Digital Commons Network^™

Alterations In Intracellular Pathways By Structured Acoustics Across Mammalian Model Systems, Mary B. Holahan, A'Niya Jackson, Jose Rumbaut-Clark, Elaina Schuler, Arnav Chavda, Thanh Mai Nguyen, Junaina Nazneen, Ana Beatriz-Melgar, Sarah Hedenstad, Emily Hernandez

OneUSF Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium

Music can be defined as structured sound that serves as a “universal language” capable of influencing emotion, cognition, and social connectivity in humans. Its formal application into the medical profession began in the 20th century, following World War I and II.  Human subject research involving music therapy has since reported a myriad of health benefits such as those on emotional (e.g., anxiety, depression, and stress), neurological (e.g., cognitive impairment, sleep issues, and dementia), and physical well-being (e.g., pain, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia). However, the impact of such structured acoustics on biological processes at the cellular and molecular level remains unclear. Towards …

When Intensity Becomes Unpleasant: Content-Dependent Effects Of Arousal On Valence, Allison D. Nguyen, Ananya Ranganagoudar, Charvi Koniki

OneUSF Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium

Trait worry is associated with heightened negative interpretation of internal arousal, raising the possibility that individuals higher in worry may evaluate high-arousing experiences less positively. The most unpleasant and pleasant experiences are also the most arousing. However, individuals higher in trait worry may evaluate highly arousing experiences more negatively, depending on the content of the stimulus. This study tested whether trait worry moderates arousal and valence ratings and whether this association depends on image content.

Eighty-seven students passively viewed emotional and neutral images and provided arousal and valence ratings for images. Image content categories were generated by an AI classification …

Evidence-Based Guidance System For Data Science Teams Using Generative Ai Under Uncertainty, Kristoffer Ahlstrom-Vij

Defensive Publications Series

A method for implementing evidence-based guidance for a data science team using generative artificial intelligence under uncertainty is provided. The method includes reviewing existing evidence on generative AI in knowledge work, including empirical literature on productivity effects, cognition and skill formation, and human factors research on automation complacency and cognitive offloading. The method includes evaluating the existing evidence across parallel considerations and deriving a plurality of principles from the existing evidence. The principles include an accountability principle stating that accountability for work cannot be self-certified, an aggregation principle directing to read more but not think less, a writing reservation principle …

The Challenges Of Romantic Relationships In Contemporary Societies, Xavier Pillet

Defensive Publications Series

This document, produced with the assistance of ChatGPT o3, GPT-5 Thinking and Grok, is released under the Apache License 2.0. It is a voluntary defensive publication (prior art) and therefore enters the prior art upon release under the applicable patent statutes : EPC Art. 54(2) (European Patent Convention), French IPC Art. L 611-11 (French Intellectual Property Code), 35 U.S.C. §102(a) (United States Patent Act), Chinese Patent Law Art. 22(5) (両匡丢氡儡吡嘡丣刡氢), and Japanese Patent Act Art. 29(1) (闘旧避). This disclosure details technical systems, methods, and architectures spanning ethical matching, socio-ecological scoring, closed-loop UX, a!ective VR, safety/consent, intergenerational models, community optimization, data …

Immigration Stress And Inequities Driving Diabetes Distress In Hispanic Adults: A Scoping Review, Rachell Nguyen

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Hispanic adults in the United States experience disproportionately high rates of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and co-occurring mental health conditions. These disparities are intensified by immigration-related stress, acculturation challenges, and minority stress, all of which contribute to heightened diabetes distress and reduced self-management capacity.

Purpose: This scoping review examined how immigration stressors, acculturation processes, and minority stress influence diabetes distress and mental health outcomes among Hispanic adults with T2DM.

