Digital Commons Network^™

Deadwood Facilitates Increased Predators Resulting In Distinct And Functionally Different Leaf Litter Communities, Nicholas Benedetto

Master's Theses

Community structure and ecosystem function may be driven by the amount and size of habitat or energy within an environment, but these metrics (space and energy) are difficult to separate, especially in systems where habitat is also a source of energy such as detritus (dead organic matter including deadwood). Deadwood can impact forest food webs through the creation of habitat and provision of resources and initial differences in wood characteristics may differentially impact food webs. Bark beetles attack and kill pine trees, inoculating them with bluestain fungi (Ascomycota: Ophiostomataceae). Bluestain fungi may increase termite presence in deadwood, and possibly in …

Nutritional Adequacy Of Dietary Intake Among College Students Who Follow A Vegetarian Diet As Compared To Non-Vegetarian Students, Kayanna L. Pulliman

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Notch3 In Human Adipose Stem Cell Fate, Sydney Mashaw

Master's Theses

Stem cell-based therapies are the future of medicine, as their natural abilities of self-renewal and differentiation have the potential to treat currently incurable diseases. Stem cells are categorized based on differentiation potential, with multipotent stem cells being the most differentiated while still having the ability to divide down defined lineages. Adipose stem cells (hASCs) are easily derived multipotent, mesenchymal stem cells with already demonstrated therapeutic potential. Despite current success, there are a multitude of factors that regulate the physiology and role of adipose stem cells, including transduction pathways and transcription factors, that remain to be researched and fully understood. One …

Trace Dna Detection Using Diamond Dye: A Recovery Technique To Yield More Dna, Leah Davis

Master's Theses

This study aspires to find a new screening approach to trace DNA recovery techniques to yield a higher quantity of trace DNA from larger items of evidence. It takes the path of visualizing trace DNA on items of evidence with potential DNA so analysts can swab a more localized area rather than attempting to recover trace DNA through the general swabbing technique currently used for trace DNA recovery. The first and second parts consisted of observing trace DNA interaction with Diamond Dye on porous and non-porous surfaces.

The third part involved applying the Diamond Dye solution by spraying it onto …

Effects Of Triptorelin On Global Deoxyribonucleic Acid Methylation In Skeletal Muscle In Male Adolescent Rats, Max Boland

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate how treatment with triptorelin, a gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist, to block puberty in adolescent male rats affects their epigenetic regulation via global DNA methylation changes in skeletal muscle and to determine if physical activity has an effect on DNA methylation status during treatment. Twenty-four male, Sprague-Dewey rats were randomly assigned to different groups: 12 treated with 1 μg of triptorelin daily (PB group) while the other 12 received an equivalent volume of saline as a placebo (control, CON) for four weeks. In order to determine the interaction with physical activity, six PB …

Hydrothermal Fluid Transport Pathways Along Fractures And Veins At Brothers Volcano, Southern Kermadec Arc, Robert Atnip

Master's Theses

Hydrothermal fluid flow in fractures and veins is a key component in the mineralization of economic metals within calderas. But there are several methods by which fractures can form. Regional extension, episodic caldera collapse, and fluid overpressure all have the potential to create brittle features. Current studies focus on the formation of fractures and veins by these methods, but do not focus on the preferred movement of hydrothermal fluids through brittle features, nor which features are more dominant in active hydrothermal systems. This thesis introduces multiple studies to better understand which method of fracture creation dominates Brothers volcano. Data from …

Estimation Of Mortality Rates For The Gulf Menhaden Stock And Reference Point Implementation For The Fishery, Catherine Wilhelm

Master's Theses

The Gulf menhaden stock is the target of a large commercial fishery in the Gulf of Mexico. To address the needs of both the stock and fishery, I performed two studies. I first addressed the natural mortality rates currently used in the Gulf menhaden stock assessment. To update these rates, I used data from a tagging study conducted from 1970 to 1988. Adult and juvenile menhaden were tagged, released, and recovered in fish processing plants. To evaluate the data, I built a Bayesian model using the negative binomial distribution to estimate natural mortality, catchability, and the overdispersion factor parameters. I …

Arts-Integrated Teaching Of English Literature: Using Dance Making Methods To Enhance High School Student Comprehension Of Short Stories And Self-Confidence In Reading Skills, Ashley Carney

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the benefit of utilizing creative dance making methods in the study of literature at the high school level. The researcher developed the following essential questions to investigate how dance making impacts student performance on comprehension questions as well as what impact this has on student confidence and self-efficacy:

Q1 What effect does the use of dance making methods have on student comprehension of short stories?

