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Assessing the Linkage Between Aquatic Biodiversity and Water Chemistry in the Stones River Watershed
No full textThe Stones River Watershed is home to great aquatic diversity but is subject to anthropogenic pollution from multiple sources. Traditional biodiversity survey methods require a lot of time and expertise for the proper identification of each taxonomic group and involve highly invasive methods. A new biodiversity survey tool, environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding, is a non-invasive and fast method to efficiently and accurately capture species richness within a variety of environment types. It has the ability to quickly assess an ecosystem's species composition and aid conservation efforts. In this study, we captured eDNA and measured water nutrient concentrations that are common in anthropogenic runoff. We discovered over 9000 amplicon sequence variants that corresponded to unique sequences of animals in the Stones River Watershed. While this high diversity was not correlated with water nutrients, it is a useful base of knowledge for conservation work to build on. KEYWORDS: biology; eDNA; water chemistry; Stones Rive
SNF5/SMARCB1 Perturbation Results in Alternative Splicing for Specific Genes Rather Than Global Genomic Splicing Changes
No full textAlternative splicing is a major source of protein diversity in cells of higher eukaryotes by having several different mRNAs potentially produced from the same pre-mRNA. Chromatin structure has been reported to be a regulator of alternative splicing, but much of the evidence is correlative in nature. To investigate this connection more directly, we analyzed alternative splicing events in RNA sequencing data from human cells expressing a regulated, degradable SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex subunit (SNF5). A total of 65 genes with significant isoform switching were identified, with 53 showing alternative splicing events. Exon skipping was the most prevalent alternative splicing event. In addition, examination of splice site strength indicated a majority of alternative 5’ and 3’ splice sites switched from a stronger site to a weaker site. This small proportion of alternative splicing effects support chromatin as a gene-specific rather than genome-wide regulator of alternative splicing. With this in mind, genes with alternative isoforms in response to SNF5 degradation were combined with a traditional differential expression gene set to explore function and protein interaction networks for a comprehensive gene expression set. This analysis revealed a majority of genes had functions related to zinc finger transcriptional pathways, glycoproteins, cancer pathways, cadherins and cell adhesion, axon guidance, differentiation, metallopeptidase, transcription/RNA pol II binding, and chromatin and nucleosome structure.M.S
Perceptions of Broken Promises in the Workplace
No full textABSTRACT
The present study explored psychological contract breach and, intentionality on organizational outcomes. Two independent factors were manipulated: intentionality of psychological contract breach– intentional and. unintentional – and type of psychological contract breach – flexible working hours and. compensation. Four scenarios were created to evaluate interactions of intentionality and type of psychological contract breach by measuring job satisfaction and turnover intention ratings. Participants were randomly presented with one out of the four scenarios and answered psychological contract breach, job satisfaction, and turnover intention questions. Findings suggested that the type of psychological contract breach had a significant effect on satisfaction and turnover intentions. Participants were more likely to have lower job satisfaction ratings and higher turnover intention ratings if the presented scenario related to compensation rather than flexible working hours. A 2 x 2 ANOVA revealed no significant interaction between intentionality and type of contract breach when measuring turnover intentions and job satisfaction. Intentionality did not have a significant relationship with job satisfaction or turnover intentions.M.A
Honors Magazine
No full textAreté, the magazine of the MTSU Honors College, publishes news stories about and for MTSU Honors students, faculty, staff, and alumni
Media's Depiction of Women and How it Influences the Church: A Podcast
No full textThe discussion of single women in the church contains elements of gender studies and feminism by addressing the traditional roles of women in the church as a reflection of media
representation. The project used these theories in a Christian context and was based on Biblical scholars’ application of the theory to the modern church. Without dissecting the importance of
women in the Bible, the church misses the opportunity to recognize strengths the female community brings to the everyday life experience.According to a poll from 2017, approximately 23% of adult churchgoers are single, either never married or divorced (Chiu, 2017). While single people make up almost a quarter of active
church attendees, single women make up 53% of the US population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2017). Chiu (2017) writes that the church needs to develop a better way to reach the single community
by addressing ways to incorporate single members into leadership roles, connect them to married members, and provide a safe space where they feel noticed and served. Due to the structure of
many church communities, single women sometimes feel pushed to the periphery of the church’s population experiencing exclusion from social gatherings and other activities (Gaddini, 2019).
The marginalization of single women in the church can feel even more isolating in an environment that was meant to provide an alternative family. By including women from different
church backgrounds, Gaddini found that women felt excluded from social gatherings or that they continued to fight against the norm of women’s roles in the church.
