Digital Commons Network^™

Beyond The 'Idols Of The Marketplace': Managing Semantic Change In Research, Christopher B. Rauch, Hyung Wook Choi, Mat Kelly

Proceedings from the Document Academy

Semantic change refers to the process by which words acquire new meanings over time or in different contexts, particularly as they transition between disciplines. This shift in meaning, especially when words are adopted as terms in multiple academic areas, often leads to confusion and ambiguity. This study focuses on the terms "agent" and "ontology," tracing their semantic evolution over time and across disciplines to understand how their meanings differ between fields such as philosophy, law, and artificial intelligence. Drawing on insights from Boon and Van Baalen's metacognitive framework, the analysis demonstrates how understanding these differences can help prevent miscommunication.

The Meaning Of Collections For The Identity Of University Libraries: The Document Concept As A Tool For Understanding, Hanna Hallnäs

Proceedings from the Document Academy

Historically, university libraries have been defined by the collections they housed and it was the collection that formed the basis of their identity and organization. However, societal developments have shifted this focus, leading to significant changes in both the content and conditions of these collections. What was once predominantly characterized by printed materials has now transitioned to primarily electronic resources. This paper explores how the concept of documents can be utilized to examine the identity of contemporary university libraries. Specifically, it employs David Levy’s notion of documents as ‘talking things,’ examining their relationship to various genres and rhythms. Furthermore, the …

One Object, Fluctuating Trajectories: Harnessing The Document Future Of Premodern Manuscripts, L.P. Coladangelo, Rose A. Mccandless

Proceedings from the Document Academy

Using copy theory as a framework to explore document surrogacy and simulation, this paper discusses premodern manuscripts as a case study for understanding relevant aspects of temporality and materiality in the experience of documents to speculate on the nature of immersive documents of the future. This speculation is powered on mapping and synthesizing the paths of interconnected temporal and material change manuscripts have followed by examining multiple “versions” of these documents based on various contexts of use and access and technological innovations. As hand copied documents of similar texts, premodern manuscripts are posited as both copies and originals depending on …

Perspectives Of Policymakers On Barriers To And Enablers Of The Uptake Of Cardiac Rehabilitation In Saudi Arabia: A Qualitative Study, Ahmed Mohammed Almoghairi, Jane O’Brien, Jed Duff

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

• Objectives: This study aimed to identify the barriers to and enablers of secondary prevention care and cardiac rehabilitation (CR) utilization by patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) from the perspective of policymakers.
• Methods: A qualitative study involving an interpretive descriptive design was conducted through recorded semi-structured interviews with key decision-makers in cardiology care in Saudi Arabia. The analysis was guided by the updated Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), which informed the resulting themes.
• Results: Interviews were conducted with nine key decision-makers: four directors of major cardiac centers, four heads of cardiac rehabilitation units, and …

Developing Problem-Solvers: Cultivating A Scientific Way Of Thinking In Early Learners, Sarah Oeltjenbruns, Matthew J. Weyers, Maya Fogarty, Bryan Matera

Essays in Education

Adopting a science mindset in the early education years is critical for supporting critical thinking, curiosity, and systematic inquiry in students, setting a foundation for lifelong learning and problem-solving. This mindset, which values continuous learning and persistence, enables students to approach challenges across disciplines with a scientist’s curiosity. Through approaches like the Socratic method, problem-based learning, and hands-on activities, educators can enhance students' critical thinking and collaborative skills. By creating opportunities for inquiry-based learning, such as entry events, the See Feel Think Wonder protocol, and the Question Formulation Technique, teachers cultivate curiosity and guide students toward self-directed exploration. For example, …

Solidaristic Grief: A Framework For Political Organizing, Gabe K

Tapestries: Interwoven voices of local and global identities

My purpose in this article is to outline the potential of grief to be foundational to a collectivist politics of solidarity and interdependence. Drawing on research in human psychology, I will argue that because people form core beliefs based more on emotion than rationality, movements for justice and equality must utilize emotion to convince people to dedicate time and energy to helping their cause. Defined in this article as a process of reconstructing one’s “world of meaning” and very identity in the face of loss, grief is by nature transformative. Grief also challenges atomistic conceptions of individuality to reframe how …

