Digital Commons Network^™

Atomistic Assessment Of Drug-Phospholipid Interactions Consequent To Cancer Treatment: A Study Of Anthracycline Cardiotoxicity, Yara Elsayed Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

Despite being one of the most effective chemotherapeutic agents developed to date, Anthracyclines are notorious for their cardiotoxicity. Their clinical use is frequently limited both in dosage and in prescription due to the severe cardiac damage they cause. The mechanism of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity is not yet fully understood. However, it is hypothesized that interactions with the myocardial membrane play an important role in imparting cardiotoxicity. In this study, we use molecular dynamics simulations and density functional theory calculations to study the anthracycline drug molecules and the interactions that they have with the myocardial membrane. We construct a myocardial membrane model …

Metaproteomics Profiling Of Gut Microbiota In Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Patients, Shahd Ezz El Din

Theses and Dissertations

The gut microbiota is the collection of microorganisms that harbor the human gastrointestinal tract. The relation of microbiota and cancer is an emerging field as several studies have linked the gut microbiota to cancer. Such findings opened the door towards a new era of studies aiming to reveal the role of the microbiota in cancer initiation and progression. Although several metagenomic studies have provided insights into the gut microbial composition in health and diseased state, the microbial functional characteristics is still poorly understood. With current advances in mass spectrometry, comprehensive understanding of microbiota proteome became possible. In this vein, the …

Role Of Defect Type In Optimizing Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production Catalysts, Mohamed Mahrous

Theses and Dissertations

The search for new energy sources has become a global challenge due to the increasing demand for energy and the negative impact of traditional energy sources on the environment. The photoelectrochemical water splitting has emerged as a promising alternative source for producing hydrogen, which can be used as a clean fuel. However, it is necessary to tailor the properties of the light-active material that will be used to absorb sunlight and split water. This research project aimed at providing detailed insights into the effect of varying the type and concentration of defects on the optical and electronic properties of diamond …

Reparation For The Irreparable: Is Punishing International Crimes A Universalist Hoax?, Kholoud Hafez Hassan

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis challenges the conventional discourse on international punishment that emphasizes the development of a single, unified system of international criminal justice. Instead, it advocates for a pluralistic approach that recognizes the fragmented nature of international punishment, which involves various actors, including permanent courts, special tribunals, internationalized tribunals, and domestic courts exercising universal jurisdiction. The sui generis nature of international crimes demands a comprehensive approach to punishment that considers multiple perspectives and norms of diverse actors involved. Rejecting the notion of universalism in determining punishment rationales and promoting accounts of sentencing consistency, the author asserts that a global framework can …

Growing Brine Shrimp (Artemia) In Desalination Brine Water, Khaled Madkour

Theses and Dissertations

Water scarcity is one of the main issues in the recent and coming decades that resulted from the growing population, increasing agricultural lands, and other current challenges. This problem led to finding alternatives to provide fresh water for domestic usage. Desalination is one of these solutions, especially in the MENA region, which has more than half of the desalination plants in the world. The desalination process has two main outputs: freshwater and highly concentrated saline water (brine water). The brine water discharge can be done in various approaches, including deep-well injection, surface water disposal, land application, effluent disposal, and evaporation …

Interpretatio Islamica And The Unraveling Of The Ancient Sabian Mysteries, Maurice Hines

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis makes some bold claims about the identity of the Qur’anic Sabians (Ṣābi’ūn) and their symbiotic relationship with various Near Eastern religions including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Thrice mentioned in the Qur’an, they clung to an ancient religion - or perhaps the most ancient – that spanned the entire Eastern hemisphere and provided not only the structural foundations of human civilizations, but also their religious, philosophical, and intellectual foundations. However, their creed had undergone a variety of changes over time including a shift in the conception of God from a personal to a transcendent deity, the worship …

