Masters Theses

The Use of Multimedia Material in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language and Pedagogical Implications

Williams, Zhongyuan — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 09:50:39 PDT

The use of Multimedia materials has been widely accepted as an useful and effective tool in the field of second language acquisition (SLA). Many studies and researchers have examined multimedia material’s effectiveness from a number of aspects, including four skills of language learning: listening, speaking, reading (including vocabulary comprehension) and writing. However, the effectiveness of multimedia material from the aspect of L2 grammar comprehension hasn’t been well explored.

This study examines the effectiveness of multimedia material in teaching second language grammar comprehension among beginning and intermediate-level Chinese learners. In particular, it investigates the relative efficacy of three different modes used in teaching an important Chinese grammar, directional complements: text alone, text with a still picture and text with video clips. The study’s focal issue is to determine which mode or modes — text alone, text with still picture or text with dynamic video clip — is most effective in aiding grammar acquisition in both short-term and long-term.

The study employed an immediate post-test and a delayed post-test. The participants were 53 college students, beginning level Chinese language learners who had studied Chinese for a half year, and were naturally assigned to one of the three parallel groups. The three groups differed as to the use of the different mode used to present the teaching material: text-only, text-picture, and text-video.

Analysis of the collected data yielded three main findings. First, learners who received text-video material outperformed those who received text-picture; and learners who received text-picture material outperformed those who received text-only. Secondly, learners who received text-video had significantly better long-term comprehension than the other two groups. Finally, the performance advantage of text-video treatment was particularly significant with more complex target forms.

The results demonstrate that multimedia material can help L2 learners’ grammar comprehension. Text-picture and text-video were more effective than text-only, and text-video material was more effective than text-picture.

The Role of Parent Psychopathology in the Developmental Trajectories of Preschool Children with Behavior Problems

Breaux, Rosanna P. — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 09:50:37 PDT

This study investigated associations among different parental psychopathology dimensions and child functioning. Mothers and fathers of preschoolers with behavior problems (n = 132) completed psychopathology questionnaires when children were 3 years old. Children’s externalizing, internalizing, and social problems, academic achievement, and cognitive ability were assessed at annual home visits from age 3 to 6. In general, maternal psychopathology symptoms were associated with mothers’ reports of externalizing, internalizing, and social problems at age 3 and 6. Additionally, paternal psychopathology symptoms were associated with fathers’ reports of externalizing and internalizing problems at age 3 and 6. Mothers with more elevated psychopathology symptom dimensions had children with more mother-reported and father- reported externalizing and internalizing problems, and lower social competence at age 3 and age 6. Fathers with more elevated psychopathology symptom dimensions had children with more mother-reported internalizing problems at age 3 and 6. Only a few parental psychopathology dimensions (maternal ADHD and Cluster A symptoms, and paternal ADHD, depression, and antisocial symptoms) emerged as unique predictors of child functioning at age 3 and 6. These findings suggest that most types of mothers’ and fathers’ psychopathology may play a role in the behavioral, social, and emotional outcome of preschoolers with behavior problems.

Application of Finite Element Method in Protein Normal Mode Analysis

Hsu, Chiung-Fang — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 09:44:24 PDT

This study proposed a finite element procedure for protein normal mode analysis (NMA). The finite element model adopted the protein solvent-excluded surface to generate a homogeneous and isotropic volume. A simplified triangular approximation of coarse molecular surface was generated from the original surface model by using the Gaussian-based blurring technique. Similar to the widely adopted elastic network model, the finite element model holds a major advantage over standard all-atom normal mode analysis: the computationally expensive process of energy minimization that may distort the initial protein structure has been eliminated. This modification significantly increases the efficiency of normal mode analysis. In addition, the finite element model successfully brings out the capability of normal mode analysis in low-frequency/high collectivity molecular motion by capturing protein shape properties. Fair results from six protein models in this study have fortified the capability of the finite element model in protein normal mode analysis.

Impacts of Solar Grid Integration Issues on the Optimal Energy R&D Portfolio for Climate Change

Djimadoumbaye, Noubara — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 09:44:21 PDT

ABSTRACT

The large-scale integration of PV solar energy onto the electricity grid remains a major challenge because of the intermittency issues which affect the grid reliability.

In this thesis, we investigate the impact of grid integration issues upon the optimal energy R&D portfolio for climate change under damage uncertainty. We especially look at how the following two contrasting assumptions about solar intermittency issues will impact the composition of the optimal energy R&D technology portfolio for climate change. The first assumption, which we term “costly solar storage”, implies that grid integration will have costs; the second assumption, which we term “free solar storage”, implies that grid integration will have no costs.

