Digital Commons Network^™

Art 399 Portfolio, Virginia Walsh

Professional Practices (ART 399)

My work is deeply rooted in my upbringing and the environments I grew up surrounded by. Most of my inspiration comes from revisiting childhood memories and translating them into themes relevant to my adulthood, primarily through painting. The majority of my body of work consists of portraits, specifically those of people I love dearly and whose faces are most familiar to me. I am fascinated by the way light interacts with skin, how sunlight at a particular angle can allow the flesh to appear translucent, and the myriad of color within the shadows of the face.

I strive to tell …

The Effects Of The Mystery Motivator On Attendance In An Undergraduate Population, Hannah Eriksen

Honors College Theses

The present study sought to determine the effects of the Mystery Motivator behavioral intervention on attendance in an introductory psychology course. At a medium sized university in the Midwest, one class participated in the study. Ultimately, the Mystery Motivator was ineffective at increasing the percentage of enrolled students that attended class each day, however other notable findings were observed. For example, social validity measures indicated that of the students who voluntarily completed the survey, mostly liked the intervention and would want other classes to implement similar programs. There were several limitations identified in the current study and future research should …

The Effects Of Citrulline Malate On Multiple Bout, High-Intensity Aerobic Exercise: A Pilot Study, Macy Kate Bynum, Annika Marie Pschorr, Taylor Carrico, Morgan Maleske, Matthew Hermes, Brenda Reeves

Steeplechase: An ORCA Student Journal

Citrulline malate (CM) is suggested to improve performance and post-exercise recovery. There is limited research on the effect of CM on short duration, high-intensity aerobic exercise with ambiguous results. The effects of acute CM supplementation on combined aerobic/anaerobic performance in novice CrossFit® participants is unknown. PURPOSE: To examine the effects of acute CM vs. placebo (PL) supplementation on multiple-bout, high- intensity aerobic performance in novice Nancy CrossFit® participants. METHODS: Eight recreationally trained males (X±SD; age = 20.8 ± 2.7 yrs, height = 180.0 ± 6.1 cm, body fat 6.9 ± 2.3%, VO2max = 52.2 ± 4.8 ml/kg/min, 1RM squat = …

2024-03-01, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Team Identification And Self-Construal On Attitudes Toward Player Resting, Skyler King, Ismail Karabas

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

Purposely resting athletes during competitive games has become commonplace in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Despite this phenomenon, little research has investigated fan attitudes and behavioral intentions concerning the act of NBA teams purposely resting players. This study utilized Prolific Academic crowdsourcing service to recruit a national sample of NBA fans to participate in this research. Participants provided data concerning their attitudes toward the practice of player resting as well as their strength of team identification and self-construal level. Results indicate that those who are low on both team identification and an interdependent self-construal should be expected to respond negatively …

2024-01-26, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Crack-Ers (Crack Riddles Applying Cybersecurity Knowledge - Escape Room Scenario), Benjamin Acuff

Posters-at-the-Capitol

CRACK-ERS (Crack Riddles Applying Cybersecurity Knowledge - Escape Room Scenario) is a unique, beginner's level CTF game with riddle-based challenges on various cybersecurity topics. The game is driven by an adventure story-based escape room format. Existing literature indicates that traditional CTFs pose challenges for beginners with no cybersecurity background. The novelty of CRACK-ERS lies in its non-traditional design as an unplugged CTF with an adventure scenario-driven script, encouraging participants to solve cybersecurity-related riddles. CRACK-ERS targets beginner-level learners, fostering teamwork, explorative research, cybersecurity problem-solving, and riddle-cracking skills. Prior cybersecurity educational research notes limited instances of escape room-style CTF games and fewer …

Effectiveness Of Mycorrhizae And Vermicompost Seed Inoculation For Germination, Vegetative Growth, Cannabinoid Content, And Cured Flower Weight Of Cbd-Rich Hemp (Cannabis Sativa L.), Hannah Boyer, Nicole Wagner, Merritt Drewery

Journal of Agricultural Hemp Research

Effective germination and vigorous growth of hemp cultivars is paramount to cultivators’ ability to produce high-quality hemp products. Beneficial bacteria and fungi are known symbionts to plants and are used in regenerative agriculture to increase plant health and crop yield. This pilot study investigated the effect of microbial seed inoculation on germination rate, plant height, cured flower weight, and cannabinoid content of cannabidiol (CBD)-rich hemp (Cannabis sativa L). The experiment included a control and the following treatments: 1) seed inoculation of Great White ^â Premium Mycorrhizae (GW), 2) seed inoculation of vermicompost (V), and 3) seed inoculation of Great …

