Digital Commons Network^™

The Power Of Core Memories In Financial Education For Gen Alpha Children, Karen Richel

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Financial education plays a critical role in shaping lifelong financial behaviors and decision-making skills. To create a lasting impact, it is essential to establish core memories associated with money management from an early age. This article explores the significance of these foundational experiences and their role in financial education for Gen Alpha children.

A series of eight immersive financial education events was developed to meet state and national standards for students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. These events employ play-based and object-based learning approaches, immersing students in engaging, age-appropriate activities that incorporate real-world scenarios. By creating a fun and memorable …

Enhancing Youth Learning Outcomes Of Travel Programs Through Storytelling, Gary Ellis, Parisa Paymard, Dottie Goebel, Darlene Locke, William F. Zanolini, Emily Catalan, Kelley Ranly

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

We conducted two studies to evaluate strategies that Extension educators may use to enrich youth travel program experiences. Study 1 evaluated the effects of telling stories about attractions before site visits on youth experiences and learning outcomes on site. Seventeen youth in a 4-H program designed to promote cultural understanding visited eight attractions in Costa Rica. The evening before visiting three sites, youth were told a fictional or cross-fictional story about the sites. The stories elicited imaginary travel to the site (narrative transportation). After visiting the sites, the youth reported the extent to which they felt like they were in …

Food Access And Food Insecurity Among Early Childhood Educators And Staff Prior To And During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study, Rahel Mathews, Leah Pylate, Will Davis, Elizabeth Thorne, Jamila Taylor, Shecoya White, Bennett Pope, Emma Bryant

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Emerging research indicates that 40% of early childhood education (ECE) workers experience food insecurity. The purpose of this study was to describe the food insecurity and food access of Head Start teachers and staff in Mississippi before the COVID-19 pandemic and to understand how COVID-19 affected food access. A mixed-methods design was employed using cross-sectional surveys, at two different time points, and three focus groups. Three Head Start centers from the Mississippi Coast participated. Approximately 52% of teacher and staff respondents experienced food insecurity before COVID-19; during the pandemic, their level of food insecurity worsened from low to very low …

Teaching Leadership In The Context Of Crisis: Connecting Organizational Leadership And Crisis Competencies In A Faculty Leadership Education Program, Caitlin Lunzmann, Nicole Lamee Perez Stedman, Matthew Sowcik

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

This research focused on enhancing leadership instruction in colleges of agriculture. A multi-institutional research team initiated a program to teach agricultural and natural resource faculty how to create leadership-oriented case studies for undergraduates. Forty faculty members participated in an online training academy centered on Bolman and Deal’s Organizational Frames and case study writing. Following the academy, these faculty members participated in field experiences in the southeastern U.S. to gather data on natural disasters, which they used to write case studies about leadership in agriculture. Though the program focused on organizational leadership, it also discussed leadership in the context of natural …

Exploring The Educational Needs Of Family Caregivers For Patients With Dementia, Karen L. Franck, Janet Fox, Ann A. Berry, Kristen Johnson, Jessica Taylor, Matt Devereaux

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Family members who care for patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and dementia often face significant stressors and challenges that impact their quality of life. As part of a project to develop Extension educational materials and resources specifically for family caregivers, we conducted an online needs assessment survey with 196 adults in the U.S. Participants identified doctors, the internet, and caregiver support groups as top sources of information about dementia. They were interested in strategies to help them manage stress, address patient behavioral issues, and access locally available resources. Furthermore, they were interested in attending educational programs with other caregivers. These findings …

The Price Of Priorities: How Human Choices Fuel Climate And Ecological Decline, Keisha Hickman

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines the ways in which human priorities and behaviors contribute to the escalating climate crisis and ecological systems. We will first analyze the role of social media in shaping public discourse on climate change and critically evaluate the priorities of institutions that have the means to assist in wildlife conservation. Both speak to the current behaviors of humankind prioritizing their own entertainment over meaningful efforts to mitigate climate change and preserve biodiversity. We will then shift to exploring the profound impact of human population growth and its associated activities on other species and ecosystems. Finally, the thesis will …

A Persistent Homology Framework For Scrna-Seq: Assessing Clustering Robustness And Quantifying Preprocessing And Integration Effects On Topological Features., Jonah Daneshmand