An Analysis Of Speech Acts In Egyptian Billboard Advertising, Wissam Abdelkareem

Theses and Dissertations

The present study explores the realization of speech acts in 80 Egyptian billboard advertisements from five different locations in Greater Cairo, in an attempt to identify the most dominant types of speech acts utilized in such billboard advertising. Further examination of the linguistic elements in advertisements is conducted to identify the most salient syntactic structures constructing them. The study starts with a quantitative approach and ends with a qualitative content analysis based on framework of Searle’s (1969) Speech Act Theory. The findings of the study reveal that the most frequently employed speech act types are representatives, directives, commissives, and expressives …

Security Of Tenure In Egypt: Policies And Challenges, Arig Eweida

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores a set of urban laws and policies adopted in the past decade in Egypt regarding their possible effect on security of tenure as an element of the right to housing. The past decade has witnessed a legislative focus on formalizing tenure rights coupled with policies aiming at redevelopment of informal settlements, infrastructure projects and lately a goal of eliminating unplanned areas by 2030. This research attempts to untangle what these laws and policies could mean for a country with 40% of its housing being informal. It builds on a rich literature on titling programs in developing countries …

Association Of Gut Microbiota Composition With Alzheimer’S-Like Disease In A Rat Model, Hana Heiba

Theses and Dissertations

With many countries turning ‘grey’ and facing an issue with aging populations, the risk of developing one form of neurodegenerative disease is increasing. Dementia, being the most common syndrome resulting from neurodegeneration, severely affects memory and cognitive functions. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder, with an estimated 615,000 new cases will be added to the existing 5.7 million by 2030 (Alkasir et al., 2017).

In the current study, we establish a sporadic AD-like rat model by injecting STZ intracerebrally. Stool samples were collected at two time points; after three weeks for the acute stage, and 3 months …

Effect Of Waste-Based Geopolymer On Asphalt Binder Properties, Amani Ashraf Ahmed Saleh

Theses and Dissertations

Many problems are facing Egyptian asphalt pavements. It cannot be denied that frequent and severe pavement distresses are sometimes experienced in many locations all over the Egyptian roadway pavement network. These distresses may occur at the early stages of the pavement’s life. As a result, this contributes to an increase in the maintenance and repair expenses induced on the government. Asphalt binder modifications have become necessary to overcome the issues of Egyptian Pavements. This work evaluates the physical and rheological behavior of incorporated waste-based geopolymers in asphalt binders. Two geopolymer types Fly Ash (FA) and Metakaolin-Silica Fume (MK-SF) were prepared …

Building Envelope Retrofits For Achieving Thermal Comfort In Naturally Ventilated Buildings In Future Climates: A Case Study Of Social Housing In Egypt, Donna Nader Kamel Ebeid

Theses and Dissertations

Envelope thermal insulation has a significant impact on a scale from global to individual interest. It contributes to indoor thermal comfort, provides economic benefit through reduced electricity bills, increases energy efficiency of buildings through reduced energy consumption, and protects against the change in Earth’s climate through reduced greenhouse gas emissions. In 2021, building operations accounted for 30% of global energy consumption, 27% of annual global CO₂ emissions and 35% of building energy use accounted for electricity consumption which is used to create comfortable indoor living conditions. In Egypt, electricity consumption in residential sector has been steadily increasing, among other …

Evaluation Of Green Roof Technology In Egypt, Hend Abada

Theses and Dissertations

A green roof is a well-known technology worldwide that provides many social, economic, and environmental benefits. In Egypt, green roofs are still a new construction practice where most stakeholders lack business and technical expertise within this emerging industry. This research is concerned with assessing this emerging technology within its contemporary context, Egypt, and testing its feasibility within the physical condition of the Egyptian buildings and the social and economic conditions of the Egyptians. This study starts by presenting intensive information about green roof technology and reviewing the literature on green roofs within the Egyptian context. A grounded methodology is used …

Association Of Health Literacy With Demographic Features, Health-Related Behaviors, And Health Risk Indicators Among Egyptian Adults: Online Cross-Sectional Study, Rana Gamal Hassan

