Nonlinear Differences In Postural Sway Across Attentional Focus Conditions In Individuals With And Without Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction, Natalie L. Ferguson, Brian L. Cone, Christopher K. Rhea, Anne Beethe, Breanna Studenka

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The structure of variability in postural sway reflects the adaptability and health of the postural control system. Entropy quantifies this structure by measuring the regularity of repeated fluctuations over time. Although entropy has been used to examine sway in neurological populations, little is known about how sway complexity changes following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Attentional focus may also influence postural control, with external focus typically promoting more efficient and automatic regulation than internal focus.

AIM: To examine how attentional focus (internal vs. external) influences the structure of postural sway in individuals with and without ACLR.

METHODS: Forty-three participants …

A Narrative Review Of Bertolotti's Syndrome: Etiology, Classification, Diagnosis, And Treatment, Matyas Abel Tsegaye, Andrea Muffly

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Bertolotti's syndrome is a congenital condition characterized by chronic low back pain stemming from a lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LSTV). Because the condition is frequently overlooked, patients often face years of delayed diagnosis before the true source of their pain is identified. Furthermore, current information regarding the biological origins and clinical management of the condition remain scattered. To address this knowledge gap, this narrative review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of Bertolotti’s syndrome by consolidating these disparate sources and suggesting new connections. We synthesize the latest understanding of this condition, ranging from its genetic origins to modern clinical management. We …

We-Making Through Technology: Social Cohesion And Virtual Adaptation In Community Arts Organizations For Artists With Idd During Covid-19 Pandemic, Yumi Shirai, Michelle Boulanger Thompson, Tamara Shetron

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

COVID-19 public health restrictions disrupted in-person arts participation, increasing risks of social isolation and reduced community access. Prior research shows that many people engaged in home-based arts and cultural activities during lockdown, supporting emotional regulation, a sense of belonging, and social connection; however, little is known about how these shifts affected community arts organizations that serve artists with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD), a population disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and longstanding inequities. We examined how community-based arts organizations adapted programming for artists with IDD during the COVID-19 pandemic, including barriers and unanticipated outcomes relevant to equitable access and participation …

Eeg Signatures Of Motor Development In Early Childhood: A Systematic Review, Sonia Khurana, Ashwini Kulkarni, Thomas C. Bulea, Hunter J. Bennett

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Early identification of motor developmental disorders is limited due to lack of objective neural markers that characterize typical neurodevelopmental patterns. This systematic review interprets and synthesizes existing evidence to propose a framework of EEG signatures associated with motor development in children aged 0-5 years, which may help inform future benchmarks for early assessment and intervention.

Methods

Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched published and gray literature across five databases between 2000 and 2025 (registered protocol). Included studies examined EEG during task-based, resting-state, or sleep studies linked to motor milestones, task performance, or standardized motor assessments. Study quality was assessed using …

The Epidemiology Of Catastrophic Head And Neck Injuries In High School And College Non-Football Sports: A 4-Decade Review, Courtney M. Meyer, Kristen L. Kucera, Samantha E. Scarneo-Miller, Zachary K. Winkelmann, Susan W. Yeargin

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Background:

Catastrophic head and neck injuries (CHNIs) in sport are rare but can have disabling or fatal outcomes. Prior studies have focused on football, equipment-laden sports, or different injury severities, not CHNI in nonfootball sports.

Purpose:

To describe the epidemiology of CHNI across levels (high school vs collegiate) in nonfootball sports and evaluate differences in injury rates (IRs) by sport, sex, and decade.

Study Design

Descriptive epidemiological study.

Methods:

This study utilized 40 academic years (1982-1983 to 2021-2022) of surveillance data from the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research. Descriptive statistics summarized athlete, event, and injury characteristics. IRs were …

Walking It Off: Habituation Of Gait At Virtual High Elevation, Kelly Poretti, Toby J. Ellmers, Christopher K. Rhea, Tiphanie Raffegeau

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Introduction: Fear and anxiety about falling can disrupt gait control, leading to activity restriction and increased fall risk in older adults. VR can be used to induce postural threat (e.g., by simulating high elevation settings) within a controlled environment, inducing fall-related anxiety and cautious gait (i.e. slower, shorter steps) in young and older adults. However, it is unknown how emotional and motor responses to VR postural threat habituate across time because existing studies feature short exposures (10 seconds or less). Before VR-induced postural threat can be translated into an intervention, it is critical to understand threat-related gait habituation across time. …

