Digital Commons Network^™

Artificial Intelligence For Smarter Surveillance Using Cctv Cameras In The Uae, Fatma Sabeel Alblooshi

Theses

Nowadays there are many technologies being developed worldwide, and people should keep abreast of new technologies and developments. In addition, many companies are focusing on developing new features and technologies for cameras in several sectors. It’s very important to have cameras in public places, schools or hospitals. For instance, in these public places they need to install cameras that recognize image processing, avoiding recording people’s information and data, when the crime happened, or for safety purposes. On the other hand, CCTV cameras pose risks since we don’t know who is monitoring the screen, and this sensitive footage can be shared …

Sustainable Packaging Design For Online Order Delivery, Fong-Yun Su

Theses

Due to the rising demands of package delivery, packaging for online orders has been produced rapidly in recent years. It includes plastic waste, paperboard waste, and energy waste. These wastes negatively impact the surrounding environment, natural creatures, and even human health. In this paper, a sustainable packaging design for online orders is explored that can not only help ecological systems on this planet, but also benefit the online retailers with a better package life cycle. This project is aimed to design a new packaging solution with adjustable and reusable features, which reduces packaging waste and provides a better package life …

Mindful Consumption, Hind Ali Almualla

Theses

This study explores the impact of human behaviour on spaceship earth. It also explores the possibilities systems thinking offers to address complex problems such as climate change by influencing human behaviour. This study hypothesizes that the level of information the consumer knows about the ecological footprint of a product has an impact on his purchasing decisions in favour of the environment. The hypothesis was tested by running an experiment on an online shopping experience. Fourteen respondents completed the two phases of the experiment and answered two questionnaires. They were followed by 4 in-depth interviews. The analysis measured if there is …

Heart Rhythm Classification From Static And Ecg Time-Series Data Using Hybrid Multimodal Deep Learning, Ahmad Abdulrazaq Abdulla Alnajjar

Theses

Cardiovascular arrhythmia diseases are considered as the most common diseases that cause death around the world. Abnormal arrhythmia diseases can be identified by analyzing heart rhythm using an electrocardiogram (ECG). However, this analysis is done manually by cardiologists, which may be subjective and susceptible to different cardiologist observations and experiences, as well as to noise and irregularities in those signals. This can lead to misdiagnosis. Motivated by this challenge, an automated heart rhythm diagnosis approach from ECG signals using Deep Learning has been proposed. In order to achieve this goal, three research problems have been addressed. First, recognize the role …

Sustainability Of Modern Groundwater Pumping Technologies, Life Cycle Assessment, Hesham Mahmood Alshehabi

Theses

The sustainability of groundwater equipment systems is not well addressed in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries (GCC). The typical technology practiced in the GCC is the borehole pumps coupled with asynchronous motors. This thesis is evaluating the sustainability of various alternatives for groundwater equipment through the three pillars of sustainability. Economic assessment seeking the Levelized cost of water given typically in $/m³ and main factors affecting the energy intensity through a statistical comparative analysis approach. Environmental evaluation through performing a life cycle assessment model for four pumping alternatives, and finally, societal impact assessment aiming to identify the best practices and …

Performance Of Ultrasound-Assisted Forward Osmosis Membrane Process In Desalination Of Seawater, Bara Awwad Al-Sakaji

Theses

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of using ultrasound on water flux through forward osmosis membrane when applied for seawater desalination. A synthetically prepared solution simulating seawater characteristics was used. Parameters considered in the investigation included membrane cross-flow velocity (0.25 and 1.0 cm/s), flow configuration (co-current versus counter-current), direction of ultrasound waves relative to the membrane side (active layer versus support layer), and type of draw solution (NaCl versus MgCl₂). Furthermore, a two-level factorial design was considered in the analysis of the results obtained from the experimental work. This study revealed that applying a …

Examining Awareness And Identification Procedures Of Students With Specific Learning Disabilities In Uae Elementary Government Schools, Hana Aidrous Omar

Theses

Specific Learning Disability (SLD) is the most prevalent type of disability. Many students have been incorrectly identified as having SLD when, in fact, they have a different issue or disability. Other students with serious academic problems have been ignored and have not been evaluated. This study, therefore, examines the procedures used to identify students with SLD in UAE elementary government schools. The purpose of this study is twofold: (a) to examine the diagnostic procedures and steps that UAE elementary government schools follow to identify and place students with SLD and (b) to investigate school professionals’ awareness of SLD. A mixed …

Mechanistic Insights On The Role Of Ambrisentan, An Endothelin Type-A Receptor Antagonist, In Breast Cancer, Ruba Saleem Amer

