UTSA Runner Research Press (Univ. of Texas at San Antonio)
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Second International FTC Conference Digest
Get PDFThis is a conference proceeding including all presentations from the 2nd international FTC conference, which was held at the University of Texas at San Antonio on August 17, 2024.Electrical and Computer Engineerin
Technical Report, No. 110
No full textOn March 20 and April 9, 2024, the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) conducted archaeological monitoring at Milam Park (41BX992) in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. The monitoring was performed in response to a request from the City of San Antonio (COSA) Parks and Recreation Department for the stabilization of the Ben Milam Statue, located in Milam Park. At a municipal level, the project falls under the Unified Development Code of COSA, and the COSA Office of Historic Preservation. In addition, projects conducted on public land are subject to the Texas Antiquities Code and require review by the Texas Historical Commission. Consequently, the work was conducted under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 31669. Cynthia Munoz served as Principal Investigator on the project and Amber Hefner served as Project Archaeologist.
Excavation at the Milam Grave consisted of removal of damaged concrete at a sub-base level. Excavations were approximately 18 cm deep and were limited to the layer of sand previously imported for the Milam Grave statue. The size of the project area is less than one acre. No cultural features or artifacts were encountered during the monitoring. All records generated during this project were curated at CAR in accordance with THC guidelines. They are available under accession number 2899.City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Departmen
A General Procedure to Formulate 3D Elements for Finite Element Applications
No full textThis paper presents a general procedure to formulate and implement 3D elements of arbitrary order in meshes with multiple element types. This procedure includes obtaining shape functions and integration quadrature and establishing an approach for checking the generated element's compatibility with adjacent elements' surfaces. This procedure was implemented in Matlab, using its symbolic and graphics toolbox, and complied as a GUI interface named ShapeGen3D to provide finite element users with a tool to tailor elements according to their analysis needs. ShapeGen3D also outputs files with the element formulation needed to enable users to implement the generated elements in other programming languages or through user elements in commercial finite element software. Currently, finite element (FE) users are limited to employing element formulation available in the literature, commercial software, or existing element libraries. Thus, the developed procedure implemented in ShapeGen3D offers FEM users the possibility to employ elements beyond those readily available. The procedure was tested by generating the formulation for a brick element, a brick transition element, and higher-order hexahedron and tetrahedron elements that can be used in a spectral finite element analysis. The formulation obtained for the 20-node element was in perfect agreement with the formulation available in the literature. In addition, the results showed that the interpolation condition was met for all the generated elements, which provides confidence in the implementation of the process. Researchers and educators can use this procedure to efficiently develop and illustrate three-dimensional elements.Mechanical EngineeringCivil and Environmental Engineerin
Innovative Solutions for Seismic Challenges: The Horizontal Self-Centering Structural System Strategy
No full textThis study explores the seismic benefits of a steel structure with Horizontal Self-Centering Structural System (H-SCSS) between Vertical Lateral Force Resisting Systems (VLFRS) and the floor diaphragm. The H-SCSS enables decoupling, facilitating relative displacement and energy dissipation. Comparing nonlinear cyclic quasi-static, and time history analyses on a Special Concentrically Braced Steel Frame (SCBF-X, ASCE 7), with and without H-SCSS, reveals reduced residual drift, energy dissipation concentrated in fuses, significantly lower energy demand for VLFRS, increased ductility, and decreased stresses and inelastic deformations in vertical lateral resistance systems when using H-SCSS.The first author was supported by the University of Texas at San Antonio through funds held in the Robert F. McDermott Endowment.Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Construction Managemen
Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy: A Window into Breastfeeding Outcomes in Varied Healthcare Systems
