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Worldbuilding through Character-Centered Narrative: The Development of Peter Pumpkin Preview Image
No full textPreview image from Andrew Lawson\u27s Worldbuilding through Character-Centered Narrative: The Development of Peter Pumpkin.https://dc.etsu.edu/digitalmedia-culminating-experience-gallery/1003/thumbnail.jp
“With Neither Hope nor Fear”: Continuity in the Life of Isabella d’Este
Get PDFIsabella d’Este is traditionally viewed as the most notable female art patron of Renaissance Italy, primarily studied for her excellent taste. This positive interpretation has left her out of the reputational rehabilitation that modern historians have applied to many of her contemporaries, and what recent work has been done focuses on her marriage. However, Isabella outlived her husband by nearly twenty years, and contrary to writers who view that widowhood as an afterthought, she remained a dominant political and cultural figure in her own right. This thesis reassesses Isabella’s letters to argue that the traditional segmentation of her life does not allow adequate nuance to describe her activities and that the habits and fascinations she developed as a young wife were still relevant and powerful after her formal status changed
Investigating the Privacy-Utility Trade-o↵ in Synthetic Data Generation using Correlated Attribute Mode
No full textThis thesis explores the privacy-utility trade-off in synthetic data generation using the Correlated Attribute Mode of DataSynthesizer, which employs Bayesian networks to model attribute dependencies. It focuses on integrating differential privacy mechanisms, particularly the Laplace mechanism, to inject controlled noise into synthetic data and enhance privacy protection. As organizations face challenges balancing data-driven decision-making with privacy regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation and the California Consumer Privacy Act, synthetic data offers a solution by creating artificial datasets that preserve statistical properties while balancing data privacy and utility. This research investigates how different differential privacy parameters epsilon affect data similarity and dataset-specific implications for model performance. Using Jensen-Shannon divergence to measure distribution similarity and Spearman rank correlation to assess feature importance preservation, this study provides guidelines for selecting optimal privacy settings across different datasets. These findings help organizations leverage synthetic data without compromising confidentiality or analytical reliability
AI for Sustainability in Appalachian Businesses: Challenges and Successes
Get PDFThis qualitative study examines the perception of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how this technology can advance sustainable development in small businesses in Central Appalachia. Participants described how they leveraged AI-enabled technologies to address economic challenges as well as how they overcame the technological barriers often associated with emerging technologies. Findings reveal that AI can significantly improve efficiency, streamline workflows, and enhance visibility for Appalachian entrepreneurs. However, the research also highlights challenges, including trust issues, limited resources, and resistance to change, which hinder adoption. Results from this study produce strategies for adopting AI that enable small businesses to integrate innovation while preserving the region\u27s cultural identity. These strategies emphasize the need to improve AI literacy, expand financial support, foster community collaboration, and ensure ethical AI practices
Kinetic Analysis of Hydrolysis and Hydrothermal Conversion of Methyl Cellulose to Dodecane
No full textEnvironmental pollution due to emission of greenhouse gases and increasing global energy demand are some of the concerns associated Analysis with the use of fossil fuels. These concerns have triggered the exploration of sustainable and efficient methods for renewable energy production. One such method is the conversion of cellulosic biomass to hydrocarbon fuels using hydrogen bronze metals. Cellulose is the most abundant biomass globally, and thus its utilization can lead to more sustainable energy production. Previous studies have reported the conversion of cellulose to hydrocarbons at high temperatures and hydrogen pressure. This work focuses on the conversion of methyl cellulose using hydrogen metal oxides. Our approach employs ASTM E3417-24 hydrolysis of methyl cellulose, followed by its reaction with hydrogen bronze. Toluene is used as an extraction solvent for hydrocarbon products. The extracted hydrocarbons are analyzed using GC-MS for product identification and GC-FID for quantification. The primary hydrocarbon detected product is dodecane
Synthesis and Improvement of Permethrin Stability by Rhodium Amide Complexes
No full textSynthesis and Improvement of Permethrin Stability by Rhodium Amide Complexes Kimia Ataran, Dr. Cassandra Eagle Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University Permethrin, one of the most widely applied synthetic pyrethroids, is widely used in various applications but its instability remains a significant limitation. This study aims to enhance permethrin\u27s stability through optimized synthesis using rhodium amide catalysts with demonstrated higher catalytic efficiency and stability for organic synthesis. The study involves synthesis and characterization of rhodium amide complexes via Soxhlet extraction, column chromatography, and X-ray crystallography. The complexes will be analyzed as catalysts for permethrin synthesis relative to standard rhodium acetate catalysts in terms of efficiency and improvement of stability. Stability testing under defined conditions will measure improvements in degradation resistance. Preliminary findings suggest that rhodium amide catalysts improve permethrin’s stability while maintaining its effectiveness as an insecticide. The insights of the study deal with the issue of how synthetic insecticides are improved and are offering new and improved potential solutions to the issue of stability while decreasing environmental and biological risks
