Digital Commons Network^™

Njohuritë Dhe Qëndrimet E Infermierëve Për Vaksinimin Në Qkmf- Lipjan, Venera Salihu

Theses and Dissertations

Hyrje: Vaksinimi përfaqëson një nga mjetet më efektive për parandalimin e infeksioneve për popullatën dhe për shëndetin publik në përgjithësi. Tani ekzistojnë vaksinat të cilat parandalojnë më shumë se 20 sëmundje të rrezikshme për jetën, duke ndihmuar njerëzit e të gjitha moshave të jetojnë më gjatë, dhe shëndetshëm. Imunizimi aktualisht parandalon 2-3 milion vdekje çdo vit nga sëmundjet sikur difteria, tetanusi, kolla e mirë, gripi dhe fruthi.

Metodologjia: Ky studim është realizuar në Qendrën Kryesore të Mjekësis Familjare, në Komunën e Lipjanit. Në studim kanë marrë pjesë 30 infermierë të cilët kanë pranuar që të përgjigjen në pyetësorin për Njohurit …

Evaluation Of The Anticancer Potential Of Alchemilla Vulgaris Extract Against Human Neuroblastoma Cells, Yomna Moqidem

Theses and Dissertations

Neuroblastoma is one of the most challenging pediatric tumors that present heterogeneity in prognosis and survival despite intensive treatment protocols. Therefore, there is an urge to develop novel and more potent anticancer drugs. Medicinal plants have recently gained worldwide attention due to their variable activities, wide availability, and cost-efficiency. Accordingly, this study attempted to identify novel plant extracts that could show potential anticancer properties against neuroblastoma. In this study, Alchemilla vulgaris (A.vulgaris) ethyl acetate extract was prepared and evaluated for its anticancer potential against SH-SY5Y Human neuroblastoma cell line. The Phenolic content of the prepared extract was characterized …

Assessing The Predictors Of On-Campus Student Wellbeing In The Time Of Covid-19, Victoria Lynn Hrzich

Theses and Dissertations

College students endure a great deal of stress and are one of the most vulnerable groups for mental health difficulties. Despite the stressors they face, a vast array of research highlights several factors that contribute to student wellbeing, such as social support, coping, and psychological flexibility. Similar trends have been found in the literature on student distress and wellbeing following large-scale crises. Due to the unprecedented nature of COVID-19, there is limited research on student distress levels during the pandemic and the effectiveness of these previously useful stress management factors during this unique crisis. Therefore, the current study assessed student …

Deep Learning For Multi-Tissue Cancer Classification Of Gene Expressions, Tarek Khorshed

Theses and Dissertations

We contribute in saving the lives of cancer patients through early detection and diagnosis, since one of the major challenges in cancer treatment is that patients are diagnosed at very late stages when appropriate medical interventions become less effective and full curative treatment is no longer achievable. Cancer classification using gene expressions is extremely challenging given the complexity and high dimensionality of the data. Current classification methods typically rely on samples collected from a single tissue type and perform a prerequisite of gene feature selection to avoid processing the full set of genes. These methods fall short in taking advantage …

Role Of Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated In The Repair Of Magnetite Nanoparticles Induced Double Strand Breaks Associated With Heterochromatin, Mie Mohamed Mounir

Theses and Dissertations

Magnetite nanoparticles particulate matter pollution is escalating in large cities like New Mexico, Manchester city, Cairo, and New Delhi. Combustion derived Magnetite nanoparticles was found deposited in internal vital organs of deceased residents of urban areas. A great deal of research focused on the genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of Magnetite Nanoparticles (MNPs). In our work we focus on the mechanisms employed in DNA repair of higher chromatin structures. We employed the sensitive analysis of anti γ-H2AX to detect and monitor the repair of DSBs following exposure to MNPs. A 2- fold delay in the repair of heterochromatin associated DSBs in …

Nanoencapsulation Of Jania Rubens’ Phytochemicals: Antioxidant Properties For Food Applications, Yasmin R. Maghraby

Theses and Dissertations

The development of natural antioxidants that can mitigate oxidation reactions in food products is on the rise. Several antioxidants have been developed from natural terrestrial plants, with less emphasis on marine seaweeds.Rancidity is a major degradative reaction limiting the shelf-life and deteriorating the quality of lipid containing food products. The goal of this study is to evaluate the ability of Jania rubens algal extract encapsulated by chitosan-tripolyphosphate in retarding lipid oxidation reactions in vegetable oils as a food model system. Phytochemicals were extracted from the seaweeds’ matrices by means of an organic solvent. The antioxidant efficacy of the Jania rubens …

Investigating The Performance Of Hydroponic Nutrient Solutions As Potential Draw Solutions For Fertilizer Drawn Forward Osmosis, Mohamed Bassiouny Abu Qersh

