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Estuarine Habitat Use By The California Sea Otter (Enhydra Lutris Nereis), Jacqueline Kimberly Lindsey

Master's Theses

As the southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) range expands into northern and southern California, it will encounter estuaries that have been historically occupied by sea otters. Understanding how otters use re-colonized estuarine environments will inform how estuaries might be managed to encourage future sea otter range expansion. This project addressed the question: how do southern sea otters use space in the unique estuarine habitats of Elkhorn Slough? I compared the locations and behaviors of 25 individual sea otters of different status (male, female, and female with pup) among eelgrass, saltmud, saltmarsh, tidal creek, and main channel habitats in Elkhorn …

Sex-Specific Diet And Rockfish Consumption In California Sea Lions (Zalophus Californianus): Insights From Molecular Scatology, Keith Michael Hernandez

Master's Theses

Molecular diet analysis has the potential to overcome the limitations of traditional methods. I used prey hard parts and molecular methods to examine sex-specific diet trends and rockfish consumption of California sea lions (Zalophus californianus, CSL). Fresh scat samples (n=219) were collected from Año Nuevo Island, CA (ANI), during the summers of 2013 and 2014. Prey taxa were identified from fish otoliths and cephalopod beaks recovered from cleaned scats. Sex of the CSL depositing the scat was assigned via multiplex PCR of a CSL microsatellite and a carnivore Y chromosome marker. Prey species also were identified using multiple loci in …

Variation In Organismic Rna And Dna Content: Analysis And Application To The Assessment Of Living Planktonic Biomass, Elizabeth Lam Gagneron

Master's Theses

Modern analysis of DNA and RNA nucleic acid sequences has yielded profound changes in our understanding of the genetic biodiversity of planktonic organisms within the microbial food web of aquatic ecosystems. However, the bulk environmental concentrations of DNA and RNA, and their relative ratios, also potentially provide important information on the biomass and metabolic activity of planktonic organisms. Currently, there is a need to quantify the relative living biomass levels of natural water contained in ships’ ballast tanks to regulate the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) resulting from ballast water discharge practices within the international shipping industry. Ultraviolet (UV) …

Loss Of Identity, Radicalization, And Terrorism, Magdalena Martinez

Master's Theses

France and Belgium are two of the top countries in Europe with an increasing number of root fighters. Over the last two years, both countries have been primary targets of terrorism. This thesis investigates the repeated pattern of events and analyzes from a birds-eye view the cycle leading to the rise of terrorism in France and Belgium. This research disputes that anxiety causes discrimination and lack of integration in France and Belgium, which contributes an identity crisis. In essence, these factors trigger radicalization and lead to terrorism. Analyzing the patterns of terrorist activity and the path of radicalization is essential …

Challenging Filipino Colonial Mentality With Philippine Art, Francesca V. Mateo

Master's Theses

For 350 years, the Philippines was colonized by Spain and the United States. The Philippines became a sovereign nation in 1946 yet, fifty years later, colonial teachings continue to oppress Filipinos due to their colonial mentality (CM.) CM is an internalized oppression among Filipinos in which they experience an automatic preference for anything Western—European or U.S. American—and rejection of anything Filipino. Although Filipinos show signs of a CM, there are Filipinos who are challenging CM by engaging in Philippine art. Philippine art is defined as Filipino-made visual art, literature, music, and dance intended to promote Philippine culture. This …

The Politics Of Contagion, Joseph M. Young

Master's Theses

Contagion events have occurred throughout history leaving death and destruction in their wake. Often sensationalized in movies and shows such as Contagion and The Walking Dead, contagion events are life-altering events filled with gory symptoms and elevated mortality rates. The dangers of contagion events prompted governments to develop agencies with the purpose of preventing and mitigating the risks contagions pose. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other agencies across the globe pour millions of dollars each year into eliminating the risk of contagions and making the world a safer place. However, while more resources are dedicated to …

Challenges Associated With Improving The Nutritional Quality Of Foods Available In Schools: The Case Of San Francisco Unified School District, Marianne Hoeidal

