Digital Commons Network^™

Optimizing Delivery Time Predictions Using Machine Learning: A Data-Driven Approach To Last-Mile Logistics, Mohamed Burqaiba

Theses

This paper addresses how machine learning can be utilized to improve the prediction of delivery times during the last mile, specifically in Dubai urban logistics issues whereby the traffic congestion and weather circumstances usually contribute to unpredictable delivery times. The main goal was to evolve machine learning models that can predict properly delivery time depending on several parameters, i.e., speed of traffic, weather, length of delivery, and geography. The reason why three machine learning models were chosen [Random Forest, Gradient Boosting, and XGBoost] in this analysis is that they have the opportunity to work with non-linear relationships in the data. …

Optimizing Power Grids In Uae Using Data Analytics For Improved Efficiency And Reliability, Khalid Bukhashem

Theses

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has aims to triple its renewable energy capacity to 14 GW to attain the objective of 30% contribution of clean energy by 2031. Energy consumption, on the other hand, will increase from 5.2 to 5.8 exajoules by 2028. The grid infrastructure for which was developed to facilitate the centralized generation of power, is not conducive to dealing with the variability of the decentralized renewable resources that lead to inefficiencies in operation and reliability problems. The Dubai power grid is analyzed using historical data of 105,120 residential, commercial and industrial supplies. In this analysis machine learning …

Hyaluronic Acid Loaded With Aloe Vera-Derived Extracellular Vesicles: A New Bioactive Approach For Fibrotic Scarring, Maria Camila Ceballos Santa

Theses

Disruptions in wound healing can result in pathological outcomes ranging from chronic nonhealing wounds to excessive fibrotic scarring. Hypertrophic scars and keloids are hallmarks of this dysregulation, characterized by abnormal collagen deposition, persistent myofibroblast activation, and disorganized extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress play central roles by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS), which damage essential macromolecules and sustain pro-inflammatory signaling, while promoting the transdifferentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts and the excessive production of ECM proteins, such as collagen and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). This fibrotic cascade leads to tissue stiffness, contractility, and disfigurement, affecting the well-being of …

Exploring Human Perception And Cognition In Expressing And Understanding Mechanical Designs, Yan-Ting Chen

Theses

Effective communication of mechanical designs through technical drawings requires geometric accuracy, efficiency, and an understanding of human perception and cognition. Although advances in computer-aided design (CAD) software have improved drawing precision and automation, current tools often overlook the spatial reasoning processes that users employ to interpret these representations. This study seeks to improve the accuracy and efficiency of human-computer interaction in CAD environments by examining how individuals perceive and interpret three-dimensional mechanical components within the context of technical drawings. A key focus is the identification of canonical and optimal views that align with intuitive human understanding. Through a series of …

Experimental Investigation: Performance Of Ranque–Hilsch Vortex Tubes Under Various Surface Boundary Conditions, Ahmad Al-Najjar

Theses

The Ranque–Hilsch vortex tube (RHVT) is a passive thermofluid device that splits compressed gas into simultaneous cold and hot streams through strong swirling flow inside a slender tube, without moving parts. This study experimentally examines how external boundary conditions applied to the tube wall influence RHVT performance. Three wall conditions were imposed: (i) externally cooled (cooling), (ii) externally heated (heating), and (iii) adiabatic (insulated). Tests were conducted with air over an inlet pressure range of 2–6 bar. The primary objective was to understand the extent to which wall thermal condition modifies temperature separation and energy efficiency. Performance was quantified using …

Genomic And Metabolic Network Characterization Of Fusarium Species, Hend Hussain Mueenuddin

Theses

Fusarium covers the wide genus of fungi with over 400 species that are key in agricultural and medical practice. The purpose of the current study was to perform a comprehensive genomic profiling of the 19 Fusarium species that were captured in the National Centre of Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database. The study was made to make a comparison of the data, based on the descriptive statistics of every species, with graphical representation images enabling clear demonstration of the numbers. The study indicated that the chromosomal numbers were in the range of 0-15, the gene count was roughly 11000 -19000, while that …

Exploring Family-Friendly Policies In The Uae, Mariam Sultan Al Kaabi

Theses

Background: Family-friendly policies (FFPs) have become a critical element in global debates surrounding work–family balance (WFB), organizational performance, and gender equity. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), rapid legal reforms, including Federal Decree–Law No. 33 of 2021, the introduction of paid parental leave, expanded maternity protections, and increased recognition of flexible and remote work, reflect a national commitment to strengthening family well-being.Yet, despite these advancements, many working parents continue to experience tensions between regulatory intentions and workplace realities.

