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1865 research outputs found
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Automatic Portable Food Heater: A New Way to Heat Meals, Everywhere You Go
No full textConcerned with providing instant solutions for meals and how they can be reheated, the
Automatic Portable Food Heater has been developed. This device is built to be user-friendly and
portable, particularly for those in transit, and endeavours to ensure that meals are heated up to the
ideal temperature they are to be eaten in whether one is in the office or at home. There is an
initiative to make use of technology that will help in the prevention of wastage and unnecessary
use of resources through techniques such as temperature control and cost-effective heaters. Most
of the current heating solutions have shortcomings, such as their inability to be moved and are
difficult to use, e.g., microwave ovens or heaters.
The research delves into the depth of customer requirements and enables the features that the
segment requires to enhance efficiency and performance, such as changing temperature and low
weight. These insights are believed to result in a product that is a blend of what customers want
and how it is beneficial to them in terms of improving one’s healthy eating habits by providing
an opportunity to have hot food more simply.
The discourse from this specific inquiry extends the areas of culinary and consumer technologies
allowing one to visualise indistinct possibilities in the realm of portable food technology. This
research is instrumental in actively enhancing the existing measures concerning eating habits,
hence particularly useful to people grappling with nutrition and the demands of their work
Psychometric Properties of the Arabic DissociativeSymptoms Scale—Brief Across Five Arab Countries
No full textBackground
Dissociation, involving disruptions in cognition, perception, and identity, is closely linked to trauma and various psychiatric disorders but remains underrecognized, especially in non-Western contexts. Although tools like the Dissociative Symptoms Scale—Brief (DSS—B) have improved assessment, validated Arabic-language versions are lacking. Given rising mental health concerns and limited resources in the Arab world, this study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Arabic-translated DSS—B to support culturally appropriate diagnosis and research on dissociation.
Methods
In this cross-sectional study, participants from KSA, Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, and Jordan were recruited via snowball sampling and completed an online survey. The DSS—B was translated into Arabic using a forward-backward method and reviewed by experts for cultural and semantic accuracy. Participants also completed validated Arabic versions of the Jong-Gierveld Loneliness Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-4, and the Brief Irritability Test.
Results
Among 1494 participants (mean age = 24.97; 74.5% female), Palestinians showed the highest dissociative symptoms. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed good model fit, excellent reliability (ω = 0.93; α = 0.92), and strong convergent validity average variance extracted (AVE = 0.70). Measurement invariance across genders and countries was supported, with no significant gender differences in scores. Dissociation was positively correlated with depression-anxiety (r = 0.57), irritability (r = 0.51), and loneliness (r = 0.45), confirming concurrent validity, while discriminant validity was also established.
Conclusion
This study validates the Arabic DSS—B as a reliable, valid, and culturally adaptable tool for assessing dissociation in Arab populations, reinforcing its clinical and research utility. Future research should explore its generalizability in underrepresented groups, use longitudinal and clinician-based assessments, and investigate neurobiological underpinnings to deepen understanding and application of dissociation measurement globally
Meowseum
No full textArtistic drive and obsession are profound and often underexplored aspects of the creative process, deeply intertwined with the cognitive and emotional experiences of artists. This research aims to investigate how inspiration and motivation influence the cognitive processes of creative individuals, leading to a relentless pursuit of perfection that can border on obsession. Understanding these dynamics is crucial, not only for the academic field of psychology and creativity studies but also for practical applications in supporting artists' mental health. This study will identify management strategies to enhance the well-being and productivity of artists and it is particularly significant in informing the thematic core of an animated capstone film that explores this artistic drive and obsession. A comprehensive understanding of this nuanced issue is essential for the accurate portrayal of the mental health struggles faced by both acquired and innate artists. Moreover, this project aims to contribute to the broader discourse on mental health in cinema by shedding light on an often-overlooked side. The film seeks to offer a unique perspective on the emotional and psychological sacrifices associated with artistic endeavors in order to deliver a compelling message about the importance of self-care, halting self-comparison as well as mental health awareness
The Evolution of Shopping Centers and Changing User Preferences in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: Trends, Drivers, and Future Prospects
No full textThe global retail landscape has experienced profound transformation, driven by shifting user behaviors, technological advancements, and a growing demand for more immersive and experiential environments. In Saudi Arabia, particularly in the city of Jeddah, shopping centers have evolved beyond their traditional role as purely commercial spaces into integrated destinations that offer a diverse range of leisure, entertainment, and lifestyle experiences. This shift reflects broader societal changes, including rising user expectations for environments that combine convenience, social interaction, and emotional engagement.
Despite this transformation, limited academic research has addressed how changing user preferences are actively reshaping the spatial design, tenant mix, and activity programming of shopping centers in the region. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating the evolution of shopping centers and examining user behavior patterns in Jeddah through a mixed-methods approach, combining theoretical insights with empirical data. A structured survey was conducted among 273 respondents, with a 5% margin of error at a 90% confidence level, ensuring a reliable representation of user attitudes.
