Digital Commons Network^™

Paek- And Pes-Like Perarylated Phosphonium Ionenes: Synthesis, Thermal Properties, And Conductivity, Samantha M. Sims, Hannah Brown, Jalisha R. Hunter, R. Daniel Johnson, Rachel E. Whittaker, Kevin M. Miller

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

Perarylated phosphonium salts are known to exhibit high degrees of thermal stability, often in excess of 400 °C. Here, the thermal and conductive properties of a series of perarylated phosphonium ionenes, prepared utilizing a PAEK-/PES-like synthetic approach, is described. All of the ionenes were found to display Td5% values in excess of 365 °C. Structural changes in the polymer backbone were found to have a prominent impact on Tg, with the meta-analogs exhibiting values ∼45 °C below the para-analogs, emphasizing the significant impact that solid-state packing can have on thermal transitions. All of the phosphonium ionenes …

The Benefits Of Photo-Elicitation In Arts Administration Research, Elise Lael Kieffer

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

This article explores the benefits of incorporating the photo-elicitation method into interviews within arts and cultural administration, leadership, and management research. Photographs are often used to open communications when traditional verbal communication is less reliable, or hindered by cross-cultural interactions. Within the arts and culture, researchers often use different terminology than administrative practitioners, and administrators often use different terminology than art makers and creative practitioners. Photo-elicitation serves to bridge those gaps in communication and open participants up to opportunities for deeper reflection. This article gives examples from one narrative inquiry study that utilized both exclusively verbal questions and also photo-elicitation …

Using Music And Storytelling As Strategies For Conservation Education, Frances Hincks

Honors College Theses

Given the frequently negative effects each person imposes on their environment (e.g., resource consumption, use of private and public land, and waste production), the public needs to be included in conservation messaging to sustain a healthy, functioning planet. People are generally not informed about conservation topics, which creates difficulties in creating a conservation mindset. Moreover, there is a disconnect between conservation research and presenting conservation related topics to the public in a coherent, accessible format. Thus, conservation education messaging strategies need to be evaluated to determine which are most effective. The objective of this research was to determine the effectiveness …

2023-02-24, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Performance Feedback On High School Teachers’ Use Of Opportunities To Respond And Positive Feedback: Considering Efficiency In High Need Schools, Nathan Meyer, Amy Stevens, Terrance M. Scott, Marlene Parish

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

The transition into high school presents new challenges for adolescents and performance in ninth grade is highly predictive of success throughout the remainder of high school. However, focus on teacher performance has great promise for increasing student engagement in the classroom and raising student achievement. Unfortunately, many of these practices typically are not implemented within classrooms where students are at highest risk for failure. Two studies were implemented to examine the effect of simple performance feedback strategies as a means of increasing teachers’ provision of opportunities for student responses and positive feedback during instruction. Results showed no effect in teacher …

Linkedin Analysis Job Placement For Students In The Sport Management Program Of An Eastern Kentucky Public University, Jose Garcia, Will Wellman, Steve Chen, Christy Trent

Posters-at-the-Capitol

LinkedIn Analysis Job Placement for Students in The Sport Management Program of An Eastern Kentucky Public University

In addition to standardized tests and program assessments of academic programs, tracking college graduates’ employment is also dimed as an effective method for measuring student learning and success. In this case study, the authors examined 334 students’ LinkedIn profiles (57% males & 43% females) by using main keywords such as the name of the institution and sport management to gather information about current employment status, degree of program completion and primary self-identified skills of observed individuals. The results showed that 205 students had …

"Semiclassical Mastermind", Curtis Bair, Alexa S. Cunningham, Joshua Qualls

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Games are often used in the classroom to teach mathematical and physical concepts. Yet the available activities used to introduce quantum mechanics are often overwhelming even to upper-level students. Further, the "games" in question range in focus and complexity from superficial introductions to games where quantum strategies result in decidedly nonclassical advantages, making it nearly impossible for people interested in quantum mechanics to have a simple introduction to the topic. In this talk, we introduce a straightforward and newly developed "Semiclassical Mastermind" based on the original version of mastermind but replace the colored pegs with 6 possible qubits (x+, x-, …

Addressing Money Laundering In The United States Real Estate Sector, Hunter Mccormick

Posters-at-the-Capitol

The United States faces threats to economic stability and legal integrity from money laundering practices in the real estate market. Legislative loopholes, complicit enablers, and aging technological systems used by government agencies allow individuals to flow ill-gotten wealth into the United States with little effort. As a result of these factors, local economies suffer job loss, once-inhabited properties lie empty in decay, and public trust in government weakens. Illegal wealth is transformed into protected assets in the form of property and can be stored to later fund terrorist organizations or influence the American people. Approximately $2.3 billion was laundered through …