Hierarchical Clustering Reveals Multilevel Structure For Multifactorial Assessment In Community-Dwelling Older Adults, Brittany S. Samulski, Ashwini Kulkarni, Neda Moghim, Ross Gore, Soumya Banerjee, Christopher K. Rhea

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Multifactorial falls assessment is recommended for older adults at elevated risk but can generate numerous potentially overlapping measurements, increasing testing burden despite potentially diminishing informational returns as correlated measures are added. Characterizing how measures covary may inform subsequent efforts to evaluate more efficient assessment procedures. Community-dwelling older adults (n = 298) completed a single-visit assessment including the Physiological Profile Assessment (PPA), preferred- and maximal-speed walking, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and Modified Falls Efficacy Scale (MFES). Hierarchical agglomerative clustering was applied to 51 variables. Dendrogram fidelity, cluster separation, and resampling stability were evaluated using the cophenetic correlation coefficient (CCC), silhouette width, …

Organized Sports-Based Interventions And Motor Outcomes In Children Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review, Kailash Ram, Maeren Hill, Caitlyn Stewart, Kaitlin P. Hardy Md, Sonia Khurana

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Aim

To evaluate the effectiveness of organized sports-based interventions on motor outcomes in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Method

Four databases were searched from inception to November 2025 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized controlled trials (NRCTs) reporting motor outcomes of organized sports-based interventions in children with ASD. Risk of bias was evaluated using ROB-2 (Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool, Version Two) for RCTs and ROBINS-I (Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies - of Interventions) for NRCTs.

Results

Eleven studies (six RCTs, five NRCTs) were included and categorized as martial arts (n = 5), aquatic training (n = …

Technical Skills And Their Roles In Agribusiness Supply Chain Management Education, Ryan Loy, Logan L. Britton, F. Bailey Norwood

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

The integration of advanced technical skills and supply chain management (SCM) tools is critical for the evolving demands of agribusiness. This study identifies the technical competencies, software proficiencies, and educational strategies essential for preparing students to excel in modern SCM roles. Through semi-structured interviews with 26 SCM professionals across US agribusiness sectors, the study highlights the demand for expertise in tools such as SAP, Power BI, and SQL alongside capabilities in data-driven decision-making and adaptability. Despite theoretical preparation, graduates often lack practical experience with industry-standard technologies, underscoring a gap in academic curricula. The findings suggest that agribusiness programs should emphasize …

From Reactionary To Anticipatory Integrated Action: Novel Environmental Health Surveillance For Mass Gatherings, Benjamin J. Ryan, Michael Donahoo, Danielle Esler, Paul Barach, Benjamin Coghlan, Shelby Garner, Laura M. Langan, John Piispanen, Bryan W. Brooks

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Advances in AI-driven analytics, human-in-the loop techniques, and wastewater monitoring provide the foundation needed to shift from reactive to anticipatory actions for mass gatherings. Traditional surveillance systems focus on clinical and laboratory-based notification pathways, which often result in tardy actions being implemented. Thus, traditional surveillance is becoming outdated. Mass gatherings pose heightened public health risks and hazards, including trauma; injury and substance misuse; deliberate poisoning; and infectious diseases such as food and waterborne illnesses, sexually transmitted infections, and respiratory diseases. There is also a heightened concern due to reduced vaccination coverage. As a result, future international events such as the …

The Effects Of Speak Out! On Hypokinetic Dysarthria In Individuals With Idiopathic Parkinson’S Disease, Linden King

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this single subject research study was to prove the efficacy of SPEAK OUT! therapy in improving loudness, rate of speech, and quality of life for individuals who have hypokinetic dysarthria due to Parkinson’s Disease. In this A-B-A design, five weeks of SPEAK OUT! therapy was provided twice a week to four individuals with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. Results showed an increase in loudness in conversation and improved quality of life measured by statistical and visual analysis. These findings contribute to the research behind the use of SPEAK OUT! therapy for individuals with HKD due to PD.