Methods: Using Arksey and O’Malley’s six-step scoping review framework and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a comprehensive search of PubMed, CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE (OVID), and ScienceDirect identified studies published between 2015 and …

Exploring Elite Athletes’ Perceptions Of The Practice Of Mindfulness For Mental Health And Optimal Performance, Omar A. Sesay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Elite athletes experience physical, cognitive, and emotional demands that affect athletic performance and personal well-being, increasing the risk for anxiety, depression, burnout, attentional difficulties, and maladaptive coping strategies. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has been examined for its effect on attentional control, emotional regulation, cognitive flexibility, and stress resilience, but limited qualitative research has examined how elite athletes experience the practice of mindfulness. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore elite athletes’ perceptions of the practice of mindfulness for mental health and optimal performance. The theoretical framework draws from mindfulness theory and MBSR principles. Semistructured interviews were conducted …

Mindful Parenting And Toddlers' Food Responsiveness: The Role Of Controlling Feeding Practices, Qingyu Jiang, Holly Wilhite, Natalie A. Williams, Dipti A. Dev, Caron A. C. Clark, Pearl Avari, Sarah B. Ladd

Journal of Extension

Controlling feeding practices may negatively impact children's eating behaviors. Mindful parenting may offer a promising way to reduce the use of these practices. This study examined the mediating role of pressuring children to eat and using food as a reward in the association between mindful parenting and toddlers' food responsiveness. Results indicated that higher levels of mindful parenting were associated with lower pressuring to eat, which was related to lower food responsiveness in toddlers. The results may inform Extension professionals providing mindfulness strategies for mothers of young children to improve feeding practices, ultimately reducing children's unhealthful eating behaviors.

[Introduction To] The Philosophy Of Taylor Swift, Lindsay Brainard, Ryan W. Davis, Jess Flanigan

Bookshelf

Edited by Lindsay Brainard, Ryan W. Davis, and Jessica Flanigan

• Offers the first book-length philosophical analysis focused exclusively on Taylor Swift's songwriting
• Demonstrates innovative methodologies for treating popular music as a site of rigorous philosophical inquiry
• Features essays by a diverse group of leading philosophers across multiple subfields
• Reveals new interpretive insights for both scholars and Swifties, deepening understanding of themes such as love, morality, and meaning

We Don't See Race, We See Blue: A Case Study Of Police Unions As Racialized Organizations, Sarahfina Aubrey Peterson

Dissertations and Theses

In the late 1960s, police began to unionize. Today, they are the most well-organized labor force in the United States, with 70% to 80% of sworn officers now represented by a union. Though it has been decades, little scholarship has developed about how police unions affect policing. Much of the research that does exist uses race-neutral frames to address an organization steeped in racial history. This study aims to address this gap in scholarship, in part, by introducing race as a motivation for and explanation of organizational output.

This research applies Victor Ray's racialized organizations theory to police unions. I …

God's Will Or Man's? The Power Of Religious Rhetoric In Shaping Wartime Domestic Policy Preferences, Claire E. Brimhall

Undergraduate Honors Theses

How do individuals represent their religious beliefs in the political sphere? Is this impacted by levels of conflict in a given society? In times of war, people of faith often rally behind leaders and policies that diverge from the values upheld by their religious institutions. In fact, in many such cases, religious affiliation and church attendance are among the strongest predictors of support for these political actors.

This thesis examines two such cases where religious voters support policies that contradict the moral teachings of their faith, advancing a theory that a state’s appeals to religion can fundamentally reshape how believers …

Are 2d:4d Finger-Length Ratios Related To Bdsm Power Play Roles? An Exploratory Study, Phoenix R. Crane

Psychology and Neuroscience Faculty Publications

This study explored the relationships between 2D:4D ratio, a biological marker influenced by prenatal androgen exposure, and personality traits among members of the BDSM community. The 2D:4D ratio, calculated by dividing the length of the second (index) finger by the length of the fourth (ring) finger, is a non-invasive measure of prenatal exposure to androgens, with a smaller 2D:4D ratio associated with higher levels of testosterone exposure. Previous, albeit conflicting, research suggests that higher levels of testosterone are associated with dominance, aggression, risk-taking, and sensation-seeking. The present study draws on these findings to propose an androgenization of power play roles. …

Parents’ Perceptions Of Their Children With Disabilities’ Mental Health During The Rapid Transition To Online Learning At The Time Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Arnell Rorie Footman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted an abrupt shift to online learning, raising significant concerns about the mental health of children with disabilities. Existing research highlights increased rates of anxiety, depression, and social isolation during due to the disruptions in structured routines and in-person support systems. This generic qualitative study, guided by Bronfenbrenner’s EST was conducted to explore parents’ perceptions of the mental health challenges experienced by their students with disabilities during the rapid transition to online learning at the time of COVID-19 pandemic. Data was obtained through semi-structured interviews in which parents voiced their perceptions and experiences concerning their children’s mental …

