MDes, University of Cincinnati, 2008, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Design

This thesis explores the possibilities of virtual 3D garment simulation software for fashion design. The available software for simulating virtual clothing can roughly be separated into two groups. The first group of software is focused on animation and used to visualize cloth for games, movies, commercials. The second group is used for the virtual prototyping of garments in the apparel industry. Their main focus is to check a garment for the fit, and the 3D software is an extension on pattern making software that was already available. Various software applications are explored in this thesis. An overview of functionality and a comparison of pros and cons are identified. Software aimed at the apparel industry is not very flexible in accurately visualizing a garment and especially the fabric of that garment. Through the use of sophisticated fabric design, this thesis shows how to use existing visualization techniques available in Autodesk Maya 8.5 differently to enhance the realism of virtual fabric and garment simulation.

Committee: Jacqueline Burris MSc (Committee Chair); Benjamin Meyer (Committee Member); Margaret Voelker-Ferrier MA (Committee Member) Subjects: Design; Textile Research

Master of Science (MS), Wright State University, 2022, Computer Science

Healthcare organizations attract a diversity of caregivers and patients by providing essential care. While interacting with people of various races, ethnicity, and economical background, caregivers need to be empathetic and compassionate. Proper training and exposure are needed to understand the patient's background and handle different situations and provide the best care for the patient. With social determinants of health (SDOH) as the basis, the thesis focuses on providing exposure through “Wright LIFE (Lifelike Immersion for Equity) - A simulation-based training tool” to two such scenarios covering patients from the LGBTQIA+ community & autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This interactive tool helps to create mindfulness about the social and economic disparities faced by the patients through realistic and captivating gameplay. Though the primary focus of the “Wright LIFE” application is “Digital Learning”, it would help to understand how effective the application is in terms of improving the provider's abilities. Through statistical evidence, the tool can be improved, which in turn will improve the user experience. For this analysis, during the simulation, we also focus on collecting the data gathered from the participants through surveys. The simulation includes different questionnaires where participants can provide feedback at various stages within the simulation. This then allows for a comparison between the participants' responses to see the rate of improvement as a result of the simulation. To analyze the data from the participant's responses, data analysis, and visualization tools help to represent the data using charts, infographics, animations, and many more to assist this in this analytic process. The analysis of the data can help to understand the trend of the participants' responses to the questionnaire. The goal of the questionnaire is to collect participants' responses to assess anxiety, frustration, and compassion levels pre- and post-simulation. A (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Thomas Wischgoll Ph.D. (Advisor); Paul J. Hershberger Ph.D. (Committee Member); Yong Pei Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Computer Science; Demographics; Educational Software; Health Care; Health Care Management; Health Education; Technology

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2002, Engineering : Civil Engineering

There are many excellent 3D CAD, Virtual Reality and Mathematical simulation system hardware and software systems available today. Most suppliers sell basic tools for these systems. But they may not provide the expertise on how to use the tools or what to build with them. Without this expertise it is almost impossible to know what is the most appropriate equipment and software, or even whether these systems are really an appropriate solutions for a company. In this research, effort is made to find state of art, state of practice and state of future for 3D CAD, Virtual Reality and Mathematical simulation system. The technology and use of system solutions available to the industry were reviewed and investigated. A number of accepted results from the industry were discovered. Some critical considerations for the effective utilization of electronic simulation to improve construction benefits were determined which bring value to the implementers business. Real time data was collected from vendors, academic researchers and industries. Data was analyzed and relevant data was used to develop a database for the supplier/ product information. A web based Decision Aid was developed to help businesses make decisions with respect to (i) analyzing the need for these modern technologies in their line of business, (ii) the supplier products available in 3D CAD, Virtual Reality and Mathematical simulation system categories, and (iii) similarities and differences between the available products.

