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Framing Indeterminacy: A Critique of Discretion in the VCLT Framework
No full textThis thesis critically examines the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT), with a focus on Articles 31 and 32, arguing that these provisions are fundamentally indeterminate. While intended to establish a structured framework for treaty interpretation, their vagueness allows for a broad spectrum of discretionary judicial interpretations. Courts can invoke textual, subjective, and teleological approaches, all while claiming adherence to the VCLT rules of interpretation, leading to inconsistent and potentially biased judgments. By examining cases before and after the VCLT\u27s adoption, this research demonstrates that the interpretative methods codified by the VCLT existed long before its adoption, adding little beyond formalizing these approaches. Moreover, the lack of a clear hierarchical structure between Articles 31 and 32, or within Article 31 itself, creates further ambiguity in application. Also, the paper delves into the theoretical foundations underpinning these interpretative approaches, analyzing the rationale behind their adoption by various scholars. Through this exploration, the thesis illuminates the competing ideologies that shape the methodologies of treaty interpretation, offering examples and metaphors to clarify these concepts. The indeterminacy of Articles 31 and 32 of VCLT, while offering flexibility, also risks turning the interpretative process into a subjective exercise that blurs the line between interpreting law and creating it. By exposing these flaws, the thesis highlights the limitations of the VCLT framework and calls for greater clarity to ensure consistency and fairness in international treaty interpretation
Operation and Maintenance Costs in Reverse Osmosis Desalination Projects Adopting Public-Private Partnerships: A Comprehensive Investigation and Analysis
Get PDFWater Desalination projects, specifically ones adopting reverse osmosis (RO) technology, play a pivotal role in addressing the scarcity of water globally. Since these projects require huge investments, there is an imperative need to focus on the role of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in their developments. This research tries to provide a comprehensive investigation into the factors affecting O&M costs in PPP desalination projects due to their importance.
A comprehensive research approach, including a literature review, expert interviews, survey analysis, and statistical tools, is adopted in this research aiming to identify key factors and recommendations based on best practices in O&M costs under the PPP arrangements in Egypt. The research adopts a qualitative and quantitative analysis methodology. First, it starts with a systematic desktop literature review and engagement with subject matter experts (SMEs), specifically in the field of RO desalination, through interviews to capture different perspectives and insights into the nature of O&M cost dynamics, along with a framework and recommendation for PPP arrangements within the desalination field. Second, a survey is to be developed and distributed to gather data on RO desalination projects while considering experts’ opinions. Third, an analysis is to be conducted using statistical modeling techniques such as the relative importance index (RII) and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to validate the significance of identified factors through a statistical package for social sciences (SPSS).
In this research, an initial set of 34 key factors influencing the O&M costs of RO desalination projects is identified through a systematic literature review of published research papers, reports, and case studies and is categorized based on logical analysis into 5 main categories. This list is subsequently refined through several expert interviews, culminating in a final list of 33 factors. Additionally, interviews and surveys are conducted with 73 industry experts to assist in the research statistical findings. Thereafter, this research employs the RII as an analytical technique to determine the weighted rank of each item and its contribution to overall O&M costs. Factors related to RO desalination plant system and management and financial factors are among the primary categories that determine O&M costs and are ranked to have the highest influence on the previously mentioned costs. Moreover, it is revealed from the analysis that the factors that have the highest impact on O&M costs can be summarized, but not limited to, as follows: water quality parameters, membrane replacement rate, design considerations, lack of trained maintenance personnel, and energy consumption, with two factors with the lowest contribution: accommodation and spare parts. Moving to EFA, 15 trials are conducted for the EFA. The final trial for the EFA is conducted on 13 factors that have a high influence on O&M costs. The KMO test and Bartlett test are performed and show the adequacy of the data for further analysis. A total of 4 components are extracted, collectively explaining approximately 60% of the overall variation in the dataset. In addition to the analytical analysis for the O&M factors, this research proposes a comprehensive roadmap related to PPP desalination projects based on best practices from similar neighboring countries. This roadmap may serve as a guideline for addressing Egypt’s desalination PPP projects. Last but not least, this research explores the arrangement of desalination plants under the PPP framework through a qualitative analysis of relevant literature on the topic published from 2002 to 2023 to provide a strategic roadmap for such projects in Egypt where several recommendations are provided and divided into four areas: legal, financial and economic, technical, and managerial along with a SWOT analysis
Investigating the Risk and Protective Factors of Internet Addiction Among Adolescents through the Lens of Cognitive Behavioral Theory: A Cross-Sectional Study
