Digital Commons Network^™

Identifying The Weather Misconceptions Of Usaf Academy Cadets: Implications For Curricular Reform, Mathew Mynk, Wilson Gonzalez-Espada

2024 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

This study identified to what extent weather misconceptions persisted after 41 USAF A cadets completed Meteor 320 (Introduction to Meteorology and Aviation Weather), as measured by their performance on a recently created Survey of Meteorology Concepts (SMC), completed as a pre- and post-test. By examining participant data using psychometric statistics, survey data will also be used to validate the SMC. The research questions are:

• What weather misconceptions are prevalent among the participants?

• To what extent completing Meteor 320 increases weather content knowledge and decrease misconceptions?

• What questions in the SMC are, statistically, the best suited to measure …

Withaferin A And Alzheimer's Disease: A Review, Donovan Justice, Smita Joshi

2024 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the buildup of amyloid-beta (AB) protein in the brain, which disrupts brain function and leads to cognitive decline. Current research focuses on finding ways to reduce AB plaques.

Withaferin A, a compound found in Ashwagandha, a medicinal herb, shows promise as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease. Studies suggest Withaferin A may target AB, potentially by mechanisms beyond its interaction with acetylcholinesterase. Acetylcholinesterase is an enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter important for memory and learning, but it's not the sole focus of current AB-targeting therapies.

Interrelationships Of Maternal Characteristics In Hair Sheep, Rebekah Mills, Madeline Walsh, Audrey Burton, Jacob Lebrun, Flint Harrelson, Patricia Harrelson

2024 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

Since the spring of 2022, the MSU sheep flock has been an Innovation Flock for the Sheep GEMS project, managed by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The GEMS project is a multibreed, national project evaluating longevity of ewes within flocks. Our part as a participant in the project involves collecting and sending raw data which is compiled into 1 very large data set. The research discussed here uses our preliminary data from the 2022, 2023, and 2024 lambing seasons collected from our Katahdin ewes (n =46; 1-5 years of age). Collected data included fecal egg count (FEC), body condition scoring (BCS), …

Safety Of Nebulization Of Allogenic Alpha-2 Macroglobulin In Horses, Annabel J. Phipps, Pedro Depedro

2024 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

Horses suffering from inflammatory airway disease (IAD) and recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), develop lower airway inflammation, resulting in an obstruction of the bronchioles. This obstruction is associated with the following clinical signs: coughing, airway mucus accumulation, increased respiratory effort at rest and exercise intolerance. (Couetil et al., 2016)

IAD affects horses of all ages including young athletic horses. However, RAO mainly affects horses over 7 years of age. The common treatment for RAO includes corticosteroids, bronchodilators, and meticulously adjusting the environment to lower dust particles.

Allogenic Alpha-2 macroglobulin has shown to have anti-inflammatory properties when injected in joint and soft …

Detecting The Level Of Scrap Metal Discard From Cnc Machines Using Capacitive Sensors, Isaac Vanderpool, Gunnar Gross, Ollie Uusikartano, Tyler Ward, Kouroush Jenab, Jorge Ortega-Moody

2024 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

A CNC machine is a machine comprised of a motorized and maneuverable tool and platform that are controlled by a computer according to specific inputs. Our machine are a metal mill (which cuts into metal pieces form the top) and a metal lathe (which cuts into metal pieces from the side). Attached to each of these machines is a waste bin that holds discarded metal and debris from that machines. This bin fills up often and quickly and if it isn't cleared out regularly and cause a build of metal scraps inside the machine and resulting in major malfunctions.

Determining The Labeling Accuracy Of Nicotine Content Across U.S. E-Cigarette Manufacturers Using Hplc And Gcms, Josephine Traver, Emmalou Schmittzehe-Skarbek

2024 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

The popularity of nicotine usage, especially among adolescents, is increasing. However, studies have shown that the labeling of nicotine content on &-cigarette products is often inaccurate. Some products contain higher levels of nicotine than stated on the label, while others have lower levels. Due to the lack of FDA regulation on a-cigarette products, manufacturers in the U.S. are not held accountable for accurately disclosing nicotine content. This project aims to investigate whether the nicotine levels reported on a-cigarette labels align with the experimental findings. Implementing regulation in this area can ensure trust between a-cigarette users and U.S. manufacturers.

