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Item Restricted Remote work in Saudi’s 2030 vision(Brunel university london, 2025) Alaraifi , Mai; ElamaThis thesis discusses the contribution of remote working towards Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, a government plan to boost economic diversification, enhance the development of the workforce, and decrease dependency on oil. Based on secondary analysis of evidence collected from government reports, industry reports, and research studies, this research evaluates the contribution of remote working towards the growth of non-oil sectors, i.e., technology, finance, education, and entrepreneurship. Key findings identify telework as having been the key in enabling the participation of women and disabled employees, enhancing rural communities' quality employment, and cross-enterprise savings. The report ends by concluding investment in digital infrastructure through investing in 5G networks and cloud computing as the key driver of remote work growth. There are, however, challenges in the form of digital divides, evolving regulatory landscapes, and cultural resistance to flexible work. The thesis concludes by making policy recommendations for facilitating the uptake of telework, including legal reform, rural broadband development, and enhancing cybersecurity, aligned with Vision 2030's strategic vision for an inclusive, sustainable digital economy.16 0Item Restricted Elucidating BCR-mediated regulation of FOXO1 in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: a role for deubiquitinase proteins?(University of Glasgow, 2024) Almuhanna, Hassan Nasser; Michie, Alison; Jorgensen, HeatherThe B-cell receptor (BCR) activity in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) cells is vital for disease progression, driving cell survival, proliferation, and chemoresistance. Forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1), a transcription factor widely considered as a tumour suppressor in B-cell malignancies, is inactivated downstream of BCR activation. Previously, we demonstrated that FOXO1 expression is significantly upregulated in lymph node (LN) biopsies of poor prognostic CLL patients. However, FOXO1 cytoplasmic localisation and deregulation of FOXO target genes, including cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A (CDKN1A), cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1B (CDKN1B), and cyclin D1 (CCND1), may suggest functional inactivity of FOXO1 in these CLL patients. This finding indicates that FOXO1 possesses tumour-suppressive function in CLL cells. Aligning with previous studies, our data demonstrated that FOXO1 is an effector of BCR crosslinking in vitro, promoting FOXO1 inactivation and nuclear exclusion through phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/ protein kinase B (AKT)-dependent phosphorylation of FOXO1. This was further confirmed using the Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor ibrutinib, which restored FOXO1 nuclear localisation and subsequently increased FOXO1 DNA binding and transcriptional activities, as indicated by the modulation of FOXO target genes, including the upregulation of Bcl-2-binding component 3 (BBC3) and the downregulation of cyclin D2 (CCND2). Furthermore, the levels of phosphorylated and total FOXO1 protein were transiently upregulated upon BCR crosslinking, peaking at 30 minutes and sustaining up to 2 hours. Therefore, we investigated FOXO1 regulation upon BCR crosslinking in relation to post-translational modifications involving the ubiquitination-proteasome system (UPS) pathway, particularly deubiquitinase (DUB) proteins. Little is known about the role of individual DUB family members in CLL. Our analysis revealed that expression levels of DUB proteins in patient CLL cells were largely upregulated, including the expression of ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7) and ubiquitin-specific protease 9, x-linked (USP9x). FOXO1 co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) demonstrated USP7 interaction with FOXO1 in primary CLL cells and cell lines. The FOXO1-USP7 interaction was largely unaffected by BCR crosslinking, while inhibition with ibrutinib increased this interaction, suggesting that the PI3K/AKT pathway may play a role beyond modulating FOXO1 phosphorylation, potentially including modulation of FOXO1 interaction with DUB proteins. Treating CLL cells with the pan-DUB inhibitor PR-619 downregulated AKTˢ⁴⁷³ and FOXO1ᵀ²⁴ phosphorylation. However, USP7 inhibitors (P5091 and HBX19818) and the USP9x inhibitor (WP1130) were largely less effective at inhibiting the PI3K/AKT pathway. This suggests that DUB proteins have a regulatory role in the activity of the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway, but the inhibition of an