Digital Commons Network^™

Antifungal Effects Of Fatty Acids On The Growth Of Ophidiomyces Ophiodiicola In A Simulated Snake Skin Environment, Krupa S. Patel, Lizbeth Delarosa, Jacey Cardenas, Thalia Rodriguez, John Niedzwiecki

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Emerging infectious diseases have increasingly threatened wildlife populations worldwide, with devastating impacts observed in frogs, bats, and more recently, snakes. Snake fungal disease (SFD), caused by the pathogenic fungus Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola (Oo), currently poses a serious threat to snake populations across multiple regions. Infected snakes exhibit disrupted skin shedding, rough or scaly patches, crusty sores, and ulcers that compromise their health and survival. Although the mechanisms underlying transmission and susceptibility to SFD remain unclear, the snake cutaneous microbiome is known to act as a defensive barrier, mediating interactions between the host and invading pathogens. The lipid layer is a key …

Fungal Foes And Fatty Defenses: How Simulated Snake Skin Lipids Influence Ophidiomyces Ophiodiicola Growth, Thalia Rodriguez, Jacey Cardenas, Lizbeth Delarosa, Krupa Patel, John Niedzwiecki

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Emerging fungal diseases are a continuous threat to wildlife health as well as biodiversity. Fungal diseases, such as white nose syndrome in bats, can devastate populations by disrupting their ecosystems. Many other species around the world are affected by fungal diseases, such as amphibians, birds, and snakes. In more recent years, snake fungal disease (SFD) emerged due to the fungal pathogen Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola (O.o). Like Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungal pathogen responsible for white nose syndrome, O.o targets the skin which contains many fatty acids. Some studies have shown that fatty acids present in bat skin are able to inhibit fungal …

Surviving The Seasons: Climate And Time Effects On Native Songbirds, Essence Donaldson, Todd Hoskinson, John Niedzwiecki

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Bird populations across North America have declined sharply in recent decades due to habitat loss, climate change, and changes in food availability. As bird numbers fall, ecosystems lose essential pollinators, seed dispersers, and insect predators. Long-term monitoring of bird populations is vital for understanding how environmental changes influence their survival and abundance. This study examines capture data from a long-term bird banding station at Percy Warner Nature Center in Nashville, Tennessee, focusing on five native species: Northern Cardinal (NOCA), American Robin (AMRO), American Goldfinch (AMGO), Tufted Titmouse (TUTI), and Carolina Chickadee (CACH), from fall 1983 to fall 2023. We analyzed …

Kairiomone Moderated Anti-Predator Responses In Pleurocera Laqueta, Daisy V. Mcleod, John Webb, Amanda Waggoner, John Niedzwiecki

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Predator-prey coevolution in freshwater ecosystems often involves chemical communication, where the prey detect predator released compounds known as kairomones. These chemical cues allow prey to alter behavior to reduce risk of predation. In Middle Tennessee streams, the native snail Pleurocera laqueata commonly coexists with predator crayfish, and previous studies have shown that exposure to crayfish kairomones can induce an anti-predator “crawl out” response. This response is commonly demonstrated through snails climbing above the waterline to avoid crayfish predators below. We hypothesized that Pleurocera laqueata would display a similar anti-predator response when exposed to both native and non-native crayfish cues. After …

Physiological Response To Concealed Information In A Mock-Crime Paradigm​, Ezra Koenigsberg, Tamya Mchenry, Jasmine Manzana, Taylor Powell, Samantha Jackson

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

The Concealed Information Test (CIT), based on Lykken’s guilty knowledge framework, measures physiological responses when individuals recognize crime-related details compared to neutral alternatives. Previous studies show that variations in stimulus presentation enhance the CIT’s accuracy, especially through changes in electrodermal activity and heart rate. However, few studies have tested whether a Qualtrics-based mock-crime version of the CIT can replicate these physiological patterns. This study addresses that gap by adapting the CIT for a digital research environment. The goal is to determine whether participants show greater physiological arousal—measured through skin conductance, heart rate, and respiration—when exposed to crime-related “critical” stimuli compared …

