Digital Commons Network^™

Local Law Enforcement's Counter Terrorism Capabilities., J. Ryan Presnell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze local law enforcement's counter-terrorism capabilities as it relates to the varying size of United States local law enforcement agencies. Data for the study came from a study entitled "Impact of Terrorism on State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies and Criminal Justice Systems in the United States, 2004". Statistical analysis revealed that there are large disparities in the allocation of resources to intelligence gathering, analyzing, and sharing between smaller local law enforcement agencies and their larger counterparts. Furthermore, smaller agencies are not interacting with federal agencies in a manner consistent with the interactions …

Synthesis Of Marine Chemicals And Derivatives As Potential Anti-Cancer Drugs., Laude Bannerman-Akwei

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two natural marine compounds, 3-bromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzaldehyde 2 and 2,3-dibromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzaldehyde 5 together with two novel derivatives, 3-bromo-5-(tert-butyl-dimethyl-silanyloxy)-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde 3 and 1-bromo-2,3-dimethoxy-5-nitrooxy-methylbenzene 9, were synthesized. Compounds 2, 3, and 5 were evaluated for their biological activity towards the inhibition of prostate cancer cell growth using staurosporine a a positive control. All three compounds have shown significant inhibition of prostate cancer cell growth. Compound 9 is yet to be evaluated.

Women, Art, And Community: A Proposal For A Non-Profit Pottery Program In Appalachia., Lahla K. Deakins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many Appalachian women are creative individuals who enjoy making and sharing quilts, songs, paintings, poetry, and other art. However, many women in rural areas of Central Appalachia lack access to basic resources because of poverty.

While many agencies help poor women find shelter, clothing, and food, there are few that help them find their creative voices. I assert that women who are given the tools to practice creative expression can overcome the mental oppression of poverty to become self-assured individuals who benefit their communities.

This thesis examines the socioeconomic condition of women in Central Appalachia and the positive impacts of …

Studies Of Surfactants Effect On Riboflavin Fluorescence And Its Determination In Commercial Food Products And Vitamin Tablets., William Emmanuel Ghann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A simple and economical fluorometer using blue LEDs excitation sources and simple PMT detection had been built, assembled, optimized, and employed for measurement of fluorescence from riboflavin (vitamin B₂). Surfactants have been known to enhance the intensity of fluorescence of fluorescent compounds. Fluorescence analysis of riboflavin in the presence of various anionic, cationic, and nonionic surfactants was also conducted to determine if they could improve analysis. However, the surfactants employed did not seem to have any meaningful enhancement; in fact, some actually diminished the fluorescence intensity of riboflavin. The procedure was linear for riboflavin from 0.01 to 2.5 …

Characterization Of The Genes Involved In Biosynthesis And Transport Of Schizokinen, A Siderophore Produced By Rhizobium Leguminosarum Iari 917., David Jack Hammond

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Iron is the 4th most abundant metal on the earth's crust and is required by most organisms as a cofactor for many enzymes; however, at physiological pH and aerobic conditions iron forms insoluble ferric oxyhydroxide polymers. Siderophores are low molecular weight compounds that scavenge ferric ions, bind with high affinity, and transport it into the cell via multicomponent transport systems. Rhizobia are soil dwelling organisms that form symbiotic relationships with host plants and fix atmospheric nitrogen, while the bacteria receive nutrients. R. leguminosarum IARI 917 produces a siderophore characterized as 'schizokinen'. In the present study, we have characterized the binding …

Urinary Excretion Of (1-3)-Beta-D-Glucans., Debra K. Head

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

(1→3)-β-D-Glucans are carbohydrate polymers that are present in the cell wall of various fungi and bacteria; they are pathogen associated molecular patterns that circulate during infection and modulate immunity. Our laboratory has previously established the pharmacokinetics of intravenously and orally administered glucans; the present studies investigated the renal excretion of (1→3)-β-D-glucans following intravenous and oral administration. Three fluorescently-labeled glucans were administered to adult male rats in the presence or absence of toxic challenge. Urine specimens were collected and analyzed by fluorescence spectroscopy, size-exclusion chromatography and GPC/MALLS. 71 ± 3% of fluorescence remained in the >5K MWCO fraction; this fraction showed …

The Characteristics Of School Culture That Influence College-Going Rate For High School Graduates In Northeast Tennessee., Annie Mbaire Kariuki

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the characteristics of school culture that influenced college-going rates for high school graduates in northeast Tennessee. The study involved one-toone interviews with selected high school teachers and principals. Six high schools in northeast Tennessee were used in the study.

