Digital Commons Network^™

An Assessment Of Indoor Infiltration Parameters For Black Carbon From Residential Wood Combustion And The Spectral Dependence Of Light Absorption For Organic Carbon, Christopher John Malejan

Master's Theses

Black carbon, a proxy for woodsmoke was measured indoors and outdoors for an occupied residence in Cambria, CA during the winter months of 2009. The purpose was to investigate the infiltration parameters: air exchange rate, deposition rate, and penetration factor. The second part of this study investigated the light absorption properties of organic carbon from residential wood combustion, the dominant fraction of woodsmoke.

To assess woodsmoke variation, a study conducted parallel to the one presented in this thesis (Ward, 2009), a grid array of personal emission monitors (PEMS) and aethalometers were placed in a small area, approximately one square kilometer, …

A Neural Network Approach To Border Gateway Protocol Peer Failure Detection And Prediction, Cory B. White

Master's Theses

The size and speed of computer networks continue to expand at a rapid pace, as do the corresponding errors, failures, and faults inherent within such extensive networks. This thesis introduces a novel approach to interface Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) computer networks with neural networks to learn the precursor connectivity patterns that emerge prior to a node failure. Details of the design and construction of a framework that utilizes neural networks to learn and monitor BGP connection states as a means of detecting and predicting BGP peer node failure are presented. Moreover, this framework is used to monitor a BGP network …

No-Till Tomato Production, Bradley L. Booker

Master's Theses

Tillage increases erosion rates and diminishes the quality of soils but has traditionally been a way to manage weeds and prepare a seedbed. No-till vegetable production can ameliorate the ill-effects of tillage in an economically effective way but has not been studied much in California. The objective of this thesis was to determine the viability of no-till vegetable cropping on the Central Coast of California. Tomatoes were grown in no-till and conventionally tilled treatments. Total yield, fruit weight, weed emergence, soil bulk density, soil aggregate stability, and soil organic carbon content were measured and compared. Yields and soil tests in …

Implementation Of Sustainable Management Practices At Two California Central Coast Vineyards And Their Effects On Soil Fertility, Dawn M. Stimson

Master's Theses

Implementation of Sustainable Management Practices at Two California Central Coast Vineyards and Their Effects on Soil Fertility

Dawn Michelle Stimson

“Sustainable agriculture” has gained increased popularity in recent years. This study was conducted to determine the effects of sustainable management practices on soil fertility at two California Central Coast vineyards. The effects of cover crops (Erosion Control Mix - blando brome [Bromus hordeaceus], hykon rose clover [Trifolium hirtum All.], and zorro annual fescue [Vulpia mourns]), green waste compost (Forest Blend), and reduced tillage on soil fertility were investigated in San Luis Obispo, California on a clay and sandy loam soil. …

Traffic Signal Control With Ant Colony Optimization, David T. Renfrew

Master's Theses

Traffic signal control is an effective way to improve the efficiency of traffic networks and reduce users’ delays. Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) is a metaheuristic based on the behavior of ant colonies searching for food. ACO has successfully been used to solve many NP-hard combinatorial optimization problems and its stochastic and decentralized nature fits well with traffic flow networks. This thesis investigates the application of ACO to minimize user delay at traffic intersections. Computer simulation results show that this new approach outperforms conventional fully actuated control under the condition of high traffic demand.

Influence Of Crop Load On Fruit Composition Using Pinot Noir Grapes, Patrick G. Phelan

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

Influence of Crop Load on Fruit Composition Using Pinot Noir Grapes

Patrick G. Phelan

November 2009

The two seasons for this trial were conducted in 2002 and 2003 at Bien Nacido Vineyard in Santa Maria, California. The trial consisted of pinot noir wine grapes clone 2a, grown on 101-14 rootstock. There were eight treatments with a control consisting of 25 vines per treatment, and 50 vines for the control.

