Digital Commons Network^™

Soft Contact Lens Tear Film Proteomics For Clinical Diagnostic Biomarker Discovery, Robert Kimball Roden

Theses and Dissertations

Human tear film is an accessible biospecimen rich with useful biological information. As tear protein biomarkers for both ocular and systemic diseases have been identified in tears, efforts are being made to create point-of-care tests useful for clinical diagnoses. However, there are significant obstacles to tear diagnostics, including inadequate sampling methods and biomarkers with insufficient sensitivity and specificity. Furthermore, tear film diagnostics are particularly challenging for dry eye disease (DED) patients, where low tear volume makes sampling more difficult and the multifactorial nature of DED makes identifying the exact pathological subtype very complex. As soft contact lenses (SCLs) are designed …

Cesium Voltilization In Lif-Bef2: Predicting Release In The Event Of Fhr Fuel Failure, Johnny Hedrick Williams

Theses and Dissertations

This work demonstrates how ICP-MS can be employed to evaluate cesium volatilization from LiF-BeF2 (Flibe) salt with ab initio molecular dynamics studies used as corroborating data to better understand cesium behavior. Using mixtures of Flibe with 2 mol% CsF, it was found that cesium was stable within the salt melt at temperatures between 500-650°C over a time span of 8 hours. At 800°C, cesium vaporized from the salt at a rate of 0.83% / hr with a mass flux of 0.0023 g Cs / cm2hr. The atomistic modeling results show poor solvation of Cs at 500°C and 800°C, with stability …

The Performative History Of Tomboys In Anglophone Literature Prior To Little Women, Kimber Palmer

Theses and Dissertations

This paper examines the expansive history of literary tomboys in the century preceding Louisa May Alcott's Little Women (1868). Applying concepts from gender performativity theory, it explores earlier and previously overlooked portrayals of tomboys (or, alternatively, "hoydens" or "romps"), especially in Richard Brinsley Sheridan's A Trip to Scarborough (1777), Isaac Bickerstaffe's The Romp; A Comic Opera in Two Acts (1786), Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792), Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey (1817), and E.D.E.N. Southworth's The Hidden Hand (1859). Because the tomboy phenomenon emphasizes that gender roles must be learned and can be resisted, tomboy characters are …

Transport Of Suspended Sediments And Phosphorus In An Agricultural Watershed: A Case Study Of The Money Creek Watershed, Central Illinois., Oghenevwede Efobo

Theses and Dissertations

Suspended sediment and phosphorus are among the major pollutants of stream ecosystems. Suspended sediment has been documented as vector for nutrient transport, specifically phosphorus, in streams. Sources of suspended sediments include agricultural fields, channel sediments, and streambanks. Suspended sediments within the stream channel could fill up reservoirs over time thus, reducing reservoir storage capacity. Suspended sediments can cover breeding and nesting areas of aquatic habitats, leading to their displacements. Sources of phosphorus include point sources such as wastewater treatment plants and industrial effluent, and nonpoint sources such as agricultural fields and urban runoff. Phosphorus is a limiting nutrient in freshwater …

Gratitude Training For Promoting Subjective Well-Being: A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Journaling To A Personalized Menu Approach, Conner Lee Deichman

Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests a link between gratitude and subjective well-being exists. Research on gratitude practices have shown to increase gratitude, subjective well-being, and other related outcomes. However, the efficacy of gratitude practices may be limited by the rote application of the gold standard gratitude practice--the gratitude journal. Such findings suggest that a more comprehensive, adaptable, and flexible gratitude practice may be needed. This study examined the efficacy of the My Best Self 101 (MBS101) gratitude module: an online gratitude resource that provides psychoeducation about gratitude along with a menu of empirically based gratitude practices. Using a randomized controlled design method, this …

Family Of Origin Stress, Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, And Resource Loss For Couples During Covid-19: A Longitudinal Analysis, Betsy Hughes Barrow

