Digital Commons Network^™

Primary Education Reforms Targeting Marginalized Groups: The Role Of Local Non-Governmental Organizations In Slum Areas In Cairo, Faiza Alaraji

Theses and Dissertations

The Egyptian government has implemented different educational programs targeting marginalized groups in Egypt over the years. Primary education reform plans are a priority for decision makers in both developed and developing countries. Many governments paid serious attention to implement successful strategies targeting marginalized groups in their societies. The study examined in depth educational reforms strategies in the selected developed and developing countries. Special attention was devoted to examining the role of NGOs in many developing countries like Ghana, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Civil organizations have added valuable contribution and rich experience to the field of education, especially through informal education programs …

Environmental Education In Egypt: A Preliminary Assessment, Nouran Assyed Fadl Faragallah

Theses and Dissertations

Giving that Egypt is facing serious environmental issues, Egypt needs to raise the public environmental awareness. Effective environmental education is needed to provide students with what is needed for achieving sustainability. This study aims to assess environmental education in formal education in Egypt through two approaches. The first approach is by assessing students' knowledge and attitudes towards environmental concepts. The second approach is by assessing the contribution of environmental policies to implementing environmental education. The study samples were selected from three public schools located in three different cities and villages. The research used qualitative methodology as the investigation was conducted …

Determination Of The Antioxidant Activity Of Surface Treated Pet Films Coated With Natural Extracts, Hebatullah Hassan Farghal

Theses and Dissertations

Food oxidation is one of the major concerns that food producers and consumers face. In that regard, we are developing antioxidant polyethylene terephthalate (PET) filmthat could be employed for packaging fish products. Commercial PET films were surface treated and subsequently coated with either rosemary or clove extracts. Surface treatments involveda) corona treatment and b) chemical modification which are industrial means of surface treatment; Plasma treatment, at laboratory scale, was also used.Radical scavenging activities (RSA) of both pure plant extracts and coated film extractsweremeasured using the 2,2- Diphenyl-1-Picryl Hydrazyl(DPPH) method. Treated films coated with rosemary showed %RSA of 25.6%, 22.4% and …

Development And Evaluation Of Continuing Education Course In Renal Nutrition, Mirey Karavetian, Rana Rizk

All Works

© 2016 The Korean Nutrition Society and the Korean Society of Community Nutrition. BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Competent renal dietitians are crucial for better patient compliance and clinical outcomes, specifically in critical settings. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate an evidence-based course in renal dietetics for dietitians working in health care systems where dietetic specialization is absent. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Fifteen licensed dietitians working with hemodialysis patients in Lebanon were randomly recruited to participate in the course. The latter was developed by the study’s primary investigator, according to evidence-based practice guidelines, and focused on all aspects of renal nutrition. Total course …

Climate Change And Food Security In Egypt, Laila Yassin

Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on the climate change impact on food security with a focus on the agricultural sector and the food production system in Egypt. And, it examines how consistently can policies manage to reduce climate change effects on Egypt’s food security through qualitative research conducted through in depth interviews with ex-perts in the field. Egypt is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to climate change risks. The agricultural sector is one of the affected sectors; this sector is very critical for Egypt’s national and food security since it shapes 17% of its GDP, 40% of its …

Evaluating The Governmental Health Expenditure Pattern And Its Association With Health Outcomes In Egyptian Governorates, Wessam Abass

Theses and Dissertations

Health is one of the basic human rights; not all citizens are able to access quality healthcare services; therefore, countries allocate a considerable fund to healthcare provision but there is no general agreement about the effectiveness of monetary health inputs against health outcomes. The thesis evaluates the current governmental health expenditure pattern in Egyptian governorates and its relation to selected health outcomes. The study conducts secondary analysis for grouped data from different sources for year 2013-2014, applying descriptive, correlation and regression analysis by SPSS tool. It was found that there are disparities between governorates and regions in socioeconomic, health conditions, …

Introducing Entrepreneurship Into The Public University Scheme In Egypt, Ahmed Abbas

