Digital Commons Network^™

Non-Formal Education For A Sustainable Development Program In Cairo, Mennatallah Sabry Nada

Theses and Dissertations

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is important for moving countries toward a sustainable future. In Egypt, ESD is not a common subject found in the national formal educational system, so non-formal education in ESD is needed. The research question is what is the best-suited structure for an experiential learning based ESD non-formal education program designed for private middle-school students in Egypt? To answer this question a review of existing international non-formal ESD programs and a needs assessment was conducted. The review examined five programs for common components; these components included activities such as experiments, camps, research, community engagement, general discussions …

Determination Of Phthalate Esters In Egyptian Pet-Bottled Water Investigated Under Different Storage Conditions, Ghada Ismail Zaki

Theses and Dissertations

Phthalate esters are organic compounds that are extensively used in polymers manufacturing and many commercial products and can induce serious adverse health effects upon human exposure. The migration of phthalates esters from PET plastic bottles into water especially under poor storage conditions is subject to scientific debate. This study is the first to assess the occurrence of six phthalates in different branded PET bottled water locally produced in the Egyptian market. The samples were analyzed using liquid-liquid extraction with dichloromethane and GC/MS under various storage conditions. Among the six analyzed phthalates, three were detected at sub ppb levels where DEHP …

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 …

Trade And Growth In The Relation Between China And Selected African Countries, Gehad Moawad Ismail

Theses and Dissertations

China’s economic engagement with African countries has been substantially increasing, since 2001. The trade has accelerated as never before, African countries’ exports to China increased dramatically from US$ 3.1 billion in 2001 to US $31.2 billion in 2007. The growth of China – African relations has increased interest in trade, because it involves crucial issues for the development of African. Consequently, this thesis is trying to assess to what extent does Chinese state- led drive for resources in Africa, especially Sub- Saharan countries affect the economic growth of these countries. The answer to this question is quantitatively assessed, showing that …

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 …

Challenges Facing Women Living With Hiv In Upper Egypt, Ahmed Hussein Ali Abdeldaim

Theses and Dissertations

This research aims to identify challenges that face women living with HIV in Upper Egypt in order to help policy makers and different stakeholders to overcome those challenges. Interviews with women living with HIV from different governorates in Upper Egypt were conducted. In addition, this research included interviews with national AIDS program officials and NGOs managers to obtain different perspectives about the condition of women living with HIV. Women represent half of people living with HIV around the world. The burden of disease on women is even more challenging in many countries due to gender inequality. The effect of culture …

Metagenomic Profiling Of Microbial Metal Interaction In Red Sea Deep-Anoxic Brine Pools, Mina Magdy Abdelsayed Hanna

Theses and Dissertations

Extreme environmental conditions induce evolution of microbiomes and shape microbial abundance. Different geochemical studies reported high metal abundance in Red Sea deep-anoxic brine pools, especially in Atlantis II Deep, which has the highest metals content. Brine pools show wide diversity of biologically essential and non-essential metals. Several metals known for their toxicity to biological life were detected in these pools. Yet, previous microbiome analyses of the pools demonstrated vast microbiological diversity. In this study, we compare metal-resistant prokaryotic microbiomes in different metal-rich brine water samples from Atlantis II lower convective layer (ATII-LCL), Atlantis II upper convective layer (ATII-UCL), Discovery Deep …

Volume Iv (2015), Unm Department Of Orthopaedic Surgery

UNM Orthopaedic Research Journal

No abstract provided.

The Ipe Insight. Volume 2015, No. 2. June-July, 2015., The Unm Hsc Inter-Professional Education Team

The IPE Newsletters

Health System Innovation for a Healthier New Mexico

Growth Of Literature In Higgs Boson: A Scientometric Analysis Of Scopus Database (2005-2014), Soumen Teli, Asish Maity

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The paper analyses the growth pattern of Higgs Boson literature during 2005-2014 (10 years). The socups database has been used to retrieve relevant data. Total number of publication has been identified as 4359 records contributed worldwide over a period of 2005-2014.The distribution of publications based on the year of production, country wise productivity, document type of the publications, Major subject categories , authors whose contribution is in the maximum level were studied. The organizations contribute Higgs Boson research have also been studied.

Zebra Chip Disease Of Potato, Claudie Nischwitz, Shawn Olsen, Ron Patterson

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes Zebra Chip disease of potatoes, including symptoms, disease cycle, and how to manage it.

Candidatus Liberibacter Of Pepper, Claudia Nischwitz

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes Candidatus Liberibacter which infects pepper plants.

