Digital Commons Network^™

Adapting Project Management Life Cycles For Blockchain Implementation: A Thematic Pilot Study., Cherie Noteboom, Aravindh Sekar, Deb Tech

Research & Publications

Blockchain implementation challenges traditional project management practices due to its decentralized, cross-organizational nature. This exploratory study examines how project management life cycle processes must adapt to support successful blockchain adoption. Using open coding and thematic analysis of five expert interviews, key themes were identified and mapped to the five PMBOK process groups. The findings reveal that blockchain projects demand broader stakeholder engagement, iterative planning, human-centered execution, decentralized monitoring, and long-term sustainability planning. By aligning emergent themes with established project management phases, this study highlights the need for a flexible, ecosystem-focused approach to managing blockchain initiatives. The results offer practical insights …

Germination Capacity Of Artemisia Umbelliformis Lam. Wild Populations And Agro-Techniques To Enhance Seedling Production, Matteo Case, Eric Mozzanini, Andrea Mainett, Íris Marisa Maxaieie Victorino, Erica Lumini, Sonia Demasi, Valeria Bianciotto, Laura Poggio, Valentina Scariot

All Grantees Publications

Artemisia umbelliformis Lam. is an alpine herbaceous species that grows in the wild and is mainly used for producing génépi liqueur. It has applications as an ingredient in several food products. Its propagation and cultivation have become the only way to ensure a sustainable supply, thus conserving its occurrence in natural habitats. However, low success rates in seed germination usually limit its propagation. Selected seeds and fine-tuned agro-techniques are priorities in nursery production systems. The current research explored seed germination in three wild A. umbelliformis populations from Valnontey, Soana, and Urtier in the Italian Alps. We evaluated seed germination ability …

Investigating Tree Diversity And Structure Across Varying Land Cover Classes And Altitudes In The Savanna Woodlands Of Sudan, Nasradeen A. H Gadallah, Zoro Bertin Gone B, Victor Ongoma, Abdelhakam Esmaeil Mohamed Ahmed, Ahmed M. M. Hasoba, Ahmed A. H Siddig

All Grantees Publications

Climate and land use changes significantly endanger tree species’ structure and diversity in savanna woodlands. The destruction of these ecosystems hinders the achievement of several global environmental and development targets, notably SDGs 2, 13, and 15, which underscores the need for continuous tree monitoring to inform decision-making on biodiversity conservation. This study aims to characterize the relationships between tree diversity and structure across different land cover (LC) classes—Dense tree cover (D), Sparse tree cover (S), Grasslands (G), and Wetlands (W)—and altitudinal gradients (AGs) in Alain forest, located in Sudan’s savanna woodlands. A systematic sampling was used across varying AGs and …

Barriers To Ensuring And Sustaining Street Food Safety In A Developing Economy, Abigail Ampomah Adaku, Irene Susana Egyir, Cynthia Gadegbeku, Angela Parry-Hanson Kunadu, Vincent Amanor-Boadu

All Grantees Publications

Street foods are one of the highest contributors to foodborne illness in most developing economies around the world. In Ghana, diarrhoeal diseases, which are usually food or waterborne, are among the top ten causes of death. Most street food safety risks are avoidable when all food safety regulations are complied with. This paper identified and examined the barriers to the implementation of street food safety regulations in Ghana. A qualitative research approach was adopted by collecting data from nine focus group discussion sessions involving a total of 94 participants and five key informant interviews. The research uncovered three broad but …

Environmental Determinants Of Tree Productivity And Biomass Carbon Stock In Semiarid Ethiopia, Haftu Abrha, Victor Ongoma, Soro Dodiomon, Berihu Tesfamariam, Girmay Gebresamuel, Haftom Hagos, Mamadou Cherif, Emiru Birhane

All Grantees Publications

Trees are crucial for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Assessing their ability at the individual tree level is effective because it allows precise quantification of carbon storage, which supports better management and conservation strategies for climate change responses. This study quantifies the carbon stock of Dobera glabra and examines how environmental factors such as land-use changes, soil properties, and tree size affect fruit occurrence in Ethiopia. Using a systematic random sampling design, 25 plots (20 m × 20 m) per land use type were established, where presence, tree growth, fruit and soil properties were measured. Logistic regression examined relationships between …

A Feasibility Study On Barriers To Access To Solar Photovoltaic Energy: A Survey Study Of Moundou, Chad, Latchiba Wakiang Emile, Sebastian M. Waita, Robert Krueger, Julius Mwakondo Mwabora

