Scholarworks @ Morehead State

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  2022-2023 Program and Abstracts: Celebration of Student Scholarship

  Morehead State University. Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program.

  The 2022-2023 Program and Abstracts for the Celebration of Student Scholarship at Morehead State University held on April 19, 2023. A Showcase of Student Research, Scholarship, Creative Work, and Performance Arts.

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  A Brief History of Environmental Policy Through Literature

  Nathan Walden, Brady Lawson, Adam Abdel-Rahman, Mathew Delancey, and Douglas Mock

  Environmental policy is a relative newcomer on the scene of federal regulation, with cries for a unified federal environmental response ignited by the publication of Silent Spring, by Rachel Carson in 1962 which exposed the new field of environmental science and its effects to the American public. However, the tradition of literature driving public awareness and federal policymaking does not stop at its genesis with many seminal works such as Collapse, by Jared Diamond, The Diversity of Life, by Edward O. Wilson, and Love Canal, by Richard Newman, continuing to do the same. These books have continued to champion the cause of environmental awareness through detailing the effects of human activities on the ecosystems around us, as well as the human cost. The shocking imagery in this literature has prompted many in the American public to take up the cause of environmental reform, this increased awareness and involvement of many in the public has perpetuated a chunk of the environmental reforms adopted by the federal government. As such, the history of the federal environmental legislature is inextricably linked with literature.

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  Adverse Childhood Events, Safety, & Comfort: Associations with Adolescent Symptoms

  C. Skaggs, M. Howard, T. Pangallo, and Shari L. Kidwell

  A PowerPoint that accompanied a oral presentation.

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  Age and Growth of the Highland Shiner (Notropis micropteryx) in Rockcastle County, Kentucky

  Caitlyn Senters, Zoe Baker, Shelbie Black, Jared Vise, and David J. Eisenhour

  Notropis micropteryx, the Highland Shiner, is common in small to large streams of the Cumberland, Tennessee, and upper Green River drainages. It usually inhabits rocky riffles (Eisenhour and Eisenhour 2004)). While their population size was assessed as stable by the IUCN in 2012, little is known about the age and growth of this minnow species. Despite being a small fish, attention must be given to the health of its population as it serves an ecological niche and impact on the surrounding ecosystem.

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  Age and Growth of the Popeye Shiner (Notropis ariommus) in the Rockcastle River

  Shelbie Black, Jared Vise, Zoe Baker, Caitlyn Senters, and David J. Eisenhour

  The Popeye Shiner (Notropis ariommus), occupies clear, gravel runs and flowing pools of creeks and small rivers throughout the Ohio River basin, but has declined in many areas. This species is a small silvery minnow with an unusually large eye. Despite being a candidate for the endangered species list (Department of the Interior, 2011), little life-history data have been published, which are needed to make conservation management decisions.

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  A Green Chemistry Experiment: Magnetic Citrate Alginate Hydrogels Remove Methylene Blue from Water

  Katelynn R. Setters and Elizabeth M. Thomas

  The objective of this research was to design a green chemistry experiment that synthesizes magnetic citrate alginate hydrogels and test their effectiveness for the removal of methylene blue (MB) dye. Methylene blue dye is a common water pollutant that is toxic, carcinogenic, and nonbiodegradable; thus, can cause a severe threat to human health and environmental safety. Hence, there is a need to develop an environmentally friendly, efficient technology for removing MB from wastewater.

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  A LinkedIn Analysis: Job Placement in Sport Management Program of an Eastern Kentucky Public University

  Jose Garcia, Will Wellman, Christy Trent, and Steve Chen

  Sport-related jobs are more likely to be obtained by students with a sport participation experience or a sport management degree. This study attempted to examine the following questions: (a) How well do sport management students obtain a job after graduation? (b) Does a sport management degree help students obtain a sport-related job?

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  An Analysis Of Galactic Supernova Remnant G340.6+0.3

  Walker Hartman and Thomas Pannuti

  Pointed observations of Galactic supernova remnants (SNRs) as conducted at multiple wavelengths and with leading observatories (such as the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Spitzer Space Telescope) have revealed many new insights into both SNRs themselves and the interstellar medium (ISM) with which these sources are interacting. We are currently investigating the multi-wavelength (chiefly X-ray and radio) properties of poorly studied SNRs that have been readily detected in the infrared to help improve understanding of how SNRs and their surrounding ISM interplay. to demonstrate this, we present an analysis of an archival pointed observation of the Galactic SNR G340.6+0.3 with the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The high angular resolution image reveals shell-like morphology that similarly matches the radio morphology of the SNR. In addition, spatially-resolved spectroscopy of the SNR using standard thermal plasma models reveals an asymmetry in the spectral properties of the rim. While enhanced (relative to solar) abundances of elements such as silicon are indicated from fits to the spectrum of the X-ray luminous northeastern rim (indicating that X-ray emitting plasma at this site is ejecta-dominated), the measured elemental abundances at other locations of the SNR are consistent with solar, indicating that those sites' plasma is dominated by swept-up ISM. From spectral fits and our adopted distance to this SNR of 15 kiloparsecs, we estimate a median electron number density for X-ray-emitting plasma to be 0.20 per cubic centimeter and the swept-up Xray emitting mass of the plasma to be approximately 50 solar masses.

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  Are Gender and Social Disparities Associated with STEM Persistence in Kentucky Colleges?

  Riley E. Hicks and Wilson Gonzalez-Espada

  Children have the right to receive a quality education, but concerns about county disparities in school funding, facilities, and resources exist. This is known as the "zip code effect". Because high school STEM classes require lab space, materials, equipment, and specialized teachers, disparities in school funding can impact students who want STEM careers.

