Digital Commons Network^™

The Intersection Of Culture And Activism In The Filipino Community In Soma, Ericka J. Martynovych

Master's Theses

My research analyzes the intersection between culture and activism, through oral histories with participants and organizers of SoMa Pilipinas, the Filipino cultural heritage district in the South of Market neighborhood of San Francisco. I analyzed the impact of the establishment of the Filipino cultural heritage district on the Filipino community in the South of Market neighborhood. I examined what motivates members of this community to be politically active by organizing and attending protests and rallies, speaking at Planning Commission hearings at City Hall, attending planning meetings for SoMa Pilipinas, building relationships across organizations and fields, and providing resources for community …

Investigating Nucleostemin's Regulatory Role In Ribosome Biogenesis, Meghan F. Monroy

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Workplace Posture Assessment And Biofeedback With Kinect, Matthew Crussell

Master's Theses

With the prevalence of computing, many workers today are confined to desk within an office. By sitting in these positions for long periods of time, workers are prone to develop one of many musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), such as carpal tunnel syndrome. In order to prevent MSDs in the long term, workers must employ good sitting habits. One promising method to ensure good workplace posture is through camera monitoring. To date, camera systems have been used in determining posture in a clean environment. However, an occluded and cluttered background, which is typical in an office setting, imposes a great challenge for …

Comparing Groundwater Model Calibration Approaches: Does An Optimized Model Better Reflect Reality When Both Flow And Transport Observations Are Applied?, Vivian E. Sovinsky

Master's Theses

This research compares two approaches to the application of formal calibration methods to groundwater modeling: sequential and combined. There exists research, both theoretical work and field studies, that point to improved estimation of hydraulic parameters when multiple types of observations, flow and transport, are applied simultaneously. There also exist theories about why combined calibration might not be compatible with the differing mathematical basis of flow compared to transport. This research has taken a closer look at the mechanisms at work by comparing these approaches when the input parameters are known. Using stochastic methods instead of field data, the original input …

A Single Packer Method For Characterizing Water Contributing Fractures In Crystalline Bedrock Wells, Neil Flahive

Master's Theses

The water levels and water quality obtained from open borehole wells in fractured bedrock are flow weighted averages that are a function of the hydraulic heads and transmissivities of water contributing fractures, which are rarely known. Without such knowledge using water levels and water quality data form fractured bedrock wells to assess contaminant conditions can be highly misleading. This study demonstrates a cost effective single packer fracture characterization method that can be used in fractured bedrock to determine the hydraulic heads and transmissivities of individual fracture zones. The method entails inflating a pipe plug to isolate sections of an open …

Effects Of Art In Hiv Infected Population On Body Habitus Change: A Multilevel Meta-Analysis, Nusrat Nuireen Habib

Master's Theses

Importance: Different ART treatments to HIV patients has been shown to be effective in improving a variety of disease outcomes, including CD-4 cell count improvements and viral suppressions. In addition to these improvements, investigators are also interested to evaluate the association between ART treatments and the body habitus changes of the HIV patients. It is unclear that which body habitus change outcomes are more greatly associated with what type of ART treatments and how those effects could vary depending on context and sample characteristics.

Objective: To obtain overall effect sizes for the body habitus change outcome variables (weight, body mass …

The Properties Of Particleboard Using Bagasse, Sisal And Waste Carpet, Hanchi Zhu

Master's Theses

The demand for manufactured panels for construction, furniture and other applications place strains on the forestry industry leading to deforestation. Similarly, one component of the very large waste stream from construction and renovation is post consumer carpet. The post consumer carpet waste and widely available waste biomass streams can be used to produce panels sustainably. Laboratory scale panels were produced with several ratios of bagasse and carpet to deduce a reasonable formulation to produce M-2 grade particleboard. The selected formulation was used to produce several industrial prototype panels of 18mm thickness for independent testing. Statistical analysis was performed to assess …

Araucaria In The Urban Landscape: A Novel Leaning Pattern And Evidence Of Cultivated Hybridization, Jason W. Johns

Master's Theses

Our understanding of the natural world is constantly evolving and strengthening as more observations are made and experiments are performed. For example, we understand that tree stems grow toward the light (positive phototropism; Darwin 1880, Loehle 1986, Christie et al. 2013) and against gravity (negative gravitropism; Knight 1806, Hashiguchi et al. 2013). We also know that plants respond to mechanical stimulus and perturbation (thigmotropism; Braam 2005). Genes and their resulting proteins have been described to uncover some of the mechanisms for these environmental responses, but relatively speaking, we have just scratched the surface (Wyatt et al. 2013). While the discovery …

