Digital Commons Network^™

Social Support And Mental Toughness As Predictors Of Perceived Stress Among College Kinesiology Students, Jianmin Guan, Wan Xiang Yao, Xiaofen D. Hamilton, Gaofeng Lu

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Drawing on Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional theory of stress and coping, this study examined the associations of age, gender, three types of social support (family, friends, and significant others), and mental toughness with two dimensions of perceived stress (helplessness and coping inefficacy) among 666 college students majoring in Kinesiology. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that male college students, as well as those with higher levels of mental toughness and family support, reported significantly lower levels of helplessness and coping inefficacy in managing stress. Additionally, greater support from friends was significantly associated with lower levels of coping inefficacy, while younger students …

Gender Differences In College Students’ Physical Activity Self-Efficacy, Social Comparison Beliefs, And External Frames Of Reference, Ken Murfay, Sarah Pyszczynski, Sarah Collins

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

This study examined whom college-aged individuals believe observing would more likely increase their physical activity self-efficacy (PASE) for a physical skill, whom they are more likely to compare their abilities to within a physical education (PE) class, how often they compare themselves to others in PE, and what students’ PASE scores were. Based on the mean scores for each question, students were more likely to compare themselves to a student than a teacher, friend than a non-friend, and similar or higher skilled peer than a lower skilled peer. To increase students’ confidence for a physical skill, students had higher levels …

Cerebral Documents And Algorithmic Sensemaking: Searching For Expressions In Human And Artificial Cognitive Collaborations, Rebekah L. Cowell

Proceedings from the Document Academy

Generative Artificial Intelligences (AIs) and current advanced large language models (LLMs) are algorithmically designed to generate text-based conversations as conversational agents (CAs), by replicating human language and conversational communication. Pairing human cognition with generative computationally coded cognition. We have never been here before: cerebral and artificial information collaborations and processing producing expressions that may or may not become visible as second-hand/secondary source documents.

Sensemaking or sense(un)making is a unique autonomous human drive cognitively, our information processing is sensemaking in action and expressions and articulations are evidence of the sensemaking cycle. Documentation [expressed or articulated through various mediums] are a product …

Conditioned Feed Aversion As A Means Of Conditioning Livestock To Avoid Consuming Toxic Plants Growing In South Africa : An Overview, Leendert D. Snyman, Frederick D. Provenza

Poisonous Plant Research (PPR)

Significant economic losses to the livestock industry are caused by the ingestion of toxic plants in South Africa, among which the most dangerous ones are Moraea pallida (geeltulp), Urginea/Drimea sanguinea (rooislangkop), Senecio latifolius (Staggers Ragwort), and Geigeria ornativa (vermeerbos). Conditioned feed aversion is a potential means to address this issue. Treating animals with an aversive substance along with an extract of the sensory characteristics of a specific plant conditions animals to avoid the plant. Geigeria ornativa, unlike the other three plants, is non-aversive. Following treatment for aversion, the induced aversion fades with time and eventually breaks down. Continuous exposure …

Impact Of Workplace Ostracism, Moderated By Personality Traits On Psychological Safety, Aniko Rastovac

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Psychological safety, an essential element for fostering collaboration, trust, and innovation, can be undermined by negative interactions in the workplace. Most importantly, a lack of psychological safety is a barrier to individual and organizational growth, development, and innovation, which is necessary for gaining a competitive organizational advantage. The present study examines the concept of workplace ostracism as a negative interaction in the workplace that affects psychological safety. Using the big five personality traits framework, Edmondson’s (1999) concept of psychological safety, and Tett et al.’s (2021) trait activation theory, this quantitative study examined how individual differences moderate the impact of workplace …

Third-Party Effects On Intergroup Trust: The Role Of Punishment/Compensation And Group Regulatory Focus, Xiaowei Geng, Jie Cui, Jie Wang, Feng Zhang, Wei Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Intergroup trust refers to a collective prediction and belief among members of one group regarding those of another in intergroup interactions. It plays an important role in avoiding intergroup conflicts, and thereby sustaining social development. This study was designed to investigate the effects of third-party punishment and compensation, as well as group regulatory focus, on intergroup trust. The findings revealed that, at both individual and group levels, prevention-focused groups exhibited higher levels of intergroup trust than promotion-focused groups under third-party compensation conditions. In contrast, under the third-party punishment conditions, promotion-focused groups displayed greater trust than prevention-focused groups, although this difference …

