Digital Commons Network^™

Reporting On The Dark Continent: The Albert Chance Collection As An American Representation Of Africa, Devon Szczepkowicz

Student Publications

For Americans in the throes of World War II, the international world was a complex and uncertain place. The news media, which offered reports from the war fronts, helped to ground Americans in this world. Another source which supplemented these reports, and which has been overlooked in the historiography, was the letters of soldiers stationed abroad. In writing on their surroundings, soldiers acted as journalists, supplying their audiences with intimate insights into foreign locations. Albert Chance (1903-1990), stationed in North Africa and in Italy, was one such soldier. His letters from North Africa provide a glimpse into the ways in …

Eliciting Patient Past Experiences Of Healthcare Discrimination As A Potential Pathway To Reduce Health Disparities: A Qualitative Study Of Primary Care Staff, Dharma E. Cortés, Ana M. Progovac, Frederick Lu, Esther Lee, Nathaniel M. Tran, Margo A. Moyer, Varshini Odayar, Caryn R.R. Rodgers, Leslie Adams, Valeria Chambers, Jonathan Delman, Deborah Delman, Selma De Castro, María José Sánchez Román, Natasha A. Kaushal, Timothy B. Creedon, Rajan A. Sonik, Catherine Rodriguez Quinerly, Ora Nakash, Et Al

School for Social Work: Faculty Publications

Objective

To understand whether and how primary care providers and staff elicit patients' past experiences of healthcare discrimination when providing care.

Data Sources/Study Setting

Twenty qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with healthcare staff in primary care roles to inform future interventions to integrate data about past experiences of healthcare discrimination into clinical care.

Study Design

Qualitative study.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

Data were collected via semi-structured qualitative interviews between December 2018 and January 2019, with health care staff in primary care roles at a hospital-based clinic within an urban safety-net health system that serves a patient population with significant racial, ethnic, …

Occupational Empowerment Through The Provision Of Functional Literacy Services, Richard H. Townsend Iii

Capstone Projects

Literacy is a fundamental and foundational skill that develops confidence, self-efficacy, and self-empowerment, while also shaping opportunities and promoting participation in meaningful activities across the lifespan. Possessing low literacy skills directly impacts one’s ability to navigate day-to-day transit, access healthcare systems, obtain employment, and participate fully in community life. Within the realm of occupational therapy (OT), literacy isn’t often addressed outside of educational settings or school systems, which presents a gap in the delivery of OT services. To address this need, I developed and implemented an empowerment-based literacy course for individuals with low literacy, while incorporating OT-focused strategies such as …

Enhancing Support For Refugee Women: Supplemental Resources For Service Providers Through An Occupational Therapy Lens, Nabilah Salwa

Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone experience (DCE) focused on developing comprehensive, occupational therapy (OT) -informed resources to support refugee women and young adults. The primary goal was to equip community leaders—particularly those working with Treetops Collective in Grand Rapids (GR), Michigan—with practical, culturally sensitive tools to better serve refugees and New American members. Refugee women face many barriers to occupational participation due to intersecting cultural, linguistic, and systemic challenges. While existing literature highlights general needs within refugee communities, there is a lack of tailored, practical resources to guide service providers in daily practice.

In response to this gap, resources were created with …

Estimating Proximity To Failure Using Repetitions In Reserve In Adults Treated For Cancer, Kylah Elizabeth Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: There is a consensus from governing bodies that more evidence is needed in understanding how to properly prescribe, monitor and progress resistance training (RT) in oncology populations. Repetitions in reserve (RIR) has been demonstrated as a quick/easy tool to monitor proximity to failure and interventions using RIR have shown promise in improving muscle strength and mass in older adults and apparently healthy populations. However, the validity of RIR in RT in oncology has yet to be examined. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of RIR predications in individuals treated for cancer in a pragmatic …

The Impact Of Small-Scale Conflicts On Post-Soviet Alliances, Ani Hakobyan

Journal of Strategic Security

Military alliances are crucial for international and regional security. However, conflicts may disrupt these connections, weakening alliance structures, particularly in complex regions such as the post-Soviet space. This article examines the effects of small-scale conflicts on the post-Soviet alliance network by analyzing the impact of three conflicts: the 2008 Russo-Georgian War, Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea, and the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) War. Using the temporal exponential random graph model (TERGM), the study finds that three conflicts significantly weakened alliance structures in the region, reducing the likelihood of new alliance ties within both the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and broader …

