Search Constraints
Filtering by:
Campus
Fullerton
Remove constraint Campus: Fullerton
Resource type
Masters Thesis
Remove constraint Resource type: Masters Thesis
« Previous |
1 - 10 of 383
|
Next »
Number of results to display per page
Search Results
- Creator:
- Koirala, Janak Das
- Description:
- Every year, millions of scrap tires are either discarded in huge piles across the landscape or dumped in landfills in large volumes all over the world. These tire piles cause environmental pollution while posing fire and health hazards. Being volumetric goods in comparison to other wastes, they occupy large volumes in landfills. Rainwater tends to accumulate in the stockpiled tires, which, then become a breeding ground for mosquitoes that carry dangerous diseases, such as encephalitis. Several states in the United States have, therefore, banned the disposal of used tires in the land. Shredded rubber has been used in a variety of applications in geotechnical engineering including in highway pavements and backfills of retaining walls, but mostly as individual material. In this study, kaolinite and montmorillonite were modified using different sizes and quantities of shredded rubber tires and used to evaluate the improvement in geotechnical properties. Five different sizes and five different proportions of shredded rubber tires were mixed with the clay minerals. Laboratory experiments were carried out to evaluate the changes in density, permeability and unconfined compressive strength of such modified soil with shredded tires. The results showed that for kaolinite, the maximum dry density decreased as the percentage of shredded rubber tire in the mixture was greater than 4% by dry weight. In Montmorillonite, the maximum dry density of the modified soil increased till 2 to 4% of shredded rubber tire was added to the soil. The highest strength was observed at 4% shredded rubber tire content in kaolinite and at 5% shredded rubber tire content in montmorillonite. Permeability increased when smaller sized shredded rubber tire was added to kaolinite. In montmorillonite, permeability values sharply increased up to 2% shredded rubber tire content and thereafter, showed a linear increase in permeability for all sizes of shredded rubber tire used. From this study, it is concluded that shredded rubber can be effectively used to improve the compaction and strength characteristics of weak soils.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Creator:
- Piercy, Brooke
- Description:
- Anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders both globally and in the United States. Early-life stressors such as poor socialization and isolation, as well as diets high in fats and sugars have been shown to increase levels of anxiety and play a detrimental role on mental health. the present study sought to analyze the effects of both poor nutritional diet and social isolation on anxiety levels using an animal model. Eighty male Sprague-Dawley rodents at age five weeks at the beginning of testing were used to measure anxiety behaviors on the Elevated Plus Maze (EPM). Rodents were placed into one of four testing groups to assess anxiety: A control group, a high-fat and high-sucrose diet group, a socially isolated group, and an experimental condition in which social isolation and a high-fat, high-sucrose diet was given. It was hypothesized that Sprague-Dawley rodents living socially isolated and receiving the high-fat, high-sucrose diet would experience the high levels of anxiety, rodents living socially isolated would experience more anxiety than those receiving only the high-fat, high-sucrose diet, and rodents receiving the high-fat, high-sucrose diet would have higher levels of anxiety than the control group. Results showed that overall poor nutritional diet was not contributing to increased levels of anxiety in young male rodents, while social isolation was partially contributing to increased anxiety levels. Although many non-significant results were found, the importance of socialization and proper nutritional diet is explored, as well as the possible resiliency of young rodents to early-life stress.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Identifier:
- 9780438053847
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Psychology
- Creator:
- Leyh, Julius
- Description:
- Increasing tourism in Nosara, Costa Rica brings along more challenges for sustainable development of the community. as local resources become stressed and overdevelopment interferes with wildlife, the community is continuously developing strategies to mitigate environmental degradation and include the local population to benefit of the ecotourism industry. Using mixed methods, this thesis is examining the current challenges that Nosara is facing and the strategies that are in place to guarantee sustainable development. the research for this study was done through semi-structured interviews with employees of the hospitality industry and non-governmental organizations in Nosara. Questionnaires were used to gather information about tourists visiting Nosara. Additionally, secondary sources were used to identify the overall development goals of the tourism industry of Costa Rica. the current challenges in Nosara were identified as the lack of commitment from the local authorities to protect pristine beaches and wildlife, as well as neglecting the waste collection. Sustainable development in Nosara is only prevalent because of the voluntary actions taken by some local hotels, restaurants, and the many NGOs located in town. Future development strategies need to focus on more education of local businesses and a better motivated and willing governmental authority to support sustainable development in Nosara.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Identifier:
