Digital Commons Network^™

Documenting Tetranychus Urticae And Lygus Hesperus Resistance Status In California Strawberries, Kiley William Jensen

Master's Theses

The resistance status of Tetranychus urticae Koch and Lygus hesperus Knight sourced from California strawberry fields was evaluated in laboratory bioassay experiments. Adult female T. urticae sourced from a miticide naïve population were exposed to a range of miticide active ingredient concentrations mixed with acetone in contact bioassay experiments. LC₅₀ concentrations for the active ingredients fenpyroximate, abamectin, bifenazate, and spiromesifen as well as LC₉₀ concentrations for the active ingredients fenpyroximate, abamectin, and bifenazate were derived from this susceptible population. A total of ten field populations of T. urticae, five from the Santa Maria growing region and five …

Coupled Boundary Conditions For Modeling Airbreathing Engines, Adam Louis Waldemarson

Master's Theses

Modeling the flight conditions of an aircraft that utilizes an airbreathing propulsion system necessitates a method to account for the increase in energy introduced into the flow. Current methods for modeling engines either assign fixed conditions on flat faces on the intake and exhaust through a manual process with the use of external models or attempt to model the flow through the engine within the simulation using complex and computationally expensive geometry and solvers. The method presented attempts to provide an intermediate option to model airbreathing engines through coupling the intake and exhaust boundary conditions with a parametric engine model. …

Effects Of Concussion And Visuomotor Metrics On Nhl Performance: An Explainable Ai Approach, Michael T. Moschitto

Master's Theses

Cognitive motor integration (CMI), the simultaneous coordination between cerebral function and motor output, is known to deteriorate following a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). This thesis explores the relationship between mTBI, CMI, and the performance of elite athletes in the National Hockey League (NHL). The approach focuses on examining the predictive value of various supervised Machine Learning (ML) models with an emphasis on Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) models. Since the ML solution is intended to complement human scouting decisions, we evaluate the experiments based on both interpretability and accuracy on a limited class imbalanced dataset. The contributions of this research …

Reconstructing Identity: Carlton Burgan, Patient Zero In The Development Of Plastic Surgery, Civil War Through World War I, Teresa M. George

Master's Theses

Plastic surgery has played an integral role in helping people achieve societal expectations of appropriate physical appearance since its inception. Through the story of Carlton Burgan, a Union soldier during the American Civil War, who suffered severe facial trauma by mercury poisoning, this thesis hopes to reconstruct the conversation around plastic surgery’s origins as it is influenced by societal standards of the day. Specifically, this thesis argues that the seminal moments leading to plastic surgery being seen as a worthwhile medical specialty was during the Civil War, not World War I as so many scholars have put forth. Violent acts …

The Temporal Evaluation Of Mouthfeel And Retronasal Sensations In Red Wines From The Central Coast Of California, Emily S. Stoffel

Master's Theses

Time-based sensory analysis techniques capture the dynamic retronasal and mouthfeel sensations in wines. It is important to understand how common winemaking practices and popular varietals impact the retronasal and mouthfeel profile as consumers tend to judge wine quality based on the taste, flavor, and mouthfeel of a wine. Three time-based sensory analysis methods were utilized with the objective to understand the effect of five commonly applied winemaking techniques (blending, varietal choice, fermentation temperature, cap management, and stem addition) on the dynamic retronasal and mouthfeel profile of six different varietals (Merlot, Malbec, Petite Sirah, Pinot noir, Grenache, and Tannat) grown on …

Agricultural Shocks On Household Stability: A Case Study Of Tanzania Maize Farmers, Zimmi Silonda Ndlovu

Master's Theses

As the global populations grow, the need for stronger agricultural resilience in areas with high food insecurity like Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is a must. Crop failure due to climate related events has increased substantially over the past decade, raising the risks to vulnerable groups like subsistence farmers. Understanding the effects of climate variability on farmers and their crops is a pivotal step towards increasing resilience and productivity. In this paper I approach this question using a Linear Probability Fixed-effects Model on Tanzanian Panel Survey data with monthly temperature and precipitation for years 2008 to 2013. Results suggest a negative relationship …

