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An Investigation Into Distinctions Between Nonsuicidal Self-Injury And Disordered Eating Behaviors, Kyle Ross

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

The investigation of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and eating disorders (EDs) is important for the field of clinical psychology to clearly conceptualize and treat self-destructive behaviors. The present study aimed first to understand experiences of NSSI and ED behaviors and then to determine the best way to conceptualize indirect versus direct self-harm behaviors to inform treatment. Four research questions focused on (1) experiences of the behaviors, (2) functions of the behaviors, (3) conceptualization of direct/indirect self-harm, and (4) descriptions of treatment experiences. Interviews were conducted with nine people (eight women, one nonbinary) with a mean age of 31 years old. Participants …

Unspoken Loving: Depictions Of Brown Latina Motherhood & Mothering Onscreen, Jennifer L. Florencio

CMC Senior Theses

This senior thesis focuses on the depictions of intergenerational relationships between Latina Mothers and daughters on film, more specifically through analyzing Spanglish (2004) and Real Women Have Curves(2002). Additionally, emphasizing the lack of healthy communication and loving presence missing from said depictions of Latina mothering. The method follows the use of a plática, as a Chicana Feminist framework in holding space for communal dialogue and sharing knowledge as a means for having a conversation about the impacts and importance of having healthy representations of Latina Motherhood and Mothering in film media.

From Physical Correlation To Emotional Connection: The Role Of Passive Haptics On Empathy In Virtual Reality, Jemely Robles

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

Virtual reality is increasingly explored as a tool for cultivating empathy, and haptic feedback as a tool for enhancing immersion. This paper investigates the effects of combining the two.  Fifty-two participants experienced a custom-built VR scene in which a character was shown packing up a room. Participants were assigned to either a haptic condition, receiving passive haptic feedback corresponding to the character's actions, or a non-haptic control condition that did not receive any haptic input. Trait empathy was measured beforehand, and state empathy and engagement were measured after the experience. Thematic analysis was conducted on post-study interviews, and headset recordings …

Fusion, 2026, George Washington University, William H. Beaumont Medical Research Honor Society

Fusion

No abstract provided.

Assessing Aerobic And Anaerobic Exercise As Therapies For Sarcopenia, Ella B. Farrer

Student Research Poster Presentations 2026

Sarcopenia is an age-related condition represented by progressive changes in muscle physiology that results in the loss of muscle mass and strength. The onset varies amongst individuals and can be influenced by various factors. On the cellular level, mitochondrial dysfunction and disruptions at neuromuscular junctions have been associated with the progression of sarcopenia. The condition ultimately reduces mobility, increases mortality, and hinders quality of life in older populations, necessitating an understanding of effective therapies.

Exercise was linked to symptom reduction of sarcopenia. Evidence indicated aerobic exercise and anaerobic exercise influence distinct molecular pathways involved in muscle physiology. Literature assessed the …

Microplastics Effect On Gut Microbiota, Victoria Rae Pellew

Student Research Poster Presentations 2026

Microplastics Effect on Gut Microbiota 

PELLEW, V, Misericordia University, 301 Lake Street, Dallas, PA, United States, 18612

Microplastics (MPs) are small plastic particles less than 5mm in size that are present throughout the environment and are commonly found in both food and water, making human exposure unavoidable. Ingestion occurs through consuming contaminated food, inhalation by breathing airborne particles, and dermal contact via phone cases or skin care products. Once absorbed into the body, MPs may influence human health by altering the gut microbiome.

Results from human fecal studies and in vitro models have shown that MPs can alter pathways associated …

Characteristics Of Pulmonary Vs. Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis Cases In Kentucky From 2020 To 2024, Mariam M. Alkhairat

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Objective: Tuberculosis (TB) remains an important public health concern in the United States, especially among people experiencing social and clinical vulnerabilities. Extrapulmonary TB, which occurs outside of the lungs, can be harder to detect and diagnose than pulmonary TB. This study aimed to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of people with active TB in Kentucky and to identify factors associated with extrapulmonary TB.