The primary objective of this research experiment was to conduct different vine balance procedures and compare them to the amount of wine phenolics. The vines were altered with two procedures. …

A Rapid Prototyping Method For Constructing A Complex Three-Dimensional Substrate, Kathryn Jacoba Hart

Master's Theses

Cell culturing on three-dimensional structures has increased the possibilities in tissue engineering and bioreactor research. These structures enable cells to differentiate, proliferate, mobilize, and function in a conformation that more accurately mimics in vivo conditions. Computer generated models aid in development and rapid alteration of three-dimensional cell substrates, defining their internal structure as well as their external morphology. The rapid transition from substrate design to a viable culture is imperative to quickly advance research in biomedical and tissue engineering applications.

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the feasibility of a rapid prototyping process by selectively cross-linking and assembling …

Impact Of Dietary Arginine On Immunity In Broiler Chicks, Jennifer Lynn D'Amato

Master's Theses

Arginine (ARG) is an immunologic modulator due in part to its role as a substrate for leukocytes. Therefore, the objective of these studies was to evaluate the impact of dietary ARG on ARG utilization in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and thymocytes in broiler chicks as they provide a model that is not confounded by de novo ARG synthesis. Several experiments were performed to measure: 1) ARG transporters as markers of ARG utilization by leukocytes; 2) thymocyte proliferation; 3) PBMC phenotype, and 4) ARG’s impact on the acute phase response (APR). In experiment 1, chicks were fed diets containing 1.20% …

Regression Analysis Of Fracture Toughness For Secondary Osteons Located In Human Cortical Bone, Chase A. Fetzer

Master's Theses

An experiment was carried out in order to locate and quantify osteon types within a sample of cortical bone taken from a human tibia. This was done using a microscope-camera assembly and the BioQuant computer software. The results of this were correlated with a previous experiment’s results on fracture toughness so that an analysis could be run on the data in order to determine the factors that most affect the value of fracture toughness of this cortical bone. Results were examined closely and the analysis repeated until the author was satisfied that the best possible model for fracture toughness had …

Feasibility Of Ellipsometric Sensor Development For Use During Pecvd Siox Coated Polymer Product Manufacturing, Daniel Lynn Helms

Master's Theses

Polymeric materials have provided pathways to products that could not be manufactured otherwise. A new technology which merges the benefits of ceramics into these polymer products has created materials ideally suited to many different industries, like food packaging. Nano Scale Surface Systems, Inc. (NS3), a company which coats polymers with ceramic oxides like SiO2 through a process known as plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), was interested in the feasibility of an in line measurement system for monitoring the deposited films on various polymer products. This project examined two different coated polymer products, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) beverage containers and biaxially …

Sex And Microhabitat Influence The Allocation Of Mycosporine-Like Amino Acids To Tissues In The Purple Sea Urchin, Strongylocentrotus Purpuratus, Sarah A. Gravem

Master's Theses

Field surveys of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus demonstrated that concentrations of natural sunscreens, mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs), were higher in females than males for both gonadal and epidermal tissues, increased in ovaries as spawning season approached, and were influenced by the sea urchins’ microhabitat. Sea urchins occupying burrows, or “pits”, had lower concentrations of MAAs than those outside pits, suggesting a trade-off between physical and UV protection. Overall, UV irradiance did not influence MAA accumulation in gonadal tissues. However, males increased their allocation of MAAs to epidermal tissues in the microhabitat with the highest irradiance. Relative concentrations of individual MAAs were similar …

Impact Of Weed Management Practices On Grapevine Growth, Yield Components, Plant And Arthropod Abundance, And Carabid Seed Predation In Paso Robles Vineyard, Paolo Sanguankeo

Master's Theses

In the Central Coast of California, USA, wine grape growers are making efforts to identify weed control practices that promote biodiversity in their vineyards while maintaining yields. A field study was conducted in Paso Robles, CA in 2006 and 2007 evaluating the effect on Zinfandel grape-vine growth and production, groundcover plant, and ground dwelling arthropod communities of five weed control practices: 1) flumioxazin, 2) simazine, 3) cultivation, 4) cover crop, and 5) untreated control.

