Scholarworks @ Morehead State

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  A Protocol to Overcome the Negative Health Effects Associated with Urinary Catheters in the Hospital Setting; A Quality Improvement Project

  Katelynn Arnett, Mary Bott, Abigail Bray, Dakota Brown, Zachary Mains, and Suzi White

  There are estimated to be 449,334 CAUTI events per year (hospitalsafelygrade). As well, this costs the health care system to the United States Healthcare System which shows that it costs the country an extra 340-370 million every year (Gray et al., 2016). The purpose of this quality improvement project is to determine how to overcome the negative effects that patients experience when receiving catheters (indwelling or external) while in the hospital. Increased catheter rates and infections were noted at an urban teaching hospital which led to the creation of this new protocol guideline.

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  The Impact Of Power Yoga Training On Baseball Throwing Velocity

  John Bakke and Gina Gonzalez

  The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of yoga on baseball pitching velocity, and the factors that affect throwing velocity such as power, flexibility, speed, and mobility. Thirteen volunteer collegiate baseball pitchers were pre-tested on their power, flexibility, speed, mobility, and throwing velocity. The intervention included a 10-week yoga training, with the goal of three sessions per week. Participants were then post-tested under the same conditions. Analysis included dependent t-tests for each of the fitness assessments, with alpha set at .05 a priori. The group was unable to reach the goal of three yoga sessions per week, averaging 1.92 sessions per week with two participants surpassing the goal of three per week. There were three tests that improved significantly from pre-test to post-test: sit and reach test, v-sit test, and seated medicine ball throw test. The lack of a control group and inability to control other training factors such as weightlifting and baseball practice, led to difficulty isolating the benefits of the yoga program.

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  Who Are You? The Evolution of Appalachian Identity

  Kiersten Baum and Ashton Culp

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  Analysis Of Personality And Media Consumption

  Abigail Bodner, Caitlyn Davis, Kavya Vasudevan, Lydia Saunders, Nashia Fife, and Christopher Merritt

  By drawing anonymous data from a thorough online survey, the link between a media consumer’s interest and personality type has been outlined. Using the internet as a host for the survey encouraged a sense of anonymity. This encourages truthfulness and participant willingness. This study explores the effects of personality types on media preferences. Trends within personality types and their collective likes and dislikes and correlational trends allow professionals to make assumptions pertaining to both individuals and the population. This allows science to create generalized profiles of the population and analyze how psychological types affect an individual’s overall perception of media.

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  Relation Among Potential Predictors Of Drug Abuse Risk In Rats

  Emma Brock and Wesley White

  Animal models have been used to investigate behavioral processes and mechanisms that underlie addiction. A variety of measures have been developed for rats that are modest predictors of drug abuse risk. The purpose of this pilot study was to begin to assess whether several established and potential measures of drug abuse vulnerability were correlated. The subjects were eight adult male Wistar rats. The rats were run on procedures that yielded measures of anxiety, sensation seeking, short term responsive to acutely administered drug, and sensitivity to conditioned stimuli. These measures were correlated with a potential new measure of drug abuse vulnerability—withdrawal from acutely administered drug. All measures produced considerable individual differences. The pattern of trends in correlations provided some evidence that withdrawal from acutely administered drug may be a predictor of drug abuse vulnerability. The possibility that the withdrawal measure may be a novel drug-vulnerability phenotype deserves further study.

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  Preservation Of Morehead State History

  Jacob Bush, Alana Scott, and Dieter Ullrich

  This project is being undertaken in an effort to preserve the buildings and history of Morehead State University. It is the goal of this project to make additions to the historic district of MSU by adding qualifying buildings to the National Register of Historic Places. By adding buildings to the Register, they would be recognized on the federal level as historic sites and receive support for their preservation. The Register seeks to protect sites of importance through many ways including the gifting of funding to ensure preservation. The goals of this project will be achieved using historical texts from our university including presidential papers, Student Government Administration documents, construction files, and other credible resources. Using these will lead to an application to the Register if the project is approved by the MSU Administration.

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  Preliminary Study On Beetle Biodiversity And Its Role As A Metric For Ecosystem Heterogeneity In The Rowan County Area

  Belinda Candra, Sara Monfalcone, Charles Lydeard, and Sean O'Keefe

  Biodiversity is important for maintaining ecosystem function, including the adaptation of the organisms to reflect the change in the ecological community. Many ecological roles are performed by insects, including keystone organisms, ecosystem engineers and soil modifiers, part of the food chain, general symbionts, and pollinators, and creating a cumulative database of the variety of insect types allows for an effective overview of the different aspects of the environment from which samples are collected. With approximately 400,000 described species, beetles are immensely diverse in their lifestyles and ecological roles, thus making them valuable tools in environmental assessments of terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. It also means that they provide a robust set of data for metrics of biodiversity. This preliminary study focuses on ground beetles, which are important as bioindicators of habitat conditions and ecosystem heterogeneity, in Rowan County, Eastern Kentucky across three locations. Methods of quantitatively collecting samples include light traps, pitfall traps, leaf sifting, and pan traps. The primary method used in this study was leaf sifting and Berlese funnel, which is used to extract small insects and arthropods from leaf litter and other debris. Collected data are often analyzed using statistical analysis (ANOVA) that emphasizes the abundance of individuals, functional analysis that explores the diversity of different functional groups, or through various indices, including the Simpson and Shannon indices, that measure the richness and abundance of species.

