Digital Commons Network^™

Reading Nature, Reading Eve: Reading Human Nature In John Milton's Paradise Lost, Maria Lynn Dunser

Theses and Dissertations

Renaissance England was a period of tremendous flux; ideas about science, gender and knowledge or how we come to knowledge come under examination. These areas of flux intersect with the text examined here in their relationship to the key concept of nature. In John Milton’s, Paradise Lost, nature appears in various forms over sixty times. By first examining the word nature in relation to the ideas in flux during the period and next examining Milton’s use of the word in the epic, an overlooked yet significant aspect of his epic emerges. Milton uses the mutability of nature to further “justify …

Salmonella Enterica Serovar Enteritidis Requires The Type Three Secretion System-1/2 To Invade/Survive In Chicken Oviduct Epithelial Cells And To Modulate Innate Immune Responses, Shuhui Li

Theses and Dissertations

Contaminated poultry and egg products are major sources of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (S. enteritidis, SE) infections in humans. Colonization of SE in chicken reproductive tract results in the production of contaminated commercial shell-eggs and fertilized hatchery eggs. The complex pathogen-host interactions during SE colonization of chicken reproductive tract are largely unknown. This study was aimed at determining the pathogenic roles of the type three secretion systems (TTSS-1 and TTSS-2) in SE infection of chicken oviduct epithelial cells (COEC). A series of SE strains carrying mutations in the genes encoding structure or effector proteins of TTSS-1 and TTSS-2 were constructed. …

Nmr Structure Calculation Of The Halophilic Binary Hvdhfr1:Folate Complex, Arezue Fatemeh Bekrai Boroujerdi

Theses and Dissertations

Dihydrofolate reductase is an enzyme that catalyzes the reaction of dihydrofolate to tetrahydrofolate with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate. Haloferax volcanii is a “salt-loving” microorganism found in the Dead Sea. Such microorganisms have adapted to their extreme environments and now require extremely high salt concentrations to survive. The study of dihydrofolate reductase from Haloferax volcanii with the substrate folate bound, which is the focus of the work presented in this dissertation, offers further understanding of this adaptation. The effect that high salt concentration has on this enzyme is not fully understood; however, this dissertation includes the investigation of the structure of …

Creature Comfort: Anthropomorphism, Sexuality And Revitalization In The Furry Fandom, Matt Morgan

Theses and Dissertations

This paper attempts to describe and analyze the culture of the furry fandom within the context of anthropologist Anthony Wallace’s model of cultural revitalization movements. This paper argues that the furry fandom represents a modern, subcultural revitalization movement in which values, identity, and sexuality are transformed through the mechanism of zoomorphic symbolism. Over one-hundred interviewees were formally and/or informally interviewed during the course of this study. Interviewees generally expressed a deep affinity for childhood and a negative perspective on adolescent culture. This paper argues that the transformation of identity present in the furry fandom is based on a synthesis of …

Development Of A Heterogeneously Catalyzed Chemical Process To Produce Biodiesel, Alok Kumar Singh

Theses and Dissertations

It is well known fact that energy is a big issue for this world and substantial amount of research is going on worldwide for alternative fuels that are environmentally friendly, especially because of the fact that crude petroleum reserves are dwindling. Also, research on alternative fuels is essential for increased energy security. Biodiesel is a renewable, biodegradable, and nontoxic fuel. At present, when homogeneous catalysts are used, biodiesel is primarily produced in batch reactors in which the required energy is provided by heating accompanied by mechanical mixing. Alternatively, ultrasonic processing could be an effective way to attain required mixing while …

Effects Of Body Mass, Physiographic Region, And Environmental Cues On Reproductive Timing In Deer, Michael Paul Dye

Theses and Dissertations

The reproductive timing and success of white-tailed deer are important to managers. I evaluated the reproductive variability of pen-raised deer and wild populations within Mississippi and investigated effects of age, body condition and moon phase on conception dates. I also examined the reproductive potential of doe fawns from 3 regions of Mississippi. Individual conception dates varied more than expected and were not related to moon phase. Age affected individual conception date, although the effect may have been confounded by estimated gestation length. Population level variation was less than reported and could not be explained by moon phase or late-winter body …

Effects Of Imazapyr And Prescribed Fire On Vegetation And Bird Communities In Mid-Rotation Crp Pine Plantations Of Mississippi, Lindsey Rae Carpenter Singleton

