Digital Commons Network^™

Sustainable Framework For Performance-Based Learning Assessment Under Uncertainty: Computational Modeling, Mona Gharib, Muhammad Imran, Zaka Ur Rehman

Sustainable Machine Intelligence Journal

Evaluating performance-based learning, such as dance or performing arts education, poses significant computational challenges due to uncertainty, subjectivity, and heterogeneous evaluation data. Conventional scoring models fail to capture the coexistence of quantitative indicators (timing, attendance) and qualitative judgments (artistry, expressiveness).

This study introduces a computational neutrosophic functional framework that models ambiguity using set-valued, indeterminate representations within a rigorous analytic structure. We construct a neutrosophic function space CN(X) and a Hilbert C*-module HN for integrating evaluator signals through algebraic fusion. A strongly continuous neutrosophic operator semigroup (T(t)) is developed to model temporal …

Food Safety Concerns: A Review On Pathogenic Microbes Associated With Common Edible Insects, Anitha Philbert

Tanzania Journal of Science

This review explored the pathogenic microbes associated with common edible insects. With rising human populations and fluctuating food supplies, edible insects offer a rich source of protein, vitamins, and minerals and are culturally accepted in many regions. Despite their nutritional benefits, knowledge on microbial hazards associated with edible insects is fragmented. The review focuses on commonly consumed species, including Tenebrio molitor, Zophobas morio, Acheta domesticus, Gryllus bimaculatus, Locusta migratoria, Ruspolia differens, Bombix mori, Bunaea alcinoe, and Oryctes monoceros. A total of 43 pathogenic bacteria and 20 pathogenic fungi linked to these edible insect species were identified. The most frequently reported …

Sex Differences In Bile Acid Homeostasis And Excretion Underlie The Disparity In Liver Cancer Incidence Between Males And Females, Megan E Patton, Sherwin Kelekar, Lauren J Taylor, Angela E Dean, Qianying Zuo, Rhishikesh N Thakare, Sung Hwan Lee, Emily C Gentry, Morgan Panitchpakdi, Pieter Dorrestein, Yazen Alnouti, Zeynep Madak-Erdogan, Ju-Seog Lee, Milton J Finegold, Sayeepriyadarshini Anakk

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the common liver cancer, exhibits higher incidence in males. Here, we report that mice lacking bile acid (BA) regulators, Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR also termed NR1H4) and Small Heterodimer Partner (SHP also termed NR0B2), recapitulate the sex difference in liver cancer risk. Since few therapeutic options are available, we focused on understanding the intrinsic protection afforded to female livers. Transcriptomic analysis in control and NR1H4 and NR0B2 double knockout livers identified female-specific changes in metabolism, including amino acids, lipids, and steroids. To assess translational relevance, we examined if transcriptomic signatures obtained from this murine HCC model correlate …

Unseen Bias: How Ai Shapes Religious Narratives In Digital Spaces, Hilman Nurjaman, Achmed Faiz Yudha Siregar, Jasmine Rizky El Yasinta

Journal of Middle East and Islamic Studies

This study explores the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in shaping religious narratives in digital spaces, particularly on social media platforms and AI chatbots. Using sentiment analysis and qualitative content analysis, this research examines religious discourse in Indonesia, focusing on the impact of AI-driven content personalization, such as 'filter bubbles' and 'echo chambers'. The findings indicate that AI algorithms reinforce religious biases, intensifying polarization and discrimination, especially between majority and minority religious groups. The study also highlights the socio-political factors influencing these dynamics, including identity politics, historical religious tensions, and conservative social norms. This research emphasizes the need for a …

Hasan Al-Banna And Islamic Education Politics: Weaving The Mind, Heart, And Spirit Of Struggle From Egypt To The World, Syamsul Kurniawan, Maimunah .

Journal of Middle East and Islamic Studies

This article examines Hasan al-Banna's thoughts on Islamic education politics, with a focus on the integration of three main dimensions: heart, mind, and the spirit of struggle, which form the foundation of the educational system he proposed from Egypt for the world. Through the Ikhwanul Muslimin movement, which originated in Egypt, al-Banna introduced an education that unified spirituality, intellectualism, and political struggle into a cohesive whole. This study employs the Atomic Habits theory by James Clear (2019), which emphasizes small, consistent changes that lead to significant impacts, to understand how al-Banna’s ideas on Islamic education can be viewed as a …

QawāʿId Al-Fiqh On Government Energy Subsidies: Controlling Inflation Amid Economic Recovery, Nuzulul Firdaus, Nur Fatwa

