Digital Commons Network^™

Dynamic Force, Motion, And Life In Digital Design., James Michael Livingston

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this paper is to explore specific works that I have created as it relates to digital art and design. My works include abstract, organic objects that exist within surrealistic environments. First, I explain the dynamics of the imagery that has emerged from my career in broadcast television, my coursework in the Department of Art and Design at East Tennessee State University, and the works of fantasy, surreal, and abstract artists. In conclusion, the images discussed impose an idea of abstraction and surrealism with a sense of force, motion, life, and dynamic action.

The Development Of Apophatic Theology From The Pre-Socratics To The Early Christian Fathers., Kevin Teed Millsaps

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is apparent that what is characterized as Christian Apophatic Theology has been poorly related to its antecedents existing in Greco-Roman philosophy. This study proposed the following research hypothesis: Greco-Roman philosophy exerted a structural and terminological influence upon Christian apophatic theology.

To prove or disprove this hypothesis, apophatic terminology and textual structures in Greco-Roman philosophical texts were compared to classic Christian apophatic texts, primarily from the Apostolic and Cappadocian Fathers. Throughout this process, Michael Sells' clasic definition of apophatic language, consisting of the apearance of the metaphor of emanation, dis-ontological language, and dialectical language of immanence and transcendence, was used …

The History Of The Development Of The Department Of Technology At East Tennessee State University (1911-2002)., Vincent Edward Banks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to produce a written account of the history of the development of the Department of Technology at East Tennessee State University, from 1911 to 2002. Information about the department's history was gathered from various sources and was then organized into a manuscript format. Throughout the document, emphasis remained on four main topic areas; significant name changes, academic/curriculum modifications, faculty changes, and other notable changes/events. This research was unique since in the department's ninety-plus years of existence, no consolidated, written account of its history had ever been created.

Fluctuating Asymmetry And Its Relationship To Established Indicators Of Environmental Stress., Matthew Stephen Shotwell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) is commonly thought to be a predictor of environmental stress. However, the relationship between FA and established indicators for environmental stress has received little attention. In this study, 10-38 specimens of the freshwater fish Rhinichthys atratulus were collected from 15 natural populations under varying amounts of environmental stress. Asymmetry measurements in three bilateral characters of the specimens were used to investigate the relationship between FA and established indicators of environmental stress. Significant differences in the magnitude of FA were observed between sampling locations. However, the relationship between estimates of FA and established indicators produced varying results. The …

"Don't Believe The Hype": The Construction And Export Of African American Images In Hip-Hop Culture., John Ike Sewell Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines recurring motifs and personas in hip-hop.

Interviews with influential hip-hop scholars, writers and music industry personnel were conducted and analyzed using qualitative methods. Interview subjects were selected based on their insider knowledge as music critics, hip-hop scholars, ethnomusicologists, publicists, and music industry positions.

The vast majority of constructed imagery in hip-hop is based on a single persona, the gangsta. This qualitative analysis reveals why gangsta personas and motifs have become the de facto imagery of hip-hop. Gangsta imagery is repeatedly presented because it sells, it is the most readily-available role, and because of music industry pressures.

This …

Ukiyo., Robert Ritchie 1981-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This creative thesis follows the opening story arc to a larger fiction project in the genre of high fantasy fiction. Structurally and stylistically, by incorporating contemporary contributions to the genre from Japanese popular culture, this story immerses itself in American-Japanese syncretism. This work confronts two central challenges: first, as an American writer, to faithfully integrate conventions originating from a Japanese cultural context; second, to find written analogues for conventions currently anchored to the visual mediums of anime, manga and video games. What post-war Japan has made of the high fantasy genre increasingly saturates American pop culture. It remains to be …