Rethinking Cyber Deterrence: Adapting To The Realities Of The Digital Battlefield, Peter Pijpers, Kraesten Arnold

Journal of Strategic Security

The question of whether deterrence is achievable in or through cyberspace has sparked considerable debate among academics. Over time, arguments have evolved, further entrenching this discourse and moving it out of the mainstream spotlight. This article examines how recent armed conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza may reinvigorate discussions surrounding this issue. It emphasizes that cyber activities can indeed produce deterrent effects while also recognizing the necessity for a new terminology to accurately capture these effects. In cyberspace, traditional deterrent logics—such as deterrence by denial or punishment—along with core principles including credibility, communication, and cost-benefit analysis, do not uniformly apply due …

American Extremism: An Evolutionary Process, Christopher Young, Michael Damian Tucker

Journal of Strategic Security

This article critically examines the historical definitions of American right-wing extremism as utilized by the media, political community, academia, and the government. We suggest that the historical definitions of the right wing are inadequate and fail to describe extremism accurately and consistently. Using evolutionary game theory, this article further argues that right-wing extremism (and left wing) is based on an evolutionary process to secure social existence and will rise as predators challenge historical hierarchical systems.

Latin America’S Policing And Reform In The Age Of Crime Fear, José De Arimatéia Da Cruz Phd, Mph

Journal of Strategic Security

No abstract provided.

Subversion: The Strategic Weaponization Of Narratives. By Andreas Krieg. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press, 2023., Chad M. Briggs Phd

Journal of Strategic Security

No abstract provided.

The Pharmaceutical Applications Of Poisonous Compounds Found In Datura Stramonium, Ruby M. Raffaldt

Senior Theses

Datura stramonium is a plant that is known for its toxicity. However, a facet of this plant’s noxious chemicals, namely its tropane alkaloids, can be used medicinally. The aim of this paper was to compile knowledge on the botanical, chemical, and medicinal properties of Datura stramonium L with a focus on atropine, scopolamine, and anisodamine; three tropane alkaloid compounds with the ability to be both a poison and a medicine. Information was compiled using pre-existing studies, articles, and literature reviews on D. stramonium. For each of the three alkaloids, their biosynthetic pathways, targets, administration, distribution, metabolism, and excretion were discussed. …

The Benefits Of Blood Flow Restriction Training Combined With Low-Load Resistance Training In Arthritis Treatment: A Scoping Review, Maya L. Butcher, Dr. Christine Pellegrini, Kailyn Horn

Senior Theses

Background: Arthritis is a condition affecting millions worldwide, with osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) being the most common forms. Resistance training is a widely accepted intervention to strengthen muscles and support joint function, however, high-load resistance training may exacerbate joint pain. Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training, which involves applying controlled vascular occlusion during low-intensity resistance exercises, has gained attention as a potential alternative to promote muscle growth and strength with minimal joint stress. Objective: This scoping review aims to explore the benefits of BFR techniques in conjunction with low-intensity resistance training for the treatment of arthritis. Methods …

Addressing Gaps In Access: Examining Language Barrier Accommodations In Medicaid Member Handbooks, 2015-2019, Sanskruti Patel

Senior Theses

Objective: This study examines the linguistic accessibility of Medicaid Managed Care Organization (MCO) handbooks from 2015 to 2019 by analyzing the instructions provided to access interpreter and written translation services. Trends were compared over time, considering state and plan-level factors that impact equitable healthcare access for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) enrollees.