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data expands, robust methods for integrating diverse datasets are critical. This dissertation applies Persistent Homology (PH), a technique from Topological Data Analysis (TDA), to a collection of scRNA-seq datasets spanning eight tissue types to quantify how data integration affects topological features and biological interpretability. We assessed global topological structure using Betti curves, Euler characteristics, and persistence landscapes across raw, normalized, and integrated data representations. Our analysis revealed a performance inversion: while conventional methods excelled on unintegrated data, high-granularity topological methods, particularly those sensitive to global data structure, became superior after integration. This suggests a synergy …

Characterizing Hexavalent Chromium Neurotoxicity Across Laboratory Models., Samuel Thomas Vielee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is a ubiquitous environmental pollutant and potent toxicant. Exposure to Cr(VI) in drinking water is primarily associated with cancers, inflammation, and hepatotoxicity; however, recent studies have identified Cr(VI) as a neurotoxicant in rodent and cell culture models. The literature suggest chromium accumulates in the brain, induces widespread neurodegeneration, and alters rodent behaviors. Despite these data, we lack a detailed and consistent assessments of Cr(VI) neurotoxicity across models, and interactions between aging and Cr(VI) neurotoxicity are not reported in the literature. In this dissertation, we characterize Cr(VI) neurotoxicity across 3 laboratory models: Sprague-Dawley rats, Caenorhabditis elegans, and …

Exposure To Pm2.5 And Aging., Daniel Chris Gomes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Inhalation of fine airborne particulate matter (PM_2.5) is an environmental risk factor for numerous health disorders, including cardiovascular diseases (CVD). While several studies have shown that PM_2.5 exposure can induce oxidative stress, DNA damage, and inflammation, the underlying mechanisms that translate these effects into systemic pathology remain poorly understood. Some recent studies have shown that PM_2.5 exposure can lead to telomere shortening in leukocytes, but the generality of this outcome and contribution to endothelial dysfunction has not yet been fully explored. We hypothesized that PM_2.5inhalation accelerates cellular aging and senescence in both circulating peripheral …

A Ralgef Inhibitor Suppresses Lung Cancer Stem Cell Development And Tumorigenesis., Raphael Ngozichi Suarez Jigo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The RALGEF family of proteins are direct downstream effectors of the RAS oncoprotein. RALGEFs act as guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) for downstream RAL proteins, thus tying RAS to the regulation of RAL. Genetic studies have demonstrated RAL proteins to be key drivers of RAS-driven transformation and metastasis. Furthermore, this pathway has been implicated in chemoresistance, exocyst-mediated transport, and the modulation of cancer stem cells. Previous work in our lab reported the activity of a novel pan-RALGEF inhibitor (C4-180) against RAS-driven pancreatic cancer models. Here we show the agent to be active against in vitro and in vivo models of …

The Autonomic And Arrhythmogenic Effects Of Gestational E-Cigarette Exposure., Brittany Rachelle Reynolds

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction. E-cigarettes (e-cigs) have been shown to be pro-arrhythmic in both human and male rodent studies; however, little is known about how e-cig use impacts patients with a predisposed heightened risk for arrhythmias, including pregnant women. Both pregnancy and e-cig use have independently been shown to increase heart rate, diminish heart rate variability, and increase ventricular premature beats, which is suspected to be due to sympathetic dominance. Importantly, β-blockers have been shown to reduce sympathetic activity, reduce heart rate, increase HRV, and reduce arrhythmias. Thus, the use of β-blockers may help prevent adverse health effects driven by sympathetic dominance from …

Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes: From Discovery To Clinical Application., Lewis Clayton Chew

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the evolution of TIL therapy from its discovery to clinical application, focusing on its use in treating metastatic cancer. Adoptive cell therapy (ACT), particularly TIL therapy, has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional treatments like chemotherapy. This review article traces the historical development of TILs, highlighting key experiments and clinical trials that have shaped its understanding and application as a therapeutic strategy for patients with metastatic and difficult to treat cancers including melanoma. Importantly, this article highlights recent advancements, including the FDA approval of Lifileucel, and explores emerging strategies to enhance therapeutic efficacy of TILs through …

