Digital Commons Network^™

Mobility For Whom? Local Mobility Structures And The Stratified Impact On Earnings And Poverty, D. Matthew Ray

Master's Theses

A dynamic class structure that fosters social mobility is the foundation of the American Dream, and is believed to be beneficial to all society. But are the benefits of mobility evenly distributed? Although the importance of mobility to the surrounding community is an intuitive idea, it has been difficult to test empirically with data until recently. Drawing from innovative mobility data provided by Chetty et al. (2014a) for Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), I study the social consequences of intergenerational income mobility occurring across the local class structure. I use ordinary least squares (OLS) regression to investigate the impact of local …

"Casting Aside That Ficticious Self.": Deciphering Female Identity In The Awakening 2015, Anne L. Dicosimo

Master's Theses

Kate Chopin’s female protagonists have long since fascinated literary critics, raising serious questions concerning the influence of nineteenth-century female gender roles in her writing. Published in 1899, The Awakening demonstrates the changeability of the various representations of woman. In the nineteenth century, the subject of women may be divided into two categories: the True Woman and the New Woman. The former were expected to “cherish and maintain the four cardinal virtues of piety, purity, submissiveness and domesticity” (Khoshnood et al.), while the latter sought to move away from hearth and home in order to focus on education, professions, and political …

Daisy And Frederick: An Exploration Of Innocence And Its Consequences In Henry James' Daisy Miller: A Study 2015, Mark Andrew Meyer Ii

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

"Carried Away": Love, Bly, And Secrecy In Henry James' The Turn Of The Screw 2015, Natalie G. El-Eid

Master's Theses

The function of the prologue in Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw is decidedly ambiguous, as the characters in the prologue, much like the uncle of the main text, are seemingly never seen again. For this reason, the purpose of this prologue is much debated.1 As Rolf Lundén states in his article “‘Not in any literal, vulgar way’: The Encoded Love Story of Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw,” “The openness of Henry James' The Turn of the Screw has invited more analytical attempts, and more critical controversy, than most literary texts” (30). Lundén summarizes four schools of …

Lyme Disease Ecology In San Luis Obispo County: The Role Of The Western Gray Squirrel, Ryan William Baker-Branstetter

Master's Theses

Despite the fact that eight cases of Lyme disease were diagnosed in San Luis Obispo County between 2005-2013, the identity of wildlife hosts serving as sources for tick infection in this region remained unidentified. The primary cause of Lyme disease in the U.S. is the spirochetal bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, and this agent had not been previously isolated from the region. Borrelia bissettii, a related species that has not been implicated as a common causative agent of Lyme disease, was isolated in small rodents inhabiting coastal scrub and chaparral habitats in a previous San Luis Obispo County study. However, …

Efficacy Of Plant-Derived Antimicrobials In Reducing Foodborne Pathogens In Agricultural Soil And Their Effect On Soil Nutrients And Microbiome, Samantha M. Fancher

Master's Theses

Bacterial pathogens, such as Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, can contaminate agricultural soil thereby increasing the risk of produce-associated foodborne outbreaks. In this study three plant-derived antimicrobials (PDAs), carvacrol (CR), thymol (TY), and β-resorcylic acid (BR) were analyzed for their efficacy in reducing Salmonella and L. monocytogenes in agricultural soil. The effect of the PDAs on the soil pH, nutrients, and microbiome was also determined.

Sandy loam soil was inoculated with either Salmonella or L. monocytogenes followed by the addition of 0.25 or 0.5% CR, TY, and BR. The treated samples were analyzed up to 21 days for surviving pathogens. …

An Analysis Of State Policies On The Environmental Impacts Of State Surface Transportation: Considering Land Development Patterns, Ryan T. O'Hara Mr.

Master's Theses

We have identified a need to explore the root causes of the environmental impacts of transportation and land use policy. This research uses transportation policy metrics and travel and economic characteristics to find key policies that will reduce the environmental impacts of state transportation systems.

