Digital Commons Network^™

From The Edge Of A Rib: Pro-Ana Edgeworking Narratives, Casey Dobbins

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

People who deliberately practice eating disordered behaviors as a lifestyle form digital communities known as pro-ana. Pro-ana identity is constructed through the medicalized frameworks of anorexia nervosa that attempt to maximize weight loss and also manage other eating disorder behaviors such as binging and purging. This thesis examines pro-ana materials requested and produced on websites, Whisper, and Reddit, assembling these discursive and image exchanges into discourses that identify and describe eating disorder pathology and recovery. My ethnographic collection consists of screenshots of written materials and images from websites, Whisper posts, Reddit threads, and a Discord. This thesis examines discursive strategies …

Envisioning A Grassroots Framework For Community-Based Mental Health Crisis Intervention, Xandra C. Gradine

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The mental health and well-being of both individuals and communities are going to be best served by community-based services and care completely unreliant on traditional top-down models that often include inaccessible services and/or coercive methods. This is especially prevalent in the case of mental health crisis intervention; where most state-based interventions involve coercive agents who often are not given any specific training on mental health crisis response. As mental health crisis and suicide rates continue to rise in the U.S., and even the most well-respected model of crisis intervention has done little to resolve the issues of prisons serving as …

Does Bisphenol-A, An Estrogen-Like Environmental Toxin, Disrupt Expression Of The Neuronal Chloride Exporter Protein During Early Brain Development?, Mayra S. Mendez

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Bisphenol A (BPA), a manufactured compound found in consumer products, is known to adversely affect early brain development by disrupting normal estrogen signaling. Recently, BPA was reported to suppress expression of a gene encoding the neuron-specific chloride ion transporter, KCC2. Human and animal studies show suppressing KCC2 can cause neuronal and behavioral hyperactivity. Therefore, some adverse effects of BPA may be due to KCC2 suppression and consequent neuronal hyperactivity. This study aimed to determine whether BPA exposure during brain development alters KCC2 expression. A secondary purpose was to evaluate whether a new transgenic zebrafish line, KCC2:mCitrine,could be used to track …

Modulation Of Polyamines To Elucidate Function Within Osteogenesis Of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells, Amin S. Cressman

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Snyder-Robinson Syndrome (SRS), an X-linked intellectual disability that arises in children, exhibits debilitating phenotypes like severe osteoporosis. These patients demonstrate an inability to produce mineralized new bone in comparison to the rate at which bone is resorbed, thus leading to weaker skeletal structure and atraumatic fractures. The known cause of SRS is due to loss-of-function mutations within the gene that encodes Spermine Synthase (SMS). Loss of SMS enzymatic activity, which catalyzes the conversion of polyamines spermidine into spermine, demonstrates an increase in the spermidine/spermine ratio in all documented cases of this disorder. The involvement of polyamines in osteogenesis is still …

Johnson V. M'Intosh: Christianity, Genocide, And The Dispossession Of Indigenous Peoples, Cynthia J. Boshell

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Using hermeneutical methodology, this paper examines some of the legal fictions that form the foundation of Federal Indian Law. The text of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1823 Johnson v. M’Intosh opinion is evaluated through the lens of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide to determine the extent to which the Supreme Court incorporated genocidal principles into United States common law. The genealogy of M’Intosh is examined to identify influences that are not fully apparent on the face of the case. International jurisprudential interpretations of the legal definition of genocide are summarized and used as …

Evaluating The Impact Of Video Based Instruction And Immediate Feedback On The Performance Of Three Gross Motor Skills For Participants With Down Syndrome, Alyssa Gadberry

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of video based instruction combined with immediate visual feedback on the performance of three different gross motor skills for children with Down Syndrome (DS). The participants in this study are two children with DS. They were selected for this study based upon these qualifying factors: enrolled in a moderate/severe special day class, enrolled in a title one school, have Down syndrome and displayed deficits in gross motor abilities based upon the administration of the Total Gross Motor Development-3 (TGMD-3) assessment. The research design is a multiple baseline design where three …

