Digital Commons Network^™

Gi, Pain, Anxiety, And Mood Symptoms Among Youth With Fapds, Helen Bedree

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Pediatric functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) frequently persist into adulthood, thus developmental considerations are critical for monitoring symptom presentation and tailoring treatments. In addition to core symptoms, such as pain and gastrointestinal symptoms, mood and anxiety symptoms often co-occur as well as negative impacts on functioning and quality of life. The current study took a developmental approach to assess core pain, gastrointestinal, anxiety, and mood symptoms among youth with FAPDs (N = 105), as well as agreement across youth and their caregivers on these key symptoms. Developmental stages included early childhood, middle childhood, adolescence, and emerging adulthood. A cluster …

Comparative Effects Of Combustible Cigarette Versus Electronic Cigarette Exposures On Kras Mutant Lung Cancer Promotion, Walter V Velasco, Maria T Grimaldo, Nastaran Karimi, Michael J Clowers, Avantika Krishna, Ranran Wu, Rahmah Ejaz, Bo Yuan, Segundo Del Aguila, Iman Bouchelkia, Javier Eduardo Moreno Barragan, Katherine E Larsen, Yasmina Rezai, Farbod Khalaj, Kyler Mitra, Carlos Reyna Rodriguez, Ricardo Millares, Angelica Baca De Anda, Susana Castro-Pando, Umesh C Karandikar, Joseph F Petrosino, Florencia Mcallister, Humam Kadara, Edwin J Ostrin, Johannes F Fahrmann, Kristi Louise Hoffman, Seyed Javad Moghaddam

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Despite the emerging public health concern related to the use of electronic cigarette vapors (ECV), its impact on lung cancer is poorly understood. We assessed the effect of ECV on lung tumorigenesis in a mouse model of lung adenocarcinoma. Mice were exposed to either room air, combustible cigarette smoke (CCS), or ECV 2 hours daily for 8 weeks at which lung samples were harvested and studied for different outcomes. We found that CCS, but not ECV, led to a significant increase in tumor burden. Immunophenotyping of both CCS- and ECV-exposed lungs displayed pronounced pro-tumor immunosuppressive phenotypes, characterized by significantly decreased …

Attitudes Toward Pig Islet Xenotransplantation For Type 1 Diabetes: A Scoping Review, Daniel J Hurst, Daniel Rodger, Luz A Padilla, Fernando Ovalle

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Over 8 million people globally have type 1 diabetes. Islet allotransplantation offers an alternative to insulin therapy but is constrained by donor availability. Genetically modified pig islet transplantation presents a potential solution, yet understanding stakeholder attitudes is crucial before clinical adoption.

METHODS: This scoping review followed Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and PRISMA guidelines. CINAHL, EMBASE, PubMed, PsychINFO, and SCOPUS were searched for studies examining attitudes toward pig islet xenotransplantation among patients, healthcare workers, and other stakeholders.

RESULTS: From 199 sources, 16 met eligibility criteria, spanning ten countries from 2003 to 2023. The 23,780 participants included 1,535 (6.5%) patients/family members, …

No Evidence For Pape-Induced Jumping Performance Enhancement Following Isometric And Treadmill Warm-Ups In Team Sport Athletes, Artur Terbalyan, Adam Maszczyk, Robert Krzysztof Roczniok

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: This study aimed to determine whether an isometric PAPE‐based warm-up could enhance jumping performance compared to a traditional treadmill jogging warm-up in team sport athletes. The primary focus was on assessing neuromuscular activation and performance indicators such as jump height and force asymmetry. Materials and Methods: Fifty-three athletes from basketball, volleyball, handball, and soccer participated in a controlled, parallel-group experiment. Participants performed either a unilateral isometric warm-up protocol – comprising two sets of four exercises per leg– or a 5‐minute treadmill jogging session, with jump performance assessed via countermovement jump tests on dual force plates. A split-plot ANOVA was …

Working Mothers And Children’S Social-Emotional Development: Struggling With Family And Job Roles In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Ignasia Paskal Mbatta

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This study aimed at examining the socio-emotional development of employed mothers’ children in the metropolis of Dar es Salaam. Early childhood socio-emotional development is crucial for shaping a child’s short- and long-term well-being, relationships, and overall mental health. An exploratory qualitative approach employing a phenomenological design, guided this study. In-depth interviews, documentary reviews, and active participant observation were used to collect data. The study sample comprised of 42 working mothers, 9 domestic workers, and 90 children under five years of age of the same mothers. Purposive sampling was used to select working mothers, while domestic workers were selected incidentally. The …

