Digital Commons Network^™

01. Elfie, Second Edition (Novel - Ebook), Matthew Lipman

Early Elementary School Curriculum

Elfie is in the first grade and is so shy she can’t speak in class and can hardly even formulate a question. Yet little escapes her and her mind puzzles over everything that happens in class and at home. When the principal proposes a contest aimed at improving reasoning, her whole class is caught up in figuring out how sentences work and how distinctions and connections are made. At the same time, Elfie and her classmates discover many distinctions fundamental to inquiry: appearance and reality, the one and the many, parts and wholes, similarity and difference, permanence and change.

02. Elfie, Second Edition (Novel .Pdf Printable), Matthew Lipman

Early Elementary School Curriculum

Elfie is in the first grade and is so shy she can’t speak in class and can hardly even formulate a question. Yet little escapes her and her mind puzzles over everything that happens in class and at home. When the principal proposes a contest aimed at improving reasoning, her whole class is caught up in figuring out how sentences work and how distinctions and connections are made. At the same time, Elfie and her classmates discover many distinctions fundamental to inquiry: appearance and reality, the one and the many, parts and wholes, similarity and difference, permanence and change.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter, January 2026, University Of Northern Iowa. Iowa Waste Reduction Center.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter

Contents:

--- Jim's Final Farewell
--- MSEI for Central Iowa and for All Portable Plants
--- P2 Grant Ramps up to Enhance Brewery Pollution
--- Introducing Our Newest Interns
--- IStorm 26
--- Industry News

Native Seed Scoop, 2026 New Year's Edition, University Of Northern Iowa. Tallgrass Prairie Center.

Native Seed Scoop

Contents:

--- Message from Laura Walter
--- Upcoming Events
--- TPC Plant Materials 2025 Wrap

Cgas-Sting Dependent Type I Ifn Reduces Leptospira Interrogans Renal Colonization In Mice., Suman Gupta, James Matsunaga, Bridget Ratitong, Andrew Manion, Sana Ismaeel, Diogo G Valadares, A Phillip West, Nagaraj Kerur, Christian Stehlik, Andrea Dorfleutner, Jargalsaikhan Dagvadorj, Jenifer Coburn, Andrea J Wolf, Meghan A Morrissey, Suzanne L Cassel, David A Haake, Fayyaz S Sutterwala

Faculty Research 2026

Leptospira interrogans is the major causative agent of leptospirosis. Humans, canines and agricultural animals are susceptible to Leptospira species and can develop fulminant disease. Rodents serve as reservoir hosts in which the bacteria colonize the renal tubules and are excreted in the urine. The host immune response to Leptospira spp. remains poorly defined. We show that L. interrogans induces a robust type I interferon (IFN) response in human and murine macrophages that is dependent on the cytosolic dsDNA sensor Cyclic GMP-AMP Synthase (cGAS) and the Stimulator of IFN Genes (STING) signaling pathway. Further, we show that mice deficient in the …

Annual Report Of The Officers, Trustees, Boards, Committees And Agents For The Town Of Nottingham, New Hampshire For The Year Ending December 31, 2025, Nottingham Town Reports

Nottingham, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a town/city in the state of New Hampshire.

The People, The Branches, And The Pearl Of Independence, Brian C. Murchison

Scholarly Articles

What will be the fate of the independent agencies?  Since 1887, Congress has seen fit to address an array of contemporary issues by creating expert federal agencies, such as the Interstate Commerce Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, the National Labor Relations Board, and others.  The principal officers of these agencies are appointed by the President on advice and consent of the Senate, serve limited staggered terms, are bipartisan in the sense that only a bare majority of the agency’s officers can be members of the same political party, and are “independent” in the sense that the officers are removable only …

Francestown, Nh, Annual Reports Of The Officials, Departments And Committees Of The Town Of Francestown For The Calendar Year Ending December 31, 2025, Francestown Town Representatives

Francestown, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a town/city in the state of New Hampshire.

