2006-2007 ORG Grant Awards
Dr. Mircea Agapie, Department of Mathematics, Physics and Engineering
"Unsupervised learning of behaviors in autonomous mobile robots "
Autonomous mobile robots (AMR) are the fastest-growing field of Computer Science (CS) because of advances in connectionist artificial intelligence, advances in computer-based simulation, declining cost of robotic platforms, and increased interest from government agencies, the military, and private industry. Current AMR applications include exploration of hazardous areas (volcanoes, deep-ocean, and nuclear-contaminated areas), search-and-rescue, law enforcement (at the recent soccer World Cup in Germany robots were used to patrol the stadiums), anti-terrorism (remote bomb location and detonation), space exploration (Moon and Mars rovers; Hubble telescope repair), drilling for oil in the ocean floor, house appliances (Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner), and entertainment. In AMR, reducing the amount of pre-defined knowledge required to determine robot behaviors has led to the topic of automatic landmark selection. This project will make a new contribution to the behavior-based robotics field by suggesting that, contrary to the traditional "bottom up" approach, landmark selection should include a "top down" component: the goal of the particular application (e.g. reaching home) should be a factor in selecting landmarks.
Dr. Jeff Breeden , Department of Animal Sciences
"Effects of Vitamin E and Selenium Treatment on the Survival Rate of Relocated Wild Turkeys "
Capture and relocation are common methods for reintroducing wild turkeys into under populated areas. Reintroduction can cause the stress-related disease "capture myopathy" in which the struggling and excessive muscle contraction association with capture and handling creates buildup of lactic acid and possible scarring of skeletal and cardiac muscle tissue. Death may occur up to several weeks after capture due to this muscle damage as well as increased risk of predation. Survival rate of captured animals as well as treatment for capture myopathy are poorly understood, but injections of vitamin E and selenium have been suggested as possible treatments. In this project, half of a group of wild turkeys captured in the spring will be treated with vitamin E and selenium and then released with the control group. Turkeys will be monitored through the spring and summer with radio telemetry. The survival rate of treated and untreated bird will be compared to determine the possible impact of the treatment on survival rate.
Dr. Thomas Dougherty, Department of Psychology and Counseling
"Speed of Information Processing: Bridging the Gap Between Infants and Older Children"
While there have been studies to examine developmental issues regarding speed of information processing (SIP) in infants (3-36 months), older children (8-12 years), adolescents and adults, few studies have been conducted in children between 2 and 8 years of age. To our knowledge, no study has explored the developmental changes in this age range. The focus of this study is to understand the developmental progression and to bridge the gap in SIP research between infants and older children. Specifically, this study will observe whether a decreased slope in reaction time can be ascertained as children progress from 2 to 8 years of age. Hypothesis is that age will have an effect on children's variability from trial to trail.
Dr. Marilyn Duran, RN, Department of Nursing
"Survey to Describe Gender Differences in Health Impairments in Individuals with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)"
Men and women experience certain diseases differently. For example, it now is common knowledge that women who have a heart attack experience different symptoms than me and, in fact, describe their symptoms very differently than men. Discovery of these differences has resulted in improved diagnosis and treatment for women who are having a heart attack. Unfortunately current research about how men and women experience lung diseases -- especially COPD -- is lacking. Shortness of breath is a significant problem associated with COPD. This research will explore the differences in how men and women with COPD experience shortness of breath as a symptom. Specifically: how their breathing problems affect their ability to care for themselves; whether women experience more severe shortness of breath than men; and whether, as a result of shortness of breath, women are more likely than men to experience increased difficulty in caring for themselves. Women and men with COPD who are enrolled in a pulmonary rehabilitation program will be asked to complete a survey about how much breathing difficulty they have and how their lives are affected by the disease.
