Digital Commons Network^™

Using Video-Based E-Tivities For Peer-Led Assessment, Niamh Imbusch

Case studies: Digital Education

This case study describes an on-line peer-led assessment on the topic of ‘building personal entrepreneurial resilience’. The assessment is worth 30% of the overall module grade. Students complete a self-assessment measure of personal resilience (Reivich & Shatte, 2002) and are asked to note which resilience factor(s) resonate most strongly for them; they self-select recommended activities for building personal resilience and complete at least one. On completion, they prepare a 5-minute video recording using the integrated Brightspace technology, reflecting on their experience of the activity. Once all student videos are uploaded, they review and comment on – using clear guidelines – …

Vol. 45, No. 2, Spring 2025: Table Of Contents, Northern Illinois University Law Review

Northern Illinois University Law Review

Table of Contents and Masthead for Volume 45, Issue 2 of the Northern Illinois Law Review

I Demand The Right To Destroy My Church! The Relationship Between The Religious Land Use And Institutionalized Persons Act And The Religious Right To Demolish Historic Churches, Mikayla D. Kelz

Northern Illinois University Law Review

Prohibitions and restrictions on land use by Historic Preservation Committees via landmark laws are common and hinder an owner’s right to control the land. Religious institutions possess an important piece of federal legislation to combat landmark laws, known as the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). Even with this advantage in their pocket, churches continue to face local opposition on the ability to renovate and demolish their churches due to the overly regulatory nature of landmark laws. Federal courts vary on the criteria in determining whether a landmark designation can withstand the right to religious exercise via land …

Hi Barbie! A Cultural Phenomenon Illustrates How Courts Have Lost The True Meaning Of The Independent Creation Defense, Shelby Harrison

Northern Illinois University Law Review

From movies to advertisements to department stores, Barbie is everywhere. Barbie has been around for decades and is now a cultural phenomenon. It is almost impossible to not be familiar with the iconic fashion doll. With a creation so popular and so powerful, how do other individuals or businesses create their own doll without being influenced by Barbie? This Note discusses the independent creation defense within copyright infringement. The focus of this Note is whether a defendant would even be able to assert the independent creation defense when their opponent’s creation is so widely known, like Barbie. This Note emphasizes …

Originalism’S Precedent Problem, James Bernstein

Northern Illinois University Law Review

This paper explores the tension between originalism and stare decisis in judicial decision-making. Originalism, which seeks to interpret the Constitution as understood at the time of its ratification, has gained bipartisan acceptance among judges. However, this interpretive approach faces challenges regarding precedent: How should originalist judges handle past decisions that deviate from the original public meaning of the Constitution? The paper examines this issue, particularly in light of originalists’ varied stances on the role of precedent.

Some originalists, like Antonin Scalia and Amy Coney Barrett, acknowledge the need for stare decisis to maintain legal stability, albeit with allowances for overturning …

Dewatering Of Chlorella Algae Using Co2 Gas Hydrate Formation For The Biofuel Production, Sumeet Oak

Master's Theses

When microalgae are processed for producing biofuel, dewatering the algae is an important step, particularly when combined with extracting valuable byproducts like algal oil. Conventional methods like centrifugation and filtration can be harsh on the algae and usually need high-energy inputs. In this work, the new application of CO2 gas hydrates as an algae dewatering agent was investigated. A CO₂ hydrate, CO2-nH2O, where n (n>5.75), is a nonstoichiometric compound where water molecules with hydrogen bonds are structured in an ice-like fashion to form polyhedral cavities. CO₂ gas hydrates are crystalline because gas molecules are trapped in a lattice of …

Assessing The Effect Of Prolonged Saltwater Exposure On Dna Recovery In Submerged Skeletal Remains From Sus Scrofa Domesticus (Erxleben, 1777), Malia Wellens

Master's Theses

Both water-related and mass disasters occurring over or in water (e.g., boating disasters, commercial plane crashes, and natural disasters) result in multiple deaths every year. Due to the ocean's vastness and lack of equipment, remains may not be recovered for some time, resulting in soft tissue decomposition, leaving bone as the last repository of recoverable DNA for identification purposes. Skeletal remains' physical and chemical components protect them from environmental deterioration and biological attack and preserve DNA well. Therefore, identifying an individual may depend on DNA obtained from skeletal remains. However, there is limited research on how long DNA can be …