Meteorology Misconceptions Held By Students In General Education Earth Science College Course, Kaitlyn Nelson, Wilson Gonzalez-Espada, Jen O'Keefe, Mmd. Golam Kibria

2024 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

This study identified to what extent weather misconceptions persisted after 48 students enrolled in ESS 102 (a gen-ed earth science class at Morehead State University) completed the course, measured by their performance on a recently created Survey of Meteorology Concepts (SMC), completed as a pre- and post-test. By examining participant data using psychometric statistics, survey data will also be used to validate the SMC. The research questions are:

• What weather misconceptions are prevalent among the participants?

• To what extent completing ESS 102 increases weather content knowledge and decrease misconceptions?

• What questions in the SMC are, statistically, the …

Using Automated Radio Telemetry To Track Gray Bats In Southeast Kansas, Braidy G. Hunt

Oral Presentations

The Gray Bat (Myotis grisescens) is a federally endangered species that reaches the westernmost

How To Train Your Opossum: Captive Virginia Opossum (Didelphis Virginiana) Responds To The Color Red After Positive Reinforcement Training, Leann Trout

Oral Presentations

Positive reinforcement is an animal training method in which a reward (reinforcer) is used to get an animal to perform a desired action given by a trainer. It is helpful for captive animal management, especially for providing medical care or getting an animal to stop an unwanted behavior without use of punishment. My research project aimed to determine if a food-based reinforcer would motivate a captive female Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) to complete a task before and after positive reinforcement. I first trained the opossum to associate the color red with the reinforcer by presenting a piece of cheese to …

Spatiotemporal Changes In The Imperiled And Diverse Mussel Assemblage Of The Spring River In Response To Known And Emerging Pollutants, Joshua Holloway

Oral Presentations

The Spring River of southeastern Kansas is home to a diverse assemblage of 34 mussels, many of which are imperiled. Elevated metal concentrations that resulted from past mining for lead and zinc in the Tri-State Mining District historically imperiled Spring River mussels, but this threat has abated over the last 20 years. Ammonia pollution may have replaced the threat of metals however, with potentially severe consequences for Spring River mussels. Our objectives were to evaluate spatiotemporal trends in density and richness of Spring River mussels in relation to changing concentrations of metals and ammonia. We accomplished this objective by performing …

Biobased Linear Polyester: Effect Of Acids And Diols, Jainishkumar Patel

Posters

Polyester synthetics are widely used in clothing, but creating environmentally friendly materials from renewable resources is essential to reduce our reliance on non-renewable resources such as petroleum products. Azelaic acid, pimelic, and glutaric acid are natural dicarboxylic acids that can be used for the synthesis of bio-based polyesters. This research focuses on synthesizing saturated linear polyesters using azelaic acid, pimelic acid, and glutaric acid with diols of different carbon chain lengths. The process consists of a two-step polymerization process, which uses stannous octoate as a catalyst and hydroquinone as a radical inhibitor. Optimization of the polymerization conditions, including the catalyst …

The Determinants Of Housing Prices In Micropolitan Areas, Caden Hughes

Oral Presentations

Defined in 2003 by the US Office of Management and Budget, Micropolitan areas consist of 10,000 to 50,000 residents, and are partially considered to be emerging metropolitan areas. Given their relatively recent definition, the vast majority of research does not pertain to the micropolitan definition. Using a data set of 500+ micropolitan areas across 600+ counties in the contiguous 48 states, this study aims to seek out and identify intrinsic and socioeconomic determinants of housing prices in micropolitan areas, as well as analyze the severity of their impact, by way of linear OLS regression. The intended impact would be painting …

Minority Poverty, Mario Kirby

Oral Presentations

The abstract explores the complex dynamics of poverty within minority communities, with a particular focus on the Minority community, drawing from a range of scholarly sources. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of various factors contributing to poverty, including structural inequalities, economic policies, and individual circumstances. Educational differences emerge as a significant theme, with minority students facing resource deficiencies and limited access to opportunities for academic enrichment. The social and emotional effects of poverty are also discussed, highlighting how financial instability and stress at home can impact students' mental health and overall well-being, potentially leading to academic struggles and risky behaviors. Additionally, …

