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Heroes or Tyrants? Using the Leadership of Chiang Kai-Shek to Re-examine the Legacy of Abraham Lincoln
Get PDFToday, reappraisal of history has become paramount in society. Scholars seek to contextualize building names, statues, and the land we live on. However, historians time and time again fail to reappraise popular figures in American history and misrepresent them by placing them on a pedestal. This thesis will analyze the existing body of scholarly work and primary historical sources to compare two such leaders from history in Chiang Kai-shek and Abraham Lincoln. Chiang Kai-shek is largely unfamiliar to American audiences; however, he provides a model in which Americans can reappraise Lincoln. Both Lincoln and Chiang led their nations through civil wars. Lincoln led the Union through the Civil War while Chiang led the Chinese nationalists during the Chinese civil war. In this thesis, evidence will be presented that shows how both men used authoritarian leadership tactics during their presidencies. Though their reliance on authoritarianism was similar, Abraham Lincoln has been remembered as one of the greatest American presidents. Chiang Kai-shek has conversely been reappraised by the younger Taiwanese generation, who are bringing to light his political violence and suppression of basic freedoms of Taiwanese citizens during his presidency. This thesis argues that because Lincoln lead through a charismatic personality and made attempts to please both his allies and opponents, he has enjoyed a positive legacy historically compared to Chiang. Thus, Chiang Kai-shek can be used as a template to give a fairer assessment of Lincoln in American history
Biocultural Mobility: The Impact of Osteoarthritis on Rural Kentuckians
Get PDFOsteoarthritis (OA) is a common chronic degenerative joint disease that results in joint pain and loss of joint function, and it is rising in prevalence alongside an aging population. OA has a complex etiology, with various biological, mechanical, and sociocultural factors affecting its acquisition and progression. Like most diseases, OA has a differential prevalence among populations; it is disproportionally more common in underserved communities, including rural areas. This thesis presents (1) a study comparing selected OA treatment type and patient travel time, (2) a study comparing OA comorbidity amount and rurality, and (3) a discussion of exploratory interdisciplinary methods in OA prevention and management. (1) Analysis showed patients with longer travel times and rural patients utilized no treatment and fewer types of treatment for hip OA compared to those with shorter travel times and urban patients. (2) Results also showed rural patients experience higher amounts of OA comorbidities than urban patients. These findings suggest the need to create stronger OA prevention and treatment infrastructure in rural areas. (3) The presented interdisciplinary methods also indicate that fully understanding OA causes and risk factors requires a biocultural, holistic lens incorporating lines of evidence across multiple fields
UA19/16/2 Basketball Press Releases
Get PDFPress releases and game statistics for WKU men\u27s basketball team in spring 2025
UA19/16/2 Football Press Releases
Get PDFPress releases and game statistics for WKU football team in spring 2025
COMPETENCE TO STAND TRIAL AND CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY: THE EFFECT OF PRETRIAL PUBLICITY ON INSANITY VERDICTS
Get PDFDespite the legal distinction between competence to stand trial (CST) and criminal responsibility (CR), the potential for jurors to conflate these constructs due to pretrial publicity (PTP) remains an under-examined issue in forensic psychology research. Therefore, the current study investigated whether exposure to PTP about a defendant’s CST influences jurors’ CR verdicts. A national sample of jury-eligible adults (N = 598) was recruited through Prolific. Participants were randomly assigned to read one of three mock PTP news articles: (1) the defendant was CST, (2) the defendant was previously found incompetent to stand trial (IST) but was later restored to competency, or (3) a control article omitting competency information. After reading the PTP article, participants read a condensed trial summary, rendered a dichotomous verdict (guilty or NGRI), and completed the Knowledge of the Insanity Defense Scale (KIDS; Daftary-Kapur et al., 2011) and the Need for Affect Questionnaire–Short Form (NAQ-S; Appel et al., 2012). Results revealed that participants exposed to the IST-restored condition were more likely to render a not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI) verdict, while exposure to CST had no overall effect. However, jurors with low or moderate NAQ-S scores were more likely to render guilty verdicts in the CST condition. Additionally, higher scores on the NAQ-S and KIDS scales directly affected guilty verdicts across conditions. These findings suggest that PTP involving a defendant’s competency status affects jurors’ decision-making in CR trials. The results highlight how even subtle PTP exposure can influence juror narratives and verdicts, underscoring the need for enhanced pretrial procedures and ongoing research in forensic psychology
IMPLEMENTATION REACH AND DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS FOR THE EIM ® -OC EXERCISE REFERRAL PROGRAM
