Shifting the Paradigm from Weight to Health

Aubrey Lyn Flores, School of Applied Health Undergraduate Student

College of Professional Studies

Current guidelines recommend that “overweight” and “obese” individuals lose weight through engaging in lifestyle modification involving diet, exercise, and other behavior change. This approach reliably induces weight cycling and weight stigma. Individuals deemed as obese are blamed for their weight, with common perceptions that weight stigmatization is justifiable and may motivate individuals to adopt healthier behaviors. Contrary to that belief, many individuals are unable to maintain weight loss long-term and do not achieve improved morbidity and mortality rates. The Health at Every Size (HAES) program encourages body acceptance, supports intuitive eating, and supports active embodiment.

Small Mammals vs. Understory Plant Diversity and Health at L.W. Schatz Farm

Puyao Zhang, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

The experiment aims to gain insight into the ecology of small mammals and vegetation in an understory ecosystem.

Small Mammal’s Abundance in Relationship to Distance and Water Type

Mitchell Owen, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

I went out to see if rodent abundance was impacted by how far they were from a water source and if there was a difference between flowing and standing water. There were many studies on water's impacts on rodents in deserts but not in forests, so I went out to change that.

Somos Semillas-Ethnic Studies as Liberatory Joy in Rural California

Marisol O. Ruiz, Education Faculty

College of Professional Studies

This is a Collective Auto-Ethnographic Participatory Action Research that uses critical race-gendered epistemologies (Bernal Delgado, 2002, pp.109-110) as a theoretical framework to understand our Ethnic Studies work in schools. Teaching Ethnic Studies is a creation process where we are not only denouncing injustice, we are creating our own sovereign spaces of knowledge production through Courageous Cuentos and healing individually and collectively. Findings show that we experienced transformation as we co-create, define, collectively heal, and document what it means to be LatinE/ ChicanX social justice educator in rural Northern California through Courageous Cuentos.

Stage Management for The Life of Galileo

Evan Pierce, Dance, Music, & Theatre Undergraduate Student

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

In the Fall 2023 semester, I worked as the stage manager for our show of "The Life of Galileo" by Bertolt Brecht. Being a stage manager requires a lot of organization, attention to detail, communication, collaboration, and paperwork. You are there from the beginning with auditions and concept meetings to the end with strike (clearing the stage of the show). During this process, you are a main point of contact between departments and once the show opens, you are the one leading the shows to ensure they happen the way they are intended to. This show was my first time stage managing. It is a very difficult role to step into, but I had lots of fun and wanted to share my work and learning.

Strategies to Reduce Heart Failure Readmissions in Rural Hospitals

Xee Lee, Nursing Undergraduate Student

College of Professional Studies

Heart failure is a significant public health concern, contributing to high morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Patient education, telephone follow-up after discharge, and referring patients to a cardiac telehealth program are ways to reduce readmissions in rural communities. Within three months of implementation, the inpatient unit will complete education within 90% of HF patients, the 30-day readmission rate for HF patients will be below 40%, and the nurse care coordinator will have successful contact via a post-discharge follow-up telephone call to 75% of HF patients. Community-based rural hospitals must implement these interventions to reduce heart failure readmission rates.

Studies of Bio-Sustainable Materials by Scanning Electron Microscopy

Priscilla Gamez, Chemistry Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Biomaterials derived from plants can provide stocks for biofuels and additives for sustainable bioplastic composites. Here, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to image cellulase enzyme-exposed samples vs. controlled samples, which indicated cellulose degradation. SEM examination of PLA-quinoa composites indicated successful incorporation of quinoa chaff into these biodegradable plastics. This study of cellulase contributes to understanding its role in enhancing biofuel feedstock production. Moreover, our PLA-quinoa composites show promise as biodegradable and biorenewable materials. Future studies will analyze cellulase-treated PLA-quinoa composites.

Stylohyoid-tympanic articulation in shrews and its possible implications for echolocation

Silvia Pavan, Biological Sciences Faculty

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Echolocation has evolved in several mammals, including shrews. In bats, echolocation may occur through the larynx via the stylohyoid-tympanic articulation (ST-A). Using CT scans, we studied the morphology of the inner ear to determine if the ST-A is present in echolocating shrews. Of the nine sampled genera, three have behavioral data suggesting echolocation. Six species presented ST-A, including four species not known to echolocate. Given the limited behavioral data and the small data set, a few interpretations are possible, all of which highlight the need for additional research in this understudied mammalian group in order to reveal the role of the ST-A in shrew echolocation.

Stylohyoid-tympanic articulation in shrews and its possible implications for echolocation

Silvia Pavan, Biological Sciences Faculty

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Echolocation has evolved in several mammals, including shrews. In bats, echolocation may occur through the larynx via the stylohyoid-tympanic articulation (ST-A). Using CT scans, we studied the morphology of the inner ear to determine if the ST-A is present in echolocating shrews. Of the nine sampled genera, three have behavioral data suggesting echolocation. Six species presented ST-A, including four species not known to echolocate. Given the limited behavioral data and the small data set, a few interpretations are possible, all of which highlight the need for additional research in this understudied mammalian group in order to reveal the role of the ST-A in shrew echolocation.

Subjective versus objective language proficiency: An investigation of age of acquisition and exposure in multilinguals

Mari Sanchez, Psychology Faculty

College of Professional Studies

Multilinguals can differ in their level of proficiency for each language they speak. Factors that can impact one’s language proficiency include age of acquisition (AoA), which refers to the time point when beginning to learn a language and exposure, which refers to the amount of contact a person has with the language. Proficiency is often assessed subjectively, via one’s self-report of one’s perceived proficiency level and less often objectively, via observed and/or measured performance on proficiency tests. This study investigated the relationship between subjective and objective language proficiency as impacted by age of acquisition and exposure.