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Title: THE ANATOMY OF A PRODUCTION: THE ANALYSIS OF THE DIRECTORIAL JOURNEY MOUNTING "STEEL MAGNOLIAS" FOR THE STAGE.
Creator: Tiwar, Aradhana, Harris, Lani, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This study is based on the Vine Theater Company's production of "Steel Magnolias" performed in March of 2007 at the Garden Theater in Winter Park Florida, directed by Aradhana Tiwari. This document examines the directorial journey from vision to the stage. Specifically it will explore a.) The dynamics of the production process from a directorial lens. b.) Interpreting Harling's text for design and performance c.) The development of an artistic aesthetic through collaboration. In May...
Show moreThis study is based on the Vine Theater Company's production of "Steel Magnolias" performed in March of 2007 at the Garden Theater in Winter Park Florida, directed by Aradhana Tiwari. This document examines the directorial journey from vision to the stage. Specifically it will explore a.) The dynamics of the production process from a directorial lens. b.) Interpreting Harling's text for design and performance c.) The development of an artistic aesthetic through collaboration. In May of 2007, I mounted a production of "Steel Magnolias" for the Orlando International Fringe Festival. The show was performed in the Universal, a thrust space at the Orlando Repertory Theater. Soon after, Producers Stephanie Williams invited me to direct the same production again for her theater company, The Vine. This time the show will be mounted in a proscenium space called the Garden Theater, located in Winter Garden's Historical Preservation District. We will have three to four weeks of rehearsal. Two of those weeks will be in an alternate rehearsal space with one week on set prior to open. The show will run from March 7th through the 22nd with a few days in the dark. We will soon re-audition the show and open it up to professional actors. I am being paid a set sum for directorial responsibilities and an additional sum for sound design of the show. I'll be collaborating with Lighting Designer Erin Minor and Set Designer Tommy Mangieri, and costume designer Kelly VanDyke. We are all advised to stay within the parameters of a set budget. A tech crew will be provided by the Vine Theater Company. Everyone involved with the production is being compensated for their work, specific sums are at the producers discloser. My early vision for this production is romanticized realism. From the set, to lighting, costumes, sound and even blocking. My goal is to execute a "slice of life" in this salon located in a tiny Louisiana parish during the mid 1980's within a slightly romanticized portrait. One of the ways I'll go about doing this is to create a series of character building exercises tailored to the specific story. I aim to craft real characters with honest moments, but frame them inside a slightly romanticized set and proscenium blocking. Some of the challenges I'll be exploring in this study are how to adapt a thrust show to a proscenium, how to integrate old and new cast members into a unified process and progression, how to facilitate a collaborative process and lastly, how to achieve an artistic vision while sustaining the integrity of a small budget. The materials I'll be submitting is a collection of research, a log of technical needs and other printed information, reflections on every aspect of production such as set, sound, lighting, costumes, and a detailed rehearsal journal logging the production progression. These documents will track design ideas and archive any required changes that ensue. Finally, upon completion of the show I'll write a post -production summary. This will examine how close I got to my original goals, evaluate the process I implemented, highlight necessary modifications that were made along the way, and discus what I learned from the experience.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: CFE0002550, ucf:47641
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002550

Title: FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE FORMATION OF PEANUT ALLERGIES IN CHILDREN.
Creator: Gleason, Christie, Butts, Michele, Decker, Jonathan, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Allergies have the potential to be a life-long debilitating fight, especially the severe reactions from allergies such as anaphylaxis. Peanut allergies tend to be both common and severe, and they happen to be found hiding in many food products. People can have allergic reactions to food products that were made in the same facility as peanut products, that is why it is so important to be aware of the products that are being consumed. The incidence of peanut allergies has increased in the last...
Show moreAllergies have the potential to be a life-long debilitating fight, especially the severe reactions from allergies such as anaphylaxis. Peanut allergies tend to be both common and severe, and they happen to be found hiding in many food products. People can have allergic reactions to food products that were made in the same facility as peanut products, that is why it is so important to be aware of the products that are being consumed. The incidence of peanut allergies has increased in the last decade, which is why it is crucial to study these allergies. This thesis looks at when the best time is to introduce peanut products to young children and the common risk factors that are associated with peanut allergies in children. The risk factors that are being looked at include: genetics, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity. This thesis also investigates a couple of treatment options for if your child develops a peanut allergy.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFH2000385, ucf:45811
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000385

Title: A BEAUTIFUL BELLY: TOWARD AN INTIMATE CINEMA THROUGH MICROBUDGET PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES.
Creator: Gay, Andrew, Johnson, Mary, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: A Beautiful Belly is a feature-length, microbudget, digital motion picture produced, written, and directed by Andrew Kenneth Gay in pursuit of the Master of Fine Arts in Film & Digital Media from the University of Central Florida. The guiding question behind the production of A Beautiful Belly was whether digital "no budget" production was particularly suited to the telling of a particular kind of cinematic story - the interior journey. The pursuit of an intimate cinema shaped every decision...
Show moreA Beautiful Belly is a feature-length, microbudget, digital motion picture produced, written, and directed by Andrew Kenneth Gay in pursuit of the Master of Fine Arts in Film & Digital Media from the University of Central Florida. The guiding question behind the production of A Beautiful Belly was whether digital "no budget" production was particularly suited to the telling of a particular kind of cinematic story - the interior journey. The pursuit of an intimate cinema shaped every decision by the filmmaker and his collaborators, and this thesis is a record of their production experience.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0003348, ucf:48452
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003348

