Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluation Of The Protein Recognition Properties Of Peptide Nucleic Acids, Crystal Cox Serrano

Master's Theses

The objective is to evaluate the ability of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRS) to recognize the non-standard nucleic acid, PNA (peptide nucleic acid). PNA has immense potential in biomedical applications due to its increased thermostability and nuclease resistance over natural nucleic acids. PNA represents a superior alternative to natural nucleic acids in many biomedical applications due to its specificity, strong binding, and nuclease resistance. This study is the initial data set that indicates PNA are recognized by translation enzymes.

The Effects Of Tootling On Disruptive And Academic Behaviors In High School, John Dylan Ken Lum

Master's Theses

Considered the opposite of tattling, tootling is a procedure where students report their classmates’ positive behavior instead of inappropriate behavior. This study examined the effects of tootling on students’ behavior in three general education high school classrooms. An A-B-A-B withdrawal with follow-up design was used to assess the effects of the intervention on decreasing classwide disruptive behavior and increasing academically engaged behavior. Students wrote tootles anonymously on paper slips, and deposited them into a marked container. An interdependent group contingency procedure was used to create a class goal for the number of submitted tootles, which led to a class reward …

Habitat Selection Of Gulf-Strain Striped Bass, Morone Saxatilis: Relationships To Dynamic Abiotic Environmental Characteristics Within The Biloxi River, Mississippi, Jennifer Lynne Green

Master's Theses

The purpose of this project was to provide insights about the short- and long-term patterns of habitat selection of Gulf-strain Striped Bass, Morone saxatilis, based on spatially and seasonally variable abiotic environmental characteristics (water temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), salinity, specific conductivity, and pH) in the Biloxi River, MS system. Juvenile hatchery-reared and feral adult Gulf-strain Striped Bass were acoustically-tagged and continuously monitored via active and passive telemetry from November 2012 – June 2014. Each month the available abiotic environmental characteristics of 40 random locations within the Biloxi River, along with sub-habitat conditions occupied by acoustically-tagged Gulf-strain Striped Bass, were …

Biogeochemical Alteration Of Particulate Pyrogenic Organic Carbon (Pyc), Jason Matthew Stuart

Master's Theses

The resistance of plant derived pyrogenic organic carbon (pyC) to abiotic and biotic means of degradation has led to increased interest in the role of pyC as a potential carbon sink, as well as a strategy for sequestering atmospheric CO2 to mitigate excess carbon emissions. Though much research pertaining to the fundamental properties of pyC degradation have been performed in a controlled lab setting, there has been very little work regarding pyC degradation in a field setting where factors such as precipitation and temperature fluctuate seasonally. This work focuses on various degradation characteristics of two …

Application Of A New Tree-Ring Based Drought Reconstruction Method At Multiple Forest Sites Across Indiana, U.S.A., Kayla Mechelle Pendergrass

Master's Theses

This thesis research used techniques of dendrochronology to investigate the efficacy of using multiple co-occurring species (MCOS) in a climate reconstruction model compared to a single species (SS) in four old-growth forests in Indiana: Pioneer Mothers Memorial Forest (PM), Donaldson Woods (DW), Hoot Woods (HW), and Lilly Dickey Woods (LD). The objectives of this study were to [1] evaluate the climate response of all chronologies (n = 19; 7 species) to determine the most appropriate climate variable for reconstruction and [2] determine if the MCOS model outperforms the SS model at each individual study site. Model comparison was conducted …

Defining Success: The Perspective Of Emerging Adults With Foster Care Experience, Brianna Lynne Anderson

Master's Theses

Youth with experience in the foster system are often more susceptible to negative outcomes in adulthood due to their high levels of cumulative risk. The present study sought out to re-define the concept of “success” from the perspective of emerging adults with experience in the foster care system and to identify patterns among the characteristics and behaviors of foster families that promote success as these young adults transition out of the foster care system and into adulthood. Participants most frequently defined “success” as achieving personal goals. Additionally, Support and Positive Identity were found to be the most influential Developmental Assets® …

Dirt Roads And Dual-Sports: Geography And Mobility Of The Trans-America Trail, Joseph Samuel Miller

Master's Theses

The purpose of this research was to examine the mobility that has become associated with the Trans-America Trail (TAT). I explored the ways this motorcycle route changes across space, how the characteristics of adventure motorcyclists have created the representation of the TAT, and how the mobility of this route can be described in terms of Cresswell's six politics of mobility––motivation, speed, rhythm, route, experience, and friction. Using a mixed methods approach, I measured quantitative characteristics of the route using maps and GIS; I used ethnographic methods collected from my own trip across the TAT to understand the landscape and the …

The Informative G-Prior Vs. Common Reference Priors For Binomial Regression With An Application To Hurricane Electrical Utility Asset Damage Prediction, Nathan R. Lally

