Digital Commons Network^™

Customization Of Aneurysm Scaffold Geometries For In Vitro Tissue-Engineered Blood Vessel Mimics To Use As Models For Neurovascular Device Testing, Camille D. Villadolid

Master's Theses

Cerebral aneurysms occur due to the ballooning of blood vessels in the brain. Rupture of aneurysms can cause a subarachnoid hemorrhage, which, if not fatal, can cause permanent neurologic deficits. Minimally invasive neurovascular devices, such as embolization coils and flow diverters, are methods of treatment utilized to prevent aneurysm rupture. The rapidly growing market for neurovascular devices necessitates the development of accurate aneurysm models for preclinical testing. In vivo models, such as the rabbit elastase model, are commonly chosen for preclinical device testing; however, these studies are expensive, and aneurysm geometries are difficult to control and often do not replicate …

Effects Of Sudangrass Cover Crop And Soil Solarization On Weed And Pathogen Management In Organic Strawberry Production, Timothy Jacobs

Master's Theses

Field and lab experiments were conducted to determine the efficacy of sudangrass (Sorghum X drumondii (Nees ex Steud.) Millsp. & Chase) cover crop management techniques and soil solarization on important agricultural weeds and pathogens in organic strawberry production in Central California. Lab experiments assessed the time needed to kill weed seeds at temperatures typically achieved during soil solarization (40°C, 45°C, 50°C, 55°C, and 60°C) in California. Seeds tested included little mallow, redstem filaree, bristly oxtongue, annual sowthistle, common purslane, nettleleaf goosefoot, and redroot pigweed. Efficacy of simulated …

Effects Of Creatine Monohydrate Supplementation On Cytochrome C And Caspase-9 Expression In Skeletal Muscles From Doxorubicin Treated Rats, Yeon Hee Kim

Master's Theses

Doxorubicin (DOX) is an effective chemotherapeutic drug for many types of cancer. However, the deleterious effect of DOX is also observed in heart and skeletal muscles. Doxorubicin-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mitochondria causes muscle dysfunction and atrophy leading to the release of cytochrome c (cyt c) and activation of caspase-9 (casp-9) which cause apoptosis, a programmed cell death in skeletal muscles. Previous studies have proposed that creatine (Cr) possesses antioxidant capacity by reducing ROS in oxidative environment. Creatine supplements have shown to reduce mitochondrial ROS production and decrease apoptotic enzyme activities in oxidative skeletal muscles; however, Cr’s effects on …

Effects Of Creatine Supplementation And Doxorubicin Treatment Of Myostatin And Muscle Ring-Finger Protein-1 Expression In The Rat Diaphragm, Addison M. Shepard

Master's Theses

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a highly potent chemotherapy drug that impacts the entire body rather than a targeted treatment area. While DOX treatment assists in the disruption and prevention of certain types of cancer growth, it damages many physiological processes in the body that were functioning normally and otherwise healthy prior to its administration. Damage induced by DOX on organ functioning can lead to other malignancies in the body, such as cachexia, cardiotoxicity, and myotoxicity, among others. Skeletal muscle relies on myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs), transcription factors expressed by satellite cells, for positive regulation of phases of muscle development and response …

Werewolves: A Three-Dimensional Content Analysis Of Films From 1980-2014, Jennifer Lewis

Master's Theses

WEREWOLVES: A THREE-DIMENSIONAL CONTENT ANALYSIS OF FILMS FROM 1980 – 2014 revolves around how monsters function in stories. Monsters represent fears and teach social norms. They are often portrayed as “other”, but more recently the werewolf has appeared in media as more sympathetic (Brannon 2016, 21; Gilmore 2008, 362; Hughes 2009, 97). Limited research has systematically studied how werewolves are represented in the media. This content analysis focuses on how major werewolf characters are represented in 20 films.

