Digital Commons Network^™

Hybrid Threats In The Lake Chad Basin: The Nexus Between Terrorism, Illicit Wealth, And Transborder Crime, Cletus C. N. Nwadiogbu

Journal of Terrorism Studies

Threats to security in the Lake Chad Basin have changed over the years and hybrid elements have become interweaved. Sustained Boko Haram and ISWAP activities have increased the insecurity in the region, enabling the mixing of armed insurgency and organized criminals, including narcotics dealers, extortion rackets, arms trafficking, drugs production and smuggling, kidnapping and fuel smuggling among Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon states. Nexus elements of illicit wealth, illicit transborder crime and terrorism were thus analysed as interdependent and contributing elements to Hybrid threats in the Basin. The study used a hybrid design (qualitative-quantitative) documenting data from the following institutions: …

Ai-Augmented Financial Advisors: Comparing Ai And Human Analyst Investment Recommendations In Agreement, Performance, And Firm Size Effects, Crystal Chen

Honors College Theses

This study examines the level of agreement and performance between artificial intelligence (AI) generated investment recommendations and human analyst recommendations across U.S. publicly traded firms. Using a sample of twelve companies categorized by firm size (large, mid, and small), the study collects buy, hold, or sell recommendations from generative AI systems and human analysts. Agreement between AI-to-AI and AI-to-human recommendations is measured using Cohen’s Kappa agreement. Portfolio performance is evaluated by constructing equal-weighted portfolios for each recommendation source and size category. Risk-adjusted returns are measured using the Sharpe ratio over 1-, 2-, and 3-month periods. Furthermore, the study tests whether …

Trends Of Pediatric Psychotropic Polypharmacy In Massachusetts Before And During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Gianna D'Ambrozio

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Youth in the U.S. and internationally are increasingly being diagnosed with depression and related psychiatric conditions (Murthy, 2021) many of whom are being subjected to non-evidence-based, or what has been termed irrational, psychotropic polypharmacy (Barnett & Concepcion Zayas, 2019). Psychotropic polypharmacy can be defined as “the use of 2 or more psychiatric medications in the same patient,” (Zito et al., 2021) though definitions can vary. Using data from the Center for Health Information Analysis’ Massachusetts All-Payer Claims Database, this study examined the sociodemographic factors associated with high rates of polypharmacy, a hypothesized increase in pediatric psychotropic polypharmacy rates in Massachusetts …

Transformative Teaching And Learning - Practicing Emancipation Through Co-Construction And Dialogue In Workplace Learning, Lisa Roe

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

ABSTRACT

TRANSFORMATIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING: PRACTICING EMANCIPATIONTHROUGH CO-CONSTRUCTION, AND DIALOGUE IN WORKPLACE TEACHING ANDLEARNING

June 2026

Lisa A. Roe, B.A., University of Maine

M.Ed., Suffolk University

Ph.D. University of Massachusetts Boston

Directed by Professor Patricia Krueger-Henney

This dissertation investigates how emancipatory and creative practices can transform vocational high school classrooms into spaces of shared power, dialogue, and mastery-based learning. Using an autoethnographic methodology, I examined my practice as a vocational educator in information technology over the course of an academic year.

Grounded in Wheatley’s fractal organization theory, Kincheloe’s critical constructivism, Lave and Wenger’s situated learning, and dialogic pedagogy, …

Negotiating Complementary Pathways In Europe: Faith-Based Actors And Humanitarian Corridors In Italy And Belgium, 2015-2017, David J. Sulewski

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

For decades, migration has ranked among the most pressing issues in European domestic and regional politics as the number of forcibly displaced persons seeking protection continues to rise. Complementary Pathways, developed as an alternative to the retrenchment of state-led refugee resettlement and restricted access to asylum, have gained increasing prominence in policy discourse and practice. Existing scholarship often explains their emergence through transnational policy transfer or government-led initiatives. Less attention, however, has been given to cases in which civil society actors initiate and negotiate such policies with the state. This dissertation examines the development of one such model—Humanitarian Corridors—focusing on …

Arts On The Point: Boston's First Public Sculpture Park, Isabella Slonka

Honors College Theses

Led by the conviction that “a public campus needs public art,” Professor Paul Tucker founded UMass Boston’s Arts on the Point (AoP) sculpture park in 1997. Large-scale works by world-class contemporary artists including Sol LeWitt, Dennis Oppenheim, Luis Jiménez, Sheila Pepe, and Mark di Suvero were made accessible to students, served as teaching aids and attracted those outside of UMB to Columbia Point. AoP’s use of long term loans made the landscape itself a rotating gallery.