Theses and Dissertations

Health literacy is recognized as a significant determinant of health. Limited health literacy is a growing issue worldwide. It has a significant role facing the rising trends of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) through improving its modifiable risk factors. Therefore, studying the association between health literacy and different health-related behaviors is very important to guide both healthcare professionals and policy makers to set up the proper interventions. Our study aims to a) examine the health literacy levels among Egyptian adults, b) investigate the association of health literacy relative to socio-demographic features, health related behaviors, and self-reported health status. This is a cross-sectional …

The World Of Ibn Taymiyya: An Analysis Of The Historical Context Of Ibn Taymiyya’S Anti-Mongol Fatwas, Jarod Devoogd

Theses and Dissertations

Studies into Ibn Taymiyya’s fatwas against the Mongols are relatively new, despite the increasing frequency with which they are cited by modern extremist groups. Detailed explorations into the Mamluk-Ilkhanid War of the late thirteenth and early fourteenth century are also relatively new. Ibn Taymiyya, the early Mamluk Sultanate, and the Mamluk-Ilkhanid War are intricately connected, yet they are often not studied in synthesis. Generally, works that give overviews of the history of this period lack intricate details, studies dedicated to in-depth analysis of specific events are not focused on a connection to Ibn Taymiyya’s writings, and biographies on Ibn Taymiyya …

The Role Of E-Governance On Corruption In The Mena Region: A Panel Data Analysis, Doaa Abdelwareth

Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to understand the role of e-governance on corruption in Middle East and North African (MENA) countries. The study also links the adoption of e-governance to the promotion of sustainable development. The panel data of 17 MENA countries were collected from various secondary sources from 2003 to 2020. This study's empirical result was estimated using the Generalized Method of Moments econometric approach. This study has achieved four objectives by using the different proxies of e-government, namely the human capital index (HCI), the online service index (OSI), the e-participation index (EPI), and the e- government development index (EGDI), for …

The Impact Of Slavery And Colonialism On The Black Consciousness: Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass, The Confessions Of Nat Turner, And Incidents In The Life Of A Slave Girl, Mariam Badawi

Theses and Dissertations

According to the German author, essayist, and empirical psychologist Karl Philipp Moritz, to be able to analyze someone psychologically, we have to be able to analyze ourselves as one would know oneself better than one would know anyone else. Therefore, he proposed the study of autobiographies to be able to delve into a writer's "innermost soul"; through their knowledge of themselves" (qtd. in Schlumbohm 32). Moreover, "the psychological effect that the ideology of white supremacy and European imperialism, in the form of slavery and colonialism, has had on Africa and her people has never been fully addressed and understood" (Nobles …

The Death And Rebirth Of The Feminine Muse: Edgar Allan Poe And Sylvia Plath, Noha Ibrahim

Theses and Dissertations

While drawing on mythology and a literary history that associated women with death as well as creativity, Edgar Allan Poe and Sylvia Plath experimented with binary oppositions such as masculine/feminine, composition/decomposition, and death/(re)birth. They gained inspiration from the same source, the dead muse, but how do they transform traditions that derive from classical and medieval literary precedent, perhaps in ways that are inherently critical of patriarchal modes of gender dynamics? Why is Poe fixated on a feminine dead muse while Plath is inspired by what she calls her “father-sea-god muse”? How do both authors represent the female body, and how …

The Effect Of Bilateral Investment Treaties On The Correlation Between International Stock Markets, Nourhan Elshenawy

Theses and Dissertations

The main objective of this paper is to assess the effect of the Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) on the correlation between international stock markets on a sectorial level. The paper attempts to identify the most affected sectors, besides highlighting the highly impacted countries by BITs signing, to compare the intensity of the effect based on the nature of the business operation. Analyzing the synchronization between international stock markets has been a crucial topic in the literature due to its criticality in grasping the benefits of international portfolio diversification. The extensive historical literature demonstrated and reviewed the co-movements between multiple global …