Theses and Dissertations

Appropriate management of mid-rotation pine plantations can improve habitat for early successional and pine-grassland adapted avian species. I tested effects of Imazapyr selective herbicide and prescribed fire on plant and avian communities in thinned, mid-rotation pine stands contracted under the Conservation Reserve Program. Within 12 replicate sites, 2 8.1-ha plots were assigned either herbicide and prescribed fire treatment or control. I described components of vegetation structure and composition in 2006. I tested effects of herbicide and prescribed fire treatment on avian relative abundance, species richness, total avian conservation value, and density of select species during 2003 - 2006. Hardwood midstory …

Effects Of Individual And Combinatorial Electrolyte Solutions Comprised Of Various Carbohydrates, Salts, And Stimulants Injected Into Broiler Hatching Eggs On Subsequent Late Term Embryogenesis And Post Hatch Performance Through Tendays Of Age, Brenna Mariechen Mcgruder

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, the effects of individual and combinatorial electrolyte solution comprised of carbohydrate, salt, and a stimulant injected into broiler hatching eggs on subsequent late term embryogenesis and post hatch performance up to D 10 were evaluated in separate trials. The effects of solution concentration and volume on embryo body weight and yolk reserves were likewise considered, and limited posthatch growth, body weight, and yolk sac effects of a compound electrolyte solution were evaluated. The individual and combinatorial effects of injected solutions were examined in an effort to yield the maximum physiological growth effects on embryogenesis from the metabolic …

Elemental Analysis Of Marksville-Style Prehistoric Ceramics From Mississippi And Alabama, Keith A. Baca

Theses and Dissertations

Distinctive Marksville-style pottery is characteristic of the Middle Woodland period (200 B.C. – A.D. 500) in the Lower Mississippi River Valley and adjacent regions. Marksville material is common in the Lower Mississippi Valley, and the scarcity of similar pottery in northeastern Mississippi and western Alabama has caused claims that Marksville pots were imported into those areas; however, they may have been locally made. To test these alternative possibilities, the elemental composition of some Marksville-style potsherds, other pottery, and clays from various archaeological sites spanning the above regions was characterized using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The results show that the …

Elucidation Of Reaction Pathways For Catalytically Cracked Unsaturated Lipids, Tracy John Benson

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the cracking chemistry as model lipids were reacted over a benchmark catalyst, H-ZSM-5, and two industrially used catalysts, faujasite and silica-alumina. Initial work began with a homogeneous system in which oleic acid, an unsaturated free fatty acid, and triflic acid, a Bronsted superacid, were reacted at low temperatures. Results indicated that protonation began at the double bond with cracking occurring in the direction away from the carboxylic end and producing a multiplicity of branched saturated fatty acids. Heterogeneous cracking on H-ZSM-5 at 400°C indicated that acylglycerides initially crack due to protonation occurring on the outside surface of …

Energy Expenditure And Mortuary Practices At Lyon's Bluff, 22ok520: An Evolutionary Approach, Lorien Stahl Elmore

Theses and Dissertations

Mortuary analysis has been used in the past to understand social status and social organization. The need for a scientific way to undertake mortuary analysis in achaeology is necessary because too often social status is assumed. This thesis attempts to demonstrate that there is a scientific approach that can be taken in mortuary analysis through the investigation of energy expenditure, a dimension that can measure the attributes of status. The mortuary analysis in this study is carried out using a scientific approach involving the amount of energy expended on burials by looking at burial type, grave goods, and special placement …

Survivin And P53 Expression In Feline Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma And Correlation With Prognosis, Heidi Huffman Rose

Theses and Dissertations

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), the most common oral neoplasm of cats, demonstrates aggressive local invasion and has a poor prognosis. In humans, mutation of the p53 gene, crucial in cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis in damaged cells, is common in neoplasms. Survivin, an inhibitor of apoptosis, is frequently overexpressed in many types of human cancer. Studies suggest that wild-type p53 inhibits survivin expression, while mutated p53 does not. The purposes of this study included immunohistochemical examination of survivin and p53 expression in feline oral SCC and determination of a correlation between p53 mutation and survivin overexpression, as well …

Terminal-Occupation Community Patterns At Lyon's Bluff (22ok520) In Oktibbeha County, Mississippi:Sedimentological, Molluscan, Artifactual, And Geophysical Evidence, S Marshall Bierly

