17179 research outputs found
Sort by
Chrononutrition and Energy Balance: How Meal Timing and Circadian Rhythms Shape Weight Regulation and Metabolic Health
No full textObesity and metabolic disorders remain major global health concerns, traditionally attributed to excessive caloric intake and poor diet quality. Recent studies emphasize that the timing of meals plays a crucial role in determining metabolic health. This review explores chrononutrition, a growing field that examines how food intake patterns interact with endogenous circadian rhythms to influence energy balance, glucose and lipid metabolism, and cardiometabolic risk. The circadian system, which includes a central clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus and peripheral clocks in metabolic tissues, regulates physiological functions on a 24 h cycle. While light entrains the central clock, feeding schedules act as key synchronizers for peripheral clocks. Disrupting this alignment—common in modern lifestyles involving shift work or late-night eating—can impair hormonal rhythms, reduce insulin sensitivity, and promote adiposity. Evidence from clinical and preclinical studies suggests that early time-restricted eating, where food intake is confined to the morning or early afternoon, offers significant benefits for weight control, glycemic regulation, lipid profiles, and mitochondrial efficiency, even in the absence of caloric restriction. These effects are particularly relevant for populations vulnerable to circadian disruption, such as adolescents, older adults, and night-shift workers. In conclusion, aligning food intake with circadian biology represents a promising, low-cost, and modifiable strategy to improve metabolic outcomes. Integrating chrononutrition into clinical and public health strategies may enhance dietary adherence and treatment efficacy. Future large-scale studies are needed to define optimal eating windows, assess long-term sustainability, and establish population-specific chrononutritional guidelines.Division of Researc
“A Most Dangerous Communist:" Remembering Emma Tenayuca's Political Legacy Beyond the 1938 Pecan Sheller's Strike
No full textNo abstract prepared.Histor
Investigating Students' Mathematical Convictions Surrounding Mathematical Induction by Comparing Written and Visual Proofs
No full textIn prior research, there are various reasons why a student might be convinced by mathematical arguments. Some of these relate to their understanding of that argument or familiarity with the argumentation method or mathematical content in that argument. A relationship between becoming convinced and visualizations has also been observed in previous studies. This study used a tournament-style comparative task survey to investigate whether visual and written proofs were more convincing than each other using four theorems that can be proven using mathematical induction. The visual proofs used in this survey were meant to promote mathematical induction by emphasizing recursion or a general case by emphasizing one result (e.g., when n = 6). The written proofs used in this study were proofs by mathematical induction or proofs that did not use mathematical induction. There were 137 students sampled from introduction to proof courses across the United States. Overall, the visual proofs meant to promote mathematical induction were the more convincing visual proofs. Students cited that the visual proofs they selected helped them understand why the theorem was true and visualize the concepts needed to prove theorem. The proofs by mathematical induction were the more convincing written proofs. Students often cited that the written proofs by mathematical induction were convincing because they were taught this proof method. Written proofs, in particular mathematical induction, were more convincing than visual proofs throughout the survey. Students cited that they were taught the proof method in class for why a written proof was more convincing than a visual proof and cited better visualization of concepts for why a visual proof was more convincing than a written proof.Mathematic
Vegetation Structure and Distribution Across Scales in a Large Metropolitan Area: Case Study of Austin MSA, Texas, USA
No full textThe spatial distribution of vegetation across metropolitan areas is important for wildlife habitat, air quality, heat mitigation, recreation, and other ecosystem services. This study investigated relationships between vegetation patterns and parcel characteristics at multiple scales of the Austin Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), a rapidly growing region in central Texas characterized by diverse biophysical and socioeconomic landscapes. We used LiDAR data to map vegetation types and distributions across a 6000 km2 study area. Principal component analysis (PCA) and regression models were employed to explore tree, shrub, and grass cover across parcels, cities, and the MSA, considering home value, age, size, and distance to the city center. At the MSA scale, tree and shrub cover were higher in the Edwards Plateau than in the Blackland Prairie ecoregion. Tree cover increased with parcel size and home value, especially in suburban areas. Older parcels had more mature trees, though less so in the grass-dominated Blackland Prairie. Shrub cover was higher on larger parcels in the Edwards Plateau, while the Blackland Prairie showed the opposite trend. PCA explained 60% of the variance, highlighting links between vegetation and urban development. Our findings reveal how biophysical and socioeconomic factors interact to shape vegetation, offering considerations for land use, housing, and green infrastructure planning.Geography and Environmental Studie
