Digital Commons Network^™

The Effect Of Nerolidol On The Renal Dysfunction Following Bilateral Ureteral Obstruction In The Rat, Harun Rashed Toumi

Theses

This thesis addressed nerolidol’s potential therapeutic and protective effects on bilateral ureteral obstruction-induced uropathy in rats. Obstructive uropathy stands as a notable contributor to acute kidney injury (AKI), accounting for 5-10% of all AKI cases worldwide, with a particularly high prevalence among the elderly, constituting 22% of AKI cases in this age group. Urinary tract obstruction, often attributed to factors such as kidney stones, urinary tract deformities and benign/malignant growths such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in older men can lead to detrimental outcomes if left untreated, potentially progressing to kidney failure and even mortality. The severity of the kidney …

Practices And Perceptions Of Uae Residents: Food Safety In Handling And Preparation Of Fish, Consumption, And Nutrition From Fish, Noof Ahmad Al Marzooqi

Theses

Background: UAE is uniquely located with an extensive seafront, which has led to the development of fishing and fisheries in the country. As a result, the UAE's diverse population has become one of the highest fish consumers among the Gulf countries. The high fish consumption in the UAE was a part of the traditional diet; however, a better understanding of UAE residents' practices and perceptions of fish food safety, fish preparation, and nutrition from fish consumption was needed. Objective: This study investigates food safety practices in handling and preparation of fish, consumption trends, and perceptions of nutrition from fish among …

Predicting The Current Habitat Distribution Of Important Halophytes And Their Potential Future Shifts Under Climate Change Using Species Distribution Modeling, Ahlam Mabkhot Bin Suwaidan

Theses

This thesis is concerned with the current habitat distribution of important 15 halophyte species and the impact climate change on their distribution, probability of occurrence and presence for two future temporal points (2050, 2070). The main objective of this thesis is to define the current distribution of important halophytes and to assess the impacts of climate change on their distribution using future climate projections CMIP5 RCP 8.5. This study utilizes multidimensional available data to address the current and to predict the future distribution of Halophyte plant species. To perform this study, the object-oriented and reproducible R package known as SDM, …

Evaluating The Feasibility And Efficacy Of 3d Printing Versus Traditional Construction Techniques: A Study Of Cost, Time And Energy Of A New Lowrise Office Building On The Uaeu Campus, Hala Mohammed Basel

Theses

In line with the forward-looking vision of the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), this research evaluates the feasibility and effectiveness of 3D printing technology compared to traditional construction methods, focusing on cost, time, and energy efficiency for a new low-rise office building on the UAEU campus. With the growing number of PhD students in the Architectural Engineering Department, expanding office space has become a priority. This study explores how 3D printing technology, known for its sustainability, reduced material waste, and accelerated construction, can address these challenges more efficiently than conventional methods.

Guided by the UAE Vision 2030, which focuses on …

Evaluation Of Opportunities For The Cultivation Of Heterotrophic Plant Root Organ Cultures As Food: Optimization Of Culture Conditions And Carbohydrate Sources, Fatima Mohammed Alkaabi

Theses

All agricultural plant production requires investment of water, energy, and land, especially in the Gulf Region, where environmental conditions are not ideally suitable for crop farming. Currently, less than 40% of agricultural plant biomass production constitutes food, which greatly limits the overall feasibility of food production systems worldwide. Crop residues constitute over half of global agricultural biomass, and food waste and biomass from public parks and gardens further add to the vast pool of non-edible plant material. Existing valorization strategies for such material cannot compensate for the enormous amounts of water, energy, land, and human resources invested in their production. …

Evaluation Of Alkaloid Levels In Commercial And Wild Genotypes Of Narrow-Leafed Lupin, Tawfeek Khedr, Ling Ling Gao, Lars G. Kamphuis, Utpal Bose, Angéla Juhász, Michelle L. Colgrave

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Lupins are a promising source of protein that can complement soybean-based proteins in food and animal feed. Narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) is the predominant lupin species cultivated in Australia and Europe. Consumption of lupin products can lead to toxicity in both humans and animals, primarily due to the presence of naturally occurring alkaloid compounds. The aim of the present research was to examine the alkaloid content of commercial narrow-leafed lupin grown in Australia and compare this to wild accessions. Nineteen accessions of narrow-leafed lupin were grown in a growth chamber with a day/night cycle of 18 h of light and …

Lack Of Detection Of Norwalk Virus In Saliva Samples From A Controlled Human Infection Model, Robert L Atmar, Frederick H Neill, Nicole M Hayes, Antone R Opekun, David Y Graham, Mary K Estes, Sasirekha Ramani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Following recent reports of norovirus replication in salivary gland cells, we examined whether the prototype norovirus strain, Norwalk virus (GI.1), could be detected in the saliva of 21 experimentally infected persons. Viral RNA was not detected in saliva 2 and 7 days after challenge despite high levels being present in feces.

