Digital Commons Network^™

Chemical Effects Of Microplastics On Photochemistry In A Coral-Associated Zooxanthella, Meghan A. Hennings, Matz Indergard, John E. Parkinson

OneUSF Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium

Coral bleaching is the process by which corals lose their symbiotic microalgae in response to stressful conditions. These photosymbionts, known as zooxanthellae, give corals their color and sustain host growth through mutualistic nutritional exchange. Bleaching events are becoming more common and severe, driving research into coral conservation and the resilience of each partner in the symbiosis. Yet it is unknown how certain pollutants, such as microplastics, may affect bleaching outcomes. Previous research in our laboratory has demonstrated that the presence of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics inhibits bleaching recovery in sea anemones (a coral model), but it remains unclear whether the …

Leveraging The Patient Experience: Satisfaction With Hospital Food Services, Daniel Hansen Harwin, Lauren Rae Selent, Lauren Reilly Mcconnel

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Patients want and expect better health care services than they did in the past. Within hospitals, consumption of proper nutrition is vital. Patients and nutrition share a unique relationship that is essential for health, this connection is complex including important variables such as food quality. This study examined how patients’ satisfaction with food differed by clinical units. Initially, a MANOVA was conducted. For significant findings ANOVA contrasts were conducted on each dependent variable. The independent variables are the individual clinical units to which the patients were admitted. The dependent variables were the patients' responses to survey questions including: 1) There …

The Impact Of Ramadan Fasting On Chronic Disease Management, Abdulwahab Eddib, Aakez Adrak Marjan, Faris Jabbar, Nuzat Indawala

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Every year, 2.06 billion Muslims perform Ramadan fasting, a religious practice involving abstinence from food and drink from dawn to sunset for 30 days. This religious practice changes diet, hydration, sleep, and medication timing, raising clinical concerns for the safety of individuals with chronic diseases who choose to fast. Research reports mixed effects on disease control and treatment safety, emphasizing the need for an overarching analysis of its impact on chronic disease management. This literature review is aimed to examine research on Ramadan and intermittent fasting on chronic disease management and to analyze its effects on disease control, clinical outcomes, …

Ai-Enabled Food As Medicine In Hospitality: Children’S Wellness Menus, Guest Perceptions, And Service Design, Isabella Fonte

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Dietary management plays a crucial role in alleviating symptoms of chronic health conditions, yet accessible, credible resources remain underutilized. This project focuses on collecting and standardizing online recipes designed to support individuals managing ailments through nutrition, emphasizing that these recipes provide foundational dietary guidance rather than curative solutions. For instance, recipes targeting heart disease consistently prioritize whole grains, low-fat proteins, and vegetables, offering structured starting points for those navigating dietary changes. Our methodology involves identifying credible sources that meet specific criteria: nutrition information, dietary tags, serving sizes, preparation and cooking times, and detailed instructions to name a few. Selected recipes …

The Mediterranean Diet And Lipid Profiles In Hyperlipidemia, Aarav Shah, Kartheek Malireddy, Advith Katta, Ishani Sunkara, Alyssa Resendez, Serena Bhaskar

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

The Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) reduces risk of hyperlipidemia by reducing LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein) levels, which cause plaque buildup. However, the comparison of the MedDiet with other diets for improving lipid profiles in hyperlipidemic patients has not been thoroughly investigated. This study evaluates how MedDiet compares to diets such as the Vegan, Keto, and DASH diets on adults with hyperlipidemia concerning our primary outcome LDL-C levels and our secondary outcome HDL levels. A meta-analysis on 47 studies, 169 screened, from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect focused on comparing effects of DASH, vegan, low-fat, Western, and Keto diets against MedDiet. …

Misty: An Llm-Driven Recipe Recommender Robot, Alina Pineda, Stuti Goyal, Jingjing Li, Zhao Han

Bellini College REU Symposium (BCREUS)

Introduction & Problem Statement

Meal planning requires balancing nutritional needs, available ingredients, and user preferences, which can be time-consuming and cognitively demanding. While mobile recipe applications provide personalized recommendations, they lack interactive and socially engaging communication. In contrast, social robots such as Misty enable expressive interaction through speech, gestures, and emotional cues, but typically rely on rigid, pre-programmed behaviors and lack domain-specific knowledge for tasks such as recipe recommendation.

