Digital Commons Network^™

Avoiding Confirmation Bias Through Awareness And Training, Jon Stacy Byrd

Master's Theses

In any profession where conclusions or opinions are generated by humans, there is a realization of possible error. In the profession of forensic science, errors are not taken lightly. In fact most agencies have been known to have had a no tolerance policy when it comes to errors. This means that if an analyst made a mistake in casework, he or she could be terminated. Over the past 15 years, the words "error" and "bias" have become synonymous with forensic science in the media. Major errors have surfaced in several high profile cases only to cast doubt on the forensic …

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 …

Development Of A Novel Plasmid-Based Gene Integration System For Lactobacillus Reuteri For The Persistent Treatment Of Celiac Disease, Jeremy Keith Labarge

Master's Theses

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder that affects approximately 1% of the population [55]. CD is characterized by intestinal villus atrophy after consumption of gluten from wheat, barley, or rye. Patients with CD often experience abdominal pain, diarrhea, malnutrition, fatigue, and a failure to thrive. There is currently no treatment for CD. Patients must live on a strict lifelong exclusion of dietary gluten. Due to the high content of gluten in western diets and poor labeling of gluten content, adherence to a gluten free diet (GFD) is difficult [15].Nearly all the enzymes that can digest the gluten peptide are …

Variation In Social Behavior Throughout The Estrous Cycle Of A Captive Killer Whale Orcinus Orca, Kristina Marie Horback

Master's Theses

The study of cetaceans in captivity provides information on behavior, acoustics, reproduction and physiology that is often difficult to obtain with free-ranging populations. The present study examined the influence of the estrous cycle of a captive female killer whale on the rate, duration, initiation and reception of social behavior she performed with her only pool mate, a male Atlantic bottlenose dolphin. Although these two delphinid species do not commonly associate in the wild, these pool mates often engaged in affiliative tactile and social behaviors. The objectives of this project were to: (a) examine the influence of cycli~ gonadal steroid hormones …

A Parameterization Study Of Short Read Assembly Using The Velvet Assembler, Alex Christopher Elliot

Master's Theses

In this study, we examine approaches to the problem of assembling large, contiguous sections of genetic code from short reads generated from laboratory techniques. We explore the Eulerian Path approach in detail, utilizing a de Bruijn Graph, and demonstrate current software technologies and algorithms using a sample genome. We investigate the input parameters of Velvet and discuss choice implications in the context of the E. coli putA/b1014 gene.

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 …

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 …

Modeling The Long Term Effects Of Alendronate On Bone Mass Preservation Of The Femur With Articular Surface And Total Hip Replacements, Trevor J. Hryce

Master's Theses

Calculating femoral bone density changes after hip arthroplasty is of interest to researchers and clinicians for predicting the longevity of the prosthetic implant and the surrounding bone. Recently clinicians have been administering bisphosphonate drugs in an attempt to reduce the bone resorption due to stress shielding caused by these implants. Current strain-adaptive computational models with bisphosphonate treatment don’t predict the long term effects or look at treatment with hip resurfacing implants. The main goal of this study was to create and validate a computer model of the human femur incorporating a bone remodeling algorithm based on biological remodeling processes and …

Finite Element Analysis And Modeling Of A .38 Lead Round Nose Ballistic Gelatin Test, Danielle Datoc

Master's Theses

Firearms are present in two-thirds of United States households. As of 2003, roughly 500,000 projectile wounds occur annually in the United States. This costs an estimated 2.3 billion dollars of medical spending. The best treatment of gunshot wounds relies heavily on experience, but even with experience the unpredictable nature of ballistics can make treatment difficult.

Wound ballistics studies the injury pattern of a particular bullet. Ballistic gelatin tests are used to analyze this pattern. A block of 10 or 20% ballistic gelatin is set and a bullet is fired through the block. Key characteristics of the wound profile seen in …

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 …

Biomechanical Comparison Of Wire Circlage And Rigid Plate Fixation For Median Sternotomy Closure In Human Cadaver Specimens, Mark Steven Wong

Master's Theses

Background:

Over 700,000 patients per year undergo open-heart surgery. Healing complication rates can be up to 5% of patients who undergo this procedure, with a morbidity rate of 50% if mediastinitis supervenes. A secure and rigid fixation of surgically divided sternum is critical to avoid healing complications. The purpose of this study was to compare the yield load, construct stiffness, ultimate load, displacement at ultimate load, and post-yield behavior of three sternotomy closure methods (Peristernal wires or Sternalock titanium plates) when stressed in each of three directions: lateral distraction, rostro-caudal (longitudinal) shear distraction, and anterior-posterior (transverse) shear in a cadaveric …