Aquatic Interrelations In Malika Mokeddem’S Novel N’Zid (2001), Laura C. Klein

Green Humanities: A Journal of Ecological Thought in Literature, Philosophy & the Arts

This article offers an ecological analysis of Malika Mokeddem's novel N'Zid (2001), moving beyond postcolonial and anthropocentric interpretations. It centers on the protagonist Nora's individuation, arguing this process is intrinsically linked to her evolving relationship with the aquatic environment from which she emerges. The article aims to situate N'Zid within an ecological perspective, particularly relevant in the Anthropocene, an era compelling a reassessment of humanity's place. Echoing Bruno Latour, addressing inter-relationality is essential as the stable physical framework of the Moderns becomes unstable. This view necessitates rethinking environmental issues and encourages a scientific interpretation of the novel, drawing on neurosciences, …

A Framework For Assessing The Trustworthiness Of Scientific Research Findings, Brian A Nosek, David B Allison, Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Marcia Mcnutt, A Beau Nielsen, Susan M Wolf

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Vigorous debate has erupted over the trustworthiness of scientific research findings in a number of domains. The question "what makes research findings trustworthy?" elicits different answers depending on whether the emphasis is on research integrity and ethics, research methods, transparency, inclusion, assessment and peer review, or scholarly communication. Each provides partial insight. We offer a systems approach that focuses on whether the research is accountable, evaluable, well-formulated, has been evaluated, controls for bias, reduces error, and whether the claims are warranted by the evidence. We tie each of these components to measurable indicators of trustworthiness for evaluating the research itself, …

Performance Of An Automated Sleep Scoring Approach For Actigraphy Data In Children And Adolescents, Pin-Wei Chen, Erica C Jansen, Christopher M Cielo, Ariel A Williamson, Margaret Banker, Michael Kaye, Peter X K Song, Karen E Peterson, Alejandra Cantoral, Martha María Téllez-Rojo, Cathy Goldstein, Khadija Zanna, Akane Sano, Jennette P Moreno, Heidi Kalkwarf, Babette S Zemel, Jonathan A Mitchell

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Study objectives: GGIR is an R package for processing raw acceleration data to estimate sleep health parameters. We aimed to (1) assess the performance of three sleep algorithms within GGIR against PSG for detecting sleep/wake in clinically referred, typically-developing children (criterion validity); and (2) describe GGIR-derived sleep estimates from typically developing children enrolled in multiple cohort studies (face validity).

Methods: For criterion evaluation, children (8-16 years, N = 30) wore an actigraphy device for one night during in-lab polysomnography with performance assessed using epoch-by-epoch analyses. For face validity evaluation, four community/free living datasets were used: (1) Bone Mineral Accretion in …

Energy And Fluid Balance During A 214-Km Winter Ultraendurance Race: A Case Study, Kyle W. Wehmanen, Brent C. Ruby, Timothy C. Shriver, Michele N. Ravelli, Shalaya Kipp, John Mcdaniel, Erich Petushek, Steven J. Elmer