This gap highlights the need for a system that combines the strengths of both technologies. Recipe recommendation is inherently multimodal, requiring both social interaction for engagement and visual presentation for detailed …

Assessing The Impact Of Lampenflora Growth On Invertebrate Distribution And Food Resource Use In Ryusen-Do Cave, Japan, Kazuhide Nakajima, Kanato Ando, Shuji Watanabe, Masuo Komukai

International Journal of Speleology

Subterranean spaces, such as caves with openings to the surface, represent unique environments characterized by limited resources derived from photosynthetic primary production. Consequently, organic inputs from organisms inhabiting above- and belowground habitats, such as bats, play a crucial role in maintaining cave ecosystems. However, in show caves converted into tourist attractions, environmental changes have progressed without sufficient ecological assessment. One important factor is the impact of photosynthetic organisms colonizing around artificial lights, known as lampenflora, on cave ecosystems. Lampenflora growth may influence invertebrate distribution and resource use; however, its impact on both aspects has been poorly evaluated. In this study, …

Bullying And Discrimination Experiences Of Bhutanese College Students: Prevalence, Impacts, And Responses, Kezang Sherab, John Howard

Journal of Global Education and Research

Prior studies as well as media reports have identified bullying and discrimination amongst Bhutanese school and college students as a cause of concern, especially so for a nation with Gross National Happiness as its goal. Bullying and discrimination are associated with negative outcomes and can impact overall well-being. This quantitative study examined bullying and discrimination amongst college students (n = 16) in Bhutan through a self-administered online survey to a representative sample of 2043 (male = 40.8%; female = 55.8%). There was a non-significant decline from the 2016 survey in the reported prevalence of being bullied (from 45.2% to …

Undergraduate Health And Wellbeing Course And Study Away Program To Alaska, Lorraine S. Wallace, Steven J. Mousetes, Jennifer Bickley

Journal of Global Education and Research

High-impact practices, such as diversity/global education, have been shown to positively contribute to student development, engagement, and success. As the US is both culturally and linguistically diverse, domestic study away programs can offer students impactful multicultural educational experiences without leaving the country. The purpose of this study was to describe the design of a health and well-being academic course and accompanying study away program to Alaska for undergraduates at The Ohio State University (OSU). The authors (1) describe the application of the backward design process in guiding ELOs development, (2) provide a sample of course assignments and student responses, and …

Correlation Analysis Of Factors Associated With Students’ Numeracy Skills Using Decision Tree Algorithms, Yenita Roza, Arisman Adnan, Zul Indra, Tuti Alawiyah

Numeracy

Numeracy is a critical competency for academic and everyday functioning. This study investigates the key factors associated with students’ numeracy skills by employing decision tree algorithms as a data mining technique. The dataset used in this study is educational assessment data from Indonesia. Utilizing a dataset comprising 6,953 entries and 60 variables from Education Report, the research adopts an exploratory approach involving data preprocessing, exploratory data analysis, and decision tree model construction. The findings reveal that students’ literacy skills serve as the most dominant predictor of numeracy proficiency, emerging as the root node in the decision tree structure. Additional associated …

The Roles Of Mathematics In Teaching For Social Justice: A Framework For The College Classroom, Vivian Lim, Daniel Libertz

Numeracy

In this paper, we present a framework for understanding the multiple roles that mathematics can serve in the classroom towards social justice goals, developed through an analysis of 36 social justice mathematics curricular modules in college settings. The framework is grounded in Patricia Hill Collins's matrix of domination and consists of seven themes that represent the different roles mathematics can play: measuring inequality, illuminating conditions resulting in inequality, understanding the mechanisms of phenomena, challenging stereotypes and misconceptions, generating and evaluating solutions, communication and action, and criticizing quantification. Our framework supports the perspective that mathematics can serve important and distinct roles …

No Groundwater, No Fish: The Critical Role Of Groundwater In Supporting Non-Glacial, Salmon-Bearing Rivers In South-Central Alaska, Tyelyn Brigino, Kai Rains, Edgar Guerron-Orejuela, Jacob Argueta, Syverine Bentz, Coowe Walker, Mark Rains