Master's Theses

This thesis examines school meal programs as a governmental intervention to improve food security among children. Further, it will examine how the global nutrition transition is affecting school meal programs and what challenges schools have met in their attempts to improve the nutritional components in meals served in schools. This thesis uses the case of San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) located in California, United States of America, as an opportunity to investigate the key challenges in the process of improving the nutritional components of their meal plans, and how they overcame this challenges. The thesis begins with a historical …

“Mexico, Public Policy And Obesity In A Global Context”, Daniela Carina Bermudez

Master's Theses

Mexico has one of the most obese populations in the world. A country known for its diversity of rich flavorful food is drowning in low nutritional food products. This thesis examines Mexico’s obesity epidemic within the larger global context of international economic trade policies, public policies and Mexico’s health policies. The key research questions are 1) why is there an obesity epidemic in Mexico? and 2) what remedies should Mexico implement to control it? This thesis contributes to a viable policy strategy for the Mexican government to control and prevent the further increase of this obesity epidemic. Reviewing both the …

Islamophobia In The United States How American News Coverage And Social Media Perpetuate Fear & Hate Against Islam, Rida Kazmi

Master's Theses

In recent years, Islamophobia in the United States has risen to levels never seen before. While 2016 marks the 15-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, hatred and fear of Muslims and Islam has reached an all-time high instead of steadily decreasing. The rise in Islamophobia is due in large part to the news coverage that people are exposed to, with media stories on terrorist attacks often conflating Islam and violence in both subtle and other ways. Furthermore, we see that similar coverage of acts of violence committed by non-Muslims is often markedly different, both in tone and language. Through American …

The Persuasive Effect Of Youtube Videos On Food Waste Habits, Deeti Gupta

Master's Theses

In the past decade, food waste has emerged as one of the most important food sustainability issues in developed societies and has received increased attention from academic scholars, policymakers, environmental and other civil society organizations. There have also been a growing number of efforts to mitigate this problem, an important component of which has been education to provide consumers with a clearer understanding of the food waste problem and the methods that they can take to change their food waste behaviors. One of the educational approaches has involved social marketing. Social marketers have recently turned to YouTube and other video …

A Political Ecology Of Copper Production And Environmental Degradation In Zambia, Chalwe C. Mwansa

Master's Theses

Zambia has been producing copper for more than a century. Over the past three decades, the country has attracted large scale investments within the mining sector making it one the formidable destination for investment in Africa. However, the relationship between copper production and environmental degradation is intrinsically linked and further hampered by socioeconomic, political and developmental factors.The case of Zambia is used to empirically validate and authenticate how environmental management resulting from copper production has adversely affected the country. The nation's copper production was initially under private ownership in the colonial era; Post Independence, nationalization of copper production was initiated …

Addressing The Gender Workforce Gap In The Scientific Journal Editorial Hierarchy, Nishelli Ishti Ahmed

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Determining The Efficacy Of Antimicrobials For The Inhibition And Inactivation Of Listeria Monocytogenes In Broth, Whole Milk, And Fresh Cheese., Sarah Kozak

Master's Theses

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterial pathogen that causes listeriosis, the third-leading cause of death related to foodborne illness. The anti-listerial efficacy of acidified calcium sulfate with lactic acid (ACSL), beta-resorcylic acid (BR), caprylic acid (CA), e-polylysine (EPL), hydrogen peroxide (HP), lauric arginate ethyl ester (LAE), and sodium caprylate (SC) was determined in Brain Heart Infusion broth, ultra-high-temperature pasteurized milk, and fresh cheese (Queso Fresco). Binary combinations of antimicrobials were tested to identify synergistic interactions, which can reduce usage rates. Overall, HP was the most efficacious treatment with concentrations of 40-50 ppm inhibiting L. monocytogenes in broth, 200 ppm resulting in …

Creative Movement And Dance Integration: Their Connection To Learning Third Grade Math Concepts, Lashandria L. Redman

