Digital Commons Network^™

Vitamin A Is Essential For Proper Embryonic Submandibular Salivary Gland Growth., Deanna Ellene Buenger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Submandibular salivary glands (SMG) are important for the production of saliva. Salivary glands may be damaged by autoimmune disease, surgery, or radiation therapy. Retinoic acid (RA) is a signaling metabolite derived from Vitamin A that is essential for proper embryonic growth and development; specifically for cardiovascular, limb and craniofacial development. The goal of this study was to determine if there is a reproducible defect in the growth of SMGs in RA deficient mouse embryos compared to wild type. This study aims to characterize SMG growth in RA deficient embryos and determine if the growth could be stimulated by RA in …

Feasibility Testing Of Chill Filtration Of Brown Spirits To Increase Product Stability., Juan Cristobal Merizalde Carrillo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis summarizes a feasibility study focused on filtering American whiskey, matured in new toasted and charred casks, at 25 ºF in order to remove haze which forms when product is diluted from cask strength (62% ABV) to bottling strength (40 – 50% ABV). Chill filtration is a process already implemented in the brown spirits industry in order to guarantee the stability of products at different ethyl alcohol concentrations. The filtration trials and cellulose-pad performance were evaluated in terms of economics, turbidity reduction, test time, throughput, color reduction, and shelf life stability. Those trials with satisfactory overall color and stability …

Revised Model For Antibiotic Resistance In A Hospital, Ruhang Pei

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis we modify an existing model for the spread of resistant bacteria in a hospital. The existing model does not account for some of the trends seen in the data found in literature. The new model takes some of these trends into account. For the new model, we examine issues relating to identifiability, sensitivity analysis, parameter estimation, uncertainty analysis, and equilibrium stability.

In The Shadows Of Dominion: Anthropocentrism And The Continuance Of A Culture Of Oppression, Christopher A. Shields

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The oppression of nonhuman animals in Western culture observed in societal institutions and practices such as the factory farm, hunting, and vivisection, exhibits alarming linkages and parallels to some episodes of the oppression of human animals. This work traces the foundations of anthropocentrism in Western philosophy and connects them to the oppressions of racism, sexism, and ethnocentrism. In outlining a uniform theory of oppression detailed through the marginalization, isolation, and exploitation of human and nonhuman animals alike, parallels among the groups emerge as the fused oppression of each exhibits a commonality among them. The analysis conducted within this work highlights …

A Comparative Study Of Dual Enrollment Student Achievement In Various Learning Environments And Non-Dual Enrollment Student Achievement, Bethany K. Arnold

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine whether variations in student achievement in college courses exist between high school students who took the courses as dual enrollment (DE) courses and academically comparable high school students (AIMS scholars) who took the courses upon matriculation to college. Additionally, the researcher explored whether differences exist in DE course grade for students by course environment (online, face-to-face at a high school, or face-to-face at a college.) The researcher used final course grades as determinants of student achievement. The study focused on DE student and AIMS scholar grades in English 111, Biology 101, Math …

The Process Of Musical Acquisition For Traditional String Musicians In The Homeschool Environment, Keith R. Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined how three accomplished traditional string musicians learned music in their homeschool environments. Data were derived from formal interviews of the three musicians. The research framework for this qualitative study is based upon the socio-educational model of second language learning motivation developed by R. C. Gardner (1959, 1985, 2004, 2010) and applied to the study of instrumental music learning motivation by P. D. MacIntyre (2012). Structured interview questions, triangulated by additional informal dialogues, field observations, externally documented sources, and collaboration with an expert review panel were the data collection activities utilized in the research. Five overarching themes …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Five New Tetrakis(N-Phenylacetamidato) Dirhodium(Ii) Amine Complexes And One Molybdenum Cofactor Described Crystallographically, Cragin K. Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Six new crystal structures were determined using a Rigaku Mercurcy 375/MCCD(XtaLab mini) diffractometer. The structure of a molybdenum cofactor was solved resulting in an R1 (R1 = Σ ||Fo| - |Fc|| / Σ |Fo|) of 3.61% despite the presence of a disordered DMSO molecule. New Tetrakis(N-phenylacetamidato) Dirhodium(II) complexes were synthesized and characterized. Two 2,2-cis-[Rh2(NPhCOCH3)4]•(C3H4N2)x where x= 1 or 2 were successfully crystallized and solved with R1 values below 5%. Additional studies were conducted via NMR to observe formation of both products. Three potential catalysts were synthesized starting with 3,1-[Rh₂(NPhCOCH₃)₄]. The resulting compounds were a …

