United Arab Emirates University
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DUAL-SITE PHOTOPLETHYSMOGRAPHY SENSING FOR NONINVASIVE CONTINUOUS-TIME BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING USING ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORK
Get PDFMillions of people worldwide struggle from high blood pressure, often known as hypertension, and it is a major health concern that can lead to serious cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and many other consequences. Blood pressure monitoring that is reliable and accurate is crucial to the detection and management of hypertension. Although invasive techniques, such arterial catheterization, are considered to be the most accurate means of evaluating blood pressure, they can be painful, time-consuming and carry a risk of complications. This thesis presents the development of a real time non-invasive blood pressure monitoring system based on commercially available microcontroller unit and dual-sited photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors. The system collects PPG signals from two different body sites using two PPG sensors, which are then processed using MATLAB to extract five-time domain features that have a relationship to blood pressure. Using the extracted features, two regression models were built: a linear regression model and a neural network (NN) model to estimate blood pressure values. The experimental results show that the proposed system can estimate blood pressure values with high precision. The models were evaluated on 15 healthy volunteers. The linear regression model had a mean absolute error (MAE) and standard deviation (SD) of 5.86± 1.70 mmHg for SBP and 5.97 ± 4.2 mmHg for DBP, while the NN model had a MAE±SD 0.29 ± 4.49 mmHg for SBP and 0.5±2.4 mmHg for DBP. The proposed dual PPG site ANN model exhibited superior performance and robustness in real-time tests compared to the linear regression and classical ANN single-site PPG models. The proposed system has several advantages in contrast to existing non-invasive blood pressure monitoring techniques. The system\u27s accuracy and endurance are increased by using dual-sited PPG sensors because this allowed us to accurately extract an important feature from the two acquired PPG signals which is pulse wave velocity (PWV) that has a strong correlation to the blood pressure. In addition, the implemented algorithm was able to reduce the effects of motion artifacts and physiological variations which was a major factor that affected the system’s accuracy and reliability; however, the microcontroller unit makes the system suitable for use in a clinical setting by enabling real-time processing and display of blood pressure measurements. Furthermore, the use of machine learning algorithms, such as the NN model, allows for the development of personalized blood pressure monitoring systems that can adapt to individual physiological characteristics. In conclusion the use of dual-sited PPG sensors and microcontroller unit with linear regression and neural networks in the proposed non-invasive blood pressure monitoring system exhibit promising results for accurate and reliable blood pressure measurement. Future research can examine the system\u27s integration with mobile devices and wearable devices for e
ENHANCING AUTISM EDUCATION: EXPLORING INTERACTIVE VIDEOS AND AI INTEGRATION FOR EFFECTIVE TEACHING
Get PDFTeachers should be aware of how to develop effective teaching methods for students with autism. To achieve the best results, teachers need to thoroughly understand autism and the teaching methods and modifications that work best for these students. Adapting classwork & homework and helping students with language difficulties are effective teaching methods. Teachers can use books to get the necessary information and guidance or take training courses. Keeping students organized and focused is one of the needs of children with autism, as well as the use of visual strategies. Some teachers rely on fixed routines in teaching autistic children. Therefore, they must find a way to make their daily routine clear, comfortable, and predictable. The traditional method currently in use is face-to-face attendance for teachers training to come in person to instruct them or attend workshops and lectures, which can be costly and time-consuming. This thesis is concerned with training teachers’ methods of teaching autistic children, using interactive videos to improve the level of education. The main objective of this thesis is to improve teachers’ training in teaching autistic children using interactive videos. Interactive video in an e-learning system allows proactive and random access to video content. Designing videos will contribute to training teachers. The proposed solution is to train teachers in innovative and effective ways to educate autistic children using interactive video technology. Also, others who have no experience with autistic students. The interactive video will include tips and strategies for the teachers on How to communicate with autistic children to make the child\u27s learning environment better. Interactive videos give teachers control over their experience by allowing them to interact with the video content in many ways, such as making decisions and answering questions. The content of these videos will be designed based on various real scenarios taken from the social reality in the education of children with autism. Designers can use several programs and websites available online to create interactive videos. Canva and mindstamp were used for the creation of the video prototype. Each interactive video will end with a survey asking how much the teacher has gained from it. The study fits the suggested method effects of interactive video on teachers\u27 training outcomes and satisfaction in an autistic children\u27s environment. Providing a service that is an interactive video for the teachers; this service will contribute to keep autistic children engaged in the learning process. Interactive videos are cost-effective and, deliver high-quality education, also improve students\u27 performance and satisfaction levels with the least material. A prepared survey will include teachers\u27 suggestions for assessing autistic children. The most common type of teacher training reported is attending a full-day or half-day workshop. Training using interactive videos provides a better understanding of how to teach autistic children efficiently
BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF A FRUCTOSYLTRANSFERASE ENZYME FROM A HALOPHILIC ARCHAEON, HALOARCULA MARISMOTUI, FOR BIOTECHNOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
Get PDFFructosyltransferase 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 physicochemical 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, Haloarcula marismortui, to produce novel fructans for biotechnological applications. A 1.4 kb fructosyltransferase (ftf) gene from Haloarcula marismortui was cloned in a pET15b vector having a 6xHis Tag at its N-terminus and expressed in the mesophilic host, E.coli, under different growth conditions to optimize the expression of the recombinant enzyme. The expression of the ftf gene in the E.coli BL21(DE3) strain produced an insoluble protein in the form of inclusion bodies. However, soluble, and active recombinant protein has been successfully obtained in the E.coli BL21(DE3) Rosetta strain, which provides rare codons for the expression of recombinant proteins in a heterologous host. Almost 85% pure enzyme was obtained by affinity purification using Ni-NTA column. The detailed biochemical characterization (pH dependence, salt dependence, thermostability, and metal ions stability) of the recombinant enzyme showed that the enzyme works optimally in 2.5 M NaCl and is stable in 1 M, NaCl for 10 days at 4oC. The pH and temperature optima are 7 in KPi buffer and 40˚C, respectively. The enzyme lost its activity and stability when heated at 60oC and above for 5 minutes. None of the metals tested supported the enzyme activity. The enzyme synthesized more product in the presence of 1M sucrose compared to 500mM under optimum assay conditions. The TLC analysis of the product exhibited the presence of a polymer which was found to be inulin by further analysis through NMR. Production of the recombinant halophilic enzyme in a larger quantity to obtain more product for the detailed analysis of linkages among fructose monomers to explore its biotechnological potential remains a challenge for the future
POPULATION STRUCTURE AND GENETIC DIVERSITY OF THE SOCOTRA CORMORANT (PHALACROCORAX NIGROGULARIS)
Get PDFThe 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. For this purpose, I sequenced over 200 individuals, sampled from 4 colonies in the Arabian Gulf and 1 colony in the Arabian Sea (Hasikiya) for two genetic loci, the nuclear β-fibrinogen intron 7 (FIB7), and the mitochondrial gene, cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI). I used various bioinformatic tools to infer population structure, and gene flow among the colonies, based on these two loci. I also assessed and compared genetic diversity between colonies and populations inside and outside the Arabian Gulf. Finally, I employed neutrality tests to detect possible signals of selection. Overall, the results suggest very low genetic diversity for the two loci in all colonies. The results based on COI indicate that there was extensive gene flow within the Arabian Gulf, suggesting that the 4 colonies inside the Gulf form one large panmictic population. In contrast, based on COI, I detected little gene flow between those colonies inside the Gulf and the Hasikiya colony in the Arabian Sea. This strong differentiation between the colonies inside the Gulf and the colony in Arabian Sea suggests that they represent two separate populations. However, I could not detect any differentiation between any of the colonies, based on the nuclear, FIB-7 locus. Overall, the Hasikiya colony in the Arabian Sea harbors substantially greater mtDNA COI diversity than any of the colonies inside the Arabian Gulf. In contrast to the Arabian Gulf cormorants, the Arabian Sea colony also showed potential signs of purifying selection, based on mtDNA COI. The high connectivity between colonies inside the Arabian Gulf, may be interpreted as a positive sign for the conservation of this endemic seabird. On the other hand, the relatively low genetic diversity may present a challenge for the Socotra cormorant population in the Gulf to adapt to a changing environment. In conclusion, my thesis presents the first characterization of population structure and genetic diversity of the Socotra cormorant, and I hope that the insight from this will guide the conservation of these seabirds
COASTAL BATHYMETRY OF UAE USING SATELLITE-BASED REMOTE SENSING DATA
Get PDFThe thesis focuses on studying coastal bathymetry in the United Arab Emirates using satellite images. Developing a coastal bathymetry map in the coastal areas of the United Arab Emirates using optical satellite data and analyzing quality and accuracy. Multiple algorithms are used to draw these maps, and the project involves using the linear scale ratio to derive bathymetry in areas such as Fujairah Port and Dalma Island using Sentinel-2 images. Multiple tools in the SNAP application platform were used to perform these operations, including atmospheric correction, resampling, ground masking, sunshine removal, and dark object subtraction. Finally, the Sen2coral plugin was used to manually verify the steps using plug-ins derived from the Sunglitter and Bathymetry software, and the results showed that the manual application of image processing based on these principles was successful
THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ATTACHMENT AND BINGE EATING BEHAVIOURS: EXAMINATION OF THE MEDIATIONAL ROLE OF EMOTIONAL DYSREGULATION IN THE ARAB REGION
