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  2023-2024 Program and Abstracts Celebration of Student Scholarship

  Morehead State University. Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program.

  The 2023-2024 Program and Abstracts for the Celebration of Student Scholarship at Morehead State University held on April 17, 2023. A Showcase of Student Research, Scholarship, Creative Work, and Performance Arts.

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  A Brief Review of a Regional Healthcare Clinical Practice Protocol: The ABCDEF Bundle

  Joelle Craft and Michelle McClave

  A brief review of a clinical practice protocol was performed with two purposes: to critically evaluate a clinical protocol in use to determine if it supports scholarly practice, and to address opportunities for change in practice to meet current guidelines.

  The Society of Critical Care Medicine originated the intensive care unit (ICU) Liberation Bundle. The bundle was part of the Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Pain, Agitation/Sedation, Delirium, Immobility, and Sleep Disruption (PADIS) in Adult Patients in the ICU. Its purpose is to reduce the occurrence of delirium and weakness in adults during their stay and includes awakening and breathing trials for mechanically ventilated adult patients. This bundle was then adopted by a regional healthcare facility and rolled into their ABDCEF Bundle.

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  Acid Rain: A LevelUp Experience in Math 442

  Grant Amshoff, Emily Blevins, Hannah Phirman, Josh Qualls, and Will Tidwell

  Acid rain has been an ongoing issue in the world since developed countries began producing emissions on a large scale. Acid rain is defined as having an average pH of 4.2-4.4, while "clean" rain is defined by the EPA as having a pH of 5.6 (Figure 1). Locations that have a history of lower pH of precipitation are places that also have higher emissions-cities with high incidence of industry, factories, mines, cattle farms, etc. As much as 70% of emissions are caused by burning fossil fuels.

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

  Caitlyn Senters, Zoe Baker, 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 and usually inhabits rocky riffles. 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 its biology, as changes in its abundance are likely to affect other members of its aquatic community.

  The goal of this study is to identify the age and growth of N. microptyerx to provide a more thorough understanding of its life history to aid in future conservation efforts to preserve the health of this species.

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  A Light in the Hills: Helen Price Stacy

  Gwedolyn Akers and Matthew Sutton

  Helen Price Stacy is an Appalachian writer, artist, and activist from West Liberty, Ky who published a variety of work including nonfiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry, reflecting themes of sense of place, activism, and finding hope in even the darkest of situations.

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  Analysis of the Neurophysiological Responses of Lumbricina: An Invertebrate Model for STEM Education

  Ragan Adkins, Bryce Allen, and Michael Fultz

  The Invertebrates, specifically lumbricina, can serve as a model system for science education when studying neuron viability and the impact of various drugs on conduction velocity within the nervous system. Earthworms prove to be ideal candidates due to their easily stimulated and measurable large axon bundles. Earthworms are also inexpensive, noncontroversial, and easily sedated, making them suitable for STEM learning. Each earthworm underwent a standardized anesthetization procedure with an ethanol and water mixture before being placed on a nerve bath. They were then stimulated by an electrode to gather a control action potential. By measuring the speed at which action potentials propagate along the three giant neurons of the earthworm nerve chord, we were able to monitor the neurophysiological response of earthworms to different drugs. This data was then used to understand the effects of said drugs on invertebrates and applied to our existing knowledge of drug interactions within the human central nervous system. We visualized the effects of specific drugs, including ethyl alcohol, nicotine, and epinephrine. Because of the simplicity of invertebrate nervous systems, these lab experiments can be easily replicable in various levels of STEM education.

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  An Analysis of Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring"

  Canaan Thacker, Jared Vise, Caleb Hammond, and Douglas S. Mock

  Rachel Carson's 1962 publication of "Silent Spring" is often cited as one of the most influential pieces of media in American environmental legislation. Carson, who spent the majority of her career working for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, was inspired to write "Silent Spring" due to a heightened level of environmental concern regarding modem agricultural practices. The issue at hand was America's increasing reliance on chemical pesticides, with Carson specifically targeting dichlorodiphenyl- dichloroethane (DDT) as among the worst defenders. These chemicals weaken natural defenses and wreak havoc upon wildlife populations. Carson's publication and its willingness to openly share these concerns were initially met with resistance by some scientists, chemical industry managers, and corporate lobbyists in agriculture. Despite this, the book was ultimately successful in shifting the perspective of the American public toward the growing environmental movement. This influence extended into the realm of public policy, as President Kennedy utilized Carson's publication to create a special pesticide study panel of the Science Advisory Committee. This panel would establish a trend of increased federal involvement in issues of environmental protection. Overall, the book details Carson's primary themes in a chapter-by-chapter analysis and highlights the significance of these claims towards American public perceptions and American environmental policy in the mid-late twentieth century.

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  A Protocol to Reduce Falls Associated with Setting Bed Alarms: A quality Improvement Project

  Kristina Vaughn, Alyndra Meade, Ella White, Autumn Cole, Jaylyn Whaley, and Suzi White

  Inappropriate and noncompliance with setting bed alarms can lead to an increased risk of falls in a large urban teaching hospital. In return, this can lead to injury and an increased cost for patients if they must have a longer stay in the hospital due to potential injuries. The main problem is healthcare employees may not be compliant in ensuring bed alarms are set and in the appropriate zone which can stem from forgetfulness or that doing so is a nuisance. Another factor that plays a role in noncompliance is alarm fatigue. The constant beeping of bed alarms can be an annoyance for the patient as well as the health care provider taking care of that patient which can lead to not re-setting the bed alarm or patient refusal, but although it can be an annoyance it is important to set the bed alarm for patient safety.

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  Bedside Reporting: A Quality Improvement Project

  Danielle Schindler, Laci Johnson, Katalina White, Audrey Newman, Noah Hicks, Abby Schultz, Bri Sharps, and Suzi White

  There have been many studies done on the positive outcomes and effects of bedside SBAR including improved patient satisfaction, improved staff satisfaction, and better patient outcomes. The implementation of bedside SBAR is not an impractical or an extremely time-consuming task, but with it being implemented, this urban hospital may better itself for the patients, staff, and future.

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  Biogeographic Distribution Patterns of Lichens in Carter Caves State Resort Park, Carter County, Kentucky

  Darion C. Ball and /allen C. Risk

  Lichens are composite organisms exhibiting a symbiotic relationship between fungi and algae. Biogeography is the study of the geographical distribution patterns of living things. This poster aims to examine the biogeographic patterns of the lichens in Carter Caves State Resort Park {CCSRP), Carter County, Kentucky. In seeking potential patterns occurring in the species this furthers research on the topic and assists in identifying species based on historical biogeographical distribution data.

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  Can Circular Chromosomes Undergo Meiosis?

