Digital Commons Network^™

Semantic Document Clustering Using Information From Wordnet And Dbpedia, Lubomir Stanchev

Computer Science and Software Engineering

Semantic document clustering is a type of unsupervised learning in which documents are grouped together based on their meaning. Unlike traditional approaches that cluster documents based on common keywords, this technique can group documents that share no words in common as long as they are on the same subject. We compute the similarity between two documents as a function of the semantic similarity between the words and phrases in the documents. We model information from WordNet and DBPedia as a probabilistic graph that can be used to compute the similarity between two terms. We experimentally validate our algorithm on the …

Francis Wolff’S Flawed Philosophical Defense Of Bullfighting, Gabriel Andrade

Between the Species

As a result of Catalonia’s ban of bullfighting in 2011, in Spain there has been a renowned interest in the ethical debate about bullfighting. Most defenders of bullfighting are Spaniards, but the most systematic is French philosopher Francis Wolff. In this article, I review Wolff’s most persistent arguments in favor of bullfighting, and I offer my own refutations. Wolff argues bullfighting is not torture, bulls do not suffer, bulls must die, and bullfighting tradition must be preserved. All of these claims are dubious, as they are based on shaky assumptions and fallacious reasoning.

Focus: The Journal Of Planning Practice And Education | Journal Of The City And Regional Planning Department | Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo | Volume 14

Focus

No abstract provided.

Race And Racism, Roberta Wolfson

Diversity and Inclusion Resource Modules

The concept of race has informed almost every institution and social structure in US society since the early days of nation formation. Today, despite widespread claims that the United States has become post-racial, race still retains a unique power to influence most, if not all, contemporary institutions. Although race is a socially constructed concept, it nevertheless produces significant and long-lasting material effects in many institutional contexts. These effects can manifest in the form of racism, the systemic and institutional practices that put specific racial groups at a disadvantage (in the United States, these racial groups are defined as “not White”). …

Editorial: Sprinkle Throughout The Years, Emma Sturm

sprinkle: an undergraduate journal of feminist and queer studies

No abstract provided.

Banning Blackness: Race, Gender-Based Violence, And Classroom Censorship, Amelia Roskin-Frazee

sprinkle: an undergraduate journal of feminist and queer studies

This paper examines how the relationship between race and gender-based violence impacts how schools choose which books to ban. In particular, this paper focuses on Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye (1970) and the novel’s place on the American Library Association’s compiled lists of the most frequency banned books in the United States. Using an analysis of The Bluest Eye in conversation with the work of academics such as Spillers (1987) and Crenshaw (1991), this paper posits the intersection between race and rape in The Bluest Eye — and how that intersection implicates white supremacy in gendered violence —which leads to …

Necrocapitalism And U.S. Imperialism: The Gulf War, Hurricane Katrina, Palestine, Gentrification, And Police, Gianna Bissa

sprinkle: an undergraduate journal of feminist and queer studies

U.S. American law has been responsible for slavery and genocide through the use of imperial forces such as the military and policing since the beginning of the formation of this nation. In this essay, I present contemporary forms of State sanctioned violence that have ultimately increased the United States’ economy through rendering particular communities as disposable. I use examples of war, removal, occupation, and murder perpetrated by American law in order to disrupt the notion that law guarantees security. Furthermore; I build from Foucault’s theories of biopolitics and apply a more modern framework of necrocapitalism to further contextualize and problematize …

Rick, Morty, And Absurdism: The Millennial Allure Of Dark Humor, Kim Koltun

The Forum: Journal of History

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the millennial generation’s appeal to dark and absurdist forms of humor, using the show Rick and Morty as a primary example. I first establish my definition of Absurdism—based on Nagel and Camus—and how Rick and Morty qualifies as an Absurdist work. I then go on to outline the popularity of the show among millennial audiences and explore its allure. There are three important sociological contexts to this explanation: the contrast between upbringing and reality, expedited modernity, and rapidly changing information structures. These set the stage for a distinctive style of humor that …

