Digital Commons Network^™

Application Of Asparaginase Enzyme In Reducing Acrylamide Formation In Roasted Coffee Beans, Zainab Funmilayo Abdussalam Muhyideen, Ku Madihah Binti Ku, Misnawi Jati, Zaibunnisa Abdul Haiyee

Baghdad Science Journal

Acrylamide is formed through the Maillard reaction between L-asparagine and reducing sugars during thermal processing. The enzyme L-asparaginase can effectively mitigate acrylamide formation by hydrolyzing asparagine into aspartic acid without affecting product quality. This study investigated the effect of asparaginase application methods, enzyme concentrations, and incubation temperatures on acrylamide reduction and pyrazine preservation in roasted Arabica coffee beans. Two enzyme application methods—soaking and spraying—were compared using 4000 U/g asparaginase. Soaking treatment achieved a greater acrylamide reduction (92.8%) compared to spraying (86.8%), and was therefore selected for optimization. Subsequently, enzyme concentrations (2000, 3000, and 5000 U/g) and incubation temperatures (40, 50, …

Effect Of Mycovirus Infection On The Hydrolytic Enzymes Activity Of Fusarium Oxysporum F. Sp. Cubense Tropical Race 4, The Causal Agent Of Banana Fusarium Wilt, Zhi-Qin Lai, Clement Kiing Fook Wong, Nor Ismaliza Binti Mohd Ismail, Ganesan Vadamalai

Baghdad Science Journal

Fusarium oxysporum f.sp cubense Tropical Race 4 also known as Fusarium odoratissimum (FO) is a fungal pathogen affecting banana (Musa spp.). It secretes plant cell-wall degrading enzymes (PCWDEs) to penetrate and colonize roots, resulting in wilting symptoms and host death. Mycovirus is a virus that infects fungus. It was discovered that mycovirus could be a biocontrol agent by causing hypovirulence in fungal pathogens, a typical symptom of suppressed pathogenicity of an infected host. Hypovirulence was also associated to reduced PCWDE activity in several plant fungal pathogens. To date, no hypovirulent mycovirus was reported in FO. Hence, this study …

Study Of Soil Erodibility In Its Relationship With Coffee Plant Productivity Based On Agroforestry In Silaen Sub-District, Toba Regency, Fitra Syawal Harahap, Rahmawaty Rahmawaty, Abdul Rauf, Rahmanta Rahmanta, Delvian Delvian, Badaruddin Badaruddin

Baghdad Science Journal

Coffee plants (Coffea sp.) are currently a plantation crop in great demand among farmers in Silaen Sub-district. However, the soil conditions in Silaen Sub-district are dominated by sandy soil, which can trigger soil sensitivity to high erosion potential. One of the efforts to mitigate the decline in coffee production can be done through estimating the soil erodibility index in Silaen Sub-district. This research aims to estimate the soil erodibility index and obtain its relationship with agroforestry-based coffee production in Silaen Sub-district, Toba Regency. The method for determining land boundaries using land map units (SPL) in the form of land …

Reinterpreting Stochastic Optimal Control Under Ecological Uncertainty: Inferring Decision Urgency From Vegetation Biomass Dynamics, Komi Mensah Agboka, Tobias Landmann, Elfatih M. Abdel-Rahman

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Stochastic optimal control provides a rigorous framework for systems subject to uncertainty, yet its operational use in ecological crisis contexts remains limited by interpretability. We reinterpreted a stochastic control formulation in which selected parameters emerged as indicators of decision urgency rather than normative preferences. Vegetation biomass was modeled as a stochastic stock subject to nonlinear loss driven by feeding pressure (e.g., desert locust activity) and multiplicative noise, with uncertainty represented by a time-varying volatility term that integrated extreme rainfall anomalies and conflict-related disruption. Rather than prescribing an optimal policy, we inverted the closed-form solution of the control problem to infer …

Assessing The Risk Of Exposure To Rift Valley Fever And Other Arboviruses To The Human Population In Nguruman, Kajiado County, Faith Cherop Faith Cherop

