The Relationship Between Parent Nutrition Knowledge Level And Child Weight Status, Jameshyia Shandria Ballard

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if nutrition knowledge of parents was related to the weight status of preschool-aged children. Objectives of this study included determining if relationships existed between parent knowledge of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines and child weight status, between parent knowledge of serving sizes and child weight status, and between overall parent nutrition knowledge and child weight status.

Data were obtained from 101 parents enrolled in a Head Start program in southern Mississippi. Weight status was obtained from 101 three to five year old children. Parent data was collected via survey, developed by the principal …

Evaluating Macrobenthic Indicators Of Organic Enrichment And Hypoxia Within The Coastal Mississippi Hypoxic Zone, Daneen P. Menke

Master's Theses

Macrobenthic communities offer effective indicators of biotic integrity, but their use for distinguishing anthropogenic from natural stress is tricky because coastal taxa are eurytolerant. Effective coastal management calls for benthic indicators that respond to specific stressors, apply across different habitats, and reflect ecosystem function. Macrobenthic process metrics based on body-size descriptors should reflect ecosystem function and be useful for assessing the effects of eutrophication. Functional trait analysis should reflect the functional diversity of the community. Coastal Mississippi experienced widespread and sustained hypoxia throughout summer 2008. Site 6 located on the 10-m isobath in the center of the 2008 hypoxic zone …

Immunostimulatory And Cellular Toxic Effects Of Single-Stranded Rna On Cancer Cells, Chengwen Teng

Master's Theses

Whether 5'-triphosphate-single-stranded-RNA (5 '-ppp-ssRNA) is immunostimulatory was controversial in the literature. In order to clarify the immunostimulatory effect of 5'-ppp-ssRNA, we synthesized ssRNAs and tested the IFNp (interferon-beta) level and cellular toxicity of ssRNAs in SKOV3 cells. In this work, we confirmed that 5'-ppp-ssRNA (~ 60nt) was immunostimulatory and toxic in SKOV3 cells. 5'-ppp-ssRNA (~ 60nt) led to IFN-P induction and apoptosis in SKOV3 cells. Longer 5' ppp- ssRNA tended to have a higher immunostimulatory effect and cellular toxicity than shorter 5'-ppp-ssRNA. 5'-ppp-ssRNA was more immunostimulatory and toxic than 5'- 0H-ssRNA. If the incubation time of ssRNAs increased, the toxicity …

Improved Detection Methods For Selected Vibrio Species In The Marine Aquatic Environment, Kimberly Jordan Griffitt

Master's Theses

Vibrio vulnificus, Vibrio cholerae, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus are the three most commonly encountered human pathogens in the Vibrio genus. They are frequent agents of foodborne illness contracted from seafood. The work presented here focuses on three aspects of detection of these bacteria. First is a novel agar formulation designed to isolate and directly enumerate V. vulnificus from oyster tissue by using x-gal, a chromogenic analog to lactose, as a carbon source and agent of differential morphological colony growth. Second is a field study on the relative abundance of the three main pathogenic Vibrios following the opening of the …

Panic Behind The Mask: The Spanish Influenza Epidemic Of 1918 In New Orleans, Sarah Theresa Savage

Master's Theses

As part of the most devastating influenza pandemic in modern history, the Spanish Influenza epidemic in New Orleans left the city emotionally and physically crippled as residents struggled to resume daily life after thousands succumbed to a bloody cough and painful death in October 1918. When New Orleans public health officials reacted to the explosion of Spanish Influenza cases on October 10, 1918, the virus had already traveled throughout the population. Unlike previous influenza outbreaks, the 1918 epidemic killed primarily young healthy adults, the backbones of the working force and families. In an attempt to quarantine the ill from the …

Single Liquid-Liquid Extraction Of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol And 11-Nor-Carboxy-Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol At An Acidic Ph, Meghan Ann Tanner

