Digital Commons Network^™

Verification Process Of The St. Jude Medical Atrial Fibrillation Implantable Cardiac Monitor Device, Jimmy Quoc Hy Duong

Master's Theses

The St. Jude Medical SJM ConfirmTM Implantable Cardiac Monitor (ICM) is a small implantable device that is used to detect arrhythmias and stores the electrogram (EGMs) records for physicians to verify the arrhythmia. The objective of this device is to provide physicians with the technology to monitor patients who are suspected of having arrhythmias but do not exhibit any symptoms of this heart condition. This device allows for long term continuous monitoring of patients and provides recordings for physicians to prove the existence of an arrhythmia. With the help of this device, doctors can make better decisions on determining what …

Franklin Boulevard Redevelopment Project Area Market Analysis, Joshua Chapman

Master's Theses

The following Market Analysis is an analysis of the Franklin Boulevard Redevelopment Project Area. The analysis is divided into the following four sections: ♦ Planning Context ♦ Real Estate Market Conditions ♦ Emerging Market Opportunities & Case Studies ♦ Conclusion The report serves as an opportunity to aide stakeholders of the Franklin Boulevard Redevelopment Project Area. Stakeholders include residents, business owners, the City of Sacramento, County of Sacramento, Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA), and the North Franklin District Business Association (NFDBA). The stakeholders are continually searching for data and creative examples of how to transform the area into a …

The Effectiveness Of Damage Arrestment Devices In Delaying Fastener-Hole Interaction Failures In Carbon Fiber Polyurethane Foam Composite Sandwich Panels Subjected To Static And Dynamic Loading Under Increased Temperatures, Dominic E. Surano

Master's Theses

A study was conducted to investigate simple, cost-effective manufacturing techniques to delay skin-core delamination, micro-buckling and bearing stress failures resulting from fastener-hole interactions. Composite sandwich panels, with and without damage arrestment devices (DADs), were subjected to monotonic compression at a rate of 5mm per second, and compression-compression fatigue at 50% yield at an amplitude of 65%, under temperatures of 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, and 200 °F.

The sandwiches tested were composed of two-layer cross-weave carbon fiber facesheets, a polyurethane foam core, and an epoxy film adhesive to join the two materials. The most successful method to delay the aforementioned …

Assessment Of Morphology And Hemodynamics In Normal And Remodeled Microvasculature With Parameter Sensitivity Analysis, Shilpi Ghosh

Master's Theses

The goal of this study was to compare the morphological and hemodynamic characteristics of normal and remodeled vascular networks in the mouse gracilis muscle. To this end, previously developed models to assess flows and vascular branching were used to assess the normal and remodeled microcirculatory networks. The analysis revealed that the average individual vessel flow rates for vessels of similar caliber and total volumetric flow rates in the networks do not change for vessels of the same caliber after remodeling. Connectivity changes and average diameters primarily change in the larger arterioles after remodeling. A few correlations could be made between …

Explaining The Variability Of Free-Living And Attached Bacterioplankton Abundances In The Bay Of St. Louis, Mississippi, Allison K. Mojzis

Master's Theses

The Bay of St. Louis (BSL) is a shallow and vertically well-mixed estuary on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi and supports the recreational and commercial activities of the surrounding towns of Bay St. Louis, Diamondhead, DeLisle, and Pass Christian. In addition to residential communities, various industrial and commercial sites inhabit the watershed and coastline. The Hollywood casino, DuPont titanium dioxide plant, and multiple sew_age treatment plants, as well as nonpoint sources of pollution, contribute to poor water quality. To evaluate spatial and temporal changes in BSL water quality, freeliving and attached bacterioplankton concentrations were enumerated by epifluorescence microscopy. Nine stations …

Glorious Constructions: The Struggle To Preserve Salvation-Themed Visionary Art Environments, Molly Elaine Sheehan

