Digital Commons Network^™

Year-Round School Calendars Versus Traditional School Calendars: Parents' And Teachers' Opinions., Jennifer Y. Rule

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference of opinions of teachers and parents of students who attend year-round calendar schools from those of teachers and parents of students who attend traditional calendar schools. A random sampling was taken from teachers and parents from schools in both Blount and Sevier Counties. The surveys were given to teachers who worked in a traditional school setting, teachers who worked in the year-round school setting, parents who had children attending a traditional school, and parents who had children attending a year-round school. A 3-point scale was used on …

Perceptions Of Mentors And New Teachers: A Case Study Of A Mentoring Program In Northeast Tennessee., Gregory Scott Wallace

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study included 9 new teachers all of whom were assigned master teachers as mentors. The study also included 11 mentor teachers who participated in this study. There were 20 participants in this case study. The study was conducted in the Johnson City School System.

This qualitative case study was conducted by interviewing 20 participants in the mentoring program. Eleven mentor teachers and 9 new teachers were chosen through purposeful sampling. A list of possible participants was obtained from the Johnson City Schools Central Office and an email was sent to possible participants explaining the nature of the study. Participants …

Dopamine D2 Receptor Priming Enhances Dopaminergic Response To Amphetamine In The Nucleus Accumbens: Role Of The D1 And D2 Receptors., Kimberly Norris Huggins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In past work, we have shown neonatal quinpirole (dopamine D₂/D₃ agonist) treatment produces a significant increase in dopamine D₂ receptor sensitivity, a phenomenon known as D₂ receptor priming. Dopamine D₂ receptor priming is common in psychosis. Male and female rats were administered quinpirole (1mg/kg) or saline from postnatal days 1-11 and raised to adulthood (P60). As adults, rats were administered d-amphetamine sulfate (1mg/kg) or saline every other day for 14 days. Approximately 10 min before each amphetamine or saline injection, animals were administered the D1 antagonist SCH 23390 (0.1 mg/kg), the D2 antagonist eticlopride …

Investigating Nectar Rhythms In Squash (Cucurbita Pepo): Effects On Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera) Foraging Behavior., Samuel David Boyd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Experiments were performed to investigate the influence of water availability on the diel patterns of nectar secretion (volume, concentration, sugar production) in male squash flowers as well as to discover what physical component of nectar honey bees use to trigger their time-memory. Squash plants were grown in the greenhouse and in the field under both constant and variable watering regimes. Throughout anthesis, nectar volume and sugar concentration were recorded. In the field, the temporal distribution of arrivals to squash was observed with and without blossoms present. In the greenhouse and in the field, squash flowers exhibit a consistent diel pattern …

Determination Of The Activation Parameters Of Reaction Between [Fe(Cn6]-4 And K[Co(Hedta)No2]., Sammy Eni Eni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The kinetics of the oxidation of [Fe(CN)₆]^-4 by K[Co(HEDTA)NO₂] was studied in order to get the mechanism and the activation parameters of the reaction. Using a freshly-made Na₃PO₄ solution as the reaction medium with a pH of 6.00 the ionic strength was maintained at 0.10 M and the buffer molarity was 0.001 M.

The rate constant (k_obs) of the reaction between [Fe(CN)₆]^-4 and K[Co(HEDTA)NO₂] was determined at temperatures of 25.0°C, 27.5°C, 30.0°C, 35.0°, and 40.0°C. We explored this reaction by monitoring the evolution of ferricyanide, …

A Comparative Content Analysis Of Televised Political Advertising In The United States And Canada In 2004 And 2008., Jessica A. Mahone

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Analyzing 195 televised political ads from the United States and Canada in 2004 and 2008, this research studies the use of issue and image ads and the attack, acclaim, and contrast function of ads in presidential and federal elections. Results indicate that there is no statistical difference in the use of issue or image ads and no statistical difference in the function of ads in both nations in 2004 and 2008. Issue ads are found to be more commonly used in Canada than in the United States, but there is no statistical difference in the use of acclaim ads between …

Taken Of The Land., Charlesey Lee Charlton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis supports the Master of Fine Arts exhibition at the Reece Museum at East Tennessee State University from April 28-June 25, 2009. The exhibition is comprised of 19 monotype prints on paper. The exhibition presents the artist's investigation using natural materials combined with traditional printmaking techniques. Subjects discussed include ideas, methods, influences, and process of integrating natural materials that evoke a sense of place, earth, and memory.

