Digital Commons Network^™

Family Structure And The Criminal Behavior Of Juveniles In Tennessee., Ronald D. Pickard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between family type and criminal behavior of juveniles in Tennessee who were referred to Juvenile Court in 2006. The population used in the study comprised the juveniles who were referred to the Tennessee Juvenile Courts as reported by the Tennessee Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges in 2006.

This investigation focused on the criminal behavior as indicated by number and type of referrals to the Juvenile and Family Court system in Tennessee. The data were analyzed by family-of-origin type, age group, and geographic region in Tennessee.

The findings of …

Sex Differences In Nicotine-Conditioned Hyperactivity In A Model Of Dopamine D2 Receptor Priming: Roles Of Dopamine D2 And D3 Receptor Subtypes., Ashley Brianna Sheppard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this investigation was to determine the effect of a nicotine-conditioned context on locomotor hyperactivity in an animal model of D2-priming, and whether conditioned hyperactivity could be blocked by the D2 antagonist eticlopride or the D3 antagonist nafadotride. D2-primed male rats showed enhanced nicotine sensitization as evidenced by statistically significant differences in horizontal activity. D2-primed female rats administered nicotine demonstrated an increased hypoactive response after initial sensitization and increased stereotypy. Eticlopride and nafadotride blocked sensitization to nicotine in both D2-primed and non D2-primed males and females. Eticlopride blocked conditioned hyperactivity in females but not in males. D2-primed female …

An Epidemiological Study Of Maternal Depression: Findings From The National Institute Of Child Health And Human Development Study Of Early Child Care And Youth Development., Liang Wang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined maternal depression status from month 1 to 36 after birth using data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. Maternal depression was assessed with the Center of Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. The prevalence of maternal depression was highest at 1 month, decreased at 6 months, and then kept fairly stable to 36 months. The prevalence was higher in blacks than other races, in 18-24 than 25-46 years old, and in single mothers than non-single mothers. Mothers with better physical health, social support, or employed had a lower prevalence than their counterparts. Mothers in …

Radical Religious Rebels: The Rise And Fall Of Jerry Falwell And The Moral Majority., Andrew Francis Bell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, I intend to illustrate the impact that Jerry Falwell had upon the rise of religious fundamentalism within the United States during the latter part of the 20th century. By elucidating the various factors that led Jerry Falwell from a little-known minister from Lynchburg, Virginia to becoming the figurehead of the movement known as the Religious Right, I wish to show how one of more controversial figures in both the religious and political spheres of contemporary American history became one of the more influential and infamous men of recent times. By focusing on the predecessors of Jerry Falwell …

Amphetamine Sensitization And In Vivo Microdialysis Of The Nucleus Accumbens Core Of Adult Male And Female Rats D2-Primed As Neonates., Zackary Adam Cope

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Neonatal administration of quinpirole produces significant increases in D₂ receptor sensitivity that persists into adulthood. This phenomenon, known as D₂ receptor priming, is consistent with pathology in schizophrenia. Rats were administered quinpirole or saline postnatally and raised to adulthood. In adulthood, rats were administered d-amphetamine sulfate or saline every other day and were placed in a locomotor arena where activity was measured over 7 trials. Results showed that D₂-primed rats receiving amphetamine were higher in locomotor activity across all days of testing compared to other groups. This effect was more prominent in males than in females. …

Characterization Of The Pathway Leading To The Synthesis Of Salicylic Acid In Plants Resisting Pathogen Infection., Alexander Eddo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Salicylic acid is a plant hormone that accumulates with plant-pathogen interaction. This accumulation corresponds to the plant being resistant to infection and without it the plant is susceptible. In this study, primers of genes involved in the normal synthesis of SA were used in RT-PCR to compare gene expression levels in susceptible and resistant plants challenged with tobacco mosaic virus. Because SA synthesis shares chorismate as a common substrate with the synthesis of aromatic amino acids, HPLC was used to determine whether the increase in SA could be attributed to a decrease in amino acid levels. The results suggest that …

Synthesis Of Novel Agrochemicals As Potential Plant Immunization Agents., Arrey Besong Enyong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The world's population is expected to grow from 6 billion to about 10 billion by 2050. The greatest population increase is expected to occur in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. To feed a world with huge increases in population and to sustain the well-being of humans, a large increase in food production must be achieved. The projected increase in food production must be accomplished on the existing cultivated areas because the expansion of new land is limited by environmental concerns, urbanization and increasing water scarcity.