Situating Black Death And Grief Within The Context Of Ancestral Veneration, Chris Z. Sanders

Tapestries: Interwoven voices of local and global identities

Death and grief are an ever-present phenomenon in the Black community. Starting with the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade and chattel slavery; then transcending into mortality rates; police brutality; gun violence; and just living while Black. Statistically, Black Americans die at higher rates than white Americans at nearly every age. As a result, the Black community has always had a very intimate and ambiguous relationship with death and grief. In response to this relationship, the Black community has created our own way of mourning through the formation of unique funeral and vigil traditions, the establishment of Black-owned funeral homes, the preservation of …

Constructions Of Pertenencia Fluyente: Latinx Religious Placemaking Beyond Community & Belonging In The Midwest U.S., Karla García

Tapestries: Interwoven voices of local and global identities

How has the Latinx diaspora utilized the Catholic Church as a space to construct an environment of “home”? To answer this question, I draw upon five semi-structured ethnographic interviews conducted with parish members and leadership at the shared parish of San Miguel Arcángel, situated in the Upper Midwest. Understanding that community exists partly due to parish members' distinct methods of community cultivation over the last twenty years, I question if belonging inherently follows. Analysis of interview responses shows that community, belonging, and tensions coexist within the parish. Puerto Rican scholar Felix Padilla’s 1985 study utilizes the term “situational identity,” while …

Sankofa In Action: Reclaiming Our Future, Adisa Preston

Tapestries: Interwoven voices of local and global identities

Pan-Africanism has been one of the responses to the systematic and brutal efforts by colonial powers to negate the worth and humanity of African peoples. Emerging in the Caribbean and the United States in the 19th-century, it flowered with the independence movements of the 20th. Historian Kwame Anthony Appiah defines Pan-Africanism as “a political project calling for the unification of all Africans into a single African state to which those in the African diaspora can return” (Appiah 1992, 174).

Pan-Africanism sought to heal the catastrophic ruptures of slavery, throw off the shackles of colonialism, and to fight the racist ideologies …

The Burden Of Birth: Racialized Margins Of Care In Washington, D.C., Beya D. Hull

Tapestries: Interwoven voices of local and global identities

The United States has shockingly high rates of maternal mortality in which Black women bear a disproportionate burden of pregnancy related deaths. In D.C., the nation's capital, Black women account for 90% of pregnancy associated deaths, despite comprising less than half of the population. This disparity is a result of systemic medical racism, geographical barriers, and a lack of available culturally reverent care. Community-based collectives have emerged to fill in the gaps left by the healthcare system by providing essential services to underserved communities, specifically Black women. These organizations have proven the potential of ‘non-traditional’ healthcare models to change the …

Architectures Of Solidarity: The Worker Cooperative Movement In Chicago, Katherine Norquist

Tapestries: Interwoven voices of local and global identities

This article analyzes the worker cooperative landscape in Chicago, defining both the historical roots of the movement and the current barriers and supports faced by worker-owners. The paper takes two approaches. First, I compile existing research related to worker cooperatives, labor history, and the solidarity economy in order to trace the roots of Chicago's present-day worker cooperative landscape. Secondly, to more specifically delineate the supports and barriers currently encountered by worker co-ops, I conducted descriptive interviews with several members of Chicago-based cooperative incubation and worker rights organizations. Thematic analysis of their comments helped me to outline certain factors at play …

Contrasting Ideologies Of Schooling In The United States, Dalia Davidson

Tapestries: Interwoven voices of local and global identities

Schools can be a mirror of society and the drivers of social change (Durkheim 1951). The contrasting ideologies of reproducing and resisting social hierarchies shapes public schooling in the United States. Yet, teachers, administrators, and curriculum writers often take an ahistorical approach to solving inequalities in schools. For my paper, I used a historical analysis, literature review and my experience interning in public schools to contextualize the contrasting ideologies of schooling and the role they play in shaping current outcomes of public education. I argue that when students of color are struggling in school, teachers are conditioned to blame families …