Techxcite: Discover Engineering—A New Stem Curriculum, Jeff Sallee, Lynn Schmitt-Mcquitty, Sherry Swint, Amanda Meek, Gary Ybarra, Rodger Dalton

Journal of Extension

TechXcite is an engineering-focused, discovery-based after-school science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) program. The free curriculum is downloadable from http://techxcite.pratt.duke.edu/and is comprised of eight Modules, each with four to five 45-minute activities that exercise the science and math learned in school by using engineering principles to build products or learn processes that improve the quality of life. Ninety-eight percent of TechXcite instructors indicated that students learned and demonstrated improved competence in science and engineering. TechXcite Modules include building prosthetic arms, infrared remote controls, solar-powered cars, harvesting rain water, and imaging biological systems.

Human Disturbance And The Physiological Response Of Elk In Eastern Washington, D. S. Jachowski, S. Mccorquodale, Brian E. Washburn, Joshua J. Millspaugh

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Stress hormone measures have proven useful for assessing effects of human disturbance on wildlife populations. However, most studies are of short duration or limited geographic scope (i.e., without spatial replication), leading to concerns about confounding effects of biotic conditions. Previous research correlated fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs) of elk (Cervus elaphus) with human disturbance, but this factor also co-varied with seasonal climatic conditions, making it difficult to make broader inference regarding the role of human disturbance. In this study we attempted to simultaneously evaluate the effects of climatic conditions and human disturbance by comparing the year-round physiological stress response …

Association Of Markers Of Inflammation With Sleep And Physical Activity Among People Living With Hiv Or Aids, Michael D. Wirth, Jason R. Jaggers, Wesley D. Dudgeon, James R. Hebert, Shawn D. Youngstedt, Steven N. Blair, Gregory A. Hand

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

This study examined associations of sleep and minutes spent in moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin (IL)-6 among persons living with HIV (PLWH). Cross-sectional analyses (n=45) focused on associations of inflammatory outcomes (i.e., CRP and IL-6) with actigraph-derived sleep duration, latency, and efficiency; bedtime; wake time; and wake-after-sleep-onset; as well as MVPA. Least square means for CRP and IL-6 by levels of sleep and MVPA were computed from general linear models. Individuals below the median of sleep duration, above the median for bedtime, and below the median of MVPA minutes had higher CRP or IL-6 levels. …

Bowman V. Monsanto Co.: A Bellwether For The Emerging Issue Of Patentable Self-Replicating Technologies And Inadvertent Infringement, Christopher M. Holman

Missouri Law Review

The inherent tendency of patented seeds to self-replicate has led to fears that farmers might face liability for inadvertent patent infringement. To address the perceived problem, some have proposed severely limiting the availability of effective patent protection for self-replicating technologies. Typical examples include denying patent rights to “second generation” selfreplicating products, and even broadly declaring such technologies ineligible for patent protection. The fact is, lawsuits against inadvertently infringing farmers remain of largely hypothetical concern. However, changes in the market could soon render such lawsuits a reality. In addressing the resulting policy concerns, Congress and the courts have at their disposal …

Probable Intent Vs. Certainty: The Missouri Probate Court And The Uniform Probate Code, Stephanie Pierce

Missouri Law Review

This Note seeks to address how increasingly complex family situations should impact intestacy statutes. In In re Brockmire, the Supreme Court of Missouri specifically addressed what occurs when a decedent predeceases his biological granddaughter and his biological daughter, who had been adopted as an adult by her stepfather. Unfortunately, the court, bound by statute, was unable to even contemplate a remedy consistent with the probable intent of the decedent.

Is Autologous Or Heterologous Pericardium Better For Valvuloplasty? A Comparative Study Of Calcification Propensity, Wen-Jian Jiang, Yong-Chao Cui, Jin-Hua Li, Xiu-Hui Zhang, Huan-Huan Ding, Yong-Qiang Lai, Hong-Jia Zhang

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Pericardial calcification is detrimental to the long-term durability of valvuloplasty. However, whether calcification susceptibility differs between heterologous and autologous pericardium is unclear. In this study, we compared the progression of calcification in vivo between autologous and heterologous pericardium.

We randomly divided 28 rabbits into 4 equal groups. Resected rabbit pericardium served as autologous pericardium, and commercial bovine pericardium served as heterologous pericardium. We subcutaneously embedded one of each pericardial patch in the abdominal walls of 21 of the rabbits. The 7 control rabbits (group A) received no implants. The embedded samples were removed at 2 months in group B, at …

Is Autologous Or Heterologous Pericardium Better For Valvuloplasty? A Comparative Study Of Calcification Propensity, Arthur W Bracey

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

No abstract provided.