Theses and Dissertations

Prehistoric cultures are often studied by intrasite artifact variation and quantity without much consideration of how prehistoric populations interacted locally and regionally. Archaeologists can identify and study patterns associated with activities within a specified radius in order to gain an understanding of cultural operations. Identifying a social framework for a prehistoric society allows the investigation of group organization such as status differentiation, shared rituals, and the construction and maintenance of earthworks and living areas. That facilities were constructed for specialized use within a community is evidenced by the presence of earthworks and mounds at many sites (Lewis et al. 1998:16-17). …

The Continuing Ballad Of Franco The Kid, Jayson Ming Triplett

Theses and Dissertations

The Continuing Ballad of Franco the Kid is an installation housing a collection of thoughts, both static and animated, addressing the absurdities of cultural dichotomy in contemporary America. Its theme-park aesthetic is an intentional appropriation meant to echo the spectacle that makes up America’s cultural landscape. Within this presentation the action of various iconic characters merge with fragmented text to form an allegorical matrix used to address America’s consumption and entertainment-obsessed culture and the consequential malaise induced by such obsession. The Continuing Ballad of Franco the Kid addresses this cultural state of being while underscoring current methods of communication and …

Molecular Reprogramming In Bovine Embryos After Serial Somatic Cell Chromatin Transfer, Nelida Rodriguez-Osorio

Theses and Dissertations

Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT), commonly known as cloning, is the transfer of a somatic nucleus into an enucleated oocyte to produce a clone. The chromatin structure of somatic cells permits the expression of certain genes, while silencing the rest of the genome. The cytoplasm of oocytes can reprogram a somatic nucleus by reactivating the genes necessary for embryonic development and silencing the somatic genes. However, the low efficiency of SCNT indicates that successful nuclear reprogramming is a rare event. The objectives of this study were determine the extent of transcriptional reprogramming in bovine blastocysts produced by serial rounds of …

Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction Of Analytes Important To Biofuels, Maria Cristina Paraschivescu

Theses and Dissertations

Biodiesel is a renewable, biodegradable, clean burning fuel, produced from vegetable oils and animal fat. It is a mixture of fatty acid alkyl esters, products that result from the catalytic transesterification of lipids. The first part of this research describes the development of a new and direct method used to rapidly and quantitatively determine the amount of free methanol in biodiesel samples. The analytical method developed is different from the current standards for methanol determination, and it is the first headspace-SPME method used to extract methanol from biodiesel as matrix. The second part of this research describes the direct analysis …

Identification Of Disease And Weather Related Loss Factors And An Efficiency Measure Affecting The U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish Industry, Seanicaa E. Edwardsorris

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzed factors that affected catfish losses from diseases and weather events and factors that affected onarm efficiency. A double limit tobit model was used to determine the magnitudes of losses experienced by producers due to these events, while a linear regression model was used to determine factors that affect efficiency. Results from the weather model indicate all variables are significant and positively affect loss while producer experience and pond depth were the only significant variables that affected disease loss. The efficiency model results provide information that could be increased or decreased in order to obtain a more efficient …

Evaluation Of Performance And Maintenance Of Pavement Subdrainage Systems In Mississippi, Jordan S. Whittington

Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that pavement subdrainage systems can increase the life of pavements by removing water that is detrimental to the pavement structure. The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) began including pavement subdrainage systems in the construction of major highways in the mid to late 1990’s. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the performance of current MDOT subdrainage systems and to evaluate maintenance procedures and inspection schedules for existing edge drains and outlets. Research findings show the subsurface drainage systems instrumented in this study to be functioning efficiently. Research findings also indicate that no statewide inspection or maintenance …

Exploring The Reliability And Validity Of The Human Spirituality Scale Scores With Older Adults In Independent Living Facilities, Charles Joseph Landrum

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to extend the findings of previous research about the construct of spirituality–as measured by the Human Spirituality Scale (HSS) developed by Wheat. To expand the research across the entire adult life span, the researcher pooled preexisting data (Wheat) from middle-aged adults with data he obtained from 236 older adults living in independent living facilities. He analyzed the pooled data from 502 adults, with an age range of 25 to 98. Using the pooled data set, the researcher divided the data into five age groupings. He conducted confirmatory factor analysis, of the model of spirituality developed by Wheat, …

Gifted Education In Northeast Tennessee Public Schools: A Descriptive Study., Kathryn Ann Ross-Sisco

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine gifted education programs in public schools in Northeast Tennessee. There is a wide disparity among established gifted programs regarding the identification of the students, the eligibility of the students, and the services they receive. This disparity has led to varying levels of support and service for gifted children in Northeast Tennessee. A survey was developed and distributed to individuals who oversee the gifted department in their school system. Data were collected regarding gifted student identification processes, individual program requirements, funding of gifted programs, professional development, and advanced teacher training.

