Digital Commons Network^™

Ac Loss And Thickness Dependence Of Critical Currents In Coated Conductors, Anota Oluwatoyin Ijaduola

Doctoral Dissertations

This program of research is directed toward understanding the physical properties of certain materials in superconductive “coated conductors.” Specifically investigated were Ni1−xWx alloys for use as substrate and thin films of YBa 2Cu3O7, a high- Tc superconductor with many attractive features. A study has been conducted on the magnetic properties of a series of biaxially textured Ni1−xWx materials with compositions x = 0, 3, 5, 6, and 9 at.% W. These materials are important as substrates for “RABiTS”-type coated conductors that incorporate high temperature superconductors for current transport. The quasi-static dc and ac …

The Rrnat/Rdna Ratio As A Measure Of Nitrite Oxidizing Activity, Shawn A. Hawkins

Doctoral Dissertations

A bench scale nitrification reactor (BSNR) containing nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) of the genus Nitrobacter (» 1 × 10¹⁰/L; 5 - 22% of bacteria) was used to assess the ribosomal RNA transcript (rRNAt) to ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA) ratio as an in-situ nitrite oxidizing activity metric. A quantitative PCR detection system was developed that amplified a 143 base pair sequence within the Nitrobacter spp. 16S - 23S intergenenic spacer region. The resulting real-time PCR (rDNA) and real-time RT-PCR (rRNAt) assays were specific, accurate, and sensitive, requiring three replicate nucleic acid extracts to reliably detect a true 2-fold concentration …

The Homicidal Narcissist, Tedra Elise Jamison

Doctoral Dissertations

Personality type and murder have been linked via several studies on Sadistic personality disorder, Antisocial personality disorder, and psychopathy. The present study focused on the relationship between Narcissistic personality disorder and homicidal propensity. The relationship was examined using a sample of 490 inmates of the Colorado Department of Corrections. The subjects specific to this study were 215 inmates convicted of homicidal crimes including manslaughter, first degree murder, second degree murder, and second degree murder-crime of passion. A control group of approximately 275 inmates was included. The control group consisted of a random sample of crimes with the exception of homicide. …

Ligand Binding Studies In R67 Dihydrofolate Reductase And The Evaluation Of The Anion-Quadrupole Interaction At A Quantum Mechanical Level, Michael Robert Jackson

Doctoral Dissertations

Dihydrofolate reductases (DHFR) are important, ubiquitous enzymes catalyzing the hydride transfer from NADPH to dihydrofolate and producing the tetrahydrofolate intermediate that is essential for many metabolic processes, particularly for its role in DNA synthesis. R67 DHFR is a plasmid encoded enzyme that confers resistance to the antibiotic drug trimethoprim. This enzyme is active as a homotetramer. The active site pore possesses 222 symmetry as a result. This symmetry gives rise to a different mechanism by which it binds its ligands. There are potentially four symmetry related binding sites, but various studies have indicated only three possible combinations that include: two …

Photo-Acoustic Analysis Of Dental Materials And Tissue, Pavlina Jetchkova Jeleva

Doctoral Dissertations

The goal of the presented study is the investigation of the feasibility of using optically generated acoustic waves for analysis of dental material below laser-ablation threshold.

The temperature rise of dental material and tissue has been modeled analytically and numerically, and measured experimentally. Following interactions with nano- and femto-second laser radiation the temperature rises at a rate of typically 1 ±C per J=cm2, along with the generation of an acoustical wave. The results from the models agree with the experiment. The acoustic measurements show differences in the acoustic signal strength and the frequency spectrum when the canal in the …

The Effect Of Ultrasonic Vibration On The Solidification Of Light Alloys, Xiaogang Jian

