Digital Commons Network^™

Biochemical Study Of A Chymotrypsin-Like Serine Protease, Aachymo, From The Female Aedes Aegypti Mosquito, Olive Escalicas Burata

Master's Theses

The Aedes aegypti female mosquito is a dominant vector of four bloodborne viruses: dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and Zika. Defenses against viral infection are reliant on human competence to limit interactions with the vector or through abatement using

methods that are either too expensive or ecologically invasive upon other species. An alternative vector control approach focuses specifically on blood meal protein digestion, which is a required process to fuel the gonotrophic cycle. Reduction of eggs laid can be

observed by inhibiting midgut serine proteases that are afterward released in the midgut in the presence of a blood meal. Trypsin-like serine …

Associative Memory Performance Following Periods Of Wakeful Rest And Technological Distraction, Chalise Carlson

Master's Theses

We often spend breaks in our day by engaging with technological devices. However, literature across several species indicates that resting quietly without engaging in other activities, termed wakeful rest, can be beneficial to memory consolidation, a period following encoding which serves to stabilize memories. Prior research demonstrates that wakeful rest benefits memory for single items. However, the effects of wakeful rest on associative memory, (i.e. memory for associations between stimuli), remain unclear. To elucidate the effects of wakeful rest on associative memory, a study was designed to examine differences in associative memory performance following periods of wakeful rest and game …

For The Bible Tells Me So, Jade Dozier

Master's Theses

The relationship between the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning) community and the church has been studied for critical reasons. The connection between the two has been uneasy because of the religious beliefs from religious groups and the many misunderstandings of what the LGBTQ community believes in. I have been able to understand the poor relationship between the Black church and homosexuality from the sources that are examined in my Literature Review. I evaluated the similarities and differences between queer men and women based on upbringing, denomination, and familial acceptance. As a LA native, I narrowed research on Black …

Diets And Stable Isotope Signatures Of Yellowtail Rockfish (Sebastes Flavidus) In Central California, Jennifer Chiu

Master's Theses

Studies of fish diets can improve the understanding of trophic distributions and the predatory role of a species in an ecosystem. Identifying the spatial and temporal variability in the diets of fishes can provide useful information for stock assessments and management. Yellowtail Rockfish (Sebastes flavidus) are a commercially and recreationally important fishery species, and abundant along the central California coast, yet the most recent studies of diets occurred over 20 years ago in Oregon and Washington. To provide current information from California, I examined the food habits of Yellowtail Rockfish collected near Cordell Bank, the Farallon Islands, and Half Moon …

Learning Chinese Characters And German Words Using Multimedia, Cheuk Yue Fung

Master's Theses

This study applies cognitive theory of multimedia learning and cognitive load theory to foreign language learning and examines in what conditions English-speakers benefit most from multimedia instruction. Sixty-four English-speaking college students learned either German words or Chinese characters. The reason for comparing these two languages is to assess the differences between low-knowledge and high-knowledge learners. We assume English-speakers have a better linguistic knowledge for learning German words than Chinese characters, because of the closer relationship between English and German languages than between English and Chinese languages. There were four cue conditions in which participants received either no cue, a verbal …

Stratospheric Intrusions Over Northern California During Cabots: A Study Of Ozone Transport And The Influence On Surface Ozone Pollution In The Sacramento Valley, Jodie Clark

Master's Theses

Stratospheric intrusions occur above California throughout all seasons. Stratospheric intrusions are known to transport ozone rich stratospheric air into the lower troposphere, influencing surface ozone, especially in the mountainous regions of the western US. These intrusions potentially influence the surface ozone concentrations to be above the health-based national ambient air quality standard. Potential Vorticity is a widely accepted tracer of stratospheric air masses being injected into the troposphere. Stratospheric intrusions during the last few weeks of the California Baseline Ozone Transport Study are identified over Northern California, influencing air masses above Bodega Bay and Sacramento. Utilizing daily ozonesonde data from …

Modeling And Simulation Of Vehicle Performance In A Uav Swarm Using Horizon Simulation Framework, Adam J. Frye

