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2023-2024 Profile, Morehead State University. Institutional Research & Analysis.

Office of Institutional Research & Analysis Publication Archive

2023-2024 issue of the Profile Website.

Carbon Neutral By 2030 - Katanning Research Station, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Climate Science Published Reports

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's (DPIRD) Katanning Research Station (KRS) is developing practical techniques and methods for mitigating carbon emissions from the livestock industry.

This research will help the livestock industry in Western Australia (WA) access anticipated future markets for carbon neutral food and fibre products.

Strategic Diplomacy: The Singapore Case, Country Report For The Project On ‘Strategic Diplomacy For 21st Century Defence And Statecraft’, Evelyn Goh, Wee-Kiat Lim

CCX Research

How does Singapore conduct strategic diplomacy despite being a small and constrained state? This report first identifies the major long-term drivers affecting Singapore’s security, both at the domestic level (rapidly ageing population, immigrant assimilation, and growing societal fault-lines) and at the international or systemic level (changing global order, power of technology, slow collective action on climate change). Then it analyses how Singapore strategists deal with two of their most prominent problem-sets: (i) positioning Singapore in relation to the US-China rivalry and the changing international order; and (ii) tackling climate change as a collective action problem. Both problem-sets illustrate how Singapore …

Considerations And Applications Of Environmental Dna In Biodiversity Studies, Sarah Tomke

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling—the detection of species through genetic material shed into the environment—has become an efficient and reliable method for biodiversity assessments. The method has grown in popularity due to its non-invasive and non-destructive nature, and has revolutionized monitoring efforts for rare, elusive, and cryptic species for which traditional sampling approaches are often costly and ineffective. Hundreds of studies have utilized this technique to study species occupancy, delineate distributions, and assess relative community composition. Although eDNA sampling is an effective strategy for many conservation and ecological studies, recently, light has been shed on some of its potential drawbacks and …

Analyzing The Use Of Plain Language In Brief Summaries On Clinicaltrials.Gov, Megan J. Eddington

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

ClinicalTrials.gov is a database designed to help clinical researchers make their research publicly available. The clinical trials registered on the database each include a brief summary, which is meant to be a short description that the public can easily understand. In September 2022, ClinicalTrials.gov published a "Plain Language Checklist for Lay Brief Summaries" on their website, which identifies plain language best practices intended to help investigators craft summaries that can be readily understood by the public. This thesis assesses the impact of the checklist on the language use in the brief summaries in the year following the checklist's publication. The …

Human Performance In Context: Exploring The Effect Of Social Support On Vigilance, Allison E. Garibaldi

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Over many decades, vigilance research has consistently found that performance on vigilance tasks decline over time (i.e., the vigilance decrement; Davies & Parasuraman, 1982), and that performing a vigilance task is both mentally demanding and stressful (Warm et al., 2008). Researchers have subsequently implemented a wide range of interventions to both understand and attempt to attenuate the vigilance decrement and its associated affective effects. Among these efforts, little attention has been devoted to understanding the effects of the social environment on vigilance. Nonetheless, a handful of studies have indeed suggested that the presence of others can affect performance, workload, and …

Aspen Forest Condition Assessment And Restoration Guidance, Paul C. Rogers

Aspen Bibliography

This preliminary report is the first installment of an ongoing aspen assessment at Bryce Canyon National Park (BCNP). Over a 1.5-year period beginning in 2021, I assembled available BCNP and conducted a preliminary field survey to gain a better understanding of the quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) resource within the Park. Findings suggest a long history of vegetation mapping with mixed results in terms of highlighting aspen presence a notable species of overall low coverage as well as aspen importance, at BCNP. In brief, though this species has limited presence, it is of high biodiversity conservation value. According to …

(Plant)Ing Traditional Roots: Exploring An Impact Of Environmental Shifts On Traditional Phytotherapy Practices In The Cusco Region Of Perú, Nicole Elizabeth Wilmot

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis investigates the potential outcomes of environmental shifts on plant-based medical practices in the Cusco region of Peru. Located in the Andes mountain range, at a high elevation, the environment varies immensely, specifically in the various types of native plants in the region. Historically, using plants as natural forms of medicine or healthcare has been deeply rooted in many indigenous communities, traditions, and cultures globally. Environmentally, there have been potential changes and shifts in temperature, water, and soil that affect the nutrition and health of plants to maintain their beneficial properties. Due to various factors, adaptations or shifts to …

The Ideal Woman: How Ancient Medical Beliefs Have Influenced Modern American Women's Health And Place In Society, Evelyn Polovich

