Digital Commons Network^™

Nothing But The Truth And The Whole Truthiness: Examining Markers Of Authenticity In The Modern Documentary, Andrew V. Dickerson

Master's Theses

This thesis examines the phenomenon comedian Stephen Colbert dubbed “truthiness” as it pertains to representations of authenticity in the documentary film genre. This thesis identifies several “markers of authenticity,” such as voice-over narration and confessional interviews, which have come to represent trustworthy representations of reality in the documentary form. This thesis also provides a content analysis of the markers’ use in five carefully selected contemporary documentaries, including Super Size Me (Spurlock, 2004) and Bowling for Columbine (Moore, 2002). The purpose of the study is to create a more comprehensive definition of the word truthiness as it pertains to the documentary …

Modeling Wildfire Hazard In The Western Hindu Kush-Himalayas, David Bylow

Master's Theses

Wildfire regimes are a leading driver of global environmental change affecting diverse ecosystems across the planet. The objectives of this study was to model regional wildfire potential and identify environmental, topological, and sociological factors that contribute to the ignition of regional wildfire events in the Western Hindu Kush-Himalayas. The environmental, topological, and sociological factors were used to model regional wildfire potential through multi-criteria evaluation using a method of weighted linear combination. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and geographic information systems (GIS) data were integrated to identify regional wildfire factors. Point pattern and inferential statistical analysis were used to analyze regional …

Habitat Use By Myotis Yumanensis And Tadarida Brasiliensis Mexicana In South San Francisco Bay Wetlands: An Acoustic Study, Theresa Brickley

Master's Theses

Research on bat habitat use within coastal estuaries is limited. The purposes of my study were to determine whether Yuma myotis (Myotis yumanensis) and Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana) differentiate between open water and marsh within saline and brackish habitats and to examine whether climatic factors are correlated with general activity and tidal height with foraging of the two species. I recorded echolocation sequences over 30 survey nights in Alviso, California. Two Anabat II^® detectors were randomly deployed each survey night in open salt water and salt marsh or open brackish water and brackish …

Genetic Population Structure And Cryptic Speciation Of Ghost Shrimp (Neotrypaea Californiensis) In North American West Coast Estuaries, Daphne Anne Gille

Master's Theses

Many marine species produce larvae that disperse and develop into post-larvae in the open ocean over a period of weeks to months. However, the patterns and potential of larvae to disperse across long geographic distances are poorly understood. Here genetic variation found at the mitochondrial locus, cytochrome C oxidase subunit I, in adult ghost shrimp, Neotrypaea californiensis, was used as a proxy to infer dispersal potential of ghost shrimp larvae found in estuaries along the west coast of the United States. Multiple haplotypes were shared among 346 adult ghost shrimp specimens collected from estuaries in Washington, Oregon, and California indicated …

Dynamics Of Vibrio With Virulence Genes Detected In Pacific Harbor Seals (Phoca Vitulina Richardii) Off California: Implications For Marine Mammal Health, Stephanie Nichole Hughes

Master's Theses

Given their coastal site fidelity and opportunistic foraging behavior, harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) may serve as sentinels for coastal ecosystem health. Seals using urbanized coastal habitat can acquire enteric bacteria, including Vibrio, that may affect their health. To understand Vibrio dynamics in seals, demographic and environmental factors were tested for predicting potentially virulent Vibrio in free-ranging and stranded Pacific harbor seals (P. v. richardii) off the coast of California. Vibrio prevalence did not vary with season and was greater in free-ranging seals (29%, n = 319) compared with stranded seals (17%, n = 189). Of …

Individual Differences And Pet Ownership Status: Distinguishing Among Different Types Of Pet Owners And Non-Owners, Shannon Marie Merrill

Master's Theses

Research examining potential differences between pet owners and non-owners is prevalent in the scientific literature, but findings have often been inconsistent. Although some researchers have incorporated animal preference into their investigations of pet ownership, such research is scarce and inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to examine individual differences that may systematically vary based on pet ownership status, pet preference, and gender. It was predicted that the interaction of these variables would demonstrate differences among and between groups of pet owners and non-owners, which could help to explain some of the ambiguity of previous research.

