Digital Commons Network^™

The Church’S Social Vocation In World War I And Postwar Recovery: Theodor Zöckler’S Pastoral Ministry In Stanislaviv And Its Relevance For Contemporary Ukraine, Liudmyla Tymchuk, Yurii Klonovskyi

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article examines Theodor Zöckler’s pastoral ministry in Stanislaviv during the First World War and the difficult years of postwar reconstruction, and assesses the relevance of that experience for churches in contemporary Ukraine. Drawing on archival records, institutional reports, church periodicals, correspondence, and historical scholarship, the study analyzes how Zöckler combined spiritual care with evacuation, humanitarian relief, medical service, child protection, education, vocational training, and institutional advocacy. Historical-genetic, problem-chronological, hermeneutic, and comparative methods are used to reconstruct the transformation of his ministry under conditions of occupation, forced displacement, political transition, and economic collapse. The findings show that Zöckler’s response moved …

Solidarity In Action: Social Service Of Caritas Organizations In Ukraine In Wartime, Andrii Marchenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article is devoted to the analysis of the activities of Caritas charitable organizations in Ukraine, which are affiliated with the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (Caritas Ukraine) and the Roman Catholic Church (Caritas-Spes Ukraine), in the realities of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Particular attention is focused on considering how the fundamental ideas of Christian love, mercy, common good, and solidarity are embodied in the various practices of humanitarian, spiritual, and other support that these institutions provide to different categories of the population of Ukraine, especially those who have suffered from the destructive consequences of the war. Types of such support include, …

When Everything Falls Apart: On Core Values, Religion, And What Holds Societies Together, András Máté-Tóth

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Right now my region, like much of the world, is living through upheavals that reach both nature and politics at their foundations. When I look around and take the political crises seriously — the mass protests in Serbia, the long erosion of checks and balances in Hungary, the bitter fight over the courts and the rule of law in Poland — one question keeps surfacing: are we witnessing genuinely fundamental change, or only a reshuffling on the surface of power? That question is exactly what makes the problem of core values so urgent, and so current.

Note-Taking Is Not Universally Applicable, Chloe Tomasetta

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Chloe is a communications major who lives in Braintree, Massachusetts. Chloe wrote this essay in her Composition II course because she “genuinely wanted to explore the typed versus handwritten notes debate.” She said that researching this essay “gave me clarity in my preferred note-taking method,” and she adds: “I hope this essay can be helpful for students who struggle to take notes or choose a note-taking method.” Chloe loves spending time outside, as it “allows me to hear my own thoughts, which can provide clarity in my otherwise chaotic life.”

The Languages We Speak And The Biases That Erase Them, Siena Santos Edmunds

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Siena is a biology major on the pre-medical track living in Wellfleet, Massachusetts. Her essay grew out of her own experience, as she found the language she used with her peers “seemed to me to be filled with all the best modes of storytelling and socializing,” but it seemed to her that her teachers “didn’t always hear what I did and thus missed out on what the language I use has to offer.” Siena is also passionate about social justice, especially in the realm of education. Her mother lacked access to school in her home country of Brazil, and that …

Romanticized Communication: Why Does Modern Dating Suck?, Brianne Riccio

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Brianne is a nursing major living in Holbrook, Massachusetts. Brianne wrote this essay because “dating in 2019 is insanely difficult and more complicated than it has to be,” and she admits that her research revealed “more faults in my own personal dating life and mentality than I had previously known.” Brianne is deeply passionate about caring for others, and enjoys writing both as a way to help her relieve her own emotional burdens and as a way to connect with other people.

American Arms: A Soldier's Perspective, Steve Prochniak

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Steve is a political science major from Andover, Massachusetts. Steve’s experience in the military had given him an understanding of the practical aspects of the weapons he was trained to use, but his essay came out of a desire to understand the societal impacts of these weapons. Writing this essay both helped Steve develop a better understanding of this complicated issue, and helped him find his passion in exploring “issues and topics that face my community.” In addition to exploring these complex issues, Steve enjoys science fiction, exploration, and just hanging around in the city of Boston.

