Digital Commons Network^™

Loneliness Rates Among Undergraduates From 2008 To 2022, According To Data From The National College Health Assessment, Eunji Shin, Khanh Bui Dr., Joshua H. Park

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Loneliness is a painful awareness that one’s social relationships are less numerous or meaningful than one desires (Peplau & Perlman, 1982). To feel lonely is to feel excluded from a group, unloved by those surrounding oneself, unable to share one’s private concerns, or alienated from others (Myers & Twenge, 2019).

Since Fall 2008, the American College Health Association has collected data on loneliness from an average of 44,888 college students in its fall and spring administrations of the National College Health Assessment (NCHA). In this study, we report the rates of loneliness among undergraduates from Fall 2008 to Spring 2022. …

Role Of Oral Microbiota In Cancer Development, Vanessa Gunderson

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

More individuals die from oral cancer every year than from melanoma, cervical cancer, and ovarian cancer in the United States. Further, the 5-year survival rate for oral cancer has remained stagnant for over forty years, which is almost unseen across any other form of cancer. This fact exposes that there is a major need to push for research, prevention, and education on oral cancer. To investigate this, a literature review was performed that looked at eight research studies and data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). This review revealed that without proper oral hygiene and care, one’s oral bacterial …

Developing A Bacterial Panel For The Evaluation Of Novel Anti-Infective Compounds, Clare Euteneuer

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Antibiotic resistance is one of the leading causes of concern for the world health community. Drugs used to stop various infections for years are now becoming easier for bacteria to resist due to mutations and plasmids conferring resistance. To combat this problem, new drug can help alleviate this concern. We developed an assay that allows us to screen novel drug-like compounds against bacteria in an effort to identify promising new anti-infective compounds. Our assay was designed using known drugs against a panel of gram positive and negative bacilli and cocci including S. epidermidis, P. mirabilis, N. mucosa, and E. …

Attenuated Skeletal Muscle Metabolism Explains Blunted Reactive Hyperemia After Prolonged Sitting, Cody Anderson, Elizabeth Pekas, Michael Allen, Song-Young Park

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Introduction: Although reduced post-occlusive reactive hyperemia (PORH) after prolonged sitting (PS) has been reported as impaired microvascular function, no specific mechanism(s) have been elucidated. One potential mechanism, independent of microvascular function, is that an altered muscle metabolic rate (MMR) may change the magnitude of PORH by modifying the oxygen deficit achieved during cuff-induced arterial occlusions. We speculated that if MMR changes during PS, this may invalidate current inferences about microvascular function during PS. Objective: Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine if peripheral leg MMR changes during PS and to ascertain whether the change in the oxygen deficit …

What Are Library Graduate Students Learning About Disability And Accessibility?: A Syllabus Analysis, Jj Pionke

Urban Library Journal

A study was conducted that examined readily available syllabi from library and information sciences graduate programs to discover what their instructors taught library graduate students about accessibility and disability through an analysis of the structure and topics of their syllabi. Of the 149 courses identified, 77 syllabi were available to examine. Findings include a lack of consistency and accuracy across syllabi structure, as well as components like poor citations, an emphasis on digital accessibility above all other types as a topic, and a lack of learning assessment on the topics of accessibility and disability. This syllabi analysis indicates that while …

Commercial Speech In The Digital Age, Maret Danielle Elgren

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The following paper presents a deep-dive into the First Amendment legislation regarding commercial speech, namely the 1980 decision Central Hudson Gas & Electric Co. v. Public Service Commission of New York. In a society where advertising continues to become more prominent, this research paper explores how legislation surrounding advertisement practices, and how it has evolved since its inception.