Title: BAKER:THE MAKING OF AN INDEPENDENT THRILLER.
Creator: Lopez, Laura, Finch, Randy, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Baker is an independently financed low budget film that examines the ambiguous nature of compassion in the day-to-day life of hospice care personnel. The creation of the film entailed three stages: pre-production, production and post-production in which numerous artistic, financial and logistic challenges arose and threatened the completion of the picture. The complex nature of the subject matter required particular attention to the structure of the script. The budgetary restrictions enforced...
Show moreBaker is an independently financed low budget film that examines the ambiguous nature of compassion in the day-to-day life of hospice care personnel. The creation of the film entailed three stages: pre-production, production and post-production in which numerous artistic, financial and logistic challenges arose and threatened the completion of the picture. The complex nature of the subject matter required particular attention to the structure of the script. The budgetary restrictions enforced a minimalist approach to locations as well as other creative considerations such as the size of the cast and period setting. The shooting location dictated the framework of the aesthetic approach in design as well as in mise-en-scene for the film. The post-production phase redefined the film once the structure became dependant on the relationship between footage and aural elements rather than on the blueprint of the script. This artistic journey imposed a need for creative problem solving and adaptability. The process of working on Baker allowed me to have a full understanding of my role in the collaboration with talent, the management of crew and my creative duty to maintain the essence of the script while realizing my artistic vision. The overall experience has deepened my commitment to storytelling in the collaborative art of cinema. The result is a highly personal expression of my voice as a director, a female, and social critic
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002327, ucf:53151
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002327

Title: TWO ESSAYS ON PRODUCT DESIGN AND CONSUMER EVALUATIONS.
Creator: Lee, Sangwon, Echambadi, Raj, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This paper is about the central role of product design on consumer evaluations. While the design literature has articulated two different types of design, i.e. form-based design and function-based design (Khalid 2004), most extant marketing literature has mostly focused on the impact of functional design on performance (see Chitturi, Raghunathan, and Mahajan (2007) for a notable exception). In this paper, I examine the individual and joint effects of the two design dimensions: form design and...
Show moreThis paper is about the central role of product design on consumer evaluations. While the design literature has articulated two different types of design, i.e. form-based design and function-based design (Khalid 2004), most extant marketing literature has mostly focused on the impact of functional design on performance (see Chitturi, Raghunathan, and Mahajan (2007) for a notable exception). In this paper, I examine the individual and joint effects of the two design dimensions: form design and functional design on consumer evaluations of new products. In the first essay, employing theoretical underpinnings from processing fluency theory, I investigate four major research questions. First, all else equal, does form design matter? Second, how does form design interact with functional design? Third, does the interaction between form and functionality change in an innovation context? Specifically, given a certain level of functionality, what type of form is more advantageous for a radically new product (RNP) or an incrementally new product (INP)? Fourth, is there an individual difference in consumer evaluations to innovative products with various form designs? Results from the four experiments conducted demonstrate that (1) more typical form design leads to more positive attitudes toward the product than less typical form design, (2) a more typical design compensates for the average functionality of the product and hence a product with average functionality is evaluated as well as highly functional products in the more typical design condition. In a less typical design condition, a product with high functionality leads to much lower consumer attitudes towards the product, (3) whereas the form design for incremental innovations must be closer to the incumbent products for favorable evaluations, less typical form is evaluated as good as more typical form for radical innovations. (4) Form design of an innovative product matters more to the technologically more sophisticated consumers (experts) than technologically less sophisticated consumers (novices). In the second essay, I examine the issues involved in using form design to nullify first mover advantage. Pioneers or first movers can be defined as the first firm to sell in a new product category. Despite the proliferation of the pioneering advantage research, there are few empirical studies which examined how the product design enables the later entrants to nullify the first mover advantage. Employing theoretical underpinnings from categorization theory, I investigate the following research questions. First, what type of form is more likely to enhance consumer evaluations and nullify first mover advantage when the followerÃ‚Â's product is featured with higher or lower functionality? Second, how does form design interact with functional design for the followerÃ‚Â's product? Results from the experimental study conducted demonstrate that (1) if the followerÃ‚Â's functionality is not superior to the pioneerÃ‚Â's, follower had better focus on design differentiation which can compensate for the lower functionality of the follower (2) if the followerÃ‚Â's functionality is superior to the pioneerÃ‚Â's, follower had better follow the pioneerÃ‚Â's design for the better product evaluation. The managerial implication is clear: Form design is a critical determinant of consumer evaluations. Form design helps create and appropriate value for firms.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0003249, ucf:48546
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003249

Title: CHANGE ORDERS AND PRODUCTIVITY LOSS QUANTIFICATION USING VERIFIABLE SITE DATA.
Creator: Serag, Engy, Oloufa, Amr, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Change orders occur frequently in most construction projects, where contract modifications that increase the contract value between 5 to 10% are expected. Changes occur not only because of errors and omissions, but also for other reasons such as scope of work changes, or changes because of unforeseen conditions encountered on the site; a problem which is very common in most heavy construction projects. Changes themselves might not cause productivity losses; in this case the damage calculation...
Show moreChange orders occur frequently in most construction projects, where contract modifications that increase the contract value between 5 to 10% are expected. Changes occur not only because of errors and omissions, but also for other reasons such as scope of work changes, or changes because of unforeseen conditions encountered on the site; a problem which is very common in most heavy construction projects. Changes themselves might not cause productivity losses; in this case the damage calculation will be straightforward. However, changes may cause disruption in unchanged work where the working conditions are impacted, and as a result, lost productivity (inefficiency) is encountered. Delay and loss of productivity are the two main types of damages experienced by the contractor when the owner issues a change order. Courts have recognized Critical Path Method (CPM) schedule analysis as the preferred method of identifying and quantifying critical delays. As for the inefficiency damages, there is no way of directly measuring inefficiency due to its qualitative nature and the difficulty of linking the cause of the productivity loss to the damage. Most of the scholarly work published in this area was based on productivity data supplied by the contractors. The owner's viewpoint was seldom considered; and that explains why there are discrepancies between what the contractor asks for and what the owner believes the contractor is entitled. This research focuses on analyzing the change orders and the productivity loss from public owner data. The study addresses the need for a statistical model to quantify the change orders and the productivity loss from verifiable owner's data such as owner's daily reports, change orders, drawing, and specifications, rather than rely on contractor surveys. Two models are developed and validated; the first model is to quantify the percent increase in the contract price due to the change orders. This model will provide the owner with an estimate of the cost of the changed work, where it can be used for forward pricing or retrospective pricing of the change orders. The second is to quantify the productivity loss of the piping work due to the change orders. The productivity loss study analyzed two set of data; the first included all the predictor variables which both parties, the owner and the contractor, contributed to the productivity loss, and the second one included the predictor variables, from the legal view point, only the owner is responsible for. The study showed the difference between what the contractor asked for and what he is actually entitled. This model can be used by both the owner and the contractor to quantify the productivity loss due to change orders.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: CFE0001221, ucf:46899
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001221