Validation of Subadult Age and Stature Estimation Methods Using a Contemporary Japanese Sample
No full textBackground/Objectives: Methods of estimating the biological profile in forensic anthropology must meet criteria set forth by standards for admissibility in legal proceedings. Subadult biological profile methods have not been as extensively validated due to limited sources of subadult skeletal reference data. Methods: Data for the contemporary Japanese validation sample were collected from full-body, postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) scans (n = 118). Ten subadult age and stature estimation methods using long bone lengths were validated for accuracy, precision, and bias. The methods included both linear and nonlinear regression. Results: Nonlinear regression methods yielded high validation accuracy and precision for age (>90%; <2.5 cm) and stature (>95.89%; <17 cm) and performed better than linear regression methods. Most methods do not meet criteria set by the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Standards Board (ASB) or the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Conclusions: As skeletal data become increasingly accessible, it is important to continue to validate currently available methods for estimating aspects of the subadult biological profile while also prioritizing the creation of new population-specific and generic methods applicable for forensic casework. Particular focus should lie on improving reference skeletal material variation, appropriate statistical modeling, and adherence to standards in forensic anthropology. Recommendations for choosing the most appropriate method, given a subadult forensic case, are provided.Anthropolog
From "We are Not Going to Invade Anyone" To "Why We Had To": A Comparative Framing Analysis of the Russia-Ukraine War Coverage by Russia's Vladimir Solovyov and Tucker Carlson
No full textWith Russia’s invasion of Ukraine actively taking place since February 2022, media researchers notice the use of different frames in the coverage of the same events by Western independent, and Russian state-owned, media, often referred to as propaganda. This includes selecting a reporting angle, giving extra salience to some events and details, and omitting others for political or battlefield goals. As a frame determines how audiences understand and remember a problem as well as how they choose to act upon it, it is crucial to conduct a frame analysis of the coverage of international conflicts by all sides to promote global peace and democracy.
Current frame analyses on international conflicts have limitations, welcoming future studies. Firstly, many studies analyzed the coverage in English or other Western European languages (Akinboade et al., 2023; Deprez & Raeymaeckers, 2010; Wu, 2018). Secondly, most of the research analyzed only newspapers such as Wu (2018) and Deprez and Raeymaeckers (2010), while an increasing number of people are getting their news online in a video format. The following study aims to add to the international conflict framing research by conducting a study of the Russia-Ukraine war coverage from February to March 2022 comparing multimedia content in Russia and the U.S.A.Journalism and Mass Communicatio
Influence of Coated Steel Fibers on Mechanical Properties of UHPC Considering Graphene Oxide, Nano-Aluminum Oxide, and Nano-Calcium Carbonate
No full textThe addition of high volume fractions of fibers in ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) presents specific durability-based challenges due to the high content of interfacial transition zones (ITZ) between the fibers and surrounding mortar, along with the production cost. Hence, this study explored a novel coating approach on the surface of micro steel fibers, considering various nanomaterials, including graphene oxide (GO), nano-aluminum oxide, and nano-calcium carbonate. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) was employed as a coupling agent. UHPC mixtures containing coated fibers were compared with reference uncoated fiber-reinforced UHPC and UHPC containing GO. The proficiency of the proposed technique was measured through compressive strength, direct tensile, and flexural tests. A microstructure analysis was conducted using scanning electron microscope (SEM) images to determine the ITZ depth surrounding the coated fibers. Findings indicated improvements ranging from 10.7% to 21% for compressive strength, 11.2% to 38% for tensile strength, and 26.6% to 60% for flexural capacity.Engineerin
Improving Piezoresistive Response in 3D-Printed Rubber Nanocomposites with Hybrid Carbon Nanoparticles