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  A Review of the Implications of the Love Canal Disaster and the Subsequent Actions of the State and Federal Government

  Hannah Albright, Brooklyn Hurtt, and Douglas Mock

  There is much literature written about environmental law and policy. The one focused on in this poster presentation is “Love Canal: A Toxic History from Colonial Times to the Present” by Richard S. Newman. The novel focuses on the Love Canal tragedy in upstate New York, where a chemical plant caused housewives to turn into activists after their neighbors, friends, and even their own families became extremely ill or succumbed because of the toxic waste. The tragedy at Love Canal was the precursor to grassroots movements across the United States.

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  A Search For The Time Variability In The Population Of X-Ray Binary Systems In The Galaxy IC 342

  Bannon Jones and Thomas Pannuti

  X-ray binaries (XRBs) are comprised of a neutron star (NS) or stellar-mass black hole (BH) that is accreting material from a stellar companion. Studies of these sources yield insights into the properties of NSs and BHs as well as the dynamics of mass transfer and stellar evolution in binary star systems with sources at stages of advanced stellar evolution. Studies of X-ray binaries in the Galaxy are compromised by massive absorption extinction along Galactic lines of sight and by significant uncertainties in the distances to these sources. In contrast, studies of XRBs in nearby face-on galaxies with high current rates of star formation, locations at high Galactic latitudes and face-on orientations feature lower amounts of extinction. In addition, uncertainties in the distances to these XRBs are reduced to uncertainties in the distances to the host galaxies themselves. With this motivation, we are conducting a timing analysis of the XRB population in the nearby face-on spiral galaxy IC 342. Our analysis of archival X-ray observations that were made of this galaxy using the Chandra X-ray observatory have identified 123 discrete X-ray sources, the majority of which are XRB candidates. We are conducting a timing analysis on twelve of these sources detected at high confidence (at 1000 total counts or more) to identify variability both during an observation and between observations themselves. We have identified 9 sources that exhibit clear evidence for variability.

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  Building for the Exchange

  Maddie Dodrill, Brittany Graziani, Alexa Deaton, Abigail Cooper, Gabe Barcus, and Janet Ratliff

  Our project, “Building for the Exchange,” is trying to solve a problem that has been progressing for nearly a century. Modern development practices have changed the small business landscape in Morehead. It was once a vibrant downtown core with neighborhoods built around it. A surge in population over the last 70 years has caused businesses to spread across the community. The downtown has been left with empty storefronts, struggling to keep viable businesses. To try to solve this problem, our class was split into four groups and we were tasked to create business plans to fill vacant spaces in the downtown area of Morehead.

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  Challenges in creating circularized versions of linear chromosomes

  Tanner Hamilton and Melissa A. Mefford

  Prokayotic and eukarotic chromosome structure differs. Generally prokaryotes have a single circular chromosome, while eukaryotes have multiple linear chromosomes. Linear chromosomes contain telomeres, composed of repeated DNA sequences, at the ends of the chromosome. While telomeres play crucial roles in capping telomeres, they create an end-replication problem. To overcome this issue, most eukaryotes possess the ribonucleoprotein enzyme complex telomerase. Despite the existence of telomerase, telomeres nonetheless shorten with aging and are thought to be a major contributor to this phenomenon. On the other hand, telomerase is upregulated in >85% of human cancers in order to allow the uncontrolled cell proliferation that is a hallmark of the disease.

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  Childhood Trauma and the Elementary Music Class: Obstacles, Solutions, and Suggestions for Music Educators

  Shianne Smith and Michele Paise

  The purpose of this research is to examine options for music teachers working with elementary students who have experienced trauma.

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  Classification of Road Objects using Convolutional Neural Networks

  Mann Patel and Heba Elgazzar

  Driving is the primary means of transportation for many people around the world. Whether the use is to assist human drivers or create autonomous driving, the use of machine learning can create safer road conditions. Drivers must consider other objects on the road, most commonly other vehicles and pedestrians. These three components, road signs, pedestrians, and vehicles, make up a large majority of objects that a driver will encounter when on the road. This research applies machine learning algorithms, specifically Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), to classify these road objects. The goal is to create a classification model that can reliably classify road objects and classify the different road signs into individual classes. The results showed high accuracy in classifying the objects, even at lower resolutions and poor conditions.

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  Classroom Management in Kentucky

  Sarah Miller and Kim Nettleton

  Classroom management is a daunting challenge for educators to implement. Knowing what style works best for an individual requires time that new teachers don’t have early in the school year. This research project evaluates the different types of classroom management Kentucky educators use in their classrooms. Using a mixed method of interviews and surveys, educators from elementary, middle, and high schools share how classroom management differs for each age group. The questions in the surveys and interviews discuss student behavior, parent involvement, previous classroom management training, and individual strategies that different teachers implement in their classrooms. Information from interviews and surveys provides insight into the most effective forms of classroom management. By comparing the similarities and differences in classroom management methods across different ages, incoming educators can better design their classroom management strategies to fit the needs of their students and provide the best learning environment possible. Classrooms effectively managed throughout the day provide more learning opportunities for students, reducing the number of distractions and behavior issues that occur.

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  Collapse: The History of How We Fail, and What We Can Do To Save Ourselves

  David Ace, Grace Funke, Aj Abdel-Rahman, Nate Floccare, Kristen Russell, Madison Ingram, and Douglas Mock

  Using Diamond's Five point framework for how societies have collapsed in the past allow us in the present to recognize these signs in modern societies. We have the gift of hindsight in which we now know that factors such as climate change, impact on the environment, decline on friendly contact, increase in hostile contact, and a conservative outlook have all contributed to past societies' collapse. We now recognize these issues in modern societies such as China, Australia, Rwanda, and Haiti. This allows these societies to reevaluate their current environmental standards on whether they are compatible with their survival or collapse. These changes have been implemented in Australia, in which farmers are changing their irrigation systems to be compatible with the current nutrient levels of their soils and changing their grazing animal populations to be compatible with this soil degradation as well.

