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Optimizing Micronutrient Intake Of Lactating Women In Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, Through Increased Wild Edible Plant Consumption, Kerry Pearson

Master's Theses

OPTIMIZING MICRONUTRIENT INTAKE OF LACTATING WOMEN IN KWAZULU-NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA, THROUGH INCREASED WILD EDIBLE PLANT CONSUMPTION

Kerry Pearson

Micronutrient consumption in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, is insufficient to meet the needs of lactating women.  Inadequate intake negatively impacts the health of both the mother and infant.  Increasing consumption of wild edible plants has been recommended to combat these deficiencies, but information has not yet been provided on which types of wild plants should be eaten or in what quantity.  The objective of this study was to determine the optimal mixture of wild edible plants that needs to be consumed to meet …

An Efficient Primer Selection Process Combining Progressive And Iterative Multiple Sequence Alignment Strategies: Clustalw And Hmmer, Michael C. Green

Master's Theses

This thesis describes a method for using a computationally efficient algorithm to identify candidate DNA primer sequences. DNA sequencing primers are a critical element of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequence analysis.  A variety of methods for deriving DNA primers exist, but such methods are often computationally intensive, or do not use available sequence data that could potentially serve as a possible resource for primer identification.  Though no current algorithm exists which will always yield a correct primer for every need, evaluation of multi-sequence alignments may provide a reliable source for primer candidates.  However, an exact mathematical solution for …

Adaptive Component Usage For The Thermal Management Of Picosatellites, William D. Whalen

Master's Theses

The CubeSat standard originated in 1999.  It was a joint development led by Dr. Jordi Puig-Suari of California State Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo and Professor Robert Twiggs of Stanford University. The engineering challenges that have come from this picosatellite class have created incredible educational opportunities for engineering students throughout the world.  Since the challenges of engineering a CubeSat abound the designers are always looking at novel and even revolutionary solutions to each one.  One of those opportunities is in thermal subsystem design, implementation and characterization.  A potential solution for CubeSats is adaptive component usage.

This thesis is the written …

Hydrologic Alteration And Sedimentation In The Upper Henry's Fork Watershed, Amelie Jeanne Charnaux

Master's Theses

Abstract

Hydrologic Alteration and Sedimentation in the Upper Henry’s Fork Watershed

Amelie Jeanne Charnaux

The Henry’s Fork of the Snake River is venerated by the global recreational community as one of the finest trout fishing streams on the planet. Furthermore, this remarkable waterway flows within the bounds of one of the most important ecological corridors in the equally world-renowned Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. While the recreational and biological features of this corner of Idaho may capture the interest of the broader public, the waterway is equally significant to the livelihoods of local interests, such as the ranching and farming communities. With …

Harmful Algal Bloom (Hab) Communities And Co-Occurring Species In Relation To Near Shore Ocean Dynamics In San Luis Bay, California, Samuel Christopher Rankin

Master's Theses

The occurrence of phytoplankton taxa, with special focus on harmful algal bloom (HAB) taxa, was monitored for one year off the central coast of California to examine both their co-occurrence and physical and chemical variables influencing their temporal patterns. Bi-weekly samples were taken from October 6, 2008 to October 5, 2009 in San Luis Obispo Bay, CA. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) of weekly samples indicated that 46.1% of the variability in species abundance was explained by the variables in the model, higher than previous reports. Cluster analysis divided phytoplankton communities into HAB and non-HAB groups of species, while shared distribution …

Irish Hills Natural Reserve Conservation Plan Update, Bijan N. Riley

Master's Theses

The Irish Hills Natural Reserve Conservation Plan is a unique component of the City
of San Luis Obispo’s green belt that provides a number of hiking and mountain biking
trails within a short distance from the downtown core as well as ensures that valuable
habitat be preserved into the future. As the subject of my thesis project, IHNR presented the opportunity to pursue an aspect of city planning that can often be over-looked and, conservation planning. Conservation planning is an important element of the planning profession in that it incorporates such elements into the future growth of cities. With proper …

