Digital Commons Network^™

Inhibition Of Escherichia Coli Atp Synthase By Polyphenols And Their Derivatives., Prasanna Keerthi Dadi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We have studied the inhibitory effect of natural and structurally modified polyphenols on Escherichia coli ATP synthase to test (I) if the beneficial dietary effects of polyphenols are related to their inhibitory actions on ATP synthase, (II) if inhibitory effects of polyphenolic compound could be augmented through structural modifications, and (III) if they can act as antimicrobial agent through their actions on ATP synthesis. X-ray crystal structures of polyphenol binding sites suggested that polyphenols bind at a distinct polyphenol binding pocket, at the interface of α,β,γ-subunits. We found that both natural and modified polyphenols inhibit E. coli ATP synthase to …

Assessing Commercial Organic And Conventionally Grown Vegetables By Monitoring Selected Heavy Metals Found In Them., Charles Kafui Dotse

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Commercially available organic and conventionally grown vegetables were studied by quantitative determination of selected metals in them and to determine if any differences found are statistically significant. These findings can help the consumers to determine if the vegetable products are within the recommended maximum limits as proposed by the joint FAO/WHO Expert committee on organic foods designation. Eight edible vegetables were purchased from local stores in both the organic and conventionally grown categories. Samples were digested with concentrated nitric acid and the metals monitored were zinc, copper, lead, iron, cadmium, and nickel using flame atomic absorption. The concentration range for …

Hamlet From The Stage., David Blair

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hamlet From The Stage is a video production designed to be an extra feature on the DVD video of the stage production of Hamlet, performed by the Division of Theatre and Dance at East Tennessee State University, and filmed by the Department of e-Learning during the Spring Semester of 2009. Hamlet From The Stage is a professional interview style video package of the cast of Hamlet designed to help inexperienced collegiate actors learn some useful tools when approaching a Shakespearean audition or performance. This video package represents over eleven months of production: concept, writing, set design and studio setup, interview …

Hermit Thrush (Catharus Guttatus) And Veery (C. Fuscescens) Breeding Habitat Associations In Southern Appalachian High-Elevation Forests., Andrew J. Laughlin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Hermit Thrush is a new breeding bird in the Southern Appalachian high-elevation mountains, having expanded its range southward over the last few decades. Here it is sympatric with the Veery, a congeneric breeding resident. In order to more fully understand why the range expansion took place and to understand more about the local ecology of the newly arrived bird, I measured several habitat variables in 30 Hermit Thrush and 24 Veery territories. Principal Components Analysis and Cluster Analysis brought to light several patterns of habitat preferences for these 2 species. Hermit Thrushes prefer territories with more leaf litter on …

Exploring The Lower Third: The Use, Innovations, And Future Of Snipes In The U.S. Television Industry., Aaron M. Sharp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Digital video recorders have given a growing number of viewers the ability to skip television commercials. In an effort to combat ad-skipping, television providers and advertisers are looking at ways to embed advertising into the video content; one way this can be accomplished is with graphic overlays known as snipes. Little is known about how content providers use snipes and what research they have conducted. This study is qualitative and uses long telephone interviews with 8 respondents from various cable television network and broadcast affiliate stations; examining the characteristics of innovation, as found in Rogers's (1995) diffussion of innovation theory. …

Characteristics Of Nectar Production And Standing Crop In Campsis Radicans (Bignoniaceae)., Andrea Alexis Edge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We examined several aspects of nectar production in Campsis radicans to better understand how standing crop is affected and how production affects pollinator visitation. In all experiments, nectar and concentration of flowers were measured and total sugar was calculated. Flowers do not produce additional nectar unless nectar is removed, and it is not resorbed. Volume of standing crop and total sugar fluctuates throughout the day, whereas concentration remains constant. Age and time of day significantly affect regeneration of nectar and sugar. The number of removals did not significantly affect the amount of nectar or sugar regenerated; however, concentration declined significantly …

A Re-Evaluation Of The Pleistocene Hellbender, Cryptobranchus Guildayi, And An Overview Of Cryptobranchus Remains From Appalachian Caves., Keila Elaine Bredehoeft