Doctoral Dissertations

This exposition presents the novel thermodynamical and microstructural modification to light alloys, such as aluminum alloys and magnesium alloys, by ultrasonic vibrations during their solidification processes. Ultrasonic vibration has proven to be effective in controlling columnar dendritic structure, reducing the size of equiaxed grains, and under some conditions, producing globular non-dendritic grains. Despite this, the solidification process under the effect of ultrasonic vibration was not clear. Not only was there no such research on how ultrasonic vibration affected its solidification thermodynamically, but also its effects on the as-cast microstructure, including the primary fcc phase, the eutectics, and the secondary phases, …

Experimental, Theoretical, And Device Application Development Of Nanoscale Focused Electron-Beam-Induced Deposition, Steven Jeffrey Randolph

Doctoral Dissertations

To elucidate the effects of beam heating in electron beam-induced deposition (EBID), a Monte-Carlo electron-solid interaction model has been employed to calculate the energy deposition profiles in bulk and nanostructured SiO₂. Using these profiles, a finite element model was used to predict the nanostructure tip temperatures for standard experimental EBID conditions. Depending on the beam energy, beam current, and nanostructure geometry, the heat generated can be substantial. This heat source can subsequently limit the EBID growth by thermally reducing the mean stay time of the precursor gas. Temperature dependent EBID growth experiments qualitatively verified the results of the …

Suppliers Evaluation And Selection: A Comprehensive Model To Minimize The Risk Associated With Quality And Delivery, Ammar Mohamed Aamer

Doctoral Dissertations

This research focuses on one of the main steps in outsourcing, supplier
evaluation and selection. The main contributions of this research were twofold.
First, best practices in the supplier’s value stream were identified that directly or
indirectly impact a supplier’s quality and delivery. Second, a comprehensive
supplier evaluation and selection model was developed based on the value
stream concept to minimize the risk associated with two very critical supplierselection factors, quality and on-time delivery.

A survey was conducted to identify best practices. The outcome of the survey
was used to develop a computer based supplier evaluation model, which could
be …

Achievement Of Eighth Grade Students In Mathematics After, Megan Shanette Bray

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the three- year effect of the Connected Mathematics Project (CMP) on the mathematics achievement of middle school students in a southeastern Tennessee public school district. This was accomplished by (1) comparing the mathematics achievement of eighth graders who have completed three years of CMP with their mathematics achievement after completing one and two years of CMP; (2) comparing the achievement of male and female students during the same period of time; and (3) comparing the mathematics achievement of historically underrepresented students after completing one, two, and three years of CMP.

In …

The Only Way Out Is To Die: Perceptions And Experiences Of Rural, Homebound, Older Diabetics, Sharon Robbins George

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the meaning of diabetes, as perceived and experienced by rural, homebound, 65-year and older, diabetics requiring insulin. The sixty-five year and older persons are disproportionately affected by diabetes. They are more likely than younger diabetics to have co-morbidities, disabilities and difficulty preventing diabetic complications. Guidelines for diabetes management and treatment developed by the American Diabetes Association are not specifically targeted for the 65-year and older population. Phenomenological research was used to examine and describe the understanding of diabetes from perspectives of older diabetics.

A purposive sample of participants was recruited from …

Perspectives On Self-Immolation Experiences Among Uzbek Women, Elizabeth Ann Campbell

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the motivation of Uzbek women who committed acts of self-immolation and survived. The study examined the role of the religion and culture of Islam, whether the act of self-immolation was a suicide attempt or an act of protest, and whether the use of fire had some symbolic significance. Self-immolation, or deliberate self-burning, is increasingly becoming a cause of death and disability among young Muslim women in the Middle East andCentral Asia. However, little is known about this phenomenon.

This was a qualitative, bounded case study, which used a blended model of case …

An Investigation Of The Big Five And Narrow Personality Traits In Relation To Academic Performance, Craig Lancer Rogers

Doctoral Dissertations

The present study investigated the relationship between the Big Five personality traits (agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, extroversion, and openness), as well as the relationship of more narrow personality traits, with academic performance. The issue of narrow traits adding incremental validity to the Big Five in predicting academic performance was investigated, using archival data collected from 552 university students.

