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California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

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Articles 1 - 30 of 1794

Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Do Elevation And Aspect Predict Functional Trait Values In Alpine Plant Populations?, Karen Analiesa Bach Dec 2019

Do Elevation And Aspect Predict Functional Trait Values In Alpine Plant Populations?, Karen Analiesa Bach

Biological Sciences

Alpine regions are among the hardest hit by global climate change, experiencing rising temperatures at a faster rate than lowland areas. Such fast rates of warming are predicted to cause rapid changes in alpine plant communities, including shifts in plant functional traits along elevation gradients. To investigate these effects within species, we examined the relationship between elevation, aspect, and functional traits of three common alpine plants in California; the shrub Holodiscus discolor var. microphyllus, the forb Calyptridium umbellatum, and the grass Trisetum spicatum. Functional traits examined included plant height, plant width, and Specific Leaf Area (SLA). These traits were measured ...

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The Effects Of Cluster Thinning On Vine Performance, Fruit, And Wine Composition Of Pinot Noir (Clone 115) In The Edna Valley Of California, Paul F W Mawdsley Sep 2019

The Effects Of Cluster Thinning On Vine Performance, Fruit, And Wine Composition Of Pinot Noir (Clone 115) In The Edna Valley Of California, Paul F W Mawdsley

Master's Theses and Project Reports

A three-year study was conducted at a commercial vineyard site in California’s Edna Valley AVA to evaluate the physiological and agronomical effects of the timing of cluster thinning on Pinot noir (clone 115) grapevines. Vines were thinned to one cluster per shoot at three selected time-points during the growing season (bloom, bloom + 4 weeks, bloom + 8 weeks), and fruit from each treatment was harvested and made into wine. Across all growing seasons, yield decreased 43% in thinned vines relative to un-thinned control vines. No effect of cluster thinning or interaction with growing season was found in vine shoot diameter ...

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Effects Of Sudangrass Cover Crop And Soil Solarization On Weed And Pathogen Management In Organic Strawberry Production, Timothy Jacobs Aug 2019

Effects Of Sudangrass Cover Crop And Soil Solarization On Weed And Pathogen Management In Organic Strawberry Production, Timothy Jacobs

Master's Theses and Project Reports

Field and lab experiments were conducted to determine the efficacy of sudangrass (Sorghum X drumondii (Nees ex Steud.) Millsp. & Chase) cover crop management techniques and soil solarization on important agricultural weeds and pathogens in organic strawberry production in Central California. Lab experiments assessed the time needed to kill weed seeds at temperatures typically achieved during soil solarization (40°C, 45°C, 50°C, 55°C, and 60°C) in California. Seeds tested included little mallow, redstem filaree, bristly oxtongue, annual sowthistle, common purslane, nettleleaf goosefoot, and redroot pigweed. Efficacy of simulated solarization temperatures differed between different species. Cool-season annuals annual ...

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Examining The Effectiveness Of Electromyography Biofeedback At Improving The Upper Trapezius To Serratus Anterior Muscle Activation Ratio, Julia Evelyn Holton Aug 2019

Examining The Effectiveness Of Electromyography Biofeedback At Improving The Upper Trapezius To Serratus Anterior Muscle Activation Ratio, Julia Evelyn Holton

Master's Theses and Project Reports

Purpose: The upper trapezius to serratus anterior muscle activation ratio is essential for optimal shoulder function. An alteration of this ratio, specifically a decrease in upper trapezius and increase in serratus anterior activation, is a main area of focus in shoulder rehabilitation (Kibler, 1998; Paine & Voight, 1993). Electromyography (EMG) biofeedback has been shown to be an effective rehabilitation technique to address many musculoskeletal disorders but there is limited research on the retention of improvements seen with EMG biofeedback (Ma et al., 2011; Lim et al., 2014; Weon, et al., 2011). The purpose of this study was to determine if EMG biofeedback can be used to improve scapular control by decreasing the upper trapezius to serratus anterior activation ratio. A secondary purpose was to determine if these predicted improvements in the ratio can be retained beyond the timeframe ...