Master's Theses

Salvation-themed art environments are a roadside rarity, built out of a strong visionary dedication to God, but the sites are disappearing simply because the work is misunderstood. The historiography on the subject is sparse, trending more toward coffee table books with big glossy pictures than real scholarly endeavors, but the consensus among all has been clear. The sites are a valuable part of the recent American cultural landscape, crossing several scholarly fields - art, architecture, and history - and uniting them into a cohesive preservation movement. On a series of trips to visit, see, and experience five of these sites, …

Perceptions And Evaluation Of An Urban Environment For Pedestrian Friendliness: A Case Study, Elizabeth H. Lee

Master's Theses

Public health is an increasingly important issue addressed from both environmental and public health sectors for the future development of urban environments. From a planning perspective, one possible solution is to increase walkability throughout the cities. Many assessment methods are being developed and administered to evaluate the quality of existing urban environments to promote walkable cities/communities. The results from using these methods provide policymakers and stakeholders with valuable information regarding the existing physical conditions of the environment. Although several US cities started to develop and refocus plans toward pedestrian-oriented policies approaches, results from this particular study determined that the quality …

Cost-Benefit Analysis Of Greening An Older Modest-Sized Home, Delilah Zoe Leval

Master's Theses

This professional project estimates the upfront costs and utility savings expected from greening an approximately 1,100 square foot home built in the 1950s in the San Francisco Bay Area. Two sets of upgrades (alternative and original) were compared for costs and benefits. The alternative set (which included ceiling insulation and omitted upgrading to dual-pane windows) clearly out performed the original set. The alternative set would be expected to reduce resident utility bills by 28% annually, and to prevent approximately 2,700 lbs of carbon dioxide emissions annually. The water efficiency upgrades were the best performing group of upgrades, as they had …

Comparisons Of Fish Species Inside And Outside Of Marine Protected Areas Off The South Central Coast Of California, David E. Rasmussen

Master's Theses

COMPARISONS OF FISH SPECIES INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF MARINE PROTECTED AREAS OFF THE SOUTH CENTRAL COAST OF CALIFORNIA

David E. Rasmussen

From 2004-2008 and 2008-2009 Cal Poly University researchers conducted two separate tag and recapture studies of nearshore fish populations along California’s central coast. Three locations were sampled that have experienced different degrees of fishing pressure. Big Creek MPA has been closed to all fishing from 1993 onwards and is the farthest from port of all locations. Cambria lies closest to port of the three locations and because of this has the highest fishing pressure. Piedras Blancas lies midway between …

Development Of A Subject Specific Finite Element Model Used To Predict The Effects Of A Single Leg Extension Exercise, Garrett Thomas Gleeson

Master's Theses

The study presented attempts to prove the concept that mechanical changes in the structure of a bone can be predicted for a specific exercise by a subject specific model created from CT data, MRI data, EMG data, and a physiologic FE model. Previous work generated a subject specific FE model of a femur via CT and MRI data as well as created a set of subject specific biomechanical muscle forces that are required to perform a single leg extension exercise. The FE model and muscle forces were implemented into a single leg extension FE code (ABAQUS) along with a specialized …

Dietary Protein Intake, Body Composition And Self-Reported Physical Functioning In U.S. Adults, Kerri Beth Parker

Master's Theses

Sarcopenia is a growing health problem in this country as more Americans are living well into old age. It has been thought that a higher protein intake may be related to greater lean muscle mass as well as greater muscular strength and physical functioning. The purpose of this research was to examine protein intake and its relationship to lean body mass and physical functioning in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults.

This research used cross-sectional data from the NHANES 2003-2004 to examine the relationship between protein intake, as an average from two 24h recalls, and dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) …

The Effects Of A Combined Supplementation Of Creatine And Sodium Bicarbonate On Repeated Sprint Performance, James Jeremy Barber, Todd Hagobian, Karen Mcgaughey, Ann Yelmokas Mcdermott, Jennifer Davis Olmstead

Master's Theses

Abstract The Effects of a Combined Supplementation of Creatine and Sodium Bicarbonate on Repeated Sprint Performance James Jeremy Barber There is well-established research that suggests both creatine and sodium bicarbonate are effective ergogenic aids. However, only one published study has examined the combined effects of creatine and sodium bicarbonate. The primary purpose of this study was to determine if a combined supplementation of creatine monohydrate and sodium bicarbonate would further enhance the well-documented effects of creatine supplementation alone on repeated sprint performance. Thirteen healthy and fit males (Mean age = 21.15 ± 0.65 years and mean VO2 max = 66.72 …