Theses and Dissertations

This research project aims at investigating the performance of hydroponic nutrient solutions as draw solutions for desalination using the fertilizer drawn forward osmosis (FDFO) process. Six different lettuce and leafy greens hydroponic nutrient stock solutions were prepared according to the literature and used in this study and tested on a bench-scale forward osmosis unit as draw solutions for the process. The feed solutions for the process was de-ionized water mixed with Sodium Chloride in different concentrations to represent different salinities of brackish groundwater. The draw efficiency of each solution was measured based on water flux, reverse solute flux, water recovery, …

Mining Selected Metagenomes/Metatranscriptomes For Biosynthetic Gene Clusters And Antimicrobial Resistance Genes, Ahmed Yamany

Theses and Dissertations

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the serious global challenges in the current century. The fact that resistance genes transfer between bacteria, coupled with the fact that the world is connected through complex dynamics. Studying microbial behavior and understanding the different factors coffering microbial resistance to a broad spectrum of the available drug classes, parallel with a comprehensive analysis of the natural microbial products as the primary source of the novel antibiotics, might shed some light on solutions for this problem. Microbial environments harbor a wide range of secondary metabolites (SM) with different functional groups. SMs are not directly involved in …

The Antioxidant And Antimicrobial Activities Of Cornsilk Extract Encapsulated In Polysaccharide Nanoparticles, Maryam Mady

Theses and Dissertations

Corn silk possess antibacterial and antioxidant activities due to its phenolic compounds but they are of low bioavailability that requires some innovative techniques to develop such active ingredients in a safe and less toxic manner. Accordingly, silk extract SE was encapsulated in chitosan nanoparticles CS NPs, which is a natural and abundant polymer derived from chitin. Among 15 experimental trials via design expert software, the optimum formula of SE x\CS NPs was prepared at 800 rpm, 5hrs. on magnetic stirrer, and by CS: TPP ratio was 2.5:1. Then SEM showed the majority of particles size diameter in the range of …

Our Place: Notes On Love And Longing, Nadia M. Mohamed

Theses and Dissertations

Produced during the COVID-19 pandemic, this experimental documentary uses found footage from the personal and political archive to witness and question how personal and political transformation connect, particularly as it relates the material and conceptual legacies we inherit and innovate.

Synthesis And Cytotoxicity Of Trisubstituted Imidazoles, Venkata Agasthya Kasibotla

Theses and Dissertations

Aza heterocyclic compounds are an important class of organic compounds that play a major role in medicinal chemistry. Majority of the heterocyclic motifs such as imidazoles, triazoles, piperazines etc. act as building blocks for synthesizing active pharmaceutical ingredients. Several pharmaceutical drugs include these motifs due to their varying physicochemical properties, which enable them to exhibit wide range of pharmacological activities ranging from anti-fungal, anti-neoplastic, anti-helmintic, anti-microbial etc. Owing to their electron rich ring system, imidazole and piperazine based motifs have become an attractive target for design and development of novel chemical structures as new drugs. In the current study, we …

Evaluating The Trauma-Informed Program For Promoting Success, Jessica Foley

Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown trauma-informed care in schools is effective in reducing the impact of trauma on children, as well as bolstering future success in those who are at-risk for experiencing trauma. Improving students school climate, emotion regulation strategies, learning behaviors, and friendships in middle school students is effective in preventing the impact of trauma. There is limited research to address implementation of trauma-informed, group-based services in middle schools. In this study, a group-based intervention targeted towards middle school students who are at-risk for trauma will be examined. 54 middle school students in grades 6-8 will be participating in the Trauma-Informed …

Experimental Pharmacotherapies In Models Of Alcohol Addiction, Mousumi Akter Sumi

Theses and Dissertations

The USA faces $220 billion economic loss and eighty thousand deaths per year due to alcohol abuse while affecting more than 15 million people, making it the third largest life-style related cause of death. The U.S. FDA has approved four medications namely, disulfiram, acamprosate, oral naltrexone, and injectable long-acting naltrexone. These existing drugs are trashed with side effects, have a low success rate, indicating a demand for new potential drugs. We studied the effects of the CB1 negative allosteric modulator, PSNCBAM-1, and the dopamine D4 receptor antagonist, L-745,870 in mouse models of alcohol addiction. PSNCBAM-1 did not significantly reduce CPP …

Molecular Dynamic Simulation Of Protein Devices And The Parameterization Of Azides And Alkynes For Use In Unnatural Amino Acid Models, Addison Kyle Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Proteins that have been modified by attaching them to a surface or to a polyethylene glycol (PEG) molecule can see many uses in therapeutics and diagnostics -- these unique proteins are called protein devices. Current techniques can perform these functionalizations at a specific residue on the protein, but what remains is identifying what happens to protein structure when mutated, and where to perform the attachment. Both of these issues can be examined using molecular dynamic (MD) simulations. Currently, simulations of the unnatural amino acid (uAA) mutations necessary for protein device functionalization cannot be executed, and full-protein screens of all possible …

