Digital Commons Network^™

Race As A Two-Sided Factor In Perceptions Of Policing: The Intersection Of Community Race And Police Race, Dani Wolfe

Theses

Police practices tend to produce disparate outcomes for people of color. Outcome disparities have been addressed in other industries by increasing representativeness within those industries (i.e., increasing “organizational diversity”), though the outcome of these efforts is less clear in policing. Despite mixed findings, examining the barriers and facilitators to diversity within policing has been a growing focus of related research. While research has been done that investigates the experiences of minority race officers and how the presence of minority race officers may affect perceptions of police integrity in communities, little research has focused on how minority communities perceive minority police …

Bert-Boosted Adaptive Learning, Dibyanshu Chatterjee

Theses

Knowledge Tracing is a machine learning technique that aids in monitoring a learner’s knowledge in a given learning environment. This thesis introduces a unified approach to adaptive learning, specifically with the use of Knowledge Tracing (KT) and other relevant machine learning models, that can aid in creating a personalized learning environment for a learner on an Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS). While contemporary ITS exemplars, such as Knewton and Adaptemy, strive to provide seamless adaptive learning experience, most such ITS platforms do so by employing individualized models, each tai- lored to distinct tasks, for example, some models may predict correctness of …

Designing An Animated Presentation For Educating Physicians And Patients On Opioid Addiction, Jenny Phillips

Theses

The devastating opioid epidemic in the United States continues to wreak havoc, especially on those suffering from opioid addiction. Regrettably, the lack of reliable treatments and understanding of this disease has hindered physicians' ability to provide adequate care. As a result, those affected often feel ashamed and reluctant to seek help due to the growing stigma surrounding opioid addiction. These barriers prevent the successful treatment of this prevalent and treatable disease. To tackle this issue, Dr. Michael Peck and his team have been essential in traveling to different communities and illustrating the truth about opioids and opioid addiction. They developed …

Iii-Nitride Nanowire Deep-Ultraviolet Light Emitting Diodes, Bryan Melanson

Theses

Deep-Ultraviolet (DUV) Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) emitting invisible light at wavelengths below 280 nm, have seen increased research interest over the last decade. Of their many potential applications, pathogen neutralization is perhaps the most presently relevant in the post-COVID era. While the high energy light of DUV LEDs has been found particularly effective at destroying viruses and bacteria without the need for application of chemical agents, the poor efficiencies of DUV LEDs currently prevent their widespread adoption in these applications. While a number of factors contribute to the poor efficiency of DUV LEDs, light extraction is perhaps the most significant …

Ego - Acupressure Ar Glasses, Chin Yin Teng

Theses

Acupressure, a time-honored healing practice rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, is known for promoting relaxation, pain relief, and overall wellness with minimal side effects. Despite its benefits, the practice involves navigating a complex system of 361 acupuncture points, posing a challenge for individuals lacking in-depth knowledge or training. Additionally, professional acupressure treatments can be costly, limiting accessibility. To address these challenges, we have developed Ego, an AR Glasses Smart Assistant designed to make acupressure more accessible and effective for the general public. Ego uses augmented reality to provide an intuitive and user-friendly interface that guides users in locating and applying …

An Evaluation Of The Irish Rugby Football Union (Irfu) Coach Education Framework In School And Club Settings, Kevin Smith

Theses

This thesis aimed to evaluate the Irish Rugby Football Union Coach Education Framework (IRFU-CEF) and its subsequent effect on coach behaviours/perceptions, training session content, and athlete perceptions in multiple rugby union settings. The IRFU-CEF was designed to educate coaches in How to coach, as opposed to more traditional forms of coach education that are typically designed to deliver content of What to coach. A baseline analysis (Study 1) was conducted to examine current behaviours/perceptions in a rugby union coaching environment. An IRFU-CEF intervention (Study 2) was delivered to coaches in the form of a single episode as a coach education …

Using Machine Learning Algorithms To Predict Outcomes Of Chess Games Using Player Data, Sofia Decredico

