Digital Commons Network^™

Optimization Of A Combined Approach For The Treatment Of Desalination Reject Brine And Capture Of Co₂, Ameera Fares Mohammad

Theses

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is the most widespread greenhouse gas that traps heat and raises the global temperature, contributing to climate change. Existing techniques to sequester carbon dioxide have numerous environmental concerns and usually require an extensive amount of energy. New technologies and methods, such as reactions with desalination reject brine according to the Solvay process, offer new hope for the reduction of carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere. Brine management is another environmental concern, as many desalination plants need to find suitable approaches for the treatment or disposal of the large amounts of concentrated brine, resulting from the desalination processes. …

Mathematical Modeling Of The Imported Malaria In The United Arab Emirates, Fatima Hassan Ali Alawadhi

Theses

Although the UAE was certified to be free of local malaria transmission cases in 2007, the increased number of imported malaria cases in recent years required the attention of the public health professionals. The aim of this work is to study, via mathematical modeling, the impact of imported malaria cases on the population of the UAE. The nature of the health policies in the UAE imposes on us a model that classifies the living population of the UAE in two categories. The local population, who represent the permanent residents that do not have any health requirement for their residency, and …

Solving Nonlinear Boundary Value Problems Using The Homotopy Analysis Method, Ghada Ayed Janem Ayed Janem

Theses

Analytical solutions of differential equations are very important for all researchers from different discipline. Obtaining such solutions is difficult in most cases, especially if the differential equation is nonlinear. One of the mostly used methods are the series methods, where the solution is represented as an infinite series. Different methods are available to evaluate the terms of this series. These methods include the well-known Taylor series method, the Adomian decomposition method, the Homotopy iteration method, and the Homotopy analysis method. In this thesis we give a survey of the different series methods available to solve initial and boundary value problems. …

Induction Of Anti-Microbial Immune Responses In Severely Immunodeficient Hosts By Ifn-Expressing Salmonella Enterica Serovar Typhimurium Correlates With Efficient Activation Of Macrophage Effectors, Mohammed Achraf Al-Sbiei This

Theses

Susceptibility to infection by the intracellular bacterial pathogen, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. typhimurium), is controlled by many genes of innate and adaptive immunity. One of the most critical genes is IFN- and mice deficient in IFN- synthesis are highly susceptible to Salmonella. Previously, we demonstrated that mice deficient in MyD88, an adaptor that regulates TLR signaling, are susceptible to Salmonella infection. In the current study, we compared immune responses in mice deficient in IFN- or MyD88 with wild-type controls following infection with an attenuated strain of S. typhimurium (designated BRD509E) or a recombinant derivative engineered to express murine IFN- …

An Intelligent Nonlinear System Identification Method With An Application To Condition Monitoring, Clara Echavarria

Theses

Neural networks are black-box model structures that map inputs to outputs and do not require underlying mathematical models between the two. They are frequently used in the field of system identification, the area that deals with the development of system models based on input-output data. In this work, a hybrid system identification method is implemented with neural networks (NN) and the Minimum Model Error estimator (MME) on different benchmark experimental setups, as well as simulations. The MME algorithm uses a cost function with a covariance constraint to determine smooth state estimates of a system given noisy measurement data and an …

Applying The User-Centered Design Method To A Perinatal Depression Website Design, Jiaying Li

Theses

The Internet has become the most useful channel for people to access information. Many websites have very useful or comprehensive content. However, some users are not willing to read them, because they feel overwhelmed by reading text-based websites. User-experience design plays a crucial part in building a bridge between users and the website. With a good design, websites make the user experience more enjoyable. This thesis is about applying the user-centered design method (UCD) to websites about perinatal depression.

Psychology's Ontology As Antinomy, Kevin Rice

Theses

The field of psychology has historically been fragmented in terms of what the discipline takes to be the ontological makeup of psychological phenomena, resulting in an unsatisfactory disunity within the discipline’s intra/interdisciplinary cohesiveness as a science of mental health/illness.2 The present project argues that this disunity can framed within the implacable empirical debate between naturalists and non-naturalists concerning the metaphysical status of consciousness (the very thing that experiences such phenomena). In offering a way past this explanatory impasse, I contend that a path towards discerning a unified ontology for psychology can be discerned in understanding consciousness’s ontological status as a …

Discovering Galapagos: A Children’S Website, Jing Yan

Theses

Information technology is changing people's lives. It changes the way people communicate with others, how people search for information, and how people study and learn new knowledge. According to several studies and reports, more and more parents are using computers and mobile devices to teach their children. However, with the exception of games, there are only a few fun educational websites are created for children.

