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A Lidar Based Semi-Autonomous Collision Avoidance System And The Development Of A Hardware-In-The-Loop Simulator To Aid In Algorithm Development And Human Studies, Thomas F. Stevens

Master's Theses

In this paper, the architecture and implementation of an embedded controller for a steering based semi-autonomous collision avoidance system on a 1/10^th scale model is presented. In addition, the development of a 2D hardware-in-the-loop simulator with vehicle dynamics based on the bicycle model is described. The semi-autonomous collision avoidance software is fully contained onboard a single-board computer running embedded GNU/Linux. To eliminate any wired tethers that limit the system’s abilities, the driver operates the vehicle at a user-control-station through a wireless Bluetooth interface. The user-control-station is outfitted with a game-controller that provides standard steering wheel and pedal controls along …

Digestibility Of Two Complete Pelleted Diets By The Horse (Equus Caballus) As A Model Animal For Nondomestic Hindgut Fermenters, Emily M. Schwartz

Master's Theses

Estimating nutrient and energy requirements of exotic animals is a necessary component of nutrition management in zoos and other wildlife facilities. In the absence of species-specific data, domestic animal models are often referenced. Herbivorous hindgut fermenters, such as horses, zebra, and rhinoceros, rely on microbial fermentation in the cecum and colon to utilize dietary structural carbohydrates. The study objective was to measure the digestible energy of two (LOW, HIGH) complete pelleted diets by the horse as a model for nondomestic hindgut fermenters. Seven, individually housed, adult Quarter Horse (Equus caballus) geldings were assigned to one of two diets as 100% …

Identifying And Predicting Rat Behavior Using Neural Networks, Jonathan A. Gettner

Master's Theses

The hippocampus is known to play a critical role in episodic memory function. Understanding the relation between electrophysiological activity in a rat hippocampus and rat behavior may be helpful in studying pathological diseases that corrupt electrical signaling in the hippocampus, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Additionally, having a method to interpret rat behaviors from neural activity may help in understanding the dynamics of rat neural activity that are associated with certain identified behaviors.

In this thesis, neural networks are used as a black-box model to map electrophysiological data, representative of an ensemble of neurons in the hippocampus, to a T-maze, …

Two-Phase Anaerobic Digestion To Reduce The Nox Emission Potential Of Biogas, Nathaniel Manuel Olivas

Master's Theses

Anaerobic digestion can be used to decrease the mass of organic wastes to be disposed of while producing useful biogas (CH₄ and CO₂) for heat or power production, but in air basins with strict emissions limits, biogas combustion is difficult to implement due to the high costs of controlling NOx emissions. NOx production can be minimized by blending H₂ gas with CH₄ at a volume ratio of 15:85 H₂:CH₄, which allows burning at ultra-lean air-to-fuel ratios. For biogas systems, a potential low-cost NOx control strategy is to produce H₂-CH …

Predicting Invasive Range Of Eucalyptus Globulus In California, Anthony J. Lopez

Master's Theses

Eucalyptus globulus is the subject of intense debate in California. Its invasive potential, aggressive growth, reproductive biology, and association with fire make the prediction of spread important in California. Two modeling simulations, Climex and Maxent, will illustrate the distribution and potential growth range of E. globulus in California based on climate and presence. Modeling the potential range of growth will predict invasive spread. The anticipated result is the continued spread of E. globulus in coastal regions with adequate moisture and suitable climate. Predicting the range of E. globulus in California dictates management strategy and is key for preventing further introduction, …

The Effects Of Foliar Nutrient Applications On Split, Yield, And Internal Fruit Quality Of 'Wonderful' Pomegranate (Punica Granatum L.), John Matthew Chater

Master's Theses

Fruit split is the most important physiological disorder in pomegranate production, causing devastating crop losses worldwide. Foliar nutrient applications have been used experimentally to mitigate pomegranate fruit split but none have been conducted using the industry standard cultivar, Wonderful, and little is known about the effects of foliar nutrient applications on pomegranate. Additionally, investigations into putative health benefits of pomegranate fruit have increased interest in its production but limited evidence exists regarding effects of agricultural practices such as foliar fertilizer applications on internal fruit quality. ‘Wonderful’ pomegranate trees at 2 commercial orchards were treated with foliar applications of ZnSO_{4 …}

