Digital Commons Network^™

A Systematic Review Of Dietary Trends, Influencing Factors, And Their Impacts On Cardiovascular Health In Turkish Populations, Pelin L. Özoğlu

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death globally, including in Türkiye. One key factor influencing CVD prevention is dietary patterns, which directly impacts cardiovascular health. Türkiye traditionally follows the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet), which is acclaimed for its cardiovascular benefits. Despite this, Türkiye continues to experience high rates of CVD, with projections indicating that CVD mortality will double for both men and women by 2030. It is crucial to address diet-related factors, including potential nutritional deficiencies, to reduce cardiovascular health risks.

This research aims to analyze the Turkish community's adherence to the Mediterranean diet to understand why CVD prevalence …

The Effects Of School-Based Menstruation Education Programs On Anxiety And Self-Efficacy In Adolescent Girls: A Systematic Review, Hannah C. Hart

Honors Undergraduate Theses

A significant global knowledge gap exists for adolescent girls regarding what constitutes a healthy menstrual cycle, proper menstrual hygiene practices, and the implications of reproductive maturity that is ushered in by menarche. This limited understanding can lead to poor health outcomes and the development of negative sentiments and beliefs surrounding the normal experience of menstruation.

This systematic review aims to comprehensively investigate the current state of research regarding the effects of school-based, formal menstruation education programs on adolescent girls, particularly the effects on anxiety and self-efficacy related to the management of menstruation. Furthermore, this work aims to take a stance …

Role Of C4 Resources In Isotopic Variability In Diet Among Children From Kellis 2 Cemetery, Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt, Faith R. Hendrix

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Using stable carbon isotope analysis, this study investigates dietary diversity in children buried at the Kellis 2 Cemetery (c. AD 50–450) in Egypt's Dakhleh Oasis. From the analysis of δ¹³C isotope values in hair keratin and bone collagen, the study reconstructs short-term and long-term dietary signals in juvenile and adult subjects. The aim is to clarify the role of C₄ plants—particularly millet—in weaning and childhood diets in a Romano-Christian Egyptian village context. A total of 631 segmented hair and 54 bone collagen samples were analyzed from 127 juveniles and 97 adults. Juvenile individuals (i.e., under 15 years biological age) showed …

Starch Analysis Of Shell Tools From The Penny Plot Site (8br158) For The Cape Canaveral Archaeological Mitigation Project, Alaina Waldo

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Shell tools have a history of being used in the processing and usage of plant foods and materials in past cultures. This study looks at starch residue analysis obtained from shell tools retrieved at site 8BR158 during excavations by the Cape Canaveral Archaeological Mitigation Project (CCAMP) in Cape Canaveral, Florida. This research hopes to expand the understanding and usage of shell tools and to gain a clearer picture of plant usage and environmental interactions of earlier inhabitants along the East Coast of Florida through starch grain analysis. Eleven shell tools were analyzed for starch residues, with six showing evidence of …

Development Of A Proposed Selective Medium For The Isolation And Differentiation Of P. Sordellii, Dimyana Bottros

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Clostridium, a genus of anaerobic, spore-forming bacteria, includes clinically and ecologically significant species like Clostridium difficile and Paeniclostridium sordellii. C. difficile causes antibiotic-associated colitis, while P. sordellii is linked to fatal infections and spontaneous abortions. Recent studies found both species in marine sediments, suggesting their role in environmental and wildlife health disturbances, including the 2013 mass mortality of over 300 manatees in the Indian River Lagoon. However, isolating and differentiating P. sordellii is challenging due to the lack of selective media optimized for its growth. This thesis proposes a novel selective medium tailored to P. sordellii’s physiological …

Propositional Conditioning Of Direct Religious Perception In John Wesley's Epistemology Of Salvation, Kenny Johnston

Faith and Philosophy: Journal of the Society of Christian Philosophers

No abstract provided.

Plantation Matters: The Black Production Of Space In Southeastern Louisiana, 1830 To 1912, Noura Jabir

Pomona Senior Theses

Taking one Louisiana sugar plantation as a starting place, I demonstrate how African-descended laborers created life-sustaining spaces within/beyond the death-driving plantation complex during and after slavery.