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  Genetically Screening For Gain Of Function Mutations In Telomerase Rna

  Jose Childers and Melissa Mefford

  Telomeres are DNA structures located at the ends of linear chromosomes. They function, in part, to allow DNA ends to be copied before cells divide. Since the standard DNA replication machinery can’t fully copy telomeres, most eukaryotic cells require the vital ribonucleoprotein enzyme telomerase. Telomerase is composed of a TERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase protein) and telomerase RNA. As we age, telomeres shorten since most human cells do not express telomerase. If telomeres grow too short, it triggers a cell-cycle arrest known as senescence, which can ultimately result in cell death. On the other hand, >85% of human cancers show over-expression of telomerase, which is required for the uncontrolled cell division that is a hallmark of this disease. Interestingly, despite the importance of telomerase RNA, its structure and function is not well understood. To shed light on the correlation between telomere length and telomerase RNA structure, we devised a genetic screening strategy using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to identify novel gain-of-function (GOF) mutations in telomerase RNA. First, we transform a library of random telomerase RNA mutant plasmids into yeast. Then, we select for yeast that appear to have longer telomeres using a selectable marker in a sub-telomeric region. Finally, we rescue the plasmids and send them for sequencing to determine the mutations. To date, I have screened ~1000 colonies and identified ~10 putative GOF alleles. I am currently working to identify the mutations present in the putative GOF alleles. Identification of more active versions of telomerase RNA could ultimately lead to an understanding of enzyme function that lengthens telomeres and decreases the rate of aging.

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  Listen To Your Heart: Promoting Traditional Music In The Schools Of Appalachia

  Cera Clark and Joy Gritton

  Appalachian culture has many distinguishing features, one of those being the traditional music that has endured generations. Fostering traditional music in the region’s schools could help keep that heritage alive. While there are multiple programs that have worked to promote traditional music in Appalachia’s public schools, many systems have found the cost of visiting artists, instruments, and field trips out of reach with increasing budget cuts. The past year presented additional problems, as many schools have been forced to turn to alternative delivery systems for education that rely heavily on technology. Organizing a series of instructional videos, featuring local instructors and musicians who are all masters of their craft, could increase the accessibility of regional music instruction, while promoting an inexpensive way for Appalachian youth to learn more about their musical heritage. This presentation, drawn from interviews with those working in the field and a survey of online resources, displays the need for more accessible traditional music instruction and explores strategies for nurturing traditional music instruction among children in the region.

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  Role Of Apolipoprotein E In Parkinson's Disease

  Georgia Clark and Ilsun White

  Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease that affects more than 10 million people worldwide. PD is a movement disorder, which causes tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, and postural instability. Although PD is characterized by degeneration of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra, the precise cause of degeneration or loss of dopamine neurons is unknown. Studies suggest that specific gene mutations and environmental factors may trigger PD. Other studies suggest that abnormal accumulation of alpha-synuclein may cause degeneration of dopamine neurons, and that Lewy bodies which contain alpha-synuclein are a histological hallmark of PD. Recent studies suggest that high levels of Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) may serve as a biomarker of PD. ApoE is the most abundant protein for lipid transport in the brain and a subtype, ApoE4, is also linked to Alzheimer’s disease. The present study reviewed the reliability of ApoE as a biomarker of PD and the role of ApoE in accumulation of alpha-synuclein. Hypothesis was two-folds: (1) ApoE level in the CSF is a reliable biomarker of PD; (2) ApoE contributes to the spread of alpha-synuclein in PD. Conclusion: Significantly high levels of ApoE in CSF and in the substantia nigra were shown in PD patients. This suggests that ApoE in CSF can serve as a reliable biomarker, and that ApoE in the substantia nigra as an additional biomarker. In PD, ApoE increased alpha-synuclein aggregation through alpha-synuclein’s high binding affinity for ApoE-containing vesicles. This suggests that ApoE contributes to the spread of alpha-synuclein in PD. Further research is warranted.

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  College Students' Understanding Of Analog Time Keeping And Rotational Directionality

  Katelyn Collins and Wilson Gonzalez-Espada

  Although time-telling using analog clocks is a topic covered in KY math standards in 1st and 2nd grades, and most older adults assume that everyone can read analog clocks, recent media reports and personal anecdotes have indicated that an ever-increasing proportion of young people struggle to correctly read them because most timing devices they are exposed to are digital. Although the personal and academic consequences of not mastering this skill are unknown, it is important to document the extent of this issue at a college level. Of particular interest to the researchers is the description of rotational direction as clockwise and counterclockwise (CW/CCW), which is commonly used in STEM disciplines and daily life. The purpose of this study is to document college students' understanding of correctly reading analog clocks and using CW/CCW directions. The first phase of this study is for the participants to complete an anonymous 5-minute survey with nine analog clocks for identifying the time and six circular diagrams for applying CW/CCW motions. This survey will be completed by a sample of about 100-150 college students enrolled in Morehead State University. The statistical analysis will be both descriptive and inferential; performance in time-telling and using CW/CCW directions will be compared based on the participants' gender, college rank, prior experiences with analog clocks or wristwatches. Also, a possible correlation between time-telling and using CW/CCW directions will be examined.

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  Comparing Growth Of Mutant Strains Of Acinetobacter Baumannii To Wild Type After Treatment With Mitomycin C

  Kaylee Compton, Deborah Cook, and Janelle Hare

  In Acinetocbacter baumannii bacteria, an error-prone DNA damage repair response is induced by the self-cleavage of the UmuDAb protein. Previous experiments indicating that a ddrR mutant becomes growth sensitive after DNA damage suggested that ddrR is also involved in this process. To explore this relationship, eight mutant strains of A. baumannii were made with different combinations of mutations in either ddrR and/or the adjacent gene, A1S_3662. Our experiment compared the growth of wild type cells to strains containing various mutations: DC4 (no gene mutations, just an antibiotic resistance marker, Kanr), DC5 (stop codon mutation in ddrR), and DC6 (both the Kanr and the ddrR stop codon). The objective of this experiment was to compare viable colony forming units (CFUs) per mL between strains after treatment with DNA-damaging mitomycin C (MMC). This data allowed for the growth sensitivity between strains to be numerically compared. Serial dilutions were made from overnight cultures for each strain, and spots of each dilution were plated onto LB plates. The plates were incubated overnight, after which the colonies in each spot were counted and the CFU/mL was calculated for each strain, with and without MMC treatment. Our results from strains DC4, DC5, and DC6 suggests that the Kanr gene inserted into the DC4 strain hinders growth more than the ddrR stop codon present in DC5 and DC6. This was observed in both treated and untreated DC4 strains. Although the DC4 colonies were smaller, they were more numerous than the other strains. These experiments will help identify the extent to which these genes may participate in the growth response after DNA damage in this opportunistic pathogen.