National research has …

Generative Response., Catherine Juanita Martin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Within this supporting paper, the artist discusses Generative Response, her Master of Fine Arts exhibition. This paper is a narrative of the artist's development, philosophies, and methodologies. Further, it illustrates how her work and development have been affected by studies in humanity, social activism, human responsibility, and environmental consciousness.

Generative Response communicated the artist's ideology of process as metaphor for living life, involving the viewer in an "unfinished dialogue" wherein works of art undergo processes translating their role as part of a generative cycle. Generative Response was composed of seven sculptural components called "stations" depicting the processes of growth, …

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.}

We Are…Marshall, May 2, 2008, Office Of Marshall University Communications

We Are ... Marshall: the Newsletter for Marshall University 1999-2023

No abstract provided.

Mustang Daily, May 2, 2008

Cal Poly Student Newspaper

Student newspaper of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA.

Just Say “Nootropic”: The Effects Of Nicotine On Memory And Learning, Elyse N. Goveia

Psychology Honors Papers

This study investigated the effects of nicotine on memory and learning in adolescent and adult male Fischer-344 rats. Rats were given 0.2 mg/kg/day of either nicotine or saline chronically for 2 weeks and were tested in the Morris water maze as adolescents (Phase 1) and then again 4 months later as adults (Phase 2). There were 4 main groups: nicotine/nicotine, nicotine/saline, saline/nicotine, and saline/saline. In Phase 2 rats were tested for c-Fos and BrdU expression in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. Behavioral data indicated that as adults, rats given nicotine were significantly improved at the water maze task compared …

Harnessing The Heat Shock Response To Raise Refined Therapeutic Outcomes, Alexis K. Hall

Open Access Dissertations

Activated Heat Shock Transcription Factor 1 (HSF1) has received attention in recent literature as a therapeutic effector in diseases of protein misfolding, as an immune modulating adjuvant in tumor regression, and as a trigger for gene therapy transcription. In its normal function, activated HSF1 enhances heat shock protein (Hsp) expression when additional molecular chaperoning is required (i.e., in situations of proteotoxic stress, including thermal stress) in a process known as the heat shock (HS) response. Thus, HSF1 acts as an environmental sensor, and a harness based on the biology of this capability enables transcription of genes for engineered purposes. The …

The South Dakota Fuel Ethanol Industry, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Kenneth F. Kalscheuer, Alvaro Garcia, Cody Wright

SDSU Extension Fact Sheets

No abstract provided.

A New Tradition: Legitimizing The Authority Of The Tokugawa Through The Hands Of Japanese Neo-Confucians, Daniel S. Keiser

East Asian Languages and Cultures Department Honors Papers

No abstract provided.

A Comparative Assessment Of Shoreline Change Policy Options In The United States, Courtney St. John

All Theses

Erosion control is one of the many tasks of managing land use in a coastal community, but it is arguably one of the most important issues. Increasing human growth in the coastal regions of the United States places heavy demands on fragile coastal systems that cannot sustain population increases. There is a need for sound shoreline management strategies to combat and/or mitigate this problem. The purpose of this study is to determine innovations in shoreline management and inform the remainder of the Assessment of Shoreline Change Options in South Carolina project. This study asked and analyzed the following three research …

A Witness Workshop Based On The Christian Doctrine Of Vocation And Informed By The Two Kinds Of Righteousness, Dean Rothchild

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

The specific purpose of this Major Applied Project is to develop a Witness Workshop which would embolden people to bring up Christianity to others, to invite them to church, and even to proclaim the Gospel of Christ. This workshop is based upon the Christian doctrine of vocation, informed by the distinction between the two kinds of righteousness, and directly shaped by the information gathered from the initial questionnaire.