Committee: Dr. Makarand Hastak (Advisor) Subjects: Engineering, Civil

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education, Cleveland State University, 2012, College of Education and Human Services

Adult learners can develop leadership skills and competencies such as conflict management and negotiation skills. Virtual simulations are among the emerging new technologies available to adult educators and trainers to help adults develop various leadership competencies. This study explored the impact of conflict management tactics as well as learning styles on the efficacy of virtual leadership development training. In this quantitative study, participants (n=349) completed electronic versions of both the Power and Influence Tactics Scale (POINTS) and the Kolb Learning Styles Instrument (KLSI). Results of participant scores for both instruments were compared with scores from a virtual leadership simulation. Performance within a virtual leadership simulation was not found to be significantly impacted by diverse learning styles, indicating that virtual simulations can be effective for adult learners with any learning style. Statistically significant correlations were found between all seven conflict management tactics and key virtual leadership simulation scores, indicating that virtual leadership simulations can be effective tools for practicing multiple conflict management tactics. Experiential learning techniques are becoming commonplace and the use of technology is growing within the field of adult and leadership education. This study elucidates the effectiveness of new technologies such as virtual simulations as tools for leadership development. This study contributes to leadership education best practices by exploring the effectiveness of virtual simulations as a method for training leaders that will allow educators to incorporate emerging best practices into their repertoire of methodologies.

Committee: Catherine Monaghan PhD (Committee Chair); Jonathan Messemer EdD (Committee Member); Catherine Hansman EdD (Committee Member); Selma Vonderwell PhD (Committee Member); Sanda Kaufmann PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education

DNP, Otterbein University, 2024, Nursing

KNOWLEDGE, CONFIDENCE, AND ATTITUDE TOWARD VIRTUAL CARE 2 Abstract In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth and virtual healthcare modalities have become primary care delivery methods. The American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing (AACN) and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) support using virtual care and telehealth technology in health care services. Although most healthcare institutions utilize telehealth to provide care, emerging research highlights the lack of telehealth training in Advanced Practice Nurse (APRN) education. However, no standard curriculum requirements mandate graduate nursing programs to train APRN students in telehealth or virtual health modalities. Due to the lack of training for APRNs, it can be very challenging for new APRNs entering clinical settings that rely heavily on virtual care and telehealth services. Therefore, the purpose of this quality improvement project was to assess the current state of APRN students' perceived knowledge, confidence, and attitudes in conducting virtual care/telehealth visits using a standardized patient simulation activity as an adjunct training opportunity for students enrolled in their program's Advanced Health Assessment Course. The project findings will help the graduate nursing program comply with the guidelines of the AANP and AACN recommendations for APRN education programs, which strongly promote the incorporation of virtual care and telehealth technology into nursing program curricula.

Committee: Deana Batross (Advisor); Amy Bishop (Other); Joy Shoemaker, (Other); Chai Sribanditmongkol (Advisor) Subjects: Education; Nursing

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Wright State University, 2023, Computer Science and Engineering PhD

Automated vehicles pose challenges in various research domains, including robotics, machine learning, computer vision, public safety, system certification, and beyond. These vehicles autonomously handle navigation and locomotion, often requiring minimal user interaction, and can operate on land, in water, or in the air. In the context of aircraft, one specific application is Automated Aerial Refueling (AAR). Traditional aerial refueling involves a "tanker" aircraft using a mechanism, such as a rigid boom arm or a flexible hose, to transfer fuel to another aircraft designated as the "receiver". For AAR, the boom arm may be maneuvered automatically, or in certain instances the tanker may remotely pilot the receiver to ensure station keeping during the refueling process. Due to latency issues, ground control is impractical. Any AAR system must perform rapid and precise relative pose calculations, operating in near real-time (approximately 10 Hz) with an accuracy of around 10 centimeters when the receiver is 30 meters from the tanker. Utilizing stereo vision for relative pose estimation necessitates high-resolution images to achieve this level of accuracy. Given the large resolution, data processing must be extremely fast. The Iterative Closest Point (ICP) method estimates a pose from images by establishing point correspondences and calculating the relative pose between two point clouds. To accelerate ICP, two enhancements contribute to the runtime reduction: using Delaunay triangulation for finding correspondences and parallelizing each step of the ICP process. Since ICP is iterative, caching correspondences at each iteration enables the nearest neighbor search to start from a point likely to be close to the true closest point. Experiments with accelerated ICP demonstrate a speedup on the order of 103 compared to an O(n2) nearest neighbor method and 102 compared to a k-d tree. When tested against other parallel ICP implementations, the accelerated Delaunay ICP ma (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Thomas Wischgoll Ph.D. (Advisor); Michael L. Raymer Ph.D. (Committee Member); Scott Nykl Ph.D. (Committee Member); Lingwei Chen Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Aerospace Engineering; Computer Engineering; Computer Science