  Devan Herald, Tanner Hamilton, Rebecca Bailey, and Melissa Mefford

  Prokaryotic and eukaryotic chromosome structure differs. Generally, prokaryotes have a single circular chromosome, while eukaryotes have multiple linear chromosomes. It is widely hypothesized that linear eukaryotic chromosomes evolved and arose from circular prokaryotic chromosomes and were a perquisite for sexual reproduction.

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  Can Dogs Sniff Out COVID-19? A Review of Canine Scent Detection

  Savannah Reed and Smita Joshi

  The purpose of this research is to explore if scent-trained canines are an effective way to screen for SARS-CoV-2, specifically, in high traffic areas. This method is being explored due to the canine's remarkable olfactory capabilities to identify individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2. This project provides a comprehensive review of past and ongoing research on canine scent detection for COVID-19 screening. The review synthesizes data from existing studies to assess the viability and reliability of this approach. Two research studies that determined the canines detection susceptibility and accuracy will be examined. The general mechanism used for training the canines included the researchers isolated a volatile organic compound found in COVID-19 to train the dogs to detect. Then trainers worked with the dogs to detect this specific scent. At this point, researchers began testing and validating results.

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  Challenging Gender Stereotypes: Addressing Misconceptions in Women's Sports

  Angel Daugherty and Steve Chen

  Background:

  *The is the critical moment for the rise of the gender awareness and a new height of female sports

  The Me-Too Movement and the overturn of Roe v. Wade concern -

  More female Olympians than the male Olympians for both Tokyo Games 2021 and Paris Games 2024

  The transformation of women's basketball games: Caitlin Clark movement

  Title IX just pasted it 50th year birthday *What else is there to consider and change? --Do we have a clear picture or reality of gender equality?

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  Collateral Consequences of College Admissions: Exploring the Attitudes and Experiences of Students in Recovery

  Jason White and Deidra Robinson

  This is a Qualitative Exploratory study to detail the experiences and reactions of students that were denied admission into college due to an existing criminal record.

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  Coming Together to Hurt our Rivals: Schadenfreude's Impact on Brand Communities

  Maggie Fegenbush and Lucas Lunt

  This research addresses this question by using data from X, formerly Twitter, to examine schadenfreude as a potential mechanism driving online liking behavior. Specifically, we look at likes on X posts including final score graphics posted by four specific NFL teams across the 2023 NFL season.

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  Comparison of Efficacy of Antibody-Drug Conjugates in Cancer Treatment

  Rebecca Bailey and Smita Joshi

  Objective: To analyze the existing literature and evaluate the potential of antibody-drug conjugates (AD Cs) for superior efficacy in cancer treatment compared to chemotherapy.

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  Comparison of Nicotine Quantification in E-liquids Using Volume-Based Sample Preparation versus Mass-Based Sample Preparation

  Serenity Baughman, Alyssa Roark, and Emmalou Schmittzehe-Skarbek

  Questions are surrounding the accuracy of the reported levels of nicotine contained in e-liquids. Many of the studies show significant inconsistencies in the amount of nicotine reported on e-liquid products and the amount detected in the e-liquids. The current methods rely on preparing e-liquids for analysis by performing dilutions based on volume, but due to the viscosity of the liquids this preparation technique is prone to method errors. This project aims to compare the nicotine content in samples prepared by volume to those prepared by mass. This was done by first measuring the densities of several e-liquids. Those densities were used to convert the volume-based preparation into a mass-based preparation. Nicotine content in samples prepared by mass and volume was then measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

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  Craft Coalition Since 2021

  Miracle and Rachel Rogers

  Originally the Craft Coalition Team was a part of FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC). FRC is a program where high schoolers build and compete with 28" by 38" by 60" robots. However, because of the limited resources and team size, the Founder Shawn Nelson (Class of 2023) Switched Craft Coalition to compete in FIRST Tech Challenge, a middle and high school program to compete with an 18" cube robot. In their first year competing, they ranked 2nd in the Metro League and qualified first overall 1st runner up for the coveted inspire in the state.

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  Decreasing Distractions for Medication Safety: A Quality Improvement Project

  Arielle deBloois and Michelle McClave

  Medication errors are the most common medical error that exists according to The Joint Commission (2023). Distractions during medication passes are one of the common ways that medication errors occur. From experience with a medication error on a telemetry unit, I sought to find ways to prevent these errors from occurring through the avoidance of distractions.

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  Detecting the Level of Scrap Metal Discard from CNC Machines using Capacitive Sensors

  Isaac Vanderpool, Gunnar Gross, Ollie Uusikartano, Tyler Ward, Kouroush Jenab, and Jorge Ortega-Moody

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

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  Determining the Labeling Accuracy of Nicotine Content Across U.S. E-Cigarette Manufacturers Using HPLC and GCMS

  Josephine Traver and Emmalou Schmittzehe-Skarbek

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

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  Development of a DNA Barcoding Protocol to Identify Previously Unknown Populations of Forelius (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), in Kentucky

  Danika Da Fieno, Josiah Kilburn, Jonah Gibson, Jack McFarland, and David Payton

  In 2021, we started an initiative to sample the ants of Kentucky called the Kentucky Ant Project (KYAP). As part of our efforts to sample ants in the state, we need to be able to identify them! Usually, this is done by examining the morphology of ant specimens, but it's incredibly difficult, or impossible to identify some ants with current morphological identification resources. To remedy this, we decided to develop a genetic protocol to assist in identifying these ants.

  One such problematic ant to identify with morphology is Forelius, which is a genus of generalist foraging species. When we gave our last report on the project in 2023, records of this genus were completely absent from any sampling efforts in Kentucky. Early in 2023, we managed to find 2 populations of Forelius in Rowan county, marking the first discovery of this entire genus in Kentucky. To identify this problematic genus, we elected to sequence a specific gene (Cytochrome-c Oxidase /, or COi) that is used to 'barcode' or identify species of animals based on the number of matching nucleotides that two specimens share. The more matches a pair has, the more similar they are to each other, and they are more likely to be the same species.

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  Development of Remote Monitoring Software For CNC Machines

  Gunnar Gross, Olli Uusikartano, Isaac Vanderpool, Tyler Ward, Jorge Ortega-Moody, and Kouroush Jenab

  CNC machines are crucial in precision manufacturing, and monitoring their performance is essential, yet challenging due to the manual effort involved. Addressing this, our project introduces a remote monitoring system for CNC machines that harnesses PLCs, OPC servers, Ignition software, ethernet, and Python. The system enables real-time tracking of machine coordinates, spindle RPM, coolant levels, door status, operating time, real time alarms and overall machine life. It's designed for accessibility from various devices, providing real-time data analysis and improving organizational efficiency without the constant presence of a human operator. The major benefit of our software is that it can be accessed anywhere on any type of device, be it a desktop computer or a cell phone, facilitating valuable real-time analysis of the condition of the machine.

