Student Creative Arts and Research Symposium | 2022
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/11274/13651
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Item Activated Caspase 3 Analysis in Traumatic Brain Injury Cerebral Organoids(2022) Romo Mercado, Nohemi; Lybrand, ZaneTBIs stands for traumatic brain injury which causes permanent loss of neural tissue. This experiment focused on pressure caused TBI and its resulting pathology. Cerebral organoids are in-vitro 3- dimensional stem cell cultures that display cerebral cortical regions similar to a developing human brain. Cerebral organoids were used because they potentially offer a more humanistic model of organization. The cerebral organoids were grown using the Pasca protocol and then to model a pressure induced TBI, the organoids are loaded into a tabletop blast chamber. The sections were stained using immunohistochemistry for activated caspase 3, which is an apoptosis marker to determine if the organoids reacted the same as a human brain would. In the cerebral organoids the frequency of the blast and the amount of cell death have a positive correlation. Thus, the dose response to different frequencies gives a threshold of cell death like that of a human blast TBI. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Zane Lybrand)Item Activism and Mental Health: A Social Work Perspective(2022) Tipsword, Rachel; Rosa-Dávila, EmarelyWhile the connection between activism and mental health has been thoroughly researched, little consensus has been reached as to whether the end results are positive or negative. This data-analysis aims to combine previous research on the topic of activism and mental health with the core principals of social work. With this insight, social workers can provide more effective assistance to affected populations. To accomplish this task, I selected the research dated from 2011 to the 2021. and conceptual articles specifically on queer activists and activists of color and the related mental health topics of anxiety and depression. Despite social justice being a core value of the social work profession, little research has been done on this topic through the social work lens. This data- analysis aims to combine previous research on the topic of activism and mental health with the core principals of social work. With this insight, social workers can provide more effective assistance to affected populations. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Emarely Rosa-Davila)Item Adolescence, Homosexuality, and Futility in Willa Cather’s “Paul’s Case”(2022) Whitaker, AnnaWilla Cather’s “Paul’s Case: A Study in Temperament” is a short story that highlights the early twentieth century’s discrimination against homosexuality and the devastating effects that oppression can have on adolescents. The story, published in 1905, is about a young man named Paul who flees his miserable home in Pittsburgh for a lavish life in New York. He finds immense joy and freedom here, and when this new lifestyle is threatened, Paul commits suicide instead of returning to his old home. This essay uses original research, the lens of queer literary theory, and a review of existing scholarship on the topic to demonstrate that “Paul’s Case” is an allegory for Paul’s struggle with his sexuality and the effects of the restrictions that were imposed on queer men during that time.theory, and a review of existing scholarship on the topic to demonstrate that “Paul’s Case” is an allegory for Paul’s struggle with his sexuality and the effects of the restrictions that were imposed on queer men during that time.Item Alleviating ESL FYC students' Writing Anxiety (Writer’s Block) through Exploring and Teaching Rhetorical Criticism with Narrative Perspective on Theresa Hak Kyung Cha’s Dictee and Daehyun Won’s Raindrops(2022) Won, Daehyun (DH)The majority of first-year composition students commonly experience writing anxiety (i.e., writer's block) that greatly hinders teachers' effective teaching and students' confident learning which are essential for expressing creative and critical thoughts on a white page. In particular, for an English as a Second Language (ESL) student, due to their unique situations, being set between their own language-based cultural communications and the English-based rhetorical conventions, writing anxiety is weightier. The anxiety causes ESL students’ dreadful learning obstacles when composing their western culture-based rhetorical assignments. Due to the fact that writing anxiety is a matter of psychological, linguistic, cultural, and even social system issues, instead of relying on grammatical knowledge, academic genres, and strict grade scorings, FYC teachers can pedagogically facilitate multicultural, multidimensional, and multimodal narratives and their storytelling methods, in learning such as Cha’s Dictee and Won’s Raindrops, to inspire unconstrained-thinking processes with creative writing skills.Item An Analysis of Relationship among CO2 Emissions, GDP, Population, and Energy Use on a Global Scale(2022) Pang, Wei Qi; Gratch, Jonathan; Zhang, JianThis project analyzes the relationship between carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) and life