Yet, as single women have expressed, staying in the church can help to change the status quo, broadening the community to be more inclusive (Gaddini, 2019). Thus, more attention to
single women in the church is needed. As such, this professional project explored single women in the church through a series of podcast episodes. Specifically, the podcast episodes addressed
the roles of media representations as connected to single women in the church
Essays On the Impact of Competition Policies in the United States
No full textThe research topics of my dissertation focus on studying the impact of three competition policies in the United States – used car lemon laws, Apple’s alternative iPhone financing policy, and net neutrality rules. The results of my research work in this regard have aimed to contribute to the existing body of knowledge in these areas. I found evidence that, the implementation of the alternative payment plan induced competition in the wireless communication industry and resulted in a reduction in average plan price – the carrier’s average revenue per user fell by 5.9%. Also, my results reveal that the absence of net neutrality leads to a decrease in both maximum and average download speeds of 39.5 and 68.14, respectively, and increases average monthly charge by $9.53. A decrease in download speed (quality) contradicts the argument that the absence of net neutrality will incentivize ISPs to increase investment which will intend improve the quality of internet service to the end-users. Lastly, my results affirm the theoretical assertion of warranty provision as a remedy to information asymmetry in a secondary market. I found evidence that warranty provision, by reducing transaction cost, positively influence demand for used cars in the United States.Ph.D
A Comparison of Giuseppe Verdi and Antonio Ghislanzoni’s Aida and Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida
No full textA musical theatre fan knows many musicals have been based off books, but opera has also been a popular source of inspiration for musical composers. Aside from obvious genre differences, opera and musical theatre have different storytelling techniques. This comparative essay explores how Elton John and Tim Rice adapted Giuseppe Verdi and Antonio Ghislanzoni’s 19th century opera Aida into a Broadway musical. The thesis is organized into four main sections: the history of both shows, a plot comparison, character analysis, and the staging of both productions. These sections seek to discover what both productions have in common and more importantly, what is different and why Elton John and Tim Rice made specific choices in modifying the story. This thesis found that the opera and the musical share many similarities, but main plot points and character traits were changed in the musical to appeal to modern audiences.
In an application of these findings, the second half of the project is an original script for a musical based off another Verdi opera, La Traviata. In addition to watching the opera, I also read Alexandre Dumas’ La Dame aux Camélias, upon which La Traviata is based. The time setting is unspecified, but the dialogue is completely modern. The opera is rather tragic, so I opted to make my adaption more of a comedy and make the characters more relatable. Just as Elton John and Tim Rice did, I kept to the same story of the opera, but made changes to reflect modern society. KEYWORDS: Opera; Musical Theatre; Musical Theater; Aida; Elton John; Tim Rice; Giuseppe Verdi; La Traviat
Study of the Interaction of Segmental Peptides of α-Synuclein with Phospholipid by Langmuir Monolayer and Surface FT-IR Technique
No full textα-Synuclein (α-syn), which is a protein contains 140 amino acid residues, is the major protein component of Lewy bodies, the hall mark deposition of Parkinson’s disease (PD).1 Segment peptides of α-syn was also detected in Lewy bodies together with phospholipids. Despite the abundance (~ 1 % among the total proteins) in the brain, α-syn accumulates in the presynaptic terminals where exists high concentration of amphiphilic structure (e.g., liposomes and cell membrane) comprising phospholipids.2 Therefore, it is important to study the interaction between α-syn segmental peptides and phospholipids. Previously, α-syn has been spread at the air-water interface by Langmuir monolayer technique which was used to mimic the amphiphilic nature in vivo.3 Spectroscopic and surface FTIR results showed that α-syn transformed from unstructured conformation in aqueous solution to α-helix at the interface in a monolayer structure. Here, the interaction of phospholipid with several segmental peptides of α-syn by spreading phospholipid at the interface to form monolayer in the presence of several segmental peptides of α-syn. From surface FTIR results, the tilted angle of the alkyl chain in the pure phospholipid monolayer is 79º±1o. Among segmental peptides, three longer peptides (i.e., α-syn(66-85), α-syn(61-95), and α-syn(57-102)), which can form Langmuir monolayer by themselves, were found not to interact substantially with phospholipid because the titled angle of alkyl chain of phospholipids keeps at 79º±1o. Differently, a shorter segmental peptide α-syn(71-82) interacts with phospholipids intensively and changes the tilted angle of alkyl chain of phospholipid to 76º±1o.M.S
Women and Blue-Collar Work: Exploring Factors of Women’s Low Presence in Men-Concentrated Occupations and Industry
No full textThough women’s presence in education and the labor force has grown exponentially in the twentieth century, many agree that progress toward equality in work and pay has stalled from the 1990s onward. Today, women find themselves in lower-paying occupations, women-concentrated occupations and industries, or both—despite rising levels of education. This dissertation aims to explore how the tightening labor market conditions of 2005 to 2019 has influenced women’s presence in men-concentrated occupations and industries. Two chapters of this dissertation focus on women’s presence in blue-collar industries, namely women’s presence in skilled labor and managerial occupations. I find that the power of the industry is a good predictor of women’s presence in skilled labor and management, specifically, that increases in the blue-collar industry’s employment in a city lead to fewer women in skilled blue-collar labor or in blue-collar management.
The last chapter focuses on the changes in women’s occupational prestige level during the 2005 to 2019 time period, and I explore the factors that lead women to high-prestige occupations in men-concentrated occupations and industries. This dissertation takes steps to further understanding of women’s choice of occupation and the factors that influence women to enter into men-concentrated occupations and industries.Ph.D
The Examination of Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Implementation in Middle Tennessee
No full textCardiac rehabilitation is essential in providing supervised programs in which patients can utilize exercise, behavior modification, and patient education to improve quality of life and reduce morbidity and mortality rates following a cardiac event. Two forms of delivery that are being utilized by facilities, facility-based cardiac rehabilitation (FBCR) and home-based cardiac rehabilitation (HBCR). The purpose of this study was to examine how FBCR and HBCR programs are implemented in Middle Tennessee. A total of 5 facilities completed an interview with 10 closed-response and 35 open-response questions. The top barriers to FBCR reported were location of the facility, transportation, insurance, time, motivation, and fear of COVID. The top barriers to HBCR included lack of safety, accountability, motivation, equipment, and resources, as well as learning the technology. Interestingly, the only program with a recently implemented HBCR program only reported technology as a barrier to program implementation, indicating discord between anticipated and actual barriers to HBCR implementation.M.S