Master's Theses

Because of the high occurrence of marijuana usage in the workplace and in driving under the influence cases, it is important to test for both delta-9-THC and delta-9-THCA in order to determine current and recent usage. The laboratory preparation and analysis of delta-9-THC and delta-9-THCA in urine should be as cost and time efficient as possible. Current extraction of delta-9-THC and delta-9-THCA from urine requires two separate techniques for each. Because delta-9-THC is nonacidic, while delta-9-THCA is acidic, the extractions involve two separate pH levels, while GC/MS analysis requires two separate methods. This separation requires a great deal of time …

Aloe Striata Plant Defense Compounds Produced In Response To Jasmonic Acid, Salicylic Acid, And Eriophyid Mite Salivary Extract Elicitor Compounds, Fritz Light

Master's Theses

Aloe mites are herbivores of the genus Aloe (ALOACEAE) and are associated with hyperplastic growth in various aloe species, but the biochemistry of this interaction is poorly understood. In an effort to characterize plant defense responses to herbivory in the genus Aloe, a salivary extract was isolated from aloe mites (Aceria aloinis Keifer) and its bioactivity was tested using a hypocotyl elongation assay. Subsequently, Aloe striata plants were treated with jasmonic acid (JA), salicylic acid (SA), and the mite salivary extract. Using water and methanol, compounds of different polarity were extracted from aloe tissues that had been frozen …

Touchspice Vs. Reactive-Spice: A Human-Computer Interaction Perspective, Joshua Martin O'Hara

Master's Theses

Traditional SPICE simulation tools and applications of circuit theory lack real-time interaction and feedback. The goal of this thesis was to create an interactive physical environment to allow the manipulation and simulation of discrete electrical components in near-real-time while optimizing and streamlining the human-computer interaction (HCI) elements to make the user experience as positive and transparent as possible. This type of HCI and near-real-time simulation feedback would allow for the instant realization of how the parameters of each discrete component or hardware module affect the overall simulation and response of the circuit.

The scope of this thesis is to research, …

Predicting Exercise Adherence In College Students Using A Self-Determination Theory Framework, Megan M. Clarke

Master's Theses

College is a pivotal time for weight gain and unhealthy behavior changes in many young adults. Decreases in physical activity are common in this age group and likely contribute to the 1.6 to 1.8 kg weight gain that is often observed in the first year of college. Identifying groups of students who are at high-risk for decreasing or discontinuing physical activity may help develop more targeted interventions. The present study explored physical activity patterns in the first semester of college and examined predictors of exercise decreases to levels below recommended daily values within a Self-Determination Theory framework. Incoming freshman (n=174; …

Synthesis Of Half-Loaded Nitroimidazole Indocyanine Green Dyes Attached To Carbon Nanotubes, Courtney L. Stanford

Master's Theses

Indocyanine green dye is the only FDA approved NIR fluorescent dye that can be used in humans. 2-Nitroimidazoles are very effective radiosensitizers, have low cytotoxicity, and target hypoxic tissue. By coupling the two together, hypoxic tumors can be targeted and imaged. Previous work has been done to couple 2-nitroimidazole to both sides of the indocyanine green dye. This work focuses on expanding that concept to couple 2-nitroimidazole to only one side of the dye, thus allowing for the other end to be available to couple to another compound, generating a half loaded 2-nitroimidazole indocyanine green dye. In theory, this half-loaded …

Dietary Protein Influences Paracellular Calcium Transport: Two Molecular Targets, Belinda M. Kotler

Master's Theses

The effect of dietary protein on bone health remains controversial. We have shown that increasing dietary protein increases calcium absorption in both humans and rats with no change in bone resorption. We used a rat model in which dietary protein increases intestinal calcium absorption and whole body calcium retention, to explore the molecular basis for this effect. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a low (5%) or high (40%) protein diet for 7 days. On day 7, duodenal mucosa was harvested and total RNA isolated. Microarray analyses using these RNA samples identified 208 genes whose expression was at least 1.5 fold …

