Digital Commons Network^™

Automation And Interpersonal Trust: The Sociotechnical Implications Of Unreliable Automation, Lauren Gannon

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Experimental And Computational Studies On The Reinforcement Effect Of Smooth Cord Grass (Spartina Alterniflora) On Erosion In Louisiana Coastal Marsh Creation Project, Sujan Baral

Master's Theses

Louisiana coastal saltmarshes are disappearing at an exponential rate. Even though several researches indicate that vegetation on coastal marshes protect the coast from erosion by providing soil reinforcement, wave buffering, sediment trapping and overall hydrologic regime control, the complex nature of coastal erosion process makes it too difficult to quantify the erosion resistance provided by vegetation. This research is focused on the study of soil binding ability provided by smooth cord grass, Spartina alterniflora, flourishing in dredged soil of Sabine Refuge Marsh Creation Project (CS-28) in Louisiana.

Field vane shear test was conducted to obtain the in-situ un-drained shear strength …

Plant And Soil Carbon Responses To Invasive Typha Management In Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands, Olivia Johnson

Master's Theses

We quantified how control of a ubiquitous Great Lakes region invasive (Typha × glauca) shifts plant-mediated C cycling and belowground properties and processes. Two field experiments implemented large scale treatment plots (~1-ha to 3-ha) of harvesting (i.e., cut above water surface, removed biomass), crushing (i.e., ran over biomass), and creating connectivity channels (i.e., cut at the soil surface, created open-water within Typha-dominated stands). In one experiment, we observed immediate C release via gas flux and aqueous C; harvesting and crushing caused net emission of carbon dioxide (CO₂)_, and crush increased dissolved organic carbon in …

Improving Communication: Huddling For Change, Harnoor Chahal

Master's Theses

The purpose of this communication improvement project is to incorporate huddles between interdisciplinary departments within a microsystem in order to improve customer satisfaction by decreasing the number of grievances. Based on the increasing number of grievances due to delayed hospital discharge, which results from a lack of communication between team members, there is an increased need for communication between the microsystem. By implementing weekly huddles between the Inpatient and Outpatient nurses, not only will there be increased care-coordination, but there will also be a decreased delay in discharge from the hospital caused by missed or no communication. Evidence-based practice indicates …

Educational Prevention Program Of Surgical Site Infections (Ssi) At A Metropolitan Pediatric, Daniel Chavez

Master's Theses

Surgical Site Infections are a common hospital acquired disease. The prevention of Surgical Site Infection at a metropolitan pediatric hospital was lacking thorough education on how to prevent Surgical Site Infections. Literature was used to support this educational program with evidence based practices. To further reduce Surgical Site Infections education played a key role. Most importantly the distribution of education is what this educational program aimed toward supporting. In order to optimize patient outcomes through the use of our educational program literacy requirements must be me. Using this information our team constructed educational pamphlets that would help empower patients so …

Educational Prevention Program Of Surgical Site Infections (Ssi) At A Metropolitan Pediatric, Daniel Chavez

Master's Theses

Surgical Site Infections are a common hospital acquired disease. The prevention of Surgical Site Infection at a metropolitan pediatric hospital was lacking thorough education on how to prevent Surgical Site Infections. Literature was used to support this educational program with evidence based practices. To further reduce Surgical Site Infections education played a key role. Most importantly the distribution of education is what this educational program aimed toward supporting. In order to optimize patient outcomes through the use of our educational program literacy requirements must be me. Using this information our team constructed educational pamphlets that would help empower patients so …

Educational Prevention Program Of Surgical Site Infections At A Metropolitan Pediatric Hospital, Myra Hasan

Master's Theses

Surgical site infections (SSI) are a common cause of healthcare-associated infections (HAI). They remain a significant problem, as they are associated with increased morbidity and mortality and cause an increase in demand for several healthcare resources. In order to address this problem, hospitals have implemented several protocols and polices that are aimed to reduce these infections. However, the rates of SSIs continue to rise. Healthcare team members have found that while it is their responsibility to enforce preventative measures to the patient in the preoperative and surgical room, patient compliance to preventive measures at home also plays a role.

