Digital Commons Network^™

Structural Micrometeoroid And Radiation Shielding For Interplanetary Spacecraft, Jared Allen Ruekberg

Master's Theses

This paper focused on two significant space forces that can affect the success of a spacecraft: the radiation and micrometeoroid environments. Both are looked at in the context of the region of space between Earth and Mars. The goal was create reference environments, to provide context to results of environmental modeling, and to provide recommendations to assist in early design decisions of interplanetary spacecraft. The radiation section of this report used NASA's OLTARIS program to generate data for analysis. The area of focus was on the radiation effects for crewed missions, therefore effective dose equivalent was the metric used to …

Development Of A Human Tibiofemoral Joint Finite Element Model To Investigate The Effects Of Obesity And Knee Malalignment On Joint Contact Pressure, Meghan Sylvia

Master's Theses

Obesity is a known risk factor for osteoarthritis (OA). Excess body weight generates greater joint contact forces at the knee; however, obese individuals alter their gait to decrease joint contact forces. Knee malalignment has been identified as a strong mediating factor between obesity and knee OA progression. Excess body weight acting on a varus malaligned knee would have an additive effect on cartilage stress and could cause stress levels to exceed the threshold limit for damage and loss of cartilage matrix.

A finite element (FE) model of the human tibiofemoral joint was developed and validated in order to investigate changes …

Locating Optimal Water Quality Monitoring Locations Using Demand Coverage Index Method, Jeffrey Scott Brake

Master's Theses

Water quality regulations are always expanding especially in the field of water quality monitoring; however, threats to our water distribution systems still remain. Components of water distribution systems are susceptible to intentional and accidental contamination; therefore, they represent highly vulnerable aspects of our vital infrastructure.

An analysis was performed on a city in California with a population of 30,000 to 40,000 residents. The analysis is performed to determine the optimal locations of monitoring stations throughout the water distribution system. The method presented by Liu and colleagues (Liu et al, 2012) selects the optimal monitoring locations for the virtual California city …

The Development Of A High-Performance Distributed Battery Management System For Large Lithium Ion Packs, Christopher B. Grasberger

Master's Theses

A high performance battery management system (BMS) for large capacity cells was designed, built, and tested in a cycle of three revisions. The BMS was designed for use in applications where the battery pack configuration is unknown: parallel, series, or any combination. Each of the cells is equipped with its own battery management system to allow a peer-to-peer mesh network to monitor the safety of the cell. The BMS attached to each cell also is equipped with a 25A DC/DC converter to perform active balancing between cells in a string. This converter can transfer charge to (or from) a cell …

Fog Protocol And Fogkit: A Json-Based Protocol And Framework For Communication Between Bluetooth-Enabled Wearable Internet Of Things Devices, Spencer Lewson

Master's Theses

Advancements in technology have brought about a wide variety of devices, such as embedded devices with sensors and actuators, personal computers, smart devices, and health devices. Many of these devices are categorized as “wearables,” meaning that they are intended to be carried and used on one’s body. As this category increases in popularity and functionality, developers will need a convenient way for these devices to communicate with each other and store information in a standardized and ecient manner.

The Fog protocol and FogKit framework developed and demonstrated for this thesis address these issues by providing a set of powerful features, …

Measuring The Influence That Components Have On Pedestrian Route Choice In Activated Alleys, Samuel Hirsher Gross

Master's Theses

This paper explores how cities have integrated formal planning into improving public space. Through a review of literature on the topic, this the paper identifies the potential design has to renovate narrow streets and alleys, within the public right of way. By preforming an assessment of plans and programs, this paper identifies the common themes or components that have been used by planners, architects, and engineers to improve the urban environment for pedestrians. Based on this information, a pilot study was created to measure the influence the most common components have on pedestrian route choice. The results are then compared …

Psychosocial Motivators For Obstacle Course Racing: A Qualitative Case Study, Aracely Rodriguez

