Middle Tennessee State University
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The Effects of Background Music on Standardized Testing
No full textKEYWORDS: Cognition; Music; Psychology; Music Therap
A Novel Method of Using Computed Tomography Data to Sort Commingled Skeletal Human Remains through Pair Matching
No full textIn situations of commingled human skeletal remains, the first task of a forensic anthropologist is to accurately sort the remains and determine which bones belong to the same individual. Pair matching bilateral elements is one of the techniques often employed for this purpose. Current pair-matching methods are complicated by issues of subjectivity, bones of similarly sized individuals being incorrectly sorted, dimension reduction, need for highly trained practitioners, or the need for specific and expensive software applications. This research presents a novel and objective method of pair matching using 3D images rendered from computed tomography (CT) scans. Left and right bilateral elements were compared by mirroring left elements in Meshmixer and overlaying the mirrored left with a corresponding right element in CloudCompare. Next, the amount of discrepancy between the 3D images (meshes) was calculated in CloudCompare and summarized using two statistics, the mean of the distances between the vertices of one mesh to the closest vertices of the other (Dmean) and the standard deviation of those distances (Dsd). These statistics were used to build logistic regression models to be utilized in future predictive analysis to determine the probability of bones belonging to the same individual. The methods presented overcame some of the limitations of current pair matching methods mentioned while providing accurate, objective, and easily learned techniques to contribute to successful resolution of commingled human skeletal remains.M.S
Demystifying The Great Debates: What Really Happened in the Kennedy-Nixon Presidential Debates of 1960
No full textThe first televised presidential debates between John F. Kennedy and Richard M.
Nixon took place between September 26th and October 21st, 1960. The mythos
surrounding the debates has become clouded over time through embellishment and
selective memory. The first debate has gone down in history as a significant political
blunder and the remaining three debates are often ignored. The research consults debate
preparation papers from the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum archives,
the John F Kennedy Library and Museum archives, and the Albert Gore Research Center
at Middle Tennessee State University. The preparation papers will be compared to the
actual text of the debates in order to explore what was really said and what mistakes were
truly made
When Heroes Don’t Feel Heroic: An Oral History of COVID-19 Healthcare Workers
No full textThis thesis is an expansion upon oral history interviews taken from medical professionals in regard to their experiences working through the COVID-19 pandemic. The individuals who provide most of the information from this study are Angela Pitman, who was an acute care nurse practitioner during the pandemic, Carole Lovering Kooi, an intensive care nurse practitioner during the pandemic, and Magan Rish, a charge nurse during the pandemic. Angela Pitman and Magan Rish worked in the same rural hospital in Middle Tennessee, while Carole Lovering Kooi worked in a hospital in a community surrounding Atlanta, Georgia. These interviews were taken in the Fall of 2022, using an interview protocol consisting of ten questions, with one to three follow-up questions per main question to encourage elaboration when necessary. Other sources used in this thesis will be cited and used as support to these oral history interviews. This document is divided into sections based on topics discussed by the interviewees.M.A
I came, I saw, I tasted: A Literary Travel Journal of Culinary Tourism and Cultural Acclimation
No full textFood plays an important role in culture, and by extension, becomes an integral
element of identity. Individual, local, regional, and national identities include food—what
food is eaten, how it is prepared, how it is eaten, and with whom it is shared. Food also
proves crucial to the practice of hospitality and to the connection of people across
cultures; as a table or eating space is shared, lives intermingle and identities mesh and
transform. Culinary tourism invites people to interact with the food of other cultures. This
travel anthology presents the culinary adventures of an American woman living,
studying, and eating in Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic. It elaborates on
intersections of food and identity and how a long-term experience with culinary tourism
allowed the native culture of one traveler to shift and become melded with elements of
her adopted culture
Using Big Data to Evaluate Traffic Signal Performance for the State of Tennessee
No full textCongestion on roadways has led to increased travel time, waste of fuel, and higher emissions. Compared with other methods such as constructing more lanes and/or roads, traffic signal retiming is a viable alternative way to mitigate congestion. To prioritize retiming and to understand the impact of signal retiming, the performance of signals needs to be evaluated. This thesis details a data-driven and low-cost methodology funded by the Tennessee Department of Transportation for evaluating the performance of traffic signals in Tennessee using third-party segmented probe vehicle data. Intersections were formed by matching the names and geographical information of inbound segments. The average speed, the worst-case travel time, and the bottleneck ranking data during different times of the day for each segment at an intersection were used to develop metrics for a ranking formula that outputs a numerical value from 0-10 for each intersection. The results were appended to an online database accessible via a webpage with search and sorting capabilities. The ranking formula results were compared with the Level-of-Service ranking provided by local traffic engineers in the Cities of Murfreesboro and Franklin.
