Digital Commons Network^™

Innate And Learned Preferences For Sweet Taste During Childhood, Alison K. Ventura, Julie A. Mennella

Kinesiology and Public Health

Purpose of review: In nature, carbohydrates are a source of energy often equated with sweetness, the detection of which is associated with powerful hedonic appeal. Intakes of processed carbohydrates in the form of added sugars and sugar-sweetened beverages have risen consistently among all age groups over the last two decades. In this review, we describe the biological underpinnings that drive the consumption of sweet-tasting foods among pediatric populations.

Recent findings: Scientific literature suggests that children's liking for all that is sweet is not solely a product of modern-day technology and advertising but reflects their basic biology. In fact, heightened preference …

Teaching Sustainability Analysis In Electronics Lecture Courses, David Braun

Electrical Engineering

Based on positive prior experiences teaching sustainability analysis in electronics laboratory courses, this work explores techniques for teaching sustainability analysis in lecture courses. As difficult as it may seem to incorporate sustainability into integrated circuit courses or other engineering courses, it may prove as easy as asking students to consider how the coursework relates to sustainability issues.

The need to educate students “to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability” has gained sufficient value to deserve its own ABET Program Outcome, …

The Inside-Out Classroom: A Win-Win Strategy For Teaching With Technology, Daniel J. Waldorf, Lizabeth Schlemer

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

As costs of higher education soar and many universities face uncertain funding models, institutional pressures have increased to improve instructor efficiency. At the same time, U.S. industry leaders and leading educators have called for improvements in engineering education based on more interactive, hands-on student learning experiences. Although many efforts have been made to take advantage of technology to either improve student learning or to maintain student learning while increasing instructor efficiency, few approaches have been shown to improve both learning and efficiency. A teaching method is proposed to improve student learning and increase student satisfaction while also addressing the instructors’ …

Real-Time Visualizations Of Ocean Data Collected By The Norus Glider In Svalbad, Norway, Daniel Medina, Mark A. Moline, Christopher M. Clark, Zoë J. Wood

Computer Science and Software Engineering

Modern robotics and sensors have expanded the ability to collect science data in underwater settings. Oftentimes, the collected data are deposited into files and databases where they sit in their separate and unique formats. Without easy to use visualization tools, it is difficult to understand and interpret the information within these data sets. NORUS, the North America-Norway educational program, has a scientific focus on how climate-induced changes impact the living resources and ecosystems in the Arctic. In order to obtain the necessary science data, the NORUS program utilizes the Slocum Glider, a form of underwater robot. We present a compelling, …

Cal Poly Announces Great Grads Of 2011, Public Affairs Office

Press Releases

No abstract provided.

Mustang Daily, June 6, 2011

Cal Poly Student Newspaper

Student newspaper of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA.

Mustang Daily, June 2, 2011

Cal Poly Student Newspaper

Student newspaper of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA.

Soil Development Processes On The Western Slope Of The Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains: A Geographic Study, Kristopher (Kris) Osterloh

Earth and Soil Sciences

No abstract provided.

City Of San Joaquin 2040 Community Plan, Volume I: Background Report, City Of San Joaquin, California, Graduate Community And Regional Planning Studio, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

City and Regional Planning

No abstract provided.

Profitability Comparison Study Of An Organic Almond Orchard Versus A Conventionally Farmed Almond Orchard In Stanislaus County, Carl B. Evers Iii

Agribusiness

This study examined the differences in costs and profitability for established conventional and organic almond orchards in Stanislaus County, California. The study used a partial budgeting approach to compare cost and profitability for established orchards for 2010, and thus ignored transition costs. Data was obtained from UC Davis cost studies for organic almonds, and from the Green Valley Ranch in Keyes, CA for conventional almonds. Adjustments were made to the U.C. Davis costs to account for changes in input use, input costs and grape prices Stanislaus County during the 2010 growing season, and to ensure both orchards in the study …

Millennial Organic Wine Consumers Of San Luis Obispo, Ca, Tadeo Perez

Agribusiness

No abstract provided.

