Digital Commons Network^™

Deploying Field-Capable Genome Sequencing: Human Performance Considerations Under Various Personal Protective Equipment Ensembles, Steven A. Torres

Theses and Dissertations

Field-portable genome sequencing enhances the Department of Defense's strategy for detecting biological threats, particularly in resource-limited environments. While current field-capable detection methods are effective, challenges in identifying emerging threats pose risks to personnel safety. As biotechnological advancements like portable nanopore genome sequencing can advance biological detection capabilities, the viability of conducting laboratory tasks under Mission-Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) ensembles lacks sufficient data. This research assesses the effectiveness of tools like pipettes, centrifuges, vortexes, and nanopore sequencing within a MOPP ensemble. Novice participants were utilized to explore the extension of this capability, and they completed tasks in three conditions: Fatigues, Laboratory …

Estimating Stimulated Raman Scattering Noise In Cwdm O-Band Channels Induced By Two Classical Dwdm Sources In A Quantum Network Fiber Segment, Kurt T. Spranger Ii

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to estimate the stimulated Raman scattering noise induced in CWDM O-band channels by two DWDM classical sources in a terrestrial quantum optical network containing classical and quantum optical signal coexistence in the same fiber segment. A use case is defined and analyzed which extracts a single fiber segment from a notional Bell state measurement found in a notional terrestrial quantum network. A stimulated Raman scattering noise model is employed in a Python simulation to estimate and rank-order the five O-band channels with the least amount of relative induced stimulated Raman scattering noise when given …

Generalized Characterization Of Biaxial Media Using Ultra-Wideband Multi-Static Focused Beam System With Polarimetric Calibration, Jeffrey P. Massman

Theses and Dissertations

Novel metamaterial and metasurface realizations provide unique control of the electromagnetic wave dispersion but present many challenges for accurate constitutive parameter extraction. One measurement approach commonly employed is a freespace non-destructive focus beam system. Modern implementations are configured with multi-static dual-polarized capabilities for characterizing complex materials and offer many advantages by enabling ultra-wideband sampling, multiple measurement degrees of freedom and larger sample sizes. Practical electromagnetic material characterization of complex bianisotropic media requires the advancement of wave propagation analysis and calibration schemes. This research focuses on generalized biaxial media characterization and multi-static focused beam system metrology with polarimetric calibration schemes and …

Life Cycle Analysis Of Mobile Nuclear Reactor Compared To Other Alternative Fuels In Indopacom, Maria J. Hurtado

Theses and Dissertations

Energy is an item that makes the military vulnerable as it is something that they depend on the most which can have negative impacts. Mobile nuclear reactors are gaining the interest of many leaders in the military as a viable option of a potential alternative fuel source. There are many positives in utilizing mobile nuclear reactors in terms of environmental impacts and feasibility of transport. Studies have shown that mobile nuclear reactors can produce very low or negligible carbon emissions during operations. The focus of this thesis is to determine the environmental impacts of nuclear reactors, logistical requirements, and determine …

Utilization Of The System Engineering Design Process To Design And Test A Low-Cost Infectious Aerosol Control Mechanism For Patient Aeromedical Evacuation, Sara Shaghaghi

Theses and Dissertations

The aeromedical evacuation of military patients is a critical component of care for Armed Forces members. The Air Force’s ability to transport patients relies on the technology and systems available. A vital transport responsibility is keeping the patient and medical personnel safe during transport. The historical and legacy systems provide reliable transport mechanisms for the Armed Forces’ patients infected with high-level biological agents, but drawbacks must be considered. This dissertation will discuss the development, conceptual design, and initial evaluation of a new low-cost, litter-mounted patient transport system, Biological-Mitigation in Patient Transport (B-MIPT), using the “V” model of the system engineering …

Advanced Oxidation Of Methyl Tert Butyl Ether With Ultraviolet Light Emitting Diodes, Aaron R. Neal