Theses and Dissertations

The pandemic affected daily life on an unprecedented global scale resulting in the need for adaptation and flexibility to cope with ongoing stress, uncertainty, and loss that may affect couple relationships. Understanding resource loss in the context of mass stress events is critical because resource loss has been defined as the primary agent of stress (Hobfoll, 1989). As such, it is important to understand what factors may have shaped the degree of resource loss incurred during the pandemic. Extant research implies that considering early life adversity may be useful to explore as it may be a form of resource loss …

Exploring The Challenges For Women Trying To Assume Mid And Senior Leadership Positions In Higher Education In Yemen, Shaima Al-Monefie

Theses and Dissertations

Women in higher education have the potential to serve as influential agents of change, impacting the economic and societal growth of their respective countries through acquiring leadership positions. However, in Yemen, female administrators face a range of challenges that hinder their progression into senior leadership positions within higher education institutions. This study shed light on these obstacles by conducting qualitative interviews with female administrators from a university in Northern Yemen. Drawing upon Morales's Academic Resilience Theoretical Framework for women's empowerment, the research examined the interplay of institutional, cultural, educational, and professional barriers and other challenges that prevent women from assuming …

Differential Levels Of Nutrients And Heavy Metals In Tilapia Collected From Drains In Egypt, Emily Burch

Theses and Dissertations

Tilapia is one of the most widely cultivated and consumed fish globally. In terms of human health, tilapia is an excellent source of protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and micronutrients. Tilapia and other aquatic species have become increasingly susceptible to contamination, as anthropogenic activities have been increasing around the world. Anthropogenetic activities often introduce high levels of contaminants, including heavy metals, into the marine environment. These contaminants often do not biodegrade, and they are absorbed by aquatic species. Contaminants can bioaccumulate and proceed in biomagnification up the fish food chain putting consumers at an increased risk of exposure. Heavy metals can …

Exploration Of The Impact Of Gender-Affirming Care And Social Support On Executive Functioning And Mental Health In Gender-Diverse Autistic And Non-Autistic Adults, Karys Michaela Normansell-Mossa

Theses and Dissertations

Between 4.8% and 26% of adults presenting to gender dysphoria clinics have an autism diagnosis. Both autistic people and gender-diverse people have higher rates of mental health conditions including anxiety and depression and more difficulties with executive functioning, all of which impact quality of life. Some work suggests that gender affirmation leads to better mental health outcomes, including better executive functioning, but this has not been studied directly in autistic adults who identify as gender-diverse or transgender. As such, we elected to explore the relationships among these variables at this intersection of gender diversity and autism. In a sample of …

Daughterly Narratives In Search Of Voice: Fadwa Tuqan, Latifa Al-Zayyat, And Samar Attar, Rania Bedeir

Theses and Dissertations

A myriad of pressures and struggles affect Arab women as they are coming of age due to the familial and societal constructs they face. As daughters, they yearn for a voice amidst a plethora of generational boundaries, transmissions, and ideals. The intricacy of the psychological and interconnected structural factors is augmented by their gender in societies that are motivated, and often governed by, the implications of gender roles. While multiple layers of influence such as familial and sociocultural institutions affect how consciousness is formed, generational transmission, through the maternal figure, is paramount. Daughters, therefore, cannot narrate their personal stories without …

Combating Counterfeit Medicines: A Case Study Of The Egyptian Pharmaceutical Traceability System, Nourhan Yasser Ahmed Abdelfatah

Theses and Dissertations

Counterfeit medicines are a global challenge that has attracted the attention of many authorities in recent years. The problem worsened dramatically, causing adverse public health impacts and significant financial repercussions. Many countries, including Egypt, have attempted to adopt pharmaceutical track-and-trace systems to secure supply chains. Despite the significance of the problem, only a few scholars have studied the topic in Egypt. This qualitative study seeks to bridge the research gap and provide a clearer picture of counterfeit medicines in the Egyptian context. In addition, it aims to understand the role of the Egyptian Drug Authority and the policy motivations behind …

