Digital Commons Network^™

Trends In Sophomore Students' Perceptions Of Academic Advising Services At East Tennessee State University., E. Renθe Chaffin Couch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine sophomore students' perceptions of academic advising at ETSU as reported in fall 2002 and trends in sophomore students' perceptions of academic advising at ETSU from 1994 to 2002. Four research questions and seven hypotheses were examined.

The ACT Survey of Academic Advising was the instrument used in this study. This survey was administered to ETSU sophomores enrolled in 2000-level English literature classes during the fall semesters of 1994, 1998, and 2002. Data obtained from the survey regarding topics of discussion with advisors, satisfaction with assistance received, and impressions of advisors were analyzed …

Freedom Now!: Four Hard Bop And Avant-Garde Jazz Musicians' Musical Commentary On The Civil Rights Movement, 1958-1964., Lucas Aaron Henry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this study, I examined musical recordings from the jazz idiom that relate to events or ideas involved in the Civil Rights Movement during the mid-1950s through the mid-1960s. The study focused on the four following musicians' recordings: Charles Mingus, Fables of Faubus; Sonny Rollins, The Freedom Suite; Ornette Coleman, Free Jazz; and John Coltrane, A Love Supreme. The study relies primarily on the aforementioned recordings, critics analysis of those recordings, and events that took place during the Civil Right Movement.

The study concludes that these recordings are not only commentary about ideas and events but …

The Meaning Of The Moment: A Collection Of Short Stories., Jonathan David Benton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis consists of three short stories in very different genres but tied together by a intensely personal look at the lives of its protagonists culminating in epiphanies. One of these epiphanies is intended solely for the reader, but in two cases, the reader and character gains the insight. “The Tears of Angels” looks at the effect one person in a moment, even a stranger, can have on the protagonist’s life. “Climbing Heaven and Gazing on Earth” focuses on the haunting power of history and the need we as humans can feel to share a story, to make sense of …

Genome-Wide Analysis Of Gene Expression Changes In Drosophila Melanogaster With Variable Sensitivity To Mptp, Xinyu Chen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) treated mice and monkeys have been widely used as models for the study of Parkinson’s Disease (PD). The similarities between the toxic action of MPTP in PD animal models and the occurrence of dopamine (DA) neuron degeneration in human mutant a-synuclein transgenic fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) suggested that the fruit fly may share the same toxic response to MPTP as primates and planaria. We have hypothesized that relative sensitivity to MPTP in the fruit fly may represent a correlate to genetic predisposition to developing PD in human. Using the MPTP survival test for selection of insensitive flies and …

The Interrelationships Of Parent Rural Values, Parent Religiosity, Parent Involvement, And Student Outcomes In A Small, Southern, Rural Middle School., E. Carolyn Tucker 1949-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a case study of 109 students and their parents from a small rural, middle school community in Western Kentucky. It seeks to determine the interrelationships between conservative Protestant Parent Values (Parent Rural Values and Parent Religiosity), Parent Involvement, and Student Outcomes. For the mixed-methods study, mail-administered Parent and Student Surveys provide quantitative data. Interviews, document analysis, and participant-observer field notes are utilized to supplement statistical findings. Ten Research Questions reflect Demographic Factors (Socioeconomic Status, Family Structure, and Specifically Designed Instruction), Independent Variables (Parent Values--Rural Values and Parent Religiosity), Mediating Factor (Parent Involvement), and the Dependent Variable (Student …

Internet-Based Courses: Observations Of Faculty Developers/Teachers And Students With Disabilities At 4-Year Public Institutions In Tennessee., Janet Mcdaniel Keener

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study will be to identify important factors that should be considered by faculty members at selected public institutions of higher education as they plan, design, develop, implement, and evaluate Internet-based courses, in order to make the courses responsive to the needs of students with disabilities. In addition, the study will explore perceptions of students with disabilities in terms of Internet-based courses offered at their institutions. A total of 17 faculty developers/teachers and 7 students with disabilities were interviewed. Qualitative methodology was used to analyze the data.