All Master’s Theses

For more than a century, Rift Valley Fever (RVF) and some arboviruses such as dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever have posed serious challenges to both public health and animal health. Nguruman region of Kajiado County recorded its first RVF case during the 1997/1998 outbreak. Despite this history, no follow-up study has been carried out to monitor virus activity. This study specifically explored the mosquito abundance and diversity virus infection rates and their host blood-feeding patterns. It also sought to assess the seroprevalence of RVFV in the human population and circulation of arboviruses within the mosquito community. Cross-sectional monitoring of adult …

Structural Design Of Macroporous Layered Double Hydroxide Catalysts: Alleviating Mass Transport Constraints In Bulkier Triglycerides, Nazrizawati Ahmad Tajuddin, Mohamad Hidayat Haider, Nazarudin Nazarudin

Baghdad Science Journal

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) serve as potential catalysts for biodiesel production through triglyceride (TAG) transesterification; nevertheless, mass transport limitations hinder their effectiveness, especially with larger TAG molecules. This study addresses this limitation by synthesizing macroporous MgAlLDH and ZnAlLDH using a polystyrene templating method. Thorough characterization reveals the successful formation of macroporous structures with significantly increased physicochemical properties and their structural design compared to conventional LDHs. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) confirmed the successful restoration of the LDH structure following calcination and rehydration, with enhanced crystallinity seen in the macroporous materials. The BET surface area analysis revealed a substantial increase (∼10x for MgAlLDH) …

Optimization Of Roasting Conditions Of Salak Seed As Coffee Substitute And Its Physicochemical Properties, Aqilah Basir, Siti Roha Ab Mutalib, Wan Saidatul Syida Wan Kamarudin, Syed Abdul Illah Alyahya, Junaidah Mat Jusoh, Adi Md Sikin

Baghdad Science Journal

The growing attention towards utilizing salak seeds as a substitute for coffee has increased due to the presence of caffeine and its health-enhancing properties. The present study aimed to determine the optimum roasting conditions for salak seed coffee (SSC) with high total phenolic content (TPC) and desirable lightness (L*) using response surface methodology (RSM). Regular SSC was produced at optimal roasting temperature and time of 189.36 °C and 39.54 min, respectively. An instant SSC was produced by hot water extraction at 90∘C of regular SSC, followed by freeze drying. Physicochemical and antioxidant properties of regular and instant …

Hematite/Nio/Graphene Composites: Enhancing Humidity Energy Harvesting Through Temperature Variations, Nurul Syafiqah Mohamed Mustakim, Dayana Kamaruzaman, Norfarariyanti Parimon, Mohd Khairul Ahmad, Suriani Abu Bakar, Mohamad Hafiz Mamat

Baghdad Science Journal

Harvesting energy from humidity is a new approach that has emerged as a potential renewable energy source. However, there are drawbacks to current humidity-based energy-harvesting technologies, such as the absence of a long-term conversion mechanism in hygroscopic materials. In this study, we developed hematite/nickel oxide/graphene (hematite/NiO/Gr) on a cellulose-based substrate as the hygroscopic material for humidity-to-energy applications. We successfully synthesized a novel hematite/NiO/Gr composite using a cost-effective sonicated solution immersion method at different synthesis temperatures. Results indicated that the prepared hygroscopic material is hydrophilic, with a water contact angle of 67.83°. The fabricated humidity-to-energy device utilizing these hygroscopic materials yielded …

Effect Of Ba2+ Substitution At A-Site On Structural, Electrical, And Magnetic Properties Of Sm0.5Ca0.5Mno3 Perovskite Manganite, Nuraina Hanum Abdulruhim, Rozilah Rajmi, Muhammad Zulharmi Taqzim Kamaruzzaman, Norazila Ibrahim

Baghdad Science Journal

Mixed-valence perovskite manganites have attracted considerable attention due to their intriguing properties, such as colossal magnetoresistance and charge ordering (CO). In this study, Sm_0.5Ca_0.5-xBa_xMnO₃ (x = 0, 0.10, 0.20, 0.30, and 0.40) manganites were synthesized via the conventional solid-state reaction method to investigate the effect of Ba²⁺ substitution on their structural, magnetic, and electrical properties. X-ray diffraction patterns confirmed that all samples were single-phase and crystallized in an orthorhombic structure with a Pnma space group. Rietveld refinement indicated an increase in unit cell volume with increasing Ba²⁺ concentration, suggesting the successful …