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  Does Nursing Bias Affect Patients: A Quality Improvement Project

  Sunny Barker, Abbey Hannah, Marty Helms, Zoe Koop, Mara Wallace, Carissa Wilson, and Suzi White

  Nursing bias topics to be touched on will be bias from nurses towards patients with the following:

  • substance abuse history

  • mental disorders

  • different races/ethnicities

  • sexual orientations

  It is important to address the problem of nursing bias towards certain people primarily because it is affecting patient care/patient outcomes.

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  Economic Analysis of Hay and Corn Production at Morehead State University's Derrickson Agricultural Complex

  Caroline Adkins, Luke Millay, and Vijay Subramaniam

  Morehead State University's Derrickson Agricultural Complex (DAC) produces several agricultural enterprises and provides valuable hands-on experiences for students. The major goal of DAC is to prepare students for future careers in agriculture by enhancing classroom learning and introducing new and efficient farming technologies. Several farm products are produced at the farm, and it is important to assess the profitability of various crop and animal enterprises to reach the mission of Morehead State University's Department of Agricultural Sciences. Hay and com are the two most dominant crop enterprises which cover 58 percent of total areas. In addition, the DAC produces hay from 6 different farms using the crop-share leasing method. The research contribute to a deeper understanding of the economic sustainability and viability of hay and com production at the DAC, thereby informing better decision-making and optimization of agricultural enterprises on the farm.

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  Economics of Artificial Insemination in Cattle

  Marisa Brown, Shelby French, and Vijay Subramaniam

  Artificial insemination (Al) is the collection of semen from a male animal and breeding a female animal with the collected semen. AI has a long renowned history, dating back all the way to 1780, and continues to evolve every day. Artificial insemination allows farmers to inseminate their cattle efficiently, farmers can integrate DNA variation and desired genetics in livestock, and acts as a safe way to impregnate cattle by not having the risk of a live bull being used. It can be observed within multiple studies that when looking at smaller herds it can actually be more cost efficient to utilize artificial insemination over natural service. However, there can be economic disadvantages such as the upfront cost of supplies - semen tank and gun - and the cost of training or personnel. The objective of this research is to determine if artificial insemination is more profitable than natural service; and determine what factors may contribute to the making of that decision.

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  Effect of Scattered Light on Sky Brightness During an Eclipse

  Brayden J. Schwegman and Jennifer J. Birriel

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  Examining How Distance from a Hospital Can Impact Maternal Health

  Madison Beam and Lisa Shannon

  The goal of the study was to recognize how distance may be a factor in the already large gap between the maternal health disparity of rural and urban women.

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  Examining the Relationship between Gender and Anxiety Levels

  Lacey Estep and Monica Himes

  Anxiety is a prevalent problem in our society, and it negatively affects many adults in the United States every year. The National Health Survey, which was conducted in 2019, found that 15.6% of adults experienced anxiety symptoms within the past two weeks of when the survey was given (Terlizzi & Villarroel, 2019). That means that approximately 1 in 6 adults aged 18 and over in the United States are experiencing psychological impairment. This large population of adult Americans experiencing anxiety raises the curiosity about the factors that play a role in anxiety, including whether or not gender has an effect on its prevalence. This presentation will focus on the role of gender and how it affects anxiety, and if one gender is more likely to experience anxiety than the other gender.

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  Exploring Synergistic Antithrombotic Effects of Natural Bioactive Compounds

  Aleah Wagner, Jessie Begley, Jack McFarland, and Smita Joshi

  Occlusive thrombosis, a leading cause of global morbidity and mortality, claims the lives of 1 in 4 individuals. Developing novel antithrombotic treatments is crucial, as conventional antiplatelet drugs, despite their potency, have limitations like increased bleeding risk. Natural bioactive compounds offer a promising alternative due to their safety, efficacy, and affordability. This research project aims to identify and investigate the synergistic and antagonistic effects of bioactive compound combinations in modulating thrombosis therapy.

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  Flexible Simulated Manufacturing System

  Ollie Uusikartano, Tyler Ward, Jorge Ortega-Moody, and Kouroush Jenab

  The importance of real-world experience can not be overstated when it com es to designing industrial manufacturing systems. This research project aims to give students a scaled-down manufacturing system to enhance their understanding of PLC-controlled manufacturing systems, collaborative robots, and machine vision-based quality assurance. In addition to facilitating education for other students, implementing the system provided us with valuable experience in creating manufacturing systems.

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  Forest fire spread: A LevelUp Experience in Math 442 Advanced Mathematical Modeling

  Ismael Zeidan and Hadley Cytron

  Wildfires present a significant threat globally, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of their spread dynamics for effective mitigation. This project employs mathematical modeling to delve into wildfire diffusion mechanisms. Through the lens of mathematical models, this research aims to unravel the underlying principles driving the spread of wildfires. This poster investigates the relationship between mathematics and fire propagation, offering a perspective of how mathematical principles unveil the order within the seemingly random spread of wildfires. By fostering a deeper understanding of these mathematical intricacies, this research contributes to the understanding of precision and reliability of wildfire predictions, providing valuable insights for individuals and communities to mitigate life and property loss.

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  Fungi in a Warmer World: Preliminary findings on the Zhangpu Biota of Southeastern China

  Margaret Alden, Erdoo Mongol, Limi Mao, and Jen O'Keefe

  The Fungi in a Warmer World Project (FiaWW) is a multi-national project focused on developing a fossil fungal proxy for ecological and climatological change that can then be applied to future forecast behaviors of global fungas (fungal assemblages within an ecosystem). It is focusing on the Miocene Climate Optimum (MCO), 18-13 million years ago, because it is the SSP2-4.5 best-analog for end-21st century warming and Koppen-Geiger climate class distributions (IPCC, 2021; Beck et al., 2023). To develop a robust proxy, fungi are being examined from global MCO sites, including many lagerstatten, such as the Fotan Fm:s Zhangpu Biota, as fossil fungi have not been previously studied from many of these sites. Study of samples from the Fotan Fm. in southeastern China not only help to constrain funga distribution in southeastern Asia (Romero et al., 2021, Pilie, 2023), but increases our understanding of ecosystems present during sediment deposition. The Zhangpu biota contains the fossilized remnants of dipterocarp tree-dominated tropical rain forests that were present in southeastern China approximately ~ 14.7 million years ago (Wang et al., 2021; Yang et al., 2024). Palynomorph-based ecological reconstructions suggest that the forest composition was similar to that of modern subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests in SE Asia in the early part of the depositional succession and shows steady development of tropical montane rain forests through the middle part of the section, before loss of rain forest taxa in favor of cool- and drought-adapted taxa in the upper part of the section (Yang et al., 2024). Fossil fungal distributions through the section have not ever been previously examined, although fungi were noted in studies of amber recovered from the sediments (Wang et al., 2021 ). Here we present a first overview of fossil fungal members of the Zhangpu biota.