January 2025 News, Office Of Sustainability

Office of Sustainability Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Ultra-Processed Food Intake And Dietary Intake Behaviors In Young Adults, Alexandra Black Larcom

Open Access Dissertations

Ultra-processed food (UPF) intake has been positively associated with adverse health outcomes and poor diet quality (DQ). UPFs tend to be of lower nutritional quality (NQ) than less processed foods, though NQ varies widely within each category of food processing. Young adults are the highest consumers of UPF, but UPF intake and related behaviors have not been examined in college students, a key subset of young adults. UPF overconsumption at meals has been proposed as a mechanism for the association between UPF intake, poor DQ, and adverse health outcomes, though no existing studies have considered NQ. Further, consumer understanding of …

Nourishing Community Health, Levit Cantu

IdeaFest 2025

Open Door Health Centers is a nonprofit community clinic that provides affordable, accessible healthcare to underserved populations. As a College Corps Fellow, I work with the Member Services department, specifically supporting gardens and food resources. My role focuses on increasing access to fresh, healthy food through community garden initiatives and resource navigation. This experience has allowed me to support food security efforts while gaining insight into the intersection of health, nutrition, and community service.

Nourishing Communities, One Meal At A Time, Hanna Valentin, Ulises Godinez, Rah Camacho Ruiz, Petrita Rodriguez

IdeaFest 2025

Food banks around the country are working to alleviate hunger and improve food security for low-income families, seniors, and children through distribution programs and nutrition education. This poster explores the vital role that food banks play in our community and examines how federal budget cuts - especially to SNAP and TEFAP - threaten its ability to serve those in need. By highlighting both research and community data, this project underscores the urgent need to support local food systems and advocate for sustainable food assistance programs.

Land Grant Report 2023-2024, Tennessee. Higher Education Commission.

Land Grant Funding Report

No abstract provided.

State Of The States: Blueprints For Building Age-Friendly Futures, Megan Stubbs-Richardson, Lauren E. Etheredge, Tockie V. Hemphill, Zaccheus J. Ahonle, Danielle K. Nadorff

Publications

Executive Summary:

Mississippi’s aging population growth mirrors national trends and suggests a need to establish equitable and sustainable age-friendly policies and programs. This report offers an overview of the best practices from age-friendly states, which can be adapted to meet unique challenges and opportunities for Mississippi’s aging population. We highlight five age-friendly policy areas that can improve Mississippi’s livability.

• Aging in Place: Best practices from California, Florida, and Massachusetts can be adapted to promote aging in place through structural changes to homes via universal design and home modifications, or through supportive housing programs and home care.

• Cross-Sector Collaboration: …

2024-2025 Ucf Center For Community Schools Progression Data, Ucf Center For Community Schools

Community Partnership Schools Annual Progression Data

No abstract provided.

Little Lives, Big Challenges: The Nicu's Role In Infant Brain Development, Gerardo Martinez

Scientific Kenyon: The Neuroscience Edition

No abstract provided.

Wound Care 101, Kristen Delarosa, Katelyn Moore, Lauren Rossi, Marissa Yorita

ELMSN E-Portfolio. A collection of Scholarly and Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Camino A La Salud: Culturally Tailored Diabetes Education For Hispanic Older Adults In Stockton, California, Alondra Aldaba, Alexis Irvine, Jazmyn Monares, Marissa Doblados-Wood

ELMSN E-Portfolio. A collection of Scholarly and Creative Works

AIM: Camino a la Salud addresses diabetes in one of the most affected populations in San Joaquin County, older Hispanic adults and their caregivers. This project aims to increase diabetes knowledge, confidence, and self-management among older adults in Stockton through culturally tailored education and hands-on learning. The project also provided glucometers and visual teaching tools to support skill development and improve diabetes awareness and prevention in this community.

METHODS: This project included three weekly bilingual diabetes education sessions held at El Concilio during their senior food distribution program. Each session covered a different topic: diabetes risks and complications, understanding glucose …

Urobilin Derived From Bilirubin Bioconversion Binds Albumin And May Interfere With Bilirubin Interacting With Albumin: Implications For Disease Pathology, Kevin I. Williams, Priyanka Suryadevara, Chang-Guo Zhan, Terry D. Hinds Jr., Zachary A. Kipp

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Background/Objectives: Bilirubin is a hydrophobic molecule that binds the carrier protein albumin for transport through systemic circulation. Bilirubin is cleared from the body through the liver and excreted into the intestines, where the microbiota modifies the chemical structure, forming urobilin, which can be reabsorbed into circulation by the hepatic portal vein. Urobilin has no known function. It is also unknown whether urobilin binds albumin for transport in circulation. We hypothesized that because of the likeness of their chemical structures, urobilin would also bind albumin like bilirubin does. Methods: First, we used in silico docking to predict if urobilin would bind …

Heme Oxygenase, Biliverdin Reductase, And Bilirubin Pathways Regulate Oxidative Stress And Insulin Resistance: A Focus On Diabetes And Therapeutics, Wang-Hsin Lee, Zachary A. Kipp, Sally Pauss, Genesee J. Martinez, Evelyn A. Bates, Olufunto O. Badmus, David E. Stec, Terry D. Hinds Jr.