The Tools Of One-Handed Zen : Hakuin Ekaku's Technological And Artistic Charisma., Brandon James Harwood 1982-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

When people think of a Zen kōan, they probably think of Hakuin’s “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” This is appropriate as Hakuin’s ministry has become such an important part of Rinzai Zen that all current masters trace their lineage to him. In this paper, I hope to illuminate one of the reasons that Hakuin became so influential in his time and in the history of Japanese Zen. I argue that Hakuin was a charismatic teacher that used the technological innovations of woodblock printing and the wealth of some of his students to duplicate and disseminate his paintings …

Using Geometric Morphometrics To Differentiate Lower First Molars Of Microtus Species: A Review Of The Clark’S Cave Bone Deposit, Va, Mark Shelleman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Clark’s Cave contains a large collection of late Pleistocene mammal material. In particular, it contains a sizable amount of Microtus spp. which can be valuable paleoclimate indicators. Identification techniques traditionally used to classify these species have been shown to be unreliable. Recent studies have shown that using geometric morphometric techniques on lower first molars can be more successful. By placing landmarks and running a discriminate analysis on new and previously collected material from the cave, significant differences in Microtus species proportions were found. Specifically, showing the deposit has a larger proportion of M. xanthognathus than previously reported; resulting in a …

Dynamics Of Efficacy For Teachers In Formal Leadership Roles: A Case Study, Kelly M. Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Effective leadership has a positive impact upon schools and student achievement. Teacher inclusion in leadership efforts has grown during a time of school reform. In order to sustain and define teacher leader responsibilities, efficacious teachers need to be supported by school and district administrators. A case study was used to understand the dynamics of self-efficacy as it pertains to teacher leaders in the Oak Ridge School District in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Purposive sampling was used to select 5 teacher leaders and 2 district administrators for the case study. Interviews along with observations of meetings facilitated by teacher leaders allowed for …

Under The Shadow Of The Awful Gallows-Tree: The Murder Trials Of Thomas Dula And Ann Melton As A Case Study In Gender And Power In Reconstruction Era Western North Carolina, Heather L. Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This is a micro-history that explores everyday life on a small scale by tracing the common, if elusive lives of Thomas Dula, Ann Melton, and Laura Foster, and the communities they lived in, to explore the culture in which they lived—and died. Reactions to the murder unleashed an outpouring of discourse embedded in broader, national debates concerning gender roles. The dominant cultural theme that emerged from the murder trials as reflected in middle-class newspapers maintained that true women did not kill and real men acted as gentlemen and defenders of women’s honor. The project mines a wealth of primary source …

Elementary Educators’ Perceptions Of Practices That Contribute To Literacy Achievement, Sherry S. King Mrs.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate and examine specific kindergarten through third grade practices perceived as contributing to literacy achievement at 3 high-achieving elementary schools within the Washington County Virginia Public School System. The study was completed through a process of open-ended interviews with participants comprising classroom teachers, reading specialists, and administrators. The findings from this study may assist practitioners by providing information relative to programs, resources and instructional strategies that are perceived as contributing to literacy achievement.

