Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Nutrient Availability And Season On The Somatotropic Axis In Free-Ranging Alaskan Moose (Alces Alces), Amanda A. Parillo

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Heart And Mind At Work: The Effects Of Implicit And Explicit Reasoning On Performance Appraisal, Scott Ryan

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Neurocognitive Impairment On Treatment Outcomes Among Drug-Involved People Living With Hiv/Aids, Ifeoma O. Ezeabogu

Master's Theses

Drug- and sex-related HIV risk behaviors and sub-optimal adherence to HIV medication regimens can jeopardize the health of HIV–infected injection drug users (IDUs) and threaten community health. Findings to date indicate that it is feasible to deliver a brief behavioral risk reduction/medication adherence group intervention to HIV-infected IDUs in a community-based setting. Being adherent to HAART or being able to successfully participate in behavioral interventions targeting adherence and harm reduction often requires a relatively high level of cognitive abilities. HIV infection and substance abuse are known to independently affect the central nervous system and this can result in neuro-cognitive impairment. …

Implementation Of The Clas12 Htcc Into Gemc, Nathan A. Harrison

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

An Assessment Of The Social Impact Of Feminist Network Organizing: A Qualitative Study Of The First Nepali Women's Global Network (Nwgn) Conference, Barret Katuna

Master's Theses

In this study, the author examines the efforts of one transnational feminist network, the Nepali Women’s Global Network (NWGN) to organize through a conference addressing gender inequality matters that shape the experiences of Nepali women on a global and national level and the variant experiences of conference participants based on their social locations. Recognizing the complexity of individual social change on a personal level as well as process-based institutional social change challenging social norms, the author posits the following two research questions 1) Can conferences organized by feminist networks initiate social change? and 2) How can feminist networks best promote …

Modeling Of Aortic Valve Anatomic Geometry From Clinical Multi Detector-Row Computed Tomography Images, Gregory A. Book

Master's Theses

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is an emerging and viable alternative to surgical valve replacement. A TAVI procedure involves insertion of a catheter into the heart through an artery or transapically, and expanding valve stent in place. This procedure dramatically reduces the recovery time by eliminating the need for open heart surgery. Understanding the biomechanics of the stent-valve interaction is crucial for proper device deployment and function. In this study, we examine the extraction of valve geometries and creation of valve models from multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT) images that may eventually be used to model stent expansion on a …

Effects Of Delayed Auditory Feedback On Young Infants’ Crying, Sarah M. Sanborn

Master's Theses

Neural control of newborn crying has typically been considered to originate primarily in the lower brain centers, although support for this assumption is limited. To address this, the present study manipulated newborn infants’ perceptual experience during a cry bout through use of delayed auditory feedback (DAF). Atypical cry productions during DAF would suggest that newborn crying is under higher levels of cortical control than previously assumed. Infants’ spontaneous crying was recorded for 2 minutes at 4 weeks of age (n=16) and again at 8 weeks of age (n=17) using an ABA design, alternating synchronous feedback with DAF. Standard repeated-measures 2 …

Effects Of Embodiment On Perceptual And Affective Responses To Infant Crying, Jennifer B. Bisson

Master's Theses

Three experiments were conducted to investigate how changes in bodily states might be related to perceptions of infant vocalizations. In Study 1, participants were asked to hold a pencil between their lips, mimicking a smile, while listening to infant crying. Although there were no embodied effects for perceptual ratings, results indicated that this manipulation decreased participants’ self-reported, negative affect. In Study 2, participants were played both infant crying and birdsong while exposed to similar embodied manipulations, including activation of muscles related to approach and withdrawal behavior. There were no embodied effects for ratings of crying or for affect. Comparing Study …

Intelligent Planning And Assimilation Of Auv-Obtained Measurements Within A Roms-Based Ocean Modeling System, Benjamin J. Davini

Master's Theses

Efforts to learn more about the oceans that surround us have increased dramatically as the technological ability to do so grows. Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) are one such technological advance. They allow for rapid deployment and can gather data quickly in places and ways that traditional measurement systems (bouys, profilers, etc.) cannot. A ROMS-based data assimilation method was developed that intelligently plans for and integrates AUV measurements with the goal of minimizing model standard deviation. An algorithm developed for this system is first described that optimizes paths for AUVs that seeks to improve the model by gathering data in high-interest …

Investigating Wood Welding Parameters Using A Prototype Welding Machine, Timothy R. Melin

Master's Theses

Understanding how different processing variables influence wood welded bonds is vital if the technique will ever be used to create engineered lumber without using adhesives. A variation of vibration welding, wood welding uses pressure and friction to bond materials together. During welding, heat causes a softening in the wood, a naturally occurring composite material. This softening leads to fiber entanglement and a bond forms upon cooling.

