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Wastewater And Water Quality Changes In Lower South San Francisco Bay, 1957-2013., Simret Kesete Yigzaw

Master's Theses

The San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility (Facility), located in the Lower South Bay (LSB), is the largest advanced wastewater treatment plant in San Francisco Bay. From 1957 to 2013, the Facility added a series of expansions and upgrades that increased treatment capacity and improved the quality of treated effluent.

This study addressed the questions: (1) To what extent have expansions and upgrades in the treatment plant during the past six decades resulted in improvements to Facility effluent quality? (2) How and to what extent have the changes in the Facility effluent translated into changes in the water quality of …

Structure And Emplacement Of Cretaceous Plutons In Northwest Yosemite National Park, California, Ashley Van Dyne

Master's Theses

The ~103-98 Ma Yosemite Valley Intrusive Suite, younger Granodiorite North of Tuolumne Peak, and ~97 Ma Yosemite Creek Granodiorite intrude plutonic and metasedimentary host rocks of the central Sierra Nevada batholith. Precambrian to Cambrian metasedimentary rocks separate the Yosemite Valley Intrusive Suite from the younger (94-85 Ma) Tuolumne Intrusive Suite and are interpreted to represent the original extent of the older suite. The Mt. Hoffman granodiorite and Taft Granite of the Yosemite Valley Intrusive Suite record evidence of the development of magma chambers, whereas the Tuolumne Peak and Yosemite Creek granodiorites were likely constructed via several small increments, and a …

An Investigation Of Coastal Groundwater Discharge And Associated Nutrient Inputs Using Electrical Resistivity, Temperature, And Geochemical Tracers In Pescadero Lagoon, California, Christina Maryann Volpi

Master's Theses

Pescadero Lagoon is a complex lagoon system located on the central California coast in San Mateo County. Over the last decade, external stressors such as degraded water quality, restricted circulation, heightened groundwater withdrawals, changes in the fluvial geomorphology that affect surface water runoff, and widespread agriculture in the watershed have impacted the lagoon. The lagoon system is bounded on the marine side by an ephemeral sand berm that is seasonally closed and so hinders open exchange with the ocean. This berm and the Mediterranean-type climate play an important role in the lagoon's circulation and water quality. The most high-profile and …

Plankton In Monterey Bay: Optimization Of Optical Sensor Data From Autonomous Underwater Vehicles With Applications In Plankton Community Composition, Diane Wyse

Master's Theses

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) equipped with oceanographic sensors demonstrate the capability to describe plankton communities in the marine environment. The vehicles collect data from the surface through the mixed layer for a variety of oceanographic parameters. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute operates the Dorado upper-water-column AUV. The Dorado AUV collects data for 32 size-classes, from 1.25 to 250 μm, using a laser in-situ scattering and transmissometry (LISST-100X) instrument. The objective of this study is to analyze data from AUVs and laboratory work to inform sampling methods with applications in targeting specific classes of plankton, particularly harmful algal bloom species. …

The Influence Of Socioeconomic Factors On The Development Of Early Number Concepts, Brittany Meghan Caldwell

Master's Theses

Why are some children entering school unable to count, while others are able to

do simple addition? It may be that early experiences, like practice with numbers and extra resources to promote logical thinking, lay the foundation for how children and adults understand and use math in their everyday lives. The major objectives of this thesis are to explore the 1) link between children's intuitive number sense and their development of exact number concepts, 2) influence of language on early math achievement, and 3) influence of socioeconomic factors on various aspects of cognitive development. Participants included 133 preschool aged children …

Development Of A Spatial Filtering Apparatus, Nicolle Wilson

Master's Theses

This thesis contains a discussion of the theoretical background for Fourier spatial filtering and a description of the design and construction of a portable in-class spatial filtering apparatus. A portable, in-class spatial filtering demonstration apparatus was designed and built. This apparatus uses liquid crystal display (LCD) panels from two projectors as the object and filter masks. The blue LCD panel from the first projector serves as the object mask, and the red panel from the second projector serves as the filter mask. The panels were extracted from their projectors and mounted onto aluminum blocks which are held in place by …