An Ancient Ecospecies Of Helicobacter Pylori, Elise Tourrette, Roberto C Torres, Sarah L Svensson, Takashi Matsumoto, Muhammad Miftahussurur, Kartika Afrida Fauzia, Ricky Indra Alfaray, Ratha-Korn Vilaichone, Vo Phuoc Tuan, Helicobacter Genomics Consortium, Difei Wang, Abbas Yadegar, Lisa M Olsson, Zhemin Zhou, Yoshio Yamaoka, Kaisa Thorell, Daniel Falush

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Helicobacter pylori disturbs the stomach lining during long-term colonization of its human host, with sequelae including ulcers and gastric cancer1,2. Numerous H. pylori virulence factors have been identified, showing extensive geographic variation1. Here we identify a ‘Hardy’ ecospecies of H. pylori that shares the ancestry of ‘Ubiquitous’ H. pylori from the same region in most of the genome but has nearly fixed single-nucleotide polymorphism differences in 100 genes, many of which encode outer membrane proteins and host interaction factors. Most Hardy strains have a second urease, which uses iron as a cofactor rather than …

Collectively Advancing Deep Learning For Animal Detection In Drone Imagery: Successes, Challenges, And Research Gaps, Daniel Axford, Ferdous Sohel, Mathew A. Vanderklift, Amanda J. Hodgson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Drones have emerged as a powerful tool in animal detection, significantly advancing wildlife monitoring, conservation, and management by capturing high-resolution, real-time imagery over areas often inaccessible or challenging for human observers to reach. However, manual analysis of drone imagery for animal detection is labour-intensive and time-consuming. The application of deep learning methods, particularly convolutional neural networks, in automating animal detection from drone imagery has the potential to revolutionise wildlife monitoring, conservation, and management protocols. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the increasing use and prospects of deep learning in animal detection using drone imagery. It explores successful applications of …

A Comparison Of The Diagnostic Capability Of Kato-Katz And Real-Time Pcr For The Assessment Of Treatment Efficacy Of Ivermectin And Albendazole Combination Against T Trichiura Infections, Gabriela Matamoros, Ana Sanchez, Ruben Cimino, Alejandro Krolewiecki, Rojelio Mejia

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Trichuris trichiura is humans' second most prevalent soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infection after Ascaris lumbricoides, affecting approximately 460 million people worldwide. Despite its sub-optimal sensitivity, especially in low prevalence and infection intensity settings, the modified Kato-Katz (K-K) is still recommended as a diagnostic method by the World Health organization (WHO) guidelines.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Within a randomized clinical trial (RCT) comprising four treatment arms with two different anthelmintics, the present study reports an important secondary research objective to determine the diagnostic agreement between K-K and real-time PCR evaluating treatment efficacy against T. trichiura. The parasitological results were analyzed, including cure rates …

An Exploratory Vector Field Analysis Of Ground Reaction Force During Maximum Sprinting Efforts In Male Soccer Players And Sprinters, Daniel Kadlec, Steffi Colyer, Ryu Nagahara, Sophia Nimphius

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The ability to accelerate and attain high velocities is essential for both individual and team sport athletes. The purpose of this explorative study was to retrospectively analyze the ground reaction force using Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) vector field analysis, as traditional scalar analyses often fail to acknowledge the interdependence of force vector components. The ground reaction force vector and the scalar components (i.e., vertical and horizontal force) were analyzed for 28 male sprinters and 24 male soccer players at 8.0 and 8.5 m·s−1, and between 85%, 90%, 95%, and 100% of their maximum velocity. The ground reaction force vector differed …

Pollination By Birds, Non-Flying Mammals, And European Honeybees In A Heathland Shrub, Banksia Catoglypta (Proteaceae), Stanislaw K. Wawrzyczek, Robert A. Davis, Siegfried L. Krauss, Susan E. Hoebee, Louis M. Ashton, Ryan D. Phillips