The goal of this research was to investigate several processing aspects of the wood welding procedure. A prototype wood welding machine, designed and fabricated from the ground up, was used to investigate the effects …

Effect Of Sodium Chloride Addition During Diafiltration On The Solubility Of Milk Protein Concentrate, Scott J. Gualco

Master's Theses

There is considerable interest among food manufacturers to incorporate protein into food products in both developed and developing countries. Dairy proteins are excellent choices for many different applications, as they are known to have several nutritional and functional benefits. Membrane filtration techniques are often utilized as the preferred method of fractionation, due to the high throughput and continuous nature of the process. One such product produced from membrane filtration of skim milk is called milk protein concentrate. This product is valued for its high protein content, but it has historically exhibited poor solubility when reconstituted into water, which severely restricts …

Parking Management For Silicon Valley–A Guide For Planners, Decision Makers, And The General Public, Tracy Wang

Master's Theses

The crisis of climate change has jumpstarted a renewed interest in environmental sustainability. The growing awareness of the problem and the ensuing intense search for solutions called for a scrutinizing reexamination of the relationships between transportation, land use, and greenhouse gas emissions. Major publications such as The High Cost of Free Parking by Donald Shoup in 2005, and Parking Management, Strategies, Evaluation and Planning by Todd Litman in 2008, have identified parking as a crucial link. Parking issues are intrinsic to planning because parking facilities are a major land use type that affects how we design and build our commercial …

Hydroelectric System Design, Timothy Mcdonnell Brown

Master's Theses

Hydroelectric power generation is not a viable option as a prime source of electrical energy for the Pico Blanco Boy Scout Camp, as determined by this thesis. The hydroelectric power system can only provide a maximum power capacity of 17kW as limited by the available mechanical energy of the water source. This power capacity is inadequate to reliably supply power to the electrical loads at the camp during peak demand periods. The purpose of this thesis was to study the feasibility of supplying the Boy Scout Camp with a renewable source of electrical energy through an exploration of various hydroelectric …

Functional Reactive Musical Performers, Justin M. Phillips

Master's Theses

Computers have been assisting in recording, sound synthesis and other fields of music production for quite some time. The actual performance of music continues to be an area in which human players are chosen over computer performers. Musical performance is an area in which personalization is more important than consistency. Human players play with each other, reacting to phrases and ideas created by the players that they are playing with. Computer performers lack the ability to react to the changes in the performance that humans perceive naturally, giving the human players an advantage over the computer performers.

This thesis creates …

Emerging Trends In Greenhouse Gas Thresholds Of Significance For Use Under The California Environmental Quality Act, Nancy E. Mathison

Master's Theses

This study determined the state of the practice and emerging trends in developing greenhouse gas (GHG) thresholds of significance for use under the California Environmental Policy Act (CEQA). To describe the adopted, proposed or considered approaches for developing thresholds of significance by air districts and the thought processes behind these decisions, information was obtained through surveys and phone interviews from twelve employees of air districts in California, State agencies, and consultants that are considered experts on this issue. The results of this study include a comparison matrix of the approaches of the three air districts that have adopted or proposed …

Modeling Of A Gyro-Stabilized Helicopter Camera System Using Neural Networks, Nicholas Joseph Layshot

Master's Theses

On-board gimbal systems for camera stabilization in helicopters are typically based on linear models. Such models, however, are inaccurate due to system nonlinearities and complexities. As an alternative approach, artificial neural networks can provide a more accurate model of the gimbal system based on their non-linear mapping and generalization capabilities.