Dr. Brian Fehler, Department of English and Languages
"The Literacy Work of the Mexican-American Settlement Movement"
Language scholars increasingly are looking beyond the academy to study how literacy is transmitted at home or work. One site of literacy transmission that has yet to receive sustained attention from language scholars is the settlement movement. Progressive-era reformers founded settlement houses (such as Jane Addams' Hull House) in immigrant communities in most large American cities. Settlements distinguished themselves from other relief agencies in one important respect: workers lived in these houses often for a period of a year or more. The workers "settled" in the houses, giving the movement its name. This study will argue that the close interactions among the settlement workers, their sponsors and their communities deserve greater attention from language scholars because 1) settlement houses were sites of explicit language instruction so an examination of these instructional techniques will complement our knowledge of traditional school-based instruction. 2) Since settlement workers lived in the communities they served, settlements were important conduits of cultural literacy, with workers being exposed to immigrant cultures and immigrants being exposed to Americanization. 3) Staffed primarily by women, the houses provide a site for understanding how gender politics influenced the literacy work of the movement. The project will focus on the Mexican-American settlement movement in Texas, which is particularly relevant given the current national debate about Mexican immigration.
Dr. Shaukat Goderya, Department of Mathematics, Physics and Engineering
"Contact Binary Stars and the World of Artificial Intelligence "
Recent advances in information technology and space-based astronomy have lead to a dramatic increase in our ability to acquire astronomical data. Ground based surveys (ROTSE) and space missions (COROT, KEPLER, GAIA, etc.) already are underway to search for terrestrial planets in our galaxy as well as the local neighborhood of galaxies. It is expected that the number of known eclipsing binary stars from various surveys will increase the database from 10,000 to over 8 million. Artificial intelligence-based investigative tools will be needed to mine and harness the ever-increasing database for new information of astrophysical value. This project's primary goal is to develop a prototype model of an automated tool to search and identify contact binary stars from various existing survey photometry data. The prototype model will use an observational technique and artificial neural networks to sift through a large number of eclipsing binary stars to search for contact systems. To assess the effectiveness of the prototype model, the network will be trained on a sub-sample of known contact binary stars and then tested on another independent sub-sample of contact binaries.
Dr. Christopher Guthrie , Department of Social Sciences
"The Use of Political Symbolism in the City of Narbonne 1848-1921 "
This project will systematically examine the battles over political symbols that characterized a good portion of the Third Republic in the Narbonnais (a region in south-central Mediterranean France). The study specifically addresses the fight over the public celebration of the political holidays of Bastille Day and May Day in the city of Narbonne; the back-and-forth struggle over the naming of streets, schools, and other public buildings; and the systematic attack launched by the socialist administration of the city between 1888 and 1921 to eliminate the public celebration of religious holidays.With the findings from this study, I should be able to effectively address such important issues as (1) explaining precisely how and why the use of political symbolism in the Narbonnais changed over time; (2) identifying the precise periods of transition in this evolution and correlating these transitions, if possible, with transformations in the social and economic structures of the city; (3) determining the larger political issues that lay behind such symbolic acts as the naming of public spaces and the local celebration of national holidays; and (4) elucidating whether changes in the use of political symbolism indicated a parallel "modernization" in the political skills and outlook of ordinary people. This last question is especially important given the methodological reservations many contemporary scholars have regarding the use of the term "modernization" and the implicit assumption of progress it embodies.
Dr. Randy Harp, Department of Animal Sciences
"Efficacy of Acidified Sodium Chlorite Application on Smoked Sausage for the Control of Listeria Monocytogenes"
With growing consumer preference for convenient, easy to fix processed foods and ready-to-eat (RTE) products, food safety presents an increasing challenge for meat processors. Both small and large meat processing operations must address concerns about pathogenic contamination post-lethality (after-cooking). Salmonell and Listeria Monocytogenes micro-organisms are the main concerns. The major factors that influence pathogen growth include temperature, availability of oxygen, pH, moisture content, and nutrition for the microbes. Usually cooking and smoking meat products properly eliminates the danger from dangerous micro-organisms. However, the possibility of pathogen contamination after processing remains a concern, and safeguards are in place in the food industry to reduce the likelihood of contamination. Treating products with an anti-microbial solution immediately before packaging is one method to insure a safer RTE product. Acidified Sodium Chlorite (ASC), commercially known at a diluted level as Keeper Pro, is one example of an anti-microbial solution that creates an unsuitable pH for pathogens. ASC is FDA approved as a post-processing antimicrobial agent for use on foods that include red meat and RTE products. This study will determine the effectiveness of ASC application on smoked sausage and its ultimate shelf life ability to eliminate Listeria monocytogenes.
