Life Sciences Commons^™

Aqueous Wastewater Treatment With Aluminium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide And Alginite, Anifat Adenike Bankole

Theses

Wastewater, regardless of the source, has always found its way into the environment. If not treated it can pose a threat to the life of humans as well as aquatic organisms. In regard to the treatment of wastewater containing remnant organic dyes, the adsorption of these on recyclable sorbent materials such as alginite, alumina, and silica gel was evaluated. The main objective of this thesis is to evaluate the sorption process for dye tainted water specifically stemming from educational and research laboratories. Adsorption studies of the wastewater with sorbent materials were carried out under different experimental conditions. The study investigates …

Comparison Of Three Different Woody Plant Species For Their Ability To Utilize Nutritional Elements Supplied In The Form Of Biosolids And Mineral Fertilizers, Fatima El-Telib Hassan

Theses

Crop production systems of the future will need to focus on recycling rather than flow- through of mineral nutrients. Much of the nutrients that leave agricultural systems with crop products eventually end up in household waste and sewage. Returning nutrientrich products from wastewater treatment to agricultural soils must be done in an environmentally sound and culturally acceptable manner. More than 300,000 hectares of forest have been planted in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), consisting mainly of native species, such as Prosopis cineraria (Ghāf) and Vachellia tortilis (Samr). It has been proposed that sewage sludge, the dry residue from wastewater treatment, …

Response Of Five Chenopodium Quinoa Varieties To Different Salinity Levels, Elevated Co₂ And Uvb, Saif Ali Matar Al Blooshi

Theses

Ecosystems have been affected by climate changes. Both agriculture and environmental changes are correlated with various features since climate change is the main cause of abiotic and biotic stress which affects crop plants. The climate changes and their severe impact on plant productivity showed great intensities due to the effects of abiotic stress. In the present investigation, five quinoa varieties viz KAUST- 05395/CHFN-68 (V1), KAUST-05398/PI-614889 (V2), KAUST-05397/PI-614885 (V3), KAUST-05403/ICBA-Q3 (V4), and KAUST-05399/PI-614888 (V5) were screened for their salinity stress response by measuring the morphological parameters such as total plant height, fresh and dry weight of shoot and roots. V4 and …

The Effect Of Natural Elicitors And Cold Storage Period On Quality Improvement Of Uae Date Palm Fruits (Phoenix Dactylifera, Cv. Barhi), Fatima Yaaqoub Yousef Al Shaibani

Theses

Date palm is an agricultural crop of economic importance in most Arab countries. Among the different varieties of date palms grown in the United Arab Emirates, the Barhi variety is extremely popular and is often consumed at the bisr stage (first edible stage). However, the major challenge for this fruit at bisr stage is to maintain its quality over a long period after harvest and during marketing. The objective of this study was to evaluate the synergistic effect of preharvest spraying with a natural elicitor, namely chitosan (Ch) 1%, alone and in combination with salicylic acid (SA) 2 mM and …

Abiotic Stress Effect On Growth And Photosynthetic Characteristics In Emirati Date Palm Varieties, Nasser Abdullah Ghdayer Al Kaabi

Theses

Plants are naturally exposed to various environmental stresses that affect their growth and development. As a desert plant, date palm has developed strategies to protect itself from most abiotic stresses. However, projected climate changes and the interaction between the various abiotic stressors will have profound effects on date palm adaptation and production. In the present study, five date palm cultivars, namely Chichi, Kalas, Nabt Saif, Sultana and Zamli, were initially evaluated for salinity tolerance by measuring the growth parameters such as plant height, fresh weight and dry weight of shoots and roots. Based on the obtained results, Sultana and Zamli …

Role Of Autophagy In Acridocarpus Orientalis-Induced Anti-Breast Cancer Activity, Suhib Hisham Ahmed Saeed Altabbal

Theses

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women worldwide. Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC), which lacks the expression of the hormonal Estrogen Receptor (ER) and Progesterone Receptor (PR), and the amplification of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2), is not responsive to the hormonal therapy. Therefore, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which cause severe side effects, are the current available choices to treat TNBC. Hence, there is an urgent need to find new therapeutic choices for TNBC. It is estimated that 50% of all drugs in clinical use during the 21^st century are natural products and plants derived. …