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2022, Civil Engineering

The Dayanta pagoda, also called the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, is located in Shaanxi Province, China. Built in the Tang Dynasty, the Dayanta symbolizes the highest architectural achievement of ancient Chinese civil engineering. The process of constructing the Dayanta was investigated and simulated graphically in 3-D models. The methods of data collection, modeling, and VR production proved effective for digitally reconstructing an ancient building and simulating its construction process. The project was divided into four major parts: 1) data collection, 2) investigation of the construction process, 3) 3-D modeling and 4) VR production. Data collection uncovered the evolution of the Dayanta through the literature, with its changing style and number of levels, which reflected cultural influences on ancient Chinese architecture. The site selection of the pagoda on top of a plateau is speculated to stem from cultural and religious influences. Data collection enabled a repository about the Dayanta to be established, which included historical studies, dimensions, and photographs taken during a field trip to the Dayanta. Due to the scarcity of information of this ancient pagoda, the investigation of the structure and construction process of Dayanta often requires the use of present practice as a guideline to past practices, tailored to the availability of ancient materials and technology. The investigation of the structure and construction process of the Dayanta provided these important findings: 1) The local yellow loess soil, which is soft and unstable, was excavated and replaced with a mixture of gravel, sand, and rammed soil. 2) The integrated foundation made of rammed soil and brick is believed to be stronger than that made solely of rammed soil, since the pagoda rebuilt in 709 CE after the foundation of the first version collapsed still stands. 3) The case of the Dayanta serves as a template for studying ancient construction management, which requires a high degree (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Fabian Tan (Advisor) Subjects: Archaeology; Architectural; Architecture; Civil Engineering; Education; Education History; Educational Technology; Educational Tests and Measurements; History

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2020, Mechanical Engineering

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Automated Driving Systems (ADS) are ushering in a new era of transportation innovation and safety by incorporating technologies aimed at making the driving experience safer, more efficient, and comfortable. They assist in performing complex maneuvers, preempt potential risky situations, and take over the driver's tasks in critical situations. Innovation acceptance research for ADAS show that the increasing demand for safety and comfort are the two key prime movers of ADAS market. Hence, there is a need to comprehensively test for both during the process of product verification and validation. Due to complexity of the system, cost of testing and safety of the test engineers, a significant part of ADAS/ADS algorithms validation needs to be done virtually. Although simulation-based validation and verification (V&V) is not new, the requirements of test descriptions and software tools are not yet well understood. This project builds around the process of simulation for testing by exposing ADAS/ADS software to pre-defined scenarios. Different scenarios are built in a series of virtual simulators which have unique features, methods and assumptions that must be well-understood for the results to be proven valid. These essential features of the simulators are documented to understand the effect of simulator specific scenario parameters on simulation results. For the perceived safety and comfort aspect of ADAS, objective assessment of the Lane Keep Assist feature is performed which involves a MATLAB®-based tool for giving a scalar rating to the performance of the Lane Keep Assist system. For a series of simulations, the essential drive quality parameters and the corresponding “goodness score” ratings of ADAS based on suitable metrics are used to train and develop a Machine learning algorithm that gives a quality assessment of the Lane Keep Assist system. Finally, a methodology is proposed that can be used to perform the same asse (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Shawn Midlam-Mohler (Advisor); Punit Tulpule (Advisor); Lisa Fiorentini (Committee Member) Subjects: Engineering