Addressing Gaps In Breastfeeding Education Among Pediatric Nurses, Bethany Stokes, Shannon Abbott

2025

INNOVATION & LEADERSHIP

Background: Breastfeeding is a modifiable health-related behavior widely recognized for its short-and long-term health benefits (Standish, 2022). The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends breastfeeding for at least two years or as long as mutually desired (Meek, 2022). Despite this guidance, pediatric nurses outside of neonatal units often receive minimal breastfeeding education, creating a gap in care for breastfeeding families admitted to other areas of the hospital. This project aimed to assess the breastfeeding knowledge needs of pediatric nursing staff across two hospital campuses. A lack of standardized breastfeeding education was identified. To quantify this gap, …

Defying Gravity: Fall Prevention Quality Improvement Project, Taylor Ryan, Madeline Bartush

2025

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

Background: In March of 2025, an increase in inpatient falls led to a hospital-wide containment period. In response, a fall prevention nurse role was created to identify gaps, provide targeted education and lead improvement efforts. Initial surveys of 101 nurses revealed that while 91% reported using the teach-back method of education as part of their practice with patients and families, only 36.6% reported they always use this method, and just 19.8% reported feeling very comfortable doing so. Direct observations revealed families unable to teach-back fall prevention strategies despite nurse documentation of education completion. A gap analysis also …

Embedding Health Literacy Practices Through A Champion Program: A Strategic Expansion, Diana Montoya, Cameron Stine, Kelli Williams, Leslie Moore, Carol Howe

2025

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

Background: The importance of becoming a Health-Literate Organization gained momentum in our pediatric organization, driven by the Healthy People 2030 initiative, Social Determinants of Health Screening and organizational strategies focused on enhancing patient outcomes. The Health Literacy Champion Program (HLCP) was expanded in 2024-2025 to embed subject matter experts into inpatient care units, thereby infusing health literacy best practices to enhance patient communication.

Methodology: The initial phase involved aligning the HLCP interventions with organizational strategic priorities and establishing shared goals among stakeholders. The program leads identified key priority indicators and metrics to evaluate the program. The …

Empowering Nurses: A Training Initiative On Essential Oils For Pediatric Neurosurgery Patients, Sheri Sacks

2025

EBP

Literature Review: Pediatric neurosurgery patients often face increased anxiety and agitation. Nurses may lack knowledge of non-pharmacological interventions to reduce agitation and anxiety in their patients. Literature review used MeSH Headings and keywords to find recent English articles. Evidence shows EO reduces anxiety. Lavender inhalation lowers anxiety, pain, and vital signs in pediatric dental patients. In adults, aromatherapy decreases anxiety, pain, blood pressure, and improves sleep, also reducing pain and extubation time.

PICO: In pediatric neurosurgical bedside nurses, does education on lavender essential oil, compared to no education, improve knowledge, confidence and intent to integrate it as a complementary …

Enhancing Sepsis Education And Staff Engagement Through Gamification: A Qi Project Using Escape Rooms In A Pediatric Ed, Angie Rodick, Nicole Bizzack, Virginia Elizondo

2025

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

Background: Sepsis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitals, making early recognition and intervention critical. Traditional education methods often fail to ensure retention of essential knowledge, leaving staff underprepared. To address this gap, a Quality Improvement (QI) project was launched in the Emergency Department (ED) of an urban Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center. Nursing leaders identified the need for engaging, sustainable education and collaborated with educators to design an escape room training activity. The aim was to evaluate whether gamification could increase engagement, improve understanding of a new sepsis screening tool, and enhance overall …

Got Ebm? Increasing Scanning Compliance With Nursing Led Initiatives, Angela Randles, Rose Dela Cruz, Lily Lawrence

2025

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

Background: This General Pediatrics unit had just 78% staff compliance in scanning Expressed Breast Milk (EBM) in January 2025, a crucial gap in safe handling and documentation. The risk to patient safety prompted a targeted quality improvement project to improve compliance and workflow. A thorough process mapping exercise and pre-survey bedside nurses helped understand noncompliance. The aim of this project is to identify ways to increase compliance with EBM scanning by understanding the root cause of non-compliance and identifying nurse led initiatives to improve patient outcomes.

