Digital Commons Network^™

Vitamin D Enhances Type I Ifn Signaling In Covid-19 Patients, Shirin Hafezi, Fatemeh Saheb Sharif-Askari, Narjes Saheb Sharif-Askari, Hawra Ali Hussain Alsayed, Habiba Alsafar, Fatme Al Anouti, Qutayba Hamid, Rabih Halwani

All Works

The ability of Vitamin D (VitD) to modulate antiviral responses through induction of antimicrobial peptide is well established. However, the effect of VitD on host responses to SARS-CoV-2 is not well investigated. We here report the ability of VitD to enhance host IFN-alpha/beta (a/β) signaling both in vitro and among severe COVID-19 patients treated with VitD. Blood and saliva specimens were obtained from severe COVID-19 patients treated (43 patients), or not (37 patients), with vitD, during their stay in intensive care unit. Patients were followed up to 29 days following admission, and patient survival outcomes were collected. Higher activity levels …

Climate Anxiety, Wellbeing And Pro-Environmental Action: Correlates Of Negative Emotional Responses To Climate Change In 32 Countries, Charles A. Ogunbode, Rouven Doran, Daniel Hanss, Maria Ojala, Katariina Salmela-Aro, Karlijn L. Van Den Broek, Navjot Bhullar, Sibele D. Aquino, Tiago Marot, Julie Aitken Schermer, Anna Wlodarczyk, Su Lu, Feng Jiang, Daniela Acquadro Maran, Radha Yadav, Rahkman Ardi, Razieh Chegeni, Elahe Ghanbarian, Somayeh Zand, Reza Najafi, Joonha Park, Takashi Tsubakita, Chee Seng Tan, John Bosco Chika Chukwuorji, Kehinde Aderemi Ojewumi, Hajra Tahir, Mai Albzour, Marc Eric S. Reyes

All Works

This study explored the correlates of climate anxiety in a diverse range of national contexts. We analysed cross-sectional data gathered in 32 countries (N = 12,246). Our results show that climate anxiety is positively related to rate of exposure to information about climate change impacts, the amount of attention people pay to climate change information, and perceived descriptive norms about emotional responding to climate change. Climate anxiety was also positively linked to pro-environmental behaviours and negatively linked to mental wellbeing. Notably, climate anxiety had a significant inverse association with mental wellbeing in 31 out of 32 countries. In contrast, it …

Efficient Framework For Brain Tumor Detection Using Different Deep Learning Techniques, Fatma Taher, Mohamed R. Shoaib, Heba M. Emara, Khaled M. Abdelwahab, Fathi E. Abd El-Samie, Mohammad T. Haweel

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The brain tumor is an urgent malignancy caused by unregulated cell division. Tumors are classified using a biopsy, which is normally performed after the final brain surgery. Deep learning technology advancements have assisted the health professionals in medical imaging for the medical diagnosis of several symptoms. In this paper, transfer-learning-based models in addition to a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) called BRAIN-TUMOR-net trained from scratch are introduced to classify brain magnetic resonance images into tumor or normal cases. A comparison between the pre-trained InceptionResNetv2, Inceptionv3, and ResNet50 models and the proposed BRAIN-TUMOR-net is introduced. The performance of the proposed model is …

Approaches To Supplementing Silicon In Soilless Media And The Value Of Silicon In The Mitigation Of Drought Stress, Mackenzie Grace Dey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Silicon (Si) is not considered an essential element for plants to complete their lifecycle, but is known to be beneficial for plants under environmental stress such as drought. Unlike natural soils, Si is minimally bioavailable in soilless media. With indoor agriculture and greenhouse production increasing, the benefits of Si have been seen and Si should be supplemented. This work aimed to characterize and quantify the dissolution of Si from media substrates and additives to achieve a steady-state release of Si in soilless media. Typical media components such as coconut coir, peat moss, perlite, rock wool, sand, and vermiculite minimally released …

Tonga Volcanic Eruption And Tsunami, January 2022: Globally The Most Significant Opportunity To Observe An Explosive And Tsunamigenic Submarine Eruption Since Ad 1883 Krakatau, James P. Terry, James Goff, Nigel Winspear, Vena Pearl Bongolan, Scott Fisher

