Digital Commons Network^™

The Relationship Between People And The Tegu: A Review Of The Literature, Jordan Haley

Honors College Theses

This thesis will explore the relationship humans have had with tegu lizards and how it has evolved over time, from their historical use as a source of leather and bushmeat in South America to their more recent rise in the pet trade and consequential establishment as an invasive species in the United States.

The Connection Between Body Modification And Personality, Taylor Shoemaker

Steeplechase: An ORCA Student Journal

Previous research has been inconsistent in its findings regarding the associations between body modifications (e.g., piercings, tattoos, augmentation, scarification, split tongue) and the Big Five personality traits (i.e., openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism). All traits have been found to be significantly correlated with body modification in at least one study, but their significance differed from study to study. The purpose of the current study was to examine the associations between body modification and each domain of personality concurrently to add to the literature surrounding differences between modified and unmodified individuals. To participate in this study, participants were asked …

2022-03-11, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Less Light, Better Bite: How Ambient Lighting Influences Taste Perceptions, Sarah Lefebvre, Laura Boman, Jonathan Hasford

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

Atmospheric factors within a retail environment provide efficient and effective methods for influencing customer behavior. Drawing on the concept of sensory compensation, this research investigates how ambient lighting influences taste perceptions. Three studies demonstrate that dim lighting enhances taste perceptions. The results of Studies 1a and 1b provide support that low lighting positively influences consumers' perceived taste of single taste dimension foods (e.g., sweet). Study 2 shows the number of taste dimensions (e.g., sweet vs. sweet and salty) stimulated serves as a boundary condition, attenuating the significant effect of dim lighting on taste perceptions.

Title: Implementing And Evaluating A Farmer's Market Incentive And Nutrition Education Program For Families With Children, Raven Barleston, Kendra Oonorasak, Tammy Stephenson, Makenzie Barr

Posters-at-the-Capitol

1 in 6 children face food insecurity and experience limited access to healthy foods in Kentucky. The Power of Produce (POP) Club is a farmer’s market incentive and nutrition education program for families with children aged between 3 and 14. This project is a 10-week pilot study in Lexington, Kentucky and it aims to improve fruit and vegetable consumption by engaging children in the local food system through educational activities, interactions with farmers, and exposure to new local fruits and vegetables through taste-testing. Every week, each child engaging in POP Club activities received a $2 farmer’s market voucher that can …

The Barriers Of Non-Traditional Students In Higher Education, Rachel Evitts, Rachel Evitts

Integrated Studies

Abstract

Non-traditional college students face many barriers in higher education. Non-traditional student enrollment is on the increase but a significant number of these students never make it to graduation day. Financial struggles, family obligations, juggling careers, self-confidence, and the covid-19 pandemic pose as the greatest barriers to success for these students. Research surrounding these problems and current solutions already in place have increased in recent decades but little has helped to improve graduation rates. Last dollar scholarships, increases in grants, and resources for low income students are being utilized at post-secondary institutions all over the United States but need to …

Americas Supply Chain: Unforcasted Commerce Challenges Or Leadership Failure, Jon Tobias

Integrated Studies

The current supply chain disruptions are affecting commerce in some manner which leads to scarcities of products and labor globally. The research will show that supply chain issues are directly related to commerce and leadership which plays an important role in our economy. Supply chain operations are defined, and the different levels of supply chain activities are explained. Possible points of failure within the system as well as probable causes leading to empty shelves and unavailable products is explained in detail. The research describes how massive labor shortages, high petroleum prices, and shortages of essential sub-components has led to this …

The Impact Of Domestic Violence On Mental Health, Candida Likens

Integrated Studies

Abstract

This research paper examines the issues of domestic violence on mental health. The paper will provide helpful information for a caseworker to follow as a guideline and structure for understanding and addressing domestic violence issues. There are numerous types of domestic violence, and this is a general list. Each area that is identified provides a description of the violence, as well as the issues that can be raised due to domestic violence. In addition to background, it also has numerous factors that influence how people make decisions, resources for the victim, and legal protections.

