Digital Commons Network^™

Relationships Among Demographic Variables, Organizational Culture, Interpersonal Self-Efficacy And Perceived Job Performance., Maria D. Vasquez-Colina

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study was to investigate the relationships among demographics variables (age, sex, and ethnicity), organizational culture, interpersonal self-efficacy, and perceived job performance of nonprofit human service workers. The 13 participating organizations provided services such as adoption assistance, adult daycare services, child care resource and referral help, children's daycare services, family counseling, children and youth mentoring, residential care for elderly, residential care for persons with disabilities, and substance abuse treatment programs. Only 607 full-time workers filled in the questionnaire. The response rate was 54%. Findings in the present study found that self-efficacy is a major predictor of performance. …

Disciplining P-12 Public School Personnel For Off-Duty Conduct : An Analysis Of The Judicial Response., Ruth Louise Davison 1965-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The right to discipline a P-12 public school employee for off-duty conduct remains unclear. Historically, society has held teachers up to a higher standard of conduct than persons in most other professions. The researcher traced the teacher-as-role-model theory back to antiquity. The literature further indicated that courts often rely on the role model theory when deciding judicial challenges based on adverse employment decisions. Courts also refer to the nexus theory, demanding that a relationship exist between off-duty conduct and the job. The following research question guided this study: When is it legal for P-12 public school employers to discipline employees …

Role Of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase And P-Selectin In Platelet-Arteriolar Wall Adhesion And Associated Arteriolar Constriction During Lung Reperfusion., Alexander V. Ovechkin 1957-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Reperfusion of the ischemic lung causes pulmonary arteriolar vasoconstriction and reduces alveolar perfusion. Lung ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury leads to platelet and leukocyte activation which could contribute to decreased alveolar perfusion during reperfusion by platelet-arteriolar wall interactions (rolling and adhesion) and subsequent microvascular constriction. During the oxidative stress of ischemia and reperfusion, formation of reactive nitrogen species (RNS) may promote platelet adhesion to the vascular wall with subsequent formation of microthrombi and release of vasoactive substances. Platelets play an important role in causing reperfusion injury in the systemic vasculature through accumulation and release of mediators, but information is lacking about consequences …

The Marian And Elizabethan Persecutions : How England Was Prepared For Persecution And Defended From Martyrdom., Mitchell Scott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a historical examination of the Marian and Elizabethan persecutions. Through the analysis of primary sources dating from the persecutions, the process of persecution in Reformation England is examined. This thesis uncovers the similarities that existed between the persecutions of Mary and Elizabeth. The most important and most damaging to the persecutions was martyrdom. Because martyrdom presented itself, both Queens and the supporters of the persecutions issued anti-martyrologies that defended the persecutions and refuted the martyrdom claims of the persecuted. This paper examines the documents of Marian and Elizabethan persecutions that reveal the process of persecutions, with the …

A Comparative Study Of The Physical Mechanisms Related To Highway Noise Barrier Insertion Loss : Measurements Versus Modeling Assumptions., Ning Shu 1975-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The main purpose of this research is to make a comparative study of the physical mechanisms related to highway noise barrier insertion loss and to evaluate and improve the accuracy of insertion loss of FHWA Traffic Noise Model (TNM) 2.5 comparedw ith STAMINA 2.0, HNP 1.0 and the field measurement data. As described in Chapter VI, field measurements of highway noise barrier insertion loss were carried out along the I-264. Results show that TNM 2.5 over-predicts the insertion loss for receivers with distances up to 122 m (400 ft). To identify the reasons that TNM 2.5 over-predicts the insertion loss …

Child Of The North : Louisville's Transition To A Southern City, 1879-1885., Robert Bruce Symon Jr., 1962-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a historical examination of the perception of Louisville as a southern city. The work begins with a discussion regarding Louisville's historical ties with the North and its acceptance as either a western or northern city. The thesis then shifts into examining the details of the events surrounding the deliberate attempt of city leaders to define Louisville as a southern city in an effort to exploit southern markets following the Civil War. The thesis points to August 3, 1883 as the day of the transition and frames the transition period around the visit of former President and ex-Union …

