Digital Commons Network^™

Plankton Dynamic At Eastern Arabian Gulf And Sea Of Oman, Muzna Mohammed Husam Saeed Al Junaibi

Theses

The present study is part of the collaborative research project entitled “Comparative Analysis and Predictions of Algal Blooms in the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman”, between the United Arab Emirates University and Sultan Qaboos University (Grant # G00002684- 31S321), in which simultaneous and intensive biweekly plankton and water samples were collected from two opposite coastal stations off the Strait of Hormuz with the aim to study plankton dynamics at the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman and the effect of environmental parameters on their community structures during the period from May 2018 until May …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Teaching Mathematics Online In Elementary Schools In Al Ain., Kamar Fayez Kamar

Theses

Online learning is an active method of learning in our lives, and it has been implemented in all the schools in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Many methods such as platforms, online educational websites, and other applications were used by teachers to support online learning, and to be able to assist students to achieve their goals and accomplish what is required from their curriculum. The main objective of this study is to examine teachers’ perceptions toward teaching mathematics using online learning in elementary schools. Data was collected from 90 (n= 90) elementary teachers in Al Ain City, UAE, during the …

Biosensor Devices Based On Graphene And 2d Materials, Suhada Aidrous Poovathy

Theses

Nanomaterials offered new improvements and developments to the bio-sensing field due to their unique physical and chemical properties. Unique and exceptional electronic properties, such as the ultrahigh surface-to-volume ratio and the excellent electrical properties of the 2D materials like in graphene, making these materials promising for future smaller and faster electronics, but an extensive amount of research is still needed. This thesis is concerned with the study of the integration of 2D material graphene in the development of sensitive and rapid biosensors. The main objective of this thesis is to understand the features and characteristics of graphene, evaluate the scope …

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Eating Competence And Biopsychosocial Factors In Adults With Metabolic Syndrome, Jenna Hickey

Theses

Background: An association between eating competence and bioclinical factors for healthy adults has been identified. However, no research has been conducted into the association of ecSI 2.0TM scores and biopsychosocial measures for adults with metabolic syndrome. Purpose: To examine the congruence between eating competence and biopsychosocial measures at baseline and post-intervention in individuals with metabolic syndrome. Methods: Self report surveys administered to participants: Satter Eating Competence Inventory (ecSI 2.0TM), Short Form Health Survey Mental Health and Vitality scales(SF-36 MH and VT), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Patient Health Questionnaire – 8 (PHQ-8). Bioclinical measures: HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, blood glucose, BMI, and …

Meaningful Use Of The Ehr-Evaluating The Internal And External Factors Affecting The Timeliness Of Patient Referrals, Beverly J. Schacherbauer

Theses

This project aimed to evaluate specialty referral wait times in a large academic medical center. Internal (organizational) as well as external (patient specific) factors were examined. Additionally, although specific to this QI project, the need to examine the accuracy of EHR data was identified and included. A retrospective review of one month of referral data to five medical specialties was completed (n=752). Logistic regression and multivariable analysis was used to determine whether age, race, insurance, specialty, or days from referral to appointment were associated with delays to timely access. Referrals with significant delays were further reviewed to identify additional factors …

Can Providing Positive Interactions With Snakes Change A Person’S Perception Of Dangerous Wildlife Interactions?, Bethany Walker

Theses

Due to a long co-evolutionary history between placental mammals and reptiles, primates demonstrate aversive responses to snakes. In humans, this can result in ophidiophobia, or the fear of snakes which can arise due to cultural backgrounds, traumatic experiences, or fear instilled by others. However, these reptiles fill essential roles in ecosystems. Conservation and outreach efforts are important to help our population understand snakes’ role in our lives and the state’s broader biodiversity. Negative experiences or preconceptions about snakes can make this message hard to share with the public. Educators can help prevent intentional harm to some of these organisms through …

Where Are The Women? A Feminist Field Guide To The Museum, Taylor Weaver

Theses

Linda Nochlin’s seminal 1971 essay, “Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?” was at the fore of the great battle cries of many feminist scholars that drew attention to the limitation’s that female artist’s face in the art world. Women have systematically been left out of the art historical narrative while their male counterparts remain at the forefront.