Prevalence Of Ticks And Tick-Borne Pathogens In Mined Land Areas Of Southeast Kansas, Brayden Letterman

Oral Presentations

Ticks serve as vectors for many disease-causing pathogens, particularly bacterial and rickettsial pathogens. Diseases such as Lyme, Anaplasmosis, Ehrlichiosis, Rickettsiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Tularemia can result after bitten by ticks. These tick-borne diseases are more common in the Great Plains region than is recognized. The present study aimed to conduct a three-year long surveillance on various tick species in the mined land area in Cherokee County (KS) using dry ice bait as well as flag-drag technique. Over several visits (June 2020 – Aug 2022) to the collection site, ticks were collected using both trapping methods. Detailed environmental data …

The Cat’S Out Of The Bag: Comparing The Presence Of Bobcats And Domestic Cats Across Land Cover Types In Kansas, Khloey Stringer

Oral Presentations

Bobcat (Lynx rufus) populations in the Midwest have experienced declines since the mid-1900s. Consequently, species such as the domestic cat (Felis catus) may start to fill the niche of this predator, especially in more anthropogenically-altered habitats. We compared the habitat associations of bobcats and domestic cats across land cover types in southeast Kansas. We hypothesized that interspecific competition occurs between the two species, resulting in bobcats being detected more often in forests and domestic cats in urbanized habitats. We used data collected from 398 camera traps across 12 counties in southeast Kansas to test our hypotheses. We ran independence tests …

The Influence Of Chatgpt Integration On Indian International Students In The United States, Narayan Reddy Baddam

Posters

Artificial Intelligence is the ground-breaking modern technology in the market and ChatGPT is one of the best implementations of artificial intelligence, which became available to general public. This study aims to examine the influence of ChatGPT on the academic performance of Indian international students in American higher education. Artificial Intelligence is becoming part of everyone’s life, especially students who adapt quickly. ChatGPT is convenient and easy to use and provides convenient and comprised answers depending on their question. This study will be conducted on students of the age group 18 to 24 years, who have used or explored ChatGPT. For …

Acid-Doped Biopolymer Nanocoating As Flame-Retardant For Polyurethane Foam, Nirmalbhai Chaudhari

Posters

Soft furnishing fires contribute to 29% of fire causalities and $8.7 billion in direct property damage annually in the United States. Polyurethane foam (PUF), a common component in soft furnishings known for its comfort and flexibility, can emit toxic gases and propagate fires due to melt dripping when ignited. Various acid salts were added to a layer-by-layer assembled nanocoating, consisting of chitosan and carboxymethyl cellulose, to improve PUF flame retardancy and to understand the influence of salt-doping on flammability. The 20-bilayer phosphoric acid-doped coating exhibits a self-extinguishing behavior, with a 67% reduction in peak heat release rate while maintaining the …

Castor Oil-Based Polyurethane Adhesives: Effect Of Cross-Linker On The Bond Strength, Mayankkumar L. Chaudhary, Pratik Patel, Rutu Patel

Posters

Adhesives are important for binding diverse materials, promoting structural integrity and functional versatility in countless daily life applications. An enormous obstacle remains in the development of polyurethane (PU) adhesives exhibiting excellent bonding strength. Designing a chain extender with appropriate molecular structures is critical to improving the bonding strength of polyurethane-based adhesives. In this work, polyurethane-based adhesive was prepared using castor-oil-based polyol and diisocyanate. The bonding strength of the adhesive was improved by adding chain extenders such as N, N-bis (2-hydroxyethyl) thiophene-2, 5-dicarboxamide (ETP) and N, N-Bis (2-hydroxyethyl)-terephthalamide (ETAM). The modified adhesive showed high bonding strength after the addition of chain …

Morphological And Interfacial Engineering Of Cobalt-Based Electrocatalysts By Carbon Dots For Enhanced Water Splitting, Ronit Chaudhari

