Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Noise Induced Extreme Events In Neuronal Oscillators Networks And Machine Learning Forecasts, Hariharan S Mr

Theses and Dissertations

This doctoral dissertation comprehensively investigates the underexplored phenomenon of noise-induced extreme events (EE). The word “extreme” is accompanied by an occurring “event” when the deviation is extreme or higher than that of regular occurrences. These extreme occurrences are rare, abrupt, sudden, and irregular, often causing a profound impact on the system and its surroundings. Tsunami, earthquakes, solar flares, and tornadoes are such events that do not occur often but still significantly cause damage to mankind. This thesis particularly focuses on EE in neuronal systems where sudden synchronization can trigger seizures, tremors, and strokes which serve as classic examples of such …

Green Roofs For Grey Water Treatment – Comparative Study Of Economic And Environmental Impacts, Shaden S. Attia

Theses and Dissertations

Cities are under more pressure than ever to use sustainable methods for managing water and other resources because of urbanization, climate change, and a lack of water. Standard greywater treatment systems (SGTSs) work well, but they use a lot of resources and don't provide a lot of ecosystem services. Greywater-treating green roofs (GTGRs) have emerged as a promising Nature-Based Solution (NBS), combining wastewater recycling with benefits like regulating temperature, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and reducing the urban heat island (UHI) effect. Even with this potential, there is still not enough real-world research on how GTGRs affect both the economy …

Prephiral Bacterial Infectious Agent Triggers Neuroinflammatory Responses And Neurobehavioral Impairment In Wild-Type Mice, Hadeer Atalah

Theses and Dissertations

Neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, present an increasing global challenge, with chronic neuroinflammation identified as a principal factor alongside genetic, environmental, and infectious influences (Boyd et al., 2022).  Epidemiological data associate bacterial infections with a 40% heightened risk of Parkinson's disease; however, the mechanisms—especially the direct connection between peripheral sepsis and the silent onset of central nervous system pathology absent acute meningitis—are inadequately investigated (Smeyne et al., 2021), particularly concerning common pathogens like Klebsiella pneumoniae in high-burden areas such as Egyptian ICUs, where it constitutes 30% of cases (Alkompoz et al., 2023). This study filled the gap by creating …

Groove Goes The Distance: An Initial Inquiry Into Jazz Music In Egypt, Farida Gohar

Theses and Dissertations

Jazz music has been a historically contentious site of social, cultural, and political signification. From the violent subjugation that characterized its origins and aspirational freedom that animated its practice, to its transformation into a distinctly “American” music instrumentalized by the US State Department to counter Soviet influence, jazz’s capacity for the inscription of meaning is vast and regularly cause for debate. The particular configuration of jazz music in Egypt is no less complicated although seldom studied. This thesis ventures an initial mapping of the dynamics and negotiations that historically defined the initiation of “Egyptian” jazz, as well as the ones …

Lived Experiences Of Limited Sexual And Reproductive Health Education Among Egyptian Women, Nada Abdelhamid

Theses and Dissertations

In Egypt, sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education remains largely absent from national education and youth policy frameworks, reflecting a broader governance gap at the intersection of education, health, and gender policy. This qualitative study explores how the lack of formal sexuality education shapes women’s knowledge, perceptions, and sexual and reproductive experiences across the life course, drawing on in-depth interviews with twelve Egyptian women from diverse marital backgrounds. The findings point to persistent gaps in basic SRH knowledge, early exposure to shame and stigma, and reliance on informal and often unreliable sources of information, which participants linked to fear of …

Sustainable Construction Materials In The Middle East: Model Development For Materials Selection, Taha Ahmed Omar Madu

Theses and Dissertations

The construction industry, a major driver of economic development in the Middle East, is simultaneously a leading contributor to carbon emissions, resource depletion, and environmental degradation. Amid rapid urbanization in countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, the adoption of sustainable construction materials has emerged as a critical strategy for mitigating environmental and societal impacts while advancing regional development objectives. This thesis is organized along two interrelated directions: first, it delivers a comprehensive assessment of the current adoption, challenges, and opportunities associated with the use of sustainable construction materials across the three target countries; second, it …

Under The Guardianship: Experiences Of Mothers In Egypt’S El Nayaba El Hesbaya, Hana Khayry

