SACM - United Kingdom
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://drepo.sdl.edu.sa/handle/20.500.14154/9667
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Item Restricted Understanding female nurses' decision-making to participate in continuing professional development activities: a grounded theory study in a Saudi context(University of Nottingham, 2024-11) Alanazi, Aminah; Edgley, Alison; Hall, CarolBackground: Continuing professional development (CPD) offers nurses the opportunity to broaden their knowledge and skills, as well as developing their competencies and abilities to practice in a way that is not generally available during basic education or daily work. Expanded nursing knowledge and practice together with rapid changes in healthcare and the explosion of technology have created an ever-greater need for appropriate CPD opportunities. Many studies have explored the various factors, motivations and barriers that can influence nurses’ ability to participate in CPD activities. However, in the context of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), where the nursing profession faces many unique challenges, it is possible that cultural and other contextual factors could uncover different factors and dimensions that influence nurses' CPD. Aim: This study aims to understand how female Saudi nurses decide whether or not to participate in CPD activities and what factors influence their decisions. Method: This study used a qualitative grounded theory approach. In depth interviews conducted with 20 participants, who was selected through purposive and theoretical sampling. Findings: The data analysis and constant comparison of the data yielded the development of four main categories and the core category. The core category “The stages of the nurses' decision-making process to participate in CPD activities” and a conceptual representation of the decision-making model were developed to represent the connections between the four main categories. The core category encompasses the decision-making process for nurses to participate in continuing professional development programs. ii Each category represents a distinct stage in this decision-making process. In the first category, workplace conditions are identified, which provide a fundamental basis for making a decision. Next, nurses are required to consider their individual professional development needs, followed by identification of options that may be available to them. The final stage involves comparing and evaluating these options. Conclusion: The nurses’ decision to participate in professional development programs is not a routine, isolated decision. Instead, it is a result of a comprehensive process influenced by various factors both within and outside the work environment, emphasizing the significance of understanding the contextual circumstances surrounding the decision. Therefore, it is crucial for healthcare organizations and regulatory bodies to establish clear and supportive administrative conditions that enable nurses to make informed decisions regarding their CPD and ensure their ongoing professional development.14 0Item Restricted Combination Therapy in Asthma Management: A Systematic Review of Allergen Immunotherapies and Biological Therapies(University of Birmingham, 2024-08) Almajnoni, Akram; Belchamber, KylieAsthma, a prevalent respiratory condition, often requires comprehensive management strategies to control symptoms effectively. This systematic review aims to evaluate the efficacy of combining Allergen Immunotherapy (AIT) with biological therapies in reducing respiratory symptoms and medication use among adult asthmatic patients. A narrative synthesis approach was employed to conduct this systematic review. The literature search, spanning from 2000 to 2024, was conducted using PubMed, MEDLINE, and Embase, yielding 1,220 records. After removing duplicates and screening titles and abstracts, 1,124 studies were evaluated, with five Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) meeting the inclusion criteria. Studies were selected based on stringent eligibility criteria, including adult participants and interventions combining AIT and biological therapies. Quality assessment was conducted using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) framework, and data were extracted and synthesised using narrative summary and thematic analysis. The review synthesised data from five RCTs, encompassing a total of 703 participants aged 11 to 65 years. The studies varied in geographic location, including Europe and the United States, and targeted a range of allergens such as house dust mites, grass pollen, and animal dander. The primary outcome, a reduction in respiratory symptoms, was consistently met across all studies. Combination therapies showed significant improvements in symptom control, as measured by tools such as the Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) and Total Asthma Symptom Score (TASS). Additionally, the studies demonstrated a substantial reduction in the use of medications, including inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and rescue medications, highlighting the effectiveness of the combined treatment approach. This systematic review demonstrates that combining AIT with biological therapies is highly effective in managing asthma and related allergic conditions, such as