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  Collection maintenance after maintenance lost: Making meaning from the rock pile

  Abbie Grzynkowicz, Zachary Strait, Miles Terry, and Jen O'Keefe

  The Geology Program has formal book, fossil, journal, map, mineral, and rock collections dating to the 1950’s. These specimens were donated by biological and physical sciences faculty prior to the 1960 hire of Dr. John Philley and greatly expanded upon by Drs. Philley, James Chaplin, Jules DuBar, and H.W. Straley III through the 1990’s. Prior to construction of the “C-wing” of Lappin Hall, the collections previously housed in laboratory classrooms in the path of the new corridor connecting the “B-wing” and “C-wing”, as well as those housed in the “A-wing” were boxed and stored in multiple temporary locations until new construction and renovation of the A-wing were completed in 1997. Some were then unboxed and placed in the new specimen archive in room 413, while others were moved to the “A-wing” attic.

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  College Students’ Financial Literacy in an Eastern Kentucky Regional University

  Hannah Barrett, Christy Trent, and Steve Chen

  Financial literacy is essential knowledge for recent college graduates to be able to manage a stable career and personal wealth. Some key concepts in financial literacy are investing, saving, credit, and budgeting. An understanding of financial literacy helps lead one to success in saving, using credit responsibly, and running a business. Financial literacy is essential to obtain before or while in college and can allow for better budgeting. Students will also have the knowledge that can allow them to save money and pay off loans after graduation.

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  Colorimetric Redox Reactions to Determine Base Composition in Unknown Monomeric DNA Samples

  James T. Dials, Mara J. Stout, and Elizabeth M. Thomas

  Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) codes for proteins using a unique order of four major nitrogenous bases adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine. In several biological applications, such as the determination of DNA stability, production of biologic based drugs, and even taxonomic reorganization of species, it becomes necessary to understand the relative amounts of each nucleotide in a DNA sample, regardless of their sequence. However, most assays used to determine base composition use expensive equipment, harsh chemicals, and advanced computer software. In addition, the determination of base composition is an important educational tool in undergraduate laboratories, but these limitations are infeasible for many institutions. Therefore, our research focus is to develop an easier, safer, and faster base composition assay.

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  Comparison of Methanol, Water, and HPLC Mobile Phase as the Solvent for Quantification of Nicotine Using HPLC Method

  Josie Traver and Emmalou Schmittzehe

  Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical present in the tobacco plant. E-cigarettes, predominantly used among the adolescent population, are becoming increasingly popular. We can quantify the nicotine levels in unknown solutions using HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography) by first preparing a calibration curve from standard nicotine samples. This experiment aims to understand the difference between using various solvents for the nicotine samples and how using one solvent may be more effective.

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  Craft Academy Solar Electric Racing: The Building of a Solar Car

  Bray Paynter, Sophia Day, Casey Hovis, Hailey Castle, Hope Meyers, Landon Ray, Rachel Rogers, Joyce Stubbs, and Steve Stubbs

  The Solar Car Challenge is a nationwide program in which high school and college students design and build a car powered by solar panels, competing at Texas Motor Speedway or in a cross-country race. In the Spring of 2021, The Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics founded a Solar Car Team called Craft Academy Solar Electric Racing (CASER).

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  Economic and Financial Analysis of Rainwater Harvesting Pond: A Case Study at Morehead State University

  Riley Q. Williams, Vijay Subramaniam, and Amanda Skidmore

  Rainwater harvesting (RWH) was primarily considered as a source for fresh water supply or a conservation practice for overcoming water shortages in drought prone areas. By retaining storm-water run-off for onsite use, harvesting systems reduce the runoff volumes and pollutant masses entering waterways. Some of the most interesting aspects of RWH are the methods of capture, storage, and the use of this natural resource at the place it occurs.

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  Enhancing telomerase activity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae through a genetic screen for gain-of-function mutations

  Keenan Conley, Hailey Rietz, MacKenzie Neal, and Melissa Mefford

  Telomeres are located at the ends of eukaryotic linear chromosomes and are composed of repeated nucleotide sequences. The main function of telomeres is to protect chromosomal ends. However, telomeres cannot be copied entirely during DNA replication leading to a gradual shortening known as the “end-replication problem”. To counteract this problem, the RNA-dependent enzyme complex telomerase works to extend telomeres and maintain the chromosomal ends which helps to prevent senescence. Understanding the structure and function of telomerase could have important implications for the development of anti-cancer therapeutics, since telomerase is over-active in >85% of all human cancers. While the general role of the telomerase enzyme is known, much about the roles of individual factors remains elusive. We are interested in better understanding the function of rapidly-evolving telomerase RNA. Most past research ascribed telomerase RNA function through identifying loss-offunction mutations that abolish enzyme function. In contrast, we set out to identify novel gain-of-function mutations that increase enzyme activity. To this end, we designed an elegant genetic screen in the model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae that allows us to select more active versions of telomerase RNA from a pool of 5,000 random mutations.