Stress And Trauma-Related Concerns Among Law Enforcement, James Hughes

Master of Arts in Human Services

Law enforcement personnel work in environments with routine exposure to high stress and trauma which can lead to increased risk for mental health conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The purpose of this study was to learn about the prevalence and effects of PTSD and related mental health issues among law enforcement (LE) officers and how psychological issues are managed within the LE system. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design strategy was used that involved collecting quantitative data first and then explaining the results with in-depth follow-up qualitative data. In the first quantitative phase of the study, data was …

Early Host Defense Against Virus Infections, Søren R. Paludan, Thomas Pradeu, Andreas Pichlmair, K. Brad Wray, Jacob Giehm Mikkelsen, David Olagnier, Trine H. Mogensen

Presidential Fellows Articles and Research

Early host defense eliminates many viruses before infections are established while clearing others so they remain subclinical or cause only mild disease. The field of immunology has been shaped by broad concepts, including the pattern recognition theory that currently dominates innate immunology. Focusing on early host responses to virus infections, we analyze the literature to build a working hypothesis for the principles that govern the early line of cellular antiviral defense. Aiming to ultimately arrive at a criteria-based theory with strong explanatory power, we propose that both controlling infection and limiting inflammation are key drivers for the early cellular antiviral …

The Politics Of 9/11 Memory At Ground Zero And Shanksville: How Two National Memorials Were Debated, Negotiated, And Created, Emily Mundt

History Student Work

On the morning of September 11th, 2001, four United Airlines flights took off on the East Coast bound for California. Each plane carried passengers, crew, and...undetected hijackers. With four hijacked planes, two crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, one crashed into the Pentagon, and the other crashed into a rural field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. September 11th, 2001, has become known as 9/11 — the day many of us would never forget. Those old enough to remember seeing the loss of buildings and bodies unfold live on television on that day created individual memories of 9/11. But …

California's Bracero Program: Racializing And Legalizing Mexican Transportation, Samuel S. Cao

Center for the Arts and Humanities: Student Fellows Program

This paper re-examines California’s Bracero Program (1942–1964) through the critical lens of transportation, arguing that it served not merely as a logistical necessity but as a crucial site of systemic exploitation and racialized harm. While scholarships often focused on other aspects of labor abuse, this piece centers on transportation-related injuries, culminating in the tragic 1963 Chualar accident, as a potent manifestation of racial capitalism and state neglect. Oftentimes, privatized transportation infrastructure contributed to both the physical vulnerability and symbolic dehumanization of Mexican laborers, as a direct result of agribusiness’s pursuit of profit. By reframing mobility as a key mechanism of …

2024 Fall Commencement Program: Winona State University, Winona State University

WSU Commencement Programs

This is the Winona State University Fall 2024 commencement program. Commencement was on Friday, December 13, 2024.

Are There Neurological Impacts Of Exposure To A Burned Wildfire Site As It Recovers?, Rubye Strickland

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Wildfires are increasing with climate change, making the human health implications of exposure to burned soils an essential area of research. Metals associated with fire-impacted soils can be inhaled or accidentally ingested by surrounding communities, causing health risks. Several studies have evaluated the health impact of wildfires, but few have done so from a neurological perspective. This study explores metal changes in burned soils over time as a site naturally recovers from wildfire and how these changes may impact human neurological health. Soil samples were collected from the burned area 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after the fire. …

Improving Health Equity: Integrating Mental Health Services Into Mobile Health Clinics For Unhoused And Low-Income Populations In The United States, Tiffany Lynn Wong

Master's Projects and Capstones

Mental health disparities among homeless and low-income populations in the United States highlight significant challenges in access and quality of care. This literature review explores the integration of mental health services into Mobile Health Clinics (MHCs) as a promising recommendation to address these disparities. I used various search engines, extracting 10 articles published from 2013 to 2023 focused on the U.S. MHCs show its effectiveness in improving healthcare access and quality of care, covering different services like mammography, reproductive health, COVID-19 testing, and diabetes care. Building on these successful models, this paper proposes extending MHCs to include mental health screenings, …

