Digital Commons Network^™

Steroid Hormone Signaling Activates Thermal Nociception During Drosophila Peripheral Nervous System Development, Jacob S. Jaszczak, Laura Devault, Lily Yeh Jan, Yuh Nung Jan

Open Access Publications

Sensory neurons enable animals to detect environmental changes and avoid harm. An intriguing open question concerns how the various attributes of sensory neurons arise in development.

Association Between Hospital Private Equity Acquisition And Outcomes Of Acute Medical Conditions Among Medicare Beneficiaries, Marcelo Cerullo, Kelly Yang, Karen E. Joynt Maddox, Ryan C. Mcdevitt, James M. Roberts, Anaeze C. Offodile

Open Access Publications

Importance: As private equity (PE) acquisitions of short-term acute care hospitals (ACHs) continue, their impact on the care of medically vulnerable older adults remains largely unexplored.

Objective: To investigate the association between PE acquisition of ACHs and access to care, patient outcomes, and spending among Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized with acute medical conditions.

Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study used a generalized difference-in-differences approach to compare 21 091 222 patients admitted to PE-acquired vs non-PE-acquired short-term ACHs between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2018, at least 3 years before to 3 years after PE acquisition. The analysis was conducted …

Fracture Healing Is Delayed In The Absence Of Gasdermin-Interleukin-1 Signaling, Kai Sun, Chun Wang, Jianqiu Xiao, Michael D. Brodt, Luorongxin Yuan, Tong Yang, Yael Alippe, Huimin Hu, Dingjun Hao, Yousef Abu-Amer, Matthew J. Silva, Jie Shen, Gabriel Mbalaviele

Open Access Publications

Amino-terminal fragments from proteolytically cleaved gasdermins (GSDMs) form plasma membrane pores that enable the secretion of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18. Excessive GSDM-mediated pore formation can compromise the integrity of the plasma membrane thereby causing the lytic inflammatory cell death, pyroptosis. We found that GSDMD and GSDME were the only GSDMs that were readily expressed in bone microenvironment. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that GSDMD and GSDME are implicated in fracture healing owing to their role in the obligatory inflammatory response following injury. We found that bone callus volume and biomechanical properties of injured bones were significantly reduced in mice lacking …

Tourette Syndrome Research Highlights From 2020, Andreas Hartmann, Cyril Atkinson-Clement, Christel Depienne, Kevin Black

Open Access Publications

We present here research from 2020 relevant to Tourette syndrome (TS). The authors briefly summarize a few reports they consider most important or interesting.

Is A Framework Of Support Enough? Undergraduate Research For Online Stem Students, Emily Faulconer, Brent Terwilliger, Robert Deters, Kelly George

Publications

While undergraduate research is known as a high-impact practice, little research has been conducted for the online educational setting. Early research suggests that online students and faculty have similar interest in undergraduate research as their residential (face-to-face) counterparts. This point of view presents the framework of support developed for fully online students distributed globally and shares some of the challenges faced in online undergraduate research, including the issue of low recruitment (despite stated interest) that could be exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Climbing The Anki Mountain, One (Review) Step At A Time: A Written And Video-Based Guide On Using Anki In Medical School To Enhance Knowledge Acquisition And Retention, Alexander Tu, Tiffany Truong, Avi Prajapati

EMET Projects

No abstract provided.

The Corporate Forum, Sergio Alberto Gramitto Ricci, Christina M. Sautter

Hofstra Law Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Stem Inqueery: How Communion And Feminine Gender Expression Affects Lgbtq Individuals Pursuing Stem, Jasmine Elise Graham

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has examined why some US students, Black, Latinx, and women are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). However, at least 7.1% lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals live in the US, so what about the LGBTQ community pursuing STEM? We know that STEM careers are stereotypically seen as agentic and masculine instead of communal and feminine although LGBTQ individuals desire community within STEM and want to express their femininity. The current study examines how perceived communal opportunities in STEM and feminine gender expression are related to feelings of belonging and motivation to pursue STEM. …

Implementation Of A Transitions Of Care Nutrition Intervention For Malnourished Patients, Nina Rocca

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The topic of Transitions of Care (TOC) has been investigated by physician and nursing professions for years, while only more recently by nutrition professionals. Registered Dietitians are not always involved in TOC planning. RDs can play an important role in TOC by communicating patients’ nutrition information across health care settings, especially for patients with malnutrition. The primary aim was to use a CDC based process evaluation to evaluate if a case management, nursing focused care transitions framework, adapted for a TOC nutrition intervention, can result in a successful intervention implementation. The secondary aim was to use a CDC outcomes evaluation, …