Different compounds have been developed for the "immunization" of plants against several pathogens. These compounds …

Exploring Expression-Based Apprehension In Online And Traditional Sections Of A General Education, Introductory Communication Course., Tabitha Leah Bailey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Apprehension negatively impacts student learning. As online and hybrid communication courses continue to be offered it is important to expand and update research regarding the following constructs: communication apprehension, receiver apprehension, writing apprehension, and computer apprehension. This study examines correlations between and among these constructs, differences by gender and course format, and changes between pre- and posttest results. Students enrolled in traditional and online sections of a basic communication course completed pre- and posttests consisting of a demographic survey, the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension, the Receiver Apprehension Test, the Writing Apprehension Test, and the Computer and Web Attitude Scale. …

Identification Of Chlamydial Iron-Responsive Proteins During Intracellular Growth., Brian D. Dill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular bacterium and the most prevalent cause of bacterial sexually transmitted disease. Genital chlamydial infections, marked by chronic, intense inflammation, can lead to genital tissue scarring and infertility and is a contributing factor to development of pelvic inflammatory disease and ectopic pregnancy. Iron is required as a cofactor for numerous highly conserved pathways, and nearly all studied organisms rely on iron for growth. In response to iron restriction, the chlamydial developmental cycle arrests at the intracellular reticulate body stage, resulting in a phenomenon termed persistence. Persistence likely plays a role in chlamydial pathogenesis through the …

Monitoring Metal Containing Particulates Distribution On A College Campus Using Dandelion (Taraxacum Officinale) Leaves As Receptors., Suresh Chandra Regmi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to determine the distribution of particulates carrying heavy metals at selected sites on a college campus using dandelion leaves as collectors. As a comparison, sites far away from the campus surrounding Bristol Motor Speedway Car Racing Stadium were also monitored. To reduce the probability of memory effects from the long-term atmospheric deposition or absorption of metals from soil a seasonal plant, dandelion, was used to monitor the metal contents. The metals monitored are cadmium, calcium, copper, chromium, iron, lead, and zinc. Fourteen sites were monitored and samples were collected once a week initially (growing time of the …

Characterization Of Heat Shock Protein A12b As A Novel Angiogenesis Regulator., Rebecca J. Steagall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previously, we cloned Heat shock protein A12B (HspA12B), the newest member of a recently defined subfamily of proteins distantly related to the Hsp70 family that are enriched in atherosclerotic lesions. We have found that HspA12B is predominantly expressed in vascular endothelium, and that it is involved in angiogenesis which we probed by in vitro angiogenesis assays (Matrigel), migration assays and Directed In Vivo Angiogenesis Assay (DIVAA). Hsp70s are molecular chaperones that are inducible by stress and have been found to be anti-apoptotic (Li et al. 2000; Nylandsted et al. 2000; Garrido et al. 2001). Because of its homology to Hsp70, …

Mutagenic And Tumor Suppressor Functions Of Dna Polymerase Iota In Mammalian Cells., Lindsey Jay Stallons 1983-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Y family of DNA polymerases in higher eukaryotes contains at least four members which are implicated in potentially error-prone replication through unrepaired damage in the genome. These proteins are encoded by the REV1, POLH, POLI, and POLK genes. An inherited deficiency in one of these DNA polymerases (POL?) is the molecular defect in the cancer prone xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) variant syndrome, making POL? the most studied member of this family. However, there exist critical gaps in our knowledge on the function of the other known Y family members (POL I, POL K, and REV1). The goal of this proposal …

