Digital Commons Network^™

Fishes Of The Cypress Creek System, Tennessee River Drainage, Jeffery M. Ray, Mitchell S. Lovell, Benjamin S. Wilson, Stuart W. Mcgregor, Gary A. Hastert

Biology

Cypress Creek is a northern tributary to the Tennessee River (Pickwick Lake) in Lauderdale County, Alabama, and Wayne County, Tennessee, with a drainage area of 214 square miles. Although repeatedly sampled for fishes such as Slackwater Darter, Etheostoma boschungi, Tuscumbia Darter, E. tuscumbia, and Flame Chub, Hemitremia flammea, over the past several decades, the last comprehensive fish survey of the watershed was conducted in 1971, and changes in the fish fauna and community composition may have occurred. Historical data (1845‐ 2019) containing 5,105 records was compiled for 109 species reported at least once from the Cypress Creek system. Samples from …

Americans Support For Renewable Energy Is Disconnected From Their Understanding Of Powerline Infrastructure As A Mechanism To Mitigate Climate Change, Rebecca J. Romsdahl, Christopher J. Felege, Joshua E. Hunter, Cheryl Hunter, Susan N. Ellis-Felege

Earth System Science and Policy Faculty Publications

As nations are transitioning to renewable energy sources, they will need to expand and upgrade their energy infrastructure, including high-voltage power lines (HVPL). We have conducted the first nation-wide survey in the last thirty years to assess public attitudes toward HVPL in the USA. The study evaluates perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes toward building new transmission lines, as these relate to renewable energy, place attachment, and environmental impacts. Our results show that Americans do not recognize how new HVPL could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions; instead, respondents favor moving from centralized energy (large power stations and HVPL) to decentralized energy (local …

Arabinoxylan Structural Profiling Of Cool-Season Pasture Grasses Via High-Performance Anion-Exchange Chromatography With Pulsed Amperometric Detection (Hpaec-Pad) Analysis Of Endoxylanase Digests, Glenna Erin Joyce

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Arabinoxylan (AX) is a major structural polysaccharide found in the cell walls of monocots such as cereal grains and pasture grasses. The variety of AX structural components and substitution patterns contribute to AX structural diversity between different monocot species as well as plant tissues.

The rumen is the first digestion site of masticated food material in cattle and provides 70% of energy to host through fermentation of forage. There are many species of pasture grasses that act as a forage source. Differences in AX structure found in these pasture grasses may impact rumen microbial fermentation. Understanding the AX structure of …

Predicting Tomorrow: Optimizing The Early Detection Of Disease And Disease Recovery In Dairy Calves Using Precision Technologies, Melissa Cantor

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

The leading causes of morbidity and mortality in preweaned dairy calves are diarrhea and bovine respiratory disease complex (BRD). The delayed detection of these diseases in calves can also delay intervention and disease recovery. The overarching objective of this dissertation was to follow a cohort of calves daily for the first 90 days of life for naturally occurring clinical BRD bouts and diarrheal bouts. The objective answered if feeding behaviors and activity levels were different in at-risk calves during BRD development and BRD recovery from an antimicrobial intervention. Furthermore, the potential of colostrum replacer as a feeding intervention strategy to …

Impact Of Mineral Supplementation On Intake Behavior And Blood Flow In Growing Beef Cattle Exposed To Fescue-Derived Alkaloids, Hannah Marie Herzing

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Consumption of endophyte-infected tall fescue by cattle has repeatedly been shown to negatively impact dry matter intake (DMI), growth rate, and circulating prolactin concentrations. The objective of the current study was to determine if a mineral supplementation would mitigate the negative effects of fescue-derived alkaloid consumption on feed intake, circulating prolactin, and the vascular system. Twelve Angus crossbred steers were used in a triplicated Latin square design consisting of three 28 d experimental periods. Treatments consisted of three top-dressed mineral supplements (142 g/head/d): a non-medicated control (CON), commercially available Fescue EMT® Mineral Defense (EMT), and a test prototype (EMT 2). …

The Effects Of Form Of Selenium On The Bovine Corpus Luteum, Uterine Endometrium, And Development Of The Conceptus, Benjamin Ryne Crites

