Open Research Oklahoma (Oklahoma State Univ.)
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Age-heterogenous marriages and cognitive aging
No full textCognitive health is often explored within social relationships, where spousal relationships and the bond between the partners have been widely documented in previous literature. However, there has not been enough literature that explores whether age-heterogeneous marriages influence individuals' cognitive health differently for both men and women. Comparing age heterogeneous marriages with age homogeneous marriages, this study explores if men and women have different cognitive health outcomes. Data has been used from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP), a longitudinal, population-based study of older adults in the United States, conducted in 2010-2011 (wave 2). The results from the interaction models show a gendered pattern. For older men in age heterogenous marriages, a significant negative association between spousal age gap and cognitive functioning was found as they aged compared to men from age homogenous marriages. However, for younger women in age-heterogeneous marriages, the association is steady across their age compared to women in same age marriages. These findings highlight the importance of exploring the influence of spousal age gap on cognitive health for future longitudinal studies in order to further our understanding of marriage, age gap, gender, and cognitive health
Acoustic characterization of hybrid structural materials
No full textConventional acoustic barriers using foams, fabrics, fiberglass, or polymers have limited effectiveness to mitigate low-frequency acoustic waves (<~1000 Hz) owing to impractically large mass or volume requirements. It is also desirable that acoustic barriers be more amenable to multifunctional integration. With current additive and hybrid fabrication processes attaining critical commercial maturity in recent times, it is an opportune time to investigate hybrid structural materials (HSM) with novel combinations of materials having local engineered configurations to address these aspects. In this study, acoustic characterization of nanoparticle-impregnated Kevlar fabric and meta-acoustic barriers (inspired by metamaterials) having different types of inclusions is carried out. A colloid-based treatment method is used to impregnate dry nanoparticles into the fabric. A fast, full-field, non-destructive, and affordable inspection technique based on digital image analytics (DIA) is developed to assess treatment level and uniformity of nanoparticle impregnation in the fabric and validated via scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy imaging. Normal-incidence impedance tube tests are conducted to obtain the absorption coefficient and transmission loss (TL) for neat and treated fabric. The influence of parameters such as number of layers, percentage by weight of nanoparticle addition, spacing between layers, and residual porosity is examined. Influence of nanoparticle material, shape, size, and treatment level on acoustic performance is also examined. It is found that while absorption decreases with increase in nanoparticle addition for frequencies above ~2500 Hz, increasing the number of layers shifts peak absorption to lower frequencies. Residual porosity was found to contribute to about 30 – 50 % of the total absorption. Above 1500 Hz, 3 – 5 dB of TL increase is obtained for the treated samples vis-à-vis the neat samples. With increase in the weight of nanoparticle addition, measured TL tends to be closer to mass law predictions. For the ranges considered, variations in nanoparticle size and shape show only a slight influence on the acoustic performance. A coupled acoustic-poroelastic model, calibrated using parameter extraction for Kevlar samples with nanoparticle treatment, is implemented in FEM simulations to predict the TL of neat and treated samples under normal incidence, with verification against benchmark cases. Further, meta-acoustic barriers incorporating various local oscillator inclusions that offer opportunities to defy mass law-driven TL seen in conventional barriers are analyzed using their effective-mass models. Resonant, damped and inertant inclusions and combinations thereof that result in negative and complex effective-mass are considered. The influence of the inclusion’s orientation, oblique incidence, and the presence of multiple oscillators on TL is examined using nondimensionalized metrics and compared to those of statistically-equivalent limp mass and double wall barriers. Due to their anomalous effective-mass, meta-acoustic barriers are shown to have tunable broadband frequency ranges of TL increase over their conventional counterparts even encompassing the low-frequency regime. Comparisons of the effective-mass model against FEM simulations and experimental data, using Helmholtz resonator (HR) configurations along ducts, confirms its applicability. Finally, application of HSMs in a prototypical lightweight acoustic and ballistic barrier cladding (LABBCLAD), integrating nanoparticle-impregnated Kevlar with metamaterials- and bio-inspired design innovations for combined acoustic and ballistic enhancements is demonstrated experimentally
Speedfest XIV: Critical design review, Orange Team 2025
No full textSpeedfest is a design competition between two teams of aerospace engineering students at OSU: Black Team and Orange Team. Over the course of just 16 weeks, we designed high-speed composite UAVs from the ground up in response to a design challenge provided by our professor in the form of a statement of work. This year, the challenge was to design and manufacture a pylon racing plane that could also perform advanced aerobatic maneuvers. The Critical Design Review (CDR) presentation submitted as this thesis took place at the end of February and marked the end of the Speedfest design phase and the beginning of manufacturing. It represents the culmination of work done by Orange Team’s three main subteams: aerodynamics, propulsion, and structures.