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Development Of A Prolyl Endopeptidase Expression System In Lactobacillus Reuteri To Reduce The Clinical Manifestation Of Celiac Disease, Kara Lynn Jew Jul 2019

Development Of A Prolyl Endopeptidase Expression System In Lactobacillus Reuteri To Reduce The Clinical Manifestation Of Celiac Disease, Kara Lynn Jew

Master's Theses and Project Reports

Celiac Disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder that emerges due to the ingestion of gluten, a protein found in a variety of common grains such as wheat, rye, and barley. Approximately 1 in 100 individuals in the US suffer from CD, making it the most commonly diagnosed gastrointestinal disorder (Ciclitira et. al., 2005). These proline-rich gluten peptides are resistant to proteolysis and accumulate in the duodenum of the small intestine. Once in the duodenum, these peptides illicit an autoimmune response resulting in villous atrophy. Current treatment for CD requires a rigorous adherence to a gluten-free diet. Nevertheless, gluten-containing grains are ...

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Short Term Shifts In Soil Nematode Food Feb Structure And Nutrient Cycling Following Sustainable Soil Management In A California Vineyard, Holly M. Deniston-Sheets Jul 2019

Short Term Shifts In Soil Nematode Food Feb Structure And Nutrient Cycling Following Sustainable Soil Management In A California Vineyard, Holly M. Deniston-Sheets

Master's Theses and Project Reports

Evaluating soil health using bioindicator organisms has been suggested as a method of analyzing the long-term sustainability of agricultural management practices. The main objective of this study was to determine the effects of vineyard management strategies on soil food web structure and function, using nematodes as bioindicators by calculating established nematode ecological indices. Three field trials were conducted in a commercial Pinot Noir vineyard in San Luis Obispo, California; the effects of (i) fertilizer type (organic and inorganic), (ii) weed management (herbicide and tillage), and (iii) cover crops (high or low water requirements) on nematode community structure, soil nutrient content ...

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The Effects Of Edaphic And Climatic Factors On Secondary Lichen Chemistry: A Case Study Using Saxicolous Lichens, Alexander Paukov, Anzhelika Teptina, Maria Morozova, Ekaterina Kruglova, Sergio E. Favero-Longo, Cora Bishop, Nishanti Rajakaruna Jun 2019

The Effects Of Edaphic And Climatic Factors On Secondary Lichen Chemistry: A Case Study Using Saxicolous Lichens, Alexander Paukov, Anzhelika Teptina, Maria Morozova, Ekaterina Kruglova, Sergio E. Favero-Longo, Cora Bishop, Nishanti Rajakaruna

Biological Sciences

Diversity of secondary lichen metabolites and their relationship to substrate and environmental parameters were studied in saxicolous lichens in the Middle and South Urals of Russia. Atranorin, usnic acid, gyrophoric acid, zeorin, norstictic acid, antraquinones and stictic acid were found in 73, 42, 41, 37, 36, 35 and 32 species, respectively, of 543 taxa collected. One hundred and ninety six species (i.e., 36% of total species documented) contained no secondary metabolites. Spectra of secondary metabolites of crustose lichens varied on different rock types, while in fruticose and foliose groups only those species without lichen acids were dependent on the ...

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Tropic Transfer And Bioaccumulation Of Lead Along Soil-Plant-Aphid-Ladybird Food Chain, Mohod Irfan Naikoo, Mudasir Ifran Dar, Fareed Ahmad Khan, Fariha Raghib, N. Rajakaruna Jun 2019

Tropic Transfer And Bioaccumulation Of Lead Along Soil-Plant-Aphid-Ladybird Food Chain, Mohod Irfan Naikoo, Mudasir Ifran Dar, Fareed Ahmad Khan, Fariha Raghib, N. Rajakaruna

Biological Sciences

Lead (Pb) contamination of agroecosystems is a serious issue as Pb is a persistent pollutant that is retained in soil for long, causing toxicities to organisms. This study examines biotransfer of Pb from soils treated with different concentrations of Pb through a broad bean (Vicia faba L.)–aphid (Aphis fabae Scop.)–ladybird (Coccinella transversalis Fabricius) food chain and its consequent inference for natural biological control, the ladybird. The soil was amended with Pb at the rates of 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 mg kg−1(w/w). The amount of Pb in plant, aphid and ladybird increased in a ...

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Adaptive Paddle Board, Alexander Holthaus, Alexander Holthaus, Garrett Holmes, Garett Jones Jun 2019

Adaptive Paddle Board, Alexander Holthaus, Alexander Holthaus, Garrett Holmes, Garett Jones

Mechanical Engineering

This Final Design Review (FDR) document outlines the Adaptive Paddle Board senior project, done by four Mechanical Engineering Students at California Polytechnic State University and provides detail on the project and what the team has accomplished. The goal was to create a universally adaptive paddle board that can be used by the Central California Adaptive Sports Center for a wide range of persons with disabilities. This document highlights current research from patents and existing products, details regarding customer specifications, results from concept generation, the manufacturing and testing that went into the final design, and the process taken to get there ...