Methods: A systematic search using manual efforts and FOIA requests located all publicly available Medicaid handbooks from 2015-2019 (N=657) across 39 states with comprehensive MCO plans. These handbooks were coded by independent reviewers to assess the study outcome variables. Random mixed-effects logistic and linear regression models were conducted to …

The Roles Of Literature And Film In Shaping Culture: An Examination Of All Quiet On The Western Front And The German Lesson, Charles Hansen

Senior Theses

This paper examines the cultural impacts of All Quiet on the Western Front (Im Westen nichts Neues) and The German Lesson (Deutschstunde). More specifically, it examines the impacts of the works through the shaping of German identity and public memory following World War I and World War II, as well as any long-term impacts that have lasted into the present day. These two works of literature, as well as their respective film adaptations, can serve as vehicles for national reflection, education, and confrontation of the past. This paper will examine the key themes of All Quiet …

Piecing Together The Past: Documenting The Philanthropic History Of Lincoln’S Arts And Culture, Audrey L. Ellis

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This project explores the creation of a book chapter discussing the history of philanthropy in Lincoln, Nebraska, focusing on its impact on arts and culture. The chapter will be published in Fall 2025 by the Lincoln Community Foundation. By documenting philanthropy in the arts and culture spaces, this book and chapter hope to inspire further giving by showcasing the benefit that has been reaped through giving. Through research of public records and a series of interviews, this chapter examines Lincoln’s key donors and arts organizations from the mid-19th century to the present. This project explores the process and key takeaways …

Phi 243 Early Modern Philosophy, Naomi Zack Phd

Open Educational Resources

This course will introduce the student to key authors and texts in the history of modern western philosophy, from the 17^th and 18^th centuries--Descartes, Locke, Berkeley, and Hume. The focus will be on metaphysics (what exists) and epistemology (how we know, what knowledge is and what we know); universal human identity (what am I? and what makes me the same person?); what some philosophers thought the role of God is in metaphysics and epistemology. Included will be historical contexts of the philosophers studied, and their religious claims.

Psy 321 The Psychology Of Immigration And Acculturation Syllabus, Marjorine Henriquez-Castillo

Open Educational Resources

This course is all about understanding how immigration (moving to a new country) and acculturation (adapting to a different culture) shape who we are. Together, we’ll explore the history, theories, policies, and research surrounding these processes, focusing on how they influence the physical and mental development of individuals and communities in the U.S. By the end of the course, you’ll have a deeper understanding of how these experiences impact both you and the world around you.

An Integrative Review Of The Use Of The Individual And Family Self-Management Theory In Research, Wendy S. Bauer, Rachel F. Schiffman, Julie L. Ellis, Jeanne M. Erickson, Michele Polfuss, Murad H. Taani, Kathleen J. Sawin

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

The extent of the application of the Individual and Family Self-Management Theory (IFSMT) in research has yet to be determined. The purpose of this analysis was to review the use of the IFSMT in published research and evaluate posited constructs and relationships. Dimensions and categories of the IFSMT and the interrelationships were generally supported in the 77 articles reviewed. A majority focused on self-management of chronic conditions in the adult population. More research on the strength, direction, and interaction of relationships is needed. Defining and exploring social constructs, including race, ethnicity, and gender, should be prioritized in future IFSMT research.

Law School Record, Vol. 71, No. 2 (Spring 2025), Law School Record Editors

Law School Record

• Message from the Dean
• Law School Celebrates Ten Cohorts of Rubenstein Scholars
• Criminal and Juvenile Justice Clinic Secures Commutations for Clients
• A Glimpse Into the Rare Book Collection of the D’Angelo Law Library
• With Chevron Deference Ended, What Happens Next?
• Building on Our Strengths
• Three State AG's: One Law School
• Theory in Practice
• Professor Curtis Bradley Discusses his New Book: The Unwritten Constitution of Foreign Affairs
• A Compilation of Other Recently Published Books by Faculty
• Professor Emeritus Bill Landes Reflects on Fifty Years of Teaching
• International Law Programs and Global Perspectives: Two Students Share Their Experiences
• Development News
• Two Alumni …

Teaching Art Beyond The Hierarchy: How “Big Ideas” Combat Cultural Appropriation, Carlie Pearson

Institute for the Humanities Master's Papers, Projects, and Capstones

[First paragraph] As an art educator who has worked with children aged 5-18 in the public-school setting, I find myself constantly assessing and reevaluating my practices. When I was in high school and falling in love with the world of visual art, I had a teacher who introduced me to the beautiful and sacred art of mandala making. We learned about how Buddhist Monks create massive works with colorful sand, and I was shocked to hear that the pieces are traditionally swept away upon completion. When I started my first full time teaching position seven years ago at a high …

