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Sheparding Gender: Queering Video Games In The Mass Effect Series, Karina Rene Popp

Honors Theses

The Mass Effect series is discussed as a case study for how video games construct gendered aspects of their lore and gameplay in order to appease what developers believe, and most likely is, their consumer base. While queering is possible both for the characters in the game and the gameplay as a performance it is also limited by appeasing an implied straight, male gamer.

Water Chemistry And Benthic Macroinvertebrate Ecology In Response To Acid Mine Drainage, Brian Carlson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Benthic macroinvertebrates, especially aquatic insects, are documented indicators of environmental quality, and often respond predictably to changes within a freshwater system. Within West Virginia, acid mine drainage (AMD) forms as a result of oxidizing sulfide rich minerals which occur alongside coal. The resulting effluent is acidic and laden with heavy metals. As a result, valued services and ecological functions provided by freshwater resources are lost. Treatment of AMD is expensive and therefore studies documenting their effect on aquatic resources are valuable. Benthic macroinvertebrate and stream water samples are often used as the deciding factors for the condition of a stream …

Comparing U.S. And International Medical Graduates' Treatment Of Chronic Diseases: Utilization Of Psychosocial Interventions., Susan E. Jarquin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Chronic disease care places significant pressure on healthcare provider resources, often requiring the hiring of physicians trained abroad to meet these demands. International medical graduates are on trend to become the primary suppliers of chronic disease care in the U.S. Consequently, there is a need to assess how physicians trained abroad care for patients with chronic diseases. The purpose of this exploratory survey study was to determine whether international and U.S. medical graduates differ in their use of three specific psychosocial interventions when caring for patients suffering from chronic diseases. Medical residents in U.S. allopathic family medicine and internal medicine …

Youth Evangelism, "Link2llife," A Strategy To Reach Postmodern Youth In Germany And Switzerland, Stephan Sigg

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

In terms of cross-cultural mission youth are the most crucial group of people to be reached with the Gospel. From a theological, a sociological as well as a psychological point of view adolescence can be seen as the most receptive phase of life regarding the adoption and integration of faith, a coherent value system and a meaningful life narrative. The process of individuation in the adolescent years offers the biggest potential for both conversion and apostasy. Despite a professionalized youth ministry youth evangelism has never been high on the missional agenda of the Christian Church.

Method

The youth ministries …

Book Review Of Arnold H. Leibowitz, An Historical-Legal Analysis Of The Impeachments Of Presidents Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon, And William Clinton: Why The Process Went Wrong, Jeffrey B. Morris

Touro Law Review

No abstract provided.

Funding Sources Of Impactful And Transformative Research, Barrett Anderson

Master's Theses

Understanding how the most important scientific articles have been funded can help inform and improve future funding decisions. Importance is here defined as science that, in the metaphor of the tree of knowledge, plays a structurally significant role (e.g., creates new branches of knowledge or transforms existing ones). The structural significance of articles is broken down into two submeasures: citation count and "generativity" (a novel measure defined as being highly cited and also leading to a comparatively large number of other highly cited articles). Generativity is an attempt to provide a quantitative operationalization that should correlate with transformativeness, a concept …

Farms On Campus: Strong Stakeholder Support For An Educational Garden At A Non-Land-Grant University, Gina M. Bacigalupi

Master's Theses

University farms and gardens are increasingly seen as effective tools for learning a variety of academic subjects and as resources that allow users to connect experientially to nature. Most existing university farms, however, are found at resource-rich land-grant universities. This research evaluated stakeholder interest and willingness-to-pay in money, time, and labor for a proposed educational farm at a public, urban, non-land-grant university through an online survey of over 400 members of the California State University East Bay, Concord Campus community. Overall, support for an educational farm at this site was high amongst all stakeholder groups. Students and stakeholders who hold …

Intra-Annual Changes In Population Parameters As Indicators Of Humpback Whale (Megaptera Novaeangliae) Migratory Behavior, Casey Clark

