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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 …

Characterization Of Pressure Driven And Electro-Kinetically Driven Flow In A Micro-Fluidic Chip Using Particle Imaging Velocimetry, Alexis Paige Weckel

Materials Engineering

The goal of this research is to compare electro-kinetic and pressure driven flow rates and velocity profiles (near wall vs. middle) in a microfluidic chip made of PDMS using particle imaging velocimetry (PIV) of an aqueous solution of fluorescent polystyrene (PS) particles using a laser confocal microscope (LCM). Microfluidic channels were fabricated out of PDMS using a SU-8 mold to be 25mm long and 180um by 1000um. Pressure-driven data did not show the expected parabolic profile because of the large width to depth ratio. In addition, data showed a calculated average significantly higher than the projected particle velocity through the …

The Effect Of Silicon On The Electrochemical Corrosion Resistance Of Carbon Steel, Loan Faget, Michael S. Rouse

Materials Engineering

The purpose of this study was to investigate how the silicon (Si) content of carbon steels affects their electrochemical corrosion resistance. Tests were conducted using concentrated HCl and carbonated water on three carbon steels with different levels of silicon: 0.02, 0,19, and 0.94 weight percent. Like H2S, the prime concern of Chevron, HCl and CO2 are corrosive components in oil refinery. Electrochemical properties were measured using a potentiodynamic test outlined in Standard ASTM G59-97: Test Method for Conducting Potentiodynamic Polarization Resistance Measurements. Previous studies have determined that adding silicon to steel increases the corrosion resistance; however, results show that corrosion …

Development Of Low Temperature, Aqueous Synthesis Method Of Lead Sulfide Quantum Dots, Albert Nakao, Colin Yee

Materials Engineering

Quantum dots have become an active area of research in the past decade due to their unique properties. Quantum confinement effects allow for efficient spectral conversion and size tunable fluorescence and absorption peaks. Near infrared spectral converting lead sulfide quantum dots have potential applications in solar power, biological imaging and communications technology. However at Cal Poly, lead sulfide dots have not been synthesized. The quantum dot synthesis currently adapted at Cal Poly encompasses organometallic precursors at high reaction temperatures, producing cadmium selenium dots. The organometallic approach has been found to produce nanocrystals with high quality photoluminescence, but due to its …

Draft Environmental Impact Report: City Of Clearlake General Plan Update, Hannah Cha

Master's Theses

The City of Clearlake in northern California initiated its first general plan update in 2012.The City decided to do an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the general plan update in order to fulfill the California Environmental Quality Act’s (CEQA) requirements.The author wrote the Agriculture and Biological Resources sections of the EIR.She explains the CEQA process for a programmatic-level EIR, and summarizes the lessons learned and recommendations for CEQA.

General CEQA issues include fear of litigation and vague requirements for thresholds of significance.Additional CEQA issues include difficulty applying the same level of analysis to programmatic projects when the Environmental Checklist is …

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 …

Beef Export Price Response To Sanitary Status And Traceability Systems: Implications For Paraguay, Silvana Careaga

Master's Theses

Global beef markets are highly influenced by sanitary issues, mainly related to animal health and food safety, which have been determining levels and trends in global beef trade. Food safety issues affecting human health such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) associated with Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (vCJD) in humans, and other diseases affecting production such as foot and mouth disease (FMD) has encouraged putting these issues to beef trade attention. A way to address these concerns and comply with international standards is the use of traceability systems in order to quickly identify hazard sources and assure beef quality and safety. The goal …

Assessing Rodent Species Counts And Diversity In The Not-Grazed Montana De Oro State Park And The Rotationally Grazed Pecho Ranch, Nancy Marie Lemos

Master's Theses

The available data examining the influence of rotational grazing on rodent responses are limited. This study investigated how rotational livestock grazing practices influence small mammal rodent abundances and species diversity. We looked for evidence of variation in the occurrence and/or numbers of certain rodent species among three plant community types (grassland, shrubland, grass-shrub mix), managed with or without grazing. We used Sherman live traps over a total of eight trapping sessions. We totaled 486 trapnights for each of the six plant community and grazing management combinations. The three plant community types were identified by visual cover.

