Digital Commons Network^™

Technology-Related Continuing Professional Development Activities In Supporting Digital Transformation In Academic Libraries In Uganda, Sarah Nakaziba, Patrick Ngulube

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background of the study: To survive and thrive in a technologically advanced academic setting, librarians working in academic libraries need to revamp their competencies and knowledge through technology-rated continuing professional development.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the role of technology-related continuing professional development activities in enhancing digital transformation in selected Ugandan academic libraries.

Method: A convergent parallel mixed methods design was used to collect qualitative and quantitative data from six universities in Uganda. Qualitative data were obtained from six university librarians working in these universities, and quantitative data were collected from 76 librarians with a …

[Excerpt From] Evidence-Informed Health Policy (2nd Ed., Rev.), Jacqueline M. Loversidge, Joyce Zurmehly

Sigma Publications: Book Excerpts

What happens in health policy at local, state, and federal levels directly affects patients, nurses, and nursing practice. Some healthcare professionals, though, are intimidated by the complex and often nonlinear policy process or simply don’t know how to take the first step toward implementing policy change. In the second edition of Evidence-Informed Health Policy, authors Jacqueline M. Loversidge and Joyce Zurmehly demystify health policymaking and equip nurses and other healthcare professionals with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to navigate the first of many steps into health policy. This book translates the EBP language of clinical decision-making into an evidence-informed health …

Mainers Disapprove Of One Big Beautiful Bill, Increasingly Disapprove Of Trump Handling Of Economy 6/25/2025, Unh Survey Center

All UNH Survey Center Polls

Less than one-third of Maine residents want Congress to pass the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," President Trump's major piece of legislation. However, a majority favor the provision of the bill which would eliminate taxes on tips and overtime. Elon Musk is an unpopular figure in Maine following his departure from the federal government and more than half of state residents believe the Department of Government Efficiency has had a negative effect on the country. Approval of Trump's handling of the economy among Mainers has declined since April and bipartisan majorities express concern about the federal debt.

Two-Thirds Of Vermonters Reject One Big Beautiful Bill Amid Bipartisan Concern About Budget Deficit 6/25/2025, Unh Survey Center

All UNH Survey Center Polls

Most Vermont residents do not want Congress to pass President Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill Act." Majorities oppose notable provisions of the Act such as making the 2017 tax cuts permanent and removing tax credits for electric vehicles and solar energy. Following his departure from the federal government, Elon Musk is an unpopular figure in Vermont and two-thirds of state residents believe the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has had a negative effect on the country. Vermonters continue to disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy, immigration, and his overall job performance.

The Body In Extremist White Supremacism, Mehr Latif, Kathleen Blee, Matthew Demichele, Pete Simi

Sociology Faculty Articles and Research

This article advances the study of racial extremism by analyzing how its practices of violence and sexuality are marked on the bodies of participants in the form of scars, physical stances, abuse, tattoos, pregnancy, injury, strength and size, using an extraordinarily rich and extensive set of narratives collected from lengthy in-person interviews with 47 former members of U.S. extremist white supremacist groups. It asks how embodied practices of violence and sexuality enable extremist white supremacist groups and actors, how embodied practices of violence and sexuality disable these groups and actors, and how gender matters in embodied practices in these groups. …

Strategies To Improve Nurse Staffing And Workforce Management In Home Health Agencies, Kelechi Lillian Wabeke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Home health agencies continue to grapple with challenges in nurse staffing and workforce management. This integrative review explored effective strategies to address these challenges and improve operational efficiency. The review focused on identifying best practices for enhancing nurse recruitment, retention, and scheduling processes within home health settings. Guided by the transformational leadership framework, the study examined 30 empirical and theoretical articles published over the past 5 years. The selected articles were further assessed for relevance and quality using the Johns Hopkins evidence-based practice model. Through an in-depth thematic analysis, five primary themes and 10 supporting subthemes emerged. The key themes …

Probation Officers’ Perspectives Of Outside Services In Reducing Recidivism, Karla Murguia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has underscored the critical role of probation officers in improving rates of recidivism. However, the literature on the comprehensive impact of outside services on recidivism was sparse and underdeveloped. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how probation officers in court services and a community corrections agency in Garden City, Kansas perceived the utility of outside services in reducing adult recidivism for probationers. Ecological systems theory was used to guide the study. Eight probation officers recruited via purposive sampling participated in semistructured interviews. Transcribed data were analyzed using a six-step thematic analysis protocol. Findings revealed that probationers …

Core State Injury Prevention Program Listening Sessions Report June 2025 Report, Camille Velarde, Yvonnie Baik, Elena Martinez, Theresa Cruz

Reports & Documents

Background: Injury and violence remain pressing public health challenges in New Mexico, particularly in rural and underserved communities. To inform prevention strategies, the University of New Mexico Prevention Research Center partnered with the New Mexico Department of Health and local organizations to conduct community listening sessions focused on upstream approaches addressing shared risk and protective factors.

