Digital Commons Network^™

Datalogger Sequence Execution Engine (Dsqee), Edmund Yingxiang Yee

Computer Engineering

The PolySat Research Group accepts projects from several companies that wish to use a CubeSat for some experiment. One of the projects called Intelligent Payload Experiment, or IPEX, needs software to interact with out system avionics. One of these software will be datalogger, which will be augmented from its original datalogging scheme to support sequentially execution of commands/algorithms that our client, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, or JPL, need. My part of the project explains the software design decisions behind datalogger.

Robot X, Alan Truong, Alex Haag

Computer Engineering

The following report outlines the design decisions behind Robot X for the 2012 Cal Poly Roborodentia competition held annually during Open House. This investigation includes detailed overview of Robot X's sensory system, driving system, conveyor belt system, and can compartment system. In addition, basic hardware and software design are explored.

Check Image Processing: Webp Conversion And Micr Scan Android Application, Trevor Bliss

Computer Engineering

As more users favor smartphones over computers for simple tasks, small businesses are constantly exploring mobile options to present to their customers. This write-up documents an Android application designed for a small company, which allows users to send pictures of checks to the company’s servers for processing. The picture is taken with the devices built-in camera and is converted to Google’s new image format, WebP. The company’s server processes the check and returns the check’s MICR code as a response. This application leverages the Android NDK and JNI to use Google’s open source image conversion libraries as well as socket …

A Push For States Rights Laws To Create A New Articles Of Confederation System Of Government In America: Eliminating The Middle-Class By Enacting Right To Work Laws And Voter I.D. Laws, Scott H. Jenkins

Continuing Education (CAPSTONE)

This case study seeks to discover if there is a relationship between underlying racism and a push for total governmental control by elected Tea Party officials and conservative Supreme Court Justices affecting the increase of sovereign states’ rights laws which are being manifested through right-to-work laws and voter identification laws. The question that will be asked is: whether resentful southern conservatives and Tea Party Republicans are “waging a war with the Federal Government”, unions and voters in an attempt to return the American Constitution to the Articles of Confederation by strengthening states’ rights laws while weakening federal powers (Pilkingtoni, 2010). …

Effect Of Exercise On Adult Neurogenesis In Crayfish, Jennifer E. Klutts

Masters Theses

Adult neurogenesis, formation of new neurons, has been determined to be a part of the normal physiology in all species of animals studied to date. There have been several factors observed to increase the number of newly formed cells; the most potent of these factors being exercise. Though exercise has a strong effect on neurogenesis by increasing proliferation and new cell survival it has not been extensively studied in many model organisms. This study is the first to look at the effect of exercise on neurogenesis in an invertebrate through the use of crayfish, Orconectes propinquus. Experimental designs, drying protocols …

Heart Rate Artifact Suppression, Christopher Dickson

Masters Theses

Motion artifact strongly corrupts heart rate measurements in current pulse oximetry systems. In many, almost any motion will greatly diminish the system’s ability to extract a reliable heart rate. The artifact is most likely present due to normally non-pulsatile components of the body, such as venous blood and tissue fluid, which become pulsatile during motion. This paper presents a motion artifact reduction method using an accelerometer that attempts to recover a usable heart rate sensor signal that has been corrupted by motion. The method was developed for a wrist pulse oximeter sensor and was adapted for a ring sensor, both …

The Acute Responses Of Different-Sized Coronary Arteries To Testosterone, Sampath Madanu

Masters Theses

Coronary arteries supply blood to the myocardium. The blood flow within the coronary arteries is altered by various compounds produced within the body. Sex hormones such as testosterone are known to cause the relaxation of large coronary arteries. But the response to testosterone is greater in in vivo conditions compared to in vitro conditions. We hypothesize that the responses of LADs (left anterior descending arteries) and its side branches to testosterone are heterogeneous and testosterone-induced vasodilation is greater in its side branches. Therefore, our study was designed to determine the effect of testosterone in different-sized coronary arteries. LADs and one …

Keyword Search In Social Networks, Vijeth Patil

Master's Projects

People often tend to ask their friends whenever they want some information related to topics like events, restaurants, or movies as majority of the search engines do not yield the desired results which people are seeking [1]. At present, majority of the current Open Source search engines like those based on Nutch also do not yield desired or expected results. Popular search engine, Google recently incorporated the feature of providing information from your social circle but only limited to Google Plus in your search results. On the other hand, micro blogging site Twitter has emerged as a vital source of …

The Educational Transition Resource Guide For Parents Of Middle School Students With Disabilities, Yoshiko Lindemeier

