Digital Commons Network^™

A Comparative Study Of Weavings Of Two Disparate Cultures: Finding The Similarities In Handcrafts, Monica Lowe

Theses

This thesis is a study of the similarities between the traditional weavings of two indigenous cultures who appear to be culturally unrelated, the West African Ewe and the Peruvian Quechua located in the Cusco Province. Its purview includes the purpose it serves, who does the craft, and meanings woven into the textiles. The focus of this thesis is based on a theory that across human cultures, iconographies and archetypes are demonstratively the same, with similar collective, unconscious meanings. The overall theory is that handcrafts are an important consideration when demonstrating a reflection of human cultural similarities in beliefs, community, and …

Patient Specific Tissue Emulating Phantoms For Image-Guided Intervention Applications, Kelly Merrell

Theses

Patient specific organ and tissue mimicking phantoms are used routinely to develop and assess new image-guided intervention tools and techniques in laboratory settings, enabling scientists to maintain acceptable anatomical relevance, while avoiding animal studies when the developed technology is still in its infancy. Gelatin phantoms, specifically, offer a cost-effective and readily available alternative to the traditional manufacturing of anatomical phantoms, and also provide the necessary versatility to mimic various stiffness properties specific to various organs or tissues. In the first part of this thesis, we describe the protocol to develop patient specific anthropomorphic gelatin phantoms of different organs and we …

Evaluating The Feasibility And Efficacy Of 3d Printing Versus Traditional Construction Techniques: A Study Of Cost, Time And Energy Of A New Lowrise Office Building On The Uaeu Campus, Hala Mohammed Basel

Theses

In line with the forward-looking vision of the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), this research evaluates the feasibility and effectiveness of 3D printing technology compared to traditional construction methods, focusing on cost, time, and energy efficiency for a new low-rise office building on the UAEU campus. With the growing number of PhD students in the Architectural Engineering Department, expanding office space has become a priority. This study explores how 3D printing technology, known for its sustainability, reduced material waste, and accelerated construction, can address these challenges more efficiently than conventional methods.

Guided by the UAE Vision 2030, which focuses on …

Evaluation Of Opportunities For The Cultivation Of Heterotrophic Plant Root Organ Cultures As Food: Optimization Of Culture Conditions And Carbohydrate Sources, Fatima Mohammed Alkaabi

Theses

All agricultural plant production requires investment of water, energy, and land, especially in the Gulf Region, where environmental conditions are not ideally suitable for crop farming. Currently, less than 40% of agricultural plant biomass production constitutes food, which greatly limits the overall feasibility of food production systems worldwide. Crop residues constitute over half of global agricultural biomass, and food waste and biomass from public parks and gardens further add to the vast pool of non-edible plant material. Existing valorization strategies for such material cannot compensate for the enormous amounts of water, energy, land, and human resources invested in their production. …

Predicting The Current Habitat Distribution Of Important Halophytes And Their Potential Future Shifts Under Climate Change Using Species Distribution Modeling, Ahlam Mabkhot Bin Suwaidan

Theses

This thesis is concerned with the current habitat distribution of important 15 halophyte species and the impact climate change on their distribution, probability of occurrence and presence for two future temporal points (2050, 2070). The main objective of this thesis is to define the current distribution of important halophytes and to assess the impacts of climate change on their distribution using future climate projections CMIP5 RCP 8.5. This study utilizes multidimensional available data to address the current and to predict the future distribution of Halophyte plant species. To perform this study, the object-oriented and reproducible R package known as SDM, …

Assessment Of Heavy Metal Concentration In Orange-Spotted Trevally (Flavocaranx Bajad) From Two Coastal Locations In Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Kholood Khaled Aljaberi

Theses

This study investigates concentration of heavy metals in the Orange-spotted Trevally (Flavocaranx bajad) from two distinct coastal areas in Abu Dhabi Emirate, Sila and Abu Dhabi. Heavy metals pollution poses a significant risk to both marine ecosystems and human health; thus it is vital to conduct comprehensive assessments of heavy metal contaminations in aquatic life. The main aim of this study is to quantify the levels of heavy metals and assess their concentrations in gill, muscle, and liver tissues of the Orange-spotted Trevally from both sites. The samples were prepared and analyzed using microwave digestion system and ICP …