Necessary-Law Arguments, A. C. Paseau

Faith and Philosophy: Journal of the Society of Christian Philosophers

No abstract provided.

Development And Validation Of A Music Teacher Candidate Assessment, Phillip Hash

Faculty Publications - Music

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the Music Teacher Candidate Assessment (MTCA), a rubric-based tool for evaluating student teachers in music classrooms. Factor analyses of scores issued by university supervisors (USs), cooperating teachers (CTs), and student teachers (STs) supported construct validity, explained 53.5% of the variance, and revealed two subscales: Pedagogy (I) and Professionalism (II). Concurrent validity resulted from a strong correlation (r_s = .83) between evaluators’ rubric averages and holistic ratings of performance. Inter-factor correlation (r = .65) confirmed discriminant validity. All groups exceeded the α ≥ .80 threshold for acceptable internal …

Session C: Co-Creating With Ai: Augmenting, Enhancing, And Elevating Instructional Design, Michael Mcvey, Angela Elkordy, Ian Natzmer

Learning Together at the Forefront of Change: GenAI Summit 2026

Instructional Designers are using Generative AI to support their work, and the panelists will share a new model for organizing how to think about AI's role in Instructional Design. In addition, we will share insights from the local founder of Odeum, a software application that allows designers to collaborate with AI to develop rich, immersive educational environments.

Session D: How We Are Approaching Ai: Results From A Survey Of Emu Faculty And Staff, Jeffrey L. Bernstein

Learning Together at the Forefront of Change: GenAI Summit 2026

Supporting faculty in acclimating to a Gen AI-affected teaching environment requires that we have data about where our faculty and staff are–their comfort level with Gen AI, how much they are using it in research and teaching, and what excites and worries them in this new landscape. Join us for a Deep Dive into survey data, collected multiple times over the last three years at Eastern Michigan University, to understand what faculty and staff are thinking, and to ponder together what our next steps may be in supporting this work.

Session E: Ai: Your Data Thought Partner, Kai M. Smith

Learning Together at the Forefront of Change: GenAI Summit 2026

Ready to step up your data game? Join me on a data-driven learning journey to discover how Artificial Intelligence and educational data analysis can work together. Learn how AI becomes your “Your Data Thought Partner,” sparking new ideas, and easing traditional data analysis for teachers, leaders and students.

Town Of Bath, New Hampshire Annual Report Of The Town Officers Year Ending December 31, 2025, Bath Town Representatives

Bath, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a town/city in the state of New Hampshire.

Investigating The Relationship Between Drug Overdose Deaths, Excessive Alcohol Drinking, And Adult Smoking In Urban And Rural Ohio Counties In 2025, Sumin Byoun, Anne Griffin

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Deaths from drug overdoses have been increasing each year. Ohio ranks among states with the highest number of drug overdose deaths per year. There is a gap in the literature regarding discussions of how excessive alcohol drinking and cigarette smoking rates may predict drug overdose death rates in a community. First, this study investigates differences in excessive drinking, adult smoking, and drug overdose deaths between urban and rural counties in Ohio. Second, this study explores whether excessive drinking and smoking behaviors can predict drug overdose death rates in urban and rural Ohio counties. Data exclusive to Ohio counties was obtained …

Understanding The Impacts Of Food Insecurity On Education Outcomes In Ohio, Maria El Biri, Sreya Tummalapalli

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Background: Food insecurity has been a growing concern in the United States, and prior research has shown how food insecurity in youth can correspond to negative psychosocial outcomes. Additionally, there are known disparities with access to food based on living in rural or urban counties. Objective: The goal of this study was to determine how differences in food security can impact youth educational outcomes in Ohio. Methods: Data from County Health Rankings & Roadmaps were obtained on variables such as access to healthy foods, food insecurity, high school graduation rates, average grade performance, and percentage of the population living in …

