Digital Commons Network^™

Flight Test Data System For Strain Measurement, Zachary David Wilson

Master's Theses

This thesis describes the design and evaluation of two devices to be included in the next generation of the family of devices called the Boundary Layer Data System (BLDS). The first device, called the Quasi-Static Strain Data Acquisition System, is a continuation of the BLDS-M series of devices to be known as the Flight Test Data System (FTDS) that uses a modular approach to acquire non-flow, quasi-static mechanical strain measurements. Various breakout boards and development boards were used to synthesize the device, which were housed by a custom PCB board. The system is controlled by the Simblee^TM System on …

Supporting Parents In Title I Schools: A Qualitative Study Of Parent Engagement, Vanessa Sanchez

Master's Theses

This qualitative study focuses on how to improve parent engagement in Title I schools from parents’ point of view. The purpose of this project is to understand parent involvement in a Northern California school and how to improve it. This paper offers insights from parents’ perspectives how parents view the education process. The focus is on their experiences and how to support all parents. The lenses of the study is viewed through a critical pedagogy and social cognitive theory. All five of the parents being interviewed had suggestions on how to improve parent engagement in Title I Schools. The three …

A Critical Discourse Analysis Of The National Collegiate Athletic Association Response To The Federal Investigation Into Men’S College Basketball, Max Klein

Master's Theses

On September 27, 2017, the Federal Bureau Investigation (FBI) arrested ten individuals connected to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men’s basketball for charges, including bribery, wire fraud, and money laundering. In response to the public release of this investigation, the NCAA formed the Commission on College Basketball (CCB) to address “fairness and opportunity for college athletes, coupled with the enforcement capability to hold accountable those who undermine the standards of our community” (Emmert, 2017). Ultimately, the purpose of this study is to analyze the NCAA’s response to the FBI investigation into men’s college basketball. The creation of the …

Evaluation Of Drought-Resistant Plants For Beneficial Insect Attraction, Benjamin Gluck

Master's Theses

Beneficial insects, such as natural enemies and pollinators, provide billions of dollars of ecological services to agricultural operations. However, as the climate changes, Connecticut is projected to have longer periods of drought. This could negatively impact the availability of flowering plants, and the beneficial insects who rely on their floral resources.

This research focuses on the diversity of insect visitors to five species of drought-resistant plants at the Plant Science Research and Educational facility. Over the two-year study the visitation frequency of pollinators and beneficial insects on the plants was observed, insect samples were collected for further identification. Agastache foeniculum …

Changes In The Cognitive Dynamics Of Problem-Solving, Shireena Mcgee

Master's Theses

How do humans develop the ability to approach and solve diverse, attentionally-demanding problems? Current work on problem-solving focuses on well-defined problems in which explicit task constraints directly inform the planning and execution of behaviors. However, in situations that might be more informative for naturalistic learning and problem-solving, what is necessary to solve problems when task constraints, and thus planning abilities, are not as easily accessible? Executive functions such as selective attention and working memory seem fundamental to these types of activities, yet there is not a clear account of how exactly the coordination of these cognitive processes contribute dynamically to …

Written In Black, White, And Red: An Exploration Of Civilizer Theology In American History, Jeremy Mcginniss

Master's Theses

This paper proposes an extended definition and discusses examples of civilizer theology within the perceptions and practices of white Protestant American Christianity faith traditions. Civilizer theology is defined as a self-referential, self-fulfilling framework actively shaping the expectations, behaviors and practices of societal norms driving cultural practices. Examples are selected as guided by three significant and interdependent dispositions characterizing civilizer theology: cultural decay/moral decline, authority, and violence. This paper hypothesizes theological interpretation, application and exegesis, mediated by the three dispositions, are deliberately applied to support socio-economic, cultural and political ends with the goal of maintaining power structures benefiting a particular group.