No full textVaried hospital systems demonstrate diverse and often very different approaches to patient care. This may best be analyzed by looking at specific disorders and outcomes in a population with these disorders. As one such lens, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDPs) continue to pose a severe health risk for mothers and infants, and breastfeeding outcomes play a crucial role in determining long-term maternal and fetal health. This pilot study investigated breastfeeding outcomes in two hospitals, as representatives for differing healthcare systems, among patients diagnosed with HDPs. Data were collected for 12 months at two hospitals, one private and one military, on 729 patients diagnosed with HDPs. Data were analyzed for infant maturity at birth and breastfeeding outcomes. Most participants (83.2%) stated their intention to breastfeed for the first six months of life. By hospital discharge, only 56% (<i>p</i> = 0.0001) of the private hospital participants were breastfeeding compared to 65% of the military hospital participants. In addition, while 69% of infants were born before term, more infants were born before term at the private hospital (71%) than at the military hospital (65%), with 37% (private) and 42% (military) of preterm infants breastfeeding at hospital discharge. Significant differences existed between these two hospital systems in the number of those initiating breastfeeding and breastfeeding at hospital discharge. The military hospital was more successful in assisting these high-risk women in meeting their breastfeeding intentions. Changes in hospital practices, such as metrics and incentivization, focusing on breastfeeding support, could improve the rate of breastfeeding at hospital discharge and impact long-term health outcomes.Kinesiolog
Participants’ Perspectives on Diabetes Self-Management Programming at Church: Faith-Placed Versus Faith-Based Approach
No full textPurpose
The purpose of the study was to explore Hispanic adults’ experiences participating in the Building a Healthy Temple diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) cluster randomized trial and collect their insights on intervention approach, delivery, content, impact, and suggested improvements for future DSMES programs delivered at church.
Methods
Focus groups were conducted with participants from both intervention arms, that is, faith-based (FB) group and faith-placed group. Participating churches were predominantly Hispanic and located in San Antonio, Texas. Focus groups were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Inductive content analysis was performed with the assistance of NVivo software to code and categorize emerging themes.
Results
A total of 138 adult participants took part in the current study. Participants in both groups highly valued the church setting for its convenient location and support system and reported positive changes in diabetes-related beliefs, knowledge, skills, behaviors, and health outcomes. FB participants appreciated the incorporation of spiritual teachings and facilitation by lay leaders, which created a sense of empowerment and improved outlook on living with diabetes.
Conclusions
Church holds promise as a setting for DSMES program delivery in Hispanic communities. Church-based DSMES programs using a FB approach may further facilitate program adoption and sustainability.Public Healt
"Right in His Cherles Termes Wol I Speke": Chaucer's Reeve, Fabliaux, and Medieval Conceptions of Sexuality
No full textLong puzzling, Geoffrey Chaucer?s ?The Reeve?s Tale? is a story of conflicting ideals and belief systems, as are many of The Canterbury Tales. Sexual in nature, the story is a potentially confounding mix of crass humor and crude sexual acts. This has led to many reading the story as problematic. Modern conceptions of the Middle Ages often find themselves mired in assumptions regarding medieval beliefs surrounding sex and sexual behavior. Far from the draconian anti-sex view that many have on the period, medieval literary genres present us with a more nuanced view. ?The Reeve?s Tale? takes its cues from works that come previously, especially fabliaux. By looking at the history of fabliaux and what they say regarding medieval conceptions of sexual activity, we can better contextualize Chaucer?s use of sex within the wider satire of The Canterbury Tales. Additionally, medieval analogues of ?The Reeve?s Tale? illuminate how Chaucer uses this tale and its humor as part of his satire of medieval British class systems. This allows us to recontextualize the problematic nature of the story as an issue of the story?s narrator, not one of the story itself. Finally, it enables to see how fabliaux evolved from the courtly romances that preceded it and allows us insight into a side of medieval life that modern conceptions often overlook.Englis
Structural Vulnerability of Coastal Bridges Under Hurricane Conditions
