Digital Commons Network^™

Expression Of Α4Β1 Integrin On Tissue Eosinophils In The August Rat, John C. Phipps

Masters Theses

The integrin α4β1 is expressed on a wide variety of peripheral leukocytes, and functions in recruitment of these cells to sites of inflammaiton. We infected august (AUG) rats with the helminth parasite Nippostrongylus brasiliensis and later used leukocytes from the peritoneum of the sensitized animals and antibodies against α4β1 integrin to localize that adhesion molecule on the cell surfaces after antigen challenge. We found that after antigen challenge, eosinophils, monocytes, and small lymphocytes, but not mast cells, expressed α4β1 integrin if the animals had been previously infected, but cells from uninfected animals did not show expression of this molecule. Our …

"Permit Me Then Good Friends To Sing": Reflections, Reactions, And Manipulations In Civil War Songs, Joanne Thomas

Masters Theses

Musicologists, folklorists and historians agree that the music of the Civil War was a significant means of communication for Americans in all regions and classes. The popularity of music soared during the war, with songs about the war holding center stage. This study moves beyond the acknowledgment that these songs were an important means of communication to seeing what messages were being communicated by both professional and amateur songwriters. These lyricists criticized and praised behaviors, often pointing out the social acceptance or exclusion that could result from individual behaviors, made assumptions about and passed moral judgements on female, male, and …

Group Cohesiveness Represented Through A Multidimensional Analysis Of Group Improvisations, Rosemary Hakes

Masters Theses

This research examined the particular aspect of group process, group cohesiveness, through an electroacoustic analysis of group musical improvisations. The musical parameter, amplitude, was displayed and compared to independent judges' ratings of group cohesiveness. The interrater reliability for ratings of group cohesiveness vs. noncohesiveness was very high (100%). The interrater reliability for the degree of group cohesiveness or non-cohesiveness was, given the small number of examples used, adequate (80%). The improvisations rated cohesive by the judges also matched in rank order placement. The two dimensions of the amplitude patterns that were relevant to this study were density and form. These …

Pain Levels And Rating Of Perceived Exertion Of People With Herniated Lumbar Disc While Walking In Two Environments, Brenda L. Cunningham-Boerger

Masters Theses

The purpose of the study was to investigate if walking in water is an effective substitute for walking on land as an aerobic exercise for people with herniated lumbar disc. The study involved the dependent variables o f perceived pain levels (PPL) and ratings o f perceived exertion (RPE). Independent variables were walking condition and work intensity. Land walking was performed on a treadmill; water walking was performed in an indoor pool 4.5 ft deep and 90*F. Work was set at four different intensities, based on the formula for predicting maximum heart rate (MHR), 220 minus age. The graded work …

Influence Of Microenvironment On Growth And Nutrient Dynamics Of Three Herbaceous Species In The Bisley Experimental Watersheds Of Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico, Amy E. Arnold

Masters Theses

Three tropical herbaceous species, Dieffenbachia seguine, Ichnanthus pallens, and Pilea inaequalis, were investigated in the Bisley Experimental Watersheds of Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico. Objectives were:

1. To characterize microenvironments of the three species in terms of light and soil physical and chemical properties.
2. To examine relationships between microenvironment and plant growth and other estimators of plant performance.
3. To describe the ecological life cycles of the three species in terms of recruitment, mortality, growth, and clonal behavior and their role in forest recovery following canopy disturbance.
4. To determine nutrient contents and rates of decomposition of the three species …

Development Of An Fpga-Based Heap Manager For The Phenix Multiplicity Vertex Detector, Mark Douglas Allen

Masters Theses

In this thesis, a technique for implementation of a heap manager for management and control of instrumentation for the PHENIX Multiplicity Vertex Detector (MVD) is discussed. In the PHENIX MVD, an analog memory is utilized as an analog storage device so that analog data may be acquired from a charge-sensitive preamp, examined, and, if an event threshold is realized, converted by an analog-to-digital converter into digital data. A field programmable gate array (FPGA) solution for control and data management is developed as a means of maintaining the front-end electronics, which includes preamps, analog memories, and ADCs as well as a …

