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Small Intrusions, Powerful Payoff: Shaping Status Relationships Through Interstate Intrusions And Responses, Logan Kerschner Jan 2021

Small Intrusions, Powerful Payoff: Shaping Status Relationships Through Interstate Intrusions And Responses, Logan Kerschner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Intrusions are the intentional unauthorized violation of a state's sovereign territory or claimed space (e.g., air defense identification zone, exclusive economic zone) by assets controlled by another state. Intrusions are one of the most common military interactions between major powers. Yet, intrusions are poorly understood by security studies scholars. To the extent that they are addressed in the literature, they are usually understood through the lens of coercive signaling. However, most intrusions lack the requisite components for this coercive signaling such as competing political objectives, associated demands, and the necessary risk to demonstrate resolve. As a result, most intrusions are …

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To Cut Or Not To Cut? Exploring Parental Decision-Making About Neonatal Male Circumcision, Karli Reeves Jan 2021

To Cut Or Not To Cut? Exploring Parental Decision-Making About Neonatal Male Circumcision, Karli Reeves

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This thesis analyses the narratives of 33 parents in the United States concerning their decisions to circumcise or leave their children intact, and five key informants consisting of medical professionals involved in obstetric and gynecological care and trained childbirth companions. The United States differs from other nations in the Global North due to its comparatively high rates of neonatal male circumcision, a procedure that is performed as a preventative surgery, rather than for cultural or religious indications. However, in recent years, rates of circumcision have begun to decline. This study sought to gain a nuanced understanding of these trends by …

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Analysis Of Sexual Lubricants As A Form Of Trace Evidence For Sexual Assault Cases, Brooke Baumgarten Jan 2021

Analysis Of Sexual Lubricants As A Form Of Trace Evidence For Sexual Assault Cases, Brooke Baumgarten

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

A major gap in sexual assault casework is demonstrated when DNA is not recovered. Oftentimes, if DNA evidence is not present on the collection swabs, the sexual assault kit (SAK) is not further analyzed. Due to the "CSI effect," DNA is commonly understood as highly identifiable evidence, potentially leading to increased condom usage to eliminate or reduce DNA transfer during a sexual assault. Therefore, the analysis of condoms and sexual lubricants is pertinent. The purpose of this research is to develop analytical protocols to potentially connect unknown substances recovered in a SAK to known lubricant reference samples. Sexual lubricants were …

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Will It Be Ok Boomers?: Effects Of Precarious Work On Older Job-Insecure Workers, Alissa (Gebben) Neal Jan 2021

Will It Be Ok Boomers?: Effects Of Precarious Work On Older Job-Insecure Workers, Alissa (Gebben) Neal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The changing nature of work, in conjunction with union power decline, has resulted in increasing levels of job insecurity and precarious work among the global workforce (Benach et al., 2014; Hoffman et al., 2020). Additionally, research has shown that older workers experience work differently than younger workers (Ng & Feldman, 2012), and represent 44% of the workforce in the United States (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020). The present study explores the extent to which the confluence of precarious work and age creates a scenario where these workers respond to job insecurity in ways which differ from what is typically depicted …

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An Illusional Nuclear Taboo: Mechanisms Of Domestic Attitudinal Patterns For Extreme Methods Of War, Doreen Horschig Jan 2021

An Illusional Nuclear Taboo: Mechanisms Of Domestic Attitudinal Patterns For Extreme Methods Of War, Doreen Horschig

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This dissertation studies public attitudes toward nuclear weapons. When do people become more willing to endorse a preemptive nuclear strike against a foreign country? Utilizing theoretical insights from international relations, comparative politics, and social psychology and original experimental survey data from Israel and the U.S., this dissertation aims to answer these questions. Influential strands of scholarship argue that both the public and political elites have internalized anti-nuclear norms. The critics, however, assert that the moral nuclear taboo lacks robustness. The dissertation joins this debate by offering a novel theoretical framework informed by terror management theory (TMT) and suggests that people …

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Learning Accurate And Robust Deep Visual Models, Yandong Li Jan 2021

Learning Accurate And Robust Deep Visual Models, Yandong Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Over the last decade, we have witnessed the renaissance of deep neural networks (DNNs) and their successful applications in computer vision. There is still a long way to build intelligent and reliable machine vision systems, but DNNs provide a promising direction. The goal of this thesis is to present a few small steps along this road. We mainly focus on two questions: How to design label-efficient learning algorithms for computer vision tasks? How to improve the robustness of DNN based visual models? Concerning label-efficiency, we investigate a reinforced sequential model for video summarization, a background hallucination strategy for high-resolution image …

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An Actor Auditions, Jessica T. Johnson Jan 2021

