Digital Commons Network^™

Distance Judgments For Joint Action: The Perceptual Consequences Of Anticipated Coordination, Benjamin R. Meagher

Master's Theses

Recent perception research has revealed that judgments of distance are influenced by the energetic cost required to perform particular actions, such as walking, across these distances (Proffitt, 2006b). However, this prior research has focused almost exclusively on the perceptual consequences of solo action, despite the fact that individuals regularly become embedded within social units for the purpose of joint action (Richardson, Marsh, & Schmidt, 2005). In two experiments, the current work sought to test the hypothesis that forming a social unit creates a new perception-action system with distinct perceptual attunement of the environment scaled to the unit’s action-potential. Participants, accompanied …

The Effect Of Betaine Supplementation On Performance And Muscle Mechanisms, Jenna M. Apicella

Master's Theses

Background: Recent research has shown that betaine supplementation can increase strength and power performance. To further investigate the ergogenic effects of betaine supplementation a balanced, randomized, double-blind, repeated measures crossover study was designed to examine select hormonal and muscle signaling responses during supplementation.

Methods: Twelve recreationally active men (age, 19.7 ± 1.23 years; height, 172.6 ± 5.61 cm; weight, 84.27 ± 15.3 kg; body fat, 18.7 ± 7.0%; BMI, 28.2 ± 4.0) with a minimum of 3 months of resistance training including back squat and bench press participated in the study. A within crossover design was utilized and subjects were …

The Murray Ledger And Times, May 7, 2011, The Murray Ledger And Times

The Murray Ledger & Times

No abstract provided.

Alternative Scheduling In The Middle School: Considering Circadian Rhythms., James Edward Carter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The passage of No Child Left Behind has increased the level of accountability for all educators. There are many factors that affect student achievement. One factor that may be overlooked is the schedule configuration of schools. Addressing student needs through scheduling options may assist school systems and students in performing at the level they are being held accountable.

The population for this study was students from a rural East Tennessee middle school with a population of approximately 700 students. The low socioeconomic students represent 68% of the school total enrollment while 18% of the students have an individual education plan …

Eulogy., Megan Renee Levacy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The artist discusses the search for identity which underlies her Master of Fine Arts exhibition, Eulogy, hosted by the Carroll Reece Museum on the campus of East Tennessee Sate University, Johnson City, Tennessee, from March 8 to May 6, 2011. This exhibit contains works which explore the artist's relationship with the natural world, ornithology, philosophy, psychology, poetry, and related personal influences.

The artist's thesis work consists of paintings, drawings, and photographs. The artist references her own investigation of poetry, philosophy, psychology, and personal history which have shaped a private sense of awareness. Also reviewed are the influences of artists …

The Nationalism Of Joachim Meyer: An Analysis Of German Pride In His Fighting Manual Of 1570., William Charles Adamson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This work addresses the nationalistic elements in the 1570 work Kunst des Fechtens by Joachim Meyer of Strassburg. Meyer's teachings on the longsword are attached to the Swabian Johannes Liechtenauer and then transferred to the Italian rapier thus establishing Meyer as less concerned with nationalist purity as others of his century. His teachings are examined for their pleadings for moral conduct and the preservation of martial studies to the youth of Germany and the young Duke of Bavaria, Johann Casimir. Using modern examples alongside Meyer's writings the case is also made for the integration of nationalist sentiments, moral and ethical …

The Rage Of The Wolf: Metamorphosis And Identity In Medieval Werewolf Tales., Jessica Lynne Bettini

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The metamorphosis of man to beast has fascinated audiences for millennia. The werewolves of medieval literature were forced to conform to the Church's view of metamorphosis and, in so doing, transformed from bestial and savage to benevolent and rational. Analysis of Marie de France's Bisclavret, the anonymous Arthur and Gorlagon, the Irish tale The Crop-Eared Dog, and the French roman d'aventure Guillaume de Palerne reveals insight into medieval views of change, identity, and what it meant to exist in the medieval world. Each of these tales is told from the werewolf's point of view, and in each the …

Flow Cytometric Analysis Of Crayfish Hemocytes., Sarah Kathryn Allen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Crayfish exhibit innate immune responses via hemocytes and their products. There are 3 hemocyte populations: hyaline cells, granular cells, and semigranular cells. Hemocytes from laboratory housed, untreated crayfish (normal crayfish) have been quantified on the basis of cell type, cell size, and cell granularity using Flow Cytometry. These data present the first overall picture of normal hemocytes from Red Swamp Crayfish with regard to cell type, cell size, and cell granularity and will serve as a baseline for all future studies in our lab. Experiments using crayfish injected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, or crayfish saline alone showed …

