jiazheng, Abdel-Aty, Mohamed, Hasan, Samiul, Wu, Yina, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Fog-related crashes continue to be one of the most serious traffic safety problems in Florida. Based on the historical crash data, we found that single-vehicle crashes have the highest severity among all types of crashes under fog conditions. This study first analyzed the contributing factors of the fog-related single-vehicle crashes' (i.e., off road/rollover/other) severity in Florida from 2011 to 2014 using association rules mining. The results show that lane departure distracted driving,...
Show moreFog-related crashes continue to be one of the most serious traffic safety problems in Florida. Based on the historical crash data, we found that single-vehicle crashes have the highest severity among all types of crashes under fog conditions. This study first analyzed the contributing factors of the fog-related single-vehicle crashes' (i.e., off road/rollover/other) severity in Florida from 2011 to 2014 using association rules mining. The results show that lane departure distracted driving, wet road surface, and dark without road light are the main contributing factors to severe fog-related single vehicle crashes. Some suggested countermeasures were also provided to reduce the risk of fog-related single vehicle crashes. Since lane departure is one of the most important contributing factors to the single-vehicle crashes, an advanced warning system for lane departure under connected vehicle system was tested in driving simulation experiments. The system was designed based on the Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) with the concept of Augmented Reality (AR) using Head-Up Display (HUD). The results show that the warning with sound would reduce the lane departure and speed at curves, which would enhance the safety under fog conditions. In addition, the warning system was more effective for female drivers.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0007118, ucf:51935
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007118
- Title
- Infection Control and Health Care Associated Infection (HCAI) in the Nursing Home: A Study to Determine the Impact of an Educational Video and Pamphlet About Infection Control on Knowledge and Perception of Hand Hygiene in Certified Nurse Assistants.
- Creator
-
Hypes, Kathe, Blackwell, Christopher, Covelli, Maureen, Winton, Mark, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The impact of an education program on perception, knowledge, and infection rate was evaluated in this study. The educational intervention consisted of a video on infection control and a World Health Organization (WHO) pamphlet for hand hygiene. The study was conducted in one nursing home in the Southeastern United States. The survey sample consisted of 66 certified nurse assistants (CNAs). A pre- and post-intervention design was employed using the WHO's Hand Hygiene Knowledge Questionnaire...
Show moreThe impact of an education program on perception, knowledge, and infection rate was evaluated in this study. The educational intervention consisted of a video on infection control and a World Health Organization (WHO) pamphlet for hand hygiene. The study was conducted in one nursing home in the Southeastern United States. The survey sample consisted of 66 certified nurse assistants (CNAs). A pre- and post-intervention design was employed using the WHO's Hand Hygiene Knowledge Questionnaire and the WHO Perception Survey. Friedman's test and central tendencies showed no statistical relationship between the educational intervention and the overall knowledge scores of the sample. There also were no statistical differences in perception of hand hygiene in the CNA sample. Infection frequency was reduced with a percent change of -42%. While results of knowledge and perception surveys were not statistically significant, multiple conclusions were derived to suggest that educational opportunities may impact hand hygiene practice in CNAs and lead to a decrease in infection.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFE0004551, ucf:49239
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004551
- Title
- African American Head Football Coaches at Division I FBS Schools: A Qualitative Study on Turning Points.
- Creator
-
Rivers, Thaddeus, Cintron Delgado, Rosa, Owens, J. Thomas, Duke, Jeff, Harrison, Carlton, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This dissertation was centered on how the theory 'turning points' explained African American coaches ascension to Head Football Coach at a NCAA Division I FBS school. This work (1) identified traits and characteristics coaches felt they needed in order to become a head coach and (2) described the significant events and people (turning points) in their lives that have influenced their career.This study employed a Constant Comparative method in which participants answered interview questions...
