Digital Commons Network^™

Empirical Performance Analysis Of High Performance Computing Benchmarks Across Variations In Cloud Computing, Sindhu Mani

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

High Performance Computing (HPC) applications are data-intensive scientific software requiring significant CPU and data storage capabilities. Researchers have examined the performance of Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) environment across several HPC benchmarks; however, an extensive HPC benchmark study and a comparison between Amazon EC2 and Windows Azure (Microsoft’s cloud computing platform), with metrics such as memory bandwidth, Input/Output (I/O) performance, and communication computational performance, are largely absent. The purpose of this study is to perform an exhaustive HPC benchmark comparison on EC2 and Windows Azure platforms.

We implement existing benchmarks to evaluate and analyze performance of two public clouds spanning …

Does Need For Cognition Moderate The Relationship Between Eyewitness Age And Perceived Credibility?, Anna E. Pittman

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between age and perceived credibility was examined, particularly whether or not middle-aged witnesses were perceived as more credible than older eyewitnesses. Additionally, I was interested in whether or not the relationship between age and credibility was moderated by need for cognition. Participants read a trial transcript about a child pedestrian-car accident wherein a defendant was charged with manslaughter. The sole eyewitness, either a 49 or 79 year-old male, testified that the child hit his head on a rock upon stepping off the curb before being struck by the defendant’s vehicle. Transcripts included direct and cross-examination with half accompanied …

Promoting Success In Developmental English: Student Life Skills Courses A Mixed-Methods Case Study, Richard Anthony Greene

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was threefold: (a) to describe the impact the SLS courses had on the retention and success rates of students who were taking developmental English courses at FSCJ-Kent Campus, (b) to explain how students taking developmental English felt the SLS courses impacted them, and (c) to find out what elements of the SLS program were most and least valued by students.

In order to understand how the SLS program impacted students in the developmental English program at FSCJ-Kent Campus, I conducted a mixed methods case study using FSCJ–Kent Campus as the research site. The case study …

Social Connectedness And The Impact On Chronic Illness, Tara L. Hatchcock

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Having a chronic illness may feel alienating, yet examination of the literature shows limited research on social connectedness and health. In order to contribute to the understanding of this impact of illness, I examined perceived levels of social connectedness in persons with chronic diseases (CD), functional somatic syndromes (FSS) and medically unexplained symptoms (MUS). A major focus of this study was to investigate the association of social connectedness with depression, anxiety, and general health in patients with ongoing symptoms of illness. Data collection was obtained through the use of four online surveys collectively known as VOICE (Verification of Coping, Illness …

Cultural Biases In The Weschler Memory Scale Iii (Wms-Iii), Adam David Less

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Wechsler Memory Scale –iii is the newest version of a six-decade old neuropsychological inventory. Since its conception, the Wechsler Memory Scale has been highly utilized by practitioners to accurately assess various memory functions in adult subjects. Revisions made within this inventory include the Faces I subtest, a facial recognition scale, which was added in order to strengthen the instrument’s accuracy at measuring episodic memory. Facial recognition, both cross-race and within-race, has been researched extensively and consistent biases have been found between race of test taker and cross-racial identification. Theories of exposure/contextual interaction (environment) and biological foundations have been the …

Preliminary Feasibility Of Transporting And Geologically Sequestering Carbon Emissions In The Florida Pan-Handle, Brandon Keith Poiencot

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

According to the United States Department of Energy, fossil-fueled power plants account for 78% of stationary source CO2 emission in the United States and Canada. This has led electric utilities across the globe to research different alternatives for energy. Carbon sequestration has been identified as a bridge between fossil fuels and clean energy.

This thesis will present research results regarding the transportation costs of CO2 and the suitability of geology in the Florida Pan-Handle for sequestration infrastructure. The thesis will utilize various evaluation tools including GIS, numerical models, and optimization models.