Journal of Middle East and Islamic Studies

The war between Russia and Ukraine significantly affected world life, one of which was the increase in world oil energy prices. Indonesia, in this case, which still imports a lot of energy, is also affected. The government needs to implement policies to face these global challenges, one of which is to provide subsidies for energy so that state budget funds can assist people's purchasing power for energy because if not, this will lead to an increase in the prices of goods and services so that there will be inflation. Still, on the other hand, Indonesia is also carrying out a …

Meta-Alignment Directive And Capability Card Architecture For Governance And Configuration Of Ai Systems, Fulton D. Bridwell

Defensive Publications Series

Disclosed is a system and method for configuring and governing artificial intelligence systems using a meta-alignment directive and a plurality of modular capability cards. Each capability card comprises explicitly defined axioms representing non-violable behavioral constraints, primitives representing typed state variables exposed to reasoning, and formulas representing permitted reasoning transformations constrained by said axioms. The meta-alignment directive provides inherited system-level constraints, interpretation rules, and objective dynamics applicable across capability cards. Capability cards may be bundled, selected, and activated to configure AI systems for distinct operational roles in a model-agnostic and platform-agnostic manner. The disclosure establishes structural prior art for modular AI …

Tolkien’S Glee: A Reading Of The Songs In “The Hobbit” And “The Lord Of The Rings” (2025) By John R. Holmes, Douglas Charles Kane

Journal of Tolkien Research

Book review, by Douglas C. Kane, of Tolkien’s Glee: A Reading of the Songs in “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings”, by John R. Holmes

Decolonizing Knowledge As Epistemic Justice: Key Conceptual Tendencies From The Global South, Richard Sambaiga

Tanzania Journal of Sociology

The project of decolonising knowledge has gained renewed prominence as scholars confront enduring epistemic injustices and structural inequalities embedded in global systems of knowledge production. Situated within long-standing anticolonial and postcolonial intellectual struggles, this article interrogates key conceptual dilemmas that continue to shape contemporary debates on decoloniality. Adopting a commentary orientation, it examines what it means to decolonise knowledge by engaging the historical foundations of decolonial thought alongside contemporary critiques that expose the persistence of epistemic hierarchies within modern academic institutions. The article argues that, without conceptual clarity, the decolonial project risks becoming analytically misguided and politically misdirected, potentially reproducing …

Theorizing ‘Magwangala’ As An Unorthodox Livelihood In Geita, Tanzania, Albert Tibaijuka

Tanzania Journal of Sociology

The increasing contestation of Magwangala as a livelihood in Geita, Tanzania, invokes a scholarly desire to further the constitution of the term beyond its traditional constructs. Following the present framing of magwangala as a disruptive, hazardous, contentious, and risky engagement; including the sanctions against it and the disparaging remarks upsurging the oppression of its actors, an attempt to advance its comprehension is of paramount importance. Given the nature of Magwangala business and the evident ramifications, its contestation is inevitable and unlikely to yield a uniform understanding. This paper, therefore, draws from the grueling life experiences endured by magwangala dealers in …

The Mwanza Declaration: Magufuli, Street Vendors And The Right To The City In Tanzania, Sabatho Nyamsenda, Ng’Wanza Kamata

Tanzania Journal of Sociology

This article seeks to understand the continuity and change in relations between the state and street vendors under the late President of Tanzania, John Pombe Magufuli (November 2015–March 2021). Focusing on the concessions made by the state to street vendors under the Magufuli regime, the article diverts from the standard characterisation of such gains as an expedient gift from an authoritarian leader to conceptualising them as a product of street vendors’ struggles against eviction from the city centre. It examines the key tenets of the Mwanza Declaration on the Right to the City as well as the contestations around its …

Patient And Systemic Barriers To Cancer Care: Implications For Delayed Prostate Cancer Detection In Tanzania, Jane Senga John

Tanzania Journal of Sociology

Prostate cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men in Tanzania, with most cases diagnosed at advanced stages. This study explores the interplay of patient-level and systemic barriers that contribute to delayed prostate cancer detection within a tertiary hospital context. Conducted at Bugando Medical Centre in Mwanza, the research employed in-depth interviews with 25 purposefully selected participants, including patients, oncologists, spouses and traditional healers. Thematic analysis was used and guided by Paul Farmer’s structural violence model and Courtenay’s theory of gender and health to interpret how cultural, economic, and structural factors shape health-seeking behaviours. Findings reveal that delays …