Exploring The Relationship Of The Closeness Of A Genetic Algorithm's Chromosome Encoding To Its Problem Space, Kevin Mccullough

Master's Theses

For historical reasons, implementers of genetic algorithms often use a haploid binary primitive type for chromosome encoding. I will demonstrate that one can reduce development effort and achieve higher fitness by designing a genetic algorithm with an encoding scheme that closely matches the problem space. I will show that implicit parallelism does not result in binary encoded chromosomes obtaining higher fitness scores than other encodings. I will also show that Hamming distances should be understood as part of the relationship between the closeness of an encoding to the problem instead of assuming they should always be held constant. Closeness to …

Temperature Affects Adhesion Of The Acorn Barnacle (Balanus Amphitrite), Laurel A. Johnston

Master's Theses

Biofouling is the accumulation of sessile marine organisms, such as algae, tube worms and barnacles on man-made substrata and has negative economic and ecological implications. Ship hulls are readily fouled, which significantly increases drag while decreasing ship fuel efficiency when moving through water. Fouled hulls have also become important vectors of invasive species. These problems are minimized when hulls are painted with a toxic anti-fouling or non-toxic foul-release coating. Due to recent restrictions of anti-fouling paint use, research and development of non-toxic alternatives has increased.

Novel hull coating efficiency is often quantified by the critical removal stress value of barnacles …

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 …

The Presence Of Micropterus Salmoides (Largemouth Bass) Influences The Populations Of Rana Draytonii (California Red-Legged Frog) And Pseudacris Regilla (Pacific Treefrog) In Two Ponds In Santa Barbara County, California, Kenneth Lee Gilliland

Master's Theses

Alien fish have been implicated in the decline of Rana draytonii (California red-legged frog) and Pseudacris regilla (Pacific treefrog) populations. Micropterus salmoides (largemouth bass) is a common sport fish that has been introduced into the sympatric range of these two anuran species; however, no studies have investigated the individual influence that this alien fish has on these two species. I conducted M. salmoides control or eradication experiments during a four year study in two ponds within the Transverse Mountain Range of Santa Barbara County, California. Changes in the densities of all life stages of R. draytonii and P. regilla were …

Studies On Real-Valued Negative Selection Algorithms For Self-Nonself Discrimination, Shane E. Dixon

Master's Theses

The artificial immune system (AIS) is an emerging research field of computational intelligence that is inspired by the principle of biological immune systems. With the adaptive learning ability and a self-organization and robustness nature, the immunology based AIS algorithms have successfully been applied to solve many engineering problems in recent years, such as computer network security analysis, fault detection, and data mining.

The real-valued negative selection algorithm (RNSA) is a computational model of the self/non-self discrimination process performed by the T-cells in natural immune systems. In this research, three different real-valued negative selection algorithms (i.e., the detectors with fixed radius, …

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 …

Acoustic Intensity Measurement System: Application In Localized Drug Delivery, Natalie Phipps

Master's Theses

Ultrasound is used for many applications in diagnostics and therapy. New developments are being made specifically for the use of therapeutic ultrasound for enhancement of localized drug delivery. The long term goal of this study is to find ultrasound pulsing sequences that will allow for controlled mass diffusion from hydrogel drug reservoirs. Developing this new method requires the calibration and characterization of therapy transducers using power and acoustic intensity measurements. Mechanical index, spatial peak pulse average intensity, and spatial temporal pulse average intensity calculations were made using hydrophone measurements set-up in a tank measurement system. These were compared to safety …

Queering Hegemonies Of Gender And Cultural Identity Through A Critical Adaptation Of Maxine Hong Kingston's Novel The Woman Warrior, Julia Valentina Salvador

Master's Theses

This thesis explores hegemonic discourses associated with the constructs of gender, culture, and transglobal migration from China to the United States and how these discourses might be made visible, resisted, internalized, reappropriated, and queered through live performance. This thesis used the methodology of critical adaptation and adapted Maxine Hong Kingston's novel The Woman Warrior (1976) into a one-woman performance that explored hegemonic social structures of gender, culture, and transglobal migration and the ways in which identity is constructed and performed. Through a critical adaptation and performance of literature, this thesis reflects, expands, and raises some of the nuanced issues of …

Learning Financial Literacy In The Family, Maria Paula Calamato

Master's Theses

This thesis examines the relationship between parental involvement and student level of financial literacy. Past studies have established that children's financial behavior and attitudes are shaped by their parents who pass on norms and social values to them. Using a convenience sample of 108 undergraduate students at a local state university, the present research tested whether children who had higher levels of financial literacy had parents who had taught them financial knowledge. The results of the test show that students' level of financial literacy is not significantly related to parental involvement.