In analyzing recent Supreme Court cases citing Central Hudson, this paper examines the efficacy of this legislation in the digital age, where advertising and data collection are inescapable. It concludes with an examination of how current advertising legislation has adapted to fit …

Histological Evidence For The Therapeutic Effect Of Chitosan Nanofibrous Dressing On Acute Skin Wounds In A Rat Model, Mahboubeh Ghanbari, Sayed Ahmadreza Razian, Sara Cartwright, Yury Salkovskiy, Jason Mactaggart, Mark A. Carlson

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Introduction: Large-area skin traumas, such as thermal burns, are among the most severe health issues that decrease patients’ quality of life and burden healthcare systems. The CDC estimates that there are 1.1 million burns requiring medical attention each year, with more than 20,000 cases involving at least 25% of the body surface, resulting in 4,500 deaths. In addition, about 10,000 people die from burn-related infections. A promising solution to alleviate this problem is using wound dressings based on biopolymers with inherent wound healing properties and biodegradability. One of these biopolymers is chitosan, which is derived from arthropod shells and exhibits …

Healthcare Facilities: Maintaining Accessibility While Implementing Security, Ryan Vilter

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

In the wake of the Tulsa, Oklahoma hospital shooting in the summer of 2022, it was made clear that more security needed to be implemented in healthcare facilities. As a result, I inquired: What is the happy balance for healthcare facilities to maintain their accessibility to the public while also implementing security measures to prevent terrorist attacks? With that base, I give recommendations in the areas of cybersecurity, physical infrastructure, and physical and mental health, based off the existing literature and data gathered from terrorist attacks against hospitals over several decades.

Impact Of Passive Leg Movement On Lower Limb Vascular Function In Patients With A Spinal Cord Injury, Christian D. Sanchez Tato, Elizabeth J. Pekas, Michael F. Allen, Cody P. Anderson, Song-Young Park

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Background: Individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCI) are at a greater risk for developing cardiovascular diseases. Of note, post injury mediated increases in physical inactivity leads to muscle atrophy, which also results in vascular dysfunction in this population. Although a growing body of evidence suggests that passive leg movement (PLM) may be a useful exercise modality to improve peripheral blood flow and skeletal muscle activation in individuals with limited mobility, few studies have examined the impact of PLM on local skeletal muscle blood flow. Therefore, there is a need to examine the impact of PLM on lower limb vascular function …

The Effects Of Demographics And Risk Factors On The Morphological Characteristics Of Human Femoropopliteal Arteries, Sayed Ahmadreza Razian, Majid Jadidi, Alexey Kamenskiy

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Background: Disease of the lower extremity arteries (Peripheral Arterial Disease, PAD) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. During disease development, the arteries adapt by changing their diameter, wall thickness, and residual deformations, but the effects of demographics and risk factors on this process are not clear.

Methods: Superficial femoral arteries from 736 subjects (505 male, 231 female, 12 to 99 years old, average age 51±17.8 years) and the associated demographic and risk factor variables were used to construct machine learning (ML) regression models that predicted morphological characteristics (diameter, wall thickness, and longitudinal opening angle resulting from the …

Impact Of Sex On Macrovascular Endothelial Function During Prolonged Sitting With A Mild Hypercapnic Environemnt, Andres Benitez-Albiter, Michael Allen, Elizabeth J. Pekas, Cody P. Anderson, Song-Young Park

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

IMPACT OF SEX ON MACROVASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION DURING PROLONGED SITTING WITH A MILD HYPERCAPNIC ENVIORNMENT

Andres Benitez-Albiter¹, Michael F. Allen¹, Elizabeth J. Pekas¹, Cody P. Anderson¹, and Song-Young Park¹

1 - School of Health & Kinesiology University of Nebraska Omaha, Omaha, NE

Introduction: Prolonged sitting (PS), defined as sitting for 2+ hours at a time[SYP1] , has been identified as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It has been well-documented that an acute PS bout can impair macro- and microvascular dysfunction in healthy young individuals. Recently, we reported that …

A Content Analysis On Health News About Uterine Fibroids In The U.S., Diana Mwikisa

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Abstract

Uterine fibroids have become a rising global health concern, especially among Black women in America and worldwide. This is a quantitative study that explores the health news reporting on uterine fibroids in the United States of America. A content analysis of the top 10 selected U.S. newspapers (between 2017 and 2021) was conducted. This study used the purposive sampling technique. 104 newspaper articles were selected and coded into a code sheet using a coding scheme and then statistically analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive analysis using descriptive statistics and chi-square were used to test and answer research questions. The key findings …

Conversations That Matter: Engaging Library Employees In Dei And Cultural Humility Reflection, Angel Truesdale, Kimberly Looby, Christin Lampkowski, Abby Moore

