Digital Commons Network^™

Development And Evaluation Of Electrospun Pva/Lemongrass Nanofibers As Potential Pest Control Applications, Manjula Ramamoorthy, Sheeja Rajiv, B. Hamsini

Sultan Qaboos University Journal For Science

The growing demand for safe and controlled application of medicines in biological field has led to the development of using synthetic polymers. Essential oils have been used as green insecticides due to their non-toxic and eco-friendly nature. In this study, a green alternative insecticide based on PVA polymeric nanofibers and lemongrass was successfully prepared using electrospinning technique and was characterised by SEM, FTIR, XRD and TGA measurements. The developed lemongrass loaded PVA mat exhibited strong insecticidal action directed at the test insect saw tooth beetle. These findings demonstrated that the prepared electrospun blend mat might provide a protective atmosphere around …

Atomistic Insights Into The Adhesion Of Polyurea On Sio2 Surfaces Under Thermal Loading, Sajid Mohammad Chhipa, Sumit Sharma, Ashok Kumar Bagha

Sultan Qaboos University Journal For Science

The interfacial adhesion between polymer coatings and oxide substrates is a critical issue to improve the durability of the protective systems used in aggressive environments. Despite extensive research on polymer coatings, the atomistic understanding of the temperature-dependent adhesion behavior of polyurea on silica (SiO2) surfaces remains limited. In this study, the adhesion behavior of polyurea on a silica (SiO2) surface as a function of the temperature was investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. Atomistic models were created for the evaluation of interfacial interaction energy at polymer–substrate interface. The results reveal that polyurea forms a thermally stable interface with the silica with …

Synthesis Of Nio/Coo Photocatalyst For Enhanced Visible Light Assisted Photodegradation Of Congo Red Dye – A Comparative Study, Mohamed Siddiq, Akash Rajasekhar, Rajeswari Alagar, Mangalaraja Ramalinga Viswanathan, Sambandam Anandan

Sultan Qaboos University Journal For Science

Serious health issues, including cancer, redness, skin irritation, and allergic reactions, have been linked to factories releasing Congo red dye into water supplies. Therefore, this study focused on the simple production of NiO/CoO (NCO) metal oxide nanocomposites using the reflux-assisted chemical precipitation method. Subsequently, these metal oxide nanocomposites were employed for effective photocatalytic degradation of Congo red dye. The crystalline structure and phase purity of the synthesized materials were analyzed using X-ray diffraction, confirming the formation of highly crystalline cubic phases of NiO, CoO, and NCO nanocomposite. Morphological studies showed that the NCO composite exhibited a mixed spherical and square-shaped …

Biobloom Tio2: Green Synthesis Of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles Using Clitoria Ternatea Flower Extract For Bioremediation Of Textile Dyes, Nijasritha Jayaprakash, Kishore Parthasarathy, Varshana Prabhu, Sowparnika Lakshmidass, Koyeli Girigoswami

Sultan Qaboos University Journal For Science

Nanotechnology is essential in many scientific disciplines, particularly materials science, where titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles are widely studied for their stability and high photocatalytic performance in environmental applications. This study reports the green synthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles using Clitoria ternatea (butterfly pea) flower extract as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent. Phytochemicals, such as alkaloids, glycosides, and coumarins, facilitate nanoparticle formation and stabilization. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by ultraviolet (UV)–vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), zeta potential analysis, DLS, FTIR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and EDX, confirming their structural, morphological, and surface properties. Biocompatibility was evaluated using MTT, hemolysis, and …

Sustainable Microwave-Assisted Casting Route For Orthopedic Plate Implant Fabrication: A Review Of Current Status And Future Prospects, Ashish Kumar, Ashok Kumar Bagha, Sumit Sharma

Sultan Qaboos University Journal For Science

Rising need for quality orthopedic plate implants requires more efficient and sustainable manufacturing techniques. Traditional manufacturing routes for these implants includes gravity casting, forging, and powder metallurgy. Such methods often suffer from limitations such as non-uniform microstructures, high energy consumption, prolonged processing times, and environmental concern. Microwave-assisted casting using the microwave hybrid heating (MHH) approach offers a promising alternative with rapid, uniform, and volumetric heating. Microwave-assisted casting of biomaterials has recently attracted research interest for producing cost-effective, high-quality biomedical implants. This review critically evaluates the current status of microwave-based processing and casting routes for biomedical implant fabrication. It provides a …