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the intersectional lived experience of El Nayaba El Hesbaya in Egypt. El Nayaba El Hesbaya, operating under Law 119/1952, is the administrative and judicial body responsible for overseeing the financial and legal affairs of minors whose father or mother had passed. Hundreds of thousands of mothers in Egypt have (had) children under the guardianship of El Nayaba El Hesbaya. This research delves into the experience of mothers whose children are or were under the guardianship of El Nayaba El Hesbaya, examining how it shape(s/d) their everyday life as women, mothers, widows or ex-wives, citizens, and legal subjects. …

In Her Words: The Silent Battles Of Egyptian Women With Breast Cancer, Nada Mohamed Ahmed Hassan Nh

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the emotional, social, and economic difficulties encountered by Egyptian women from middle- to working-class origins after a breast cancer diagnosis. Despite being a worldwide health concern, local cultural, institutional, and economic circumstances have a significant impact on the lived consequences of breast cancer. Women's post-diagnosis experiences in Egypt are greatly exacerbated by deeply ingrained gender stereotypes, stigma associated with cancer, and systemic injustices in the healthcare system. This research emphasizes women's situated knowledge and views their bodily experiences as crucial sources of insight into larger societal power relations. It is based on feminist perspective theory, especially the …

Metagenomic Profiling Of Gut Microbiome Signatures Across Liver Disease Stages And Hcv-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma In Egyptian Patients, Marwa A. Zahra

Theses and Dissertations

Dysbiosis in the gut microbiome, particularly concerning the synchronous crosstalk between the gut and the liver, has been associated with various diseases. This study profiles the gut microbiome in liver diseases among Egyptian patients, with a focus on the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), both of which are highly prevalent in Egypt. Utilizing shotgun metagenomic sequencing, we analyzed microbial gene catalogs and taxonomic profiles from 46 Egyptian patients categorized into five groups: healthy individuals, liver disease patients of different etiologies, post-HCV, treated HCV, and HCV-HCC patients. Healthy and treated HCV patients exhibited distinct microbial profiles characterized by …

Global Public Health Feasibility: Digital Dentistry In Geriatric Population, Merna Amr Saleh

Theses and Dissertations

Oral health is a critical yet often overlooked determinant of well-being among older adults in Egypt, where mobility limitations, geographic barriers, and low awareness of preventive practices exacerbate dental disparities. DentalPal, a teledentistry-based mobile application, was developed to provide older adults with remote dental consultations, oral hygiene advice, and triage guidance. The platform enables users to submit oral photographs or radiographs for assessment, seek second opinions, and initiate follow-up chats directly with the healthcare provider. This flexible design allows users to access dental consultations on demand while ensuring continuity of care The question that guided this study was how older …

Facebook Interaction As A Potential Marker Of Cognitive Decline: Pilot Study, Esraa M. Qansuwa

Theses and Dissertations

One of the critical challenges in brain disorder research is the early identification of individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) who may later develop Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or other dementias. MCI in older adults is frequently associated with diminished social engagement and observable behavioral changes. With the rapid expansion of social media platforms and advances in Machine Learning (ML), digital traces from online activity present a novel and scalable avenue for mental health screening. In particular, predictive ML approaches have demonstrated strong potential in building reliable classifiers for early detection of neurocognitive decline. This study introduces an innovative framework that …

Navigating Radical Indeterminacy In The Struggle For A Global Collective Consciousness: The Question Of Eco-Justice And Law Or Universalize The Pluriverse: A Manifesto, More Or Less, Omar Auf

Theses and Dissertations

The processes of interpretation, communication, and re-interpretation leads to the emergence of an approximated collective consciousness, for which it may be struggled and contested by hegemonic. The dominant forces of this contest, capitalism and nationalism, lead to an interdivided world: one that possesses the tools to empathize with each other but is instead leading people to keep their heads down and focus on surviving their own contexts, perceived as existing within different historical times on the same timeline. This leads to legal and justice systems that fail their claim to universality and/or impartiality. Incorporating an ecological lens to justice within …

An Ethnographic Exploration Of The Lived Experiences With Gynecologic Cancers, Norma Naser Aldeen

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This thesis stays close to conversations with nine women who spoke about living with and through gynecologic cancers, from moments of finding out, through treatment, and into what follows. These encounters unfolded primarily through digitally mediated exchanges across Baalbek, Beirut, and other translocal settings shaped by distance and movement. Rather than approaching illness as a bounded biomedical event, this thesis attends to how gynecologic cancer is narrated as something that lingers—pressing into everyday life through bodily sensations, altered rhythms, and ongoing recalibrations of care, responsibility, and what remains possible.

