Digital Commons Network^™

The Acquisition And Analysis Of Electroencephalogram Data For The Classification Of Benign Partial Epilepsy Of Childhood With Centrotemporal Spikes, Jessica A. Scarborough

Master's Theses

In this thesis, I will expand upon each step in the process of acquiring and analyzing electroencephalogram (EEG) for the classification of benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes. Despite huge advancements in the field of health informatics—natural language processing, machine learning, predictive modeling—there are significant barriers to the access of clinical data. These barriers include information blocking, privacy policy concerns, and a lack of stakeholder support. We will see that these roadblocks are all responsible for stunting biomedical research in some way, including my own experiences in acquiring the data for the second chapter of this thesis.

This second chapter …

Do Marketing Strategies Impact Condom Sales In Uganda?, Meyhar Mohammed

Master's Theses

What attracts people to buy condoms? HIV/AIDS remain one of the biggest health dangers of the world, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. A lot of efforts have been pursued in the past two decades to drastically reduce prevalence of HIV and increase awareness about preventive mechanisms. In order to prevent relapse of success achieved so far, it is important to recognize transformation of consumer behavior due to growth in social networks, education and awareness over time. There are a lot of behavioral triggers captured by social marketing interventions in the field of public health. In an attempt to investigate the role …

Gender Differences In Willingness To Compete: Experimental Evidence From Bosnia, Boris Jokic

Master's Theses

Abstract: This research examines gender differences in willingness to compete with differing incentives . The results of previous experiments show that women are significantly less competitive, even when they perform equally well as men. However, in these experiments cash was the only incentive provided. Therefore, we investigate what happens to gender differences in willingness to compete when we switch the incentive from cash to non-cash prize. Similar to Cassar, Whordofa, and Zhang (2016) who found that women become equally competitive as men when incentive is related to wellbeing of their children, we find that the gender gap in competitiveness still …

Policing That Matters: Making Civilian Oversight Work, Sofia Aguilar

Master's Theses

Since 2015, there have been 8 fatal shootings by the San Francisco Police Department and no officers have faced any administrative discipline. This paper works to demonstrate how the San Francisco Police Department escapes administrative discipline in situations of officer involved shootings (OIS) through the combination of flawed accountability procedures, state laws and government leaders who fail to push against these protective forces. My project will show how the combination of little authoritative power from the Department of Police Accountability and protective state laws in favor of police privacy complicate the investigation procedures that determine whether or not officers face …

Financial Sector Development And Agricultural Productivity, John J. Onoja

Master's Theses

Global concern is rising about the performance of the agricultural sector in view of its integral role in poverty alleviation, economic development and meeting an ever-increasing nutritional demand. At the epicenter of the concern is declining productivity due to poor financial inclusion of the sector leading to low investment and returns to agriculture. A cursory examination of the existing literature on the subject reveals quite varied dimensions to the analysis of agriculture productivity-financial development nexus. Focusing on the role of financial sector development as a catalyst to agricultural productivity, we employ panel data and advances fixed-effects econometrics approach to empirically …

With Language Brings Light: Narratives By Deaf Ethiopians And Their Right To Sign Language, Jackie M. Eugster

Master's Theses

The goal of this case study is to share the narratives of Deaf individuals in Ethiopia and how the Deaf community uses Deaf Community Cultural Wealth in order to explore and flourish in audist and colonized spaces. This study engaged photovoice, in a participatory action research technique that can empower and enhance the community’s sense of identity (Wang & Burris, 1997). This study considers the influence of American missionaries and how colonization of African nations has also influenced the trajectory of Deaf education in Ethiopia. Moving away from deficient thinking, DCCW attempts to reframe the Deaf experience as one that …

Better Alternatives For Youth: Peace, Education And Human Rights, Abraham Jones

Master's Theses

Many urban youth in the United States live in what are identified as high stress neighborhoods, where trauma is a normative reality within which common life themes permeate. Colloquially, the communities in these high stress areas reclaim space by naming them as hoods, barrios and ghettos. However, depending on one’s perception, these words can have a negative connotation. Even when these communities hold various forms of community cultural wealth and capital, urban narratives are often dominated by false common perceptions that associate these spaces with the violence that occurs within them. There is a need for spaces that produce counter …

Invoquer La Mer : Vers Une Écopoétique Du Poème Chez Saint-John Perse, Victoria Farrell

Master's Theses

Saint-John Perse's poetry is known for featuring elments of nature. This study of his body of poetry, which includes an in-depth ecocritical reading of the poem Amers, considers his work from an ecocritical viewpoint.

