2019 Kent State University Undergraduate Symposium on Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity
Browse the 2019 - Kent State University Undergraduate Symposium on Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Collections
Transition From Herbology to Hard Medicine04/09/2019This independent research will discuss the connection and transition from herbology to hard science and medicine. Herbology has been known to be used for over 60,000 years, predating even modern homo sapiens. In Greek mythology, the use of herbs is found in the archeological records and became the precursor for modern medicine. With the introduction of philosophy, physicians such as Hippocrates were able to explore the connection between the natural herbal world and its effects on our human body. The concept of the ‘four humors’ was determined and this furthered the exploration of the human body and how it functioned naturally. With the combination of herbology, a basic knowledge of anatomy, and the introduction of philosophy, the idea of modern medicine was able to form. I intend to go to Athens, Greece to explore in the field the environment of greek culture and history. I hope to find evidence in both Greek mythology and archeological artifacts of the transition between herbal use and the discovery of surgery and modern medicine. I plan to visit the original sanitarium of Kos, where I would be able to see first hand the original medical environment in greek culture. I will also be able to see first hand what Hippocrates was exploring while discovering the human body. I also plan to visit the National Archeological museum. Visiting this museum would give me insight into how medicine and science were depicted during ancient greek times. Finally, I hope to find some evidence of any female influence on herbology, medicine, and healing during the ancient greek times. |
Tw[Ice]04/09/2019TW-ICE, a self-supporting ice pavilion, explores the relationship between form and force. Developing a form with a sense of interiority derived from a structure abiding by the physical constraints of ice, which only acts in compression, guided the design process. The resulting cone form is one that effectively distributes the self-load of the ice shell to the base. The study explores form finding methods and an innovative construction method employed to form scalloping panels and a natural parabolic arch at the intersection to contribute to the structural integrity. The project is a second iteration of a design built for the previous competition, focusing the improvements on the shaping of the oculus, the number of intersections, and the materials chosen. A mixture of water and cellulose was sprayed on the soft framework and frozen into ice. Once the ice shell formed, the columns and ropes were removed resulting in a self-supporting shell structure. |
Understanding consumer cyber-smearing: a conceptual framework04/09/2019This article proposes a conceptual framework of cyber-smearing, referred here as consumer intentional effort waged to damage the reputation of a business using the Internet as a medium. Drawing upon equity theory (Adams, 1963) and the retributive theory of punishment (Wasserstrom, 1978), we build a conceptual model explaining how betrayed customers may turn into cyber-smearer.A number of cases involving cyber-smearing are discussed. Through this analysis, the key antecedents of cyber-smearing are identified as well. Finally, future research considerations are offered to conclude. Keywords: Unfairness; Consumer grudge; Retaliation; Cyber-smearing; Business disruption. |
Understanding the personality facets of Grit04/09/2019The Big Five personality model identifies five main supertrait facets of personality and their numerous subfacets that culminate into an explanation of an individual’s personality and expression of their behavior. Recently, Angela Duckworth, PhD has conducted studies that demonstrate an individual characteristic that ultimately determines if a person will reach, or even exceed, their goals and become successful in their life endeavors. Grit is described as the dedicated commitment to reaching long term goals. The element of Grit and its strong correlation to the subfactors of Perseverance of Effort and Consistency of Interest has shown a positive relationship in the retention of long-term goals and a clear and concise focus on a subject matter. Although the concept of grit is fairly new it has generated a number of skeptics and regarding its construct validity. The factor structure has not been replicated and its personality underpinnings have not been explored. The current study is an attempt at replication of the factor structure and identification of a nomological net of Big Five factors and personality facets . The study consists of 220 MBA students at multiple universities who took the Big Five assessment, The Workplace Big Five Profile, and the Grit scale. The findings confirm the existence of the factor structure and a number and pattern of personality facets including some not previously discussed in the literature. |
