The risk of the forgery of signatures and the problem of the conflicting entitlements in the law of negotiable instruments: a comparative study

The concern of this thesis is to examine the risk of forgery of signatures In the context of negotiable Instruments. The allocation of the said risk is submitted to represent one of the most controversial matters among the existing legal systems. It is believed that the issue under consideration has represented a major obstacle to the adoption of an acceptable unification of the law of negotiable instruments. The main task of this thesis is to propose an efficient allocation of the risk of the forgery of signatures. The scope of this enquiry is confined to the forgery of two forms of signatures, namely, that of the proprietor of a blank document and that of the payee or indorsee of a negotiable instrument. The forgery of such signatures is submitted to represent the major incident of the problem of risk allocation in the context of negotiable Instruments. Its involvement affects the currency of such documents and ultimately, it affects the determination of the property right of negotiable instruments, as well as the enforcement of the incorporated contractual promises and undertakings. In formulating the proposed allocation of the risk of the forgery of signatures, this thesis takes into account economic considerations, as well as the considerations relevant to the institution of negotiable Instrument So The theory underlying such an attitude is firstly, to reconcile with recent developments in the law, secondly to accommodate the needs of modern society and thirdly, to promote the efficiency of a significant finance instrument. The promotion of the efficiency of negotiable instruments would necessarily promote the efficiency of the market. Finally, this thesis examines the attitude of the major existing legal systems in allocating the forgery of signatures in the context of negotiable instruments. In particular, it examines the attitude of the Anglo-American and the Continental Geneva legal systems. It examines the theories underlying such an attitude. It examines the validity of the advanced theories. It examines the compatibility of the attitude of the said legal systems with the considerations underlying the institution of negotiable Instruments as well as those underlying economic reality. Ultimately, this thesis determines the most compatible legal system with the proposed risk allocation rule

Public Relations Practitioners Use of Social Media in Kuwait Organisations: Alternative Public Relations Model in Kuwait

The Internet has significantly altered the manner in which people communicate and this has also affected how businesses communicate with their various audiences. Public relations practitioners are among those that have been using digital media in order to achieve their communication goals. Focusing on social media, this research critically compares the use social media adopted by the public relations practitioners in Kuwaiti public institutions and private commercial institutions. The research aims to develop the public relations body of knowledge by conducting an empirical investigation of public relations practitioners’ practice of social media in Kuwaiti organisations, which is a significantly understudied context. This research employs relationship management function and online cultivation strategy of public relations and social presence and media richness theories to develop the theoretical framework to examine the strategic communication in Kuwait. In order to investigate the role of social media in Public and private commercial institutions in Kuwait, social media semiotic analysis was used to investigate the public engagement undertaken by the organisations on social media (Instagram) between October 2017 and October 2018. This was supported by the thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with public relations practitioners and managers across both private and public institutions in Kuwait. The research findings contribute to develop historical narrative around digital media and society in Kuwait and build a culturally appropriate, alternative public relations practice model. The research aims to have a deeper impact on the public relations practitioners’ practices and to contribute towards developing a social media framework that is culturally appropriate in Kuwait. The final chapter includes the discussion of an alternative model of PR for Kuwaiti practitioners, along with a discussion of practitioner and theoretical implications of the research

Systematic review of the safety of medication use in inpatient, outpatient and primary care settings in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries

Background Errors in medication use are a patient safety concern globally, with different regions reporting differing error rates, causes of errors and proposed solutions. The objectives of this review were to identify, summarise, review and evaluate published studies on medication errors, drug related problems and adverse drug events in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Methods A systematic review was carried out using six databases, searching for literature published between January 1990 and August 2016. Research articles focussing on medication errors, drug related problems or adverse drug events within different healthcare settings in the GCC were included. Results Of 2094 records screened, 54 studies met our inclusion criteria. Kuwait was the only GCC country with no studies included. Prescribing errors were reported to be as high as 91% of a sample of primary care prescriptions analysed in one study. Of drug-related admissions evaluated in the emergency department the most common reason was patient non-compliance. In the inpatient care setting, a study of review of patient charts and medication orders identified prescribing errors in 7% of medication orders, another reported prescribing errors present in 56% of medication orders. The majority of drug related problems identified in inpatient paediatric wards were judged to be preventable. Adverse drug events were reported to occur in 8.5–16.9 per 100 admissions with up to 30% judged preventable, with occurrence being highest in the intensive care unit. Dosing errors were common in inpatient, outpatient and primary care settings. Omission of the administered dose as well as omission of prescribed medication at medication reconciliation were common. Studies of pharmacists’ interventions in clinical practice reported a varying level of acceptance, ranging from 53% to 98% of pharmacists’ recommendations. Conclusions Studies of medication errors, drug related problems and adverse drug events are increasing in the GCC. However, variation in methods, definitions and denominators preclude calculation of an overall error rate. Research with more robust methodologies and longer follow up periods is now required.Peer reviewe

Digital media, society and COVID-19 in UK and India: discourses and recommendations

With the coronavirus pandemic preventing various print media in reaching communities, social media platforms have become a global breeding ground for an information wave, both authentic and fake news creating panic and social tranquillity. Many methods of sharing information have been incorporated by these platforms that reach the audience at incredible speed. More than 2.9 billion individuals use social media regularly, and many for long stretches of time. Over the past two months, a wave of fake news has clouded authentic information from reaching the community as these can be influential enough to impact the thought and behaviour patterns of the individuals at large. A global public health crisis leads to uncertainty, which in turn leads to increased sharing of information. Consequences of this are usually evaluated by observing the intended change in cognition and behaviour of the individuals that they are aimed at. There is an urgent need to create the digitally literate community globally in health communication, and social media can lead the way. The integration of social media in health literacy program content is very important. Various steps have been taken by the Governments of India and the United Kingdom asking social platforms to start awareness campaigns, prevent misinformation and promote authenticity on the outbreak by initiating advisories. It would be worthwhile to explore from the socio-cultural perspective, how people from both countries have used digital technology in adopting appropriate health measures. The chapter explores the dissemination of COVID-19 information on the digital public sphere in both the countries understanding its role in influencing the public response to the outbreak. It delivers an outlook on the integration of social media as an essential tool for preparedness, response, and recovery in relation to COVID-19; that can be translated and applied in future health-related crisis situations