Cyber Fantasies: Rina Sawayama, Asian Feminism, And Techno-Orientalism In The Age Of Neoliberalism, June Kuoch, Allegro Wang

sprinkle: an undergraduate journal of feminist and queer studies

In the 21st century, neoliberalism and technological innovations in Asia produce techno-Orientalism, a "new" framework by which the West dominates Asia. In this process, Asian bodies are configured as inherently technological beings who exist solely for the production of information and neoliberal goods. Techno-Orientalism is a byproduct of the violence wrought by modernity. Yet, Rina Sawayama, a British-Japanese music artist, produces a new form of resistance that can be characterized as diasporic Asian cultural production. Her work challenges the white hegemonic masculine gaze by interrogating modernity in her lyrics, aesthetic, and performance. Sawayama's aesthetic and music videos produce a new …

2017/2018 Robert E. Kennedy Library Annual Report, Robert E. Kennedy Library

Library Publications and Administrative Reports

The upcoming renovation of Kennedy Library brings us the opportunity to add one more pillar to our commitment of keeping people at the heart of our mission by showcasing work from across disciplines and connecting individuals to opportunities that will enrich their research and academic experiences at Cal Poly. A few examples included in this report are articles about how the continuous enhancement of the new library management system aims to improve the user experience and make discovery and access to information as seamless as possible; how the library’s exhibits educate visitors; and how our public programs enrich attendees with …

(C)Locked Up: Transgender Women In The American Prison System, Krystina Millar

sprinkle: an undergraduate journal of feminist and queer studies

The most recent statistics indicate there are an estimated 3,200 transgender inmates in the United States correctional system. The majority of trans inmates in prison are trans women. Regardless of criminal status, transgender individuals face social isolation, violence, and both explicit and implicit discrimination. These hardships are often magnified inside the walls of a correctional facility. In addition to facing institutional challenges, transgender women must navigate the culture of prison as someone who falls outside of normative conceptions of gender in a sex-segregated environment, often characterized by androcentrism, hypermasculinity and violence. This article aims to review the literature on the …

Investigation Of Compression Strength Of Bliss Style Corrugated Fiberboard Boxes, Javier De La Fuente, Jay Singh, Rebecca Kisch, Soma Roy, Daan Peleman

Industrial Technology and Packaging

The global demand for corrugated fiberboard is projected to experience a significant upsurge in the near future. Based on the end-use, packaging for processed and fresh food categories accounted for approximately 39% of the overall consumption of corrugated fiberboard in 2015. With key advantages such as providing an uninterrupted bottom, laminated corners for higher stacking strength, increased material use efficiency, side cutout options for display at retail and a wide range of styles over other styles of containers, Bliss style boxes find prominence in the agriculture sector. While numerous predictive strength models associating corrugated fiberboard material specifications to the box …

Scada System Maintenance: An Often Overlooked Necessity, Charles M. Burt, Kyle Fesit

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

The design and implementation of a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system is typically undertaken by expert engineers and integration contractors. In order to provide a robust and reliable SCADA system, good design and installation practices are required. Preserving the initial SCADA system reliability requires good maintenance. Unfortunately, SCADA maintenance is often overlooked or underestimated. There are two potential providers for SCADA maintenance activities. Some SCADA maintenance activities are best provided by the developer or installer of the SCADA system, before closing out a project contract. Other SCADA maintenance requirements are best provided by the irrigation district or SCADA …

Teacher Internship Program: Righetti High School Agriculture Department, Amy Athena Guerra

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

This Graduate Internship Report includes an evaluation of the Twelve Quality Criteria used by the Agricultural Education Program at Righetti High School. The criteria is used for agriculture programs to obtain funding through the Agricultural Incentive Grant (A.I.G.). In addition to an evaluation of the twelve criteria, a Chapter FFA Website was developed to increase program promotion for the Righetti Agriculture Department.