Characterization Of Free Oxylipins In Extracellular Vesicles From Bovine Milk, Kai Filio

Food Science (MS) Theses

Background. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound nanostructures released by human and bovine mammary epithelial cells that carry bioactive lipids and oxidized lipid metabolites. Found in bovine milk, EVs contribute to immune modulation, gut health, and cellular signaling. However, gaps remain in understanding the full composition of milk-derived EVs and how processing alters EV content. This research aimed to characterize the free oxylipin content of EVs from bovine milk treated by pasteurization and homogenization. The hypothesis was that EVs from raw bovine milk would retain higher oxylipin levels than processed milk. Methods. Raw milk was treated by high-temperature short time (HTST), …

Neurogenesis And Functional Recovery Of Murine Retinal Ganglion Cells After Glaucoma Induction Following Treatment With Pnu-282987, Samantha Luzadre

Masters Theses

Experiments were performed to demonstrate electrical recovery in glaucoma-induced adult mice after neurogenesis of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Newly derived RGCs were induced following eye drop treatment with a selective alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist, PNU-282987. Both sexes of transgenic (RlbpCre-ER (CRE⁺) and Rosa-tdTomato (tdTomato⁺)) adult mice were utilized to trace newly generated RGCs originating from Müller glia (MG). Experimental mice were injected with hypertonic saline into the episcleral vein of anesthetized mice to significantly increase intraocular pressure (IOP) and induce glaucoma-like conditions. One month after the injection and after significant death of RGCs occurred, mice …

Essays On The Economics Of Farmland Valuation And Investment In U.S. Agriculture, Colson Tester

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents three empirical essays that collectively advance the understanding of farmland valuation in key U.S. agricultural regions, emphasizing the critical advantages of comprehensive, transaction-based data over traditional survey methods. Farmland represents a significant portion of agricultural wealth, and its accurate valuation is crucial for farmers, investors, and policymakers, influencing everything from credit access to investment strategies. Historically, research has often relied on subjective survey data, which can suffer from biases, inaccuracies, and insufficient granularity. This dissertation addresses these limitations by leveraging extensive datasets of arm’s-length farmland transactions, offering a more precise and market-driven perspective on land values. The …

Twim #261: Overwhelming Microbial Greatness, Jenny Stoval, Briana Lanzarotta, Luke Boseman, Nicole L. Podnecky, Angela Wilson

School of Medical Diagnostics & Translational Sciences Publications

Podcast annotation TWiM #261: Overwhelming Microbial Greatness from the weekly podcast series "This Week in Microbiology" (TWiM), a podcast where experts in microbiology discuss academic papers in their field in an informal way.

Performance Enhancement For Rufa: Rapid Urban Forest Assessment, Nicholas Tan

Master's Theses

Urban forests are crucial to the livability and resilience of cities, offering critical ecosystem benefits such as air quality enhancement, temperature regulation, and biodiversity. Managing said urban forests is essential to ensure their sustainability and adaptability to rapidly changing environmental and climate conditions. The Rapid Urban Forest Assessment (RUFA) tool was developed to address the need for a standardized approach to evaluating and comparing urban and community forestry programs. By analyzing and aggregating tree-specific data across California, such as canopy cover, tree counts, and diversity scores, RUFA assigns a comprehensive urban forestry score for each city. This score allows for …

Abiotic Stress Impacts On Macrophomina Root Rot And Nano-Encapsulated Citrus Oils To Control Fruit And Foliar Pathogens Of Strawberry, Marina J. Gutierrez

Master's Theses

Disease remains one of the major constraints to the productivity and economic success of the California strawberry industry. The most important soilborne pathogen is Macrophomina phaseolina, causing Macrophomina root rot (MRR). The most economically significant airborne pathogens include Botrytis cinerea, causing Botrytis fruit rot (BFR), and Podosphaera aphanis, causing powdery mildew (PM).