The Sidelined Front-Liners: Eritrean Cbos In Greater Cairo, Nada Hegazy

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the recognition of the important role that community-based organizations play, among international actors concerned with refugee issues, as well as UNHCR’s adoption of a community-based approach to protection; community-based organizations continue to be sidelined by these actors. This thesis explores the role that Eritrean CBOs play in improving the lives of Eritrean refugees and asylum-seekers living in Greater Cairo. It also investigates the challenges that they face while trying to operate in Egypt. Using a multi-scalar lens, the research examines the relationships between Eritrean CBOs and Eritrean refugees and asylum-seekers, the State, UNHCR and its partner organizations, in addition …

Choosing To Come Back: Second-Generation Egyptians Returning As Social Change Agents, Hajar Khalil

Theses and Dissertations

Research has found that upon visiting their parents’ homeland, second-generation immigrants were able to gain a better understanding of where they came from, allowing them to reflect upon their own lives in respect to their family history (Marschall, 2017). Some researchers call this journey the ‘self-awakening’ or ‘searching-self’ journey (Christou, 2003). The aim of this research is to understand the process of second-generation Egyptians return journey to their parent(s)’ homeland in order to create social change. The two main questions posed are: 1) How do second-generation Egyptians construct their narrative identity, and 2) How do they conceptualize themselves as social …

Inoculation For Neutralizing Misinformation: Replication Of An Experiment On The Effect Of The Fake Experts’ Strategy In Climate Change Communication’S Context, Joseph Abdalla

Theses and Dissertations

Low acceptance of climate change and low support for its mitigation efforts can be due to public misconceptions towards climate change. Climate skeptics use a communication strategy of fake experts to spread misinformation through spokespersons who are not experts in the field. Inoculation can be a protective approach for tackling the misinformation’s effect. Previous research was conducted in the United States and Germany and was never conducted in Africa. This study aimed to complement the previous research findings with results for Egypt by replication an experiment by Cook et al. with a 2 × 2 between-subjects design. A total of …

A Qualitative Exploration Of Food Literacy In International Schools In Egypt, Amy Pugsley

Theses and Dissertations

Food literacy is an essential part of good physical and psychological health, however, food literacy is not a mandatory part of K-12 education in all schools. Many factors can influence food literacy levels including familial culture, socioeconomic status, and education levels. This research seeks to examine perceptions of food literacy in high school students and educators at two private American international schools located in Cairo, Egypt. Through the use of observations and interviews, the researcher used a qualitative approach to understand the self-perceptions of food literacy in students studying the American curriculum. The study revealed that students from high-socio-economic backgrounds …

Teacher Perceptions Of Teaching Enjoyment And Student Foreign Language Enjoyment And Anxiety, Nourhan Marei

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this research is to explore teachers’ perceptions of foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA), foreign language enjoyment (FLE), and foreign language teaching enjoyment (FLTE). This study targeted answering three research questions inquiring about teachers’ perceptions of FLCA and FLE, the influence of FLTE on FLCA and FLE, and teachers’ different experiences with these emotions. A mixed-method approach was employed in this exploratory study by using two instruments to collect data: a questionnaire and interviews. The total number of teachers who participated in this study was 54. The questionnaire aimed to quantitatively measure teachers’ perceptions of FLCA, FLE, and …

Instructional Alignment In The Curriculum To Address Learner Diversity: The Case Of High Schools In Egypt, Shrouk Elshiekh

Theses and Dissertations

This research aims at exploring the connection between the instructional activities used by high school teachers to support diverse students, and the students’ readiness for college. This is accomplished by considering teachers’ awareness of their students' strengths and weaknesses and teachers’ collaboration with college counsellors. Both from the review of the literature and based on my experience as a high school teacher and college counsellor, it has emerged the necessity of addressing the diverse high school learners' needs through the application of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. The preparation of students for college through a precise alignment of …

