Digital Commons Network^™

Neural Network-Based Analysis Of Heroin Epidemic Models With Modified Fractional Operators, M. A. El-Shorbagy, Sedat Pak, Mati Ur Rahman, Hossam A. Nabwey

Mathematical Modelling and Numerical Simulation with Applications

Heroin and synthetic narcotic abuse have become a major global concern, posing challenges to individuals, families, and communities. Their widespread availability and low cost have intensified the crisis. This study investigates a heroin transmission model using the modified Atangana--Baleanu--Caputo (mABC) fractional operator, with emphasis on non-zero solutions. Series solutions are derived by combining the Laplace transform with the Adomian decomposition method to address nonlinear components. Qualitative analysis is conducted through fixed-point theory, while stability is assessed using the T-Picard method. Numerical simulations explore the effects of different fractional orders and transmission parameters on the system. The study incorporates a deep …

Social Support Networks And Coping With Aging: A Mixed Methods Study Among Older Adults With Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces) In Malaysia, Ummi Ainaa Selamat, Choo Wan Yuen, Noran Naqiah Hairi

Asia-Pacific Social Science Review

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are known to have long-term impacts on mental health and social functioning, potentially hindering the development of supportive social networks later in life. Asia’s rapidly aging populations face complex social and healthcare challenges, highlighting the need to understand how early-life trauma influences older adults’ experiences and utilization of social support systems. Despite widespread recognition of the importance of social support as a significant protective factor, its complex dynamics in later life remain underexplored. This study aims to examine the association between ACEs and perceived social support among older adults in rural Malaysia, and to explore how …

Current Spatial Distribution Of Elderly Care Services Facilities In Ho Chi Minh City: A Cartographic Analysis Of Nursing Homes And Geriatric Hospitals, Huyen Thi Tran, Ngan Quang Viet Nguyen

Asia-Pacific Social Science Review

This study analyzes the spatial distribution of nursing homes and geriatric hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), two fundamental infrastructures for adapting to population aging. The study uses a spatial descriptive design based on secondary data, including the elderly population by administrative unit and the locations of geriatric hospitals and nursing homes (both public and private) within the city. This study adopts a spatial approach using a base map system combined with population data and location data from 312 wards/communes to visually describe, analyze, and compare the distribution of both private and public care facilities (including hospitals with geriatric …

Digital Learning And Digital Literacy: Conceptual Distinctions, Theoretical Frameworks, And Educational Implications Across The Educational Continuum, Simone Elias, Linda Wilson-Jones, Richard Brutti

Journal of Research Initiatives

The terms digital learning and digital literacy recur frequently in educational policy and institutional discourse. Yet peer-reviewed scholarship shows they are conceptually distinct constructs operating at fundamentally different levels of analysis. This article examines the theoretical foundations, definitional genealogies, empirical interdependencies, and grade-band and postsecondary manifestations of both constructs across the full educational continuum, from kindergarten through Grade 12 and into undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral education. Drawing on literature across leading educational technology journals, the article argues that digital learning constitutes a pedagogical modality, the structured, technology-mediated environment through which instruction is delivered.

In contrast, digital literacy is a multidimensional …

Plasmodium Falciparum Parasite Density And Its Association With Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test Positivity Among School-Aged Children Across Diverse Malaria Transmission Settings In Mainland Tanzania, Felista Mwingira

Tanzania Journal of Science

Malaria rapid diagnostic tests (mRDTs) are widely used for malaria diagnosis and surveillance; however, their performance is influenced by parasite density. This study assessed the relationship between parasite density and mRDT positivity among school-aged children (SAC) across diverse malaria transmission settings in mainland Tanzania. Data were obtained from 17,131 school-aged children participating in a nationwide malaria survey. Malaria infection was assessed using mRDT and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) targeting the Plasmodium falciparum lactate dehydrogenase (PfLDH) gene. Parasite density distributions were examined across demographic, environmental, and epidemiological characteristics. Malaria prevalence was 19.5% by malaria rapid diagnostic test (mRDT) and 19.2% …

