Digital Commons Network^™

Total Energy Expenditure Is Repeatable In Adults But Not Associated With Short-Term Changes In Body Composition, Rebecca Rimbach, Yosuke Yamada, Hiroyuki Sagayama, Philip N. Ainslie, Lene F. Anderson, Liam J. Anderson, Lenore Arab, Issaad Baddou, Kweku Bedu-Addo, Ellen E. Blaak, Stephane Blanc, Alberto G. Bonomi, Carlijn V.C. Bouten, Pascal Bovet, Maciej S. Buchowski, Nancy F. Butte, Stefan G.J.A. Camps, Graeme L. Close, Jamie A. Cooper, Sai Krupa Das, Lara R. Dugas, Ulf Ekelund, Sonja Entringer, Terrence Forrester, Barry W. Fudge, Annelies H. Goris, Michael Gurven, Catherine Hambly, Asmaa El Hamdouchi, Marije B. Hoos, Sumei Hu, Noorjehan Joonas, Annemiek M. Joosen, Peter Katzmarzyk

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Low total energy expenditure (TEE, MJ/d) has been a hypothesized risk factor for weight gain, but repeatability of TEE, a critical variable in longitudinal studies of energy balance, is understudied. We examine repeated doubly labeled water (DLW) measurements of TEE in 348 adults and 47 children from the IAEA DLW Database (mean ± SD time interval: 1.9 ± 2.9 y) to assess repeatability of TEE, and to examine if TEE adjusted for age, sex, fat-free mass, and fat mass is associated with changes in weight or body composition. Here, we report that repeatability of TEE is high for adults, but …

Effective Connectivity Is A More Promising Biomarker For Brain Health In Middle-Aged Adults Than Functional Connectivity: Bogalusa Heart Study, Kai Cheng Chuang, Sreekrishna R. Pillai, Lydia Bazzano, Owen T. Carmichael

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Background: Effective connectivity, the causal influence that functional activity in a source brain location exerts over functional activity in a target brain location, has the potential to provide richer information about brain networks than functional connectivity, which only quantifies activity synchrony between regions. However, head-to-head comparisons of effective and functional connectivity from functional MRI data are rare, especially among diverse cognitively healthy middle aged and older adults. Method: 100 Bogalusa Heart Study participants performed a Stroop task during functional MRI (Table 1). Effective connectivity and functional connectivity among 24 regions of interest (ROIs) previously identified as activated by this task …

Global-Scale Modeling Of Early Factors And Country-Specific Trajectories Of Covid-19 Incidence: A Cross-Sectional Study Of The First 6 Months Of The Pandemic, Sujoy Ghosh, Saikat Sinha Roy

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Background: Studies examining factors responsible for COVID-19 incidence have been mostly focused at the national or sub-national level. A global-level characterization of contributing factors and temporal trajectories of disease incidence is currently lacking. Here we conducted a global-scale analysis of COVID-19 infections to identify key factors associated with early disease incidence. Additionally, we compared longitudinal trends of COVID-19 incidence at a per-country level, and classified countries based on COVID-19 incidence trajectories and effects of lockdown responses. Methods: This is an observational cross-sectional study covering COVID-19 incidence over the first 6 months of the pandemic (Jan 1, 2020 to June 30, …

Redox Phospholipidomics Analysis Reveals Specific Oxidized Phospholipids And Regions In The Diabetic Mouse Kidney, Allison Mccrimmon, Sydney Corbin, Bindesh Shrestha, Gregory Roman, Suraj Dhungana, Krisztian Stadler

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

While it is generally accepted that oxidative stress impacts the diabetic kidney and contributes to pathogenesis, there is a substantial lack of knowledge about the molecular entity and anatomic location of a variety of reactive species. Here we provide a novel “oxidative stress map” of the diabetic kidney – the first of its kind, and identify specific, oxidized and other reactive lipids and their location. We used the db/db mouse model and Desorption Electrospray Ionization (DESI) mass spectrometry combined with heatmap image analysis. We analyzed a comprehensive array of phospholipid peroxide species in normal (db/m) and diabetic (db/db) kidneys using …