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cryptobranchus guildayi is described as an extinct species of large salamander that is closely related to the hellbender, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis. The validity of this extinct taxon has been questioned, so an expanded osteological sample of modern hellbenders was used for comparative purposes with the C. guildayi fossil material. Based on this analysis, all supposed distinguishing morphological characteristics used to define C. guildayi can be observed in specimens of C. alleganiensis, or are based on misidentifications. Therefore, Cryptobranchus guildayi is considered to be conspecific with C. alleganiensis and taxonomically should be considered a junior synonym of the latter. The …

Morphisms., Samuel W. Crowe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

I discuss my Master of Fine Arts exhibition, Morphisms, hosted by Slocomb Galleries on the campus of East Tennessee State University March 22 through March 26, 2010. The exhibit includes works created during the artist's three year study at East Tennessee State University.

The exhibition consists of works that address the projection of human qualities on domesticated animals and the projection of animal qualities onto mythological deities. Discussion also includes the process involved in creating the artwork as well as artistic influences in technical concepts.

A Family-Based Association Study Of Conduct Disorder., Xueqiu Jian

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Conduct disorder (CD) is a psychiatric syndrome in childhood and adolescence that is one of the most common childhood disorders with continuously increasing prevalence but uncertain pathogenesis. We performed a genome-wide, family-based association study of CD using P2BAT/FBAT software. The data is gathered from Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) and International Multi-Center ADHD Genetics Project (IMAGE).

Using COGA data, we identified 20 markers which showed suggestive associations (p<10^-3) with CD. Nine of them are located in known genes. Two genes, ADAM10 and CAMK2A, which had been reported associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), bipolar disorder, …

Resistance Training Increases The Expression Of Ampk, Mtor, And Glut4 In Previously Sedentary Subjects And Subjects With The Metabolic Syndrome., Andrew Steven Layne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Exercise has been considered a cornerstone of diabetes prevention and treatment for decades, but the benefits of resistance training are less clear. Nineteen non-diabetic subjects (10 metabolic syndrome, 9 sedentary controls) underwent 8 weeks of supervised resistance training. After training, strength and V̇ O_2max increased by 10% in both groups. Percent body fat decreased in subjects with the metabolic syndrome. Additionally, lean body mass increased in both groups (p<0.05). Expression of glucose transporter protein-4 (GLUT4), the principle insulin-responsive glucose transporter, increased significantly in both groups. 5-adenosine monophosphateactivated protein kinase (AMPK) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) expression increased in both groups, indicating increased protein synthesis and mitochondrial biogenesis. Markers of insulin resistance measured by a euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp did not improve in subjects with the metabolic syndrome but increased significantly in control subjects (13%). Resistance training upregulates intracellular signaling pathways that may be beneficial for ameliorating the metabolic syndrome.

Comparison Of Clinically Projected And Radiographically Optimal Implant Fixture Placement., William Shane Vaughn 1984-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Potential dental implant site assessment is initially determined clinically. Subsequent radiographic assessment also provides information about the quantity of available bone. It was hypothesized that the use of radiographic markers in mandibular stents to project the clinically derived placement of implant fixtures would not correspond to the optimal trajectory of the fixture based on acceptable implant placement criteria applied on Cone Beam Computed Tomography images. A retrospective audit of patients with edentulous mandibles scanned with a surgical guide was completed. A total of 218 potential implant sites in 77 patients were evaluated utilizing an implant planning software package (EZ Guide …

Ribosome Maturation In Yeast Models Of Diamond-Blackfan Anemia And Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome., Joseph Brady Moore 1981-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The inherited bone marrow failure syndromes (IBMFS) encompass a heterogeneous collection of rare disorders characterized by hematological abnormalities, generalized growth delays, and an increased incidence of malignant transformation. These disorders include: Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA), Shwachman-Diamond syndrome (SDS), cartilage-hair hypoplasia (CHH), and dyskeratosis congenita (DC). Despite sharing overarching similarities, each of these disorders manifests distinct clinical phenotypes. Similar to their clinical features, the molecular underpinnings of the IBMFS have characteristics that are both shared and distinctive. Aberrations in ribosome synthesis have been associated with each of the IBMFS providing a common molecular target for pathogenic mutations in disease related genes. In …