The herbicide treatments had the lowest weed biomass followed by the cultivation, being approximately 10 and 2 times lower than the weed biomass of either the …

Assessment Of Electrospinning As An In-House Fabrication Technique For Blood Vessel Mimic Cellular Scaffolding, Colby M. James

Master's Theses

Intravascular devices, such as stents, must be rigorously tested before they can be approved by the FDA. This includes bench top in vitro testing to determine biocompatibility, and animal model testing to ensure safety and efficacy. As an intermediate step, a blood vessel mimic (BVM) testing method has been developed that mimics the three dimensional structure of blood vessels using a perfusion bioreactor system, human derived endothelial cells, and a biocompatible polymer scaffold used to support growth of the blood vessel cells. The focus of this thesis was to find an in-house fabrication method capable of making cellular scaffolding for …

Computational Model Of Alendronate Effects On Canine Rib Remodeling And Microdamage, Emily Huang

Master's Theses

Bisphosphonates are a class of drugs used to prevent and treat bone diseases by inhibiting the resorption of bone by osteoclasts and suppressing bone remodeling. Osteoporosis is a bone disease that develops when bone resorption exceeds bone formation which results in an increase in bone porosity and fracture risk. The risk for fractures can be reduced by increasing bone mass. Alendronate is type of bisphosphonate that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat postmenopausal osteoporosis by suppressing basic multicellular unit (BMU) remodeling and increasing bone mass. The long term effects of bisphosphonates are still unclear due …

Mimicking Fire For Post-Mining Restoration Success, Katherine M. Wilkin

Master's Theses

This study is based at Rocky Canyon Quarry (RCQ), a 200-acre granite aggregate open-pit quarry with chaparral-dominated plant communities located in San Luis Obispo County, CA. At RCQ, the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA) of 1975 was interpreted as restoring the landscape to native plant communities. Native plant community restoration projects have occurred there since 1993 through cooperation with California Polytechnic State University Biology Department in San Luis Obispo, CA. I evaluated past restoration at RCQ and researched new techniques to improve chaparral restoration based on the natural processes of fire.

Chaparral is an important fire-dominated plant community within …

Investigation Of The Geotechnical Properties Of Municipal Solid Waste As A Function Of Placement Conditions, Wilson W. Wong

Master's Theses

An investigation of the variability of engineering properties of municipal solid waste as a function of placement conditions was conducted. Limited data have been reported for the engineering properties of municipal solid waste (MSW) as a function of placement conditions. Wastes have high variability of engineering properties due to heterogeneity in composition and component size; influence from time based effects; and presence of compressible solids. Control of moisture content of MSW at the time of waste placement provides opportunity for increased capacity at a given landfill site due to higher compacted unit weight as well as for control of other …

Restoration Of A. Fasciculatum At Rocky Canyon Granite Quarry, San Luis Obispo, Ca, Catherine L. Roy

Master's Theses

The objective of this study was to assess the above-ground factors affecting the establishment and recovery of the dominant chaparral shrub Adenostoma fasciculatum (chamise) on the Rocky Canyon granite mine.

Attempts to restore the California chaparral have been challenging and few successful efforts have been documented. However, the California chaparral can fully recover from fire in as little as 10-15 years. Factors affecting chamise seedling establishment were tested by planting chamise seed in forty eight 1square meter plots managed to test the effects of interspecific competition with native postfire vegetation, post-mining volunteer vegetation, and intraspecific only competition. Plots were managed …

Effect Of Water On Micronutrient Content And Yield In Rice (Oryza Sativa L.), Sheila Lorraine Baker

