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From Awareness to Understanding: Mental Health Knowledge Among First-Generation College Students
Full text linkThe scholarly delivery focused on examining first-generation students' awareness and perception of mental health, with a specific focus on anxiety and depression. The study sought to identify how these students understand mental health, emphasizing their awareness, perceptions, and engagement with mental health services. It explored individual, cultural, and institutional factors, including personal knowledge, experiences, and attitudes; family and social influences; and the availability of mental health education and resources within the college settings. Recognizing the unique challenges faced by first-generation students, this research aimed to offer insights into effective strategies that post-secondary institutions can implement to enhance access to mental health support and better meet the needs of this population
DESIGNING EFFECTIVE MATHEMATICS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Full text linkThis final composite brings together two studies that examine the challenges of designing an effective professional development program that engages faculty from diverse educational backgrounds. The first scholarly deliverable is a case study article titled “Designing a Professional Development for All: Is it Possible?” This case study could be used to help future teachers or administrators analyze the considerations necessary for
planning an effective professional development. It explores the experiences of an enthusiastic instructor, a tenured professor, and a professional development director who are experiencing a professional development program that yields mixed results. Ultimately, this case study provides discussion questions and teaching activities to guide readers in considering how to meet the varying needs of different audiences within the context of professional development. The second scholarly deliverable is an empirical article titled “Exploring the Influence of Core Beliefs, Experiences, and Motivation on Math Faculty’s Engagement with Professional Development Opportunities.” The purpose
of this study was to investigate the core beliefs surrounding teaching and learning of mathematics of the educationally diverse mathematics faculty at a university and how these beliefs related to their engagement in departmental professional development
Factors Influencing Higher Education Employees’ Cybersecurity Behavior
Full text linkHigher education institutions are prime targets for cybercriminals due to vast amounts of data. This combined study explores factors that influence cybersecurity behavior in higher education institutions. The first scholarly deliverable is a case study article that examines the human factors contributing to cyberattacks in higher education institutions. Key factors discussed in the case study include faculty and staff compliance behavior, cybersecurity policies, and cybersecurity awareness training. The study highlights the significance of the leadership team's involvement in cybersecurity strategy and implementation, including employee compliance in the university. The second scholarly deliverable examined factors that influenced cybersecurity behavioral intentions in higher education institutions using protection motivation theory. The problem this study addresses is the limited understanding of the factors that influence how higher education employees form intentions to adhere to cybersecurity policies and practices, referred to as cybersecurity behavioral intentions
Techno-Economic Analysis of a Hybrid Off-Grid Microgrid For a Data Center in the Texas Panhandle
Full text linkThe demand for data centers has grown sharply over the past decade due to the increasing popularity of IT services such as AI, social media, Big Data and crypto. These data centers run 24/7 and consume vast amounts of electricity every year, increasing grid reliability risks and greenhouse gas emissions. It has therefore become crucial to develop alternative energy systems to make these data centers completely independent or at least less dependent on the grid. This thesis analyzes the ability of a renewable-energy-based hybrid off-grid microgrid power system to supply a data center's energy needs in a reliable and cost-effective way. The data center is a simulated 100 MW hyperscale facility in the Texas Panhandle.
Using System Advisor Model (SAM), a go-to energy simulation tool, real weather and market pricing data was used to simulate the hourly energy operations and variations of solar and wind across an entire year. Then using MATLAB Parametric Sweep Optimization algorithms, different configurations and combinations of distributed energy resources (DERs) including batteries and gas turbines were compared based on their renewable penetration and levelized cost (LCOE). Finally, HOMER Grid, a microgrid modeling software was used to validate the LCOE results for wind and PV. The results showed that the PV Single Axis system was the most suitable PV type, providing an impressive 28% improvement in energy generated over that of the Fixed-Tilt system. Yet, the Single Axis system had the lowest LCOE at 114.84/MWh and an effective delivered cost of $138.33/MWh.
