University of Central Florida
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Evaluating Indirect Markers of Musculotendinous Unit Recovery Following Eccentric Plantar Flexor Exercise
No full textThe recovery of the musculotendinous unit (MTU) following eccentric exercise is a complex process influenced by mechanical, structural, and nutritional factors. The MTU encompasses interconnected systems, including the Achilles tendon and calf muscles, which respond dynamically to mechanical loading. The interplay of these systems is critical to understanding recovery and optimizing interventions for performance and rehabilitation. Despite advances in the field, gaps remain in assessing measurement reliability, identifying sensitive recovery markers, and evaluating the efficacy of nutritional strategies such as collagen supplementation.
This dissertation is organized into three interrelated studies. Study 1 presented in Chapter 2 investigated the reliability of imaging and mechanical assessments of the MTU, including Achilles tendon length and stiffness, calf muscle thickness, and isometric force. High test-retest reliability was observed for most markers, underscoring their utility in clinical and research settings. Study 2 presented in Chapter 3 examined the sensitivity of these markers to eccentric exercise-induced damage. Results revealed significant time-dependent changes in muscle soreness, tendon thickness, and muscle structure, providing critical insights into the dynamic nature of recovery. Study 3 presented in Chapter 4 explored the role of collagen supplementation in recovery, finding limited acute effects on recovery markers but suggesting potential Achilles tendon benefits.
Together, these studies highlight the importance of employing multimodal assessment tools to capture the complexities of recovery processes. The findings emphasize the need for standardized protocols to ensure reliability and reproducibility in both research and clinical applications. Additionally, the limited acute benefits observed for collagen supplementation suggest that its effects may be more pronounced in chronic adaptations, warranting further investigation
Emission Spectroscopy Measurements and Post-Processing Methods for Nitromethane and Aluminum in a Post Detonation Enviroment
No full textThe doping of conventional liquid fuels has been a topic of interest in the research community due to the potential for increased energy density and improved performance in oxygen-deficient environments. One of these proposed fuels is nitromethane doped with micron-sized aluminum powder. This work is focused on early spectroscopic measurements of each of these constituent fuel parts in a post-detonation environment that aims to mimic the real-world temperatures and pressures seen in explosives that are not typically replicated in experimental facilities. Spectroscopy was chosen as the primary diagnostic technique for these experiments because it can non-invasively probe the relatively harsh environment. At the same time, a photodetector with a bandpass filter and pressure transducers were used to compare and provide context to the data obtained by the spectrometer. The experiments were conducted in a detonation tube at UCF, with the detonation environment driven by hydrogen-oxygen ignition. Emission spectroscopy data was collected for the baseline detonation environment, nitromethane and aluminum, each individually, using a Teledyne Instruments HRS-500 Spectrometer, a tool that can resolve light intensity by wavelength. A detailed post-processing technique for raw spectrometer data is presented, in which it is possible to extract time-resolved temperature measurements from the light intensity of the detonation and post-detonation environment at different wavelengths using temperature-dependent simulations of the molecules formed during the fuel decomposition. The results presented here are used to characterize the burning of these fuel components to aid the development of numerical models that can be used to quickly evaluate the fuel’s applicability in engines and explosive development
Modeling Data Metrics And Distributions For Representation And Efficient Transfer Learning
No full textRepresentation Learning and Transfer Learning are fundamental challenges in deep learning, particularly for downstream computer vision tasks. While existing research predominantly focuses on loss functions and network architectures, this dissertation explores how modeling distance metrics and data distributions can enhance representation and transfer learning efficiency in computer vision applications, specifically focusing on image captioning and retrieval tasks.
We make contributions primarily in three subareas. First, we develop an image captioning system that leverages geometric relationships among objects using a novel object graph structure, enhancing global visual representations for more accurate caption generation. We further incorporate adversarial learning to model data distributions, enabling the generation of diverse yet coherent captions by matching feature discrepancies before and after the adversarial discriminator. Second, we advance image retrieval by aligning cross-modal distributions between visual and textual domains. Our approach adapts representations across vision and language modalities while minimizing distributional gaps among different classes. We further enhance retrieval performance through proxy-based domain adaptation within deep metric learning, aligning data distributions to proxy feature points. Finally, we improve transfer learning efficiency by introducing learnable visual prompts accompanying input images during the fine-tuning of pre-trained models. This approach facilitates effective knowledge transfer for downstream image retrieval tasks. We demonstrate that learning deep metrics between visual prompts and aligning class-based information significantly enhances transfer learning effectiveness.