Master's Theses

This study explored the psychological and sociological motivations of adult female and male obstacle course racers. A qualitative case study approach was used to explore the views, experiences, and motivations of obstacle course racing (OCR) participants. Descriptive statistics and cross tabulation was used to interpret responses to the 297 online questionnaires. A content analysis approach was used to analyze the qualitative data gathered from three focus groups with a total of 20 obstacle course racers. Three theories formed the basis of the study: Self-Determination Theory (SDT), Achievement Goal Theory (AGT), and Social Leaning Theory (SLT). Overall, findings supported previous research …

Public Diplomacy For A Global World: The United States And Iran, Sarah A. Aghazadeh

Master's Theses

Complex global challenges – including environmental, economic, diplomatic, and health-related – span national boundaries and increasingly necessitate international cooperation. As a result, diplomacy has broadened from government-to-government relations to include government-to-public relations in an extended constituency of the global whole. Public diplomacy is a process by which governments attempt to attract and persuade various external publics to maintain relationships and encourage an environment for the approval of policies. Examining globalization, diplomacy, and power provides the foundation to assess a specific case of US public diplomacy with Iran. Systems theory provides a focus on the critical interactions, feedback processes, and relationships …

Human Impacts On Rocky Intertidal Gastropods: Are Marine Protected Areas Effective?, Cassie Bednar

Master's Theses

As the human population has exponentially increased, so have anthropogenic effects on the ocean including pollution, eutrophication, acidification, changes in sea level, and overfishing. The California coast is visited by millions of people every year and is subject to a range of impacts. In the near-shore marine environment, people collect intertidal gastropods for food, bait or recreation. Collecting these animals has caused a decline in body size because humans preferentially take the largest individuals. Marine protected areas (MPAs), established to protect marine resources, may serve to reduce impacts to species, including gastropods. I collected 2510 individual samples to determine the …

The Effect Of Post-Operative Analgesics On Ovarian Medullary Angiogenesis And Vasculogenesis, Shamus Martin Brady

Master's Theses

A critical factor for successful ovarian transplantation is the expeditious establishment of sufficient blood supply. Recommendations intended to improve recovery, reduce the effects of stress, and decrease the amount of pain for laboratory animals undergoing surgical procedures include post-operative analgesia. The two main types of drugs that are recommended for pain management are opioids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Buprenorphine, an opioid, and meloxicam, an NSAID, are both widely used and have been shown to affect angiogenesis and vasculogenesis. This study was designed to examine the influence meloxicam and buprenorphine had on new blood vessel formation in the ovarian medullary …

Consumer Evaluation: The Link Between Body Mass Index, Reward Sensitivity, Product Liking And Emotion, Malori Comer

Master's Theses

The objectives of this study were: (1) to evaluate consumer acceptance of cheeses varying in fat and sodium levels, (2) to determine if sensitivity to reward and body mass index has an effect on product liking based on fat or salt content, (3) to evaluate the use of FaceReader technology during consumer evaluation and, (4) to determine if consumer’s self-selected, conscious emotions matched with the expressed, subconscious emotions acquired by FaceReader.

Consumer acceptance testing (n=108) was conducted on two medium cheddar cheeses with varying fat levels and two low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheeses varying in sodium levels. Attributes were measured using …

Gods And Gurus In The City Of Angels: Aimee Semple Mcpherson, Swami Paramananda, And Los Angeles In The 1920s, Amy Hart

Master's Theses

This project focuses on two case studies as representative examples of Los Angeles’ progressive tolerance in the period of the 1920s: The Pentecostal mega-church of Aimee Semple-McPherson, and the Vedanta Ashram of Swami Paramananda. Both religious institutions opened in Los Angeles in 1923, just thirteen miles away from each other, and continued to thrive side-by-side throughout the twentieth century until present day. Each religious figure spoke to a part of the growing Los Angeles population: McPherson’s staunchly Christian, emotionally-driven, Hollywood-style ministry appealed to a large number of Los Angeles natives and newly-arrived immigrants, rocketing the emerging Pentecostal denomination into nationwide …