The analysis showcases werewolf characters in today’s culture and what it means to be a monster by analyzing hybridity. This study presents …

Horses, Culture, And Trade: The Impact Of The Horse On Southeastern Native Nations, 1650-1830, Jacob Featherling

Master's Theses

A small portion of the regional literature details the impact of horses on Southeastern Native nations and focuses on a few of the larger groups, particularly the Choctaw, from the mid-eighteenth to the nineteenth century. This thesis intends to increase the scope to analyze the entire Southeastern region, as well as multiple Native nations in the area. The thesis argues that Southeastern Natives slowly adopted horses into their economies and cultures over a longer period of time than previously believed, allowing them to increase their use of horses easily to meet market demands. Instead of southeastern nations rapidly adapting their …

The Effects Of Aqueous Atorvastatin On Steroidogenesis Of Xenopus Laevis At Environmentally Relevant Concentrations, Jeremy Johnson

Master's Theses

Statin drugs are a class of drug that work to reduce endogenous production of cholesterol by competitively inhibiting 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase (Hmgcr) thus inhibiting production of mevalonic acid in the mevalonate pathway. Atorvastatin (Lipitor) is one of the most widely prescribed statin drugs and contamination of wastewater effluent is a growing environmental concern because of the potential to interfere with steroidogenesis in wildlife. Amphibians may be particularly susceptible to the effects of atorvastatin contamination because of their highly permeable integument. I used an amphibian model, Xenopus laevis to test the hypothesis that chronic exposure to low concentrations of atorvastatin …

Vocal Response Of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) To A Novel Stimulus, Lindsey Johnson

Master's Theses

Bottlenose dolphins utilize acoustic signals as their primary mode of communication. Although some aspects of dolphin vocal behavior are well understood, less is known about vocalizations in different behavioral contexts and how these vocal behaviors may indicate habituation and sensitization. The focus of this study was to investigate how bottlenose dolphins respond vocally to a novel stimulus. Archival data from three populations of bottlenose dolphins (N = 20) living in a human-care facility were exposed to a novel apparatus (a mirror) for 10 trials, each lasting 20 minutes. Five of the trials presented the mirror covered with an opaque …

Their Culture Against Them: The Assimilation Of Native American Children Through Progressive Education, 1930-1960s, Jamie Henton

Master's Theses

The failure of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to successfully assimilate Native Americans, especially Native children through education tactics such as boarding schools, led to a shift in the mid-twentieth century for pro-Indian reform. From the 1930s through the 1950s, BIA education reformers pursued progressive education. They imagined progressive education would allow the BIA to use Native American traditions and culture to educate and mold Native students into modern contributing American citizens. To appeal to students, the BIA commissioned a series of educational materials, primarily children’s books, designed to use Native culture to teach children how to adapt to …

The Effects Of Combined Curcumin Supplementation And High Intensity Interval Training On Time Trial Performance In Moderately Active Individuals, Nora Jacqueline Johnston

Master's Theses

Individuals who participate in intensified training programs such as high intensity interval training (HIIT), are at risk for an uncontrolled inflammatory response, which may hinder the body’s recovery process. Curcumin is the most recognized compound in turmeric and has a distinctive yellow color. Curcumin has many medicinal actions and is most well-known for its anti-inflammatory activities. More recently, curcumin has emerged as an agent that can potentially optimize performance during intense exercise and may also attenuate pain and muscle soreness. Additionally, curcumin has been linked to improvements in mental health status such as reductions in depression and anxiety. PURPOSE: The …

The Effects Of Fish Meal Supplementation On Gene Expression In The Bovine Corpus Luteum Following Low Dose Administration Of Prostaglandin F2a, Jessica Claire Cedillo

Master's Theses

The corpus luteum is a transient endocrine gland that develops from the remnants of the ovulatory follicle and secretes the steroid hormone progesterone. Progesterone is essential in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy in all mammalian species. In the non-pregnant bovine, uterine prostaglandin F2α is secreted in a series of pulses between days 15 and 17 after ovulation, allowing the corpus luteum to undergo functional and structural regression and an opportunity for mating. During early pregnancy, trophoblastic cells of the developing embryonic placenta secrete interferon-tau, which attenuates uterine prostaglandin F2α secretion allowing for maintenance of the corpus luteum during the …

Intraspecific Functional Trait Diversity In Big Sagebrush-Associated Species And Implications For Ecological Restoration, Gwen Schneider

