Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Assessment Of Groundwater Resources In Selected Areas Of Al Ain In The U.A.E., Fatma Abdullatif Al Shahi

Theses

The sustainable development of any region depends on the availability of water resources. In arid and semi-arid regions, the shortage in freshwater resources constitutes the major constraint against the expansion in agricultural and industrial activities. Therefore, every possible effort should be made to assess, develop and sustain the limited freshwater water resource in such regions.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is located in an arid region, where the climate is harsh and the renewable freshwater resources are very limited. Despite the severe shortage in water resources, water is misused and sometimes wasted. The per capita daily consumption in the UAE …

Intramural, Collaborative Learning Systems, Robert S. Friedman

Theses

This thesis focuses on three related concepts: problem-based collaborative learning; the use of multimedia tools in learning systems; and participatory design as a software engineering methodology to create multimedia tools to be used in learning systems. A literature review of the three areas is followed by an overview of the pedagogical, technological, and business trends that affect the direction of innovation in education, including problem-based learning. A discussion of a software engineering project to develop a multimedia application that enhances the learning of geography skills and puts the programming, interface design and multimedia systems capabilities of college students into action …

Statistical Image Analysis Of Spotted Arrays, Filippo Posta

Theses

There is a lot of systematic and specific variability in microarray experiments, this variability affects measured gene expression levels, leading to unreliable gene profiling or an heavy load of extra experiment to statistically confirm the data observed in one experiment.

The aim of this work is to systematically analyze, using statistics, the image derived from a cDNA microarray experiment to have a better understanding of this variability and thus a better confidence over the data obtained from an experiment.

Using technologies available at the Center for Applied Genomics, Newark, New Jersey. Selected images derived from different type of microarray experiments …

An Algorithm For Estimating The Quality Of Microarrays, Ajeet S. Sodhi

Theses

Microarray technology is currently one of the most valuable gene expression tools in molecular biology allowing the experimenter to simultaneously quantify the expression of thousands of genes. It is also one of the most difficult tools to use accurately as each microarray produces a large amount of information that needs to be inspected and normalized before analysis. As the size of a microarray or number of replicates increase, the use of manual inspection becomes impractical. The aim of this thesis is to introduce an algorithm that evaluates each feature of a microarray from the scanned data file. A quality score …

Monitoring Of Air Quality In Abu-Dhabi City 1998-2001, Fatima Yahya Abdullah Ahmed Al-Aidrous

Theses

Documentation of air pollution and sources in the emirate of Abu Dhabi has never been reviewed in terms of its effect on health. No research by means of a population-based study has been conducted in order to define the important epidemiological characteristics of air pollution in human health. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the levels of air pollutants in the environment of Abu Dhabi Emirate, and the effects of air pollution on human health. Additionally, a comprehensive time-series analysis was performed on the air quality data for a period of four years (1998-2001)

The study was undertaken …

An Evolving Approach To Learning In Problem Solving And Program Development : The Distributed Learning Model, Idania Espinosa

Theses

Technological advances are paving the way for improvements in many sectors of society. The US education system needs to undergo a transformation of existing pedagogical methods to maximize utilization of new technologies. Traditional education has primarily been teacher driven, lectured-based in one location. Advances in technology are challenging existing paradigms by developing tools and educational environments that reach diverse learning styles and surpass the boundaries of current teaching methods.

Distributed learning is an emerging paradigm today that has promise to contribute significantly to learning and improve overall academic success. This research first explores various systems that provide different modes of …

Sustainable Agriculture : Pragmatism, Distinctions On Artifacts And The Role Of The Land Ethic, Dustin Mulvaney

Theses

This thesis will explore the ethical dimensions of global agriculture from the productionist paradigm to the land ethic in the context of the sustainable agriculture promoted in the fair trade, shade grown, and organic coffee movements. Much of the sustainable development debate in the environmental ethics literature has centered on justifications (from anthropocentric and nonanthropocentric worldviews) for preserving nature. Since agriculture is an artifact of human sedentary civilization, traditional nonanthropocentric arguments do not suffice because of the tendency to focus exclusively on natural systems. Building on the work of Katz's "Pragmatic ReConsideration" and Light's "methodological pragmatism," the role of anthropocentric …

Novel Synthesis Of 2-Methyl-3, 4, 5-Trichloropyrimidine, Daniel M. Goldman

Theses

A one-step synthesis of the heterocycle 2-methyl-3,4,5-trichloropyrimidine by the cycloaddition of hexachloropropene with acetamidine hydrochloride in methanolic NaOH was attempted. The product was dark amber oil. A by-product of this reaction was sodium chloride. The proposed reaction was expected to proceed via a SN2 nucleophilic displacement of three chlorine atoms on hexachloropropene by acetamidine, the nucleophile. The proposed driving force for this transformation is the lone pair of electrons on the amidine nitrogen along with the electron withdrawing ability of three chlorines on hexachloropropene which induces a partial positive charge on the carbon. It is proposed that the chlorine atoms …

Agricultural Land Reform Policy In Western Ukraine : The Influence Of Environmental History And Ethics, Andrew B. Wowk

Theses

Agricultural land privatization is an important environmental and economic policy within Ukraine, which is transitioning to a market-based economy. This thesis studied the influence of bioregional environmental history and environmental ethics on land privatization in Western Ukraine, within Lviv oblast, through historical research and field research of private farmers.