The Effect Of Total Work Performed During Acute Heavy Resistance Exercise On Circulating Lymphocytes In Untrained Men, Neil A. Kelly Jr

Master's Theses

Lymphocytes are one of many leukocytes which exert a biphasic response to acute intense resistance exercise. Exercise volume (i.e. total work) has been shown to have an immunomodulatory effect. This study evaluates the effect of total work performed during an intense resistance exercise protocol on lymphocyte concentrations in the circulation. Untrained, college-aged (18-35) males who performed high amounts of work (HW) were compared to those who performed low amounts of work (LW). Resistance exercise testing consisted of 6 sets of 10 repetitions of the squat exercise with 2 minutes rest between sets. Both HW and LW performed the same relative …

Deficits In Auditory, Cognitive, And Motor Processing Following Reversible Mcao In Mice: Understanding The Human Stroke Phenotype, Dongnhu Truong

Master's Theses

Stoke is characterized by a loss or alteration in neurological and/or bodily function resulting from a cerebral vascular accident (interruption of blood flow to the brain).  Acute ischemic stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, and the leading cause of long-term functional disability in adults.  Stroke-induced deficits may include various forms of aphasia (language loss), cognitive deficits (including attentional and memory impairments), and motor impairments.  Through the use of animal models, researchers can experimentally induce “stroke-like” injuries comparable to those seen in clinical populations.  Such models allow us to study and understand the neurophysiological, anatomical, …

Animation And Visualization Of 3d Underwater Sensor Networks, Matthew T. Tran

Master's Theses

Simulation and visualization are critical for the development of new systems and protocols in the area of computer networking. As real-world field testing is expensive and time-consuming, simulations are often preferred as they can be performed repeatedly and inexpensively while still reflecting the outcome of field tests to an extent. Visualizations of the simulation and field test results often follow to provide researchers with a vivid animation of the events, allowing for a much more intuitive understanding of the system than tediously reading through trace files. While there are currently a multitude of simulators and animators for land-based networks, few …

Comparison Of An Ultrasonic And A Non-Ultrasonic Endodontic Irrigation Protocol: A Clinical Study, Christopher M. Beus

Master's Theses

The use of irrigation as a method of rendering canals bacteria free continues to be a source of investigation. Recent data suggests that an activated irrigation protocol such as passive ultrasonic irrigation can result in decreased intracanal bacteria. In addition, studies have shown that the activation of various irrigants such as NaOCl and Chlorhexidine can increase the sum antimicrobial effect. The purpose of this randomized, double blinded, prospective in-vivo clinical study was to compare the results of a non-activated irrigation protocol (NAI) using only NaOCl 1.5% to a passive ultrasonic irrigation protocol (PUI) using NaOCl 1.5%, EDTA 17% and Chlorhexidine …

The Fate Of Alpine Species In The Face Of Climate Change: A Biogeographic Perspective, Madaline Cochrane

Macalester Reviews in Biogeography

Will global climate change affect the spatial distribution and abundance of biodiversity along mountains equally? The elevational gradients inherent as one moves up a mountain slope help define the many biological patterns that emerge as key indicators for species richness in an era of rising global temperatures. When global temperatures arise, the microclimates found along different elevational ranges on mountains also fluctuate. As abiotic characteristics such as daily air temperature, daily precipitation, and annual snowmelt change overtime, so will the biotic communities on a mountain. Some species may be able to adapt to their new environments, while other may have …

Faculty Senate Minutes - May 6, 2011, Usm Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Community And Functional Ecology Of Lianas In The Yasuní Forest Dynamics Plot, Amazonian Ecuador, Hugo Geovanny Romero-Saltos

Open Access Dissertations

I studied the community of lianas in the Yasuní Forest Dynamics Plot (YFDP), in Amazonian Ecuador. I found that species diversity of lianas in valley habitat was higher than in ridge habitat, but liana abundance was similar. I also found that community structure (species composition and their abundances) of lianas in ridge was distinct from that in valley because of the differential distribution and abundance of certain species along the topographic gradient. In an attempt to explain this phenomenon deterministically, I took two approaches: (1) to explore if trait expression of leaf-based traits, wood specific gravity and stem growth rate …

The Word And The World: Exploring World Views Of Monolingual And Bilingual Chinese Through The Use Of Proverbs, Li Ma

Open Access Dissertations

Many thinkers argue that major differences among languages lead to major differences in experience and thought. Each speech community possibly embodies a distinct world view. The purpose of this study was to explore, through the use of proverbs, the relationship between acculturation and world views among monolingual and bilingual Chinese, with proficiency in Chinese and/or English used a proxy for level of acculturation. Data were collected through questionnaires and qualitative interviews regarding attitudes to English and Chinese proverbs. Data were analyzed by means of SPSS and modified grounded theory methodology. The statistical and qualitative findings contradicted each other: the former …