Analog Systems Of Physical Quantities And Their Graph Models In Determining The Parameters Of Mechatronic Modules, Temurbek Omonboevich Rakhimov, Elmira Eshmurod Qizi Raxmanova, Guzal Khujaniyazova

Chemical Technology, Control and Management

This article is dedicated to the analogy systems of physical quantities and their graph models in determining the parameters of mechatronic modules. It presents the general sets and fundamental laws of analogy systems of physical quantities and their elements for determining the parameters of mechatronic modules. Based on the general sets and fundamental laws of analogy systems of physical quantities and their elements, principles have been developed for mechatronic modules with a heterogeneous structure consisting of electrical, magnetic, and mechanical parts. In these modules, the field as a form of matter exists, forming the basis for developing mathematical models to …

Exploring Math Word Problem Generation With Llms, Trung Hieu Vuong

Master's Theses

Math Word Problem (MWP) is an important building block for learning math. This type of problem is particularly useful for younger audiences because solving it involves two simultaneous skill sets: reading comprehension and mathematical reasoning. With publicly available large language models (LLMs), generating additional MWPs is readily achievable. While researchers have started using LLMs as MWP facilitators, there still exists a gap in studies about the diversity of MWPs generated by unmodified, publicly accessible LLMs. For that reason, our study focused on two goals: (1) to evaluate the diversity of MWPs generated by publicly available LLMs when provided with examples …

“A Leader Or A Teacher”: A Latent Theory Of Transformative Education In James Macgregor Burns’S Transforming-Transactional Leadership Paradigm, Evan Rw Dutmer

Interdisciplinary Journal of Leadership Studies

The purpose of this paper is to uncover a latent theory of transformative teaching and learning to be found in James MacGregor Burns’s account of transforming leadership and place it in interdisciplinary conversation with transformative education. The importance of this interdisciplinary exploration consists in this: Burns’s view that good leadership and good teaching are nearly indistinguishable has powerful implications that have been too little recognized. For, if right, teachers ought to view their work as exemplifying leadership (of a mutually beneficial, elevating sort); similarly, leaders across organizations ought to look to transformative teachers as paradigmatic models of good leadership. Expanding …

The Perception Of Leader Identity: The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Interfaith Hospital Chaplains, Zachary C. Wooten, Jocelyn R. Brown

Interdisciplinary Journal of Leadership Studies

This article showcases the results of one research question in a multi-question study, specifically, “How do interfaith hospital chaplains perceive themselves leaders or part of the leadership process?” To answer this question, researchers interviewed ten interfaith hospital chaplains and employed interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA). The analysis revealed the participants’ views that interfaith hospital chaplains are part of the leadership processes in hospital systems. A significant opportunity exists for chaplains and the healthcare system at large to engage in a more expansive, interdisciplinary understanding of leadership with the work of healthcare chaplaincy at the center of such discourse. This understanding moves …

Beyond Charisma: A Critical Theory Perspective On Populist Leadership In A Post-Covid Age Of Crisis, Samuel Fianko-Ofori, Stephen Apolima

Interdisciplinary Journal of Leadership Studies

This paper argues that the digital communication environment has qualitatively transformed the dynamics of populist leadership, moving it beyond a reliance on personal charisma. While the affective bonds between leaders and followers—explored by classical theorists like Weber, Freud, and Adorno—are not new, their operation within the platformed public sphere marks a distinct shift. We introduce the concept of Affective Populist Leadership (APL) to conceptualize this shift. APL is a mode of leadership sustained through the strategic cultivation and digital amplification of collective emotions. It operates through three mutually reinforcing mechanisms: (1) the perpetual theatrical framing of politics as crisis, (2) …

A Comprehensive Analysis Of The Accurate Diagnosis Of Chronic Non-Bacterial Osteomyelitis Of The Jaw In Young Patients: An Assessment Of Clinical And Laboratory Data, Alexander Yu Kugushev, Andrey V. Lopatin, Suzan Dagher

International Arab Journal of Dentistry

Objectives: Chronic non-bacterial osteomyelitis (CNO) is a rare autoinflammatory bone disorder predominantly affecting pediatric and adolescent populations. The clinical presentation is heterogeneous, with persistent pain and swelling representing the most frequent and often initial symptoms. These manifestations are commonly localized to the mandible, although involvement of other skeletal sites, including long bones, clavicle, and vertebrae, may occur in more advanced cases. Beyond localized symptoms, some patients exhibit mild systemic features such as low-grade fever, fatigue, or malaise; however, these systemic signs are generally less pronounced than those observed in infectious osteomyelitis. The diagnostic evaluation of CNO is intricate and necessitates …