As a designer and young mother who wants to find good educational resources for children, I think this would be a good opportunity for me to design a website for our tiny thinkers. Because children …

Four Domains Of Knowledge In Education, Justin Tyler Ormsby

Theses

American educational curricular policy defines knowledge in an unfortunately narrow way. Specifically, it favors theoretical knowledge that is both appropriate for college bound students and is easy to assess by mass distributed standardized tests. But there are many domains of knowledge which, when implemented into the curriculum, serve equally well to prepare students for life after schooling. In this paper I construct a logical space for discussing knowledge in an educational institution that is not so narrow. I divide knowledge into two main categories, virtues and techne. The domain of virtues contain contains two additional categories, virtues of character and …

Carveol And Related Monoterpenes Inhibit The Function Of The Human Α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor, Yosra Adnan Lozon Adnan Lozon

Theses

Plants and phytochemicals have been used for centuries for therapeutic purposes. Essential oils from these plants are complex mixtures and may possess a large spectrum of biological activities many of them of clinical interest. Among the active constituents of essential oils, monoterpenes, demonstrated valuable antioxidant, antiviral, antimicrobial, anticancer, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. In recent years, actions of monoterpenes on the function of ion channels have been investigated. In the present study, effects of different monoterpenes including carvacrol, carveol, d-carvone, eugenol, (+)-pulegone, thymol, thymoquinone, menthome and limonene, on the function of the cloned α7 subunit of human nicotinic acetylcholine (nACh) receptor …

Altared Object, Erin Jameson Brown

Theses

The thesis exhibition Altared Object seeks to undermine and expose the established religious and patriarchal practices that cause harm to women in contemporary society. In my art, I attempt to expose the latent sexist oppression that exists in society and in the church; how fundamental and foundational it is to our societal norms; and how this oppression is still widely accepted and adhered to, but not necessarily acknowledged today. Through the use of massproduced objects which I have purchased from thrift stores or found online, seemingly innocuous objects will be repurposed through a process of appropriation and reintroduced in a …

Matural Exams In Kosovo: An Analysis On 2014 Test Results, Genta Agaj

Theses

The focus of this research project was to address some of the criticisms associated with Kosovo’s standardized tests - Matura Exams. The main goal of the project was to statistically analyze students’ test results using three statistical techniques. This problem was tackled by obtaining the 2014 results for the Municipality of Prishtina.

First, Prishtina’s Matura Exam test results were checked for normality. The results from this test suggested that even though Matura Exam is supposed to have normally-distributed results, it failed to do so. Its implications include students and universities not being able to compare individual results with the population …

Collection And Transportation Of Municipal Solid Waste In Prishtina Municipality, Linda Shuku

Theses

After many years of efforts Prishtina municipality for improving the waste collection, there are still many problems associated with it. Uncontrolled dumping has resulted in spread of diseases, flooding, and unpleasant smells. The lack of financial resources for improving the waste collection services is part of the problem. Considering this situation, the goal of this project was to identify and analyze the waste collection and transportation process. The city planning and service fees were identified as important aspects for ensuring a well maintained and clean environment.

The research showed that with only 63% of overall collection of the fees, the …

Combustion Dynamics Of Metal Powders In Mixed Gas Flows, Amy Lee Corcoran

Theses

Predictive mechanisms for particle ignition and combustion rates are required in order to develop optimized propellant and energetic formulations using micron-sized metal powders, such as aluminum and magnesium. Most current descriptions are based on laboratory experiments performed in stationary or laminar combustion configurations using pure metals burned in single oxidizers. However, practical configurations take into account different metals, including alloys, that burn in various oxidizing environments and various flow conditions. Validity of the present descriptions for such environments has not been established. This experimental study is aimed to measure burn times for aluminum, magnesium, and mechanically alloyed Al-Mg particles burning …

Fates Of Spilt Oil And Factors Affecting The Bio-Degradation Of Oil: A Review, Amogh-Ranganath Chakravarthy

Theses

The usage of crude oil and its products is increasing; in turn, the number of spills is also going up. The inland spills are the more recurrent spills in the U.S today. This review article deals with the weathering of oils, which commences just after oil spills into the environment with various processes such as evaporation, dissolution, photo-oxidation, dispersion, emulsification and bio-degradation along with other possible fates. Biodegradation is one of the most significant processes of weathering which depends on oil physical and chemical characteristics, environmental characteristics, pH, salinity and oil concentration. There is a range of oil concentration for …

Fem Of Electrospinning Compared To Inkjet Printing Model, Maikel Ghaly

Theses

Electrospinning is a process that uses electrostatic forces to produce nanofibers, or fibers in the nano scale. Nanofibers are widely used in many fields like drug delivery and tissue engineering. Nowadays, it is gaining much attention in the research community as an advantageous process. However, there are many parameters that controlnanofiber formation. This research intends to develop a model of electrospinning on the basis of an inkjet printer technique by using a computer aided simulation (COMSOL). Inkjet printing is a technique that delivers small volumes at high repetitions which can betransported by electrostatic forces through the air onto their intended …