Q2 What effect does increasing the amount of dance creation time have on student comprehension of short stories?

Q3 What effect does the choreographic process have on …

Analyzing Grassland Bird Song And Success: The Impact Of Landscape Characteristics On Western Meadowlarks (Sturnella Neglecta), Leah Crenshaw

Master's Theses

Grassland birds across both North America and globally are in rapid decline, and these population losses are primarily due to agricultural practices driving land-conversion and habitat degradation. While the effects of landscape characteristics like land cover, fragmentation, anthropogenic features, and land use on bird abundance and diversity are well-studied, the mechanisms behind those effects are poorly understood for many species. In our studies, we considered how individual condition and behavior may be underpinning some population losses in Western Meadowlarks (Sturnella neglecta). First, we investigated what natural, anthropogenic, and climatic landscape characteristics best predicted Western Meadowlark song structure. We used 421 …

Student Reasonings And Cognitive Biases In Climate Change Predictions, Kaela Clabaugh Howell

Master's Theses

Undergraduate biology educators strive to understand how to best teach students the concepts of climate change. The root of this understanding is the establishment of what students know about climate change. This research aims to describe undergraduate biology students’ conceptions of climate change and their argument practices and associated cognitive biases in how they think about the topic. We used a basic qualitative research design to explore interview data from 26 American biology undergraduate students who predicted how climate change would affect a forested ecosystem after an average of one degree increase in Fahrenheit over 25 years. Overall, the majority …

Rattus Norvegicus As A Biological Detector Of Clandestine Remains And The Use Of Ultrasonic Vocalizations As A Locating Mechanism, Gabrielle M. Johnston

Master's Theses

In investigations, locating missing persons and clandestine remains are imperative. One way that first responder and police agencies can search for the remains is by using cadaver dogs as biological detectors. Cadaver dogs are typically used due to their olfactory sensitivity and ability to detect low concentrations of volatile organic compounds produced by biological remains. Cadaver dogs are typically chosen for their stamina, agility, and olfactory sensitivity. However, what is not taken into account often is the size of the animal and the expense of maintaining and training the animal. Cadaver dogs are typically large breeds that cannot fit in …

Disruption Of Play Behavior Influences Development Of Caution In Juvenile Ground Squirrels, William Ryan

Master's Theses

Play behavior is ubiquitous among young mammals and has a variety of important influences on early development. I evaluated possible influences of social play behavior on the development of temperament in juvenile Belding’s ground squirrels (Urocitellus beldingi), using the caution/boldness spectrum as a measure of temperament. I disrupted the play behavior of juvenile U. beldingi by walking toward juveniles at play until the play interactions stopped. I used undisrupted juveniles and juveniles whose non-play behavior was disrupted at regular intervals as controls. Caution was measured with behavioral tests during which a human intruder walked toward a squirrel and recorded the …

Multispecies Use Of Various Habitats In The Mississippi Sound With An Emphasis On Future Oyster Reef Construction, Austin Draper

Master's Theses

Transient fish have high economic value and effective restoration projects must consider the variable impacts they may have on these fish in addition to the target organism or habitat being restored. Globally, oyster reef construction is common and will continue but data on their impacts to transient fish is lacking. This study used acoustic telemetry to provide baseline data on the potential for interaction between five transient fish species, and oyster reef construction activities. Overall, I noted that habitat preferences are hierarchical with sandy habitats nearest to bay or river mouths having high transient fish use. Oyster reef construction in …

