ROBUST PRINCIPAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS

A common technique for robust dispersion estimators is to apply the classical estimator to some subset U of the data. Applying principal component analysis to the subset U can result in a robust principal component analysis with good properties

Design and usability ealuation of social mobile diabetes management system in the Gulf Region

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of diabetes in the Gulf States is one of the highest globally. It is estimated that 20% of the population in the region has been diagnosed with diabetes and according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), five of the IDF's "top 10" countries for diabetes prevalence in 2011 and projected for 2030 are in this region. In recent years, there have been an increasing number of clinical studies advocating the use of mobile phone technology for diabetes self-management with improved clinical outcomes. However, there are few studies to date addressing the application of mobile diabetes management in the Gulf region, particularly in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), where there is exponential increase in mobile phone usage and access to social networking. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper is to present the design and development of a new mobile health system for social behavioral change and management tailored for Saudi patients with diabetes called Saudi Arabia Networking for Aiding Diabetes (SANAD). A usability study for the SANAD system is presented to validate the acceptability of using mobile technologies among patients with diabetes in the KSA and the Gulf region. METHODS: The SANAD system was developed using mobile phone technology with diabetes management and social networking modules. For the usability study the Questionnaire for User Interaction Satisfaction was used to evaluate the usability aspect of the SANAD system. A total of 33 users with type 2 diabetes participated in the study. RESULTS: The key modules of the SANAD system consist of (1) a mobile diabetes management module; (2) a social networking module; and (3) a cognitive behavioral therapy module for behavioral change issues. The preliminary results of the usability study indicated general acceptance of the patients in using the system with higher usability rating in patients with type 2 diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: We found that the acceptability of the system was high among Saudi patients with diabetes, and ongoing work in this research area is underway to conduct a clinical pilot study in the KSA for patients with type 2 diabetes. The wide deployment of such a system is timely and required in the Gulf region due to the wide use of mobile phones and social networking mediums

The Models of Legal Education: Implication for Saudi Arabia

The model of any type of education is very important for learning and every type of learning requires a different approach. This research explores the Socratic method, the Case Method, the Problem-Based Method, Clinical Legal Education and Lecture Approach for legal education. It also discusses the merits and demerits of each educational model in the legal education context. It was observed that all teaching methods were complementary to each another and that legal education requires a mix of all as per the subject matter and resource-availability of education institutions. This research also identified the legal education model in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia predominately adopted the lecture approach due to historical dependence on French-educated Egyptian professors. The lecture approach is very traditional and has more demerits as compared to merits with rote learning. Therefore, we suggest the Kingdom use a mixed approach for legal education for maximum advantage

Tendering in Assignment of the Administrative Contract: A Comparison of Egyptian Tender Law and Saudi Government Tenders and Procurement Law

Administrative contracts are conducted to meet government agencies' requirements in terms of procurement, which is done by tendering. The government infrastructure demand and day-to-day other needs are contracted with vendors, who render their services by applying the announced tender. Hence, the legal framework related to tendering is very important, which protects the legal rights of tender authority and vendors. This present research aims to explore the tendering law in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, having a close legal framework regarding tendering. Egypt is carrying the tender law of 1998, which is updated in 2018 recently. Moreover, tendering in Saudi Arabia depends on the Government Tenders and Procurement Law (GTPL) of 2019, which is updated from the previous version of GTPL 2006.  The research explores the basic structure of the procurement system and tendering in both systems, including the discussions on procurement agency, tendering methods, basic tendering regulations, public-private partnership, transparency issue, and tendering with foreigners' bidders. Also, the recent improvements in both tendering systems are discussed. The research traces many similarities and differences in both tendering systems and suggests taking help from each other's experiences

THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL AMONG KUWAITI STUDENTS AT THE INTERMEDIATE EDUCATION LEVEL

Today’s education is different to the one that existed not so many years ago. Our education is constantly changing. We live in an information society where the leading role has been given to new technologies, especially those devoted to information. Therefore, this study will attempt to understand Kuwaiti middle schools students’ perceptions of technology use inside and outside schools, particularly students’ impressions of educational technology.The purpose of this research study was to determine are their differences between how technology is used in and out school by grade level and gender. The instruments were two questionnaires called a survey of technology usage inside school and a survey of technology usage outside school. With 20 items in each instrument. All the students were 11 to 14 years of age, at four intermediate education levels: sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth grade. The total sample size was N = 384 (185 boys, 199 girls). This study was conducted with grade sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth for both schools, students in intact classes.The most strongly endorsed technology item inside of school were educational in nature. Whereas, outside of school students developed more recreational purposes of technology use. The inferential statistics showed an interaction between gender and grade level. Technology inside of school found a low level in grade six and rising in grade seven for girls while it rose for boys in both grade seven and eight. Both boys and girls utilized technology in school less in grade nine.Technology outside of the school found the same results as inside for boys while girls started higher in usage and declined each subsequent year. Girls utilized technology for more educational purposes than boys.Ph.D

Tendering in Assignment of the Administrative Contract: A Comparison of Egyptian Tender Law and Saudi Government Tenders and Procurement Law

Administrative contracts are conducted to meet government agencies' requirements in terms of procurement, which is done by tendering. The government infrastructure demand and day-to-day other needs are contracted with vendors, who render their services by applying the announced tender. Hence, the legal framework related to tendering is very important, which protects the legal rights of tender authority and vendors. This present research aims to explore the tendering law in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, having a close legal framework regarding tendering. Egypt is carrying the tender law of 1998, which is updated in 2018 recently. Moreover, tendering in Saudi Arabia depends on the Government Tenders and Procurement Law (GTPL) of 2019, which is updated from the previous version of GTPL 2006.  The research explores the basic structure of the procurement system and tendering in both systems, including the discussions on procurement agency, tendering methods, basic tendering regulations, public-private partnership, transparency issue, and tendering with foreigners' bidders. Also, the recent improvements in both tendering systems are discussed. The research traces many similarities and differences in both tendering systems and suggests taking help from each other's experiences

SERAJ AL-MONEER Middle School Students' Game Play Performance and Levels of Enjoyment While Engaged in Two Curricular Models

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this research study was to determine if middle school students' game play success and enjoyment would be impacted within a four week period. Game play was assessed using the Game Performance Assessment Instrument (GPAI) and enjoyment was measured with the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PEAS). The SERAJ AL-MONEER Middle School students experienced soccer for four weeks. They spend two weeks within a traditional technically focused Physical Education (PE) unit and two weeks in using the teaching game for understanding approach (TGFU). This study was conducted with grade seven and eight students in intact classes.Both the GPAI and the PAES were administered at the conclusion of each two week unit. Statistical analyses were employed to determine differences based on grade level or teaching methodology utilized.Results of this study found that the grade levels and treatment types had no significant main effects on neither enjoyment nor performance measures. Interaction of grade levels and treatment types was found to have significant effect on game performance measures. It was found that the participants from grade seven perceived significantly higher average performance score with TGfU than traditional PE. The finding is reversed for grade eight participants. The grade eight participants perceived significantly higher average performance score with traditional PE than TGfU.M.S

Determinants Of Successful Diabetes Self-Management Behaviors Among Women Of Arab Descent With Type 2 Diabetes