Exploring The Health Outcomes And Patient’S Viewpoint Of Pediatric Patients Receiving Medical Nutrition Therapy Visits With In-Person, Telephonic, And Tele-Video Modalities At A Rural Community Health Center, Valerie L. Muehleman

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Covid-19 pandemic advanced telephonic (TP) and tele-video (TV) visits for medical nutrition therapy (MNT). This study explored the health outcomes and patient’s viewpoints of MNT by modalities in a community health center (CHC). Participants ranged in age from 1-18 years, diagnosed with overweight/obesity, and received MNT from a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) from January 1, 2019 to August 31, 2021. Health outcomes measured were health goal achievement, BMI percentile, pre/post lipid panel, and A1C%. Show/no-show rates and demographic characteristics of gender, age, race, insurance, county, language, and ethnicity were also compared by the visit modality. Ten interviews in the …

Characterizing Implied Volatility Functions From Agricultural Options Markets, Andrew M. Mckenzie, Michael R. Thomsen, Michael K. Adjemian

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

We provide the first comprehensive characterization and comparison of implied volatility functions for five major agricultural options markets—corn, soybeans, soft red winter wheat, live cattle, and feeder cattle—using intraday tick data. Our results show that cattle markets exhibit a distinct leftward skew, which is puzzling and indicates that out-of-the-money traded put options are theoretically overpriced. In contrast, we find that grain market implied volatility functions display a flatter, less pronounced smile pattern. We examine market sentiment induced short-term hedging pressures using Commodity Futures Trading Commission reports, and market uncertainty around Cattle on Feed reports, as potential causes of the cattle …

Mammals Adjust Diel Activity Across Gradients Of Urbanization, Travis Gallo, Mason Fidino, Brian Gerber, Adam A. Ahlers, Julia L. Angstmann, Max Amaya, Amy L. Concilio, David Drake, Danielle Gay, Elizabeth W. Lehrer, Maureen H. Murray, Travis J. Ryan, Colleen Cassady St. Clair, Carmen M. Salsbury, Heather A. Sander, Theodore Stankowich, Jaque Williamson, J. Amy Belaire, Kelly Simon, Seth B. Magle

Natural Resources Science Faculty Publications

Time is a fundamental component of ecological processes. How animal behavior changes over time has been explored through well-known ecological theories like niche partitioning and predator–prey dynamics. Yet, changes in animal behavior within the shorter 24-hr light–dark cycle have largely gone unstudied. Understanding if an animal can adjust their temporal activity to mitigate or adapt to environmental change has become a recent topic of discussion and is important for effective wildlife management and conservation. While spatial habitat is a fundamental consideration in wildlife management and conservation, temporal habitat is often ignored. We formulated a temporal resource selection model to quantify …

Collaboration Is Key: Using Interdisciplinary Assessment To Improve Wildlife Management Practices, Public Engagement In Science, And Science Communication Programs In Rhode Island, Erin R. Harrington

Open Access Dissertations

Over the past few decades, prestigious scientific institutions such as The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Academy of Sciences have acknowledged the utmost importance of science communication to help improve the general public’s understanding of scientific knowledge. NSF has gone so far as to make “dissemination of research findings to increase scientific literacy” the third most recommended category for research funding priorities, second only to teaching and training, and broadening participation of underrepresented groups (NSB 2011, Skrip 2015). These efforts attest to a growing interest and investment in improving the field of science communication (Druschke and McGreavy 2016); …

Analyzing The Differential News Coverage Of The North Atlantic And North Pacific Right Whales: A Case Study Of Agenda Setting, Framing, And Tone In Endangered Species Communication, Colette Soulier

Open Access Master's Theses

Mixed methods analysis was used to evaluate policy protections and media coverage of the less endangered North Atlantic Right Whale (NARW) compared to the more endangered North Pacific Right Whale (NPRW) from 2008-2020. The NARW and NPRW represent an interesting case study of mismatched conservation action and threat status, due to their highly similar appearance and membership in a traditionally highly prioritized group for conservation action. This study establishes large differences in policy creation between the species and uses media content analysis of news coverage of both whales to understand trends in framing, tone, and content between articles focusing on …

An Analysis Of Thermal Comfort Perception In Cal Poly's Math & Science Building, Pouria Ali Fariborzi

Master's Theses

Since Americans, on average, spend approximately 90% of their time indoors according to the EPA, it is crucial to provide room occupants with the best, most comfortable, and healthiest possible environment, which is known as Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ). This thesis aims to identify how we can provide comfortable learning environments to improve student success. To determine the best possible environment for occupants, a model of the Math & Science Building was developed, validated, and modified using DesignBuilder. In addition, we compared thermal comfort surveys to actual measured conditions for some classrooms. Analysis indicates that students prefer a cooler thermal …