Across these encounters, care rarely appears as a stable system …

Refugees In Egypt: State Framing, Ministerial Narratives, And The Politics Of Representation On Social Media, Habiba Kohail

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines Egyptian government discourse on refugees in 2024, a year characterized by heightened regional displacement and the enactment of Egypt’s first Asylum Law (Law No. 164 of

2024). Using a multidisciplinary framework that combines framing analysis with van Dijk's socio-cognitive approach, the study systemically analyzes how the government construct refugees on social

media and sets the boundaries of their inclusion in Egypt.

The thesis analyzes the Egyptian government discourse on refugees across official social media platforms from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024, a period that witnessed an increase in the government engagement in the refugee issue …

Assessing Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices (Kap) Towards The One Health Approach In Governmental Officers In Egypt, Nour Elsersawy

Theses and Dissertations

Background: the one health (OH) approach emphasizes the interconnectedness among human, animal, and environmental health and requires multisectoral collaboration to address complex health challenges. Egypt faces significant threats at the human-animal-environment interface, including endemic and emerging zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), food safety challenges, and vector-borne diseases. Despite established coordination mechanisms and the launch of the One Health National strategic framework (2023-2027) of Egypt, the extent to which oh principles are understood, embraced, and practiced by governmental officers responsible for implementation remains incompletely understood. Objectives: this study assessed and evaluated the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding the one health …

Comparative Evaluation Of Conventional And Sustainable Concrete Protective Coatings: Performance, Economic, And Environmental, Andro Ebrahim

Theses and Dissertations

Concrete structures are highly susceptible to deterioration from environmental, chemical, and mechanical factors, making protective coatings essential for ensuring durability and reducing maintenance demands. This study aims to compare and evaluate conventional and innovative coating systems for concrete protection across three dimensions—technical performance, environmental sustainability, and life cycle cost efficiency—and to assess whether coatings often regarded or marketed as sustainable genuinely achieve sustainability across these three pillars. Four representative coatings were selected for assessment: epoxy solvent-based, epoxy solvent-free, acrylic water-based, and cementitious. Technical performance was examined through laboratory testing, expert interviews, and multiple real project cases, providing a comprehensive understanding …

Uncovering Potential Therapeutic Targets For Spinal Cord Injury; Insights From Single-Cell And Cross-Species Transcriptomics, Sara Samy Abouzekry

Theses and Dissertations

Central nervous system (CNS) injury remains a devastating healthcare problem. Despite years of research, it remains almost impossible to achieve meaningful functional repair following traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI). Spinal cord injury (SCI), a highly devastating subset of CNS trauma, is considered a challenge due to the extremely limited regenerative capacity of the nervous system in adult mammals. In contrast, certain species display remarkable repair abilities followed by moderate regenerative ability in neonatal mammals, indicating that regeneration is shaped by the evolutionary context as well as the developmental age.

To uncover the core molecular mediators of …

A Study Of The Intellectual Property Rights Of Farmers With Special Reference To The Protection Of Plant Variety And The Farmers' Rights Act, 2001, Gomathi R Ms

Theses and Dissertations

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) confer exclusive rights on individuals over the creations of their minds. Intellectual property is protected through patents, trademarks, copyrights, industrial designs, geographical indications, and other legal rights, enabling inventors to obtain economic benefits and legal recognition from their innovations. These rights provide exclusive usage for a prescribed period and have evolved significantly over the years, sharing similarities with ownership rights over tangible property. As intangible rights, IPR primarily consist of the property element and the object to which that property relates. Among the various forms of IPR, Plant Variety Protection (PVP) rights recognize the creativity and …

Mycobacteria Infection Induced Cascade Of Epigenetic Alterations Promote Training In Bystander Macrophages, Shah E. Jahan Gulzar Mr