Results from a correlation analysis indicated that openness, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and emotional stability were all significantly related to GPA (college grade-point average), while extroversion was not related. Due to a significant gender difference in college GPA, gender interaction terms with …

Manufacturing System And Supply Chain Analyses Related To Product Complexity And Sequenced Parts Delivery, Hui Sun

Doctoral Dissertations

Mixed model assembly has been widely used in many industries. It is applied in order to effectively deal with increasing product complexity. Sequencing and resequencing on a mixed-model assembly line is also complicated by high product complexity. To improve the performance of a mixed-model assembly system and the supply chain, one can develop efficient sequencing rules to address sequencing problems, and manage product complexity to reduce its negative impact on the production system. This research addresses aspects of sequence alteration and restoration on a mixed-model assembly line for the purpose of improving the performance of a manufacturing system and its …

A Methodology For Solving The Equations Arising In Nonlinear Parameter Identification Problems: Application To Induction Machines, Kaiyu Wang

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation presents a method that can be used to identify the parameters of a class of systems whose regressor models are nonlinear in the parameters. The technique is based on classical elimination theory, and it guarantees that the solution for the parameters which minimize a least-squares criterion can be found in a finite number of steps. The proposed methodology begins with an input-output linear overparameterized model whose parameters are rationally related. After making appropriate substitutions that account for the overparameterization, the problem is transformed into a nonlinear least-squares problem that is not overparameterized. The extrema equations are computed, and …

The Development Of Computational Tools For Halo Analysis And Study Of Halo Growth In The Spallation Neutron Source Linear Accelerator, Dirk A. Bartkoski

Masters Theses

The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS), being built at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, utilizes a high intensity particle accelerator for neutron production. One of the challenges in SNS, as with all high intensity accelerators, is to minimize the amount of beam lost. High beam losses can cause costly damage and lead to residual activation of accelerator components, which complicates routine maintenance.

One of the key components in beam loss at SNS is the development and propagation of beam halo. Halo particles are those driven to large amplitudes by space charge forces between the beam particles or by mismatch between the …

Cloning And Characterization Of Three Alleles Of The Mouse Furloss (Frl) Gene, Heather Marie Dech

Masters Theses

Single-gene mutations in the mouse serve as useful models for understanding the pathophysiology and molecular mechanisms of human diseases. Three dominant autosomal mutations affecting skin, hair and eye development in the mouse were recovered in mutagenesis experiments at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Previous work demonstrated that these mutations constitute an allelic series at the mouse Furloss (Frl) locus, and they were given the symbols Frl^a, Frlb and Frlc. The heterozygous phenotypes of all three mutants are similar; the mice appear normal at birth but gradually lose their hair until the hair follicles and sebaceous …

Effect Of Surface Morphology On Adsorption-Induced Bending Of Microcantilevers, Ramya Desikan

Masters Theses

Microcantilevers undergo bending due to molecular adsorption when adsorption is confined to a single surface. The origin of the adsorption-induced force is assumed to be surface stress variation due to molecular adsorption. Single crystal silicon cantilevers were etched for a series of different time periods using two different types of Potassium Hydroxide solutions in order to obtain a rough and a smooth finish on the cantilever surface. Cantilevers that approximately had the same resonance frequency in the rough and smooth etched categories were chosen for comparison in the experiment. Liquid phase adsorption of 1-Do-decan-thiol on the cantilevers having a thin …

Effect Of Chitosan And Water Soluble Chitosan Coatings On Quality Of Small Fruits, Jason Ki-Myung Noh

Masters Theses

Edible coating has been applied on the surface of fresh produce to extend shelf-life by suppressing respiration, transpiration, and microbial growth. The coatings, thus, can help decrease moisture and weight loss, and may offer a protective barrier against bacterial contamination and spoilage. Recent studies have indicated chitosan as an effective coating that extends shelf-life and improves a storability of fruits. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of natural biodegradable chitosan coatings in extending shelf-life and quality of fresh small fruits, such as blueberries and grapes. Fruits were dipped for 30 seconds in 1% chitosan in 1% …

Effect Of Long Term Resistance Training On A Senior Population With Trained Peer Leadership, Richard John Burke Iii

Masters Theses

Purpose: The goal of this study was to examine the physical effects of a two-year peer-led resistance training and aerobic program in a group of community dwelling older adults.