Neurotoxicological Effects Of Chlorpyrifos And Deltamethrin On Dopamine And Acetylcholine Systems In Drosophila Melanogaster, Hala Husam Abdul Baki

Theses

Emerging evidence suggests a positive association between pesticide exposure and sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD) development. The molecular mechanisms of PD and other neurodegenerative diseases are not fully understood, which hinders the development of therapeutic agents to cure or prevent the development of such diseases. Drosophila has been widely used as a model organism to study various neurodegenerative diseases and to screen for promising therapeutic agents. The aims of this study were: (i) investigating the toxic effect of 24 hours exposure to chlorpyrifos (CPF) and deltamethrin (DLM) on the dopaminergic system and AChE activity in Drosophila melanogaster; (ii) comparing different methodologies …

Analysis Of The 16s Rrna For The Identification Of Microbial Communities In The Rhizosphere Of Cultivated Date Palms Trees Under Salt Stress Condition In The Uae Ecosystem, Azra Shamim

Theses

Increasing soil salinity is an emerging global issue, generating land degradation, affecting agricultural production and further affecting quality of ground water. In arid environment with water scarcity, saline ground water has been regularly used for irrigation purpose in date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) plantation, without knowing its impact on their root-associated bacterial communities. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of saline water irrigation on date palm root-associated bacterial community compositional structure and their diversity. Plant root samples were collected from date palm farms located in Abu Dhabi Emirate, irrigated with either saline, or non-saline water. Overall, we …

Studying Neurotoxic Effects Of Three Synthetic Insecticides And Two Herbal Infusions On The Nervous System Of The Fruit Fly Drosophila Melanogaster, Sara Khamis Obaid Hamarain Al Dhaheri

Theses

Pesticides applied on plants and animals can reach the human diet once they enter food chains. Insecticides are neurotoxic agents; they have the potential of causing damage to the nervous system in people. The damage could induce or promote neurodegenerative diseases such as the Parkinson’s and Alzheimer's. It is well-documented that the exposure to the insecticide chlorpyrifos (CPF) stimulate the Parkinson disease in humans and experimental animals. Thus, this research project will study effect of three synthetic insecticides pirimicarb, tefluthrin, and CPF on the nervous system of Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism. In addition, the project will evaluate the …

Livestock Ticks In The Uae: Prevalence, Distribution, Population Dynamics, And Associated Microorganisms, Nighat Perveen

Dissertations

Ticks are important vectors of an array of viral, bacterial, and protozoan pathogens resulting in a wide range of animal and human diseases in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). In this study, ticks were collected from camels, cows, sheep, and goats in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The objectives of the study were to (1) identify tick species of livestock through taxonomic keys and using molecular markers, and determine their prevalence and distribution in the UAE, (2) assess Hyalomma dromedarii seasonal population fluctuation over a year under common camel breeding and management …

Molecular Mechanism Of Action Of The Natural Polyphenolic Compound And The P300 Inhibitor “Carnosol” Against The Triple Negative Breast Cance, Halima Ali Mohammed Salem Alsamri

Dissertations

Carnosol, a naturally occurring Phyto polyphenol found in sage, oregano, and rosemary, has been extensively studied by our laboratory for its anticancer effects in various types of cancer. In human Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC), carnosol was shown to inhibit cellular viability, colony growth, induced cell cycle arrest, autophagy, and apoptosis. Nonetheless, very little is known about the molecular mechanism of action. In the current study, the ability of carnosol to inhibit metastasis and tumour growth was examined. Wound healing and invasion assays revealed that carnosol inhibited migration and invasion at non-cytotoxic concentrations of MDA-MB-231 cells. Also, carnosol was found to …

Impact Of Date-Pit Activated Carbon In Different Applications: Biomedical And Environment, Betty Titus Mathew

Dissertations

Activated carbon (AC) or activated charcoal are black carbonaceous porous solid material with prominent physico-chemical properties such as low volume pore size distribution, high specific surface area, and high-degree of surface reactivity for adsorption and other chemicals reactions. AC as strong and reliable adsorbent have been reported to be employed in diverse applications stretching from water/air purification, medical, sewage treatment, energy storage devices, catalyst, supercapacitor electrodes fabrication, and as biosensors component. In this current work, AC was produced from date pits, which is a common biological waste product in UAE, and used for biomedical and environmental applications instead of using …