Master's Theses

Big sagebrush ecosystems are widespread throughout the western United States and provide essential ecosystem services, including water and nutrient cycling, energy capture, and habitat for sagebrush obligate taxa. Notably, sagebrush ecosystems provide habitat for the greater sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), which is a nearly threatened species of high concern. Sagebrush habitat has experienced a 45% reduction in range, and a large portion of intact habitat is at risk of loss from severe fire,cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) invasion, encroachment of pinyon-juniper woodlands, fragmentation due to human development, and changes associated with anthropogenic climate change. Thus, it is of high conservation significance to …

The Ecology And Evolution Of The Freshwater Turtles Of Southern Mississippi, Gabrielle Berry

Master's Theses

Turtles are one of the most threatened group of animals in existence today. The Southeastern United States is one of two global biodiversity hotspots for turtle species, including the state of Mississippi, where over 30 species can be found. However, very few studies have occurred within the state. This lack of research is even more startling given the ongoing decline, or even extirpation, of numerous turtle species across the world, due to a number of factors, including habitat degradation, and harvest for food or the pet trade.

The overarching goal of this project was to perform a species inclusive freshwater …

The Evolutionary Diversity And Biological Function Of Phenazine Metabolite Biosynthesis In Burkholderia Spp, Samuel Hendry

Master's Theses

Burkholderia encompass a group of ubiquitous Gram-negative bacteria that include numerous saprophytes, as well as several species that cause infections in animals, immunocompromised patients, and plants. Some species of Burkholderia produce colored redox-active secondary metabolites called phenazines (Phz). In the model opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, phenazines strongly contribute to the competitiveness, formation of biofilms, and virulence in multiple models of infection. Similar depth of knowledge on the diversity, biosynthesis, and biological functions of phenazines in Burkholderiais missing. This project aimed to bridge this gap in knowledge by focusing on phenazine pathways of B. lata and closely related …

Acute Cardiovascular Response To Low-Load Unilateral, Bilateral, And Alternating Resistance Exercise With Blood Flow Restriction In The Lower Body, Daphney Stanford

Master's Theses

Resistance exercise with blood flow restriction (BFR) has been suggested to exaggerate the exercise pressor response over traditional non-BFR exercise. While applying BFR relative to an individual’s arterial occlusion pressure (AOP) and exercising at low-loads seems to produce a comparable cardiovascular response to traditional moderate or high-load training, it is beneficial to identify modifications for reducing the cardiovascular response to BFR exercise. PURPOSE: To determine if unilateral (UNI), bilateral (BI), or alternating (ALT) exercise modalities elicit different cardiovascular responses during BFR exercise. METHODS: 18 participants (13 male and 5 female) performed four sets of UNI, BI, and ALT knee-extensions at …

Children's Acceptability Of Vegetables: The Relationship Between Food Neophobia, Vegetable Neophobia, Picky Eating, Bitter Sensitivity, And Mouth Behavior, Tara Lynn Egigian

Master's Theses

Although vegetables provide many beneficial nutrients and have been shown to help reduce the risk of dietary related chronic diseases, children in the United States are not meeting the national recommendations of vegetable servings. The overall goal of this research was to study the relationship between children’s vegetable acceptance and the following children’s characteristics: food neophobia (FN), vegetable neophobia (VN), picky eating (PE), 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) sensitivity, Mouth Behavior (MB). The specific objectives were to: (1) develop a novel method for evaluating children’s MB, (2) assess the FN, VN, PE, PROP sensitivity, and MB levels in children in San Luis Obispo …

Infestation Intensities, Attachment Patterns, And The Effect On Host Contest Behavior Of The Tick Ixodes Pacificus On The Lizard Sceloporus Occidentalis, Dylan M. Lanser

Master's Theses

Parasites often have profound effects on the survival and evolution of their hosts, and hence on the structure and health of entire ecosystems. Yet basic questions, such as the degree of virulence of a given parasite on its host, and factors influencing which hosts in a population are at the greatest risk of infection, are vexingly difficult to resolve. The western blacklegged tick-western fence lizard (Ixodes pacificus-Sceloporus occidentalis) system is important, primarily because I. pacificus, a vector of the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, is dependent on S. occidentalis for blood meals in its subadult stages, …