This year, I served as the head of the structures team and was in charge of both the structural design and manufacturing of our planes. Our CDR was successfully passed, and between late February and the end of April, we built a total of eight planes for the Speedfest competition held on April 26th. I spent over 500 hours in the lab this semester, but it was incredibly worth it. Getting to build composite aircraft by hand as an undergraduate student is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and the leadership and management skills I gained along the way will stick with me for years to come
Prevalence and predictors of neurodevelopmental screening completion among infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome
No full textObjective: Infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) are at high risk for neurodevelopmental delays. Despite guidelines and recommendations for systematic developmental screening, disparities in screening utilization persist among this population. This study aimed to examine the prevalence and predictors of caregiver completion of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, Third Edition (ASQ-3) at age 6 months among infants with HLHS. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of longitudinal registry-based data collected on infants with HLHS from 67 U.S.-based institutions participating in the National Pediatric Cardiology - Quality Improvement Collaborative (NPC-QIC). Hierarchical logistic regression models were used to examine the association between ASQ-3 completion and sociodemographic, diagnostic and birth, perioperative, surgical center, and developmental care factors. Results: The registry included 2,929 infants with HLHS who met inclusion criteria. Among those, 599 (20.5%) had a completed ASQ-3 at age 6 months. Lower likelihood of ASQ-3 completion was associated with Black race (OR: 0.67), public insurance (OR: 0.74), pre-operative neurological injury (OR: 0.25), and hospitalization during the screening window (OR: 0.81). Greater likelihood of ASQ completion was associated with greater surgical center satisfaction with NPC-QIC activities (OR: 1.68), offering caregiver support prenatally and postnatally (OR: 1.58), and providing multiple developmental care plans (OR: 1.49). Conclusions: Findings indicated an underutilization of ASQ-3 screening at age 6 months among families of infants with HLHS, despite robust evidence for risk of neurodevelopmental delays. The results are consistent with existing literature recognizing the salient sociodemographic disparities in uptake of cardiac neurodevelopmental services. Findings emphasize the potential benefit of caregiver support and structured developmental care planning on enhancing neurodevelopmental screening engagement. Continued quality improvement efforts targeting systemic barriers and promoting equitable opportunities for accessible caregiver psychosocial and developmental care supports may facilitate uptake of early neurodevelopmental service engagement among families of infants with HLHS
Analyzing the sensitivity of three rainbow trout cell lines through cytotoxicity and targeted gene expression for water toxicity testing
No full textThe International Organization for Standardization recently approved the RTgill-W1 cell line as an in vitro alternative for acute toxicity testing in fish. While RTgill-W1 reflects acute toxicity in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), it represents only one tissue type. Testing with various tissue types can elucidate tissue-specific mechanisms of toxicity that may be overlooked when using a single cell type. In this study, the rainbow trout cell lines RTgill-W1 (gill), RTgutGC (intestine), and RTL-W1 (liver) were exposed to a range of cadmium (Cd), 3,4-dichloroaniline (3,4-DCA), and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) concentrations. Cytotoxicity levels and effective concentrations 50% (EC50) of the xenobiotics were determined using a multi-endpoint viability assay with alamarBlue, CDFA-AM, and neutral red, which are markers of cell metabolic activity, cell membrane integrity, and lysosomal integrity, respectively. Results indicated alamarBlue EC50 values of 72.5 µM, 92.6 µM, and 234.5 µM for RTgill-W1, RTgutGC, and RTL-W1 cells, respectively. The cells were exposed to the No Observed Effect Concentration (NOEC) and the EC10 of Cd, 3,4-DCA, and PFOS. Following exposure, total RNA from each cell type was extracted, purified, and reverse-transcribed for quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis. Metallothionein (MTB), cytochrome P450 (CYP1A), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) messenger RNA levels were measured by RT-qPCR as biomarkers of toxicant exposure and toxicity. At both NOEC and EC10 concentrations of the three xenobiotics, there were multiple significant upregulations and down regulations for many of the trials ran. A significant upregulation in MTb and CYP1A was found in cells that were exposed to Cd and 3,4-DCA respectively. These results suggest that molecular biomarkers can be valid and highly sensitive as endpoints for aquatic testing
