Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Restricted Investigating the role of culture in the development of informal sector: A case study of Riyadh(Saudi Digital Library, 2024) ALSufran, Salman; Slowak, AndreCulture is fundamental element in every society, organisation or a nation. Researchers have established that culture affects norms, values, beliefs and behaviour of an individual or a group of people. Its impact in the informal sector remains a fundamental basis for research considering the expansion globally. This research seeks to explore how culture influence and interface the informal sector in diverse dimensions and contexts. This is deductive research that adopts positivism in its overall approach. The quantitative method was adopted with use of questionnaire for the data collection. It was physically distributed in Riyadh with the need to read and assist some participants in the process. Snowball approach was used for participant recruitment while questionnaire was translated to some participants who struggled with the language. The data was analysed using statistical approach in terms of pie charts and tables together with correlation analysis. Overall, it was discovered that culture have some level of impact on participation and decision making in the informal sector. This impact can be negative or positive. Culture often influences the available opportunities and can cause barriers in the sector. Another finding is that culture can promote illegality by controlling the way that stakeholders behave in the informal sector. Lastly, culture influence the policy making which affect the informal sector. These policies have multidimensional impact on the informal sector which emphasise cultural impact through policy.0 0Item Restricted Regulation and Functional Role of H₂S-Related Enzymes MPST and TST In Vitro(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) Alosaimi, Abdullah; Alexander, StephenHydrogen sulphide (H₂S) is a signalling molecule involved in cellular metabolism, redox homeostasis, and stress responses. It is produced enzymatically by cystathionine β-synthase (CBS), cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE), and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (MPST), while its mitochondrial catabolism is regulated by sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase (SQOR), persulfide dioxygenase (ETHE1), and thiosulfate sulfurtransferase (TST). Although MPST and TST contribute to maintaining H₂S homeostasis, their precise regulatory functions in hepatic metabolism and stress adaptation remain insufficiently characterised. This study hypothesised that MPST and TST play key regulatory roles in liver sulphur metabolism and cellular adaptation to oxidative and metabolic stress. The research aimed to investigate their gene regulation, expression patterns, and functional impact in liver-derived models, with a focus on detoxification, H₂S generation, and cellular stress responses. An integrated approach was taken, combining bioinformatics and experimental methods. Promoter and enhancer analyses were used to identify transcriptional regulatory elements and transcription factor binding sites. The effects of metabolic stressors (including free fatty acids, altered glucose concentrations, and xenobiotic receptor agonists (PPARα, PXR, AhR, CAR)) on MPST and TST expression were evaluated in Huh7, HepG2, and McA-RH7777 cells. Stable MPST- and TST overexpressing Huh7 cell lines were generated via plasmid-based transfection and G418 selection to assess their roles in cell viability, proliferation, and stress responses. Protein expression and subcellular localisation were confirmed by Western blot and fluorescence microscopy. Enzyme activity and H₂S production were quantified using fluorescent probes (AzMC, SF7-AM, SSP4), while pharmacological inhibition was I used to probe functional relevance. Cell viability and proliferation assays were conducted under various stress and chemotherapy conditions. The results showed that MPST and TST are highly expressed in hepatic tissue. The expression of both genes is downregulated in response to xenobiotic receptor activation in Huh7 cells. Functional assays revealed that MPST activity was more consistently reflected by sulfane sulfur levels than by H₂S production in Huh7 cells overexpressing MPST. Overexpression of MPST and TST did not significantly alter proliferation in Huh7 cells or confer resistance to doxorubicin-induced cytotoxicity, suggesting limited involvement in chemoresistance under the tested conditions. In conclusion, this work provides new insight into the molecular regulation and functional significance of MPST and TST in liver sulphur metabolism. These findings suggest the potential influence of dietary factors on enzyme gene expression and highlight sulfane sulphur as a potentially reliable biomarker of MPST activity. Further studies are needed to explore their broader involvement in redox regulation, apoptosis, and liver disease progression.5 0Item Restricted Partial Learning for MIMO Detection(Saudi Digital Library, 2024) Babulghum, Abdulaziz; ElHajjar, Mohammed; Ng, Soon Xin; Xu, ChaoReliable and efficient multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) detection remains a central challenge in modern