Analysis performed for this thesis and review of published …

Jacksonville's Greatest Generation: The Contribution Of African American Veterans To The Civil Rights Movement 1945-1960, Bryan Arch Wayne Higham

UNF Undergraduate Honors Theses

This research explores the role of returning African American veterans in the Civil Rights Movement in Jacksonville from 1945-1960. Black World War II veterans not only faced the typical challenges of returning to civilian life, but took up the fight for equality as well. While this work acknowledges existing arguments about black veterans in the Civil Rights Movement, it emphasizes and analyzes the importance of their military benefits and experience. African American soldiers received training in various fields like combat, supply, and intelligence. This training translated into useful skills in the postwar period. The experiences of black soldiers while overseas …

Evaluating Speedup In Parallel Compilers, Deepa V. Komathukattil

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Parallel programming is prevalent in every field mainly to speed up computation. Advancements in multiprocessor technology fuel this trend toward parallel programming. However, modern compilers are still largely single threaded and do not take advantage of the machine resources available to them. There has been a lot of work done on compilers that add parallel constructs to the programs they are compiling, enabling programs to exploit parallelism at run time. Auto parallelization of loops by a compiler is one such example. Researchers have done very little work towards parallelizing the compilation process itself.

The research done here focuses on parallel …

Potential Of Marine Bacteria As A Source Of New Biofilm Formation Inhibiting Compounds, Jane Lee Han

UNF Undergraduate Honors Theses

New antibacterial drugs are needed to keep up with the alarming increase in infections and incidence. Historically, the majority of clinically useful drugs have been obtained from terrestrial natural sources such as plants and microorganisms. Today such terrestrial sources of drugs are diminishing, owing to rediscovery of known compounds. Fortunately marine microorganisms are in an emerging and underdeveloped source of novel compounds with promising pharmaceutical potential.

Examination Of Problem-Solving Related Metacognitions And Worry In An American Sample, Jennifer Jacobson

UNF Undergraduate Honors Theses

Problem-solving metacognitions, including responsibility to continue to think about a problem and a low confidence in problem-solving, have been hypothesized to be associated with pathological worry; however, these metacognitive variables have received surprisingly little attention in the research literature. As a result, the purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Problem-Solving Related Metacognitions Questionnaire (PSRMCQ), translated to English from Japanese. A sample of 241 non-referred college students completed the PSRMCQ, along with a measure of worry symptoms and a measure of other commonly examined metacognitions. The PSRMCQ measure was found to exhibit strong internal consistency. …

Individual Differences In Perceptions Of Health-Related Behaviors, Shawn Thomas Lewis

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

When provided an opportunity for thought, individuals experience a strengthening of their already moderate attitude toward some attitude object. This process was studied in the context of variables – attitudes toward behavior, norms about behavior, and perceived behavioral control – known to predict intentions to engage in health-related behavior. A potential moderator of this process – locus of control beliefs – was also investigated. In this study, 195 participants indicated their attitudes toward eight health-related behaviors. Participants were randomly assigned to either a high or low opportunity for thought during which time they were asked to focus their thoughts on …

Bridge Deck Cracking Investigation And Repair, Vidal Velez Vargas

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this study is to investigate the cracking of concrete bridge decks and the sealants used in repairing transverse cracks. Cracking could occur in both hardened mature concrete and early age concrete. Several factors affect concrete cracking, such as age-dependent material properties, thermal- and moisture-related stresses and strains, material viscoelastic behavior, restraints, concrete expansion and contraction, casting sequence, formwork, material characteristics, and environmental exposure. The causes of early age cracking are primarily attributed to effects such as plastic shrinkage, temperature effects, autogenous shrinkage, and drying shrinkage. This deck cracking could greatly reduce durability, lead to a loss of …

Death By Religion? Individual Differences In Attitudes About Capital Punishment, Heather Johnston

UNF Undergraduate Honors Theses

There is evidence that a relationship between religiosity (intrinsic, extrinsic, indiscriminately pro-religious or indiscriminately anti-religious orientation toward one’s religious beliefs) and differences in attitudes about life and death social issues exists. Mainstream religions (e.g., Catholic and Protestant) have officially stated opposition to capital punishment while most individuals who are part of these mainstream religions favor capital punishment. In this study, 150 college students completed two different measures of religiosity and one measure of attitudes about capital punishment. Participant’s scores on two measures of religiosity were predictive of attitudes toward capital punishment. Intrinsically oriented individuals indicated more than extrinsically oriented individuals …