Battery Impedance Measurement Using Sinusoidal Ripple Current Emulator, Md. Kamal Hossain

Master's Theses

Battery impedance measurements are directly correlated with the internal thermal rise and lifetime of rechargeable Li-ion batteries. The ac impedance measurement is not only reflects the battery state of health, but also a crucial parameter for a charging control strategy to reduce the internal thermal rise. The battery ac impedance is achieved with a battery charger by injecting ac ripple current and measuring the ac voltage response with the sinusoidal ripple current (SRC) charging technique. The digital signal processor is used to extract the battery ac ripple content and calculate the impedance magnitude and phase angle. However, it has computational …

Effects Of Language And Reading Ability On Input-Driven Plasticity Of Phonetic Category Structure, Stephen Edward Graham

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Schuell’S Stimulation Approach Administered Intensively For An Individual With Chronic, Severe Non-Fluent Aphasia, Shannon K. Hughes

Master's Theses

Background: Schuell’s Stimulation Approach is frequently implemented within conventional speech language therapy (SLT) for aphasia. Recent research supports the use of intensive treatment, as well as the potential for continued gains in the chronic stage of aphasia. Given the limited evidence-based treatment options for individuals with chronic, severe non-fluent aphasia, investigation was warranted.

Aims: The current study used a single subject design with multiple probes across behaviors to investigate how an individual with chronic, severe non-fluent aphasia, who had ceased to make gains in conventional SLT, would respond to administration of Schuell’s Stimulation Approach at the standard intensive dosage of …

Coverage In Connecticut Newsapapers Of The Opioid Epidemic A Content Analysis, Peter Lam

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Medical Model Organizational Structure On The Collegiate Athletic Trainer's Quality Of Life: A Case Study, Steven T. Gerhart

Master's Theses

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to gain the perspective of athletic trainers employed at a university using the medical model as its organizational infrastructure as it relates to job satisfaction, professional commitment, work-life conflict. Methods. Data from our participants were collected through semi-structured interviews as well as a demographic questionnaire. We utilized data source triangulation and peer-review to establish credibility. A general inductive process was used for analysis. Results. Three common themes emerged that affected quality of life. Role congruity addressed the participants’ awareness of their role and how they contributed within the department. Worktime control was defined …

Wetland Ecosystem Functions In A Changing Coastal Landscape: Effects Of Urban Runoff, Saltwater Intrusion, And Restoration, April A. Doroski

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Exploring Role Conflict And Perceived Expectations Of Female Student-Athletes In High Performing Sports, Sofia Read

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Hydrogel-Based Conductive Polymers For Nerve Regeneration, Scott R. Stratton

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Mediterranean Diet And Low-Fat Diet, With And Without Statin Drug Therapy, On Serum Lipids In Adults At High-Risk And With Existing Cardiovascular Disease: A Meta-Analysis, Marisa L. Creatura

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Rapping Back: Counter-Narratives From Auckland, New Zealand, Mariel Lopez Rogers

Master's Theses

Across the Pacific in Auckland, New Zealand two rap groups, Homebrew and @Peace, are contributing to a theoretically rich and socially conscious Hip Hop scene. Their music critically questions commercialism and conformity in a culture shaped by a history of colonialism. This makes their message starkly opposed to the normative values of New Zealand. The musicians of Homebrew and @Peace, a mix of Polynesian and Pakeha (people of European descent), employ methods of decolonization theory through the use of storytelling and focus on indigenous values. In a country that has adopted the neoliberal beliefs that competition drives human relations, and …

Examining The Relationship Between White Matter Integrity, Cognitive Function, And Narrative Discourse In Military Personnel With Blast Traumatic Brain Injury, Laura Roosevelt

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Does Health Insurance Affect The Care Of Trauma Patients In Emergency Departments?, Aditya Makol

Master's Theses

OBJECTIVE:

The objective of this study was to determine the association of insurance status or lack of coverage with the quality of care that trauma patients receive when seen in the emergency department (ED).

METHODS:

This is a secondary analysis of ED trauma encounters, as recorded in cross-sectional data from the 2013 National Trauma Data Bank. This data bank is the largest trauma registry in the country, compiled by 805 hospitals including a mix of university, community and non-teaching institutions, ranging from Level I through Level IV trauma centers. Seventeen variables under study included injury severity, primary mode of transport, …

The Effects Of Quadmill Training On Balance: An Intervention Study 2017, Alexander J. Generali

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to observe and compare the effects of two separate training interventions using the QuadmillTM to a control group on balance in college-aged individuals. It was hypothesized that both experimental groups (I1 and I2) would experience improvements in balance over the intervention whereas the control group would remain at baseline. It was secondarily hypothesized that I2 would experience greater improvements than I1 in balance due to the nature of the exercise protocol. Data was collected using three systems; Balance Tracking Systems, Star Excursion Balance Test, and the Biodex Balance system. A two-way mixed methods ANOVA …

Philosophers On The Fringe: Albert Schweitzer, Liberty Hyde Bailey, Aldo Leopold, And The Wrongful Polarization Of Environmentalist History 2017, Minnie A.M. Lauzon

Master's Theses

This thesis includes three articles (chapters) intending to encourage clarification of an area of environmental history that has not received adequate attention since the publication of Roderick Nash’s Wilderness and the American Mind. Since its publication in 1967, little research has been dedicated to understanding the scholarly or philosophical influence Albert Schweitzer and Liberty Hyde Bailey had on Aldo Leopold. Since my undertaking of this topic, I have established two primary goals. First, I want to provide clarification to environmentalists, academics, and the populace at large that environmentalism does not have to be bound by rules and convention, but can …