Screening Of Biocontrol Organisms For The Management Of Phytopathogenic Fungi And Foodborne Pathogens On Produce, Antoinette Boyee De Senna

Master's Theses

The multibillion dollar agricultural industry is an important part of the United States economy, and the management of factors that affect crop and human health is imperative to maintaining this economic sector. The fungi Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium pallidoroseum, and Fusarium moniliforme are the causative agents of several plant diseases and can cause significant crop loss both before and after harvest in commodities such as strawberries, lettuce, citrus, and grains. Fungicides are employed to control these phytopathogens, but the use of these chemicals has led to an increase in fungicide resistance and may negatively affect the environment and human …

The Impact Of A Controlled 10-Week Pistachio Feeding Crossover Trial On Blood Lipids And Measures Of Adiposity, Alison Helen Bushnell

Master's Theses

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States and has negative impacts at both the individual- and population-level through reduced quality of life, economic burden, and strain on the healthcare system. Dietary modifications, such as pistachio consumption, may help prevent CVD and two of its leading risk factors: dyslipidemia and overweight/obesity. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of pistachio consumption (20% daily energy need) on measures of adiposity and blood lipids in healthy young adult females. This study utilized 10-week crossover feeding trials at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo …

Criticality And Risk Assessment For Pipe Rehabilitation In The City Of Santa Barbara Sewer System, Rossi Carmelo Rossi Ii

Master's Theses

Aging sewer infrastructure is posing greater and greater risk to the health and well-being of City residents. Issues can range from pipe blockages in sewer laterals to Sanitary Sewer Overflows. This thesis develops a risk analysis method that can be used by municipalities to maintain and rehabilitate sewer assets. Risk combines the effect of Likelihood of Failure (LOF) and Consequence of Failure (COF) to perform a complete two-dimensional analysis that allows for relative comparison between different pipes in the system. The LOF rating has been equated to pipe integrity while the COF rating was related to the environmental, economic, and …

The Effects Of A Novel Exercise Training Suit On Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Body Composition And Leg Strength, Trevor M. Curry, Steven C. Davis, Aydin Nazmi, Don Clegg

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

The Effects of a Novel Exercise Training Suit on Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Body Composition and Leg Strength

Trevor Michael Curry

The physiological responses to physical activity or exercise using external load carriage systems (LCS) in the form of weighted personal protective equipment, backpacks, or vests have biomechanical and human performance implications. It remains unclear whether a new unique LCS in the form of a weighted (5.45 kg) full-bodied exercise suit can induce greater improvements in performance and body composition. Twenty-one healthy males (20±3 years; 24.9±3.6 body mass index (BMI); 25.1±6.4% total percentage body fat ( % fat); 120.1±17.3 kg lean …

Utility Scale Solar Projects In California: An Initial Survey, Meaghan Mroz-Barrett

Master's Theses

The lack of a comprehensive database for both concentrating and photovoltaic utility-scale solar power projects, those with a generation capacity of greater than 50 MW, hinders the ability of researchers and policy makers to examine the state of solar development in the state of California. This research project seeks to fill this gap in understanding by creating a database of proposed and developed projects in order to examine trends in proposals, process time, approvals, and construction starts. Existing literature was evaluated to determine potential factors for project success in approval and construction. Upon determination of these factors, the project database …

Understanding And Incentivizing Workforce Housing: A Professional Project For The City Of San Luis Obispo, Jennifer L. Wiseman

Master's Theses

Adding workforce housing to the City of San Luis Obispo Zoning Regulation is a needed component to successfully begin, and promote, the development of housing in the City to those making between 121 and 160% of the Area Median Income. This regulation would ensure eligible households are provided with housing choices within the community, preferably the community in which they work. The addition of Workforce Housing has been a large phenomenon throughout the State of California, and the County as a whole, as housing market prices increase and most salaries maintain at a steady rate. It is important to note …