Methodology: In April 2025, improper reporting of breast milk pumping …

Hemodynamic Effects Of Bathing In The Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Andrea Torzone, Kuroush , Nezafati, Donghan Yang, Yang Xie, Julia Gerstmann, Joshua Wolovits, Javier J. Lasa

2025

RESEARCH

Purpose: Neonates and infants in a pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) are particularly susceptible to hemodynamic consequences of environmental exposure, agitation, and increased systemic vascular resistance associated with bathing. Clinical observations have generated significant debate regarding the physiologic changes that may occur related to patient bathing, leading to modified care practices surrounding routine bathing in the CICU. Due to the paucity of evidence surrounding physiologic changes associated with bathing in the CICU, we aim to describe the vital sign and hemodynamic profile of this high risk neonatal and infant population undergoing routine bathing in a pediatric CICU. …

Investigating The Mediated Relationship Of Stress Between Organizational Culture And Emotional Labor In Nurses, Elaine Beardsley

2025

RESEARCH

Purpose: Pediatric critical care nurses provide essential care to severely ill or injured children, yet high stress can impact the nurse’s well-being. Although it is known that exposure to traumatic events can contribute to secondary trauma for the nurse, it is becoming more widely understood how the work environment is a contributing factor on how stress is experienced by the nurse. It is also known that emotion regulation strategies to meet organizational display rules, called emotional labor, can increase or decrease felt stress, but it is not known if this is impacted by organizational culture types. The purpose …

Oh, My Baby! A Qi Initiative To Improve Neonatal Thermoregulation Compliance Via Nurse-Led Training And Development Of A Resource Binder, Gene Mae Estoya, Rose Dela Cruz, Deb Lathrop

2025

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

Background: Plan- Problem: Decrease in Neonatal Thermoregulation Compliance (0% in January 2024 to 10-33% in April to December 2024) and Staff comfort level (1- 5 Level) in caring for patients with Neonatal thermoregulation issues and equipment use. Background: In December 2024, the capacity of this pediatric hospital expanded from 72 to 212 beds with more neonate admissions. For effective compliance, the executive leaders decided in January 2025 to train the same group of nurses and cohort neonate admission in a single acute care unit. Goal: Increase in Neonatal Thermoregulation Compliance (above 90% goal) and Staff comfort level …

Deconstructing The Black Box: An Explainability Analysis Of Deep Learning Architectures In Cytopathology, Chase A. Garrett

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Deep learning shows strong potential in medical-image analysis, yet adoption in cyptopathology remains limited. Cytopathology could benefit from deep learning applications by improving diagnostic efficiency and accuracy. However deep learning comes with a notorious “black box” that keeps the models from being transparent and trustworthy for widespread clinical adoption. We conducted a comprehensive and comparative analysis of several deep learning architectures for multi-class classification of acute leukemia types, ALL, AML, and normal healthy cells from peripheral blood smear images. The models in this research include a Vision Transformer (ViT) and a diverse selection of Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) models. The …

Characterization Of Antiretroviral Therapy (Art) Adherence Phenotypes And Psychosocial Symptom Clusters Among Black/African American (Aa) And Hispanic/Latine Adolescents And Young Adults (Ayas) With Hiv In The Adherence Connection For Counseling, Education, And Support (Access-Ii) Trial, Ann-Margaret Navarra, Taehoon Ha, Eva Liang, Maurade Gormley, David R. Garcia, Jason Fletcher, Lloyd A. Goldsamt, Michael G. Rosenberg, Karin Hasegawa, Jie Yang

