SACM - United States of America
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://drepo.sdl.edu.sa/handle/20.500.14154/9668
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Item Restricted VOCATION, EDUCATION, AND MARRIAGE IN NOVELS BY GEORGE ELIOT, CHARLOTTE BRONTË, AND ANNE BRONTË(Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 2025) Alazmi, Miad; Michael T. WilliamsonThis dissertation intends to pose a question that links an important nineteenth-century theory of education with literary works: how John Ruskin’s educational theories offer new insights into exploring the intellectual growth of Victorian women as shown in George Eliot's The Mill on the Floss (1860), Anne Brontë's Agnes Grey (1847), and Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre (1847), Shirley (1849), and Villette (1853). The study compares the novelists’ educational views with Ruskin’s theory and the ideologies that form its base to develop a counter-narrative to traditional feminist critiques of these texts. Drawing on Clare Carlisle’s analysis of vocation and marriage and Ruskin’s view on education, the study explores how the themes of vocation, education, and marriage intersect to shape each female protagonist’s journey toward a fulfilling intellectual life. While feminist critics such as Elaine Showalter, Sandra Gilbert, Susan Gubar, and Sally Shuttleworth have focused on gender constraints and patriarchal repression, this dissertation revisits the selected novels through the lens of vocation and education as intellectual and moral callings. Carlisle’s readings offer a more nuanced framework in which marriage and vocation are not only sites of conflict but also potential spaces for growth. Ruskin’s educational philosophy particularly in Sesame and Lilies and The Ethics of the Dust emphasizes a curriculum that develops both intellect and character, proposing an educational vision that, while gendered, urges moral and mental refinement for women. Through examining how the selected heroines capitalize on education to discover and pursue their vocations and redefine marriage as a site of mutual development, the study argues that these women novelists not only portray the limitations of their time but also envision education as a pathway toward intellectual agency. Thus, the dissertation highlights how Eliot, Anne Brontë, and Charlotte Brontë challenge traditional gender norms and participate in a broader philosophical discourse on women's intellectual lives during the Victorian period.6 0Item Restricted Lightweight ML-Based Drone Intrusion Detection System Through Model Compression(University of North Texas, 2025) Alruwaili, Fawaz Juhayyim M; Cihan, TuncThe adoption of drones in diverse domains (e.g., surveillance, agriculture, and disaster management), together with their integration of advanced technologies and dependence on wireless communication, has significantly increased the need to secure drone networks against cyber threats. Traditional network-based intrusion detection systems (NIDS) can be insufficient against novel or adaptive cyber threats and exceed the computational limits of drones. Thus, we need lightweight and efficient drone-specific NIDS solutions. This dissertation addresses this concern with the goal of achieving an effective balance between security, efficiency, and model accuracy without significantly compromising detection performance. Hence, two complementary main contributions are proposed: First, a lightweight ML-based NIDS optimized for individual drones, utilizing a quantized deep neural network (DNN) through post-training quantization (PTQ), enabling real-time, on-board intrusion detection. Second, a framework for swarm-based deployments that leverage federated learning and knowledge distillation to enable distributed training and lightweight model deployment while preserving data privacy and minimizing communication overhead. Both contributions were evaluated using real-world drone network datasets. The first contribution achieved 95.03% accuracy with significantly reduced model size and inference latency, making it suit- able for real-time and onboard deployment. The second contribution was deployed using Raspberry Pi 4 devices and demonstrated improved accuracy, convergence, and communication efficiency, achieving up to 76% reduction in communication overhead and 29% lower CPU usage. The results demonstrate the practicality and effectiveness of the proposed solutions in meeting the unique demands of both individual and swarm-based drone deployments, while achieving a robust balance between security and efficiency.14 0Item Restricted Artificial Intelligence Law in Saudi Arabia(ST.Thomas Uinversity, 2025) Alharbi, Ibrahim; Wiessner, SiegfriedThis dissertation examines