Theses and Dissertations

The overall study of available literature regarding entrepreneurship in Egypt reveals several gaps and barriers in the ecosystem. Human Capital represented in: education institutions, availability of skilled labor, and culture norms come at the forefront. Absence of entrepreneurship in the educational curricula in schools and most universities is a contributing factor of t the lagging entrepreneurship activities. This research investigates, explains and analyzes the existing situation of entrepreneurship, specifically social entrepreneurship in colleges of commerce in Egyptian public universities. Colleges of commerce are chosen for being the natural home of entrepreneurship education. Description and evaluation of the status quo are …

Stress, Shift Duty, And Eating Behavior Among Nurses In Central Saudi Arabia, Ali M. Almajwal

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To investigate the association between stress, shift work, and eating behavior among non-Saudi female nurses working in Central Saudi Arabia. Methods: A sample of 395 non-Saudi female nurses from 2 major hospitals in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia participated in this cross-sectional study. The nurses completed a questionnaire from November 2013 to January 2014 that included items relating to stress and eating behavior using the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ). The questionnaire also contained items pertaining to socio-demographic data, body mass index, shift work, and hours worked per week. Results: For all eating styles, stress, and shift duty influenced …

The History Of Public Education In New Orleans Still Matters, Al Kennedy

History Faculty Publications

Ten years after the flood waters from negligently constructed federal levees inundated New Orleans, public education reformers have unhitched their narrative from the pre-Katrina history of the Crescent City. They cleverly placed the blame for the condition of the schools on the backs of the teachers--and their union. The reformers contend that New Orleans was a “blank sheet of paper” upon which they put in place a successful system of charter schools. Perhaps the reference to the “blank sheet of paper” makes more sense as an effort to paper-over a long and painful history that includes the lingering effects of …

Food & Beverages Advertising Viewed By Egyptian Children: A Content Analysis, Mona Rady

Theses and Dissertations

The Elaboration Likelihood Model posits that there are two routes to persuasion central (logical) and peripheral (emotional). This study employs the ELM to analyze persuasive appeals in ads viewed by Egyptian children between 7-12 years old. First of all, a survey was conducted to uncover food and beverage ads viewed by children on a spontaneous level followed by aided recall of ads. The survey was administered online to 304 children who filled the survey after their parent’s consent and assistance. After removing repeated ads, a total sample of 100 ads were reported and further analyzed. Findings proposed that peripheral cues …

Effect Of Cry1f Maize On The Behavior Of Susceptible And Resistant Spodoptera Frugiperda And Ostrinia Nubilalis, Ana María Vélez, Analiza P. Alves, Erin E. Blankenship, Blair Siegfried

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Understanding the behavior of pests targeted with Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) crops is important to define resistance management strategies. Particularly the study of larval movement between plants is important to determine the feasibility of refuge configurations. Exposure to Bt maize, Zea mays L. (Poaceae), has been suggested to increase larval movement in lepidopteran species but few studies have examined the potential for resistance to interact with behavioral responses to Bt toxins. Choice and no-choice experiments were conducted with Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) to determine whether Cry1F resistance influences neonate movement. Leaf discs …

Prebiotics: Why Definitions Matter, Robert W. Hutkins, Janina A. Krumbeck, Laure B. Bindels, Patrice D. Cani, George C. Fahey, Yong Jun Goh, Bruce R. Hamaker, Eric C. Martens, David A. Mills, Robert A. Rastal, Elaine Vaughan, Mary Ellen Sanders

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

The prebiotic concept was introduced twenty years ago, and despite several revisions to the original definition, the scientific community has continued to debate what it means to be a prebiotic. How prebiotics are defined is important not only for the scientific community, but also for regulatory agencies, the food industry, consumers and healthcare professionals. Recent developments in community-wide sequencing and glycomics have revealed that more complex interactions occur between putative prebiotic substrates and the gut microbiota than previously considered. A consensus among scientists on the most appropriate definition of a prebiotic is necessary to enable continued use of the term.