Winter Sandpiper Communities On Humboldt Bay: High-Tide Roost Use And Habitat Features That Influence Roost Site Selection, Chelsea Polevy

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Roosts, locations at which birds and other animals come together to rest and preen while remaining vigilant for predators, are a common facet of the nonbreeding biology of many shorebirds. Roosts fall on a continuum from traditional to ephemeral; traditional roosts are used consistently by the same individuals, whereas ephemeral roosts are used inconsistently and may be used only once or a few times. Studies show that roost habitat preference is the result of an individual shorebird’s attempt to optimize the costs and benefits associated with time constraints, energetic demands, and danger risks as they relate to overall fitness.

In …

Northern Elephant Seal (Mirounga Angustirostris) Colony Establishment And Growth In The King Range National Conservation Area, California, Emma Hatton Levy

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The King Range colony is the northernmost successful and expanding breeding site for northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris). To evaluate the composition and growth of this colony, I conducted systematic surveys recording counts, age classes, births, and resighting seals with individually identifiable flipper tags. The timing of life-history events (breeding, molting, and resting) of all elephant seal sex and age groups at the King Range was consistent with observations at other colonies. Colony counts during breeding and molting have increased steadily over the 4-year study period (2018-2021), and pup production has increased by 87% since the first year …

Social Science Research To Help Advance Regional Coordination And Collaboration Of Sea Level Rise Planning And Adaptation On Humboldt Bay, Kristen Orth-Gordinier

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Humboldt Bay is experiencing the fastest rate of relative sea level rise in California and is likely to experience severe sea level rise (SLR) flooding within the next two decades. The Humboldt Bay shoreline is owned and governed by a patchwork of entities with different missions and jurisdictions so coordination of SLR planning will be critical because flooding of hydrologic areas from tidal waters can cross political boundaries. The goal of this project was to conduct social science research that can inform and advance the development of regional coordination and collaboration related to SLR in Humboldt Bay. To do this, …

Counter-Mapping The Material World Of The Bone Clocks: A Critical Analysis Through Digital Cartography, Anne Howard

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This project develops a reading strategy through mapping, using David Mitchell's 2014 novel The Bone Clocks as a primary text. Through the methods of critical cartography and counter-mapping, this research insists that by making maps that counter the dominant narrative, readers can disrupt the author’s perspective and craft new interpretations that highlight their own experiences. Critical cartography, the reflexive how and why maps are made and used, is all about the awareness of the power dynamics and colonial influences involved in traditional map-making. Choosing to map against dominant power structures is called counter-mapping. To apply these theories to literature, then, …

A Place Of Small Canoes: An Archaeological Investigation Of Cayucos, California, Kaya E. Wiggins

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Located on the Central Coast, within the northern portion of Estero Bay, Cayucos remains an under-investigated area, and with over 8,000 years of human occupation there, it has the potential to inform about local and regional precontact history. Though relatively few archaeological investigations have occurred in Cayucos, by synthesizing studies in the area, a baseline of information emerges to build upon. This thesis reviews every recorded archaeological site with a precontact component, in the vicinity of Cayucos. These records, along with other relevant studies and theoretical framework, provide clues about the past associated with local settlement, technology, and the environment. …

“There's Always People In The Room For Whom This Is Not Merely Theory”: Emergent Pedagogies, Casey Mccullough

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Colleges and universities are generally regarded as a place for students to expand their skill sets and knowledge in preparation for specific fields of work. Many academic institutions and disciplines are also focused on recruiting and retaining students from socially marginalized communities in the name of equity, inclusion, and diversity. Despite this, some institutions in practice prioritize image, status, and wealth while deprioritizing resources, care, and support for students and their learning conditions. Often within these institutions are educators who challenge these systems in their courses, on campus, and across the country, encouraging and empowering students to directly confront those …