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Groundwater discharge plays an important role in the hydrologic and ecologic functioning of rivers including sustaining streamflow and related habitat year-round. Simultaneously, groundwater supports the increasing demands of people as the global population continues to grow. Balancing the needs of users becomes increasingly important as climate change introduces greater uncertainty in water resources and fisheries, especially for economically important anadromous species that depend on freshwater resources. We investigated the seasonal and regional variability of groundwater contributions to six non-glacial mainstem salmon-bearing rivers in south-central Alaska. We hypothesized that groundwater contributes more than half of the annual streamflow, and nearly all …

A Possible Canvasback X Ruddy Duck Hybrid, Brandon P.M. Edwards, Mike Bouman

Ontario Birds

No abstract provided.

Full Issue, Ontario Field Ornithologists

Ontario Birds

No abstract provided.

From Kerguelen To Brazil: Insights Into The Movement And Health Of A Threatened Seabird, The White-Chinned Petrel Procellaria Aequinoctialis, Daphne Wrobel Goldberg, Karine Delord, Gabriela Bezerra, Janaina Rocha Lorenço, Beatriz Souto De Freitas Vieira, Livia Ribeiro Saraiva, Célia Lesage, Christophe Barbraud, Caio Azevedo Marques, Tatiana Neves

Marine Ornithology

This study presents the case of a White-chinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis that was tagged as a fledgling in April 2023 in the Kerguelen Islands, southern Indian Ocean, and subsequently rescued on the southeast coast of Brazil in July 2024. Upon recovery, the petrel displayed symptoms of exhaustion, malnutrition, and anemia, highlighting the substantial energy demands associated with its extensive journey of over 10,000 km. Rehabilitation efforts were successful, resulting in the bird's release after a month of intensive care, which involved nutritional support and monitoring of its health parameters. This case highlights the importance of long-term coastal and marine monitoring …

Population Survey Of Southern Buller’S Albatross Thalassarche Bulleri Bulleri On The Solander Islands / Hautere, March 2024, Peter G. H. Frost, Barry G. Baker, Johannes H. Fischer, Paul M. Sagar

Marine Ornithology

An aerial photographic survey of the Southern Buller's Albatross Thalassarche bulleri bulleri population breeding on the Solander Islands / Hautere was undertaken on 09 March 2024, mid-way through the birds' incubation period. Overall, 6,761 individuals were counted: 6,215 (92%) on Great Solander and 546 (8%) on Little Solander. Of these, 4,213 were sitting on nests, 368 were partners to sitting birds, 573 were standing near empty nests, and 145 were apparently loafing. The status of the remaining 1,462 individuals (22% of the total) was uncertain. Assuming that their status was in the same proportions to those of the clearly observed …

Updating The Status Of The Peruvian Pelican Pelecanus Thagus Following Avian Influenza And El Niño Events In Peru, Liliana Ayala, Gabriela Sandoval-Lazaro

Marine Ornithology

The Peruvian Pelican Pelecanus thagus is an endemic species of the Humboldt Current System. Between November 2022 and March 2024, the avian influenza epidemic and El Niño conditions significantly affected the pelican population. This study provides an update on the population size and breeding status of the species in Peru. Pelican abundance decreased by 31.5% to 37.6% within marine protected areas. The number of live pelicans ranged from 1,652 to 46,046 in 2023 and from 14,505 to 52,540 in 2024, based on counts conducted in natural protected areas by Peruvian government officials. Breeding primarily occurred on six islands between October …

The Characterization Of Sleep Quality In Pediatric Cancer Survivors With Overweight/Obesity, Erin M. Brennan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Advances in cancer treatment have improved survival rates among pediatric cancer survivors (PCS), shifting the focus toward long-term quality of life. Despite this progress, PCS remain at elevated risks of chronic health issues, including disrupted sleep and obesity. The purpose of this study was to characterize the sleep of PCS with overweight/obesity and to identify predictors of sleep quality. Guided by Merz and Tomfohr-Madsen’s (2018) conceptual framework for sleep disruption in children impacted by cancer, this secondary analysis of data examined disease parameters, family and environmental factors, and physical activity as potential predictors of sleep quality. Participants were enrolled between …

Statistical Challenges And Simulation Results For Pilot Clinical Trials, Weiliang Cen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: The effect size estimated from a pilot trial is often an inaccurate reflection of the true effect size observed in a large trial, leading to either underestimation or overestimation. Published data suggest that effect sizes from large trials are typically smaller than those reported in their corresponding pilot trials. To address this discrepancy, conservative or discount adjustment methods are widely recommended to modify pilot trial effect sizes when calculating sample sizes, thereby maintaining adequate statistical power. This study aims to assess effect sizes from both pilot and large trials and to evaluate the performance of existing adjustment methods.

