Digital Commons Network^™

Differences In Hair Significance Among Black And White Women: An Exploratory Study On Black Hair, Yasmine S. Keen

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In Western culture, standards of beauty are often based on European characteristics that Black women are inherently unable to meet. African American history and anecdotal accounts suggest that hair in particular can have a significant impact on the perception and body image of Black women, though whether that impact is positive or negative is not clear. The current study takes a quantitative approach to examining women’s relationship with their hair. Black women (n = 146) and White women (n = 1,116) participated in an anonymous online survey regarding time devoted to hair maintenance, money spent on hair upkeep, …

Seasonal Home Range Variation And Spatial Ecology Of Peregrine Falcons (Falco Peregrinus) In Coastal Humboldt County, Ca, Elizabeth-Noelle F. Morata

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) are renowned for their migratory habits, with ‘peregrinus’ often translated as ‘wanderer’ or ‘pilgrim’. However, their migratory habits may differ by population and some peregrine may falcons forgo migration when climate and resources remain stable. To examine peregrine falcon home range and space use, I fitted GPS-satellite transmitters to nine breeding adults in coastal northern California, an area with a mild climate and abundant waterbird populations. I used kernel density estimates and time-local convex hulls to examine seasonal home ranges and within-home range habitat use. All nine peregrine falcons remained resident in …

Sex-Specific Habitat Selection Of Rough-Legged Hawks (Buteo Lagopus) Wintering In Western North America, Genevieve Christa Rozhon

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The rough-legged hawk (Buteo lagopus sanctijohannis) is one of the most under-studied raptor species in North America. As a species that exhibits reversed sexual dimorphism, sex-specific habitat preferences may exist. To investigate rough-legged hawk sex-specific habitat selection preferences, we equipped 17 rough-legged hawks (n = eight females, nine males) with GPS backpacks on their wintering grounds (n = six study areas) during the winter months of 2014 and 2015 in five states in western North America. I analyzed rough-legged hawk habitat selection in relation to sex at four spatial scales: nocturnal roosting site, 50% core range, 95% winter …

Evaluating Habitat Selection Models To Improve Site Selection In A Population Monitoring Program For Townsend's Big-Eared Bats (Corynorhinus Townsendii), Katrina J. Smith

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Winter roost (hibernacula) surveys offer a unique opportunity to monitor Townsend’s big-eared bats (Corynorhinus townsendii) while the population is generally closed, using a simple count method to census the population. Existing knowledge of C. townsendii hibernacula facilitates long-term population trend analysis but improving the accuracy of trend estimates requires identification of additional hibernacula to increase the proportion of the population monitored. Over 800 caves are known within Lava Beds National Monument; 322 of these have never been surveyed in the winter and could potentially hold a substantial portion of the C. townsendii population currently missing from the annual …

The Effect Of The Loss Of Lgl1 In Murine Neural Progenitor Cells On Mapk Signaling And Proliferation, Monique R. Lacourse

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Glioblastoma is an incurable, aggressive, and highly invasive type of brain tumor that harbors tumor initiating cells characterized by disrupted polarized cell divisions. A cell polarity gene lethal (2) giant larvae 1 (Lgl1) has been implicated in gliomas and is a tumor suppressor initially identified in Drosophila with roles in proliferation. The loss of Lgl1 in Drosophila activates the MAPK protein kinase JNK and the Ras pathway and therefore its downstream kinase ERK, a transcription factor modulator. Furthermore, when Lgl1 is knocked out in mice, a phenotype similar to glioma is seen. Loss of the human form of …

Evaluation Of A Family Fitness Program: The Fit Fam Program, Steven Childs

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Background: One method to increase physical activity levels and overall health of children with disabilities is to involve entire families in physical activity programs. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the seven-week self-directed fitness program, the Fit Fam program. Methods: Six parents of children aged six to 20 with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) participated in a one week in-person educational fitness program prior to participating in a seven-week self-directed family fitness program in which participants utilized skills learned and a provided, individually-tailored physical activity program for their family and tracked each family members physical activity on …

Clearance Concepts: Fundamentals And Application To Pharmacokinetic Behavior Of Drugs, Reza Mehvar

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Clearance concepts were introduced into the pharmacokinetics discipline in the 1970s and since then have played a major role in characterization of the pharmacokinetic behavior of drugs. These concepts are based on the relationship between organ extraction ratio or clearance and physiologic parameters such as the organ blood flow and the intrinsic capability of the eliminating organ to remove the free (unbound) drug from the body. Several theoretical models have been developed, which define these relationships and may be used to predict the effects of changes in the physiological parameters on various pharmacokinetic parameters of drugs, such as drug clearance. …

Sleep Disturbances And Depression Severity In Patients With Parkinson’S Disease, Daniel Kay, Jared J. Tanner, Dawn Bowers

Faculty Publications

Objectives: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a multisystem movement disorder associated with sleep disturbance and depression. Sleep disturbances and depression severity share a bidirectional association. This association may be greater in individuals who are more vulnerable to the deleterious consequences of sleep disturbance and depression severity. We investigated whether the association between sleep disturbances and depression severity is greater in patients with PD than in matched controls (MC).