Title: Waking Up White: The Search For Black Happiness.
Creator: Gregory, Jason, Mills, Lisa, Major, Anthony, Peterson, Lisa, Peters, Philip, Raimundi-Ortiz, Wanda, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Waking Up White (WUW) is a television pilot written, directed and co-produced by Jason D. Gregory serving as part of his thesis requirements for earning a Master of Fine Arts in the Entrepreneurial Digital Cinema program at the University of Central Florida. The project attempts to answer the question (")what if(") by placing the main characters in a (")fish out of water(") scenario. In WUW a Black family wakes up White and has 30 days to determine if they'd rather return to their cultural...
Show moreWaking Up White (WUW) is a television pilot written, directed and co-produced by Jason D. Gregory serving as part of his thesis requirements for earning a Master of Fine Arts in the Entrepreneurial Digital Cinema program at the University of Central Florida. The project attempts to answer the question (")what if(") by placing the main characters in a (")fish out of water(") scenario. In WUW a Black family wakes up White and has 30 days to determine if they'd rather return to their cultural roots or stick with the (")new skin(") that they are in. Upon awakening to their new reality, the neighborhood that they fled is in the early stages of gentrification and now whatever decision they make not only affects them but also their former community.WUW was produced for $15,000, was shot on location in Central Florida and employed an all Central Florida based cast and crew. This thesis outlines the theories and processes used to bring this project to fruition.
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Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFE0007464, ucf:52671
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007464

Title: Identification of Novel Antimalarial Scaffolds From Marine Natural Products.
Creator: Roberts, Bracken, Chakrabarti, Debopam, Jewett, Travis, Self, William, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Malaria, the disease caused by Plasmodium sp., claims the lives of over 1 million people every year, with Plasmodium falciparum causing the highest morbidity. Rapidly acquiring drug resistance is threatening to exhaust our antimalarial drug arsenal and already requires the utilization of combination drug therapy in most cases. The global need for novel antimalarial chemical scaffolds has never been greater.Screening of natural product libraries is known to have higher hit rates than synthetic...
Show moreMalaria, the disease caused by Plasmodium sp., claims the lives of over 1 million people every year, with Plasmodium falciparum causing the highest morbidity. Rapidly acquiring drug resistance is threatening to exhaust our antimalarial drug arsenal and already requires the utilization of combination drug therapy in most cases. The global need for novel antimalarial chemical scaffolds has never been greater.Screening of natural product libraries is known to have higher hit rates than synthetic chemical libraries. This elevated hit rate is somewhat attributed to the greater biodiversity available in natural products. Marine life is the most biodiverse system on the planet, containing 34 of the 36 known phyla of life, and is expected to be a rich source of novel chemotypes. In collaboration with the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in Ft. Pierce we have screened a library of over 2,800 marine macroorganism peak fractions against Plasmodium falciparum using the SYBR green I fluorescence-based assay. In this screening process we have identified six compounds from five novel chemical scaffolds all of which have low micromolar to submicromolar IC50 values and excellent selectivity indices. Additionally, one of these chemical scaffolds, the bis(indolyl)imidazole, was selected for further in vitro pharmacological and structure-activity relationship (SAR) profiling, key steps in the challenging process of identifying a new antimalarial drug lead compound.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004792, ucf:49748
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004792

Title: Theodore is Dying: Production of the Feature Film from Development Through Distribution.
Creator: Pomeranz, Ryan, Stoeckl, Ula, Peterson, Lisa, Schlow, Stephen, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Theodore Is Dying is a feature length film written and directed by Ryan Ceri Pomeranz. It was undertaken as a partial fulfillment of the requirements to receive a Master of Fine Arts in Film and Digital Media from the Department of Film in the College of Arts and Humanities at the University of Central Florida. The film aims to explore both the immediate and the long-term effects of choices made by four people at specific moments of demarcation in their lives. Structurally, the film is...
Show moreTheodore Is Dying is a feature length film written and directed by Ryan Ceri Pomeranz. It was undertaken as a partial fulfillment of the requirements to receive a Master of Fine Arts in Film and Digital Media from the Department of Film in the College of Arts and Humanities at the University of Central Florida. The film aims to explore both the immediate and the long-term effects of choices made by four people at specific moments of demarcation in their lives. Structurally, the film is presented in an episodic and non- linear style that attempts to examine each protagonist's own set of conflicts, while simultaneously exposing how the choices they make affect one another. The film's production presented many unique challenges to our producing team, cast and crew such as shooting on location in Scranton, Pennsylvania over one thousand miles from home and figuring out where to allocate funds from our (")ultra-low(") budget. These challenges were met head on and often times acted as catalysts for rethinking the way that films at our budget level could be produced. As a result, the account of the making of Theodore Is Dying, from development through distribution, aims to contribute these ideas to the larger conversation about the role of Ultra-Low Budget Filmmaking in the modern filmmaking era.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFE0004737, ucf:49846
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004737