Michigan Tech Publications

The upper limits for total energy expenditure (TEE) and water turnover (rHO) in humans have been reported during several continuous single-day ultraendurance races (running, cycling, and triathlon). Currently, the upper limits for TEE and rHO during continuous single-day activity in cold weather (< 0 °C) remain unknown. The Arrowhead Ultra is one of the coldest ultraendurance races in North America and provides a unique opportunity to answer these questions. Racers select a bicycle, cross-country skis, or foot travel to traverse a 214-km snow-covered trail (altitude range: 345-426 m, 2,030-m elevation gain). Historically, approximately one-half of the racers complete the event. In this case study, we assessed TEE and rHO from the racer [cyclist: age: 22 yr, height: 1.84 m, body mass: 87.7 kg, and maximal oxygen consumption (V̇o): 5.0 LO·min] who won the 2025 Arrowhead Ultra (17.9 h, -13 to -1 °C) using the doubly labeled water method. Total energy and fluid intake were recorded to assess energy and fluid balance. Mean heart rate was 141 beats·min (71% of maximum heart rate). TEE was 63.9 MJ (15,273 kcal, 9.6 times basal metabolic rate) while total energy intake was 33.2 MJ (7,941 kcal). Mean carbohydrate intake was 88 g·h. Water turnover was 17.7 L, yielding a rHO/TEE ratio of 0.28 L·MJ for the race. The cyclist demonstrated high TEE and rHO that were comparable to values from other ultraendurance athletes competing in a range of temperatures (3-34°C). Notably, rHO from this cyclist was higher compared to athletes performing other ultratype endeavors in cold weather conditions (-25 to -19 °C). Our observations shed light on energy and fluid demands during continuous single-day activity in the cold and have endurance training and performance implications. In this short report, we detail new data on the upper limits of human energy expenditure (9.6 times basal metabolic rate) and water turnover (10.5 L·12 h) during continuous single-day exercise in the cold. Our results indicated elevated energy use, and impressively, water turnover comparable to exercise in warmer conditions. These findings have implications for training and endurance performance of strenuous exercise in cold weather environments.

What Is Happening In The World Today And Why: Humanity’S Evolving Consciousness And The Role Of Archetypal Energies As Guides During An Unfolding Weeding Out And Alignment Process, Carroy U. Ferguson

Psychology Faculty Publication Series

What is happening in the world today and why? Humanity is evolving its consciousness at individual and collective levels. Given these seemingly tumultuous times, as of this writing (January 2026), to make such a statement may sound like a strange thing to say. However, I suggest that if you are alive today and if you are reading these words, these are the very times for which you were born--to assist Humanity as it evolves its consciousness with your unique gifts, whatever they may be. That is, this period of our individual and collective human being-ness may be characterized as an …

Pain Prevalence And Pain Management At The End Of Life: Regional And Urban-Rural Differences From A National-Representative Survey Of Chinese Older Adults, Yaolin Pei, Xiang Qi, Zexi Zhou, Yifan Lou, Jing Wang, Yang Li, Bei Wu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Effective pain management is essential for improving quality of life at the end of life. However, challenges persist globally, particularly in China, where palliative care remains underdeveloped. This study investigates pain prevalence and the associations between pain severity, place of death, and the quality of pain management among older adults in China, with a focus on regional and urban-rural disparities.

Methods: We used data from the 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020 waves of the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey. The final sample included 1,525 older adults who died during the study period. We conducted OLS regression analyses to examine …

Identification Of A Cytokine Biomarker For Prognostic Modeling Of Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema, Alison J Wu, Neil Lin, Jie Su, Cherie Lin, Madison-Shira Hossack, Wei Shi, Farnoosh Abbas-Aghababazadeh, Wei Xu, Benjamin Haibe-Kains, Simona F Shaitelman, Melissa B Aldrich, Fei-Fei Liu, Jennifer Y Y Kwan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Lymphedema is a chronic complication of breast cancer treatment, and early intervention is crucial to reduce morbidity. This study evaluated the role of blood-based cytokine biomarkers in the prognostication of breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) to improve risk prediction. A secondary analysis of inflammatory biomarkers for BCRL was performed using a previously published cohort of 147 breast cancer patients who had undergone serum cytokine profiling during their treatment at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre from 2010-2014. Prognostic cytokine variables for lymphedema were selected by regression analysis and independence from known clinical risk factors. Regression-based modeling was employed to integrate prognostic variables …

Green Technology: A Systematic Review Of Ai And Iot Solutions For A Sustainable Future, Nesma Abd El-Mawla, Mohamed A. Berbar, Nawal A. El-Fishawy, Mohamed A. El-Rashidy, Mahmoud Badawy

