Digital Commons Network^™

Examining The Parallel Mediating Effect Of Emotion Dysregulation And Eating Beliefs In The Association Between Low Self¬-Esteem And Binge Eating Behaviours, Farah Al Mohammed

Theses

Research in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) around the causes and non-pharmacological treatment options of binge eating behaviours and other eating disorders is limited. Moreover, given the documented increase in binge eating behaviours which, in turn, is associated with two additional eating disorders (i.e., binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa), there is an urgent need to understand the factors that are implicated in the causation and maintenance of binge eating behaviours in the UAE. A comprehensive understanding of these factors will assist psychotherapists and other mental health professionals in tailoring the interventions that they provide in the treatment and management …

Canagliflozin Ameliorates Autistic-Like Features And Mitigates Brain Oxidative Stress Levels In Valproic Acid-Induced Autism In Rats, Mohammad Moutaz Nakhal

Theses

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disease with a substantially increasing incidence rate. It is mainly characterized by repetitive behavior, intellectual difficulties, social communication and interactions deficits. Many medications, dietary supplements, and behavioral treatments have been recommended for ASD management, however, there is no cure yet. Recent studies have examined the therapeutic potential of the sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors in neurodevelopmental diseases, based on their proved anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. The main objective of this study is to assess the ability of canagliflozin in improving the behavioural characteristics of autistic rats and investigate the efficacy of canagliflozin in …

Maladaptive Daydreaming And Social Anxiety: Prevalence And The Mediating Role Of Emotional Regulation, Riffa Fathima Abuthahir

Theses

Previous studies have generated mixed evidence regarding the magnitude of the prevalence of Maladaptive Daydreaming (MD). In addition, although previous studies have identified an association between Maladaptive Daydreaming (MD) and Social Anxiety (SA), literature is sparse in exploring the underlying factors such as emotional regulation difficulties that might mediate this relationship. The current study attempted to investigate the prevalence of MD and self-perceived levels of Social Anxiety (SA) among undergraduate students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It also attempted to explore whether difficulties in regulating emotions mediate the relationship between MD and self-perceived levels SA. A cross-sectional design with …

Association Of Human Leukocyte Antigen (Hla) Alleles With Atopic Dermatitis In The Uae Population, Suhib Ziad Abu Jwayed

Theses

In the face of the increasing global prevalence of Atopic Dermatitis (AD), a chronic inflammatory skin condition, this thesis seeks to elucidate the genetic underpinnings of AD within the UAE population. Previous literature has underscored the ethnic-specific involvement of Human Leukocytes Antigen (HLA) genetic variations, especially within HLA-A and HLA-DRB1 genes, in the pathogenesis of various skin diseases, including AD. Leveraging this knowledge, our research specifically aimed to investigate the association between these HLA variants and AD in the UAE. Utilizing a comparative approach, the frequencies of HLA-A and HLA-DRB1 variants were assessed in AD patients vis-à-vis a control group. …

Biochemical Charactrization Of A Fructosyltransferase Enzyme From A Halophilic Archaeon, Haloarcula Marismotui, For Biotechnological Applications, Ahlam Khalifa Al Ameri

Theses

Fructosyltransferase enzymes are involved in the production of fructans, which are polymers of fructose and naturally present in many foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and cereals. Fructans with short chain lengths are called Fructooligosaccharides (FOS), which are small dietary fibers having low caloric values and are known as “prebiotics”. Fructans have a broad range of applications in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and chemical industries. They have unique physiochemical properties and functionalities depending on the source of enzyme used for their production. The present study aimed at the utilization of a recently discovered unique fructosyltransferase enzyme from an extremely halophilic microorganism, …

Use Of Root Endophytic Enterobacter Sp. Sa187 For The Improvement Of Abiotic Stress Tolerance Of Tomatoes Grown Under Greenhouse Conditions, Aysha Mohammad Rahmani

Theses

Agricultural productivity is largely affected by climate change. These climatic alterations translate into adverse abiotic stress conditions, such as heat, drought, and salinity, which restrict the geographical distribution of plants and limit their crop yields. Extreme conditions primarily affect semiarid and arid regions, causing severe environmental and economic repercussions. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have been proposed to overcome these challenges. The desert plant endophytic bacterium Enterobacter sp. SA187 has shown beneficial effects on plant growth and salt stress tolerance in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana in vitro, as well as under field conditions in different crops. This study aimed to …

Evaluation Of Rotenone Mediated Α-Synuclein Spreading And Neurotoxicity In Intra-Striatal Injection Of Α-Synuclein Pff Model Of Parkinson’S Disease, Engila Khan

Theses

In the last 25 years, the prevalence of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) across the globe has doubled. Clinical manifestations of this progressive neurodegenerative disorder include motor symptoms such as tremors, bradykinesia, postural instability, etc., which occur due to selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the Substantia nigra (SNC) in the brain. The histopathological feature of PD is the presence of intra-neuronal aggregates of proteins called Lewy bodies, a major constituent of which is α-synuclein (α-syn).