individual DUB protein was not sufficient to exert a significant effect on PI3K/AKT activity. Additionally, the inhibitors induced the accumulation of MEC1 cells in the G0/G1 phase but did not impact cell proliferation. The combination of ibrutinib and DUB inhibitors enhanced CLL response to ibrutinib, leading to a greater reduction in cell viability, proliferation, and cell cycle accumulation at the G0/G1 phase. DUB inhibitors or knockdown (KD) of USP7 or USP9x demonstrated no effect on total FOXO1 protein expression, while FOXO1 transcriptional activity was increased in MEC1 cells by HBX19818 or USP7/USP9x KDs, as indicated by the upregulation of FOXO target genes, including CDKN1B and BBC3. This effect was further enhanced by the combination of HBX19818 with ibrutinib. The nuclear localisation of FOXO1 while only modestly regulated by the inhibition of DUB proteins, particularly PR-619 and HBX19818 was enhanced when combined with ibrutinib. Additionally, USP7 or USP9x KD alone or in combination with ibrutinib increased FOXO1 DNA binding activity. This suggests that a reduction of USP7 interaction with FOXO1 may facilitate the promotion of FOXO1 to its DNA binding site, resulting in increased FOXO1 transcriptional activity. Proteome and subsequent co-IP analysis of FOXO1 novel interactors revealed an interaction between FOXO1 and the E3 ligase tripartite motif containing 21 (TRIM21), with TRIM21 being predominantly cytoplasmic. TRIM21 KD resulted in a reduction of total FOXO1 and FOXO1 nuclear localisation, suggesting that FOXO1 is a substrate of TRIM21, which plays a role in regulating FOXO1 stability, localisation, and potentially its activity. Our findings suggest that unleashing FOXO1 anti-tumour activity by simultaneously inhibiting BCR-mediated phosphorylation and USP7 deubiquitination of FOXO1 may present an alternative therapeutic strategy for CLL patients.14 0Item Unknown Challenges of Saudi Women in five-star hotels: A Focus on Front Office Operations(University of Essex, 2025) Turkistani, Sara; Marghani, MostafaThis dissertation examines the challenges faced by Saudi women working in front office positions in five-star hotels, specifically in Jeddah. Despite the progressive changes introduced by Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, women in the hospitality industry continue to encounter significant obstacles. Using a qualitative inductive research approach, data was gathered through semi-structured interviews with female front office employees to identify these challenges. The findings reveal that cultural and religious norms enforcing gender segregation significantly limit women's professional interactions, access to male role models, and career progression, leading to social isolation and job dissatisfaction. The demanding and inflexible working hours typical of the hospitality industry exacerbate these issues, making it challenging for women to maintain a healthy work-life balance, often leading to burnout, exhaustion, and higher turnover rates. Moreover, the study found that gender bias and discrimination are prevalent, with women experiencing unfair treatment, lack of promotion opportunities, and being assigned less important tasks than their male counterparts, which contributes to career stagnation, frustration, and dissatisfaction. These challenges have a direct impact on job satisfaction and significantly increase the intention to leave among female employees. The study contributes to the literature by providing specific recommendations for improving workplace diversity, promoting women’s career development, and aligning organisational practices with the goals of Vision 2030.11 0Item Unknown Evaluation of Patient-Reported Experiences in the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme(University College London (UCL), 2024-12-18) Kayal, Ghalia; Wagner, Christian vonColorectal cancer (CRC, also known as ‘bowel cancer’) is the second leading cause of cancer death in England. Population-based screening can detect CRC before symptoms develop. Therefore, the National Health Service (NHS) introduced the English Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP) in 2006, which offered two yearly screening to 60-69 year olds, via gFOBt. Since 2019, the age range has extended to 50-74, and gFOBT has been replaced with FIT. Adults with abnormal FIT results are offered further investigations, usually in the form of colonoscopy. Patient experience is essential for maintaining and improving quality of care. At present, the programme issues a postal questionnaire to individuals who require further testing. However, due to the aforementioned changes in the BCSP, there is a need to update the questionnaire. The aim of this PhD was to systematically develop an updated patient experience survey for the English BCSP. This thesis, a comprehensive exploration of patient experience in the BCSP, comprises of 10 chapters. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the burden of CRC and introduces patient-reported experience measures. Chapter 2 provides the overall aim and objectives of the PhD thesis. Chapter 3 then reports the results of a systematic review of the literature exploring patient-reported experiences among screening eligible adults with an abnormal gFOBt/FIT and requires further investigation. Chapter 4 subsequently reports the first empirical study, which took place during COVID-19 restrictions in 2020. The study was conducted at a local screening centre, to assess experience with the programme, anxiety related to COVID, and measures implemented to mitigate infection. Chapter 5 took place once services resumed at a national level, and reports the development, evaluation, and acceptability of a new questionnaire for people with FIT abnormal results in the NHS BCSP with a small sample (n=59). Chapter 6 then describes a cross-sectional study with a larger sample (n=384), which examined patients’ reported experience of colonoscopy. Chapter 7 tests the feasibility and acceptability of an online patient-reported experience measure for the FIT abnormal results questionnaire. Chapter 8 develops a new questionnaire for people with a normal FIT result. Chapter 9, the final study, targeted the non-responders to the NHS BCSP. The thesis concludes with a chapter on the key findings of the systematic approach to developing a patient experience survey for the BCSP and its implications for policy and practice11 0Item Unknown Challenging the Dominant Eurocentric Worldview Within the Psy-Disciplines: From the Perspective of Saudi Arabian Practitioners(University of Edinburgh, 2025) AlSharef, Lama; Boylston, TomThis study is an ethnographic inquiry into the subjective experience of Saudi mental health practitioners who studied and trained in Western countries and are currently practicing in Saudi Arabia. The objective behind this study is to challenge the dominant Eurocentric worldview within the psy-disciplines and incorporate their voices in order to challenge the power distribution of voice within the psy-disciplines. This research used ethnographic interviews as the primary method of data collection. Throughout the interviews there was an emphasis placed on knowledge, power, language, and culture, therefore a de-colonial perspective of discourse analysis was used as a method. This paper adheres to a de-colonial lens in regards to investigating knowledge production, more specifically within the psy-disciplines. The emphasis on discourse and language unraveled a hermeneutics approach to de-colonising knowledge. The discussion illustrates how translation between different languages and meaning-making can illuminate frictions that arise when dominant languages and conceptual frameworks are used in contexts that differ in linguistic and cultural foundations. Incorporating the voices of Saudi practitioners within the broader discourse of psy- disciplines demonstrated how psy-discipline theories are being modified and adapted to the Saudi context. Additionally, it underscored the significance of incorporating the broader social, economical and political factors in utilising a de-colonial framework in researching knowledge production and practices within the psy-diciplines.16 0Item Unknown Linguistic Elegance in the Qur’an: Exploring the Impact of Repetition on Text Cohesion(THE UNIVERSITY OF STIRLING, 2024-11-25) Alaqeel, Fatimah; Penn, StephenThis study examines repetition as a linguistic and cohesive device in Juz’ Amma, the thirtieth part of the Qur’an, to understand its role in enhancing text cohesion. Using an English linguistic framework, the research bridges Arabic linguistic features with Western discourse frameworks, drawing on Halliday and Hasan’s (1976) cohesion theories, Hoey’s (1991) patterns of lexical repetition and Tannen’s (2007) classification of repetition. Focusing on Arabic as a Semitic language, it investigates how repetition functions as a cohesive tool, unifying themes and strengthening structural coherence. The study addresses two primary objectives: categorising types of repetition in Juz’ Amma and assessing their impact on text cohesion. A qualitative methodology incorporating thematic analysis and corpus linguistic tools like AntConc was used to systematically identify instances of repetition in selected Surahs. The findings identify various forms of repetition, including exact and paraphrased types, divided into categories of total, partial and collocational repetition, all of which contribute significantly to thematic unity. These repetitive structures create a network of meaning which enable the text to convey