Title: EMOTIONAL EVALUATION OF A PRODUCT/SYSTEM.
Creator: Smith, Hana, Sims, Valerie, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Technological advances in products and systems have brought emotional design or emotional engineering to the forefront of research. While several measures to assess emotional expression of products have been developed, the source of the emotion rating of a product or system was often unclear. The purpose of this dissertation is to conduct three studies to examine the causes of emotional ratings and to establish if product-specific emotion rating scales are useful for capturing accurate user...
Show moreTechnological advances in products and systems have brought emotional design or emotional engineering to the forefront of research. While several measures to assess emotional expression of products have been developed, the source of the emotion rating of a product or system was often unclear. The purpose of this dissertation is to conduct three studies to examine the causes of emotional ratings and to establish if product-specific emotion rating scales are useful for capturing accurate user evaluations. Three studies were conducted using citrus juicers. Juicers were chosen for several reasons: their wide variety of styles, one self-explanatory purpose (to make juice), and the fact that their benign nature is unlikely to harm participants. Study 1 isolated juicers that had unique emotion profiles to use in the Study 2. Participants rated 41 juicers with fourteen product-specific emotions. Participants predominantly used "five" of the fourteen emotions in their juicer ratings. Ten juicers with the highest rating consensus, within these five emotions, were chosen for Study 2. Study 2 determined that anthropomorphic tendencies are predictive of emotional ratings. Extreme Anthropomorphism from the Anthropomorphic Tendency Scale (ATS) was used to test individual differences (Sims et al. 2005;Chin et al., 2005). Individuals with low anthropomorphic tendencies were more critical of the products. Sex differences also were analyzed, and significant interactions were found. Women exhibited different preferences for juicers than me. First impression ratings from Study 1 were validated by first impression ratings from Study 2. Finally, Study 3 measured the impact of product interaction on emotional ratings. Participants used seven juicers to make a minimum of four ounces of juice. Pre and post-interaction ratings were compared to determine the effect of interaction on the emotional appraisal of products. The results confirmed that interaction had an impact on affective ratings. As opposed to experienced users, novice users deviated in their pre-post appraisal, especially on aesthetically boring but highly usable products. Novice users based their entire initial appraisal on aesthetics, while experienced users were influenced by their past experience. Humans rely on past experience to recall likes or dislikes. The findings here suggest that aesthetic appraisal of products (or other environments) will remain influenced by past exposure/experience with those or similar products. Thus, only true novices can remain unbiased by past experience for aesthetic appraisal and capture a true 'first impression'. Also, past experience of users should be assessed when conducting research that relies on emotional appraisal of products. These findings may be especially useful in product development where new designs are based on a golden standard, competition, or go through several iterations of testing. The results may be used to guide human factors professionals to develop measures that more accurately capture affective ratings, and thus create more pleasurable products and systems.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002175, ucf:47513
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002175

Title: MASS CUSTOMIZATION STRATEGIES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO LEAN PRODUCTION IN THE HOMEBUILDING INDUSTRY.
Creator: Nahmens, Isabelina, Mullens, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Current housing trends point to an increasing interest from homebuyers to demand houses that reflect their personal and unique styles, and which are individually configured according to these needs (NAHB, 2004). These homebuyers in turn are unwilling to settle for standard models that sacrifice what they really want in a home. At the same time this creates pressure on builders who are reluctant to sacrifice production efficiencies by deviating from standard models. Such customization desired...
Show moreCurrent housing trends point to an increasing interest from homebuyers to demand houses that reflect their personal and unique styles, and which are individually configured according to these needs (NAHB, 2004). These homebuyers in turn are unwilling to settle for standard models that sacrifice what they really want in a home. At the same time this creates pressure on builders who are reluctant to sacrifice production efficiencies by deviating from standard models. Such customization desired by demanding customers can disrupt the entire estimating, production, delivery and management process, making it even more difficult to manage homebuilding efficiently and effectively. The question faced by homebuilders in this conditions is, how to manage this trade-off and deliver exactly what homebuyers want, at reasonable prices and lead times with minimal disruptions in efficiencies. Mass Customization (MC) is an emerging production paradigm that seeks to manage the trade-offs between product variety and mass efficiency, while fulfilling individual customer requirements. The general purpose of this research is to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of housing production through the implementation of mass customization strategies. More specifically, this research focuses on the study of the production system through the application of lean production principles, as an approach to enable mass customization. This study first characterizes how much product choice is currently being offered by U.S. homebuilders and what is the impact of customization on production efficiency; and then focuses on the evaluation of the relationships between mass customization and lean production principles. Results revealed that homebuilders offering increased product choice are likely to suffer poorer labor productivity, greater inventory, higher production costs, more quality issues, less satisfied homebuyers, and lower space efficiency. In general, operational performance deteriorated with an increase in product choice. Therefore, industrialized housing manufacturers have not reached the ideal of mass customization and are paying a price for offering more choices to their customers. Homebuilders could mitigate these challenges by using lean concepts. In general, case studies showed that product choice does not necessarily make the implementation of lean concepts more difficult. Some lean concepts, like workload balancing and standardizing tasks, clearly facilitated the handling of product choice. Other lean concepts, like creating a continuous process flow, can be made to work well, even with increased choice. Case study results suggested that good concepts for lean (e.g., efficient continuous flow, effective pull system, workload leveling, defect-free processes, standard tasks, good visual controls, and reliable technology) were also good concepts for (or easily accommodated) handling a range of product choice.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: CFE0001778, ucf:47277
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001778