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  First examination of palynolgy across the K-Pg Boundary in the Jackson Purchase region of Kentucky

  Maeve McCarty, Jarred Asselta, Gary Stinchcomb, William Lukens, Ingrid Romero, Matthew Pound, and Jen O’Keefe

  This study examines the Independence School section of the K-Pg Boundary, which is located in a creek cutbank exposure in Carlisle County, in the Jackson Purchase region of Kentucky. This section has not otherwise been examined since 1980 and has not previously been palynologically studied in detail. Specifically, we are examining the Owl Creek and upper McNairy Formations, deposited as Maastrictian-age sediments and the Clayton Formation, deposited as Danian- age sediments, in a mosaic of onshore, nearshore, and coastal environments (Tschudy, 1970; Olive, 1980). The site was relocated by G. Stinchcomb and students from Murray State University in 2020 and the subject of a presentation on geochemistry and iridium levels at the Geological Society of America in 2021 (Asselta et al., 2021).

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  Fundamental or Negligible?: Kentucky P-12 Teacher Websites

  Maddie Stamper and Lesia Lennix

  How does a P-12 classroom teacher communicate at large with their students or their parents? There are countless ways for teachers to communicate with others. We determined that the more effective route in teacher communication would be an access-key-based Google Classroom, or an open-access teacher website linked directly to their respective school's website. An available, published teacher website allows anyone with internet access to view teacher-proffered information. This information could include their name, email, phone number, short biography, picture, or Google Classroom link. We found that the most effective information to include on a teacher's website would be their name, email, and phone number in order to be reached by anyone who needed to contact them. This study sought to determine to what extent Kentucky's P-12 teachers in its 171 school districts were 1) publishing teacher websites connected to the school web page, 2) including essential elements for clear communication, and 3) Americans with Disability Act (ADA, Section 508) compliant.

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  Fungal palynology of high-latitude coals and interseam rocks from the Miocene Climate Optimum warming event, Victoria, Australia

  Taylor Horsfall, Alyssa Patel, Laikin Tarlton, Ingrid Romero, Noelia Nunez Otano, Malcolm Wallace, Vera Korasidas, and Jen O'Keefe

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  Gender Identity & Perception of Happiness

  Victoria Miller and Lynn Geurin

  The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between gender identity and perception of happiness. Researchers examined the topic of gender identity and overall happiness based on a fluid or nonbinary perception of gender.

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  Golding-Yang Gallery Fellowship

  Kayle Lane and Macie Lowe

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  Health and Wealth: Hidden Disparities in Eastern Kentucky

  MaCaila Blankenship and Geoff Gearner

  Eastern Kentucky lags behind the rest of the state regarding proper health, while Kentucky as a whole is doing worse than national averages. Kentucky not only leads the United States in cancer mortality, but sees higher mortality from heart disease, injury, suicide, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The health crisis being observed can largely be attributed to high poverty rates throughout the Eastern half of the state. Considering the not-so-broad socioeconomic scale seen throughout much of Kentucky, it is more evident that health has a direct correlation to one’s wealth and resources. Along with being financially secure, those who are educated tend to have better health outcomes. Resources and access to these necessities contribute to health outcomes just as much, if not more. The closure of many rural hospitals has had a direct impact on eastern Kentuckian’s ability to access healthcare, and without the ease of access, many forgo treatment contributing to poor health.

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  Healthcare Disparities Among Incarcerated Populations: A Quality Improvement Project

  Mariam Bradley, Morgan Callihan, Sandra Frederick, Riley Hall, Marty Helms, Aaliyah Manson, Katelyn Martha, Madison Mason, and Suzi White

  A population that has been consistently subject to unequal treatment when receiving medical attention is the population of prisoners or jail inmates. It is essential to explore the discrepancies prisoners face and the effects it has on their health. The objective of this research was to bring to light the disparities incarcerated patients experience, and how to eliminate these. In order to develop a better understanding of the prejudiced actions incarcerated patients face in the healthcare spectrum, numerous studies have been analyzed.

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  High School Students' Response to Writing Mentor Feedback of "Mirrors, Windows, Doors Literature Circle"

  Lee McConnell, Christopher Logan, Alison Hruby, Andrea Olinger, and James Chisholm

  How do high school writers feel about feedback on their writing drafts from pre-service English teachers, when those drafts are written during a Mirrors, Windows, Doors Literature Circles unit?

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  Identification of Unknown Mold Sample from Lappin Hall

  Devan Herald and Geoff Gearner

  The purpose of this undergraduate research project is to identify an unknown species of mold that was found growing in the B-wing of Lappin Hall, on Morehead State University Campus, after the summer holiday of 2022. A sample of the unknown mold was collected and isolated for identification.

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  Impact of Informal STEM Learning

  Ally Hall, Alyssa Turner, and Rachel Rogers

  Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) has been the conceptual framework for a significant amount of research assessing changes in self-efficacy and interest in learning experiences for students (Lent, Brown & Hackett, 1994). This theory focuses on the development and influences of occupational choice (Brown & Lent, 2006) and helps to explain how one develops occupational interests to make career choices (Lent, Brown & Hackett 2002; Brown & Lent 2006). Variables that affect career development include self-efficacy beliefs, outcome expectations, and personal goals (Brown & Lent, 2006). When students have high selfefficacy and positive outcome expectations, they tend to develop interest in an activity, and subsequent goals that increases involvement in the activity (Brown & Lent, 2006). An informal STEM learning experience can be defined as “lifelong learning in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) that takes place across a multitude of designed settings and experiences outside of the formal classroom” (CAISE, 2017). These types of authentic learning experiences might lead to a greater interest, higher self-efficacy and positive outcomes in the areas of STEM, and therefore an increase in STEM academic and career decisionmaking. This study aims to determine how an informal STEM learning experience impacts interest, self-efficacy, and career intentions in STEM.