Geographic And Seasonal Variation Of Flying Squirrel Vocalizations In California, Travis A. Farwell

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Advancements in bioacoustics field studies have further elucidated spatial, temporal, and behavioral aspects of otherwise-cryptic species, as well as offering insights into species communication. The discovery of high-frequency vocalizations in North American flying squirrels in particular has allowed researchers to use ultrasonic acoustic recorders to detect these cryptic species in the wild. Investigations into vocalizations of northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus) and southern flying squirrels (G. volans) have highlighted call type variation between species and the potential use of recorders as a tool to examine vocal activity patterns. However, high-frequency vocalizations had yet to be quantitatively …

Techno-Economic Feasibility Of Electrifying Food Markets In Nigeria With Biogas Hybrid Mini-Grids, Demi Temitope Ogunwo

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This thesis explored the feasibility of electrifying a food market in an urban city in Nigeria with a hybrid biogas-powered mini-grid. Under the Energizing Economies Initiative of the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria, nine markets in the country currently receive constant access to electricity via hybrid mini-grid systems. As a majority of these systems are diesel-solar-battery systems, this thesis explored the use of biogas generators as a substitute for diesel generators in hybrid mini-grids for food markets. A fruit and vegetable market in Ketu, Lagos was used as a case study for the research. The research for this thesis was …

Estimating The Ecosystem Service Of Aleutian Cackling Goose Droppings On Pastures, Brian G. Fagundes

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The Aleutian cackling goose (Branta hutchinsii leucopareia) experienced a population low of 790 geese in 1974 and has recovered to the current estimate of 186,100 geese in 2021. Private livestock producers view geese as pasture competitors and use hazing and hunting to scare geese from private lands to adjacent public lands. I investigated if geese provide an ecosystem service via dropping fertilizing effects to improve pastures in northern California.

A greenhouse experiment was conducted from February-August 2019 at Cal Poly Humboldt, divided into two experiments: freshly sown ryegrass pasture and established plant and soil communities removed intact from …

Drought Responses Across Diverse Conifer Species, Habitats, And Competitive Gradients In Northern California, Gabriel J. Roletti

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Frequent and intense drought events are rapidly altering stand dynamics in western North American forests. Climate, competition, and site characteristics can affect the growth responses of individual trees to drought stress. The ecological and geographical diversity of northern California provides a unique opportunity to measure these responses across species, habitat types, and levels of competitive pressure. This study used dendrochronological techniques and linear mixed-effects models to assess growth responses to drought in four montane and two coastal conifer species across 54 study sites (nine sites per species and 540 trees total) in northern California. Growth was evaluated from 2002-2018 and …

Comparing Molecular Methods To Estimate Fish Stomach Contents And Gastric Evacuation Rates: Implications For Measuring The Impacts Of Predation On Central Valley Chinook Salmon, Cory M. Dick

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Juvenile Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) migrating through the Sacramento – San Joaquin Delta (the Delta) in central California have higher mortality rates than salmonids migrating through other west coast estuaries. Some hypotheses for high mortality rates include entrainment into water export facilities, physical alterations of the river system, and predation. Of these factors, predation is considered the least understood but may have the largest impact. Predation from large populations of non-native piscivorous fishes in the Delta is believed to effect abundances of Central Valley Chinook salmon, however sufficient data supporting this hypothesis is scarce. In this study, I …

Carnivore And Ungulate Responses To Cattle In A Grazed Forest Ecosystem, Rebecca Carniello

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Habitat disturbance, a leading threat to biological diversity, comes in many forms and can alter the behavior of wildlife and reduce the amount of suitable habitat. Livestock grazing, a form of habitat disturbance, is the most widespread influence on native ecosystems of western North America. Research on the impacts of introduced domestic herbivores on wild carnivores and ungulates varies, and the degree to which wildlife species are affected is often species-specific. I used remote trail cameras to compare the activity patterns of black bears (Ursus americanus), coyotes (Canis latrans), bobcats (Lynx rufus), mountain lions …

Factors Affecting The Production Of Berries Of The Red Huckleberry Plant In The Redwood Experimental Forest, Kagat G. Mcquillen

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Vaccinium parvifolium (red huckleberry) is a culturally and commercially valued food for different coastal tribes of northwestern California.