Upper and Lower-body Resistance Exercise With and Without Blood Flow Restriction on Pulse Wave Reflection04/09/2019PROBLEM: Acute upper-body RE (URE) and lower-body RE (LRE) with blood flow restriction (BFR) on pulse wave reflection is unclear. METHODS: Pulse wave reflection was assessed at rest, and during recovery at 10 (R10), 25 (R25), 40 (R40), and 55 (R55) minutes after either URE or LRE with or without BFR in twelve resistance-trained individuals. The BFR condition consisted of 4 set of 30, 15, 15, and 15 repetitions at 30% 1-repetition maximum (1RM) while the non-BFR condition consisted of 4 sets of 8 repetitions at 70% 1RM. RESULTS: There were no differences for any variable between conditions. There were significant group by time interactions for brachial systolic blood pressure (BSBP), brachial diastolic blood pressure (BDBP), aortic systolic blood pressure (ASBP), and aortic diastolic blood pressure (ADBP) such that BSBP) and ASBP were increased at R10 from LRE compared to URE and rest, with no difference from rest to R25, R40, or R55. BDBP and ADBP were elevated at R10 and R25 from LRE compared to URE and rest, and no difference at R40 or R55. There were significant group by time interactions for augmentation index (AIx) and AIx normalized to 75bpm such that they were increased at R10 from URE compared to LRE and rest, and were fully recovered by R25. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that LRE significantly elevated blood pressure more so than URE, and that URE significantly increased pulse wave reflection more than LRE, regardless of whether they were completed with or without BFR. |
Use Of Fluorogold To Image Mice Neuroendocrine Circuits04/09/2019The purpose of this study was to utilize Fluorogold, a retrograde tracer, to label neuroendocrine cells in mice brains and generate digital reconstructions to map these circuits. This method labels neuroendocrine cells with axon terminals that extend beyond the blood-brain barrier following a intraperitoneal injection of 0.15μL Fluorogold/g of mouse. The efficacy of Fluorogold was tested by injecting a 10% solution into mice, sacrificing them and removing the brains for analysis via confocal microscopy as well as a dehydration and clearing procedure using optical projection tomography. Results show that Fluorogold labels neurons in centralized regions of the hypothalamus including the paraventricular nucleus, the median eminence and other regions. This is an important study because the data will be used as a baseline to investigate and compare blood-brain barrier and neuroendocrine dysfunction in an animal model of demyelination. Data will be used to understand mechanisms and to identify potential therapeutic treatments of Multiple Sclerosis pathology since MS can be associated with neurodegeneration and demyelination of axons found in these regions. |
Using Implicit Learning Techniques to Improve Young Students Number Sense04/09/2019Current educational practices tasked with improving students’ math performance rely heavily on declarative learning techniques, which place a burden on students’ working memory. This working memory burden can be especially harmful for students with math anxiety. Implicit learning procedures could provide an alternative and effective mathematics intervention. Prior research has identified relative symbolic magnitude (i.e., one’s ability to accurately place numbers on a number-line) as a promising area for intervention, because it is both malleable and necessary for successful understanding of abstract mathematics. In the current study, we recruited second grade students to the experimental classroom in the university’s center for educational technology. Students were administered a pre-test which tested their existing number line estimation abilities. They were then randomly assigned to either the declarative learning group or the implicit learning group and given four training sessions, the last of which was followed by a post-test. Our results suggest that students in the implicit learning group did significantly better on the post-test than those in the declarative training group, even though the groups had equivalent performance on the pre-test. Although both groups were more accurate when estimating smaller numbers on the post-test, the implicit learning group was more accurate than the declarative learning group for all segments of the post-test number-line. The results provide evidence that the implicit number-line training was more effective at helping students develop an accurate representation of symbolic magnitude. Our results also provide exploratory evidence for the role of math anxiety as a moderator. |