Materials and Methods: The study sample (N = 98) included 50 patients with idiopathic PD and 48 age-, race-, sex-, and education-matched controls. Sleep disturbances were assessed using self-reported total sleep time (TST) …

Black Males, Trauma, And Mental Health Service Use: A Systematic Review., Robert Motley, Andrae Banks

Brown School Faculty Publications

Objective: To systematically review the evidence of and synthesize results from relevant studies that have examined barriers and facilitators to professional mental health service use for Black male trauma survivors ages 18 and older.

Methods: A thorough search of selected databases that included EBSCO, ProQuest, and Web of Science Core Collection and careful consideration of inclusion and exclusion criteria yielded a final six studies for detailed review.

Results: Black male trauma survivors were significantly less likely to be utilizing mental health services than other sex-ethnic groups. High levels of daily crises, a lack of knowledge of steps to …

The Economics Of Entrepreneurship, Leticia Camacho

Faculty Publications

Parker (Univ. of Western Ontario, Canada) analyzes the connection between economics and entrepreneurship. Specifically, he shows how academic studies such as economics, policy, and social issues relate to entrepreneurship. The book is organized in four parts: selection (theories, empirical methods, determinants, and evidence), finance (debt, venture capital, angel finance, crowd-funding, wealth, etc.), performance (growth, job creation, innovation, survival, etc.), and public policy (policies, regulation, taxation, etc.). At the end of each, a concluding section provides a summary, a list of opportunities for future research, an extensive reference section, and an index.

Using Edna Analysis From Water Samples In A Common Snook, Centropomus Undecimalis, Survey, Ryan Anderson

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2010 - 2019

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is genetic material an organism leaves behind in its habitat, originating from blood, waste, or shed skin, among other sources. In aquatic environments, it is possible to extract eDNA from water samples, allowing for a variety of genetic tests to be performed, with great value in the fields of endangered species protection, invasive species control, and fisheries management among others. eDNA can persist in freshwater environments for many hours and can be attributed to fish up to one kilometer upstream from the collection site. However, water conditions in marine environments may reduce the survivability of eDNA. I …

A Brief Interrogation Of Science And Faith, Bridget Alaimo

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2010 - 2019

In this thesis I begin by introducing the Big Bang theory and discussing arguments for and against it. Then, I argue that the Big Bang Theory and the Biblical account of creation align in their descriptions of the origin of the universe. Thus, I ultimately argue that the Big Bang theory and the Biblical account of creation are not mutually exclusive.

From Freeze To Thaw: Toward Lgbti Rights In Cuba Today, Jake Bodinski

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2010 - 2019

In this paper, I examine transgender and gay rights in contemporary Cuba. While there is much written historically on the topic of gay rights in the years just after the Revolution, very little has been written about the modern day, and even less which focuses on transgender rights and health issues. I examine Cuba’s state-run healthcare system as well as their state sexual education department, CENESEX. I argue that Cuba has evolved alongside changing global attitudes about sexual and gender diversity and has adapted their education and healthcare systems to match their change of heart. To do this, I first …

Cassiopea Xamachana Presence In Jellyfish Bay, In The Loxahatchee River, May Be Attributed To Anthropogenic Disturbances, Kristene Bonilla

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2010 - 2019

Increases in jellyfish blooms worldwide have been linked to synergistic effects of climate change and anthropogenic disturbances. Cassiopea sp. are epibenthic jellyfish found in significantly higher densities and larger in size in areas that have high human populations. This study quantified the spatial and class-size distribution of Cassiopea xamachana in the Loxahatchee River, in an area referred to as Jellyfish Bay, by analyzing bell diameters and abundance, percent of submerged aquatic vegetation, and nutrient levels to determine if anthropogenic factors play a role in their presence there. Porewater samples from the bay had higher phosphorous levels compared to the rest …

Ecological Role Of Burrowing Sea Cucumbers, Holothuria Arenicola, In Abaco, Bahamas, Liberty Boyd