Porosity And Structural Integrity Of Tin-Polydimethylsiloxane (Pdms) Composites For Radiation Shielding Application, Hanisah Zainal Abidin, Nur Maizatul Azra Mukhtar, Ainorkhilah Mahmood, Nor Aimi Abdul Wahab, Rafidah Zainon, Nurul Syafiqah Roslan, Nur Iwani Nor Izaham, Aishah Zarzali Shah

Baghdad Science Journal

Ionizing radiation benefits medical treatments and diagnostics. However, it also poses significant health risks, such as from the scattering radiation and unintended exposure. Lead is a common shielding material used for its excellent gamma ray attenuation performance, but it presents ergonomic and environmental challenges. This study assesses the structural and potential radiation absorption properties of the tin-polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composites. The composites were fabricated with different metal concentrations and tested for radiation protection efficiency (RPE), structural characteristics, chemical structure, and porosity. Gamma-ray spectroscopy was used to characterize radiation, with Cd-109 as a primary source. Pure tin/PDMS (PT) had the highest RPE …

Low Temperature Ac Photoelectrochemical Etching Of Si-Doped N-Type Gan: Nanostructure Fabrication For Enhanced Msm Photodetector Performance, Nur Iwani Nor Izaham, Ainorkhilah Mahmood, Rosfariza Radzali, Alhan Farhanah Abd Rahim, Nur Maizatul Azra Mothtar, Mahayatun Dayana Johan Ooi, Naser Mahmoud Ahmed

Baghdad Science Journal

This study has investigated the fabrication of porous Si-doped gallium nitride (GaN) using low-temperature alternating current photoelectrochemical (ACPEC) etching at varying etching durations for MSM photodetector applications. The structural and optical characteristics of the porous GaN samples were examined using a 400 W high-pressure mercury-vapour lamp (Hg-HPVL) and 4% KOH electrolyte with 50 Hz of 100 mA alternating current (AC). Current-voltage (I-V) measurements were conducted to analyse the platinum-deposited GaN for MSM photodetector performance. FESEM micrographs of the etched samples revealed coral-like and nano-tunnel pore formations, while AFM topography showed a significant increase in surface roughness compared to in the …

Land Suitability For Seasonal Crops: Limiting Factors And Sdg-Aligned Management Strategies, Rahmawaty Rahmawaty, Abdul Rauf, T Alief Aththorick, R Hamdani Harahap, Christine Pepah, Rohani Simbolon, Minhajul Abidin, Nawang Wulan, Anggiat Hosea O Siregar, Mohd Hasmad Ismail, Seca Gandaseca

Baghdad Science Journal

A land evaluation study of Muara Batang Toru Sub-district is essential to determine its development prospects for seasonal crops. This study evaluates land suitability for six seasonal plants, including red chili, cucumber, shallot, tomato, eggplant, and bitter melon, in Muara Batang Toru Sub-district, South Tapanuli Regency. This study employs a survey method, integrating field observations and laboratory analysis with predetermined criteria based on a combination of internationally recognized standards and local conditions. Geographic information systems are used to map the actual and potential land suitability classes for vegetable crops. The findings indicate that most of the actual land suitability classes …

Patterns Of Antibiotic Resistance In Staphylococci Associated With Bovine Subclinical Mastitis, Intan Nurfarzana Mohd Safini, Muhammad Iqbal Hafiz Saad, Zuraifah Asrah Mohamad, Siti Khairiyah Mohd Hatta, Aziyah Abd. Aziz, Sophia Karen Bakon, Norashirene Mohamad Jamil

