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 . . .

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 . . .

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 stu . . .

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, . . .

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 . . .

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 str . . .

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 . . .

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 reduc . . .

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 . . .

Recent developments in robot automation have fostered the development of many assistive devices to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities. Notable among these devices are autonomous wheelchairs, which are capable of navigating t . . .

The Southern California Bight receives approximately 1.5 million gallons of wastewater effluent per day. Although regional monitoring has occurred periodically since the implementation of wastewater treatment practices, few studies have attempted to i . . .

The purpose of this study was to explore how avatar appearance and player-avatar interaction impact prosocial and antisocial online play in World of Warcraft (WoW). the Proteus effect, a phenomenon where players shift their in-game behavior based on t . . .

West Nile Virus (WNV) is a worldwide concern to the health of the human population. Severe cases of infection can progress into neurological diseases that are potentially fatal due to the lack of treatment or vaccine. the NS2B-NS3 protease is a potent . . .

Through interviews, research and a theoretical framework, this study examines “e-sports”, or electronic sports, and considers whether e-sports should be categorized as a sport and its players categorized as athletes. E-sports is the term used to descr . . .

One of the promising processes to elevate the accuracy of the convolutional neural networks is by increasing the depth of the convolutional neural networks. However, increasing the depth of the convolutional neural network leads to a boost in the numb . . .

The increasing demand for renewable energy sources has accelerated endeavors for the optimization of biomass fuel oxidation for direct liquid fuel cells. Good efficiency for electrochemical oxidation of biomass and other has been observed on palladium . . .

Since the early 2000s, a series of new voter identification laws have been passed. These laws could possibly reduce voter turnout in a way that provides a structural advantage to certain candidates. This paper uses state level presidential election tu . . .

Stress is an unavoidable factor in everyday life that triggers the human body’s reaction to an anticipated threat, challenge, or scare. to test and receive a better understanding as to how the body reacts under stress, a method of stress measurement w . . .

This study investigated the effects of different designs of sports bras on peak absolute breast acceleration and perceived comfort ratings. This study offers two hypotheses: (1) the hybrid bra, controlling for the most superior-inferior motion, would . . .

Introduction: Strength training can be used to prevent injuries and improve running economy in distance runners. the purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between lower extremity strength and distance running biomechanics. Methods: 3 . . .

Intraspecific variability of behavioral thermoregulation in lizards due to habitat, temperature availability, and seasonality is well documented, but variability due to sex is not. Sex-specific thermoregulatory behaviors are important to understand be . . .

Nazi Germany took great measures to establish a homogenous society at the cost of human life and suffering. Seeking to create a racially pure nation, the leaders of National Socialism envisioned communal solidarity in political ideals, race, and even . . .

An analysis of green roof water quality was done to answer this question: does the use of green roofs reduce or contribute to storm water pollution? Green Roofs can increase the overall water retention of an urban area and lower the volume of expected . . .

SRAM memories constitute a considerable fraction of modern VLSI designs and consist of a single system repeated thousands of times. Thus, design of these singular bitcells is essential to optimizing SRAM performance. However, comparison of designs is . . .

In the vast scholarship of Holocaust history, a lacuna exists with regards to child Holocaust survivors. It would not be until after the 1980s, when child Holocaust survivors were given acknowledgement as well as a survivors group in which to particip . . .

This research study examines whether different degrees of social media (SM) usage increase the likelihood of individual and collective political actions—such as voting behavior or participation in protests or rallies. Studies on social media (SM) usag . . .

The semiconductor industry has perfected the process of manipulating electron charge. the structure of a transistor is based on the formation of a channel between the source and drain when the gate voltage is applied. This time-tested structure is ext . . .

This research involves the experimental study of micromachining of Shape Memory Alloys using Dry Micro Electrical Discharge Machining process on an in-house built machining setup. the study considers the effect of critical process parameters including . . .

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have gained in popularity due to their possibility of one day replacing, the more common, silicon-based cells. Overall, dye-sensitized solar cells are cheaper to produce and can even achieve higher levels of efficien . . .

There is limited literature on how factors like race and disguise jointly impact eyewitness identification. Both of these factors are very likely to occur simultaneously in a crime in which an eyewitness may need to identify the perpetrator. Researche . . .

Autonomous navigation has risen to prominence in public discourse in recent years. Pursuits of a self-driving car by notable tech companies, Tesla and Waymo (formerly Google self-driving car project), have brought autonomous navigation to the foref . . .