Evidence Of Phonological Awareness, Language, And Auditory Processing Deficits In School-Aged Children With Serious Emotional Disturbance, Carolyn Ann Drake

Masters Theses

This study was designed to determine the incidence of phonological awareness, language, and auditory processing deficits in 32 children with serious emotional disturbance [SED], The children were aged 7:9 (years:months) to 15:4. The results indicated that a great majority of the subjects, 96.9%, exhibited phonological awareness deficits as measured by the Lindamood Auditory Conceptualization Test-Revised Edition (Lindamood & Lindamood, 1979). A significant number of subjects also demonstrated concomitant language and auditory processing deficits. Language problems were demonstrated for 90.6% of the subjects as evaluated by the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-Revised Screening Test (Semel, Wiig, & Secord, 1989). Auditory processing …

Estimating Nonpoint Source Pollution Loading From Animal Wastes, Diane Rios Erb

Masters Theses

Water is valuable because of its many uses. As the quality of water degrades, so does its value and usefulness. For this study, the water quality impacts from livestock wastes and grazing activities are estimated. A hydrologic model. Soil and Water Assessment Tool, is used to estimate the pollution loading from a watershed. The Big Shoal Creek watershed located in Alabama is selected as the study area. The analysis consists of simulating the sediment and nutrient impacts from four pastureland conditions; pastureland only, the application of animal wastes (manure), and grazing activities for 180 days and 365 days. The study …

Cryogenic Fluid Vertical Line Quench : Characterization, Validation, And Qualitative Analysis Of A Reduced Gravity Experiment, Jerry Franklin Fairchild

Masters Theses

Data collected from an experimental apparatus to study transient flow boiling effects (quenching) were analyzed. Data included tube wall temperatures and fluid pressures gathered by thermocouples and pressure transducers during the upflow of liquid nitrogen in hot vertical stainless steel and quartz tubes. Attempts were made to characterize system performance and validate previously made assumptions. Qualitative comparisons were made between reduced gravity tests performed on NASA's KG-135 and current ground tests. Differences between terrestrial and reduced gravity quench processes are presented and discussed. Recommendations for future studies are also provided which included additional reduced gravity tests with a better instrumented …

A Finite Element Simulation Of Crystallization From Solution In Microgravity, Daniel Larry Maxwell

Masters Theses

This focus of this thesis is the solution of the thermal and species diffusion equations for a sphere of a certain temperature and concentration embedded in a larger cylinder with a lower temperature and concentration. The problem is a mathematical simulation of a physical problem dealing with protein crystal growth in microgravity. The concentration and temperature distributions can be combined to give the region of supersaturation where nucleation and growth take place. An analytical solution was found for a simplified version of the problem but was in-adequate for the full problem. The finite element method was then employed to solve …

Evaluation And Analysis Of Waste Generation And Cost Trends Related To Pollution Prevention Opportunities In The Government-Owned Research And Development Laboratory Setting, Anne Carol Prosser Ostergaard

Masters Theses

Laboratory operations perform extremely diverse activities and account for less than 1 percent of the hazardous waste generated nationwide; consequently, until recently, pollution prevention activities were not strongly emphasized or documented. Due to the laboratories' roles in society, however, pollution prevention opportunity assessments and implementation in the laboratory environment are essential. Laboratories are often where new production and operational innovations originate and where many of tomorrow's engineers and scientists are educated and indoctrinated. The initial integration of pollution prevention concepts in the laboratory can result in significant reductions in waste in future operations. The Metals and Ceramics (M&C) Division at …

The Use Of Subjective Measures For Sensor Assignment In A Two-Seat Fighter Aircraft, Thomas Joseph Plumb