Brazilian Camming: The Monetization Of Intimacy In Online Sex Work, Fernanda Veiverberg

Master's Theses

This thesis addresses a form of online feminized labor in Brazil, which employs digital technology to relieve the urges for intimacy and monetary insecurity. Camming is a genre of online sex work, in which cam models sell their body image and attention online through computer-mediated interactions. It constitutes a profitable activity that employs body performance without physical contact between model and client, typical in most categories of sex work such as prostitution, and where the clients are not mere spectators as within the pornography industry because camming requires authenticity and communication. For that, I explored three conceptual spheres that combined …

Habitat Use Of Gulf Sturgeon (Acipenser Oxyrinchus Desotoi) In Pascagoula River Holding Areas And In Estuarine And Marine Environments Including Ship Island, Mississippi And Mobile Bay, Alabama, Elizabeth M. Greenheck

Master's Theses

Gulf Sturgeon (GS) are a federally threatened, anadromous species that inhabit coastal rivers in the northern Gulf of Mexico and make annual migrations between riverine and marine habitats. They are divided into western or an eastern river systems based on the location of their natal river relative to Mobile Bay. Tracking of GS movements using acoustic telemetry has occurred since the late 1990s but has increased in use since 2015 for monitoring important habitats that GS rely on throughout their lifetime. For this study, tagged GS were monitored in three areas throughout the central Gulf of Mexico: the Mobile Bay …

Gender Differences In Personality Dysfunction And Aggression In A Sample Of At-Risk Youth, Chloe O'Dell

Master's Theses

Youth with antisocial and borderline traits in adolescence have been found more likely to commit violence and experience negative outcomes later in life. There is evidence for gender differences in the manifestations of dysfunctional personality features (antisocial and borderline traits) and functions of aggression, but little research has sought to assess unique gender differences that may help unravel the sequelae of personality dysfunction in youth. Accordingly, this exploratory study examines gender differences in associations between antisocial features, borderline features, and proactive and reactive functions of aggression in a sample of at-risk youth. Four hundred and sixty-four adolescents (M_age = …

The Role Of Emotion Regulation And Alexithymia In The Relationship Between Sleep And Social Functioning, Lillian A. Hammer

Master's Theses

Poor sleep quality has been tied to worse social functioning outcomes, including greater loneliness, fewer social interactions, and lower social integration. While the relationship between sleep quality and social functioning has been investigated, other factors likely play a role in this complex relationship. Specifically, alexithymia and the use of different emotion regulation strategies may serve as moderators in the relationship between sleep and social functioning. Alexithymia and emotion regulation strategies are both related to sleep quality and social functioning. Yet, the impact of these emotional processes on the relationship between sleep and social functioning remains unexplored. Data for this study …

The Influence Of Range Shifts And Wind Energy On The Atlantic Surfclam (Spisula Solidissima) And Ocean Quahog (Arctica Islandica) Fisheries On The U.S. Outer Continental Shelf, Stephanie Stromp

Master's Theses

The Atlantic surfclam, Spisula solidissima, is a biomass dominant bivalve of the Northwestern Atlantic. The surfclam’s historic range extended from Cape Hatteras to Georges Bank, but recent decades of warming bottom water temperatures have caused the surfclam to shift its range to cooler waters north and offshore within the range of the ocean quahog, Arctica islandica. An ecotone now exists over much of the offshore range of the surfclam in which surfclams and ocean quahogs co-occur. Regulations prohibit fishers from landing both species in the same catch, limiting fishing to locations where the target species can be sorted …

Benthic Habitat Mapping Of Mountain Top Bank Within The Northern Gulf Of Mexico Through Integrated Geophysical And Visual Data Analysis, Bethany Pertain

Master's Theses

Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) are among the seafloor ecosystems that have been poorly studied throughout the world’s oceans, but they are a vital and diverse ecosystem that should be prioritized for future mapping and ecological studies. Priority should be given to them because they possess natural, social, and economic values, and face a variety of threats, all of which, if not better understood will result in the loss of this unique ecosystem. Insights into these ecosystems, among other deep-sea environments, are lacking due to difficulty accessing them, inherent lag between data collection by an autonomous system and observation by a …

