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Rare presentation of lues maligna and nodular syphilis in an immunocompetent patient
No full textSecondary syphilis can present in many ways; common presentations of secondary syphilis include a generalized papulosquamous or pitriasifrom generalized eruption that commonly affects the palms and soles.1 Recently, a rapid rise in the number of syphilis cases globally has been noted, with rare forms of syphilis potentially presenting more frequently.2,3 Lues maligna (LM) is a rare papulonodular or ulcerative subtype of secondary syphilis generally associated with immunosuppression; a recent literature review published in 2021 noted that out of 45 published cases, 33 (73%) were HIV positive.4 Here, we present a rare case of a 34-year-old ethnically Arabic, immunocompetent male patient with LM with clinical, dermoscopic, serologic, and histopathologic findings
Economic Damages and Compensation Thereof under Qatari Competition Law
No full textتتناول هذه الدراسة موضوع الأضرار الاقتصادية والتعويض عنها في إطار قانون المنافسة، من خلال دراسة تحليلية مقارنة بين التشريع القطري وبعض التشريعات المقارنة، بهدف بيان مدى كفاية وفاعلية النصوص القانونية القطرية في التصدي لهذا النوع من الأضرار الاقتصادية والتعويض عنها. وقد قسمت الدراسة إلى فصلين يستعرض الفصل الأول ماهية الأضرار الاقتصادية، بدءاً بتحديد مفهومها وعلاقتها بقواعد المنافسة، ثم تحليل كيفية تنظيم الحماية منها في التشريعات المقارنة مثل القانون الأمريكي والفرنسي والمصري، والجزائري. كما يتناول نطاق تطبيق هذه الأضرار الاقتصادية، من خلال عرض صور الممارسات الضارة بالمنافسة التي تفضي إلى أضرار اقتصادية، ومن ثم بيان الاستثناءات التي قد ترد على هذه الأضرار في بعض الحالات التنظيمية أو القانونية. ويركز الفصل الثاني على التعويض عن الأضرار الاقتصادية، من خلال دراسة الأساس القانوني للمسؤولية المدنية في هذا السياق، وتحديد أركانها، لا سيما ركن الضرر وعلاقة السببية. كما يناقش آليات تقدير التعويض سواء من خلال القضاء أو الأجهزة المختصة، مع الإشارة إلى التحديات العملية في إثبات الضرر وتحديد قيمته ويتناول أيضا دور جهاز حماية المنافسة، من حيث الوسائل الوقائية التي يعتمدها لمنع وقوع الأضرار الاقتصادية، وتفعيل دوره الرقابي في حماية المصالح العامة والخاصة، بما يعزز من فاعلية النظام القانوني في التصدي للممارسات المناهضة للمنافسة. ويخلص البحث إلى ضرورة تطوير النظام القانوني القطري من الناحيتين التشريعية والرقابية، بما يضمن توفير حماية فعالة وتعويض عادل للمتضررين من الأضرار الاقتصادية، من خلال تبني أفضل الممارسات الدولية في هذا المجال.This research addresses the issue of economic damages and compensation therefor within the framework of competition law, through a comparative analytical study between Qatari legislation and selected comparative legal systems. The objective is to assess the adequacy and effectiveness of legal protection and compensation mechanisms for damages arising from violations of competition rules. The study examines the relevant provisions of Qatari law in addressing this category of economic harm and the corresponding remedies. The research is divided into two chapters : The first chapter explores the nature of economic damages, beginning with a definition of the concept and its relationship to competition rules. It then analyzes the regulatory frameworks for protection against such damages in comparative legal systems, including American, French, Egyptian, and Algerian law. The chapter further examines the scope of application of economic damages by presenting examples of anti-competitive practices that result in such harm, followed by a discussion of potential exceptions that may apply in certain regulatory or legal contexts . The second chapter focuses on compensation for economic damages by examining the legal basis for civil liability in this context and identifying its constituent elements, particularly the element of harm and the causal link. It also discusses the mechanisms for assessing compensation, whether through judicial proceedings or competent regulatory bodies, with reference to the practical challenges of proving harm and determining its value. A portion of the chapter is dedicated to analyzing the role of the Competition Protection Authority, including the preventive measures it employs to avert economic harm and its supervisory function in safeguarding public and private interests, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of the legal system in combating anticompetitive practices . The research concludes with a recommendation to develop national legislation—foremost among them the Qatari legal framework—both legislatively and regulatory, to ensure the provision of effective protection and equitable compensation for those harmed by economic damages, through the adoption of best international practices in this domain