Radio:Reaching Young Adult Audiences, What Are The Challenges And Opportunities For Radio Programmers In Cultivating Young Adult Audiences In The Current Media Environment?, Joel David Abramson

Master's Theses

As young adults have adopted the use of digital new media technologies, previous scholarly research has predicted a lack of interest by young adults in traditional media, including radio. This waining interest in traditional media by young adults has also been reported in the popular press. An abandonment of radio by young adults could bring about an eventual decline in audience, resulting in adverse economic effects to the broadcast radio industry and related industries, including a decrease in radio revenues, the deflation in the value of radio properties, and potential job loss. This research examined the challenges radio programmers and …

Low-Voltage Continuous-Time Linear Equalizer For Digital Video Applications, Poonam Vinayak Agale

Master's Theses

This thesis presents a low-voltage continuous-time linear equalizer for the digital video application of 1080p HD video with a data rate of 3 Gbps. The equalizer was designed in the CMOS 45 nm technology with a supply voltage of 1V and bias current of 1.5 mA. The equalizer has a variable gain, which can be adjusted to suit the cable length and physical parameters. The circuit design of the equalizer filter includes a 3-stage filter, where each stage has been implemented as a variable gain amplifier along with a linear transconductance amplifier as a gain control stage. The equalizer is …

Perceived Underemployment Among The Foreign-Born: Its Outcomes And The Moderating Role Of Psychological Empowerment And Perceived Organizational Support, Ayse Avcil Okuyucu

Master's Theses

In the present study the relationship between perceived underemployment and job

attitudes such as job satisfaction, affective organizational commitment, and turnover intentions among foreign-born employees was examined. Underemployment occurs when employee education, skills, and previous job experiences are underutilized. Perceived underemployment was used as the specific type of underemployment to examine these relationships. Additionally, psychological empowerment and perceived organizational support (POS) were examined as potential moderators of the relationship between perceived underemployment and job attitudes. Foreign-born employees perceived themselves as moderately underemployed. In addition, there was a significant and negative relationship between perceived underemployment and job satisfaction; but perceived underemployment …

The Tempest, Marina Chappie

Master's Theses

This Creative Project in Creative Writing consists of an original feature-length screenplay titled The Tempest, which follows the story of a boy, Jax, who the night before the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, watches a US Army General hand off secret intelligence to Japanese soldiers on US soil. Silenced by the death of his friend, Jax hides the evidence, which his granddaughter, Miranda, uncovers seventy years later.

Miranda is a 14-year-old wallflower struggling to come to terms with the death of her mother when dementia threatens to take away her O'Pa Jax. She grew up listening to his wild …

Pathway To The Podium: Situating Rhetorical Agency Within The Tommie Smith And John Carlos 1968 Mexico City Olympic Protest, Andrew Carter

Master's Theses

The recent romanticization and celebration of the Tommie Smith and John Carlos 1968 Mexico City Olympic Protest has allowed contemporary American society to recognize both athletes as heroes and pioneers within the Civil Rights movement. They have been honored with of a number of awards both nationally and internationally, as well as memorialized with a 22-foot high statue that was erected on the campus of San José State University in 2005. From once being ostracized as national villains, Smith and Carlos have come full circle in how they are referenced within public consciousness. However this recent transformation on the part …

Seasonal And Sex-Specific Diet In Rhinoceros Auklets, Ryan David Carle

Master's Theses

We used stable isotopes (δ15N and δ13C) and conventional chick-diet sampling methods to evaluate seasonal shifts in diets of adult male and female rhinoceros auklets (Cerorhinca monocerata) and prey provided to chicks by each sex in California during 2012-2013. Rhinoceros auklet isotope values underwent similar shifts in both years, which differed in environmental and prey conditions. Mixing models indicated that northern anchovy (Engraulis mordax) were important prey for adults during fall/winter and juvenile rockfish spp. were important prey during incubation in both years. Adult trophic level increased between the incubation and chick-rearing periods, and mixing models …

