Digital Commons Network^™

Sex And Pottery: Erotic Images On Athenian Cups, 600-300 B.C., Michael Lee Banner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many pages have been written concerning erotic images on Greek vases but few studies have focused on the frequency of erotic images. This is an important concept in determining the significance of the erotic images. Various Athenian cups from the online holdings of the Beazley Archive were investigated, using simple tabulations and Chi-square analysis, for erotic images. Out of 7901 cups only 130 had erotic images. As cups with erotic images represented only a small portion of the sample it was likely that they only appealed to the tastes of a small sub-set of the Athenian population. The context of …

Functional Proteomic Analysis Of The Myocardial Pkcepsilon Subproteome Pkcepsilon-Akt-Enos Signaling Modules And During., Jun Zhang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ischemic heart disease is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in Western societies. Thus, understanding the molecular mechanisms to reduce myocardial ischemia and limit infarction size are of great importance. Ample evidence has shown that protein kinase C epsilon (PKCepsilon) play an essential role in the genesis of cardioprotection. In particular, our laboratory has shown that activation of PKCepsilon in the heart is sufficient to significantly reduce myocardial infarction due to coronary artery occlusion. However, the molecular mechanism responsible for PKCepsilon-induced cardioprotection remain unclear. Recently, functional proteomic analysis have demonstrated that PKCepsilon forms signaling complexes with various of proteins, …

Oxygen Toxicity And Mitochondrial Metabolism., Jian Li 1974-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Oxygen is critical to aerobic metabolism, but hyperoxia is cytostatic and cytocidal. The precise mechanisms involved in hyperoxic cell injury remain incompletely understood although there is substantial support for the possibility that hyperoxia increases the 'leak' of electrons from the mitochondrial electron transport chain and the resulting increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) might explain the toxic effects of high oxygen. To evaluate the possible role of mitochondria in oxygen toxicity, we used cloned HeLa cells having no functional mitochondria (?° cells) as a model. In contrast to wild-type HeLa cells, ?° cells survive and grow in 80% O2 …

Regulation Of Na,K-Atpase Activity By Tyrosine Phosphorylation In Lens Cells., Larry Darko Bozulic 1974-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Na,K-ATPase is essential for the regulation of cytoplasmic Na+ and K+ levels in lens cells. Insufficient Na,K-ATPase activity is associated with cataract formation. Based on earlier studies in which Src-tyrosine kinase inhibitors were found to suppress Na,K-ATPase activity changes that occur in response to either thrombin, endothelin, or dopamine, I hypothesize that regulation of Na,K-ATPase activity might occur through phosphorylation of the Na,K-ATPase a1 (catalytic) subunit by Src-family tyrosine kinases. Here, I tested the influence of Src-kinase family members on tyrosine phosphorylation and Na,K-ATPase activity in membrane material isolated from porcine lens epithelium. Western blot studies indicated the expression of …

The Creation Of A Worldview., Jamie Bryan Price

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This is an analysis of how fin-de-siècle Vienna and its mayor, Karl Lueger, influenced the development of Adolf Hitler’s worldview.

The works of many authors were consulted in conjunction with newspapers and memoirs of the period in order to gain a better understanding of what the environment of the Austrian capital was like in the fin-de-siècle period.

Several of Vienna’s political, social, and artistic facets are analyzed in an attempt to prove that the general atmosphere of the city influenced Adolf Hitler greatly during his formative years. It is concluded that while Adolf Hitler’s Weltanschauung did not completely crystallize until …

Beauty As Currency, Joseph Abide

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This body of work addresses the concept of physical beauty and the attendant value that we as a society place upon it. Beauty shares characteristics with other prized possessions in life. It may be traded for monetary gain, as is the case with professional models. The exchange is not always so obvious. What constitutes beauty is open to many interpretations as to why it is deemed desirable. I have observed physical characteristics which are valued as attractive, change, from one social group to another and within that same society evolve with the passage of time.