A Comparative Analysis Of Access To Reproductive Health Care In Laos And Southeast Asia, Malakhone Sonethavong

Master's Theses

This thesis research aims to unravel main barriers that prevent women from being able to access reproductive health care in Laos in comparison with other two Southeast Asia countries which are Thailand and Vietnam. The comparison of Laos, Thailand and Vietnam will be explored through an analysis of a literature review. This research explores the critical issues and on finding a mutual understanding between the role of the policy makers and the implementers of policies. At the end of the research, some recommendations on health care system improvement and personal perspective towards the rights of women on reproductive health and …

The Devil's In The Emails: A Sociological Examination Of Organizational Failure, William Howard Burr

Master's Theses

It is often argued that the market, with its "invisible hand," displays an inherent bent towards maximizing utility and delivering the "greatest good to the greatest number." Faith in the market to act as benevolent overlord is not only misguided but, as revealed during the Great Recession, a fantasy. Analyzing emails made public following the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy, this paper considers the organizational culture within Lehman Brothers leading up to history's largest bankruptcy in order to emphasize the role of interaction within an outcome otherwise uncritically categorized as the unavoidable product of market fluctuations. Demonstrating how Lehman employees adopted the …

Potential Efficacy Of Targeting Mll1 In Breast Cancer, Austin Gable Holmes

Master's Theses

In 2017, it is estimated that breast cancer will be the most prevalent newly diagnosed cancer in females, at 30% in the U.S. alone1. From the early 1990s to 2014 the death rate in females from breast cancer has dropped by 10% but still stands as the second highest cancer related death in females in the U.S.2. One of the biggest hurdles in breast cancer research is disease heterogeneity. New mechanisms of disease development and progression are encountered frequently. One mechanism studied in the past decades is epigenetics. It has been theorized that the cancer epigenome can maintain an abnormal …

The Novel Characterization Of Extracellular Vesicles Containing Proteins Which Have Been Implicated In The Pathogenesis Of Hiv Associated Neurocognitive Disorders, Grace Ispas

Master's Theses

Although Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) is practiced, HIV-1 positive individuals still experience HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders (HAND), collectively described as the presentation of neurocognitive, behavioral and motor dysfunctions that decrease the quality of life, while increasing the mortality in ART suppressed HIV-1 positive patients.

Current literature suggests that extracellular vesicles are involved in the pathogenesis of HAND as they are believed to be transferring HIV-1 proteins to nearby neuronal cells. Although most studies assume homogeneity among populations, characterizing cellular proteins or RNA levels in bulk, we hypothesize that distinct populations of extracellular vesicles are released and that environmental conditions, including viral infections, …

Filling Pews, Speaking Truth: Pro-Life Ministry In A Liberal Catholic Parish, Jonathan Neidorf

Master's Theses

Scholars of the pro-life movement in the United States have extensively documented how pro-lifers in this country feel that their cause is embattled by society (Williams and Blackburn 1996; Maxwell 2002; Munson 2008). Other research argues that conservative Catholics tend to feel that their Church is swept up in an increasing liberalization in greater society, which serves to compromise core moral tenets of the faith (Leege 1988; Weaver and Appleby 1995; Wedam 1993). No thorough research exists examining how pro-life Catholics see their Church's and their parish's liberalism as directly suppressing their pro-life work. In this ethnographic study of a …

The Effects Of Superordinate Identity Recategorization And Social Value Orientation On Ethical Decision-Making In A Business Dilemma, Thomas Steven Colville

Master's Theses

The purpose of the present study was to investigate potential solutions to the prevalence of unethical behavior in groups, specifically through the use of superordinate recategorization. Superordinate recategorization allows group members to feel an affinity with others not typically included in their in-group. This should promote ethical decision-making by enabling the inherent in-group favoring tendencies found in groups to be extended to a more inclusive category. In the context of the present study, the ethicality of participants' behavior in the Panalba scenario was determined by their choices on a 1 to 6 scale from least to most ethical. Additionally, participants’ …

Getting Students Employed: 21st Century Learning Competences And Career Competences, Kelly Cebold Sundberg

Master's Theses

This thesis explores the nexus between education and the economy in the 21st century knowledge-based economy to understand the relationship between the learning competences – as described in 21st century frameworks – and career competences – as recommended in the job descriptions of available employment opportunities. Theoretically, this study is grounded in human capital theory and it explores the indiscriminate nature of the data regarding a student’s required education level to achieve the prescribed learning competences. With the aid of a quantitative content analysis of selected employment opportunities, the research sought to explore: How are learning competences, as outlined by …

A Qualitative Analysis Of A Team's Experience Of Coping With Bereavement After The Death Of A Head Coach, Matthew Paul Gonzalez

