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Serotonin autocrine signaling is required for the formation of functional serotonergic circuits in Drosophila
No full textSerotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) is a monoamine neurotransmitter produced by serotonergic neurons that modulates various behaviors in Drosophila such as locomotion and feeding. In addition to this canonical function, it is also an autocrine signaling molecule that shapes the morphology of axons during development by activating serotonin receptors. Whether serotonin autocrine signaling is required for the formation of functional circuits is unknown. To test this, I manipulated serotonin levels during a critical period of development when serotonergic axons are forming and connecting with post-synaptic targets. I then analyzed behavior later in development when serotonin levels returned to normal physiological levels and found locomotion and feeding were disrupted. This suggests that 5-HT levels during development cause structural defects in circuitry which persist throughout development to impact behavior. Next, I asked if this process relies on serotonin receptors by temporally manipulating the expression of serotonin receptor 5-HT1A selectively in serotonergic neurons. I found feeding to be similar regardless of 5-HT levels in 5-HT1A mutants, whereas locomotion still decreased. Altogether, these data suggest that serotonin autocrine signaling through 5-HT1A directs the formation of functional feeding circuits, whereas locomotion circuits utilize an alternative autocrine signaling mechanism
Teaching fundamental choral ensemble techniques through secular renaissance polyphony
No full textCurrent research suggests a significant decline in the performance of Renaissance
polyphony by choral ensembles over the past six decades. In an effort to encourage
renewed performance of Renaissance literature, this project created accessible
performance editions of eleven pieces of secular, polyphonic choral music from the
Renaissance era, targeted towards high school and college choral ensembles. The project
suggested fundamental choral techniques and pedagogy teachable through this era of
music and transferable to other repertoire. These techniques include melodic phrasing,
modal construction, rhythmic independence, cadences, and balance and dynamics. The
performance editions addressed the common barriers of unbarred music, mensuration and
time signatures, extreme ranges and revoicing, pitch level, tempo and proportions, dynamic
suggestions, and restrictions against sacred texts. They are limited to three and four voice
parts. The editions consist of villancicos, canzonettas, and madrigals composed by Juan
Vasquez, Hans Leo Hassler, and Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. These newly created
editions (available in the appendixes) add available repertoire to the traditional choral
canon.D. A
Machine learning algorithms for risk stratification: addressing the challenges of imbalanced response in predictive analytics
No full textIn the fields of healthcare, finance, and insurance, the process of risk stratification
plays a pivotal role in decision-making and resource allocation. Traditional models for
risk assessment, however, are often limited by their simplistic approaches, failing to
adequately account for the complexity and dynamism inherent in risk factors. This
shortfall leads to sub-optimal outcomes, including inefficient use of resources and
compromised patient safety. Particularly in healthcare, hospital readmission serves
as an indicator of these challenges, not only endangering patient health but also
imposing additional costs and tarnishing the reputation of medical institutions. In
this thesis project, we aim to bridge the existing gap in predictive analytics by using
machine learning (ML) techniques to enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of risk
stratification models. Our objective is to predict hospital readmission within 30 days.
Accurate prediction of hospital readmission helps identify the high-risk patient group.