Advances In Understanding Carboxysome Assembly In Prochlorococcus And Synechococcus Implicate Csos2 As A Critical Component, Fei Cai, Zhicheng Dou, Susan L. Bernstein, Ryan Leverenz, Eric B. Williams, Sabine Heinhorst, Jessup M. Shively, Gordon C. Cannon, Cheryl A. Kerfeld

Faculty Publications

The marine Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus are the numerically dominant cyanobacteria in the ocean and important in global carbon fixation. They have evolved a CO₂-concentrating-mechanism, of which the central component is the carboxysome, a self-assembling proteinaceous organelle. Two types of carboxysome, α and β, encapsulating form IA and form IB d-ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase, respectively, differ in gene organization and associated proteins. In contrast to the β-carboxysome, the assembly process of the α-carboxysome is enigmatic. Moreover, an absolutely conserved α-carboxysome protein, CsoS2, is of unknown function and has proven recalcitrant to crystallization. Here, we present studies on the CsoS2 protein in …

Novel Hybrid Adaptive Controller For Manipulation In Complex Perturbation Environments, Amc Smith, C Yang, H Ma, Et Al

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

In this paper we present a hybrid control scheme, combining the advantages of task-space and joint-space control. The controller is based on a human-like adaptive design, which minimises both control effort and tracking error. Our novel hybrid adaptive controller has been tested in extensive simulations, in a scenario where a Baxter robot manipulator is affected by external disturbances in the form of interaction with the environment and tool-like end-effector perturbations. The results demonstrated improved performance in the hybrid controller over both of its component parts. In addition, we introduce a novel method for online adaptation of learning parameters, using the …

Discovery Of A Polyomavirus In European Badgers (Meles Meles) And The Evolution Of Host Range In The Family Polyomaviridae, Sarah C. Hill, Aisling A. Murphy, Matthew Cotten, Anne L. Palser, Phillip Benson, Sandrine Lesellier, Eamonn Gormley, Céline Richomme, Sylvia Grierson, Deirdre Ni Bhuachalla, Mark Chambers, Paul Kellam, María Laura Boschiroli, Bernhard Ehlers, Michael A. Jarvis, Oliver G. Pybus

School of Biomedical Sciences

Polyomaviruses infect a diverse range of mammalian and avian hosts, and are associated with a variety of symptoms. However, it is unknown whether the viruses are found in all mammalian families and the evolutionary history of the polyomaviruses is still unclear. Here, we report the discovery of a novel polyomavirus in the European badger (Meles meles), which to our knowledge represents the first polyomavirus to be characterized in the family Mustelidae, and within a European carnivoran. Although the virus was discovered serendipitously in the supernatant of a cell culture inoculated with badger material, we subsequently confirmed its presence in wild …

Exploring Intensive Longitudinal Measures Of Student Engagement In Blended Learning, Charles R. Graham

Faculty Publications

In this exploratory study we used an intensive longitudinal approach to measure student engagement in a blended educational technology course, collecting both self-report and observational data. The self-report measure included a simple survey of Likert-scale and open-ended questions given repeatedly during the semester. Observational data were student activity data extracted from the learning management system. We explored how engagement varied over time, both at the course level and between students, to identify patterns and influences of student engagement in a blended course. We found that clarity of instruction and relevance of activities influenced student satisfaction more than the medium of …

The Body In Tolkien's Legendarium (2013) Ed. By Christopher Vaccaro, Helen Young

Journal of Tolkien Research

The Body in Tolkien's Legendarium (2013) edited by Christopher Vaccaro. Book review by Helen Young.

New Screening Methodology For Selection Of Polymeric Materials For Transdermal Drug Delivery Devices, Roberto P. Falcone

Dissertations

As medical advances extend the human lifespan, the level of chronic illnesses will increase and thus straining the needs of the health care system that, as a result, governments will need to balance expenses without upsetting national budgets.

Therefore, the selection of a precise and affordable drug delivery technology is seen as the most practical solution for governments, health care professionals, and consumers.

Transdermal drug delivery patches (TDDP) are one of the best economical technologies that are favored by pharmaceutical companies and physicians alike because it offers fewer complications when compared to other delivery technologies. TDDP provides increased efficiency, safety …

Data Mining In Computational Proteomics And Genomics, Yang Song

Dissertations

This dissertation addresses data mining in bioinformatics by investigating two important problems, namely peak detection and structure matching. Peak detection is useful for biological pattern discovery while structure matching finds many applications in clustering and classification.

The first part of this dissertation focuses on elastic peak detection in 2D liquid chromatographic mass spectrometry (LC-MS) data used in proteomics research. These data can be modeled as a time series, in which the X-axis represents time points and the Y-axis represents intensity values. A peak occurs in a set of 2D LC-MS data when the sum of the intensity values in a …

Multiple Testing Procedures For Complex Structured Hypotheses And Directional Decisions, Anjana Grandhi

Dissertations

Several multiple testing procedures are developed based on the inherent structure of the tested hypotheses and specific needs of data analysis. Incorporating the inherent structure of the hypotheses results in development of more powerful and situation-specific multiple testing procedures than existing ones. The focus of this dissertation is on developing multiple testing procedures that utilize the information on this structure of the hypotheses and aims at answering research questions while controlling appropriate error rates.

In the first part of the thesis, a mixed directional false discovery rate (mdFDR) controlling procedure is developed in the context of uterine fibroid gene expression …