Get PDFHurricane waves can cause catastrophic damage to coastal bridges that lack sufficient clearance. This research focused on improving the understanding of the behavior of coastal bridges under hurricane-induced wave impact. High-fidelity finite element (FE) models were developed within ABAQUS, utilizing a Coupled Eulerian Lagrangian (CEL) analysis, to provide a cost-effective approach for evaluating bridge behavior under various hydrodynamic conditions. An experimental scaled model was used to calibrate numerical models with a range of explicit parameters (mass scaling factor, damping hourglass control, displacement hourglass scaling factor, and bulk viscosity scaling factors) and configurations (mesh size) and to determine optimal filter designs. This work resulted in recommendations for conducting numerical analyses, summarizing best practices for modeling coastal bridges under wave impacts using the CEL technique. The knowledge gained from numerical simulations led to the development of an analytical approach for estimating wave-induced forces affecting a submerged bridge superstructure under various hydrodynamic conditions. The analytical equation was developed using a simplified machine learning (ML) technique with novel attributes. Initially, ML tools were employed to predict the magnitude and duration of the pressure signal reliably. Subsequently, the study utilized the Duhamel integral to derive the mathematical formula for the analytical solution. To validate the accuracy of the analytical model predictions, the results were compared with numerical data obtained from hydrodynamic FE models estimating the wave forces impacting bridge superstructures. Finally, the study compared the maximum wave forces obtained through a physics-based method with the effects of upstream currents on bridge superstructures with varying submergence ratios. The analysis concluded that the proposed analytical model can effectively predict the maximum forces exerted on a bridge superstructure during hurricanes, providing a cost-effective tool to guide the design and retrofitting of coastal bridges.Civil and Environmental Engineerin
A Collaborative Action Research Study on Music Education Inclusion for PK 3 and 4 Latinx Children
Get PDFThis qualitative, collaborative action research study examined how music education can be included in a PK 3 and 4 early childhood classroom serving predominantly Latinx children. Using Gordon?s Music Learning Theory (1975) and Vygotsky?s Sociocultural Theory (1978), this inquiry answered the following research questions: (1) How can music education be included in a PK 3 and 4 early childhood classroom that primarily serves Latinx children, considering their unique cultural and linguistic backgrounds? (2) What factors influence teachers? decisions to include music education in a PK 3 and 4 classroom? (3) What are early childhood teachers? perceptions of receiving modeling, guidance, and resources for their music instruction?
This study occurred at an early childhood center in a West side school in Texas that caters mainly to Latinx children. The participants were 14 PK 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old children and 2 classroom teachers. Data collection consisted of semi-structured interviews, observations, field notes, anecdotal notes, surveys, school documents, audio and video recordings, and artifacts such as student work and classroom photos. Over 8 weeks, the classroom teachers and I worked collaboratively to include more music education in the daily classroom. Throughout this process, considering the best curricular choices for these diverse students was a central focus. Data was analyzed meticulously through open coding. Through this data analysis, findings emerged.
The data showed that music education can be incorporated throughout the day by providing a variety of culturally relevant songs and activities and connecting the curriculum thematically. Additionally, music can be included throughout the day in various ways, such as in centers and naptime. Secondly, teacher perceptions of their skill and confidence level are a factor that influences the incorporation of music education. Additionally, the developmental benefits, student response, and additional support that music can provide are other factors that influence music inclusion. Lastly, teachers had positive perceptions of receiving modeling, guidance, and resources to strengthen their skills and knowledge in including music education in the classroom.Interdisciplinary Learning and Teachin
Exploring the Influence of a Critical Literacy Approach in Middle School English Language Arts and Reading Classrooms
Get PDFThe aims of this qualitative study were (1) to understand the experiences of two middle school English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) teachers as they planned and implemented critical literacy into a unit in their existing curriculum and (2) to understand the experiences of students as they engaged in a curriculum embedded with critical literacy. Framed by social constructivist and critical literacy theories, this study used semi-structured interviews, observational field notes, whole class and small group discussions, and artifacts to explore participants' experiences. Using a constant-comparative methodology, findings revealed multiple challenges and successes the participants encountered and the ways in which teachers attempted to resolve the challenges. Findings also supported previous studies that underscore the significance of dialogue in supporting students’ critical literacy. The implications from this study include prioritizing dialogue in the classroom, embedding critical literacy throughout the ELAR curriculum, and supporting teachers’ study of critical literacy and its praxis through professional development and collaborations.Interdisciplinary Learning and Teachin