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  Gender Inclusive Restrooms at Morehead State University

  Stephanie Perry, Bernadette Barton, and Constance Hardesty

  While attending Morehead State University, we observed a lack of accessible all-gender restrooms for transgender and nonbinary people on our campus. We want to ensure that our campus cultivates an environment of inclusion for every student who attends the university. To make our initiative happen, we have been engaging with the community of our campus through conversations and the use of a petition. Our goal is to see inclusive restrooms spread over our campus, as well as a more inclusive environment for faculty staff and students. We hope to see this happen through advocating for getting nongender specific signs for the designated single-use restrooms, sharing knowledge of the specific locations for all-gender restrooms, and creating the first multi-stall universal restroom on the main Morehead State campus.

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  Geoscience Archivism - Saving Morehead State's Collections one Rock at a Time

  Miles Terry, Zachary Strait, Shelby Turner, Hayden Elmore, Caitlyn Gregory, Oliver Laiben, and Jen O’Keefe

  Geoscience Collections at Morehead State University have not properly been organized or sorted since the Lappin Hall renovations in the mid-1990's. The collections were initiated by John C. Philley in 1960, James Chaplin 1961 and the collections card catalog developed by Jules DuBar when he arrived in 1967. Maintenance of the catalog appears to have ceased in 1981 when DuBar left the university. Specimens collected between 1981 and 1992 often have card-stock labels, but do not appear in the collection catalog. In recent decades, many of our cataloged samples have been lost and/ or damaged because of improper storage. Most of the in-place collection is not recorded in the catalog, thus, much of the collection goes unaccounted for. If specimens aren't properly cataloged, they're often missing information, such as locality or collect ion date, t hat reduces t heir usefulness. Since 2018, student archivists have been engaged in collection maintenance. This effort has progressed from general tidying t o organization and cross-checking cataloged information with existing specimens. This permits damaged and decomposed specimens to be discarded, specimens with information to be accessioned into the catalog, some information-less but exceptional specimens to be cataloged and retained as teaching specimens, and the location of cataloged samples to be recorded. Cataloged samples are in the process of being assigned QR codes through SESAR and form the backbone of a system of loanable specimens of scientific value. Once given a QR code, specimens are being packed for removal to a new science building, after which time the SESAR database will become publicly available.

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  Growth and Reproduction of the Popeye Shiner (Notropis ariommus) in the Rockcastle River, Kentucky

  Shelbie Black, Jared Vise, and David J. Eisenhour

  The Popeye Shiner (Notropis ariommus) occupies gravel runs and flowing pools of clear creeks and small rivers throughout the Ohio River basin, but has declined in many areas. The Popeye Shiner is a small silvery minnow with characteristically large eyes (Figure 1). 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.

  Notropis ariommus is categorized by the American Fisheries Society as a vulnerable minnow species (Warren et al, 2000). These fishes were previously known from Alabama, Pennsylvania, and Indiana, but are presumed extirpated from these states. In four more states it is considered imperiled or critically imperiled, and in two states, including Kentucky, it is considered vulnerable (NatureServe Explorer 2. 0, 2023). Sufficiently-large populations persist in Kentucky, permitting us to study its life history: age and growth, reproductive cycle, and diet.

  This study aims to determine the maximum age of Notropis ariommus and size distribution in the Rockcastle River, Kentucky. We also examine sexual dimorphism of growth and morphological features in this species.

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  Identifying the Weather Misconceptions of USAF Academy Cadets: Implications for Curricular Reform

  Mathew Mynk and Wilson Gonzalez-Espada

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

  • What weather misconceptions are prevalent among the participants?

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

  • What questions in the SMC are, statistically, the best suited to measure weather-related misconceptions?

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  Impact of Year and Animal Origin on Key Factors of Ewe Longevity

  Audrey Burton, Jacob LeBrun, Flint Harrelson, 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 ), 2023 (Year 2), and 2024 (Year 3) lambing seasons have been included. We collected measurements from Katahdin ewes (n = 46; 1-5 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. No interactions were observed, therefore only main effects will be presented. An effect of both year (P < 0.01) and origin (P < 0.01) was observed in FEC. A year effect was also observed on FAMACHA scores (P = 0.01). For BCS, both year (P < 0.01) and origin (P = 0.02) caused differences, with year 3 being the lowest. Teat placement scores were not impacted by year or origin (P > 0.21) whereas udder depth was only impacted by ewe origin (P = 0.02). Effects of year were widely seen and speak to the impact of year-to-year changes in environment. IA CUC #22-11- 02.

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  Implementing Play Therapy for School-Age Children with Sensory Modulation Disorder

  Karis Applegate and Michaela Wilson

  Most people have heard the phrase "A healthy child is a happy child" but what about the phrase "A healthy brain is a well-integrated brain"? Sensory processing or integration is how our brain reads sensory input from outside stimuli in our environ1nent. Our cerebellar white matter, located in the brain, determines the efficiency of sensory integration. It has been found that brain composition presenting lower microstructural integrity of the superior and middle cerebellar peduncles have a sensory processing disorder (Narayan, 2021). Sensory Over-Responsivity (SOR) 1s a specific type of sensory disorder. Since Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and SOR typically coexist, much research on SOR has been done within the context of ASD.

  SOR makes it harder for individuals to participate in everyday activities. When a child with SOR is placed into an overstimulating situation, they cannot function like a typically developing child. They cannot integrate the outside stimuli into the various senses such as visual, olfactory, auditory, tactile, interception, and proprioception. Children with SOR show avoidance . behavior and tend to withdraw from troubling scenarios (Mulligan et al., 2021). It is worrisome that the effects of having SOR will lead to developing anxiety disorders.

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  Insulin Administration in Hospitalized Diabetics: A Quality Improvement Project

  Annalee Combes, Dylan Fraley, Emily Cobb, Emily Byrd, Tess Reuhermund, Amanda Isele, Kailey Ansell, and Mary White

  Insulin, naturally produced in the human body, is used in the treatment of diabetic patients. It is often given incorrectly resulting in a medication error. Around one-third of medication errors resulting in death within 48 hours involve insulin therapy. Insulin is expensive and many patients cannot afford the insulin they need which results in underdosing. Improper administration of insulin was observed during a clinical rotation at a large, urban teaching hospital. There is a need for evidence-based research to identify methods of improved insulin use. A thorough literature review was done on the topic of insulin administration. Common themes that emerged were: safe administration of insulin, barriers to appropriate administration, patient teaching, cost of insulin, types of insulin, pumps versus injection, and types of diabetes. A flier with insulin administration information will be developed and shared with hospital staff nurses.

