SACM - United Kingdom
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://drepo.sdl.edu.sa/handle/20.500.14154/9667
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Item Restricted British Theatre and Feminism from Clemence Dane to Gordon Daviot, 1921–1935(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) AlBalushi, Mai Najeeb; Emilie, MorinThis thesis focuses on largely forgotten plays by British women authors—Clemence Dane, Fryn Tennyson Jesse, Marie Stopes, G. B. Stern, Aimée Stuart, and Gordon Daviot—who wrote for London’s West End theatres between 1921 and 1935. It analyses and contextualises their plays to investigate how middle-class women’s struggles in the domestic sphere and feminist concerns prevalent during the interwar period were represented on stage. I argue that those playwrights, sometimes dismissed as conventional and apolitical, embody in their works a subtle yet significant form of feminism. I focus on plays featuring women who bravely challenge social conventions but partially or entirely fail to break free and, in doing so, I trace how these plays question the limits of the ‘so-called’ emancipation that women enjoyed following the First World War and the suffrage movement and illustrates a tentative form of feminism that appreciates the value of small acts of resistance while acknowledging their shortcomings. The middlebrow canon under discussion employs the drawing-room play’s conventions, which heavily rely on intricate marriage plots. In Chapter One, I examine A Bill of Divorcement (1921) by Clemence Dane and The Pelican (1924) by Fryn Tennyson Jesse and H. M. Harwood and tackle their depiction of divorce and its implications for women’s liberation. Chapter Two analyses Our Ostriches (1923) and Vectia (1926) by Marie Stopes and explores their portrayals of sex education and birth control. Chapter Three focuses on The Man Who Pays the Piper (1931) by G. B. Stern and Nine Till Six (1930) by Aimée and Philip Stuart and their representation of marriage and career as polarised choices for women. Finally, Chapter Four considers The Laughing Woman (1934) by Gordon Daviot and Wild Decembers (1933) by Dane, which feature creative women in history and the barriers to their artistic expression.8 0Item Restricted An Investigation of the Translation Strategies Used for Emphasis in the Qur’an(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) Alshehry, Wafa; Wylie, Lesley; Smith, NicholasThis thesis investigates the translation strategies employed in English translations of the Qur’an to render Arabic single, double, and triple emphasis, conveyed through emphatic particles and/or independent pronouns, into English. The study aims to systematically examine how these three types of emphasis are translated, particularly given that the translation of multiple emphasisers has received limited scholarly attention and emphatic particles pose significant challenges in translation. Moreover, previous research has primarily focused on lexical emphasisers rather than on broader strategies used to convey emphasis. The research adopts a descriptive approach through qualitative text analysis of Qur’anic examples featuring the three types of emphasis, along with their corresponding eight English translations. It employs the theoretical frameworks of al- Zarkashī (1344–1392 CE) for Arabic emphasis, and Quirk et al. (1972/1985) and Taglicht (1984) for English emphasis. Each Qur’anic example is analysed in terms of the emphasiser/s, type and function of emphasis, while the translations are examined for the strategies employed and the extent to which the function of the original emphasis is preserved. For each emphasis type, the qualitative analysis is followed by quantitative analysis, which presents the number of emphasis variations observed and the frequency of the strategies applied. The analysis reveals a notable inconsistency in the treatment of each type of emphasis across the selected translations. With regard to translation strategies, the findings indicate that omission of emphasisers is the predominant strategy in the examined Qur’anic examples. The most frequently employed strategy for conveying emphasis is the direct translation strategy (lexical emphasis), followed by the structural emphasis strategy. Other strategies identified include typographical emphasis, in-text glosses, repetition, and the use of footnotes. This research contributes to the field of Translation Studies by proposing a model, adapted from Elimam (2023) and informed by the analysis of successful renditions, that outlines translation strategies suitable for rendering single, double, and triple emphasis from Arabic into English.18 0Item Restricted Beyond Description: Shapeshifting Ekphrasis and Feminist Reclamation of the Female Figure in a Selection of Nineteenth-Century Women’s Poetry(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) Alghoraibi, Amani; Barnaby, AliceThis