Using The Papathoma Tsunami Vulnerability Assessment Model To Forcast Probable Impacts, And Planning Implications, Of A 500-Year Tsunami In Cayucos, California, Andrew Robert Marshall

Master's Theses

This report focuses on using the Papathoma Tsunami Vulnerability Assessment Model (PTVA) to demonstrate the vulnerability of Cayucos to a 500-year tsunami, and using the results to inform specific planning recommendations. By modeling inundation with GIS and analyzing building attributes via the PTVA model, this study has gone beyond any previous vulnerability assessments of Cayucos. Findings include: delineation of the most vulnerable areas, estimates of numbers of lost civic buildings, commercial buildings and houses, as well as estimates of people displaced from tsunami damaged homes. The report goes on to discuss what mitigation measures are in place and what further …

Development And Validation Of A Tibiofemoral Joint Finite Element Model And Subsequent Gait Analysis Of Intact Acl And Acl Deficient Individuals, Nicholas Czapla

Master's Theses

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative condition of articular cartilage that affects more than 25 million people in the US. Joint injuries, like anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears, can lead to OA due to a change in articular cartilage loading. Gait analysis combined with knee joint finite element modeling (FEM) has been used to predict the articular cartilage loading. To predict the change of articular cartilage loading during gait due to various ACL injuries, a tibiofemoral FEM was developed from magnetic resonance images (MRIs) of a 33 year male, with no prior history of knee injuries. The FEM was validated for …

The Impact Of Self-Practice Qigong On Strength Gains And Wellbeing During Off-Season Training For Fall Sport Athletes, Christopher Shawn White

Master's Theses

The use of mind-body therapies, such as Tai Chi, yoga, Qigong, and meditation are frequently reported as a means of coping with anxiety and depression. Despite these findings, there is little knowledge of Qigong exercise being able to impact elite athlete’s physical and mental states during off-season training. Purpose: Determine the efficacy of Qigong to facilitate strength gains and wellbeing in collegiate anaerobically trained athletes. Methods: Seventy-three athletes (47 M, 26 F, 18-22 years) volunteered to participate in a Qigong exercise group or standard care group. Strength gains were measured through a vertical jump test and a 3 RM front …

Self-Presentation And Social Media: A Qualitative Examination Of The Use Of Instagram By Amateur Npc Female Figure Competitors, Victoria Michelle Lupinetti

Master's Theses

Mainstream media representations of women have shaped the concepts of femininity and have influenced the way women view and present themselves in various contexts. Erving Goffman’s (1959) Theory on Self-Presentation described how individuals perform roles to project a desired impression to others. Currently, social media platforms allow women to share their lives and interests with a wide-reaching audience. Within this historic context, the purpose of this study was to examine the lives and experiences of amateur female figure competitors who represented themselves and their interests in fitness via photographs on Instagram.

Eight women who shared their fitness journeys on social …

Examination Of Employee Alignment As A Predictor Of Work Engagement, Troy Stephen Pasion-Caiani

Master's Theses

Work engagement, which is defined as a positive affective-motivational state of fulfillment in workers, characterized by vigor, dedication, and absorption in a work role, has been shown to produce many benefits for both individuals and organizations. In the present study, employee alignment was introduced as an additional personal resource measuring employees' attitudes and beliefs toward their organization, their leaders, and the mission, vision, and goals of their organization. Using a sample of 1,510 employees, this study examined perceived organizational support (POS), supportive leader behavior, and employee alignment as predictors of work engagement. Furthermore, this study tested the incremental validity of …

Alfalfa Trap Cropping Increases Abundance Of Key Arachnids In An Organic Strawberry Agroecosystem, Sutapa Biswas

Master's Theses

Eighty three percent of the strawberries consumed in North America are grown in California, where the widespread use of insecticides has become hazardous to public health. The intensive use of pesticides for growing strawberries causes serious health risks to farm workers, in addition to contaminating the soil and groundwater. The cost to the environment and public health in the United States is estimated at $12 billion annually. Finding effective nontoxic management strategies for insect pests has become essential for long term sustainability. One strategy strawberry producers can use to promote sustainability is to increase the effectiveness of biological control techniques. …