The Footprints Of Saharan Air Layer And Lightning On The Formation Of Tropical Depressions Over The Eastern Atlantic Ocean, Diana Caroly Centeno

Master's Theses

In this study, the results of an observational analysis and a numerical analysis on the role of the Saharan Air Layer during tropical cyclogenesis (TC – genesis) are described. The observational analysis investigates the interaction of dust particles and lightning during the genesis stage of two developed cases (Hurricanes Helene 2006 and Julia 2010). The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) and WRF – Chemistry models were used to include and monitor the aerosols and chemical processes that affect TC – genesis. The numerical modeling involved two developed cases (Hurricanes Helene 2006 and Julia 2010) and two non – developed cases …

Networking And Craft In Three Generations Of Mail Art, Laura Dunkin-Hubby

Master's Theses

This thesis examines two threads in the history of mail art: a networking approach dedicated to open participation and a crafted approach dedicated to the art object. It then follows these two threads across three generations. Mail art is an international phenomenon that evolved over the past sixty odd years due to the efforts of a dedicated and growing group of individuals. American artist Ray Johnson and the international artistic group operating under the banner of Fluxus are discussed as establishing mail art as a separate form through their creation of the mail art network. The generation that followed Johnson …

Wrf-Model Data Assimilation Studies Of Landfalling Atmospheric Rivers And Orographic Precipitation Over Northern California, Arthur John Eiserloh

Master's Theses

In this study, data assimilation methods of 3-D variational analysis (3DVAR), observation nudging, and analysis (grid) nudging were evaluated in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model for a high-impact, multi-episode landfalling atmospheric river (AR) event for Northern California from 28 November to 3 December, 2012. Eight experiments were designed to explore various combinations of the data assimilation methods and different initial conditions. The short-to-medium range quantitative precipitation forecast (QPF) performances were tested for each experiment. Surface observations from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Hydrometeorology Network (HMT), National Weather Service (NWS) radiosondes, and GPS Radio Occultation (RO) vertical …

Native American Response And Resistance To Spanish Conquest In The San Francisco Bay Area 1769-1846, Gustavo Adolfo Flores

Master's Theses

This study focuses on how secular, governmental, and ecclesiastical Hispanic Empire institutions influenced the response and resistance of San Francisco Native American groups from 1769 to 1846. This project draws on late 18th and early 19th century primary Spanish documents and secondary sources to help understand the context of indigenous people's adaptive and response behaviors during this period as well as the nuances of their perspective and experience. Using both electronic and physical documents from a number of archival databases, primary Spanish documents were translated and correlated with baptismal and death mission records. This allowed for formulating alternative perspectives and …

Novel Bacterial Lineages In The Uncultured Candidate Division Sr1, Sumreet Kaur Ghotra

Master's Theses

Complex and naturally occurring microbial communities are known to be predominantly composed of uncultured bacteria and archaea. A few representatives of uncultured prokaryotes (e.g., from the candidate divisions TM7 and SR1) have been found in environmental samples and in association with animals, including humans. It is not yet clear, however, how uncultured bacteria found at environmental sites relate phylogenetically to their counterparts associated with animal hosts. In this study, we investigated the diversity of the SR1 candidate division to better understand the divide between animal-associated and environmental lineages. We generated 16S rDNA gene clone libraries from samples obtained from the …

The Response Of Bats To Introduced Trout In Naturally Fishless Lakes Sierra Nevada, California, Elizabeth Gruenstein