A large sample of …

Determining The Intracellular Concentrations Of Flavonoids In Mda-Mb-231 Cells Using Hplc-Coupled Mass Spectrometry, Anh Dang Pham

Master's Theses

Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds found in a wide variety of plants. In recent years, flavonoids have been found to be beneficial to human health. Our lab has investigated the ability of flavonoids to induce cytotoxicity in human breast cancer cell lines. We have discovered that some compounds can induce cytotoxicity very readily, whereas others cannot. We hypothesized that this difference is attributable to a compound's ability to transverse the cell membrane. Therefore, we used LC-MS to measure the amount of each flavonoid that is able to enter into MDA-MB-231 cells, human breast cancer cells. We tested 14 flavonoids. MDA-MB-231 cells …

A Descriptive Study Of Old-Growth Sequoia Sempervirens Growth Form And Canopy Structure On A Pygmy Forest Ecotone In Mendocino County, Zuhayl Rochin Lambert

Master's Theses

The tallest tree in the world is the coast redwood, Sequoia sempervirens, a species endemic to a 16-km-wide coastal belt extending from Big Sur, California, to southern Oregon. Old-growth redwood forests are home to other plant and animal species that depend on structural characteristics that have formed over hundreds of years. While a great deal of research regarding growth form and structure has taken place on highly productive stands, little work has been done on marginal sites, where redwoods are on the edge of their ecological tolerance. In the Northern California County of Mendocino, hydrophobic spodosol are host to …

Investigation Of The Role Of Dietary Flavonoids On Cell Death: Evidence To Support A Non-Classical Apoptotic Mechanism, Tetiana Lialiutska

Master's Theses

Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds widely distributed in plants and have been shown to be cytotoxic to cancer cells. Our lab has previously shown that some flavonoids are able to induce cytotoxicity and inhibit caspase activity in human breast cancer cell lines. The goal of our study was to identify the specific molecular pathways required for flavonoid-induced cytotoxicity. MDA-MB-231 cells, mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) lacking caspase 3 and 7, and primary baby mouse kidney epithelial cells lacking Bax and Bak were cultured. Flavonoid-treated MDA-MB-231 cells showed cytochrome c release. We detected caspase 3 activation and PARP cleavage in MDA-MB-231 cells after …

Ethics And Wolf Management: Attitudes Toward And Tolerance Of Wolves In Washington State, Julie Callahan

Master's Theses

Approximately seventy-five years after extirpation from Washington State, gray wolves (Canis lupus) returned. As of December 2012, eight packs had arrived from adjacent states and provinces. Delisted from the Federal Endangered Species List in the eastern one-third of Washington, state wildlife managers now have the authority to manage wolves without federal supervision. As a result, one seven-wolf pack has been destroyed. The current study was developed to provide information for managers and policymakers to modify wolf management policies to fit the new regulatory context. Effects of a range of cultural and demographic factors on attitudes toward wolves and tolerance of …

A Study On Taiwanese International Students And Taiwanese American Students: The Interface Between Naming And Identity, Yi-An Chen

Master's Theses

In this study, I analyze how Chinese and English naming practices influence name adoption and explicate how the use and choice of names by Taiwanese international students and Taiwanese American students at San José State University, California, are structured through social interaction and cultural context. The data were collected from in-depth interviews with 10 Taiwanese international students and 10 Taiwanese American students. The interviews focused on how they construct their identities and produce social relations with others through their choice and use of ethnic and/or English names.

The study findings help to illuminate areas that until now have not received …

Mexican Photography Collected: Graciela Iturbide And Tina Modotti, Camille F. Porter

Master's Theses

The act of collecting has increasingly become a focus of art historians in the last

thirty years. Susan Pearce, Mieke Bal, Bruce Althuser and other scholars have written

theoretical perspectives illuminating the ways in which the collecting of art influences the identity of a particular collector and in turn the ways in which the process of collecting art itself attaches meanings to objects.

In the last twenty years, there has been a surge in the collecting of Mexican

photography dating from the 1920s to the contemporary period. Mexican photography

has a long history of being at once an art form …

The Impact Of Kenya National Library Services (Knls), Kisumu Provincial Mobile Library Services On Education In Kisumu County,Kenya., James Macharia Tutu

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The purpose of this study was to establish the impact of KNLS Kisumu provincial mobile library services on education in Kisumu County. Qualitative research approach was used to conduct the study. Interviews were used to collect data and data was analysed qualitatively. Ten schools were sampled for the study, six secondary schools and four primary schools. Personnel working with KNLS Kisumu provincial mobile library services and teachers in sampled schools were interviewed. The study established that the impact of KNLS Kisumu provincial mobile library services on education in Kisumu County was positive. The study recommends the diversification of the mobile …

Use Of Multimedia For Teaching In Nigerian University System: A Case Study Of University Of Ibadan, A.B. Oshinaike, S.R. Adekunmisi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The use of multimedia in industries has been extensive, as it has been effective in increasing productivity and retention rates, where research has shown that people remember 20% of what they see, 40% of what they see and hear, but about 75% of what they see and hear and do simultaneously (Lindstrom, 1994). Multimedia is now permeating the educational system as a tool for effective teaching and learning. With multimedia, the communication of information can be done in a more effective manner and it can be an effective instructional medium for delivering information.