Get PDF—Introduction: The Internet has become a central part of modern life, enhancing education, providing means of global communication, and facilitating access to information and entertainment. However, an attendant risk of excessive Internet use is becoming unconsciously addicted to virtual online activities, especially when large tech companies design their products in a way that makes them addictive to users. These companies have the tools and knowledge that allow them to manipulate and transform the behavior of their target audience. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the potential risk and protective factors for Internet addiction among adolescents. Methodology: This cross-sectional study employed a self- administered assessment tool to investigate the determinants of Internet addiction among female and male students aged 17–21 years at the American University in Cairo (AUC). Using non-random convenience sampling, the study involved a quantitative approach that included responses from 171 participants. Building on the cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) elements identified in the literature, this study focuses on maladaptive self-beliefs, behavioral patterns, and negative feelings as risk factors of compulsive Internet use. Other potential mediators, including self-efficacy, risk perception, and socio-demographic characteristics, were investigated as mediators of the association between the potential determinants of Internet addiction and the level of Internet addiction. Validated assessment tools from previous studies were used as references to identify the potential protective and risk factors. Correlation and multiple linear regression analysis were conducted to investigate the association between the proposed protective and risk factors and mediators of Internet addiction and the level of addiction using SPSS. Results: The analysis of participants showed that 30% were males, while 70% were females, with the majority falling in the age range of 18 to 20 years. A significant discrepancy in addiction rate was found between males and females (p=0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed a significant positive association between mal-adaptive self-cognitions, risk perception, and the number of female siblings and Internet addiction in the sample, as evidenced by p- values of 0.005 and 0.01 and 0.017 respectively. Additionally, a notable negative association was found between self- efficacy and the level of Internet addiction, with a p-value of 0.001. Conclusion: Maladaptive self-beliefs, risk perception, and self-efficacy and the number of female siblings were found to be strong potential factors of Internet addiction. This, in turn, makes it imperative to develop effective strategies that address the potential determinants of Internet addiction among adolescents in Egypt. Keywords- Adolescents, Behavioral Addiction, Internet Addiction, Risk and Protective Factor
Rethinking Rupture and Continuity: Al-Jarād and Khamāsīn, Two Poetry Magazines of the Egyptian 1990s
Get PDFThis thesis analyzes two Egyptian poetry magazines, al-Jarād and Khamāsīn, to enrich critical understanding of the Egyptian literary 1990s. It uses The Rules of Art: Genesis and Structure of the Literary Field (Les Règles de l’art: Genèse et structure du champ littéraire), Pierre Bourdieu’s 1992 sociological study of the literary field, as a theoretical framework. Numerous scholars have noted that the “nineties generation” is known for its aversion to politics, ideologies, and collectivities; its rupture with stylistic and thematic conventions of its predecessors; and its turn away from the “major issues” (al-qaḍāyah al-kubrā) of the day. I show how contributors to al-Jarād and Khamāsīn sought not a clean break with predecessors but the adoption of a vast multilingual, multimedia, alternative Egyptian cultural heritage whose primary referents were the avant-garde poetry movements of the 1970s and 1980s and the Egyptian surrealist Art and Liberty Collective (Jamāʿat al-Fann wa-l-Ḥurriyyah) (1930s–1940s). Contributors to al-Jarād and Khamāsīn advocated a rupture with dominant political and cultural narratives and an identification with largely marginalized histories of pluralism, rebellion, and dissent; they were guided by the diverse local and a revised cosmopolitan. Combating neoliberalism and establishing an autonomous literary field were the contemporary “major issues” with which these writers were concerned. I argue that rather than taking a direct approach to the neoliberal era by producing literature that reflected deteriorating economic and political realities, the nineties poets staged an inverse response by reifying the poetics of quotidian life and defending art’s autonomy from economic and political institutions
Unlocking Local Economic Potential: Understanding the Role of Place-based Industrial Policy in Egypt
Get PDFIndustrial Policy has regained prominence in both academic and practical spheres over the years, as the discourse largely shifted from an ideological debate to exploring ways for effective implementation. This renewed interest, coupled with growing concerns over regional inequality and persistent economic distress, has sparked a growing interest in Place-based Industrial Policies. Place-based Industrial Policy is an approach to industrial policy that focuses on both specific industries and locations through various policy Instruments. Similar to industrial policies, the outcomes of place-based policies have been mixed, nevertheless, evidence suggests that they often achieve the intended objectives especially in lagging and declining regions. The relevance of Place-based Industrial Policy in addressing local economic development and regional disparities makes it particularly pertinent for countries in the Global South like Egypt. The main objective of the study is to explore the extent to which Place-based Industrial Policy is adopted in Egypt, while identifying the scope of its applicability. The results of the conducted qualitative research showed that Egypt adopts a fragmented place-based approach to industrial policy, utilizing instruments such as industrial zones, free zones, special tax incentives, and special economic zones. The findings show that there are key challenges to the adoption of place-based industrial policy in Egypt, including overlapping government mandates, weak institutional capacity, and insufficient local data frameworks. In addition, the findings offer unique perspective on how centralization, when guided by input from local stakeholders and the private sector, can serve as an enabler for Industrial Policy. The study highlights the significant potential of place-based industrial policies in Egypt to address regional disparities, leverage local resources, and enhance skill development and infrastructure, warranting further investigation into their impact on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the local level