Today some tribes are regaining access to ancestral lands, and Indigenous researchers are working to document information about culturally significant plant species and their management to reclaim traditional ecological knowledge and restore food sovereignty.

The present study, focused on red huckleberry, Vaccinium parvifolium, took place in the ancestral territory of the Yurok Tribe, currently managed by the US Forest Service as the Redwood Experimental Forest (REF) in Klamath, CA. Geographic Information Systems-based mapping, forest ecological field data collection, and a literature …

Nā Pua Makani Wind Farm: The Shifting Winds Of Renewable Development In HawaiʻI, George Webster Ross Iv

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In 2015, Hawaiʻi set the most ambitious renewable energy portfolio goal in the nation by vowing to reach 100% renewable energy by 2045. Since then, many renewable energy development projects in Hawaiʻi have been met with strong community opposition, including the Nā Pua Makani wind farm (NPM) in Kahuku. The aim of this project is to analyze the process timeline of NPM to identify factors in the development process that contributed to organized protest, and to offer recommendations for improving the process. In order to get a full picture of the events throughout the Nā Pua Makani project’s timeline, my …

Restorative Practices In Education: A Case Study, Emily Morris

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Literature shows that restorative justice practices, over time, are an effective practice for reducing negative student behaviors. This study will examine teacher and staff viewpoints on restorative practices and how they are being implemented on our campus. Additionally, this study will explore what impact restorative practices have on our campus, according to teachers and staff. My goal is to answer some of the questions that were unanswered through the literature. For instance, do the restorative justice consequences have a positive impact on student behavior? Do the staff feel that the current system, which uses restorative practices, is effective in dealing …

Process Optimization For An Integrated Reverse Osmosis—Pressure Retarded Osmosis Pilot-Scale System Operated On Humboldt Bay, Ca, Galen O'Toole

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) is an emerging osmotic power technology that could mitigate the major challenges faced by seawater reverse osmosis desalination (RO): brine disposal and high energy consumption. The primary focus of this paper is process optimization for a linked seawater reverse osmosis (RO) and pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) water purification system. PRO generates power by using osmosis to “pump” water through a membrane from low pressure and low concentration to high pressure and high concentration (RO brine). This commercial-scale pilot effort explores process optimization for pressure retarded osmosis as an industrial process rather than theoretical or experimental process. …

Sediment Production From Forest Roads In Areas Affected By The August Complex Fire In Northern California, Zachary J. Gigone

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Wildfire activity is increasing in California and is an important factor affecting erosion rates. Landscapes recently affected by wildfire, areas that have been salvage logged after a fire, and unpaved forest roads are all major sources of sediment which can impair water quality and negatively impact many aquatic species. Therefore, this study was conducted to quantify erosion rates from native and gravel surfaced forest road segments after the August Complex fire, evaluate the impact of salvage logging activities on sediment production from roads, and understand the effect of soil burn severity on sediment production from these road segments. Finally, this …

Late Quaternary Glacier Fluctuations At Picayune Lake, Northern California, Aidan Patrick Cowan

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The Klamath Mountains are a 233-km-long (north to south) mountain range located in northern California that shows extensive geomorphic evidence of Pleistocene glaciation. Within the Klamath’s there are many highland lakes, which record evidence of glacial deposition, one of which is Picayune Lake. Lake sediment data collected from Picayune Lake offers insights into the glaciation, and broader depositional history of the Picayune Lake Valley, as well as the climate history of the Klamath Mountains region. I measured magnetic susceptibility, loss on ignition, and grain size in sediment cores and used radiocarbon dating to determine a chronology of glacier fluctuations in …