School of Occupational Therapy Master's Theses (2010-2015)

The purpose of K -12 education for students with disabilities is to prepare them for the transition to a meaningful adult life. As students transition from school to adult life, they need to develop social interaction and communication skills that support community participation. Adolescents with disabilities may require extra time to prepare for changes in life when compared to students with typical development. One study indicated that, for students with disabilities, starting transition planning in middle school can be beneficial and lead to better outcomes (Lee et al., 2011 ). There is a plethora of resources available on the internet …

Dogs As An Intervention For Behavioral Symptoms Of Older Adults With Dementia: A Systematic Review, Katie E. Mclellan

School of Occupational Therapy Master's Theses (2010-2015)

The purpose of this systematic review was to determine if dogs are an effective occupational therapy intervention for reducing agitation and increasing social participation among older adults with symptoms of dementia by examining and rating the current published evidence. Studies were included if a dog was the primary intervention, and participants were at least 65 years of age with a diagnosis of dementia. Eleven studies were identified that met inclusion criteria. A majority of those studies found that the use of a dog reduced agitated behaviors and promoted social participation in older adults with dementia. While the variability in the …

On-Campus Student Occupational Therapy Clinic’S Impact On Client’S Participation And Quality Of Life, Margaret Mcgarry

School of Occupational Therapy Master's Theses (2010-2015)

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of occupational therapy at an on-campus student clinic on clients’ activity participation and quality of life, as measured by the Activity Card Sort (ACS) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF measure (WHOQOL-BREF). Data were collected on 6 participants for the ACS, and 8 participants for the WHOQOL-BREF, at the beginning and end of a 10-week, 20-session treatment program. Pretest and posttest scores for the ACS current activity participation and WHOQOL-BREF Social Relationship Domain and Satisfaction with Life were statistically significant (p < .05). Physical Health, Psychological Health, and …

Effectiveness Of Low Electrical Sensory Stimulation From Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (Tens) In Promoting Upper Extremity Functionality Of Two Individuals Post-Stroke, Shu-Min Lin

School of Occupational Therapy Master's Theses (2010-2015)

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of low sensory electrical stimulation provided by a TENS unit on improving hand functionality in the treatment of patients post-stroke. An A-B-A single-subject design was used and two subjects participated in this study; one was a 70-year-old female who was 6 years post-stroke and one was a 63-year-old male 2 years post-stroke. For participant 1, there was no significant change in active extension of the first three digits but significant improvement in little finger active extension was shown when the intervention was introduced. The large light object subtest from the …

Client Adherence To Discharge Recommendations From A Campus Occupational Therapy Student Clinic, Nancy Fuller

School of Occupational Therapy Master's Theses (2010-2015)

Eighteen adults with chronic medical conditions who participated in a university occupational therapy clinic were surveyed about adherence to home program discharge recommendations. Adherence rates for discharge recommendations that were occupation-based or purposeful activities were compared to preparatory activities, including rote exercise. Reported adherence rates were not statistically different. The study also examined barriers and supports that impacted adherence. Statistically significant negative correlations were found between age and adherence to preparatory activity recommendations and between the number of discharge recommendations and adherence to preparatory activities. In order to achieve better adherence, and therefore improve outcomes, occupational therapists should carefully consider …

Secondary Lymphedema Due To Breast Cancer: A Look At The Quality Of Life And Psychosocial Treatment Approaches Used By Occupational Therapy Practitioners, Hannah Baldwin

School of Occupational Therapy Master's Theses (2010-2015)

This study examined the degree to which occupational therapy practitioners address psychosocial and quality of life (QOL) sequelae in adult clients with lymphedema resulting from breast cancer treatment. An original survey was sent to 268 practitioners who were listed on the open source contact list on the website of the Lymphology Association of North America. When promoting QOL, respondents indicated that inquiry was the most frequently used assessment and therapeutic exercise was the most commonly reported therapeutic activity. When assessing for psychosocial well-being practitioners reported most commonly using interview, with conversation the most frequently reported therapeutic activity. For both QOL …

Spiritual History Assessment And Occupational Therapy: Students Using The Fica©, Patricia Kelso-Wright

School of Occupational Therapy Master's Theses (2010-2015)

The purpose of this study was to examine students’ perceptions of spiritual history assessment and/or the experience of administering the FICA© with an adult client in an on-campus clinic. A retrospective survey was completed by 13 second year occupational therapy students enrolled in a clinic class. Of the 13 respondents, ten were able to implement the FICA©. Data collection included: demographic information; Likert scaled questions; and open and close-ended questions. Quantitative data were analyzed and the results indicated an increase in respondents’ confidence in administering a spiritual history assessment and discussing a client’s spiritual history. Seven of ten respondents noted …

