Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Delayed Hca Exposure On A Rat Model Of Bipolar Disorder, Eden Comer, Natalie Olander

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a neuropsychological disorder featuring cyclical periods of depressive and manic behaviors. The Chase lab aims to develop a reliable animal model for BD in order to characterize its critical neurological triggers. Previous work has shown that daily injection of rat pups from postnatal day 3 through 19 (P3-P19) with homocysteic acid (HCA) produces a mixed manic and depressive state after puberty. These behaviors can be reversed by lithium treatment and involve changes in gene expression in the prefrontal cortex that are also improperly regulated in BD. Despite this model's reproducibility, we observed critical changes in the …

Inertial Measurement Unit Based Haptic System, Nathan Ceja

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

This study investigated the mitigation of lower back pain of nurses through the measurement of trunk flexion during patient handling tasks and the application of haptic feedback when a safe limit was exceeded. This was done using a system comprising: a microcontroller; a battery and cable to connect it thereto; buttons for trial control soldered thereto; an inertial measurement unit and cable to connect it thereto; a microSD card for in situ data collection inserted thereto; and a coin motor for haptic feedback soldered thereto. After informed consent was given, the system was attached to the lower back of a …

Low Back Loading During Patient Handling Tasks, Grant Seyller

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Lower back disorders are common among the general population, and are the leading cause of disability worldwide. Nurses and others in the healthcare profession are the most at risk for lower back pain, due to the repeated lifting and handling of patients. In a survey from 2001, over 40,000 nurses from 5 different countries were surveyed, and 39% said they would leave their occupation in the next year because of the physical demands. Because of the prevalence of low back pain in nurses, understanding how patient handling tasks and the weight of patients affect the lower back is important to …

Examining The Validity Of The Polar Grit X Pro And Two Step Tests In Predicting Vo2max, Alex Skupa, Olivia Sprys-Tellner, Madeline Moore, Christian Clark, Fiona Brown

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Smartwatches and submaximal tests, such as step tests, are utilized to predict maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max). The Polar Grit X Pro watch claims to predict VO2max via its Fitness Test Function (FTF). However, this watch and its FTF have not been validated. The purpose of this study was to determine if the Polar Grit X Pro watch, the Queens College Step Test, and the Forestry Step Test accurately predict VO2max in experienced runners aged 18-22 (n=15). Participants included 7 males (20.29 ± 1.11 years) and 8 females (19.63 ± 1.06 years). All participants performed a graded maximal treadmill test, two …

Making The Piano Sing: Focal Impulses In The Russian Piano Performing Tradition, Anna Triezenberg

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

The Russian piano school has developed one of the world’s most legendary and prestigious approaches to performing classical piano music. In addition to producing deeply creative and artistic musicians, it also prepares them with remarkable technique and a distinctive sound. How can the insights of this performance tradition be translated into other forms of musical knowledge besides those communicated in person through instructors at the famous conservatories of Moscow or St. Petersburg? If one does not have access to an in-person education, what can be learned from close analysis of performances? And in some ways, what might be learned through …

Characterization And Testing Of Sipms For A Next-Generation Neutron Detector, Bishop Carl

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

MoNA-LISA is a position-sensitive neutron detector at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) used to probe neutron-unbound states through invariant-mass spectroscopy. Position resolution of the neutron detector is a key factor in invariant mass measurements. A better neutron position would significantly improve the overall reconstructed decay energy resolution and would therefore lead to a better understanding of nuclei near and beyond the dripline. The MoNA collaboration is designing a next-generation neutron detector to improve the current MoNA-LISA resolution (~5cm). The new design will replace the PMTs for SiPM arrays as readout technology. The use of SiPMs (more compact) for …

Towards Erasing The Distinction Between The Computational And Syntactic Accounts Of Scientific Theories, Timothy Luft

Theses

One of the main goals of philosophy of science is to give a proper account of scientific theories and their structure. One way that accounts of the structure of scientific theories can be distinguished is by the mathematical or logical structures that they involve. For instance, syntactic accounts of scientific theories hold that theories are axioms in a logical framework, whereas semantic accounts are more liberal in the range of mathematical and logical structures they take as pertinent to the structure of scientific theories. Paul Thagard (1988) offers a computational account of scientific theories, which holds that theories are complex …

Between Fodor And Sellars -- A Middle Ground For Language-Like Neural Representations, Hanzhe Dong

Theses

The recent resurgence of the language of thought (LOT) hypothesis has drawn much attention. The history of philosophy and cognitive science has provided us with various versions of LOT. From Sellars to Fodor, theorists have offered us considerations on the vehicles, content, and functions of such a representation format. However, it’s been more than 50 years since Fodor’s publication on LOT (1975), and the resurgence suggests that we need a modern iteration of LOT to fit with recent developments in the study on cognition. Therefore, in this paper, I argue that we need a middle ground between Fodor and Sellars’s …

