Digital Commons Network^™

Avery Powell ‘25 Named Regional Scholar Of American Chemical Society, Jeffery Woodard

Press Releases 2020-2029

No abstract provided.

Implementation Of An Evidence-Based Hearing Education Project For Patients And Their Care Partners, Jennifer Mahoney

Doctoral Projects

Hearing loss is a significant communication issue that impacts relationships, safety, and mental and physical health. There is an increased risk of dementia as well as increased mortality associated with untreated hearing loss. Hearing aids are one of the main treatments for hearing loss, but they are frequently not used. Cognitive impairment, osteoarthritis of the hands, cost and complexity are some of the reasons that hearing aids do not get utilized. But research has shown that involving family members and care partners in trainings on how to use hearing aids may increase use of them. The goal of this project …

Vanadyl Phthalocyanine As A Low-Temperature/Low-Pressure Catalyst For The Conversion Of Fructose To Methyl Levulinate, Juan Luna, Mataz Alcoutlabi, Elizabeth M. Fletes, Helia Magali Morales, Jason Parsons

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

In this study, a vanadyl phthalocyanine was synthesized and characterized using XRD, FTIR, and XPS, confirming the successful metalation of the phthalocyanine ring. XRD analysis showed the vanadyl phthalocyanine crystallized in the P-1 crystal lattice, with unit cell parameters a = 12.058 Å, b = 12.598 Å, and c = 8.719 Å, and the lattice angels were 96.203°, 94.941°, and 68.204°. FTIR spectroscopy supported the metalation by the disappearance of the N-H stretch of the non-metalated phthalocyanine. The vanadyl phthalocyanine was tested as a heterogenous catalyst for the conversion of fructose into methyl levulinate in H2SO4–methanol and HCl–methanol systems. The …

Duodenal Diverticulitis Complicated By Pancreatitis: A Rare Case Presentation, Matthew Posen, Krishna Shah, Ahmad Mardini, Kamakshi Katwala, Regine Lim, Tarek Almouradi

Advocate GME

No abstract provided.

May 2025 Faculty Senate Packet, University Of Nebraska At Kearney Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Packets

No abstract provided.

The Youth Vote: The Role Of Social Media Trends In Candidate Favorability, Brooke Lynch, Adam Thal

Honors Thesis

Following the announcement of her 2024 presidential candidacy, Kamala Harris’s team unveiled a neon green header with the word ‘kamala’ displayed in stretched black Arial font on her X account, a reference to the popular summer album ‘brat’ by English singer Charli xcx and the subsequent popular culture trend inspired by the album. As social media becomes increasingly more utilized for political campaigns in the United States, social media trends have become more relevant in reaching voters, especially young ones. Inspired by the publicity following Harris’s use of cultural trends as well as continual research finding connections between voter activity …

Decreasing Incidence Of Intramuscular Emergency Psychiatry Medications In Psychiatric Adult Patients Through The Acute Violent Assessment Tool (Avat), Edidiong G. Ebong

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this QI project was to reduce emergency IM psychiatric medication usage by implementing the Acute Violent Assessment Tool (AVAT) to improve early aggression management. Background The frequent use of emergency intramuscular (IM) psychiatric medications in inpatient psychiatric settings raises concerns regarding patient safety, autonomy, and staff burden. This quality improvement (QI) project aimed to reduce emergency IM medication administration by 20% over three months by implementing the AVAT to improve early identification, prediction, and management of aggression and violence. Methodology A Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) framework guided the AVAT implementation in an adult psychiatric unit. Three weeks of …

A Self‐Monitoring Mobile App To Mitigate Risk Factors For Suicide And Self‐Harm In Junior (Resident) Doctors: A Review, Thematic Analysis And Concept Proposal, Rohit Shankar

Peninsula Medical School

Doctors, particularly those in training in the UK, are exposed to high levels of stress in their work, which can lead to burnout and mental health problems. According to the health and safety executive (HSE) Management UK standards, employers should recognise and minimise work-related stress for staff. Our review looks to examine if known risk factors for suicide and self-harm in doctors align with the themes of the HSE management standards on stress control i.e., demand, control, support, relationships, role, and change and if so, could this be used to build a self-awareness digital application. Four research databases were searched …

Intervention Techniques Targeting Echolalia: A Scoping Review, Adriana Dinello, Allison Gladfelter

CISLL Publications

Purpose:

Although echolalic speech is found in typical development, echolalia is most commonly associated with autism. As such, echolalia has frequently been the focus of various interventions aimed at autistic children. Recent research and the voices of autistic self-advocates indicate that echolalia serves as a meaningful form of communication or functionally supports self-regulation. As a result, the literature on how, or whether, to target echolalia in therapy is full of philosophically diverse approaches. To support evidence-based practice, the purpose of this scoping review was to inform speech-language clinicians about current research on interventions targeting echolalia and how disagreement on this …

For All Ages: The Universal Appeal Of Bluey, Luke Hawley

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"I appreciate that balance of humor and sadness, which, to me, is what makes the best film and literature—great art manages to hold those two together in a way that feels authentic."