Title: AN INVESTIGATION OF SIZE EXCLUSION AND DIFFUSION CONTROLLED MEMBRANE FOULING.
Creator: Hobbs, Colin, Taylor, James, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The reduction of membrane productivity (i.e. membrane fouling) during operation occurs in virtually all membrane applications. Membrane fouling originates from the method by which membranes operate: contaminants are rejected by the membrane and retained on the feed side of the membrane while treated water passes through the membrane. The accumulation of these contaminants on the feed side of the membrane results in increased operating pressures, increased backwashing frequencies, increased...
Show moreThe reduction of membrane productivity (i.e. membrane fouling) during operation occurs in virtually all membrane applications. Membrane fouling originates from the method by which membranes operate: contaminants are rejected by the membrane and retained on the feed side of the membrane while treated water passes through the membrane. The accumulation of these contaminants on the feed side of the membrane results in increased operating pressures, increased backwashing frequencies, increased chemical cleaning frequencies, and increased membrane replacement frequencies. The most significant practical implication of membrane fouling is increased operating and maintenance costs. As such, membrane fouling must be properly managed to ensure successful and efficient operation of membrane systems. This document presents four independent studies regarding the fouling of size exclusion and diffusion controlled membranes. A brief description of each study is presented below. The first study systematically investigated the fouling characteristics of various thin film composite polyamide reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membranes using a high organic surficial groundwater obtained from the City of Plantation, Florida. Prior to bench-scale fouling experiments, surface properties of the selected RO and NF membranes were carefully analysed in order to correlate the rate and extent of fouling to membrane surface characteristics, such as roughness, charge and hydrophobicity. More specifically, the surface roughness was characterized by atomic force microscopy, while the surface charge and hydrophobicity of the membranes were evaluated through zeta potential and contact angle measurements, respectively. The results indicated that membrane fouling became more severe with increasing surface roughness, as measured by the surface area difference, which accounts for both magnitude and frequency of surface peaks. Surface roughness was correlated to flux decline; however, surface charge was not. The limited range of hydrophobicity of the flat sheet studies prohibited conclusions regarding the correlation of flux decline and hydrophobicity. Mass loading and resistance models were developed in the second study to describe changes in solvent mass transfer (membrane productivity) over time of operation. Changes in the observed solvent mass transfer coefficient of four low pressure reverse osmosis membranes were correlated to feed water quality in a 2,000 hour pilot study. Independent variables utilized for model development included: temperature, initial solvent mass transfer coefficient, water loading, ultraviolet absorbance, turbidity, and monochloramine concentration. Models were generated by data collected throughout this study and were subsequently used to predict the solvent mass transfer coefficient. The sensitivity of each model with respect to monochloramine concentration was also analyzed. In the third study, mass loading and resistance models were generated to predict changes in solvent mass transfer (membrane productivity) with operating time for three reverse osmosis and nanofiltration membranes. Variations in the observed solvent mass transfer coefficient of these membranes treating filtered secondary effluent were correlated to the initial solvent mass transfer coefficient, temperature, and water loading in a 2,000 hour pilot study. Independent variables evaluated during model development included: temperature, initial solvent mass transfer coefficient, water loading, total dissolved solids, orthophosphorous, silica, total organic carbon, and turbidity. All models were generated by data collected throughout this study. Autopsies performed on membrane elements indicated membranes that received microfiltered water accumulated significantly more dissolved organic carbon and polysaccharides on their surface than membranes that received ultrafiltered water. Series of filtration experiments were systematically performed to investigate physical and chemical factors affecting the efficiency of backwashing during microfiltration of colloidal suspensions in the fourth study. Throughout this study, all experiments were conducted in dead-end filtration mode utilizing an outside-in, hollow-fiber module with a nominal pore size of 0.1 µm. Silica particles (mean diameter ~ 0.14 µm) were used as model colloids. Using a flux decline model based on the Happel's cell for the hydraulic resistance of the particle layer, the cake structure was determined from experimental fouling data and then correlated to backwash efficiency. Modeling of experimental data revealed no noticeable changes in cake layer structure when feed particle concentration and operating pressure increased. Specifically, the packing density of the cake layer (l-cake porosity) in the cake layer ranged from 0.66 to 0.67, which corresponds well to random packing density. However, the particle packing density increased drastically with ionic strength. The results of backwashing experiments demonstrated that the efficiency of backwashing decreased significantly with increasing solution ionic strength, while backwash efficiency did not vary when particle concentration and operating pressure increased. This finding suggests that backwash efficiency is closely related to the structure of the cake layer formed during particle filtration. More densely packed cake layers were formed under high ionic strength, and consequently less flux was recovered per given backwash volume during backwashing.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: CFE0001854, ucf:47366
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001854

Title: DETERMINATION OF SELECTIVITY AND POTENTIAL FOR DRUG RESISTANCE OF NOVEL ANTIMALARIAL COMPOUNDS FROM NATURE-INSPIRED SYNTHETIC LIBRARIES.
Creator: Keasler, Eric, Keasler, Eric, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: As malaria, caused by Plasmodium spp., continues to afflict millions of people worldwide, there is a dire need for the discovery of novel, inexpensive antimalarial drugs. Although there are effective drugs on the market, the consistent development of drug resistant species has decreased their efficacy, further emphasizing that novel therapeutic measures are urgently needed. Natural products provide the most diverse reservoir for the discovery of unique chemical scaffolds with the potential to...
Show moreAs malaria, caused by Plasmodium spp., continues to afflict millions of people worldwide, there is a dire need for the discovery of novel, inexpensive antimalarial drugs. Although there are effective drugs on the market, the consistent development of drug resistant species has decreased their efficacy, further emphasizing that novel therapeutic measures are urgently needed. Natural products provide the most diverse reservoir for the discovery of unique chemical scaffolds with the potential to effectively combat malarial infections, but, due to their complex structures, they often pose extreme challenges to medicinal chemists during pharmacokinetic optimization. In our laboratory we have performed unbiased, cell-based assays of numerous synthetic compounds from chemical libraries enriched with nature-like elements. This screening has led to the discovery of many original chemical scaffolds with promising antimalarial properties. In an attempt to further characterize these scaffolds, the most promising compounds were assayed in order to determine their cytotoxic effects on mammalian cells. In addition, the development of a drug resistant parasite line of Plasmodium falciparum to the most promising compound was done in order to determine the relative probability for parasite resistance development.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFH0004223, ucf:44900
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004223