Dr. Christopher Higgins, Department of Biological Sciences
"Habitat Selection in Stream-Dwelling Cyprinids; Combining Experimental and Observational Approaches"
Streams of the southwestern United States are subject to a wide array of environmental factors ranging from severe droughts to flash flooding. In addition, many of these streams are faced with environmental perturbations due to anthropogenic modifications such as the construction of reservoirs and current practices in the agriculture industry. Stream fish are capable of responding to environmental changes by voluntarily selecting a different habitat within the stream where conditions may be more suitable for their survival and reproduction. This process is believed to be one of the most important ecological processes leading to the coexistence of similar species. This study will use a combination of laboratory experiments and field observations to identify habitat preferences and to delineate the factors involved in habitat selection. The study will address these specific questions: (1) what environmental factors do stream-dwelling cyprinids actively prefer when isolated in a laboratory setting? (2) Is habitat selection density dependent? (3) If so, at what density do biotic factors override abiotic preferences? (4) Can habitat selection observed in the field by predicted from data obtained in the laboratory? The proposed study will complement previous research by experimentally identifying optimal versus marginal habitat preferences, by delineating the underlying factors involved in habitat selection, and by testing models based on ecological theory with empirical observations.
Drs. Dale Johnson and Jill Burk , College of Education
"Development of a Model of Teaching Effectiveness "
In a continuing effort to improve preservice teacher education at Tarleton, the College of Education participates in numerous evaluative activities to identify areas of challenge as well as domains of strength. A critical component in these efforts is to assess how students taught by Tarleton graduates perform academically and to identify correlates of the teachers' effectiveness. Teaching effectiveness is a complex activity influenced by many factors. The College of Education, in collaboration with several other universities under the Houston-based CREATE consortium, is attempting to validate a theoretical framework for teaching effectiveness using pre-entry characteristics, preservice academic experience, and knowledge of content and pedagogy predictors. The conceptual model for teacher effectiveness includes background program entry variables, university academic experiences, professional abilities, and content knowledge. Path coefficients will quantify relations between the variables. The primary research question will be whether relations between the variables exist and, if they do, what the nature of the relationships is. Study outcomes will provide empirical evidence answering the research question as a potentially publishable model and will provide a pilot test for methodology for an externally-funded proposal.
Dr. Carol Key , Department of Social Work, Sociology and Criminal Justice
"Tourism and the Marine Landscape "
Many countries are pursuing tourism as a form of economic development. The 20th century saw unprecedented growth in the tourist industry due to the creation of the commercial airline industry and the development of jet aircraft travel, which made destinations available to and affordable for a growing middle class. Many foreign governments at first embraced mass tourism as a nonpolluting industry that could increase employment and raise the gross national product. However, mass tourism created primarily low wage service sector employment, and evidence quickly grew that tourism industry benefits were minimal and social and environmental costs were high. In 2002, I completed research begun in 1993 in Belize, Central America. My study examined the social and economic changes over time in the villages of Placencia and Seine Bight, which are several miles apart and consist of different ethnic groups, as tourism became a major economic activity. This project will allow me to analyze archival data and write a book to disseminate a complete and coherent study of social changes in the villages.
Dr. Barry Lambert, Department of Animal Sciences of Animal Sciences
"Intestinal Phosphorus Transporters in Dairy Cattle"
Phosphorus (P) has more known biological functions than any other mineral. It is essential for ruminant animals' growth, maintenance, pregnancy and lactation. Most phosphorus in the body is found in bones and teeth, but it also appears in every cell, participates in most reactions involving forming and breaking high-energy bonds, and is involved in acid-base buffer systems in the blood and other bodily fluids. At least half the phosphorus fed to dairy cattle as a nutritional supplement ends up being excreted into the environment because it is not absorbed while it moves through the digestive tract. Excess phosphorus pollutes surface water, leading to increased algae growth and eventual eutrophication of surface waters. Phosphorus is absorbed by being transported across the intestinal wall by an active transporter system, which has been characterized in many species, but not in dairy cattle. The goal of this project is to better characterize the intestinal phosphorus transporters present in dairy cattle.