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Widespread regions of the southeast United States have soils deficient in selenium (Se), necessitating Se supplementation to cattle grazing in these areas. Adequate dietary Se is required for optimal immune function, growth, and fertility. In forages, Se is predominantly found in the organic form (OSe), which is known to increase bioavailability. However, the inorganic form (ISe) is typically found in commercial mineral mixes. We previously reported that supplementation with an isomolar 1:1 mix (MIX) of ISe (sodium selenite, Prince Se Concentrate; Prince Agri Products, Inc., Quincy, IL) and OSe (SEL-PLEX, Alltech Inc., Nicholasville, KY) increases early luteal phase concentrations of …

Monocyte Abundance And White Blood Cell Expression Of Prolactin And Nf-Kb Pathway Genes In Beef Steers Are Altered By Grazing Toxic Endophyte-Infected Tall Fescue And Lipopolysaccharide Challenge, Cecilia Winfrey

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Experiment 1 tested the hypothesis that ad libitum consumption of a 1:1 blend (MIX) of sodium selenite (ISe) and SELPLEX vs solely ISe as selenium (Se) supplements (27 ppm) in a vitamin-mineral mix (V-M) by steers subjected to summer-long grazing of toxic endophyte-infected tall fescue (TE) would ameliorate the negative effects of TE by positively affecting the expression pattern of prolactin (PRL) and NF-kB pathway genes by circulating leukocytes (WBC). Experiment 2 tested the hypothesis that the MIX form of supplemental Se also would ameliorate the negative effects of in vitro blood lipopolysaccharide challenge (LPS) on WBC gene expression. The …

Impact Of Feeding Foods Containing Industrial Hemp-Derived Cannabidiol On Canine Health And Well-Being, Elizabeth M. Morris

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Anecdotal evidence of beneficial behavioral and health effects of cannabidiol (CBD) use in companion animals has amplified the need to elucidate safety and potential impacts of CBD use. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the impact of industrial hemp-derived CBD administration on canine health and well-being. We hypothesized that CBD would produce beneficial effects on canine behavior without negatively impacting animal health. Dog treats were formulated to include CBD and shown to be palatable across a range of CBD inclusion levels. Dogs were supplemented with CBD treats and subjected to a noise-induced fear response test to assess potential …

Effects Of Phototherapy In Patients With Atopic Dermatitis, Stephanie Krogen

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic remitting problem faced by many people in our communities of all ages. Atopic dermatitis (AD) presents as an erythematous and pruritic rash. There is no cure, only treatments that help alleviate symptoms. The purpose of this literature review is to help determine the best course of action for treatment for patients who suffer from AD. Phototherapy has been growing in popularity and research as an alternate treatment to systemic and pharmacologic therapies. This review was done using PubMed, Clinical Key, DynaMed, and Cochrane. Studies were included that reviewed the side effects and efficacy of each …

Comparative Research Of Effective Treatment Measures For Postpartum Depression, Aunica Novacek

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that includes depressive symptoms during the time period following childbirth. There are various possibilities for what may cause this disorder, but the drastic change in hormones after delivery can play a role. With the chance this disorder may be fatal to both the mother and child, an appropriate, effective, and safe treatment is necessary to control depressive symptoms. The standard, first line pharmacotherapeutic option is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant. SSRI antidepressants are well understood, but these medications may take time to become effective. Knowing this, medical professionals can find a more …

Transcriptomic Analysis Of Young Regenerating Magnocellular Neurons (Mcns) Vs Mature Non- Regenerating Mcns, Malak Alzidaneen

Theses and Dissertations

Mature mammalian CNS neurons do not regenerate or recover following injuries. Different transcription factors have been linked to axonal growth and survival, and regulation changes in these transcription factors will affect the expression levels of genes involved in axonal regeneration. A robust collateral sprouting response within the distant terminal field of magnocellular neurons, the neurohypophysis, arising from the contralateral non-injured supraoptic neurons have been shown in response to unilateral denervation of MCNs tracts. This response peaked at age 35 days then it was followed by a complete loss of the regenerative capacity between 35 days and 125 days of age. …