Responding to tornadoes: A Constructivist Grounded Theory of the post-impact role of police in the United States
No full textTornado strikes are common disasters throughout many areas of the United States. The police are one of the first organizations to arrive at the scene of these disasters. Despite over fifty years of disaster research, studies examining the role of the police and the specific tasks they perform in the impact area of tornadoes remain limited. This study was conducted to understand the role of the police at the impact location of tornadoes.
Utilizing Constructivist Grounded Theory, this study conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with police officers who recently responded to the impact location of a tornado. The study seeks to answer three research questions: 1) What is the role of the police when responding to the post-impact area of a tornado? 2) What specific tasks do police perform at the impact area immediately after a tornado strike? 3) Were the police officers trained and prepared to perform these tasks before the tornado strike?
To answer these questions, the researcher chose a severe weather event that affected 11 states over two days. Participants were police officers who responded to tornado strikes in five different states. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded using Atlas.ti software designed for qualitative research. Five themes, eighteen categories, and 88 codes were constructed. The five themes that emerged from this abductive study include 1) Impact Operations, 2) Protection, 3) Command and Communication, 4) Collaboration, and 5) Preparedness.
Based on this study's findings, the researcher developed a ‘Model Stages of Police Proficiency for Tornado Response’ to identify the areas a police officer must be proficient in to respond effectively to a tornado strike. The model is scalable; as the police officer advances in their career, they should advance in each stage. The researcher also developed ten practical recommendations for police agencies to improve their ability to respond to a tornado strike effectively
“You will read full particulars in the papers”: Newspaper reportage of Union desertion and execution in the American Civil War
No full textThis thesis examines the ways that northern newspapers recorded and engaged with desertion from the Union armies. Union soldiers deserted their positions for a variety of reasons, some being for monetary gain, political differences, socio-economic reasons, or because they experienced racist or nativist prejudice. However, pro-Republican newspapers during this period did not reflect this nuance, often choosing to disparage deserters and use them as opportunities to instruct to their audiences how to be a loyal citizen or citizen soldier. This study first examines the factors that influenced a soldier’s decision to desert, then turns to the way information about desertion was discussed in a growing and changing media landscape. Analyzing battlefield sketches, photographs, and written reports about desertion and execution reveals the ways in which newspapers and magazines contributed to the efforts of the Union cause in making an example of these men. Newspapers from New York, Pennsylvania, Iowa, and Indiana are utilized to show the perspectives of western and eastern Union states. Additionally, popular national newspapers and magazines are incorporated to show how the execution of deserters was depicted visually for mass audiences. The final chapter situates the sentiments and arguments about desertion expressed during the war in a post-war context to show how desertion was part of Reconstruction-era history. This research is important because it gives researchers context about the rhetoric newspaper readers were exposed to when gathering information on the war, and how this constructed the memory of Union deserters in the historical record
Entrepreneurship and innovation in veterinary telemedicine: Tackling industry challenges and enhancing producer-veterinarian connectivity
No full textAccess to timely and affordable veterinary care remains a critical challenge for large animal producers in rural areas, where veterinary shortages, high costs, and long travel distances limit service delivery. This thesis explores the potential of AgriCare, a proposed telemedicine platform designed to connect rural producers with licensed veterinarians through asynchronous communication, video consultations, and herd health tools. Using a qualitative, stakeholder-driven approach, this study assesses the platform’s feasibility and alignment with user needs in both U.S. and international contexts.
