Digital Commons Network^™

Use Of Plastic Nesting Material And Its Potential Impact On American Robin (Turdus Migratorius) Nests, Elissa G. Torgerson, Chloe Kennedy, Li King, Laurie S. Eberhardt

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

Rising levels of plastic pollution in the environment continue to impact aquatic and terrestrial organisms, including birds when they incorporate it into their nests. Whether the use of plastic as nesting material is entirely helpful or harmful is largely unknown. Potential detrimental effects of incorporating non-anthropogenic matter as nesting material include entanglement, ingestion, alteration of thermal properties, and increase in predation risk. The proportion of plastic used in robin (Turdus migratorius) nests was determined in 3 types of locations in Northwest Indiana. These sites included shopping area parking lots, Valparaiso University campus, and local parks. Post-breeding season robin …

April 25, 2024, Caa

Minutes

No abstract provided.

"Salir Adelante": Improving The Quality Of School Entrance Physicals For Immigrant Minors, Jennifer Sternberg, Elizabeth Morse

DNP Projects

The purpose of this QI project was to improve the delivery of school physicals in the setting of an -friendly non-profit safety-net clinic by creating a patient-centered clinical pathway to improve focused screening and referrals for newly arrived migrant children and their families by routinely assessing and addressing behavioral health care (BH) and social determinants of health needs (SDoH).

Using QI methodology and Donabedian’s Structure Process Outcomes framework, the project team implemented a clinical pathway that included an immigration-focused history of present illness, systematic behavioral health (BH), and social determinants of health (SDoH) screenings embedded within an electronic health record …

Hicks, Hillbillies, And Rednecks: Addressing Stereotypes Of The Appalachian Region, Emma Campbell

Senior Honors Theses

The Appalachian region of the U.S. has been widely stereotyped as a poverty-stricken place filled with “backwards” people and practices (Wood & Hendricks, 2009, p. 1). News and entertainment media in the United States have done little to improve or diminish these stereotypes as times have changed and have often perpetuated them. This thesis examines recent portrayals of Appalachia in media to identify shortcomings and misrepresentations and review methods for diminishing stereotypes that have been successful. From this review, elements of different approaches are evaluated and combined to develop a proposed social media campaign oriented toward changing public perception of …

Recital: Piano Area, April 25, 2024, Illinois State University School Of Music

School of Music Programs

Center for the Performing Arts
April 25, 2024
Thursday Afternoon
2:00 p.m.

Prediction Of Mine Water Inflow Along Mining Faces Using The Ssa-Cg-Attention Multifactor Model, Ding Yingying, Yin Shangxian, Lian Huiqing, Liu Wei, Li Qixing, Qi Rongrong, Bu Changsen, Xia Xiangxue, Li Shuqian

Coal Geology & Exploration

Predicting mine water inflow plays an important role in ensuring mine safety, optimizing resource allocation, and improving work efficiency. This study aims to improve the accuracy and stability of the predicted mine water inflow. Given their strong correlations with water inflow, borehole water level and microseismic energy were chosen as multifactor characteristic variables. Using these variables, this study developed the SSA-CG-Attention multifactor prediction model for mine water inflow along mining faces. The new model extracted effective nonlinear local features of data utilizing a new network structure, which was formed by integrating a convolutional neural network (CNN) based on the time …

Board Of Trustees Meeting Minutes, April 25, 2024

Board of Trustees Minutes

Minutes from the Wright State University Board of Trustees Meeting held on April 25, 2024.

How Dna Reveals God’S Design, Alan L. Gillen

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Codes are big in today’s world: QR codes, barcodes, computer codes, cell phone codes, and more. Specific information is needed to identify, diagnose, and inform. DNA is the code for life: microbes, plants, parasites, animals, and man. DNA Day is April 25 because it was this day in history (April 25, 1953) when James Watson and Francis Crick described DNA as the double helix and the code for life. Although we consider DNA the genetic blueprint for life, it has only been known for 80 years. On February 1, 1944, Oswald Avery, Colin MacLeod, and Maclyn McCarty wrote a revolutionary …

Jazz Guitar Ensemble, Vocal Jazz Ensemble, And Jazz Piano

Bailey School of Music Concert Programs

Karla Harris and Trey Wright, Conductors

Tyrone Jackson, Piano

Tyler Smith, Alto Saxophone

Bailey School of Music Concert Programs

Tyler Smith, Alto Saxophone

Karel Keldermans, Carillonneur, April 25, 2024 [Program], University Of Northern Iowa. School Of Music.

