Digital Commons Network^™

Biostress: An Engineered Platform For Detecting Cellular Damage Upon Mechanical Impact, Lindsay Avila, Nina Fiordaliso, Mai Tran

Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Student Publications

Mechanical impact stimuli are commonly associated with cellular damage and lower cell survival rates. However, mild impacts can promote responses that are adaptive. The heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) is a stressinducible protein that serves as an early biomarker for cellular stress. The relationship between impact severity and cellular response remains unclear.

Clear Aligner Overcorrection To Reduce Incisor Tipping | In Vitro, Benjamin Losch, Eddie Wawrzycki-Stein, Kylie Stong, Niko Burger

Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Student Publications

Quantify the biomechanical effects of overcorrection angles on tipping angle and periodontal moment during incisior retractions using both in vitro experiments and finite element analysis (FEA).

Attitudes Toward Menstruation In Transgender/Nonbinary Menstruators, Destiny J. Pacchelli

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine the unique experiences and attitudes that transgender and/or nonbinary (TNB) menstruators have related to menstruation. Participants (n = 103) were 19 to 60-year-old Americans who identified as TNB and have menstruated, and whose primary language is English. They were recruited through Prolific and asked to describe their first period and how their gender identity influenced their feelings toward menstruation. Additionally, participants responded to quantitative questions related to menstrual symptoms, attitudes, beliefs, and emotions, body image, well-being, and demographic questions to determine family culture at childhood and now. TNB menstruators reported …

Program And Proceedings, The Nebraska Academy Of Sciences 1880–2026: 146th Anniversary Year, One Hundred-Thirty-Sixth Annual Meeting

Nebraska Academy of Sciences: Programs and Proceedings

Program and abstracts of the proceedings for the Nebraska Academy of Sciences 136th annual meeting, 2025

Sessions

Aeronautics and Space Science

Anthropology

Biological and Medical Sciences

Earth Sciences

Ecology, Sustainability, and Environmental Science

Physics and Engineering

General Poster Session

2026 Maiben Lecture: Shifting Extremes: Understanding Nebraska’s Changing Climate and Preparing for What Lies Ahead, Deborah Bathke

2026 Friends of Science Awards: Julie Shaffer and Irina Filina

2026 C. Bertrand and Marian Othmer Schultz Colleaguate Schoalrship Award: Piper Ryschon and Bryce Reeson

In Memoriam: Paul Royster

Cockpits, Cubicles, Care Work: Why India Has More Female Pilots Than The U.S., Nandini Kumar

Student Publications and Presentations

This project compares how gender norms shape women’s employment in United States and India, focusing on the surprising case of female pilots. India has one of the highest percentages of female airline pilots in the world, yet one of the lowest percentage of women in the overall workforce. The United States has the opposite pattern where there are more women in the workforce overall, but far fewer female pilots. How can both things be true, and what do they reveal about gender norms? To research this question, I combined feminist theory as well as labor statistics, policy reports, and historical …

Empowering Seniors As Mentors: A Framework For Peer Development In Nursing Education, Kaitlin M. King, Jenna Davis

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Background: Many nursing education programs face ongoing challenges related to the transition of sophomore nursing students into professional nursing coursework and initial clinical experiences. The coursework and clinical experiences can bring significant academic, emotional, and professional challenges for students. Peer mentorship has been demonstrated as an effective strategy to improve mentee student confidence, retention, and academic success; however, many programs lack the formal preparation and structured framework for the senior students who serve as the mentors.

Purpose: This evidence-based practice project is aimed to develop a structured peer mentorship training program to help empower the senior nursing students as they …

Gratitude Is The Attitude: Increasing Meaningful Recognition And Staff Collaboration In The Nicu, Devin Angiulo, Catherine Michele Lawless, Jenna Matteo, Lauren Miller

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Our team noticed a deficit in meaningful recognition from our HWEAT survey results. Our team identified what meaningful recognition meant to our staff to understand our area of deficit and evaluate current literature. Meaningful recognition plays a key role in employee satisfaction, motivation, and overall work performance, with reduced nurse turnover.¹ Our staff defined meaningful recognition as personal appreciation. Nurse recognition has been viewed as a critical component of a healthy work environment.² Our staff utilized many forms of recognition, including our organization’s electronic recognition program “Kudos,’ verbal recognition, hand-written notes, Daisy nominations, and yearly evaluations. “Expressions of …

Enhancing Post Surgical Communication By Utilizing An Electronic Epic Handoff, Mimi Le, Nina Harner, Jacqueline Corbett

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of implementing a standardized electronic handoff template within EPIC. The goal is to improve the quality of post-operative communication, improve efficiency, increase nurse satisfaction, and ensure continuity of care while mitigating risks associated with handwritten documentation.