thesis engages in a feminist reclamation of the female figure within nineteenth-century ekphrasis, investigating how women poets redefined the interplay between the visual and the verbal to challenge patriarchal depictions of women in both art and literature. Traditionally, ekphrasis—the verbal depiction of a visual image—has been associated with the male poet’s authoritative gaze. This study begins by analysing selected ekphrastic poems by the nineteenth-century painter-poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti, where the female subject is portrayed as a passive object of aesthetic contemplation. In contrast, a selection of women poets from the same era—including Letitia Elizabeth Landon, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Emily Pfeiffer, Rosamund Marriott Watson, Felicia Hemans, Edith Wharton, Alice Meynell, and Michael Field—developed alternative ekphrastic strategies that resisted this objectification. Central to this exploration is the notion of shapeshifting ekphrasis: a versatile mode of writing that defies confinement and transforms static representations of women into dynamic sites of feminist critique. Through their reinterpretations of paintings and sculptures, these women poets destabilised the relationship between image and text, creating an ekphrastic approach that affirms female agency. Their poetry not only engaged with visual art but also challenged restrictive modes of representation across various media, such as music and sculpture, thereby offering alternative perspectives on the interpretation of the female figure. Despite the prominence of ekphrasis in nineteenth-century poetry, critical attention has predominantly focused on male poets, leaving the contributions of women largely unexplored. This thesis addresses that gap by illustrating how women transformed ekphrasis from a form of aesthetic control into a platform for feminist critique and self-expression. By tracing this evolution through the poetry of selected nineteenth-century women, the thesis demonstrates how their work not only contested patriarchal visual representations but also established a distinctly feminist form of ekphrastic writing that confronted the objectification of women and subverted aesthetic conventions through their verse.3 0Item Restricted Thoracic and Abdominal Affections in Dromedary Camels: Clinical and Pathological Investigations(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Almundarij, Adel Abdulaziz; Tharwat, Mohamed; Haridy, MohieIn general, abdominal injuries in Arabian camels are more common than thoracic injuries and are associated with higher mortality rates and significant economic losses. Ultrasonography has proven to be highly valuable in diagnosing abdominal lesions, as it facilitates the detection of abscesses, accumulation of fluids within the abdominal cavity, fibrotic changes, and other pathological alterations. This study was conducted on nineteen (19) clinical cases of Arabian camels, which were classified into nine groups according to the type of lesion. The first group included cases of renal abscessation, while the second group comprised cases of ascites. The third group consisted of cases presenting with hepatic abscess accompanied by fibrosis. The fifth group included cases of Johne’s disease. The sixth group involved cases of increased urinary bladder wall thickness, whereas the seventh group included cases of peritoneal hemorrhage. The eighth group comprised cases of foreign bodies associated with wall thickening. The ninth group included cases of penile carcinoma accompanied by abdominal and pelvic masses. Regarding abattoir findings, hepatic lesions were the most prevalent. The study documented sixty-two (62) pathological lesions, distributed as follows: 80.64% in the liver, 9.67% in the lungs, 3.2% in the spleen, and 6.45% in the heart. Most of these lesions were grossly evident during post-mortem inspection, indicating the clarity and severity of the pathological changes.9 0Item Restricted Analysis of the molecular interactions and local molecular environment of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs)(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Alsadun, Marim; Fernig, David; Yates, EdwinFibroblast growth factors (FGFs) regulate essential processes in development and tissue homeostasis by engaging their cognate tyrosine kinase FGF receptors (FGFR) on target cells thereby eliciting changes in intracellular phosphorylation. Importantly, as with the majority of growth factors, cytokines, chemokines and morphogens, FGFs also bind the glycosaminoglycan heparan sulfate (HS) in the extracellular matrix (ECM). This interaction governs their localisation, diffusion, and promotes the formation of the FGF-FGFR-HS ternary complex essential for receptor activation. FGF4 regulates many key steps in embryonic development