Epidemiological studies to date have reported a connection between exposure to environmental neurotoxins such as Rotenone (a mitochondrial complex 1 inhibitor) and increased risk of PD …

Population Structure And Genetic Diversity Of The Socotra Cormorant (Phalacrocorax Nigrogularis), Noura Mabkhout Almansoori

Theses

The Socotra cormorants (Phalacrocorax nigrogularis) are regional endemic seabirds restricted to the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and the Arabian Sea. This species is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN Red List. However, no population genetic study has been conducted on P. nigrogularis in their range, and population structure, gene flow and connectivity between colonies is unknown. Likewise, genetic diversity of this species has not yet been characterized. Thus, the aim of this thesis was to fill these gaps by inferring population structure, assessing gene flow and genetic diversity of Socotra cormorant colonies in their known distribution range. …

Development Of Popcorn Thermal Insulation Panels, Yonis Hussein Mohamud

Theses

The research and development of sustainable and renewable materials that can take the place of conventional plastics derived from petroleum has attracted increasing attention in recent years. Polylactic acid (PLA) and Polyhydroxy butyrate (PHB) are viable alternatives biopolymers due to their biodegradability. Also, the enhancement of material properties can be achieved through the incorporation of fillers. In this study, the utilization of popcorn in developing of insulation materials has been employed in two distinct methodologies. The first involves the coating of popcorn with varying percentages of PLA using the solvent casting method, while the second involves the integration of popcorn …

Effects Of Adropin On Metabolic Parameters, Oxidative Stress, And Cell Proliferation In Animal Model Of Diabetes Mellitus, Ifrah Ismail Ali

Dissertations

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a major health condition that has reached alarming levels, affecting around 537 million of the global adult population. DM is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia with disturbance in carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism. The proposed therapeutic options for DM are different according to their mechanism of action, and peptide therapy is one of these options. Adropin, a peptide hormone involved in energy homeostasis, has shown promising results in the treatment of diabetes by lowering fasting blood glucose, reducing insulin resistance, and minimizing fat storage. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that adropin is engaged …

Biological Seawater Desalination Using Green Algae And Cyanobacteria, Abdul Mannan Zafar

Dissertations

Water shortage in many coastal parts of the world is reaching alarming situation, including the United Arab Emirates. Urbanization and rapid population growth are generating critical water demands with an increase in per capita consumption. Seawater is usually treated by membrane processes such as Reverse Osmosis (RO). However, this technology is energy intensive and generates excessive brine as a waste. The solution to this problem can be found in natural remediation techniques that can reduce salt concentration from seawater, such as halophytes. A salt-tolerant species can consume Na⁺ and Cl^- ions and increase cellular growth which is termed …

A Novel Multi-Model Patient Similarity Network Driven By Federated Data Quality And Resource Profiling, Alramzana Nujum Navaz

Dissertations

Smart and Connected Health (SCH) is revolutionizing healthcare by leveraging extensive healthcare data for precise, personalized medicine. At its core, SCH relies on the concept of patient similarity, which involves the comparative analysis of newly encountered patients with those who exhibit comparable similarities from the existing patient cohort. Yet, this approach faces significant challenges, including data heterogeneity and dimensionality. Our research introduces a multi-dimensional Patient Similarity Network (PSN) Fusion model tailored to handle both static and dynamic features. The static data analysis focuses on extracting contextual information using Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT), while dynamic features are captured through …

Control Methods For Maximizing Power Absorption And Grid Integration In Point Absorber Wave Energy Converters, Abdin Yousif Elamin

Dissertations

Wave energy is an emerging renewable energy source with great potential attributable to its consistent availability and high energy density. Technologies responsible for harnessing this form of energy are referred to as wave energy converters (WECs), among which point absorbers (PAs) are a notable subcategory. Unfortunately, the unpredictable and variable nature of waves, coupled with their complex hydrodynamics, has hindered PAs from achieving maximum wave energy absorption. Moreover, the inherent variability in wave energy leads to fluctuations in the power output of PAs. These power fluctuations pose challenges for grid integration, which requires power quality compatible with grid code standards. …

A Data-Efficient Approach For Effective Diagnosis Of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy From Echocardiography Modality, Moomal Farhad

Dissertations

Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (LVH) is a medical condition characterized by the thickening and enlargement of the left ventricle (LV) of the heart. Accurate and timely diagnosis of LVH is vital for clinical prognosis and treatment decisions. Echocardiography has emerged as the gold standard for diagnosing LVH due to its ability to independently predict long-term risks such as heart failure and stroke. Echocardiography, a non-invasive and cost-effective imaging technology, is instrumental in assessing various aspects of heart health. Among the critical diagnostic calculations made possible by echocardiography, the determination of ejection fraction and heart chamber size is paramount in assessing LVH. …