The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, and thematic analysis, supported by visualizations to enhance interpretability. The findings highlight the increasing importance of experiential retailing and suggest strategies for adapting mall development to meet emerging user demands. Moreover, the study offers broader implications for urban planning, commercial design, and retail management in rapidly modernizing cities facing similar shifts in market dynamics and user expectations
Energy Harvesting from Human Footstep in Smart Cities as Alternative Renewable Energy Source
No full textThe rapid urbanization of smart cities urgently needs innovative energy solutions. This
Capstone project introduces an innovative alternative renewable energy source that captures
the energy produced from human footsteps through piezoelectric technology, converting
mechanical pressure into electrical energy. Different piezoelectric tile designs were explored
to ensure optimum energy conversion efficiency: cantilever, curved elements, and
diaphragm-based configurations. A complete system architecture has been developed,
consisting of a full-wave bridge rectifier and a buck-boost converter for energy storage and
regulation. Current issues related to renewable energy resource sustainability and urban
energy demands are discussed, taking into account social, ethical, and professional
implications in the integration of such systems into smart city infrastructures. We carry out
technical and economic feasibility by simulations and modeling, presenting in detail the
performance analysis of the system, cost implications, and potential risks. Our findings
suggest that piezoelectric energy harvesting being one of the most promising and
environment-friendly solutions to energize low-energy urban devices and to contribute
toward the call for sustainable development in smart cities. The project not only emphasizes
technological innovation but also underscores its practical implications for creating resilient,
green urban infrastructures
Filmmaking As Self-Expression Investigating Different Social and Cultural Influences on Saudi Cinematic-Arts Students Productions
No full textResearch on media consumption has clearly demonstrated the significance of movies in people lives. However, there is a dearth of research on youth making movies and how they view the films made by other young people. The main conclusions of a research project on the use of filmmaking for young people's communication and self-expression are compiled in this research paper. The approach used in this study was to let young students express themselves through their own media projects and share their work with other students in order to gain insights into their opinions and viewpoints. The researcher is a professor of filmmaking at Effat University in Saudi Arabia, and the research was carried out at the Cinematic Arts department of the Faculty of Architecture and Design. The researcher taught 21 young Saudi students from various socioeconomic backgrounds how to make short films during a level-3 film production course that took place over one academic semester. The students worked in groups to design, shoot and edit eight short films covering various topics. A sample of 17 teenagers representing the students in other academic levels were then shown the investigated film productions. After watching the films, the audiences' feedback and reactions to each production were observed and analyzed. The young filmmakers were exposed afterwards to the remarks left by the audiences, and their responses were also examined and analyzed. The study managed to show the impact of different social and cultural factors on Saudi cinematic-arts students’ film productions, and eventually a group of valuable recommendations related to the investigated research topic were generated.
Mediating effect of intolerance of uncertainty between fear of war and mental health in adults during the Israel-Palestine war of 2023.
No full textThe Israel-Palestine war of 2023 has exposed many individuals to prolonged fear and uncertainty, contributing to significant psychological and behavioral consequences. Fear of war has been shown to exacerbate negative mental health outcomes such as anxiety, depression, aggression and suicidal ideation and reduce overall wellbeing. Intolerance of uncertainty is a trait characterized by difficulty coping with ambiguous situations. It was regarded as a potential mediator in the association between fear of war and these outcomes. Therefore, this study's aim is to investigate the mediating effect of intolerance of uncertainty between fear of war and mental health including anxiety, depression, aggression, suicidal ideation and wellbeing in adults during the Israel-Palestine war of 2023.This study employs a cross-sectional design; it included a total of 484 Lebanese participants. A snowball sampling method via Google forms was employed by the research team to collect data. They were assessed with self-reported measures using The War-related Media Exposure Scale (WarMES), the Buss Perry Aggression Questionnaire-Short Form (BPAQ-SF), Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS) and The World Health Organization 5-item Well-Being Index (WHO-5).Higher fear of war was significantly associated with more inhibitory and prospective anxiety. More prospective anxiety and inhibitory anxiety were significantly associated with more aggression, higher suicidal ideation, higher depression, lower wellbeing and higher anxiety. Fear of war was directly associated with depression, anxiety and lower wellbeing. Whereas the results did not show a direct association with aggression and suicidal ideation. The mediation analysis revealed that inhibitory anxiety and prospective anxiety fully mediated the relation between fear of war and aggression and partially mediated the relation between fear of war and depression, anxiety and wellbeing. Whereas the association between fear of war and suicidal ideation was fully mediated by prospective anxiety but not by inhibitory anxiety.Understanding the role of intolerance of uncertainty is crucial to developing interventions aimed to reduce mental health challenges in populations affected by conflict
The Inverse Power Law-Normal Model for Right-Censored Data With Application to Life Prediction of Organic Light-Emitting Diodes
No full textThis paper extends the IPL-normal life model to accommodate right-censored data while maintaining a stress-free, constant coefficient of variation. It derives new maximum likelihood (ML) estimation equations, including a generalized, explicit form for the coefficient of variation, and contrasts ML with the classical least squares (LS) approach. Despite its complexity, ML is favored for its unique ability to estimate this key parameter. The model is applied to censored OLED life data, building on previous studies with complete data.This work generalizes the inverse power law-normal (IPL-normal) model for complete data to right-censored data, assuming that the coefficient of variation remains constant and free of stress. The maximum likelihood (ML) estimating equations of the model’s accelerating parameters and the general coefficient of variation are derived using new trivial but fundamental identities. The ML estimating equation of the general coefficient of variation is explicit and generalizes its counterpart for complete data, which was previously introduced. The ML method is compared with the classical least squares (LS) technique. Although the ML method is laborious and numerically sensitive, this article favors ML over LS for a drastic reason that only ML can estimate the general coefficient of variation, but it still recommends using both the methods for some other reasons. The generalized IPL-normal model is used to precisely specify the life model of organic light-emitting diodes based on a standard real data of complete samples of lives which was discussed in several previous works but censored in this work