School of Nursing Faculty Publications

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence behavior is heterogeneous among adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with HIV and influenced by individual and interpersonal psychosocial factors. The primary objective of this study is to characterize ART adherence phenotypes and psychosocial symptom clusters, as related to ART adherence and HIV viral load suppression. This analysis included 60 AYAs with HIV enrolled in an ART adherence support clinical trial. Self-reported ART adherence at baseline, 12-weeks, and 24-weeks was used to define four ART adherence phenotypes: consistently high adherence (YY), early-only adherence (YN), late-only adherence (NY), and consistently low adherence (NN). Symptom clusters were empirically derived …

Masthead

University of Miami Race & Social Justice Law Review

No abstract provided.

Death Before Breath: Courts Should Add De–Escalation And Proportionality To The Graham Factors, Nakyshia Fralin

University of Miami Race & Social Justice Law Review

This paper examines Barnes v. Felix, a case recently before the Supreme Court, through a comparative analysis of various circuit courts’ applications of the Graham factors in use–of–force evaluations. Beginning with a historical overview of policing, the paper revisits the factual background of the case before delving into the Fifth Circuit’s analysis, known as the Moment–of–Threat doctrine. It then contrasts this approach with the broader “totality of the circumstances” approach, highlighting the differing judicial interpretations. Building upon these established frameworks, the paper proposes two additional factors aimed at promoting human life and safety. By introducing these elements, the analysis seeks …

The Integral Fail–Safe: Restoring Clemency’S Role As A Remedy For Injustice In Death Penalty Cases, Mya Nobles

University of Miami Race & Social Justice Law Review

Executive clemency has long been understood simply as an act of mercy; however, this Note argues that executive clemency was historically designed to also function as an indispensable corrective mechanism within the criminal justice system, especially in capital cases where the consequences of error are irreversible. Using the execution of Marcellus Williams as a central illustration, this Note examines how modern clemency practices have deviated from their original purpose, becoming increasingly arbitrary, politically influenced, and vulnerable to racial bias. Although clemency has been characterized by its broad discretion and minimal procedural constraints, this Note argues that such unfettered authority has …

Archaeology As Alternative Prison Education, Jayne Price Dr, Caroline Pudney Dr

Journal of Prison Education Research

This paper presents the educational focused outcomes of a set of workshops entitled 'Introduction to Archaeology’ that were delivered within a prison. The workshops were delivered as part of a project that seeks to explore the pro-social benefits and social capital (i.e. social and structural aspects that support positive identity formation) that could be developed through engagement with archaeology, specifically for those within the criminal justice system. The workshops offered a bespoke, alternative, educational offering within an adult male prison in Wales. It was designed and delivered by an archaeologist who has an established background in the field, especially in …

Thanksgiving Message To Faculty And Staff From Chancellor Boyce 2025, Glenn Boyce

University of Mississippi News

As we approach the holidays, I hope you’ll take a moment to appreciate the strength and spirit of our university community.

Veterans' Voices Provide Key To Measuring Ptsd Treatment Success, Clara Turnage

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – For veterans battling post-traumatic stress disorder, feeling better is more than just scoring better in clinical measurements. A new study shows that these two metrics often align.

Uab Arts Gift Guide Has Entertainment For All Ages In Birmingham, Shannon Thomason

Browse All News

No abstract provided.

Pediatric Nurses’ Perceptions Of The Quality And Usefulness Of Clinical Summaries: Surgeons Versus Generative Ai, Lindsey Patton, Nikki Marshall

2025

RESEARCH

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of AI-generated summaries and physician-written summaries in the pediatric surgery population from nurses’ perspectives.

Methods: The study occurred at a large, academic-affiliated pediatric healthcare system designated as a Level 1 Children’s Surgery Center. Three clinical nurses independently reviewed and compared AI-generated summaries to physician written summaries for patients admitted to the surgery service line utilizing the validated Physician Documentation Quality Instrument (PDQI-9) tool. The nurse evaluation team met prior to scoring to ensure consistency of interpretation and scoring of PDQI-9 domains.