Music Recital Programs

Program of a music recitals given by faculty, students, or guest artists from the School of Music at the University of Northern Iowa.

Lost River Cave Oral History Project (Fa 1414), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1414. Recorded interviews with 16 informants regarding their memories of the nightclub operated at Bowling Green, Kentucky’s Lost River Cave.

Military Paradise: The Paradox Of Hawai‘I In The Vietnam War, Allie Jansen

Research Awards

Independently, there is an abundance of research into the path to Hawaiian statehood, the militarization of the islands, and the racism that has historically centered American discourse about Hawai‘i. There are very few scholars, however, that have sought to synthesize these ideas or investigate them in relation to the Vietnam War. The literature on Hawai‘i’s role in the war consists almost exclusively of a single book chapter: “Race War in Paradise: Hawai‘i’s Vietnam War” in Soldiering Through Empire by Simeon Man. Man provides a detailed account of the specific ways in which the Hawaiian Islands contributed to the US effort …

Neural Activation Patterns During Socially Transmitted Aggression, Elana Qasem

2024

Children who experience abuse or witness it are at an elevated risk of becoming either victims themselves or engaging in violent behavior later in life, possibly due to the observed behavior of the abuser or the abused. However, socially transmitted aggression remains understudied due to the absence of a suitable behavioral paradigm. This study addresses this gap by introducing a novel social transmission paradigm combined with fiber photometry to explore the brain regions implicated in socially transmitted aggression in mice, given the conservation of their circuity and impact on aggressive behavior. This study addresses this gap by introducing a novel …

Effect Of Isometric Vs. Kinetic Training On Hand Grip Strength, Michael Korn

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

In the realm of exercise, isometric and dynamic resistance training are some of the most commonly used methods of developing strength and muscular hypertrophy. This study aimed to determine which training method resulted in greater improvements in grip strength. Participants’ initial dominant hand grip strength was recorded on a hand grip dynamometer. Participants then completed four weeks of training, half participating in the isometric group, and the others in the dynamic group. Each exercise (3 each) was carried out three times a week for three sets of ten repetitions. At the end of the four weeks, participants' dominant hand grip …

The Interaction Between Brooker’S Merocyanine And Linde Type L Zeolite, Damon Virgo

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

Materials chemistry looks at the characterization and application of materials with useful or interesting properties. Zeolites are an example of this, and are a porous host material that can contain other molecules and show unique properties. Zeolites can be used as energy transfer materials or as a microreactor due to their ability to organize other guest molecules. The focus of this research aims to clarify the understanding of how Linde Type L zeolite interacts with a guest molecule, specifically Brooker’s Merocyanine, which was chosen due to its zwitterionic character. These chemicals have been studied at length on their own, but …

Perfected Love In The Present Day: T.S. Eliot’S Adaptation Of Revelations Of Divine Love In Little Gidding, Quinlan Scott

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

In the final poem of Four Quartets, Little Gidding, T.S. Eliot seeks to invite his readers into a pursuit of meaning analogous to his own. Little Gidding demonstrates a search undertaken partially through the writings of medieval Christian mystic Julian of Norwich. In T. S. Eliot: An Imperfect Life, Lyndall Gordon notes Eliot’s belief in poetic form as a conveyor of meaning (390) and suggests that Julian contributed the “transcendent calm”(391) present in Little Gidding. Eliot values poetic structure and Julian’s tone, but these in isolation do not fully capture the mystic’s influence on Little Gidding. In Revelations …

Predicting Professional Golf Success Using Amateur Rankings, Caleb Vanarragon, Matt Latzke

