Digital Commons Network^™

Rabbit Project Manual, Kelsey Fernandez

Agricultural Education and Communication

No abstract provided.

The Economic Feasibility Of Establishing A Pine Nut Orchard In California, Jason Joseph Colombini

Agribusiness

The purpose of this project was to determine where pine nuts could be grown in California and if they would be economically feasible to grow in California.

There is very limited information for growing pine nuts in a domesticated orchard. Areas where there was a lack of information were completed with assumptions using costs for walnuts. Once all costs were determined, they were entered into an Excel spreadsheet for analysis.

It has been concluded that pine nuts could be grown in California, mainly in the far northern intermountain regions such as Modoc County. The breakeven for the enterprise would not …

Agriview, Summer 2014

AGRIVIEW

No abstract provided.

Micro-Irrigation Design For Avocado Orchard In California, Michael C. Meyer

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This project encompasses the design and recommendations for a micro-irrigation system on an avocado orchard owned by Underwood Family Farms in Somis, California. The main objective of this report is to improve the existing irrigation system’s efficiency and uniformity with the new design and recommendations. The analysis includes information about good irrigation practices, irrigation system design and all the processes herein. Although there are many opinions on growing, irrigating and maintaining an avocado orchard, all of the methods, procedures and suggestions must be based on accurate data to provide reliable information to the grower. Evaluating the irrigation system and suggesting …

Metal Release From Serpentine Soils In Sri Lanka, Meththika Vithanage, Anushka Upamali Rajapaksha, Christopher Oze, Nishanta Rajakaruna, C. B. Dissanayake

Biological Sciences

Ultramafic rocks and their related soils (i.e., serpentine soils) are non-anthropogenic sources of metal contamination. Elevated concentrations of metals released from these soils into the surrounding areas and groundwater have ecological-, agricultural-, and human health-related consequences. Here we report the geochemistry of four different serpentine soil localities in Sri Lanka by coupling interpretations garnered from physicochemical properties and chemical extractions. Both Ni and Mn demonstrate appreciable release in water from the Ussangoda soils compared to the other three localities, with Ni and Mn metal release increasing with increasing ionic strengths at all sites. Sequential extraction experiments, utilized to identify “elemental …

The Effect Of Temperature And Extraction Technique On The Binding Interactions And Hydrolysis Of Β-Lactoglobulin With Milk Fat Globule Membrane (Mfgm), Corbin R. Kembel

Master's Theses

Whey protein, containing predominately b-Lactoglobulin (b-LG), is a popular choice among consumers looking for an excellent protein source. Likewise, fat is a natural component in milk and dairy products. Lipids are packaged within a membrane called the Milk Fat Globule Membrane (MFGM). The MGFM contains a variety of lipids and proteins. Although b-LG has been extensively characterized, the function of the protein is largely unknown. The objectives of this study were to assess the enzymatics of b-LG in an isolated system, evaluate the propensity of b-LG to bind to MFGM, determine the effects of temperature and fat extraction method on …

Effects Of Ovariectomy And Anatomical Position On The Compact Bone As Seen In Three Month Summer Ovine Model, Bryan C. Kraft

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study is to characterize the compact-bone remodeling response to an ovariectomy model of human postmenopausal osteoporosis. Animal models are a beneficial practice allowing for the evaluation of the effectiveness of medical therapies and devices on diseases. The ovine model was chosen for this study due to its large size, similar bone remodeling to humans, and cost effectiveness. The main obstacle to overcome with the use of the ovine model was the lack of natural menopause experienced by this species. To overcome this, it was necessary to perform an ovariectomy to create estrogen depletion and artificially induce …

Cayucos Community Health Plan, Jennifer Joyce Franich

Master's Theses

Recent, mounting research shows that chronic disease, the leading causes of death and primary driver of health care costs, cannot be effectively addressed through education or preventative health alone. A physical environment that promotes health—through access to healthy food, opportunities for physical activity, quality housing, transportation options, and safe schools—is an integral part of making our communities healthier. This research and accompanying Healthy Community Plans will serve as a way for the County to begin looking in-depth at the ways the built environment (our streets, parks, and neighborhoods) contribute or detract from the health of the community. Though the creation …

Addressing Childhood Obesity Through The Built Environment: The Guadalupe Case Sudy, Sophia Y. Lai

Master's Theses

This project takes a look at the impacts of our built environment on obesity in children living in racial and ethnic communities in relation to city planning. The results of this project results in a comprehensive report to provide an in-depth look into understanding the important relationships between children’s health and the built environment and understanding the best practices and recommendations for improving health in Guadalupe.