Using Posters To Increase Vegan Entrées Chosen At Classics In Wmu’S Student Dining Center, Sarah Schneider

Honors Theses

The following experiment tested the use of specifically designed posters to see the effect on eating habits of those who ate entrées from WMU’s food counter called Classics in the Student Dining Center. The independent variable was a poster with humorous and factual elements displayed at the point of choice in the dining center. The primary dependent variable was the percentage of vegan entrees chosen out of the total number of vegan and meat entrees served. The secondary dependent variables were the number of vegan entrees prepped and served, and the percentage of each entree that was served out of …

Boss Up/Bake Bread, Jess Flanigan

Jepson School of Leadership Studies articles, book chapters and other publications

Taylor Swift’s “Wi$h Li$t” describes people who “want it all.” There, she declares that, in contrast to those who want it all, she dreams about living a quiet life with a driveway and a basketball hoop. This chapter argues that dreaming about a driveway with a basketball hoop while staying married to the hustle is still a form of wanting it all. Like Swift, and me, many other women today enjoy a degree of autonomy and material abundance that our grandmothers could only dream about. We’re free to boss up or settle down. But still, we have to make trade-offs. …

“Turn The Faucet”: Right-Wing Hydrosocial Imaginaries Of Irrigation Water In The Western United States, Alexander Reid Ross, Thien-Kim Bui, Alida Cantor

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

The second administration of United States President Donald Trump has taken an authoritarian, centralized approach to governance in the United States. Water management is one area in which the president has attempted to show dominance. This research theorizes President Trump’s concept of water in the United States West as a “hydrosocial imaginary” in which the release of water from rivers and reservoirs indicates virility, action, and power, instead of liberal cautiousness and prudence. By ordering the release of two billion gallons of water from California’s Central Valley into the dry Tulare Basin one hundred miles north of Los Angeles for …

Embodying Palestinian Freedom: Yogis For Palestine As A Site Of Transnational And Anti-Imperial Feminist Solidarity, Sheena Sood

Gatherings

In a climate marked by the rise of global fascism, yoga is often appropriated toward the reproduction of caste supremacist and ethnonational agendas, colonial and racial capitalist relations, and neoliberal spirituality. Still, it has also been harnessed for collective liberation. We see this through the effort of Gaza-based yoga teacher, Hadeel Al-Gharbawi, using trauma-informed yoga to help the children of Al-Jawad Camp cultivate endurance during a genocide, and the solidarity of practitioners activating yoga toward Palestinian self-determination. This article examines the social and political activities of Yogis for Palestine (YFP), a Philadelphia-based collective whose vision for collective liberation includes unwavering …

Roots That Refuse To Die: Narratives Of Displacement And Solidarity In Palestinian And Chicanx Feminist Traditions, R. H., Lea Colchado-Joaquín

Gatherings

Amidst the recent passing of Senate Bill 17 and increasing restrictions on academic freedom, and efforts to shut down encampments, political tensions have been on the rise at Texas university campuses. As women of color scholars learning to navigate these challenges, we are committed to fostering safe pedagogical spaces that honor minoritized students’ voices. This paper examines interpretations of solidarity narratives between Chicanx and Palestinian feminist authors through a decolonial feminist lens and employs an autoethnographic methodological approach such as autohistoria-teoría to highlight parallels between the authors' lived realities. Authors begin this conversation by using their own narratives of resistance …

Kinship As Ethical Caring In Genocidal Times, Khawla Badwan, Sunny Singh Prof

Gatherings

As the world bears witness to the first live-streamed genocide¹ in history with full collaboration of the so-called free world, whatever ethics had been defined and legally encoded by imperial powers in the aftermath of the Second World War are no longer functioning or indeed relevant. Instead at individual and collective levels, we must develop a more relational and nested approach to ethical caring; one that moves beyond saviourism and distant witnessing. To demonstrate this relationality, we present our thinking through a dialogic genre of creative and critical reflections and interventions. This dialogue draws and builds on entanglements of …