No full textSedentary lifestyle habits are among the biggest risk factors of chronic disease and other poor health outcomes in the United States. The Exercise is Medicine-On Campus® (EIM -OC) Exercise Referral program on the University of Arkansas campus is an implementation study that investigates improvement in the physical activity levels of university students, faculty, and staff, and therefore aid in eliminating chronic illness risk factors. Despite 200 universities implementing EIM-OC PURPOSE: To collect demographics of successful referrals and follow-ups for an EIM-OC Exercise Referral Program. METHODS: In Spring 2024, after receiving IRB approval, students, faculty, staff, and community members were -campus events to take the PAVS, a screening tool that collects both frequency and volume of moderate to strenuous exercise. Participants were then referred to an exercise specialist, where they completed a fitness assessment before intervention. The exercise counseling intervention consisted of 3 motivational interviewing sessions, followed by a repeat fitness assessment the next semester. Data was then collected regarding the number of participants completing each portion of the study, including PAVS, fitness assessments, MI sessions, and follow-up fitness assessments. RESULTS: 66 individuals completed PAVS of which 48 (72.7%) were female and 32 (48.5%) were undergraduate students, 6 (9.1%) were graduate students, 8 were faculty (12.1%) or administration and 20 (30.3%) were staff. 61 participants were invited for referral. 33 completed the follow-up detailed questionnaire and were contacted to schedule fitness testing. 22 (n=18, 81.8% females) fitness assessments were completed. 8 (n=6, 75% females) participants completed at least one motivational interviewing session. To date, 4 participants have completed 6-month follow-up fitness assessments. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that participation in follow-ups decreases significantly after being invited for referral. Future research could investigate possible recruitment strategies for male participants and improvements in outreach after PAVS are taken
DOES ONE’S SPORT IMPACT ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE IN DIVISION II MALE SPORTS?
No full textAthletic performance can vary dependent upon sport, position, movement profile, et. Cetera. Because many athletic movements require high force and or power outputs, assessing said variables can assist athletic staff with exercise programming, and or performance assessment. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to assess two different male athletes (wrestling and football) at a Division II University on vertical jump (countermovement jump) and strength (isometric mid-thigh pull). METHODS: Due to the small sample size, an observational study (descriptives) will be used for each participants countermovement jump and strength. Two division II collegiate males volunteered to participate in the study (age= 22.50±0.71 years, height 183.10cm±1.56 cm, mass 95.25kg±3.89 kg). A wireless uniaxial dual force plate system was used for both performance variables. For the CMJ, all jumps were performed with hands on hips, with 15 seconds of rest allowed between each attempt. The best of three attempts are being reported. For the IMTP, all pulls were performed with knee joint angles between 125°-145°. Three attempts were performed, with three minutes of rest between each attempt. The best of the three are being reported. RESULTS: The present findings observed differences in force (absolute) and vertical jump performance between the two athletes. While wrestling elicited greater maximum and RFD, the football player had greater jumping metrics. CONCLUSION: While the present study was only able to assess two total athletes from different sports, the present descriptives showed differences in strength and jumping performance between the two athletes. The use of portable force plates can allow for coaches and practitioners to come to the athletes, and assess them in field-based testing, rather than lab-based testing. These results allow for greater application for said populations and can allow for appropriate exercise programming to allow for players to become more efficient in select variables
DO EXERCISE IS MEDICINE®-ON CAMPUS SCHOOLS PROMOTE HEALTH AND WELLNESS FOR EMPLOYEES?
No full textThe Exercise is Medicine®-On Campus (EIM-OC) initiative promotes physical activity among university faculty, staff, and students. For faculty and staff, employee health- and wellness-based benefits and programs are a primary approach to promoting wellness to attract and retain employees. However, the extent to which EIM-OC campuses promote these employee programs and benefits remains unknown. PURPOSE: To determine if U.S.-based, public EIM-OC universities are more likely to offer employee health- and wellness-based programs than similar non-EIM-OC universities and if there are differences among EIM-OC recognition statuses. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included all U.S. public EIM-OC colleges and universities (n=79) from the EIM-OC website as of July 2024. A comparable sample of 79 non-EIM-OC schools was selected and matched by institution type, student enrollment, and U.S. geographical regions. Schools were randomly assigned to five research assistants who independently conducted a systemized online search of public information on each school’s websites, checking for interrater reliability. The search was organized into five sections: 1) overarching mission and goals related to employee health, 2) employee benefits and well-being programs offered by human resources, 3) presence of university-wide wellness initiatives, 4) employee access to university recreations, and 5) EIM-OC website (if applicable) and inclusion of employees in initiatives. RESULTS: Means for student enrollment for EIM-OC and non-EIM-OC schools were 15,847.2 (±12,540.8) and 14,557.2 (±11,061.0). Currently, preliminary results for health and wellness programs have been completed for 18 EIM-OC schools and 15 non-EIM-OC schools. Employee mental health was the most offered wellness program through human resources across all schools (n=23). Only one school’s wellness site promoted its EIM-OC program. Six EIM-OC schools had an EIM-OC-specific website; none noted targeted resources for faculty and staff. CONCLUSION: Preliminary results suggest EIM-OC schools lack collaboration with faculty and staff health and wellness programs. Future research should directly contact EIM-OC schools to assess these initiatives since this campus population may be less physically active and benefit more from them
PRE-EJECTION PERIOD DETECTION AND REACTIVITY DURING NON-INVASIVE CARDIOVASCULAR AUTONOMIC CHALLENGES.