wireless receivers. Optimal maximum-likelihood (Max-L) detection delivers the best performance. However, its exponential complexity is prohibitive, while linear schemes such as zero-forcing (ZF) and minimum mean square error (MMSE) are computationally attractive yet suffer from poor performance. Fully learned detectors improve robustness but introduce substantial parameter counts and computational complexity. Building on prior work on partial learning (PL), this thesis contributes a unified detection framework based on PL that addresses these trade-offs by applying learning only where it yields the most benefits: a subset of the weakest symbol streams, with the remaining streams detected using low-complexity linear detection. The first part of the thesis designs a soft-output PL demapper implemented with a small fully connected neural network (FCNN) for quasi-static channels and embeds it into an iterative detection scheme. The inner MIMO detector produces log-likelihood ratios (LLRs) that are exchanged with an outer convolutional decoder. EXIT charts and decoding trajectories are used to analyze convergence. Across representative 2×2 and 4×4 quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK) systems, the iterative PL (Iter-PL) technique closes most of the gap to iterative Max-L and full-learning detectors while operating at a fraction of their complexity. Operation counts are reported and related to the number of learning-assisted streams *d*, demonstrating an explicit performance versus complexity trade-off. The second part extends Iter-PL to time-varying channels while also considering channel state information (CSI) error. The same FCNN-based soft demapper is trained using CSI errors. Results show that Iter-PL retains its iterative gains under 5% CSI error and remains markedly superior to purely linear detection. An adaptive PL strategy is further introduced to select *d* based on the average received signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), thereby achieving a near-constant target bit error rate (BER) with reduced average complexity. The final part addresses scalability in dynamic multi-user uplinks. A graph neural network (GNN)–based PL detector is proposed, where an approximate message passing (AMP) frontend supplies soft symbols and variance estimates to the GNN. The GNN then detects only the d weakest users, while ZF detects the remaining users. By operating on user graphs, the model generalizes across changing activity masks without requiring retraining and maintains a low parameter count. Simulations over multiple activity patterns consistently confirm low BER and favorable performance–complexity trade-offs. Overall, the thesis demonstrates that partial learning enables near-optimal soft detection with clear and quantifiable reductions in complexity, and that GNN-based partial learning offers the same benefits in multi-user scenarios. The proposed technique provides a practical approach to scalable, low-latency MIMO detection, making it suitable for evolving wireless systems.4 0Item Restricted The Relationship between Role Clarity and Psychological Safety in the Healthcare Sector in Saudi Arabia: A Mixed-Methods Research Study(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) Tammar, Ahmad; Leka, Stavroula; Jones, StevenThe aim of this thesis was to examine the relationship between role clarity and psychological safety in Saudi Arabia’s healthcare sector during the Health Sector Transformation Program (HSTP), and explored their combined influence on employee well-being. A pragmatic paradigm and concurrent mixed-methods design were adopted. The quantitative study was based on a survey of 270 healthcare employees using validated instruments, while the qualitative study involved 33 semi-structured interviews exploring employees’ experiences of clarity and safety during reform. Data were analysed through multivariate regression and mediation models for the quantitative study, and thematic analysis for the qualitative study, with integration at the interpretation stage. Quantitative findings showed that role clarity was significantly associated with psychological safety at individual, team, and organisational levels. Role clarity was also related to well-being, with team psychological safety partially mediating this association. Leadership role showed a small effect, but tenure and employment status were not significant. Qualitative findings revealed how inclusive leadership, recognition, and clear communication fostered psychological safety, while reform-related ambiguity, shifting responsibilities, and reliance on informal channels undermined it. Hierarchical and cultural dynamics influenced whose voices were heard, with lower-status staff more hesitant to speak up. The integration of findings demonstrated that role clarity is a crucial job resource that supports psychological safety and well-being, but its benefits are amplified in supportive team climates. Using the Job Demands-Resources model, Status Characteristics Theory, and the Readiness for Change framework, the study showed how organisational, relational, and contextual factors interact to shape outcomes. The thesis provides empirical evidence of the clarity-safety-well-being relationship, refines theoretical frameworks by