Master of Science (MS), Wright State University, 2019, Computer Science

This thesis research project focuses on design and development of an immersion simulation-based training tool that help raise the social determinants of health (SDOH) awareness among the health care providers. Compared to existing classroom lecture and/or role-play based SDOH education approach, our immersion-simulation based approach provides an easy access and highly realistic experience to such training curriculum at anytime and anywhere with an Internet connection. Such an interactive and immersive exposure is critical to raise SDOH awareness and maintain long-lasting empathy towards actual patients in practice, and thus help providers to be better prepared when encountering with those patients. Particularly, this thesis has contributed to the first mobile virtual immersion dedicated for SDOH training. We take advantage of the latest advances in mobile VR technologies to create the new SDOH training mobile game that is made available for both tablets and smartphone devices. It presents specifically such Social determinants of health as numerous adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), SUD, race and ethnicity, unemployment, and single mothers. A preliminary validation was carried out to assess its acceptance and effectiveness as a training tool. Early evidences from the collected data show that this simulation is an effective learning platform that helps providers: 1) decrease any negative biases toward patients; and, 2) be a more understanding health professional.

Committee: Yong Pei Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Paul J. Hershberger Ph.D. (Committee Co-Chair); Mateen M. Rizki Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Computer Science

Master of Computer Science, Miami University, 2019, Computer Science and Software Engineering

Head-mounted displays (HMD) and position tracking technology have allowed for the exploration of virtual environments (VE) through natural walking. However, navigating through walking limits the size of the VE that can be traversed. Redirected walking aims to allow for unlimited sized VEs by imperceptibly steering users away from obstacles and boundaries. Redirection techniques have traditionally been studied through human subject tests, which can be time-consuming and costly to perform. We present a simulation that is able to reproduce redirected walking experiments using previous live user data. We propose improvements to Artificial Potential Field (APFRDW), a state-of-the-art redirection technique, and optimize the effectiveness of the algorithm through the use of a genetic algorithm. For multi-user simulations, we have found that APFRDW produces a 54.6% reduction in resets compared to Steer-to-Center, and we have found that using a genetic algorithm to optimize parameters resulted in a 14.5% reduction in resets compared to previous results utilizing parameters obtained through random search.

Committee: Eric Bachmann (Advisor); Eric Hodgson (Committee Member); Michael Zmuda (Committee Member) Subjects: Computer Science

Master of Science (MS), Wright State University, 2019, Computer Science

This thesis describes the tools for studying different design prototypes. The goal was to develop effective tools to study these designs using a data-driven approach. “Proof of concept” experiments were conducted, in which participants were allowed to interact with a virtual environment depicting different designs as data pertaining to their virtual location and orientation was recorded for later analysis. The designs included “flat” store racks, as opposed to racks with more varied shapes, as well as “curved” racks. Focus of the design studies was to assist in identifying optimal locations for different product types. The automated data collection mechanisms required specialized data analysis tools which were also developed throughout this work. For the study, mostly full-scale walkable VR displays were used. However, this thesis also includes some discussion on potential avenues for expanding this project, such as the use of VR headsets.

Committee: Thomas Wischgoll Ph.D. (Advisor); John Gallagher Ph.D. (Committee Member); Pratik J. Parikh Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Computer Science