Master's Theses

Many techniques used to study animal migrations rely on observations of specific animals, which provide valuable information about individuals studied but do not capture population variability. By examining changes in population parameters, researchers may gain a better understanding of migratory behaviors. In this study, intra-annual changes in population parameters were used to study migratory behaviors of humpback whales off central California in 2011/2012. Data were compared with a historic dataset from 2004/2005. Parameters measured included sex ratio, pregnancy rate, mitochondrial DNA haplotype frequencies and mean δ13C and δ15N values. Weighted moving averages of the sex ratio were moderately effective at …

Theoretical And Experimental Exploration Of Gill Remodeling In Gambusia Affinis, Barbara Tess Douglas

Master's Theses

In this thesis, the phenomenon of gill remodeling discovered in several species of fish is explored. Gill remodeling is achieved through an increase or decrease in cells within the interlamellar space, termed the interlamellar cell mass (ILCM). The effect of the ILCM on flow is explored using a theoretical model gill section. The model gill section was compared in three states: full ILCM, half ILCM, and clear (no ILCM). Differences in surface area, total flow, flow velocities, oxygen uptake, and available oxygen were compared between the three conditions. All parameters were distinctly larger for the model without the ILCM indicating …

Western Burrowing Owl Predation In An Urban Setting In California: Do California Ground Squirrel Calls Reduce Risk?, Lisa Anne Henderson

Master's Theses

Western burrowing owls are found in ground squirrel burrows throughout the urbanized landscape of the South San Francisco bay area, where they are threatened by habitat loss and degradation, prey limitation and predation. Previous research has characterized effects of habitat loss and prey-base limitations on owls, but the interplay between ground squirrels, owls and their predators has not yet been studied. The objective of this study was to assess the rate and types of predation interactions faced by Western burrowing owls and the extent to which California ground squirrels help burrowing owls reduce risk through alarm calling at Moffett Federal …

Amphibian Mortality On Roads: A Case Study In Santa Cruz Long-Toed Salamander Habitat, Michael Thomas Hobbs

Master's Theses

Amphibian populations have been declining at higher rates than bird and mammal populations. Agriculture, urbanization, including roads, and resource extraction continue to put pressure on all species. Roads in particular, are major sources of mortality. The Santa Cruz long-toed salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum croceum), one of the most critically endangered species in the US, is one amphibian that is declining as a result of anthropogenic impacts, especially habitat loss and fragmentation due to urban development. Migration across roads puts these salamanders at risk from road-related death. This thesis quantified the rate of road mortality to these salamanders and other common amphibians …

California Glacial Till And The Glaciated Valley Landsystem: Engineering Classification And Properties, Matthew Mark Lattin

Master's Theses

The engineering characteristics of glacial tills in the Sierra Nevada are difficult to determine due to the depositional nature of the material; however, testing methods unique to these dense materials can be utilized to obtain good engineering data. A literature review was conducted to determine testing methods and recommendations for engineering in glacial till. Further literature review revealed a significant amount of glacial deposits mapped by the USGS and CGS in the Sierra Nevada geomorphic province in California. Sierra Nevada glacial till field and lab data were obtained from Taber Consultants along with samples for further testing. Consequently, four significant …

Benthic Invertebrate Response To Habitat Complexity In South Bay Salt Ponds, Jessica Louise Murphey

Master's Theses

Wetlands are unique ecosystems that support specific flora, fauna, hydrology, and geology. These ecosystems increase groundwater availability, improve water quality, decrease flood water impacts, and help decrease shoreline erosion. In the south San Francisco Bay, the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project is restoring over 6,000 hectares of former salt ponds to tidal marshes and managed pond habitats. These habitats will support endangered species as well as migratory birds, diving ducks, invertebrates, and algal species. Benthic invertebrates are a vital piece of the South Bay food web as they provide the sustenance for other invertebrates, fish, shorebirds, and waterfowl. Improving …