Master's Theses

The consequences of coping with death as an athlete have been documented in the literature by a variety of studies. However, these studies have remained largely focused on coping with the death of a teammate. This study examined the inter- and intrapersonal impact of experiencing the death of a head coach. Experiencing the death of a head coach during the season may have profound and varied psychosocial consequences for all members of a team. A collegiate team was identified as having experienced the death of its head coach during his tenure and from that team five participants (four players and …

Diet Induced Obesity Alters Muscle Spindle Afferent Function In Adult Mice, Lubayna Elahi

Master's Theses

Individuals with obesity are more likely to fall and exhibit balance instability. The reason for this is likely multifactorial, but there is some evidence that sensory function is impaired during obesity. We tested the hypothesis that muscle proprioceptor function is compromised in a mouse model of diet induced obesity. We used an in vitro muscle-nerve preparation to record muscle spindle afferent responses to physiological stretch and sinusoidal vibration. We compared the responses of mice on a control diet (10% kcal fat) with those eating a high fat diet (60% kcal fat) alone or in combination with either aspirin (120mg/kg/day in …

Unravelling The Paleotopography And Extent Of Eocene-Oligocene Gravel Deposition By Ancient Sierran Drainage Systems, Christina Marie Tipp

Master's Theses

The Tertiary gravels deposited along the western flank of the Sierra Nevada mountains elucidate the nature of the paleochannels and paleotopography of the range in the Eocene-Oligocene epochs. Numerous geologic maps and studies were compiled to place existing Tertiary gravels onto topographic maps and cross-sections extracted from ArcGIS. Based on the remnant deposits, the extent of deposition of the gravels during the Eocene-Oligocene epoch was inferred, and average end-area values were measured from the cross-sections to calculate the volume of the Tertiary gravels that was originally deposited. The map of the inferred deposits was also used to measure surface gradients …

Revisiting The Date Of Stratum V At 'Araq El-'Emir, Jordan, Daniel A. Ulvoczky

Master's Theses

Problem

Paul W. Lapp excavated at ‘Araq al-‘Emir and dated Stratum V to Iron Age I with an occupation gap before later periods. Later findings by scholars suggested a later date for this stratum, but no one has reviewed the original material in order to complete this. This study revisited the date of Stratum V using Lapp’s original sherds and field notes.

Method

The original sherds and field notes were borrowed from Nancy L. Lapp at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. The data in the field notes was cross-examined with the sherds to identify the relevant sherds. A comparative analysis was conducted …

The Relationship Of Law And Grace In The Hermeneutics Of New Covenant Theology, Carlos J. Cruz Pacheco

Master's Theses

Problem

This thesis evaluates the offer by New Covenant Theology of an interpretation of salvation history that stands in criticism of interpretations offered by Covenant Theology and Dispensationalism. Does New Covenant Theology demonstrate a distinctive view of the law-grace relationship that brings new perspectives on important theological and hermeneutical issues such as the relationship between the Old and New Testaments, and the Sabbath. Are New Covenant theologians correct in their claim that their system presents the best interpretation of salvation history, and of the law-grace relationship?

Purpose

The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate New Covenant Theology’s hermeneutics by …

The Impact Of The Imminence Of The Parousia On The Mission Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Bogdan Platon

Master's Theses

The imminence of the Parousia influenced the mission of Seventh-day Adventist church in all its history. The problem of this thesis is the extent to which the expectancy of the soon Parousia influences the concept about and the attitude towards mission in the Seventh-day Adventist church. Is Parousia the main motivation for the mission of the church or not? If Parousia determines the mission, what are the aspects associated with it that should drive the church mostly?

This thesis has a multidisciplinary approach: exegetical, historical and systematical. The study examines how the Bible history presents the impact of expectation upon …

Sin And Its Place In The Experience Of Suffering: Presenting The Basis For A Sound Theodicy, Roman Wiens

Master's Theses

Topic

One of the most significant issues in theism is the obvious existence of evil and suffering. Thus many philosophers (especially Atheists) propose this fact alone negates the existence of an all-loving, omnipotent, and caring God. This attacks both the integrity of God and the coherence of the scriptural accounts. In response, theologians around the world proposed theodicies to show that the existence of a God, as portrayed in the Bible, is coherent with suffering in this world.

Purpose

The different approaches to this problem are categorized in four categories, outlined, and evaluated in one chapter about the most noteworthy …

The Hermeneutical Frameworks Of Fernando Canale And Fritz Guy: Sola And Prima Scriptura And The Science-Theology Relationship, Ryan Nicholas Claude Brousson

Master's Theses

This thesis presents research on the hermeneutical frameworks of sola and prima Scriptura and how they affect the science-theology relationship. It specifically focuses on the writings of Fernando Canale and Fritz Guy who hold opposing views on both sola and prima Scriptura and the relationship between science and theology. Canale argues for a sola Scriptura framework with science governed by theology, whereas Guy argues for a prima Scriptura framework with science and theology working independently of each other.