All Grantees Publications

It is widely acknowledged that energy sources such as the sun are potential providers of clean, limitless, and free energy that could satisfy energy needs now and in the future. This is particularly relevant when only small amounts of energy are necessary, such as in tiny homes or rural areas. For this study, we conducted a feasibility analysis by surveying local authorities and households in Moundou, Chad. The aim was to identify the barriers preventing households from accessing energy. The key decision-making data in this paper are based on the sample proportion of respondents and the margin of error associated …

Biobased Emulsion Breakers: Investigating Red Onion Skin And Orange Mesocarp Extracts For Oilfield Application, Victor-Oji Cynthia Onyekachi, Emechebe, Stanley Chijioke, Ikwani Chizurumoke God’Sdelight, Opusunju Allwell, Akaranta Onyewuchi

All Grantees Publications

Oilfield emulsions pose significant operational challenges, affecting crude oil recovery efficiency and refining processes. Conventional chemical demulsifiers, often derived from petroleum-based compounds, pose environmental and economic concerns due to their toxicity and high production costs. This study investigates the potential of plant-based alternatives—Red Onion Skin Extract (ROSE) and Orange Mesocarp Extract (OME) - as environmentally friendly, cost-effective demulsifiers. This novel approach leverages the bioactive compounds in these extracts to destabilize oil-water emulsions efficiently. Four demulsifier formulations were developed: ROSE, OME, ROSE-NaBenzoate (ROSE-NaB), and OME-NaBenzoate (OME-NaB). Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed the presence of active functional groups responsible for interfacial …

Insights Into The Optoelectronic And Thermoelectric Properties Of Lead-Free Rb2nairf6 Double Perovskite Compound: A First-Principles Study, Mwende Mbilo, Robinson Musembi, John Peter Kachira, Wisley Nyangau Onsate, Fanuel Mugwanga Keheze, Refilwe Edwin Mapasha

All Grantees Publications

This study investigated the structural, electronic, elastic, mechanical, thermodynamic, optical, and thermoelectric properties of the Rb2NaIrF6 lead-free double perovskite compound using first-principles methods. The structural stability of the perovskite was confirmed by the Goldschmidt tolerance and octahedral factors. Dynamic stability was confirmed through the negative energy of formation and positive frequency modes of the phonon dispersion curve. The dynamic stability results suggest that the studied compound could be potentially synthesised experimentally. The Rb2NaIrF6 compound is a direct semiconductor with electronic band gaps within the range of 2.14–3.76 eV, computed using different approximations. The mechanical stability was confirmed by the elastic …

Ab-Initio Investigation Of The Structural, Electronic, Mechanical, Thermophysical, And Optical Properties Of The Zintl-Phase K₂Agsb Ternary Compound For Optoelectronic Applications, John Peter Kachira, Robinson Juma Musembi, Francis Nyongesa, Mwende Mbilo, Martin Nyamunga, Ibrahim Musanyi

All Grantees Publications

A Zintl-phase K₂AgSb ternary compound has been investigated using density functional theory (DFT) on its structural, electronic, mechanical, thermophysical, and optical properties. Various exchange-correlation functionals have been employed, including the local density approximation (LDA) and generalised gradient approximation (GGA). Regularised strongly constrained and appropriately normed (RSCAN) and Tran-Blaha modified Becke-Johnson (TB-mBJ) functionals were utilised to enhance the accuracy of electronic structure predictions. The computed band gap values were 1.1601 eV and 1.2559 eV using LDA and GGA approximations, respectively. In contrast, more refined estimates of 1.5274 eV and 1.8917 eV were obtained using the RSCAN and TB-mBJ functionals. Machine …

First-Principles Study Of The Structural, Electronic, Mechanical, And Optical Properties Of Zintl-Phase K2agbi Ternary Compound For Optoelectronic Applications Open Access, John Peter Kachira, Robinson Musembi, Francis Nyongesa, Mwende Mbilo, Martin Nyamunga, Ibrahim Musanyi

All Grantees Publications

A comprehensive first-principles study was conducted to explore the structural, electronic, mechanical, thermophysical, and optical properties of a Zintl-phase K₂AgBi ternary semiconductor compound using density functional theory. The calculations employed the local density approximation (LDA), generalized gradient approximation (GGA), and meta-GGA methods. The computed negative formation energies proved the thermodynamic stability of the K₂AgBi ternary compound. The computed bandgap values were 0.6732 and 0.7848 eV for the LDA and GGA, respectively. More refined bandgap estimates were obtained using meta-GGA methods, with the Tran–Blaha modified Becke–Johnson potential yielding 0.9346 eV and the revised strongly constrained and appropriately …