Masters Theses

This thesis explores the use of subjective measures for determining sensor assignment in a two-seat fighter aircraft, the F-15E. The F-15E is the USAF's newest multi-role fighter aircraft, and it has a formidable air-to-air capability which is centered around its radar. The air-to-air mode of an infrared targeting pod (TGP) provides a complement to radar operations. The aircrew of this aircraft consists of a pilot and a weapons system officer (WSO). Sensor assignment is of critical importance to the success of the mission and the survival of the aircrew. Historically, the pilot primarily performed basic aircraft control functions until weapons …

A Variety Index For Toddlers : Development And Application, Dana Rae Robertson

Masters Theses

When embarking upon the development of an index of dietary variety for toddlers, several issues must be considered. The first issue is which food guide or pattern will be used as a model for variety. A second issue is what method will be used to assess dietary intake; considerations include the type of information desired, the amount of time available for collection, resources available, the degree of accuracy desired, and characteristics of the population. After information is collected, the way the data are analyzed is another consideration in the formation of an index of variety. If accurate quantification of variety …

A Development Environment For Reconfigurable Computing, Zijun Shen

Masters Theses

Reconfigurable Computing is a cutting-edge technology used in VLSI and FPGA design and it refers to a system that contains hardware whose functional- ity can be changed many times. In this thesis, the author establishes a complete set of design paths to do reconfigurable computing using the Engineers' Virtual Computer (EVC); proves established methods; and develops both hardware and software designs to evaluate differences in execution time between them. This is done by running hardware designs on the EVC and simultaneously executing soft- ware equivalent designs on a Sun Sparc 10 station. The hardware and software designs are developed using …

Investigation Of An Axisymmetric Missile Staging Maneuver Using Time-Accurate And Steady-State Computational Fluid Dynamics, Richard D. Thoms

Masters Theses

Steady-state and time-accurate solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations have been obtained for the axisymmetric staging separation of a generic missile interceptor vehicle from its booster vehicle at a Mach number of 7.91. The vehicles are separated by a forward firing rocket motor located in the forward part of the booster vehicle. Hot and cold calorically perfect gas models of the separation motor exhaust jet were used for each case executed. Recommen-dations have been made to enhance the design process by integrating computational fluid dy-namics results with wind tunnel testing for similar configurations. The dynamic effects were predicted to be large …

The Effect Of University Characteristics On The Bicycle Transportation Mode And Helmet Usage, Carlton C. Urban

Masters Theses

By performing a statistical analysis on data collected from the Internet, this study sought to determine if designated characteristics of a university actually affect the bicycle transportation mode and helmet usage on college campuses. The focus group for this research experience involved bicycle commuters affiliated with universities in the United States. Through the establishment of a World Wide Web home page and on-line survey, the author obtained data concerning estimated bicycle and helmet usage percentages, and campus characteristic data from bicyclist responses. The Internet was used as an innovative approach to collecting data. Essentially the participant would simply locate the …

Particle Simulation Of A Langmuir Probe In Quiescent And Flowing Plasmas, Thomas Edward Markusic

Masters Theses

A three dimensional electrostatic Particle-In-Cell (PIC) code has been developed to simulate a Langmuir probe in both quiescent and flowing plasmas. The code was \\'ritten to model the use of the Langmuir probe in plasma regimes for which no closedform analytical solutions exist; this is the case for a probe in an ion beam, such as the plume of an ion thruster. Langmuir probes a.re used to determine local plasma properties, such as electron tPmperature, by careful dissection of the probe's Voltage-Current (V-I) characteristic. To interpret experimental data from a Langmuir probe, one must separate ion from P]Pctron current. This …

Patient Satisfaction With Spiritist Healing In Brazil, Darrell William Lynch

Masters Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to assess patient satisfaction with Spiritist healing in Brazil. The data utilized consist of forty personal interviews of Spiritist patients conducted by the author during a seven month stay in Brazil. The study focuses primarily on the outcomes of the surgeries of Dr. Fritz, a well known Spiritist healer in Brazil, as seen from the point of view of the patients. The study finds that a clear majority of the patients expressed belief that their treatments were successful. This is particularly impressive in view of the fact that a majority of the patients had …