Introduction: Effective communication during patient handoffs is vital for patient safety and continuity of care, especially in post-surgical settings. Inadequate communication often leads to delays and complications. Current reliance on handwritten reports from the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) to surgical floors results in confusion and delays due to illegibility and lost documents. …

Bridging Two Worlds: A Qualitative Exploration Of Nurses Returning To Work Postpartum, Katherine Metz, Darlene Narca, Amanda Cortes, Michael Young, Nicole Bohr

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Introduction: Each percentage change in nurse turnover is associated with roughly $289,000 in organizational cost/savings annually.¹ Despite this increased focus and nurses being primarily women of childbearing age², little data exists on retention in nurses during the postpartum period. Supporting postpartum nurses is essential for workforce sustainability and organizational stability.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the lived experiences of nurses returning to bedside after childbirth. By examining their perspectives, this study seeks to identify key factors influencing job satisfaction, workplace well-being, and retention, and to inform the development of evidence-based organizational strategies that …

The Minutes Of The Marshall University Graduate Council Meeting, April 24, 2026, Marshall University Graduate Council

Graduate Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

Evaluating Drug Use Through Examination Of Local Water Sources: Drug Concentrations Within Biota Systems, Madeleine Freyhof

Honors Projects

Understanding drug usage based on drug concentrations found within biota samples grown in different concentrations of cocaine and benzoylecgonine. Drug policy then can be potentially based on how drug concentrations display drug usage for a specific community.

Doc 2026-19 Proposal For New Bachelor Of Arts In Global Studies, University Of Dayton. College Of Arts And Sciences

Senate Documents

The Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies prepares students to become thoughtful global leaders who engage effectively across cultures and contexts in an increasingly interconnected world. Grounded in intercultural understanding, the program equips students with applied skills for diverse professional settings. Through pathways in Global Citizenship & Intercultural Communication and in Area Studies (Global Spanish and Hispanophone Studies, Global French and Francophone Studies, and Global German Studies) students develop the knowledge and experience needed for careers in international organizations, NGOs, public service, international law, healthcare, or education, among others.

2025-2026 Master Of Music Recital - Maria Savelyeva (Cello), Maria Savelyeva, Diego Suarez

Master of Music Recitals

No abstract provided.

Structural Consequences Of Economic Crisis And Us Militarization In The Caribbean: Drug Scarcity, Crime Escalation, And Narco-Entrepreneurship In Puerto Rico, Victor M. Vazquez, Howard Campbell

Departmental Papers (S&A)

No abstract provided.

A Practical Approach To Ir Policy Creation And Revision, Nicole R. Webber

University Libraries Publications

The process of policy development and revision often suffers reduced prioritization, particularly when staffing levels limit dedicated expertise and the time necessary for thorough evaluation. International surveys reveal common tendencies for institutional repository policies to lack desired degrees of comprehensiveness, refinement, or consistency, creating operational uncertainty and inhibiting long-term sustainability. This presentation addresses this pervasive gap, not by offering a case study or example documentation, but by introducing a structured, adaptable framework to guide policy development and maintenance, regardless of institutional size, platform, or maturity.

Drawing on a review of case studies and policy literature, a consolidated, openly licensed set …

Library Newsletter: Late April ‘26, Iwasaki Library

Iwasaki Newsletters

This Library Newsletter reached faculty, staff, and students of Emerson College on April 24th, 2026. This is the second published issue of April 2026. This is the thirteenth issue of the third volume. It includes top stories such as extended hours, Relaxapalooza recap, an FDS survey, a poll on favorite bookmarks, reading and viewing materials for travel, alumni benefits, and a reminder that published newsletters are on Digital Commons!

The Impact Of The Accelerated Model Pathways For Information Technology (Amp-It) Initiative, Meagan Mitchell Phd

Reports, Analyses, and other Publications

This report from Education Systems Center details the impact and strategic outcomes of the Accelerated Model Pathways for Information Technology (AMP-IT) initiative. Launched to strengthen Illinois' IT talent pipeline, the initiative focuses on expanding dual credit coursework, work-based learning, and strategic partnerships between school districts, higher education, and industry.

Njit Library Annual Report July 2024 To June 2025, Njit Libraries

Library Annual Reports

No abstract provided.

Front Matter And Table Of Contents

University of Miami Race & Social Justice Law Review

No abstract provided.

You Can Be Innocent—Or You Can Be Free: Prosecutorial Power And Dark Pleas In Innocence Litigation, Tori Simkovic, Craig Trocino

University of Miami Race & Social Justice Law Review

This Article examines the phenomenon Justice Michael P. Donnelly has termed the “dark plea.” A dark plea is a post-conviction guilty plea extracted from defendants who maintain their innocence but accept freedom over exoneration. Through the lens of State of Florida v. Lawrence K. Johnson, this Article exposes how dark pleas operate at the precise moment when newly discovered evidence threatens to unravel a conviction and expose actual innocence in a nearly two decades old wrongful conviction. Johnson’s case illustrates the coercive dynamics of this type postconviction “bargaining.” After eighteen years of incarceration, compelling DNA recantation evidence, and an appellate …

