Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

University of Central Florida

Discipline
Keyword
Publication Year
Publication
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 2371 - 2400 of 7704

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Coupling Of Laser Beams For Filament Propagation, Daniel Kepler Jan 2016

Coupling Of Laser Beams For Filament Propagation, Daniel Kepler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Laser filamentation is a nonlinear process involving high-energy, ultrashort pulses that create narrow, non-diffracting structures over many times the Raleigh length. While many of the characteristics of filaments can vary greatly depending on the physical parameters used to create them, they share several defining features: a high intensity core, a lower intensity cladding of photons that serves as an energy reservoir to the core, and spectral broadening into a supercontinuum. While there have been many studies on the creation and control of multiple filaments from one laser pulse and a few studies on the interaction of two single filaments, many …

Go to article

Theoretical-Experimental Study Of The Two-Photon Circular Dichroism Of Helicenes And Aromatic Amino Acids In The Uv Region: From The Structure-Property Relationship To The Final Implementation, Yuly Katherine Vesga Prada Jan 2016

Theoretical-Experimental Study Of The Two-Photon Circular Dichroism Of Helicenes And Aromatic Amino Acids In The Uv Region: From The Structure-Property Relationship To The Final Implementation, Yuly Katherine Vesga Prada

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two-photon circular dichroism (TPCD) has been recognized for its exceptional spectroscopic ability for the structural and conformational analysis of chiral systems due to its high sensitivity to small peptide structural distortions. In 2008, Hernandez and co-workers demonstrated TPCD experimentally by the development of the Double L-scan technique. Since then, we have been working on a systematic theoretical-experimental study of chiral molecules using TPCD. In this dissertation, I present my contribution to the continuation to the study of the structure-property relationship of TPCD in molecules with axial chirality in solution, as well as the implementation of the TPCD measurements in the …

Go to article

An Investigation Of The Academic Impact Of The Freshman Transition Course At One Urban Central Florida High School, Timothy Flynn Jan 2016

An Investigation Of The Academic Impact Of The Freshman Transition Course At One Urban Central Florida High School, Timothy Flynn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to identify the extent to which a high school freshman transition program aligned with research based recommendations and to determine the extent to which the intervention impacted persistence to the tenth grade, on-track-to-graduation status, and academic success. Documents relevant to the program were collected and analyzed for research based themes. Students in the program at the target school were compared to students in a similar high school and a historical cohort of students who attended the target school. The impact of the course was statistically significant for persistence to the tenth grade, on-track to …

Go to article

The Efficacy Of An Early Warning System And A Response To Intervention Decision-Making Model For Students Transitioning In Secondary Education, Andrea Walsh Jan 2016

The Efficacy Of An Early Warning System And A Response To Intervention Decision-Making Model For Students Transitioning In Secondary Education, Andrea Walsh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The primary goal of this study was to examine the use of an early warning system to aide in recognizing early school disengagement. Additionally, a goal of this study was to examine an intensive response to intervention decision-making process and the difference in student outcomes for those who were selected for the (RtI process. By combining the examination of an early warning system and an RtI decision-making process, this research furthered recommendations for more effective methods of identifying students who are academically disengaged, and gain insight on intervention processes in secondary schools. Therefore the research questions tested the validity of …

Go to article

A Model-Based Approach To Mobile Learning And Digital Literacy, Zena Ramsey Jan 2016

A Model-Based Approach To Mobile Learning And Digital Literacy, Zena Ramsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to 1) explore models of technology implementation programs and professional development interventions that promote the successful integration of mobile devices (iPads) in a small elementary school in a large Central Florida school district, and 2) identify the needs of the instructional staff to design a professional development intervention to meet these needs. This school will be referred to as School A. In the U.S., the ownership of mobile devices, such as iPads is on the rise. For example, 88% of American teenagers between ages 13 and 17 have access to a mobile phone, …

Go to article

Multidimensional Room-Temperature Fluorescence Microscopy For The Nondestructive Analysis Of Forensic Trace Textile Fibers, Nirvani Mujumdar Jan 2016