To achieve this task, we first present a two-stage stochastic programming model for energy R&D portfolio for climate change and the solution methods used to solve it. We will refer to this model as the budget constraint model (BCM model). Then, we will introduce a relaxation of the BCM model by including the R&D budget as a cost in the objective function. We will call this the overall optimal model (OOM model).

In order to represent the impacts of technical change, we will use the Mini-Climate Assessment Model (MiniCAM) to generate marginal abatement cost curves (MAC), which represent the cost of reducing an additional ton of CO₂. Two sets of MAC curves based on the two assumptions are generated and used in our models to estimate the impacts of grid issues on the optimal R&D portfolios for climate change.

The results of our analysis using the BCM model show that the composition of the optimal portfolio remains almost the same under the two grid assumptions. However, the results of the OOM model show some significant differences between the two assumptions, with considerably more solar R&D investment when intermittency issues are neglected. Our estimates of the costs of the grid range between 2.5 billion and 21 billion dollars.

Testing and Validation of a Prototype GPGPU Design for FPGAs

Merchant, Murtaza — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 09:44:15 PDT

Due to their suitability for highly parallel and pipelined computation, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and general-purpose graphics processing units (GPGPUs) have emerged as top contenders for hardware acceleration of high-performance computing applications. FPGAs are highly specialized devices that can be customized to a specific application, whereas GPGPUs are made of a fixed array of multiprocessors with a rigid architectural model. To alleviate this rigidity as well as to combine some other benefits of the two platforms, it is desirable to explore the implementation of a flexible GPGPU (soft GPGPU) using the reconfigurable fabric found in an FPGA. This thesis describes an aggressive effort to test and validate a prototype GPGPU design targeted to a Virtex-6 FPGA. Individual design stages are tested and integrated together using manually-generated RTL testbenches and logic simulation tools. The soft GPGPU design is validated by benchmarking the platform against five standard CUDA benchmarks. The platform is fully CUDA-compatible and supports direct execution of CUDA compiled binaries. Platform scalability is validated by varying the number of processing cores as well as multiprocessors, and evaluating their effects on area and performance. Experimental results show as average speedup of 25x for a 32 core soft GPGPU configuration over a fully optimized MicroBlaze soft microprocessor, accentuating benefits of the thread-based execution model of GPUs and their ability to perform complex control flow operations in hardware. The testing and validation of the designed soft GPGPU system serves as a prerequisite for rapid design exploration of the platform in the future.

Integration And Measurements of a Ka-Band Interferometric Radar in an Airborne Platform

Schrock, Rockwell B. — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 09:44:11 PDT

The Topographic Interferometry Mapping Mission (TIMMi) instrument is a unique millimeter wave interferometric radar system operating at 35 GHz (Ka-band). It was constructed in part to advance the technology readiness level of NASA’s Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission, a spaceborne platform that will globally map the altimetry of Earth’s water to gain insight into surface water interactions and dynamics. Previous ground deployments of TIMMi were successful in demonstrating the abilities of the system from a stationary platform. The next logical step was to move TIMMi closer to space by installing it on an airborne platform prove its capability in mapping wide swaths of land at a higher incidence angle. This thesis outlines the design considerations and challenges in adapting TIMMi to a small airborne platform. Documentation is included from many points throughout the development cycle, including hardware and software development, flight planning, data acquisition, and post-flight data processing.

Does Early Perceptual Experience Influence Later Perceptual and Neural Discrimination in Children?

Hadley, Hillary R. — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 09:44:05 PDT

In infancy, the ability to tell the difference between two faces within a category (e.g., species, race) that is infrequently experienced declines from 6 to 9 months of age (Kelly et al., 2009, 2007; Pascalis et al., 2005; Pascalis, de Haan, & Nelson, 2002; Scott & Monesson, 2009). This decline in the ability to distinguish faces is known as "perceptual narrowing" and has recently been found to be absent when infants are given experience matching a face with an individual-level proper name between 6 to 9 months of age (Scott & Monesson, 2009). Additionally, individual-level experience between 6 and 9 months of age has led to neural changes at 9 months of age (Scott & Monesson, 2010). It is currently unclear whether brief, early experience between 6 and 9 months leads to sustained behavioral advantages and lasting neural changes. In order to answer these questions, the current study recruited and tested children who previously participated in a face training study when they were infants (Scott & Monesson, 2009, 2010). Findings revealed that individual-level experience with faces during the first year of life: 1) resulted in faster reaction time for faces outside of the trained category, and 2) led to more adult-like neural representations of faces outside of the trained category 3-4 years later. These results suggest that experience with individual-level learning in the first year of life is generalized to visually similar, but environmentally relevant face categories.