Impact Of Long-Term Trauma Exposure On Competitiveness And Generosity, Anchal Khandelwal

Master's Theses

: Although half of all nations in the world have experienced armed conflict in the last 50 years, there is still a glaring lack of evidence on the persistent human costs of these conflicts. We exploit the quasi-random variation in abduction (Blattman and Annan 2009) and establish a control (neighboring) sub-county based on the intensity of exposure by the Lord’s Resistance Army in Northern Uganda to investigate the long-term impact of trauma exposure on competitiveness and generosity. We do this by conducting lab-in-field experiments on a sample of adult North Ugandan women and find that trauma exposure reduces competitiveness in …

Positive Out Of The Negative: Tracking Renewable Energy Projects In Central America, Jordan Ethan Castillo (Miner)

Master's Theses

Central America is undertaking a vast Renewable Energy (RE) transition, due to widespread investments across the region in an array of technologies. These technologies include Community Solar, Wind, and Hydroelectricity. Hydroelectricity has long been the backbone of many countries’ energy grids in the region due to the region’s long history with hydroelectricity. Ambitious climate goals coupled with diminishing hydroelectric power generation opportunities have led to an expansion of investment in Community Solar and Wind energy. The embrace of Solar and Wind has been accelerated due to declining costs for these technologies as they mature. Central America as a case study …

Between Life And Death: Reimagining Black Reproductive Healthcare, Briana Britton

Master's Theses

The state of Black reproductive health is in crisis with mortality rates of birthing people in the U.S. being the worst in the developed world. What compounds this issue is historical and cultural evidence of unethical and inhumane treatment of Black people – Black birthing people in particular – by the U.S. healthcare system primarily due to racism and sexism. Those who do not identify with the binary and heteronormative structures of our healthcare system are at further risk of discrimination and health disparities. Due to social and cultural ideals, stigma, and other structural forces, Black, Black birthing and Black …

Invisibility: Bringing Statelessness To The Forefront Of U.S. Political Advocacy, Claire G. Green

Master's Theses

Currently, an estimated 218,000 stateless persons are living in the United States. With no legal structure specifically addressing statelessness, stateless persons are left in a perpetual state of legal ambiguity. This project explores current research on statelessness in the United States, examines general awareness and attitudes towards the stateless population, and seeks to further understand how to increase empathy and engagement in the push for stateless rights. Guided by the lens of feminist political theory, I attempt to answer the following research question: Can autobiographical works of art be utilized as healing tools of empowerment and catalysts for political recognition …

Cost-A-Lot Of Evictions And Displacement: Meda's Role In Community Organizing And The Impacts Of The Costa-Hawkins And Ellis Acts, Henna Gandhi

Master's Theses

In February 1995, the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (AB1164) was passed in California. Developed by two Democratic state policymakers, Senator Jim Costa and Assemblymember Phil Hawkins, the act encompassed both Senate Bill 1257 and Assembly Bill 1169 (Goldberg 2, 2018). The Costa-Hawkins Act was a vacancy decontrol legislation that overruled strict rent control measures in cities across California. In combination with rent control and Costa-Hawkins, the passage of the Ellis Act (1985) by state legislators further contributed to the affordable housing crisis. With the current affordable housing crisis, I turn to community- based organizations (CBOs) who provide housing solutions for …

Tempers Rising: The Effect Of Heat On Spite, Jake C. Cosgrove

Master's Theses

The relationship between heat and harmful outcomes is well documented, with research connecting various adverse economic outcomes to the climate. In the presence of increasing global warming and climate change, understanding why the climate leads to negative economic outcomes is essential for forming peaceful institutions of the future. We study how behavioral economic outcomes change in the presence of heat through a lab experiment involving 1,110 observations conducted in five different countries. This paper specifically focuses on the social preference outcome of spite. We find that increased time exposure to the treatment effect of heat is required to elicit an …