The significance of this study was to generate a grounded theory that could be used to explain the characteristics of school cultures that were effective in supporting students' college-going rates. This knowledge could be used to inform high school principals, school boards, state legislatures and other government bodies, and colleges and universities.

Findings …

Iron Acquisition In Rhodococcus Erythropolis Strain Igts8: Characterization Of A Mutant Strain That Over Produces Siderophore., Melanie Anne Pratt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Iron is an essential nutrient for most bacteria because enzymes like nitrate reductase and cytochromes use it as a cofactor. However, in most aerobic, neutral pH environments, iron is essentially insoluble and not easily available for bacteria to use. Many bacteria respond to this problem by releasing small organic compounds called siderophores that bind and effectively solubilize iron so that it can be transported into the cell for growth. The focus of this study was to learn more about the iron acquisition and especially the transport of iron by the soil bacterium Rhodococcus erythropolis. To fulfill this aim, mutant …

Herpes Simplex Virus Glycoprotein D/Host Cell Surface Interaction Stimulates Chlamydia Trachomatis Persistence Via A Novel Pathway., Jennifer Vanover

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

When presented with certain unfavorable environmental conditions, C. trachomatis reticulate bodies (RBs) enter into a viable, yet noncultivable state called persistence. Two hallmarks of persistent chlamydiae are swollen, aberrantly shaped RBs, as viewed by transmission electron microscopy and a decrease in infectious progeny. Several models of chlamydial persistence have been described, including interferon-γ (IFN-γ), IFN-α, IFN-β, and tumor necrosis factor-α-exposure and nutrient deprivation. Previously, we established an in vitro co-infection model of two of the most common sexually transmitted pathogens in the United States, C. trachomatis and Herpes Simplex Virus-2 (HSV). Data from this tissue culture model indicate that: i) …

Cytotoxic Effects Of Ruthenium Compounds On Human Cancer Cell Lines., Katie Beth Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chemotherapy is the most common cancer treatment. Traditionally, platinum-based drugs are used in chemotherapy. More recently, researchers have focused on ruthenium based compounds as a substitute for the platinum compounds. Ruthenium-based compounds appear to be less toxic to healthy cells than traditional platinum-based compounds. In this study, 7 ruthenium-based compounds were tested on HT-29 (colon) and MCF-7 (breast) human cancer cell lines with the specific aim of determining whether or not any of the ruthenium-based compounds exhibited cytotoxic properties. In addition, levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production were tested in supernate from the cancer cells treated with various …

Characterization Of Murine Cardiac Cholinergic Innervation And Its Remodeling In Type 1 Diabetes., Abigail Marie Mabe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Murine models have become increasingly popular to study various aspects of cardiovascular diseases due to their ease of genetic manipulation. Unfortunately, there has been little effort put into describing the distribution of autonomic nerves in the mouse heart, making it difficult to compare current findings from clinical and experimental models related to cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, determination of the requirements for the development of this system and its maintenance in adult mice remains largely unexplored. This study represents the first detailed mapping of cholinergic neuroanatomy of the mouse heart based on immunohistochemical staining using true cholinergic markers. We found cholinergic innervation …

Elucidating The Role Of The Α7 Nicotinic Receptor In The Etiology Of Schizophrenia., Michelle Johnson Chandley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The α7 subunit of the nicotinic receptor, a ligand gated ion channel with an affinity for nicotine, has long been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia due to the extremely high rate of smoking within the patient population. However, the exact role of the receptor has never fully been determined. In the following studies, various functions the receptor may assume in disease state are evaluated. There is a strong relationship between the immune system and schizophrenia, with the α7 subunit possibly serving as the link between the two. One of the following studies looks at the possibility of the receptor …

Towards The Design And Syntheses Of Novel Triads Comprising Single Robson-Type Macrocyclic Dicopper(Ii) Cores Flanked By Two Terminal Polypyridyl Ruthenium(Ii) Complexes., Leslie Shane Moody

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Progress toward the syntheses of new tetranuclear bimetallic complexes of copper(II) and ruthenium(II) was realized. The designed triads comprise a central binuclear copper(II) complex with a tetraiminodiphenolate macrocyclic Robson-type compartmental ligand. In the envisioned complexes, the macrocyclic core is further functionalized by attachment of two polypyridyl ruthenium(II) complexes. A novel dibrominated dicopper(II) Robson complex was formed by the 2:2:2 condensation reaction of 4-bromo-2,6-diformylphenol and 1,3- diaminopropane with cupric chloride. Similarly, a new dibrominated dizinc(II) was synthesized from zinc tetrafluoroborate and the same diamine and dialdehyde. The new dicopper(II) complex did not heterocouple with borylated substrates under explored Suzuki reaction conditions. …