Metabolic Network Construction Based On The Genome Of The Marine Diatom Thalassiosira Pseudonana And The Analysis Of Genome-Wide Transcriptome Data To Investigate Triacylglyceride Accumulation, Karen Parker

Master's Theses

Algal lipids called triacylglycerols (TAGs) are essential compounds in marine ecology and are also used as the basis for commercial production of algal biofuels and omega-3 nutraceuticals. The goal of this thesis was to elucidate the biochemical processes associated with algal lipid accumulation in diatoms under different environmental conditions. The approach made use of the Mock et al. whole genome tiling microarray gene expression database for Thalassiosira pseudonana and gene annotations derived from the whole genome sequencing work of Armbrust et al. The analytical approach used bioinformatic tools, including Stanford Research Institute's (SRI) BioCyc Pathway tool and the Joint Genome …

Local Adaptation Of Two Cryptic Species, Lasthenia Californica And Lasthenia Gracilis, To Distinct Regions Within A Serpentine Outcrop, Teri Barry

Master's Theses

Intraspecific variation providing tolerance to specific edaphic conditions may contribute to population differentiation, speciation, and species coexistence. This process is often examined using reciprocal transplant experiments of closely related species in contrasting edaphic conditions. The two cryptic species Lasthenia californica and L. gracilis occur on a serpentine outcrop in parapatry at Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve. I hypothesized that each species would demonstrate greater fitness in its home range. A reciprocal transplant experiment was conducted in the field to determine home site advantage. Seedlings from each species were planted in both home ranges and in the transition zone where both species …

The Intergenerational Transmission Of Attitudes On Divorce And Marriage, Rebecca Elizabeth Bivona-Guttadauro

Master's Theses

The present study shed light on the process of intergenerational transmission of attitudes as it occurs for women from divorced and intact families. Taking into account how women from divorced and intact homes view their parents' relationship, this study examined how attitudes of marriage and divorce are transmitted from parents to children. This study utilized quantitative survey methods including surveys to gather data and nested multiple linear regression to analyze the data to determine how the process of intergenerational transmission of attitudes was occurring, if at all, for the women in the sample. Utilizing sample data from a large public …

The Evolution Of An Image: An Analysis Of Defining Depictions Of Native Americans In Popular Cinema 1913-1970, Gerald Theodore Olson

Master's Theses

Native Americans have been depicted in the movies since the birth of the medium. In this thesis, the depiction of Native Americans in seven exemplary films is analyzed. The films chosen illustrate the evolution of Native American depiction from the silent era through the classic studio era of the 1930s and 1940s, the post WWII era, and the 1960s Civil Rights period to 1970 when the Native American Civil Rights movement was at its most public. Classic tropes such as the Indian Princess/Squaw, the Screaming Savage, and the Noble Savage/Vanishing American that were defined in 19th Century literature and by …

Foraging Behavior, Habitat, Health, And Survival Of Resident And Translocated Hawaiian Monk Seals At Nihoa Island, Hawaii, Tenaya A. Norris

Master's Theses

Translocations aimed at promoting population recovery for threatened and endangered species also can function as forced dispersals. To assess the efficacy of translocating Hawaiian monk seals (Monachus schauinslandi) and examine post-dispersal effects on monk seals, in 2008-2009, 12 weanling seals were translocated from French Frigate Shoals (FFS) to Nihoa Island (NIH). In addition, nine adult and eight weanling resident seals were captured at NIH. Satellite instrument attachment, biological sampling, and morphometry were conducted on seals at capture. Focal video camera drops also were conducted at 45 sites around NIH (< 100 m) in 2010-2011. Translocated and resident weanlings primarily dove to 40-60 m and used sandy-bottomed habitat < 13 km from NIH. In contrast, resident adults had greater variability in foraging behavior and habitat use. There also was a low prevalence of infectious disease in translocated and resident seals, excluding Chlamydophila abortus and enteric bacteria. First-year survival was greater for …

Basking Western Pond Turtle Response To Trail Use In Mountain View, California, Paul Eric Nyhof

Master's Theses

The western pond turtle (Emys marmorata) is the only native freshwater turtle in California, and it is listed as a California Species of Special Concern. One population near Moffett Naval Air Station in Northern California uses a highly altered water channel along a recently opened section of the Bay Trail, exposing western pond turtles (WPT) to high rates of human activity through recreational trail use. This research assessed whether human recreational trail use had a measurable effect on WPT basking behavior. WPTs were also trapped and marked to collect data on the structure and stability of the current population.