Genetic Structure Of Yonahlossee Salamander Populations., Joshua Andrew Rudd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Plethodon yonahlossee is the largest eastern Plethodontid salamander. It has been classified as a species of greatest conservation need by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). Found only in mountainous areas along the borders of Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia, populations of the yonahlossee are considered to be rare and local throughout their range. Genetic differentiation among populations of any species is usually attributable to long-standing, extrinsic barriers to gene flow. Because of their disjunct population structure and some observed morphological variation, genetic differentiation among yonahlossee populations is expected. A genetic structure study of yonahlossee was conducted to identify any …

Vitis Seeds (Vitaceae) From The Late Neogene Gray Fossil Site, Northeastern Tennessee, Usa., Fade Gong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on the morphometric and systematic studies of fossil vitaceous seeds recently recovered from the Gray Fossil Site (7-4.5 Ma, latest Miocene-earliest Pliocene) northeastern Tennessee. Morphologically, all fossil seeds correspond to the extant subgenus Vitis (genus Vitis) of the Vitaceae based on the smooth dorsal surface with a centrally positioned chalaza connected with a conspicuous chalaza-apex groove and short linear ventral infolds that are slightly diverged apically. A multivariate analysis based on 11 measured characters from 76 complete seeds identified three types of seeds, each representing a distinct morphotaxon. Based on comparison with modern and fossil vitaceous …

Teachers' And Students' Perceptions About The Roles Of School Resource Officers In Maintaining School Safety., Sarah Rippetoe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

According to the National Association of School Resource Officers (2009), every state in the nation employs school resource officers. The trend, which began in 1991, was initially funded by federal monies. Since that time, school resource officers have remained in schools, gaining popularity as a proactive strategy in fighting against school violence. The purpose of the study was to examine students' and teachers' perceptions regarding school resource officers' performance related to the 3 dimensions of their responsibilities: maintaining a safe environment, enforcing the law, and teaching. Data were gathered from 104 teachers and 272 students from a middle school and …

Psychosocial Concerns And Childhood Overweight In Pediatric Primary Care Clinics Serving Rural Appalachia., Suzanne Allen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To examine the prevalence of psychosocial concerns presenting in 3 pediatric primary care clinics serving rural Appalachia. The association between pediatric weight status and psychosocial concerns was examined. Methods: Caregivers of children presenting in one of 3 pediatric primary care facilities completed a demographic questionnaire and the Pediatric Symptom Checklist. Results: Approximately 21.4% of children were identified as having a clinically significant behavioral health concern. Among children with available weight status data, ~53% of the children were identified as overweight. Children identified having significant behavioral concerns were more likely to have a lower weight status than those with nonsignificant …

The Role Of Self-Efficacy, Family Support, Family Affection, And Family Conflict On Adolescent Academic Performance., Christine L. Pearson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Department of Education funded this study as a part of a larger longitudinal study to examine the relationship between the role of family environment factors and academic performance among adolescents. The participants included 685 middle school adolescents from rural and semirural public schools. Family environment factors were gathered using the Family Environment Scale (Moos & Moos, 1981) and included family conflict, family support, and showing affection. Standardized test scores across 4 domains and final course grades across 4 domains were collapsed and used as measures of academic performance. The moderating relationship between support, conflict, and academic performance was examined. …

A Use Of Theory Of Constraints Thinking Processes For Improvements In The Merged Beams Experiment At Oak Ridge National Laboratory., Bryan Richard Gross

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Thinking exercises used in the Theory of Constraints (TOC) were used to find and remove constraints at the Merged Beams Experiment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The goal of this project was to significantly reduce the amount of time used to take a certain type of measurement during an experimental cycle. After the TOC exercises were used, a basic plan for change was discovered. Preliminary data were taken to establish a baseline of performance from which changes were made. Post-Modification was analyzed showing the project was a success.

The overlying reasoning for this exercise was to prove successfully that continuous …

Reproductive Success Of American Kestrels (Falco Sparverius) Nesting In Boxes Along An Interstate In Northeastern Tennessee., Jennifer Robertson Powers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nest box programs provide supplemental nest sites for American Kestrels, Falco sparverius. When the availability of nest sites is a limiting factor, the addition of nest boxes can increase local breeding populations. These programs also facilitate the collection of data on breeding kestrels.