Research Days Posters 2024

Scholars often consider Ancient Greek and Roman gynecology the basis of the modern medical field. However, there are other ways that this field has bled into facets of the modern woman’s life in often toxic ways. This research used feminist theories and the idea of male domination to look at the ways in which ancient thoughts on gynecology have influenced modern American society. By looking at ancient medical texts and more modern analysis of women’s medicine and place in ancient society, a clearer path to modern thought can be seen. This research can then introduce some parallels that we see …

How Federal Law Assess Animal Pain: The Case Of Lab Animals, Ellie Cukor

Research Days Posters 2024

US federal and state laws distinguish lab animals from companion animals, livestock, zoo animals, and wild animals. As a result, similar forms of suffering and abuse are treated as legally different depending on the species and its relation to humans, despite the fact that all mammals feel pain similarly (and evidence suggests birds and fish do as well). This research examines one aspect of this uneven legal patchwork by reviewing legal statutes and rulings from laboratory animal abuse cases. In the 1980s, significant changes were made to the Animal Welfare Act, the key federal law regulating lab animals, and this …

Goddess, Murderess, Doctress: An Exploration Of The English Suffix “-Ess” And Its Decline In Use, Douglas Digregorio

Research Days Posters 2024

The suffix “-ess” is used to create feminine forms of masculine or gender-neutral nouns in English. However, contemporary usage increasingly favors unmarked, gender-neutral forms for female referents in favor of these explicitly marked feminine forms. Drawing on data from Google’s Ngram Viewer and insights from gender studies and linguistics, this research examines and accounts for the decline in use of words suffixed in “-ess.” This analysis contends that the decline is driven by factors including increasing equality in the workforce, negative associations of words suffixed with “-ess” such as “mistress” and “adultress,” and a rejection of male-centric language norms. The …

The Effects Of Moderate Prenatal Alcohol Exposure On Kappa Opioid Receptor Expression Across Development In Rats, Margaret Agajanov, Kelcie Schatz

Research Days Posters 2024

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is an umbrella term that describes the host of symptoms that may result from prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). The incidence of anxiety disorders in children exposed to moderate PAE (mPAE) is twice that seen in children exposed to low amounts. mPAE animal models demonstrate anxiety-like behaviors reflective of those seen in humans exposed to mPAE. Gestational day 12 (G12) in rats is a period during which the amygdala is undergoing significant development. Past studies suggest that mPAE during G12 is implicated in the anxiety-like behavior observed in rats. The basolateral amygdala is part of the anxiety …

Sudden Removal Of High Social Enrichment Affects Anxiety-Like Behaviors And Monoamine Levels In Cortico-Striatal-Thalamic Structures Of The Rat Brain, Ada Hepner

Research Days Posters 2024

This study evaluated a novel stress-induced animal model in adolescent male (n=28) and female (n=28) rats. All rats were first exposed to high social enrichment (frequent handling and playdates with 13 other rats). Then, experimental rats were exposed to a standard social enrichment, whereas control rats continued in high social enrichment. Behaviors assessed included grooming, rearing, arm entry in the elevated plus maze, and head poking in the hole board. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was used to evaluate monoamine neurochemical levels in post-mortem tissue from the prefrontal cortex, motor cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, lateral/medial thalamus, dorsal/ventral striatum, …

The Effects Of Temperature On Rapid Body Color Change In Anolis Aquaticus, Lyra Lu, Allie Martin, Lindsey Swierk

Research Days Posters 2024

Rapid body color change is well documented in animals, but the variety of environmental factors that induce this change are not fully understood. Anolis aquaticus is a tropical lizard with rapid body color changes that uses colder-than-average refugia, namely diving underwater for extended periods, to flee from predators. Using underwater refugia causes these lizards to lose several degrees of body heat. The relationship of low body temperatures on body coloration was tested. First, an observational study was conducted in the field of the correlation between body temperature and body color. Then body temperature was experimentally reduced in the laboratory to …

Effects Of Reduction In Social Enrichment On A Novel Rat Model Of Approach And Avoidance Orientation, Emily Feldman

Research Days Posters 2024

The goal of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a reduction in social enrichment by measuring behavioral changes in the Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) in male and female rats of High Approach (HAO) and Low Approach Orientation (LAO). The results indicated that at baseline, both total arm entries and open arm entries were affected by HAO vs LAO and sex. The percent change in closed arm entries in LAO females was sensitive to the social environment, whereas those in the HAO were behaviorally unaffected. The experimental LAO female group had an increase in percent change of closed …