Master's Theses

Stocking of trout into naturally fishless water bodies in the mountains of western North America has reduced populations of many native species in those systems, with benthic aquatic invertebrates being particularly impacted. Although bats are known consumers of emergent aquatic insects, almost no studies have focused on how changes to these prey populations at lakes subsequent to trout stocking could affect them. This study assessed bat activity, foraging activity, and foraging rate at nine feature-matched pairs of stocked and unstocked high elevation lakes in the central Sierra Nevada mountains in an effort to determine which provide higher quality foraging habitat …

Mapping The Monster: Locating The Other In The Labyrinth Of Hybridity, Jill Kristine Harper

Master's Theses

By the last two decades of the nineteenth century, Great Britain led the European contest for imperial dominion and successfully extended its influence throughout Africa, the Americas, South East Asia, and the Pacific. National pride in the world's leading empire, however, was laced with an increasing anxiety regarding the unbridled frontier and the hybridization of Englishness and the socio-ethnic and cultural Other. H. Rider Haggard's She, Bram Stoker's Dracula, and Richard Marsh's The Beetle, three Imperial Gothic novels, personify the monstrosity of hybridity in antagonists who embody multiple races and cultures. Moreover, as representatives of various ancient …

Coast Redwood Fire History And Land Use In The Santa Cruz Mountains, California, Gregory Jones

Master's Theses

Physical evidence of past fires, left in the form of cambial scars, suggests that low and moderate intensity fires have burned periodically for centuries in the coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forest in California's central coast bioregion. These fires may have played an important role in shaping stand age structure and composition. Nonetheless, the ecological role of fire in shaping successional processes in the redwood ecosystem is not well understood. The extent to which both aboriginal and more recent burning practices have affected the central coast landscape is also uncertain. Standard dendrochronology techniques were used to reconstruct and analyze …

The Work Engagement And Job Performance Relationship: Exploring The Mediating Effect Of Trait Emotional Intelligence, Lisa Jackson

Master's Theses

This cross-sectional study examined the mediating effect of affect-related traits on the relationship between work engagement and job performance. Specifically, a sample of 225 students from a large state university was used to examine the effect of trait emotional intelligence (EI) on work engagement and both in-role and extra-role performance. It was found that work engagement directly impacted both in-role and extra-role performance, indicating that engaged workers are more likely to perform well both on job-related tasks (in-role performance) and also on going above and beyond what was expected of them in their job role (extra-role performance). In addition, work …

Vulnerability Of Groundwater To Perchloroethylene Contamination From Dry Cleaners In The Niles Cone Groundwater Basin, Southern Alameda County, California, Anne C. Jurek

Master's Theses

Releases of perchloroethylene (PCE) from dry cleaners pose a threat to groundwater quality. An assessment was performed of the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin to determine its vulnerability to PCE contamination from both historic and more recently operating dry cleaners. Sensitivity assessments of the Basin's two subbasins were performed using a modification of the DRASTIC Index Method, whereby the hydrogeological variables of depth to water, aquifer media, vadose zone media, and soil drainage classification were represented by a range of sensitivity categories and ratings assigned to each range. A source assessment was performed by identifying the locations of historic and presently …

Hip-Hop, Medellín And Social Change, Veronica Henao Posada

Master's Theses

This study explores the ways in which the Hip-hop movement is producing social change in Medellín, Colombia. Looking specifically at a Hip-hop school called Cuatro Elementos Skuela, which exists autonomously and with very little state support in the Medellín neighborhood of Aranjuez, I argue that young people are contributing to the reconstruction of the city’s social, cultural and economic fabric. I start by explaining the historical context of Medellín, describing the different sets of conflicts that unleashed high levels of violence and caused the fragmentation of the social, cultural and economic fabric. Moreover, I review the role of the …

Investigation Of Iron Reduction By Green Tea Polyphenols For Application In Soil Remediation, Jacqueline S. Oakes

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Impacts Of Lateral Boundary Conditions On Regional Climate Projections Over West Africa, Jee Hee Kim