"We've Got Something More To Prove Here": Racial-Ethnic And Social Class Identities And The Challenges Facing Latina/O College Students, Gretchen Marin

Master's Theses

Latinas/os are one of the fastest growing minority groups in the United States. In fact, the United States Census Bureau projects that by the year 2050, the numbers of Hispanics will more than double, increasing from the current figure of 50.5 million to 102.6 million. Despite such rapid population growth, the numbers of Latinas/os with at least a Bachelor’s degree remain low. In this study, I explore the intersection of racial-ethnic and social class identities in relation to academic identities. Specifically, I examine the challenges facing Latina/o college students of various socioeconomic backgrounds as they negotiate a predominantly White, middle-class …

A Qualitative Study Of Barriers To Dental Care Among Older Minority Adults Residing In Lower Income Communities, Demetress Davis

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to explore factors that presented barriers to the use of dental care among low-income minority older adults. Participants were recruited from low-income senior housing in Hartford, CT. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted to obtain data on demographics, oral health status, oral health knowledge and factors that affected use of dental care including finances, perceived oral symptoms, cultural factors, and beliefs about dental care. Interviews were conducted with 17 participants. The major perceived barriers were ability to pay for care, transportation and fear/mistrust of the dentist. Participants may have had poor oral health as …

Immediate Versus Delayed Loading Of Two Implants Supporting A Locator Retained Mandibular Overdenture. A Randomized Controlled Study., Sejal R. Thacker

Master's Theses

The aim of this study was to evaluate immediate versus delayed loading of two implants, six months post-surgery, supporting a locator retained mandibular overdenture. The objective was to evaluate implant bone remodelling using radiographic bone level changes (RBL) as the variable, from baseline to six months, between the test and the control groups. The secondary objectives included (1) evaluation of implant survival, (2) nature and frequency of surgical and prosthetic complications, and (3) correlation of implant length and insertion torque on RBL.

Eligible patients were randomized into test (immediate loading) and control group (delayed loading). Five patients were allocated to …

Three-Dimensional Force Systems Produced By Vertical V-Bends In An Arch Wire, Raja Shah

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Tissue Engineering A Blood Vessel Mimic While Monitoring Contamination Through Sterility Assurance Testing, Navid Djassemi

Master's Theses

Tissue Engineering A Blood Vessel Mimic While Monitoring Contamination Through Sterility Assurance Testing

Navid Djassemi

Tissue engineering blood vessel mimics has been proposed as a method to analyze the endothelial cell response to intravascular devices that are used in today’s clinical settings for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Thus, the development of in vitro blood vessel mimics (BVMs) in Cal Poly’s Tissue Engineering Lab has introduced the possibility of assessing the characteristics of cellular response to past, present, and future intravascular devices that aim at treating coronary artery disease.

This thesis aimed at improving the methods and procedures utilized in …

The Spatial Distribution Of K-Factor Values Across A Toposequence And A Soil Survey Map Unit, Jacqueline Elizabeth Tilligkeit

Master's Theses

Rivers and streams are adversely affected by an increase in sedimentation in their waters from eroding land. High sediment loads in streams can bury fish eggs and prevent hatching, increasing nutrients in the water causing algae blooms, or even contaminating the water with heavy metals carried in or on the aggregates. The erodibility of soil is valuable knowledge to all land users so that we may predict soil loss and its potential to pollute streams. This is done by using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). By predicting soil loss from a given landscape, land managers can take mitigation …

Development And Characterization Of An In-House Custom Bioreactor For The Cultivation Of A Tissue Engineered Blood-Brain Barrier, Amin Hadi Mirzaaghaeian

Master's Theses

The development of treatments for neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease begins by understanding what these diseases affect and the consequences of further manifestation. One particular region where these diseases can produce substantial problems is the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The BBB is the selective diffusion barrier between the circulating blood and the brain. The barrier’s main function is to maintain CNS homeostasis and protect the brain from the extracellular environment. The progression of BBB research has advanced to the point where many have modeled the BBB in vitro with aims of further characterizing and testing the barrier. Particularly, …

