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The Effects Of Student Involvement In Afterschool Activities On Childhood Obesity, Lauren E. Van Derzee

Master's Theses

Childhood obesity has been a significant health issue in the United States since the 1970s. In an effort to combat this issue, children are encouraged to be physically active and maintain a nutritional diet. Previous sociological literature has analyzed the effects of the family and neighborhood environment in an effort to understand the socioeconomic forces influencing obesity. This study extends this literature by analyzing the effects of how children spend their time in structured, semi-structured, and unstructured afterschool activities. Building upon Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of practice and concept of cultural capital, I argue that afterschool activities present a particular structured …

Early Characteristics Of Children Who Lose Their Autism Diagnosis Between Age Two And Four, Emily Moulton

Master's Theses

Emerging literature indicates that a subset of children with a documented ASD lose their diagnosis and demonstrate cognitive and adaptive abilities within the average range. Multiple factors including symptom severity, cognitive and language abilities, adaptive skills and early intervention may help to predict these highly positive outcomes. Participants in the present study include 207 children diagnosed with an ASD by clinical best estimate at approximately age two (T1) and subsequently re-evaluated at approximately age four (T2). 171 (82.6%) children retained an ASD diagnosis (ASD-ASD) at re-evaluation and 19 children (9.2%) were determined to meet the following criteria for an “Optimal …

Improving And Expanding The Capabilities Of The Poly-Picosatellite Orbital Deployer, David Pignatelli

Master's Theses

The Poly-Picosatellite Orbital Deployer (P-POD) has undergone a series of revisions over the years. The latest revision, described in this Master’s Thesis, incorporates new capabilities like EMI shielding, an inert gas purge system, and an electrical interface to the CubeSats after they are integrated into the P-POD. Additionally, some mass reduction modifications are made to the P-POD, while its overall strength is increased. The P-POD inert gas purge system successfully flew, on a previous revision P-POD. The P-POD components are analyzed to a set of dynamic loads for qualification, and successfully undergoes random vibration qualification testing. The P-POD encounters some …

Gene Expression Analysis Of Bovine Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells In Response To Adenovirus-Vectored Foot-And-Mouth Disease Vaccine, Frank Zappulla

Master's Theses

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) gives rise to a highly contagious and economically important disease of cloven-hooved animals. Vaccination reduces the economic impact by inducing serotype-specific protection. Recently, a replication-defective adenovirus-vectored foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) subunit vaccine was developed and licensed. Serum virus neutralization (SVN) titer ≥1.5 to FMDV is the best predictor of vaccine-induced protection. However, protection does not always correlate with the presence of neutralizing antibodies. For example, some animals with high SVN titer develop signs of disease, and conversely, some animals with negligible SVN titer are protected. Categorizing cattle on the parameters of seroconversion and protection status yields four …

Increased Body Mass Index Is Associated With Atherogenic Dyslipidemias, Insulin Resistence And Low Grade Inflammation In Individuals With Metabolic Syndrome., Kolin Avery Ebron

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Vibration Based Planetary Gear Analysis And Damage Detection, Rene Sawatzky

Master's Theses

With this thesis the research at the engineering department is continued, based on previous thesis projects. These projects were considering the possibility of simulation gears with rigid bodies. After researches with different emphasizes on the rigid body simulation, the gained knowledge showed limitations of the rigid body model. Gear failures are very diverse and the actual simulation technique could not represent all necessary failure modes that can occur. That led to this thesis as a research project to find a way to detect and analyze the failure modes that cannot be considered with the current rigid body approach. With the …

The Effect Of Cyclophilin A On Vaccinia Virus Replication In Vitro, Kathryn Korhonen

Master's Theses

The host protein cyclophilin A (CypA) has been shown to be necessary for viral replication of several viruses, including human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus. Previous research done in the Geary laboratory, in collaboration with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, reported that cyclophilin A remains highly associated with vaccinia virus virions even after successive rounds of purification. The goal of this research is to further investigate how cyclophilin A affects vaccinia virus replication in vitro using primary tissues harvested from CypA (-/-) knockout mice to determine the difference in viral growth kinetics. Results showed different viral growth kinetics in …

Mother-Child Interactions And Emotion Regulation In Preschool Children, Courtney R. Lincoln