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  Analytical Method Development For The Analysis Of Biomass Degradation Products

  Calista Dean and Emma Schmittzehe

  The goal of this project is to study the kinetics of hydrothermal liquefaction of biomass. Biomass contains stored chemical energy that can be converted to renewable liquid and gaseous fuels through various processes, but an in-depth understanding of the kinetics of these processes is important in order for them to be feasible on a large scale. Since biomass degradation products depend on the type of biomass used as well as the reaction conditions, this task can be quite complicated. To minimize complications in our initial studies, we will use D-glucose as the starting material. To better understand the degradation pathway’s dependence on reaction conditions, qualitative and quantitative analysis will be done on the products of hydrothermal degradation of D-glucose after various reaction times and conditions. However, the appropriate analytical techniques must be identified and tested first to ensure they are capable of identifying and quantifying biomass degradation products. The analytical techniques tested for this analysis include nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS), and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

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  Ekap Update: Rethinking The Presentation Of Historic Sites

  Elizabeth DeBord and Joy Gritton

  The Eastern Kentucky Art Project was founded in 2007 as a way to connect communities with resources pertaining to visual arts and music in Eastern Kentucky. One significant type of resources EKAP features is information regarding historic architecture in Eastern Kentucky. Understanding cultural landmarks in people’s own communities can foster an inclusive and healthy community identity, but it became clear through recent efforts to update the EKAP website that information surrounding the preservation of historic sites is often difficult to access and understand for a general audience. Previous efforts to educate and encourage preservation of important sites was often tied to lengthy reports or only available through difficult to navigate government websites. Modern media, specifically social media, provides a novel opportunity to present historic preservation in a way that is engaging for diverse populations in today’s digital world. Social media also offers the possibility of storytelling that more static forms of media cannot. To successfully continue to preserve historic sites in a way that benefits communities, historic preservation practices must become not only more understandable, but also appealing to a wider audience. This presentation demonstrates best practices for making this vital information accessible in ways that are relevant and allow preservation to become a true passion for broader audiences, empowering communities to learn about and preserve their own unique history.

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  Increasing Student Engagement In Introductory Physics Hybrid Classes

  Breanna Epperson and Kent Price

  The demand for online instruction is on the rise. In a classroom setting, research shows that student interactions are important for overcoming common misconceptions, but it is challenging to achieve the same level of engagement in an online setting. To try to improve online interactions in a hybrid physics class at Morehead State University, the Fall 2020 online class was required to post a total of three times about a closed, multiple choice, conceptual physics question in each assignment while following certain criteria. In the Spring of 2021, the discussion format was kept the same, but was moved to a different interface and included open, written response, rather than closed questions. The results from this change are being measured by comparing the amount of engagement for each student and the number of students who eventually obtain the correct answer.

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  Past Sexual Assault, Daily Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, And Sexual Functioning: The Role Of Pre Sex Drinking

  Natalie Fyffe and Elizabeth Neilson

  Women with a history of adolescent or adult sexual assault (ASA) report difficulties with sexual functioning. One hypothesized contributor is posttraumatic stress (PTS), however, for whom and under what circumstances PTS affects sexual functioning is unclear. While ongoing research has found that some ASA survivors may drink to cope with PTS symptoms, little research has examined the association between PTS, pre-sex drinking, and sexual functioning at the proximal level. This study examines the moderating effects of number of standard drinks prior to sex on the indirect association between ASA and sexual functioning via PTS symptoms. Method: First- and second-year college women (N = 286; M = 18.85, SD = .85) completed an online, longitudinal survey assessing past ASA and reported on the number of standard drinks consumed prior to sex and sexual functioning during their most recent sexual encounter in the last six weeks. PTS symptoms occurring on that day were also assessed. Moderated indirect effects were tested using a path analysis with 10,000 bootstrap resamples and probing interactions at the mean and one standard deviation above and below the moderator. Childhood sexual abuse and number of non-sexual traumatic events were included as covariates. Results: The indirect effect of past ASA severity to sexual functioning via PTS was moderated by number of standard drinks before sex (β = -.45, p < .01; 95% CI [-.54, -.36]). For women who reported a low (0-1.5) and mean (4.08) number of drinks, past ASA severity was negatively associated with sexual functioning (β = -.16, 95% CI [-.29, -.03]; β = -.08, 95% CI [-.13, -.01]) through PTS symptoms. The indirect association of past ASA severity to sexual functioning via PTS symptoms was not significant for those who reported heavier pre-sex drinking (> 6.5 drinks). Conclusion: Daily PTS symptoms were negatively associated with sexual functioning among women who drank low or average number of standard drinks prior to sex. Future research may wish to examine drinking motives to elucidate whether some ASA survivors may drink to ameliorate the association between PTS symptoms and sexual functioning. Alcohol interventions for college students may wish to assess sexual functioning difficulties and PTS as potential treatment targets.