Methods: Secondary surveillance data were obtained from the Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) using the National Tuberculosis Surveillance System (NTSS). The study sample included 301 confirmed active TB cases reported in Kentucky. Descriptive statistics were …

The Physiology Of Burnout: A Neuro Sustainable Model For Social Work Stability, Mindi Radtke

Social Work Student Works

The Physiology of BurnoutThis independent study introduces NeuroSustainability, a professional framework designed to move the discourse of clinician endurance away from "individual grit" and toward the preservation of Cognitive Capital. In the modern social work landscape, practitioners are trapped in an Implementation Paradox, where the biological necessity of recovery is undermined by high-friction work environments and systemic noise. This chronic friction facilitates allostatic overload, a state of biological debt that triggers structural remodeling of the brain: specifically, the atrophy of the prefrontal cortex-the seat of complex decision-making-and the hypertrophy of the amygdala, which increases reactive anxiety.  The paper identifies three …

Pressure Field Estimation From 2d-Piv Measurements: A Case Study Of Fish Suction-Feeding, Jensine C. Coggin, Duvall Dickerson-Evans, Erin E. Hackett, Roi Gurka

Marine Science

Particle image velocimetry (PIV) flow measurements are common practice in laboratory settings in a wide variety of fields involving fluid dynamics, including biology, physics, engineering, and medicine. Dynamic fluid pressure is a notoriously difficult property to measure non-intrusively, yet its variation is a driving flow force and critical to model correctly. Techniques have been developed to estimate the pressure from velocity and velocity gradient measurements. Here, we highlight a novel application of boundary conditions when applying such pressure estimation techniques based on two-dimensional PIV data; the novel method is especially relevant to problems with complex boundary conditions. As such, it …

Gone But Not Forgotten: Collaborative Telemetry Network Provides Insight Into Out-Of-System Movements Of Common Snook, Victoria S. Goldner, Mack White, Cody W. Eggenberger, Alia A. Jones, Cameron C. Atkinson, Jonathan R. Rodemann, W. Ryan James, Jordan A. Massie, Andrea M. Kroetz, Patrick M. O’Donnell, Ross E. Boucek, Rolando O. Santos, Jennifer S. Rehage

Marine Science

Objective The objective of this study was to examine the movements of Common Snook Centropomus undecimalis, a tropical euryhaline species, out of the Shark River, Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, and gain a better understanding of their long-distance regional movements. Methods This study used 7 years (2017–2023) of acoustic telemetry data from the Shark River Florida Coastal Everglades Array and from five other collaborative telemetry arrays in southwestern Florida to assess out-of-system movements for 119 Common Snook. Generalized linear models were used to assess the relationships between out-of-system movements and biological and environmental variables. Results Most Common Snook departures took …

The Effect Of Aerobic Exercise With Blood Flow Restriction On Substrate Utilization And Energy Expenditure, Jakob D. Lauver, Nathen Andrews, Chase Harris, Nelo E. Zanchi, Kelly E. Johnson, Timothy R. Rotarius, Justin P. Guilkey

Kinesiology

Purpose: This study examined the effects of intermittent blood flow restriction (LI-BFR) compared to low- (LI) and high-intensity interval exercise (HI) on substrate utilization and energy expenditure (EE). Methods: Exercise protocols consisted of 2-minute work intervals interspersed with 1-minute recovery intervals (20W), HI consisted of 5 intervals performed at a workload corresponding to 140% of ventilatory threshold intensity and LI and LI-BFR consisted of 10 intervals performed at 70% of ventilatory threshold. BFR cuffs were inflated to 80% of limb occlusion pressure during each work interval and deflated during each recovery. Following each exercise protocol subjects rested for three hours, …

Overbreadth In Medical Practice Acts: A Threat To Preventive Speech, Barbara Zabawa

Faculty Works

Many Americans consult unlicensed wellness coaches for scientifically-valid advice on diet, exercise, and lifestyle interventions. Yet state medical practice acts and ambiguous government line drawing between wellness and medical care chill the speech of these coaches as it relates to disease prevention, even though conventional medicine systematically fails to deliver the speech-heavy preventive care consumers need and want. This Article argues that medical practice acts, particularly the sixteen state statutes that include "prevention" in their definition of medical practice, are constitutionally overbroad restrictions on protected speech. Despite judicial and scholarly assumptions to the contrary, not all those working in wellness …