Beyond The Classroom: The Continuing Impact Of Brown V Board On Equitable Access To Career And Technical Education For Historically Underrepresented Students, Shannon Hood

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Using a qualitative phenomenological design grounded in Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP), this study examined how institutional structures, instructional practices, and community and industry partnerships shape equitable access, engagement, and outcomes in secondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs serving students from historically marginalized backgrounds. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirteen participants, including educators, administrators, and industry partners engaged in secondary CTE implementation. Thematic analysis identified recurring patterns related to leadership decision-making, instructional relevance, culturally responsive teaching practices, relational trust and advocacy, and authentic work-based learning (WBL) experiences. Findings indicate that equitable participation in CTE extends …

Personality Assessment Inventory Profiles In Adults Seeking Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessment, Emily Kinsey

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The current study aimed to examine differences in interpersonal functioning and response validity among adults presenting for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) assessment compared to those seeking services for other clinical concerns. The study used archival data from 238 client files collected in an outpatient clinical setting. Interpersonal functioning was assessed using the Dominance (DOM), Warmth (WRM), and Nonsupport (NON) subscales of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991). Response validity was evaluated using the Negative Impression Management (NIM) and Positive Impression Management (PIM) scales. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) showed no significant group differences across DOM, WRM, and NON …

Parent And Family Engagement In Middle Schools: A Qualitative Exploration Of Parent Perspectives And Student Success In West Tennessee, Angela Y. Searcy

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Parent and family engagement in middle school has been demonstrated to increase students' academic achievement; however, barriers often prevent parental participation. This study focused on parents' and teachers' perceptions of the parents' role in the educational process and sought to answer research questions about parents' perceptions, parents as equal partners in the educational process, and barriers to parental participation. A qualitative research design was used for the study. Teachers and parents from a middle school in West Tennessee participated in interviews to generate data used in this study. Teachers and parents identified common themes affecting the parent-school partnership, including …

Barriers To Mental Healthcare Among Men, Adrienne White

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Men are consistently less likely than women to seek professional mental health services despite experiencing significant rates of depression and psychological distress. Traditional masculine norms and depression-related stigma have been proposed as major contributors to this disparity. The present study examined the relationships among depression stigma, conformity to masculine norms, depression severity, perceived barriers to care, and attitudes toward seeking professional mental health treatment among adult men with current or past depression. Seventy participants completed measures of depression severity (PHQ-9), conformity to masculine norms (CMNI-30), depression stigma (DSS), attitudes toward help seeking (MHSAS), and perceived barriers to care (BMHS). Contrary …

The Long-Term Effects On Youth Growing Up In Foster Care, Brittney L. Olatunde

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This study examined the long-term effects of the foster care system on youth, with particular focus on how early life experiences shape developmental trajectories into adulthood. Findings indicated that involvement in the foster care system significantly influences socioemotional, psychological, and life outcomes that persist across the youth life span. Understanding these enduring effects is essential for recognizing how early disruptions and transitions impact later adult functioning. Guided by life course theory, this study explored how the timing of foster care experiences, critical life transitions, and environmental contexts collectively influence individual development over time. Emphasis was on how entry and …

Tuberculosis Presenting As Multiple Pulmonary Nodules Mimicking Malignancy, Abdel Martinez Borrego, Fatimah Bello, Brandon Cantazaro, Luisa Montoya, Frank Mediola

School of Medicine Publications

Multiple pulmonary nodules often raise concern for metastatic malignancy; however, the differential diagnosis is broad and includes infectious, inflammatory, granulomatous, vascular, and benign etiologies. Tuberculosis (TB), although uncommon, can present with multiple nodules that closely mimic metastatic disease on advanced imaging, requiring careful clinicoradiologic and microbiologic correlation. We describe a woman in her 50s who presented with dyspnea and new-onset heart failure, in whom imaging revealed mediastinal lymphadenopathy and bilateral pulmonary nodules concerning for malignancy. Evaluation was limited by concurrent COVID-19 infection, and CT-guided biopsy demonstrated necrotizing granulomas without evidence of malignancy or infection. She later re-presented with fever and …

Pediatric Both Bone Fracture Leading To Median Nerve Entrapment: A Case Report, Joshua Lyndon Dale, Frank Gerold

School of Medicine Publications

Introduction: Both-bone forearm fractures are common in pediatric patients and most often result from a fall onto an outstretched hand. Although rare, nerve entrapments, particularly of the median nerve, can occur, especially following closed reduction.