The Use Of A Four-Day School Week To Recruit And Retain Teachers In A Rural District, Liz Hollingworth, Brian P. An

The Rural Educator

The purpose of the study was to explore the implementation of a four-day school week policy in a rural district. The research questions driving the study were: (a) How does the transition to a four-day school week affect the well-being of the school district teachers, students, and parents, and (b) how does the four-day school week affect teacher recruitment and retention in the school district? The researchers conducted a mixed-method case study with school administrators, parents, and teachers. The researchers compiled survey results and examined publicly available teacher retention and turnover rates from 2017–2024. Results suggest the new policy had …

Process And Preliminary Results In Developing A Rural Teacher Intention Survey, Jennifer G. Whitfield, Devon Brenner, Diana Outlaw, Dana Pomykal Franz

The Rural Educator

Across the US, schools struggle to recruit and retain teachers in rural communities. While the body of research that documents rural teacher staffing challenges is increasing, more research is needed about preservice teachers’ decisions about where to teach and how their educator preparation programs (EPPs) may influence their decision. An important step in this process is collecting data regarding preservice teachers’ intentions to teach in rural schools before entering the profession and their perceptions of experiences in EPPs that may have influenced those decisions. In this article, drawn from a larger National Science Foundation collaborative research project focusing on the …

Reexamining The Relationship Of Georgia’S Rural World Language Teachers’ Efficacy To Teacher Attrition, Shannon Borum, Peter B. Swanson

The Rural Educator

U.S. schools, including those in rural America, have struggled with a shortage of world language teachers for decades. Using Bandura’s framework of self-efficacy teaching languages, the researchers conducted a study using the same methods as an earlier study of rural world language teacher attrition in Georgia. Contrary to those findings, results in the present study indicate that teacher efficacy is not a factor in one’s decision to remain in or leave the teaching profession in Georgia; environmental factors appear to be a stronger indicator of rural world language teacher attrition. The study also has implications for teacher and administrator preparation …

Rooted Writing: The Role Of Place In Rural Writing Identities, Layne Elise Ilderton

The Rural Educator

This article investigates the intricate dynamics of writing relationships among rural students, highlighting the profound impact of place and identity on their writing experiences. Using a mixed methods approach, the study explores how rural settings influence students’ self-perceptions, apprehensions, and preferences in writing, as observed through a survey administered in three rural high schools. Central to the findings is the observation that students demonstrate a notable decrease in writing apprehension when engaging with topics rooted in their personal and rural experiences. They also have auditory and social preferences for writing environment and feel restricted with stringent grammar requirements in writing. …

Turbulence Numerical Simulation Of Flow Characteristics Of Laval Nozzle Top Blow Jet, Ai Liang Chen, Yao Liu, Zi Biao Wang, Huan Wu Zhan, Xue Xian Jiang, Feng Long Sun, Jiann Yang Hwang, Xi Jun Zhang

Michigan Tech Publications

The turbulent characteristics of the top-blown Laval nozzle and the influence of pressure and Mach number were studied through numerical simulation. With 2.72% error between the results and the empirical formula, the results are reliable. Nozzle fluid is influenced by pipe structure, causing pressure and density to drop as speed increases. Differences in pressure and velocity between the jet and surrounding gas lead to jet velocity attenuation, flow expansion, deflection, and eddy currents. The optimal top blowing pressure is 0.6 MPa, and the center velocity and width of the jet are 345 m/s and 0.124 m, respectively, at 20De (De …

Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Expression In Merkel Cell Carcinoma Is Associated With Clinical And Histopathologic Parameters, Christopher R Cunningham, Yiannis P Dimopoulos, Ian M García-Quiñones, Denái R Milton, Manuel Delgado-Vélez, Woo Cheal Cho, Victor G Prieto, José A Lasalde-Dominicci, Leomar Y Ballester, Phyu P Aung

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive cutaneous malignancy with neuroendocrine differentiation. Several molecular pathways have been implicated in MCC development and multiple cell-of-origin candidates have been proposed, including neural crest cells, which express acetylcholine receptors (AChRs). The role of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in MCC has not been explored. In this study, we investigated if MCC expresses nAChRs and if nAChR expression correlates with patient characteristics.