Urban Library Journal

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Programs subcommittee at University of North Carolina (UNC) Charlotte’s Atkins library formed in 2019 and created a series of DEI-themed staff development programming to engage library employees. The programs, which included facilitated discussions, short presentations at staff meetings, and interaction with video or article content, were all intended to foster a culture of reflection and awareness. To accommodate changing necessities of virtual and in person work environments, the subcommittee transitioned their work to be applicable both online and in person with an educational hub to promote cultural humility practices. The subcommittee began assessing the …

Ijes Self-Study On Participants’ Sex In Exercise Science: Sex-Data Gap And Corresponding Author Survey, Matthew J. Garver, James W. Navalta, Michel J.H. Heijnen, Dustin W. Davis, Joel D. Reece, Whitley J. Stone, Shannon R. Siegel, T. Scott Lyons

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(6): 364-376, 2023. A sex-data gap exists between females and males within the sport and exercise science literature, and implications are far-reaching. The purpose of this work was to (a) heed recent calls and scrutinize data from within IJES to address the gap and (b) gain insight on self-identified sex of IJES corresponding authors. The present self-study included all published manuscripts from 2008 through 2021. A total of 851 publications were included, and 806 (94.7%) reported data on participant sex. There was a difference between publications that included only females (n = 132) versus …

Directing Attention Externally Produces Consistent Vertical Jump Assessment Results, Logan T. Markwell, Hubert Makaruk, Vanessa Frost-Piedrahita, Jared M. Porter

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(5): 448-457, 2023. Recent research has demonstrated that consistent external attentional focus instructions produce more reliable jumping measurements compared to non-consistent focus of attention instructions. While previous research has examined the effects of different external attentional focus instructions, less is known about different external focus of attention instruction effects during a vertical jump. Given that previous work has demonstrated that consistent external focus of attention instructions produced reliable jumping estimations, we hypothesized that using multiple methods to direct attention externally would produce consistent vertical jump results. Using a within-participant design, college aged students (n …

Reliability Of A Novel Automated Ultrasound Technology For Body Composition Assessment And Comparisons With Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry, Adam Bradley, Lukus Klawitter, Emma Carver, Zach Johnson, Ryan Mcgrath, Sherri Stastny, Bryan Christensen, Kyle Hackney

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(4): 393-401, 2023. Body composition tools vary in reliability, portability, and accessibility. The purpose of this study was to evaluate test-retest reliability of MuscleSound® (MS) and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for both two compartment (region) and three compartment (tissue) models. A secondary aim was to compare body composition values produced by both devices. Fifty participants (n = 25 male, n = 25 female) aged 18-39 years completed two body composition assessments, twice in a single session. Participants arrived at the lab after a 12-hour fast. DXA required participants to lay supine for 10-15 minutes …

Effects Of Different Percentages Of Blood Flow Restriction On Muscle Oxygen Saturation While Walking, Clayton Shriver, Yvette Figueroa, Jayson R. Gifford, Patrick Davis

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(2): 411-428, 2023. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of different relative pressures of blood flow restriction (BFR) on muscle oxygen saturation (SmO₂) while walking at 3.0 mph (4.83 kph). Fifteen physically active healthy adults performed seven 5-minute stages of walking at 3.0 mph with a blood flow restriction cuff applied to the proximal portion of the left or right leg while bilateral SmO₂ changes were measured using near infra-red spectroscopy (NIRS) on the medial head of the gastrocnemius (GM) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles. Other measurements including …

Arch Stiffness Does Not Determine Running Economy In Recreational Runners, Ian Bradford, Padraig Kirkwood, Jared Eddy, Phillip Essenmacher, Jean L. Mccrory, Brian K. Leary

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(2): 402-410, 2023. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between foot length, arch stiffness, and running economy in recreational runner at low running velocities. Sixteen trained endurance (age 20.5 ± 0.4 yrs, height 172 ± 1.8 cm, and mass 68.53 ± 2.40 kg) athletes had their foot anthropometrics and running economy measured. Foot anthropometrics including Foot Length (FL), Arch Stiffness Index (ASI), and Achilles Tendon Moment Arm Length (ATML) were assessed. Subjects then completed a maximal oxygen consumption (VO_2max) test and running economy (RE) assessment. RE was measured …