Master's Theses

Emotion regulation is a complex and dynamic process that begins in infancy and continues through toddlerhood and childhood with the support of parents, teachers, and other caregivers. Early caregiver-child interactions shape the way children learn to manage their emotions and the range of emotions that they express. The current study seeks to examine how maternal perceptions of preschool children’s emotion regulation and emotion lability are associated with mother-child interactions during free play. 30 mother-child dyads were recruited from two New England urban areas: one community sample and one sample recruited from Head Start locations. Dyads engaged in a free play …

Reduction Of Obesity-Associated Oxidative Stress By Low-Fat Yogurt Consumption, Diana M. Dimarco

Master's Theses

Excess macronutrient intake leads to an increase in formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This causes an imbalance between ROS generation and the ability of the body to neutralize these radicals, a state known as oxidative stress. Previous research suggests the ability of dairy products to attenuate the postprandial response, which may reduce ROS formation. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the impact of low-fat yogurt consumption on fasting and postprandial oxidative stress in obese women.

We hypothesized that co-consumption of low-fat yogurt and a high-calorie, high-fat meal would reduce postprandial elevations in oxidative stress in obese women. To test …

An Insight To Psychological Health, Health Behaviors, And Bodyweight Among Correctional Employees, Christina Mignano

Master's Theses

Background: Correctional employees present a poor physical and mental health profile including high rates of overweight/obesity, poor health behaviors (diet, exercise, and sleep quality), high stress levels, and poor psychological health (e.g. high rates of depression, suicide, and divorce). Worse, correctional employees deny their stress and negative emotions as their occupational culture discourages expressing negative characteristics that would make one appear weak and deters seeking psychiatric help. Correctional employees are in need of effective health promotion efforts that address determinants of employee health with an all-inclusive view (mental/emotional/behavioral). Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess if stress and/or …

Social Exclusion And Casual Sex Willingness: The Role Of Gender And Relationship Status, Stephanie D. Finneran

Master's Theses

Previous research has shown that social exclusion has very negative effects on individuals, even when the excluders are out-group members. In fact, certain forms of out-group exclusion, such as racial discrimination, can have more detrimental effects on one’s health and well-being than being excluded by members of one’s in-group. The current study used Cyberball—a computer ball-tossing game—to examine the effects of gender-based exclusion (i.e., same vs. opposite sex) on willingness to engage in casual sex. Results showed exclusion by same-gender (in-group) players led to higher casual-sex willingness than did opposite-gender (out-group) exclusion. However, the effect was moderated by participant gender …

The Short Term Impact Of A Mediterranean-Style Diet On Bone Markers In Post-Menopausal Women, Anna E. Garrett

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Workaholism On Work-Life Issues Through Boundary Management: Moderating Effects Of Telecommuting, Anna K. Young

Master's Theses

There are many personality and contextual variables that can contribute to negative home-domain functioning. The current study examined the effect of two specific variables, workaholism and telecommuting, on work-life issues. A moderated mediation model was tested, in which boundary flexibility mediated the relationship between workaholism and telecommuting and work-to-family conflict and family disengagement. Additionally, telecommuting was tested as a moderator of the indirect effect of workaholism on work-life issues through boundary flexibility willingness. I recruited 494 full-time, salaried, working adults through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. Though there were many significant direct effects, the data only suggested partial support for the indirect …

G9a Is Required For Normal Cerebral Cortical Development, Saranya Santhosh Kumar

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Manipulation Of Larval And Winter Habitat Reveals Potential Effects Of Urbanization And Climate Change On Wood Frogs In Connecticut, Jason H. O'Connor

Master's Theses

Human activity can result in both local and global changes in the environment which in turn can affect other organisms and may result in population declines and loss of biodiversity. At the local scale, human activity often causes changes in habitat quality. For example, development and agriculture increase water turbidity which can influence wetland communities. At a global scale, carbon emissions are altering Earth’s climate, leading to increasing air temperatures. Using Wood Frogs, Lithobates sylvaticus, a wide-ranging, pond breeding amphibian, I sought to determine how sediment input affects larval amphibians and to assess how predicted loss of snow cover …

Trophic Cascade Effects Of Deer Overabundance On Connecticut's Native Vegetation And Small Mammal Populations, Megan A. Floyd

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Conservation Of Bridle Shiner (Notropis Bifrenatus) In Connecticut: Issues In Detecting An Elusive Species, Kasey C. Pregler

Master's Theses

Bridle Shiner (Notropis bifrenatus) is apparently declining over most of its range and is currently listed as a species of concern in Connecticut. Using an occupancy modeling framework in program PRESENCE, my study compared seining and electrofishing backpack unit detection probabilities of Bridle Shiner. This research indicated the apparent decline of Bridle Shiner in the state was in part due to changes in sampling gear used for statewide surveys. Seining used 50 years ago was demonstrably more effective at capturing Bridle Shiner than the currently favored and more frequently used electrofishing gear. In light of this recent finding, …