Use Of Dance As A Medium For Providing An Active Leisure Option For Adults With Developmental Disabilities At L'Arche Tahoma Hope, Sarah Klemme

School of Occupational Therapy Master's Theses (2010-2015)

Obesity and reduced active leisure involvement are prevalent problems among core members with developmental disabilities living at L’Arche Tahoma Hope. As a result, core members may be less likely to participate in meaningful activities. Due to a variety of factors, L’Arche experienced difficulty with ways to increase everyday active leisure. A dance DVD and accompanying manual were created to help ameliorate the prevalence of obesity among core members and provide a fun, active leisure option. The content of the dance DVD includes: warm-up, stretching, dance routines with strengthening and aerobic components as well as a cool-down. L’Arche will be able …

Cooking After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Cookbook For Seattle Brainworks, Kelly Danielson

School of Occupational Therapy Master's Theses (2010-2015)

The purpose of this project was to create a cookbook for the members of Seattle Brainworks so they may participate in cooking activities with various adaptations and modifications. Seattle Brainworks is a pilot clubhouse program in the state of Washington that provides a structured workday, where the members participate in meal planning, cooking, grocery shopping and financial planning.

The desired outcome of this project was for members of Seattle Brainworks to have a tool that enables them to participate in cooking in the clubhouse, as well as resources they may use to apply cooking strategies at home. The cookbook …

Educational Class Series For The University Of Puget Sound Pediatric On-Site Clinic, Vicki Parsons

School of Occupational Therapy Master's Theses (2010-2015)

The purpose of this project was to provide an educational class series for parents of children with disabilities whose children attend occupational therapy at the University of Puget Sound On-site Pediatric Clinic. The educational class series provided parents of children with disabilities a resource on the role of occupational therapy in pediatric practice, occupational therapy evaluation, and strategies to help their child be successful at home. A resource manual was provided to the clinic coordinator at the University of Puget Sound On-site Pediatric Clinic that contains the procedure, the content, and the materials used during the educational class series.

Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder And Service Dogs: Aiding Veterans To Re-Engage In Daily Life, Katrena M. Heagwood

School of Occupational Therapy Master's Theses (2010-2015)

An educational manual was created to provide increased knowledge and functional benefit of use of a service dog for veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. This manual was designed for the All American Dogs Foundation to use in conjunction with the training manual provided by All American Dogs Foundation for the service dogs. It has been designed to help veterans identify potential ways service dogs can improve overall quality of life. The manual provides veterans with the knowledge to advocate for themselves and their service dog. There are five sections provided in this manual to educate on ways to promote healing …

Facilitating Rest For Victims Of Sex Trafficking At Genesis Project Safe House, Julie Snider

School of Occupational Therapy Master's Theses (2010-2015)

Anxiety management techniques are commonly used by occupational therapists in mental health settings to help reduce symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and facilitate participation in meaningful occupations. With a growing number of human trafficking victims in Washington state, local non-profit organizations have begun to team with health professionals and law enforcement to become involved in their rescue and reintegration. This is a current emerging practice area for occupational therapists. A “relaxation” kit and accompanying manual were created to assist staff at Genesis Project Safe-house of South King County in providing relaxing activities that facilitate participation in rest for trafficked …

Welfare Reform: The Politics Of Redistributive Policy, Carolyn Winfrey Holcomb

All Student Theses

My analysis will focus on whether the goals of Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunities Reauthorization Act (PRWORA) of 1996 was self-sufficiency or was it designed to eliminate redistributive public policies and the implementation of morality policies. The purpose of this research was to analyze the barriers or impediments that the single mothers living in poverty encounter in society and whether PRWORA adequately addressed the barriers facing single mothers living in poverty. Specifically, my research analyzed the barriers of the family structure, culture of poverty, residential mobility, inadequate education, and the lack of social capital that may or may not have …

A Tale Of Three Cities: The Cold War Tripartite Relationship Between Washington, London, And Paris, 1946-1972, Victoria Brame

History Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Strawberry Growth, Yield, Fruit Nutrition, And Control Of Verticillium Wilt With Pre-Plant Soil Fumigants, Ozone, And Biological Control, Justin J. Scurich

Master's Theses

Verticillium wilt is a widespread soilborne disease of strawberry historically controlled by soil fumigation with methyl bromide (MB). MB was banned by the United Nations in 1995 and will be completely phased out by 2015. Research has concentrated on alternative methods of disease control without finding a single alternative able to replace MB in widespread disease control and yield increase. For the current study, strawberries were greenhouse grown in container pots filled with soil from both infested and non-infested areas of a commercial strawberry field in Watsonville, CA. Treatments included pre-plant soil fumigation with commercially available formulations of methyl bromide, …