Title: Discovery and characterization of novel antimicrobials against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Creator: Rodrigues Felix, Carolina, Rohde, Kyle, Jewett, Mollie, Self, William, Phanstiel, Otto, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Tuberculosis disease is currently a global health emergency, causing the most deaths worldwide due a single infectious agent. Eradication of TB is hampered by lack of an effective vaccine and poor treatment options. During infection, host-derived cues such as hypoxia and starvation induce Mycobacterium tuberculosis to halt replication and become dormant, which leads to tolerance to front-line antibiotics used in the TB treatment. This dormant phenotype causes delayed clearance of M....
Show moreTuberculosis disease is currently a global health emergency, causing the most deaths worldwide due a single infectious agent. Eradication of TB is hampered by lack of an effective vaccine and poor treatment options. During infection, host-derived cues such as hypoxia and starvation induce Mycobacterium tuberculosis to halt replication and become dormant, which leads to tolerance to front-line antibiotics used in the TB treatment. This dormant phenotype causes delayed clearance of M. tuberculosis, therefore a long treatment time is required for stable cure without relapse. Poor patient compliance increases the emergence of drug resistant strains, posing yet another challenge for the eradication of TB. There is dire need for novel compounds targeting not only drug-resistant, but also dormant bacteria so as to effectively eliminate drug-resistant strains and also shorten treatment time. This requires compounds with novel modes of action and novel drug screening approaches which focus on dormant M. tuberculosis. In the current work a method was optimized which induces the dormant phenotype of M. tuberculosis in vitro allowing large scale screening of compounds against these tolerant bacteria. The high chemical diversity of marine natural products was explored to increase the chances of finding novel compounds with novel mechanisms of action. Additionally, gold-complexed scaffolds were examined for their putative ability to inhibit topoisomerase 1, which is a highly conserved and essential protein of mycobacteria, not currently targeted in classical treatment regimens. Several marine natural products were identified with selective bactericidal activity against dormant bacteria, emphasizing the powerful tool that was developed for drug screening. Moreover, the gold-complexes were also bactericidal against not only replicating and dormant bacilli, but also mycobacteria resistant to front-line TB drugs. Compounds characterized in this study represent a promising starting point for the development of novel TB therapeutics and discovery of new conditionally essential pathways of dormant bacteria.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0007294, ucf:52172
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007294

Title: Dynamic Modeling Approach to Quantify Change Orders Impact on Labor Productivity.
Creator: Al-Kofahi, Zain, Oloufa, Amr, Tatari, Omer, Uddin, Nizam, Xanthopoulos, Petros, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In construction projects, change orders are commonly faced. These change orders, which are issued by the owner, may cause interruption to the contractor's work, resulting in damages such as loss of labor productivity, delay damages, and cost overruns which may lead to claims. The relationship between change orders and loss of labor productivity is not well understood because of the difficulty in linking the cause of the productivity loss to the change order. So, to receive compensation, the...
Show moreIn construction projects, change orders are commonly faced. These change orders, which are issued by the owner, may cause interruption to the contractor's work, resulting in damages such as loss of labor productivity, delay damages, and cost overruns which may lead to claims. The relationship between change orders and loss of labor productivity is not well understood because of the difficulty in linking the cause of the productivity loss to the change order. So, to receive compensation, the contractor needs to prove with a credible calculation that the productivity loss was a result of the change order issued by the owner. Compared to all available productivity loss quantification methods, the (")Measured Mile(") approach is considered the most acceptable and popular approach in litigation. In this study, loss of labor productivity due to change orders is studied using a system dynamics method. A system dynamics model is developed using Vensim Software, validated, and utilized to quantitatively measure the impact of the change in the project scope on labor productivity. Different road construction projects were analyzed using both methods: measured mile analysis and system dynamics model; then, the results from those two approaches were compared
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006430, ucf:51448
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006430

Title: Using Fluorescence to Characterize Four Day Simulated Distribution System Trihalomethane Content in Florida Groundwaters.
Creator: Ousley, Jonathan, Duranceau, Steven, Lee, Woo Hyoung, Sadmani, A H M Anwar, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) regulates public water systems and has established limits for certain disinfection by products (DBPs) that have been linked to health effects, such as bladder cancer. The regulation of DBPs, specifically total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs), have encouraged water treatment professionals to assess the type and amount of organic precursors in their supplies. Three of the more common water quality parameters that are...
Show moreThe United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) regulates public water systems and has established limits for certain disinfection by products (DBPs) that have been linked to health effects, such as bladder cancer. The regulation of DBPs, specifically total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs), have encouraged water treatment professionals to assess the type and amount of organic precursors in their supplies. Three of the more common water quality parameters that are monitored as DBP surrogates include dissolved organic carbon (DOC), ultraviolet absorbance (UV254), and specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA). Although DOC, UV254, and SUVA have been effectively correlated to DBP formation, efforts to correlate fluorescence excitation emission matrices (FEEM) to DBP formation remains limited within the drinking water community. In this research, a fluorescence regional integration (FRI) approach was used to compare FEEM with DOC, UV254, and SUVA as an alternative surrogate for characterizing TTHMs for groundwater sources located in south central Florida. To quantitatively evaluate FEEM, DOC, UV254, and SUVA as TTHM precursor surrogate parameters, a statistical correlation analysis was employed. Thirteen groundwater samples were collected from various Central Florida groundwater wells in Lake County, Polk County, and Palm Beach County, and analyzed for FEEM, DOC, UV254, and SUVA prior to determining the four-day TTHM concentration using a simulated distribution system dosing procedure. The FRI method was then used to quantify FEEM by dividing the three-dimensional matrix into five distinct regions, each representing a unique organic constituent. The volume under each region was determined and used for the correlation analysis.It was determined that a combinations of regions III and V of the FEEM possessed a strong linear correlation to four day TTHM content (R2 = 0.95) as compared to DOC (R2 = 0.906), UV254 (R2= 0.84), SUVA (R2 = 0.640), and the individual regions of the FEEM. However, DOC showed the strongest correlation when a second order polynomial regression was used (R2 = 0.937). Results for the individual regions of the FEEM revealed four day simulated TTHM correlation coefficients of 0.25, 0.62, 0.86, 0.74, and 0.88 for regions I through V respectively. These values indicated that a combination of regions III and V, which represent the fulvic and humic-like organic fractions detected by FEEM respectively, was the most accurate four day simulated TTHM precursor surrogate parameter based on the groundwater supplies tested. These results reveal that although DOC is still one of the strongest surrogate parameters to TTHM formation, fluorescence has also shown to also be a potentially strong surrogate for groundwaters. The implications of these results signify that fluorescence monitoring could be a viable method of measuring organic content in groundwaters once the technology further develops.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006839, ucf:51782
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006839