the legal and regulatory frameworks governing artificial intelligence in Saudi Arabia, analyzing the intersection of modern technological advancement with traditional Islamic principles and international standards. Through the lens of the New Haven approach, this research investigates how Saudi Arabia balances innovation with cultural values while developing comprehensive AI regulations. The study focuses particularly on the kingdom's efforts to establish effective legal mechanisms for AI governance while maintaining alignment with Sharia principles and meeting global technological standards. The research employs a comparative methodology, analyzing Saudi Arabia's regulatory approach alongside the United States' frameworks, identifying potential areas for enhancement while recognizing the unique cultural and legal context of the Kingdom. This analysis reveals significant developments in Saudi Arabia's AI regulatory landscape, particularly through initiatives such as Vision 2030 and the establishment of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), while also identifying areas requiring further development. Key findings demonstrate that Saudi Arabia's approach to AI regulation reflects a sophisticated understanding of the need to balance technological advancement with ethical considerations and cultural preservation. The research identifies crucial areas for regulatory development, including the need for specialized legal frameworks addressing AI-specific challenges, enhanced institutional capacity for implementation, and mechanisms for ensuring compliance with both international standards and Islamic principles. The study makes several original contributions to the field. First, it provides a comprehensive analysis of Saudi Arabia's emerging AI regulatory framework from both legal and ethical perspectives. Second, it demonstrates how Islamic legal principles can effectively guide modern technological regulation. Third, it offers practical recommendations for developing regulatory frameworks that serve both technological advancement and social welfare. This research has significant implications for policymakers, legal practitioners, and technology developers in Saudi Arabia and beyond. It suggests the need for a carefully balanced approach that promotes innovation while protecting social values and individual 8 rights, potentially serving as a model for other nations seeking to harmonize technological advancement with cultural preservation.9 0Item Restricted Self-Assessment in Dental Education: Efficacy of a Novel Visual Guide(The University of Iowa, 2025-05) Sheikhoon, Ibtihal Ahmed; Justine, L. Kolker, Thesis Supervisor.; Aditi Jain, Thesis Co-Supervisor.; Natalia, Restrepo-Kennedy.; Maria, Marcela Hernandez.; Thiago, S. Porto.Purpose: This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a novel systematic visual guide in enhancing self-assessment and clinical skill development among first-year dental students in preclinical operative dentistry. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used, involving 70 first-year dental students at the University of Iowa and approved by the IRB [202401434]. Students were randomly assigned to either a control group (no visual guide) or an experimental group (with the visual guide). Both groups completed a Class IV composite restoration exercise and underwent self- assessments and instructor evaluations at three stages: Practice #1, Practice #2, and Practical. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests and Krippendorff’s alpha to assess grading reliability and agreement between self-assessments and instructor evaluations. Results: The findings indicated a slight improvement in self-assessment accuracy and instructor evaluation agreement in the experimental group from Practice #1 to Practice #2, but no statistically significant differences were observed. Instructor grader agreement, as measured by Krippendorff’s alpha, showed modest improvement after the guide’s introduction but remained below acceptable reliability levels. Conclusions: While the visual guide provided structure for self-assessment, its overall impact on improving self-assessment accuracy and agreement with instructor evaluations was limited. Further refinement of the guide and its integration with comprehensive feedback and training is recommended to maximize its educational benefit.13 0Item Restricted A REVIEW OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING-GUIDED ADAPTIVE RADIATION THERAPY: CURRENT CHALLENGES(Boston Universty, 2022) Alsufyani, Maha; Thomas, KevinRadiation Therapy (RT) is considered one of the most prevalent options for oncologic cancer treatment. However, due to changes in some patients' organs, size, shape, tumor position, or