Digital Commons Network^™

Kenyon Collegian - October 1, 2026

The Kenyon Collegian

No abstract provided.

From Innovation To Impact: Evaluation Of The Shape Accelerator Cohort, Iryna V. Lendel, Chloe Wieber

Upjohn Institute Technical Reports

The Solutions Hub for an Alternative Packaging Ecosystem (SHAPE), a Michigan-Ohio partnership operated by the Michigan State University Research Foundation as part of a National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engine, co-funded a special cohort of the NextCycle Accelerator focused on sustainable packaging and circular economy ventures. This report evaluates how the accelerator contributed to firm-level advancement and ecosystem-level change, drawing on program data and interviews with participating companies, program facilitators, stakeholders, and SHAPE management.  Participants most consistently credited coaching, network connections, and the Pitch Showcase with meaningfully impacting their business trajectory, gaining market traction, advancing technology readiness, and gaining access …

Improving Identification Of Older Adult Financial Exploitation Using The Oafem Screening Tool, Paige N. Horvath, J’Andra Antisdel, Lori J. Pajakowski

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Older adult financial exploitation is a growing public health concern that frequently goes unrecognized in healthcare settings. Financial exploitation can result in significant financial loss, psychological distress, and decreased quality of life for vulnerable older adults. Primary care settings represent an important opportunity for early detection; however, routine screening for financial exploitation is rarely incorporated into standard patient assessments. The purpose of this evidence-based practice project is to evaluate whether implementation of the Older Adult Financial Exploitation Measure (OAFEM) screening tool increases identification of older adults at risk for financial exploitation in a community-based primary care clinic. The guiding PICOT …

A Call To Standardization For Ventilator Waveform Education For Apps And Physician Fellows, Soraya Smith-Farmer

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Mechanical ventilation management requires accurate interpretation of ventilator waveforms to identify patient-ventilator dyssynchrony, guide clinical decision-making, and prevent adverse patient outcomes. Although mechanical ventilation is fundamental to intensive care unit (ICU) practice, traditional training may not fully prepare clinicians to recognize and manage patient-ventilator asynchrony. Competency in waveform interpretation improves with repeated exposure, deliberate practice, and clinical reinforcement; however, few training programs provide structured approaches to support continued skill development. This quality improvement project evaluated whether a structured, case-based ventilator waveform microlearning intervention would improve confidence and support retention of knowledge in waveform interpretation among advanced practice provider (APP) fellows, …

Dnp Student Implementation Of Pc4 Model In A Pregnancy Resource Center To Improve Quality Of Care, Priscilla A. Outlaw

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Pregnancy resource centers (PRCs) play a critical role in supporting women from underserved communities but often struggle to consistently meet clients’ emotional, cultural, and psychological needs. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to evaluate the impact of implementing the Person-Centered Care and Communication Continuum (PC4) Model—an evidence-based framework designed to enhance respect, communication, and individualized attention in maternal healthcare—on client satisfaction and service engagement at a local PRC.

Guided by Watson’s Theory of Human Caring, this mixed-methods quality-improvement project assessed antenatal client satisfaction and service delivery before and after PC4 implementation. Surveys and structured observations …

Impact Of Simulation-Based Ebp Training On Outcomes And Confidence In Newly Licensed Nurses, Karrie A. Youngs

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

The transition from nursing student to newly licensed registered nurse represents a vulnerable period in professional practice. During this time, nurses must apply evidence-based practice (EBP) while managing complex patient care. Traditional hospital orientation programs often rely on didactic instruction and preceptorship, which may not fully prepare new nurses for fast-paced clinical environments. Simulation-based education has emerged as an experiential strategy that bridges the theory–practice gap through realistic clinical scenarios, guided debriefing, and competency-based evaluation. This literature review examines quantitative evidence on the effectiveness of structured simulation-based EBP training in improving clinical outcomes and confidence among newly licensed nurses.

