This study surveys active labor market programs (ALMPs) in selected countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, identifies key challenges to their effective and efficient delivery, ...and proposes a policy framework for reforming public service provision. This study draws on data collected through surveys administered to public social, employment, and education agencies in selected MENA countries to identify key constraints and options for reforming publicly provided employment programs. Recent political transitions arising from the Arab Spring have contributed to the deterioration of labor market outcomes in the MENA region. In this context, ALMPs could become an important policy lever to address some of the challenges facing labor markets. These include: joblessness, skills mismatches, lack of labor market mobility, large and expanding informal sector, and lack of formal employment networks. The study also provides specific details on the beneficiaries, targeting, and expenditures of ALMPs during this same period.
Public Employment Programs in Lebanon
Building Effective Employment Programs for Unemployed Youth in the Middle East and North Africa,
2013
Book Chapter
Public Employment Programs in Jordan
Building Effective Employment Programs for Unemployed Youth in the Middle East and North Africa,
2013
Book Chapter
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Curfew due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic could influence health behaviors in people, especially in children, who can easily acquire unhealthy eating ...habits. This study aimed to investigate the effect of COVID-19 on weight, health behaviors including eating habits, physical activity, and sedentary behavior in children aged 6-15 years in Saudi Arabia. SUBJECTS/METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey that included 280 children aged 6-15 years in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 curfew. The survey included questions on sociodemographic characteristics, anthropometric measures, and health behaviors including eating habits, physical activity, and sedentary behavior. RESULTS: We observed a significant difference in the body mass index before and after the COVID-19 pandemic (P < 0.001). Children significantly tended to skip breakfast, along with a decreased intake of dairy products and fast food (P < 0.001). Moreover, children were less physically active and significantly tended to be involved in leisure screen-based activities, including watching TV and use of computer/games (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence for the negative influences of the COVID-19 curfew on health behaviors, including eating habits, physical activity, and sedentary behavior in children in Saudi Arabia.
As anticorrosive materials, natural products such as flower extracts are widely used. In lieu of using the whole product, it is better to apply the isolated phytochemical active component among all ...existing components in the flower as anticorrosive. Therefore, identifying the component or components responsible for anticorrosion paves the road for its experimental synthesis and effective application. In the present investigation, a comprehensive investigation of three phytochemicals present in Allium Jesdianum (AJ) flower, namely Methyl heptadecanoate (Palmitic acid), Ethyl (9Z,12Z)-octadeca-9,12-dienoate (a-Linolenic acid), and Icosan-1-ol (1-Ecosanol) was characterized using computational methods (DMol3, and Monti Carlo (MC) simulations) to determine the inhibition potentials for corrosion, chemical reactivities, and adsorption behaviors. Isolated forms were characterized by local and global reactivity descriptors such as the energies and distributions of the highest occupied molecular orbitals (HOMOs), Lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMOs), their gaps, hardness (h), global softness (s), global electronegativity (χ), chemical potential (μ), electrophilicity (ω), nucleophilicity (ε), electron-accepting power (ω-), electron-donating power (ω+), and net electrophilicity (Δω±). A further investigation has been made into the adsorption of three types of industrial metals, namely Fe(110), Al(111), and Cu(111). Based on the most stable adsorption configurations, the three phytochemicals adsorbed parallel to all surfaces. Adsorbate and surfaces interact primarily via chemisorption. In line with this result, the radial distribution function (RDF) has been analyzed. Computed parameters illustrated 1-Ecosanol's superiority over other phytochemicals and justified the reason behind its efficiency.
In dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), the dye material plays a crucial role in determining the amount of electrical current obtained, which is the primary outcome of the cell. Therefore, it is ...crucial to explain the performance of a dye at a molecular level. This work investigates using density functional theory and time-dependent density (DFT and TD-DFT, respectively) four experimentally tested anthanthrene-based dyes abbreviated as D1 to D4. The four dyes differ in their alkyl-substitutions (nonane or 3-ethylheptane) and the number of anchoring groups (one/two cyanoacrylic acid/s). To study the effect of these two structural features, the work involves the calculations of the geometrical structures, electronic and optical properties of isolated forms. In addition, the adsorption behaviour of these dyes on TiO2 clusters was explained. Properties such as the adsorption energies, and electro-optical properties were calculated and discussed.
Background: The posterior tibial slope (PTS) is crucial in knee joint stability and in maintaining the natural movement of the knee. An increase in the PTS is associated with various knee pathologic ...conditions, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and anterior tibial translation (ATT). In the present study, we aimed to establish native medial and lateral PTS values for adult Saudis and to identify any association between PTS and gender, age, and body mass index (BMI).
Materials and methods: A total of 285 consecutive, normal, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of the knee were included in the study. The PTS was measured using the proximal anatomical axis of the tibia. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the medial and lateral PTS angles between age groups. The difference between the medial and lateral posterior tibial slopes was assessed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The Mann-Whitney U test was performed to compare the medial and lateral PTS angles between men and women. Age, gender, and BMI were analyzed by multivariate linear regression to determine whether they positively predict the medial and lateral PTS angles.
Results: The mean physiological medial PTS was 5.86 ± 3.0° and 6.61 ± 3.32°, and the lateral PTS was 4.41 ± 3.35° and 4.63 ± 2.85° in men and women, respectively. This difference showed no statistically significant gender dimorphism (p > 0.05). The medial PTS was significantly larger than the lateral PTS (p < 0.0001). There was no statistically significant difference in the medial and lateral PTS angles between age groups (p > 0.05). Higher BMI was significantly associated with a steeper medial PTS (p = 0.001).
Conclusions: This study provided native values for medial and lateral PTS angles in Saudis, which can assist surgeons in maintaining normal knee PTS during surgery. The PTS was not influenced by age. The medial PTS was significantly larger than the lateral PTS in men and women. The PTS showed no significant gender dimorphism. BMI was significantly associated with the medial PTS.
Jugular bulb diverticulum is an irregular extension of the jugular bulb into the temporal bone that may be symptomatic or asymptomatic. The jugular bulb has rarely been reported to extend into the ...occipital condyle; such extension is termed a condylar jugular diverticulum and is characterized as a defect in the occipital condyle contiguous with the jugular bulb. This report details 3 cases of condylar jugular diverticulum. Extension of the jugular bulb into the ipsilateral occipital condyle was noted as an incidental finding on cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) images of 3 patients. All 3 patients were asymptomatic, and this finding was unrelated to the initial area of interest. CBCT use is becoming ubiquitous in dentistry, as it allows 3-dimensional evaluation, unlike conventional radiography. Proper interpretation of the entire CBCT is essential, and recognition of the indicators of condylar jugular diverticulum may prevent misdiagnosis of this rare entity.