Antimicrobial Edible Coating Composed Of Chitosan Polyvinyl Alcohol And Zinc-Coated Halloysite Nanotubes, Sindhu Datla

Master's Theses

Changes in everyday activities like food packaging are required due to the global shift from a linear to a circular economy. Therefore, industrial, and institutional research centers are interested in using biodegradable materials like polyvinyl alcohol and natural raw materials like chitosan to develop novel food packaging films. Edible coating materials have been extensively researched to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables and reduce the risk of ingesting chemical reagents. Chitosan (CH) is widely used as a natural preservative for fruits and vegetables, but its poor mechanical, and water resistance limits its use. To improve the properties of …

Lichens Of Ultramafic Rocks: A Multidisciplinary Approach To Understanding The Ecology Of An Understudied Organism In A Well-Studied System, Michael Mulroy

Master's Theses

Lichens are among the most prominent and successful life forms of metal-rich habitats, including ultramafic rocks and soils; however, research on lichens of ultramafic habitats is limited, especially on the North American continent. A review of the published literature on lichens of ultramafic substrates in North America yielded a total of 437 lichen species reported from ultramafic rocks and soils. Lichen assemblages of ultramafic substrates vary in composition and are dominated by acidophytic (low pH preferring) taxa with a minor, but consistent, basiphytic (high pH preferring) component. Species lists from ultramafic habitats in different geographic regions varied widely, suggesting that …

Efficacy Of Biofungicides And Their Application Timing In Managing Botrytis Bunch Rot Of Wine Grape, Marco A. Fernandez

Master's Theses

Botrytis bunch rot (BBR), caused by Botrytis cinerea, leads to a severe reduction of quality and yield in wine grapes (Vitis vinifera). A field study to determine the best BBR management strategy was conducted in 2021 and 2022 in Santa Maria, CA using ‘Chardonnay’, a BBR susceptible wine grape cultivar. Three biofungicides were evaluated: Actinovate® AG, Regalia®, and Serenade® ASO. The efficacy of these three biofungicides was compared with fungicide programs composed of commonly used synthetic fungicide(s) or combinations of commonly used synthetic and biofungicides. For each biofungicide, three application timings were evaluated: 7-day interval, 14-day interval, and by an …

Heat Flux Dynamics And Seasonal Variability In Morro Bay, California, Mikaela Romanini

Master's Theses

There is a growing need to better understand the dynamics of small and medium Mediterranean low-inflow estuaries (LIEs), which is addressed here by characterizing a heat budget and associated heat transfer processes. A one-dimensional deterministic model was developed from the advection-diffusion equation and applied to Morro Bay, CA using 15-minute water property (temperature, salinity, pressure) and meteorological (wind speed and direction, air temperature, relative humidity, air pressure, irradiance) data collected over a two-year period (2020 – 2021). Seasonal variability is observed in meteorological components, water temperature, and salinity. There is strong seasonal variability in head-mouth temperature and salinity differences. Temperature …

Psf Sampling In Fluorescence Image Deconvolution, Eric A. Inman

Master's Theses

All microscope imaging is largely affected by inherent resolution limitations because of out-of-focus light and diffraction effects. The traditional approach to restoring the image resolution is to use a deconvolution algorithm to “invert” the effect of convolving the volume with the point spread function. However, these algorithms fall short in several areas such as noise amplification and stopping criterion. In this paper, we try to reconstruct an explicit volumetric representation of the fluorescence density in the sample and fit a neural network to the target z-stack to properly minimize a reconstruction cost function for an optimal result. Additionally, we do …

The Vertic Clay Flora Of The San Joaquin Desert: Niche, Competition & Floral Mosaics On A Novel Substrate, Emma R. Fryer