The Democratization And Development Of Cell-Free Protein Synthesis, Max Z. Levine

Master's Theses

Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) using crude lysates has developed into a robust platform technology over the last 60 years to express numerous types of recombinant proteins. The open-nature, elimination of reliance on cell viability, and focus of all energy towards production of the protein of interest represent substantial advantages of CFPS over in vivo protein expression methods. CFPS has provided new opportunities across a series of research fields that include metabolic engineering, therapeutic and vaccine development, education, biosensors, and many more. In recent years, optimizations of CFPS have even allowed the platform to reach the industrial level of protein production. …

Electrocardiographic Findings During Standard Hands Only Cpr And Hands Only Cpr Plus Pedal Cpr In Senior Rescuers, Laura Melany Yassa

Master's Theses

The standard first aid for a heart attack resulting in cardiopulmonary arrest is effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Chest compressions are most commonly performed on a flat surface with the rescuer kneeling next to the victim with one hand on top of the other on the sternum and elbows straight. This technique of being on the ground may be challenging for those without the mobility and strength to get up and down from the ground. In 2005, the American Heart Association (AHA) Guidelines listed “pedal”, or heel, compression as an acceptable alternative to standard chest compressions (Trenkamp & Perez, 2015). That …

Effects Of Intertidal Position On Metabolism And Behavior In The Acorn Barnacle, Balanus Glandula, Kali Horn

Master's Theses

The intertidal zone is characterized by persistent, tidally-driven fluctuations in both abiotic (e.g., temperature, [O₂], salinity) and biotic (e.g., food availability, predation) conditions, which makes this a very physiologically challenging habitat for resident organisms. The magnitude and degree of variability of these environmental stressors differs between intertidal zones, with the most extreme physiological stress often being experienced by organisms in the high intertidal. Given that many of the fluctuating conditions in this environment are primary drivers of metabolic rate (e.g., temperature, [O₂], food availability), we hypothesized that sessile conspecifics residing in different tidal zones would exhibit …

Comparison Of Modern Controls And Reinforcement Learning For Robust Control Of Autonomously Backing Up Tractor-Trailers To Loading Docks, Journey Mcdowell

Master's Theses

Two controller performances are assessed for generalization in the path following task of autonomously backing up a tractor-trailer. Starting from random locations and orientations, paths are generated to loading docks with arbitrary pose using Dubins Curves. The combination vehicles can be varied in wheelbase, hitch length, weight distributions, and tire cornering stiffness. The closed form calculation of the gains for the Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) rely heavily on having an accurate model of the plant. However, real-world applications cannot expect to have an updated model for each new trailer. Finding alternative robust controllers when the trailer model is changed was …

A Rotating Aperture Mask For Small Telescopes, Edward L. Foley

Master's Theses

Observing the dynamic interaction between stars and their close stellar neighbors is key to establishing the stars’ orbits, masses, and other properties. Our ability to visually discriminate nearby stars is limited by the power of our telescopes, posing a challenge to astronomers at small observatories that contribute to binary star surveys. Masks placed at the telescope aperture promise to augment the resolving power of telescopes of all sizes, but many of these masks must be manually and repetitively reoriented about the optical axis to achieve their full benefits. This paper introduces a design concept for a mask rotation mechanism that …

Advancements In Novel Material Rfid-Based Crack Sensing And Bridge Weigh In Motion, Benjamin Bruciati

Master's Theses

The current infrastructure in the United States is continually deteriorating. Smart structures in civil engineering are becoming increasingly popular due to the performance enhancing systems they contain. Many of these systems are related to sensing and monitoring the structure. Structural health monitoring (SHM) has state of the art technological advances in both these fields. This thesis contributes to the advancements in the SHM field, particularly crack detection and Bridge Weigh-In-Motion (BWIM). The crack detection research uses existing radio frequency identification (RFID) crack detection technology and applies it to a novel material, Ultra High-Performance Concrete (UHPC). This system uses backscatter power …