Burnout and coping among healthcare providers working in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Background Burnout is defined as a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterised by feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion, increased mental distance from one’s job and reduced professional efficacy. The COVID-19 pandemic has created unexpected demands on healthcare systems worldwide and they have experienced numerous stressors. As the coping is one of the stressors management strategies that may affect burnout, this is a descriptive cross-sectional study aimed to estimate the frequency and level of burnout and its association with coping strategies among physicians and nurses in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 Pandemic using Copenhagen Burnout Inventory and Brief-COPE. Results Overall, 403 healthcare providers were recruited (85 physicians, 318 nurses). Personal, work-related and client-related burnout were detected among 67.5%, 68% and 58.3% of the respondents, respectively. The mean score for adaptive coping was (27.6 ± 10.3, median: 29 IQR: 14.0) out of 48, and the mean score for maladaptive coping was (14.2 ± 6.81, median: 14 IQR: 8.0) out of 36. Some factors associated with burnout were participants’ age group, professional position, number of family members and years of experience in the medical field. The personal, work-related and client-related burnout had inverse correlations with the overall adaptive coping category. Conclusion The frequency of burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among nurses, was significant. Burnout was also frequent among both the younger age group and those with fewer years of experience. Some predictors were identified as having a close person infected with COVID-19, being assigned to treat COVID-19 patients, longer working hours, having sleeping hours affected by the pandemic and experiencing verbal or physical abuse from patients. In addition to a significant correlation between the adaptive coping category and the three burnout dimensions

Sleep Disorders in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: The Forgotten Discussion

The relationship between sleep disturbances and inflammatory conditions is incompletely understood. Studies have shown that inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients have poorer sleep quality, prolonged sleep latency and increased use of sleeping pills compared to controls. Furthermore, patients with clinically active IBD have reported significantly worse sleep than patients with inactive disease. IBD patients in remission with abnormal sleep, may be at increased risk for relapse. This study evaluated physicians’ assessment of sleep patterns in IBD patients. A medical record review of consecutive IBD patients seen at a university gastroenterology practice during a 6 months period was performed. Patient age, gender and disease type (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis) were obtained. Records were reviewed for documentation of a sleep assessment, sleep disorder or a formal sleep evaluation. A database was created maintaining patient confidentiality. The study was approved by the university IRB. 268 records (118 men, 150 women; mean age 43; 158 Crohn’s, 109 ulcerative colitis (UC), 1 indeterminate colitis) were reviewed. Eleven patients (4.1%; 7 Crohn\u27s, 4 UC) had a documented sleep disorder; 6 with obstructive sleep apnea, 2 insomnia, 1 circadian rhythm disorder, 1 with snoring. No other patients had documentation of a sleep discussion or assessment. There was no significant difference the rate of sleep assessment based upon gender, age or disease type (p=1.000). Sleep disorders may have an impact upon clinical outcomes in IBD patients. All IBD patients should be screened and treated for sleep disorders if appropriate. This study reveals that few IBD patients have documented discussions with their gastroenterologists about sleep patterns. While this study is limited due to size and single institutional design, it demonstrates a need for increased sleep evaluation in IBD patients, since early intervention for sleep disorders may improve clinical outcomes

Not to be Overlooked: The Need for Increased Dialogue Between Patient and Provider Surrounding Medical Foods in IBD

Background Medical foods are treatments with growing evidence for use in a variety of gastrointestinal diseases. They are safe and have proven efficacy in helping to manage inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). They can be used as monotherapy or in addition to traditional therapies. While medical foods offer new, evidence-based options to treat IBD, physician awareness of them remains uncertain. We examined the frequency with which gastroenterologists discussed their use for IBD management and explored associations with gender or race. Methods A retrospective review of all IBD patients seen at an urban university gastroenterology practice in a 6-month period was performed. There were no exclusion factors. Patient age, gender, ethnicity, and disease type were obtained. Records were evaluated for discussions about medical foods as IBD therapy. The associations between discussion of medical foods and gender or race were analyzed with a Chi-square test. Results 268 records were reviewed. Of those, 118 were men and 150 were women, with a mean age of 43. 80 were Black, 143 White, 6 Latino, 10 Asian, and 29 other. 158 had a diagnosis of Crohn’s and 109 had ulcerative colitis (UC), while 1 had indeterminate colitis. 8 (3%) in the cohort had a documented discussion about using medical foods to treat IBD. 6 discussed VSL#3 (2 Crohn’s, 4 UC), while 2 discussed Ensure (2 Crohn’s). There was no association between discussion of medical foods and gender (P=0.3) or race (P=0.9). Conclusion Medical foods are emerging in IBD management, with new evidence supporting their use in a diversity of clinical settings. While previously unclear, our study demonstrates that few IBD patients have documented discussions about medical foods. Though some discussions about medical foods may be undocumented, that only 3% of patients had documented discussions suggests clinicians are missing an opportunity to utilize this therapeutic option. Given the growing evidence for therapeutic use of medical foods in IBD, physicians should increase the visibility of their use