Enzymatic Approach To Improve Tensile, Freeness And Brightness, Yao Ntifafa

Theses and Dissertations

Weak tensile strength is usually source of web breaks on paper machines and converting machines. Web break, in general, is due to poor hydrogen bonding between the fibers. Web break which is ultimately a downtime and a waste can be reduced through enzymatic approach. In order to increase the tensile strength of the paper, it necessary to determine the amount and the conditions in which the enzymes yield a better sheet strength.A central composite design approach, using dosage, time and temperature as factors, was used to study the effects of the enzymes on the sheet strength; the pulp used is …

Scaling Near-Surface Remote Sensing To Calibrate And Validate Satellite Monitoring Of Grassland Phenology, Morgen W.V. Burke

Theses and Dissertations

Phenology across the U.S. Great Plains has been modeled at a variety of field sites and spatial scales. However, combining these spatial scales has never been accomplished before, and has never been done across multiple field locations. We modeled phenocam Vegetation Indices (VIs) across the Great Plains Region. We used coupled satellite imagery that has been aligned spectrally, for each imagery band to align with one another across the phenocam locations. With this we predicted the phenocam VIs for each year over the six locations.Using our method of coupling the phenocam VIs and the meteorological data we predicted 38 years …

Panpsychism And The First-Person Perspective: The Case For Panpsychist Idealism, Brentyn Ramm

Theology Papers and Journal Articles

In this paper I argue for a version of panpsychist idealism on first-person experiential grounds. As things always appear in my field of consciousness, there is prima facie } empirical support for idealism. Furthermore, by assuming that all things correspond to a conscious perspective or perspectives (i.e., panpsychism), realism about the world is safeguarded without the need to appeal to God (as per Berkeley's idealism). Panpsychist idealism also has a phenomenological advantage over traditional panpsychist views as it does not commit perceptual experience to massive error by denying that perceived colors are properties of things. Finally, I argue that the …

Think Again: The Thought Crime Doctrine And The Limits Of Criminal Law, Jordan Wallace-Wolf

Law Faculty Scholarship

According to the thought crime doctrine, neither beliefs nor intentions may be subject to criminal punishment. The doctrine is widely endorsed, but puzzling in its scope. Beliefs have a free speech credential: they play a straightforward role in the sincere exchange of ideas. Moreover, they are harmless, in the specific sense that they do not aim at action and so not at lawbreaking. But intentions are otherwise. They do not necessarily further the exchange of ideas and they may aim at wrongful, illegal conduct.

So why should the thought crime doctrine categorically protect them in addition to beliefs? Why not …

Cultural And Spiritual Significance Of Nature: Guidance For Protected And Conserved Area Governance And Management, Bas Verschuuren, Josep-Maria Mallarach, Edwin Bernbaum, Jeremy Spoon, Steve Brown, Radhika Borde, Jessica Brown, Mark Calamia

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The cultural and spiritual significance of nature has been defined as the spiritual, cultural, inspirational, aesthetic, historic and social meanings, values, feelings, ideas and associations that natural features and nature in general have for past, present and future generations of people – both individuals and groups. These guidelines respond to a growing need to make conservation more inclusive, effective and socially just by accommodating multiple worldviews; by treating natural and cultural heritage as interlinked; and by suggesting ways for engaging and empowering all relevant groups and stakeholders in protected area design, governance and management. The guidelines also assist with creating …

Motivations And Barriers To Pursue Cancer Genomic Testing: A Systematic Review, Megan Smith-Uffen, Nicci Bartley, Grace Davies, Megan Best

IES Papers and Journal Articles

Objectives: Single-gene testing is associated with psycho-social challenges for cancer patients. Genomic testing may amplify these. The aim of this study was to understand patients’ motivations and barriers to pursue cancer genomic testing, to enable healthcare providers to support their patients throughout the testing process and interpretation of test results.

Methods: Five databases were searched for original peer reviewed research articles published between January 2001 and September 2018 addressing motivation for genomic cancer testing. QualSyst was used to assess quality.