Disease severity of MRR is highly dependent on environmental factors. Therefore, understanding which abiotic stressors contribute most to disease development is crucial for effective management. A two-year field experiment at Cal Poly, SLO (2024 and 2025) evaluated the effects of drought stress, two elevated chloride …

Differences In Total Daily Energy Expenditure Across Field Sports: A Narrative Review, Brenen Skalitzky, Jennifer Fields, Margaret T. Jones, Chad Kerksick, Andrew Jagim

Faculty Scholarship

Background: Differences in total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) across sports, sex, and skill level support the need for sport- and athlete-specific energy intake recommendations. The purpose of the current review was to examine TDEE and related markers of energy expenditure across field-based team sports. A secondary aim was to evaluate physical activity levels (PAL), calculated as TDEE divided by resting metabolic rate (RMR), and their utility in estimating energy needs within team sports.

Methods: The review was limited to studies that included the field-based team sports of rugby or soccer and reported energy expenditure data using doubly labeled water …

Synthesis Of Antibody Functionalized Polyaniline/Polystyrene/N-Gqds Composite Fibermats For Sweat Based Cortisol Biosensing Applications, Ashwin James

Honors Theses

Noninvasive, wearable biosensors capable of detecting stress biomarkers in sweat require electrodes that are flexible, conductive, insoluble in water, and highly sensitive at low concentrations of analyte. In this work, bovine serum albumin blocked and anti-cmab immobilized nitrogen doped graphene quantum dots integrated polyaniline/polystyrene composite fibermat electrodes (BSA/Anti-Cmab/N-GQDs/PANI/PS electrodes) were synthesized and evaluated as a potential platform for an electrochemical cortisol biosensor in sweat based systems. Polyaniline was utilized in order to provide electrical conductivity, while polystyrene served as a carrying polymer for mechanical support and its hydrophobicity. Composite fibermats were manufactured through Forcespinning™, followed by a secondary polyaniline graft …

Water Circulation Beneath A Hovering Suas For Water Quality Monitoring Applications, Erin E. Hackett, Boone Fleenor, Jensine C. Coggin, Duvall Dickerson-Evans, Nikolaos Vitzilaios, Whitney E. Schuler, Paige K. Williams, Michael L. Myrick

Faculty Publications

Water quality has traditionally been measured via in situ sensors and satellites. The latter has limited applicability for smaller inland water bodies, while the former requires significant logistics, labor, and expense for routine sampling, and reactive/spurious sampling is often not feasible as a result (e.g., sampling pre-/post-storm). Consequently, small uncrewed aircraft system-based (sUAS-based) sampling has emerged as a potential solution to bridge these sampling gaps and challenges. But sampling from an sUAS is complicated by the need to pump water from depth, rather than suspending a sensor from the sUAS, due to concern over sampling sUAS-impacted waters. Here, we measure …

Investigating The Levels Of Burnout Of New Extension Agent Hires Throughout Their First Employment Year, Matt Benge, Amy Harder, Lendel K. Narine

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

The objectives of this paper were to describe new Extension agent hires’ levels of burnout during their first year on the job, and to determine if there are significant predictors for burnout based on new Extension agent hires’ gender and age. We implemented a longitudinal quantitative research design using the Maslach Burnout Inventory to measure burnout with 58 new Extension agent hires. Survey data were collected monthly throughout the new agents’ first year on the job. New Extension professionals’ burnout levels did increase over the course of their first year on the job. Female agents experienced slightly higher levels of …

Let’S Talk Mental Health: An Assessment Of Oregon Agricultural Stakeholders Discussing Mental Health, Whitney Stone, Lauren Chase, Taylor Foerster

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Working in agriculture presents some unique mental health stressors, including financial difficulties, climate variability, and isolation. Currently, Extension offers mental health literacy programming addressing mental health and suicide in agricultural communities; however, some of the programming is underattended, and resources are underutilized. We sought to find out how communicating about mental health resources was perceived by agricultural stakeholders who work closely with farmers and ranchers, including agribusiness employees, leaders in the community, and pre-service agriculture teachers. Through this mixed-method study using focus groups and a survey, we wanted to find out the perceptions of mental health resources to help inform …

Rural Mental Health Challenges: Addressing Community-Specific Needs Of Rural Mississippians, Mary Marshall Waller, Mary Nelson Robertson, Holli H. Seitz, Michael R. Nadorff, David R. Buys