This study focuses on an American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) nest box trail along Interstate 26 in northeastern Tennessee during the breeding seasons of 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2009. Productivity measures and reproductive success of nesting birds are provided and compared to other programs. The data are analyzed across years and by …

Strategies And Processes That Promote Sustainability Of Campus Laboratory Schools In The Twenty-First Century., April Blakely

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify and analyze patterns of institutional strategies and processes that promote the sustainability of laboratory schools housed and managed by institutions of higher education. First, a comprehensive analysis of the development, growth, decline, and current status of the laboratory school movement was conducted by means of a review of relevant literature. Next, an interview with the Director of the International Association of Laboratory and University Affiliated Schools (NALS) was conducted to gather information regarding the changing role of laboratory schools in the modern educational landscape of America. Subsequently, a survey of laboratory school …

Initial Development Of The Sex Offender Attitude Scale., Brandon Coy Bogle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As long as the public maintains staunch and unwarranted negative attitudes toward sex offenders, little hope remains for released sex offenders to successfully reintegrate into society. Therefore, it is in the interest of society that we understand the nature of views of sex offenders so that attempts can be made to promote maximal reintegration and preventing recidivism. To date no valid psychometric instrument exists that measures attitudes toward sex offenders. Therefore, the purpose of this project is to develop such an instrument that will accurately measure stigma associated with sex offenders. Unrotated Prinicipal Components Factor Analysis revealed a single interpretable …

Perceptions Of Interprofessional Communication: Causes And Effects On Patient Care, Occupational Stress, And Job Satisfaction., Stacey Quillen Deshkulkarni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Poor interprofessional communication has been linked to decreased quality of patient care and increased numbers of medical errors. Increased occupational stress due to lack of effective interprofessional communication can lead to poor job satisfaction and burnout. The purpose of this study was to identify barriers to interprofessional communication as perceived by radiologic technologists. In particular, how did demographic data influence these perceptions? The research was conducted during June of 2009. The population for this survey consisted of registered radiologic technologists employed at hospitals in Northeast Tennessee. A survey questionnaire covering the subject of interprofessional communication was distributed to a cluster …

Predicting Flavonoid Ugt Regioselectivity With Graphical Residue Models And Machine Learning., Arthur Rhydon Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Machine learning is applied to a challenging and biologically significant protein classification problem: the prediction of flavonoid UGT acceptor regioselectivity from primary protein sequence. Novel indices characterizing graphical models of protein residues are introduced. The indices are compared with existing amino acid indices and found to cluster residues appropriately. A variety of models employing the indices are then investigated by examining their performance when analyzed using nearest neighbor, support vector machine, and Bayesian neural network classifiers. Improvements over nearest neighbor classifications relying on standard alignment similarity scores are reported.

A Variation Of The Carleman Embedding Method For Second Order Systems., Charles Nunya Dzacka

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Carleman Embedding is a method that allows us to embed a finite dimensional system of nonlinear differential equations into a system of infinite dimensional linear differential equations. This technique works well when dealing with first-order nonlinear differential equations. However, for higher order nonlinear ordinary differential equations, it is difficult to use the Carleman Embedding method. This project will examine the Carleman Embedding and a variation of the method which is very convenient in applying to second order systems of nonlinear equations.

Comparison Of Ammonia And Particulate Matter Air Sample Concentrations At Task-Locations Within Swine Confinement Buildings., Earl Dan Bembry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: A task-associated analysis of ammonia and particulate matter concentrations was conducted on swine farms in breeding and gestation barns. The purpose of this study was to determine if specific tasks performed by workers increase concentrations of ammonia and particulate matter exposure.

Methods: An exploratory, descriptive design was used to determine if swine confinement workers have increased ammonia and particulate matter exposure when performing assigned tasks in breeding and gestation barns. A convenience sample of 8 workers volunteered from among all breeding and gestation workers (n=24). Data collection occurred in the morning at each of the 8 farms …

Positive Psychological And Religious Characteristics As Moderators Of Negative Life Events And Depressive Symptoms: A Multiethnic Comparison., Preston Lee Visser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hope, optimism, and several markers of religiosity and spirituality were examined as potential moderators of the association between negative life events and depressive symptoms in a secondary data analysis of an ethnically diverse sample. Participants (267 female, 119 male) were college students enrolled at an urban Northeastern university. It was hypothesized that negative life events would be associated with increased depressive symptoms and that higher levels of hope, optimism, and religious and spiritual variables would attenuate this relationship. Ethnically-stratified moderation analyses were conducted to assess for differences in moderation between Blacks, Hispanics, Whites, and Asians. Hypotheses were generally supported, with …

Evaluating The School Performance Of Elementary And Middle School Children Of Incarcerated Parents., Melissa F. Neal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Children of incarcerated parents are at significantly increased risk of negative long-term outcomes. With about 1% of the adult population incarcerated, the United States has millions of children at risk for these negative outcomes. Research on this population is increasing; however, it is still unclear whether children of incarcerated parents are at an increased risk for poor school performance as a specific result of parental incarceration above that associated with their social and economic status. Because parental incarceration may result in a variety of outcomes that can negatively impact school performance including school mobility, prolonged exposure to stress, and insufficient …

