Digital Commons Network^™

Genetic Load Of Crop Genes And Tandem Mitigating Genes In Transgenic Brassica Napus (Oilseed Rape) X Brassica Rapa (Field Mustard) Populations, Christy Weems Rose

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Measuring The Impact Of Knowledge Sharing On Quality Improvement Initiatives, Collins Landon Dukes

Masters Theses

The contributions of knowledge-based processes in quality initiatives, though unfamiliar, may have been realized by the improvement in the efficiency and effectiveness of knowledge workers (Malhotra 2000). Effective knowledge management (KM) can provide an organization with a competitive edge through effective management of product and process quality. It is possible that quality initiatives can be directed using knowledge sharing practices by focusing on common themes throughout the organization. Hence, it stands to reason that knowledge sharing can be facilitated by understanding those factors that are critical to the success of quality improvement initiatives and, conversely, that the impact of quality …

Digital Integration For Monitoring Acceleration Signals, Charles Matthew Rose

Masters Theses

When testing turbine engines at Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC), vibration measurements are some of the most critical data taken. The present vibration monitoring system (VMS) consists of a charge producing accelerometer sensor, a charge amplifier, and a recording and analysis system. Currently the charge amplifier and the recording and analysis system are located in a data conditioning room which is approximately 150 feet from the accelerometer. If the signal processing equipment were moved closer to the test cell near the accelerometer, the fidelity of the acquired data could be greatly improved. An ideal system for this purpose would acquire …

From Authoritarian Dirty War To Neoliberal, 'Democratic' Class War Neoliberalism As Class Struggle In Argentina, Aaron Thomas Rowland

Masters Theses

This paper is a critical analysis of the theoretical assertions made, made by David Harvey and others, that neoliberalism is the ideological foundation for a one-sided, class-based struggle intended to restore or reconstruct the power of economic elites. Tracing neoliberalism back to its roots in the Austrian School of economics, I analyze the historical development of neoliberal theory and its critics. I show that it provides theoretical justification for elite class struggle. This theoretical argument is then grounded in a case study of Argentina's period of neoliberal reforms. In the case of Argentina, I show that this process was one …

An Analysis Of Spatiotemporal Variations Of Water Quality In The Little River Watershed And Their Connection With Land-Cover Patterns, Thomas Edward Burley

Masters Theses

The Little River supplies drinking water to Blount County, Tennessee, and supports several state and federally listed species. The upper, southeastern area of the Little River watershed is fed by protected sources originating in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In the lower, northwestern part, however, the watershed has been affected by anthropogenic land-cover and land-cover change in recent years. These changes may have impacted water quality in the Little River watershed over the past 20 years. The objectives of this study were: (1) to elucidate the spatiotemporal patterns of water quality, (2) to understand the Little River watershed's land-cover …

Moderating Effect Of Intimate Exchange On The Reciprocal Relation Between Best Friend Delinquency And Child Externalizing Behavior, Alden Elizabeth Gaertner

Masters Theses

Research indicates both peer selection (choosing behaviorally similar individuals as friends) and peer socialization (mutual regulation of behavior) processes impact the development of problem behavior in childhood and adolescence. Differential association theory explains these processes by suggesting children and adolescents elect to participate in peer groups that conform to a commonly accepted set of group norms. Moreover, deviant peer groups ascribe to unconventional norms characterized by a higher proportion of pro-deviance messages learned in the context of intimate personal groups. Consistent with differential association theory, the current study examined the moderating effect of intimate exchange, or relational closeness, on the …

Global Skin Friction Diagnostics In Complex Separated Flows, Sudesh A. Woodiga

Masters Theses

This work describes the application of a global luminescent oil film skin friction meter to quantitative global skin friction diagnostics in complex separated flows. The development of this technique is based on the relationship between the oil film thickness and luminescent intensity of an oil film mixed with a luminescent dye. The projected thin oil film equation is given to relate the normalized luminescent intensity with skin friction. The basis for this technique is the variational solution for the thin oil film equation on the image plane. The variational formulation with a smoothness constraint on skin friction is proposed to …

Novel Method For Recovery Of Escherichia Coli O157:H7 From Beef Surfaces, Matthew Adam Becher

Masters Theses

A study was conducted to compare the efficiency of detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 EDL 933 on external beef trim by commercial recovery systems based upon of the Microbial-Vac System (M-Vac) and excision sampling. Escherichia coli O157:H7 EDL 933 was cultured in tryptic soy broth for 24 hr at 37°C and transferred for three consecutive days before diluting and spot inoculating onto a 684 cm² piece of beef trim (10 CFU/684 cm²). Beef trim was sampled with the M-Vac by passing the sampling head over the entire surface area in a vertical sampling pattern. The sampling head …

Quantitative Comparison Of Mechanical Harvesting Methods And Conventional Harvesting Methods Of Burley Tobacco In The Southeast, Robert Bailey Elliott