New Vertebrate Microfossils Expand The Diversity Of The Chondrichthyan And Actinopterygian Fauna Of The Maastrichtian–Danian Hornerstown Formation In New Jersey, Zachary Boles, Paul V. Ullmann, Ian Putnam, Mariele Ford, Joseph T. Deckhut

School of Earth & Environment Departmental Research

The abundance of shark and actinopterygian fossils in the Cretaceous and Paleogene strata of the Atlantic Coastal Plain is well documented; but much remains unknown about the survivorship patterns of these major components of shallow marine faunas in the western Atlantic through the K/Pg mass extinction. To shed light on this subject, we describe an assemblage of new actinopterygian, chondrichthyan, and reptilian microfossils recently recovered from the Maastrichtian Navesink and Maastrichtian–Danian Hornerstown formations at the Jean and Ric Edelman Fossil Park at Rowan University in Mantua Township, New Jersey. The new microfossils clarify extinction patterns across the K/Pg, create temporal …

Rethinking Law School Admissions, Carson Kovalic

Lincoln Memorial University Law Review Archive

Taking the Law School Admissions Test ("LSAT") has been required for law school admission for almost a century. The exam has changed over the years, but a higher score on the LSAT has been a significant indicator of one’s acceptance into the vastly sought-after legal profession. This note addresses the changes needed to cater to more well-rounded law students and attorneys upon passing the bar exam. This note does not seek to eradicate the LSAT in its entirety; instead, law schools should place less emphasis on the LSAT and more on other factors such as undergraduate GPA, extracurriculars, and prior …

Where There’S An Electronic Will, There’S A Way: Evaluating The Potential Power Of Electronically Executed And Stored Wills For Appalachian Communities, Grace Keel Buchanan

Lincoln Memorial University Law Review Archive

Based on the rise of electronic media and the difficulty for lower-income communities, specifically rural Appalachia, to build intergenerational wealth, some states have enacted statutes allowing courts to hold electronically created and stored wills to be held valid. By analyzing the current precedent in the United States and beyond concerning electronic wills and the socioeconomic state of Appalachia, the note argues that states should enact legislation to change the Wills Act to give electronic wills in multiple forms full effect by probate courts as long as they are appropriately attested to electronically. The court should recognize the electronic will as …

Examining Turnover Intention: Preparedness, Retention, And Certification Type, Rachel H. Addison-Miller, Pamela O. Puryear

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Ernst and Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education at Morehead State University by Rachel H. Addison-Miller and Pamela O. Puryear on April 12, 2024.

Hear All About It: Health Literacy And Pediatric Ototoxic Chemotherapy, Sarah Belton, Abigail Jones

Theses & Honors Papers

This study examined the accessibility of informational health documents about ototoxic chemotherapy provided to caregivers of pediatric cancer patients. Hearing loss as a result of chemotherapy can result in financial, social, and developmental consequences for these patients. Caregivers are an integral part of the medical team, and their knowledge of procedures and treatments directly impacts their ability to make informed decisions for the patient.

This study qualitatively analyzed informational health documents about chemotherapy, acquired from the websites of National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated cancer centers using federal guidelines put into place by the Plain Writing Act of 2010 and the …

Ethical Implications Of Utilizing Generative Artificial Intelligence In The Legal Profession: A Cautionary Note On Potential Model Rules Of Professional Conduct Violations, Rachel Schworer

Lincoln Memorial University Law Review Archive

The increased use of generative artificial intelligence (“GAI”) in the legal profession raises ethical questions. As a result, this note contemplates some state-adopted Model Rules of Professional Conduct that lawyers could violate if they improperly use GAI or fail to use GAI altogether. GAI enables lawyers to increase their efficiency, enhance their decision-making, and provide cost-efficient services to clients. However, GAI also presents lawyers with biased outputs, a lack of explainability, and hallucinations, as seen in recent cases when ChatGPT cited fictitious cases to lawyers. Lawyers must know all the benefits and risks to remain competent in this technology. They …

Generations Of Abuse: Exploring The Sexual Assault Epidemic On Native Land, Carly White

Lincoln Memorial University Law Review Archive

The United States government has a long history of extending its reach into the affairs of Native people. Yet, it has consistently failed to protect Native women from rampant violence and abuse. Native American women have the highest rates of sexual abuse in the country. The federal government has the decision to either mend its long-standing indifference toward Indigenous women or allow them to continue to suffer under the current system. This note explores the sexual assault crisis on Indian land and seeks to bring positive change to historically marginalized women. Specifically, this note highlights the need for Congress to …

The Santa Clara, 2024-04-12, Santa Clara University

The Santa Clara

No abstract provided.