Consideration of the “personality” of the campus was essential in the selection of works. Site visits with artists were conducted to ensure that their …

Culturally Competent Nurse-Led Education To Reduce Delayed Diagnosis And Increase Awareness Of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome In Reproductive-Aged South Asian Women, Madeeha Syeda

Honors College Theses

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition that affects hormones in women, especially in their 20s and 30s. Symptoms of PCOS include irregular periods, abnormal hair growth, acne, obesity, hyperpigmentation of the skin, cysts, skin tags, thinning hair, and infertility (Newin, 2023). While the exact cause of PCOS is unknown, it is linked to insulin resistance, higher levels of androgens, and low-grade inflammation (Newin, 2023). In regards to complications, PCOS can increase risk for gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, preterm term, and C-section deliveries. In terms of treatment, there is no cure but early diagnosis is key to reducing symptoms (Newin, …

Developing The Evidence And Associated Service Models To Improve Pain Management In Older People Living With Frailty: A Synopsis Of The Poppy Mixed Method, Co-Design Study: Poppy, Patricia Schofield

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Background: Frailty increases vulnerability to adverse events (falls, illness) resulting in poorer health outcomes in later life. Persistent pain is common and impactful in older adults with frailty. Pain impact is potentially modifiable, and addressing it is important for supporting this population. The Pain in Older People with Frailty study aimed to generate evidence and develop service models to improve pain management for older adults with frailty and inform service provision for this underserved population. Objective(s): Phase 1: Map research evidence and synthesise findings from randomised controlled trials of multi-component pain management programmes and psychological therapies for community-dwelling older adults. …

Intervention Levers For Stunting Reduction In Indonesia: Evidence From The 2023 Indonesian Health Survey Data, Iwan Ariawan, Hafizah Jusril, Zahra Izza Afifa, Azka Fitri, Elmarizha Sekar Utami, Mikail Hasan, Dwi Puspasari

Kesmas

Stunting remains the largest public health challenge among macro-nutrition problems in Indonesia, affecting almost a quarter of children under five in 2023. The prevalence is considered high according to the World Health Organization standard. This study analyzed 15 aggregated provincial variables from the 2023 Indonesian Health Survey using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), focusing on determinants of stunting among children under two to identify primary intervention levers. Findings indicated that intervention urgency should focus on the first 1,000 days, particularly the steep increase in stunting prevalence observed in the 12–24-month age range. While the highest prevalence is in Eastern provinces (e.g., …

Developing The Evidence And Associated Service Models To Support Older People Living With Frailty To Manage Their Pain And To Reduce Its Impact On Their Lives: A Mixed Method, Co-Design Study (The Poppy Study).: The Poppy Study, Lesley Brown, Deborah Antcliff, Andrew Clegg, Anne Grice, Pat Schofield, Asim Suleman, Amanda Williams, Nikki Harrison, Nicky Kime, Alan Wright, Natalie Lam, Dan Howdon, Davide Tebaldi, Rahena Mossabir, Sarah Hallas, Thomas F Crocker, Anne Forster

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Background: Frailty increases vulnerability to adverse events (falls, illness) resulting in poorer health outcomes in later life. Persistent pain is common and impactful in older adults with frailty. Pain impact is potentially modifiable, and addressing it is important for supporting this population. The Pain in Older People with Frailty study aimed to generate evidence and develop service models to improve pain management for older adults with frailty and inform service provision for this underserved population. Objective(s): Phase 1: Map research evidence and synthesise findings from randomised controlled trials of multi-component pain management programmes and psychological therapies for community-dwelling older adults. …