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Vertebrate pollination has evolved in many plant lineages, with pollination by birds the most prevalent strategy. However, in Banksia (Proteaceae) many species are visited by a combination of nectarivorous birds, non-flying mammals (NFMs), and insects, though the relative importance of these pollen vectors for reproduction remains poorly understood. Here, we investigate the contribution to fruit set of birds, NFMs, and insects in Banksia catoglypta—a heathland shrub from south-west Australia. This species flowers in winter and produces large, golden-yellow inflorescences that are typically presented near the ground and consist of rigid, strongly scented flowers with a long stigma-nectary distance—suggesting pollination by …

A Cross-Systems Primer For Synthetic Microbial Communities, Elijah C Mehlferber, Gontran Arnault, Bishnu Joshi, Laila P Partida-Martinez, Kathryn A Patras, Marie Simonin, Britt Koskella

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The design and use of synthetic communities, or SynComs, is one of the most promising strategies for disentangling the complex interactions within microbial communities, and between these communities and their hosts. Compared to natural communities, these simplified consortia provide the opportunity to study ecological interactions at tractable scales, as well as facilitating reproducibility and fostering interdisciplinary science. However, the effective implementation of the SynCom approach requires several important considerations regarding the development and application of these model systems. There are also emerging ethical considerations when both designing and deploying SynComs in clinical, agricultural or environmental settings. Here we outline current …

Loss-Of-Function In Rbbp5 Results In A Syndromic Neurodevelopmental Disorder Associated With Microcephaly, Yue Huang, Kristy L Jay, Alden Yen-Wen Huang, Jijun Wan, Sharayu V Jangam, Odelia Chorin, Annick Rothschild, Ortal Barel, Milena Mariani, Maria Iascone, Han Xue, Undiagnosed Diseases Network, Jing Huang, Cyril Mignot, Boris Keren, Virginie Saillour, Annelise Y Mah-Som, Stephanie Sacharow, Farrah Rajabi, Carrie Costin, Shinya Yamamoto, Oguz Kanca, Hugo J Bellen, Jill A Rosenfeld, Christina G S Palmer, Stanley F Nelson, Michael F Wangler, Julian A Martinez-Agosto

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

PURPOSE: Epigenetic dysregulation has been associated with many inherited disorders. RBBP5 (HGNC:9888) encodes a core member of the protein complex that methylates histone 3 lysine-4 and has not been implicated in human disease.

METHODS: We identify 5 unrelated individuals with de novo heterozygous variants in RBBP5. Three nonsense/frameshift and 2 missense variants were identified in probands with neurodevelopmental symptoms, including global developmental delay, intellectual disability, microcephaly, and short stature. Here, we investigate the pathogenicity of the variants through protein structural analysis and transgenic Drosophila models.

RESULTS: Both missense p.(T232I) and p.(E296D) variants affect evolutionarily conserved amino acids located at the …

Assessment Of The Bioaccumulation Of Nicotine And Cotinine By The Crustacean Daphnia Magna, Ana Maria Vlasceanu, Daniela Luiza Baconi, Octavian Tudorel Olaru, Daniela Grădinaru, Viorela Gabriela Nitescu

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Objectives. This study aimed to investigate the toxicity of nicotine and its metabolite cotinine on crustacean D. magna, and evaluate the quantity of compounds accumulated by D. magna. Materials and Methods. The bioassays involved the exposure of D. magna to varying doses of nicotine and cotinine, for 24 h and 48 h. The amount of bioaccumulated nicotine and cotinine was determined by an HPLC-DAD method. Results. The study has revealed that nicotine is more toxic than cotinine on D. magna, as the medium lethal concentration (LC50) values were higher for nicotine compared to cotinine. After 24 hours of exposure, D. …

Evaluation Of Short-Term Complications In Laparoscopic Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter Placement - A Single Tertiary Center Experience, Cristina Raluca Iorga, Iuliana Andreiana, Simona Hildegrad Stancu, Traian Constantin, Victor Strambu, Cristian Iorga

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Background. Peritoneal dialysis is a form of kidney function replacement that is not as widespread as hemodialysis. However, it has recognized advantages, such as preservation of residual renal function, lack of vascular access, and the ability to be performed at home. On the other hand, it requires the correct insertion of a peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter and maintaining its patency. Methods. We conducted a retrospective study of 126 patients with end-stage renal disease who underwent laparoscopic Tenckhoff catheter placement for peritoneal dialysis between January 2016 and December 2022. The study analyzed the frequency and type of complications registered within three …