Through a comparative analysis of various machine learning algorithms—including
classification tree, bagging, random forest, gradient boosting, Adaptive Boosting
(AdaBoost), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) and neural network— this study
evaluates their efficacy in predicting hospital readmission risks. We addressed the
issue of imbalanced response variable using random under-sampling, and random
over-sampling techniques. The findings of our research demonstrate that, in terms
of Recall, Precision, F1-score, Roc AUC , the XGBoost performed better than all
the other methods.M. S
Performing the Laundries: embodiment as resistance to Ireland's Magdalene Laundries
No full textSince the formation of a national theatre in 1904, Irish theatre as a genre has continued to serve
the function of defining the nation. Using the stage as a mirror to reflect the nation back to itself,
the stories embodied and staged in Ireland allow for audience members to see themselves more
honestly and more fully. Yet, in 1992 the staging of Patricia Burke Brogan’s Eclipsed shocked
the nation with the exposure of the church and state’s cruel actions toward Magdalene women, as
the play marked the first look into what had previously been locked away. Nearly twenty years
after Eclipsed, in 2011, ANU Productions created and produced Laundry, a site-specific work of
theatre that not only allowed audience members to bear witness to the horrors of the Magdalene
laundry but also to participate by hosting the production within a laundry building. Most
recently, in 2021, Deirdre Kinahan’s The Saviour premiered with Landmark Productions,
continuing a history of telling the story of Magdalene women onstage by highlighting the
lingering trauma ever-present for survivors. This project uses these three plays to create a
meaningful timeline to understand the activism fostered by theatre in the ongoing fight for justice
for Magdalene women and their families. With each of the plays marking a distinct cultural and
political moment in Ireland, this project traces the progression of social change and the shifts in
conversation regarding the laundries. Most importantly, this project examines the unique
function of theatre to shed light on Ireland’s Magdalene laundries, to demand social justice, and
to directly resist the erasure of Magdalene laundries from Ireland’s collective memory
Exploring the social camouflaging experiences of gender diverse and female autistic people
No full textThis study addresses the gap in knowledge regarding how gender diverse (e.g., transgender, nonbinary) and female autistic people experience the world, particularly exploring their use of social camouflaging. To examine their experiences, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five autistic people (two cisgender females, one transgender male, one nonbinary individual, and one gender fluid individual). The interviews were transcribed then analyzed using a selection of qualitative coding techniques to allow for continuous meaning-making, insight, and the emergence of codes and themes. The analysis yielded three themes: “Make It Work” (i.e., masking motivations), “Exceptance or Acceptance” (i.e., the price of masking), and “Moving Mindfully” (i.e., attitudes moving forward). Findings indicate that gender diverse and female autistic individuals may have limited access to professional services in both receiving a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and the desired support to help cope with autistic behaviors. Additionally, individuals all experienced similar feelings of mental and physical drain from social camouflage, as well as commonalities in motivation for engaging in the same despite this toll. Participants all reported struggling with being cognitive of their social camouflage use and coping with the challenge of choosing how to manage their masking moving forward. The study has implications for gender diverse and female autistic individuals and identifying the use
of social camouflage, as well as best practices for supporting these minority populations in the future. Findings suggest that it is important to consider an individual’s background and motivations for masking in order to bridge the gap between the current definition of autism and the experiences of underrepresented populations. These themes illuminate the autistic experiences of historically marginalized and underdiagnosed populations and can be leveraged to promote awareness of the gendered differences in autism presentation.M. S
Cardinal SUCCESS Quarterly: Issue 2 - April 2024
No full textWelcome to the second edition of Cardinal SUCCESS Quarterly.
In this edition, you will find helpful information on the work we are doing to support students experiencing academic challenges. Importantly, you will notice a shift in our terminology when referring to students who fail to meet our academic standing policies.
Last fall, Ball State University made an intentional decision to move away from using criminal justice lexicon when referring to students who fail to meet satisfactory academic standing. Instead of using the term probation when referring to students who fall below a 2.0 GPA threshold, we now refer to these students as those experiencing academic warning. This change aligns with Ball State University’s efforts to be a student-ready institution committed to ensuring every student we admit feels valued, respected, and supported. The important work of Dr. Shannon Brady and her colleagues on the use of psychologically attuned communications to improve academic outcomes for students who have not made adequate academic progress during an academic term has also informed our approach. Simply put, words matter! The utilization of terms like academic probation may foster traumatic experiences which may be particularly acute for Black and Brown students who face racial bias, microaggressions, and subtractive experiences. It may also create traumatic experiences for students who have been exposed to the criminal justice system. Boretz (2021) argues that that “such language has an effect on underrepresented students’ sense of belonging and perceived ability to thrive as learners and future learners”1.