The Impact Of Online Professional Development On Online Teaching In Higher Education, William John Ganza

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the impact a professional development program (Online Professor Certificate Program, OPCP) had on teaching online in higher education— specifically, the impact on faculty members’ teaching presence. The conceptual and theoretical model utilized the community of inquiry framework and both critical theory and transformational learning theory. This case study used data from various sources, including questionnaires, content analysis, and interviews. The overall results indicate that the OPCP had some impact on teaching presence, but not as much as anticipated. The study found that faculty who completed the OPCP were more engaged in their online classes than those who …

The Relationship Between Positive Beliefs About Post-Event Processing And Social Phobia Symptoms, Amanda N. Hammond

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Meta-cognitive models have been utilized to explore the relations between worry and generalized anxiety disorder, as well as, the associations between rumination and depression. However, relatively few studies have focused on the role of meta-cognitive variables and social phobia symptoms. It is possible that individuals with social phobia follow a pattern of thinking similar to that of those who experience depressive rumination and worry. Specifically, it may be that individuals with social phobia hold positive beliefs about their highly negative prolonged post-event evaluations of social interactions. The primary goal of this study was the development and assessment of the Positive …

Passive Gas-Liquid Separation Using Hydrophobic Porous Polymer Membranes: A Study On The Effect Of Operating Pressure On Membrane Area Requirement, Taylor Patrick Maxwell

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The use of hydrophobic porous polymer membranes to vent unwanted gas bubbles from liquid streams is becoming increasingly more common in portable applications such as direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) and micro-fluidic cooling of electronic circuits. In order for these portable systems to keep up with the ever increasing demand of the mobile user, it is essential that auxiliary components, like gas-liquid separators (GLS), continue to decrease in weight and size. While there has been significant progress made in the field of membrane-based gas-liquid separation, the ability to miniaturize such devices has not been thoroughly addressed in the available literature. …

An Exploration Of The Cognitive Predictors Of Perseverative Worry, Jessica L. O'Leary

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The mood-as-input model of perseverative worrying is a conceptual model that has been developed to explain the perseverative aspect of worry inherent in Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) (Davey, 2006a). The first objective of this study was to provide additional empirical support for the mood-as-input model of perseverative worrying. A second objective of this study was to investigate the association between perseverative worry and GAD symptoms. The final objective of this study was to assist in generating a comprehensive model of worry that incorporated unique predictors of GAD. Results indicated that unique variables, such as ‘as many as can’ stop rules …

Corrosion Of Post-Tensioned Tendons Repaired With Dissimilar Grout, Juan Carlos Rafols

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A failure associated with steel corrosion was identified in early 2011 in a bridge external post-tensioned tendon, approximately eight years after construction. Large voids in the grout and pockets of non-homogeneous material were identified. The non-homogeneous grout was characterized by high moisture content, and in most cases, the chloride content was lower than conservative threshold values. The non-homogeneous grout also had high pH and high content of sulfates (approximately in the range of 10,000-ppm). As a result, there was an interest in the study of possible corrosion development in repaired systems in which the affected tendons have been re-grouted with …

Embodied Ethics : Transformation, Care, And Activism Through Artistic Engagement, Melissa Rachel Schwartz

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In what follows, I highlight negative environmental perspectives and actions based on traditional patterns of Western dualist thought with the ultimate aim of developing an alternative way of relating to the environment and the ‘other’, in general. In pursuit of such an alternative, I utilize embodied artistic practices in order to present the notion that one can engage more holistically with one’s environment, and the other. Through habitual, lifelong ‚Ways‛ cultivating specific practices generally necessary to creating and to viewing art, I argue, one can refine one’s ethical awareness and action. Following the aims of care ethics’ more context and …

The Leadership Of Catholic Sisters Who Have Served As College Presidents : The Impact Of Gender And Religion On Leadership Efficacy, Karen M. Scolforo

