Digital Commons Network^™

Ergonomics Analysis Of Touchscreen Utilization As A Function Of Preferred Hand And Gender, Jordan E. Odell

Master's Theses

The growth of touchscreen technology has changed the way users interface with a wide range of computing and communication products and systems. Examples range from personal tablets and laptops to industrial applications such as process control, point-of-sales, and ticketing kiosk systems. An important area of application is the automobile industry which is designing cars with touchscreen control panels to replace the previously designed mechanical knobs and buttons. However, interacting with touchscreens does not provide the same tactile feedback as physical mechanisms, therefore they require more precise movement and visual attention, which distracts the user from the primary task.

The purpose …

Identifying And Predicting Rat Behavior Using Neural Networks, Jonathan A. Gettner

Master's Theses

The hippocampus is known to play a critical role in episodic memory function. Understanding the relation between electrophysiological activity in a rat hippocampus and rat behavior may be helpful in studying pathological diseases that corrupt electrical signaling in the hippocampus, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Additionally, having a method to interpret rat behaviors from neural activity may help in understanding the dynamics of rat neural activity that are associated with certain identified behaviors.

In this thesis, neural networks are used as a black-box model to map electrophysiological data, representative of an ensemble of neurons in the hippocampus, to a T-maze, …

Inductive Monitoring Systems: A Cubesat Ground-Based Prototype, Michelle Haddock

Master's Theses

Inductive Monitoring Systems (IMS) are the newest form of health monitoring available to the aerospace industry. IMS is a program that builds a knowledge base of nominal state vectors from a nominal data set using data mining techniques. The nominal knowledge base is then used to monitor new data vectors for off-nominal conditions within the system. IMS is designed to replace the current health monitoring process, referred to as model-based reasoning, by automating the process of classifying healthy states and anomaly detection. An IMS prototype was designed and implemented in MATLAB. A verification analysis then determined if the IMS program …

Predicting Invasive Range Of Eucalyptus Globulus In California, Anthony J. Lopez

Master's Theses

Eucalyptus globulus is the subject of intense debate in California. Its invasive potential, aggressive growth, reproductive biology, and association with fire make the prediction of spread important in California. Two modeling simulations, Climex and Maxent, will illustrate the distribution and potential growth range of E. globulus in California based on climate and presence. Modeling the potential range of growth will predict invasive spread. The anticipated result is the continued spread of E. globulus in coastal regions with adequate moisture and suitable climate. Predicting the range of E. globulus in California dictates management strategy and is key for preventing further introduction, …

The Effects Of Foliar Nutrient Applications On Split, Yield, And Internal Fruit Quality Of 'Wonderful' Pomegranate (Punica Granatum L.), John Matthew Chater

Master's Theses

Fruit split is the most important physiological disorder in pomegranate production, causing devastating crop losses worldwide. Foliar nutrient applications have been used experimentally to mitigate pomegranate fruit split but none have been conducted using the industry standard cultivar, Wonderful, and little is known about the effects of foliar nutrient applications on pomegranate. Additionally, investigations into putative health benefits of pomegranate fruit have increased interest in its production but limited evidence exists regarding effects of agricultural practices such as foliar fertilizer applications on internal fruit quality. ‘Wonderful’ pomegranate trees at 2 commercial orchards were treated with foliar applications of ZnSO_{4 …}

The Interactive Effect Of Core Self-Evaluations And Perceived Organizational Support In Predicting Work Engagement, Martin Andres Araya

Master's Theses

Given that work engagement has been shown to be related to positive individual and organizational outcomes, researchers have examined factors that predict work engagement. Personal resources and job resources are two factors that previous research has found to predict work engagement. The purpose of this study was to examine core self-evaluations (personal resource) and their interaction with perceived organizational support (job resource) on predicting working engagement. A total of 155 participants in a variety of job industries participated in an online survey. The study examined the direct effect of core self-evaluations in predicting work engagement as well as the interaction …

Characterization Of Gut Associated Circulating Invariant Natural Killer T Cells (Inkt) In Chronic Inflammation Of The Intestine, Venus Allahyarzadeh