An Actor Auditions, Jessica T. Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

In the fall of 2020, I began one of my most demanding graduate career courses, Audition Techniques. We explored Michael Shurtleff's book, Auditions, to learn about his auditioning techniques. I found early on in this journey that I lacked a consistent approach to auditions. This thesis represents the process of auditioning and will serve as a tool for actors transitioning from the educational theater, seeking to improve confidence in auditioning. In a regional theater audition for the Orlando Shakes, I will evaluate my ability to apply techniques learned in educational theater training, such as Shurtleff's 12 guideposts and ways to …

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Assessing The Role Of Disturbance In Estuarine Fish Community Dynamics, Dakota Lewis Jan 2021

Assessing The Role Of Disturbance In Estuarine Fish Community Dynamics, Dakota Lewis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Ecological disturbances alter biotic communities and ecosystems. In many coastal zones disturbances are increasing, including algal blooms, storms, hypoxic events, and fish kills. These disturbances are often related, for example blooms releasing toxins or depleting dissolved oxygen, ultimately killing fish. Depending on the intensity, duration, and geographic extent of a disturbance, the fish community can take days to years to recover from disturbances. To explore the relationships among environmental disturbances, sport fish, and forage fish communities, this thesis examined two Florida estuaries with differing disturbance regimes. Using an ensemble modelling approach combining generalized linear models (GLM), Bayesian modelling, and Bayesian …

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A Deep Learning Approach For Learning Human Gait Signature, Alexander Matasa Jan 2021

A Deep Learning Approach For Learning Human Gait Signature, Alexander Matasa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

With advancements in biometric securities, focus has increased on utilizing gait as a means of recognition. Gait describes the unique walking pattern present in humans and has shown promising results in person re-identification tasks. Unlike other biometric features, gait is unique in that it is a subconscious behavior minimizing the risk of purposeful obfuscation. In this research, we first cover supervised approaches showing that current methods fail to learn a unique signature that describes the motion of a subject. Rather they extract frame-based feature information which is then aggregated. While these methods have shown to be effective, they do not …

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Unusual Superconductivity In Topological Nodal Line Semimetal, Riffat Munir Jan 2021

Unusual Superconductivity In Topological Nodal Line Semimetal, Riffat Munir

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Unconventional superconductivity differs from the conventional one by the pairing mechanism. In conventional or s wave superconductor electrons with opposite spin and momentum form cooper pair and superconductivity occurs as a result of electron phonon interaction. In the unconventional superconductor pairing mechanism is different than that of conventional one , for example p wave pairing where electrons with similar direction of spin forms the cooper pair. Unconventional superconductivity has been observed in systems such as heavy fermion,cuprates, iron based superconductors etc. In recent years topological superconductivity has gained attention due to the combination of topological states in the band sturucture …

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Extending Open Mobility To Mobility Data Justice: A Localized Case Study Of Gtfs-Oriented (Infra)Activism In Defense Of The Mobile-Digital Commons, David Moran Jan 2021

Extending Open Mobility To Mobility Data Justice: A Localized Case Study Of Gtfs-Oriented (Infra)Activism In Defense Of The Mobile-Digital Commons, David Moran

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Through a humanist lens, this research aims to conceptualize a Mobility Data Justice (MDJ) framework that re-orients both GTFS open transit data (General Transit Feed Specification) and transit rider activists towards collaborative Mobility Data Justice tactics. Transit riders and activists, in the age of Uberfication, have to account for and navigate the dynamics of how Big Data and platform economies are not only augmenting but co-opting political decision-making processes about public transit policy, planning and investment. Building on mobility justice and data justice theorists, I examine how the GTFS open data ecosystem can be operationalized via justice ontologies to support …

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Microstructural Development Of Inconel 625 Nickel-Based Superalloy As Function Of Laser Powder Bed Fusion Parameters, Sofia Nucci Jan 2021

Microstructural Development Of Inconel 625 Nickel-Based Superalloy As Function Of Laser Powder Bed Fusion Parameters, Sofia Nucci

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Additive manufacturing (AM) allows fabrication of complex components with features that are impractical or impossible to achieve through conventional methods. Selective laser melting (SLM) powder bed fusion AM technology was selected for this study on Inconel 625, a widely utilized high-temperature alloy that is hard to machine. The present work investigates impact of laser power and scanning speed variations on the resulting characteristics of fabricated IN625 samples. Gas atomized metallic alloy powders were acquired and analyzed through laser diffraction to verify acceptable size distribution. Cubic samples were built with a range of laser scan speeds in 200 mm/s intervals for …

