Digital Commons Network^™

Inmate And Prison Gang Leadership., Sandra H. Fortune

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Almost 2,000 males, who have been convicted of crimes covering the gamut of criminal activities, are institutionalized in the state prison in Johnson County, Tennessee. These inmates, housed in the confines of a few concrete buildings, represent a society that is dissimilar from the free-world society.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to determine the characteristics of an inmate leader. Research data were collected through interviews with 20 prisoners located in the Northeast Correctional Complex in Mountain City, Tennessee. Inmate leaders, selected for the study, included gang leaders and non-gang leaders. Interviews were tape recorded and transcribed for the …

Reading Excellence Act: Professional Development And Teacher Practice First Year Implementation In East Tennessee., Sherry Ellen Shroyer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

When the National Assessment of Educational Progress reported in 1998 that 70 percent of fourth grade children in the United States were reading just at (31%) or below the basic grade level (39%), this astounding fact resulted in national attention and political intervention. At the same time, the National Research Council published their 25 years of researched findings in their book, Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998). The national reactions to these reports were strong and included new initiatives for overcoming this emerging national problem. One such initiative was the implementation of the national Reading …

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 …

An Exploration Of The Influence Of Demographic Factors On Individual And Aggregate Student Achievement Measurements In The Kentucky Accountability System., Beverly Lee Derrington Moore 1938-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the progress of standards-based accountability in eliminating the effects of student background and school composition factors on student achievement and school performance in a large, urban district in Kentucky. The factors included gender, socioeconomic status (SES), ethnicity, mobility, family structure, giftedness, and disability. The school composition variables were the percentages of those factors in the school populations. Each grade and level--elementary, middle, and high school--was analyzed by multiple regression. At the student level, SES, giftedness, and disability predicted 15 to 36% of the variance in scores. SES, family structure, and mobility rate accounted for 56 to 91% …

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 …

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 …

Pardon You? Pardon Me. Controversial Usage Of The Presidential Pardoning Power: From Carter To Clinton., Michael Keith Allen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this study I propose to examine the usage of the pardoning power of the president as it relates to four aspects: the Nixon pardon, political advancement, defense of the person and his party, and independent private gain through the issuance of pardons. These aspects are all a part of the modern day usage of Article II Section 2 of the Constitution.

The study relies primarily on statements made from the presidents involved, as well as statements made by judicial persons involved in the pardoning process. The study is also drawn from direct investigations, both private and governmental. A good …

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 …

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 …

Collaboration Between Art Teachers And School Counselors Of The Johnson City Elementary Schools To Assist At-Risk Students: An Art Experiences Model., Caroline Dover Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Art has been used for centuries as a healing tool for adults and children; however, the use of art therapy in schools is a recent development. Art therapy, encompassing art, psychology, and therapy, is by nature interdisciplinary. Art experiences provided to students at risk of failing or dropping out of school may offer non-verbal communication that can be used effectively to satisfy a variety of developmental, social, or emotional needs. The purpose of this qualitative study was to develop a curriculum-based art experiences model, combining the skills of art teachers and school counselors. Data were collected through a focus group …

Perceptions Of Seventh- And Eighth-Grade Girls Toward Coeducational Physical Education Classes In Five Middle Schools In East Tennessee., Shannon Clabo Sullivan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the participation, perceptions, and preferences of seventh- and eighth-grade girls in coeducational and gender-separated physical education classes in five schools in East Tennessee. The participants in this study were seventh- and eighth-grade girls attending public schools in two East Tennessee counties. Participants completed a questionnaire pertaining to their physical education classes. Although 465 students were invited to participate in this study, only 241 students returned the permission form. This resulted in a 50% response rate. The findings were descriptive in nature, although basic analyses were calculated to identify any relationships among the …

Expected Happiness, Love, And Longevity Of Marriage: Effects Of Wedding Type Preference, Gender, And Location Of The Wedding Ceremony., Karen Sue Rudd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Gender and wedding type preference affect views of those who get married in a courthouse as opposed to a church. The participants for this study consisted of 198 unmarried, undergraduate students that planned to marry someday. Participants responded to a wedding location scenario then completed a wedding type preference questionnaire, the Life Orientation Test Revised, and a demographics questionnaire. Results revealed that group 1 (participants who were high on traditional wedding preference and received the scenario of courthouse wedding ceremony), rated the hypothetical couple as having a higher chance of being happy after 25 years of marriage and being more …

Depictions Of Ethnicity And Gender On The Front Pages Of College And University Websites., Mackenzie Blair Frazier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how women and men and people of different ethnicity are represented in the photographs found on the front screens of websites of colleges and universities offering four-year degrees and above in the United States. A content analysis analyzed 1,677 images of men and women found on the front pages of 412 colleges and university websites. A six-point Body Index Scale coding instrument was used to determine if emphasis was placed on the face or the body of the human image, determined through an analysis of where the images were cropped.