Show moreThis dissertation was centered on how the theory 'turning points' explained African American coaches ascension to Head Football Coach at a NCAA Division I FBS school. This work (1) identified traits and characteristics coaches felt they needed in order to become a head coach and (2) described the significant events and people (turning points) in their lives that have influenced their career.This study employed a Constant Comparative method in which participants answered interview questions designed for them to elaborate on their educational and athletic careers, and those events and people who were major influences in their careers. Commonalities and discords from participant responses resulted in the discovery of five major themes. The themes identified were: Faith, Family, Graduation from college and participation in sport, Joining professional associations, and Previous coaches/administrators worked for/under.The identification and explanation of specific turning points suggest a blueprint for African American assistant coaches aspiring to become a head coach while also providing opportunities for current athletic administrators to increase their attempts at expanding their own networks to include more African Americans as strong candidates for potential open positions for Head Football Coach.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005991, ucf:50781
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005991
- Title
- Geolocation of Diseased Leaves in Strawberry Orchards for a Custom-Designed Octorotor.
- Creator
-
Garcia, Christian, Xu, Yunjun, Lin, Kuo-Chi, Kauffman, Jeffrey, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
In recent years, technological advances have shown a strive for more automated processes in agriculture, as seem with the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with onboard sensors in many applications, including disease detection and yield prediction. In this thesis, an octorotor UAV is presented that was designed, built, and flight tested, with features that are custom-designed for strawberry orchard disease detection. To further automate the disease scouting operation, geolocation, or the...
Show moreIn recent years, technological advances have shown a strive for more automated processes in agriculture, as seem with the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with onboard sensors in many applications, including disease detection and yield prediction. In this thesis, an octorotor UAV is presented that was designed, built, and flight tested, with features that are custom-designed for strawberry orchard disease detection. To further automate the disease scouting operation, geolocation, or the process of determining global position coordinates of identified diseased regions based on images taken, is investigated. A Kalman filter is designed, based on a linear measurement model derived from an orthographic projection method, to estimate the target position. Simulation, as well as an ad-hoc experiment using flight data, is performed to compare this filter to the extended Kalman filter (EKF), which is based on the commonly used perspective projection method. The filter is embedded onto a CPU board for real-time use aboard the octorotor UAV, and the algorithm structure for this process is presented. In the later part of the thesis, a probabilistic data association method is used, jointly with a proposed logic-based measurement-to-target correlation method, to analyze measurements of different target sources and is incorporated into the Kalman filter. A simulation and an ad-hoc experiment, using video and flight data acquired aboard the octorotor UAV with a gimballed camera in hover flight, are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm and UAV platform.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006305, ucf:51597
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006305
- Title
- Moral Judgment Development of Student Nurses in an Associate Degree in Nursing Program.
- Creator
-
Way, Graciela, Cintron Delgado, Rosa, Owens, J. Thomas, Olan, Elsie, Welch, Kerry, Cicotti, Cheryl, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This study explored the correlation between the development of moral judgment and the variables of gender, age, primacy of religion, level of educational attainment, and year in the nursing program student nurses enrolled in an associate degree in nursing program who were concurrently enrolled in a bachelor degree in nursing program in the southern United States. A correlation was established with the dependent variable, or N2 index score, and the independent variable, primacy of religion. A...
Show moreThis study explored the correlation between the development of moral judgment and the variables of gender, age, primacy of religion, level of educational attainment, and year in the nursing program student nurses enrolled in an associate degree in nursing program who were concurrently enrolled in a bachelor degree in nursing program in the southern United States. A correlation was established with the dependent variable, or N2 index score, and the independent variable, primacy of religion. A negative correlation between the N2 index was established in students who believed that religion exerted a great influence on their lives while a positive correlation was established between the N2 index score and students who believed that religion exerted no influence on their lives. One conclusion reached was that the freshman class had a higher number of respondents who did not feel that religion was important in their lives with higher N2 index scores and a larger number of students in the Postconventional Schema of Moral Judgment. Regarding recommendations, it was suggested that ethical instruction needs to move beyond merely teaching students' ethical theories and shift towards instruction in situationally-dependent, context-driven, real-world management of ethical predicaments in practice.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006195, ucf:51092
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006195
- Title
- Global Data Association for Multiple Pedestrian Tracking.