Purpose: This study examines the lived experiences of fourteen working parents in the UAE to understand how current FFPs and workplace arrangements …

Evaluating Large Language Models For Automated Cv Ranking: A Hybrid Embedding Approach For Enhanced Recruitment, Sarah Mohamed Alhindaassi

Theses

Increasing numbers of applications have revealed limitations in legacy keyword-filtering-based Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), which commonly overlook candidate potential and ignore contextual or transferable skills. Advances in Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Large Language Models (LLMs) offer an exhilarating alternative, supporting context-sensitive and human-crafted reasoning in candidate evaluation. This thesis systematically evaluates four classes of approaches, lexical models, embedding-based methods, Large Language Models (LLMs), and hybrid ensembles, for automation of Curriculum Vitae (CV) to Job Description (JD) matching without exploiting prior annotations or annotations at match time. Using a combination of publicly available datasets and real-world sample data covering three …

اختصاص المحكمة الاتحادية العليا بتفسير المعاهدات والاتفاقيات الدولية دراسة تحليلية في النظام القانوني الإمارات, Noura Salem Alshamsi

Theses

The Federal Supreme Court's Jurisdiction to Interpret International Treaties and Agreements

This thesis examines and analyzes the interpretation of international treaties and agreements in the legal system of the United Arab Emirates, focusing in particular on the jurisdiction granted to the Federal Supreme Court in this area. It aims to clarify the legal rulings issued in this regard, in light of the UAE Constitution and recent legislative developments, particularly Federal Decree-Law No. (33) of 2022.

The thesis concludes that the UAE legislator has granted the Federal Supreme Court exclusive jurisdiction to interpret international treaties, and that this interpretation is achieved …

أثر الحكم الصادر عن المحكمة الاتحادية العليا بعدم الدستورية, Mariam Saeed Al Ketbi

Theses

The Effect of The Judgment Rendered by the Federal Supreme Court Declaring Unconstitutionality

Constitutional judiciary represents the primary guarantee for the supremacy of the Constitution and the protection of rights and freedoms, as it exercises subsequent review over legislative texts to ensure their compliance with constitutional provisions. The judgments it issues are objective in nature, directed at the legislative text itself rather than the parties involved, which grants them absolute authority that binds all branches of government—legislative, executive, and judicial—as well as individuals. These judgments are final and cannot be appealed by any means, as confirmed by both the UAE …

Groundwater Quality And Health Risk Assessment In The Fujairah Region Using Hydrogeochemical, Statistical, And Spatial Approaches, Mohammed Khaled Alawlaqi

Theses

Groundwater is a valuable resource in the arid climate of the United Arab Emirates, where growing population, agricultural, and industrial activities are putting increasing pressure on the limited groundwater reserves. This work investigates the hydrogeochemical characteristics of groundwater in the Fujairah region to assess water quality and potential health risks. A total of 64 groundwater samples were collected from the Eastern Shallow Aquifer (ESA) and the Ophiolite aquifer in the study area and were analyzed for physicochemical parameters, major ions, and trace metals. Hydrogeochemical methods such as Piper, Gibbs, Chadha, and Schoeller diagrams were used to identify water types and …

Screening For Potential Plant Growth‐Promoting Rhizobacteria (Pgpr)-Assisted Phytoremediation To Mitigate Lead Toxicity In Uae Soils, Zeinab Mohamed Abdalla

