Open Access Kent State (OAKS)

Creativity is a sub-field of cognitive psychology with a long history of empirical study. Some of the results of these investigations are at odds with popularly held beliefs about creativity, especially in the general population. This study was designed to gather information about the types of misconceptions people generally endorse, the rates at which misconceptions are held, and to determine if certain demographic or personality variables are related to knowledge of creativity.

We used a short survey to examine this topic. We collected demographic and personality information, and also asked participants to rate their own creativity. In addition, we asked participants an open-ended question—to provide their own definition of creativity. We then asked participants to rate a series of statements regarding creativity as true or false.

This research is ongoing, but we expect to see several misconceptions frequently marked as true, and will provide breakdowns of these results by age, gender, personality, and major.

Creating an environmentally responsible application for dredge material is a needed step toward a sustainable future. In order to combat potential sustainability issues in Lake Erie caused by large quantities of dredged material from the Cuyahoga River and Harbor of Cleveland, lightweight aggregates have been successfully manufactured in the lab and implemented in green roof soil. This research analyzes the cost of transportation, electricity, and labor in manufacturing the lightweight aggregates in the lab, and further investigates alternative production methods. The transportation analysis uses statistics from personal and commercial vehicles as well as from the US Departments of Energy and Labor Statistics to compare the total cost of raw material transportation methods. Furthermore, it looks into the cost and benefits of outsourcing transportation. The electrical cost analysis uses data from various electrical providers and equipment manufacturers to estimate current costs and potential savings though alternative production methods. The analysis of labor costs references personal experience during the study. It reveals that labor is responsible for 95% of production costs. Labor costs can be reduced with the introduction of specialized equipment, creating savings that negate the increased costs found in electrical analysis. Ultimately, the final product is most efficiently fabricated with factory mass production, but can be substantially improved by replacing labor with small scale specialized equipment.

Controls on Wetland Suspended Sediment Concentrations, West Creek Reservation Parma, OH

Authors: Cody Unferdorfer, Anne Jefferson (primary advisor, Department of Geology, College of Arts and Sciences), Lauren Kinsman-Costello (co-advisor, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences), Hayley Buzulencia (co-advisor, Department of Geology, College of Arts and Sciences), Laura Sugano (co-advisor, Department of Geology, College of Arts and Sciences)

Abstract

Wetlands are able to contain suspended sediment in water events and the suspended sediment impacts the organisms and nutrient cycling, and with time excess of the sediment can overtake an ecosystem and destroy it. Total suspended solids (TSS) are a measurement that shows the concentration of sediment within the water column of a stream, lake, or wetland. The TSS will provide valuable data on what is happening during and after storm events. The goal of my project is to determine whether and why suspended sediment concentrations in a wetland’s outflow vary with discharge and water source.

The samples for this study will be from a wetland in Cleveland Metropark’s West Creek Reservation in Parma, which serves as an excellent site because of its suspended sediment fluctuations, rapid response to storm events, and multiple sources of water. Suspended sediment is measured by collecting a water sample, filtering it, and weighing out the dry and clean vs the dirty and dry. Discharge is measured with an area-velocity meter at a culvert leading out of the wetland. Isotopes are used to show the differences in water sources from one storm to another. The isotopes are determined by testing water samples using a Picarro water isotope analyzer, which measures the relative concentrations of heavy and light isotopes of the oxygen and hydrogen atoms in the water molecule. The stable isotopes will show changes within and between storm events that should correspond to differences in water source.

During storm events, as the discharge increases with overland flow from the land fill, the turbidity increases in the wetland, which also increases the TSS concentration. The isotope data collected from these samples can show the rise and falls before, during, and after the storm. A preliminary conclusion to this study is that suspended sediment concentrations vary with discharge.

