Digital Commons Network^™

Annotated Legal Bibliography

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

No abstract provided.

The Rise Of E-Patients In Tanzania: Reflections On The Unregulated Growth Of Digital Health Consultations, Kahabi Isangula

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background: Digital technologies have significantly transformed healthcare delivery globally, enabling patients to access healthcare services through electronic and mobile platforms. In Tanzania, this transformation has manifested in the rise of “e-patients” — individuals who actively seek health advice, consultation, or treatment through unregulated digital platforms. This paper examines the drivers, patterns, and implications of this trend in Tanzania.

Methods: A descriptive approach was employed, synthesising peer-reviewed and grey literature from global and sub-Saharan African sources, with a particular focus on Tanzania. Insights were also drawn from expert discussions, public digital platforms, and the author’s experiential reflections to contextualize …

Planning Ahead: A Holistic Approach To End-Of-Life Planning, Kristin Litzelman, Ashley Berghoff, Jennifer Abel, Carol Bralich, Jackie Carattini, Selena Freimark, Jenna Kink, Sara Richie

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

End-of-life planning can be an intimidating, confusing, and emotional process, which may explain why only 37% of Americans have completed advance care directives. To address this need, we developed the Planning AHEAD (Advance directives, Handling financial changes, Estate planning, and Arriving at Decisions for the end of this life) curriculum. Planning AHEAD is a seven-session course designed to help participants make important decisions that reflect their end-of-life wishes and document this information to relieve stress for their loved ones. In the first two years of the program, Extension educators facilitated 45 Planning AHEAD series across Wisconsin, reaching over 600 participants. …

What Do Rural Caregivers Need? Implications Of Formal Service Usage And The Role Of Cooperative Extension Systems, Naomi R. Meinertz, Jeong Eun Lee, Erin L. Martinez, Leacey Brown, Chelsey Byers, Sara Richie, Kathy Tutt

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

The well-being of caregivers in the U.S. is a public health crisis. Caregivers experience greater rates of depression, chronic disease, and social isolation; however, the context of rural and urban living experiences creates different caregiving realities. Using two representative datasets of caregivers in the North Central and Northeast regions of the U.S., this paper examined the experiences of rural and urban caregivers in using formal support services. Rurality was negatively related to formal support service usage. Results from a multiple regression revealed a positive association between formal service utilization and caregiver well-being. These findings suggested that formal services can play …

The Impact Of Cooperative Extension Programs On Late Life Mental Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review, Naomi R. Meinertz, Kate Perepezko, Jeong Eun Lee, Mary E. Dozier Phd

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Rural-dwelling older adults have greater mental health disparities with higher rates of depression and anxiety compared to their urban counterparts; however, reaching these communities to understand and address the specific psychological needs of rural-dwelling older adults remains a barrier for gerontologists. Due to the extensive reach of the Cooperative Extension System, university Extension systems are primed to facilitate connections between researchers and rural communities to improve mental health outcomes for older adults. Despite the potential benefits of such partnerships, Extension is largely unknown and underutilized by gerontological researchers, leaving many older adults disconnected from resources available through land-grant universities that …

A Comprehensive Nutrition Education Program Promotes Behavior Change And Perception Of Food Access Across The Older Adult Age Span, Sarah Misyak, Camille Mcguire, Victor Olayemi, Maria Denunzio, Paige Harrigan, Elena Serrano

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Strategies to promote healthy behaviors among older adults are needed to mitigate vulnerabilities to negative health outcomes, especially for those with low income. Healthy Eating and Staying Active as We Age (HESA), a nine-lesson educational series for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-eligible older adults, was created to promote health among aging audiences. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the behavior change of older adults following participation in HESA, which covers food resource management, nutrition, food safety, and physical activity behaviors, as well as perceived food affordability and accessibility, and to determine if HESA is appropriate across the age span …

Creating Intergenerational Connections: A Multilevel Approach For Enriching Lives And Addressing Vital Community Issues, Matthew S. Kaplan, Nancy Z. Henkin

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

This article presents an overview of intergenerational programs and practices as an interdisciplinary field of inquiry and practice that fosters open communication, support, and civic engagement across generations. Numerous examples of how intergenerational programs and practices harness age diversity to improve the human condition are presented. This includes initiatives to promote healthier lifestyles, reduce social isolation and loneliness, strengthen families, enrich education and lifelong learning, enhance community quality of life, and transmit cherished cultural traditions and values. This article highlights Extension’s longstanding contributions to intergenerational programming, showcasing notable examples across program areas and exploring opportunities for deeper engagement, co-leadership, and …