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

America’s mental health crisis uniquely impacts rural areas. Challenges surrounding intention and accessibility to engage in mental health-fostering behaviors exacerbate disparities in rural mental healthcare. In this study, Cooperative Extension personnel assess rural Mississippians’ intention to engage in mental health-fostering behaviors, accessibility to mental health-fostering behaviors, and helpfulness of increased access to resources for mental health challenges to determine if relationships exist between these variables. Rural Mississippi adults were recruited via an online survey panel to complete a 147-item web-based questionnaire (n = 274). Findings suggest rural adults’ intention to engage in mental health-fostering behaviors favored connecting with family and …

The Effects Of The Cooking For One Curriculum On Nutrition, Food Safety, Food Resource Management, And Physical Activity Behaviors: A Pilot Study, Tyler B. Becker Dr., Ronald L. Gibbs Jr, Becky Henne, Erika Garner

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

The number of single adult households has increased over the previous decades, and few health education interventions address these unique living situations, which come with various economic challenges. The Cooking for One curriculum is a cooking-based intervention designed to improve nutrition, food safety, food resource management, and physical activity (PA) behaviors among single adults. This curriculum includes six lessons, each with an educational and hands-on cooking component. Participants included 1,546 adults recruited through Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Education programs in the state of Michigan. Each of the participants underwent the six-lesson Cooking for One curriculum. Prior to and following the intervention, …

Foundational Phases For Community Development: A Model For Enhancing Cooperative Extension’S Role Within The Community, George Grant, Kristina Hains

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

The Cooperative Extension System (CES) plays a vital role in community education and development across the United States. The objective of this article is to demonstrate the historical and present-day significance of the CES as a catalyst for community development practice, while overlaying a community development model applicable to CES. A literature review is provided on the historical origins, organizational structure, and leadership responsibilities of agents and specialists relevant to community development research and practice. The researchers suggest a novel conceptual model, the Foundational Phases for Community Development, to assist agents and specialists across all areas of programming for engaging …

Bridging The Communication Gap In Natural Disaster Information: An Exploratory Study Of Extension Service Websites, Emmanuel Chisom Okolo, Rafael Landaverde, Laxmi Prasanna Kandi, Kim E. Dooley, Sarah Mccord, Kelsi Opat, Abdul Saboor Rahmany

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Natural disasters are expected to become more frequent and severe, increasing the need for effective disaster management. Governments are emphasizing community awareness and local self-reliance, with the Cooperative Extension Services (CES) playing a vital role in distributing science-based knowledge and supporting preparedness efforts. This qualitative content analysis (QCA), guided by Framing Theory, examined how CES disseminated weather-related disaster preparedness and response information from 2003 to 2023 on Extension Service websites. We explored: (1) the frequency of information on natural disaster preparedness and response published on Extension Service websites, (2) dissemination methods, and (3) the quality of disaster preparedness and response …

Full Issue, Volume 13, Number 3, Donna J. Peterson Dr., Scott Cummings, Elizabeth Gregory North

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

No abstract provided.

Optimizing Endothelial Cell Specific Polymersome-Based Atheroprotective Therapies, Ally C. Brawner

All Theses

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the United States and the world. Every year, billions of dollars are spent in the US alone for direct treatments of this disease, especially on prescription medicines like statins. However, these medications have been unable to curtail global mortality rates, partially because they do not target the entirety of atherosclerotic pathophysiology. A key area of this pathophysiology is that atheroprone arteries typically include pro-inflammatory endothelial cells that exhibit decreased levels of apoAI-mediated cholesterol efflux and an increased release of adhesion molecules, such as VCAM-1. The objective of my project …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of An Air Purification System In Reducing Bacterial Chondronecrosis With Osteomyelitis Lameness In Broiler Chickens, Abdulaziz Ali Alqahtani

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) is the primary cause of lameness in commercial broiler production and has a profound impact on animal welfare and cost-effectiveness. The purpose of this experiment was to examine the effect of an air purification system on mitigating BCO lameness in broiler chickens. One thousand eight hundred broiler chicks were reared in two side-by-side research barns. Eight air filtration units were installed in one building, and none in the other. Treatment groups in both houses included positive control birds on wire flooring to induce BCO, as well as negative control, feed additive, vaccination, and a combination …