The Effect Of Practice With The Beatnik Rhythmic Analyzer On Rhythm Accuracy Of Non-Percussion Undergraduate Music Majors., Aaron Patrick Klausing 1981-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to measure the effectiveness of the Beatnik Rhythmic Analyzer on rhythmic accuracy. Non-percussion music majors ( N =19) were randomly divided to practice with either the Beatnik Rhythmic Analyzer ( n =9) or a metronome ( n =10). Five exercises were administered for one minute each over a three-week period. Pre- posttest scores were analyzed using a Mann-Whitney U to test for differences between the groups. While the mean posttest scores of the treatment group were higher than the control group, results indicated no significant difference between the groups (a=.05). Lastly, two out of …

Context Matters : A Multilevel Analysis Of Patterns Of Mobility To Non-Poor Neighborhoods For Poor Renter Households., Stacy M. Deck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this longitudinal, multilevel study was to develop a better understanding of poor renter households' mobility patterns by identifying the relative importance of individual and contextual variables. Variability in neighborhood poverty rates (NPR) was analyzed for 1564 poor, renter households living in 179 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) across the continental U.S. during the 1990s. Household heads were typically black (73%), middle age (mean=37 years) females (59%) who had 12 or fewer years of education (77%). Each household completed three to nine Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) surveys. Using geocodes, census data were linked with survey data to …

Cardiac Specific Transgenic Inhibition Of Nuclear Factor-Kappab (Nf-Kb) Mitigates Adverse Cardiac Remodeling And Ameliorates Cardiac Dysfunction In Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiomyopathy., Santosh Kumar Sanganalmath 1977-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background The anthracycline doxorubicin (DOX) is widely used as an effective antineoplastic drug. Cardiotoxicity leading to congestive heart failure is the primary factor limiting the clinical use of DOX. However, although a variety of approaches to protect the heart against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity have been attempted; treatment to prevent short and long term DOX-induced cardiac damage remains limited. Currently, there is no specific therapeutic strategy against this severe disease. Cardiac inflammation and myocardial apoptosis is known to contribute to DOX-induced cardiomyopathy. The nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-?B) is a part of the innate immune system and is involved in cardiac stress reactions. Since …

"Upside Down From The Word Go" : Kentucky's Black Farmers Speak Out On The Issue Of Land Loss., Willie Jamaal Wright

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The decline of black farmers and black-owned farmlands is an ever worsening problem. Though their numbers neared one million at the start of the 20th century, the most recent account of black farmers states that there are only 30599 left in America (Census of Agriculture, 2007). The purpose of this study is to understand the experiences and perspectives of black farmers in Kentucky regarding factors that contribute to land loss. Participants in this exploratory study were gathered using convenience and snowball sampling techniques. Each farmer owned land in Central and Eastern Kentucky counties. This study discovered that contrary to popular …

Teaching Efficacy, Innovation, School Culture And Teacher Risk Taking., Margaret Elizabeth Taylor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an exploratory study of teacher risk taking. The risk-taking literature in education and other types of organizations is lacking in studies exploring the concept of healthy risk taking and how that risk taking is related to other concepts such as organizational culture, innovation, and efficacy. The purpose of this study was to explore the concept of teacher risk taking as it relates to teaching efficacy, school culture, and organizational support for innovation. The research design of this study utilized a five-section survey administered to 740 public and private school teachers from 53 schools in 9 Midwestern states. …