Theses

The activation of the endothelin receptor type A (ETAR) by its ligand endothelin-1 (ET-1) is well known for its role in vasoconstriction. Interestingly, ET-1 and ETAR are over-expressed in various human tumors, including breast cancer. Several studies described an important role for ETAR in cancer progression and metastasis. The extensive network of interactions that exist between ET-1 axis and other signaling pathways can trigger an autocrine and paracrine signaling that modulates different tumorigenesis processes, such as cellular proliferation and survival, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and chemoresistance. The main objective of this study was to investigate the antitumor effects of Ambrisentan, a …

Evaluation Of Nutrient Solutions Produced From Aqueous Extracts And Decomposition Products Of Organic Waste Materials On The Plant Growth Performance In Hydroponics, Noura Said Al Nuaimi

Theses

Hydroponic plant production involves the cultivation of plants in absence of soil. In this system, the supply of the plant root with water and nutritional elements occurs via a nutrient solution made of inorganic salts. Hydroponic plant cultivation often achieves higher yields, water use efficiencies and quality of crops compared with soil production. In addition, it renders the farming system independent from soil properties. However, the currently available systems rely on the steady input of non-renewable inorganic salts. Unlike soil-based systems, hydroponics, so far, do not offer feasible opportunities for recycling nutritional elements from within crop residues or organic waste …

Early Exposure To Marital Conflict And Adolescent Emotion Regulation, Kassidy Colton

Theses

Exposure to both physical and psychological stress has a negative impact on one’s regulatory processing, and stress within the family context may be especially impactful on emotional regulation and development. Early experiences of exposure to parent marital conflict or parent relationship discord, such as divorce, are stressors often associated with poor emotional well-being, including emotion dysregulation, in both children and adults. However, the influence of these experiences on regulatory development is complex as there are many factors that impact the pathways of risk (e.g., parenting behaviors, child perceptions). Furthermore, emotion regulation has not been well-studied in adolescence in the context …

A House With No Walls, Anna Mikuskova

Theses

As a child, I often listened to my father’s stories of his boyhood in 1950s Czechoslovakia; adventures taking place in the narrow cobblestoned streets of his hometown or near the fields and lakes of his grandparents’ village. I never met any of his family. And by the time I was born, the streets and buildings that came alive in his descriptions were gone: they were demolished together with eighty other towns in the area to make way for expanding coal mines. With no way to connect my father’s memories to physical locations or even images, the stories I heard sounded …

Matter: Creating An Action Loop Of Mindfulness, Mriganka Gupta

Theses

In the past, radical innovation changed the way we live our daily lives without causing a change in fundamental human behaviour. Our “social suite” of behaviours - something that has evolved within us over centuries had mostly remained consistent in the early days of this innovation. Today, modern technology has slipped into our lives without any friction. Products are now designed to blend in with our homes, so well that we almost forget they’re there. And this has caused a concerning change in human behaviour - to the extent that people now think of computer behaviours as analogous to human …

The Effect Of Roadside Mowing And Road Traffic On Bumble Bee Abundance And Pollinating Insect Habitat Quality In New York Highway Rights-Of-Way., Alyssa Schoenfeldt

Theses

Many insect pollinators, including native pollinators such as bumble bees (Bombus spp.), are facing population declines globally due to loss of natural habitats and other anthropogenic factors. The mandated grassy areas alongside roads, known as roadside rights-of-way (ROWs), are potential habitats for insect pollinators. Yet, roadsides ROWs are highly susceptible to disturbances including on-road traffic and roadside management practices, such as mowing, that may impede their performance as suitable habitat. My research objective was thus to examine if and how road traffic levels and roadside mowing interact to influence pollinating insect habitat quality and bumblebee abundance in highway roadside ROWs …

Evaluating Electronic Pulse Generators For Cooling Tower Sanitation, Hannah Saxena

Theses

Cooling towers are possible sources of contamination to the environment, with implications to human health. Cooling towers are known sources for disease outbreaks. The cooling process releases aerosols, which if cooling towers are not adequately sanitized, pathogenic bacteria may be released and contaminate the environment. Compounding the risk of pathogenic bacteria release, cooling towers provide ideal conditions for biofilms to grow which encourage the exchange of antibiotic resistance genes. Current sanitation methods are unable to prevent or effectively remove biofilms in cooling towers. Therefore, a new sanitation method is necessary. This research explores the feasibility of using electrical pulse generators …