At …

Evaluating The Efforts Of An Early Head Start Program To Foster Social And Emotional Child And Family Development, Molly Harmon

Master's Theses

Social emotional development has been found to be a key component in a child’s developmental trajectory, as it supports many developmental domains. Low-income children often enter school having experienced low social emotional support due to the many external barriers that often challenge their families’ ability to foster positive social emotional development. The present literature has made it clear that there is an association between a child’s social emotional trajectory, family functioning, and parent-child interactions. Further, home-based intervention and prevention in early childhood is effective in promoting social emotional development. This investigation aims to assess the efforts of a particular Early …

Modifying The Mineral Profile Of Crickets (Acheta Domesticus) Using A Supplemented Diet, Rhianne Morgan Le Maxwell

Master's Theses

Captive insectivores may consume invertebrates as all, or part of their overall diet. The challenge with feeding captive insectivores involves the limited number of invertebrate species that are commercially available, and the lack of key nutrients provided by these insects. Among these insects, a naturally occurring low concentration of calcium and an inverse calcium to phosphorus ratio may put insectivores at the risk of developing hypocalcemia. A strategy to correct this nutrient imbalance involves supplementing the insect diet with high concentrations of targeted nutrients – a term referred to as gut-loading. Current industry guidelines recommend feeding a supplemented diet for …

Asic Design Of Rf Energy Harvester Using 0.13um Cmos Technology, Jainish K. Zaveri

Master's Theses

Recent advances in wireless sensor nodes, data acquisition devices, wearable and implantable medical devices have paved way for low power (sub 50uW) devices. These devices generally use small solid state or thin film batteries for power supply which need replacement or need to be removed for charging. RF energy harvesting technology can be used to charge these batteries without the need to remove the battery from the device, thus providing a sustainable power supply. In other cases, a battery can become unnecessary altogether. This enables us to deploy wireless network nodes in places where regular physical access to the nodes …

The Development And Validation Of Sinatra: A Three-Dimensional Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (Dsmc) Code Written In Object-Oriented C++ And Performed On Cartesian Grids, David Matthew Galvez

Master's Theses

The field of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) primarily involves the approximation of the Navier-Stokes equations. However, these equations are only valid when the flow is considered continuous such that molecular interactions are abundant and predictable. The Knudsen number, $Kn$, which is defined as the ratio of the flow's mean free path, $\lambda$, to some characteristic length, $L$, quantifies the continuity of any flow, and when this parameter is large enough, alternative methods must be employed to simulate gases. The Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method is one which simulates rarefied gas flows by directly simulating the particles that compose the …

Detecting A Probiotic Product Within The Gut Of Broiler Chickens, Anneka Pisula

Master's Theses

As of January 2017, the U.S. poultry industry banned the use of antibiotics and now relies on alternatives such as probiotics to help protect animal health. Although probiotic use is not a new concept in the poultry industry, identifying the best combination of bacterial strains to generate an effective probiotic formula requires further investigation. This study aimed to detect a probiotic product of four bacterial strains (Pedioccoccus acidilactici, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Bacillus subtilis) in a feeding trial with broiler chickens. Birds given the probiotic were predicted to show an improved growth performance with …

Effects Of Polydatin On In Vitro Bovine Embryo Developmental Competence, Metabolism, And Cryopreservation, Corie Marie Owen

Master's Theses

Bovine in vitro produced embryos suffer from poor developmental competence and altered metabolism which hinders their cryotolerance. Overall, the goals of this thesis were to improve oocyte and embryo culture with the antioxidant polydatin and to optimize slow freezing procedures. This thesis was designed as three experiments, and in each experiment, oocytes were aspirated from abattoir ovaries, matured for 23h, fertilized with semen from 1 of 3 bulls, and cultured in synthetic oviductal (SOF) based medium (SCF1) in 38.5 °C in 5% O₂, 5% CO₂ and 90% N₂. Stage 7 blastocysts were stained with Nile …

Quantifying The Environmental Performance Of A Stream Habitat Improvement Project, Cody Morse

Master's Theses

River restoration projects are being installed worldwide to rehabilitate degraded river habitat. Many of these projects focus on stream habitat improvement (SHI), and an estimated 60%of the 37,000 projects listed in the National River Restoration Science Synthesis Program focus on SHI for salmon and trout species. These projects frequently lack a sufficient monitoring program or account for the environmental costs associated with SHI. The present study used life cycle assessment (LCA) techniques and topographic effectiveness monitoring to quantify environmental costs on the basis of geomorphic change. This methodology was a novel approach to assessing the cost-benefit relationship of SHI. To …

Assessment Of Granulovirus, Spinosad, And Mating Disruption For Controlling Cydia Pomonella L. [Lepidoptera: Tortricidae] In Organic Coastal California Apple Orchards, Raven Lukehart

Master's Theses

Codling moth, Cydia pomonella[Lepidoptera: Tortricidae], is a major entomological pest of apples, pears, and walnuts cross the world (Pajac et al. 2016). Female codling moths lay eggs on the apple exocarp and larvae burrow within the fruit causing economic losses to fruit growers.Organic apple orchards in San Luis Obispo, CA currently have three codling moth, Cydia pomonella,control options commercially available including granulovirus (CpVG), spinosad, and mating disruption. In field tests on apple (Malus), we compare percent fruit injury between treatments of granulovirus (2.43 oz/ha Cyd-X® organically approved, Certis USA, Columbia MD), spinosad (4.05 oz/ha Entrust® Naturalyte® …