This thesis investigates the applications of artificial neural networks to model the inertial characteristics (on the azimuth axis) of the inner gimbal in a gyro-stabilized multi-gimbal system. The neural network is trained with time-domain data obtained from gyro rate sensors of an actual camera system. The network performance is evaluated …

Epicardial Wireless Pacemaker For Improved Left Ventricular Resynchronization (Conceptual Design), Rodney J. Hawkins

Master's Theses

The human body is a well tuned mechanism where systems work in synergy to provide a healthy quality of life. The human circulatory system transports oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body delivering the proper nutrients for cells to function. When the heart malfunctions, serious complications can arise leading to sudden cardiac arrest. Congestive heart failure (CHF) is one heart disease that affects the synchrony of the heart’s ventricles.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has been widely accepted as a treatment for CHF. Similar to traditional dual chamber pacing techniques, CRT adds a pacing lead to stimulate …

An Investigation Of Initially Delaminated Composite Sandwich With Delamination Arrest Mechanism Under Buckling Loading, Tony D. Tran

Master's Theses

This thesis involves the development of a fiberglass-foam composite sandwich structure with the introduction of delamination arrestment keys; therefore, a study of an initially delaminated composite sandwich structure was the experimental analysis on multiple configurations in how the arrestment keys are placed.

The first part of this thesis research was to the experimental design and manufacturing of the composite sandwich plates. These plates were later cut down to the specific test dimensions and manufacturing processes for the composite sandwich plates and test specimens were created. The composite sandwich plates were manufactured using a vacuum resin infusion process. The dimensions of …

Art Out Of Tragedy - How The Children Of Terezin Coped With Crisis Through Art, James A. Kaiser

Master's Theses

This thesis is the culmination of the two-year process of researching, lesson planning, rehearsing and producing the Celeste Raspanti play, I Never Saw Another Butterfly, as a staged production with high school students. As the teacher and director, my guiding questions for this process were: Does creating a work of art have a psychological benefit for a child who has or will face a crisis? Does the process of creation help them cope better with the outcome of the crisis? What gave these children the will to survive in such terrible conditions day after day? Will the study of the …

Physiologic, Psychologic, And Oxidative Stress Responses To Multimodal Exercise In An Endometrial Cancer Survivor Undergoing High-Dose Chemotherapy: A Case Study, Lauren E. Dinsmore

Master's Theses

Exercise training, as a rehabilitative strategy, may be a vital factor in combatting the noxious toxicities related to cancer treatment. Research employing mixed modality exercise consistently demonstrates health benefits ranging from enhanced aerobic capacity and muscular strength to attenuated psychological distress. The primary aim of this case study was to examine the effects of exercise training on physiological and psychological parameters in an endometrial cancer survivor undergoing high-dose chemotherapy. Secondly, believed to play a role in toxicity development and progression, oxidative stress has yet to be studied in cancer survivors. The second aim of this case study was to determine …

Thermal Models For A 3 Cm Miniature Xenon Ion Thruster, Coleman Thomas Younger

Master's Theses

In order to support UCLA’s development of the 3 cm Miniature Xenon Ion (MiXI) thruster, Cal Poly has a 3 cm thruster under development. This version, called MiXI Cal Poly Version 1 (MiXI-CPv1), is complete and has been utilized in vacuum chamber thermal validation testing. Testing on this version was used to check the validity of heat transfer simulations modeled in SolidWorks. Investigations of the 3 cm ion thruster configuration were intended to discover the driving factors affecting the thermal behavior of the discharge chamber and surrounding design space.

Numerical simulations indicate that the heating of the samarium cobalt permanent …

Examining Relationship Interactions Of Adult Children Of Alcoholics, Diana I. Loera

Master's Theses

The following study explores the factors associated with security of romantic attachment in Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACOAs). ACOAs are more vulnerable to inconsistent parenting and consequently are more likely to develop negative internal models of self, a stable construct that affects romantic attachments (Bowlby, 1982; Ainsworth et al, 1989; Bartholomew, 1990). This study examined associations between parent, and peer relationships as possible resiliencies. It was hypothesized that ACOAs will report less secure attachments with their parents (as measured by the IPPA), less romantic attachment anxiety and avoidance (as measured by the ECR-R), and no significant difference in peer attachment …

Assessing Potential Industry Growth For Economic Development In Oakland, Ca, Sonia Aery

Master's Theses

This study prepares a set of career ladders for the population of Oakland. Career ladders are long-term progression pathways to help individuals advance, particularly in high wage, high growth careers. Career ladders combine different statistics on the demographics of a population with statistics about the area’s economic vitality and potential. This combination helps to identify the potential to strengthen an area’s economy and enhance individuals’ qualifications and wages.