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Metabolic and insulin-resistant diseases, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), have become major health issues worldwide. The prevalence of insulin resistance in the general population ranges from 15.5% to 44.6%. Shockingly, the global T2DM population is anticipated to double by 2050 compared with 2021. Prior studies indicate that oxidative stress and inflammation are instrumental in causing insulin resistance and instigating metabolic diseases. Numerous methods and drugs have been designed to combat insulin resistance, including metformin, thiazolidinediones (TZDs), sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP1RA), and dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors (DPP4i). Bilirubin is an antioxidant with …

Association Between Education And Allostatic Load With Risk Of Cancer Mortality Among Hispanic Women, Melissa Lopez-Pentecost, Cynthia Li, Marlo Vernon, Sydney P. Howard, Jessica Amezcua, Justin Xavier Moore

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Purpose: Cancer remains the leading cause of death among Hispanics in the US. While social determinants of health, such as educational attainment, have been linked to negative health outcomes, their biological mechanisms remain poorly understood. We evaluated the association between educational attainment and allostatic load (AL), a measure of chronic physiologic stress, with risk of cancer mortality in Hispanic women from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis among 5637 Hispanic women in NHANES from 1988 to 2010 with follow-up data through 2019. Educational attainment was categorized into a two-level variable: less than …

Capturing Community Perspectives In A Statewide Cancer Needs Assessment: Online Focus Group Study, Jessica R. Thompson, Keeghan Francis, Caree R. Mcafee, Madeline Brown, Todd Burus, Melinda Rogers, Connie L. Sorrell, Elizabeth A. Westbrook, Lovoria B. Williams, Jennifer Redmond Knight, Elaine Russell, Natalie P. Wilhite, Pamela C. Hull

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Background: Kentucky has the highest all-site cancer incidence and mortality rates in the United States. Conducting needs assessments in a large geographic area, such as an entire state, poses challenges in collecting qualitative data from diverse rural and urban contexts. In 2021, a steering committee was formed to drive a multimethod, statewide cancer needs assessment (CNA) to identify the future priorities for all cancer-related care in Kentucky.

Objective: We aimed to report on the online focus group component of the CNA by documenting existing community resources and perceived needs across the cancer care continuum. In addition, we aimed to explore …

Examining Associations Between Sociodemographic Characteristics And Ever Breastfed Children, Nhanes 1999–2020, Jessica Amezcua, Lindsey M. West, Camelia Malkami, Marlo M. Vernon, Elinita Pollard, Justin X. Moore

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Although breastfeeding provides health benefits to both mother and child, this study aimed to explore whether disparities in breastfeeding continue to exist, particularly among non-Hispanic Black (NHB) mothers and children. We performed a cross-sectional analysis among 19,830 children in the United States (US) using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 1999 to 2020. Breastfeeding initiation and duration rates increased overall from 1999 to 2020. Children who were ever breastfed were more likely to have higher body weight, older mothers, mothers who did not smoke during pregnancy, a higher family poverty–income ratio (PIR), food security, mothers in …

Identifying Risk Factors For Adverse Lung Health Outcomes Among Rural Appalachian Women, Jessica R. Thompson, Courtney J. Walker, John C. Flunker, W. Jay Christian, Wayne T. Sanderson, Nancy E. Schoenberg, Steven R. Browning

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Purpose: Despite high rates of lung disease and lung cancer among women, few studies have focused on adverse lung health risk factors among rural Appalachian women. We aim to describe the prevalence of demographic, behavioral, and economic characteristics among a cohort of rural Appalachian women and ascertain the association between these risk factors and lung function.

