Digital Commons Network^™

Paresthesia Due To Peripheral Neuropathy: Anxiety And Wellbeing, Nikolas Cirillo

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Neuropathic pain has been linked with mental health concerns such as anxiety and wellbeing, but specific symptoms of neuropathic pain have had much less attention than the construct as a whole. Paresthesia, meaning “abnormal sensation” (tingling, numbness, pins and needles, impaired sensation, and itching) is a neuropathic pain symptom. Tissue compression is the most common cause of peripheral neuropathy (PN) as well as paresthesia. This study aimed to test the following hypotheses: (1) if paresthesia due to PN is positively correlated with anxiety, negatively correlated with wellbeing, and if (2) anxiety and (3) wellbeing varied significantly by level of …

Identity Denial And Food Choice: Do Chinese Americans Reassert Their American Identity Through Food?, Shelagh Mahbubani

Theses and Dissertations

Food choice is impacted by a variety of different factors, including cultural, social and socioeconomic (Chen & Antonelli, 2020; Contento, 2008; Rozin, 2015). Food choice has a major impact on an individual’s health, and research has shown an association between the prototypical “American diet” and an increased risk for health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and stroke (Liu et al., 2020). One important social factor that can influence food choice is the desire to appear as a prototypical member of a social group (Cruwys et al., 2012). For example, when an individual’s social identity is questioned (identity threat), they may …

Does Dbt-Informed Treatment Address Comorbid Symptoms Of Social Anxiety For Adolescent Eating Disorder Patients In A Day Program? Exploring Emotion Regulation As A Mechanism For Change, Megan Bisanzo

Theses and Dissertations

Eating disorders, such as Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and Bulimia Nervosa (BN), often begin in adolescence and can be extremely challenging to treat effectively (Dawson, 2018; Martin & Golden 2014; Robatto et al., 2024). Eating disorder behaviors such as acute caloric restriction, excessive exercise, binging and purging can cause dangerous medical complications, while comorbid psychological conditions can lead to suicidal ideation and self-harm behaviors (American Psychiatric Association, 2022; Dancyger & Fornari, 2005; Martin & Golden, 2014). Social anxiety is one such comorbid disorder that can be a barrier to patients fully engaging in treatment (Goodwin & Fitzgibbon, 2002; Smith, 2018). Deficits …

How’D They Make That?: Analyzing The Ingredients That Produce A Google Ngram Chart, Laura Baker

Library Research and Publications

Preprint for chapter in Digital Humanities Cookbook, published by ACRL in 2024.

Chapter Abstract:

Google Ngram is an online tool that graphs the relative frequency of words or phrases that appear over time in the millions of books digitized by Google. It is often used by digital humanists to analyze the popularity of topics, to track the rise and fall of words throughout the ages, and to explain changes in culture and history. Google Ngram is free and requires very little training to use, making it a popular tool for many. It is astonishingly convenient. Anyone can create an Ngram …

Ms Environmental Biology Capstone Project, Reilly Miller

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Habitat loss due to deforestation is a primary threat to global biodiversity. Clearing tropical rainforests for agriculture leads to forest fragmentation. Forest fragments contain fewer large trees and provide lower food availability for primates compared to continuous forests. Mantled howler monkeys inhabit the increasingly fragmented rainforests of Central and South America and may need to alter their activity and spatial cohesion to mitigate competition and preserve energy in fragments where there is lower quality food. We compared howler monkey activity and spatial cohesion across a small forest fragment (La Suerte Biological Research Station, LSBRS) and a large, continuous forest (La …

Unlocking Children’S Potential Through Play: Improving Early Childhood Experiences In Nyarufunzo Village, Sereverien Ngarukiye, Sereverien Ngarukiye

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

From the study conducted in February 2024, 80 parents with children under the age of 6 participated in the research. 68 parents (38 women and 30 men) who participated in the survey live in Kigali city and have a bachelor’s degree or beyond. Other 12 parents, 4 men and 7 women, who participated in both focus group discussions and in a survey are parents who live in Nyarufunzo village and have a high school degree or below. This last group of parents has similarities to my village where I was born from where the majority of parents have finished primary …

Associations Of Blood Gas And Acid-Base Values With Motor And Language Outcomes In Preterm-Born Preschoolers, Christina Marie Dandar

Wayne State University Dissertations

Hypoxia and ischemia are of the most common causes of acquired brain injury in preterm infants and often results in damage to the periventricular areas of the preterm brain. Several biochemical indices are commonly associated with hypoxic-ischemic injury, including blood pH, base deficit (BD), oxygen, and carbon dioxide (pCO2). The aim of this study was to examine the contribution of early biochemical indexes of hypoxic-ischemic risk, particularly blood gas measures and acid-base balance measures, to neuropsychological outcome in preterm preschool-age children. I was particularly interested in the link between measures obtained either at birth, immediately after birth, or within the …