Posters

Cobalt-based electrocatalysts have garnered significant interest for their potential in water splitting applications. However, their limited functionality, subpar performance, and sensitivity to electrolyte pH levels have hindered their further advancement. In this study, we explored morphological and interfacial modifications of cobalt nanoparticles by incorporating carbon dots (CDs). Specifically, we synthesized nitrogen-doped carbon-encapsulated cobalt nanoparticles (N−C@Co NPs) in situ, aiming for superior performance in electrocatalytic water splitting. These N−C@Co NPs exhibited remarkable hydrogen evolution performance in both acidic and alkaline environments, with overpotentials of 137 mV and 134 mV at 10 mA/cm2, respectively. Additionally, they demonstrated excellent oxygen evolution performance in …

Emergency Room Mental Health Services: Can We Do Better?, Alice Henisey

Posters

The purpose of the research provided is to determine if emergency departments are the best standard of care for patients seeking care during psychiatric and mental health crises. Currently, emergency rooms are the standard initial contact point for those seeking mental health treatment. However, there is a profound lack of quality patient care with psychiatric patients and lack of resources health care providers can provide in these settings. In addition, emergency departments have reported feeling an increased burden with the dramatic increase in this population causing overcrowding and being unable to provide adequate accommodations for these patients' safety. Research has …

Outdoor Adventure Camp Impact On Emotional Regulation In Youth, Allie Johnston

Posters

Outdoor Adventure Camps (OACs) have proven beneficial for the mental and physical health of youth across age groups (Bowers et al., 2019; Eigenshenk et al., 2019). OACs have typically been reserved for the middle and upper class of the United States and have only recently been made available to low-income groups (Browne et al., 2019). Within the low-income population we also typically see a higher incidence of behavioral issues stemming from emotional regulation difficulties in children (Collins et al., 2017). The purpose of this study is to better understand the beneficial outcomes of OACs with regard to emotional regulation in …

Tick And Tick-Borne Pathogen Surveillance As A Public Health Tool Updating Kansas Geographic Distribution Map, Erik Jantz

Posters

Ticks transmit a wide variety of pathogens including viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and helminths to vertebrates. Their life cycle depends on blood meals from various hosts as well as environmental conditions such as the temperature and habitat type. With climatic changes, the expansion of tick habitat creates a need for annual surveillance of ticks and periodic update of geographic distribution maps. The present study conducted tick surveillance using flag-drag technique in both Crawford County and Anderson County, Kansas as well as ticks collected from a veterinary clinic in Crawford Co. during March-August 2023. Locations surveyed in Crawford Co. were a mined …

Development Of Circularity-Focused Plastics Laboratory Activities At Pittsburg State University, Emma Springer, Megan Walser, Paul Herring, Dan Spielbusch, Grant Howard

Posters

Modern plastics manufacturing by traditional methods can create a significant amount of waste plastic including sprues, runners, flash, trim, and out-of-spec parts. Transforming waste products into useful parts can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the plastic industry. Plastics Engineering Technology laboratory activities at PSU generate copious amounts of waste plastic due to required hands-on coursework. This investigation focused specifically on reprocessing ABS waste material from thermoformed scoops generated in Part and Mold Design I. Our objective was to prove the viability of a circular process for ABS waste material by grinding the scrap, injection molding test coupons, extruding new …

Standardization Of In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Recording And Documentation Processes, Daniel Mendoza

Posters

With the advancement of modern medical practices and technology, the lives of patients have been prolonged, and their outcomes have improved. Patients who were once in intensive care units are now cared for on the medical/surgical ward, while patients who are now in the intensive care units would not have survived a century ago. However, when all measures have been exhausted, a patient may enter cardiac arrest, triggering a cascade of life-saving interventions in an attempt to achieve resuscitation, more commonly known as a “code blue.” The research and implementation of new evidence-based practices has been slow when discussing the …

Improved Nickel Hydroxide Efficiency For Overall Water Splitting Via Unique Synthesis Methodology, Niharika Maley, Pratik Patel