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine burley tobacco growers decision making processes as they pertain to labor usage during the harvest of their crop and adoption rates of mechanical harvesting technology in order to create a laudable document that could be used by those who disseminate knowledge in agricultural communities. This study sought to compare current conventional harvesting methods to mechanical harvesting methods to determine efficiency and affordability of each of the two methods for the tobacco grower. This study incorporated both survey data and focus group data in order to develop the findings herein. Survey data were …

Experimental Determination Of Emissivity And Resistivity Of Yttria Stabilized Zirconia At High Temperatures, Howard Mosley Frederick

Masters Theses

The emissivity and resistivity of yttria stabilized zirconia (YsZ), Y₂O₃-ZrO₂, a ceramic material that has been specially fabricated for use as an electrically powered high temperature air heater are determined for temperatures above 2000 K. Published results of measurements of emissivity and resistivity of yttria, zirconia, and their alloys at temperatures above 2000 K are rare in the technical literature. A survey of literature describing the properties of YsZ, particularly literature concerning the ionic conduction process at high temperatures, is assembled to provide a theoretical basis for the formulation of a temperature and resistivity …

Buyer And Grower Perceptions Of Liner Quality And Associated Production Costs Of Nursery Liner Stock, Andrew H. Jeffers

Masters Theses

Liner production is a key segment in the nursery industry. Due to a lack of specific of quality standards by governing industry organizations as well as a lack of general consensus among growers of perceived liner quality, a conjoint analysis study was developed to determine buyer and grower preferences for nursery liner product features during point-of-purchase decisions. The study used a visual survey using six variables (first order lateral roots (FOLR), price, region of production, and height, canopy density and caliper uniformity) with varying levels yielding a 3 x 3 x 3 x 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design. …

For We See And Know In Part: An Examination Of The Portrayal Of African-American Female Athletes On The Covers Of Sports Illustrated, Chanel Leisa Lattimer

Masters Theses

This study examines the print media’s representation of African-American sportswomen’s femininity on the covers of Sport Illustrated. Sport is considered a male-dominated institution; a place where masculinity is expressed. Therefore, in spite of the increased participation for women in sport due to Title IX; the media’s coverage has been minimal and their representation of female athletes has been ambivalent at best, and trivializing at worse. The conveyance of African-American female athletes remains even more complex. Due to historical experiences, African-American women have developed a femininity that falls outside that of mainstream society. Therefore, the lack of coverage African-American female …

Impacts Of A 4-Lane Highway On The Spatial Ecology Of American Black Bears And The Effectiveness Of Wildlife Underpasses In Eastern North Carolina, Matthew Flanders Mccollister

Masters Theses

From 2001 through 2005, the North Carolina Department of Transportation rerouted and upgraded a section of U.S. Highway 64 in Washington County to a 4-lane divided highway. This new roadway included 3 wildlife underpasses with adjacent wildlife fencing to mitigate the effects of the highway on wildlife, in particular American black bears (Ursus americanus). From 2000 to 2001, the University of Tennessee conducted research on the spatial ecology and population demographics of the black bear population at the new highway site and on a nearby control area of similar habitat composition. From 2006 to 2007, after highway construction, …

Removing Acetic Acid From The Urex+ Process, Jessica Anne Mitchell

Masters Theses

Acetic acid needs to be removed from a waste stream in the UREX+ process so that nitric acid can be recycled and possible interference with downstream steps can be avoided. Acetic acid arises from acetohydroxamic acid (AHA) used to suppress plutonium in the first step of the UREX+ process. Later, it is hydrolyzed into hydroxyl amine nitrate and acetic acid. Many common separation technologies were examined, and solvent extraction was determined to be the best choice under process conditions. Solvents already used in the UREX+ process were then tested to determine if they would be sufficient for the removal of …

Laser Processing Of Refractory Metal - Refractory Carbide Alloys, Deepak Rajput

Masters Theses

The objective of the present study was to laser process a refractory metal – refractory carbide alloy based on W-Ti-C ternary system for severe service applications. The key concept was to cast a eutectic alloy of tungsten and titanium carbide/carbonitride straight from the melt through laser materials processing route. In the present study, a WTi- C ternary alloy has been laser processed into three-dimensional objects and surface protective coatings. Two novel fabrication systems were designed to build threedimensional objects, namely tower nozzle solid freeform fabrication system and axissymmetric laser powder deposition system. W-Ti-C alloy based protective coatings were deposited on …

Perils On The High Seas: The Effects Of Submersion And Containment On Human Decomposition In Saltwater, Celene Aundrea Sotkowy

Masters Theses

Forensic analysis of decomposing human remains in a submerged and contained aquatic environment is an area of research that lacks systematic evaluation and hinders the ability to accurately determine time since death/submersion. Expanding our understanding of how submersion and containment affects the known taphonomic agents pursuant to aquatic environments will contribute to the knowledge base on human decomposition in a multitude of environments.