Movements, Habitat Use, And Demography Of Western Pond Turtles In An Intermittent Central California Stream, Joseph Paul Belli

Master's Theses

By Joseph P. Belli

Western Pond Turtles, Emys (Actinemys) marmorata, were captured (n=173) in 2011 (wet year) and 2012-2013 (successively drier drought years) along upper Coyote Creek, an intermittent stream in central California. Males outnumbered females 2.8:1, juveniles less than 120 mm long made up 26% of captures, growth rates varied among individuals, and little growth occurred in turtles older than 10 years. I radio-tracked turtles from May 2011 through August 2013 to ascertain movements and seasonal habitat use. Males had much larger home ranges than females (means of 2281 m for males and 501 m for females in 2012), …

Natural And Anthropogenic Disturbance In Mcmurdo Sound, Antarctica: Iceberg Scours, Human-Derived Pollutants, And Their Effects On Benthic Communities, Clint Alan Collins

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of icebergs on infaunal communities in McMurdo Sound, using cores taken from naturally occurring scours, experimental plots simulating iceberg disturbance, and undisturbed reference areas spanning a 24 year time period. Iceberg scours and experimental plots altered infaunal abundances, reduced diversity, and changed species compositions. Abundances were lower at inside scour locations, dominated by a suite of mobile crustaceans. Common sessile space-dominating species were higher at scour edges, suggesting that recolonization of scours occur inward from the edges. When compared to other samples from the McMurdo Sound exposed to varying degrees …

Screening Bioactive Molecules In Tetrahymena Thermophila Using Phagocytosis Determined By Flow Cytometry, Santosh Gummidipundi

Master's Theses

The evaluation of molecules that have potentially bioactive significance is an expanding field, but current screening assays are expensive and time consuming. Mammalian cell-based assays require aseptic techniques, complex media and long generation times. This thesis reports on an assay that incorporates Tetrahymena phagocytic ingestion and flow cytometry to evaluate several potentially bioactive molecules. Several factors that influenced optimal and reproducible results were analyzed. Seven potentially bioactive molecules (serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, morphine, colchicine, mexiletine and procainamide) were evaluated to determine their effect on phagocytosis by Tetrahymena. Assay results indicated that the phagocytic rate was unaffected by serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, and …

Mitochondrial Dysfunction And Lipid Metabolism Play A Major Role In The Lethality Caused By Developmental Alcohol Exposure, Payam Khodabakhshi

Master's Theses

Exposure to ethanol during development causes a variety of physical, developmental, and cognitive abnormalities. In humans, these symptoms are referred to as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Previously, we established a Drosophila melanogaster model of FASD and showed that developmental ethanol exposure causes oxidative stress, and that this is a primary cause of the developmental lethality and delay associated with ethanol exposure. In this study, we investigate the role of fatty acid metabolism and lipid accumulation in connection to FASD. Here, we show that developmental ethanol exposure leads to dysregulation of fatty acid metabolism and …

Burrowing Owl (Athene Cunicularia) Diet And Abundance At A Stopover And Wintering Ground On Southeast Farallon Island, California, Sara Lee Chandler

Master's Theses

On the Farallon Islands the burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) is a native migrant and predator of the non-native house mouse (Mus musculus) and the native ashy storm-petrel (Oceanodroma homochroa). Burrowing owl predation on the ashy storm-petrel is unnaturally exacerbated by the abundance of house mouse prey in the fall, which may encourage more owls to overwinter. When the cyclic mouse population crashes in winter, the owls prey upon storm-petrels, a species of conservation concern. In 2009, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed eradication of the house mouse from the Farallon Islands in order to reduce owl predation on and …

Factors Affecting Western Snowy Plover Winter Foraging Habitat Selection In San Francisco Bay Ponds, Benjamin Gabriel Pearl

Master's Theses

Within the San Francisco Bay Area, Western Snowy Plovers (Alexandrinus

nivosus nivosus) nest and winter in former salt ponds. They face a number of threats

including human-altered habitats and high levels of predation by mesopredators and

raptors. The South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project (the Project) is a large wetland

restoration project that will change and potentially eliminate snowy plover habitat in the

region. As the Project returns salt ponds to tidal wetland, there will be less of the dry,

flat, and sparsely vegetated habitat that plovers need for breeding and wintering habitat.