Effects Of Light And Macroinvertebrate Consumers On Detrital Microbial Biofilms In Streams, Cheyenne M. Brady

Master's Theses

In lotic freshwater systems, aquatic macroinvertebrates are key processors of biofilms that grow upon organic matter. Although macroinvertebrate effects on biofilms may depend on light availability, the combined effects of consumers and light remain unexplored. Here, I conducted experiments to test effects of presence/absence of the omnivorous shrimp Macrobrachium ohione and the shredding caddisfly Pycnopsyche sp. on Liriodendron tulipifera litter biofilms in experimental streams under light or darkness. I measured litter-associated algal, fungal and bacterial biomasses and production rates, as well as litter decomposition, over 49 days. Both experiments exhibited significant positive effects of light on algal productivity and interactions …

Evaluation Of Commercial Protective Cultures For The Control Of Listeria Monocytogenes And Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia Coli In Raw Milk Cheese, Catherine Gensler

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Changing Salt Marsh Vegetation: Implications For Denitrification, Sean Khan Ooi

Master's Theses

Salt marsh vegetation zones are good indicators of soil conditions and will shift in response to large-scale changes to their environment such as sea-level rise and restoration activities. The goal of our study was to characterize the relationship between soil denitrification potential and salt marsh vegetation zones in tidally restored and unrestricted coastal marshes, and to use vegetation zones to predict how sea-level rise may influence landscape-scale denitrification. We conducted denitrification enzyme activity assays (DEA) on sediment collected from 20 salt marshes across Connecticut and found denitrification potential to be 7 and 17 times lower in short-form Spartina alterniflora zones …

Integrated Aeration For Enhanced Nitrogen Conversion And Removal And The Effect Of Sampling Frequency On Productivity Estimates In Algae-Based Wastewater Treatment Systems, Lauren Parker

Master's Theses

Raceway ponds can be used to cultivate microalgae for purposes such as wastewater treatment and feedstock for animal feeds and biofuels. Besides nitrogen assimilation in biomass, nitrification can be a wastewater treatment mechanism but one that is hindered by the low nighttime dissolved oxygen concentrations (DO) common in wastewater treatment raceways. The large diel difference in pond conditions and changing influent wastewater quality also raises the question of the optimal frequency and timing of grab sample collection, to obtain representative water quality data. Three sets of triplicate pilot raceways (1,000-L, 0.30-m deep, fed primary clarifier effluent) were operated at an …

Implementation Of A Scale Semi-Autonomous Platoon To Test Control Theory Attacks, Erik Miller

Master's Theses

With all the advancements in autonomous and connected cars, there is a developing body of research around the security and robustness of driving automation systems. Attacks and mitigations for said attacks have been explored, but almost always solely in software simulations.

For this thesis, I led a team to build the foundation for an open source platoon of scale semi-autonomous vehicles. This work will enable future research into implementing theoretical attacks and mitigations. Our 1/10 scale car leverages an Nvidia Jetson, embedded microcontroller, and sensors. The Jetson manages the computer vision, networking, control logic, and overall system control; the embedded …

The Development Of An Online Survey And Screening Tool To Assess Toddler Feeding Behaviors In A Low-Income Connecticut Community, Lindsay Fenn

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Short Term Shifts In Soil Nematode Food Feb Structure And Nutrient Cycling Following Sustainable Soil Management In A California Vineyard, Holly M. Deniston-Sheets

Master's Theses

Evaluating soil health using bioindicator organisms has been suggested as a method of analyzing the long-term sustainability of agricultural management practices. The main objective of this study was to determine the effects of vineyard management strategies on soil food web structure and function, using nematodes as bioindicators by calculating established nematode ecological indices. Three field trials were conducted in a commercial Pinot Noir vineyard in San Luis Obispo, California; the effects of (i) fertilizer type (organic and inorganic), (ii) weed management (herbicide and tillage), and (iii) cover crops (high or low water requirements) on nematode community structure, soil nutrient content, …

Differences In Mandibular Dentogingival Exposure As A Function Of Age And Type Of Facial Expression, Alison Loewenstein

Master's Theses

Statement of Problem:The need to accurately and reliably assess the maximum mandibular dentogingival display is essential during the planning of dental treatment, and inaccuracies in capturing a patient’s genuine border movements in the mandible can result in a faulty treatment outcome.