No full textPre-ejection period (PEP) refers to the systolic interval between the mitral valve closure (Mc) and the aortic valve opening (Ao). In psychophysiology, PEP is employed as a marker of cardiac sympathetic activity because the timing of valve opening is driven by myocardial noradrenergic-driven pressure changes. This behavior have been observed during pharmacological and psychological tasks but not addressed on physical autonomic perturbations. PURPOSE: The aim of this research is to evaluate the reactivity of the PEP assessed via seismocardiography (SCG) during distinct autonomic challenges that induce both parasympathetic and sympathetic alterations of the cardiovascular system. METHODS: Twenty healthy adults underwent cold face (CF), cold-pressor (CPT), and lower-body negative pressure (LBNP) tests while being monitored on a 3-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) and a commercially available accelerometer placed at the mid sternum for SCG tracing. PEP was determined by the fiducial points between the onset of the Q-wave representing the Mc and the second upslope from the SCG representing Ao during systole. RESULTS: There were no observed changes of the PEP during either CF (Rest: 97.62 ± 11.9, Ice: 96.97 ± 17.0 ms, Recovery: 97.58 ± 17.2 ms, η2: 0.04, 95%CI: -0.22 – 0.31) nor CPT (WarmH2O: 92.67 ± 14.5 ms, ColdH2O: 95.37 ± 17.3 ms, Recovery: 96.09 ± 17.5 ms, η2: -0.17, 95%CI: -0.11 – 0.44). There was a significant elevation of PEP during the vacuum phase of LBNP (Rest: 97.66 ± 14.0 ms, Vacuum: 110.94 ± 14.8 ms, Recovery: 97.14 ± 14.6 ms, η2: 0.64, 95%CI: 0.6 – 1.10) despite the increase in heart rate (Rest: 61.9 ± 10.8 bpm, Vacuum: 86.5 ± 11.7 bpm, Recovery: 60.5 ± 9.9 bpm, p\u3c0.001) in response to the drop in blood pressure (Rest: 122 ± 14.3 mmHg, Vacuum: 112.85 ± 15.5 mmHg, Recovery: 124.5 ± 12.7 mmHg, p\u3c0.001) during LBNP. CONCLUSION: Contrary to our hypotheses, the PEP response did not widen during CF or compress during CPT. Further, the orthostatic challenge prolonged the PEP, opposite of what we would expect for a cardiac sympathetic inducing event. This suggests that PEP duration is also influenced by pre-load status rather than just sympathetic drive during non-invasive autonomic perturbations
SKELETAL MUSCLE ADAPTATIONS FOLLOWING A COMMUNITY-BASED RESISTANCE TRAINING PROGRAM
No full textAging results in the attrition of skeletal muscle, observed by reductions in muscle cross-sectional area and thickness. This loss of muscle mass, most notable in the lower body, leads to an increased fall risk. Resistance training (RT) can improve muscle mass; however, many of these studies have used tightly controlled laboratory-based RT interventions. Thus, a paucity of research exists on whether community-based RT (CRT) programs can induce muscle mass adaptations in aging adults. PURPOSE: Measure the effectiveness of CRT for improving aging adults’ muscle mass and function. METHODS: Twenty-four participants (x̄ age= 66.1 ± 9.9 yrs) attended 2, 1-hour sessions per week for 8 weeks. Each session included a warmup, 8 RT exercises, and a cool down. Pre/post tests included ultrasound imaging of the vastus lateralis and biceps brachii to quantify muscle mass (muscle area and thickness) and quality (echogenicity). Functional health measurements included 30-second sit-to-stand, 5 sit-to-stand, 10-meter walk, timed-up-and-go, back-scratch, sit-and-reach, medicine ball toss, and 6 balance poses. Statistical analyses included paired t-tests with Bonferroni corrections for multiple comparisons (new muscle mass α=0.01; new functional health α=0.005) and Cohen’s d effect sizes. RESULTS: Vastus lateralis muscle mass and quality improved (all p≤0.01, all d≥ 0.6), but no changes were found in the upper body (Figure 1). Additionally, gait speed and lower body flexibility were improved (p=0.001, d ≥0.81). CONCLUSION: Lower body muscle mass and functional health (muscle quality) improved following an 8-week CRT program. CRT programs, designed to be accessible and cost-effective, may be efficacious solutions to age-related declines in muscle mass and function. However, exploration into CRT program progression is warranted; therefore, this ongoing study will have an additional 8-week RT block consisting of greater volume and intensity