In response to this limited knowledge base, this thesis reviews ten marine and air incidents occurring along the coast of British Columbia, Canada in which the bodies of eighteen individuals were recovered from inside the submerged wreckage …

Music And Literacy: Current Trends And Common Approaches Of Music Therapists In Early Childhood And School Settings, Julie A. Palmieri

Masters Theses

Reading and writing is the key to all learning, and providing children with effective literacy practices is one of the primary goals of educational systems. The purpose of this study was to identify the current trends and common approaches of professional music therapists who incorporate literacy learning into their practice. A total of 192 participants responded and completed the survey entitled Music and Literacy: Current trends and common approaches of music therapists. The study investigated if music therapists address the specific areas of literacy (vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, phonemic awareness, and phonics) that had been identified through a review of literature. …

A Geophysical Survey Of Fort St. Joseph (20be23), Niles, Michigan, Daniel P. Lynch

Masters Theses

Fort St. Joseph is a 17th-18th century French (and later English) mission-garrison-trading post complex located in southwest Michigan. A geophysical survey was performed and the results of the survey were tested through archaeological excavation. The geophysical methods included ground penetrating radar, electromagnetic induction, electrical resistivity, magnetic gradiometry, and magnetic susceptibility. The results of the archaeological excavations demonstrate that magnetic gradiometry was the preferred geophysical method at this particular site. The magnetic gradiometer survey included both terrestrial and possible submerged portions the site. Laboratory analysis of the magnetic susceptibility and magnetic viscosity of soils and rocks demonstrated that the archaeological features …

Single Muslim Young Adults: Negotiating Identities, Religion And Desire, Zarinah El-Amin Naeem

Masters Theses

This ethnographic thesis is an empirically rich, critical analysis of the singlehood of Muslim young adults. Based on interviews with 21 single Muslims aged 18-36, and participant observation of Muslim spaces, I demonstrate that while Islam and Muslim communities present "ideal" behaviors, Islam is not alone. Instead, like identity, the singlehood of American Muslims is created and recreated through dialectical relationships with several cultural "wombs" including religion, popular culture, family, and ethnicity. As Muslim young adults encounter these often contradictory ideologies, they accept and reject parts, and negotiate their identities, religion and desires - all while struggling to maintain a …

Generation And Analysis Of Fcg Data Using A Single Specimen And Kmax - ∆K Testing Matrix, Sree Phani Chandar Reddy

Masters Theses

A custom method to generate fatigue crack growth (FCG) data requires testing of multiple specimens at different load ratios. In addition, it includes the application of a load shedding procedure from pre-cracking level to threshold.

In this thesis, a novel method of testing has been investigated that utilizes a single specimen and a testing matrix in terms of K_maxand ∆K values corresponding to predetermined R-ratios for which FCG data, da/dN, are recorded. Automatic K-controlled tests on 2324-T39 Al alloy were conducted using the ∆K increasing and ∆K decreasing procedures while K_maxwas kept constant. Results show that …

Breaking Protocol: The Failure Of The Bush Administration To Ratify The Kyoto Protocol As A State Crime, Jacquelynn A. Doyon

Masters Theses

Using the Kyoto Protocol as a centrifugal focus point, this research conceptualizes the failure of the United States to act on global warming as a state crime. The decision of the United States not to ratify the protocol was largely based on economic justifications. However, the actions taken following the Kyoto Protocol indicate that the US government was instead dedicated more to their own economical interests, rather than those of the state was a whole. Through the exploration of possible economic and political motivations, the research identifies ulterior motives of the Bush administration that have proved to be detrimental to …

The Effect Of Distributed Generation On Distribution System Reliability, Nura Nubee Sabir

Masters Theses

Electricity produced and delivered to customers constitutes one of the largest consumer markets in the world. As a nation we have become so dependent that most daily functions would be suspended if there were any interruption in power generation, transmission and distribution. Historically there has been a great deal of effort put into modeling and improving the reliability of the generation and transmission systems. However, when compared to the generation and transmission systems, considerable less resources has been placed on the details of making the distribution system more reliable. Majority of all interruptions experienced by the customer in a given …

Accelerated Thermal Aging Of Fe-Zeolite Scr Catalysts On An Engine Bench, Adam Lamar Foster

Masters Theses

Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO_x with urea/NH₃ is a leading candidate to the impending more stringent emissions regulations for diesel engines. Currently, there is no consensus on the durability and the deactivation mechanisms associated with zeolite-based SCR catalysts, nor is there an established protocol for rapidly aging zeolite-based SCR catalysts that replicates the catalyst deactivation associated with field service. A 517 cc single-cylinder, naturally-aspirated direct injection (NA/DI) diesel engine is used to perform accelerated thermal aging on Fe-zeolite SCR catalysts. The engine is fitted with an exhaust aftertreatment system consisting of a DOC, a SCR catalyst and …