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January 2022 witnessed the violent eruption of Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai submarine volcano in the South Pacific. With a volcanic explosivity index possibly equivalent to VEI 5, this represents the largest seaborne eruption for nearly one and a half centuries since Indonesia’s cataclysmic explosion of Krakatau in AD 1883. The Tongan eruption remarkably produced ocean-wide tsunamis, never documented before in the Pacific instrumental record. Volcanically generated tsunamis have been referred to as a ‘blind spot’ in our understanding of tsunami hazards, particularly in the Pacific Ocean. This event therefore presents a unique opportunity for investigating the multiple processes contributing to volcanic …

Characterization Of Biochar Produced From Al Ghaf Tree For Co2 Capture, Imen Ben Salem, Maisa El Gamal, Manish Sharma, Fares M. Howari, Yousef Nazzal, Cijo Xavier, Fareeda M. Almenhali

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Climate change, global warming, and rise in water levels are environmental problems caused by the high emissions of greenhouse gases, and the most harmed one is carbon dioxide. Biochar is a material produced by thermochemical conversions with oxygen-depleted conditions of organic materials, and this process calls pyrolysis. Recently, it has been evaluated as a carbon dioxide capture, and its porous structure, structural properties, and production methods are easy. Al Ghaf (Prosopis cineraria) tree is one of the United Arab Emirates’ national trees with a wide range of intriguing properties, including high nutritional value, medicinal/pharmaceutical potential, and biosorption. This paper focuses …

Association Between Depression, Happiness, And Sleep Duration: Data From The Uae Healthy Future Pilot Study, Mitha Al Balushi, Sara Al Balushi, Syed Javaid, Andrea Leinberger-Jabari, Fatma Al-Maskari, Mohammed Al-Houqani, Ayesha Al Dhaheri, Abdullah Al Nuaimi, Abdullah Al Junaibi, Naima Oumeziane, Marina Kazim, Aisha Al Hamiz, Muna Haji, Ayesha Al Hosani, Leila Abdel Wareth, Wael Almahmeed, Habiba Alsafar, Fatme Alanouti, Eiman Al Zaabi, Claire K. Inman, Omar El Shahawy, Michael Weitzman, Ann Marie Schmidt, Scott Sherman, Abdishakur Abdulle, Amar Ahmad, Raghib Ali

All Works

Background: The United Arab Emirates Healthy Future Study (UAEHFS) is one of the first large prospective cohort studies and one of the few studies in the region which examines causes and risk factors for chronic diseases among the nationals of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The aim of this study is to investigate the eight-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8) as a screening instrument for depression among the UAEHFS pilot participants. Methods: The UAEHFS pilot data were analyzed to examine the relationship between the PHQ-8 and possible confounding factors, such as self-reported happiness, and self-reported sleep duration (hours) after adjusting for …

Optimization And Enhancement Of Co2 Sequestration In Industrial Wastes For Environmental Applications, Maisa El Gamal, Ameera F. Mohammad

All Works

This paper explores carbon capture and storage (CCS) through carbide lime waste (CLW), a by-product of acetylene production, under different conditions. This process is specifically designed to provide an onsite waste management solution for several industries that can easily be integrated into existing systems. In addition, the effect of the carbonation process on collected solids morphology and average particle size was studied. The structural and chemical characteristics of the carbonated carbide lime samples were investigated using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, TGA analysis, and Raman spectroscopy. The effect of carbonation conditions on the total dissolved solids and change in pH …

Some Properties Of Bazilevič Functions Involving Srivastava–Tomovski Operator, Daniel Breaz, Kadhavoor R. Karthikeyan, Elangho Umadevi, Alagiriswamy Senguttuvan

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We introduce a new class of Bazilevič functions involving the Srivastava–Tomovski generalization of the Mittag-Leffler function. The family of functions introduced here is superordinated by a conic domain, which is impacted by the Janowski function. We obtain coefficient estimates and subordination conditions for starlikeness and Fekete–Szegö functional for functions belonging to the class.

Smartphone Usage Before And During Covid-19: A Comparative Study Based On Objective Recording Of Usage Data, Khansa Chemnad, Sameha Alshakhsi, Mohamed Basel Almourad, Majid Altuwairiqi, Keith Phalp, Raian Ali

All Works

Most studies that claimed changes in smartphone usage during COVID-19 were based on self-reported usage data, e.g., that collected through a questionnaire. These studies were also limited to reporting the overall smartphone usage, with no detailed investigation of distinct types of apps. The current study investigated smartphone usage before and during COVID-19. Our study used a dataset from a smartphone app that objectively logged users’ activities, including apps accessed and each app session start and end time. These were collected during two periods: pre-COVID-19 (161 individuals with 77 females) and during COVID-19 (251 individuals with 159 females). We report on …