A …

Eating Disorders In Male Athletes, Robbie-Lynn C. Puspoky

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

The purpose of this integrative review was to explore the risk of eating disorders in male athletes aged 15-36 years old in high performance sports. Whittmore and Knalf’s integrative review method was followed to address this research aim. Two databases (Ovid MEDLINE 1946 to present and CINAHL) were searched between the years of 2000 and 2023. Suitability for inclusion was assessed, and data were extracted and analysed using thematic analysis. Twenty-three articles met the inclusion criteria for this review. Three themes were identified and reflect the risk of eating disorders in male athletes in high performance sports between the ages …

Examining Covid-19 Vaccination Attitudes And Behaviors Among Undergraduate Nursing Students, Nicele Catherine Medel Arana

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

As COVID-19 transitions into endemic management, understanding vaccination behaviors and beliefs among nursing students is critical given nurses’ roles in patient education and vaccine advocacy. This descriptive, cross-sectional study examined COVID-19 vaccination attitudes, booster uptake, infection history, and advocacy confidence among undergraduate Bachelor of Science nursing students at a public urban college. Forty-six students across three cohorts completed an anonymous online survey informed by the Health Belief Model (HBM) and the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (VHS) following institutional review board (IRB) approval (IRB #2025-0805-York). Findings demonstrated near-universal completion of the primary COVID-19 vaccine series, contrasted by lower booster uptake. A majority …

Impact Of A Video Surgical Tour On Preoperative Anxiety In Joint Arthroplasty Patients, Rose C. Fialkowski, Patricia A. Keresztes

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Preoperative anxiety is a prevalent and clinically significant concern among patients undergoing elective hip and knee arthroplasty, affecting up to 69.4% of surgical patients and contributing to poorer perioperative outcomes, including increased pain, delayed recovery, and decreased patient satisfaction. Despite routine preoperative education, many patients remain unprepared for the surgical experience, particularly due to unfamiliarity with the perioperative environment.

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement project evaluates the effectiveness of a virtual surgical center tour in reducing preoperative anxiety among adult patients undergoing elective joint replacement surgery at an outpatient orthopedic center in Chicago, Illinois. Guided by Dorothea …

Hospital Falls In Hybrid Virtual Nursing Models: A Need For Future Health Outcomes Research, Lindsay E. Colby

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Hospital falls are a global health concern with adverse implications for patients’ health-related quality of life. As a nurse-sensitive indicator, hospital falls reflect the quality and safety of the healthcare system. Hybrid virtual nursing, an emerging care delivery model, utilizes digital telehealth technologies and combines in-person nursing care with remote care. There is a dearth of literature related to the impact of hybrid virtual nursing on hospital falls.

The purpose of this poster is to: explore health outcomes measures and data sources related to hospital falls; review literature related to hospital falls in hybrid virtual nursing models. …

Risks Of Mercury Release From Disturbance Of Blue Carbon Ecosystems, Fan Zhang, Jingrou Hu, Ana Carolina Ruiz-Fernández, Christian J. Sanders, Xinxin Li, Ruotong Chen, Kunshan Bao, Bigyan Neupane, Aidah Baloch, Yanhui Zheng, Oscar Serrano

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Blue carbon ecosystems (BCEs) function as dual repositories of organic carbon and legacy contaminants. While BCEs are recognized carbon sinks, their role as mercury (Hg) sinks and the risk of their conversion into sources due to human and climatic disturbances remain unexplored. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the drivers and risks of contaminant remobilization from threatened BCEs, with a primary focus on mercury. We explore how natural and human disturbances influence Hg storage, release, and bioavailability, while evaluating the risks posed to ecosystems and human health. Through a three-level meta-analysis, we show that physical disturbance remobilizes approximately 54% (95% …

Operationalising Equity In Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management, Riley Bibaud, Tom Mullier, Matthew Ashley, Holly Niner, Lauren Stewart, Siân Rees

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Equity is increasingly recognised as a critical dimension of sustainable ocean governance, yet operational frameworks for incorporating equity considerations into marine governance remain limited. Fisheries management practices have traditionally concentrated on stock sustainability and commercial extraction, often without fully addressing the broader ecosystem dynamics that underpin fish populations throughout key life stages. This study explores how Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) can support more equitable outcomes by applying a beneficiary-centric natural capital framework to the Celtic Sea and Western Channel Pelagic Fisheries Management Plan. A typology of beneficiaries was developed to assess the distribution of ecosystem service benefits, followed by a …

Shabbat In The Orange Grove: Joseph Wittenstein's Early Orlando History, Deborah Gurt

University Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Dipl 6104 Na The Art And Science Of International Negotiations, Claudia Abate M.S., Sergio Vieira De Mello Visiting Chair

Diplomacy Syllabi

This course provides an overview of academic theory and diplomatic practice on the art and science of international negotiations.

The Fall 2026 semester unfolds against the backdrop of the election of the next UN Secretary-General, with negotiations from UN Member States, the Security Council, and the General Assembly actively taking place. Students will analyze this process in real time and consider how various actors negotiate and come to agreements on processes leading to inter-governmental elections and negotiated agreements.