Through a detailed analysis of the balance between renewable penetration and cost, this research shows how data centers and other power-hungry facilities can make the most of hybrid power systems. The results highlight the need to combine the right types and sizes of DERs to achieve the highest microgrid performance
The Empowered Patient: Social Support in an Online Community for Women with Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Full text linkSocial media sites like Facebook grow exponentially every year, making numerous kinds of online connections possible. As of February 2025, there are “25 million monthly active public groups on Facebook” (Newberry, 2025, para. 33). Online connections foster the rise of social support groups. Social support groups, also referred to as computer- mediated self-help groups, provide online outlets for internet users to connect with others on a global scale on a variety of topics. This study explores how the Facebook group provides support and empowerment for group participants. Research questions seek to investigate the types of social support the IBS support group on Facebook provides its members and how various types of social support empower IBS group members in coping with their IBS diagnosis. Using a mixed methods approach, a content analysis was conducted of 122 Facebook posts from The IBS Dietician Support Group using the social support behavior code. The second method was semi-structured interviews with participants from the group. Three themes emerged from the interviews, including 1) sense of belonging, 2) inhibited clarity, and 3) empowerment validation. Types of social support and interview themes offers distinct and unique perspectives, which confirm the value that social support groups on Facebook provides to its members
Beef quality as influenced by chronic passive congestive livers, liver abscesses, and freezing
Full text linkA collection of three beef quality studies evaluated how post-harvest management and animal health factors influence beef palatability, carcass performance, and color stability, with implications for both the beef industry and beef consumers. In the first study, USDA Low Choice Longissimus lumborum steaks were subjected to a 3 × 3 randomized complete block freezing design, combining initial treatments in vacuum packaging (unfrozen, blast frozen at −34.4°C, or consumer frozen at −17.8°C) with subsequent freezing treatments in overwrap packaging, and then evaluated using trained descriptive sensory panels, slice shear force, and expressible moisture analyses. Overall juiciness was the only descriptive attribute showing a significant interaction (P < 0.01), with steaks subjected to a single consumer-style freeze generally rated driest, whereas blast-frozen vacuum-packaged steaks showed no detrimental impact on palatability compared with unfrozen controls; off-flavor differences (P ≤ 0.05) were minor and primarily associated with oxidized and refrigerator-stale notes in some blast-frozen combinations, supporting the use of freezing as a practical shelf-life extension strategy. In the second study, large-scale audits at four Texas Panhandle and one Idaho beef processing facilities monitored chronic passive congestive (CPC) livers as an indicator of bovine congestive heart failure, recording heart scores, liver weights, inspection outcomes, and carcass performance, alongside genomic sampling. Across more than 180,000 cattle, CPC prevalence was occurred at a rate of 0.20% in Texas and 0.17% in Idaho, reported at a higher rate (P < 0.01) in summer and in cull cattle, and was most common in Angus-influenced fed cattle and Holstein-influenced cull cattle; carcasses with CPC livers exhibited poorer performance metrics (P < 0.01) regardless of region or cattle type, highlighting both economic and animal health consequences and underscoring the need for mitigation of bovine congestive heart failure risk. In the third study, strip loins from native beef and dairy-cross cattle were stratified by liver health status (healthy, edible livers versus major liver abscesses), aged for 7, 21, 35, or 49 d, and evaluated for instrumental color (L*, a*, b*) over 144 h of simulated retail display, with parallel metabolomic profiling of wedge steaks. Dairy-cross cattle provided a wider range of instrumental color values, with steaks from dairy-crosses possessing edible livers yielding the lightest and least red steaks (P ≤ 0.01), whereas native cattle with edible livers produced the greatest redness (P < 0.01; at h 24); steaks from cattle with liver abscesses tended to maintain higher redness and oxymyoglobin (P < 0.01), and extended aging reduced redness and increased discoloration via higher metmyoglobin. Metabolomic differences pointed to shifts in pathways related to glycolysis, oxidative stress, and branched-chain amino acid metabolism, indicating that cattle type and liver health jointly influence postmortem muscle metabolism and, consequently, beef color stability. Together, these studies demonstrate that freezing strategy, cardiovascular and liver health at harvest, and cattle type interact to shape beef eating quality, carcass value, and visual appeal, providing a multifactorial framework for improving beef product consistency and consumer satisfaction
Effects of different respiratory vaccine regimens in high-risk, newly received feedlot steers
Full text linkVaccination against BRD pathogens is a cornerstone animal health intervention
that requires time to stimulate an active immune response, with the goal of immunization
and disease protection (Richeson and Falkner, 2020). Different antigen types may offer
advantages but the comparative safety, efficacy, and efficiency of killed virus (KV) vs.
modified-live virus (MLV) vaccines in stressed, high-risk cattle are largely unknown.