Get PDFMany factors are said to affect binge eating behaviours, one of these factors is the individual’s attachment style. Attachment styles is the early relationship that shape a child\u27s ideas and expectations about themselves and the availability of other people. This can be mediated by the ability to effectively respond and manage emotional experiences. This thesis aimed to examine the role of emotional dysregulation on attachments styles and binge eating behaviours in the Arab region. A sample of 326 Arab university students, predominantly Emirati and Lebanese, were recruited using convenience sampling and snowball sampling technique. Participants were asked to complete a survey, which consisted of self-report measures assessing attachment styles (RAAS), emotional dysregulation (DERS- 16), and binge eating behaviours (BEDS-7). Multiple mediation models were run, and showed that emotion dysregulation was positively and significantly associated with binge eating behaviours and attachment styles (β = .10, SE = .04, 95% CI .02, .19). the anxious attachment style model also proved to be significantly associated to binge eating and the mediator emotional dysregulation (β = .26, SE = .08, 95% CI .11, .41). The avoidant attachment model was non-significant when emotional dysregulation was added as a mediator (β = .04, SE = .07, 95% CI -.11, .18). These findings suggest that an individual’s ability to regulate emotion can influence whether they partake in binge eating behaviours that is related to their early experience to their caretaker. This was most prevalent in students with anxious attachment with maladaptive emotional regulation
CHAOTICALLY-DISENGAGED FAMILY FUNCTIONING AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN MUSLIM UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: THE MEDIATING EFFECT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY AND SELF-COMPASSION
Get PDFDepression is one of the most prevalent mental health issues among university students. Growing evidence suggests an association between impaired family functioning and increased depressive symptoms. However, there is a gap in the literature with regards to the factors that mediate this relationship. Psychological flexibility and self-compassion are two factors that have been previously linked to both family functioning and depressive symptoms. The present study aims to investigate the mediation role of psychological flexibility and self-compassion on the association between chaotically-disengaged family functioning and depressive symptoms in Muslim university students. Whilst previous studies have been conducted in this topic area in the United States, the results of the present study apply uniquely to the Middle East context. A cross-sectional research design was employed, whereby Muslim university students completed a set of questionnaires measuring chaotically-disengaged family functioning, depressive symptoms, psychological flexibility and self-compassion. Mediation analyses revealed that chaotically-disengaged family functioning was significantly and positively associated with depressive symptoms. Both psychological flexibility and self-compassion emerged as significant mediators in the model. As expected, higher levels of chaotic-disengagement were associated with lower levels of self-compassion, and in turn, lower levels of self-compassion were associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms. On the contrary, chaotic-disengagement was associated with higher psychological flexibility, which in turn, was associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms. The results suggest that strategies focusing on increasing self-compassion may be effective in reducing the negative effect of living in a chaotically-disengaged family environment on depressive symptoms in Muslim university students. In terms of psychological flexibility, results should be interpreted with caution, and the limitations of the methodological design must be taken into account
Development of unsaturated polyester resin mortar utilizing industrial wastes
Get PDFIn recent years, polymer mortar (PM) has played a crucial role in the modern construction industry. It is gaining recognition as an effective and quick repair material in construction applications because it has several benefits over traditional Portland cement concrete. Various types of polymer binders, such as unsaturated polyester resin (UPR), have been used in these materials owing to their low cost, excellent strength, high workability, and rapid curing. This study investigates the feasibility of reutilizing locally available waste in the production of UPR-based polymer mortar, which facilitates the development of mortars with less environmental impact. In this study, the effects of various materials on the performance of an unsaturated polyester resin mortar (UPRM) made with dune sand (DS) as a fine aggregate were investigated. This study was initiated by investigating the impact of the DS content on the performance of the UPR-based polymer mortar. The DS content varied from 0% to 70wt.%. To address the brittleness of UPR-based polymer mortars, crumb rubber (CR), which is derived from recycled tires, was introduced as a partial replacement for DS. The aim was to enhance the ductility of the developed mortar by incorporating crumb rubber. (CR) as a replacement for the DS (3, 5, 7, and 10 wt. % in 60/40 DS/UPR mortar formulation). Simultaneously, this study assessed the potential of date pits (DP), an agricultural waste product, as an alternative to DS (3, 5, 7, and 10 wt. % in 60/40 DS/UPR). DP exhibits promising potential as a viable substitute for mortar components, providing the advantage of improving their characteristics by exploiting their unique apparent and mechanical characteristics. Physical, mechanical, thermal, and durability tests were conducted to evaluate the suitability of the materials for desired applications. In addition, TGA, FTIR, XRD, DSC, and SEM analyses were conducted to confirm and explain the obtained results. The density of the developed UPRM decreased due to the incorporation of CR and DP replacements, resulting in a lightweight mortar (1475–1800 /³). CR substitution resulted in a more substantial reduction in mechanical strength, while DP replacement exhibited a more positive effect, demonstrating a moderate improvement in compressive strength, splitting tensile strength and flexural strength. The incorporation of CR significantly improved the ductility index of the developed mortar by 41.7%, whereas the replacement with DP increased the ductility index by 33.22%. The use of CR and DP resulted in a decrease in thermal conductivity, thereby improving their insulation abilities. CR replacement resulted in higher resistance to abrasion and improved durability by resisting wear and tears. The findings of this study provide evidence supporting the utilization of crumb rubber (CR) and date pits (DP) in polymer mortars and highlight their potential value as aggregate alternatives for certain applications