British Colonization Of New Zealand In The Nineteenth Century, Brock Hueber

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Abstract not available. On poster:

Thesis: The main goal of the British government in New Zealand was to assimilate the ingenuous Maori population through institutions such as the legal and educational systems. While the Maori by and large did adopt western clothing, housing, language, and property laws; they also retained a large amount of their culture.

Conclusions: British colonization was largely effective, but the Maori retained a large amount of their culture.

Influence Of Nanoparticle Chemical Composition On In Situ Hydrogel Friction, Connor Bovia, Griffin Gleeson, Lauren Buckley, Brianna Couturier, Morgan Platz

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

The prevalence of osteoarthritis, alongside the associated pain and limited mobility, has resulted in numerous treatment strategies including the use of nanoparticles as drug-delivery systems in joints. However, the concerted mechanical-chemical effects from joint sliding in the presence of nanoparticle additives are not well understood. This work aims to understand chemically controlled sliding behavior of a soft material like cartilage in the presence of nanoparticles. To mimic cartilage-like features, well-studied polyacrylamide hydrogels were used as a model platform. Focusing on the interactions between nanoparticles that might be used for drug delivery and the hydrogel surfaces, in situ sliding tests were …

The Behavioral Impacts Of Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Exposure On The House Sparrow (Passer Domesticus), John Wenderski, Brooke Fox, Jacob Bergstrom, Olivia Sprys-Tellner, Peyton Hallemann, Sarah Grimes

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

In response to a rapidly growing world population, there has been a dramatic increase in global urbanization and industrialization. With these increases comes increased air pollution, which includes metallic nanoparticles that are small enough to pass through an animal’s blood-gas and blood-brain barriers and cause damage. Some animals show behavioral changes in response to metallic nanoparticle exposure; for example, zinc oxide nanoparticle-exposed chicks displayed less antipredator behavior compared to controls. Additionally, mice injected with silver traveled less and more slowly than controls. Observationally, urban birds, compared to their rural conspecifics, tend to take more risks and explore more, which are …

The Breaking Of Carbon-Carbon Bonds In Alkyl Ketones, Jenna R. Mustapha, Jordan K. Montgomery, Karen M. Nimtz, Ainsley G. Vandenbrink

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

The breaking of carbon-carbon bonds holds great promise for organic chemistry synthesis. This project specifically looks at using a rhodium catalyst to perform a decarbonylation. The focus is to observe the outcome of a variety of different alkyl groups attached to ketones as they undergo decarbonylation reactions. Depending on the alkyl ketone, the reaction can proceed via direct decarbonylation and/or beta-hydride elimination. The goal of this project includes controlling the selectivity of these reactions for the desired product and expanding the library of successful ketones containing alkyl groups used for the reactions.

Phighting Phosphorus: The Effects Of Sedimentary Phosphorus On The Macatawa Watershed, Elizabeth Kelley, Rachel Fusik, Jake Lyon

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Lake Macatawa experiences severe eutrophication and algal blooms that negatively impact the native species and recreational usage of the lake. There have been several previously completed studies on phosphorus pollution in the water by the Hope College Day1 Watershed Group. However, these measurements do not include lake sediments, which could also be a significant reservoir of phosphorus. Our research group decided to test the sediment at the same three lake locations tested by the Watershed Group, taking two core samples at each location. These samples were dried, combusted in a muffle oven, weighed, digested from solid to liquid, and then …

Lysine 473 Regulates The Activity And Trafficking Of The Cystine/Glutamate Transporter, System XC-, Anna Koppin

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

System x_c^- is a membrane transport system that plays a critical role in mitigating oxidative stress. Past work in our lab has shown that System x_c^- localizes to the plasma membrane allowing for increased activity to support production of antioxidants during oxidative stress. In this study, we sought to determine if post-translational modification (PTM) of the transporter regulates its trafficking. A C-terminal 3KR mutant (K422,472,473R) exhibited decreased membrane localization and activity, suggesting that PTM at one of these sites increases activity. Further, we observed that K473R exhibits a 7 kD decrease in the molecular weight, indicating …

Material Characterization For Industrial Processes Of Thin Titanium Nanotube Films, Nathaniel Jobson, Jacob Walther, Justin Rink, Wil Pinkerton

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Material characterization is an important step in the experimental processes. This step ensures that the samples' processing yields the intended results. This work outlines the process taken to analyze and characterize a set of industrial thin films. Our characterization starts with an elemental baseline from scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The composition is verified by SimNRA (Simulation Nuclear Reaction Analysis) calculations fitting Rutherford Backscattering (RBS) data collected from a silicon surface barrier (particle) detector.