A Qualitative Case Study Of Natural Storytelling Strategies Used At The Nantahala School., Nancy J. Reeder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study identifies what 8 teachers naturally do with storytelling at a K-12 school in western North Carolina. Through observations, interviews, field notes, document reviews, and artifact reviews, I used the constant comparison analysis method to discover themes from their formal and informal storytelling strategies. From these themes, I created a framework of 7 suggestions to enhance storytelling awareness. They are: sharing personal stories, developing voice control and body expression, connecting story to school culture, modeling well-developed stories with beginnings, middles, and ends, introducing stories with a pause, expressing the word "imagine" often during instruction, and finally, making …

Forest Change And Balsam Woolly Adelgig Infestation In High Elevation Forests Of Mt. Mitchell, North Carolina., Laura Lusk

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Black Mountain range of western North Carolina supports some of the most extensive, but threatened high elevation forests in the southern Appalachians. Of particular note, the insect pathogen, balsam woolly adelgid (Adelges piceae Ratzeburg) has been present on Mt. Mitchell for over fifty years. In anticipation of potential changes in forest composition, vegetation surveys were first conducted in 1966 on nine one-acre plots near the summit of Mt. Mitchell. These plots were re-surveyed in 1978, 1985 and 2002. The purpose of this study was to re-census those plots and use those data to analyze long-term trends in forest …

Effects Of Anxiety Reducing Interventions On Performance Anxiety In Graduate Nurses, Georgita Tolbert Washington

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Every new nursing graduate is challenged to successfully transition from student to professional nurse. The stress involved in that transition can manifest itself as performance anxiety, a type of anxiety occurring when someone is the focus of attention and is fearful of interactions or of being humiliated or embarrassed. It occurs only in specific situations. The new graduate's performance is the focus of attention and evaluation. Further, the need to interact with other professionals, patients, and families can create anxiety about performance. No studies have examined performance anxiety in graduate nurses.

Use of cognitive behavioral therapy, progressive muscle relaxation, and …

Environmental Determinism: Broken Paradigm Or Viable Perspective?., Gerald L. Hardin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The research was to examine the issue of environmental determinism. It was an ideology that was prevalent throughout the early decades of the 20^th century that held that the natural environment was responsible for virtually all human development. It helped bring the study of geography into the venue of postsecondary education, where it was viewed as a tool for study of human activities. It was a new science inspired by Darwinism that viewed human adaptation to the natural environment as critical to socialization.

Relying on historical sources, the purpose of the study was to reveal how environmental determinism became …

Exploring Earth-Building Technology For Liberia., Isaac Dompo Mayon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper discusses earth as a building material and the extent to which earth building technology has evolved over the years. In particular it addresses the adobe, compressed and rammed earth techniques of earth building as suitable techniques for Liberia consumption. In addition, the paper investigates the suitability of the Latosols soils of Liberia for earth building construction purposes using standardized earth building principles and requirements. A local Johnson City, Tennessee, earth sample found to have the same physical characteristics of the Latosols of Liberia was used to simulate Liberia soils to produce specimen blocks at different configurations of moisture …

Mapping The Dorsal Skin Pigmentation Patterns Of Two Sympatric Populations Of Ambystomatid Salamanders, Ambystoma Opacum And A. Maculatum From Northeast Tennessee., Lok Raj Pokhrel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Because of growing concern of habitat fragmentation and its adverse effects on salamander communities in Appalachian region, sympatric populations of ambystomatid salamanders A. opacum and A. maculatum were studied in Northeast Tennessee to address a number of questions: i) the extent of sexual size dimorphism (SSD) in both species, ii) what traits influence the dorsal skin pigmentation and how, iii) whether gender differences in developmental stability occur, and iv) the extent of phenotypic variation within each species. The findings of this study revealed SSD in both species of salamanders. The most parsimonious statistical model was developed that explained the influence …

The Last Of The Mixed Triple Systems., Ernest Jum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, we consider the decomposition of the complete mixed graph on v vertices denoted M_v, into every possible mixed graph on three vertices which has (like M_v) twice as many arcs as edges. Direct constructions are given in most cases. Decompositions of theλ-fold complete mixed graph λM_v, are also studied.

Replacing The Priest: Tradition, Politics, And Religion In Early Modern Irish Drama., Leslie Ann Valley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

By the beginning of the twentieth century, Ireland's identity was continually pulled between its loyalties to Catholicism and British imperialism. In response to this conflict of identity, W. B. Yeats and Lady Augusta Gregory argued the need for an Irish theatre that was demonstrative of the Irish people, returning to the literary traditions to the Celtic heritage. What resulted was a questioning of religion and politics in Ireland, specifically the Catholic Church and its priests. Yeat's own drama removed the priests from the stage and replaced them with characters demonstrative of those literary traditions, establishing what he called a "new …