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The Influence of Regolith Properties and Environmental Conditions on Plume Surface Interactions
No full textWhen landing or launching spacecraft, the impingement of rocket exhaust can cause significant surface erosion on planetary bodies, resulting in high-velocity ejecta, formation of dust and debris clouds, or even cratering. With humans returning to the Moon, and future missions to the surface of Mars, understanding and mitigating rocket plume effects is essential for the protection of personnel and equipment. To better understand the influence of surface properties and environmental conditions on plume induced erosion rates, this study leverages a series of geotechnical measurements and small-scale plume experiments in atmosphere, cold temperatures, and reduced ambient pressures using regolith simulants. This study also examines debris collected from the first Starship test flight to reveal a new launchpad failure mode and predict ejecta velocities on the Moon and Mars. Results show that geotechnical properties and erosion rates can change greatly based on ambient pressure, regolith density, and particle size. Depending on mass flow rate, cohesion has a small, non-linear influence on surface erosion, while ambient temperatures likely have a negligible impact on geotechnical properties and erosion. In addition to affecting geotechnical properties, results also show that a small percentage of absorbed water can cause increased ejecta velocities during pad failure events. While additional research is needed, surface grading and compaction may mitigate some plume effects, but permeable launch and landing pads should be considered. Using results from different ambient conditions, updated erosion rate equations are provided, as well as novel equations for predicting regolith cohesion, shear strength, and internal angle of friction. The results from this study should be included in future mission planning, plume models, and pad designs
Men’s Aggressive Responses To Sexual Rejection: The Roles Of Rejection Sensitivity, Alcohol Use, And Perceived Injustice
No full textPURPOSE: Sexual rejection can be often associated with an aggressive response. Prior research has identified rejection sensitivity as a risk factor for aggressive behavior, however, it has not been investigated in the context of sexual rejection. Highly rejection sensitive men may attend to negative cues, feel “betrayed,” and respond aggressively, especially after consuming alcohol.Thus, the goal of this study was to investigate the perpetration of aggressive responses to sexual rejection by examining the roles of rejection sensitivity, perceived injustice, and alcohol use in a sample of young adult men. METHOD: Men (n = 447) who endorsed one lifetime sexual rejection by a woman completed an online survey assessing rejection sensitivity, perceived injustice, and alcohol use from their experience of sexual rejection. Hypotheses were tested using a moderated mediation model examining the direct association between rejection sensitivity and aggressive responses to sexual rejection as well as the indirect effect of perceived injustice on this association. Alcohol use was examined as a moderator of the path between rejection sensitivity and perceived injustice. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Analyses revealed a significant association between rejection sensitivity and aggressive responses. Further, perceived injustice significantly mediated the association between rejection sensitivity and aggressive responses to sexual rejection. There were no significant results related to alcohol use. These findings advance our understanding of risk factors that may influence aggressive responses and sexual aggression and could guide development of effective prevention and intervention strategies addressing sexual assault
Long Term Trends in the Reproductive Output and Phenology of Three Marine Turtle Species
Get PDFThe UCF Marine Turtle Research Group (MTRG) has monitored sea turtle nesting along the Brevard County, Florida coastline for over 40 years, yielding one of the world\u27s longest continuous sea turtle reproductive datasets. These data offer key demographic insights for conservation and species recovery assessments. Given climate change’s worsening effects, it is critical to analyze long-term trends in hatchling emergence success and phenology, which impact reproductive output, population growth, and hatchling dispersal. Here I compare the long-term reproductive output trends of loggerhead (Caretta caretta), green (Chelonia mydas), and leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) sea turtles from the densely nested Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge (ACNWR), over a turtle-generation time frame (20-40 years). With potential phenological shifts occurring due to climate change, hatchling emergence success and timing may be at risk due to changes in exposure to seasonal and temporal conditions over time. My two primary objectives were: 1) to assess changes over time (1988-2023) in hatchling reproductive output in all three species in relation to abiotic and biotic influences, and 2) to determine if there have been changes over time (2001-2023) in hatchling emergence phenology across the three species. Bayesian Zero-Inflated and Generalized Additive Models were used to assess my objectives. Long-term hatchling emergence success has remained stable, though species-specific differences exist. Water disturbances and raccoons (Procyon lotor) had the most severe impacts, significantly increasing nest failure in green turtles and loggerheads, while leatherbacks were less affected. Median emergence dates shifted later for loggerheads and green turtles, while shifting earlier for leatherbacks. The hatchling emergence season lengthened for loggerheads and leatherbacks but shortened for green turtles. These findings provide essential baselines for long-term emergence success and hatchling emergence phenology, helping to assess species trends and understand how sea turtles may be adapting to the challenges of climate change
Sketching Towards Character: An Actor\u27s Process of Reclaiming the Mind-Body Connection
Get PDFThe human body is capable of incredible things. It completes vital functions autonomically, can instinctively protect us from harm, helps us sense, process, and respond to the world we inhabit, and can even heal itself when necessary. But what happens when an actor, who is dependent on their body to express their artistry, has lost awareness of their material? With the help of this thesis and the crafting of a personal methodology, I have developed a process that works towards healing this fracture and encourages the initial crafting of character through embodiment.