Assistive technologies performing bio-medical applications may be extremely beneficial for individuals who suffer from neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or Locked-In Syndrome. These diseases usually progress and continue . . .

Since the advent of the Internet, researchers have sought to determine whether the Internet may advance users’ well-being or if Internet use is associated with a variety of negative outcomes, including emotional distress. Additionally, although social . . .

The goal of this thesis is to create mobile applications that can leverage the power of deep learning to detect malignant melanoma in the early phase and save lives. Thus, it is imperative to extend the reach of such essential diagnostic care worldwid . . .

Undrained shear strength is important in the evaluation of the stability of both natural and man-made slopes. Some researchers have proposed methods such as SHANSEP to evaluate the undrained shear strength of fine grained soils. However, the impact of . . .

This research involves the use of Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation technique to investigate the complex and dynamic mechanisms involved in Liquid-Assisted Laser Beam Micromachining (LA-LBMM) process both in static and dynamic mode. the results of th . . .

Rare olivine-pyroxene cumulates and hornblende gabbros of the ca. 150 Ma Summit gabbro are scrutinized with the goal of revealing initial differentiation trajectories and source characteristics of mafic magmas within the Late Jurassic Sierra Nevada ar . . .

Crystal Lake is a small (0.02 km2), alpine lake in the San Gabriel Mountains. This hydrologically closed lake is one of the very few permanent, freshwater lakes in the range. as a result, it is ideal for recording coastal southwestern US hydrologic va . . .

In 1406, the armies of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) invaded Dai Viet, or present-day Vietnam. Zhu Di, or the Yongle emperor (r. 1403–1424), ousted Ho Quy Ly (1336–1407?) of the Ho dynasty (1400–1407), leading to an occupation of twenty years. Nearly n . . .

The 1970 Postal Strike, beyond being the largest wildcat strike in U.S. history, served as an important milestone in the decline of the American labor movement in the second half of the twentieth century. the events of the strike, the rank-and-file’s . . .

In 1919, the indigenous people of Southern California, to provide a united front in their struggle to secure rights and protect tribal sovereignty, formed the Pan-Indian Mission Indian Federation. the roots of the problems they faced—the federal gover . . .

Intergroup bias was evaluated using moral dilemmas in which killing one person was necessary to save five others. The five people had demographic characteristics that placed them in varying degrees of proximity to the decision-maker: atheists, elderly . . .

Restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) are a core symptom of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The most common RRBs are hand flapping, finger tapping, body swaying, or out-of-context waving. RRBs disrupt attachment between parent and child. The pur . . .

The master thesis “Media Richness and Message Complexity as Influencers of Social Media Engagement” seeks to identify the relationship between message complexity, media richness, and its effect on social media engagement. the literature review in this . . .

I examined acculturative stress among Korean immigrants living in the U.S. Acculturative stress is a stress individuals experience as they adjust to a new culture. Acculturative stress damages mental health. I investigated how acculturative stress, co . . .

Over the years, the techniques used for the extraction of target compounds out of complex chemical matrices have been continuously improving due to rapidly evolving technologies. This thesis explores several sample preparation techniques. We evaluated . . .

The popular perception of the Gallipoli campaign, and the Great War as a whole, as the birthplace of Australia and New Zealand as distinct nations from Britain is not inaccurate. the stories of the ANZACs bravely storming the beaches in Turkey remain . . .

Acinetobacter baumannii has emerged over the last few decades as a major nosocomial pathogen. Its ability to acquire genetic material and survive in extreme environments has positioned it as a paradigm of multidrug resistance. Horizontal genetic trans . . .

Individual differences in the perception of harmony between religious and American identity may moderate how these identities jointly relate to adjustment and may explain mixed findings on religious identity and adjustment for immigrants. Christian, J . . .

Previous research has documented that human females report a number of preference changes for sexual partners and sexual activity during the high- relative to low-fertility days of the ovulatory cycle. Less studied, however, are the effects of female . . .

This thesis study investigated the experience and management of relational struggles and identity gaps in intrafaith romantic relationships. in total, 16 unmarried intrafaith partners (eight couples) participated. In-depth interviews were conducted an . . .

There is growing interest in studying the role of protective factors in risk assessment and management. the goal of the present study was to explore the role of the strength and vulnerability items found on the Short-Term Assessment of Risk Treatabili . . .

In an effort to place motive in context, this essay addresses the issue of whether worldviews and histories that emphasize race and geography offer more distractions and less understanding than do studies that focus upon labor. through the narrative o . . .

