Digital Commons Network^™

Informing Modifications To Social Participation And Navigation (Span) For Adolescents With Social Anxiety Incorporating Pet Dogs, Nicole Porter, Gary Bedell, Jason Getzler, Megan Mueller

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Social anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health challenges of adolescence and profoundly impacts social participation. This study obtained adolescent and parent feedback to inform a future modification of Social Navigation and Participation (SPAN) for use with adolescents with social anxiety incorporating pet dogs.

Methods: The study had two phases: Phase 1 included interviews with adolescents with social anxiety (n = 8) about their social participation experiences, strategies, pet dogs, and thoughts on a proposed intervention to promote social participation; and Phase 2 included on-line survey completed by the adolescents and their parents (n = 14) assessing …

Mechanical Testing & Characterization Of Zk60 Magnesium At Various Temperatures, Derek Works

Liberty University Research Week

Magnesium is a lightweight structural metal used everywhere from industrial equipment to bioengineering. It is often mixed with other metals to create alloys with certain desirable characteristics. To better implement these alloys, an accurate understanding of their behavior and structure is necessary. This project will investigate the behavior of magnesium alloy ZK60. Mechanical testing will provide results describing the behavior of the material at various temperatures. The mechanical testing will be conducted using the Instron static loading machine and furnace attachment at the Center for Engineering Research & Education (CERE) to apply compressive force to the magnesium specimens at temperatures …

Influence Of Scp1 On Cryptococcus Neoformans Virulence, Carleigh Warsing

Liberty University Research Week

Cryptococcus neoformans is the highest ranked pathogen on the Fungal Priority Pathogen List (WHO). Cryptococcal disease begins as pneumonia, crosses the blood-brain barrier, and develops into meningoencephalitis with a 41-61% mortality rate. While most commonly contracted by immunocompromised individuals, infections in immunocompetent individuals do occur. Treatments often produce severe side effects and increased resistance is a developing concern. Our research aims to identify a gene that can be targeted for more effective antifungal therapies. The SCP1 gene is involved in pH regulation and virulence in C. neoformans. Our research hypothesiszes that the SCP1 gene is crucial for the adaptation of …

Quantitative Pilot Study: Impact Of Social Responsibility And Altruism Values On Rehabilitation Employee Satisfaction, Debra Beazley, Agnes Kim, Lori Bolgla

Asian Journal of Physical Therapy

Background: This study explores the association between physical therapist satisfaction in a rehabilitation private practice and perceptions of altruism and social responsibility in the workplace. Small private, for-profit businesses like therapy practices often embrace altruistic values and socially responsible cultures driven by close stakeholder relationships. Alignment between business culture and personal values is a stronger predictor of workplace and career satisfaction. Employees who perceive value alignment report higher job satisfaction and relatedness. Prosocial cultures, rich in altruism and social responsibility, foster job fit and reduce dissatisfaction and turnover. Physical therapy's core values, including altruism and social responsibility, are integral to …

Pricing Asian Options During Crises With The Impact Of Exogenous Events, Moath Ali Bakour

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Asian options are path-dependent options since their payoff is built on the prices of the underlying asset over a time period. The Asian option pricing problem is primarily subject to the prediction model for asset prices. The pioneer Black Scholes paper suggests a GBM- Geometric Brownian motion. The Black-Scholes formula suffers from several shortcomings. For instance, the GBM does not take into consideration crises. Another problem with the Black-Scholes model is that it does not deal with the impact of external events. This work aims at a suggested model that encompasses the impacts of crises and external events together. It …

Pcos In The Southern United States: A Socio-Ecological Model Intervention, Gloria Ogunlade

Liberty University Research Week

The second verse of 3rd John emphasizes the importance of prospering in our health even as our soul prospers. When so many diseases and complications plague the body, it impairs the quality of life and contradicts the will and purpose of God which is for us to enjoy good health continually. God desires the well-being of the whole person—body, soul, and spirit. This aligns with the biblical concept that humans are created in the image of God and that God's original plan for humanity included physical health and harmony. Believers need to care for their bodies, recognizing them as temples …

