Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Pathways To The Native Storyteller: A Method To Enable Computational Story Understanding, Aramide O. Kehinde

College of Computing and Digital Media Dissertations

The primary objective of this thesis is to develop a method that uses machine learning algorithms to enable computational story understanding. This research is conducted with the aim of establishing a system called the Native Storyteller that plans and creates storytelling experiences for human users. The paper first establishes the desired capabilities of the system and then deep dives into how to enable story understanding, which is the core ability the system needs to function. As such, the research places emphasis on natural language processing and its application to solving key problems in this context. Namely, machine representation of story …

The Crystal Structure Of (Cuxzn1-X)0:456in1:084ge0:46o3 (Cuzigo) Using Neutron And X-Ray Diffraction, Boluwatife A. Adekoya

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

The solid solution (CuxZn(1-x))0.456In1.084Ge0.46O3 (CuZIGO) has a complex structure where zinc and copper partially occupy a site shared by indium and germanium. ZIGO, the x = 0 endpoint, is a potential transparent conducting oxide (TCO) with similar conductivity and transparency to cubic In2O3, which, when doped with Sn4+, is the most prevalent TCO. ZIGO structure possesses a tetragonal structure and has the ability to produce multiple new phases with an array of properties that are beneficial to identify and understand. Analyzing this structure is best done through chemical substitution to identify the newly produced phases. Copper is a suitable choice …

Synthesis And Styrene Copolymerization Of Chloro And Fluoro Ring-Substituted Isopropyl 2-Cyano-3-Phenyl-2-Propenoates, Alessandra Cimino

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Novel trisubstituted ethylenes (TSE), chloro and fluoro 2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenoic propenoates (XPhCH=C(CN)CO₂CH(CH₃)₂) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene (ST). The monomers were synthesized by modified crossed aldol condensation reaction (Knoevenagel condensation) of chloro and fluoro ring-substituted benzaldehydes with isopropyl cyanoacetate using piperidine as catalyst. They were subsequently characterized by IR, ¹H and ¹³C-NMR and CHN analysis as well. The novel TSE monomers formed were then copolymerized with styrene (ST) in solution at 70 °C and 1,1′-Azobis(cyclohexanecarbonitrile) (ABCN) was used as radical initiator of the reaction. The composition of the novel copolymers was calculated from …

A Desire Fulfillment Theory Of Digital Game Enjoyment, Owen M. Schaffer

College of Computing and Digital Media Dissertations

Empirical research on what makes digital games enjoyable is critical for practitioners who want to design for enjoyment, including for Game Design, Gamification, and Serious Games. But existing theories of what leads to digital game enjoyment have been incomplete or lacking in empirical support showing their impact on enjoyment.

Desire Fulfillment Theory is proposed as a new theory of what leads to digital game enjoyment and tested through research with people who have recently played a digital game. This theory builds on three established theories: Expectancy Disconfirmation Theory, Theory of Basic Human Desires, and Flow Theory. These three theories are …

Information Extraction From Primary Care Visits To Support Patient-Provider Interactions, Daniel Baruch Gutstein

College of Computing and Digital Media Dissertations

The extent of electronic health record systems usage in clinical settings has affected the dynamic between clinicians and patients and has thus been connected to physician morale and the quality of care patients receive. Recent research has also uncovered a correlation between physician burnout and negative physician attitudes electronic health record systems. In order to begin exploring the nature of the relationship between electronic health record usage, physician burnout, and patient care, it is necessary to first analyze patient-provider interactions within the context of verbal features such as turn-taking and non-verbal features such as eye-contact. While previous works have sought …

Automatic Inference Of Causal Reasoning Chains From Student Essays, Simon Mark Hughes

College of Computing and Digital Media Dissertations

While there has been an increasing focus on higher-level thinking skills arising from the Common Core Standards, many high-school and middle-school students struggle to combine and integrate information from multiple sources when writing essays. Writing is an important learning skill, and there is increasing evidence that writing about a topic develops a deeper understanding in the student. However, grading essays is time consuming for teachers, resulting in an increasing focus on shallower forms of assessment that are easier to automate, such as multiple-choice tests. Existing essay grading software has attempted to ease this burden but relies on shallow lexico-syntactic features …