Investigation Of High-Frequency Ultrasound Biomicroscopy For Examining Arteriopathy In Hand Transplant Patients., Emily Renee Cox 1987-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The fourth hand transplant recipient in Louisville lost his graft at nine months post transplant from ischemia due to severe graft arteriopathy. Conventional imaging techniques and clinical measurements, including CT angiography and measurements of brachial indices via ultrasound, did not indicate that the patient was in such a severe condition in the days prior to amputation. Histological analysis of tissue from the amputated graft revealed massive intimal hyperplasia, a hallmark of chronic rejection. The purpose of this study was to describe a method to allow non-invasive monitoring of wall thicknesses in the radial, ulnar, palmar arch, and digital arteries of …

Synthesis Of A Directionally-Conductive Polyaniline Hydrogel Composite By Vapor Deposition., Eric W. Reed 1987-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Electroactive polymers (EAPs), including conducting polymers (CPs) such as polyaniline (PAn), and hydrogels are exciting areas of research in disciplines such as biomedical engineering, with the goal of creating low-cost, lightweight, non-toxic artificial muscles with characteristics similar to natural muscle. Such a material could be used to create more natural prosthetic limbs or artificial heart muscle, which could be implanted in the left ventricle to assist patients with congestive heart failure. Currently, however, electroactive polymers are not a viable replacement for natural muscles for a variety of reasons, including insufficient applied force and lack of robustness [1]. Hydrogels suffer from …

Simulation-Based Metrics Analysis Of An Outpatient Center., Elvin Webb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With more and more attention surrounding healthcare, Industrial Engineers have championed the task to help hospitals and outpatient centers operate as efficiently as possible. Simulation is often used to analyze hospital performance measures. The University of Louisville Health Care Outpatient Center is a relatively new building occupying 169,000 ft2 and opened in October of 2008. The clinic is experiencing uneven workloads, over scheduling of Medical Assistants, and highly variable patient waiting times. The Arena Simulation package has been used to develop a model of the outpatient center's current state. Using the data from July 2009 the model has been validated …

Black And White On Black: Whiteness And Masculinity In The Works Of Three Australian Writers - Thomas Keneally, Colin Thiele, And Patrick White., Matthew Israel Byrge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

White depictions of Aborigines in literature have generally been culturally biased. In this study I explore four depictions of Indigenous Australians by white Australian writers. Thomas Keneally's The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (1972) depicts a half-caste Aborigine's attempt to enter white society in a racially-antipathetic world that precipitates his ruin. Children's author Colin Thiele develops friendships between white and Aboriginal children in frightening and dangerous landscapes in both Storm Boy (1963) and Fire in the Stone (1973). Nobel laureate Patrick White sets A Fringe of Leaves (1976) in a world in which Ellen Roxburgh's quest for freedom comes only through …

Analysis Of Candidate Plasticity Genes In Visual Cortex., Paul Joseph Kiser 1969-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goals of this dissertation is to further the understanding of the roles of two genes identified by differential display polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) of cat visual cortex as candidate genes to play a role in visual cortical plasticity. Analysis of normal and dark rearing of cats at five and twenty weeks identified Dab-1, the mammalian homologue of the disabled-1 gene found in drosophila and Munc13-3, the mammalian homologue of the c. elegans "uncoordinated" or unc -13 gene. Dab-1 transcription analysis showed a pattern of high levels during the peak (5 weeks) and low levels at the nadir (20 weeks) …

The Effects Of Betadine®, Polyvinylpyrrolidone (Pvp), And Iodine On Regeneration In The Planarian Dugesia Tigrina., Traci R. Shaffer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The freshwater planarian has a great capacity to regenerate and is an ideal animal model in the study of stem cell and regeneration biology. In this study planarian regenerating new tails were exposed to nonlethal doses of Betadine®, Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and Iodine. Betadine® is a topical antiseptic commonly used in the healthcare setting and may have a detrimental effect on wound healing. PVP is linked to iodine to create povidone-iodine, the active ingredient in Betadine®. Initially, a preliminary test was performed on the worms to determine the nonlethal concentrations of these chemicals . After this nonlethal concentration was determined, tails …