Determining the reasons behind how and why evolutionary mechanisms that establish or remove genetic variations within a population is a fundamental question in evolutionary biology. by tying together, the origin, evolutionary patterns, molecular mecha . . .

Gender peer effects on the educational production function are one of the most important determinants in choosing the most optimal sorting of males and female students into a school, grade and classroom. the Burkinablé Response to Improve Girls’ Chanc . . .

Cryptic species can often cause problems for baseline and ecological studies as these species are not readily identified in the field. Lottia scabra and Lottia conus form a north/south cryptic species pair where they occupy the same habitat, but L. sc . . .

Tourism is an informal way that developing countries are able to enter into the global economy. Ecotourism, the fastest growing sector of this industry, is an economic development tool that also seeks to achieve social development, and environmental p . . .

Antibiotics are losing effectiveness as multidrug resistance among bacterial pathogens is spreading. Resistance enzymes, like AAC(6’)-Ib, allow bacteria to survive and proliferate in the presence of antibiotics. Conversely, discovery of new antibiotic . . .

Running related injuries are related to foot strike pattern (FSP). Cross-sectional area (CSA), pennation angle (PA), and fascicle length (FL) of the lower limb musculature contribute to plantarflexion (PF)/dorsiflexion (DF) strength, and may influence . . .

Second-generation Mexican-American millennials with parents of unauthorized status are understudied in the current literature compared to first-generation children and young adults who have unauthorized status in the United States. Although many secon . . .

Immigrants face many psychosocial stressors when leaving their culture of origin and acclimating to a new host culture. Ethnic minorities have less positive attitudes about mental health, even though they may actually be a population that should seek . . .

Standing meditation (SM) is the fundamental component of Tai Chi Chuan (TCC)—a complex neuromotor exercise found to be associated with many health benefits including improved mindfulness and fall reduction in older adults (OA). PROBLEM: Despite its im . . .

In this thesis, the concept of neural networks, a form of machine learning, is applied to network intrusion detection to compare the performance of shallow and deep neural networks. Neural networks provide a robust method of machine learning that can . . .

Bone tissue is typically stored frozen (cryopreservation) for bone grafts or tissue investigation. Whole osteocytic bone, bone with osteocytes, is resistant to the damaging effects of cryopreservation. Anosteocytic bone, bone without osteocytes, is p . . .

An Ultrasonic Powder Consolidation (UPC) is an additive manufacturing technique that utilizes high-frequency vibrations to consolidate micro/nano powder materials to fully dense and near to net-shaped parts. Experimental studies have shown that UPC pr . . .

Ancient authigenic dolomites (e.g., concretions) have been studied extensively in order to determine formation conditions and characterize shallow diagenetic environments. the formation of these dolomites is commonly attributed to the anaerobic microb . . .

Supervised machine learning has become a powerful method of creating predictions and classifying labeled data sets. the ability to analyze and classify data is a powerful tool used in applications spanning almost every industry. the most popular class . . .

A Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) provides an interaction between a brain and a device that enables the electroencephalography (EEG) signals from the scalp of the person to control an external device, such as operations of an electric wheelchair, elect . . .

A Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) provides an interaction between a brain and a device that enables the electroencephalography (EEG) signals from the scalp of the person to control an external device, such as operations of an electric wheelchair, elect . . .

This study investigated reliability of the average (avgV) and peak velocity (peakV), and average (avgM) and peak momentum (peakM), of a drive block test (DBT) in fifteen male high school OL, and relationships to football performance tests. a linear po . . .

Parents play a critical role in their child’s PA; however, limited interventions have targeted parents and their beliefs, such as self-efficacy (SE) and outcome expectations (OE). Narrative messages are a tool that have been used to promote PA by targ . . .

Children with autism often experience sudden meltdowns which not only makes the moment tough for the caretakers/parents but also make the children hurt themselves physically. Studies have discovered that children with autistic spectrum disorder exhibi . . .

In this research, a study was conducted on the feasibility of replacement of concrete pavements with precast concrete pavements which will result in faster construction, thinner slabs and more durable life of the pavement. It was observed that precast . . .

This study examined relationships between non-physical and physical intimate partner violence (IPV) and five different Latino cultural constructs among 87 Latina college students. the cultural constructs under investigation included machismo, caballer . . .

While previous studies have investigated the effects of temperature on an organismal level, we need more research on how thermal stress affects species interactions. We used a common rocky intertidal organism (the owl limpet Lottia gigantea) and its l . . .

Smart ceramic materials are new generation materials having the inherent intelligence to adapt to change in external environment. Currently, there is a need for machining of smart materials at micron scale with high accuracy and precision. Laser-beam . . .