Understanding Group Dynamics Within A Classroom Using Small Group Networks And Epistemological Framing, Katarzyna E. Pomian

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

In this study, we examined interactions within student groups and between groups and instructors. A deeper exploration of group dynamics helps educators to more fully understand student groups and student learning within the classroom. Our data are from a two-week summer program for incoming college freshman that focuses on helping students develop metacognitive and self-assessment tools. With the intention of using Social Network Analysis (SNA), we took the novel approach of creating network graphs from video data as opposed to surveys. However, given the isolated nature of the groups, the quantitative measures of SNA were inappropriate for our small group …

Optical And X-Ray Studies Of Compact X-Ray Binaries In Ngc 5904, Vanshree Bhalotia

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Globular clusters are the oldest objects in the Milky Way, serving as probes of early galactic evolution due to their chemically uncontaminated history. Compact binaries act as an internal energy source through their dynamical interactions, and measuring the types of X-ray binaries within a cluster provides an understanding of its stellar population and dynamics, as stellar collisional frequencies have been correlated to the number of X-ray sources detected in globular clusters. Compact binaries can be found by correlating X-ray positional data with optical imaging data. In this project, optical fluxes of sources from archival HST images of NGC 5904 have …

"Effect Of Zinc And Strontium Dopants On The Structure And Stability Of Hydroxyapatite At High Temperatures", Dylan Correll Smith

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Hydroxyapatite (HA) is a bioceramic that synthetically mimics human bone. It is commonly used in medical applications as a filler for damaged bone, and in procedures such as dental implants and hip replacements. Doping of HA with elements such as zinc and strontium is known to increase the bioactivity of HA, as well as increase the retention and adsorption of therapeutic molecules for drug delivery. High-temperature, in-situ X-ray diffraction data were measured on 10 at. % zinc-doped, 10 at. % strontium-doped, and undoped HA powders at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. This research studied the temporal and …

Probing The Non-Linearity In Galaxy Clusters Through The Analysis Of Fractal Dimension Via Wavelet Transform, Loay Ali Khalifa

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

The study of large scale structure (LSS) of the Universe armed with both all-sky surveys and numerical simulations has become an increasingly important tool to probe basic cosmology. We used the method of wavelet transforms combined with the fractal based point-processes to investigate the clustering of matter on galactic scales through the fractal analysis approach. In particular, we developed a method to calculate the angular fractal dimension of galaxy distributions as a function of the cosmological comoving space. Taking advantage of the self-similarity and lo- calization properties of the wavelets, allows us to compute the fractal dimension of galaxies in …

A Critical Analysis Of Mystery In Videogames, Ali Alkhafaji

College of Computing and Digital Media Dissertations

Historically, videogame research has focused on how different videogame attributes (like challenge, fantasy, control, goals, etc.) impact the player experience. This type of research is important because it can provide insight into how to design more enjoyable videogames. However, very little exists within the current literature that focuses on mystery and its impact on the player experience. This dissertation is concerned with providing the research community with a better understanding of how mystery manifests in videogames and consequently impacts the player experience, specifically curiosity and motivation. To this end, the research questions are: 1. How do players experience mystery in …

Toward Improving Metalloenzyme Inhibitor Design: A Thermodynamic Study Of Small Molecule Interactions With Copper(Ii), Cobalt(Ii) And Manganese(Ii), Fatimah Aldakheel

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

This work aimed at understanding the interactions of 1) three physiologically relevant transition metal ions copper(II), cobalt(II) and manganese(II) with five tri- or tetra-dentate metal chelators (ligand or L) and 2) the resulting ML complexes with two known metalloenzyme inhibitors, 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ) and acetohydroxamic acid (AHA). The ultimate goal of the work was to identify ligands that can form enzyme active site M²⁺ structural mimetics capable of interacting with metalloenzyme active site inhibitors. The ligands studied were N-(2-(1-methylimidazolyl)methyl)iminodiacetic acid (DA2Im), nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (TREN), tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPA), and bis(2-picolyl)amine (BPA) and they were chosen to mimic the coordination environment …