Master's Theses

The incidence of chronic intestinal diseases such as Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), and celiac disease is steadily rising in pediatric patients in the United States. Although there is an influx of helper T cells to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract in these diseases, the immunopathologic mechanisms of specific T cell subsets are not clearly understood and diagnosis between these diseases is difficult. We hypothesized that the frequency of specific subsets of circulating invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells and their surface trafficking receptor (TR) phenotype indicate location and degree of inflammation in patients and further help to distinguish between …

Screening Bioactive Molecules In Tetrahymena Thermophila Using Phagocytosis Determined By Flow Cytometry, Santosh Gummidipundi

Master's Theses

The evaluation of molecules that have potentially bioactive significance is an expanding field, but current screening assays are expensive and time consuming. Mammalian cell-based assays require aseptic techniques, complex media and long generation times. This thesis reports on an assay that incorporates Tetrahymena phagocytic ingestion and flow cytometry to evaluate several potentially bioactive molecules. Several factors that influenced optimal and reproducible results were analyzed. Seven potentially bioactive molecules (serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, morphine, colchicine, mexiletine and procainamide) were evaluated to determine their effect on phagocytosis by Tetrahymena. Assay results indicated that the phagocytic rate was unaffected by serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, and …

Mitochondrial Dysfunction And Lipid Metabolism Play A Major Role In The Lethality Caused By Developmental Alcohol Exposure, Payam Khodabakhshi

Master's Theses

Exposure to ethanol during development causes a variety of physical, developmental, and cognitive abnormalities. In humans, these symptoms are referred to as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Previously, we established a Drosophila melanogaster model of FASD and showed that developmental ethanol exposure causes oxidative stress, and that this is a primary cause of the developmental lethality and delay associated with ethanol exposure. In this study, we investigate the role of fatty acid metabolism and lipid accumulation in connection to FASD. Here, we show that developmental ethanol exposure leads to dysregulation of fatty acid metabolism and …

The Relationship Between Organizational Justice And Various Dimensions Of Pay Satisfaction, Xinyi Li

Master's Theses

Pay satisfaction has been linked to important organizational outcomes such as work performance and turnover intentions. One way to predict employees’ pay satisfaction is through organizational justice. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of organizational justice perceptions in predicting various pay satisfaction dimensions. A sample of 107 employees participated in an online survey. Consistent with the hypotheses, results showed that pay-related distributive justice perceptions were a stronger predictor of pay level satisfaction than pay-related procedural justice perceptions, and that benefits-related procedural justice perceptions were a stronger predictor of benefits determination satisfaction and benefits administration satisfaction than …

Looking Backward, Moving Forward: The Experiences Of Indo-Fijian Immigrant Women In California, Ambrita Nand

Master's Theses

This study helps address gaps in knowledge concerning the lives of Indo-Fijian immigrant women in California and offers a space for their voices to be heard. The subsequent chapters investigate the lives of five Indo-Fijian immigrant women and their experiences upon migrating to Modesto, California. Using a qualitative research approach, data were collected through participant observations, semi-structured in-depth interviews and informal conversations. The data are presented as anthropological silhouettes, a form of life-writing (the recording of events and experiences of a life), which explores each individual woman’s experience with life in Fiji to her eventual migration and transition to life …

Factors Affecting Western Snowy Plover Winter Foraging Habitat Selection In San Francisco Bay Ponds, Benjamin Gabriel Pearl

Master's Theses

Within the San Francisco Bay Area, Western Snowy Plovers (Alexandrinus

nivosus nivosus) nest and winter in former salt ponds. They face a number of threats

including human-altered habitats and high levels of predation by mesopredators and

raptors. The South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project (the Project) is a large wetland

restoration project that will change and potentially eliminate snowy plover habitat in the

region. As the Project returns salt ponds to tidal wetland, there will be less of the dry,

flat, and sparsely vegetated habitat that plovers need for breeding and wintering habitat.