Infant Mortality In Ohio, Isabella Bacon, Alexis Jackson

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Introduction: Infant mortality continues to occur at alarming rates that differ among various groups and states. Despite this, there has been a lack of intersectional examination of risk- and protective-factors. Methods: We examine how smoking status, education level, primary care to population ratio, teen birth rates, and urban vs rural status impact infant mortality rates in Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, and Indiana using County Health Rankings data. Results: Ohio was shown to have no significant difference between urban and rural infant mortality rates; however,  risk-and-protective factors did differ. In urban counties, high school completion, teen birth rates, and primary care ratios …

Rumney, New Hampshire Annual Report Of The Town Offices For Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2025, Rumney Town Representatives

Rumney, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a town/city in the state of New Hampshire.

Healthcare Administration And Ai: Enhancing Personalized Care And Workforce Sustainability, Arlene J. Nicholas Dr.

Faculty and Staff - Articles & Papers

Healthcare systems face growing strain from rising demand, administrative complexity, and workforce burnout. Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly in administrative functions, offers a promising solution. This paper examines AI-enabled tools such as electronic health record optimization, natural language processing, ambient AI scribes, inbox management systems, chatbots, and clinical decision support systems. Drawing on recent literature (2024–2026), evidence shows these tools can reduce documentation burden, improve workflow efficiency, and support workforce sustainability while enhancing patient care. Successful outcomes depend on transparent governance, staff engagement, and human-centered design, enabling AI to strengthen care delivery and build a more resilient healthcare workforce.

From Student To Teacher: Reflections On My Personal Growth, Francesca I. Taormina

SPARK Symposium Presentations

This presentation reflects on professional growth during the undergraduate teacher preparation program and clinical teaching experiences in an elementary education classroom. It highlights instructional practices developed through coursework and field experiences, including lesson planning, formative assessment, and responsiveness to diverse learners. The presentation also identifies goals for continued professional growth as an educator and reflects on the role of clinical practice in preparing future teachers.

Voice Your Choice, Sarah Olson, Mercy Bustamante-Vizarretea, Hannah Bauman, Sally Hall

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Our proposal seeks to develop and implement a standardized Charge Nurse Interest Survey which will create a structured process for identifying those most interested and best suited for the position of charge for all registered nurses on a local med-surg unit. Nurses on this unit are appointed and eligible to serve in the charge nurse role after six months of experience on the unit. Research shows that charge nurses who demonstrate emotional stability, composure under pressure, strong organizational skills, and proactive planning contribute to improved team functioning and decreased workplace strain (Gottlieb & Gøtzsche-Astrup, 2018).

To clarify the charge nurse …

Accuracy Of The Nestlé Mini Nutritional Assessment® (Mna®) Screen In Identifying Prealbumin–Defined Malnutrition Amongst Spine Surgery Patients, Stylianos Mysirlidis, Luke Fischbach, Matthew Giammanco, Alex Zhang, Phillip Alexeev, Ryan Snowden

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Abstract:

Background:

Malnutrition is a significant risk factor for patients undergoing surgery, including those receiving spine surgery. These patients are at greater risk of adverse postoperative outcomes, impaired wound healing, and spinal fusion failure. Therefore, it is essential to identify at-risk, malnourished patients prior to intervention to mitigate any complications such as surgical site infections, unplanned readmissions, and reoperations. The primary focus of this study was to assess the accuracy of the Nestlé Mini Nutritional Assessment® (MNA®) on identifying true malnutrition amongst those patients undergoing spine surgery.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 674 consecutive …

Discrete Fourier Transform, Discrete Cosine Transform, And Applications In Compression, Peter T. Hoang, Navi T. Bountho, Kevin Gonzalez Ramon

SPARK Symposium Presentations

No abstract provided.