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  Analytical derivation and numerical validation of the functionally graded arches under pressure and thermal loadings

  Seba Gravitt and Zhaochao Li

  The functionally graded materials (FGM) were developed originally to resist the high temperature of aircraft in the 1980s. With the development and improvement of the manufacturing technology, more and more FGM types have been used and studied in practical engineering applications. The present work focuses on the stability performance of the heated FGM arch subjected to the pressure field. The material properties distribute non-uniformly in the thickness direction of the FGM arch, which may show different buckling mechanisms from the conventional uniform materials. It is found the arch expands when the thermal field is introduced. The uniform pressure is applied to the arch radially inward, resulting in asymmetric or symmetric deformations of the arch. The pressure capacity is evaluated theoretically and expressed explicitly based on the minimum potential energy principle. To verify the above analytical solution, a simulated model is developed numerically. The numerical pressure capacity is compared successfully with the analytical one. In addition, the present theoretical and simulated results are further validated by other closed-form expressions. Finally, the effect of geometric and material parameters on the stability behavior of the FGM arch are investigated and discussed.

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  Pro Se Divorce Clinic: Tailored To The Times

  Kallie Hellard and Laken Albrink

  Morehead State University partners with Legal Aid of the Bluegrass to provide the region with the Pro Se Divorce Clinic. Through the clinic, supervised students assist indigent clients with filling out the necessary paperwork to represent themselves and obtain a divorce. Without the help of the clinic, most clients would not be able to afford the cost to receive a divorce. Previous to COVID-19, the clinic was held once a month during the school year, serving an annual average of 70+ clients total (that number would be double if counting spouses). The supervised student coordinator manages all of the clinic's logistics from client referral to final decree. Since the clinic is in-person, COVID-19 had halted them for the 2020-2021 year. In coordination with Legal Aid of the Bluegrass staff and the faculty mentor, the student coordinator worked to identify challenges and propose protocols for in person and virtual clinics during a pandemic. The student coordinator has reviewed cases for the past five years to identify any challenges to clinic efficiency (including analyzing common causes for delays). Through identifying those challenges, the student coordinator developed procedures for increasing clinic efficiency, including enhanced client communication. Challenges and considerations include the health and safety of clients and volunteers, the need for notarized signatures, the requirement that the Petitioner submit a deposition under oath, technological limitations for indigent clients, improving clinic efficiency and reducing delays, and more. The student coordinator created a proposed plan outlining options for both a virtual clinic and a clinic utilizing the new "Zoom Room" located at Legal Aid of the Bluegrass with a pilot Zoom Room clinic scheduled for April. These plans provide options for running the clinic in a safe manner while supporting the needs of the communities it serves. Finally, the student coordinator has created a survey to gauge clinic productivity and client satisfaction.

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  Miscommunication Among Healthcare Professionals In The Hospital Setting: A Quality Improvement Project

  Benjamin Hutchinson, Carrie Conley, Courtney Collins, Erin Downey, Jordan Jenkins, Lorren Sales, Makayla Canchola, Savanna Roades, and Suzi White

  Research has identified that 81% of interruptions during handoff were from the nurse receiving handoff(Rhudy, L., Johnson, M., Krecke, C., Keigley, D., Schnell, S., Maxson, P., McGill, S., & Warfield, K., 2019). Miscommunication in the healthcare field is a considerably large issue. It often times goes unmentioned, which can negatively impact patient’s care. A thorough literature review was conducted and a total of 64 studies were reviewed. Common themes that emerged included language barriers and cultural differences can often be associated with miscommunication in the healthcare setting. With miscommunication and the errors that result from it, trainings and policies have been made in order to reduce the incidence from happening. These include things like teamwork enhancement and communication trainings As a result of this literature review a guideline handout was created to illustrate the SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendations) technique for handoff in order to improve how healthcare providers will communicate information about the patients. This guideline will be shared with clinical faculty. The expected results will show an improvement in the communication among healthcare professionals, which will also improve patient outcomes. Miscommunication must be addressed by every and all members within a healthcare setting in order to try and eliminate errors.

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  “The Never Ending Story:” Circularizing Ch. Viii In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

  Chisom Iloegbunam and Melissa Mefford

  Chromosomes are molecules of DNA that hold large quantities of genetic material in an organism. Generally in nature, eukaryotic chromosomes are linear while prokaryotic chromosomes are circular. Since they are linear, eukaryotic chromosomes possess telomeres, or repetitive nucleotide sequences, on their ends. This significant difference in structure requires different additions to the basic replication process. In prokaryotes, replication starts at a single point on the chromosome and continues until the whole chromosome has been copied. In eukaryotes, replication happens in fragments with multiple starting points. Because of this more complicated replication, the free 3’ ends cannot be fully copied. Unchecked, this would lead to a progressive loss of important genetic information. To counteract this issue, most eukaryotic organisms express an enzyme telomerase to attach nucleotides onto the template telomere, which prevents wearing down of telomeres each time the cell gets copied. Despite the action of telomerase enzymes, we can still lose telomere sequences as we age. If linear chromosomes create issues not found with circular chromosomes, this begs the question of why did eukaryotic chromosomes evolve to be linear? To address this broad question, we are genetically engineering a eukaryote with circularized chromosomes. We chose the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is a single-celled organism with 16 chromosomes that can exist as a haploid containing a single copy of each chromosome. To create yeast with a circularized chromosome, we insert DNA cassettes that contain selectable marker genes into the right and left arms of a chromosome. These cassettes are designed so that they can recombine and result in circularization. To date, I have successfully built both left and right arm cassettes for Chromosome VIII using PCR. I am currently testing several candidates for proper integration of the DNA cassette into the left arm. If successful, I will work to integrate the second right arm cassette into these yeast. Ultimately, successfully circularizing a eukaryotic chromosome will allow us to explore big questions in eukaryotic chromosome evolution.