Ai-Powered Pedagogy: Revolutionizing Students’ Learning Experiences Through Integration Of Ai Technologies, Amna Awad Alsaedi

Theses

This research examines the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the educational sector with the aim of enhancing student learning outcomes. AI offers tailored learning experiences, interactive educational content, prompt feedback, and access to diverse learning resources. Nonetheless, challenges including addiction, costliness, privacy infringement, bias, ethical dilemmas, market competition, and moral considerations require resolution. Research particularly delves into the utilization of chatbots, and algorithms designed to simulate human interactions and generate text resembling human speech. Educational applications powered by AI have the potential to heighten student engagement, comprehension, and academic performance by substituting traditional assignments with concise, information-rich lessons. Furthermore, …

The Effect Of Nerolidol On The Renal Dysfunction Following Bilateral Ureteral Obstruction In The Rat, Harun Rashed Toumi

Theses

This thesis addressed nerolidol’s potential therapeutic and protective effects on bilateral ureteral obstruction-induced uropathy in rats. Obstructive uropathy stands as a notable contributor to acute kidney injury (AKI), accounting for 5-10% of all AKI cases worldwide, with a particularly high prevalence among the elderly, constituting 22% of AKI cases in this age group. Urinary tract obstruction, often attributed to factors such as kidney stones, urinary tract deformities and benign/malignant growths such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in older men can lead to detrimental outcomes if left untreated, potentially progressing to kidney failure and even mortality. The severity of the kidney …

Effect Of Virtual Reality Technology On Computer Science/Engineering Based Laboratories Education – A Case Study, Mariam A. Al Nuaimi

Theses

Virtual reality (VR) is becoming increasingly popular and essential in education as institutions strive to incorporate technology in education. In Engineering and Computer Science, students face difficulties in comprehending many abstract complex concepts that are typically studied in Labs. This situation worsens with hardware failure and the lack of pedagogical tools. The main goal of this paper is to investigate the impact of VR environments on learning advanced and complex STEM concepts. We also explore the impact of different human-computer interaction (HCI) techniques including gamification on the learning experience of STEM students. To measure such impact, we developed a VR …

Practices And Perceptions Of Uae Residents: Food Safety In Handling And Preparation Of Fish, Consumption, And Nutrition From Fish, Noof Ahmad Al Marzooqi

Theses

Background: UAE is uniquely located with an extensive seafront, which has led to the development of fishing and fisheries in the country. As a result, the UAE's diverse population has become one of the highest fish consumers among the Gulf countries. The high fish consumption in the UAE was a part of the traditional diet; however, a better understanding of UAE residents' practices and perceptions of fish food safety, fish preparation, and nutrition from fish consumption was needed. Objective: This study investigates food safety practices in handling and preparation of fish, consumption trends, and perceptions of nutrition from fish among …

Kinetics, Thermodynamics, And Biological Characterizations Of Hydrolysates Enzymatically Produced From Proteins Extracted From Microalgae, Hebah Al-Amodi

Theses

This thesis aims to explore the use of Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-L (ZIF-L) as a support for immobilizing alcalase and its potency in producing protein hydrolysates. ZIF-L was synthesized at room temperature using an aqueous solution, and alcalase was immobilized through adsorption batch experiment. The successful immobilization of alcalase on ZIF-L was confirmed through Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The maximum adsorption capacity of alcalase on ZIF-L was determined to be 672.1 ± 5.5 mg g^-1 at 40°C using an initial protein concentration of 5 mg mL-1. Adsorption equilibrium data …

Comparison The Impact Of Co2 And Uvb On Moringa Peregrina And Moringa Oleifera Growth Under Open Top Chamber, Omar Mohammed Alshehhi