Food Accessibility Struggles For College Students With Dietary Restrictions, Ella Schleuning

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

College is a time when many students experience independence for the first time in their lives. This is the first time they have had to do their laundry on their own, keep their room clean, and maybe most importantly, they are responsible for figuring out where they are going to eat every day, for every meal. The focus of this study is on food accessibility struggles for college students, specifically looking at Western Kentucky University’s (WKU) food on-campus, as well as students with dietary restrictions.

Since college is the first-time students are responsible for their own meals, it can often …

Household Water Conservation For The Upper Colorado River Basin, Lauren Ott

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Fresh, clean, potable water is the most important natural resource to sustain human life. Concern over the continued, equitable and affordable access to such water is therefore top of mind. Calls for climate change mitigation practices, improved natural resource management, and enhanced attention to water conservation have therefore become increasingly prevalent. These water conservation practices require population-wide political, attitudinal and behavioral shifts and it will be especially impactful for wealthy nations and wealthy people to be mindful of instituting these changes in their own spaces.

In this project, I conduct a literature review to investigate current challenges surrounding water from …

Hb 1844- Free Breakfast And Lunch Programs In Tennessee, Cora Sm Williams, Bailee M. Walker, Lynn D. Fawcett

[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

In 2022, more than 13 million children went to school hungry in the United States. According to the USDA, 1 in 5 children do not know where their next meal is coming from (Child Hunger in America, n.d.). In Tennessee, this number is 1 in 4 (Hance, 2020). Far too many students come from households where they may not have access to regular, nutritious meals. Hunger can significantly impact a child's ability to learn and thrive in school. By providing free breakfast and lunch, schools can ensure that students have access to essential nutrition, which can improve their academic performance …

Additional Information - Frederick Cawthon Interview, Urban Green Lab, Tennessee State University

Hear from Frederick Cawthon - Nashvillian in Sustainable Agribusiness

No abstract provided.

Winona State University Improving Our World Blog: 2013-2022, Winona State University

Winona State University Blogs

The Winona State University (WSU) Improving Our World Blog articles and entries from September 2013-February 2022. Note: there may be format coding in the document.

Winona State University Wellness Blog: 2013-2023, Winona State University

Winona State University Blogs

The Winona State University (WSU) Wellness blog includes articles and entries from February 2013-February 2023. Note: there may be format coding in the document.

Tennessee Poll 2024 - Press Release #6, Applied Social Research Lab, East Tennessee State University

The Tennessee Poll

No abstract provided.

A Faith Community Nursing Initiative: Establishing An Ecumenical Health Ministry, Lindsey K. Anderson

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project aimed to establish an ecumenical coalition to address healthcare disparities in a rural community. The project, led by a Faith Community Nurse-DNP student, utilized a health ministry model to foster stakeholder collaboration and collective action. Key objectives included: (1) Developing, implementing, and evaluating the ecumenical coalition; (2) Sharing insights and lessons learned from the project, particularly regarding faith-based approaches to coalition building; (3) Advocating for policies that enhance healthcare services in rural communities. By leveraging systems thinking and evidence-based interventions, the project sought to improve access to healthcare, enhance quality of care, and …

The Factors Causing High Food Insecurity Rates In U.S. Undergraduate Students, Natalie S. Byrd

Soaring: A Journal of Undergraduate Research

The cliché of a college student surviving off ramen noodles sheds light on a deeper issue — high rates of food insecurity among undergraduate college/university students in the United States. There have been countless studies in recent years exploring the hidden causes of why an estimated 40% of students experience food insecurity as of 2022. These studies conclude three main reoccurring factors causing these high rates: costs, accessibility, and demographic characteristics. Food insecurity rates are important for higher education officials to address due to the countless physical and mental health, academic, and equity implications for the students.

Conceptualizations Of Data Visualization Use Beyond Efficiency In Evaluation, Sarah Douville

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Data visualization (data viz) is a valuable tool within evaluation for its ability to aid cognitive efficiency over text-based presentation of data (Card et. al., 1999; Evergreen, 2017, 2018; Few, 2012; Nussbaumer Knaflic, 2015; Tufte 2001). This exploratory multi-phase mixed methods research study considers purposes for using data viz in evaluation that can be achieved with that increased efficiency through the research question: “What conceptualizations of data viz use do program evaluators have beyond increased efficiency?”