Drilling Fluid Enhancement Via Addition Of Sustainably Synthesized Nanoparticles, Hasan A. Abbood, Sarmad Al-Anssari

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The addition of nanoparticles to the drilling fluids for geological projects is a promising application for enhancing the stability, rheological properties, and overall performance of the mud. This study aims to thoroughly analyze and compare the effects of silica and alumina nanoparticles on the properties and effectiveness of polymer drilling mud. Silica and alpha-alumina nanoparticles were synthesized using the sol-gel process and characterized through several techniques, including X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The effects of silica and alumina nanoparticles on various properties of drilling mud were then measured using a permeable plugging …

Makna Simbolik Dan Memori Pascakolonial Dalam Cyanotype Fusion Dialogue “Trade Of Faith” Karya Budi Agung Kuswara: Kajian Semiotika Roland Barthes, Wisesa Abrar Mufid Munawwar Wahyuono, A. Syarifuddin Rohman

Journal of Language, Literature, and Arts

The cyanotype artwork Fusion Dialogue: Trade of Faith by Budi Agung Kuswara represents a contemporary art practice that combines cyanotype techniques and mixed media to construct visual narratives of colonialism, trade, spirituality, and cultural identity. This study aims to identify the visual symbols embedded in the artwork and analyze their meanings based on Roland Barthes’ semiotic theory. A descriptive qualitative approach was employed, with the researcher serving as the primary instrument. Data were collected through observation, documentation, interviews with the artist, and a literature review. Analysis involved symbol identification as well as denotative, connotative, mythological, and aesthetic analyses. The findings …

Rebranding Untuk Menanamkan Citra Brand Semanis Koe, Novita Priska Anggraeny Matitaputty, Joni Agung Sudarmanto

Journal of Language, Literature, and Arts

This design project is motivated by the competitive environment among micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the culinary sector, particularly dessert products, which requires each business to present a strong, consistent, and distinctive visual identity. An appropriate visual identity is needed to enhance brand image and strengthen consumer perceptions of product quality. This project uses a descriptive qualitative method, with data collected through interviews, indirect observation, and questionnaires to understand the brand characteristics and consumer perceptions. The design process applies the design thinking model, which consists of five stages: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and testing. In addition, SWOT analysis …

Deadline-Chasing In Digital Health: Forecasting Emr Adoption Dynamics And Regulatory Impact In Indonesian Primary Care, Suryo Satrio, Bukhori Muhammad Aqid

Journal of Indonesian Health Policy and Administration

Indonesia is accelerating digital health adoption under Minister of Health Regulation No. 24/2022, which mandates the use and integration of Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) with SATUSEHAT. However, evidence on how quickly primary health care facilities (Fasilitas Kesehatan Tingkat Pertama – FKTP) are adopting EMRs and what the adoption curve looks like remains limited. Survey findings also suggest key barriers and enablers, including security and data migration concerns, as well as human resource and infrastructure constraints. This observational study used provider-network data from a single EMR vendor. Key measures included cumulative registered facilities, monthly registrations, same-month activation (total_active/monthly inflow) as …

Factors Associated With The Performance Of Essential Public Health Efforts At Primary Health Centers In Jember Regency, Griselda Ardelia Hibatullah, Nuryadi Nuryadi, Yennike Tri Herawati

Journal of Indonesian Health Policy and Administration

Performance assessment of primary health centers is essential to ensure the quality of healthcare services, including the delivery of essential public health efforts. The performance target for essential public health efforts in Jember Regency is set at ≥82%. This study aimed to analyze factors associated with the performance of essential public health efforts. The study employed an analytical cross-sectional design conducted from April to May 2025, with a sample of 37 out of 50 units selected through simple random sampling. Primary data were collected using questionnaires, while secondary data were obtained from primary health center (Pusat Kesehatan Masyarakat – …