The Impact Of Diet On Mood, Alexandra Schumacher, Evangeline Manolas, Hannah Rogalia, Cassie Huang

Research Days Posters 2024

Diet quality, mostly food groups, and quantities influences behaviors and thoughts. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between diet quality and mood which could be used to improve overall well-being. An anonymous online survey was administered through Google Forms and distributed through multiple social media platforms, as well as Survey Swap, YikYak, and simply asking friends and family. The survey included basic demographic questions and questions on daily diets, supplements, and average stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms. Pearsons’s Correlation Analysis was utilized using SPSS version 28.0. Our data proposes an overall healthier diet is associated with a more …

My X'S, Alina Stefanescu

Textbooks

In My X’s, Alina Stefanescu interviews herself to ask burning questions concerning her upbringing and memory to investigate how her family’s time in Romania during the height of communism affected her relationships with family, culture, and art. Her use of media objects, ranging from music to photos and film stills, immerses readers into the world that developed the character we know as Alina Stefanescu.

Herbicide Management Alters Fungal Biomass And Community Composition In Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands, Erica Danae Lathers

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Wetlands provide many ecosystem services, and invasive species and their management can alter these services. Plant responses to wetland management actions are typically monitored, but less is known about how soils respond. Phragmites australis, an invasive wetland plant, can alter soil conditions, potentially impacting soil microbial structure and function. We sampled soil communities in Great Lakes coastal wetlands in southeastern Michigan dominated by Phragmites and sites that had been previously invaded by Phragmites then treated with herbicide from 2011-2017, to understand how herbicide management alters soil fungal communities. We assessed microbial and fungal biomass, fungal community composition, greenhouse gas emissions, …

Looking For Love On A Chilly Night: The Colorado Brown Tarantula Mating Season, Dallas Haselhuhn

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Aphonopelma hentzi is the most widespread and abundant tarantula species in the United States. While a distinct mating season is observed, it has not been well studied and the environmental drivers for the mating season are unknown. By conducting daily surveys on a peripheral population within Southeast Colorado, between August and November 2022, I found that after the first significant temperature drop, the number of mate-seeking males was significantly higher than prior to this temperature event. Mate-seeking males were significantly correlated with a drop in the water vapor pressure gradient, a rarely used biological metric for assessing potential water loss …

Contemporary Museum Practices In An "Old School House;" Bringing Best Collections Management And Public History Practices To A Local Historical Society, Korey Ryan Morris

Historic Preservation Final Projects

The Taylor Michigan Historical Society’s (THS) collections and interpretation-based activities in its historical single-room schoolhouse were underutilized and put to the side for years. The current wave of THS members and volunteers are reinvigorating the society by using best practices in the field of museum management and heritage interpretation to achieve its goals of a vibrant community historical society. To assist in this revitalization effort, this project: creates object and archival collection lists for current and future reference in the schoolhouse; updates the interpretation plans for the schoolhouse, including lesson plans that reflect the current academic standards in the state …

Assessment Of The Ecological Integrity Of Two Wetland Sites Within Eastern Michigan University’S Fish Lake Environmental Education Center (Fleec), Brianna Rice

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Wetland ecosystems function as reservoirs of biodiversity for both terrestrial and aquatic organisms, and are among the most vulnerable ecosystems to degradation. The ecological integrity of two wetlands at Eastern Michigan University’s Fish Lake Environmental Education Center, a bog and one vernal pool, was assessed. Plant species richness was used to conduct Floristic Quality Assessments (FQA) using the coefficient of conservatism and wetland indicator status for each species. The Michigan Rapid Assessment Method (MiRAM) was conducted as a more comprehensive assessment of each ecosystem. The bog had an FQA of 31.6 and a MiRAM: 81/100, representing high-quality wetland conditions. The …

Behavioral Ecology Of The Colorado Brown Tarantula (Aphonopelma Hentzi): Activities Displayed Around The Burrow Through Juvenile Group Dispersal, Bradley Allendorfer

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The life history strategy of the Colorado brown tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi) typically includes males spatially scattering in search for a female mate in the fall, followed by female attendance of fertilized eggs the following summer. Here, I highlighted aspects associated with this female parental care. Specifically, I compared the activities of maternal (egg-attending) tarantulas to their non-maternal (not egg-attending) counterparts, as this may be a costly time for these egg-attending individuals. I concluded that maternal individuals tended to show reduced activity at the burrow entrance, however; these, results were significant in only one comparison. After weeks of this parental care, …

Guide To The George M. Austin Research Collection, Department Of Archives And Special Collections, Loma Linda University

The Dr. George M. Austin Neurology Research Collection

The Dr. George M. Austin Research Collection was donated to the Loma Linda University Department of Archives and Special Collections in 2023. The collection is available for consultation within the department, in the Del E Webb Memorial Library, Loma Linda, Ca. Many of the files have been digitized and are also available via the Universities institutional repository, "Scholars Repository."