The significance of this study lies within the legal and …

Developing A Database For Genbank Information., Nathan Mann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The thesis project, Gene Database, was done to create a way for the bioinformatics research group at the University of Louisville to have access to GenBank EST information in the form of a database. This database allows for a programmable front end to be used to conduct further research with the use of EST information. The database backend used is Oracle and was populated through a custom Java program. The loader was created in lieu of using Oracle's SQL*Loader because of the limitations in SQL*Loader. Previous ways of accessing the GenBank information included downloading the compressed files and using them …

Childhood Experiences Of Appalachian Women Who Have Experienced Intimate Partner Violence During Adulthood., Amy L. Reeves

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recent national surveys in the United States estimate one in five females will experience abuse by an intimate partner during her lifetime. Previous quantitative research linked childhood victimization to repeated victimization in adult relationships. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of childhood in eight female victims of intimate partner violence who were born and reared in southern Appalachia. Interviews were analyzed using a descriptive-interpretative phenomenological method, as described by Van Manen. The three essential themes from childhood were identified as: living 'as if' an orphan; surviving in chaos; and, manifesting a devalued self. These themes were congruent with findings …

Where Do They Fit In?: The Perceptions Of High School Students, Parents, And Teachers Regarding Appropriate Educational Placements For Children With High Incidence Disabilities., Annette Marie Tudor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The passage of the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) calls for the education of children with special needs in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). Interpretation of what constitutes the Least Restrictive Environment has led to debate about how best to include children with disabilities into regular education environments. The process of inclusion has created an environment in which educators have conflicting feelings about the various types of special education placements. At one extreme are those who advocate all students belong in the general classroom all the time. At the other end of the continuum are those that contend …

Papain: A Novel Urine Adulterant., David Burrows

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The estimated number of employees in the United Stated screened annually for illicit drugs is approximately 20 million, with marijuana being the most frequently abused drug. Urine adulterants provide an opportunity for illicit drug users to obtain a false negative result on commonly used primary drug screening methods such as the Fluorescence Polarized Immunoassay (FPIA) technique. Typical chemical adulterants such as nitrites are easily detected or render the urine specimen invalid as defined in the proposed federal guidelines for specimen validity testing based on creatinine, specific gravity and pH. Papain is a cysteine protease with intrinsic ester hydrolysis capability. The …

Risk Perceptions Of Adults In The Town Of Unicoi, Tennessee, Regarding The Possible Building Of A Uranium Enrichment Plant., Shannon Kathleen Sellards

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A prolonged siting controversy for a uranium enrichment facility has occurred in the Town of Unicoi, Tennessee. One hundred-seventy residents of Unicoi were interviewed using a questionnaire regarding the building of a proposed uranium enrichment facility for Unicoi. The questionnaire sought to determine relationships between residents’ risk perceptions and 18 variables. When the Fisher’s exact procedure was applied at α< 0.05, the results indicated several associations. Odds ratio measured the strength of association. Results are reported as crude measures of association. Risk perceptions were influenced by the choice of possible locations for the facility [p=0.0003; OR=32.6]. Residents' risk perceptions were associated with a history of working with nuclear materials [p=0.0476; OR=3.2]. Finally, risk perceptions were associated with residents' beliefs that the nuclear facility would affect their health [p=0.0001; OR=18.8]. These results are discussed in light of risk perception and communication theories.