In addition, a study of selected international negotiators, negotiation techniques, practices, and standards will complement an analysis of internationally agreed documents such …

Dipl 6005 Aa Public International Law, Daimeon Shanks-Dumont J.D., Ph.D.

Diplomacy Syllabi

International law is a central framework for theorizing the international society of states. This course offers an introduction to public international law as a dynamic and contested topic through a wide array of issues that concern not only states and governments, but also international organizations, non-governmental organizations, international lawyers, and civil societies.

After the Second World War, public international law was re-envisioned with a promise to protect the sovereignty and integrity of vulnerable states against aggression, guarantee the self-determination of peoples, and to work towards fulfilling universal human rights in an interconnected world. However, the new global order maintained a …

Dipl 6180 Na Comparative Foreign Policy, Ann Marie Murphy Ph.D.

Diplomacy Syllabi

This course examines leading theoretical approaches to the study of foreign policy and their application to a variety of states and issue areas.  The goal of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the key concepts necessary to address the fundamental question of foreign policy analysis: how do states define and pursue their national interests in international affairs?   During the semester, we will explore some of the key debates in foreign policy analysis.  Do differences in the characteristics of states (large versus small, democratic versus authoritarian, industrialized versus developing) lead to differences in their foreign policies?  Or …

Dipl 6276 Global Health Governance, Yanzhong Huang Ph.D.

Diplomacy Syllabi

Public health challenges — pandemic influenza, HIV and AIDS, COVID-19, obesity, neglected diseases, tobacco use, climate change, and underperforming health systems — increasingly shape and are shaped by the political, economic, and social dimensions of globalization. At the same time, international rules that fall outside the traditional health sphere, such as those governing intellectual property, trade, and greenhouse gas emissions, can have profound consequences for human health. Strong national health systems remain essential, but the reach of health threats and the capacity to respond often extend beyond any single state and beyond the health sector itself. Translating development goals into …

Dipl 6000 Na/Wb Introduction To International Relations Theory And Diplomacy, Brian Muzas Ph.D.

Diplomacy Syllabi

This course introduces students to the major theoretical traditions of international relations and diplomacy, with particular attention to how these theories help us understand contemporary challenges including cyber warfare, artificial intelligence, technological disruption, and ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, and Asia. We will begin with a critical investigation of the competing assumptions and concepts that form the heart of various theoretical approaches to the study of world politics. As a class we will grapple with the key actors, processes, and variables highlighted by each theory, and assess their relative strengths and weaknesses in explaining both traditional interstate relations …

Dipl 4555 Economic Aspects Of The International System, Jeremy Levine

Diplomacy Syllabi

This course reviews the current economic issues generated by globalization by emphasizing facts as well as theories. From the evolution of the post-WWII global order to economic theories like comparative advantage and free trade, this course explores the interconnectedness of international affairs and the global economy both historically and in the twenty-first century. Other topics discussed include the rise of American hegemony, the formation of economic blocs such as the European Union, the rise of India and China, oil politics in the Middle East, conflicts like the war in Ukraine, and more.

Dipl 4185 Aa Foreign Policies Of Post-Soviet States, Margarita M. Balmaceda Ph.D.

Diplomacy Syllabi

Russia’s full scale war on Ukraine presents key challenges to the international community. It is impossible to approach these challenges without a broader view of the sources of foreign policy in the former Soviet area. This course will survey the main issues in the history of Soviet relations with the foreign world, as well as the new foreign policies of Russia, the other Soviet successor states, and (to a lesser extent) the East and Central European states. The first part of the course explores topics such as longstanding sources of Russian and Soviet policies pre-dating 1917, the tensions between the …

Montana Kaimin, October 1, 2026, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

Allergic And Adverse Reactions To Hearing Aid Materials: Clinical Cases And A Proposed Preventive Screening Questionnaire, Margaret Hanger

AuD Capstone Projects - Communication Sciences and Disorders

Abstract (Case 1)

An adverse reaction of the external auditory canal for an adult hearing aid user

Introduction: Contact dermatitis, an allergic skin reaction triggered by exposure to irritants or allergens, has become more common with the widespread use of in-ear devices such as hearing aids. Prolonged contact may lead to redness, itching, pain, and skin breakdown, potentially impacting device use and user satisfaction.