A University Course To Facilitate The Transition Into, Through, And Beyond College Life, Matthew A. Crivello

Master's Theses

The purpose of this project was to review the literature associated with the social and psychological adjustments freshmen and transfer intercollegiate athletes face as they transition into college and create a mandatory course to assist them through their transition into California Polytechnic State University. This project led to the creation of an academic course that will be offered at California Polytechnic State University in the near future. This course could serve as an impetus for coaches, faculty, and administrators at other universities to develop similar courses, or reevaluate established course offerings, and to develop follow-up course training for intercollegiate athletes …

Dentoskeletal And Soft Tissue Treatment Effects Of Two Different Methods For Treating Class Ii Malocclusions., Madhur Upadhyay

Master's Theses

Objectives: Moderate to severe Class II malocclusions can not only cause esthetic and functional problems but can also lead to psychological problems of varying intensity depending on the amount of anterior-posterior discrepancy and its interaction with the related soft tissue structures. Although there are several methods of treating such malocclusions (extractions,distalization,functional appliances etc), the final goal is always to provide acceptable esthetics and stability. The purpose of this clinical-cephalometric study was to examine the dentoskeletal and soft tissue treatment effects of maxillary anterior teeth retraction with mini-implant (MI) anchorage in young adults having Class II Division I malocclusion undergoing extraction …

Corrosion Dynamics Of Cobalt-Chromium Alloy F-75 Powder, Tedman Tong

Master's Theses

The increasing usage of metal-on-metal joint replacements consisting of a cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy requires increasing concern regarding the inevitable generation of metallic wear debris. Patients with these joint replacements exhibit elevated concentrations of cobalt and chromium ions within their serum, blood and urine. The presence of these metal ions suggests the potential for bodily damage and indicates corrosive processes are acting upon wear debris.

To understand the behavior of these corrosive processes, powders of cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy F-75 were studied. Four powder sizes (44, 74, 105, and 420 µm diameter) were subjected to Hank’s Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS) for a 42 day …

Effects Of Wildland Urban Interface Fuel Treatments On Fire Behavior And Ecosystem Services In The Klamath Mountains Of California, Jonathan A. Large

Master's Theses

Greater numbers of people are moving into wildland-urban interface (WUI) areas, increasing the number of people at risk to large wildfires. To mitigate the hazard, emphasis is often placed on fuel treatments used to reduce fuel loads and subsequent fire behavior. This approach overlooks the additional benefits provided by vegetation, including carbon storage and sequestration along with air pollutant removal. This study aimed to calculate and compare differences in representative values by examining a study site in the Klamath Mountains of Northern California. Fire behavior simulations were done under various weather scenarios to illustrate both the impact of weather on …

The Other Race Effect : The Role Of Experience And Social Attiudes On Face Recognition, Emily Wheat

Master's Theses

The ORE is phenomenon whereby recognition for own race faces is better than recognition of other race faces. This study examines how non-perceptual factors—social context, attitudes, and experience—impact the ORE. Participants from three different racial groups (Caucasian, Black, Asian) completed a face recognition task screening faces for status-specific targets (baseline, perpetrator, victim), self-report measures of explicit bias and experience with members from other races and a measure of implicit bias. Results indicated that non-perceptual factors impact the ORE. Specifically, Caucasian participants revealed a reduced ORE for other race perpetrators in comparison to victims. Black participants revealed a reduced ORE for …

Do We Know What We Know? Self- Assessment Across The Lifespan, Courtney Clare Lee

Master's Theses

Self-knowledge can play a critical role in navigating physical, cognitive, and social changes in late life. To protect and preserve one's sense of self against these changes, individuals may engage in self-enhancing and self-serving biases in areas important to self-esteem. The importance attached to these areas may change with age, and self-knowledge of these psychological processes may vary with age. We investigated self-enhancing biases and metacognitive awareness of abilities in adulthood. Participants ranging in age from 20 to 80 completed a series of tests assessing the better than average effect across a variety of age-relevant domains as well as objective …