Characterizing the Heavy Metal Chelator, TPEN, as a Ca2+ Tool in the Mammalian Oocyte

Agreda McCaughin, Robert A. — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 09:43:59 PDT

N,N,N’,N’-tetrakis-(2-Pyridylmethyl) ethylenediamine (TPEN) is a heavy metal chelator with high affinity for zinc. TPEN causes important responses in mammalian eggs. For example, these eggs are arrested at the MII stage by the Endogenous Mitotic Inhibitor 2 (Emi2), which prevents activation of the Anaphase Promoting Complex (APC) and degradation of Cyclin B. By chelating zinc, TPEN inactivates Emi2 and eggs undergo spontaneous exit of meiosis and egg activation. TPEN chelates Ca²⁺ with lower affinity, although in the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER), where Ca²⁺ concentrations are high, TPEN may sequester Ca²⁺ preventing release into the cytoplasm. Initial exposure of TPEN to MII eggs failed to cause spontaneous intracellular Ca²⁺ release from the ER. Interestingly, in the case of GV oocytes, addition of TPEN caused Ca²⁺ influx. This influx could be blocked via the addition of 2-APB, a plasma membrane Ca²⁺ channel blocker. To determine the possible role of TPEN on chelation of ER Ca²⁺, MII and GV cells were incubated in TPEN and ER Ca²⁺ released was by exposure to Cyclopiazonic Acid (CPA), a sarco/endoplasmic reticulum (SERCA) pump inhibitor, or Ionomycin (IO), a Ca²⁺ ionophore. In MII oocytes, the amplitude of the rises caused by CPA and IO, in TPEN-treated oocytes, was smaller than controls and experienced a delay in return to baseline. In GV oocytes, TPEN enhanced rather than reduced Ca²⁺ responses to CPA and IO. Given its inability to fully chelate ER Ca²⁺, the use of TPEN as a tool to study Ca²⁺ homeostasis in mouse oocytes needs additional investigation.

Techno-Economic Analysis of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Systems Used as an Electricity Storage Technology in a Wind Farm with Large Amounts of Intermittent Energy

Sanghai, Yash — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 09:43:52 PDT

With the growing demand for electricity, renewable sources of energy have garnered a lot of support from all quarters. The problem with depending on these renewable sources is that the output from them is independent of the demand. Storage of electricity gives us an opportunity to effectively manage and balance the supply and demand of electricity. Fuel cells are a fast developing and market capturing technology that presents efficient means of storing electricity in the form of hydrogen. The aim of this research is to study the impact of integrating hydrogen fuel cell storage system with a wind farm to improve the reliability of the grid for allowing higher penetration of renewable energy sources in the power system. The installation of energy storage systems strongly depends on the economic viability of the storage system. We identified four types of fuel cells that could be used in a hydrogen fuel cell storage system. We bring together a range of estimates for each of the fuel cell systems for the economic analysis that is targeted towards the total capital costs and the total annualized costs for the storage system for individual applications like rapid reserve and load shifting. We performed sensitivity analysis to determine the effect of varying the rate of interest and cost of fuel cell on the total annualized cost of the storage system. Finally, we compared the costs of hydrogen based storage system with other storage technologies like flywheel, pumped hydro, CAES and batteries for the individual application cases.

Effects of Different Methods of Aggregation of Probabilities on the R&D Investment Portfolio for Optimal Emissions Abatement: An Empirical Evaluation

Olaleye, Olaitan P. — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 09:43:48 PDT

This thesis examines two possible orders of combining multiple experts in elicitations with multiple de-composed events: Should experts be combined early or later in the decision process? This thesis is in conjunction with the paper (Baker & Olaleye, 2012) where we show that it is best to combine experts early as later combination leads to a systematic error. We conduct a simulation to more fully flesh out the theoretical model. We also conduct a theoretical analysis aimed at determining how significantly these two methods differ. We find that all results are in accordance with the theory but combining experts later might lead to less error in some cases due to randomness.

We then conduct an empirical evaluation of the two methods using data from a previous study. We show that the experts exhibit some form of correlation. The impact of using the two methods of combining experts is then evaluated using an optimal R&D investment portfolio model. We find that the elicitation inputs have a significant effect on the outcome of the optimal portfolio and that there is an advantage from combining experts early.