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  Interrelationships of Maternal Characteristics in Hair Sheep

  Rebekah Mills, Madeline Walsh, Audrey Burton, Jacob Lebrun, 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 multibreed, national project evaluating longevity of ewes within flocks. Our part as a participant in the project involves collecting and sending raw data which is compiled into 1 very large data set. The research discussed here uses our preliminary data from the 2022, 2023, and 2024 lambing seasons collected from our Katahdin ewes (n =46; 1-5 years of age). Collected data included fecal egg count (FEC), body condition scoring (BCS), FAMACHA scores, teat and udder scores. Data were analyzed using the CORR procedure in SAS with a significance level set at P < 0.05. Udder depth provided the most correlations, including a negative relationship (r = - 0.21) with ewe age and a negative relationship (r = - 0.21) with FAMACHA. There was also a negative correlation (r = - 0.21) between udder depth and BCS. Furthermore, ewe age was negatively related (r = - 0.28) to FEC. Unsurprisingly, there was a positive relationship (r = 0.22) between udder and teat scores. Also, the BCS was positively correlated (r = 0.21) with mastitis incidence. The results of this project underline the importance of multiple traits which could contribute to ewes leaving the flock early.

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  Love Canal by Richard Newman

  Brooklyn Minix, Alura Schaum, Eli Thomas, and Douglas Mock

  Richard Newman's 2016 book Love Canal: A Toxic History from Colonial Times to the Present takes readers on a journey through time as he examines one of the most infamous examples of environmental disasters in American history. Newman details an unfortunate series of events beginning with the creation of Love's Canal and concluding with the aftermath of the residential horror. Newman places the situation in Love Canal inside of a broader context by considering the various environmental justice movements taking place across the country at the time. Newman's "Love Canal" is not only a compelling narrative that brings awareness to a specific tragedy, but also a call to action that urges readers to confront their governments about environmental policies and work toward a more sustainable future.

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  lvermectin Toxicity in Border Collies

  Rachel Bell and Smita Joshi

  lvermectin is used in dogs and cats as a preventive medicine against heartworms. It is also used as a treatment for other parasites. lvermectin can be administered through tablets, topical liquid or injectable liquid. Some dog breeds such as border collies or sheepdogs have a sensitivity to the medication. The only safe heartworm preventive collies can take is Interceptor. But why? This is because lvermectin and other heartworm preventives have the drug Loperamide in them. They put it in there to reduce gastrointestinal secretions. However, some collies and other dog breeds have a MDR1 mutation specifically the gene ABCB1-1delta mutation that causes them to have a reaction that can be fatal to the medicine. Many studies have been conducted to figure out what causes the reaction. If a border collie has the genetic mutation on the gene ABCBl-1 delta then toxicity will occur in the canine.

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  Maintaining Sterile Field: A Quality Improve Project

  Sydney Grayson, Macy Lewis, Emma Moudy, Makenna Rose, Caleb Spears, and Suzi White

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  Martian Aerial Drone: An Exploratory Study for Flying a Scientific Drone on Mars

  Jacobo Matallana, Jaden Yates, Michael Combs, and Nathan Fite

  The purpose for this project is to construct the design and development of a specialized drone created for Martian atmospheric data collection. The structural part of the drone prioritizes lightweight yet durable materials. Through in-depth design and simulation, the structural integrity of the drone was optimized to ensure the most reliable performance. In tandem with structural considerations, the electrical part of the drone prioritizes sensor calibration to provide accurate and reliable data collection for scientific analysis as well as stabilization software for the drone itself while flying. Algorithms and code were meticulously developed to enable the drone to remain horizontal as well as allow the motors to operate in unison while collecting data through the sensors. It can function autonomously and has an SD card that would be retrieved manually for data collection once an astronaut lands on the planet. The main goals within the scope of this project are to get the drone to fly and collect data on Earth and Mars up to 40 feet.

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  Measuring the Blazhko Effect in RR Lyrae Variable Stars

  Gianna Federico, Jennifer Birriel, and Ronald Wilhelm

  Pulsating variable stars are stars that physically grow and shrink, causing them to periodically change in brightness in the night sky. In most cases, this change occurs very regularly, however some stars exhibit the Blazhko Effect (BE), which causes a gradual increase and decrease in the magnitude and time between brightness peaks. In some stars, this gradual change can itself vary in period and amplitude, which is known as a modulated BE. The cause of the BE is unknown. This research project aims to identify stars with a modulated BE, which may provide clues into its cause. We used the Weighted Wavelet-Z (WWZ) analysis to detect changes in the frequency and amplitude of the brightnesses of stars observed by NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). The WWZ analysis has been scarcely utilized in this specific area of variable star research, and this project shows its usefulness in identifying changes in frequency and amplitude for stars with limited data sets.

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  Meteorology Misconceptions Held by Students in an Earth Science Course for K-5 Teachers

  Ivy Litton, Wilson Gonzalez-Espada, Jen O'Keefe, and Md. Golam Kibria

  Students hold misconceptions when they confidently believe certain information, but that information differs from the commonly accepted scientific consensus. 1 Misconceptions accumulate over time due to a combination of incorrect perceptions of everyday experiences, over-simplifications and over-generalizations found in textbooks and the media, and incorrect or incomplete diagrams and analogies.2-7 Clausen described misconceptions held by teachers, and how they affected student learning. 8 After observing several teachers teaching about weather and climate change, he concluded that personal beliefs and values impacted what parts of science they emphasized in the classroom, resulting in students learning the content differently and inconsistently. This study is important because the participants will be teaching shortly; it is imperative for these teachers to fully understand the content that they are educating their students on. If they have weather misconceptions, it could be damaging to their future students' understanding of this foundational content that they will need throughout their lives.

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  Meteorology Misconceptions Held by Students in General Education Earth Science College Course

  Kaitlyn Nelson, Wilson Gonzalez-Espada, Jen O'Keefe, and MMD. Golam Kibria

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

  • What weather misconceptions are prevalent among the participants?

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

  • What questions in the SMC are, statistically, the best suited to measure weather-related misconceptions?

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  Miocene Fungi from the Amazonas Region of Peru: Preliminary Paleoclimatic and Paleoecological reconstructions

  Liberty F. Smallwood, Olivia Vander Espt, Christopher A. Marsh, Maggie E. Alden, Juan Filipe Montenegro, Diana Ochoa, Matthew J. Pound, and Jennifer M. K. O’Keefe

  Miocene sediments in the western Amazonas region record a unique mega-wetland ecosystem known as the Pebas System. This system existed under wetter and warmer than present conditions, prior to the final Andean uplift. Though the palynological record in the region has been studied extensively, fungal diversity remains poorly explored. Fungal remains from the Brazilian Amazonas have been identified to form-taxa only, without providing ecological or paleoclimatic information. We examine fossil-rich sediments from northeastern Peru that were deposited ca. 16.5 Ma, and therefore document the Miocene Climate Optimum warming. Here, the Fungi in a Warmer World (FIAWW) team applies the nearest living relative method to analyze preserved fungal remains, aiming to develop, for the first time, a fungi-based paleoclimatic reconstruction to be compared with existing plant-based counterparts. We further enhance the understanding of tropical fungal paleoecology, providing new insights to refine existing reconstructions for continental to marginal marine forested areas.