A Model For Data Provenance Management, Zhendong Zhao

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Neuropsychiatric Features Of Parkinsonian Tauopathies And Alpha-Synucleinopathies., Megan Rayne Thompson 1985-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this thesis is to determine if neuropsychiatric features can differentiate parkinsonian patients with: tauopathies from those with alpha-synucleinopathies and explore caregiver distress. Three hundred and four patients (62 with tauopathies and 242 with alpha-synucleinopathies) diagnosed according to published diagnostic criteria were evaluated using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). To control for between-group differences a subsample of 235 patients were analyzed. Patients with tauopathies had significantly higher NPI total scores, more apathy, less hallucinations, lower MMSE scores and higher UPDRS scores than those with alpha-synucleinopathies. Hallucinations and delusions …

Redox-Regulated Ethylene Binding To A Rhenium-Thiolate Complex., Kagna Ouch 1983-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis reports the reactivity of the rhenium-thiolate complex, tris(2-diphenylphosphinobenzenethiolato)rhenium(III), [Re(DPPBT) 3 ] ( 1 ) and its oxidized derivatives with ethylene. The reactivity has been studied by electrochemical, spectroelectrochemical, and chemical methods. Based on the cyclic voltammetric data, ( 1 ) shows two reversible one electron oxidations and a single reduction. The three redox events are observed at potentials of 420, -340 and -1620 mV versus a ferrocene reference. The events span formal oxidation states from Re(II) to Re(V) although significant ligand participation in the redox events makes these formal assignments misleading with respect to the electronic structure of …

Altered Developmental Programming Of The Mouse Mammary Gland In Female Offspring Following Perinatal Dietary Exposures : A Systems-Biology Perspective., Caleb Deen Bastian

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mishaps in prenatal development can influence mammary gland development and, ultimately, affect susceptibility to factors that cause breast cancer. This research was based on the underlying hypothesis that maternal dietary composition during pregnancy can alter developmental (fetal) programming of the mammary gland. We used a computational systems-biology approach and Bayesian-based stochastic search variable selection algorithm (SSVS) to identify differentially expressed genes and biological themes and pathways. Postnatal growth trajectories and gene expression in the mammary gland at 10-weeks of age in female mice were investigated following different maternal diet exposures during prenatal-lactational-early-juvenile development. This correlated a decrease in expression of …

Playing House., Tracey Bennett 1979-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The role of mothers, the constitution of families, and the power of their stories are the bedrock of my thesis, which is the first 90 pages of a novel entitled Playing House . In it, I hope to investigate the denotation and connotation of the words mother and family , in order to investigate the tension between the two. I hope to complicate society's assumption that a womb makes a woman a mother, and the lack of one prohibits it. Many times, we are mothered by someone other than our biological mother--sometimes for the better and sometimes not. Sometimes to …

Op Art : Perceptions Of Reality., Christine Michelle Humphrey 1982-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis and exhibition examine the connection between neurobiology and Op Art. Neurobiological explanations of Op Art's effects are explored as a means to offer insight into the processes of the human mind and eye, and to provide explanations for the optical phenomena that were of interest to the Op artists. The initial chapter provides an overview of Op Art that is intended to offer the viewer a context for understanding the works. It also includes an explanation of the works included in the exhibition. The exhibition showcases examples of Op Art from the University of Louisville's collections as well …

Modeling The Relationship Between Air Quality And Intelligent Transportation System (Its) With Artificial Neural Networks., Dinesh Kumar Gupta 1965-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Environmental or air quality impacts of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) are very difficult to measure. Some researchers have attempted to quantify the effects of individual ITS application on emissions; yet, the effects of ITS as a whole on ambient air quality have not been investigated. The objective of this research was to model the relationship between ITS and ambient air quality. The multiple Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) training with the data yielded a model for predicting the air quality. In addition, the ANN made the measurement of the effect of ITS on air quality possible. Data pertaining to sixty US …