Glucocorticoid Cell Priming Enhances Transfection Outcomes In Adult Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Abby M. Kelly, Sarah A. Plautz, Janos Zempleni, Angela K. Pannier

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) are one of the most widely researched stem cell types with broad applications from basic research to therapeutics, the majority of which require introduction of exogenous DNA. However, safety and scalability issues hinder viral delivery, while poor efficiency hinders nonviral gene delivery, particularly to hMSCs. Here, we present the use of a pharmacologic agent (glucocorticoid) to overcome barriers to hMSC DNA transfer to enhance transfection using three common nonviral vectors. Glucocorticoid priming significantly enhances transfection in hMSCs, demonstrated by a 3-fold increase in efficiency, 4–15-fold increase in transgene expression, and prolonged transgene expression when compared …

Correlation Between Obesity And Emotional, Social, And Behavioral Problems Associated With Physical Limitation Among Children And Adolescents In Western Saudi Arabia, Abdulmoein E. Al-Agha, Rahma A. Al-Ghamdi, Shaimaa A. Halabi

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of body mass index (BMI) on limitation of physical activity and the associated effect on behavioral, school, and social problems among obese children in Western Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional obesity survey was conducted in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected between August 2014 and February 2015 from 281 obese children aged between 2-18 (girls: 130, boys: 151). Participants were selected randomly to represent different economic status, level of education, and family structure. Results: The mean age of participants was 10.5 years for girls and 10.6 years for boys. Higher BMI was associated with physical …

Intestinal Lymphangiectasia In Children: A Favorable Response To Dietary Modifications, Hasan M. Isa, Ghadeer G. Al-Arayedh, Afaf M. Mohamed

Saudi Medical Journal

Intestinal lymphangiectasia (IL) is a rare disease characterized by dilatation of intestinal lymphatics. It can be classified as primary or secondary according to the underlying etiology. The clinical presentations of IL are pitting edema, chylous ascites, pleural effusion, acute appendicitis, diarrhea, lymphocytopenia, malabsorption, and intestinal obstruction. The diagnosis is made by intestinal endoscopy and biopsies. Dietary modification is the mainstay in the management of IL with a variable response. Here we report 2 patients with IL in Bahrain who showed positive response to dietary modification.

Fracture Burden And Risk Factors In Childhood Ckd: Results From The Ckid Cohort Study., Michelle R. Denburg, Juhi Kumar, Thomas Jemielita, Ellen R. Brooks, Amy Skversky, Anthony A. Portale, Isidro B. Salusky, Bradley A. Warady, Susan L. Furth, Mary B. Leonard

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Childhood chronic kidney disease (CHD) poses multiple threats to bone accrual; however, the associated fracture risk is not well characterized. This prospective cohort study included 537 CKD in Children (CKiD) participants. Fracture histories were obtained at baseline, at years 1, 3, and 5 through November 1, 2009, and annually thereafter. We used Cox regression analysis of first incident fracture to evaluate potential correlates of fracture risk. At enrollment, median age was 11 years, and 16% of patients reported a prior fracture. Over a median of 3.9 years, 43 males and 24 females sustained incident fractures, corresponding to 395 (95% confidence …

Enzymatic Hydrolysis And Ion Exchange Fractionation Of Sulfated Polysaccharides Extracted From Ulva Lactuca And Evaluation Of Their Biological Activity., Nihal Ali Moheib Abdelmoneim Abou El Azm

Theses and Dissertations

Sulfated polysaccharides (SPs) were extracted from the green algae, Ulva lacutca. High molecular weight SPs were enzymatically hydrolysed using viscozyme then fractionated into 8 different molecular weight fractions by means of diethyl amino ethyl (DEAE) anion exchange column chromatography. Crude SPs together with the hydrolysate and the 8 column effluent fractions were tested for their carbohydrate, protein and sulfate contents. In addition, their degree of polymerization (D.P.) was estimated and they were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Their antioxidant and antitumor activities were also determined using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity and 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) (MTT) …

Ahead Of The Curve: Promoting Land Tenure Security In Sub-Saharan Africa To Protect The Environment, Andrew R. Falk

Seattle Journal for Social Justice

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Climate Variability And Conflict On Childhood Diarrhea And Malnutrition In West Africa, Gillian Dunn

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Objectives: This dissertation aims to contribute to our understanding of how climate variability and armed conflict impacts diarrheal disease and malnutrition among young children in West Africa. Two studies examine the associations between climate and diarrheal disease across the whole study area – ten countries in West Africa during the period 2008-2013. The third study examines diarrheal disease and malnutrition in Northeast Nigeria before (2008) and after (2013) the start of the current armed conflict in the area.