Echoes Of Loss: Exploring Palestine And Feminism Through Art, Alaa Shadfan

Gatherings

My body of work is an exploration of raw human emotion, psychological states, and the resilience of the human spirit, shaped profoundly by the ongoing suffering and resistance of the Palestinian people. Through this series of paintings, I strive to give voice to collective grief, inner struggle, and quiet strength. Much of the emotional palette I draw from grief, fear, resistance, and hope is deeply influenced by witnessing the genocide[1]and systemic oppression in Palestine. The red in my paintings is deliberate, my way of symbolizing standing in solidarity with Palestine, and more specifically, with Palestinian women whose strength, …

Gatherings 3.2 (Complete Issue), Besan Jaber, Asmaa Malik

Gatherings

p. 111: Echoes of Loss: Exploring Palestine and Feminism Through Art / Ala Alshadfan -- p. 117: In-Dialogue as Feminist Praxis: Palestine, Poetry, and Affective Knowing / Besan Jaber and Natalie El-Eid -- p. 130: Kinship as Ethical Caring in Genocidal Times / Khawla Badwan and Sunny Singh --  p.150: Roots That Refuse to Die: Narratives of Displacement and Solidarity in Palestinian and Chicanx Feminist Traditions / R. K. and Lea Colchado-Joaquín -- p.169: A Poem for Palestinian Liberation from Låguas yan Gåni / Ha’åni Lucia Falo San Nicolas -- p. 171: Embodying Palestinian Freedom: Yogis for Palestine as a …

Action Steps Toward Equity In Communication Sciences And Disorders: A Program Evaluation Of Student Self-Efficacy, Monica Bellon-Harn, Lekeitha Morris, Mark Trahan

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Abstract

Purpose: Within communication sciences and disorders (CSD), preparing students for equitable practice requires instruction aligned with social justice principles. Because students’ confidence in engaging in these practices may influence future behavior, this study examined the effects of an asynchronous program, Action Steps toward Equity (ASE-CSD) on undergraduate and graduate CSD students’ self-efficacy for practices aligned with social justice principles.

Method: A pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design was used with undergraduate (n = 16) and graduate (n = 33) CSD students who completed ASE-CSD. Participants completed the Social Justice Scale (SJS; Torres-Harding et al., 2012), which assessed self-efficacy associated with …

Equity In Evaluation: Examining Grading Practices And Student Experiences In Speech-Language Pathology Education, Jennifer Essig

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Traditional grading practices remain the norm in communication sciences and disorders (CSD) education, despite evidence these systems may exacerbate inequities and affect motivation and perceptions of learning. This study examined how traditional and alternative grading practices are experienced by undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in CSD programs. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, survey data were collected from 73 students regarding perceptions of grading, motivation to learn, and emotional responses to assessment. Quantitative analyses indicated that students in alternatively graded classrooms reported significantly higher perceptions of fairness, clarity, and learning than those in traditionally graded settings. Qualitative analysis revealed contrasting emotional …

Supporting Neurodivergent Students In Communication Sciences And Disorders: Best Practices Integrating Udl And Tilt In Academic Courses, Jacqueline A. Towson, Nancy Mcintyre, Alexis Cunha

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

In this tutorial, we explore effective andragogical strategies to support neurodivergent students in higher education programs, specifically within academic course in the field of communication sciences and disorders (CSD). By integrating the evidence-based education practices of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) framework, faculty can create inclusive and supportive learning environments in academic courses to better support neurodivergent students in CSD programs. We discuss practical applications of these frameworks through two sample assignments, supported by recent research, and provide actionable recommendations for faculty in higher education. The goal of this tutorial is to …

Csdeep Learning Seminar: Connecting Students, Faculty, And Alumni To Promote A Creative Path To Success, Chao-Yang Lee, Emily Jones

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

What do the best college students do to cultivate their intellectual and personal development? How does learning type lead to professional success and personal fulfillment? We report the design and implementation of a seminar in which undergraduate students in Communication Sciences and Disorders collaborated with peers, faculty, and alumni to explore the meaning and application of deep learning. Participants examined how learning type shapes college experience through book discussions and conversations with alumni. Feedback from participants suggests that the book discussions and alumni conversations broadened the students’ perspective on learning type, purpose of college education, and success and failure. The …

Simulated Participant Engagement In Communication Sciences & Disorders Programs: A Scoping Review, Jason Konzelmann, Richard I. Zraick

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Introduction. Simulated participants (SPs) are widely used in medical and nursing education, but their application in allied health, including Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD), remains limited. Despite accreditation standards supporting simulation in CSD training, student engagement with SPs is still uncommon.

