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A Two-Part Validation Study Of The Sexual Minority Identity Emotion Scale, Henrietta Kadi Tettey-Tawiah Aug 2024

A Two-Part Validation Study Of The Sexual Minority Identity Emotion Scale, Henrietta Kadi Tettey-Tawiah

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A number of existing studies indicate that there is some correlation between pride and shame and various behavioral health outcomes like anxiety, depression, and self-harm in the general population. Research also confirms that this relationship is true among sexual minorities as well. This study sets itself up to interrogate this assertion vis-à-vis sexual minority adolescents (SMAs). Consequently, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and differential item functioning (DIF) detection analysis were performed on the 35-item Sexual Minority Identity Emotion Scale (SMIES) for SMAs. A tree-based modeling technique, specifically conditional inference trees (CIT), was then employed to explore and make predictions about the …


Factors Impacting Users’ Willingness To Adopt And Utilize The Metaverse In Education: A Systematic Review, Mousa Al-Kfairy, Soha Ahmed, Ashraf Khalil Aug 2024

Factors Impacting Users’ Willingness To Adopt And Utilize The Metaverse In Education: A Systematic Review, Mousa Al-Kfairy, Soha Ahmed, Ashraf Khalil

All Works

Purpose: This study explores the factors influencing the adoption and acceptance of Metaverse technologies in educational settings. Despite the growing interest in immersive educational environments provided by the Metaverse, there is a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding the elements that affect user engagement and acceptance. This paper aims to bridge this gap through a systematic review of empirical studies that apply Information Systems theories such as TAM, UTAUT, TPB, and their extensions. Methods: A total of 35 empirical studies were analyzed using a methodical review approach. The research methodologies employed in these studies include surveys, structural equation modeling, and interviews, …


Context-Aware Self-Supervised Learning Of Whole Slide Images, Milam Aryal, Nasim Yahyasoltani Aug 2024

Context-Aware Self-Supervised Learning Of Whole Slide Images, Milam Aryal, Nasim Yahyasoltani

Computer Science Faculty Research and Publications

Presenting whole slide images (WSIs) as graph will enable a more efficient and accurate learning framework for cancer diagnosis. Due to the fact that a single WSI consists of billions of pixels and there is a lack of vast annotated datasets required for computational pathology, the problem of learning from WSIs using typical deep learning approaches such as convolutional neural network (CNN) is challenging. Additionally, WSIs downsampling may lead to the loss of data that is essential for cancer detection. A novel two-stage learning technique is presented in this work. Since context, such as topological features in the tumor surroundings, …


Effortless Mindfulness Toolkit: Easy Meditation Scripts To Begin Each Class., Brett Whysel Aug 2024

Effortless Mindfulness Toolkit: Easy Meditation Scripts To Begin Each Class., Brett Whysel

Open Educational Resources

The Effortless Mindfulness in the Classroom Toolkit is an open educational resource designed to create happier classrooms, boost student engagement, and foster a sense of community through brief, effective mindfulness exercises. This comprehensive toolkit provides educators with everything they need to seamlessly integrate mindfulness practices into their teaching routines, regardless of prior experience. The toolkit includes introductory slides, 15 ready-to-use meditation scripts, and accompanying audio recordings, covering a variety of mindfulness techniques such as focused breathing, body scans, and loving-kindness meditations. Each meditation is paired with a reflective prompt to deepen student engagement and reinforce the benefits of mindfulness. Additionally, …


Investigation Of Optically Pumped Gesn Quantum Well Lasers, Grey Steven Abernathy Aug 2024

Investigation Of Optically Pumped Gesn Quantum Well Lasers, Grey Steven Abernathy

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Silicon photonic integrated circuits enable the capability of producing on-chip processing of photonic signals, including both emission and detection. Emission materials, however, have been limited for monolithic integration due to high processing temperatures, indirect bandgap materials, and material integration complications. The (Si)GeSn material system has recently attracted attention due to the bandgap transition from the Si and Ge, naturally indirect bandgap, to direct bandgap with sufficient Sn incorporation. Additionally, the low growth temperature (CMOS compatible; <400 >°C) of (Si)GeSn materials can enable the monolithic integration of the highly desired mid-infrared light emission on the Si Photonic platform. This dissertation first discusses …