Unveiling the Public Sector Hold: Egyptian Women and Work-Life Balance
Get PDFEducated women in Egypt view the public sector as their preferred employer, irrespective of their educational level or recent efforts towards women empowerment and the rise of digitization. This study attempts to understand the perceptions of working women, through analyzing their reasons whether prominent or underlying to make this career choice. To better understand this behavior, twenty semi-structured interviews and two focus group discussions were conducted with a total of thirty women from both public and private sectors. The findings revealed that women gravitate towards the public sector mainly because of five reasons: (a) convenient working conditions, (b) feeling stuck, (c) leading parallel jobs, (d) civic responsibility and (e) societal expectations and cultural norms. The study concludes with recommendations for policy makers, to equip women from a youthful age with relevant education and qualifications that would equip them for the modern work environment and making the workplace more accessible and accommodating for women. It is worth mentioning though, that employment has ceased in the public sector in Egypt and has become an artifact of the past
The Role of GSK-3α Inhibition in Attenuating LPS-Induced Inflammation in RAW 264.7 Cells
No full textGlycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3), an enzyme that modulates glucose metabolism, has been recognized as an essential target in major inflammatory diseases based on its great specificity in substrate recognition. GSK-3β has been connected to cancer, obesity, liver diseases, and neurological diseases. Nonetheless, the other GSK-3 isoform, GSK-3α, is much less studied. Previous studies from our laboratory showed that inhibiting GSK-3α potentially confers an anti-inflammatory response when tested on microglia. However, little has been documented regarding the exact mechanism by which GSK-3α exerts its effect. One of the potential mechanisms involving its anti-inflammatory effect could be partially attributed to activating the nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway. This study examines whether the inhibition of GSK-3α confers an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant response independent of the Nrf2 pathway. Our result showed that inhibiting GSK-3α in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells downregulate nitrate production. Real-time PCR results indicated that inhibiting GSK-3α in LPS-stimulated macrophages attenuates the expression of the proinflammatory genes Tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and interleukin 6 (IL-6). Remarkably, at the translation level, the protein expression levels of iNOS and TNF-α were also denounced. Interestingly, our study provides further insight into the anti-inflammatory role of GSK-3α in post-transcriptional studies as evidenced in the downregulation of two mRNAs, in particular, miR-21 and miR-155, implicated in inflammatory-related diseases post GSK-3α inhibition. Our molecular assay showed that the Nrf2-regulated genes: Osgin1 (Oxidative Stress Induced Growth Inhibitor 1) and HO-1(Heme oxygenase-1) were upregulated in response to treatment with GSK-3α inhibitor when compared to their control counterparts. Collectively, our results indicate the role of GSK-3α in modulating inflammatory responses and suggest Nrf2 as a possible pathway that mediate the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits of GSK-3α inhibition
Tailor-designed Oxalic Acid-Crosslinked Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Chitosan Biodegradable Films for Active Food Packaging Applications
No full textFood packaging plastic waste is posing great threats to ecosystems, human health, and the planet\u27s overall sustainability; therefore, research has been directed towards the fabrication of biodegradable food packaging materials. In this study, active and biodegradable oxalic acid (OA) crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/chitosan (CS) composite films of different weight ratios were synthesized via the solvent casting technique and their food packaging properties were investigated. Owing to its water resistance and antibacterial superiority, the composite film with the ratio of OA chemically crosslinked PVA/CS 80:20 was elected to be coated with green tea extract (GTE) to ameliorate its antibacterial and antioxidant activities. The chemical crosslinking of PVA by OA and the intermolecular hydrogen bonding between PVA and CS were confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. Surface roughness of the composite films mainly determined their antibacterial activities. Interestingly, CS provided the composite films with higher mechanical strength and stiffness along with ultraviolet (UV) barrier and antibacterial properties. Despite reducing the water resistance, barrier properties and thermal stability of the composite films, the values are comparable to literature and the produced films are of a great potential for food packaging applications. Furthermore, GTE coating further augmented the active properties of the elected composite film yielding it quite applicable for active food packaging purposes
Exploring Pragmatic Functions and Linguistic Features Analysis for Some Terms of Endearment in Egyptian Colloquial Arabic as Discourse Markers
Get PDFIn Arabic and many languages, terms of endearment are used as discourse markers to express affection. However, their meanings differ depending on the pragmatic context in which they are said.