Intergenerational Creative Movement Program: A Social Connection Intervention To Foster Health And Well-Being, Claire M. Reardon, Mohammad Khalilian, Amy F. Kostelic, Susan Thiel, Anthony R. Bardo

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

A sense of connection and belonging is widely recognized to be essential for mental health. Yet, since the COVID-19 pandemic, loneliness, social isolation, and mental health problems have remained elevated across America. Transitions into young adulthood and older age, while distinct, similarly challenge social connectedness, especially among women. Our multi-lesson education program connected first-generation female college students with college-educated forty-plus women to foster belonging and improve mental health. The program integrated dance as a creative physical activity, promoted intergenerational engagement through a humanistic focus on generativity, and used a social network approach to gauge the development of connections among participants …

Volunteerism After Retirement: An Evaluation Of The Give 5 Civic Matchmaking Program, Amber J. Majeske, Claire M. Growney, Tara O. Johnson, Cora Scott, Greg Burris

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Communities are increasingly focused on leveraging the skills and resources of older adults entering retirement to benefit the community and ensure these individuals remain integrated and valued within society. Launched in 2017, the Give 5 “Civic Matchmaking” Program is an award-winning volunteer recruitment program for near-retirees and retirees that matches participants’ skills and interests with meaningful volunteer opportunities. This study examined participants’ mindsets and perceptions of loneliness before the program, as well as their motivations for volunteering and sense of belonging afterward. Overall, participants in Give 5 improved in empathic concern and in recognizing the need to equip those they …

Empowering Public Employees For Retirement Security: Evidence From A Pre-Retirement Financial Education Program, Suzanne Bartholomae, Mengya Wang

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

The United States is facing a retirement crisis, with eight in ten older adult households experiencing or at risk of financial insecurity (Tavares et al., 2024). National data shows 60% of Americans regularly contribute to retirement accounts, and just 40% have estimated their retirement savings needs (Lin et al., 2022). With approximately 5,900 Baby Boomers retiring daily (Fry, 2019), there is considerable interest in identifying effective strategies and policies to address retirement preparedness. This paper presents evaluation findings from a retirement planning financial education program delivered to 750 public employees by Iowa’s public employee retirement system and Cooperative Extension educators. …

You’Re Only Old Once: And Other Truths About The Extension Work We Do In Aging, James S. Bates, Erin L. Martinez

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

No abstract provided.

Coarse Salary-Setting And Behavioral Teams, Chengyuan Hua

Economics Faculty Working Papers Series

Among National Hockey League (NHL) player contracts signed in 2011-24, over 38% are divisible by $100,000. This paper shows that the bunching of NHL contracts at round numbers is partly driven by team coarse wage-setting. I first show that teams with more coarse contracts have worse team performance. Then, my empirical results validate two model predictions derived from a wage-setting model in which optimization costs lead to the adoption of rounded wages. With a novel measure of management quality, I document a negative relationship between management quality and coarse salary-setting. Next, I find that coarse salary-setting is associated with higher …

Pressure Ulcer Prevention, Michelle Ferreyra, Raneem Majzoub, Rea Alcaraz, Aleena Sajee, Roshiel Molina

NURSI 2330 Role of the Nurse II

Pressure injuries remain one of the major patient safety concerns in healthcare, resulting in pain, infection, and longer hospital stays. This project addresses the significance of pressure ulcers by emphasizing risk factors, stages of the injury, and practice recommendations. Findings demonstrate the proactive nursing interventions and teamwork that are essential to preventing pressure ulcers and promoting patient safety.

Fall Prevention #8, Ariel Berumen, Stephanie Hernandez, Karina Ortiz

NURSI 2330 Role of the Nurse II

Fall prevention is key to maximizing positive patient outcomes in-hospital.  Fall prevention at home also plays a large role in a person's overall health. Preventing falls reduces complications related to overall recovery, impaired mobility, impaired cognition, infection, reduced psychological well-being , and cargiver fatigue.  Fall prevention also prevents higher healthcare costs to the patient and the health care system.

Pediatric Line Infiltration Prevention, Elijah Constant, Jenna Feil, Katie Lacosse, Dominika Rudzka, Amy Slennett

NURSI 2330 Role of the Nurse II

Peripheral intravenous catheters (IVs) are essential for administering fluids and medications. They are often viewed as commonplace and safe, but serious harm can come from their use, especially in the pediatric population. One such harm is infiltration, when IV fluids and medications leak into the surrounding tissues.  In children, infiltration is estimated to occur around 3%-36% of the time, with even higher rates in newborns. Factors that contribute include small, fragile veins and reduced peripheral circulation. Infiltration can lead to further complications, such as pain and swelling at the site, cold skin, ischemia, and even tissue necrosis.