expectancy globally from 2012 to 2014 and explores how other energy-related factors affect life expectancy. CO2 is a primary driver that caused global temperature rise and led to climate change. CO2 emissions are different by region according to the situation of the economy and human factors. Therefore, serval problems need to be analyzed. First, what is the difference between CO2 emissions in the high gross domestic product (GDP) and low GDP countries, and how to determine and label GDP? Second, do countries with larger populations consume more energy and affect CO2 emissions more? Third, what is the difference between life expectancy in countries with high CO2 emissions and low CO2 emissions? This project adopts exploratory data analysis methods and machine learning to identify the relationship based on the patterns between variables of data sources from The World Bank. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jonathan Gratch)Item Angolan Special Education Administrators’ Perceptions about Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in Physical Education: A Pilot Study(2022) Gomes, Agueda; Mann, M.; Dillon, S.; Yang, Q.; Cox, E.Physical Education is a part of the general education curriculum in Angola, but it is quite new for students with disabilities to be included (Charles et al., 2020). This study sought to understand the perceptions of both special education administrations and students with disabilities regarding the inclusion of SwD in general physical education in Angolan schools. In addition, this study compared the opinions of administrators and students with disabilities on the quality of the services provided for inclusion in physical education classrooms. A phenomenological research approach (Crotty, 1998) analyzed the phenomena of experiences that students with disabilities experience in their physical education environment (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). The themes revealed barriers and facilitators, such as teachers' lack of preparedness, the curriculum appropriate to students' needs, lack of accessibility, and the existence of policies that support physical education.Item Antiproliferative Activity of Dioecious Maclura pomifera Plant Extracts on ER-positive Breast Cancer Cell Lines(2022) Rumpa, Mafia Mahabub; Maier, CameliaM.pomifera is a dioecious tree native to the south-central USA,reported to have anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, andantiproliferative properties. Native Americans have used plantparts for cancer treatment but few cancer research studies havefocused on M. pomifera, limiting our understanding of its medicinal properties. The goal of this research is to determineantiproliferative activities of M. pomifera plant extracts in ER-positive breast cancer MCF-7 and T47D cell lines. Capsaicin-likephytochemicals are known ligands for TRPV1 plasma membranechannels and were extracted from M. pomifera using organicreagents. Antiproliferative activities were evaluated using MTSassays, revealing that M. pomifera plant extracts significantlyreduced cancer cell growth, indicating antiproliferative properties.Future work will focus on elucidating the mechanism of action of M. pomifera in cancer cell lines via the TRPV1 channel and could leadto the discovery of natural products for the development of newanti-cancer drugs.Item Association between Benzodiazepines Use in Elderly and Fall Risk(2022) Guntipalli, Prathima; Delgado, RigobertoBackground: Benzodiazepines are central nervous system depression drugs used for several conditions such as seizures, sleep disorders, and have been associated with falls. We identified an increased risk of falls and their related injuries in the elderly due to benzodiazepines usage.Item Better Together: Neurodiverse Community Members Partner with TWU Students to Conduct Autism Accessibility Audits(2022) Norris, Ashlee; Pizarro, Edgar; Tran, Jason; Tripp, Megan; Ragland, RobertTexas Woman’s University School of Occupational Therapy has teamed up with crew members from nonPareil Institute to complete autism-friendly audits at a variety of locations within the community. The goal is to assess the strengths of the environment, inform individuals about specific aspects of the environment, and make suggestions for potential modifications. These audits contain sensory, communication, and social factors to attain information in order to approach ways to create as neurodiverse of an environment as possible. This participatory involvement can improve our communication with the autism community and help create workshops and training materials that emphasize abilities rather than disabilities. We believe in developing partnerships, promoting decision making, and empowering and involving individuals with autism. Therefore, our future endeavors with these audits is to prove an opportunity to share our knowledge with the collaboration from nonPareil to extend solutions on how to create sensory friendly environments.Item Bringing Photodegradation of Plastics into the “Green Age”(2022) Akinniyi, Akinwande S.; Salazar, Gustavo A.With the growing issue of plastic pollution found in e-waste around the world, many methods of management have surged