The Benefits Of Youth Sports, Nate Chambers, Nate Chambers

Integrated Studies

The purpose of this paper is to determine and identify the many benefits that can be earned through participation in youth sports. Many parents and guardians enroll their children in youth sports programs as a way to introduce them to new hobbies and activities to pass the time in their youthful years, but there are many added benefits other than simply enjoying sports as a pastime. Youth sports can provide opportunities for children to better themselves in many different avenues of life, including socially, physically and mentally, and allow them to find their role in society at an early age. …

The Benefits Of Youth Sports, Nate Chambers

Integrated Studies

The purpose of this paper is to determine and identify the many benefits that can be earned through participation in youth sports. Many parents and guardians enroll their children in youth sports programs as a way to introduce them to new hobbies and activities to pass the time in their youthful years, but there are many added benefits other than simply enjoying sports as a pastime. Youth sports can provide opportunities for children to better themselves in many different avenues of life, including socially, physically and mentally, and allow them to find their role in society at an early age. …

Low-Income Communities And The Impact On Mental Health And Substance Use Disorder, Melissa Haynes

Integrated Studies

This paper discusses the literature review and findings of low-income communities and the direct impact it has on mental health and substance use disorder. As stated in Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, Bauer et al. (2021) research showed that “poverty and poor mental health are closely related”; this paper will review the direct impacts. While using literature review journals and other creditable sources, this paper will show specific mental health and substance use disorder concerns found within low-income communities, including depression, anxiety, suicide, and substance use disorder. This research will identify individuals within communities who are at greater risk due …

The State Of Speech-Language Pathology In Guatemala: A Case For Creating A New Post-Graduate University Program, Amanda Blackwell

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Speech-language pathology is part of a broader discipline of allied-health professions including occupational therapy and physical therapy. The professionals in these disciplines work alongside doctors and nurses to provide rehabilitative care for people with congenital or acquired disabilities across the lifespan. The organization and application of the field of speech language pathology is in various stages of development in countries around the world. The current dissertation seeks to understand the state of speech-language pathology in the Low- and Middle-Income Country (LMIC) of Guatemala and suggest a specific plan for the creation of a new graduate program for this discipline.

Georgia High School Counselor Perceptions Of Careers In The Agricultural Field, Meredith Arrington

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The word “farmer” somehow still evokes that stereotypical image of an old man in overalls wearing a straw hat and holding a pitchfork. Agriculture is our nation’s largest employer, but agriculture careers still have that stigma of being backbreaking manual labor that yields a low income and is reserved for those less educated or uneducated. At the secondary education level, this type of skewed perception by school counselors can have an impact on their abilities to counsel students who are seeking college or career advice. To meet the demands of our growing population, agricultural careers have evolved to become highly …

Effects Of Cannabinoid Supplementation On Weaning And Transportation Stress In Beef Calves, Savannah Kaitlyn Austin

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Transportation stress is a major factor increasing the risk of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in young calves. Bovine respiratory disease is currently the most economically important disease affecting the cattle industry, costing producers millions of dollars annually. Cannabidiol (CBD) has shown therapeutic benefits in other species, making it a potential tool to use as a supplement to reduce transportation and weaning stress in calves. However, little information is available on cannabinoid bioavailability and disposition of bioactive residue in livestock tissues. The objectives of these studies were to evaluate effective dosage rates of a cannabinoid gel on beef cattle and to …

A Personalized Values Intervention To Increase Health Behaviors In College Students, Jessica M Criddle

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

College students in the United States face unique health risks such as problematic alcohol use, poor nutrition, low sleep quality, and low rates of exercise. Research increasingly shows interventions utilizing individualized approaches lead to longer term pro-health behavior change. Values-centered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a useful framework to for development of personalized, effective interventions. One reason for this may be that impersonalized interventions and researcher-generated target behaviors common in other literatures may not hold the same evocative effect and connection to health behaviors for each or every participant. In ACT, valuing increases the probability of values-consistent behavior, such …

Addressing The Preparedness To Implement The Illinois Culturally Responsive Teaching And Leading Standards, Michelle Mohr

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This is a quantitative study designed to assess the beliefs of in-service teachers as well as those in urban and rural areas as it relates to the preparedness levels of educators to successfully implement culturally responsive pedagogy. With a new mandate for Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards in Illinois, educators and district leaders must now prepare for state-wide implementation by October 2025. At present, education program faculties in Illinois’s higher education institutions are integrating instruction on culturally responsive pedagogy. As a result, many pre-service teachers are currently receiving training in this area. In-service teachers, however, may lack learning experiences …

