Digital Commons Network^™

Heterogeneous Lte/ Wi-Fi Architecture For Intelligent Transportation Systems, Noha Sadek

Theses and Dissertations

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) make use of advanced technologies to enhance road safety and improve traffic efficiency. It is anticipated that ITS will play a vital future role in improving traffic efficiency, safety, comfort and emissions. In order to assist the passengers to travel safely, efficiently and conveniently, several application requirements have to be met simultaneously. In addition to the delivery of regular traffic and safety information, vehicular networks have been recently required to support infotainment services. Previous vehicular network designs and architectures do not satisfy this increasing traffic demand as they are setup for either voice or data traffic, …

Transcriptional Regulatory Networks In Hepatitis C Virus_Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Marwa Zahra

Theses and Dissertations

HCV is an epidemic affecting an estimated 160 million individuals worldwide or approximately 2.35% of the world’s population.(1) This is partly because HCV exhibits high genetic variation which thereby characterizes each region with its own genetic prevalence. Therefore, understanding the transcriptional regulatory elements that influence the progression of liver disease in the presence of HCV infection is thereby crucial for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Systems biology provides a road map by which these elements may be easily identified. In this study 124 microarray samples were assessed in order to determine differentially expressed genes for 4 tissue types/conditions (normal, cirrhosis, cirrhosis …

Anti-Spoofing Using Challenge-Response User Interaction, Alia Mahmoud Khaled Saad

Theses and Dissertations

2D facial identification has attracted a great amount of attention over the past years, due to its several advantages including practicality and simple requirements. However, without its capability to recognize a real user from an impersonator, face identification system becomes ineffective and vulnerable to spoof attacks. With the great evolution of smart portable devices, more advanced sorts of attacks have been developed, especially the replayed videos spoofing attempts that are becoming more difficult to recognize. Consequently, several studies have investigated the types of vulnerabilities a face biometric system might encounter and proposed various successful anti-spoofing algorithms. Unlike spoofing detection for …

Innovative Polymer Nanocomposite Membranes For Industrial Applications, Irene Fahim

Theses and Dissertations

The present study aimed at developing novel polymer nanocomposites (PNC) membranes by investigating the different preparation factors (e.g. cross-linking of the membranes, filler type and wt% of the fillers added to the polymers) on the PNC membranes’ properties such as: pore size, permeability, tensile strength, melt flow index, and thermal stability, recorded at different temperatures (ranging from 23 – 60 ºC). The main goal is to have PNC membranes with enhanced tensile properties as well as improved barrier properties which would make PNCS potential candidates for possible industrial application such as packaging, wrapping materials and filtration membranes. Mainly, two polymers …

Design Optimization Of Gas-To-Liquid Biosludge Management Systems, Rana Mostafa

Theses and Dissertations

Biosludge is a solid waste byproduct of wastewater treatment. The biosludge treatment and management system represents an independent treatment stream in a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The system includes several treatment units that may occupy a large part of the wastewater treatment plant and significantly adds to its capital and running cost. The re-use of the processed biosludge or its disposal affects how it is treated and managed. The optimum management system of biosludge varies according to the type of wastewater generating the biosludge, applicable environmental legislations as well as site and climate conditions. Designing an optimum management system for …

Meta-Analysis Of Microarray Data To Assess Gender Biased Differential Gene Expression In Hepatic Tissue, Amira Salah Eldin Mahmoud Elbakry

Theses and Dissertations

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second deadliest cancer globally, and with an estimated 782,000 new cases in 2012, it is the fifth most common cancer in men and ninth in women. HCC is of particular concern in Egypt because of the high prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). Due to its poor prognosis, HCC is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Egypt. A gender disparity is observed in liver cancer cases, with higher prevalence in men by three to five fold. This sex bias is even more pronounced in mouse models of HCC, which was found to be sex …