Humbly Facing The Facts Of Life: Humility And Existential Concerns, Carmen Casper, Chloe Swanson, Isabella Brady, Claire Van Duinen

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Death, isolation, meaning, identity, and freedom–the five existential concerns–give rise to anxiety and reveal natural human limitations (Koole et al., 2006). People construct and defend worldviews that answer existential questions, reduce anxiety, and provide security, yet little research investigates how holding on to beliefs affects one’s flourishing. We argue that humility serves as a belief process that leads to flourishing and decreased defensiveness. We tested two competing predictions: does intellectual humility around one’s worldviews mitigate defensive responses and lead to more positive reactions, or does it undermine the confidence with which people hold their views and erode the anxiety-mitigating function …

Role Of Intermolecular Interactions Between Nanoparticle Capping Ligands And Hydrogel Surfaces During Sliding, Lauren Buckley, Connor Bovia, Griffin Gleeson

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Modern treatments for osteoarthritis increasingly involve the use of nanoparticles as drugdelivery systems, but there is little known about the influence of nanoparticle chemical composition and surface chemistry between nanoparticles and soft materials in sliding contact. This work implements cartilage-mimicking polyacrylamide (PAM) hydrogels as a well-studied, fundamental platform. In situ (in a fluid environment) macroscale friction tests as a function of shear rate were conducted with a rheometer with a tribology adapter, controlling for contact pressure. Comparing different nanoparticle compositions, citrate capped metal (gold) nanoparticles exhibited a 50% increase in friction relative to water. With no difference in solution viscosity, …

Former College Athletes' Experiences Of Post-Sport Exercise: How Institutions Can Do Better, Samantha M. Vermeesch, Keegan J. Dekuiper, Madelynn Struck, Christian Clark

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Former college athletes (FCAs) can exhibit detrimental changes to physical and mental perceptions following sports retirement. Because FCAs no longer engage in regular sports training, they also experience a loss of social support through teammates and coaches, and struggle with enacting their newfound autonomy to exercise. To understand how to help FCAs maintain exercise and health long-term, the purpose of this study is to explore former Division III (DIII) athletes' experiences with exercise maintenance following retirement from sport and graduation from college, and understand their opinions on how their institution could have better prepared them for this transition. Fourteen former …

The Local Is Global: The Science Of Coffee Roasting And Brewing, Elliana Boer

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Our interdisciplinary project on coffee and justice considered the impact of local choices on global coffee producers from both science and humanities perspectives. The science focused on further improving the quality of specialty coffee to create a higher demand for these upmarket beans, thereby allowing coffee producers to earn a more livable wage. Three experiments were conducted to test specialty coffee best practices. The first focused on the baked defect, which may occur when the rate of rise of bean temperature drops during the roasting process. The roasting process has three phases (drying, Maillard, and development); the second experiment tested …

Marshall Co. Parks Department: Miracle League Of Western Ky, Ragan Harris Winters

OTD Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone project was completed by Ragan Harris Winters through a partnership with the Miracle League of Western Kentucky at Mike Miller Park to develop a training video for volunteers participating in future baseball seasons. The focus of this project was to develop a brief volunteer training video with beneficial information to prepare volunteers to assist players before, during, and after the games. The training video aimed to educate volunteers of the Miracle League to assist players with varying disabilities and what to expect when volunteering at the CFSB Field of Dreams. The project also included administrative tasks related …

Anticipating The Needs Of Future Law Students Based On Current Post-Pandemic National Reading Comprehension Test Scores, Nicole R. Chong, J.D.

Lincoln Memorial University Law Review Archive

The current state of education in the elementary, middle, and high school levels regarding students’ reading comprehension skills is bleak. Post-pandemic scores are showing up to a thirty-year backslide in reading comprehension testing scores. These concerning decreases do not bode well for students who may enter law schools one day. Let’s anticipate those needs by thinking ahead of ways to remedy potential shortcomings. Reading comprehension is tied closely to the skills of critical reading and thinking. Other scholars have written extensively in the legal academia field about critical reading and thinking. In fact, no one likely would dispute that critical …

Development Of Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines For Pediatric Patients At Risk Of Emergence Delirium, Christina Bensley

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Postoperative emergence agitation or emergence delirium (ED) is a phenomenon that can occur in patients who have undergone surgery requiring the administration of inhaled anesthetics. ED is a postoperative side effect of general anesthesia commonly experienced by pediatric patients that negatively impacts a patient’s overall postoperative experience. There is a lack of consistent standardized clinical practice guidelines for general anesthesia in pediatric or adult populations. The primary goal of this scholarly project is to develop and implement clinical practice guidelines focusing on the occurrence of postoperative ED and select adverse clinical outcomes in pediatric patients undergoing general anesthesia. The project …