Master's Theses

Plant communities that occur on edaphically heterogeneous landscapes are ideal systems for exploring questions of niche and community assembly. Species with affinity for harsh substrates often have well-defined edaphic niches and are ideal models for testing ecological and evolutionary theory. While plants on substrates such as serpentine and gypsum have received much attention, those on other harsh substrates, including on vertic clay soils, have gone unstudied. Vertic clay soils are both chemically and physically challenging to plant establishment and productivity. Plant communities associated with vertic clay soils of the San Joaquin Desert appear to have a distinctive mosaic pattern of …

Our Pearls Matter: Pcos Through The Lens Of Women Of Color And White Women, Kimberley Sheri Miles

Master's Theses

The prevalence of PCOS is increasing and due to the associated health complications, it is important to understand how higher-risk populations (women of color) cope with said condition. Analyzing current symptom management and treatment could help develop more practical resources and treatment strategies to help improve healthcare expectations and quality of life.

Ten women aged 22-38 with PCOS participated in comprehensive individual interviews with goal-oriented, semi-structured questions. A 27-question survey was also completed. Sampling was continued until data saturation was reached. The data was analyzed using the grounded theory technique which codes emergent themes with keywords and phrases which ultimately …

Trophic Ecology And Mercury Concentrations Of Canary Rockfish (Sebastes Pinniger) In The California Current System, Michaela M. Melanson

Master's Theses

Canary rockfish are a profitable fishery resource that has failed and successfully recovered in the 21st century. This study aimed to evaluate their trophic ecology through stomach content and stable isotope analysis and relate these to their mercury concentrations, biological traits, and environmental conditions. Canary rockfish consume mostly krill and teleosts with their geographic location affecting the proportion of prey items, suggesting regional environmental effects: chlorophyll-a, relief, port, and depth impact dietary choices. Mean ??13C values (-17.18 ± 0.54) significantly increased in individuals residing in deeper depths, higher latitudes, higher productivity, and higher temperatures, and in sexually mature individuals. Mean …

Evaluating The Effect Of Resveratrol On Sirt1 With Different Peptide Substrates, Yujin Hur

Master's Theses

SIRT1 is an NAD+-dependent lysine deacetylase that is involved in many important cellular pathways. The protein has an extended N-terminal domain that seems to play a role in regulating its activity. Sirtuin Activating Compounds (STACs) are allosteric activators, such as resveratrol, that regulate the activity of SIRT1. STACs bind to the N-terminal STAC Binding Domain (SBD) in SIRT1. Past literature has found that SIRT1 activity can be increased, decreased, or remain unchanged by resveratrol depending on the identity of the peptide substrate. The goal of this study is to clarify the mechanism for substrate-specific allosteric regulation by resveratrol. The interactions …

Homelessness And Taphonomy: A Multidisciplinary Study, Chloë Angst

Master's Theses

In this thesis, I present multidisciplinary research applicable to deceased unhoused individuals in urban San José, California. I present the problem of homelessness through a “hybrid collectif,” a conceptual framework that encompasses the factors that drive homelessness in life and death. I use taphonomic methodology to examine the problem of homelessness in this urban region by experimentation with porcine carcasses in simulated death scenarios. I utilize total body score (TBS), accumulated degree days (ADD), and predictive entomological species identification to examine decomposition trends. I also introduce “human survival scavenging” as an agent of decomposition, provide an account of ecological succession …

Spatiotemporal Dynamics And Biogeochemical Responses In A Tidally Restricted Moro Cojo Slough, Ryan Chiu

Master's Theses

Four years of observational data for Moro Cojo Slough (MCS), a Mediterranean climate estuary in central California, linked anthropogenic nutrient loading and hydrological modifications to a shift in net ecosystem metabolism (NEM) that differs from the characteristic net heterotrophic behavior of most estuarine systems. A lack of precipitation and limited flushing during the dry seasons, as evidenced from hypersaline waters, contribute to high ecosystem respiration rates that drove NEM to nearly balanced or net autotrophic. During the wet seasons, increased runoff and nutrient loading due to precipitation elevated primary production rates within MCS, characterizing the system as net autotrophic. Box …