Historical research showed that due to its environmental history, the study area was particularly receptive to land privatization after Ukraine's independence in 1991. Field research indicated that farmers in the study area generally see private ownership of land as better for humans and the environment than collective land ownership. The farmers …

Effect Of Feeding Date Pits On Repartitioning Of Nutrients And Fertility In Rats., Ayesha Salem Al - Dhaheri

Theses

Five isonitrogenous (23% CP) and isocaloric (2.8 Mcal/kg) diets were prepared and used in this study; two control diets (diet 1, no date pits; diet 2, no date pits + 300 mg/kg vitamin E) and three diets containing date pits (diet 3, 12.5% date pits (DP); diet 4, 12.5% DP + 300 mg/kg vitamin E; and diet 5, 25% DP). Ninety mature Wistar rats (45 females and 45 males) were used in this experiment. All animals were provided with feed and water on an ad libitum basis for 29 consecutive days. Water and feed intake were measured daily Body weights …

Studies On Salt And Heat Stresses Tolerance Of Date Palm Plants Regenerated By Tissue Culture, Khair Tuwair Said Al-Busaidi

Theses

This research was conducted during the period of 2001/2002 to determine the thermotolerance of date palm leaflets reproduced by tissue culture and compared that with the tolerance of offshoot for the same cultivar Rzaiz. Heat tolerance of these leaflets in the presence of high salt concentration was also determined. Tissue culture plantlets used in this investigation were at two stages of acclimatization, namely VP2 and VP3 (vitro plants under acclimation program for about 4 to 6 months and 10 months, respectively). Rzaiz offshoots attached to the mother plants were about 4 years old. The electrolyte leakage procedure was used to …

Rescue Of Embryonic Dysmorphogenesis In Diabetic Rats By Using The Antioxidant Α- Lipoic Acid, Muhaira Hamad Majed Al Ghafli

Theses

Background:

The risk of congenital anomalies in children of diabetic mothers is three to four times that in offspring of non-diabetic mothers. The exact mechanisms of these birth defects are not known. Of the several factors suggested to contribute to embryonic maldevelopment in diabetic pregnancy, the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and subsequent disturbances to cellar defenses appears to be a plausible hypothesis. Antioxidants have been reported to rescue the embryos from being malformed in animal experiments. This study was aimed to determine if the ideal antioxidant lipoic acid would ameliorate the embryos from maternal diabetes-induced anomalies.

Methods:

Female …

Effect Of Environmental Heat Stress On Embryonic Bone Development, Noura Musaed Al-Menhali

Theses

Birth defects are anatomical abnormalities present at birth. The causes of birth defects are genetic, environmental and multifactorial inheritance factors. The main objective of the thesis is to determine the effects of maternal heat stress during rat pregnancy on fetal axial skeletal development and to explore some of the possible maternal and placental responses to heat stress.

Experiment one: A group of 40 Wistar pregnant rats were randomly assigned to two treatment groups, a control group (non-stressed, n = 10) heat at 21°C and a heat-stressed group kept at 41 °C (n = 30) for one hour on day 9 …

The Improvement Of Some Natural Organic Fertilizers Using Beneficial Microorganisms, Mariam Naseeb Al Hameeri

Theses

The random uses of inorganic fertilizers in the UAE farms generate a serious threat about polluting the soil, and the environment. This motivates some researchers to find suitable alternatives, which can give a better crop yield, and at the same time become friendly to the environment.

The present study was performed to find environmentally friendly biological fertilizers to substitute or reduce the application of inorganic fertilizers. Actinomycetes, which are known to produce plant growth regulators (PGRs) were isolated from UAE soils. A total of fifty-seven actinomycetes were isolated from a cucumber rhizosphere soil at a farm in AI-Ain city. Out …

Modeling And Assessment Of Environmental Capacity, Dubai Coastal Region, United Arab Emirates, Mohammad Abdul Rahman Hassan Deshgooni

Theses

The area investigated covers Dubai Creek in the Arabian Gulf Ten stations

Were elected for the tidy, covering the maximum fragments of the Creek. The

Assessment of environmental capacity indicated the presence of at least two

Distinct e regions along the Creek. The area located between Stations 1-3 is the

Downstream region; while the area laying between Stations 4-10 is the upstream

Region Water samples were analyzed for physico-chemical parameters (Water

Temperature, pH, salinity, Dissolved Oxygen, and Turbidity); and nutrients (Total

