Digital Commons Network^™

Traditional Ecological Knowledge In Collaborative Forest Restoration In The Sierra Nevada, Michael Boero

Master's Theses

Forest restoration in the Sierra Nevada is receiving increased attention due to climate change, increasing populations in the wildland-urban interface, and the historical mismanagement of some forests, evidenced in part by the increasing frequency and severity of wildfires in recent years. In response to an urgency to implement restoration in the absence of consensus on the best ways to proceed, public land managers practice collaborative management approaches to ameliorate antagonism between stakeholders and allow restoration projects to proceed when agreement is difficult to achieve. Stakeholders often include representatives from local community groups, environmental organizations, private industry, and—notably—tribal groups, who hold …

Portrait Of A California Mystic, Lisa Francesca

Master's Theses

This book is about Helen van Löben Sels, an automatic writer born in the late nineteenth century, who was my great-grandmother. It explores a part of her life during which her writing was inspired by a spiritual or subconscious agency rather than by her conscious intention. I describe her childhood as an East Coast publisher’s daughter, and her career as a California ranch wife and mother to discern what might have precipitated her mediumship. By exploring cardboard boxes filled with her papers, family memoirs and other sources, I found that an inherited propensity to write, the difficulty of being heard …

The Sediment Analysis Of A Prehistoric Shell Midden From Nevis, West Indies, Erika Harvey

Master's Theses

Archaeology in the Caribbean is a growing area of research. The last few decades have revealed a series of Ceramic Age sites +600BCE - 1620CE along the Windward coast of Nevis, West Indies. These sites must be excavated and examined soon, due to the effects of erosion and sea level rise. It is pertinent to explore and expand the knowledge of the prehistoric Carib peoples, if we are truly going to understand the history of the Caribbean. By bridging aspects of science and humanities through geoarchaeological methods, this project is aiming for an interdisciplinary approach to better understand the pre-Colonial …

A Full Factorial Analysis Of Polymerization Conditions Of Sodium Alginate Beads To Determine The Effect On Diffusivity And Concentration Limit Of Tryptophan And Glucose, Allison Schulkins

Master's Theses

The purpose of this work is to develop an experimental setup with associated mathematical analysis to analyze the changes in diffusivity through calcium alginate gel beads made under different polymerization conditions. The diffusivity of the solutes glucose and tryptophan was calculated by measuring the concentration change over time as solute diffused out of the alginate spheres and into the bulk. The alginate beads were generated using different polymerization conditions following a two-level, three-factor, full-factorial matrix with alginate concentration, cross-linker concentration, and cross-linking time as the factors. The diffusivities showed variations between different conditions, which were analyzed to determine the main …

The Common Lot Of Nature: The Stoic Concept Of Death In The Writings Of St. Ambrose, Nathan Michael Falls Hall

Master's Theses

The Common Lot of Nature is a comparative analysis which questions the completeness of St. Ambrose’s Christian faith. The comparison focuses specifically on notions of death, and how one should deal with its presence in one’s life. This emphasis was chosen because Ambrose was a Christian bishop who was heavily influenced by Stoicism, and these two worldviews held contrasting beliefs on how death fits into the lives of human beings. The paper begins with an outline of other research regarding Stoicism or its potential connections with Christianity. The following two sections discuss how Stoics and 4th century Christians conceptualized death …

Geophysical Characterization Of A Rare Earth Element Enriched Carbonatite Terrane At Mountain Pass, California Eastern Mojave Desert, Kevin Denton

Master's Theses

Mountain Pass, California, located in the eastern Mojave Desert, hosts one of the world's richest rare earth element (REE) deposits. The REE-rich rocks occur in a 2.5 km- wide, north-northwest trending zone of Mesoproterozoic (1.4–1.42 Ga) stocks and dikes, which intrude a larger Paleoproterozoic (1.7 Ga) schist-gneiss terrane that extends ~10 km southward from Clark Mountain to the Mescal Range. Several REE-enriched bodies make up the Mountain Pass intrusive suite including shonkinite, syenite, and granite comprising an ultrapotassic intrusive suite and the Sulphide Queen carbonatite body.