The Coverage Of Children’S Issues In Egyptian Newspapers, Eman Mohamed Serag

Theses and Dissertations

This research is about analyzing a sample of the Egyptian newspaper’s coverage on issues related to children in order to determine the dominant subjects, images, and sources used to cover news/articles about or related to children. The purpose of the content analysis research is to give advocates a thorough grounding in the way children’s issues are being portrayed in the news. It is important to understand the current representation of the issues related to children in the Egyptian newspapers, to enhance childhood coverage in the future. Frames used in presenting news/articles and images used in portraying children, were discussed by …

A Pill, A Cup Of Tea, And A Cigarette: Male Body In Egypt At The Age Of Viagra, Youssef Ramez Boktor

Theses and Dissertations

From disciplined self to ‘Viagra-self’ is a transition that men experience in the ‘age of Viagra’. My field work looks at how chemically enhanced sexual performance has been normalized in a specific way that signifies the deliberate control over human’s sexual performance. How the sexual relationship - in a specific socio-cultural context - becomes the most available path to seek happiness ‘inbesat’, in low priced form. The ‘Viagra-self’ learns how to invest in parts of the body in order to perform, to experience how the chemically enhanced body can proclaims control and time (sexual) performance. The Viagra-self, in the era …

Ti-Based Functional Nanoarchitectures For Enhanced Drug Eluting Stents, Yomna Emad Saleh

Theses and Dissertations

Ischemic events associated with coronary heart diseases (CHD) are the leading cause of death worldwide for both genders. They are directly associated with restricted blood flow caused by accumulation of atherosclerotic plaque in vessel’s lumen. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), including stent deployment, is currently considered as the dominant procedure for mechanically recovering myocardial perfusion to avoid lethal ischemic events. As vascular prosthesis, coronary stents suffer from two major and common complications; thrombosis and restenosis. Thrombosis is linked with insufficient migration of endothelial cells (EC) and proliferation at site of tissue injury. Restenosis is caused by unwanted proliferation of underlying vascular …

Determination Of Flame Retardants And Poly- And Perfluoroalkyl Substances In Indoor Dust In Greater Cairo: Assessment Of Human Exposure., Yasmeen Hassan

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis dissertation examines the presence and exposure of two classes of compounds; polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polyfluorinated compounds (PFCs). Both classes are considered persistent organic pollutants as they are toxic, bio-accumulative and have a high susceptibility to be environmentally dispersed. The PBDEs are typically used as protective agents on household appliances and furniture to retard the startup of fires; PFCs on the other hand are used as oil and water repellants. Few studies have investigated the presence of polybrominated diphnely ethers (PBDEs), novel flame retardants (FRs / non-PBDEs) and poly- and perfluoroalkyl compounds in Africa and the Middle …

Entrepreneurship As A Sustainable Approach Towards Efficient Waste Management In Cairo, John Estephanous

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the many trials of the government to solve the waste problem, and various research papers analyzing the problem and arguing the economic value of waste, however the waste sector has always been an untapped area for economic development, although it has potential for growth and benefit for many stakeholders. Through the last few years, the city of Cairo problems including the waste problem increased to an excessive level reflecting a problem with the management and control of the current waste management system. Moreover, when thinking of why Cairo have a persisting problem and about a better working new system, …

Parametric Freeform-Based Construction Site Layout Optimization, Ibrahim Abotaleb

Theses and Dissertations

Traditional approaches to the construction site layout problem have been focused mainly on rectilinear facilities where the importance proximity measures are mainly based on Cartesian distances between the centroids of the facilities. This is a fair abstraction of the problem; however it ignores the fact that many facilities on construction sites assume non-rectilinear shapes that allow for better compaction within tight sites. The main focus of this research is to develop a new approach of modeling site facilities to surpass limitations and inefficiencies of previous models and to ensure a more realistic approach to construction site layout problems. A construction …

Ultras Ahlawy And The Spectacle: Subjects, Resistance And Organized Football Fandom In Egypt, Dalia Abdelhameed Ibraheem

