Middle Tennessee State University
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The Silver Eagle: A History of Eagle Scouts in the Boy Scouts of America, 1908-2024
No full textThis thesis explores the national history of Eagle Scouts from 1910 to 2024 and details the first individuals that earned the award in the 1910s. The chapters are split into two major sections into the national history and 1910s Eagle Scouts. Two of the major reoccurring themes in the history of Eagle Scouts involve the concepts of microcosm and representation. Eagle Scouts share a distinctive connection to American society, the Boy Scouts of America, and the Scouting Movement in the United States. At the heart of major events and stories, Eagle Scouts participate as significant actors and leaders that influence the activities and outcomes throughout the course of history. This thesis demonstrates the significance and historical reach of Eagle Scouts by exploring the group’s impact on American society in the national history and how these individuals became crucial to the Boy Scouts of America’s activities in the 1910s.M.A
Grit, Growth Mindset, and Gender Differences in College Students
No full textGrit and growth mindset are increasingly being recognized as important non-cognitive traits
essential to overcoming adversity. The current study examined gender differences grit and
growth mindset across specific life domains (academics, athleticism, leadership, and
socialization) among a sample of young adult college students. One hundred and sixty-three
participants were recruited in an online study where a validated grit scale, a validated growth
mindset scale, and a demographics measure, which were used to assess the amount of grit or
growth mindset a participant had, relative to each domain. Among the current sample, women
had significantly lower scores of growth mindset for socialization than men, that men had
significantly higher scores of growth mindset for athletics than women, and that across all other
domains, the overall men and women did not differ beyond what would be expected by chance.
Implications and future directions are discussedM.A
Rethinking Food Web Tracing: A Conceptual Framework Utilizing a Multi Biomarker Approach to Better Understand Trophic Relationships
No full textIn this dissertation, a conceptual framework for tracing trophic interactions and providing more clearly defined food web reconstructions is introduced, the Tracer Trichotomy. This framework involves the use of three separate trophic tracing methods to inform trophic interactions: stable isotopes (carbon and nitrogen), polyunsaturated fatty acid biomarkers, and bioaccumulative contaminants (replaced with stress/ health biomarker in conservation scenarios). The use of the Tracer Trichotomy provides a more complete and accurate understanding of trophic pathways and contaminant transport than the use of any individual method. In this dissertation, four separate projects are described, each assessing environmental or individual life cycle variables that could impact the values of these food web tracers.
The environmental effects associated with time of year and annual time changes are assessed in a sentinel spider species in chapters I and II. In chapter I, it was found that spider mass and length steadily increased from April to September to a maximum average value of 0.078 0.03g, then decreased in October. Seasonal trends were observed for carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes, with significantly decreased signatures occurring late in the active season. Overall, methyl mercury concentrations (range: 12.1-134.4 ng/g) and the methyl:total mercury ratio (range: 49-98% methyl mercury) increased throughout the active season, with higher variability observed at the end of the active season. These results indicated that seasonality impacted several important endpoints and that spiders collected during the end of the active season may not be representative of spiders during the entire active season. In chapter II, it was found that carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes, ⍵3:⍵6 ratios, and mercury concentrations differed significantly in tetragnathid spiders between consecutive years at the same site location. These results indicated that enough variation occurs annually that the data of one year cannot be applied to following years at the same sampling site using tetragnathid spiders.
