University of Central Florida
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Strengthening Community Resilience Towards Infrastructure Disruptions due to Hurricanes
No full textExtreme events such as hurricanes can significantly disrupt infrastructures, leading to negative impacts on productivity, economy, and social wellbeing. Understanding community resilience against infrastructure disruptions in response to such events is crucial for effective preparedness, mitigation, and recovery efforts. The overarching problem addressed in this dissertation centers around enhancing community resilience against infrastructure disruptions due to hurricanes. Community resilience is defined as the ability of a community to return to normalcy following a disaster. One way to enhance community resilience is to strengthen its critical lifelines and infrastructure services (e.g., power, water, transportation, internet) and capital—to reduce the likelihood of damage through mitigation. This dissertation aims to contribute to the development of disaster preparedness and restoration efforts, ultimately fostering more resilient communities in the face of natural hazards. In this dissertation, we focus on three objectives. First, this dissertation examines the impact of Hurricane Ida on population activity using aggregate location data from Facebook. Community resilience is quantified based on changes in the number of Facebook users before, during, and after the disaster, considering both the magnitude of impact and the time to recover. Second, community resilience against infrastructure disruptions is explored through a spatio-temporal deep learning model to understand the dynamics of impacted communities against infrastructures. Third, an agent-based modeling approach is presented to enhance community resilience by simulating interdependent infrastructure systems. Interdependencies between two networks are modeled in two ways, (i) representing the role of transportation in fuel delivery to power plants and restoration teams\u27 access, (ii) impact of power outage on transportation network. We simulate three restoration strategies: component based, distance based, and traffic lights based. Overall, findings of this dissertation underscore the importance of considering infrastructure disruptions and interdependency among infrastructure systems for enhancing community resilience against hurricanes
Fluidity in Structure: Balancing Form and Freedom
Full text linkIn our postmodern society, there is a natural urge to want to decentralize the metanarratives that make up the standards and structures of defined aesthetics within the theatre landscape. This urge poses a potential threat to the authenticity of the dramatic context, encouraging performers to create narratives outside of the text. This led me to investigate how theatre artists can strike a balance between creative exploration and authenticity of context, of form and freedom. In seeking a way to engage with the effects of postmodernism in the theatre, I follow Hans-Theis Lehmann’s Postdramatic Theatre to a dead end and must embrace the philosophy of Sankofa to retrace my own artistic lineage and find a process within myself. Through TheatreUCF’s production of Metamorphoses (Fall 2023), I evaluate the benefits of a horizontal hierarchy in a rehearsal process and connect to the visceral nature of water as a means to think about fluidity. I then look to my experiences in The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (Spring 2023) as an actor and assistant director to expose the problem with neglecting context for creative exploration and experiment with a day of change, using my position of power to uplift the ensemble. Taking the importance of context and change and adopting the elements of fluidity, I apply my own recontextualized process to Orlando Shakespeare Theater’s Bare Bard production of Henry VI Part II (Spring 2025) to demonstrate the possibility of striking a balance between creative exploration and authenticity of context in a theatrical process
Adverse Childhood Experiences and Working Memory
Full text linkExtensive research has shown that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as sexual abuse, poverty, physical abuse, emotional abuse and neglect, can negatively impact an individual’s development. The presence of ACEs has also been linked to an increase in one’s engagement in risky behavior, dropping out of school, unemployment before the age of 21, and a variety of health issues. Currently, there is a gap in literature regarding the performance of different working memory (WM) tasks and the presence of ACEs. This study focuses on filling this gap in literature by measuring participants’ Philadelphia ACE score, which is a 16-item questionnaire, where each question details one possible adverse childhood experience, for each affirmative response the participant receives 1 point. Additionally, their performance is tested on two WM tasks, the Operational Digit Span task and Weschler’s Digit Span task. This study is interested in finding a negative difference in performance between the ACE group and the non-ACE group when taking the two aforementioned memory tasks. This study found that there is a non-significant relationship between ACE group and performance on both the Ospan and Dspan. There is not a significant relationship between ACE group and Ospan sequence sub-task performance. Unexpectedly, there was a significant positive relationship between ACE group and Dspan task accuracy. The result of this study is likely attributed to the small and disproportional sample size, alongside the demographics of the sample. Future studies should use different sampling methods and more intensive tasks that measure WM performance
