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Site Fidelity And Association Patterns Of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus In The Mississippi Sound, Angela D. Mackey

Master's Theses

The current study examined the site fidelity and association patterns of a community of 678 wild bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Mississippi Sound (Sound) over a three-year period (May 2004 - April 2007). Using photoidentification techniques, 74% (n = 498) of the identified dolphins were classified as transients, while 10% (n = 71) were classified as year-round residents, and 16% (n = 109) were classified as seasonal residents based on their sighting histories. Thirty-nine "select" dolphins (n = 17 seasonal residents, n = 22 yearround residents) that were sighted five or more times over the study period were used …

Comparison Of Extraction Techniques For Δ-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol From Urine, Ashlyn Christine Harmon

Master's Theses

With the increasing use of marijuana, efficient methods to extract and detect Δ-9-THC in urine samples and relate the concentrations found to time is a necessity so that impairment can be determined. Δ-9-THC is conjugated to glucuronic acid in urine and must be freed before the compound can be detected by chromatographic procedures. In past research, either a strong alkaline solution or β-glucuronidase has been used to cleave the bond between the Δ-9-THC and glucuronic acid before an alkaline extraction. Δ-9-THC has a pKa of 10.6 and therefore is always extracted at an alkaline pH. In this study, both a …

Does Health Anxiety Moderate The Effects Of Mortality Salience On Worldview Defense?, Toni Brooke Merkey

Master's Theses

Research generated from Terror Management Theory has demonstrated that reminding participants of their eventual death increases self-esteem striving and worldview defense (Pyszczynski, Greenberg, Solomon, Arndt, & Schimel, 2004). The hypothesis in the present study was that health anxiety would moderate this effect, based on the premise that health-anxious individuals are chronically more aware of their own mortality. To test this hypothesis, the Illness _and Attitudes Scale (IAS) was administered to 65 undergraduates to determine level of health anxiety. Participants were then randomly assigned to a mortality salience or control condition. Level of worldview defense was measured by participants' reactions to …

The Effect Of Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 On The Osseointegration Of Temporary Anchorage Devices, Eden E. Cruz

Master's Theses

Titanium has been widely used for dental implants, and in particular, roughened titanium surfaces have provided a means for increasing bone apposition and strengthening the implant-to-bone interface. Finding a way to further increase osseointegration is important because there is a significant clinical benefit to patients if a stable anchor can be established instead of anchoring orthodontic hardware to the molars. In this study, the effect of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) on the ability of temporary anchorage devices (TADs) to osseointegrate was investigated. The temporary anchorage devices (TADs) used in this study were manufactured from commercially pure titanium and …

Osseointegration Of Temporary Anchorage Devices Using Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2, Erin E. Cruz

Master's Theses

Over the past 5 years, the use of titanium implants as temporary anchorage devices (TADs) has become an important tool in clinical orthodontic practices. The use of TADs have provided orthodontists a way of moving teeth against fixed objects rather than against the surrounding teeth, which tend to counteract desired motion. At present, viable attachment of TADs involves direct insertion through gingival tissue and piercing of the bone. Surface modifications such as sandblasted and acid-etched treatment or bone morphogenetic protein surface treatment, however, can be applied to the TADs to promote enhanced osseointegration, thereby allowing the TADs to serve as …

An Investigative Study Into The Relationship Of Bone Morphogenetic Protein Antagonist Expression And Osteocyte Density By Region And Quadrant, Scott C. Mosher

Master's Theses

The role of cytokines and cell behavior and viability with respect to bone remodeling and bone behavior is an exciting area of orthopedic research. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between BMP antagonist expression and osteocyte density, lacunar densities and osteocyte viability in cortical bone. Samples of unloaded tibial bone obtained from six C57Bl/6 mice were immunohistochemically stained for gremlin and noggin expression and also underwent methyl green staining to determine osteocyte presence. Bone sections were divided into four quadrants (cranial, caudal, medial and lateral) and three regions (proximal, mid shaft and distal), followed by analysis …

Consumers And Benefits Of Genetically Modified Vegetables, Megan Carter Judge

Master's Theses

With the adoption of biotechnology in many agricultural products with first-generation biotechnology traits such as increased pest resistance, greater herbicide resistance, and increased yields the growers have accepted them. The next wave of biotech crops have second-generation traits, such as improved nutrient content, extended shelf life, reduced pesticide and herbicide application (a consumer demanded trait), and better taste. Will these consumer benefits offset any concern that the consumer has regarding biotechnology? What are those benefits and how should the information be communicated to the consumer?

Three focus groups give insight to the proposed questions. The focus groups were done in …

Building A Bridge Between Physical Therapists And Fitness Professionals: The Development Of A Business Plan For San Luis Sports Therapy Clinics, Ashley August Fittz

Master's Theses

The purpose of this project was to create a business plan for a profitable, self-sustaining, program to build a bridge between physical therapists and fitness professionals.

