Digital Commons Network^™

Bytes, Banter, And The Bible: An Interdisciplinary Account Of Objective Meaning, Cameron Bonin

Senior Honors Theses

The claim that the Bible has objective meaning is contested in a postmodern world. This claim can be more persuasively defended when it is addressed by insights from multiple disciplines. In particular, the field of computer science is apt to illuminate the concept of meaning through its reflection on the nature of languages and its concern with the accurate transmission of information. By synthesizing insights from the field of computer science, such as that of Claude Shannon, with Nicholas Wolterstorff’s use of speech-act theory, the concept of meaning can be understood more clearly. Consequently, this synthesis assists in answering questions …

Annual Report 2025 Cime Pakistan & East Africa, Cime

Centre for Innovation in Medical Education (CIME) Archives

• Directors’ Message
• Sustainability in Simulation SIMPACT: 2025
• Updates from Pakistan
• Updates from East Africa
• Homegrown Innovations
• Advancing Research
• SeeMe Around the Globe
• The Dream Sim Team

Evaluating Saliva Based Glucose Testing For Accessible Diabetes Care In Tanzania, Shannon Dhindsa

Public Health Theses

Background: In Tanzania, limited healthcare infrastructure and reliance on invasive diagnostic methods significantly hinder effective diabetes screening and management. Individuals with diabetes often go undetected and have lower immune systems that make them prone to further infectious complications. Thus, properly managing this chronic condition can prevent additional infectious diseases. Salivary glucose testing offers a non-invasive, innovative alternative with the potential to transform the early detection and management of diabetes, especially in resource-constrained settings.

Design: This cross-sectional study, conducted at Muhimbili National Hospital's Diabetes Clinic in Dar es Salaam, evaluates the feasibility of salivary glucose testing using a colorimetric glucose-oxidase-peroxidase point-of-care …

Bolton’S Tooth Width Discrepancies Among Orthodontic Patients In A Tanzanian Population, Ferdinand Mabula Machibya, Eladius Laswai Daniel, Matilda Mtaya Mlangwa

Mansoura Journal of Dentistry

Aim: The aim of the current study was to assess the prevalence of intermaxillary teeth width discrepancy among orthodontic patients in a Tanzanian population. Methods: A cross sectional retrospective study was carried involving 204 orthodontic casts. Data collection involved mesio-distal teeth width measurement of all teeth anterior to second molars using a digital Vernier Caliper. Intermaxillary teeth width ratios between lower and upper teeth was then determined according to Bolton’s formula. Independent t test was used to assess whether anterior and overall intermaxillary teeth width ratios vary between males and females. The prevalence of Bolton’s teeth width discrepancies were determined …

Male Involvement Interventions Influencing Maternal Reproductive Health Outcomes: A Narrative Synthesis Using Re-Aim With Implications For Maternal Mortality In Africa, Onyekachukwu Anikamadu, Ucheoma Nwaozuru, Nkiruka Obodoechina, Olufunto Olusanya, Temitope Ojo, Juliet Iwelunmor

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Male involvement is crucial in optimizing maternal reproductive health outcomes, offering the potential to bolster reproductive health outcomes for mothers. The Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework can describe the implementation of interventions focused on promoting male involvement in maternal reproductive health. This study aims to (1) examine the implementation of male involvement interventions that influence maternal reproductive health outcomes and (2) report the implementation outcomes as conceptualized in the RE-AIM framework.

METHODS: This protocol followed the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis. We searched PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Web of Science utilizing a systematic …

The Massai People And Wealth: A Stewardship Of Totality, Youssry Guirguis

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

The concept of wealth among the Massai people differs significantly from the traditional understanding in contemporary societies. To the Massai people wealth is not measured by money as commonly perceived by people today, but rather exhibits itself by land, social status, and livestock. This article examines a few terms used by the Massai people to define the idea of wealth in order to comprehend their unique cultural dimensions. Terms that are related to wealth will be investigated, such as “land” (enkop), “red God” (enkai Nanyokie), “black God” (enkai Narok), “cattle” (inkishu), “goats and sheep,” “wealth” (emali), and “dowry” (Inkishu/ Olpisiai). …

Role Of Online Health Information Resources In Shaping Self Confidence Of Nursing And Midwifery Students In The Digital Era At Aga Khan University, Tanzania, Getrude Ngowi, Jackline Estomihi Kiwelu