- 9780438054684
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Geography and the Environment
- Creator:
- Tenbrook, Sean
- Description:
- Music is generally considered a powerful tool to experience emotions. However, there is mixed research on whether it can hinder or enhance our emotional states. the present study aimed to explore this concept further. Moreover, the purpose of this study was to examine music’s effects on emotional experiences and the potential mechanisms facilitating emotional catharsis when listening to music. These mechanisms included absorption, whether someone was a music major or not, mood-congruent music (sad), non-mood congruent music (happy), or white noise (control). a total sample of 68 students at CSUF was utilized, 40 being non-music majors and 28 being music majors. the Faces Scale and a Music Absorption Scale were used to measure emotional states before and after the musical intervention and to measure musical absorption levels, respectively. an independent samples t test was conducted, and it was found that musicians had significantly higher levels of musical absorption. an ANCOVA was performed, and the results found that music did facilitate emotional catharsis, but there were no major differences between musicians and non-musicians overall. However, the happy music did provoke the most emotional release, regardless of music major status. Interestingly, when listening to sad music, music majors experienced significantly more emotional release, therefore suggesting that if given specific conditions, facilitation of emotional catharsis through music can be effective and powerful. Implications of research findings, limitations and future directions are discussed
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Identifier:
- 9780438054912
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Psychology
- Creator:
- Skorka, Christopher
- Description:
- Trypanosoma cruzi is the protozoan parasite that is the causative agent of Chagas disease. This disease is endemic to Latin America but has spread to other non-endemic areas due to globalization. the disease currently lacks an FDA approved treatment, and current treatments are non-specific and have severe side effects. More specific and novel pathways of T. cruzi must be identified to develop more effective treatments of Chagas. One potential target is ion channels, which play a wide array of important physiological roles throughout eukaryotic organisms. We have identified and characterized a calcium-activated potassium channel in Trypanosoma cruzi, TcCaKC, that is hypothesized to contribute to significant physiological function in T. cruzi. Using two-electrode voltage clamp method with Xenopus laevis oocytes heterologously expressing TcCaKC, the channel has been shown to be calcium-activated. This calcium activation causes an increase in current and a negative shift in reversal potential that is blocked by barium. These results suggest TcCaKC is a potassium conducting channel. Characterization of a selectivity filter mutant also supports this hypothesis. Fluorometric recording of parasites that were knockouts of TcCaKC showed that the channel plays a significant role in maintaining membrane potential, intracellular calcium, and pH of the parasite. Full biophysical characterization of this novel ion channel could potentially lead to the identification of a unique drug target for T. cruzi infection treatment.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Identifier:
- 9780438054202
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Biological Sciences
- Creator:
- Hamidi, Bijan Alexander
- Description:
- Bijan Hamidi explores economic systems in video games and expands on the definition of virtual economics to include economic behavior. Gamers commonly look to gain advantages over their opposition during game play. This thesis performs an analysis of how those decisions are constructed and provides insight on where economic principles are found in game play. This body of work is based upon preexisting virtual economic works from Edward Castronova, Zachary Simpson, and Richard Bartle. However, this work does not focus purely on economic markets, but extends to study economic behavior exhibited during play.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Identifier:
- 9780438054585
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Computer Science
- Creator:
- Robertson, Melanie A.