Mechanically Modulated Photothermal Dynamics In Au-Pdms Nanocomposites For Non-Contact Stress Sensing, Woosuk Chung, Rengaraj Selvaraj, Younghun Kim

Sultan Qaboos University Journal For Science

Photothermal films used in flexible and wearable devices are inevitably exposed to mechanical deformation, yet their thermal response under such conditions remains poorly quantified. In this work, gold nanoparticle–embedded polydimethylsiloxane (Au@PDMS) films are fabricated and their photothermal behavior is examined under controlled stretching, bending, twisting, and curved-surface attachment. Gold nanoparticles were formed in situ in the PDMS matrix, producing uniformly dispersed, spherical nanocrystals with retained crystallinity. Systematic variation of Au loading reveals a proportional increase in optical absorption and light-to-heat conversion efficiency without significant aggregation. Under near-infrared irradiation (808 nm), the Au@PDMS films exhibit rapid and repeatable temperature modulation. Mechanical …

Photocatalytic Hydrogen Peroxide Production With Bi2Wo6/G-C3N4 Heterojunction Through S-Scheme Charge Transfer, Zihan Mao, Xuan Ran, Shu Lin, Kezhen Qi

Sultan Qaboos University Journal For Science

We synthesized Bi2WO6 via a hydrothermal approach and subsequently fabricated a Bi2WO6/g-C3N4 heterojunction through grinding process. The resulting composite demonstrated an impressive photocatalytic production rate of hydrogen peroxide at 4809.5 μ mol g-1 h-1, which is nearly double that of CN and 18 times greater than that of BWO. The photocatalytic effectiveness of the BWO/CN composite was thoroughly investigated under different conditions and environmental factors. This enhancement can be primarily attributed to the efficient separation and migration of photogenerated charge carrier pairs facilitated by the S-scheme heterojunction, along with improved redox capability. Photoluminescence spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were …

Morphological Determinants Of Multiple Courtyard Configurations In Contemporary Urban Housing: A Quantitative Analysis Of Plot Area And Frontage Width, Maha Khalaf Hammad, Hasan Abdulrazzaq Hasan

AUIQ Technical Engineering Science

In modern cities with small plots and narrow frontages, courtyard-based housing has come back as a flexible way to use space. This study seeks to quantitatively examine the impact of residential plot area and frontage width on the diversity and functional distribution of courtyards in modern urban housing. A quantitative morphological approach was used by looking at the shapes of 121 modern residential plans that included internal courtyards. Using AutoCAD, we got spatial data, and then we used Microsoft Excel to look at the relationships between plot morphology, courtyard number, area, and functional role. The results show that the courtyard …

Integrating Ai-Based Electricity Demand Forecasting With Solar Grid Planning To Enhance Sustainability And Reliability, Anas Thamer Mustafa, Omar Sharaf Al-Deen Al-Yozbaky

AUIQ Technical Engineering Science

Proper electricity-demand forecasting is essential for reliable power-system planning, particularly in urban networks facing rapid demand growth and transformer overloading. However, many previous studies have treated load forecasting and renewable-energy integration as separate tasks, which limits their usefulness for practical planning. This study develops an integrated forecasting–planning framework that links AI-based electricity-demand forecasting with photovoltaic (PV) system design and transformer-loading assessment. The framework is applied to real daily data from the Al-Intisar 132/33 kV substation in Mosul, Iraq, covering electrical load, temperature, population, and date-related variables for the period 2022–2024. Fourteen forecasting models from four methodological categories were evaluated: machine-learning …

Polycentric Islamic Finance: Authority, Law, And Structured Differentiation In A Global System, Muhammad Saarim Ghazi

Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Economics and Administration

Islamic finance has long been guided by an aspiration toward harmonization, with standardization and regulatory alignment viewed as pathways to coherence across jurisdictions and institutions. However, persistent variation in governance structures, interpretive approaches, and financial practices suggests that convergence has not been fully realized. This paper reconceptualizes variation not as a residual outcome of incomplete harmonization, but as a structurally generated feature of the system.
Drawing on a conceptual framework of polycentric authority, the study argues that Islamic finance operates through multiple, overlapping centers of decision-making, including transnational standard-setting bodies, national regulators, institutional Shari'ah boards, and market actors. Within this …