Impacts Of Rising Temperatures On Human Behavior With A Focus On Gender Differences, Stephanie Marie Emilia J. Hermoso

Master's Theses

Climate change is one of the biggest and most pressing issues the world is facing today. While its economic implications are substantial, it is also important to investigate the effects of climate change on human behavior. This paper examines the relationship of rising temperatures and its effect on an individual’s cooperative behavior – specifically egalitarianism, generosity, selfishness, and spite. This study will focus on the differences between how males and females react to the temperature. Research indicates that there are substantial behavioral differences between men and women. How do the economic decisions of men and women differ when interacted with …

Empirical Evidence For The Emergence Of Global General Normative Force In The Paris Agreement, Michael J. Nordquist

Master's Theses

The Paris Agreement presents a unique framework to address the pressing dangers of climate change. Given the magnitude of this global problem and our reliance on international treaties to counteract its adverse effects, it is imperative that we understand the evolving norms within this domain. To evaluate the extent to which the Paris Agreement serves as a second-order "rule of recognition" in the context of global climate governance, we utilize a straightforward test rooted in Hart's theory of the rule of law. Our approach entails enumerating the number of countries worldwide that have enacted laws explicitly referencing the Paris Agreement, …

Sweet And Timely Insurance: The Role Of Honey In Reducing Coffee Producer Food Insecurity Exposure In Mexico, Grant Xavier Storer

Master's Theses

Smallholder coffee producers face a combination of pre- and post-harvest risk factors that leaves them particularly vulnerable to food insecurity. A popular form of on-farm diversification is honey production through beekeeping, that has both nutritional and commercial value. This study investigates the role of honey production as means of food security management due to the heightened pollinating activity during the coffee flowering stage that follows the annual coffee harvest provides an additional non-contemporaneous source of income. Using primary data collected in coffee-producing regions of Chiapas, Mexico, I find that during the honey harvest months, which occurs during the early stage …

The Central American Minors Program: Advocating For Private Sponsorship, Magaly Velasco-Escobar

Master's Theses

Under this recommendation, minors would be interviewed by qualified officers at resettlement agencies in their home countries to assess credible fear, those deemed eligible but lacking an eligible relative would be referred for a private sponsorship pathway. Sponsors would be vetted and qualified using protocols currently in place by the Welcome Corps and Refugee Foster Care. Ideally, the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) would coordinate between the private sponsors and overseas resettlement agencies, given they already do the work of vetting eligible sponsors for minors. ORR could create a program staffed with qualified individuals to coordinate this program or provide …

Giving Birth To A Stateless Citizen: Gendered Citizenship Laws In International Human Rights., Serena Nader

Master's Theses

Citizenship rights are gendered in over 50 countries worldwide. Gendered citizenship laws limit how citizenship is granted to spouses of citizens, or how citizenship is passed from parent to child. These laws often discriminate against women or minority groups and have the potential to violate a number of human rights. Based on three specific characteristics, gendered citizenship laws have maintained social order and reinforced by incorrect internalization processes. Accordingly Gendered citizenship laws negatively impact the recognition of the international human rights of citizens, remarkably when systems are culturally patriarchal, when religion overshadows basic human rights, and when internalization processes are …

The Child Nutrition Cost Of Weather Shocks In Nigeria, Danielle M. Abaya

Master's Theses

Child malnutrition is alarmingly high in Nigeria with the highest number of malnourished children, the second highest population of stunted children worldwide and 17 million Nigerians facing food insecurity. According to the World Health Organization, children are predicted to suffer about 80% of weather-related illnesses and deaths. As climate change continues to pose the greatest health threat and while scientists predict its irreversible effects in the next 10 years, countries such as Nigeria are already experiencing the burden of climate change today. This study uses total rainfall to measure precipitation and two Enhanced Vegetation Index variables, total change in greenness …

