Digital Commons Network^™

Patient Characteristics, Growth Indices, And Treatment Outcomes Among Children With Feeding Difficulties, Amelia Kearney

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Pediatric feeding difficulties is an umbrella term that is used to describe children with a variety of problematic feeding behaviors and/or mealtime impairments that can impact age-appropriate food consumption, growth and the caregiver-child relationship. There is a lack of research from nutrition professionals regarding the nutrient intake, diet quality and growth outcomes among patients with pediatric feeding difficulties. Furthermore, changes in nutrient intakes during intensive outpatient treatment have not been formally assessed. PURPOSE: The purpose of Manuscript 1 was to describe the demographic profile, medical history, and baseline mealtime behaviors, usual diet, and diet quality of patients with feeding difficulties …

Health Disparities In Cardiovascular Care: The Impact Of Diabetes Education And Post-Discharge Interventions For African American Adults At Risk For And After Myocardial Infarction, Trinity L. Billingsley

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, affecting African American adults at higher rates compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Diabetes as a comorbidity is one of the risk factors of experiencing a myocardial infarction, remaining one of the leading causes of death among individuals with diabetes. Objective: To examine the effectiveness of structured diabetes education tailored to African American adults who are at risk for and after a myocardial infarction. Additionally assessing the complications of a myocardial infarction, the outcomes associated with structured education will be compared to the outcomes of …

Exploring Biopsychosocial Influences On Hookup Culture And Disrupting Compulsory Behaviors In Emerging Adults: A Multidisciplinary Analysis Of A Contemporary Public Health Concern, Catherine Benjamin

Honors Theses and Capstones

Multidisciplinary analysis, including biology, psychology, and sociology, to better understand the compulsory Hookup Culture that exists as a contemporary public health concern among the age group defined as emerging adults. Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) diagnoses are steadily rising in the United States and disproportionately affecting college students. Early socialization and current educational resources that contribute to shame and stigma are discussed to explain how lifestyle and social conditions can act as risk factors for individual health outcomes.

Stress And Reward Interactions In Substance Use Disorder: An Evolutionary Mismatch Framework, Nicholas L. Castrucci

Honors Theses and Capstones

Substance use disorder (SUD) is a major public health concern characterized by compulsive substance use despite adverse consequences. While contemporary models emphasize biological, psychological, and environmental contributors, stress- and reward-related systems are often examined in isolation. This review integrates these systems within an evolutionary mismatch framework to examine how chronic stress exposure and repeated substance use increase vulnerability to addiction. Stress and reward systems are evolutionarily conserved but may become chronically dysregulated under modern conditions characterized by persistent psychosocial stressors and highly potent rewarding stimuli. This is associated with converging neuroadaptations across stress and reward circuitry, resulting in altered affective …

Rna-Sequence-Driven Identification Of Differentially Expressed Genes In Α-Crystallin-Deficient Zebrafish, Kehlie Hopper

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a condition that develops in infants when exposed to alcohol in utero, leading to physical impairments such as reduced eye size and disrupted retinal function. Alpha-crystallin A is a key structural protein required for proper lens development and maintenance of transparency, while Alpha-crystallin B plays a protective role against cellular stress during eye development. In this study, I compared AB wild-type (ABWT), αA-crystallin knockout (cryaa), and αB-crystallin knockout (cryaba) zebrafish to investigate how the loss of these proteins influences eye development under ethanol exposure. The cryaa mutants exhibited reduced eye size even under control conditions, …

Preserved Artificial Grammar Learning In Individuals With Parkinson’S Disease: A Systematic Review, Sarah I. Cranna

Honors Theses and Capstones

Abstract

            Implicit statistical learning is a crucial cognitive function that is highly involved in the learning and processing of language. Since both language and implicit statistical learning are supported by the basal ganglia through cortico-striatal networks, disruptions to this network could result in their impairment. Parkinson’s Disease (PD) can therefore be used to model disruptions to this system as it is primarily characterized by dysfunction in the basal ganglia. Thus, this review aims to examine the current literature studying the performance of individuals with PD on artificial grammar tasks in order to investigate the impact of impaired basal ganglia function …

Cryptic Social Mechanisms And Associated Consequences In The Gouldian Finch, Thomas Mateo