Mercury Emissions From Coal-Fired Power Plants : A Local Or A Global Pollutant?, Paul Franklin Tirey 1961-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation tests whether or not mercury emissions from electric power plants are not a significant contributor to mercury measurements in rainfall and argues that the current United States (U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed regulatory scheme for controlling mercury from electric power plants, the Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR), is an effective regulatory mechanism by using a number of ordinary least square (OLS) and spatial regression models. Two dependent variables are tested, mercury concentration (the average mercury concentration measured in rainfall in nanograms per liter, ng/L) and mercury deposition (the total annual mercury falling at each measurement site in …

Clustered Longitudinal Data Analysis., Ming Wang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Clustered longitudinal data is often collected as repeated measurements on subjects over time arising in the clusters. Examples include longitudinal community intervention studies, or family studies with repeated measures on each member. Meanwhile, cluster size is sometime informative, which means that the risk for the outcomes is related to the cluster size. Under this situation, generalized estimating equations (GEE) will lead to invalid inferences because GEE assumes that the cluster size is non-informative. In this study, we investigated the performances of generalized estimating equations (GEE), cluster-weighted generalized estimating equations (CWGEE), and within-cluster resampling (WCR) on clustered longitudinal data. Based on …

Evaluation Of Bone Quality Using Novel Image Analyses And Mechanical Testing Methods., Qian Xu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Osteoporosis has become a growing health threat with rising social and economic consequences. The understanding of the relationship between bone mechanical strength and bone structural quality is important for the diagnosis of osteoporosis and the evaluation of osteoporosis treatments. A novel cancellous bone segmentation method was developed to separate cancellous bone from cortical bone automatically. The segmentation was based on the three-dimensional images. The basic idea of the method is that a contiguous three-dimensional non-bone region that is located inside the whole bone region of interest can be defined as the marrow region. Any bone material that is surrounded by …

Disappointment Domains, Quality Of Life, And The Impact Of Mental Illness : An Evaluation Of Demographic Differences., Christina Lynn Adkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The concept of quality of life (QOL) has been the topic of many research projects, yet several clinically relevant aspects of this concept have been overlooked. Specifically, few studies have addressed the impact of such demographic variables as race and sex on the life domains that have been particularly disappointing to patients with mental illnesses. The current research project aims to contribute to the understanding of the impact these variables have on quality of life, specifically addressing the following hypotheses: (1) Domains of disappointment will vary according to race and sex; (2) Race and sex will interact to predict which …

Multimodal And Print Composition : An Examination Of Instructors And Students Transferring Rhetorical Knowledge In First-Year Composition., Sonya Compton Borton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a case-study of three instructors and five of their students in first-year composition who were making the transition from print to multimodal composition. This study examines the similarities and differences in the ways instructors and students talk about print and multimodal compositions and if the vocabulary they use to talk about each transfers or if they need a new vocabulary to discuss the multimodal compositions. The results of this study seem to indicate that language common to both print and multimodal composition, such as having a clear assertion, was transferrable both between the print and multimodal projects …

Computational Analysis Of Expressed Sequence Tags For Understanding Gene Regulation., I. Elizabeth Cha 1973-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

High-throughput sequencing has provided a myriad of genetic data for thousands of organisms. Computational analysis of one data type, expressed sequence tags (ESTs) yields insight into gene expression, alternative splicing, tissue specificity gene functionality and the detection and differentiation of pseudogenes. Two computational methods have been developed to analyze alternative splicing events and to detect and characterize pseudogenes using ESTs. A case study of rat phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) genes yielded more than twenty-five previously unreported isoforms. These were experimentally verified through wet lab collaboration and found to be tissue specific. In addition, thirteen cytochrome-like gene and pseudogene sequences from the …