Diabetes Mellitus And Associated Complications In The Digestive Tract, Ioana Paunica, Vlad Denis Constantin, Dragos Serban, Cristian Paius, Bogdan Gaspar, Dragos Epistatu, Valentin Verlas, Roxana Sfetea, Liliana Florina Andronache, Cristian Balalau, Daniela Gabriela Bălan, Alexandru Florin Motofei, Adrian Silaghi

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Diabetes mellitus presents an increasing prevalence and severe multisystemic complications, with notable personal, professional and social implications. Diabetes is generally known by hyperglycemia and subsequent metabolic disorders. In addition to hyperglycemia, it appears that other factors (related to anthropometric-pathophysiology and genome-based subphenotyping) are involved not only in the clinical course but also in the occurrence of diabetes complications. This review presents several diabetes-induced complications on the digestive tract (periodontal disease, xerostomia, oral infections, dental caries, taste disturbances, gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastroparesis, gastric ulcer and cancer, diabetic enteropathy, inflammatory bowel diseases, colorectal cancer, etc.), many of them with major implications and …

Memory Impairment In Post-Covid-19 Syndrome; What Is The Evidence?, Luciano Luiz Alt, Amanda Delai Bortolini, Bruna Santin Andreis, Caroline Arais Schmidt, Giovana Rugeri, Maria Clara Tonini Pagliarin, Maria Eduarda Dupond Kindel, Maria Fernanda Almeida Costa, Nathália Lorenzoni Costa, Pedro Henrique Sarmento Dariz, Vinícius Grasselli Omizzolo

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Objectives. Although COVID-19 mainly affects the respiratory system, it can also cause neurological complications like memory impairment, which may be part of post-COVID-19 Syndrome. Identifying these impairments is challenging due to the lack of approaches and limited follow-up. This systematic review aimed to identify the effects of COVID-19 on memory. Methods. Analyzing articles from PubMed, SciELO, and VHL databases, focusing on the relationship between COVID-19 infection and memory impairment. Results. COVID-19 infection was linked to significant declines in memory function. The severity of infection correlated with the intensity of neurological sequelae, particularly memory impairment, with cognitive and executive functions most …

Borderline Personality Disorder: A Narrative Review On Effective Psychotherapies, Marina Neri, Antonino Reitano, Lavinia Rinnone, Antonio Bruno, Fabrizio Turiaco, Felicia Matilde Ferreri, Carmela Mento, Maria Rosaria Anna Muscatello, Fiammetta Iannuzzo

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe mental disorder characterized by pervasive patterns of relational instability, chronic feelings of emptiness, sense of abandonment, self-injurious and anticonservative attempts. Pharmacological treatment has been found useful only for the management of severe symptoms and management of comorbidities, while psychotherapy is the main treatment for BPD. Although the disorder has long been considered resistant to any treatment, in recent years research has not only shown that BPD can be treated but also provided several manualized and empirically validated psychotherapeutic treatments. This paper set out to examine the most effective current psychotherapies for the treatment …

The Impact Of Cervid Herbivory On Industrial Fiber Hemp In East Central Illinois, Nicholas C. Cheney, Isaac Slaven, Barbara S. Carlsward

Journal of Agricultural Hemp Research

The last several years have seen large increases in white-tailed deer populations across the United States. Many studies have analyzed the effects that white-tailed deer have on different ecosystems. However, little to no studies have analyzed the effects of white-tailed deer on the production of industrial hemp fiber. In this study, we examined two different varieties of hemp fiber crops, and the impact white-tailed deer may have on their production. Our study was conducted in a flat test plot with surrounding woods and known white-tailed deer traffic in central Illinois, using two (6 × 6 m) plots that were adjacent …

Agricultural Technology, Mike Buschermohle, John Dillard

Tennessee Journal of Law and Policy

No abstract provided.

Issues In Tennessee Agricultural Law & Policy, Julie Bowling, Theresa Denton, Rhedona Rose

Tennessee Journal of Law and Policy

No abstract provided.

Agritourism, Csas, And Direct To Consumer Sales, Julie Bowling, Rob Holland, Cari Rincker

Tennessee Journal of Law and Policy

No abstract provided.

National Agricultural Law Update, Cari Rincker

Tennessee Journal of Law and Policy

No abstract provided.