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  Impact of Nurse- Patient Interactions on Patient Outcome: A Quality Improvement Project

  Suzie White

  The purpose of this project is to address the benefits of care related to nurse and patient interactions. Throughout the project we have researched these benefits within different specialties of medicine. Some different specialties we studied include, communication in the ICU (intensive care unit), communication within the palliative/hospice setting, communication in the ED (emergency department), communication in the med surgical setting, patients’ perception of nurse/ patient interactions, nurse communication techniques and training, and lastly the costs of effective and ineffective communication.

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  Leadership Initiatives International Public Health Internship Program

  Brooklyn Adams, Mahathi Siripurapu, Jennifer Nguyen, Landon Pritchett, Josh Day, Jeremyah Cabrera, Rox Lockard, and Rachel Rogers

  In a nine-month internship for Leadership Initiatives, our team worked together to develop and implement an international public health campaign to address major health concerns prevalent in the region of Bauchi State, Nigeria. Our topic was the issue of selfmedication and its effects among the community. We launched a campaign to collect survey data and develop an educational workshop for the project.

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  Obligatory Leaf Litter Spiders: An Ignored Guild?

  Ryan Whitt and Sean O'Keefe

  There are over 100,000 described species of arachnids in the world; these include spiders, scorpions, ticks, mites, etc. There are some 45,000 described species of spiders worldwide, with 3,800 species known from within the United States. Spiders can be classified into several guilds, including sensing web weavers, sheet web weavers, space web weavers, orb web weavers, specialists, ambush hunters, and ground hunters. A guild for spiders is defined as a group of spiders that exploit similar resources using similar behaviors in the same habitat. We are interested in assessing the spiders that are obligatory leaf litter dwellers – these are spiders that spend their entire lives within the tight spaces of the forest floor leaf litter. These spiders, as adults are extremely small, 1-3 mm in length, and only occur in a habitat that is largely ignored by most arachnologists. Therefore, for this project, we are interested in assessing the biodiversity of spiders that are obligatory leaf litter inhabitants. Obligatory leaf litter spiders may represent an ignored guild of spiders. To date, we have identified 13 families of leaf litter dwelling spiders, but only five families we consider obligatory leaf litter inhabitants. These include spiders from the families Cybaeidae, Gnaphosidae, Liocranidae, Lycosidae, and Salticidae. We are only examining mature male and female spiders since these are most likely obligatory leaf litter dwellers. The most abundant families include both Liocranidae and Lycosidae, with Salticidae and Gnaphosidae being the least abundant.

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  Parental Criticism and Coherence in Association With Adolescent Internalizing Symptoms

  Emma Ammerman, H. Meyers, A. Russell, M. Adams, and Shari Kidwell

  Internalizing symptoms are symptoms that cannot necessarily be seen. Examples of internalized symptoms include, suicidal thoughts, being withdrawn, and unexplained bodily problems. High levels of internalized symptoms are associated with a higher risk for difficulties in social adjustment and increased risk for substance use.

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  Parental sensitivity in a play task: Associations with preschooler psychological symptoms

  Abby Chaney, Taylor Corbin, Sierra Workman, Brandi Stone, and Shari L. Kidwell

  Parental Sensitivity is defined as a parent’s ability to notice a child’s signals, interpret them correctly, and respond to them promptly. Sensitivity is a dyadic concept, as it involves determining how the child responds to the parent’s behavior. High sensitivity has been found to protect children from consequences of parental and family adversity.

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  Period Analyses of Variable Stars Alpha Orionis and Beta Lyrae

  Gianna Federico and Jennifer Birriel

  Variable stars change in brightness over regular or semiregular periods of time. Causes of variability include pulsation (changes in size) or the presence of a companion star or planet that eclipses part of the stellar surface. We examine period changes of the bright variable stars Alpha Orionis (Betelgeuse) and Beta Lyrae using data from the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO). Periods were analyzed by applying Fourier and weighted wavelet z-transforms to the light curves of each star over a 30-year time span. Our analyses showed that both the short and long secondary periods of Betelgeuse changed with time. The long period decreased at a nearly constant rate, and the short period increased in sudden “jumps” before suddenly decreasing. The period of Beta Lyrae had only small variations surrounding the expected period, with the exception of a sudden 3-day decrease which immediately increased back to the expected period again. The AAVSO database contains contributions from amateur and student observers: our ultimate goal is to use an older DSLR to contribute to the AAVSO database of bright variable stars.

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  Photography Practicum: Learning the Basics of Managing a Fine Art Photography Darkroom

  Robyn Moore and Brooklin Routt

  This research project provides the students with practical experience in the management of a fine art photography lab and darkroom. The students will learn how to mix and store photographic chemistry, provide assistance to undergraduate and graduate photography students, and generate ideas for improvements to the lab. The students will contribute to the revision of a lab manual that specifies best practices and operating procedures for photography lab monitors. The students will also assist other students with digital printing, as needed. Additionally, the student will improve his/her knowledge of various analog and digital photographic processes through selfdirected research with the goal of helping other students learn how to further develop and understand their work.

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  Planning and Evaluation for Floyd County Veterans Treatment Court

  Johnathon Carmack, Lisa Shannon, and Shira Birdwhistell

  The Floyd County Veterans Treatment Court Evaluation began with a comprehensive literature review of recent peer reviewed articles using the Morehead State University Camden Carroll Library online database Fourteen peer reviewed articles were selected based on their relevance to Veterans Treatment Court.