Master's Theses

A UAV swarm is simulated using Horizon Simulation Framework. The asset utilized for the swarm agent is a simplified model of the MQ-1 Predator, a large fixed-wing aircraft. The simulated swarm utilizes a decentralized cooperative control approach to command the assets through the use of digital pheromones and a pheromone map. Each vehicle operates at steady-state flight conditions of 36 m/s with an altitude of 1,800 m, and utilize an LQR set-point controller to maneuver through the pheromone map. All pheromone and aircraft related models are written in Python to expand the HSF scripting capability and include airborne scenarios. The …

Effect Of Evapotranspiration Rate On Almond Yield In California, Dafne Isaac Serrano

Master's Theses

Since 2011, California has been under drought conditions. These conditions have not only affected water availability for farmers, but also production. California’s second most valuable crop, almonds, has been affected by drought conditions. This study used three models (Model 1-3) to describe almond yield variability from year to year and almond yield variability within a year in Kern County, CA. The study evaluated 185 almond farms that were classified in three locations (east side, west side and north west side). The years of the study were 2011 (wet year) and 2013-2015 (drought condition years). Model 1 determined a functional regression …

Parental Perspective And Feeding Practices Effects On Food Neophobia In Elementary-Age School Children, Farnoosh Ayoughi

Master's Theses

The Food neophobia (FN) behaviors in children are developed during childhood and can be influenced by parental FN and feeding behaviors. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between FN and fruit and vegetable neophobia (FVN) among parents, the parents-reports on child's behavior and child self-reports. The effect of parental feeding practices and demographic variables on children’s FN and FVN were evaluated. Sixty-eight parents paired with their elementary school children (aged 7-12 years) in San Luis Coastal Unified School District participated in this study. Results indicated that parents reported their children more neophobic than children self-reported neophobia; …

Reduced Ng2 Cell Differentiation In Hilus In A Pilocarpine Model Of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, Anna Heinrich

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Auditory Brainstem Response And Language In Typically Developing Children And Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Lisa Tecoulesco

Master's Theses

Syntactic, semantic, and phonological knowledge are vital aspects of macro level language ability. Prior research has focused on environmental or cortical sources of individual differences in these areas. Subcortical contributions of the auditory brainstem have also been found to contribute to language ability in both typically developing (TD) populations and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study investigates whether one aspect of auditory brainstem responses (ABRs), response stability, a metric of the variability of instance to instance neural encoding of sound, can predict syntactic, semantic, and phonological performance in TD and ASD school-aged children. This study further investigates the …

Understanding Spatiotemporal Growth Of Ride Source Services In New York City, Lorenzo Roland Varone

Master's Theses

Ride source is among the fastest growing services in the transportation sector. While the service initially served a niche market, ridership has boomed in recent years. Daily ride source pickups in New York City have increased from about 60,400 pickups in January 2015 to about 550,000 pickups in December 2017, an 810% increase. Even though ride source broke into the transportation landscape almost seven years ago, research studying its effects has been stunted by the limited open source data made available by TNCs. In order to help city officials make smart policy decisions regarding ride source, transportation experts must continue …

Sustainable Safety And The Decreasing Vulnerability Of Cyclists And Pedestrians In The Netherlands: Lessons For The United States, Vannesa Kello

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Mechanical Behavior Of Hybrid Concrete-Filled Fiber Reinforced Polymer Tube Columns, Samuel Turek

Master's Theses

Much of America’s infrastructure is in a state of disrepair. Many bridges are approaching or have passed their designed service life. Engineers and bridge owners have an obligation to rebuild back better. This can be achieved, in part, through the utilization of novel high performance structural systems. One such technology, the concrete-filled fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) tube (CFFT) system has been extensively studied the past few decades as an alternative design for bridge columns. This column system greatly simplifies construction by eliminating the need for column formwork and associated scaffolding. It also contributes to the confinement of the concrete, improving …

Environmental Factors That Affect Kenneled Shelter Dogs In Connecticut, Laura Burban

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Women With A Cause: Art, Representation, And Feminist Progress In Eighteenth-Century France, Darby Marie Leahy

Master's Theses

Throughout the eighteenth century the Age of Enlightenment transformed public discourse across Western Europe. In France, the salons of Paris became the primary institutions of Enlightenment thought. Hosted by women, the salons possessed a unique atmosphere in which men and women were regarded as intellectual equals. My thesis focuses on the role the female hostesses, salonnières, had in initiating French movements for gender equality that continued with great momentum throughout the French Revolution. By using popular artwork, literature, and memoirs I show how the efforts of French women to achieve gender equality helped give early rise to feminism.