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The Intersection Between Multi-Voiced Narratives And First-Person Narratives Of War Fiction: Epistemology And The Meaning Of War, Prashant Patel Jan 2021

The Intersection Between Multi-Voiced Narratives And First-Person Narratives Of War Fiction: Epistemology And The Meaning Of War, Prashant Patel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The topic for this project concerns a critical rhetorical analysis of the correlation between texts of first-person narratives and multi-voiced narratives of the Vietnam War (1965-1975) and the American invasion of Iraq (2003-2011). Moreover, this project establishes a correlation between the textual design in these novels and concepts of epistemology that reside in the Western cannon of rhetorical theory. The theoretical framework that is incorporated within this study extracts concepts of (t)ruth from philosophical works such as Michel Foucault's Birth of the Clinic and Friedrich Nietzsche's On Truth and In a Nonmoral Sense. In comparison, I examine the concepts and …

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Water Damage, Rebecca Rowell Jan 2021

Water Damage, Rebecca Rowell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This novel explores the nature of good, if flawed, people that are put under intense pressure. Using alternating point-of-view characters, I showed the good and bad parts of Washington, DC and the surrounding area through the eyes of someone that has benefited from privilege and someone that has not. These juxtaposing views change over the course of the novel until both point-of-view characters have become something different than they were at the start, learning humility and trust, respectively. Through the alternating chapters, I wanted to show two viewpoints of the same city and the same set of events, each contributing …

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Assessing Opinions Towards Transgender Individuals, Tiffeni Russo Jan 2021

Assessing Opinions Towards Transgender Individuals, Tiffeni Russo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The purpose of this thesis is to examine changing attitudes towards transgender individuals, in that they are overwhelmingly marginalized and discriminated against. Recently, the Trump Administration has sought to limit their protections, such as their right to enter a restroom facility of their preferred gender identity. Up until recently, there was not such an overwhelming presence of transgender media available to the public. The emergence of the transgender community owes its success in part due to the Civil Rights Movement, where gays and lesbians came out in droves to push for their rights and the ability to live their lives …

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Corticomuscular Adaptation To Mechanical Perturbations In A Seated Locomotor Task, Seyed Yahya Shirazi Jan 2021

Corticomuscular Adaptation To Mechanical Perturbations In A Seated Locomotor Task, Seyed Yahya Shirazi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Cortical control during walking is most pronounced when the person is perturbed. Although seated locomotor tasks such as cycling or recumbent stepping improve walking performance, the electrocortical correlates of perturbed seated tasks have not been studied in detail. The primary purpose of this research was to quantify cortical and muscular responses to mechanical perturbations during recumbent stepping. We also aimed to quantify possible differences between young and older adults' responses to perturbed stepping. A secondary aim of this research was to determine the accuracy of electroencephalography (EEG) source imaging to interpret the electrocortical findings adequately. We hypothesized that both young …

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Evaluating Pmo Sync Implementation For Persistent Memory Object, Faishal Wahiduddin Jan 2021

Evaluating Pmo Sync Implementation For Persistent Memory Object, Faishal Wahiduddin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Persistent Memory, in the form of byte-addressable Non-Volatile Memories (NVMs), provides a low-cost and high-capacity main memory, and provides the ability to store and retain data even when the system is powered off, along with improved performance over traditional storage. Persistent Memory Direct Access (DAX) enables applications to perform byte-addressable operations such as load and store. Filesystem-DAX can store persistent data in NVMs with system call overheads. In order to reduce filesystem overheads, this study utilizes Persistent Memory Object (PMO) as an abstraction for persistent data containers on Non-Volatile Memory (NVM). Persisting data in Persistent Memory Object requires that the …

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Performing Belvile: Developing A Transformative Method, Brian Wiegand Jan 2021

Performing Belvile: Developing A Transformative Method, Brian Wiegand

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Learning to act is a difficult process, particularly for a young adult who is still discovering the wide variety of human experiences that make up much of dramatic literature. As an actor in training, I have struggled to play characters whose experiences and given circumstances differ from my own. I am not resistant to this idea, I have, however, come to realize that my own personal habits continue to get in the way of making a full transformation into the inner life of the character. As a result, my characters are often similar to one another, even if these characters …

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Examining The Indirect Effects Of The Big-Five Traits On The Change In Job Satisfaction Via The Change In Specific Work Characteristics, Jimmy Zheng Jan 2021

Examining The Indirect Effects Of The Big-Five Traits On The Change In Job Satisfaction Via The Change In Specific Work Characteristics, Jimmy Zheng