No One To Save, And Everything To Learn: Decolonial Possibilities For Global Ngos Facilitating Education In Emergencies, Megan N. Patterson

Master's Theses

The field of Education in Emergencies is an emerging field which aims to offer solutions for the continuation of learning in humanitarian settings, but also navigates dynamics of global development in the pursuit of delivering quality learning and universal learning access. In this study, qualitative content analysis is used to examine the beliefs, values, and motivations of three Education in Emergencies (EiE) programs implemented by NGOs. These were selected to offer insight into programming designed for global, regional, and local implementation, as well as nuanced dynamics of power, agency, and saviorism through seven criteria: (1) Purpose of learning, (2) Instructional …

Braiding Hearts/Corazones: The Healing Of Intergenerational Stories, Nicole A. Buchanan, Glendy V. Alvarez

Master's Theses

This field project incorporates the practice of fluid desire into the context of migration educational spaces within spaces such as the University of San Francisco Migration Studies Program (MIMS) and nonprofit organization Ayudando Latinos A Soñar (ALAS). Our research objective is to explore the importance of educational spaces for communities who are impacted by migration and how these spaces may allow these communities to be authentically themselves and embody fluid desire. We articulate fluid desire as a practice and state of being that encompasses complementary work from various scholars who focus on one or more components: (1) desire-centered; (2) advocacy …

Feeling The Heat: Heterogeneous Treatment Effects Of Heat On Human Cooperation, Scott K. Klaus

Master's Theses

The goal of this paper is to examine how increased temperatures affect human behavior in terms of cooperation. Currently, there is an abundance of literature regarding increased aggression in humans as temperatures rise. However, there is ambiguity concerning whether a similar effect exists in altering levels of cooperation in human interactions. Additionally, people of different characteristics may be influenced by heat at varying levels. First, we run a baseline model of prosociality on different heat measurements, such as standard and wet-bulb temperatures. Included in this model are experimental specification variables, a “trigger”, and characteristics. The trigger is defined as losing …

The Relationship Between Economic Complexity And Income Inequality: A Study On The United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Brooke Johnson

Master's Theses

This paper examines the relationship between income inequality and economic complexity, adding to the literature by providing new evidence for Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). With populations in cities rapidly increasing world-wide, settlement scaling research has revealed significant correlations between population size and various aspects of socio-economic wellbeing, including income inequality. Our study utilizes the Economic Complexity Index (ECI), a recently developed measure of economic development, to examine how changes in regional production structures influence inequality and shed light on the evolving nature of urban economies. By employing fixed effects OLS regression with clustered standard errors on both panel data from …

Agricultural Shocks On Household Stability: A Case Study Of Tanzania Maize Farmers, Zimmi Ndlovu

Master's Theses

As the global populations grow, the need for stronger agricultural resilience in areas with high food insecurity like Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is a must. Crop failure due to climate related events has increased substantially over the past decade, raising the risks to vulnerable groups like subsistence farmers. Understanding the effects of climate variability on farmers and their crops is a pivotal step towards increasing resilience and productivity. In this paper I approach this question using a Linear Probability Fixed-effects Model on Tanzanian Panel Survey data with monthly temperature and precipitation for years 2008 to 2013. Results suggest a negative relationship …

Determining The Refractive Index Of Phytoplankton Via Direct Measurement Of Cellular Structures, Michael Kamowski

Master's Theses

The refractive index of phytoplankton has never been directly measured before despite its importance towards studying the optical characteristics of marine particles. Previous attempts to measure it have been done through indirect methods. While these methods have proven useful, they contain assumptions about the particles morphology and composition that cause for uncertainty with the measurements. Through the use of the 3D Cell Explorer, a high precision holotomographic microscope, the RI of phytoplankton can be directly measured for the first time. With volume measurements, the phytoplankton were found to not display a single bulk RI, instead the bulk RI was different …