Master's Theses

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is an important crop in many countries. According to the IRRI, more than 2 billion people globally depend on rice as a staple food (Dawe, et al. 2003). Studies on micronutrient content in rice and the effect of water in availability of the nutrients may aid in decreasing global nutrient deficiencies. Rice is grown under different water regimes such as AWD and intermittent flooding, sprinkler and furrow irrigation. A greenhouse pot experiment of rice utilizing a split plot design under different water regimes was conducted to assess the affect of water on (1) DTPA extractable soil …

A Pdms Sample Pretreatment Device For The Optimization Of Electrokinetic Manipulations Of Blood Serum, Timothy J. Abram

Master's Theses

This project encompasses the design of a pretreatment protocol for blood serum and adaption of that protocol to a microfluidic environment in order to optimize key sample characteristics, namely pH, conductivity, and viscosity, to enable on-chip electrokinetic separations. The two major parts of this project include (1) designing a pretreatment protocol to optimize key parameters of the sample solution within a target range and (2) designing /fabricating a microchip that will effectively combine the sample solution with the appropriate buffers to replicate the same bench-scale protocol on the micro-scale.

Biomarker detection in complex samples such as blood necessitates appropriate sample …

Enhancement Plan For Downtown Cayucos, Ca, Rachelle Sarai Sneh Lopez

Master's Theses

An area can be torn by the competition between the preservation of its character and the desire for new development. Cayucos’ downtown area is recognized by both residents and visitors as a special place with a strong, small, coastal town feel. However, issues such as accessibility, public amenities, parking, maintenance, and general development needs have to be dealt with. This thesis deals with the issue of how to plan for change while maintaining the character of Cayucos, and presents an enhancement plan proposal for its downtown. The development of this plan was based on a research-based design methodology, which included …

Robert Munford & Mercy Otis Warren : How Gender, Geography, And Goals Affected Their Playwrighting, Kylie A. Horney

Master's Theses

This thesis analyzes the Revolutionary-era plays of Robert Munford and Mercy Otis Warren. Munford’s two comedies, The Candidates and The Patriots, are compared to Warren’s three earliest satires, The Adulateur, The Defeat, and The Group, in an effort to explain some of the differences between these two authors. The original printings of these plays from the Early American Imprints series, as well as more recent scholarship on Munford and Warren, are used to investigate the plays and lives of these playwrights. Munford’s and Warren’s backgrounds are explored to account for variations in their works. While the …

Looking Into The Mind Of The Mother : Pup Exposure And Reactivation Of Maternal Circuits, Tricia Lauren Norkunas

Master's Theses

The female rat, among other species, undergoes a fundamental brain re-modeling as a consequence of experiencing the normal and natural events of pregnancy and offspring stimulation. Compelling data show that maternal experiences produce neurobiological modifications in the female leading to specific maternal behaviors, affective states, and the basic underlying female neurobiology necessary to raise viable offspring. This study aims to evaluate the number, quality and selective activation of neurons that develop during the maternal experience. The study showed a trend toward supporting the hypothesis that a “maternal-circuit” is formed through the proliferation of neurons during late-motherhood and lactation, and is …

Exposure To Ultraviolet Radiation Causes Proteomic Changes In Embryos Of The Purple Sea Urchin, Strongylocentrotus Purpuratus, Joseph Paul Campanale

Master's Theses

The amount of solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR, 290-400 nm) reaching Earth’s surface is increasing due to ozone depletion and global climate change. Embryos of the purple sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, provide an ideal system for examining how UVR affects developing marine organisms and cells in general. To model the protein-mediated cell cycle response to UV-irradiation, six batches of S. purpuratus embryos were exposed to UVR, monitored for delays in the first mitotic division and examined for global proteomic changes. Embryos from each batch were exposed to or protected from artificial UVR for 25 or 60 min. Embryos treated with …

Metamorphism And Putative Bioalteration Of Basaltic Glass : Coast Range Ophiolite, Cynthia E. Schultz

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Mechanisms For Temporal Change In Phytoplankton Composition In San Luis Obispo Bay California, Marc T. Tognazzini