Two-dimensional modeling of gravity, magnetic, and electrical resistivity data reveals that the Mountain Pass …

Hmong In America: An Emergence Of The American Identity, Nkauj Hli Melinda Lo

Master's Theses

The historical background of the Hmong ethnic group and immigration in regards to how the emergence of the American identity has impacted their cultural identity is examined in this thesis. A qualitative study was conducted to better understand the impacts of immigration and the reasons that younger generations have pushed to be one with the American identity. Drawing upon 10 in-depth interviews of second-generation children of Hmong immigrants, the findings show that the Hmong identity has lost its preservation through the Hmong ethnic group’s experiences in the United States. The researcher found that the American identity affects the Hmong cultural …

Youth Sport Development Pathways And Experiences Of Ncaa Division I Women's College Soccer Players, Emily Hardell

Master's Theses

As youth sport has become increasingly professionalized, many believe that the route to elite level play is through early specialization. Early specialization is a contentious issue, and many risk factors have been associated with high levels and intensities of training in youth. Youth today participate in highly competitive sport in pursuit of elite levels of play, recognition, and financial gain. Early specialization is thought to be a requirement for advancement, yet little is known about the early experiences of team sport athletes who grew up in the US. This is the story of 15 elite female athletes who “made it” …

Preparation And Characterization Of A (Viologen) Containing Main Chain Peg-Carbon Nanotubes Phase For Hybrid Supercapacitor Application, Kanishka Rana

Master's Theses

Supercapacitors (SCs) and batteries are recognized as the two most important electrical energy storage devices. SCs have some distinct advantages such as high-power density and long cycle life when compared to batteries. However, they have yet to match the energy densities of batteries. In an effort to improve the energy density of SCs, a hybrid supercapacitor was developed using a pair of single-walled carbon nanotube electrodes and two polyethylene glycol (PEG-400) gel-polymer electrolytes (GPEs) containing redox additives of viologen (V) and ferrocene dicarboxylic acid (Fc), respectively. The introduction of V and Fc, was expected to improve the energy performance of …

Eductional Persistence In Latino Male Students Attending University: Their Experiences And Identity Development, Michelle Swartz

Master's Theses

Because Latino male students have lower graduation rates from high school and postsecondary institutions than other demographic groups have, this qualitative research study examined the psychosocial experiences that influence the development of educational persistence. To this end, eight Latino male undergraduate students, who are also low-income and first-generation students at San José State University, participated in semi-structured interviews in which they discussed their identities and school experiences. An analysis of the eight interviews shows how these students made meaning of their education, gender identity, and ethnicity. The constant comparative method for analyzing interview transcripts revealed the following themes: (a) the …

Developmental Effects Of Nicotine Exposure In Drosophila Melanogaster, Lisa Janet Wong

Master's Theses

Approximately 12%-20% of pregnant women smoke at some point during pregnancy, and 10% of pregnant women are reported to have smoked during the last 3 months of pregnancy. Smoking during pregnancy leads to developmental health risks for the fetus and child, including increased mortality, low birth weight, and developmental delays. The direct molecular targets of nicotine are nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) due to the similarities in structure between nicotine and acetylcholine. However, in many cases, it remains unclear what molecular events downstream of nAChRs lead to the deleterious effects of nicotine on development. We have established Drosophila melanogaster as a …

Community Structure And Zonation Of Antarctic Benthic Invertebrates: Using A Remotely Operated Vehicle Under Ice To Define Biological Patterns, Dorota Szuta

Master's Theses

The Ross Sea, Antarctica is a deep bay of the Southern Ocean that exhibits seasonal sea ice and is adjacent to a permanent ice shelf overlying seawater. In 2008 and 2009, imagery of the seafloor under the McMurdo Ice Shelf and under the seasonal ice in the Ross Sea was collected via remotely operated vehicle (ROV) at depths to 300 m. Distinct differences in Antarctic benthic communities were observed over multiple environmental gradients. Species abundance typically exhibited a unimodal distribution with depth with mid-depth peaks, reflecting a food limitation at the deep end and potentially ice disturbance on the shallow …