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2010 - 2019

Bioturbators serve as ecosystem engineers, influencing community dynamics of the environments in which they are endemic. Currently, the bioturbator, Holothuria arenicola, a species of burrowing sea cucumbers, is listed as data deficient by the IUCN. These animals may affect the structure and function of seagrass beds, which are critical habitats for various species. To assess the ecological role of H. arenicola , I conducted field surveys, calculated mound, and analyzed mound nutrient levels. I gathered data through monitoring study plots, conducting Bran-Blanquette seagrass surveys (Fourqurean et al., 2001), capturing GoPro video, and collecting samples. Results indicate an insignificant difference between …

Epibionts Of Hawksbill Sea Turtles In Southeast Florida, Liberty Boyd

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2010 - 2019

Sea turtles, like all marine vertebrates, can host considerable populations of epibionts, i.e., externally-attached symbiotic organisms on the skin and shell. These organisms can form facultative, obligate, and sometimes endemic commensal relationships with sea turtles, whose outer surface provides an insular, mobile substrate for their colonization and dispersal. Juvenile hawksbill turtles, Eretmochelys imbricata, living off Florida’s east coast can develop considerable epibiotic growth. I analyzed 236 photographs of 213 hawksbill turtles from SE Florida to document colonization patterns, relative abundance, and ecology of macroscopic commensals, including sea turtle barnacles (Chelonibia spp.), fire coral (Millepora spp.), and sponges (Porifera). I found …

Is Video The Most Effective Marketing Type?, David Casto

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2010 - 2019

In this thesis, I ask the question of whether or not video is the most effective marketing type. I answer this question by evaluating companies in the business, scientific, and health arenas and discuss why and how they have used video to market themselves. Further, I also examine the ways in which technology has grown in the past few decades, and discuss the different types of learning and how video can appeal to each type. With the results of this research, I ultimately conclude that video is the most effective marketing type. as the actually commodity being provided. I defend …

Is The Marketing Process Of A Product Or Service As Important As The Product Itself?, Jackson Casto

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2010 - 2019

In this thesis I argue that the marketing process of a good or service is as important as the actually commodity being provided. I defend this claim via the examination of examples of entrepreneurs and members of the health and science communities, and the services they provide to the public. I show that products and services must have fitting marketing strategies, because if something innovative is developed but is not marketed, it is as if the invention was constructed only in the imagination of the creator.

Is The Msm Blood Donation Deferral Ethical?, Idia Enogieru

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2010 - 2019

The deferral of men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) from donating blood has been a controversial policy since its advent during the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. In my thesis I address this deferral, and evaluate whether or not it is ethical. I begin by introducing the characteristics of HIV, the behaviors associated with HIV transmission, and its association with MSM. After, I review the changes in the policy and examine the evidence used to support these changes. Next, I present my arguments that justify the MSM blood donation deferral, while also arguing that the current one-year deferral period in the United States is …

Love, Lust, And Loss: Attachment Style And Relationship Preferences Of Okcupid Users, Sonia Figueroa

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2010 - 2019

In this exploratory study, the responses of nearly 70,000 OKCupid users to a series of questions on the website are assessed to determine a relationship between romantic relationship preferences and attachment style. Specifically, the romantic relationship preferences were monogamy and long-term relationship preference. Four types of attachment styles are looked at in this study: secure, anxious, avoidant, and fearful. Five scales are created from the original 2,600 questions to assess relationship preferences and attachment style, with scores ranging from 0 to 1. Users were then classified into one of the four attachment styles. Attachment style of users was predicted using …

Should The U.S Organ Donation System Be Revised?, Namrata Gadela

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2010 - 2019

In this thesis, I will explore the current organ donation process including organ matching, pre-transplant assessments and allocation of organs. In addition, I will discuss ethical principles that can be used to aid transplant teams in the difficult task of allocating of organs. I will also evaluate alternative options to the current transplant process such as an opt-out vs. an opt-in system and controlled financial payment for organs. Finally, I will analyze current policies regarding living donors and suggest avenues for future research into alternative resources for organs.

Training Miniature Horses For Use In Human Therapy: Clicker Versus Praise-Based Reward Methods, Carly Galbraith-Howell

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2010 - 2019

Miniature horses are becoming increasingly more popular as therapy animals in hospitals, nursing homes, and schools. Although many therapy horse training methods exist, which is the most effective? I propose to test whether clicker training is superior to training using praise and touch as a reward. Eight horses, paired by gender, will be randomly assigned to be either clicker trained or trained using praise and touch as a reward. A different task will be assigned each week for four consecutive weeks to each group. For each task, I will record the number of correct responses within a given time or …

The Effect Of Mindfulness Meditation On Recognition Memory For Positive, Negative, & Neutral Stimuli, Grace Halstead