Sensory Evaluation Of Camel Milk, Reem Amer Al Kaabi

Theses

Camel milk is one of the most important sources of nutrients for humans in numerous arid and semiarid environments. Consumer acceptability and sensory analysis are decisive for the commercialization of camel milk. It is essential to understand the sensory qualities of camel milk because of its unfamiliarity and its typical sensory profile, which is different from that of bovine milk. This study aimed to evaluate a trained panel qualitative description of sensory characteristics as well as consumer acceptability and attitude towards pasteurized non-flavoured, flavoured, and camel milk powders. In the consumer acceptability test, samples were evaluated based on acceptability with …

Effect Of High-Pressure Processing On Quality And Shelf Life Of Green Fresh Juice Produced From A Blend Of Fruit And Vegetable, Ahlam Abdulla Al Hammadi

Theses

The technology of high hydrostatic pressure (HPP) in food processing started to take huge attention in food industries due to its ability to increase the shelf life of processed products by inactivating food-borne microorganisms and undesired enzymes that cause changes not acceptable to the consumers. Because of the treatments take place at low temperatures and because no chemical preservatives are added, advantageous and give more value to the product and match consumer demand for healthy products.

Aims: The aim of this thesis was to study the effect of HPP on certain quality parameters of green fruit juice compared to the …

Assessing The Impacts Of Sea Level Rise On Land-Use Across The North-Eastern Parts Of The Uae Coastal Areas Using Remote Sensing Technology, Khawla Ali Mohammed Albedwawi

Theses

The consequences of global warming and climate change would result in a considerable rise in sea level. Other larger consequences on coastal lands, agriculture, buildings, and facilities are expected. The goal of this study is to assess the effects of Sea-Level Rise (SLR) on various land uses in the UAE's North-Eastern coastal districts (Fujairah and Kalba cities). Four SLR scenarios will be developed through the QGIS platform and the Landsat images that have been acquired from the USGS Earth Explorer. The area will be observed over 20 years (2000 – 2020). The second goal of this study is to develop …

The Red Palm Weevil In The Uae: Morphological Diversity And Rnai-Mediated Gene Silencing Of Two Cuticle-Related Genes, Safa Hashem Mohammed Musaed

Theses

Red Palm Weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), threatens palm trees worldwide. A better understanding of this insect can help with designing an adequate management strategy. This study aimed to a better understand the morphological diversity of RPW and examined RNAi-mediated gene silencing of two cuticle-related genes, vestigial (vg) gene, and Laccase (Lac2) gene by injecting the last larval stage with double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). For the morphological diversity study, adults of RPW were collected and classified by their prothoracic spots. Additional morphological characters were measured such as Pronotum Length (PL), Pronotum Width (PW), Elytra Length (EL), Elytra Width (EW), and …

Impact Of Sodium Dichloroacetate Alone And In Combination Therapies On Lung Tumor Growth And Metastasis, Aya Mudhafar A. Al-Azawi

Theses

Lung cancer is the second most common form of cancer with the highest mortality rate worldwide in 2020 despite the advances in targeted- and immuno-therapies. Metabolic reprogramming has been recognized as an essential emerging cancer hallmark in which altered metabolic pathways represent an attractive therapeutic target. Sodium Dichloroacetate (DCA), a pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) inhibitor, effect has been investigated in various tumors. Building on the already published data, this pre-clinical study aims to explore the anticancer potential of DCA in lung cancer alone and in combination with chemo- and targeted therapies using two non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines …

Soft Camel Milk Cheese Effects Of Coagulants And Processing Conditions, Mustapha Mbye

Dissertations

In recent years, camel milk (CM) has been acknowledged for several health benefits, including anti-diabetic, hypoallergic, and other effects. Accordingly, CM may provide a complementary or a healthier alternative to bovine milk (BM). This has led to increased interest in processing CM to products like cheese, yogurt, and powders to extend its shelf-life. However, CM is difficult to coagulate into hard gels, affecting its cheese quality and consumer preference. The current research aimed to investigate the impact of different coagulants (chymosin, Withania coagulans, citric and acetic acid) on CM cheese quality and sensory attributes compared to BM cheese. It …

Lipocalin-2 Ameliorates The Signs And Outcomes Of Diabetes Mellitus In An Animal Model, Saeeda Mohammed Al Jaberi