What Are The Benefits Of Reading For Pleasure?, Abigail Pineau

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Abigail is a nursing major living in Weymouth, Massachusetts. Abigail enjoys reading for pleasure, but before researching this essay she “never knew just how impactful it was.” She said that after researching this subject it became “important for me that students and parents know just how impactful pleasure reading is.” In addition to reading, Abigail’s other passion is nursing, as she loves both helping people in need and learning how we function as humans.

Nota Bene: A Study On Latin And Its Influence, Ashley Kim

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Ashley is a psychology major currently living in Natick, Massachusetts. Ashley took Latin at her high school in Georgia, where she found it to be “one of the most insightful and unique courses I had ever taken.” She was disheartened that her Latin teacher had to struggle to find students to fill her class, and she wrote this paper with that teacher in mind to share “the message of Latin’s intrinsic benefits.” Ashley says that writing is very important for her, and she says “there can be great significance in small moments, and instead of letting those moments slip by, …

English Language Learners Marginalized In Classrooms, Nayelis Guerrero

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Nayelis is an undecided major living in Everett, Massachusetts. Nayelis was an English language learner when she first came to the United States, and her essay was inspired by this experience. She says that researching and writing this essay “made me realize the ways in which English language learners can better incorporate themselves socially.” Nayelis is also passionate about helping her community, serving both as a coordinator of a group of Hispanic women that want to jump-start their own businesses and as part of a coalition that works with police in her city to change policies around the police’s interaction …

Letters To My Unrequited Love, Ogadimma Ebele

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Ogadimma is a political science major living in Hyde Park, Massachusetts. Writing is her passion and she credits this assignment with helping to further her composition skills. In 2019, she plans to focus all of her energy on pursuing her dream of landing a career in comedy writing.

2019 Editor's Introduction, Lauren M. Bowen

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

No abstract provided.

Translating Higher Education Into Vietnamese: An Applied Linguistics Approach To Language Equity And Higher Education Access, Z.W. Taylor, Alan Do, Jase Kugiya, Tuan Le

Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement

One growing population of non-native English speakers in the U.S. education system are native Vietnamese speakers, yet no studies have examined how higher education communication could be made more accessible for Vietnamese speakers. As a result, this case study reports on human and machine translational linguistics work conducted in partnership with the University of Iowa focused on simplifying and translating English enrollment management information into Vietnamese. Findings suggest that the institution increased the clarity and accessibility of enrollment management information by using second-person pronouns, shorter sentence structures, clearer diction, and explanations of institution-specific jargon. Moreover, analyses of machine and human …

2018 Editor’S Introduction, Lauren M. Bowen

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

No abstract provided.

Beyond Lipid-Lowering: Pleiotropic Effects Of Statins In Inflammation, Coagulation, And Cell Proliferation – Mechanisms And Clinical Implications, Kasidid Lawongsa, Yutthana Pansuwan, Supanut Kumjan

Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

Statins are widely used lipid-lowering agents that significantly reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality through inhibition of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase. Beyond their cholesterol-lowering properties, increasing evidence demonstrates that statins exert several pleiotropic effects independent of lipid reduction. These effects include anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic, and anti-proliferative actions mediated primarily through inhibition of the mevalonate pathway and downstream signaling molecules such as Rho, Rac, and Ras. Experimental and clinical studies have suggested potential benefits of statins in various non-cardiovascular conditions, including autoimmune diseases, venous thromboembolism, sepsis-associated coagulopathy, and certain malignancies. In addition, pharmacoepidemiologic studies have provided insights into the real-world effects and …

Assessing The Reliability Of Machine Learning Models In Classifying Depression Severity Using Facebook Text, Keito Yoneyama

Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

Depression is a growing global issue that requires urgent attention, particularly in Thailand. Without timely intervention, it can lead to serious consequences such as health complications, reduced social participation, and even suicide. Consequently, there has been increased research focused on developing algorithms to identify and classify social media data according to depression severity. This study aimed to evaluate the extent to which such algorithms are a suitable tool for the preliminary classification of Thai Facebook text into different levels of depression severity. The methodology involved data collection through surveys and Facebook scraping, followed by data preprocessing, feature engineering, and model …