Observing Effects Of Social Isolation On Ethanol Preference In Carpenter Ants, Gregory Smith, Rivers Pope

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Alcohol consumption has been observed through humans and vertebrates for centuries to understand reward systems and behavior. Carpenter Ants, a social invertebrate model, have many similarities with humans including communication, stress-induced behavior, and structured societies. Past research has shown that Carpenter ants can have increased preference to ethanol and opioids in low concentrations. However, there has been little research on how isolation can influence ethanol preference. In this study, Carpenter Ants are separated into social and isolation groups over a five-day period and offered ethanol solutions alongside a natural sucrose diet to assess behavioral differences in preference for ethanol. It …

Music Therapy For Sensory Goals In Autism: Existing Evidence And Next Steps, Faith Cordle, Nicole Richard Williams, Dorothy Briggs, Brooke Irvin

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Background: As music therapists, we often assert that our field is evidence-based. Yet as in any health-care field, there is much opportunity to investigate the efficacy of certain techniques. Improving sensory integration and addressing hyper- and hypo-sensitivities are common music therapy goals when working with autistic individuals. Though music-based interventions for sensory goals are often theoretically coherent and anecdotally efficacious, concrete evidence for their efficacy is lacking. The aim of the current study was to a) identify existing research on music-based interventions for sensory outcomes in autistic individuals and b) identify concrete next steps and questions for researchers to investigate, …

The Relationship Between Phone Usage, Activity Participation, And Hand Strength, Debra Gibbs, Will Best, Raegan Adams, Amanda Finke, Rachel Pierce, Salem Swallows, Alisha Yoo

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Smartphone use among university students in the United States is steadily increasing. Longer duration of smartphone use has been associated with increased risk of smartphone addiction, reduced musculoskeletal strength, and engagement in meaningful activities. While prior research has examined these variables separately, limited evidence exists on the associations between smartphone use, hand grip and pinch strength, and extracurricular and leisure activities among U.S. university students. To address this gap, a correlational study was conducted using the Spearman rank correlation to analyze the relationship between phone use, activity participation, and hand strength. A Qualtrics survey including demographic information, phone usage, and …

Ammas, Abbas And Art: Theological Reflections On Divine Nurture, Kristen Harris, Emma Morgan, Kara Roberts

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Students in this session will present their final projects from a semester-long independent study on art, motherhood, and theology; drawing on written, visual, and musical texts from 2000 years of tradition, they reflect on the ways Christian practice and language have invited contemplation on the role of mothering.

Don't Walk By: Policy, Advocacy, And The Power Of Reconnection, Ashley Martinez, Isabella Dawkins, Hayley Tarro, Abby Hodge, Lily Stockwell, Grace Culp, Sebastian Lopez, Jesse Hartland

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Through this project, we will utilize dilemma reconciliation to address homelessness in the United States with frameworks implemented from The Netherlands and Finland.

How Interest Rates Influence Entry Level Employment Growth For Undergraduate Economics Students, Stiles B. Logan, Marc Joseph, Dylan Hilburn, Hayden Baker, Krisha Patel

SPARK Symposium Presentations

The United States job market has become a growing concern for graduating college students over the last decade. With rising unemployment, increased competition, and the rise of generative AI technology over the last five years, more students than ever are genuinely concerned that they will be unable to find long-term employment after graduation. In this paper, we will analyze the correlation between United States interest rates and entry-level employment growth, with the goal of contributing new and actionable information to help graduating college students plan for the future. We will be using data from IPUMS and FRED, spanning January 2009–December …

Rna-Sequence-Driven Identification Of Differentially Expressed Genes In Α-Crystallin-Deficient Zebrafish, Kehlie Hopper

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a condition that develops in infants when exposed to alcohol in utero, leading to physical impairments such as reduced eye size and disrupted retinal function. Alpha-crystallin A is a key structural protein required for proper lens development and maintenance of transparency, while Alpha-crystallin B plays a protective role against cellular stress during eye development. In this study, I compared AB wild-type (ABWT), αA-crystallin knockout (cryaa), and αB-crystallin knockout (cryaba) zebrafish to investigate how the loss of these proteins influences eye development under ethanol exposure. The cryaa mutants exhibited reduced eye size even under control conditions, …