The objective of this 56 d study was to evaluate health, performance, bacteria prevalence
in the naris, and BVDV-specific antibody titers in high-risk feedlot cattle administered
three different vaccine regimens. Between September 2024 and February 2025, 5
truckload blocks arrived with beef bull (n=387) and steer (n=63) calves (initial BW = 227
18.33 kg) derived from auction markets in central and south Texas. A generalized
complete block design was employed with a total of 15 pen replicates per treatment, with
10 calves allocated to each pen. The 3 vaccine regimens consisted of: 1) parenteral, KV
vaccine (Pro-Bac 4+ IBRk/BVDk, Bimeda; BIM), 2) parenteral, MLV vaccine (Pyramid
5 + Presponse SQ, Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health; PYR), and 3) intranasal and
parenteral, MLV vaccines (Inforce 3 and One Shot BVD, Zoetis; INF). The vaccine
regimens were designed to include the same vaccine antigens, except for BIM, as this
treatment did not include BRSV or PI3V antigens. Cattle were weighed on d 0, 14, 28,
42, and 56 to determine interim and overall performance and jugular blood samples were
collected concomitantly. Serum from blood samples were analyzed for BVDV type 1a,
1b, and 2a antibody titers and to determine immune status using a test kit that indicates
the balance of cell-mediated vs. humoral immunity. Nasal swabs were collected on d 0,
14, and 56 to determine prevalence and cycle time for Mannheimia haemolytica (Mh),
ii
Pasteurella multocida (Pm), Histophilus somni (Hs), and Trueperella pyogenes (Tp) via
rtPCR. A treatment day interaction (P < 0.01) was observed for BVDV types 1a, 1b,
and 2a antibody titer. The PYR treatment had the greatest antibody titer against BVDV
type 1a and 1b on d 28 and 42, INF was intermediate until d 56 for BVDV type 1b, and
BIM was least on d 28, 42, and 56 (P 0.01). The INF treatment had the greatest
antibody titer against BVDV type 2 on d 28, 42, and 56, PYR was intermediate, and BIM
was least (P 0.01). Mortality rate was 14.7, 12.0, and 6.7% for BIM, PYR, and INF,
respectively but did not differ statistically (P = 0.21). Furthermore, BW, ADG, DMI and
G:F did not differ (P 0.19). A day effect (P < 0.01) was observed for D2Dx absorbance
value; the index increased on d 14 and remained so until d 56, indicating increased cell-
mediated status with time but vaccine treatment did not influence this outcome (P =
0.90). A treatment day interaction (P = 0.02) was observed for Hs frequency of
carriage such that PYR had the least prevalence on d 14, with BIM having greater
frequency of Hs carriage on d 56 (P < 0.01). Results of this study indicate that in high-
risk, newly received feedlot calves, the route and type of respiratory vaccine influenced
the BVDV titer response in favor of MLV and Hs prevalence was increased for BIM on d
56 but there were no differences between vaccine regimen regarding clinical health or
performance
The Essence of Identity Limbo: A Phenomenological Investigation of College Athletes' Transition to Non-Athletic Identities
Full text linkThe purpose of this study was to examine the experience of intercollegiate student-athletes transitioning out of athletic careers and what specific strategies could be utilized to assist in the transition. The qualitative study utilized a phenomenological design rooted in Moustakas’s psychological phenomenology. In-depth interviews were conducted with participants that explored the meaning of the experience from an athlete’s perspective. Four main themes emerged, including pride, transition, gratitude, and need for closure. Within the theme of pride, the concept of performance-based identity emerged in a way that indicated that an athlete’s identity was strongly tied to their athletic performance, and this greatly affected the way they felt about themselves. Participants expressed pride in being identified as an athlete and indicated that their athletic journey included many “highs” and “lows” but was an overall positive experience. Their experience of transition varied, but sadness and gratitude emerged as themes within the transition. The importance of having a future plan and applying the social skills learned in athletics were seen as helpful in the transition and beyond. Gratitude for the experience of being athletes was expressed as was gratitude towards parents and coaches for pushing them to be better athletes. A need for closure emerged highlighting the importance of ending their career with an exit interview to sum-up their experience. The study offered insight into the student-athlete’s participation and transition within intercollegiate athletics and highlighted the importance of conducting exit interviews as part of an athletic department’s culture
EFFECTS OF DIETARY COMPOSITION AND FEEDING MANAGEMENT REGIMEN ON FEEDLOT CATTLE PERFORMANCE
Full text linkThe objective of this study was to evaluate the independent and interactive
effects of dietary starch concentration and feeding management regimen on
growth performance, carcass outcomes, liver abscess prevalence, and metabolic
health in finishing feedlot steers. In a randomized complete block design,