Low Total Osteocalcin Levels Are Associated With All-Cause And Cardiovascular Mortality Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Real-World Study, Yun Shen, Lei Chen, Jian Zhou, Chunfang Wang, Fei Gao, Wei Zhu, Gang Hu, Xiaojing Ma, Han Xia, Yuqian Bao

Population and Public Health Science Faculty Publications

Background: The association between osteocalcin and mortality has been scantly studied. We aimed to investigate the association between osteocalcin along with its trajectories and mortality based on long-term longitudinal data. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of 9413 type 2 diabetic patients with at least three measurements of total serum osteocalcin within 3 years since their first inpatient diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Baseline, mean values of osteocalcin levels and their trajectories were used as exposures. A multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the association of osteocalcin levels and their trajectories with mortality. Results: During a …

Exploring Dante’S Sources Online: Interactive Reading, Visualizations, And The Study Of Dantean Intertextuality In The Digital Age, Julie Van Peteghem

Publications and Research

Dante’s Commedia is a highly allusive text, and readers throughout time have noted the many parallels between Dante’s verses and those of others. Now that the text of the Commedia and various scholarly and artistic interpretations of the poem (commentaries, translations, illuminated manuscripts) have become accessible online, also the concordance, the lists of parallel passages in Dante’s poem and other works, has become a digital resource. In this essay I explore the study of Dante’s sources in a digital environment mainly through the Intertextual Dante project and its Dante-Ovid edition, published on Digital Dante. Intertextual Dante visualizes moments of …

Reducing The Cost Of Agency: Looking Beyond Top Management Teams, Stephen C. Giles

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

The year 2020 demonstrates that powerful forces exist in the external environment, which may threaten a firm’s survival, but agency problems, within the organization, persist even in years where there are minimal external pressures on the firm. Agency costs can present meaningful challenges to the firm beyond the chief executive and top management team, and the concept of agency is applicable to all employees, not just management. An organizational learning culture is proposed to both aid firms in reducing the cost associated with agency, as well as to enable firms to adapt to rapid changes in the external environment. In …

Detecting Selfish Mining Attacks Against A Blockchain Using Machine Learing, Matthew A. Peterson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Selfish mining is an attack against a blockchain where miners hide newly discovered blocks instead of publishing them to the rest of the network. Selfish mining has been a potential issue for blockchains since it was first discovered by Eyal and Sirer. It can be used by malicious miners to earn a disproportionate share of the mining rewards or in conjunction with other attacks to steal money from network users. Several of these attacks were launched in 2018, 2019, and 2020 with the attackers stealing as much as $18 Million. Developers made several different attempts to fix this issue, but …

Characterizing The Cutaneous Microbiome Of Eurycea Lucifuga As A Potential Defense Against Chytridiomycosis, Madeline Key

Senior Honors Theses

Chytridiomycosis is an emerging infectious disease that is significantly reducing global amphibian populations. The disease is caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), a fungus that lethally modifies amphibian skin. Recent research has suggested that the cutaneous microbiome of individual amphibians may play a role in susceptibility to the pathogen. In this study, twelve cave salamanders (Eurycea lucifuga) were collected. Cutaneous bacteria from each salamander were isolated and identified using Sanger Sequencing. Additionally, a Bd-challenge assay was performed to determine each isolate’s antifungal activity. Results indicated many microbial isolates possessed inhibitory capabilities against Bd, which may …

Collaboration From Variable Perspectives Through A Multi-Instrumental Approach, Sarah Gates

Senior Honors Theses

This thesis is a discussion of the art of musical collaboration. First to be defined is general collaboration and what the key components to success are as discussed by various authors. The components will be discussed through the various aspects of musical collaborative relationships, such as those between fellow performers, composers and artists, conductors and their ensembles, as well as teachers and their students. A discussion of the differences between those who are experienced on their singular instrument versus those who are experiences on multiple instruments will also be made. Incorporation of this knowledge will be observed in the different …

Peer Mentoring And Test Anxiety In Collegiate Aeronautics Students: An Integrative Review, Angelo R. Cosentino