and is involved in stem cell maintenance, yet relatively little is known about its interactions in the ECM. The related FGF2, which binds the same FGFRs is often used as a model, including for intracellular signalling elicited by FGF4, although evidence for the appropriateness of this model has not been established. To investigate the local molecular environment of FGF4 in ECM, fusion proteins were generated in which an engineered peroxidase (APEX) was linked to the N- terminus of the FGF, to enable proximity labelling of neighbouring proteins. The APEX-FGF4 fusion was successfully expressed in E. coli and purified. The APEX moiety of the fusion protein possessed peroxidase activity. Moreover, the fusion protein was functionally equivalent to native FGF4 in terms of binding heparin and stimulation of the phosphorylation of the adaptor fibroblast growth factor receptor substrate-2 (FRS2) and of mitogen-activated protein kinases MAPK1/3 in rat mammary (Rama) 27 fibroblasts. Compared to FGF2, however, FGF4 had a distinct concentration dependence. Phosphorylation events stimulated by FGF4 in Rama 27 fibroblasts were therefore explored in more detail. Not only was FGF4 less potent than FGF2 but, its stimulation of phosphorylation of FRS2 and MAPK1/3 were oscillatory, and, unlike FGF2, there was no strong evidence for a bell-shaped dose response curve. These data suggest that in development, oscillations in FGF4 stimulated intracellular signals may contribute to oscillatory systems, such as those involved in somitogenesis. Reproducible conditions were established for biotin-tyramide proximity labelling in Rama 27 fibroblasts and HaCaT keratinocytes. Under optimised conditions (300 ng/µL APEX-FGF, 5 min reaction), APEX-FGF4 generated a distinctive labelling profile, in which discrete polypeptides were observed by western blot. This contrasted sharply with APEX-FGF2 and APEX-FGF10, which yielded broad smears of labelled proteins. This demonstrated that FGF4 vii bound HS in ECM in locations that, at molecular length scales, differed from those occupied by FGF2 and FGF10. The specificity of FGF4 binding to HS in the matrix was demonstrated by competition assays involving FGF4 and heparin. Given the differences in proximity labelling, the location of proximity labelled proteins and their dynamics were examined using fluorescein tyramide and fluorescence microscopy techniques. In addition, advantage was taken of the fact that APEX-FGF4 could auto label itself in vitro. This afforded, using the same reagent, an opportunity to determine in parallel the distribution of APEX-FGF4 itself. Confocal microscopy demonstrated that APEX-FGF4 proximity labelled proteins had a heterogeneous and punctate distribution in both Rama 27 fibroblasts and HaCaT keratinocytes. In general, auto-labelled APEX-FGF4 exhibited a similar distribution to its proximity-labelled proteins, but with lower overall abundance and reduced labelling intensity. Moreover, Z-stack imaging showed that the signal was restricted to the extracellular matrix at the cell periphery, with no labelling detected in the nucleus. Comparison with APEX-FGF2 revealed stronger and more extensive labelling for FGF2, as confirmed by quantitative fluorescence intensity analysis. Together, these observations indicated that FGF4 bound to HS in the ECM to sites that were spatially heterogeneous and distinct from those occupied by FGF2. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) was used to quantify the mobility of APEX-FGF4 itself, and of its proximity labelled proteins in the extracellular matrix of Rama 27 fibroblasts and HaCaT keratinocytes. Analysis of half-time recovery and diffusion behaviour showed that APEX-FGF4 was mobile, but its diffusion speed was considerably slower than that of other FGFs studied previously. Intriguingly, the APEX-FGF4 proximity labelled proteins were also mobile indicating that, at least these endogenous ECM proteins, while trapped in the ECM, are nonetheless dynamic. Together, these findings demonstrate that FGF4 differs to a far greater extent from other FGFs than previously considered: it has unique intracellular signalling properties, occupies binding sites on ECM HS that differ in their local environment from other FGFs and that the proteins in this local environment are mobile. This work provides new insights into the molecular specificity of FGF4–HS interactions, revealing how FGF4 may impact embryonic development and suggests that our current concepts of ECM as a fairly homogenous and, in molecular terms, static gel, needs to be revisited.4 0Item Restricted Green and Sustainable Logistics Strategies in the Saudi FMCG Sector: A Post-Vision 2030 Desk-Based Analysis(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) Alshalawi, Maha; Adaba, GodfriedAbstract This study investigates the implementation of green and sustainable logistics practices within