Problem: Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLA-BSI) are one of the most common infections found within the hospital setting. Once acquired, the estimated cost to treat a CLA-BSI can range anywhere from $5,734-$22,939 in healthcare costs (CDC, 2011). Much of the research found today indicates a need for education especially among nursing students to help reduce the incidence of infection.

Method: Search strategies for this literature review included the use of the databases CINHAL, AHRQ, Cochrane Library and MEDLine with key points encompassing Central Venous Catheter (CVC) care, CLA-BSI prevention, appropriate teaching techniques, and evidence-based practice. Any information prior to 2007 was excluded to obtain the most recent evidence based practice. Over twenty studies were included with a majority being peer reviewed. Major trends noted within the research included reduced incidence of CLA-BSIs with an implemented educational program.

Results: This evidence based literature review focuses primarily on the need for education of nursing students and other healthcare professionals to highlight the importance of incorporating interdisciplinary care, awareness of up to date evidence-based practice and hygiene techniques. Recommendations for further practice and education would incorporate greater emphasis on current Central Venous Line (CVL) protocol, didactic teaching, practical workshops, simulations, video skill demonstrations, and accountability with the use of a checklist system. Future research should be directed towards the effectiveness using technology and accountability of the interdisciplinary team in education programs.

While the philosophy of Immanuel Kant is not usually analyzed in conjunction with the theory of architecture, there is a strong possibility Richard Neutra was consciously aware of Kant’s philosophy and might have utilized Kant’s ideas in his architectural design. This thesis reveals that the ideas of Richard Neutra can be considered practical applications of Kantian ideas.

The application and understanding of philosophy in the context of architecture is very fascinating. By analyzing Richard Neutra in the context of Immanuel Kant, this opens up an instance of what true architectural philosophy could look like.

This thesis examines primary sources by Immanuel Kant and Richard Neutra. Secondary sources from authors such as David Leatherbarrow, Dietrich Neumann, and Tomas Hines are taken into consideration when interpreting historical events, built projects, and various theoretical ideas by Neutra. Other writings about Immanuel Kant and architecture are briefly mentioned as well. Looking at these secondary sources affirm the relevance and originality of this topic. In addition sources, primary and secondary, concerning Neutra’s connections with other figures such as Adolf Loos are taken into consideration to look for alternative ways in which Neutra could have been exposed to Kant.

In this thesis a historical connection between Neutra and Kant is established and an even stronger connection between their ideas is explored. The thesis systematically covers the main topics of sensation, perception, and judgment revealing many intricate ways in which Neutra agrees with and uses Kantian ideas.

Upward Bound is a TRIO program with the Department of Education. They have a location in the Schwartz Center on the Kent campus. Upward Bound is designed to support high school students throughout high school and into college. They provide a support system as well as tutoring during the school year. There are three divisions of Upward Bound; Classic, Public Health, and Math/Science. The distinction here is important since each division caters to different schools. The research done is based solely on the Classic division of Upward Bound. The classic division is also the largest of the three Upward Bound programs. Hence the data collected from this division will be plentiful and result in more accurate results. So just how effective is this program? By going back ten-years and collecting the GPAs of students who maintained attendance all four years of high school we can get a glimpse of how efficient Upward Bound is for students. Excluding the students who did not attend the program the four consecutive years will eliminate potential outliers in the data. Looking at whether or not students proceeded to college upon graduation is just as relevant since this is a pre-college program. Over the course of a semester the data collected was sorted and analyzed. In future semesters, this data will be reanalyzed and approached using new parameters.