rhinitis. The findings underscore significant improvements in both symptom control and medication reduction, suggesting that these combination therapies could play a crucial role in advancing asthma treatment strategies. However, the review also highlights challenges such as patient adherence and cost considerations, which need to be addressed to fully integrate these therapies into clinical practice. Future research should focus on standardising protocols, assessing long-term effects, and exploring cost-effective strategies to overcome barriers to implementation, ensuring broader access to these advanced treatments.9 0Item Restricted Activation of the STING Pathway in B-cell Lymphoma Cell Lines(University of Liverpool, 2024) Alalayat, Amer; Dahal, LekhFollicular lymphoma, a subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), often presents challenges in patient management due to treatment resistance and relapse. The STING (Stimulator of Interferon Genes) pathway of the immune system has attracted attention as a possible target for cancer treatment. Promoting anti-tumor responses, the STING pathway activates both innate and adaptive immunity. Using cyclic di-adenosine monophosphate (CDA), a known STING agonist, this research investigates the activation of the STING pathway in B-cell lymphoma cell lines (RAJI, OCI-Ly19, HG3, MAVER-1, and PCL12) relative to a control monocyte cell line (THP-1). We evaluated protein expression of key signaling molecules (STING, TBK1, and IRF3) and their phosphorylated forms using Western blot analysis, cytokine production through qPCR and ELISA, and cytokine secretion levels via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results revealed that although the monocyte control cell line THP-1 showed strong STING pathway activation—shown by elevated phosphorylation of STING, TBK1, and IRF3 and higher production of cytokines TNFα and IFN-β. The B-cell lymphoma lines showed limited or absent STING activation. Specifically, the OCI-Ly19 and HG3 cell lines showed some response in protein expression but failed to produce significant cytokine responses. These results underline the need of more study on the molecular mechanisms controlling STING dysfunction in lymphomas since they imply that B-cell lymphomas may have defects in the STING pathway, which may lead to immune evasion.5 0Item Restricted Impact of Smart Hotel Technology on Hotel Guests’ Acceptance and Experience in the UK(Oxford Brookes University, 2024-09) Hilmi, Rana; Macaveiu, ClaudiaThis dissertation aims to examine, understand, and explore the effects of smart hotel technology on guests in the UK. Contactless solutions such as digital check-ins/check-outs, AI-based chatbots, or mobile-based room service, in addition to robotic service delivery, have spearheaded increased convenience, customized experiences, and overall guest satisfaction within the hospitality industry. The study aligns itself with a positivist paradigm and uses a deductive approach to research, which is a quantitative descriptive type of research. Primary data is obtained through self-developed and validated closed-ended questionnaires, which are administered to 100 UK hotel guests who are frequent users of hotel services, and this ensures empirical validation of the hypothesis that will be used to assess the impact of smart hotel technology on guests' experience. The systematic review focuses on the advantages of adopting smart hotel technology as well as its impact on the customers and the implementation challenges, such as high implementation costs, cybersecurity issues, and resistance from the older generations. To overcome these barriers, the study suggests that there is a need to set adequate resources in cybersecurity measures, offer elaborate training, enhance the interface, and incorporate the views of guests into the design of the systems. Addressing these challenges, therefore, enables the complete realization of advanced smart hotel technology that offers high-value guest experiences and efficiency gains to hotels. The results provide significant implications for hotel managers in understanding certain specific technology factors and enhancing different dimensions of the guest experience in the context of the emerging hospitality environment.6 0Item Restricted The Legal Regime of Transfer of Shares in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia(University of Sussex, 2024-08-27) Abobaker, Mohammad; Iglesias-Rodríguez, PabloMergers and acquisitions are pivotal in shaping the business landscape, especially when it comes to the consolidation and expansion of companies. As these transactions unfold, it is essential to consider the legal frameworks that govern such complex processes. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has undertaken significant amendments to its Companies Law, aiming to create a more favorable business environment, enhance investor confidence, and align with global corporate trends. The introduction of the 2023 Companies Law represents a crucial development in Saudi Arabia's journey toward economic modernization. These changes, coupled with updates to regulations by the Capital Market Authority (CMA), are designed to streamline merger and acquisition activities. To critically assess the effectiveness of these reforms, this dissertation compares Saudi Arabia’s legal framework with that of developed countries, particularly the UK. This research seeks to contribute meaningfully to the ongoing transformation of Saudi Arabia's legal regime in the realm of mergers and acquisitions.7 0Item Restricted Exploring the Operational and Influential Factors Affecting Internal Audit Effectiveness: A Systematic Literature Review(University of Essex, 2024-09-11) Alqahtani, Abdulrahman; De-Clerk Azure, JohnThis study investigates the operational and influential factors affecting the effectiveness of internal auditing (IA), a field experiencing transformation due to technological advancements, regulatory reforms, and organizational complexities. Through a systematic literature review (SLR) of 24 peer-reviewed studies from 2010 to 2023, this research identifies nine key factors influencing IA effectiveness: independence, management support, auditor competence, external auditor relationships, audit committee roles, IA quality, organizational independence, risk management, and task complexities. Findings show varying degrees of influence among these factors, leading to the development of a conceptual framework. The study's implications extend to academia and practice, offering targeted strategies for improving IA effectiveness and recommendations for future research.5 0Item Restricted Digital Twin Integration for Real-time Monitoring and Predictive Maintenance in Cement Rotary Kilns(University of Manchester, 2024-09-09) Alotaibi, Ibrahim; Yunusa-Kaltungo, AkiluThe development of robust Digital Twin (DT) frameworks has become increasingly important in enhancing the real-time monitoring, fault detection, and predictive maintenance of industrial processes. In this research, a DT model is implemented for a cement rotary kiln to address the critical challenges of operational reliability, performance optimization, and minimizing unplanned downtimes. The main focus of this study is on integrating dynamic first-principle models and probabilistic techniques to enable accurate state estimations, temperature profiling, and fault detection. The methodology involved constructing a first-principle thermal models to simulate the temperature profiles of the kiln alongside the coating estimation. The Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) was employed to iteratively refine state estimations, addressing uncertainties in heat transfer processes. Additionally, the Recursive Least Squares (RLS) algorithm was integrated to further enhance the coating thickness estimation by compensating for uncertainties in radial heat transfer. The burning zone was subdivided into six sections, with updated temperature profiles from the EKF and RLS improving the coating thickness estimates. Known and unknown faults were detected using a combination of EKF and the Online Approximation in Discrete Time (OLAD) system, which facilitated real-time fault learning and prognostics. The results from the Simulink implementation demonstrate that the DT framework provides a strong foundation for real-time monitoring in rotary kilns. The integration of EKF and RLS for state estimation and coating thickness monitoring, combined with OLAD for fault detection and Time to Failure (TTF) estimation, showed promising potential to enhance both fault isolation and system reliability. The ability to detect unknown faults and provide accurate TTF estimates paves the way for more effective maintenance strategies. In conclusion, this research contributes significantly to predictive maintenance in rotary kilns by presenting a novel approach for real-time fault learning, temperature-driven coating thickness monitoring, and fault prognostics. Future work will focus on expanding the model to include mechanical behaviours and refining predictive maintenance strategies for industrial applications.9 0Item Restricted Stiffness-induced EMT and Cancer Stemness in Glioblastoma Using Polyacrylamide Hydrogels(University of Glasgow, 2024) Alotaibi, Mohammed; Salmeron-Sanchez, ManuelGliomas are the most common type of brain and are considered one of the most fatal cancer forms due to their detrimental and aggressive behaviour. Amongst these types of brain cancer is glioblastoma (GBM), classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as grade IV, known to have characteristics like high malignancy, rapid growth and aggressiveness. As these tumours progress, the extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness increases, influencing their growth, survivability and treatment outcomes. The induction of Epithelial to Mesenchymal transition (EMT) was associated with the production of Cancer stem-like cells (CSCs), a small subpopulation with self renewal capabilities that generates phenotypic heterogeneity comparable to the original tumour. CSCs are responsible for sustaining tumour growth and metastasis formation to other body tissues. The main focus of this study was assessing the role of brain tissue mechanical stiffness in promoting EMT and cancer of glioblastoma cells. The surface of PAAm hydrogels was modified to overcome the non-adhesiveness via covalently linked to collagen type I to facilitate the attachment of glioblastoma cells. The stiffness of Polyacrylamide Hydrogels (PAAm hydrogels) was measured using Rheology and Nanoindentation. The three stiffnesses fabricated and used were soft 305.9±16.9 Pa, which is similar to normal brain tissue, medium 10.5±0.4 kPa, comparable