Baghdad Science Journal

Bovine mastitis, particularly subclinical mastitis (SCM), is a major concern in dairy cattle due to its asymptomatic nature and significant economic impact. In Asia, Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are key pathogens. The overuse of antibiotics has led to the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, posing risks to animal health and food safety. This study aimed to identify staphylococci associated with SCM and assess their antibiotic resistance (AR) profiles. Milk samples were collected from 20 cows at a dairy farm in Malacca, Malaysia, in August and October 2023. SCM was diagnosed using the California Mastitis Test (CMT), and bacterial …

Roasting-Dependent Changes In Antioxidant Activity And Metabolite Profiles Of Coffea Liberica: Unraveling Bioactive Compounds And Their Functional Properties, Nuratikah Abdullah, Lay Kek Teh, Mohd Zaki Salleh, Mohd Salleh Rofiee, Lay Jing Seow, Eleena Mohd Yusof, Ye Han Sam, Eng Keng Seow

Baghdad Science Journal

Coffea liberica, despite its high antioxidant activity reported in the green bean, has had limited research in the literature on changes in metabolite profiling across different roasting levels. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity and metabolite profiling of the green beans and various roasting levels of Coffea liberica brew using multiple antioxidant assays namely (total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, 1,1-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, ferric reducing antioxidant power, 2,2’-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity) and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight (LC/MS-QTOF), respectively. Notably, light-roasted coffee brew retained the highest antioxidant activity …

Assessment Of Carbon Capture Potential In Rubber Plantations Via Landsat 9 Imagery Analysis, Ade Fitria, Rahmawaty Rahmawaty, Razali Razali, Jamin Saputra, Seca Gandaseca

Baghdad Science Journal

Indonesia is a significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emitter, contributing 12.3% of carbon dioxide (CO₂) of total emissions. Carbon dioxide (CO₂), a major GHG, is increasing in the Earth’s atmosphere. The CO₂ absorption can be increased through rubber plantations because rubber plants, such as forest plants, can process CO₂ as a carbon source for photosynthesis. This research aims to analyze carbon uptake in relation to tree density, biomass of rubber vegetation, and soil organic carbon (SOC) content, as well as to map the distribution of carbon potential using remote sensing. This research was conducted in …

What Is “The Nation’S History And Tradition?”: Using History To Redefine “Liberty” And Applying A New Deeply Rooted Test To Transgender Rights, Kaori Kawaguchi

American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law

INTRODUCTION: “In a Constitution for a free people, there can be no doubt that the meaning of ‘liberty’ must be broad indeed.” In Roe v. Wade, the Court considered a woman’s liberty right to decide whether to continue a pregnancy or have an abortion and recognized the constitutional validity of a liberty right to abortion as part of the right to privacy. In Roe, the Court concluded, “[o]nly personal rights that can be deemed ‘fundamental’ or ‘implicit in the concept of ordered liberty’ are included in the guarantee of a right of personal privacy.” Liberty should be “left to …

George White Family Papers - Accession 1900, White Family

Manuscript Collection

This collection consists of bound volumes, family Bibles, lecture and financial notebooks, diaries, scrapbooks, photographs, magazines, publications, and memorabilia collected or owned by members of the White family and related families. The White family, descendants of George Pendleton and Ann Hutchinson White, was among the founding families of Rock Hill, South Carolina, and played a significant role in the development and history of the community. The family’s historical presence in Rock Hill is also reflected in the White Home, one of the early homes constructed in the city and now a local historic attraction, and White Street in downtown Rock …

Student And Faculty Outcomes And Experiences In High School Career And Technical Education: A Vocational Program Evaluation, Ayana E. Moore

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents a comprehensive program evaluation of vocational schools in Duval County, with the goal of laying the groundwork for assessing effectiveness of vocational education. This study utilized exploratory mixed-methods approach, gathering quantitative and qualitative data about high school graduation rates, career readiness, college enrollment, experiences, and satisfaction levels from students and faculty at fully accredited vocational high schools. By synthesizing findings from existing literature and analyzing data, the study sought to elucidate the impact of vocational high school programs and offer insights into the benefits and areas for improvement in vocational programs. Ultimately, the research aims to inform …

Seeing Through Their Lenses: Perspectives Of Kindergarten Teachers On Implementing Purposeful Play For Children’S Academic And Developmental Learning, Subarna Basu