Using The Theory Of Reasoned Action To Examine The Gambling Behaviors Of College Athletes And Other Students., Robert Gene Thrasher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Legal and illegal gambling opportunities are readily available to students on college campuses and surrounding areas (Saum, 1999). College students are at an age that is highly impressionable, experimental, and prime to taking risks while ignoring the potential consequences (Oster, 1992). Because of their desire for competition, college student athletes may be highly susceptible to the lure of gambling. While the rates of pathological gambling are high for college students, the rates for the subpopulation of college student athletes are posited to be even higher (Rockey, Beason, Lee, Stewart, & Gilbert, 1997). The general purpose of the current study was …

Text Mining Comorbidity Codes In The Analysis Of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Data., Jennifer Ferrell 1982-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this paper is to examine the process of text mining and using the results to show the possible benefits of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation. The 555 patients enrolled in the study were receiving inpatient cardiopulmonary rehabilitation. Each patient had comorbidity codes associated with them. These codes are secondary diagnoses to the cardiac or pulmonary event that resulted in their hospitalization. The patients had secondary conditions ranging in number from 1 to 10. The patients were assessed at admission and discharge for functional independence. Since there are numerous comorbidity codes for each patient, it would be difficult to analyze each …

Mechanistic Studies Of Guanine-Rich Oligonucleotides., Allicia C. Girvan 1978-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Guanine-rich oligonucleotides (GROs) are being developed as a novel anticancer agents. GROs exhibit potent antiproliferative properties against several malignant cell lines and in established in vivo tumor models. In a recent Phase I clinical trial for patients with advanced cancer, one of these GROs was found to have promising signs of clinical activity with no serious side effects. It has been shown that the activity of GROs requires the formation of a G-quartet structure, and their activity correlates with its ability to bind to a specific complex of proteins. One important GRO-binding protein that has been previously identified is nucleolin, …

Mechanism Of 4-Hydroxynonenal Induced Toxicity In Jurkat Cd4+ T Lymphocytes., Wei Yuan Chang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Oxidative stress-induced immunosuppression could be due to a decrease in CD4 + T lymphocyte activation or proliferation. 4-Hydroxynonenal (HNE), an end product of lipid peroxidation, and its protein adducts act as markers of oxidative stress. In this study, the effects of HNE on a human CD4 + Jurkat T cells were examined. Systematic determinations of the effects of HNE on cytotoxicity, Akt and protein phosphatase 2A(PP2A) activation, Fas/FasL-mediated apoptotic signaling, methionine adenosyltransferase (MAT) II activity, MAT 2A and c-Myb expression and cellular glutathione (GSH) and S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) levels were performed. The results showed that HNE induced cytotoxicity, downregulated Akt and …

Approximate Dynamic Programming For Anemia Management., Mehmet K. Muezzinoglu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this dissertation work is the formulation and improvement of anemia management process involving trial-and-error. A two-stage method is adopted toward this objective. Given a medical treatment process, a discrete Markov representation is first derived as a formal translation of the treatment process to a control problem under uncertainty. A simulative numerical solution of the control problem is then obtained on-the-fly in the form of a control law maximizing the long-term benefit at each decision stage. Approximate dynamic programming methods are employed in the proposed solution. The motivation underlying this choice is that, in reality, some patient characteristics, …

Molecular Pathogenesis Of Legionella Longbeachae., Rexford Asare 1972-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The ability of L. pneumophila to cause disease depends on its replication in alveolar macrophages. Infectivity and the expression of various virulence traits is triggered at post exponential growth phase. We show that unlike quiescent macrophages, L. longbeachae does not replicate in IFN-ã activated macrophages and its intracellular replication is independent of the growth phase of the inocula. L. pneumophila replicates in a phagosome that excludes early and late endocytic markers, and is surrounded by the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER). In contrast, the L. longbeachae phagosome colocalizes with early endosomal marker EEA1, late endosomal markers LAMP-2 and M6PR, and ER …