Posters

Water splitting signifies a breakthrough in the realm of renewable energy, facilitating the production of hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2). In this process, the Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) plays a vital role in the process of energy production, which exhibits higher overpotential than the Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Therefore, it necessitates the advancement of electrocatalysts that are more active, durable, and stable. Transition metal oxides and hydroxides are promising materials for water splitting, in which Nickel hydroxide (Ni(OH)2) acts as an essential catalyst in electrochemical water splitting for both HER and OER. Herein, Ni(OH)2 samples were prepared via three different …

Influence Of Facebook Advertisement On University Enrollment By International Students, Kavya Sri Palakolanu

Posters

This research study utilizes a complete methodology that is based on research methodologies and technology to explore the impact that Facebook advertisements have on university enrollment. In an era of digital connections and dynamic marketing methods, institutions are increasingly relying on social media platforms, especially Facebook, to attract potential students. This study looks into the multiple aspects of Facebook ads, examining their efficacy in increasing enrollment and the underlying technical mechanisms at work. The purpose of the research is to provide practical insights that may help improve the strategic use of digital platforms to promote university enrollment, as well as …

Urea-Assisted Room Temperature Stabilized Metastable Β-Nimoo4: Experimental And Theoretical Insights Into Its Unique Bifunctional Activity Toward Oxygen Evolution And Supercapacitor, Harsh Panchal

Posters

Room-temperature stabilization of metastable β-NiMoO4 is achieved through urea-assisted hydrothermal synthesis technique. Structural and morphological studies provided significant insights for the metastable phase. Furthermore, detailed electro- chemical investigations showcased its activity toward energy storage and conversion, yielding intriguing results. Comparison with the stable polymorph, α- NiMoO4, has also been borne out to support the enhanced electrochemical activities of the as-obtained β-NiMoO4. A specific capacitance of ~4188 F/g (at a current density of 5 A/g) has been observed showing its exceptional faradic capacitance. We qualitatively and extensively demonstrate through the analysis of density of states (DOS) obtained from first-principles calculations that, …

Fluorine-Free, Bio-Based Antismudge Polyurethane Coating With Enhanced Flame Retardancy, Rutu Patel, Pratik Patel, Mayankkumar L. Chaudhary

Posters

Traditional methods for synthesizing coating materials often involve the use of fluorinated reagents, which are not only costly but also hazardous, limiting their use in the 21st century where environmental concerns are paramount. As a result, researchers are increasingly turning to bio-based materials for synthesizing polyurethane (PU) coatings. This study focused on developing an eco-friendly polymer coating to protect wood and metal surfaces. The researchers synthesized the coating by reacting a silicone-containing diol with soybean oil polyol (SOP), aiming to leverage the chemical inertness, resistance to various chemicals, and non-stick properties of silicone to achieve the desired properties of an …

Manyfishes 1: A Standardized Test Of Inhibitory Control In Fishes Using Big Team Science, Shane Rance

Posters

Although fish behavior research has a reasonably long history, the past decade has seen a dramatic increase in the number of studies on fish cognition. Yet, there exist important limitations to our assessment of fish cognition that can lead to replicability issues, including the use of small sample sizes, nonrepresentative samples, and unstandardized protocols. Recently, several Big Team Science initiatives have begun to address this problem in various taxa (e.g., ManyBabies, ManyPrimates, ManyBirds, ManyDogs). In the same spirit as its predecessors, ManyFishes uses an approach based on large-scale collaboration across researchers and institutions in an attempt to increase both the …

Installation Of Rocheleau Blow Molder In The Department Of Plastics Engineering Technology At Psu, Gage Rossetti, Eric Chelgren, Sawyer Patrick, Jordan Thomas

Posters

Plastic processing is an important step in creating products used in everyday life. With the generous donation of the Rocheleau R-4 blow-molding machine from Chevron-Phillips, we offer PSU students the ability to study blow-molding through hands-on lab activities. The Rocheleau blow molder, an extrusion blow-molding machine, is used to produce hollow plastic products through shaping a molten plastic parison in a specialized mold. Our team installed the Rocheleau R-4 blow-molding machine to resume production of Gorilla water bottles. These bottles are sold for the purposes of fundraising and advertising PSU and ETECH-Plastics. To successfully install the blow molder, we cleaned …