Digital Commons Network^™

Improving Zero Shot Learning By Linking Multi-Label Cnns With Llms, Michael A. Wegner

Theses and Dissertations

Classifying previously unseen objects poses a significant challenge for traditional computer vision algorithms, which rely on extensive labeled training data. Zero-shot reasoning offers a way to overcome this limitation. This research explores a novel method for image recognition using the Animals with Attributes 2 (AWA2) dataset as a proof of concept. A multi-label ResNet50 model predicts core attributes like color, ear shape, or number of limbs. Those attributes then feed into ChatGPT which leverages its extensive knowledge base to classify the animal based on the provided attributes. This novel approach skips the need to train on every possible class. Instead, …

Molecular Scale Investigations Of Interactions Between Pfas And Concrete, Eric E. Keeler

Theses and Dissertations

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), widely referred to as “forever chemicals,” exhibit high environmental persistence and potential health risks due to their robust carbon-fluorine bonds. These substances are prevalent in aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF), used in industrial and military applications, and are known to contaminate environmental surfaces, including concrete. This study aims to characterize the molecular-level interaction energies of six PFAS species—PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFHxA, 6:2 FTS, and PFBS—with calcium silicate, a key component of concrete, using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Change in Gibbs free energy (ΔG) was determined for each of the interactions, revealing negative ΔG values for …

Evaluating Weather Effects On Sortie Generation Using Discrete Event Simulation, Markus Case

Theses and Dissertations

United States Air Force (USAF) operations rely on sortie generation, a complex system involving aircraft maintenance, operational planning, munitions, security forces, and aircrew. Failures in any of these areas can jeopardize a mission, and extreme weather events such as lightning, high winds, and snow further complicate operations. This thesis examines the impact of extreme weather on sortie generation, focusing on developing a data-driven discrete-event simulation (DES) to predict generation timelines and identify high-risk areas. The model allows users to adjust key inputs, including the month, number of aircraft, processing times, and personnel/equipment availability. By simulating real-world conditions, the model helps …

Retrospective Cohort Study Of Pure Tone Audiometry Hearing Changes Associated With Ototoxic Metals And Solvents, Continuous Noise And Impulse Noise Exposures At Robins Air Force Base From 2001-2019, Ronald Diaz Cataldo Ramos

Theses and Dissertations

Utilizing DOEHRS-IH and DOEHRS-HC, a retrospective epidemiological study was performed on Robins AFB personnel to investigate relative risks of hearing loss associated with exposures to continuous noise, impulse noise, and ototoxic metals and solvents. An analysis of variance identified age, frequency octave, era and exposure type as influencers of hearing threshold shifts. Risk ratios showed higher risk of hearing loss for exposures to continuous noise + impulse noise + ototoxic metals as well as continuous noise + impulse noise at low frequencies (500Hz and 1,000Hz), and lesser risk for exposures to continuous noise + impulse noise and continuous noise + …

Assessing The Feasibility Of Managed Aquifer Recharge For The United States Air Force, Daniel Hendrix

Theses and Dissertations

Water stress is becoming an increasing global issue, with 4 billion people (50% of the world’s population) experiencing water stress at least one month per year. By 2050, 60% of the world’s population and $70 trillion USD in global gross domestic product will be affected. This research analyzes 78 CONUS USAF installations to determine location-specific water stress and feasible Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) solutions. Although thousands of MAR projects have been implemented globally, active-duty USAF installations have yet to contribute to solving this growing issue. Important factors such as required subsurface conditions, physical limitations, design, cost, and regulatory constraints are …

Heterogeneous Boid Swarm Performance Under Environmental And Neighbor Communication Link Variability, Jonathan C. Oxborrow

Theses and Dissertations

Artificial swarms are of growing interest in numerous fields and use cases. As their utilization increases drones and robots with different capabilities will be required to coordinate for task completion thus creating heterogeneous swarms. Swarm individuals generally communicate with all neighbors inside their sensor range generating a significant amount of message traffic. Previous research of a heterogeneous group in a non-physical environment has shown that restricting communication to only one neighbor of each different capability maintained performance. This work applies that finding to a heterogeneous boid swarm with the addition of varied environmental conditions. The swarm is comprised of three …

Mechanical Response Of Triply Periodic Minimal Surface Gyroid Structures Under Combined Loading, Jay B. Patel

