Life Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Intermittent Pneumatic Compression On Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (Doms) In Long Distance Runners, Shane Draper, Emily Kullman, Kenneth E. Sparks, Kathleen D. Little, Joan Thoman

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 13(2): 75-86, 2020. The purpose of this study was to observe the effectiveness of intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) on reducing C-reactive protein (CRP) and DOMS after long distance running.Ten distance runners, five males and five females, ages 20-53 years performed two 20-mile runs at 70% VO₂max. Each run was followed by either no treatment (control) or IPC treatment for five consecutive days. For the IPC run, participants were treated for one hour immediately following the run and daily for five more days thereafter. On control runs, participants did not receive any treatment. …

Continued Play Following Sport-Related Concussion In United States Youth Soccer, Aaron J. Zynda, Meagan J. Sabatino, Henry B. Ellis Jr., Shane M. Miller

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 13(6): 87-100, 2020. Medical guidelines and legislation in the US call for immediate removal from play and prohibit continued play on the same day if a concussion is suspected. However, there is limited literature examining whether these guidelines and laws are being followed in youth soccer. The purpose of this study was to identify the frequency at which youth soccer players continued play on the same day following sport-related concussion and factors that may be associated with this behavior. A retrospective review of youth soccer players diagnosed at the initial clinic visit with a sport-related …

In-Season Hip Thrust Vs. Back Squat Training In Female High School Soccer Players, Nicole A. Millar, Lauren M. Colenso-Semple, Robert G. Lockie, Risto H.J. Marttinen, Andrew J. Galpin

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 13(4): 49-61, 2020. The barbell back squat provides a highly effective training stimulus to improve lower body strength, speed, and power, which are considered key components of athletic performance in many sports. The barbell hip thrust exercise utilizes similar musculature, and is popular among practitioners, but has received far less scientific examination. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of an in-season resistance training program with hip thrusts or back squats on physical performance in adolescent female soccer players. Fourteen players completed identical whole-body resistance training twice per week for 6 weeks, …

Reliability And Test-Retest Agreement Of Mechanical Variables Obtained During Countermovement Jump, Alisson Alves Souza, Martim Bottaro, Valdinar Araujo Rocha Jr, Victor Lage, James J. Tufano, Amilton Vieira

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 13(4): 6-17, 2020. The countermovement jump (CMJ) is often used as performance measure and monitoring tool. Traditionally, jump height (JH) is most often studied and reported, but other variables (e.g. force, velocity, power) can also be obtained during CMJ testing on a force plate. The aim of this study was to determine the intra-rater reliability of mechanical variables obtained during CMJs. For this, 41 physically active men (24 ± 4 years) performed four CMJs on a force plate with an interval of 48 to 168 hours (test-retest design). Six variables were analyzed: 1) jump height …

Rate Of Perceived Exertion And Cardiorespiratory Fitness In Older Adults With And Without Alzheimer's Disease, Andrea Bevan, Eric Dennis Vidoni, Amber Watts

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 13(3): 18-35, 2020. Exercise has many benefits for physical and cognitive health in older adults, yet there are many barriers to exercise adherence in this population. Subjective perception of exercise difficulty, or rate of perceived exertion (RPE), may especially be a barrier to exercise in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), due to changes in initiation and motivation that accompany changes in cognition and brain function. RPE is the most commonly used measure of subjective effort in exercise research, yet the relationship between RPE and objective fitness is not fully understood in older adults. A better …

Post Exercise Hypotension Following Concurrent Exercise: Does Order Of Exercise Modality Matter?, Whitley J. Stone, Mark A. Schafer, Scott W. Arnett, Scott Lyons

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 13(2): 36-48, 2020. Cardiovascular (CV) and resistance training (RT) can moderate negative effects of aging, disease, and inactivity. Post-exercise hypotension (PEH) has been used as a non-pharmacological means to control and reduce BP. Few have evaluated PEH response following a bout of exercise combining CV and RT, whether or not there is an order effect, or if PEH continues when activities of daily living (ADLs) are resumed. Participants (N= 10) completed a non-exercise control, a graded exercise test (GXT), and two concurrent sessions (CVRT and RTCV). Each session was followed by a 60-minute …

New Author Guidelines In Statistical Reporting: Embracing An Era Beyond P < .05, Samantha Johnson, Whitley J. Stone, Jennifer Bunn, Scott Lyons, James W. Navalta

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 13(1): 1-5, 2020. Statistical reporting of quantitative research data has been plagued by potential bias and reporting suppression due to a single numerical output: the p-value. While there is great importance in its merit, creating a pass-fail system (set at point of .05) has created a culture of researchers submitting their project’s data to a filing cabinet if it does not yield “statistical significance” based on this value. The editors of the International Journal of Exercise Science are following the American Statistical Association’s call for statistical reform by adjusting our reporting guidelines to the …