Comparison Of Forest Stand Edges In Riparian And Mesic Habitats Along Watts Bar Reservoir Shoreline, Ruth Anne Hanahan

Masters Theses

Approximately fifty years ago, the landscape upslope from the natural, riverine position banks of the Tennessee River was inundated by the closing of Watts Bar Dam. On the currently forested shoreline, habitats within the direct influence of the reservoir pool are riparian. Those above that influence are mesic. The purpose of this research was to determine compositional and structural differences between edges of mature forest stands established in a riparian habitat and those established in a mesic habitat along Watts Bar Reservoir shoreline.

Thirty quadrats were placed on shoreline sites with mature, minimally-disturbed forest stands: 15 in a riparian habitat …

Growth And Survival Of Listeria Monocytogenes On Minimally Processed, Osmotically Dehydrated Broccoli With Or Without Antimicrobial Treatment, Ronald Derike Smiley

Masters Theses

Growth and survival ofListeria monocytogenes on minimally processed broccoli, with and without osmotic dehydration and chemical pretreament, stored under modified atmospheric conditions was evaluated. Inoculated fresh broccoli florets were osmotically dehydrated by immersion in a saturated NaCl solution then chemically treated by immersion in a sanitizer solution before packaging. Fresh broccoli florets were packaged in gas permeable film, with and without atmospheric evacuation, and stored at either 4 or 10°C for 15 days. L. monocytogenes increased 2 logs on fresh broccoli florets stored at 10°C but increased only slightly less than 1 log during storage at 4°C. When inoculated onto …

Perceptions Of 4-H By Public School Educators In Johnson County, Tennessee, Ricky L. Thomason

Masters Theses

The purpose of the study was to survey public school educators in Johnson County, Tennessee and determine their perception of 4-H. Included in the study is a comparison of the perceptions of 4-H by educators based on whether or not they had ever been a 4-H member or the parent of a 4-H member. The study also examines the relationship of the perception of 4-H by educators based on their years of experience in public school education, job assignment, and grade level taught.

A questionnaire was developed by the researcher to study these relationships. Data gathered for the study were …

Regulation Of Retinol-Binding Protein Secretion And Expression In The Ovine Conceptus And Uterus By Retinoids And Steroids, Wendy G. Jacobs

Masters Theses

During early pregnancy in sheep, implantation occurs relatively late and fetal-maternal interactions are critical to maintenance of pregnancy, embryonic survival and development. Reproductive processes are mediated in part by conceptus secretory proteins and uterine proteins. Vitamin A (retinol) plays a role in reproductive processes and must be present in precise amounts for normal embryonic development. Most retinol is stored in the liver and transported bound to retinol-binding protein (RBP). Within the liver, the levels of RBP are regulated by retinoid status. Previous studies have suggested that placental RBP may be secreted in an apo- form by the conceptus in order …

Long Term Production Of Genetically Transformed Somatic Embryos Of Orchardgrass (Dactylis Glomerata) In Suspension Culture, Jennifer Lea Nash

Masters Theses

Orchardgrass is the only Gramineae species whose somatic embryos progress to a fully mature (germinable) stage within one liquid medium. As embryos mature, the scutellar epidermis begins to dedifferentiate and cells are sloughed off. These cells divide and form new embryos creating a cyclic regeneration system. Genetic transformation of these cells provides the opportunity to mass produce transformed embryos. In this study, somatic embryos removed from leaves were transformed via microprojectile bombardment with a gene construct containing both the uidA gene coding for expression of the bar gene which inactivates phosphinothricin (PPT), the active ingredient in herbicides such as …

Reproductive Anatomy Of Adult Female Emus (Dromaius Novaehollandiae), Lee Anne Cope

Masters Theses

The following investigation was conducted in order to describe the morphology of the female reproductive system of an adult, two year old physically mature, but reproductively inactive female emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae). The dissections focused on the morphology of the reproductive tract of the female emu including the vasculature and the innervation of the reproductive organs.