Results: 182 studies were identified and 17 were included for review. Studies were heterogenous. Both somatic and germline testing were …

Pilot Study Of An Online Training Program To Increase Genetic Literacy And Communication Skills In Oncology Healthcare Professionals Discussing Brca1/2 Genetic Testing With Breast And Ovarian Cancer Patients, Bettina Meiser, Paula Woodward, Margaret Gleeson, Maira Kentwell, Helen Mar Fan, Yoland Antill, Phyllis N. Butow, Frances Boyle, Megan Best, Natalie Taylor, Katy Bell, Kathy Tucker

IES Papers and Journal Articles

The increasing use of genetic testing for BRCA1/2 and other pathogenic variants in the management of women with breast and ovarian cancer necessitates increased genetic literacy in oncology healthcare professionals. This pilot study aimed to evaluate an online training program to increase genetic literacy and communication skills in Australian oncology healthcare professionals tasked with discussing and coordinating mainstream genetic testing with breast and ovarian cancer patients. A training website with embedded videos was developed. This study assesses the website’s acceptability and user-friendliness; suggestions for improvement were also elicited. Oncology healthcare professionals were recruited through relevant professional organisations, invited to the …

Helping In The Home: Counselors’ Experiences Providing Clients With In-Home Services, Melissa Jane Franzen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Counseling is an essential service that helps individuals work through struggles and live their best lives. Such service now includes providing counseling in clients’ homes. Counselors may require specific training or education to prepare for counseling in a home environment. This need for training and education is due to a lack of knowledge of the lived experiences of counselors providing services in the home. Transcendental phenomenology was used to guide a qualitative exploration into the lived experiences of counselors providing services in clients’ homes. Participants were 7 professional counselors, 5 female and 2 male, having met minimum state licensure requirements …

Perceptions And Experiences Of Sickle Cell Disease Patients And Parents/Caretakers On Alternative Treatment Options For Pain Management, Elizabeth Hagan Asamoah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is marked by excruciating chronic pain, commonly known as pain crisis. SCD healthcare practitioners (HCPs) have been employing palliative care as a mainstream treatment option to manage SCD pain crises using mainly opioid analgesics for years. Due to the current opioid crisis, however, it has become imperative to explore alternative regimens to manage the pain and associated comorbidities of SCD. Thus, the goals of this study included exploring alternative treatment options for SCD pain crisis management with the intent of decreasing SCD patients’ dependency on opioid-based or related analgesics while reducing the frequency of pain crises …

Psychological Distress As A Predictor Of Methamphetamine Use Among Racial Minority Women, Sundra Barnett Allen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe scope and magnitude of methamphetamine (MA) use among racial minority women (RMW) created pivotal health concerns due to its highly addictive nature. Despite much available research, the problem of psychological distress (PD) as an attribute of MA use among RMW remained as a gap in the literature. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relevancy between PD and MA use among RMW to determine if distress predicts MA use among this population. The attributes of PD, as defined in the K6, are nervousness, restlessness, hopelessness, feelings of sadness or depression, feelings that suppress effort, and a …

African American Females And Herpes Simplex Virus 2: A Basic Interpretive Qualitative Study, Cherlisa Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to recent studies, African American females are most susceptible to HSV-2 and are often asymptomatically diagnosed. Yet, the perceived benefit of discussing sexual health as well as recognizing a need to discuss HSV-2 with a healthcare provider was an identified gap in the existing research and current study findings. The purpose of this qualitative interpretive study was to understand the experiences of African American females who received an asymptomatic HSV-2 diagnosis. The health belief model constructs guided this study. Outlined through semi-structured interviews were the experiences of seven African American females diagnosed with HSV-2 in Fulton County, GA, as …

Black Fathers Experiences Of Paternal Abandonment Through Raising & Disciplining Their Sons, William Douglas Harvey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black male children have long experienced paternal abandonment. In some instances, those male children grow up to have sons of their own, yet have no frame of reference of fatherhood from their upbringing. The specific issue for this study was exploring the capacity to control the quality of one’s life entering fatherhood, even when considering the influences related to paternal abandonment. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experiences of paternally abandoned Black fathers and their experience of raising their male offspring, to understand how those Black fathers’ past occurrence may affect their relationships with their …