Training Status Impacts Metabolic Response To A High-Protein Weight Loss Diet In Recreationally Resistance-Trained Females., Alyssa A. Olenick, Regis C. Pearson, Nathan T. Jenkins

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(2): 377-392, 2023. This study investigated the effects of a novel high-protein diet template on postprandial metabolism and body composition (e.g., waist and hip circumference, body fat (%), fat mass, fat-free mass) in recreationally resistance-trained females. Fifteen females adhered to an eight-week high-protein dietary intervention (~1.5-1.6 g·kg^-1·day^-1) administered via template format. Pre- and post-intervention visits included anthropometrics, measurement of body composition, and an acute high-fat meal challenge. The high-fat meal challenge (61% fat) consisted of fasting postprandial blood glucose, resting metabolic rate (RMR), fat and carbohydrate oxidation assessed at 60-, 120-, …

Anthropometric Predictors Of Conventional Deadlift Kinematics And Kinetics: A Preliminary Study, Dale S. Keith, Daniel Scherrer, Brandon Nunley, Jake R. Boykin, Jacob J. Green, Madelin R. Siedler, Christian Rodriguez, Patrick S. Harty, Matthew T. Stratton, John R. Harry, Grant M. Tinsley

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(1): 429-447, 2023. The purpose of this preliminary analysis was to determine if there are relationships between anthropometric characteristics (arm length, torso length, thigh length, and shank length) and conventional deadlift (CDL) kinematics and kinetics during a 5 sets of 5 repetitions (5 x 5) CDL routine in resistance-trained males. Eleven males who had experience with the deadlift exercise were included in this analysis (age: 21.5 ± 1.4 y; height: 180.7 ± 5.7 cm; body mass: 89.9 ± 16.0 kg). Anthropometrics were measured by a 3-dimensional optical scanner. The participants underwent a 5 x 5 …

Endothelial Cell Nrf2-Ko Attenuates Endothelial Function And Skeletal Muscle Antioxidant Capacity, Elizabeth J. Pekas, Cody P. Anderson, Michael F. Allen, Kollyn B. Jallen, Dong Gun Jin, Andres Benitez-Albiter, Christian D. Sanchez Tato, Lie Gao, Neha Dhyani, Tara L. Rudebush, Irving H. Zucker, Song-Young Park

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

INTRODUCTION: Endothelial cells line the inner surface of blood vessels and play a major role in modulating blood flow and gas exchange. Endothelial dysfunction is thought to be a contributor to cardiovascular disease development, and it is well-accepted that excessive reactive oxygen species (harmful molecules) likely contribute to endothelial dysfunction. The transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is considered the master regulator of cellular protection in response to elevated reactive oxygen species. Therefore, Nrf2 may be a potential therapeutic target to protect against endothelial dysfunction. However, the roles of endothelial cell-specific Nrf2 on endothelial function are not …

Impaired Hydrogen Sulfide Protein Expression In Patients With Peripheral Artery Disease, Dong Gun Jin, Kollyn B. Jallen, Liz Pekas, Song-Young Park

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

INTRODUCTION: Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is a gaseous signaling molecule that serves various roles in the vasculature, such as upregulating angiogenesis, vascular smooth muscle relaxation, protecting endothelial function, and regulating redox balance. Despite H₂S’s positive impacts on vascular homeostasis, it is important to note that its actions depend on its concentrations. At high concentrations, H₂S has been reported to increase oxidative stress damage, such as oxidation of cysteine residues and lipid peroxidation. This may indicate that H₂S may act as a ‘double-edged sword’ in the field of vascular physiology. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) …

Effect Of Dual Tasking And Levodopa-Induced Dyskinesia On Postural Sway In People With Parkinson's Disease, Joseph Ayotunde Aderonmu, Carolin Curtze

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that results in motor impairments such as gait and balance deficits. Levodopa is one of the most effective drugs in treating the slowness of movement in individuals with PD. However, the long-term use of levodopa in treating PD often causes undesirable involuntary and uncontrollable movements, known as levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID). LID is a known cause of increased postural sway. Yet, the relative contribution of the body segments often affected by dyskinesia to postural sway is unknown. We aimed to investigate the contribution of different body segments to postural sway in PD for individuals …