Characterization Of Microbial Communities In Karstic Sediments : A Study Of Cave Bacteria In Central Kentucky., Justine Kay Roback 1964-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Few previous studies have compared microbial communities in subterranean and surface environments. Chemical analyses used to characterize the surface and cave microbial environments indicated limited exchange between surface and subsurface waters. Here, bacterial communities from four distinct cave sediments collected in central Kentucky and adjacent surface streams were compared using a combination of culture and molecular methods. Predictions were that: 1) Cave communities will have unique community structures when compared to those of nearby surface sediments, and 2) Genetic diversity of bacterial communities in cave sediments will be higher than those in nearby surface sediments. Since diversity and community structure …

Legacy Children : Whose Legacy Are They?, Pamela Nolley Tungate 1968-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Adoption and Safe Families Act created specific outcomes for permanency for children in foster care. The purpose of these outcomes is to decrease the number of children in long term foster care. Seven years have passed since ASFA was signed into law. Audits completed in each state by federal reviewers have found that no state has meet ASFA's primary outcome of permanency and stability of placement for foster children. A number of foster children are still spending long periods of time in foster care. This project sought to identify barriers to permanency for a sample of Kentucky's long term …

Investigations Of N-Acetyltransferases In Human Hepatocytes And Rat Models., Jason Matthew Walraven

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis begins by reviewing human N-acetyltransferases (Chapter I), then outlines experiments involving human hepatocytes and rat N-acetyltransferases (Chapters II-V). These experiments facilitated the development of a dissertation project designed to study N-acetyltransferase tissue-specific expression in inbred rat strains (Chapter VI). Real-time PCR experiments concluded that genetic and/or environmental factors influence N-acetyltransferase expression in cryopreserved human hepatocytes. Therefore, an animal model must be used to study N-acetyltransferase expression. Initial studies of recombinanatly expressed rat N-acetyltransferases (Nats) revealed a correlation between rat and human N-acetyltransferases in nucleotide and amino acide sequence, catalytic activity, substrate selectivity and thermostability, suggesting the rat is …

Induction Of Lineage And Differentiation Of Adult Human Neuroepithelial Progenitors In Vitro., Xiaodong Zhang 1968-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Neurosphere forming cells (NSFCs) have been derived from cultures of adult olfactory neuroepithelium obtained from patients and cadavers in serum rich medium. These neural progenitors remain undifferentiated when maintained in serum rich medium but have the potential to differentiate along glial or neuronal lineages. A totally defined medium (DM) was employed to examine their proliferation, lineage restriction and differentiation. None of the neurotrophic factors evaluated increased NSFCs viability or lineage restriction under the defined experimental conditions. Few of NSFCs ever express mature neuronal or glial markers in DM. To evaluate the potential of NSFCs to form oligodendrocytes, transcription factors, Olig2, …

The Plan For Reformation : Henry Viii And The Dissolution Of The English Monasteries., Angela Loretta Ash 1979-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a critical examination of the dissolution of the monasteries under the reign of Henry VIII, and the key role the dissolution played in his plan for the Reformation in England. In addition, the present study found that by closely studying certain documents, we gain an understanding of Henry VIII's strategy and attitude that was also important to his plan for initiating reform in the 1530's. Though there is a complete analysis of several of the most relevant scholars, the present study builds upon the theories and assertions of these experts with unique suggestions in reference to frequently …