A greater understanding of the specific microhabitat …

Ritual And Religion In The Ohlone Cultural Area Of Central California, Doug Jones

Master's Theses

This thesis is an analysis of aspects of ritual and religion based upon reports from archaeological sites throughout the historical territory of the Native American peoples grouped by ethnographers under the term Ohlone, as well as other relevant sources of ethnographic, historical, and biographical information. Through research and review of recorded site documentation, as well as consultation with local archaeologists, three sites which clearly and extensively represent aspects of Ohlone religious life were identified and described in detail. This included type sites for mortuary practices, rock art, and cosmology/archaeoastronomy. The compilation and analysis of this material generated important information regarding …

Complex Effects Of Nitrogen Pollution And Grazing On Nectar Resources Of The Adult Bay Checkerspot Butterfly (Euphydryas Editha Bayensis), Nidhi Jain

Master's Theses

Recent anthropogenic increases in atmospheric nitrogen due to urbanization and combustion have had many adverse effects on natural systems, including loss of biodiversity, especially in sensitive habitats. One such region is the serpentine ecosystem of Coyote Ridge in San Jose, CA, the last refuge for recurring populations of the federally threatened Bay Checkerspot Butterfly (BCB) (Euphydryas editha bayensis). Increases in non-native grass cover and decreases in native forb cover (including cover of the BCB’s native larval host plants) have been attributed to the fertilizing effects of increased atmospheric nitrogen deposition. To counteract this effect, grazing has been implemented as a …

Chloroflexi: The Tale Of A Bacterium Present In Human And Environmental Habitats, Jayashree Sanjeeviraman

Master's Theses

The phylum Chloroflexi is relatively unexplored, with the majority of its representatives being uncultivable. As a result, these microorganisms have not been characterized beyond their morphology and simple staining reactions, making the study of this phylum extremely challenging. Chloroflexi has been detected in the human oral cavity of patients suffering from peri-implantitis and in the vagina of patients suffering from bacterial vaginosis. Interestingly, Chloroflexi is also present in various environments such as freshwater lakes, soil, deep-sea sponges, hot springs and activated wastewater. Isolation of an environmental Chloroflexi with high 16S rRNA gene homology to a human-associated counterpart could be used …

The Role Of Nitric Oxide In Skeletal Simulated Microgravity Response, Luan Tran

Master's Theses

Prolonged exposure to the space environment leads to bone loss. Using a ground-based model for microgravity (hind-limb unloading), it has been shown in rodents that proliferation and differentiation activity of osteoprogenitors are decreased with exposure to simulated microgravity (Kostenuik et al., 1997). Osteoblast mineralization activity has been shown to increase with nitric oxide supplementation (Afzal et al., 2004; Koyama et al., 2000). I hypothesized that the degenerative effects of microgravity exposure result from chronic changes in nitric oxide regulation in osteoprogenitors, and that supplementation with exogenous nitric oxide following exposure would ameliorate these changes. In 20 C57Bl/6 mice, hind-limb unloading …

Geographic Variation In The Life History And Morphology Of The Pacific Geoduck, Panopea Generosa, Gabriela Navas

Master's Theses

The Pacific geoduck, Panopea generosa, is an ideal candidate to investigate patterns of life history variation and morphological plasticity in shell shape, as it occurs over a large geographic range, inhabits different marine environments, and experiences intense fishing pressure in some locations (i.e., Mexico and Washington). Six populations were sampled from Washington to Mexico to evaluate evidence for geographic variation in demography, life history, and morphology. Results provided evidence for a latitudinal cline with larger clams occurring in locations characterized by colder water temperature. Age structure and longevity analyses indicated that life expectancy was significantly lowered at intertidal sites compared …