Uv-Vis And Fluorescence Studies Of Zinc Enzyme Active Site Mimics And Their Binding Of Inhibitor Compounds, Aeshah Hussain Niyazi

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

This research aimed to synthesize and characterize Zn2+-ligand complexes that have the same zinc coordination environment as in histone deacetylase (HDAC) and other important zincdependent enzymes. Mimicking the structural and the functional properties of Zn2+-enzymes will allow us to understand the binding reactivity between Zn2+ and small molecule enzyme inhibitors. The new understanding will help to develop new approaches to target disease states such as cancer. A variety of Zn2+ binary complexes have been synthesized and their interactions with inhibitors such as suberanilohydroxamic acid (SAHA) and 8-Hydroxyquinoline (8HQ) have been studied using 1H NMR, UV-Vis, and fluorescence spectroscopies. Attempts were …

Examination Of The B Coefficient In Gap Crystal Utilizing Single And Double Photon Absorption, Ines Kusmic

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

A laser of 0.800 mm at 100 fs is utilized in obtaining a b coefficient in a GaP crystal associated with double photon absorption. Data is collected for the incident power of the laser for both single and double photon absorption, and it is plotted against the signal generated in the photodiode containing the GaP crystal. The slope of such a plot is employed in calculating b with equations derived in the theoretical model that is unique to the present work. The data for single photon absorption is utilized in calculating the thickness of the GaP crystal, while the data …

An Application Of Wavelet Methods To The Search For Baryon Acoustic Oscillations, Kevin Michael Kadowaki

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

We use the method of wavelet transforms to investigate the clustering of matter on galactic scales in search of Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAOs). In particular, we develop a method of wavelet packet analysis to measure the power spectrum of a galaxy distribution and apply this method to the CMASS galaxy catalogue from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) collaboration. Using a variant of HEALPix, we project the data from the celestial sphere onto a square signal matrix, and take the two-dimensional Wavelet Packet Transform of this signal. We use this transform and techniques of spectrum …

Enzyme-Mediated And Mechanistic Investigations Of Tetrahydroisoquinoline Synthesis Through The Pictet-Spengler Reaction, Jordan Elise Fauser

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Tetrahydroisoquinolines (THI) are biologically active natural products with applications to a variety of diseases. These compounds also act as precursors for other pharmacologically active natural products. In this investigation, a new synthetic approach for generation of halogenated THIs was proposed. Using cross-linked tyrosinase aggregate, halogenated tyrosine and tyramine were oxidized to form halogenated catechols such as halogenated L-DOPA and dopamine. In a one-pot synthetic approach, the enzyme oxidation reaction was coupled to the Pictet-Spengler reaction, through the addition of an aldehyde, to generate halogenated THIs. The Pictet-Spengler reaction was catalyzed by the phosphate buffer in the reaction solution. The role …

Chemical Reaction Kinetics Of The Pictet-Spengler Reaction, Jo Ann K. Girel

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

There is an extensive history of the use of alkaloids for medicinal purposes. Today, development of novel pharmaceutical alkaloids is imperative to developing effective drugs. The Pictet-Spengler reaction of dopamine with 4-hydroxyphenyl-acetaldehyde is the first step in the biosynthesis of thousands of known alkaloids. In this reaction, mechanisms have been proposed to explain the specificity of phosphate catalysis. However, the uniqueness of the phosphate ion in the Pictet-Spengler reaction is not explained. The Pictet-Spengler reaction of dopamine with propanal in phosphate buffer and in maleic acid buffer were evaluated and determined to be comparable. The reaction was found to be …

Using A Dynamic Domain-Specific Modeling Language For The Model-Driven Development Of Cross-Platform Mobile Applications, Christopher A. Jones

College of Computing and Digital Media Dissertations

There has been a gradual but steady convergence of dynamic programming languages with modeling languages. One area that can benefit from this convergence is modeldriven development (MDD) especially in the domain of mobile application development. By using a dynamic language to construct a domain-specific modeling language (DSML), it is possible to create models that are executable, exhibit flexible type checking, and provide a smaller cognitive gap between business users, modelers and developers than more traditional model-driven approaches.