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on organized football fandom groups in Egypt (namely the Ultras Ahlawy- UA07) and how the individual fan is constructed and disciplined in this collective, particularly in the urban settings of Cairo. I examine the Ultras through various lenses. Firstly, the research discusses how the Ultras fans perceive nationalism, how they relate their love to the club to their love of the country and the role of nationalism in creating an imagined community of al-Ahly supporters. Second, I engage in this male exclusive group by tracing how the game is socialized as a masculine game, how the young …

Isolation, Propagation And Characterization Of Mouse Testis-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells, Mai Abdul Rahman

Theses and Dissertations

Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells (MSCs) are considered promising tools for regenerative therapy. MSCs are multipotent cells that have been successfully isolated from different species and tissues. Although few studies have reported the isolation of MSCs from the testis, there are no reports on their isolation from the mouse, despite its close genetic similarity to humans. Since the testis is a heterogeneous population, enriching for MSCs will aid in the generation of homogeneous populations from early passages. The aim of our work was to utilize the mouse model for the isolation, propagation and subsequent characterization of testis-derived MSCs (tMSCs). To achieve this …

Use Of Whey Protein Nanoparticles For The Encapsulation And Sustained Delivery Of Beta-Carotene And Zinc Micronutrient, Alshaimaa Salem

Theses and Dissertations

Nanoparticles prepared from whey protein isolates can be used for encapsulation and sustained delivery of β-carotene and zinc (II) ions. The loaded whey protein nanoparticles were prepared by the pH cycle method at aggregation pH 6 and 22 h ageing time in the presence of calcium ions. Morphology, particle size, stability and release profiles at neutral and acidic conditions of the loaded whey protein nanoparticles were evaluated. The results illustrated that whey protein nanoparticles were able to encapsulate β-carotene molecules in spherical compact structuresof around 400 nm that can protect sensitive β-carotene and limit its susceptibility to auto-oxidation reactions when …

The Business Of Rescue -- Uncovering The Relationship Between Immigration Policy And The Rescue Industry., Diya Ray

Theses and Dissertations

The global movement of women has created a panic across borders in the 21st century, when it is suspected that they have been forced against their will to engage in sex work, which has manifested in the formation of what has come to be called the Rescue Industry (Augustin, 2007). Governmental agencies and efforts have been directed at 'rescuing' victims of trafficking from an assumption of coercion, force and victimhood. However, a closer look at the profiling of these individuals, the process of victim construction and the problematization of trafficking being equated to prostitution reveals that a significant number of …

The Impact Of Political Developments On Personal Status Law Reforms In Egypt, Mona Saleh

Theses and Dissertations

Personal status law reforms do not only manage relationships within the household, but they are also important political tools that the state has used to serve its interests. However, most of the covered studies on law and gender in Egypt deal with the state as if it is a clear term and a homogenous entity, which is not the matter as several theoretical studies on state show. Therefore, the main research question of this thesis grows out of this conceptual problematic, and it focuses on determining the main state actors that shaped personal status law reforms in Egypt, and the …

Non-Edible Women: The Question Of Marriage In Mid-20th Century Feminist Thought Through The Lens Of Atwood And Soueif, Asmaa Abdallah

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the relationship between fiction and theory by examining how authors Margaret Atwood and Ahdaf Soueif interact with second-wave feminist discourse in the four works: The Edible Woman, Cat’s Eye, Aisha and In the Eye of the Sun. The two authors, who seem to have different backgrounds and are writing about different contexts, engage in their exploration of the institution of marriage and the conditions of women in society by responding to contact with the works of Anglo-American feminists Betty Friedan and Germaine Greer who call for reforming domestic politics as a means for social change. Improving the …

Responding To Non-Stereotypical Material: A Case Study In Egypt, Amira Rashad

Theses and Dissertations

Examining the effect of exposing young children to non-stereotypical material has received an increasing amount of attention. Researchers investigated how the different sources of media that young children are exposed to affect their perceptions of gender roles and gender-related characteristics. Researchers in the Arab countries have started calling for enhancing females’ representation in children’s fiction. However, little research has been conducted with the aim of investigating how young children in the Arab countries would respond to non-stereotypical material The study examines how eight-year-old Egyptian children perceive gender roles and what kind of characteristics they employ when describing males and females. …