Master's Theses

In education, there are various methods of instruction used to engage students and strengthen learning of academic concepts. One method that can be used is arts integration. Arts integration is a pathway to learning that integrates an art form with another subject. Using movement and dance to help teach concepts that are part of an academic discipline is dance integration. This thesis involves dance integration and examines creating and presenting a movement and dance-integrated curriculum that teaches concepts that are part of the math discipline. The study explores how the movement and a dance-integrated curriculum affects student behavior and learning, …

The Impacts Of Arterial Occlusion, Sex, And Exercise On Arteriogenesis And Functional Vasodilation, Megan Tze-Mei Chu

Master's Theses

The most frequent clinical presentation of peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) is intermittent claudication, which may be caused by impaired vasodilation. Patients demonstrate both local and systemic impairments in vasodilation, but as the collateral circulation is the primary site of resistance to the ischemic zone, impaired collateral vasodilation would have the greatest potential to induce claudication. Collateral function following arterial occlusion is not well defined, but immature collaterals may demonstrate impaired vasodilation in animal models, although this is potentially improved with exercise training. Furthermore, as females exhibit poorer physical function with ischemia and less improvement with therapeutic exercise, there appears …

Assessment Of Asymmetric Flight On Solar Uas, Eric Belfield

Master's Theses

An investigation was conducted into the feasibility of using an unconventional flight technique, asymmetric flight, to improve overall efficiency of solar aircraft. In this study, asymmetric flight is defined as steady level flight in a non-wings-level state in- tended to improve solar incidence angle. By manipulating aircraft orientation through roll angle, solar energy collection is improved but aerodynamic efficiency is worsened due to the introduction of additional trim drag. A point performance model was devel- oped to investigate the trade-off between improvement in solar energy collection and additional drag associated with asymmetric flight. A mission model with a focus on …

Quantifying Parkinson's Disease Symptoms Using Mobile Devices, Charles R. Aylward

Master's Theses

Current assessments for evaluating the progression of Parkinson’s Disease are largely qualitative and based on small sets of data obtained from occasional doctor-patient interactions. There is a clinical need to improve the techniques used for mitigating common Parkinson’s Disease symptoms. Available data sets for researching the disease are minimal, hindering advancement toward understanding the underlying causes and effectiveness of treatment and therapies. Mobile devices present an opportunity to continuously monitor Parkinson’s Disease patients and collect important information regarding the severity of symptoms. The evolution of digital technology has opened doors for clinical research to extend beyond the clinic by incorporating …

Metabolic Regulation And Cryotolerance Of In Vitro-Produced Holstein Embryos, Melissa Ann Roberts

Master's Theses

In vitro production and transfer of embryos has become a common practice within the dairy industry to efficiently breed superior animals and meet the consumption demand of the growing population. Cyropreservation is necessary for the application of commercialized embryo transfer, however, in vitro-produced embryos show morphological and physiological defects which negatively impact their ability to withstand cryopreservation in comparison to their in vivo counterparts. These artifacts result from culture conditions that cause stress to the embryo during development, leading to an accumulation of intracellular lipids, mitochondrial dysfunction, and ultimately poor ability to withstand freezing and thawing. The objective of …

The Importance Of The Multicomponent Display In Sexual Selection Of Black Morph Girardinus Metallicus (Pisces: Poeciliidae), Erin M. Wojan

Master's Theses

Multicomponent displays are composed of traits, such as coloration, structural ornaments, and behavior, that become integrated and signal information to conspecifics. Estimation of multicomponent displays in fishes often involves measurement of color traits. Fish color measurements are often obtained following immobilization via chemical anesthesia; however, the anesthetics may alter the resulting measurements, for example by darkening the skin. Girardinus metallicus, a poeciliid fish endemic to Cuba, has a multicomponent courtship and aggressive display. Black morph males exhibit black ventral coloration including the gonopodium (copulatory organ) and yellow in the non-black areas of their bodies. I investigated the effects of …