Analysis Of Landfills C-746-S And C-746-T At The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant., Paul Jacob Cooper 1981-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Contamination can be very difficult to remove from water. Once this water seeps into the ground, the difficulty grows exponentially. The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, located in Paducah, Kentucky, has contaminated the groundwater. The contaminants that pose an environmental threat are Trichloroethylene and Technetium-99. Trichloroethylene is used as a degreasing solvent, while Technetium-99 is a by-product of enriching uranium. This study involves investigating potential sources of Trichloroethylene and Technetium-99. The potential sources are two landfills, the C-746-S landfill and the C-746-T landfill. Data from monitoring wells located around the two landfills were analyzed to determine if the two landfills are …

Initial In Vitro And In Vivo Characterization Of A Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Assist System., Jeffrey Michael Colyer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Historically in the area of pediatric heart failure, few options have been available that are specifically designed to provide pediatric circulatory support. Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) was the traditional method of choice, providing cardiopulmonary support (CPS) for a relatively short time of 3-7 days. The pediatric cardiopulmonary assist system (pCAS) examined in this paper is designed to be able to provide left ventricular assist (LVA), right ventricular assist (RVA), or cardiopulmonary assist to a pediatric patient for a period of 30 days, with the option of device replacement if needed. A specially designed controller allows for both continuous and pulsatile …

Bloodlines, Pamela Toner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

"Bloodlines" is a collection of personal essays that focus on the process of remembering, imagining, and reflecting on the past through the lens of a perpetually shifting present. They consider situations ranging from mental and physical illnesses, from cancer to alcohol addiction, to career changes, to the often dysfunctional and displaced family ties that distance and adulthood have not severed. In "Searching," I write the narrative of the ongoing search for my birthmother, and how the search complicates the relationship with my adoptive mother, who always feared she’d lose me. Similarly, "Of Flesh and Blood" recounts and negotiates how hereditary …

Characterization And Evaluation Of The Immunogenizity Of Chloroplast-Derived 19-Kilodalton C-Terminal Merozoite Surface Antigen 1 (Msp1) Of Plasmodium Yoelii Yoelii, Sushamadevi Kamarajugadda

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Malaria is a protozoan disease caused in humans by four different species of the genus Plasmodium (P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, P. malarie) and in rodents by Plasmodium yoelii yoelii. It has been reported that 1.5 to 3 million deaths occur worldwide due to malaria and the DALY (Daily affected life years) reports about 0.76% of world population affected by the disease in some of the major countries like Africa, Asia, Latin America etc., Due to the development of resistance to drugs by the parasite, there is an urgent need and prime importance for the development of an effective …

Expression Of Heterologous Proteins In Transgenic Tobacco Chloroplasts To Produce A Biopharmaceutical And Biopolymer, Andrew Leon Devine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The chloroplast has been demonstrated to be an ideal compartment to accumulate certain proteins or their biosynthetic products that would be harmful if they were accumulated in the cytoplasm. Hyper-expression of foreign proteins in chloroplast transgenics has accumulated up to 46% total soluble protein, this is possible due to the ~100 chloroplast genomes per chloroplast and ~100 chloroplasts per cell which can therefore, contain up to 10,000 copies of the transgene. Maternal gene inheritance of plastids in most crop plants results in natural gene containment. Chloroplast transformation also eliminates positional effects that are frequently observed with nuclear transformation and no …

Limnological And Landscape Factors Affecting Use Of Manufactured Ponds By The Invasive Cuban Treefrog (Osteopilus Septentrionalis), Terina Nusinov

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Exotic amphibians are often detrimental to native biotas. In Florida, the exotic Cuban Treefrog (Osteopilus septentrionalis) eats native frogs and may outcompete them for resources. Cuban Treefrogs thrive in disturbed areas and around buildings, and often breed in manufactured wetlands such as retention ponds and borrow pits. This study identified limnological, landscape, and biotic characteristics that discouraged pond use by Cuban Treefrogs and promoted use by native amphibian species. I sampled natural and manufactured ponds in Orange County, Florida, for one year, using standard methods to estimate the species richness and relative abundance of amphibians and their potential fish and …