INTEGRATIVE PIPELINE FOR PREDICTING PROTEIN STABILITY FROM GENOMIC VARIANTS IDENTIFIED THROUGH HIGH-THROUGHPUT SEQUENCING
No full textWhile computational predictors excel at interpreting single genetic variants, they often fail to capture the cumulative molecular impact of missense variants contributing to disease phenotypes. This study presents a novel integrative bioinformatic pipeline to quantitatively assess the cumulative impact of variants on protein stability and function, applied to high-throughput sequencing data from a Qatari breast cancer cohort. The pipeline integrates outputs from SnpSift, SnpEff, CADD, ClinVar, InterVar, and MutPred2, synthesizing population frequency, functional consequence, evolutionary constraint, clinical significance, and mechanistic disruption into a unified scoring framework. Weighted and normalized variant scores are aggregated to derive gene-level instability indices, enabling robust quantitative comparisons of mutational burden across genes. Application of this framework identified RAD51C, CHEK2, and PTEN as high-impact genes (Cumulative Impact ≥ 0.5), exhibiting significant destabilization despite fewer variants compared to BRCA1/2. Mechanistically, single missense substitutions were shown to disrupt secondary structural elements, propagating alterations to tertiary and quaternary protein architecture, resulting in instability and functional impairment. This scalable, gene-centric approach advances precision functional genomics for complex diseases
The Method of Tarjih Employed by Abu Nasr al-Qushayri in His Tafsir Al-Taysir fi al-Tafsir
No full textأحد أهم طرق الترجيح التي اعتمدها المفسرون هي النص على القول الراجح باستخدام صيغ متنوعة في مجالات مختلفة. وهذه الدراسة تعنى بترجيحات المفسر أبي نصر القشيري (514هـ) في كتابه التيسير في التفسير، والسؤال المركزي الذي تسعى للإجابة عنه هو: ما منهجه في الترجيح في تفسيره؟ وذلك بالاستعانة بالمنهجين التحليلي والوصفي. وقد تضمنت: التعريف به وبتفسيره وبمفهوم الترجيح عنده، ثم بينت طرق الترجيح عنده بالقرآن الكريم وبالمأثور، وبالرأي. وخلصت الدراسة إلى نتائج من أهمها: أنَّ ابن القشيري كان مقلدًا في كثير من الأحيان، إلا أنه لم يتبع مفسرا واحدا في كل ترجيحاته، بل خالف بعضًا ووافق بعضًا آخر، مما يدل على أنه – رغم تقليده - يناقش الأقوال ويختار بينها، مع استدلاله على الأرجح عنده، وقد بلغ عدد المواضع التي درستها واحدًا وعشرين موضعا، وتبين أنه وافق الطبري في عشرة مواضع، وكلاً من الماتريدي والواحدي في موضعين لكل منهما، وفي موضع واحد لكل من الزجاج، والنحاس، والقفال والجصاص، وأبي علي الفارسي، والكرماني. ورجح في موضع واحد قولا لم يسبقه إلى ترجيحه أحد من المفسرين صراحة. وقد وافقت المصنف في ترجيحه في ستة عشر موضعا، وخالفته في خمسة مواضع، مع بيان مستند الموافقة أو المخالفة. وتوصي الباحثة بإجراء دراسات عن هذا التفسير، ومنها دراسة منهج مصنفه في علوم القرآن وعلوم اللغة.One of the most important methods of preference (tarjīh) adopted by Qur'anic exegetes is explicitly stating the preferred opinion using various formulations across different fields. This study examines the preferences adopted by the exegete Abū Nasr al-Qushayrī (d. 514 AH) in his book al-Taysir fi al-Tafsir. The central question it seeks to answer is: What is his methodology of preference in his exegesis? The study employs both analytical and descriptive approaches. It includes an introduction to al-Qushayrī, his tafsir, and his concept of preference, followed by an explanation of his methods of preference based on the Qur'an itself, transmitted reports (al-ma thūr), and personal reasoning (ra'y). The study concludes with several findings, the most important of which is that Ibn al-Qushayrī was often a follower (muqallid); however, he did not adhere to a single exegete in all his preferences. Rather, he agreed with some and disagreed with others, indicating that despite his tendency toward imitation-he examined opinions, compared them, and selected between them, providing evidence for what he deemed preponderant. The number of cases examined amounted to twenty-one instances. It was found that he agreed with al-Tabarī in ten cases; with both al-Māturīdī and al-Wahidī in two cases each; and in one case each with al-Zajjāj, al-Nahhās, al-Qaffāl, al-Jaşşās, Abū Alī al-Fārisī, and al-Karmānī. In one instance, he preferred an opinion that no previous exegete had explicitly preferred before him. The researcher agreed with the author's preferences in sixteen cases and disagreed with him in five cases, providing justification for both agreement and disagreement. The study recommends conducting further research on this tafsir, including its method of employing the sciences of the Qur'an and the linguistic sciences