Predicting Suicide Risk Among Youths Using Machine Learning Methods, Saswati Bhattacharjee

Master's Theses

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youths in the USA. Although machine learning approaches have provided great potential for predicting suicide risk using survey data, prediction accuracy may not meet the need for clinical diagnosis due to the intrinsic characteristics of datasets. In this study, I perform a comparative study of six classification algorithms including naïve Bayes (NB), logistic regression (LR), multilayer perceptron (MLP), AdaBoost (Ada), random forest (RF), and bagging using YRBSS dataset and investigate the effectiveness of several data handling techniques to improve the overall performance of suicide risk prediction.

The dataset consists of 76 …

Nutrition-Related Factors Impacting The Bone Health Of Female Sports And Performance Collegiate Athletes, Elizabeth Doll

Master's Theses

Low bone mineral density is commonly found in female athletes and has been related to the energy adequacy and nutrient density of the athlete’s diet. Insufficient dietary energy intake and/or excessive energy expenditure can lead to low energy availability in female athletes, which has been shown to disrupt endocrine, metabolic, and physiological functions. Psychological distress in competitive athletes may affect dietary choices and patterns. To meet their personal or performance standards/goals, an athlete may go to extremes to achieve those standards/goals, including altering their dietary intake.

This study aimed to evaluate the nutrition-related factors affecting the bone health of collegiate …

A Model Knight: Sir Gawain, Chivalric Contradictions, And Grief In Medieval Literature, Kennis Jobe

Master's Theses

Scholarship on medieval and Arthurian chivalry in recent decades has focused largely on the Gawain Poet’s 1375 Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Sir Thomas Malory’s 1470 Le Morte D’Arthur. These two romances seem to offer more critical looks at the chivalric system than the glorification of knightly life provided by romances from the previous centuries of the high medieval period. In past works such as L’atre Périlleux and Claris et Laris, Sir Gawain is depicted as the ideal knight—in these poems he is humble, strong, noble, and always perfectly in accord with the chivalric code. In Sir Gawain …

An Evaluation Of The Effect Of Degradation On Irisplex Snps, Maria Gruber

Master's Theses

The information from short tandem repeats (STRs), the current standard forensic DNA typing technology, does not always result in identification. In these cases, there are other informative markers in DNA that can be used to help generate investigative leads, one of which is single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). One of the uses of SNPs is for phenotype determination. Among the phenotypic characteristics that can be predicted is eye color. A commonly used tool for eye color prediction is the free, online statistical prediction model IrisPlex, which includes 6 SNPs known to control eye color.

While SNPs can be useful, they, like …

The Impact Of Leaf Litter Diversity On The Colonization Of Aquatic Insects, Daniel Edwards

Master's Theses

Ephemeral pools provide habitat to a wide diversity of aquatic insects which colonize pools to establish new populations in higher quality habitats. These pools rely on nutrient inputs from the surrounding terrestrial landscape, predominantly through leaf litter. Using mesocosms, we tested for the effect of leaf litter diversity (richness and functional diversity) on the colonization of aquatic insects. Leaf litter influences characteristics of a pool (tannins, water color, and nutrients) which may make them more or less desirable to potential colonizers. I added unique mixtures of leaf litter with different numbers of species (0, 3, 5, 7, and 9) and …

Digital Implementation Of An Incremental Quantity Directional Protective Relay Element And Its Applications Using An Automated Testing Procedure, Deven Hymel

Master's Theses

This thesis presents the design and analysis of a digital model of an incremental-quantity-based directional protective relay element using the electromagnetic transient program (EMTP). The digital model is based on a similar protective element present in commercially available time-domain-based relays and provides directional fault detection using incremental quantities. Such models are not readily available in transient study programs.

The element’s operating principles are discussed in detail, and the digital design process is outlined. The digital model is designed in a simplified test system, and upon validation using a real-world time-domain-based relay, its performance is analyzed using the model of a …