Effect Of Land Use Types On The Distribution Of Carnivore Species In Santa Clara County, Ca., Logan Thompson

Master's Theses

Anthropogenic pressures such as habitat loss and hunting pressures have caused terrestrial mammalian carnivores to decline by 95–99% in many regions of the world. These species are especially susceptible to fragmented habitats and a diminishing food supply because of their slow reproductive rates and high metabolic demands. In biodiversity hotspots such as California, understanding the range of human impacts to species is critical. This project assessed carnivore species distribution and occupancy by placing remote camera traps in a protected Reserve, agricultural, and developed land use types. Mountain lions were only detected in the protected Reserve, and because of this coyotes …

Examining A Hierarchical Linear Regression Model Of Overgeneral Memory: Methodological Issues, Car-Fa-X Model Mechanisms, And Memory Encoding As Represented By Cognitive Attributional Style, Carrie Adrian Davis

Master's Theses

Overgeneral memory (OGM) is a phenomenon of reduced autobiographical memory specificity observed in major depressive disorder (MDD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Individuals demonstrating OGM tend to describe past events generally rather than specifically recalling single memory occurrences. Research shows that OGM is perpetuated by three mechanisms: capture in the memory hierarchy due to trait rumination (CaR), functional avoidance of specific memory retrieval (FA), and impaired executive control (X), which together make up the CaR-FA-X model of OGM. Research on the CaR-FA-X model has historically looked at each mechanism in isolation. The current research aimed to compare the contributions of …

Authentication And Encryption Of Aerial Robotics Communication, Maojie Han

Master's Theses

As designed to accept custom modules, autonomous aircrafts has developed into a fast-paced industry. The remote-control system of aerial robotics is typically based on wireless communications methods, such as 2.4 GHz, 5.8 GHz, or Wi-Fi. Because the services vary with the communication method, users face different kinds of cybersecurity challenges. This thesis provides an innovative solution for the authentication and security methods in proposed aerial robotics communication network. The thesis begins with an introduction to RF drone communications. After a discussion of the MAV Link communication protocol, the thesis will focus on the differences between the existing one-to-one network and …

Design And Analysis Of Bio-Inspired Nacelle For Current Energy Turbine, Michael Coe

Master's Theses

he world’s oceans contain a substantial amount of energy, stored in ocean currents and waves. Ocean current energy can be extracted using similar principles to existing wind energy platforms. A problem with such extraction methods is that the velocity of the fluid in ocean currents is too low for efficient energy generation. A potential solution to this problem is the use of a concentrator or diffuser to increase fluid velocity to the blades, but this carries with it extra costs. A more cost effective solution to this problem is presented by the use of a down flow current turbine in …

In Colbert We Trust: Teenagers And Comedic Persuasion, Peter G. Kistler

Master's Theses

In this study, high school students were exposed to either a comedy or conventional television news editorial segment, and each video’s persuasive effect was compared with the other. The sample consisted of 271 high school students from Valley Christian High School in San Jose, CA, a majority of whom were juniors and seniors. Students were separated into sample groups; one group viewed a Colbert Report editorial and guest interview focused on the concept of net neutrality, while the other group viewed an All In with Chris Hayes editorial and guest interview focused on the same subject. Both sample groups were …

The Relationship Between Perceptions And Actual Use Of Workplace Flexibility And Employee Engagement, Katherine Baer

Master's Theses

Previous research has identified both perceptions of the availability of flexible work arrangements and use of these arrangements as a predictor of engagement (Richman, Civian, Shannon, Hill, & Brennan, 2008; Ten Brummelhuis, Bakker, Hetland, & Keulemans, 2012). However, no studies have looked at the incremental effect use of flexible work arrangements have on engagement, above and beyond actual use. Very few studies have looked at how gender moderates the relationship between perceptions of flexible work arrangements and use of flexible work arrangements and engagement. The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the relationships between perceptions and actual …

