Digital Commons Network^™

Potential Protective Effects Of Okra (Abelmoschus Esculentus) Seed Oil Against Cadmium-Induced Oxidative Lipid Damage In Male Rats, Amani Ahmad Rifai Filimban, Nada Abdulkareem Batais

The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Science

Objectives: To investigate the protective effect of okra seed oil against cadmium-induced toxicity in male Wistar rats.

Methods: Twenty-four male Wistar rats (8-weeks old, average 120g) were divided into four groups (n=6): Control/ Received deionized water. Cadmium/ Received 5 mg/kg/day of cadmium chloride (CdCl₂) orally. Okra Seed Oil/ Treated with 800 mg/kg/day of okra seed oil. Okra Seed Oil + Cadmium/ Received okra seed oil followed three hours later by CdCl₂. Treatments were given daily. Lipid profiles and antioxidant markers were measured to assess metabolic effects.

Results: Cadmium exposure caused significant dyslipidemia, characterized by elevated levels …

Heavy Metal Contamination In Red Sea Hamour Fish: Bioaccumulation Patterns, Toxicological Impacts, And Microbial Community Disruption, Haifa O. Aljuhani, Osamah A. Ahmad, Ashwaq R. Almohammadi

The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Science

Red Sea heavy metal pollution lately poses a serious threat to human health and ecological integrity. The present research review examines the several effects of heavy metal contamination on the economically important Hamour fish (Epinephelus spp.), a major bioindicator species because of its benthic feeding habit and great bioaccumulation potential. Where the industrial activities, hydrocarbon exploration, desalination effluent, and coastal urbanization have produced continuous pollution vectors, promoting bioaccumulation via gill absorption, food intake, and dermal absorption in Hamour tissues. Our work demonstrates complicated toxicological effect comprising oxidative stress, hematological malfunction, immunosuppression, neurotoxicity, reproductive impairment, and genotoxic damage. Consequently, heavy …

Selective Separation Of Eriochrome Black T Onto Cork From Marine And Tap Waters: Kinetic, Isotherm And Thermodynamic Study, M. A. Alsolami, Z. M. Saigl

The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Science

Synthetic dye contamination of waterways poses a serious threat to human health and the environment. Eriochrome Black T (EBT) is a persistent azo dye that is especially dangerous because of its toxicity and chemical stability. This study evaluates cork as a cost-effective and environmentally responsible biosorbent for the removal of EBT from aquatic systems. Experimental observations confirmed that adsorption equilibrium was achieved within 25 minutes at an optimal pH of 4. Kinetic using pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and Elovich models revealed that the pseudo-second-order model yielded the most accurate fit (k₂ = 0.2482 g/mg.min), implying that chemisorption is the primary …

Blended Family Dynamics And Executive Functioning In Preschoolers: A Cross-Sectional Study, Kayla Butler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Effective Technology Strategies Supporting Green Supply Chain Management Within Guyana’S Oil And Gas Industry, Clairmont Andrew Austin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Policy Whiplash: Tariffs And Uncertainty Among Firms And Investors In 2025, Boau Lilly Shepherd

Economics Undergraduate Senior Theses

On April 2, 2025, President Donald Trump announced a series of reciprocal tariffs on U.S. trading partners, set to be implemented on April 9, 2025, a day he referred to as “Liberation Day”. Although these tariffs were paused almost immediately, they were subsequently renegotiated and revised throughout the summer of 2025. This paper finds evidence that Liberation Day caused a spike in uncertainty among firms and a spike in volatility among investors, while the subsequent summer revisions reduced uncertainty and volatility, despite tariff levels remaining substantially higher than those at the start of the year. These findings suggest that firms …

Storytelling, Gender, And The Double-Empathy Problem, Annie Rogers

Theses and Dissertations

Storytelling has been proposed as a meaningful way to facilitate empathy and connection, particularly across neurotypes. The present study examined whether a live storytelling event influenced perceptions of the autism community, empathy, and interpersonal connection, while also exploring differences on biological sex and levels of autistic traits. Participants completed pre- and post-event measures assessing relationship perceptions and connection, along with standardized measures of empathy and autistic traits. Results showed a significant increase in positive perceptions of the autism community and perceived closeness to storytellers after the event. Engagement, emotional impact, openness, and motivation to support the autism community were all …

Spectator 2026-06-04, Editors Of The Spectator

The Spectator

No abstract provided.