Preservice General Education Teachers\u27 Perceptions of Equity Amongst Students with Disabilities
No full textInvestigating teachers\u27 perceptions of student equity is crucial in education. However, limited research examines how preservice general education teachers in Appalachia view the equity of students with disabilities compared to their peers from urban and/or other regions. This study aims to explore preservice elementary general education teachers\u27 perspectives on this issue. A quantitative approach will be employed, utilizing a Likert scale survey to assess these perceptions. To ensure a comprehensive understanding, preservice teachers from both urban non-Appalachian and rural Appalachian communities will be recruited to participate. To incentivize participation, gift cards will be offered as rewards, a strategy shown to effectively enhance survey response rates. The analysis of the survey data will involve several steps, including descriptive statistics, t-tests, and ANOVA, to examine the results. The findings aim to assist educators, administrators, and pre-service teacher programs in understanding and addressing potential biases toward children with disabilities. By exploring preservice general education teachers\u27 perspectives in rural Appalachia, this study seeks to contribute significantly to enhancing the educational experiences of all students
A PSYCHOANALYTIC EXAMINATION OF NARRATIVE UNRELIABILITY AND SYMBOLISM IN THE YELLOW WALLPAPER
No full textIn this paper, I offer a psychoanalytic examination of narrative unreliability and symbolism in The Yellow Wallpaper, analyzing how the narrator’s descent into madness complicates reader interpretation. While Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s work is often read as a feminist critique of patriarchal oppression and the rest cure, this study questions the reliability of the narrator’s perspective and its implications for meaning-making. By tracing inconsistencies in her account, particularly in her depictions of John’s intentions, her fixation on the wallpaper, and her self-reported psychological state, I interrogate whether her narration can serve as an authoritative lens for interpreting gender dynamics and oppression. Drawing from Jungian theory, the analysis explores the wallpaper as an archetypal symbol of the unconscious, representing repression, individuation, and the instability of subjective reality. The paper also juxtaposes the narrator’s agency with that of stronger female figures in The Awakening and The Scarlet Letter, highlighting how unreliable narration problematizes feminist readings of Gilman’s text. Ultimately, while The Yellow Wallpaper remains a powerful exploration of gender and mental health, the narrator’s unreliability raises essential questions about how we construct meaning from a perspective that is both fragmented and psychologically unstable
Southern Appalachian Soils and Associated Bacterial Siderophores
No full textIron, a macronutrient, is needed by all living organisms for various metabolic activities and to maintain soil quality for healthy vegetation and foster microbiomes. Soluble iron [Fe(II)] can become low in the soil environment that activates bacteria to produce siderophores, a low molecular weight organic substance with high affinity for insoluble iron [Fe(III)]. Bacterial siderophores facilitate iron reduction to Fe(II), making the iron molecules soluble to absorb and utilize by plants and other soil organisms. Siderophore production can vary with soil physicochemical properties. The objective of this study is to examine the physicochemical properties of soil in the southern Appalachian environment and their potential effects on siderophore-producing bacterial populations. Thirteen soil samples were collected from four natural landscapes—upper and lower hillslopes, wetlands, and stream bank—at depths of 3 , 6 , and 9 , plus a control. Soil was tested for texture, moisture, pH, and macronutrients. Results showed wetland soils had the highest clay content (33.3%) and moisture (44.6%), while ridges had higher sand (72.5%) and lower pH (5.3-5.6). Siderophore activity was assessed using Universal Chrome Azurol S (CAS) media, detecting activity irrespective of chemical type. The upper and lower ridges showed low iron (\u3c120 ppm) and low pH (5 - 6.8) which favored siderophore activity. While the iron content was higher in the Wetlands (~150 ppm) and Streambank (~1150 ppm), the alkaline (7.5 - 8) conditions of the soil made the iron insoluble which also promoted siderophore production. Therefore the bacterial siderophore production showed no significant difference between soil types. This study highlights the link between soil biogeochemistry and siderophore production. The findings could aid in isolating bacterial siderophores from specific soil ecosystems for agricultural and medicinal use, drug delivery and treating iron related complications, such as hemochromatosis