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  Preventing Needle Stick Injuries: A Quality Improvement Project

  Adrianna Kerns, Emilea Pitts, Grace Richman, Katie Rawlings, Megan Riley, and Mary Suzanne White

  "Needlestick injuries (NSI) affect approximately 1,000 people per day across U.S. hospitals. Needlestick injuries cost an estimated $3,042 per victim annually, according to the report. The costs go toward laboratory fees for testing exposed employees, associated labor and counseling and post-exposure follow-ups." (Beckner's Clinical Leadership & Infection Control, 2020). It was noted at an urban teaching hospital that needlestick injuries are an issue. Researchers believe this number is an underestimate of the actual amount of needle stick injuries. The purpose is to increase the education of staff nurses on the topic of needle stick injuries. We thoroughly reviewed 56 studies to gather information for preventing needlestick injuries. 15 studies were cross sectional, 1 was methodological, 5 were meta-analyses, 6 were experimental, 3 correlational, 7 were descriptive, 1 was a prospective survey, 1 retrospective analysis, 1 systematic literature review, 4 exploratory, 7 phenomenological, 5 quasi-experimental. Common themes identified were nurses are the most likely to have needlesticks out of healthcare workers, education and training was the prevention strategy most likely to prevent needlesticks, safety devices once educated on decreased needlesticks, most common factor that causes this is burnout and stress, most are not reported so the actual number is underreported, and the need to get tested for disease transmission after.

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  Catalogue Of Lichen Species In The Rowan County Sphagnum Swamp, Rowan County, Kentucky

  DeAnna Kidd and Allen Risk

  Rowan County Sphagnum Swamp is one of the best remaining examples of a bottomland swamp forest left in the Knobs region of Kentucky. Bottomland swamp forests are characterized by soil with a high percentage of organic matter above clay and Devonian shale. This arrangement leads to standing water much of the year and a strongly acidic soil. Common tree species in the Rowan County Sphagnum Swamp include Acer rubrum (red maple), Quercus palustris (pin oak), Liquidambar styraciflua (sweet gum), Nyssa sylvatica (sour gum) and Betula nigra (river birch). Bottomland swamp forests used to be more common, but have dwindled due to land clearing for timber and agriculture. The research project included cataloging the species of lichens found in the Rowan County Sphagnum Swamp through five field trips to the study site. Eighty-five collections were made with samples being deposited in the Morehead State University Herbarium (MDKY). Lichen samples were identified using dissecting and compound microscopes, C (bleach) and K (KOH) chemical tests, and observation under ultraviolet light. Common species of lichens included Buellia erubescens, Lecanora hybocarpa, Punctelia rudecta, and P. missouriensis. Uncommon species included Lecanora thysanophora. This research was supported by a Morehead State University Undergraduate Research Fellowship.

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  The Effects Of Nurse's Mental Health On Quality Patient Outcomes: A Quality Improvement Study

  Alexandria Kincaid, Mara Walker, Mila Osborne, Tiyanna Jones, Victoria Clevenger, and Suzi White

  Morale among nurses is declining rapidly, this could be due to the rising mental illnesses like anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue, stress, worry and post-traumatic stress disorder. Not to mention the rate of suicide in female nurses is 11.97/ 100,000 compared to non-nurse females having a rate of 7.58/ 100,000. Also, male nurses have an incidence of suicide at a rate of 39.8/ 100,000 compared to non-nurse males at 28.2/ 100,000. A thorough literature review was conducted and a total of 40 studies were reviewed. Common themes that emerged were "A decrease in nursing staff retention related to low satisfaction, lack of resources, unfair compensation, and lack of communication,” "the higher that staffing levels are, the better clinical outcomes and the better the patient's experience is," "frontline health care workers are at an increased risk for suffering from mental illness which directly affects work performance, patient care and outcomes, and life outside of work." An important conclusion showed that a nurse's mental health status affects the quality of patient care and positive outcomes. As a result of this literature review an intervention was developed in the form of workshops for different coping strategies, stress and other information for support/ discussion groups that could be provided to nursing staff.

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  Data Acquisition For Physics With Arduino

  Kyle Litton and James Adkins

  Arduino is an open-source electronics microcontroller board that allows us to marry technology with our environment. There are countless modules commercially available that can be easily manipulated with programs written in the Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE), giving users full control of input and output. Several of these modules naturally relate to physics and data acquisition. Since physics analyses rely on data, the Arduino is a natural choice for a system where the user has full control of data collection methods. This poster will present our development of a data acquisition system that integrates equipment commonly found in physics laboratories. We will discuss the electronics and software aspects as well as the role of the system in enhancing student understanding of computer programming.

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  Growth Performance Of Weaned Angus Bulls Housed In A Compost Bedded Pack Barn

  Anna Meyers, Courtney Branham, Flint Harrelson, and Patricia Harrelson

  Compost-bedded pack barns (CBP) are a typical facility utilized in dairy cattle operations across the United States. Their popularity is the result of improved animal welfare and reduced costs. The crossover of CBP into the beef cattle industry is new and the benefits and downfalls are not yet explored. Through a grant from NRCS, a CBP was built at the Derrickson Agricultural Complex in 2019-2020. In fall of 2020, the pack was established by mixing manure and sawdust shavings to start the aerobic composting process and weaned bulls were given access to the barn in November 2020. The objective of our study was to determine the performance of growing bulls utilizing a CBP compared to a fully outdoor pasture housing system. Growth data from 2 consecutive years of growing bulls were utilized, with calves born in 2019 being used as a control (CON) group and calves born in 2020 being used as the CBP group. Adjusted weaning and yearling weights reported to the American Angus Association were utilized to measure growth performance. In order to limit the potential bias due to genetics, data for the heifers born in both years were also evaluated as an outside standardization mechanism. Weaning weights for CON and CBP bulls were similar (P = 0.45), though interestingly the corresponding heifer calves weaned with CBP bulls were heavier (P < 0.01) than those weaned with the CON bulls. Bulls housed in the CBP were significantly heavier (P < 0.01) as yearlings compared to the CON bulls (1092 lbs vs. 935 lbs, respectively). Our results suggest that utilizing a compost bedded pack barn during the winter growing phase may be beneficial to the producer by increasing growth potential of weaned calves.