movement that may occur over the treatment period, adaptive radiotherapy (ART) was a new method introduced in 1997 (Yan et al., 1997). ART is used to correct these anatomical and functional variations by modifying plans during the treatment. Image-guided Radiotherapy (IGRT), as part of the ART process, is a technique used to detect these variations and adjust treatment plans accordingly (Sterzing et al., 2011). Currently, the IGRT technique uses onboard Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT), which is an effective technique. However, CBCT generates insufficient soft tissue contrast images to accurately distinguish between normal tissues and tumor fields. Therefore, a new method using Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided Adaptive Radiotherapy (MRgRT) was introduced to advance ART by providing real-time visualization of the cancer and the tissue around it (Acharya et al., 2016). To further identify and monitor anatomic motion, MRgRT offers real-time images (Chin et al., 2020). In this review, an investigation of previous studies and clinical trials was conducted to understand the challenges and limitations that can be faced by using MRgRT. The results of the study might suggest MRIgRT's potential function in enhancing radiation therapy.13 0Item Restricted DEVELOPMENT OF PSMA-TARGETED RADIOPHARMACUTICALS FOR ROUTINE CLINICAL APPLICATIONS(Texas A&M University, 2022) Abusalem, Mohammed; Ford, JohnProstate cancer (PCa) is regarded one of the most prevalent cancer diagnoses amongst men in the United States and worldwide. Moreover, PCa is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in America. Prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) has been recognized as a promising molecular target in the detection of PCa, which has led to the development of specific radiolabeled tracers for PCa imaging and radioligand therapy. Consequently, PSMA-targeted radiopharmaceuticals applications in molecular imaging have significantly grown in recent years, evidenced by the number of clinical studies published, and the recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Gallium-68 labeled PSMA-11 (68Ga-PSMA-11), a positron emission tomography imaging agent for PSMA positive lesions in men with prostate cancer. In this study, the aim is to preclinically evaluate Copper-64 labeled PSMA-I&T (64Cu-PSMA-I&T), as a potential PSMA-targeted imaging agent for routine clinical applications. In vitro and in vivo biological evaluation studies will be conducted to assess the specificity and binding affinity of the radiotracer to target, as well as estimating the absorbed dose delivered to target organs via internal radiation dosimetry measurements. PSMA-I&T (for Imaging & Therapy) offers high potential as a PSMA- binding-inhibitor, and is considered one of the first theranostic tracers, as it can be radiolabeled with various radiometals for imaging or therapy of PCa. While 64Cu is a well- established clinically available PET isotope that can be produced in large batches by a cyclotron and has a relatively long half-life (12.7 hrs.), which is important to facilitate the accessibility to and overcome logistical burdens associated with the production and commercial distribution of medical radioisotopes.21 0Item Restricted A study of dimensional accuracy in a partially edentulous arch by using a new alternate method to scan: An in-vitro study.(Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, 2023) Kazim, Sohil; Kamel, Mohamed; Saghiri, Mohamed Ali; Morgano, Steven; Morgano, StevenObjective: This study aims to determine the dimensional accuracy of 3D virtual casts generated by using 2D imaging (3DV) compared with a 3D scanned cast made with a table-top scanner (3DS) of a partially edentulous mandibular stone cast. The 3D scanned cast (3DS) was selected as a control because of its high precision and accuracy. Material and methods: A partially edentulous mandibular stone cast was scanned 5 times by using a 3D table-top scanner (Shining3D Dental, Zhejiang, China) to generate STL files. After a critical examination of all 5 STL 3D scans, 1 of them was chosen for the study with optimal landmarks and no surface defects. One hundred images of the mandibular stone cast were made by using a smartphone (iPhone 12 plus, Apple Inc, Cupertino, CA) from various angles. Then, the 2D images were converted to a 3D model by using the process of photogrammetry. The software used to render this process was Autodesk ReCap software (Autodesk ReCap, Inc, San Rafael, CA). The entire procedure was repeated 12 times to obtain 12 different data sets. To ensure repeatability of this alternate method to scan, all 3DV group casts were superimposed on each other to observe the difference between the superimposed