Cardozo Law News Brief: July 31, 2026, Benjamin N. Cardozo School Of Law

Cardozo Law News Briefs

Highlights from the July 10, 2026 Cardozo Law News Brief include:

• Interim Dean of Students Francesca Acocella received the National Association of Law Student Affairs Professionals’ (NALSAP) Core Four Award in recognition of her outstanding contributions to law student affairs.
• Professor Jessica Roth spoke to Bloomberg about the Supreme Court’s Cook, Slaughter, and birthright citizenship decisions, discussing their implications for the Fourteenth Amendment.
• Professor Michael Pollack was quoted in Bloomberg about the legal history of sidewalks and responsibilities for their maintenance, and also appeared on CNN to discuss a viral story about community sidewalk construction.
• Adjunct Professor Gary …

Sustainable Organic Materials Used In The Construction Sector, Michael P. Wistuba, Di Wang, Chiara Riccardi, Libo Yan, Zhanping You, Lily D. Poulikakos, Ana Jiménez Del Barco Carrión

Michigan Tech Publications

No abstract provided.

Teacher Agency, Distributed Leadership, And Mandated Curriculum: A Mixed Methods Study, Stephen Albert Gray

Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed methods study was to explore the relationship between teacher agency, distributed leadership, and mandated curriculum. Ecological teacher agency was the dependent variable and used as a framework to explore the problem of restrictive curriculum environments for licensed K-12 teachers in the United States. Distributed leadership functioned as the independent variable and was tested to see whether distributed leadership environments could increase teachers’ agency regardless of curriculum context. Surveys were shared through Qualtrics with 195 teachers responding (N =195), with 12 teachers participating in follow-up Zoom interviews. Distributed leadership and teacher agency were positively …

A Systematized Review Of The Effectiveness Of Sbirt On Reducing Adolescent Substance Use In School Settings, Mallory L. Mcivor

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

As substance use remains a pressing public concern for adolescents, the academic, social, and neurological consequences are extensive. Schools are uniquely situated to support large populations of youth during their critical developmental periods, and schools act as the ideal location for substance use prevention and intervention. This study explored the prevalence and influence of substance use on adolescents, the role of school climate in prevention and intervention efforts, and assessed the model Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) as a suitable framework for school-based interventions. Following a structured search across two databases, 20 studies met inclusion criteria and …

Housing Precarity Among Marginalized Women In Neoliberal Contexts: A Systematic Literature Review, Faza Nur Syahida, Joko Adianto

Journal of Strategic and Global Studies

This study presents a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) investigating the lived experiences of women from vulnerable groups in securing access to housing within the ideological contours of neoliberal capitalism. The inquiry delves into the layers of exclusion, precarity, and structural silencing that frame their trajectories. The study identifies five intersecting identities among vulnerable women: (1) single women; (2) single mothers; (3) survivors of gender-based violence; (4) elderly women; and (5) migrant women laborers. Through a rigorous database search guided by predetermined selection criteria, fifteen scholarly articles were selected for review. These were organized into the five categories, each containing two …

Presidential Visits As Foreign Policy Instruments: U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy In Trump’S Second Term, Atar Thaung Htet

Journal of Strategic and Global Studies

Through an analysis of President Donald Trump's October 2025 travel to Asia, this study investigates the consequences of U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy under his second-term diplomacy. The paper examines three significant diplomatic encounters—the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia, bilateral meetings in Japan, and the APEC Summit in South Korea—using a qualitative case study methodology based on role theory and foreign policy analysis. The results show that alliance-centered security cooperation, strategic balancing toward China, and selective economic engagement were U.S. Indo-Pacific goals. Through extremely transactional and bilateralized relations, presidential diplomacy allowed the United States to fulfill a number of foreign policy responsibilities, such …

Strong Job Markets Don’T Just Raise Pay, They Improve Job Quality, Brad J. Hershbein, Katherine Lim, Douglas Webber, Mike Zabek

Employment Research Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Type-2 And Type-N Rough Sets: A Hierarchical Generalization Of Pawlak Approximations With Some Applications", Takaaki Fujita, Ajoy Kanti Das, Suman Das, Sankar Prasad Mondal