Xanthium Spinosum L. Extracts Inhibit Breast Cancer In Mice By Apoptosis Induction And Immune System Modulation, Lina T. Al Kury, Zainab Taha, Asma Ismail Mahmod, Wamidh H. Talib

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Plants have been considered for many years as an important source of medicine to treat different diseases. Xanthium spinosum L. (Asteraceae, Compositae) is known for its diuretic, anti-inflammatory, and sedative effects. It is also used in the treatment of several ailments, such as cancer. In order to evaluate the anticancer and immunomodulatory activities, crude ethanol extract was prepared from the aerial part of X. spinosum and then fractionated using solvents with different polarities. As well, the chemical composition of X. spinosum extract and fractions were identified using LC-MS analysis. The antitumor effect of X. spinosum was assessed in both in …

Clinical And Economic Evaluation Of A Proteomic Biomarker Preterm Birth Risk Predictor: Cost-Effectiveness Modeling Of Prenatal Interventions Applied To Predicted Higher-Risk Pregnancies Within A Large And Diverse Cohort, Julja Burchard, Glenn R Markenson, George R Saade, Louise C Laurent, Kent D Heyborne, Dean V Coonrod, Corina N Schoen, Jason K. Baxter, David M Haas, Sherri A Longo, Scott A Sullivan, Sarahn M Wheeler, Leonardo M Pereira, Kim A Boggess, Angela F Hawk, Amy H Crockett, Ryan Treacy, Angela C Fox, Ashoka D Polpitiya, Tracey C Fleischer, Thomas J Garite, J Jay Boniface, John A F Zupancic, Gregory C Critchfield, Paul E Kearney

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Papers

Objectives: Preterm birth occurs in more than 10% of U.S. births and is the leading cause of U.S. neonatal deaths, with estimated annual costs exceeding $25 billion USD. Using real-world data, we modeled the potential clinical and economic utility of a prematurity-reduction program comprising screening in a racially and ethnically diverse population with a validated proteomic biomarker risk predictor, followed by case management with or without pharmacological treatment.

Methods: The ACCORDANT microsimulation model used individual patient data from a prespecified, randomly selected sub-cohort (N = 847) of a multicenter, observational study of U.S. subjects receiving standard obstetric care with …

Histopathological Study On The Effect Of Artemisinin Multiple Doses On The Pathogenesis And Immune Reaction Of Trichinella Spiralis In Albino Rats, Zeinab Dwidar, Hebatallah Mahgoub, Iman Ibrahim, Ahmed Elshaieb

Mansoura Veterinary Medical Journal

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the therapeutic effect of Artemisinin multiple doses on the pathogenesis and immune reaction of Trichinella spiralis during the intestinal and muscular phases in albino rats.Design: Randomized controlled study.Animal Models: The experiment was performed on 80 adult albino rats of both sexes, weighting (160 g ±20g) and (4-6) weeks old.Procedures: rats were divided into four experimental groups, (Control negative) group, T. spiralis infested (TR) group: each animal was orally infested with 300 T. spiralis larvae, T. spiralis treated (AR+TR) group: each animal in this group was orally infested with 300 T. spiralis …

The Impact Workplace Microaggressions Have On Those Who Identify As Lesbian, Gay And Bisexual., Andres Medina

Dissertations

Progress has occurred in recent years for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender equal rights. However, there are still areas where discrimination is evident such as the workplace. Some lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender employees may not share their identity at work due to discrimination concerns. Such forms of discrimination may be passive acts such as microaggressions. These microaggressions can make work-life stressful; furthermore, the stress experienced at work may impact other areas such as home life. This study explored two areas. The first area investigated was whether identity disclosure at work affected workplace microaggressions. The sample size was 88 working adults who …

Associations Between Dietary Intake Of Vitamin D, Sun Exposure, And Generalized Anxiety Among College Women, Fatme Al Anouti, William B. Grant, Justin Thomas, Sharifa Alblooshi, Spyridon Karras

All Works

Vitamin D insufficiency impacts about half of the population worldwide. Almost one billion individuals across all ages and ethnicities suffer from vitamin D deficiency. Hypovitaminosis D is mainly related to lifestyle choices and habits, such as outdoor activities and food intake. Several studies have demonstrated a correlation between vitamin D status and anxiety symptoms. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between anxiety and factors including age, vitamin D deficiency, citizens, dietary and supplementary vitamin D intake, along with sun exposure, among a sample of female college students in the United Arab Emirates. A descriptive questionnaire, …