Theses and Dissertations

This work explored combined tensile and torsional loads applied to additively manufactured Inconel 718 specimens employing Triply Periodic Minimal Surface (TPMS) structures. The gyroid TPMS unit cell was selected with two variations of cylindrical cell maps, a rectangular cell map, and a spherical cell map. All four variants were tested in an axial-torsion test frame at room temperature using equal parts of vertical and angular displacement control until failure. The combined loading in these tests utilized tension and torsion. The data from the tests were compared to finite element analysis (FEA) models to visualize when yielding was predicted. Finally, the …

Nature-Based Education As A Learning Tool: Unleashing The Power Of Nature-Based Education In Egyptian Primary Schools. "The Effects Of Outdoor Learning And Open-Air Classrooms On Primary School Students In Egypt.", Nermeen Bekhiet

Theses and Dissertations

When learning modalities are tailored to each student's preferences and needs, academic success follows. This effect is contingent upon both individual and surrounding factors. Many schools in Egypt and the Middle East do not concentrate on how exposure to nature and nature-based learning can affect how the learner perceives his or her learning area. Most schools in Egypt have no exposure to nature to allow students to explore the world in their way; there is no room for diverse students to excel. Therefore, this exploratory research aims to reestablish a connection between private primary school students and the natural world …

Molecular Mechanisms Of Niemann-Pick Type C: Investigating Gene Expression, Lipid Metabolism, And Mitochondrial Dysfunction In Fibroblasts, Sarah Kim

Theses and Dissertations

Niemann-Pick Disease Type C (NPC) is a progressive lysosomal storage disorder characterized by the accumulation of lipids, particularly cholesterol, within cells, leading to severe neurological manifestations and developmental issues. This study employs RNA-seq to compare gene expression profiles between fibroblasts derived from a healthy individual and a patient with the NPC1 mutation. A total of 12,978 genes were analyzed, revealing 191 differentially expressed genes. Functional enrichment analysis disclosed significant associations with biological processes related to development, lipid metabolism, embryonic organ development, vascularization, and neuroinflammation. Additionally, the connection between mitochondrial function and lysosomal impairment was explored, revealing that NPC1 mutant fibroblasts …

The Role Of Non-Coding Rnas As An Innovative Therapeutic Tool For Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Nabila Mohamed Hosni El Kramani

Theses and Dissertations

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second lethal cancer worldwide, with over 60 million new patients added annually. Hepatitis B infection and toxins, e.g., aflatoxin, contribute to the incidence of HCC. Egypt and China show the highest prevalence of viral hepatitis and HCC in the world.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are non-protein-coding transcripts larger than 200 nucleotides. These transcripts work at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and epigenetic levels to regulate gene expression by interacting with various biomolecules, such as RNA, DNA, and proteins. They serve essential functions in chromatin remodeling and cell survival, differentiation, and proliferation. The role and biological interactions of …

Integrating Planetary Health Into Public Health Education For Sustainable Healthcare Practices, Eman Aboualy

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Integrating planetary health in public health education became an urgent global call for action since the WHO announced that the climate change and environmental degradation are the most threat facing the humanity in the recent decades (1). According to that, many countries are developing strategies for counteracting and mitigating the impact of climate change and restore the planetary health. These strategies are including policy drafting and preparing their public health professionals to recognize and address the health effects of environmental change, promote practices for sustainable healthcare. Although Egypt is formulating different policies to cope with and respond to the …

Identification Of Novel Argonaute Proteins Using A Metagenomic Mining Approach, Lobna Abdallah Ghonaim

Theses and Dissertations

Gene editing is one of the most promising tools in science. It enables precise modifications of an organism's genetic material. Metagenomics is considered a powerful tool that unlocks the broad genetic potential found in uncultured microbial communities. Exploring the genetic diversity of uncultured microbial communities helps identify novel functional proteins with unique properties and make the best use of these diverse microbial ecosystems.