Preparing Teachers For Diversity : A Study Of Two University Teacher Education Programs In Indiana., Vella Goebel 1947-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study assessed the efficacy of diversity training in teacher education programs at two Indiana universities from the viewpoints of teacher educators and teacher education majors. Three research questions guided the study: (a) To what extent did teacher educators exhibit classroom attitudes and behaviors consistent with practicing diversity education? (b) To what extent did teacher education majors perceive that teacher educators exhibited attitudes and behaviors consistent with practicing diversity education? (c) Did teacher education students and teacher educators agree about the extent to which their institutions supported diversity initiatives? The research questions were examined across the domains most frequently explored …

Toward Autonomic Distributed Data Mining Using Intelligent Web Services., Padmanabhan Ramaswamy 1976-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study defines a new approach for building a Web Services based infrastructure for distributed data mining applications. The proposed architecture provides a roadmap for "autonomic" functionality of the infrastructure hiding the complexity of implementation details and enabling the user with a new level of usability in data mining process. Web Services based infrastructure delivers all required data mining activities in a utility-like fashion enabling heterogeneous components to be incorporated in a unified manner. Moreover, this structure allows the implementation of data mining algorithms for processing data on more than one source in a distributed manner. The purpose of this …

A Survey And Analysis Of The Implementation Of Visual Art Standards In Mississippi Classrooms, Ann D. Ostenson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to determine whether art teachers were implementing Mississippi State Frameworks for art. Teachers who opted not to use the frameworks were asked to list teaching methods used in lieu of the state- suggested teaching strategies. This study was conducted through survey, although some information was gathered through informal interviews.

Participants included members of the Mississippi Art Education Association and K-12 teachers in Jackson city schools. Of the one hundred and sixteen surveys mailed out to Mississippi art teachers, fifty were returned. Of those who responded, sixty-four percent (N=32) were adherent to the Mississippi State …

The Surreal Narrative : Contemporary Tintypes And Video., Mary Helen Yates

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a combination of actual works of art in the tintype and video mediums and a written theoretical exploration of the theme of shadow in fairytales, myths and religious stories. The written portion begins with an overview of the central idea of transformation in both object and narrative in regards to the Jungian notion of the shadow. It also discusses the nature of the tintype process and its relation to storytelling in the context of the body of work. The written thesis continues with a narrative interpretation of the works of art and their role in the metamorphosis …

The Breakfast Table., Allison Leigh Egnew 1980-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Inspired by William Butler Years and his theory that "A poet...never speaks directly as to someone at the breakfast table…" from "A General Introduction for My Work" this poetic thesis examines everyday occurrences in an often conversational tone. Devoid of overly descriptive of heavy language, it is an intentional deviation from the typical poetic dogma. These poems cover such events as death, cemeteries, the end and beginning of various relationships, coffee cups, and old houses. The common strand is not necessarily in theme but comes instead from voice and style. The power of this poetry is intended to come from …

General Ishii Shiro: His Legacy Is That Of Genius And Madman, Gregory Dean Byrd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper covers the development of the chemical weapons division founded by Ishii Shiro, and discusses the horrible experimentation that was done by the Japanese. These experiments have been a source of controversy. The Chinese feel the Japanese should acknowledge these as war crimes. When the Japanese left Manchuria, they left the world’s largest chemical waste dump behind, and even to this day the government refuses to admit the actions of Unit 731. The information on biological warfare that the Japanese discovered during the experimentation in China later was used as a negotiation tool with the United States to secure …

Preserving Rural African American Heritage In Hawkins County, Tennessee: A History And Restoration Proposal For Saunders School, Chapel, And Cemetery., Sharon Edwina Becker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As generations segment and separate by distance and relationships, the chapel, school, and cemetery in what was known as the Saunders Chapel Community in Hawkins County, Tennessee, becomes a unifying bond to its descendents. This study records Saunders School history as an established central archive and uses the history for a restoration proposal. Saunders history, like all social and cultural history, exists as coalesced fragments. In the hope of deriving proof of the past, each entity and event is brought together so they might illuminate another. The story of Saunders Chapel will continue to grow and live on through the …