Nitrogen, Nitrate -nitrogen and Phosphate-phosphorus). Whereas the surface

Sediments were analyzed for: Moisture Content, Organic Carbon, and Texture

analyses; …

Simulation And Economic Study Of The Med-Tvc Units At Umm Al Nar Desalination Plant, Shaikh Omar Al-Habshi

Theses

A rigorous mathematical model has been used to develop a steady state simulation program MEDNAR to analyze the multi-effect thermal vapor compression desalination (MED-TVC) plant at Umm Al-Nar power and desalination plant. The effect of thermodynamic losses on the thermal performance ratio, the specific heat transfer area and the specific flow rate of the cooling water are taken into account. The losses contemplated are the boiling point elevation and the temperature depression corresponding to the pressure drop during the vapor condensation process. The MEDNAR also takes into consideration the variation in the physical properties of the seawater with temperature and …

Msf Desalination: Modeling, Simulation, And Economic Study, Abdallah S. Al-Mazroui

Theses

Some data was collected and reported for seawater desalination in the gulf region. Some information is also given regarding the multi–stage flash (MSF) desalination plants in the United Arab Emirates. The total installed capacity of these plants is 518 MIG. It was revealed that the water demand in the Abu Dhabi Emirate alone has increased by 30 folds during the last 25 years.

A literature survey was conducted mainly on modeling and simulation of MSF desalination processes. A number of commercial software such as Speedup, Camel, and EvapoLund were reviewed with special emphasis on EvapoLund that has been used as …

Enhancement Of Bioavailability And Determination Of Some Fluoroquinolones Antibiotics; Application To U A E Market, Moza Rashed Sultan Al-Zaabi

Theses

Chapter 1 of this thesis includes the importance of fluoroquinolones as one of the most impressive antibacterial drugs. Also, a complete picture about the selective molecules named cyclodextrins (CDs) is drawn. Such molecules are able to form inclusion complexes with a wide variety of lipophilic drugs. That is why CDs act as drug carriers through an aqueous media to the lipophilic cell membrane and delivers them to cells. Which results in enhancing the bioavailability of drugs with low aqueous solubility. Moreover, an explanation of the DNA/drug interactions is proposed. These are extremely useful in understanding the DNA sequence recognition by …

Adipocyte Specific Release Of Tumor Necrosis Factor In Response To Medicinal Plants And Synthetic Nucleosides In Vitro, Afra Sultan Saeed Al Shamsi

Theses

Adipocytes play an important role in insulin resistance through its endocrine functions such as production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). Adipocyte specific TNF-α inhibits insulin receptor protein tyrosin kinase activity causing the development of type2 diabetes (NIDDM). Nucleosides trigger a variety of regulatory effects in biological systems, such as inhibiting or stimulating protein synthesis. The present study was carried to screen seven synthetic nucleosides, for their effect on TNF-α release from adipocytes in vitro. Subcutaneous adipose tissue was dissected under sterile condition and plated in 24-well dishes in a humidified CO₂-incubator in the presence or absence of …

Detoxification Of Carbonaceous Cathode Waste For The Recovery Of Usable Silicon Carbide, Khalid Jassim Ahmed Abdullah Akran

Theses

No abstract provided.

Mathematical Modeling Of Multi-Effect Thermal Vapor Compression Desalination Processes, Salem Khalfan Salem

Theses

A mathematical model has been developed to predict the performance of any multi-effect desalination with thermal vapor compression (MED-TVC). The model consists of mass and energy balances, rate equations, correlations for film heat transfer coefficients for horizontal falling film evaporators, and correlations for physical and thermodynamic properties for saline water. The mathematical model has been coded using visual Basic and assigned the name MEDUAE.

Computer simulations were executed, using the in-house developed program (MEDUAE) and the commercial software package Evapolund using design and plant operating data of 3 different MED-TVC desalination plants in UAE. The main objectives have been to …

The Siting Of Regional Sanitary Landfills Or Facilities For Municipal Solid Waste In The Upper Southern Region Of Thailand, Jantira Duangsai

Theses

The pollution problem from municipal solid waste in Thailand is serious. Population growth and rapid economic expansion have resulted in a significant increase in the quantity of solid waste. Inadequate provisions for waste collection, shortages of disposal equipment, and the inability of the responsible agencies to find appropriate disposal sites, also are major causes of the present problems. The environmental impacts that result from unsanitary disposal sites have become a serious public concern across the country.