to deal with this alarming rate of growth. One recent example is the use of photochemical degradation as a way of breaking down complex polymers such as those found in the category 7 of the resin code. While photodegradation of these polymers has seen significant findings over the years, it remains economically costly, and limited to the laboratory scale. This project introduces the science behind photodegradation of plastics in category 7 and shares significant findings from previous studies; furthermore, it shows the preliminary findings of our own implementation of gravity-light as a potential “greener” alternative to typical photochemical methodologies.Item Can Pete the Cat Help Students Learn Math? The Effectiveness of Picture Books in Teaching Elementary Mathematics(2022) Lent, KendallThis project follows the effectiveness of using picture books, specifically “Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons” by Eric Litwin, when teaching mathematics to students in grades 1-3. It includes a math activity paired with the book and written for 3rd grade, with modifications included for 1st and 2nd grade. It follows the experience of the teaching of the lesson, modified for a 1st grade classroom, and what was learned through this experience. The project details the challenges of modifying activities, the effectiveness of including a book in the activity, and how the lesson expectations compared to the reality of the presentation.Item Challenges Faced by International Students in the US(2022) Akinhanmi, Tobiloba; Bender, AshleyThis project seeks to discuss the subtle yet restricting discrimination that many international students experience at United States colleges and universities. Drawing on existing scholarship, this presentation explores and highlights the challenges international students encounter as a result of marginalization. I then provide a list of suggestions and some helpful ways in which an inclusive educational experience can be created for international students. In summary, the goal of this project is to advocate for the inclusion and fair consideration of international students in all necessary aspects of their college experience and also create awareness on how international students are marginalized which in turn educates individuals, institutions, and organizations to better address this issue. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Ashley Bender)Item Contribution of Infection with Cytomegalovirus (CMV) to the Production of Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) and Alzheimer’s Disease-associated Beta Amyloid(2022) Ahanotu, Adaeze; Hynds, DiAnna; Hanson, LauraThe accumulation of harmful proteins in the brain, particularly amyloid-β peptides, is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder for which the specific cause is unknown. Infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV) may be a factor contributing to the development of Alzheimer's disease because disease incidence is higher in persons who have been infected with CMV. In previous work, we determined that CMV infection increased phosphorylation of tau, the protein that forms neurofibrillary tangles in Alzheimer’s disease. Here, we determine if CMV infection of neuron-like cells also contributes to the production of beta- amyloid. To address this, we will infect B35 neuroblastoma cells with murine CMV, and determine whether the production of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and beta-amyloid is altered using western blotting. If so, we will design experiments to determine how CMV infection alters APP processing and beta amyloid production, shedding light on the pathological mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease.Item Culturally Responsive Evaluation: How Evaluator Background Influences Educational Evaluators in the Field of Special Education(2022) Roberts, Marilyn; Addo, AngelicaThis study explores how the personal background of special education evaluators impacts the evaluation process. We focus specifically on the evaluation outcomes for students of diverse backgrounds including differences in race, language and socio-economic status. Educational Diagnosticians and Licensed Specialists in School Psychology were surveyed and interviewed to gather data on their level of expertise in applying the principles of culturally responsive practices when conducting evaluations, interpreting the results and making recommendations to teachers. Current data regarding disproportionality in eligibility codes, disciplinary placements and more restrictive educational settings from various districts was analyzed to support findings and make recommendations for future implications. The implications of this research can provide guidance for university students enrolled in diagnostician programs and support equitable and responsive practices for our most marginalized K-12 students.Item The Effect of Ankle Weights on Running Mechanics: A Proposed Methodology(2022) Nguyen, Thien; LaGreca, Ciara; Tuttle, Noelle; Avalos, Marco A.; Kwon, Young-HooAnkle weights are common exercise equipment used in walking or running training programs. However, there is a lack of research that focuses on the