Narrating & Living With Loss: Towards An Ethnography Of Grief, Fayrouz Ibrahim

Theses and Dissertations

Through this paper, I seek to approach grief through how it is lived, the nexus between loss, and the sought-for physical abstractions through memory, objects, and materials to live with/despite such a loss. This paper is a phenomenological and ethnographic research project on the curatory rituals and practices that individuals employ in keeping lost loved ones alive in their everyday. I explore grief through a multidisciplinary and multimodal conceptualization rather than simply through cultural and social practices such as burial and mortuary rituals. The research follows the grief narratives of different individuals in Egypt in inquiring about the objects, memories, …

Fragments Of A Writer’S Mind: Virginia Woolf In Her Own Words, Baheya Zeitoun

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis provides a thematic reading of select autobiographical and theoretical works by Virginia Woolf. It utilizes Deleuze and Guattari’s philosophy of the rhizome as a methodological framework. The rhizome does not have a hierarchal structure but is rather interconnected. In the same way, the chapters interweave the multi-disciplinary theoretical approaches to connect the disparate factions of the modernist writer’s mind and life.

The early twentieth century saw the rise of post-suffrage writers with narratives that diverged from male-centric values. Woolf is one of the writers who makes a clear distinction between male and female values by championing women’s experiences …

Assessing Artificial Intelligence Readiness Of Faculty In Higher Education: Comparative Case Study Of Egypt, Ayatallah Ali

Theses and Dissertations

The field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been gaining considerable attention from many countries worldwide due to its rapid development and its potential benefits in different sectors. One of the leading global sectors that are currently considering the adoption of AI is the education sector. As a developing country, Egypt is gradually realizing the importance of AI and has begun considering the integration of AI in numerous sectors. Despite the importance of the field, there is a lack of published research on the integration of AI in education in Egypt or on the readiness levels of any stakeholders in the …

Spatial Autocorrelation Analysis For Construction Sites, Raghda Moharram

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the usefulness of spatial autocorrelation analysis in construction sites. The objective is to provide construction managers with insights into the site's performance, identify potential areas for improvement, and ultimately lead to cost and time savings and improved project quality. To achieve this objective, the study identifies significant spatial autocorrelation variables for various applications in construction and analyzes their impact on the site's efficiency and potential problems.

The potential applications where spatial autocorrelation analysis could be useful were identified, including schedules, progress, earned value measures, safety incidents, workers' densities, equipment densities, energy expenditure, and quality non-conformity. A framework …

Nutrient Optimization For Vegetable Production Under Decoupled Aquaponics Using Brackish Water, Salma Walid Hany Ahmed Abdelfattah

Theses and Dissertations

As the world moves to more sustainable agriculture methods in the agribusiness industry, decoupled aquaponics is recognized as one of the newest techniques currently being utilized to achieve more local food security. As the topic is still freshly new within the industry, a finite number of publications and studies have been made that address the topic hands-on with its many variables. Subsequently, in this paper, an experiment was conducted to assess the most optimized production conditions of both lacinato kale (Brassica oleracea var.palmifolia) and Swiss chard Bright Light (Beta vulgaris ssp. Cicla var. flavescens) plants through the utilization of a …

Accessibility Of Blended Learning For Special Needs Students In Higher Education, Reem Yaseen Al-Sulaimani

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigated the experiences of visually impaired students and their faculty members with blended learning at University X. Qualitative research methods were employed to gather data through interviews with six visually impaired students and six professors. The study analyzed the data using two frameworks, Universal Design of Learning (UDL) and Community of Inquiry (CoI). The findings indicate that the course design, personalization of accessibility, social inclusion and classroom dynamics, university support and resources, and technology accessibility and digital literacy have an impact on the experiences of visually impaired students and their professors. The study provides recommendations for improving the …

Privacy Perceptions Transformation In Cairo’S Home Designs - A Case Study: Gated Communities, Yasmine Esmat

Theses and Dissertations

The infrastructure of gated communities in Egypt’s New Cairo and 6th of October cities have become the new normal. The streets bordered by fences, walls, and the occasional gate, formed when two or more gated communities face each other, dominate the urban landscape today (Kostenwein, 2021). Nowadays, it is highly common to see billboards advertising new gated communities everywhere on the roads and bridges. Gated communities offer various privileges, and one of them is privacy. Taking Cairo city with its several gated communities as a case study, the research focuses on the transformation of privacy perception for Cairo’s home designs …