Theses

Chess is a two-player game, popular with a wide variety of people, ranging from people who play casually every once in a while with their family to professional players who make their living through playing and teaching. There are three outcomes that a chess game could have: player 1 (White) wins, player 2 (Black) wins, or both players draw. Using an online database called “The Week In Chess” which contains information about 2.5 million chess games, a variety of machine learning methods are tested to predict the outcomes of chess games. The features investigated as inputs for classification are: White’s …

Towards A Net Zero University Campus, Sarah Ali

Theses

This report explores the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions assessment and reduction strategy for the Rochester Institute of Technology of Dubai (RITD) campus, aiming to contribute towards the UAE's "Net Zero 2050" initiative. The study establishes a comprehensive emissions baseline for the year 2023 using the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHGP), incorporating Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions. A dashboard was developed to continuously monitor annual emissions, facilitating data-driven decisions for sustainability. The total GHG emissions for RITD were approximately 5,245,197.68 kg CO2e. The primary sources of emissions were identified as electricity consumption (39%) and commuting (53%), which together constitute …

Clinical Validation Of Patient-Specific Inverse Modeling With Surface Temperatures And Physiological And Geometrical Factors In Breast Cancer Detection, Carlos Gutierrez

Theses

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting the lives of many women and taking over 683,000 lives worldwide. Early detection of breast cancer through screening has been instrumental in reducing the mortality rate. However, current screening methods based on mammography have issues with patient discomfort, invasiveness, cost and low accuracy, mainly due to dense breast tissue in approximately 40% of women population. Infrared imaging (IRI) is shown to be noninvasive, cost effective, comfortable, and not affected by breast density. The present work describes a novel patient-specific IRI inverse heat transfer algorithm based on the digital model of …

Effects Of Soil Amendments On Community Structure And Function In Created Wetlands, Lauren Saggese

Theses

Wetlands provide many unique and important ecological functions, making them one of the most valuable ecosystems. When wetland destruction is unavoidable, creation or restoration of wetlands is a mandatory practice in order to recover lost ecosystem function. However, created wetlands often fail to provide functions and services equivalent to natural wetlands. The addition of carbon-rich plant compost has been shown to alter soil characteristics and biogeochemistry in wetlands. However, the impacts on wetland community structure are unknown. I evaluated the impact of long- term leaf-litter compost addition on soil properties, community structure of invertebrates and plants, algal photosynthesis and soil …

Cellular Automata Modeling Approach Of Addiction, Ruba Hameed

Theses

The purpose of this thesis includes the application of a mathematical model, as well as cell automata simulation, to shed light on the behavior of addiction spread in a population. The model describes the key determinants of drug addiction which includes peer influence, availability of substances, support networks, and awareness campaigns. The research aims to gain insights into the underlying mechanisms and patterns of addiction spread to develop effective prevention and intervention strategies.

The study begins by creating a discrete dynamical system that captures the transitions between 4 different states of substance use, including non-users (N), experimental users (E), recreational …

Design With, Not For, Local Community: Utilizing E- Participation Tools In The Design Of Socially Sustainable Vertical Emirati Public Housing, Omar Sherzad Shareef

Theses

Few years ago, local and federal governments in the UAE started to design and develop vertical public housing for Emirati residents as a new public housing typology that is believed to be more environmentally sustainable. Dibba Al-Hisn Housing Scheme in Sharjah and Al-Ghurfa Project in Al-Fujairah, are two recently developed vertical Emirati public housing projects developed by Sharjah Housing Directorate and Sheikh Zayed Housing Program (SZHP) respectively. Both projects, have been professionally designed, however, the residents’ opinions were not considered in the design process. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to explore the potentials of utilizing the advanced …

Salivary Microbiome Signature In Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Ghaidaa Mohammed Mesto