In Vivo Telemetry To Record Long-Term Cardiovascular Parameters, Temperature, And Activity In Spinal Cord Injury Rat Models, Sajeev Kaur, Anna M. Baur, Jillian A. Condrey, Dorottya P. Gal, Samir P. Patel, John C. Gensel

Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center Faculty Publications

Higher-level spinal cord injury (SCI) above thoracic level 6 (T6) disrupts autonomic function and contributes to secondary complications, including fluctuations in blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature. In rats, the placement of telemetric implants in the descending aorta offers a robust methodology for assessing various cardiovascular parameters, such as systolic and diastolic pressure, mean arterial pressure, and heart rate. Core body temperature and animal activity can also be recorded following telemetric implant placement. A rat with a telemetric implant is kept on the receiver plate connected to a computer system for recording various parameters. Continuous long-term recordings at defined time …

The Southern Roots Of Populist Rhetoric And The Growth Of Fundamentalism, Ethan Teems

Theses

The religious fundamentalism of the 1920s was a direct evolution of the Southern Populist movement of the 1890s. While populism began as a political crusade against economic exploitation, industrialization, and urbanization, it evolved into a movement that attacked modernity. The southern United States was rooted in a predominantly religiously homogeneous society. The Protestant religions that encompassed the region were unwilling to adapt to a changing society, allowing religious fundamentalism to expand.

Beginning with the cultural conflicts of the 1920s, such as the Scopes Trial and William Jennings Bryan’s activism, the study explains how fundamentalists framed their struggles against modernism as …

The Legal Philosophy Behind Zoos Confinement Of Animals, Jamie Lynn Tucker Crockett

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

In my essay, I will be diving into the controversial issue of Animal containment, focusing on zoos in the United States. I will be taking this opportunity to establish a new way of thinking about the argument which states the pros of zoos outweigh the negative effects they have on the animals who live there. Neither side of the argument has a malicious intention towards harming animals. Instead, each side shows a different approach of what it is to properly care, and respect for animal rights. Those arguing in support of zoos commonly reference arguments dating back to Aristotle. However, …

Zero Tolerance Or Strong Cultural Diversity: The Hard Case Of Female Genital Surgery, James M. Donovan, Christiane Canant

Emory International Law Review

This article applies a thesis favoring strong cultural diversity to defend a subject-centered policy regarding female genital surgeries (FGS). That idea posits that cultural variation holds an intrinsic value that should be presumptively respected when setting policy and creating law. Correlatively, cultural homogenization, especially by force, should be resisted.

Taking as a starting point the recent celebration of the United Nation’s Day of Zero-Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, the paper reviews the context of FGS practices in various societies and critiques the inconsistencies of U.N. arguments to advance its goal of total elimination by 2030. Especially problematic for the U.N. …

The “Multi-Normative” Biological Weapons Convention: A Study Of The 2022 Article V Meeting In Geneva, Robert Lawless

Emory International Law Review

In September 2022, States parties to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) held a Formal Consultative Meeting in Geneva pursuant to Article V of the Convention, following Russia’s allegations that the United States and Ukraine had developed biological weapons in violation of BWC prohibitions. Although largely overlooked in public discourse, the Geneva meeting provides a revealing example of the BWC in practice. This article examines the Geneva meeting to assess the Convention’s normative role in contemporary international relations. It argues that States parties reaffirmed their commitment to the BWC’s core prohibition against the hostile use of biological agents against humans. Moreover, …

Variable Infections But No Evidence Of Immune Priming In Bumble Bee Hosts Against Novel Exposure To A Honey Bee Virus, Austin C. Calhoun, Ben M. Sadd

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

Ongoing global change presents novel challenges to species persistence, including heightened emerging infectious disease (EID) exposure. While invertebrates lack vertebrate acquired immunity, many species exhibit “immune priming” with enhanced protection to repeated pathogen exposures. This phenomenon could be critical for species of conservation concern, such as for wild bumble bees, where EID risk is amplified through contact with managed bee pollinators. We investigate the potential for immune priming against the honey bee-derived Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV) in Bombus impatiens bumble bees. We test the hypothesis that prior pathogen-associated exposure affords greater resistance and tolerance upon secondary pathogen exposure, due …