The findings of this study suggested that the perceptions among classroom teachers, reading specialists, and administrators regarding literacy practices …

Characterization Of Putative Exbb And Exbd Leads To The Identification Of A Potential Tol-Pal System In Rhizobium Leguminosarum Atcc 14479, Valeria Barisic

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rhizobium leguminosarum is a Gram negative nitrogen-fixing soil bacterium. Due to the limited bioavailability of iron, bacteria utilize siderophores that scavenge and bind available iron. The transport of iron-siderophore complexes is achieved by the TonB-ExbB-ExbD complex. We have previously shown that a functional TonB protein is necessary for iron transport by creating ΔtonB mutants and assessing their growth and 55Fe-siderophore transport ability. We attempted to identify and characterize the roles of putative exbB and exbD genes using a similar approach. Growth curves and sequence analyses suggest putative exbB and exbD may be the tolpal-associated genes tolQ and tolR. Phenotypic and …

Southerner As Other: Exploring Regional Identity Through The Southern Vampire, Lauren N. Fowler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since its conception in folklore and superstition, the vampire has had an innate ability to reflect the environment of the culture that creates it. Each manifestation of this being is entirely unique to the culture in which it is born. The vampire of the American South is no exception to this idea. As a region with a particularly tumultuous history, the South has been molded by many cultural influences. Religion, sexuality, and race are some of the most notable factors to have impacted the area. Many Southern authors writing vampire fiction explore the fears, stereotypes, and prejudices of the culture …

The Influence Of Race And Gender On Hiv Risk Behaviors In High School Students In The Southern States Of The United States, Malendie T. Gaines

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The incidence of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is highest in the southern states of the United States (US), with adolescents in this region being one of the most affected populations in the country. A limited amount of information is available on adolescent HIV risk behaviors in the southern states, specifically focusing on race and gender. The purpose of this study was to use the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Youth Risk Behaviors Survey (YRBS) for high school students in the southern states for 2011 and 2013 to examine the influence of race and gender on 1) early …

Role Of Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Kinase In The Healing Process Of The Heart Following Myocardial Infarction, Laura L. Daniel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ataxia telangiectasia (AT), caused by mutations in the gene encoding ataxia telangiectasia mutated kinase (ATM), is a rare autosomal recessive disorder. AT individuals exhibit neuronal degeneration and are predisposed to cancer. Carriers of this disorder are predisposed to cancer and ischemic heart disease. Heart disease, mostly due to myocardial infarction (MI), is a leading cause of death in the US. Following MI, release of catecholamines in the heart stimulates β- adrenergic receptors (β-AR). Our lab has shown that β-AR stimulation increases ATM expression in the heart and myocytes, and ATM plays an important role in β-AR-stimulated myocardial remodeling with effects …

Optimized Acid/Base Extraction And Structural Characterization Of Β-Glucan From Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Shardrack O. Asare

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

β-glucan is a major component of the fungal cell wall consisting of (1→3)-β linked glucose polymers with (1→6)-β linked side chains. The published classical isolation procedure of β-glucan from Saccharomyces cerevisiae is expensive and time-consuming. Thus, the aim of this research was to develop an effective procedure for the extraction of glucans. We have developed a new method for glucan extraction that will be cost effective and will maintain the native structure of the glucan. The method that we developed is 80% faster and utilizes ¹/₃ of the reagents compared to the published classical method. Further, the method …

Assessing Victim Blame: Intersections Of Rape Victim Race, Gender, And Ethnicity, Kirsten A. Piatak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study sought to assess the impact of the race, gender, and ethnicity of rape victims on college students’ propensity to assign culpability to victims. Using a sample of college students (n=279) from a mid-sized Southeastern university, respondents were given a set of six different vignettes, varying only by victim characteristics. These vignettes featured alcohol-facilitated sexual assault between acquaintances, a common occurrence in college environments. Respondents were asked to evaluate the culpability of the victim through a blameworthiness scale. Through the incorporation of the Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale, this study also measured the respondents’ propensity to assign blame …

A Hierarchical Graph For Nucleotide Binding Domain 2, Samuel Kakraba

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

One of the most prevalent inherited diseases is cystic fibrosis. This disease is caused by a mutation in a membrane protein, the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). CFTR is known to function as a chloride channel that regulates the viscosity of mucus that lines the ducts of a number of organs. Generally, most of the prevalent mutations of CFTR are located in one of two nucleotide binding domains, namely, the nucleotide binding domain 1 (NBD1). However, some mutations in nucleotide binding domain 2 (NBD2) can equally cause cystic fibrosis. In this work, a hierarchical graph is built for NBD2. …