Postmortem Detection Of Substance P And Met-Enkephalin Expression As A Possible Indicator For Pain Estimation Prior To Death, Amy M. Lischin

Master's Theses

Substance P (SP) and Met-Enkephalin (MET) are neuropeptides critical to the central nervous system (CNS) and are released as immediate responders to physical stressors like pain. In blood, SP and MET adapt based on an incident-death time interval to suggest the potential to use these as biomarkers in the assessment of pain prior to death. The mRNA and DNA manipulations of RNA isolation, cDNA synthesis, and RT-qPCR allowed for investigation into SP and MET gene expression (TACl, TACRl, OGFR) in those who experienced chronic tissue damage (e.g. domestic abuse) as compared to those who underwent an acute pain event (e.g. …

Evaluation Of Skeletal Dna From Bones Submerged In Stagnant, Tannin-Rich Blackwater, Jessica R. Behn

Master's Theses

Successful genetic identification of human remains is heavily dependent on environmental factors. This sentiment is stressed when considering those submerged in aqueous environments. However, the range of studies investigating the interaction of DNA degradation and skeletal remains is quite limited - especially those submerged in water. Consequently, this study aimed to quantify and determine the degradation rate of submerged skeletal element DNA in stagnant, tannin-rich blackwater wetland over a four-month period. To mimic human remains in a New England Pond environment, five macerated porcine femurs were submerged in an artificial pond aquarium and allowed to soak for three weeks, six …

“A Health Sciences Library By Any Other Name…” Continuing Library Services In A Time Of Academic Transformation, Anna Katherine Crawford, Jenn Monnin, Ashley Purvis

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Following a series of significant and systemic budget cuts at a large R1 university, the library system was required to reorganize to deliver services more efficiently. This poster discusses how the Health Sciences Library fits into the newly reorganized system and has continued providing library services.

Background: In late 2023, our large, land-grant, R1 university began making a series of decisions to address systemic and sizeable budget shortfalls and declining enrollment. These included discontinuing programs and majors and a reduction in force of faculty and staff. The university library system, consisting of two campus libraries and the Health Sciences …

Influence Of Medicaid And Medicare On Total Joint Arthroplasty Outcomes: 10-Year Report Of Michigan Hospitals, Madeleine Declercq, Jacob Keeley, Robert Runner, Kevin Weisz, Leonardo Cavinatto, Drew Moore

Posters

Access to healthcare significantly varies by medical insurance type, particularly for individuals for low socioeconomic status.

• Medicaid often covers these individuals (a government-funded program for low-income adults and children).

• Only 45% of primary care providers accept new Medicaid patients, versus 94% for private insurance.1

• Large non-profit medical centers accept Medicaid but still present considerable access challenges for patients.

• Lower reimbursement rates, complex medical needs, and extensive administrative requirements are key barriers for providers accepting Medicaid.

• Studies, such as those by Deans et al., highlight greater travel burdens for Medicaid patients needing revision hip or knee …

Does The Possibility Of No Surgery In Watch And Wait For Rectal Cancer Affect Patient Decision-Making?, Joanna F. Wasvary, Ga-Ram Han, Jacob A. Applegarth, Matthew A. Ziegler

Posters

INTRODUCTION & OBJECTIVE

Prior studies have established that the watch and wait protocol for rectal cancer is a reasonable approach in patients with excellent response to total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT). Current guidelines stipulate that patients eligible for this protocol have no residual tumor on re-staging imaging and endoscopy. Patients who have evidence of residual disease are referred for surgery. This study assessed all patients in our institution who underwent TNT for rectal cancer and the subsequent recommendations for treatment. Primary aim: assess patient compliance with surgeon recommendations for residual disease after TNT.