The Assessment Of Ageism In Dental Hygiene Students And Dental Hygienists: A Cross-Sectional Study, Paolo Boffano, Elena Canciani, Valeria Nikolovska, Francesca Santeusanio, Andrea Melle

International Arab Journal of Dentistry

Objectives: Ageism is a common type of discrimination and prejudice that consists in the stereotyping and discrimination against individuals or groups on the basis of their age.The purpose of this study was to assess dental hygienists and dental hygiene students’ attitudes toward geriatric patients, the perceptions of curriculum suitability, and their confidence in treating geriatric patients, together with an assessment of ageism in the study population.

Methods: A survey was conducted among dental hygienists and dental hygiene students. The first part of the questionnaire contained questions related to demographics, and regarding their opinion on treatment in the geriatric population. The …

Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders: Epidemiology, Risk Factors, Socioeconomic Impact And Prevention - A Narrative Review, Swarna Radhakrishnan, Harini Ramendran, Priyanga Thirunavukkarasu

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) represent one of the most pervasive and costly occupational health challenges worldwide. Affecting muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, joints, and supporting blood vessels, these conditions arise from a complex interplay of physical, psychosocial, organizational, and individual risk factors present across diverse work environments. From factory floors and construction sites to offices and healthcare settings, WMSDs contribute substantially to pain, disability, reduced productivity, absenteeism, and diminished quality of life. This narrative review synthesizes existing literature on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, risk factors, and socioeconomic impact of WMSDs, with particular attention to high-risk occupational sectors. It further discusses prevention …

Composite Flours For Sustainable Food Systems: Integrating Nutritional, Environmental, And Climate Resilience Strategies, Rashmi H. Poojara, Soumya P S, Alvina Rose, Niva Somarajan

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Composite flour blends prepared from cereals, millets, tubers, legumes, and vegetables have gained increasing attention due to their potential to enhance nutritional quality, improve functional properties, and support sustainable food systems. Previous studies have largely focused on individual nutritional or functional attributes, with limited integration of environmental and health perspectives. This review aimed to systematically analyze how composite flours simultaneously influence nutritional quality, functional performance, health relevance, and environmental sustainability within a unified analytical framework. A systematic literature review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Peer-reviewed studies published between 2014 and 2025 were retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and …

'Desplante Flamenco:’ A Study To Better Understand Its Meaning In Flamenco Dance, Chita Espino-Bravo Ph.D.

Modern Languages Faculty Publications

There are different definitions of the term ‘Desplante’ in relation to flamenco dance. In this study, we will delve deeper into this concept to understand its meaning in dance and to better interpret it. We will also explore its origins, which will lead us to reflect on what flamenco dance truly is and what influences it has received.

Mortality, Temperature, And Public Adaptation Policy: Evidence From Italy, Filippo Pavanello, Giulia Valenti

Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei Working Papers

In 2004, Italy introduced a national program to address heat-related health risks, combining public awareness campaigns, heat-wave warning systems, and hospital protocols. Leveraging administrative mortality data and high-frequency temperature variation, we show that the program reduced heat-related mortality by more than 57% on days at or above 30°C. To identify the mechanisms, we exploit the staggered introduction of heat-wave warning systems across provinces and show that treated areas experienced substantially larger reductions in heat-related mortality. We further document that information disclosure plays a key role in driving these reductions. Overall, our findings underscore the importance of public adaptation policies that …

Mediapipe-Based Extraction Of Joint Rom And Position From Patient Videos For The Functional Movement Screen: An Exploratory Study, Joshua Paul Verdillo, Lily Ann Bautista

Philippine Journal of Physical Therapy

Introduction. The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is widely used to identify movement deficiencies and potential injury risk. However, its reliance on visual inspection introduces subjectivity, requires specialized training, and necessitates face-to-face assessment. Advances in computer vision, offer opportunities to automate and better objectify functional movement assessment. This exploratory study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using a MediaPipe-based system, Software-Optimized Movement Assessment (SOMA), to extract joint range of motion (ROM), joint position, and compensatory movement patterns from patient videos during FMS performance.