The purpose of this study is to explore the internal and external supports for college and career readiness among students from Painesville City Local School District (PCLSD). PCLSD is the second largest district with English Language Learners (ELLs) with a four-year graduation rate of 60.5%, which is lower than the state of Ohio average of 81.3%. With a predominantly Latino student population, there is a need for culturally sensitive interventions that explore the barriers and challenges in persevering on to higher education for these students. The evidenced-based career development interventions to increase graduation rates and engage students in learning about their futures by completing career development assessments will be implemented with approximately 1,420 middle and high school students from PCLSD during the academic year 2015-2016. Previous research identifies socioeconomic status, cultural and family values, and school environment as significant factors in determining if Latino students graduate from high school and go on to college. We intend to extend previous research by including a geographic location with fewer resources devoted to the development of Latino students in comparison to majority minority states such as Texas or California. To our knowledge, there have not been any targeted interventions to address college and career readiness implemented in PCLSD to aid Latino students who are also at the 98% poverty level.

Hypothesis: The brain serotonin (5-HT) system is known to play a key role in regulating critical processes such as circadian clock timing, motivation, reward response and sleep. 5-HT knockout (SKO) mouse models have previously been used to understand 5-HT actions, but such global 5-HT depletion has profound non-targeted neurophysiological and developmental consequences. Therefore, conditional SKOs are needed. Here, we performed preliminary behavioral phenotyping in a conditional 5-HT knock down model where 5-HT synthesis blockade was targeted specifically to the midbrain raphe nuclear complex (site of hypothalamic serotonergic innervation) in adult mice.

Methods: Male Tph2-floxed mice were injected with AAV-Cre (experimental/ Tph2-/-) or blank AAV (control/ Tph2+/+) into the dorsal and median raphe nucleus (DRN and MRN). Animals were given 1wk to recover prior to experimentation. Behavior was monitored for a 2 wk post-injection period, during which circadian parameters (period [tau] nocturnal activity length [alpha] and daily activity bouts) were measured using overhead infrared motion detectors interfaced with a computerized data acquisition system.

Results and Conclusions: There was no difference in tau between Tph2-/- and Tph2+/+ (p < 0.05). Notably, there was a large difference in alpha, with Tph2-/- mice having longer alpha (p).

Keywords: serotonin, thp2, 5-ht, circadian, biological rhythms, raphe nucleus, dorsal raphe nucleus, median raphe nucleus, AAV-Cre, knockout mouse

Intracellular potassium is a critical element to many vital cell processes. Thus, the ability to accurately measure intracellular concentration of K⁺ is essential. Because the behavior of intracellular fluorescent probes is different from those in a buffer, they have to be calibrated in situ. The standard approach to calibrate intracellular ion probes is based on the use of ionophores with the idea to equalize the intra- and extracellular concentrations. However, such equalization can only be achieved when the membrane potential y is zero. Complete cell depolarization requires cell treatment with metabolic poisons; because of their toxicity, such treatments are not universally used, in which case the results may be affected by residual y.

Therefore, we set out to develop a different method based on fluorescence widefield and confocal microscopy. Instead of trying to depolarize cells, we measure their actual y and use this information to calculate intracellular [K⁺]. That enables us to construct complete calibration curves (the relationship between fluorescent signal and intracellular K⁺).

At this point we have worked out the main experimental steps. We apply mitochondrial uncoupler CCCP to obtain the redistribution of the potentiometric dye TMRE between the cytosol and the environment to findy, valinomycin to increase K⁺ permeability in the presence of buffers with varying [K⁺] and ratiometric K-sensitive probe PBFI.

Successful development of this method will open new possibilities in cell research. We intend to use it to clarify the role of K⁺ in apoptosis. The method can be also extended to other intracellular ions, such as calcium.

Caffeine and its derivatives have been used, alone and in combination with other phytochemicals, as weight-loss supplements. Caffeine impacts several physiological and behavioral aspects of energy balance. Here, we investigate the potential for caffeine to enhance non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) even when activity level is held constant. To do this, muscle thermogenesis and energy expenditure (EE) were measured in rats during treadmill walking regimens, with and without caffeine (25 mg/kg, i.p.). Muscle heat dissipation was significantly increased by caffeine only at the end of the 25-min treadmill test. Activity-related EE, on the other hand, was significantly increased throughout the treadmill walking protocol. This study demonstrates that caffeine increases the calories used during physical activity even in the absence of altered physical activity, implicating decreased muscle work efficiency (fuel economy of activity).