Animal Liberation Front: Threat To Kentucky, Zoe E. Hunt

Posters-at-the-Capitol

The Animal Liberation Front (ALF) is a global terrorist organization that was founded in 1976. Since the creation of ALF, the group has spread rapidly as well as turned into a domestic terrorist organization in the United States. With this project, the group's potential threat to Kentucky was evaluated. ALF was evaluated using four structured analytic techniques and an intelligence collection plan. A better understanding of what ALF is was formed by the discussion of the group’s origins, ideology, and organization. In addition, the group's goals, objectives, and capabilities were discussed. Using the information gathered during the threat profile, the …

Stratification Of Potassium In Tillage Vs. No-Till Systems And Uptake In Corn (Zea Mays) In Western Kentucky, Ava Isaacs

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Stratification of Potassium in Tillage vs. No-Till Systems and Uptake in

Corn (Zea mays) in Western Kentucky

Authors: Ava Isaacs, Kyle Krieger,Christopher Powell, and Dr. Megan Taylor

Murray State University

Potassium is a macronutrient essential for plant growth. The demand for potassium is high in agricultural systems including corn. Potassium increases tolerance to water stress and disease resistance. Potassium is critical in terms of soil fertility and determining what fertilizers to apply and application rates. Potassium is often not readily available for plant uptake in the soil and is largely lost during harvest, it is also an important component of …

Pedro Mexía And The Politics Of Translation In The Early Modern World, Erin Fairweather, Robert Fritz

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Spanish humanist Pedro Mexía (1497-1551) wrote two highly influential texts in the sixteenth century, the Silva de varia lección (1540) and the Historia imperial y cesárea (1545), which were, notably, written in Spanish, a vernacular language, as opposed to Latin, the academic language of the age. As these books presented previously inaccessible scientific and historical knowledge to the common person, they were soon translated into several languages, achieving widespread fame and influence. However, the texts have been mostly forgotten and have seen little study in recent times. Nevertheless, the Silva and the Historia can help us better understand the politics …

Iequity: An Augmented Reality Theatre Production, Amy Pan, Kristina Arnold Dr, Alan White, Truth Tran

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Augmented reality is commonly seen being used in game development and design, typically seen through a mobile device such as a phone. However, it has rarely been tested and pushed to its limits in other settings. The main focus of this project was trying to deploy augmented reality in settings that are seen as more traditional. This will be done by taking a play, pre-written and performed by a professor at Western Kentucky University, and building an augmented reality set for the play in the background. The main software that will be used is Unity and Blender. Unity will be …

Sleep Duration As A Risk Factor For Suicide Ideation And Attempts In Minoritized Youth, Danielle Williams

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Sleep duration as a risk factor for suicide ideation and attempts in minoritized youth

Danielle L. Williams, Caitlin P. Gregory, B.S., Jenessa Canen, B.S., & Amy Brausch Ph.D.

Background and Objective: Suicide is the second leading cause of death in the United States for adolescents and poor sleep is a significant risk factor for suicide ideation and attempts. However, research shows that suicide risk factors identified in predominantly white samples of youth do not have the same association for racial minority youth; sleep may be one such factor. The current study evaluated how the association of total sleep duration with …

Heavy Metals Contamination Alters Soil Microbes, Ali Cass

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Urban green spaces can improve food security, enhance biodiversity, and provide recreational and educational opportunities in cities. Converting abandoned or vacant lots to functional urban green spaces such as parks or gardens is a promising way to increase urban canopy cover, make use of available land, and mitigate food insecurity. However, research has shown that heavy metal soil contamination is a major concern in urban vacant lots, not just for human health, but also for the plants, wildlife, and soil organisms that play crucial roles in providing beneficial ecosystem services. In our study, we asked whether heavy metals impacted soil …

Avaren-Fc, A Novel Immunotherapeutic, Recruits Nk Cells In B16f10 Melanoma Tumor Tissue, Sreevatsa Vemuri, Katarina Mayer, Nobuyuki Matoba

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the US, with limited effective immunotherapeutic options available for patients. Avaren-Fc (AvFc) is a novel experimental immunotherapeutic agent with a unique “lectibody” property. It is capable of targeting cancer cells through the selective recognition of high mannose glycans, which are aberrantly overrepresented on the surface of malignant cells. AvFc can interact with circulating effector immune cells equipped with Fc receptors, such as natural killer (NK) cells to induce antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and kill cancer cells. Previous work has shown that AvFc effectively induces ADCC activity against B16F10 cancer cells in vitro …

Homeownership And Mortgage Loans: How Important Is A Conventional Loan?, Zachary Owen, Cory Curl

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Communities across the United States face a housing crisis that stems in part from a scarcity of conventional home mortgage loans. In 2020, the Urban Institute reported that when applying for a mortgage, Black applicants were denied 27.1% of the time, yet White applicants were denied only 13.6% of the time. These denial rates are highly correlated with homeownership rates. Today, despite policy efforts, the difference in White and Black homeownership rates is higher than in the 1960s when the government enforced discriminatory housing policy.