Methods: The study included 71 MCC cases diagnosed with sufficient tissue available to perform immunohistochemical analysis. The median follow-up was 29.8 months (range, 2.7-234.1). We performed immunohistochemistry using antibodies against the …

Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Expression In Merkel Cell Carcinoma Is Associated With Clinical And Histopathologic Parameters, Christopher R Cunningham, Yiannis P Dimopoulos, Ian M García-Quiñones, Denái R Milton, Manuel Delgado-Vélez, Woo Cheal Cho, Victor G Prieto, José A Lasalde-Dominicci, Leomar Y Ballester, Phyu P Aung

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive cutaneous malignancy with neuroendocrine differentiation. Several molecular pathways have been implicated in MCC development and multiple cell-of-origin candidates have been proposed, including neural crest cells, which express acetylcholine receptors (AChRs). The role of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in MCC has not been explored. In this study, we investigated if MCC expresses nAChRs and if nAChR expression correlates with patient characteristics.

Methods: The study included 71 MCC cases diagnosed with sufficient tissue available to perform immunohistochemical analysis. The median follow-up was 29.8 months (range, 2.7-234.1). We performed immunohistochemistry using antibodies against the …

Characterization Of A Time-Resolved, Real-Time Scintillation Dosimetry System For Ultra-High Dose-Rate Radiation Therapy Applications, Alexander Baikalov, Daline Tho, Kevin Liu, Stefan Bartzsch, Sam Beddar, Emil Schüler

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Scintillation dosimetry has promising qualities for ultra-high-dose-rate (UHDR) radiation therapy (RT), but no system has shown compatibility with mean dose rates (DR¯) above 100 Gy/s and doses per pulse (Dp) exceeding 1.5 Gy typical of UHDR (FLASH)-RT. The aim of this study was to characterize a novel scintillation dosimetry system with the potential of accommodating UHDRs.

Methods and materials: We undertook a thorough dosimetric characterization of the system on an UHDR electron beamline. The system's response as a function of dose, DR¯, Dp, and the pulse dose-rate (DRp) was investigated, as was the system's dose sensitivity (signal per unit …

Lesion Classification By Model-Based Feature Extraction: A Differential Affine Invariant Model Of Soft Tissue Elasticity In Ct Images, Weiguo Cao, Marc J Pomeroy, Zhengrong Liang, Yongfeng Gao, Yongyi Shi, Jiaxing Tan, Fangfang Han, Jing Wang, Jianhua Ma, Hongbin Lu, Almas F Abbasi, Perry J Pickhardt

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The elasticity of soft tissues has been widely considered a characteristic property for differentiation of healthy and lesions and, therefore, motivated the development of several elasticity imaging modalities, for example, ultrasound elastography, magnetic resonance elastography, and optical coherence elastography to directly measure the tissue elasticity. This paper proposes an alternative approach of modeling the elasticity for prior knowledge-based extraction of tissue elastic characteristic features for machine learning (ML) lesion classification using computed tomography (CT) imaging modality. The model describes a dynamic non-rigid (or elastic) soft tissue deformation in differential manifold to mimic the tissues’ elasticity under wave fluctuation in vivo. …

Underlying Mechanisms Of The Effect Of Microfines Of Manufactured Sand On Non-Linear Structural Build-Up Of Cement Paste, Jiang Zhu, Jiaping Liu, Kamal H. Khayat, Xin Cheng, Wei Zhao, Zhen Li, Xin Shu, Yongbo Huang

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The rheological properties of cement-based materials made with manufactured sand vary with the content and physio-chemical properties of microfines in the sand. However, the evaluation of rheological properties regarding the structural build-up at early-age hydration remains challenging for the cementitious materials prepared with different manufactured sands, due to complicated underlying structuration mechanisms. This paper studies the effect of disparate microfines of different manufactured sands on the non-linear growth of static yield stress of cement pastes at rest. The paste mixtures were prepared with 0.40 and 0.275 water-to-cement mass ratio (W/C) and had a fixed mini-slump flow of 240 ± 5 …