International Insights for Luxury Brand Marketing
No full textLuxury brands rely on exclusivity and tradition in their marketing. However, in this fast-changing world, international insight has become essential to recognize consumer behaviors and for brands to adapt their marketing to reach a farther audience. From the rise of digital influence in Asia to the emphasis on craftsmanship in Europe, understanding global trends enables luxury marketers to craft compelling narratives and resonate with diverse audiences. International Insights for Luxury Brand Marketing explores how globalization has affected luxury brand marketing and the tolls that can be used. This book provides comprehensive coverage of most of the current global perspectives on luxury brands marketing trends in developed and developing economies. Covering topics such as luxury brands, global perspectives, and luxury markets, this book is an excellent resource for luxury marketing scholars, practitioners, business owners, luxury brand retailers, luxury brand marketing managers, luxury marketing and business associations worldwide, and more
SERS on analyte-enriched blood for rapid, culture-free sepsis recognition and causative pathogen identification with super operational neural networks
No full textSepsis remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, yet routine diagnostics are slow, culture-dependent, and often lack the sensitivity or specificity required for early intervention. Prior studies rarely demonstrate clinical-grade performance on blood culture samples or in independent external cohorts. We address these gaps with a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and deep learning workflow (SERS-DL) that performs sepsis instance recognition and causative pathogen identification directly from target-analyte enriched blood. We assembled a primary dataset of SERS spectra acquired from 653 analyte-enriched blood samples collected at a tertiary hospital in Qatar and an external blind cohort of 70 independent samples. After rigorous preprocessing and class-weighted augmentation of SERS spectra, we trained SuperRamanNet, a lightweight one-dimensional classifier based on super operational neural networks. In five-fold, sample-contained cross-validation, the system achieved 99.67 % accuracy for binary sepsis recognition and 98.84 % accuracy for six-class pathogen identification. On the external cohort, performance remained high at 98.28 % for pathogen typing, indicating robust generalizability. Comparative benchmarks and ablation studies confirmed consistent gains over convolutional and operational baselines and quantified the impact of augmentation and architectural choices. Residual confusions were concentrated between control and Escherichia coli and among certain Gram-negative classes, underscoring the need for improved raw class balance during blood sample collection. Overall, this rapid, culture-free, and portable SERS-DL pipeline delivers near clinical-grade accuracy for sepsis detection and pathogen identification directly from blood. The compact model and streamlined workflow support point-of-care translation, with potential to accelerate triage, guide early therapy, and reduce the global sepsis burden.This work was supported by Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council (QRDI), grant number NPRP12S-0224-190144, awarded to Susu M Zughaier. Open Access funding provided by the Qatar National Library
ENHANCING ADAPTABILITY AND SCALABILITY IN DISTRIBUTED STORAGE THROUGH REINFORCEMENT LEARNING-BASED DATA PLACEMENT STRATEGIES
No full textThe exponential growth of data and increasing workload complexity pose major challenges for distributed and hierarchical storage systems. Enterprises and cloud providers must balance cost, latency, and availability while managing petabytes of data across geographically distributed infrastructures. Traditional data placement schemes such as Consistent Hashing and CRUSH are often static and cost-centric, limiting their adaptability in heterogeneous and dynamic environments. This thesis presents SimBench-HSS, a configurable simulation framework for evaluating hierarchical storage architectures and data placement strategies. Built with high modularity and realism, SimBench-HSS models multi-tier systems, network effects, and file hotness dynamics, enabling both heuristic and learning-based policy evaluation under reproducible conditions. Leveraging