The Influence Of Organizational Personality And Social Identity Consciousness On Organizational Attraction: A Humanness Perspective, Xiaoyuan (Susan) Zhu

Master's Theses

Organizational affiliations serve a social identity function for employees because others will typically infer information about them based on their place of employment. To the extent that job seekers are concerned about these inferences, they will attempt to maintain a positive social identity by joining organizations they believe are viewed as favorable by the public. Research has examined whether social identity needs interact with organizational personality perceptions (i.e., a type of symbolic inferences) but with some inconsistent findings. I argue that the existing organizational personality taxonomy may suffer from bandwidth correspondence issues that may be attenuating large interaction effects. In …

"Fire And Water Imagery" In Jane Eyre 2015, Shannon O'Loughlin

Master's Theses

Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre is a study in contrasts. Critics have argued the implausibility of the novel, that an orphaned governess who marries her dashing employer is too far-fetched to be believed. However, a proper understanding of Jane Eyre must be based not on a sequence of events, but on the thematic form of the novel in which the signifiers relate to each other and shift throughout. Ferdinand de Saussure explains in his "Course in General Linguistics," that the mental concept one has of a word is its "signifier" (62). Charlotte Bronte relies not simply upon a sequence of events …

The Beast Inside: Trauma Theory And William Golding's Lord Of The Flies 2015, Emily Paccia

Master's Theses

Following World War II and the horrible devastation in Europe, especially in London, Britain began to rebuild. The country was attempting to come back from war, and the culture reflected a bleak, disheartening feeling. Literature written during this time period, which so often reflects the culture directly, showed that very same bleakness. British novelist, and one who lived through that time, William Golding, writing in the 1960's, recreated the dystopia brought into European countries from living through the destruction of the war. Creating a vision of the future -- one of dysfunction and chaos -- Golding’s characters from Lord of …

Quantification Of Blood Flow Velocity Using Color Sensing, Aditya Deepak Sanghani

Master's Theses

Blood flow velocity is an important parameter that can give information on several pathologies including atherosclerosis, glaucoma, Raynaud’s phenomenon, and ischemic stroke [2,5,6,10]. Present techniques of measuring blood flow velocity involve expensive procedures such as Doppler echocardiography, Doppler ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging [11,12]. They cost from $8500-$20000. It is desired to find a low-cost yet equally effective solution for measuring blood flow velocity. This thesis has a goal of creating a proof of concept device for measuring blood flow velocity.

Finger blood flow velocity is investigated in this project. The close proximity to the skin of the finger’s arteries …

The Effects Of Gender, Physical Attractiveness, And Socioeconomic Status On Initial Attraction, Sherrie Jagolino

Master's Theses

The tradeoff threshold model posits that in a heterosexual relationship, high socioeconomic status (SES) can compensate for physical unattractiveness in men, whereas physical attractiveness can compensate for low SES in women. In the present study, we attempted to provide evidence for the tradeoff threshold model. Ninety-six heterosexual participants viewed eight high and low attractive male or female stimuli photographs each attached with high or low SES descriptions. Average physical attractiveness ratings were analyzed in a 2 (physical attractiveness: high and low) x 2 (SES: high and low) repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) for each gender. Women rated low SES …

Commitment And Employee Development: Comparing Generations X And Y, Adam Mahoney

Master's Theses

This study compared the relationship between organizational commitment (OC) and employee development between Generation X and Generation Y employees. More specifically, this study addressed affective organizational commitment, continuance organizational commitment, and normative organizational commitment. Substantial research has indicated that Generation Y employees are generally less affectively committed to their employers than previous generations. Research has shown that employee professional development increases overall job satisfaction and reduces turnover. It was hypothesized that Generation Y employees would generally show lower levels of each OC component than more senior, Generation X, employees. It was also hypothesized that the difference in OC between Generation …

Frequency Of Counseling Sessions And Weight Loss Maintenance In A Commercial Lifestyle-Based Weight Management Program, Ashlee K. Jenson Gossard

Master's Theses

Widespread overweight and obesity persist in the United States, and while many effective methods of weight loss have been developed, long-term weight loss maintenance (WLM) remains a challenge. Evidence strongly indicates that ongoing personalized support can effectively promote sustained WLM; however, the optimal frequency of supportive contact has yet to be investigated. This study retrospectively analyzed clinical records from a commercial lifestyle-based weight management program offering personalized WLM counseling. The unique element of this program was participants’ ability to select how often to contact their WLM counselor. Following weight loss, participants enrolled in the program's 12-month weight maintenance phase. The …

Holy Warriors And Bellicose Bishops: The Church And Warfare In Early Medieval Germany, Nicholas Edward Friend

Master's Theses

The Frankish kingdoms of the early Middle Ages were the inheritors of both Germanic warrior culture and the Christian institutions of the late Roman Empire. Under Charlemagne, the Franks conquered most of Western Europe by the early ninth century and established a new empire of their own. To do so, they had to reconcile the Christian doctrine of peace with the necessity of killing the enemy during war. This was especially challenging for the highest ranks of the clergy. Though forbidden by canon law to commit violence, bishops and abbots were responsible for defending the property and people in their …

The Moderating Effect Of Supervisory Social Support On The Relationship Between Second Generation Latinos’ And Asians’ Assimilation Level And Work-Family Conflict, Yazmin Perez-Lopez