A greater understanding of the specific microhabitat …

Synthesis, Structural Characterization And Chromatographic Evaluation Of Silica Hydride-Based Perfluorinated Stationary Phase, Harshada Suyog Natekar

Master's Theses

Silica hydride based stationary phases have demonstrated unique selectivity and specificity for small sized polar molecules. The weakly hydrophobic nature of silica hydride is thought to be the key reason for its remarkable retention capabilities. Traditional stationary phases bonded with fluorine moieties have also exhibited enhanced retention of small polar molecules. In this research, a perfluorinated silica hydride stationary phase was synthesized by hydrosilation and silanization procedures. Chromatographic characterization of the newly packed column was carried out by a large number of retention studies. The separation capabilities of the column were evaluated in both the aqueous normal-phase (ANP) and reversed-phase …

Chloroflexi: The Tale Of A Bacterium Present In Human And Environmental Habitats, Jayashree Sanjeeviraman

Master's Theses

The phylum Chloroflexi is relatively unexplored, with the majority of its representatives being uncultivable. As a result, these microorganisms have not been characterized beyond their morphology and simple staining reactions, making the study of this phylum extremely challenging. Chloroflexi has been detected in the human oral cavity of patients suffering from peri-implantitis and in the vagina of patients suffering from bacterial vaginosis. Interestingly, Chloroflexi is also present in various environments such as freshwater lakes, soil, deep-sea sponges, hot springs and activated wastewater. Isolation of an environmental Chloroflexi with high 16S rRNA gene homology to a human-associated counterpart could be used …

The Role Of Nitric Oxide In Skeletal Simulated Microgravity Response, Luan Tran

Master's Theses

Prolonged exposure to the space environment leads to bone loss. Using a ground-based model for microgravity (hind-limb unloading), it has been shown in rodents that proliferation and differentiation activity of osteoprogenitors are decreased with exposure to simulated microgravity (Kostenuik et al., 1997). Osteoblast mineralization activity has been shown to increase with nitric oxide supplementation (Afzal et al., 2004; Koyama et al., 2000). I hypothesized that the degenerative effects of microgravity exposure result from chronic changes in nitric oxide regulation in osteoprogenitors, and that supplementation with exogenous nitric oxide following exposure would ameliorate these changes. In 20 C57Bl/6 mice, hind-limb unloading …

Postcolonialism And The Marshallese Diaspora: Structural Violence And Health In The Marshallese Community In Springdale, Arkansas, Alexander J. Hirata

Master's Theses

Despite moving to the United States for better healthcare, among other benefits, Marshallese Compact of Free Association (COFA) migrants residing in Springdale, Arkansas continue to face similar acute health problems as Marshallese living in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and often without access to health services. These problems include high rates of noncommunicable diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and thyroid cancer, as well as rare conditions such as Hansen’s Disease.

To research this, I studied the limited texts surrounding the Marshallese diaspora, as well as relevant bodies of literature: postcolonialism, Pacific migration theory, and global health and …

Climatic Effects And Total Factor Productivity In U.S. Dairy Farming: An Empirical Analysis Of Northeastern And Midwestern Counties Between 1974 And 2012, Salimata Massaly

Master's Theses

Climate change refers to changes in temperature and precipitation patterns as well as increases in the occurrence of extreme events. In recent years, climate change has gained increasing attention from production economists; however, its effects on productivity have been largely ignored in the literature. Our study aims to address these shortcomings by implementing a Total Factor Productivity (TFP) analysis and decomposing TFP into climatic effect, output-oriented technical efficiency, technological progress, and output-oriented scale efficiency indexes. Our study focuses primarily on climatic effects on TFP growth on dairy farming in two traditional US dairy regions. We use U.S. county level data …

The Moderating Role Of Chronological Age On The Relationship Between Psychological Age And Facets Of Health: A Longitudinal Analysis, Gretchen A. Petery