Development Of An Open Source Prosthetic Hand Platform, Scott James Garrett

Master's Theses

Development of an Open Source Prosthetic Hand Platform

Scott Garrett

In the field of upper extremity prosthetic devices, advancements in technology drive the design of products which are becoming capable of restoring the lost functions of the native hand. While several dexterous devices have been developed to serve this purpose, they remain prohibitively expensive and thus are not a viable option for many upper extremity amputees. To address this problem a prosthetic hand platform was developed utilizing the open source Arduino microcontroller and off-the-shelf electrical components. Using these resources, a novel finger actuation mechanism was developed to show how …

Impact Of Exercise On Brain Responses To Visual Food Cues: An Fmri Study, Nero Erezi Evero

Master's Theses

On the basis of a strong body of data, the Institute of Medicine currently recommends at least 60 minutes of exercise per day to prevent body weight gain overtime.  Previous studies have shown that there is no compensatory increase in food intake with this dose of exercise. Ultimately, the brain decides whether to alter food intake.  Surprisingly, no published studies have assessed the impact of exercise on brain activation.  Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and an appetite questionnaire, we investigated the effects of a single bout of aerobic exercise on brain responses to visual food cues and subjective appetite …

Flood Capacity Improvement Of San Jose Creek Channel Using Hec-Ras, Erland Kragh Mowinckel

Master's Theses

The Santa Ynez Mountains of Santa Barbara County, California, have seen many major storm events during the past century.  San Jose Creek, which runs out of these mountains, through the town of Goleta, and into the Pacific Ocean, has experienced several intense flood events as a result.  The lower portion of the creek was diverted in 1960 to alleviate flooding through Old Town Goleta.  However, flooding still occurred in the storms of 1995 and 1998.  This study incorporates a hydraulic analysis component of a project aimed at re-designing this diverted portion of the channel.  It presents an analysis of modifications …

Underwater Localization And Tracking Of Physical Systems, Patrick E. Carroll

Master's Theses

In this paper, we investigate the problem of localizing an underwater sensor node basedon message broadcasting from multiple surface nodes. With the time-of-arrival measurementsfrom a DSP-based multicarrier modem, each sensor node localizes itself based on the traveltime differences among multiple senders to the receiver. Using one-way message passing, such asolution can scale to accommodate a large number of nodes in a network. We consider the issuefrom not only the physical layer, but also at the node processing layer by incorporating a trackingsolution. We present simulation results as well as preliminary testing results in a swimming poolwith both stationary and moving …

Efficacy Of Different Retention Types Post-Orthodontic Treatment, Monica Sonia Kaur Dosanjh

Master's Theses

Introduction: Despite major advances in orthodontic tooth movement, orthodontic retention still remains a major problem. It has been estimated that only 10% of the population who have received orthodontics are still in acceptable occlusion as judged by orthodontists 20 years after retention. (Little, Riedel et al. 1988) In addition, very little is known about patient’s perception in relation to orthodontic relapse. Therefore, the goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of 3 different types of retainers (Hawley removable, Essix removable and Fixed) of the mandibular and maxillary anterior sextant and to assess patient perception of crowding. Materials and …

Distance Judgments For Joint Action: The Perceptual Consequences Of Anticipated Coordination, Benjamin R. Meagher

Master's Theses

Recent perception research has revealed that judgments of distance are influenced by the energetic cost required to perform particular actions, such as walking, across these distances (Proffitt, 2006b). However, this prior research has focused almost exclusively on the perceptual consequences of solo action, despite the fact that individuals regularly become embedded within social units for the purpose of joint action (Richardson, Marsh, & Schmidt, 2005). In two experiments, the current work sought to test the hypothesis that forming a social unit creates a new perception-action system with distinct perceptual attunement of the environment scaled to the unit’s action-potential. Participants, accompanied …

The Effect Of Betaine Supplementation On Performance And Muscle Mechanisms, Jenna M. Apicella

Master's Theses

Background: Recent research has shown that betaine supplementation can increase strength and power performance. To further investigate the ergogenic effects of betaine supplementation a balanced, randomized, double-blind, repeated measures crossover study was designed to examine select hormonal and muscle signaling responses during supplementation.