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  Evidence Based Evaluation Of A Ventilator Management Clinical Practice Protocol

  Kyle Mills and Michelle McClave

  Nursing care and management of mechanically ventilated patients requires specific care elements to be achieved in order for optimal patient outcomes. The ventilator management policy guides nursing care for this select group of patients. The ventilator management policy of a rural community acute healthcare facility was evaluated for evidence-base and validity using the AGREE GRS rating scale. The evaluation process included interview of the director of the inpatient unit responsible for care of ventilator patients, as well as review of the most current evidence-based practice protocols. Evaluation results indicate the facility’s policy met the needs of the patients, and incorporated the most up-to-date clinical recommendations.

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  Parental Sensitivity And Children's Emotion Regulation Development

  Griffin Newell, Olivia Kee, and Shari Kidwell

  Parental sensitivity is critical in the development of children’s attachment to their caregivers. Sensitivity refers to a parent's ability to understand and react synchronously with their child's emotions. Covert hostility is a form of insensitivity in which parents are subtly dismissing. The current study examines both parenting constructs during a frustration task, in relation to child behavior in an emotion interview. As part of a larger longitudinal study, 35 children (average age 6 years) and their parents waited eight minutes for children to be permitted to open a bag of prizes. Parental reactions to their children's behaviors were coded into fifteen-second intervals for sensitivity and covert hostility, based upon guidelines from the Emotional Availability Scale (Biringen, 2000). Sensitive parents responded in ways that would help their children wait effectively, while covertly hostile parents were impatient or teased their child. A separate interview involved the children discussing their experiences with six emotions. This interview was coded on 4 point scales indicating the child's level of engagement and adaptive regulation of their emotions and behavior. Preliminary results revealed a significant association between covert hostility and children’s internalizing symptoms, suggesting children whose feelings were dismissed during the frustration task tended to show distress while articulating their feelings in a separate interview. The purpose of this presentation is to see if the associations held up as significant after the coding of all participants was finalized.

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  Effects Of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy On Intraocular Pressure In Dogs

  Sierra Ott and Lauren Mirus

  Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a method in which pressurized oxygen is used to improve oxygen delivery to tissues. This treatment has been found to be effective in a variety of disorders in human and animal medicine, however it is underutilized in small animal medicine, in part because veterinary professionals may not be adequately familiar with how it works and when it is worthwhile. There has been hesitancy to utilize this method of treatment due to the fear of the unknowns, one example being a potential for an increase in intraocular. The mission of this project was to expand knowledge of HBOT treatment and also determine the effect of increased oxygen pressures on the internal aqueous pressure in the anterior chamber of the eye to identify any negative effects that there could be on the canine eye. Patients in this study underwent hyperbaric oxygen therapy for a specific condition that was recorded and did not receive unnecessary treatments. Each participant had a complete physical examination performed by a licensed veterinarian to assure that there was not underlying pathology that would contraindicate HBOT and patients were not selected to participate if they had a known underlying ocular condition. For this study, eighteen dogs were subject to hyperbaric oxygen therapy and were treated with 100% oxygen at a pressure of 14.7 PSI for 30 minutes. Overall treatments lasted approximately 60 minutes, allowing roughly 15 minutes to achieve 14.7 PSI and roughly 15 minutes to decompress after the treatment to avoid barotrauma. Intraocular pressures were obtained using an Icare® TONOVET Plus Tonometer and the chamber that was utilized in this study is a Companion Animal Hyperbarics, LP chamber. Patient intraocular pressures were measured immediately prior to HBOT and immediately after. A single credentialed veterinary technician was responsible for obtaining each intraocular pressure reading in order to ensure that there was no discrepancy amongst individuals. Due to the nature of the treatment being within an enclosed chamber, intraocular pressures were not taken during the treatment. Analysis of results compared an increase or decrease in post-HBOT intraocular pressure compared to pre-HBOT readings. Results of this trial suggest that there is no clinically significant impact on intraocular pressure in patients receiving hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

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  Improving Patient Outcomes With High Nurse To Patient Ratios: A Quality Improvement Study

  Abigail Ross, Alexis Bradshaw, Brenna Murphy, Carson Jones, Cierra Connelley, Haley Nyderek, Hannah Dorton, Morgan Minton, and Mary Suzi White

  According to the United States Registered Nurse Workforce Report Card and Shortage Forecast: A Revisit published in the May/June 2018 issue of the American Journal of Medical Quality, a shortage of registered nurses is projected to spread across the country between 2016 and 2030. Surveyed nurses see the shortage in the future as a catalyst for increasing stress on nurses (98%), lowering patient care quality (93%) and causing nurses to leave the profession (93%) (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2021). A thorough literature review was conducted, and 40 studies were reviewed. Common themes that emerged include: high nurse to patient ratios increased the risk for hospital acquired infections, higher levels of understaffing are associated with higher mistreatment rates, and there is a decrease in patient outcomes associated with nurse understaffing. A set of guidelines have been developed to assist the nursing staff during a shortage of nurses or nursing technicians.