Saudi Arabia’s Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector and evaluates their alignment with Vision 2030 sustainability priorities. Using a qualitative, desk-based research design supported by Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA), the study examined 13 corporate sustainability reports, national policy documents, and independent industry publications. The findings reveal partial but uneven adoption of sustainable logistics practices. Digital transformation is progressing but limited by capability gaps, while operational efficiency initiatives are widely reported but rarely supported by measurable performance indicators. Circular economy practices remain in early stages due to infrastructural and behavioural constraints, and transport sustainability is hindered by reliance on diesel fleets and insufficient low-carbon infrastructure. By integrating the Triple Bottom Line (TBL), Circular Economy (CE), and Resource-Based View (RBV), the study highlights the interaction between external pressures, operational mechanisms, and internal capabilities. The research contributes theoretically by contextualising sustainability frameworks in the Saudi FMCG sector and offers practical recommendations for firms and policymakers to accelerate progress toward Vision 2030 objectives.13 0Item Restricted Enhancing Riyadh’s Public Realm through Socio-Cultural Urban Codes: The Case of Al-Khazzan Street in Al-Deera District.(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) AlWahhabi, Hibah; Bobby, NishaRiyadh’s rapid urban growth has frequently overlooked socio-cultural values, leading to the deterioration of public spaces in historic areas like Al-Deera. Al-Khazzan Street, once a vibrant connector, currently suffers from deficient pedestrian infrastructure and a fragmented identity. This study examines the integration of socio-cultural dimensions into Riyadh’s urban codes to revitalise the public realm. Employing a qualitative single-case methodology, the research integrates policy reviews, field observations, interviews, and GIS analysis to evaluate regulatory frameworks and user experiences. The findings indicate that current codes inadequately represent local norms, including privacy, hospitality, and collective identity, resulting in underutilised spaces. The study proposes context-sensitive code enhancements to improve walkability, preserve cultural traditions, and promote social inclusivity. The research offers practical recommendations and a theoretical framework to assist in the revitalisation of Al-Khazzan Street and other historic districts in Riyadh by aligning planning regulations with community values, thereby supporting Vision 2030 objectives of identity and liveability.11 0Item Restricted Complement-Driven MicroRNA Modulation in Mesenchymal Stem Cells Insights into Immune Crosstalk and Niche Localization.(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Alruwaythi, Mohammed; Jehan, AljawhariMultipotent stem cells (MSCs) serve as key modulators within the bone marrow microenvironment, orchestrating hematopoietic support and immune modulation through direct cellular interactions and secretion of bioactive factors. This investigation specifically evaluated how complement system components C3a and C5a influence the expression profile of immunoregulatory microRNAs (miRNAs) in Mel-1-derived MSCs, a well-characterized stem cell model. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed distinct modulation patterns across the three targeted miRNAs (miR-628-3p, miR-20a-5p, miR-21-5p) under complement stimulation. C3a consistently upregulated all three miRNAs, while C5a exposure suppressed miR-628-3p and miR-21-5p but induced no change in miR-20a-5p, with miR-628-3p and miR-21-5p demonstrating particularly robust responses. These coordinated expression changes suggest complement fragments act as previously unrecognized modulators of MSC immunomodulatory capacity through post transcriptional control mechanisms. Complementary immunofluorescence studies of unstimulated murine bone marrow, via characterization of endothelial markers expression patterns to provide anatomical context for MSC niche localization. CD31 exhibited extensive vascular network staining reflecting its role in maintaining vascular integrity, while E-selectin showed restricted distribution domains consistent with its compartmentalized expression within the marrow vasculature. The distinct spatial distribution of these markers suggests compartmentalized regulation relevant to leukocyte trafficking within the marrow microenvironment. Our integrated findings demonstrate complement-dependent MSC plasticity, with C3a promoting tissue repair functions (including enhanced angiogenic potential), while C5a preferentially induced immunomodulatory responses. Furthermore, these differential effects highlight how complement activation products can