Professional Identity And Teaching Self-Efficacy Among Early Career Nurse Educators Across Baccalaureate Nursing Programs, Kerri Chapman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Examining The Impact Of Design Thinking Practices On Manufacturing Innovation Performance In The U.S. Automotive Industry, Charles Emlin Pluviose

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between The Environment And Pollution With Surgical Outcomes And Disparities, Wendelyn Marie Oslock

ETDs from 2020-2029

Air pollution exposure has been linked to many surgically managed diseases and adverse health events that occur in the postoperative period. Despite this, the impact of air pollution on postoperative recovery is poorly understood. This knowledge gap may be one of the underlying mechanisms for persistent disparities in surgical outcomes. Previous studies have found racial and economic disparities in air pollution exposure. These same communities have been shown to experience worse surgical outcomes. The goal of this thesis is to explore if exposure to air pollution impacts surgical outcomes and determine if disparities in socioeconomic factors impact this relationship. The …

Predictors And Outcomes Of Reading Intervention Success In Autistic Children: Memory And Brain Connectivity, Meagan Elizabeth Beckerson

ETDs from 2020-2029

Reading comprehension is a complex skill that relies on linguistic and cognitive abilities, including executive control processes. Creating a cohesive representation of text involves maintaining visual and verbal information in short term memory (STM) and using executive control skills to integrate information, apply it to questions, and draw inferences. Many autistic children demonstrate strong individual word reading (decoding) but poor comprehension, resulting in a discrepant reading profile. The role of STM and executive control—along with the underlying neural systems that support these processes—in reading comprehension and response to intervention has not been examined in autistic children with this profile. The …

Distribution, Abundance And Habitat Utilization Of Sea Turtles In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, With An Emphasis On Coastal Mississippi, Theresa Rose Madrigal

ETDs from 2020-2029

The Gulf of Mexico represents important habitat for a variety of sea turtle species. This includes habitats for the various life history stages ranging from the oceanic stage of hatchling and post-hatchling turtles, neritic subadults, to the adult foraging and reproduc-tive stages. In contrast to many areas of the Gulf of Mexico, there has been a limited amount of data reported on sea turtle nesting as well as sea turtle foraging and develop-mental habitat in the north central Gulf of Mexico. This thesis includes two studies which investigate the importance of the coastal areas of Mississippi as sea turtle habitat. …

Unh Extension Pollinator Garden Certification Application, Shyloh Favreau

UNH Cooperative Extension

When you certify your garden or landscape through The UNH Extension Pollinator Garden Certification Program, you become part of a growing community committed to creating meaningful habitat for pollinators through sustainable, science-based practices. Grounded in research, education, and shared learning, the program supports gardeners of all experience levels in contributing to the health and diversity of native pollinators. From plant selection to pollinator-friendly management practices, this application will guide you in planning, refining, and developing your garden into a safe, resilient habitat for native bees and other pollinating insects.

UNH Extension staff and Master Gardener volunteers are here to …

Growing Pains: The Loss Of Plasticity To Extreme Anoxia In Developing Embryos Of Austrofundulus Limnaeus, Patrick Ryan Clouser

Dissertations and Theses

Oxygen plays a pivotal role for most animal life on Earth, so much so that even short exposures to no oxygen, anoxia, can have severe effects on the animal's wellbeing. Conversely, aerobic recovery after anoxic insult can be just as detrimental. Some animals are the exception to this rule and demonstrate survival through anoxia and recovery. There has been a great deal of research around anoxia tolerant animals, but what remains unclear are the genetic underpinnings that determine the anoxia tolerant phenotype. RNA sequencing allows for the quantification of RNA transcripts within a sample, which can indicate if a gene …

“Subjugated Knowledge And Narrative Justice”: An Interview With Grace M. Cho, Anupama Arora, Yuni Kim

Journal of Feminist Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Beyond Liberal Apologies, Toward Abolitionist Trans Politics, Koda Sokol, Kaden Paulson-Smith

Journal of Feminist Scholarship

In the wake of Trump’s second election, the liberal fantasy of a benevolent state reared its head: the right policy, politician, or police officer will end anti-trans oppression. This article heeds the warning from generations of abolitionists before us that violence is not a defect of the state but endemic to it. By consequence, reforms that strengthen the state by expanding avenues for criminalization, resourcing the police, and incorporating more people into the military further jeopardize those subject to premature death, trans or otherwise. The current U.S. political regime’s overt cruelty provides an opening for widespread reckoning with the state’s …

From Dysbiosis To Resistome: Antibiotic-Driven Selection Pressure And Multi-Class Resistance Gene Enrichment In The Autism Gut Microbiota, Dalia Abuljadayel, Reem Farsi, Bodoor Alotibi, Asma Almuhammadi