Methods: …

Improving Coral Restoration Outcomes Through Novel Molecular Applications, Matthew H. Gamache

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Coral reef ecosystems are declining globally from numerous stressors, including localized pollution, disease, and marine heatwaves induced by climate change. To preserve these ecosystems, it is critical to identify corals that can withstand stressors—primarily future marine heatwaves—and prioritize them for coral restoration efforts until these stressors are mitigated. Coral responses to thermal stress can be influenced by several partners, including mutualistic microalgae and a vast prokaryotic community. Here, I use advanced molecular techniques to examine which partners (coral host, algal symbiont, and microbial communities) are associated with coral health, how they contribute to holobiont physiology, and their potential to increase …

Exploring Perceived Parental Vulnerability In Pediatric Cancer Survivors: A Comparative Thematic Analysis Of English And Spanish-Speaking Families., Yusnavi Martinez Pineiro

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how perceived parental vulnerability is expressed among parents of pediatric cancer survivors and explored potential differences between Spanish-speaking and English-speaking families. Data were drawn from an existing ongoing clinical trial in the IHOPE lab of the University of South Florida, who collaborates with over 10 pediatric cancer survivorship clinics across the country. The study used a total of 26 (13 Spanish-speaking and 13 English-speaking) structured interview transcripts from parent participants. The transcripts were the first session with the parent participant, the interventionist spoke the parent’s preferred language (English or Spanish), perceived parental vulnerability was one of six …

Proceedings Of The Global Conference On Business And Economics, Bhuvan Unhelkar, Valentina Della Corte, Cihan Cobanoglu, Mehmet Erdem

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

This is the third volume of the Global Conference on Business and Economics Proceedings Series. This volume also includes papers presented at the Global Conference on Technology & AI in Hospitality and Tourism.

The Ruling Relations Of Care: An Institutional Ethnography Of High-Risk Prenatal Care Experiences, Nicole L. Harris

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Disrespect during pregnancy, labor, and delivery is common in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has estimated that approximately one in five women overall, and over 30% of Black women, report being ignored, dismissed, or verbally mistreated during their care. Public health efforts have primarily focused on individual-level interventions to improve patient-provider communication or reduce provider bias; however, these strategies have been critiqued for their limited scope and effectiveness in shifting outcomes. Instead, researchers and advocates have called for an examination of the structures that shape clinical encounters, including policies, protocols, workflows, and organizational culture. This …

Myfoodrx: A Personalized Food-As-Medicine Mhealth Application For Food-Insecure Adults With Chronic Conditions, Jay Hiteshkumar Jariwala

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Food insecurity (FI) remains a persistent public health challenge in the United States, disproportionately affecting underserved populations and contributing to higher rates of chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. Traditional Food-as-Medicine programs have emerged as promising interventions, but often follow a generalized, non-personalized approach that limits long-term effectiveness, especially among diverse, high-risk communities. This thesis presents MyFoodRx, a personalized mobile health (mHealth) application designed to address the intersection of food insecurity and chronic disease through tailored nutritional guidance, real-time pantry integration, and adaptive educational content.