Master's Theses

Coastal topography and more specifically, the impact of local hydrography can significantly influence phytoplankton dynamics along the California coast. In San Luis Obispo Bay California, the local hydrography is influenced by the presence of a lee and proposed upwelling shadow in the northwest corner of the bay. These conditions allow for periods of unperturbed phytoplankton growth creating phytoplankton incubation areas. Phytoplankton dynamics including accumulation, advection, and composition were examined in San Luis Obispo Bay California from January to June 2004 using all the primary techniques of ocean monitoring encompassed in the coastal module of the Global Ocean Observing System. These …

The Effect Of Particle Surface Area To Volume Ratio On Ion Release From Cocr Spheres, Darin J. Grandfield

Master's Theses

In 2005, over 200,000 Americans underwent a hip arthroplasty, the replacement of a hip joint with an artificial prosthesis. Of these arthroplasties, metal-on-metal type implants represent an increasing usage percentage. Metal-on-metal implants are selected largely for their low volumetric wear rate, durability, and resistance to corrosion. In spite of these advantages, little is known concerning the long-term consequences of heavy metal alloy use in the body, although early research indicates potentially carcinogenic results. This thesis is a preliminary investigation into these long term effects and their root causes.

An improved comprehension of the corrosion kinetics and the rate of ion …

Evaluating The Electrical Response Of Polyaniline To Mechanical Strain, Matthew L. Goebel

Master's Theses

This thesis focuses on the electrical output of polyaniline films subjected to uniaxial strain in hydrochloric acid solutions. Polyaniline belongs to novel class of materials known as conducting polymers. Alternating single and double bonds in the backbone of conducting polymers allow them to transmit electric charge when they are doped with negatively charged ions. Modifying the degree of doping and other electrical/chemical treatments allow conducting polymers to exhibit conducting, semi-conducting, or insulating electrical properties. Resilient mechanical properties, good processability, and low cost make conducting polymers good candidates for applications traditionally held by metals and semi-conductors.

When tensile strain is applied …

Does Student Leadership Participation Enhance The Development Of Emotional Intelligence, Michelle Breanne Curro

Master's Theses

Emotional Intelligence is believed to explain how emotions may be used, monitored, and measured to predict workplace success and failure, the suggestion that if individuals can balance the emotions within themselves and others, they can use their skills to better their organization. This study explored the development of Emotional Intelligence in the ASI Student Manager Team in comparison to Student Government members at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) during the fall 2008 quarter. The Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i) was used to assess student leaders’ Emotional Intelligence (EI) development (N = 27). A two sample t-test …

Time-Frequency Analysis Of Intracardiac Electrogram, Erik Brockman

Master's Theses

The Cardiac Rhythm Management Division of St. Jude Medical specializes in the development of implantable cardioverter defibrillators that improve the quality of life for patients diagnosed with a variety of cardiac arrhythmias, especially for patients prone to sudden cardiac death. With the goal to improve detection of cardiac arrhythmias, this study explored the value in time-frequency analysis of intracardiac electrogram in four steps. The first two steps characterized, in the frequency domain, the waveforms that construct the cardiac cycle. The third step developed a new algorithm that putatively provides the least computationally expensive way to identifying cardiac waveforms in the …

Mechanical Simulation Of Articular Cartilage Based On Experimental Results, Kevin Matthew Stewart

Master's Theses

Recently, a constituent based cartilage growth finite element model (CGFEM) was developed in order to predict articular cartilage (AC) biomechanical properties before and after growth. Previous research has noted limitations in the CGFEM such as model convergence with growth periods greater than 12 days. The main aims of this work were to address these limitations through (1) implementation of an exact material Jacobian matrix definition using the Jaumann-Kirchhoff (J-K) method and (2) quantification of elastic material parameters based upon research findings of the Cal Poly Cartilage Biomechanics Group (CPGBG). The J-K method was successfully implemented into the CGFEM and exceeded …