Methods: Four listening sessions were conducted in 2025 with stakeholders from county health councils and community organizations. Using a rapid qualitative analysis approach, researchers analyzed participant perspectives on local injury and violence concerns, familiarity with upstream frameworks, and communication preferences.

Results: Participants identified overlapping …

Law Enforcement Officers’ Perceptions About Antipolice Sentiment And Social Media As A Force Multiplier, Edward Peter Pope

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As a newly emergent form of mass communication, social media platforms can act as a force multiplier in fomenting negative and critical attitudes or viewpoints toward law enforcement officers and agencies. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perceptions and lived experiences of law enforcement officers about antipolice sentiment and social media as a force multiplier. Amid growing concerns regarding public opinion and the impact of social media on law enforcement practices, more research was needed on how officers navigate and interpret these challenges. Data from in-depth interviews with 10 law enforcement officers were thematically analyzed to …

Effective Strategies To Leverage Organizational Culture To Enhance Employee Retention, Tavares E. Scott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee retention is a critical issue for healthcare organizations, with the average tenure in the U.S. being only 3.8 years. High turnover contributes to staffing shortages, increased costs, and compromised patient care. Hospital administrators and healthcare leaders are particularly concerned, as sustained turnover threatens organizational sustainability, care quality, and long-term profitability. Identifying strategies to retain employees is essential to improving workforce stability, maintaining service excellence, and securing financial viability. Grounded in Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore strategies healthcare managers in private medical healthcare systems used to leverage organizational culture to enhance employee …

From Assembly Lines To The Open Road: Predicting Rare Events In Autonomous Systems, Ruwan Wickramarachchi

Publications

In the age of embodied AI and smart automation, autonomous agents are increasingly deployed in high-stakes, real-world environments. Ensuring the robustness and resilience of these systems in the face of rare but critical failure events is essential for their safe and reliable operation. Accurate forecasting of such rare events is particularly crucial, as a single overlooked anomaly can lead to catastrophic consequences. In manufacturing, for instance, unplanned downtime due to rare failures costs industries over \$50 billion annually, with sectors like automotive losing more than \$2 million per hour—even with preventive maintenance systems in place.

However, the extreme rarity and …

Acute Pancreatitis Associated With Scrub Typhus: Report Of Two Cases With A Brief Review Of Literature, Atanu Chandra, Rupak Chatterjee, Nandini Chatterjee, Sugata Dasgupta

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Acute pancreatitis is an exceptionally rare complication of scrub typhus. We report 2 cases of scrub typhus-associated acute pancreatitis from a tertiary care centre in Kolkata, India. The first case was a 27-year-old male patient, who presented in 2023, with severe epigastric pain a few days after the onset of fever. Laboratory investigations confirmed acute pancreatitis associated with scrub typhus. He had no additional organ involvement and recovered fully with intravenous doxycycline. The second case, reported in 2024, was a 42-year-old female patient who presented with fever, abdominal pain, vomiting and systemic complications, including acute kidney injury, hepatic dysfunction and …

A Review Of Plant–Microbe Interactions In The Rhizosphere And The Role Of Root Exudates In Microbiome Engineering, Anagha Wankhade, Emma Wilkinson, David W. Britt, Amita Kaundal

Biological Engineering Student Research

Microbial interactions within the rhizosphere are fundamental to plant health, influencing nutrient availability, stress tolerance, and pathogen resistance. Beneficial microbes, such as plant growth-promoting microbes (PGPMs), including bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi, enhance plant resilience through mechanisms like nutrient solubilization, phytohormone production, and pathogen suppression via antimicrobial compounds and siderophores. Root exudates, composed of sugars, organic acids, and secondary metabolites, act as chemoattractants that shape the rhizosphere microbiome by recruiting beneficial microbes. Microbial metabolites can, in turn, modulate plant physiology and exudate profiles, thereby reinforcing mutualistic interactions. Stress conditions alter exudate composition, enabling plants to attract specific microbes that aid in …

