Digital Commons Network^™

Navigating Uncertainty: The Role Of Gold, Silver, Oil, Cryptocurrency, And Esg Indices In The Mena Region, Rahaf Zakaria Sakr

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the effectiveness of various financial instruments as hedges and safe havens during different market conditions in the MENA region. It compares traditional safe-haven investments ( gold, silver, and oil) and non-traditional safe-havens (cryptocurrencies and ESG stocks) to determine which investments function better as hedges and safe havens during different market conditions. The data covers eight years, starting in 2015 and ending in early 2023. DCC GARCH is utilized to examine time variation in conditional correlations. This study finds that Gold, Silver, and cryptocurrency can be considered strong hedges to the MENA market on average and weak safe …

Biopolymer-Coated Magnetite Nanoparticles For The Removal Of Emerging Contaminants From Aqueous Solutions, Hebatullah Farghal

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Biopolymers are gaining interest as promising materials for water purification due to their functionality, biodegradability, abundance, and safe use. In this work, three biopolymer-based systems were developed as adsorbents for removing emerging contaminants from water. The first system of biopolymeric nanocomposites was synthesized by coating chitosan/xylan biopolymeric nanocomposites on magnetite nanoparticles (CsXM) to facilitate their separation from water via a magnetic field. The prepared mesoporous CsXM nanocomposite was thermally stable and possessed a particle size of 11 nm and a neutral to slightly negative charge over the studied pH range of about 3 to 10. The nanocomposite efficiently removed …

A Machine Learning Model To Predict The Asd Traits And Challenging Behaviors In Children, Biswaranjan Senapati

Theses and Dissertations

A neurological disorder, along with several behavioral issues, may be to blame for a child's subpar performance in the academic journey (such as anxiety, depression, learning disorders, and irritability). These symptoms can be used to diagnose children with ASD, and supervised machine learning models can help differentiate between ASD traits and other behavioral traits in children, so that a correct diagnosis can be made. Autism usually shows up in a child within the first two years of life, but it can happen at any time. This research aims to create a model for predicting ASD traits and challenging behaviors in …

Black Autistic Men And Law Enforcement Interaction: Building Understanding Through Communication Training, Veronica Tess Myers

Theses and Dissertations

The primary focus of my project was to develop an autism-specific training to provide the LRPD Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) an understanding about autism and its associated behaviors including sensory processing disorder and temper tantrums versus meltdowns. This was done by way of a two-part exploratory pilot study. This first part is a needs-assessment to discover the experiences Black autistic men have had encountering law enforcement. The second part, my Autism 101 training plan which is based on the needs assessment determined by survey participants (caregivers of black autistic men) and interviews (more specifically community partner interview with Mallory Visser, …

Campus Safety And The Impact Of Emergency Alert Systems, Madelyn Elliott

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study is to understand the impact emergency alert systems have on campus safety for Rowan University members using a quantitative survey. With a need to examine how universities and campus communities react to emergency scenarios, this study will focus on the reactions of those at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey and how they respond to emergency alerts. Through the research completed, we will look into how community members of Rowan University view their safety on the Glassboro campus, the effectiveness of Rowan’s emergency alert systems, when Rowan sends out the emergency alerts, and how …

Contingency Management For Opioid Use Disorder: Early Treatment Adherence And Mood, Shelby Renee Goodwin

Theses and Dissertations

Opioid use results in potentially devastating consequences, but medications for opioid use disorder, such as buprenorphine, serve as effective ways to curb cravings and withdrawal, helping an individual reduce their use. Unfortunately, around half of patients discontinue buprenorphine treatment within 30 days and co-occurring conditions such as mood symptoms may serve as additional barriers and decrease engagement. This study sought to examine contingency management (CM; incentives for meeting behavioral goals) as a potential intervention to increase early treatment engagement, as well as the role of total depression, anxiety, and stress (mood) severity in the efficacy of contingency management. New patients …

Artemisinin And Its Derivatives Reactions: Characterization Of The Reaction Products Using Lc/Tof Ms, Kogila Vijayan