An Examination Of The Perspectives Of Principals Of High-Performing Urban High Schools And Establishing Cultures Of Care, Emily Buss Aug 2024

An Examination Of The Perspectives Of Principals Of High-Performing Urban High Schools And Establishing Cultures Of Care, Emily Buss

Education Doctoral

The study examined the role of principal leadership behavior in creating cultures of care in urban high schools. Further, the study assesses how culture contributes to urban high school performance while also considering the nuances of urban schools. Additionally, the study provides a review of the literature examining components such as urban high school context, principal behavior, cultures of care, and urban high school placement and specialization. Tichnor-Wagner and Allen’s (2016) typology of care was used as the theoretical framework. The study used a qualitative research design to study the experiences of seven principals and recently retired principals of high-performing …


Plcs: A Recipe For Success? The Impact Of Professional Learning Communities On Teacher Practice And Teacher Retention, Jeannine Carr Aug 2024

Plcs: A Recipe For Success? The Impact Of Professional Learning Communities On Teacher Practice And Teacher Retention, Jeannine Carr

Education Doctoral

This qualitative phenomenological study examined elementary teachers’ perceptions of professional learning communities (PLCs) and the impact they have on their professional practice, particularly concerning teacher retention. Semi-structured interviews were utilized to gain data on how teachers feel about the work they are engaged in when functioning as a PLC within their school. Through this research, teachers evaluated if the time spent in PLCs has improved their work lives and job satisfaction, thus impacting their commitment to stay in the profession. The findings revealed that teachers view PLCs as providing meaningful opportunities for professional growth, collaboration, and developing student-centered practices. Factors …


Sustainability Measures Of The Apparel Industry: A Longitudinal Analysis Of Apparel Corporations’ Sustainability Efforts, Lance Cheramie, Mahendran Balasubramanian Aug 2024

Sustainability Measures Of The Apparel Industry: A Longitudinal Analysis Of Apparel Corporations’ Sustainability Efforts, Lance Cheramie, Mahendran Balasubramanian

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

Climate change is a paramount challenge of our era, with profound implications for various sectors, including the apparel industry, known for its extensive environmental footprint throughout the entire clothing lifecycle. This study assesses the industry’s carbon emission trends using six years of data (2017–2022) focusing on Scope 1 and Scope 2. Employing a one-way repeated measures ANOVA, this study evaluates the impact of sustainability strategies on emissions. The results indicate a notable decrease in Scope 2 and overall carbon emissions, while Scope 1 emissions remain relatively unchanged despite a downward trend. These findings underscore the success of current sustainability measures …


A Grain Of Hope: Analysis Of The Economic Potential For An Association Of South East Asian Nations (Asean) Rice Futures Market, Richard Nyarko Aug 2024

A Grain Of Hope: Analysis Of The Economic Potential For An Association Of South East Asian Nations (Asean) Rice Futures Market, Richard Nyarko

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Nations) region is the world's leading rice producer, yet the region lacks a dedicated rice futures market. In contrast other world grain markets are served by liquid futures contracts, which aid producers through price discovery and risk management. This glaring gap raises a critical question: Can an ASEAN rice futures market be established to unlock the potential economic benefits for the region's rice sector? By predicting ASEAN rice pricing features and analyzing the efficacy of hedging for regional rice market players, this study explores the viability of an ASEAN rice futures contract to service the …


Sparse Neural Network To Enhance Performance Under Limited Parameter Constraints., Nailah Rawnaq Aug 2024

Sparse Neural Network To Enhance Performance Under Limited Parameter Constraints., Nailah Rawnaq

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Over the past decade, the widespread adoption of deep neural networks has been a breakthrough driven by significant computational advancements. Additionally, the number of parameters of those models is exponentially increasing for performing complex tasks and achieving better performance. However, in most practical cases, often there are constraints in the number of parameters due to limited resources in storage size and computational cost. Network pruning can lead to an optimal solution to this problem. In this thesis, I present supporting evidence to the hypothesis that higher sparsity leads to better performance for a convolution-based neural network. I perform performance studies …