ABSTRACT Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) continues to be an escalating public health problem that contributes to increased morbidity and mortality worldwide (American Diabetes Association, 2017b). According to the National Diabetes Statistics Report (2017), approximately 30.3 million (9.4%) Americans have T2D. It accounted for 252,806 deaths in 2015 in the United States. Although the complications of T2D is a major threat to the health of women of Arab descent, there is lack of information about the health practices and diabetes self-management behaviors of this population. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the impact of diabetes knowledge, social/family support, acculturation, and psychological adjustment to diabetes on DSM behaviors and glycemic control among women of Arab descent utilizing the Roy Adaptation Model. The specific aims of this study are the following: Specific Aim 1: To describe the prevalence of DSM behaviors and diabetes control (HbA1C) among women of Arabic descent with T2D. Specific Aim 2: To investigate the relationship among diabetes knowledge, social/family support, acculturation, and psychological adjustment to diabetes on DSM behaviors and glycemic control among women of Arab descent. Method: a non- experimental correlational descriptive design was implemented in this study. A convenience sample size of 118 women of Arab descent were recruited from two clinical sites. The women participate in the study if they were (1) of Arabic descent (2) diagnosed with T2D for at least a year, (3) 18 years and older, (4) non-pregnant, and (5) able to speak and read either English or Arabic. Results: The majority of the women were between the ages 50- 59 years (33.1%), were unemployed (45.8%), were receiving a monthly income between $500 and$1499 (49.1%), were married (68.6%), not smoker (70.7%), had diabetes education (51.7%), had diabetes for less than 5 years (42.2%), treated with oral hypoglycemic medication only (87.3%), had a good level of HbA1C (60%). Specific Aim 1: Among this sample, women reported moderate level of following healthy diet (M=15, range= 0- 28), moderate level of exercise (M= 6.4, range= 0- 14), moderate level of glucose testing (M= 7.5, range= 0- 14), low level of foot care (M=5.3, range= 0- 14), and high level of medication adherence (M= 12.7, range= 0- 14). Furthermore, the mean HbA1C of the participants was 6.9% (SD=1.2), ranging between 5% to 11.4%. Specific Aim 2: There was a positive significant association between the DSM behaviors and the diabetes knowledge. There was a negative and significant association between the psychological adjustment to diabetes and DSM behaviors. A step-type regression model was used to estimate the optimal model. The optimal model included BMI, Diabetes knowledge, psychological adaptation to diabetes, and the level of HbA1C explained 28% of the variance in DSM behaviors. Other variables, namely social/family support and acculturation were not significant. With other variables held constant (see table 5), DSM behaviors were negatively related to BMI decreasing by 0.77 for every extra unit increase in BMI. Similarly, DSM behaviors were negatively related to psychological adjustment to diabetes decreasing by 0.14 for every extra unit increase in psychological adjustment to diabetes. On the other hand, DSM behaviors were positively related to diabetes knowledge and HbA1C. For instance, DSM behaviors increased by 1.31 for every extra unit increase in diabetes knowledge

Is there a moral difference between killing and letting die in healthcare?

The purpose of this review is to prove that there is no moral difference between killing and letting one die in healthcare. It is important to be aware of the moral equivalence of killing and letting die. The doctor that allows the patient to die without providing life saving measures, and the doctor that administers a lethal injection both have the same outcome. The patient dies in either case. The Abrahamic religions; Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, all argue for the sanctity of life. The world’s major religions; Islam, Christianity, and Judaism all have doctrines concerning the sanctity of life; and they support the main arguments of this study that there is no moral difference between killing and letting die. In relation to patient autonomy and the patient's right to die, it is very important to highlight that doctors have a moral and legal responsibility to save lives. In addition, we discuss the distinction centres on the true definition of patient autonomy, and who is responsible for defining the “quality” of life. The intention and foresight are critical points that support the thesis statement that killing and letting one die are one in the same. Intention is the intentional killing of a human being, however, the  when one refers to foreseen, it brings to mind images of a doctor and a patient’s family that is taking into consideration the entire different variables that they must deal with in order to decide whether or not to terminate life sustaining measures. They are trying to foresee what type of life the patient will have if life prolonging treatment is withdrawn. The acts and omissions doctrine as described in this review shows that there is no moral difference to kill a person or to let him die. The end result is the same, and someone is dead. Finally, we extensively discussed the various viewpoints regarding whether or not there is a moral difference between killing and letting die. The evidence reveals that there is no moral difference between the two. There is no doubt that the debate over killing and letting die will continue for years to come. It is critical that the issue be addressed at this particular time in history with the advent of modern medical technology.  

A New Faulted-Phase Identification Technique for Overhead Distribution System

An identification of faulted phase in overhead distribution System is presented in this paper. This technique is accomplished by two steps. First, to identify the type of fault polarity (grounded or ungrounded). Then, determine the faulted-phase type. The proposed method takes the advantage of the special features of Clarke modal transformation and wavelet transform to explore the type of fault occurring along the distribution power system. MATLAB software is used for implementation of modal and wavelet transformation. ATP/EMTP is used for simulation results of the sample distribution system for demonstration and testing of the proposed method.   Keywords: Fault-phase classification, wavelet transform, phase-shift angle and overhead distribution syste