Our comprehensive experiments demonstrate that explicitly modeling data metrics and distributions substantially improves performance across various computer vision tasks. The proposed methods advance the state-of-the-art in both representation learning and transfer learning, particularly in image captioning and retrieval applications
Environmental Fate of Trace Anionic Fission Byproducts: an Analysis of Redox, Sorption, and Incorporation Pathways of Iodine and Selenium
No full textThe environmental chemistry and mobility of iodine and selenium contaminants were investigated through redox interactions with manganese oxides and incorporation into carbonate minerals. The study examined iodide (I-) and selenite (SeO32-) oxidation under varying pH conditions using manganese oxide minerals, which are geochemical regulators. Using tandem ion chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (IC-ICP-MS), the oxidation and speciation of iodine and selenium were quantified under environmentally relevant conditions. The results demonstrate that oxidation of I- and SeO32- by manganese oxides are highly concentration dependent. Acid birnessite, a common manganese oxide, exhibited significant reactivity toward I-, oxidizing up to 28% within five hours under acidic conditions, while only limited oxidation to iodate (IO3-) occurred. Selenium primarily underwent adsorption rather than oxidation at realistic concentrations, with oxidation only observed under artificially elevated conditions.
Mineral incorporation is a significant geochemical pathway for the sequestration of contaminants. Incorporation experiments assessed the sequestration of contaminants into calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and manganese carbonate (MnCO3) using co-precipitation. IO3- displayed strong adsorption onto CaCO3 but incorporated effectively into MnCO3. Selenite exhibited high incorporation efficiency in both carbonate minerals, whereas selenate (SeO42-) showed limited incorporation due to its larger molecular size and tetrahedral geometry. Chromate (CrO42-) was effectively removed by both carbonate minerals, with a shift from incorporation to surface sorption at lower concentrations. Uranyl (UO22+) demonstrated substantial incorporation, particularly in MnCO3, while pertechnetate (TcO4-) exhibited minimal interaction with either mineral. Competitive ion studies revealed MnCO3 maintained high contaminant removal efficiency even in mixed systems, whereas CaCO3 exhibited reduced incorporation under competition.
These findings underscore the complexity and the different geochemical pathways that anionic contaminants can follow in the environment, by participating in redox, adsorption, and precipitation processes. Future research should focus on long-term stability, competitive effects with additional contaminants, and environmental conditions that may influence contaminant sequestration and potential remobilization
Leading the Newsroom: Exploring the Development of Management and Leadership Skills in College Journalism Students
No full textThe purpose of this study is to examine the management and leadership skills that are developed in college journalism and how that experience and training prepares students for the challenges of reporting for, managing, and leading in today’s journalism businesses. I explored leadership (e.g. influence in the newsroom culture) of young journalists in student media, such as what skills are being emphasized by their advisers. This study utilizes gatekeeping theory to connect its main points with leadership-related characteristics. Findings show that the support and training students in student media receive are more directly related to management as opposed to leadership. While students have revealed leadership skills and acted as gatekeepers, the lack of leadership guidance has resulted in concerns and self-doubt from some of them
Gothic Girlhood Horrors
Full text linkGothic Girlhood Horrors is a collection of creative nonfiction examining the formative experiences of girlhood. Through experimental essays, short stories, and other forms of prose, it investigates how universal and personal a young woman’s experiences can be. Part I, “HOW TO BECOME A GIRL,” opens with a coming-of-age story. “GIRL CRAZY” takes inspiration from memoirist Elissa Washuta’s “Sexually Based Offenses,” with the narrator engaging in a hypothetical conversation. Some essays explore the narrator’s relationship with motherhood; others delve into the complex relationship with her own mother. Key moments of girlhood are highlighted, such as dying hair (“let down your hair”) and fangirling (“When We Were Younger”). The narrator uses the lens of Sheridan Le Fanu’s Gothic novel Carmilla in “love letter to a vampire” to reflect on her sexuality and the horror-romance film Lisa Frankenstein in “Nina Frankenstein” to address teenage love. Part I concludes with an exploration of rape and true crime culture.
Part II, “HOW TO BECOME A VIRGIN SACRIFICE FOR SATAN IN 8 DAYS,” is a collection of stories loosely following a ‘How To’ through the titles before what unfolds. This Part explores a manic and psychotic narrator after she sees an angel. The narrator ends up in a crossroads as she struggles to reconcile her relationship with her mother amidst the demons following her.