Methods. SOMA was developed using MediaPipe Pose and MediaPipe Hands libraries integrated with Python-based tools to analyze videos …

Conflicted Assumptions: India's Medical Value Travel Marketing Messages, Irving Stackpole

Visions in Leisure and Business

The chronology of the Indian government’s marketing communications rhetoric about medical services exports (commonly referred to as “medical tourism”) from 1990 to 2024 reveals a clear evolution from basic economic liberalization to global leadership positioning. These marketing messages have progressed through distinct phases, consistently emphasizing cost advantages, quality claims, and international competitiveness. It has also become increasingly sophisticated in its use of branding, digital platforms, and systematic promotional frameworks. The evolution from simple "cost advantage" claims to comprehensive "medical hub of the world" positioning demonstrates an evolving promotional narrative, growing ambition, and overestimation of value and demand. This article reviews …

Developing And Implementing A Primary Source Literacy Case Scenario For The Undergraduate Business Classroom, Annette Bochenek, Megan Troyer

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

This article discusses the development and implementation of a case-based learning scenario activity intended to enhance primary source literacy among undergraduate business students. The activity was delivered in the context of a large Midwestern university’s undergraduate business course. This case is based on the ACRL RBMS-SAA Guidelines for Primary Source Literacy and gives students an opportunity to use digitized primary archival sources as part of the research process in connection with a modern business-related scenario in which they can apply primary source literacy skills. This guided activity also explores affective experiences as they occurred in student responses to this activity …

Is It Rape Or Consent? College Men Just Don’T Know, Stephanie A. Navarro Silvera, Eva S. S. Goldfarb, Amanda S. Birnbaum, Lisa D. Lieberman

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Introduction: Women and LGBTQ+ undergraduates face higher rates of sexual assault and rape compared to cisgender male peers—the overwhelming majority of perpetrators. Federal policies have aimed to curb campus sexual violence, yet questions remain about the efficacy of consent education, particularly among cisgender heterosexual men. Methods: This study surveyed 1567 undergraduate students at a large Northeastern public university in 2017 and 2022. Responses to a nine-item consent scale were analyzed by gender, sexuality, and demographic factors. Results: Cisgender heterosexual (cis-het) men had poorer understanding of consent compared to women and LGBTQ+ students, both in 2017 and 2022. Cis-het men’s consent …

Information System To Elucidate Dna Sequencing Based On Machine And Deep Learning Techniques, Suhiar Mohammed Zeki Abd Alsammed

Baghdad Science Journal

The elucidation of DNA sequencing provides great importance in increasing the comprehension of organisms' genomic functions. However, the investigation of concealed structural information preserved within Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) sequencing represents an outstanding challenge. Recently, machine and deep learning have become the techniques of preference for various tasks of genomics modeling, involving the prediction of genetic variation influence on the mechanisms of gene regulation like DNA receptivity and splicing. Therefore, this paper presented an information system for elucidating DNA sequencing data using diverse machine and deep learning techniques. In this system, two encoding methods are utilized for modifying the DNA sequencing …

Investigation Of Regulated Cell Death (Rcd) Modalities Induced By Copper(Ii), Manganese(Ii) And Silver(I) Complexes Containing Bridging Dicarboxylate And 1,10-Phenanthroline Ligands, Ella O'Sullivan

Doctoral

With the increasing global cancer burden in recent years, there is an urgency to develop novel chemotherapeutic agents. Transition metal complexes represent an attractive class of candidates, owing to their unique electronic and stereochemical properties, as well as their capacity for ligand exchange, redox activity, and catalytic reactivity. These characteristics enable cellular signalling mechanisms that lead to tumour cell cytotoxicity via regulated cell death (RCD) mechanisms. The conventional RCD mechanisms of apoptosis and autophagy are attractive targets for the development of novel complexes because tumour cells evade apoptosis but use autophagy as a survival mechanism when under stress. Therefore, novel …

A Spatiotemporal Model Of Cxcl10 As A Master Regulator Of Immune Evasion And Metastasis In Osteosarcoma, Benjamin B Gyau, Tsz-Kwong Man

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10) is implicated in the progression of osteosarcoma (OS), the most aggressive pediatric bone malignancy. However, its role often presents a profound clinical paradox: although high circulating levels are strongly linked to poor prognosis, its canonical function is to recruit anti-tumor immune cells. This review unravels these contrasting roles by proposing a novel spatiotemporal model. We argue that in the early stages, immune-evading OS cells initiate the formation of a pre-metastatic niche (PMN) in the lungs, creating a localized inflammatory environment that becomes the primary source of elevated circulating CXCL10. As the disease progresses, …