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  Predicting the Mechanism and Products of CS2 Capture by NH3 - An Exemplar Benchmark Study

  Shelbie A. Black, David A. Dixon, and Zachary R. Lee

  Carbon disulfide is a toxic gas emitted from industrial plants and a common greenhouse gas. Acute poisonings from carbon disulfide are rare, but recurring exposure to low doses can have long term health effects. Currently, there are two approaches being considered for the removal of acid gas pollutants: (1) sequester these gases from the atmosphere or (2) remove these gases directly upon combustion (post-combustion). Potential energy surfaces (PES) for a series of CS2 capture reactions by NH3 in the presence H2O were calculated at the MP2/a(D+d) evel in the gas phase. G3(MP2) and FPD calculations are in progress. Extensive thermodynamic understanding of these mechanisms can help optimize conditions and amine substituents for practical CS2 capture. Future research will examine the thermodynamics of CS2 capture by multiple NH3 and water molecules as well as with other amines in gas phase and aqueous solution.

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  Predicting the Reactions of CS2 with Group IV and Group VI Transition Metal Oxides

  Marissa Blair, David A. Dixon, and Zachary R. Lee

  Building onto a recent serious of ab initio studies of various acid-gas reactions with metal oxide sorbents, electronic structure methods are being used to study the addition of CS₂ to Group IV (MO₂)ₙ and Group VI (MO₃)ₙ (n = 1, 2, 3) nanoclusters, beginning with the MO₂ and MO₃ monomers according to a “bottom-up” approach. The preliminary density functional theory (DFT) calculations in this study provide structures and vibrational frequency thermodynamic corrections for later expanding upon by way of single point correlated molecular-orbital theory (MO) calculations, mainly CCSD(T) and MP2 to study the structures and energies which could arise from Lewis acid-base addition (physisorption) and formation of COS₂²⁻ (chemisorption) of CS₂ to these clusters will be predicted. For future work, these CS₂ ligand binding energies (LBE) will be compared to established CO₂ results in the literature and to any known experimental and computational values for the interactions of CS₂ with bulk metal oxides. These LBEs will then be analyzed for any correlation to any known trends in the metal oxide Lewis acidity, metal oxide redox chemistry, and acid gas basicity to establish useful thermodynamic benchmarks for the practicality of Group IV and Group VI transition metal oxides for the sequestration and conversion of CS₂. The results of this work and beyond could also have serious implications for the sequestration of CS₂ from high-sulfur areas of the arctic permafrost and could provide valuable mechanistic insights into the possible reactions and products of metal oxide degradation during the Claus Process.

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  Preliminary tropical fungal palynology of early-middle Miocene sediments from Northwestern Peru

  Jeremyah Cabrera, Christopher Marsh, Liberty Smallwood, Ollie VanderEpst, Ingrid Romero, Noelia Nuñez Otaño, Diana Ochoa, and Jen O’Keefe

  Fungal communities are a vital part of terrestrial ecosystem functions and understanding how they respond to climate change is necessary for predicting future assemblage dynamics. Sediments deposited during the Miocene Climate Optimum (MCO), 18-13 million years ago, provide an opportunity to examine fungal responses to a warming event with CO2 values similar to those today. Few fungal datasets exist for tropical regions during the MCO, and only one uses modern methods to identify fossil fungi and complete paleoecological inferences and paleoclimatological reconstructions using the nearest living relative method.

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  Preschooler Attachment and Adolescent Psychological Flexibility

  Tara M. Bello, Alex Urs, and Shari L. Kidwell

  Psychological Flexibility is identified as a fundamental aspect of psychological health by Kashdan (2010). Broadly, it refers to being open, aware, and actively engaged (Hayes & Monestes, 2016). Increasing Psychological Flexibility is a chief aim of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

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  Private Pete Fights Illiteracy at Fort Ontario: The 1210 Special Training Service Unit

  Byron Robertson and Adrian Mandzy

  From June of 1943 to February of 1944, the 1210th Special Training Unit at Fort Ontario in Oswego, New York taught pre-basic military training to thousands of illiterate, slow learning, and non-English-speaking soldiers in the United States Army. The training center at Fort Ontario conducted programs in disciplinary barracks, specialized military, technical, academic and vocational education.

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  Private Pete Fights Illiteracy at Fort Ontario: The Men in Charge

  Christian Wright and Adrian Mandzy

  From June of 1943 to February of 1944, the 1210th Special Training Unit at Fort Ontario in Oswego, New York taught pre-basic military training to thousands of illiterate, slow learning, and non-English-speaking soldiers in the United States Army. The training center at Fort Ontario conducted programs in disciplinary barracks, specialized military, technical, academic and vocational education.

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  Private Pete Fights Illiteracy at Fort Ontario: The Men it Changed

  Jeff Wysong and Adrian Mandzy

  From June of 1943 to February of 1944, the 1210th Special Training Unit at Fort Ontario in Oswego, New York taught pre-basic military training to thousands of illiterate, slow learning, and non-English-speaking soldiers in the United States Army. The training center at Fort Ontario conducted programs in disciplinary barracks, specialized military, technical, academic and vocational education.

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  Relationships Among Maternal Characteristics in Hair Sheep

  Rebekah Mills, Audrey Burton, Annika Weaver, Flint Harrelson, and Patricia Harrelson

  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 multi-breed, 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 and 2023 lambing seasons collected from our Katahdin ewes (n =38; 1-4.5 years of age). Collected data included fecal egg count (FEC), body condition scoring (BCS), FAMACHA scores, teat and udder scores. Data were analyzed using the CORR procedure in SAS with a significance level set at P < 0.05. Ewe age provided the most correlations, including a negative relationship (r = -0.384) with teat score and a positive relationship (r = 0.28) with BCS. There was also a negative correlation (r = -0.31) between FEC and ewe age, along with a positive relationship (r = 0.267) with the incidence of mastitis. Furthermore, udder scores were negatively related (r = - 0.25) to FAMACHA, and positively correlated to FEC. Also, the teat score was negatively correlated (r = - 0.34) with BCS. The results of this project underline the importance of multiple traits which could contribute to ewes leaving the flock early.