Theses and Dissertations

Artemisinin (ART) is a sesquiterpene lactone and a popular malaria drug with potential anticancer properties. In this work, LC/TOF MS was used to investigate the reaction of ART with DNA bases and estradiol. ART-deoxyadenosine and ART-deoxycytidine interactions were studied in the presence of Fe (II) ions. ART-deoxyadenosine and ART-deoxycytidine reaction mixtures gave chromatographic signatures that remained unchanged at room temperature but grew after incubation at 37°C. The change in temperature from room temperature to 37°C was the main driver of adduct formation in these reactions. ART was found to react with Fe (II) ions as observed from several new chromatographic …

Computational Study Of Foldamer-Based Water Channels, Shadi Houshyar Azar

Theses and Dissertations

One of the most serious global challenges of this century is water scarcity, stemming primarily from the growing demand for freshwater and the depletion of freshwater resources. Water desalination has the potential to address this problem, but current technologies are expensive and inadequate. Here, we present novel, computationally designed channels with high water permeability and selectivity against ions, inspired by natural water channels, aquaporins. Aquaporin's unique property of transporting water while rejecting protons and other ions has led to numerous studies on incorporating such channels into different membranes for water purification applications. However, use of an aquaporin-incorporated membrane is limited …

The Impact Of The Tobacco-Free Policy On The Auc New Cairo Campus, Fatimah Badawy

Theses and Dissertations

In 2019, the American University in Cairo (AUC) conducted a research study on campus attitudes towards tobacco use and smoking behaviors within their community, in light of the then newly enforced tobacco-free policy. They found most campus members in support of the policy, with higher rates of disapproval from the smoking community. In 2021, this research aimed to follow-up on changes in attitudes towards the policy as well was smoking behaviors. It hypothesized that over time, levels of support to the policy would increase, smoking habits would be positively impacted and that positive health behaviors would correlate with policy support. …

Extracting Narrative Using Gpt-3 From Youtube Videos And Its Visualization, Mayor Inna Gurung

Theses and Dissertations

YouTube, the leading video-sharing social media platform, is home to a vast number of videos, with over one billion hours of content consumed daily. However, with 500 hours of fresh content added to the platform every day, ensuring the quality of the content has become a daunting task, making it challenging to prevent the spread of low-quality information. The manual review of malicious content by moderators is time-consuming and highlights the need for faster analysis and processing tools. This paper proposes a novel approach that utilizes Generative Pre-Trained Transfer-3 (GPT-3), with 175 billion parameters, to extract narratives from YouTube videos. …

Multicultural Mentor Texts In 2nd Grade Writer’S Workshop, Ellen R. Carbonaro

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the utilization of relevant multicultural mentor texts during writer’s workshop instruction in the second-grade classroom. The specific aim is to understand how students relate these diverse texts to their development of literacy skills. This study is grounded in the theoretical frameworks of culturally relevant education and reader response theory. Upon data triangulation analysis, the following themes were identified: 1. Multicultural Literature Promoted Engagement with Literacy, 2. Multicultural Mentor Texts as a Guide for Writing, and 3. Writing as a Social Practice within the Writer’s Workshop Model. Implications regarding the …

Leading Department Causes Of Acculturative Stress Among International Students At A South Jersey Public Institution, Meagan Kathleen Mcferren

Theses and Dissertations

The study in this paper was conducted at Rowan University, a South Jersey public institution founded in 1923. The purpose of this study was to collect data regarding various university departments that might cause and affect acculturative stress in international students and determine which area has the greatest impact on the students’ stress levels at the university. During the 2022-23 academic year, I distributed an anonymous online survey to the majority of Rowan international and domestic students, both undergraduate and graduate, to better understand their perspectives of specific campus resources and departments. In this paper, I state my questions as …

Importance Of Prioritization Of Health Care Data Quality In Managed Care Leadership, Grace V. Crossette-Thambiah