Geagrow: A Mobile Tool For Soil Nutrient Prediction And Fertilizer Optimization Using Artificial Neural Networks, Olusegun Folorunso, Oluwafolake Ojo, Mutiu Busari, Muftau Adebayo, Joshua Adejumobi, Daniel Folorunso, Femi Ayo, Orobosade Alabi, Olusola Olabanjo

All Grantees Publications

Introduction: Most farmers in Nigeria lack knowledge of their farmland’s nutrient content, often relying on intuition for crop cultivation. Even when aware, they struggle to interpret soil information, leading to improper fertilizer application, which can degrade soil and ground water quality. Traditional soil nutrient analysis requires field sample collection and laboratory analysis; a tedious and timeconsuming process. Digital Soil Mapping (DSM) leverages Machine Learning (ML) to create detailed soil maps, helping mitigate nutrient depletion. Despite its growing use, existing DSM-based ML methods face challenges in prediction accuracy and data representation. Aim: This study presents GeaGrow, an innovative mobile app that …

Cleancity Iot: A Vehicle-Mounted Platform For Real-Time Urban Air-Quality Monitoring And Forecasting In Resource-Constrained African Cities, Eric Nizeyimana, Damien Hanyurwimfura, Gabriel Uwanyirigira, Bonaventure Karikumutima, Jimmy Nsenga, Irene Niyonambaza Mihigo

All Grantees Publications

Urban air pollution is a growing public-health challenge in African cities, yet traditional monitoring stations are sparse and expensive. The paper presents CleanCity IoT, a deployed, low-cost, vehicle-mounted air-quality platform that combines IoT sensors, GSM connectivity, cloud aggregation, and machine learning to produce near-real-time exposure maps and 2-hour forecasts for multiple pollutants. Each device integrates low-cost sensors for PM2.5, PM10, NO₂, O₃, SO₂, and CO₂, alongside temperature and humidity. Measurements are geotagged and transmitted over mobile networks form vehicles to a cloud backend, where data are validated, stored, and visualized through a user-friendly dashboard that also issues automated alerts and …

Therapeutic Potential Of Brassica Carinata Microgreens Extract In Alleviating Symptoms Of Type 2 Diabetes In Wistar Rats, Lilian Nakakaawa, Ifeoluwa D. Gbala, Joel L. Bargul, Xavier Cheseto, John M. Wesonga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Microgreens of Brassica plants have attracted increasing research interest in the management of the prevailing epidemic of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) because of their high nutritional value. This study evaluated the antidiabetic effects of Brassica carinata Microgreens Ethanolic Extract (BMEE) in type-2 diabetic rats. For the normoglycemic assay, rats were divided into five groups and received a single oral dose of 100, 250, and 500 mg/kg of BMEE while the control groups received distilled water and Glibenclamide. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels were determined on a weekly basis for 28 days in diabetic rats after treatment with BMEE at …

Comparing Patency Of Pulmonary Stent Implantation And Balloon Angioplasty In Pulmonary Vein Stenosis: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Izza Batool, Muhammad K. Khan, Muhammad Zohaib, Ibrahim A. Khan, Syed A. A. Bukhari, Shreeja Shah, Khaled Harmouch, Hussam Al Hennawi, Bruce D. Klugherz

Abington Jefferson Health Papers

Pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS) is an insidious diagnosis associated with morbidity and mortality. Pharmacologic therapy may suffice initially, but advanced stages demand mechanical intervention. Pulmonary stent implantation (PSI) and pulmonary balloon angioplasty (PBA) are common strategies, both carrying restenosis risks. This meta‐analysis compares PSI and PBA to determine the superior revascularization strategy. We systematically searched databases until November 2023, identifying 11 studies with 780 patients. Studies, including those involving patients undergoing balloon angioplasty (BA) or stent angioplasty (SA) for PVS, were selected. Case reports, editorials, and cross‐sectional studies were omitted. Primary outcomes included restenosis requiring reintervention, 5‐year freedom from restenosis, …

Revascularization Strategies For Multivessel Disease In Acute Coronary Syndrome: Network Meta-Analysis, Khaled M. Harmouch, Mohammad Hamza, Nomesh Kumar, Zarghoona Wajid, Neel Patel, Masooma Naseem, Jawad Basit, Prakash Upreti, Manoj Kumar, Waqas Ullah, Yasar Sattar, Timir K. Paul, Emmanouil Brilakis, M. Chadi Alraies

Abington Jefferson Health Papers

BACKGROUND: The optimal revascularization strategy for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and multivessel disease (MVD) remains debated. This study compares the efficacy and safety of different revascularization strategies in these patients.

