Digital Commons Network^™

Development And Implementation Of A Community-Based Health Evangelism Strategy At Fellowship Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Tallahassee, Florida, Daphnis Ricardo

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The Fellowship Seventh-day Adventist church desired to reach its community but did not have a strategic plan on how to do so. The lack of a strategic plan hindered the effectiveness of the church in making an impact in its neighborhood and left the members with a sense that they were not making a difference in their community. Initial observations done through formal talks with church leaders suggested that health ministry was a focus where their church had a strength and was a means by which to reach the neighborhood.

Method

The methods used were to develop a team …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Plains Sharp-Tailed Grouse Nest Site Selection And Survival And Ecological Site Descriptions In The Northern Plains, Derek Wade Klostermeier

Natural Resources Management

Nest site selection and nesting success of plains sharp-tailed grouse were examined on the Grand River National Grassland in South Dakota during the nesting season from 2009-2012. We used conditional logistic regression to assess vegetation production, ecological site description, and landscape position on nest site selection. Two competing models regarding nest site selection: top model consisted of non-native forbs and native cool-season grasses, second best model included all grass and forb. Nine ESDs were used for nesting; loamy and clayey ecological sites most frequently used and produced the highest standing crop. Most frequent observed nest site State were Annual/Pioneer Perennial …

A Study Of Prairie Reconstructions In The Eastern Dakotas, Adam Jacob Mortenson

Natural Resources Management

Two studies of reconstruction processes in the Northern Great Plains (NGP) are presented. The first study is a retrospective study on United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) managed lands seeded with a high diversity (>15 species) seed mix. Sites were grouped by available management history to find management tactics which may trend sites towards a more successful state. A large amount of variation was captured. Results showed uncontrollable factors may be driving the outcomes of these reconstructions. Attention should be paid to uncontrolled and landscape factors to drive management of each site. A second study investigates a possible …

Improving Marital Satisfaction: An Enrichment Program For Couples In The Huntington, New York Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Eddly B. Benoit

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

One of the first and most sacred institutions established by God at creation was the institution of marriage. It is God who placed in man the desire to leave his father and mother, that he might be joined to his wife, with the objective of becoming one flesh. This perfect union ordained by God has proven elusive in many marriages. When I started my pastorate at the Huntington Seventh-day Adventist Church, I observed that many of the married couples were having difficulties communicating effectively and resolving conflict. I noticed that some of them lacked the behavioral skills and resources …

Prediction Of Freshwater Harmful Algal Blooms In Western Lake Erie Using Artificial Neural Network Modeling Techniques, Haci Osman Guzel

Natural Resources Management

Blue-green algae are a major environmental concern in freshwater produce toxins and cause a wide range of problems including oxygen depletion, fish kills, harm or death to other aquatic organisms, and subsequent habitat loss. Cyanobacteria are a type of blue-green algae that form harmful algal blooms (HABs) in water ecosystems. In this study, artificial intelligence techniques, in particular artificial neural networks, were developed to estimate blue-green algae fluorescence for the year-round data collected in 2016-17 from western Lake Erie, USA. Based on the lake’s environmental conditions and available data, eight input parameters including phosphorous, nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, air temperature, water temperature, …

Facing The Challenge Of Mobile Technology: A Seminar On Strengthening Intimacy In Families At The Hendersonville Seventh-Day Adventist Church, David Nicholas Wright

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The Problem

The new wave of smartphones and other forms of mobile technology presents an always available Internet connection that is hard for many families to manage. Without sufficient awareness of technology's subtle impact on relationships and without appropriate boundaries, many suffer loss of face-to-face interaction, communication and intimacy within their family circles.

The Method

The purpose of this project was to investigate whether a five-session educational seminar would create greater awareness and motivate changes in mobile technology usage that is seen as beneficial to parents and family.