Creating A Middle School Makerspace In An International Baccalaureate School, Brad White

Liberal Studies (MA) Final Essays

The availability of a makerspace lab is a new initiative at The Academy for Discovery at Lakewood (ADL), a Norfolk City Public School. The academy follows the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program curriculum. This project gives background on the makerspace movement and details the steps that were taken to design and equip the lab environment, as well as provide teachers with professional development on how the lab can be used to support rigorous course curriculum. This project also includes considerations for further action, including the creation of a student survey regarding opinions on what value the makerspace lab contributes to …

Sga 54 2022 Bylaws, Niu Student Government Association Senate

Student Government Association Archives

No abstract provided.

Sentience And Sentient Minds, John Anthony Webster

Animal Sentience

My commentary builds on Rowan et al.’s (2022) comprehensive review to address the question ‘what do we mean by sentience?’ It suggests how we might recognise degrees of sentience within the animal kingdom, ranging from primitive sensations such as hunger and pain to more complex emotions that determine quality of life.

The Knights Of The Round Table: The Mediating Role Of Parental Self-Efficacy And Parental Stress In Explaining Family Mealtime Predicting Child Behavior In Mturk Families, Dea Zgjani

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined how shared family meals influence low negative behavior in children via parental perceived stress and parental self-efficacy in children between the age three and six. Using a parallel mediation analysis, multiple regression analyses were conducted for 204 participants. Results indicated parental perceived stress to be a mediator in the relationship of the structure of shared family mealtimes and negative child affectivity, in contrast parental self-efficacy was not. Additionally, interesting results were conveyed from exploratory Hypothesis 1. First, there were a total of 94 mothers and 102 fathers who completed the study. Significant correlations were depicted between …

Structural Language Abilities In Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder And The Potential Role Of Working Memory, Sarah Pieciak

Research Papers

The contributions of working memory to structural language have been well studied in the general population. Additionally, many studies have examined working memory in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Although children with ADHD often present with difficulties in structural language, few studies have examined the relationship between the three areas: ADHD, structural language and working memory. Hence, the present review will examine the literature on the relationship between working memory and structural language within the context of ADHD and the accompanying symptom dimensions, thereby attempting to address this dearth in the literature. A greater understanding of this relationship may contribute …

Estimation Of 24-Hour Urinary Creatinine Excretion Through The Development Of A Model And Its Relationship To Outcomes In Hospitalized Critically Ill Veterans, Lynn Diane Hiller

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: Muscle mass is highly correlated with patient outcomes. Techniques to identify patients with low muscularity include computed tomography (CT) and bioelectrical impendence analysis (BIA) however disadvantages of cost, exposure to radiation and access make these measurements unavailable to the average dietitian. Urinary creatinine excretion (UCE) and estimation of creatinine height index (CHI) are strongly associated with muscularity and outcomes, however, require a 24-hour urine collection. The postulation that UCE may be predicted from patient variables, through mathematical modeling, would avoid the need for a 24-hour urine collection and may be clinically useful.

Methods: Input variables of age, …

Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Effective For Reducing Recidivism In Offenders?, Jordanne Miller

Research Papers

No abstract provided.

The Efficacy Of A Service-Learning Experience In The New Orleans Area In Improving Intercultural Competence Of Nutrition And Dietetics Students, Michel D. Harris

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is a large gap between minority representation in the field of dietetics and the United States population, and nutrition students need advanced cultural competence training in preparation for future work with diverse populations. Universal recommendations for delivering and evaluating cultural competence training in nutrition programs are non-existent, and students tend to lack understanding of how to develop this skill. Service-learning in underserved communities with reflective assignments have been used to develop cultural competence skills, but most reported results are anecdotal. This non-randomized mixed methods study sought to find out if a service-learning experience improves intercultural competence of nutrition students …

Ai And Gender In Persuasion: Using Chatbots To Prevent Driving Under The Influence Of Marijuana, Victoria Halfacre

Research Papers

Will new media techniques, such as artificial intelligence (AI), help refresh public safety advertising campaigns and help better target specific populations, and aid in persuasive, preventative marketing? This paper used hypocrisy induction as a persuasive tool for standalone artificial intelligence chatbots to test potential behavioral change in the context of marijuana. This research further tested whether the chatbots' gender and language styles impact how persuasive and effective the chat agents are perceived to be using hypocrisy induction. An online experiment conducted with 705 participants (Mage = 42.9, 392 women). where participants interact with a chatbot that is manipulated …