Theses

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a complex disorder characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). IBD mainly includes two distinct diseases, namely Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). To date, the precise etiology of these conditions is not fully elucidated, although a strong relationship between microbial dysbiosis in the GIT and IBD has been proposed. In general, limited data is available on the oral microbiome of IBD patients, despite its recognizable role in impacting gut health. There is a paucity of research on IBD in the pediatric population, although this disease is becoming more prevalent than in …

Pharmacogenomic Biomarkers Of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors (Aceis) Induced Cough Among Healthy Emiratis And Multi-Ethnic Hypertensive Patients, Sahar Mohammad Altoum

Theses

Pharmacogenomics (PGx) is an emerging field that merges genetics with pharmacology. It focuses on how an individual's genetic makeup influences their response to specific medications. This relatively new area of medicine seeks to understand the genetic factors that affect drug efficacy and safety. One practical application of PGx is in the context of treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), which are widely used medications for managing hypertension. However, ACEIs are often associated with cough as a side effect, leading to drug discontinuation and the adoption of alternative medications like Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs). The prevalence of ACEIs-induced cough varies …

The Differences Between Metacognitive Reading Strategies Used By Native Arabic Speakers In The Uae When Reading Digital Versus Printed Materials, Razan Majed Shehadeh

Theses

This study explores the differences between the metacognitive reading strategies that native Arabic speakers college students use in the UAE when reading digital vs. printed texts. A convergent Mixed-Methods Design was employed to achieve the purpose of this study. The first data comprised a background questionnaire and two metacognitive reading surveys reflecting reading from digital materials that were conducted with college students (n=100), and the second data set comprised semi-structured interviews with a subset of students sampled from the original pool (n= 8). This study's participants were college students selected randomly from some of the UAE universities. Generally, the results …

Exploring Emirati High School Students' Attitude Towards Reading In L2 (English), Seba Dabik

Theses

Reading in a second language (L2) is a crucial skill for high school students as it helps to develop their second language proficiency and broadens their understanding of the world. It also holds substantial significance in both their personal and academic endeavors. Additionally, proficient L2 reading skills pave the way for promising prospects and professional opportunities. This study examines students' attitudes towards reading academically and recreationally in L2 and the factors that contribute to these attitudes. The study sample comprised of 20 grade 11 UAE national male students (16-17 years old) enrolled in a public Applied Technology School (ATS) in …

Securing The Inbox: Advancing Phishing Email Detection With Fine-Tuned Bert, Fatima Rashed Al Saedi

Theses

In recent years, phishing attacks have persisted as a widespread threat in the contemporary digital environment, presenting substantial risks to individuals and organizations. Cybercriminals are devising increasingly sophisticated strategies to deceive users through malicious emails. In response to this challenge, this research focuses on developing a new tool for detecting phishing emails utilizing the BERT algorithm. The tool aims to enhance email security by accurately identifying deceptive emails and protecting users from potential cyber threats. The primary objective of this study is to investigate how leveraging the BERT algorithm can improve the detection of phishing emails compared to traditional methods. …

Technology-Enhanced Mathematics Teaching And Learning: Teachers’ Perspectives On Digital And Generative Ai–Enabled Tool Integration Through A Tpack Lens In Abu Dhabi Schools, Abdalrahman A. Adlouni

Theses

Digital learning is an active approach to education in daily life, and it has been implemented in all the schools in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Many strategies, such as platforms, online educational websites, and other applications, were used by teachers to support blended learning and assist students in achieving their goals and accomplishing what is required from their curriculum. The main objective of this study is to examine teachers’ perceptions toward teaching mathematics using digital learning tools in Cycle 2 and Cycle 3. Data was collected from (n=114) mathematics teachers in Abu Dhabi City, UAE, during the spring semester …

Mathematical Modeling Of An Epidemic In Scalefree Network With Imperfect Vaccination, Heba Hameed

Theses

In light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the mathematical epidemiological model has proven to be essential for understanding the disease dynamic and finding the best control tool to help contain the disease and minimize its impact. This thesis investigates the dynamics of an infectious disease spread with latent infection and vaccination. The aim is to study this model’s dynamic in a network that reflects the heterogeneity of the environment where the disease spreads. The vaccination is assumed to be not perfect, which means that vaccinated persons are likely to be infected and that the vaccinated person could lose their immunity, …