There are many women that are very prominently represented in museums. They are largely nude and have been represented by male artists. While I do not argue that nudity in paintings should not exist, I do insist that museum goers become …

Game-Based Learning: Building Competence In Visual Literacy Through Simulation, Carol Record

Theses

Game-based learning is an ideal experiential learning framework for introducing the critique process to reduce student anxiety and create competence in visual literacy and self-assessment. Critique, the assessment, and analysis of one’s work is an essential step in any creative process. It is an integral part of art school. However, it can also be a source of high anxiety for new students. This paper discusses the importance of critique, the challenges associated with teaching critique, and the benefits of utilizing game-based learning. Examples of game-based learning solutions are explored, including the development of, and response to, Lumen, a card game …

Social Media Practices For Churches, Jordyn Helgen

Theses

This project focuses on providing a resource for churches and similar nonprofit organizations to utilize in order to maximize their social media strategy and generate ideas for content. Furthermore, it will help these organizations to better understand social media and how they can use social media tools to accentuate their religious values and accomplish their mission.

Anchor Self-Calibrating Schemes For Uwb Based Indoor Localization, Jonathan Pereira

Theses

Traditional indoor localization techniques that use Received Signal Strength or Inertial Measurement Units for dead-reckoning suffer from signal attenuation and sensor drift, resulting in inaccurate position estimates. Newly available Ultra-Wideband radio modules can measure distances at a centimeter-level accuracy while mitigating the effects of multipath propagation due to their very fine time resolution. Known locations of fixed anchor nodes are required to determine the position of tag nodes within an indoor environment. For a large system consisting of several anchor nodes spanning a wide area, physically mapping out the locations of each anchor node is a tedious task and thus …

Semantic Segmentation And Change Detection In Satellite Imagery, Raaga Madappa

Theses

Processing of satellite images using deep learning and computer vision methods is needed for urban planning, crop assessments, disaster management, and rescue and recovery operations. Deep learning methods which are trained on ground-based imagery do not translate well to satellite imagery. In this thesis, we focus on the tasks of semantic segmentation and change detection in satellite imagery. A segmentation framework is presented based on existing waterfall-based modules. The proposed framework, called PyramidWASP, or PyWASP for short, can be used with two modules. PyWASP with the Waterfall Atrous Spatial Pooling (WASP) module investigates the effects of adding a feature pyramid …

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 Improvement Of The Healthcare Industry In Dubai By Using Robotic Nurses During Covid-19, Ahlam Hasan Alhaili

Theses

The project aims to highlight the necessity to improve the Dubai healthcare industry that witnesses limited smart responses during the global pandemic of Covid-19. Mainly by suggesting a solution to overcome problems like nursing staff shortage in Dubai hospitals during Covid-19, which negatively affects the healthcare system's resiliency to a health crisis. The project suggests the smart approach of using robotic nurses to overcome this problem and other issues related to nursing staff, like minimizing direct contact with patients, focusing more on the more complex tasks, leaving more straightforward tasks for robots, and provide the technology that can increase their …

The Importance Of Shifting From Massive To Sustainable Tourism Model: The Case Study Of The City Of Dubrovnik, Niko Katusic

Theses

Tourism is currently one of the largest economical income generators for Croatia and especially for the city of Dubrovnik. Desired worldwide for its economic benefits tourism is going to double during the next 20 years. Considering mass tourism as the main definition for tourism in 21 century that cannot be neglected by current efforts to implement sustainable tourism, this paper draws attention to improved satisfaction that sustainable tourism can provide to locals and tourists operating in the city of Dubrovnik. The question of satisfaction level for stakeholders in tourism destinations is connected to the psychological characteristics and motivation of tourists …

Tuberculosis Screening And Education In The Urban Public School District, Nikolaos S. Moraros

Theses

Tuberculosis (TB) is the world's deadliest curable communicable infectious disease. The eradication of TB is a significantly important intractable global public health challenge for health agencies at all levels. Global migration, cultural-socioeconomic factors and increase of multidrug-resistance tuberculosis (MDR-TB) affect the epidemiology of TB in the United States and other countries worldwide. Studies have shown that increase in TB knowledge and understanding contributes to early TB screenings/diagnosis, interventions and treatments, result in reducing MDR-TB, rates of TB transmissions, relapse, morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this project is: (1) to develop a TB screening risk assessment protocol for the Urban …

Multivariate Statistical Analysis Applied To The Forensic Analysis Of Synthetic Fibers, Abdulrahman Aljanaahi