its messages with clarity and coherence. Unexpectedly, surah title repetition also emerged as a key cohesive feature, linking verses back to central themes, whereas minor forms of repetition, such as phonetic and lexical collocation, enriched the text’s melodic quality. The study’s implications extend to Qur’anic studies and linguistic theory, illustrating how repetition enhances textual cohesion and aids reader comprehension. This research provides a comprehensive model for analysing cohesion in religious texts and demonstrates the insights gained from applying English linguistic frameworks to Classical Arabic texts, laying the foundation for future cross-linguistic studies in textual analysis.8 0Item Unknown Bio-Sourced Novel Monomers and Polymers for Plastics Sustainability(Univeristy of Nottingham, 2025) Alshehri, Norah; Stockman, RobertThis thesis details the synthesis of several novel monomers from biomass chemicals such as terpenes and furfural. Several synthesis routes were explored to produce a broad spectrum of functional groups suitable for polymerisation, such as hydroxyls, carboxy acids, epoxides, lactones, and methacrylate. In chapter two, terpene-derived monomers were synthesised via the derivatisation of -pinene, -pinene, limonene and geraniol. This resulted in novel monomers with diols, hydroxy-carboxylic acids, di-carboxy acids and epoxides. In chapter three, a six-membered ring lactone monomer was synthesised from furfural. Some of these monomers have been used in synthesising sustainable polyesters and polymethacrylate, which contain a unique cyclohexane ring or a double bond in their backbone, making them suitable for post-polymerisation modification. The functionalisation of limonene, -pinene, -pinene and geraniol has enabled the synthesis of several renewably-sourced monomers to form terpene-derived polyesters. Step growth homo-polymerisation of diols, diacids and hydroxy-acid yields low molecular weights of novel polyesters. The limonene diol derivatives are demonstrated to function as co-monomers alongside a renewable diacid. The resultant polyesters display Mns of up to 8400 g/mol. -Pinene was used to synthesise dialcohols, which served as co-monomers with a renewable diacid, enabling the synthesis of two novel polyesters.10 0Item Unknown Applied business projects(Bangor University, 2025) Althobaiti, Ahmed Saeed; Carl, matherOur Event Planning and Management Company named as Luminary Occasions is devoted for providing astonishing and memorable events to its customers. The success of our company would be evident through secured finance for the high-profile projects as well as exceeding operational goals with first-rate service. The wide-ranging business plan demonstrates evidence-based tactics for ensuring accomplishment within the competitive industry of event planning and management.3 0Item Unknown Flipping Virtual Classroom through Gamification: Its Effect on Students’ Autonomous Motivation, Learning Achievements, and Completion Rate of Pre-session Activities in Saudi Higher Education(Newcastle University, 2024) Albshry, Mohammad Atyah H; Gleaves, Caroline WalkerThe growing use of online learning and learner-centred models in the last few years has been triggered by several factors, including an increasing emphasis on learner autonomy within educational sectors, rapid advancement of learning technology, and developments due to the Covid-19 pandemic. One key adaptation of educational technology that has attracted much attention from instructors and educational institutions alike has been the adoption of flipped learning strategies in fully online learning modes. However, their implementation, particularly in computer science (CS) higher education, has not been without challenges, and the literature reveals a lack of consensus as to the exact format of flipped classes linked to effective learning. For example, many studies have revealed students’ lack of motivation for completing pre-class activities, yet do not suggest ways in which such behaviour may be mitigated. Since the success of the flipped learning pedagogical approach relies on students’ pre-session preparation, research that critically examines student motivation within pre-class tasks is much needed. The purpose of the current study, therefore, is mainly to investigate the issue of student motivation during preparation for flipped learning classes and determine whether integrating gamification into a flipped virtual classroom (FVC), based on self-determination theory (SDT) as a theoretical framework, may act to effectively prepare students. Specifically, this research seeks to examine students’ autonomous learning motivation, learning achievement, and their completion rates of pre-session tasks and critically explore the efficacy of the online flipped