Scalable Fabrication Of Post-Drawn Bio-Based And Petroleum-Based Nanofibers With Tunable Fiber Alignment, Morphology, And Mechanical Properties Via An Automated Track Approach, Dave Jao

Theses and Dissertations

We propose to expand nanomanufacturing capabilities and develop processing methods to produce advanced nanofiber materials with enhanced macromolecular and functional properties. Over the past decade, there has been a tremendous increase in the demand for polymeric nanofibers, which are promising candidates for a wide range of technological applications, including tissue engineering, protective clothing, filtration/absorption materials, and sensors/electronic devices, batteries/energy harvest, and fiber-reinforced composites [1]. However, the accessibility of nanofiber materials is limited because it is impossible to produce polymer nanofibers using conventional techniques. Typically, conventional polymer fibers are manufactured by mechanical extrusion with a secondary post-drawing step that stretches the …

Instagram Use And Young Women's Body Image And Self-Objectification In Egypt, Sara Hussein

Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigates the effect of Instagram use on young Egyptian women’s body image and how it is related to self-objectification. The aim of this research is to understand how Instagram usage affects women’s body image and makes them dissatisfied with their bodies; besides, it also tests how the comments women receive on their Instagram accounts affect them positively or negatively, and how the more hours they spend on Instagram, the more pressure they face to acquire a better body shape. Additionally, it examines the direct relationship between feministic beliefs and body surveillance and self-objectification. Moreover, self-objectification and Cultivation …

Design Of Fibril Forming Collagen Mimetic Peptides: Heterotrimers And Nucleation Domains, Sally Tan

Theses and Dissertations

This paper attempts to design collagen mimetic peptides where the triple-helical region mimics that of human Type I Collagen. With consideration for chain selection and chain register, we utilize the NC2 domain of heterotrimeric Type IX Collagen as a nucleation domain for triple-helix folding.

The Effect Of National Leaders’ Profiles On Gdp Per Capita, Maha Mostafa Gaber

Theses and Dissertations

A national leader is the policy maker in a country, whose economical decisions hold the power to make a nation either prosper or collapse. Therefore, it becomes crucial to understand the official who enact these decisions. A unique dataset of over 326 world leaders from 51 countries between the period 1972 to 2018 was constructed, building on leader Experience and Attribute Descriptions Database, in order to study the differences in leaders’ characteristics and determine the most important attributes which significantly affect level of GDP per capita. This paper studies the effect of government leaders’ profiles on GDP per capita by …

“Glass Ceilings” And “Sticky Floors:” Multiple Identities Of Female Superintendents And Intersectionality, Lindsey Brooke Mcbride

Theses and Dissertations

According to AASA, “men are four times more likely to serve in the most powerful position in education” (Robinson et al, 2017). That position being the superintendent in public school setting. The School Superintendents Association (AASA) found that less than 25% of superintendents were women (Superville, 2016). The purpose of this study was to examine the influence, if any, that is created by a female superintendent choosing certain career pathways or having certain identities such as the identity of a female, spouse/mother, and leader and how those identities shape her professional identity making her a better fit in the organization …

College Student Suicidal Behavior: Exploring Faculty Willingness To Intervene, Rikki Turner

Theses and Dissertations

A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate what factors contribute to faculty members’ willingness to intervene with suicidal students. An online survey was administered to faculty (N = 281) in order to collect data for quantitative analysis. Independent variables included gender, faculty discipline as defined by BIGLAN categories, attitudes about intervention (effect on student and effect on participant), subjective norms, and perceived behavior control (express care and utilize outside resources). Dependent variables included intent to intervene expressing care, utilizing outside resource, and utilizing emergency services. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to confirm that this population fit the model …

Similarity Measure Selection And Optimization For E-Commerce Product Matching, Maryetta Morris

Theses and Dissertations

Since its birth in 1979, e-commerce has grown to become a generation-defining phenomenon. There are millions of platforms from which online transactions can be made, and billions of products available for purchase. As these numbers continue to grow, there is an increased need to exchange, process, and store data about these products. There are also services such as review aggregators and price comparison sites that rely on collecting and integrating data from all over the web. When combining data from multiple sources, it is important to be able to identify which references refer to the same real-life product. Product matching, …

Trudging Through The Brakes: Mapping River Cane (Arundinaria Gigantea (Walter) Muhl.) And Canebrake Habitat In 19th Century Arkansas, Patrick Solomon