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Green technology offers a solution to the pressing environmental crisis. It can change the structure and generation of waste so as not to harm the earth, and people can become environmentally friendly. To address complex environmental challenges like climate change and pollution, innovative Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions are essential. These technologies can help optimize resource use, reduce waste, and promote sustainable development. However, it's crucial to balance economic growth, social equity, and environmental protection when implementing green technologies. This survey paper systematically examines the landscape of Green Technology, focusing on its pivotal components: Measures of …

Gene Regulatory Programs Of Nk Cells Show That Ncam1 (Cd56) And Kirs Are Controlled By Genetically Polymorphic Distal Regulatory Elements, Mariam A. Salem, Aditi Varkey, Matthew D. Estrada, Kruthika Sharma, Caprice D. Eisele, Nitin Chakravarti, Dean A. Lee, Aharon G. Freud, Bethany L. Mundy-Bosse, Patrick L. Collins

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

Owing to their immunoprotective properties, natural killer (NK) cells are critical for the innate immune response to pathogens, as well as a new wave of cancer immunotherapy that harnesses natural cytotoxicity. We sought to study the genetic and epigenetic drivers behind human-specific NK cell receptors, so that we can better understand the underlying cellular function. Here, we present a transcriptomic, proteomic (CITE-seq), and chromatin (single nuclei ATAC-seq) profiling of human peripheral NK cell subsets, which was then compared with genomic databases. Through integrative multi-omics, we demonstrate that CD56^bright versus CD56^dim NK cell subsets have differential distal regulatory element …

What Goals? Which Point? Whose Purpose? A Critical Engagement With Sport Internalism, Francisco Javier Lopez Frias

Kinesiology and Health Science Faculty Publications

In this article, I critique the dominance of internalism in sport philosophy and outline an alternative theoretical framework that integrates internal and external elements while striving to transcend the dichotomous language used to conceptualize sport. The analysis begins by claiming that internalism conflates three fundamental teleological aspects of sport: goals, point, and purposes. I argue that this conflation limits internalism’s ability to explain the complexity of sporting practices. By carefully distinguishing these elements, I illustrate their distinct roles in shaping sport and explore how they interact. I conclude by proposing that the alternative pluralist framework briefly sketched here enables a …

Supporting Latine Older Adults’ Nutrition And Physical Health Goals In Counseling, Zachary Mcniece, Jacqueline Bergman

Adultspan Journal

Latine older adults face disproportionate risk of chronic nutrition-related conditions and food insecurity, which can exacerbate or contribute to mental health-related concerns. Cultural stigma toward mental illness can result in Latine clients, especially older adults, somatizing symptoms and focusing on physical health goals in counseling. Despite these intersecting needs, counselors often overlook their clients' physical health goals due to limited training and the assumption that medical providers alone should address these needs. This article advocates for the integration of basic, culturally responsive nutrition information into counseling practice to support client well-being while remaining within the scope of practice. We offer …

The Promise Of Mindfulness-Based Interventions: A Stress-Reduction Strategy For Testicular Cancer Survivors' Health-Related Quality Of Life, Michael J. Rovito, Colin F. Mahony, Kamalie Thomas, Keith Brazendale, Ciaran Fairman Ph.D., Cscs, Cet

Faculty Publications

Background: Testicular cancer (TC) disproportionately affects younger men and carries unique psychosocial and physiological consequences that extend well beyond treatment. Despite favorable survival rates, TC survivors frequently report diminished health-related quality of life (HRQoL). These burdens are often compounded by masculinity-related identity disruptions, fear of recurrence, sexual dysfunction, and a lack of tailored psychosocial support. Existing interventions remain limited, with most programs focused on physical rehabilitation or early detection. Few address the multidimensional stressors that shape the TC survivorship experience.