An Investigation On The Cover Preference Of The Mountain Madtom (Noturus Eleutherus), Mariah Slaughter

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Madtom catfish, members of the genus Noturus, are common in the waters of the Southeastern US. A previous study observed that madtoms in the Green River, Kentucky, preferred to shelter within old mussel shells compared to under or next to rocks. A laboratory study on the Carolina Madtom (Noturus furiosus), found that they did not utilize mussel shells and preferred rocks as cover. I conducted a similar laboratory study to determine which cover options the Mountain Madtoms (Noturus eleutherus) prefer. Cover preference was determined by offering the madtoms shelter options (rocks or mussel shells) in …

A Look At Gene Control: Tracking The Ccnd1 Gene, Bryan Anders

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Cancer occurs when the cell does not properly control its own cell cycle. It then replicates in an out of control fashion leading to the death of various organs and then the demise of the organism as a whole. As it seems to have always been a problem for cell-based life, certain safeguards against cancer have been evolved over time. One such method comes in the form of prevention via cyclin proteins, which are encoded from cyclin genes. The gene that is the focus of this research is the CCND1, or cyclin D1, gene that controls the progression through various …

The Impact Of Exercise In Spaceflight And Microgravity Environments, William Bybee

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Since mankind’s first spaceflight, a significant barricade in reaching distant planets has been the damaging effects of microgravity upon the human body. Effects range from loss in bone mineral density and severe muscle atrophy to autoimmune disorders. The most effective countermeasure of these effects to date is exercise. Implementation of exercise in microgravity is not an easy task, so various specialized equipment must be utilized to effectively administer it. Even with this equipment, exercise as it is currently used does not entirely prevent body systems from undergoing detrimental changes. New modalities and implementations are currently being investigated that may significantly …

Assessing Biomass Fuel Consumption In Kasigau, Kenya As A Predictor Of Hypertension, Conner Hounshell

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally and disproportionately affects low- and middle-income countries, such as Kenya. Hypertension is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is influenced by a variety of factors such as diet, tobacco use, and genetics. One such factor linked to hypertension is exposure to air pollution, but minimal research exists on the effects of household air pollution. Hypertension that is not related to common Western risk indicators, such as waist-to-hip ratio, body mass indices, and hypercholestorlemia, is prevalent in the community of Kasigau, Kenya, along with the prevalence of risks for household …

Impact Of Geographic Location And Social Determinants Of Health On Lung Cancer Incidence And Mortality Rates, Katherine Ashley

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This paper studies the effect of geographic location and socioeconomic status, specifically level of education and income, on rates of incidence and mortality of lung and bronchus cancer. While some prior studies have focused on socioeconomic status’ and global geographic location’s impact on these rates, few have focused on the impact in Appalachian Kentucky and non-Appalachian Kentucky. In this paper, level of education and income are controlled for using four variables: median household income, percentage of persons in poverty, percentage of high school graduates or higher who are at least 25, and percentage of persons with a bachelor’s degree or …

Landscape Genetics Of Salamander Populations At Mammoth Cave National Park, Jackson Resser

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Habitat connectivity affects the distribution of genetic diversity among populations by influencing the movements of individuals and the resulting pattern of gene flow across landscapes. It has become evident that amphibians are experiencing a period of worldwide population declines brought about by environmental change. An understanding of the effects of habitat structure on landscape connectivity is important for developing effective amphibian conservation strategies. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of landscape characteristics on gene flow and population structure of the marbled salamander (Ambystoma opacum) in Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky, USA. Salamander larvae were …

Rodent Seed Preference Trials Of Ecologically Important Plants In Kentucky, Katelyn Thomason

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Seed predation is an important ecological process that can affect the success of individual plants and plant populations as a whole. However, seed preferences of herbivores have received little detailed attention in comparison to seedling predation studies (Hulme, 1994). In this project I researched how rodents, specifically their seed preferences, affect the recruitment and survival of ecologically important native plants in Western Kentucky. I used traps to catch Peromyscus leucopus (white-footed mice). Once caught, each mouse was placed in a trial arena with seeds from Silphium perfoliatum (cup plant), Baptisia australis (blue false indigo), Silphium lanciniatum (compass plant), and the …

The Role Of Mitochondrial Pyruvate Carrier 1 (Mpc1) In Heart Failure And Its Implications For Cardiac Recovery, Obadiah Issachar Kirk