Book Chapters / Conference Papers

Digital technologies have transformed the way people learn in the current age. Innovative multimedia online nursing and midwifery information resources have improved nursing education and brought about adaptive, interactive, and collaborative learning. This study aims to find out whether the online nursing information resources provided at Aga Khan University Tanzania are shaping the self-confidence of nurses and midwives in the digital era, to understand gaps and areas for improvement. This study used both quantitative and qualitative research approach were used. The researchers collecting data using online Google Forms, which were analysed thematically through Atlas ti. The results revealed that persistent …

The Impact Of Urbanization On Water Scarcity And Waterborne Diseases In Eastern Africa: A Case Study Of Nairobi, Lucy N. Kamau

Open Access Master's Theses

Urbanization in Eastern African cities has rapidly accelerated, placing immense strain on existing water infrastructure and sanitation systems. In Nairobi, this has resulted in spatial disparities in access to clean water and heightened vulnerability to waterborne disease risks. The study aimed to (1) assess the impact of urbanization on water scarcity and waterborne diseases in Nairobi using geospatial analysis and remote sensing (2) quantify urbanization trends 1999–2024 (3) identify spatio-temporal water scarcity hotspots for the years 2019 and 2024 (4) model waterborne disease risk maps for 2019 and 2024 (5) Overlay disease risk map with hospitals. To quantify urbanization for …

College Tutors' And Secondary School Teachers' Knowledge And Perceptions Of Technology Integration In Teaching And Learning, Joseph Njiku, Florence Kyaruzi Dr, Venance Timothy, Nyanjiga Rukondo, Kondrada Haule

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

Technology integration in education has been practiced for some decades in developing countries. Despite the growing access to technology in terms of infrastructure and tools in teacher colleges and secondary schools in Tanzania, there is limited research on how teachers use such resources to facilitate teaching and learning. This study used a mixed-methods research approach and a cross-sectional survey design to examine college tutors’ and secondary school teachers’ knowledge and perceptions of technology integration in teaching and learning in Tanzania. Adopting the technology acceptance model, the study assessed perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and actual use of technology. Furthermore, …

An Analysis Of The Status Of Ict Integration In Tanzanian Teacher Colleges Based On The Samr Model, Renatus Makolo, Fredrick Ishengoma, Deo Shao

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

The preparation of competent teachers to apply information and communication technology (ICT) in teaching depends on how a student teacher interacts with ICT at their teacher’s college (TC). Tutors require instructional strategies that engage student teachers in the use of ICTs. The study employed the substitution, augmentation, modification, and redefinition (SAMR) model to evaluate the status of tutors’ ICT integration methods. A researcher collected data from 320 tutors across ten teachers’ colleges TCs. SPSS analyzed the results quantitatively through multiple linear regressions, tables, and charts. The results show that tutors integrate ICT at a low level (substitution and augmentation). The …

Predicting Crises On The African Frontier Stock Markets With Investor Sentiment Indicators: A Machine Learning Approach, David Korsah, Lord Mensah

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

This study examined the predictive ability of machine learning algorithms in identifying crises within African stock markets. The study employed seven distinct machine-learning models, analyzing historical stock prices from eight stock markets, three major sentiment indicators, and the exchange rates of local currencies against the US dollar, with each data spanning from May 1, 2007, to April 1, 2023. Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) emerged as the most effective algorithm for predicting crises. Historical stock prices and exchange rates were identified as the most critical features for prediction. On the sentiment side, investors’ perceptions of potential volatility on the S&P 500, …

How To Increase The Public’S Awareness Of Car-T Therapy? A Pilot Mixed Methods Study, Pei-Chun Cha

Public Health Theses

Background: Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a combination of antibody and T cell receptor (TCR), which allows T-cells to recognize and attack cancer cells. It has shown effectiveness in treating hematological malignancies, but has been less effective for solid tumors. Clinically, it is the first FDA-approved gene therapy as it uses lentivirus to modify the genome of T cells that are infused back into patients. Preclinically, laboratory research is being conducted to enhance this treatment through multiple genetic modifications. Concurrently, integrating community research to understand the public’s awareness of CAR-T is essential for making this therapy more widely …

In Pursuit Of Sovereignty: Transformations Of Colonial Medicine From Wilhelmine To Nazi Germany, Veda Joshi

All ETDs from UAB

After the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885, the Great Powers of Europe, including the newly-born German Empire, greatly expanded their influence and colonial possessions in Africa, with colonies in East Asia and the South Pacific quickly following suit. The German Empire, like its contemporaries, engaged with medicine as a necessary part of its colonial endeavors in order to keep both its native laborers and European settlers healthy. Using documents from the German Bundesarchiv (Federal Archive), including official reports made to the German Colonial Office and documenting of formally conducted expeditions, as well as the writings of colonial doctors, this research examines …