Master's Theses

Eliciting appropriate prior information from experts for a statistical model is no easy task. Expressing this information in terms of hyperparameters of prior distributions on abstract model parameters can be nearly impossible, especially after data augmentation or transformation. In previous work on logistic and binomial regression models, Hanson et al. (2014) assert that ``experts are confident only in their assessment of the population as a whole'' and propose a version of the g-prior which effectively places a standard beta distributed prior on the overall population probability of success. We explore the efficacy of using the informed g-prior in a real …

Taxonomy, Systematics, And Host Associations Of Cestodes Of Triakid Sharks, James Bernot

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Correction Of Precursor And Product Ion Relative Abundances To Standardize Cid Spectra And Improve Ecom50 Accuracy For Non-Targeted Metabolomics, Ritvik Dubey

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Hydrologic Changes During The Middle Miocene In Southwestern Montana Using Molecular Biomarkers Of Leaf Waxes, Jaclyn G. White

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

A Time Series Investigation Of The Cryptic Copepods Pseudocalanus Spp. On The Nw Atlantic Continental Shelf, Kayla Erikson

Master's Theses

Zooplankton occupy pivotal positions in pelagic ecosystems and have direct impacts on trophic dynamics on continental shelves. Time-series records of zooplankton species diversity, distribution, and abundance are needed to understand, document, and predict impacts of environmental conditions on pelagic ecosystems. This study focuses on species of the calanoid copepod genus Pseudocalanus on the NW Atlantic continental shelf. Time-series analysis was conducted on the distribution and abundance of Pseudocalanus spp. and of two co-occuring cryptic species from 1977-2012 and 1995-2012 respectively, based on data from Ecosystem Monitoring (EcoMon) surveys by the NOAA-NMFS Northeast Fisheries Science Center and the US GLOBal Ocean …

Polyelectrolyte Coatings For Sequential Delivery Of Growth Factors: Automation And Characterization, Jennifer Etter

Master's Theses

Mimicking the body's natural healing process, which involves a variety of growth factors and cytokines produced by cells in a staged and sequential manner, has been shown to be a favorable technique in the field of tissue engineering. This project is focused on the fabrication and characterization of a polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) coating with and without a calcium phosphate (CaP) barrier layer capable of multiple growth factor delivery. The PEM coatings are created using a layer-by-layer (LBL) process in a dip coating machine in order to create uniform layers of oppositely charged material that can be used to deliver embedded …

Efficiency Of Piezotome-Corticision Assisted Orthodontics In Alleviating Mandibular Anterior Crowding - A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial, Leyla R. Davoody

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Comparision Of Root Resorption, Microbial Colonization And Periodontal Status Between Clear Aligners, Self Ligating Brackets And Conventional Brackets - A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial., Sachin Agarwal

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Astrocytic Expansion In A Model Of Neurofibromatosis 1 (Nf1) Deficiency, Joel Rosiene

Master's Theses

Neurofibramatosis type 1 is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by the development of both benign and malignant neoplasms of glial origin, as well as learning deficits and, less frequently, macrocephaly. Essential to the understanding of NF1 is the observation that the peripheral neoplasms (neurofibroma) which develop are composed primarily of NF1 negative glia which have undergone a loss of NF1 heterozygosity. The etiology of this loss of heterozygosity remains unclear, but a better characterization of these mutation events would provide insight into the cellular origins of the NF1 phenotype. CRISPR/Cas9 systems for genome editing have been, since 2013, a significant …

Tissue Characterization Using Optical Coherence Tomography, Mina Mahdian

Master's Theses

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive imaging modality, which provides real-time near-histology resolution images. In dentistry, OCT has been used for early detection of carious lesions, malignant changes in the oral tissues and other indications. However, to the best of our knowledge there is no information regarding the ability of this imaging modality in differentiating between different types of tissues in the oral cavity. If OCT proves to be able to render information regarding the properties of tissues, it can be used to detect pathological changes at an early stage, which results in better treatment outcomes. In this study, …

Design And Synthesis Of New Inhibitors For Dna Methyltransferase, Haidong Feng

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Self-Compassion And Mindfulness Differentially Predict Eating Behaviors Among Emerging Adults, Tosca Braun

Master's Theses

Objectives: Poor eating behaviors (EB) and food cravings (FC) represent risk factors for obesity and related outcomes. Mindfulness and self-compassion (SC) have been individually linked to healthful EB in prior research, representing salient intervention targets. While conceptualized as having health behavioral self-regulatory benefits, no research has examined these variables’ differential contributions to EB and FC.