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Heart failure (HF) is a complex syndrome with high mortality rates around the world. HF also has diverse etiology as many things contribute such as hypertension, obesity, coronary artery disease, inflammation, and cardiac arrhythmias. Studies have shown that unloading of a failing heart with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) can lead to cardiac recovery in a subpopulation of individuals with advanced HF. RNA-sequencing and protein expression analysis of myocardial tissue from HF patients who underwent the LVAD implant and heart transplant indicated that subpopulation of HF patients who responded to LVAD unloading had significantly lower levels of mitochondrial pyruvate …

Identifying Essential Viral Genes Through Genomic Engineering, Amber Carroll

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Bacteria developed resistance to penicillin a mere four years after the groundbreaking antibiotic was first mass produced (Casadevall, 2010). Since then, the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has steadily risen, causing millions of difficult to treat infections annually. The challenge is to identify ways to combat these menacing microbes. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria and can potentially be used to eliminate deadly antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The number of sequenced bacteriophage genomes has increased tremendously over the past 10 years, but little is known about the function of most bacteriophage genes. The purpose of this study was to expand our understanding of …

Ototoxicity Of Cisplatin, Pyriplatin, And Phenathriplatin In The Auditory Hybridoma Cell Line, Hei-Oc1, Alexandra Johnston

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Cisplatin is an anti-cancer drug which is effective against several cancers, but also causes harmful side-effects, including ototoxicity and hearing loss. While cisplatin is a bifunctional compound that forms coordinate covalent bonds with both strands of DNA, recently investigated monofunctional platinum(II) compounds bind to only one DNA strand, and may activate different cell-death mechanisms. As several monofunctional platinum(II) compounds have anti-cancer properties, but could target different cell-death pathways, they could potentially have different and reduced side-effects. In this study, the HEI-OC1 auditory hybridoma cell line was used to investigate the ototoxicity of cisplatin and two monofunctional platinum(II) compounds, phenanthriplatin and …

Morphological Correlates Of Auditory Sensitivity In The Inner Ear Of Two Species Of Invasive Carp, Tyler Patty

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Silver (Hypopthalmichthys molitrix) and bighead (H. nobilis) carp, are invasive species that have negative impacts upon ecosystems. H. molitrix is known to jump completely out of the water in response to broadband sounds, however, this is not observed in H. nobilis. Preliminary experiments reveal that sounds can be used to modify the behavior of carps. Thus, understanding the hearing abilities of these species is important in order to design appropriate acoustical deterrents. Fish heads were preserved in 4% paraformaldehyde and the inner ears dissected and photographed under a light microscope in order to describe the …

Ua37/44 Faculty Personal Papers Gordon Wilson, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Personal papers of Gordon Wilson.

Effects Of Supplemental Whole Cottonseed On Weaned Calf Production, Zachary Debord

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This study compared the effect of supplemental whole cottonseed in a weaned calf ration on cattle productivity. Feed is the main cost for livestock production. Whole cottonseed supplementation may increase production and reduce the cost of gain for the ration. During the study, 18 beef calves were weaned and split into two groups and fed, with and without WCS, for 50 days to determine the effect of supplemental whole cottonseed. Productivity was determined by measuring average daily gains for each group and comparing cost of gain for each ration. It was determined that WCS did increase productivity of weaned calves …

Using Unmanned Aircraft Systems To Identify Invasive Species, Tithe Ahmed

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Invasive species serve as a threat to native biodiversity and ecosystem sustainability. Combatting the spread of invasive species requires long-term physical and monetary commitments. In Balule Nature Reserve of Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa, Opuntia ficus-inidica (the common prickly pear) has been a relentless invader, displacing the local flora and fauna. The goal of this project is to battle invasive species such as prickly pear using efficient and inexpensive technology: unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones) and multispectral sensors.

Using a 4-bandwidth Parrot Sequoia multispectral sensor in tandem with the DJI Phantom Pro 3^TM UAV, images of land …

Bridging The Food Gap: Founding And Sustaining A Food Recovery Network Chapter At Wku, Elaine Losekamp

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Food waste is a pervasive global issue with many environmental and social repercussions. While about one-third of all food produced for human consumption goes to waste, many people in the United States and the world are affected by food insecurity. Food recovery, the process of rescuing edible food that would otherwise go to waste and delivering to hungry people, is an effective solution for both food waste and food insecurity. The author of this capstone created a food recovery program at Western Kentucky University (WKU) in January 2019 and has grown the program’s scope and impact since that time. This …

Investigation Of The Phenotypic Effect Of Mutating A Highly-Conserved Cysteine Residue In The Rna Polymerase Beta Prime Subunit Of E. Coli Rna Polymerase, Meg Dillingham