Methods: Through a cross-sectional study in two rural Appalachian Kentucky counties (2015–2017), we collected demographics, health history/behaviors, and lung function via pulmonary function tests. Restricting to female participants with interpretable pulmonary function tests (N = 456), we estimated prevalence ratios of the association …

Development Of Genome-Scale Technologies For Writing And Recoding Cyanobacteria, Laura Beth Quinto

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertations

Diverse microorganisms have delivered unique solutions in medicine, food, energy, and nutrient cycling through atmospheric gas fixation. Yet despite tremendous progress in model organisms like E. coli and S. cerevisiae, tools for editing and predictably manipulating undomesticated species – which comprise the vast majority of microbes1 – remain scarce. Cyanobacteria, with their light- and CO₂-powered metabolism, hold particular promise for bioproduction, bioremediation, and in situ fertilization, but have been difficult to engineer. Furthermore, many of the most valuable applications of cyanobacteria would involve implementation in an open system. Such strains require two critical safeguards: biocontainment to ensure that their propagation …

Examining Mental Health Providers’ Differential Sensitivity To Youth And Caregiver Treatment Engagement Problems By Studying Clinical Decision-Making Behaviors, Wendy Chu

Theses and Dissertations

Clinical decision-making is a systematic process of collecting and using information to guide action regarding client care. Across frameworks of clinical decision-making, there is an emphasis on the assessment of a problem – which involves considering, identifying, and selecting a problem – as it directly informs intervention. In youth mental health services, problems related to treatment engagement or the ability to meaningfully participate in services are important to assess given their association with premature termination and poor outcomes. However, research suggests that assessment of engagement problems may be challenging, and one potential reason pertains to providers’ ability to assess across …

The Effect Of Woc Nurse Rounding On At-Risk Patients In The Icu In Reducing Hapis: An Integrative Review, Sydney Conrad, Ayoka Allen, Abby Fitzpatrick, Raquel Luague, Emily Lindall

Master's Projects

Hospital-acquired pressure Injuries (HAPIs) are a “never event” and a nursing quality indicator closely monitored by hospitals. Pressure injury prevention strategies have been widely researched and used to reduce HAPI rates; however, despite this research, HAPI rates, especially in the intensive care unit (ICU), remain high. Prevention is a complex, individualized process that requires nursing understanding and application. Wound, Ostomy, and Continence nurses (WOC nurses) are specially trained and certified in wound management and can provide tremendous clinical insight into risk and prevention factors. This integrative review examines whether WOC nurse rounding in the ICU reduces HAPI rates.

Strafford County 2024 Annual Report Of The Commissioners, Treasurer, Other County Officers, And The Strafford County Delegation For The Year Ending December 31, 2024, Strafford County Representatives

Strafford County, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for 2024 for Strafford County in the state of New Hampshire.

Fnes 722 Exercise, Energy Balance, And Body Composition, Bridget Mcfadden

Open Educational Resources

This course focuses on the interrelationships between exercise energetics, energy balance, and body composition. There are four major goals for students in this course. Each student will be expected to acquire and demonstrate knowledge in the following areas: macro- and micro- nutrient requirements and the role they play in physiological function; energy expenditure and body composition assessments; nutrition and exercise considerations for physique and sport; ability to evaluate the scientific evidence on nutritional ergogenic aids and diets.

Agility In Professional Associations: Using Improvement Science To Align Nirsa’S Communication Strategy With Member Needs, Stephanie L. Hart, Kimberly A. Bradley, Lisa M. Gwyn, Joanna A. Liebelt, Denise K. Miller

Doctor of Education Capstones

This intrinsic case study delved into how NIRSA, a leading Association for Campus Recreation, and its members could effectively engage with one another to best support the members' needs. Leveraging the principles of improvement science, we rigorously assessed the root causes of misalignments between NIRSA and its members. This process allowed us to develop a theory of change that supports organizational alignment and engagement and satisfies members' needs. We found that change concepts like agility to pivot, in addition to inclusive and responsive communication strategies, would support members in navigating the evolving landscape of the campus recreation industry and amplify …

A Comprehensive Labeling Framework For Artificial Intelligence (Ai)/Machine Learning (Ml)-Based Medical Devices: From Ai Facts Labels To A Front-Of-Package Ai Labeling System — Lessons Learned From Food Labeling, Sara Gerke

Emory Law Journal

Medical Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming healthcare. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already authorized the marketing of over one thousand AI/Machine Learning (ML)-based medical devices, and many more products are in the development pipeline. However, despite this fast development, the regulatory framework for AI/ML-based medical devices could be improved. This Article focuses on the labeling for AI/ML-based medical devices, a crucial topic that needs to receive more attention in the legal literature and from regulators like the FDA. The current lack of labeling standards tailored explicitly to AI/ML-based medical devices is an obstacle to transparency in …