Theses

Textile fibers obtained from crime scenes can provide trace evidence to help solve criminal cases through forensic science. Examining the samples involves the use of different analytical procedures to determine associations between different fabric fragments. The current study explored multivariate statistical methods applied in synthetic fiber forensic science comparisons. The literature review of the current research identified various multivariate approaches such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Square Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) to analyze spectroscopic and chromatographic data. The capstone project used Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectroscopy instrumental methods for the analysis of standard synthetic fibers. Afterwards, multivariate data …

Wave Optics In Scanning Electron Microscopy, Surya Kamal

Theses

Better quality imaging is often needed for all optical instruments including the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Inside the SEM, an electron beam is generated by applying a voltage to the electron gun. The electron beam propagates through the SEM column and illuminates the specimen with a small probe. Our research is oriented towards the end goal of obtaining better images by modeling the SEM column which contains the lens system needed for probe formation. This probe which scans the specimen to produce the final image is one of the pivotal factors which determines the fundamental resolution of a SEM. We …

Noninvasive Electrocardiographic Imaging (Ecgi) To Guide Catheter Ablation Of Scar-Related Ventricular Tachycardia, Omar Ahmed Gharbia

Theses

Scar-related VT is caused by local \textit{short circuits} of electrical propagation formed by slow-conducting channels of surviving tissue within a scar. Catheter ablation treats scar-related VT by destroying the critical channel of surviving tissues. Its efficacy heavily relies on how well the channels critical to the formation of VT circuits can be localized. Unfortunately, in current practice, this relies on invasive catheter mapping that falls short in several critical aspects: up to 90$\%$ of the VT circuits are too short-lived to be mapped, the mapping cannot be done non-invasively prior to the ablation procedure, and the mapping is restricted to …

Comparing Adobe’S Unsharp Masks And High-Pass Filters In Photoshop Using The Visual Information Fidelity Metric, Nhung T. Pham

Theses

The present study examines image sharpening techniques quantitatively. A technique known as unsharp masking has been the preferred image sharpening technique for imaging professionals for many years. More recently, another professional-level sharpening solution has been introduced, namely, the high-pass filter technique of image sharpening. An extensive review of the literature revealed no purely quantitative studies that compared these techniques. The present research compares unsharp masking (USM) and high-pass filter (HPF) sharpening using an image quality metric known as Visual Information Fidelity (VIF). Prior researchers have used VIF data in research aimed at improving the USM sharpening technique. The present study …

The Impact Of Readmission On Family Caregivers Of Children Following Ventricular Peritoneal Shunt Surgery, Mary Uwhuba

Theses

Family caregivers work tirelessly to ensure their loved ones don't need to return to the hospital after discharge. This study will examine the impact of readmission on family caregivers of children who have had ventricular peritoneal shunt (VPS) surgery and been readmitted by looking at the economic, social, familial, and personal strains of caregiving. This study is a descriptive study. The Impact on Family Scale survey (Stein & Jessop, 1985) was used to judge if family caregivers were affected by child's readmission.

Subgroups Of Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy With Distinct Cognitive Fatigue And Evening Physical Fatigue Profiles, Lisa Morse

Theses

Purpose was to model cognitive fatigue and evening physical fatigue together to determine subgroups of patients with distinct cognitive fatigue AND evening physical fatigue profiles. Once these profiles were identified, differences among the subgroups in demographic and clinical characteristics, co-occurring symptoms, and quality of life outcomes were evaluated.

The Use Of Machine Learning In Assessing Suicide Risk: A Meta-Analysis, Rachael Kang

Theses

Suicide is a devastating act in which a person takes their own life. Decades of research into suicide have identified a myriad of risk factors that have been used to create assessments of suicide risk and suicidality. However, more recent research has suggested that these identified risk factors may have no better predictive ability than chance, perhaps because suicide is actually a multi-dimensional, multi-faceted construct that has been viewed too simplistically for prediction’s sake. To try and better appreciate the complex nature of suicide while also increasing prediction accuracy, researchers have turned to machine learning. This study sought to meta-analyze …

A Cost Analysis And Policy Review Of Digestate When Deemed A Waste Product And A Fertilizer., Sarah Chandrika Cannon

Theses

Food waste is a multifaceted issue that has proposed solutions as complex as the problem itself. New York State recently announced a food waste ban, effective January of 2020, that will require large scale food waste producers to manage the waste through alternative methods as opposed to disposal in a landfill. One of those methods is through Anaerobic Digestion, a process in which organic matter chemically reacts with bacteria to produce a biofuel along with an associated byproduct, namely digestate. The biofuel in most cases is used to produce electricity to feed back to the grid acting as a net …