Clustering Of Potable Water Sources In Rural Oyo State, Nigeria: Implications For Equitable Distribution And Sustainability, Adesola Adediran, Ibrahim O. Raufu

Tanzania Journal of Science

Adequate and equitable access to potable water remains a major challenge in rural communities of Oyo State, Nigeria, with uncoordinated provision leading to widespread shortages. This study employs geospatial techniques to assess the spatial distribution of water supply sources across five purposively selected rural communities in Olorunsogo Local Government Area (OLGA). Geographic coordinates of boreholes, hand-dug wells, and other potable water sources were collected using a handheld Garmin GPS 76S device. Spatial analysis was conducted using ArcGIS, and Nearest Neighbour Analysis (NNA) was applied to evaluate the pattern of distribution. Results indicate a strong tendency toward clustering, with a Nearest …

Scombrotoxin Poisoning In Marine Fish From Unguja Island, Zanzibar: Risks And Public Health Concerns, Khamis O. Haji, Prosper L. Mfilinge, Mwita J. Chacha

Tanzania Journal of Science

Histamine is the primary cause of Scombrotoxin Fish Poisoning (SFP) worldwide and poses health risks to populations dependent on fish and fish products. This study investigated histamine levels, awareness of SFP among health-care personnel and consumers, and fish preservation practices in Zanzibar. Three species, Auxis thazard, Sardinella gibbosa, and Lethrinus mahsena, were sampled on board (at sea during fishing), at landing sites, and in markets in Malindi and Chwaka. Histamine concentrations were measured using an amperometric enzymatic biosensor (BIOFISH-300 HIS, Biolan). Additionally, 270 consumers and 72 health-care personnel were surveyed using structured questionnaires, while post- harvest handling and preservation practices …

A Neutrosophic Memory-Integrity Calculus For Contradiction-Preserving Persistent Ai Agents, Rana Muhammad Zulqarnain, Saalam Ali

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

Persistent AI agents increasingly convert interaction histories into long-lived memory, making memory transformation not retrieval alone—a central reliability problem. NMIC (Neutrosophic Memory-Integrity Calculus) formalizes the integrity of write, merge, consolidation, revision, and retrieval operations over persistent memory. Each proposition is represented through an evidence ledger carrying independent truth, indeterminacy, and falsity degrees together with reliability, provenance, temporal validity, contextual applicability, and inter-evidence dependence. A dependence-normalized hazard aggregation preserves simultaneous support and opposition while making the resulting state invariant to exact evidence duplication. Pure consolidation is governed by five integrity conditions: no support invention, no opposition invention, no manufactured certainty, contradiction …

Decision Support System For The Selection Of Thumbprint Recognition Algorithms In Biometric Security Systems, Toqeer Jameel, Muhammad Riaz

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

This study investigates fingerprint recognition in immigration operations, emphasizing the role of biometric verification in enhancing security, fairness, and operational efficiency in international mobility. To address the uncertainty, vagueness, and imprecision inherent in fingerprint identification, a novel decision-making framework is proposed by integrating interval-valued picture fuzzy (IVPF) information. Fairly aggregation operators are introduced to combine decision makers' evaluations, while extracted fingerprint features are modeled using positive, neutral, and negative membership degrees within the IVPF environment. Objective criterion weights are determined using the criteria importance through intercriteria correlation (CRITIC) method, and individual ranking is performed via the alternative ranking order method …

Neutrosophic Indeterminacy-Transport Kolmogorov-Arnold Networks For Structured Uncertainty, Hafiz Muhammd Bilal, Kiran Naz, Anjum Ijaz