Captured And Enhanced Potentials Of Wild Edible Fruits In Tabora Rural, Uyui And Sikonge Districts, Tabora In Tanzania, Mirau N. Mbise

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Rural communities worldwide supplement food and income through wild edible fruits. However, the paucity of scientific inquiry on the perceptions and uses of wild edible fruits, value-addition, and marketing prompted this study. It interviewed respondents from 274 households in Tabora rural, Sikonge, and Uyui districts in the Tabora region of Tanzania. Descriptive and quantitative analyses were undertaken, and results showed that wild edible fruit activities are perceived to be for women, children, and less-educated people. Furthermore, the findings indicated that 100% (n = 274) of the respondents use wild edible fruits as food, and 48.6% (n = 133) use them …

One Health Integration To Control And Prevent Zoonoses: Application Of Organizational Theory Literature, Lisset M. Dumet Poma, Sherril Gelmon, Julia M. Goodman, Seth E. O’Neal

Hatfield Graduate Journal of Public Affairs

Zoonoses are infectious diseases transmitted between animals and people that disproportionately affect low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The One Health (OH) approach aims to integrate systems, incentivizing collaboration among animal, human, and environmental systems to address zoonoses and improve health. Innovative solutions for effectively and sustainably achieving systems integration are needed. Organizational theories can facilitate the study of the context of OH implementation, applying comprehensive approaches that recognize the interconnections among organisms, the environment, and social systems, including the diverse entities needing integration (e.g., policy, community, public organizations). This narrative review examines organization and systems literature to provide recommendations for …

Does Schooling Improve Cognitive Abilities At Older Ages? Causal Evidence From Nonparametric Bounds, Vikesh Amin, Jere R. Behrman, Jason M. Fletcher, Carlos A. Flores, Alfonso Flores-Lagunes, Hans-Peter Kohler

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

We revisit much-investigated relationships between schooling and health, focusing on schooling impacts on cognitive abilities at older ages using the Harmonized Cognition Assessment Protocol in the Health & Retirement Study (HRS) and a bounding approach that requires relatively weak assumptions. Our estimated upper bounds on the population average effects indicate potentially large causal effects of increasing schooling from primary to secondary; yet, these upper bounds are smaller than many estimates from the literature on causal schooling impacts on cognition using compulsory-schooling laws. We also cannot rule out small and null effects at this margin. We do, however, find evidence for …

Causal Effects Of Schooling On Memory At Older Ages In Six Low-And-Middle-Income Countries: Nonparametric Evidence With Harmonized Datasets, Vikesh Amin, Jere R. Behrman, Jason M. Fletcher, Carlos A. Flores, Alfonso Flores-Lagunes, Iliana Kohler, Hans-Peter Kohler, Shana D. Stites

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

Higher schooling attainment is associated with better cognitive function at older ages, but it remains unclear whether the relationship is causal. We estimate causal effects of schooling on performances on the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease (CERAD) word-recall (memory) test at older ages in China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russia, and South Africa. We used harmonized data (n=30,896) on older adults (≥50 years) from the World Health Organization Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health. We applied an established nonparametric partialidentification approach that bounds causal effects of increasing schooling attainment at different parts of the schooling distributions under …

From Lockdown To Learning: Understanding Motivation Shifts In High School Students Due To The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kelly Lindberg

University Honors Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic induced profound disruptions to the educational landscape, significantly impacting high school students' motivation to learn. This thesis explores how these disruptions affected students' intrinsic and extrinsic motivations through the lenses of three motivational theories: Self-Determination Theory, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and Expectancy-Value Theory. By examining changes in the learning environment, social connections, and mental health before, during, and after the pandemic, this study identifies key factors that shaped changes in students' academic engagement. The shift to online learning during the pandemic, combined with social isolation and increased mental health challenges, diminished students' intrinsic motivation and weakened their …

United Through Reading: Longitudinal Evaluation 18-Month Findings, Erica M. Hawvermale, Cassidy J. Cooper, Bonnie Chapman Beers

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This report details the findings from the first eighteen months of a longitudinal evaluation of United Through Reading's (UTR) programs and services across four outcome areas: 1) child literacy, 2) child wellbeing, 3) adult wellbeing, and 4) family connection.