Part III, “HOW TO BECOME THE FINAL GIRL,” is a series of essays and flash pieces covering themes of religion, anger, and existence. In “(Psychotic) Prayer by The Holy Woman,” “PISSED!,” and “Questions for God/Satan/Whoever,” the narrator continues to struggle with mental health, and further horror inspirations connect to her adult life and survival of trauma.
Gothic Girlhood Horrors investigates how to persevere in spite of heartbreak, hurt, and sinister higher powers, like the patriarchy
Catching Light Finding Encouragement Through Art and the Role of Women in Impressionism
No full textCatching Light is a two-dimensional (2D) animated film about the importance of human connection through the tale of an artist rediscovering their passion for painting through the support of a fellow artist. Catching Light is told through the lens of the period in art history when the artists, who eventually came to be known as \u27Impressionists\u27, broke free from the traditions of the Academy. The story highlights how the Art Academy restricted and discriminated against people based on social class and gender, and its disrespect towards the craft of paintmaking. By setting this story in the late 19th century, Catching Light provides a degree of separation between the modern audience and the themes Catching Light tackles, allowing the film to discuss the contentious subjects of gender inequality and classism that persist in the modern age without directly confronting the viewer
Improving Safe and Effective Management of Pain at Home
No full textPain is the most common clinical symptom in individuals with a cancer diagnosis. Additionally, home is the preferred place for cancer care which introduces numerous challenges for cancer pain management. The primary purpose of this literature review is to identify support interventions to enhance pain control, prevent exacerbations in pain, and optimize quality of life in individuals with cancer transitioning from the acute care setting to home. The secondary purpose of this review is to analyze patient-specific barriers influencing self-efficacy of pain management and overall health outcomes in the target population. A systematic literature search was conducted using CINAHL, EBSCOhost, ERIC, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO databases using search terms “self- management,” “self-efficacy,” “pain management,” “pain control,” “cancer, ” and “oncology.” This systematic review analyzed 12 studies published within the last ten years. The results highlight the significant impact of clinical follow-up evaluations, with data revealing that interventions such as phone counseling, home visitations, and education reinforcement improve self-efficacy of pain management and reduce pain severity. The results identified patient-specific barriers, including demographic background and psychosocial influences, which were found to significantly impede self- efficacy of pain management, pain satisfaction, and quality of life outcomes. As the prevalence of home-based cancer care increases, advancing research in this field can bridge the gaps between acute care and home care, ultimately supporting improved continuity of care and more equitable health outcomes for this vulnerable population
Community Redevelopment Agencies\u27 (Cras) Perceptions Of The Legal, Ethical, Economic, And Financial Impacts On Florida\u27s Redevelopment Since The Passage Of Florida House Bill 9 In 2019
No full textThis qualitative study explores the legal, ethical, economic, and financial impacts on Community Redevelopment Agencies (CRAs) following the passage of Florida House Bill (HB) 9 in 2019 by interviewing administrators and attorneys of the oldest Florida CRAs. CRAs are dependent special districts, funded by tax increment financing (TIF), and created to address areas deemed slum, blighted, or facing a shortage of affordable housing. HB 9 intended to address transparency and accountability issues and restore CRA operations and spending back to the original purpose, as authorized by Florida Statute 169.
The findings are timely and novel, given it has been five years since the passage of HB 9. Findings reveal that the legal impacts were insignificant because all CRAs felt they were in legal compliance, but staffing constraints and compliance costs mounted, especially for small CRAs. The ethical impacts were insignificant to CRA boards comprised entirely of elected officials but created an administrative burden for agencies with appointed members who now needed to complete ethics training. The economic impacts were minimal, relating to the spending restrictions under the financial impacts, where more emphasis was placed on capital projects instead of special events and funding community associations. Cutting back on programming-related gray areas is a theme, as well as uncertainty or frustration related to capital planning, which requires long-term commitments that CRAs cannot provide if their existence is in jeopardy. The results demonstrate a tense environment and impacts that vary by context and suggest concerns that HB 9 could be an act of legal incrementalism, where the 2019 law serves as a catalyst for future laws to eventually dissolve all CRAs in Florida. Local governments would then retain more property tax revenue and former CRA responsibilities instead of diverting such funding in the form of TIF to CRAs