Is The Exotic Brazilian Pepper, Schinus Terebinthifolius, A Threat To Mangrove Ecosystems In Florida?, Melinda Donnelly

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mangrove ecosystems are critical to Florida, providing economic resources to humans, and untold ecological resources to estuarine organisms. In Florida's estuaries, mangrove ecosystems have suffered significant losses due to natural and human disturbances; these disturbances potentially leave mangrove communities vulnerable to invasion by the opportunistic exotic, Schinus terebinthifolius (Brazilian pepper). Prior experiments have suggested that Schinus terebinthifolius is unable to survive under marine conditions and poses no long term threat to mangrove systems. However, this contradicts field observations where Schinus terebinthifolius was found growing in the intertidal zone of Mosquito Lagoon alongside three native species of mangroves, Rhizophora mangle, Avicennia …

Predicting Risks Of Invasion Of Caulerpa Species In Florida, Christian Glardon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Invasions of exotic species are one of the primary causes of biodiversity loss on our planet (National Research Council 1995). In the marine environment, all habitat types including estuaries, coral reefs, mud flats, and rocky intertidal shorelines have been impacted (e.g. Bertness et al. 2001). Recently, the topic of invasive species has caught the public's attention. In particular, there is worldwide concern about the aquarium strain of the green alga Caulerpa taxifolia (Vahl) C. Agardh that was introduced to the Mediterranean Sea in 1984 from the Monaco Oceanographic Museum. Since that time, it has flourished in thousands of hectares of …

Ancient Maya Afterlife Iconography: Traveling Between Worlds, Mosley Dianna Wilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The ancient Maya afterlife is a rich and voluminous topic. Unfortunately, much of the material currently utilized for interpretations about the ancient Maya comes from publications written after contact by the Spanish or from artifacts with no context, likely looted items. Both sources of information can be problematic and can skew interpretations. Cosmological tales documented after the Spanish invasion show evidence of the religious conversion that was underway. Noncontextual artifacts are often altered in order to make them more marketable. An example of an iconographic theme that is incorporated into the surviving media of the ancient Maya, but that is …

Predation On The Eastern Oyster Crassostrea Virginica On Intertidal Reefs Affected By Recreational Boating, Jennifer Stiner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Widely regarded as a keystone species and ecosystem engineer, the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica plays a vital role in estuarine environments. Complex, three-dimensional oyster reefs act as havens for biodiversity and contribute to ecological processes. Recently, concern for this resource has arisen in Mosquito Lagoon, Florida, the southernmost limit along the Atlantic coast for undisturbed, intertidal reefs of C. virginica. Since the 1990s, intense recreational boating activity has caused atypical dead margins (mounds of disarticulated shells) to emerge on the seaward edges of oyster reefs located along major navigational channels. Once dead margins are formed, little is known about their …

Reproductive Delay In The Female Cape Ground Squirrel (Xerus Inauris), Beth Pettitt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Cape ground squirrel, Xerus inauris, is a highly social cooperative breeder that forms groups containing multiple breeding females. While the distribution of reproduction among group members is fairly even (i.e. exhibits low reproductive skew), previous studies of Cape ground squirrels suggest the reproductive development of sub-adult females is inhibited by the presence of adult breeding female group mates. As reproductive delay is known to be influenced by a number of different parameters, my goal was to determine if other factors affected the timing of sexual maturity, and if so, which factors are the most influential. In this study, I …

Expression And Characterization Of Mycobacterium Paratuberculosis 19kda With Posttranslational Modification, Mitra Safavi-Khasraghi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite the fact that E. coli supports limited posttranslational modification, this bacterium has been universally used as the expression system of choice. Expression of modified proteins in E. coli may lead to expression of recombinant proteins that lack essential immunomodulatory or catalytic components essentials for infectious processes. Previously in our laboratory, pMptb#28 plasmid containing a 4.8 kb insert from M. paratuberculosis has been identified which expressed 16 kDa recombinant protein in E. coli and 19 kDa recombinant protein in Mycobacterium smegmatis. The objective of this study is to identify the ORF sequence, investigate possible posttranslational modification and characterize the protein …