Additionally, testing was conducted on an industry-standard traffic signal controller for its data logging and networking functionalities. An Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures (ATSPM) server and a website were also set up to display various performance measures of traffic signals. The traffic data was generated by emulating stop bar and advance loop detector events in a lab environment.M.S
Breaking the Stigma around Autism: an Interactive Art Exhibition
No full textNeurodivergence affects an ever-growing percentage of the population. For years,
the definition of autism was based solely on the experience of nerdy white boys.
Modern-day research on autism is finally beginning to include people of other ages,
genders, and races. Thus, more people are being diagnosed today than ever before.
However, the stigma surrounding autism has not adjusted accordingly. Inaccurate
representations in the media, preexisting stereotypes, and the taboo surrounding mental
health discussions has prevented an accurate understanding of autism by neurotypical
people. This project is my attempt to destigmatize autism through an education-based
approach. I created an interactive art exhibition that allows the viewer to experience
aspects of autism themselves to better learn how the disability affects autistic people.
This, in turn, opened the door for discussions about basic human differences and mental
health, a conversation that benefits everyone, neurotypical or neurodivergent
Developing an Application as a Learning Supplement for Key Concepts in x86_64 Assembly Language Programming using NASM
No full textThis creative project primarily focuses on how sports journalists use
Twitter in their daily lives to maintain a job in the sports industry. Many think
social media is easy to use, and almost silly at that; but, if done correctly social
media can truly be a helpful, if not essential, tool in careers. Multiple sports
journalists, sports reporters, athletes, teams and social media specialists argue
that Twitter plays an essential role in the sports industry if used correctly. Many
studies and discussions, explained in this written document, have been made
focusing on Twitter’s power in the sports community. However, there are many
intricate features and functions on the platform that bring users to use Twitter
to its fullest potential. This A-Z handbook walks through Twitter tips, tricks
and tactics used by journalists, and how they can specifically be applied to
sports journalists
Investigating the Effects of Instructor Facilitation on Student Engagement in a POGIL-Based General Chemistry Class
No full textKEYWORDS: Facilitation; POGIL; General Chemistry; Social Network Analysis; Active Learning; Discours
Chlorine Dioxide Gas: Development, Optimization, and Application, of an Antiviral Assay Based on the MS2 Bacteriophage
No full textSince emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the need to identify antiviral agents
for disinfection purposes has dramatically increased. Chlorine dioxide gas has previously
been identified as an antibacterial agent with strong oxidizing capabilities. The MS2
bacteriophage has previously been identified as a suitable surrogate for the development
and application of virucide decontamination methods. The purpose of this study was to
identify and assess the antiviral properties of chlorine dioxide gas and to identify
optimum physical conditions for potential deployment in support of current antiviral
disinfection needs. Using the MS2 bacteriophage model system, preliminary studies used
the double-layer agar plaque assay technique to evaluate the antiviral activity of chlorine
dioxide gas. Results support the potential use of chlorine dioxide gas as an antiviral agent
and that environmental factors heavily influences the ability of chlorine dioxide gas to act
as an antiviral agent