Methods: Nine community-dwelling older adults (Age = 81.2 ± 7.1 yrs; Males = 1, Females = 8) were trained for six weeks, monitored and corrected for one year, and then completed two years of peer-led weight training three days/week. Pre and post training physical function assessments included 6-minute walk distance (endurance, functional mobility and gait speed), 8 foot timed up-and-go (balance and agility), back scratch (shoulder flexibility), sit-and-reach (flexibility), number of …

An Experimental Study Of Axisymmetric Cavity Oscillations In Low Speed Incompressible Flow, Jeremy David Brice Smith

Masters Theses

This study is the latest increment of an ongoing research effort at the University of Tennessee Space Institute with the goal of accomplishing a greater understanding of cavity instabilities and or making use of the instabilities to amplify their effects on the flows. An experimental procedure was designed to examine the unsteady pressure pulses that occur when an incompressible fluid (water) flows through an axisymmetric cavity. The length to depth ratios (L/D) examined ranged from about 0.69 to about 6.2, and the average flow Reynolds numbers ranged from 0 to 1.2 million.

Results show that large amplitude oscillations are generated …

Comparative Properties Of Polymers Guiding The Development Of An Abdominal Aorta Model, Benjamin Michael Lamie

Masters Theses

Hemodynamics, the study of the forces involved in the circulation of blood, is an area that researchers have approached in various manners for many years. The study of how blood flows through arteries and veins as well as the effect of the composition of the blood has been defined and thoroughly characterized in past studies. Although in-depth studies have been performed on the flow characteristics of blood, most often the observations are made as the fluid flows through tubes composed of some rigid material. It is well known that the arteries and veins have a layered histology that show varying …

Enhancing System-On-Chip Verification Using Embedded Test Structures, Wei Jiang

Masters Theses

In this project, we designed and implemented a System-on-Chip platform with embedded test structures. The baseline platform consists of a Leon2 CPU, AMBA on-chip bus, and an Advanced Encryption Standard decryption module. Reconfigurable test logic blocks were embedded to form the test structure that can be used in post-silicon debug and verification.

The System-on-Chip platform was designed at the register transistor level and implemented in an 180nm CMOS process. Test logic instrumentation was done with DAFCA, Inc. (Design Automation for Flexible Chip Architecture) pre-silicon tools. The design was then synthesized using the Synopsys Design Compiler and placed and routed using …

Geographic Variation In Native American Anthropometrics: A Spatial Analysis Of The Boas And Gifford Datasets, Paul Christopher Dillingham

Doctoral Dissertations

In 1982, anthropometric data that had been lost for decades was rediscovered, and, with it, another chance was granted to add to our knowledge of the physical anthropology of the American Indian.

Because previous spatial analysis studies either utilized only a portion of the Boas data and either utilized no statistical analyses or were not published, a more comprehensive spatial analysis is still needed. The purpose of this study is to more comprehensively re-analyze the Boas and Gifford datasets using spatial analysis methods to discover the patterns of variation revealed by the data. The following questions using spatial autocorrelation analysis …

A Newly Identified Hantavirus: The Development Of Immunologic Diagnostic Assays And Phylogenetic Analysis For Detection And Characterization, Shawn Lee Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations

Hantaviruses are the etiologic agents of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Europe and Asia and hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) in the Americas. As of July 2005, 396 HCPS cases in 30 U.S. states with a 36% mortality rate have been confirmed since reporting began in 1993.

