A finite-state approach to arabic broken noun morphology

In this paper, a finite-state computational approach to Arabic broken plural noun morphology is introduced. The paper considers the derivational aspect of the approach, and how generalizations about dependencies in the broken plural noun derivational system of Arabic are captured and handled computationally in this finite-state approach. The approach will be implemented using Xerox finite-state tool

A Comparison Between Inter-Asterisk eXchange Protocol and Jingle Protocol: Session Time

Over the last few years, many multimedia conferencing and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) applications have been developed due to the use of signaling protocols in providing video, audio and text chatting services between at least two participants. This paper compares between two widely common signaling protocols: InterAsterisk eXchange Protocol (IAX) and the extension of the eXtensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (Jingle) in terms of delay time during call setup, call teardown, and media sessions

The Media Coverage of the Israel and Gaza War: A Comparative Study of CNN and Al Jazeera

The Israel-Gaza War, which officially started on October 7, 2023, caused immense loss in the Middle East and attracted the international media\u27s eyes. This study discusses the media’s framing in its reporting on the Israel-Gaza War, particularly as disseminated on two prominent global news providers’ online websites: CNN and Al Jazeera. The research explores the differences and similarities in framing the war using framing theory. The study examines how these news outlets covered these current events online in a period ranging from October 7, 2023, to April 7, 2024, using quantitative content analysis. It investigates the main framing of news from the coverage to holistically capture the overall importance of the articles featuring news about the war. The findings indicate CNN predominantly employs conflict frames with a pro-Israel perspective, while Al Jazeera frequently uses human interest and morality frames from a pro-Palestinian standpoint. Both outlets similarly and infrequently use economic frames. The research findings will contribute to the general debate on media accountability and digital platform influence on the public perception of global wars. This study explores these underlying trends to enhance media literacy while recommending how to improve objectivity and the quality of war reporting

The effect of national culture on service provision

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.PURPOSE: This research is to investigate the effect of national culture on service provision. Hence, the researcher aims Firstly to investigate the differences in national culture between any two different countries share some attributes like language, religion or geographic location. Secondly, it aims to find whether the differences in national culture of two countries associated with differences in service provision. Finally, the researcher aims to propose a framework that shows how differences in national culture may associate with differences in service provision. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: This research will quantitatively develop and examine a conceptual framework that is designed to test the effect of national culture on service provision within the context of Takful industry. A total of 463 respondents completed the survey based questionnaire from two different countries (Kuwait and Egypt) which are identified as being related to the same cluster that is, the Arab clusters. The context of the research happened to be within the context of Takaful (Islamic insurance industry) due to the uniqueness of the sector to the cluster. The data was statistically tested using SPSS and AMOS programming system as the primary statistical technique to build structure equation modelling that allows testing the proposed conceptual framework. FINDINGS: Results have shown that the differences in national culture of power distance and uncertainty avoidance have an effect on service provision through service delivery gaps. Results indicated that the service delivery gaps of information gap, specification gap and performance gap partially mediate the effect of national culture on service provision in terms of information flow, style of management, control, communication policy, specification driver and boundary system. The findings also indicate that there are differences in national culture between Kuwait and Egypt despite the commonality of language and religion. The findings are in contrary to Hofstede’s findings in which he argues that Arab cluster have an identical national culture dominated by Islam. Finally, results provide strong evidence that the researcher cannot disconfirm the theory after being statistically tested in which result support the validity of the theory. LIMITATIONS: The research studied only two dimensions of national culture against three service gap attributed to the theory followed by the research, however they were found strongly linked in previous research. Also the research has addressed only one sector of service industry in two countries, but since the industry (Takaful) stemmed from the religion of the context to which previous research assumes homogeneity of Arab national culture based on the power of the religion. Hence, generalizability of the findings can be extended to any national culture of two countries from the similar cluster share similar attributes of religion and language. CONTRIBUTIONS: Contribution to theory: This research confirmed the findings of previous researches as to what extent national culture effect service provision associated with service delivery gaps. It confirmed previous research findings on the underlying relationships between national culture and service provision and how this might be associated with service delivery gaps. An important contribution to theory is the ability of power distance and uncertainty avoidance in predicting national culture differences in service provision between any two countries. Further, the study found that the national culture dimensions do not equally influence service provision as it varies cross culturally. In addition, the research contributes to the theory by providing a conceptual framework that can cultivates the seed in the body of knowledge to enrich the soil for researchers to study the effect of national culture on service provision. Another contribution stems from the findings that opposes Hofested’s claim regarding the homogeneity of Arab countries. Finally, the research proposes a data driven model stems from the collected data. Contribution to Practice: The findings of this research assist service providers of Takaful in particular, and services sector providers in general, to improve their service quality as it identifies and explains some key insights that might help in dealing with various service delivery gaps. Therefore, it is very important for marketers to understand the effect of national culture differences on service delivery gaps which in turn effect the mechanisms of service provision. Contribution to Policy: The research has contributed to the policy with which delivery processes can be systematically enhancing the excellence of service delivery for organizations. Policies of organizations can be set taking in consideration the role of national culture. Organizations may bridge the service delivery gap if they comprehend the effect of national culture on the delivery of their services. Information gap, specification gap and performance gap can be reduced or eliminated if provider understands the effect of national culture on those gaps and how they policies for Information flow, Style of management, Control, Communication policy, Specification driver and Boundary System. These polices may apply differently in different cultural settings as policies applicable in one culture may not be valid for other culture. On the other hand, differences in power distance and risk acceptance may shape provider’s policy to adapt to the pertinent environment. Hence, this research provides policy makers understand the role of culture on service provision. Contribution to method: This research is significant in drawing support from cultures which is different from Anglo cultures (Hofstede, 1980) which in most researches provide evidence to the management literature. On the foundation of the literature review, the research has contributed to method by using a unique context that related directly to the studied national cultures. The method was the adoption of national culture of countries that belong to the same cluster and study the differences/similarities of this national culture with a unique context that related to the dimension to which they were clustered upon like religion and language. Moderation effect of national culture was not appropriate as the conventional methodology when using structural equation modelling in cross cultural studies. However, mediation effect has been found valid and appropriate in exploring the effect of national culture on service provision. results revealed that the method of testing mediation effect was successful in highlighting the effect of national culture drawn from similar cluster countries on service provision mediated by service quality gaps with which a new addition has been added to the body of the literature