Identification And Critical Appraisal Of Evidence For Interventions For Refractive Error To Support The Development Of The Who Package Of Eye Care Interventions: A Systematic Review Of Clinical Practice Guidelines, Jennifer R. Evans, John G. Lawrenson, Jacqueline Ramke, Gianni Virgili, Iris Gordon, Gareth Lingham, Sumrana Yasmin, Stuart Keel

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Purpose: The World Health Organization is developing a Package of Eye Care Interventions (PECI) to support the integration of eye health care into national health programmes. Interventions included in the PECI should be based on robust evidence where available. Refractive error is a leading cause of blindness and vision impairment and is a PECI priority condition. The aim of this study was to provide high-quality evidence to support the development of the PECI by identifying and critically appraising clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), and extracting recommendations for refractive error interventions. Methods: We searched for CPGs on refractive error published in the …

The Role Of Influential Actors In Fostering The Polarized Covid-19 Vaccine Discourse On Twitter: Mixed Methods Of Machine Learning And Inductive Coding, Loni Hagen, Ashley Fox, Heather O'Leary, Deandre Dyson, Kimberly Walker, Cecile A. Lengacher, Raquel Hernandez

School of Information Faculty Publications

Background: Since COVID-19 vaccines became broadly available to the adult population, sharp divergences in uptake have emerged along partisan lines. Researchers have indicated a polarized social media presence contributing to the spread of mis- or disinformation as being responsible for these growing partisan gaps in uptake.

Objective: The major aim of this study was to investigate the role of influential actors in the context of the community structures and discourse related to COVID-19 vaccine conversations on Twitter that emerged prior to the vaccine rollout to the general population and discuss implications for vaccine promotion and policy.

Methods: We collected tweets …

The Entity Attorney-Client Privilege Meets The Twenty-First Century: Rethinking Functional Equivalent Analysis In The Time Of A Nonemployee Workforce., Grace M. Giesel

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Courts have struggled with whether an entity’s attorney-client privilege can protect communications between the entity’s lawyer and a nonemployee who has information the entity’s lawyer needs to best advise the entity. The nonemployee might be a former employee. But increasingly in recent times, the nonemployee is an individual who was never an entity employee. Corporations and other entities have incorporated nonemployees in their economic enterprises in all sorts of roles—roles employees may have held in the past. Many courts have accepted that the privilege can apply to communications involving former employees.

When faced with nonemployees who are not former employees, …

On (Not) Seeing The Chicken: Perdue, Animal Welfare, And The Failure Of Transparency, Calvin Coker, Rachel A. Coker

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

In this essay, we analyze Perdue’s animal welfare campaign from 2016 to 2020 to isolate how demands for transparency are mediated and subverted by Perdue’s public facing rhetoric. Though Perdue’s annual releases and commitments to change nominally constitute a victory for animal welfare advocates, the company’s campaign enacts transparency as a sort of publicity for the company that belies marginal gains for the lives of chickens and may ultimately result in increased meat consumption. In providing trackable metrics, offering paternalistic justifications for their treatments of chickens, and through strategic omissions of language and visuals, Perdue satisfies demands for transparency without …

Cambridge 1629 Anglican Trilogy, Dale B. Billingsley

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

In 1629, Thomas and John Buck, Cambridge University Press printers, published three texts—the Book of Common Prayer, the Bible and the Whole Book of Psalmes (known as the “Metrical Psalter”)—that were often bound together in one volume [UL], 1 one copy of which is now on permanent loan to the Archives & Special Collections of Ekstrom Library, University of Louisville. We do not know with any certainty when UL was bound, but because the KJV second edition was published in 1638, with many scholarly corrections based on the original languages, we can assume that the three texts were bound together …

Priorities For Research On Environment, Climate And Health, A European Perspective, E. Drakvik, M. Kogevinas, Å. Bergman, A. Devouge, R. Barouki, M. Kogevinas, A. Devouge, D. Sarigiannis, D. Destoumieux-Garzón, F. Matthies-Wiesler, A. Peters, D. Zalko, C. Villanueva, C. Tonne, E. Cardis, E. Diago-Navarro, J.M. Antó, M. Foraster, M. Nieuwenhuijsen, K. Straif, K. Van Veldhoven, K. Belesova, N. Pearce, A. Haines, J. Klánová, K. Šebková, L. Pokorný, K. Hilscherová, S. Boekhold, B. Staatsen, N. Van Der Vliet

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

No abstract provided.