Mesoscale Controls On The Shasta County Convergence Zone, Matthew Thomas Roberts

Master's Theses

The Shasta County Convergence Zone (SCCZ) is a poorly understood terrain-forced convergence zone that develops at the northern terminus of California’s Sacramento Valley during cool season (Oct.-Apr.) trough passages. While terrain-flow interactions clearly factor into the SCCZ development, the nature of these interactions is unknown as are the mesoscale processes affecting event duration and orientation. Level-II NEXRAD radar data are used to examine the onset, duration, orientation, geographical extent, and precipitation rate of 23 SCCZ events during the 2016-2017 cool season. The analyses reveal distinct event morphologies including (1) isolated convective bands over the topography, (2) isolated convective bands displaced …

Comparisons Of Upper Tropospheric Ozone At A Coastal And Urban Site And The Impact Of Local Surface Emissions, Chloe Anne Gore

Master's Theses

This study quantified the impact of urban emission sources on the enhancement of ozone (O3) in the troposphere using data from simultaneous ozonesonde launches at Half Moon Bay (HMB), CA and San Jose (SJ), CA on eleven dates in July and August 2018. The urban O3 enhancement in the SJ vertical profile was derived by subtracting out HMB, which represents baseline O3, from the SJ profile. This enhancement was averaged into 1 km layers and statistically analyzed with surface emission concentration data from three locations in SJ, however this did not reveal any discernable trends between the surface and O3 …

Formation Of Clot Analogs Between Co-Flow Fluid Streams In A Microchannel Device, Sue-Mae Saw

Master's Theses

Hemodynamics plays an important role in the formation of blood clots, for which changes in hydrodynamic stresses and transport phenomena can initiate or inhibit the clotting process. The fibrin network is highly influential in the structural mechanics of a clot. This work demonstrated an ability to produce clot analogs at the boundary between co-flow fluid streams, and investigated the dependence of clot shape and density distribution on flow conditions. The time evolution of fibrin clots formed in microchannel flow was investigated using fluorescence imaging. Clots were formed in a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic device which consisted of a Y-shaped microchannel with …

The Energetic Cost Of Anthropogenic Disturbance On The Southern Sea Otter (Enhydra Lutris Nereis), Heather Elizabeth Barrett

Master's Theses

With increased human populations and tourism in coastal areas, there is greater potential for disturbance of marine wildlife. Having high metabolic rates, sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) are at risk of increased energetic costs due to disturbance. To investigate these effects, sea otter activity in response to potential disturbance stimuli was recorded over three years, at three California locations: Monterey, Moss Landing, and Morro Bay. A hidden Markov Model was developed to examine how activity varies as a function of location, group size, pup to adult ratio, kelp canopy, and occurrence of and proximity to disturbance stimuli. Results were combined …

Children's Books As Cultural Products: A Qualitative Study Of Cultural Representation In Hmong And Non-Hmong American Books, Malina Her

Master's Theses

This study examined the type of cultural practices and values depicted within Hmong American children’s books in comparison to non-Hmong American children’s books from the United States. The purpose was to explore if prior Hmong traditional practices and values reflective of American individualism would extend to Hmong children’s books. Thirty best-seller children’s books were coded using two checklists, one focused on Hmong traditional practices and the other on American values. Results showed that Hmong traditional practices underscored by Hmong adolescents in prior research somewhat extended to Hmong children’s books. Moreover, in some respects Hmong children’s books displayed similar numbers of …

The Impact Of The Quality Of A Relationship With Supervisors On Employee Work Attitude And Behaviors, Dylan Scott Gilstein

Master's Theses

It has been shown that leader member exchange (LMX) relationships are related positively to subjective career success and negatively to counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs). However, few studies have examined the possible mediators of these relationships. The present study proposed that need satisfaction and intrinsic motivation would mediate the relationship between LMX and both outcomes. It was hypothesized that high-quality leadership relationships would satisfy employees’ psychological needs and intrinsically motivate them which, in turn, would lead them to perceive themselves as more successful in their careers and to engage in fewer CWBs. Using data from 160 participants from an online survey, …