The Quick Fit Program was a new service for the existing business San Luis Sports Therapy. The program was designed to be implemented within each of the company’s physical therapy clinics in California using existing personnel and resources. The Quick Fit Program is one way in which physical therapy practices can diversify the services they offer to keep pace with the changing landscape of healthcare.

Clients in the Quick Fit Program would receive an …

Clash Of Titans: William Randolph Hearst And His Impact On American Foreign Policy During The Interwar Period, Brandon D. Roper

Master's Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze a prominent figure of the 20th century, William Randolph Hearst and to analyze the influence he was able to exert over American foreign policy through his own personal connections and those of his periodicals. This also includes an analysis between Hearst and Roosevelt, and noting the varying levels of influence between the two. This thesis will demonstrate that William Randolph Hearst is a prominent figure of 20th century history, but was overshadowed by Roosevelt. Hearst while powerful was always putting his power into ventures that would backfire politically. When his papers declined, …

Assessing Body Composition Among Male Collegiate Runners And Swimmers Using Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (Dxa), Christopher Patrick Borgard

Master's Theses

This observational study investigated whole body and regional differences in bone mineral density and soft tissue amounts (fat mass versus lean mass) among collegiate runners and swimmers using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for body composition measurement. A data subset was gathered for post-hoc analysis on a group of Caucasian male Cal Poly swimmers (n=20) and Cal Poly track and field runners (n=20) of similar age (18-25 years) and race. In addition to their sport-specific training, both teams had engaged in free weight training and running for approximately 12 weeks prior to their DXA scans. Group mean values for total …

Software Internationalization: A Framework Validated Against Industry Requirements For Computer Science And Software Engineering Programs, John Huân Vũ

Master's Theses

View John Huân Vũ's thesis presentation at http://youtu.be/y3bzNmkTr-c.

In 2001, the ACM and IEEE Computing Curriculum stated that it was necessary to address "the need to develop implementation models that are international in scope and could be practiced in universities around the world." With increasing connectivity through the internet, the move towards a global economy and growing use of technology places software internationalization as a more important concern for developers. However, there has been a "clear shortage in terms of numbers of trained persons applying for entry-level positions" in this area. Eric Brechner, Director of Microsoft Development Training, suggested …

St. Jude Medical: St Monitoring, Anna Marie Kinney

Master's Theses

Myocardial infarction is the leading cause of death in the western world. Time is critical when treating patients with myocardial infarction. The major problem is that many patients who are symptomatic wait too long before seeking medical attention, and some patients have no symptoms at all. In order to improve patient outcome there needs to be a better way to diagnose myocardial infarction. One solution is the continuous monitoring of the ST-Segment of the intrinsic ventricular beat morphology, called the QRS complex. There have been many studies that show that there are detectable shifts of the ST-Segment during coronary occlusion. …

Autonomous Satellite Operations For Cubesat Satellites, Jason Lionel Anderson

Master's Theses

In the world of educational satellites, student teams manually conduct operations daily, sending commands and collecting downlinked data. Educational satellites typically travel in a Low Earth Orbit allowing line of sight communication for approximately thirty minutes each day. This is manageable for student teams as the required manpower is minimal. The international Global Educational Network for Satellite Operations (GENSO), however, promises satellite contact upwards of sixteen hours per day by connecting earth stations all over the world through the Internet. This dramatic increase in satellite communication time is unreasonable for student teams to conduct manual operations and alternatives must be …

St Monitoring On The Programmer For Implantable Cardioverter Devices, Sarina Satya

Master's Theses

Cardiovascular disease is one of the most prevalent causes of death which has a high mortality rate. If identified early and treated appropriately, the mortality in patients with cardiovascular disease can be hugely reduced. For several decades, 12-Lead ECG has been the standard technique used to identify ischemia, and recent studies have shown that intracardiac electrogram has many benefits over external monitoring such as holter. ST Monitoring feature has been added to St. Jude Medical intracardiac cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) to leverage the ECG technology for identifying cardiovascular disease. This algorithm monitors the intracardiac electrogram to detect and report patterns which …

Performance Of A Stormwater Filter And Bacteria Inactivation Using Biocidal Media, Alexander Scott Bowerman

Master's Theses

There are many possible ways to mitigate stormwater pollution, but this study focused on the DrainPacTM catchment basin insert and the feasibility of integrating N-halamine biocidal brominated beads into the filter system. This study was divided into three sections. The first section involved testing a DrainPacTM filter for treatable flow rates, head loss, and removal of solids, oil, and bacteria. The DrainPacTM filter is designed to be installed in a stormwater catch basin. The filter is composed of a 12 x 41 inch metal frame with textile filter media attached to it in a basket shape. The upper portion of …

Developing A Source Water Protection Plan For Boron In The San Luis Obispo County Water Supply, Jenny Macartney

Master's Theses

The goal of this project is to design a feasible way to develop a protection plan for boron in the surface waters and groundwater of San Luis Obispo County. Boron is a micronutrient needed by all plants and animals but the threshold for toxicity in plants is narrow. As the need for water increases and the production of wastewater and irrigation water infiltrates the soil and waters of the County, an understanding of background soil and water concentrations, as well as anthropogenically produced sources of boron must be quantified and mapped so that intelligent planning decisions can be made.