Effect Of Oxygen-Limiting Tidal Conditions On Muscle Metabolism And Structure In The Giant Acorn Barnacle, Balanus Nubilus, Katie O. Grady

Master's Theses

Crustacean muscle fibers are some of the largest cells in the animal kingdom, with fiber diameters in the giant acorn barnacle (Balanus nubilus) exceeding 3 mm. Sessile animals with extreme muscle sizes and that live in the hypoxia-inducing intertidal zone – like B. nubilus – represent ideal models for probing the effects of oxygen limitation on muscle cells. We investigated changes in metabolism and structure of B. nubilus muscle in response to: normoxic immersion, anoxic immersion, or air emersion, for acute (6h) or chronic (6h exposures twice daily for 2wks) time periods. Following exposure, we immediately measured hemolymph …

The Water Table And Soil Moisture Response Following The Removal Of Conifers From An Encroached Meadow, Thomas W. Sanford

Master's Theses

Montane meadows play a key role in the physical and biologic processes of coniferous forests in the western United States. However, due to climate change, over grazing, and fire suppression, conifer encroachment into meadows has accelerated. In some western regions, nearly half of all meadow habitat has been loss due to conifer encroachment. To combat this issue, encroaching conifers can be removed in an attempt to increase meadow habitat and function. While multiple studies have assessed changes in soil structure and vegetation composition, few studies directly investigate changes in hydrology following meadow conifer removal projects. The goal of this study …

Three-Dimensional Analysis Of The Development Of Upper Arm Musculoskeletal Stress Markers In Late Adolescents And Young Adults Of Archaic And Mississippian Populations Of Tennessee, Heather Marie Guzik

Master's Theses

This study compares three methods for the evaluation of morphology of musculoskeletal attachment sites. Two methods were macroscopic and the third was microscopic, utilizing three-dimensional laser scanning and fractal analysis The morphology of 19 upper limb attachment sites was observed in 33 males aged 15 and 30+ years, dating to the Archaic and Mississippian periods from the southeastern U.S. It was hypothesized that 1) the microscopic method would identify subtler differences than the macroscopic methods; 2) enthesis development would be greater in the Mississippian population due to the increased subsistence workload, even among younger individuals; and 3) late adolescents would …

The Elasmobranch-Microbe Relationship: Trimethylamine N-Oxide Synthesis, Urea Hydrolysis, And Microbe-Osmolyte Interactions In The Atlantic Stingray, Dasyatis Sabina, Kaitlin Kelly Doucette

Master's Theses

The elasmobranch osmoregulatory strategy is predicated on the accumulation of nitrogenous compounds, primarily urea and trimethylamine n¬-oxide (TMAO). Despite the abundance of these plasma osmolytes, it is notable that elasmobranchs appear to lack urease and TMA oxidase (Tmase), enzymes that scavenge urea-nitrogen and synthesize TMAO, respectively. However, urease and Tmase are found in many species of bacteria. Therefore, I hypothesized that intestinal bacteria are responsible for urease and Tmase activity in elasmobranchs. Absent dietary nitrogen sources, I evaluated the effects of reduced intestinal microbiota on osmoregulation in Atlantic stingray (Dasyatis sabina) in vivo. D. sabina were given …

Fecal Bacterial Communities As An Indicator Of Trophic Interactions Among Anuran Larvae, Steven Jacob Everman

Master's Theses

Anurans are mass spawners, often with multiple females spawning together, resulting in thousands of tadpoles sharing a habitat. Such large numbers of tadpoles with limited dispersal can lead to intense competition for resources. Inter and intra-specific competition for food could have negative impacts on the growth and survival of smaller tadpoles. Fecal bacterial communities have the potential to be used as indicators of changes in diet making it possible to determine if tadpoles in the wild are eating the same food or not. After feeding on two prepared diets that differed in the percentage of complex carbohydrates, the fecal bacterial …

Bloom Or Bust: Retrospective Analysis Of The Giant Jellyfish, Nemopilema Nomurai (Scyphozoa: Rhizostomeae), Ecology In The East Asian Marginal Seas, Naomi Yoder