Master's Theses

The majority of the empirical work regarding work-family conflict (WFC) has been focused on the experiences of White, middle class, Anglo-Americans. The labor force, however, is experiencing major demographic changes as increasing numbers of U.S.-born Latinos and Asians become employees. Although second generation Latinos and Asians play a major role in the U.S. economy and workplace, their experiences as employees have seldom been examined. Because they are exposed to collectivistic and individualistic values simultaneously, their assimilation levels, or identification with the U.S. culture, could be a unique predictor of a type of WFC: work-interference with family (WIF) or family interference …

A Test Of Educational Methods To Reduce Boating Disturbance To Harbor Seals, Rachel Nicole Solvason

Master's Theses

Environmental education can affect attitudes and behaviors, but determining the most effective methods for protecting wildlife requires research. This study examined the effect of two modes of environmental education, one passive and one active, on the behaviors of boaters toward harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) at Corkscrew Slough in Redwood City, California, an area where harbor seals haul out and pup. Thirty-one boaters viewed an interpretive sign (passive environmental mode) and 30 experienced a docent talk (active) both designed to educate boaters on protecting harbor seals; 31 boaters received no environmental information (the control), therefore were not exposed to the interpretive …

An Examination Of Authentic Leadership, Perceived Similarity, And Leader-Member Exchange As Moderators Of The Relationship Between Leader And Follower Resilience, Joseph Edward Smith

Master's Theses

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between resilience and authentic leadership as well the potential spillover of a leader’s resilience onto his or her followers. In addition to the direct effects of a leader’s resilience on followers, potential moderators were also explored, including authentic leadership, relational demography, and leader-member exchange. Responses to an online survey from a total of 145 part- and full-time employees were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression. Results indicated that there was a strong direct relationship between a leader’ resilience and his or her authentic leadership, however there was no direct relationship …

Personality Traits And Deception Detection Ability Among College Students With Primary Psychopathic Traits, Megan Malmstrom

Master's Theses

Because psychopaths are exceptionally good at deceiving others, researchers have proposed that this population of individuals may be more likely than the average person to detect deception. However, previous research has provided mixed results on the ability of individuals with psychopathic traits to detect deception at a greater level than chance. The inconclusive results on this topic have warranted future research on examining sex differences and personality traits that are attributed to individuals with psychopathy that may aid their ability to detect deception at a higher level than others. The current study tested 133 San Jose State University undergraduates by …

Resolving The Timing Of Late Pleistocene Dome Emplacement At Mono Craters, California, From U–Th And Ar/Ar Dating, Mae Marcaida

Master's Theses

The Mono Craters chain in eastern California is one of the youngest sites of rhyolitic volcanism in North America and comprises at least 28 overlapping lava domes, flows, and tephra rings of mostly Holocene age. New U-series and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronological data presented here extend the age of the Mono Craters into the Late Pleistocene. Ion microprobe ²³⁸U–²³⁰Th isochron dating of unpolished rims of allanite and zircon and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar laser fusion and step-heating dating of sanidine from the porphyritic biotite-bearing dome lavas of the Mono Craters yield Late Pleistocene ages, but the …

The Psychological Effects Of Racial Discrimination And Internalized Mental Illness Stigma On A Community Sample Of Blacks And Latinos, Andrea E. Depetris

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Spatial And Temporal Measures Of Mismatch Between Transit Supply And Employment For Low Income And Auto Dependent Populations, Sina Kahrobaei

Master's Theses

Spatial mismatch is a mismatch between where low-income households reside and where jobs are located. Since its emergence in the 60s, the implication of the term has been expanded and currently includes any mismatch between employment demands of low incomes and job supply. A sizeable literature has emphasized the role of public transportation to alleviate spatial mismatch problem. Better transit service can properly match low incomes to work so narrow such gap. The objective of this study is to research the levels that transit supply meets the spatial and temporal employment demands of worker population in general and the Low …

Interaction Between Au25 Monolayer Protected Clusters With Lipid Nanodiscs, Yue Bao

Master's Theses

In spite of considerable achievements in the field of cancer research over the past years, the early detection and treatment of cancer is still desirable. Advanced biodiagnostic nanotechnology has been developed rapidly recently, nevertheless there remains great room for improvement through a better design of nanoparticles (NPs). Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been actively studied in biomedical applications for their advantages of low toxicity, high contrast in imaging, and capability of absorbing the infrared which has high penetration to tissues. However, several challenges need to be addressed including enhancement of the signal and maximization of the infrared absorption. Bicelles are model …

L’Indien Entre Histoire Et Fiction : Etude Comparative Du Dernier Des Mohicans (The Last Of The Mohicans) De James Fenimore Cooper (1826) Et De Dans Le Grand Cercle Du Monde (The Orenda) De Joseph Boyden (2013), Justine Anna Loubere Mrs

Master's Theses

The Indian Between History and Fiction.