Theses

Lipocalin-2 (LCN2) is a new adipocytokine consisting of 198 amino acids. It is also referred to as neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, siderocalin, uterocalin, α1-microglobulin related protein, or 24p3. LCN2 belongs to a large group of transport proteins that are capable of carrying small and lipid-soluble molecules in blood circulation. It has two membrane receptors, megalin/glycoprotein GP330, which binds human LCN2 and SLC22A17 or 24p3R, which forms complexes with mouse Lcn2 protein. LCN2 is encoded by a gene located at chromosome locus 9q34.11. LCN2 was initially isolated from neutrophil granules released at the site of infection and inflammation in humans and from …

Population Structure And Relative Abundance Of Elasmobranch Species Utilizing Inshore Waters Of Abu Dhabi, Shamsa Mohamed Al Hameli

Theses

The diversity, abundance, and distribution of elasmobranchs is poorly documented along the Arabian Gulf coast of the United Arab Emirates, with only a handful of publications focusing on elasmobranchs with the majority of data are collected through landing site and market surveys lacking site and species-specific data that are crucial for conservation management plans. The main objectives of this research were to determine the occurrence and utilization; quantify the relative abundance across different seasons; and describe the demographic structure of elasmobranch species that occurs in shallow waters around mangroves in Khor Al Saadiyat and adjacent islands, northeast of Abu Dhabi, …

The Role Of Nutrient Sensitive Protein O-Glcnacylation In Developmental Cortical Neurogenesis, Shama Parween

Dissertations

The nutrient responsive O-GlcNAcylation is a dynamic, posttranslational protein modification present on many nucleocytoplasmic and mitochondrial proteins. Previous research has indicated that hyperglycaemia increases the levels of total O-GlcNAcylation within cells. Transcription factors and histones are among hundreds of proteins that have been reported to be O-GlcNAcylated and have importance in cell fate determination during cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation. However, the role of protein O-GlcNAcylation in epigenome control in response to nutritional perturbations is poorly understood. Hyperglycaemia induced protein O-GlcNAcylation have been linked to several pathologies, including obesity, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. …

Can Date Palms Planted For Urban Landscaping Purposes Serve In The Production Of Edible Fruits? An Evaluation Of Tissue Element Concentrations, Fruits Quality And Health Risks, Khattab Omar Adam Al Nidawi

Theses

More than 80.000 date palms are grown for ornamental purposes as part of public urban greenery in the city of Al Ain. The fruits that these palms produce, are often not valorized as food for humans, due to the fear that they might contain potentially hazardous pollutants, such as heavy metals. When palms are grown near roads or in urban environments, pollution might arise from the exhaust and dust produced by vehicles, industrial activities, as well as through urban waste material deposition, including irrigation with treated sewage effluent. On the other hand, many date palms grown for landscaping purposes might …

Forensic Evaluation Of Qiagen Investigator Argus Y-28 With Case Work Samples, Afnan Mohammed Alshamsi

Theses

Short Tandem Repeats polymorphisms on the Y-chromosome (Y-STRs) play a significant role in history of human hereditary. The recently introduced 6-dyes Qiagen investigator Argus Y-28 Kit which include 28Y-STR loci (DYS389I, DYS391, DYS389II, DYS533, DYS390, DYS627, DYS458, DYS393, DYS19, DYS437, DYS449, DYS460, DYS576, YGATAH4, DYS481, DYS448, DYS518, DYS439, DYS549, DYS438, DYS456, DYS643, QS1, DYS570, DYS635, DYS385, DYS392, QS2) has been used for internal validation study used in the forensic laboratories which followed sensitivity study, mixture studies, PCR parameter limits, stability study, and performance on mock casework samples. The results were reported by statistical analysis using ANOVA program. The results validate …

Anticolon Cancer Activity Of Aristolochia Rotunda Root Extract, Ghufran Ayman Al Salloum

Theses

Colon cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide and the first cause of cancer death in the UAE. While the conventional cancer therapy options like chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery are effective in the treatment of most cancers, they exhibit precarious side effects that can endanger the life of the patient. The present study explores the potential anticancer effect of Aristolochia rotunda root extract against human colorectal cancer cells. The root extract exhibited strong anti-proliferative activity in a concentration- and time-dependent manner against human colorectal cancer cell lines. A. rotunda root extract also inhibited colony growth and induced …