Data were collected through 25 semi-structured interviews with livestock producers, veterinarians, and animal health professionals as part of the National Science Foundation's Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program. Interview themes were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis and mapped onto business development frameworks, including the Lean Canvas and Blue Ocean Strategy. Key findings identified persistent barriers to care – including logistical constraints, workforce shortages, and diminishing trust in continuity of care – as well as growing openness to digital solutions among younger and technologically-savvy producers.
While U.S. regulatory structures pose barriers to clinical telemedicine, the study suggests viable alternative pathways for AgriCare, including continuing professional development (CPD) delivery and asynchronous decision-support tools. International case studies further highlight opportunities for implementation in low- and middle-income countries with more flexible telehealth policies and high demand for veterinary innovation. This thesis contributes to the intersection of digital health, veterinary entrepreneurship, and rural innovation by offering a grounded assessment of how mobile platforms like AgriCare might improve veterinary access. It also demonstrates how exploratory market validation can inform strategic pivots, especially in regulated sectors where user needs are high, but adoption environments remain uncertain
Dating after exoneration: Public perception of wrongfully convicted individuals in romantic context
No full textIt is well established in the literature that formerly convicted individuals are highly stigmatized in society, resulting in discrimination across multiple life domains, including online dating. However, little is known about how wrongfully convicted individuals are perceived as romantic prospects in online dating platforms. To address this gap, the current study employs a vignette-based experimental design with a sample of 717 participants and assesses public stigma across five dimensions- social distance, negative emotion, danger and distrust, dehumanization, and dispositional attribution. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three vignette groups: individuals exonerated on new DNA evidence, (2) individuals exonerated when false confession was disproven in a retrial, and (3) individuals who actually committed the crime. Findings reveal that while exonerees were less stigmatized than actual offenders in online dating sites, those who falsely confess and get exonerated on a retrial face significantly higher stigma than DNA exonerees. This implies that the former is less likely to be able to form new relationships after wrongful incarceration in contrast to DNA evidence based exonerees. Additionally, across all groups, the dimension of danger and distrust received the highest stigma ratings, suggesting that any history of incarceration, wrongful or not, triggers concern about personal safety in romantic contexts. Social and policy implications are discussed
Effect of surface roughness on the load-slip behavior of adhesively-bonded steel connection
No full textIn recent years, structural adhesive has gained popularity within the civil infrastructure sector. Despite having some benefits over traditional bolted and welded connections, the potential of their utilization in the steel industry is still not fully explored. This thesis conducts experimental testing on adhesively bonded double shear lap joints and performs a sensitivity analysis to identify the key parameters that govern the strength of the connection. A preliminary testing program has been conducted with four selected structural epoxy adhesives to identify the most compatible adhesive for steel-to-steel connections. Later, a principal testing program was conducted to investigate the effects of adherend (i.e., steel plate) thickness, adhesive layer thickness, and surface preparation process on the ultimate capacity and shear strength of the connection. Two specimen layouts with different adherend thicknesses, three adhesive layer thicknesses, and three surface preparation techniques have been included in the principal test matrix. The results indicated that there is a change in shear capacity with the change of adherend thickness and identified the optimal adhesive layer thickness that maximized the shear capacity of the tested connections. Additionally, the results highlighted the variability of shear strength that arises from the different surface preparation processes. Later, a sensitivity analysis was carried out to identify the parameters with high impact on the shear strength. The most influential parameters were integrated into a regression model to develop a shear strength prediction equation based on relevant surface roughness parameters. The analysis shows that it is possible to develop a relationship for strength prediction of these connections; however, more data is needed for validation and improving the prediction accuracy. Based on the methodology followed to develop the prediction model, similar models can be developed for any types of adhesives. Recommendations for the existing standard test method of double-lap shear adhesive joints and manufacturers’ technical data sheet (TDS) upgradation have also been provided