Intellectual movements in Saudi Arabia

This thesis studies the historical and intellectual backgrounds of some influential movements in Saudi Arabia, within a binary framework of liberal/conservative or modernist/fundamentalist. Thus, I have to examine the religious and intellectual differences of those movements that may lead to creating conflicts between them. In addition, this study provides possible solutions to conflicts and schism between schools of thought in Saudi Arabia, by focusing particularly on moderate Islamic thought as a new movement that may promote greater harmony. This thesis concludes that moderate Islamic thought can allow us to obtain a clear and better understanding of the main reasons for the struggle between different movements, and apply that on Saudi society, instead of attacking others who have opposing attitudes or different beliefs. It is also important to mention that this plurality of thought is very important for developing the freedom to express opinions within the confines of the law in the application of religious or philosophical ideas. The thesis also concludes that such approaches will help promote dialogue and understanding between different groups or schools of thought. It is hoped that this can also develop cognitive skills, through the exchange of ideas and views between different schools and intellectual movements

Absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic analysis using compact, linear variable filter based, detection platforms

Spectroscopic analysis is an integral part of biological and chemical sensing. However, most spectroscopic equipment is relegated to laboratories. Compact and portable alternatives to conventional spectroscopic tools allow for testing outside of laboratory settings. This is achieved by making the underlying equipment affordable and easy to use while preserving reasonable accuracy and sensitivity. Due to their ubiquity, and constantly improving hardware and software, smartphones represent a favorable candidate for integration with spectroscopic technologies. This work presents the design, fabrication and characterization of compact measurement platforms capable of both absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic analysis using linear variable filters (LVF). The platform's potential for integration into next generation smartphones is demonstrated by the use of a conventional CMOS image sensor in conjunction with the LVF to create the detection element. An LVF-based benchtop detection setup is initially presented followed by its miniaturized successors: compact absorption and fluorescence detection platforms. A series of tests is discussed, most notably an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay used to measure concentrations of human fetal fibronectin, a predictor of preterm birth, as a real-world contextualization of the absorption platform

Mobile phones as fomites for pathogenic microbes: A cross-sectional survey of perceptions and sanitization habits of health care workers in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Backgrounds In 2022, smartphone use continues to expand with the number of smartphone subscriptions surpassing 6 billion and forecasted to grow to 7.5 billion by 2026. The necessity of these ‘high touch’ devices as essential tools in professional healthcare settings carries great risks of cross-contamination between mobile phones and hands. Current research emphasises mobile phones as fomites enhancing the risk of nosocomial disease dissemination as phone sanitisation is often overlooked. To assess and report via a large-scale E-survey the handling practices and the use of phones by healthcare workers. Methods A total of 377 healthcare workers (HCWs) participated in this study to fill in an E-survey online consisting of 14 questions (including categorical, ordinal, and numerical data). Analysis of categorical data used non-parametric techniques such as Pearson's chi-squared test. Results During an 8-h shift, 92.8% (n/N = 350/377) use their phone at work with 84.6% (n/N = 319/377) considering mobile phones as an essential tool for their job. Almost all HCWs who participated in this survey believe their mobile phones could potentially harbour microorganisms (97.1%; n/N = 366/377). Fifty-seven respondents (15.1%) indicated that they use their phones while wearing gloves and 10.3% (n/N = 39/377) have never cleaned their phones. The majority of respondents (89.3%; n/N = 337/377) agreed that contaminated mobile phones could contribute to dissemination of SARS-CoV-2. Conclusion Mobile phone use is now almost universal and indispensable in healthcare. Medical staff believe mobile phones can act as fomites with a potential risk for dissemination of microbes including SARS-COV-2. There is an urgent call for the incorporation of mobile phone sanitisation in infection prevention protocol. Studies on the use of ultraviolet-C based phone sanitation devices in health care settings are needed

