Student Creative Arts and Research Symposium | 2020
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/11274/12534
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Item RWA, The Big Five and Micro-aggressions Toward LGB Parents(2020) Woodruff, Sarah; Herbstrith, JulieResearch has found that the Big Five factors (Costa & McCrae, 1992) are indirectly related to prejudice through the personality trait Right-wing authoritarianism (RWA; Altemeyer, 1981; Ekehammar et al., 2004). It is observed that some Big-Five traits predict RWA scores. Further, there is evidence that RWA is linked to prejudice (Ekehammer et al., 2004). People who score high on RWA typically demonstrate prejudice toward out-groups such as the lesbian, gay, and bisexual community (Roth & von Collani, 2007). One form of prejudice that has been described more recently in the literature is micro-aggressions and people’s willingness to endorse the use of micro-aggressive statements toward lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. The current study will examine the relations among prejudicial attitudes toward the lesbian, gay, and bisexual community, micro-aggressions, and personality traits. It is predicted that the relationship between personality traits and willingness to endorse micro-aggressions will be mediated by RWA.Item Impact of Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) protein US27 on host & viral gene expression(2020) Chinta, Pearley; Spencer, JulietHCMV is a widespread pathogen in the general population and can cause severe disease in immune- compromised hosts. HCMV manipulates immune responses in several ways, one of which includes encoding genes with homology to host chemokine receptors. HCMV US27 encodes a chemokine-like receptor that stimulates host gene expression. While, no chemokine ligand has been identified for US27, it is constitutively active. US27 stimulates the gene expression of antioxidant response element (ARE) regulated genes by activation of the transcription factor nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF-1). The goal of this project is to identify specific host and viral genes that are regulated by US27. Increased expression of antioxidant genes is likely to benefit virus infection and enable more progeny virus to be produced. Thus, a better understanding of the US27 function has the potential to lead to the development of novel antiviral therapies necessary to treat HCMV infection.Item The Impact of Human Cytomegalovirus on Hormone Receptor Levels in Breast Cancer(2020) Garcia, Erica C.; Spencer, JulietBreast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. Though many factors affect breast tumor progression, one potential risk factor seldom investigated is infection. Mounting evidence suggests that Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is associated with reduced expression of hormone receptors in breast cancer and may promote a more invasive tumor phenotype. This project examines the effects of HCMV infection on hormone receptor levels in four breast cancer cell lines. Western blotting Abstracts for Poster Presentations 26 will reveal relative changes in expression of hormone receptors after HCMV infection. Immunofluorescence microscopy will be used to visualize changes in receptor distribution in the tumor cells. The goal is to determine whether HCMV directly causes this loss of hormone receptor expression in breast tumors, which could have a significant impact on the patient treatment options. The long term goal is to improve breast cancer survival rates by including antiviral therapies, if warranted, with other treatment modalities.Item Effect of cmvIL-10 on Ubiquitin mediated C-X-C receptor 4 signaling(2020) Tajuddin, Kiran Hina; Spencer, JulietHuman cytomegalovirus (HCMV) manipulates the immune system of its host by encoding viral proteins that imitate host cytokine and chemokine pathways. The HCMV gene UL111A encodes a homolog of human interleukin-10 (hIL-10), known as cmvIL-10. cmvIL-10 has many functions, including upregulating signaling from human CXC- chemokine receptor-4 (CXCR4) signaling in response to its known ligand CXCL12. cmvIL-10 promotes increased intracellular calcium flux and cell migration in response to CXCL12/CXCR4 that could assist in viral dissemination. Recent studies have shown that extracellular ubiquitin (UB) is also a natural ligand for CXCR4. This study will focus on whether cmvIL-10 also impacts UB mediated CXCR4 signaling and will examine the effects of cmvIl-10 on UB induced cell proliferation, migration, and cell signaling pathways. This research will lead to identify the possible role of cmvIL-10 in manipulating host cell signaling pathways during virus infection.Item Adolescent Well-Being and Religiosity: A Theoretical Integration & Visualization(2020) Peterson, TreishaThe adolescent quest for autonomy requires the identity seeking process of sifting and sorting expectations, values, and beliefs. For many adolescents, life satisfaction is compromised by significant life events and daily hassles that result in feelings of rejection, isolation, inadequacy, and hopelessness. As one of the key identity commitments of adolescent development, religiosity and spirituality are likely to be explored and evaluated. As we come to understand the relationship, both adaptive