This thesis begins with a brief historical overview of the issues and then moves into describing Canale’s and Guy’s views. It ends …

The Study Of The Development Of Negation In Bilingual Spanish/English And Monolingual English Speakers, Isabel Cristina Verduzco

Master's Theses

Problem

Negation is one of the first concepts learned early during childhood and one of the most important ones for communication. Current studies focus on how negation is developed universally in each specific language and how it is governed by patterns of acquisition, however, there are factors that may affect this process. How does learning two languages simultaneously affect the normal development of negation? Analyzing how the exposure to two different languages affects the normal development of negation is important for understanding how bilingualism influences normal language development. This study is also important for the analysis of speech and language …

A Comparison Of Vocal Health, Hygiene, And Perceptions In Student Teachers, Voice Music Majors, And Speech-Language Pathology Majors: A Preliminary Study, Kenreah Lavaughn Brown

Master's Theses

Problem

There are many college/university students studying to become teachers, professional singers, and speech-language pathologists. Yet, despite research available on the risk of developing voice disorders in these areas of study, very little was found on such individuals while in the college setting. This is particularly true for speech-language pathologists who have limited research available overall.

Method

Nineteen students between the ages of 18- 43 years old, completed pre-and-post-testing of the Glottal Function Index (GFI), Voice Hygiene Questionnaire (VHQ), and the objective measures (maximum phonational frequency range, sustained phonation, jitter, and shimmer).

Results

The chi-square of independence results showed that …

Study Of The Ability To Detect Humor In Visual Images By 2-5 Year Olds, Sonovia Latoya Mcfall

Master's Theses

Problem

Understanding the impact that humor can have as a form of therapy has been studied mostly in relation to mental and spiritual healing. As a result, little focus has been given to understanding the types of humor and how one’s understanding of and appreciation for types of humor develop over time. Gaining an understanding of humor development is important due to discoveries that the use of humor is a great intervention tool when working with children. Nevertheless, the use of pictures (with humor) is often used within speech therapy sessions, but seldom used correctly due to the lack of …

Theory Of Mind And Negation, Jasmine Buckins

Master's Theses

Problem

There is an extensive amount of research on theory of mind, which is the ability to attribute mental states (e.g., beliefs, intents, desires, knowledge, etc.) to oneself and others and to comprehend that others have beliefs, desires, intentions and perspectives that may be different from one’s own. Some researchers have investigated the potential prerequisites or developmental milestones that may be required in order for a theory of mind to be developed in young children. Some researchers have concluded that certain factors play a role in theory of mind development. These factors include environmental, cognitive and linguistic components. However, in …

An Evaluation Of The Definition Of Exhaustive Foreknowledge In The Writings Of Richard Rice, Dennis E. Akawobsa

Master's Theses

Problem

This thesis addresses the conflict of interpretation between Richard Rice’s model of God’s exhaustive knowledge of the future as a realm of possibilities and the generally accepted traditional model of God’s exhaustive definite knowledge of the future. In harmony with the traditional perspective, Richard Rice has affirmed God’s exhaustive knowledge of the past and the present. However, in contrast to the traditional perspective, he has denied God’s exhaustive definite foreknowledge of future free choices. According to Rice, God can know everything there is to know. This implies that, on one hand, the future does not yet exist, so God …

Grief Management: The Divine And The Human Factor, Ransom Khanye

Master's Theses

Problem

When someone is bereaved, friends, comforters and sympathisers at times try to make sense of the situation. Some people theoretically deal with issues surrounding the death of someone and grief of the surviving ones without any personal experience of these events. Hypothetical and imaginative reasoning in comforting other people is insufficient for making a real impact and a significant and lasting difference to the bereaved. The current study was to try to identify the most effective way to help and console people who have lost their loved ones.

Method

The process of collecting data for this thesis was online …

Phenomenological Study Of Adult Lived Experiences After The Loss Of A Parent And Its Effects On The Perception Of Those Adults, Victor Khaula

Master's Theses

Some things are never truly understood in life until you have the personal experience of living through them. This qualitative research was aimed at understanding the adult-lived experience after parental loss and how living through such an experience led those adults to change their perception about bereavement. The major question was “Why did the death of my mother communicate things to me that I never understood when I ministered to those who had lost their parents?” Experiencing the death of my mother was studied in relation to the lived experiences of three other Seventh-day Adventist adults from my university who …