Multimedia access to knowledge is one of …

Barth, Barthes, And Bergson: Postmodern Aesthetics And The Imperative Of The New, Paul Douglass

Faculty Publications, English and Comparative Literature

No abstract provided.

Direct Manipulation Tablet Apps For Education: How Should We Understand Them?, Rich Burkhard, Timothy Hill, Shailaja Venkatsubramanyan, Chang Kim

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

As the iPad and its competitors create a new product category – apps for mobile, multimedia tablets with touch and gesture interfaces – many are convinced that tablet apps will revolutionize education. For example, hand-controlled, direct manipulation features offer new ways to convey both spatial and abstract concepts, and progressive storylines can adapt to users in real-time. While the effectiveness of tablet apps for learning may seem obvious to new users, how and why particular apps might be effective is new research territory, and the relevance of existing learning theory is unknown. We describe a research program that will explore …

Spartan Daily December 7, 2011, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily (School of Journalism and Mass Communications)

Volume 137, Issue 52

Spartan Daily December 6, 2011, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily (School of Journalism and Mass Communications)

Volume 137, Issue 51

Gender Swapping In World Of Warcraft: A Look Into Personal Relationships And Gender Identity In The Gaming Environment, Jay Potter

iResearch: Department of Communication Studies Invitational Scholar Slam 2011-2012

Massively multi player online role-playing games (MMORPGs) are virtual environments that allow thousands of players to come together at one time to interact, fight monsters, and solve challenges. Role-playing in particular offers some unique benefits and opportunities that are not spared in its virtual equivalent. Gender-swapping, that is when a player chooses to play as a character that is the opposite gender of him or her is one of those benefits. This study will explore the phenomenon of gender-swapping, looking for the diverse reasons players may have to assume an identity so extremely opposite of their own. The purpose of …

Global Change, Global Trade, And The Next Wave Of Plant Invasions, Bethany A. Bradley, Dana M. Blumenthal, Regan Early, Edwin D. Grosholz, Joshua J. Lawler, Luke P. Miller, Cascade J.B. Sorte, Carla M. D'Antonio, Jeffrey M. Diez, Jeffrey S. Dukes, Ines Ibanez, Julian D. Olden

Faculty Publications, Biological Sciences

Many non-native plants in the US have become problematic invaders of native and managed ecosystems, but a new generation of invasive species may be at our doorstep. Here, we review trends in the horticultural trade and invasion patterns of previously introduced species and show that novel species introductions from emerging horticultural trade partners are likely to rapidly increase invasion risk. At the same time, climate change and water restrictions are increasing demand for new types of species adapted to warm and dry environments. This confluence of forces could expose the US to a range of new invasive species, including many …

Spartan Daily November 30, 2011, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily (School of Journalism and Mass Communications)

Volume 137, Issue 48

Spartan Daily November 22, 2011, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily (School of Journalism and Mass Communications)

Volume 137, Issue 46

Spartan Daily November 21, 2011, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily (School of Journalism and Mass Communications)

Volume 137, Issue 45

Spartan Daily November 2, 2011, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily (School of Journalism and Mass Communications)

Volume 137, Issue 36

Digitization Of Archival Collections In Africa For Scholarly Communication: Issues, Strategies, And Challenges, Brendan Eze Asogwa

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Experience and observations have revealed that most archives and libraries in Africa today are filled with materials recorded in analogue formats and the traditional or analogue librarians and archivists are those who are still carrying out the tasks of acquiring, organizing, and preserving the print documents and helping the readers in locating the information they need.

In developing countries this picture has rapidly changed due to the influence of advances in computer technology. The physical materials are gradually giving way to electronic print, and online public access catalogue (OPAC) is obliterating the needs for users to physically visit the library …

Rural Farmers' Problems Accessing Agricultural Information: A Case Study Of Nsukka Local Government Area Of Enugu State, Nigeria, Nnenna A. Obidike

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Rural farmers account for the greater part of the population of any developing country such as Nigeria. Governments of developing countries have a major responsibility of ensuring that there is adequate rural development in their various communities and local governments which would lead to effective and efficient agricultural systems that will not only supply food and animal protein but also foster the utilization of natural resources in a sustainable manner (CGIAR, 1995). When the rural farmers lack access to knowledge and information that would help them achieve maximum agricultural yield, they are not only grope in the dark but are …

Access, November 2011, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Access Magazine

No abstract provided.

Review Of The Book Gender And Globalization: Patterns Of Women’S Resistance, Erica G. Polakoff And Ligaya Lindio-Mcgovern, (Eds.)., Mantra Roy

Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Spartan Daily October 31, 2011, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily (School of Journalism and Mass Communications)

Volume 137, Issue 34

Spartan Daily October 26, 2011, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily (School of Journalism and Mass Communications)

Volume 137, Issue 32