Theses and Dissertations

As we progress towards the fourth industrial revolution, where emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are becoming more dominant, the quality of data becomes even more crucial. These technologies rely immensely on data to generate insights and make accurate predictions. Poor quality data can lead to incorrect or incomplete insights, resulting in erroneous decision-making that can have significant consequences. It is essential that data quality is addressed early in the development of these technologies to ensure that they operate successfully and provide accurate insights that can lead to positive outcomes. As such, …

Flexural Wave Manipulation By Non-Hermitian Planar Elastic Metasurface, Katerina Stojanoska

Theses and Dissertations

It has been demonstrated that metasurfaces with spatially asymmetric inner geometry exhibit unidirectional scattering effects, which can be used to control waves in a directional fashion. In this thesis, a planar Non-Hermitian elastic metasurface exhibiting unidirectional focusing of flexural waves is proposed. Asymmetrically loaded piezoelectric disks and metallic blocks comprise the unit cells. By using a negative capacitance shunting, a tunable material loss is embedded into the system. With suitable engineering of the induced loss profile, resonating building blocks are designed, which are capable of independently accessing unidirectional zero reflection. A planar metasurface is then created so that constructive interference …

The Intolerance Of Uncertainty: Transdiagnostic Connections Across Schizophrenia And Mood Spectrums, Obsessive Beliefs, And Physical Health, Sharanjit D. Pujji

Theses and Dissertations

The ways in which we classify mental health symptoms are closely tied to etiological understandings and interventions. While prominent diagnostic systems are categorical in nature, dimensional and transdiagnostic conceptualizations may provide increased precision and specificity that are more representative of “real-world” symptom presentations. The intolerance of uncertainty (IOU), an aversive state formed in reaction to the fear of the unknown, may have transdiagnostic value across mental and physical health. The current study sought to examine dimensionality across traditionally distinct symptoms and the transdiagnostic role of IOU across physical and mental health through the lens of the schizophrenia spectrum with an …

Integrating Data Science With Reliability Engineering: A Study Of Crucial Knowledge And Skills, Altricia Jordan

Theses and Dissertations

Data science, as a discipline can be used in any area. However, in order to utilize data science techniques, data scientist must be taught domain knowledge, referred to as a partner discipline, in the area with which the techniques are to be utilized. Using a quantitative analysis of publicly available information and survey methodology, this research developed recommendations for training data scientist in the partner discipline of reliability engineering. A text analysis was performed on reliability engineering job requisitions resulting in a set of knowledge and skills topics that organizations desire in reliability engineering hires. Using the results of the …

Using Dual-Language Texts To Support Literacy For Emergent Bilingual Students, Amanda Dranchak

Theses and Dissertations

This paper provides a qualitative account of how linguistically inclusive curriculums can enhance literacy instruction. The specific aim of this study is to explore the impact on literacy instruction of emergent bilingual students when the curriculum includes dual-language texts. Methods of data collection include student interviews, text discussions, student work, and student self-assessments. The findings show that the dual language literature positively affected the emergent bilingual students. Students enjoyed increased levels of engagement and a high level of confidence in their reading abilities. The research demonstrates the value of a culturally and linguistically inclusive instructional environment. With the inclusion of …

Targeting The Warburg And Q Effect: Novel Strategy To Disrupt Cancer Metabolism, Mahmoud Adel Mohamed

Theses and Dissertations

One of the hallmarks of cancer cells is their altered metabolism, which serves their need to grow and proliferate. Cancer cells exhibit a marked increase in glucose consumption (Warburg effect). In addition, cancer cells also exhibit excessive uptake of glutamine, for biomass synthesis and for energy production through mitochondrial substrate level phosphorylation (glutaminolysis pathway). Glutamine metabolism is enhanced upon inhibition of glycolysis, also interference of glutamic metabolism leads to upregulation of glucose metabolism. So, simultaneous inhibition of glycolysis and glutaminolysis presents promising metabolic intervention strategy. In this study, we investigated high dose Vitamin C mechanism of action through MTT assays …

Analyzing Blogs About Uyghur Discourse Using Topic Induced Hyperlink Network, Ifeanyichukwu Joshua Umoga