Many …

Time-Temperature Curing Relationship Of An Adhesive Binder With Rice Straw, Kevin Ka-Wan Ng

Master's Theses

Rice straw is a global and proliferate agricultural waste whose production grossly outstrips viable uses. Current disposal methods are not sustainable, and more convenient methods – such as incineration – exude poor environmental stewardship. Although the direct use of straw bales in building construction presents a practical and sustainable alternative, engineering challenges associated with using it prevent its wide adoption. The Stak Block – a composite formed from compressed rice straw and a heat-cured adhesive – may overcome challenges associated with straw bale building. However, the times and temperatures needed to cure the binder with straw are not well understood. …

An Investigation Of Humeral Stress Fractures In Racing Thoroughbreds Using A 3d Finite Element Model In Conjunction With A Bone Remodeling Algorithm, Ryan James Moore

Master's Theses

The humerus of a racing horse Thoroughbred is highly susceptible to stress fractures at a characteristic location as a result of cyclic loading. The propensity of a Thoroughbred to exhibit humeral fracture has made equines useful models in the epidemiology of stress fractures. In this study, a racing Thoroughbred humerus was simulated during training using a 3D finite element model in conjunction with a bone remodeling algorithm. Nine muscle forces and two contact forces were applied to the 3-dimensional finite element model, which contains four separate load cases representing fore-stance, mid-stance, aft-stance, and standing. Four different training programs were incorporated …

Autumn Garden, Les Brady

Master's Theses

Autumn Garden is a novel using a semi-omniscient third-person narrator who conveys the perspectives of ten-year-old Nick Lucera, his mother, Mary, and father, Tony. The story challenges conventional beliefs of mortality as Nick confronts the greatest loss of his young life, his mother's impending death. The novel is set in 1970's coastal California.

Two characters influence how Nick processes events in his life: seventeen-year-old neighbor, Brian, an evangelical Christian, and Sal Amato, an acquaintance of Nick's parents, whose insights range from the curious to the fantastic. Brian's friendship is a refuge for Nick, who suffers regularly from the bullying inflicted …

Aircraft Deconfliction Responsibility Across En Route Sectors In Nextgen Separation Assurance, Christopher Donald Douglas Cabrall

Master's Theses

The subject of the current research is a Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) concept that involves automated separation assurance developed to enable controllers to provide both safe and efficient air traffic services at much higher traffic densities than possible today. The study investigated the issue of how responsibility should be handled between controllers for the resolution of a conflict that is predicted to occur in a sector other than where it was detected. Two possibilities, a De-Conflicting AirPlanes procedure (DCAP) versus a De-Conflicting AirSpace procedure (DCAS), were examined under human-in-the-loop simulations with scripted aircraft conflicts. Results showed that the …

Stretched Too Thin: Low-Income Mothers' Work-Family Conflict And Preschoolers' Socioemotional Adjustment, Kelly Haas

Master's Theses

The purpose of the current study was to further our understanding of the association between low-income mothers' work-family conflict and their children's socioemotional adjustment, with a particular focus on externalizing and internalizing symptoms. To do so, the present study tested the mediating roles of mothers' psychological distress and positive parenting practices in the relation between work-family conflict and children's adjustment over time. Contrary to hypotheses, the linkage between low-income mothers' experience of conflict between their work and family roles and preschoolers' adjustment was not explained by mothers' symptoms of psychological distress or their use of positive parenting practices. Similarly, the …

El Veneno Y Los Remedios: Vida Y Muerte En La Narrativa De Mayra Montero, Jesus Castro Gorfti

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the important role that certain elements--namely poison and natural remedies--play in the narrative of Mayra Montero. Poison and natural remedies are an intrinsic part of the Voodoo and Santeria religions, which are the framework for her novels. Within these religions poison serves a dual purpose. Montero's characters employ poison not only for personal gain--and in their struggle against the establishment--but also for more beneficial means, for instance as a way of obtaining food. Natural remedies are part of the magical-medicinal nature of these religions. They maintain the physical and spiritual well-being of …