Multidimensional Room-Temperature Fluorescence Microscopy For The Nondestructive Analysis Of Forensic Trace Textile Fibers, Nirvani Mujumdar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to advance nondestructive methodology for forensic fiber examination. Non-destructive techniques that can either discriminate between similar fibers or match a known to a questioned fiber – and still preserve the physical integrity of the fibers for further court examination - are highly valuable in forensic science. A challenging aspect of forensic fiber examinations involves the comparison of fibers colored with visually indistinguishable dyestuffs. This is not an uncommon situation, as there are numerous indistinguishable fibers pre-dyed with commercial dyes of virtually identical colors. Minimal chemical structural variations are actually encouraged by the dye patent …

Go to article

Weighted Low-Rank Approximation Of Matrices:Some Analytical And Numerical Aspects, Aritra Dutta Jan 2016

Weighted Low-Rank Approximation Of Matrices:Some Analytical And Numerical Aspects, Aritra Dutta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation addresses some analytical and numerical aspects of a problem of weighted low-rank approximation of matrices. We propose and solve two different versions of weighted low-rank approximation problems. We demonstrate, in addition, how these formulations can be efficiently used to solve some classic problems in computer vision. We also present the superior performance of our algorithms over the existing state-of-the-art unweighted and weighted low-rank approximation algorithms. Classical principal component analysis (PCA) is constrained to have equal weighting on the elements of the matrix, which might lead to a degraded design in some problems. To address this fundamental flaw in …

Go to article

Study Of Polychlorinated Biphenyl Dechlorination By Zero Valent Magnesium With And Without Activated Carbon In Acidified Ethanol-Ethyl Lactate System, Fiona Zullo Jan 2016

Study Of Polychlorinated Biphenyl Dechlorination By Zero Valent Magnesium With And Without Activated Carbon In Acidified Ethanol-Ethyl Lactate System, Fiona Zullo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are synthetic organic chemicals that ca de detected in the environment worldwide. PCBs were banned in the U.S in 1979 owing to their toxicity and persistence in the environment. Today PCBs are classified as human carcinogens and are among the top ten of the U.S Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) most toxic chemicals. Many researchers have shown soil to be contaminated with PCBs at concentrations as high as 750 ppm. Given the toxicity of PCBs, there is an urgent need to extract and degrade such chemicals from contaminated soil in a cost effective way. Prior work revealed a …

Go to article

The Community College Student's Social Construction Of Global Learning In The Florida College System, Jennifer Robertson Jan 2016

The Community College Student's Social Construction Of Global Learning In The Florida College System, Jennifer Robertson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to examine the Florida community college student's understanding of and engagement in global learning through the lens of constructionist theory. Using a grounded theory methodology, seven students in three Florida community colleges were interviewed to hear in their own words how personal and academic experiences have shaped their interest in other countries, cultures, and current international events. The goal of this study was to explore students' perspectives using the principles of social constructionism and constructivism to create a new model of understanding of global learning. The final results of the study found …

Go to article

The Impact Of Elementary Mathematics Workshops On Mathematics Knowledge For Parenting (Mkp) And Beliefs About Learning Mathematics, Heidi Eisenreich Jan 2016

The Impact Of Elementary Mathematics Workshops On Mathematics Knowledge For Parenting (Mkp) And Beliefs About Learning Mathematics, Heidi Eisenreich

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which parents of first, second, and third grade students who attended a two-day workshop on mathematics strategies differed on average and over time, as compared to parents who did not attend the workshops. The following areas were measured: mathematics content knowledge, beliefs about learning mathematics, ability to identify correct student responses regarding mathematics, ability to identify student errors in solving mathematics problems, methods used to solve problems, and comfort level with manipulatives.

Go to article

The Reproducibility And Validity Of Using The Dmax Method To Predict Physical Working Capacity At Fatigue Threshold, Joshua Riffe Jan 2016

The Reproducibility And Validity Of Using The Dmax Method To Predict Physical Working Capacity At Fatigue Threshold, Joshua Riffe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although the original (ORG) physical working capacity at fatigue threshold (PWCFT) assessment has demonstrated strong reliability and sensitivity to training and/or nutritional interventions, limitations may exist regarding the method of PWCFT estimation. However, a relatively new mathematical method, called Dmax, has been shown to be objective and reliable when estimating metabolic and neuromuscular fatigue thresholds. To date, however, no study has examined whether the Dmax method for estimating the work rate at PWCFT is similar to the ORG method. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Dmax-EMG method for estimating and tracking …