Gender Differences In Stress, Alcohol Consumption, And Cigarette Use Among College Students At San José State University, Thomas Farleigh

Master's Theses

Stress, alcohol consumption, and cigarette use represent three considerable threats to the mental and physical health within this country. Learning more about the prevalence and predictors of these threats in young adults may aid the development of programs to reduce the deleterious effects of these threats as young adult's age. A vast amount of research has been done to examine the possible association between stress and substance use in college students, but given the diversity of college students across the US, more research is needed targeting specific college campuses. This study did so with regard to a sample of students …

The Investigation Of The Low Temperature Combustion Of Mesitylene And Tert-Amyl Methyl Ether By Synchrotron Photoionization Mass Spectrometry, Martin Yu-Hin Ng

Master's Theses

This thesis describes the combustion experiments performed at the Chemical Dynamics Beamline of the Advanced Light Source (ALS) located at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories (LBNL). The need for renewable fuel sources, the need for the study of their combustion in the contexts of homogenous charge combustion ignition (HCCI) engines can be found in Chapter 1. The components of the experimental set-up used throughout this thesis—time-of-flight mass spectrometer, Excimer laser, vacuum pumps and other components—and the components of ALS responsible in synchrotron radiation generation and processing—the linear accelerator, the booster ring, insertion devices, gas filters and monochromator are explained in …

Institutionalizing Urban Agriculture Can Provide More Than Hope For Poor San Franciscans: An Analysis Of The Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone Act (Uaiz), Rania Ahmed

Master's Theses

Cities have turned to urban agriculture (UA) as a means of revitalizing neighborhoods and addressing unmet food needs of urbanites. Farming the city has gained momentum and has become an important force in urban social landscapes and economics. UA has also sparked debates about the appropriate development of highly valuable private spaces. In 2014, the City of San Francisco created a tax incentive to encourage owners to use undeveloped private properties in UA. This tax incentive represents the political prioritization of UA as legitimate land use in San Francisco with the possible purposes of either meeting a pressing residential need …

Crowded Out: The Effect Of Sex Ratios On The Sex Worker Labor Market And Migration In India, Michael Dickerson

Master's Theses

India’s skewed sex ratios have lead to the destruction of marriage markets in many villages as well as an increase in violence against women. This paper examines how India’s distorted sex ratios effects the migration of sex workers. By using a modified gravity model of migration the results in this paper indicates that an over supply of sex workers in a local market leads to a crowding out effect, and pushes the women to migrate to districts with more men than women. This paper contributes to the literature by bringing more clarity to how the labor market impacts the decisions …

Gender Bias In Microlending: Do Opposites Attract?, Kanyinsola Adepoju

Master's Theses

This study exploits a quasi-random assignment of clients to loan officers using a unique database and survey from a large microfinance bank in Nigeria to show that opposite-sex preferences affect credit demand and supply. We find that clients matched to loan officers of the opposite gender are more likely to receive credit and are more likely to return for an additional loan with the credit lender.

Goal Setting, Self-Help Groups, And Incentives As A Poverty Alleviation Strategy: Evidence From Field Experiments In Indonesia, Colombia And Ethiopia, Sherefedin K. Nuri

Master's Theses

Abstract: This study uses randomized field experiments conducted in Indonesia, Colombia and Ethiopia to evaluate the efficacy of the combination of goal-setting, self-help groups, and incentives as a poverty alleviation strategy. The experiment in each country had subjects randomly assigned to one of the five groups: 1) goal setting “goal”, 2) goal setting and group “group”, 3) goal setting and incentives “incentives”, 4) goal setting, group and incentives “FII” and 5) control group. Results show that the “goal” treatment has a positive and significant effect on income in Indonesia, the “incentives” treatment resulted in a positive and significant effect on …