Burnout Versus Personality: Predicting Volunteer Retention, Conor Thomas Tuohy

Master's Theses

Employee turnover is an important issue for any organization, but it is of critical importance for volunteer organizations. Research shows that a strong predictor of volunteer turnover is a volunteer’s intention to remain in that organization. This study measured volunteers’ intention to remain and compared the known predictor of burnout to the potential predictor of personality (through personality traits) in order to find a better predictor of a volunteer’s intention to remain in an organization. Using survey data obtained from 65 participants from a single volunteer organization, this study showed that burnout and personality traits failed to predict a volunteer’s …

Climatic Effects And Total Factor Productivity In U.S. Dairy Farming: An Empirical Analysis Of Northeastern And Midwestern Counties Between 1974 And 2012, Salimata Massaly

Master's Theses

Climate change refers to changes in temperature and precipitation patterns as well as increases in the occurrence of extreme events. In recent years, climate change has gained increasing attention from production economists; however, its effects on productivity have been largely ignored in the literature. Our study aims to address these shortcomings by implementing a Total Factor Productivity (TFP) analysis and decomposing TFP into climatic effect, output-oriented technical efficiency, technological progress, and output-oriented scale efficiency indexes. Our study focuses primarily on climatic effects on TFP growth on dairy farming in two traditional US dairy regions. We use U.S. county level data …

"Casting Aside That Ficticious Self.": Deciphering Female Identity In The Awakening 2015, Anne L. Dicosimo

Master's Theses

Kate Chopin’s female protagonists have long since fascinated literary critics, raising serious questions concerning the influence of nineteenth-century female gender roles in her writing. Published in 1899, The Awakening demonstrates the changeability of the various representations of woman. In the nineteenth century, the subject of women may be divided into two categories: the True Woman and the New Woman. The former were expected to “cherish and maintain the four cardinal virtues of piety, purity, submissiveness and domesticity” (Khoshnood et al.), while the latter sought to move away from hearth and home in order to focus on education, professions, and political …

Daisy And Frederick: An Exploration Of Innocence And Its Consequences In Henry James' Daisy Miller: A Study 2015, Mark Andrew Meyer Ii

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Lyme Disease Ecology In San Luis Obispo County: The Role Of The Western Gray Squirrel, Ryan William Baker-Branstetter

Master's Theses

Despite the fact that eight cases of Lyme disease were diagnosed in San Luis Obispo County between 2005-2013, the identity of wildlife hosts serving as sources for tick infection in this region remained unidentified. The primary cause of Lyme disease in the U.S. is the spirochetal bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, and this agent had not been previously isolated from the region. Borrelia bissettii, a related species that has not been implicated as a common causative agent of Lyme disease, was isolated in small rodents inhabiting coastal scrub and chaparral habitats in a previous San Luis Obispo County study. However, …

Modeling Viscoelastic Behavior In Compact Bone Through A Distribution Of Collagen D-Spacing: A Finite Element Analysis, Christopher Ha

Master's Theses

Osteoporosis affects nearly 54 million people in the United States. The cost associated with treatment is estimated to be $19 billion per year and is expected to grow yearly. D-spacing is the staggering of collagen molecules found at the nanoscopic level. Previously thought to have a constant value, recent studies have found that D-spacing has a distribution of values throughout the tissue. As part of an ongoing effort in understanding the mechanisms that are affected by osteoporosis, a finite element model was developed to explore the effects of D-spacing distribution on the viscoelastic material properties of bone tissue. The goal …

Efficacy Of Plant-Derived Antimicrobials In Reducing Foodborne Pathogens In Agricultural Soil And Their Effect On Soil Nutrients And Microbiome, Samantha M. Fancher

Master's Theses

Bacterial pathogens, such as Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, can contaminate agricultural soil thereby increasing the risk of produce-associated foodborne outbreaks. In this study three plant-derived antimicrobials (PDAs), carvacrol (CR), thymol (TY), and β-resorcylic acid (BR) were analyzed for their efficacy in reducing Salmonella and L. monocytogenes in agricultural soil. The effect of the PDAs on the soil pH, nutrients, and microbiome was also determined.