Results: AI-generated and physician …

The Evolution Of A Pediatric Cardiac Catheterization And Interventional Quality Review Program, Susanne Roberts, Andrea Torzone, Surendranath Veeram Reddy

2025

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

Background: With a change in leadership, substantial increases in the number and complexity of cardiac catheterization and interventional procedures, we identified an opportunity for a formal programmatic quality review to identify potential gaps in data and missed opportunities for quality improvement.

Methodology: Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) methodology was utilized to develop the Cardiac Catheterization and Interventional Quality Review Program. Over the course of 2021 to present, four cycles of the PDSA process have been completed. Cycle I: Action focused on accuracy validation of outcomes reports and initiation of a programmatic dashboard. Cycle II: Initiation of …

Bibbidi-Bobbidi No Boo-Boo Pulse-Oximeter: A Child-Friendly Prototype To Improve The Pediatric Experience, Holly Dickens

2025

INNOVATION & LEADERSHIP

Background: This prototype design project addresses the critical need to enhance pediatric patient comfort by reimagining common medical equipment to be child-friendly. A significant gap exists in pediatric device development, as most tools are repurposed from adult models and fail to consider the unique psychological, emotional, and developmental needs of children (Espinoza et al., 2020). Devices such as pulse oximeters, though essential in monitoring oxygenation and widely regarded as the “fifth vital sign” (Al-Beltagi et al., 2024), often cause distress for young patients. Traditional models feature intimidating adult-centric aesthetics, bright red sensor lights, and sticky wraps …

November 24 Elections, Census & Redistricting Update, Jeffrey M. Wice

Elections, Census & Redistricting Updates

No abstract provided.

Teacher Perceptions Of School Leadership: Trust, Fairness, And Support As Predictors Of Student Achievement, Trever B. Smith

Honors Theses

This quantitative study examined the relationship between staff–leadership working conditions and student achievement outcomes in Kentucky high schools. This research makes use of extant data from the Impact Kentucky Working Conditions Survey for the 2023-2024 school year. The researcher particularly studied the correlation between teacher perceptions of trust, fairness, and support from principals and student achievement in the Kentucky Summative Assessment (KSA). Teacher perceptions of working conditions were generally favorable, though trust and perceptions of school leadership emerged as weaker areas. Correlation analyses indicated only weak, nonsignificant associations between leadership working conditions and student achievement outcomes at the statewide level. …

Forecasting Big Data Daily Silver Price Based On Hybridizing Support Vector Regression And Meta-Heuristic Algorithms, Ibtihal Muneeb Yahya, Zakariya Yahya Algamal

Baghdad Science Journal

Because commodities are prone to large price swings, forecasting their prices can be extremely difficult. Similar to other commodities, the price of silver is determined by a complicated interplay between a number of factors, including time-lag. Precise forecasting of the silver price is essential for the stable and effective functioning of silver markets. The time series that metal prices follow is non-stationary, nonlinear, and contains periods that fluctuate due to possible growth. Accurate forecasting of silver prices is difficult since they are consistently highly nonlinear and non-stationary. Forecasting metal prices, in general, have been predicted by support vector regression (SVR). …

Optimizing Artificial Neural Networks For Smart Grid Stability Analysis Using Tabu Search-Based Hyperparameter Tuning, Salwa Khalid Abdulateef, Armaneesa Naaman Hasoon, Moceheb Lazam Shuwandy

Baghdad Science Journal

Smart grids are supposed to make electricity networks more reliable, yet in practice their behavior can be surprisingly unstable when the load changes too quickly. During this work, we tried to understand that instability and to build a model that predicts when a grid remains stable or begins to drift. We used an Artificial Neural Network and tuned it with a Tabu Search routine that keeps adjusting the number of neurons and the activation functions until the results stop improving. It was not a single run; several training attempts were needed before the model settled. After applying the Tabu optimization, …