crossbred beef steers (n = 720) were assigned to 48 pens that housed 15 steers per
pen. Treatments were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial with the factors being diet and
feeding management. Diets varied in starch inclusion; low starch (42.1%; CON)
or high (64.4%; HOT) and feeding management was either consistent (REG) or
erratic (ERR) in both feed quantity (85% followed by 115% of a 4 d average
randomly once a week) and delivery times (randomly delayed 1, 2, 3, or 4 h twice
a week on randomized d). Live steer performance (BW, fecal score, and fecal pH)
were collected every 56 d until harvest. Within each pen, 3 steers closest to the
median body weight (BW) were selected to serve as a subset (n = 144). On d 0,
the subset were administered a 3-axis accelerometer ear tag (AllFlex), and an
indwelling ruminal pH bolus (SmaxTech). Data from the technologies were
collected from d 0 to d 150. At harvest, a tissue sample from the subset was
collected from the ventral sac of the rumen, adjacent to the cranial pillar, and from
the colon. The tissues were washed with sterile saline and stored separately in
polypropylene bottles with approximately 800 mL of 10% buffered formalin until
analysis of morphological and histological characteristics. When a liver abscess
was present, an additional sample was collected from the ventral sac in addition to
the colon and liver, shipped overnight to the laboratory at Kansas State
University, and processed for bacteriological using culture and quantitative
polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) methods. Continuous data such as
performance, non-categorical carcass data, histological and morphological
measurements were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS (SAS 9.4, SAS
Institute Inc.). Pen served as the experimental unit. The model included the effects
of diet, feeding management, and their interaction, and block was included as a
random effect. Rumination and ruminal pH were analyzed as repeated measures
using PROC MIXED with the main effects of diet, management, time, and their
interactions using pen within block as the subject. Categorical data such as quality
grade and liver abscess frequency outcomes were analyzed using the GLIMMIX
procedure as binomial proportions. Pen served as the experimental unit. The
model included the effects of diet, feeding management, and their interaction, and
block was included as a random effect.
No diet × management interactions were detected for growth performance,
carcass characteristics, liver abscess prevalence, ruminal scoring, daily rumination
prevalence, fecal characteristics, histological or morphological measurements, or
pathogenic bacteria presence or concentration (P ≥ 0.10). Steers consuming HOT
had greater liver abscess frequency (55.1% vs. 33.4%) and liver scars (46.7% vs.
34.0%). Additionally, steers fed HOT had less final BW, ADG, DMI, HCW,
marbling score, and calculated YG compared to CON (P ≤ 0.05). A diet × day
interaction existed for HOT having greater rumination than CON, which primarily
occurred after they were transitioned from REC to their respective dietary
treatments (P < 0.01). Ruminal pH was less (P = 0.04; diet × day interaction) for
cattle consuming HOT compared to CON for most of the feeding period. Steers
consuming HOT had fewer normal rumens (P < 0.01), a greater proportion of
rumens exhibiting minor damage (P < 0.01), and less rumen scarring (P = 0.05)
compared to CON. Steers consuming HOT had greater epithelial thickness in all 3
strata measured (P ≤ 0.05) compared to CON. Steers consuming HOT had 22 μm
shorter colon crypt length than CON (P = 0.03), but no difference in colon crypt
width was detected (P = 0.22). Steers consuming HOT had a greater number of
liver abscesses positive for F. subsp. funduliforme (P = 0.03) and ruminal
epithelium positive for Trueperella pyogenes (P < 0.01). Additionally, HOT steers
tended to have a greater number of ruminal epithelium samples positive for F.
subsp. necrophorum (P = 0.09). The steers consuming HOT had approximately
23 CFU/g more (P = 0.03) F. subsp. funduliforme in liver.
Feeding management did not impact growth performance, carcass
characteristics, liver abscess frequency, liver scar presence, fecal characteristics,
rumination, ruminal pH, or colonic morphological measurements (P ≥ 0.21). The
steers receiving ERR tended to have greater (P = 0.09) ruminal epithelial
thickness for the outer most layers (stratum corneum) of the epithelium; however,
there was no difference in thickness of the stratum granulosum or stratum
spinosum/stratum basale layer (P ≥ 0.12) compared to REG. Steers that were fed
ERR tended to have a greater percentage of liver abscesses positive for F. subsp.
funduliforme (P = 0.06), and ruminal tissue positive for F. subsp. necrophorum (P
= 0.07) compared to REG. However, feeding management did not have an impact
on the presence of other bacterial in ruminal tissue or any bacteria presence in
colonic epithelial tissue (P ≥ 0.48). The ERR treatment tended to have greater
concentration of F. subsp. funduliforme in liver abscess tissue (P = 0.06), and F.
subsp. necrophorum in ruminal tissue (P = 0.07).