Despite the abundance of research on terms of endearment in various languages, there is a noticeable lack of studies examining the pragmatic functions and linguistic features of these terms in Arabic. This research aims to fill this gap by providing a comprehensive exploration of the pragmatic functions and investigating the syntactic and morphological characteristics of selected terms of endearment in Egyptian colloquial Arabic. It offers a detailed analysis of their linguistic features, aiming to understand how they function and evolve within different linguistic contexts. The selected terms, such as /ḥabibi/, /ḍanayah/, /ˁinayyah/, /ruḥi/, and /naḍari/, are examined as discourse markers in Egyptian Arabic discourse.
This study employs a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches to analyze the data, with a greater emphasis on qualitative analysis. The qualitative approach allows for an in-depth exploration of the various pragmatic functions and the complexities of the linguistic features under investigation, capturing the contextual and interpretive aspects that quantitative methods may overlook. Meanwhile, the quantitative analysis, with its statistically significant insights, supports the findings by providing measurable insights into the percentage of these terms used, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the research topic and thereby, reinforcing the study\u27s rigor. The study investigates data from 14 Egyptian films and TV series representing the time period from the early 1900s to 2024. The analysis, guided by speech act and pragmatic theories, reveals that these terms serve multiple pragmatic functions beyond expressing affection, including reducing tension, showing power, and maintaining solidarity. The study\u27s findings showed morphological and syntactic features of terms such as /ḥabibi/, /ḍanayah/, /ˁinayyah/, /ruḥi/, and /naḍari/, revealing both their structural formation and their syntactic flexibility. Morphologically, these terms are constructed through affixation, compounding, or reduplication processes, providing insights into their formation and variation. Syntactically, these terms demonstrate adaptability, functioning effectively as vocatives or noun phrases across different clause positions at the beginning, middle, or end without altering their inherent structure. The findings also revealed that the use of terms of endearment in Egyptian colloquial Arabic might be influenced by various social variables, such as the speaker\u27s social status, gender, and the relationship between the interlocutors. These variables significantly impact the terms\u27 choice, frequency, and function, with different social contexts eliciting their pragmatic use and meaning variations. The findings provide new insights into the complexity and versatility of terms of endearment in Egyptian Arabic
Arabizi (Franco) in Egypt: A Study of Features, Reasons, Attitudes, and Educational Influence among Youth in Online Communication
Get PDFThis study explores the phenomenon of Arabizi (Franco) as it is employed by Egyptian youth in online communication, focusing on the sociolinguistic factors that influence language choice, particularly educational background. Through a mixed-methods approach, including quantitative analysis of an online questionnaire using inferential statistics and qualitative examination of text samples, this study investigates the most common language varieties used by Egyptian youth, the underlying reasons for Arabizi\u27s adoption, attitudes towards its usage, and the salient features of this variety of online communication. The findings reveal that Arabizi is widely used among Egyptian youth from all educational backgrounds. It is especially common among those who graduated from national and international schools. The Egyptian youth’s primary reasons for using Arabizi include its speed, convenience, ease of typing, and its role as a communication code among peers, symbolizing a distinct generational identity. Additionally, the study uncovers significant differences in language preferences based on educational background, with international school graduates more likely to use Arabizi and English in online communication, while governmental school graduates prefer Egyptian colloquial Arabic. The study also found that attitudes towards Arabizi vary according to educational background, with the majority of international school graduates generally viewing it more positively, appreciating its efficiency and modernity, while some governmental school graduates expressed concerns about its impact on Arabic language and identity. The findings of the study indicate that the distinctive linguistic features of Arabizi, as utilized by Egyptian youth in online communication, largely mirror the general characteristics of Arabizi observed in other Arab countries. However, a key distinction in the Egyptian context is the relatively lower degree of code-switching with English. The results contribute to the understanding of language variation in the digital age, emphasizing the impact of globalization on language practices and the ongoing tension between linguistic change and cultural preservation. This research provides valuable insights into the dynamic linguistic landscape of Egyptian youth, offering implications for future studies on language use in Arab-speaking communities. keywords: Arabizi, Language Variation, Educational Background, Digital Communication, attitudes, Reasons