Museum Exhibition Project: Hands Of Extinction, Katy Fulkerson

Liberty University Research Week

Problem Statement The research problem stated that I was to conceptualize an original museum exhibition and create promotional materials, mock displays of the exhibit, and utilize environmental graphic principles. First, I had to determine the topic, then name and visual identity, and finally I took those elements and created both display spaces and additional promotional materials. I was required to create mockups of two main exhibit walls, an entrance wall, one outdoors advertisement, and design a custom handout. Since this was a project mostly devoted to environmental design, most of the designs were made with intention of connecting with its …

Platelet-Rich-Plasma Injections Vs. Corticosteroid Injections In The Reduction Of Pain For Patients With Frozen Shoulder: A Critically Appraised Topic, Amanda Pendleton

Liberty University Research Week

Context: Frozen shoulder affects 5% of the population, causing pain and stiffness lasting up to 3 years.1 The clinical question is: Is platelet-rich plasma or a corticosteroid injection better for relieving pain for patients with frozen shoulder pathologies? Methods: To identify relevant research papers, Boolean searches were conducted on Google Scholar, CINAHL Ultimate, MEDLINE Ultimate, and SPORTDiscus databases from September 14th through September 25th, 2023. Key terms used were corticosteroid (CS) injection, platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) injection, frozen shoulder, and adhesive capsulitis. The inclusion criteria were: Articles published from 2018-2023, Randomized Control Trials comparing PRP and CS injections, studies that used visual …

A Brief Overview Of Health, Poverty, And Mental Health Concerns In American Indian/Alaska (Ai/An) Populations Native, Abbie Hopson

Liberty University Research Week

American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations consistently experience significant health disparities compared to other races and to the general population. The majority of the negative mental and physical health outcomes of this population are preventable. This study provides an overview of the health disparities faced by American Indians/Alaska Natives, outlines contributing social determinants, and suggests future directions for research and treatment. Primary focuses were identified from government and Native organizations, including census data, education reports, and other similar sources, and were explored more in-depth through a variety of studies from the fields of psychology, history, sociology, and anthropology. Initial …

Chaplain Emil Kapaun: A Hero Of Faith, Kacie Wooten

Liberty University Research Week

Of the 3,535 Medals of Honor that have been awarded, only nine chaplains have received one. The last chaplain to receive this medal was Father Emil Kapaun for his service in the Korean War. Chaplain Kapaun earned this medal because of the values that flowed out of his faith and his willingness to sacrifice his life for others. He lived out his faith for Jesus and was humble, calm, and generous. I researched Kapaun through books, articles, and documents at the Jerry Falwell Library, the Liberty University Chaplain’s Museum, and the Chaplain Kapaun Museum. Kapaun started his walk with Christ …

Selena Quintanilla- Bridging The Gap Between Hispanics And Us Americans, Natalia Garcia

Liberty University Research Week

The textual or investigative physical poster will examine Selena Quintanilla and her impact on pop culture history as a Hispanic American. Selena Quintanilla was born in Texas to a Mexican American family. Selena, due to her vocal talents, was able to become a well-known singer and was deemed as the "Queen of Tejano". ln 1994, Selena Quintanilla was the first Tejano artist won a Grammy Award for her album, Selena Live! Throughout her success, she was able to pave the way for many upcoming Hispanic Americans artists. This presentation would focus primarily on Selena Quintanilla being a second generation American …

The Spiritual Realm And The Christian Story: The Apologetic Value Of The Unseen Realm By Michael Heiser, Cameron Bonin

Liberty University Research Week

Michael Heiser’s work in The Unseen Realm presents the deep mythos of the Bible and the spiritual saga it contains. As society continues to drift deeper into the consequences of Friedrich Nietzsche’s godless universe, Heiser’s unseen realm offers apologists an exciting and beautiful alternate narrative. Christianity is more interesting and compelling than other conceptions of the universe. The biblical worldview calls for humankind to be elevated within its glorification and service to God, and it identifies humanity’s failure as cosmically significant in both Heaven and Earth. While many narratives, ancient and modern, call for the glorification of the human as …

Tackling Networked Misogyny Through Graduate Curriculum Design, Carolyn M. Cunningham

Feminist Pedagogy

This paper explores the importance of sharing feminist research through digital projects. One of the barriers of digital projects is the networked misogyny that graduate students face. This paper offers several strategies for addressing networked misogyny, including teaching about digital privacy, strategies for documenting harassment, collective engagement, and integrating trauma-informed pedagogy.