and maladaptive, of religion and the identity seeking process, relational others are better prepared to nurture pro-social connectedness, foster hope, develop resilience, and support positive wellbeing throughout the identity formative years.Item Beyond the margins: The worker Brontë(2020) Popp, VeronicaAnne is the often-forgotten Brontë who trekked to London with her older sister, Charlotte, to reveal her secret identity due to the ire incited by Acton Bell seeking a different publisher for The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. In the “Preface” to the second edition, Anne claimed an imperfect story can provide a window into human life. As both Catherine Paula Han and Marianne Thormählen argued, Anne de-centers her role in the writing process and argues for the story itself. With the continued acceptance of precarious caretaking workers, Brontë’s fiction is an embodiment of the struggles teachers and artists have in seeking opportunities that provide a livable wage. Her silence on the role biography had within this novel was a rhetorical technique utilized in her refusal to capitulate to criticism. Anne showed the forbearance for her fate that only a Brontë could: silent acceptance and trust in God and her abilities.Item VIRUS EVOLUTION: Understanding Human Cytomegalovirus by Studying Rhesus Cytomegalovirus (RhCMV)(2020) Akhidenor, Naomi; Faure, Lionel; Spencer, JulietHuman Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a ubiquitous virus that establishes a lifelong presence in its host. Over time, the virus developed a plethora of mechanisms to evade a host’s immune response including viral chemokine receptor US28. US28 internalizes chemokines and plays an active role in establishing latency and dissemination within the host. Rhesus CMV (RhCMV) is closely related to HCMV allowing it to serve as a practical model system. RhCMV possesses five tandem positional homologs of US28: Rh214, Rh215, Rh216, Rh218 and Rh220 all divergent from each other and US28. To understand their function, each gene was expressed in Human Embryonic Kidney cells. Viral protein expression was confirmed by western blotting and flow cytometry in cells expressing Rh214, Rh215 and Rh216 while efforts to express Rh218 and Rh220 are ongoing. Future studies will examine the effects on cellular gene expression and host immune function. The results will contribute to pharmaceutical advancements for HCMV.Item Creation of an Unfolding High-Fidelity Simulation: Increasing Critical Thinking Skills in Nursing Students(2020) Pennington, HannahClinically-based high-fidelity simulation scenarios challenge nursing students and contribute to the development of critical thinking skills, which are necessary for the safe management of patient care and clinical decision making. In the wake of limited clinical site spots for students, simulation offers students the ability to practice skills as well as work through their thought processes in a safe environment with faculty assistance nearby if needed. This project outlines the development of a high-fidelity acute asthma exacerbation simulation scenario, including an implementation guide, evaluation checklists, and a debriefing guide, constructed to help determine the impact of an unfolding simulation on critical thinking skills in nursing students. To optimize realism, interprofessional collaborative efforts were carried out to include registered nurses, a pharmacist, and a physician in the scenario development and review. The next steps involve piloting the simulation with faculty and students before progressing the project to a research study. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Cecilia Elaine Wilson)Item Decreasing Falls in Older Adults: Is Tai Chi a Solution?(2020) George, Melissa; Chrostowski, SusanAs the population ages, there is a growing need to identify initiatives to increase quality of life while also reducing the number of healthcare dollars spent. Per the Centers for Disease Control, falls in the older adult population are both debilitating and costly, thus methods to reduce falls and the risk of falls have been researched including the practice of tai chi. The purpose of this project was to complete a literature review of randomized control trials, systematic reviews, and meta analyses to discover if the practice of tai chi decreases the risk or fear of falling in the older adult population. Results of the review demonstrated that tai chi does provides protective benefits within this population. Due to the cost-effectiveness of tai chi and its protective nature, it is believed that its practice will lead to increased mobility in this population in the years to come. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Susan Chrostowski)Item Exploring Family Meals, Sleep and Media Use as Predictors of Childhood Overweight and Obese Status in Oklahoma: A Study from the 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health(2020) Holmes, Ahondju Umadjela; Golman, Mandy; Wiginton, Kristin; Amuta, AnnThe alarming and sustained prevalence of childhood overweight/obese status in the United States continues to generate research studies on risk factors and prevention approaches. Despite previous and current public health interventions in the U.S., Oklahoma ranks the 6th worst state in obesity with a third of children between 10 to 17 years being overweight or obese and one in five high school students being obese. This study analyzed a representative subsample of 347 participants from the 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) to determine which risk factors (family meals, sleep, and media use) were the most significant at predicting childhood overweight/obese status (DV) in Oklahoma. None of the predictors was determined to be the significant risk factor in predicting childhood overweight/obese status, which could be either that all predictors equally predict childhood overweight/obese status or that other factors related to the study design affected the results of this study. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mandy Golman)Item Exploration in Imagination: The Walt Disney Silly Symphony Cartoons and American Animation in the 1930s(2020) Wagner, KendallAmerican animated cartoons were born with motion pictures, but they grew and changed dramatically in the era of the 1930s. The most important innovator was Walt Disney; his Mickey Mouse cartoons were wildly popular during the decade of the Great Depression. Although Mickey was culturally significant to Americans and was the cornerstone for the studio’s financial success, it was the lesser-known Silly Symphony cartoons that were the most essential in the development of animation. My presentation argues that without the existence of the Symphonies, American animation would not have developed as it had. The Symphonies acted as a testing ground for new techniques in animation like full-spectrum color and the multiplane camera. Ultimately, the Symphonies were responsible for elevating the art of animation in the 1930s, contributed to the launch of the animated film industry, and assisted in the creation of films and characters immortalized in the American collective memory. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Katherine Landdeck)Item Changes in oral microbiome that affect human health(2020) Nguyen, JustinThe human oral cavity is home to a wide variety of unique microorganisms. Studies have shown that the human oral microbiome has a direct correlation to human health. The inhabitants of the human oral flora coexist together in order to ward off unwanted external factors. Even though the oral microbiome also has great adaptability and fluctuality to external and internal stimulus, there are physical and chemical changes that can cause a disruption in the oral microbiome which can lead to several oral diseases. The relationship between the microorganisms within the human oral flora and the host yields significant data on the wellness of oral health. This research will be focused on the human oral microbiome and its impact on oral health. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Laura Hanson)Item Video Self Modeling (VSM): Application of a Behavior Intervention(2020) Sunil, Hannah; Johnson, Wendi L.Video Self Modeling (VSM) is a socio-behavioral intervention founded on Bandura’s Social Learning Theory where children can view themselves being successful at a task. VSM is a powerful learning modality to evoke positive behavior change. By scaffolding supports such as role playing or direct instruction, and then editing out those supports, VSM allows individuals to view themselves being successful at a previously challenging task. Studies reveal how VSM has been receptive to children with intellectual and social deficits, and a variety of disability areas such as attention problems, learning challenges, and motor difficulties. Children seeing themselves being successful through VSM creates improved self-efficacy, higher confidence, and supports generalization across settings (Buggey, 2009). This poster will discuss the purpose of this multi-use intervention and how it has been applied through current research across disability areas. VSM can also be applied in the home or school setting.Item Changes in American Attitudes toward Intermarriages With Blacks, Asians, Hispanics, and Whites(2020) Prost, Jonbita; Yang, Philip Q.This is the first comparative study of changes in the American public’s attitudes toward intermarriages with blacks, Asians, Hispanics, and whites. We tested our hypotheses using nationally representative samples from GSS 2000-2016. Our trend analyses reveal that, since 2000, approximately 70 percent or more of Americans have either strongly favored or favored, or held a neutral stand on, intermarriages with blacks, Asians, and Hispanics, but strong favor toward intermarriage with whites has declined. Our regression analyses show that, either including or excluding control variables, American attitudes have become generally more supportive of intermarriages with blacks, Asians, and Hispanics but less favorable toward intermarriage with whites in the twenty-first century, especially since 2008 and in the case of intermarriage with Hispanics since 2010. The results suggest that as American society becomes more diverse and educated, intermarriages, especially with racial or ethnic minorities, have gained wide acceptance, most likely reaching the point of no return.Item Establishing C. elegans as a model to study the function of vitamin A metabolism(2020) Joseph, Pamela; Everts, Helen; Gumienny, TinaRetinoids (vitamin A) are critical for