Aims: This narrative review examines the literature on HRQoL among TC survivors and evaluates the potential of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) …

Less Self, Less Fear: Manipulation Of The Self Using Virtual Out-Of-Body Experiences To Alter The Conscious And Unconscious Experience Of Emotion, Dillon Freed

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study investigated whether adopting an out-of-body perspective in virtual reality (VR) reduces subjective and physiological emotional responses to vicarious pain stimuli compared to inhabiting a first-person embodied avatar. Twenty-four participants experienced two counterbalanced VR conditions: (1) Avatar Embodiment (AV), in which they inhabited a photorealistic avatar from a first-person perspective, and (2) a Virtual Out-of-Body Experience (vOBE), in which they observed their avatar from a displaced third-person perspective. In both conditions, participants viewed a standardized series of vicarious pain images while electrodermal activity was recorded and self-report measures of embodiment (AV) and disembodiment (the vOBE state), emotional intensity (a …

How To Search For The Engram: Optogenetics And Network Dynamics, Claudia Garcia Jou

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Memories are thought to be encoded by ensembles of neurons called "engram cells", because their artificial activation with optogenetics leads to the behavioral expression of a memory. However, the physiological mechanisms that mediate this process remain unknown. In this thesis, I investigate how optogenetic stimulation of memory-tagged cells changes neuronal firing, spatial coding, and the geometry of neural manifolds. I used an active place avoidance task and a foraging task to label engram cells in the dorsal hippocampus with Channelrhodopsin2 (ChR2). I then recorded the hippocampal activity response to optogenetic stimulation in mice under anesthesia, head-fixed, or freely moving. I …

Somatosensory Cortex Responses To Illusory Touch In A Visual-Tactile Integration Task, Aditi Surendra Pawar

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Perceptual illusions arising from multisensory integration reveal how the brain constructs subjective experience from sensory input, and provide a powerful means of allowing the investigation of neural processes that track perceptual interpretation rather than physical stimulation alone. While visual illusions induced by auditory or tactile stimuli have been fairly well studied, the neural mechanisms underlying visually-induced illusory touch remain unclear. This study investigated whether illusory tactile perception engages the somatosensory cortex in a manner similar to veridical touch. Twenty healthy adults participated in an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study while performing a tactile numerosity judgment task. Each trial …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of A Habit Recording Tool To Improve Mental Health Of University (Auc) Students, Noran Nounou

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: According to previous research, the mental health of university students has become an alarming public health concern worldwide. Most of the mental disorders begin among young adults, attributed to the transition to university and increased financial and societal pressure. Despite the important effect of daily habits on mental health, there still remain research gaps in Egypt in exploring their effect among university students and exploring the potential opportunities to support their well-being. Objectives: To assess depression rates among AUC students and to evaluate the effectiveness of a newly designed habit recording board, Make an Impact (MAI) to improve depression …

Introducing A New Frontier In The Journal Of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine: An Interdisciplinary Approach Throughout The Lifespan: The Pediatric Brain Injury Section, Michael Green, Glendaliz Bosques, Kimberly Davis, Brenda Eagan-Johnson, Carty Husted

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Melody: Mediation Analysis In Logistic Regression For High-Dimensional Mediators And A Binary Outcome, Sunyi Chi, Xingyu Li, Peng Wei, Xuelin Huang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Mediation analysis is a pivotal tool for elucidating the indirect effect of an environmental factor or treatment on disease through potentially high‐dimensional omics data, such as gene expression profiles. However, traditional mediation analysis methods tailored for binary outcomes often rely on the rare disease assumption in logistic regression and provide inadequate measures of total mediation effect when multiple mediators have effects in different directions. In this paper, we develop a MEdiation analysis framework in LOgistic regression for high‐Dimensional mediators and a binarY outcome (MELODY). It leverages a second‐moment‐based measure analogous to the ��2 for linear models to quantify the total …

Humanity Is Evolving Its Consciousness: The Role Of Archetypal Energies As Guides During An Unfolding Weeding Out And Alignment Process, Carroy U. Ferguson

Psychology Faculty Publication Series

Humanity is evolving its consciousness at individual and collective levels.  Given these seemingly tumultuous times, as of this writing (January 2026), to make such a statement may sound like a strange thing to say.  However, I suggest that if you are alive today and if you are reading these words, these are the very times for which you were born—to assist Humanity as it evolves its consciousness with your unique gifts, whatever they may be.  That is, this period of our individual and collective human being-ness may be characterized as an unfolding period of weeding out and alignment with the …