Bank Indonesia's Floating Rate Notes (Bi-Frn) And Federal Reserve Instruments: A Comparative Analysis From An Institutional-Legal Perspective, Abdul Madjid Podungge

Padjadjaran Jurnal Ilmu Hukum (Journal of Law)

This paper analyses the legal validity of Bank Indonesia's Floating Rate Notes (BI-FRN) following the Law Number 4 of 2023 on the Development and Strengthening of the Financial Sector (P2SK Law) from a public law viewpoint. Doctrinal legal research utilises statutory, conceptual, and comparative methodologies, augmented by literature network visualisation, to pinpoint structural deficiencies. The network analysis reveals a significant divide between technical financial transactions and administrative legal oversight. The findings indicate that Article 11 of the P2SK Law enforces a stringent priority clause that centres monetary policy solely on Rupiah stability. This legal barrier prohibits abuse of power by …

Topical Peony And Licorice Decoction Attenuates Exercise-Induced Muscle Pain: A Randomized Double-Blind Self-Controlled Trial In Taiwan, Daniel Tzu-Li Chen, Chang-Wei Hsieh, Chia-Han Tsai, Tzung-Yan Lee, Pin-Chun Chen, Pu-Wei Hou, Kuan-Pin Su, Hen-Hong Chang

BioMedicine

Background

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a common phenomenon that occurs after exercise training, resulting in pain and reduced muscle performance. Previous basic and animal studies have reported that oral use of Peony and Licorice Decoction (PLD), a traditional Chinese formula with anti-inflammatory and muscle-relaxing properties, may be safe and effective for DOMS. However, there have been no clinical studies, particularly on the topical use of PLD, in this field to date.

Material and Methods

Our study is a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. We recruited healthy male athletes to assess the effect of external PLD, whose bioactive compounds were …

How U.S. Legal Stagnation Can Be Aided By Decolonization, Marquel Gardner

McNair Summer Research Program

Decolonization is a term often used to present a simple shift from colonial thinking, heavily maintaining the establishment of colonial systems today. However, this usage oversimplifies and overshadows the word’s key purpose. Common proclamations of the term forgo the fundamental indigenous essence behind the word. Doing so, we not only strip the word of its inherent power, but obstruct further possibilities for actual decolonization to appear in our world. Many argue that the U.S. legal system, a product of colonial factors, has reached an alarming state. Our current legal, political atmosphere gears not towards justice or morality, but fascism and …

Tracking Toward Zero: Implementing A Picc Team Tracker To Prevent Clabsis, Christian Justin Carreon

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) remain a significant and preventable patient safety concern in acute care settings, contributing to increased morbidity, mortality, prolonged hospitalization, and substantial healthcare costs.

Context: At Hospital A, a tertiary referral center in Northern California, six adult CLABSIs were identified between June and December 2025 following an eight-month CLABSI-free period. Four events occurred in adult medical surgical telemetry. All peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) line CLABSIs were attributed to gaps in maintenance bundle adherence and the lack of a standardized, real-time tracking mechanism for the PICC Team.

Interventions: A PICC Team Tracker was implemented as …

Shannon Macdonald V. President Nj State Board Of Medical Examiners

2026 Decisions

USDC for the District of New Jersey

Waves Of Exhaustion, Currents Of Renewal: An Autoethnography Of Academic Emotional Burnout And Recovery, Rofiza Aboo Bakar

The Qualitative Report

This autoethnography explores my experience of academic burnout and emotional recovery as a mid-career female educator in a Malaysian public university. Drawing from reflective journals, memory work, and embodied recollections between 2023 and 2025, I trace a personal journey through three experiential phases: the weight of expectations, burnout and emotional rupture, and embodied recovery through open sea swimming. The narrative is guided by Chang’s (2016) thematic structuring approach and interpreted through Lazarus and Folkman’s (1984) Transactional Model of Stress and Coping. My story reveals how burnout was not the result of overwork, but of institutional erasure. As I navigated the …