Beat The Clock: Improving First Case On-Time Starts (Fcots) In The Ambulatory Surgery Unit (Asu), Myrna M. Bernardo

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Problem: A local Bay Area hospital Ambulatory Surgery Unit (ASU) strives to maintain the first case on-time starts (FCOTS) at 90%. Optimal FCOTS compliance enhances operating room (OR) efficiency, resource utilization, and patient outcomes. Data from January 2022 to December 2023 shows that ASU’s FCOTS remains at a monthly average rate of 67%. This project focuses on closing the 23% gap by achieving 73% FCOTS compliance in the first quarter to progressively achieve the unit 90% goal or higher.

Context: The five ASU ORs handle a daily volume of 25-35 cases. An interdisciplinary team conducted a root cause analysis …

The Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences And Allostatic Load On Premature Birth Rates: A Literature Review, Roxane J. Scherek

Master's Projects and Capstones

This paper examines the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), allostatic load, and the likelihood of women giving birth prematurely in the United States and Canada. I searched multiple databases exploring this association, identifying nineteen articles published between 2004 and 2024. The literature highlights that racism and discrimination are a cause of chronic stress, and that this stress, and implicit bias, are both implicated in preterm birth. While ACEs scores have been found to be associated with preterm birth, the results for allostatic load are mixed. The results suggest that more attention should be paid to mitigating the stress associated …

A Home Is A Human Right: Homelessness In Sacramento, Alexa Renée Colvin

Master's Projects and Capstones

Homelessness is a public health crisis in California and needs to be addressed. Homelessness directly impacts health outcomes through increased barriers of care and unmet needs. It affects people in all walks of life, but the risk of experiencing homelessness increases within marginalized communities. The solution to end homelessness is not straightforward, and requires collaboration across federal, state, and local organizations. A literature review was conducted to understand what the homelessness crisis looks like broadly in California, and more specifically in Sacramento, and create informed recommendations. This literature found that implementing a structured and collaborative housing first approach is a …

Optimizing Fall Prevention: A Quality Improvement Initiative To Enhance Documentation And Intervention Accuracy Using The Hester Davis Scale In Medical-Surgical Units, Kiana Conn, Brooklin Hunter-Johnson, Jashan Kahlon, Adrian Paz

Master's Projects and Capstones

Falls among hospitalized patients remain a critical safety concern, particularly in medical-surgical units caring for geriatric and oncology patients. This quality improvement project aimed to evaluate and address gaps in adherence to fall prevention protocols by utilizing the Hester Davis Scale (HDS) in two medical-surgical units at a large metropolitan hospital in Southern California. The project focused on auditing current practices to identify inconsistencies in documentation and intervention implementation, emphasizing areas such as bed alarm activation, fall risk signage placement, and armband use. Weekly audits were conducted from October 3 to October 29, 2024, to establish baseline data and inform …

Reducing The Incidence Of Nosocomial Aspiration Pneumonia In The Adult Oncology Population Through Improved Compliance With Oral Hygiene Protocols, Kenneth R. Brown

Master's Projects and Capstones

Objective

Oncology patients receiving chemotherapy are at risk of complications such as mucosal barrier injuries (MBI) and aspiration pneumonia, and aspiration pneumonia rates are higher than desired. Improved oral hygiene protocols and compliance in this population reduces the incidence of these complications.