The Best Snowboarding Buddy: Snowpes System, Peiwen He

Theses

The mountain ski resorts are huge places, while the maps are difficult to read and remember. Due to the difference of languages and map signs across countries, it's difficult for people to locate themselves on a map. In addition, it can be difficult for a snowboarder to keep contact with their crew. It also makes asking for rescue take longer. For the snowboarders whose ears are occupied, it's dangerous when there's someone behind them closely. For novice snowboarders who snowboard alone, it is not easy for them to learn new tricks so that they may give up. The Snowpes system …

Socio-Ecological Context Matters For Wetland Project Outcomes, Sydney Vanwinkle

Theses

Restoration or creation of wetlands is used to counteract wetland loss in the United States. However, projects often fail to meet functional equivalence with natural wetlands, and the shortcomings increase with time since construction. Many restoration projects are located in suburban or urban areas and are highly influenced by human impacts. Lack of understanding of how human communities influence restoration outcomes, in ways both positive and negative, hinders the ability of restoration managers to produce favorable long-term outcomes. This thesis investigates relationships among ecological metrics of success and the biotic, abiotic and social context for 38 created and restored wetlands …

Origami Food Packaging Based On Sustainable Concepts, Can Wang

Theses

This paper discusses food packaging based on sustainable design concepts. Firstly, it gives a brief overview of packaging, including functions and commonly used materials. Besides, this paper introduces the present situation of the packaging industry, combined with the actual condition of the importance of sustainable packaging in contemporary society. The necessity of sustainable design is emphasized by packagings’ large market, its negative impacts on the environment, strong connection with food waste, and people’s, especially millennium’s attitudes towards sustainable packaging. A large amount of waste has polluted the environment and consumed much energy, and food is high on the wastage list, …

Epilogue To Resonance, Robert Arthur Stone Iii

Theses

Epilogue to Resonance is a body of photographic work that focuses on how the resonance of imagery can be used as a tool for communication. This thesis expounds upon that idea, reflecting on photography as a medium to convey emotional affect and thought in a non-verbal form. After situating the photographic project within the historical moment of the 2020-21 coronavirus pandemic, this thesis goes on to analyze historical, psychological, and philosophical groundings as they relate to the processing of thoughts in the mind. This is accomplished through research into concepts by Thomas Nagel, and Stephen Kosslyn, and through interviews with, …

Strange Future, Nathan Emerson Rochefort

Theses

According to experts, the planet is now in a geologic period called the Anthropocene in which human action will progressively alter the course of life on Earth and the systems that support it. Every year global temperatures rise, and the frequency and severity of natural disasters increase. All evidence points to these trends continuing. “Climate change” is the name given to this predicament, and it poses a threat of existential proportion. For the past two years, I have been photographing the landscape of the northeastern United States looking for symbols of change. I have explored areas impacted by natural disasters, …

Connections, Kerina Mangiaracina

Theses

This thesis explores the connections between us as parents, children, and spouses. These relationships often involve choices to sacrifice pleasure and want for stability and the meeting of other’s needs. They also encompass challenges overcome as well as dreams and wishes never achieved. These connections, I have come to believe, are at the core of what makes us who we are. In my own life as a child, wife, mother, and artist the issues related to relationships and connections to others have defined the parameters of my journey. Bonds that link or separate us, desire, privilege, tribulation, and solace have …

Modeling The Mechanistic Behavioral Logic Supporting Adherence To Hormone Therapy In Breast Cancer Patients, Gina Kersey

Theses

This project proposed that given a basic model of the decisional logic driving stable adherence it might be possible to reliably anticipate increased vulnerability to discontinuation and use such a mode to design behavioral interventions that are specifically tailored to deliver course corrections that are temporally and contextually optimal. A logistic regression was coded and run using the core model predicted by the experts as a base for how the variables interact to make predictions. Then a logistic regression with stepwise selection was coded and run using the core model as a base for how the variables interact and to …

Smuggling Life, Mahmoud Alkurd

Theses

I was mentally prepared to accept the inevitable reality shock before I moved to Rochester from my home country, Palestine. A place like the Gaza Strip, where I grew up, has its own unique reality that mixes the norms of a contemporary life with the abnormalities. As I thought that I overcame the reality shock after spending almost two years in Rochester, I became aware of the fact that I became able to look back at my Gazan identity from a new and fresh angle. Smuggling Life is a multimedia art project that highlights the phenomenon of sperm smuggling by …

Medical Expertise, Patient Expertise, And Surrogate Decision Making: The Importance Of Co-Deliberation In Medical Decision-Making, Lindsey Grossheim