Sustainable Machine Intelligence Journal

Uncertainty is ubiquitous in real-world systems and has motivated the development of various generalized set-theoretic frameworks, including rough sets, fuzzy sets, intuitionistic fuzzy sets, and neutrosophic sets. In particular, rough set theory represents uncertainty by approximating a target subset of a universe through two crisp sets, namely the lower and upper approximations, which are induced by an equivalence, or indiscernibility, relation.
Motivated by the well-established hierarchy of Type-2 and, more generally, Type-(n) fuzzy sets, this paper proposes and studies analogous higher-order extensions of rough sets. First, we introduce Type-2 rough sets as a two-level parameterized framework in which each primary …

Examining The Relationship Between Transport Infrastructure Quality And Co2 Emissions: Evidence From South And Southeast Asia, Badr A. Alreshidi

Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Economics and Administration

Transport infrastructure quality plays a critical role in supporting economic activity and facilitating the movement of goods and people. However, improvements in transport systems may also generate environmental consequences through increased emissions. The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of the transport infrastructure quality on CO₂ emissions in fifteen South and Southeast Asian countries during the period from 2013 to 2019. An OLS regression model of panel data was used in order to evaluate the influence of the transport infrastructure quality (road, rail, air, port) on CO₂ emissions. The results of the empirical analysis demonstrate …

Digital Transformation And Sme Economic Contribution In Saudi Arabia: A Critical Analysis Through The Dynamic Capabilities Lens, Rodrigo Bochner

Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Economics and Administration

This analytical essay examines the intersection between digital transformation initiatives and small-to-medium enterprise (SME) economic contribution within Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 framework. Drawing upon dynamic capabilities theory and analysis of government data, academic literature, and policy documents, we explore how digital transformation intensity influences SME performance and their contribution to economic diversification objectives. Government reports reveal that SMEs in Saudi Arabia grew from 429,026 enterprises in 2016 to over 1.8 million in 2024, yet contribute only 30% to GDP versus the Vision 2030 target of 35%. Concurrently, Saudi Arabia has achieved fourth place globally in digital government services and sixth …

Radiation Testing And Failure Analysis Of A Complex Heterogeneous Soc, Garrett Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Heterogeneous System on Chips (SoCs) provide a robust platform that can flexibly handle different applications. Their small form factor and low power consumption for their performance have made SoCs an attractive option for space applications. However, SoCs are sensitive to the ionizing radiation found in space. We need to understand how an SoC will behave in the high radiation found in space. This requires us to perform radiation testing of the SoCs on Earth to understand their behavior. The radiation testing and analysis of a heterogeneous SoC is complex as it contains multiple different processing cores, memories, and other system …

Fort Hays State University Tiger Weekly, July 31, 2026, University Relations

Tiger Weekly Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Training Needs And Preferences Of Small-Scale Farmers In Maryland, Lila B. Karki, Prem Bhandari, Enrique N Escobar

Journal of Extension

This study examined small-scale farmers' (N = 124) current needs, emerging priorities, and training preferences from a Farmers' Needs Assessment in Agriculture. They reported marketing agricultural products as the most important activity for building capacity, followed by certification for good agricultural practices; low-volume, high-value crops; agribusiness and enterprise development; specialty and ethnic vegetable production; and developing value-added products. The most preferred educational materials were hands-on exercises and digital learning videos. They preferred weekend programs over weekdays (afternoon, evening, and virtual) and shorter sessions over daylong sessions to benefit most from the educational events.

Evaluating Machine Learning Models On Classification Of Novel Cyber Attacks In The Healthcare Domain, Promise Ehimen

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The increasing adoption of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) has improved healthcare delivery through connected medical devices while simultaneously expanding the cybersecurity risks facing healthcare organizations. Although machine learning based intrusion detection systems have demonstrated high detection accuracy, their ability to respond reliably to previously unseen cyberattacks remains uncertain. This study investigated how a Neural Network model and a Logistic Regression model classified novel cyberattacks within the IoMT environment. The Neural Network and Logistic Regression models were both trained and tested using a subset of the CICIoMT2024 benchmark dataset. The Neural Network achieved 99.82% test accuracy and a 0.94 …

From Minimum To Meaningful: A Use Of Force Training Regimen For Rural Police Departments, Joseph Corley

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This paper examines how small and rural law enforcement agencies can improve use of force training despite limited staffing, budgets, and training opportunities. Current Minnesota POST Board minimum standards establish baseline requirements but allow significant variation in how agencies develop and deliver training, contributing to inconsistent officer preparedness and skill retention. Drawing on current research in police training, motor skill retention, and scenario based learning, this paper argues that infrequent, skills based training is insufficient for preparing officers to manage dynamic, high risk encounters. The paper proposes an evidence based training regimen centered on two department led use of force …