The Meaning Of Running In American Society, Kristin Owen Westfall

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

Most media resources, medical associations, articles of popular culture, and sports-related companies promote running as an activity that builds self-esteem and supports general physical and mental health. This paper delves into the connection between running and the characteristics of our society. The analysis examines the meaning of running, as a symbol of our society that perpetuates ideals of corporatization, consumerism, capitalism, and gender stereotypes. Additionally, this paper examines the ways running is perceived and participated in; and how they have changed overtime, alongside political, economic, and historical events.

The Post-Black Aesthetic And Meanings Of Blackness Through The Collage Narratives Of Kara Walker And Fred Wilson, William Hill

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

The 1990s spawned a new generation of African-American artists who worked to understand and deconstruct meanings of blackness within the context of the post-black aesthetic. Their conceptualized installations resulted in various discourses on the nature of race, culture and identity within the framework of exhibition and collection. Considered 'post-black' by critics, these artists sought to reexamine black aesthetics through the dialects of disenfranchisement, desire and hegemonic forms of representation in American culture. From this perspective, I will investigate the installation art of Kara Walker and Fred Wilson, illustrating how these practices inform and challenge racial stereotypes prevalent in visual culture. …

Trauma And Identity: Action As A Response To State Violence In Colombia, Alison J. Paul

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

Colombia’s ongoing armed conflict has produced a myriad of types of violence as well as individual and social trauma. In the early 2000s, the proliferation of extrajudicial killings of non-combatant citizens by the Colombian armed forces left behind thousands of families to deal with the aftermath of their loss of a loved at the hands of the state. This phenomological research specifically looks in depth at the narratives of seven Colombian victims of state crimes that have been transformed through their experience of political violence and the actions they have taken in response to state crimes. Both individual and collective …

It Takes Leadership To Build A Village: A Portrait Of A Public School Community That Is Closing The Achievement Gap, Julie Maccarthy

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

This case study explored a high-achieving elementary school on Chicago’s far South Side that fosters academic success for its African American students who come from predominately low-income homes. Tyler School serves a demographic group that historically underperforms. Yet multiple measures of evaluating student achievement indicate that Tyler is an exceptional school.

The research question driving this study is this: How does the school’s administrative team at Tyler School create conditions that support student achievement? Secondary questions explore the school's climate, teachers' qualifications, curriculum, and the other factors that contribute to student success. Interviews with administrators, teachers, and parents, as well …

"College Un-Readiness: The Lack Of Financial College Readiness In Nyc High Shools", Dominique Coleman

African & African American Studies Senior Theses

Purpose

- The purpose of this research is to explore the rate of financial college readiness amongst New York CIty Public High School Students.

Design/methodology/approach

- The research methodologies employed in this paper consist of interviews and internet research.

Findings

- Scholarships, if that, are the only resources that NYC public high school counselors relay to students in terms of financing their education. Students are not given supplementary resources in the event that scholarships do not cover the entire costs of tuition.

Practical implications

- I believe this is a direct correlation to the student debt crisis. Had students been …

Dominant Upper Extremity Kinematics And Muscular Activity In Sonographers During Kidney Scanning, Jennifer Elizabeth Edwards

Masters Theses

Due to the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in sonographers, this study evaluated upper extremity kinematics and determined if co-contraction was present during kidney scans. The results provided a greater understanding of joint range of motion and muscular activity, which could be helpful in assessing risk of injury. Four sonographers had reflective markers and surface electromyography electrodes placed on their dominant upper extremity. A Vicon MX motion capture system was used to record the marker positions and electromyography data while the sonographers were scanning a volunteer’s kidneys. The shoulder joint center was determined using the instantaneous helical axis method. The …

A Novel Electronic Laparoscopic Training Device, Paul Allen Shields

Masters Theses

Laparoscopic surgery is a modern surgical technique gaining popularity due to the advantages of smaller incisions, reduced pain, and shorter recovery times when compared with open surgical techniques. Training for laparoscopic surgery is a multiyear process in which candidate’s progress through a series of surgical simulations beginning with simple dexterity and coordination building exercises and ending with actual human surgeries. Early laparoscopic surgical training is performed using simulators as high tech as virtual reality computer simulations and as low tech as mirror box trainers. Studies have clearly demonstrated that variation in surgical training devices can produce variation in training results. …