Hierarchical Spatial Abundance Models For Migratory Shorebirds, Md Shahbaz Alam Aug 2024

Hierarchical Spatial Abundance Models For Migratory Shorebirds, Md Shahbaz Alam

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Predicting the distribution and abundance of migratory shorebirds is crucial for effective conservation planning. This research applies hierarchical spatial models to predict counts and spatial variations of three shorebird species: Semipalmated sandpiper (sesa), Ruddy turnstone (rutu), and Whimbrel (whim). Different versions of the Poisson, Negative Binomial, and Hurdle regression models are employed to tackle specific data characteristics, such as overdispersion and excess zeros. Model comparisons are performed in terms of likelihood measures and cross-validation. The Hurdle model for sesa and rutu and the Negative Binomial model for whim effectively captured spatial patterns, highlighting potential hotspots. Mean predictive count further emphasized …


Finding Minimal Units In Several Two-Fold Fuzzy Finite Neutrosophic Rings, Raed Hatamleh, Ayman Hazaymeh Aug 2024

Finding Minimal Units In Several Two-Fold Fuzzy Finite Neutrosophic Rings, Raed Hatamleh, Ayman Hazaymeh

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

In this paper, we have defined the concept of minimal units in finite two-fold fuzzy neutrosophic rings modulo integers as a generalization of classical elements of the group of units of the mentioned neutrosophic rings. We apply our results to characterize all minimal units in the following two-fold neutrosophic rings (����(��)) ���� for �� ∈ {2,3,4,5}.


Magdm Technique Based On Linguistic Neutrosophic Tangent Dombi Aggregation Operators And Its Application In Selecting New Energy Design Schemes, Lu Niu, Jun Ye Aug 2024

Magdm Technique Based On Linguistic Neutrosophic Tangent Dombi Aggregation Operators And Its Application In Selecting New Energy Design Schemes, Lu Niu, Jun Ye

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

In linguistic decision theory, multi-attribute group decision-making (MAGDM) of linguistic neutrosophic numbers (LNNs) is one of the crucial research topics. Existing LNN aggregation algorithms do not consider trigonometric periodicity. In this case, they cannot perform MAGDM problems including periodic/multitemporal applications in LNN scenarios. To fill this gap, this article aims to present a MAGDM technique using the LNN tangent Dombi aggregation operators (TDAOs) for addressing MAGDM issues including multitemporal/periodic applications in LNN scenarios. First, we present the linguistic tangent Dombi t-norm and t-conorm and the LNN tangent Dombi operation laws. Second, we propose the LNN tangent Dombi weighted average and …


Operations With N-Refined Literal Neutrosophic Numbers Using The Identification Method And The N-Refined Ah-Isometry, Florentin Smarandache, Mohammad Abobala Aug 2024

Operations With N-Refined Literal Neutrosophic Numbers Using The Identification Method And The N-Refined Ah-Isometry, Florentin Smarandache, Mohammad Abobala

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

If we know the determinate and sub-indeterminate part(s) of an argument a0  a1I1  a2I2 ... anIn how do we similarly find the determinate and sub-indeterminate part(s) of a function (or operation) of this argument 0 1 1 2 2 ( ... )? n n f a  a I  a I   a I The AH-Isometry is designed to do just that. The function f may be of one or more variables (arguments), it may also be some unary or n-ary operation. Real examples are presented in this paper of such arguments and functions. We now …


Developing Educational Tools For Sustainable Stormwater Management, Lauren Houskeeper Aug 2024

Developing Educational Tools For Sustainable Stormwater Management, Lauren Houskeeper