The …

Spatiotemporal Patterns In Diet And Habitat Use Of Black-Legged Kittiwakes (Rissa Tridactyla) And Thick-Billed Murres (Uria Lomvia) In The Bering Sea, Nathan M. Jones

Master's Theses

This study quantified the multi-trophic influence and spatial structure of a cross-shelf δ15N gradient in the Bering Sea and used it to contrast foraging patterns and seasonal changes in niche width between thick-billed murres and black-legged kittiwakes during July and August, 2008 and 2009. Gut contents of collected seabirds were characterized and stable isotope analyses (δ13C, δ15N) were conducted on whole prey tissues and seabird cheek feathers, pectoral muscle, and liver tissues. Gut contents of both seabird species were spatially auto correlated and varied with habitat type. Feather and muscle tissues indicated that murres underwent a trophic niche contraction with …

Relationship Between Cognitive Functions And Hormones, Daniel C. Miao

Master's Theses

Stress has been implicated by recent research to significantly contribute towards many cognitive and physiological deficiencies. One of the most popular topics of study is the effect of stress on inhibition, the all-or-none decision about an action or inaction. However, only recently have scientists begun investigating neuroendocrine molecules that link stress and inhibitory processing. Participants included San José State University undergraduates (27 male, 63 female, 1 unstated) who were exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test, an established stress task, and who were assessed before and after stress exposure for cortisol levels. Participants were also given a pre- and post-test …

Application Of Query-Based Qualitative Descriptors In Conjunction With Protein Sequence Homology For Prediction Of Residue Solvent Accessibility, Reecha Nepal

Master's Theses

Characterization of relative solvent accessibility (RSA) plays a major role in classifying a given protein residue as being on the surface or buried. This information is useful for studying protein structure and protein-protein interactions, and it is usually the first approach applied in the prediction of 3-dimensional (3D) protein structures.

Various complicated and time-consuming methods, such as machine learning, have been applied in solvent-accessibility predictions. In this thesis, we presented a simple application of linear regression methods using various sequence homology values for each residue as well as query residue qualitative predictors corresponding to each of the 20 amino acids. …

The Genetic Diversity And Population Structure Of The Dugongs (Dugong Dugon) Of Thailand, Jessie Barr Bushell

Master's Theses

The dugong (Dugong dugon) is indigenous to the coastal waters of the Indo–Pacific Ocean and is vulnerable to extinction throughout its range due primarily to anthropogenic effects. In Thailand the population of dugongs is approximately 250 animals and is found in fragmented habitats along the Thai coast. Genetic studies were implemented in this study to assess regional genetic composition and determine if there is variation in the D–loop sequences or microsatellites consistent with philopatry to regions, by males or females, or indicating dispersal. Utilizing D–loop sequences, 27 haplotypes were found that grouped into three haplogroups that were not …

Ethnic Continuity And Change At Gezer, Philip Webb

Master's Theses

This project examines the issue of social identity, particularly ethnicity, in the ancient world. It focuses on one site, Gezer, and how ethnic identities there evolved between the Middle Bronze Age and the end of the Iron Age. Modern anthropological perspectives on ethnicity and methods used by archaeologists for identifying ethnicity archaeologically are examined. In light of these studies, the history of Gezer is inspected.