Master's Theses

Past research has consistently found a negative relationship between psychological age and health. Nearly all of that research, however, has been cross-sectional, and the few panel studies that exist include only a single aspect of health and measured with older adults. The present study sought to replicate and expand on a recent 2-wave cross-lagged panel investigation that explored the causal interplay between several dimensions of health and psychological age in middle age and older adults. In the current study employees (N = 409), ranging in age from 22 to 70, from six manufacturing organizations participated in three surveys approximately …

The Privilege To Choose: How Class Status Influences The Spread Of Vaccine Refusal, Jordan H. Rees

Master's Theses

Much of the current research that exists on vaccine refusal focuses on point-in-time examinations of who is refusing and how exemptions impact disease outbreaks. In the present study I address the question of who is refusing vaccines over the course of the last two decades. I specifically examine how social class influences the propensity to refuse vaccines over time. Using pooled cross-sectional National Immunization Survey data from 1995 to 2012, I estimate binary logistic regressions on the probability of being unvaccinated. The results indicate that social class does impact the propensity to refuse vaccines, but in dynamic ways. Two components …

Maternal History Of Childhood Sexual Abuse And Adolescent Sexual Risk Behaviors: Potential Mechanisms Of Intergenerational Effects, Sanne N. Wortel

Master's Theses

Almost a quarter of women experience some kind of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). Although CSA is associated with subsequent difficulties in women’s sexual well-being and parenting, few studies have examined whether maternal CSA history impacts how parents navigate the sexual development of their children. Using a cross-sectional sample of 194 low-income adolescents girls (Mean age = 15.4), the goal of this study was to: 1) test whether maternal CSA is predictive of adolescent sexual risk behaviors (SRBs), and 2) identify parenting/family characteristics (sexual communication, sexual beliefs, parental monitoring and autonomy granting, and mother-daughter relationship quality) that may mediate this relationship. …

Mobility For Whom? Local Mobility Structures And The Stratified Impact On Earnings And Poverty, D. Matthew Ray

Master's Theses

A dynamic class structure that fosters social mobility is the foundation of the American Dream, and is believed to be beneficial to all society. But are the benefits of mobility evenly distributed? Although the importance of mobility to the surrounding community is an intuitive idea, it has been difficult to test empirically with data until recently. Drawing from innovative mobility data provided by Chetty et al. (2014a) for Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), I study the social consequences of intergenerational income mobility occurring across the local class structure. I use ordinary least squares (OLS) regression to investigate the impact of local …

Lyme Disease Ecology In San Luis Obispo County: The Role Of The Western Gray Squirrel, Ryan William Baker-Branstetter

Master's Theses

Despite the fact that eight cases of Lyme disease were diagnosed in San Luis Obispo County between 2005-2013, the identity of wildlife hosts serving as sources for tick infection in this region remained unidentified. The primary cause of Lyme disease in the U.S. is the spirochetal bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, and this agent had not been previously isolated from the region. Borrelia bissettii, a related species that has not been implicated as a common causative agent of Lyme disease, was isolated in small rodents inhabiting coastal scrub and chaparral habitats in a previous San Luis Obispo County study. However, …

Efficacy Of Plant-Derived Antimicrobials In Reducing Foodborne Pathogens In Agricultural Soil And Their Effect On Soil Nutrients And Microbiome, Samantha M. Fancher

Master's Theses

Bacterial pathogens, such as Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, can contaminate agricultural soil thereby increasing the risk of produce-associated foodborne outbreaks. In this study three plant-derived antimicrobials (PDAs), carvacrol (CR), thymol (TY), and β-resorcylic acid (BR) were analyzed for their efficacy in reducing Salmonella and L. monocytogenes in agricultural soil. The effect of the PDAs on the soil pH, nutrients, and microbiome was also determined.

Sandy loam soil was inoculated with either Salmonella or L. monocytogenes followed by the addition of 0.25 or 0.5% CR, TY, and BR. The treated samples were analyzed up to 21 days for surviving pathogens. …

An Analysis Of State Policies On The Environmental Impacts Of State Surface Transportation: Considering Land Development Patterns, Ryan T. O'Hara Mr.

Master's Theses

We have identified a need to explore the root causes of the environmental impacts of transportation and land use policy. This research uses transportation policy metrics and travel and economic characteristics to find key policies that will reduce the environmental impacts of state transportation systems.