Theses and Dissertations

River cane (A. gigantea) is one of three bamboos native to the North American continent but has been greatly diminished since European colonization. To explore this lost landscape, this paper applies an interdisciplinary approach to examine and interpret the pre-historic, historic, and current status of cane and canebrake habitat in Arkansas. Historic cane data has been collected and used to create an informed map of canebrake habitat in 19th century Arkansas. To examine references in more detail, cane points collected within the five study areas have been examined using a Geographic Information System. Maps of historic cane references have been …

Sp2 Bonded Carbon For Soft X-Ray Detector Windows, Joseph T. Rowley

Theses and Dissertations

Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS) is a technique used to analyze materials to determine their elemental makeup. This technique is used extensively in the semiconductor industry, metallurgical industry, biology, chemistry, materials science, and other fields. EDS detectors are often attached to scanning electron microscopes (SEM) or transmission electron microscopes (TEM) and are actively cooled by liquid nitrogen or Peltier devices. A thin membrane, or window, is fitted to the front of the detector which allows for an airtight seal as well as transmission of x-rays. The challenge for these windows is maximizing the transmission of x-rays while maintaining mechanical integrity. …

Broken Harts: Mourning The Human/Animal Divide In Shakespeare’S As You Like It And Wordsworth’S “Hart-Leap Well”, Jennifer Jourlait

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis compares the deer scenes in Shakespeare’s As You Like It and Wordsworth’s “Hart-Leap Well.” Both raise questions about man’s right to hunt animals with impunity. Shakespeare’s Jaques superficially takes up the issue of animal rights whereas Wordsworth’s personification of the stag evokes the reader’s sympathy for the animal.

(Re)Imagining Eminent Domain: The Embodied Imaginaries Of The Atlantic Yards – Barclays Center Project, Gabriel Frey Schuster

Theses and Dissertations

Eminent domain is generally treated by legal geographers as a tool of the state. This thesis applies legal and feminist geographies to the case of the Atlantic Yards development in Brooklyn so as to reframe eminent domain as a spatio-legal intervention complicating traditional notions of scale and power.

Membranes And Frames, Nurya Chana

Theses and Dissertations

Nurya Chana (b.1988, Bronx, NY) paints, sculpts, and performs to grapple with discontinuities between self and other, the inner and outer self, physicality and feeling. Her practice aims to expose the non-mental voices of the body, reconciling life sciences with the complexity, enormity, and potency of livingness.

Girl In Action: Junior Bazaar, 1945-1948, Rose D. Bishop

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis provides an overview of Junior Bazaar, a short-lived magazine for teenage girls published by Hearst between 1945-1948. Under the supervision of art director Lillian Bassman the magazine featured a variety of aesthetic devices — such as photomontage, asymmetrical layouts, the selective use of color, and playful placement of graphic forms — in efforts to distinguish itself from other publications on the market and construct a visual space specific to its teenage readers. Bassman’s unconventional stewardship of Junior Bazaar made room for an up-and-coming set of photographers, including Richard Avedon, Robert Frank, Diane Arbus, Louis Faurer, and other …

Leadership Perceptions Of Steam Curriculum Implementation From Educational Leaders In An Elementary Setting, Allyson June Douthit

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the perceptions of administrators toward the process of STEAM curriculum implementation using a curriculum change lens. The study centers on the qualitative data gathered through the views and experiences of principals who work toward addressing the needs of a future workforce through the STEAM method. Research questions included: (1) What are administrators' perceptions of implementing the STEAM curriculum approach to instruction within an elementary school? (2) What are characteristics of administrators who have guided STEAM curriculum implementation? Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews with individual leaders, and artifacts. The gathering …

The Impact Of Parental Involvement On Adolescents’ Academic Achievement In Nigeria, Atinuke Ayeni

Theses and Dissertations

Parental involvement in education remains important for supporting educational achievement in adolescents. The purpose of this ex-post facto study was to evaluate the impact of parental involvement a multidimensional construct, on mathematics achievement in adolescents (9th graders) in Kwara State Nigeria. The study also evaluated the relationship between social capital, parental involvement and two motivational constructs, the growth mindset and learning goals. A total of 280 students in their third year of Junior secondary school in Kwara state Nigeria, participated in the study. The study was conducted using a 46-item survey of parental involvement administered once to students who volunteered …

Tenured Teacher Motivation For Self-Directed Professional Development In Literacy, Jennifer Lynn Brady

Theses and Dissertations

After receiving tenure, experienced teachers may choose to not participate in professional development opportunities. In fact, tenured teachers may only complete the minimum professional development hours required by their school districts. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the factors that motivated tenured elementary school teachers (grades 3-6) to participate in self-directed professional development (SD-PD) in literacy. This study consisted of six tenured teachers (grades 3-6) who were recruited from three different schools in a suburban elementary school district in Nassau County, New York. Data were collected through one-on-one online interviews, a collection of participants’ written …