Minority Physician Job Satisfaction: An Analysis Of Extrinsically-Controlled Organizational Factors, Shaun Fletcher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Few organizational communication studies examine the organizational aspects influencing career satisfaction specifically among non-white cultures in the medical physician population. This study examines minority physicians' perceptions of extrinsically controlled work environment factors in comparison to their white counterparts. Three research questions were analyzed from a 17-question survey tool to measure: physician satisfaction levels with autonomy over medical decision-making; autonomy over non-medical workplace decisions; and hospital cost containment efforts. These organizational variables have served as major points of discourse within the healthcare arena and they relate to the enigmatic nature of career satisfaction. Determined by the volume of respondents representing each …

Alcoholism, A.A., And The Challenge Of Authenticity, Patricia Madden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the possibilities of living an authentic life for an alcoholic, both in and out of Alcoholics Anonymous. Authenticity is explored using the existential models put forth by Jean-Paul Sartre and Soren Kierkegaard. Alcoholics Anonymous figures prominently in this analysis. It is suggested that A.A. acts inauthentically in its claims that it is not a religious organization. A.A. creates special problems for female alcoholics because of the sexist and masculinist nature of its primary literature. While A.A. claims that its message is the only way by which an alcoholic can recover, other treatment methods exist. Suggestions are made …

Effects Of Food Deprivation On Blood Lipid Concentration And Composition In Steller Sea Lions (Eumetopias Jubatus), Michelle Lea Berman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Steller sea lions, the largest Otariid, fast during their breeding season; during this time they refrain from ingesting food for a period of 12-43 days. Fasting, while undertaking an extremely energetically demanding activity (breeding and pupping), requires specific physiological adaptations. This study examined the physiological response to fasting of two age classes, juveniles and sub-adults, during the breeding and non-breeding seasons to determine how these animals utilize lipids and the pattern of fatty acid mobilization from lipid stores during fasting. Four juveniles and 5 sub-adults were fasted for one and two weeks, respectively, and blood samples were collected approximately every …

Communicating Culture Through Capoeira, Desislava Georgieva

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The popularity of capoeira, a dance based in the martial arts and originating among slaves in Sixteenth-Century Brazil, has increased greatly in recent decades as it has spread worldwide as a performance representative of Brazilian history and culture. In 1974, capoeira was declared the national sport of Brazil. Today capoeira academies and competitions may be found wherever Brazilian culture is celebrated and communicated in many major foreign cities. My thesis, through the participant/observer method and the use of long interviews, examines capoeira as it is practiced in one particular academy far from the art form's place of origin. In the …

Novel Protein-Protein Interactions Regulate The Proteolytic Activity Of The Pro- Apoptotic Serine Protease, Omi/Htra2, Supriya Singh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Omi/HtrA2 is a mitochondrial serine protease with high homology to the bacterial HtrA proteins. Omi promotes caspase-dependent apoptosis by binding and degrading IAPs-inhibitor of apoptosis proteins. Omi can also induce caspase-independent apoptosis but the actual mechanism is still unknown. IAP's are not the only substrates cleaved by Omi. There are at least two more known substrates of Omi, the HAX-1 and the ped/pea-15 proteins. HS1-associated protein X-1 (HAX-1) is a mitochondrial protein, degraded by Omi after induction of caspase-dependent apoptosis. Ped/pea-15 is also an anti-apoptotic protein and is cleaved by Omi after induction of caspase-independent apoptosis. The proteolytic activity of …

The Scintillation Index In Moderate To Strong Turbulence For The Gaussian Beam Wave Along A Slant Path, Fredrick Eugene Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Scintillation is one of the most common statistics in the literature of mathematical modeling of laser propagation through random media. One approach to estimating scintillation is through the Rytov approximation, which is limited to weak atmospheric turbulence. Recently, an improvement of the Rytov approximation was developed employing a linear filter function technique. This modifies the Rytov approximation and extends the validity into the moderate to strong regime. In this work, an expression governing scintillation of a Gaussian beam along an uplink slant path valid in all regimes of turbulence is presented, as well as results for the limiting cases of …