An Assessment Of The Greatest Impacts On Distribution Uniformity For Drip And Micro Irrigation, Brooke Ashley Worden

Master's Theses

Using the Cal Poly Irrigation Training and Research Centers (ITRC) drip/micro evaluation program, global, or system, DU_lq is computed by combining the component DU_lq values of: pressure variation, uneven spacing between emitters, unequal drainage and “other” causes. “Other” causes include plugging, wear and manufacturing coefficient. The program also computes what percentage of the non-uniformity is due to each component. Burt (2004) showed that over 95% of the non-uniformity is due to “Other” causes and pressure differences. This thesis looks at what specifically in those components is driving the non-uniformity by analyzing various equipment and field practices and their …

Comparative Analysis Of Body Composition And Reference Values Of Visceral Adipose Tissues In Various American Collegiate Sports, Eshan M. Dandekar

Master's Theses

Background: Currently, body composition (BC) assessment is usually performed to diagnose disease states and accurately estimate certain types of tissues. In athletes, performing BC assessments helps gauge training and nutrition programs to see if they are adequately meeting the athlete’s needs to improve performance. Annual Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) scans before the start of an athlete’s season can help identify an athlete’s preparedness or health before training begins.

Objective: To assess the preseason BC of four collegiate sports: Men’s basketball, men’s baseball, women’s volleyball, and women’s soccer, for Fat Mass (FM), bone mineral density BMD), Fat-Free Mass …

Microfluidic Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy, John J. Foley

Master's Theses

The goal of this study is to design and manufacture a microfluidic device capable of measuring changes in impedance valuesof microfluidic cell cultures. Tocharacterize this, an interdigitated array of electrodes was patterned over glass, where it was then bonded to a series of fluidic networks created in PDMS via soft lithography. The device measured ethanol impedance initially to show that values remain consistent over time. Impedance values of water and 1% wt. saltwater were compared to show that the device is able to detect changes in impedance, with up to a 60% reduction in electrical impedance in saltwater. Cells were …

In Vitro Growth Of Osteoblasts On Poly Lactic-Co-Glycolic Acid Scaffolds Created Via Gas Foaming, Matthew James Thomas

Master's Theses

This study analyzed the feasibility of using gas foaming to create Poly Lactic-co-Glycolic Acid (PLGA) scaffolds for use as a substrate in bone tissue engineering and set out to determine whether the presence of osteoblasts on these scaffolds enhanced their material stiffness. The process of bone formation involves osteoblasts depositing extracellular matrix and calcifying this matrix with calcium phosphate crystals (Hasegawa et al., 2017) and pits between 30-40μm in diameter on tissue engineering scaffold surfaces have been shown to best promote osteogenic activity in the presence of bone-forming cells (Halai et al., 2014).The scaffolds were determined to contain pits within …

Effect Of Storage Period And Treatment On The Composition And Digestibility Of Olive Pomace In Cattle, Alexis Cecilia Ulloa

Master's Theses

Utilizing local by-products can serve to significantly reduce the current feed costs for ruminant producers. The objective of this study is (1) to evaluate the effects of chemical and bacterial inoculants in combination with ensiling, on the nutritional value and ensiling compatibility of olive pomace (OP) and (2) to identify the most biologically favorable treatment and ensiling day of OP for feeding to cattle. Freshly centrifuged OP (Olivas de Oro Olive Company, Creston, CA) was treated with one of four treatments: (1) no additives (control; CONT); (2) urea applied at 5% of DM (UREA; Agrium U.S. Inc, Loveland, CO); (3) …

Subject-Specific Finite Element Predictions Of Knee Cartilage Pressure And Investigation Of Cartilage Material Models, Michael G. Rumery

Master's Theses

An estimated 27 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis (OA). Symptomatic OA is often treated with total knee replacement, a procedure which is expected to increase in number by 673% from 2005 to 2030, and costs to perform total knee replacement surgeries exceeded $11 billion in 2005. Subject-specific modeling and finite element (FE) predictions are state-of-the-art computational methods for anatomically accurate predictions of joint tissue loads in surgical-planning and rehabilitation. Knee joint FE models have been used to predict in-vivo joint kinematics, loads, stresses and strains, and joint contact area and pressure. Abnormal cartilage contact pressure is considered a risk factor …