Employer Strategies For Military Spouse Retention, Shanna Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee turnover is extremely costly to organizations, which concerns business leaders in the United States because organizations invest time and money in resources such as recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and training. Grounded in systems theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies employers use to retain military spouse talent. The sample consisted of nine business leaders from large companies in San Antonio, Texas, known for successful talent retention initiatives for military spouses. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with business leaders and publicly available organizational documents. Data analysis was guided by thematic analysis, member checking, and methodological …

Narratives Of Chronic Pain After Treatment In Adult Patients, Matthew Sebastian Vittucci

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States 100 million people live with pain and must negotiate complicated clinical decisions that lead to a variety of treatments to control pain, some of which are effective and some that are not. Social identity theory and attribution theory guided the development of the interview protocol and analysis plan. A qualitative study was conducted to explore the complex nature of living with chronic pain through the narratives of seventeen adults in chronic pain for at least 3 months. Structural and thematic approaches were used to analyze the data. The structural results revealed three groups of participants: those …

Hiv/Aids And Substance Use Among Older Adults, Jamerlia E. Wyatt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

HIV/AIDS and substance abuse among older adults is a significant national and worldwide problem. As older HIV-positive adults continue to age, they will have problems with managing their HIV/AIDS, comorbidity disorders, and quality of life, which can lead to substance abuse. The purpose of this descriptive, phenomenological study was to explore the socio-risk behaviors, specific treatment preferences, and daily lived experiences of adults aged 50 years and older living with HIV/AIDS and substance use in a large northeastern urban city. The conceptual framework used to ground this qualitative study was Engel's biopsychosocial model. The purposeful sampling method was used to …

The Connection Between Pain, Perceived Disability, Emotional/Behavioral Problems, And Treatment Satisfaction, Penny Renee Drake

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With more than 100 million Americans living in chronic pain (CP), there is a growing need for better and more effective pain management strategies. CP can result from an injury, disease, or an emotional or psychological issue. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental study using a multiple linear regression procedure was to determine if CP patients’ perception of their disability as measured by the Personality Assessment Screener (PAS) and their emotional and/or behavioral problems as measured by the Oswestry Disability Index predict their satisfaction with their pain management regimen as measured by the researcher-produced instrument Survey of Satisfaction with Pain …

New Graduate Nurses’ Transfusion Training Views: Reflection On Experiences With Adverse Reactions, Hind Jaber-Daou

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract:New graduate nursing students transitioning to becoming professionals undergo education and training to gain knowledge and competence about transfusions. Nonetheless, new graduate nurses experience stress during a blood transfusion adverse reaction, which can be associated with lack of knowledge and inadequate training. The purpose of this qualitative study was to gather data from new graduate nurses who described their lived experiences with patients exhibiting symptoms of adverse reactions, how they reflected on their emotional effects, and the influences of the training on their knowledge and confidence. The research was grounded in social cognitive theory that centers on the concept of …

Exploring Culturally Competent Mental Health Outreach To Black Churches, Michele Marie Fry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black individuals and communities have held distrust toward mental health services and experience barriers in seeking services. Although the church is a significant support system in the Black community, it can also pose a barrier to congregation members seeking mental health services, as the Black church community has often stigmatized those seeking mental health services as weak. Ways to reach the Black community with trauma-informed, culturally competent, and spiritually sensitive mental health services through establishing connections with Black churches and church leaders were explored in this study. Previous research indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic increased depression and anxiety in the …

Staff Education Inservice For Preventing Discrimination Against Lgbt, Florence Titilola Eze

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) members live in the community, yet they are prone to various types of oppression, mistreatments, and denial of services from most institutions including health care settings. Concerns, such as being denied access to caregivers or being given a lower quality of care continue despite the community’s fighting for their voices to be heard across the globe and various movements that have been established, especially the United States and the United Kingdom, and laws that call for equitable healthcare. The purpose of this project was to explore whether a change in knowledge and attitudes would …