Methods: Outcome variables and child, caregiver, and household characteristics for these studies are from the Demographic and Health Surveys. Additional datasets include …

Modified Appleby Procedure With Arterial Reconstruction For Locally Advanced Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: A Literature Review And Report Of Three Unusual Cases., Jessica A. Latona, Kathleen M. Lamb, Michael J. Pucci, Warren R. Maley, Charles J. Yeo

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic body and tail ductal adenocarcinomas are often diagnosed with local vascular invasion of the celiac axis (CA) and its various branches. With such involvement, these tumors have traditionally been considered unresectable. The modified Appleby procedure allows for margin negative resection of some such locally advanced tumors. This procedure involves distal pancreatectomy with en bloc splenectomy and CA resection and relies on the presence of collateral arterial circulation via an intact pancreaticoduodenal arcade and the gastroduodenal artery to maintain prograde hepatic arterial perfusion. When the resultant collateral circulation is inadequate to provide sufficient hepatic and gastric arterial inflow, arterial …

Effect Of Temporal Onset Of Mechanical Loading On Tendon To Bone Healing, Determined With A Novel In-Vivo Device, Mark E. Stasiak

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background: Exposure to tensile loading has been shown to maintain tendon/ligament homeostasis, with the tensile modulus of the tissue increasing in response to greater loading frequency, and even decreasing in the absence of load. However after injury or surgical repair the effect of tensile load is controversial, with many studies implicating mechanical loading with impaired healing. It is currently unknown when the tensile loading imparted during rehabilitation exercise, can be safely reintroduced after surgical tendon repair or ligament reconstruction, and at what time point it can most benefit the remodeling process. To investigate the effect of tensile loading protocols on …

Herbivore Density Mediates The Indirect Effect Of Herbivores On Plants Via Induced Resistance And Apparent Competition, Ricardo A. Ramirez, Micky D. Eubanks

Biology Faculty Publications

Herbivore-induced plant resistance and apparent competition are two indirect ways herbivores interact. If a less damaging herbivore indirectly suppresses the abundance of a more damaging herbivore via these mechanisms, then plants may ultimately benefit. Changes in herbivore density, however, can dictate the intensity of species interactions and may play a critical role in determining the outcome of plant- and predator-mediated herbivore interactions. We tested the effects of herbivore density on the strength of indirect interactions among phloem-feeding aphids and herbivorous caterpillars and the outcome of these interactions for their shared host plant, cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). We quantified the …

Bodyweight Perceptions Among Texas Women: The Effects Of Religion, Race/Ethnicity, And Citizenship Status, Aida Ramos, Gabriel A. Acevedo, Andrea L. Ruiz

Faculty Publications - Department of Sociology

Despite previous work exploring linkages between religious participation and health, little research has looked at the role of religion in affecting bodyweight perceptions. Using the theoretical model developed by Levin et al. (Sociol Q 36(1):157–173, 1995) on the multidimensionality of religious participation, we develop several hypotheses and test them by using data from the 2004 Survey of Texas Adults. We estimate multinomial logistic regression models to determine the relative risk of women perceiving themselves as overweight. Results indicate that religious attendance lowers risk of women perceiving themselves as very overweight. Citizenship status was an important factor for Latinas, with noncitizens …

Approximating Optimal Release In A Deterministic Model For The Sterile Insect Technique, Sergio Ramirez, Luis F. Gordillo

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications

Cost/benefit analyses are essential to support management planning and decisions before launching any pest control program. In particular, applications of the sterile insect technique (SIT) are often prevented by the projected economic burden associated with rearing processes. This has had a deep impact on the technique development and its use on insects with long larval periods, as often seen in beetles. Under the assumptions of long adult timespan and multiple mating, we show how to find approximate optimal sterile release policies that minimize costs. The theoretical framework proposed considers the release of insects by pulses and finds approximate optimal release …