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Rapid population growth and development in Western states are exerting strain on the region’s limited water resources. Urbanization exacerbates this issue by increasing impervious surfaces, limiting infiltration of precipitation during storm events and snowmelt, which results in changes to hydrologic conditions with higher runoff volumes and higher peak flows. Stormwater transports pollutants as it flows across impervious surfaces, discharging high volumes of runoff and elevated loads of urban contaminants into receiving waters. The amount of pollution entering waterways continually increases as urban areas expand. Utah is currently experiencing a rapid transition from undeveloped to developed landscapes, necessitating the implementation of …


Leveraging International Large-Scale Assessments: Insights From An Item-Writing Professional Development Program For High School Mathematics Teachers, Mark Lester B. Garcia, Catherine P. Vistro-Yu Aug 2024

Leveraging International Large-Scale Assessments: Insights From An Item-Writing Professional Development Program For High School Mathematics Teachers, Mark Lester B. Garcia, Catherine P. Vistro-Yu

Mathematics Faculty Publications

The Philippine Department of Education, despite seeing minimal improvements in the country’s score and rankings in the recent cycles of international large-scale assessments (ILSAs) such as TIMSS and PISA, maintained that it shall continue to participate in ILSAs to monitor the progress of educational effectiveness and benchmark with other countries by observing and adopting commendable practices. While legislators and other stakeholders push for increased financial resources in the education sector as part of the country’s preparations for upcoming ILSAs, one crucial aspect that is largely overlooked is teacher training. This paper presents a viable yet contentious way of upskilling teachers …


A Study Of Aquatic Sedimentation In Chattanooga, Tennessee, Using Gis And Remote Sensing Technology Integrated With Hydrodynamic And Watershed Models, Connor Firat Aug 2024

A Study Of Aquatic Sedimentation In Chattanooga, Tennessee, Using Gis And Remote Sensing Technology Integrated With Hydrodynamic And Watershed Models, Connor Firat

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Suspended sediments can have benefits and drawbacks on aquatic ecosystems depending on the concentrations. The need to quantitatively monitor water bodies and watersheds is key to reduce excessive suspended concentrations. This study aims to integrate remote sensing technology with numerical watershed and hydrodynamic models and apply them on the Tennessee River and the surrounding tributaries to better assess the fate and transport of suspended sediment concentrations (SSC) there. The obtained results indicate that using Google Earth Engine (GEE), Landsat satellite can be used to estimate historical turbidity in the Tennessee River. Using field measurements and laboratory analyses the obtained satellite …


A Unified Algebraic Framework Extending From A 6-Set Discrete Probability Algebra And Its Application In Deep Learning, Li Dai Aug 2024

A Unified Algebraic Framework Extending From A 6-Set Discrete Probability Algebra And Its Application In Deep Learning, Li Dai

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This thesis introduces a novel Unified Algebraic Framework, including an expandable Python Functions Package built upon an extensible 6-Set Discrete Probability Algebra. The motivation behind this research is to provide a unified, general, and extendible quantitative analysis tool that can be used to delve into the neuron-level deep neural network structure and aims at improving the transparency of how the black box works and making advancements in detailed applications. Our approach extends a 6-Set Discrete Probability Algebra to a more systematic quantitative framework that incorporates the analysis of the discrete probability distribution of neurons in deep neural network structure. Our …


Topology And Geometry-Based Methods For Quantifying The Complexity Of Protein Structures, Masumi Sugiyama Aug 2024

Topology And Geometry-Based Methods For Quantifying The Complexity Of Protein Structures, Masumi Sugiyama

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

New topological and geometrical methods in knot theory provide a way to rigorously measure the entanglement of open curves in 3-space for the first time. These methods enable the topological analysis of physical systems of filaments, such as those formed by proteins. In this dissertation we employ tools from knot theory in combination with available experimental data and molecular simulations to analyze the topological complexity of tau proteins. These proteins are involved in a class of neurodegenerative diseases, called tauopathies. The methods developed in this dissertation are general and applicable to other proteins as well as any physical systems of …


Study Of The Role Of Differential Diffusion And Equation Of State On The Features Of Stably Stratified Turbulent Channel Flow Using Direct Numerical Simulations, Steven Thompson Aug 2024

Study Of The Role Of Differential Diffusion And Equation Of State On The Features Of Stably Stratified Turbulent Channel Flow Using Direct Numerical Simulations, Steven Thompson