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Many species of birds rely on visual displays to communicate information to their conspecifics, but it can be difficult to determine the specific functions of such displays. In the Gouldian Finch and its relatives, the contexts in which the peering display has been witnessed indicate that it has multiple uses in social learning such as song learning and communicating reproductive intent. Two flocks of finches were housed separately at the University of North Florida aviary and observed for several months while nest boxes were placed in each habitat. In both flocks, peering increased during the summer molt, but did not …

Mitochondria As Primary Cause Of Neurodegeneration: Evaluating Causality Across Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Als), Alzheimer's, And Parkinson’S Diseases, Makenzie G. Johnson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) have historically been explained through alternate hypotheses despite shared clinical hallmarks that lead to neuron loss. However, these varying explanations could not account for how disease onset begins among other individual issues. This thesis aims to show that mitochondrial dysfunction is a primary driver of neurodegeneration as well as a unifying mechanism shared between the three diseases. Evidence presented in this thesis will show that many issues can arise in mitochondria including issues with energy production, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), apoptosis activation, and calcium regulation. These issues …

Eeg Signatures Of Motor Development In Early Childhood: A Systematic Review, Sonia Khurana, Ashwini Kulkarni, Thomas C. Bulea, Hunter J. Bennett

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Early identification of motor developmental disorders is limited due to lack of objective neural markers that characterize typical neurodevelopmental patterns. This systematic review interprets and synthesizes existing evidence to propose a framework of EEG signatures associated with motor development in children aged 0-5 years, which may help inform future benchmarks for early assessment and intervention.

Methods

Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched published and gray literature across five databases between 2000 and 2025 (registered protocol). Included studies examined EEG during task-based, resting-state, or sleep studies linked to motor milestones, task performance, or standardized motor assessments. Study quality was assessed using …

Molecular Mechanisms And Metabolic Consequences Of Glucocorticoid Resistance, Genesee J. Martinez

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

Glucocorticoids are vital steroid hormones that govern metabolism, stress responses, and immune functions through intricate, tissue-specific mechanisms, both genomic and non-genomic. These hormones bind to the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), which then acts as a transcription factor to modulate gene expression. Chronic elevation of glucocorticoid levels may lead to glucocorticoid resistance, resulting in adiposity, inflammation, and insulin resistance, thereby adversely affecting multiple metabolic tissues. Whether produced endogenously or administered exogenously, excessive, chronic glucocorticoid concentrations impair glucocorticoid signaling. Although there are two primary isoforms of the receptor, GR⍺ and GRβ, only GR⍺ interacts with glucocorticoids.Through the research conducted in this dissertation, we …

Understanding Knowledge And Perceptions Of The Beef Industry On A Land-Grant University Campus, Allison E. Reaves

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

A well-researched phenomenon in the agricultural industry is the effects of constant innovation coupled with an increasing divide between producer and consumer. This issue has been presented as especially prevalent within animal agriculture and the beef industry, a predominant concern considering Kentucky’s agricultural commodities. This study (n = 31) utilized a mixed-methods approach to understand the knowledge, perceptions, and behavior of beef consumers on a land-grant university campus. Methodologies included Python’s DeepFace emotion recognition, semi-structured interviews, and the JMALI agricultural literacy assessment. Findings revealed participants to be below expected agricultural literacy levels of high school graduates (M=11), with no …

Neuroimaging Correlates Of Differences In Learning From Repeated Probabilistic Outcomes, Allison E. Rudolph

CMC Senior Theses

Learning from experience requires integrating feedback over time, yet individuals vary widely in how effectively they extract structure from probabilistic environments. This study examined how such variability relates to neural responses in the ventral striatum (vStr), caudate nucleus, hippocampus, and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Seventy-four participants across childhood, adolescence, and adulthood completed a modified Iowa Gambling Task during fMRI scanning, choosing whether to play or pass on four machines differing in expected value and variance. Behavioral learning slopes, calculated across six runs for each machine, were used to classify participants as learners or non-learners. Learners showed clearer improvement over time …

Reframing Sexual Assault And Intimate Partner Violence Through A Maternal And Child Health Lens: Implications For Integrated Prevention, Policy, And Practice, Daija C. Gibson

Theses and Dissertations

Sexual assault and intimate partner violence remain persistent public health concerns in the United States, with significant consequences for individual health, family stability, and population well-being. Although these forms of violence are frequently addressed through criminal justice and behavioral health frameworks, less attention has been given to their implications within maternal and child health, where relational dynamics, life course development, and intergenerational outcomes are central. This study reframed SA and IPV as core MCH issues to examine how integrated, systems-based approaches can strengthen prevention efforts. A structured literature review and systematic synthesis of peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2026 …