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Availability Of Microtrash Materials And Selectivity By California Condors, Marie G. Solis Jun 2019

Availability Of Microtrash Materials And Selectivity By California Condors, Marie G. Solis

Biological Sciences

California condors consume non-food items, including anthropogenic waste, and provision it to their young. Consuming “microtrash” can cause mortality, especially in nestlings. There are several hypotheses explaining why condors might consume microtrash. These hypotheses assume condors exhibit a preference for the type of material. Therefore, we test the assumption that when California condors take microtrash, they display material selectivity. We did this by sampling microtrash from roadside pullouts in the Los Padres National Forest. Those samples were compared to condor necropsy and nest microtrash data, categorized by material type: glass, plastic, metal, and other. We find that in our analysis ...

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Expierience, Lukas Suess, Caleb Biggers, Chris Pestano, Gabriel Nguyen Jun 2019

Expierience, Lukas Suess, Caleb Biggers, Chris Pestano, Gabriel Nguyen

Computer Engineering

The goal of this project is to create a realistic diving simulation to allow users to see what it is like to dive beneath the Cal Poly Pier. As it is now, the simulation includes a model of the pier, a few species, and the framework for user movement. These features were created by the previous project teams. Our team will make additions to the existing project such as more creatures and life. Before any additions are added, the existing code must be optimized. This project will show users how scientific surveys can be conducted, so the ability to conduct ...

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Tidalsim Senior Project Report, Kent Zhang, Colin Vandervoort Jun 2019

Tidalsim Senior Project Report, Kent Zhang, Colin Vandervoort

Computer Engineering

Throughout the course of this project, our team helped the Cal Poly Biological Sciences department refine an intertidal zone simulator. The aim of this device is to allow any marine biologist to easily simulate a vast range of tidal zones in order to test animal behaviors within these zones. Another goal of this project is to make each simulation tank independent from the others by using a single microcontroller to handle all inputs and outputs of the system as well as logging all relevant data. The current system is set up so that a separate microcontroller handles dissolved oxygen and ...

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Graduate Internship Report - Buhach Colony High School, Aubree E. Atwood Jun 2019

Graduate Internship Report - Buhach Colony High School, Aubree E. Atwood

Graduate Internship Reports in Agricultural Education

This graduate internship report includes the documentation required in meeting the quality criteria for secondary-level programs of instruction in agriculture. The documents are concurrently used for the Agriculture Incentive Grant review process at Buhach Colony High School conducted by representatives of the California Department of Education. The supporting material includes information to receive state and local funding, outline the goals and objectives of the program, along with an overview of Buhach Colony High School, the agriculture program and the community. This report also contains plans for future program development.

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Graduate Internship Report - The Accelerated Schools, Los Angeles, Michael Zappulla Jun 2019

Graduate Internship Report - The Accelerated Schools, Los Angeles, Michael Zappulla

Graduate Internship Reports in Agricultural Education

This document focuses on the introduction of an agriculture program into an urban middle school. Current status, improvements made, and future improvements are all included and addressed. The internship project shows the creation of a school garden and farmers market program with support from local businesses and associations.

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From Urban To Agriculture, Jacqueline V. Aenlle Jun 2019

From Urban To Agriculture, Jacqueline V. Aenlle

Graduate Internship Reports in Agricultural Education

"From Urban to Agriculture" is a website utilizing a blog and podcast to connect with consumers and share reliable information about agriculture. In addition to covering specific topics such as organic production, dairy animal welfare, and honey production, this forum also address cross disciplinary topics such as media literacy and critical thinking. The website not only appeals to everyday consumers, it also provides resources for educators seeking to integrate a lesson on agricultural advocacy into their curriculum. The following report details the creation process for this website, development of blog content, acquisition of podcast materials, and future plans for the ...

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Aged Graduate Internship In Agricultural Education, Darby Ann Toth Jun 2019

Aged Graduate Internship In Agricultural Education, Darby Ann Toth

Graduate Internship Reports in Agricultural Education

The AGED 539 Internship Report including the Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP) Demonstration Project and supporting Educational Materials connects dairy operators with resources to complete California Department of Food and Agriculture Grants in order to successfully assist in reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions in California.