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Stably stratified turbulent flows are observed in many systems, ranging from engineering applications to environmental flows. The density variation in such flows, particularly that observed in water bodies depends on temperature and salinity (salt content) through an equation of state (EoS). The molecular diffusion of the temperature and salinity in such flows differ substantially, which leads to the presence of a differential diffusion phenomenon. This furthers the complexity of stratified turbulence, where the density stratification is known to alter the dynamics of turbulence. In this study, results from direct numerical simulations of stably stratified turbulent channel flow under moderate levels …


Design Of Nylon-Carbon Fiber Composite Gears, Ben Swords Aug 2024

Design Of Nylon-Carbon Fiber Composite Gears, Ben Swords

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Advances in manufacturing and material science have changed fundamental limitations of designs and have allowed designers to redesign components to improve performance characteristics. This work applies traditional gearing standards from the American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) to a nylon-carbon composite material for the purpose of additive manufacturing (AM). Calculations for load carrying capacity and operating temperature are used to optimize a design that was previously constrained by conventional manufacturing technology. A model of the optimized design is presented, and simulations applied using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to determine load characteristics between traditionally manufactured gear profiles and the optimized design. The …


High Fat Diet & Social Isolation: Interactive Effects On Pain, Cognition, & Neuroinflammation, Ian M. Campuzano Aug 2024

High Fat Diet & Social Isolation: Interactive Effects On Pain, Cognition, & Neuroinflammation, Ian M. Campuzano

Research Psychology Theses

Prior research has established a role for both social isolation and exposure to high fat Western diets in altering a range of behaviors from reduced memory performance to increased depression-like behaviors. The present study scrutinizes the interplay among these variables during the peri-adolescent developmental phase, utilizing Long-Evans rats as the experimental model. Our overarching hypothesis is that rats exposed to either social isolation, a high-fat diet, or both will result in heightened pain sensitivity, diminished cognitive flexibility, and increased neuroinflammatory responses within brain regions implicated in sociability, cognition, memory, and pain processing. Behavioral flexibility will be assessed using a maze-based …


University Of Central Florida Undergraduate Catalog, 2024 - 2025, University Of Central Florida Aug 2024

University Of Central Florida Undergraduate Catalog, 2024 - 2025, University Of Central Florida

UCF Catalogs

No abstract provided.


Utilizing Unmanned Aerial Systems (Uas) And Computer Software To Assess Effects Of Cover Crops On Cash Crop Volumetric Mass And Plant Height, Carlos Andres Garcia Patlan Aug 2024

Utilizing Unmanned Aerial Systems (Uas) And Computer Software To Assess Effects Of Cover Crops On Cash Crop Volumetric Mass And Plant Height, Carlos Andres Garcia Patlan

Theses and Dissertations

Sustainability in agriculture starts with the health of soil-- from its productivity and fertility, to its ability to retain water during droughts and allow for drainage during rain. One approach of improving soil health is the use of cover crops, a practice associated with improved nutrient availability in soils, the promotion of soil biodiversity and organic matter to improve density and structure, effective weed management, and ultimately improved yields of subsequent cash crops. Assessing the cumulative impacts of cover crops is difficult, with various metrics and indicators. Crop dry weight may be a way to predict the effects cover crops …


Synthesis And Characterization Of Medicinally Privileged Aza Heterocycles, Nneoma James Aug 2024

Synthesis And Characterization Of Medicinally Privileged Aza Heterocycles, Nneoma James

Theses and Dissertations

Four-membered cyclic amides, commonly known as β-lactams, have played a crucial role in drug discovery research since its discovery by Alexander Fleming in 1928 from Penicillium notatum. The β-lactam antibiotics are broadly effective against several bacterial infections through acylating the transpeptidase involved in cross-linking peptides to form peptidoglycan or periplasmic murein, which is a fundamental constituent of the bacterial cell wall for both the gram-positive (ten or more layers) and gram-negative (one or two layers) bacteria. Although for more than eight decades, β-lactams have been recognized as antibiotics, later, other medicinal activities of β-lactam derivatives have been reported, including lowering …