selectively program MSC functional states. The identified miRNA signatures (miR-628-3p, miR-20a-5p, and miR-21-5p) provide mechanistic insights into MSC. immunoregulation and represent potential biomarkers for monitoring therapeutic potential. These findings would advance regenerative medicine by elucidating how complement signaling influences MSC behavior. The demonstration of complement-mediated miRNA regulation offers new opportunities for developing targeted preconditioning strategies to enhance MSC therapeutic efficacy. Additionally, our endothelial marker analysis provides anatomical insight into MSC localization within the bone marrow niche, laying the groundwork for future investigations into MSC-microenvironment interactions.4 0Item Restricted Neural correlates of hallucination proneness in the general population: Behavioural and multimodal MRI-based approaches(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Althuwaini, Haya; Meyer, GeorgHallucinations in healthy people are more common than previously assumed and may occur without the distress or impairment typically associated with clinical psychosis. Studying hallucination proneness (HP) in non-clinical populations provides opportunities to explore underlying mechanisms of hallucinatory experiences while minimising confounding factors such as medication, chronic illness, and comorbidity. This thesis explores the cognitive and neural correlates of HP in healthy individuals. The psychosis continuum model provides a theoretical framework, proposing that healthy hallucinators occupy an intermediate position between clinical hallucinators and healthy controls in terms of anomalous experiences, while remaining below the threshold for clinical intervention. Therefore, a central focus of this research is to evaluate whether the findings support this continuum model of psychosis. The thesis adopts multimodal, multi-cohort cross-sectional design studies, integrating findings from a systematic review, a large-scale population survey, and two empirical studies combining behavioural and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods. First, the systematic review (Chapter 2) synthesised results from 22 MRI studies examining auditory and visual hallucinations in non-clinical populations. Although there was considerable methodological heterogeneity, involvement of the superior temporal gyrus (STG), insula, and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) was observed. The neural correlates of hallucinations in healthy hallucinators showed both overlapping and distinct features compared to clinical groups, suggesting that similar brain networks may be engaged, but through different mechanisms. Current evidence remains inconclusive as to whether clinical and non-clinical hallucinations share the same underlying pathophysiology or arise from distinct processes. Chapter 3 reports the first psychometric validation of the Arabic version of the Launay-Slade Hallucination Scale-Extended (LSHS-E) in a general population sample from Saudi Arabia (n = 428). The Arabic version demonstrated strong reliability and validity, with a four-factor structure consistent with previous cross-cultural studies. This chapter also introduced the Arabic version of the positive dimension - Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (PCAPE), supporting future research on HP in Arabic-speaking populations. Chapters 4 and 5 report two empirical MRI studies conducted on a university-based cohort initially comprising 491 participants. From this larger sample, individuals in the highest (n =31) and lowest (n = 35) tertiles of LSHS-E scores were selected for MRI and associated behavioural experiments. Chapter 4 combined two attention-based signal detection tasks with functional MRI (fMRI). Behaviourally, the high HP group showed significantly lower perceptual sensitivity and faster reaction times under conditions of cross-modal distraction, but no consistent group differences in response bias, suggesting altered sensory discrimination and inhibitory control. fMRI revealed robust task-related activations across auditory, visual and attentional networks with only subtle, non-significant group differences. A trend-level increase in activation in the right Rolandic operculum in the high HP group was observed but did not provide support for the continuum hypothesis. Chapter 5 employed diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to investigate white matter microstructure. Contrary to previous findings in schizophrenia, the high HP group showed significantly lower mean diffusivity (MD) in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) and corticospinal tract (CST). Hallucination scores were negatively correlated with diffusivity measures in these tracts. These results challenge the assumption that HP reflects a milder form of clinical pathology and instead raise the possibility that