Gamified Ungrading: Playing With Andragogy And Feminist Instructional Design, Stefani Boutelier

Feminist Pedagogy

This article explored an original graduate-level teaching activity of gamification and ungrading through a feminist instructional design lens. We can understand outcomes of gamified equitable grading experiences by de-centering adult interpretations and habits of colonial educational structures–not only for the learners but as current and future leaders. These strategies were evaluated with student self-evaluations, feedback loops, and reflexivity through modeling and co-reflection. The outcomes and potential for replication of a gamified ungrading experience bring forward a humanized curriculum for all levels of learners and designers.

Turning Theory Into Practice: An Application Of Queer Family Theory For Graduate Students, Shawn N. Mendez, Samuel H. Allen

Feminist Pedagogy

This paper describes an original teaching activity for instructors of graduate students. Leveraging a critical, transformative, and intersectional pedagogical perspective applied to graduate education, this paper prepares instructors to effectively teach queer theory through an application of the Hegemonic Heteronormativity (HH) model, introduced by Allen and Mendez in 2018. The HH model identifies heteronormativity as a pervasive, three-pronged hegemony, each of which shifts and changes intersectionally and over time. The three-part assignment described in this paper asks students to read the Hegemonic Heteronormativity manuscript independently before reviewing the model with instructor facilitation. Then, students apply the model to real-life examples …

Enhancing Health Analytics: Secure And Private Federated Learning Solutions, Nisha Thorakkattu Madathil

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Federated Learning (FL) is a collaborative approach permitting individuals to jointly train a model without sharing their local datasets with others. FL utilizes decentralized data sources to train machine learning models while protecting privacy, has emerged as a promising method. This holds especially true in medical contexts, where the confidentiality of data is critical. FL permits the utilization of heterogeneous datasets from a variety of healthcare organizations while maintaining patient confidentiality. It also plays a crucial role in advancing medical research and healthcare services while adhering to data distribution and compliance requirements. The primary challenges within federated healthcare encompass privacy …

Cypress Falls, Jamie Paisant

Liberty University Research Week

This sculpture demonstrates a conceptual display of world development and the ability of physical assets to support overall story development. The overall research question involves how one can support a story development and create tools to develop and communicate the concepts of the story. In creating this diorama, it demonstrates how building a structure such as this, a person can take two-dimensional ideas into three dimensions, and how it can advance the development of the story world. The creation of this display involved researching locations, cultures, building methods, and many more aspects. The methodology of the research was a combination …

Consumer's Right To Withdraw From The Electronic Contract, Budour Saleh Alkatheeri

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Among the effects of technological development is that it has brought about important changes in the processes of communication between people, especially in the field of concluding contracts, as sales contracts are among the most contracts concluded through modern means of communication and Internet networks, due to their speed, which made the consumer accept to conclude the contract with The supplier (or seller) without thinking in order to acquire the good or service sold, and the consumer may rely - only - on photographs and the description of the good by the supplier, because such contracts are carried out remotely …

Influence Of Low-Level Condensed Tannins Concentrations In Temperate Forages On Sheep Performace, F Montossi, F Liu, J Hodgson, S T. Morris, T N. Barry, D F. Risso

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Results from a series of six comparative lamb grazing trials with temperate forages are summarised, and compared with results from the literature. Condensed tannin (CT) concentrations in the diet ranged from 0.12% to 0.47% on a dry matter (DM) basis. Values were generally similar for Yorkshire fog (Holcus lanatus), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and annual ryegrass (L. multiflorum), each grown with white clover (Trifolium repens), in similar circumstances. Concentrations for tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea)/white clover pastures were relatively low, but may have been artefacts. Drenching with polyethylene glycol (PEG) to bind …