learning approach when the SDT-based gamification is integrated. The study sample consisted of 66 first-year university students recruited in two groups: an experimental group (n=34) employed a gamified FVC, and a control group (n=32) applied a non-gamified FVC. It employed a mixed-method design, adopting pre-post tests, formative assessments, pre-post questionnaires, VLE statistical reports, and semi-structured interviews (using deductive and inductive thematic analysis) to assess any possible changes in CS students’ autonomous learning motivation, learning achievement, and completion rates of the pre-class activities in the context of Saudi higher education. The findings indicate that the computed gain score (gain score= post-pre) means of the achievement tests in the gamified FVC group was significantly higher than in the control group, revealing positive changes in students’ autonomous motivation, which might be attributed to using the gamified FVC in the intervention group compared to the other group. Students in the gamified FVC group also recorded a significantly higher overall completion rate of pre-session activities than their non-gamified FVC counterparts. The study found a moderate correlation between the students’ autonomous motivation and the task completion rate variables; the more motivated students were, the more pre-class tasks they completed. The study’s analysis showed that the intersection between STD-based gamification and online flipped learning strategies might contribute to motivating university CS students autonomously to learn because of supporting their three basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and social relatedness. This study has theoretical and practical implications for various levels of learning, particularly in higher education, where motivation is a key antecedent of engaged learning, but strategies for increasing motivation might need to be explored and introduced more systematically. Furthermore, since autonomy is regarded as an essential element of learning development and where, in parallel, blended learning is based explicitly upon, or adapting, flipped learning principles, such approaches might need to be more actively explored in terms of academic learning development. Thus, future research is recommended to examine the effectiveness of using the gamified FVC method in different educational stages and disciplines.68 0Item Unknown Adversarial Machine Learning: Safeguarding Al models from Attacks(Lancaster University, 2025-01-10) Alammar, Ghaida; Bilal, MuhammadThe field of AML has gained considerable popularity over the years with researchers seeking to explore gaps and new opportunities for growth. This goal of this report is to offer an in-depth survey of adversary attacks and defences in machine learning by examining existing gaps in current algorithms and understanding the implications for systems. By exploring evasion, poisoning, extraction, and inference attacks, the paper reveals the weaknesses of the existing methodologies such as adversarial training, data sanitization, and differential privacy. These techniques are usually not versatile to newer threats and have raised concerns about how effective they are in practical use. The research contributes to the field by conducting an extensive literature review of 35 articles and highlighting the need to implement adaptive and diverse defence strategies as well as empirical studies to evaluate the effectiveness of AML mechanisms. Some of the strategic suggestions are to incorporate continuous training frameworks, optimise real-time monitoring processes, and improve privacy-preserving methods to safeguard confidential information. This analysis is envisaged to offer practical data to foster the development of AML to help in the development of robust AI systems that will remain impregnable to various kinds of adversarial threats in numerous vital sectors. The study examines the basic design and consequences of various attacks in addition to the impact of subtle manipulation of input data on patterns and privacy. The report further addresses the modern challenges of large language models (LLMs) and autonomous systems. Furthermore, this research emphasises the significance of robust protection against enemy attack in strategic areas. The studies additionally evaluate present day protection mechanisms inclusive of antagonistic training, enter preprocessing, and making models stronger and more reliable. By evaluating the efficiency of these defences and evaluating key areas for improvement, the dissertation provides invaluable insights into enhancing the security and reliability of systems. The results of addressing the attacks and defences expose the need for unremitting advancements in data protection in various systems.10 0