The Mobilizing Effect Of Descriptive Representation? The Impact Of Representatives’ Race And Gender On Participation, Akayla Henson, Brittany Wood

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Studies on the effect of increased descriptive representation on political participation have yielded mixed results. This research explores the relationship between descriptive representation and political participation. Specifically, we are interested in understanding how the race and gender of political representatives affect electorate participation. We conduct a unique survey experiment where participants receive communication from a political representative. The treatment conditions varied based on representative race (black, white) and gender (man, woman). We hypothesized that participants who receive correspondence from a representative of the same gender and race as themselves (i.e., in-group) will be more likely to participate than a participant …

What Is Missing In Data Governance? Regulation, Board Oversight, And A New Role For Accountants, Christopher Hill, Bria I. James, Najib Sahyoun

Posters-at-the-Capitol

By 2025, the world will produce 163 Zettabytes (ZB) of data on an annual basis. Data is displacing oil as the most productive commodity. However, poor data quality costs the U.S. economy $3.1 trillion annually. Data must be properly managed through data governance. A strong data governance program does not only maximize the value of the data resulting in optimal decision making, but also minimizes risks of data breaches, lawsuits, and reputational costs. In our research, we conducted a content analysis of the data governance literature by considering both professional and academic literature.

Our results showed that the U.S. does …

Seroprevalence And Titer Concentration Testing For Leptospirosis In Equine, Ashley Himmelsbaugh

Posters-at-the-Capitol

The most common best management practice used to combat diseases in horses is vaccination, which can decrease the incidence or severity of illness. However, the duration of immunity will vary for each vaccination and must be considered for revaccination purposes. Titer concentration, which evaluates antibodies in the blood, may be a helpful way of determining how long an animal has immunity to a disease. Leptospirosis, a zoonotic, bacterial disease, can result in uveitis, potentially leading to blindness, and abortion in mares. One serovar, Leptospirosis pomona (L. pomona), is associated with most cases of clinical disease in horses in North America. …

Pharmacokinetics Of Cbd Supplementation In Horses: Single Dose Vs. Long-Term Feeding, Madilyn Adamchik

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Research about supplemental feeding of cannabidiol (CBD) to horses is still in its early stages, but owners are feeding CBD to relieve pain and calm behavioral issues. Cannabinoids work through the endocannabinoid system to modulate nervous and hormonal actions in the body. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of single dose versus long-term feeding of a pelleted CBD supplement. In Project 1, eighteen Quarter Horse geldings were given a single dose of 50 mg (n=6), 100 mg (n=6), or 250 mg (n=6) of pelleted CBD. Blood samples were collected before treatment (0 hrs), and at 0.5, …

Screenings To Decrease Pediatric Suicide, Jordan Bridges, Dana Schildmeyer, Amanda Austin, Laura Boesken

Posters-at-the-Capitol

This project aimed to examine the current practice related to mental health and depression screenings in pediatric patients. The benefits of implementing screening in schools in identifying depression and suicide risks sooner were also considered. This project focused on the correlation between earlier mental health screening and identification of these mental health disorders earlier in the life of pediatric patients and suicide rates. Current, published literature notes mental health screening in the pediatric population in schools is an effective method to facilitate monitoring and early intervention in detecting a mental illness. Schools implementing mental health screenings can result in increased …

Peer Deviance As A Predictor Of E-Cigarette Use Pre And Post Pandemic, Jenna Dunham, Heather Kissel, Ty Brumback

Posters-at-the-Capitol

There is growing concern regarding the use of e-cigarettes among younger demographics. Also known as vaping, e-cigarettes have been posited as a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes and have increased in popularity due to marketing, added flavors, and discreet delivery methods (Durkin et al., 2021; Hart et al., 2017). Research has shown dangerous and adverse outcomes of using e-cigarettes, including mood disorders, attention deficit, addiction, and lung injury (Durkin et al., 2021; Krishnasamy et al., 2020).

Peer group deviance is associated with risky external behaviors in young adults and youth (Durkin et al., 2021; Kendler et al., 2016). This research …

Home Visitation To Prevent And Reduce Postpartum Depression, Anna Bauer, Madison Polley, Laura Boesken Dnp, Msn, Rn

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Postpartum depression (PPD) occurs in 13-19% of women worldwide, and is a stigmatized medical condition affecting maternal and infantile long term outcomes. The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to determine if women at high risk for PPD are affected by home visitation programs from discharge up to three years postpartum. CINHAL Ultimate, Google Scholar, and Medline databases were used. Current evidence supports the use of home-visitation programs for postpartum women to decrease the prevalence and the symptoms of PPD by allowing nurses access into homes to provide early intervention for PPD. In addition to providing care for prevention …