Developed through a User-Centered Design (UCD) process, MyFoodRx leverages a modular client–server architecture, …

Marigold-Silver Nanoparticles (Agnps) Complex: Characterization, Therapeutic Potential, And Future Approaches For Lung Injury Via Antioxidant And Anti-Inflammatory Effects, Navdeep Kaur

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) and other lung conditions are a key cause of the problems facing global health, as they greatly increase morbidity, death, and the financial burden. In order to achieve the third Sustainable Development Goal of the United Nations, which is to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable illnesses by one-third by 2030, updated epidemiological statistics are crucial for directing prevention, control, and treatment measures. One of the major reasons of illness and death globally is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Lung damage and the emergence of CRDs, such as asthma, emphysema, COPD, and other respiratory disorders, are largely …

Feeding Niche Overlap And Segregation Among Three Grouse Species Wintering In Hudson Bay Lowlands Of Northern Ontario, Vernon G. Thomas

Ontario Birds

The Hudson Bay Lowlands of northern Ontario (comprising tundra and taiga) provide winter habitats for Willow Ptarmigan and Sharp-tailed Grouse as well as Rock Ptarmigan that occasionally fly in from arctic and subarctic regions. Winter food niche segregation/overlap was measured among these three species to investigate potential feeding competition; tamarack and berries were quantified by number and mass in the crops of grouse collected from the vicinity of the former community of Winisk, Ontario (now Peawanuck). All grouse species fed on birch and it was the principal food for Sharp-tailed Grouse. Willow was eaten primarily by Willow and Rock Ptarmigan. …

Effects And Risks Of Pediatric Malnutrition On Neurodevelopmental Disorders And Cognitive Decline, Aminata A. Thiam, Ana M. Beatriz, Katie-Linn Poindexter, Mandy Jiang, Maxx Struhs, Valerie Vargas Ardila

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Malnutrition during early childhood is a significant risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) and cognitive decline (CD), with lasting effects into adulthood. Deficiencies in essential nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids, hinder the proper development of the brain, leading to issues such as attention deficits, cognitive delays, and neurological disabilities. This project aims to examine the effects of pediatric malnutrition on neurodevelopmental outcomes and assess the metrics used to analyze cognitive outcomes in pediatric patients. Utilizing electronic databases such as PubMed and JAMA Network, a systematic literature review was conducted to evaluate the impact of CD and NDD …

Human Origin Probiotic Lactobacillus Rhamnosus Hl-200 To Reduce Leaky Gut By Metabolizing Ethanolamine, Hariom Yadav, Shalini Jain, Sidharth Mishra

USF Patents

The present disclosure provides for a method of treating increased gut permeability, including administering a therapeutically effective amount of a human-derived probiotic to a patient in need thereof. Further provided herein is a method of increasing a patient's metabolism of ethanolamine, including administering a therapeutically effective amount of human derived probiotics to the patient in need thereof. Also provided herein is a pharmaceutical composition, including a first strain of Lactobacillus and a second probiotic strain. The present disclosure also provides for a pharmaceutical composition, including Lactobacillus and an antidiabetic drug. Additionally, provided herein is a pharmaceutical composition, including Lactobacillus and …

Customer Food Intake: An Empirical Analysis Of Gender, Restaurant Use And Attitude Toward Fast Food Among Adolescents And Young Adults, In Nairobi, Kenya, Gerishom G. Madivoli, Rosemarie Ayuma Khayiya, Beatrice Kamau

Journal of Global Hospitality and Tourism

Fast food is the fastest- growing food category worldwide, providing young people and adolescents with a quick, cost- effective, and easily accessible alternative to home- cooked meals. There has been considerably less research into how gender, restaurant usage, and attitudes influence patterns of fast- food consumption. Moreover, the growth of the fast- food industry in every nation creates a significant environmental impetus for increasing fast food consumption and promoting unhealthy eating behaviours. If this issue is not addressed, the prevalence of lifestyle diseases such as obesity, along with the costs of managing these conditions, will escalate, particularly in Kenya. This …

Abiotic Factors Influencing Anuran Occupation Of Neotropical Brazilian Caves, Vinícius F. Sperandei, Willian Vaz-Silva, Tejerina-Garro L. Francisco

International Journal of Speleology

Despite increasing research on the Neotropical underground environment, anurans remain poorly understood in this habitat. It was analyzed scientific literature records of anurans in Brazilian natural caves and performed a redundancy analysis (RDA) to identify the environmental, taxonomic, geographic, geological and land-use variables that influence their cave occupancy. It was examined a total of 247 literature records, encompassing 83 species/morphospecies, which revealed distinct cave-dwelling tendencies. Some anuran species occupy caves at altitudes between 5 to 21 meters above sea level (m asl), in areas characterized by rocky outcrops and grassland. Others are associated with caves surrounded by forest, savanna, pasture …