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Graduate Internship Report - Chowchilla Union High School, Angie A. Barney Jun 2019

Graduate Internship Report - Chowchilla Union High School, Angie A. Barney

Graduate Internship Reports in Agricultural Education

This internship and project report includes documentation required in meeting the quality criteria for secondary-level programs of instruction in agriculture. The documents are concurrently used for the Agriculture Incentive Grant review process at Chowchilla Union High School conducted by representatives of the California Department of Education. The supporting material includes information to receive state and local funding, outline the goals and objectives of the program, along with an overview of Chowchilla Union High School, the agriculture program and the community.

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Graduate Internship Report - Stone Ridge Christian High School, Victoria Lewis Jun 2019

Graduate Internship Report - Stone Ridge Christian High School, Victoria Lewis

Graduate Internship Reports in Agricultural Education

This internship and project report includes documentation required in meeting the quality criteria for secondary-level programs of instruction in agriculture. The documents are concurrently used for the Agriculture Incentive Grant review process at Stone Ridge Christian High School conducted by representatives of the California Department of Education. The supporting material includes information to receive state and local funding, outline the goals and objectives of the program, along with an overview of Stone Ridge Christian High School, the agriculture program and the community.

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Graduate Internship Report - Turlock High School, Kevin Mcguire Jun 2019

Graduate Internship Report - Turlock High School, Kevin Mcguire

Graduate Internship Reports in Agricultural Education

This internship report includes documentation required in meeting the quality criteria for secondary-level programs of instruction in agriculture. The documents are concurrently used for the Agriculture Incentive Grant review process at Turlock High School conducted by representatives of the California Department of Education. The supporting material includes information to receive state and local funding, outline the goals and objectives of the program, along with an overview of Turlock High School, the agriculture program and the community.

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Graduate Internship Report - Modoc High School, Dominique Demoss Jun 2019

Graduate Internship Report - Modoc High School, Dominique Demoss

Graduate Internship Reports in Agricultural Education

This internship and project report includes documentation required in meeting the quality criteria for secondary-level programs of instruction in agriculture. The documents are concurrently used for the Agriculture Incentive Grant review process at Modoc High School conducted by representatives of the California Department of Education. The supporting material includes information to receive state and local funding, outline the goals and objectives of the program, along with an overview of Modoc High School, the agriculture program and the community.

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Graduate Internship Report - Watsonville High School, Savanah D. Rhine Jun 2019

Graduate Internship Report - Watsonville High School, Savanah D. Rhine

Graduate Internship Reports in Agricultural Education

This internship and project report includes validation documents required in meeting the quality criteria for secondary-level programs of instruction in agriculture. The documents are concurrently used for the Agriculture Incentive Grant review process at Dinuba High School conducted by representatives of the California Department of Education. The supporting material includes information to receive state and local funding, outline the goals and objectives of the program, along with an overview of Watsonville High School, the agriculture program and the community.

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Graduate Internship Report - Linden High School, Jana Colombini Jun 2019

Graduate Internship Report - Linden High School, Jana Colombini

Graduate Internship Reports in Agricultural Education

This internship and project report includes documentation required in meeting the quality criteria for secondary-level programs of instruction in agriculture. The documents are concurrently used for the Agriculture Incentive Grant review process at Linden High School conducted by representatives of the California Department of Education. The supporting material includes information to receive state and local funding, outline the goals and objectives of the program, along with an overview of Linden High School, the agriculture program and the community.

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Graduate Internship Report - Hanford Agriculture Department, Dominica L. Clisso Jun 2019

Graduate Internship Report - Hanford Agriculture Department, Dominica L. Clisso

Graduate Internship Reports in Agricultural Education

This internship and project report includes validation documents required in meeting the quality criteria for secondary-level programs of instruction in agriculture. The documents are concurrently used for the Agriculture Incentive Grant review process at Hanford Agriculture Department conducted by representatives of the California Department of Education. The supporting material includes information to receive state and local funding, outline the goals and objectives of the program, along with an overview of Hanford FFA, the agriculture program and the community.