The Results

Of the 11 families who committed to coming to the …

The Development, Implementation, And Evaluation Of A Preaching Discipleship Training Program For Church Members In The Knoxville First Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Marcus Alden Swearingen Bates

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The Knoxville First Seventh-day Adventist Church has members endowed with the spiritual gift of speaking (preaching). However, no training program was available for these gifted members to develop and practice their preaching skills. The senior pastor, associate pastor, and guest speakers handled the preaching responsibilities, while these members were not edifying the congregation through the exercise of their preaching gift. The absence of a preaching training program also revealed a neglect of the pastoral responsibility to disciple members in the area of preaching. This project was an effort to train gifted members in the preaching craft for a potential …

Desarrollo E Implementacion De Un Programa De Administracion Para Pastores Distritales Con Multiples Iglesias En La Union Peruana Del Sur, Enzo Ronald Chávez Idrogo

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The South Peruvian Union-Mission has seven fields and 227 district pastors. Every pastor serves an average of 11 local churches, and the financial reality of local fields makes it impossible to add more pastors. Although ministers meet the evangelistic goals of the local fields, some administrative deficiencies have become evident in areas such as planning, administrative meetings with the entire congregation, church board meetings, integral visitation program, church budget, discipline for erring members, etc. Besides the positive impact expected from this project in the South Peruvian Union, the lessons learned from the development and implementation of this project has …

Groundwater Table Effects On Yield, Growth And Water Use Of Canola (Brassica Napus L.) Plant, Hakan Kadioglu

Natural Resources Management

Lysimeter experimental studies were conducted in a greenhouse to investigate canola (Brassica Napus) plant water use, growth and yield parameters under three different water table depths of 30, 60, and 90 cm. Additionally, control experiments were conducted and only irrigation was applied to these lysimeters without water table limitation. Canola plant’s tolerance level to shallow groundwater was determined. Results showed that groundwater contributions to canola plant were 97, 71, and 68%, while the average grain yields of canola were 4.5, 5.3, and 6.3 gr for the treatments of 30, 60, and 90 cm water table depths, respectively. These results demonstrated …

Riparian Graminoid Species Responses And Productivity In Compromised Environmental And Soil Conditions, Casey Ruth Wallace

Natural Resources Management

Riparian buffers have been created as a sustainable and effective way to combat the harmful effects of excess nitrogen and soil salinity in riparian settings. The goal of this research was to determine what species will I) germinate in saline environments and II) establish and produce sufficient biomass while being exposed to increased nitrogen. Incubation of eight native riparian graminoid species were evaluated for their ability to germinate in MgSO4-induced salinity. In a greenhouse study, seven riparian graminoid species were evaluated to quantify their ability to survive and take up nitrogen, mimicking buffer strips exposed to high inputs of runoff …

Transforming The Lexington Seventh-Day Adventist Church Through Spirituality And Prayer, Pavel Goia

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Often in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, as in many other Christian churches, while there is a lot of talk about transformation and growth, spiritual and numerical growth seems lacking. There is a tendency to try new programs and methods that may seem to lead to success or growth, yet many of those projects use the resources and energy of the church with no real lasting results. This often leads to frustration and lack of hope for real change. Growth in the first-century church and in other times throughout history was real, and such growth is still possible.

Method

At …

Implementation Of Ankle-Brachial Index To Screen For Peripheral Artery Disease In High-Risk Asymptomatic Populations, Kristen Hogan

Nursing

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) prevalence continues to rise with millions of individuals affected worldwide. PAD affects vasculature of the peripheries and the aorta, but it is also a critical risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease (Fowkes et al., 2008). Diagnosis is easily made utilizing the Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) with indication of disease at a level of 0.9 or less or 1.4 or higher (American Heart Association, 2016). Risk factors for PAD include smoking, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, family history, and chronic kidney disease. Smoking contributes to PAD two to three times more than cardiovascular disease (Rooke et al., 2011). The …

Assessing Postpartum Depression In The Refugee Population In A Primary Care Setting, Aminata Sankoh Kamara

Nursing

Mental health is an area lacking emphasis in the United States healthcare systems. Many patients have suffered due to the decrease in focus and resources required to help individuals struggling with mental disorders (Lieberman, Goldman, Olfson, Pincus, & Sederer, 2017). While the struggle for adequate screening for mental illness continues, minority populations, such as refugee women, are affected more due to multifactorial risk factors and lack of treatment emphasis (Ganann, Sword, Thabane, Newbold & Black, 2016; Lieberman et al., 2017). Due to the increase in the number of refugees that migrate to the United States, particularly in the Midwest, healthcare …

Hook Formula For Skew Shapes, Megan Lisa Jensen

Mathematics

The number of standard Young tableaux is given by the hook-length formula of Frame, Robinson, and Thrall. Recently, Naruse found a hook-length formula for the number of skew shaped standard Young tableaux. In a series of papers, Morales, Pak, and Panova prove the Naruse hook-length formula as well as q-analogues of Naruse's formula. In this paper, we will discuss their work, including connections between excited diagrams and Dyck paths.