this framework, we propose a reinforcement learning (RL) approach to adaptive data placement using Deep Q-Network (DQN) and Double Deep Q-Network (DDQN) agents. The RL agents learn to balance multiple objectives-cost, response time, and availability-based on feedback from the simulated environment. Experimental results demonstrate that RL-based placement achieves up to 28% cost reduction, 15% lower latency, and 40% fewer unavailable accesses compared to heuristic baselines, with DDQN consistently delivering the most stable and efficient outcomes. Overall, this research establishes reinforcement learning as a viable and effective mechanism for optimizing hierarchical storage management. The results validate that learning-based approaches can dynamically adapt to workload shifts, offering improved efficiency and reliability for next-generation distributed storage systems
Consensus-based expert recommendations on the management of heavily treatment-experienced people living with HIV in the Middle East
No full textBackgroundHeavily treatment-experienced (HTE) people with HIV face significant clinical challenges due to multidrug resistance, prior treatment failures, and limited effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) options. In the Middle East, these challenges are compounded by insufficient surveillance systems, limited regional guidance, and stigma-related barriers to care. The objective of this study was to develop consensus-based, evidence-informed statements for the management of HTE people with HIV in the Middle East through expert collaboration and a literature review. MethodsAn expert panel of infectious disease specialists from across the Middle East conducted a literature review and applied the Delphi methodology to reach consensus on key recommendations. Statements were developed, refined, and voted on anonymously, with consensus defined as ≥ 80 % agreement. ResultsA consensus was reached on eight core statements, including: defining HTE, enhanced monitoring protocols, timely adherence and resistance assessments, individualized ART construction, multidisciplinary care integration, non-pharmacological support strategies, establishment of HIV registries, and development of formal HTE HIV management guidelines with ongoing clinician training. ConclusionsThese consensus statements provide a foundational framework to improve the management of HTE HIV in the Middle East. Implementation of these regionally tailored strategies may enhance clinical outcomes, address key unmet needs, and strengthen HIV care infrastructure across the region
The Jurisdiction of the Investment and Commerce Court under Law No. 21 of 2021 Promulgating the Law on the Establishment of the Investment and Commerce Court
No full textتتناول هذه الرسالة دراسة معمقة لاختصاصات محكمة الاستثمار والتجارة القطرية التي أنشئت بموجب القانون رقم (21) لسنة 2021. وركزت على دور محكمة الاستثمار والتجارة باعتبارها قضاء متخصصًا يهدف إلى ضمان وحماية الاستثمار في دولة قطر، وذلك من خلال تحليل شامل للبنية التنظيمية للمحكمة وما تتضمنه من دوائر ابتدائية واستئنافية، فضلا عن القضاء المستعجل والقضاء التنفيذي، مع بيان اختصاص كل منها ودوره في تحقيق الغاية التي توخاها المشرع القطري من إنشائها. كما عالجت الرسالة تنظيم مكتب إدارة الدعوى، مبرزة دوره الحيوي في تسيير الأعمال الإدارية للمحكمة وضبط الإجراءات بما يحقق سرعة الفصل في المنازعات. وتطرقت كذلك إلى بيان الموضوعات المستثناة من اختصاص المحكمة، مثل المنازعات العمالية، والمنازعات الداخلة ضمن اختصاص محكمة مركز قطر للمال. وتضمنت الدراسة تحليلا تفصيليًا لاختصاصات محكمة الاستثمار والتجارة النوعية بموجب قانون التجارة وسائر القوانين السارية في دولة قطر، ومنها : عقود البيوع البحرية، منازعات الشركات حماية المنافسة ومنع الاحتكار التجارة الإلكترونية حقوق الملكية الفكرية، والإفلاس والصلحالواقي منه. وقد استهدفت هذه الدراسة تقويم مدى كفاءة القانون القطري في تحديد اختصاص المحكمة، وقياس قدرته على تفادي أي تعارض أو ازدواجية مع الجهات القضائية الأخرى، سواء كانت محاكم أو لجانا ذات اختصاص قضائي. ولإغناء الجانب التحليلي، أجرت الرسالة دراسة مقارنة مع القانون المصري وتجربة المحاكم الاقتصادية في مصر، وذلك بهدف إبراز أوجه التشابه والاختلاف، واستخلاص النتائج واقتراحأوجه النقص في التشريع القطري، بما يسهم في تطوير البنية القضائية وضمان بيئة استثمارية أكثر استقرارًا وفعالية.This thesis provides an in-depth study of the jurisdiction of the Qatari Investment and Trade Court, established under Law No. (21) of 2021. It focuses on the role of the Investment and Commerce Court as a specialized judiciary aimed at ensuring and safeguarding investment in the State of Qatar. The research undertakes a comprehensive analysis of the