In-Vitro Analysis Of Potential Autophagy Mediated Safranal-Sorafenib Combined Effect On Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Aaminah Farrukh

Theses

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most commonly occurring cancers worldwide. The risk factors include obesity, hepatitis, alcoholism, smoking etc. One of the biggest associated challenges is the current treatment strategies. The therapeutic options are limited with economical and accessibility challenges, especially with increased HCC incidence. Sorafenib, a multikinase inhibitor, is one of the first FDA approved drugs for HCC. But drug resistance and cancer relapse are a common drawback for this treatment. The need for better treatment is crucial now more than ever. The use of saffron as a potential natural therapeutic option is not a novel strategy. …

Molecular Mechanisims Underlying The Anti-Cancer Activity Of Gum Arabic From Acacia Sp. In Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells., Sawsan Yaslam Alyafii

Theses

Metastatic breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive, accounting for 15-20% of all breast cancer cases. As TNBC cells lack the expression of hormone receptors estrogen receptors (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), TNBCs are unresponsive to hormonal therapy and often become highly resistant when exposed to standard chemotherapy, which has been identifies as a major obstacle in TNBC treatment. Gum Arabic, a natural exudate produced from plants, is widely used traditionally for religious, cosmetics as well as medical purposes …

Can Home Garden Be A Safe Haven In Times Of Crisis? To Measure Householders Attitudes, Preferences And Willingness To Have Home Garden At Time Of Pandemics, Noura Mubarak Al Mansouri

Theses

The new coronavirus that has rapidly become a worldwide outbreak leads people to Self-quarantine, where work, school, and shopping have become through remote applications. Keeping fit and being healthy is important at any time, especially during the coronavirus pandemic. Having a garden or outdoor space provides the opportunity to have a place that can be used to maintain a healthy life and well-being of an individual. The coronavirus lockdown has provided the time ad opportunity to create a garden that has been always wanted by householders. A Garden is a plot of ground where herbs, fruits, flowers, vegetables, and etc. …

Chemical And Biological Control Of Canker Disease Of Delonix Regia Caused By The Fungus Neoscytalidium Dimidiatum, Seham Mohammed Al Raish

Dissertations

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), royal poinciana (Delonix regia) trees suffer from stem canker disease. Symptoms of stem canker can be characterized by branch and leaf dryness, bark lesions, discoloration of xylem tissues, longitudinal wood necrosis and extensive gumming. General dieback signs were also observed leading to complete defoliation of leaves and ultimately death of trees in advanced stages. The fungus, Neoscytalidium dimidiatum DSM 109897, was consistently recovered from diseased royal poinciana tissues; this was confirmed by the molecular, structural and morphological studies. Phylogenetic analyses of the translation elongation factor 1-a (TEF1-α) of N. dimidiatum from the …

Molecular Mechanisims Underlying The Anti-Cancer Activity Of Gum Arabic From Acacia Sp. In Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells, Sawsan Yaslam Hussein Alyafii

Theses

Metastatic breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive, accounting for 15-20% of all breast cancer cases. As TNBC cells lack the expression of hormone receptors estrogen receptors (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), TNBCs are unresponsive to hormonal therapy and often become highly resistant when exposed to standard chemotherapy, which has been identified as a major obstacle in TNBC treatment. Gum Arabic, a natural exudate produced from plants, is widely used traditionally for religious, cosmetics as well as medicinal purposes …

Evaluation Of Nutrient Solutions Produced From Aqueous Extracts And Decomposition Products Of Organic Waste Materials On The Plant Growth Performance In Hydroponics, Noura Said Al Nuaimi Said Al Nuaimi

Theses

Hydroponic plant production involves the cultivation of plants in absence of soil. In this system, the supply of the plant root with water and nutritional elements occurs via a nutrient solution made of inorganic salts. Hydroponic plant cultivation often achieves higher yields, water use efficiencies and quality of crops compared with soil production. In addition, it renders the farming system independent from soil properties. However, the currently available systems rely on the steady input of non-renewable inorganic salts. Unlike soil-based systems, hydroponics, so far, do not offer feasible opportunities for recycling nutritional elements from within crop residues or organic waste …