Secondary aim: assessment of oncologic outcomes and the …

Implementation Of An Opioid Free Pediatric Hernia Repair Protocol, Corey Shafer, Antonela Muca, Randy Hilleary, Kristin Lemarbe, Diane Studzinsk, Kaveh Aslani, Nathan Novotny, Pavan Brahmamdam, Begum Akay

Posters

Surgery most often provides children with their first exposure to opioids which may lead to misuse and overuse. Protocolizing pain management perioperatively can reduce opioid exposure in children while still providing adequate pain management.

Surgical Site Infection Bundle For Babies: Preliminary Data, Cullen Woodley, John Nida, Alexis Lonjin, Katelyn Ward, Diane Studzinski, Begum Akay

Posters

Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) are infections that occur in or around the area where a surgery was recently performed. They are estimated to account for 20% of all healthcare associated infection, and lead to an increase in morbidity and mortality. Perioperative care bundles show promise in reducing SSIs in adults but are not often used in neonatal surgery. Infections in babies after surgery are less common than adults but carry significant morbidity in a fragile patient.

Enhancing Reproductive Anatomy Education: A Comprehensive Approach Integrating Near-Peer And Reciprocal Peer Tutoring, Hope Hefferan, Emelie-Jo Scheffler, Erin Mueller, Varna Taranikanti

Posters

• Near-peer tutoring (NPT): Tutors are more advanced than tutees, typically offering support in understanding complex concepts.1

• Reciprocal peer tutoring (RPT): Students with similar levels of training alternate between tutor and tutee roles, facilitating collaborative learning.1

• Peer tutoring fosters professional development and improves long-term retention of complex medical concepts.3,4,5

• Reproductive anatomy is a challenging area for many medical students; Innovative peer tutoring methods may help improve understanding and retention of anatomical structures.

• We hypothesize that integrating NPT and RPT within the laboratory setting in the reproductive organ system course will enhance student motivation, self-efficacy, and long-term …

Stroke Risk After Lowering Elevated Blood Pressure In Transient Ischemic Attack, Alexsandra Biel, Jacob Keeley, Brett Todd

Posters

• There is a relationship between the diagnosis of TIA and the subsequent development of a stroke1–4.
• The risk of developing a stroke within 90 days of a TIA is approximately 10.5% with about half of these occurring in the first 1-2 days of the TIA3.

Risk factors that may increase the likelihood of developing a stroke following a TIA include:

• Having age over 60
• A blood pressure of 140/90 or greater
• Diabetes
• Increased TIA duration
• Increased symptomatology at the time of presentation5–8.

Manual Versus Mechanical Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Complications After Successful Resuscitation For Out-Of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest, Connie Chen, Jacob Keeley, Julian Sit, Robert Swor

Posters

Over 300,000 people in the United States annually suffer from an out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA); 90% of cases are fatal.1

EMS-treated OHCA approximately has a 30% rate of Return of Spontaneous Circulation (ROSC), but not all survive to hospital admission or discharge.2

Quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) provides vital organ reperfusion until cardiac activity can be restored.

Mechanical CPR is increasingly being used for field OHCA care. It is most often performed by the Lund University Cardiopulmonary Assist System (LUCAS) device, a piston chest compressor which incorporates a mechanism for active chest recoil.

Benefits of mechanical CPR:

• Uninterrupted …

Examining Health Disparities: An Observational Study On Peripheral Vascular Access Outcomes Among Hospitalized Patients, Charlotte O’Sullivan, Nicholas Mielke, Yuying Xing, Amit Bahl

Posters

Peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) placement is the most common invasive procedure performed in healthcare, with an estimated 90% of hospitalized patients requiring PIVC access during their stay. This equates to around two billion PIVCs used annually.1–3 Studies report 36% to 63% of catheters fail due to a variety of complications, including infiltration, occlusion, phlebitis, dislodgment, and infection. 2–6 These failures not only cause immediate patient discomfort and increased clinical workload but also have wider implications such as prolonged hospital stays and delays in critical treatments.2 The factors contributing to PIVC failure are multifaceted, involving clinical presentation, patient anatomy, provider skill …

Pr Novel Hematoma Prevention Device, Nolan Shoukri, Steven Pearl, Nishaki Mehta

Posters

• Hematomas are a common complication in cardiac internal electronic device (CIED) placement procedures, they occur in up to 20-25% of CIED implants.