Theses

This study investigates the potential of lead (Pb)-tolerant actinobacteria that possess 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase (ACCD) activity and plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits to serve as a biological tool for enhancing the growth of corn (Zea mays L.) under Pb stress. The primary objective of this research was to isolate and characterize novel, Pb-tolerant, rhizosphere-competent actinobacteria and to evaluate their efficacy in mitigating Pb toxicity, reducing its uptake, and promoting biomass accumulation in corn grown in contaminated soil. A total of 43 actinobacterial isolates were obtained from Pb-contaminated rhizosphere soil and screened for Pb tolerance, rhizosphere competence, ACCD activity, and PGP traits. …

Enhanced Air Hockey Robot Performance Through Adaptive Control Algorithim Using Ai-Based Hierarechal Decicion Archeticture, Ayham Majed Salim

Theses

This thesis presents the development of an intelligent air hockey robot that combines precise mechanical design, computer vision, and adaptive control within an AI-based hierarchical decision architecture. The system integrates synchronized stepper motors, high-speed image processing, and a real-time decision framework to achieve competitive gameplay performance. The robot detects the puck using adaptive HSV color segmentation, supported by dynamic calibration that maintains accuracy under different lighting conditions. A two-stage trajectory prediction model, based on exponential decay velocity estimation, enables anticipation of puck motion and improves response time during fast gameplay.

At the decision level, a fuzzy-logic supervisor governs the robot’s …

Understanding Behavioral Patterns: A Case Study Of Emirati Ex-Offenders In United Arab Emirates, Salim Ali Al Naqbi

Theses

Research on desistance has helped criminologists to better understand how people change their criminal identity and exercise personal choice. Yet in the UAE, these ideas has not often been applied to prisoners serving one or multiple offenses, even though incarceration and reoffending remain important social concerns. Because of this, desistance theory has not been fully used to study how rehabilitation is managed in UAE prisons, which means that some useful lessons may be missed. This study begins to close that gap by looking at the personal stories of 15 Emirati participants that were formerly incarcerated by adapting a qualitative and …

Uncovering The Efficacy Of Unlabelled Data In Anomaly Detection, Andrew Shields

Theses

Anomaly detection is an important area of research within data mining and has applications in many domains, including cybersecurity, finance, and healthcare. Conventional methods depend on labelled training data and assume an even class distribution, restricting their 'real-world' application, where rare anomalies and unlabelled data are the norm. This research addresses these limitations by investigating how unlabelled data can support anomaly detection in imbalanced, data-scarce, complex environments. It addresses three research questions: how to integrate unlabelled data into anomaly detection models, how to improve performance when labelled anomalies are scarce, and how graph-based methods capture complex relational anomalies. Three empirical …

Phenotypic, Genetic And Genomic Prediction Of Greenhouse Gas Emissions In Irish Cattle, Clodagh Ryan

Theses

Enteric methane is the largest source of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland, accounting for 63% of the sector’s total. Achieving the legally binding target of a 25% reduction in agricultural emissions by 2030 requires low-cost, scalable mitigation strategies. Genetic selection offers a cumulative and permanent solution, with potential to reduce emissions without compromising productivity. This thesis aimed to quantify the genetic variability of methane and carbon dioxide emissions in growing beef cattle, investigate their relationships with economically important traits, and evaluate the feasibility of incorporating a methane trait into the Irish national beef breeding objective. Emissions data were collected …

Ambiguous Bodies: Third Gender Expressions In Ancient Maya Art, Jayme Horne

Theses

This thesis examines the interpretations of Lintels 23, 24, and 25 from Yachilán, Drawing 18 from Naj Tunich, and Stela H from Copán, with a specific focus on third gender expression. These artworks depict figures that blend masculine and feminine attributes, from costuming to actions, to present intentionally ambiguous representations of the body that all ancient Maya people would have understood. Third gender expression is defined through the blending of masculine and feminine signifiers. It is a gender identity for people who do not identify as male or female, but rather as neither, both, or a combination of male and …

The Mystical Kitchen: Feminist Magic And Alchemical Transformation In The Work Of Lenora Carrington, Theresa Burwell