Go to article

Dynamical Formation Of Protoplanetesimals, Akbar Whizin Jan 2016

Dynamical Formation Of Protoplanetesimals, Akbar Whizin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The seeds of planetesimals that formed in the gaseous protoplanetary disk (PPD) have many barriers to overcome in their growth from millimeter to meter-sized and larger bodies. Centimeter-sized aggregates are weakly bound and self-gravity is almost non-existent so surface forces play a critical role in holding small loosely-bound rubble-piles together. Their orbital motions and effects form disk processes impart relative velocities leading to collisions so understanding the macroscopic disk environment is also necessary. To this end we analyze the dynamics of particles in Saturn's F ring as an analogue to understanding the orbital evolution of proto-planetesimals embedded in a PPD. …

Go to article

Mixed Reality Experiences In The M.Ed. Educational Leadership Program: Student Perceptions, Hilary Buckridge Jan 2016

Mixed Reality Experiences In The M.Ed. Educational Leadership Program: Student Perceptions, Hilary Buckridge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to ascertain the perception of students in the M.Ed. in Educational Leadership program of mixed reality experiences using TeachLivE™ in preparation for the challenges of school leadership. Specifically, the study analyzed the use of mixed reality virtual practice with immediate coaching and feedback in the preparation of educational leadership masters' level students before they engaged in real time communications with parents and teachers. The study encapsulates the perceptions of the master's degree in educational leadership students through the following research questions: (a) To what extent, if any, do Educational Leadership M.Ed. students believe the …

Go to article

Evaluating Floating Treatment Wetlands To Improve Nitrogen Removal In A Wet Detention Pond, Zachary Marimon Jan 2016

Evaluating Floating Treatment Wetlands To Improve Nitrogen Removal In A Wet Detention Pond, Zachary Marimon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Wet detention ponds are used for stormwater treatment across the United States and reduce most pollutants by at least 60%, but only remove 30% of total nitrogen. Floating Treatment Wetlands (FTWs) are an emerging technology that uses aquatic plants suspended in the pelagic zone to remove nitrogen through vegetative assimilation and microbial denitrification. A before-after field experiment evaluated nitrogen removal in a an existing pond in Orlando, FL, retrofitted with BioHaven® FTWs planted with the aquatic macrophytes Juncus effusus (Soft Rush) and Pontederia cordata (Pickerelweed). Surface water samples were used to compare the nitrogen removal performance of the pond under …

Go to article

The Actor Process: Playing Multiple Characters, Danielle Brown Jan 2016

The Actor Process: Playing Multiple Characters, Danielle Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the process used while preparing for the role of Daughter in Jim Helsinger's adaptation of A Christmas Carol: Being a Ghost Story of Christmas, performed at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater (OST). Within the framework of the play, Daughter is a character who is transformed into multiple roles. Her characters include Charity Collector, Belle, Martha Cratchit, Miner, Fred's Wife and Quarreler #1. Presented with the challenge of playing multiple roles in the same production, I sought efficient and straightforward character development and analysis methods to strengthen my performance. Using Uta Hagen's nine questions as a scaffold, I composed …

Go to article

Using A Mixed-Reality Classroom Environment Including English Learners: The Perceptions Of Teacher Candidates, Nooshan Ashtari Jan 2016

Using A Mixed-Reality Classroom Environment Including English Learners: The Perceptions Of Teacher Candidates, Nooshan Ashtari

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Technological modernization has impacted various fields such as the field of education, teaching, and learning. The traditional classroom and teaching methodologies no longer meet the needs of the new tech-savvy generation. Thus, recently there have been changes in teacher preparation programs in order to prepare teacher candidates to have the skills to respond to such high technological demands. Additionally, the demographics of students attending schools in countries with exceptionally high numbers of immigrants such as the United States is another reason to seek novel ways to prepare teachers who have had adequate practice and developed teaching skills needed to reach …

Go to article

Under-Researched Areas Of Audit Quality: Inputs, Firms, And Institutions, Jared Eutsler Jan 2016

Under-Researched Areas Of Audit Quality: Inputs, Firms, And Institutions, Jared Eutsler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Francis (2011) lists three under-researched units of analysis that affect audit quality: inputs, firms, and institutions. This dissertation analyzes how each of these units of analysis contributes to audit quality. Study 1 examines audit inputs, specifically, characteristics of the individual auditor that affect professional skepticism. Study 2 examines how firm staffing decisions affect audit quality. Study 3 examines how the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board ("PCAOB"), as a regulatory institution, promotes audit quality through their risk-based inspection program. The first study reports the results of two experiments that examine professional skepticism as a function of moral agency. Consistent with the …