Hardly Habitual: Chimpanzees And Gorillas Show Flexibility In Their Motor Responses When Presented With A Causally-Clear Task, Sarah L. Jacobson, Lydia M. Hopper

Publications and Research

In contrast to reports of wild primates, studies of captive primates' flexibility often reveal conservatism: individuals are unable to switch to new and more efficient strategies when task demands change. We propose that such conservatism might be a result of task design and hypothesize that conservatism might be linked to primates' lack of causal understanding in relation to experimental apparatuses. We investigated if chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) would show greater flexibility when presented with a causally-clear task. We presented six chimpanzees and seven gorillas with a clear tube from which …

Large Pelvic Tubercle In Orangutans Relates To The Adductor Longus Muscle, Brian M. Shearer, Magdalena Muchlinski, Ashley S. Hammond

Publications and Research

Orangutan pelves commonly exhibit a large, projecting tubercle in the iliopubic region, historically assumed to homologous to the pubic tubercle in humans. However, it is not clear whether this tubercle is a unique feature of Pongo, or if it is anatomically homologous with the human pubic tubercle when considered as a soft tissue attachment point. To clarify this issue, we dissected orangutan and other ape cadaveric specimens to evaluate the pelvic brim soft tissues and how they may relate to the tubercle (when present). We additionally conducted a broad osteological survey of pelvic brim morphology across 28 primate genera …

Reconstruction Of Top Quark Pair Dilepton Decays In Electron-Positron Collisions, Helenka Casler, Matthew Manganel, Miguel C. N. Fiolhais, Andrea Ferroglia, António Onofre

Publications and Research

A new algorithm is presented to perform the full kinematic reconstruction of top quark pair events produced at future electron-positron colliders in the case of dilepton decays of the W bosons to electrons or muons. The momentum components of the undetected neutrino and antineutrino in the event are reconstructed by employing several kinematic conditions comprising a nonlinear system of six equations. This system is solved numerically using two independent methods, and the selection of the best candidate real solution for each event is determined by a likelihood discriminant. Results are presented for several reconstructed kinematic properties of the W^{± …}

Sonic Hedgehog Is Expressed By Hilar Mossy Cells And Regulates Cellular Survival And Neurogenesis In The Adult Hippocampus, Luis E. Gonzalez-Reyes, Chia-Chu Chiang, Mingming Zhang, Joshua Johnson, Manuel Arrillaga-Tamez, Nicholas H. Couturier, Neha Reddy, Lev Starikov, Jeffrey R. Capadona, Andreas H. Kottmann, Dominique M. Durand

Publications and Research

Sonic hedgehog (Shh) is a multifunctional signaling protein governing pattern formation, proliferation and cell survival during embryogenesis. In the adult brain, Shh has neurotrophic function and is implicated in hippocampal neurogenesis but the cellular source of Shh in the hippocampus remains ill defined. Here, we utilize a gene expression tracer allele of Shh (Shh-nlacZ) which allowed the identification of a subpopulation of hilar neurons known as mossy cells (MCs) as a prominent and dynamic source of Shh within the dentate gyrus. AAV-Cre mediated ablation of Shh in the adult dentate gyrus led to a marked degeneration …

An Ensemble Of Flexible Conformations Underlies Mechanotransduction By The Cadherin–Catenin Adhesion Complex, Martin Bush, Bashir M. Alhanshali, Shuo Qian, Christopher B. Stanley, William T. Heller, Tsutomu Matsui, Thomas M. Weiss, Iain D. Nicholl, Thomas Walz, David J. E. Callaway, Zimei Bu