Its occurrence often …

Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections, Yailena Dominguez, Tatum Flynn, Emily Madrid, Atlantis Williams

NURSI 2330 Role of the Nurse II

Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTIs) increase complications, length of stay and healthcare cost, making prevention a priority in nursing. This literature review aims to identify and analyze evidence-based practices regarding CAUTIs in acute care settings.

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (Mrsa) Infection Prevention, Kayla Andrees, Kaitlyn Angell, Ana Biondo, Susana Duran, Brianne Greco, Victoria Noerr

NURSI 2330 Role of the Nurse II

Hospital-onset Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) remains a major concern in healthcare settings. These preventable infections are linked to longer hospital stays, higher costs, and increased patient risk. In the U.S., over 10,000 hospital-onset MRSA bloodstream infections occur annually, costing billions. This literature review explores evidence-based strategies to prevent MRSA, using research from peer-reviewed journals and clinical guidelines. Key methods include hand hygiene, contact precautions, environmental cleaning, patient screening, and decolonization. Findings show that combining these approaches, particularly when led by nursing teams, can significantly reduce infection rates. Ongoing staff education, strong leadership, and consistent infection control are essential for success.

Pressure Ulcer Prevention, Lisa Milczarek, Samantha Ocampo, Jennifer Risk, Sarah Rose

NURSI 2330 Role of the Nurse II

Pressure Ulcers(PUs) - Also referred to as pressure injuries, decubitus ulcers, bedsores, or pressure sores are largely preventable yet remain a significant clinical challenge across all care settings—particularly among immobile, critically ill, or older adult patients. Early recognition and timely interventions are critical to improving patient outcomes, reducing complications, and minimizing the financial and human costs associated with PUs. This poster underscores the urgency of reinforcing best practices among

Fall 2025, Augustana College, Rock Island Illinois

Tackle Box

No abstract provided.

Mhc Gene Analysis And Immune Variation In Lepidodactylus Lugubris (The Mourning Gecko), Helen T. Vu

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) plays a central role in vertebrate immune defense by enabling pathogen recognition and initiating adaptive immune responses. While MHC diversity has been extensively studied in sexually reproducing species, comparatively little is known about its evolution in asexual lineages. The parthenogenetic gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris provides a unique opportunity to investigate how clonality and hybrid origins influence immune gene diversity. By leveraging whole-genome data, this study overcomes the limitations of previous transcriptome-based analyses and provides a more comprehensive view of MHC diversity in a clonal vertebrate. As the first step towards understanding MHC evolution in parthenogenetic lizards, …

Unraveling Equity: The Consequences Of Dismantling Dei Initiatives In Education., James D. Upshaw

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

Recent political and institutional shifts have led to the dismantling of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives across schools and universities, raising concerns about how these changes affect both students and the future workforce. This research investigates how the removal of DEI programs influences student belonging, academic access, and long-term workforce diversity. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study combines qualitative interviews with professors and students and quantitative analysis of enrollment, retention, and diversity data from universities affected by DEI policy changes. Preliminary findings suggest that dismantling DEI initiatives leads to decreased student support, reduced faculty morale, and declining representation among …

"It Is Always Too Late For Truth:" Surveillance And Masculinity In "Wide Sargasso Sea", Kaz S. Schofield

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

Significant analysis has been done on Jean Rhys’ 1961 novel Wide Sargasso Sea examining gender in relation to the women in the novel, but very little analysis has been conducted on the men. Using the work of Simone Browne, who has theorized how racial categories are maintained through surveillance, I examine how three men in the novel: a white colonist and two mixed race colonial subjects are restricted or otherwise kept docile through their differing masculinity. I argue that it is not only the women in the novel who are oppressed or otherwise disenfranchised by their race and gender, but …

2025 Commencement Program - Fall, Morehead State University. Registrar's Office.

Morehead State Commencement Programs

2025 Fall Commencement program for Morehead State University.

Study Of Parental Substance Use Effects On Children, Cydnee R. Lacy

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

Many children with substance use and mental health problems witness substance use and mental health struggles in their household. Research has shown a strong connection between parental substance use disorders (SUDs) and the likelihood of children engaging in similar behaviors. Existing literature uses data collected before the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas this study utilizes data collected during the pandemic. It is essential to examine whether the relationship between parental substance use and children’s substance use increased, as children spent more time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prevalence of substance use and mental health problems will be used to examine the …

Bridging Education And Practice: The Role Of Academic Ehrs In Developing Nursing Workforce Readiness, Ann Varghese