In chapters III and IV, the individual life cycle variable of metamorphosis and altered metamorphosis processes are assessed in laboratory-reared and field-caught mayflies and an endangered species of freshwater mussel. In chapter III, the results showed that the δ15N and %N increased significantly with metamorphosis in both laboratory-reared N. triangulifer and field-collected Heptageniidae mayflies. There were no significant differences in polyunsaturated fatty acid profiles between larval and adult stages of field-collected mayflies; however, there was a significant increase in % arachidonic acid in laboratory-reared individuals. The results of this study indicate that the metamorphosis has a significant impact on food web tracers in laboratory and field mayflies, which should be considered when using mayflies or potentially other emergent aquatic insects in calculations connected to ecological risk assessments. In Chapter IV, for the endangered mussel Toxolasma cylindrellus, in vitro propagated individuals were significantly larger and had lower δ13C values than fish propagated mussels. Otherwise, there were no differences found between in vitro propagated, and fish propagated mussels for nitrogen stable isotopes, total carbon, and nitrogen, lipids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, or glycogen content. The results of this study indicate that in vitro propagation is a viable method for T. cylindrellus conservation and displays minimal differences in juvenile health and nutrient uptake between propagation methods.Ph.D
Mapping neuropeptide synthesis and trafficking in motor neurons
No full textNeuropeptides (NPs) are one of the most diverse forms of signaling molecules. NPs modulate countless cellular processes determining their fate, survival, and overall function. The impact of NP release on target cells varies tremendously, excitatory vs inhibitory, fast vs slow acting, ion channel vs GPCR. Given both the diversity of NPs in the genome, and their effects on target cells, uncovering the mechanisms of NP packaging, sorting, trafficking, and release is critically important. This is accentuated by mutations/defects in NP signaling that are associated with some of society’s most severe and debilitating diseases including neurodegenerative diseases, obesity, diabetes, and cancers. In this thesis, I am to uncover whether dense core vesicle (DCV) protein machinery is heterogeneous and cargo-specific. To test this, we initially screened 30 different motor proteins to assess their impacts on NP trafficking and aggregation within the Drosophila larval nervous system. Live imaging of fluorescently tagged NPs revealed two kinesins, kinesin 1 and 3, played critical roles in NP trafficking. I went on to examine the downstream implications of disrupted kinesin activity by examining changes in NMJ morphology. To uncover whether heterogeneity in DCV composition is cargo-specific, I first conducted immunohistochemical staining to visualize DCVs as they migrate through the sorting and packing pathways in the soma. These findings provide novel insights into NP transport mechanisms, highlighting the roles of specific motor proteins and expanding the toolkit for studying NP synthesis and trafficking.M.S
The Early Warning Signs of Hazing in College Fraternities and Sororities
No full textCollege students in today’s fraternities and sororities do not fully understand where the line is between new member education and hazing, and the student affairs professionals who advise them do not have a common understanding of when and where they should intervene. While the Stop Campus Hazing Act helped with a federal definition of hazing, obstacles still remain. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to investigate the beliefs and attitudes of student affairs professionals who advise active fraternity and sorority members on college campuses. The study will focus on their understanding of hazing, as well as their identification of intervention strategies to enhance student safety.
This study utilized a phenomenological research approach to explore how student affairs professionals described their definition of hazing. In this qualitative study, I reported lived experiences surrounding the phenomenon of hazing on college campuses. Nine student affairs professionals revealed common meaning in what they have experienced and how they experienced it through interviews. The research questions were: How do student affairs professionals describe their definition of hazing? How is hazing prevention and intervention addressed through practices, priorities, and policies?
The findings include inconsistencies around hazing (definitions, activities, and stated values of the organizations versus actions), building trust and early intervention are critical in preventing hazing, there are funding and capacity issues within the Fraternity and Sorority Life office, there is a lack of data in the profession, a heavy emotional burden is being placed on Student Affairs professionals, and universities are circumventing the law by hiring external partners to resolve hazing cases that will be undocumented.
The implications for institutional policy include building a greater awareness of the new federal laws, finding ways to encourage students to come forward with hazing reports, creating a hazing prevention task force with campus-wide representation, creating transparency in hazing reporting across universities and national organization, building a national database of Fraternity/Sorority members to advocate, investing more resources and staffing in the Fraternity and Sorority Life offices, and starting education on hazing prevention in K-12 schools.Ed.D
An Exploratory Study of the Influence of a Meaningful Career Center Engagement on Student Retention
No full textRecent data highlights the advantages of earning a college degree, as bachelor's degree holders experienced lower unemployment rates (less than 2%) and significantly reduced poverty rates compared to peers with only a high school diploma (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023; Carnevale et al., 2016). However, with rising tuition costs and 55% of graduates carrying an average student loan debt of nearly $29,000 (McGee-Newton, 2019), career readiness has become a critical focus in higher education. However, the role that engagement with Career Services has on retention, which leads to graduation, has been understudied. Prior research demonstrates the tangible value of career services, with the Class of 2022 NACE Student Survey reporting that students who engaged with at least one career service averaged 1.24 job offers compared to 1.0 for those who did not (VanDerziel, 2022).
The Career Development Center, an auxiliary unit within the Division of Student Affairs, provides various support services; however, these services are not mandatory for degree completion. Forty-six percent of the 2017 initial cohort persisted to degree completion within six years (MTSU Common Data Set 2023-2024). Thus, exploring entities that can increase retention is imperative.