Theses

Climate change has had a tremendous impact on ecosystems, with an apparent connection between farming methods and environmental change. Climate change has a substantial effect on both abiotic and biotic factors that affect crop plants. The increasing number of abiotic stressors has highlighted the impact of global warming on plant productivity. This study compared and evaluated the abiotic stress resistance of two Moringa species (Moringa oleifera and Moringa peregrina) to UV radiation, increased CO₂ levels, and their combined effects. The evaluation mainly focused on key morphological features, including plant height (cm) and fresh and dry weights, to assess …

Polyphenol Profiling And Bioactivities Of Date Seed: A Comparative Assessment Of Extraction Techniques In Different Date Seed Varieties, Fatima Ibrahim Albedwawi

Theses

Plant-waste-derived bioactive compounds have generated growing interest recently. In this context, this project examined the phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, antimicrobial activity, and antibiofilm capability of the seed extract of Phoenix dactylifera. Six date seed varieties (Fardh, Sukarri, Negal, Majdool, Zahidi, and Khadrawy) were studied. In this study, a novel ultrasound-assisted extraction technique is compared with the conventional extraction method (maceration using 80% ethanol), taking into account both the quality and quantity of polyphenols. Among the primary objectives, the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of polyphenols was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM), aiming for maximum TPC and DPPH radical scavenging. By …

Fluidity Of Time, Phoebe Huey

Theses

Fluidity of Time is a digital clock installation that uses particle simulations to symbolize the fluctuating nature of human emotions throughout the day. Inspired by the concept of entropy—the natural shift from order to disorder—the clock’s particle-based digits flow, collapse, and rebuild, mirroring emotional cycles. The project addresses the issue of disconnection in a post-pandemic, technology-driven world, aiming to captivate viewers and create shared experiences that foster community. Through experimentation in X-Particles, I developed fluid, life-like motion in a digital clock that engages viewers on both aesthetic and emotional levels. The installation received positive feedback for its mesmerizing and satisfying …

Dubai Urban Planning 2040: Resource Requirements In The Urban District 5, Bakhit Alfalasi

Theses

The availability of water, food, energy and air quality resources is compromised by prevailing global issues like environmental stress, climate change, and population growth. This research study details the different requirements for Dubai urban District 5 based on the tenets laid out in the Urban Planning 2040 initiative. The literature review section looks into existing literature on the present state of affairs in the UAE as regards availability of water, food, and energy resources in the country and implications of their production processes on air quality. The Study will employ an exploratory research design, where a systematic review of literature …

Monitoring The Seasonal Presence Of The Blue Shiner, Cyprinella Caerulea, In Little River Canyon National Preserve Using Environmental Dna, Deanna Meadows

Theses

The study of environmental DNA (eDNA) has provided researchers with a more accessible and sensitive way to identify the presence of specific species compared to traditional monitoring methods. eDNA enables species detection by analyzing environmental samples such as water or soil, which contain genetic material shed by organisms in a given area. Research indicates that eDNA techniques have become a valuable method for monitoring threatened and invasive species, proving particularly reliable for detecting aquatic species compared to traditional techniques. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) has been used in numerous eDNA studies, as it provides for greater accuracy than conventional PCR. Cyprinella …

Palette Of Perspective: Designing An Inclusive Art History Curriculum, Amy Bettencourt

Theses

This project aims to develop an inclusive art history curriculum as a high school level course, addressing the traditional Western-centric focus that has been marginalized non-Western contributions. By pairing Western and non-Western artworks within a chronological framework, students can compare artistic expressions across cultures, emphasizing parallel histories rather than a single Eurocentric narrative. The curriculum employs diverse interpretive methodologies to foster critical thinking and challenge conventional narrative. Designed for a 20-week semester, it focuses on a smaller number of key artworks per unit to encourage meaningful engagement and projects. While still rooted in Western art, the course connects global artistic …

Performance Evaluation Of Ai-Based Healthcare Systems In The United Arab Emirates: A Comparative Analysis Of Diagnostic Accuracy And Predictive Capability Using Spss, Hamad Ismail