Asymmetric Synthesis Of The Hiv Protease Inhibitor Tmc-126, A Pmx Antimalarial Protease Inhibitor, And A Putative Covid-19 Inhibitor Using A Highly Stereoselective Glycolate Aldol Addition Reaction Pathway, Kweku Amaning Affram, Austin Carter, April Breede, Alexandra Kimsey, Godson Hemeson, Bader Semakieh, Moses Martinez, Emmanuel Ayim, Joy Odeh, Shawn R. Hitchcock

Faculty Publications – Chemistry

An asymmetric glycolate aldol addition pathway was developed for the synthetic preparation of a series of protease inhibitors based on the hydroxyethylamine structural motif. A single glycolate aldol adduct derived from a highly diastereoselective (≥95:5 d.r.) asymmetric aldol reaction served as the starting point for the synthesis of the inhibitors. The starting material is easily prepared and purified via recrystallization on multigram scales. This work describes the synthesis of the HIV protease inhibitor TMC-126, the Plasmepsin X (PMX) inhibitor 49c for the treatment of malaria, and a computationally derived inhibitor for the 3CLpro of the SARS-CoV-2 from a single common …

Comorbidity And Violence: What Role Does Resilience Play In Preventing Violent Acts?, Madeline J. Petit

Theses and Dissertations

The conjunction of substance use disorders, mental illnesses, and violence has been shaped through traditional risk-centered models, yet these approaches fail to explain why most individuals do not engage in violent behavior despite being high risk. This study aims to investigate how resilience may buffer the criminogenic effects of comorbidity and help understand the majority of those at risk who remain nonviolent. The data for this study is drawn from the MacArthur Violence Risk Assessment Study, which consisted of 2.255 person-waves, as the data examined comorbidity across 5 waves, consisting of 451 participants in each wave.Each participant in each wave …

Emotion Regulation Difficulties And Substance Use: The Role Of Conscientiousness, Caitlyn M. Donnelly

Theses and Dissertations

Difficulties in emotion regulation have been consistently linked to substance use among college students. However, individual differences may influence this relationship. Conscientiousness, a personality trait characterized by self-control, planning, and goal-directed behavior, has been proposed as a potential protective factor. The present study examined associations among difficulties in emotion regulation, conscientiousness, and substance use behaviors, as well as whether conscientiousness moderates the relationship between emotion regulation difficulties and substance use. Using a quantitative, cross-sectional, correlational design, data was collected from college students recruited through a university participant pool. Participants completed self-report measures of emotion regulation difficulties, conscientiousness, and substance use …

Managing Multi-Drug Resistance: An Evolutionary Game Theory And Optimal Control Approach, Shukhrat Nasrulloev

Theses and Dissertations

Multi-drug resistance is an evolutionary process in which treatment eliminates sensitive cells, allowing resistant clones to dominate. This thesis investigates this process using a framework integrating population dynamics, evolutionary game theory, and optimal control theory. We develop a two-population logistic growth model describing competition between drug-sensitive and drug-resistant cells under treatment, construct dose-dependent payoff matrices and replicator dynamics to characterize evolutionary competition, and derive a critical drug level D_crit = (r_S - rR)/(dS - d_R) at which resistant cells gain a fitness advantage. An optimal control problem is formulated via Pontryagin's Maximum Principle to identify schedules …

Pregnancy Discrimination In Women’S Sports: An Analysis Of What Has Been Done, And What There Is Still Left To Do, Jordan Decrescente

Student Works

No abstract provided.

Increasing Temperatures And Heatwave Durations Negatively Affect The Performance Of A Dietary Generalist, Kailey G. Hicks, Claire Guzinski, Mariana Abarca, Mayra C. Vidal, Audrey M. Mitchell, Dhaval K. Vyas, Shannon M. Murphy

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Climate variability has increased in recent decades, and this trend is predicted to continue. Globally, there is a rise in extreme temperatures, such as heatwaves, which are strengthening in both intensity and frequency. As ectotherms, insects are especially affected by temperature variation. Insects are the most speciose group of animals and important members of most terrestrial ecosystems, providing critical ecosystem services. Most studies of global change have investigated only a single stressor, yet insects rarely experience one stressor at a time. Two stressors that co-occur are heatwaves and warming temperature regimes; thus, is it important that we study their interaction …

Summer Seminars General Index The Center For Catholic Studies 1998-2026, Center For Catholic Studies, Seton Hall University

Center for Catholic Studies Faculty Seminars and Core Curriculum Seminars

No abstract provided.