Investigating Risk Of Suboptimal Hiv Treatment Outcomes (Treatment Failure And Disengagement) Among Pregnant And Postpartum Women Living With Hiv, Kevin Owuor

All ETDs from UAB

The joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has set targets to end the HIV epidemic by improving HIV diagnosis, treatment, and viral suppression to reduce new infections and improve health outcomes for people living with HIV (PLHIV), including pregnant and postpartum women living with HIV (PPWH). After diagnosis, linking PPWH to antiretroviral (ART) treatment is critical to suppress the virus and prevent mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV. Continuous engagement in care is essential for achieving and maintaining virologic suppression in the peripartum and postpartum period for PPWH, both for their own health and the health of their family. Disengagement …

Factors Associated With Health Decision-Making Autonomy On Own Healthcare Among Tanzanian Women: A 2022–2023 Demographic Health Survey Study, Tausi Seleman Haruna, Henry Ofori Duah, Rebecca Lee

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Women’s health decision-making autonomy is fundamental for the health and well-being of women and their children. It empowers women to make health decisions and exercise their rights and choices surrounding their health. Like most parts of Africa, women’s autonomy in Tanzania remains contentious, with an estimated 19% prevalence of health decision-making autonomy in 2015. Given the impact of women’s health decision-making autonomy on women’s health outcomes and the fact that women’s health decision-making autonomy is an ongoing process affected by advancements in technology, economic growth, and social and cultural shifts, understanding the sociodemographic correlates of women’s autonomy is imperative. …

Computational Bridges: Enhancing Natural Language Processing Of Swahili., Joyce Murungi

Harrisburg University Other Works

Swahili remains significantly underrepresented in natural language processing (NLP) despite being one of the most widely spoken languages in Africa. Computational Bridges: Enhancing Natural Language Processing of Swahili addresses this gap through computational linguistics, corpus creation, and large-scale analysis of Swahili syntax and lexical structure. Central to this study is GUMZO, a novel corpus developed from spontaneous conversational data collected from YouTube videos, television panel discussions, political speeches, religious discourse, and unscripted broadcasts. Unlike many existing datasets that rely on formal or translated text, GUMZO captures authentic language use and provides a stronger foundation for NLP research involving low-resource languages. …

Aku Libraries Annual Report - 2025, Office Of The University Librarian

Office of the University Librarian Reports

- Message by Peter Gatiti Associate Vice Provost & University Librarian

- The Beautiful Nakawa Campus Library

- AKU Author’s Day 2025

- Celebrating 5 Years of AKU Author’s Day: Bold Voices, Powerful Stories, Lasting Impact.

- A Student’s Journey into Co-Authoring Neuroscience

- My Fear of Academic Writing

- University Library Strategic Plan 2024-2029

- Lecture Series on Open Science

- Behind the Scenes

- Our Libraries & Students

- Book Conversations…

- RFID Technology at AKU Libraries

- Video Editing: Where Vision Meets Creativity

- Preserving Today for Tomorrow

- “Our Collections Matter”

- The FMIC Library

- …

The Aga Khan University Prospectus 2025, The Aga Khan University

The Aga Khan University Prospectuses and Brochures

• Message from the President
• Message from the Provost & Vice President, Academic
• About AKU
• Our Mission, Vision & Values
• Why AKU?

• Programmes of Study

  Undergraduate Programmes

• School of Nursing and Midwifery, East Africa
• School of Nursing and Midwifery, Pakistan
• Medical College, East Africa
• Medical College, Pakistan
• Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Pakistan
• Institute for Educational Development, Pakistan

• Graduate Programmes

• School of Nursing and Midwifery, East Africa
• School of Nursing and Midwifery, Pakistan
• Institute for Educational Development, East Africa
• Institute for Educational Development, Pakistan
• Medical College, East Africa
• Medical College, Pakistan
• Graduate School of Media and Communications, East Africa
• Institute for …

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Mobile Health Intervention Tools Promoting Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Adolescent Girls And Young Women In Sub-Saharan Africa: Scoping Review, Alex Emilio Fischer, Homaira Hanif, Jacob B. Stocks, Aimee E. Rochelle, Karen Dominguez, Eliana Gabriela Armora Langoni, H. Luz Mcnaughton Reyes, Gustavo F. Doncel, Kathryn E. Muessig

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty Publications

Background:

In 2022, 3100 adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa experienced new HIV infections each week. HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is effective at preventing HIV but has limited uptake and persistence. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions can improve medication adherence; however, their utility to improve PrEP adherence among adolescent girls and young women is not well established.