No. 42: Remittance Practices, Digital Technologies And The Ghana-Canada Migration Corridor, Naomi Sunu, Sujata Ramachandran

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

Migrant remittances have been recognized as vital resources for the well-being of recipient households and communities, as well as for sustainable development in the Global South. However, these flows can be impeded by limitations in the infrastructure, financial systems, and regulatory environments of both sending and receiving countries, as exemplified by the high costs associated with remitting to sub-Saharan Africa. Consequently, the use of less secure but more affordable informal remittance channels persists. Driven by the rapid growth of fintech technologies in recent years, including mobile money and web-based platforms, the digitalization of remittance-sending and receiving processes has the potential …

Covid-19 & Healthcare (Re)Privatization? A Comparative Analysis Of High And Medium Per Capita Gdp Countries, Kristina Donders, Kaitlyn Matthews, Brittany Reyes, Frank. H. Rizzo

Working Papers Series

This paper examines whether the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated healthcare privatization in high- and medium-GDP countries. Drawing on political economy theories of path dependence and privatization, we analyze changes in public and private healthcare expenditures in eight countries: Canada, Chile, Denmark, Georgia, Luxembourg, Norway, the Philippines, and South Korea—comparing data from 2019 and 2022. Using World Bank indicators on healthcare financing, GDP, aging populations, and food insecurity, we find that although healthcare expenditures generally increased during the pandemic, this increase was primarily in public, not private, spending. Case studies of Georgia and South Korea reveal that local economic and demographic pressures, …

Co-Designing A Digital Nutrition Intervention For Individuals With Severe Mental Illness Using The Behaviour Change Wheel, Ciara O'Sullivan, Tara Coppinger, Indika Dhanapala, Alison Merrotsy

Publications

Title: Co-Designing a Digital Nutrition Intervention for Individuals with Severe Mental Illness Using the Behaviour Change Wheel

Purpose: This study aims to develop a digital nutrition intervention for individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) residing in high-support mental health hostels, using a theoretically informed co-design approach.

Design/methodology/approach: This study will employ a participatory, mixed-methods approach, incorporating Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) to ensure user-centred intervention design. The Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) guides the selection of intervention functions, Behaviour Change Techniques (BCTs) and delivery methods. The study will consist of three phases: (1) Preparation, (2) Co-Design, and (3) Finalisation.

Findings: Data …

Benefits And Challenges Of Collaborative Networks Addressing Food System Disruptions During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Dikshya Dahal, Tania Schusler

School of Environmental Sustainability: Faculty Publications and Other Works

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted food systems with disproportionate impacts on marginalized social groups, which in the USA included racial and ethnic minorities, working class families, immigrants, seniors, and people with disabilities, among others. The pandemic also greatly affected the operations of nonprofit organizations, which play important roles in disaster response. We explored how social networks supported non-profit organizations’ efforts to address increased food insecurity and food-related business disruptions during the pandemic in the Chicago region, IL, USA. We used mixed methods including a Social Network Analysis (SNA) of 48 organizations and their reported partners plus focus group discussions with representatives …

How Far-Right Populism Harms Ethnic Minorities’ Health: The Case Of The United States, Dina Rosenberg

Working Papers Series

Public health is a political issue, and the health of ethnic minorities is a key component of it. We argue that far-right populism, whether grassroots or elitist, harms the health of immigrants and minorities. Anti-minority attitudes and policies—such as health chauvinism promoted by far-right populists—along with hate rhetoric and ensuing personal and institutional discrimination create a climate of hostility that negatively affects health outcomes in underprivileged communities. We hypothesize that immigrants and ethnic minorities living in such a climate are more likely to experience health problems and underutilize healthcare. To test this, we leverage the significant variation between U.S. states …

Walk A Mile: Exploring Cause-Based Charity Event Participation As A Catalyst For Increasing Physical Activity Behavior, Kimberly S. Fasczewski, Andrey A. Sanko Posada, Meg Hopkins

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Despite the known benefits of physical activity (PA), more than half of U.S. adults do not meet the American College of Sports Medicine’s PA recommendations for health, often resulting in negative health outcomes. Developing programming that increases motivation for PA participation is critical for healthcare professionals to combat physical inactivity. Previous research has demonstrated that framing disease-based PA charity fundraising events as “helping a cause” improved motivation for PA due to the individual’s emotional connection to the cause. There is currently no congruent research on motivation for participation in cause-based charity events. Behavioral economics theory posits that cognitive, emotional, and …

An Assessment Of Maine's Capacity To Support Transitions Of Care Through The Substance Use Disorder Continuum, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd, Sarah Mclaughlin Mph, Rachel M. Gallo Mph

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

This report evaluates Maine's capacity to support effective transitions of care across the substance use disorder (SUD) treatment continuum. Using data collected from a statewide survey of 65 SUD providers, conducted from February to April 2025, the study examines organizational practices, inter-provider communication, and coordination strategies related to transitions between levels of care: medically supervised withdrawal, inpatient, and outpatient treatment programs. Key findings reveal strong intra-organizational communication, widespread understanding of ASAM criteria, and a general commitment to patient-centered care. However, gaps persist in coordination between care levels, particularly in withdrawal management programs, which rarely conduct follow-ups or collaborate with outpatient …