Posting about the television program Bluey from In All Things, an online hub that offers insight into maintaining and faithful and orthodox Reformed Christian worldview while fearlessly engaging in every aspect of contemporary life – until all is made new.

For All Ages: The Universal Appeal of Bluey

Messages From The Provost, Georgia Southern University

Messages from the Provost

• Message from the Provost
• Brilliance is Cultivated
• Guiding Excellence with University Libraries
• Success is Earned

The Diamond, May 6, 2025, Dordt University

Dordt Diamond

• Front Page: Dordt Buys Northwest Iowa Symphony Orchestra; Cheer Team Cinches Championship Title at Nationals; Deportation Initiatives Challenge Defenders
• News: The Question of Capping Enrollment; Tariff War Pivots to China
• Feature: Senior Farewells; Letter to the Editor; Letter from the Editor; Hands-On at Ag Day; Prayer for the Nations Introduced to Dordt; Bringing Beauty and Biblical Truth From Art Into Ministry - A Farewell to Professor Ryan Eckert; Senior Spotlight; Social Work Class Hosts "Colors of Courage" Color Run
• Arts & Entertainment: A Campus Tour of Senior Art Exhibits; Raising Awareness: The Ice Bucket Challenge
• Opinion …

Immigrants Reduce Unionization In The United States, Town Oh, Alex Nowrasteh

School of Business and Leadership Working Papers

Since the 1960s, U.S. union density has consistently dropped as the immigrant share of the population has risen. Using the Naylor and Cripps (1993) model of union formation, we argue that immigrants lower unionization by increasing diversity in the working population that, in turn, reduces solidarity and by having lower preferences for unionization. Empirically, we employ the skill-cell method devised by Borjas (2003) over the 1994-2020 period. Immigration can explain 30 percent of the decline in union density from 1994-2020.

First-Order And Second-Order Adjoint Method And Stochastic Approximation For Inverse Problems, Adrian Heldt

Theses

We present a unified framework for estimating stochastic parameters in general variational problems. This nonlinear inverse problem is formulated as a stochastic optimization problem using the output least-squares (OLS) objective, which minimizes the discrepancy between observed data and the computed solution. A key challenge in OLS-based formulations is the efficient computation of first- and second-order derivatives of the OLS functional, which depend on the corresponding derivatives of the parameter-to-solution map—often costly and difficult to evaluate, especially in stochastic settings. To address this, we develop a rigorous computational approach based on first- and second-order adjoint methods for inverse problems governed by …

Development Of A Miniaturized Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (Ecmo) Device On A Microfluidic Platform, Nayeem Imtiaz

Theses

This research investigates the design, performance, and optimization of blood-contacting microfluidic medical devices, with each aim contributing to a broader understanding of how engineering choices influence hemocompatibility and oxygen transfer. Collectively, the findings from Aims 1A–2B offer integrated strategies to develop safer, more effective microfluidic systems for ECMO and dialysis. Aim 1A assessed hemolysis across device geometries using computational and experimental methods. All designs showed low device-induced hemolysis (< 2 ppm), validating their hemocompatibility. However, Power-Law models frequently overpredicted hemolysis, indicating a need for refined parameters tailored to microfluidic flow conditions. Aim 1B demonstrated the effectiveness of thrombosis assay techniques in evaluating clot formation in microfluidic device geometries. Results showed that geometry and local shear patterns strongly influence thrombogenesis. While hemolysis remained minimal even in high-shear devices, thrombus formation was more geometry-sensitive—underscoring the need to account for both factors in design. Modifying surface properties and accounting for blood composition could further reduce thrombotic risk. In Aim 2A, we compared PDMS, polypropylene (PP), and nanoporous silicon nitride (NPSiN) membranes for oxygen transport. Findings showed that in ECMO devices, blood-side resistance, not membrane permeability, often dominates oxygen transfer. Thus, membrane choice must be paired with optimized blood-side flow for full performance gains. Aim 2B directly addressed these limitations by integrating staggered herringbone mixers (SHBs), which introduced secondary flows and enhanced mixing. The Single Channel Herringbone design yielded the highest oxygen transfer, confirming the synergy between flow geometry and oxygen transport performance. Altogether, Aims 1A and 1B establish a strong framework for hemocompatibility evaluation, while Aims 2A and 2B provide complementary insights into optimizing oxygen transfer. Their interconnections highlight the value of a systems-level approach to designing microfluidic blood-contacting devices.