Facilitators And Barriers To Incorporating Students With Disabilities In The General Education Classroom At The Secondary Level: A Study Of Teacher Perceptions., David L. Burgin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The history of incorporating students with disabilities in the general education classroom is driven by parents and advocates of children with disabilities. The push has been to educate all children in the least restrictive environment (LRE), changing the role of general education teacher from a subject matter specialist to include the responsibility of educating students with a wide range of special needs. While most agree that educating children with disabilities in the general education classroom alongside their non-disabled peers is better than excluding them from academic and social opportunities, general educators have been a noticeably absent voice in regards to …

Examining Multisystem Coordination In Response To Stressors In Early Childhood, Tiffany Phu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents a set of two studies that investigate linkages between the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) in response to a stressor paradigm among young children experiencing low-income. Contextual/child factors that shape multisystem physiologic coordination were also examined. A novel application of structural equation modeling was used to model sample-by-sample linkages between salivary analytes that indexed HPA axis and SNS functioning (respectively, salivary cortisol and salivary alpha amylase [sAA]). The preschoolers in Study 1 showed linkages between salivary cortisol and sAA across a novel research visit at their childcare center that included a stressor paradigm. Child …

Communication Cues To Action Prompting Central Appalachian Women To Have A Mammogram., Kathryn Bond Mcneill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Today, mammography screening is the best method of detection for breast cancer, yet many women have never been screened and underprivileged, minority and rural women have lower screening rates then other populations. The purpose of this study, through individual interviews(N=88), was to understand the cues that women perceive to have received spurring them to participate in mammogram screening. The Health Belief Model guided this research. Media influence, Health Care Practitioner recommendation, social networks, and symptoms were the cues to action explored in this research prompting compliance to mammography screening. All four of these cues were found to influence women in …

Perceptions Of Stakeholders In The Pi Beta Phi Elementary School Parks As Classrooms Program., Johnny Michael Henry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the fall of 1991, Pi Beta Phi Elementary School in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in partnership with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, began development and implementation of a Parks As Classrooms curriculum that encompassed all nine-grade levels of the K-8 school. The purpose of this case study was to evaluate the Parks As Classrooms program and how it impacts the students and the community.

Multiple means of data collection were necessary in order for valid assessment to take place. First, interviews were conducted with principle stakeholders. Observations of field trips were done. These data were imported into NUD^*IST …

An Analysis Of The Conventional Wire Maintenance Methods And Transition Wire Integrity Programs Utilized In The Aviation Industry., Susan Jeruto Kiptinness

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aging aircraft wiring poses a significant threat to both commercial and military aircraft. Recent air disasters involving aging aircraft wiring have made it clear that aging wiring can be catastrophic. Aging of an electrical wiring system can result in loss of critical functions of equipment or loss of information regarding equipment operation. Either result can lead to an electrical failure causing smoke and fire, consequently being a danger to public health and aircraft safety.

Conventional maintenance practices do not effectively manage aging wiring problems. More proactive methods are needed so that aircraft wiring failures can be anticipated and wiring systems …

Early Speech And Language Development: A Comparison Of Typically Developing Children To Children With Cleft Palate., Holly Jannice Mcgahey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has shown that parent implemented intervention is effective in increasing the speech and language development of children with cleft lip and palate. To further determine the efficacy of this intervention, this study compared the speech and language development of children with CLP, who received parent implemented intervention, with a group of younger, typically developing children, matched for vocabulary size. This study also evaluated the language differences between the mothers of both groups of children. Speech and language assessments were administered to the typically developing children and their mothers at two times to mirror the time of assessment for …

Investigation And Improvement Of The Conveyor System At A Bottle Packaging Operation., Dirk Lee Fugate

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This investigation examines the bottle packaging conveyor system and its impact on the overall efficiency at a bottle packaging plant in Anderson, South Carolina. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the existing opportunity to reduce bottle unit cost, increase productivity, decrease the risk of work related injuries, and improve line reliability along with employee moral with the conveying system alone.