Go to article

Computer Vision Based Structural Identification Framework For Bridge Health Mornitoring, Tung Khuc Jan 2016

Computer Vision Based Structural Identification Framework For Bridge Health Mornitoring, Tung Khuc

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this dissertation is to develop a comprehensive Structural Identification (St-Id) framework with damage for bridge type structures by using cameras and computer vision technologies. The traditional St-Id frameworks rely on using conventional sensors. In this study, the collected input and output data employed in the St-Id system are acquired by series of vision-based measurements. The following novelties are proposed, developed and demonstrated in this project: a) vehicle load (input) modeling using computer vision, b) bridge response (output) using full non-contact approach using video/image processing, c) image-based structural identification using input-output measurements and new damage indicators. The input …

Go to article

Global Data Association For Multiple Pedestrian Tracking, Afshin Dehghan Jan 2016

Global Data Association For Multiple Pedestrian Tracking, Afshin Dehghan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

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, 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 …

Go to article

Mathematical Modeling Of Heart Rate Deflection Point In Relation To Respiratory Compensation And Treadmill Running Performance, Kayla Baker Jan 2016

Mathematical Modeling Of Heart Rate Deflection Point In Relation To Respiratory Compensation And Treadmill Running Performance, Kayla Baker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Heart rate deflection point (HRDP), identified as the second breakpoint in the "intensity / heart rate" relationship, is indicative of the anaerobic threshold (AT). This point can be determined via bi-segmental linear regression (2SEG) or through use of the maximal distance model (D-max); however, the relationship between these methods has yet to be investigated 2. Purpose: To compare the use of 2SEG and D-max methods to determine HRDP and to examine the relationship between these values with a metabolic threshold, respiratory compensation point (RCP), as well as running performance [5,000 meter treadmill time trial (5Ktime)]. Methods: Nineteen recreationally active men …

Go to article

Toward A More Scientifically Literate Public, Michael Bass Dec 2015

Toward A More Scientifically Literate Public, Michael Bass

UCF Forum

As a society we do a terrible job of educating our children to become scientifically literate. Sure, we have STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programs throughout the country, and with some justification we can brag about the successes of students that are in or who have graduated from such learning experiences.

Go to article

Terahertz Radiation From High-Temperature Superconducting Bscco Mesas Of Various Geometries, Daniel P. Cerkoney Dec 2015

Terahertz Radiation From High-Temperature Superconducting Bscco Mesas Of Various Geometries, Daniel P. Cerkoney

HIM 1990-2015

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the radiation from high-temperature superconducting mesas of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+ (BSCCO). This is motivated by the need for coherent sources of continuous wave terahertz (THz) emission capable of radiating practically in the THz frequency band. As BSCCO has been shown to be tunable from 0.5–2.4 THz (i.e., through the entire socalled terahertz gap centered about 1 THz), and has a higher peak operating temperature near 1 THz than most alternative sources, it is a good candidate for imaging and spectroscopy device applications [1]. When a static DC voltage is applied to a BSCCO mesa, …

Go to article

To Hydrate Or Chlorinate: A Regression Analysis Of The Levels Of Chlorine In The Public Water Supply, Drew A. Doyle Dec 2015

To Hydrate Or Chlorinate: A Regression Analysis Of The Levels Of Chlorine In The Public Water Supply, Drew A. Doyle

HIM 1990-2015

Public water supplies contain disease-causing microorganisms in the water or distribution ducts. In order to kill off these pathogens, a disinfectant, such as chlorine, is added to the water. Chlorine is the most widely used disinfectant in all U.S. water treatment facilities. Chlorine is known to be one of the most powerful disinfectants to restrict harmful pathogens from reaching the consumer. In the interest of obtaining a better understanding of what variables affect the levels of chlorine in the water, this thesis will analyze a particular set of water samples randomly collected from locations in Orange County, Florida. Thirty water …

Go to article

An Examination Of The Factors That Impact Elementary School Principal's Perceptions Of Their Leadership Role, Kathryn M. Kish Dec 2015

An Examination Of The Factors That Impact Elementary School Principal's Perceptions Of Their Leadership Role, Kathryn M. Kish