Master's Theses

Climate simulation and projections using regional climate models (RCMs) are sensitive to the choice of lateral boundary conditions (LBCs) which often are derived from global climate models (GCM). These LBCs used to drive RCMs describe the atmospheric conditions at the boundaries regarding atmospheric dynamics as well as atmospheric physics, including wind, atmospheric pressure, temperature and humidity. Understanding the impact of each component of LBCs is important for understanding and reducing the uncertainty in and improving the accuracy of RCM climate simulations and projections. In this study, the ICTP Regional Climate Model Version 4 (RegCM4) is used to investigate the impact …

From Corps To Co-Ops: Are Co-Operatives A Viable Reintegration Strategy For Ex-Combatants?, Patrick Moses Musibi

Master's Theses

From 1989, Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) programmes have played a major role in peace agreements worldwide. The first United Nations peacekeeping mission with a DDR mandate was ONUCA, (Observadores de las Naciones Unidas en Centroamerica) or the United Nations Observer Group in Central America and involved the reintegration of ex-combatants after the conflict had finished. While the disarmament and demobilization phases of the DDR programs are fairly straightforward events, success in the reintegration phase remains a great challenge. In this thesis I argue that paying closer attention to the challenges facing ex-combatants at an individual level can help in …

Re-Visiting Homosexuality In Cameroon: Effective Advocacy On The Path From Homophobia To Dignity And Equality, Jean Cedric Ndzomo

Master's Theses

Cameroon, one of the countries in the world that continues to criminalize homosexuality, has been on the news recently due to the torture and murder of young journalist and gay activist, Eric Ohena. This paper examines the discrimination faced by the LGBTI community in Cameroon by exploring the origins of homophobic violence, the role played by Cameroon's legal system, and the struggles of LGBTI Cameroonians in their fight for a better life. The analysis includes a review of the work by scholars on colonialism and sexuality in Africa, and questions the roots of violence and abuse against the LGBTI community …

Mechanistic Studies Of Bimolecular Electron Transfer Self-Exchange Rates Of Ruthenium Ammine Pyridyl Complexes Measured By Nmr Line Broadening Techniques, Yishun Qin

Master's Theses

The electron transfer (ET) self-exchange rates on a series of complexes of (NH₃)₅Ru^II/III L^2+/3+ in D₂O (where L is a substituted pyridyl ligand) were investigated by dynamic NMR measurements. Significant rate enhancement was observed for the cases of L = 3-phenylpyridine and 4-phenylpridine due to possible π-π stacking between Phpy ligands. These observations matche well with recent stopped-flow work by Mehmood on a similar set of related pseudo-self exchange reactions. Kinetics of the (NH₃)₅Ru^II/III (3-trifluoromethylpyridine)^2+/3+ self-exchange reactions with addition of various simple/complex salts and hexacyano salts …

The Role Of Information And Communication Technology In The Acculturation Of Vietnamese Refugees, Khanh A. Tran

Master's Theses

One of the most significant refugee populations in the United States is the Vietnamese. This group initially fled their native country to escape political oppression at the conclusion of the Vietnam War in 1975 and continued to flee in a series of separate waves that continued for more than three decades. As a relatively new immigrant group in the U.S., the Vietnamese still face a variety of challenges as they try to reestablish their lives and adapt in a new cultural environment. Acculturation is a complex process that is influenced by a number of factors. Throughout history, U.S. immigration policy …

Land Grabs And Implications On Food Sovereignty And Social Justice In Senegal, Joanna Lafrancesca

Master's Theses

This thesis focuses on the case study of Senegal to examine the implications of large- scale land acquisitions on the livelihoods of small-scale farmers. I investigate the diverse perspectives of market enthusiasts, human rights organizations, peasants, the state, and international financial organizations on large-scale land acquisitions. Based on primary research, I argue that the state of Senegal plays an active role in permitting “land grabs” and that they pose a threat to food sovereignty among Senegalese host communities. Lastly, I argue there needs to be a broader understanding of long-term consequences and risks to insure social justice in areas affected …