Theses and Dissertations

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) remodels host cell functions to support its intracellular persistence. While the effects of Mtb infection on infected macrophages are well characterized, responses of uninfected bystander cells in the same microenvironment remain poorly understood. Here, we show that Mtb infection triggers widespread epigenetic reprogramming not only in infected macrophages but also in neighbouring bystander cells. These bystander macrophages acquire active chromatin marks, exhibit distinct transcriptional changes, and display enhanced immune responsiveness, thereby increasing resistance to both homologous and heterologous infections. We identify interleukin-1 beta secreted by infected cells as a key mediator of this process. Functionally, trained bystander …

The Impact Of Supermarket Layouts On Female Shopping Behavior: A Spatial Configuration Analysis, Yara Fahmy

Theses and Dissertations

As supermarkets continue to evolve into hybrid spaces for both consumption and social interaction, understanding how spatial design shapes shopper experience has become increasingly essential. This study investigates the impact of supermarket layout—specifically free-flow configuration—on female shopping behavior within the New Cairo context. Recognizing women as primary decision-makers in household purchasing, the research adopts a gender-informed lens to uncover behavioral patterns, navigation preferences, and layout perceptions. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study integrates macro-scale online surveys (N = 173 female shoppers) with micro-scale data, including behavioral observation and path tracking of 65 female shoppers, post-shopper interviews, and spatial configuration analysis …

“Language Learners As Ethnographers: A Case Study On A Pedagogical Approach To Developing Intercultural Communicative Competence”, Nihal El-Gameel

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the extensive theoretical models and frameworks for Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC), pedagogical approaches to teaching culture remain underexplored. This study examined the effectiveness of integrating a pedagogical framework—the OSEE framework developed by Deardorff (2000)—within a language classroom context. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through audio-recorded reflections, a questionnaire, an interview, and a final project video presentation in a single-case study design. Data analysis followed Miles and Huberman’s (2014) model of qualitative analysis, employing a funneling approach tailored to each research question: the first applied Chen and Starosta’s ICC model (1996;1999) the second used deductive thematic analysis to …

Youth Development Programs Critical Analysis, Rethinking Real Sustainability Measures. Focus On Middle-Eastern And African Contexts., Rasha As Salem

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract Using a systematic review of 18 research papers, policy documents, and evaluation reports, the study examines youth development programs sustainability through four aspects. First, the review explores how definitions of marginalized youth are applied in Middle East and African contexts. Furthermore, the review focuses on how programmatic suitability is discussed and implemented through the concepts of localization and contextualization. Additionally, the importance of locally grounded evidence as much as rigorous evidence and finally the implementation tactics. The review uses frameworks of ecological systems theory and empowering management approaches to analyze the data. The findings reveal significant variation in how …

Multifunctional Green Wall Systems For Greywater Treatment And Hygrothermal Regulation In Egypt, Laila Ossama Mohamed Elhusseiny Abdelsalam

Theses and Dissertations

Increasing environmental concerns regarding climate change and the intensifying challenge of water scarcity in Egypt necessitate the development of innovative, sustainable, and resource-efficient strategies for wastewater reuse. In the built environment, greywater constitutes a significant, relatively low-contaminant wastewater stream that, if treated to comply with Egyptian Codes and relevant international standards, can be safely reused for non-potable applications such as irrigation, landscaping, and building services. This research investigates the efficacy of an integrated green wall panel system, installed on building façades, for decentralized greywater treatment under Egypt’s climatic and environmental conditions, while simultaneously enhancing hygrothermal performance to reduce building energy …

Family Caregivers And Suicide Prevention: A Needs And Assets Assessment In Egypt, Lina Osama Allam

Theses and Dissertations

In the Arab world, suicide prevention is shaped by cultural stigma and religious beliefs, shaping both help-seeking behaviors and the design of support systems. Family caregivers play a vital role in suicide prevention but often face significant emotional and logistical burdens. This study is the first known scholarly effort in Egypt to examine the intervention needs of these caregivers. It explored three key questions: the roles and challenges of caregivers supporting individuals with suicidal thoughts or behaviors; the availability of clinical and community-based resources; and the characteristics of future interventions to support them. A total of 92 mental health professionals …

Targeting The Cd47/Calreticulin Axis In Triple Negative Breast Cancer Using Ha Grafted Chitosan Nanoparticles Loaded With Doxorubicin And Polygodial, Hadir M. Emara