Latest advances in genotyping technologies, including data from numerous genome-wide association studies, resulted in large quantities of human genomic data available for analysis of complex phenotypes. During the last decade search for the genetic factor underlying exercise performance-related phenotypes led to identification of multiple genetic candidates (Bray, Hagberg et al. 2009). However, because performance phenotype is a complex multifactorial trait, our understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying exercise performance is still limited. In this study we will examine distribution of SNPs from a set of genes that belong to the same genomic pathways as known candidate genes implicated in exercise phenotypes. The purpose of this study is to identify a subset of genes with the highest density of nonsynonymous and/or splice junction SNPs that will serve as the most likely gene candidates for future exome study linking genetic polymorphisms with endurance exercise.

Significance: The African-American community of Ohio faces many socioeconomic disparities, impeding upon social mobility. Community organizing is a solution that combats various societal issues. Current literature states that the best method for involving marginalized or oppressed groups is to have them lead their own movements. Literature relating to African-American organizing believes cultural empowerment is a key factor for mobilization. This study examines the best practices of community organizing for the African-American population in Northeast Ohio. The focus is on enrollment, engagement, tactics, internal, and external factors used to gain wins for communities.

Method: This study uses both primary and secondary research. This includes the researcher’s active participation at organizer training. The study includes an interview sample of community organizers from the local cities of Akron, Cleveland, and Warren. The interviews uncover how and why the respective organizations gained membership, revealed effective organizing tactics, and made accomplishments through their organizations.

Results: Two active participant observations were conducted. The number of attendees were 20 and 110 respectively. The researcher compiled notes regarding the participants’ motives and had conversations with both organizers and prospective organizers. Three formal interviews were conducted, where interviewees were asked questions about enrollment, engagement, tactics, internal, and external factors. While the researcher aims to interview seventeen more organizers, there has been themes from both the observations and interviews aligning with the conclusions from the literature.

The problem our group sought to solve was encouraging high school and college students to read and understand Shakespeare outside of class. Very often Shakespeare is considered boring, intimidating and hard to understand, and our team wanted to create a fun alternative to learning Shakespeare’s works that would make it both enjoyable and educational.

We used multiple approaches when conducting research for this problem. We surveyed 60+ high school students about their learning habits and overall attitude towards Shakespeare. We also conducted competitor analyses with other Shakespeare apps on the market to compare what methods they used to enhance comprehension. We researched statistics pertinent to Shakespeare and classroom learning, and studied the works of Shakespeare.

The results of our findings were critical. We found that the words our surveyed students associate the most with Shakespeare are “confusing,” “boring” and “difficult”. Our students’ favorite aspects of Shakespeare are the humor, time period, and the text’s relation to present day, and 89% of students do not read Shakespeare outside of class. We also found that watching videos, acting out scenes and getting modern day translations for the text are the three best ways to help students understand Shakespeare.

Overall, our app tackles every aspect of Shakespeare so it can help students learn and comprehend the text in many different ways, based on how they learn best. It also brings in a game element that encourages students to connect through the app, challenge each other, and earn points to buy in-game accessories.

The work investigates methods for automatically recovering design-level Unified Modeling Language (UML) class diagrams from C++ source code. The ultimate goal is to support developers in better understanding the design of existing large scale software systems.

A set of mappings is proposed to identify various UML elements in terms of relationship types, multiplicities and aggregation semantics. The mappings used are based off of domain knowledge of the C++ language and common programming conventions and idioms. Additional analysis is conducted on these elements to detect design-level attributes of UML classes.