Responses Of The Florida Mouse (Podomys Floridanus) To Habitat Management, Jason Depue

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Florida mouse (Podomys floridanus), a species restricted to the Lake Wales Ridge and the Atlantic Coastal Ridge, is recognized by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as a species of special concern, highlighting its status as a species that is threatened by habitat loss statewide. Publicly owned lands offer protection for the species, but management is generally focused on protecting biodiversity in general and not a particular species. The response of the Florida mouse to land management practices such as mechanical treatment and prescribed fires is poorly documented. This research examined the population responses of Florida mice on …

An Investigation Of The Effects Of Speakers' Vocal Characteristics On Ratings Of Confidence And Persuasion, John Montrey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This experiment furthered previous research on perceptions of speakers as a function of various vocal characteristics. A low relevance passage was recorded by male and female speakers, simulating voices of orotund, thin, thoaty, flat, breathy, as well as rate and pitch variations, so as to determine effects on persuasiveness and confidence. Main effects were found regarding gender across all vocal characteristics. While an orotund voice produced predominately positive effects of ratings of speakers' confidence and persuasiveness, a breathy effect elicited negative ratings. The male speaker was judged more harshly than the female speaker when the vocal characterization departed from the …

Hurricane Shoes And Other Stories, Kristie Smeltzer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hurricane Shoes and Other Stories is a collection of short stories that center on evolving and devolving relationships. The characters in these stories form tentative bonds with people in their lives while other relationships slip away. In "Hurricane Shoes," Katrina attempts to reinvent herself by ending an affair. Katrina's pregnancy and her mother's cancer pull the two women closer. "Da's Violets" is about Cheryl's changing relationship with her father. Just as he moves on from the wife who left him for her podiatrist, the wife returns with hopes to reconcile. These stories catch characters in moments when they must make …

The Effects Of Arsenic On Selenoprotein Biosythesis, Fanta Konate

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Arsenic contamination of drinking water is a real public health problem in certain areas of South-East Asia where chronic exposure has been correlated to higher rates of lung, skin, bladder, kidney, and liver cancer. Although arsenic carcinogenicity is well established, the mechanism by which it induces cancer is poorly understood. Recent evidence suggests that oxidative stress could be a possible mechanism for the carcinogenic effects of arsenic. Selenium, in the form of selenocysteine, is necessary for the activity of several enzymes with a role in the defense against reactive oxygen species (ROS), primarily thioredoxin reductases (TrxR) and glutathione peroxidases (Gpx). …

Real Time Rt-Pcr For Direct Detection Of Viable Mycobacterium Avium Subspecies Paratuberculosis In Chron's Disease Patients And Association Of Map Infection With Downregulation In Interferon-Gamma Receptor (Infg1) Gene In Crohn's Disease Patients, Mounir Chehtane

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Association of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) with Crohn's disease (CD) and not with ulcerative colitis (UC), two forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), has been vigorously debated in recent years. This theory has been strengthened by recent culture of MAP from breast milk, intestinal tissue and Blood from patients with active Crohn's disease. Culture of MAP from clinical samples remained challenging due to the fastidious nature of MAP including its lack of cell wall in infected patients. The advent of real time PCR has proven to be significant in infectious disease diagnostics. In this study, real time reverse transcriptase …

An Examination Of Third-Person Effect In The Context Of Contoversial Product Advertising, Keith Jensen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research seeks to determine if there is a third-person effect in the realm of controversial product advertising. A questionnaire was designed based on previous research and distributed to a convenience sample of college students at the University of Central Florida. Participants were asked to rate their perceived levels of personal offense to product categories as well as the expected levels of other groups of people. The results show that there is indeed a significant third-person effect recognized for all product categories except for racial extremist groups. A first-person effect was shown to be present for the category of racial …