- Creator
-
Dehghan, Afshin, Shah, Mubarak, Qi, GuoJun, Bagci, Ulas, Zhang, Shaojie, Zheng, Qipeng, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Multi-object tracking is one of the fundamental problems in computer vision. Almost all multi-object tracking systems consist of two main components; detection and data association. In the detection step, object hypotheses are generated in each frame of a sequence. Later, detections that belong to the same target are linked together to form final trajectories. The latter step is called data association. There are several challenges that render this problem difficult, such as occlusion,...
Show moreMulti-object tracking is one of the fundamental problems in computer vision. Almost all multi-object tracking systems consist of two main components; detection and data association. In the detection step, object hypotheses are generated in each frame of a sequence. Later, detections that belong to the same target are linked together to form final trajectories. The latter step is called data association. There are several challenges that render this problem difficult, such as occlusion, background clutter and pose changes. This dissertation aims to address these challenges by tackling the data association component of tracking and contributes three novel methods for solving data association. Firstly, this dissertation will present a new framework for multi-target tracking that uses a novel data association technique using the Generalized Maximum Clique Problem (GMCP) formulation. The majority of current methods, such as bipartite matching, incorporate a limited temporal locality of the sequence into the data association problem. This makes these methods inherently prone to ID-switches and difficulties caused by long-term occlusions, a cluttered background and crowded scenes. On the other hand, our approach incorporates both motion and appearance in a global manner. Unlike limited temporal locality methods which incorporate a few frames into the data association problem, this method incorporates the whole temporal span and solves the data association problem for one object at a time. Generalized Minimum Clique Graph (GMCP) is used to solve the optimization problem of our data association method. The proposed method is supported by superior results on several benchmark sequences. GMCP leads us to a more accurate approach to multi-object tracking by considering all the pairwise relationships in a batch of frames; however, it has some limitations. Firstly, it finds target trajectories one-by-one, missing joint optimization. Secondly, for optimization we use a greedy solver, based on local neighborhood search, making our optimization prone to local minimas. Finally GMCP tracker is slow, which is a burden when dealing with time-sensitive applications. In order to address these problems, we propose a new graph theoretic problem, called Generalized Maximum Multi Clique Problem (GMMCP). GMMCP tracker has all the advantages of the GMCP tracker while addressing its limitations. A solution is presented to GMMCP where no simplification is assumed in problem formulation or problem optimization. GMMCP is NP hard but it can be formulated through a Binary-Integer Program where the solution to small- and medium-sized tracking problems can be found efficiently. To improve speed, Aggregated Dummy Nodes are used for modeling occlusions and miss detections. This also reduces the size of the input graph without using any heuristics. We show that using the speed-up method, our tracker lends itself to a real-time implementation, increasing its potential usefulness in many applications. In test against several tracking datasets, we show that the proposed method outperforms competitive methods. Thus far we have assumed that the number of people do not exceed a few dozens. However, this is not always the case. In many scenarios such as, marathon, political rallies or religious rites, the number of people in a frame may reach few hundreds or even few thousands. Tracking in high-density crowd sequences is a challenging problem due to several reasons. Human detection methods often fail to localize objects correctly in extremely crowded scenes. This limits the use of data association based tracking methods. Additionally, it is hard to extend existing multi-target tracking to track targets in highly-crowded scenes, because the large number of targets increases the computational complexity. Furthermore, the small apparent target size makes it challenging to extract features to discriminate targets from their surroundings. Finally, we present a tracker that addresses the above-mentioned problems. We formulate online crowd tracking as a Binary Quadratic Programing, where both detection and data association problems are solved together. Our formulation employs target's individual information in the form of appearance and motion as well as contextual cues in the form of neighborhood motion, spatial proximity and grouping constraints. Due to large number of targets, state-of-the-art commercial quadratic programing solvers fail to efficiently find the solution to the proposed optimization. In order to overcome the computational complexity of available solvers, we propose to use the most recent version of Modified Frank-Wolfe algorithms with SWAP steps. The proposed tracker can track hundreds of targets efficiently and improves state-of-the-art results by significant margin on high density crowd sequences.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006095, ucf:51201
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006095
- Title
- A Study on the Influence of Perceptual Distortion in the Scoring of Musical Performances by Florida Bandmasters Association Adjudicators.