Theses

This research investigates the opinions and experiences of United Arab Emirates (UAE) healthcare personnel on artificial intelligence (AI)-based technology. Successful application and integration depend on a knowledge of the viewpoints of people at the front-line of patient care as artificial intelligence technology progressively enter healthcare contexts. Combining advanced statistical analysis with quantitative questionnaires using a mixed-methods approach, the study presents a whole picture of artificial intelligence opinions across several healthcare environments and UAE geographical areas. The study revealed a topography of opinions on artificial intelligence in the healthcare sector that is complicated. Though views varied widely based on their employment, …

The Use Of Puffed Rice Biomaterial As An Insulation Layer: Characterization And Simulation Study, Nicolas Monje Mejia

Theses

Upon close examination in this study, the feasibility of utilizing puffed rice as an insulation layer for construction is explored. Regions that are warm and receive direct sunlight experience heightened temperatures, which can lead to structures trapping excessive heat, resulting in increased cooling demands, energy consumption, and higher costs all around. As revealed via findings from research conducted over time, puffed rice showcases immense prospects when employed as insulation considering its high level of percolation coupled with low thermal conductivity rates. Conversely, conventional materials tend to have better-quality properties like greater compressive strength than what one sees here, along with …

An Edge Platform Streamlining Connectivity Between Modern Edge Devices And Cloud, Anderson Carvalho

Theses

The numerous uses of cloud, fog, and edge computing in a variety of industries are thoroughly examined in this thesis, with a special emphasis on smart factories, smart cities, and smart agriculture. It starts with an introduction to cloud computing, going over its history, importance in contemporary digital infrastructures, and related security concerns. It emphasizes the value of cloud computing for processing and storing data while addressing issues like guaranteeing low latency applications and possible improvements from container technologies. The conversation then shifts to fog computing, going over its history, designs, and uses. It focuses on how fog computing might …

Monitoring Marine Animal Interactions With Open Ocean Aquaculture And The Potential For Measuring Impacts, Ryan Richard Yont

Theses

Aquaculture, the farming of water-based organisms, is one of the fastest growing industries in the food production sector globally. Aquaculture farms, regardless of type, are categorized as either coastal or offshore marine aquaculture and are generalized into three categories: fed (e.g., finfish), unfed (e.g., filter-feeding bivalves), and autotrophic (e.g. kelp). Viewed as an agricultural industry, marine aquaculture is tightly regulated, particularly in the U.S. Despite this, an area of concern for the public and management alike is the potential for marine life interactions with aquaculture gear. Even the best-run farms represent a change in the physical and biological characteristics of …

The Potential For Automated Insect Classification Using Infrared Remote Sensing, Rachel Deahl

Theses

Insects play an important role within ecosystems, occupying almost all trophic levels and providing crucial services such as pollination and decomposition. In addition, they can directly and negatively impact humans as crop pests, parasites, and disease vectors. Thus, it is essential to understand the spatial and temporal dynamics of insect populations and communities. Various forms of remote sensing, such as LiDAR, have been used to capture data on insects but often are costly and require advanced expertise. The objective of this thesis is to evaluate a cost-effective methodology that balances information loss. This thesis aims to outline the discrimination required …

Polytetrafluoroethylene (Ptfe) Vs. Ptfe-Free Coatings On Paper Label: Analysis Of Label Mechanical And Performance Properties, Chuqi Su

Theses

Post-printed water-based (WB) coatings, commonly known as aqueous coatings, have gained popularity for paper-based label manufacturing because of their environmentally friendly characteristics. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is one of the common additives added to the WB coatings to achieve heat resistance and rub resistance properties for the final product. PTFE is a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene, and is a category of Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS). As of January 2024, the sale of food packaging containing PFAS is prohibited in the state of Minnesota, with expectations that this regulation will extend to other states because of the proven harm of PFAS to both humans …

Gallbladder, Raiven Gibbons

Theses

Gallbladder is a triptych feature screenplay focusing on a woman’s search for the meaning of life, death, and their function in between, titled “Time.” The feature explores themes of home, desire, lust, family, romance, codependency, independency, work life, and responsibilities, while finding a reason to laugh in an absurdist world. Each segment is inspired by my personal experiences working within the healthcare system. It was written between September 2023-August 2024 including pre-production and post-production of the live action proof of concept short and the full feature script. This paper describes and analyzes the screenwriting process for Raiven Gibbons, writer and …