Mapping Agricultural Soil In Greenhouse Using An Autonomous Low-Cost Robot And Precise Monitoring, Amine Saddik, Rachid Latif, Fatma Taher, Abdelhafid El Ouardi, Mohamed Elhoseny

All Works

Our work is focused on developing an autonomous robot to monitor greenhouses and large fields. This system is designed to operate autonomously to extract useful information from the plants based on precise GPS localization. The proposed robot is based on an RGB camera for plant detection and a multispectral camera for extracting the different special bands for processing, and an embedded architecture integrating a Nvidia Jetson Nano, which allows us to perform the required processing. Our system uses a multi-sensor fusion to manage two parts of the algorithm. Therefore, the proposed algorithm was partitioned on the CPU-GPU embedded architecture. This …

Heterogeneity Estimators In Random-Effects Meta-Analysis In Education, Qian Wang

Dissertations

Over the last four decades, meta-analysis has proven to be a vital analysis strategy in educational research for synthesizing research findings from different studies. When synthesizing studies in a meta-analysis, it is common to assume that the true underlying effect varies from study to study, as studies will differ in design, participants, interventions, or sample size that can lead to heterogeneity in their underlying effects. The magnitude of this heterogeneity between studies can be quantified as τ2 in a random-effects meta-analysis. Estimating the between-study heterogeneity (τ2) becomes an important part of random effects meta-analysis reporting, since this quantity plays a …

Resulting And Constructive Trusts In The Contemporary Singaporean Family Context, Man Yip

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

The legal rules that emerge in a society are shaped by the conditions of that society. In the area of trusts law, this chapter argues that the English principles of the presumed resulting trust and the common intention constructive trust have been adapted to suit the Singaporean family context. At first sight, given that Singapore law has declined to follow the Stack v Dowden line of developments that have taken place in English law concerning beneficial ownership of family property, it may appear that Singapore trusts law is more conservative and that pre-Stack English law is better preserved on Singapore …

A Structural Examination Of The Connection Between The Amygdala And Nucleus Accumbens In Adolescents With Clinical Anxiety, Alyssa Griffith

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The prominence of anxiety disorders in today’s general population is a major public health concern. Advancing research of the underlying pathophysiology of anxiety disorders can lead to the discovery of effective treatment interventions to treat the mental and physical symptoms of anxiety, and thus improve quality of life. This study aimed to examine two brain areas in the limbic and reward systems, the amygdala and Nucleus Accumbens (NAcc), and the structural white matter connection between them. This neural circuit assigns affective valence to environmental stimuli and motivates behavior to avoid potential harm. This study utilized diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging (dMRI) …

Survey For Usage Of And Interest In Personalized Nutrition As A Possible Health Approach, Kimberly Garrett

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Dietary factors can lead to chronic diseases and impact certain health factors such as sleep and mood. Personalized nutrition is based on an individual’s phenotype and genotype to meet specific dietary needs. This approach could be an intervention to benefit an individual’s health. This study surveyed a population to analyze the population’s view on and usage of personalized nutrition. The use of personalized nutrition was minimal, but there was interest within the population. In addition, a relationship between health and mood was found. However, the sample size was a limiting factor for this study. Future directions could include studying why …

Employment Transitions From Active-Duty Army Officer To Civilian: An Exploration Of The Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities Possessed By Combat-Experienced, Army Field-Grade Officers, James Daniel Crook

Theses and Dissertations

Two decades of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have concluded, bringing an end to the longest military conflicts in the history of the United States of America. Following the example of post-war history, the military’s posture is to reduce personnel end-strength. The post-war military requires fewer soldiers, and a significant number of transitioning officers make the journey from military to civilian employment. This quantitative study discovered the knowledge, skills, and abilities of combat-experienced, active-duty, Army field-grade officers and explored the change from military to civilian employment. This study addressed the gap in the literature regarding this specific group of transitioning …

How Well Do Your Family Members Know You? The Relationship Between Informant Report And Cognitive Performance Of Older Adults, Mairy Yousif

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Given the clear impact and prevalence of dementia on the aging population, there is a need for greater research and understanding in this area. As the dementia progresses, medical providers rely heavily on caregiver and family member reports of the patient’s functioning and other aspects of their care. Therefore, it is important to know how accurate caregivers and family members are in judging their loved ones’ cognitive and physical strengths and weaknesses. This study aims to expand upon these previous studies by comparing caregiver/collateral reports of cognitive and functional status on the DSRS to neuropsychological tests and an objective …

