Digital Commons Network^™

Brain Age Prediction In Generalized Anxiety Disorder Using A Convolutional Neural Network, Corey Richier, André Zugman, Anita Harrewijn, Elise M. Cardinale, Parmis Khosravi, Moji Aghajani, Willem B. Bruin, Kevin Hilbert, Narcis Cardoner, Anderson M. Winkler

Human Genetics Publications

Higher predicted brain age difference has been associated with several psychiatric disorders. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is associated with markers of accelerated aging. In this study, we determined brain predicted age difference (PAD) in individuals with GAD and healthy controls (HC) as well as group differences in PAD variability using voxel-wise structural MRI. The training dataset included 3511 controls, and the testing dataset included 1595 individuals with GAD and 4552 HC from the ENIGMA-Anxiety GAD Working Group. A convolutional neural network model using four input modalities per subject and a model ensemble approach was used to predict brain age. The …

The Role Of Media In Enhancing The Awareness Of Jordanian University Students About The Risks Of Energy Drinks, Rasha Salameh, R. Abuhasirah

Middle East Journal of Communication Studies

This article aimed to explore the role of media in enhancing the awareness of Jordanian university students regarding the health risks associated with energy drink consumption. The article employed a media audience survey method, applied to a Quota sample of 300 students from diverse academic disciplines (humanities, health sciences, and natural sciences) at Yarmouk University (public) and Middle East University (private). Data were collected between March 10 and April 15, 2025. The results indicated that energy drink consumption was higher among Middle East University students (55.4%) compared to Yarmouk University students (44.6%). Furthermore, students in the humanities reported higher consumption …

The Role Of Artificial Intelligence In Developing Science Journalism Strategies And Enhancing Political Awareness, Enad Akif Al-Jallad

Middle East Journal of Communication Studies

This study aimed to analyze the role of artificial intelligence in developing science journalism strategies and enhancing its capacity to raise political awareness. The study adopted a descriptive-analytical methodology through a review of relevant literature and an analysis of scientific content related to artificial intelligence technologies and their media applications. It also relied on a set of applied experiences in science journalism, including The Guardian’s coverage of climate issues and Al Jazeera Net’s reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic and its connection to health policies.

The findings revealed that science journalism serves as a fundamental tool for transferring knowledge to the …

The Role Of Public Relations Practitioners In Jordanian Hospitals In Managing The Covid-19 Crisis In 2020., Dana Khalil Basheer Al-Shloul

Middle East Journal of Communication Studies

This study aimed to identify the departments and divisions that contributed to public relations in Jordanian hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to determine the procedures undertaken by public relations practitioners and the challenges they faced. Utilizing a descriptive-survey methodology guided by the Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) model, the research collected data from a comprehensive sample of 16 individuals using a questionnaire.

The findings revealed that senior management’s participation in pandemic management in the surveyed hospitals was 37.93%, followed by the Ministry of Health at 27.59%. The public relations department’s actions varied by phase. Before the …

Jordanian Digital Media Organizations Rely On Artificial Intelligence To Produce Scientific Content, Baraa Kamal Abdul Latif Abu Humam

Middle East Journal of Communication Studies

The research aims to identify the extent to which workers in Jordanian digital media organizations rely on artificial intelligence in the production of scientific content, by knowing the extent of Jordanian digital media's coverage of scientific content, and the most prominent types of scientific content that rely on artificial intelligence techniques in its production, what are the most prominent roles that artificial intelligence plays during the production of scientific content, and what are the most prominent artificial intelligence techniques used in the production of scientific content, and the  study belongs to descriptive research, and relies on the field survey method, …

Effects Of Normothermic Hepatic Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury On The Hepatic Disposition Of Arachidonic Acid And Its Cytochrome P450-Generated Metabolites In Rats, Vindhya Edpuganti, Reza Mehvar

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose

Cytochrome P450 (P450) metabolites of arachidonic acid (AA) are potential therapeutic targets in ischemia–reperfusion (IR) injury, yet their disposition and actions in hepatic IR are unknown. Cellular AA and its P450 metabolites are primarily bound to lipid membranes, resulting in negligible free concentrations. This study investigates how hepatic IR injury impacts the disposition of free AA and its major P450 metabolites in rats.