Covid-19 Pandemic And Recovery Experiences: A Case Study With Montana Family And Consumer Science Cooperative Extension Agents, Hayley M. Somerfeld, J. Mitchell Vaterlaus, Nicole C. Wanago, Brianna Routh, Alison Brennan

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

The present study examined the impact of COVID-19 and recovery experiences among Family Consumer Science (FCS) Extension Agents in Montana. All participants (n = 10) completed a survey with fixed-item and open-ended responses, and six also participated in in-depth interviews. A deductive qualitative case study approach was used. Agent experiences were analyzed using The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) four action priorities: (1) understanding risk, (2) strengthening disaster risk governance, (3) investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience, and (4) enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to “build back better” in recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction. Pandemic risks …

Empowering Community Through Extension: Identifying Community Health And Wellness Strengths And Needs, Allyson A. Spears, Alexis Zickafoose, Emily Wintermute, Peng Lu, Matthew Baker, Scott Cummings

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Health and wellness are foundational to thriving communities, yet many Americans face barriers that impact their access to essential health education and services. This study used a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach to assess the perceived strengths and needs of health and wellness resources of rural and urban Texas communities. Data were collected through a statewide survey (n = 9,418), targeting key aspects of health and wellness. The results identified critical strengths, including school lunch programs and grocery stores accepting electronic benefit transfers (EBT), while reducing obesity and addressing mental health emerged as top community needs in both urban and …

Effectiveness Of Nutrition Education On Male Student Veterans From Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo University, Keith S. Kim

Master's Theses

This pilot study evaluated the effectiveness of a 13-week nutrition education intervention designed to improve dietary patterns, physical health, and mental health outcomes among 10 student male military veterans at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. The intervention, grounded in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025, included a one-time educational presentation and periodic recap videos to reinforce key messages. Outcome measures included dietary intake, body mass index (BMI), handgrip strength, depressive symptoms (via the Beck Depression Inventory), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms (via the PCL-5). Results revealed no statistically significant changes in dietary patterns, BMI, handgrip strength, …

Measuring Collective Impact Of Extension Programs Addressing Substance Use And Mental Health, Omolola A. Adedokun, Olumuyiwa M. Desmennu, Alex Elswick, Nichole Huff, Brooke Jenkins, Katherine Jury, Heather Norrman-Burgdolf

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Extension excels at working across program areas and disciplinary boundaries inside and outside land-grant institutions to address complex social issues within communities. However, evaluation of the collective impact of these concerted programmatic initiatives remains a persistent challenge for Extension. To better understand the broader impact of Extension’s cohesive, concurrent response to complex issues such as substance use and mental health, there is a need to shift from isolated evaluations of individual or single Extension programs to a focus on collective impact assessment. This article describes the University of Kentucky Extension planning process and outputs of a collective impact evaluation initiative …

Increasing Soil Respiration In A Northern Hardwood Forest Indicates Symptoms Of A Changing Carbon Cycle, Angela R. Possinger, Charles T. Driscoll, Mark B. Green, Timothy J. Fahey, Chris E. Johnson, Mary Margaret K. Koppers, Lisa D. Martel, Jennifer L. Morse, Pamela H. Templer, Angelina M. Uribe, Geoffrey F. Wilson, Peter M. Groffman

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Soil carbon dioxide (CO2) flux, or soil respiration, is a critical control on net ecosystem carbon (C) balance. Using long-term (2002-2020) measurements at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (New Hampshire, U.S.), we show that soil respiration rates have notably increased since ~2015. In 2020, cumulative summer respiration flux was approximately 90% higher than the average summer flux over the 2002–2015 period. The increase in soil respiration cannot be explained directly by temperature or pH change alone. We also found that heterotrophic microbial C mineralization and microbial biomass C have also increased rapidly since ~2015, pointing towards an increase in the …

Aging In Harwich: A Community Needs Assessment, Claire E. Wickersham, Caitlin E. Coyle

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

At a time of such significant population aging, the Harwich Council on Aging commissioned a community-wide needs assessment with support from the Friends of the Harwich Council on Aging. The specific goal of this report is to support the strategic planning of the Harwich Council on Aging. An additional goal is to present information useful to other Harwich departments and organizations interacting with older residents planning for the future of Harwich. This report presents the results of a comprehensive examination of issues relating to aging in Harwich. Results presented here focus on the characteristics and needs of Harwich residents aged …

