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Full Issue, Volume 14, Number 1., Donna J. Peterson Dr., Scott Cummings, Elizabeth Gregory North

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Stress & Fatigue On Cardiovascular Function In Young Pilots: A Thematic Review, Swarna Manoj

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Impact of Stress & Fatigue on Cardiovascular Function in Young Pilots: A Thematic Review   Authors: Swarna Manoj, Scott Ferguson   Keywords: pilot, stress, fatigue, heart rate variability (HRV), cardiovascular disease (CVD) Aviation is expanding globally and young pilots are the major workforce, yet FAA protocols require mandatory ECG only from age 35, with annual cardiac screening after age 40. Over the past five years, a pattern of sudden cardiac arrests in pilots particularly aged 30-40 has urged safety concerns. Despite the existing literature examining fatigue, burnout, stress, sleep hygiene and circadian disruption, only few studies systematically examine how these factors impact …

The Gut-Bladder Axis: How Symbiont Microbes Alter Urinary Tract Infections, Benjamin S. Olson

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections worldwide. Consequently, they are one of the leading indications for antibiotic prescription. Despite the typically successful treatment of an acute UTI, recurrent infections are exceedingly common, particularly among women. Nearly a quarter of otherwise healthy women will suffer recurrent UTIs (rUTI) after a primary UTI; why these select individuals are continually afflicted is unkown. There are no successful therapeutics to treat rUTI representing a gap not just in the medical toolkit but in our understanding of why rUTI is so prevalent. There are many hypotheses for the risk factors …

Effects Of Human-Animal Interaction On Positive Youth Development: A Replication Study, Allison Pachunka, Jay Jeffries, Lisa Karr, Lena Luck, Bryan A. Reiling, Douglas H. Schultz, Jeffrey R. Stevens

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

Interacting with animals can improve health and well-being across the lifespan. Some programs such as 4-H and FFA center around youth interacting with animals, potentially enhancing youth development. Mueller (2014) investigated whether these interactions and attitudes about animals influenced measures of positive youth development. The aim of our studies was to replicate Mueller’s methods and extend her work by evaluating whether membership in animal-focused youth programs moderate associations between interactions, attitudes, and positive youth development. We did not find strong relationships among human–animal inter-action and positive youth development, which failed to replicate Mueller’s findings. However, we did find relationships between …

Malnutrition Risk, Nutrition Insecurity, Barriers, And Facilitators To Dietary Management Among Adults With Inflammatory Bowel Disease In The Us Rocky Mountain Region: A Cross-Sectional Mixed-Methods Study, Heather Burr, Carrie Durward, Korry Hintze, Getrude Mphwanthe

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science Student Research

We conducted an online cross-sectional study to assess malnutrition risk, food and nutrition insecurity, and perceived barriers and facilitators to dietary management among adults (18–64 years old) with a self-reported clinical diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in outpatient and community settings. We assessed malnutrition risk using the Saskatchewan IBD-Nutrition Risk screening tool, food security risk using the two-item Hunger Vital Signs questionnaire, and nutrition security risk using a validated four-item tool. Open-ended questions elucidated barriers and facilitators to dietary management of IBD. Among 57 participants who self-reported a clinical diagnosis of IBD, 52.6% (n = 30/57) had ulcerative colitis, …

Exercise Intensity And The Effects On Mood And Wellbeing, Emily Amortegui, Ashley Albert, Riley Ensor, Keyanna Keyanna Jackson

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

With many students dealing with anxiety, sadness, and high levels of stress, mental health issues among college students have grown in intensity. A lot of research has been done on the possible benefits of physical activity for mental health, but most of it focuses on correlations rather than the biological mechanisms. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of varying exercise intensities on physiological stress markers and mood in college students ages 18 to 25. To assure precise intensity levels, participants from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will work out at low, moderate, and high intensities while wearing heart …

Comparative Analysis Of Artificial Intelligence (Ai) Implications For Active Learning And Assessment At Various Curricular Levels Of Stem And Health Sciences In Developed Versus Underprivileged Countries, Vinay Munlapudi, Santanu De