The "F" Word: An Exploration Of Feminist Identity In Undergraduate Students, Emily Michelle Hedstrom-Lieser

Master's Theses

While the majority of women living in the U.S. agree with feminist inspired goals, few claim a feminist identity. This study explored predictors of feminist identification in a sample of 233 undergraduate women at a mid-western university in the Rocky Mountain region. Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify themes, and scales were assembled for use in OLS regression. Significant predictors of feminist identification included believing in the relevance of feminism in contemporary social issues, current exposure to feminism, support for feminist goals and ideals and recognition of women's differential access to resources. Research findings suggest that current exposure to …

Integration Of Microfluidics With Surface Plasmon Resonance, Scott B. Fratzke

Master's Theses

This thesis successfully integrates laminate microfluidic devices with an analytic Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) instrument. Integration was accomplished at low-cost using materials such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), Tygon tubing, and a 3-way stopcock. The main components of this thesis are the design and fabrication of the low-cost, in-house fluidics that can integrate with upstream microfluidics and the validation of the in-house fluidics using the Biosensing Instruments BI-2000 SPR instrument. The low-cost fluidics was designed and fabricated “in-house” using a novel investment casting technique that required the use of laser cutting technology to make a master cast, and candle …

The Effects Of A High-Intensity Resistance Training Program On Muscular Strength, Muscular Endurance, And Psychological Measures In Cancer Survivors, Jessica M. Weiderspon

Master's Theses

Cancer can be characterized as an uncontrolled growth and spread of irregular cells in the body. Approximately 559,880 Americans die from cancer every year, however an estimated 562,340 Americans are anticipated to survive from cancer. With greater advances in treatment and increased survival rates, rehabilitation of normal life functioning becomes a large priority for cancer survivors. It has been found that exercise improves physiological and psychological factors in cancer survivors, although the most advantageous mode, duration, or intensity has not been determined. Aerobic and mixed interventions (aerobic, resistance, flexibility) have been studied in depth but a pure resistance training program …

The Difference In Physiological Parameters Following An Exercise Intervention In Breast Cancer Survivors On A Single Chemotherapy Drug Versus Combination Chemotherapy Drugs, Micah John Foster

Master's Theses

Exercise has become an important part of cancer rehabilitation as the incidence of breast cancer is increasing and the mortality rate is decreasing. Breast cancer chemotherapy treatment induces a physical demand on the body while exercise counter balances symptoms of chemotherapy treatment. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects an exercise intervention has on breast cancer survivors who have received a single chemotherapy drug versus combination chemotherapy drugs. A secondary purpose was to determine any differences in chemotherapy categories. Participants were chosen that had single drug treatment (n = 34) and combination drug treatment (n = 20). …

Evaluation Of Natural Remediation Following The Occurrence Of A Construction-Related Sediment Plume At Camp Shelby Training Site, Mississippi, Ian Eli Floyd

Master's Theses

This study is a comprehensive look into the response and recovery of an anthropogenic induced sediment infill of a bottom land hardwood wetland at Camp Shelby Training Site (CSTS) in Perry and Forrest Counties, Mississippi. Lack of sediment control structures (sediment fences and matting), combined with high rainfall, led to erosion within and around the Multi Purpose Range Complex-Heavy (MPRC-H) during its construction. Deposition of sediment effected approximately 20.2 hectares of wetlands that have been monitored since the event occurred in 2005. To better understand the recovery process, the study area was compared to the Cypress Creek Mitigation Area (CCMA) …

Creating Homes And Constructing Girlhood: Spatial Negotiations Of The Island In Girls' Castaway Novels, 1892-1989, Amy Marie Hicks

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Influence On Career Development: Dysfunctional Career Thoughts, Perfectionism, And Career Decision Self-Efficacy, Lindsay Marie Andrews