A Novel Approach Using Integrated Greywater Treatment System Applying Net Zero Wastewater Concept For Sustainable Urban Communities, Mianda Khattab

Theses and Dissertations

We are blessed with endless resources that are naturally existing in our world and we fully rely-on without envisioning the bigger picture of what would happen if these resources came to an end, or how can we even ensure sustainable lives by regenerating or reusing or utilizing the naturally existing resources? The surrounding ecosystem, the land we live on, the air we breathe, the water we drink and use for cooking, laundry, shower, irrigation, and many other usages are examples of the resources that we, as global users, are taking for granted.

It is a common knowledge that we are …

International Human Rights Through Queer Theory: A Discursive Analysis Of The Russian, Lithuanian, And Kyrgyz Lgbtq+ Lived Experience Within The Global Paradigm, Mariem Youssef

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis attempts to shed light on the subordination of international human rights law to that of the paradigm of international relations through asserting the existence of US Empire i.e., that emulates historical empires, British and French, which aims to emancipate subjugated minorities, formerly women and presently LGBTQ+ individuals from their national oppressive regimes. This is achieved through a discussion of pervious literature that discusses queer theory with a special focus on Russia, Lithuania, and Kyrgyzstan as the main case studies. While the overt intentionality of the “empire” is to protect LGBTQ+ individuals through perpetuating the prototype of the “International …

Computational Qsar & Molecular Docking Of Anti- Inflammatory Asthma Drugs Against Human Serum Albumin: A Computational Approach Towards Drug Design & Drug Discovery, Sara Alkarimy

Theses and Dissertations

There is a growing need for medications to fight deep-rooted and new diseases because of their socioeconomic consequences, as evidenced by the COVID-19 epidemic which slowed down the economy and affected the social life of mankind globally. This work is a step among many other steps undertaken by research around the world in order to achieve this objective. Asthma is one of the diseases that causes the death of thousands of lives every year. This work aims at the development of novel anti-inflammatory asthma drugs where the quantum chemical descriptors of eleven anti-inflammatory asthma drugs including Ambroxol, Amoxicillin, Budesonide, Fluticasone, …

Mental Health Literacy In Polynesian Native Hawaiians And Other Pacific Islanders: A Pilot Cross-Sectional Study, Kealoha Sarah Reiko Snow

Theses and Dissertations

Background: High prevalence of mental health problems and underutilization of mental health treatment are more severe among the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHPI) population and remain misunderstood and understudied. Examining mental health literacy (MHL)–the knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders which aid their recognition, management, or prevention–has been shown to identify barriers to seeking and receiving care. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the level of MHL in Polynesian NHPIs and identify associated demographic variables. Methods: Data for this pilot cross-sectional study were collected from 298 US Polynesians via an online questionnaire of the Mental Health Literacy Scale …

Global Health Governance And Its Role In Health Equity: The Case Of Covid-19, Wafa Abu El Kheir-Mataria

Theses and Dissertations

In the globalized world, we are living in, health became the joint responsibility of individuals, their governments, and the global health governance system. Moreover, based on the right to health, health equity is increasingly in demand, and adopting it to a global level has become an even more complex task to realize. This thesis is focuses on health equity at a global level. The main research questions addressed are: Is health equity present at an intercountry /global level? how is it related to Global Health Governance (GHG)? Is GHG performing well in achieving health equity? what are the reasons behind …

Using Multicultural Texts To Motivate Special Education Middle Schoolers To Read Independently, Ramona Maria Di Maria

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to investigate and examine middle school students’ motivation to read independently. The goal was to see what happens to seventh grade special needs students’ motivation when using authentic multicultural texts during independent reading. Motivation profiles, student interest surveys, reading habit observations and student multicultural book choices were collected and analyzed. The special needs students that participated in the study showed how a structured daily independent reading schedule, choice of multicultural literature, and classroom environment can increase their motivation to read independently. The implications for teaching independent reading in a middle school special needs …