Methods

Rats underwent 60 min of partial (70%) ischemia or sham surgery, followed by 5 min, 3 h, or 24 h of reperfusion. The effects of IR injury on free concentrations of AA and its major …

Examining The Ligands, Location, And Function Of Toll-Like Receptor 10, Kiefer Keanu Tam

Master's Theses

Toll-like receptors are a class of innate immune pattern recognition receptors that detect pathogen-associated molecular patterns and regulate downstream inflammatory responses. Toll-like receptor 10 remains the only human TLR whose ligand specificity, cellular localization, and immunological function are not fully defined. Emerging evidence suggests that TLR10 may play an anti-inflammatory role and can heterodimerize with TLR2 to modulate immune signaling. Previous studies from our laboratory demonstrated that stimulation with heat-killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis promotes TLR2-TLR10 heterodimerization and trafficking to the cell surface. In this study, we expanded our ligand panel to include additional gram-positive bacteria, particularly anti-inflammatory probiotic species, to further …

Improving Human-Wildlife Coexistence: An Ecological And Educational Approach To Rewilding Grizzly Bears (Ursus Arctos Horribilis) In California, Amanda C. D. Rosales

Master's Projects and Capstones

Megafauna extinction during the Holocene has been both caused and amplified by climatic changes and human influence. By the last half century, large carnivores were diminished in Europe and the United States, but policies increasingly addressed species decline and their territories expanded. This research examined large carnivore rewilding across the European Union and United States, specifically for rewilding brown bears, Ursus arctos, in historic habitat. Next, case studies for the health status of climate-impacted whitebark pine, Pinus albicaulis, a high energy food for bears, was assessed. Ultimately, research case studies, human perspective surveys, and the California Department of Education content …

Deforestation Dynamics In The Amazon: Impacts, Socio-Environmental Drivers And Restoration Pathways, Maria Natalia Rodriguez

Master's Projects and Capstones

The Amazon, which is the largest tropical rainforest in the world, experienced 542,581 km² of forest loss between the years 2000 and 2020. The process of deforestation endangers the ecological system results which maintain ecosystem connectivity and the Earth's climate system. The Amazon rainforest supplies essential ecological services which include maintaining soil fertility, storing carbon, purifying water and climate stability. The fundamental ecosystem of this area faces new threats because of increasing forest destruction. The research study adopts a combined methodology that uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) with a comprehensive literature review to study Amazon deforestation patterns and its driving …

Kev's Dinghy Boat Workshops, Ruiyang Xiao

Masters Theses

In a culture where convenience replaces process, this project argues that making — even when inefficient, imperfect, or unnecessary — enables forms of engagement that buying cannot.

Technologies and Services nowadays are able to fulfill human’s desire to travel and explore at ease. However, this convenience proposes a mode of engagement based only in deeper knowledge of context and thus our experience with the world around us is hence diminished. Our engagement with the world becomes heavily mediated, regulated and controlled.

This project investigates how hands-on engagement with water can reintroduce + restore our sense of joy, curiosity, consequence, and …

Insects And Arthropods And Their Role In Human Society, Emily Marie Perez-Medina

Whittier Scholars Program

With brightly colored exoskeletons, an excess of both eyes and legs, and seemingly  unpredictable behaviors, insects and arthropods come across as unusual and strange to general audiences. For this reason, they are often classified as “gross,” “ugly,” or “scary,” antagonists  in popular culture. What is not recognized when being represented to the masses is how much human society depends on their presence, and how a world without insects would be a world without most things humans know and love. In order to help reduce the stigma of these tiny, yet mighty creatures, this project serves as a call to action …

Foveate, Dahlia Aggarwal

Masters Theses

This thesis investigates how textiles can unsettle visual assumptions, encouraging a perceptual shift. Through weaving, upholstery, and spatial installation, the work stages a tension between what a surface appears to be and how it is encountered by the body. Through woven pattern, tactile texture, and trompe l’oeil textile surfaces, perception is something negotiated rather than fixed: the eye anticipates one reality while the hand discovers another.