The primary rodent host of numerous U.S. hantaviruses in Peromyscus maniculatus (deer mouse) although other strains have been found in association with a district rodent host and geographical region. Reservoir hosts are asymptomatically, persistently infected and shed virus particles intermittently in urine, saliva and feces. Thus, the primary transmission route for hantavirus …

Unsaturated Flow And Transport Of 90Sr, Co(Ii)Edta, And U(Vi) In Undisturbed Cores From The Hanford Formation, Hanford, Wa, Mary Fairfax Nichols-Pace

Doctoral Dissertations

At the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hanford Site in Richland, WA nuclear processing wastes, such as Sr-90, organic chelating agents such as EDTA, Co-60, and U(VI) have been detected in the vadose zone beneath the underground storage tanks. There is concern that waste released to the vadose zone could reach the groundwater and eventually flow into the Columbia River. The goal of this paper is to provide an improved understanding of coupled hydrologic and geochemical mechanisms that influence contaminant transport in the Handford vadose zone. Disturbed sediment and undisturbed sediment cores were collected from the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility (ERDF) …

Principals' Implementation Of Exclusion Policy In Tennessee Public High Schools, Clarence Steve Moser

Doctoral Dissertations

The exclusion of students from school has been a last-resort response that principals have chosen to correct inappropriate student behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine student exclusion policies and principal policy implementation practices in Tennessee’s public high schools. The students considered were not suspected for any disability that would require consideration under IDEA or Section 504.

A questionnaire containing nineteen disciplinary scenarios of inappropriate student behaviors was completed by one hundred and ninety-two of Tennessee’s public high school principals. The disciplinary scenarios represented exclusion policies that would warrant the student being suspended from school.

The findings revealed …

Encosto In A Brazilian Favela, Darrell William Lynch

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the folk illness of encosto in the favela, or slum, of Pirambu in Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil. Encosto is a term used primarily within the religious tradition of Umbanda. To be encostado literally means that someone is being "leaned on unduly" or "bothered by" another person. In the case of the folk illness, that "person" is believed to be a disincarnate spirit and the victim is said to be suffering from encosto. The spirit may be a deceased relative, an Exu or trickster spirit, or an entity sent to attack the victim by …

Ruffed Grouse Habitat Use, Reproductive Ecology, And Survival In Western North Carolina, Benjamin Colter Jones

Doctoral Dissertations

Ruffed grouse populations are lower in the Appalachians compared to the Great Lakes states, the geographic core of grouse distribution. Theories to explain lower numbers in the Appalachians include inadequate foods, lower reproduction, lower survival, and loss of habitat. To provide insight into ruffed grouse ecology in the Appalachians, habitat use, reproduction, and survival were studied on Nantahala National Forest in western North Carolina. Radiotagged grouse (n = 276) were monitored through the year. Seasonal 75% kernel home ranges (n = 172) averaged 15–59 ha across sexes, ages, and seasons. Home range size was related to habitat with …

Understanding Child Narrative Development Through The Lens Of Lessons And Dialogue In Mother-Child Interactions, Mary Clare Champion

Doctoral Dissertations

The current study explored the role oflessons and dialogue in communication between mothers and their children in an effort to better understand the processes that influence and support healthy child narrative development. Volunteers were recruited from an elementary school, and pairs ofmothers and their children were observed. Observations were coded for the presence oflessons and dialogue, and mother and child narratives were gathered. It was predicted that dialogue would be an important component ofthe communication between mother and child, and that its presence would correlate with mother and child narrative measures. It was also predicted that mother and child would …

Information-Seeking Behavior Of Social Sciences And Humanities Researchers In The Internet Age, Xuemei Ge

Masters Theses

This study focuses on how Internet technology influences and contributes to the information-seeking process in the social sciences and humanities. The study examines the information-seeking behavior of faculty and doctoral students in these fields and observes and extends Ellis’s model of information-seeking behavior for social scientists, which includes six characteristics: starting, chaining, browsing, differentiating, monitoring, and extracting.

The study was conducted at Tennessee State University. Thirty active social sciences and humanities faculty and doctoral students were interviewed about their use of Internet resources, their perception of electronic and print materials, and their opinions concerning the Ellis model and how it …