Dr. Daniel Marble, Department of Mathematics, Physics and Engineering
"Study of X-Ray Production Cross Sections for Yttrium and Other Selected Elements by 0.500 to 3.00 MeV Hydrogen and Helium Ions "
Ion-solid interactions is an area of immense importance both in studying the nature of atomic systems and because it forms the basis for the analysis of a wide range of physical systems from astrophysics to the detection of impurities to semiconductors. A primary mechanism by which an ion will interact with an atomic system is the removal of one or more electrons from a target atom after which the ionized atom may then de-excite through the emission of an x-ray that can be used as an atomic finger print. X-ray spectroscopy using incident electrons from a scanning electron microscope to ionize the target atoms is routinely used to analyze the concentrations of various elements in geological, biological and other materials. Since an incoming MeV ion is much more likely to ionize a target atom than an electron, an accelerator based technique like particle induced x-ray emission (PIXE) offers greater sensitivity. Unfortunately, the complex nature of this quantum mechanical process makes quantification difficult. Considerable effort has been expended to develop theoretical models including the ECPSSR model used for PIXE analysis and to measure x-ray production cross sections to test these models. This work is not only essential for accurate analytical work, but also to understand the fundamental nature of the atom. While the ECPSSR theory correctly predicts K shell x-rays for most elements, there still appears to be discrepancies for some ion-atom combinations for L and M shell x-ray emission. This proposal is for the measurement of L-Shell x-ray production cross sections for 0.5-2.0 MeV proton and helium ions on selected elements including yttrium and hafnium that show promise for future electronics applications in order to test the ECPSSR model validity and the feasibility of PIXE analysis on emerging electronic materials.
Dr. Denise Martinez , Department of Mathematics, Physics and Engineering
"Development of a Simulated Visual Servo System Using Image Process and Neural Networks "
This project will establish the foundation for extended undergraduate research and development in the field of real-time image based control systems. The PI and two undergraduate students will research techniques and implement a system that will take as input images of select letters of the alphabet, process the images to extract critical features, identify the letters, and arrange and orient them in order to spell a given word. The project will require research and development of three subsystems: feature extraction, pattern classification, and open loop control system simulation. The final product will be a series of programs, using MatLab and image processing and neural network toolboxes as the development environment. The researchers will investigate, simulate and select subsystems subject to the constraint of computational speed so that the methods may be extrapolated in the future to a hardware system that performs real-time image-based control.
Dr. James Mueller , Department of Animal Sciences
"Status Survey and Habitat Modeling of the Brazos Water Snake (Nerodia harteri) "
The Brazos water snake (Nerodia harteri) is a Texas endemic species that is classified as "Threatened" by the State of Texas. It occurs along 300 km of river habitat and two lakes in the Brazos River Basin of Texas (Scott et al 1989), giving it one of the smallest ranges of any North American snake species. The population distribution within this range is patchy and most likely associated with availability of suitable neonate habitat. Defining the extent of potential suitable habitat and surveying current populations have been identified as priority conservation actions for the species (Bender et al 2005:1011) The objectives of this study are to (1) identify available potential Brazos water snake habitat; (2) determine current distribution and relative abundance of the Brazos water snake by surveying potential habitat in the Brazos River and its tributaries, and (3) investigate the relationship between Brazos water snake occurrence and habitat quality. I hypothesize that the distribution of the Brazos water snake is dependent on riffle quality (determined by measurable riffle characteristics) and the nearness of the occupied riffle to other suitable riffles.