The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Science

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is associated with alterations in the composition of the gut microbiota, which have been implicated in neurological manifestations via the gut–brain axis. Early-life exposure to antibiotics constitutes a key environmental factor shaping microbiota development; however, the resistome profile underlying ASD-associated dysbiosis remains insufficiently defined. In this metagenomic investigation, we assessed the abundance and diversity of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in fecal samples obtained from four children with ASD and their four neurotypical siblings. High-throughput shotgun sequencing generated 10-15 Gb of data per sample. Resistome characterization was performed using the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database (CARD) and the …

Saudi Vision 2030: How Can Mobile Pet/Ct Imaging Enhance Healthcare Delivery In Saudi Arabia?, Khalid G. Alsafi, Mahmoud A. Ahmed, Omar F. Iskanderani, Amirah A. Alolaymi, Arwa A. Alahdal, Hadeel H. Sofi, Shahd I. Almzarqah, Tala S. Shaath, Samia F. Aboushoushah

The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Science

Objective: To address the PET/CT scanner shortage in Saudi Arabia amid rising cancer incidence by evaluating a mobile PET/CT unit. This study quantifies cancer burden and projected scanner needs by region and simulates radiation safety using American Association of Physicists in Medicine Task Group-108 (AAPM TG-108) guidelines. Methods: Cancer data (2001–2020) were extrapolated to 2030 using an exponential model. PET/CT distribution was analyzed against population projections to estimate needs at one scanner per 500,000 people. A mobile PET/CT using Fluorine-18 was modeled per AAPM TG-108. Dose distribution was calculated for 40 patients per week, using 555 MBq 18F-FDG per patient …

Differential Gene Expression Profiling Of Drought-Tolerant And Sensitive Rice Genotypes Identifies Key Regulatory Networks And Metabolic Pathways, Najla Bint Saud Al-Saud

The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Science

Drought stress represents a critical constraint to rice productivity worldwide, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying stress tolerance. This study employed RNA sequencing to investigate drought-responsive transcriptional networks in root tissues of two contrasting rice genotypes: Azucena (drought-tolerant) and IR64 (drought-sensitive). Twenty-day-old seedlings were subjected to 14-day drought stress treatment, and transcriptomic profiles were analyzed using high-throughput sequencing. Quality-filtered reads achieved >95% Q30 scores with alignment rates of 94.48–96.55% to the reference genome. Differential expression analysis identified 30,419–31,052 differentially expressed genes across four comparison groups, with the drought-sensitive IR64 exhibiting approximately 15% more differentially expressed genes (DEGs) …

Algal-Mediated Green Synthesis Of Silver Nanoparticles And Their Antibacterial Activity, Yahya B. Alyoubi, Hassan A. Ewais, Magda M. Aly, Walied M. Alarif

The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Science

A green, low-cost, and straightforward method was implemented for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Digenea simplex Algal Extract (D. simplex). The formation of AgNPs was initially indicated by a golden yellow color of the solution and UV-Vis λ_max at 410 nm. Key factors such as reaction time, temperature, pH, concentrations of Ag⁺ and algal extract was also investigated. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of alga-derived biomolecules which assets the reduction of silver ions. TEM analysis revealed the successful synthesis of spherical AgNPs with an average size of 12.86 ± 4.84 nm. The biosynthesized AgNPs exhibited a …

Barriers To Food Security In Supportive Housing Sites In Scc, Olivia Reifschneider, Addison Lewis, Will Jaspen

Environmental Studies and Sciences Senior Capstone

Using a community-engaged mixed-methods research study, we sought to determine the extent to which supportive housing residents in Santa Clara County (SCC) are food insecure, as well as the possible causes, and how this can be addressed by the County and connected non-profits. Through interviews and surveys, we found that 84.62% of the residents surveyed were food insecure, and 62% did not agree that their food insecurity had improved while being in supportive housing. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the cause of food insecurity, as many housing sites provide meals to their residents multiple times a day. We …

Rules And Roles In The Political Economy Of Peatland Fires In Ketapang, West Kalimantan, Indonesia, Ali Yansyah Abdurrahim, Atiek Widayati, Edi Purwanto, Meine Van Noordwijk

Forest and Society

Peatland fires in Indonesia represent a critical socio-ecological system failure, generating transboundary haze, biodiversity loss, and severe human health impacts. In Ketapang Regency, West Kalimantan, the persistence of fires illustrates the tensions between protection and production in the local political economy. On the one hand, peatlands are legally designated for conservation under national regulations and regional initiatives, such as Regulation No. 48/2023 on peatland fire prevention. On the other hand, they remain under sustained pressure from the expansion of palm oil, transmigration schemes, and local livelihood needs. This study applies a political economy (stakes) and political ecology (status-power) lens to …