Uncovering The Role Of Cancer Associated Fibroblasts In Tumor Immunosuppression, Kamal Amirneni, Kavitha Yaddanapudi

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Current advances in cancer immunotherapy are hindered by the immunosuppressive nature of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a key component of the TME that contribute to suppressing the immune response. Chemokines and cytokines released by CAFs, such as IL-6, attract circulating monocytes which are converted into myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). MDSCs suppress T-cells and natural killer cell proliferation which inactivates the immune response and deters immunotherapy. Both Prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) have been implicated in the CAF immunosuppressive pathway, but a causal link has yet to be established. We hypothesized …

Phase 1a Clinical Study For Q-Griffithsin Intranasal Spray For Prevention Of Coronavirus, Megan Bezold, Kenneth Palmer, Nobuyuki Matoba, Elizabeth Cash

Posters-at-the-Capitol

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly transmissible virus that causes acute respiratory disease with possible long-term complications, known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Griffithsin (GRFT; including the oxidation-resistant variant Q-GRFT used in this study) is an algal carbohydrate-binding protein exhibiting antiviral effects against many enveloped viruses, including all major variants of SARS- CoV-2 reported to date. Q-GRFT has been recombinantly manufactured in Nicotiana benthamiana plants, thoroughly purified, and formulated as an intranasal spray designed to be developed as a non-vaccine broad-spectrum prophylactic product for acute use. This is the first-in-human, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. The …

The Factors That Influence Clinicians To Choose Rural Settings To Deliver Health Services, Julia Mattingly

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Years before the COVID-19 pandemic brought on a health care shortage in the United States, its rural areas were already struggling to obtain and attract primary care medical practitioners. The federal government has designed many programs with the intent of exposing clinicians to life in rural areas, but few have been successful at keeping medical practitioners in the long-term. Clinicians who are recruited to rural areas via loan repayment programs or other short-lived incentives often leave after only a few years.

In order to learn more about this long-running health policy problem, we set out to study the factors that …

Pathways To Educational Attainment For Latinx Students, Elizabeth Guadarrama, Socorro Zaragoza, Abbey Poffenberger, Jose Juan Gomez-Becerra Jr

Posters-at-the-Capitol

The achievement gap for the educational attainment of underrepresented populations has been the subject of study for decades. According to the Kentucky School Report Card data for school year 2018-2019, the Latinx community has an achievement gap rate of 42.0% with differences of -19.1% compared to White (non-Hispanic) students. Therefore, it is essential to find pathways to close the educational attainment gap and achieve equity. In this poster, I will research best practices for improving diverse student performance and educational opportunities, including the recruitment and retention of diverse educators and staff. A research report by the Learning Policy Institute states …

How Community Satisfaction Can Determine The Success Of Tourism Development In A Community, Carter Unrau

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Many counties in Eastern Kentucky and central Appalachia in general have suffered intense economic hardship in the past decades due to the decline in coal and other mining industries which once supplied many jobs to the people of the region. A common remedy to this is increasing tourism development in these communities. While this tactic has seen positive effects in the region, there's been communities that have given a negative review of the increase in tourism development. With such an economic gain to be had, its imperative that the source of this issue should be rooted out and resolved to …

The Future Of Human Trafficking Legislation: A Policy Analysis, Zoe E. Hunt

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Current legislation and policies are not effective enough to fight human trafficking as it continues to change and evolve worldwide. Human trafficking is not just sex trafficking; labor trafficking, organ trafficking, people smuggling, and forced criminal activities. This evolving and changing global issue continues to grow into a highly profitable "business." Overseas, many countries struggle to handle this issue, and some countries do not handle it at all. The United States has a major human trafficking problem that will continue to worsen unless there is a change in the government. The U.S. Congress should be more focused on the growing …

Emotionally Unavailable: A Comparison On The Ability Of Children With Developmental Language Disorders To Interpret Emotions In Humans And Inanimate Objects, Savanna B. Gullett, Jade Robinson

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is a neuro-developmental condition that emerges in early childhood and can persist into adulthood, manifesting as a variety of symptoms that can be significantly different in each individual. It has an estimated prevalence of 7.58% and is nearly 7 times more common in children than autism spectrum disorder (McGregor, 2020). As a population, individuals with DLD are at risk of facing significant issues in associating areas of language, including reading comprehension, problem-solving abilities, and social skills. Professionals have noticed emotional disconnect amongst individuals with DLD, leading to the proposition that those with DLD may have a …

Women’S Representation In State Legislatures And Women-Friendly Policy Outcomes, Hoan La