cell development, maintaining a healthy immune system, regulating energy metabolism, and eyesight in mammals. In addition, abnormal levels contribute to obesity and cancer. While vitamin A plays these many roles, what is not well known is the impact of individual vitamin A metabolism genes at the cellular and tissue level. We discovered that the roundworm C. elegans may be an excellent model organism for this investigation because many genes are conserved. The results indicate that we have distinguished potential retinoid metabolism genes in these nematodes, some of which share phenotypes with their mammalian homologs. These genes include cellular retinol-binding proteins, retinol dehydrogenases, retinal dehydrogenase, cellular retinoic acid-binding proteins, and retinoic acid receptors. However, many of these genes in C. elegans and mammals have no known mutant traits. Future research in C. elegans will define the physiological relevance of altered and normal Vitamin A metabolism.Item Black Immigrant Women and Mental Health Group Therapy(2020) Abimbola, Deborah OlubunmiBlack immigrants constituted about 3.8 million population, with the majority migrating from Africa. Prior research has established that among African immigrants diagnosed with mental health disorders, African women were of the highest population; however, they are reluctant to seek professional help for mental health problems. This is due to their beliefs, stigma, poor access to treatment, lack of resources, and information about mental illness. African immigrant women find their coping strategies through religious leaders, traditional, and self-care means rather than clinical mental health treatment. Due to the significant amount of African women migrants in the United States, and their reluctance to seek professional treatment for mental health problems, this paper suggests that professional mental health group therapy be culturally competent to reduce healthcare disparities and improve access to mental health care among African immigrant women.Item Identifying Transformative Experiences: A Phenomenological Analysis of Nursing Students in a Study Abroad Course(2020) Ollive, Madison; Talleff, Jennifer; Espinoza, LuisPurpose: Identify the common discoveries and experiences of undergraduate nursing students who attended a faculty-led study abroad program. Background: Although evidence of the transformative nature of studying abroad exists, capturing specific elements and personal impact of studying abroad remains elusive. Reflective journaling is utilized to enhance students’ intrapersonal development and allow exploration of the real-time and future impact of studying abroad.Item Neuronal Tract Tracing in the Rat Trigeminal Sensory System(2020) Rodriguez, EricaUnderstanding anatomical circuitries promotes the development of novel therapeutics to manage neurological pathologies. Tract tracing is a neuroanatomical approach that allows visualization of neural pathways. Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) is a transsynaptic tracer taken up by neurons and passed to other networked neurons. WGA can be conjugated to a fluorescent dye (WGA-488) to be observed with a microscope. The goal of our study was to develop methodology using WGA-488 to visualize connectivity of the sensory nerves of the face into brainstem nuclei. We injected various volumes of 1% WGA-488 into the rat cheek or the jaw joint. Post-mortem sensory ganglia and brainstem were collected 3- or 7-days later, sectioned, and analyzed with a microscope. We found that 50 μL WGA-488 was observed in the trigeminal ganglia and several brainstem nuclei at 3-days post-tracer injection. This methodology can now be used to characterize the functional neurochemistry of the orofacial sensory neurons.Item Analysis of Differing Issues Amongst Women Politicians(2020) Bates, ColeWomen politicians run for office at a lower rate than their male counterparts, but when they run they are more successful. However, there seems to be a gender gap amongst the platforms that these politicians choose to focus on. This paper is an examination of those issues across both parties.Item A Meta-synthesis of Factors that Influence Parental Decisions Regarding Mandatory Vaccinations for Children in the U.S.(2020) Norris, Deanna; Spencer, BeckyParents who are vaccine-hesitant and/or refuse vaccines for their children have been on the rise. The CDC reported that the percentage of children between 2001 to 2015 who had no vaccinations by age 2 quadrupled. Understanding the motivations and concerns of parents who refuse vaccines or are hesitant about giving children vaccines is essential in order for improved communication by healthcare providers. A meta-synthesis was conducted using the American Psychological Association’s Journal Article Reporting Standards for qualitative meta-analytic literature reviews. A literature search resulted in 15 qualitative studies that met inclusion and exclusion criteria. Three themes were identified that revealed common parental concerns regarding vaccination of their children. Themes are described as questions that parents expressed across the articles reviewed including, 1. What do I believe? 2. Why so much pressure to vaccinate? and 3. Who will support me? Implications for clinical practice and research are proposed.