A Descriptive Study Of Sustainability Strategies Among Local Parks And Recreation Departments In Tennessee, Jennifer Yowell

Masters Theses

This thesis represents the first study ever performed in the state of Tennessee on the usage of ecological sustainability strategies in the local parks and an analysis of the existing barriers preventing their implementation. A survey was e-mailed to all of the 105 Tennessee Recreation Park Association park directors requesting this data. As a result of this analysis, a list of 34 environmentally friendly sustainability strategies has been identified that should be considered for implementation in the local parks by their directors. The most common perceptions the directors listed as barriers to their implementation of sustainability strategies included staff knowledge, …

The Day We All Became Hokies: An Exploratory Uses And Gratifications Study Of Facebook Use After The Virginia Tech Shootings, Sabrena Michelle Carter

Masters Theses

Facebook has been incorporated into the regular activities of over 100 million users. After the Virginia Tech Shootings, individuals began interacting with Facebook in a unique way. This exploratory project analyzed uses and gratifications of Facebook use in the time following the Virginia Tech shootings. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with seven college students whose Facebook profiles acknowledged the event in at least one area.

The study found preliminary evidence of Blumler's categories of Surveillance, Diversion, Personal Identity, and Personal Relationships. The category of Curiosity was not substantiated in the findings. New categories were suggested based on the results. These …

The Kozolec: Material Culture, Identity, And Social Practice In Slovenia, Toby Martin Applegate

Masters Theses

This research investigates the intersections of national identity, representation, and material culture in the Republic of Slovenia. The subject of the thesis, the kozolec, is a freestanding farm implement, usually made of wood, used to dry hay as fodder for animals and, occasionally, corn for human and animal consumption. It is found on the landscape of Slovenia, a small alpine country that was formerly part of Yugoslavia. The kozolec has been romanticized as being indicative of “where” Slovenia is. It has also been cast aside as a symbol marking the Slovene landscape for both representational and practical reasons.

This thesis …

Roles, Perceptions, And Control Of Infant Feeding Among Low-Income Fathers In East Tennessee, Kristen Erika Anderson

Masters Theses

INTRODUCTION: Introduction of solid foods before the recommended age of 4-6 months is a common practice in the United States, and appears to be especially prevalent among infants who are enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Currently, little is known about how fathers influence early infant feeding decisions, outside of the decision to breast- or formulafeed. The purpose of this study was to explore how fathers perceive the role they play in feeding and caring for their infants. METHODS: Participants were 21 male-caregivers, who were fathers or partners of the mothers …

Tree-Like Spaces With The Fixed-Point Property, Realized As Inverse Limits Of Special Finite Trees, Jennifer Katherine Aust

Masters Theses

In this paper, we explore some properties of inverse limit sequences on sub-spaces of Euclidean n-space. We address some well-known examples, in particular the example by David Bellamy of the "tree-like" continuum that does not have the fixed-point property. We highlight some spaces with the fixed-point property that are between snake-like continua and Bellamy's example in their level of complexity. Specifically, we prove the fixed-point property for inverse limits of limit sequences on the unit interval and on the n-ad (in two configurations), and for inverse limits that can be mapped via a continuous function with small point pre-images to …

Response-Contingent Positive Reinforcement: Incremental Validity In Predicting Depression Severity, John Paul Carvalho

Masters Theses

Insufficient response-contingent positive reinforcement (RCPR), or pleasure obtained through interaction with the environment that increases the likelihood of rewarding behavior, has been hypothesized to directly contribute to the onset and persistence of depression symptoms (Lewinsohn, 1974; Lewinsohn, Sullivan, & Grosscup, 1980). The present study examined the utility of RCPR in predicting the presence and severity of depression symptoms relative to other well-established risk factors that included gender, stressful life events, traumatic life events, childhood maltreatment, and cognitive vulnerability. Based on bivariate and hierarchical regression analyses, all variables except gender were significantly associated with the severity of depression symptoms, with RCPR …

New Consolidation Of Emission And Processing For Air Quality Modeling Assessment In Asia, Yuan Du

Masters Theses

Gridded Asian emission input with fine resolutions for regional photochemical air quality modeling is absent from current studies. A new top-down emission process based on GIS-FORTRAN program has been developed in this study to consolidate the current available regional emissions in Asia and provide model-ready emission input with more flexibility. The INTEX-B anthropogenic emission inventory in 2006 integrated with biogenic from GEIA, as well as biomass burning and ship emissions from TRACE-P has been adopted as the top-level emissions, which are then spatially allocated into grid-cell level by our GIS application. The spatial allocation factors generated for this process are …