Clinical Interviews Shed Light On Relationships Between Next Generation Science Standards Dimensions In Upper Elementary Students, Sean Thomas Mullins

Theses and Dissertations

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) call for the use of classroom discourse and investigation into the relationships between their dimensions of science education. This study investigated how upper elementary students use the dimensions when responding to interview questions involving real world data. Results indicate a strong relationship between these responses and the demonstration of the scientific practice of constructing explanations and designing solutions. To support this practice, students primarily drew upon the scientific concepts of cause and effect: mechanisms and explanation and systems and system models. When these concepts were utilized at or above grade level, as determined by …

My Family Breast Cancer Story: The Power Of Personal Narratives Over Cause Marketing, Jennifer Stanley

Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer is everywhere. The disease has touched the lives of most people. This thesis includes a description of my family's personal breast cancer journey, my grandmother died of the disease at age 42, and my mother was diagnosed at age 53. By sharing our personal story, I hope to provide my children with our history. Another goal in sharing is adding to the public breast cancer narrative. This thesis also discusses the use of breast cancer in cause marketing campaigns and the lack of advancements in screening technologies. I link my views with those who feel frustration with the …

Silencing Of The Oshp Gene For Increasing Abiotic Stress Tolerance In Rice, Virginia Ann Boyett

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis project involves increasing the tolerance to abiotic stresses in rice through silencing the OsHP gene, a homolog of Arabidopsis AtClb, which has been identified as a negative regulator of response to abiotic stresses. A fragment of the OsHP gene was cloned into a Gateway entry vector pENTR/D-TOPO, and a silencing construct was created with the Gateway destination vector pANDA through an LR clonase reaction. Embryogenic callus tissue was generated from seed of the rice cultivars `Nipponbare' and `LaGrue'. Biolistic and Agrobacterium-mediated transformation procedures were used to transfer the pANDA_OsHP silencing construct into the rice callus tissue. Transformed calli …

Can We Do Better When Students Are A Threat To Self? A Review Of Legal And Policy Implications For Current Practices On College Campuses, Jennifer Ann Hemingway

Theses and Dissertations

Many colleges/universities believe that a student who is a threat to self increases campus risk and liability (Appelbaum, 2006; Massie, 2008; Pavela, 2006 & 2010). This study uses integrated policy analysis to (1) define the policy problem regarding college students who are a threat to self; (2) analyze the current legal opinion of the courts regarding institutional liability when college students are a threat to self; (3) examine the 2010 change to the direct threat provision in Title II legislation; (4) determine the implications for institutional policies and practices. The analysis illustrates, according to the courts and changes in Title …

Investigation Of Oxidopyrylium-Alkene [ 5 +2 ] Cycloaddition Conjugate Addition Cascades And Extension To Chiral Auxiliary-Based Variants, Chunyin Marshall Law

Theses and Dissertations

Oxidopyrylium-based [5+2] cycloadditions have been extensively utilized to construct oxabridged seven-membered ring systems that often serve as the core structures in numerous biologically active natural products. By investigating these processes, we hope to reveal the highest potentials of [5+2] cycloaddition as a synthetic tool.