METHODS: We included 20 studies comparing staged, complete, and culprit-only (CO) revascularization strategies in patients with ACS and MVD. We divided the revascularization strategies into 3 distinct strategies: CO, complete index procedure (CIP), and complete staged procedure (CSP). We then compared CIP and CSP with CO. Outcomes studied are all-cause mortality, cardiac death, recurrent myocardial infarction (MI), need for revascularization, bleeding, contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN), stroke, bleeding, and stent …

Quantum Immortality: A Perspective If Ai Doomers Are Probably Right, Alexey Turchin, James Miller

Economics: Faculty Publications

What should you believe will be the likely cause of your survival if you are an AI Doomer who believes in quantum immortality? An AI Doomer believes that if their understanding of AI existential risks is correct, humanity must get extremely lucky to survive. A person who believes in quantum immortality thinks that the many-worlds interpretation of quantum physics implies that their consciousness will necessarily continue in some branch of the multiverse. This article shows that combining these two beliefs requires rejecting or going beyond simple Bayesian reasoning when estimating one's most likely cause of survival. Such estimates may have …

Book Review: Robert J. Jarvis, The Neglected Amendments Of The U.S. Constitution: Text, History, And Interpretation, Jonathan E. Moore

Akron Law Faculty Publications

This essay offers an engaging review of the casebook, The Neglected Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, by Professor Robert Jarvis. While most lawyers, and many nonlawyers, could readily identify many of the “big twelve” constitutional amendments, few are familiar with the other fifteen. This book focuses on the neglected fifteen, arguing they deserve sustained attention as historically and politically important today. Topics include several amendments potentially going in play, such as the Twenty-second limiting the president to two terms, Twenty-fifth on presidential succession and disability, Twenty-seventh on congressional pay raises, and the Ninth on rights retained by the people. …

From Design To Theory: Understanding The Evolution Of Blockchain Research In Project Management., Cherie Noteboom, Aravindh Sekar, Sai Neelima Seru

Research & Publications

This study presents a systematic literature review of 58 peer-reviewed publications on blockchain-based project management to examine the dominant research methods and theoretical approaches in the field. Using an established Information Systems theory classification framework, the review classifies existing studies into four categories: Explicit Theory-Driven, Conceptual/Framework-Oriented, Design Science/Artifact-Oriented, and Descriptive/Empirical without Theory. Findings reveal that current research is largely technology-centric, with nearly 70% of studies adopting design-science or artifact-oriented methods and fewer than 10% engaging explicit theoretical foundations. This indicates that blockchain-project management scholarship remains in a pre-theoretical stage, focusing primarily on prototype development rather than explanatory or predictive theorizing. …

Strategic Factors For Blockchain Implementation In Supply Chains, Aravindh Sekar, Cherie Noteboom, Deb Tech

Research & Publications

This study identifies twelve critical factors influencing the successful implementation of Blockchain Technology (BCT) in supply chain processes, addressing the significant gap in understanding the practical and theoretical complexities of blockchain implementation. Through semi-structured interviews and grounded theory analysis, the concept of Decentralized Coordination and Sustainability was derived in addition to themes such as Strategic Alignment and Leadership Commitment, Organizational Adaptability and Resilience, Data Security and Integrity, User Preparedness and Engagement. These themes provide a novel theoretical lens to explore blockchain’s role in enhancing supply chain transparency, traceability, and collaboration. The study bridges strategic frameworks with decentralized technologies, providing actionable …

Ethanol Concentration In Gasoline, Hannah Feser, Wyatt Olson, Jeffrey Elbert

Annual Research Symposium

For this research project, we will be measuring the concentration of ethanol present in different types of gasoline from various gas stations. The purpose of this project is to analyze and determine whether there is a substantial variance in the concentration, especially if it is possibly detrimental towards gas mileage and the product you intend to purchase is not what you are receiving. Our results have potential to lead to further research and discovery dependent upon if there is a significant variance found, this could mean a fault in the production or delivery lines of the gasolines.