Joseph T. Freeman Award And Excellence In Rehabilitation Of Aging Persons Award Presentations And Lectures, Cynthia J. Brown

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Gerontological Society of America 2022 Annual Scientific Meeting; November 2 - 6, 2022; Indianapolis, IN

Process Evaluation Of A Community Asset Mapping Protocol For Diabetes Prevention And Management, Andrea Peterson

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) are highly prevalent conditions with new diagnoses occurring each year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022a). Type 2 DM negatively impacts many aspects of life, to include social, financial, cultural, and everyday living. Asset mapping is a useful tool to build upon existing resources to help community members identify and expand services based on understanding the interconnected systems that influence type 2 DM prevention, screening, education, and care management. An Asset Mapping Protocol was created and piloted through a rural community coalition in Nebraska. The protocol includes an activity for community stakeholders …

Identifying & Addressing Barriers To Child Care For Formerly Incarcerated Mothers, Joanne Bird

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

As women’s incarceration rates have risen significantly in recent decades, gender-specific programs are needed to meet the needs of formerly incarcerated mothers (FIM). Although child care can be difficult to access for many families, this marginalized population faces unique obstacles to accessing child care. In order for FIM to be employed and reintegrate, they must be able to access child care; however, FIM experience unique barriers to securing child care services. This policy brief aims to identify the special considerations FIM face, as well as to explore why existing programs are not meeting their specific needs. A literature review was …

The Merit Of Inclusion: A Policy Review Examining The Convergence Of Special Education And Inclusions Policies With Compensatory Medicaid Policies In The Wake Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Corbyn Baggett

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) formally recognized the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak as a global pandemic. This global issue compelled governments to announce careful virus containing policies in order to prevent further spread and control of the disease. Although it has been proven that measures like social isolation could aid in scaling the spread of illness, the resulting extended school closures that occurred in response to an increased number of COVID-19 outbreaks posed significant challenges for all students, but especially those students with special needs. The unpredictable nature of COVID-19 at the outset of the pandemic …

Health Effects Of Neonicotinoids On An Agricultural Community, Jocelyn Rodriguez-Paar

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Mead, Nebraska, a small United States agricultural community consisting of approximately 600 people, was accidentally exposed to high amounts of neonicotinoids when AltEn, an ethanol plant that used neonicotinoid coated corn and soybean seeds for biofuel, was discovered not disposing of the toxic byproduct safely. Coincidentally, there was also a leak in their wastewater system that also contaminated the nearby areas. Although neonicotinoids are not considered highly dangerous with low dose exposures, large dose exposures can cause symptoms similarly to nicotine poisonings, such as difficulty breathing, vomiting, nausea, hypertension, tachycardia, and lethargy (Imamura, T. et al., 2010). Neonicotinoid poisoning can …

The Risk Factors Of Long Covid In The Acute Covid And Solid Organ Transplant Retrospective Cohorts, Ahmed Nyandemoh

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in solid organ transplant (SOT) patients is associated with more severe outcomes than non-immunosuppressed hosts. The risk factors for developing the long COVID in acute COVID remain unknown, and the survival outcomes of long COVID in SOT patients remain understudied.

Methods: We developed several retrospective cohorts. This project included all patients identified with acute COVID in the National COVID Collaborative Cohort Registry from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2022.

Patients with long COVID were compared to those without long COVID in the acute COVID cohorts. Similarly, we compared the patient demographic with long COVID …

Impact Of Coalition Building To Promote Maternal Infant Health Equity In The District Of Columbia, Maryland, And Virginia, Sydney J. Turner

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

The health of women and babies is critical to creating a healthy world. Stratified data shows the overwhelming rates at which Blacks are affected more than Whites. Literature has shown that leveraging partnerships and community engagement are critical components of decision-making and can positively impact the health of communities. Through a direct observational study, the Community Coalition Action Theory was used to analyze the current structure of the March of Dimes Maternal Infant Healthy Equity Coalition. The study aimed to identify strengths and gaps and subsequently provide recommendations to advance the coalition work and promote maternal and infant health equity …

The Importance Of Intentional Outdoor Play Spaces For Young Children, Reagan G. Bernskoetter

Human Development and Family Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to observe outdoor play in infants and toddlers and examine their traffic patterns throughout the play space as well as their interests in the areas. It was hypothesized that the more intention and careful consideration that goes into planning the play space, the more the children would want to interact with that space rather than other areas. There were 58 participants recruited from a childcare center in a large mid-south community to play and interact with play spaces as well as the educators and peers to learn more about specific interests and patterns associated …