One of the main reasons that people and large firms are attracted to a given city is the potential for economic stability. A stable economy is the result of the availability of …

Water Quality Performance Of A Reciprocating Biofilm Reactor For Treatment Of Dairy Wastewater, Jason Patrick Kane

Master's Theses

Removal of organic matter and nitrogen from concentrated wastewaters is often a complex and costly process that is rarely implemented in animal agriculture, such as the dairy industry, despite regulatory pressures and the high cost of land for manure application in some regions. This paper describes results from the first implementation for treatment of dairy farm wastewater of the relatively simple ReCip® technology. ReCip® typically consists of two basins filled with rock aggregate through which wastewater is flowed in series. One basin is full of wastewater and the other is only partially full. Wastewater is alternately pumped between the basins …

Cotextual Android Education, James R. Reed

Master's Theses

With advances in mobile phone hardware, the demand for mobile applica- tions has risen drastically. This has resulted in mobile phones becoming a pop- ular new medium for application development. However, the body of knowledge for contextual examples and tutorials leaves much to be desired. As of January 2010, California Polytechnic State University has offered a mobile development class that teaches students how to write applications for phones running Google’s Android platform. This class aims at taking advantage of students’ current in- terest in mobile applications to teach them about difficult computer science topics. As a corollary, the class hopes …

Modeling And Simulation Of Autonomous Thermal Soaring With Horizon Simulation Framework, Zhenhua Li

Master's Theses

A thermal is a column of warm rising air triggered by differential heating on the ground. In recent studies UAVs were programmed to exploit this free atmospheric energy from thermals to improve their range and endurance. Researchers had successfully flown UAVs autonomously with thermal soaring method. Most research involved some form of flight simulation. Improvements to the aircraft and thermal models for simulation purpose would enable researchers to better design their UAVs and explore any potential flaws in their designs. An aircraft simulation with a thermal environment was created in Horizon Simulation Framework, a modeling and verification framework that was …

Expression Of The Artemisia Annua Β-Caryophyllene Synthase In Synechocystis Sp. Strain Pcc6803 Results In Cyanobacterial Sesquiterpene Accumulation, Robert Eric Reinsvold

Master's Theses

The sesquiterpene β-caryophyllene is a ubiquitous component of many plant resins and has been used in the cosmetic industry to provide a woody, spicy aroma. Recent clinical studies have shown its potential effectiveness as an antibiotic, anesthetic, and anti-inflammatory agent. Additionally, there is significant interest in sesquiterpene accumulation in phototrophic microorganisms for the production of biofuels. Currently, the isolation of β-caryophyllene relies on purification methods from oleoresins extracted from large amounts of plant material. The design of a cyanobacterium platform that produces β-caryophyllene may provide a more sustainable and controllable means of production, allowing for an increase in yield without …

An Investigation Into The Use Of Color As A Device To Convey Memes During The Little Ice Age, Peter Allen White

Master's Theses

Color is used as a tool in visual communication to express ideas in a symbolic fashion. It can also be used as a guide to assist the viewer in the visual narrative. Artwork created in the period of time between 1300 to 1850 in northern and central Europe provides a comprehensive perspective in the use of color as symbol and color as an elucidative devise. This period of time is known as the Little Ice Age, the duration of which spans European history between the Medieval period and the Romantic era. The extreme climatic conditions of this era caused profound …

Utility Of Feeding Priority As A Measure Of Dominance In Garnett's Bushbaby (Otolemur Garnettii), Kyle Daniel Edens

Master's Theses

The current study examined dominance behaviors in bushbabies and examined whether feeding priority (i.e., first access to a food source) is a viable measure of dominance. Several measures of dominance were employed. Among the measures of dominance investigated were agonistic interactions, grooming, displacement, and deference of space. The results indicated that females initiated more agonistic interactions than males, but the other measures of dominance did not support the hypothesis that females were the dominant sex. The results were partially consistent with the hypothesis that feeding priority is a viable measure of dominance in that females obtained feeding priority in the …

"For Such Is A Friend Now": Reflection And Revision In Shakespeare's Comic Friendships, Leah Rainell Boudreaux

Master's Theses

In early modem England, "friendship" was a term both flexible and deeply fraught. It could apply to a wide range of relationships, including, for example, those between family members, lords and tenants, or male members of the aristocracy. The ideals associated with friendship at that time had a profound impact on the way that the relationship was represented both in a historical and literary sense. During that time, William Shakespeare crafted remarkable and resonating depictions of friendship which have endured the through the ages. The distinction between Shakespeare's work and the work of other early modem writers lies in the …