Publications and Research

The cadherin–catenin adhesion complex is the central component of the cell–cell adhesion adherens junctions that transmit mechanical stress from cell to cell. We have determined the nanoscale structure of the adherens junction complex formed by the α-catenin•β-catenin•epithelial cadherin cytoplasmic domain (ABE) using negative stain electron microscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering, and selective deuteration/small-angle neutron scattering. The ABE complex is highly pliable and displays a wide spectrum of flexible structures that are facilitated by protein-domain motions in α- and β-catenin. Moreover, the 107-residue intrinsically disordered N-terminal segment of β-catenin forms a flexible “tongue” that is inserted into α-catenin and participates in the …

Increasing Awareness Of The Role Of Breast Density As An Independent Risk Factor For Breast Cancer: A Pilot Study, Kari Motis

Nursing

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the United States (U.S.), affecting one in every eight women (American Cancer Society, 2017). Dense breast tissue can mask or hide breast cancer, delaying identification of breast cancer and early treatment (Lei, Yang, Zhang, Wang & Yang, 2013). Breast density (BD) is an independent risk factor for breast cancer (Falcon, Williams, Weinfurtner, & Drukteinis, 2017). A woman’s mammogram determines BD. Current breast-screening guidelines vary from leading U.S. preventative organizations, making prevention education difficult for providers and patients to understand (Nguyen-Pham et al., 2014; Weaver & Gjesfjeld, 2014). …

Diabetes Self-Management Education Service At A Rural Minnesota Health Clinic, Samantha Hulst

Nursing

In 2015, there were an estimated 30.3 million Americans living with diabetes, and 95% of them were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (T2D) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017b). Patients living in rural America have an increased prevalence of diabetes, and their participation rates in preventative care practice are lower (Rutledge, Masalovich, Blacher, & Saunders, 2017). The increased prevalence of the T2D in rural communities does not positively correlate with the number of diabetes self-management education (DSME) services in these areas, which poses a gap in healthcare services (Rutledge et al., 2017). Diabetes self-management education can be defined as …

Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd) In North Dakota. Database To Screening: Bridging The Gap Between What We Know And Where To Go, Trevor Stavig

Nursing

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that can cause persistent deficits in social communication, behavior, and development. The effect of ASD differs from individual to individual, thus it is considered a spectrum disorder. Early screening and intervention are essential for improving outcomes. However, primary care providers’ screening rates remain low even though the diagnosis of ASD is possible in children who are 2 years old or younger. On average, children are 4 years or older at the time of diagnosis. The purpose of this project was to provide primary care providers with the tools needed to screen for …

Colorectal Cancer Screening: A Collaboration With Public Health And Primary Care To Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening In A Rural North Dakota Community, Laura Ann Bond

Nursing

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer related deaths in the nation (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2017a). Recommendations are to screen adults, ages 50-75 years (United States Preventative Services Task Force [USPSTF], 2016). While 64.4% of the population, ages 50-75 years, in North Dakota (ND) are participating in colorectal cancer screening (CRCS), there is a nationwide challenge to increase CRCS to 80% (National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable [NCCR], 2017; North Dakota Comprehensive Cancer Control Program [NDCRC], 2017). The North Dakota Colorectal Cancer Roundtable (NDCCRT) accepted the challenge and recommended four strategies to increase CRCS; this …

Aspirin Use For Primary Prevention Of Cardiovascular Disease, Sarah Frauenberg

Nursing

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and aspirin is a well-known medication strongly associated with CVD prevention. Aspirin has undeniable benefits in the role of secondary prevention of CVD, however, the benefits are ambiguous when associated with primary prevention. The decision to start aspirin for primary prevention becomes complicated due to aspirin’s effect on coagulation and the risk of gastric ulceration. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has level B recommendations in place regarding the use of low-dose aspirin (81 mg) for primary prevention of CVD. In addition, the …