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  Religious Beliefs & Marital Satisfaction: Examining the Impact of Religious Beliefs on Marital Satisfaction

  Trenton Rose and Monica Himes

  The focus of the study is to examine the relationship between religious beliefs and marital satisfaction. The goal was to look at how religion was being incorporated into marriages and how it impacted their satisfaction with the marriage.

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  Repressor of the SOS Response Mechanism in Acinetobacter baumannii requires Helix-Formation and Dimerization for its DNA-binding Ability

  Belinda Candra, Deborah Cook, and Jenelle Hare

  After DNA damage, the multi-drug resistant pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii activates its SOS response, possibly allowing mutagenesis to occur by inducing multiple errorprone polymerases. A. baumannii uses the non-canonical repressor protein UmuDAb to repress operons of these polymerases. It has an N-terminal domain (NTD) with 2 helices (HTH1 & HTH2) whose sequences are needed for repression1. Like other bacterial SOS repressors such as LexA, UmuDAb dimerizes. BACTH analyses2 showed that UmuDAb forms dimers via its LexA-like G124 residue and UmuD-like N100 residue (UmuD is a component of an error-prone polymerase). However, N100 is not needed if the C termini are free. The C-terminal 12 amino acids (which include W192 and R201) of UmuDAb are also required to form dimers.

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  Research on Energy Harvesting and Wireless Charging Technology for Internet of Things (IoT) Applications

  Aidan Ray and Anindita Paul

  This ongoing research intends to build and test a prototype of a typical system that harvests energy from the environment and wirelessly transfers this energy to Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

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  S.P.A.R.C.S.- Solar Panel Acoustic Resonance Cleaning System

  Jeff Kruth and Mike Combs

  As the world races towards the future of clean energy, solar panels are becoming common place. One of the largest problems faced is accumulated dirt and dust on the surface of these solar panels. Panels become covered in dirt and debris and no longer provide efficient output of solar energy. This problem is faced on earth and beyond the stars. For years, NASA has been trying to solve the issue of “dust” from mars or the moon settling on solar panels, lenses, and other surfaces. The regolith threatens the potential of human existence on the surface of the moon. The sharp edges are far more abrasive to human lungs if the particles are tracked in on equipment, suits, or shoes. As we extend our lunar exploration and attempt to establish a base on the moon, regolith removal will be key for human safety. Rover life spans have exceeded initial expectations, but nearly all face the same downfall. Their panels accumulate too much regolith for the solar rays to charge the rover.

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  The Comparison Between Fetal Kidney and Sacral Length in Determining Gestational Age

  Emily McAdams and Jennifer Clark

  Gestational age describes how far along a woman is in her pregnancy. The importance of having a correct gestational age can aid in determining if there are complications in a pregnancy such as growth restriction or macrosomia. Accurate measurements of fetal anatomy are essential in determining proper fetal growth and gestational age. Primarily, head circumference, bi-parietal diameter, abdomen circumference, femur length, cerebellum, amnionic fluid index and cervical length have been the key parameters to determine GA in an obstetrical ultrasound. The purpose of this study was to measure fetal kidney and sacral length to identify if the data correlated to gestational age and which parameter was most accurate. The results determined if each parameter should be incorporated into daily obstetrical ultrasound exams to determine gestational age.

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  The Diversity of Life by E.O. Wilson

  Emma Collins, Matthew Grace, Brady Lawson, Michelle Lopez, Zane Rousey, and Douglas Mock

  In The Diversity of Life, E. O. Wilson tells a tale about how our earth is on track for another extinction event and humans are at fault. Wilson discusses various topics such as environmental preservation, biodiversity and its importance, and how life has evolved over time. Wilson views biodiversity differently than many as he focuses on all species found in the ecosystem rather than narrowing his focus on one. He mentions how new species can be created by groups evolving and developing new skills or existing in new environments. Species are going extinct and being created constantly; these extinctions don't have to be large; they can exist on small scales yet still cause an impact on the entire ecosystem. Wilson goes on to explain that humans have existed for a small period of time yet we are the number one cause of extinction events within species. Ultimately, humans will be the cause of our own downfall as the environment is a reflection and product of human actions.

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  The Editorial Process of the Kentucky Philogical Review

  Jalyn Findley, Olyvia Neal, and Karen Taylor

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  The Impact of Early Identification of Declining Patients: A Quality Improvement Study

  Courtlyn Salyers, Kyla Wilson, Cedric Meadows, Savannah Sizemore, Savannah Thompson, Gg Ferguson, Payton McGlone, Leah Moore, Jordan Sims, and Suzi White

  This presentation focuses on the prevalence of failure to rescue in healthcare, that we have evidenced in the clinical setting. Proper identification of declining patient health plays a major role in early intervention, resulting in a positive patient outcome. Analyzing common themes in these issues provided a “bigger picture” of the need for proactive patient care.

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  The Impact of Nurse Mental Health on Patient Outcomes: Quality Improvement Project

  Haley Blankenship, Ashley Jenkins, Samantha Trimble, Tess Wallace, Madalyn Wilburn, and Suzie White

  The mental health of nurses has a significant impact on the care they provide to patients. When nurses experience high levels of depression, anxiety, or stress, it can affect their ability to make sound clinical decisions, communicate effectively with patients and colleagues, and provide compassionate care (1). Research has shown that nurses experiencing mental health issues are more likely to report making errors, experiencing burnout, and having low job satisfaction (2). High levels of stress can lead to increased absenteeism and turn over, which can negatively impact patient care continuity (3).