Exploring The Impact Of Pain Management Agreements On Physician-Patient Relationship: A Qualitative Analysis From The Patient’s Perspective In Opioid Analgesic Treatment
No full textPain management agreements are increasingly used in the treatment of chronic pain with opioid analgesics. These agreements aim to reduce misuse of opioids by providing patients clear regulations and requirements to follow during treatment. This study seeks to assess the effect of pain management agreement for opioid treatment on the patient-physician relationship from the perspective of patients with a pain management agreement in the past two years. We recruited participants for the semi-structured interview through online media groups dedicated to patients with chronic pain that is treated with opioids. A cohort of eight individuals recruited from September 2023 to January 2023, all who used a pain management agreement for their chronic pain and obtained opioids as their treatment. The semi-structed interview explored the benefits and challenges they faced when using an opioid agreement, any changes they could or want to make to the agreement, their feelings using the agreement, and the effect they believe that the agreement has on their relationship with their physician. Among the eight participants, all indicated that the use of a pain management agreement supports their treatment and helps their relationship with their provider. Participants described the requirements they must follow such as regular monitoring, taking medications as prescribed and clear responsibilities and discussed the benefits and challenges complying with these requirements. Positive effects of agreements on provider-patient relationships include communication with physicians, empathetic physicians, and structured interactions. However, patients have indicated a sense of a transactional relationship and lack of trust with physicians. Within the group of participants who recently underwent pain management treatment with opioids for chronic pain, all have indicated that pain management agreements strengthen their relationship with their provider and were key to promoting communication with the parties. However, patients have indicated that the negative effects of the harsh requirements such as mistrust and fear of consequences. The use of shared decision-making can mitigate some problems patients face by establishing a mutual treatment plan with shared goals, increasing both trust and communication between the two parties
Oral Health in Long-Term Care Facilities: A Systematic Review
No full textOral health in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) is becoming an increasing concern as the older population grows bigger. The oral hygiene of residents in nursing homes is deteriorating which may attribute to lack of education given to caregivers. A literature review was conducted using electronic databases such as PubMed, ProQuest, and PsychINFO to explore oral health in LTCFs and workforce’s roles in providing oral care. Findings across eight studies highlight the inadequate care residents are receiving due to several barriers resulting poor oral health outcomes. Oral health is not prioritized because caregivers are not educated on the consequences it may lead to if not cared for. To resolve this problem, oral health education programs are encouraged. Proper training and increased awareness can improve the oral health of nursing home residents and prevent further health issues beyond the mouth
Generating Negotiations for IAGO
No full textNegotiation is a complex field that can benefit from introducing artificial intelligence (AI); doing so would benefit researchers as they try to deepen their understanding of human-human and human-agent negotiation. Investigating how large language models (LLMs) can generate negotiation dialogue with emotional context would bring agents closer to acting more human. This study explores how fine-tuning and prompt engineering can achieve this goal and the possibilities for an AI that fills these criteria to be included in the Interactive Arbitration Guide Online platform (IAGO). Doing so will make the negotiation interactions in IAGO feel more complex and natural, allowing researchers to further their understanding of negotiation conversations and concepts
Revamping Course Outcomes: Weaving Bloom\u27 s Taxonomy and AI Together
Full text linkIntegrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into higher education is essential in preparing students for an evolving professional landscape. This session will explore how instructors can harness AI as a catalyst for deeper learning and more accessible course outcomes. By incorporating AI-centered activities, instructors can encourage students to critically analyze course content, preparing them for the AIdriven workforce. Instructors can also employ AI to refine course outcomes, ensuring they resonate with students from diverse backgrounds. Participants will gain a foundation for integrating AI into course outcome development and learn how AI can provide instructors with a valuable perspective on the student experience