Theses and Dissertations

Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE) is a volatile, soluble, organic compound introduced to gasoline within the United States as a fuel oxygenator in 1979. MTBE is a common groundwater pollutant due to its high water solubility and resistance to bio-degradation; it commonly infiltrates groundwater sources via leaking underground storage tanks or fuel spills. This research employed ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) induced advanced oxidation process (AOP) to treat MTBE contaminated water at the bench scale. Using four H₂O₂:MTBE molar peroxide ratios (100:1, 200:1, 400:1, 500:1), MTBE degradation was induced …

Using An Anti-Deficit Framework To Explain The Academic Achievement Of Black Men In Higher Education: A Narrative Inquiry, Donald E. Reed

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the academic experiences of Black men who have completed their bachelor's degrees at predominantly white institutions (PWIs), utilizing an anti-deficit perspective. Despite the reality that only 36% of Black men achieve their undergraduate degrees within six years, this study shifts the narrative from focusing on obstacles to emphasizing success strategies, aiming to narrow the opportunity gap between Black men and their White peers. Through narrative inquiry and the Anti-Deficit Achievement Framework, this research not only showcases the resilience and determination of these individuals but also illuminates the varied strategies they employ to navigate their higher education journey …

An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis Of Leadership Development For College Students In An Army Rotc Program, Joseph O. Gagnon

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the learning behaviors for young leaders from Generation Z is important for the United States Army in their development for future commissioned officers, who are primarily trained in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) in select private and public universities across the country. The Army expectation of leaders at every level regardless of rank are to possess and continuously develop six leadership capabilities codified in the Army Leadership Requirements Model (ALRM). The ALRM describes what an Army leader is (i.e., the attributes) and what an Army leader does (i.e., the competencies). The purpose of this study was to understand …

Consumers' Acceptance To Buy And Dispose Of Recycling Textile Products, Roa Alsayed

Theses and Dissertations

The textile industry is the second most polluting worldwide, following food manufacturing. It is one of the industries that is rarely scrutinized in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This work analyzes the fashion industry from the perspective of consumer attitudes towards the purchase and disposal of clothing, and their behavior with regards to old garments. The study was conducted in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, two countries that achieved similar results in the fashion industry. The methodology is divided into three phases. First, the manuscript begins with a review of topics such as sustainability, consumer behavior in the …

Moving Through The Violence: Yemeni Migrants And The Reconstruction Of Lifeworlds In Cairo, Jonathan Hearn

Theses and Dissertations

This Master’s thesis is based on an ethnographic study, following the lives of a small number of Yemeni people rebuilding their lives in Cairo. Their displacement is the consequence of many factors not least the outbreak of war in 2014. In response to this, I ask: In the midst of ongoing conflict, how do Yemeni migrants go about reconstructing their lifeworlds in Cairo? That is, to ask how are Yemeni migrants in Cairo responding to the violent disruption of their social realities and what sense are they making of the consequences. The reorganisation of social realities disrupted by conflict means …

University Students' Wellbeing: A Case Study Of An International Private University In Egypt, Alia Attia

Theses and Dissertations

Wellbeing is a crucial topic that is gaining increasing attention in higher education and should be taken into careful consideration. This is a qualitative case study, using a phenomenological approach, which explores the phenomenon of student wellbeing in an international private university in Egypt. Data was collected through semi-structured individual interviews with a total of fourteen participants: eight purposefully selected students who have taken part in wellbeing programs, initiatives, or events at the American University in Cairo (AUC), as well as six faculty/staff members, leaders, mentors, or coaches in the field were interviewed. In addition to the interviews, conversations were …

The Clash Of Sustainable Development Goals With The Reality In Egypt: The Role Of The Media On The Perception Of Clean Energy Implementation., Nourhan Salah Hamed Ebrahim