Title: INTEGRATING THEORY, PRACTICE AND POLICY: THE TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY OF FLORIDA'S CIRCUIT COURTS.
Creator: Ferrandino, Joseph, Wan, Thomas T.H., University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In 1998, Florida voters approved Article V, Revision 7, which changed the funding mechanism of the state circuit court system from a county/state mix to state responsibility. The change was implemented as planned in the 2004/05 fiscal year. Although increased efficiency was a key goal of Revision 7, to date no published studies exist on the impacts of Revision 7 on circuit or system efficiency and/or productivity. This work analyzes Revision 7, integrating the larger debate of increasing...
Show moreIn 1998, Florida voters approved Article V, Revision 7, which changed the funding mechanism of the state circuit court system from a county/state mix to state responsibility. The change was implemented as planned in the 2004/05 fiscal year. Although increased efficiency was a key goal of Revision 7, to date no published studies exist on the impacts of Revision 7 on circuit or system efficiency and/or productivity. This work analyzes Revision 7, integrating the larger debate of increasing judgeships or improving efficiency.The study is a full performance analysis of the Florida circuit courts from 1993 through 2008 that can benchmark the system's future efficiency and productivity. In that respect, top performers are identified. The study follows the evolution of court studies from their rational origins to the more recent orientation of open-natural systems. Resource dependency and institutional theory, two open-natural system frameworks, are utilized to predict that Florida's circuit courts have become more efficient over the period since the implementation of Revision 7. The efficiency outcomes are expected to be unequal across circuit sizes. Integrating a Florida debate to a larger one that transcends time and culture, productivity changes are expected to be a function of the number of judges that a circuit adds within a given year, controlling for other factors. The results of the study methodologies--data envelopment analysis, Malmquist Productivity Index, hierarchal regression analysis and analysis of covariance--reveal that only 3 of 300 DMU's in Florida are technically efficient; the mean IOTA score is .76. The Florida circuits did not improve efficiency and productivity as expected, in fact becoming significantly less efficient over time as a function of Revision 7. Small and medium-sized circuits lost efficiency, large circuits showed no change and there was a significant interaction between circuit size and Revision 7 period. Within the system overall, productivity fell by 2.7%, most noticeably in the small and medium-sized circuits. The number of judges a circuit added explained 32.2% of the variance in total factor productivity change. The largest system productivity losses followed both Revision 7 intervention years and the addition of the most judges in a single year. Analysis of covariance revealed that productivity increased only when no judges were added to a circuit, regardless of circuit size or time period (+2.6%). The addition of a single judge reduced average productivity by 8.6%; adding two judges reduced productivity by 10.5% and adding 3 or more judges reduced productivity by 16.2%. As judges were added, productivity declined in circuits of all sizes, but the drop was more pronounced in the small and medium-sized circuits. None of the circuits showed an increase in productivity from 1993 to 2008. Revision 7 has not increased circuit court efficiency or productivity in Florida. It is recommended that efficiency and productivity analyses be included in resource allocation decisions such as adding judgeships. More data on court structures and process are needed. Efficiency and productivity measures show that the current level of circuit court judgeships is sufficient.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0003457, ucf:52888
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003457

Title: The Last Two Years of David Brachman: Designing a Feature Film on a Micro Budget.
Creator: Sutphin, Elizabeth, Rusnock, Joseph, Perry, Charles, Cook, Lisa, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This thesis documents my creative process as the Production Designer on the feature length micro budget film The Last Two Years of David Brachman, written and directed by Marc Casilli. The film is a dark comedy chronicling the life of David Brachman, a twenty-five year old with a stagnant life that is seemingly leading nowhere, as he pledges on his twenty-fifth birthday to change the path of his life in the next two years or commit suicide if he fails. The overall design concept of the film...
Show moreThis thesis documents my creative process as the Production Designer on the feature length micro budget film The Last Two Years of David Brachman, written and directed by Marc Casilli. The film is a dark comedy chronicling the life of David Brachman, a twenty-five year old with a stagnant life that is seemingly leading nowhere, as he pledges on his twenty-fifth birthday to change the path of his life in the next two years or commit suicide if he fails. The overall design concept of the film is rooted in realism, but allowed to contain elements that will remove the audience in order to lighten the load of the serious topic of death. With a nod to the 1950s family home and the nostalgia of decades past; David's world is created to show drastic shifts from his inert, routine life at home to the outside working world in to which he thrusts himself. The world outside of David's home is seen through a lens that exemplifies stereotypical social roles and thereby adds to his feelings of outcast and loneliness. Creating the versatile world of David Brachman presented challenges with the amount of locations, characters, and costumes changes; however, these challenges were further complicated by working on an overall micro budget of thirty-six thousand dollars, with approximately fifteen hundred dollars allocated to the art department and costuming. These challenges created a need for resourceful acquisition techniques and budgeting to ensure that the overall artistic vision was not sacrificed. Remaining true to the design aesthetic and the director's vision, my staff and I were able to overcome budgetary challenges, staffing changes that occurred during filming, and shifts in the production dynamic that created a sometimes chaotic filming environment. The careful planning and organization of each design element and their execution ensured the successful creation of David's world and a visual story to compliment the screenplay. Within this thesis I document my design process from my initial design proposal to the director through post production and final viewing of the completed film. Included here are specific details of my design process including script analysis, script breakdowns, location plots, budget tracking, stills from the film, a copy of the finished film, and all the paperwork generated in creating the film. A detailed journal of the filming process including obstacles I encountered as well as the solutions created throughout this process and a self evaluation and reflection on the final product of work are included.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004302, ucf:49488
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004302