We developed and employed a metagenomic-based approach to mine more than 1000 metagenomes for prokaryotic argonaute proteins (pAgos), a potential gene editing machinery encoded in bacterial and archaeal genomes. Our workflow involved strict quality control, sequence assembly, …

Rural Entrepreneurship In Upper Egyptian Communities: Exploring The Intervention Of Agri-Tech Startups, Marwa Wael Abohamda Hulail

Theses and Dissertations

Climate change and economic disturbance have changed the state of the world and increased the dependence on digitization in running people's daily life. In Egypt, the economic instability and climate change have affected people’s standard of living, making it challenging to sustain their life, especially in the agriculture sector. Farmers have been affected by the risks of climate change, economic shocks, and trends of digitization, which have impacted their profit, employability, and livelihood.

Several Egyptian Agri-tech startups were launched to support the farmers in the digital revolution that came to agriculture, attempting to make a change in the Egyptian farming …

Mir-125a-3p And Its Targets: Promising Biomarkers For Ovarian, Liver, And Breast Cancers, Offering A Beacon Of Hope For More Effective Diagnosis And Treatment Strategies, Eman Kamaleldien Anwer

Theses and Dissertations

Cancer is a worldwide health problem with various genetic and epigenetic alterations, resulting in disease heterogeneity. Effective diagnostic, therapeutic, and monitoring markers have been determined recently; however, new diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic markers are needed. MicroRNAs (miRNA), short non-coding RNAs, have a highlighted role in cancer progression, migration, and programmed cell death. Our study aims to investigate the significance of miR-125a-3p and its downstream targets in breast (BRCA), hepatocellular (HCC), and ovarian (OVCA) malignancies and their possibility as diagnostic biomarkers and targets for therapeutic agents. Bioinformatics and online tools were used to determine the miRNA-predicted downstream targets, analyze GEO datasets, …

Copyright Law And Metaverse: A Comparative Study Of Challenges And Opportunities Of The Egyptian Copyright Law Entering The Virtual Era, Ayat Khalaf

Theses and Dissertations

Metaverse invokes legal challenges of Intellectual Property Rights in a limitless world of imagination for both entertainment and business aspects. The virtual world requires special devices and technologies to be accessed such as VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) appliances. The creation and protection of these devices cannot operate without patents. Besides, the protection of their software and platforms goes through copyright protection. Moreover, this imposes a non-traditional sense of trademark protection for new categories of goods and services. The peculiarities of copyright in the metaverse lie in two main challenges: firstly, copyright in the virtual world is usually …

A Collective History On Arkansas Regional Organ Recovery Agency (Arora) And Their Adaptation To Donation Culture, Tara Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Arkansas Regional Organ Recovery Agency (ARORA) is continually addressing the organ shortage in Arkansas by increasing organ and tissue donation rates in Arkansas. Hospitals, Funeral Homes, and other referral partners collaborated with ARORA in their efforts to increase organ and tissue donation. Interviews from former and current ARORA employees, along with data analysis, highlight how ARORA worked to honor Arkansans decision to be a registered donor while also improving the procurement of organs. The findings reveal how ARORA adapted to donation culture related to public, cooperation with referral partners, among other barriers to create ARORA’s mission of “Restoring Lives” This …

Experimental Investigation And Operating Characteristics Of Lhr Engine Using Bio-Fuel Blends With Additives, Suresh R

Theses and Dissertations

The huge energy demand and environmental anxiety are the reasons for the focus on the interest in alternative fuels for diesel engines. This has resulted in a worldwide search for renewable, less pollutant and agricultural-based alternate fuels. Also, attention is given to increasing the efficiency of a conventional diesel engine when operating on alternative fuels. The bio-fuel derived from non-edible oil such as Pongamia oil and Neem seed oil are suggested alternative fuels for this LHR engine.

Diesel engine combustion components viz., the piston crown and liner were coated with Aluminium Titanate thermal barrier coating material. The objective of this …

Agricultural Drought Prediction From Multispectral Image Processing Using Deep Learning Models, Gowri L

Theses and Dissertations

Accurate and timely prediction of agricultural droughts is fundamental to the management of ecosystems, preservation of biodiversity, and environmental sustainability. It helps to reduce environmental exploitation, promotes eco-friendly irrigation techniques, and tackles climate change efficiently. Its social implications include food safety and financial stability through continuous rural employment. Drought prediction guarantees social progress and sustainability by ensuring zero hunger/poverty and effective water management. A multi-sensor image pre-processing framework that incorporates data from various satellite platforms like Landsat (30 metres), Sentinel-2 (10 metres, 20 metres, 30 metres), and MODIS (500 metres) is used to monitor and assess agricultural drought effectively.