Access To Justice For Deaf Defendants, Anna Zieba

Theses

Deaf individuals face systemic accessibility within the criminal justice system, which emphasizes the importance of the gaps in accommodations by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Inconsistent legal protection, limited access to interpreters, inadequate training for legal professionals, and a lack of technology resources obstruct effective communication for Deaf individuals. As a result, it prohibits achieving an effective and equitable legal outcome. This research paper will examine case studies, legal frameworks, and academic literature to highlight the critical need for reform, including mandatory Deaf culture training, standardized interpreting qualifications, and more resources to enable equitable access to justice.

Back Matter, Harry Denny

The Writing Center Journal

Back Matter for Writing Center Journal 43.1.

Soft Modular Robots: From Modular Tensegrity Structures To Bioinspired Sea Robots, Luyang Zhao

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

The rapid advancement of robotics necessitates systems capable of adapting to complex, unstructured environments. Soft robots, with their flexibility and compliance, excel in delicate interactions, making them ideal for medical applications and search-and-rescue missions. Modular robots, on the other hand, offer reconfigurability, enabling diverse task-specific adaptations in dynamic settings. Despite their individual advantages, the integration of soft and modular robotics remains underexplored. This proposal aims to develop soft modular robots that combine the adaptability of soft robotics with the versatility of modularity. These systems will be capable of autonomously transitioning between locomotion, manipulation, and infrastructure assembly across land, water, and …

Parvovirus B19 Infection In Kidney Transplant Recipients, Hatem Najar, Kiran Goli, Maria P. Martinez Cantarin

Division of Nephrology Faculty Papers

On August 14, 2024, the Centers for Disease Control issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) health advisory due to a surge in Parvovirus B19 (B19V) infections in the United States. Our report presents two cases of suspected donor-derived Parvovirus B19 infection in kidney transplant patients. Both cases had refractory anemia requiring treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin. These cases highlight the importance of awareness and monitoring of B19V infection in the context of recent epidemiologic trends to improve clinical outcomes in kidney transplant recipients.

Meta-Kaolinite Metal Oxide Quaternary Composite For Layered Double Hydroxide Applied To A New Frontier In Adsorption Technology: Synthesis, Adsorption Performance And Kinetics Study, Samar A. Salim

Nanotechnology Research Centre

This study explores the synthesis and characterization of a quaternary composite based on meta-kaolinite and metal oxides (MgO, Al2O3, and Fe2O3) for the formation of layered double hydroxides (LDHs), aimed to the efficient removal of synthetic dyes from wastewater. The composite was synthesized using a co-precipitation method (Mg:Al:Fe molar ratio = 3:1:1) and thermally activated at 400 ◦C to enhance porosity and active site availability. Instrumental characterization through XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDX, and BET analyses confirmed the effective combination of metal oxides into the meta-kaolinite matrix, with BET results revealing a surface area of 540 m2/g (vs. 190 m2/g for raw …

Diliang Chen Wins 2025 Innovator Of The Year Award For Work In Wearable Technology, Allison Bell

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

Encountering The Imaginary: Félix Régamey In Japan And The Legacy Of Japonisme, Nicolas Moiseyev

Art and Art History Honors Projects

This thesis critically examines Félix Régamey’s transformative role in the development of Japonisme, highlighting his pivotal contribution to bridging Western perceptions and authentic Japanese culture during the late nineteenth century. Through an exploration of his firsthand experiences in Japan, Régamey emerges as a multifaceted and paradoxical figure—an artist, educator, and author—whose pursuits reshaped the narrative of Japanese art and cultural exchange in France amid the fervor of Japonisme. His immersion in Japanese society enabled him to engage directly with its artistic traditions, which he skillfully translated for European audiences. This study reveals Régamey’s efforts to challenge the prevailing Orientalist stereotypes …

Reflections On Teaching The Rule Of Law: An Essay, Christopher R. Kelley

Arkansas Law Notes

This Essay reflects on a Rule of Law course taught at the University of Arkansas School of Law since 2009, exploring its evolution and purpose over fifteen years. Moving beyond a historical survey of the rule of law and debates about its meaning, the course integrates diverse disciplines such as psychology, economics, and current events to cultivate lawyer professionalism through a rule of law lens. Central to the course is a focus on corruption—its causes, consequences, and cures—with professionalism presented as a key antidote, and an emphasis on helping students define what the rule of law means to them and …

A Quality Improvement Project On Implementing A Nurse-Driven Foley Catheter Removal Protocol Using Modified Houdini Criteria For Oncology Patients To Reduce The Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (Cauti) And Catheter Days In The Intensive Care Unit (Icu), Rittu K. Justin

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose: This scholarly project aimed to develop modified criteria for oncology patients regarding Foley catheter removal guidance and implement a nurse initiative in the ICU to reduce CAUTI and catheter days.