Results suggest that decreasing dietary roughage concentration below that
typically used in feedlot cattle finishing diets and excluding grain-milling co
products to provide high concentrations of readily fermentable starch is an
effective strategy to induce liver abscesses in cattle but could have negative
implication on liver performance. Also, feeding a diet with high concentrations of
readily fermentable starch decreases ruminal and fecal pH, exposes cattle to
ruminal and colonic damage. While our study confirms that F. necrophorum
subsp. necrophorum is the primary etiologic agent of LA, it also reveals that
approximately 20% of abscesses were caused solely by subsp. funduliforme,
without the involvement of subsp. necrophorum. A novel and notable finding was
the high prevalence of subsp. funduliforme, either alone or in association with
subsp. necrophorum, in ruminal epithelial tissues and LA, suggesting a broader
role of this subspecies in liver abscess pathogenesis than previously understood.
Furthermore, the prevalence of F. necrophorum in colonic tissue suggests that the
colon could also be an important reservoir for pathogens related to liver abscess
development
IMPACT OF PHOSPHATES AS AN ENHANCEMENT ON THE YIELD, QUALITY, AND SENSORY ATTRIBUTES OF PORK AND CHICKEN
Full text linkThis research investigated the impact of phosphate inclusion and specific phosphate blends on the water retention, microbial, and sensory attributes of three pork and two poultry products during refrigerated storage. The studies evaluated sectioned and formed hams, bacon, hotdogs and marinated chicken breasts as well as marinated and breaded chicken fritters. Treatments included phosphates such as sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) as well as Brifisol 512, 550, 450, and 960 blends, which were compared to phosphate-free controls to determine their influence on water-holding capacity, lipid oxidation, microbial stability, and sensory quality.
In sectioned and formed hams, phosphate inclusion increased brine pH (P < 0.001), with Brifisol 550 resulting in the highest pH (7.98). All phosphate treatments reduced cook loss (P < 0.001) and increased the number of intact slices (P = 0.003), although no differences were observed among phosphate types. Hams without phosphate exhibited greater rancid odor and flavor (P ≤ 0.001), and lower sensory scores for aroma, juiciness, and overall acceptability. In bacon, phosphates did not influence cook loss, APC, or TBARS, but storage time negatively affected off-odor and acceptability (P < 0.001). In hotdogs, STPP-treated samples had elevated pH (P < 0.001), whereas Brifisol 450 had reduced APC (P < 0.001), and both phosphate treatments had improved sensory traits, including improved texture, flavor, and acceptability (P ≤ 0.001), compared to phosphate-free control.
In marinated chicken breasts and marinated and breaded chicken fritters, phosphate-treated samples exhibited higher marination solution temperatures (P = 0.033), likely due to longer mechanical mixing. While brine uptake was similar across treatments (P = 0.812), phosphate inclusion reduced purge loss (P = 0.001), with Brifisol 960 presenting the lowest purge loss. Sodium tripolyphosphate treated samples exhibited higher APC (P = 0.008) than Brifisol 512 and Control, and microbial counts increased over storage time (P < 0.001). TBARS values in cooked products were lower in phosphate-treated samples (P = 0.001), indicating improved oxidative stability, whereas uncooked TBARS remained unchanged (P = 0.190). Sensory evaluation of marinated products showed higher saltiness in control samples (P = 0.007), likely due to higher salt inclusion. Phosphate-treated samples had improved overall flavor (P = 0.049). In Control breaded fritters were rated crunchier (P = 0.017), than Brifisol 960 and STPP, possibly due to lower moisture retention. Across all products, increased storage time negatively impacted aroma, flavor, and off-flavor development.
These combined findings reinforce the multifunctional benefits of phosphates in processed meat and poultry systems. Phosphate inclusion consistently improved water retention, reduced cooking and purge losses, enhanced microbial and oxidative stability, and contributed positively to sensory attributes. Specific phosphate types had minimal differences in performance. This research supports the use of phosphate to enhance product quality and shelf-life in commercially processed meat and poultry formulations