Identification And Functional Characterization Of Two Novel Ring-Type E3 Ligases From Sesuvium Verrucosum, Fayas Thayale Purayil

Dissertations

Drought and salinity pose significant environmental challenges that impact the growth and productivity of plants. Sesuvium verrucosum is a succulent halophyte species of the Aizoaceae family. Halophytes have evolved specialized mechanisms to thrive in saline environments. Studying these adaptations can provide valuable insights into how plants cope with stress, thereby improving the resilience of crops and other plant species to combat salinity stress. In plants, the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System (UPS) is crucial in maintaining cellular homeostasis and regulating protein levels, particularly in stress responses. E3 ubiquitin ligases play a major role in identifying targets and transferring ubiquitin to those targets. Among …

Program: Unearthly Shadows, University Of Dayton

Dance and Theater Programs

Unearthly Shadows is a unique dance theater experience that is more than just a performance; It is an immersive event meant to envelop you completely, transforming you from a passive observer into an active participant in the story.

Program: The Moors, University Of Dayton

Dance and Theater Programs

The Moors is a contemporary feminist play by Jen Silverman that, like much of Silverman’s work, deals with themes of women pushing back against the circumstances they find themselves in. The Moors takes place loosely in the 1840s in a world inspired by Victorian England and the Brontë sisters.

Lipid Oxidative Damage In Mitochondria From Artemia Franciscana Embryos: Anoxic Challenge Followed By Normoxic Recoveries Of Increasing Duration, Samantha Shirmer

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Estimating Household Willingness To Pay For Improved Water Quality Via Community Sewage System, Daniel Harris

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Intracellular Localization And Function Of The Stress Response Kinase C-Jun Amino- Terminal Kinase In Drosophila Melanogaster, Claire Brescher

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Reactive Oxygen Species Production By Isolated Mitochondria From Embryos Of Artemia Franciscana During Normoxic Recovery After Anoxia, Olivia G. Moncrief

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Transposable Elements Are Co-Opted As Oncogenic Regulatory Elements By Lineage-Specific Transcription Factors In Prostate Cancer, Giacomo Grillo, Tina Keshavarzian, Simon Linder, Christopher Arlidge, Lisanne Mout, Ankita Nand, Mona Teng, Aditi Qamra, Stanley Zhou, Ken J Kron, Alex Murison, James R Hawley, Michael Fraser, Theodorus H Van Der Kwast, Ganesh V Raj, Housheng Hansen He, Wilbert Zwart, Mathieu Lupien

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Transposable elements hold regulatory functions that impact cell fate determination by controlling gene expression. However, little is known about the transcriptional machinery engaged at transposable elements in pluripotent and mature versus oncogenic cell states. Through positional analysis over repetitive DNA sequences of H3K27ac chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing data from 32 normal cell states, we report pluripotent/stem and mature cell state–specific “regulatory transposable elements.” Pluripotent/stem elements are binding sites for pluripotency factors (e.g., NANOG, SOX2, OCT4). Mature cell elements are docking sites for lineage-specific transcription factors, including AR and FOXA1 in prostate epithelium. Expanding the analysis to prostate tumors, we identify a …

Mechanisms Of Osteoclastogenesis In Orthodontic Tooth Movement And Orthodontically Induced Tooth Root Resorption, Yuta Nakai, Natnicha Praneetpong, Wanida Ono, Noriaki Ono

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) is achieved by the simultaneous activation of bone resorption by osteoclasts and bone formation by osteoblasts. When orthodontic forces are applied, osteoclast-mediated bone resorption occurs in the alveolar bone on the compression side, creating space for tooth movement. Therefore, controlling osteoclastogenesis is the fundamental tenet of orthodontic treatment. Orthodontic forces are sensed by osteoblast lineage cells such as periodontal ligament (PDL) cells and osteocytes. Of several cytokines produced by these cells, the most important cytokine promoting osteoclastogenesis is the receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL), which is mainly supplied by osteoblasts. Additionally, osteocytes embedded within …

Differences In The Circulating Proteome In Individuals With Versus Without Sickle Cell Trait, Yanwei Cai, Nora Franceschini, Aditya Surapaneni, Melanie E Garrett, Usman A Tahir, Li Hsu, Marilyn J Telen, Bing Yu, Hua Tang, Yun Li, Simin Liu, Robert E Gerszten, Josef Coresh, Joann E Manson, Genevieve L Wojcik, Charles Kooperberg, Paul L Auer, Matthew W Foster, Morgan E Grams, Allison E Ashley-Koch, Laura M Raffield, Alex P Reiner

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Sickle cell trait affects approximately 8% of Black individuals in the United States, along with many other individuals with ancestry from malaria-endemic regions worldwide. While traditionally considered a benign condition, recent evidence suggests that sickle cell trait is associated with lower eGFR and higher risk of kidney diseases, including kidney failure. The mechanisms underlying these associations remain poorly understood. We used proteomic profiling to gain insight into the pathobiology of sickle cell trait.