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

Kolmogorov-Arnold Networks (KANs) replace fixed node activations with learnable univariate edge functions, but standard KAN inference treats two equal-valued features identically even when one is accompanied by an explicit quality warning. NIT-KAN introduces a neutrosophic indeterminacy-transport mechanism for this setting. Each node carries an indeterminacy state in [0, 1]; a monotone gate g(I)=⁽1-I)^α attenuates uncertain evidence on the predictive path, while a sensitivity-weighted transport rule carries indeterminacy through the underlying KAN computation. A terminal audit maps signed evidence to truth-support, falsity-support, and conflict-augmented indeterminacy without interpreting these quantities as class probabilities. We …

Mathematical Modelling For Optimizing Predator–Prey Networks In A Resilient Wildlife Ecosystem: A Systematic Literature Review, Thadei Damas Sagamiko

Tanzania Journal of Science

The resilience of wildlife networks hinges on the adaptability and stability of complex predator-prey interactions. Mathematical modelling offers a crucial approach for examining and optimizing these dynamics under biological invasions and environmental pressures. This systematic literature review (SLR) employs a bibliometric analysis approach to synthesize global research on mathematical models applied to predator-prey network optimization, with an emphasis on their ecological implications, computational approaches, and modelling strategies. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), 50 peer- reviewed studies (2000–2025) were analyzed using the Scopus and Google Scholar databases. The study identifies classical models, such as the …

Fast Sparse Image Reconstruction Models In Through-The-Wall Radars: A Review, Aude Kileo, Hashimu U. Iddi, Abdi Abdalla

Tanzania Journal of Science

Through-the-Wall Radar Imaging (TWRI) is a modern technology that uses electromagnetic waves to detect objects behind walls, with key applications in surveillance, rescue operations, and reconnaissance. Achieving high resolution in both down-range and cross-range requires ultra-wideband signals and long apertures, resulting in large data volumes, increased acquisition time, and high memory demands. TWRI employs Compressive Sensing (CS) to reduce computational time, which has proved its significance in many recent TWRI applications. However, in CS, image reconstruction approaches shift the computational burden from the sensing stage to the recovery stage, which prolongs the reconstruction times, making it unsuitable in time-sensitive applications. …

Feasibility Of Acetylated Icacina Trichantha Oliv. Tuber Starch As Viscosity And Fluid Loss Control Agents In Water-Based Drilling Mud. A Comparative Assessment With Commercial Starch, Kennedy I. Ogunwa, Theresa O. Uchechukwu, Ozioma Achugasim, Leo C. Osuji, Onyewuchi Akaranta

Tanzania Journal of Science

The need for sustainable, non-food drilling fluid additives has prompted the feasibility assessment of acetylated Icacina trichantha tuber starch as a viscosity modifier and fluid loss control agent in water-based muds. Native starch was acetylated to obtain two derivatives (Degree of Substitution DS = 0.38 and 0.68) and characterized using FTIR, swelling power, and physicochemical analyses. Drilling mud performance was assessed through rheology, gel strength, filtration loss, sorptivity, and model fitting. Acetylation improved swelling and reduced gelatinization temperature. The optimal formulation, Mud-ITO-ACS2 (DS = 0.68), exhibited the most favorable performance, combining low plastic viscosity (6 cP vs 9 cP for …

Reframing Dissertation Committee Practice: A Student-Centered Conceptual Framework For Doctoral Education, Roberto Victor Rodríguez Rivera

Journal of Research Initiatives

Dissertation committees play a key role in shaping the direction, pace, and outcomes of doctoral study, but their function as a unified structure for guidance and judgment is not well understood. Although research covers supervision, examiner feedback, ethics, power, and dissertation examination, these topics are often studied separately. This article brings together both foundational and recent research to rethink dissertation committees as academic structures that adapt their support, oversight, ethical practices, and evaluation throughout the dissertation process. The article makes three main contributions: it clarifies how committee practice is conceptually fragmented, reviews research on supervision, feedback, ethics, and examination, and …

Awareness Of Digital Footprints And Its Implications For The Ethical Cyber Behavior Of Undergraduate Library And Information Science Students In Kwara State, Nigeria, Aderinola Ololade Dunmade, Akinade Adebowale Adewojo, Abdulwahab Olanrewaju Issa