A novel oxidopyrylium-alkene [5+2] cycloaddition conjugate addition cascade (C3) sequence, which allows rapid build-up of molecular complexity with excellent diastereocontrol, was investigated. The scope and limitation of this process were explored as mixed results were shown for various acetoxypyranone-alkene substrates. In addition, oxidopyrylium [5+2] cycloadditions of ï?¢-silyloxy-ï?§-pyrones were investigated which revealed the accelerating role of carbonyl …

Capital And Punishment: Examining Prison's Revolving Door, Amanda Paige Cook

Theses and Dissertations

Using data collected at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility, this research aimed to examine factors that affect the likelihood of re-offending by testing two models: a specific deterrence model and a proposed comparable capital model. Specifically, this research aimed to examine how economic, cultural, and social capital in the community, as well as in prison, affect self-reported likelihood of re-offending upon release, and to examine if these indicators are better suited for explaining offending as compared to those included in a deterrence model. By examining these effects, it was discovered that traditional deterrence and capital indicators alone do not provide …

Analysis Of Northern California's Potential Geotourist Sites For Effective Informal Geoscience Education That Address The Earth Science Literacy Initiative's Big Ideas, Kimberlie Robin Theis

Theses and Dissertations

Geotourism is becoming more popular and can play a critical role in creating literacy in communities. Moreover, the Big Ideas of the Earth Science Literacy Initiative can be used within signage to address literacy. Because all citizens should have a basic knowledge of Earth Science in order to make informed decisions that relate to Earth Science, geotourism can be used as a way to increase Earth Science knowledge, along with other positive outcomes related to communities' increased well-being. A careful investigation of N=59 geosites reveals that signage can be used to increase this knowledge but that there is a deficit …

Analysis Of Complex Volatile Organic Compound Mixtures Using Active Spme-Gc-Ms, Lord Famiyeh

Theses and Dissertations

The ultimate goal of this research is to develop an efficient, reproducible and low cost method for analysis of VOCs in complex mixtures such as those in exhaled breath and in headspace of fungi cultures. In Chapter I; analytical methods for volatile biomarkers identification is reviewed In Chapter II, active SPME GCMS was employed to analyze VOCs in the breath of a single healthy male and a single female. The goal was to determine the extent of intra-individual variations in the VOC profiles. In Chapter III, a preliminary study was carried out in a greenhouse to determine the pathogenicity of …

Insights And Characterization Of L1-Norm Based Sparsity Learning Of A Lexicographically Encoded Capacity Vector For The Choquet Integral, Titilope Adeola Adeyeba

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis aims to simultaneously minimize function error and model complexity for data fusion via the Choquet integral (CI). The CI is a generator function, i.e., it is parametric and yields a wealth of aggregation operators based on the specifics of the underlying fuzzy measure. It is often the case that we desire to learn a fusion from data and the goal is to have the smallest possible sum of squared error between the trained model and a set of labels. However, we also desire to learn as “simple’’ of solutions as possible. Herein, L1-norm regularization of a lexicographically encoded …

Investigation Of Sheep Reproductive Tract As An Animal Model For Pelvic Organ Prolapse And Urogyencological Research, Sourav Patnaik

Theses and Dissertations

Pelvic organ prolapse is characterized by the failure of vaginal wall support and protrusion of the pelvic organs through the vaginal orifice. Exact etiology of pelvic organ prolapse is not completely understood. The surgical procedures for pelvic organ prolapse utilize various biomaterials for holding the organs in place. However, the biomaterials used for restoring these organs have a high rate of failure in a complicated anatomical and biomechanical environment. With the given issues at hand, animal models are the best answer for understanding the pathophysiology of prolapse, and determining the cause of failure of these surgical interventions. For this study, …

A Comprehensive Study Into Quinone Outside Inhibitor Resistance In Cercospora Sojina From Mississippi Soybean, Jeffrey Russell Standish

Theses and Dissertations

Frogeye leaf spot, caused by Cercospora sojina Hara, is a foliar disease affecting soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), often managed by applications of quinone outside inhibitor (QoI) fungicides. In 2013 and 2014, symptomatic leaf samples were collected from Mississippi soybean fields leading to the collection of 634 mono-conidial C. sojina isolates. In vitro bioassays were performed to evaluate the sensitivity of 14 isolates plus a baseline. Resistant and sensitive isolates were characterized by determining the effective fungicide concentrations at which 50% of conidial germination was inhibited (EC50). Additionally, the molecular mechanism of resistance was determined for all 634 isolates. Greater …