In Phase I, secondary analysis of existing interview data with experts in both data viz and evaluation was used to better understand conceptualizations of …

Relationships Between Cognitive And Physical Performance And Readiness In Military Populations, Lina Ochoa

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

Military missions and operations expose warfighters to stressful and demanding situations and dynamic environments. These situations and environments require that warfighters have optimal performance in several dimensions of human performance, such as cognitive and physical performance. Military readiness is the potential these military units or personnel have to successfully deploy and sustain assigned operational missions worldwide. Military readiness is essential for increased physical and cognitive performance, ensuring augmented individual and unit effectiveness, lethality, and national security. The primary challenge is understanding and finding ways to measure and assess the cognitive, behavioral, and physical performance effects of complex and challenging environments …

"Can You Make Coffee Wrong, Anyway?": An Ethnographic Analysis Of The Culture Of Coffee In Lewisburg, Pa, Elizabeth Hoffman

Honors Theses

The rapid development of Lewisburg’s coffee scene demonstrates the social impacts and meanings of coffee. The “three waves” of coffee describe the growing importance of unique flavors and sourcing in order to best satisfy an increasingly sophisticated palate in coffee consumption. These allude to people’s preferences for different kinds of coffee and rely on how an individual’s taste guides them in their choices about what coffee to consume. Each wave emerged as a result of the coffee market’s increased attention towards quality: the first and earliest wave does not rely on origin or tasting profiles in order to sell, but …

Cultivating Green Public Spaces And Backyard Gardens Amid Covid-19: An Anthropological Study Of Metro-Orlando Gardeners, Chelsea N. Daws

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This dissertation critically analyzes home and community gardens within Metro-Orlando by considering the ways that the COVID-19 pandemic impacts residents' garden participation and access to green public spaces. The study utilizes an ethnographic approach to produce informed understandings of participants' experiences within local gardens, alternative food networks, and community supported agriculture analyzed using Marxian theoretical frameworks. Findings are primarily grounded in qualitative information derived from interviews, participant observation, and photovoice. Data were collected both prior to the global COVID-19 outbreak and over subsequent months of lockdown and public health mitigation measures. Primarily focusing on local community garden organizers, community garden …

Examining Changes In Pain Sensitivity Following 8 Minutes Of Cycling At Varying Exercise Intensities, Brandi B. Antonio

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This study assessed the effect of an eight-minute cycling intervention using varying intensities on exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH). Generally, current research examines EIH using protocols that last for more than 10 minutes and reach 75% of an individual's VO2 peak. The main objective of this study was to examine the effect of varying intensities on pressure pain threshold (PPT) and heat pain threshold (HPT) at the thigh and forearm, tested pre- and post-cycling intervention.

Healthy male participants (n=16) performed a graded exercise test on a cycle ergometer to establish their peak power output (PPO). In subsequent visits, participants completed five different …

Boiling Behind Bars: Exploring The Hidden Toll Of Extreme Heat On Mental Health In Texas Prisons, Sandra K. Miller

Social Work Theses - Archive

The State of Texas supports the largest prison system in the US and held 132,859 people in 100 units scattered across the state as of December 2023. Approximately 70% of Texas prison beds are not air conditioned, despite the state’s reputation for dangerously hot, humid summers. The State has officially recorded temperatures inside Texas prison facilities as high as 120 degrees with heat index values of over 150. Although there is a growing body of research on the negative physiological and psychological consequences of extreme heat among the general public, little is known about the physical and emotional toll of …

Sympathetic-Cardiovascular Stress Reactivity In Adults With Major Depressive Disorder, Ashley Darling

Kinesiology Dissertations - Archive

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a mood disorder characterized by persistently depressed mood and/or anhedonia that causes significant functional impairment in daily life. MDD affects nearly 15% of adults in their lifetime, and since 2019, prevalence estimates have increased up to ~30% in young adults (18-25 years old). In addition to its debilitating effects on daily functioning, epidemiological studies link MDD to ~3 times greater risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), followed by accelerated CVD progression and mortality. Although the mechanisms contributing to MDD-CVD comorbidity are unclear, there is evidence of stress system dysfunction in adults with MDD.