Monitoring A Potentially Stressful Situation In Captive Western Lowland Gorillas (Gorilla Gorilla Gorilla) Through Analysis Of Behavior And Urinary Cortisol, Douglas Skurski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The concept of quantifying animal welfare has received much discussion, in various industries such as agriculture, laboratory, and zoological facilities. Behavioral, physical, and physiological indicators of welfare have previously been used to assess animal welfare; each having advantages and disadvantages, ranging from the practicality of data collection, to the validity of the data and how it is interpreted. Concurrent assessment of multiple measures is a more robust way to examine animal welfare, which utilizes the advantages of each measure, and provides additional information on which to base conclusions and animal care management decisions. This study used measures of behavior and …

Bioinformatic Analysis Of Solanaceae Chloroplast Genomes And Characterization Of An Arabidopsis Protein Disulfide Isomerase In Transgenic Tobacco Chloroplasts, Justin James Grevich

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Throughout history, traditional plant breeding has been used to provide resistance to pests, disease and other forms of environmental stress, as well as to increase yield and improve upon quality and processing attributes. Over the last decade, the advancement in sequencing technology and bioinformatic analysis has unleashed a wealth of knowledge about chloroplast genetic organization and evolution. The lack of complete plastid genome sequences is one of the major limitations in advancing plastid genetic engineering to other useful crops. This is due to the fact that plastid genome sequences are essential for the identification of endogenous regulatory sequences and optimal …

Studies On The Novel Function Of Amyloid Precursor Protein In Glial Differentiation Of Neural Stem Cells, Young-Don Kwak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although amyloid β (Aβ) deposition has been a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the physiological function of amyloid precursor protein (APP) is not clear. Our results suggested that high concentration of APP induces glial differentiation while physiological level of APP promotes migration and differentiation of neural stem cell (HNSC). HNSCs were mainly differentiated into astrocytes when they are transplanted into APP transgenic mouse brain or treated with a high concentration of secreted-type APP (sAPP) in culture. Staurosporine (STS) induced a distinctive astrocytic morphology in NT-2/D1 neural progenitor cells with expressions of APP and astrocyte-specific markers, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), …

Surviving Reality: Survivor & Parasocial Interaction, Pedro Davila-Rosado

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Parasocial interaction is the name that Horton & Wohl coined to describe a viewer's attachmentent toward onscreen persona that they had never physically interacted with (1956). A. Rubin, Perse, & Powell (1985) continued the research and created the Parasocial Interaction Scale. The scale has become the standard in gauging parasocial interaction in various forms of media from soap operas to newscasts. The purpose of this study was top examine parasocial interaction and see if the concept could be applied to the current television trend of reality television. Simultaneously, the study also examined parasocial interaction and its possible connections to loneliness, …

A Social Cognitive Approach Towards Understanding The Effects Of Popular Poker Television Shows On College Students, Marc Londo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tournament poker shows have become a leading ratings draw on American television. Since ESPN and the Travel Channel began airing their innovative poker shows in 2003, the game has reached a new following, particularly among college students. There are unique and psychologically significant factors that characterize the college population that make students particularly receptive to popular characterizations in media. This study investigates the potential exacerbating effect that these widely popular poker television shows have on the gambling behavior of college students. 444 college students completed a survey designed to assess gratifications sought through media along with measures of attitudes, gambling …

Quo Vadis: An Integrated Direction For Catholic Media Technology Engagement, Eugene M. Gan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the years, the Catholic Church has explored issues of media technology and how it relates to education. At the same time, a number of profound, modern Catholic thinkers have wrestled with the nature of media technology and how it affects the human condition. These two threads have been independent of each other. An effective conceptual understanding of the role and meaning of media technology in Catholic education requires us to weave these two threads together to craft an integrated and coherent synthesis. The question I raise is: in a culture that promulgates the digital lifestyle as the standard and …