Physical beauty differs from other …

Analyzing Rhetoric : A Frame Analysis Of The Pro-Life Movement In The United States., Juanita Raley Shever 1949-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to consider the significance of rhetoric used by pro-life social movement organizations to frame the experience of abortion and to label those women who have participated in that experience. The study explores how frames are devised and how these frames are applied so that reality is organized in such a manner as to appear aligned with the religious, moral, and/or philosophical position of the pro-life movement. The study uses pro-life web pages to obtain data; then, analyzes the data for emerging themes and content. The general tasks of framing such as agenda setting are …

Studies Of The Effects Of Pancreatic Beta Cell Antioxidant Transgenes On Experimental Models Of Diabetes., Hainan Chen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pancreatic beta cells are extremely vulnerable to the destruction of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). In both type 1 and type 2 diabetes ROS are involved in the loss of U+000DF-cells. We hypothesized that the deficiency in ROS detoxifying system of U+000DF-cells resulted in U+000DF-cell vulnerability and enhanced ROS protection would protect from diabetes. To test this hypothesis, transgenic mice with overexpression of U+000DF-cell antioxidant protein metallothionein (MT), manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) and catalase were produced on an FVB background. Initial studies demonstrated that these transgenes did not affect U+000DF-cell normal function and morphology. But those transgenes significantly protected pancreatic islets …

John Fox Jr.'S Commentary On The Roles Of Women In The Progressive Era., Heather Mac Sykes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

John Fox, Jr. provides commentary on the changing roles of Progressive Era women in The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come, “A Cumberland Vendetta,” and “The Pardon of Becky Day.” Fox’s portrayals provide evidence that although he recognized the changes in his society with women spearheading reform, he did not entirely approve of these changes or of women taking an aggressive role in advocating change.

This thesis provides textual examples and analysis demonstrating Fox’s beliefs. Chapter two focuses on the stories of “The Pardon of Becky Day” and “A Cumberland Vendetta.” Chapter three analyzes The …

Marking Time: A Figurative Humanist Approach To Drawing., Donna Michele Wilt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This document is a supportive paper for the M.F.A. Graduate Exhibition "Marking Time" held at the B. Carroll Reece Museum, East Tennessee State University, in fulfillment of the Master of Fine Arts degree. Within this paper, I discuss the subjective nature of my drawings and claim my role as a figurative humanist. Through drawing, I explore the emotive qualities of my own form. Rather than depicting actual spaces, I place myself in psychological spaces that reflect specific moods. Chiaroscuro creates an altered reality where visual tension is implicated through the physicality of my movements.

This paper also briefly discusses the …

The Potential For Carbon Sequestration In Soils On Lignite Coal Minelands In East Texas, Cynthia Blake

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Global warming is becoming an ever-important topic in the world today. In 1998, it was estimated that 40.5 % of U.S. anthropogenic CO2 emissions was attributed to the combustion of fossil fuels during the generation of electricity (U.S. Department of Energy 2000a). In an attempt to mitigate emissions, electric utility companies have become interested in the potential of forests to sequester large amounts of carbon in their above- and below-ground biomass as well as in the soils. It has been estimated that if the world's deforested lands were reforested and properly managed, they could have the potential to sequester five …

Synthesis Of Chiral Surfactants For Enantioselective Organic Synthesis., Kalyan Mondal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The first step of the synthesis of the hydrocarbon-based chiral surfactant (2) involved the methylation of (S)-leucinol to give (2S)-N-hexadecyl-N,N-dimethyl-(1-hydroxy-4-methyl-1-pentyl)-2-ammonium bromide (2.92g, 67%). The chiral surfactant was synthesized by reacting (2S)-N,N-dimethyl-2-amino-4-methyl-1-pentanol (1) with bromohexadecane (2.06g, 71%). The functionalized styrene for the polymer supported chiral catalyst (6) was synthesized by reacting (1) with 4-vinylbenzyl chloride. The polymerization was carried out with 10% of the functionalized monomer (5) (1.26g, 70.2%), 5% cross-linking agent divinylbenzene, and 85% of styrene with AIBN as the initiator. The structure of each of the products was confirmed by using FTIR and NMR spectroscopy. The activity of the …

Oleoresin Capsicum: An Analysis Of The Implementation Of Pepper Spray Into The Law Enforcement Use Of Force Continuum In A Selected Police Department., Lydia Denise Adkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on the use of oleoresin capsicum (OC) as a means of force and also tested the effectiveness of OC.