Background: CAUTIs are considered preventable nosocomial infections; hence, a nurse-driven Foley catheter removal protocol has become an essential strategy in healthcare to reduce CAUTIs. The project was implemented in a 43-bed ICU in an academic hospital at the Texas Medical Center. The 12-week pilot project included adult patients with a primary diagnosis of cancer.

Methodology: A quantitative design with a PDSA framework was employed. The institutional infection control trend …

Implementation Of A Standardized Pain Assessment Tool To Drive Opioid Management In End-Of-Life Patients In A Medical Intensive Care Unit, Sonia Carrizales

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose

This quality improvement project implemented a standardized pain assessment tool, the Multidimensional Observational Pain Assessment Tool (MOPAT), to drive opioid administration for end-of-life (EOL) patients. This project intended to increase opioid administration to EOL patients through increased confidence levels noted in bedside staff with the use of a standardized pain assessment tool.

Background

The project was implemented in a thirty-two-bed adult medical intensive care unit in Round Rock, Texas. The patients focused on in this project were those transitioned to EOL care.

Methodology

A pre-and post-survey was sent to bedside staff to gauge confidence levels. The MOPAT was then …

Book Talk: Hon. Diane Kiesel Dives Deep Into Law, Celebrity, And Scandal, Jennifer Bancamper

NYLS Community News

No abstract provided.

Filling The Gap: Facial Anatomy And Safe Lower Lip Injection Practices, Makayla M. Swancutt, Aaron J. Allard, Alex Ho, Sara Sloan

Student Publications

Background/Objectives: Anatomical knowledge of the arterial supply to the lower face is critical to prevent unnecessary harm to patients seeking cosmetic procedures, particularly lower lip dermal filler injections. Our study sought to characterize the prominent vascular structures of the lower lip: inferior labial (ILA), labiomental (LMA) and mental (MA) arteries.

Methods: Forty-eight hemiface specimens from 30 formalin-embalmed donors were utilized in this study. Dissection was performed of the LMA, ILA, and MA to determine their diameter, branching pattern for characterization, and to assess their supply to the lip distally.

Results: The ILA (mean diameter, 1.5 ± 0.49 mm) was found …

The Critical Balance Between Quiescence And Reactivation Of Neural Stem Cells, Adam Elkin, Sarah Robbins, Claudia Barros, Torsten Bossing

Peninsula Medical School

Neural stem cells (NSC) are multipotent, self-renewing cells that give rise to all neural cell types within the central nervous system. During adulthood, most NSCs exist in a quiescent state which can be reactivated in response to metabolic and signalling changes, allowing for long-term continuous neurogenesis and response to injury. Ensuring a critical balance between quiescence and reactivation is required to maintain the limited NSC reservoir and neural replenishment throughout lifetime. The precise mechanisms and signalling pathways behind this balance are at the focus of current research. In this review, we highlight and discuss recent studies using Drosophila, mammalian and …

Emotional Labour In The Boundary Work Of Filipino Transnational Workers In Indian Cities, Jozon A. Lorenzana

Department of Communication Faculty Publications

This article examines the boundary work undertaken by Filipino transnational workers in globalizing Indian cities. While the ‘practice turn’ in boundary studies has shed light on boundary work's mundane and performative dimensions, the role of emotions in performing such work needs to be ascertained. To account for both the performative and emotional dimensions of boundary work, I present an ethnographic study on Filipino professionals in India that engages Hochschild's concept of emotional labour. Since the mid-2000s, local and multinational companies have hired Filipino professionals to set up businesses and manage operations. I examined their practices of boundary work through in-depth …

Salve Regina: Organ Devotionals To The Blessed Virgin Mary: A Graduate Organ Recital, Caleb R. Klinzing

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

This thesis is a Graduate Organ Recital with accompanying program notes on the pieces performed. The program notes include composer biographies, formal analyses of the works, and discussions of performance practice concerns. The recital explores the rich tradition of Marian devotional music and features works by Jehan Titelouze (1562–1633), J.S. Bach (1685–1750), Charles-Marie Widor (1844–1937), Charles Tournemire (1870–1939), and Marcel Dupré (1886–1971).