Tannin Contents Of Some Indigenous Browse Plants Of Botswana, A A. Aganga, C M. Tsopito, K M. Morake

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A study was carried out to evaluate the tannin content and crude protein degradation of leaves and twigs from indigenous browsable trees which provide feed for grazing livestock on natural rangelands of Botswana. These browses include the families Leguminosae (Acacias), Capparidaceae (Boscias), Combretaceae (Combretum) and Tiliaceae (Grewias). These were found to be of good nutritive value, with the leaves having a high content of crude protein (9 - 16%) and a wide range of dry matter digestibility (37 - 69.82%). The correlation between crude protein disappearance and tannin content was found to be negative (-0.582) and significant (P<0.05).

Effect Of Tannin In Animal Diet On Nitrification Rate Of Pasture Soil Under Dung Patches, J R. Crush

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The rate of formation of nitrate and ammonium in the soil under dung patches was compared for dung from animals fed either ryegrass (Lolium perenne)/white clover (Trifolium repens) or ryegrass/Lotus pedunculatus forage. Tannin derived from the Lotus did not inhibit ammonification in the soil under dung but nitrate formation was strongly inhibited. The results support the theory that polyphenolics may bind to nitrite in acid soils and cause immobilisation of mineral nitrogen. Apart from their effect of reducing the proportion of dietary nitrogen excreted in urine, tannins in animal diets may make a further contribution to …

Condensed Tannins In Tropical Legumes: Concentration, Astringency And Effects On The Nutrition Of Ruminants, R Barahona, C E. Lascano, R C. Cochran, J L. Morrill, E C. Titgemeyer

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A feeding trial was carried out to determine the effect of extractable condensed tannins (ECT) concentration and tannin astringency in tropical legumes on nitrogen (N) digestion by sheep. Test legumes were Desmodium ovalifolium (Do) and Flemingia macrophylla (Fm) which had similar concentrations of Extractable CT (9% DM) but tannins with different degree of astringency (Do, 0.6 and Fm, 0.3 g protein bound/g of ECT). Chopped sun-dried forage of each legume was sprayed with either water (control) or polyethylene glycol (PEG, 3.5% DM) to reduce ECT and fed to 8 sheep with ruminal and duodenal canulas arranged in a replicated 4 …

Effect Of Condensed Tannin In Lotus Corniculatus And Lotus Pedunculatus On Digestion Of Rubisco In The Rumen, W C. Mcnabb, R J. Aerts, A Brand, J S. Peters, Y L. Foo, G C. Waghorn

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The in vitro precipitation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (Rubisco) by condensed tannin (CT) extracted from Lotus corniculatus and Lotus pedunculatus and the effect of these CT on the in vitro rumen degradation of Rubisco was used to compare the reactivity of these CT. The chemical structure of CT from Lotus corniculatus was homogenous with epicatechin stereochemistry and mostly procyanidin units. The CT from Lotus pedunculatus was heterogenous with mostly prodelphinidin units. The amount of CT required to precipitate all the Rubisco when total soluble leaf protein was incubated with CT from Lotus corniculatus and Lotus pedunculatus was similar. Although CT from …

Nitrogen And Fiber Digestion In Sheep Fed Fresh-Frozen And Field-Dried High And Low Tannin Sericea Lespedeza, T H. Terrill, W R. Windham, C S. Hoveland, H E. Amos, B Kouakou, S Gelaye

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Field-drying reduces extractable condensed tannin (CT) of sericea lespedeza [Lespedeza cuneata (Dum-Cours) G. Don], but effects on specific bound and unbound forms of CT and the relationship to protein and fiber digestion in ruminants are unclear. Intake and digestibility of fresh-frozen and field-dried high- and low-tannin sericea were investigated in a feeding trial with sheep (Ovis spp.). Field-drying had no effect on crude protein (CP) and fiber content of sericea, but shifted CT from extractable to bound forms. Digestion coefficients for CP, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) were lower for high-tannin sericea than the low-tannin …

Alteration Of Condensed Tannin Sythesis In Transgenic Forage Legumes, F Paolocci, G Tanner, S Arcioni, F Damiani

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The transformation of Lotus corniculatus plants with the maize gene Sn, reorganizes the tissue specificity of condensed tannins accumulation. In particular the transformed plants show an increase of tannin content in roots and a decrease in leaves. Molecular and enzymatic analyses suggest that the transgene can functionally substitute an endogenous unknown gene not expressed in roots and induces its silencing when it is expressed. These findings could have applications for reducing tannin content in unpalatable plants and for cloning genes involved in tannin synthesis.