Determining Haplotype Specific X Chromosome Inactivation State And Related Epigenetic Features In Female X-Linked Genes, Ariah Dawn Mackie

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Females with heterozygous X-linked mutations are prone to pseudo-haploinsufficiency because random X chromosome inactivation (XCI) silences one of their two X chromosomes. A prior study explored the theory that reactivating the silenced healthy allele could be a treatment for pseudo-haploinsufficient females. The next step was to evaluate this approach in a clinically relevant stem cell model of the rare neurological disease CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder (CDD). It was necessary to validate X-inactivation state with respect to CDKL5 allele expression in one of these models. We explored CDKL5 allele expression in two populations of CDD female patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) …

Comparison Of Environmental Dna And Underwater Visual Count Surveys For Detecting Juvenile Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus Kisutch) In Rivers, Jason T. Shaffer

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Environmental DNA (eDNA) has developed into a useful tool for determining the distribution of rare aquatic species, but relatively few studies have directly compared the detection probabilities of this method with other conventional survey techniques. These comparisons can inform which method may be better suited to address study objectives. In this study, the overall goal was to compare the ability of eDNA and underwater visual count (UVC) surveys to detect juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), a species of conservation concern at the southern extent of its geographic range. Specifically, I address two objectives: (1) compare the ability of …

Return To Wolf Country: Exploring Rancher Knowledge Of Gray Wolves In Wallowa County, Oregon, Theodore Masters

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

With the extirpation of gray wolves (Canis lupus) from the American West in the early 20^th Century, generations of ranchers have grazed livestock free from any threats by wolves. The absence of wolves from the western landscape has created an inter-generational gap in the experiential knowledge held by ranchers regarding how to manage livestock in wolf country. Using Wallowa County, Oregon, as a case study site, 18 cow-calf ranchers were interviewed to gain insights into the ways they generate and share knowledge of running livestock in landscapes shared with wolves. This study revealed the arrival of wolves …

Escherichia Coli And Salmonella Sp. In Domestic Cattle And Wild Roosevelt Elk: Fecal Pathogens At The Wildlife-Domestic Interface, Emily A. Buck

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Direct or indirect contact between domestic populations of animals and wildlife carries an inherent risk for transmission of pathogens that cause infectious disease. In Humboldt and Del Norte counties of northern California, ongoing conflict between ranchers and Roosevelt elk groups results from elk use of ranching pastures and pastures on private land. Fecal samples from elk in association with cattle, cattle, and from elk not in known association with cattle were assessed for the presence of bacteria Salmonella enterica and pathogenic Escherichia coli to assess whether association with cattle increases risk of infection for elk. Group identity (one of the …

Hormonal Medications And Partner Odor Preferences, Jeffrey Lee Frederick

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The ability to recognize kin through the olfactory sense has important survival and evolutionary implications when choosing mates. Failing to recognize kin when making a choice of whom to mate with can lead to an increase in detrimental genetic outcomes in offspring. Previous studies have indicated that normally ovulating heterosexual women and men prefer the body odor of those with dissimilar immune systems than those with similar immune systems. The use of hormonal contraceptives has shown a preference for similar immune system odors. The current study examines whether the use of hormonal medications predicts preference for body odor. Importantly, this …

Differentiating The Effects Of Two Non-Native Fish In The Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, Sarah Richardson

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

This study seeks to determine the individual effects of two non-native fish, the brook stickleback, Culaea inconstans, and pumpkinseed, Lepomis gibbosus, on the aquatic invertebrates and food webs of Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge (TNWR). Ten ponds were analyzed and compared with stable isotope analysis and invertebrate abundance data. Three ponds were chosen to represent each of the following categories: fishless, brook stickleback invaded (BS), and coinvaded, along with a single pumpkinseed (PS) pond. Overall, δ[superscript]13C and δ[superscript]15N values increased in invaded ponds, indicating shifts in the zooplankton community structure and the carbon source of predatory invertebrates. Mean δ[superscript]13C was the …