Out of the eight …

Robotic Hand Controlled By Myoelectric Signals, Kyle T. Staskus, Daniel A. O'Bryan

Electrical Engineering

In this project we developed a prosthetic hand that is controlled by myoelectric signals from the forearm. The forearm signals were filtered and amplified to be easier read by a microcontroller. The microcontroller then generated signals to control the mechanical hand based on these myoelectric input signals. This is done by the microcontroller increasing the pulse width sent to several servos making up the hand. The larger the pulse width the more flexed the hand becomes until it reaches the maximum programmed into it. In order to open the hand the high input to the microcontroller must be deactivated and …

Clear Circuit Contact Lens, Paul Hecker Ii, Phillip Azar, Alexander Do, Benny Ng, Errol Leon

Electrical Engineering

The clear active contact lens project aims to address safety and hazard awareness with an unexplored field of eye wear technology. With advancements in nanotechnology and the advent of circuits on contact lens, this project is one of the first research and development into this new field, following University of Washington and Google. The team focuses on the safety and biocompatibility of the contact lens for a comfortable ease of use. The designs push the limits of thin film printed technology with its pursuit of fine designs of 250μm antennas. The project streamlines the manufacturing process for a combination substrate …

Ultraviolet Led Biofouling Mitigation, Andrew Lam

Computer Engineering

The goal is to determine if low-cost UV LEDs can mitigate marine biofouling on small glass or acrylic camera lenses. A microprocessor-controlled experimental setup to control the illumination of low-cost UV LEDs of various wavelength and packaging was fashioned. The system consists of a programmed microcontroller, a manufactured LED breakout interface, and a submergible UV LED array enclosed in a borosilicate glass tube. A preliminary qualitative assessment of four different UV LEDs was conducted during a three-week deployment of the experimental setup in the raw seawater system at the Cal Poly Center for Costal and Marine Sciences in Avila Beach, …

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 …

An Investigation Of Poly(N-Isopropylacrylamide) For Applications With Microfluidic Paper-Based Analytical Devices, Haydn Thomas Mitchell

Master's Theses

N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide-crosslinked poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), also known as P(NIPAM), was developed as a fluid delivery system for use with microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (microPADs). MicroPADs are postage-stamp-sized devices made out of paper that can be used as platforms for low-cost, simple-to-use point-of-care diagnostic assays. P(NIPAM) is a thermally responsive polymer that absorbs aqueous solutions at room temperature and will expel the solutions to microPADs when heated. The fluid delivery characteristics of P(NIPAM) were assessed, and P(NIPAM) was able to deliver multiple solutions to microPADs in specific sequences or simultaneously in a laminar-flow configuration. P(NIPAM) was then shown to be suitable …

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 …

Water And Nutrient Recycling In High Rate Algae Ponds Fed In Primary Treated Municipal Wastewater, Michael Field Chang

Master's Theses

Algal biofuels present a promising future alternative to petroleum based fuels. Water nutrient recycling is a key step to increase the sustainability of algae biofuel production facilities. This thesis discusses the process of nutrient and water recycling in high rate algae raceway ponds (HRAP) fed primary treated municipal wastewater. Research was conducted primarily at the San Luis Obispo Water Resource Reclamation Facility (SLOWRRF). Nine 30 m², 0.3 m deep HRAP’s were operated continuously from June 1, 2013 to April 17, 2014. The ponds were arranged in three sets of triplicate ponds, with two pond sets run on 3-day …

University Square Development Proposal, Tom Gregory Van Pelt

Master's Theses

The University Square Development Proposal (USDP) explores the redevelopment of the underutilized University Square site (the Site) in the City of San Luis Obispo (the City.) The Sites proximity to California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly), a university with significant student housing needs, makes it an ideal location for student housing. The City has also expressed interest in the Site, having identified it in the General Plan Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE) update as a “Special Planning Area”. The LUCE proposes a new mixed-use typology on the Site that may include a mixture of multi-family housing, …

Juiciness In Citizen Science Computer Games: Analysis Of A Prototypical Game, Eric D. Ebucktha Buckthal

Master's Theses

Incorporating the collective problem-solving skills of non-experts could ac- celerate the advancement of scientific research. Citizen science games leverage puzzles to present computationally difficult problems to players. Such games typ- ically map the scientific problem to game mechanics and visual feed-back helps players improve their solutions. Like games for entertainment, citizen science games intend to capture and retain player attention. “Juicy” game design refers to augmented visual feedback systems that give a game personality without modi- fying fundamental game mechanics. A “juicy” game feels alive and polished. This thesis explores the use of “juicy” game design applied to the citizen …

Pump Station Calculations And Irrigation System Evaluation For Trestle Vineyard, Linda Bushey

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Smooth Muscle Cell Organization In The Stem Region Of The Gracilis Collateral Circulation, Amanda Krall

Biomedical Engineering

Many patients who suffer from the ischemic Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease (PAOD) experience intermittent claudication, which can be attributed to impaired vasodilation. Collateral vessels are the primary site of resistance to blood flow downstream; therefore maximizing vasodilation in collaterals is crucial for efficient circulation. Collaterals function as natural bypasses around the occluded arteries and the increase in flow into these vessels causes them to outwardly remodel into conduit vessels. However, functional vasodilation in the stem region of collateral vessels is impaired at day 7 following femoral ligation, which can be attributed to smooth muscle cell malfunction. However, the increase in …

Horned Lark Management For The Protection Of Lettuce Sprouts, Taylor Wetzel, Eduardo Morales, Kyle Suguitan

Mechanical Engineering

The following document is the Final Project Report. Following the Critical Design Report, the top idea was taken and modified once again to suit the needs of the sponsor. Details regarding the changes are outlined throughout Chapter 3.