Ethofumesate 4sc Applied Postemergence In Sugarbeet, Alexa Lynn Lystad

Plant Sciences

Experiments evaluated sugarbeet tolerance, herbicide efficacy on common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L.), redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.) and waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus (moq.) J.D. Sauer), and rotational crop safety to ethofumesate (2-Ethoxy-2,3-dihydro-3,3-dimethyl-5-benzofuranol methanesulfonate) in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Ethofumesate applied at 2.24 or 4.48 kg ha-1 at the sugarbeet two-true leaf stage reduced sugarbeet stature and recoverable sucrose in field experiments. Ethofumesate at 1.12 kg ha-1 plus glyphosate at 1.26 kg ha-1 applied preemergence (PRE) or early postemergence (EPOST) to 1.3-cm weeds provided broad spectrum control with the least sugarbeet stature reduction in field and greenhouse experiments. Corn (Zea mays L.), …

Kernel And Milling Characteristics Of Durum Genotypes Grown In North Dakota, Yu Liu

Plant Sciences

Two sets of durum samples were used to determine kernel characteristics and milling properties of durum genotypes grown in North Dakota, USA. Kernels were characterized for kernel size (length, width, and thickness), germ size (length and width), and shape (kernel width/kernel length, volume, sphericity, germ width/germ length, germ length/kernel length, and germ width/kernel width). Kernels were also characterized for their test weight, kernel weight, vitreousness and hardness. Milling properties evaluated were break release, milling rate, total extraction, semolina extraction, and semolina quality. All kernel characteristics and milling properties varied with genotype and growing location. First break release and milling rate …

Phenolic Bioactive-Linked Antioxidant, Anti-Hyperglycemic, And Anti-Hypertensive Properties Of Serviceberry And Blackberry, Austin Alexander Espe

Plant Sciences

Production and consumption of edible berries are increasing rapidly in the United States, mostly due to their superior flavor profile, and popular diet-related value with their human health relevant bioactives and nutritional benefits. However, bioactive and nutritional qualities, especially human health protective phenolic antioxidants and associated non-communicable chronic disease (NCD) relevant health benefits of berries vary widely among accessions/cultivars and due to different production practices (organic vs conventional). Therefore, the aim of this thesis was to screen and select high phenolic and high antioxidant serviceberry and blackberry accessions/cultivars and to investigate the effect of different weed management and fertilization (organic …

Cornus Mas L. Cultivar Selection Based On Hardiness And Propagation, Meredith Swanson

Plant Sciences

Cornus mas (Cornelian cherry) is a deciduous shrub/small tree native to southeastern Europe and western Asia. It is unique among the Cornaceae (dogwood) family in that the fruit is used for human consumption and is highly nutritious and contains high amounts of antioxidants and anthocyanins. While this plant has many desirable fruiting and ornamental characteristics, it has seen limited use in North America. Several of these desirable characteristics are low disease and pest incidence, fruit qualities, and early yet long-lasting flowers. With limited use in North America, hardiness speculations are based on only a few individual plants. In this document, …

Evaluation Of Management Tools For Stripe Rust In Hard Red Spring Wheat And Assessment Of Virulence Phenotypes And Aggressiveness In Puccinia Striiformis Isolates, Bryn Anndi Evin

Plant Sciences

Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), is an economically important foliar disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum). In the last decade, losses from stripe rust in North Dakota (ND) have increased, peaking at 5% in 2015. Three research studies were conducted to address questions on the pathogen, varietal resistance, and integrated management. The objective of the first study was to (i) identify virulent phenotypes of Pst isolates collected from ND from 2015 to 2017 and assign races, and (ii) determine the effect of temperature on in vitro urediniospore germination, latency, and lesion spread. Across the three years, …

Transfer Of Fusarium Head Blight Resistance To Hard Red Winter Wheat, Hongbin Tao

Plant Sciences

Fusarium head blight (FHB; caused by Fusarium graminearum Schwabe) is a serious disease of hard red winter wheat (HRWW) in North Dakota. Current varieties are lacking in resistance. Many resistance quantitative trait loci (QTL) were discovered in spring wheat that can be employed in HRWW. The North Dakota State University breeding program aims to acquire and pyramid useful FHB resistance QTL into its breeding population. Therefore, hybrid populations derived from CM82036 (Fhb1 and Qfhs.ifa-5A), PI277012 (Qfhb.rwg-5A.1 and Qfhb.rwg-5A.2), Frontana (Qfhs.ifa-3A), and TA5660 (Fhb6) were tested for type II resistance to: derive new FHB resistant HRWW lines with pyramided QTL (Fhb1+) …