- Description:
- The purpose of this Case Study was to consider the current conditions for students as it pertains to their mindsets, and how they are being taught about their mindsets in the classroom. This Case Study was a call to action project for teachers who struggle with motivating their students who demonstrate behaviors that are fixed. By the end of this study students were able to recognize and identify the way they were thinking while problem solving, and were able to redirect their thinking and their behaviors in a positive way. The participants in this study included two fifth-grade all inclusive general education teachers at an Orange County, California elementary school. Two surveys were administered by the researcher and were taken by two teachers for the data collection in this study. the researcher focused on the teachers’ answers about whether or not their students’ mindsets were changed after the instrument had been given in the one-month timespan. The research from this study suggests that teaching students about Growth Mindset will help them think about how to resolve preconceived ideas that they might have about their learning and behaviors. After this strategy was implemented, shifts in the teachers’ mindsets occurred to reflect that they too, had adopted a Growth Mindset.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Special Education
- Creator:
- Millar, Nicole
- Description:
- Recent literature has highlighted the necessity to include specific strength training that mimic on-field demands that lead to successful performance. Few studies have examined specific strength training in female athletes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine whether explosive hip thrusts (HT) or explosive half squats (SQ) would improve strength, sprinting, agility, jumping, or kicking performance in female high school soccer players. the participants were randomized into two groups: HT (n = 6, age: 15.7 ± 0.8 years, height: 162.6 ± 5.8 cm, mass: 56.3 ± 6.4 kg) or SQ (n = 8, 15.3 ±.71 years, height: 159.1 ± 7.2 cm, mass: 56.7 ±6.7 kg). the 6-week training program required each group to perform their respective exercise twice-a-week during in-season. a two-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed a main effect for HT and SQ strength, broad jump and kicking distance; however, no interactions were present for any of the dependent variables. Furthermore, ANOVA revealed HT provided a notable effect size for kicking distance when compared to the SQ, indicating greater possible carryover. the present study showed HT and SQ produced similar increases in performance, with no statistical advantage over the other. Therefore, it is recommended to include one of these exercises within a strength training program. Inclusion of either exercise may depend on coaching or athlete preference, specificity, and/or availability of equipment.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Identifier:
- 9780438053519
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Kinesiology
- Creator:
- Ricarte, Adrian
- Description:
- Copper Transporter 1 has been known to be the main route of dietary copper uptake while the involvement of Divalent Metal Transporter 1 is still disputed. in human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (Caco2), knockdown of DMT1 mRNA has been shown to reduce rates of both Cu(I) and Fe(II) uptake [18]. Over-expression of mouse or rat DMT1 mRNA in HEK293 (human embryonic kidney) cells has increased Cu(II) uptake [19, 26]. Using divalent ions known to inhibit DMT1, we measured uptake of 5µm radiolabeled 67Cu(I) in Caco2 cells. Neither 50 or 200 uM of Ni(II) or Mn(II) inhibited Cu(I) uptake. CTR1 and a potential Cl dependent transporter were also examined in Caco2 [20]. Silver inhibition (Ag(I)) can be used to determine contribution of CTR1 and substitution of 150 mM Na2SO4 for NaCl was used to assess Cl- dependent uptake. Ag(I) inhibited Cu(I) uptake (30%, p < 0.01). Substitution of 150 mM SO42- for Cl- decreased uptake (~30%, p < 0.01). in the presence of SO42- and Ag(I), ~50% reduction of the total rate resulted suggesting that the effects are additive. Pretreatment with extra Cu failed to change uptake rates significantly; iron status decreased rates significantly by ~60% (absolute rate). to conclude, Cl- dependent transporters and CTR1 make up approximately 60% of the total Cu(I) uptake rate and that DMT1 is unlikely to be involved in Caco2 cells. the remaining 40-50% reveals that there are still other Cu(I) transporters still not accounted for.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Identifier:
- 9780438055148
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Creator:
- Sebastian, Trevor
- Description:
- Yoga has become an increasingly popular form of exercise in the West with promising findings of improved physiological and psychological well-being. However, researchers have expressed concern in its efficacy in a clinical setting. This study aimed to provide further evidence regarding yoga’s therapeutic efficacy in comparing both meditation and light cardio, along with further understanding whether the breathing (pranayama) or physical (asana) aspects of yoga contribute to its effectiveness. Participants (N = 48) were randomly assigned into either yoga, meditation, or walking conditions and completed five sessions at 30 minutes in length over the course of the week. Differences in reduced levels of stress, anxiety, and depression, along with improvements of mood between yoga, meditation, and walking interventions were assessed through a one-way ANOVA. Significant differences were not found between the interventions, failing to reject the null hypotheses. Considerations were made regarding yoga’s efficacy as a complementary therapy where other therapies, such as meditation or other forms of exercise, may be more appropriate. Limitations and implications for future research were also discussed.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Identifier:
- 9780438054950
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Psychology