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2019, Physics

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has become an important imaging method in the field of medical diagnostics and therapy due to its soft tissue contrast and use of non-ionizing radiations (unlike CT and X-ray). However, MRI also presents a number of safety issues including RF induced heating created by the interaction of the RF electromagnetic fields with human tissue and possible medical implants. A particular and important concern arises in the presence of any electrically conducting implant within the imaging specimen. The coupling between the conducting implants and RF electromagnetic fields produces relatively strong electrical currents within the implant and surrounding tissue which lead to ohmic heating and possibly unsafe temperature rises that damage tissue. One type of implant, and the focus of this thesis, are Stereo-electroencephalography (SEEG) electrodes. The SEEG electrodes are partially inserted into the brain of epilepsy patients for the localization and monitoring of focal epileptic zones. The electrical contacts on the SEEG electrode within the brain are connected via signal wires to external instrumentation to monitor the electrical activity in the brain. In this work, we study the RF induced heating due to the SEEG electrodes using both experimental measurements and numerical simulations. As a means for improved understanding of RF heating with implants containing both internal and external conductors, and to help validate the agreement between simulations and experiment, studies were first performed with a single insulated conducting copper wire using an MRI phantom. The benchmark for characterizing the level of RF heating was the temperature rise within the phantom and near the implants. These studies were then extended to include an 8 contact SEEG electrode, and then configurations with multiple wires and multiple SEEG electrodes. The results of the study demonstrate the importance of the length of the SEEG electrode and the signal wire (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Michael Martens Prof. (Advisor) Subjects: Biomedical Engineering; Biomedical Research; Physics

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2018, Civil Engineering

Dougong, one of the unique features of ancient Chinese architecture, are located at the intersections of pillars under the roofs in the support systems of ancient Chinese buildings. Virtual reality (VR) is a way to recreate or simulate an environment in which users can interact with objects with high realism and have an immersive experience exploring this virtual world. So far, 38 types of dougong have been modeled in 3-D graphics and imported into the virtual reality environment to establish a complete dougong 3-D graphical library, in which the user can browse and review dougong knowledge with multiple presentation methods in an immersive and interactive experience. Furthermore, a knowledge-based system with the inference engine as a decision tree, the Intelligent Dougong System in Virtual Reality (IDSVR), has been developed as a learning platform to introduce and comprehensively simulate dougong structure and construction. To assess the performance of the application of virtual reality adopted in engineering education, a set of surveys was conducted among the users to collect their feedback on IDSVR. The results obtained from this project prove that the technique of virtual reality is a promising approach to reconstructing ancient buildings and structures such as the Chinese dougong that was modeled, presented, and simulated in this project.

Committee: Fabian Tan (Advisor); Lisa Burris (Committee Member); Abdollah Shafieezadeh (Committee Member); Michael Parke (Committee Member) Subjects: Archaeology; Architecture; Civil Engineering; Computer Engineering; Education; Engineering; History

BA, Oberlin College, 2016, Computer Science

This paper presents elaborations upon the beam tracing algorithm first introduced to acoustic research in 1998. Beam tracing for audio approximates reverberation filters present in physical architectural scenes by analyzing digital models of those scenes to compose the impulse responses of those filters. The algorithm as originally presented takes into account some of the acoustic absorption properties of the materials making up the scene. However, it has previously assumed that each surface which reflects or transmits sound does so at an even distribution across the space of audible frequencies. This paper describes a method for incorporating non-flat frequency responses of surfaces, which resolves this shortcoming. A survey of human subjects confirms that after these improvements, the algorithm produces more convincing and realistic filters.

Committee: Robert Geitz (Advisor) Subjects: Acoustics; Architecture; Computer Engineering; Computer Science; Music

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2015, Curriculum and Instruction