Drawing on a range of sensations gathered from observing landscape formations and textures, it translates enduring scale and material qualities into an interior landscape of woven surfaces and textile-based furniture. Rather than serving as …

Slouching Towards Inefficiency? The Cardiometabolic And Cognitive Costs Of Poor Posture, Ava Mae Fitzenrider

Honors Projects

Posture affects all of our lives. It is both static and dynamic, adapting continuously to environmental demands. One postural alteration frequently observed in occupational settings is hyperkyphosis, which can be induced by sitting position. During computer use, individuals commonly adopt a slouched posture, which can exacerbate hyperkyphosis, and contribute to dis-ease within the body. Previous research has demonstrated that such postural deviations can negatively affect pulmonary function, as well as other bodily functions. Despite these findings, the effects of acute hyperkyphosis (“slouching”) on cardiometabolic function and cognition remain largely unexplored. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the …

The Marathon Without Running: Experiencing A Runner's Sensorial Journey, Harin Kim

Masters Theses

The marathon is defined not by motion alone, but by the changing conditions a body moves through—and remains within—over time. Breath, cadence, heat, sound, crowd compression and attention fluctuate, producing phases that structure the race from within. These interior states are difficult to access by spectators from the sidelines, yet they are precisely what shape the runner’s experience.

This thesis begins with a simple but unconventional question: How can an exhibition translate the runner’s physical sensations and emotions into a multidimensional experience for spectators who do not run? Through a sequence of pop-up exhibitions placed along the New York City …

Watershed Amendments: Assembling New Pervious Ground From Landscape Waste, Sophie Kaplan-Bucciarelli

Masters Theses

In Providence, Rhode Island, much of the downtown area is built over a vast historic tidal estuary. Though we no longer see the salt marshes, wooded bluffs, or meadows that once characterized this landscape, we recognize their absence in contemporary crises of urban heat, flooding, polluted soils and stormwater runoff, and habitat loss. These conditions are particularly acute along the city’s industrialized river corridors, where vacant lots and parking areas sit idle, their history paved over and potential constrained by limited imagination and resources.

These lots - already experiments in fill and land building after centuries of disturbance - can …

Somatic Prosthetics For Planetary Resonance, Disha Dharesh Kumar R

Masters Theses

This thesis investigates how industrial design can transcend extractive technological paradigms in favor of relational interfaces that foster planetary attunement. Framing the climate crisis as a 'crisis of imagination', the research challenges the Western bifurcation of nature and culture by drawing on Indic cosmologies- which recognize stones, plants, and ecosystems as conscious at different levels and participants in a shared cosmic field. By synthesizing research in Biosemiotics, Quantum Information Pansycishm, and Neuroscience, the project redefines intelligence as a distributed, more-than-human phenomenon.

The research materializes as a speculative design artifact: a device that functions as a somatic prosthetic for planetary resonance. …

Coenzyme Q10 Improves Functional And Structural Parameters Of Dairy Goat Sperm During Cooling And Cryopreservation, Ranadheer Narlagiri, Abdallah M. Shahat, Courtney Henry, Ashvini Pawar, Niki C. Whitley, Iman B. Shaheed, Mahipal Singh, Brou Kouakou, Irina A. Polejaeva, Adel R. Moawad

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Cryopreservation of gametes is crucial for conserving genetic diversity in livestock and endangered species, but the process can significantly impair sperm quality due to oxidative stress. Our aim was to evaluate the impacts of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplementation on the in vitro quality of cooled and cryopreserved goat semen. Semen samples collected from six mature Saanen bucks were pooled then diluted with AndroMed^® semen extender to a final concentration of 800 × 10⁶ sperm/mL. Diluted semen was supplemented with 0, 1, 2, 5, 10, and 20 µM CoQ10. Extended semen was either cooled at 4 °C for 72 …

Integrating Consumer-Grade Wearable Data Into Orthopedic Risk Stratification For Amateur Athletes: A Perspective On An Untapped Clinical Tool, Youssef Salama, William Gadbois, Kevin Reck, Scott Yaekle

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background:

Consumer-grade wearables have rapidly expanded beyond fitness tracking, providing continuous physiologic and biomechanical data. Metrics such as heart rate variability (HRV), sleep efficiency, and training load have been validated as markers of both recovery and overtraining. However, orthopedic care has not yet translated these data into clinical use. Given the rising burden of overuse injuries in recreational athletes, wearable-derived information may offer a practical opportunity for early detection and prevention within outpatient settings.