A Conditional Point Cloud Diffusion Model For Deformable Liver Motion Tracking Via A Single Arbitrarily-Angled X-Ray Projection, Jiacheng Xie, Hua-Chieh Shao, Yunxiang Li, Shunyu Yan, Chenyang Shen, Jing Wang, You Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective. Deformable liver motion tracking using a single x-ray projection enables real-time motion monitoring and treatment intervention. We introduce a conditional point cloud diffusion (PCD) model-based framework for accurate and robust liver motion tracking from arbitrarily angled single x-ray projections. Approach. We propose a conditional PCD model for liver motion tracking (PCD-Liver), which estimates volumetric liver motion by solving deformable vector fields (DVFs) of a prior liver surface point cloud, based on a single x-ray image. It is a patient-specific model of two main components: a rigid alignment model to estimate the liver’s overall shifts, and a conditional PCD …

Pharmaceutical Innovation Through Computational Drug Design: A Comprehensive Exploration, Manasa Chandramouli, Madhusudhan Heggadadevanakote Surendra

Makara Journal of Science

Chemical biology and computer-aided drug design (CADD) are crucial for identifying and optimizing lead molecules in drug development. Chemical biology is employed to determine the biological function of the target and the mode of action of a chemical modulator. At the same time, in CADD, promising candidate medications are identified based on the structure of the target or known bioactive ligands. Structure-based and ligand-based drug designs should be used in tandem, and their integration with experimental methods can considerably accelerate drug design. Furthermore, the use of CADD along with conventional experimental approaches increases the efficiency and accuracy of the discovery …

Correction: Identification Of A Fusobacterial Rna-Binding Protein Involved In Host Small Rna-Mediated Growth Inhibition, Pu-Ting Dong, Mengdi Yang, Jie Hu, Lujia Cen, Peng Zhou, Difei Xu, Peng Xiong, Jiahe Li, Xuesong He

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Relationships Between Guanxi Of Mega Individuals, Social Support, And Dual Innovation Performance: The Moderating Effect Of Interpersonal Capitalization Competence, Beilei Huang, Jinhua Zhang, Xiyuan Li

Plymouth Business School

The purpose of this research is to explore the mechanism by which strong or weak guanxi constructed by mega individuals with interpersonal skills affect incremental or breakthrough innovation performance. Based on the questionnaire of 525 mega individuals, this study has verified that strong guanxi cannot directly affect the incremental innovation performance, but the intermediary variables need Indirect effects of emotional, instrumental, and information support). In addition, the affection support obtained by mega individuals has no positive impact on breakthrough innovation performance. Meanwhile, it is also verified that information support plays a mediating role in weak guanxi and breakthrough innovation performance, …

Standing Up For Medical Microbiology, L.T. Joshi, Timothy J.J. Inglis

Peninsula Dental School

No abstract provided.

Phytoremediation Of Lead Heavy Metals In The Mangrove Ecosystem Of The Lembar Harbor Area, West Lombok Regency, Indonesia, Firman Ali Rahman/Firman, Muhammad Shohibul Ihsan, Dwi Agustini, Ervina Titi Jayanti

Makara Journal of Science

Mangroves play a vital role as bioindicator plants in port areas with the potential for non-essential heavy metal contamination. This study aimed to determine the potential for phytoremediation of lead heavy metal in mangrove vegetation resulting from port operations. The research was conducted in the mangrove ecosystem of Lembar Harbor, West Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Substrate, leaf, and root samples were collected using a purposive random sampling technique and analysis for testing the lead heavy metal content using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results showed that the average heavy metal content of lead accumulated in the substrate in each …

Medical Populism And Epistemic Rights, Kurt Christian B. Tubera, Mark Anthony Dacela

Asia-Pacific Social Science Review

Medical populism, a performance-based political style that orchestrates antagonistic relations between the people and medical establishments, has served as a concept for analyzing the politicization of healthcare. With its four fundamental features, that is, invoking knowledge claims contrary to medical experts’ advice, simplifying discourse, dramatizing responses to public health crises, and forging divisions, medical populism compromises our access to accurate medical or public health information. Populist leaders abuse their epistemic authority and betray public trust when they propagate false information, medical or otherwise. And insofar as accurate medical or public health information is an epistemic good that we have the …

Penyalahgunaan Kekuasaan Dan Viktimisasi Proyek Strategis Nasional Di Pulau Rempang, Dandi Jayusman, Annarentika Faajra Shakhila, Benedikta Wewieta Li Pena, Elly Saskia, Esterlita Nova Yaser Rantung, Heni Nur Febriyanti, Athifah Danika Pramesti