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the kindergarten teachers’ perceptions of using purposeful play for children’s academic and developmental learning, and the benefits and challenges they perceive in implementing purposeful play. The study utilized a qualitative, visual arts-based, participatory action research (PAR) design, in the form of Photovoice methodology. This qualitative study focused on the kindergarten teachers’ lived experiences and voices on the importance of implementing purposeful play and employed Paulo Freire’s Critical Pedagogy and Constructivist theories. Utilizing this methodology, six kindergarten teacher participants collected photographs based on photo prompts, provided narratives to their photographs, and reflected and …

Real-Time Isolated Asl Recognition: Evaluating Spatial-Temporal Networks And Multimodal Llms, Raga Mouni Batchu

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

This thesis investigates the deployment of high-accuracy Isolated ASL Recognition (ISLR) in resource-constrained edge environments. We train a lightweight Spatio-Temporal Attention Network (SSTAN,∼2.7 M parameters,∼10 MB) on the WLASL-100 benchmark, achieving 75.25% Top-1 and 88.24% Top-5 accuracy with 139 ms CPU-only inference. A systematic comparison against frontier multimodal LLMs (Gemini 3 Flash, Gemini 3.1 Pro, Qwen 3 VL) shows SSTAN outperforms the best LLM baseline by∼1.85×in accuracy while being 22–230×faster and up to 40×cheaper annually. The LLMs’ core limitation is a lack of fine-grained temporal perception; they impose English-language semantic priors rather than learning the articulatory distinctions that define ASL …

Why Is It Always The Boys?: Evaluating Disciplinary Issues Within The Classroom, Brian P. Lynch

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

This thesis explores the concept of discipline in the classroom and the overrepresentation of male students in disciplinary action.  American public schools are nearly equally represented with male and female students, yet disciplinary action is taken far more frequently toward male students.  Throughout the course of this paper, a history of disciplinary action in America is relayed.  Psychological and social factors are acknowledged to explain the differences of actions in the classroom between male and female students.

To best impact students in the classroom and relieve the overrepresentation of male disciplinary issues, a community program should take place throughout the …

A Theory Of Major Questions, Nicholas Almendares

Cardozo Law Review

The major questions doctrine has been fiercely criticized as an example of the Supreme Court’s “imperial” turn where it concentrates ever more power in its own hands. The doctrine is sweeping, vague, and lacks a clear justification. Not only does the Court get to decide when the doctrine applies and when the heightened standard is satisfied, but it has also not offered good reasons behind this rule. A well-defined theory would give the doctrine structure, clarity, and consistency. While majority opinions have been conspicuously quiet on the theory behind the major questions doctrine, concurrences, namely by Justice Gorsuch, have argued …

ℵ-Ipomdp: Mitigating Deception In A Cognitive Hierarchy With Off-Policy Counterfactual Anomaly Detection, Nitay Alon, Joseph M. Barnby, Stefan Sarkadi, Lion Schulz, Jeffrey S. Rosenschein, Peter Dayan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Social agents with finitely nested opponent models are vulnerable to manipulation by agents with deeper recursive capabilities. This imbalance, rooted in logic and the theory of recursive modelling frameworks, cannot be solved directly. We propose a computational framework called ℵ-IPOMDP, which augments the Bayesian inference of model-based RL agents with an anomaly detection algorithm and an out-of-belief policy. Our mechanism allows agents to realize that they are being deceived, even if they cannot understand how, and to deter opponents via a credible threat. We test this framework in both a mixed-motive and a zero-sum game. Our results demonstrate the ℵ-mechanism’s …

Emerging Blood-Based Biomarkers For The Detection Of Parenchymal Brain Metastasis: Current Progress And Future Perspectives, Désirée Sexauer, Elin S. Gray, Helen Rizos, Pauline Zaenker, Aaron B. Beasley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Parenchymal brain metastases of solid malignancies remain a significant clinical challenge, as they are often detected at later symptomatic stages, which are typically associated with worse prognosis. Delayed detection limits treatment options and contributes to poor outcomes, while early detection is critical for improving patient outcomes and quality of life. In this comprehensive review, we investigated the potential use and challenges of blood-based biomarkers, including circulating tumor cells, cell-free DNA, noncoding RNAs, extracellular vesicles, proteins, and other immune-related biomarkers, for the early detection of parenchymal brain metastasis. The use of blood-based liquid biopsies offers a promising avenue for early detection …