Barriers To Mental Health Service Use And Preferred Treatment Format Among Racial And Ethnic Minorities, Jasmine Maxwell

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

One of the most pressing concerns in mental healthcare is the limited use of mental health services across the country. Research has indicated that individuals from racial/ethnic minority groups are significantly less likely to seek mental health services, which has led many to examine specific barriers to treatment-seeking. Given research that has suggested that barriers to treatment-seeking may be structural, attitudinal, or cultural in nature, this study aimed to gain a better understanding of the relationship between these barriers and willingness to seek psychological help. Another goal of the current study was to examine the role of online therapy in …

Habitat Use And Diel Movements Of Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys Molitrix In Two Southeastern Reservoirs, Levi Umland

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Bigheaded carp have spread rampantly throughout the Mississippi watershed and continue to spread by navigating through rivers, locks, and dams. The long-term effects these species will have on our ecosystems and natural resources is unknown. Their movements, behavior, and general seasonal patterns are well studied within rivers. However, their movements and behavior within reservoirs is poorly understood due to their initial numbers within reservoirs being lower than in rivers. To address this gap, I investigated the distribution and movement rates of Silver Carp within two reservoirs, Kentucky Reservoir and Barkley Reservoir, and possible correlative variables, including wind, temperature, residency, sex, …

Senior Nursing Students’ Confidence In Communicating And Providing Patient Teaching, Carmen Bandy

Honors College Theses

In the field of nursing, effective nurse-patient communication and teaching are among the most important indicators of patient satisfaction. Research shows that improved communication can result in more favorable patient outcomes and compliance with treatment. Additionally, improved communication with other members of the healthcare team can create a better work environment and result in increased patient outcomes, as well as decreased errors. The aim of this thesis is to assess the confidence of seniors in the Murray State University Nursing program in communicating with patients and other healthcare professionals and in providing thorough, accurate teaching to patients. Strategies to improve …

How Community Engagement And The Power Nine Impact Health, Lindsey Shelton, Lindsey V. Shelton

Honors College Theses

The Blue Zones are five different places around the world where people are proven to live healthier and longer lives. In these places, they all share 9 unique habits that are attributed to helping achieve these healthier lives called the Power Nine. In Calloway County, a barrier survey was conducted by five different Murray State departments to see what stopped the residents from achieving their healthiest lives. Community engagement was found to be an important aspect of the Power Nine and was analyzed to see how it can impact one's health.

The Effects Of Pelleted Cannabidiol Supplementation On Heart Rate And Reaction Scores In Horses, Anna L. Draeger, Evan P. Thomas, Kiara A. Jones, Shea Porr

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

The potential use of cannabidiol (CBD) as a nutraceutical to support improved health and welfare has been of increasing interest. In particular, CBD has been shown to decrease anxiety in humans and small animals. While there is little research published on the effects of CBD supplementation in horses, its use is increasing rapidly. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of feeding a pelleted CBD supplement on equine reactivity and heart rate (HR). Seventeen stock-type geldings were divided into control (CON) or treatment (TRT) groups. The TRT group received 100 mg of CBD once daily. Control horses …

Exploring The Use Of Student-Developed Outreach Videos To Provide Mental Health Wellness Education-A Pilot Project, Kristin Reid, Nancy Armstrong, Dana Todd

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

BACKGROUND: Mental health and wellness outreach has been an area of concern at colleges and universities in the United States and a variety of electronic methods have been used to successfully promote health and wellness. This pilot project was in response to a previous descriptive study examining mental health issues on campus. AIMS: The primary aim of this project was to determine if implementing a peer-led outreach program in the form of bi-weekly, short-form educational videos would increase knowledge of mental health and wellness in students developing the videos. The secondary aim was to provide students an alternate clinical assignment …

Measuring Palatability As A Linear Combination Of Nutrient Levels In Food Items, Jeffrey S. Young

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

It well known that palatability and nutritional quality of foods and/or diets are viewed as being in tension with one another. While there exist multiple measures of healthiness, there are no such measures for tastiness. This gap limits the degree to which researchers can investigate this tension and its implications for dietary behavior and hence public health and nutrition policy. The scope of future work concerning the dietary behavior of Americans would expand greatly if researchers better understood consumers’ willingness to eat certain foods, which matters as much as recommending those foods for them to eat in the first place. …

Celebrating The Msu Faculty: Faculty Awards, Murray State University

Reports

Program celebrating Faculty Awards from 2020 and 2021, distributed at the Murray State University's Welcome Back Luncheon, held under the portico of Waterfield Library on Friday, August 13, 2021.