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  Opioid Administration and Safe Handling; A Quality Improvement Project

  Paige Caird, Shalyn West, Brooklyn Philips, Keana Meriwether, Madison White, Caleb Williams, and Suzi White

  Since 1999, drug overdoses have taken the lives of over 1 million people. Of the 23.5 million Americans needing substance abuse treatment, only 11 % seek help. While attending clinics at a large, urban teaching hospital, opioids were inappropriately handled. Many nurses spend every shift administering more than 50 medications which accounts for 40% of their time on the unit.

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

  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 fourteen-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 and supervised by Dr. Robyn Moore.

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  Potential of Topical Applications in Managing Navicular Disease: A Review and Exploration

  Elena Verdecchia and Smita Joshi

  Equine navicular disease is the chronic degradation of the navicular bone and surrounding tissues in the hoof (Tucker , 2022). Bone naturally degrades and regenerates itself at the same rate but horses with navicular disease have their navicular bone degrade at a faster rate than the body can regenerate it (Purica, 2020).

  Symptoms As the navicular bone begins to disappear all aspects of the hoof are negatively impacted causing pain to radiate from the bone. The pain caused by navicular disease is the most common cause of forelimb lameness in horses.

  Who is Affected? Although all horses can develop navicular disease some traits that make them more susceptible are quarter horse breeds, horses that undergo heavy exercise (horses used for competitions), younger horses, and genetics (Purica, 2020).

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  Predicting the Mechanisms of OCS Capture by NH3 and Water - An Exemplar Benchmark Study

  Brayden M. Clevenger, David A. Dixon, and Zachary R. Lee

  Carbonyl Sulfide (OCS) is a toxic gas produced during the refinement of oil, use of diesel engines, and as a byproduct of natural gas. Excess exposure can cause severe skin burns as well as breathing difficulties. Two approaches are available to remove this toxic chemical from the air: ( 1) to isolate the gas after it has been produced and released into the atmosphere or (2) to remove the gas as it is being produced during combustion. Potential energy surfaces (PES) for a series of OCS capture reactions by NH3 in the presence of H2O are currently being calculated at the MP2/a(D+d) level in the gas phase. G3(MP2) calculations are in progress. The polar nature of OCS leads to two possible proton transfer scenarios: (1) to the oxygen atom and (2) to the sulfur atom. The results have significant implications regarding the thermodynamic nature of the mechanisms by which OCS can be efficiently and practically captured. Future research will focus on capturing OCS by additional amines and water in both gaseous and aqueous phases.

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  Predicting the Reactions of CS2 ,OCS, and CO2 with Group IV and Group VI Transition Metal Oxides

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

  Overview:

  • Electronic structure methods are being used to study the addition of CS2. OCS and CO2 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.

  • Physisorption is a process in which molecules bind through Van der Waals interactions. The enthalpies of these reactions are rather low, and these interactions are usually favored at lower temperatures.

  • Chemisorption is adsorption in which chemical bonds are broken and/or formed therefore, an entirely new chemical species is formed.

  • CS2 OCS and CO2 absorbed clusters of TiO2 and CrO3 were first optimized with harmonic vibrational frequencies calculated at the wB97X-D/aD level to provide starting structures for more accurate optimizations than the B3L YP/aD level.

  • The density functional theory (OFT) calculations in this study provide structures and vibrational frequency thermodynamic corrections for expanding upon by way of single point correlated molecular-orbital theory (MO) calculations, mainly CCSD(T), to study the structures and energies which could arise from Lewis acid-base addition (physisorption) and formation of cosz2- (chemisorption) of CS2 to these clusters will be predicted.

  • All LBE Values reported in kcal/mol.

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  Predicting the Statistical Precision of Jet Analysis at the Election-Ion Collider

  Ivan Hargesheimer and Kevin Adkins

  The Electron Ion Collider (EIC) project is a particle collider that will be constructed at Brookhaven National Laboratory to study various nuclear phenomena. We have been working to create software to analyze jets, which are streams of particles that can result from high energy electron-proton collisions. Specifically, we have been developing software to process simulation data and create graphical representations of our analysis. Ultimately, our goal is to estimate the statistical precision that the EIC will provide when it is fully operational. In this presentation, we will present a status report of this work.

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  Preliminary Terrestrial Palynological Re-investigation of the Type Coon Creek Lagerstatte, Tennessee, USA

  Ethan R. Lung, Keira J. Patton, Michael A. Gibson, Jack Garrett, Joshua Ratliff, Alan Youngerman, Mark Puckett, Alyson Brink, Thomas Byl, Masayuki Utsunomiya, Krostina F. Gardner, Jean M. Self-Trail, and Jennifer M.K. O'Keefe

  The type locality for the Campanian Coon Creek Formation, located in McNairy County, Tennessee, is a well-known lagerstatte, with exceptionally preserved marine invertebrate and vertebrate remains in shallow shelf sediments. At the time of deposit ion, the type locality was located in an embayment proximal t o t he eastern margin of the Appalachia province that experienced alternately cool- and warm-water conditions, likely due to currents from both the Western Interior Seaway and Tethys. While marine in their entirety, the sediments contain significant quantities of terrestrial palynomorphs, especially near the top of the section and thus provide a snapshot of adjacent upper Cretaceous terrestrial ecosystems which are not otherwise preserved in this region. A recently completed biostratigraphic study of rangefinder widely-spaced samples through the section suggested that the increase in terrestrial input up-section may be the result of increased fluvial input, as total marine microfossil abundances remain largely unchanged. The biostratigraphic study suggested that more detailed examination of the terrestrial palynomorphs preserved in the section was warranted. In July 2022, the team of co-authors collected 27 fresh samples from the type locality. In this study we present the preliminary results of new biostratigraphic and paleoecological investigations of terrestrial palynomorphs recovered from the site.

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  Presidential Debates and Substantive Responses

  Michelle Lopez, Brady Lawson, Grace Funke, and Douglas Mock

  Analysis over the extent to which televised presidential debates influence the learning of watchers or aid in information gathering about the candidates has already been done. The intention of this research is to examine the content of presidential debates to determine whether the quality of statements in presidential debates changed and to examine the extent to which viewers analyze the responses of the candidates. A ranking system has been created for the purposes of this research that ranks candidate's responses to a question posed by the moderator on a scale of "zero" to "four", with "four" being the presence of an analytical statement and "zero" consisting of vague general statements or a simple non-response to the prompt. This research aims to survey viewers about their analysis beginning with the Kennedy-Nixon debates of 1960 all the way through recent years with the Biden-Trump debates of 2020. The debate will be divided into sections, with responses by the candidates falling under a specific category such as foreign policy or personal character. Participants will then be asked to rank each candidate in each section of the debate on the scale from "zero" to "four". The purpose of this research is to identify if a trend exists in relation to relevance and substance of the candidate's responses as well as whether the quality of these responses have an effect on viewers' perception of who "won".