The Lived Spirituality Experiences Of Adult Diabetes Patients In Adhering To Treatment, Dwight Mahaputera Marulitua Hutapea

The Qualitative Report

This descriptive phenomenological study explored the lived spirituality experiences of adult patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in adhering to treatment. Prior research has indicated that spirituality may influence attitudes toward and adherence to chronic disease management; however, empirical evidence addressing the spiritual dimension among people with diabetes remains limited. Guided by Colaizzi's (1978) phenomenological method, in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 purposively selected participants, equally distributed among Christians and Muslims. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and subjected to rigorous phenomenological analysis. Seven themes emerged from the data analysis: (a) spirituality strengthens relationships; (b) spirituality affects choices and outcomes; …

Relational-Developmental Autoethnography: A Method Of Qualitative Inquiry That Fosters Personal Growth, Chris Wells

The Qualitative Report

This paper introduces relational–developmental autoethnography (RDA), a qualitative method for exploring psychological growth through personal writing and reflection. Developed through lived experience, RDA traces psychological development through sustained, recursive engagement with personal writing. Drawing on an archive of my journals, letters, clinical records, and correspondence spanning more than 30 years, I show how writing and reflection were first tools for my survival, and later became catalysts for insight, healing, and transformation. RDA is grounded in two developmental frameworks: Dąbrowski’s theory of positive disintegration, which views emotional intensity and inner conflict as signs of developmental potential, and relational-cultural theory, which …

Synodality In The Life And Mission Of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Ethan Engh

CSB and SJU Distinguished Thesis

This thesis provides a brief analysis of "synodality" and its roots in the Christian tradition, how that notion has been developed and applied during the Roman Catholic Church's "Synod on Synodality," and observes how the concept of "synodality" can be applied to the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) by analyzing the structure and teachings of the LCMS and highlighting how the tenets of "synodality" harmonize with the LCMS.

Tracking Towards Zero: Implementing A Picc Team Tracker To Prevent Clabsis, Carolina Maria Gerodias Cayetano

Master's Projects and Capstones

Background: Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) remain among the most serious and costly healthcare-associated infections in acute care settings, with each event associated with significant excess mortality, prolonged hospital stays, and avoidable healthcare costs. At Hospital A, a 239-bed acute care facility, two of six total CLABSI events over a 12-month period were associated with peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs), representing 33% of all facility CLABSIs and exposing a critical gap in standardized PICC line surveillance and maintenance bundle monitoring.

Problem: The PICC team lacked a systematic, real-time tracking mechanism to monitor central line maintenance bundle adherence across seven adult …

Beyond The Binary: Strengthening Nursing Students’ Proficiency Of Equitable Health Promotion, Martha K. Findley

Theses

Background: Sexual and gender diverse (SGD) populations continue to experience significant health inequities, yet prelicensure nursing curricula often lack structured, evidence‑based training to prepare students for equitable care.

Purpose: This study evaluated whether a targeted, transgender‑focused simulation could improve nursing students’ clinical knowledge and preparedness for providing equitable health promotion to SGD populations.

Methods: A pre‑/post‑intervention design was used with senior‑level nursing students who completed a transgender patient simulation emphasizing communication, assessment, and equitable health promotion. Students completed a validated survey measuring knowledge and preparedness in caring for SGD patients.

Results: Significant improvements across most survey items demonstrated that the …

Illinois Model Programs Of Study Guide: Education (Draft For Public Comment), Education Systems Center

Practitioner Toolkits and Resources

This draft was available for public comment through September 30, 2026. A final version will be released in October 2026.

Illinois Model Programs Of Study Guide: Digital Technology (Draft For Public Comment), Education Systems Center

Practitioner Toolkits and Resources

This draft was available for public comment through September 30, 2026. A final version will be released in October 2026.

Illinois Model Programs Of Study: Overview Guide (Draft For Public Comment), Education Systems Center

Practitioner Toolkits and Resources

This draft was available for public comment through September 30, 2026. A final version will be released in October 2026.