Evaluation Of Endothelial Cell Responses To Elevated Glucose, Gabriella Sugerman

Master's Theses

Developing a tissue-engineered Blood Vessel Mimic (BVM) to represent diabetic macrovascular disease could expedite design of new vascular devices specifically tailored to diabetic patients. In contribution toward this model, this thesis assessed Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cell (HUVEC) responses to high glucose conditions. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) and Cluster of Differentiation 36 (CD36) were selected to signify oxidative stress activity, a hallmark of diabetic macrovascular disease. Next, activity of potential reference genes B2M, HPRT1, and ACTB was assessed. All genes were found to exceed acceptable variability, so the E-ΔC T method of data analysis was selected. Next, cellular responses to high …

Enzymatic Activation Of Cannabinoid Pro-Drugs, Anna Theresa Margiotta

Master's Theses

Cannabinoids have been used throughout history as medical treatments spanning from menstrual cramps in ancient China to enhancing appetite in patients with AIDS or cancer in the modern day. Currently there is research indicating that cannabinoids also have anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects on several strains of cancer cells (Carchman, Harris, & Munson, 1976; Glodde, Jakobs, Bald, Tüting, & Gaffal, 2015; McKallip et al., 2002; Preet, Ganju, & Groopman, 2008; Sánchez, Galve-Roperh, Canova, Brachet, & Guzmán, 1998). The traditional methods for administration of cannabinoids are inhalation or oral; however, for some cannabinoids these may result in undesirable psychoactive side effects. Cell-in-a-Box® …

Development Of Semantic Reference For Location Symbols By Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) Using A Two-Way Communication Keyboard, Alyssa Taylor

Master's Theses

The ability for humans to communicate with another species has been an aspiration and well documented. One example is through training animals to make associations between a designated cue and conditioned response (Pryor, 1986). Two-way communication, however, in which both species can express wants/needs has been predominantly pursued with apes and dolphins. Studies conducted by Louis Herman demonstrated the capabilities of dolphins to comprehend complex semantic and syntactic commands in an artificial language system (Herman, Richards, & Wolz, 1984). Researchers working with primates have used American Sign Language, a computer keyboard system with discrete lexigrams, and a portable lexigram keyboard …

A System For Conducting Laser-Induced Fluorescence Measurements On Gas Mixtures Exposed To Alpha Radiation, Patrick Ables

Master's Theses

This paper documents modifications to an existing vacuum system to allow laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy measurements within simulated atmospheres under a variety of conditions. This added capability will expand the laboratory’s ability to experimentally validate a computational model that calculates the effects of radiation within the atmosphere. The computational model could reveal radiation-induced chemical products that can be used to develop an alternative detection method that can be implemented from a safe distance. The selection of molecules for experimental validation has been limited to those which can be detected utilizing cavity ringdown spectroscopy. The current model indicates nitric oxide and ozone …

Mississippi’S First Statewide Teachers’ Strike, Emily Doyne Smith

Master's Theses

This thesis argues that the Education Reform Act of 1982 (ERA) inadvertently led to Mississippi’s first statewide teachers’ strike in 1985 because of the Southeastern pay average clause recommending that the teachers’ pay should reach the average of the southeastern states, if possible. The teachers’ associations in Mississippi used this clause to lobby and promote teachers’ pay to that average. However, after two years of stagnated pay raises, the teachers’ associations led a state statewide teachers’ strike. The strike successfully raised the teachers’ salaries and moved state legislators to consider the teachers’ pay issue carefully afterwards. However, the pay raise …

Cornerstone Of Union Victory: Officer Partnerships In Joint Operations In The West, Aderian Partain

Master's Theses

The American Civil War included one of the pivotal naval contests of the nineteenth century. A topic of considerable importance is the joint operations on the western waters that brought about a string of crucial victories in the conflict for the Union. The effective cooperation of the naval river fleet and the western armies was a major cornerstone of Union victory. Scholars have written biographies of the more noted admirals and narratives of the flotilla have been detailed. What has not been accomplished is an exploration of the Union officers’ professional partnerships between the Mississippi Squadron commanders and their corresponding …

Blazing Worlds, Bethany Kinney

Master's Theses

Blazing Worlds is a collection of short stories exploring themes of understanding, isolation, the world of work, and identity. These stories follow characters who are searching for connections to others, to their environments, to their work, and to themselves. The protagonists of these stories inhabit worlds that are slightly adjacent to reality, worlds cast into a near future, and worlds that operate by the logic of the campy and the fantastic. Through heightened technology, body horror, or blurred metaphysical boundaries, the residents of these blazing worlds pursue knowledge of their place in life and fight to establish and maintain their …

Sh3bp2 Gain-Of-Function Mutation Exacerbates Apical Periodontitis In Cherubism Mice, Homan Javaheri