court’s organizational structure, including its primary and appellate chambers, as well as its urgent matters and enforcement divisions, highlighting the jurisdiction of each and its role in achieving the objectives envisioned by the Qatari legislator. The thesis also examines the organization of the Case Management Office, emphasizing its vital role in streamlining the administrative functions of the court and regulating procedures to ensure the prompt resolution of disputes. Furthermore, it addresses the matters excluded from the court’s jurisdiction, such as labor disputes and disputes falling within the jurisdiction of the Qatar Financial Centre Court. The study provides a detailed analysis of the subject-matter jurisdiction of the Investment and Commerce Court under the Commercial Law and other applicable legislation in Qatar, including maritime sales contracts, corporate disputes, competition protection and anti-monopoly regulations, e-commerce, intellectual property rights, bankruptcy, and preventive settlement. The aim is to assess the effectiveness of Qatari law in defining the court’s jurisdiction and its ability to avoid overlap or conflicts with other judicial bodies, whether courts or quasi-judicial committees. To enrich the analysis, the thesis incorporates a comparative study with Egyptian law and the experience of the Egyptian Economic Court, highlighting points of similarity and divergence. The study concludes by drawing lessons and proposing legislative reforms to address gaps in Qatari law, thereby contributing to the development of the judicial framework and the creation of a more stable and effective investment environment
ADVANCING SECURE COMMUNICATIONS IN HIGH-MOBILITY ENVIRONMENTS: INTEGRATING QUANTUM KEY DISTRIBUTION, FREE SPACE OPTICS, AND HIGH-ALTITUDE PLATFORMS FOR ENHANCED IOT NETWORKS
No full textThe emergence of massive, latency-sensitive Internet of Things (IoT) and high-mobility services in 6G networks amplifies long-standing limits of radio systems (bandwidth, interference, Doppler fragility) and exposes classical cryptography to quantum threats. This dissertation presents a framework that integrates Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) with Free-Space Optics (FSO) to provide quantum-resilient connectivity, while exploring applications to terrestrial Internet of Things (IoT), high-speed trains (HST), ultra-high-speed trains (UHST), and non-terrestrial networks (NTN) with high-altitude platforms (HAPs). On the physical layer, we build weather- and turbulence-aware FSO models (attenuation, beam propagation, pointing/beam-wander, scintillation) and derive fundamental link budgets. A core innovation for mobility is an optimization framework that maximizes the distance between base stations along a rail corridor subject to stringent Gbps-class data rate and availability constraints. This front-end optimization directly informs the subsequent design of robust FSO architectures and handover mechanisms for HST/UHST. The resulting system-achieved through divergence control, advanced acquisition-tracking-pointing (ATP), and geometry-aware handover zones-significantly reduces infrastructure density while sustaining high-capacity links. For IoT security, we propose two practical QKD delivery modes (rail-side and onboard) and quantify energy per secret bit and realistic key provisioning. For extended reach, we introduce HAP-assisted QKD via a standards-aligned trusted relay and a composable finite-key decoy-state pipeline using the Entropy Accumulation Theorem. A key contribution is a symmetry-aware altitude optimizer that selects the HAP height to bound the transmittance gap, complete with concavity proofs and implementable solvers. We show that-under realistic HAP turbulence-advanced measurement-device-independent (MDI-), twin-field (TF-), and Gaussian-modulated coherent-state continuous-variable (GM-CV-) QKD protocols all collapse, whereas the simpler per-hop BB84 with decoys remains feasible under finite-key constraints. Results include rate/feasibility maps, robust operating rules, and integrated "security dashboards," complemented by ML-based attacker detection. The framework adheres to tight size-weight-power (SWaP) constraints by prioritizing geometric control and efficient solvers over hardware escalation. Collectively, this dissertation bridges physics, security, and control into a deployable blueprint for quantum-secure communications, advancing FSO for HSTs/UHSTs through optimized base-station placement and highvelocity handovers to minimize infrastructure costs