An Insult To Authority: The Jewish Means To A Nazi End, Samuel Joseph Preston Anno Di Stefano

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The thesis attempts to place smuggling on the Warsaw Ghetto until the Great Deportation into the larger context of economic warfare as a Nazi policy. This largely overlooked aspect of Jewish response provides valuable insights to the larger debate because of the experimental nature of administration in the Government General and its potential impact on determining the course of the Final Solution. The paper alleges that Jewish smuggling was less a form of resistance than an aid in alleviating German responsibility for their captives’ welfare and an effective method of management. Research tools included an abundance of primary documents for …

Effects Of Speech Signal Type And Attention On Acceptable Noise Level In Elderly, Hearing-Impaired Listeners, Jennifer Susan Mundorff

Dissertations, 2014-2019

The primary objective of this study was to determine if acceptable noise levels (ANLs) in elderly, hearing-impaired listeners were dependent on speech intelligibility and listener attention levels. Acceptable noise levels (ANLs), expressed in decibels, is defined as the maximum background noise level that is acceptable while listening to and following a story. Connected speech test (CST) sentences were recorded with clear speech, conversational speech and temporally altered, fast-rate speech. Thirty-five, elderly, hearing-impaired individuals (61-97 years, M=75) with symmetrical, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss participated. Most comfortable listening levels (MCL) and background noise level (BNL) measurements were completed for each speech stimulus …

Concurrent Aerobic Exercise Interferes With The Satellite Cell Response To Acute Resistance Exercise In Mhc I Muscle Fibers, Lyle W. Babcock

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Purpose: Concurrent training attenuates hypertrophy compared to resistance training alone, and does so in a fiber-type specific manner. The mechanism responsible for this ‘interference’ is unclear, and satellite cell physiology, an important hypertrophic factor, has not been examined within this context. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to assess the fiber-type specific satellite cell response to acute resistance, aerobic and concurrent exercise. Methods: Eight recreationally active college-aged males (23±1 yrs, 83.4±3.6 kg, 181±2 cm, and 48.5±1.6 ml/kg/min) performed 3 sets of 10 repetitions with a fourth set ≥ 10 repetitions at 75% of 1RM for both unilateral leg extensions …

"By Reason Of Birth", Cheyenne Kody Crawford

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

This written monograph is intended to parallel my MFA thesis show, “by reason of birth”. These written accounts from my childhood are specific occurrences in my life that influenced the creation of this work. Through the combination of written and made work, I recall an ambiguous past that allows the viewer to infer his or her own personal histories alongside mine.

Ontogeny Of Postcranial Morphology And Locomotor Behavior In Propithecus Verreauxi Coquereli And Lemur Catta, Stephanie Ann Wolf

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Despite living under the same environmental pressures and sympatrically in many cases, Propithecus verreauxi and Lemur catta have evolved very different strategies for survival in stochastic environmental conditions. P. verreauxi show slow somatic growth, low maternal investment, and rapid dental growth while L. catta show faster somatic growth, high maternal investment, and slower dental growth. P. v. coquereli are highly specialized for vertical clinging and leaping (VCL) among lemurs, while L. catta, the most terrestrial of lemurs, use a wider variety of locomotor types including quadrupedalism, climbing, and leaping. P. v. coquereli have unusually long legs and muscular thighs while …

Interleukin-3 Promotes Susceptibility In A Mouse Model Of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, Bryan Lewis Saunders

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), a vector-borne infectious disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania, is one of the most important neglected infectious diseases worldwide. Currently, 10 million people in 82 (mostly developing) countries are infected. Those infected develop ulcerative skin lesions on exposed parts of the body, causing serious disability and permanent scarring. All mice are susceptible to infection with Leishmania major, however, the outcome of infection is different depending on the mouse strain. For example, resistant C57BL/6 mice develop lesions, which like in humans, ultimately heal. In contrast, lesions in susceptible BALB/c mice progressively worsen, ultimately resulting in …

A Taxonomic Revision Of The Endemic Members Of Varronia P. Br. (Cordiaceae) In The Galápagos Islands, Julia Kathryn Stutzman

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The Galápagos Islands have long been an arena for biological diversity, scientific discovery, and conservation. Accurate identification and documentation of the flora of the Galápagos continue to aid conservation efforts. The purpose of this study was to conduct a taxonomic revision of the endemic members genus Varronia (Cordiaceae) on the Islands: V. revoluta (Hook. f.) Andersson, V. leucophlyctis (Hook. f.) Andersson, V. canescens Andersson, and V. scouleri (Hook. f.) Andersson. Taxonomic uncertainty among these species has resulted in difficult evaluation of their potential for conservation status by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. The present taxonomic study concludes …