Natural Language Processing Applications In Medical Data, Sureh San, Mark Spanier

Annual Research Symposium

Natural Language Processing (NLP) is the utilization of Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning in understanding human language. NLP is increasingly being applied in the realm of healthcare as it can make information processing highly efficient through data summarization. In this modern day of technology, data is increasing at an unprecedented pace, and AI can assist in organizing unstructured information. In this use case, Named Entity Recognition, which is the classification of words, can recognize key terms in medical information. This study provides in depth research on the foundations of Natural Language Processing for healthcare use cases. Furthermore, comparison of AI …

Is Al-Driven Threat Detection An Effective Substitute For Current Threat Detection Architectures?, Connor J. Ford

Annual Research Symposium

This research evaluates the use of Artificial Intelligence (Al] in the development of cyber defense systems.

Quantifying Dynamic Response In Web Application Honeypots, Luke Constantino

Annual Research Symposium

Honeypots are intentionally vulnerable computers designed to attract and analyze malicious activity. While an effective cybersecurity tool, research quantifying the effectiveness of various honeypot web services that respond dynamically is limited.

Natural Bone Human Education Skeletons: Investigating Restoration And Ancestry, Emelye Josko

Annual Research Symposium

•Three real human skeletons owned by DSU were restored to a fully functional state for classroom usage, using anatomical guides and museum preservation techniques. •These skeletons have inspired the development of a new curriculum that promotes interactive learning, allowing students to engage with the skeletal remains in a hands-on environment. •Non-invasive DNA extraction methods are being employed to gather additional information about the heritage of the skeletons, enhancing the understanding of their origins and significance.

Research Poster, Ivan Casamalhuapa

Annual Research Symposium

For my project | sought out to make a traffic light simulator and Opticom as well as a Mobile Infared Transmitter(MIRT). | explored how to wire an Arduino and write instructions to GPIO pins.

China Vs Democracy: The Strategic Use Of Malign Cyber Influence Campaigns, Alexander Deak

Annual Research Symposium

How and why do China’s methods for malign influence vary between different democracies?

Applying Machine Learning And Optimization Algorithms To Perform Feature Selection, Shizhao Yu

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The objective of feature selection in the realms of machine learning and data mining is integral, serving as an efficient mechanism to eradicate redundant or irrelevant features, and subsequently augmenting the performance of predictive models. In the contemporary landscape of big data, with the escalating dimensionality of datasets, the efficacy of traditional feature selection methodologies is compromised, due to their computational complexity and ineptitude in addressing the curse of dimensionality. This thesis posits a pioneering feature selection framework that amalgamates machine learning with advanced optimization algorithms. The methodology employs a Support Vector Machine (SVM), in conjunction with a cutting-edge metaheuristic …

Exploring The Salinity Tolerance Of Zooplankton Communities On The Great Plains, Abbeneet Binning Bath, Derek Gray

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Palaeoecological data shows fluctuating salinity levels in lakes across the Great Plains due to alternating wet and dry periods over the last two millennia. Droughts caused by this natural variation may be exacerbated by anthropogenic climate change, as the Great Plains are expected to become drier over the coming decades. As conditions become drier, the evaporation of water will increase the salinity of lakes across the region. Increases in salinity may significantly impact biodiversity, including important members of lake food webs such as zooplankton. Due to the region's history of alternating wet and dry periods, zooplankton may have adapted to …

Knowledge, Efficacy, And Experience In Components Of Stem Education: The Impact Of Teacher Professional Development, Emily Krysten Marilyn Spencer-Mueller

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Abstract

Around the globe, there has been a significant focus on ensuring youth receive sufficient education and training in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) domains. Education reforms often begin with educators, who are responsible for effectively implementing curriculum changes. However, in Canada, although STEM education reform is underway, teacher education and professional learning (PL) and development may not have kept pace, potentially leaving some teachers feeling unprepared to integrate these changes confidently and effectively. This dissertation introduces two studies that investigate pre-service teachers’ readiness to teach STEM domains in the classroom, as well as the impact of a PL …

Art/Place Making In A Settler Colonial Context: A Critical Place Inquiry On The Haldimand Tract/Kitchener-Waterloo From A White Settler Perspective, Haley Sheppard

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Although critical place scholars implicate artists in settler colonial processes of placemaking, there is little information on how white settler artists (WSAs) might use their creative practice to support practices of accountability and solidarity with Indigenous resurgence. This research responds to this gap by investigating the creative practices of WSAs located on the Haldimand Tract/in Kitchener-Waterloo (KW), and how they might approach critical, contextual practices in their creative work. A critical place inquiry was combined with ethnographic research principles and a transformative critical research paradigm. Six WSAs participated in mobile interviews, which took place in a location significant to them. …