Analysis …

Generating Real-Time Synthetic Datasets To Improve Aerial Object Detection, Garrett Williams

Theses and Dissertations

The widespread use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) across civilian and military applications has necessitated the advancement of real-time drone detection and tracking capabilities. Machine Learning (ML) addresses these requirements, however, to train a robust and generalizable model requires large and diverse video datasets. Curating these real-world datasets is often time-consuming and cost-prohibitive. Here, we present DyViR, a real-time customizable rendering application capable of automatically generating highly realistic synthetic, multi-modal video of aerial objects, digital environments, and automatic generation and labeling of bounding boxes. Synthetic data, coupled with real-world training sets, augment the ML training process, leading to increased performance …

Knocking On Gelenbevī’S Door: A First Exploration Of The Epistemological Overcoming Of The Aristotelian Conception Of Metaphysical Modalities In The Thought Of IsmāʿĪl Gelenbevī (D. 1790/1 C.E.), Hisham Fahmy Al-Farrash

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a first exploration of the epistemological turn in metaphysical modalities within Arabic philosophy, particularly within its post-classical period (circa 1100 – 1900 C.E.), which is the turn that highlights the Arabic post-classical philosopher’s attempt(s) to overcome the Aristotelian conception of metaphysical modalities. I here focus on some linguistic, philosophical, and theological nuances of this turn, by synoptically comparing the conceptions of metaphysical modalities of Ismāʿīl Gelenbevī (d. 1790/91) and Aristotle (d. circa 322 B.C.) as two points of culmination in their respective tradition’s reflections on modalities, which is the comparison that presents Gelenbevī’s said conception for …

Functional Dissection Of The Periplasmic Domain Of Rcsd, The Phosphotransfer Protein Of Escherichia Coli Rcs System, Abdelraouf Dapour

Theses and Dissertations

Microbial resistance to antibiotics poses a major health threat worldwide, prompting the scientific community to dedicate considerable efforts toward understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying this resistance. The Gram-negative cell envelope serves as a formidable barrier to environmental stressors and numerous antimicrobials. In E. coli and other enterobacteria, the Rcs system (Regulator of capsule synthesis) is a crucial two-component signalling pathway that plays a critical role in maintaining the integrity of the bacterial envelope. One unique aspect of the Rcs system is the involvement of several auxiliary proteins in its signalling cascade. Among them, RcsD, an inner membrane 100 kDa protein, …

Evaluating The Performance Of Broccoli (Brassica Oleracea Var. Italica) In The Sandponics System Using Brackish Water With Biochar And Compost, Gabriel Oyebode

Theses and Dissertations

Some of the most pronounced effects of climate change on agricultural output include the depletion of freshwater resources and heightened salinization of arable land, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, adversely affecting crop yields. Many economic vegetable crops including members of the brassica family are sensitive to salt-stress. The use of organic soil amendments such as biochar and compost as complimentary nutrient sources in the sandponics system can improve the performance of crops. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of organic amendment on the growth performance and yield of broccoli and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) under brackish …

Exploring Pragmatic Functions And Linguistic Features Analysis For Some Terms Of Endearment In Egyptian Colloquial Arabic As Discourse Markers, Samar Abdeltawab

Theses and Dissertations

In Arabic and many languages, terms of endearment are used as discourse markers to express affection. However, their meanings differ depending on the pragmatic context in which they are said.

Despite the abundance of research on terms of endearment in various languages, there is a noticeable lack of studies examining the pragmatic functions and linguistic features of these terms in Arabic. This research aims to fill this gap by providing a comprehensive exploration of the pragmatic functions and investigating the syntactic and morphological characteristics of selected terms of endearment in Egyptian colloquial Arabic. It offers a detailed analysis of their …

The Principles Of Islamic Moral Philosophy And The Possibility Of Re-Conceptualizing Classical Islamic Aesthetics Of Architecture, Muhammad Feteha

Theses and Dissertations

This study is primarily concerned with the intersection of the moral and aesthetic theories of Abū Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī (d. 1111). Al-Ghazālī’s theory of aesthetics has been the subject of thorough scholarly investigations and diverse interpretations in the field of Islamic art history since the 1940s. This thesis critiques the premises upon which the use of al-Ghazālī’s writings in studies of Islamic art and architecture were built. It suggests that they lead to what could be described as “the contradiction of unethical beauty.” To overcome this contradiction, it offers a comprehensive interpretation of al-Ghazālī’s aesthetics through analyzing the concept ḥusn in …