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  Prevention of Bank Failure and Social Media in Banking

  Alexis Duncan, Galvin Sparks, America Adams, Christy Trent, and Steve Chen

  The purpose and intent of this presentation:

  • Identify the causes of the failure of Silicon Valley Bank and other banks.
  • How social media can help banks thrive and prevent its failure.

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  Reproductive Cycle of the Highland Shiner (Notropis micropteryx) in Rockcastle County, Kentucky

  Zoe Baker, Caitlyn Senters, and David J. Eisenhour

  The Highland Shiner, Notropis micropteryx, is a minnow species common in the Green, Cumberland, and Tennessee river drainages and usually inhabits rocky riffles (Eisenhour and Eisenhour 2004). Despite the Highland Shiner's prevalence in this area, little published information exists describing the life history of this minnow species. Although N micropteryx is a small fish, attention must be given to its biology, as changes in its abundance are likely to affect other members of its aquatic community. Population and life cycle fluctuations can also be a reliable indicator of greater ecosystem health.

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  Reproductive Timing of the Popeye Shiner (Notropis Ariommus) in the Rockcastle River

  Jared Vise, Shelbie Black, and David 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. The Popeye Shiner is a small silvery minnow with a characteristically large eye (Figure 4). 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.

  Notropis ariommus is categorized by the American Fisheries Society as a vulnerable minnow species (Warren et al, 2000). These fishes were previously known from Alabama, Pennsylvania, and Indiana, but are presumed extirpated in those states. In four more states they are considered imperiled or critically imperiled, and in two states, including Kentucky, they are classified as vulnerable (NatureServe Explorer 2.0, 2023). Sufficiently-large populations persist in Kentucky, permitting us to study its life history: age and growth, reproductive cycle, and diet.

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  Retrospective and Prospective Impacts on Vote Choice in the 2004 United States Presidential Election

  Canaan Stevan Thacker and James Robert Masterson

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  Review of Adverse Effects of Sunscreens on Coral Health

  Lillian Crumback and Smita Joshi

  This study examined the potential effects of sunscreen on coral health through a review of scientific literature. This is important because coral reefs hold a significant amount of the marine life in the ocean and contribute to the filtering of CO2 in our atmosphere.

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  Safe Staffing Ratios: A Quality Improvement Project

  Abigail Blackburn, Kelsey Carrier, Chelsea Green, Brooklyn LeMaster, Madelynn McKittrick, Jodi Perkins, Alexandra Stacy, Danielle Willis, and Suzi White

  Most certainly, nurse-to-patient ratios have a direct impact on nurse-sensitive patient outcomes (NSPOs). Across various healthcare settings, better staffing ratios result in safer patient environment, nurse workplace satisfaction, and improved economic results. The American Nurses Association (ANA) states 89% of nurses reported short-staffing at their facilities. During clinicals at a large urban teaching hospital it was observed that staff members were taking breaks simultaneously.

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  Safety and Risk Management in the Sculpture Studio

  Danielle Vigil, Maija Wehr, and Michael Bowen

  This literature review examines risks within the sculpture studio and the most effective ways to minimize risks and promote safety. Specific hazards and health effects will be identified and used in determining the level of risk. We also examined preventive measures in the form of safety equipment and studio organization.

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  Safety of Nebulization of Allogenic Alpha-2 Macroglobulin in Horses

  Annabel J. Phipps and Pedro DePedro

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

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

  Allogenic Alpha-2 macroglobulin has shown to have anti-inflammatory properties when injected in joint and soft tissue. (Cuellar et al., 2016) The main objective of our study is to test the safety and efficacy of nebulized allogenic alpha-2 macroglobulin in horses to treat RAO.

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  Testing of Multiple Floor Isolated Model Buildings Under Earthquake Conditions

  Ryan Justice, Hunter Cook, and Tathagata Ray

  In the face of earthquakes, occupants of buildings are at risk of injury or death, even with the current gold standard i.e., base isolation for earthquake protection in place. Base isolation separates the superstructure of a building from its foundation using isolators. This allows for the building to rock back and forth independently of the foundation. This is capable of protecting the building from structural damage, but damage to nonstructural components of the building is still very common. This can lead to grave injuries or even death to occupants, especially occupants of hospitals. In the event of an earthquake1 equipment throughout a hospital is capable of rolling or sliding fast enough to break bones or to cause brain damage. The goal of our research is to investigate a new method of preventing both structural and nonstructural damage to buildings. This method is referred to as floor isolation. In addition to placing the isolators between the foundation and superstructure, they are also placed between each of the lateral load bearing elements of the building. The goal of this research is to determine if floor isolation decreases floor accelerations in model buildings.

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  The Beauty and Legacy of Black Gospel Music

  Brianna Dorsey and Eric Brown

  My objective in studying Black Gospel music was to understand the styles, history, and impact of the genre on American culture. I studied multiple different songs by composers of different backgrounds and ages so that I could understand the styles and techniques of different composers. As I listened, I also was challenged to use my ear training and part writing skills that I learned throughout my music theory and music reading classes to transcribe the music first on paper and then on Musescore. This transcription application allows for quick and easy notation as well as playback so that I could hear what I was notating. Learning the history of the music, especially the spirituals and anthems of the past, helped serve as a soundtrack to the moments that now go down in history as turning points for American culture. The information I gathered and skills I acquired are useful because I plan to work with gospel choirs and compose music within this genre after I graduate, so I needed to learn about the music and its role in history as well as continue working with the musical skills that I had learned thus far.

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  The Correlation Between Past Trauma and Future Opioid Use Disorder

  Iesha Elam and Monica Himes

  According to data collected by BMC Public Health, from a total of 211,376 across 34 states, 5 7 .8% of people have experienced at least 1 adverse childhood event (Giano et al., 2020). Trauma affects many aspects of an individual's life including emotional regulation, relationships with others, and even their sense of self (Ayers, 2020). The current study evaluated the correlation between adverse childhood experiences and the future onset of substance use disorder with a particular focus on opioid use disorder: This study used the results of self-reporting surveys completed by 44 participants to examine the possible relationship between people with opioid use disorder and experiencing a significant amount of adverse childhood experiences.