1. http://itwebstg.fullerton.edu/aac/Academic%20Notice%20White%20Paper%202021.pd
Application of a paired comparisons pattern model to audiological preferences data
No full textPaired comparison data is common in psychological and consumer research, and requires specialized techniques to properly analyze. This study focuses on applying one such technique, a log-linear pattern model, to data related to audio treatment preferences on media clips. In addition, this analysis takes the unique step of accounting for dependencies between participant decisions and includes a subject-level cognitive covariate, reliable digit span. I also compare models under two different conditions: 1) with audio-only stimuli and 2) with audiovisual stimuli. This research demonstrates the complexities in application of such a model and the implication of certain trends of worth parameters. Results indicate that participants of this study struggled to make consistent results, possibly due to having difficult in discriminating between the audio treatments. However, some minor findings are that reliable digit span may be related to a certain audio treatment preference in an audiovisual context. Limitations and future directions for this style of research are discussed.M. S
Predicting sandbagging on sideline concussion tests using performance validity tests
No full textSandbagging is common amongst athletes and our current methods of identifying it are
insufficient, inconsistent, and expensive. The purpose of the current study was to determine if
scores on commonly used and relatively inexpensive sideline concussion tests (e.g., Standardized
Assessment of Concussion [SAC] and Standardized Concussion Assessment Tool, Fifth Edition
[SCAT-5]) could differentiate between individuals asked to provide their best effort or sandbag.
Identifying individuals who provide suboptimal effort at baseline is an important task because it
will ultimately improve our abilities to detect true injuries and reduce negative and long-term
effects associated with concussions. It was hypothesized that the Immediate Memory, Delayed
Recall, Concentration, and Total Scores on each test would accurately differentiate sandbagging
and best effort. Participants included 38 undergraduate college students at a Midwestern
University. Participants were randomly assigned to experimental groups that were asked to
sandbag or provide their best effort during their completion of a series of performance validity
tests, cognitive measures, and sideline concussion tests. Results of logistic regression analyses
indicated that the SAC and SCAT-5 could not differentiate between the two groups (p’s > .025).
It is possible that the null results are accurate as the SAC and SCAT-5 were not designed to
assess performance validity and may not be able to accurately distinguish best effort from poor
effort. However, this study is the first to examine this issue using the SAC and SCAT-5, and
given its limitations, results should be considered inconclusive. Future research should not only
address the limitations of this study, but also keep larger considerations related to base rates, cut
scores, and overall implementation of research findings in mind. In the meantime, results provide
further evidence to support the use of a multidisciplinary approach for concussion assessment
and treatment that involves neuropsychologists as part of the athletic care team.Ph. D
Females student-athletes' college transitions at primarily white institutions: evolution of identities and resources used
No full textGrounded in Schlossberg’s (1981) Transition Theory, the purpose of this study was to understand how female student-athletes transition into college throughout their first year. Participants were eight first-year student-athletes from a variety of sports and NCAA levels who self-identified as female. Each participant completed two interviews, each lasting approximately 60-90 minutes, to share perceptions of their identities and use of institutional and personal coping resources while transitioning into primarily white institutions (PWIs). The transcripts were analyzed using narrative thematic analysis. Three main themes and subthemes emerged: three months to adjust (anticipated 1st semester vs. reflected 2nd semester); discovery towards self-growth (slowing down, setting boundaries, and learning unsaid rules); and identity exploration and expansion (shifting roles, diversifying identities, and expanding worldview). These findings add to the literature as they provide context for the complexity of student-athlete identity evolution and coping, and they shed light on the first-year transition. Additionally, the findings provide universities with insight to support student-athlete psychosocial college adjustment and mental health.M. S
Daily case trends of COVID-19: a comparative analysis of Indiana and Washington State
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic has caused immense and immeasurable disruption to billions of lives worldwide, and the strain on healthcare workers and facilities will undoubtedly be seen for years to come. Many factors impact the incidence and prevalence of COVID-19 in states, such as policies and legislation, funding, partisanship of the statehouse, vaccination rates, and rurality. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the differences in the daily positive cases between Indiana and Washington State and examine the respective ways each state tried to mitigate the morbidity and mortality of the virus. Data was obtained from the respective state health departments over a period of two and a half years from March 2020 to December 2022. Independent t-tests were used for the analysis of the data between Indiana and Washington. Overall, Indiana had a higher daily positive case rate when compared to Washington. Indiana had a lower vaccination rate and had more hospitalizations and deaths compared to Washington and the US population as a whole.B. ?Honors Colleg