The Alaska Wolf War: Action On The Prince Of Wales Island Complex, Edward A. Fitzgerald

Alaska Law Review

This Article examines Alaska's management of the Alexander Archipelago wolf on the Prince of Wales Island Complex, pursuant to constitutional and statutory requirements. It begins by reviewing the history of unsuccessful efforts to declare the wolf a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. It then analyzes Bennett v. State, which focused on the changed management regime and devastating wolf harvest of the 2019–20 season. The Article argues that the district and Alaska Supreme Court's decisions in the case were flawed because they failed to properly implement the "hard look" doctrine.

K-12 Veteran Teachers’ Perceptions On Teacher Retention In North Carolina, Candace Me'chele Moser, Ed.D

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Image Processing In Self-Driving Cars, Julia Lin, Sid Kalidindi, Anushri Selva, Seana Corners

Interdisciplinary Design Senior Theses

This thesis presents the development of a low-cost embedded image processing system for autonomous vehicle perception using the PYNQ-Z2 FPGA board. The project explores whether compact FPGA-based systems can provide efficient, low-latency perception for small-scale autonomous applications such as delivery robots, warehouse robots, and drones, where power efficiency and affordability are important design constraints.

The system uses Python and OpenCV for image preprocessing and color-based traffic sign segmentation, while a modified LeNet-5 convolutional neural network performs traffic sign classification. The model was optimized and deployed onto the FPGA using Vivado HLS and Vitis to accelerate inference on resource-constrained hardware. The …

High Altitude Lora Networking (Halon) For Crisis Communications, Sahana Prasanna Chandramohan, Vikram Rakesh Jangid

Interdisciplinary Design Senior Theses

Natural disasters, infrastructure failure, and politically motivated internet shutdowns can severely disrupt communication systems, preventing affected populations from coordinating emergency response, accessing information, and contacting others. Existing communication infrastructure relies heavily on centralized networks, fixed power availability, and costly deployments, making such systems vulnerable during periods of crisis. To alleviate these problems we propose High Altitude Long Range Networking (HALoN) for Crisis Communications, a rapidly deployable decentralized wireless mesh network designed for operation in infrastructure-denied environments. HALoN utilizes low-power long range (LoRa) communication and high-altitude deployment platforms such as balloons, drones and tall structures, among others, to create temporary communication …

Intrathecal Antibody Synthesis - Reiber Method Revisited, John J. Halperin, Dane Granger

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: CSF immunoglobulin (IgG) often informs diagnosis in CNS inflammatory disease- qualitatively (oligoclonal bands; OCBs), or quantitatively (CSF: serum IgG: albumin, e.g. IgG index). Most US laboratories estimate excess CSF IgG using linear models, most in Europe, Reiber's hyperbolic model - the latter often also incorporated into CSF pathogen-specific immunoreactivity calculations. We compared Reiber hyperbolic and linear approaches.

METHODS: Required data were available for 1,872 samples, Lyme-specific data for 1,365. We compared linear and Reiber's hyperbolic models to determine which better describes normal CSF: serum IgG/albumin, assessed correlations with OCBs using ROC analysis and compared Lyme-specific antibody indices (AI) by …

Trial Of Oxaloacetate In Als (Toals), Katie Lillig, Andrew Heim, Jeffrey Statland, Mazen M. Dimachkie, Russell H. Swerdlow, Sachini P. Karunaratne, In-Young Choi, Phil Lee, Edina Kosa, Abdulbaki Agbas, Heather M. Wilkins, Richard J. Barohn, Omar Jawdat

Faculty and Staff Publications

Background: Mitochondrial dysfunction is a critical therapeutic target in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Oxaloacetate (OAA) is a promising candidate therapy as it crosses the blood brain barrier, reaches motor neurons, and enhances mitochondrial bioenergetics with positive preclinical data in ALS.

Methods: We conducted a prospective, phase 1B, dose escalation study using a standard 3+3 design to assess the safety profile and determine the maximum tolerated dose. Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was defined as any serious adverse event (SAE) requiring hospitalization or any adverse event (AE) attributed to OAA that required discontinuation of the medication. Dosages evaluated started at 1000 mg twice …

How Do Peer Support Officers Perceive Support Provided To Officers Involved In Critical Incidents, Jodi Vanderwier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.