Digital Commons Network^™

Estimating Diet And Food Selectivity Of The Lower Keys Marsh Rabbit Using Stable Isotope Analysis, Matthew James Gordon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the effect of food abundance on feeding behavior can benefit conservation efforts in many ways, such as to determine whether impacted environments need food supplementation, whether different locations of threatened species contain different food abundances, or whether reintroduction sites are missing key components of a species’ diet. I studied the relationship between feeding behavior and food abundance in the Lower Keys marsh rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris hefneri), an endangered subspecies endemic to the lower Florida Keys. Specifically, my study set out to measure the relative abundance of the primary plants within the natural habitat of the Lower Keys marsh rabbit …

Predicting Flavonoid Ugt Regioselectivity With Graphical Residue Models And Machine Learning., Arthur Rhydon Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Machine learning is applied to a challenging and biologically significant protein classification problem: the prediction of flavonoid UGT acceptor regioselectivity from primary protein sequence. Novel indices characterizing graphical models of protein residues are introduced. The indices are compared with existing amino acid indices and found to cluster residues appropriately. A variety of models employing the indices are then investigated by examining their performance when analyzed using nearest neighbor, support vector machine, and Bayesian neural network classifiers. Improvements over nearest neighbor classifications relying on standard alignment similarity scores are reported.

Psychosocial Concerns And Childhood Overweight In Pediatric Primary Care Clinics Serving Rural Appalachia., Suzanne Allen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To examine the prevalence of psychosocial concerns presenting in 3 pediatric primary care clinics serving rural Appalachia. The association between pediatric weight status and psychosocial concerns was examined. Methods: Caregivers of children presenting in one of 3 pediatric primary care facilities completed a demographic questionnaire and the Pediatric Symptom Checklist. Results: Approximately 21.4% of children were identified as having a clinically significant behavioral health concern. Among children with available weight status data, ~53% of the children were identified as overweight. Children identified having significant behavioral concerns were more likely to have a lower weight status than those with nonsignificant …

Strategies And Processes That Promote Sustainability Of Campus Laboratory Schools In The Twenty-First Century., April Blakely

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify and analyze patterns of institutional strategies and processes that promote the sustainability of laboratory schools housed and managed by institutions of higher education. First, a comprehensive analysis of the development, growth, decline, and current status of the laboratory school movement was conducted by means of a review of relevant literature. Next, an interview with the Director of the International Association of Laboratory and University Affiliated Schools (NALS) was conducted to gather information regarding the changing role of laboratory schools in the modern educational landscape of America. Subsequently, a survey of laboratory school …

Friedrich Schiller's Play : A Theory Of Human Nature In The Context Of The Eighteenth-Century Study Of Life., Susan M. Bentley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Friedrich Schiller's psychological theory of play, his hypothesis about human nature, is embedded in the Aesthetic Letters . Its trans-historical value owes much to the committed interest in life in the late Enlightenment, and the theory itself is an example of that period's enthusiastic study of living organisms. It is within this context--of eighteenth-century natural history, natural philosophy and medicine--that the theory can be profitably evaluated. That it is also an example of the connection of the humanities of the time and the emerging life sciences suggests its usefulness as a paradigm today: as a general theory of human nature, …

Comparison Of Artificial Flavors In Commercial Products And Actual Natural Flavor Via Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy Data., Randi Jasmine Sluss

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this research project, real natural strawberries bought from different local sources were profiled by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GCMS). These profiles were then used as a reference to compare GCMS profiles of commercial artificial strawberry flavor products such as strawberry flavored Cool Splashers™, Gatorade®, and Aquacal® flavored water. The chromatograms obtained were patterned using simple visual observations, scatter plot designs, Mann-Whitney U Test, and correlation coefficients. The artificially flavored commercial products tend to have simpler chromatograms. The Burger King® milkshake, Gatorade®, and Hi-C® are the most similar to that of the natural strawberry flavor. Their correlation coefficients are 0.972, 0.870, …

Studies Of Capsaicinoids Contents Of Locally Grown And Commercial Chilies Using Reversed-Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography., John Kailemia Muchena

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Capsaicinoids are a class of compounds responsible for the "heat" of hot peppers. Capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin have the highest burning effect. The aim of this work is to separate and quantify the two major capsaicinoids in fruits harvested at different stages of development and at different seasons. Simple and rapid HPLC method involves 73:27% methanol water mobile phase with C₁₈ stationary phase and UV-Vis detector set at 210 nm. The method showed good reproducibility with 1.74% - 4.72% relative standard deviations, a linear response within 0.65–45.5 and 0.25-17.5 μg/mL for capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin, respectively. The method achieved average recovery …

A Longitudinal Study Of Fetal Tissue Transplantation Surgery: The Effects On Quality Of Life And Personality For Individuals With Parkinson's Disease, Cynthia C. Cole

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive condition that affects the physical, emotional, and social functioning of individuals. Freed et al. (2001) conducted a double-blind sham-controlled trial to investigate the effectiveness of fetal tissue transplantation of those with PD. The authors investigated the effects of the surgery across the dimensions of physical and neurological functioning. A quality of life (QoL) study was conducted to determine if there were differences in QoL when comparing those who received the fetal tissue transplantation to those who received the sham surgery (McRae et al., 2004).