Theses

This thesis analyzes the inherent feminism in alchemical and magical symbolism, particularly in representations of kitchens in the art and writing of Leonora Carrington. The kitchen has historically been viewed as a gendered space for domestic work. By subverting cultural and religious conventions, Carrington’s kitchen becomes a site for transmutation and feminine ritual. Using feminist discourse, formal art historical analysis, and the history of alchemical symbolism, this thesis asserts that Carrington’s imagery transforms the kitchen from an oppressive domestic space to a mystical laboratory of feminine power. A thorough analysis of Grandmother Moorhead’s Aromatic Kitchen (1975) and The House Opposite …

Immersive Art, Nature, And Afrofuturism: Cultivating Wellness And Cultural Awareness, Jojo Abenaavi Wright

Theses

This research demonstrates how Afrofuturistic art, combined with nature and scent, enables powerful methods to transform African Diaspora perceptions and support holistic wellness through sensory-emotional engagement. The project introduces The Next Narrative: An Immersive Journey Through Black Time as a multisensory immersive exhibition that combines Afrofuturistic aesthetics with Harlem Renaissance cultural elements. The exhibition presents salons as a sequence that allows visitors to experience time through visual, sonic, and atmospheric transitions. The three senses of touch, scent, and sound operate as fundamental tools for grounding and transformation, which disable analytical thinking while using bodily experiences to perform decolonial memory work. …

Population Genomics And Status Of The Flattened Musk Turtle (Sternotherus Depressus) In The Locust Fork Of The Black Warrior River, Seamus C. O'Brien

Theses

Alabama is home to some of the highest freshwater endemism in the world and ranks near the top in numbers of endangered and extinct species. One of these endangered species is the Flattened Musk Turtle (FMT), only found in the Black Warrior River Drainage of Alabama above the Fall Line. The FMT is listed as “Threatened” by the United State Fish and Wildlife Service under the Endangered Species Act and is considered Critically Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature due to drastic declines in populations since the 1980s. Declines have been attributed to several factors, including …

In The Hull Of The Uss Disregard: An Analysis Of Secretary Of State Cordell Hull’S Execution Of Foreign Policy In East Asia And The Precipitation Of Armed Conflict Between Japan And The United States, Eric B. Hawkins

Theses

The political career of Cordell Hull was motivated primarily by trade policy and the courting of Central America through the negotiation of reciprocal trade treaties that helped stabilize, for the most part, the entire Western Hemisphere. He was an obvious choice for Roosevelt’s cabinet to address economic instability. But why was he chosen for Secretary of State? The Open Door Policy, adopted by many Western nations in East Asia during the early 20th century, was a petri dish primed for the growth of political strife and international conflict. With the warnings from Hull’s predecessor, Henry Stimson, placed on the back …

Improving The Accessibility Of Speech For Deaf And Hard-Of-Hearing Individuals Through Affective Captions, Caluã De Lacerda Pataca

Theses

Captions have traditionally served as a bridge between the spoken word and its written representation, helping make speech accessible to Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) individuals. It is worth considering, however, how much from speech is left out by this ’bridging’ between sound and visuals. This dissertation describes a research project that has, over six studies, looked at this very issue. We first examined whether there is an issue here at all. What does the experience of DHH individuals with captioning systems tell us about these systems’ shortcomings? For one, we found, captions are felt as monotonous and ambiguous. While communication …

Solar Power Forecasting Using Deep Learning Techniques, Fatma Abdulrahman

Theses

The growing utilization of solar energy and other renewable energy sources has heightened the demand for a proper forecasting model that enables efficient control of the energy supply as well as grid reliability. In this work, we concentrate about the use of novel techniques in ML models, namely Deep Neural Networks (DNN) and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), to try to forecast power output in a solar-powered plant using past weather and power output records. Production of solar energy is naturally volatile because it is dependent on the weather conditions and is problematic in nature when integrated into power grids. Conventional …

Illustrations For A Scientific Review Article Publication : Human Stem Cell-Derived Organoids, Sunghwan Bae

Theses

This thesis explores the role of scientific illustration in improving the comprehension of complex scientific concepts. It traces the historical development of illustrations in scientific literature and examines their functions in both research and review articles. The central contribution of this work is the development of twelve vector-based illustrations that elucidate the applications of human organoids within a review article context. These visuals transform intricate ideas into clear, engaging representations, supported by extensive research and verification to maintain scientific accuracy. The thesis concludes by addressing the future of scientific illustration, advocating for reader-oriented design approaches and the use of innovative …