Using sequential extractions to measure potentially bioavailable phosphate in soil systems with poorly crystalline iron oxides04/09/2019Rising global temperatures are affecting Earth’s hydrologic cycle, which will in turn influence biogeochemical cycles. In some areas where soil systems are flooded due to melting of ice or increased precipitation, fluctuating water tables can create variable redox conditions. Poorly crystalline iron-oxides formed in these fluctuating conditions may have more potential to adsorb phosphate ions compared to more crystalline iron oxides that exist in drier soils. When phosphate, an essential nutrient for plants, bonds to iron oxides, it is no longer bioavailable. This theoretical decrease in bioavailable phosphate due to the presence of poorly crystalline iron oxides could affect vegetation growth in areas with fluctuating redox conditions. To test the impacts of iron oxide crystallinity on phosphate bioavailability, mesh bags containing peat, sand, and iron-oxides (poorly crystalline or crystalline), with or without added phosphorus, were buried in vernal pond soils experiencing fluctuating redox conditions over four months. To measure changes in bioavailable phosphate during incubation, we extracted water-soluble (potentially bioavailable) and dithionite-extractable (iron oxide bound) phosphate from initial and incubated oxides. Colorimetric assays and UV-Visible Light Spectroscopy were used to measure the concentrations of extractable phosphate in the soil. Results will show the degree to which different iron-oxides influence phosphorus bioavailability. This same extraction procedure will be used on soils from similar redox environments in the Alaskan arctic for comparison. This research will allow us to describe the effects of rising global temperature on soil and biological systems, and their interactions. |
Veteran Memory:The Experiences of US Army Soldiers in Vietnam and the Role of Individual Memory.04/09/2019Veteran Memorytakes an in depth look at the experiences of US Army Veterans who served in the Vietnam War. This project is a two-part project that aims to answer two questions. The first questions how soldiers felt about what they went through in combat, and how those thoughts differed between volunteers and draftees. The second questions how the use of memoirs enhances the understanding of feelings and experiences of historical events. This research focuses solely on US Army Veterans, both volunteers and victims of the draft. Only memoirs are used to conduct this research. Past scholarship only uses interviews and questionnaires to gain insight on experiences, this is the first project where memoirs have been focused on. Major trends found throughout these memoirs is that the volunteers took more pride in what they did and how they dealt with being in the war due to the luxury of job selection. Draftees were forced into infantry, regardless of education or prior technical skills. This was very demoralizing, and these feelings were observed in every memoir, volunteer and draftee. It is also very evident that the memoirs offer a point of view that was developed with deeper thought and reflection. Interviews are scripted, selective, and add pressure to those being interviewed. Memoirs are uncontested and honest reflections of experiences, offering an enhanced view on the Vietnam War and the experiences of combat. |
Viaene Racing04/09/2019Motocross, a type of motorcycle racing, is one of the most dangerous and extreme sports. Riders race dirt bikes, which are built for speed and all types of terrain. The sport is dominated by men, but the women who race are just as talented. There is a significant difference in the amount of gear sold for women riders, encouraging women to wear men’s gear. Men’s gear fits the women’s body poorly, taking away from the amount of protection the gear is made to provide. One is required to wear clothing with complete coverage to protect the body; gear should allow the body to breathe to prevent from over-heating, yet protecting the body from burns and crashes. I placed various textiles strategically on the body to protect the rider in differing locations. Riders often burn their right leg on the exhaust pipe due to its extreme heat. Therefore, it is indispensable for the lower inside of the pant leg to be made of fire retardant fabric. I also placed a non-slip fabric on the inseam and rear end in order to keep the rider securely on their seat. To combat mud and water seeping into the gear, I used moisture wicking fabric throughout the pant. I found that spacer material, a breathable textile, is perfect for padding in the knees due to its shock absorption. Additionally, I experimented with alternative seamlines which allows easy movement. Through the placement of these materials and alternative seamlines, the pants are comfortable, protective, and fashionable. |