Objective:

This scoping review synthesizes evidence supporting mHealth for PrEP among adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa and identifies strategies for further evaluation.

Methods:

We searched PubMed and Google Scholar databases, expert referrals, and reference lists using the following eligibility …

Is Youth's Engagement In Agribusiness An Opportunity Or A Necessity? A Closer Look At The Situation In South Kivu, Eastern Democratic Republic Of The Congo, Cool Dady Mangole, Paul Martin Dontsop Nguezet, Shiferaw Feleke, Victor Manyong, Kamala Kaghoma Christian, Zoumana Bamba, Tahirou Abdoulaye

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Despite the broad focus on necessity- and opportunity-driven entrepreneurship in research and policy, the entrepreneurial dichotomy within the agribusiness context has not been adequately addressed. This study contributes to closing this knowledge gap by examining youth's perceptions of agribusiness through the lens of the push-pull motivation framework. Results reveal that 47% of youth are driven into agribusiness by both necessity and opportunity, while 41% by necessity alone and only 12% by opportunity alone. Key factors shaping youth's perceptions include gender, education, food processing participation, agribusiness-related training, land ownership, monthly income, and family farming background. The result further identifies significant heterogeneity …

Consensus-Based Research Priorities For Post-Collision Care In The Western Cape Province Of South Africa, Naseef Abdullah, Tim Nutbeam, Colleen J. Saunders, Craig Wylie, Nigel Lang, Willem Stassen

Peninsula Medical School

Introduction: Road traffic injuries constitute a significant global health burden, causing 1.3 million deaths and 50million injuries annually, with 92 % of fatalities occurring in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Despitethis disproportionate impact, research priorities in post-collision care often reflect high-income country contexts,creating a critical misalignment between evidence generation and contextual realities in LMICs.Methods: This mixed-methods study employed a three-phase approach to identify research priorities for postcollision care in the Western Cape, South Africa. Phase 1 consisted of a comprehensive literature review toidentify preliminary thematic areas and research questions. Phase 2 involved a stakeholder engagement workshop using modified nominal group techniques …

Can Household Water Sharing Advance Water Security? An Integrative Review Of Water Entitlements And Entitlement Failures, Melissa Beresford, Ellis Adams, Jessica Budds, Leila M. Harris, Wendy Jepson, Tennille Marley, Chloe Nguyen, Amber Pearson, Anaís Delilah Roque, Asher Y. Rosinger, Sameer H. Shah, Matthew Stellbauer, Amber Wutich

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

An increasing number of studies find that water sharing—the non-market transfer of privately held water between households—is a ubiquitous informal practice around the world and a primary way that households respond to water insecurity. Yet, a key question about household water sharing remains: is water sharing a viable path that can help advance household water security? Or should water sharing be understood as a symptom of water insecurity in wait for more formalized solutions? Here, we address this question by applying Sen’s entitlement framework in an integrative review of empirical scholarship on household water sharing. Our review shows that when …

Pathways To Nursing And Midwifery Education In Tanzania With Reflection To The Global Perspectives: A Narrative Review, Tumbwene Mwansisya, Mary Lyimo, Eunice Pallangyo

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background/Objectives:

This review aimed to explore the pathways of nursing and midwifery education in Tanzania and compare them with global perspectives. The goal was to identify similarities, differences, and areas for potential improvement to align with international standards.

Methods:

A narrative literature review was carried out through databases with published studies in nursing and gray literature. The database search included Medline, PubMed, Google Scholar, EBSCO, PsycINFO, clinical nursing, and gray literature from January 2014 up to December 2024. The search process was carried out by the authors with the following key words: admission, pathway to nursing profession, delivery mode, …

Co-Designing An International Nursing Course On Workplace Violence In Ethiopia, Sweden, And Tanzania: A Collective Autoethnography, Martin Salzmann-Erikson, Elisabet Eriksson, Tilahun Saol Tura, Tumbwene Mwansisya, Loveluck Mwasha, Malin Jordal