Enhance Telecom-Related International Indicators Using Machine Learning, Omar Alnemer

Theses

This thesis investigates the enhancement of the Network Readiness Index (NRI) through the application of machine learning methodologies to refine indicator weighting, clustering, and dimensionality. The study builds on research promoting data-driven methods to address the limitations of equal-weighted indices in capturing indicator importance and interdependence. The research aims to evaluate how unsupervised and supervised learning methods can optimize the interpretation of NRI data. The study focuses on three primary research questions: (1) How can PCA be used to reduce the dimensionality of the NRI without significant loss of information? (2) Can k-means clustering reveal meaningful groups of countries with …

Advancing Institutional Sustainability Through Green Roofs: Performance-Based Policy For Rit, Theoren Heilman

Theses

Utilization of green roof systems continues growth as a sustainable architectural strategy, offering enhancements to key building performance metrics while contributing to overall community resilience. The ability of green roofs to deliver a wide range of performance benefits, even in environments with harsh climatic conditions, positions them as an asset for advancing sustainable development. Within this context, university campuses represent an underutilized, yet important, setting for green roof adoption. Functioning much like small cities, campuses contain diverse building types and extensive infrastructure networks, which draw significant energy demands, positioning them to lead in sustainable building practices. Yet, most lack rigorous, …

Relativistic Gas Accretion Onto Supermassive Black Hole Binaries From Inspiral Through Merger, Lorenzo Ennoggi

Theses

Accreting supermassive black hole binaries are powerful multimessenger sources emitting both gravitational and electromagnetic (EM) radiation. Understanding the accretion dynamics of these systems and predicting their distinctive EM signals is crucial to informing and guiding upcoming efforts aimed at detecting gravitational waves produced by these binaries. To this end, accurate numerical modeling is required to describe both the spacetime and the magnetized gas around the black holes. In this work, we present two key advances in this field of research. First, we have developed a novel 3D general relativistic magnetohydrodynamics (GRMHD) framework that combines multiple numerical codes to simulate the …

A Place To Pause: Designing Ritual Space In The Domestic Realm, Elise Miller

Theses

Modern society in Western developed countries is focused on the rush and go, often leaving people feeling discombobulated from constant running around, task-oriented days and switching of roles one must play in different areas of their life, such as at home, work, socializing, parenting, etc. How can ritual bring a sense of calmness and order to lives of those on the go? Ritual studies are often only categorized under psychology, sociology, or religious studies. However, as industrial design encompasses human interaction with objects, often with an emotional quality, ritual can be studied more wholesomely with the added lens of industrial …

Product, Process, And Behavior Influences On Value Retention Processes: Toward A Circular Economy In Consumer Electronics, Kyle Parnell

Theses

Consumer electronic products (CEP) manufacturing and retail contribute markedly to global industrial activity; worldwide estimates suggest revenue growth from $1 trillion in 2020 to $1.5 trillion by 2026. Consequently, the production, distribution, use, and end-of-life (EOL) disposition of these products are responsible for considerable social and environmental impacts, including 35 million metric tonnes of waste to landfill per year, 793 million metric tonnes (MMT)—and growing—of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per year, and innumerable adverse effects on human health and development. Driving these impacts are the inherent characteristics of CEPs themselves, which increasingly require critical materials in design, …

Using Equivalence-Based Instruction And Behavioral Skills Training To Teach Social Skills, Alexander Orzeck

Theses

Social skills are an integral part of human life, so it stands to reason that teaching methodologies should be developed to instruct people in this complex topic. One method to teach social skills has been behavioral skills training, in which the four-step sequence of vocal and written instruction, modeling, roleplay, and feedback exposes learners to the social concepts until a mastery criterion is reached. Skills relevant to socialization have also been taught with equivalence-based instruction, in which the concept of stimulus equivalence is employed to generate novel relations between stimuli for the purpose of teaching some skill. No instance was …