Case Presentation: An adult male who wears a turban was fitted with binaural in-the-ear hearing aids. Shortly after initial use, he experienced bilateral ear discomfort. His hearing aids were remade to address presumed physical fit issues. …

Japanese "Picture Brides" And The Anti-Asian Immigration Discourse In The U.S. Media 1907-1924, Lex G. Coniglio

Student Honors Theses

In 1907, the U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt finalized the Gentlemen’s Agreement. This informal arrangement, made in part due to the continued American dissent against Japanese immigration during the early twentieth century, was designed to limit the number of Japanese migrant workers in the United States. In Roosevelt’s words, the only Japanese nationals that would be allowed for U.S. entry would be “students, travelers, business men and the like.”1 But, as it would be discovered, there were “loopholes” to this Agreement. The family members of Japanese immigrants already in the U.S. were allowed access into the country. Thus, single, Japanese men, …

Old Rulings, New Reasons, Jack Boeglin

Michigan Law Review

When the Supreme Court does away with a longstanding legal principle, what should become of the hundreds, if not thousands, of precedents across the judicial system that rely upon it? Does some residual precedential value continue to attach to a decision even after its reasoning has been rejected? Or should it be overturned unless it can be upheld on a new, independently persuasive legal basis?

These are the questions courts must ask when deciding whether to “reharmonize” precedent. A court reharmonizes a past decision by supporting it on alternative grounds that better fit with changing legal or factual understandings.

The …

Exploring The Placebo Effect On The Cortisol Stress Response, Enza Zeppegno-Mendonca, Olivia Huynh, Povheng Yam, Amanda Hahn

IdeaFest 2026

The placebo effect is well-studied on pain perception, but not many studies have examined the placebo effect on stress. The current study explores whether a deceptive stress‑reducing tincture (filled with water) influences participants’ cortisol responses and self‑reported stress while undergoing a modified acute stress task: the Sing-a-Song Stress Test (SSST). Given the rise of mental health concerns and misuse of medication, this area of research may provide new directions for developing treatments that incorporate the placebo effect, which may enhance treatment outcomes.

Genetically Driven Lipid Dysfunction And Neuroinflammation: An Agent-Based Model Of Alzheimer's Disease, Anthony Wolfe, Mack Kona, Sela Raisl, Enrique Lopez, Kamila Larripa

IdeaFest 2026

Microglia are immune cells in the brain that switch phenotypes to maintain neural health, but disruptions in this regulation may contribute to Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). We developed an agent-based model to link cell mechanisms to tissue-level patterns, incorporating both individual cell responses to localized signaling and the effects of APOE and TREM2 variants on microglial metabolism and clearance. Through computational experiments, we simulate how impaired lipid clearance and sensing lead to a pro-inflammatory microglial population and chronic inflammation. Our framework offers insight into how local dysfunction progresses to persistent neuroinflammation and promotes conditions like AD.

Impact Of Environmental Stressors On Pinniped Tags: Progress Toward Standardized Testing Protocol, Brodie Lyons, Deeksha Garige, Nathan Vasquez, Sean Shermer, Dr. Frank E. Cappuccio, Dr. Lonny Grafman, Dr. Dawn Goley

IdeaFest 2026

No abstract provided.

Reproductive Justice, Jennifer Whiteside

IdeaFest 2026

No abstract provided.

Bio 252/254: Genetics Fall 2026, Brian White

OER Textbooks

Bio 252/254 Genetics Fall 2026

This work was created by UMass Boston Professor Brian White using the support and funding from the OER Faculty Incentive Grant Program. This book is also available on LibreTexts, and can be viewed at this link: https://bio.libretexts.org/Courses/University_of_Massachusetts_Boston/Bio_252_254%3A_Genetics

Table of Contents:

• Front Matter (opens in new tab)
• 1: SPOC I - DNA and Chromosome Structure (opens in new tab)
• 2: SPOC II- Genomes (opens in new tab)
• 3: SPOC III - Mitosis and Meiosis (opens in new tab)
• 4: SPOC IV - DNA Replication (opens in new tab)
• 5: SPOC V - Transcription and mRNA Processing …

Swk 200: Introduction To Social Work Syllabus, Samantha Norris

Open Educational Resources

This Open Educational Resources (OER) syllabus was created for Introduction to Social Work (SWK 200) at the College of Staten Island, thanks to support from the CUNY Graduate Center’s Open Knowledge Fellowship.

The focus of SWK 200 is on introducing students to the profession of social work. This course examines the profession of social work, its value base, areas of practice, and societal role. Major social problems; philosophies of social welfare, provision, program and policy initiatives; and the response of social work as a profession are addressed. The obligation of professional social workers to promote social and economic justice on …