The provided background section explains why there is a need for a new device at Tanimura and Antle that will suit the customer's needs better than current methods and existing products. The top ideas picked for the Conceptual Design Review are the presented to reiterate the problems that were depicted in them and why they were not selected as part of the …

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 …

Smart Weights, Luke W. Rafla-Yuan, Austin C. Fox

Electrical Engineering

The goal of this project is to design and implement weights which can record and analyze work out patterns. Motivation for this project stems from the high cost of personal training. The hope is that this device will provide many of the benefits a user receives from personal training at only a fraction of the cost. The Smart Weight is designed with an on-board Inertial Measurement Unit providing acceleration, gyroscope, and magnetometer data. A microcontroller records and analyzes changes in motion, feeding this data into Multiplicative Recurrent Neural Network (MRNN) for exercise classification. A Raspberry Pi was chosen as the …

Characterizing The Reproducibility Of The Properties Of Electrospun Poly(D, L-Lactide-Co-Glycolide) Scaffolds For Tissue-Engineered Blood Vessel Mimics, Toni M. Pipes

Master's Theses

“Blood vessel mimics” (BVMs) are tissue-engineered constructs that serve as in vitro preclinical testing models for intravascular devices. The Cal Poly Tissue Engineering lab specifically uses BVMs to test the cellular response to stent implantation. PLGA scaffolds are electrospun in-house using the current “Standard Protocol” and used as the framework for these constructs. The performance of BVMs greatly depends on material and mechanical properties of the scaffolds. It is desirable to create BVMs with reproducible properties so that they can be consistent models that ultimately generate more reliable results for intravascular device testing. Reproducibility stems from the consistency of the …

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 …

Stabilization Of Horseradish Peroxidase Using Epoxy Novolac Resins For Applications With Microfluidic Paper-Based Analytical Devices, Cory A. Chaplan

Master's Theses

Microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (microPADs) are an emerging platform for point-of-care diagnostic tests for use by untrained users with potential applications in healthcare, environmental monitoring, and food safety. These devices can be developed for a multitude of different tests, many of which employ enzymes as catalysts. Without specialized treatment, some enzymes tend to lose their activity when stored on microPADs within 48 hours, which is a major hurdle for taking these types of devices out of the laboratory and into the real world. This work focused on the development of simple methods for stabilizing enzymes by applying polymers to chromatography …

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 …

Benefits And Obstacles To Smart Packaging In Food Labeling, Emmalyn H. Goulden

Graphic Communication

This project explores the reasons why food spoilage indicators are not yet sold in grocery stores for consumer use. Food spoilage indicators, or time-temperature indicators as they are more widely known, are used to determine whether or not products are safe for consumption. There are several potential barriers to the wide market usage of packaging containing indicators including lack of consumer interest, additional cost, and manufacturing difficulties. However, the benefits that the product offers in the way of consumer safety cannot be overlooked.

Extensive research was augmented by a survey of 119 shoppers at local grocery stores in the central …

Agricultural Education Graduate Internship Reports, Mark H. Powell

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

This internship/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 Santa Maria High School conducted by representatives of the California Department of Education. The internship included the development and implementation of a constitution and by-laws to govern the Agriculture Advisory committee for Santa Maria High School. The internship project includes information to receive state/local funding, outline the goals and objectives of the program, along with an overview of Santa Maria High School, the agriculture program and community.

Characterization Of Corynebacterium Pseudotuberculosis Biovar Equi Isolates Obtained From Cal Poly Horses And Review Of Application Of Transposons To Better Prevent Pigeon Fever In Horses, Irene Hasen

Animal Science

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Different Cryopreservation Techniques On The Survival Rate Of In Vitro Produced (Ivp) And Biopsied Bovine Blastocysts, Diana J. Gumber

Animal Science

This study’s objectives were to determine if the biopsy of expanded blastocysts prior to cryopreservation affected the survival rates and determine if there is a difference between slow-freezing in 10% glycerol, slow freezing in ethylene glycol, and vitrification in terms of survival rate of the embryos. Blastocoeles were reduced prior to cryopreservation by means of biopsy. Embryos for slow freezing were exposed to ethylene glycol (SynGRO Ethylene Glycol with Sucrose, BIONICHE, Pullman, WA, USA) or 10% glycerol (SynGRO 10% Glycerol, BIONICHE, Pullman, WA, USA) as cryoprotectants. Vitrified embryos were exposed to 10% and 40% ethylene glycol. Survival rate of biopsied …