Case report: We present the case of a 13-year-old male who sustained a both-bone forearm fracture while on vacation in Mexico. The injury was managed with closed reduction and casting. Despite appropriate treatment, the patient developed progressive numbness, tingling, and thenar atrophy in the median nerve distribution. Electromyography and nerve conduction studies confirmed significant median nerve dysfunction. Surgical exploration revealed the median nerve entrapped in …

Computational And Ai Literacy: Lessons Learned From Computer Science Education, Sharin Jacob, Yenda Prado, Quinn Burke

Journal of Computer Science Integration

This conceptual paper explores the intersection of computational thinking (CT) and artificial intelligence (AI) literacy, proposing a framework integrating AI literacy into existing computational literacy models. We argue that computational thinking (CT) skills form the foundation for AI literacy, and that lessons learned from decades of computer science (CS) education research can ably guide the development of AI literacy instruction for a wide range of  students and within integrative contexts. Drawing on Kafai and Proctor's (2022) conceptualization of computational literacy, as well as encompassing cognitive, situated, and critical dimensions, we extend their framework to advance our understanding of AI literacy. …

Mending The Broken Heart: Applying Selective Spiritual Practices To Navigate The Grief Process At Reeder Memorial Baptist Church Charlotte, North Carolina, Kathryn A. Bonapart

Doctor of Ministry Projects

This Doctor of Ministry capstone examined how guiding congregants through intentional spiritual disciplines can foster grief healing at Reeder Memorial Baptist Church in Charlotte, NC. Many members face grief related to death, illness, relational loss, or communal trauma. The project integrated the biblical narrative of Jesus in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36–46) with group practices such as prayer, silence, solitude, lament, and journaling. Quantitative pre- and post-surveys and qualitative data from journals, field notes, and interviews revealed growth in emotional awareness, spiritual endurance, consistent grief practices, deeper faith during mourning, greater awareness of God’s presence in suffering, and stronger community connections.  The …

Jack, Regis Dean

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

An Army veteran recounts a fellow soldier's struggle with estrangement and alcoholism after saving a wounded Iraqi during the Gulf War. Decades later, he finds himself trying to support the man who once promised to have his back.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in …

Research Initiative For Northeast Grazing Soils (Rings) Soil Carbon Data Report, Karla M. Jarecke, Joseph P. Amsili, Alexandra Contosta, Caitlin Hicks Pries, Kelsey H. Jensen, Morgan Mcclure, Alexander Steiner, Eric Von Wettberg, Mojtaba Zeraatpisheh

Faculty Publications

The Research Initiative for Northeast Grazing Soils (RINGS) is a multi-institutional collaboration with a mission to advance the understanding of soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics in grazing systems across the northeastern United States. RINGS distributed a survey between October 2025 and June 2026 to researchers and practitioners across the Northeast to identify where SOC data has been collected and the basic field and lab methods used. The survey asked participants to describe existing soil datasets collected on land directly or indirectly impacted by grazing livestock. The survey was distributed to colleagues of RINGS researchers that work at university, corporate and …

Hyena: An Observing System Simulation Experiment For Hypothetical Energetic Neutral Atom Imagers, Joel Tibbetts, Amy Keesee, Matina Gkioulidou, Robert Demajistre, Viacheslav Merkin

Faculty Publications

Mesoscale plasma sheet flows are widely understood to be a critical component of the overall picture of energy, particle, and magnetic flux transport during periods of geomagnetic activity. Without simultaneous measurements with true global coverage, the short lifetime (~10 min) and localized spatial extents (~1–3 R_E in azimuth) of these structures make obtaining a global picture of their contributions to stormtime magnetosphere dynamics difficult to characterize. Energetic neutral atom (ENA) imaging can enable remote mapping of plasma energization in the magnetosphere; however, its line-of-sight integrated nature, coupled with the challenging-to-characterize attributes of the target physical phenomena, means that numerous …

Hosts, Scouts, And Female Indentured Sexual Servitude In Contemporary Japan, Caroline Norma, Seiya Morita

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

This article sweeps away glossy abstractions obscuring the indenturing of women in sexual servitude in Japan. These abstractions were generated by anthropologists writing in English in the first two decades of the 21^st century who inverted the relationship between perpetrator and victim to suggest that female customers exploited hosts. To overturn this view and expose the ‘gendered reality that [i]s really going on’ in Japan, this article differently explains from a feminist perspective how present-day host and scout businesses indenture Japanese women in sexual servitude. This role is one of both procuring victims as well as keeping young women …