Effect Of Nicotine Exposure On Fatigue Mechanics Of Murine Arteries, Elizabeth Ho

Master's Theses

Nicotine is an addictive substance found in electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and cigarettes, and the use of such products has growing concern because of the prevalent use by young adults. Nicotine exposure degrades arterial tissue and results in increased arterial stiffness, which is linked to cardiovascular events, such as stroke and myocardial infarction. The hypothesis of this research is that fatigue loading reveals changes to the mechanical behavior of nicotine-treated arteries that is more informatively discriminating than stiffness alone. Ten murine arteries, five untreated and five nicotine-treated, were subjected to cyclic fatigue loading in an open-circumferential configuration by a custom tensometer …

Towards Incorporating Iridium Pincer Complexes Into Polymeric Scaffolds For Site-Isolated Alkane Dehydrogenation Catalysis, Jacob Calvin Hickey

Master's Theses

Alkanes remain a difficult resource to harness through chemical transformation. Iridium pincer complexes can catalyze alkane dehydrogenation at elevated temperatures (generally > 180 °C) and display high thermal stability and modularity. Based on precedent with zeolite and micellar materials for other catalytic reactions, we hypothesize that incorporating an iridium complex into a macromolecular framework will lead to catalysts with increased stability, compatibility, and reactivity and will overcome several limitations of the iridium-catalyzed reaction, namely the need for high catalyst loading and high reaction temperatures as well as the poor long-term stability of the catalyst. To that end, two small molecule iridium …

Determination Of Demagnetizing Factors In Nanomagnets By First-Order Reversal Curves And Ferromagnetic Resonance, Karl Scott Muster

Master's Theses

Magnetic reversal in nickel nanowire arrays due to an axial, external magnetic field was studied through first-order reversal curve (FORC) measurement. A general function modeling the observed Preisach distribution was developed using the moving Preisach model. Fitting allowed determination of the sample's demagnetizing field at saturation and modeling magnetic reversal with respect to the internal magnetic field. Magnetization dynamics in the sample were studied through ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) measurement to aid in interpreting FORC fit results. Combining FORC and FMR results yielded the saturation magnetization and effective demagnetizing factors of the sample. Similar analysis was performed for a thin film …

The Effects Of Culture And Gender Roles On The Efficacy Of Social Support As A Coping Mechanism For Stress, Quy Minh Vu

Master's Theses

Though social support has been thought to be an effective coping mechanism for handling distress, this generalization comes with limitations in that social support is highly intertwined with specific characteristics that could alter both help-seeking behavior and its outcomes. The present study examined the effects of cultural differences on the effectiveness of differing social support sources (i.e., parents versus peers) between European American and Asian/Asian American samples, as well as the influence of gender role orientation on social support outcomes. Ninety-Five European American and Asian/Asian American participants were assigned to either a parent or peer social support letter task prior …

Reforming Beauty: The Casa Delle Zitelle And Female Asylums In Early Modern Venice, Kelly Renee Cricchio

Master's Theses

This thesis examines the Casa delle Zitelle (the House of Unmarried Girls), a female asylum created to care for poor, beautiful young girls who were at risk of becoming prostitutes in early modern Venice. The institution was founded, as well as funded and administered, by a group of pious patrician women in 1559. The Casa delle Zitelle was not only sponsored by and for women, but also the predominant patrons of the institution were Venetian women. The institution’s commitment to transform the zitelle (unmarried girls) into the sixteenth century ideal of womanhood was best articulated in the design of the …

Monotonic Testing Of Steel Anchor Straps For Alternative Installation Methods In Wood Frame Shear Walls, Randall Block

Master's Theses

Metal wood-connection hardware straps are sometimes installed in ways not intended by the manufacturers; in particular, a shear-wall anchor strap which was manufactured to be used in straight alignment to connect a post above a particular floor of a building to a post below that floor may instead be bent and wrapped around a floor beam. Four specimens using steel straps were constructed and tested in order to simulate building situations. The experimental specimens had wooden posts and engineered-wood floor beams, connected by straps, arranged so that the load paths passed through the straps being tested; the control specimens had …