Revisiting The Diffusion Of Innovations Theory In The Digital Era: Adoption Of Artificial Intelligence In Social Media, Aliaa Khaled Elshabassy

Theses and Dissertations

The present study aims at revisiting the applicability of Rogers’ diffusion of innovations theory in the digital era, particularly in relation to recent advancements in Artificial Intelligence and their use in social media. The role of generational differences in influencing the adoption and non-adoption of these technologies is also explored. Drawing on the rich insights of qualitative data, the researcher adopts a multi-method approach comprising seventeen interviews with academic and professional experts and four focus group discussions among different generations to collect first-hand insights on AI adoption in the present time. AI was itself used for qualitative data analysis, including …

The Role Of Biofilm Matrix On The Growth, Survival, And Diagnosis In Enterobacteriaceae, Kavi Bharathi R

Theses and Dissertations

Bacteria in nature live together encased in a matrix creating community ecosystems called biofilms, this structured space protects them from hostile environments. This study aimed to understand the role of the biofilm matrix in the growth and survival of Enterobacteriaceae. Our hypothesis proposes that subgroups of individuals within a biofilm can specialize in the production of different matrix components.

Matrix expression is metabolically costly, despite its unicellular simplicity, microbes can coordinate complex behaviour like sharing of matrix between producers and non-producers as an adept evolutionary strategy. Their resilience to stress during biofilm formation was studied to assess their abilities to …

Behavioral And Neuroactivational Correlates Of Psychosocial Stress-Induced Cocaine Seeking In The Rat, Nicole Hinds

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract Nicole Maria Hinds BEHAVIORAL AND NEUROACTIVATIONAL CORRELATES OF PSYCHOSOCIAL STRESS-INDUCED COCAINE SEEKING IN THE RAT 2024 Molecular Cell Biology & Neuroscience Doctor of Philosophy Cocaine Use Disorder is characterized by a high risk for relapse that can persist over extended periods of abstinence. Psychosocial stressors are well-established to promote drug craving and relapse in humans but have rarely been employed in preclinical relapse models. Consequently, the underlying neural circuitry by which these stressors drive cocaine seeking has not yet been thoroughly explored. This project aimed to identify brain regions recruited during psychosocial stress-induced cocaine seeking in rats, with a …

Plants, Protests, Pachakuti: How Trees March And How People Tree, Ashley A. Lundquist

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the multi-faceted role of plants, specifically Wituk and Manduru, in Amazonian protests and environmental advocacy. By examining the communicative and relational ontologies inherent in Runa culture, the study elucidates how plants influence social movements and contribute to environmental protection. Wituk and Manduru create paint. Paint facilitates good communication which creates good relationality. Good relationality allows for increased capacities and inhibits greedy consumption allowing for a balanced world order. Through the use and agency of Wituk and Manduru, movements become multi-species phenomena in which ecological entities combine with Runa bodies. The relationships shared between Runa, Wituk, and Manduru …

The Influence Of The Un Watercourses Convention On The Development Of A Policy Design In The Nile River Basin, Zienab Ali Abdelhady

Theses and Dissertations

The adoption in 1997 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses (UN Watercourses Convention or UNWC) marked a milestone in the codification and progressive development of international water law. Similarly, the signature in 2010 by the majority of the Nile Basin states of the Nile River Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) was a major step towards a permanent legal and institutional framework as well as a significant shift from the currently applicable legal regime in the basin. The research concludes that the principles enshrined in the UNWC can assist future regional treaty …

Securing A Virtual Reality Classroom Using Unity, Okemute Samuel Idonor

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how security features might be incorporated into a Unity created virtual reality (VR) classroom, with a particular emphasis on important concerns including user privacy, data security, and illegal access. The increasing usage of virtual reality (VR) technology in educational settings has made it crucial to ensure the security of these immersive systems, especially when it comes to safeguarding sensitive user data. Designing and implementing a secure VR classroom prototype that could successfully protect against common security concerns, such as unauthorized access and data breaches, was the main goal of this project. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), Role-Based Access Control …