While there is little research on the effectiveness …

Life As A Sober Citizen : Aldo Leopold's Wildlife Ecology 118., Nancy Stearns Theiss

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This historic case study addressed the issue of the lack of citizen action toward environmentally responsible behavior. Although there have been studies regarding components of environmental responsible behavior [ERB], there has been little focus on historic models of exemplary figures of ERB. This study examined one of the first conservation courses in the United States, Wildlife Ecology 118, taught by Aldo Leopold (1887-1948) for 13 years at the University of Wisconsin. Today, Aldo Leopold is recognized as an exemplary conservationist whose land ethic is cited as providing the ecological approach needed for understanding the complex issues of modern society. The …

Exploring A New Theory Of Successful Aging Among Low-Income Older Adults In An Independent And Assisted Living Community., Valerie Lander Mccarthy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Current successful aging theory excludes individuals with disease or disability, limits the potential for successful aging in minority and lower socioeconomic populations, focuses on behavioral determinants of health rather than social and environmental determinants, and fails to consider older adults' own criteria for successful aging. A recent mid-range nursing theory (Flood, 2005) proposed that two factors - adaptation and gerotranscendence - are primary contributors to a new view of successful aging that may address these problems. PURPOSE: The goal of the study was to investigate relationships among adaptation, transcendence, and successful aging to explore the potential of Flood's (2005) …

Viability For Oxidation Of H2s Gas Using Low Concentration Solutions Of H2o2 Peroxide In Applications For Biogas Purification., Stewart Walter Mccollam 1985-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an examination of the viability of a low pH hydrogen peroxide scrubbing process for removing H 2 S acid gas present in typical biogas streams generated from dairy farm anaerobic digesters. Biogas ranges in composition based on the feedstock manure used in the anaerobic digestion process but typically consists of methane (50-60%), carbon dioxide (40-50%), and trace amounts of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia. Hydrogen sulfide is of prime concern because it is an odorous, poisonous, and highly corrosive gas which can impede use in power generation applications for biogas such as boilers, internal combustion engines, microturbines, fuel …

Hilltop Archaeology: Ceremony And Ritual At The Site Of Cerro Santa Rita, Chao Valley, Peru, Richard A. Busch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Site of Cerro Santa Rita is located in the mid-valley region of the Chao Valley on the North Cast of Peru. Occupied by people during the Gallinazo, Moche and Chimú time periods, Cerro Santa Rita fulfilled a role similar to that of a huaca, or temple. The people of pre-Hispanic Peru were deep set in their traditions, many of these traditions are still practiced by Peruvians today. The traditions of ancestor veneration and feasting are no exceptions to this. Cerro Santa Rita was a burial complex that had plazas and courtyards associated with the tombs of ancestors. Not …

The Burden Of Fetching Water: Using Caloric Expenditure As An Indicator Of Access To Safe Drinking Water—A Case Study From Xieng Khouang Province, Lao Pdr, Jeff La Frenierre

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Millennium Development Goals measure ‘access to improved drinking water’ using an indicator that defines access as the presence of an improved water source within 1 kilometer of a person’s dwelling. This purely linear measurement has significant shortcomings, including a lack of consideration for the difficulty of the terrain being traversed and the weight of the loads being carried. This paper examines in detail the human energy costs associated with fetching water, first using two Lao villages as case studies, then applying a predictive energy expenditure model to measure the potential caloric effect of variations in the age and gender …

Gene-Environment Interactions In Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Holly Donovan Barnard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The overall goal of this project is to advance our understanding of the multifactorial etiology of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) by testing a diathesis-stress model of gene x environment (g x e) interactions. Although the literature increasingly supports g x e interactions in the manifestation of ADHD, few studies have investigated multiple genetic and environmental risk factors, included direct tests of gene - environment correlations (rG-Es), explored the specificity of interactions to symptom dimensions, or attempted to minimize comparisons. Therefore, utilizing both within-family (FBAT/PBAT) and case-control methodology, this study sought to (1) explore main effects of polymorphisms in the …