Methods: Twelve recreationally active men (age, 19.7 ± 1.23 years; height, 172.6 ± 5.61 cm; weight, 84.27 ± 15.3 kg; body fat, 18.7 ± 7.0%; BMI, 28.2 ± 4.0) with a minimum of 3 months of resistance training including back squat and bench press participated in the study. A within crossover design was utilized and subjects were …

Changes In Simulated 2,000 Meter Rowing Performance During 4 Years Of Intercollegiate Women’S Rowing, Katherine R. Les

Master's Theses

This study examined the performance gains in annual simulated 2,000 meter (2K) rowing tests of female collegiate rowers over their four years of collegiate-level training and competition.  Data compiled over 14 years on 47 well-trained, collegiate female rowers were used.  Subjects’ PR (personal record) 2K scores for each of their four years with the University team were analyzed.  Results showed significant differences between both Year 1 to Year 2 and Year 2 to Year 3 2K PR scores.  The greatest change in 2K scores occurred between Year 1 and Year 2.  No significant differences were seen between Year 3 and …

Validity And Reliability Of The Paffenbarger Physical Activity Questionnaire Among Healthy Adults, Kathleen Simpson

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Efficacy Of Exercise Interventions On Cancer-Related Fatigue And Depression Among Adult Cancer Survivors: A Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Control Trials, Justin C. Brown

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Public Perception Of Public Transportation And Its Built Environment In The New Haven - Springfield Corridor, Garrett S. Bolella

Master's Theses

Studying and quantifying public perception of public transportation and the built environment in which it operates is crucial to understanding the symbiotic relationship between transportation and land use. This paper presents a choice experiment which places respondents into personalized hypothetical scenarios and examines their preferences for new transit service and the environment in which it operates. The choice experiment survey instrument investigates public response to hypothetical bond referenda to fund new transit projects with particular service and built environment attributes. Service options are characterized by six attributes: service type, service reliability, comfort, stop environment, parking availability at final destination, and …

Deficits In Auditory, Cognitive, And Motor Processing Following Reversible Mcao In Mice: Understanding The Human Stroke Phenotype, Dongnhu Truong

Master's Theses

Stoke is characterized by a loss or alteration in neurological and/or bodily function resulting from a cerebral vascular accident (interruption of blood flow to the brain).  Acute ischemic stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, and the leading cause of long-term functional disability in adults.  Stroke-induced deficits may include various forms of aphasia (language loss), cognitive deficits (including attentional and memory impairments), and motor impairments.  Through the use of animal models, researchers can experimentally induce “stroke-like” injuries comparable to those seen in clinical populations.  Such models allow us to study and understand the neurophysiological, anatomical, …

Serial Sectioning Using Focused Ion Beam For Three Dimensional Tomographic Reconstruction Of Microstructural Development In Forged Al-Ni-Y-Co Alloys, Mauricio A. Gordillo

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

A Comparative Study Of Total Hemoglobin Measurement Technology: Noninvasive Pulse Co-Oximetry And Conventional Methods, Jared S. Ruckman

Master's Theses

Hemoglobin can be measured on a variety of devices using different principles of operation. Noninvasive pulse CO-oximetry represents the latest development in hemoglobin measuring technology. The technology uses principles similar to pulse oximetry to measure total hemoglobin, oxyhemoglobin, reduced oxyhemoglobin, carboxyhemoglobin and methemoglobin. Similar to the introduction of pulse oximetry to the medical field, pulse CO-oximetry has been met with skepticism. Since the technology is noninvasive and provides continuous monitoring in comparison to invasive and discrete techniques used in other methods, CO-oximetry purportedly provides an advantage in patient care. The purpose of this research is threefold: (a) to review the …

The Use Of Motion Analysis Technology As An Alternative Means Of Assessing Spinal Deformity In Patients With Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis, Matthew J. Solomito

Master's Theses

Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) is a three dimensional deformity of the spine that causes abnormal curvatures in the coronal and sagittal planes and abnormal vertebral rotations. The gold standard for diagnosing and tracking the progression of the deformity is through the use of repeated radiography and a patient can receive upwards of fifteen radiographic series over the course of treatment, which exposes this population to an increased risk of radiation-dependent complications.