• Previous RCT tested a novel hematoma compression device (PR) and showed good tolerability, decreased hematoma formation from 15% to 6%, and wound improvement.

• Based on feedback collected from the nurses, physicians, allied health professionals during the randomized control trial, iteration of the PR was done (Gen 2 PR).

• This study evaluated 1) bench testing of the Gen 2 PR device and 2) healthy volunteer testing of Gen 2 PR device.

Beyond The Epi-Pen: Prehospital Use Of Epinephrine In Anaphylaxis, Randy Hilleary, Corey Shafer, Margaret Menoch

Posters

• Prehospital epinephrine administration has been historically low by the individuals having the reaction, their caregivers, or emergency medical service (EMS) personnel
• With rising anaphylaxis cases, it becomes more imperative that there is appropriate administration of epinephrine to improve outcomes in both pediatric and adult populations

Assessing The Impact Of Street Medicine Oakland On Medical Student Perceptions Of Clinical Preparedness, Michael Marchiori, Laura Ortiz

Posters

• Medical students spend the first two years of medical school focusing on didactic learning supplemented with clinical skills training as they prepare for their hospital rotations

• Opportunities for in-field practice of clinical skills are typically sparse for medical students during their M1 and M2 didactic years

• Research suggests clinical supervisors rank professionalism and willingness as the two most important characteristics in students that promote clinical preparedness, but there is limited research on interventions that promote students’ self-perceptions of clinical preparedness1

• Medical students at Oakland University William Beaumont (OUWB) have the opportunity to volunteer with Street Medicine …

The Gambia’S Democratic Revival: An Interview With Chief Justice Hassan Bubacar Jallow, Hassan Bubacar Jallow, David Collins

Judicature International

No abstract provided.

Improving The Patient Care Experience In Residential Eating Disorder Treatment: A Quality Improvement Project, Paige H. Nguyen

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this project was to implement structured biweekly patient check-ins at a residential treatment facility for eating disorders. This project was intended to increase the patient care satisfaction scores on patient discharge surveys from under 80% to over 90%.

Background

The project was implemented at a 12-bed residential treatment facility for adolescents and adults diagnosed with eating disorders located in Cypress, Texas.

Methodology

The Baird 2007 concept of scripting during rounds was utilized as well as the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAPS) patient care experience survey questions when creating the script used during …

Qi Charter: A Risk Assessment Protocol To Improve The Management Of Aggression And Violence In A Psychiatric Setting, Juliette N. Bateki

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Background: Patient care and staff safety are considered when determining aggressiveness and violence in psychiatric settings. However, structured violence risk assessment tools like the Broset Violence Checklist (BVC) are difficult to integrate into clinical practice when utilizing the prediction of violent behavior that allows healthcare professionals to intervene proactively. The BVC has been promising at predicting violence, but implementation needs to be done correctly, with proper training and integration into the routine workflow.

Purpose: This project aims to implement the BVC as a violence and aggression predictive tool within a psychiatric intensive care unit. It aims to increase violence prediction …

Simulating Chill: Exploring The Cognitive And Therapeutic Potential Of Cold Vr Environments, Jessica Turner, Piper Hutson, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

This study investigates the cognitive and therapeutic potential of immersive virtual reality (VR) environments designed to simulate cold conditions. Through the engagement of participants through multisensory stimuli—including vivid visual representations of the Athabasca Glacier, auditory effects of icy winds, and corresponding haptic feedback—the research evaluates neurological and physiological responses associated with attention, emotional regulation, and stress modulation. Participants experienced virtual scenarios featuring icy winds and snow, activating specific neurological pathways involving the occipital lobe, primary visual cortex, superior colliculus, and insula, thus reinforcing sensory integration. Through predictive coding, the anterior insula and hypothalamus were engaged, prompting thermoregulatory simulations and subconscious …