Located in the Santa Barbara County, the City of Guadalupe is mainly an agricultural town with over 85 percent of its residents who are of Hispanic Origin. With almost half of its Latino population …

Bee Colony Startup And Cost Analysis, Marisela Herrera

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

The increase in demand for European Honey bee pollination along with colony collapse disorder has caused bee pollination rental fees to greatly increase. This project intended to determine how effective and economically feasible it would be for almond growers to begin raising their own hives for pollination. It was determined the biggest challenges were organizing and finding employees who were knowledgeable about bee keeping. When looking at the cost it was clear that even with the current cost per hive the startup costs were still less than the total rental fees for a single pollination season.

Once the hives have …

Why Buying Local Will Soon Be Everyday Life: An Inquiry Of Local Food Markets, Logan M. Spittler

Graphic Communication

The purpose of this study was to determine the customer preferences between buying produce from local farmers’ markets verses buying produce from supermarkets within San Luis Obispo County and determine if the application of a delivery service of said produce would be successful. Surveys were conducted with one hundred and sixty individuals in San Luis Obispo County. Participants were asked a series of questions about purchasing preference, interest in a produce delivery service, and about other information they may want to know before purchasing produce. Student responses were compared to non-students from the San Luis Obispo County for contrasts of …

Optimization Of Growth Parameters For Algal Regrowth Potential Experiments, Chadwick D. Boggess

Master's Theses

Water cost is one of the key deterrents in making algal biofuels a feasible alternative to traditional petroleum fuels. Research into recycling of algal media was conducted in a laboratory setting at the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. A growth assay was created to allow for algal cultures, specifically Ward’s Chlorella sp., to proliferate in sealed culture vessels. Bold’s Basal Medium (BBM) was selected as the media due to its extensive use with freshwater algal strains. However, this medium can limit algal growth through nutrient limitation and it became necessary to augment the original recipe. 50mM …

Recognizing Specific Errors In Human Physical Exercise Performance With Microsoft Kinect, Ryan Staab

Master's Theses

The automatic assessment of human physical activity performance is useful for a number of beneficial systems including in-home rehabilitation monitoring systems and Reactive Virtual Trainers (RVTs). RVTs have the potential to replace expensive personal trainers to promote healthy activity and help teach correct form to prevent injury. Additionally, unobtrusive sensor technologies for human tracking, especially those that incorporate depth sensing such as Microsoft Kinect, have become effective, affordable, and commonplace.

The work of this thesis contributes towards the development of RVT systems by using RGB-D and tracked skeletal data collected with Microsoft Kinect to assess human performance of physical exercises. …

The Effect Of Pretreatment Methods On Methane Yield And Nutrient Solubilization During Anaerobic Digestion Of Microalgae, Alexander Scott Hill

Master's Theses

Microalgal biomass is a candidate feedstock for biofuel production. To improve the sustainability of algae biofuel production, following biofuel recovery, the biomass nutrients should be recycled for additional algae growth. Anaerobic digestion of algae or oil-extracted algae is a means of recovering carbon and other nutrients, while offsetting algae production electricity demand. The major limiting factor in microalgae digestion is the low biodegradability of the cell walls. In the present study, various pretreatment technologies were tested at bench scale for their ability to improve raw, non-lipid-extracted algae biodegradability, which was assessed in terms of methane yield, volatile solids destruction, and …

Installation Plan For An Automatic Fresh Water Ball Valve For The Dairy Unit Flush Tank At California Polytechnic State University, Garret James Rowley

Agricultural Education and Communication

The purpose of this senior project was to plan for the installation of an automatic fresh water valve at the Dairy Unit at California Polytechnic State University. This new valve will replace the existing manual gate valve that repeatedly overfills the tank. The data and research was completed in order to assess the projects feasibility and installation needs. This project outlines the steps needed to be taken in order to install the valve, as well provides a detailed explanation on why this installation is pertinent.