The Language Of Development: A Case Study Analysis Of Climate Development In Central America, Alexandra Altomare

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this thesis is to better understand the impact of locally led development activities on local populations. The focus of this thesis is on climate mitigation and adaptation activities in Central America led by international donor organizations such as USAID. The research consists of an in-depth review of existing literature and analysis from the fields of environmental justice, political ecology, postcolonial studies, and Indigenous Studies. This is accompanied by a case study analysis of various development projects in Guatemala and Honduras, as well as auto-ethnographic observations. In addition, this thesis analyzes the power and impact of language and …

The Neurobehavioral Consequences Of Prenatal Opioid Exposure On The Play Behavior Of Juvenile Rats, Rebecca S. Smart

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Prenatal opioid exposure has increased as a consequence of both increased Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and prescription use for treatment of pain and OUD. However, human studies on prenatal opioid exposure are complicated by several confounding variables and thus, use of an animal model can lessen these confounds. Illicit use of opioids produces fluctuating blood levels whereas prescribed use of opioids results in stabilized blood levels of opioids. Our first study sought to determine if different methods of opioid administration, resulting in differing blood levels of opioids, would impact social play, a developmentally important behavior that is modulated by the …

Individual, Social, And Environmental Factors Associated With Patterns Of Parasitic Infection In Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus Imitator), Megan C. Henriquez

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Parasites, and the infectious diseases they carry, are thought to have significantly impacted our evolutionary trajectory for millennia. Exploring how parasites are acquired and transmitted by their hosts in wild, natural populations is integral to understanding how similar processes may have shaped host-parasite co-evolutionary relationships over time. However, parasitological studies in humans and in non-human primates have produced inconsistent results, highlighting the dynamic, nuanced, and unique relationships individual parasites have with their hosts. These relationships are largely regulated by variation in factors at host, social, and environmental levels. Characteristics unique to the host (e.g., age and sex), factors pertaining to …

Using Industry-Level Characteristics To Assess The Degree To Which Interventions Engage An Employee Population, Haley C. Trust, Brett Amazon, Anthony Puline, Evan Sassenberger, Kristin Horan

The Kennesaw Journal of Undergraduate Research

Participation is an essential component in workplace health and safety programs or interventions. While those who conduct interventions often report participation rates among the overall organization, it could be useful to compare participants to industry statistics, given that health and safety risks can diverge widely among industries. Research students from Kennesaw State University analyzed a sample of published papers that focus on occupational health psychology interventions. This narrative review analyzed existing studies to look for similarities or dissimilarities between a sample of intervention participants and employees of their industry as a whole. The students considered demographic, socioeconomic, job-related, and health-related …

Exploring Early Childhood Development Programming In Kenya’S Arid And Semi-Arid Lands, Phyllis Magoma, Amina Abubakar, Martha Kaniala, Barack Aoko, Moses Wesala, Joyce Marangu, Susan Nyamanya, Margaret Kabue, Anil Khamis, Esther Chongwo

Institute for Human Development, East Africa

Background: Promoting high-quality early childhood development (ECD) is vital for individuals’ physical and social well-being and yields significant societal returns. However, children in marginalised regions like Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) face significant barriers to accessing quality ECD services.

Aim: This study aimed to document existing ECD services in Kenya’s ASAL areas, including their availability, types and key characteristics; identify gaps in their provision and propose solutions to enhance access and quality. Setting: This qualitative study was conducted in 10 ASAL counties in Kenya.

Methods: Using purposive and snowball sampling techniques, 103 key informants, including pre-primary …

Down Syndrome In Africa: Challenges, Opportunities, And Future Directions, Eimear Mcglinchey, Salina Tewolde, Amanda He, Juan Fortea, Lingani Mbakile-Mahlanza, Ayda Tefera, Emmanuel Epenge, Jason Hassenstab, Rachel Maina, Zul Merali

Brain and Mind Institute

INTRODUCTION: As life expectancy improves for people with Down syndrome (DS) in Africa, the risk of developing DS-associated Alzheimer’s disease (DSAD) will rise. There is a pressing need to plan for this emerging challenge, particularly in the context of existing health and social disparities.

METHODS: This work emerged from a pan-African collaboration, including discussions at the Brain Ageing and Dementia in Low- and Middle-Income Countries conference held in Nairobi in 2024, where stakeholders identified regional priorities for DS and dementia care.

RESULTS: Limited epidemiological, cognitive, biomarker data, delayed diagnoses, and gaps in specialized services may impact access …