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

This study explores whether and how the co-creation of an international university course on workplace violence served as a site of transformative learning for us as nursing educators across Sweden, Ethiopia, and Tanzania. Using collaborative autoethnography, our team of six faculty members critically reflected on pedagogical assumptions, educator identities, and experiences of cross-cultural collaboration. The data comprised written reflections, meeting transcripts, and observational notes. Through this process, our pedagogical approaches and professional identities were reshaped, shifting from content deliverers to reflective co-learners within the cross-cultural partnership. Our analysis highlights the interplay of cultural negotiation, logistical frictions, and unspoken yet influential …

Accessing Online And Remote Learning Platforms In Kenyan Remote Areas During Covid-19 Pandemic, Florence Deya, Jane Rarieya

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

Online learning has taken root and with the advancement in technology more and more educators are embracing online learning. During the COVID-19 pandemic, with total shut down of face-to-face learning, the Kenyan government had moved learning online and remotely. To find out on how learners in remote areas were experiencing learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, a study was carried out using rapid ethnography design. Five final year secondary students were sampled. Data was collected through interviews, observations, and document analysis. This paper reports on the findings of online and remote learning platforms, which were available, accessed, and preferred by the …

Domestic Direct Agricultural Exports And Export Spillovers From Foreign Export Intermediary Firms: Evidence From Tanzania, John S. M. Shilinde, Ari Kokko, Vincent Leyaro

Journal of African Trade

This study examines the impact of foreign intermediaries on Tanzanian domestic direct exporting firms’ ability to expand their export volume. Using panel gravity PPML model to firm-level agricultural exports dataset 2010-2020, we find that foreign intermediaries significantly promote domestic firms’ intensive margins of exports. The geographic clustering of foreign intermediaries exporting comparable goods to similar destination generates significant positive spillover effects on domestic firms based in the same region. This suggests, the companies with product-destination-market pairings have the greatest export spillover effects that are likely related to knowledge transfers generated foreign firms from their country of origin.

Front Matter - Zamani 1, No. 2, Editors Note

Zamani: A Journal of African Historical Studies

The editors are pleased to present to you the second issue of Zamani: A Journal of African Historical Studies. Volume 1 Number 2 has a collection of research and forum articles as well as book reviews. There are four articles that builds from field research with different themes spanning from neolithic to the postcolonial periods. The themes include new neolithic dating; smallpox control in early colonial period in the former German East Africa (now Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi); evasion of colonial taxation; and the connection between land legislations and land conflicts among the peasant and pastoral communities. There are also …

New Chronology For Neolithic Cultures In The Lake Eyasi Basin, Northern Tanzania, Musa Said Mwitondi, Pastory Magayane Bushozi

Zamani: A Journal of African Historical Studies

There have been several studies on Neolithic Cultures in the Serengeti National. The recovered archaeological materials include domestic and wild fauna remains, potsherds and lithic artefacts, ochre, and stone enclosures, dating between 7200 and 4900 BP. In the East African Rift System (EARS), conventional ages for Neolithic Cultures are inferred from the most extensively researched Neolithic sites in Kenya, where the oldest Nderit ware, cattle and caprine in the Lake Turkana Basin, northern Kenya, date ca. 5200 BP. Studies on the Neolithic of EARS have been structured to fit into the migration or diffusion models that consider the spread of …

Smallpox Outbreaks And Immunization Policies In Tanzania From The Late Nineteenth Century To The First World War, Lorne Larson

Zamani: A Journal of African Historical Studies

An estimated 300 million people died globally from smallpox in the 20th century alone. There was very much a North/South divide in the existence of the disease in that period, with countries across South America, Africa and Asia recording the majority of cases. In 1966 the World Health Organization launched an intensive effort to finally eliminate the disease. The last known endemic case of smallpox was reported in Somalia in 1977, and that outbreak was promptly contained. In 1980 smallpox was declared eradicated – the only infectious disease affecting humans to achieve this distinction. This remains among the most notable …

'Evading The Tax Collector’: Native Responses To The Head Tax In Colonial Njombe, Tanzania, 1920-1960, Peter Chaula, Hezron Kangalawe

Zamani: A Journal of African Historical Studies

Tax collection was one of the core preoccupations of the colonial government in Tanganyika (now Tanzania) and other colonies in the Africa that persisted even after independence. Direct taxation formed the basis of colonial taxation in Tanganyika. Head tax was a dominant form of direct taxation with its burden being borne primarily by Africans. This article uses the colonial Njombe District of Tanganyika to explore the responses of the African taxpayers to the head tax. The available data indicates that colonial head tax policies and practices in Njombe elicited varied responses from Africans with covert forms forming the mainstay of …