Theses and Dissertations

The Uyghurs are a Turkic ethnic group that descends from the general region of Central and East Asia. In recent years, the Chinese government has been accused of violating the human rights of Uyghur Muslims by imprisoning them in camps and subjecting them to forced labor, forced abortion, and other harmful treatments. Aside from western news outlets, lot of information is available on blogs regarding the Uyghur issue. The information found in these blogs provide an alternative lens to analyze the Uyghur discourse from non-traditional media outlets. However, it is difficult to show the connection between blogs and how information …

Detecting Gene-Gene Or Gene Environment Interactions In Association With Complex Disease Outcomes, Taiwo Adetunji Famuyiwa

Theses and Dissertations

Identifying gene–gene and gene–environment interaction is complicated and gainsaying most especially because of high multifactor dimensions involve in the analysis of such combination discrediting the functionality of parametric statistical method like Logistic Regression. [22] developed a multi-factor-dimensionality reduction (MDR) method for detecting and characterizing high-order gene-gene and gene-environment interactions in case-control and discordant-sib-pair studies with relatively small samples, which is inspired by the combinatorial partitioning method of [18]. [16] proposed Generalized MDR (GMDR) framework based on the score of a generalized linear model which allows adjustment of covariates, provides a unified framework for handling both dichotomous and quantitative phenotypes. However, …

Natural Amino Acid Derived Iron (Iii) Catalysts For Green Oxidation Chemistry Applications, Karie Sanford

Theses and Dissertations

Tetraamido macrocyclic ligand activators are a group of catalysts that have been developed to perform green oxidation chemistries. In this thesis, the traditional synthesis of these catalysts was successfully altered to begin with natural amino acids, rather than the conventionally used synthetic derivatives of amino acids, which has never been shown in previous research. This was confirmed using a variety of characterization techniques including electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. One of these catalysts was utilized in several dye degradation studies, where it was determined that the catalyst can remove about 98% of methylene blue and indigo carmine pollutants from water within 45 …

Examining Food Insecurity Among Mississippi Community College Students, Laura Jean Kerr

Theses and Dissertations

Food insecurity among postsecondary students and especially community colleges is a persistent social problem, but the prevalence continues despite much research. Postsecondary students experience food insecurity slightly differently from the general population and they are held to different rules to qualify for food support such as the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP). In this research I examine the prevalence, frequency, and duration of food insecurity experiences among Mississippi community college students. I begin with a discussion of the literature of food insecurity and policy used to address food insecurity. I draw upon Bourdieu’s theory of social fields, capital, and habitus …

Identification And Quantification Of Allelochemicals Associated With Weed Suppression In Sweetpotato, Varsha Varsha

Theses and Dissertations

Mississippi ranks among the leading states in sweetpotato production in the US. However, managing weeds in sweetpotato fields presents a significant challenge, and the limited availability of herbicides labeled for use in sweetpotato makes it even more challenging. The widespread and repeated use of herbicides has led to the development of weed resistance. In addition, herbicides are incompatible with the organic production system. Finding sustainable weed management strategies to provide weed control options for organic cultivation and detain the development of herbicide-resistant weeds under conventional crop production is imperative. The natural chemicals released by the plants, also called allelochemicals, can …

An Investigation Into Perceptions, Expectations, And Development Of Professional Skills In Engineering Students, Morgan Kathryn Green

Theses and Dissertations

Upon graduation from an undergraduate institution, engineering graduates are expected to have a baselevel skill in technical skills related to their discipline. Teaching technical skills comes naturally to engineering programs as the conceptual understanding of the material form the foundation of engineering ability. However, engineering graduates also are expected to have a baselevel of professional skills, which are more subjective in nature and do not have a standardized approach for teaching or assessing them at the undergraduate level. An investigation into current perceptions of professional skills by relevant parties is an initial step in providing more structure to professional skills …

Where Did They Come From? Why Did They Go? How Engineering Students’ Perceptions Cultivate Experiences And Influence Behaviors, Sara Campbell Vick

Theses and Dissertations

Engineering undergraduate students have opinions and perceptions of engineering disciplines and engineering undergraduate students do not always matriculate and graduate in precisely the same discipline. Understanding how these two characteristics of engineering undergraduate students interact to inform behaviors is important for engineering educators and administrators to increase and improve recruitment and retention among their students.