2026 Faculty Summer Seminar - Modern Misenchantments: St. Augustine’S Wisdom For Challenging The Idols Of Consumerism And Nationalism, Center For Catholic Studies, Seton Hall University

Center for Catholic Studies Faculty Seminars and Core Curriculum Seminars

About the 2026 Faculty Seminar - p.6

Josephine De Vito - p.9 The Idolatry of Saint Augustine for College Students

Anthony Haynor - p.12 Checking Idolatry Creep in Catholic Universities

Mark Horowitz - p.20 Can the Universal Church Transcend the Tribal Chimp?

Richard M. Liddy - p.26 Cavanagh’s Distinction and Lonergan’s Intellectual Conversion

Jose Lopez - p.32 Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness Under Pressure

Jon Radwan - p.37 Idolatrous Grasp, Sacramental Encounter: Communication and Contact Before, During and After Babel

Elizabeth Brewer Redwine - p.46 Saint Augustine, Idolatry and Service: A Pedagogical Response

Lisa Rose-Wiles - p.50 Useful …

Are There Enough Bees? Assessing Pollen Limitation In Native Eastern Washington Prairie Forbs, Alejandro Torres

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Prairie ecosystems in eastern Washington have been severely degraded due to agricultural intensification, urbanization, and habitat fragmentation, leaving less than 0.1% of native prairie intact. As a result, these ecosystems have become some of the most endangered in the United States. One group of essential pollinators is the bees, which facilitate plant reproduction and contribute to the long-term persistence of restored plant communities. However, despite the presence of at least 257 native bee species in the region, the impacts of habitat fragmentation and restoration on pollinator activity and plant-pollinator networks remain poorly understood. For this study, we worked across Eastern …

Mapping The Distribution Of The Common House Mosquito (Culex Pipiens) In The City Of Spokane: Mosquito Breeding Sites And Blood Meal Analysis, Oluwapelumi Hannah Sonoiki

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Mosquitoes in the genus Culex are the primary vectors of West Nile virus (WNv) in the United States, with Culex pipiens and Culex tarsalis serving as the dominant species in Spokane. In urban environments, catch basins and other artificial water bodies that collect stagnant and polluted water provide favorable breeding habitats for Culex pipiens. This study aimed to assess the spatial distribution and seasonal dynamics of Culex larvae in Spokane. We examined 303 randomly selected catch basins in the summer of 2025, and at each site we recorded the presence or absence of water, water depth, and mosquito larval …

The Restorative Effects Of Virtual Reality Nature Simulations: An Empirical Investigation, Isabel T. Folger, Yichen Zhang, Kenneth B. Abrams

Psychology Faculty Work

Although extensive research demonstrates that nature films can facilitate recovery from stress and cognitive overload, it remains unclear whether more immersive media, such as virtual reality (VR), are more effective than similar two-dimensional films. The present study examined the effects of immersiveness on affective, cognitive, and physiological restoration. Three levels of immersiveness for film viewing were employed: 2D (computer monitor), standard VR (visual and auditory input), and enhanced VR (standard VR plus olfactory and haptic input). All participants were exposed to parallel versions of a six-minute nature film. We hypothesized that greater immersiveness would produce stronger restorative effects. All versions …

Cohabitation And Child Educational Outcomes: An Examination Of Family Stability And Transition In Australia, Shana Pribesh, Emily E. Pulsipher, Mikaela J. Dufur, Jonathan A. Jarvis, Ashley Weisman, Yuanyuan Yue

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Cohabitation has become an increasingly common context for childrearing, yet children living with cohabiting parents often exhibit poorer academic outcomes than peers with married parents. This study examines whether these disparities stem from cohabitation itself, subsequent family transitions, or underlying mechanisms related to resources, stress, or selectivity. Using data from the Growing Up in Australia: Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC), we follow 920 children born to cohabiting parents and track family structure changes alongside teacher-rated literacy and mathematics performance from ages 6 to 11 years. Generalized estimating equation models show that, although children whose parents transitioned to single-parent or …