Dr. Russell Pfau, Department of Biological Sciences
"Development of Genetic Marker System For Use in Characterizing a Hybrid Zone Between Two Divergent Lineages of the Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus)"
Hybrid zones have provided a wealth of knowledge regarding the nature and origin of species by providing a natural laboratory where the patterns and processes resulting from the merger of divergent genomes can be examined. Patterns of gene frequencies across hybrid zones can provide estimates of gene flow and selection pressure and inferences then can be made regarding the processes maintaining the hybrid zone. A previously undocumented hybrid zone has been identified recently at the contact zone between two divergent lineages of the hispid cotton rat in the USA. These genetically unique, yet morphologically identical, lineages may represent previously unrecognized species of Sigmodon. Since Sigmodon is widely used in a variety of research, this significant pattern of divergent is important to the research community. Objectives of the propose research are to 1) document the geographical extent of the hybrid zone, 2) develop a male-specific, Y-chromosome marker for examining male mediated gene flow across the hybrid zone, 3) characterize differences in a reproductive-compatibility protein between the two lineages and determine if this gene is influenced by selection within the hybrid zone, and 4) develop microsatellite markers to characterize movement of the nuclear genome across the hybrid zone. Tissues and DNA samples already have been obtained, and no additional specimens will be collected to carry out the proposed research. The research project will rely heavily on undergraduate student involvement, including data collection, analysis, presentation at scientific conferences and authorship of publications.
Dr. Richard Reese , Department of Mathematics, Physics and Engineering
"Advanced Program Debugger"
When a software application is developed, it almost always will contain errors. The process of detecting and removing errors from a program is called debugging. Traditionally the process of debugging has been ad hoc and has utilized simple print statements to determine the cause of the error. More recently, interactive debuggers have been used that provide a higher level of support for the debug process. This support has included the ability to single step through a program and to set break points that will stop the program when a specific condition has occurred. A fundamental problem with developing and debugging software is that the code is a static representation of a dynamic process. It is conceptually difficult for programmers to visualize the execution of the code and its interaction with data structures at execution time. Experimental debuggers have provided a visual view of the execution environment with temporal behavior preserved. The temporal behavior and the interactions depicted help convey the essence of the dynamic behavior of the program. Other related research includes database capture of execution behavior for later analysis and visual stimulation of data structure algorithms. The proposed research will result in the creation of a comprehensive model of the debugging process which will serve as the foundation for a formal debugging methodology. The methodology will serve to support debugging goals and strategies and provide the correct complement of visual debug tools. A framework will be developed to analyze and verify the model and methodology.
Dr. Bethany Rinard , Department of Chemistry, Geosciences and Environmental Science
"Geologic Map of Capulin Volcano National Monument"
Capulin Volcano National Monument is located in the Raton-Clayton Volcanic Field of northeastern New Mexico. Capulin Mountain is a young volcano that erupted a series of four lava flows, covering an area of roughly 15.7 square miles. The park occupies approximately 790 acres (~1.3 square miles) of this area. The current project in a collaborative effort between the Soils and Geoscience programs at Tarleton. The larger project, developed by Dr. David Weindorf, is to create a detailed soil map of Capulin Volcano National Monument. This project was developed in its initial stages with park staff members, who are interested in obtaining the detailed survey of the park's soil to better manage the park's resources. They also have unanswered questions regarding the distribution of vegetation in the park and the occurrence of carbonate mineral deposits on Capulin's lava flows. We feel that both vegetation and the carbonate minerals are tied to the chemistry of the rocks from which the soils were derived, so the project also will include mapping and geochemical analysis of the rocks found in and immediately around the park. Field work conducted in May 2007 will consist of soil and rock sampling, geologic mapping, description of soils and vegetation cover, and investigation of field relationships between rocks and soils. Rock and soil samples will be processed and analyzed. Soils will be classified and used to create a detailed soil map, and a geologic map illustrating the distribution of lava flows from the volcano also will be created. Both maps will be in electronic format. The final written report will include a description of the geochemical relationships between the soils and their parent rocks.