Dynamic languages have found strong adoption by practitioners of Agile development processes. These processes often rely on developers to rapidly produce working code …

Multiwavelength X-Ray Diffraction, Maziar Saleh Ziabari

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

The central problem of diffraction theory is determining the structure of an object given only the intensity of its diffraction pattern. In general, both the amplitude and phase must be known to uniquely solve a structure; however a coherent radiation source is usually required in order to measure the diffacted phases (e.g. in holography). In many important cases, coherent sources are unavailable and other assumptions or methods must be employed to substitute for the missing phase information. One method that has been successfully applied to the specific problem of determining atomic structure from X-ray diffraction intensity patterns has been the …

Supporting Adult Learners' Metacognitive Development With A Sociotechnical System, Kathryn Wozniak

College of Computing and Digital Media Dissertations

Metacognition is defined as thinking about and reflecting on one's cognitive processes. In learning contexts, strong metacognition leads to retention, academic success, and deep learning. While we know a lot about the metacognition of learners in grades K-12 and college, there are limited studies on adult learners' (24 and older) metacognitive awareness, how to support it, or the role technology can play, particularly since e-learning is quickly becoming the central mode of learning for adult learners. Thus, I have the following motivating research question: How can we support adult learners' metacognitive development in e-learning environments?

To better understand adult learners' …

Synthesis And Exploration Of Dopamine And 4‐ Hpaa Analogs For Norcoclaurine Synthase, Arthur A. Ralko

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Precursor directed biosynthesis (PDB) presents a useful approach for modifying large scale drug and drug lead mole cules . Large molecular structures are synthetically modified as part of total synthesis approach, and often result in l ow yield and expensive r eagents. Of particular interest are plant alkaloid drugs, many of which come from tetrahydroisoquinoline (THI) precursor. We present an organic synthesis of novel dopamine and 4 - hydroxyphenacetaldehyde (4-HPAA) analogs as precursors for enzymatic conversion to tetrahydroisoquinoline analogs using norcoclaurine synthase (NCS) . Modifications for investigation include halogenation of the 2 and 5 positions of the aromatic ring and …

Time Resloved Saxs Analysis Of Fusion Protein, Matthew Andorf

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

The structural dynamics of the fusion protein (F protein) of parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV 5) was studied using time resolved Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS). Conformational changes of the F protein, equivalent to the conformational changes the protein must undergo while infecting a host cell, are triggered by temperature jump to the protein in solution. The time and temperature dependence of the rate of the protein changing state is then determined through standard SAXS analysis. Thermodynamic transition state theory is then used to calculate the activation energy, enthalpy and entropy of the transition which is independent of any particular model. …

Towards Automated Network Configuration Management, Khalid Elmansor

College of Computing and Digital Media Dissertations

Modern networks are designed to satisfy a wide variety of competing goals related to network operation requirements such as reachability, security, performance, reliability and availability. These high level goals are realized through a complex chain of low level configuration commands performed on network devices.

As networks become larger, more complex and more heterogeneous, human errors become the most significant threat to network operation and the main cause of network outage. In addition, the gap between high-level requirements and low-level configuration data is continuously increasing and difficult to close. Although many solutions have been introduced to reduce the complexity of configuration …

Synthesis And Evaluation Of Unnatural Hpaa, Norcoclaurine, And Tyramine Analogues, Sean Crowe

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

There are several approaches to obtaining unnatural analogues of natural products. One of these approaches is precursor-directed biosynthesis (PDB), which is the process of using natural biosynthetic machinery to transform unnatural analogues of precursor compounds to produce an unnatural analogue of a target natural product. Berberine and galanthamine are chosen as model systems for the evaluation of PDB for the production of aromatic alkaloids in plants. Several approaches to the synthesis of unnatural 4 hydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (HPAA), norcoclaurine, and tyramine analogues are explored. 3-chloro-, 3-bromo-, and 3-iodoHPAA are all synthesized in good yields via and oxidative decarboxylation of tyrosine. These analogues …