A medium-size police agency was studied from 1991-2001. The following reports were collected for analysis: excessive force reports, reports of officers injured during arrests, use of hands-on restraint, and use of police baton.

This study revealed an increase in reported incidents of excessive force and a reduction in the number of officers injuired making arrests while using various defensive techniques.

Implementing OC into the force continuum remains a solid decision in review of this research. This study has …

Gender, Spatial Learning Trials, And Object Recall., Tifani R. Hite

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous researchers have reported women doing better than men in object recall. The current study tested for gender differences in object recall over three memorization trials using gender neutral stimuli. Fifty men and 53 women viewed pictures of 60 objects (15 in each of four quadrants) for one minute, and then had three minutes to recall as many objects and locations as they could. This procedure was followed over three trials. Women performed better than men, and the difference increased across trials. Training was successful as participants recalled significantly more objects and locations on trial 3 than on trial 1. …

The Story Is Everything: The Path To Renewal In Leslie Marmon Silko's Ceremony., Tracy Y. Kilgore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This is a study of Leslie Marmon Silko's Ceremony analyzing the process of renewal and the use of stories as guides.

Silko's work deals with problems faced by all who experience the death and destruction of war, a problem complicated by a Native American heritage. Tayo's struggle to complete his ceremony and find renewal is intertwined with his interaction with the medicine man Betonie and the mysterious woman Ts'eh. By the end of the novel, Silko shows that only through a respect for the world can mankind achieve completeness and harmony.

One Bug, Two Drugs : A Mathematical Model Of Resistance Dynamics In The Icu., Susan L. Calcote White 1971-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Antibiotic resistance is a problem causing growing concern in the medical community, leading some to speculate that a return to the preantibiotic era is imminent. The problem of antibiotic resistance is particularly significant in the intensive care unit (ICU), due to the weakened immune responses of the patients and quantity of antibiotics administered. One theory proposes that the policy of cycling, or rotating, the antibiotics used in the ICU may minimize the development of resistance. Few clinical trials investigating the effects of cycling have been conducted, and many questions concerning the impact of cycling policies are unanswered at this point. …

Nutrient Stoichiometry In Algal Responses To Multiple Stressors In Experimental Agricultural Wetlands, William Robert White

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was part of an EPA-funded experimental investigation of multiple stressor effects on agricultural wetlands. A 27-1 center point enhanced fractional factorial design was applied to 72 wetland mesocosms to examine 7 main effects and 21 two-way interaction effects (Montgomery 1997). Treatments included the agrichemicals monosodium methane arsenate (MSMA), chlorpyrifos and atrazine, inorganic nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and silicon), the fathead minnow, suspended sediments (kaolinite), and UV radiation. Dissolved, suspended (sestonic), and periphyton C, N, and P, along with C:P, C:N, and N:P in each fraction were measured 2, 12, 24 and 48 days after treatments were added to the …

Cherokee Indian Removal: The Treaty Of New Echota And General Winfield Scott., Ovid Andrew Mcmillion

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Treaty of New Echota was signed by a small group of Cherokee Indians and provided for the removal of the Cherokees from their lands in the southeastern United States. This treaty was secured by dishonest means and, despite the efforts of Chief John Ross to prevent the removal of the Cherokees from their homeland to west of the Mississippi River, the terms of the treaty were executed. In May of 1838, under the command of General Winfield Scott, the removal of the Cherokees commenced. Scott encountered many difficulties including inefficient commissioners and superintendents, drought, disease, and the wavering policy …

Faculty Adoption Of Computer Technology For Instruction In The North Carolina Community College System., Karen Hill Less

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Computer technology has become an integral part of instruction at the elementary, secondary, and postsecondary levels. Some instructors have enthusiastically adopted technological innovations in their classrooms, often expending their own funds for hardware and software, while others have resisted the trend, citing a myriad of reasons for not including computer technology. Significant research on the adoption of innovations has been undertaken by Everett M. Rogers, who identified individuals on a continuum from Innovator to Laggard. Rogers’ research was used as a basis to classify full-time faculty teaching in degree programs in the North Carolina Community College System and to compare …