Data was gathered for this study in three ways: One, bottle packaging line lead operators were required to document the start and stop times of the conveyor system on their respective lines for six weeks. Two, a conveyor …

Characterization Of A Catechol-Type Siderophore And The Detection Of A Possible Outer Membrane Receptor Protein From Rhizobium Leguminosarum Strain Iari 312., Brianne Lee Clark

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many gram-negative bacteria produce and secrete siderophores under iron-deficient conditions. Siderophores are low molecular weight compounds (600-1500 Daltons), which chelate ferric iron with an extremely high affinity, and the complex is actively transported across the outer and inner membranes of gram-negative bacteria. There are two main classes of siderophores: catechol and hydroxamate. Catechol-type siderophores chelate ferric iron via hydroxyl groups, and hydroxamate-type siderophores chelate ferric iron via a carbonyl group with an adjacent nitrogen. Rhizobia fix atmospheric nitrogen symbiotically in leguminous plants using the iron-containing enzyme nitrogenase. To satisfy their iron requirements, many rhizobia are known to produce siderophores. Rhizobium …

Nongenomic Effects Of Estrogens On Epithelial Chloride Secretion., Sabyasachi Moulik

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The human colonic cell line T84, a model for studying epithelial chloride secretion and cystic fibrosis chloride channel (CFTR) function, was used to investigate the regulatory role of estrogens in transepithelial ion transport. Estrogens and other steroid hormones do not stimulate chloride secretion by themselves. However, 17 β-estradiol (17β-E2) rapidly (within seconds to minutes) potentiates carbachol- and thapsigargin-stimulated chloride secretion measured as short circuit current in voltage-clamped T84 monolayer cultures. The cholinergic agonist carbachol and the SR Ca²⁺ ATPase inhibitor thapsigargin stimulate chloride secretion by elevating intracellular calcium. 17α-estradiol, a stereoisomer that does not activate nuclear estrogen receptors, is …

The Roles Of Pancreatic Beta Cell Antioxidants In Islet Transplantation And Type 1 Diabetes., Xiaoyan Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pancreatic beta cells are extremely vulnerable to destruction by Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). In type 1 diabetes and islet transplantation ROS are thought to be involved in the loss of beta cells. To test the role of antioxidant in islet transplantation. In our lab we have determined that transgenic overexpression of the antioxidant protein metallothionein (MT) in pancreatic beta cells provides broad resistance to oxidative stress by scavenging most kinds of ROS. A direct test of hypoxia/reperfusion sensitivity was shown that MT markedly reduced ROS production and improved islet cell survival. Furthermore, in both syngeneic transplantation and allotransplantation, MT islets …

Family Literacy—Predictors Of Program Participation And Goal Attainment In Kentucky., Zelma Renae Stewart Harrison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate how various components of family literacy programs such as operational characteristics (enrollment procedure, hours of operation, time of class, curriculum selection, type of instruction, and age of child served) and staff characteristics (gender, full or part time status, and educational attainment level) influence the recruitment, and goal attainment of adults in family literacy programs. This research investigated factors that could help educational administrators improve family literacy programs through increased enrollment, and improvement of goal attainment of participants. This exploratory, quantitative study utilized 2002-03 data submitted by family literacy programs in Kentucky. Two …

Non-Specific Stress Indicators And Growth Efficiency In The Archaic And Mississippian At The Perry Site (1 Lu25) In Northwestern Alabama, Robin Wiebe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Porotic hyperostosis, linear enamel hypoplasias and adult stature are all nonspecific indicators of stress. When studied together, they provide an understanding of the long-term survival of periods of stress occurring in varying stages of the life of an individual. Because the Perry Site contains both Archaic and Mississippian components, it provides a unique opportunity to examine not only how these indicators interact, but also how interactions may change across time and subsistence base. Most studies show increases in frequency of porotic hyperostosis and linear enamel hypoplasias and a decrease in adult stature with a shift to agriculture. The Perry material …

The Effects Of A Multimodality Approach On Sentence Production Using Response Elaboration Training With A Reading Component On Aphasic Patients., Sara E. Mccarthy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The effects of a multimodality treatment were investigated using a single subject experimental design across behaviors in two patients with different severity levels of Broca's aphasia. We hypothesized that Response Elaboration Training and an oral reading task would improve accuracy of sentence production, information content, and mean length of utterance. Results indicated that this treatment approach elicited significant improvement in the accuracy of sentence production and information content in the participant with very mild Broca's aphasia. Furthermore, the participant with severe Broca's aphasia demonstrated a very significant improvement in information content and mean length of utterance. The improvements support the …