An Electrospinning Apparatus For The Production Of Heterogeneous Scaffolds And Their Application In Cartilage Regeneration, Andrew Ryan Hollingsworth

Theses

The human body contains a vast array of soft and hard tissues, each with their own unique set of physical, chemical, mechanical, and electrical properties. It is the combination of these tissues that allows the human body to function as it does. However, these tissues are subject to wear, fatigue, and injury and thus can potentially limit the functions of the body. Therefore, tissue engineering has sought various natural and synthetic materials that can be used for fabrication of cellular scaffolds that have the ability to promote cellular attachment, proliferation, differentiation, and eventual whole tissue formation for replacement and repair …

Cancer Risk Prediction With Next Generation Sequencing Data Using Machine Learning, Nihir Patel

Theses

The use of computational biology for next generation sequencing (NGS) analysis is rapidly increasing in genomics research. However, the effectiveness of NGS data to predict disease abundance is yet unclear. This research investigates the problem in the whole exome NGS data of the chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) available at dbGaP. Initially, raw reads from samples are aligned to the human reference genome using burrows wheeler aligner. From the samples, structural variants, namely, Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) and Insertion Deletion (INDEL) are identified and are filtered using SAMtools as well as with Genome Analyzer Tool Kit (GATK). Subsequently, the variants are …

Zero Gravity Dynamics Of Two-Phase Flow In A Circular Cylinder, H. Hallaby Ghazi

Theses

The current study investigates the dynamics of a two phase flow in a circular cylinder under zero gravity conditions. Zero gravity fluid mechanics is applicable in both spaceflight and terrestrial applications. Plug formation obstruct lung passages and is the cause of asthma and pulmonary disease .In spaceflight applications, the helium bubbles occlude fuel lines of hydrazine arc-jet thrusters on satellites which cause operational problems. The process of plug formation is not fully understood. Previous studies have been limited to static solutions in cylinders. The goal of the current study is to investigate the dynamics of two phase flow under zero …

Processing Pre-Existing Connect-The-Dots Puzzles For Educational Repurposing Applications, Shelby Elizabeth Kilgore

Theses

Connect-the-Dots puzzles are puzzles which contain labeled dots in a sequence. These puzzles are mostly designed as a way for children to hone in on their counting skills, while having fun. These same puzzles, which are available in abundance online and with modification, can be used to aid students in other areas of education such as spelling. Research shows that the addition of visual imagery provides a significant impact in spelling performance. The objective of this research is to develop an algorithm for processing Connect-the-Dots puzzles to assist in the replacement of the original numbers in the puzzle with characters …

Ex Vivo Effects Of Water Extracts Of Sericea Lespedeza On Cow, Sheep And Goat Blood, Emmanuel K. Asiamah

Theses

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of a water extract of Sericea Lespedeza (SL), the lipid raft inhibitor NYS and known pathogen associated molecular patterns (LPS and PGN) on gene activation in ruminant (cow, sheep and goat) blood. Sericea Lespedeza, a high tannin containing legume has been shown to be a useful component of feed for control of gastro intestinal nematodes in ruminants. Blood was collected from four adult female Holstein Friesian cows (N=4), Spanish x Boer goats (N=4) and St Croix sheep (N=4) and incubated with 100 ng /mL-1 of SL in the presence and absence of …

Graphical Database Architecture For Clinical Trials, Aiman G. Baset

Theses

The general area of the research is Health Informatics. The research focuses on creating an innovative and novel solution to manage and analyze clinical trials data. It constructs a Graphical Database Architecture (GDA) for Clinical Trials (CT) using New Technology for Java (Neo4j) as a robust, a scalable and a high-performance database. The purpose of the research project is to develop concepts and techniques based on architecture to accelerate the processing time of clinical data navigation at lower cost. The research design uses a positivist approach to empirical research. The research is significant because it proposes a new approach of …

Effect Of Bay (Laurus Nobilis) Essential Oil On Physicochemical Properties Of Alaska Pollock (Theragra Chalgoramma) Surimi Nutrified With Salmon And Flaxseed Oils Under Refrigerated Storage, Ugochukwu C. Anyanwu

Theses

Surimi seafood products are widely accepted and consumed in the U.S. and other parts of the world. In recent time, there has been increased demand for surimi seafood products nutrified with ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) as a result of their reported health benefits, but this may have a negative effect on the storage time of the product due to lipid oxidation of fatty acids (FA). Bay (Laurus nobilis) essential oil (BEO) which has demonstrated antioxidant properties was incorporated to the surimi seafood to reduce lipid oxidation thereby extending storage time. The objectives of this study were to (1) evaluate …