Making The Invisible Visible: Latin American Women With Undocumented Status And Their Experiences Of Intimate Partner Violence, Maria Teresa (Maytte) Restrepo-Ruiz

Master's Theses

This study aimed to contribute to the currently scarce literature on unauthorized Latina immigration and intimate partner violence expanding the analysis to include women’s reasons for migrating, their experiences during the migration journey, and the intimate partner violence once they arrived in the United States. Through these women’s voices, this study shows how the lack of migratory documentation affects the experiences of Latina immigrant women. Qualitative data were collected from 11 in-depth interviews with Latin American women that had an undocumented status and received services from five domestic violence programs in Connecticut. A thematic analysis approach was employed to examine …

Efficacy Of Optical Coherence Tomography In The Detection Of Potentially Malignant Oral Mucosal Lesions Of The Tongue: An Animal Model, Hugo Cesar Campos Jaramillo

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Non-Destructive Evaluation And Maintenance Of Thermal Barrier Coatings, Martin P. Hawron

Master's Theses

Abstract Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBC) composed of Yttria-stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) ceramic are widely employed in gas turbine engines to insulate nickel-based components from the extreme temperatures of the gas stream. Over the course of extensive operation, these coatings delaminate and eventually succumb to spallation failure. Photoluminescence Piezospectroscopy (PLPS) is employed as a non-destructive evaluation (NDE) technique for the predictive determination of the operational lifetime of these coating systems. A mobile analysis unit has been developed to provide remaining life analysis for EB-PVD applied TBCs of engine-run turbine blades. This technology includes a Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) capability utilized for precision …

Avoided Water Cost Of Electricity Generation For Solar Pv And Wind Technologies In Southern California, Matthew Cohen

Master's Theses

The objective of this thesis is to provide a foundation for evaluating the water costs associated with electricity production to calculate the avoided water cost of energy for solar PV and wind technologies relative to coal, natural gas, nuclear, geothermal, concentrated solar thermal, and biomass. Water consumption is estimated for energy production (fuel extraction and preparation) and electricity generation (power plant operation) using the best available information from published articles. The quantity of water consumed for electricity production is monetized for a Southern California case study based on the water rates of Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MET), which …

Investigating Hemodynamic Responses To Electrical Neurostimulation, Sean Youra

Master's Theses

Since the 1900s, the number of deaths attributable to cardiovascular disease has steadily risen. With the advent of antihypertensive drugs and non-invasive surgical procedures, such as intravascular stenting, these numbers have begun to level off. Despite this trend, the number of patients diagnosed with some form of cardiovascular disease has only increased. By 2030, prevalence of coronary heart disease is expected to increase approximately by 18% in the United States. By 2050, prevalence of peripheral arterial occlusive disease is expected to increase approximately by 98% in the U.S. No single drug or surgical intervention offers a complete solution to these …

Examining The Impacts Of State Route 101 On Wildlife Using Road Kill Surveys And Remote Cameras, Sara Ann Snyder

Master's Theses

Roads can negatively impact the survival of wildlife populations through additional mortality from road kill and population fragmentation caused by road avoidance behaviors. The 11.9 mile section of State Route 101 between the towns of San Luis Obispo and Atascadero, CA, USA, cross a mountain lion movement corridor and an area important to maintaining ecological connectivity between protected lands in the Los Padres National Forest to the north and south.

I examined the spatial patterns and landscape and roadway factors associated with road kill occurrence for six taxa; large mammals, mesocarnivores, squirrels, rabbits, birds and raptors. Between 1 May 2009 …

Chromatographic Analysis Of Fatty Acids Using 9-Chloromethyl-Anthracene And 2-Bromomethyl-Anthraquinone, Jesus B. Tapia

Master's Theses

Fatty acids are carboxylic acids with long alkane or alkene chains and are important components of living organisms. The presence of the carboxylic acid is analytically very important since it allows for derivatization with fluorescence reagents such as 9-chloromethyl-anthracene (9-CMA) for HPLC analysis. A method for the analysis of fatty acids using 9-CMA and 2-bromomethyl-anthraquinone (MAQ-Br) was developed. The method utilizes a modified protocol previously used for the analysis of short-chain carboxylic acids with 9-CMA. The modified protocol was applied to medium- and long-chain fatty acids for analysis by HPLC with UV-visible and fluorescence detection. After successful derivatization and analysis …