Dr. Max Sanderford, Department of Biology
"Gender Differences in the Thermoregulatory Threshold for Non-Shivering Thermogenesis"
During cold stress, maintenance of core body temperature is regulated by shivering and non-shivering thermogenesis. Heat produced as a result of shivering thermogenesis is liberated from metabolically active skeletal muscle. Heat produced in non-shivering themogenesis is liberated from other metabolically active tissues such as brown adipose tissue (BAT). The principle site of non-shivering thermogenesis in neonates and cold-acclimated mammals is BAT. Heat is produced in BAT when the environmental temperature decreases and when the animal consumes more calories than are metabolically needed. When environmental temperature decreases, there is a need to generate heat for the purpose of maintaining body heat. If too many calories are consumed, heat is generated to waste energy and help prevent obesity. Several recent studies suggest that males and females may differ in their thermogenic response to these environmental conditions. One difference may be the environmental temperature at which non-shivering thermogenesis is initiated: the non-shivering thermogenesis threshold. This study seeks to 1) develop a technique to measure the non-shivering thermogenic threshold; 2) determine if this threshold is different between male and female cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus); and 3) determine if ovariectomy normalizes the threshold between male and female S. hispidus.
Ms. Leah Schultz , Computer Information Systems
"Impact of Class Duration on Performance and Student Learning Outcomes "
Faculty and administrators at colleges and universities constantly strive to assess student learning outcomes and to develop and implement pedagogical strategies and instructional approaches aimed at sustaining and improving learning outcomes. Four major performance measures used in assessments are: improving and sustaining student attendance, acquiring and reinforcing skills sets learned in class time periods, post-scores significantly higher than pre-scores, and sustained and improving measurements of student learning outcomes. Administrators and faculty are particularly concerned about freshmen and sophomore students in core/required courses. In most institutions, these courses characteristically are large sections that typically meet three days a week for lecture; most also have a lab session. The research team posits the four performance measures will be highly applicable to assessment of these courses. The proposed research will conduct a statistically robust experiment to measure differences in the four performance measures resulting from selected pedagogical strategies and instructional methods. Specifically, the research addresses these hypotheses: 1) there is a statistically significant difference in the four performance measures between the control and treatment groups of students based on the high schools and school districts in which they received their high school diplomas; 2) There is a statistically significant difference in the four performance measures between the control and treatment groups based on the 3-day-a-week (traditional 50 minute MWF class periods) versus the 2-day-a-week (75 minute MW and TR class periods); 3) There is a significant difference in the four performance measures between the control and treatment groups, based on the pedagogical and instructional approaches facilitated by the 3-day-a-week versus 2-day-a-week class format; and 4) There is a significant difference in the four performance measures between the control and treatment groups, measured as student acceptance, and concomitant results improvements, characterized by the 3-day-a-week control group versus the 2-day-a-week treatment group. Decision and policy implications will include validated recommendations for MW and TR classes and specific recommendations for pedagogical strategies and instructional methods for core courses in degree programs.
Dr. Leslie Stanley-Stevens, Department of Social Work, Sociology and Criminal Justice
"Negotiating the Demands of Work and Family"
Funding supports partial salary for the Summer I semester to edit, proof and index her book Kid Pro Quo: Balancing Work and Family So That Everyone Wins, construct a companion web page for the book and submit two papers derived from the research. The book reports on a study that is unique in two important ways. First, the participants are residents of rural, central Texas, a population about whom there is little empirical information. And second, the study is longitudinal and investigates how the expectant parents' expectations about work and family differ from their actual experiences. The book also employs findings from the study to identify hot spots for new parents as they negotiate work at home and work for pay, and it will provide practical advice. The information drawn from the study will continue to be presented at professional meetings, area universities and churches.
Dr. Philip Sudman, Department of Biology
"Genetic Analysis of Baird's Pocket Gopher (Geomys breviceps)
Pocket gophers are burrowing mammals that occur throughout much of central and western North America. They have been very poorly studied compared to other species because most people don't even know they are present. Baird's pocket gopher (Geomys breviceps) occurs in eastern Texas, eastern Oklahoma, western Arkansas, and western Louisiana. This species was once considered the same species as Geomys bursarius, which occurs throughout the central plains states. Two samples of G. breviceps have been found to be as different from one another as most other species are from one another, which suggests the possibility that there is a cryptic species present within the range of this pocket gopher. This proposal provides support for the collection of samples from throughout this species' range and subsequent genetic analysis of samples to determine patterns or relatedness as well as levels of divergence between populations. The potential result is determination that what has been recently called one species is actually due, with the prospect of naming and describing a new species of mammal.