Master's Theses

The Giant Jellyfish, Nemopilema nomurai, is a large-bodied bloom-forming jellyfish that occurs in the semi-enclosed basins of the East Asian Marginal Seas. N. nomurai has bloomed more frequently in the past 20 years than in any period previously recorded. In Japan, recent N. nomurai blooms were responsible for millions of dollars in lost revenue and equipment damage to commercial fisheries alone. This study statistically analyzed 21 environmental factors in connection with N. nomurai occurrence (using occurrence as a proxy for blooms). Eight factors resulted in a statistically significant or marginally significant (p ≤ 0.10), linear or non-linear relationship with …

Gulf Sturgeon (Acipenser Oxyrinchus Desotoi) Pre-Restoration Occupancy Patterns On Ship Island, Mississippi Sound With An Evaluation Of Designated Critical Habitat Use By Eastern And Western Population Segments, Page Elizabeth Vick

Master's Theses

Critical spawning and feeding habitat was designated for federally threatened, anadromous Gulf Sturgeon (GS) to aid in population recovery. This study examined GS occupancy, habitat use, and movement through critical habitat monitored by the Ship Island (SI) acoustic array during overwintering periods from 2011 to 2015 prior to MsCIP SI restoration. An occupancy index analyzed patterns of spatial and temporal habitat use of both western and eastern population segments (WPS and EPS, respectively) of GS on the SI array. The ends of SI along with the passes and cuts of the island, especially Dog Keys Pass (DKP), were occupied by …

Encouraging Development Of Mobile Applications As A Service To The Community, Vanessa Marie Forney

Master's Theses

The convenience of mobile applications combined with the efficiency and effectiveness provided by technology has contributed to an increased interest in mobile applications. Local groups and non-profit organizations often utilize outdated, manual processes and don’t have the resources or time to look into improving these systems. For Cal Poly students and other members of the community, this means there is an opportunity to apply technical skills and school projects to address these inefficiencies. This work explores whether a better system can be developed to provide the functionality of the existing system and enhance the experience of users through technology, data …

"Vidya Games Are For Nerds Like Us": Identity Deployment In The Gamergate Controversy, Matthew J. Rogers

Master's Theses

In February, 2014, video game developer Zoe Quinn released Depression Quest, a browser game centered on the subjective experience of depression, which met with critical success. In August of the same year, an ex-boyfriend published a vitriolic blog post accusing Quinn of having sex with a reviewer from the gaming website Kotaku in exchange for a favorable review. Users of the site 4chan seized on these accusations and subsequently subjected her to intense harassment, including death and rape threats.

These attacks, later labeled “GamerGate,” are only the latest in a series of attacks on women in the video game …

Using Lidar To Determine Early Successional And Shrubland Structure In Eastern Connecticut, Jacob P. Conshick

Master's Theses

Since the decline of agriculture in the state of Connecticut due to the opening of the Erie Canal, the land originally used for cropland reverted back to forest. During this time dense shrubland shade intolerant plants sprouted in the abandoned fields. The dense cover is known as early successional habitat and is utilized by many different species such as the New England cottontail, bobcat, and woodcock. These species use early successional habitat for a source of food, cover and shelter to survive. Currently disturbance events such as clearing land for agriculture, hurricanes, clear cuts, and fires are on a decline, …

Trail Vision: Utilizing Leopold As Environmental Equipment For Living, Kendall Elizabeth Barrett

Master's Theses

Hiking trails are one of the major ways citizens make observations about the natural world. An analysis of trail maintenance texts demonstrates a focus on concealment and camouflage of human construction and upkeep in National Scenic Trails. These practices are detrimental to environmentalism, since the resulting ideology frames nature as overly self-sufficient and not in need of human stewardship. Trail maintenance practices are analyzed in reference to the nature/culture dichotomy. Perceptions of nature’s self-healing ability are analyzed through a comparison of the oil spills in Santa Barbara during 1969 and 2015. An alternative approach is found through Aldo Leopold. Leopold …