Training Clinical Judgment Skills For Interpreting Feeding Behavior In Preterm Infants: A Comparison Of Video And In Vivo Simulation, Jamesa R. Ewing

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Health and feeding outcomes for preterm infants depend upon healthcare providers’ ability to recognize non-verbal signs of distress during bottle-feeding. Methods of training future providers’ to interpret feeding behavior in preterm infants are unclear. This study used a pre-test/post-test design to compare the effects of in- vivo simulation and video-simulation training on students’ knowledge of feeding abnormalities, clinical judgment, and documentation accuracy. Fifty-two graduate level speech-language pathology students were assigned to the in-vivo (N= 27) or video-simulation (N= 25) group. Results revealed that both methods proved beneficial for increasing knowledge and clinical judgment skills. Participants trained using video-simulation training documented …

Additional Research And Taxonomic Resolution Of Salamanders (Amphibia: Caudata) From The Mio-Pliocene Gray Fossil Site, Tn, Hannah E. Darcy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Gray Fossil Site (GFS), a Mio-Pliocene (4.5–7 Ma) locality in the southern Appalachians, boasts the most diverse pre-Pleistocene salamander fauna in North America: Desmognathus sp., Plethodon sp., Notophthalmus sp., a Spelerpinae-type plethodontid, and Ambystoma sp. Because greater taxonomic resolution can result in more precise paleobiological interpretations, additional specimens were studied here. ETMNH 8045, a nearly complete articulated ambystomatid, appears most like Ambystoma maculatum in dentition and vertebral proportions. ETMNH 18219, an isolated vomer, is consistent with modern Pseudotriton and Gyrinophilus in possessing a postdentigerous process and a similar dentigerous row morphology. If these taxa, or species …

Explore Test And Ninth Grade Success In English 9 And Algebra I As Related To End-Of- Course Exams And Final Averages In A Rural East Tennessee High School, Charles Dudley Corwin Iv

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare scores students received on the eighth grade EXPLORE test in math and English to scores received in English 9 and Algebra I on both the End-of-Course (EOC) test and the final average in those courses. These scores were taken from a rural East Tennessee High School and the middle schools that feed into the high school. Data were collected over a 2-year period (2012 – 2014). Students who had a score in eighth grade and a corresponding score in ninth grade were included. All others were omitted. A series of Pearson correlations …

Appalachian Studies As An Academic And Activist Field, 1970-1982, Emily Booker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the formation of Appalachian studies as an academic field from roughly 1970 to 1982. First, this thesis analyses regionalism and what defines a region, focusing on the different contexts and narratives through which Appalachia has been described. Second, this thesis examines how scholars and activists in the region challenged prevailing narratives and sought new ways to examine and contextualize the region. Efforts to challenge stereotypes and address the social, political, and economic problems of the region galvanized academics and activists alike. Despite their similar work and shared vision for an interdisciplinary regional field, academics and activists often …

A Systematic Review Of The Soricimorph Eulipotyphla (Soricidae: Mammalia) From The Gray Fossil Site (Hemphillian), Tennessee, Joshua Doby

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due in part to the incompleteness of the Cenozoic fossil record in the eastern U.S., the evolution and immigration of shrews (Soricidae) is not well understood. A rich soricid fauna from the Gray Fossil Site (GFS), Washington County, TN, has enabled many new inferences to be made. There are 7 new species in 6 genera: Paenelimnoecus, “Blarinella”, Petenyia, Tregosorex, Crusafontina, and Gen et sp. nov. GFS species of the genera Paenelimnoecus, “Blarinella”, and Petenyia are the first occurrence of each genus in the New World. Tregosorex, Crusafontina, and the N.A. taxon Limnoecus all have their latest documented occurrence at the …