Theses and Dissertations

Media has promoted sustainable development goals as essential for a country's social, economic, environmental, and political development. However, the SDGs may collide with the reality and impede development due to certain circumstances and challenges that might hinder the country’s ability to achieve these goals the same way they planned for. Besides, such challenges are not being covered in the media agenda, addressed by the government, or even been tackled in previous research. Thus, this study aims to examine whether there is a conflict between the SDGs and the reality in Egypt, focusing on SDG 7 (Clean Energy) by analyzing the …

Popular Culture And Nationalism In Post-Revolutionary Egypt, Nour Fadel

Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between nationalism and loyalty to the political regime is a widely discussed topic, especially when it comes to the Middle East. The complex political history and persisting authoritarian rule in the region make analyzing the role that nationalism plays more vital. The case of Egypt is a clear example of how nationalist identities are used to strengthen loyalty to the regime and stabilize it. This can be done through many tools, such as organizing extravagant, performative events or creating new, nationalist provinces. This thesis focuses on the employment of nationalistic songs and television shows and their impact on …

Swipe For More: Digital Sex Education, The Emergence Of Femtech And The Neoliberal Subject In Cairo, Egypt, Marisa Breathwaite

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, I approach digital sex education in Cairo, Egypt and how it is navigated by Cairo’s urban elite. The way digital sex education in Cairo is consumed via social media and online courses is touted as “new” by popular media coverage. The content, products and services boast the first of their kind by the creators of the platforms themselves. That middle and upper class Cairene women are talking about sex online and consuming digital sex education content, in visible public forums, is portrayed as a completely novel phenomenon—in other words, platforms like Cairo’s first femtech company, Motherbeing, are …

Daughters And Fathers In Memoirs: Najla Said And Fatima Bhutto, Yasmina Bakry

Theses and Dissertations

The father-daughter relationship has always been crucial in shaping the identity of the daughter. Daughters inevitably inherit their fathers’ personal trauma, and in the case of the daughters of activists, national trauma as well. Throughout childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, daughters struggle to depoliticize their famous fathers, as well as assert their individuality amidst the overshadowing activism of their fathers and conflictual history of their nations. To heal the daughters’ identity fissures, they embark on a journey to chronicle memories of their fathers throughout their lives and critically assess their fathers’ cultural, social and political heritage and identity. This thesis will …

What Is Beyond Graduation For Mena Scholarship Alumni? Understanding The Global Journeys Of Tomorrow’S Leaders Scholarship Alumni, Albaraa Quradi

Theses and Dissertations

The research conducted by the author delves deeply into the migration experiences of students from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with a specific focus on graduates of the Tomorrow's Leaders scholarship program. Through the use of a case study methodology, the study investigates the complex interconnections between migration, development, inequality, and the students' countries of origin.

The investigation critically analyzes the aftermath of pursuing higher education on a scholarship basis, shedding light on how migration experiences are intertwined with broader issues of development and inequality in the MENA region. Furthermore, the research examines the factors that drive …

Experiences Of Female Academic Leaders In Higher Education: A Case Study In Cairo, Amina Sabour

Theses and Dissertations

Such as in many contexts, the gender gap in higher education leadership persists universally. Women are still underrepresented despite the contributions they demonstrate in leading higher education institutions. This study aims to contribute to the area of research in this regard by exploring the experiences of female academic leaders in Cairo, Egypt. It specifically highlights the challenges these women face, and how they manage to overcome it. Using a qualitative approach to deeply explore the phenomenon, ten interviews were conducted with female leaders at the American University in Cairo. Looking through the lens of intersectional feminism, under the umbrella of …

Abundant Bodies In Times Of Excess: A Critical Exploration Of Fatness From Cairo To Tokyo, Sarah Aly

Theses and Dissertations

This work is an autoethnographic exploration of the social construction of fatness in contexts of existing and emerging neoliberal state control through the embodied experiences of fat people, following the tradition of ‘fat epistemology’ promoted by the emerging 'critical fat studies' field. It is a comparative study of the experiences of fatness as an unstable embodied category of being, rather than a liminal undesirable state or medical condition, in Cairo, Alexandria, and Tokyo, paying particular attention to the gender, racial, and class dynamics surrounding the construction (and marginalization) of fatness across various spatial and temporal contexts. These experiences are considered …