to glioblastoma stiffness and rigid 34.9±5.1kPa which is stiffer than glioblastoma tumours. The nanoindentation measurements were for soft 321.72±59.83 Pa, medium 8.01±0.37kPa and rigid 39.19±2.58kPa, illustrating that the stiffnesses are unfirmed across the surface and reproducible. EMT markers like N-CAD, VIMENTIN and TGF-β showed increased protein levels in the medium and rigid hydrogels compared to soft hydrogels. This response was further by increased protein expression of the EMT transcription factor SNAI1(SNAIL), which showed a significant increase in levels of SNAI1(SNAIL) (p≤0.05) on the medium and rigid hydrogels. II CSC markers showed increased protein levels highlighted by the significant increase in the protein levels of NESTIN (P≤0.001), CD133 (P≤0.0001), POU5F1(OCT-4) (P≤0.05), and EGFR (P≤0.05), respectively on the rigid hydrogels compared to soft hydrogels. Medium hydrogels showed significant increases in the protein levels of CD133 (P≤0.0001) and POU5F1(OCT-4) (P≤0.05), respectively. The findings of this research suggest that mechanical stiffness promoted EMT and cancer stemness in glioblastoma cells, underlining the influence of microenvironment stiffness in promoting invasion capabilities in glioblastoma cells.3 0Item Restricted Determinants of Sustainability Reporting among Saudi-Listed Companies: Insights from the Preparers' Perspective(University of Reading, 2024-05) Alyahya, Manahil; Rimmel, GunnarIn response to the spread of awareness of sustainability-related issues such as climate change, governments, organisations, and notably companies have become pivotal actors due to their economic significance. Companies have thus responded to the growing demand for sustainability contributions by reporting their sustainability efforts to stakeholders; this is akin to financial performance being reported by companies. However, sustainability disclosures remain a subject of debate within academia due to limited understanding of such data and its ongoing evolution, particularly given its relatively nascent stage of development. The current research sets out to address this debate, focusing on the Saudi market context. This thesis addresses the insufficient understanding of the perspectives of preparers of sustainability reports in developing countries, and the resulting information gap, particularly in the Saudi Arabian context. The overall purpose of this study is to explore the factors that have contributed to the changes in sustainability reporting in the Saudi market from the preparers’ point of view, its primary aim being to investigate what has shaped its evolution and growth in Saudi Arabia. Within the academic discourse, there have been calls for a deeper investigation of the information content of sustainability disclosures, especially since Saudi Arabia is at an early stage of the adoption of sustainability reporting and has just opened up investment to non-Saudis. In response, the current thesis employs two key methods—namely, content analysis to delves into the content of the sustainability disclosures, specifically examining how they address the three dimensions of sustainability as outlined in Tadawul's environmental, social and governance (ESG) guidelines, and interviews to explore preparers’ insights on the factors contributing to the evolution of sustainability reporting among Saudi-listed companies. Both methods are grounded in the local Saudi context, using the Tadawul ESG guidelines as a framework for the analysis. Thus, to answer the research questions, a combination of methods is used to obtain the empirical data. The content analysis of the sustainability disclosure is made possible through the application of a disclosure scoreboard using Tadawul guidelines. The preparers, who are responsible for sustainability reporting practices within the company, were interviewed. The findings of this thesis suggest a noticeable shift towards sustainability reporting within the Saudi market, particularly influenced by initiatives such as Vision 2030. Key drivers of this trend include the imperative to meet stakeholder expectations. Furthermore, the analysis indicates an increasing tendency amongst companies towards producing standalone sustainability reports. Whilst this research provides valuable insights, it also identifies opportunities for further investigation within the Saudi market, pointing towards avenues for future research and exploration.7 0Item Restricted The Effect of Oil Prices Fluctuations on Stock Markets: Evidence from Saudi Arabia(University of Essex, 2024-10-04) AlJuaid, Sultana; Smith, EricThis paper explores the dynamic impact of crude oil price changes on the Saudi stock market using monthly data. The study utilizes both a univariate GARCH model and a multivariate GARCH model (BEKK GARCH). The advantage of using the BEKK GARCH model is its ability to estimate the time-varying dynamic effect of crude oil price fluctuations on the Saudi stock market. The empirical findings from the GARCH model support a significant positive effect of crude oil price changes on the Saudi stock market over the study’s sample period. Additionally, the BEKK GARCH model confirms the dynamic relationship between crude oil price changes and the Saudi stock market. Furthermore, the BEKK GARCH model also identifies a contagion effect from the US stock market to the Saudi stock market.10 0