Sandy loam soil was inoculated with either Salmonella or L. monocytogenes followed by the addition of 0.25 or 0.5% CR, TY, and BR. The treated samples were analyzed up to 21 days for surviving pathogens. …

An Analysis Of State Policies On The Environmental Impacts Of State Surface Transportation: Considering Land Development Patterns, Ryan T. O'Hara Mr.

Master's Theses

We have identified a need to explore the root causes of the environmental impacts of transportation and land use policy. This research uses transportation policy metrics and travel and economic characteristics to find key policies that will reduce the environmental impacts of state transportation systems.

"Fire And Water Imagery" In Jane Eyre 2015, Shannon O'Loughlin

Master's Theses

Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre is a study in contrasts. Critics have argued the implausibility of the novel, that an orphaned governess who marries her dashing employer is too far-fetched to be believed. However, a proper understanding of Jane Eyre must be based not on a sequence of events, but on the thematic form of the novel in which the signifiers relate to each other and shift throughout. Ferdinand de Saussure explains in his "Course in General Linguistics," that the mental concept one has of a word is its "signifier" (62). Charlotte Bronte relies not simply upon a sequence of events …

An Invasive Grass And A Desert Adapted Rodent: Is There An Effect On Locomotory Performance And Is It Modified By Prior Experience Or Familiarization?, Camille D. Boag

Master's Theses

Kangaroo rats (Dipodomys spp.) are frequently characterized as keystone species for their role in altering soil characteristics, changing habitat structure through seed consumption and dispersal, and being important primary consumers in their ecosystem. They are arid adapted and known to forage in areas with sparse vegetation. Studies suggests densely vegetated habitat to be unsuitable for kangaroo rats because plants are an impediment to their locomotion and predator avoidance behaviors. This study focuses on an invasive grass, South African Veldt (Ehrharta calycina), that converts landscapes with sparse vegetation into dense grassland habitats, and the Lompoc kangaroo rat …

Effects Of Supplemental Hydration On Physiology And Behavior Of Northern Pacific Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Oreganus Oreganus), Griffin D. Capehart

Master's Theses

Hydration is a critical element for many physiological processes in vertebrates, such as protein production, innate immunity, and behavioral processes such as daily activity and thermoregulation. Few studies have directly assessed the effect of hydration on these animals in nature. While it seems intuitive that drought is stressful to animals, studies examining drought are typically observational and fail to assess how the hydration state of these animals influences their physiology and behavior. We tested for an effect of hydration on several physiological and behavioral parameters in Northern Pacific rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus oreganus) by experimentally manipulating hydration levels in …

A Test Of Educational Methods To Reduce Boating Disturbance To Harbor Seals, Rachel Nicole Solvason

Master's Theses

Environmental education can affect attitudes and behaviors, but determining the most effective methods for protecting wildlife requires research. This study examined the effect of two modes of environmental education, one passive and one active, on the behaviors of boaters toward harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) at Corkscrew Slough in Redwood City, California, an area where harbor seals haul out and pup. Thirty-one boaters viewed an interpretive sign (passive environmental mode) and 30 experienced a docent talk (active) both designed to educate boaters on protecting harbor seals; 31 boaters received no environmental information (the control), therefore were not exposed to the interpretive …

Effects Of Particle Size And Particle Heterogeneity On Benthic Functional Guilds In Elkhorn Slough, Ca, Katherine Elizabeth Huotari

Master's Theses

Changes in particle size of sediment as a result of erosion can have potential impacts on benthic community structure. To examine the potential impacts, a 2x2 factorial design was used to evaluate the effects of particle size and particle heterogeneity on the intertidal community structure of Elkhorn Slough using data provided by Moss Landing Marine Laboratories. In this study, changes in functional guild roles with respect to particle size and particle heterogeneity were examined, rather than traditional biological measures, because functional guild roles are more directly related to physical changes in the environment. The results showed that particle size and …