FDLA Journal

Today’s all-pervasive emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) necessitates a comprehensive evaluation of its role in education, especially for occupational disciplines in health sciences and STEM. AI has reshaped student learning and instructors’ navigation of the evolving, post coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19) global academic landscape. This study aimed at encapsulating evidence-based AI implications for student-centered, active learning and assessment at various curricular levels of science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) and health sciences education in developed versus underprivileged or less developed countries. An extensive, scoping review of 65 recent, scholarly publications was conducted over six months through diverse search engines (PubMed, Google …

A Novel Role For The Infralimbic Cortex In Conditioned Fear Responding, Julia R. Mitchell, Samantha Tuberman, Rylin Lubash, Leticia C. N. Takasumi, Emmett Bergeron, Roberto Calitri, Mikaela A. Laine, Maryclare Pikus, Victoria Vance, Leena Ziane, Rebecca M. Shansky

Neuroscience: Faculty Publications

Freezing during Pavlovian fear conditioning is the most commonly used indicator of learned fear in rodents. Although freezing and its neural underpinnings have been widely studied, the field has largely ignored other potential indicators of learned fear. Darting, an escape-like conditioned fear response, occurs more frequently in females and is reliably predicted by a distinct behavioral phenotype: heightened shock response and decreased freezing compared to rodents that do not engage in darting. The experiments in this study sought to expand the field’s understanding of conditioned fear by investigating the neural correlates of conditioned darting, focusing on the infralimbic cortex (IL) …

A Poetic Call For And A Reflection And Commentary On Clarity, Understanding, Hope, Courage, And Compassion, Carroy U. Ferguson

Psychology Faculty Publication Series

Finding a published poem I had written as a teenager, titled “The Heavens Weep.” this article uses that poem as the basis for a commentary that reflects on the state of the world today (2026),  As a commentary, the article uses the poetic and metaphoric words in the poem as a relevant "reality check" for what is still going on today.  In essence, the commentary is about a call for Clarity, Understanding, Hope, Courage, and Compassion, or what I call Archetypal Energies, Higher Vibrational Energies that operate deep within our individual and collective psyches to creatively urge us to "see" …

The Effect Of Sustainable 3d Store Design On Consumer Online Shopping Behavior, Sophie G. Roussel

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

Sustainability has become a significant factor in shaping consumer shopping habits. Companies are implementing 3D store designs to provide a more immersive and interactive experience. Further study is needed to investigate whether a sustainable, green-focused 3D storefront shifts consumers’ satisfaction with online shopping and their intention to buy products from a sustainable store. This study seeks to fill the research gap by examining how sustainable 3D store design influences consumer shopping behavior. Specifically, three distinct 3D store mockups were developed using Visual Retailing (VR) technology. The same number of visually appealing features, products, and store layouts was used to make …

Polyphenol Diet And Exercise As Neuroprotection From Effects Of Alzheimer's Disease, Michelle Morgan

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Healthy non-pharmacological lifestyle factors, such as regular physical exercise and a dietary supplementation, have been shown to significantly improve cognitive outcomes over time compared to a more sedentary lifestyle and poor diet. Furthermore, exercise may serve as a potential protective factor in attenuating the effects associated with cognitive decline that are characteristic of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Further, evidence indicates that certain diet interventions can also attenuate the effects of neurodegeneration and positively impact longevity. Supplementation of polyphenols, such as ellagic acid (EA), which are abundant in pomegranate juice, may help provide neuroprotective benefits and elicit a …

Genetic Regulation Of Uterine Organogenesis, Diana A. Machado

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

In eutherian and marsupial mammals, the site of embryo implantation and gestation is the uterus. The precursor tissue of the uterus, oviducts, cervix, and upper vagina is the Müllerian duct epithelium and its adjacent mesenchyme. Morphological uterine variation between species is established during embryogenesis by species-specific differences in Müllerian duct fusion at the midline, growth, and differentiation. For example, laboratory mice have a bipartite uterus with two uterine horns and a single cervix, whereas humans have a simplex uterus with a single chamber and single cervix. In humans, variations in the fusion process can alter typical uterine morphology, correlating with …

The Relationship Between Depression And Cognitive Proficiency Index Across Biological Sex, Angela N. Ferdinardo