Beef Cattle Lesson Plans: For Use In The Education Of School-Age Children In The Beef Cattle Industry, Katherine M. Halloran, Cheyenne H. Love

Animal Science

This project was initially created for use at Fort Hope in Arroyo Grande, California. It designs lesson plans created to teach children about the beef cattle industry. The project consists of lesson plans for three age groups: 7-9, 10-12, and 13-15. Each age group will learn various aspects about beef cattle, and lessons will increase in complexity as the children advance age groups. The groups will spend six days in lecture completing worksheets and activities, and on the seventh day, after completion of a review game, the children receive certificates. While the project was created specifically for the Fort Hope …

Día Del Niño: Los Efectos De Un Evento Transcultural En La Comunidad Local, Emma Rose Horowitz

World Languages and Cultures

The purpose of Día del Niño, also known as World Children’s Day, is to spread worldwide awareness of the rights that every child ‘should’ have. Through organizations such as UNICEF and the United Nations, extensive international work has been conducted throughout the past century in order to protect the lives of children from issues such as disease, hunger, abuse, and no access to an education. The idea of World Children’s Day has swept the globe, becoming an important event in societies all over the world. Although the day or traditions may not be the same in every country, the message …

Cosleeping: A Universal Human Phenomenon, Sarah E. Nasatir-Hilty

Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

A Biomedical And Biocultural Approach To The Hispanic Paradox, Tess Wianecki

Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

Nutrition Transition In California: Examination Of The Nutrition Profile, Desiree Rodriguez

Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

The Importance Of Personal Branding: How To Create And Maintain A Successful Personal Brand, Molly Hitchings

Graphic Communication

No abstract provided.

An Examination Of An Environmental Change In Beverages Available To High School Students In Santa Maria, California On Their Consumption Behavior, Susan Eileen Klucker

Master's Theses

Hypothesis: "By an environmental change in high school vending machines, making water available, students will choose water over the sugar sweetened sodas."

This document highlights a case study analysis of vendor-provided refill data for forty-five beverage vending machines at two campus sites in one high school district in 2003 and 2004. The innovative study and publicized negotiated soda contract of a 50:50 (healthy to unhealthy) beverage ratio stipulation became the “Win-Win-WEAN” compromise, in which exposure to healthier beverage options for students might prove to provide the same income opportunity for the school district.

An overview of the political …

Consumer Evaluation Of Cheese: Linking Hedonics, Emotions And Perception Of Product Attributes, Kristine Patricia Martinez

Master's Theses

As the food industry continues to grow and the marketplace becomes saturated with similar products, consumer researchers and sensory scientists are looking to dig deeper into the minds of consumers to reveal greater distinctions between products and ultimately deliver multi-dimensionally desirable products to consumers. Concurrently, rates of adult and childhood obesity have been increasing nationwide. Food companies are now facing a paradigm shift as health initiatives and consumers are beginning to demand healthier alternatives to commonly consumed food products. With this in mind, it has become imperative to identify product attributes that drive consumption so they can be replicated in …

Development Of Novel Anti-Microbial Plant Essential-Oil Treatments To Reduce The Postharvest Incidence Of Botrytis Cinerea Of Strawberries, Ryan C. Brantley

Master's Theses

Fresh strawberries have grown into a multi-billion dollar industry over the last few decades in California. Botrytis cinerea or grey mold, is the worst pathological disorder affecting strawberry fruit causing cull rates of up to 30% in the worst seasons. Strawberry fruits are fragile and have a short shelf-life making timely harvest, cooling, and marketing an absolute necessity. The current industry standard is to ship strawberries in an overwrapped CO₂-enriched headspace pallet in refrigerated trucks at 33 °F. However, B. cinerea has the ability to grow at very low temperatures and continues to plague the strawberry industry during postharvest storage …

Oceano Community Health Plan, Eugene Phillip Brennan

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

Oceano Community Health Plan

Phillip Brennan

Recent, mounting research shows that chronic disease, the leading causes of death and primary driver of health care costs, cannot be effectively addressed through education or preventative health alone. A physical environment that promotes health—through access to healthy food, opportunities for physical activity, quality housing, transportation options, and safe schools—is an integral part of making our communities healthier. This research and accompanying Healthy Community Plans will serve as a way for the County to begin looking in-depth at the ways the built environment (our streets, parks, and neighborhoods) contribute or detract from the …

May 29, 2014 Cal Poly Report, Public Affairs Office

Cal Poly Report

No abstract provided.

Cal Poly Students Succeed At Statewide Research Competition, Public Affairs Office

Press Releases

No abstract provided.

Academic Senate - Agenda, 5/20/14, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Agendas

No abstract provided.

May 14, 2014 Cal Poly Report, Public Affairs Office

Cal Poly Report

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Of The Standard 5-Day Co-Synch With Cidr Protocol And A 14-Day Co-Synch With Cidr Protocol In Primiparous And Multiparous Beef Cattle, Taylor Anne Dericco

Animal Science

No abstract provided.