Evidence identification in heterogeneous data using clustering

Digital forensics faces several challenges in examining and analyzing data due to an increasing range of technologies at people\u27s disposal. The investigators find themselves having to process and analyze many systems manually (e.g. PC, laptop, Smartphone) in a single case. Unfortunately, current tools such as FTK and Encase have a limited ability to achieve the automation in finding evidence. As a result, a heavy burden is placed on the investigator to both find and analyze evidential artifacts in a heterogenous environment. This paper proposed a clustering approach based on Fuzzy C-Means (FCM) and K-means algorithms to identify the evidential files and isolate the non-related files based on their metadata. A series of experiments using heterogenous real-life forensic cases are conducted to evaluate the approach. Within each case, various types of metadata categories were created based on file systems and applications. The results showed that the clustering based on file systems gave the best results of grouping the evidential artifacts within only five clusters. The proportion across the five clusters was 100% using small configurations of both FCM and K-means with less than 16% of the non-evidential artifacts across all cases -- representing a reduction in having to analyze 84% of the benign files. In terms of the applications, the proportion of evidence was more than 97%, but the proportion of benign files was also relatively high based upon small configurations. However, with a large configuration, the proportion of benign files became very low less than 10%. Successfully prioritizing large proportions of evidence and reducing the volume of benign files to be analyzed, reduces the time taken and cognitive load upon the investigator

Increased Level of Angiopoietin Like Proteins 4 and 8 in People With Sleep Apnea

Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder caused by the complete or partial obstruction of the upper airways. The worldwide prevalence of OSA is increasing due to its close association with obesity epidemic and multiple health complications, such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and Type 2 diabetes. Angiopoietin-like protein (ANGPTL)-4 and ANGPTL8 (betatrophin) have been suggested to play a role in the development of these diseases through their role in regulating the metabolism of plasma lipid molecules. This study was designed to evaluate ANGPTL4 and 8 levels in an OSA group and a control group to clarify the effect of OSA on ANGPTL4 and 8 levels.Methods: In total, 74 subjects were enrolled in this study, including 22 age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched controls with the Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) score of <5 events/h and 52 subjects with an AHI score of >5 events/h. Sleep apnea was assessed using a portable sleep test. ANGPTL4 and 8 levels were measured in plasma samples using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results: Mean AHI score (2.5 ± 1.6) in the control group was significantly lower than that in the OSA group (22.9 ± 17.9; p < 0.0001). Leptin, interleukin-(IL) 6, insulin, and HOMA-IR values were higher in the OSA group than in the control group. ANGPTL8 level was higher in the OSA group (1130.0 ± 108.61 pg/mL) than in the control group (809.39 ± 108.78 pg/mL; p = 0.041). Similarly, ANGPTL4 was higher in the OSA group (179.26 ± 12.89 ng/mL) than in the control group (142.63 ±7.99 ng/mL; p = 0.018).Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that ANGPTL4 and 8 levels were increased in subjects with OSA, suggesting that the upregulation of these lipid metabolism regulators might play a role in lipid dysregulation observed in people with OSA

Common variants in toll-like receptor family genes and risk of gastric cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: An increasing number of studies have suggested the relationship between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in toll-like receptor (TLR) genes and gastric cancer (GC) susceptibility; however, the available evidence is contradictory. This meta-analysis aimed to comprehensively evaluate whether the SNPs within the TLR family are related to GC development.Methods: PubMed, Scopus, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) were systematically searched up to May 2023 to obtain the pertinent publications. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were applied to examine the associations using the random-effects model.Results: A total of 45 studies with 25,831 participants (cases: 11,308; controls: 14,523) examining the relation of 18 different SNPs in the TLR family to GC were analyzed. Variations in TLR-4 rs4986790, TLR-4 rs4986791, TLR-5 rs5744174, and TLR-9 rs187084 were significantly associated with increased risk of GC in different genetic models. No significant association was detected for TLR-2-196 to -174de (Delta22), TLR-2 rs3804100, TLR-4 rs11536889, TLR-4 rs11536878, TLR-4 rs2770150, TLR-4 rs10116253, TLR-4 rs1927911, TLR-4 rs10983755, TLR-4 rs10759932, TLR-4 rs1927914, and TLR-10 rs10004195.Conclusion: These findings indicate that variations in TLR-4, TLR-5, and TLR-9 genes were found to be potential risk factors for GC