Because lenders often cite credit score concerns and high debt-to-income ratios as rationales to deny …

Global Criminal Justice Practices And Public Safety, Rachel Hwang

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Popular political discourse in the U.S. assumes that more funding for law enforcement and prison facilities will make civilians safer, presumably by reducing crime and sense of disorder. However, studies have shown that the relationship between these factors may not be as straightforward. With the killing of George Floyd and increased media coverage of police brutality, existing literature focuses mainly on the relationship between police and crime in the U.S. The impact of incarceration (the result of procedural justice) on the community (for whom procedural justice exists) is less known, especially on a global scale. We argue that cycling people …

Enhancing The Safety Of Medication Administration: The Synergistic Role Of Closed Loop Electronic Medication Management And Iv Medication Administration, Kelly Goetz, Angela Schoenung, Lauren Daugherty, Kaitlyn Hornsby

Posters-at-the-Capitol

The high acuity of patients in the ICU results in numerous medications being administered, increasing the risk of medication errors. The purpose of this project is to investigate the impact of integrating consistent closed loop electronic medication management (CLEMM) to decrease medication errors in the ICU for bedside nurses who use electronic health records (EHRs). The project type is a comprehensive literature review, with studies that included a single prospective cohort study, case report, single non-randomized trial, quasi experimental study, single cross-sectional studies, and systematic reviews. The importance of this project is to address the break in the loop of …

Securing Edge Computing: A Hierarchical Iot Service Framework, Sajan Poudel, Nishar Miya, Rasib Khan

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Title: Securing Edge Computing: A Hierarchical IoT Service Framework

Authors: Nishar Miya, Sajan Poudel, Faculty Advisor: Rasib Khan, Ph.D.

Department: School of Computing and Analytics, College of Informatics, Northern Kentucky University

Abstract:

Edge computing, a paradigm shift in data processing, faces a critical challenge: ensuring security in a landscape marked by decentralization, distributed nodes, and a myriad of devices. These factors make traditional security measures inadequate, as they cannot effectively address the unique vulnerabilities of edge environments. Our research introduces a hierarchical framework that excels in securing IoT-based edge services against these inherent risks.

Our secure by design approach prioritizes …

Motivations Driving Video Research Podcasts: Impact On Value And Creation Of Research Video Presentations, My Doan, Anh Tran, Na Le

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to better understand the role and impact of video research podcasts in bridging the gap between academia and the general public, especially concerning the challenges of accessibility and comprehension of scholarly research.

Methods: A 10-question survey was administered to evaluate the effectiveness, utility, and acceptance of video recordings in research presentations. The survey also aimed to gather insights into the motivations, challenges, and benefits of using video podcasts for research dissemination. Results were then analyzed using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model.

Results: There were 102 respondents …

Predicting The Reactions Of Cs2, Ocs, And Co2 With Group Iv And Group Vi Transition Metal Oxides, Marissa Shea Blair, Zachary Ryan Lee Phd, David A. Dixon Phd

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Building on a recent serious of high level electronic structure studies of Lewis acid gas reactions with metal oxide sorbents, DFT (B3LYP and ωB97X-D) and CCSD(T) methods are being used to predict the Lewis acid-base addition (physisorption) and formation of metal oxide carbonate/thiocarbonate formation (chemisorption) reactions of CS2, OCS, and CO2 of CS2, OCS, and CO2 with Group IV (MO2)n and Group VI (MO3)n (n = 1 - 3) nanoclusters. For the Group IV oxides, chemisorption to form terminal carbonates and thiocarbonates is predicted to be the most favored, with thiocarbonate ligand binding energies slightly more exothermic than their carbonate …

Athletic Recruitment Analysis In Higher Education, Landon Palmer

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Since athletic programs are often viewed as the front porch of the higher education institutions, recruiting talented student-athletes is vital and challenging task under the unreasonable demand of high performance, limited and decreasing budget, and dwindling student enrollment. Additionally, the increasing use of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals and transfer portal across the nation have made administrators and coaches worried about their effect on recruitment and program retention. These practices make the recruiting process even more competitive. Through the responses of 106 student-athletes of a regional state university in Eastern Kentucky, the researchers identified respondents’ perception concerning these newly …

Using Network Analysis To Personalize Care For Binge Eating Disorder, Legacy S. Carter, Dr. Anna Marie Ortiz