Persistence Of Contested Value Cocreation Practices, Kim Feddema, Kaisa Koskela-Huotari, Paul Harrigan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The climate crisis and other global challenges make it clear that not only are new value cocreation practices (VCPs) needed, but some current VCPs must be discontinued. Prior service literature assumes that VCPs can be disrupted by reforming the institutions that govern them. However, empirical observations show that VCPs may persist even when targeted by institutional work, and recent organizational research points to contested practices that continue to be enacted even when challenged or criticized. To understand this phenomenon in value cocreation, we conducted an embedded case study of exotic pet-keeping—a set of VCPs that continue despite intervention efforts. Our …

Investigation Of Mercury Bioaccessibility In Subsistence Fishes From The Canadian Subarctic, Kiran Mateo Sharma Mr

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Fish consumption is the primary pathway for human exposure to methylmercury (MeHg), a global contaminant of concern known to cause adverse health effects. Fort Albany First Nation, a remote Indigenous community in northern Ontario that relies on fish for both subsistence and cultural practices, has expressed concern regarding the safety of local fish consumption. Community members and leaders have communicated several priorities for scientific research that are the foundation of this thesis. Specifically, consumers of wild-caught fish have asked how traditional cooking methods may affect mercury concentrations in fish, and how mercury concentrations in little-studied organs, such as liver and …

Wattage- And Composition-Dependent Ocular Surface Toxicity: An In Vitro Study On E-Cigarette Aerosol Exposure In Human Corneal Epithelial Cells, Tzu-Ling Lin

Masters Theses

As electronic cigarette consumption continues to escalate globally, its impact on non-respiratory mucosal surfaces, particularly the ocular surface, remains largely understudied. This study investigated the toxicological effects of e-cigarette aerosols using a human corneal epithelial cell (HCE-2) model. Our findings reveal that aerosol exposure induces a significant, dose-dependent reduction in cell viability, exacerbated by higher device wattage and specific flavor agents such as watermelon. Exposure was found to trigger intracellular oxidative stress and the activation of apoptotic pathways, leading to programmed cell death. Furthermore, the upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines suggests that vaping may predispose users to chronic inflammatory conditions of …

"Spectrum", Mackinzey H. Critzer

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

These body of works explores themes centered around ASD/Autism Spectrum Disorder, including symptoms involved, my personal views/experiences of it, social issues, and other related topics. My work consists of various mediums, digital pieces/prints and physical installations that involve bright color tones, human/humanoid figures, and various symbols.

Octavia E. Butler's Healing Heroines: An Exploration Of Black Girl Magic In The Patternist Series, Monique Skinner

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study explores the concept of healing as Black Girl Magic in the five novels that make up Octavia E. Butler’s Patternist series. Through textual analysis backed in Afrofuturist theory the study answers the questions: How does Butler depict Black women as healers in the Patternist series? and What is her vision of Black women in the Afrofuture? On a deeper level, the study uses character analysis to examine the literary trope of the Black woman healer and how her magical power translates as literal Black Girl Magic. Through a journey of speculative literary discovery, we uncover the archetypes of …

Through The Eyes Of A Daughter: Blues City Cultural Center And The Black Arts Movement, Ayana Williams

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This creative dissertation examines the Blues City Cultural Center (BCCC) as a living continuation of the Black Arts Movement in the American South. Founded in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1979 by Deborah Frazier and Levi Frazier, Jr., BCCC emerged from the cultural and political momentum of the Black Arts and Black Power Movements and continues to sustain their principles through original theater, community-based arts education, and grassroots cultural organizing. Challenging the notion that the Black Arts Movement is a concluded historical period, this study argues that the movement remains ongoing, adaptive, and deeply embedded within Southern Black communities. Using a creative …