Development Of Eeg Gama Indicies Of Cue Reactivity To Assess Functional Outcomes Of Neurofeedback Training In Substance Use Disorder., Timothy Joseph Horrell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 2006 it was estimated by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA, 2007) that 19.9 million Americans used illicit drugs, computing to roughly 8.0 % of the United States population. In 2007, there were 2.1 million active cocaine users, comprising 0.8 percent of the population. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) estimates that the total expenditure of drug-related complications is greater than 500 billion dollars when healthcare, legal procedures and job loss are considered. Research has shown that prolonged drug use has a profound effect on the EEG recordings of drug addicts when compared to controls …

Innervation, Distribution And Morphology Of Calcitonin Gene Related Peptide And Substancep Immunoreactive Axons In The Whole-Mount Atria Of Fvb Mice, Liang Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Degeneration of nociceptive afferent axons and terminals in the heart is associated with painless sudden cardiac death. However, innervation, distribution and morphological structures of sympathetic cardiac nociceptive afferent axons and terminals have not yet been fully characterized. The aim of the present study is to characterize the density, arrangement, and structural features of differentiated sympathetic afferent axons and terminals in whole-mount FVB mouse atria. FVB mice (3-6 months old) were perfused and the tissues were fixed. The right and left atria were processed with immunohistochemistry. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP) are two neuropeptides which have been widely …

The Contextual Impact Of Income Inequality On Social Capital And Adverse Social Outcomes, Jeannie Schiff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An interdisciplinary approach to policy and governance recognizes that many social welfare problems are interrelated, and policy-makers have long recognized a need to address the root causes of these problems. There is much evidence that income inequality is one of these root causes but research suggesting the effect of income inequality is mediated by social capital has complicated the relationship, as have theories of causality that take different approaches. This study takes an ecological approach to these issues to test the relationship between income inequality, social capital and selected adverse outcomes proposed by the relative income hypothesis. The relative income …

A Floating World: Stories, Karen Best

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A Floating World is a collection of short stories inspired by fairy tales. Often set in worlds where the mundane and the fantastic come together, these stories explore moments of strangeness that slip beyond the bounds of realist fiction. Fantastical events intrude into mundane reality as characters attempt to reconcile the known with the unknowable.

We Will Make Your Head Explode, Jaclyn Sullivan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We Will Make Your Head Explode is a collection of short fiction stories that explore themes of friendship, family, love, lust, jealousy, loyalty, and disappointment. The characters in these stories are utterly human; they are pushed, pulled, and often fall victim to circumstance. A woman grapples between her love of roadside attractions and her boyfriend's grief. A son is forced to decide whether or not to honor his mother's final wishes. A college student is blind to her brother's evolution beyond their family. A woman discovers new possibilities while stalking graveyards to escape the memory of a man who left …

(Un)Natural Bodies, Endangered Species, And Embodied Others In Margaret Atwood's Oryx And Crake, Marcy Galbreath

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The developing knowledge of life sciences is at the crux of Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake as she examines human promise gone awry in a near-future dystopia. This thesis examines aspects of posthumanism, ecocriticism, and feminism in the novel's scientific, cultural, and environmental projections. Through the trope of extinction, Atwood's text foregrounds the effects of human exceptionalism and instrumentalism in relation to the natural world, and engenders an analysis of human identity through its biological and cultural aspects. Extinction thus serves as a metaphor for both human development and human excesses, redefining the idea of human within the context of …

Expression And Characterization Of Antimicrobial Peptides Retrocyclin-101 And Protegrin-1 In Chloroplasts To Control Viral And Bacterial Infections, Baichuan Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Retrocyclin-101 (RC101) and Protegrin-1 (PG1) are two important antimicrobial peptides that can be used as therapeutic agents against bacterial and/or viral infections, especially those caused by the HIV-1 or sexually-transmitted bacteria. Because of their antimicrobial activity and complex secondary structures, they have not yet been produced in microbial systems and their chemical synthesis is prohibitively expensive. Therefore, we created chloroplast transformation vectors with the RC101 or PG1 coding sequence, fused with GFP to confer stability, furin or Factor Xa cleavage site to liberate the mature peptide from their fusion proteins and a His-tag to aid in their purification. Stable integration …