This dissertation approached each characteristic of engineering students, first separately and then together. A nationwide survey of undergraduate engineering students found significant differences in how students perceive various engineering disciplines along several paired-term anchored scales. These differences were equally significant when scores were considered in …

Interactive Effects Of Bark Beetles, Ophiostomatoid Fungi, And Subterranean Termites On Wood Decomposition And The Biogeochemical Cycling Of Pine Forests, Kimberlyn Pace

Theses and Dissertations

A frequent source of pine tree mortality in recent years can be attributed to pine bark beetles and their vectored Ophiostomatoid fungi, an organism that has been observed to attract subterranean termites that preferentially recruit to this downed woody debris. This interaction may significantly modify biogeochemical fluxes in bark beetle mass mortality events, but studies are often limited to singular regions or single pine-dominated ecosystems. Two studies were designed to test the interactive effects of these associations on terrestrial biogeochemical cycles and decomposition processes, the first using replicated field trials in Mississippi, Arizona, and Honduras across two years and the …

Determining The Impact Of Post-Harvest Water Management On Chironomid Abundance, Agrochemical Biomass And Potential Trophic Biomagnification, Mason Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

Agriculture has diminished shorebirds’ natural habitat in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Remaining natural stopover sites are supplemented with agricultural fields during the fall and winter. This study evaluates the impact of 4 different post-harvest water management strategies on shorebird food abundance and potential agrochemical biomagnification. Chironomid samples estimated abundance, biomass, and chironomid agrochemical concentration in each field. A risk assessment of agrochemical biomagnification to shorebirds was made across all treatments. Of treatments represented on all study sites, winter treatment had greatest chironomid abundance and biomass. Models indicated that days since flood initiation, start date, and temperature are significant predictors of …

The Impact Of Environmental Education Delivery Methods And Outreach Messaging On Attitudes, Interests, And Intended-Behavior Changes Toward Nature, Vanessa Elizabeth Hoffman

Theses and Dissertations

Environmental education (EE) is important for environmental awareness and stewardship. Involving youth and adults in EE ensures current and future generations will conserve natural resources. This thesis explores impacts of delivery methods on participants’ environmental attitudes and behaviors toward nature through middle school classroom- and camp-based EE instruction, focus group interviews with rural minority youth, and adult responses to aquatic conservation outreach messaging. I observed no difference in environmental attitudes between online versus in-person delivery of EE lessons for middle-schoolers. Outdoor-based learning may be more impactful for EE than experiential, classroom-based learning. Focus group outcomes suggested youth EE programs should …

Navigating The Road To Distributional Social Equity Using Smart Cities Technologies, Annus Azhar

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation aims to understand the mechanisms behind the adoption of smart cities technologies (SCT) and how they can promote social equity in local communities in the United States. There is a distinct lack of empirical research addressing the methods designed for the promotion of social equity despite their numerous benefits. The present study will address this omission in the scholarship by providing evidence-based insights on how public administrators can leverage SCT to promote distributional social equity through the Digital Era Governance (DEG) and Adoption Theory frameworks. This study also demonstrates the efficacy of applying the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) …

Quantifying Seasonal And Annual Precipitation Variability On San Salvador Island, Bahamas Using Surface Observations And Satellite Estimates., John Bryson Wells

Theses and Dissertations

San Salvador Island is a small Bahamian island located in the subtropics just north of the Tropic of Cancer. Due to its subtropical location, the island is influenced by both mid-latitude and tropical weather patterns. These weather patterns vary in scale from localized convective uplift to synoptic-scale systems. This study compares satellite-derived estimates of precipitation and rain gauge observations from June 2019 through September 2021 to evaluate the relationship between the two datasets. This study then uses the satellite-derived estimates of precipitation over a 20-year period to quantify annual and seasonal variability in precipitation on San Salvador. Corroborating past research, …