HIM 1990-2015

A growing body of research supports the idea that large-scale school reform efforts often fail to create sustained change within the public school sector. When implementing deep organizational change, both novice and veteran educators are challenged to learn new skills, reexamine their instructional practice and content knowledge, and re-shape their underlying beliefs and values about schools. This qualitative study explored principals’ perceptions of their leadership roles in the school system. Data collection was done through a series of three interviews with three elementary school principals in Central Florida. In addition to their perceptions, it also studied factors that may influence …

Go to article

Design Of A Physical Windkessel Model For Use In Lvad In-Vitro Benchtop Modeling, Kyle W. Beggs Dec 2015

Design Of A Physical Windkessel Model For Use In Lvad In-Vitro Benchtop Modeling, Kyle W. Beggs

HIM 1990-2015

Despite improved life expectancy compared to medical management alone, Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) recipients show survival rates of 80% at 12 months and 70% at 24 months. A large portion of VAD-associated mortality results from increased risk of stroke with an event frequency reported between 14-47%. Recent concerns have been raised about unprecedented increases of thrombus formation in VAD recipients with subsequent reports pointing towards implantation techniques as a critical contributor to these events. Thus, the overall prognosis with mechanical support can improve by advancing the surgeon’s approach to VAD implantation. Previous studies using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) were aimed …

Go to article

Effects Of Binary Solvent System On Morphology Of Particles, Patrick Besana Dec 2015

Effects Of Binary Solvent System On Morphology Of Particles, Patrick Besana

HIM 1990-2015

Recent advancements in cancer research has led to the synthesis of a new drug known as docetaxel. Meant to replace paclitaxel, its more natural counterpart whose ingredients are difficult to obtain, the drug is known to effectively treat a wide array of cancers, including breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and prostate cancer. The establishment of a synthetic alternative to paclitaxel has increased its bioavailability, thereby lowering the cost needed to utilize the drug. Still, the limiting factor in minimizing costs is the method in which the drug is processed. Current methods in drug processing have their limitations, which include the introduction …

Go to article

User Experience In The Discovery Ecosystem: Morning Wokshop, Rebecca Blackiston, Athena Hoeppner, Eric Frierson Oct 2015

User Experience In The Discovery Ecosystem: Morning Wokshop, Rebecca Blackiston, Athena Hoeppner, Eric Frierson

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Go to article

Don't Just Blindly Follow All 'Green' Trends -- Do Your Research First, Michael Bass Sep 2015

Don't Just Blindly Follow All 'Green' Trends -- Do Your Research First, Michael Bass

UCF Forum

Nowadays it is politically correct to be “green” – to say and do things that seem to minimize one’s impact on the environment and to preach to others to do the same.

Go to article

Stars Presentation For Faculty Senate, Lee Dotson, Sarah Norris Sep 2015

Stars Presentation For Faculty Senate, Lee Dotson, Sarah Norris

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Presentation given to UCF Faculty Senate on September 24, 2015 by Lee Dotson, Digital Initiatives Librarian, and Sarah Norris, Scholarly Communciation Librarian. The presentation introduces STARS (Showcase for Text, Archives, Research & Scholarship, UCF's institutional digital repository hosted by Digital Commons, with examples of content that faculty and students can submit. UCF's Showcase of Text, Archives, Research & Scholarship exists to publicize, disseminate, and provide ready access to works by, for, and about the University of Central Florida. The Libraries' scholarly communication services are also highlighted.

Go to article

Medulla: A 2d Sidescrolling Platformer Game That Teaches Basic Brain Structure And Function, Joey R. Fanfarelli, Stephanie Vie Sep 2015

Medulla: A 2d Sidescrolling Platformer Game That Teaches Basic Brain Structure And Function, Joey R. Fanfarelli, Stephanie Vie

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This article explores the design and instructional effectiveness of Medulla, an educational game meant to teach brain structure and function to undergraduate psychology students. Developed in the retro-style platformer genre, Medulla uses two-dimensional gameplay with pixel-based graphics to engage students in learning content related to the brain, information which is often pre-requisite to more rigorous psychological study. A pretest posttest design was used in an experiment assessing Medulla’s ability to teach psychology content. Results indicated content knowledge was significantly higher on the posttest than the pretest, with a large effect size. Medulla appears to be an effective learning tool. These …

Go to article

First Prev Next Last