The result is a UML class model that reflects the actual design elements of an existing software system. This is critical for software developers because as software systems evolve and change over time the original design documentation becomes outdated and not reflective of the actual system. The output format of the class diagram is in yUML. This format is useful because it can be easily translated into a visual diagram. The srcML infrastructure supports the source code analysis and exploration needs. GraphVis is used to render the visual presentation of the resultant diagram. The results of this work will be compared to other reverse engineering tools.

Compared to other reverse engineering approaches this approach has the advantage of being very efficient and highly scalable. This is due in large part because of the underlying infrastructure, namely srcML. This allows for the approach to be seamlessly integrated into a developer’s work environment to better support the construction and maintenance of large scale, high quality software.

Familism is a core Latino value hypothesized to influence behavior and adjustment across multiple domains among adolescents. Various operationalizations of familism exist and measures of attitudinal familism have been confounded with the quality of family relations. In addition, the association between attitudinal familism and psychological distress among adolescent Latina mothers has not been previously studied. The goals of the current study were to test the validity of a relatively new measure of attitudinal familism among Latina adolescent mothers, and examine its relations to parenting orientation and psychological distress.

170 adolescent Latina mothers were recruited from a large, midwestern city. Mothers’ mean age was 19.50 years (SD= 1.35). Mothers completed self-reports of attitudinal familism (Lugo & Contreras, 2003); acculturation (Cortes et al, 1994); parenting orientation (Mylod et al., 1997); psychological distress (depression & anxiety SCL-90R); parenting competence (PSI, Abidin, 1990); economic strain (Pearlin et al., 1981); and life stress (Sarason et al., 1979).

Mothers with greater familistic beliefs were found to consider having children and parenting of higher importance in their lives (ΔR² = .04, p = .002), after controlling for perceptions of parenting competence and Latino cultural orientation. Mothers’ familistic beliefs were not significantly associated with psychological distress, after controlling for maternal age, life event stress, and economic strain. Thus, greater attitudinal familism is associated with a more positive orientation toward parenting, but not with lower psychological distress.

Methylphenidate (MPD), commonly known as Ritalin, is considered the gold standard in treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), but there is still a lack of knowledge regarding the effect of early exposure to MPD on adult brain structure and function (Grund et al., 2006). Serial pattern learning is a behavioral task that depends on multiple learning and cognitive systems. Rowan et al. (2015) found in a previous study with male rats that adolescent exposure to MPD caused cognitive impairments in serial pattern learning in adulthood long after MPD exposure ended. However, no study has yet examined sex differences in the effects of early exposure to MPD on adult cognitive capacity. In this study, 12 male and 12 female rats received the same exposures via intraperitoneal injections as in the Rowan et al. (2015) study, namely, 20.0 mg/kg/day MPD, and an equal number of male and female control rats received vehicle for 5 days/week for 7 weeks. MPD-exposed and control rats learned to perform the same 24-element serial pattern used by Rowan et al. (2015), but the rats differed in that they were from different breeding stock and they experienced twice as many serial patterns per day in training. A significant sex difference was observed for one measure of serial pattern learning. However, we did not observe any effects of adolescent MPD for either sex in this paradigm. Our results suggest that differences in rat strain or training procedures may affect the ability to measure adolescent MPD-induced impairments of adult cognition.

An Examination of Self-Control and the Family Structure

By:

Melissa Sue Bleininger

Faculty Mentor:

Adrian Jones, Ph.D.

Department of Sociology

Kent State University at Tuscarawas

Gottfredson and Hirschi are the leading authorities concerning a major criminological theory called the general theory of crime. The main theoretical assumption and finding is that self-control is related to criminal behavior (Gottfredson and Hirschi 1990). According to Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990), parental attachment is the greatest influence on the development of self-control. Due to the belief that more factors are important for self-control than parental attachment, many researchers have examined other influences (e.g., Pratt and Cullen 2000) Additional factors in my research include family structure, frequency of religious practice, participation in hobbies, and sports participation. I hypothesize that these factors have a significant influence on self-control development, in addition to parental attachment. I used The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (ADD Health) to analyze bivariate correlations, independent-samples t-tests, and regressions. My results supported Gottfredson and Hirschi’s (1990) finding that parental attachment is the greatest influence on self-control. However, I discovered other influences such as religious practices and participation in hobbies and sports are positively related to self-control. Additionally, I discovered that family structure is related to self-control, albeit a smaller influence than parental attachment. While my research supported Gottfredson and Hirschi’s theory, more work needs done to fully understand the development of self-control. In the future, researchers should examine other variables to see what additional factors are related to self-con