Frequencies of men and women were moderately …

Learning For A Lifetime: Motivations For Lifelong Learning In The Life Of Evelyn Mcqueen Cook., David James Timbs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As a growing population ventures forth into the 21^st century, people are living longer than ever before. Recent statistics indicate an ever-increasing adult population. With a larger and older population, communities will find themselves striving to ensure a high quality of life for these persons. Individuals, as well, will find themselves seeking out activities that will keep them actively involved and engaged in their post-retirement years.

The purpose of this biographical study was to explore the motivations for lifelong learning and engagement in the life of Evelyn McQueen Cook, a seventy-five year-old resident of Johnson County, Tennessee. Her life …

Perceptions Of Cosmetic Alteration In Different Sized Attractive Women., Deborah Suzanne White

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two experimental phases examined the characteristics impacting the physical attractiveness stereotype and a potential stereotype shift. From reading a description of a hypothetical target, Phase 1 of this study revealed that participants considered an overweight attractive woman significantly more likely to help a friend in need and significantly more likely to become a friend than an underweight attractive woman. These findings provide understanding of how particular stereotypes may provide social benefits. In Phase 2, knowledge of the woman's plans for liposuction, which was disclosed in a second description of the target, dramatically lowered the participants' evaluations of her physical attractiveness, …

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 …

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 …

A Study Of Students' Learning Styles In Itv Broadcast, Remote, And Traditional Classrooms At East Tennessee State University., Donna Sue Crabtree

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if the learning styles of students enrolled in ITV sections and students enrolled in a traditional section of the same course, all taught by the same instructor, had any influence on the academic performance of the students enrolled in those courses.

A two-part survey was used to gather data for this study. The first part was designed by the researcher to gather demographic information about why each student selected the instructional form in which he or she was enrolled, as well as a student's preferences for classroom format. The second part of …

Modeling Sugarbeet Quality Variables From Satellite Images And Canopy Spectral Indices, Subodh Kulkarni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Remote sensing was used to model crop quality from measurements of canopy spectra. Three indices of canopy characteristics, derived from satellite image data, were tested for relationship to whole-field sugarbeet quality. Quality was quantified as recoverable sucrose per ton of harvested sugarbeets. Quality data were extracted from the year 2002 Field Database of the Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Co-operative, (SMBSC), Renville, Minnesota. Linear regression models utilizing canopy indices and changes in canopy indices over time were tested for relationship to sugarbeet quality for four classes of sugarbeets. Classes of sugarbeet tested represented fields planted to a mix of varieties resistant …

The Influence Of Stigma On Help Seeking Attitudes For Depression, Margaret Jordan Halter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Major depression is a common, debilitating, and life threatening illness, and its treatment may be hampered by stigma. There have been a limited number of studies that link stigma and help seeking attitudes for depression. The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to identify the relationship between stigmatizing attitudes and help seeking behavior. Also of interest was the impact of person-level variables that may be associated with a person's desire to seek help. Goffman's Stigma Theory and Weiner's Attribution Theory served as theoretical foundations. Data were collected by questionnaires distributed to patients (N = 117) waiting to be seen …

Nitrogen Metabolism In Iron-Respiring Bacteria, Ching (Tony) Lung Hsieh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nitrogen metabolism was investigated in three species of iron respiring bacteria Geobacter metallireducens, Geobacter sulfurreducens, and Sulfurospirillum barnesii. G. metallireducens and G. sulfurreducens were shown to grow in medium containing N2, NO3-, or NH4 but nitrite inhibited growth. BLAST analysis of the draft genomic sequence of G. metallireducens revealed only Nar, Nrf, and Nif homologues but no assimilatory genes (i.e., Nas). Two nar operons were identified, narCGHJIK1K2, and narCGHI. A putative CAP/CRP recognition binding site was found upstream and two molybdenum biosynthetic genes were found downstream of the large operon. Both operons contain a novel cytochrome c (NarC) that has …

Cloning And Characterization Of A Git1 Homolog Gene From Schizosaccharomyces Pombe, Christi Nolder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Phosphatidylinositol (PI) deacylation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae results in the formation and excretion of glycerophosphoinositol (GPI). This is a predominant route of PI turnover and is not unique to S. cerevisiae. Released GPI can be transported back into the cell through a membrane permease encoded by the GIT1 gene, Git1p. Maximum transport is achieved in low inositol/low phosphate conditions at pHs below 7, and the addition of a protonophore to the GPI transport assay abolishes transport activity. These findings suggest that Git1p is a proton symporter. An excess of unlabeled glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) inhibits the transport of radiolabeled GPI into S. cerevisiae. …

Living With Life-Threatening Illness: An Inquiry Into Children's Experience Of Cancer, Kristy Novinski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies concerning children living with illness have been limited by (a) a narrow focus on the child's cognitive development, (b) reliance on sources outside of the child's experience, (c) reliance on methods based on the language and quantitative modes of measuring used by adults rather than the experience of the child, (d) models that emphasize methods of control in coping, and (e) a tendency to pathologize the responses of the child.