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

Charting plays a vital role in nursing practice, yet many new graduate nurses find it challenging to master as they learn to document accurately while managing multiple patient care responsibilities. The integration of electronic health record (EHR) training into nursing curricula aims to bridge the gap between education and clinical practice. This study explores whether the use of an academic EHR named "EHR Go" helps prepare nursing students for documenting in real-world clinical settings. A thematic analysis of student feedback on EHR Go was conducted using the Delphi technique and Microsoft Copilot 365. IBM SPSS was then used to compare …

Improved Context For Llm Queries On Knowledge Graphs Using The Model Context Protocol, Talha Tahmid

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

Large Language Models (LLMs) struggle on factual, relation-heavy questions without structured external knowledge. This thesis implements a standards-based pipeline that connects LLMs to Resource Description Framework (RDF) knowledge graphs through the Model Context Protocol (MCP). The system comprises an MCP tool that executes SPARQL against approved endpoints, an Natural Language (NL) to SPARQL step in which the LLM (ChatGPT) generates the SPARQL query using prompt-based templates, followed by a generation stage conditioned on the retrieved graph facts. Final experiments focus on the Rhea knowledge graph. We evaluated the same base model with and without MCP on a 50-question benchmark spanning …

Do Financial Concerns Make Workers Less Productive?, Dua Khowaja

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

Financial stress does not just affect people’s finances; it can change the way individuals behave. This project asks whether short-term financial difficulty damages worker performance or if alleviating it improves focus and accuracy. Using data from a field experiment in rural India, this study examine how labor payment timing variability is related to workers' productivity and error rates. The study randomized payment dates across a sample of employees, so that employees paid early can be compared to employees paid on standard or later dates. It investigates whether subsidy of payments relieves stress and enhances task performance by minimizing stress, enhancing …

Getting To The Root Of The Problem: A Comparison Of Rhizome Extracts For The Control Of Cogongrass (Imperata Cylindrica), Mia Martin-Fuller, Elizabeth Esser, Ashley Schulz

Annual Student Research Poster Session

Cogongrass is a perennial grass that was introduced to the southeastern United States in 1912 and has since spread aggressively throughout the region. It is very resilient to disturbances as it can propagate through seed and rhizome, which makes it extremely difficult to control. Most efforts to control cogongrass populations have used synthetic herbicides, though burning and tilling have also been explored. A new method applies autotoxic leachates produced by the target plant to the plant for control. Although this method of control has been demonstrated in giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta), researchers have not yet identified the methods to control …

Design And Development Of An Intervention To Improve The Quality And Safety Of Pediatric Dental Sedation: A Human-Centered Design Approach, Kawtar Zouaidi, Jan Yeager, Suhasini Bangar, Sayali Tungare, Urvi Mehta, Janelle Urata, Alfa-Ibrahim Yansane, Thomas Tanbonliong, Jungsoo Kim, Emily Sedlock, Krishna Kumar Kookal, Yan Xiao, Tokede Oluwabunmi, Heiko Spallek, Amy Franklin, Gregory W Olson, Joel White, Elsbeth Kalenderian, Muhammad F Walji

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: There are gaps in understanding the experiences of children, parents, and providers during dental conscious sedation. This study aimed to capture and analyze these experiences to identify opportunities for improvement and enhance the quality and safety of pediatric dental conscious sedation.

Methods: A human-centered design approach was used to examine the conscious sedation experience in 2 US advanced education pediatric dental clinics. Researchers conducted field observations, interviews with providers and parents, and providers focus groups to explore experiential factors. Data were transcribed and analyzed using content thematic analysis. Insights from the data were used to explore and generate new …

Grpa-Prs: A Risk Stratification Method To Identify Genetically-Regulated Pathways In Polygenic Diseases, Xiaoyang Li, Brisa S Fernandes, Andi Liu, Jingchun Chen, Xiangning Chen, Zhongming Zhao, Yulin Dai

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Polygenic risk score (PRS) assesses genetic risk for diseases, yet some high-risk individuals avoid illness while low-risk individuals develop it. We hypothesize that unknown counterfactors may reverse PRS predictions, offering insights into disease mechanisms and interventions.

Methods: We developed a novel framework to identify genetically-regulated pathways (GRPas) using PRS-based stratification in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and schizophrenia (SCZ) cohorts. We calculated PRS models, stratified individuals by risk and diagnosis, and analyzed differential GRPas. For AD, analyses were further conducted with and without apolipoprotein E (APOE) effects, and across APOE haplotype.

Results: In AD, we identified several well-known AD-related pathways, including …