Recombinant Expression And Potential Autocatalysis Of Aedes Aegypti Trypsin-Like Serine Proteases (Aaspii And Aaspiv), Diane Francine Eilerts

Master's Theses

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes can be found globally in tropical and subtropical urban areas and spread Zika, Dengue fever, yellow fever, and Chikungunya viruses. Current vector control methods are limited and nonspecific. The female Ae. aegypti mosquito uses blood meal proteins to obtain nutrients required for oogenesis; inhibition of the midgut trypsin-like serine proteases responsible for blood meal digestion may provide a novel method of vector control. Ae. aegypti blood meal digestion is complex and the role of uncharacterized serine proteases in blood digestion is unclear; specifically, a group of trypsin-like serine proteases (AaSPII–V) is expressed at constant levels before and …

Structural Analysis Of Eocene Dike Swarms In And Near The Duncan Hill Pluton, North Cascades, Washington, Kathleen Bryant

Master's Theses

Voluminous Eocene dikes in the North Cascades are thought to provide insights into the regional strain field during postulated ridge–trench interaction in the Pacific Northwest. One understudied area with a large number of dikes is spatially associated with the elongate (NW-SE), ~46 Ma granodioritic Duncan Hill pluton. The ~80 km2 study area contains the shallow part of this pluton and the host schist of the Twentyfive Mile Creek unit and tonalite and migmatite of the Cretaceous Chelan Complex. Field observations and petrographic analyses indicate that the dikes in the study area can be sub-divided compositionally and texturally into three types: …

Intelligent Threat-Aware Response System In Software-Defined Networks, Kunal Ketan Goswami

Master's Theses

Software-defined networks decouple the control plane from the data plane, enabling researchers to evaluate protocols and network configurations through the centralized point of control, the controller. They provide easy management and automation, scalability, and flexibility in the traditional computer network. In spite of these advantages, software-defined networks fall prey to various denial-of-service attacks specific to network protocols and applications despite their simplicity. There is a need to implement intelligence in the controller as a countermeasure for not only the various types of denial-of-service attacks but also the increasing sophistication involved in them. In this paper, an intelligent threat-aware response system …

Devil In A White Dress: Marie-Antoinette And The Fashioning Of A Scandal, Sarah Lorraine Goodman

Master's Theses

The portrait of Marie-Antoinette by Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun, known as La Reine en gaulle, has been discussed widely in art history owing to the scandal it provoked when it was exhibited in the Paris Salon in August 1783. Analysis has focused primarily on socio-economic issues of late-ancien regime France as a means of understanding how a relatively benign portrait of the Queen of France could engender so much anger when displayed for public consumption, centering around the queen’s identity as a public figure in contrast to the private individual painted by Vigée-Lebrun. However, very little has been discussed about the clothing …

The Moderating Effect Of Gender And Tenure On The Relationship Between Perceived Supervisor Support And Organizational Commitment, Megan Evelyn Little

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which the demographic variables of gender and tenure influence the strength and direction of the relationship between perceived supervisor support and organizational commitment. Responses to a 2014 organization-wide employee opinion survey from 383 employees within a computer software company were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression. In support of previous research, results from this study lay credence to the finding that perceived supervisor support has a positive, significant relationship with organizational commitment such that individuals who felt supported by their supervisors were more likely to report higher levels of organizational …

The Moderating Role Of Transformational Leadership And Perceived Organizational Support In The Relationship Between Openness To Experience And Creativity, Monica Luu

Master's Theses

Although openness to experience has been found to be a consistent and important determinant of creativity, organizations have been interested in ways in which they could alter the environment in order to increase creativity. Woodman, Sawyer, and Griffin (1993) argue that organizational creativity is a function of the interaction between an individual’s personality and environment. Using Woodman’s theory, the present study was conducted to test whether two organizational factors, transformational leadership and perceived organizational support (POS), would moderate the relationship between openness to experience and creativity. Data were collected from 114 fulltime and parttime employees from various organizations through use …

A Taxonomic Revision Of Eastern North Pacific Softnose Skates (Arhynchobatidae: Bathyraja Ishiyama), James Desmond Stanley Knuckey