History And Ambiguity: Graham Greene's The Third Man And The Quiet American In Print And On Screen., Valentina Reshetova

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this master’s thesis, I shall examine Graham Greene’s place in criticism of the British novel by focusing on The Third Man and The Quiet American. In terms of theoretical approach, I shall focus on a close, critical reading of the texts employing elements of cultural, historical, psychological, and genre criticism. With the films, I shall focus on lighting and shot formation along with the abilities of the directors and actors. These works have not been studied jointly before as literature or as film or as a combination thereof. Nevertheless, such study proves worthwhile. My thesis is also the …

Host Defense Mechanisms In The Crayfish: The Effect Of Injection With Live Or Killed Bacteria., Kimberly R. Goins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An increase in attachment of SRBCs to Procambarus clarkii hemocytes has been shown after the crayfish were injected with a live or killed Pseudomonas strain RS2b. The increase in attachment occurred at 8 hours post injection and peaked at 24 hours for both experimental groups. The population of hemocytes with receptors for LPS and mannose also increased at 8 hours post injection and peaked at 24 hours for both experimental groups. At 96 hours post injection the number of receptor bearing hemocytes and hemocytes bound to SRBCs began to decrease to the level of the control for both groups. The …

Characterization Of Sympathetic Ganglion Sensitivity To Substance P In A Genetic And A Non-Genetic Rat Model Of Hypertension., John Daniel Tompkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Intravenous injection of substance P (SP) stimulates sympathetic ganglia to evoke a greater increase in renal sympathetic nerve activity, heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive than normotensive rats due to upregulation of the NK₁ receptor. These experiments were designed to determine the cellular basis for the enhanced ganglionic responsiveness to NK₁ agonists in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) in comparison to their normotensive counterparts, Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). Studies were also conducted to determine whether the increased ganglion responsiveness to SP in SHR is causally related to the increased BP or is a unique characteristic of this …

Parameter Estimation For A Modified Cable Model Using A Green's Function And Eigenvalue Perturbation., Scott Lewis La Voie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis we developed the Green's Function for a tapered equivalent cylinder model of dendritic electrical propagation. We then use the Green's Function to develop a Carleman linear embedding scheme which is used to estimate the effects of a nonlinear ion channel hot-spot on the tapered cylinder solution. Mathematica^© was used to implement the Carleman embedding scheme.

The Curricular Practices Of Early Childhood Teachers Working In Public Sschool Primary Grades., Elizabeth Ely Brading

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Little is known about the curricular practices or thinking of early childhood teachers attempting to use developmentally appropriate practices in public school primary grades. The purpose of this study was to investigate four primary grade teachers' thoughts and classroom practices, through observation, interviews, and classroom schedules. Data were analyzed following the procedures for open, axial, and selective coding as explained by Strauss (1987). All four teachers exhibited common elements: educational beliefs consistent with those of the National Association for the Education of Young Children; frustration with their school's curriculum; and the combination of a rich pattern of guidance strategies in …

An Attempt At Balance: Staging Guare’S The House Of Blue Leaves, Richard Albert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper is an account of the fully realized production of John Guare’s The House of Blue Leaves, presented at the University of Mississippi, November 19, 20, 21, and 22, in the Studio Theater of Bryant Hall.

The first chapter offers a brief history on the play, including some reviews of both the original production and the revival. The second and third chapters offer an analysis of the play and a journal of the production, respectively. The forth and final chapter gives an evaluation of the work done.