Master's Theses

Considerable research has been focused on how career decision self-efficacy is related to constructs such as certainty (Betz, Klein, & Taylor, 1996), fear of commitment (Betz & Sterling, 1993), and adaptive career beliefs (Luzzo & Day, 1999). The purpose of this study was to identify relationships among career-specific barriers in the career decision-making process, specifically regarding dysfunctional career thoughts, perfectionism, and career decision self-efficacy in a sample of 300 undergraduate students. Results of the study included: (a) a positive relationship between overall perfectionism and dysfunctional career thinking; (b) a negative relationship between dysfunctional career thoughts and career decision self-efficacy; (c) …

Reproductive Behaviors Of Male And Female Blackspotted Topminnows, Fundulus Olivaceus, Melissa Ann Gutierrez

Master's Theses

The aim of the study was to characterize the reproductive behaviors of male and female blackspotted topminnows in the Pascagoula Drainage. I focused on phenotypic traits, size and number of dorsolateral spots, in males that possibly could cue a female to choose one male more frequently than other males present in the spawning group. With the use microsatellite markers, I was able to determine parentage in trial where a single female was allowed to choose among phenotypically different males. I found that in all trials one male mated with the female(s) present. I also found that in all cases the …

Gulf Sturgeon Of The Pascagoula River: Post-Katrina Assessment Of Seasonal Usage Of The Lower Estuary, Jeanne-Marie Dawn Havrylkoff

Master's Theses

The Pascagoula watershed likely offers the greatest possibility for the survival of the Gulf sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi within Mississippi. The focus of this project was to determine the routes Gulf sturgeon take through the lower Pascagoula River which splits at river kilometer 23 into two distinct distributaries. Sampling for this project was conducted over 60 d in 11 months throughout a two year period with a total of 81,947 net-meter-hours. Eight Gulf sturgeon were captured during this time and ranged in size from 81 - 196 cm TL and weight ranged from 3.6 - 52.6 kg. Using an array …

Burrowing Behavior Of The Fiddler Crab Uca Panacea In Relation To Food Availability, Jennifer A. Mraz

Master's Theses

Much of fiddler crab behavior is regulated by the tides and centers around their burrows. Field and laboratory studies were conducted to assess the effect of food availability on burrowing in the Gulf coast fiddler crab, Vea panacea. In the field, crabs were observed for droving behavior through visual observations; evidence for this behavior was assessed further by determining sediment organic content. Although the organic content did increase significantly as distance increased from the edge of the water, fiddler crabs did not exhibit droving behavior at my study site. Field burrows were cast and measured for depth, diameter and volume …

The Additive Effects Of Components Of An Intervention Package Targeting Compliance In Children With Hearing Impairments In A Classroom Setting, Laura Lynne Needelman

Master's Theses

The present study investigated the sequential introduction of a compliance training package based on the Compliance Training for Children (CTC) Model developed in the School Psychology Program at The University of Southern Mississippi. Participants were three deaf students in the classroom setting who were referred by their teachers for exhibiting noncompliance. The teachers in this study were also deaf. A nonconcurrent multiple baseline across participants design was used to assess the effectiveness of Effective Instruction Delivery (EID), EID with contingent praise for compliance, and EID with contingent praise for compliance and time-out contingent on noncompliance. One participant reached 100% compliance …

Effect Of Feeding Zilpaterol Hydrochloride For 20 Days To Calf-Fed Holstein Steers With A 3 Or 10 Day Withdrawal Period Antemortem On Carcass Characteristics And Tenderness, Andrew D. Hosford

Master's Theses

The effect of feeding Zilpaterol hydrochloride (ZH) with a 3 or 10 d withdrawal (WD) period to calf-fed Holstein steers (N=2993) on carcass characteristics and tenderness were evaluated in a feed lot experiment. Cattle were fed 0 or 8.3 mg/kg of ZH for the final 20 d of the feeding period, each treatment level was assigned a WD period of either 3 or 10 d. Treatment groups consisted of Control 3 d WD (C3) and 10 d WD (C10), and ZH fed 3 day WD (Z3) and 10 d WD (Z10). Cattle were slaughtered at a commercial facility, carcasses chilled …