This thesis details the evolution of a personal methodology that uses abstract movement to simplify the early stages of character development. This thesis then demonstrates the testing and application of this new methodology through a portrayal of William Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth. With the desire to strengthen trust between the mind and body, this methodology displays how actors can unburden themselves from over-analysis and self-doubt. Rooted in the Michael Chekhov technique and inspired by visual art fundamentals, this thesis presents a character-building approach that uses physical sketches layered with the basic elements of line, color, and texture. In this thesis, I offer ways for an actor to construct richer, more nuanced performances by allowing movement to lead the creative process. Through graduate coursework and key productions, including Metamorphoses, The Cherry Orchard, and Macbeth, I examine how an actor, whose relationship to their body has recently transformed, can still find a deep connection between themselves and their character, between their artistic material and their creative imagination
Development of Human Neuronal Microphysiological Models and Subsequent Integration into Multi-Organ Platforms for Evaluation of Therapeutic Efficacy and Off-Target Toxicity
Get PDFMicrophysiological systems are a rapidly growing field of research for modeling of physiological processes and disease in an in vitro environment. The translatability and cost effectiveness of these platforms make them a valuable tool for drug discovery, allowing investigation of both efficacy and off-target toxicity either as a replacement or supplement to traditional animal models. Neurological disorders in particular are often difficult to emulate in an animal model, making the development of these models a highly useful area of research for both elucidation of brain function, as well as neurological disorders. Taking these models and integrating them into a multi-organ platform consisting of multiple interconnected organ models creates a valuable technology that can offer a comprehensive analysis of drug effects on the human body as a whole. The work presented here demonstrates the development of individual neuronal models, peripheral and nociceptive, as well as incorporation of a neuronal MPS into a multi-organ platform to investigate efficacy and off-target toxicity in a model of opioid overdose
Rising Against All Odds, Inc.: A Service-Learning Reflection on the Intersectional Approach to Operating an HIV Nonprofit Organization
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Partial Integration Lengths of a Flat Plate Gust Encounter
No full textA gust encounter over a flat plate was investigated with a focus on partial chord integration. A transverse gust generator was designed for use in a water tunnel with towing capabilities. Utilizing a GR = 0.5 at a Reynolds number of 10,000, pitching was executed to counteract the gust loading. Employing different integration lengths to evaluate the effective angle of attack needed to pitch, four pitching models were studied 0% to 50% chord, 50% to 100% chord, 25% to 75% chord, and 0% to 100% chord. Force studies demonstrate that taking the full integration length is the best case being able to mitigate 71.28% of the induced lift from the gust. However, in terms of mitigating the drag, integrating 25% to 75% of the chord length resulted in the best case at 15.66% drag mitigation induced by the transverse gust. Furthermore, integration lengths that occupy more than the full chord lengths were studied and found to be more effective than taking the full chord as the integration bound due to the deformation of the gust’s shear layer
Mental Illness Identity and Social Media Use in Generation Z
Get PDFThe present study investigated factors that predict a high degree of mental illness identity among Generation Z college students. Specifically, the author aimed to evaluate social media use and other psychosocial factors, including social isolation, self-esteem, well-being, discrimination, and attitude toward recovery. Two-hundred and seventeen participants were recruited using SONA and social media. Participants completed scales to measure the variables of interest: Illness Identity Questionnaire - Mental Health, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale, Hope and Coping in Recovery Scale, Cornwell Perceived Isolation Scale, Stigma Scale, Social Media Use Scale, and a set of demographic questions. Pearson bivariate correlations, a one-way, between-subjects analysis of variance, and a multiple linear regression were conducted to determine whether the variables predict variation in mental illness identity. These analyses revealed social media use as a moderate predictor of mental illness identity. All psychosocial factors measured had significant relationships with mental illness identity, and all but stigma had significant relationships with social media use, but the direction of these relationships varied. There were no mean differences between social media platforms and mental illness identity. The results of this study reveal a complex relationship between these variables that could have implications for future policies and clinical interventions
Applying Nursing\u27s Five Rights of Delegation to AI Use in the Classroom
No full textAs educators contend with AI integration in higher education, a novel approach emerges from nursing education: applying the Five Rights of Delegation framework to guide AI use in teaching and learning. This session explores how this legally established framework - right task, circumstance, person, supervision, and direction/communication - creates a practical decision-making model for faculty and students across disciplines. Participants will engage with this framework to develop guidelines for appropriate AI use while maintaining academic integrity and critical thinking