Evaluation Of Valley Healthcare System Inc. School-Based Health Clinic/Center At Dorothy I. Heights Elementary School In Columbus, Georgia, Nakia Ford

Theses and Dissertations

School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs) are an important strategy for addressing health disparities and improving educational outcomes among underserved students. In Columbus, Georgia, barriers such as limited insurance, transportation challenges, and provider shortages contribute to unmet health needs, which are linked to increased absenteeism. To address these issues, Valley Healthcare System, Inc. (VHCS) implemented a School-Based Health Clinic (SBHC) at Dorothy I. Heights Elementary School. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the SBHC in improving student attendance outcomes. A quasi-experimental, difference-in-differences design compared Dorothy I. Heights Elementary School (treatment group) before and after SBHC implementation (2021–2022 and 2022–2023) with a similar …

From Meaning To Memory: Assessing The Capacity And Representational Structure Of Visual Working Memory With Meaningful Stimuli, Yong Hoon Chung

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Visual working memory is thought to be strictly limited. Yet we remember meaningful, real-world objects better than abstract stimuli. Here I show that this advantage arises from the semantic structure of meaningful objects, not their perceptual features alone, and that it extends even to memory for associated features such as color. In the brain, meaningful objects elicit greater and more distributed delay activity, consistent with the recruitment of higher-level neural processes during maintenance. I propose that semantic knowledge adds representational dimensions that make items more distinctive, and that these dimensions are organized hierarchically with lower-level visual features. These findings recast …

Food Stamp Participation And Health Outcomes In Ca Immigrants, Esther Kang

Scripps Senior Theses

The U.S. social welfare system includes programs aiming to increase access to nutritious food to reduce nutrition insecurity. However, studies suggest that immigrants continue to face disproportionate risks of nutrition insecurity and may face barriers to enrollment due to legal status. This study, using secondary data from the 2023 California Health Interview Survey, examines the associations between food stamp participation, food insecurity, and clinical diagnosis of diabetes among adult U.S.-born, naturalized, and non-citizen adults in California. The findings suggest that those enrolled in food stamps are more likely to report food insecurity than those who are not enrolled, and that …

Effect Of Jet Lag And Nighttime Shifts On The Circadian Rhythm Of Humans, Mahd Adrees

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project reviews the circadian rhythm and its disruption by jet lag and nighttime shifts. It discusses the effects on melatonin, sleep quality, and physiological symptoms using articles from Google Scholar. Key studies, mechanisms, and statistics will support these points. A discussion follows, comparing and contrasting the various literature sources. This review aims to raise awareness and summarize strategies to reduce jet lag and nighttime shift effects, improving wellbeing.

Agricultural Evidence Synthesis At A Critical Juncture: Quality Gaps And Implications For Evidence-Based Agriculture, Chao Cai, Jane Yatcilla, Justyna Czader, Sylvie Brouder, Jeffrey Volenec

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses have become essential tools for synthesizing evidence to guide agricultural policy and practice, yet whether these syntheses are themselves conducted with sufficient rigor has rarely been systematically assessed. This study provides a field-wide assessment of reporting quality in agricultural evidence synthesis, examining whether existing reviews are conducted with sufficient transparency and rigor to support the policy and practice decisions they are meant to inform. We drew a random sample of 244 systematic reviews and meta-analyses from a bibliometric dataset of 1,709 articles published between 1997 and 2023, evaluating reporting quality using a 12-indicator rubric across four …

Characterization Of The Human Thnatomicrobiome By Decomposition Stage Through Bioinformatic And Meta Data Analysis, Ashton C. Laughlin

Biology Theses

Estimating the postmortem interval (PMI) is one of the most crucial factors in forensic death investigations. Recent advances in forensic microbiology have led to increased interest in using the study of the human postmortem microbiome, or “thanatomicrobiome,” to improve PMI estimates. In addition to current PMI estimation techniques, microbial community succession could serve as a valuable tool in estimating PMI. Further research is needed to develop a comprehensive understanding of the human postmortem microbiome. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the expansion of this tool by reviewing the current literature and analyzing previously published data using the …