This thesis represents a comparative study between two works of fiction, The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper (1826) and The Orenda by Joseph Boyden (2013) and questions their use of history in the literary representation of the Indian.

The two stories take place during the 7-year war between the Hurons, allies of the French and the Iroquois, allies of the English. Both authors place the Indian world in the center of their novels, thus responding to a western fascination for the American-Indian.

The Last of the Mohicans, despite its historical accents, …

Morphological Response In Sister Taxa Of Woodrats (Genus: Neotoma) Across A Zone Of Secondary Contact, Michaela M. Koenig

Master's Theses

This study focuses on a secondary contact zone between two sister species of woodrat, Neotoma fuscipes (dusky-footed woodrat) and N. macrotis (big-eared woodrat). Along the Nacimiento River, on the border of southern Monterey and northern San Luis Obispo counties, the ranges of these sister species of woodrats meet and overlap forming a secondary contact zone. The zone of secondary contact is estimated to include a 500-meter (~1,650 linear feet) portion of the Nacimiento River riparian corridor.

This research examines quantifiable morphological change that is likely associated with heightened inter-specific competition within the contact zone. When in sympatry the sister species …

Modeling And Test Of The Efficiency Of Electronic Speed Controllers For Brushless Dc Motors, Clayton R. Green

Master's Theses

Small electric uninhabited aerial vehicles (UAV) represent a rapidly expanding market requiring optimization in both efficiency and weight; efficiency is critical during cruise or loiter where the vehicle operates at part power for up to 99% of the mission time. Of the four components (battery, motor, propeller, and electronic speed controller (ESC)) of the electric propulsion system used in small UAVs, the ESC has no accepted performance model and almost no published performance data. To collect performance data, instrumentation was developed to measure electrical power in and out of the ESC using the two wattmeter method and current sense resistors; …

The Effects Of Massage On Perceived Physical Soreness, Pain And Markers Of Inflammation Following High Intensity Unaccustomed Exercise, Courtney Lynn Crow

Master's Theses

Massage is often recommended to athletes to facilitate recovery and attenuate DOMS. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of massage on perceived muscle soreness and pain, inflammatory and immune markers, ROM, and mood state. Fourteen, recreationally active, women participated in a randomized crossover design study, consisting of 1) 60 min. full body massage following unaccustomed exercise and 2) 60 min. of rest. following unaccustomed exercise. Perceived muscle soreness and pain, active range of motion (ROM), mood state, along with blood concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), creatine kinase (CK), and neutrophil count (NC), was assessed …

A Hybrid Approach To General Information Extraction, Marie Belen Grap

Master's Theses

Information Extraction (IE) is the process of analyzing documents and identifying desired pieces of information within them. Many IE systems have been developed over the last couple of decades, but there is still room for improvement as IE remains an open problem for researchers. This work discusses the development of a hybrid IE system that attempts to combine the strengths of rule-based and statistical IE systems while avoiding their unique pitfalls in order to achieve high performance for any type of information on any type of document. Test results show that this system operates competitively in cases where target information …

The Ble Cloaker: Securing Implantable Medical Device Communication Over Bluetooth Low Energy Links, Taylor Anthony Nesheim

Master's Theses

Historically Implantable Medical Devices (IMDs) such as pacemakers have only been able to communicate to external devices through close proximity means of communication, primarily through inductive telemetry. Because of the unlikelihood of an adversary being able to gain access to an IMD through this type of communication, these devices were never designed with security in mind. However the recent advent of IMDs that are equipped with long-range wireless capabilities has made it necessary to consider how to secure these devices from malicious attacks.

This work presents an implementation of prior work that developed a theoretical security model whose specific intent …

Investigating The Correlation Between Freeway Service Levels And Freeway Service Patrol Assists, Nora Chin

Master's Theses

The Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s (MTC) Freeway Service Patrol’s highway motorist response service is reporting a reduction in their service levels. We analyze the relationship between the reduction in the Bay Area Freeway Service Patrol’s (FSP) motorist assists and changes in vehicle miles traveled (VMT), California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported incidents, and cover research on the impact of new and old vehicle fleet turnover. VMT and CHP incidents have differential effects on FSP assists. Although incidents occurring on freeways with high traffic flows tend to cause more congestion, the trend in local VMT along Bay Area freeway corridors does …