Title: AN EXAMINATION OF THIRD-PERSON EFFECT IN THE CONTEXT OF CONTOVERSIAL PRODUCT ADVERTISING.
Creator: Jensen, Keith, Collins, Steve, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This research seeks to determine if there is a third-person effect in the realm of controversial product advertising. A questionnaire was designed based on previous research and distributed to a convenience sample of college students at the University of Central Florida. Participants were asked to rate their perceived levels of personal offense to product categories as well as the expected levels of other groups of people. The results show that there is indeed a significant third-person...
Show moreThis research seeks to determine if there is a third-person effect in the realm of controversial product advertising. A questionnaire was designed based on previous research and distributed to a convenience sample of college students at the University of Central Florida. Participants were asked to rate their perceived levels of personal offense to product categories as well as the expected levels of other groups of people. The results show that there is indeed a significant third-person effect recognized for all product categories except for racial extremist groups. A first-person effect was shown to be present for the category of racial extremist groups. This research also suggests that a concealed third-person effect may have been present in previous studies of this nature that obtained high levels of offense attributed to the self. Discussions of the findings, implications for marketers and advertisers, limitations to the study, as well as suggestions for future research are also posited.
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: CFE0000494, ucf:46370
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000494

Title: THE DESIGN PROCESS AS ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR FOR THE FILM NATIONAL LAMPOON'S ROBODOC.
Creator: Davis, Cecil, Scott, Hubert, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In this thesis, I will detail and analyze the production design processes for National Lampoon's RoboDoc, written by Douglas Gordon M.D., filmed and produced in Orlando, Universal Studios and Ormond Beach, FL, as experienced through the art department. The direction of the thesis will be based on how a background in architecture and theatre guides the design motivation(s) within a production team for film. My documentation will include a process journal written throughout the production...
Show moreIn this thesis, I will detail and analyze the production design processes for National Lampoon's RoboDoc, written by Douglas Gordon M.D., filmed and produced in Orlando, Universal Studios and Ormond Beach, FL, as experienced through the art department. The direction of the thesis will be based on how a background in architecture and theatre guides the design motivation(s) within a production team for film. My documentation will include a process journal written throughout the production of the film to include design meeting topics, research and design inspiration, sketches, budget and location concerns, coordination of scenic elements, crew team coordination, paperwork, and thoughts on working within the art department team as well as working with other teams of production. Photographic records will include pre-production allocation and storage, load-in scenarios, set construction, and final design in set and set dressing. Final comments will be based on a personal evaluation, evidence of my progression throughout the production, and how an advanced focus in design through education and practice affected the project.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: CFE0001647, ucf:47232
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001647

Productivity (5)	+ -
Film (4)	+ -
chlorine dioxide (3)	+ -
production (3)	+ -
Change Orders (2)	+ -

Disinfection by-products (2)	+ -
Drinking Water (2)	+ -
Efficiency (2)	+ -
Film Production (2)	+ -
Mass Customization (2)	+ -
Microbudget (2)	+ -
Production (2)	+ -
THM (2)	+ -
disinfection by products (2)	+ -
drinking water treatment (2)	+ -
drugs (2)	+ -
film (2)	+ -
natural products (2)	+ -
potassium permanganate (2)	+ -
product (2)	+ -
simulation (2)	+ -
(Numerical) Algebraic Geometry (1)	+ -
(Super) Zeeman (1)	+ -
1JCC (1)	+ -
5-methylmellein (1)	+ -
AS/RS (1)	+ -
Academic (1)	+ -
Academic -- Engineering (1)	+ -
Active Scanning (1)	+ -
Adiankraic Tensor Product Decomposition (1)	+ -

ETD Collection (67)	+ -
Honors Collection (7)	+ -

University of Central Florida (73)	+ -
Duranceau, Steven (7)	+ -
Lee, Woo Hyoung (5)	+ -
Peterson, Lisa (4)	+ -
Sandler, Barry (4)	+ -

Chase, Arlen (3)	+ -
Chase, Diane (3)	+ -
Mills, Lisa (3)	+ -
Randall, Andrew (3)	+ -
Sadmani, A H M Anwar (3)	+ -
Stoeckl, Ula (3)	+ -
Xanthopoulos, Petros (3)	+ -
Beazley, Melanie (2)	+ -
Blair, Richard (2)	+ -
Campiglia, Andres (2)	+ -
Chakrabarti, Debopam (2)	+ -
Clausen, Christian (2)	+ -
Elshennawy, Ahmad (2)	+ -
Gay, Andrew (2)	+ -
Harper, James (2)	+ -
Leuenberger, Michael (2)	+ -
Oloufa, Amr (2)	+ -
Peters, Philip (2)	+ -
Rabelo, Luis (2)	+ -
Rodriguez, Angela (2)	+ -
Rusnock, Joseph (2)	+ -
Schlow, Stephen (2)	+ -
Self, William (2)	+ -
Sigman, Michael (2)	+ -
Walker, John (2)	+ -

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