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Graduate Internship Report - Santa Rosa High School, Jordan Albiani Jun 2019

Graduate Internship Report - Santa Rosa High School, Jordan Albiani

Graduate Internship Reports in Agricultural Education

This internship and project report includes validation documents required in meeting the quality criteria for secondary-level programs of instruction in agriculture. The supporting material includes information to receive state and local funding, outline the goals and objectives of the program, along with an overview of Santa Rosa High School, the agriculture program and the community.

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Graduate Internship Report - Kingsburg High School, Allie K. Calvert Jun 2019

Graduate Internship Report - Kingsburg High School, Allie K. Calvert

Graduate Internship Reports in Agricultural Education

This graduate internship report includes the documentation required in meeting the quality criteria for secondary-level programs of instruction in agriculture. The documents are concurrently used for the Agriculture Incentive Grant review process at Kingsburg High School conducted by representatives of the California Department of Education. The supporting material includes information to receive state and local funding, outline the goals and objectives of the program, along with an overview of Kingsburg High School, the agriculture program and the community.

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Graduate Internship Report- Orestimba High School, Briana Vincent Jun 2019

Graduate Internship Report- Orestimba High School, Briana Vincent

Graduate Internship Reports in Agricultural Education

This Graduate Internship report includes validation documents required in meeting the quality criteria for secondary-level programs of instruction in agriculture. The documents are currently used for the Agriculture Incentive Grant review process at Orestimba High School.The internship project includes the improvement of the recruitment for Orestimba High School. The included information and supporting materials are required to receive local and state funding. An overview of the Orestimba High School Program can be found in the Comprehensive Program Plan that is included in this document.

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Compact Farms: A Step Towards Sustainability, Chad A. Porter Jun 2019

Compact Farms: A Step Towards Sustainability, Chad A. Porter

Graduate Internship Reports in Agricultural Education

This project report accounts for the potential benefits compact farms can have for agriculture and sustainability. The report details the design, implementation, and management of Whistle Stop Farm, a 1-acre, diverse farm producing vegetables, fruits, and gourmet mushrooms for direct markets in Atascadero, California. The farm focuses on economic and environmental sustainability. A large part of the farm revolves around soil science and how to manage soils to promote a healthy soil ecosystem.

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Aged 539: Internship In Agriculture Education, Veronica Lemus Jun 2019

Aged 539: Internship In Agriculture Education, Veronica Lemus

Graduate Internship Reports in Agricultural Education

This internship and project report includes validation documents required in meeting the quality criteria for secondary-level programs of instruction in agriculture. The documents are concurrently used for the Agriculture Incentive Grant review process at Fillmore High School conducted by representatives of the California Department of Education. The supporting material includes information to receive state and local funding, outline the goals and objectives of the program, along with an overview of Fillmore High School, the agriculture program and the community.

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Compositional Optimization Of Amyloid-Graphene Oxide Nanohybrids For Biomaterials, Claire L. Drewery Jun 2019

Compositional Optimization Of Amyloid-Graphene Oxide Nanohybrids For Biomaterials, Claire L. Drewery

Materials Engineering

Amyloid nanofibrils are natural materials capable of self-assembling into precise structures with tunable functionalities, while exhibiting excellent mechanical properties. In combination with highly conductive graphene oxide (GO), the 1-D amyloid nanofibrils and 2-D nanosheets of GO can produce a robust and bio-functional nanohybrid, hypothesized to exhibit multi-domain functional properties useful for enzyme sensing, water purification, drug delivery, and tissue scaffolding applications. Here, we examine the properties of an amyloid-graphene oxide nanohybrid film made with amyloids derived from hen egg white lysozymes in an attempt to explore the diverse toolbox of amyloid derivatives and establish ideal fabrication methods and formulations of ...

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Effects Of Barotrauma On Four Species Of Pacific Rockfishes (Sebastes Spp.), Lesley Salter Jun 2019

Effects Of Barotrauma On Four Species Of Pacific Rockfishes (Sebastes Spp.), Lesley Salter

Master's Theses and Project Reports

Physoclistic fish, such as Pacific rockfishes (genus Sebastes), have closed swim bladders that help them regulate their buoyancy. When anglers catch these fish and reel them to the surface, gases within their swim bladder expand due to the decrease in pressure. This can cause their swim bladder to over inflate––a condition known as barotrauma. Overly buoyant fish experiencing barotrauma often struggle to swim back to dwelling depth if released at the ocean’s surface. These fish may experience high rates of mortality by thermal shock caused by the warmer surface temperatures, starvation, predation, or vision problems caused by barotrauma ...

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