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

For over a century, Catholic Sisters have assumed leadership roles in higher education. They have impacted the lives of future leaders and empowered women to explore options to domesticity. Despite their profound contribution to higher education leadership, their history is missing from textbooks and library shelves. The purpose of this qualitative and phenomenological research study was to examine the lived experiences of Catholic Sisters who have served as college president; to gain an understanding of their perceptions and perspectives as they relate to leadership and leadership efficacy; to identify the role, if any, that gender and religion have played in …

Can Implied Isolation And Novelty Be Responsible For The Effect Of 'Adaptive Memory'?, Kim Anastasia Trajbar

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Adaptive memory is "the idea that [our] memory systems might have evolved to help us remember fitness-relevant information—specifically, information relevant to survival" (Nairne, Thompson, & Pandeirada, 2007, p. 263). Nairne et al. found that processing words in terms of survival relevance yielded the best memory retention compared to other deep processing conditions. The purpose of the present research was to investigate whether factors including a feeling of isolation or novelty could explain the adaptive memory advantage observed in previous adaptive memory research. In two incidental learning experiments, participants rated word relevance in one of four conditions: grasslands survival, space mission, …

Improving Dynamic Decision Making Through Training And Self-Reflection, Sarah Jane Donovan

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The modern business environment requires managers to make decisions in a dynamic and uncertain world. In the current study, experimenters investigated the effects of a brief training aimed at improving dynamic decision making (DDM) skills on individual performance in a virtual DDM task. During the training, experimenters explained the DDM process, stressed the importance of self-reflection in DDM, and provided 3 selfreflective questions to guide participants during the task. Additionally, experimenters explored whether participants low or high in self-reflection would perform better in the task and whether participants low or high in self-reflection would benefit more from the training. Participants …

The Repair Of Laterally Damaged Concrete Bridge Girders Using Carbon Fiber Reinforcing Polymers (Cfrp), Matthew Kent Graeff

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In recent years the use of carbon fiber reinforcing polymers (CFRP) to repair damaged structural components has become more accepted and practiced. However, the current reference for designing FRP systems to repair and strengthen reinforced concrete (RC) and prestressed concrete (PSC) girders has limitations. Similarly, very few resources address solutions for the debonding problem associated with CFRP laminates or the use of CFRP laminates to repair structural members with pre-existing damage. The included experimental program consists of testing both RC and PSC girders with simulated lateral damage and CFRP repairs. A total of 34 RC beams were statically tested under …

A View From Within : Instructors' Perspectives Of Their Roles With Adult Learners In Need Of Remediation, Lance J. Baxter

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research study focused on the perceptions of 12 faculty members teaching courses in adult basic education and described their professional experiences and interactions with adult learners within the context of a two-year, public, postsecondary institution. Participants, ranging in teaching experience from 13 years to 43 years, volunteered to take part in one-to-one, semi-structured interview sessions to offer insight into their professional experiences. The interview sessions yielded the complex, context-specific data for detailed analysis. Data analysis, supported through educational criticism and relevant concepts from the professional literature (Eisner, 1998), was used to develop four themes: how the faculty viewed …

Improvements In Genetic Approach To Pole Placement In Linear State Space Systems Through Island Approach Pga With Orthogonal Mutation Vectors, Arnold Cassell

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis describes a genetic approach for shaping the dynamic responses of linear state space systems through pole placement. This paper makes further comparisons between this approach and an island approach parallel genetic algorithm (PGA) which incorporates orthogonal mutation vectors to increase sub-population specialization and decrease convergence time.

Both approaches generate a gain vector K. The vector K is used in state feedback for altering the poles of the system so as to meet step response requirements such as settling time and percent overshoot. To obtain the gain vector K by the proposed genetic approaches, a pair of ideal, desired …

Nutrient Transport By Shrimp Hepatopancreas, Tamla A. Simmons

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Purified brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) were isolated to characterize primary cellular transport mechanisms for white shrimp. The ultimate goal is to determine the effective components of a shrimp’s diet, thereby enhancing growth, as well as nutrient content. Juvenile shrimp are dependent on plant material as a food source. Potassium is a key component of plants, thus it may play a role in nutrient transport. In addition, divalent metals have been shown to act as co-transporters in several other organisms, thus they may serve as a transport mechanism for shrimp.

Fresh, live, white or brown shrimp were obtained, and from …