Senior Honors Theses

An integrative review was conducted to lay the foundation for further research focusing on the use of peer mentoring as a tool to reduce the anxiety pilots and mechanics feel for their oral and practical exams to increase student safety and performance. Research on performance anxiety in competitive sports, music performance anxiety, and academic test anxiety showed how anxiety levels relate to athlete and student performance. Feedback surveys from peer mentoring programs identified increased self-efficacy, increased student retention, and a better understanding of the applicable examination as possible benefits of such mentoring programs. I determined the proposed research question was …

Fostering Positive Teacher-Student Relationships In The Classroom, Mandi Lehman

Senior Honors Theses

The research in this qualitative study bases itself on the importance of positive teacher-student relationships in the classroom. Positive teacher-student relationships are critical in furthering students’ growth in the school. Teachers can take the place of a parental role in a student’s life, and positive relationships are essential to make a lasting impact on students. Teachers’ attitudes affect how they understand and build relationships with the students in their classroom, and factors such as closeness, conflict, and dependency affect these relationships. Five elementary education professors were interviewed to gain insight into the specific strategies and attitudes elementary educators need to …

Worried Sick: Understanding The Implications Of Stress On A Physiological Level, Julia Saia

Senior Honors Theses

Stress is prevalent among many individuals in today’s society. A literature review was conducted to investigate the physiological effects of stress, including the biomarkers of stress and how these interact with various body systems. The stress response is a protective mechanism to prepare the body to adequately respond to a perceived threat. However, when this response is prolonged, it begins to have a maladaptive effect on the body and can cause more harm than good. This literature review sought to compile what is known regarding the general effects of chronic stress and its impact on the nervous, immune, digestive, and …

The Importance And Implementation Of Kinesthetic Learning In The English Classroom, Emma Crandall

Senior Honors Theses

This paper examines different educators’ and researchers’ activities for kinesthetic learners and discusses how they can be applied to the English classroom in literature, writing, and language. The first section delves into the difficulty associated with but ultimate importance of including kinesthetic learning activities for both kinesthetic and non-kinesthetic learners due to the benefits of active learning. Subsequently, it looks for synthesis between different types of kinesthetic activities, dividing them into the categories of manipulatives, commonly accepted classroom activities with kinesthetic add-ons, and kinesthetic-centered activities. The ways each activity can be used, including its benefits and disadvantages, are discussed, and …

Creating A Culture Of Learning: Intrinsic Motivation And Its Practical Value In The Wake Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Paige Hennen

Senior Honors Theses

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, students of all ages were required to rapidly transition to the demands of virtual learning, resulting in general amotivation. These changes have led to poor academic performance, due to the decreased efficiency of learning processes as these students learn to cope with the instability caused by the pandemic as well as school-related changes. Intrinsic motivation, especially when cultivated within the learning process, plays an important role in student academic success and acts as an influence on holistic success in adulthood. Thus, educators must cater to the needs of this generation's students by implementing …

The Greatest Teacher: Modeling Jesus In Urban Education, Harley Rusk

Senior Honors Theses

Several key best practices from urban education research are reflected in the pedagogy of Jesus Christ, providing a practical foundation for Christian educators in urban schools. Related to the prevalence of poverty and trauma are the practices of learning students’ backgrounds to better interpret behavior, which Jesus reflects by healing before teaching, and holding high standards, demonstrated in Jesus’ interaction with the rich man and the Sermon on the Mount. Related to racial diversity are the practices of addressing implicit bias, a crucial part of being Christlike, and connecting instruction to students’ culture, like Jesus did through parables. Christians can …

More Than A Single Story: Culturally Diverse Literature And Social Inclusion In Elementary Classrooms, Amanda Works

Senior Honors Theses

This paper aims to consider the existing literature regarding culturally diverse literature, social inclusion, and children’s literature as mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors. These three concepts form a conceptual framework that supports the research study, which explored the use of culturally diverse literature and any correlation with social inclusion. Four elementary teachers participated in semi-structured interviews focused on two research questions: “What impacts the use of culturally diverse literature in elementary classrooms?” and “Does culturally diverse literature affect social inclusion in elementary classrooms?”. Through thematic, qualitative analysis, the study identified three central themes: (1) levels of choice based on …

A Strategic Social Media Marketing Plan To Launch A New Tabletop Role-Playing Game, Josiah Mork

Senior Honors Theses

The boardgame industry is thriving through independent (“indie”) publishers crowdfunding on platforms such as Kickstarter. However, the tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) fanbase is resistant to digital media. Indie publishers are then in a dilemma. They lack money to gather supporters through traditional media and cannot crowdfund the money without supporters.