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  The Cosmic X-ray Background Nanosatellite 3: A Student Lead CubeSat Mission

  Ian Warford, Brannon Jones, and Benjamin Malphrus

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  The Cosmic X-ray Background Nanosatellite 3 (CXBN-3): Toward an Improved Understanding of Diffuse Emission Produced by High-Redshift Active Galactic Nuclei Using CubeSats

  Breno Pontes, Paul Delaney, Brannon Jones, and Thomas Pannuti

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  The Effects of BeetElite on Physical Endurance Measured Through Lactic Acid Levels

  Tobias Cook, Garrett Watts, and Wayne C. Miller

  BeetElite is a beet root extract product from the Human-n brand that has become widely popular among endurance athletes over the past few years. Dietary nitrates and nitrites are the active ingredients in the supplemental drink mix. Although there is research cited on the company's website, it is limited to one study that conducted a HIIT test on stationary bikes. To further test the company's claims on improved endurance and began proving its effectiveness with running, we created a treadmill test. Our testing is intended to supplement other testing that has been done and provide a basis for future tests to build from. This supplement can be tested over a huge array of different activities and in different populations.

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  The Mystery of Seresto Collars

  Katheryne Argueta and Smita Joshi

  Elanco Animal Health's (EAH) Seresto collars are used to protect canines and felines from common lxodids (ticks) and Siphonaptera (fleas). They work by slowly releasing the active ingredients onto the pet's skin throughout eight months. Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has revealed there have been a total of 100,000 incidents, 2,700 deaths in canines and felines, and 894 cases of harm to humans due to the use of Seresto collars. However, the link between these incidents and Seresto collars remains unclear. This literature review investigates the potential harm of Seresto collars. It compares the effects of major active ingredients, Flumethrin (a pyrethroid) and lmidacloprid (a neonicotinoid), to existing data on their potential toxicity in pets and humans. The study will analyze published research and surveys to assess if reported health effects (skin irritation, neurological problems, lethargy, seizures, death) are linked to Seresto collars or caused by counterfeit products.

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  The Practice of Screen Printing

  Olive Adams, Joel Knueven, Jacob Lee, and Elizabeth Mesa-Gaido

  Students at the Claypool Young Art Building have been eager to learn screen printing for years, but have not had the opportunity because of the absence of a permanent screen print process and class. To curb this sophomore art student, Olive Adams, who was employed as an Undergraduate Research Fellow to both learn the process of screen print and letterpress and to reinvigorate the interest in the medium. In addition, the teaching of Jacob Lee and Joel Knueven have given Olive a thorough understanding and appreciation for the medium, strengthening her range as an art student.

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  The Road to Environmental Equality: A History of Environmental Injustice

  Peyton McWilliams

  Race affects residential mobility in that whites typically can leave communities near toxic sites compared to minorities. The EPA also seemed to favor cleaning up Superfund sites near communities that are majority white. How companies site their facilities has worked against minorities.

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  TMD and Its Effects on Brass Playing

  Emily Kemper and Stacy Baker

  As a brass player, I struggle with TMJ, and it greatly affect s my playing abilities to this day. I started to experience issues with my TMJ last semester as playing my euphonium became unbearable. This lead my professor and I to dig into research; looking into the stories of others who may have also suffered from TMJ or other facial injuries that affect brass playing all while observing my own journey with TMJ.

  Throughout this study, I reviewed not only medical articles concerning TMJ, but also articles, stories, and method books from current brass players that have suffered from facial injuries or still continue to suffer. I explored methods of recovery, looking into different methods and techniques that require players to focus on their bodies and breathing, allowing them to be aware of themselves completely while playing. I also reviewed ways to relax facial muscles, such as massages, acupuncture, and stretches.

  This study is not yet complete as my journey to find symbiosis between my TMJ and brass playing continues. Trying out different methods such as the ones listed above alongside getting medical help will further the conclusions I make during my time on this project.

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  Triplett Creek Watershed: Comparison Between 2009 and 2023 Escherichia coli and Coliform Bacteria Levels

  Emily Morgan, Heavenly Mays, and Geoffrey W. Gearner

  Since 2009-2010, the Triplett Creek Watershed has continually produced samples that are inadequate for their designated uses according to the Kentucky Division of Water. The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the density of various bacteria in 14 different sample sites, specifically Escherichia coli, using both 2009 and 2023 data. This study occurred over 5 months with 6 different sampling events that took place from August to October 2023. By using and following the proper protocol for the IDEXX Quanti-Tray 2000, we were able to identify the total coliform and total E. coli (CFU/100 ml - MPN) present in each sample site. According to the standards set by KDOW, sites throughout the watershed that exceed 130 E.coli CFU/100 ml (a geometric mean of five samples collected within 30 days) and/or 240 E.coli CFU/100 ml. This data indicates that there has been a significant improvement of impairment in the Triplett Creek Watershed. This study is supported in part by the MSU Undergraduate Research Fellowship program.

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  Twelve Etudes for Aspiring College Musicians: For the Development of Music Theory and Aural Skills

  Alaina Cantrell and Julie Baker

  • AP music theory test scores show that from 2016-2023 students that have received a 3+ from year to year is between 59.5% and 68%. NASM shows that in 2020 43,981 students enrolled in music. This means 25,000 students don't take the test and may have little to no foundation in music theory and aural skills

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  Vesicle-Associated Membrane Proteins/VAMP Isoforms Orchestrate Platelet Cargo Trafficking

  Jessie Begley, Aleah Wagner, Cameron Gibson, Jack McFarland, Shayan Mohammadmoradi, Harry Chanzu, Sidney W. Whiteheart, and Smita Joshi

  Platelets are crucial to maintaining the vascular microenvironment. Upon vascular injury, they release cargo contents from their granules. These molecules, either made by platelets themselves or endocytosed from the blood, influence various processes like inflammation, immunity, and wound healing. Platelet granule release is mediated by Soluble N-ethylmaleimide Sensitive Factor Attachment Protein Receptors (SNAREs). To drive secretion, vesicle (v)-SNARE on granules and target (t)-SNARE on the plasma membrane form a SNARE complex that mediates fusion. Platelets contain Vesicle-Associated Membrane Protein (VAMP)-2, -3, -4, -5, -7, and -8.

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  Withaferin A and Alzheimer's Disease: A Review

  Donovan Justice and Smita Joshi

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

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

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  Worth its Weight in Gold: Compassion Fatigue in Kentucky Animal Shelter Workers

  Matthew Fitch, Elizabeth Perkins, and Suzanne Tallichet

  Compassion fatigue is a term that describes the physical, emotional, and psychological effect of helping others in times of need. Stressful or traumatic experiences can trigger compassion fatigue, especially after the action of giving care or treatment to something only for it to fail expectations of recovery. Compassion fatigue is often compared to burnout, however, burnout is related to occupational stress and being overworked, while compassion fatigue comes from working with victims of trauma. Animal shelter workers consistently deal with animals who need care or treatment, causing compassion fatigue to become statistically higher in these individuals.