Smart materials are new generation materials which possess great properties to mend themselves with a change in environment. However, manufacturing of these materials is extremely challenging, particularly at micron scale due to their extreme mechanic . . .

All species within the genus Pongo are Critically Endangered; the Bornean orangutan (Pongo pymaeus), the Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelli), and the recently classified species from Batang Toru (Pongo tapanuliensis). the North American Orangutan Specie . . .

The human female orgasm, has often been a topic of debate in evolutionary scholarship. Some scholars argue that it evolved to aid in sperm selection of high quality males, others argue that it evolved as part of a pair-bond maintenance system, and som . . .

The global spread of non-native seaweeds has become unavoidable due to globalization. Sargassum muticum is a canopy-forming seaweed that originated from Japan and was first observed in southern California in 1970. In this study I conducted field surve . . .

Fibromyalgia is a multisystem condition that impacts a range of functionality. One function that is particularly impacted is physical movement due to pain. This study examined the relationship between objectively measured and self-reported levels of p . . .

Plestiodon skiltonianus and Plestiodon gilberti are two closely related skink species occurring in Western North and Central America that differ in body size. Plestiodon gilberti is hypothesized to have evolved a larger body size from a P. skiltonianu . . .

The Mw 7.8 Gorkha earthquake struck central Nepal on April 25, 2015 and brought about a huge loss of life and property. The quake was also responsible for the generation of a large number of landslides. They blocked highways, devastated villages, and . . .

This study looks at different drug arrest patterns. While extensive research has been done on crime and drug mapping, very little has been done on drug arrests as a whole and even less has been done on specific drug types. This study addresses the fol . . .

The emergence of different pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the environment is a concern due to their potential adverse effect on human health and the environment. Among various sources, wastewater discharged from treatment plants . . .

The challenge of coordinating geography classes in a K-12 setting is that the constituent elements are split artificially between two separate courses—physical science and social science—which are never taught in conjunction. Unfortunately, the regula . . .

The latest data from US Census (2013) estimate the Iranian immigrant population at 470,000 in the US and 215,000 (46%) in California. Los Angeles County has the highest concentration of Iranian immigrants population. Orange County, adjacent to L.A. Co . . .

This paper explores the effects of the 2007 market crash on police department staffing. This analysis examines questions related to police force size, civilianization, and part-time employment in police departments. the observation period is from 2005 . . .

Softball and baseball are games that require multiple skill sets such as throwing, hitting and fielding. Players spend a copious amount of time in batting practice in order help a successful hit. Variables commonly associated with successful hitting i . . .

PURPOSE: to identify a relationship between metabolic syndrome (MetS), cytokines, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in youth with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) and non-syndromic obesity (OB). METHODS: Twenty-one youth with PWS (ages 10.7 . . .

Aminoglycosides, antibiotics used to treat gram-negative bacterial infections, are becoming less viable due to the rise and dissemination of antibiotic resistance mediated by aminoglycoside modifying enzymes (AMEs). One of the most clinically relevant . . .

The increasing energy utilization in wireless networks driven by the sensational incremental growth in mobile users and data traffic are presenting mobile operators with a lot of challenges towards meeting the requirement of both cost reduction and en . . .

This study examines life and times of Arno Dosch Fleurot (1879–1951), the American veteran newspaperman, who was a foreign correspondent in Europe since 1914 and reported to Americans about many important world events—World War One and World War Two, . . .

This is an analysis of the impact of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia on the development of international criminal law. It begins with a review of the difficulties faced when trying to enforce the tribunal's authority incl . . .

Among all the standardized tests available to assess competency to stand trial, the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool-Criminal Adjudication (MacCAT-CA) and the Evaluation of Competence to Stand Trial-Revised (ECST-R) are unique in that they are amo . . .

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of foam rolling on maximum sprint performance and range of motion in recreational athletes. Eleven men (mean ± SD age = 22.16 ± 3.2 years, body mass = 81.6 ± 7.97 kg, height = 175.2 ± 5.4 cm) . . .

In recent years, the number of users for developed devices (e.g., mobile, tablet, laptop, iPad, computer) increased rapidly. This trend is expected to continue in the next upcoming years. Thus, the number of users will rapidly increasing, which will c . . .

Ultimate, a.k.a. ultimate Frisbee, is a sport rich with historical, sociological, and philosophical themes. This thesis unpacks one of its major issues: A central part of its culture is changing. Specifically, ultimate’s culture revolves around Spirit . . .