METHODS: We measured proteomics ( N =1285 proteins assayed by Olink Explore) using baseline plasma samples from 592 Black participants with sickle cell trait and 1:1 …

A Comparative Analysis Of Demographic And Academic Characteristics And Nclex-Rn Passing Among Urban And Rural Campus Students In A Midwest Associate Degree Nursing Program, Kathleen J. Nacos-Burds

Dissertations

A retrospective study was initiated to determine: (1) the predictive relationship between demographic and academic variables and NCLEX-RN success; and (2) if there were significant differences between urban and rural nursing students that could account for an increased percentage of rural NCLEX-RN failures. A convenience sample was comprised of 398 graduates in 2005-2008, of an associate degree nursing program in the Midwest. Student age group, campus enrolled, Anatomy and Physiology GPA, number of practical nursing terms attempted, Practical Nursing GPA, and the number of associate degree nursing terms attempted were analyzed for predictive value of first-attempt NCLEX-RN success.

The Social Discount Rate: Legal And Philosophical Underpinnings, W. Kip Viscusi

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

Discounting of deferred impacts of government policies is a long-established practice that has been the target of substantial litigation and continued philosophical debate. Legal challenges to the social rate of discount have resulted in general acceptance of the principle of discounting at a nonzero rate for both monetary and nonmonetary impacts. Courts have displayed a general familiarity with discounting and often require transparent justification for the selection of the discount rate based on established scientific principles. The philosophical issues are more wide-ranging and include whether nonmonetary impacts should be discounted, the use of the opportunity cost of capital or the …

Microbial Glycosylation Of Antitubercular Agent Chlorflavonin, Jie Ren, Jixun Zhan

Biological Engineering Faculty Publications

Flavonoids have shown health-benefiting properties, such as antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities, and are commonly used as nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals. Although flavonoids are predominantly identified from plants, several filamentous fungal species have also been reported to produce bioactive flavonoids, including chlorflavonin from Aspergillus candidus, a novel halogenated flavonoid with potent antifungal and antitubercular (anti-TB) activities. Unfortunately, the low water-solubility of this molecule may hinder its bioavailability. Glycosylation is an effective method to enhance the polarity of natural products and alter their physicochemical properties. This work focuses on the development of novel water-soluble chlorflavonin derivatives to combat the threat of drug-resistant …

Report To The U. S. Congress On Financing Mechanisms For Open Access Publishing Of Federally Funded Research, White House Office Of Science And Technology Policy

Copyright, Fair Use, Scholarly Communication, etc.

Executive Summary The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) submits this report to the Appropriations Committees of the Senate and the House in fulfillment of the requirement in the Committee Report accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L. 117-328) for financing mechanisms for open access publishing of federally funded research.1 According to that Report, “The Committee recognizes the considerable progress made by OSTP” and “encourages OSTP to continue its efforts to coordinate the implementation of public access policies across Federal departments and agencies and to identify additional opportunities to enhance access to the results of Federally funded …

The Nightmare Of Dream Advertising, Dustin Marlan

William & Mary Law Review

Advertisers are attempting to market to us while we dream. This is not science fiction, but rather a troubling new reality. Using a technique dubbed “targeted dream incubation” (TDI), companies have begun inserting commercial messages into people’s dreams. Roughly, TDI works by: (1) creating an association during waking life using sensory cues (for example, a pairing of sounds, visuals, or scents); and (2) as the subject is drifting off to sleep, the association is again introduced with the goal of triggering related dreams with related subject matter. Based on a 2021 American Marketing Association survey, 77 percent of 400 companies …

Divergence: Toward A Neurodivergent Latinx Liberative Social Ethic, Rudolph P. Reyes Ii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A significant problem facing neurodivergent Latinxs is the invisibility of their marginalization and oppression. Neurodivergent Latinxs are invisible in dominant society and theological discourse. While neurodivergence and disability are not synonymous, the failure to recognize the marginalization of disability contributes to neurodivergent invisibility. Disability is depoliticized when disability is conceived as an issue of individual embodiment rather than a social issue of acceptance, accessibility, and equality. Neurodivergent Latinxs are erased, and the physical, epistemic, and institutional violence against them go unnamed.

This research project uses the hermeneutical circle for ethics in formulating praxis in combating the oppression of neurodivergent Latinxs. …