"Fire And Water Imagery" In Jane Eyre 2015, Shannon O'Loughlin

Master's Theses

Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre is a study in contrasts. Critics have argued the implausibility of the novel, that an orphaned governess who marries her dashing employer is too far-fetched to be believed. However, a proper understanding of Jane Eyre must be based not on a sequence of events, but on the thematic form of the novel in which the signifiers relate to each other and shift throughout. Ferdinand de Saussure explains in his "Course in General Linguistics," that the mental concept one has of a word is its "signifier" (62). Charlotte Bronte relies not simply upon a sequence of events …

Quantification Of Blood Flow Velocity Using Color Sensing, Aditya Deepak Sanghani

Master's Theses

Blood flow velocity is an important parameter that can give information on several pathologies including atherosclerosis, glaucoma, Raynaud’s phenomenon, and ischemic stroke [2,5,6,10]. Present techniques of measuring blood flow velocity involve expensive procedures such as Doppler echocardiography, Doppler ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging [11,12]. They cost from $8500-$20000. It is desired to find a low-cost yet equally effective solution for measuring blood flow velocity. This thesis has a goal of creating a proof of concept device for measuring blood flow velocity.

Finger blood flow velocity is investigated in this project. The close proximity to the skin of the finger’s arteries …

Frequency Of Counseling Sessions And Weight Loss Maintenance In A Commercial Lifestyle-Based Weight Management Program, Ashlee K. Jenson Gossard

Master's Theses

Widespread overweight and obesity persist in the United States, and while many effective methods of weight loss have been developed, long-term weight loss maintenance (WLM) remains a challenge. Evidence strongly indicates that ongoing personalized support can effectively promote sustained WLM; however, the optimal frequency of supportive contact has yet to be investigated. This study retrospectively analyzed clinical records from a commercial lifestyle-based weight management program offering personalized WLM counseling. The unique element of this program was participants’ ability to select how often to contact their WLM counselor. Following weight loss, participants enrolled in the program's 12-month weight maintenance phase. The …

The Moderating Effect Of Supervisory Social Support On The Relationship Between Second Generation Latinos’ And Asians’ Assimilation Level And Work-Family Conflict, Yazmin Perez-Lopez

Master's Theses

The majority of the empirical work regarding work-family conflict (WFC) has been focused on the experiences of White, middle class, Anglo-Americans. The labor force, however, is experiencing major demographic changes as increasing numbers of U.S.-born Latinos and Asians become employees. Although second generation Latinos and Asians play a major role in the U.S. economy and workplace, their experiences as employees have seldom been examined. Because they are exposed to collectivistic and individualistic values simultaneously, their assimilation levels, or identification with the U.S. culture, could be a unique predictor of a type of WFC: work-interference with family (WIF) or family interference …

Generational Differences In Perceived Supervisory Support, Ashraf Rayani

Master's Theses

As Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y interact with each other in the workplace, popular media and HR practitioners have suggested ideas on how to promote these groups to work cohesively under one organizational umbrella. Beyond encouraging the partnership of these three generations, it is also important for organizations to understand how these three generational cohorts differ in the level of support they receive from their supervisors. Therefore, the current study bridged that research gap by investigating differences in perceived supervisory support across the three generational cohorts. An online employee engagement survey was administered to 935 business professionals from …

A Test Of Educational Methods To Reduce Boating Disturbance To Harbor Seals, Rachel Nicole Solvason

Master's Theses

Environmental education can affect attitudes and behaviors, but determining the most effective methods for protecting wildlife requires research. This study examined the effect of two modes of environmental education, one passive and one active, on the behaviors of boaters toward harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) at Corkscrew Slough in Redwood City, California, an area where harbor seals haul out and pup. Thirty-one boaters viewed an interpretive sign (passive environmental mode) and 30 experienced a docent talk (active) both designed to educate boaters on protecting harbor seals; 31 boaters received no environmental information (the control), therefore were not exposed to the interpretive …