Parental Psychological Maltreatment In Egypt: Exploring Intergenerational Parenting Behavior And Identifying Protective Factors, Sylvia Said

Theses and Dissertations

Psychological maltreatment is an under-recognized problem, even though it is a widespread form of child maltreatment and has detrimental consequences, whether in the short or long term. This study aims to explore the intergenerational patterns of parenting behaviors, measure the difference in emotionally abusive behaviors between mothers and fathers, investigate the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and adopting different parenting styles, and identify the protective factors against parental psychological maltreatment. A mixed-methods approach was used to answer these research questions thoroughly. Online versions of the survey, in English and Arabic, were shared on social media platforms, and online interviews were …

Additive Manufacturing Of Stretchable Strain Sensors: Fabrication, Optimization And Application, John Nady Shihat Bastawrous

Theses and Dissertations

In this project, a novel strain sensor design is fabricated employing different additive manufacturing techniques. The spring sensor's primary material is PLA-Like resin with a nanocomposite encapsulation layer as the functional material. The main principle of Straining the sensors results in a change in resistivity as the distances among the conductive carbon particles change according to the strain applied.

Sensor fabrication consists of two parts: spring manufacturing and development of nanocomposite encapsulation The nanocomposite matrix is developed through the dispersion of Graphene and Carbon nanotubes in Thermoplastic Polyurethane through sonication and magnetic hotplate stirring. While the spring itself is manufactured …

Palestine Without Borders: A Study Of Arab And Western Voices In Theater, Bassem Mohsen Ahmed El-Sayed Ahmed Ibrahim

Theses and Dissertations

Theater has always been perceived as a way to link different cultures together and bring them under one large domain. Regardless, the genre does not give the needed attention to works written in certain regions that may otherwise fall outside the consensus. One good example is Palestine and any works that deal with it as a setting. The first thing that comes to mind whenever the word “Palestine” is brought up is almost always of a political nature, having to do with the Palestinians’ national conflict with Israel. This thesis undertakes to amend this by probing into plays written by …

Assessing The Implementation Of Egypt’S Education 2.0 Reform: The Case Of Sohag, Norhan Zahran

Theses and Dissertations

Education is a key component contributing to a country’s socioeconomic status. Accordingly, countries that seek better economic development focus on the quality of education. Egypt realized that and started a series of educational reforms, none of which delivered the desired objectives. Regrettably, this was clear in Egyptian students' poor performance on international tests in the years 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 (World Economic Forum 2013; 2014). In 2018, the Egyptian Ministry of Education announced the launch of Education 2.0 (EDU 2.0) reform which adopted transformative, multidisciplinary, student-centered educational pedagogies to enhance the quality of education. This study presents the results of an …

Assessing The Correlation Between The Socioeconomic Level And Cognitive Function Among Older Adults In Egypt, Macy Abougabal

Theses and Dissertations

The number of older adults is increasing worldwide at an unprecedented rate. Some countries began to understand the challenges of aging, while others are still at the stage of comprehending the true dimensions of the situation. There is a global focus on aging research to appropriately mitigate the negative impact of aging and cognitive decline. Not only that dementia add economic pressure on governments, it also increase the psychological and physical burden of the caregivers. Scholars have previously studied socioeconomic level in three variables, namely work, education, and income, and their relationship with cognitive function. It was concluded that the …

Dyonic Taub-Nut-Ads Space Phase Structure, Mohamed Tharwat

Theses and Dissertations

The Taub-NUT spacetime remains to hold many mysteries more than half a century after its discovery. The metric's controversy owes largely to the nut charge and the existence of Misner strings. Traditionally the metric is treated in the euclidean signature, this treatment hides the Misner strings. We treat the Taub-NUT spacetime with the Misner strings visible, not enforcing the time periodicity condition. We examine the phase structure belonging to three different horizon geometries. We deal with the hyperbolic, flat and spherical cases. We consider the stable phases, the phase transitions that exist between them, and find the preferable phases in …