Bringing The Outdoors In Through Biophilic Design, Gabriela Miotto Leal

Architectural Studies Honors Papers

This thesis investigates the relationship between architecture, human perception, and well-being through the lens of human-centered and biophilic design. Drawing from philosophical traditions, phenomenology, and contemporary neuroscience, this thesis argues that the built environment is an active agent in shaping cognition, emotion, and lived experience. Architecture is understood as multisensory, embodied, and temporally experienced, influencing individuals in both conscious and nonconscious ways. Through a comparative analysis of three case studies, Paimio Sanatorium, AEA House, and the Amazon Spheres, this research examines how biophilic design principles are incorporated into different contexts such as healthcare, residential, and workplace. Each project demonstrates a …

Tuning Human And “Artificial” Intelligence: A Sentic Theory Of Resonance And Communication, Michael J. Miller, Chatgpt (Ai~Nesbo+)

Psychology

This paper introduces a new model of intelligence as resonant communication, co-developed by a human researcher and a generative AI system. Drawing from emotion science, communication theory, and studies of AI–human interaction, we argue that intelligence is not merely a function of problem-solving or pattern recognition. Instead, it emerges through dynamic resonance—an attunement process rooted in shared rhythms, emotional calibration, and symbolic co-creation. At the core of this model is the Resonance Octave (8va), a framework of eight foundational emotions conceptualized not as static categories but as waveform phenomena that shape meaning, memory, and predictive cognition.

These emotional waveforms are …

Restoring The Wild East: Predicting Public Support For Cougar And Red Wolf Reintroduction In The Eastern United States, Benjamin Ghasemi, Jeremy T. Bruskotter, John A. Vucetich, L. Mark Elbroch, Robyn S. Wilson, Neil H. Carter, Axel Moehrenschlager, Shelby Perry, Joseph W. Hinton

Michigan Tech Publications

Restoring large carnivores to human-dominated landscapes remains ecologically and socially contentious, though reintroduction may offer important benefits where coexistence is possible. Yet, efforts to reintroduce cougars (Puma concolor) and red wolves (Canis rufus) in the Eastern U.S. face major challenges, largely due to human-caused mortality and opposition. We employed the hazard acceptance model and structural equation modeling to investigate the socio-psychological drivers of public support for reintroduction. Survey data were collected from residents of the Eastern U.S. for cougars (n = 2665) and red wolves (n = 3825). For both species, support was positively associated with perceived personal and societal …

Clinical Manifestations Of Bed Bug Bites: A Systematic Review Of Case Reports, Julian Felipe Porras-Villamil, Zachary C. Devries

Entomology Faculty Publications

Importance: Clinical characterization of bed bug (Cimex spp.) bite manifestations remains limited.   Objective: This systematic review synthesizes case reports to describe dermatological, systemic, and psychological outcomes of bed bug bites.   Evidence review: Following PRISMA guidelines, multiple databases, including Pubmed and Scopus, were searched using terms such as “bed bug,” “Cimex lectularius,” “Cimex hemipterus,” “case report,” and “case series.” Extracted data included demographics, species, lesion type, anatomical distribution, and clinical manifestations. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted.   Results: Eighty-four patients were included: 76 with C. lectularius (90.5%) and, 8 with C. hemipterus (9.5%). Sex distribution was …

Multi-Omics Analysis Of Immune-Metabolic Adaptation To Direct-Fed Microbial Supplementation In Newly Weaned Beef Steers, Adekunle Odunayo Ajiboye

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Immune and metabolic disruption during weaning represents a major challenge to health and productivity in beef cattle. This dissertation tested the hypothesis that supplementation with multi-strain direct-fed microbials (DFMs) modulates immune regulation and metabolic pathways associated with adaptation to weaning stress. To address this, whole-blood transcriptomics and plasma metabolomics were used to evaluate molecular and metabolic responses in newly weaned beef steers during the receiving period. Transcriptomic analysis identified differential expressions of genes associated with immune signaling and inflammatory regulation, indicating modulation of immune-related pathways without changes in growth performance. Metabolomic analysis revealed alterations in circulating metabolites related to amino …

Low Energy Availability And Dietary Factors In High School Runners, Natalie E. Allik

All Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

LOW ENERGY AVAILABILITY AND DIETARY FACTORS IN HIGH SCHOOL RUNNERS

By

Natalie Elizabeth Allik

June 2026

Context: Low energy availability (LEA) is associated with adverse health and performance outcomes in athletes and may be particularly concerning during adolescence when growth and bone development are ongoing. Although inadequate carbohydrate (CHO) intake has been proposed as a contributor to LEA, limited research has examined this relationship in adolescent endurance athletes. Objective: To examine dietary intake, bone mineral density (BMD), and eating disorder (ED) risk in adolescent distance runners with and without LEA. Methods: Eighteen adolescent distance runners (15.7 ± 1.2 years; …

Exploring Students' Perceptions Of Active Learning Practices And Their Role In Critical Thinking Development In Undergraduate Biology Education, Kwame Kyeremah

All Master's Theses

As the global landscape becomes increasingly complex and undergoes more rapid changes than ever before, critical thinking has become an indispensable skill for addressing challenges in society, science, and the workplace. Despite its widespread adoption in undergraduate STEM education, active learning remains poorly understood from the student's perspective. This study investigated how undergraduate biology students perceived active learning in a ten-week biostatistics course (BIOL 213) at Central Washington University, and whether those perceptions aligned with critical thinking gains measured by the California Critical Thinking Skills Test with Numeracy (CCTST-N). A convergent mixed-methods design integrated student perception and mindset survey data …

Ultrasound-Derived Liver Composition And Metabolic Flexibility Under Exercise Stress, Rhodes Van Houten

All Master's Theses

Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD) is characterized by abnormal liver fat accumulation in conjunction with metabolic syndromes. MAFLD affects 33% of individuals worldwide, though little is known about how increased liver fat impacts physiological responses to exercise. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between liver composition and metabolic flexibility during a graded exercise test.  Body composition was analyzed via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Liver ultrasound was evaluated for echogenicity, where elevated mean gray volume (MGV) indicates abnormal liver tissue. Rates of fat (FATox) and carbohydrate (CHOox) oxidation (g/min), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), and blood lactate concentrations ([LA^-], …

Low Energy Availability And Dietary Factors In High School Runners, Natalie E. Allik

All Master's Theses

Context: Low energy availability (LEA) is associated with adverse health and performance outcomes in athletes and may be particularly concerning during adolescence when growth and bone development are ongoing. Although inadequate carbohydrate (CHO) intake has been proposed as a contributor to LEA, limited research has examined this relationship in adolescent endurance athletes. Objective: To examine dietary intake, bone mineral density (BMD), and eating disorder (ED) risk in adolescent distance runners with and without LEA. Methods: Eighteen adolescent distance runners (15.7 ± 1.2 years; 7 males, 11 females) completed baseline assessments including anthropometrics, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), a 24-hour dietary recall, …

The Effects Of Stress-Related Hormones On Excitatory Synapse Formation, Autumn C. Garvey

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Stress profoundly influences brain function through neuromodulatory hormones that regulate synaptic plasticity, yet how temporal patterns of hormone exposure shape excitatory synapse formation remains poorly understood. This study investigates how exposure to stress hormones, norepinephrine and cortisol, affects excitatory synapse development. While existing research primarily compares concentration models, real-world stress occurs in variable patterns that may produce distinct neural outcomes. To address this gap, differentiated Neuro2A neuronal cells are exposed to norepinephrine or cortisol under a continuous treatment paradigm designed to model chronic stress conditions. Following treatment, immunofluorescence imaging is utilized to quantify excitatory synapse formation through analysis of presynaptic …

Neighborhood Deprivation Associated With Impaired Sit-To-Stand Performance In Middle-Aged And Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Analysis With Clinical Implications, Kenneth Harrison, Silvia Campos-Vargas, Brandon M. Peoples, Keven G. Santamaria-Guzman, David T. Redden, Michael A. Samaan, Jaimie A. Roper

Kinesiology and Health Promotion Faculty Publications

Background: Socioeconomic factors significantly influence health outcomes in older adults, yet their impact on specific aspects of mobility remains unclear. This study investigates the relationship between area-level socioeconomic disadvantage and mobility health in older adults.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 110 community-dwelling older adults recruited and collected using voluntary response sampling at eight health fairs across rural Southeast Alabama in 2022–2024 (60 ± 16 years, 80% female). Area-level socioeconomic status was measured using the Area Deprivation Index (ADI), a validated composite measure of neighborhood disadvantage. Mobility was assessed using the Instrumented Timed Up and Go (iTUG) test and …