Intelligence Of Bearded Dragons, Sydney Herndon

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to study and explain the intelligence of bearded dragons. Bearded dragons (Pogona spp.) are a species of reptile that have been popular in recent years as pets. Until recently, not much was known about their intelligence levels due to lack of appropriate research and studies on the species. Scientists have been studying the physical and social characteristics of bearded dragons to determine if they possess a higher intelligence than previously thought. One adaptation that makes bearded dragons unique is how they respond to heat. Bearded dragons optimize their metabolic functions through a …

Black Maternal Mortality In The United States, Grace Phelps

Honors College Theses

Black maternal mortality is a looming issue in the United States as the rate of Black maternal deaths is 3-4 times higher than the average rate for White women. Research establishes that this is a multifaceted issue of care quality, preexisting health, biases and racism, and structural inequalities. This study aims to discuss the statistics, contributing factors, and possible solutions to the issue of Black maternal mortality. Specifically, this study aims to educate nursing students on the matter and test the implications an educational session has on knowledge about Black maternal mortality and how health care professionals can be part …

Inventing A Space To Speak: Ethos, Agency And United States' Woman Suffrage Cookbooks (1886-1916), Danielle Nielsen

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

During the last forty years of the United States’ fight for woman suffrage, a handful of suffragists wrote cookbooks sponsored by suffrage organisations. These cookbooks created a rhetorical space and ethos within and through the kitchen. Because their activism was grounded in expected feminine actions, this home-bound ethos allowed the primarily white, middle-class suffragists to simultaneously advocate for women's suffrage in public and maintain their adherence to the Cult of True Womanhood. The arguments put forth in the cookbooks illustrate an ethos that is influenced by both personal agency and the rhetor's gendered, physical location in the kitchen. From this …

Physical Health And Delinquency, Katy Hancock

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

While physical health can impact a variety of outcomes, little research has looked at health and delinquency. Through a lens of GST, this study examines whether health moderates the relationships between strain and delinquency and drug use. Data from the 2011 NSDUH were analyzed; results indicated that, for certain strains, very good and excellent health predicted lower risks of committing some types of delinquency and poor/fair health predicted the higher risk. For youth in “no parent” homes in very good health and from some youth with chronic illness, however, the risk of delinquency increased. The overall results dictate the expansion …

Impacts Of Digestawell Nrg Supplementation On Post Exercise Muscle Soreness In Unconditioned Horses, A Pilot Study, Jessica K. Suagee-Bedore, Yeting Shen, Shea Porr, Ivan D. Girard, Karen Bennett-Winbrush, Ashley L. Wagner

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

Exercising horses are commonly plagued by muscle fatigue and soreness, which can result in reduced performance ability. In the present study, ten unconditioned horses were fed 200g per day DigestaWell NRG, a commercial dietary supplement containing Yucca schidigera and Trigonella foenum-graecum, two herbs shown in other species to reduce post-exercise muscle pain and soreness. A control, unsupplemented group contained ten horses of similar age, breed, and gender. Horses completed a 50 minutes, ridden standardized exercise test of moderate intensity immediately prior to (Period1) and after 28 days of supplementation (Period2). Muscle soreness and tightness were evaluated 24 hours prior …

Wound Care Nurses Becoming Quitline Providers And Teaching Patients About Smoking Cessation And Nicotine Replacement Therapy, Hannah Gilbert, Lakyn Rye

Scholars Week

Our evidence-based practice project focuses on wound care nurses becoming Quitline providers and teaching patients about smoking cessation and nicotine replacement therapy. To guide our research, we used Florence Nightingale’s Environmental Theory. Smoking is a modifiable risk factor that is a part of the patient’s environment. Our research we used supports that smoking can affect wound healing. We believe that wound care nurses should be trained in smoking cessation and nicotine replacement therapy prescribing to be an advocate to patients and their journey to wound healing.