Theses

In biomedicine, there are many cases where a patient is incapacitated and unable to make their medical decisions. Often, these patients have no declared decision-maker. This thesis explores solutions which promote these patients’ ability to receive beneficent care and have a respect for their autonomy by proposing a requirement for co-deliberation between a medical professional (medical expert) and someone who knows the patient well (patient expert). This thesis studies a case and applies three solutions: one where each expert has full authority and a final solution where the two experts co-deliberate. Co-deliberation is a conversation between the two experts to …

Advanced Iii-Nitride Leds For Display Applications, Matthew T. Hartensveld

Theses

Gallium Nitride (GaN) light emitting diodes (LEDs) are viewed as the next generation of display technology as a replacement for both liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays. GaN based LEDs offer immense improvements in terms of efficiency, reliability, and resolution as compared to these conventional display technologies. New device opportunities are presented with the advent of LED displays, however there are a number of key challenges that also need to be addressed. Displays rely upon transistors in order to individually control the brightness of each color in a pixel. LED displays are no different, though …

Android Malware Detection Using Predictive Analytics., Amira Mohammed Albalooshi

Theses

The growth of android applications is causing a threat and a serious issue towards Android’s security. The number of malware targeting the Android operating system is increasing daily. As a result, in recent days the traditional ways that are being used to detect malware are not able to defend alone against the rapid development of hackers attacking techniques and novel malware. This capstone project focuses on using predictive analytics toward detecting malware from the network traffic. In this capstone project, we aim to train and test our data to find the best machine learning model with the highest accuracy of …

The Impulse Of Destruction, Chenyue Yang

Theses

Driven by the impulse to destroy, I use glass as a proxy for my own body and identity. Through a series of destructive experiments, provocations, dialogues, and games with materials, this body of work addresses this complex human mechanism of self-destruction by creating empathy with materials. Based on the introduction of my personal experience and cultural background, this work puts forward my obsession with the paradoxical aspect of human nature. I verify the self-destructive tendency of myself through the study of psychology and historically similar art movements. I discuss, the reflection that the research content brought to my creation. I …

Who Do They Think We Are? Analyzing Misrepresentation Of Races In Netflix Original Films Using Critical Race Theory And Social Identity Theory, Jacob Osseck

Theses

In a society like today’s, racial misrepresentation can be found across a vast number of different forms of media. Racial misrepresentation has been found in television portrayals of characters within series and programs during primetime television. This sort of misrepresentation creates obstacles for certain minorities to overcome prejudice, racism, and bigotry that oppresses their ingroup. A content analysis of 20 Netflix Original films which were chosen through random purposive sampling, to include comedy and drama genres, was conducted for the research. The analysis produced results that helped explain that Netflix’s representation of minorities through inclusion has improved for Blacks, yet …

The Fresh Fridge - Design To Enable Healthy Eating, Tatiana Ferrucio

Theses

A significant part of the population has adjusted life years (DALY’s) due to bad eating habits throughout their lives. This study explores the pain points to a healthier diet and proposes a design intervention for this problem.

The goal is to empower users to eat healthier and in a more sustainable way. As part of the discoveries throughout the research, healthy eating is the individual’s ability to achieve their nutritional values according to their physical structure and biotype.

The design process for this project considered potential strategies to engage people on healthy eating, using positive design methodologies to maintain people …

A Risk Management Framework Using Digital Transformation For The Healthcare Sector During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Mohammad Awni Khasawneh, Mohamed Alayat

Theses

Despite the many changes in the orientation of the world economy and the spotlight positioning, the healthcare sector remains one of the most important and critical sectors for its contribution in every aspect of human life. Improvements in the healthcare sector are seen and evident on a daily basis to cope with the technological and digital advancements in the world, and the recent COVID-19 pandemic has put these improvements into a faster pace. Several challenges in the health sector have risen to surface since the beginning of the pandemic; some of these challenges have been properly addressed and tackled, while …

Historical Ecology Of The San Diego Sport Fishery: Catch Composition, Species Trends, And Fishing Effort From 1959 To 2011, Rebecca Schwartz Lesberg

Theses

Like ocean systems around the world, species targeted by the San Diego sportfishery are subject to myriad threats from human activity, with several species already showing documented decline. However, long-term fisheries datasets are often lacking, limiting natural resource managers’ ability to appropriately manage these ecologically and economically important species. Therefore, this study used daily reports published in two Southern California newspapers to examine changes in catch composition, effort, and catch per unit effort (CPUE) from 1959-2011 for the San Diego commercial passenger fishing vessel (CPFV) sportfishery. This study then tested the relationship between those patterns and three large scale oceanographic …