1785 Parisian Salon Project: New Methods And Practical Innovations In Digital Heritage Reconstruction, James Hutson, Charles O'Brien, Wesley Wolfe, Kayla Kraff, Trent Olsen

Faculty Scholarship

The 1785 Salon Unreal Engine Reconstruction Project represents a significant advance in digital heritage and immersive art historical research by combining generative AI-based asset creation, modular user experience (UX) design, and historically informed workflows. During the Spring 2025 phase, the project achieved major milestones, including the successful development of a replicable pipeline for transforming 2D reference images into period-accurate 3D sculpture models using generative AI and digital sculpting tools. Simultaneously, a robust and adaptable Inspection System was engineered within Unreal Engine, offering granular interaction controls, bilingual (English/French) content integration, dynamic metadata display, and enhanced accessibility. These innovations collectively enabled historically …

From Guns To Scalpels: Reproductive Violence And The (In)Visibility Of Non-Lethal Genocidal Acts, Anthony Ghaly

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

No abstract provided.

Through The Garden, Across The Pond, And Beyond: Comparing Noncompetes With Garden Leave And Trade Secret Law, Kathleen Fink

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

No abstract provided.

Predicting Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Response: Development And Validation Of A Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography-Based Nomogram, Zhongwei Jiang, Zhongqiang Zhao, Zhuo He, Qiushi Chen, Ju Bu, Chunxiang Li, Dianfu Li, Chang Cui, Weihua Zhou, Huiyuan Qin, Cheng Wang

Michigan Tech Publications

Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is an effective treatment for patients with drug-refractory heart failure. However, more than thirty percent of patients do not benefit from CRT. This study aimed to develop and validate a novel model based on single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) phase analysis features to predict CRT response. Methods: We identified 163 CRT patients who received gated resting SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) between 2010 and 2020 at The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. All variables were first processed by univariate logistic regression, and those with a P value < 0.05 were retained. The selected variables were subsequently used in the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression to construct a predictive model, which was then represented as a nomogram. Nomogram performance was assessed via receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration curves, and decision curve analyses (DCAs). Internal validation was performed by bootstrapping with 1,000 replicates. Results: Of the 163 patients, 93 (57.1%) responded to CRT during follow-up. Responders had a wider QRS complex duration (QRSd) (164.80 vs. 154.51 ms, P=0.003), fewer premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) (1,392.98 vs. 2,283.60, P=0.003), lower prevalence of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NS-VT) (45.2% vs. 77.1%, P< 0.001), and better cardiac function [based on N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), New York Heart Association (NYHA), and left ventricle (LV) parameters] compared to non-responders. Univariate logistic regression revealed 14 variables significantly associated with CRT response (all P< 0.05). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) value for the nomogram was 0.845 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.785–0.906; sensitivity: 0.771; specificity: 0.849]. Internal validation yielded a mean AUC of 0.814 (95% CI: 0.777–0.836). The calibration curve demonstrated strong consistency between the predicted and observed outcomes. DCA revealed that the nomogram consistently provides a net benefit over the baseline, demonstrating its high practical value in clinical decision-making. A web-based dynamic nomogram (https:// jzw20000624.shinyapps.io/CRTpredictionmodel/) was developed for clinical application. Conclusions: We developed and validated a SPECT-based prediction model for predicting CRT response, which can assist clinicians in optimizing CRT candidacy preoperatively. Pacing at the latest contraction and relaxation segments, while avoiding scarred regions and optimizing preoperative status, is anticipated to improve CRT response.

Edouard Reményi And Johannes Brahms: A Lifelong Influence Reconsidered, Katherine Marie Martin

Master's Theses

Edouard Reményi was one of the first important influences in Johannes Brahms’s life and compositional career. Yet, beyond a single biography, much of what is commonly believed about Reményi is based on information provided by the Brahms literature.

By reexamining the accounts of Reményi in the Brahms literature, and comparing them with Mary Kelley and George Upton’s biography of Reményi and Robert Eshbach’s excellent research, the timeline of Reményi’s life and work can be clarified. Analysis of a set of three pieces for violin and piano demonstrates Reményi’s work as a composer and illustrates the style of Hungarian music that …