This study examines whether students who had a meaningful engagement with The Career Development Center were retained at a rate higher than their peers. It further explores students' perceptions of whether this engagement influenced their retention and their definition of career readiness.Ed.D
A Content Analysis of Advertising by Popular Online Sports Betting Companies
No full textThis study applies McCraken’s (1986) Meaning Transfer Model (MTM) to analyze popular metaphors used in sports betting advertisements. It examines four dominant metaphors and how some attributes from sport can be transferred to sports betting advertisements. The four metaphors that will inform this study are Betting is Loving, Betting as a Sport, Betting as a Natural Environment, and Betting as a Market which come from Lopez-Gonzalez et al. (2017). By examining the way these metaphors frame sports betting as a source of income, competitive, emotional, and instinctual activity, this study highlights how sports betting advertisements use popular narratives to shape consumer perceptions and behaviors. The MTM provides a lens to understand how these metaphors not only influence attitudes towards sports betting, but also strengthen the association between sports and gambling. This is further complicated by the rise in sports betting advertisements, persuasive roles of the media, and celebrity endorsements. The findings suggest that while these metaphors enhance engagement, they also raise concerns about the normalization and potential risks associated with gambling behavior.M.S
MOLECULAR INVESTIGATION OF COMPOSITION AND FUNCTION OF THE SOIL MICROBIOME IN RESTORED FEDERAL WETLANDS FROM LANDSCAPE TO LAB
No full textMicroorganisms have contributed directly to the development of contemporary conditions that sustain life on Planet Earth, through the modification of oceanic redox states, control of organic carbon flux in aquatic and terrestrial environments, and the cycling of key nutrients such as Nitrogen (N). Anthropogenic disturbances to terrestrial ecosystems have both direct and indirect impacts on the balance of biogeochemical cycling through changes in land-use, land management practices, and land degradation. Historic trends in global fertilizer use have indicated steady increases in both demand and application that has led to the pollution of waterways in a process known as eutrophication. Conservation research has shown that the restoration of global wetlands can serve to reduce the impacts of eutrophication by sequestering runoff nutrients such as N and providing unique conditions for biogeochemical cycling. Building predictive models of biogeochemical cycling in restored wetlands is a major focus for ecosystem ecologists and microbial ecologists alike and will serve to inform conservation land-use and best management practices. The microorganisms that perform biogeochemical cycling in soils offer direct and unique insight into nutrient process rates and the potential to mitigate eutrophication on a global-scale. The overall objective of my work is to understand how the soil microbiome influences N cycling across the landscape and in the lab. Previous work has suggested that microorganisms may be used as bioindicators of biogeochemical processes rates, therefore, I am interested in understanding how taxonomic composition and functional gene presence can be used to predict N cycling in restored wetlands. To address these objectives, I sampled soil bacterial assemblages in restored federal wetlands in Kentucky and Tennessee and utilized DNA sequencing to characterize the soil microbiome compositionally and functionally across the landscape, and the soil microbiome response to NH4-N in the lab. Results indicate that both functional gene copy numbers and microbiome composition can be used to predict N-flux rates on the landscape using machine learning and deep learning techniques. Additionally, I tested for an effect of NH4-N concentration on microbiome community assembly and found that carbon source, rather than N concentration, had the greatest impact on stabilized communities.Ph.D
Exploring the development and physiological impacts of htt aggregates on nervous and peripheral tissue
No full textHuntington’s Disease (HD) is a monogenic neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expansion of a cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) trinucleotide repeat region encoding the amino acid glutamine (Q) in exon 1 of the IT5/Huntington gene on chromosome 4. Longer CAG expansions cause lower age of onset and increased disease expressivity. The gene product, the huntingtin protein (htt) now containing an expanded polyglutamine tract (polyQ) undergoes aberrant proteolytic processing by caspase-6 leading to the generation of highly toxic N-terminal protein fragments. Aggregates have been observed accumulating in the nucleus, cytoplasm, axons, and synaptic terminals in neurons leading to cellular dysfunction, cytotoxicity, and neurodegeneration. Furthermore, new evidence suggests that non-neuronal can be the site of HD pathology. Kidneys, testis, skeletal and cardiac muscles have been shown to be negatively impacted by mutant htt. It remains unclear how tissue-specific differences contribute to the mechanisms underlying aggregate-induced cellular dysfunction and death.M.S
Understanding the Social Media Uses and Perception of Social Media Literacy on Female Japanese Young Adults in American Society
No full textThis thesis investigates the impact of social media usage and perceptions of social media literacy on the self-confidence of female Japanese young adults residing in the United States. Through in-depth Zoom interviews with ten participants aged 18–25, the study explores how cultural identity, platform engagement, and critical thinking about online content intersect in an intercultural context. Thematic analysis revealed several key findings: (1) most participants utilized Instagram daily but engaged passively, often avoiding posts and feedback due to fear of judgment; (2) participants strongly influenced by Japanese cultural norms showed cautious, aesthetically-driven usage, while those more acculturated to American norms posted more openly and casually; (3) experiences with body image, peer pressure, and online visibility were significantly influenced by platform behavior and emotional well-being; and (4) social media literacy developed informally through personal experiences rather than formal education, which participants perceived as lacking but believed essential. These findings suggest that cultural background is pivotal in shaping how young adults navigate digital platforms and perceive themselves online. The findings emphasize the necessity of social media literacy programs that address critical consumption, cultural sensitivity, and emotional strength in online environments.M.S