In Search Of The Creative Scientific Personality, Maya Grosul

Master's Theses

This study investigates whether personality is a valid predictor of creativity in science above and beyond demographic characteristics, such as career age, gender, and scientific discipline. Creativity is an act of making something new, original, and useful. Creative achievement in science is the personal ability to generate original, useful, and adaptive scientific theories, research methods, or empirical findings. Personality characteristics can operate as valid predictors of creative achievement in science. This study surveyed 145 scientists throughout the United States. Total creativity index was computed by standardizing and summing the total number of publications, total number of citations, h-index, and Soler's …

Reproductive Den Habitat Characterization Of American Badgers (Taxidea Taxus) In Central California, Katrina Louise Huck

Master's Theses

The American badger (Taxidea taxus) is a species of special concern in California, and, as such, conservation measures are necessary. The goal of this study was to identify potential reproductive den habitat characteristics in order to more accurately predict critical reproductive habitat in central California grasslands. A paired study design was used to examine differences between reproductive and non-reproductive sites, and logistical regression was used to analyze the variables and produce two predictive models, one with biotic factors and one with abiotic factors. Badgers in central Californian grasslands appear to rely on both biotic and abiotic factors when …

Women With Facial Disfigurements: Impact Of Media-Constructed Images Of Beauty, Sophia M. Papadopoulos

Master's Theses

WOMEN WITH FACIAL DISFIGUREMENTS: IMPACT OF MEDIA-CONSTRUCTED IMAGES OF BEAUTY

by Sophia M. Papadopoulos

The purpose of this study was to analyze whether women with congenital or acquired facial disfigurements were negatively influenced by the images of beauty found in television, magazines, newspapers, and advertisements and to determine how these images affected their overall perceptions of self. A qualitative study was conducted through in-depth telephone interviews with 25 women with various facial disfigurements. The study showed that, although media-constructed images of beauty did have some influence on the participants' overall perceptions of self, other factors such as the manner in …

Finding Duplication Events Using Genomevectorizer, Elena Kochetkova

Master's Theses

GenomeVectorizer is a software application designed to extend the functionality of GenomePixelizer, a genome-visualization tool that was developed for the Department of Plant Pathology at University of California, Davis, in 2002. GenomeVectorizer was written using XML, XSLT, and SVG technologies combined with JavaScript scripting to provide the level of flexibility, dynamism, and interactivity not supported by the TCL/TK written application (GenomePixelizer). This new visualization tool was tested with available data from the Arabidopsis NBS-LRR study, and its output was compared to the output of GenomePixelizer. The relationships drawn at the same identity value were identical.

GenomeVectorizer was successfully applied to …

Functionalized Silica Nanostructures For Biosensing Applications, Hector Nuno

Master's Theses

This work covers both two dimensional (2D) and three dimensional (3D) silica-based nanostructures for use in biomedical sensing applications. The first section of this study discusses the formation of 2D nanostructured surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based biosensor substrates. The surface of these biosensors was nanostructured by adding sacrificial star polymers or block copolymers to a silicate precursor solution. Subsequent vitrification resulted in two distinct morphological patterns: random and ordered porosity. Amino groups on the surface of the biosensors enabled the installation of analyte receptors and antifouling agents such as oligo (ethylene oxide).

The second section discusses the development of 3D core-shell …

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 …

Uncultivated Environmental Tm7 Model To Study Human Disease-Associated Tm7 Bacteria, David Barton

Master's Theses

The TM7 bacterial phylum has no cultivated species and includes members that span a broad range of environmental and human habitats, some of which are associated with human periodontitis. In this project, activated wastewater TM7 bacteria were analyzed and their relatedness compared to human-associated TM7 bacteria for the long-term goal of using an environmental TM7 to better understand TM7 pathogenesis in humans. DNA was extracted from activated wastewater and PCR amplified using TM7 16S rRNA gene- specific primers. The ~1,170 base pair PCR products were then cloned and sequenced. DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis identified environmental TM7 clones with high …

Phenotypical And Functional Analysis Of Peripheral T Cells In Foxn1 Transgenic Mice: Effects Of Aging, Paulette Krishack

Master's Theses

The thymus is the primary organ for the development and production of TCRαβ naive T cells. However, with increasing age thymic involution occurs, causing a decline in the output of naïve T cells. The decline in naïve T cell production results in a contraction in the peripheral naïve and expansion of the memory T cell pools. Not only are the production and compositions of peripheral T cells altered with age, T cell functions such as T cell proliferation and production of cytokines required for cell proliferation are also declined. Currently, it is not known if restoring the decline in the …