The Faunal Assemblage From Ḥorbat Sahar, Zohar Turgeman-Yaffe

'Atiqot

The faunal assemblage from Ḥorbat Sahar was associated with the three periods of activity identified at the site. Two bones were attributed to the Iron Age and include a chicken femur—a rare find in this period, possibly attesting to the use of chicken in cockfighting rather than for consumption. The small late Byzantine–Early Islamic assemblage comprised domesticated livestock animals, dominated by adult cattle, supporting an economic system based mostly on livestock animals and not on hunting. The largest assemblage dates to the Crusader–Mamluk period, mainly including livestock and animals used for transportation and burden, possibly brought to the site by …

Ḥorbat Sahar On Giv‘At Ha-More: A Byzantine–Early Islamic Rural Samaritan(?) Settlement, Revisited In The Crusader–Mamluk Period, Yardenna Alexandre

'Atiqot

This article presents building remains uncovered at the site of Ḥorbat Sahar, on the Giv‘at Ha-More ridge, which formed part of a house and a large building comprising several rooms, a pathway, a small part of a plastered installation (miqveh?), and other installations, all dated by the pottery and other finds to the late Byzantine–Early Islamic period. The presence of Samaritan-type lamps, and the absence of LRRW bowls in the pottery assemblage, may hint to a Samaritan presence at the site following their suppression in the Samaria heartland. The large building was resettled in the Crusader–Mamluk periods, without architectural changes. …

Naṣr Ed-Din (Bet Ma‘On), Near Tiberias: Village And City In Roman-Period Galilee, Dina Avshalom-Gorni, Uzi Leibner, Haya Ben Nahum

'Atiqot

A large domestic complex comprising six dwelling units with courtyards was uncovered in the village of Naṣr ed-Din overlooking Roman-period Tiberias. The site dates mainly to the Middle Roman period, spanning the beginning of the second century and the first decades of the third century CE. It seems that the complex was abandoned abruptly, as many finds were left in place on the floors. The good preservation of the dwellings and the wealth of the small finds shed light on the nature of domestic-rural construction in Roman Galilee, its material culture and household organization. This report describes the excavation of …

A Hellenistic-Period Farmhouse At Aderet In The Judean Shephelah, Jon Seligman, Ora Yogev

'Atiqot

The excavation at Aderet, located south of Ha-Ella Valley, revealed a farmhouse with an olive-oil press, which operated under the administrative control of Idumea during the Hellenistic period. Based on the numismatic evidence and the pottery assemblage, the Aderet farmhouse was dated to the second half of the third century BCE, possibly extending into the beginning of the second century BCE. The firmly dated regional ceramic assemblage of the third century BCE expands our knowledge of Hellenistic rural society. The chronology of the Aderet farmhouse is considered in light of Yogev’s suggestion to identify a late Iron Age occupation phase …

Ramat Razim, Near Ẓefat: A Middle Bronze Age Rural Site In The Tel Ḥaẓor Polity, Karen Covello-Paran, Anat Cohen-Weinberger, Barak Tzin, Shlomit Bechar

'Atiqot

An archaeological excavation carried out at Ramat Razim, near Ẓefat, exposed a Middle Bronze Age rural settlement, dated by the ceramic assemblage within Middle Bronze Age II–III. Spatial analysis identified communal workspaces and possible domestic cult practices in specific rooms, and the distribution of the ground stone tools and ceramic storage vessels reflected food-processing activities and a decentralized grain-storage approach. In addition to agriculture, pastoralism—specifically sheep rearing—played a significant role in the settlement’s economy, probably engendering economic exchanges under the influence of Ḥaẓor, the major city in the region. Petrographic analysis linking the pithoi to the Ḥula Valley raised questions …

Rural Ceramic Production Unveiled? A Petrographic Analysis Of Early Islamic Mold-Decorated Buff Ware From The Be’Er Sheva‘ Valley, Anat Cohen-Weinberger, Davida Eisenberg-Degen

'Atiqot

This paper delves into the intriguing Early Islamic mold-decorated Buff Ware jugs found in the rural Negev region, shedding light on the broader phenomenon of imitations, in general and particularly, within the context of a rural farmstead situated on the southern bank of Naḥal Be’er Sheva‘. To accomplish this, we analyzed petrographically 22 sherds from nine sites spanning various geographic areas within modern-day Israel, aiming to reveal invaluable insights into mold-decorated Buff Ware production and distribution. The primary objectives of this study were twofold: first, to explore the degree of centralization in mold-decorated Buff Ware production, and second, to determine …