In contrast, the current study involved speaking directly with school-aged children living with a diagnosis of cancer. The qualitative method developed for this study involved a two-fold approach, …

How Do Undergraduate Mathematics Faculty Learn To Teach Online?, Margaret Mcdonough Pankowski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the training that faculty receive to teach undergraduate mathematics courses online and the effectiveness of that training. An online survey was distributed to 64 faculty who taught undergraduate mathematics courses online. In responding to the survey, faculty supplied information about the duration, topics, and types of training they received both before and after beginning to teach online, about their use of best practices for online education, and about their attitudes toward online education. Subsequent to completion of the survey, four focus group interviews were conducted with a total of 14 of the survey respondents. During focus group …

Transformation Of Arsenic Oxyanions In Bacterial And Model Systems, Ganna Polshyna

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The HPLC-UV-Vis method with 7.5 mM sulfuric acid as a mobile phase and 195 nm wavelength detection was used for the separation and quantification of As(III) and As(V) in bacterial media used for growing of Clostridium sp. Strain OhILAs bacteria. In this method, the arsenic species were eluted in order As(V) > As(III), and the retention time were not affected by bacteria media matrix. It has been shown that the shape of the curve of increasing of the As(III) concentration is similar to that of bacteria growing. The main disadvantage of the present method is its failure to separate As(III) ions …

Factors Effecting Uptake And Visualization Of Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Particles By Macrophages: Relevance For Use In Mri Plaque Imaging, Walter John Rogers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease kills nearly 1 million Americans each year. While treatment at all levels has made significant advances over the past 3 decades, diagnosis is still limited to structural or hemodynamic changes associated with advanced disease. More than 60% of myocardial infarctions (MI) result from the rupture and associated acute thrombosis of atherosclerotic plaque that reduce lumen size by less that 50%. Ultra small superparamagnetic iron oxide particles (USPIO) have recently been proposed as a macrophage targeted magnetic resonance contrast agent. The goal of the present study was to determine if, and the extent to which, molecules known to alter …

Using Pc12 Cells And Rat Cortical Neurons To Evaluate Poly(Caprolactone) And Collagenous Microcarriers For Applications In Nerve Guide Fabrication, Rebecca Waddell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tissue-engineered nerve guides can provide mechanical support as well as biochemical stimulation for nerve regeneration. PC12 cells and rat cortical neurons were used to test poly(caprolactone) (PCL), collagenous microcarriers (CultiSphers), and a novel composite of the two materials as an initial step in the fabrication of multi-channeled nerve guides. PC12 cells were found to attach, proliferate and differentiate on laminin-coated PCL and on CultiSphers. When the initial concentration of PC12 cells was increased, the percentage of CultiSphers with cells attached increased as well. Changing the cell culture conditions from static to dynamic, however, had the opposite effect on cell attachment. …

Principles Of Chemical Reactivity On The Diels-Alder Reaction In Ionic Liquids And Lewis Acid Catalysis Using Large-Scale Computations, Orlando Acevedo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

My Ph.D. dissertation describes three different external influences on pericyclic reactions: (1) ionic liquids, (2) Lewis acids and (3) bis(oxazoline)-Cu(II) complexes. (1) Ionic liquids deliver enhanced rates and endo/exo selectivities on the Diels-Alder reaction. The goal is to establish a firm understanding of the molecular interactions that give rise to the observed rate and selectivity enhancements. In order to accomplish our goal, we have used density functional theory methodology, specifically the Becke three parameter with Lee, Yang and Parr corrections at the 6-31G(d), to describe short-range effects, and have created new force field parameters using CHARMM to allow faster classical …

Cloning And Expression Of Dazl In Rana Pipiens, Jamie Boorech

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The DAZ gene on the human Y chromosome has been implicated in male fertility. Humans and other animals possess an autosomal version of this gene, referred to as DAZ-like or Dazl, which functions in gametogenesis and fertility. In order to expand our knowledge of Dazl, I cloned Dazl from the northern leopard frog Rana pipiens. To obtain the clone, I screened a R. pipiens ovary cDNA library with a RpDazl-specific PCR-generated radioactive probe. RpDazl, as determined by sequencing, is 3.5kb in length, with an 843 nucleotide open reading frame (ORF) and a 3' untranslated region (UTR) of 2635 nucleotides. At …

Natural Products As Inhibitors Of Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1 (Hif-1), Tyler W. Hodges

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.