Optimizing Vitamin A Intervention: Strengthening Supplementation With Targeted Biscuit Fortification, Mayfa Yemima Simanjuntak, Nadia Amanda, Yuli Berliana Simanjuntak, Carissa Wityadarda, Lesta Livolina Simamora

Journal of Indonesian Health Policy and Administration

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) remains a persistent public health challenge in Indonesia, particularly among children under five and breastfeeding mothers. This study aimed to analyze the distribution of vitamin A interventions and assess the potential of biscuit fortification as a complementary strategy. This study employs a literature review using the Health Policy Triangle (HPT) framework, examining policy context, content, key actors, and implementation processes related to vitamin A interventions. The analysis was conducted using secondary data from government reports, international agencies, and peer-reviewed literature published between 2018 and 2025, with comparative evidence from Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Ghana. The findings show …

Profil Kemampuan Awal Keterampilan Produktif Bahasa Jerman Mahasiswa Pemula Pada Level A1 Cefr, Femmy Angreany, Arlian Fachrul Syaputra

Journal of Language, Literature, and Arts

This study aims to describe the initial profile of German productive skills among first-year students of the German Language Education Study Program, Faculty of Languages and Literature, Universitas Negeri Makassar, based on the A1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The study employed a quantitative approach with a descriptive design to systematically portray students’ abilities without applying any specific treatment. The participants consisted of 40 first-semester students from two classes. Data was collected through documentation of the Final Semester Examination results in speaking (Sprechen) and writing (Schreiben) skills, which were adapted from the Goethe-Zertifikat A1: …

Forest Fire Governance And Regional Environmental Politics In Southeast Asia: A Bibliometric Analysis, Agung Wicaksono, Data Wardana, Hendry Andry, Rio Yusri Maulana

Jurnal Wacana Politik

Forest fires remain one of the most persistent environmental governance challenges in Southeast Asia, generating significant ecological, economic, social, and political consequences, including transboundary haze pollution. Despite the growing body of literature on forest fire management, a comprehensive understanding of the intellectual structure and development of forest fire governance research in the region remains limited. This study aims to map and analyze the evolution, thematic structure, collaboration patterns, and intellectual foundations of forest fire governance research in Southeast Asia using a bibliometric approach. Bibliographic data were collected from the Scopus database, resulting in a final dataset of 644 publications after …

Rethinking The Canon: A Conceptual History Of The Layered Foundations Of Western Politics, Dembael Seidi, Muhammad Andi Firmansyah

Jurnal Wacana Politik

Many accounts of Western political history suggest a direct, straight line from Ancient Greece to modern democracy. This article argues that this “Great Books” narrative is a myth that ignores how political ideas actually change over time. Using Reinhart Koselleck’s Begriffsgeschichte (conceptual history) framework, we demonstrate that key terms such as “law” and “citizenship” were not merely preserved but fundamentally transformed as they moved through Greco-Roman, Islamic, and Judeo-Christian civilizations. We call this transformation “conceptual alchemy”: a series of semantic translations through which Greek rationalism was retheorized via Islamic metaphysics and later synthesized by medieval scholasticism. Consequently, rather than a …

The Role Of Bank Portfolio Heterogeneity In The Fiscal Stimulus Policy In Indonesia, Michael Kusuma, Brigitha Mega Rebeca

BISNIS & BIROKRASI: Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi dan Organisasi

Fiscal stimulus transmission is often hindered by banking frictions from risk-averse behavior and channel specialization. To evaluate the fiscal stimulus policy in Indonesia, this study introduces a modified Input-Output (I-O) framework integrated with bank portfolio-based shock vectors. This approach captures banking frictions by incorporating institution-specific portfolio weights into the macro-simulation framework, providing a more realistic assessment than standard uniform-transmission assumptions. Three scenarios are simulated (policy design, interim realization, and expansionary response) to assess the macroeconomic impacts of credit concentration. The results reveal a significant gap between the initial policy design and its actual realization, generating an economic opportunity loss of …