Foreword From Editors - 19th Edition: Community Stewardship Towards Sustainable Futures, Yandi Andri Yatmo, Kristanti Dewi Paramita, Rini Suryantini

ASEAN Journal of Community Engagement

The discussions highlighted from the articles in this AJCE edition focuses on the institutionalization, process, and implication of community in stewarding their living environment. Such focus expands the community engagement discourse, highlighting how the act of stewardships creates a sense of shared responsibility of actors to their shared spaces and resources. In turn, this shared responsibility enables the community to shift from passive act of participation to active empowerment, creates social cohesion, and establishes local governance. Such a shift towards active empowerment and shared responsibility is the key in building systemic resilience, towards a more sustainable future for society.

Ethnographic Insights Into Community-Based Circular Economy: The Case Of Waste Banks In Semarang, Rahoyo Rahoyo, Teti Susilowati, Sri Purwantini, Darto Sachius, Wilson M. A. Therik

ASEAN Journal of Community Engagement

The linear economy model has led to severe environmental degradation, prompting a shift toward the circular economy (CE) framework to promote sustainability. However, CE literature often overlooks grassroots, community-based initiatives in urban contexts, particularly in the Global South. This study addresses that gap by examining waste banks in Semarang, Indonesia, highlighting the critical importance of these grassroots initiatives within the broader discourse of community engagement. Using an ethnographic approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews, field observations, and open-ended survey responses across multiple community waste banks. The findings reveal the complex interdependence of four key actors—waste banks, itinerant collectors, scavengers, …

Systematic Review Of The Institutionalization Of Service Learning In Higher Education, Wilmer Hernan Cruz Gutierrez

ASEAN Journal of Community Engagement

An increasing number of universities are integrating service-learning (SL) to fulfill their social mission. However, sustainable institutionalization of SL remains a persistent challenge. This study identifies and analyzes the factors, actors, and strategies that drive and inhibit SL institutionalization in higher education. Using the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a systematic literature review analyzed 52 documents from seven academic databases (including WoS, Scopus, and ERIC). The findings were grouped into three sections: cultural (integration into institutional values/missions), process (articulation within teaching, research, and outreach), and structural dimensions (dedicated support entities). The results obtained reveal a reciprocal relationship where cultural alignment enables processual …

Eco-Anxiety Among Environmental Volunteers: The Emotional Cost Of Caring For The Planet, Siti Jaro'ah, Cholifia Sarining Pawasa, Kuni Saffana

ASEAN Journal of Community Engagement

Environmental disasters have frequently been shown to impact the psycho-emotional states of humans, a phenomenon commonly termed eco-anxiety. Individuals who engage in close interactions with the environment may encounter more significant repercussions than other groups, including environmental volunteers. This study seeks to investigate the phenomenon of ecological anxiety among environmental volunteers. The study employed a qualitative phenomenological methodology, using three environmental volunteers as participants. Data were gathered through semi-structured, comprehensive interviews and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The results indicate that participants experienced the effects of environmental issues in three ways: emotionally, cognitively, and in their daily lives. Among …

Thermoclock:A Novel Automated Temperature Regulation Device That Can Model Circadian Entrainment And Disruption In 2d And 3d In Vitro Models, Kaiyin Kelly Zhang, Cathryn A. Cutia, Chanelle A. Moise, Bhavna Kalyanaraman, Kaitlyn Chhe, Jiexin Wang, Michelle E. Farkas, Ilia N. Karatsoreos, Mary Harrington, Meghan E. Huber, Cathal J. Kearney

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Circadian rhythms are critical for maintaining homeostasis and regulating physiological functions, and consequentially impact disease progression; yet, they remain largely overlooked in in vitro models used in preclinical research. One major barrier to rigorously testing the role of circadian rhythms in these models is the lack of accessible tools that seamlessly integrate into standard culture setups and are capable of sustainably delivering time cues to cells and tissues in long term experiments. Here, we present the ThermoClock, a low-cost, Arduino-based automated temperature control system capable of delivering independent temperature programs to multiple cultures simultaneously. Using circadian reporter U2OS cell lines …