From the development of an open-source energy modelling tool to its application and the creation of communities of practice: The example of OSeMOSYS

In the last decades, energy modelling has supported energy planning by offering insights into the dynamics between energy access, resource use, and sustainable development. Especially in recent years, there has been an attempt to strengthen the science-policy interface and increase the involvement of society in energy planning processes. This has, both in the EU and worldwide, led to the development of open-source and transparent energy modelling practices. This paper describes the role of an open-source energy modelling tool in the energy planning process and highlights its importance for society. Specifically, it describes the existence and characteristics of the relationship between developing an open-source, freely available tool and its application, dissemination and use for policy making. Using the example of the Open Source energy Modelling System (OSeMOSYS), this work focuses on practices that were established within the community and that made the framework's development and application both relevant and scientifically grounded

From the development of an open-source energy modelling tool to its application and the creation of communities of practice: The example of OSeMOSYS.

In the last decades, energy modelling has supported energy planning by offering insights into the dynamics between energy access, resource use, and sustainable development. Especially in recent years, there has been an attempt to strengthen the science-policy interface and increase the involvement of society in energy planning processes. This has, both in the EU and worldwide, led to the development of open-source and transparent energy modelling practices. This paper describes the role of an open-source energy modelling tool in the energy planning process and highlights its importance for society. Specifically, it describes the existence and characteristics of the relationship between developing an open-source, freely available tool and its application, dissemination and use for policy making. Using the example of the Open Source energy Modelling System (OSeMOSYS), this work focuses on practices that were established within the community and that made the framework's development and application both relevant and scientifically grounded

The Climate, Land, Energy, and Water systems (CLEWs) framework: a retrospective of activities and advances to 2019

Population growth, urbanization and economic development drive the use of resources. Securing access to essential services such as energy, water, and food, while achieving sustainable development, require that policy and planning processes follow an integrated approach. The 'Climate-, Land-, Energy- and Water-systems' (CLEWs) framework assists the exploration of interactions between (and within) CLEW systems via quantitative means. The approach was first introduced by the International Atomic Energy Agency to conduct an integrated systems analysis of a biofuel chain. The framework assists the exploration of interactions between (and within) CLEW systems via quantitative means. Its multi-institutional application to the case of Mauritius in 2012 initiated the deployment of the framework. A vast number of completed and ongoing applications of CLEWs span different spatial and temporal scales, discussing two or more resource interactions under different political contexts. Also, the studies vary in purpose. This shapes the methods that support CLEWs-type analyses. In this paper, we detail the main steps of the CLEWs framework in perspective to its application over the years. We summarise and compare key applications, both published in the scientific literature, as working papers and reports by international organizations. We discuss differences in terms of geographic scope, purpose, interactions represented, analytical approach and stakeholder involvement. In addition, we review other assessments, which contributed to the advancement of the CLEWs framework. The paper delivers recommendations for the future development of the framework, as well as keys to success in this type of evaluations

Government Expenditure and Relative Efficiencies: A Case Study of the United Arab Emirates with Application of the Relative Political Allocation Model

This dissertation evaluates the efficiency of general government expenditure of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) relative to other countries. To achieve this, the case study utilized the Relative Political Allocation model (RPA) paired with Analytic Narrative as a method of analysis. Secondary data of the UAE and other countries are obtained from the latest Relative Political Capacity dataset V2.4 (2020). The aim of this case study was two-fold. First, related to the UAE, it sought to identify the mechanisms and historical sources of efficiencies/inefficiencies over time in the UAE government’s allocation of its public expenditure in four key functional areas. After identifying the sources of varying relative efficiencies, a qualitative analysis of the socioeconomic and political factors effecting changes in allocation preferences was conducted. At the end of this study, specific policy adjustments for improving efficiencies in UAE government expenditure are recommended. Second, related to the model, this study explored whether the RPA model is suitable for explaining the intricacies of UAE’s unique case. This research has found that despite its limitations, RPA is a promising model that provides important insights in a case study setting. A step-by-step guide to the application of the RPA model to a case study has been provided for future replication. Future extension of this research as well as future improvement of the RPA model are suggested