The proliferation of online simulation games across the globe in many different languages offers Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) researchers an opportunity to examine how language learning occurs in such virtual environments. While there has recently been an increase in the number of exploratory studies involving learning experiences of predominantly English as a Second or Foreign Language (ESL/EFL) participants in these environments, the context of a Japanese as a Foreign Language (JFL) classrooms has rarely been examined. To address this, this study investigates a Second Language Acquisition-theory driven instantiation of CALL within the context of a JFL classroom. Through a mixed-method case study approach, participants' natural acquisition of Japanese in a 3D virtual environment was examined. Data detailing participants' communicative capacities in several modalities were collected, as were their attitudes toward participation in a massively multiplayer online (MMO)-based virtual world of Tokyo. In the present study, eight sources of data from eleven university-level JFL students (n=11) were collected and analyzed to evaluate the learning outcomes from an integrative CALL framework (Warschauer, 2004; Yamazaki, 2014). Based on both interpretative and statistical analyses of data, the major finding of the present study was that the participants, when immersed in the 3D virtual world of Tokyo, acquired contextualized communicative competence. More specifically, quantitative analyses revealed statistically significant improvement in the participants' acquisition of incidentally encountered vocabulary, in particular, kanji pronunciation and vocabulary interpretation. Qualitative analyses revealed participants' acquisition of various communicative competencies specific to the context, including persuasive talk, concept of audience, collaborative communication, and colloquial expressions. Data from a post-hoc reflection survey provided strong evidence (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Susanna Hapgood (Committee Chair); Leigh Chiarelott (Committee Member); Douglas Coleman (Committee Member); Florian Feucht (Committee Member) Subjects: Curricula; Curriculum Development; Educational Technology; Instructional Design; Language

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2015, Civil Engineering

The construction of ancient monuments, such as the Colosseum (Coliseum) of Rome, was an enigmatic and complex process that has never been explored. Most sources about the largest ancient amphitheater focus on the historical and archaeological aspects. This dissertation seeks to elaborate on the construction methods of the Colosseum using engineering principles, based on which a digital reconstruction of the most likely of these methods in the form of a virtual-reality simulation – a process that has never been attempted before in the construction study of this ancient monument – was created. This dissertation presents a state-of-the-art and comprehensive exploration of the construction of the Colosseum, deriving and compiling information from both personal observations and a number of different historical and archaeological sources as well as findings from the monument itself. The construction processes of the Colosseum can be divided into five distinct stages: the pre-plan and plan, which details how the site of the construction was selected and drafted; the substructure, involving an analysis the best and safest alternative for constructing the foundation of the building; the hypogea or underground chambers, which provide chambers beneath the arena to house the gladiators and other contestants; the superstructure, the majority of the building which could have been built in several different ways, each of which consists of a number of organized stages; and the velarium, or roof awning, which can be installed in several different ways, resulting in different ranges of protection from the weather. After the different construction methods that may be employed for all of these stages are compared, a number of possible pathways of construction are established, and one of them is selected as the most plausible given the construction practices of the ancient Romans. The findings of the construction methods of such a majestic structure are not complete without simulation (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Frank Croft Jr. (Advisor); Tarunjit Butalia (Committee Member); Rachel Kajfez (Committee Member) Subjects: Archaeology; Architecture; Civil Engineering; Classical Studies; Computer Science; Engineering; History

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2014, Engineering and Applied Science: Mechanical Engineering

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is the process of producing 3D parts from a digital model in a layer by layer manner without the need for part specific tooling. Part material is typically a liquid that is photocured as in Stereolithography (SLA) or a powder that is sintered, as in Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) or Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS). In this research a mathematical model of a typical DMLS machine is created to evaluate errors during additive manufacturing. This model incorporates machine error parameters to account for imperfections in machine linkages that cause these errors. The total machine error is modelled as two independent systems: the laser positioning error on the bed and the platform movement error along the z direction. The AM process is then simulated using a Virtual Manufacturing (VM) scheme to compute the actual geometry of the manufactured part for given AM process parameters. Part build orientation and location on manufacturing platform are the two process parameters that were considered in this VM process. Then cylindricity and flatness errors on this part are measured. The virtual manufacturing process is repeated for different values of layer thickness and different part location on the AM machine's platform. These results are used to identify part orientations and part locations on the manufacturing platform that meet cylindricity and flatness tolerance requirement specified on the part.