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Implementing the National Strategic Project (PSN) on Rempang Island caused controversy over the abuse of power that harmed some local communities. This research aims to analyze the conception of victims of abuse of power in the implementation of PSN, the structural victimization of PSN, the impact of PSN victimization, and the regulation of the rights of people affected by PSN. The research method used is doctrinal research with statutory regulations, victimology, and case approaches. The study shows that communities who experienced repression and violence during the implementation of PSN on Rempang Island are victims of abuse of power. Structural victimization …

Sosiologi Hukum Dan Perubahan Sosial: Studi Kasus Uu No. 35 Tahun 2014 Tentang Perlindungan Anak Sebagai Respon Terhadap Kesadaran Sosial Yang Meningkat Akan Hak Anak, Fahrul Rozi

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Dalam konteks sosial yang dinamis, kesadaran akan hak anak telah meningkat, terlihat dari perhatian masyarakat terhadap isu-isu seperti kekerasan, eksploitasi, dan diskriminasi. Meskipun UU No. 35 Tahun 2014 memberikan kerangka hukum yang kuat untuk melindungi hak-hak anak, tantangan dalam pelaksanaannya masih ada, termasuk kurangnya sumber daya dan koordinasi antar lembaga. Anak jalanan, sebagai kelompok yang paling rentan, sering kali terjebak dalam siklus kemiskinan dan stigma sosial, yang menghambat upaya perlindungan. Menekankan pentingnya edukasi dan sosialisasi mengenai hak anak, serta peran aktif masyarakat dan media dalam mendukung perlindungan anak. Dengan kolaborasi antara pemerintah, masyarakat, dan lembaga swadaya masyarakat, diharapkan hak-hak anak …

Systematic Review: Recent Developments In Magnetic-Nanoparticle-Based Dna Extraction, Stanley Evander Emeltan Tjoa, Mudasir Mudasir, Edi Suharyadi, Budi Setiadi Daryono

Makara Journal of Science

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a research object for various molecular fields of study, and DNA extraction is a basic procedure in molecular biology laboratories. DNA extraction methods are evolving, from several steps using organic solvents to recent technology using magnetic nanoparticles as adsorbents for the purification step. The use of magnetic nanoparticles for DNA extraction is magnetizing because it is simple without heavy machinery, such as centrifugation and organic solvents. The application of this method is extensive and diverse. This systematic review summarizes current development trends for some aspects of this DNA extraction system from the magnetic nanoparticle synthesis method, …

Porous Calcium Carbonate-Poly-2-Acrylamido-2-Methylpropanesulfonic Acid Microspheres Embedded With Silver-Based Nanoparticles As Potential Antibacterial Carriers For Bone Infections, Novi Dwi Widya Rini, Adinda Asmoro, Systi Adi Rachmawati, Husaini Ardy, Akfiny Hasdi Aimon, Akihiro Kishimura, Yoshiki Katayama, Arie Wibowo

Makara Journal of Science

Implant-associated infections (IAIs) are a significant complication following orthopedic surgeries and are mainly caused by Staphylococcus aureus. In this study, microspheres based on hybrid calcium carbonate–poly-2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (CaCO₃-PAMPS) embedded with silver-based nanoparticles (AgNPs) were developed as potential antibacterial drug carriers for IAIs. AgNPs were prepared via a green synthesis approach, which employed Indonesian wild honey as a reducing and capping agent. PAMPS concentrations (0.025%, 0.050%, and 0.075% w/v) and silver ion (Ag⁺) concentrations in solution (0%, 2.5%, and 4% w/v) were varied. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that samples with 0.050% w/v PAMPS and …

Enhanced Crack Resistance Of Porous Anodic Aluminum Oxide Grown On A Tubular Substrate With The Additive Ethylene Glycol, Manogari Sianturi, Ariadne Laksmidevi Juwono, Anawati Anawati

Makara Journal of Science

The growth of a porous anodic aluminum oxide (PAAO) layer with fewer cracks on a tubular substrate is quite challenging. The PAAO layer on a curved surface grows slower than that on a flat surface and is susceptible to cracking. This study aims to improve the crack resistance of the PAAO layer grown on a tubular aluminum substrate by adding ethylene glycol (EG). Each bath contained additive concentrations of 0, 5, 10, and 15 vol% EG. Anodization proceeded for 4 h at a temperature of 10 ℃ using the potentiostatic mode at 25 V in a sulfuric acid bath and …