casts. The selected 3D scanned cast from the 3DS group was compared with the 3DV group by using Autodesk Recap software to observe the match between the 2 groups. After completing the Autodesk Recap procedure, ImageJ software (National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD) was used to analyze and measure the dimensional difference between the selected 3DS cast and 3DV group. The data were analyzed by using the 1-sample t-test. Results: Twelve virtual casts of the 3DV group were overlapped on the selected 3D scanned cast which was obtained by using the table-top scanner. Significant overlaps were observed between both methods to scan for the partially edentulous mandibular stone cast (P < 0.05, CI 95%). Conclusion: The proposed method was highly accurate and comparable to a commercially available 3D table-top scanner. Clinical relevance: This new scanning technique is highly accurate and less expensive, easier to use and handle, and less space-consuming in the laboratory when compared with the results obtained from a 3D table-top scanner. Statement of problem: - High price of a 3D table-top scanner. - Size of the 3D table-top scanner.20 0Item Restricted STRUCTURAL AND MECHANISTIC INSIGHTS INTO USP10 AND USP7: CONFORMATIONAL REGULATION AND INHIBITION STRATEGIES(Wayne State University, 2025) Alshammari, Eid Salem; Zhe, YangUbiquitin-specific proteases USP10 and USP7 play crucial roles in regulating diverse cellular processes and have emerged as attractive therapeutic targets in cancer. In this dissertation, we present a multi-scale structural and molecular dynamics investigation of these deubiquitinases, combining predictive modeling, crystallographic data, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. For USP10, which lacks a crystal structure, AlphaFold model and MD simulations revealed a stable and highly conserved USP domain, with some flexible loops surrounding the active site and the Ub-binding pocket, suggesting auto-regulatory structural elements that may control conformational regulation, substrate access, and enzymatic activity. USP10’s flexible N-terminal region contains regulatory loops that transiently interact with the catalytic domain, suggesting another layer of regulation and substrate control. Compound GL462 is a potential USP10 inhibitor, exhibiting a binding mode near the active site. Protein stability and inhibition assays confirmed GL462’s destabilizing effect on USP10 through a selective protein unfolding mechanism. Its potent inhibitory activity, positioning it as a promising lead for further development. For USP7, comparative analyses of the apo and ubiquitin-bound structures revealed that proper alignment of the catalytic triad and opening of the switching loop are key elements for USP7 activation. Classical and metadynamics simulations showed that certain mutations in the switching loop, such as H294E, stabilize an active-like state with minimal energy cost, while others, like V302K, remain energetically trapped in either an intermediate or inactive conformation, highlighting the critical role of switching loop dynamics in USP7 activation. Analysis of sixteen USP7-inhibitor complexes identified two distinct binding modes. Mode 1 compounds appear to rigidly block activation by binding to a critical region within the catalytic cleft. In contrast, Mode 2 inhibitors bind at the Thumb-Fingers interface, located at the edge of the ubiquitin-binding pocket, thereby interfering with ubiquitin binding while permitting reversible regulation. Metadynamics simulations revealed distinct energy barriers associated with these inhibitors, correlating with their conformational flexibility and mechanisms of action. Taken together, these findings reveal key structural features regulating USP10 and USP7 conformational activation, regulation, and inhibition, providing a framework for developing targeted inhibitors with therapeutic potential.14 0Item Restricted Cyber Physical Attacks and Detection MEthods in Water Distribution Systems(The University of Alabama, 2025) Hameed Addeen, Hajar; Yang, XaioModern technologies adopt Internet of Things (IoT) devices to increase water management efficiency and enhance water quality services. However, the limitations of IoT devices, such as small sizes and poor security, weaken the Water Distribution System (WDS) security and many attackers compromise the critical components of WDS. Cyber-physical attacks (CPAs) are considered one of the biggest challenges that decrease the security factors in WDS by disrupting normal operations and tampering with the critical data of the water system. Therefore, this dissertation proposes an anomaly detection method to detect cyber-physical attacks and mitigate their bad impacts on the components