Ms. Jennifer Titus, Department of Educational Administration, Counseling and Psychology
"Self-Injurious Behaviors: Relationship with Anxiety"
This study will investigate the relationship between self-injurious behaviors and levels of anxiety. White, McCormick and Kelly (2003) defined self-injurious behavior as direct, socially unacceptable, repetitive behavior, such as cutting and/or burning, that may lead to mild or moderate physical injury. Research is limited in the area of self-injurious behavior as it relates to anxiety. The focus of this study is unique in that it will investigate which types of self-injurious behavior have a closer relationship to anxiety. Students will fill out a demographics survey where they will indicate any current or past self-injurious behaviors. The self-injurious behaviors that will be researched include (a) cutting, b) burning, c) piercing, d) tattooing, e) extreme nail biting until bleeding, f) excessive picking of skin, scabs, abrasions or scratching until bleeding, g) self hitting, h) biting, and i) others that students may fill in. In addition, students will complete the Symptom Checklist - 90 - Revised (SCL-90-R), a 90 item self-report symptom inventory. The SCL-90-R helps evaluate a broad range of psychological problems and symptoms of psychological disorders. The SCL-0-R is used by clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, and professionals in mental health, medical and educational settings, as well as for research purposes. The results from the demographics and the SCL-90-R anxiety scale will be compared to determine any relationship between each type of self-injurious behavior and levels of anxiety. The anticipated hypothesis is that there will be the most positive correlation between anxiety and cutting. This research will serve as a form of education and raise awareness of self-injurious behavior and its relationship with anxiety.
Dr. David C. Weindorf , Department of Agribusiness, Agronomy, Horticulture and Range Management
"Soil Survey of Capulin Volcano National Monument "
This project consists of a Level 2 soil survey of the Capulin Volcano National Monument in New Mexico. The area (approximately 700 acres) will be sampled as follows: three soil samples (0-4" depth) per acre will be composited into one sample per acre to cover the entire acreage of the park. Field notes will be made to include vegetation present, parent material, slope, etc. at each site. Since the parent material of these soils is largely volcanic basalt, Dr. Beth Rinard (TSU Chemistry and Geosciences) will collaborate with us to carefully delineate differences in the source material. Collected samples will be taken to the Tarleton State University soils lab for analyses to include: particle size analysis, pH, salinity, organic matter, total carbon, total nitrogen, and ICP analyses (selected trace metals and/or micronutrients). Selected samples also will be subjected to x-ray diffraction and electron microscopy analyses. Additionally, 10-15 soil profiles will be excavated and described in detail. These profiles will contain full pedon descriptions to include color, structure, effervescence, root distribution, consistence and horizon boundaries. Each pedon will be classified according to U.S. Soil Taxonomy 2nd Ed. All data will be compiled into a GIS data layer for display in ArcGIS. The data will be referenced to other available digital data such as topography, aerial orthphotos, SSURGO data, etc. Delineations will be made to specifically identify differences in soil types/series across the monument.
Dr. Mallory Young, Department of English and Languages
"Chick Flicks: Contemporary Women at the Movies"
This project continues the 2005-2006 project to complete an edited collection of original essays on the subject of contemporary "chick flicks," Chick Flicks: Contemporary Women at the Movies. Suzanne Ferris at Nova Southeastern University is the co-editor. The essays in the collection, along with an extensive introduction and afterword, address the cultural, literary, and sociological significance of current films directed primarily at (and sometimes by) women. Such films provide a clue to women's cultural status and the societal expectations women face. Essays in the book address such issues as gender and genre, race and class, the conflict between feminism and postfeminism, the changing portrayal of older women, and attitudes towards women's sexuality and identity. UT Press currently is considering the manuscript.At their request, extensive revisions have been made, and we are seeking at least one and preferably two additional essays/writers. If UT Press does not ultimately accept the manuscript, the new and improved version will be submitted to The University of Virginia Press, which has expressed an interest in considering it.