lower diffusivity may reflect more efficient or protective white matter organisation in non-clinical individuals prone to hallucinations. The findings do not support a simple dimensional model of psychosis. Rather, they suggest that HP in healthy individuals is characterised by distinct cognitive and neural features. The thesis offers novel contributions to the understanding of HP and provides important cross-cultural insights by including the first neuroimaging investigation of HP in a healthy, Arabic-speaking population.11 0Item Restricted Resilience-Oriented Intelligent and Decentralised Restoration Framework for Modern Power Distribution Networks(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) Alghamdi, Abdullah Ali M; Jayaweera, DilanModern power distribution networks (MPDNs) are increasingly exposed to rare events such as extreme weather, which challenge traditional restoration strategies based on centralised control and limited mobile power sources (MPSs). These disruptions, combined with rising electrification and dependence on digital infrastructures, intensify the urgency for adaptive, scalable, and resilient restoration frameworks. Existing approaches are constrained by reliability criteria, insufficient modelling of interdependencies with transport and charging systems, and the limited availability of utility-owned MPSs. Addressing these challenges requires innovative solutions that harness distributed, individually owned MPSs such as residential electric vehicles (EVs) and, for the first time, electric boats (E-Boats). This thesis developed a series of data-driven frameworks that significantly advance the resilience of MPDNs under extreme disruptions by coordinating residential EVs and E-Boats for post- disaster restoration. First, a spatial–electrical modelling and resilience assessment framework uniquely coupled a modernised IEEE 123 Test Feeder with real-world electric vehicle charging points (EVCPs) and synthetic onshore charging points (OSCPs), providing a realistic environment to evaluate MPDN restoration under extreme disruptions. Second, a two-stage restoration framework was proposed for active residential EV coordination, combining advanced proactive prepositioning with adaptive spatiotemporal dispatch, supported by a novel bidirectional geographic graph (BGG) and an integrated information system. Third, the framework was extended into a behaviour-aware, scalable coordination model, the Individually Owned EV Integration Framework (IIIF), which incorporated probabilistic user participation modelling, multi-layer dynamic clustering, and unified prepositioning–dispatch optimisation to manage large, non- predetermined residential EVs. Fourth, a multimodal restoration framework integrated EVs with E- Boats through a novel selection–pairing algorithm, EV routing, advanced E-Boat voyage and navigation models using maritime data, and advanced scheduling methods. This represented the first demonstration of utilising residential EVs and E-Boats exclusively as active assets for grid restoration, while ensuring effective power delivery when road systems were damaged or congested. Simulation results across these frameworks demonstrated accelerated restoration and enhanced resilience: first, proactive prepositioning supplied critical loads as-soon-as-practical after events and reduced restoration time compared with utility-owned MPS baselines. Second, congestion- and accessibility-aware BGG routing shortened travel distance, increased delivered energy per trip, and raised EVCP utilisation by reducing queuing and idle time. Third, the behaviour-aware IIIF increased effective participation of eligible EVs and scaled to large non-predetermined EV fleets through multi-layer dynamic clustering with rapid optimisation convergence. Fourth, multimodal EV/E-Boat coordination restored road-inaccessible load areas via waterways, increased coverage under severe damage, and lowered restoration cost and energy consumption by minimising unnecessary travel and maximising use of stored battery energy. Across all comparative scenarios, these contributions delivered faster full-load restoration, higher restored load trajectories, and more balanced power allocation than existing methods. Collectively, the contributions establish a new paradigm in resilience-oriented restoration by uniting geospatial modelling, user behaviour considerations, scalable EV clustering, and the first integration of E-Boat deployment into MPDN resilience studies. They provide operators and planners with effective tools to strengthen restoration capability, shorten outage durations, and align restoration with Net Zero 2050 decarbonisation goals. By bridging technical innovation with practical application, this thesis sets a benchmark for adaptive, decentralised, and multimodal restoration strategies, advancing both knowledge and practice in resilient MPDNs.18 0