Dissertations

Depression is a widely studied mood disorder, and understanding its effect on cognitive functioning has become an important area of research. While research has examined relationships among depression, working memory, and cognitive deficits, limited research has explored depressive symptoms and cognitive proficiency across biological sex. Depression manifests similarly in men and women, though men are more likely to experience irritability, impulsivity, and anger, while women tend to experience sadness, stress, and sleep disturbances (Johns Hopkins Medicine, 2023). Women are also more likely to seek treatment and cope differently than men. This study examined the relationship between depression and cognitive proficiency …

Evaluating The Motivations Of Participants In Online Equine Extension Courses, Sarah Vos

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Traditional program evaluations emphasize participant demographics, knowledge gain, behavior change, and program impact. However, evaluating participant motivation can provide addition insight into why participants enroll in extension programs and help explain participant engagement and persistence throughout a program. The purpose of this study was to evaluate participant motivation in two online equine extension courses and examine potential relationships between motivation, demographics, and course delivery method, and describe participant engagement in Virtual Horse Judging Camp (VHJC). This cross-sectional study utilized convenience sampling of participants in two online equine extension courses, Horse Adult Leader Training and Educational Resource (HALTER) and VHJC. The …

Can Kinematics Specify Tool Use Affordances?, Tyler Duffrin

All Dissertations

Object properties such as length, shape, and heaviness, as well as affordance-based properties such as strike-with-ability and poke-with-ability, can be perceived via dynamic touch as functions of inertia tensor invariants. The primary question addressed here was whether people can perceive these same power and precision properties for purely virtual objects, which lack dynamic physical forces. The Kinematic Specification of Dynamics (KSD) principle asserts that missing dynamics are lawfully specified by kinematic (visual) motion patterns, such that kinematic information alone may support successful interactions with virtual objects. In three experiments, we investigated (1) whether virtual reality (VR) users could calibrate to …

Aegic Blogposts - Grain Pricing, Ross Kingwell, Peter Elliott, Chris Carter

Grain and other field crops published reports

The Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) was an independent, not-for-profit organisation established in 2012 by the Western Australian Government and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). Its core mission was to increase the value and international competitiveness of Australia’s multibillion-dollar export grains industry. AEGIC ceased operation at the end of 2025.

Early in its history between 20 to 30 staff from the former Western Australian Department of Agriculture were seconded to AEGIC. Following the formation of DPIRD, AEGIC continued to receive substantial annual funding support from DPIRD.

This publication is a legacy document containing collated AEGIC blog posts …

Testing P300-Based Biometric Authentication Paradigms, Jordan Razzak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bench research suggests that P300 amplitude is greater in response to self-relevant stimuli compared to familiar stimuli. This effect could enable a novel method of biometric authentication based on the self-relevant P300. This dissertation aims to: (1) determine the optimal presentation paradigm for leveraging self-relevance in P300-based biometric authentication, and (2) investigate P300 responses from self-relevant stimuli versus stimuli learned over the course of a week.

Two presentation paradigms were compared – rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) and matrix presentation (MP). Participant-specific RSVP and MP classifiers were trained by applying stepwise linear discriminant analysis to data collected during presentations of …

Parametric Assessment Of Nicotine Vapor Self-Administration In Rats, Tiffany Alexandra Gonzalez-Gutierrez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The increasing prevalence of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use among adolescents highlights the need to identify factors that promote nicotine vapor use in populations most susceptible to its long-term consequences. This requires translationally relevant animal models of nicotine vapor self-administration (VSA). Accordingly, the goal of this dissertation was to evaluate 2 key factors hypothesized to influence nicotine VSA in rats, including age and e-liquid vehicle composition. Given recent mandates on studying sex as a biological variable, the present work included both female and male rats. Aim 1 compared VSA behavior during adolescence (adolescent-onset) or adulthood (adult-onset) in groups that received vapor …

Youth Agricultural Engagement And Its Association With Dietary Diversity, Household Food Insecurity, And Nutritional Status In Southwest Nigeria, Sherif Olasoji

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Youth remain underserved in nutrition research, policy, and programming despite being an integral part of the food systems. While the nutrition-sensitive agriculture framework has been established, there is limited evidence demonstrating how youth engagement in agriculture can serve as a pathway to improve nutritional outcomes. The study assessed youth agricultural engagement and its association with household dietary diversity, household food insecurity, and nutritional status in southwest Nigeria.