Qualified Immunity: Emerging Fault Lines In The Eleventh Circuit, Ricky J. Marc

University of Miami Race & Social Justice Law Review

Qualified immunity operates as a central doctrine in federal civil rights litigation, defining the threshold between government accountability and official protection from suit. Within the Eleventh Circuit, this doctrine has developed into a highly structured yet fact-dependent framework that shapes litigation strategy and judicial outcomes. This article offers a comprehensive analysis of qualified immunity in the Eleventh Circuit from 2022 to 2025, drawing on recent precedents involving law enforcement officers and correctional officials. It examines the Circuit’s treatment of clearly established rights, the role of objective reasonableness in determining constitutional violations, and the evidentiary dynamics that influence summary judgment and …

Reproductive Season And Fecundity Reassessment Of Gopher Tortoises (Gopherus Polyphemus) In Southeastern Florida, Riley Waters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) breeding season occurs throughout spring and early summer across its distributional range, but recent research shows that in southeastern Florida, mating also occurs in the fall and winter months. This project evaluates the gopher tortoise’s extended reproductive season in southeastern Florida and female fecundity. The study, conducted at two locations in South Florida: Jupiter, FL and Boca Raton, FL, used field ultrasound equipment and radiographs to identify gravid females and determine clutch size. The data suggest a much earlier start to egg development and nesting, and the possibility of an extended egg development …

Draft Uniform Federal Policyquality Assurance Project Plan Addendum, Hydrogeologic, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Lisa Mensch V. Pyramid Healthcare Inc

2026 Decisions

USDC for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Mississippi Coastal Bacterial Community Response To Lowered Salinty, Jackson C. Sues

Honors Theses

Microbial communities are essential to the function of coastal ecosystems; however, few studies have examined their response to short-term reductions in salinity. This study used a microcosm approach to examine how decreased salinity over five days affected seawater bacterial community composition, diversity, and richness. Microcosms were assigned to three treatments: unmanipulated seawater (control) collected from the Mississippi coast, seawater amended with natural freshwater, and seawater amended with sterilized freshwater. Length of time bacteria spent in the microcosms was found to have the strongest effect on bacterial community composition, while salinity effects were weaker but still statistically significant. All treatments shifted …

Themed Entertainment Design, Katelyn Jones

Whittier Scholars Program

This project is a comprehensive design package for a themed entertainment experience. It is formatted similarly to how a project pitch works in the Themed Entertainment industry. This is my concept work for an immersive, interactive, themed walkthrough that takes the guest through the story of King Arthur and the wider Arthurian legend. I have done extensive tonal research, leading me to develop a narrative structure for the experience. From this narrative, I created iterative sketches, a key illustration, a CAD model of one of the spaces, and a scale physical model. All of these pieces together give the viewer …

Ethnicity, Culture, And The Epidemiology Of Eating Disorders, Rebecca Atwell

Honors Theses

This systematic literature review addresses the research question: How does culture affect eating disorders? It examines the role of ethnicity and culture in shaping the prevalence, symptom presentation, and treatment of eating disorders across diverse populations. Although eating disorders have traditionally been studied in Western, predominantly White populations, growing evidence suggests that cultural norms, ethnic identity, globalization, and exposure to Western ideals significantly influence both the development and expression of disordered eating behaviors. Twenty peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2024 were included. These studies were identified through systematic searches of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and PsycINFO and selected …

From Novice To On-Air: Developing A Student Radio Personality At 89.1 Widr Fm, Travis Melson

Honors Theses

This honors thesis explores the full development of my role as a student radio personality at 89.1 WIDR FM, documenting each stage of the process, from the earliest introductory meetings and technical training to the experience of shadowing established shows and launching my own on-air program. The project serves not only as a record of my personal progression through WIDR's broadcasting environment but also as an analysis of the learning curve required to transform from a complete novice into a confident, consistent radio host.

A significant component of this work is my perspective as someone entering the radio space with …

Attend The Tale: Scenic Design For Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street, Andrea Imsland

Honors Theses

I designed the set for Western Michigan University’s 2026 production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street written by Steven Sondheim and directed by Jay Berkow. My thesis advisor was Prof. Dave Nofsinger and my thesis chair member was Dean of the College of Fine Arts Dan Guyette. I began my design process in September of 2025. The show ran from April 10th through April 25th. This was my final scenic design as a Theatre: Design and Technical Production undergraduate student at WMU.

How Social Media Provides Access For Human Traffickers To Victimize Children: A Literature Review With Combative Measures., Ashton Lamb

Honors Theses

This literature review focuses on how human sex traffickers utilize social media to groom children. Social media is utilized by a great number of people around the world, including many children. While social media is intended to be fun and interactive, it does provide new access for dangerous people to reach victims. There is a very real, growing issue online that is not widely known to the public. This hidden danger is known as human trafficking. Human trafficking is defined as the involvement of any force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some labor or commercial sex act (Department of Homeland …