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  The Impact of Nursing Skill Competency on Patient Outcomes: A Quality Improvement Project

  Abby Blair, Riley Boling, Natalie Crace, Jascie Greene, Peyton Kennedy, Andrew Morris, Joseph Sewell, Abigail Wesselkamper, and Suzi White

  45 out of 50 facilities that implemented continued education saw improved patient outcomes. This presentation focuses on the importance of nurse participation in continued professional development programs because it is a shortcoming that we noticed in clinical practice.

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  The Kentucky Ant Project: An Attempt to Catalogue the Ant Species of Kentucky

  Josiah Kilburn and Sean O'Keefe

  There are 74 ant species in Kentucky and 55 ant species in West Virginia. In most of the surrounding states, ant species counts are nearly double, or at least 49 more ant species than either of these two states. This indicates that there have been minimal sampling efforts in Kentucky and West Virginia.

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  The Revitalization of Hazel Green Academy

  Ally Hall, Alyssa Turner, Derek Gill, Jude Hall, Sagar Patel, Bethany Lucio, Camryn Banbel, Thomas Kiffmeyer, and Rachel Rogers

  The Hazel Green Academy (HGA) was a resident- Ial college-preparatory school in Eastern Wolfe County, KY. It was founded in 1880 and remained open until 1983. The academy offered accelerated and STEM courses to prepare their students for college. Over the years, the academy was able to expand and gain amenities that benefited the students and the community. HGA was a private academy, which meant its students were expected to pay for tuition and boarding. This Thank you to the Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics for all their support. Special thank you to the Hazel Green Academy Board of Directors for their cooperation and support. Introduction The Hazel Green Academy (HGA) Leadership Team of students from the Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics wants to restore the Hazel Green Academy’s campus to its former glory following its closing in 1983. Today only two of the buildings remain useable, and only one is currently in use. The former general store has been converted into the Jot ‘Em Down, a used clothing store, and the administration building houses classrooms and an auditorium. During the time that HGA was open, it provided educational opportunities for students from Appalachia Kentucky and contributed to the community of Hazel Green. The HGA Leadership team strives to rebuild and repurpose the abandoned academy into a community and educational outreach center to benefit the community as it once did. eventually led to their decline in the 1930’s when free public schools began to open in the surrounding community. Over the next half a century the academy struggled as their enrollment dropped, until they finally closed in 1983.

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  The Role of Year and Animal Origin on Key Determinants of Ewe Longevity

  Audrey Burton, Annika Weaver, Rebekah Mills, Flint Herrelson, and Patricia Harrelson

  The MSU sheep flock is an Innovation Flock in the Sheep GEMS project through the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The Sheep GEMS project is a national, multi-breed project that is focused on evaluating different sheep breeds and their longevity in different climates. As a participant, we collect/send raw data that is compiled. Our preliminary data from the 2022 (Year 1) and 2023 (Year 2) lambing season has been included. We collected measurements from Katahdin ewes (n = 38; 1-4.5 years old). We measured fecal egg counts (FEC), FAMACHA scores, body condition scores (BCS), teat and udder scores. Using the MIXED procedures of SAS, we evaluated these measurements for differences between year and origin. As the ewe flock was established in the summer of 2021, our ewes were sourced from 5 outside flocks. Main effects of treatment are reported if no interaction was observed. An interaction of year and origin (P = 0.02) was observed in FEC. A year effect was observed on FAMACHA, as ewes in Year 1 had lower and more desirable FAMACHA scores in comparison to Year 2 (2.18 vs. 1.97, respectively). Teat scores were different by year, (P < 0.01) as Year 1 was higher compared to Year 2 (5.58 and 4.46, respectively). Udder scores were not different by year or origin (P > 0.148). Ewe BCS differed by year (P = 0.06) and origin (P = 0.02). Effects of year were widely seen and speak to the impact of year-to-year changes in environment. IACUC #22-11-02

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  The thrombin cleavage of protein tags of co-repressors UmuDAb and DdrR of the pathogen Acinetobacter baumaniihave been optimized for cross-linkage

  Mercy Hailu, Deborah Cook, and Janelle Hare

  The Acinetobacter baumannii strain 17978 is a Gram-negative and nosocomial ESKAPE pathogen which utilizes its unique SOS genes, umuDAb and ddrR, to inhibit cell division and control mutagenesis in response to DNA damage.

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  Universal Quality Control for Brewers

  Taylen Hylton and Geoff Gearner

  Beer, the product of fermentation that arguably changed the course of human civilization. Though the first brewing process dates back to ancient Mesopotamia, the modern method still presents a host of flaws. There are both many steps of fermentation and many opportunities for contamination. Most breweries will experience some form of spoilage in their lifetime. These invading microorganisms can alter turbidity, coloration, aroma, taste, and the overall quality of the product. This disruption is devastating for commerce. A centralized method of testing would help to eliminate spoiled products and prevent future infections. The following procedure utilizes a combination of polymerase chain reaction and media to detect suspected contaminants.

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  Visual Pollution Classification using Convolutional Neural Networks

  Jacob Vogelpohl and Heba Elgazzar

  Visual pollution is an impairment on an individual's ability to enjoy their surroundings. It usually takes the form of a messy and chaotic environment that can cause overstimulation of the visual senses. This includes trash, advertisements, construction, electric cables, and similar objects. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) are a form of artificial intelligence that use supervised learning to process and classify images. In this research, a CNN processed images of city streets and classified them as polluted or not polluted based on the visual characteristics that it learned from during its training period. The CNN achieved a training accuracy of 98% and a validation accuracy of 80%.