Objectives. This scoping review examined recent literature on SP use in CSD programs involving speech-language pathology or audiology students or providers. We explored how SPs were integrated and identified gaps for future research.

Methods. Guided by PRISMA-ScR, we searched six databases and an internet search yielded one additional article. Studies published between 2019 and 2025 were included if they …

Correcting And Connecting Character Formation, Dane C. Joseph

Essays in Education

This essay details some assumptions that the author, through his lived experience working in higher education character formation and assessment, has identified as being potentially problematic to institutional endeavors to form character. These assumptions are framed using theoretical perspectives from within the behavioral and social sciences. A few solutions are offered, with the main one being to reframe formation from passive, single events to an activity navigated responsibly by and with all stakeholders, as well as to assess formation via everyday lived experiences both within and outside the classroom.

Summit Report: Nuclear Deterrence In An Uncertain World, Manolis Priniotakis

GNSI Summit Reports

The Global and National Security Institute’s Tampa Summit 6 took place on March 24-25, 2026, and examined a nuclear weapons environment marked by renewed uncertainty, weakened institutions, and rapid strategic change. General (Ret.) Frank McKenzie’s opening keynote framed the central challenge: The nuclear age never ended, but the United States and its allies spent much of the post-Cold War period looking away at other threats while Russia, China, North Korea, and others adapted. The world is now moving from the longstanding and relatively stable “two-body” nuclear order centered on the United States and Russia toward a far more complex “three-body” …

Knowledge Of Parents About Thalassemia In Tabuk City: A Cross-Sectional Study, Sawsan Mohammed Alblewi, Amirah M. Alatawi, Ehab Mahmoud Hanafy, Faisal Mayudh Althobaiti, Abdulelah Hamad Al-Balawi, Faisal Mohammed Alamrani, Yazeed Mahmoud Ajwah, Omar Muslih Albalawi, Mohammed Majed Alquayr, Sultan Ibrahim Alhamdi

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Thalassemia is a common inherited blood disorder and remains a significant public health concern in Saudi Arabia. Parental knowledge is essential for effective prevention, screening, and early intervention. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of thalassemia among parents in Tabuk City, Saudi Arabia, and identify factors associated with knowledge levels.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 392 parents residing in Tabuk City between March and May 2025. Data were collected using a validated Arabic questionnaire distributed online. Knowledge was assessed using 21 items covering general thalassemia knowledge, thalassemia major, carrier status, and prevention. Knowledge levels …

Internet Use And Decision-Making Processes Among Pregnant Women: A Cross-Sectional Study, Ayça Balmumcu, Endam Çetinkaya Ak, Sabriye Uçan Yamaç

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic restricted access to in-person health services, especially in rural areas. This increased reliance on the internet for health information and decision-making was particularly notable among pregnant women. This study aimed to investigate the role of internet use in decision-making among pregnant women.

Methods: This analytical, cross-sectional study examined 384 pregnant women living in a rural district of Turkey who attended family health centers for prenatal care. Data were collected using the Internet Decision-Making Scale in Pregnancy and a questionnaire assessing internet use patterns during the pandemic.

Results: Pregnant women demonstrated …

E-Health Literacy And Cyberchondria Severity Among Adolescent High School Students: A Cross-Sectional Study, Seyda Çavmak, Adem Bilgin

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Amid rapid digitalization and the growing use of artificial intelligence-based search engines, adolescents increasingly seek health information online. This study examined the relationship between high school students' e-health literacy and their cyberchondria tendencies.

Methods: This quantitative, cross-sectional study included 683 students from public high schools in Mersin, Türkiye. Data were collected using a Demographic Information Form, the e-Health Literacy Scale (eHEALS), and the Cyberchondria Severity Scale Short Form (CSS-12). Descriptive statistics, comparative tests, and Pearson correlation were applied (p < 0.05).

Results: Students' e-health literacy and cyberchondria severity were moderate. Significant positive correlations emerged between e-health literacy …