Coding theory has developed alongside the use of communication. When communicating across a channel, it is inevitable that such pathways of communication be “noisy”. The absence of noise is virtually impossible to attain, thus there is always some sort of interference across the communication channel. This results in messages not always being received as they were originally sent. In order to solve these problems, coding theory developed. It is used both to detect and correct errors in a variety of codes. Coding theory has grown into a discipline affecting all sorts of areas including but not limited to computer science, mathematics, and engineering. The codes can be used for data compression (or source coding), error correction (or channel coding), cryptography and even network coding. Primarily in error correction do we find codes which we are able to transmit quickly, contain many codewords, and also can correct or detect many errors. Within this discipline, a concentration on algebraic coding theory lies with linear codes. There are a variety of different codes discovered within this set of linear codes, including cyclic and constacyclic codes. In this poster presentation, we will discuss the history of coding theory, going in depth with cyclic and constacyclic codes, as well as discussing the many applications and current problems being resolved using algebraic coding theory.

Research has shown that children who have lost a sibling need continuous support and grief therapy in order to reduce the likelihood of negative mental health outcomes. The results from past research specifically focus on grief, and largely neglect other sequela (i.e. depression and PTSD), in children from the loss of a loved one. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to investigate whether receiving mental health treatment after a sibling death predicted sibling depression, post-traumatic stress, or grief symptoms in children and young adults ages 7-22. Results showed that the proposed model represented the data well, c² (3) = 9.273, p<.05. Individuals that received mental health treatment were less likely to have symptoms of grief compared to those that did not receive mental health treatment after a sibling death (B= .18, p=.01). The odds of receiving mental health treatment increased by a factor of 1.18 (18%) with every one-point increase in grief symptoms. Post-traumatic stress and depression symptoms were not significantly associated with receiving mental health treatment. Results indicate that mental health services after the death of a sibling should be broader to reduce symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress along with grief symptoms. Broadening the practices of mental health treatments could reduce the depression and post-traumatic stress symptoms that bereaved children experience.

PROBLEM: An acute bout of resistance exercise may have a negative effect on vascular function. METHODS: Ten young, healthy, resistance-trained individuals (8 males, 2 females; aged 23±3 yrs) volunteered. One-repetition maximum (1RM) was assessed on the squat (144±32kg), bench press (109±33kg), and deadlift (160±40kg). Forearm blood flow (FBF) was assessed by strain gauge plethysmography at rest and followed by 5 minutes of circulatory occlusion (220 mmHg) to induce reactive hyperemia (RH) and to measure vasodilatory capacity before and 25 minutes after an acute bout of resistance exercise. Each participant also completed a quiet control session of the same duration. Area under the curve for FBF-RH was also utilized to determine differences in blood flow. Data were analyzed by an ANOVA to examine the effects of condition (acute resistance exercise, control) by time (rest, recovery). RESULTS: Resting FBF (4.2±1.5 2ml//min/100ml) and vasodilatory capacity (20.4±13.62 ml//min/100ml) were similar at rest between conditions. There was a significant interaction for FBF after the free-weight resistance exercises (10.9±6.2 ml//min/100ml, p≤0.05) as well as for vasodilatory capacity (32.7±23. 2 ml//min/100ml, p≤0.001) such that they were different during rest and recovery from the control (Control: FBF: 3.9±1.6 ml//min/100ml; vasodilatory capacity: 20.4±12.3 ml//min/100ml, p>0.05). Area under the curve for FBF-RH significantly (p≤0.05) increased after the acute bout of free-weight resistance exercises by 128% and did not change after the control (5.6%). CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate that free-weight resistance exercises significantly alter microvascular endothelial function in young, healthy resistance-trained individuals.