Dispersion Of Narrow Diameter Carbon Nanotubes For Optical Characterization., Hemant M. Shah 1981-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Optical properties of carbon nanotubes have recently attracted considerable amount of attention. Due to there direct band gap material characteristic these and dimension of the order of nano meters they find potential applications in the field of nano photonics. Thus the optical study of carbon nanotubes is important for both fundamental research and for the next generation technical applications. In this thesis single walled carbon nanotubes were dispersed in various encapsulates such as surfactants, polymers, proteins etc to separate them individually and study there optical properties. The individually dispersed single walled carbon nanotubes displayed unique absorbance spectra. The optical absorption …

A Possible Role For Spla2 In Oligodendrocyte Death And Spinal Cord Injury., William Lee Titsworth

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Spinal cord injury (SCI) can be divided into two distinct stages, an initial mechanical impact and a later "secondary injury" resulting from a cascade of cytokines triggering a spreading demyelination and apoptosis of neurons and glia within the spinal cord. It is believed that blockade of this "secondary injury" could improve functional and histological recovery following SCI. Here we propose that sPLA2 might be one of the crucial mediators of the secondary injury. To test this possibility we first elucidated that the mRNA and protein of several isozymes of sPLA2 are present in the rodent spinal cord and that the …

Alternative Piezoresistor Designs For Maximizing Cantilever Sensitivity., Patrick Carl Fletcher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the last 15 years, researchers have explored the use of piezoresistive microcantilevers/resonators as gas sensors because of their relative ease in fabrication, low production cost, and their ability to detect changes in mass or surface stress with fairly good sensitivity. However, existing microcantilever designs rely on irreversible chemical reactions for detection and researchers have been unable to optimize symmetric geometries for increased sensitivity. Previous work by our group showed the capability of T-shaped piezoresistive cantilevers to detect gas composition using a nonreaction-based method – viscous damping. However, this geometry yielded only small changes in resistance. Recently, computational studies performed …

A Study Of Grade Distributions And Withdrawal For Selected Courses At A Community College In Northeast Tennessee., Candy Campbell-Pritt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In addition to the ever-changing demands of the workforce and student demands, the community college must address how performance and withdrawal are affected by traditional classroom instructional delivery and the inclusion of alternate instructional delivery settings such as internet-based approaches in courses.

This quantitative study was conducted to provide evidence-based research to a community college in Northeast Tennessee. Specifically, this research study focused on an important aspect of instructional course delivery methods: What are the relationships between traditional classroom and internet-based course instructional delivery methods in relation to withdrawal and grade-distribution patterns for specified courses (English 1010, Math 1710, Biology …

Toward The Synthesis Of Nuclease Models., Enni Nina Fomumbod

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nucleases are enzymes that can specifically recognize nucleic acids and hydrolyze their phosphodiester bonds effectively. As is the case with many hydrolases, nucleases often carry one or more metal centers. Cooperation between such metal centers and other interactions involving general acid-base activities are believed to be essential in multifunctional catalyses. Combination of such interactions in model compounds often resulted in larger than additive effects.

This work is aimed at synthesizing nuclease models that combine the ability to recognize phosphate groups and/or nitrogen bases of DNA together with the ability to catalyze phosphodiester hydrolysis. These models were designed to achieve optimum …

Expression, Purification, And Characterization Of The Mast Cell Proteases Chymase And Cathepsin G., Brent E. Lockhart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Human mast cells have been associated with wound healing, allergies, inflammation, and defense against pathogens and have been detected in tissues close to blood vessels especially in the areas between the inside of the body and the external environment, such as the skin, lungs, digestive tract, mouth, and nose. Previous studies have shown that mast cells contain large granules filled with histamine, heparin, cytokines, eicosanoids, and the serine proteases, tryptase, Chymase, and cathepsin G (CatG). These proteases are stored and released from mast-cell granules upon activation by antigen binding to IgE immunoglobulins on the cell surface or by direct injury. …