Free social media platforms are natural solutions, if indie creators can circumnavigate fans’ reluctance to engage digital media. Therefore, a strategic social media plan is required to market new TTRPGs successfully. By compiling research on industry and audience, this thesis proposes key observations for indie TTRPG publishers and an example …

December 2022 - Front Matter

Journal of Solution Focused Practices

No abstract provided.

A Tribute To Jan Bavelas, Sara Smock Jordan

Journal of Solution Focused Practices

No abstract provided.

Thank Your Mother For The Rabbits, David Hains

Journal of Solution Focused Practices

No abstract provided.

December 2022 Complete

Journal of Solution Focused Practices

No abstract provided.

What Is Helpful: The Client’S Perception Of The Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Process By Level Of Engagement, Andreea M. Żak

Journal of Solution Focused Practices

The current study aimed to explore what elements from the solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) process clients perceive as helpful and how their perception varies by level of engagement. The replication of the SFBT model from the perspective of clients residing outside the USA was also examined. A mixed-method design was used in a naturalistic setting in Poland. Clients (N = 346; 74% females) aged 18 to 67 attending psychotherapy in private practice were interviewed. Thematic analysis revealed eleven main themes. The SFBT-specific themes replicated the original model, yet a more ordered organization of core elements emerged than currently existing ones. …

The Solution-Focused Circle Technique: A Visual Tool For Discovering Strengths And Facilitating Change In Therapy And Counseling, Arnoud Huibers, Ben Furman

Journal of Solution Focused Practices

The Circle Technique is a solution-focused tool for discovering clients' resources, competencies and desired changes, essential aspects of solution-focused psychology. Using two concentric circles, the practitioner guides the client to find resources and ideas about what they want to change and solutions they can use within their social context. The visual tool allows the practitioner and the client to act as explorers, like Marco Polo or Columbus, discovering new worlds. The Circle Technique can be applied in diverse settings to empower a wide range of clients to find valuable ideas. The information found with the help of the circles feels …

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy With Hispanic Families, Vanessa Magaña, Eman Tadros

Journal of Solution Focused Practices

No abstract provided.

The Solution-Focused Approach As A ‘Virtue-Rich’ Practice, Brian Jennings

Journal of Solution Focused Practices

No abstract provided.

Testing The Reliability And Validity Of The Solution-Focused Vs Problem-Focused Communication Scale In A Workplace Setting, Akira Kitai, Yoshimichi Shimada

Journal of Solution Focused Practices

No abstract provided.

Bliss! Finding Your Joy In Work And Life Again -- Goesting!, Wendy Van Den Bulck

Journal of Solution Focused Practices

No abstract provided.

Forgetting Ourselves: Alzheimer's In Women, Jasmine Mortero

Research Briefs

Women are 3x more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than their male counterparts. Two thirds of Americans with Alzheimer's are women. Women in their 60s are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's during the rest of their life than they are to develop breast cancer.

Roe V. Wade: What Has Changed In Nevada Since The Federal Decision Was Reversed?, Tsion Mekonnen

Research Briefs

30% of abortions were reported to have been performed on married women. 58% of the abortions performed on Nevada residents were chemical abortions. In 2019, Clark County had the highest volume of abortions performed resident women, accounting for 87% of the abortions performed on Nevada residents. 95% of the abortions reported in Nevada in 2019 were performed on state residents. 91% percent of women in Nevada live in counties with at least one abortion provider. Nevada had a total of 8,578 abortions reported by women who had previous births (2020). Nevada had a total of 8,557 abortions reported by women …