Graduate Internship Report - Joseph A. Gregori High School, Kyle L. Beeman

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

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 Joseph A Gregori High School conducted by representatives of the California Department of Education. The internship includes the development of 16 steel raised garden beds for the Agriculture Department through a USDA farm to school grant. The supporting material includes information to receive state and local funding, outline the goals and objectives of the program, along with an overview of Gregori agriculture program and community

The Relationship Between Nonverbal Communication And Patient Willingness To Comply In Framed, Low-Risk Medical Settings, Rachael A. Katz

Communication Studies

This study discusses framing and communication tactics in the medical field. It specifically aims to understand whether expertise and empathetic nonverbal communication impacts patient willingness to comply with physician directives in gain- and loss-framed medical settings. Framing has been studied in many settings, including medical situations, and has been found to impact decision-making. This experiment utilizes college-aged individuals to examine Meningitis, a disease where the most at-risk group is college aged young adults. Participants were exposed to one of six conditions to examine whether perceived expertise/empathy in their scenario impacted willingness to comply with the doctor directives. Although no mediation …

Let's Talk Story: Waikiki And Its Social Displacements In Oral Histories And Print, 1901–1935, Alika Bourgette

Master's Theses

The everyday experiences of Waikiki’s residents of color often escaped official and semi-official records of historical events. When concerning Native Hawaiians and other nonwhite peoples, haole elite journalists and policymakers viewed their land, possessions, and bodies as opportunities for the cultural commodification, sexualization, and reimagination. As part of the redevelopment efforts of the Waikiki shoreline in the early twentieth century, state and commercial actors worked to affect the systematic erasure of Native Hawaiian and resident Asian spaces. This study utilizes extensive collections of oral histories from marginalized Waikiki residents of color to provide counterpoint to notions of indigenous passivity and …

A Comparison Study Of Composite Laminated Plates With Holes Under Tension, Joun S. Kim

Master's Theses

A Comparison Study of Composite Laminated Plates with Holes under Tension

A study was conducted to quantify the accuracy of numerical approximations to deem sufficiency in validating structural composite design, thus minimizing, or even eliminating the need for experimental test. Error values for stress and strain were compared between Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and analytical (Classical Laminated Plate Theory), and FEA and experimental tensile test for two composite plate designs under tension: a cross-ply composite plate design of [(0/90)4]s, and a quasi-isotropic layup design of [02/+45/-45/902]s, each with a single, centered hole of 1/8” diameter, and 1/4" diameter (four sets …

Eeg Characterization During Motor Tasks That Are Difficult For Movement Disorder Patients, Adam Joshua Aslam

Master's Theses

Movement disorders are a group of syndromes that often arise due to neurological abnormalities. Approximately 40 million Americans are affected by some form of movement disorder, significantly impacting patients’ quality of life and their ability to live independently. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is one treatment that has shown promising results in the past couple decades, however, the currently used open-loop system has several drawbacks. By implementing a closed-loop or adaptive DBS (aDBS) system, the need for expensive parameter reprogramming sessions would be reduced, side-effects may be relieved, and habituation could be avoided. Several biomarkers, for example signals or activity derived …

Lost In Translation: Social Media Outreach, Concerns, And Responses To The Potential Decommissioning Of Diablo Nuclear Power Plant, Madison O'Hare Salvati

Journalism

The following study investigated the process in designing a social media campaign the effectively conveys a large corporation’s, like Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), essence online during a significant event that will impact the entire community that corporation serves. The trend in social media campaigns to reach a greater audience during events like the potential decommissioning of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant (DCPP) is important and becoming a more efficient approach in keeping the public informed. The campaign’s focus was to restore PG&E’s online presence by taking down real-life concerns of those who will be impacted by the decommissioning of …

Strange Women: The Evaluation And Comparison Of Female Characters In Akira Kurosawa's Films, Alice Jiron Jang

History

The successes of Akira Kurosawa’s films have shaped and influenced Western views on Japan after World War II. While the male characters in Kurosawa’s films have been analyzed extensively, there is a focus on the subservience of this female characters. With the growing number of independent working women in a seemingly patriarchal society, it is important to study what has caused these women to break free from their traditional roles as housewife and mother. While some of Kurosawa's female characters are designed to be powerful and independent, others are submissive and obedient. The events that occur in postwar Japan have …