Methods:

A narrative perspective review of literature from 2010–2025 was performed using PubMed. Studies addressing wearable device validity, physiologic correlates of musculoskeletal injury, and training-load modeling …

Environmental Mercury Alters Immune Pathways Linked To Autoimmune Risk In Mice Mirroring Humans, Maurgan Lee, Paul Stemmer, Randall Gill, Allen Rosenspire, Anil Aranha, Heather Gibson

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background and Purpose: Mercury is a pervasive environmental contaminant, and human epidemiologic studies have linked chronic low-level exposure to increased autoimmune disease-risk. Dysregulated lymphocyte activation and impaired signaling tolerance are central mechanisms in human autoimmunity. Protein phosphorylation governs lymphocyte differentiation and function, alterations in phosphoproteomic networks may represent a signature of immune disruption. This study evaluates how low dose mercury exposure modifies B and T cell abundance and intracellular signaling patterns in BALB/c and Diversity Outbred (DO) mice.

Methods: BALB/c and DO mice were exposed to low dose HgCl2 in their water for two weeks or provided standard water controls. …

Effect Of Spry Of Potassium Ratio And Cycocel On Physiological Traits Of Maize (Zea Mays L), Asmaa Mohammed Hussein, Eabdallah Yasin Ali

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

The aim of this work was to investigating the effect of foliar application of potassium (K) and the growth regulator Cycocel (CCC) on the physiological traits of maize (Zea mays L). The experiment was designed using a split-plot arrangement within a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. The treatments included foliar application of potassium at concentrations of 500, 1000, and 1500 mg.L^–1, as well as three concentrations of the growth regulator Cycocel (0, 150, and 200 mg.L^–1). The results indicated a significant increase in Protein (P), phosphorus, and carbohydrate contents at the concentration of …

In Silico Molecular Docking Study Of Antidiabetic Bioactive Compounds From Brotowali (Tinospora Cordifolia) Targeting Glut4 In Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus, Gita Euaggelion Tarigan, Surya Dwira

Indonesian Journal of Medical Chemistry and Bioinformatics

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a global metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance and impaired glucose uptake. Despite the availability of pharmacological therapies, limitations such as adverse effects and high costs highlight the need for alternative therapeutic candidates. Tinospora cordifolia has been widely reported to contain bioactive compounds with antidiabetic potential; however, comparative evaluation of their interaction with glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) remains limited.

This study aimed to identify the most promising bioactive compounds from Tinospora cordifolia targeting GLUT4 using an in silico molecular docking approach, followed by pharmacokinetic and toxicity (ADMET) prediction. Molecular docking was performed using …

Community-Based Participatory Research In Developing Online Nutrition Tools: A Pathway To Relevance And Engagement, Laura Justice, Stacy Phillips

EFNEP

This article explains how Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) can strengthen the design of digital nutrition tools by ensuring they are culturally relevant, accessible, and grounded in community needs. By engaging participants as equal partners, CBPR enhances trust, usability, and long-term impact. The approach aligns with EFNEP’s mission to deliver inclusive, community-driven nutrition education and provides a framework for developing sustainable, adaptable tools that reflect the lived experiences of the families Extension serves.

Correlations Between The Army Combat Fitness Test (Aft) Events And The 12-Mile Ruck March, Isabella Huner Cruz

Masters Theses

The Army Fitness Test (AFT) consists of maximum deadlift, hand-release push-ups, sprint-drag-carry, plank, and a 2-mile run and is used by the United States Army to assess a soldier’s ability to meet occupational demands. The AFT is designed to ensure soldier readiness and maintain physical and mental well-being. In addition to the AFT, soldiers are often tasked with a loaded ruck march across various distances. Loaded ruck marches are a frequent occurrence in the Army as a mode of testing, training, and combat. Due to the AFT’s role in predicting soldier task performance, it would be valuable to identify any …

Barn To Brain: Relationship Between Farm Animal Interaction And Well-Being In Rural Adults, Tiffany N. Hendershot

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the relationship between naturally occurring farm animal interactions and overall well-being among rural adults living in the central Appalachian region, specifically western Maryland, south-central Pennsylvania, and the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. A cross-sectional, correlational design was used to compare adults with at least five hours of naturally occurring farm animal contact per week to those with less than one hour of contact per week. Overall well-being was measured with the PERMA-Profiler, and heart rate variability (HRV) was measured using wearable devices as a physiological indicator of autonomic health. Grounded in polyvagal theory, the biophilia hypothesis, and …

The Association Between Diet Quality, Nutritional Knowledge, Low Energy Availability, And Eating Disorder Risk In Collegiate Student-Athletes, Laurel Koontz Awald