biomechanical effect of running with ankle weights. Therefore, this proposed methodology aims to investigate the effects of different ankle weight loads on running mechanics at a fixed cadence. The proposed methodology will recruit qualified experienced runners to participate. Retroreflective markers will be applied to participants at anatomical landmarks to record during motion. Participants will then run 13 meters, at a cadence of 160 bpm, across four force plates while maintaining proper running form for three successful trials of each of the following conditions: no weights, 2lb ankle weights, and 5lb ankle weight. Kinetic and kinematic data will be recorded and processed. The results obtained via this methodology will be helpful to determine whether ankle weights are safe to use during running training.Item Effective Handoff Communication in Nursing Begins in Nursing School(2022) Turner, CourtneyHandoff communication is essential to ensuring continuity of care among providers. Failures in communication can lead to delay in care or patient harm. Proper handoff communication is an essential skill that should be taught in pre-licensure nursing education as part of preparation for post- graduate practice. The purpose of this project is to identify techniques to improve the handoff communications skills necessary to ensure quality patient care. With the incorporation of Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory, this project will evaluate the effectiveness of an educational program aimed at improving handoff communication skills in pre-licensure nursing students. The standard Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation (SBAR) communication format along with role play will be incorporated and students will be evaluated during their clinical rotations on their use of the skills learned. This project is ongoing; therefore, outcomes will be presented once completed.Item The Efficacy & Safety of Activated Charcoal for Tooth Whitening: A Systematic Review(2022) Rodriguez, ErnestoThere has been an influx of home-use products on the market to whiten teeth, including products using activated charcoal that are available in the form of pastes, brushing powders, and charcoal-infused toothbrushes. With so many of these activated charcoal products available, it is important to understand both the safety and effectiveness of these products. A systematic review was conducted to assess the current evidence on the safety and effectiveness of activated charcoal in dental applications. This systematic review found that the current evidence does not support the effectiveness of activated charcoal for whitening teeth. Furthermore, the use of activated charcoal may thin the tooth enamel, which can result in increased tooth sensitivity and teeth that appear more yellow.Item Elderly Falls and Importance of Fall Risk Interventions(2022) Guntipalli, Prathima; Miller, Anastasia; Delgado, RigobertoBackground: Falls are common in the elderly mainly due to intrinsic factors or extrinsic fall risk factors. Purpose: The objective of this study was to conduct a literature review on falls in elderly and identify the importance of fall prevention interventions.Item The Emergence of Cloud Ecosystem: The Growing Impact and Opportunity for Businesses(2022) Daswani, Bianca; Jackson, Tiara; Raisinghani, MichaelCloud computing is the next phase in developing the driver of change in organizational business strategy. The rapid growth and evolution of the cloud ecosystem have propelled businesses to adopt new services and organizational models. Cloud integration platforms highlight an increasing market share in the economy, leading to transformative business strategy opportunities. Thus, the emerging cloud technology offers companies the advent of opportunities that optimize products and services to advance technology. This study investigates implementation strategies for cloud migration and high-level business plans that bring about trustworthy organizational models in an emerging cloud ecosystem to expand profits. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Michael Raisinghani)Item Ethical Grammar: How Medieval Grammarians Can Help Us Enact Translingual Approaches to Grammar Education(2022) Holder, JulietteThis presentation will explore the medieval approach to grammar and its connection to ethical thought, relying on texts produced by medieval grammarians, noting how these thinkers link the study of grammar to ethical development. Once that foundation is set, I give an overview of more current research on grammar instruction (particularly in FYC classrooms), paying special attention to the emphasis on translingualism. Scholars have taken a more critical eye to formal instruction in Standard American English for the ways it upholds oppressive power structures. In bringing these conversations together, I hope to tease out some implications for how grammar and grammar instruction might serve as a way to exercise, and not just talk about, ethics. While our judgments about what the “ethical” things to do may have, in some ways, shifted, grammar and grammar instruction may still be a useful tool for studying, identifying, and responding to systems of power.