Green Fame On Tiktok Analyzing Digital Persuasion Appeals On Climate Change Discourse Among The Public And Youth., Sherry Ayad

Theses and Dissertations

In a constantly changing media ecosystem, TikTok is gaining prominence and attention, particularly among youth and Gen Z. The platform’s unique affordances are recently being utilized by young voices to promote self-expression and social activism. Consequently, TikTok’s changing nature is giving space for serious social and political issues impacting the future of young generations on topics such as climate change. By analyzing the top N=400 TikTok videos from the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP27) to the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28), this study contributes to rare knowledge of utilizing TikTok’s affordances in scientific and political topics such as …

Exploring Purpose, Practices, And Impacts Of Non-Formal Education In Egypt, Mariam Hussien Sayed Abdelhamid

Theses and Dissertations

This research explores non-formal education in Egypt, analyzing its alignment or divergence with prevalent human capital and modernization discourses. Using a narrative approach, the study explores the practices of four organizations that offer non-formal education opportunities in greater Cairo: San3a Tech, Wataneya Society, Alwan wa Awtar, and AlAthar Lina. The study explores the narration of 9 educators and 10 learners from these organizations to understand from educators’ perspectives how they design their experiences and its relation to the culture and needs of the targeted audience. It also looks at what kind of impact do these experiences have on the learners. …

Postal Delivery Systems And Cryptomarkets, Trevor Lewandowski

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis utilizes quantitative methods to evaluate the relationship between the level of development of state postal delivery systems and the number of drug sales originating on dark web cryptomarkets. I use data from the United Nations Universal Postal Union on state postal system operating expenditures to convey postal system development and compare it to the country-of-origin and acceptable countries-of-destination listed on cryptomarket drug postings. The cryptomarket drug postings being used were collected by previous scholars from a leak on Agora from 2014-2015. This dataset contains 96,286 observations of cryptomarket-based drug transactions. This paper expected to find that moderately developed …

Study On The Rights Of Parties In Live-In Relationships In India - A Case Review Approach, Prabhavathi N

Theses and Dissertations

Heterosexual live-in relationship is viewed as a stigma in Indian society. However, through a plethora of judgments, the Apex Court of India granted monetary relief and physical protections to couples in live-in relationships. While so a few High Courts had refused to grant protection to the live-in couples by stating that giving such rights and protection would destroy the country's social fabric.

View of such High Courts reflects on the opinion that our Courts indeed have different ideas while granting reliefs to persons in live-in relationships. Catena of judicial decisions explained this relationship as a "walk in and walked out" …

Investigating Language Ideologies And Attitudes Towards Dubbing Disney Movies Into Arabic, Nouran T. Soliman

Theses and Dissertations

This research delves into the analysis of online discussions surrounding the dubbing of Disney movies into two Arabic varieties: Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and Egyptian Colloquial Arabic (ECA). The objective is to uncover the language ideologies and attitudes taken by Disney fans online. Dubbing Disney movies into these two varieties has sparked numerous debates on social media, particularly on Facebook. The study employed stance-taking to analyze the metalinguistic comments made by Facebook users about the use of these two Arabic varieties in the context of Disney. A Verbal Guise Technique (VGT) experiment was conducted on Disney excerpts to complement the …

Illuminating How Nestling Mouth Color And Body Size Shape Parental Care In A Cavity-Nesting Species, Shana Border

Theses and Dissertations

Young animals often solicit care from their parents using behaviors and morphologies collectively termed begging, and for many nestling birds these begging displays include presenting their parents with vividly colored mouthparts. Mouth color is a complex trait that varies both across and within species, and different aspects of color may be under independent selection and serve different functions; the two primary proposed explanations for the evolution of mouth color are to increase nestling conspicuousness to parents and to provide parents with information about nestling quality. In addition to signals like mouth color, parents could also directly assess traits like nestling …