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study aimed to investigate the association between diet quality, nutritional knowledge, low energy availability, and eating disorder risk in a sample of collegiate student-athletes across several sporting disciplines. The quantitative cross-sectional survey was developed using validated questionnaires to investigate diet quality (The Athlete Diet Index), nutritional knowledge (The Platform for Evaluating Athlete Knowledge in Sports – Nutrition Questionnaire), low energy availability (The Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire and Low Energy Availability in Males Questionnaire), and eating disorder risk (DESA – 6). College athletes were recruited from Division I and III universities: (N = 31) from the track and …

Heat Shock Factor 1 Signaling: A Novel Pathway Implicated In Rett Syndrome Pathophysiology, Sonia Gonzalez

Dissertations

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder that is associated with loss-of-function mutations in the methyl-CPG binding protein 2 (MECP2) gene. There are limited therapeutic options to address the wide range of social, cognitive, motor, and respiratory symptoms that patients experience throughout their lifetime. To identify novel therapeutic targets, we leveraged a rare form of RTT known as MeCP2-mutation-negative or atypical RTT. Traditionally, RTT is first diagnosed clinically and then confirmed through the identification of mutations in the MECP2 gene. However, ~5% of RTT patients are found to be MeCP2-mutation-negative (atypical), despite sharing overlapping symptomology with typical RTT. We …

Silent Invaders: Stopping The Spread Of The Spotted Lanternfly, Sloane Z. Hall

Masters Theses

The Spotted Lanternfly, an invasive insect originating from China, has rapidly spread across the United States, harming agriculture, forestry, and surrounding ecosystems. It’s destructive feeding behavior severely impacts grapevines, fruit trees, and hardwoods, which directly affects wine production, farm communities, and local environments. The aim of this research was to investigate the biological, ecological, and economic stakes of the infestation, as well as the methods currently used to monitor and control its spread. Specifically, it examines how communication frameworks, design practices, and extension approaches influence producers’ adoption of recommended Integrated Pest Management (IPM) protocols. Through the research, a literature review, …

Beyond Stabilization: Biological Healing, Structural Exclusion, And The Recovery Gap After Border-Fall Trauma At The U.S.-Mexico Border, Julia Robinson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This honors thesis examines the biochemical, ethical, and public health consequences of insufficient post-operative follow-up care for undocumented immigrants injured in border falls. Discussing pathways of inflammation resolution, wound healing, and bone remodeling, this thesis argues that recovery depends on tightly regulated molecular and cellular processes that are highly vulnerable to disruption without continued monitoring and rehabilitation (Loi et al., 2016; Maruyama et al., 2020). When follow-up care is absent, these processes can be predicted to derail, leading to infection, impaired healing, and permanent disability (Chung & Sohn, 2025; Howard et al., 2020; Kruidenier et al., 2018). Framed through principles …

Chronotropic Response To Intratracheal Versus Intravenous Atropine In Anesthetized Adult Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Ammar H. Mahdi, Majid Alhamaidah, Myasar J. Mohammed, Hussein Ali Hussein, Hussein Alkhfaji

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

Atropine is a commonly used anticholinergic agent in anesthetic practice, administered primarily to counteract bradycardia. Rapid treatment of intraoperative bradycardia is clinically critical, as delays may lead to hemodynamic compromise. This study aimed to compare the onset, magnitude, and duration of the chronotropic response to atropine administered via the intravenous (IV) versus intratracheal (IT) route in anesthetized adult patients. A prospective, single-blind, randomized controlled study was conducted on 60 adult patients classified as American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I-II, scheduled for elective peripheral surgery under general anesthesia. Patients were randomly allocated into three equal groups (n = 20 …

Enhanced No₂ Gas Sensing Using Silver-Doped Cadmium Telluride Nanocrystalline Thin Films, Tunis Balasim Hassan

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) is a toxic pollutant that necessitates sensitive and reliable monitoring systems. Conventional gas sensors often lack adequate responsiveness and fast recovery under changing conditions and therefore create a need for semiconductors with enhanced performance, especially at high industrial temperatures (around 250 °C). The study therefore aims to synthesis and evaluate silver-doped cadmium telluride (Ag:CdTe) thin films as NO₂ gas sensors. Pure CdTe and Ag:CdTe with silver concentrations of 5, 10, and 15 wt% were prepared by a co-precipitation process. XRD verified cubic symmetry with a progressive fall in crystallite size (6.67 nm to 5.46 nm at 15 …