Extended Producer Responsibility And The Environmental Policy Implementation Process In California: A Case Study Of Paintcare, Justin Ian Weiss

Master's Theses

Due to increasing volumes of certain types of waste and the cost of municipal waste management, California and local jurisdictions are pursuing legislation to engage manufacturers in the collection and disposal of the products they manufacture. These legislative frameworks take many forms, but many employ the “producer pays” principle commonly referred to as “extended producer responsibility” (EPR). These policies, which are more common in the European Union, are often contentious and difficult for U.S. governments to pursue, as targeted and influential industries resist policy implementation. The objective of this thesis was to better understand the reasons for the successful implementation …

Dynamics And Ecological Implications Of The Ulva-Zostera Ecotone In Elkhorn Slough, California, María Vila Duplá

Master's Theses

Ecotones are transitional areas between adjacent ecological communities that have unique ecological qualities defined by space and time scales, and by the interactions between adjacent systems. Ecotones play an essential role in supporting biologically diverse communities, and are sensitive indicators of global change. An Ulva-Zostera ecotone extends along the northern shore of Seal Bend in Elkhorn Slough, an estuary located in central California. Although previous studies have mentioned the presence of the Ulva-Zostera ecotone, this was the first study to focus on understanding its driving factors, spatiotemporal dynamics, and overall ecological implications. A combination of habitat monitoring, water quality assessments, …

An Investigation Of The Effects Of Individual Differences On Technology Acceptance In The Workplace, Robert Neil Payne

Master's Theses

The purpose of the current study was to test for moderating effects that conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness to experience have on relationships in the technology acceptance model. More specifically, the current study tested for previously overlooked moderation effects that these personality traits have on the relationships between behavioral intention and its predictors (i.e. perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and subjective norms). A sample of 96 employees from more than 16 industries participated in the study by completing an online survey. Results of the current study displayed a significant moderation effect by agreeableness on the relationship between perceived ease of …

Preserving Ideals Of Chemical Reaction Networks, Mark Curiel

Master's Theses

Under the assumption of mass-action kinetics, every chemical reaction network has an associated polynomial dynamical system. Rather than study the dynamics of this system, we shall study the ideal generated by the polynomials in the system called the steady state ideal. In this thesis, we will show that there is a combinatorial way to determine the existence of monomials in the steady state ideal using the underlying structure of the network. This allows us to prove that there is a combinatorial condition that is enough to guarantee the steady state ideal is monomial. We introduce three operations on chemical reaction …

A Comparative Study Of The Influence Of Level Of Automation And Reliability Of Ids Systems On Cyber Situation Awareness, Ian Anderson Cooke

Master's Theses

Computer network defense (CND) protects organizations and individuals against cyber threats by monitoring, identifying, analyzing, and defending network infrastructure from infiltration. Network defenders must maintain high levels of cyber situation awareness (CSA) in order to correctly identify and act on threats to the network. Intrusion detection systems (IDSs) are automated systems designed to assist network defenders in building CSA by sifting through network traffic and flagging potential threats. These systems are plagued by high false alarm rates that inhibit the ability of network defenders to build CSA. More capable IDSs have been developed that are capable of increasing the hit …

Asian Long-Range Transport In Relation To Atmospheric Rivers In Northern California, Catherine Liu

Master's Theses

The study investigated the effect of aerosol long-range transport on precipitation over northern California during atmospheric river (AR) events in the 2017 cold season (January-April). ARs in 2017 were among the strongest to date and the intense precipitation associated with the ARs resulted in flooding, destruction of property, and contamination of water supplies. The aerosol optical depth (AOD) from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data showed Asian dust traveling across the northern Pacific Ocean along with AR events. Aerosol measurements in California, provided by the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE), showed that more Asian dust tends to be …