No full textRubber nanocomposites have emerged as a versatile class of materials with widespread applications across various industries, including but not limited to aerospace, automotive, and biomedical sectors. Integration of nanofillers into rubber matrices allows for tailoring the properties of these materials to specific applications, thereby enhancing their performance, durability, and functionality. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in additive manufacturing of thermoset elastomer nanocomposites for flexible sensor technologies, owing to the superior durability and environmental resistance they offer compared to sensors fabricated from thermoplastics. However, diene rubber, a subset of thermoset elastomers, has been less explored for additive manufacturing of flexible sensors due to its high viscosity resulting from polymer chain entanglement. In this study, we used Direct Ink Writing (DIW) to develop flexible sensors using rubber compounds and incorporating hybrid conductive carbon nanoparticles (e.g., hybrid carbon black (CB) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). By controlling the synergistic effects of two different carbon nanoparticles in the hybrid nanocomposite, we aimed to benefit from the unique advantages offered by each nanoparticle type to reduce percolation thresholds, enhance strain sensitivity, and improve electrical and mechanical properties of 3D printed piezoresistive sensors. To prepare our DIW feedstock, we used a liquid isoprene rubber compound. The rheological behavior of the inks with different CB and MWCNT ratios was analyzed. The hybrid CB and MWCNT sensors demonstrated superior electrical properties and sensitivity compared to sensors containing single-type nanoparticles. This improvement was attributed to the formation of hybrid 3D networks, enhanced filler dispersion, and improved polymer-filler interfacial interactions. Optimal ratios of the two types of conductive nanoparticles were also determined to achieve maximum electrical sensitivity. The implications of this research extend to wearable electronics and health monitoring applications, contributing to the advancement of nanocomposite materials and facilitating the development of next-generation strain sensors with enhanced performance and versatility through an additive manufacturing technique.Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercializatio
Effects of GLP-1 RAs in Alcohol Use Disorder: A Systematic Review [poster]
No full textAlcohol Use Disorder is a prominent disease affecting up to 27 million Americans. It is frequently undertreated pharmacologically, with only 2% of those seeking treatment receiving a prescription. A review of literature, composed of five cohort studies and two randomized controlled trials, was conducted to analyze the effect of glucagon-like peptide receptor agonists on alcohol-related health and behavioral outcomes. The included cohort studies, ranging from 9,965 to 817,309 patients and drawing from various electronic health records, assessed the impact of glucagon-like peptide receptor agonists on preventing hospitalization, progression to cirrhosis, and self-reported drinking behaviors. The two randomized controlled trials, involving 48 to 127 patients, analyzed the effects of semaglutide and exenatide on alcohol consumption and craving in individuals with alcohol use disorder. Four of the five cohort studies and one of the two randomized controlled trials found evidence that glucagon-like peptide receptor agonists decrease alcohol consumption and craving. The evidence supports a correlation between the use of glucagon-like peptide receptor agonists and decreased alcohol consumption, but more research is needed to draw definitive conclusions.Nursin
Virtually Connected: Do Shared Novel Activities in Virtual Reality Enhance Self-Expansion and Relationship Quality?
No full textAccording to self-expansion theory, sharing novel experiences with a romantic partner can help prevent boredom and maintain relationship quality. However, in today’s globalized modern world, partners spend less time together and are more likely to live apart than in previous generations, limiting opportunities for shared novel experiences. In two in-lab experiments, we tested whether shared novel activities in virtual reality (VR) could facilitate self-expansion, reduce boredom, and enhance relationship quality. In Study 1, couples (N = 183) engaged in a shared novel and exciting activity in either VR or over video. Participants in the VR condition reported greater presence (i.e., felt like they were in the same space as their partner) and were less bored during the interaction compared to the video condition, though no main effects emerged for reports of self-expansion or relationship quality (relationship satisfaction and closeness). Consistent with predictions, people who reported more presence, in turn, reported greater self-expansion, less boredom, and greater relationship quality. In Study 2, couples (N = 141) engaged in a novel and exciting or a mundane experience in VR. Results were mixed such that participants in the novel VR condition reported less boredom and greater closeness post-interaction, though no effects emerged for self-expansion or relationship satisfaction. In exploratory analyses accounting for immersion, couples who engaged in the novel virtual experience reported more self-expansion, less boredom, and greater closeness. The findings suggest that virtual interactions may have less potential than in-person interaction to promote self-expansion but offer interesting future directions given VR’s ability to enhance presence beyond video interactions.Psycholog