of WDS. First, we study the current state-of-art for the common cyber-physical attacks and common detection mechanisms for the WDS. Also, we compare CPA attacks and detection methods with emphasis on ideas, methods, evaluation results, advantages, and limitations. Second, we propose a deep learning model based on a conditional variational autoencoder (CVAE) to detect cyber-physical attacks. The CVAE model shows a highly effective way to maximize the chance of generating the desired output and detecting CPA attacks quickly. We also train CVAE on (BATADAL) real medium-sized water distribution dataset and demonstrate high-efficiency results. Experiment results indicate that our proposed method of CVAE can detect all the listed attacks with high accuracy and reduce false alarm issues. Then, we evaluate the proposed models’ performance using various metrics, including accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. In addition, we compare the CVAE model with existing models to detect CPA attacks, and the results show that we reach a high accuracy of 98%. Third, we designed an adversarial attack on our CVAE model to show the security risks of this attack and the negative impact on the model’s accuracy. We apply the Fast Sign gradient method to fool the CVAE model and predict the anomalies as normal data rather than anomalies. Then, we propose our novel defense approach, the CVAE defense model, to detect adversarial attacks. The CVAE defense model consists of adversarial detection and the CVAE defense models. The adversarial detection model adopts CNN and LSTM methods to classify data as adversarial or clean. The CVAE defense model takes the output of the adversarial detection model and passes it to our proposed noise generation method. After that, the noise generation method is produced and passed to the CVAE model and activation function. Finally, we calculate the Euclidean distance between the reconstructed output and input vectors and compare it to the threshold. If the output is less than the threshold, there is no attack. Otherwise, the output should be one, and there is an attack. The results show that our CVAE defense model can detect adversarial attacks and increase the performance to an overall 92%.15 0Item Restricted Advanced Mass Spectrometric Strategies for The Selective Detection of Oxidized Lipids(University of Toledo Health Science Campus, 2025-08) ALYAMI, MOHAMMED ABDULLAH A; Von Grafenstein, HermannOxidized lipids are involved in inflammation, immune responses, and disease progression, making their detection important for many fields of biomedical research. However, analyzing the oxidized lipids is difficult because of their low abundance, chemical instability, and suppression by major lipids like phosphatidylcholine (PC) in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. This dissertation introduces analytical strategies based on selective derivatization and digital filtering to improve detection. Two complementary methods were developed. The first method, Mass-Difference Digital Filter (MDDF), uses stearic acid hydrazide to derivatize aldehyde-containing oxidized phospholipids. It monitors paired signals formed between native lipids and their hydrazones. While MDDF works well under ideal conditions, it becomes less effective when isobaric lipids interfere or when the oxidized lipids are very low in abundance. To solve these problems, the Automated Bell-Curve Selectivity Algorithm (ABSA) was developed. It uses fixed-charge Girard’s reagents (GRT, GRP, and synthesized GRB) to derivatize oxidized lipids. ABSA identifies true hydrazones by detecting a bell-shaped signal pattern across reagent concentrations, where the signal increases during optimal derivatization and decreases due to ion suppression at higher reagent levels. This method successfully detected low-abundance oxidized lipids, even when background phospholipids were present in sixteen-fold excess. In addition, peak shape analysis was performed to improve mass accuracy and signal consistency. Twelve statistical models were tested for fitting MALDI-TOF lipid peaks. The Johnson SU distribution showed the best fit for asymmetric peaks, followed by the Extended Skew Normal and Exponentially Modified Gaussian distributions. Standard symmetric models like the normal distribution did not perform well, confirming that asymmetric models are more suitable for lipid peak shapes. Overall, combining chemical derivatization with digital pattern recognition offers a practical and effective solution for detecting oxidized lipids. These methods reduce the need for complex sample preparation or chromatography and make it possible to selectively identify and quantify oxidized lipid species in complex biological samples.13 0