American University in Cairo

About: American University in Cairo is a education organization based out in Cairo, Egypt. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 2472 authors who have published 5339 publications receiving 73741 citations.

A Comparative Study on the Mechanical and Biodegradation Characteristics of Starch-Based Composites Reinforced with Different Lignocellulosic Fibers

Abstract: Eco-friendly “green” composites made of bio-based polymers and reinforced with natural fibers have been introduced as a sustainable alternative to the non-renewable petroleum-based materials. The aim of this work is to assess the variations in the mechanical and biodegradation behavior of starch-based composites after being reinforced with different lignocellulosic fibers (i.e., flax, date palm, banana, and bagasse). The investigated composites, of 50 wt% fiber content, were prepared using compression molding. The biodegradation behavior was evaluated using soil-burial composting, while the mechanical investigation was conducted during and after the biodegradation test. Flax composites showed the highest tensile strength and modulus of elasticity, while banana composite had the lowest tensile strength. Both Kelly-Tyson model and Halpin–Tsai mathematical models underestimated the prepared composites’ tensile strength and modulus of elasticity, respectively, except for the case of flax fibers’ composites. The tensile strength and modulus of elasticity for all composites decreased dramatically during the first week (more than 50% reduction), then further gradual deterioration took place until the end of composting. The weight loss of the composites was gradual during the burial period. By the end of the test (6 weeks), the residual weights were 59, 47, 46, and 35% for flax, palm, banana, and bagasse composites, respectively.

A review on emerging diagnostic assay for viral detection: the case of avian influenza virus.

Abstract: Biotechnology-based detection systems and sensors are in use for a wide range of applications in biomedicine, including the diagnostics of viral pathogens. In this review, emerging detection systems and their applicability for diagnostics of viruses, exemplified by the case of avian influenza virus, are discussed. In particular, nano-diagnostic assays presently under development or available as prototype and their potentials for sensitive and rapid virus detection are highlighted.

A first-principles roadmap and limits to design efficient supercapacitor electrode materials.

Abstract: Our life is turning into an electronic world where we need our devices charged all the time. Although batteries have been doing the job so far, we need devices that charge way faster with longer cycling stability. The answer could be supercapacitors; however, electrode materials that maintain both high energy density and high power density are yet to be discovered. Currently, researchers base their work on guess and check methods to modify electrode materials with limited organized work that targets the prediction of the properties of materials at an earlier stage. To this end, density functional theory (DFT) could be a realistic tool for early prediction of the properties of supercapacitor electrode materials. The targeted supercapacitor electrodes should exhibit multiple properties, which can be calculated using different DFT routes. Herein, a roadmap to predict the desired supercapacitive properties of materials using different levels of DFT is presented. Our target is to let researchers decide which property of the material they wish to predict or develop and choose the appropriate DFT route to do so.

Toward a Pan-cultural Typology of Deception Motives

Abstract: Based on truth-default theory, this research examined accounts of recalled deception to develop a list of deception motives that are general across cultures. Participants from Egypt (N = 29), Guatemala (N = 118), Pakistan (N = 51), Saudi Arabia (N = 169), and the United States (N = 81) were asked, open-ended, to describe an instance of deception or lying either from the perspective of the liar or the target. These descriptions were used to refine and cross-validate a set of deception motives that are applicable across a range of cultures. People lie for a reason, and those reasons include covering a transgression, seeking selfish advantage, avoiding others, seeking to protect others, social politeness, making positive impressions, being malicious, and being funny.

The Muslim Brotherhood in Contemporary Egypt: Democracy Redefined or Confined?

Abstract: Introduction 1. Egypt and the Brotherhood in a pressure cooker 2. From the Friday of Fury to the Shari'a Friday 3. A civil state with an Islamic reference: an oxymoron? 4. Political pluralism with an Islamic reference 5. The Copts and the Brothers from El Banna to Bad'i 6. Islamic citizenship and its qualifiers 7. The Sisters of the Brotherhood and the woman question 8. The Gender Agenda: Reformed or Reframed? Conclusions