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

One important question in sports is whether it is possible to predict a player’s professional performance based on their collegiate or amateur success. This question has relevance for coaches, fans, and the players themselves. Many studies have examined the relationship between amateur and professional performance in sports such as football and basketball, but no such studies have been conducted in golf. In this study, we combine data from three prominent amateur, collegiate, and professional golf ranking websites in order to predict golfers’ professional success based on their performance as an amateur and collegiate player. The data for the analysis was …

Application Of Multi-Objective Bayesian Optimization To Elucidate The Trade-Off Between The Solar Fraction And Cost Of Parabolic Trough Solar Industrial Process Heat With Thermal Energy Storage, Mario Ramos, Luke J. Venstrom, Jonathan Ogland-Hand

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

Decarbonizing process heat in the industrial and building sectors is the next frontier in the energy transition. With over 50% of industrial processes requiring process heat at temperatures below 300℃, parabolic trough concentrating solar collectors and other moderately concentrating solar systems hold out promise as technology to usher in a transition away from fossil-based heat sources. Prior studies consider two plant designs, one with a fixed size of the solar field without thermal energy storage and one with a larger solar field size with thermal energy storage fixed in size. In the present work, we demonstrate how to extend prior …

Does Pleasurable Music Indirectly Better Learning?: A Multimodal Approach, Ellie Roeglin

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

Recent research has shown that musical pleasure is due to the combination of uncertainty and surprise a musical piece elicits. Additionally, research has demonstrated that music influences arousal and mood and that both affect learning. However, current research has not adequately tested whether pleasurable music indirectly improves learning by influencing mood/arousal. This study attempts to do so. Twenty-seven participants completed a survey that included the Barcelona Music Reward Questionnaire. Eighteen participants, whose scores demonstrated that they feel emotion-evoking and/or mood-regulatory pleasure from listening to music, came in for further testing. These participants experienced a music condition, in which they listened …

Unveiling The Silence: Examining Mental Health Treatment In Japanese American Incarceration Camps And Its Legacy On Subsequent Generations, Katie Masano Hill

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

The Japanese American incarceration during World War II under Executive Order 9066 signed by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt remains a poignant chapter in American history. Unknown and not appropriately understood for so long, this research paper delves into the psychological repercussions of this dark period, exploring the mental health treatment within the camps and the enduring legacy on subsequent generations. Drawing from primary archival records, medical documents, oral histories, statistical analyses, and personal accounts, this research hopes to shed light on the emotional distress, institutionalizations, suicides, and the silent yet profound psychological scars left by this traumatic experience in order …

The Increased Polarization And Political Ideology Among Us Senators, Keith Szczepanski, James Old

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

The study investigates the in depth relationship between the rise in voter polarization and its influence on senators and their political ideologies. It dives into various factors that contribute to this dynamic, including representation and accountability, party dynamics, media influence, institutional factors, and personal beliefs and values. The research posits that increased electorate polarization can lead senators to align more closely with extreme party positions, influenced by the need to secure nominations in primary elections dominated by ideologically extreme voters and the desire to gain attention and support through media exposure. The study emphasizes the importance of understanding the interconnection …

The Influence Of Government And Private Assistance On Refugee Labor Force Participation In The United States, Erin Bigler

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

Refugee policy in the United States is decentralized, providing individual states with the power to implement different policies with various levels of private and government assistance. Previous research analyzing state policy has often focused on one policy and providing suggestions for improvement. Using the 2020 data provided from the Office of Refugee Resettlement, this study looks to provide a comprehensive review of how government or private assistance influences refugee labor force participation across the United States. The findings are then used to provide recommendations for policy makers, based on the three policies already offered in the United States — State-Administered …

The Black Maternal Mortality Rate: Furthering The Discussion On The Deadly Symptomatic Reflections Of Structural Racism On Black Mothers And Analyzing State-Level Policies' Effectiveness In Lowering The Black Maternal Mortality Rate, Allison Howard