Prior research suggests that neighborhood context contributes to an individual’s access to healthcare. This study expands upon prior research by exploring associations between perceived neighborhood quality and healthcare access and utilization, particularly during midlife. Midlife is an essential time to consider healthcare utilization as midlife is when adults experience the health consequences of poor health behaviors and chronic conditions emerge. Based on prior studies, I hypothesize that those who perceive their neighborhood more favorably will also report greater access to healthcare and greater healthcare utilization. Data are from the second wave of the Midlife in United States Survey (MIDUS II). Respondents include 7,105 men and women between the ages of 34 and 84 (Mage =56). Participants responded to four items related to perceived neighborhood quality such as “can call a neighbor for help if needed” using a 4-point scale ranging from 1 (a lot) to 4(not at all). Participants also responded yes or no to a series of items about healthcare access and utilization including items such as “Was there a time in the past 12 months when you needed healthcare but could not get it?” Lastly, participants provided demographic information. All analyses will control for demographics including gender, education, and availability of health insurance. To test the hypothesis, I will examine the associations between perceived neighborhood quality and healthcare utilization and access in the whole sample as well as specifically for those in midlife (40-60 years). Findings may inform various areas about the need to increase access to healthcare.

Regarding metacognitive research, ease of processing and beliefs are two factors (implicit and explicit processes, respectively) that influence human judgement. Due to prior research that looks at ease of processing being used to make judgements without the presence of consistent explicit beliefs, our research investigates these factors in the context of voting judgements to see whether ease of processing on voting judgements would be moderated by participants’ beliefs. Across two experiments, we presented participants with 40 surnames that varied in norms of pronounceability (i.e., low = Koztecki or high = Hammonds) as a manipulation for ease of processing. Participants were then divided into two groups, one in which political party information was not provided (all names were colored black) and another in which such information was provided (i.e., red names = republican or blue names = democrat). Participants would then make judgements on how likely they were to vote for a candidate on a scale of 0% to 100%, and end the experiment with indicating their party affiliation (a political belief). Results from both studies showed ease of processing and beliefs each affect voting decisions in this particular context. The challenge for future research in reaction to this investigation would be to further delineate these two factors, because beliefs did not moderate the influence of ease of processing, indicating that pronounceability as a manipulation of implicit ease of processing has a unique effect on voting decisions.

Fashion has historically reflected culture and society, but the modern day structure has failed to respond to its responsibilities, opportunities, and larger societal needs. Instead of shaping society positively and progressing effectively, the industry is thrashing to meet impossible demands. Thoughtless consumption has set a standard where consumers have all the choices in the world with none of the consequences, and where quality and integrity have been replaced by an insatiable need to sell. Instead, those consequences fall on the environment and human infrastructures desperately trying to support themselves and the industry. In my senior design collection, I decided to approach the problem through storytelling, in hopes of promoting a more conscious style of consumption. My inspiration came from my own storytelling idol, Bob Dylan, who wove together past experiences, elaborate characters, and social messages to write music that would transform the twentieth century. By using reclaimed materials, natural dyes, knitting, and historical repair techniques, I’ve made clothing that tells stories of material and emotional pasts. My creative research was accompanied by an independent study on sustainability and consumption, where my literature choices and case studies informed my design choices. The result is a collection designed to be loved and lived in, backed with research and industry experience. My collection has been chosen by the Fashion School to be shown in Beijing at China Fashion Week in late March, where I hope to increase awareness on an international scale.

