Browsing by Author "Alqarni, Abdullah"

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Sex Differences in White Matter Hyperintensities in the Ageing Brain
(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-11-22) Alqarni, Abdullah; Wei, Wen; Perminder, Sachdev; Jiyang, Jiang
Cerebral white matter hyperintensities (WMH) appear in the brain magnetic resonance imaging scan at early age and become more prevalent at older age. Despite that old age is known as the main risk factor for WMH accumulation, the literature has shown that many vascular risk factors contribute significantly to the existence and progression of WMH. Women were shown to have higher WMH volume compared to men in the literature. However, the existing literature lacks comprehensive evidence to address why such pattern is noted. Therefore, this thesis aims to examine sex differences in WMH. Specifically, three studies were conducted: (1) investigating sex differences in the associations between vascular risk factors and WMH, (2) examining the contribution of the hormonal risk factors to WMH and their moderation effects on the associations between vascular risk factors and WMH, and (3) examining sex differences in longitudinal associations between vascular risk factors and WMH, and the effects of WMH progression on cognitive decline. Results showed that the pattern of higher WMH in women compared to men was identified across the studies, however, men had stronger contributions of vascular risk factors, especially obesity measures, to WMH. The second study showed that hypertensive postmenopausal women benefited significantly from using hormone replacement therapy, especially when taken early and for longer duration. Diabetic women and women with increased pulse wave velocity had increased deep WMH when post-menopausal duration was one standard deviation below the mean. In men, smokers with higher testosterone levels had significant increase in WMH. In the third study, significant sex differences were found in the association between WMH progression and cognition. Specifically, increases in periventricular WMH volume over time was associated with greater decline in visuospatial abilities in men, but not in women. In women, but not in men, higher average periventricular WMH volumes across time-points was associated with poorer executive function. The thesis comprehensively examined sex differences in vascular and hormonal risk factors associated with WMH, as well as in cognitive consequences of the progression of WMH. The findings highlight the importance of taking sex differences into consideration clinically and for future clinical research of WMH.
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The Sociocultural Dynamics of Translating English Self-Help Literature into Arabic in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A Bourdieusian Perspective
(Cardiff University, 2024) Alqarni, Abdullah; Goluch, Dorota; Polezzi, Loredana; Khalifa, Abdel-Wahab
This thesis examines the translation of English-language self-help (S-H) literature into Arabic in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) from 1982 to 2016. Utilising Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of social practices, this thesis focuses on the socio-cultural dynamics of translational production. It combines three methods and analyses three corresponding sets of data: a bibliographical database of S-H translations published in KSA (which was compiled for this study), interviews with key translation co-producers and selected paratextual elements of the translations. The significance of this thesis lies in its examination of how English-language S-H literature, which evolved in the Anglophone American culture, has been translated into the Islamic and Arabic socio-cultural milieu in KSA. The history of the field is traced by identifying its two main phases of production, 1982–1998 and 1998–2016, after which the trajectories, practices and production of the field’s individual and institutional agents are chronologically analysed. Furthermore, the role of complex dynamics—including political, religious, and economic forces—as well as various forms of capital in shaping the field’s structure and boundaries is demonstrated. This thesis contributes to existing research about the translation of S-H literature in KSA. Notably, it demonstrates that S-H literature is among the most translated genres in KSA and shows that the extensive production has been largely influenced by political and economic factors, including censorship and sponsorship. Moreover, religiously motivated self-censorship emerges as an additional constraint within the field. Additionally, it was found that the publishing houses initially translated S-H literature for financial gain, but their familiarity and expertise with English S-H literature and their social connections also significantly influenced their practices. This thesis also contributes to research on translation sociology through its adaptation of Bourdieu’s analytical tools to the unique geopolitical context of KSA. This includes recognising the significant role of religion as a field of power in KSA, as well as the institutional hierarchy in KSA, and their impact on the habitus of publishing agents. Finally, this thesis makes a methodological contribution to the field of translation studies by reflecting on the design and use of multimethod research, specifically relying on translation bibliographies, interviews with translation agents, and translation paratext.
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