Master's Theses

Cherubism (CBM) is characterized by multiple fibro-osseous lesions in jawbones and caused by mutations in the SH3-domain binding protein 2 (SH3BP2). CBM patients also suffer from dental abnormalities. Biochemical analyses showed that mutations in CBM lead to SH3BP2 gain-of-function because mutant SH3BP2 is protected from tankyrase-mediated proteasomal degradation. A knock-in (KI) mouse model expressing a CBM substitution mutation (P416R) in Sh3bp2 has been generated. Homozygous mice (Sh3bp2^KI/KI) show increased systemic inflammation and osteopenia phenotype with high serum TNF-α level, increased numbers of macrophages and enhanced osteoclastogenesis. Heterozygous mice (Sh3bp2^+/KI) exhibit intermediate phenotype …

Metabarcoding Analysis Of Prey Composition Of The Copepod Calanus Finmarchicus In Regions Of The North Atlantic Ocean, Heidi Yeh

Master's Theses

The copepod Calanus finmarchicus occupies a pivotal position in the pelagic food web of the North Atlantic Ocean. Prey choice and predator-prey dynamics at this trophic level can influence energy transfer through the ecosystem. To examine the copepod prey composition and test the hypothesis that C. finmarchicus exhibit spatial variation in diet across four basins of the North Atlantic, this study used metabarcoding analysis (high throughput sequencing of orthologous gene regions) to analyze the gut contents of C. finmarchicus. Zooplankton net samples were collected during a 2013 cruise of the R/V GO Sars in the Norwegian, Icelandic, Irminger, and Labrador …

The American Dream(Ers): Undocumented Youth’S (Re)Interpretation Of Social Movement Frames, Kevin Zevallos

Master's Theses

The dreamer narrative and its accompanying frames have become a staple of immigration debates in the United States. Dreamer narratives afford undocumented youth organizations visibility to articulate their socio-political needs. As undocumented youth make claims for legal and social recognition, they utilize dreamer frames that highlight undocumented youth as productive, patriotic, and/or deserving members of U.S. society. Based on 18 semi-structured interviews with undocumented youth and Connecticut state legislators and participant observation of undocumented youth-led rallies, lobbying campaigns and organizational meetings, I examine how undocumented youth organizers react, respond and utilize nationally derived social movement frames in a local context. …

Comparison Of The Effect Of Mineral Trioxide Aggregate And Bioceramics Root Repair Material On Odontoblast Differentiation In Vitro, Saleh Ashkanani

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of The Fragility Of East Bay Municipal Utility District (Ebmud) Mokelumne Aqueduct, Sara Chalian

Master's Theses

The East Bay Municipal Utility District provides water to the eastern region of the San Francisco Bay Area. Water is delivered through the Mokelumne Aqueduct, which consists of three large diameter steel pipelines. Approximately 15 miles of the aqueducts cross the fragile Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. A stability analysis has been conducted to evaluate how resilient the elevated aqueduct is in the Delta. Subsidence in the Delta considerably reduces the lateral support of piles. Based on previous studies, and available survey and LiDAR data, the amount of subsidence in the Delta has been predicted over time. In addition, site-specific seismic studies …

Personality, Technology, And Learning, Andrew Guydish

Master's Theses

Computers continued encroachment on today’s society can be seen in a college lecture hall, where a growing number of students use laptops for their academic needs. Current academic laptop use research predominantly makes broad generalizations across users, indicating that laptop use in the classroom has negative influences on academic outcomes. However, this research neglects to take into account possible individual differences in the users. It is hypothesized that students' levels of conscientiousness and impulsivity would moderate the relationship between laptop use and academic performance, while a student’s multitasking experience would mediate this same relationship, forming a moderated mediation model. Using …

Big Data Quality Modeling And Validation, Khushali Yashodhar Desai

Master's Theses

The chief purpose of this study is to characterize various big data quality models and to validate each with an example. As the volume of data is increasing at an exponential speed in the era of the broadband Internet, the success of a product or decision largely depends upon selecting the highest quality raw materials, or data, to be used in production. However, working with data in high volumes, fast velocities, and various formats can be fraught with problems. Therefore, software industries need a quality check, especially for data being generated by either software or a sensor. This study explores …

Cultural Orientations As Antecedents Of Career Anchors: An Exploratory Study, Kathrine Agger

Master's Theses

In this study the relationship between cultural dimensions and career anchors was examined. The objective was to uncover whether cultural orientations, measured through cultural dimensions, could be perceived as antecedents of career anchors. Responses from 283 people, distributed over 24 countries and five continents, were collected and a canonical correlation analysis was conducted. Results showed that the relationship between cultural orientations and career anchors could be explained through a smaller set of variables. Specifically, results indicated that the cultural dimensions of uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation were related to the career anchors of job security/stability and, furthermore, that the cultural …