Problem: There is a lack of information available on organ donation that is relevant to nursing students. The focus of this evidence-based literature review is to identify areas of insufficient knowledge related to organ donation in nursing schools.

Method: The literature review was conducted utilizing electronic databases (i.e., CINHAL, PubMed, MedLink, AHRQ, Cochran Database of Systematic Reviews, QSEN, and OhioLINK). A combination of the following keywords were searched: (a) organ donation, (b) transplant outcomes, (c) adults, (d) pediatrics, (e) adolescents, (f) evidence-based practice, (g) family, (h) ethics, (i) nursing, (j) education, and (k) high school. Articles containing these keywords were excluded if they were published before 2010, unless it was a sentinel article. Articles were suitable for inclusion regardless of language or nationality of origin.

Results of literature search: Thirty articles were included, the majority being peer reviewed. In this review, an abundance of information existed regarding general information on organ donation for post-licensure nurses (i.e., continued education and best practice policies). However, the same is not true for pre-licensure programs (i.e., nursing schools). Considering this deficiency, the need for the student nurse education is apparent.

Our earth is dying at a rapid rate, and if we do not recognize the need for change, we will no longer have a planet worth inhabiting. The global footwear industry is a massive producer of products and waste. Consumers only require a few pairs of shoes to satisfy needs, however, actual consumption is much greater. For example, in the United States, an average of seven pairs of shoes are purchased per person per year (Clean Clothes Campaign, 2015). Numerous industry data sets and scholarly articles encourage recycling and sustainable post production programs, but there is a need for information regarding pre-consumption operations, presented in an organized and actionable context.

This research provides useful information which a manufacturer, designer, or global organization may utilize to understand and prevent continued proliferation of natural resources in the footwear industry. By way of scholarly research, interviews with eco-fashion organizations, and associations within the fashion community; tangible evidence was gathered providing context for the need for recycling and sustainable programs, and the options currently available. This study showcases how organizations can learn and transform into eco-conscious partners, with resources identified to empower the global footwear industry. It presents the steps required to navigate beginning-of-life implications of shoe production, through promotion of proper upfront recycling and sustainable business practices. This research concludes with resource options and a model for footwear organizations to utilize while evaluating the best approaches to create their own cause for action - one shoe at a time.

I will discuss the effectiveness of United States bilateral development aid given to Benin and Liberia and its impact on economic development. Although the U.S. has given aid to Benin and Liberia, the assistance hasn’t improved the economic development of neither recipient country.

Benin and Liberia are two West African countries considered to be low income nations with different internal conditions. Benin is a stable democracy with great relations with the United States that remains underdeveloped. In contrast, Liberia has faced different tribulations with inconsistent bilateral relations with the United States due to different ideological alignments.

In my study, I utilize a variety of economic factors and perspectives on historical relations between the United States and the nations of Benin and Liberia. The economic factors are Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Gross National Income (GNI), GDP per capita, GNI per capita and the Human Development Index. I examined the allocations of bilateral economic development aid to both countries. To look at possible shifts in data, I look for possible historical conjunctions. Both countries have improved; however the spending of each country is greater than the income of either country.

The GDP, GNI, GDP per capita and GNI per capita increased over the 16 year period. There were decreases in data from 2002-2003 for each of these categories for Liberia. Benin saw decreases in 2008-2010 per category. Both countries have maintained low development statuses overall. Although foreign aid can be advantageous, the development of a country relies primarily on the recipient state.

SHE tells the story of three women who are struggling to overcome the obstacles they have faced in a male dominated society. The piece starts with the dancers wearing long, black skirts, which represent the shame they have experienced. As the dance progresses, they remove the restrictive skirts as a metaphor for a new beginning, a newfound freedom. However, because of years of oppression, they continue to struggle to fully realize their self worth and their potential as strong and compassionate individuals. Although there will be obstacles to face, by recognizing their own gifts and abilities as well as their strength as a community, they are able to begin the journey to

liberation and equality.