emphasising their interactive and contingent nature, and offers context-specific insights from a reforming, non-Western healthcare system. Findings have practical implications for leadership development, role design, and communication strategies during organisational transformation.10 0Item Restricted Resistance Literature: Resistance in Ghassan Kanafani's Men in the Sun and Returning to Haifa(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Aloufi, Abdulrahman; Whittle, MatthewPalestinian literature, in the aftermath of the 1948 Nakba and the establishment of the settler-colonial entity of Israel, developed in direct response to the radically changed conditions faced by Palestinians. These conditions include successive wars, military occupation, exile, genocide, displacement, poverty, dispossession, death, torture, censorship, and the systematic exclusion from academic institutions. In contrast to the relatively peaceful situation prior to the establishment of Israel. Multiple Palestinian novelists and poets, including Ghassan Kanafani, the subject of this dissertation, Mahmoud Darwish, Tawfiq Fayyad, Samih Al-Qasim, Yousef El Khatib, and others, were at the forefront of this literary development.3 0Item Restricted Designing a Health Education Program for the Management of Bronchial Asthma among School Age Children(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) AlSubaie, Shafi; Awad, Lamiaa AminBackground: Bronchial asthma, a prevalent chronic respiratory disease globally, poses a significant public health challenge for school-age children, especially in Saudi Arabia, necessitating evidence-based, tailored health education programs. Aim: The study aimed to design a health education program for the management of bronchial asthma among school-age children. Methodology: The study utilized the Delphi method, involving a panel of health educators and school-age children with asthma using a judgmental sampling technique, to develop and refine program components through two iterative rounds. Tools: The researcher developed six data collection tools for a study on bronchial asthma management. The first tool collected socio-demographic and health history information from children and their caregivers. The second tool explored beneficiaries' views and expectations. The third tool assessed users' and expert panelists' views and expectations. The fifth tool evaluated expert panelists' appraisal of the program. The sixth tool assessed participants' feedback. Results: Following the two rounds, the study achieved a strong consensus and high validation for the educational program. A strong agreement rate (≥90%) and high satisfaction levels (mean scores ≥4.5) were observed across all evaluated elements. Participants praised the educational package as an effective learning tool, and health professionals confirmed its validity and suitability for immediate use. Conclusion: The Delphi method successfully developed a health education program for school-age children with bronchial asthma, gaining consensus and positive feedback, indicating its readiness for implementation. Recommendation: The program is suggested to be integrated into routine care in primary healthcare centers, schools, and hospitals to enhance disease management.2 0Item Restricted تقييم خدمات الرعاية الاجتماعية للمرضى لتحسينها في ضوء معايير الجودة "دراسة ميدانية بمستشفى الولادة والأطفال بحفر الباطن"(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) الظفيري, عبدالله; عبدالقادر, سلوى السيديعد موضوع تقييم خدمات الرعاية الاجتماعية للمرضى لتحسينها في ضوء معايير الجودة من الموضوعات المهمة والجديرة بالدراسة حيث تعد هذه الدراسة من الدراسات التي تعكس واقع الممارسات المهنية للخدمة الاجتماعية في المجال الطبي المقدمة لهم في مستشفى الولادة والأطفال بحفر الباطن من خلال تطبيق أعلى مستويات الجودة، وانطلاقًا من هذا الواقع تأتي هذه الدراسة لتسليط الضوء على تقييم خدمات الرعاية الاجتماعية المقدمة للمرضى بمستشفى الولادة والأطفال بحفر الباطن وذلك من خلال تحليلها في ضوء معايير الجودة بهدف الوقوف على نقاط القوة والضعف واقتراح السبل الكفيلة بتحسينها وتطويرها بما يضمن تقديم خدمات ذات كفاءة عالية تعزز من جودة الحياة للمرضى وتحقق التوازن بين الجوانب الطبية والاجتماعية في الرعاية الصحية1 0Item Restricted أحداث الحياة الضاغطة كمتغير وسيط في العلاقة بين نوبات الهلع والاكتئاب: دراسة إكلينيكية(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) البدراني, محمد; زيدان, أكرم فتحي يونسهدفت الدراسة الحالية إلى التعرف على أحداث الحياة الضاغطة كمتغير وسيط للعلاقة بين الاكتئاب ونوبات الهلع لدى عينة من مرضى الهلع، وكذا دراسة الفروق بين مرضى الهلع أنفسهم في أحداث الحياة الضاغطة ونوبات الهلع والاكتئاب وبعض المتغيرات الديموغرافية في كل من: السن، ومدة الإصابة بنوبات الهلع والاكتئاب، ومدة العلاج (سن صغير مع مدة قصيرة للمرض والعلاج) في مقابل (سن كبير مع مدة طويلة للمرض والعلاج)، وتكونت عينة الدراسة الاستطلاعية من (١٠٠) من الذكور والإناث، بينما تكونت العينة الأساسية من (١٢٠) من الذكور والإناث مرضى الهلع تراوحت أعمارهم من (٣٥ : ٥٠)، أدوات الدراسة. اشتملت أدوات الدراسة على قائمة بك للاكتئاب (تعريب غريب عبد الفتاح غريب)، مقياس نوبات الهلع (إعداد الباحث)، مقياس أحداث الحياة الضاغطة (إعداد الباحث). ثم قام الباحث بإجراء المعالجة الإحصائية للبيانات في هذه الدراسة باستخدام البرنامج الإحصائي (SPSS) لتحليل البيانات إحصائياً كالمتوسطات الحسابية والانحرافات المعيارية، معامل ارتباط بيرسون، والتحليل العاملي بواسطة المكونات الرئيسية لـ “هوتلنج”، للتحقق من الصدق العاملي لأدوات الدراسة. النتائج: أظهرت النتائج أنه يوجد تأثير دال إحصائياً لأحداث الحياة الضاغطة2 0Item Restricted User engagement and satisfaction , Customer Satisfaction and Efficiency in Automated Last-Mile Delivery Systems: A Survey-Based Study.