Reduction Of Crimes In Dubai With The Use Of Artificial Intelligence, Ahmad Saeed Abdulrahim

Theses

This dissertation examines the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance crime reduction efforts by the Dubai Police. As Dubai continues to grow and new technologies emerge, integrating AI into Dubai Police represents a significant opportunity to improve operational efficiency, predictive policing, and data-driven investigations. However, this integration also raises critical ethical and privacy concerns that must be addressed to ensure responsible use. The rapid development of AI technologies offers promising solutions for modernizing crime prevention and Dubai Police strategies. Dubai, with its advanced technological infrastructure and forward-looking governance, is an ideal context for exploring these innovations. The effective use …

Christmas Eve, Lingxiao Fan

Theses

Christmas Eve is a 3D animated graduate thesis film in length of 3 minutes. It is a story about a young Santa Claus who keeps getting distracted by everything around her and procrastinates from doing her job - preparing gifts for kids. The main character, Santa Claus No.077, who lives in the North Pole Village, has the whole year to prepare gifts for children. However, due to her procrastination, one year has passed and she hasn’t finished her job preparing the gifts on Christmas Eve. Noticing the big day for Santa Clauses is taking place today while reading the newspaper, …

Virtual Vortex, Yiling Jiang

Theses

This project examines the pervasive negative impacts of social media through the lens of 3D abstract motion in Virtual Vortex. While social media offers unparalleled convenience and connectivity, it also brings significant, often hidden, adverse effects on psychosocial health, personal privacy, and relationships. These consequences, although intangible, have profound implications that necessitate deeper scrutiny. In Virtual Vortex, I translate these abstract issues into concrete visuals, using 3D animation to make the invisible visible. By employing Cinema 4D (C4D) dynamics and mograph, I create a narrative where a yellow ball represents individuals, and various forms of social media icons symbolize the …

Bhasha: An Interactive Experience Learning Indian Languages, Charmy Patel

Theses

BHASHA is an interactive online platform that focuses on the linguistic diversity of India, specifically targeting languages from the Nagari (Hindi, Gujarati, Bengali) and Dravidian (Tamil) families. The name "BHASHA," meaning "language" in many Indian dialects, reflects the platform's inclusive approach to language learning. BHASHA addresses the challenge of learning complex scripts by offering an engaging experience that showcases the unique beauty and distinctiveness of Indian language typography, characters, type anatomy, and writing systems. By combining technology, design, and linguistics, the platform provides a user-centric solution for individuals and typographers interested in learning Indian languages by making these complex scripts …

Plastic Abundance And Degradation In The Anaerobic Digestion Of Food Waste, Abbey Whitney

Theses

Food waste (FW) is a pervasive issue across the supply chain, with an estimated 30-40% of the food supply left unsold or uneaten annually (ReFED, 2022). In response, in 2015 the U.S. set a goal to halve FW by 2030 (U.S. EPA, 2020f). Valorization, the process of recovering value from FW, has become a key strategy, with anaerobic digestion (AD) playing a pivotal role. AD transforms organic waste into biogas and digestate, a potential soil amendment. However, plastic contamination in the organic waste stream poses a significant challenge. During digestion and storage, plastic debris can break down into microplastics (MP), …

Event Sensor Simulator With Hardware Accelerated Ray Tracer And Image Space Photon Mapping, Chengyi Ma

Theses

In this study, we present an advanced event sensor simulator leveraging NVIDIA OptiX to address and overcome the limitations of existing event sensor simulators. Our simulator demonstrates significant improvements in both processing speed and temporal resolution compared to traditional methods such as v2e. These advancements are achieved by programming a real-time ray tracer with asynchronous event pixels using Nvidia OptiX’s sophisticated motion system, which provides hardware motion interpolation on GPU threads. This enables sampling dynamic scenes to generate a series of events independent from frame rates. Additionally, we introduce an image space photon mapping method utilizing OptiX for enhanced global …