Comparison Of The In Vitro Fermentation Characteristic Of Fractionated Alfalfa And Sainfoin, L R. Mcmahon, M Goto, T A. Mcallister, G A. Jones, K J. Cheng

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Alfalfa and sainfoin leaves were lyophilized and ground (A, S, respectively) or were fractionated into soluble (A_SOL, S_SOL) and insoluble (A_INS, S_INS)components and lyophilized and incubated in vitro with diluted ruminal fluid for 24h. Whole leaf and soluble fractions were also incubated with polyethylene glycol 8000 (PEG). Gas production (GP), ammonia concentration [NH3] and volatile fatty acid (VFA) production were lower (P< 0.05) from S and SSOL than from A and ASOL Insoluble fractions differed only in [NH3] (SINS < AINS, P < 0.05). Inclusion of PEG increased (P < 0.05) GP, [NH3] and VFA production from whole leaf and soluble fractions of sainfoin, but not alfalfa. Inactivating the condensed tannins in sainfoin with PEG overcame differences in degradability between these two forages.

Differences In Chemical Composition Among Provenances Of Tree Fodder Species In A Subhumid Environment: Relation To Use As Supplements, B H. Dzowela, L Hove, P L. Mafongoya

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Studies were initiated in a subhumid Southern African environment to assess the chemical composition and nutritive value of Acacia angustissima (Mill.) Kuntze, Calliandra calothyrsus Meiss. and Leucaena species. The objective was to determine variability in crude protein (CP) concentration, acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), and soluble and insoluble proanthocyanidins from fodder samples of species, subspecies and provenances. A wide range was found in these parameters. The implications of these chemical composition factors, especially proanthocyanidins, on the use of these browse fodders in livestock feeding systems are discussed.

Nutritional Implications Of Bound Proanthocyanidins, H P.S Makkar, K Becker

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The correlation between protein binding capacity of proanthocyanidin-rich neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and their proanthocyanidin (PAs) content was very low (r = -0.21; n = 6). These PAs-rich NDF did not affect growth of a tannin-sensitive strain of Clostridium perfringens. A substantial amount of bound PAs (75 to 92 %) disappeared from the NDF in 24 h of fermentation in an in vitro incubation medium containing rumen microbes. Addition of a tannin-binding agent, polyethylene glycol to the incubation medium containing rumen microbes and browses made free of extractable tannins or NDF rich in bound PAs increased the gas production up …

Environmental Effect On New Released Genotypes Of Graminaceous And Leguminous Forage Perennial Crops, P Martiniello, G Genier, R Allerit

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Genotypes of perennial leguminous (alfalfa) and graminaceous (cocksfoot and tall fescue) were evaluated for adaptability in a typical Mediterranean environment (Foggia, southern Italy). The species were field evaluated to detect biomass yield potential under different types of watering. Irrigations were applied considering rainfall and FAO cultural growth coefficient for reintegrating the 75% of the evaporated water from Class A water pan. The forage harvest was applied when the shoots of the varieties reached the 10 and 50% of flowering and heading stage for leguminous and graminaceous, respectively. A split-plot experimental design, with irrigation in the main plot, was adopted. The …

Plant Tannins- Their Role In Forage Legume Quality, J A. Alokan, V A. Aletor

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Forage legumes, especially browse plants, are important in the maintenance and survival of ruminant animals. However many browse species contain high levels of polyphenolic compounds including tannins. The effects of tannins on the quality of forages are reviewed. These include reduction in palatability and intake of feeds, growth rate, digestion of fibre fractions and nitrogen utilization by animals.