Middle Tennessee State University
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The Relationship Between Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Resilience of College-Aged Students with Histories of Childhood Maltreatment
No full textKEYWORDS: psychology; nutrition; resilience; adverse childhood experiences; maltreatmen
Investigating the Inhibition of Herpes Simplex Virus-1 by Ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3
No full textKEYWORDS: Microbiology; Herpes Simplex Virus; Ginsenoside
Comparative Demographics of English and Western Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association Horses Used in Middle Tennessee
No full textIntercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) competitions evaluate riders on
body position and skills when riding a randomly drawn horse. This project assessed
demographics of horses involved in collegiate equestrian programs and determined how
these characteristics relate to success in IHSA competitions. During two IHSA
competitions hosted by MTSU, horse body condition score (BCS), age, height, weight,
use of riding aids, and points earned were assessed. The populations assessed were from a
Hunter Seat competition and a Western competition, totaling 59 horses. Data were
analyzed using a GLIMMIX procedure (SAS 9.4) with significance set at P < 0.05. Use
of aids (P = 0.63 Hunter Seat, P = 0.41 Western) did not impact horse performance.
Horse demographics such as age, BCS, height, and weight were only weakly correlated
with performance (r < 0.30). Random draw in IHSA is proposed effective for riderjudged
competitions, giving riders an opportunity to compete equally
The Shower Piece, A Study of Differing Perceptions: An Integration of Dance Movement from Stage to Screen
No full textMy honors thesis project analyzes the choices made by choreographers when
transitioning work made for the stage, adapting it for the screen as a dance film. To
understand the importance of how choreography and dancers are portrayed in different
settings, I reconstructed one of my pieces choreographed originally for the stage as a
film. I was interested in how to maintain the same intentional impact of a set piece when
transitioning it to an alternative medium, in this case, from stage to screen. I first
choreographed and set my piece which contemplates the perception of individuals
throughout their daily lives, entitled, “Sorry, It’s Occupied,” on participating dancers
within the Middle Tennessee State University Dance Company. The piece was
performed as a part of the MTSU 2023 Spring Dance Concert. After the live
performance, I researched the proper way to develop dance films and began the work to
reconstruct the same piece for film. This thesis project works to discover and recount the
differences between the preliminary work and final impact of dance films and live
performances alongside my own reflections comparing the two throughout my
reconstructive undertaking of the piece from one medium to another. I specifically was
interested in how to maintain the intentionality and impact of a live dance work when
shifting to a different performance medium that removes the audience interplay and the
immersive quality of live performances in a theatrical setting
Public Historians and Family Collections: Issues of Engagement, Interpretation, and Preservation
No full textIn their various roles within communities, public historians increasingly encounter inquiries from families about “what do we do with this stuff?” Families have collected and preserved objects, papers, and images of significant events, with most being only of significance to them. But there are always collections that may have a greater audience. Helping families navigate the different pathways collections may take for their future preservation and interpretation is a fundamental role for public historians. Many families are wary of sharing their personal collections with institutions that may strike them as distant. Applying key principles of public history theory and practice, the public historian can help families find various methods of both sharing and preserving their records. In this thesis I will discuss the role of the public historian in both preserving and interpreting family collections with the intention that it remains with the owner. Using the Horace Stegall World War Two Collection as a case study for the practice and process, this thesis will offer an example/guide for public historians to help build relationships with families and bridge the divide. In addition to this guide, I will offer my interpretation and narrative of the collection requested of me by the collection’s owner. Within this thesis I will offer a unique perspective as both a relative to the owner of the collection and a public historian.M.L.A
Robust Machine Learning Methods and Applications
No full textThis dissertation introduces a variety of methods motivated from the use of robust losses in machine learning and deep neural networks and explores their applications. Topics include novel linear and nonlinear approaches for imbalanced data classification, their applications in functional magnetic resonance imaging, robust deep neural networks and the application in adversarial attacks. Robustness is mainly used to test whether the model can still maintain accuracy of judgment in the face of small changes in input data, that is, whether the performance of the model is stable in the face of certain changes. The level of robustness directly impacts the generalization ability of machine learning models.
In this dissertation, we have used different robust losses to propose, analyze, and evaluate models. First, robust support vector classifier loss was adapted to propose two new classifiers, the pairwise robust support vector machine and its kernel counterpart, which are shown more efficient for imbalanced data classification. Then, correntropy loss was used to propose two robust deep neural networks and their two-stage implementations. Finally, correntropy loss was introduced for adversarial attack to further analyze the robustness of an image classification model. Simulations and case studied show that with the introduction of robust losses into machine learning and deep learning, the newly proposed models have better performance than traditional models and can improve model robustness.Ph.D
More Than a Memory: A Study of Artistic License in Screenwriting
No full textWhen adapting a memoir or life story for television and film, the screenwriter is
not required to follow a straight-line telling of the story but must stay true to the core
meaning of the original experience. In the creation of an adaptation, screenwriters use
artistic license for dramatic effect and character development within a time constraint
Balance, Dual-Task Walking and Power in Traditional Taekwondo Athletes
No full textImprovements in worldwide life expectancy have created challenges for healthcare systems and families in navigating age-related declines in cognitive and physical function. These changes impact the ability to live independently as declines in lower body power, balance, and dual-tasking abilities increase injury risk. Taekwondo integrates functional movements that may slow age-related physical and cognitive declines. Data from 46 Taekwondo practitioners consisted of vertical jump height, dual-task walking, and balance. Participants were divided into young (18 – 34 years), middle-aged (35 – 54 years), and older groups (55 – 80 years). There was a statistically significant decrease in vertical jump height of 29.4% from the young to the middle-aged group (F(2, 43) = 12.39, p = .00). There were no significant relationships between age groups for dual-task walking. Balance scores with eyes closed on a firm surface for the middle-aged group fell below the 50th percentile on the BTrackS general population normative data. All other balance scores were at or above the 50th percentile. Evidence suggests Taekwondo may slow the decline of aging, potentially sustaining the ability to live independently.M.S
Nutritional Analysis of Chinese and Taiwanese Cuisine: An Educational Cookbook
No full textKEYWORDS: cookbook; nutrition; food; Taiwanese; Chinese; cultural competency; nutritional analysi
Captivated: A Glimpse at the Hero's Journey
No full textHave you ever watched a film in which a bold hero travels to a distant land,
defeats a seemingly unstoppable evil, and returns home forever changed? If so, you have
probably seen a film that contains a remnant of Joseph Campbell’s concept of “the hero’s
journey,” which is the common structure he noticed among countless mythological
narratives. I discovered the concept of “the hero’s journey” through academic study on
the hero and the antihero as I researched desirable qualities for the protagonist of my
original screenplay: Captivated. Through further research, I was inspired by the noble
characteristics of the hero, and I became fascinated with the narrative structure of “the
hero’s journey.” Therefore, I implemented the sacrificial journey of the hero clashing
against a resilient evil force through my original feature-length screenplay. At the core,
this thesis focuses on the selfless nature of the hero and the high calling the hero answers,
in hopes to truly inspire those who read