Using a cross-sectional design, data on socio-demographic characteristics, agricultural engagement, dietary diversity, household food insecurity, body mass index, and skin carotenoids were collected from 143 youth aged 15 to 35 from Ekiti, Osun, …

The Effects Of Psychological Stress On Gut Health In Mice Fed Either A Healthy Diet Or The Total Western Diet, David Keenan Thomas Prescott

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The Total Western Diet (TWD), a rodent diet designed to model the typical American dietary pattern, has been shown to worsen inflammation and colitis severity in mice. Psychological stress has also been associated with increased intestinal inflammation, barrier dysfunction, and alterations to the gut microbiome. The goal of this study was to determine whether combining the TWD with psychological stress would further worsen colitis severity and alter the gut microbiome. To investigate this, mice were fed either a healthy control diet or the TWD and exposed to psychological stress using a social disruption stress model. Colitis was induced using established …

Secondary Biology Teachers’ Understandings Of Growth Mindset, Kathryn Chapman

Dissertations

This case study investigates how high school biology teachers understand and apply growth mindset principles in their daily instruction. Using surveys, semi‑structured interviews, and focus groups, the study examines how biology teachers interpret mindset, how they attempt to enact it, and how curriculum demands shape their efforts. Findings show that teachers’ beliefs about intelligence strongly influence their feedback, expectations, and instructional decisions. Teachers described biology as a subject in which struggle is highly visible, emotionally charged, and often tied to students’ prior knowledge, making mindset work both necessary and challenging. Results also indicate that students’ mindsets are shaped by broader …

The Effect Of Cerebellar Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation On Anxiety, Shivangi Bhardwaj

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders in the U.S. Individuals of all ages are affected by anxiety. Therefore, research into anxiety and its potential treatment has constantly been an area of interest. Newer approaches to managing anxiety include non-invasive stimulation techniques, such as Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), because of its accessibility and effectiveness. Past tDCS work typically focused on regions in the frontal lobe. However, tDCS over the cerebellum has not received as much attention compared to the cerebrum, despite recent work demonstrating cerebellar involvement in emotion processing. Thus, a better understanding of how cerebellar …

Physiological, Cognitive, Behavioral, And Perceptual Contributors To Falls Risk Across Middle And Older Adulthood, Jacquelyn Moxey

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Falls are multifactorial events influenced by physiological, cognitive, behavioral, and perceptual factors. Although falls prevention research has traditionally focused on older adults and objectively measured physical impairments, less is known about how cognitive performance, physical activity, and perceptions of ability collectively contribute to falls risk vulnerability across middle and older adulthood. This dissertation examined these relationships through three complementary studies.

Study 1 examined associations between cognitive screening performance and physiological falls risk in 315 community-dwelling older adults. Lower global cognitive performance was associated with greater physiological falls risk. Performance on items reflecting attention and visuospatial/executive function demonstrated the strongest domain-level …

Menopausal Symptoms, Psychosocial Factors, And Physical Activity Among Physically Active Midlife Females, Ella Onsoriasl

Exercise Science Theses & Dissertations

Menopausal symptoms are common during midlife and may be associated with females' physical activity (PA) participation, yet how these symptoms relate to PA levels, perceived confidence and enjoyment, and psychosocial resources such as social support (SS), exercise identity, and quality of life (QOL) remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine how menopausal symptom severity relates to PA levels, perceived confidence and enjoyment during PA, and psychosocial factors, including SS, exercise identity, and QOL. This cross-sectional study surveyed 151 midlife females aged 40 to 60 who reported engaging in intentional PA at least once per week. Participants completed …

Building Bridges: Connecting Biomechanics And Lived Experience In Bertolotti's Syndrome, Andrea Morgan Muffly

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Bertolotti’s Syndrome (BSy), characterized by the presence of a lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LSTV), represents a complex clinical entity that affects not only the physical health of the individual, but the quality of their daily life. Prior research on BSy focused on epidemiology, not lived experience, revealing inconsistencies in diagnostic inconsistencies of LSTV morphology. A three-tiered diagnostic system is proposed to streamline the reporting of LSTV subtypes. We examined how BSy is diagnosed, its symptoms, presentation, and how this impacts individuals’ ability to participate in activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). We conducted a multi …

Effects Of Beverage Color During Mouth Rinsing On Measures Of Muscular Endurance, Muscular Strength, And Exercise Perceptions During Isometric Handgrip Testing, Sydney Andrews