Method: Participants were 283 university undergraduates (152 females; m. age = 19.1 + 1.6; m. BMI = 23.7 + 4.2 kg/m²). Multiple regression analyses in women (W) and men (M) assessed how validated measures of mindfulness and SC were associated with Fruit/Vegetable intake …

Improvements To Optical Diagnostics Of Thermal Barrier Coatings: Contaminant Identification During Laser Cleaning And Time Gated Photoluminescence Piezospectroscopy, Hyung Nun Kim

Master's Theses

Laser ablation has previously been demonstrated as a technique for removal of contaminants from engine-run thermal barrier coatings (TBC). A method for monitoring the concentrations of some of the known constituents of the contaminants is developed for paralleled quantification during laser cleaning. The major constituents of these contaminants, CaO, MgO, Al₂O₃, and SiO₂, also termed CMAS, are prepared in pressed powder samples for which Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is applied. During LIBS, unique spectra characterizing the contents of the ablated material are obtained. LIBS is applied to the individual CMAS constituent pressed powder samples …

Sram Compiler For Automated Memory Layout Supporting Multiple Transistor Process Technologies, Brandon Hilgers

Master's Theses

This research details the design of an SRAM compiler for quickly creating SRAM blocks for Cal Poly integrated circuit (IC) designs. The compiler generates memory for two process technologies (IBM 180nm cmrf7sf and ON Semiconductor 600nm SCMOS) and requires a minimum number of specifications from the user for ease of use, while still offering the option to customize the performance for speed or area of the generated SRAM cell. By automatically creating SRAM arrays, the compiler saves the user time from having to layout and test memory and allows for quick updates and changes to a design. Memory compilers with …

Development Of An Interactive Wave Drag Capability For The Openvsp Parametric Geometry Tool, Michael Jon Waddington

Master's Theses

Minimizing wave drag is critical to successful and efficient transonic and supersonic flight. Area-ruling is the process of managing the cross-sectional area of an aircraft to lessen the wave drag experienced in flight. Effectively calculating the necessary areas for a given aircraft can be difficult, and existing tools for conducting a wave drag analysis often carry limitations in both functionality and availability.

In this work, the author utilized an existing parametric geometry tool named OpenVSP to create an interactive design tool for approximating zero-lift wave drag. Here, the wave drag calculation methodology used in industry for decades is combined with …

Efficiency And Safety Of A Continuous Rotation Instrumentation System And A Reciprocating Motion Instrumentation System: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Justin P. Farmer

Master's Theses

Introduction: It has been suggested that single-file reciprocating systems, such as WaveOne, are capable of more rapid root canal instrumentation compared to systems that utilize multi-file continuous rotation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency and safety of WaveOne and ProTaper Next instrumentation systems in vivo in a randomized clinical trial. The null hypothesis was that no differences would be seen in canal preparation time, working length control, or occurrence of adverse events. Materials and Methods: A total of 89 teeth requiring primary non-surgical endodontic treatment were included in the study. Root canal therapy was performed per …

Degradation And Removal Of Porphyromonas Gingivalis Lipid 654 By Common Endodontic Intracanal Irrigants And Medicaments, Michelle A. Hack

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Adsorption Selectivity Of Cations In Constrained Environments, Maria Oba

Master's Theses

The adsorption selectivity of Cs⁺, K⁺, and Na⁺ cations on a ZSM-5 zeolite was studied by collecting the adsorption envelopes and analyzing the data with adsorption modeling. The adsorption of alkali metals increased on ZSM-5 with high aluminum content and the adsorption sites were mainly controlled by aluminum adsorption sites. Four adsorption sites were observed from these adsorption envelopes. The data were described using an ion-exchange model with four reaction sites. The adsorption cations had a selectivity sequence of Cs⁺ > K⁺ > Na⁺ for inner-sphere complexes. The adsorption strength of each cation had …

A Hybrid Supercapacitor And Direct Borohydride Fuel Cell Dc-Dc Converter For Portable Applications, Matthew J. Tarca

Master's Theses

Access to electrical energy is of ever increasing importance in modern society. Devices that require portable power to operate while not connected to a typical grid continue to proliferate and there is a large scale search underway across academia and industry to find the best solutions for providing portable power. Fuel cells offer a great promise in both stand-alone and portable applications. The research presented herein regards a high energy-density fuel cell system paired with a power converter for portable applications. A class of fuel cells known as direct-borohydride fuel cells offer higher energy density than typical proton exchange membrane …

A Soil Additive To Reduce Runoff And Pollutants From Dairy Heavy Use Areas, Alexander J. Pivarnik

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Biofilm Accumulation And Immune Response During Experimental Peri-Implant Mucositis., Amy Rosania

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Evaluating Anaerobically Digested Dairy Fiber As A Substitute For Peat In Container Production And Nutrient Availability From Organic Fertilizers And Amendments, John R. Lamont

Master's Theses

The purpose of this research was to investigate alternative, renewable materials for potted plant production.

Sphagnum peat moss has been a primary component of soilless potting media for decades. Concerns over the sustainability of harvesting peat have fostered a search for renewable media components. Anaerobically digested dairy fiber (ADDF), a byproduct of methane production, shows promise as an alternative to peat. A variety of representative floriculture and nursery crops were grown in a numerous ADDF-containing media to evaluate its suitability as a substrate component. Nutrient leaching was monitored to evaluate the potential for environmental impact of using ADDF. Physical properties …

Black Elderberry Extract Reduces Cardiometabolic Risk By Lowering Inflammation In Mice, Nick J. Farrell

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.