Gender-Specific Differences In Spatial Behavior Of The Flesh Fly, Sarcophaga Crassipalpis., Caleb Joseph Paquette

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Territoriality in the flesh fly, Sarcophaga crassipalpis (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) was studied in the laboratory. In rectangular enclosures, male flies exhibited a lower tolerance (occupation of the same physical space) of same-sex conspecifics than did female flies. In circular arenas, male flies showed significantly higher levels of spatial separation among themselves (as determined from nearest neighbor analyses) than did females: males were distributed uniformly whereas females were nearly random. The male spatial behavior occurred during the photophase but not the scotophase of light-dark cycles, suggesting that visual cues are required for maintenance of inter-individual spacing. No significant differences in male spacing …

Characterization Of Commercial Pectin Preparations By Spectroscopic And Chromatographic Techniques., Daniel Wayne Dixon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pectin has a long history as a food additive. However, elucidation of its fine structural and property relationships remains elusive. Recent research has focused on pectin's ability to complex with divalent heavy metals to aid in characterizing it. Commercial pectins of unknown composition were obtained from local grocers. Purified pectin samples from orange peel, lemon peel, and apple pomace, each of low and high levels of methyl esterification and of unknown distribution pattern were also purchased. Instead of metal complexation, several highly absorbing dyes such as Ruthenium Red, Nile Blue, and Acridine Orange were used to complex with the pectins …

One, And The Same., Daniel Marinelli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis supports the Master of Fine Arts exhibition at the B. Carroll Reece Museum, East Tennessee State University, from March 18^th through May 1^{st, 2008. The exhibition is comprised of fourteen sculptures, which are presented on pedestals or mounted on the wall. The exhibition presents the artist's experimentation and exploration into a variety of different materials, namely wood, steel, paper, linen thread, and milk paint. Topics discussed are the influences, techniques, and methods directly relating to the work. Included are preliminary and detail images as well as a complete catalogue of the thesis exhibit.}

Methods For The Analysis Of Developmental Respiration Patterns., Justin Tyler Peyton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis looks at the problem of developmental respiration in Sarcophaga crassipalpis Macquart from the biological and instrumental points of view and adapts mathematical and statistical tools in order to analyze the data gathered. The biological motivation and current state of research is given as well as instrumental considerations and problems in the measurement of carbon dioxide production. A wide set of mathematical and statistical tools are used to analyze the time series produced in the laboratory. The objective is to assemble a methodology for the production and analysis of data that can be used in further developmental respiration research.

Antigen Trafficking Within Chlamydia Trachomatis-Infected Polarized Human Endometrial Epithelial Cells., David Kelley Giles

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chlamydia trachomatis serovars D-K are the leading cause of bacterially-acquired sexually transmitted infections in the United States. As an obligate intracellular pathogen, C. trachomatis infects columnar epithelial cells of the genital mucosae and can cause deleterious sequelae such as pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and ectopic pregnancy. Several chlamydial antigens reach the host cell cytosol prior to the natural release of chlamydiae at the end of the developmental cycle. While some of these extra-inclusion antigens traffic to the host cell surface, others remain intracellular where they are proposed to influence vital host cell functions and antigen trafficking and presentation. The research …

Evaluating Satisfaction And Benefit Of Nutrition Counseling Provided By A Registered Dietitian Among Cancer Patients Receiving Radiation Therapy., Bethany A. Stuart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if patients with cancer receiving radiation therapy were satisfied with the nutrition counseling they were receiving and if they obtained any benefit. Radiation increases the risk for side effects such as taste changes, chewing/swallowing problems, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. When these side effects are present, a decrease in food and fluid intake occurs, which leads to weight loss, increased risk of morbidity and mortality, as well as decreased quality of life. Subjects were recruited from a regional cancer treatment facility and a survey was administered to those who met criteria. Subjects …