An Impact Assessment Of The Effectiveness Of Utilizing Informal Health Communication Interventions To Spread Health Recommendations And Change Public Perception, Lina Mohamed Ezzat Ahmed Abdel Mawgoud

Theses and Dissertations

Brain health is an increasingly urgent but critically under-addressed public health priority in Egypt and the wider MENA region. Despite its centrality to aging, productivity, and overall quality of life, public understanding of brain health remains limited, and stigma continues to shape responses to dementia and cognitive decline. This study evaluates the effectiveness of informal, culturally adapted health communication as a tool to shift perception, increase awareness, and promote behavior change among non-medically trained adults in Egypt.

Grounded in global evidence on cognitive reserve, neuroplasticity, and the life-course approach to brain health, the intervention translated expert-informed brain health recommendations into …

The Innovative Food Choice Map As A Bottom-Up Mixed-Methods Approach To Studying Food Choice Motivations, Uyen Thuy Xuan Phan, Edgar Chambers Iv

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

This study presents the innovative Food Choice Map (iFCM) as a methodological innovation for investigating food choice motivations using an integrated qualitative and quantitative approach. One hundred in-depth interviews were conducted with adults living in the United States, during which participants constructed individualized visual maps of their typical weekly diet. These maps documented specific foods and beverages, eating occasions, frequencies of consumption, and self-articulated motivations for each choice. Using a bottom-up framework grounded in real consumption events, qualitative data were inductively coded into fifteen motivation constructs, which were subsequently analyzed using Correspondence Analysis to demonstrate how motivational patterns can be …

Effects Of Leucine Supplementation On Athletic Performance, Central Fatigue, And Serum Metabolism In Endurance Athletes: A Randomized Controlled Trial And Targeted Metabolomics Study, Tieying Li, Wei Xu, Jun Chen, Zhaobo Kan, Xuemei Sui, Zhiguang Zhao, Qirong Wang

Faculty Publications

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the effects of 6 weeks of leucine supplementation on athletic performance, central fatigue, and serum metabolome in endurance athletes, and to provide valuable insights into nutritional strategies for endurance athletes. Methods: Twenty cross-country skiers were recruited and randomized into 2 groups: the placebo (PLA) group and the leucine (LEU) group. Subjects were given leucine (8.5 g) + sucrose (14 g) or only sucrose (14 g) supplements twice each day from Monday to Saturday for 6 weeks. Test parameters include body composition, aerobic capacity, isokinetic muscle strength, blood biochemistry, and targeted metabolomics. Results: After intervention, compared …

Early Life Stress Mediates Cardiovascular Disease Risk Through Csf1r And Increases Risk Of Lupus Through Mature B-Cells, Cailin Elizabeth Kellum

ETDs from 2020-2029

The term Early Life Stress (ELS) encompasses traumatic events occurring before the age of 18 such as physical abuse, verbal abuse, household dysfunctions, sexual abuse, childhood neglect, child maltreatment, and adverse childhood experiences. The traumatic psychological and physical experiences in early life are widely known to cause enduring effects on mental and physical health in adulthood. Of note, individuals with ELS have adverse health outcomes earlier in adulthood and with more severity such as in the case of Systemic Lupus Erythematous (SLE), an autoimmune disease. The risk for autoimmunity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) increases with ELS exposure and CVD is …

Physical And Psychophysiological Responses To Self-Selected Music In Individuals With Parkinson's Disease, Sophia Porrill

ETDs from 2020-2029

Exercise is a cornerstone adjunct therapy for people with Parkinson’s Disease (PwP). However, exercise capacity is often impaired by non-motor processes including decreased motivation, arousal, and physical effort. Self-selected music (SSM) has been shown to improve motivation and arousal state in healthy individuals thereby leading to increases in exercise capacity. Whether these positive effects of SSM translate to PwP is unclear. The purpose of this study was to measure 1) the psychophysiological effects of SSM at rest, and 2) psychophysiological and physical responses during a 6-minute walk test (6MWT) in PwP. In a counterbalanced crossover manner, PwP (n=12) completed resting …