Committee: Sundararaman Anand Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Sundaram Murali Meenakshi Ph.D. (Committee Member); David Thompson Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Mechanics

Master of Science in Computer Engineering (MSCE), Wright State University, 2011, Computer Engineering

This thesis investigates the use of an artificial neural network (ANN), in particular a Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), to perform function approximation on truth data representing a weapon engagement zone's (WEZ) maximum launch range. The WEZ of an air-to-air missile represents the boundaries and zones of effectiveness for a one-vs-one air-to-air combat engagement [13]. The intent is for the network to fuse table lookup and interpolation functionality into a physically compact and computationally efficient package, while improving approximation accuracy over conventional methods. Data was collected from simulated firings of a notional air-to-air missile model and used to train a two layer perceptron using the Bayesian Regularization training algorithm. The resulting best network was able to improve approximation accuracy and reduce the amount of truth data needed. With basic feasibility established, future efforts can be focused on more comprehensive comparisons with existing methods and deployment within practical models.

Committee: John Gallagher PhD (Advisor); Mateen Rizki PhD (Committee Member); Michael Raymer PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Computer Engineering; Computer Science

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2012, Nursing: Nursing - Doctoral Program

Purpose: Disaster preparation of healthcare professionals is seriously inadequate. The purpose of this experimental study was to examine the longitudinal effects of virtual reality simulation (VRS) on learning outcomes and learning retention of disaster training with Associate Degree nursing students. Research Design: The study employed a longitudinal experimental design using two groups and repeated measures. The participants were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (Web-based teaching method with VRS) or standard group (Web-based teaching only) for disaster training. Methods: Participants were a convenience sample of second year Associate Degree nursing students enrolled in a disaster course. Consented subjects were randomized to two groups; one group completed Web-based modules alone. The other completed both the Web-based modules and a virtually simulated disaster experience. Learning was measured using a 20 question multiple choice assessment pre/post and at two months following training. To address the research questions and to assess the overall effect of the VRS the results of the assessment scores were analyzed by SPSS software using the generalized linear model, implementing generalized estimating equations. Independent and paired t-tests were used to examine the between and within participant differences. Findings: Overall the main effect of the virtual simulation was strongly significant (p < .0001). Both groups showed similar improvement of scores following the teaching interventions on the first post assessment. However, significant differences were seen in the scores at two-months. The VRS effect demonstrated stability over time while the standard (non-simulation) group showed significant decay in scores. Conclusion: In this preliminary examination, VRS is an instructional method that reinforces learning and improves learning retention. The use of VRS in disaster training may improve accessibility and cost effectiveness as an alte (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Elaine Miller RN DNS (Committee Chair); Nathan Timm MD (Committee Member); John Schafer PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Nursing

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2011, Pharmacy

The objective of this dissertation was to design small molecule drug candidates for different disease targets by understanding the energetics and dynamics of their binding protein/enzyme/receptor partners. Protein-protein interactions are intrinsic to virtually every cellular process such as transcription regulation and signal transduction, and inappropriate protein-protein interactions may lead to human diseases such as cancer. These interactions commonly rely on a few key residues (“hot spot residues”) and single point mutations of “hot spot” residues could cause disruption of theses protein complexes. Hence, small molecule antagonists, which interfere mainly with critical amino acid contacts, could have significant outcomes on disruption of binding equilibrium of protein/protein complex. By utilizing this concept, we have designed IL-6 inhibitors to disrupt interactions between IL-6 and gp130 (chapter 2, 3 and 4). Traditional drug discovery begins by identifying the protein target related to disease and finding a lead compound, a potential drug that bears the desired physical and biological features from a library of known chemical compounds. This limits the search space from the beginning and makes new drug discovery (new chemical structure) a very difficult task. However, as the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind many diseases are increasingly understood, new avenues for rational drug development emerge. This can be complemented by structure based drug design methods that utilize three dimensional structure of the target protein. Recent advancements in computational techniques and hardware have helped researchers using in silico methods to a speedy lead identification and optimization. Large virtual chemical libraries are now available for screenings that lead to discovery of small molecule inhibitors of HIV-IN and LEDGF interactions (Chapter 5 and 6). Protein/receptor structures are not static in the body; they often bear plasticity by accommodating ch (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Chenglong Li (Advisor); James Fuchs R (Committee Member); Jiayuh Lin (Committee Member) Subjects: Bioinformatics; Biophysics; Pharmacy Sciences