Purpose: Maximum smile as an expression is a frequently used to establish the extent of dentogingival display in the dental practice. In this study, the facial expressions “maximum smile,” (MS) “eyes closed smile,” (EC) and enunciation of the word “church” (CH) was used to evaluate the effect of facial expression on mandibular dentogingival display, and to assess the …

System Design And Analysis For Creating A 3d Virtual Street Scene For Autonomous Vehicles Using Geometric Proxies From A Single Video Camera, Timothy Wong

Master's Theses

Self-driving vehicles use a variety of sensors to understand the environment they are in. In order to do so, they must accurately measure the distances and positions of the objects around them. A common representation of the environment around the vehicle is a 3D point cloud, or a set of 3D data points which represent the positions of objects in the real world relative to the car. However, while accurate and useful, these point clouds require large amounts of memory compared to other representations such as lightweight polygonal meshes. In addition, 3D point clouds can be difficult for a human …

Modifying Succession: A History Of Vegetation Alliances On Swanton Pacific Ranch, Jill Wilson O'Connor

Master's Theses

This thesis conducts historical research into Swanton Pacific Ranch in the County of Santa Cruz, an interdisciplinary facility for education and research managed by Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. The study seeks to determine whether there have been discernable changes in vegetation alliances (communities), spatially or in type, within a 110-acre Study Area from the early twentieth century to the present day and how the changes compare with other similar historical analyses in California. Historical farming and ranching uses of the area are researched, and two family case studies are presented as paradigms of potential changes …

Development Of A Pediatric Model Of Nafld In Neonatal Iberian Pigs, Gabriella Veronica Hernandez, Victoria Alice Smith, Morgan Coffin, Daniel Columbus, Matthew Burd, Kimberly Sprayberry, Mark Edwards, Daniel Peterson, Darin Bennett, Robert Fanter, Christopher Kitts, Michael La Frano, Margaret Rice, Douglas Burrin, Magdalena Maj, Rodrigo Manjarin

Master's Theses

The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in children has increased over the past decades, creating a need for animal models that recapitulate the features of the pediatric disease. Iberian pigs have a leptin-resistant phenotype characterized by hyperleptinemia, hyperphagia, and extreme adipogenesis. We hypothesized that neonatal Iberian pigs fed a high fat high-fructose (HFF) diet will develop a pattern of liver injury resembling pediatric NAFLD. In addition, we sought to determine if a mixture of probiotics would prevent the disease. Animals were fed 1 of 4 diets containing (g/kg body weight × d) 0 g fructose, 11 g fat …

Multiple Input, Single Output Dc-Dc Conversion Stage For Dc House, Jason Baltierrez

Master's Theses

n this thesis project, a proposed architecture for the multiple input, single output conversion stage for the DC House was designed, simulated, and tested. This architecture allows for multiple different input sources to be used to create a single higher power output source. The design uses a DC-DC boost converter with a parallelable output which has been demonstrated to allow increased total output power as a function of the number of input sources available. The parallelable output has been shown to distribute load amongst the input sources relatively closely to optimize the system. This approach is also desirable since it …

The Development Of Diving Capabilities In Weddell Seal (Leptonychotes Weddellii) Pups Throughout Early Ontogeny, Emma Weitzner

Master's Theses

Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) are among the deepest diving pinnipeds (i.e., seals, sea lions, and walrus) and one of the best studied marine mammals in the world; as such, these seals are considered a model species for the study of diving physiology and behavior. Adult Weddell seal dive physiology is rather comprehensively understood, yet previous research has excluded an examination of pups’ initial independent diving attempts, beginning instead with the diving capabilities of near-weaning individuals at four to five weeks of age. This is beyond the point many pups have attempted their first independent dives; pups begin to …