The site is chronologically divided into three periods, the Bronze Age, the Early Iron Age, and the Late Iron Age. Using both historical and archaeological sources, the occupational history of Gezer is outlined, highlighting ethnically …

Ncaa Division I Coaches And Athletic Trainers: An Examination Of Professional Relationships And Knowledge Of The Athletic Training Profession, Laura Alexander

Master's Theses

The goal of this study was to explore coaches' experience with athletic trainers (ATs) and knowledge of their roles and responsibilities at the NCAA Division I level. The data collection involved a questionnaire and follow-up phone interviews. The survey was sent out to all 144 official head coaches of NCAA Division I universities in the Bay Area region of California, as defined by the California Department of Social Services in 2002, and there was a 22% (n=31) return rate. Nearly 60% (n=18) of coaches said they communicated with their athletic trainer over five times per week. Another ~60% (n=20-n=28) of …

Experiences Of Coping With Injury In Division I Athletes From Low-To-Middle Socioeconomic Status Backgrounds, Matthew Philip Bejar

Master's Theses

Injuries inevitably occur in any sport at any level. The integrated sport injury model is one of the most extensive frameworks to address the psychological responses to athletic injury. While this model posits that socioeconomic status (SES) influences how an athlete cognitively, emotionally, and behaviorally responds to an injury, no research has substantiated this claim. Low SES individuals experience an exceptional amount of stress, which may complicate how they cope with a negative event. The coping strategies employed by an athlete can have major implications on rehabilitation adherence, recovery time, and psychosocial well-being. The purpose of this study was to …

Effect Of Nanodroplet Ink Concentration On Image Contrast For Reverse-Emulsion Electrophoretic Displays, Winston Kuantung Wang

Master's Theses

Reverse-emulsion electrophoretic display technology is based on an electro-responsive ink comprised of self-assembled nanodroplets dispersed in a non-polar liquid. The dye-containing nanodroplets are selectively driven toward or away from the viewing plane of a display by electric fields. The hypothesis of this study is that image contrast in a nanodroplet electrophoretic display is governed by concentration and steric effects that limit the intensity of the dark state. Simultaneously, steric effects as well as electrostatic screening can diminish whiteness in the light state. This hypothesis has been tested by multiphysics simulation of dilute species in electrostatic fields and experimental measurements of …

Novel Device For Continuous Spatial Control And Temporal Delivery Of Nitric Oxide For In Vitro Cell Culture, Genevieve E. Romanowicz, Weilue He, Matthew Nielsen, Megan C. Frost

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Nitric oxide (NO) is an ubiquitous signaling molecule of intense interest in many physiological processes. Nitric oxide is a highly reactive free radical gas that is difficult to deliver with precise control over the level and timing that cells actually experience. We describe and characterize a device that allows tunable fluxes and patterns of NO to be generated across the surface upon which cells are cultured. The system is based on a quartz microscope slide that allows for controlled light levels to be applied to a previously described photosensitive NO-releasing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Cells are cultured in separate wells that are …

Embedded Cloud System For Ann-Cod Analysis Using Uv Spectroscopy, Kaushik Patra

Master's Theses

One of the many parameters indicating water quality is chemical oxygen demand (COD), which is an indirect measurement of the amount of organic compound material in water. There have been many studies, in both academia and the industry, to analyze the COD content of water using spectral analysis. The proposal of this thesis was to study, analyze, and identify methods to determine the presence of COD using UV spectroscopy data and an artificial neural network (ANN) in a cloud-connected embedded system. The system was implemented using an ARM11 board and a portable spectrometer. Light in the UV range was used …

Predicting Slender False Brome (Brachypodium Sylvaticum) Invasion In The Santa Cruz Mountains, California, Janine Ellen Bird

Master's Theses

Early detection of an invasive species facilitates control and eradication. Slender false brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum) was first discovered in the Santa Cruz Mountains of Central California in 2003 as a non-native grass in redwood forests, competing with native vegetation. The current infestation in the Santa Cruz Mountains, estimated to be 300 acres, is concentrated in San Mateo County and could be eradicated. This study sought to determine most likely locations of slender false brome in the Santa Cruz Mountains by assessing environmental attributes of known presence locations using species distribution modeling and Maxent software. The study used 1,320 species presence …