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Legacy Carter, KCTCS; Dr. Anna Marie Ortiz, University of Louisville, Psychology and Brain Sciences Department

Title:Using network analysis to personalize care for Binge Eating Disorder

Binge Eating Disorder is the compulsive behavior to overeat food, usually within a brief time frame. Symptoms such as anxiety, fear of being fat and perfectionism could trigger a person to binge eat. Network analysis is a statistical approach in health psychology that uses graphical representations of relationships among variables, and could be useful in identifying the symptoms that cause Binge Eating Disorder. The information collected could come from surveys, interviews or clinical studies. Network …

Mountain (Grand) Mamas: Grandparents Raising Grandchildren During The Opioid Epidemic In Appalachian America And Their Portrayal In Media, Rosemary P. Kelley

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Deep within the hills of Appalachia grandparents are stepping into the familiar role of parenting as many have become the primary caregivers for their grandchildren. These grandparent-headed households (GHHs), a form of kinship care, have increased largely in response to the opioid epidemic that has ravaged the region; children are often left in the care of grandparents as parents experience substance use disorders and, in turn, incarceration. According to the US Census Bureau, over seven million grandparents live with their own grandchildren; over 32 percent of which serve as caregivers and are responsible for these children. The impact of kinship …

Attitudes Of South-Central Kentucky Residents Towards Coyotes And Their Management, Andrew T. Mcqueen, Stephen Sumithran Phd

Posters-at-the-Capitol

The existence of the coyote in the eastern U.S. is a recent development and the public’s perception of coyotes has been widely studied in urban areas. However, perceptions in rural areas, especially rural Appalachia, have been largely unstudied. It is necessary for wildlife managers to understand the public’s perceptions of coyotes and coyote management when creating management plans. We conducted a public survey in South-central Kentucky to determine perceptions toward coyotes and coyote management methods. The survey contained questions about demographics (age, gender, county of residence, landownership, etc.), perceptions (fears, opinions), knowledge (true/false questions), and preferred management practices (hunting, trapping, …

Regional Studies Of Greenhouse Gas And Their Mitigation Strategies, Anthony Osterman

Posters-at-the-Capitol

This study investigates greenhouse gas emissions in Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Virginia, and West Virginia, and the efforts taken to reduce them. An objective of this research was to find actions for reducing emissions that large industries have taken in the past. Efforts to reduce emissions were also examined to show the actions other states and areas can replicate. The results have shown some connections between the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and facilities. Power plants are the largest cause of emissions compared to other fields. Data has shown a rise in emissions in the 2000s …

Navigating Healthcare Administration: Challenges, Innovations, And Future Perspectives, Alena Monday

Integrated Studies

Navigating Healthcare Administration: Challenges, Innovations, and Future Perspectives Healthcare administration stands at the intersection of managing complex healthcare systems, ensuring quality patient care, and driving organizational excellence. This abstract provides a glimpse into the multifaceted landscape of healthcare administration, focusing on the challenges faced, innovative solutions implemented, and future perspectives shaping the field.

History And Future Of Solar Energy, Connor Phalin

Integrated Studies

My paper will be about how solar energy has developed over time and what it could look like down the road. It is an alternative to fossil fuels and nuclear energy. Right now, there is a shift that is pushing people away from coal and gas and going to renewable sources such as solar, wind, and other renewables instead. It started in the U.S. when the photovoltaic effect was discovered. Which further lead to higher technology which is used today. Since then, there are now tax credits towards solar which can help a buyer be able to purchase solar and …

The Effects Of Opioids And How They Affected The American Healthcare System, Harold Osborne

Integrated Studies

The opioid pandemic swept through the United States in the early 2000’s, causing many to fight a battle with addiction. A drug that has been dated back to the 1860s found a new life where it was thought to give patients better access to pain management. This would prove true, but the consequences that would come with this were far graver than the benefits. Between 1999 and 2010 the amount of opioid related deaths more than doubled from 2.9 deaths per 100,000 people to 6.8 deaths per 100,000 people. Since 1999 more than six hundred thousand people have lost their …

Patient Safety And Its Role In Healthcare, Jennifer Brown

Integrated Studies

Abstract

In the United States, medical errors are a major cause of death and a critical public health issue. Finding a reliable cause of mistakes and then offering a reliable, workable solution that reduces the likelihood of an ongoing issue are difficult tasks. Patient safety can be raised by acknowledging unfortunate events when they happen, acquiring knowledge about them, and striving to steer clear of them as well. Effectiveness in post-medical errors follow-up procedures is a pertinent and significant study topic for a number of reasons. In a hospital or maybe even a doctor's office, you may speak and engage …