Chemical Investigation Of The Ethanol Extract Of Tillandsia Usneoides (Spanish Moss), Jakir Hossain Aug 2024

Chemical Investigation Of The Ethanol Extract Of Tillandsia Usneoides (Spanish Moss), Jakir Hossain

Theses and Dissertations

Tillandsia usneoides in epiphytic bromeliads takes up water through absorptive trichomes on the shoot surface under extreme environmental conditions. Although previous studies revealed the way by which T. usneoides absorbs water and prevents water loss, its water transport remains unclear. Uses of T. usneoides L. have been documented going back to pre-Columbian and late archaic societies. Between the 1800s and 1900s. T. usneoides was utilized in fruit packing and polish, among other industrial goods. In terms of medicine, tillandsia is well-known for treating leucorrhea, rheumatism, ulcers, hemorrhoids, and as an anti-diabetic, emetic, analgesic, purgative, antispasmodic, and diuretic. The chemical composition …


White Light Specular Reflection Data Augmentation For Polyp Detection, Jose Angel Nunez Aug 2024

White Light Specular Reflection Data Augmentation For Polyp Detection, Jose Angel Nunez

Theses and Dissertations

Colorectal cancer is among the deadliest cancers, but fortunately, this type of cancer can be prevented. The best current method of prevention is via detecting the bad polyps in the colon in time. Furthermore, the best method we have available to detect these bad polyps is through colonoscopies. Even though a lot of lives have been saved via these methods, it is still not perfect because of human error. Integrating artificial intelligence into colonoscopy procedures is our next evolution in increasing our prevention of colorectal cancer. Polyp detectors are one of the tools brought by advancements in technology that may …


Comparative Analysis Of Transfer Learning Strategies For Polyp Detection In Colonoscopy Images Using Yolov8, Fabian Vazquez Jr. Aug 2024

Comparative Analysis Of Transfer Learning Strategies For Polyp Detection In Colonoscopy Images Using Yolov8, Fabian Vazquez Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The early detection of polyps during colonoscopy procedures is crucial for preventing colorectal cancer, a leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Traditional methods for polyp detection are often time-consuming and prone to human error. This thesis investigates the effectiveness of transfer learning, the process of taking a pre-trained model that was trained on a large dataset and adapting it to a new, but related task, requiring less data and time for training. This research compares whether the YOLOv8 model trained from scratch on a specific polyp dataset is outperformed by transfer learning methods such as utilizing a pretrained model on …


Unveiling Eureka Math: A Critical Peek Behind The Curricular Curtain, Jennifer L. Goldin-Weeks Aug 2024

Unveiling Eureka Math: A Critical Peek Behind The Curricular Curtain, Jennifer L. Goldin-Weeks

Theses and Dissertations

While contemporary mathematics education literature argues that curricular resources, such as textbooks, play a significant role guiding mathematics teachers in what and how they teach, it also shows that these resources often do not do what they say they will do, nor adhere to the standards they claim to further. When it comes to the most utilized mathematics curricular resource in the United States, Eureka Math, there is a lack of scholarly literature investigating these types of claims made by the publisher. This study aimed to explore how the Eureka Math curricular resources are positioned within the context of the …


The Development And Analysis Of Practical Decision Support Tool Implementations: Case Studies From Small Business To Large Government Enterprise, Alexis Andaverde Aug 2024

The Development And Analysis Of Practical Decision Support Tool Implementations: Case Studies From Small Business To Large Government Enterprise, Alexis Andaverde

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis demonstrates the critical role of decision support tools (DSTs) in both small business and large government operations, enhancing decision-making, operational efficiency, and economic benefits. By implementing Excel-based systems for small businesses and discrete event modelling for large enterprises, this research highlights the importance of adaptable and scalable solutions across various sectors. According to the U.S. Small Business Association, small businesses with 500 or fewer employees make up 99.9% of all U.S. businesses. However, 65% of new businesses fail within the first ten years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This case study focuses on the used vehicle …