Functional Characterization Of Potato Arp1 Gene Encoding Auxin-Repressed Protein, Sara Ali Alneyadi

Theses

Auxin-repressed proteins (ARPs) are conserved in higher plants and are involved in plant growth and development by controlling gene expression. ARP1 has been studied for its role in biotic stress response, but its role in abiotic stress response remains unclear. In this study, transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing potato (S. tuberosum) ARP1 were evaluated for their salinity stress response. By gradually increasing NaCl concentrations from 0 to 200mM, plants were subjected to high salinity stress. As compared to wild-type (WT) control plants under stressed conditions, the ARP1 transgenic plants demonstrated improved height and root length and higher chlorophyll content. Under …

The Impact Of Outdoor Thermal Comfort On Users’ Walkability: Study Case In Al Ain Square, Al Ain City, Uae, Alyazia Saeed Alnehayan

Theses

Living in a hot dry arid climate limits the walkability of its inhabitants. The excessive heat and dryness of the weather undoubtedly make walking a less tempting, encouraging, and pleasant choice for getting around the city. For that reason, this master thesis analyzes the various strategies used to enhance outdoor thermal comfort. Outdoor thermal comfort is controlled by numerous factors, including street and building orientation, vegetation, shading devices, and water bodies. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between walkability and UTCI values (universal thermal comfort index) in the context of Al Ain Square, a neighborhood in …

Characteristics Of Lactobacillus Helveticus Fermentation Of Camel And Bovine Milks, Kobika Chelladhurai

Theses

In this study, the fermentation of low-fat camel milk (CM) and bovine milk (BM) with Lactobacillus helveticus was compared to fermentation with L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, and S. thermophilus at 28°C, 35°C, and 42°C. The fermentation activities were followed by measuring bacterial counts, titratable acidity, pH, and changes in lactose, organic acids, and proteolysis for 96 hours. Although bacterial growth was comparable in CM and BM, the fermented milks showed differences in acidification and proteolysis. Negative correlations between TA (%) and pH were consistent in both CM and BM suggesting similar buffering capacities. In both milks, L. helveticus …

Exploring English Language Teachers’ Selfefficacy Beliefs In Relation To Teaching Gifted Students, Shatha Mohammed Sobih

Theses

This study investigates the beliefs of English language teachers regarding their ability to identify and teach gifted students, focusing on how they perceive their own skills in teaching primary grade level students (grades 1, 2, and 3) with exceptional intellectual abilities in English language education. The study followed a qualitative research design and collected data using an open-ended survey consisting of questions that encouraged participants to provide detailed and unrestricted responses. This study also performed purposeful sampling to select respondents with the necessary knowledge and experience to offer rich and meaningful data. This study targeted English language teachers (n …

Investigating The Organizational Support For Educators Supporting Students With Disabilities: A Study On Administrative Strategies In The United Arab Emirates, Amal Mahmoud Al Badawi

Theses

The aim of the study is to explore whether organizational support can help general and special educators to provide effective services to their students with disabilities. Additionally, the study seeks to identify strategies that program administrators can employ to overcome barriers and provide better support to their staff. Using a mixedmethod approach, which includes a survey (N=25) with 10 participants working in special education and 15 in general education and interviews with five education leaders in both special and general education settings. These leaders, who hold positions such as Directors of General Education and Special Needs Coordinators, bring varied years …

الجريمةُ الأصليَّةُ كشرطٍ مُفترضٍ لجريمةِ غسلِ الأموالِ طبقًا للمرسوم بقانونٍ اتحاديٍ رقْم 20 لسنة 2018 في شأن مُواجهة جرائمِ غَسْلِ الأموالِ ومكافحة تمويل الإرهاب وتمويل التنظيمات غير المشروعة المعدل بالقانون رقم (26) لسنة 2021م, عذراء عبد الله الكعبي