This thesis presents the necessary calculations and the marker set required to make the motion capture technology a viable alternative to radiographs, in an effort to reduce the patient’s …

Comprehensive Analysis Of Effluent Organic Matter From Five Wastewater Treatment Plants In Connecticut And Comparison To Natural Organic Matter, Matthew L. Quaranta

Master's Theses

Natural organic matter is an important driver of biotic and abiotic processes in aquatic environments. Wastewater treatment plants discharge a substantial amount of organic matter into the environment; however effluent organic matter has not been well studied. In this study, traditional organic geochemical techniques were applied to characterize effluent organic matter. Effluent organic matter was isolated by DAX8 (hydrophobic fraction) and XAD4 (transphilic fraction) Amberlite resins. Extraction efficiencies of effluent organic matter by DAX8 resins ranged from 18 to 42 percent as a result of larger content of hydrophilic organic matter than natural organic matter. Average organic matter molecular weights …

The Healthcare Needs Of Patients In Rural Kaduna, Nigeria, Jaime Stevens

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

A Relational Perspective On Sex Stereotyping, Jessica Kang

Master's Theses

The current study adopts a relational perspective of sex stereotyping by taking into account the perceiver’s group membership, the target group, and the content of the stereotype. We asked women and men to report their personal beliefs about men and women on three characteristics: competence, warmth and morality. The results showed that participants were engaging in three different patterns of sex stereotyping: traditional sex stereotyping (both sexes rated similarly by both male and female participants on traditional stereotypes), traditional in-group favoring sex stereotyping (participants favor his/her own group on a stereotype traditionally associated with his/her group), and counter-traditional sex stereotyping …

Animation And Visualization Of 3d Underwater Sensor Networks, Matthew T. Tran

Master's Theses

Simulation and visualization are critical for the development of new systems and protocols in the area of computer networking. As real-world field testing is expensive and time-consuming, simulations are often preferred as they can be performed repeatedly and inexpensively while still reflecting the outcome of field tests to an extent. Visualizations of the simulation and field test results often follow to provide researchers with a vivid animation of the events, allowing for a much more intuitive understanding of the system than tediously reading through trace files. While there are currently a multitude of simulators and animators for land-based networks, few …

The Effect Of Test Revision: Comparing The Performance Of Preschool Children With Sli And Typical Controls On The Ppvt-Iii And The Ppvt-Iv, Sabrina E. Jara

Master's Theses

Purpose: This study compared the performance of preschool children with SLI and controls on the PPVT-III and PPVT-IV to determine the effect of test revision on identification of language impairment.

Method: Twenty preschool children with SLI and 20 typically developing controls served as the exploratory group. The confirmatory group consisted of 5 children with SLI and 20 controls. Children were administered both test versions in counterbalanced order.

Results: As expected, children with SLI performed significantly worse than their TD peers on both test versions. The discriminate analyses identified an optimal cut-off of 103 for both tests. Using this cut-off, sensitivity …

Augmented Verbal Feedback And Its Effect On Power Output During A Counter-Movement Vertical Jump Protocol With Division 1 Collegiate Athletes, Joseph Staub

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Design Of A Pragmatic Test Lab For Evaluating And Testing Wireless Medical Devices For Deployment On An Integrated It Wireless Network, Allie Paquette

Master's Theses

In today’s healthcare environment, networking of medical devices is becoming more and more prevalent. There is an increasing need for mobile technology to meet clinical needs. Wireless communication is essential for allowing medical devices to be able to move with the patient, while continuing to record and communicate patient data. A traditional example is telemetry monitoring, but other examples of wireless utilization include sending ECG test results to the EMR or remotely updating the drug library on numerous IV pumps. Each wireless application has varying demands on the connectivity infrastructure and will share radio frequency (RF) spectrum resources with a …

Bitewing Radiographic Evaluation Of Interproximal Carious Lesions On Permanent First Molars In 6 And 12 Year-Olds In The Public Health System Of Chile, Rodrigo Alejandro Haristoy Dr.

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Team Physicians’ Practice Beliefs Regarding The Recognition And Treatment Of Exertional Heat Stroke, Lindsey Mcdowell

Master's Theses

Recognition and Treatment of Exertional Heat Stroke: A Perspective from the Team Physician

McDowell LH, Mazerolle SM, Casa DJ, Pagnotta KD, Armstrong LE: University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT

Context: Rectal temperature assessment (T_re) and cold-water immersion (CWI) are the gold standards for the recognition and treatment of exertional heat stroke (EHS), but athletic trainers (ATs) are reluctant to implement them regularly into clinical practice. ATs work under the guidance of a physician, but little information is available regarding the perceptions of the aforementioned methods from the team physician’s perspective. Objective: To investigate team physicians’ practice beliefs regarding the …