Referral Patterns From Primary Care To Referral Care By Icd-10 Codes In Indonesia: Cross-Sectional Analysis Of National Claims Data (2017–2024), Della Dwi Ayu, Syarif Rahman Hasibuan, Putu Erma Pradnyani, Nisrina Widyasanti

Journal of Indonesian Health Policy and Administration

Primary health care (PHC) facilities serve as gatekeepers within Indonesia’s tiered health system. However, PHC referral patterns to hospitals still show substantial variation and remain insufficiently characterized by disease groupings based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10). This study aimed to identify the most frequently referred diagnoses from PHC to secondary or tertiary care facilities and to determine the participant characteristics associated with referrals. This observational study employed a cross-sectional design using secondary data from the National Health Insurance (Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional – JKN) claims database for the period 2017–2024. The unit of analysis was each …

Supporting Three-Sector Relationships For Enhancing Agility And Market (Stream): A Comparative Study Of Small And Medium Enterprises (Smes) In China And Indonesia, Marizal Fanani, Muhammad Akmal Daffari, Ikhtiar Anugrah Hidayat, Adinda Qornelica

BISNIS & BIROKRASI: Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi dan Organisasi

In a rapidly evolving borderless economy, the success of Chinese Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in penetrating global markets demonstrates the critical role of structured collaboration among government, industry, and academia. This study examines how intersectoral collaboration, analyzed through the Triple Helix Framework, impacts the innovation agility and market readiness of SMEs in China and Indonesia. This research adopts a qualitative comparative policy analysis, drawing on relevant journals, policy documents, and SME reports to explore how interactions between these sectors influence SME growth and innovation. The findings show that China’s SME is supported by: (1) strong institutional coordination, (2) well-developed …

Determinants Of Public Trust In E-Government: A Comprehensive Review And Conceptual Framework Over The Past Decade, Andrean Nathaniel, Sumartono Sumartono, Abd. Qadir Muslim

BISNIS & BIROKRASI: Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi dan Organisasi

The evolution of digital governance has heightened the strategic significance of public trust in the implementation of e-government. Despite numerous empirical investigations, the results concerning the factors influencing trust remain fragmented and largely centered on technological aspects. This study seeks to systematically identify, categorize, and synthesize the determinants of trust in e-government through a structured literature review of 21 Scopus-indexed articles published between 2015 and 2025. Utilizing an evidence-based synthesis methodology, the study organizes determinants of trust into four main categories: citizen-related, technological, institutional, and risk-related factors. The findings indicate that technological and citizen-related factors are the most significant predictors …

Edge Co-Occurrence Regularization For Node Classification, Kadir Altunel

Theses

We propose a simple yet effective regularization technique for node classification on graphs that leverages edge-based label co-occurrence patterns. We first train an MLP on node features to produce class probability distributions, then compute a fixed penalty matrix from edge-based co-occurrence statistics of these predictions. This penalty matrix, which captures unlikely class combinations on connected nodes, is then used to regularize GNN training without further updates. We evaluate this approach across multiple homophilic datasets (Cora, CiteSeer, PubMed, ogbn-arxiv) and heterophilic benchmarks (Chameleon, Squirrel, Actor, Roman-Empire) using three GNN architectures: GCN, GraphSAGE, and H2GCN. Results show consistent improvements on homophilic graphs, …

Autonomous Exploration Of An Environment With Static Obstacles Using A Ppo Agent, Brandon Knight

Theses

Research in autonomous exploration has created many effective algorithms that have been tested and proven to work in many different virtual and physical environments. Many optimizations have also been developed to reduce computational effort and increase exploration speed.

However, despite optimizations, these algorithms can still require considerable computational effort and time to explore even small environments. To obtain further improvements in computation and exploration speed, a reinforcement learning agent using actor-critic style proximal policy optimization (PPO) is trained to explore various environments efficiently, then compared to an algorithm using contemporary exploration methods.

Testing is performed in virtual environments with ideal …

Machine Learning-Driven Prediction And Mechanistic Insight Into Co2 Adsorption On Biomass-Derived Activated Carbons Using Explainable Ai (Xai), Dalia A. Ali Dr.