Exercise Science Theses & Dissertations

Previous research has shown that color can influence psychological responses, physiological responses, and exercise performance. These effects have been previously attributed to learned associations or expectations which may influence exercise-related outcomes. This study aimed to investigate whether beverage color influences muscular performance during intermittent isometric handgrip exercise. This randomized, single-blind, deceptive crossover study consisted of 34 physically active adults (21.9±3.1 years) who completed a handgrip endurance test under three conditions: red beverage rinse, clear beverage rinse, and no-rinse. Participants were informed that the study would examine the effects of mouth rinsing two commercially available carbohydrate containing sport drinks on muscular …

Shared And Distinct Alterations In Brain Structure Of Youth With Internalizing Or Externalizing Disorders: Findings From The Enigma Antisocial Behavior, Adhd, Major Depressive Disorder, And Anxiety Working Groups, Sophie Townend, Marlene Staginnus, Yidian Gao, Nina Alexander, Volker Arolt, Tobias Banaschewski, Katja Beesdo-Baum, Mark A. Bellgrove, Vivek Benegal, Anderson M. Winkler

Human Genetics Publications

Background: Externalizing and internalizing disorders are common in youth but are often studied separately, preventing researchers from identifying shared (i.e., transdiagnostic) alterations in brain structure. Using data from the ENIGMA (Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis) Consortium, we conducted a mega-analysis to identify shared and distinct cortical and subcortical brain alterations across internalizing (anxiety disorders and depression) and externalizing (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD] and conduct disorder [CD]) disorders in youth.

Methods: 3D T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging data from youths (age range 4-21 years) with anxiety disorders (n = 1044), depression (n = 504), ADHD (n = 1317), and CD (n = 1172) …

An Evaluation Of Peer Mentoring In A Pre-Veterinary Science Program Within A College Of Forestry And Agriculture, Amy Neal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mentoring is a tool utilized to improve the retention of college students and can serve as an effort to increase their willingness to persist despite challenges. Establishing mentoring relationships amongst first-year students and more-experienced students can create a sense of belonging. Mentorship programs may be developed within a particular major or program. Within this study, an online survey was formed to analyze the perceptions of first-year pre-veterinary students in Fall 2024 and Fall 2025. A peer-mentorship program was implemented amongst pre-veterinary students in Fall 2025. First-year students who completed the survey in Fall 2024 were not mentored. Many of the …

Examining Pain Catastrophizing, Mental Toughness, Self-Efficacy, And Perceived Pain In The Performance Of Female Athletes During Their Menstrual Cycle, Carissa R. Martinez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pain is a universal unpleasant or negative experience influenced by physiological, psychological, and environmental factors. Disruption in the neural pathways of pain can affect athletic performance and lead to injury risks. Both negative attributes, such as stress, anxiety, and depression, and positive attributes, such as mental toughness and self-efficacy, contribute to pain perception and catastrophic thinking. The menstrual cycle also plays a critical role in pain catastrophizing, as hormonal fluctuations across different phases may hinder pain perception and performance in female athletes. However, research lacks the inclusion of how these factors impact female athletes. Using a non-experimental quantitative analysis, this …

Thermoclock:A Novel Automated Temperature Regulation Device That Can Model Circadian Entrainment And Disruption In 2d And 3d In Vitro Models, Kaiyin Kelly Zhang, Cathryn A. Cutia, Chanelle A. Moise, Bhavna Kalyanaraman, Kaitlyn Chhe, Jiexin Wang, Michelle E. Farkas, Ilia N. Karatsoreos, Mary Harrington, Meghan E. Huber, Cathal J. Kearney

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Circadian rhythms are critical for maintaining homeostasis and regulating physiological functions, and consequentially impact disease progression; yet, they remain largely overlooked in in vitro models used in preclinical research. One major barrier to rigorously testing the role of circadian rhythms in these models is the lack of accessible tools that seamlessly integrate into standard culture setups and are capable of sustainably delivering time cues to cells and tissues in long term experiments. Here, we present the ThermoClock, a low-cost, Arduino-based automated temperature control system capable of delivering independent temperature programs to multiple cultures simultaneously. Using circadian reporter U2OS cell lines …