- Creator
-
Donato, Raymond, Murray, Kenneth, Murray, Barbara, Doherty, Walter, Everett, Robert, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This study explored adjudicator reliability in scores assessed at the Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA) Music Performance Assessment. It investigated how adjudicators under conflicting sets of circumstances interpreted the criteria and rated musical performances. A sample of five concert band audio recordings from the FBA resource library were chosen and a sample of participants were selected to score the recordings using the criteria currently in use by the Florida Bandmasters...
Show moreThis study explored adjudicator reliability in scores assessed at the Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA) Music Performance Assessment. It investigated how adjudicators under conflicting sets of circumstances interpreted the criteria and rated musical performances. A sample of five concert band audio recordings from the FBA resource library were chosen and a sample of participants were selected to score the recordings using the criteria currently in use by the Florida Bandmasters Association. These participants were chosen from Certified FBA concert band adjudicators, FBA members who are not certified concert band adjudicators and out of state judges who are certified though other judges association. Differences between groups were examined. In addition, data were collected on the participants' ranking of the musical criteria from the FBA concert band assessment instrument.From analysis of the data, it was reasonable to conclude that there is a significant difference in scoring of musical performances between face-to-face adjudicators who evaluated a live performance, and blind adjudicators who evaluated the same performance via a recorded audio only presentation. This study may provide valuable information that could lead to better development of a fair and balanced rating system.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006099, ucf:51208
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006099
- Title
- The influence of an annual meeting on the sense of community of association members, their satisfaction, and future intentions.
- Creator
-
Hahm, Jee Yeon, Breiter, Deborah, Wang, Youcheng, Fjelstul, Jill, Boote, David, Severt, Kimberly, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Over the past decade, many studies have provided some understanding on what influences association members' decision to attend a meeting; however, more systematic and theoretical research is necessary. The decision making process of attendees is a complicated human behavior practice. The major contribution of this study is adopting the sense of community (SOC) model from psychology to gain a better understanding of the attendee behavior. By doing so, this study will add a theoretical...
Show moreOver the past decade, many studies have provided some understanding on what influences association members' decision to attend a meeting; however, more systematic and theoretical research is necessary. The decision making process of attendees is a complicated human behavior practice. The major contribution of this study is adopting the sense of community (SOC) model from psychology to gain a better understanding of the attendee behavior. By doing so, this study will add a theoretical foundation to the existing research in the meeting industry. Also, this study will contribute to the SOC research in psychology by applying the concept to a different setting. This study investigates whether annual conferences build a SOC among association members. First, the SOC of association members at the conference will be analyzed. Second, the influence of SOC on members' satisfaction with the conference will be studied. Lastly, the direct and indirect relationship between SOC and future intentions (i.e., return to next meeting, membership renewal, and membership recommendation) will be examined. Data was collected through an intercept survey approach at three annual conferences of national/international associations. The questionnaire consisted of four sections: sense of community, satisfaction with the conference, future intentions, and member profile. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to test the factor structure and structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationships, and Spearman's rank order correlation was used to see the strength of the relationship between respondent characteristics and sense of community. The results showed that sense of community was a strong predictor of future intentions. Implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research are discussed in the final chapter.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFE0004543, ucf:49247
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004543