Journal of Research Initiatives

This study examined the awareness of digital footprints and its implications for the ethical cyber behavior of undergraduate Library and Information Science (LIS) students in Kwara State, Nigeria. The study used a qualitative design and conducted semi-structured Zoom interviews with nine final-year LIS students from three universities representing federal, state, and private ownership in the state. Researchers purposively selected participants based on inclusion criteria, then transcribed and interpreted the interviews using reflexive thematic analysis, viewed through the lens of communication privacy management. The findings indicate that the students shared a broad familiarity with the idea of a digital footprint and …

From Silos To Systems In Higher Education: Doctoral Students’ Conceptualizations Of Faculty And Staff Collaboration In Academic Planning, Linda Wilson-Jones, Simone Elias

Journal of Research Initiatives

Collaboration is increasingly recognized as central to student success and institutional effectiveness in higher education. This qualitative study investigates doctoral students’ conceptualizations of faculty and staff collaboration in academic planning. Data were collected from 22 written responses in a doctoral-level program course. Through reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006, 2021), five interrelated themes emerged: (1) holistic student support, (2) shared institutional vision and goal alignment, (3) complementary expertise and role interdependence, (4) communication as quality assurance, and (5) collaborative culture as an institutional asset. The findings indicate that collaboration functions as organizational infrastructure that aligns academic and administrative systems …

Language For Learning: Examining Teacher Language In Reading Instruction, Madeleine Mejia, Amber Bechard

Journal of Research Initiatives

Teacher language plays a key role in literacy instruction because it shows what educators notice about students’ reading, how they interpret performance, and what they see as important for learning. However, common instructional phrases can sometimes reflect assumptions about what students know or can do or miss important parts of reading development. This article looks at teacher language as a way to reflect on these assumptions, especially when teaching students with dyslexia or those who are bilingual or multilingual. Using research on literacy development, teacher knowledge, classroom talk, and humanizing teaching, the article introduces the Language for Learning Tool. This …

Confidence Intervals As A Quantcrit Method: Reframing Longitudinal Educational Data Through Estimation, Uncertainty, And Within-Group Analysis, Jamaal Young, Jemimah Young, Kristian Edosomwan

Journal of Research Initiatives

Quantitative Critical Race Theory (QuantCrit) calls researchers to reconsider not only what quantitative analyses report, but also how analytic choices reproduce or disrupt racialized ways of knowing. This methods-focused article develops confidence interval analysis as a practical statistical strategy within a QuantCrit methodological framework. Confidence intervals are not inherently critical or anti-racist. Their value for QuantCrit emerges from how researchers use estimation, uncertainty, comparison, visualization, and interpretation. We demonstrate this approach with National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Long-Term Trend mathematics data for Black students ages 9, 13, and 17 from 1978 to 2012. Rather than treating White performance as …

Removing Barringer: University Renaming Governance, Campus Racial Climate, And The Limits Of Symbolic Reform, Charletta H. Barringer-Brown, Daniel N. Brown

Journal of Research Initiatives

University renaming is often seen as either a necessary moral correction or a less significant symbolic reform. This article examines renaming as a matter of higher education governance. It analyzes the removal of Paul Brandon Barringer’s name from honorific spaces at the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech through a qualitative documentary comparative case study. A contextual policy scan of the University of Richmond, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Oregon State University situates the two primary cases within a wider field of naming-governance design. Guided by critical toponymy, institutional theory, policy-decoupling scholarship, organizational-routines theory, and campus-racial-climate …

Brilliance Beyond The Margins: Centering The Voice And Experiences Of A Black Pre-Service Teacher, Samantha L. Strachan

Journal of Research Initiatives

As school districts across the United States work to increase teacher diversity, Black students in teacher preparation programs often face major challenges that can make it hard to complete their training and become teachers. The ongoing loss of Black educators highlights the need to better understand their stories and perspectives, especially those of Black pre-service teachers. This qualitative case study focuses on the experiences of a high-achieving Black female pre-service teacher, “Julia,” and follows her journey through teacher preparation. By sharing her story, the study looks at how Black pre-service teachers like Julia find ways to continue and succeed in …

Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit Final Insufficiently Reclaimed Sites Field Sampling And Investigation Plan: Bres No. 11 – Magna Charta Lessee Dumps, Mike Mcanulty

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Digital Companions Or Relational Substitutes? Understanding The Use Of Generative Ai As Storytelling Companion Among Young Adults, Lail Queeny Nurfaizah, Syurawasti Muhiddin Ms

Jurnal Psikologi Sosial

Objectives. This study aims to explore the factors underlying the use of GenAI as a storytelling companion among young adults. Method. A qualitative approach was employed within an interpretivist paradigm, using an open-ended questionnaire as the primary data collection instrument. A total of 412 participants aged 19–33 years were recruited through purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using data-driven thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke's six-phase framework. Results. Two major themes emerged: Driving Factors and Barriers to Continuing Interaction. Each theme comprised four sub-themes organized around cognitive, affective, instrumental, and social dimensions, yielding 26 sub-themes in total. Driving factors were predominantly …

The Algorithmic Narcissus: Ai Validation And The Atrophy Of The 'Athletic' Social Self, Ilham Phalosa Reswara, Anggi Mayangsari

Jurnal Psikologi Sosial

Artificial intelligence systems designed around continuous affirmation and minimal friction are becoming increasingly prominent as social and relational partners in everyday life. This article examines how sustained interaction with such frictionless AI systems may reshape the developmental conditions under which social selfhood forms and is maintained. Drawing on Cooley's (1902) looking glass self, Kohut's (1971) concept of optimal frustration, and the developmental literature on social competence, the article argues that frictionless AI may distort the social mirror through which identity forms, remove the manageable frustration that appears necessary for psychological growth, weaken empathic capacity, and erode the social stakes that …

Sharing Toys, Sharing Talks, Sharing Thoughts: Siblings’ Role In Language Skills And Theory Of Mind In Children, Khansa Nabila Anjani, Ike Anggraika Kuntoro

Jurnal Psikologi Sosial

Background: Theory of mind (ToM) refers to the ability to understand one’s own and others’ mental states and is closely related to children’s prosocial behavior. Previous research has linked ToM to language skills and sibling factors; however, findings remain inconsistent. Siblings may function as early social partners who support language use and social–cognitive development, thereby influencing ToM. This study examined whether sibling presence moderates the relationship between language skills and ToM in children. Methods: Participants were 117 children aged 4–7 years from the Jabodetabek area, recruited using convenience sampling. A simple moderation analysis with bootstrapping was conducted. Results …

Editorial Note: Navigating Institutional Complexity Across State, Civil, And Market Sectors, Muhammad Ramaditya, Rijal Ramdhani

BISNIS & BIROKRASI: Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi dan Organisasi

No abstract provided.

Dynamic Forecasting Of Sovereign Wealth Fund Effects On State-Owned Firm Stocks Using Hybrid Arima–Garch Models, Ananta Hagabean Nasution, Teguh Yudo Wicaksono, Donny Oktavian Syah, Randhy Nugroho

BISNIS & BIROKRASI: Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi dan Organisasi

This study examines the forecasting dynamics of Indonesia's Sovereign Wealth Fund, DANANTARA, on the BUMN-20 Index using a hybrid ARIMA-GARCH model. The establishment of DANANTARA in February 2025 generated mixed reactions among capital market participants, with the Indonesian Stock Exchange suspended trading after share prices declined by more than five percent. Using daily time-series data from June 2018 to August 2026, this study employs a hybrid ARIMA(1,1,3)-GARCH(1,1) framework processed through E-Views 12. The results indicate that the BUMN-20 Index is predominantly driven by broader market movements, as evidenced by the highly significant IHSG return coefficient (β =1.237, p < 0.001). In the mean equation, the DANANTARA announcement and launch events do not produce statistically significant shifts in average returns. However, in the variance equation, the announcement significantly elevated conditional volatility (γ = 0.025, p = 0.009), suggesting heightened market uncertainty. The volatility persistence measure (α + β = 0.952) indicates that shocks to the BUMN-20 Index decay slowly, with a half-life of approximately 14 trading days. The forecasting results suggest a gradually declining trajectory for the index, though this does not imply a causal relationship with DANANTARA. These findings contribute to the literature by demonstrating that the primary channel through which a nascent SWF affects domestic equity markets is volatility rather than returns. The policy implications highlight the importance of for transparent governance and consistent communication in mitigating market uncertainty surrounding DANANTARA's operations.