The Relationship Between Mothers' Physical Self-Perceptions, Exercise Self-Regulation, Body Image Discrepancy And Sport-Specific Socialization Support For Their Daughters, Janelle K. Beilman

Master's Theses

Opportunities in youth sport are impacted by many socialization factors. In order to keepfemales engaged in sport, the study of additional factors that predict girls sport socialization is important. This study investigated the relationships among mothers’ physical self-perceptions, self-regulation of exercise, body image discrepancies (BID) and sport/activity socialization for their daughters. One hundred and four mothers (M= 44.932, SD= 5.8078) completed self-report questionnaires that assessed their physical self-perceptions, exercise self-regulation, body image discrepancy and support for their daughters’ participation in 20 different sports and physical activities. Results indicated that no significant correlations between the physical self-perception competence and most importance …

The Queer Gothic Hero's Journey In Oscar Wilde's The Picture Of Dorian Gray, Kyle Leon Ethridge

Master's Theses

This study of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray argues that the novel participates in a Gothic subversion of the archetypal hero’s journey. The novel employs Gothic devices to supplant heroic narremes. As the novel progresses, both Dorian (as a type of hero-character) and the narrative repeatedly deny or subvert the normative idea of heroism later reified in Joseph Campbell’s archetypal theory. While Campbell’s hero attempts to secure and universalize a heterosocial story, Wilde’s hero is recuperated through a reconfiguring of normative failure as queer success. What is ostensibly a failure of the normative hero to achieve his quest …

Characterizing Populations Of Non-Coding Rnas In Karenia Brevis At Different Times Of The Diel Cycle, Scott Boyd Anglin

Master's Theses

Karenia brevis is a mixotrophic, marine dinoflagellate found in the Gulf of Mexico that generates periodic, if not annual, harmful algal blooms (also known as “red tides”) in certain coastal areas. In an effort to better understand the biology of this organism, a functional genomics project has been initiated. As part of that project, it has been determined that a significant number of natural antisense transcripts (NATs) as well as double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules exist within the transcriptome of K. brevis. I hypothesize that the non-coding NATs, similar to microRNAs (miRNAs) in other organisms play a role in regulating …

Selling Tradition: Impression Management And Draft Animal Agriculture Of A Mississippi Farmstead, Matthew Corbin Lance

Master's Theses

This thesis is a case study of a family of farmers in Mississippi’s Piney Woods who use horse-drawn equipment to grow crops. This practice is notable in the context of a larger agricultural system that prioritizes mechanization (particularly the use of tractors). The production style and their use of local direct selling via farmers markets allowed them to thrive economically because they were able to tap into a niche market of consumers desiring an alternative to the modern, conventional agricultural system.

Other literature on Alternative Food Networks (AFN) discusses the issues of alterity and appropriation—that is, whether AFN ventures are …

Identification And Characterization Of Msab Gene Involved In Biofilm Formation And Virulence In Staphylococcus Aureus, Amelsaad Elbarasi

Master's Theses

Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen that causes a wide variety of life-threatening infections ranging from minor skin and oral infections to severe infections, such as bacteremia, pneumonia, osteomyelitis, or endocarditis due to the presence and secretion of a large number of virulence factors that are controlled by global virulence regulators in complex networks. Furthermore, S. aureus infections have become a threat to public health because of their high potential to form biofilm, and their ability to resist a wide range of antibiotics has exacerbated further. Therefore, understanding the regulatory networks and developing a drug targeting these networks has …

Self-Assembled Gold Nanoplexes For Cancer-Targeted Sirna Delivery, Yongliang Shi

Master's Theses

Through layer-by-layer method, the authors have constructed three Au nanoplexes: AuPEI/RNA/PEI, AuPEI/RNA/PEI-mPEG, and AuPEI/NA/PEI-PEG-FA. All the nanoplexes are characterized by UV-vis spectrometry, DLS, and zeta potential. The surface density of the first layer PEI and second layer RNA were also determined. Moreover, the Au nanoplexes can protect siRNA from RNase degradation and are stable in cell culture medium.

siGLuc-ppp, ssRNA₈₀, and siF17 were delivered by the assembled Au nanoplexes, and the results were analyzed by GLuc assay, TB assay, and Luciferase assay. In terms of RNA delivery, the Au nanoplexes AuPEI/RNA/PEI exhibited excellent gene silencing efficiency (or causing …