More Than Athletes: Do Student Athletes Perform Better Academically In Their Respective Competitive Season?, Kristiina Michele Castagnola

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to analyze the grade point averages of student athletes in their competitive season versus their “off” season. This study also provides suggestions to Rowan University on how they can better support their student athlete’s academic success. This research study used surveys and a quantitative data analysis to analyze the grade point averages of the student athletes. The participants in this research study were student athletes that attended Rowan University in the 2021-2022 academic school year and had completed one full academic year. The most significant data collected was that student athletes do not …

The Role Of E-Governance On Corruption In The Mena Region: A Panel Data Analysis, Doaa Abdelwareth

Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to understand the role of e-governance on corruption in Middle East and North African (MENA) countries. The study also links the adoption of e-governance to the promotion of sustainable development. The panel data of 17 MENA countries were collected from various secondary sources from 2003 to 2020. This study's empirical result was estimated using the Generalized Method of Moments econometric approach. This study has achieved four objectives by using the different proxies of e-government, namely the human capital index (HCI), the online service index (OSI), the e-participation index (EPI), and the e- government development index (EGDI), for …

Additive Manufacturing Of Stretchable Strain Sensors: Fabrication, Optimization And Application, John Nady Shihat Bastawrous

Theses and Dissertations

In this project, a novel strain sensor design is fabricated employing different additive manufacturing techniques. The spring sensor's primary material is PLA-Like resin with a nanocomposite encapsulation layer as the functional material. The main principle of Straining the sensors results in a change in resistivity as the distances among the conductive carbon particles change according to the strain applied.

Sensor fabrication consists of two parts: spring manufacturing and development of nanocomposite encapsulation The nanocomposite matrix is developed through the dispersion of Graphene and Carbon nanotubes in Thermoplastic Polyurethane through sonication and magnetic hotplate stirring. While the spring itself is manufactured …

Association Of Gut Microbiota Composition With Alzheimer’S-Like Disease In A Rat Model, Hana Heiba

Theses and Dissertations

With many countries turning ‘grey’ and facing an issue with aging populations, the risk of developing one form of neurodegenerative disease is increasing. Dementia, being the most common syndrome resulting from neurodegeneration, severely affects memory and cognitive functions. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder, with an estimated 615,000 new cases will be added to the existing 5.7 million by 2030 (Alkasir et al., 2017).

In the current study, we establish a sporadic AD-like rat model by injecting STZ intracerebrally. Stool samples were collected at two time points; after three weeks for the acute stage, and 3 months …

The Impact Of Slavery And Colonialism On The Black Consciousness: Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass, The Confessions Of Nat Turner, And Incidents In The Life Of A Slave Girl, Mariam Badawi

Theses and Dissertations

According to the German author, essayist, and empirical psychologist Karl Philipp Moritz, to be able to analyze someone psychologically, we have to be able to analyze ourselves as one would know oneself better than one would know anyone else. Therefore, he proposed the study of autobiographies to be able to delve into a writer's "innermost soul"; through their knowledge of themselves" (qtd. in Schlumbohm 32). Moreover, "the psychological effect that the ideology of white supremacy and European imperialism, in the form of slavery and colonialism, has had on Africa and her people has never been fully addressed and understood" (Nobles …

The Sidelined Front-Liners: Eritrean Cbos In Greater Cairo, Nada Hegazy

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the recognition of the important role that community-based organizations play, among international actors concerned with refugee issues, as well as UNHCR’s adoption of a community-based approach to protection; community-based organizations continue to be sidelined by these actors. This thesis explores the role that Eritrean CBOs play in improving the lives of Eritrean refugees and asylum-seekers living in Greater Cairo. It also investigates the challenges that they face while trying to operate in Egypt. Using a multi-scalar lens, the research examines the relationships between Eritrean CBOs and Eritrean refugees and asylum-seekers, the State, UNHCR and its partner organizations, in addition …