Theses

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The Predicate Crime as a Presumptive Condition for the Crime of Money Laundering in Accordance with Federal Decree Law No. 20 Of 2018 Regarding Combating Money Laundering Crimes and Combating the Financing of Terrorism and the Financing of Illegal Organizations, As Amended by Law No. 26 of 2021

The crime of money laundering is closely linked to the crime from which the funds being laundered are obtained. There is no talk of money laundering without funds derived from an illicit source. Hence the question arises about the nature of the original crime, and whether it includes every crime from …

The Anticancer Activity Of A Novel 8-Hydroxyquinoline Derivatives Against 5-Fluorouracil Resistant Colorectal Cancer Cells, Mazoun Talal Al Azzani

Theses

Cancer is a global health crisis for which 20 million new cases were diagnosed in 2022 alone, with 9.3 million cancer-related deaths. Nearly 900,000 deaths were due to colorectal cancer (CRC), which is the third leading cause of cancer related mortality. In the United Arab Emirates, 550 new cases of CRC were reported in 2022. A major clinical challenge with CRC treatment is the development of resistance to 5-fluorouracil (5FU)-based chemotherapy regimens, which are the standard treatment for CRC. In the present study, the anticancer activity of two novel 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ) derivatives AS45 and AS47 was examined against 5FU-sensitive (HCT116) …

Multimodal Data Fusion And Model Compression Methods For Computer Vision, Manish Sharma

Theses

This dissertation explores the advanced integration of deep learning (DL) techniques in remote sensing (RS) and computer vision (CV), with a focus on optimizing convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for enhanced detection performance and efficient computational deployment. The first part of the research addresses the underperformance of conventional object detection methods when applied to RS data. Traditional techniques often struggle due to the small size of targets, limited training data, and diverse modalities involved. To overcome these challenges, we introduce YOLOrs, a novel CNN designed specifically for real-time object detection within multimodal RS imagery. YOLOrs is adept at detecting objects across …

Optimization Methods For Parameter Estimation In A Scalar Partial Differential Equation: Stochastic Variants, Yidan Yang

Theses

In this work, we present stochastic variants of an optimization method for the problem of recovering a spatially varying parameter in a scalar partial differential equation (PDE) from measurement(s) of the state variable. In many inverse problems associated with PDE models, the goal is to utilize observational measurements of the state variable in the estimation of the model parameter(s). In the problem being studied, the hydraulic conductivity of an aquifer (a function of location) is the parameter/coefficient to be recovered and the hydraulic (or piezometric) head is the quantity observed/measured. We discuss the choices of objective functional (such as output …

Sustainable Energy Access And Irrigation Planning In Sub Saharan Africa, Fhazhil Wamalwa

Theses

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is the least developed and most vulnerable region to climate change globally, with electricity access and irrigation rates at 45% and 5%, respectively. The region's high reliance on rain-fed farming results in significant yield gaps, increasing dependence on food imports and aid. Projected declines in rainfed agricultural productivity due to climate-induced rainfall variability, coupled with a rapid population growth rate of 2.8% per year, will likely exacerbate food insufficiency. SSA is largely rural, with an urbanization rate of 42%. Much of its population lives in sparsely populated settlements characterized by low electricity demand, which poses a significant …

Modeling The Reverberation Response Of The Broad Line Region In Active Galactic Nuclei, Sara A. Rosborough

Theses

The supermassive black holes (SMBHs) that reside at the centers of massive galaxies are observed as active galactic nuclei (AGN) when they are rapidly consuming matter from a surrounding accretion disk, which releases large amounts of electromagnetic radiation. Closely surrounding this engine are the dense gas clouds of the broad line region (BLR), which are photoionized by the continuum radiation emitted by the accretion disk. As these clouds are deep within the potential well of the SMBH, the gas emission lines (the broad emission lines; BELs) are Doppler-broadened by several 1,000 km/s. Measuring the size and velocity dispersion of the …