The Impact Of Cleft Lip And Palate Repair Surgery On Cognitive And Academic Outcomes For Teens In India, R Jeremiah Maller

Master's Theses

India has a backlog of nearly one million patients in need of cleft lip and palate repair. Unrepaired cleft results in social stigma and diminished health, psychological wellbeing, and academic functioning. Cleft repair surgery has the potential to restore functioning in these domains. However, the magnitude of the social, educational, and economic impact of cleft repair surgery has not been evaluated using statistically rigorous methods. An estimation of the academic and educational impact of cleft repair has implications for the appropriate allocation of public health resources. We analyze original data gathered from teenagers in West Bengal, India using the difference-in-differences …

Adaptive Management For Urban Oak Ecosystem Restoration: Effects Of Canopy Thinning On Seedling Regeneration And Groundlayer Plant Communities, Jillian Pastick

Master's Theses

Oak forests are complex, fire-dependent ecosystems, critical for supporting ecosystem services such as biodiversity and carbon storage. However, throughout eastern North America, previously oak-dominant ecosystems have undergone shifts in species composition and structure, primarily as a result of human influences. Land managers face the challenge of restoring oak ecosystems and promoting oak regeneration in urban and suburban natural areas, where high-intensity silvicultural treatments are often not feasible. To investigate management alternatives, an adaptive management experiment was implemented in Lake County, IL in 2012, in which five thinning treatments of varying intensity, timing, and spatial aggregation were replicated across three study …

The Effects Of Poor Maternal Nutrition On Offspring Muscle Metabolism, Dominique Martin

Master's Theses

Poor maternal nutrition during gestation alters offspring muscle composition, fiber number, postnatal growth, and stem cell function. Additionally, poor maternal nutrition impacts offspring whole body and stem cell metabolism. We hypothesized that over- or restricted-feeding during gestation would alter muscle myoblast metabolism as well as offspring Longissimus dorsi muscle (LD) metabolome. Pregnant Western White-faced ewes (n = 47) were individually fed 60% (RES), 100% (CON), or 140% (OVER) of NRC requirements starting at d 30.2 ± 0.2 of gestation. At d 90 and 135 of gestation, ewes were euthanized for fetal muscle collection. Another group of ewes were allowed to …

Facilitating Effective Online Discourse: Investigating Factors Influencing Students’ Cognitive Presence In Online Learning, Xinran Zhu

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among social presence, cognitive presence and teaching presence in online learning within a Community of Inquiry (CoI) Framework (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000). In addition, the study investigated the impact of individual’s motivational factors on the relationship among the presences. An online survey testing learner’s perceived social presence, teaching presence, cognitive presence, situational interest and online technology self-efficacy was distributed to students who were taking online courses. A follow-up interview process was conducted in order to further interpret the quantitative data. The findings show that within the CoI framework, social …

Substance Use, Hiv Serostatus Disclosure, And Sexual Risk Behavior In People Living With Hiv: An Event-Level Analysis, Matthew Sullivan

Master's Theses

Objective. Sexually active people living with HIV (PLWH) face difficult decisions about disclosing their HIV status to sexual partners. Alcohol and other drug use are prevalent in medically engaged PLWH, and could impact these decision-making processes. We sought to examine the event-level relationships between substance use, HIV disclosure, and condom use in PLWH.

Method. Adult PLWH were recruited from care settings in a southeastern US city. Participants reported psychosocial and health information at baseline, and reported their sexual behavior for 28 consecutive days via text message prompts. Multi-level modeling was employed to examine event-level associations between substance use, HIV disclosure, …

Can The Job Characteristics Model Be Used To Attract Applicants? A Policy Capture Model Of Symbolic Attraction, Alec J. Calvo

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Improving Diet & Physical Activity Behaviors Through Tailored Mhealth Messages: Application To Childhood Obesity Prevention In A Pediatric Emergency Department, Samantha Oldman

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Understanding How The Costimulatory Molecule Ox40 Engagement On T Cells Can Boost Immune Responses For Vaccine Applications And Immunotherapy., Archibald Agyekum-Yamoah, Archibald Agyekum-Yamoah

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.