(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Abu khamees, Rahaf; Rastani, SinaThis study aimed to examine the determinants of public acceptance of automated last-mile delivery (ALMD) technologies in the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia. To address this aim, the study investigated how demographic characteristics (age and residential area), national context, and perceptions of risks and benefits (privacy, trust, safety, job loss, efficiency, and sustainability) shape willingness to adopt ALMD. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted with 203 participants, using quota-based sampling to enhance representativeness across both countries. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Mann–Whitney U tests, Kruskal–Wallis tests, and Spearman’s rank-order correlations in SPSS. Descriptive analysis indicated that participants were predominantly young, digitally literate, and experienced with traditional parcel delivery, with only a minority reporting prior use of automated methods. Cross-national comparisons revealed no significant differences between UK and Saudi respondents, suggesting convergence of public attitudes across contexts. Based on correlation analysis, the study identified that trust, efficiency, and emissions reduction were the strongest predictors of acceptance. By contrast, age, residential area, and concerns over safety, privacy, and job loss did not significantly reduce willingness to adopt ALMD. Notably, job-loss concern and privacy awareness were sometimes positively associated with openness to adoption, indicating that risks may coexist with acceptance rather than act as barriers. The findings highlight the importance of building trust, demonstrating efficiency gains, and communicating tangible environmental benefits to encourage adoption. This study leaves several gaps that future work should address through longitudinal and qualitative approaches, as well as broader cross-cultural sampling, to capture evolving public attitudes toward ALMD.4 0Item Restricted The Effectiveness of The Hague Convention in Addressing International Child Abduction(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Althubiti, Areej Dakelallah A; Grossman, Joanna LParental child abduction is a growing concern fueled by immigration, cross-cultural marriages, evolving family dynamics, and gaps in the implementation and enforcement of developed international frameworks. This study examines the effectiveness of and challenges to the enforcement of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (HCCA), which was developed to address this problem. Specifically, the goal of this research is to assess the effect the HCCA has had on parental kidnapping, analyze its effectiveness in resolving international custody disputes, and identify the legal and practical obstacles that inhibit implementation. While the prevalence of parental kidnapping continues to increase, this study’s significance emanates from its illumination of inconsistencies in the HCCA’s enforcement and its recommendations for reforms. The study employs a qualitative research approach that analyzes cases from 2007-2016, legal texts, and scholarly literature to evaluate how cross-border parental kidnapping cases are handled across jurisdictions. This analysis allowed the researcher to explore Shariah law perspectives on parental abduction to understand why most Islamic states are reluctant to ratify the Convention. The findings reveal that while the HCCA has streamlined the legal process for returning abducted children, enforcement challenges remain due to non-compliance by member states, conflicts between international and domestic laws, and cultural and religious barriers. Other challenges that member states must address to make the treaty more effective include discrepancies in legal definitions, procedural delays, and lack of enforcement mechanisms in non-member states. The research also highlights the social, financial, and psychological impact on children and left-behind parents, showing the need for reforms to make the convention more effective. Thus, this study contributes to international legal discourse by highlighting practical, theoretical, and social implications that must be addressed to improve the HCCA and mitigate vi parental kidnapping. While practically it advocates for stronger international enforcement mechanisms and legal reforms to enhance the Hague Convention’s effectiveness, theoretically, it contributes to discussions on the intersection of international law, human rights, and child welfare. Socially, the study illuminates the adverse psychological and emotional consequences and advocates for policy changes that prioritize the well-being of children across national borders. Thus, this study is important because it illuminates challenges hindering the effective implementation of international frameworks aimed at curbing parental kidnapping and advocates for stronger legal reforms to enhance their effectiveness.14 0