Providing A Built-In Service Monitoring Display For Network Devices, Asier Arlegui, Josh Halley, Sven Arend

Defensive Publications Series

When a home office user or enterprise branch office user complains that the "internet is not working," it could be due to a number of factors, such as router/modem issues, Internet Service Provider (ISP) downtime, network congestion, wired/wireless connection problems, Domain Name Server (DNS) issues, firewall block(s), security breach(es), power failures/surges, network configuration errors, and/or the like. Presented herein is a built-in display that can be provided for a network device (e.g., router, switch, etc.) that can be used to report data gathered by active network and digital service monitoring agents running on the device itself. Network connectivity and digital …

The Fierce Green Fire: Vol. 13 Issue 15, Wofford College. Department Of Environmental Studies

The Fierce Green Fire

No abstract provided.

Renewable Energy's Role In Georgia's Energy Regulatory Compact, Matthew Daigle, Michael Foo, Holly Ingram

Law Review Blog Posts

Exploring Georgia’s complex legal and regulatory landscape, this blog post examines the challenges and opportunities for renewable energy integration within the state's investor-owned utilities.

Wei Colleges Performance Report; Fy21 Closeout, Yolanda J. Clark, Andy Blanke, Brian Richard

Reports, Whitepapers, Articles, and Other Publications

The purpose of this report is to examine how Workforce Equity Initiatives (WEI) colleges create an equitable learning environment and workforce equity for a diverse group of students from disproportionately impacted areas. Promising practices that demonstrate how diversity, equity, and inclusion are integrated throughout the WEI lifecycle were identified by the NIU-CGS evaluation team. Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 closeout reports were analyzed to present student characteristics, key performance indicators, and enrollment in high-demand occupation training programs. Promising practices were identified during the qualitative data collection interview process with frontline staff and administrators.

Cardiac Rgs Proteins In Human Heart Failure And Atrial Fibrillation: Focus On Rgs4., Jordana I. Borges, Malka S. Suster, Anastasios Lymperopoulos

HPD Articles

The regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins are crucial for the termination of G protein signals elicited by G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). This superfamily of cell membrane receptors, by far the largest and most versatile in mammals, including humans, play pivotal roles in the regulation of cardiac function and homeostasis. Perturbations in both the activation and termination of their G protein-mediated signaling underlie numerous heart pathologies, including heart failure (HF) and atrial fibrillation (AFib). Therefore, RGS proteins play important roles in the pathophysiology of these two devasting cardiac diseases, and several of them could be targeted therapeutically. Although close …

The Relationship Between Recent Csd Graduates' Comfort And Training With Aac And Their Knowledge Of Aac, Delanie Amend, B.S.

Theses & Honors Papers

The purpose of this research was to investigate the perspectives of recent Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) graduate students regarding their comfort and training around Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and examine the Dunning-Kruger effect between recent CSD graduates’ knowledge with AAC versus their perceived expertise of AAC. The researcher distributed an online survey via email, social media, American Speech-Language- Hearing Association (ASHA) Special Interest Groups to individuals who graduated from a CAA- accredited Speech-Language Pathology master’s program with a graduation year of 2018-2022 who now currently hold either their Certificate of Clinical Competency (CCC-SLP) or their Clinical Fellowship license …

Sensor-Monitored Compliance Following Rcr And Effects On Postoperative Prognosis, Phillip Westbrook

Yale School of Medicine Physician Associate Program Theses

Rehabilitation in the immediate postoperative period after surgical rotator cuff repair is critical for long-term patient outcomes. This rehabilitation typically consists of six weeks of immobilization with a sling following surgery to optimize tendon-to-bone healing, but the benefit of this has been debated in recent years. The optimal immobilization period is difficult to determine because patient compliance with immobilization protocols varies. Subjective measures from patients regarding compliance are often unreliable, suggesting a need for a more objective approach. In this prospective cohort study, we will use temperature sensors to monitor sling wearing times and assess the effect of patient compliance …