The Application Of The Group Investigation (Gi) Model Of Cooperative Learning To Improve Students’ Understanding Of Biodiversity In Year 10 At Sman 2 Mori Atas, Nadia Rosmita Lumako, Mohammad Jamhari, Yulia Windarsih, Lilies Lilies, Rafiqa Rafiqa, Amalia Buntu

Jurnal Pendidikan Sains

Biology instruction at SMAN 2 Mori Atas was predominantly conducted through conventional teaching practices. Preliminary observations revealed that students had difficulty understanding biodiversity concepts, and several students did not meet the minimum passing criterion of 70. These conditions highlighted the need for learning activities that promote active investigation, discussion, and conceptual connections. This classroom action research examined the use of the Group Investigation (GI) cooperative learning model to improve Grade 10 students’ classroom engagement and conceptual understanding of biodiversity, as assessed through Higher-Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) questions based on the Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) taxonomy. The study involved …

The Effect Of The Problem-Based Learning Model On Biology Learning Outcomes In The 8th Grade Science Class At Smp Negeri 19 Palu, Delfi Srieviyani, Mursito S. Bialangi, Masrianih Masrianih, Abd Hakim Laenggeng, Vita Indri Febriani, Bustamin Bustamin

Jurnal Pendidikan Sains

Research background: The low student achievement in biology at SMP Negeri 19 Palu specifically regarding the human respiratory system is attributed to the conventional teaching methods still employed by teachers. Purpose and scope of the article: This study examines the effect of the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model on students’ learning outcomes in biology, specifically regarding the human respiratory system. Method: This study used a quasi-experimental design with a quantitative approach. The research design employed was a nonequivalent control group design using two groups: an experimental group (Class VIII D) consisting of 25 students who received the PBL model, and a …

Preliminary Evidence Of Systems Thinking Skills In Gamelan-Based Ethnoscience Booklet-Integrated Collaborative Problem Solving, Ayu Nuryani Aprilia, Suciati Suciati

Jurnal Pendidikan Sains

Students’ systems thinking skills (STS) can be difficult to develop when science learning provides limited opportunities to connect relationships among system components with contextual phenomena. Integrating local wisdom into learning materials, such as a gamelan-based ethnoscience booklet, may provide a meaningful context for developing these skills. This study aimed to compare students’ STS performance, adjusted for pretest scores, between a class receiving Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) instruction integrated with a gamelan-based ethnoscience booklet and a class receiving CPS instruction alone. This quantitative study employed a pretest–posttest control group design with class-level random allocation of treatment and involved 56 Grade VIII …

The Revolving Door: A Content Analysis Of Presidential Transitions At North Carolina’S Historically Black Colleges And Universities, 1865-2026, Tara Shollenberger, Romaine Boyd

Journal of Research on the College President

National reporting has framed presidential turnover at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) as a leadership crisis, yet few studies examine transition patterns systematically within a defined system of institutions over time. This study presents a quantitative content analysis of 206 presidencies across all 11 North Carolina HBCUs from 1865 to 2026, constructed from institutional histories, archival records, and contemporary news sources. Using descriptive analysis and Kaplan-Meier survival estimation, we examine tenure length, the rise of interim appointments, differences by institutional control (public versus private governance), and gender patterns in modern appointments. Findings indicate that median completed tenure has collapsed …