Molecular Mechanism Of Ferricsiderophore Transport Via The Outer Membrane Receptor Fhua In Escherichia Coli., Jennifer K. Cooke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Iron is essential for life and growth in most organisms. Although it is abundant, iron exists mostly as insoluble iron-oxyhydroxide. Bacteria secrete siderophores to chelate iron and transport it into the cell via specific outer membrane receptors. The FhuA receptor protein transports ferrichrome, a siderophore produced by Ustilago sphaerogena. We determined the binding affinity of variants from the conserved 'lock region' of FhuA and also created and characterized variants of the highly conserved R452 to determine its role in ferrichrome transport. We hypothesize that during transport the plug domain of FhuA does not leave the barrel; rather it undergoes …

A Study Of The Impact Of Socioeconomic Status On Student Achievement In A Rural East Tennessee School System., Eydie J. Pettigrew

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of socioeconomic status on academic achievement as measured by the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program Achievement Test and the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program Writing Assessment. The population consisted of 8th grade students enrolled in 4 elementary schools in a rural school system in Tennessee. Data were analyzed for the population of the 2006-2007 academic school year. A 2-way analysis of variance model was used to compare the means among the schools, the means between economically disadvantaged students and those who were not economically disadvantaged, and whether there was a significant school …

Parental Involvement Typologies In Rural Community Schools: A Qualitative Investigation., Amy Hurst Case

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There are a number of pressing issues facing today's educational society. Among the most controversial is the research and information surrounding the perceived positive or negative effects of parental involvement and barriers that restrict parental involvement. The purpose of this study was to examine 6 parental involvement typologies and their use and existence in 3 East Tennessee elementary schools. The Epstein (1987) typologies were used to classify parent involvement modalities. Parents who had a child enrolled in the 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade during the 2007-2008 school year were interviewed. The interviews followed an open-ended interview guide and the research …

The Design Of A Web Based Athlete Development And Monitoring System., Jeremy Gentles

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the available resources and research pertaining to the process of athlete monitoring as well as how this information can be used to build an internet based athlete monitoring system. There is currently no system available that provides proper communication tools while also providing the means to track numerous variables to include strength and conditioning programs, performance testing, competition performance, injuries, therapy, pharmaceuticals, medical procedures, psychological status, and academic standing.

The objective of this thesis is twofold. First, is to review the literature and determine the needs of a web based athlete monitoring system. Second, is to provide …

Implementation Of A Healthy Lifestyle Program At The Jefferson City Housing Authority In Jefferson City, Tennessee., Lynsey Lea Carr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Children's energy consumption is outweighing their energy expenditure, increasing the risk for childhood obesity. While pediatric obesity continues to be a problem in America, the data are clear that those of low socioeconomic status are especially at risk for weight gain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if a healthy lifestyle program could affect participants' diet and physical activity behavior. A program was planned and conducted using the curriculum from the "We Can" program established by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Residents of the Jefferson City Housing Authority were asked to participate. No resident attended or …

A Study Of Prekindergarten Literacy Experiences In A Northeast Tennessee School System., Barbara Jean Gamble

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To meet the guidelines generated by the No Child Left Behind law (NCLB) pressures to raise student achievement have filtered down to and emerged in prekindergarten classrooms. The leadership of state, federal, and local policymakers is critical to the movement for high quality prek for all. The purpose of this study was to examine the scores of prekindergarten students when presented 3 different methods of literacy instruction and to compare the scores according to gender and among 3 age groups.

This study found a significant difference in the scores of students when analyzed according to age. The youngest students scored …

A Quantitative Study Of School Characteristics That Impact Student Achievement On State Assessments And Those Assessments' Associations To Act Scores In Tennessee., Phillip L. Swanson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a significant relationship exists between particular home, student, and school characteristics and ACT scores and the relationship these characteristics subsequently have with the TVAAS grades assigned to each high school's ACT scores. These home, student, and school variables were socioeconomic status, percentage of minority, graduation rate, per-pupil expenditure, Gateway English II scores, and Gateway Algebra I scores. By looking at these variables and the influence they hold on the education of students, I sought to ascertain the fairness that is present when schools and districts are given grades through the TVAAS …

Measuring Patient Satisfaction After Providing A Choice Of Nourishment Options Between Meals In A Long-Term Care Setting., Samantha Hutson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether providing residents of the James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center Community Living Center with a choice of nourishment options between meals would improve their satisfaction with the nourishment administration process. As opposed to being given the same nourishment item each day, residents were offered choices from a nourishment cart based upon their diet order. Sixteen residents completed the pre-survey, participated in the revised nourishment cart system for a 3-week period, and completed the postsurvey. Level of satisfaction was determined by analyzing the responses given by the residents on the pre- …