CONTENT ANALYSIS OF ACTIVITIES OF THE EMIRATI SCIENCE TEXTBOOKS FOR THE FIFTH GRADE IN LIGHT OF SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS
Get PDFSimilar to several other countries, the United Arab Emirates places a high value on the use of science textbooks in the process of teaching and learning science. Therefore, the content of science textbooks must always be evaluated and analyzed in light of scientific knowledge and skills. Providing science process skills in the activities of science textbooks is essential and has a significant role in pushing students toward balanced scientific knowledge because attention to skills is a tool that enables the student to succeed in understanding the nature of science. However, based on the literature, there is a scarcity of scientific studies at the level of the United Arab Emirates in analyzing the activities of Integrated Science Textbooks approved by the Ministry of Education in light of the basic and integrated science process skills. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the level of the representation of basic and integrated science process skills in the inquiry activities of the Emirati Integrated Science Textbooks for the fifth grade. This study used content analysis as a descriptive-analytical method. In fact, content analysis is a multidimensional approach to understanding a given text\u27s different meanings or dimensions. Therefore, content analysis is no less critical than the content itself. To ensure the reliability of the analysis process, another analyst analyzed the relevant activities, then the agreement coefficient between the analyst and the researcher was calculated, and the value expressed an almost perfect agreement in the analysis process. The study\u27s results indicated an imbalance in the representation of basic and integrated science process skills in the analyzed activities, where some skills were less represented than others. Therefore, the researcher offered some recommendations to the designers and developers of the Integrated Science Curricula in light of the study\u27s results, intending to draw attention to focus more on the representation of the science process skills in the inquiry activities of the Emirati Integrated Science Textbooks for the fifth-grade
ELECTRODIALYSIS PROCESS FOR THE SIMULTANEOUS TREATMENT OF REJECT BRINE AND CAPTURE OF CARBON DIOXIDE
Get PDFDesalination plants are highly efficient in producing desalinated water for potable applications. However, the process also generates reject brine, which is highly concentrated saline water. In order to produce 1 liter of potable water using desalination, approximately 1.5 liters of reject brine is generated. The disposal of reject brine presents a significant challenge for the desalination industry. Typically, this waste product is discharged into the sea, causing environmental damage, and polluting marine life. Moreover, certain countries heavily rely on desalination to meet their potable water needs, which results in the emission of greenhouse gases. As desalination plants consume a significant amount of energy, they are often located near power stations, which leads to the release of large quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. In the Middle East, the desalination industry is responsible for the majority of CO2 emissions during the process. In the UAE, the total CO2 emissions from various desalination plants have been estimated at 15,846 tons per day. Conventional methods for managing CO2 and saline waste are associated with several drawbacks, including high energy consumption, high costs, limited sustainability, and low efficiency.
A novel process consisting of multi-chambered electrodialysis is proposed for desalination industries to manage the two pollutants (i.e., CO2 and saline waste) at the desalination facilities. This can efficiently manage these pollutants in a single set of reactions to produce value-added products such as hydrochloric acid, carbonates/bicarbonate salt mixture, and irrigation standard water. Electrically driven membranes: anion exchange membranes (AEM) and cation exchange membranes (CEM) are used to separate the compartments from each other. This electrodialytic process with the help of an external driving force, i.e., an electric field increases CO2 capture and enhances the separation of dissolved salts. To achieve the simultaneous treatment of the pollutants mentioned, two different electrodialysis configurations were designed, namely the batch circulation configuration and the bipolar membrane configuration. Membranes and equipment can be fouled by multivalent ions such as calcium, magnesium, and sulfate, and thus, they must be separated from reject brine streams. To accomplish this, the reject brine underwent pretreatment using a selective electrodialysis process. To comprehend the hydrodynamics and electrochemistry involved in the process, a 2D stationary and isothermal computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed to analyze the transfer of ions in a multichambered rectangular electrodialysis process. The model was constructed by coupling Nernst-Planck equations with Navier-Stokes equations and was numerically solved using the finite element method. The model can predict local concentration, ionic flux, electrolyte potential, velocity distribution, and limiting current density for diluate, concentrate, and membranes. The batch circulation electrodialysis, bipolar membrane electrodialysis, and selective electrodialysis were separately analyzed using various parameters and optimized for maximum performance