Why Does This Always Happen To Us? An Examination Of Co-Rumination In The Same Sex Friendships Of Emerging Adults, Teresa Michelle Preddy

Master's Theses

Co-rumination, which has been defined as a passive, repetitive form of problem discussion, has been linked to both benefits in terms of positive friendship quality and maladaptive outcomes such as internalizing distress. This study explored the trade-offs associated with co-rumination in emerging adult same-sex friendships both concurrently and longitudinally through the use of self-report questionnaires. Co-rumination was associated with concurrent positive friendship quality. Additionally, co-rumination partially mediated the link between gender and positive friendship quality, and was a marginal predictor of increases in positive friendship quality over time. Although co-rumination was associated with depression, co-rumination did not predict depressive symptoms …

Athletic Trainers' Comfort And Competence In Addressing Psychological Issues Of Athletes, Gina Marie Biviano

Master's Theses

The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine the frequency with which athletic trainers address certain psychological issues related to injury and non-injury-related psychological issues with their student-athletes, their comfort and competence level with these discussions, and referral patterns to other mental health professionals. An electronic survey was adapted from Mann, Grana, Indelicato, O'Neill, and George (2007) and administered through www.surveymonkey.com ®. A random sample of 1,000 athletic trainers (ATs) who were members of the NATA were invited to participate, which yielded a response rate of 31.1%. More than half (n=170, 55.7%) of all subjects had completed 1-2 psychology …

An Investigation Of Co-Rumination On Stress Levels And Mood, Anthony Thomas Holguin

Master's Theses

A recently defined type of social support known as co-rumination, the process of sharing negative thoughts, feelings, or ideas with a supporter that triggers the supporter to share similar thoughts and feelings of negativity, is believed to generate both a sense of bonding and an exacerbated stress response. The present study examined the impact of co-rumination on stress levels and mood states in men and women. Participants were assigned to one of three conditions (a control condition, a stress condition without a co-ruminator, or a stress condition with a co-ruminator), which depended on both the timeslot for which a participant …

A Qualitative Study Of The Motivations Of Runners In A Cause-Based Marathon-Training Program, Karin Ann Jeffery

Master's Theses

In the late 1980s, the nonprofit sector within the United States introduced a new philanthropic paradigm, the cause-based fundraising endurance-training program. Participants in such programs raise funds for a charitable cause and, in return, are coached to complete a marathon or other endurance event.

Cause-based training programs frequently use recruitment messages implying that the cause provides a guaranteed motivation to exercise. However, little research has examined this assumption. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to qualitatively research the motivations of runners in a charitable cause-based marathon-training program, particularly the relationship between the cause and the participants' motivations to train …

Phenomenological Examination Of Depression In Female Collegiate Athletes, Alyson Jones

Master's Theses

Collegiate athletes may be at an increased risk of depression due to the pressure and stress they face. This risk is of great concern because their health, safety, and sport performance may all be affected. In addition, collegiate athletes are more likely to turn to maladaptive coping behaviors and less likely to seek help for mental health struggles than other populations. It has been suggested that a greater understanding of personal experiences would be helpful in increasing awareness and improving treatment. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to explore the lived experience of depression in female collegiate athletes. …

Health Information Version 2.0: Female Students In Cyberspace, Sonia Easaw

Master's Theses

The arrival of the Internet, one of the greatest mass media vehicles of our time, has presented a wide platform for the dissemination of health information to the American public. A majority of adults in the United States search online for information about various health and medical topics, yet a particular portion of the general public, namely college students, searches for health information online at a higher rate than the general population. Female college students especially have cause to seek information about particular women's health matters that are relevant to their age group.

This study reveals new details about the …

Does Nighttime Television Influence Attitudes Toward Drinking?, Mike Mchone

Master's Theses

Alcoholism is a problem in the United States. Television portrays individuals drinking alcohol. Is television influencing attitudes toward drinking? An experiment was performed with students from San Josè State University in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications to discover if television would indeed influence them to drink.

Two groups, both Mass Communication classes, participated in an initial survey, and then the test group class viewed a dramatized program in which the main character was depicted drinking glamorously. Both classes then took the same survey again. Results were analyzed via a t-test. Although there was a change in attitude regarding …

A Framing Study Of Media Coverage On Climate Change From 1989 To 2009, Marie Mccann

Master's Theses

This thesis examined how climate change has been framed in four major news magazines--Maclean's, Newsweek, The Economist, and U.S. News and World Report--over the past 20 years. We looked at a number of framing elements, including primary frames, depth of coverage, framing the science, sources of information, section placement, and verbiage. A content analysis of 476 articles was performed. Articles included in the sample appeared in one of the four news magazines during the years 1989, 1993, 1997, 2001, 2005, and 2009 and included at least one sentence devoted to climate change. We found that the most predominant …