Examining Reproductive Equity In The Post-Roe United States, Yali Pang, Anna Grace Causey, Nakeina E. Douglas-Glenn, Research Institute For Social Equity Rise

Research Institute for Social Equity

Four years after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, state-level variation in reproductive rights policy is associated with substantial geographic inequities in access to abortion and reproductive health care across the United States. The adoption of restrictive or protective reproductive rights policies is closely tied to legislative control, underscoring the political drivers of reproductive inequity. The evidence suggests that advancing reproductive equity will require coordinated national, state, and local response to strengthen healthcare infrastructure, reduce economic barriers, and establish durable legislative protections for reproductive rights.

Beyond Income Deprivation: Assessing The Compounding Impacts Of Fixed Costs And Broadband Equity On Food Security, Aemro Worku, Morgan Woodle Phd, Nakeina E. Douglas-Glenn, Research Institute For Social Equity Rise

Research Institute for Social Equity

Nearly 47 million people in the United States, including 14 million children, are considered food insecure by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These nutritional deficiencies are often considered problems of uniform economic hardships. Analyzing 50-state data, this report reveals two distinct structural challenges: financial cash flow and physical geography. First, absolute food insecurity is driven by high costs of living, fueled by housing rent burdens, and is mitigated by strong broadband internet access that connects families to benefits. Second, physical access to healthy food shows no independent relationship with household budgets; rather, it is a problem of corporate grocery placement …

Identifying The Best Cutoff Value Of The Fecal Occult Blood Immunochemical Test In The Detection Of Advanced And Neoplastic Colorectal Lesions [Identificación Del Mejor Punto De Corte De La Prueba Inmunoquímica De Sangre Oculta En Heces En La Detección De Lesiones Colorrectales Avanzadas Y Neoplásicas], Patricia Gaggero, Eduardo Fenocchi, Cecilia Silva, Juan C. Lopez-Alvarenga, Natalia Lambert, Fabian Batista, Sergio Sobrino-Cossio, Jonathan R. White, Adolfo Parra-Blanco

School of Medicine Publications

Objective: Screening is an effective tool for detecting colorectal lesions in asymptomatic subjects. There is a positive correlation between fecal immunochemical test (FIT) values and the size of tumors. Despite the efficacy of screening, the detection of colorectal cancer (CRC) remains low. The primary objective was to evaluate the best FIT cutoff value for detecting advanced adenomas and CRC among individuals at average risk in a country with a high incidence and morbidity from CRC.

Methods: This observational and prospective study analyzed consecutive cases in 1461 asymptomatic subjects with a positive FIT (≥ 100 ng hemoglobin [Hb]/ mL) referred for …

A Multiple Case Study Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Special Education Teachers Of Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Patrece A. Scott

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Special educators, particularly the teachers of students with intellectual disabilities, remained an understudied group in research. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to examine how special educators navigated their lived experiences collaborating with three key stakeholder groups: parents, general education teachers, and administrators, particularly working with students with intellectual disabilities. Specifically, this study examined how special educators experienced collaboration with those stakeholder groups through the framework of McClelland's (1961) Theory of Needs. The study involved two semi-structured interviews with each of the 12 participants, all of whom were special educators at the middle or high school level. These …

Developer Perspectives On Licensing And Copyright Issues Arising From Generative Ai For Software Development, Trevor Stalnaker, Nathan Wintersgill, Oscar Chaparro, Laura A. Heymann, Massimiliano Di Penta, Daniel M. German, Denys Poshyvanyk

Faculty Publications

Despite the utility that Generative AI (GenAI) tools provide for tasks such as writing code, the use of these tools raises important legal questions and potential risks, particularly those associated with copyright law. As lawmakers and regulators respond to these questions, the views of users can offer relevant perspectives. In this article, we provide: (1) a survey of 574 developers on the licensing and copyright aspects of GenAI for coding, as well as follow-up interviews; (2) a snapshot of developers’ views at a time when GenAI and perceptions of it were rapidly evolving; and (3) an analysis of developers’ perspectives, …

To The Hague And Beyond: The Shifting Terrain Of International Criminal Justice, Leila Nadya Sadat, Valerie Oosterveld, Sharon Weil, Nancy Combs, David Crane

Faculty Publications

Panel of international criminal law experts speak about the areas in which they work.