Virtual Three-Dimensional Analysis Of Dimensional Accuracy Of Dental Master Die Models Created By The Iterotm Electronic Impression Device And Those Made From A Polyvinyl Siloxane Impression Material, Polina P. Shcherbatov

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Corticision On The Rate Of Orthodontic Tooth Movement In Rats, Hamed Vaziri

Master's Theses

Minimal treatment time is a primary goal for orthodontic therapy. Reducing treatment time decreases risk of caries, periodontal disease, root resorption, and increases patient satisfaction. Orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) is a result of bone resorption and apposition; factors influencing the rate at which these processes take place may affect OTM. Various attempts have been made to shorten treatment time. The regional acceleratory phenomenon (RAP) has been used to modify the balance between resorption and apposition of bone through selectively injuring the cortical plate of the alveolus to accelerate tooth movement. This approach is limited due to the need of flap …

Investigation Of Trends And Predictive Effectiveness Of Crash Severity Models, James E. Mooradian

Master's Theses

This thesis describes analysis using ordinal logistic regression to uncover temporal patterns in the severity level (fatal, serious injury, minor injury, slight injury or no injury) for persons involved in highway crashes in Connecticut, focusing on the demographic split between senior travelers (65 years and over) and non-senior travelers. Existing state sources provide data describing the time and weather conditions for each crash and the vehicles and persons involved over the time period from 1995 to 2009 as well as the traffic volumes and the characteristics of the roads on which these crashes occurred. Findings indicate an overall increase in …

Analysis Of Periapical Biopsies Submitted For Histopathological Evaluation: A Retrospective Study, Abdullah I. Alqaied

Master's Theses

Apical periodontitis is the most common pathological process in the periapical region. Disciplined clinical and radiographic evaluations and appropriate diagnostic tests can detect lesions related to apical periodontitis. Aside from this, lesions mimicking pulp-related pathology but unrelated to pulpal infection and necrosis are occasionally discovered in the periapical region. The objective of this study was two-fold: (1) to determine the prevalence of diverse periapically located pathological entities, and (2) to apply that information to evaluate the rationale for routine submission of surgically obtained tissue for histological examination and diagnosis. Methods: A 5-year retrospective analysis of pathology reports from the UCONN …

Enhanced Hydrocarbon Biodegradation Using Bioaugmentation With Biowish™-Aqua Fog, Michael Robert Lehrer

Master's Theses

This study was done to determine the effectiveness of a commercially available bioaugmentation product, BiOWiSH^TM-Aqua FOG, for remediating petroleum-contaminated sandy soil. Biodegradation enhancement by BiOWiSH^TM-Aqua FOG was evaluated in laboratory microcosms by directly measuring total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) and indirectly using respirometry. Attempts were made to enrich hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria in BiOWiSH^TM-Aqua FOG, and the resulting enrichment cultures were screened using respirometry as well. Potential hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria in BiOWiSH^TM-Aqua FOG were isolated. Experiments were performed at bench-scale using microcosm bottles containing sand contaminated with either motor oil or No. 2 diesel fuel. The …

City Of Watsonville Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, Emily Margaret Lipoma

Master's Theses

The City of Watsonville is vulnerable to a number of natural and man-made hazards. This project analyzed this risk and vulnerabilities to critical facilities within the city, and made recommendations of mitigation strategies and implementation methods to address this risk. Analysis and data collection was conducted in coordination with the City of Watsonville Fire Department and the resulting product will be given to the City for their use and potential adoption. The documents within this Local Hazard Mitigation Plan was developed to the standards and specifications developed by the State of California and Federal Emergency Management Agency for a Local …

Baseline Groundwater Composition And Quality Below Irrigated Almond And Walnut Orchards In Durham, Ca, Usa., Candace A. Gallion

Master's Theses

BASELINE GROUNDWATER COMPOSITION AND QUALITY BELOW IRRIGATED ALMOND AND WALNUT ORCHARDS IN DURHAM, CA, USA.