A Comprehensive Program Plan For Providing Therapeutic Recreation Services In A Private Practice Setting 2017, Tracy J. Frenyea

Master's Theses

The purpose of this project was to create a comprehensive program plan and operations manual as an example of a private practice in therapeutic recreation. One goal was to provide a fresh approach to therapeutic recreation, one that embraces a strengths-based paradigm in a holistic environment nurturing the six domains of well-being and the aspirations of individuals served. To operationalize this goal, a thorough review of literature was undertaken and reported on; theoretical foundations and practice models were explored and selected; guiding principles, goals, and objectives were identified; a comprehensive program plan as well as specific intervention plans were created; …

Indian Sign Language Numbers Recognition Using Intel Realsense Camera, Sravani Mudduluru

Master's Theses

The use of gesture based interaction with devices has been a significant area of research in the field of computer science since many years. The main idea of these kind of interactions is to ease the user experience by providing high degree of freedom and provide more interactive way of communication with the technology in a natural way. The significant areas of applications of gesture recognition are in video gaming, human computer interaction, virtual reality, smart home appliances, medical systems, robotics and several others. With the availability of the devices such as Kinect, Leap Motion and Intel RealSense cameras accessing …

Rules Based Analysis Engine For Application Layer Ids, David Scrobonia

Master's Theses

Web application attack volume, complexity, and costs have risen as people, companies, and entire industries move online. Solutions implemented to defend web applications against malicious activity have traditionally been implemented at the network or host layer. While this is helpful for detecting some attacks, it does not provide the gran- ularity to see malicious behavior occurring at the application layer. The AppSensor project, an application level intrusion detection system (IDS), is an example of a tool that operates in this layer. AppSensor monitors users within the application by observing activity in suspicious areas not able to be seen by traditional …

Models For Pedestrian Trajectory Prediction And Navigation In Dynamic Environments, Jeremy N. Kerfs

Master's Theses

Robots are no longer constrained to cages in factories and are increasingly taking on roles alongside humans. Before robots can accomplish their tasks in these dynamic environments, they must be able to navigate while avoiding collisions with pedestrians or other robots. Humans are able to move through crowds by anticipating the movements of other pedestrians and how their actions will influence others; developing a method for predicting pedestrian trajectories is a critical component of a robust robot navigation system. A current state-of-the-art approach for predicting pedestrian trajectories is Social-LSTM, which is a recurrent neural network that incorporates information about neighboring …

Protective Relaying Student Laboratory, Kenan W. Pretzer

Master's Theses

Facing a rapidly-changing power industry, the electrical engineering department at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo proposed Advanced Power Systems Initiatives to better prepare its students for entering the power industry. These initiatives call for the creation of a new laboratory curriculum that uses microprocessor-based relays to reinforce the fundamental concepts of power system protection. This paper summarizes a laboratory system fit for this task and presents a set of proposed laboratory experiments to establish a new laboratory course at Cal Poly. The experiments expose students to the capabilities of industry-standard microprocessor-based relays through hands-on procedures that demonstrate common power system …

Potato Plant Gene Expression And Physiology During Three-Way Interactions With Mycorrhizal Fungi And Lepidopteran Larvae, Andrew P. Schoenherr

Master's Theses

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are integral components of ecosystems and form root associations with the majority of land plants (>80%). In these relationships, AMF provide essential nutrients to their hosts, primarily phosphorus, in exchange for photosynthates, which enhance plant growth and help plants overcome environmental stress. The below-ground interaction between plants and AMF can indirectly alter aboveground plant interactions with insect herbivores. Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) which are considered one of the most important vegetable crops worldwide, naturally form symbioses with AMF. However, it is not well understood how the association between potatoes and AMF can potentially affect leaf-chewing insect …

Tripartite Relationships: A Model System For The Study Of Plant-Mycorrhizal Fungus-Aphid Interactions, Eric Rizzo

Master's Theses

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are obligate biotrophs known for forming mutualistic associations with over 80% of terrestrial plant species. Plants forming symbiosis with AMF, in general, exhibit enhanced nutritional status as well as abiotic and biotic stress tolerance. In addition, plants benefit from mycorrhiza-induced resistance (MIR), which “primes” plant defenses, enabling a faster and stronger response against subsequent attacks by pathogens and insect herbivores. Nevertheless, MIR against insect herbivores is primarily dependent on the feeding guild of the attacking insect. Herbivory by leaf-chewing insects and generalist species on mycorrhizal plants often results in decreased insect weight gain and reproductive rates, …

Does Personality Similarity In Bottlenose Dolphin Pairs Influence Dyadic Bond Characteristics?, Kelsey R. Moreno

Master's Theses

Social structures are critical to the success of many species and have repercussions on health, well-being, and adaptation, yet little is known about the factors which shape these structures aside from ecology and life history strategies. Dyadic bonds are the basis of all social structures; however, mechanisms for formations of specific bonds or patterns in which individuals form which types of bonds have yet to be demonstrated. There is a variety of evidence indicating personality may be a factor in shaping bonds, but this relationship has not been explored with respect to bond components and is yet to be demonstrated …