Corporate Social Responsibility: An Analysis Of Its Impact On Large Companies And Society, Alexandra Marie Gray

Journalism

The success of a business is often determined by the economic status it has built itself to, or the magnitude of its renowned distinction across society. The topic of CSR is often overlooked as a minor aspect of helping the business grow.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) can be characterized into many facets. Some, when thinking of the topic, will think of giving back to its community. Others will associate it with keeping a modest supply chain or healthy working conditions (Agaard, Valente, & Rasmussen, 2007). Either way, any instance where a business acts on social activism and producing for the …

Metallica Worldwired Tour: Case Study, Phillip Matthews

Construction Management

The concert touring industry is financially performing at its highest level in history. A shifting trend from selling records to selling live entertainment experiences has caused a boom in the event production field. This project examines one of the most successful global tours of 2017, Metallica’s WorldWired Tour. This tour was able to achieve success with an unconventional stage design. The goal was to enhance the audience experience and interaction with the band. To achieve this, Metallica toured with a roofless stage. This unique stage design proposed challenges for all areas of concert production, including lighting, audio, video, and atmosphere. …

Agricultural Communications Lesson Plans For High School Agriculture Programs, Caitlin Anne Stanton

Agricultural Education and Communication

In today’s workforce, individuals are expected to be able to communicate effectively through all means of communication. This includes video, graphics, emails, social media, and in person. In the agriculture industry, these means of communication have become crucial to promoting agricultural literacy throughout the world. It is important for young people to have a grasp on professionally utilizing these communication methods so that they can use them in future careers as well as advocating for the agriculture industry. The role of technology and social media is rapidly increasing in everyday life and becoming a key learning tool in secondary education. …

Animated Otto-Langen Atmospheric Engine, Keiran M. Hansen, Lance Hodgson, Rachel A. Jakob, Chris J. Splees

Mechanical Engineering

Based on an existing relationship between Dr. Owen and the Deutsches Museum, Otto-Mated was given the opportunity to collaborate with the two in a year-long senior design project. Otto-Mated was tasked with modeling and simulating the Otto-Langen Atmospheric Engine as a form of preservation and education. The model was created in SolidWorks and animated in Blender, effectively providing the museum with accurate and educational videos demonstrating the engine’s function. Within this document are the plans, decisions, and processes used to create our final product for Deutsches Museum.

Executive Committee - Agenda, 10/31/2017, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Agendas

No abstract provided.

Investigating The Role Of Regulation In Resilience Of Microbial Communities Under Fluctuating Environmental Conditions, Asaad Ahmed, Serdar Turkarslan

STAR Program Research Presentations

Gene regulatory networks are thought to be a vital contribution to microbial resilience in a fluctuating environment. Known gene regulatory networks were utilized to elucidate how the sulfate-reducing bacteria Desulfovibro vulgaris regulates its survival in its relative fluctuating environment while evolving to form a symbiotic relationship with the archaeal organism, Methanococcus maripaludis. By using transposon gene knockout methods to form transcription factor mutants in Desulfovibro vulgaris, the effect on the regulatory network is observed when the bacteria is co-cultured with Methanococcus maripaludis. Transferring methods to simulate fluctuating environments were used to induce transcription of regulatory genes. To measure the extent …

Searching For Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaea, Alexandra D. Gutierrez, Emily L. Cardarelli, Natalie Wright

STAR Program Research Presentations

The Colorado River Basin runs through multiple states in the West of the United States and is a prime water source for about 30 million people in our nation and is used for much of the farmland and agricultural needs in this area. Using cultures derived from the Colorado River Basin a multitude of tests were run in order to determine more about the microbes that are thriving within the river, specifically from archeal phylum Thaumarchaeota. These are ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) who perform nitrification by converting ammonia into nitrite, a process that was previously thought to only be achieved by …

Full Issue

.RAW Journal of Art and Design

No abstract provided.

A Planner's Perspective: Mindful Leadership In Troubled Times, William W. Riggs

Focus

No abstract provided.