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

This paper adds to the literature on the relationship between women's representation and policy outcomes. The literature argues that female legislators are more likely than male colleagues to support policies that benefit women, children, and families. Therefore, increasing women's representation in legislative bodies will likely result in more policy outcomes that reflect women's interests. This paper employs data from 50 U.S. state legislatures in three years: 2010, 2015, and 2020 to examine the relationship between female legislators and women-friendly policies. The analysis indicates that female legislators play an important role in introducing, discussing, and debating women-friendly bills but have yet …

Disaggregating Foreign Aid: What Have We Learned From Research On Sub-National Foreign Aid?, Josiah F. Marineau

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Over the past several years, a new wave of research has mapped the location of foreign aid projects within countries to understand the causes and effects of sub-national aid allocation. This effort, affiliated with the AidData research program (albeit not exclusively), is ongoing, and new datasets on foreign aid donors and for particular countries are being released. After several years of continuing research into the correlates and effects of sub-national foreign aid on aid-recipient countries, it is worthwhile to pause and consider what this research program has uncovered and suggest directions where it might go.

The Mobilizing Effect Of Descriptive Representation? The Impact Of Representatives’ Race And Gender On Participation, Akayla Henson, Brittany Wood

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Studies on the effect of increased descriptive representation on political participation have yielded mixed results. This research explores the relationship between descriptive representation and political participation. Specifically, we are interested in understanding how the race and gender of political representatives affect electorate participation. We conduct a unique survey experiment where participants receive communication from a political representative. The treatment conditions varied based on representative race (black, white) and gender (man, woman). We hypothesized that participants who receive correspondence from a representative of the same gender and race as themselves (i.e., in-group) would be more likely to participate than a participant …

Democracy For Some: Greek-American Institutions And The Greek Junta, 1967-1974, Olga Koulisis

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

In 1967 a military junta took over Greece, silencing the democratic process in Democracy’s birthplace with the tacit approval of Democracy’s heir apparent, the United States of America. The tolerance, if not support, of Greek-American institutions to the establishment of the Greek Junta and the U.S. government’s support for that regime offers a case study of why democratic publics accept, if not bolster, their own government’s support for anti-democratic regimes. This case offers an intriguing juxtaposition because of the historical claims that U.S., Greek, and Greek diaspora identities make on democratic practice and commitment. This study examines how junta-tolerant Greek …

Crime, Documentation Status, And Content Analysis: Evidence From American Surveys Evaluating The Public’S Perception Of Deportations, Madelyn Einhorn

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

How does the public evaluate US deportations? This paper conducts two original, experimental surveys in the United States, asking the public about their perceptions of immigrant deportations from the US. The first section of this paper utilizes an experimental design to determine how documentation status and criminality impact the public’s views of deportations. The second section of this paper asks an open-ended question about perceptions of deportations and uses automatic content analysis to determine the emotional sentiment of respondents’ answers. This paper determines that Americans view deportations as an appropriate punitive measure for undocumented immigrants and immigrants who have committed …

Climate Resources For Camping: A Resource-Based Theory Perspective, Christopher Craig, Siyao Ma, Song Feng

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

Camping is a salient economic contributor to nature-based tourism that is also beholden to the natural environment. Climate resources are the combination of naturally occurring meteorological variables of empirically observable importance to firm performance. Tourism climatologist are at the forefront of climate resource research, where investigations have been primarily empirically derived rather than guided by theory. Accordingly, we introduce climate resources to the management discipline’s resource-based theory, operationalizing climate resources as public goods in addition to other public goods like open access innovation. We investigate the value, rareness, and inimitability of climate resources at 36 managed United States National Park …

National Health Insurance For The United States, Ashley Herrell

Integrated Studies

Approximately 46 million U.S. citizens lack health insurance despite the nation's abundant resources. The imperative for universal healthcare arises, with a proposed solution being mandatory national health insurance. This paradigm shift, championed by the U.S. House of Representatives, Senate, and citizens, aims to eradicate the issue of people foregoing healthcare due to lack of insurance, promising to enhance collective well-being. The U.S. stands out among high-income countries without comprehensive universal healthcare, leading to disproportionately high out-of-pocket expenses and inferior health outcomes. Social determinants like income, race, and rural residence exacerbate the challenge by limiting healthcare access for vulnerable groups. Embracing …

Autism Resources In Rural America, Amanda Long

Integrated Studies

The topic of this final project centers around the lack of services that are available to autistic children and adults in rural America and the steps that should be taken the ensure services are available as the growing population of children grow older and need full-time care. Our modern society as well as the current healthcare system are not prepared for the growing need of an ageing disabled population. Will these disabled children and young adults flood the current long-term care facilities that are already established? Will the already stretched thin Medicare and Medicaid system cover the costs associated with …