Candace A. Gallion

This study investigated groundwater quality in the Durham, California, USA area. The goal of the study was to determine baseline groundwater quality for the study area, whether crop type or time of year influenced groundwater quality, whether groundwater quality was significantly different among sample sites, and if groundwater quality test factors were correlated, and if any limiting factors for irrigation were present. Groundwater samples were collected and analyzed from eleven wells in almond (A2, A4, A5, A6, A7 and A8) and walnut …

Comparing Anti-Vegf Antibodies And Aptamers On Paper Microfluidic-Based Platforms, Katherine Noel Clayton

Master's Theses

The field of microfluidics is expanding into what is known as paper microfluidics. This uses a paper platform rather than materials (i.e. PDMS, PMMA) that are commonly used in microfluidics research. Current devices require an expensive manufacturing process and external sources to power the device. Such devices are not practical in low resource environments. As a consequence, it is the goal of this Thesis to develop a three-dimensional, multiplexed assay chip using nitrocellulose membranes. This device comprises of multiple layers of nitrocellulose membranes with defined fluidic channels. The multiple layers are bound together using double backed tape, and imbedded between …

Becoming Cittaslow: A City's Journey To Becoming A Cittaslow Member, Megan Alexis Elovich

Master's Theses

The project will explore Cittaslow as an alternative to traditional urban development. Sprawl and consumption of non-local resources are discouraged with Cittaslow and preservation of culture and history become the tangible benchmarks of the community. It will explore the history of Cittaslow as a movement and an organization; as well as its influences on existing member cities and the criteria used to distinguish them from others. The City of San Luis Obispo is used as a case study to determine whether existing conditions measure up to Cittaslow criteria.

Characterization Of Raw Milk Fouling On Plate-Type Heat Exchangers Using Different Alloys And Cow Phenotypes, Stephen Ernest Nelson

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

Characterization Of Raw Milk Fouling On Plate-Type Heat Exchangers Using Different Alloys And Cow PhenotypeS

Stephen Ernest Nelson

Milk and other dairy products are widely used in many households today. Milk is a popular beverage that is seen as a healthy alternative to other synthetic beverages such as soda pop and other sugar based drinks. It became law that milk, and milk products are pasteurized before its release to the general public (FDA 2003). Pasteurization is a thermal process where the intent is to lower the concentration of microorganisms in the milk to render it safe to drink with …

Vibration Health Monitoring Of Gears, Markus Josef Scherer

Master's Theses

Monitoring the health of vibrating gears is important to ensure proper operation especially in potentially life-threatening structures, such as helicopters, nuclear power plants, and uninterruptible power supply transitions in hospitals. The most common monitoring technique is casing mounted accelerometers to measure vibration. In contrast, during the last few years acoustic monitoring techniques have also provided a few diagnostic methods for gear failure. Current diagnostic methods to indicate improper gear behavior use either existing vibration data, recorded from defective gear systems, or modern dynamic models predicting gear failure behavior.

This thesis uses dynamic models to indicate, predict, and diagnose healthy and …

A Conservation Plan For Reservoir Canyon Natural Reserve, San Luis Obispo, Ca, Brian M. Provenzale

Master's Theses

My thesis project is to create a conservation plan for the Reservoir Canyon Natural Reserve (RCNR) in San Luis Obispo, California. It is a professional project for the City of San Luis Obispo with the goal of eventual adoption by the City Council. The plan was motivated by City policy, which advises creating conservation plans for open spaces, and by a particular need to address management issues in RCNR that include plant and wildlife conservation, trail access, erosion, electrical utility easements, and other legal matters. The project consists of two main components: the conservation plan and a companion paper. The …