Context and Background

The microsystem assessed includes six oncology units at Hospital A, a large California academic hospital. Aspiration pneumonia, commonly associated with MBI, is a life-threatening challenge that increases costs and complications in oncological treatment settings. An aspiration pneumonia task force focused on six oncology acute care units is committed to reducing the incidence of hospital acquired …

Transforming Care: Elevating Oral Hygiene Compliance To Combat Nosocomial Aspiration Pneumonia In Adult Oncology Patients, Karina Larrea

Master's Projects and Capstones

Objective Aspiration pneumonia is a preventable, yet common complication in oncology patients undergoing chemotherapy, steered by suboptimal compliance with oral hygiene protocols and elevated susceptibility due to mucosal barrier injuries. Despite its major impact on healthcare costs and morbidity, compliance with evidence-based practices remains inadequate. Aim This project aimed to decrease nosocomial aspiration pneumonia rates from 1.5% to 1.3% by enhancing oral hygiene compliance from 41% to 70% over a 12-week period. Methods Proposed interventions included implementing paired oral hygiene order sets into electronic medical records, once-per-shift cues, staggered patient education sessions, and staff education on standardized protocols. Pre-intervention data …

Redefining Bedside Communication: Patient-Centered Language In Peripartum Care, Brasheed Ganjeh

Master's Projects and Capstones

Objective The lack of patient-centered language can lead to miscommunication between nurses and patients, decreased patient satisfaction, and increased patient anxiety. Hospital A has been given a regional mandate to conduct nursing reports at the bedside, but the peripartum microsystem lacks educational resources on the use of patient-centered language during transfers from labor and delivery (L&D) to postpartum (PP). Aim The QI project aims to increase patient satisfaction from 70% to 80% through nurse utilization of patient-centered language during bedside reports when transferring patients from L&D to PP between October 28 to November 15. Methods A patient-centered language guide was …

Optimizing Peripartum Bedside Reports Through Patient-Centered Communication, Harpreet Kaur

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Background Effective patient-centered communication (PCC) during bedside shift reports (BSR) is crucial in peripartum care, where patients face physical recovery and emotional adjustment. However, communication gaps during transitions from labor and delivery (L&D) to postpartum (PP) units can lead to patient dissatisfaction and misinterpretation of care instructions. Hospital A, an urban tertiary care medical center in San Francisco, operates a peripartum mesosystem across two floors with 35 dedicated beds. Aim The project aims to increase patient satisfaction by implementing patient-centered language in bedside reports for peripartum units from 70% to 80% for a three-week period. Methods Stakeholder engagement, a …

Travel English For Japanese Third Age Learners: A Communicative Model, Yoshiko Okamura

Master's Projects and Capstones

The goal of this curriculum project is to effectively develop the English communicative skills of a small group of Japanese third age English language learners. The term, third age learners (TALs), represents learners who are generally in their mid-60s through early 80s, retired, healthy, active, and motivated to learn something new. When it comes to English language learning strategies, one size does not fit all. An effective curriculum must be built on the theories and approaches that fit the specific needs of the target learners. The first three chapters of this project report describe the theories, approaches, and methods applied …

Utilizing Pupper, A Social Robot Dog, To Increase Happiness And Improve Mood In Pediatric Patients Of A Cardiac Step-Down Unit, Angela Feng Wu

Master's Projects and Capstones

Objective The usage of social robots in pediatrics is an emerging field of study. Preliminary research shows that they are effective at improving the psychosocial well-being of pediatric patients. This quality improvement project focuses on Pupper, a newly developed quadruped social robot dog, and its ability in improving mood and happiness in pediatric patients of a cardiac step-down unit. Aim The aim of this project is to increase average mood scores of pediatric cardiac patients aged 3-25 years by 50% from their baseline of 3.75 to 5.63 on a six-point scale within a one-month time frame. Methods Before intervention and …

Climate- And Land-Use Change Impacts On Ecosystem Services Provided By Prairie Pothole Wetlands, Alina Mullins

Master's Projects and Capstones

Prairie pothole wetlands are a type of depressional, isolated wetland that can be found in the glaciated landscape of the mid-central United States and portions of southern Canada, also referred to as the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR). The region is consistently recognized for its historic production and support of migratory waterfowl populations among other types of mammals and invertebrates largely due to the variability in pothole wetlands water levels and vegetative structure. Isolated from other waterbodies and lacking surface water connections, the hydrology of prairie pothole wetlands is influenced by the region’s continental climate. Historically, the region receives much of …