AFFORDANCES AND OUTCOMES OF TARGETED FAST-FOOD ADVERTISING IN KUWAITI FACEBOOK

This thesis sought to investigate affordances and outcomes of targeted fast-food advertising inKuwaiti Facebook. Affordances as used here implies properties of Facebook advertising, which show Facebook users actions they can take. This study contributes to understanding of how Facebook advertising may impact dietary choices of Kuwaitis Facebook users, from fast foods advertised on Facebook timelines. Facebook is a popular social site used by a high number of consumer groups, and advertisers. Increasingly advertisers are using Facebook as a tool of outreach, that they intend to use to convert potential consumers into buyers. Facebook advertising is increasingly placing products conspicuously to potential users heightening probabilities of contributing to some degree of targeted users. Facebook advertising applies algorithms that cluster and send suitable ads to users of the platform. The advertising messages reach out to targets, deliver message of product offerings, and increase chances of playing important decision-making roles of users. The underlying technique used by Facebook advertising algorithms is priming. While social media is a social networking site where people interact, algorithms infused in Facebook increase presence relevant products to several Facebook users.Media Studies & Productio

Transcending legitimacy : Al-Awza'i and his interaction with the 'Abbasid state

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Computational and Experimental Investigations on Biodiesel Combustion Process

The combustion process of liquid conventional and biofuels depend on factors ranging from the thermophysicochemical properties associated with such fuels to the combustion infrastructure used to burn them. A third class of fuels commonly referred to as surrogate fuels can be obtained by mixing conventional and biofuels. It is thought that the existence of oxygen atoms in biofuels play a crucial role in the way they burn in a stream of air, in uencing not only the e ciency of the combustion process of such class of fuels but also the emissions. The mechanisms through which the existing oxygen atoms in uence the combustion process of biofuels (and its surrogates) are still debatable and unestablished. This thesis sheds light on the points mentioned in the paragraph above. Extensive computational and experimental work was done to elucidate the combustion process of conventional, surrogate and biofuels. Some of the reaction mechanisms used in modelling the current reactive ow simulation are already tested while others were developed during the course of this work. The computational results have shown good agreement with the available experimental data. One of the most important observations and ndings reported in this work was that when comprehensive reaction models were used, the injected fuels burned at a slower rate compared to the situation when reduced models were employed. While such comprehensive models predicted better ame structure and far better by-products compared to the existing experimental results, it has also led to di erences in some parameters, especially the temperature eld. The computational prediction has also shown that biodiesel produces a marginally higher rate of COx compared to diesel which was also observed experimentally using a Compression Ignition Engine (CIE). Having said so, the experimental work also showed that surrogate fuels perform far better than pure diesel and biodiesel in CIE) in terms of emissions. The experimental work further addressed some phyisical and spectral analysis of diesel, biodiesel and nine blends as well as assessing the performance of a combination of these fuels in a compression ignition engine. The results are in line with what has reported in the literature but also sheds light on important features related to surrogate fuels and explain better the expected structure of such blends which may in uence the way they burn under di erent environments. With regards to the harmfull emissions of the combustion of liquid fuels, biodiesel was found to produce harmful emissions in a lower quantity compared to conventional diesel which is in line with the ndings of many experimental data. The computational ndings have also predicted less energy content and temperature range for biofuels of order 10-15% which is also in agreement with many experimental ndings cited in the literature