A Lighting Design Process For Twelfth Night, Erin Alberts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The profession of theatrical lighting design is a relatively young one. For many years the responsibility of lighting the stage fell on the shoulders of directors or technicians. In this ever-changing world, lighting, like so many other jobs, has grown not just with technology but with the functions lighting executes. Requirements of lighting now include: special effects, revealing as well as hiding, and texture of the stage. The need for illumination of the stage is a given; the people and things on stage must be seen. It is the artistry and technology that now goes along with this field that …

Tina Modotti And "Idols Behind Altars"., Andrea Jeanne Deetsch 1976-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an examination of the transformation Tina Modotti's photography underwent because of the "Idols Behind Altars" project which she completed on an expedition with Edward Weston in 1926. The thesis begins with an introduction to Modotti's photography from 1923-1926, pre-expedition, exploring the conditions of the "Idols Behind Altars" trip, the issue of attribution of the "Idols Behind Altars" images, and Modotti's development of "indigenismo" as a life philosophy. The thesis uses art historical analysis based on research directed at a comparison of images to argue that the trip was the catalyst for Modotti's photographic transformation in late 1926. …

Some People Call Them Dolls: Capturing The Iconic Power Of The Female Form In Non-Ferrous Metals., Alison Greer Pack

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The artist discusses her Master of Fine Arts exhibition at East Tennessee State University, Slocumb Galleries, Johnson City, Tennessee, October 28-November 8, 2002. Her exhibition was a personal narrative of her southern upbringing in small town Appalachia as well as a reflection of her inner thoughts and feelings towards feminism, adolescence, sexuality and Barbie. She chose to reference the female form, void of an actual body, implied through clothing. Works are figurative and sculptural and are constructed of copper, sterling and fine silver. They are sculptural hollow vessels, raised, formed, and colored with gesso and prismacolor pencils.

Topics discussed: the …

Fire, Soil, Native Species And Control Of Phalaris Arundinacea In A Wetland Recovery Project., Richard Douglas Foster

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Southern Appalachian Phalaris arundinacea control was investigated by: 1) correlating cover and species richness with soil characteristics across transects; 2) burning and herbicide use to determine conditions facilitating native plant establishment; and 3) hemi-parasitic Pedicularis lanceolata tested as a biological control.

Phalaris cover was correlated with subsoil consolidation; areas without Phalaris had consolidated subsoil while Phalaris at >50% cover established on loose soil. Phalaris cover inhibited species richness (r²=0.78). No soil characteristic predicted species richness.

Herbicide reduced Phalaris cover and aerial biomass by 23% and 63% respectively, compared to controls. Burning was ineffective. Two summers after herbicide Phalaris …

Protection Of Pifithrin-Α And Melatonin Against Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity., Xuwan Liu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current studies were designed to explore the protective effects of pifithrin-α and melatonin against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Doxorubicin was injected at a dose of 22.5 mg/kg (i.p.) in mice to induce cardiotoxic effects. Meanwhile, doxorubicin caused a significant increase of cardiac cell apoptosis following injection (14.2 ± 1.1% for doxorubicin-5 d vs. 1.8 ± 0.12% for control, P < 0.01). Ribonuclease protection assays and Western blot analyses revealed that doxorubicin upregulated the p53-dependent genes Bax, BclxL, and MDM2 at least 2-fold. p53 was phosphorylated at Ser 15 in mouse hearts 1 h following doxorubicin injection, and p38 and ERK1/2 MAPKs mediated the phosphorylation of p53. In addition, caspases-3 and -9 were activated 24 h after doxorubicin injection. A p53 inhibitor, pifithrin-α, inhibited doxorubicin-induced apoptosis when administered at a dose of 2.2 mg/kg. Pifithrin-α abolished p53 transactivation activity, but did not influence doxorubicin-induced phosphorylation at Ser 15. By effectively inhibiting the expression of p53-dependent genes, pifithrin-α blocked doxorubicin-induced activation of caspases-3 and -9, thereby preventing cardiac apoptosis. In addition, pifithrin-α attenuated doxorubicin-induced structural and functional damages, without diminishing its anti-tumor efficacy on p53-null PC-3 cancer cells. The protective effects of melatonin and its metabolite 6-hydroxymelatonin on doxorubicin-induced cardiac dysfunction were evaluated in an isolated perfused mouse hearts and in vivo doxorubicin-treated mice. While perfusion of mouse hearts with 5 μM doxorubicin for 60 min resulted in a 50% suppression of HRxLVDP and a 50% reduction of coronary flow, pre-exposure of hearts to 1 μM melatonin or 6-hydroxymelatonin eased the cardiac …