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  Photography Practicum: Learning The Basics Of Managing A Fine Art Photography Studio

  Brooklin Routt and Robyn Moore

  The photography practicum provides Art and Design student researchers with the practical experience of managing a fine art photography studio. Students learn how to operate, manage, and maintain industry standard fine art archival inkjet printers as well as a twelve-station traditional black and white darkroom. This project provides essential expertise and knowledge that students, as lab monitors, both share with other students and incorporate into their own fine art practice and professional activities. Student researchers learn how to mix, store, and dispose of photographic chemistry, provide daily assistance to undergraduate and graduate photography students, and generate ideas for improvements to the lab. Additionally, students improve their knowledge of various analog and digital photographic processes through self-directed research with the goal of helping other students learn how to further develop and understand their work. Students also contribute to the ongoing revision of the Photography Lab Manual, which specifies best practices and operating procedures for future photography lab monitors. The practical knowledge gained from this experience is highly valuable to colleges, universities, community colleges, artist co-ops, and professional photography labs that seek to employ individuals to manage and teach both digital and analog photographic practices. This research was funded with an Undergraduate Research Fellowship.

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  Virtual Reality Environment Of Excavator Training For Operation License

  Victoria Russ, Jorge Ortega-Moody, and Kouroush Jenab

  In 2018 unfilled construction worker jobs rose to 404,000[1]. This was an all-time high, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. The government has no restrictions for operating an excavator; however, it is impossible to get a job without any operation and competency documentation. For this documentation, an employer could be looking at about $1000 for the most highly recognized training, which must be reinstated every five years. Excavation operation is a highly sought-after profession, and jobs are expected to rise by over 10% until 2028. The NSF EPSCoR research project is creating a Virtual Reality environment that will allow both residential and commercial jobs to train and teach employees how to operate excavators safely and competently. The Virtual Reality scenario will also allow employers to reduce the cost of operation and competency training. As a result, several workplace scenarios have been developed that can fully amerce an excavator operator into their training and safety.

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  Quantitative Sampling Of Ant Populations In Rowan County As A Measure Of Biodiversity In Rowan County Woodlands

  Amber Schifano, Anna Grace Ehr, Maiyuki Druen, Charles Lydeard, and Sean O'Keefe

  Biodiversity is an important metric used for conservation efforts and ecological assessments. Biodiversity is defined as the measure of taxonomic diversity within an area. Several groups of organisms have been used as surrogates to assess overall biodiversity for an area, for example plants, mammals, birds, beetles, etc. Ants represent another surrogate taxon for assessing biodiversity because ants are found in many types of habitats, fulfill a variety of ecological roles, are diverse, and are numerous. Leaf-litter samples were collected from three wooded sites in Rowan County: Eagle Lake, Stoney Cove, and Rodburn Hollow between the months of August and October in both 2019 and 2020. Ants were extracted from the leaf-litter using Berlese funnels which are used to extract arthropods from soil. The ant specimens were organized, identified, counted, and labeled to analyze the biodiversity among the different ant habitats collected. A total of 6,225 ants, and 15 genera were collected across the samples. Additionally, there are several useful indices for ant alpha and beta diversity evaluation including, Shannon and Simpson indices. The Shannon index is used to find diversity of a species or genera within a certain environment. The Simpson index is used to find proportional abundance within a given area. Alpha diversity is the diversity at one site and beta diversity is the difference in diversities between sites. The values calculated from these indices can be used to assess ant biodiversity within Rowan County.

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  The Effect Of Utilizing An Electronic Medication Administration Record: A Quality Improvement Study

  Ally Sipple, Branden Workman, Caitlyn Smith, Megan Smith, Rebecca Werring, Shayenne Slone, Taylor Stroud, Victoria Thomas, and Suzi White

  The suspected cost of medication errors in clinical practice is an annual $1.69 billion dollars. A thorough literature review of a total of 64 studies were reviewed. Common themes that emerged were barcode administration errors greatly reduces medication errors, that electronic records greatly reduced the severity of adverse effects, a lack of communication between medical staff results in more errors in medication administration, and the use of an electronic record reduces workload and stress on the nurses administering the medications. As a result of this literature review, an intervention was developed utilizing the importance of electronic records on reducing medication errors that will be shared with our clinical faculty.

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  A Portable Analyzer For Rapid And Sensitive Protein Detection By Ac Electrokinetics Capacitive Sensing

  Allie Skaggs and Cheng Cheng

  Capacitive bioparticle detection is a promising method for point-of-care diagnosis. There are a wide range of applications for such a device: diagnostics, pharmacology, and medical science. The end goal of this project is to develop a portable capacitive sensing platform for rapid and sensitive bioparticles detection. When bioparticles bind to receptors located on the surface of the electrode there would be a change in the interfacial capacitance, which indicate the presence of the bioparticle. The ADuCM355 – a precision analog microcontroller with a chemical sensor interface – is being used to perform biased electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). An AC potential is applied across the electrodes at varying frequencies, and the resulting current is measured and transferred to a master device. The ADuCM355 is controlled via the serial peripheral interface (SPI) by a master device. While multiple microcontrollers are compatible with the ADuCM355, currently a mbed lpc1768 acts as the master device receiving data to be decoded and displayed. In the future multiple sensors can be connected to a single master device and take concurrent readings for more accurate sensing. The main requirements for the device are portability, affordability, and the ability to provide appropriate and adjustable AC signals.

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  Backyard Bio Security: How Social Media Bridges The Gap Between Urban Chicken Farmers

  Carrie Sorrell and Morgan Getchell

  Urban chicken farming, defined as the practice of keeping a small flock of chickens in an urban or suburban setting for the purpose of this study, has increased in popularity in recent years. The purpose of this study is to examine how well-equipped urban chicken farmers are to care for their chickens, where they get information from, and how they judge that information to be credible. Specifically, the research looks at two diseases, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and Virulent Newcastle disease, and whether these urban farmers know about the diseases and can deal with them appropriately based on the information they have gathered during their time farming. Semi-structured interviews that lasted approximately 20 – 30 minutes were conducted from a convenience sample of famers gathered from online posts. The results of the research seem to be that urban chicken farmers primarily use their chickens for eggs and teaching children about “real food.” The chickens are typically seen more as pets than livestock animals, with only a small portion of people understanding the effects of HPAI and Virulent Newcastle disease. As for information gathering, social media is a key source for these urban chicken farmers, though they tend to stay skeptical of the information found on social media sites. Local vets and extension offices are a trusted source of information. Overall, urban chicken farming is growing in popularity, however, to help urban chicken farmers to understand fully the bio-security needs of chickens and overall healthcare, social media should be a primary source where the USDA shares content in relation to this topic.