IN VITRO EFFECT OF SODIUM HYPOCHLORITE ON STREPTOCOCCUS MUTANS MONO-SPECIES BIOFILM

Objectives: Bacterial biofilms are ubiquitous, found in a variety of sites within the human body, and are associated with the pathogenesis of dental caries. They are formed when free-floating microorganisms attach to a surface. One such organism, Streptococcus mutans, has adhesins allowing its attachment to tooth surfaces. S. mutans is associated with all forms of human dental caries. S. mutans can rapidly metabolize dietary sugars to acid, locally creating a low pH on tooth surfaces, where it can optimally grow and become more competitive in dental plaque biofilms, in contrast to acid-sensitive bacterial species associated with sound non-carious tooth surfaces. Commensal and natural biofilm aggregates contain multiple microbial species that are believed to co-exist, interact, and form families with high bacteria and niche diversity. In contrast, most biofilms that are chronically infectious tend to have low bacterial diversity with sovereign mono-species such as S. mutans. Hence, it is advantageous to study mono-species biofilms of dental caries-associated bacteria. Although dental biofilms cannot be completely eliminated, their pathogenicity can be lessened through effective oral hygiene measures. Continuous and regular disruption of dental biofilms is imperative for prevention and management of oral infectious diseases. Mechanical methods, most notably tooth brushing and flossing, are required to regularly and effectively disrupt dental plaque biofilms in the human oral cavity. Antiseptics, such as mouth rinses, can also help control dental plaque biofilms, and may gain access to oral sites inaccessible by mechanical methods. Among available antiseptics, sodium hypochlorite is a particularly potent agent against bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Sodium hypochlorite occurs naturally within phagocytic cells (neutrophils, monocytes, and macrophages) participating in the human innate immune response to microbial infection. Several randomized controlled clinical trials support the efficacy of rinsing twice weekly with 0.25 % sodium hypochlorite to improve periodontal health. To date, no studies have been reported concerning the effect of sodium hypochlorite rinsing on dental caries incidence or progression. Several in vitro studies have addressed the effect of dilute sodium hypochlorite on various oral bacteria species. However, there are no literature reports addressing the effect of sodium hypochlorite on bacteria attached to solid surfaces in biofilms. Hence, the objective of this study is to compare the in vitro antimicrobial effect of sodium hypochlorite to another antiseptic agent, chlorhexidine, on the acidigenic and aciduric bacterial species, S. mutans and Lactobacillus casei, both in a free-form (planktonic) state, and as a biofilm attached to two hard surfaces (glass and hydroxyapatite). Methods: The effect of sodium hypochlorite on S. mutans and L. casei was determined by finding the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) by broth dilution assays. The MIC was considered to be the lowest concentration of the agent that prevented bacterial growth, resulting in a clear test tube in a broth dilution assay. Experiments with sodium hypochlorite were repeated twice against each bacterial species, and compared to chlorhexidine in similar assays. The effect of a 20-second exposure of MIC concentration (1.0%) of sodium hypochlorite on the growth of S. mutans planktonic cells was measured. Finally, the effect of a 20-second exposure of 1% hypochlorite on S. mutans single-species biofilms was assayed using sterile microplates and the MBEC Biofilm Inoculator (Innovatech). Results: Values for inhibition of growth of planktonic cells were as follows: sodium hypochlorite (MIC = 0.1%; MBC = 0.1%); chlorhexidine (MIC = 0.0015%; MBC = 0.0025%). A 20-second exposure to either solution at the MBC inhibited growth of planktonic cells in refreshed media. Cells adherent to glass or hydroxyapatite pegs were growth-inhibited, but not detached, in refreshed media by a 20-second exposure to 0.2% and 0.4% sodium hypochlorite, and 0.01% and 0.12 % chlorhexidine, but not by more dilute solutions. Conclusions: Chlorhexidine is more potent than sodium hypochlorite, but dilute solutions of both antimicrobial agents inhibited growth of S. mutans mono-species biofilm cells without detachment of cells.Oral Biolog

Zero Emissions Sulphur Recovery Production

A designed process for the concurrent production of hydrogen and Sulphur from a H2S containing gas stream (acid gas) with zero emissions. The method uses catalytic oxidative cracking, COC, of H2S to form H2 and S2. In addition, the process will have a Clause reactor to reduce the recycle rate of the H2S to the COC reactor, and a Tail Gas Treatment, TGT, section to produce a rich stream of H2. As a result, the novelty in the plant is to export H2 without the necessity of an incinerator