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The present series of studies leveraged the ASTMA model (attraction, selection, transformation, manipulation, attrition), theory of purposeful work behavior, and work on job crafting to investigate the influence of personality on job satisfaction through the active and passive shaping of one's work environment (i.e., work characteristics). Study 1 integrates the ASTMA model and theory of purposeful work behavior perspectives to suggest that individuals who are conscientious, agreeableness, emotionally stable, open to experiences and extraverted become more satisfied with their jobs because each of these traits is associated with active and passive changes to specific work characteristics. These ideas were tested …

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The Green Morocco Plan: A Case Study Of The Unintended Consequences Of Sustainable Development Initiatives, Sofiya Asedrem Jan 2021

The Green Morocco Plan: A Case Study Of The Unintended Consequences Of Sustainable Development Initiatives, Sofiya Asedrem

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Morocco is often regarded as a regional leader in addressing climate change. This may not come as a surprise given recent reports that also show that it is particularly vulnerable to adverse effects of climate change, including extreme water shortages. Therefore, what has the state been doing in response to this crisis, and even more, how have state initiatives impacted the country's most vulnerable populations and the environment? This thesis focuses on the Green Morocco Plan (GMP), an agricultural strategy launched in 2008 that intended to address environmental concerns while also increasing modern agricultural productivity and improving the conditions of …

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On The Interaction Of Creep And High-Cycle Fatigue In Cm 247 Lc, Thomas Bouchenot Jan 2021

On The Interaction Of Creep And High-Cycle Fatigue In Cm 247 Lc, Thomas Bouchenot

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Industrial gas turbines constitute a considerable portion of global power generation, from large engines for centralized grids, to smaller frames for decentralized demand. Power output, efficiency, and reliability are chief criteria regarding the development of next-generation turbines, whose components are expected to operate in ever harsher environments. Turbine blades are subjected to high temperatures, an array of mechanical loads, and dynamic fluid fields, all contained within a non-isothermal profile, making creep and high-cycle fatigue critical aspects of turbine blade design. Current analysis tools and methods have resulted in the development of many successful components; however, improved life prediction models with …

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The Use Of Physically Based Models And Ensemble Forecasting For Storm Surge Risk Assessment In A Changing Climate, Jeane Camelo Jan 2021

The Use Of Physically Based Models And Ensemble Forecasting For Storm Surge Risk Assessment In A Changing Climate, Jeane Camelo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Storm surge has been the deadliest and costliest hurricane induced hazard in the coastal United States. In order to save property and lives, emergency managers must issue advisories guided by numerical models in a timely manner. However, these surge models are highly dependent on weather forecasts which contain uncertainties themselves as hurricanes traverse through the waters before making landfall. This dissertation aims to understand the contribution of uncertainties in hurricane properties, particularly the wind intensity which can contribute to uncertainties in storm surge models. Investigating these properties through numerical modeling is both computationally and time intensive. However by developing a …

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Investigating The Spatial Relationship Between Sense Of Place And Community-Based Organizations: Do Community-Based Organizations Influence Volunteering In The Indian River Lagoon, Florida?, Erica Edmonston Jan 2021

Investigating The Spatial Relationship Between Sense Of Place And Community-Based Organizations: Do Community-Based Organizations Influence Volunteering In The Indian River Lagoon, Florida?, Erica Edmonston

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Sense of place has been used among the literature as a framework for understanding pro-environmental behavior, such as volunteering, and connections to specific areas. It is also noted that sense of place can be fostered through Community-Based Organizations However, there is limited research specific to the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), FL, on the potential influence Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) have on volunteering in the IRL. I examined secondary geographic data collected through the CNH-L: Restoration and Resilience in Coupled Human-Natural Systems: Reciprocal Dynamics of a Coastal 'Lagoon in Crisis' project funded by the National Science Foundation Grant Award Abstract No. 1617374. …

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Combating Performance Anxiety: Reflections Of A Personal Anti-Anxiety Plan For Onstage And Filmed Media, Megan Friend Jan 2021

Combating Performance Anxiety: Reflections Of A Personal Anti-Anxiety Plan For Onstage And Filmed Media, Megan Friend

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

As a performer, I am still challenged with thoughts of anxiety, fear, and premeditated responses. This anxiety often prevents me from exploring choices in the rehearsal room and impedes my character's given circumstances during a performance. It has become imperative for me to explore a new way to approach a role psychologically, emotionally, and physically. I hope to eliminate the persistent problem that occurs in my process; the common gap between mind and body that prevents me from creating a dynamic, holistic performance. This document will examine two vital stages of the development and application of my new process. As …

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An Asset-Based Approach To Problem-Based Learning In K-12 Stem, Samantha Heller Jan 2021