Hybrid Hydrolysis And Fermentation Of Prosopis Juliflora Pods For Biohydrogen Production By Dark Fermentation, Gayathri G

Theses and Dissertations

The rapid consumption of fossil fuels has resulted in the energy crisis and many environmental issues, including air pollution and the greenhouse effect. Hydrogen is the independent source of the highest energy content, with 122 KJ g-1. Biohydrogen produced from lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) is an excellent alternative fuel for its cleanability, renewability and sustainability. Biohydrogen production from dark fermentation using lignocellulosic biomass provides low cost and a sustainable pathway to utilize a vast amount of waste.

Dark fermentation has considerable potential for hydrogen production because it does not require sunlight, allowing for full-time operation and minimizing bioreactor complexity. The major …

The Uses And Gratifications Of Social Audio-Focused Apps: A Case Study Of The Clubhouse Application, Dalia Abdelhamid Younes

Theses and Dissertations

Social audio has recently emerged recently as a new form of social media based on voice. It spread rapidly through the Clubhouse application, which became a significant trend during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aims to explore Egyptian content creators' motivations to join Clubhouse, study their motivations to produce their content, and identify the gratifications obtained from using this application. It also seeks to investigate the application`s sustainability within the Egyptian context by outlining the challenges faced by the Egyptian content creators. The study employs the uses and gratifications theory, conducting in-depth interviews with 17 Egyptian content creators. The findings …

Exploring The Capacity Of The Egyptian Feminist Movement To Shape Policy Responses To Sexual Violence In Egypt, Gehad Raway

Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to contribute to the literature on feminist movements and its impact on public policies, providing insights and recommendations to strengthen the Egyptian feminist movement's capacity to combat sexual violence effectively. The study explores the capacities of the Egyptian feminist movement to shape policy responses to sexual violence over a timeline extending from 2005 to 2021, within the context of the significant social and political transformations that preceded and followed the January 2011 revolution. The Egyptian feminist movement evolved through its history with times of growth and decline, characterized by continuity and resilience. The literature and findings indicate …

Growing Trust-Building Habits Of Novice School Administrators: A Qualitative Research Study, Stacie France

Theses and Dissertations

A team of three novice school administrators adopted actions to develop teacher identified, trust-building habits. By developing trust-building habits, novice leaders reduced their cognitive load while navigating the fast pace of ever-changing American schools and striving to better serve students, especially students who are marginalized. The problem of practice addressed is that novice administrators need to uncover their trust-building strengths and address trust-diminishing habits. During a 90-day intervention, the novice administrators collectively grew the trust-building habit of accessibility and individually aimed to develop a trust-building habit of empowerment, care, or communication. Findings show novice administrators increased their understanding of trust, …

Exploring The Impacts Of Marketing Structure On Enrollment Yield In Higher Education, Mark D. Gibson

Theses and Dissertations

The ever-expanding role of marketing and its increasing influence on being a primary driver for colleges and universities to grow awareness and consideration, invite applications, and deliver enrollment yield is more critical and relied on than ever before. The marketing function’s rise to prominence in higher education is fueled by many external forces, including declining federal and state funding, rapid technological advances, changing student expectations, the precipitous reduction in numbers of potential college-aged students, and what this study refers to as the four C's facing higher education. These include consumerism, commoditization, commercialism, and corporatization, each with its own set of …

" Does Educational Level Affect The Outcome Of Myocardial Infarction? ", Ahmed Magdy Ahmed Elsayed

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Heath awareness plays a major role in determining the outcomes of serious medical conditions specially when response time is crucial. STEMI patients are prone to serious compilations if they didn’t receive the appropriate treatment on time. Raising the health awareness of the community would result in seeking medical help at earlier stage of the disease. Earlier presentation to the medical center would result in better health outcomes. Certain factors form the health awareness of the community. This includes educational level, previous exposure to similar situations, and exposure to health awareness materials.

Methods: This is a cohort study in …