Master's Theses

Softnose skates (Rajiformes: Arhynchobatidae: Bathyraja Ishiyama) are the most diverse genus of skates, with 54 described species, and are readily distinguishable from their congeners by their relatively uncalcified and flexible rostral cartilages. Six species of Bathyraja are considered valid in the eastern North Pacific, including: deepsea skate, B. abyssicola, Aleutian skate, B. aleutica, sandpaper skate, B. kincaidii, fine-spined skate, B. microtrachys, Pacific white skate, B. spinosissima, and roughtail skate, B. trachura. As with other skate genera, the eastern North Pacific Bathyraja lacks a well-supported phylogeny, which leads to issues with setting catch limits and creating management plans. This study identifies …

Temporal And Spatial Impacts Of Water Control Structures On The Benthic Infaunal Community Of A Tidally Restricted Wetland In Elkhorn Slough, Ca, Christine Marie Mann

Master's Theses

North Azevedo Pond in Elkhorn Slough, CA is a partially tidally restricted wetland that underwent an experimental ponding manipulation which increased inundation and tidal mixing within the system. This wetland has two spatially significant infaunal microsystems, south and north. Benthic cores taken before and after the manipulation showed that both the south and north infaunal communities remained dominated by the same major taxa, respectively. Both systems, however, experienced species shifts following the ponding manipulation. In the South, the non-native bivalve, Gemma gemma, declined from an average of 19,103 to 385 individuals (m2)-1 whereas the native clam, Nutricola tantilla, increased from …

Remains Of The 19th Century: Deep Storage Of Hydraulic Mining Sediment Along The Lower Yuba River, California, Tyler Kou Nakamura

Master's Theses

Since the onset of hydraulic mining in the Sierra Nevada in 1852, the environmental damage caused by displacement and storage of hydraulic mining sediment (HMS) has been a significant problem in downstream environments. Large volumes of mercury-laden HMS from the Yuba River watershed were deposited within the river corridor between the present site of Englebright Dam and the city of Marysville, CA, creating the anthropogenic Yuba Fan. However, there are outstanding uncertainties about how much HMS is still contained within this fan. To quantify the deep storage of HMS, I collected sediment from borings and outcrops along the lower Yuba …

Academic Barriers For Migrant Middle School Students In Salinas, California, Alexa Terhorst

Master's Theses

The educational barriers facing migrant students are examined in this research based on the experiences of teachers and Mexican migrant middle school students in Salinas, California. Through the research, I ask if academic barriers for migrant students differ from obstacles of their peers and if so, what are those differences? The barriers to migrant students’ education were explored through a literature review, examining themes of parental involvement, teacher–student relationships, student self-esteem, and the use of educational programs. Through snowball sampling, semi-structured interviews, and surveys, data were collected from four teachers and 18 migrant students to understand how these themes manifested …

Network Traffic Anomaly-Detection Framework Using Gpus, Meera Ramesh

Master's Theses

Network security has been very crucial for the software industry. Deep packet inspection (DPI) is one of the widely used approaches in enforcing network security. Due to the high volume of network traffic, it is challenging to achieve high performance for DPI in real time. In this thesis, a new DPI framework is presented that accelerates packet header checking and payload inspection on graphics processing units (GPUs). Various optimizations were applied to GPU-version packet inspection, such as thread-level and block-level packet assignment, warp divergence elimination, and memory transfer optimization using pinned memory and shared memory. The performance of the pattern-matching …

Convolutional Neural Network Acceleration On Gpu By Exploiting Data Reuse, Sindhuja Gopalakrishnan Elango

Master's Theses

Graphical processing units (GPUs) achieve high throughput with hundreds of cores for concurrent execution and a large register file for storing the context of thousands of threads. Deep learning algorithms have recently gained popularity for their capability for solving complex problems without programmer intervention. Deep learning algorithms operate with a massive amount of input data that causes high memory access overhead. In the convolutional layer of the deep learning network, there exists a unique pattern of data access and reuse, which is not effectively utilized by the GPU architecture. These abundant redundant memory accesses lead to a significant power and …