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

In the US, Black women are more likely to die during pregnancy when compared to their White counterparts. Black Maternal Mortality is not only a vast issue nationwide but a challenging one to solve. Previous research has identified structural racism as a primary factor in the Black Maternal Mortality Rate. This form of racism in the preconception, prenatal, and postpartum periods can turn into deadly symptoms that are problematic to the mother's health. Most existing research has developed from this root cause and turned to national-level policies as key to rectifying this problem. However, there has been little focus on …

Before The Dam Breaks: How Transparency In Negotiations Influence The Outcome Of Large Scale Hydroelectric Projects, Merrick Adams

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

The negotiation phase of hydroelectric dam development is vital to ensuring a satisfying outcome for most people, but those who will be affected are often left out of this process, resulting in human rights violations and wasted resources. Organizations that attempt to moderate these negotiations and make them more equitable often fail to insulate themselves from the influence of private industries and governments, which results in policy outcomes that are highly unpopular. Given the increasing demand for hydroelectric power, it is clear that a more just and independent negotiation process is necessary to avoid human rights violations and improve efficiency. …

Testing Different Methods Of Total Rna Extraction From Candida Albicans For Effective Pcr, Sara Tewoldemedhin, George Gundelach, Patrice Bouyer

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

Candida albicans is a commensal fungal pathogen, and to infect the human body, it must penetrate the intestinal mucosal barrier by changing its morphology from yeast to filamentous. The risk of candida infections increases during pregnancy and estrogen levels are high during pregnancy. Thus, we hypothesized that estrogen could act as a signal for C. albicans to become filamentous. In an ongoing study, we have looked at the effect of estrogen on filamentation, but our approach was qualitative rather than quantitative and could not clearly establish the effect of estrogen on filamentation. To get a better understanding of the effect …

Antimicrobial Activities Of Several Argemone Mexicana-Inspired Phytocompounds, Caleb Vanarragon, Lanna Sirhan, Danielle Orozco-Nunnelly, Jeffrey Pruet

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

The creation of novel antimicrobial agents is currently at the forefront of modern healthcare due to a stark decrease in antimicrobial drug development in recent years and due to the increasing rise of “superbugs” that are resistant to more than one type of antimicrobial treatment, which are predicted by 2050 to cause 10 million deaths/year. Our research is focused on testing bacterial and fungal pathogens against methanolic and hexane extracts of various medicinal plants, such as Argemone mexicana. From previous work by our group, several antimicrobial compounds were isolated from the roots and leaves of A. mexicana, including berberine, chelerythrine …

Nanoplastics Are Common In Water: Types Of Formation And Molecular Interactions, Abigail Valicevic, Noah Durlam, Emily Broniewicz

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

Plastics are synthetic polymers currently present in nearly every aspect of life. From bottles, foam packaging, and food containers to clothes, electronics, medical equipment, and more, plastic usage has become commonplace. Plastics are widespread, lasting pollutants in all ecosystems. Nanoplastics, defined as plastic pieces less than a micrometer in diameter, are readily formed from the fragmentation of larger plastic pieces. Nanoplastics formed or present in water were studied to determine sources, sizes and quantities as well as interactions with other substances. Polyethylene (PE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics were mixed with pure water and a liquid organic compound to create …

Bcon - 1: The Satellite Project, Blair Bram, Ben Jones

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

This student-led project aims to construct a prototype PocketQube satellite. These satellites are designed to be very small, in units of five cubic centimeters. The team will use the QUBIK PocketQube design by Libre Space Foundation to gain experience working with small spacecraft, mission planning, and payload consideration.

Simulating Pulsar Magnetospheres Using Magnetohydrodynamics, Nicholas Gilles

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

Pulsars are rotating neutron stars with periodic bursts of radio emission. These enigmatic objects allow us to peer into matter and electromagnetic fields at their most extreme. In this project, we seek to study the evolution of a pulsar's magnetosphere. We use PLUTO, an astrophysical fluid dynamics code, to perform magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) simulations. As a first step, we reproduce the works of other authors simulating a stable hydrodynamical disk. We then aim to study the evolution of various types of accretion disks around neutron stars with the introduction of magnetic fields. Our work focuses on accretion characteristics, such as quasi-periodic …