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2010 - 2019

This study aimed to investigate whether mindfulness meditation has an effect on memory. We used free recall and recognition memory tests based on positive, negative, and neutral images to measure memory performance, and compared results between experimental and control conditions. This paper focuses on the recognition memory portion of the study. Our experimental group underwent a brief, single-session mindfulness meditation, and our control group underwent a brief, single-session mind-wandering meditation prior to being presented with the stimuli images. After being presented with the stimuli, participants underwent a distractor task, and then took the free recall and recognition memory tests. We …

Supressing Igf-R1 Signaling Pathway Rescues Neuronal Overgrowth Of Pten +/- Mice, Dalina Laffita

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2010 - 2019

Macrocephaly is a well-replicated phenotype in a subset of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Heterozygous mutation in PTEN, which encode a negative regulator of the PI3K-mTR signaling pathway, causes the macrocephaly/autism syndrome. Mice with germline heterozygous Pten deletion (Pten+/-) exhibit both brain overgrowth and social behavioral deficits. Here, we showed that reduction of Igf-1 receptor (Igf-1r), which is an upstream receptor of PI3K-mTOR pathway, in Pten+/- mice rescues the neuronal overgrowth of cortical layer V neurons, which is associated with social behavior deficits shown in the Pten+/- mice. These are promising results shows that a pharmacological agent, one that …

“Countdown”: An Interactive Fiction, Jessica Kammerer

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2010 - 2019

Today’s readers are not, in fact, readers, but rather configurative authors, accustomed in this digital age to controlling the media presented to them in such a way that their configuration is as important to the content’s overall structure and interpretation as author intent. Interactive fiction, which is any text-based media that the reader can alter through their actions (Montfort, “Twisty Little Passages”, vii), addresses this configurative authorship. “Countdown” is my own work of interactive fiction. It is an interpersonal drama that meditates on inevitability and the effects of our choices. It employs randomization at a high level that impacts which …

The Death Of Dawn: On The Ethics Of Florida Marine Parks, Taylor L. Leach

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2010 - 2019

Over the last 80 years, humans have enjoyed and developed a deep connection to bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncates) and killer whales (Orcinus orca), starting in 1938 with the opening of the world's first oceanarium to presentday with the current marine parks in Florida. We have learned an immense amount of information about the intricacies of two of the most charismatic marine mammals in the ocean, and as we learn more about these highly social creatures, the more people are demanding the immediate release of them into the wild. This, however, raises an ethical dilemma: either we release the animals into …

The Scientific And Religious Construction Of Female Sexuality, Stephanie Lazo

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2010 - 2019

The field of biology predominantly studies the structure and function of living entities, such as the human body, while women’s studies perspectives help to show the influence of culture and power on biological knowledge and principles. This thesis analyzes the scientific construction of female sexuality through the lenses of feminist science studies. The approach provides an understanding of how such ideas are imposed on Western women in particular, and the role that such women are expected to play in demonstrating that they are virginal, chaste, and faithful/trustworthy to men. I explore both scientific and religious documents that discuss female sexuality …

Terror In America: Gendered Violence And Mass Shootings In Schools, Victoria Levy

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2010 - 2019

The debate surrounding gun violence in schools has been going on in the United States for decades, and it is a place of convergence for conflicting viewpoints, which has done little to dampen the issue. Today, elements of society are actively disputing gun violence in schools and are calling for changes. The systems that are currently in place are ineffective, as access to guns remains easy, multimedia platforms idolize, reward, and fixate on violence, and mental healthcare is not easily accessible. These broken systems not only divide families and friends, it also divides the country and perpetuates violence. The purpose …

Is Iceland’S 100% Termination Rate For Chromosomally Abnormal Pregnancies Ethical?, Mary Mcmillan

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2010 - 2019

Throughout history, people with disabilities have been treated as moral and social inferiors. Often, those with certain disabilities have been relegated to live lives of segregation, resigned to institutions and facilities because they have been regarded as incapable of making decisions or caring for themselves, or because others, whether family or those in the community, did not want to bear the burden of their presence. I argue that this view of disability as burdensome has resulted in the near 100% termination rate in Iceland in pregnancies found to be chromosomally abnormal. Further, I argue that this negative perception of disability …

The Fight For Federal Intervention: Why Professional Boxing Needs Uniform Regulation, Raul Muniz

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2010 - 2019

While professional boxing is subject to some federal regulation, there is still a call for greater uniformity throughout the states. For example, the variation of state procedures for performance-enhancing drug and post-fight neurological testing present a serious threat to an athlete’s health that can lead to physical impairments or even death. I argue professional boxing regulation should be completely uniform, left to the federal government rather than individual states. I review the regulatory system in professional boxing and show how the lack of uniformity leads to undesirable health, safety, and business practices. Founded on a critical analysis of federalism, the …