The collection includes research materials spanning 1948-1995, primarily focusing on Dr. Austin's work on brain aneurysms and related neurological topics. The collection also contains personal and professional papers, reflecting Dr. Austin's career as a neurosurgeon, researcher, and educator.

Capfish Project Report : Phase 1 Outcomes And Summer Academy For The Mediterranean, World Maritime University

Reports

Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is a complex and multifaceted problem, with disastrous consequences for aquatic ecosystems, coastal communities, fishers and fish workers, and economic and national security. Over the past three years, the CAPFISH Project has strengthened capacity to fight IUU fishing by providing training and educational materials to developing country administrations around the world, most recently with a two-week regional Summer Academy for the Mediterranean. The Academy ran for two weeks and targeted delegates from fisheries administrations in developing countries in North Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Europe, as a way to promote inter-regional learning and …

Age-Related Longitudinal Changes In Gray Matter Microstructure, Jessica Hayes

Wayne State University Theses

Measures of the brain’s microstructure may be more sensitive markers of aging than macrostructural measures. However, it remains unclear exactly how gray matter microstructure changes during aging and how this relates to changes in macrostructure. The present study evaluated how neurite density, orientation dispersion, and gray matter volume changed over a three-year period in a sample of healthy older adults. The role of age in modifying structural change within the hippocampus, precuneus, and rostral anterior cingulate cortex was also considered. Repeated measures general linear models additionally evaluated whether degree of change in microstructure between the first two measurement occasions modified …

An Unconstitutional Band-Aid: The Practice Of Sitting By Designation In The Federal Judiciary, Michaela Conley

Roger Williams University Law Review

No abstract provided.

Africa’S Overlooked Top Predator: Towards A Better Understanding Of Martial Eagle Feeding Ecology In The Maasai Mara, Kenya, Richard Stratton Hatfield, Allison G. Davis, Ralph Buij, John J. Cox, Shiv Kapila, Lemein Parmuntoro, Simon Thomsett, Munir Z. Virani, Peter Njoroge, Frank Van Langevelde

Forestry and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Raptors exert top-down influences on ecosystems via their effects on prey population dynamics and community composition. Most raptors are sympatric with other predators, thus complicating our understanding of their relative influence in these systems. Estimates of kill rates and prey biomass recycling have been used as predation metrics that allow quantitative comparison among species and assessment of the relative role of single species within complex food webs. Few studies have produced findings of kill rates or prey biomass recycling for raptors. We used a supervised machine learning algorithm to behaviourally classify high resolution accelerometer informed GPS locations of tagged adult …

Intuition And The Apophatic Way Of Unknowing: A Fruitful Dialogue Between Science And Religion, Jeffrey P. Bishop

Intersections of Science and Faith

Apophatic theology is a form of thinking and religious practice that attempts to approach God, the Divine, by negation, to speak only in terms of what may not be said about the perfect goodness that is God. This presentation will explore how this line of thought can inform and illuminate current scientific thinking.

Penicillin And The Pope: Antimicrobial Resistance In Light Of Laudato Si’, Fred C. Tenover

Intersections of Science and Faith

Increasing antimicrobial resistance—that is the ability of bacteria to avoid the killing action of antibiotics—has become a global crisis, making some infections untreatable. Antibiotics, which are a natural resource, are frequently used indiscriminately, which increases the likelihood of resistance. Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’ calls to use resources wisely and justly; this should include prudent use of antibiotics.

A Rhetorical Analysis Of 13 Going On 30, Brynn Olverson

Schultz-Werth Award Papers

The film 13 Going on 30 is an iconic and nostalgic film for many, but more specifically for young women emerging into adulthood. This film is best classified as a coming-of-age film. Thirteen-year-old Jenna goes through the process of turning thirteen years old and emerging into middle school. Jenna craves to be accepted by the cool girls and is blinded by the idea of popularity which in turn ruins her lifelong friendship with her neighbor and best friend Matt. Jenna’s life was turned upside down when she woke up thirty years old, living in her thirty-year-old body, and working her …