Macrophage Cox-2 As A Target For Imaging And Therapy Of Inflammatory Diseases Using Theranostic Nanoemulsions, Sravan Kumar Patel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Personalized medicine can be an approach to address the unsatisfactory treatment outcomes in inflammatory conditions such as cancer, arthritis, and cardiovascular diseases. A common feature of chronic diseases is the infiltration of pro-inflammatory macrophages at the disease loci. Infiltrating macrophages have been previously utilized for disease diagnosis. These features suggest that macrophages can be broadly applicable targets for simultaneous therapy and diagnosis. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), an enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of a lipid inflammatory mediator, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), is over expressed in macrophages infiltrating the pathological site. Inhibition of PGE2 leads to reduced inflammation, pain and macrophage infiltration. To utilize …

An Enhanced Model For Parental Decision Making For Pediatric Care, Jillian Walsh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pediatric medicine, the branch of medicine dedicated to taking care of children, is a relatively new medical specialty, developing in the mid-19th century. Pediatrics emerged as society began to believe that children were different from adults and in need of specialized care. Soon after the development of specialty medicine for children it became evident that many challenging ethical issues were present with children that did not exist, or at least not to the same extent with adults. In some cases, issues are similar, however they become much more complex or challenging when applied to children. The field of pediatrics is …

Development Of A Neuromusculoskeletal Computer Model In A Chondrodystrophic Dog., Gregory Russo States

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) is a naturally occurring disease in dogs that produces a spontaneous injury to the spinal cord. IVDD is characterized by mineralization of the intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus, which reduces its load bearing capacity and results in high rates of intervertebral disc herniation (IVDH). IVDH is disproportionately present in Dachshunds compared to other breeds, affecting an estimated 1 in 5 Dachshunds during their lifetime (Levine, J. M. et al., 2011). Assessment of injury severity and recovery in animal models is generally performed using a point scale, where subjects are graded according to metrics such as pain perception, …

Dosi In Novel Geometry Dishes, Jonathan Lawrence Lambert Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Effects of hemodynamic forces on cellular response are well studied. Wall shear stress is regularly accepted as the primary hemodynamic force affecting cellular response. Hemodynamic forces studies utilize Petri dishes on orbital shakers to grow cells for the experiments since this is an easily scalable system. However, characterizing the hemodynamics is difficult since the oscillatory swirling motion creates multidirectional and variable magnitude shear throughout the dish. Thus, a novel geometry dish that could create uniaxial shear with less variation in magnitude would be advantageous for studying shear stress effects on cellular response. The purpose of this thesis was to explore …

Engaging Young Children In The Art Museum: An Educational Criticism Of An Art Museum Summer Class, Kristina N. Mahoney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research project serves to identify a set of conditions leading to engagement for four- and five-year-old students in an art museum summer class. Utilizing Eisner’s theory on qualitative research, educational criticism and connoisseurship (1998), the researcher interviewed, observed, and received responses to a questionnaire in order to describe, interpret, and analyze the educational event of the summer class. By identifying the intentions of the class, the report describes a set of three objectives acting as a foundation for the classes’ implementation - comfort, empowerment, and connection to collection. Based on analysis of the implementation of these aims, as seen …

Membrane Topology Of A Broad-Spectrum Resistance Factor Responsible For Lipid Modification In Enterococcus Faecium., Jesse Harrison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aminoacylphosphatidylglycerol synthases (aaPGSs) are integral membrane proteins that use aminoacyl-tRNAs as substrates to catalyze the addition of amino acids to phosphatidylglycerol (PG) in the cytoplasmic membranes of bacteria. Addition of amino acids to PG decreases the net negative charge of the membrane, conferring resistance to various classes of antibacterial agents (i.e., cationic antimicrobial peptides, beta-lactams, glycopeptides, and lipopeptides) and protecting the cell against osmotic stress and acidic conditions. aaPGS homologs are found in a variety of clinically relevant microorganisms, including Enterococcus faecium, which is increasingly found to be the etiologic agent of antibiotic-resistant nosocomial infections. Although the broad distribution of …