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is considered the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer. Although progress in cancer treatment has led to better results for different types of breast cancer, TNBC remains particularly challenging due to persistent resistance to both chemotherapy and immunotherapy. This resistance ultimately renders chemotherapy less effective and is frequently associated with substantial side effects. Immunosurveillance significantly impacts the onset of cancer, the rise of resistance to therapies, and the likelihood of tumor recurrence. In this immunomodulatory process, Cluster of Differentiation 47 (CD47) and Calreticulin (CALR) are two key regulators. CD47 expression is strongly linked to anti-phagocytic …

An Impact Assessment Of The Effectiveness Of Utilizing Informal Health Communication Interventions To Spread Health Recommendations And Change Public Perception, Lina Mohamed Ezzat Ahmed Abdel Mawgoud

Theses and Dissertations

Brain health is an increasingly urgent but critically under-addressed public health priority in Egypt and the wider MENA region. Despite its centrality to aging, productivity, and overall quality of life, public understanding of brain health remains limited, and stigma continues to shape responses to dementia and cognitive decline. This study evaluates the effectiveness of informal, culturally adapted health communication as a tool to shift perception, increase awareness, and promote behavior change among non-medically trained adults in Egypt.

Grounded in global evidence on cognitive reserve, neuroplasticity, and the life-course approach to brain health, the intervention translated expert-informed brain health recommendations into …

A Virtual-Reality-Based Dental Simulator For Endodontics With Automated Formative Feedback, Yousef Salah Abo El Ela

Theses and Dissertations

Advancements in virtual reality (VR) and haptic technology are transforming the landscape of medical and dental education, offering new avenues for safe, immersive, and repeatable training experiences. Within dentistry, endodontics presents unique challenges for preclinical education due to anatomical complexity, limited access to extracted teeth, ethical concerns, and the shortcomings of conventional plastic models. Despite endodontics specific plastic teeth being available, they fall short of replicating the hardness of real extracted teeth, are relatively costly compared to generic plastic teeth, and are ultimately a disposable item which makes them inadequate as a sustainable long-term solution. Extracted teeth do a much …

Copper Metal Organic Framework-Based Nanomaterial For Non-Enzymatic Glucose Electrochemical Sensor, Sameha Mohamed Sadek

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the development of non-enzymatic glucose sensors by engineering advanced electrode materials based on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Conventional enzymatic glucose sensors, although widely used, suffer from inherent limitations, including poor long-term stability, narrow operating conditions, and sensitivity to environmental factors, due to their reliance on biological enzymes. Non-enzymatic sensors offer a more robust alternative by enabling direct electrochemical oxidation of glucose on engineered electrode surfaces. MOFs represent a highly tunable class of hybrid materials with structural and chemical features that are ideal for sensor applications, including a high surface area, tailored porosity, and excellent thermal and chemical stability. …

Investigating The Risk Factors Affecting The Control Of Diabetes And Hypertension In The Refugees Living In Egypt, Noura Seada

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) account for 74% of global deaths, with high prevalence of Diabetes and Hypertension worldwide. Egypt hosts over 1 million registered refugees and asylum seekers, often lacking inclusion in social protection or insurance schemes. This study aimed to assess the factors affecting the control of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) and Hypertension (HTN) among Syrian and Sudanese refugees in Egypt, focusing on healthcare access, sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle, and health behaviours.

Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional design using a self-administered questionnaire and BMI measurement. Data were collected from 246 refugees diagnosed with type T2D and/or HTN in the …

Mechanical Characterization And Modeling Of Rat Myocardia Under The Influence Of Epirubicin, Abdallah Mahmoud Alkhaiyat

Theses and Dissertations

Cancer remains a predominant health challenge that is responsible for a significant portion of global morbidity and mortality. Epirubicin (EPI), a chemotherapeutic anti-cancer drug, has shown remarkable efficacy in combating various malignancies. However, it is known to have undesirable side effects on the heart, collectively referred to as cardiotoxicity. This research investigates the adverse effects of chemotherapy on cardiac contractility through an in vitro examination of the mechanics of healthy and infarcted animal heart tissues. Electrically stimulated slices of rat ventricular tissue were tested using an isometric force measurement tissue bath. The tissue slices were subjected to uniaxial stretching, allowing …