Resiliency Factors Associated With Adaptive Conflict Tactics., Jacquelyn Leanne Driggers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined witnessing domestic violence as a child as a predictor of violent conflict tactics in adult dating relationships. A supportive sibling and a close relationship with the mother were examined as resiliency factors. Participants were 129 men and 256 women enrolled in classes at East Tennessee State University. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, a mother-father conflict resolution form of the Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS), The Parent-Child Relationship Survey (PCRS), The Index of Brother and Sister Relations, and a revised form of the CTS that assessed violence in the participants' dating relationship. Analysis of variance was conducted to assess …

Theological Dualism In The Poetry Of George Herbert., Carolyn Elizabeth Woodruff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Theological dualism is a primary element in George Herbert's poetry. Poems such as "The Flower," "Affliction I," "Affliction V," "The Banquet" and "Love III" illustrate the necessary tension inherent in the polarity of theological dualism. Abstractions such as joy, grief, pleasure, pain, birth, and death form the framework for Herbert's illustration of the Christian pilgrim in search of divine communion. For the searching Christian to understand one abstract principle, its opposite must be equally explored. In this journey to comprehend the duality of the Christian life, one reaches spiritual enlightenment and communion with God. Although several critics have recognized the …

Participatory Action Research With Adults With Mental Retardation : "Oh My God. Look Out World.", Rita Marie Valade

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a participatory action research project with adults with mental retardation who reside in Louisville, Kentucky. It explores some of the history and ideologies that frequently have hindered persons with mental retardation from being regarded by others as unique individuals with various abilities. It investigates dynamics of social ostracism and the resultant silence, inclusive of the social work profession's relative absence in the field of mental retardation. Furthermore, it explores various aspects of research with persons with disabilities, and with persons with mental retardation in particular. While there have been multiple studies about persons with mental retardation, very …

Cephalogram Pseudo-Color And Emboss Enhancements : Anatomical Landmark Clarity In Photostimuable Phosphor Cephalometrics., Ryan B. Wiesemann 1977-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To evaluate baseline and 3 different image enhancements for the detection of landmarks and overall perceived quality in photostimuable phosphor cephalograms. Methods: DenOptix images of 48 patients (plus 12 repeats) were presented randomly to 10 observers who rated 11 anatomic landmarks and overall appearance (1 = poor; 2 = satisfactory; 3 = excellent). Equal numbers of 16-bit images with single peak (SP) 16-bit double peak (DP) histograms and 8-bit images were included. Enhancements used were: (1)emboss; (2)pseudocolor; and (3)emboss-pseudocolor. The Friedman Test with Wilcoxon post hoc analysis was applied. Results and conclusion: The results support the use of emboss …

Development Of Ozone Forecast Models For Selected Kentucky Metropolitan Areas., Yiqiu Lin 1971-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ground-level ozone forecast models were developed for the following middle and small metropolitan areas in Kentucky: Ashland, Bowling Green, Owensboro, and Paducah. These models were nonlinear regression models, based on models previously developed for Louisville and Lexington. For each of the four cities, the mean absolute errors (MAE) for the model estimates, based on the 1998-2002 model-fitted data sets, were less than 7.7 ppb; the MAE/O3 were less than 12.7%. The models could explain at least 66% of the variance of the daily peak ozone. On average, the errors of the model were within +/- 15.0 ppb on 88% of …

Dhea Action Is Mediated By Multiple Receptors And Metabolites., Kristy K. Michael Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a C-19 adrenal steroid and the most abundant circulating hormone in humans. Since circulating levels decline in late adulthood, treatment of humans with DHEA has been suggested to have beneficial health effects. Although the mechanism of action is unknown, DHEA may be metabolized to active metabolites that exert their physiological effects by receptor-mediated processes and cell signaling pathways. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanistic processes of DHEA action. Since DHEA may exert its pleotropic effects by being metabolized to biologically active species, a GC/MS method was developed to quantify the liver microsomal metabolism …