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The acute effects of mitochondrial targeted antioxidant on maximal oxygen uptake mechanics
No full textPurpose: To determine the acute effects of a mitochondrial targeting antioxidant (MitoQ) on cardiac output and maximal oxygen uptake during maximal exercise. We hypothesized that MitoQ would blunt maximal oxygen uptake independent of changes in cardiac output. Methods: Eight (N=8) apparently healthy adults (age 25±2.8 years and BMI 25.0±3.8 kg/m2) performed two trials (Placebo and MitoQ) in a double-blind randomized cross-over design. In both trials, participants performed 2 submaximal workloads on a cycle ergometer consisting of 3-minute stages immediately followed by an incremental exercise protocol until volitional exhaustion. Participants received either a Placebo or MitoQ (80mg) one hour prior to beginning the exercise protocol. Indirect calorimetry, blood pressure, heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output, RPE, and oxygen saturation were collected throughout the duration of the exercise bout. Results: Maximal absolute, relative, and relative to lean mass VO2 was higher (p<0.05) during Placebo (2.85±0.56 L/min, 36.4±6.2 mL/kg/min, 49.7±5.6 mL/kg/min) compared to
MitoQ (2.68±0.63 L/min, 34.7±5.7 mL/kg/min, 46.5±6.3 mL/kg/min). Cycling work efficiency was higher (p0.05). Conclusion: Consistent with our previous work, an acute dose of a mitochondrial targeted antioxidant blunted maximal absolute, relative, and relative to lean mass VO2. The reduction in VO2max does not appear to be related to blunted cardiac output, suggesting peripheral mechanisms underlie the lower oxygen utilization. Further, MitoQ improved work efficiency (VO2 per watt) at maximal exercise levels regardless of blunted oxygen uptake. Further research is warranted to examine the peripheral mechanism by which VO2 is blunted, and oxygen uptake efficiency is improved during maximal exercise.M. S
Student perceptions of their adult relationships
No full textThis study researched students’ perceptions of their adult relationships at school within the Check and Connect™ mentoring program. This research delved into the impact on fostering students’ engagement and promoting academic success within a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) at a suburban high school in Canterbury County, Florida1. The current study investigates students’ perceptions of their experiences as they were intentionally paired with adults (mostly teachers but also community members-at-large) at school. In this study, students shared their experiences of interactions with adults at school in the Check & Connect™ Program. Students who participated in the study were compared with matching students who qualified but did not participate. Participating students are those whose school disengagement behaviors led to early warning signs for the at-risk tendencies associated with dropping out of school. Criteria for entry into the program included referrals, screenings, and students’ attendance data, behavior referrals, and low achievement. In this mixed methods study, eight students were interviewed about their experiences. Quantitative data were collected from the control and experimental groups by analyzing the changes in attendance percentages, math achievement, English Language Arts achievement, and behavior referrals over an academic year. Qualitative data were collected from semi-structured interviews of students participating in Check & Connect™ for one year who experienced growth in the program. The results of this study provide evidence the Check & Connect™ program had a positive impact on students’ attendance, math, ELA, and behavior data. The qualitative results disclosed student perceptions recognizing that their engagement behaviors are related to their academic performance, the importance of having an open, trusting, nonjudgmental relationship with their mentors, and the changes they made to their behavior that influenced their success at school. Recommendations were made based on the results.D. Ed
The impact of Biosound technology on mental recovery, stress, burnout, and sleep quality in student-athletes and reserve officers' training corps (ROTC)
No full textCollege student-athletes and Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) tactical athletes
are expected to perform at optimal levels physically and mentally, while simultaneously
balancing academic and social demands. Consequently, these populations experience high
physical and mental strain resulting in fatigue, overtraining, burnout, and injury (Balk et al.,
2021). Physical recovery has been investigated to address these issues (Campbell et al., 2018);
however, mental recovery has been sparingly researched. Biosound© is an emerging technology
that could facilitate mental recovery as previous research has shown that this technology reduces
stress, racing thoughts, depressed feelings, anxiety, muscle tension, body aches, and headaches
among substance misuse patients (Secor et al., 2017). The present study is the first to investigate
the impact of a 4-week Biosound© intervention on mental recovery, burnout, stress perception,
sleep quality, and cardiac coherence among a student-athlete and ROTC population. Twentyseven
participants (21 women, 6 men, Mage = 20.00, SD = 1.76) were randomly assigned to the
Biosound© intervention group or the control group and completed pre-and post-measures of
cardiac coherence, general and sport-specific stress/recovery, burnout, perceived stress, and sleep
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quality. At the end of the intervention, participants in the intervention group were asked about
their experience using the technology. Results revealed significant improvements in cardiac
coherence (p = .010) in the intervention group compared to the control group, and a time effect
demonstrating increased general recovery across both groups (p = .049). Intervention group
participants reported experiencing improved relaxation, stress reduction, breathing regulation,
improved sleep quality, increased mindfulness, and increased positive thoughts. These findings
may guide athletes, coaches, ROTC programs, and mental performance consultants regarding
evidenced-based strategies to promote mental recovery and reduce negative outcomes of chronic
stress.M. S
Show me how you kill: a memoir
No full textThis memoir excerpt delves into the narrator's coming-of-age journey entwined with a
complicated love story. Through relationships with an older lover and her mother, themes of
pregnancy, abortion, trauma, and sexuality are explored against a backdrop of extreme binaries,
such as life and death, and gentleness and violence. The narrative grapples with the contradictory
nature of the lover, a mercenary embodying both brutality and tenderness. Central to the memoir
is the exploration of motherhood and the life the narrator seeks to live. Structured as essays, each