Examining Own-Race Bias: A Cooperation And Memory Study Using Diverse Emojis, Jillian Franks

Theses

Other-race-effect or own-race bias is a well-documented phenomenon in memory. Findings suggest that humans are better at recognizing and remembering faces of their own race than other races. Previous research suggests that these results are due to a lack of interracial contact or exposure to other racial groups. Evidence from previous studies has demonstrated that individuals process own-race faces differently than other-race faces, paying more attention to more salient features that become better encoded. While there is empirical support for both hypotheses, it has yet to be studied if the other-race effect for memory extends to representational human faces, for …

Conservation Of The Ambystoma Jeffersonianum Complex, Morgan Motherwell

Theses

The Great Lakes region is home to the diverse genus Ambystoma, including the Blue Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma laterale) and Jefferson’s Salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum). These two species are relevant to conservation efforts because of unique hybrid populations. This hybridization creates offspring populations that are morphologically similar to the parental species. The hybrid populations are primarily all female lineages and are known as the Ambystoma jeffersonianum complex. Conservation interest in this hybrid complex stems from the fact that hybrid populations are not taxonomically recognized as separate species and therefore are not protected under the Endangered Species Act. To assess the contribution of …

Evaluating Identification And Sorting Technologies For Improved Ferrous And Non-Ferrous Recycling, Leslie Brooks

Theses

Metals recycling is one of the oldest industries in the United States that now employs over 530,000 individuals. It has always played a significant role in the economy, contributing $109.78 billion to the US economy in 2018. Furthermore, recycling supplies extensive goods and services, the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) reported that every year greater than 900M Mt of scrap (~2 billion pounds) are consumed by manufactures globally, equating to 40% of the raw material demand. Additionally, as climate change becomes a greater threat, we must seek practices to lessen our carbon footprint, and recycling helps to reduce the …

Assessment And Deployment Of Genetic Tools For North American River Otters (Lontra Canadensis), Kelsey Lawton

Theses

North American River Otters (Lontra canadensis) once thrived in large numbers in most wetlands of North America. However, due to human pressures such as trapping, habitat loss and pollution, these carnivorous mammals have decreased in numbers significantly in the last 100+ years, becoming extirpated in many traditionally inhabited areas. The use of genetic data from molecular techniques (PCR, DNA sequencing) can guide the identification and management of populations used for relocations to better maintain genetic diversity in both wild and captive otter populations and help inform the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) breeding programs. Management organizations are concerned with …

1:38, Yuhao Sheng

Theses

This thesis support paper demonstrated the entire process of creating this thesis film "1:38," describing how this film completed from a simple inspiration to a finished film project. Besides, this paper also describes how the author's ideas formed from the beginning and his inner struggle during the quarantine period, which inspired the author to create this film. Thirdly, this paper clarifies how the whole film team worked and our considerations about different problems during the film shooting. I believe this paper would be a good reference for the students to shoot their films with a low budget.

Material Use And Its Sustainability In The Automotive Industry, Ayomipo Arowosola

Theses

Among sectors in the United States, the transportation sector contributes the most to greenhouse gas emissions (USEPA, 2018) at 28%. A complex mix of market dynamics, demographics, and technological changes like material type (e.g. lightweighting techniques), fuel type (e.g. biogas), vehicle mode (e.g. internal combustion) and recyclability (Lewis et al., 2019) is employed to combat theses emissions. While these changes presumably effect linear level contributions and impacts, it is important to objectively determine their effects and impacts at a systems level. This research studied the material use implication of two major technological changes – lightweighting and electrification. The study involved …

Waveform Systematics In Parameter Inference Of Gw Signals From Compact Binary Mergers, Anjali Balasaheb Yelikar

Theses

The Nobel prize winning discovery of gravitational waves from a binary black hole merger GW150914 opened up a new window onto the Universe. We have now seen multiple GW detections from coalescences of different kinds of compact binary objects. Accurate inference of parameters of these compact objects is a crucial part of gravitational wave astronomy. Data analysis techniques employ Bayesian statistics comparing gravitational wave models against the detected signal. Most of these models approximate solutions of Einstein's General Relativity equations, as generating numerical relativity(NR) solutions for every point in the parameter space of probable compact binary coalescences is computationally expensive. …