Environmentally protective and publicly acceptable siting of regional sanitary landfills or facilities for municipal solid waste management in the upper southern region of Thailand: …

Simulation And Close-To-Optimal Algorithm For The Static Load Balancing Of A Network Of Heterogeneous Processors, Mark G. Steiner

Theses

A close-to-optimal linear programming-based algorithm for the static load balancing of a network of heterogeneous processors is described and implemented. Experimental results suggest that the amount of time required by the implementation of the algorithm to balance the loads of the servers as a function of the number of servers has polynomial complexity.

Comparative Molecular Field Analysis (Comfa) Of Protonated Methylphenidate Phenyl-Substituted Analogs, Kathleen Mary Gilbert

Theses

Protonated methylphenidate (pMP) and several phenyl-substituted pMP analogs were analyzed using Comparative Molecular Field Analysis (CoMFA) to develop a pharmacophore for dopamine transporter (DAT) binding. This research is a part of an interdisciplinary study on using methylphenidate (MP) analogs to block the binding of cocaine to the DAT as a treatment for addiction.

A random search conformational analysis using key pMP torsional angles was performed to create conformer families representing possible bioactive conformations. The lowest energy pMP conformer of each family was used as a template to create phenyl-substituted pMP analogs.

Partial least squares analysis was used to determine the …

Short-Term Community Based Dune Management Activities On A Highly Developed Coast In New Jersey, Stacy Mccormack

Theses

Recently, local governments have started to realize the effectiveness of dune building as a form of hazard mitigation and have engineered dunes for this purpose. This study evaluates dune management at the local level; specifically, short term management practices, physical constraints, dune management participants, and sources of guidance. A review of municipal regulations, topographic surveys, and interviews with local officials were conducted in four New Jersey communities: Belmar, Spring Lake, Sea Girt and Manasquan. The results of this study indicate that dunes were established as part of local hazard mitigation planning in response to the 1992 storm, and topographic surveys …

A Tool For Phylogenetic Data Cleaning And Searching, Viswanath Neelavalli

Theses

Data collection and cleaning is a very important part of an elaborate Data Mining System. 'TreeBASE' is a relational database of phylogenetic information at the Harvard University with a keyword based searching interface. 'TreeSearch' is a Structure based search engine implemented at NJIT that can be used for searching phylogenetic data. Phylogenetic trees are extracted from the flat-file database at Harvard University, available at {ftp://herbaria.harvard.edu/pub/piel/Data/files/}. There is huge amount of information present in the files about the trees and the data matrices from which the trees are generated. The search tool implemented at NJIT is interested in using the string …

A Review And Assessment Of Novice Learning Tools For Problem Solving And Program Development, Christopher John Bladek

Theses

There is a great demand for the development of novice learning tools to supplement classroom instruction in the areas of problem solving and program development. Research in the area of pedagogy, the psychology of programming, human-computer interaction, and cognition have provided valuable input to the development of new methodologies, paradigms, programming languages, and novice learning tools to answer this demand.

Based on the cognitive needs of novices, it is possible to postulate a set of characteristics that should comprise the components an effective novice-learning tool. This thesis will discover these characteristics and provide recommendations for the development of new learning …

Design And Analysis Of Radio Frequency Deployment Algorithms For Gsm, Mónica Pérez-Carbonell

Theses

Due to the growth of the subscriber base and the introduction of new services, mobile communications networks’ demand for wireless resources is increasing. This has resulted in an increasing need to change the frequency allocation of a network in order to adapt the cellular network to new frequency demands.

Currently, a planning tool generates a new frequency plan, which is. then deployed to cell sites. The deployment should ideally be carried out with minimum disruption to network operation, which makes this deployment process a critical undertaking as any errors during or after the deployment can leave the network with poor …

Closed Industrial Water Cycles, Celine Bellec

Theses

Due to this decade of rapid growth, Ireland has to face difficulties created by an increase use of water as well as a decreasing water quality due to sewage discharges, agriculture and industries.

The awareness of the danger to the environment, resulting from the over extraction and stricter discharge regulations, has caused the cost of freshwater and wastewater treatment to rise. Therefore there is a growing interest in the manufacturing industries to reduce both freshwater consumption and wastewater production by improving the efficiency of their processes.

Three industrial sectors were studied following the same methodology: the pharmaceutical sector, the textiles …

The Evolution Of Cell Colonies In Volvocacean Algae : Investigation By Theoretical Analysis And Computer Simulation., Frank Noe

Theses

This thesis presents a mathematical analysis and computational simulation which is used to investigate the evolution of cell colonies. The evolutionary transition from unicellular to cell colony form is a prerequesite for multicellular life as it exists abundantly on earth. This transition has occured numerous times independently so that we expect a high selective advantage to be associated with it. The photosynthetic green algae order Volvocaceae is an appropriate set of model organisms for the study of the evolution of cell colonies since it comprises living unicellular organisms, cell colonies, and multicellular organisms of different shapes, sizes and levels of …