Accordingly, the aim …

Making Up For Lost Time: The Historiography Of Ireland’S Great Famine, 1845-1852, Mikel Rand Inchausti

History - Master of Arts in Teaching

I Synthesis Essay.............................................3

II. Primary Source Documents........................33

III. Textbook Critique.......................................44

IV. New Textbook Entry...................................47

Can Workers And Their Families Live On A Living Wage?, Sandra Wexler, Soobin Kim, Rafael J. Engel, Jihee Woo, Jeff Shook

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Many lower-wage workers’ earnings are insufficient to cover expenses such as food, housing, medical care, or transportation. While there are efforts to raise the federal and state minimum wage levels, including proposals to raise the minimum wage to $15, an alternative approach is to offer a living wage, that is a wage sufficient to meet these basic needs. We explored whether incomes above a basic needs budget threshold reduced or eliminated material hardships using a sample of 232 unionized lower-wage hospital workers. We collected data using an online survey. Basic needs budget thresholds were obtained from the MIT Living Wage …

Transforming The Culture Of Care, Implementation Of Developmentally Supportive Care In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Taylor Ann Jones

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The current study examines the implementation of the evidence-based practices of the neonatal integrative developmental care model in the neonatal intensive care unit and how these practices are implemented in reference to initiation method and frequency. In recent years, research examining the effectiveness of individualized, developmentally supportive care to infants in the NICU has demonstrated a variety of positive effects. Although great strides have been made in efforts to provide developmentally supportive care, wide variability and inconsistency remain in the quantity and quality of experience for infants and families in the NICU. Even though a hospital may incorporate developmentally supportive …

The Effects Of Early Developmental Co-Exposure To Alcohol And Nicotine Via E-Cigarettes On Anxiety- And Motor-Related Behaviors In Mice, Carley Cirafesi

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Thirty percent of people who report consumption of alcohol while pregnant simultaneously report consuming nicotine. Prenatal co-exposure to alcohol and nicotine has increased with the popularity of electronic cigarettes due to their presumed safety, yet e-cigarette use may have a greater impact on fetal development than traditional cigarettes. Prenatal exposure to alcohol or nicotine is associated with increased anxiety-related behaviors and impaired motor coordination later in life, yet it is unknown whether prenatal co-exposure to alcohol and nicotine exacerbates these effects, particularly via e-cigarettes. This project examined the effects of co-exposure to alcohol and nicotine via e-cigarettes during early development …

Understanding The Impact Of Food Insecurity Among First-Generation College Students On The University Of Arkansas Campus, Madison Price, Jennie S. Popp Ph.D., Nathan Paul Kemper, Louise Michelle Hancox

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

The purpose of this study was to: 1) better understand food insecurity among first-generation college students and how it might differ from that of other college students, and 2) gather opinions from students that may serve as solutions to alleviate food insecurity. This study was conducted with a mixed-methods survey that included both open-ended and closed-ended questions. This survey had 670 responses. Nearly 10% of respondents stated that they were experiencing food insecurity. Almost 18% stated they were first-generation college students. A greater percentage of African American (P = 0.0022) and Hispanic Latino (P < 0.0001) students were first-generation compared to all other students, while a lower percentage (P < 0.0001) of Caucasian students were first-generation compared to other students. The results suggested that first-generation students were more likely to experience nine food insecurity impacts than non first-generation students. Further, both first-generation and non first-generation students indicated low levels of knowledge and/or use of existing resources on the University of Arkansas campus that can help address food insecurity needs. Finally, both first-generation and non first-generation respondents overwhelmingly favored food insecurity solutions centered around expanding access to campus food programs through lower costs and increased awareness of existing campus resources via improved advertising.

Stream Restoration Effectiveness In Mullins Creek In Fayetteville, Arkansas, Amadeo Scott, Shannon Speir

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Lotic waterways are vital for habitat, food, water, and flood protection, but urbanization poses a major threat to their integrity. Runoff from urban surfaces leads to pollution, flashiness, loss of biodiversity, and other symptoms, also known as Urban Stream Syndrome (USS). Streams can be restored in order to combat USS, but most restorations are not monitored, so their long-term effectiveness is unknown. This study quantitatively evaluated a decade-old stream restoration in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to assess its effectiveness in combating USS and achieving set restoration goals, and to gain insights for future restoration projects. Restoration goals included decreasing erosion and sedimentation, …

Evaluating Efficiency And Accuracy Of Three Texture Analysis Methods For Blackberry Fruit, Rhys M. Brock, Carmen Johns, Katelyn Lust-Moore, Margaret Worthington

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

A major objective of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (UADA) Fruit Breeding program is to improve the texture of blackberry (Rubus subgenus Rubus Watson). Blackberry varieties with improved fruit firmness transport and store well and may maintain superior quality under challenging postharvest conditions than softer varieties. Increased firmness may also make cultivars less susceptible to red drupelet reversion (RDR), a postharvest disorder of blackberries in which fully black drupelets revert to red after harvest. This research project aims to assess the efficiency and accuracy of three methods applied in evaluating blackberry firmness. The study compares instrumental analysis …