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  Fall And Rise: Changes In The Fish Community Of Triplett Creek Following Restoration Of A Channelized Reach

  Austin Spradlin, Jonathan Eisenhour, and David Eisenhour

  In the early 1970s, Triplett Creek in Morehead, Kentucky, was straightened, deepened, and widened, resulting in a rather homogenous aquatic habitat, varying little in depth, flow, and substrate. In summer of 2018, a section of the stream was “restored” in order to alleviate the bank instability and flooding problems created by the 1970s channelization, restore the health of its aquatic community, and improve recreational opportunities. Our goal was to examine changes in the fish population resulting from the extensive changes to the channel and substrate during the restoration. We studied the fish populations at four sites (two sites in the restored area and two unaltered reference sites) in June of 2018, just before the restoration work occurred, and then four times after the work occurred, in October 2018, June 2019, October 2019, and October 2020. Fishes were qualitatively sampled using backpack electrofishing and seining. Encountered fishes were identified and counted, which allowed us to assess the fish community health using the Kentucky Index of Biotic Integrity (KIBI). In June 2018, prior to any restoration work, the four sites had KIBI scores between 59 and 70, all of which rated as “good”. The two sites in the restored area had a higher proportion of nonnative species, and fewer darters compared to the reference sites. In October 2018 and June 2019, after the restoration work, the restored sites declined slightly in KIBI scores, had reduced number of species detected, especially species considered “intolerant” by KIBI, and had reduced number of darter species, while the control sites showed little change. However, in October 2019 and October 2020, KIBI metrics had greatly improved in the restored sites, becoming similar to, or surpassing, KIBI metrics in the reference sites. However, the restored sites still have considerably more nonnative species than do the reference sites, perhaps because riparian vegetation and large woody debris has yet to be established in the restored sites.

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  Use Of Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy To Study Hydroxyfulvenes

  Ashley Stefani and Mark Blankenbuehler

  This project was conducted to determine the conditions necessary in Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy (GCMS) for various hydroxyfulvenes. Several samples each having unique characteristics, such as high molar mass or specific functional groups, were used to determine the optimal conditions for each compound. Different GC parameters were varied including the inlet temperature, initial oven temperature and oven temperature ramp. Compounds were also studied at varying concentrations in order to determine the optimal conditions needed to produce reliable molecular ion data in the MS.

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  Through The Eye Of The Beholder: Student Teaching In Kentucky During A Pandemic

  Brittany Stidham, Kimberely Nettleton, and Sandra Riegle

  Student teaching is the capstone of student teaching preparation. The Covid-19 pandemic has changed many aspects of student teaching; and students have had to adapt to a new way of both learning and teaching. As the world turned upside down, student teachers were expected to interact with their students and provide instruction. The pandemic caused student teachers to develop new ways to engage lessons and hold conversations in a virtual environment. This pilot study examines the ways in which a small group of student teachers in eastern Kentucky internalized their experience.

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  Identification Of Kentucky Land Snail Species

  Tessa Whalen and Allen Risk

  Land snails are members of the Phylum Mollusca and the Class Gastropoda. The importance of land snails to their native ecosystems has been greatly underestimated and understudied. For example, land snails play a huge role in the cycling of micronutrients in their ecosystems, they are active in the dispersal of plant seeds and fungal spores, and they have been shown to be bioindicators for vertebrates of conservation concern. They also contribute to the ecosystem by leaving their shells behind when they die, which is then used as a source of calcium carbonate by many species, and used in the formation of limestone. There are approximately 194 native species of snails in Kentucky, not including the 10 introduced species. The purpose of this investigation was to learn the morphology of land snail shells in order to improve identification skills. Important features used to identify land snails include the shell shape, the diameter of the shell, the reflection of the aperture lip, the umbilicus, the teeth associated with the aperture, and the number of whorls. Several local genera such as Punctum, Discus, and Haplotrema have a distinctly wide umbilicus, while genera such as Glyphyalinia, Stenotrema, and Mesodon are considered perforate to imperforate, or without an open umbilicus. The genera Triodopsis, Euchemotrema, Inflectarius, and Xolotrema all have large teeth in the aperture that can be used to identify the species based on the size and position of the teeth. This research was supported by a Morehead State University Undergraduate Research Fellowship.

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  Kentucky Soldiers At The Battles Of Frenchtown And The River Raisin Massacre

  Christian Wright and Adrian Mandzy

  Research on The War of 1812 has been sporadic over the last two hundred years. In spite of the two centuries which have passed, significant gaps in the scholarship remain. Most individuals recognize that Kentucky troops played a major role in the war, but their participation and the number of casualties they suffered remains speculative. American newspaper accounts of the period, written with an eye to sell more copies, may not be accurate as they historically over inflated the number of dead. At the same time, British accounts have a tendency to downplay the numbers of American troops involved for their own political reasons. Working with Dr. Adrian Mandzy on an ongoing research project about the War of 1812, we focused our attention on the number of Kentucky troops involved in the January 1813 River Raisin Massacre and the October 1813 Battle of the Thames. Using pension requests, the published 1891 Kentucky National Guard Adjutant Generals Report, and a document found within the Draper Manuscript Collection (documents collected by Lyman Draper in the mid-19th century), we were able to calculate the approximate numbers of Kentuckians who fought and died at this engagement. Once we complete our research, we hope to publish our findings in the Journal of America’s Military Past.