Identification Of Aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) Species Of Economic Importance In Kenya Using Dna Barcodes And Pcr-Rflp-Based Approach, G. Kinyanjui, F. M. Khamis, S. Mohamed, L. O. Ombura, M. Warigia, S. Ekesi

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Aphids are among pests of economic importance throughout the world. Together with transmitting plant viruses, aphids are capable of inflicting severe crop production losses. They also excrete honeydew that favours the growth of sooty mold which reduces the quality of vegetables and fruits and hence their market values. Rapid and accurate identification of aphids to the species level is a critical component in effective pest management and plant quarantine systems. Even though morphological taxonomy has made a tremendous impact on species-level identifications, polymorphism, morphological plasticity and immature stages are among the many challenges to accurate identification. In addition, their small …

Millets From The Margins: Value, Knowledge And The Subaltern Practice Of Biodiversity In Uttarakhand, India, Priya R. Chandrasekaran

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Millets from the Margins: Value, Knowledge and the Subaltern Practice of Biodiversity in Uttarakhand, India analyzes what is at stake for small-scale, predominantly women, farmers as local varieties of rainfed food grains such as finger millet are being newly commodified and valued as a biodiversity resource. With support from a Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant from the National Science Foundation, I conducted seventeen months of ethnographic research with farmers, activists, scientists, NGO leaders, government officials, transnational functionaries and agribusiness representatives in segregated yet interconnected realms ranging from a village in the Himalayan foothills to transnational institutions in Rome.

This work demonstrates …

Re-Framing Informal Family Caregiving, Magdalena T. Ornstein-Sloan

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Informal family caregivers are the backbone of the long-term care system, providing an estimated 80% of the long-term care in the United States. Caregivers provide care to people with disabilities, the ill and older adults, often with little to no outside assistance from the formal long-term care system. Although caregivers receive attention in the academic literature, mainstream media and within public policy and services development, caregiver services continue to remain underutilized. The focus on service provision has various goals, including the desire to lessen the burden caregivers experience by providing services so they can provide care at home longer than …

Super Mario Brothers And Sisters: Associations Between Coplaying Video Games And Sibling Conflict And Affection, Sarah Coyne, Alexander C. Jensen, Nathan J. Smith, Daniel H. Erickson

Faculty Publications

Video games can be played in many different contexts. This study examined associations between coplaying video games between siblings and levels of affection and conflict in the relationship. Participants were 508 adolescents (M age = 16.31 years of age, SD = 1.08) who completed questionnaires on video game use and sibling relationships. Participants were recruited from a large Northwestern city and a moderate city in the Mountain West of the United States. Video games played between siblings were coded by an independent sample to assess levels of physical aggression and prosocial behavior in each game. Playing video games with …

A Nursing Approach To Self-Management Education For Individuals With Mental Illness And Diabetes, Edna Fuentes-Casiano, Martha Sajatovic

Faculty Scholarship

Patients with serious mental illness (SMI) and diabetes often seek care in primary care settings and have worse health outcomes than patients who have either illness alone. Individual, provider, and system-level barriers present challenges to addressing both psychiatric and medical comorbidities. This article describes the feasibility, acceptability, and implementation of Targeted Training and Illness Management (TTIM), a self-management intervention delivered by trained nurse educators and peer educators to groups of individuals with SMI and diabetes to improve self-management of both diseases. TTIM is intended to be delivered in a primary care setting. Findings are intended to support the future development …

Is Urban Food Demand In The Philippines Different From China?, Tomoki Fujii

Research Collection School Of Economics

Food is an essential good, and thus understanding its demand is important for the formulation of sound agricultural policies and developing sustainable agricultural business. A timely analysis of food demand is important because it can change over time not only because prices and incomes change but also because people’s taste itself also change. However, even in countries where food accounts for a sizable share of expenditure or where the agricultural sector accounts for a large share of output, careful analysis of food demand is often not readily available. In this study, we analyze the food demand in urban Philippines and …