For this investigation, five female emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae) were obtained. Three were two years old, physically mature, but reproductively inactive. These emus were anesthetized and an endoscopic exam was done and a video recorded. Two were yearlings and not physically or …

Impacts Of Hypothetical NoX Sources On Ozone Formation In East Tennessee, Mamun Ahmed

Masters Theses

This thesis studied the effects of hypothetical NO_x sources located in East Tennessee on the tropospheric ozone concentrations impacting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) using the Urban Airshed Model (UAM). The product of this study is a technique of assessing the potential impact of a new or modified large NO_x source on ozone concentrations within a Class I area, which includes and up-to-date detailed emissions inventory. The East Tennessee Modeling Domain (ETMD) consists of 94 counties in six different states with an area of 75,900 km²: Tennessee (40), North Carolina (22), South Carolina (8), …

An Ecological Assessment Of Wetland Mitigation Projects In East Tennessee, Kim Pilarski

Masters Theses

Federal wetland protection regulations stipulate that developers who destroy natural wetlands are required to construct mitigation or replacement wetlands. Despite the frequency of wetland mitigation, few studies have evaluated the ability of mitigated wetlands to mimic the ecological function and community composition of natural wetlands. Fewer still compare mitigation sites with existing natural wetlands in the same ecological region.

Studies from other freshwater habitats suggest that comparisons of the ratios of functional feeding groups (FFGs) of benthic macroinvertebrates (i.e., shredders, scrapers, collectors, predators) may provide useful information about the ability of mitigated wetlands to mimic the ecological functions of natural …

Factors Affecting The Educational Attainment Of African-American Males: An Observational Analysis, Chauncey Williams

Masters Theses

African-American males participation in higher education has declined due to low academic achievement. The research suggests that this low achievement is caused by racism, academic preparation, self-esteem, teacher expectation, and goals. Although I agree with most of the research, I have concluded that along with teacher's expectations, four other factors greatly impact academic achievement. These other four factors are (1) school demographics, (2) curriculum, (3) parental involvement, and (4) peer pressure. These factors were observed through casual conversations with African-American male high school students in a large midwestern area. The observational analysis suggests that improvement in these areas will help …

Solitas: An Evaluation Of A Non-Government Organization's Approach To Gender Needs In Latin America, Tara J. Vette

Masters Theses

This study is an evaluation of a project conducted by a non-government organization working with single women in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The focus of the evaluation was how Solitas, a non-government organization project approached gender-specific needs of the women. More specifically this study will ascertain if the skills learned by the women were sustainable, the amount of participation in decision making for the project and if the skills taught by the organization led to the participants organizing independently.

This evaluation was conducted by examining the organization's own reports concerning the progress of the project and the organization's gender policy. In …

Implementing Resources For Reform: One Teacher’S Experience With A Standards-Based Mathematics Curriculum, Lynn Best Royer

Masters Theses

This study addresses the issue of implementation of a reform mathematics curriculum, focusing on one teacher's personal experience. Its purpose is to uncover what motivated this teacher to persist in learning new ways to teach mathematics. There is greater emphasis on discovering what discouraged this effort. Impediments to implementation are emphasized because of their potential to undermine the movement to restructure mathematics education.

This case study used common methods of qualitative data gathering and analysis. Interviews, observation, and video tapes were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. The impediments to implementation which emerged were then compared to reports from similar reform projects. …

Soil Water Movement Along A Loess And Alluvium Interface In West Tennessee, Holly Ann Carter

Masters Theses

Ongoing water quality research at the University of Tennessee Ames Plantation Agricultural Experiment Station in west Tennessee, has provided opportunity to examine the factors affecting soil water movement, for applications in determining the fate of agricultural chemicals. This research was to create a high intensity, order one soil survey map of the research plot, and to examine the effects of soil morphology on the direction of soil water movement.

In order to establish general morphology of the research area, four soil cores equally spaced in a 15.24 meter linear transect were taken with a Giddings-S-M hydraulic probe using a 7.62 …