The Effects Of Sr2w-1 Supplementation On High-Intensity Cycling Performance And Lactate Metabolism, Kevin A. Murach

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of SR2W-1 herbal supplementation on cycling performance, muscle and blood lactate, and various physiological parameters including blood glucose, heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), oxygen consumption (VO2), expired ventilation (VE), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), and femoral artery blood flow. Methods: Seven recreational cyclists (Age: 26.7 ± 9.8 yrs, Height: 172.5 ± 13.3 cm, Weight:67.1 ± 10.7 kg, and VO2max: 59.5 ± 11 mL/kg/min) performed 20-min of steady-state cycling (~85% VO2max, 212.1 ± 25.0 W) followed by three 1-min high intensity intervals at VO2max workload (272.9 ± 26.9) …

Human-Wildlife Conflict On Small, Subsistence Farms In Kenya, Christopher B. Colonna

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

As human populations expand, wildlife suddenly competes with humans for resources and confrontation arises as a result. Rural Africa is typical of this problem. We surveyed local owners of small farms within the five villages surrounding Mount Kasigau in Southeast Kenya to quantify losses due to wildlife depredation on both subsistence and cash crops as well as to discover the patterns and variables influencing farmer-wildlife confrontations in the region. We found no statistically significant correlations among the value of damage per acre, the distance from the bush, or the distance to the nearest water source. We did find statistical significance …

Initiation Of A Framework For Closed-Loop, Integrated Design And Planning For The Simplest Of Building Types, Vernacular Stuctures, Vedad Hasanovic

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The purpose of this review is to promote a framework for the diversification of the built environment, where adequate human shelter can be more readily available. Shelter will be required as the effects of climate change impact more people around the world. The commonalities that are shared among these structures worldwide give reason, as to their importance, and as humans begin to familiarize themselves with descent culture; models for sustainable living that are found in nature. (Holmgren, 2002) Vernacular structures prove that it is possible to build safe, dependable and cost-effective shelter without negatively impacting the surrounding environment. These structures …

Spatial And Temporal Diffusion Of Agricultural Best Management Practice Adoption In The South Fork Shenandoah River Watershed., Megan Renee Bauer

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

This research visualizes, describes, and analyzes the unique spatial and temporal diffusion of agricultural best management practices adopted within the South Fork Shenandoah River Watershed during the twenty year period from 1989 to 2008. The Shenandoah River is a tributary of the Potomac River, which in turn flows directly into the Chesapeake Bay. The findings and research presented here could aid policy makers, conservation technicians, and Soil and Water Conservation District agents to better plan promotions and funding for cost share BMPs. This research identifies motivations and influential forces that are inherent in the BMPs, in the social system, and …

Building A Better Brit: Imperialism And Masculinity In The Lives And Works Of H. Rider Haggard And Rudyard Kipling, Zachary David Cady

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

This work began as an investigation of the role that literature played in conveying imperialistic values to children during the Victorian period. Over the course of my research into the fiction of H. Rider Haggard and Rudyard Kipling, I began to question the role of masculinity in the imperial project. This work has developed out of that line of thought. Maintaining and defending the British Empire was a man’s business, and as such the British required a generation of men that held the masculine ideals and values required to undertake such an endeavor. This need manifested itself in many ways, …

The Wounds Of The Dakota War, Sara Louisa Flint

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Abraham Lincoln's American Indian policy is often overshadowed by the study of the American Civil War and this study focuses on Lincoln's policy towards the American Indian, specifically his involvement in the Dakota War with deciding the fate of the condemned Dakota men. The uprising‟s causes are discussed in length as are the specific events of the rebellion. The study also looks at how the uprising is remembered by white and Dakota population. In addition to secondary books and articles, a large amount of newspapers, personal memoirs, and letters are used in the research. Photographs, artwork, and monuments are also …

Fixing Belief: Artificial Preservatives, James Walker Tufts Iv

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Research opened with inquiries into the state space of the self and various modalities of the construction of the self. Flawed research design led towards a loss of original focus, spaces opened accordingly. Early sculptural work looked towards a semantic flattening through flushing out and digitally manipulated photographic and video work investigated avenues of ocular-centric landscape construction. Photoshop CS5 and its Content Aware Fill tool were engaged as collaborator and animations ensued. Hesitant time-based sketches were developed to suggest work incomplete and instead took their place. Space-based sketches followed, using the multiple to thwart focus on parts and draw it …