Chemical Engineering

To improve CO2 uptake in Biomass-Derived Activated Carbon (BDAC), this study develops a multiscale hybrid digital twin framework. By integrating microscopic descriptors from Density Functional Theory and Molecular Dynamics (DFT/MD) with experimental data from 63 chemically diverse biomass precursors, a Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) model was developed using the Materń 5/2 Automatic Relevance Determination (ARD) kernel. The framework achieved high internal training accuracy (R2 = 0.968) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE = 0.2552), while providing a realistic generalization baseline across heterogeneous precursors with a 5-fold Cross Validated (CV) R2 of 0.1567 and CV RMSE of 0.283. Explainable Artificial Intelligence …

Ai-Based Simulated Patient Encounters For Clinical Reasoning: A Needs Assessment, Alex Sorrick, David Liebovitz, Sarah Vick, Andrew S. Parsons, Brian W. Locke, Jonathan Herskovitz, Cory Rohlfsen

Graduate Medical Education Research Journal

Background. Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers an opportunity to enhance formative assessment of clinical reasoning skills. Traditionally, these skills have been assessed through workplace-based assessment or simulated patient encounters, both of which are limited by variability in case exposure, faculty resources, scheduling logistics, and cost. AI-based simulated patient encounters provide a scalable solution for convenient, low-stakes practice. At the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), we piloted an AI-based simulated patient case and conducted a needs assessment to explore current practices and user experiences.

Methods. From June to August 2025, participants trialed an AI-based simulated patient case and received feedback on …

Artificial Intelligence In Healthcare: Ethical Frameworks, Challenges, And Global Approaches To Responsible Implementation: A Perspective, Vikas Vaibhav, Arwinder Singh, Yashpal S, Raviprakash Meshram, Varun Chandran A, Kshitiza Sharma

Graduate Medical Education Research Journal

Major advancements in domains like diagnosis and personalised treatment will be seen because of the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. But this shift additionally presents significant ethical concerns that need to be carefully considered at every stage of AI's research, use, and impact on society in medical settings.

This review summarises the findings of multiple systematic and scoping reviews, as well as studies of specific AI applications published between 2013 and 2025. Additionally, it examines ethical norms from different countries and international organisations objectively. Consistent ethical challenges identified include the "black box" problem (lack of transparency and …

Knowledge And Perception Of Patients Regarding A Postpartum Standardized Hypertensive Disorder Educational Program, Arin Everett, Niranjana Balu, Santiago Ortiz Barragan, Marly Azzi, Sanela Potchileev, Courtney Bisson, Ariel Mueller, Lea Runesha, Sajid Shahul, Sarosh Rana

Graduate Medical Education Research Journal

Background. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are a major contributor to rising maternal mortality in the United States. The postpartum period represents a critical window to provide education aimed at reducing the risks of complications. This study evaluates the patients’ understanding of HDP and their retention of key education concepts during the first six weeks postpartum after participation in a structured quality improvement program.

Methods. Prospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with HDP were enrolled in the remote blood pressure monitoring program (RPM) and delivered between June 2023 and January 2024. Baseline surveys were administered prior to discharge and repeated …

A Literature Review Of Burnout And Associated Tools In Residency Programs, Foluso Obisanya, Fatima Mncube-Barnes, Kudiratu A. Proctor, Charles A. Mcdaniel, Donna M. Alexander, Tyrece D. Hunter

Graduate Medical Education Research Journal

Background. Burnout poses considerable challenges in workplaces, particularly for resident physicians. This intricate phenomenon stems from a myriad of factors that include, but are not limited to, staff shortages, excessive workloads, specific job responsibilities, work environments, and individual psychological factors. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education encourages institutions to incorporate wellness as a fundamental component of residency training programs.

Methods. The aim of this review was to investigate burnout among resident physicians via a comprehensive literature review to elucidate this significant issue and identify potential preventative intervention strategies. We analyzed the issue of burnout across various residency specialties, providing …