An Asset-Based Approach To Problem-Based Learning In K-12 Stem, Samantha Heller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Educators and policymakers advocate for the implementation of problem-based approaches to STEM education in K-12 classrooms to help students develop 21st-century skills such as the ability to think critically, collaborate, and problem-solve. The first exploratory case study in this three-article dissertation examines how students engage in STEM-focused PBL experiences and the meaning of these experiences for the development of their STEM identities. The second study utilizes Braun and Clarke's reflective thematic analysis framework to explore the experience of a model STEM teacher at a high-performing STEM-focused elementary school as she implemented problem-based learning in the first year of a school-wide …

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The Influence Of Neighborhood Structural Characteristics On Treatment Attendance And Mental Health: Comparing Immigrants And Non-Immigrants, Kenan Sualp Jan 2021

The Influence Of Neighborhood Structural Characteristics On Treatment Attendance And Mental Health: Comparing Immigrants And Non-Immigrants, Kenan Sualp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

According to the U.S Census Bureau (2017), approximately one in every seven residents in the United States is immigrant. The literature provides evidence that immigrants have better mental and physical health outcomes when compared to U.S. residents. This phenomenon is referred to as the Immigrant Health Paradox (IHP). This study examined the IHP phenomenon by analyzing the data from a clinic that served an uninsured and under-insured population. While controlling for individual-level characteristics (age, gender, income, race, and preferred language), neighborhood-level characteristics such as Neighborhood Concentrated Disadvantage (NCD), and Neighborhood Immigrant Density (NID), this study examined the association between being …

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Primary Care Physician-Nurse Practitioner Collaboration And Physicians Career Satisfaction, Tania Alidina Jan 2021

Primary Care Physician-Nurse Practitioner Collaboration And Physicians Career Satisfaction, Tania Alidina

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Dissatisfaction amongst US physicians has been steadily increasing over the past few decades as health care reform changes the practice of medicine (Hoff, Young, Xiang, & Raver, 2015; Rosenstein, & Mudge-Riley, 2010). In 2008, physician dissatisfaction rates had increased to 19% (Mazaurenko & Menachemi, 2012). By 2012, 42% of physicians voiced dissatisfaction, with family medicine reporting most likely to be dissatisfied (Sorrell & Jennings, 2014). One factor that could affect physician career dissatisfaction/satisfaction that has not been studied is collaborative relationships with other healthcare providers, such as nurse practitioners. This study used secondary quantitative data from the National Survey of …

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The Cypress Dome 2021, Issue 32, The Cypress Dome Society Jan 2021

The Cypress Dome 2021, Issue 32, The Cypress Dome Society

The Cypress Dome

The Cypress Dome Society (CDS) offers an outlet for artists at UCF. We chose to name ourselves after the beautiful cypress dome ecosystem that exists on the UCF campus. In the same way that cypress domes create an environment based in biodiversity and rich land, we hope to foster a space that promotes diversity and rich creative work for students. We set our roots in the deepest parts of the literary community and surround ourselves with students eager to participate in the arts. Every year, we engage with our community by encouraging students to submit to our literary magazine, The …

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Examining Risk Factors Of Juvenile Delinquency And The Predictive Validity Of A Juvenile Risk Assessment Instrument Across Urban And Rural Communities, Kelly Vannan Jan 2021

Examining Risk Factors Of Juvenile Delinquency And The Predictive Validity Of A Juvenile Risk Assessment Instrument Across Urban And Rural Communities, Kelly Vannan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Juvenile delinquency among the nation's youth is an ongoing concern. An essential task of juvenile justice workers is to identify and measure risk factors that impact a youth's likelihood of recidivating. The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (FDJJ) utilizes the Positive Achievement Change Tool (PACT) to assess the risk for recidivism among all juveniles referred to the system. The current study examined how youths' level and types of risk, as well as the ability of the PACT to predict the odds of reoffending and the time to reoffend, vary across urban and rural communities. This study drew upon theories of …

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Characterization And Reliability Of The Work-Time Relationship During Arm-Cranking, Tristan Starling-Smith Jan 2021

Characterization And Reliability Of The Work-Time Relationship During Arm-Cranking, Tristan Starling-Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

INTRODUCTION: The critical power (CP) exercise test provides 2 measures, CP and anaerobic working capacity (AWC). CP represents a fatigue threshold that separates the heavy and severe exercise domains, while AWC represents the finite amount of work that can be done above CP. A relatively new protocol for estimating CP has emerged and is described as the 3-minute all-out test (3MT). While this lower body 3MT test has been examined for validity and reliability, very little has been done for the upper body. PURPOSE: Examine the reliability of EP and WEP from the 3MT during upper-body ergometry. This study also …

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