Feeding Difficulties In Young Children With And Without Autism., Ashley N. Pugh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although not a criteria for diagnosis of autism, feeding difficulties are commonly found in this population. The purpose of this thesis is to provide further insight in the area of autism and feeding. Parents of children with and without autism were recruited from the Weisskopf Child Evaluation Center and from their home. Participants were asked to complete a series of questionnaires regarding their child's eating habits. Results found parents of both groups indicated their child exhibits oral sensory processing differences, with the autism group indicating additional sensory differences across a range of categories. Results also found parents expressed concerns for …

Proactive Strategies For Children With Food Refusal., Sara E. Langlois 1981-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Feeding disorders occur when a child rejects significant amounts of food or drink. Food refusals are maintained by factors which may be behavioral based, due to structural impairments, or a combination of the two. One of the first steps to increasing a child's diet is having them try novel or previously rejected food items. The current study includes 5 case studies of behavioral based food refusals in children and applies the use of a step by step desensitization procedure as a form of proactive intervention to increase the likelihood a bite of non-preferred food will be accepted. Results of the …

Oral Status Of Residents Of Long-Term Care Facilities In Kentucky., Lynn Donnelly Austin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Oral health is a critical component of every individual's general health and well-being. There is evidence that consistently demonstrates that age, poverty, education levels, minority status, and living in a rural area are risk factors for poorer oral status. In Kentucky, it is projected that there will continue to be an increase in the rural population and a decrease in the urban population; this projection is more pronounced for the aged 65 and over cohort. In 2005, a state-wide oral health survey (KEOHS) which assessed the oral health status and treatment needs of residents aged 65 and over was completed. …

Cuban Jam Sessions In Miniature: A Novel In Tracks, Diego Rincon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This is the collection of a novel, Cuban Jam Sessions in Miniature: A Novel in Tracks, and an embedded short story, "Shred Me Like the Cheese You Use to Make Buñuelos." The novel tells the story of Palomino Mondragón, a Colombian mercenary who has arrived in New York after losing his leg to a mortar in Korea. Reclusive, obsessive and passionate, Palomino has reinvented himself as a mambo musician and has fallen in love with Etiwanda, a dancer at the nightclub in which he plays—but he cannot bring himself to declare his love to her. His life changes when he …

School Engagement And The Achievement Gap, Nicole R. Skalsky

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Evidence of the influence of engagement on learning and achievement is well established. There is also indication of a test-score gap between poor students and middle class students as well as among racial and ethnic groups.

This gap continues to be a top priority in educational reform. Since the achievement gap continues to widen for many school districts and states, investigating the possible connection between the engagement gap and the achievement gap deserves needed attention.

This study sought to determine the differences in school engagement and achievement levels between students from low and high-SES backgrounds, as measured by free and …

Performance-Based Quality Specifications: The Link Between Product Development And Clinical Outcomes, Steven Short

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The design of drug delivery systems and their corresponding dosing guidelines are critical product development functions supported by clinical pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) data. Largely, the importance of variance and covariance in product and patient attributes is poorly understood. The existence of PK/PD diversity among myriad patient sub-populations further complicates efforts to gauge the importance of product quality variation. Nevertheless, a platform capable of evaluating the effects of product and patient variability on clinical performance was constructed. This dissertation was predicated on requests to re-define pharmaceutical quality in terms of risk by relating clinical attributes to production characteristics.

To …

Oil And Paper: Ownership, Economic Development, And Iraq's 2007 Draft Oil And Gas Law, Peter Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The 2007 Draft Oil Law's parliamentary collapse demonstrates that Iraqi legislation must settle the issue of ownership prior to determining foreign investment rules. The draft law has been criticized by western academics for its economic benefits to international oil companies, but in Iraq the law has been rejected more for its ambiguities and its lack of specific ownership language, apart from four disputed, classified annexes listing classifications of oil fields. Rather than pass empty legislation and fill it up at a later point, Iraq must draft its oil revenue sharing laws, model contracts, and an oil ownership law in tandem …

Soil Amino Acids At Upper Tree Line, Montane And Lower Tree Line, Kelly C. Owens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The classic view of the nitrogen cycle in soils is for plants to take up inorganic N in solution for N nutrition. More recent studies reveal plants can take up low molecular weight dissolved organic N such as amino acids directly from the soil. In ecosystems where the rate of microbial mineralization is limited, plants may take up 10 to 200 percent more amino acid N than mineral N. It is not known if plants take up amino acids in all ecosystems, however recent research shows that plants generally take up amino acids when they are present in high quantities …