Functional Nano/Microcapsules: Synthesis And Characterization, Gbewonyo Spero

Theses

Microencapsulation is a technique by which solid, liquid or gaseous active ingredients are enclosed within a shell material for the purpose of shielding the active ingredient from surrounding environment. The product therefrom is valuable as an active ingredient carrier and controlled release vehicle. In this research, polymer micro/nanocapsules with enclosed aqueous solution were synthesized through O/W emulsion-solvent evaporation technique. Specifically a commercial textile dye was encapsulated in poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) micro/nanocapsules for an innovation of textile dyeing. A variety of synthesis parameters were studied including concentration of polymer, amount of dye, amount of surfactant, volume of surfactant aqueous solution, …

Micrornas In Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: A Potential Biomarker, S. Godfrey Sherette

Theses

Purpose: The Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) subtype accounts for 15 percent of all breast cancers. It is characterized by cancer cells that lack estrogen, progesterone, and HER2/Neu receptors. TNBC is highly aggressive and deadly, and primarily affects younger African-American women. Identification of microRNAs that can be used as biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and provide drug-able targets is the long-term goal of this study. The objective of this study is to compare and contrast microRNA expression level profiles from microarray (Partek Genomic Suite) and qPCR analysis performed on triple-negative breast cancer versus normal breast tissue cell line in order to find …

The Effect Of A Mushroom (Coriolus Versicolor) Based Probiotic On Innate Immunity In Goats Naturally Infected With Gastrointestinal Parasites, Kingsley Ekwemalor

Theses

Gastrointestinal parasites such as the nematode Haemonchus contortus and protozoa Coccidia pose a serious threat to the global goat industry due to resistance of parasites to anthelmintic drugs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of extracts of CorPet biomass, a mushroom (Coriolus versicolor) on gastrointestinal parasite infection and innate immunity in goats. Fifteen female SpanishXBoer goats were drenched with 10 ml of either a hot extract of CorPet (N=5), a cold extract (N=5), or with sterile water (control N=5) for eight weeks. Treatment groups were reversed after four weeks. Body weight, body condition and FAMACHA scores, …

Adult Learner Engagement With Learning Supports In A Blended Learning Environment In Irish Insurance Education, Ian Griffin

Theses

This case study reports on the results and experiences of adult learner engagement when using learning supports within a blended learning environment (BLE) in Irish insurance education. Currently, there is a lack of comprehensive research focusing on this area in the professional education sector. This research is of interest to educators who offer a blended ‘bricks and clicks’ model to adult learners within either a professional or a higher education programme. For instance, this blended learning approach model is used at an increased frequency by modern professional education with education programmes shifting from a tutor-centred to more learner-centred approach. From …

Dynamics Of Frequency Swept Sources For Optical Coherence Tomography, Svetlana Slepnava

Theses

This thesis aims to analyse the properties of optical coherence tomography swept sources, using fast real-time intensity and phase characterisation techniques for full electric field reconstruction. In the first part, these techniques are applied to analyse a commercial short cavity laser that exhibits mode hopping, sliding frequency mode locking or chaotic dynamical regime depending on the sweep speed and direction Numerical simulations of time-delayed differential equations display similar features and enable an understanding the underlying physics of the coherence properties of these light sources. In the second part of the thesis, a Fourier Domain Mode Locked (FDML) laser is built …

Identification Of The Molecular Mechanisms Governing The Osmotolerance Of The Emerging Gastrointestinal Pathogen Cronobacter Sakazakii, Audrey Feeney

Theses

Cronobacter sakazakii is an organism which has been associated with severe life- threatening diseases in infants and neonates. Mortality rates of up to 80% have been recorded in infants infected with Cronobacter sakazakii. Infants often suffer from septicaemia, necrotising enterocolitis and meningitis as a result of infection. A characteristic feature of the opportunistic foodborne pathogen Cronobacter sakazakii is its ability to survive in extremely arid environments such as powdered infant formula, making it a dangerous opportunistic pathogen of neonates. Herein, we provide a brief overview of the pathogen; clinical manifestations, environmental reservoirs and our current understanding of stress response mechanisms …

Listeria Monocytogenes'. A Genomic Perspective On Its Pathogenesis, Persistence And Bacteriophages., Aidan Casey

Theses

The objective of this study was to investigate the genetic characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes that contribute to the threat it poses to the food processing industry. Transcriptomic analysis of a persistent L. monocytogenes isolate following exposure to an industrial detergent identified key upregulations in biological processes involved m peptidoglycan biosynthesis, chemotaxis and motility. Two bacteriophages against serotype 4b and 4e isolates of L. monocytogenes were isolated and sequenced. Comparative genomic and functional analysis identified the receptor binding proteins in each phage, whi]e transmission electron microscopy demonstrated a conserved baseplate architecture which also exists in other Gram­positive phages. Comparative genomics of …