piece captures distinct moments, from the initial allure of the relationship to the complexities of
potential pregnancy. Drawing from literary influences such as Lorrie Moore, Marguerite Duras,
and Jo Ann Beard, the work confronts taboo subjects with raw vulnerability. The work offers a
nuanced exploration of human relationships, where the boundaries between love and violence,
desire and fear, are blurred and attempted to be defined.M. A
Floristic inventory of MGBS
No full textBetween 2009 and 2012, Donald G. Ruch and Byron Torke collected plant specimens in
Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary as part of a floristic inventory. However, this project was left
incomplete. Between 2022 and 2023, I mounted and catalogued these specimens. This was done
by gluing specimens and their labels onto herbarium sheets and entering them into the Ball State
University Herbarium (BSUH) database. The collection contains a total of 545 species and 105
families. This included 521 angiosperm species, 17 fern species (including fern allies), and 7
gymnosperm species.M. A
Decoding math anxiety: exploring the factor structure of the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Measure (AMAS) in higher education
No full textThis study investigates the factor structure of the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Measure (AMAS) in 121 undergraduate students. The AMAS, a 9-item questionnaire developed by Hopko et al. (2003), is utilized to measure math anxiety on a 5-point Likert scale. The total score, ranging from 1 to 45, reflects the degree of anxiety experienced, with higher scores indicating greater anxiety. While prior research has extensively explored this measure in various populations, there is a noticeable gap concerning U.S. college students since the creation of the scale. Using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), one-factor and two-factor models were compared. Results indicated that the two-factor model, separating Learning Math Anxiety and Math Evaluation Anxiety, was a better fit than the one-factor model. It showed better fit indices across multiple criteria, including the chi-square test, CFI, TLI, RMSEA, and SRMR. Furthermore, strong associations between items and their factors in the 2-factor model suggest that it is the best fit for the data. This finding contributes to understanding math anxiety dimensions in higher education, offering insights for targeted interventions and support strategies for students experiencing difficulties in learning mathematics.M. S
Telling their stories and saying their names: an interdisciplinary examination of historical interpreters bringing the past to life
No full textIn living history museums nationwide, first person historical interpreters are meeting with guests to teach history and educate through the lens of performing. These performers present themselves to the public as though they truly are the historical figure they are dressed as. Interpreters at the world's largest living history museum, Colonial Williamsburg, perform as “big name” and “big impact” characters like Thomas Jefferson, Gowan Pamphlet and Martha Washington. In this case, they are consistently reenacting 18th century social inequities due to the nature of the time period they present. Through historical methods I have tracked the path Colonial Williamsburg’s journey to offering marginalized characters at their historic site, spanning from 1926-2005. Through qualitative sociological methods I have sought to examine the impact of historical interpreting on a person’s identity, the influence of race and gender performances on the performer's sense of self, and reflections into the lived experience of historical interpreters.M. A
Interactive visual perception
No full textLocated in the botanical gardens of Fort Worth, Texas, the project is focused on how user perception can be engaged by experiential spaces within botanical context. By creating a sequence of interventions that focus on architectural geometries of botanical systems and valleys and peaks of topography, experiential spaces can be created that engage the users’ senses of sight, sound, smell, and touch to serve as a calmer, quieter respite within the city away from the urban surroundings. The urban density can overwhelm the senses, and by creating a respite away from this density, it allows the senses to be amplified or dampened within the immersion of natural elements in their own botanical conditions. In comparison to the experience of the city, the botanical site is not heavily human imposed, and because of this the intentions of the project are to be minimally invasive and set to age over time. The curation of interventions will be minimally human imposed and handed off to nature to allow the site to have the potential to become another ecosystem within the botanical gardens and serve as a respite for experiences focusing on user senses that are not offered in the urban environment.Thesis (B. Arch.)College of Architecture and Plannin
Beyond monsters: deeper themes in horror video games
No full textFear is an essential emotion for survival; yet many individuals find comfort in fear. The
popularity of horror as a genre has a long history of allowing individuals to face their fears in a
safe environment. Horror allows individuals to engage with fear in a healthy way. In this project,
I provide background context of the horror genre in video games and analyze some of its cultural
and sociological impacts. Finally, I present a case study analysis of the first three games in the
Silent Hill video game series, delving deeper into the psyches of the characters and what some of
the monsters in the series represent.M. A
Civic Catalyst
No full textAmidst the ongoing urban densification, the emergence of vertical mixed-use communities through public-private partnerships plays a pivotal role in developing a new architectural typology. This collaboration between the public and private entities sets out to explore the many complexities we interact with in our daily lives. The process of developing sustainable communities, improving the health and well-being of residents, and creating a cultural and economic catalyst serve as the key components of the project. This project sets out to explore the intersections of interaction, sustainability, and community within the realm of architecture and the influence it may have on vertical communities.
The juxtaposition between the ownership of public and private spaces becomes critical in dense urban environments such as that of Chicago, Illinois, where there is constant pressure for land rights. Vertical communities permit the ability the symbiosis of residents, tourists, and owners to have an impact on the built environment across a variety of critical areas such as community development, environmental resilience, economic vitality, cultural enrichment, and health and well-being, all play a critical role in shaping the future of urban living.College of Architecture and Plannin