The Role Of Hsp90 In Pc-12 Cell Survival., Christina Blume Clark

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The chaperone heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) regulates physiologically and pathological cellular processes, by binding and stabilizing kinases involved in basal cellular functions and in cellular responses to stress, respectively. I hypothesize that Hsp90 binding to kinases Akt and Raf-l and to co-chaperone Cdc37 and Akt-dependent phosphorylation of Hsp90 regulate PC-12 cell survival. Hsp90 binding was inhibited using the classical Hsp90 inhibitor, Geldanamycin (GA). Disruption of Hsp90 binding by GA correlated with similar cell death at normoxia (RA) and at 0.1 % O2 sustained hypoxia (SH), suggesting that Hsp90 binding plays a role in cell survival. Indeed, GA cytotoxicity is …

High School Boys' Basketball And The Social Structure Of Suburban, Rural, And Urban High School Communities : A Comparative Case Study., Jason K. Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between high school boys' basketball and the social structure of a suburban, rural, and urban high school in the lower Midwest. These schools surround a metropolitan area of approximately one million people. The researcher used interviews, observations, and mining of documents to collect data. The study answered four research questions. The first question addressed the social structure of the three schools. Each school contained a group associated with sport participation called "jock" or "athlete." The second research question examined how boys' basketball participation affected social group membership and the associated positive and negative aspects. At …

Celebration Drinking And The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Of Alcohol Misperceptions : Implications For The University Of Mississippi, Catherine Dane Woodyard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Polymer Supported Optical Biosensors, Ignacio Joseph Garcia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The use of various polymer supports adhering phospholipid multibilayers to an internal reflection element have been investigated. The polymer supports studied range from polystyrene (PS), and 100 nm wide PS nanospheres to triethylaminated poly(vinyl benzyl chloride) (PVBC). The PS nanospheres showed the most promise as an adhesion layer since they appear to be the most robust with repeated washings. They also appear to stabilize their adjacent phospholipid multibilayer by increasing the lipid melting temperature. The triethylaminated DVBC also provided an increase of lipid melting temperature, but not quite to the same degree as the PS nanospheres. The cooperativity of such …

Classroom Organizational Structures As Related To Student Achievement In Upper Elementary Grades In Northeast Tennessee Public Schools., Darrell Wayne Moore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Etsu Gearup: The Design And Development Of An Alternative Energy Greenhouse., Garth Ross Ghearing

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

East Tennessee State has partnered with David Crockett High School through the Federal Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs. This year's project is an alternative energy greenhouse, which incorporates solar panels and a wind turbine. The focus is on familiarizing students with control systems including programmable logic controllers and power management. There is also an emphasis on the importance of green engineering.

The high school's students have been involved in the design and development of every aspect of the system. The development of the system is ongoing and will be further integrated into classes in the fall semester. …

Gene Expression And Phenotype Response Of Drosophila Melanogaster To Selection., Kenneth W. Mcdonald

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The evolution of phenotypic plasticity is currently a topic of paramount interest in a diverse field of sub-disciplines. Salience is placed by all fields in describing the interaction of selection and phenotypic plasticity and the consequence of this interaction more broadly on evolution. Lacking in the discussion is substantial empirical description of genotype/phenotype interactions that by definition constitute the plastic response to novel and stressful environments. Here, I present empirical observations that bring the interaction of genotype and phenotype into focus. Drosophila melanogaster populations subjected to selection for tolerance to low food or high alcohol conditions each exhibited an enhancement …

An Analysis Of The Relationship Between Teacher Variables And Student Achievement Scores In Hamblen County, Tennessee., Anne Nelson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between teacher variables and the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) student annual scores in reading and mathematics for students in grades 3 through 8 in Hamblen County, Tennessee. The teacher variables included number of days absent, Praxis II Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) scores, and years of experience. The population of the study was limited to 3rd- through 8th grade reading and mathematics teachers employed by the Hamblen County school district during the 2006-2007 school year. Raw scores from the 2006-2007 TCAP criterion-referenced assessment were used as …

Contraction-Expansion Protocols., Nadine Katia Njoya

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An approach to a new class of compounds known as bridgehead dienone is described. The route is based on a tandem contraction-expansion event in which the contraction triggers the expansion. The two steps involved are a palladium-catalyzed Favorskii contraction and a cis-divinyl cyclopropanone rearrangement. Progress towards these goals is reported.

Synthesis Towards Fulminic Acid And Its Derivatives In 1, 3-Dipolar Cycloaddition Reactions., Ophilia Ndi Toh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A new approach to fulminic acid cycloadditions has been developed. At reduced temperatures, fulminic acid is generated in situ and undergoes 1, 3-diploar cycloaddition reactions with dipolarophiles to form isoxazolines and/or its dimers. This procedure represents a novel, safe general method for the one-step generation of fulminic acid, which complements existing potentially explosive protocols.