Conventional And Organic Lettuce Production In San Luis Obispo County, Mark Freitas Crusha

Agribusiness

This study was undertaken to evaluate the net returns for conventional head lettuce compared to organic leaf lettuce in San Luis Obispo County. Price, yield, and costs for both lettuce systems were collected to perform a budgeting analysis projected over a twenty-year period.

Organic leaf lettuce was found to be more capable of paying finance charges and fixed commitments to produce in San Luis Obispo County. This conclusion was based on projected price and yield data along with a comparison of the profit and loss statements for the two types of lettuce for the time period of 2011 through 2030. …

Isolation Of Antifungal Lactic Acid Bacteria From Food Sources And Their Use To Inhibit Mold Growth In Cheese, Dan Zhao

Master's Theses

A large amount of cheese is lost every year due to mold contamination. Biopreservation, which is the use of biological entities (microbes) and their metabolites to suppress microbial spoilage instead of chemical preservatives has lately gained increasing interest. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have the potential for use in biopreservation, because they are safe to consume and naturally exist in many foods. In this study, fifteen strains of lactobacilli isolated from dairy products, vegetables, and fermented pickles were tested by agar overlay assay for their anti-mold activity. Six strains grown on MRS agar showed strong inhibitory activity against a target mold …

City Of San Joaquin 2040 Community Plan: Policy Document, Winter 2011, Crp 552/ 554 Community And Regional Planning Studio

City and Regional Planning Studios and Projects

No abstract provided.

City Of San Joaquin 2040 Community Plan: Background Report, City Of San Joaquin, California, Graduate Community And Regional Planning Studio, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

City and Regional Planning

The City of San Joaquin General Plan Update Background Report was prepared by second-year graduate students and a professor in the City and Regional Planning Department at California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo. Under an agreement between the City and the Department, this report is the first deliverable in a two-phase Graduate Community and Regional Planning Studio project to prepare a General Plan Update for the City. This project partially fulfills the requirements necessary to obtain a Master of City and Regional Planning degree from the University. This document represents 12 weeks of research regarding existing conditions and …

City Of San Joaquin 2040 Community Plan: Policy Document, City Of San Joaquin, California, Graduate Community And Regional Planning Studio, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

City and Regional Planning

The City of San Joaquin 2040 Community Plan was prepared by a group of 15 Graduate Students and one professor in the City and Regional Planning Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, between September 2010 and March 2011. The Plan, which embodies seven months of research on the existing conditions and future direction for the City of San Joaquin, California, was completed as a component of the graduate degree requirements to obtain a Master of City and Regional Planning degree from the University. The plan represents a collaboration between the City and University.

The students would like …

Using System Dynamics Modelling Approach To Develop Management Tools For Animal Production With Emphasis On Small Ruminants, L. O. Tedeschi, C. F. Nicholson, E. Rich

Agribusiness

Small ruminants are important assets in several regions of the world. They account for more than half of the domesticated ruminants. Despite the growth in goat production in the world (more than 2% per year), research related to goat production is less than desired. One underused but potentially valuable approach for research on small ruminants is simulation modelling. Models of the components of small ruminant systems can enhance the financial returns and reduce negative environmental impacts. These models can be used to assess many dimensions of small ruminant production, from rumen dynamics to economic policies designed to support small ruminant …

Creating An Environmental Education Program For Camp Fire Usa, Shannon Diaz

Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences

The topic area for this Senior Project is Environmental Education. There were four environmental hands-on lesson plans that were created for the non-profit organization Camp Fire USA, Central Coast Council. These lessons will be implemented at Camp Natoma, the resident camp the Central Coast Council owns in Paso Robles, California. The lesson plans take up hour-long increments and have been created for youth ages eight through fifteen. The topics covered in the lessons include: composting; reduce, reuse, and recycle; solar energy; and wetlands. These lesson plans will be implemented as a new “Nature Class” that campers can choose to take …

Camera Study For Mammalian Carnivore Presence Across Seasons In Montana De Oro State Park, San Luis Obispo County, Ca, Samuel R. Young

Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences

Montana de Oro (MDO) is one of the largest state parks in California. Little is known however about its wildlife or their habits. Large predators such as mountain lion (Puma concolor) and black bear (Ursus americanus), and non–native species such as red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and feral pig (Sus scropha) are of management concern because of their potentially dramatic ecological roles. Cameras were deployed at 5 sites along the Coon Creek hiking trail in spring (May 3–June 7), summer (July 15–August 19), and fall (October 10–November 23) sessions with the goal of …

Financial Analysis Of A Value Added Dairy Operation In California, Jason De Groot

Agribusiness

The case study was undertaken to determine whether if it is more financially profitable to become a value-added dairy business in California. This is a frequently discussed issue in agriculture, but there is not a lot of information available of how value-added facilities are doing.