Phylogenetic Analysis Of Ftsz In Wolbachia: Implications For Host Specificity, Anwar Rovik, Ayu Rahayu

Makara Journal of Science

Wolbachia are the most prevalent and successful endosymbiont in invertebrates and are categorized into 21 supergroups based on genetic phylogeny. The filamenting temperature-sensitive Z (FtsZ) protein is essential for bacterial cell division and is hypothesized to play a role in Wolbachia's control of host reproduction. However, despite FtsZ's importance, little is known about its diversity and function within Wolbachia. This study investigated the variability of the FtsZ-encoding gene among Wolbachia strains and their hosts. FtsZ gene sequences were retrieved from the National Center for Biotechnology Information database, and representative sequences were randomly selected from each host species and analyzed …

Synthesis Of Carboxymethyl Cellulose From Nypa Fruticans For Coating Metformin On Zn-Based Metal-Organic Framework Nanohybrid As A Bionanocomposite Drug Delivery System, Delviani Delviani, Viola Giary Rizkillah Maharani, Putri Nur Shadrina, Tri Warni, Regina Wan Azizah, Indra Lasmana Tarigan, Madyawati Latief

Makara Journal of Science

Diabetes is a common and rapidly spreading disease that affects 6.6% of the world’s population. Metformin hydrochloride (HCl) is an effective oral pharmacological treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients because of its capability to reduce glucose levels and the risk of hypoglycaemia. However, gastrointestinal sensitivities to this drug can cause diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and stomach ache. An alternative is controlled release technology by coating metformin with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and zinc-metal-organic framework (Zn-MOF) through the encapsulation method. Therefore, this study aimed to coat metformin formulations using CMC in a Zn-MOF to control release into the body and minimise …

Isolation And Selection Of Bacillus Spp. As Candidate Probiotics For Use In Chickens, Adilah Adawiah, Komang Gede Wiryawan, Anja Meryandini

Makara Journal of Science

The growth rate of chickens can be improved by using probiotics as alternatives to antibiotics. Bacillus spp. as probiotics are particularly beneficial due to ability to form spores, which remain stable as commercial products over extended periods. This study aimed to isolate and select Bacillus spp. from Jasinga soil as probiotic candidates for chickens. A total of 15 isolates obtained of these, 12 were identified as Bacillus spp based on microscopic observations and screening test including ascertaining hemolysis, protease, amylase, and cellulase activities. Only six isolates exhibited gamma hemolysis and the ability to hydrolyze proteins, starch, and cellulose. Isolates BTJ1.1, …

Exploring The Translation Lookaside Buffer (Tlb) For Low-Level Task Differentiation And Classification, Cristian Agredo, Daniel F. Koranek, Christine M. Schubert, Jose A. Gutierrez Del Arroyo, Tor J. Langehaug, Scott R. Graham

Faculty Publications

The primary focus of modern Central Processing Unit (CPU) technologies is performance improvement, with security often considered a secondary concern. As a result, vulnerabilities within the system are overlooked. While significant research, both offensive and defensive, has been conducted on CPU caches, relatively little attention has been given to the Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB) due to its perceived lack of data granularity. Prior studies have typically combined multiple Hardware Performance Counters (HPCs) or relied on timing analysis to extract meaningful insights. In contrast, this study introduces a novel methodology that leverages only TLB related HPCs for multi-task classification, without incorporating …

What Drives Clinic Follow-Up After Traumatic Spinal Injury? An Observational Cohort Study From Tanzania, Chibuikem A Ikwuegbuenyi, Julie Woodfield, Romani Roman Sabas, Sean Inzerillo, Noah Willett, Magalie Cadieux, Scott L Zuckerman, Francois Waterkeyn, Halinder S Mangat, Hamisi K Shabani, Roger Härtl

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate factors associated with clinic follow-up after traumatic spinal injury (TSI) in Tanzania, focusing on demographic, injury-related and hospital variables. We hypothesised that socioeconomic and injury-specific factors would predict follow-up adherence.

DESIGN: Retrospective observational cohort study.

SETTING: Tertiary government referral centre for neurosurgery and orthopaedics in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

PARTICIPANTS: 443 adults with TSI admitted between September 2016 and October 2021. Inclusion criteria included survival to discharge and availability of the discharge date. Patients with missing data were excluded.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcomes were any clinic follow-up and 1-year follow-up post-discharge. Secondary outcome was …