Structural Studies Of Proteins In Solution: Cytochrome-C And Mitochondrial Rho, Anthony Banks

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Small Angle X-Ray Scattering (SAXS) is a rapidly developing technique for determining the structures of proteins in solution. This thesis presents new solution structures of two proteins:cold denatured equine cytochrome-c,and mitochondrial rho (miro).Cytochrome-cis a modelsystem for protein folding and stability studies;this work demonstrates the interplay of thermodynamic forces in determining the global shape of unfolded proteins.Whereas denatured cytochrome-cis not able to form crystals in principle,miro is a newly purified protein of which no crystal structure is availablein any conditions.We have used our SAXS data to verify conjectures for miro's structure based solely on protein sequence analysis.

The Effect Of Grain Size And Forming Gas Reduction On The Electrical Properties Of Zinc Oxide, Rofeideh Mansourian

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Zinc oxide is an n-type transparent conducting oxide (TCO), which is used in solar cells and optoelectronics devices. ZnO has the potential to become the future choice for a wide range of TCO commercial applications replacing the current, more expensive, and toxic indium-based materials. The isothermal grain growth of ZnO nano-powders with two different initial grain sizes and the effect of forming gas reduction on their electrical properties were studied at 900 °C. The particle size was determined using synchrotron x-ray diffraction data and scanning electron micrographs. The grain size, shape, trace impurities, and synthesis methods had an effect on …

Förster Resonance Energy Transfer Investigations Of The Structure Of The Immunoglobulin G Class Of Antibody, Michael Kelliher

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Ensemble and single molecule methods were used to study model systems of 11 base pair and 16 base pair oligonucleotides. From these experiments it was possible to determine the best ensemble analysis method to use, in conjunction with single molecule experiments, to investigate the structure of lgG in solution. To study the interactions within the antigen-binding fragments (Fab), the binding sites were labeled with a FRET pair. Single molecule fluorescence measurements on the antibody indicate minimal FRET occurring between the dye pair suggesting the distance is too large to be measured using single molecule FRET. Ensemble and single molecule FRET …

Insights Into High Mass Star Formation From Methanol Maser Observations, Hontas Freeman Farmer

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

We present high angular resolution data on Class I and Class II methanol masers, together with other tracers of star formation like H₂O masers, ultracompact (UC) ionized hydrogen (H II) regions, and 4.5 µm infrared sources, taken from the literature. The aim is to study what these data tell us about the process of high mass star formation; in particular, whether disk-outflow systems are compatible with the morphology exhibited by Class I and Class II methanol masers. Stars form in the dense cores inside molecular clouds, and while the process of the formation of stars like our …

A Spectroscopic Investigation Of Excited States Of The Nucleus 73br, Brigid Esposito

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Gamma rays emitted in the de-excitation of the nucleus ⁷³Br were created in two distinct experiments. Using Gammasphere and Microball, the first experiment selected nuclei created in the reaction for an incident ⁴⁰Ca beam and a ⁴⁰Ca target that were coincident with the creation of 1 a particle, 3 protons, and 4 gamma rays. These results were analyzed using a gating procedure that allowed for the validation of published level schemes and the identification of new rotational bands in the level scheme. Using Gammasphere, the Fragment Mass Analyzer, an ionization chamber, and neutron detectors, the second experiment …

Collaborative Requirements Engineering Notation For Planning Globally Distributed Projects, Paula Laurent

College of Computing and Digital Media Dissertations

Requirements engineering represents a critical phase of the software development lifecycle in which requirements describing the functional and non-functional behaviors of a system are elicited, modeled, analyzed, negotiated, agreed, and specified. In traditional software systems these tasks are typically performed in face-to-face meetings between requirements engineers and the project level stakeholders. However, in today’s global software development environment, it is becoming increasingly commonplace for stakeholders to be dispersed across multiple geographical locations and time zones. Under these circumstances, face-to-face meetings become expensive, and often impossible to facilitate, and as a result the success of the requirements process relies, at least …