This report uses two highly recognized financial reporting methods including an income statement and balance sheet to determine if the case study was financially profitable. Financial data was gathered from the enterprises, both farm and processing facility, for fiscal year 2010. The information generated made it possible to view financial income and profit for each …

A Follow Up Study Of Organic Wine Consumers In San Luis Obispo County, Andrew Whiting

Agribusiness

No abstract provided.

Human Factor And Ergonomic Considerations And Improvements For A Table-Free Card Game Product, Enrique Daniel Aguirre

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

The purpose of this project is to design a table-free Yu-Gi-Oh! Card Game product that will make the transition of said game from table to user more fluid and intuitive, improving on past designs in the process. Despite there currently being many similar products in the market, there has not yet been one that adequately fulfills game requirements and comfortably adapts to the range of players associated with the game. Taking ergonomic and human factor considerations into account during the development of the design, a prototype was created as part of this project that was subsequently tested against a past …

Graduate Project In Agricultural Education, Casey Duane Penfold

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

This report includes documents required in meeting the quality criteria for high school programs of instruction in agriculture. These documents are used for the review process conducted by experts from the California Department of Education. The documentation includes the development of an agricultural engineering pathway from a previous ROP welding program.

Materials Characterization Of Bamboo And Analysis Of Bonding Strength And Internal Strength As A Structural Member In Reinforced Concrete, Nithi Plangsriskul, Nicholas Dorsano

Materials Engineering

This study evaluates the potential to utilize bamboo as reinforcement in concrete structural members.  In this project, the mechanical properties of bamboo were tested, specifically force required to embed a 0.5” diameter ball 0.016” into the bamboo samples and its bonding strength with concrete.  One type of bamboo, Bambusa Oldhamii, was cut into eight sections, approximately 2.54 cm wide, along the length of the culm.  The compression test recorded the bamboo’s strength at eight points along the length of the internode and at three points along the transverse direction of each specimen.  Bambusa Oldhamii’s specimen base 1 data for inner, …

Community Mural Art Program Proposal For The City Of San Luis Obispo, Collin Tateishi

City and Regional Planning

No abstract provided.

Faking Altruism: The True Nature Of Giving, Kristina L. Barker

Communication Studies

I want to see if students are capable of donating to charities. I have picked the American Red Cross to donate to and in support of helping the disaster in Japan. This is a huge effort publicly and students have seen the destruction on a daily basis. I want to see how much students are willing to donate and if different selling strategies make a difference on donations. I will be promoting sunglasses as a gift incentive for donations, with each pair raising $3.60 towards relief efforts. I will be selling the incentives in-group settings and to individual students on …

The Effect Of Processing Parameters And Methylcellulose On Texture And Consumer Acceptability Of A Non-Melting Dairy Protein Gel, Joshua Goldman

Master's Theses

The overall goal was to understand the capabilities of a dairy based meat alternative.  This was done in three phases: 1) the production of a dairy protein gel as a base for a dairy based meat alternative, 2) texturization of the dairy protein gel base to produce a nugget like texture, and 3) a consumer test to determine the acceptability of the dairy based nugget compared to meat and meat alternatives on the market.

For phase I, a dairy protein gel base was tested to understand the textural attributes.  Milk to whey percentages and level of acidification were examined to …

San Miguel Historic Walking Trail, Brynae Emerzian, Kevin Valente

City and Regional Planning

No abstract provided.

San Miguel Water Reclamation Proposal, William Griffith

City and Regional Planning

No abstract provided.

Olympic Bocce Ballers, Steven Erickson, William Haley, Taylor Vaughan

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.