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

All bacteria contain a multi-subunit RNA polymerase (RNAPs) that is essential for gene expression. Because of the centrality of these enzymes in cellular life, the structure and function of the various subunits is intensely studied. The primary sequence of the RNAP β’ subunit contains five cysteine residues that are highly conserved. Four of the cysteines coordinate a zinc atom and form the beta prime subunit zinc binding domain (ZBD). Mutation of any one of the ZBD cysteines is lethal to the cell. However, the role of the fifth residue (C58), which is located upstream of the ZBD cysteines, has not …

Maharrey, Cynthia Saddler, B. 1969 (Fa 1359), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1359. Student folk studies project titled “The Intersection of Yesteryear Farming and the Eco/Org Healthy Food Movement” which includes an interview with Jerald Anderson “Jerry” Hicks by Cynthia Saddler Maharrey about farming in Fleming County, Kentucky. Project includes an audio interview, PowerPoint presentation, and color photographs related to Hicks and his farm. The interview is archived in the WKU Sound Archives.

Bowles, Hunter Joe, B. 1996 (Fa 1384), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1384. Interviews with honey and mushroom producers in southcentral Kentucky, conducted by Hunter Bowles in fall 2019 for a WKU folk studies class in foodways.

Effects Of Active Sitting On Reading And Typing Task Productivity, Claire Doroff, Emily Langford, Ronald L. Snarr Jr.

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(5): 1216-1224, 2019. Increased sedentary behavior and reduced physical activity among children and adults has led to the advent of various active devices to combat these behaviors. Active sitting, consisting of modified chairs or stability balls, allows the body to stay dynamic while seated. While research has evaluated the health benefits of active sitting, minimal research has shown the effects of active sitting on productivity in adult populations. The purpose was to evaluate the effects of various chairs (active versus non-active) on typing and reading task productivity. Twenty adult participants performed typing and reading tasks …

Feasibility, Acceptability, And Preliminary Efficacy Of A Recess-Based Fitness Intervention In Elementary School Children, Christine W. St. Laurent, Sarah Burkart, Sofiya Alhassan

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(4): 1225-1243, 2019. Although fitness may benefit cognition in youth, most attention has been given to cardiorespiratory fitness despite the health benefits of muscular fitness. Few studies have examined interventions that incorporate both cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness or have been offered during school recess. Furthermore, most fitness intervention studies examining cognitive outcomes have not reported on implementation information. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy on fitness and cognition of a recess intervention in elementary school children. Two schools were randomized to either a 3-month cardiorespiratory and …

Three-Months Of Neuromotor Fitness Program Affect The Body Composition And Physical Performance In Untrained Women, João Vinnícius Vasconcellos De Oliveira, Estêvão Rios Monteiro, Victor Gonçalves Corrêa Neto, Paulo Henrique Marchetti, Jefferson Da Silva Novaes, Amanda Fernandes Brown

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(4): 1346-1354, 2019. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of three months of neuromotor fitness on body composition and physical performance in untrained women. Nine untrained women (age: 38.1 ± 6.9 years; total body mass: 79.3 ± 10.7 kg; height: 161.5 ± 3.9 cm; body mass index: 30.4 ± 4.1) participated in the present study. Subjects attended the laboratory on twenty-seven occasions during a three-month period at least forty-eight hours in between sessions. Sessions 1 and 2 were used to measure morphology and body composition, and to familiarize all subjects with …

Hot Training Conditions Inhibit Adequate Ad Libitum Recovery Fluid Intake Of Runners, Brett A. Davis, Eric O'Neal, Samantha Johnson, Richard S. Farley

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(6): 1322-1333, 2019. This study examined voluntary fluid intake, hydration descriptors, and sweat loss estimation accuracy following runs in wet bulb globe temperatures of 18 (TEMP) and 26 ºC (HOT). Twelve male runners completed 1-h runs at 65% of VO_{2 max} with access to water during runs and a variety of beverages for the following 24-h. Urine specific gravity (USG), body mass, fluid intake, and urine output were assessed at 12 and 24-h. Runners lost 1.355 ± 0.263 and 1.943 ± 0.485 L during TEMP and HOT, respectively. Sweat loss volume was underestimated by …

Effects Of Caffeine On Tennis Serve Accuracy, Benjamin Pj Poire, Lauren Killen, Matt Green, Eric O'Neal, Lee Renfroe

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(6): 1290-1301, 2019. This study examined the effects of caffeine on tennis serve accuracy. Division II tennis athletes (n = 10) completed two serve trials (double-blind, counterbalanced) following ingestion of 6 mg/kg of caffeine or matched placebo an hour prior to data collection. During each tennis serve trial, participants completed 48 non-fault serves divided into 3 sets with 2 serves per 8 different targets. Following each 2 serves per target format, participants completed a shuttle run sprint. Separate 2 (trial) x 8 (targets) repeated measures analysis of variances (ANOVAs) were used for distances from …