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Urbanization has led to the degradation of green areas and natural resources, which are critical for preserving biodiversity and natural benefits. Sustainable urban development (SUD) practices aim to balance urbanization with preserving and protecting green land and natural resources to achieve greater sustainability. This study evaluated land suitability for SUD in the Nabatiyeh area of Lebanon using a multi-criteria decision analysis technique, the analytical hierarchy process, combined with a geographic information system. The elevations and slopes were the most important criteria, followed by the distances from urban agglomeration and industrial areas, accessibility, and land cover types, with corresponding weights of 34% and 36%, 12%, 9%, 6%, and 3%, respectively. The study created a suitability map for future SUD. This identification assists urban planners and policymakers in making informed decisions regarding the development of urban areas. The study’s findings highlight the efficiency of combining multi-criteria decision analysis with geospatial techniques for urban planning and environmental management in promoting sustainable development and protecting the environment. Future research could explore the possibility of integrating administrative reforms to promote SUD, including improving governance, enhancing the efficiency of governmental agencies responsible for urban development, building scientific capacities, and increasing officials’ accountability.

IntroductionThis study assessed the societal costs of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Lebanon, categorized by disease severity.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional, prevalence-based, bottom-up study using a face-to-face questionnaire. Patients were stratified by disease severity using the expanded disability status scale (EDSS); EDSS scores of 0-3, 4-6.5, and 7-9 indicating respectively mild, moderate, and severe MS. All direct medical, nonmedical, and indirect costs related to reduced productivity were accounted for regardless of who bore them. Costs, collected from various sources, were presented in international US dollars (US$) using the purchasing power parity (PPP) conversion rate.ResultsWe included 210 Lebanese patients (mean age: 43.3 years; 65.7% females). The total annual costs per patient were PPP US$ 33,117 for 2021, 12.4 times higher than the nominal GDP per capita. Direct costs represented 52% (US$ 17,185), direct nonmedical costs 8% (US$ 2,722), and indirect costs 40% (US$ 13, 211) of the mean annual costs. The total annual costs per patient increased with disease severity and were PPP US$ 29,979, PPP US$ 36,125, PPP US$ 39,136 for mild, moderate, and severe MS, respectively.ConclusionThis study reveals the huge economic burden of MS on the Lebanese healthcare system and society.

Since the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the approach to disability has not only focused on medical care, prevention, and rehabilitation guided by medical staff, but there has been a growing international consensus that full participation of disabled people must be guaranteed (Sugino, 2007). In this research, the author explored the application of the “social model of disability”. Some have questioned the validity of and relevance to the social model of disability in the generally conservative Arab region. Through the analysis of this research, it was made clear that in Lebanon, where the basic foundation of the civil society movement and democracy has been established, the “social model of disability” is being established with powerful disability movements and self-help groups. This research is an emancipatory research. It is based on existing publications and the author’s experiential knowledge through her residency at the United Nations Office in Beirut from 1997 to 20021, as well as a participatory focus group and individual interviews conducted in Beirut in March 2020. The set of recommendations was written based on the results of interviews and focus groups. In short, this research was planned, shared and co-produced with the participating disabled individuals in Lebanon.

Background: Polymerase chain reaction is a well-known method for testing COVID-19 infection, however, refugee populations often face difficulties in accessing testing. Several structural and cultural challenges have hindered access of Syrian refugees to COVID-19 testing in Lebanon, including financial barriers, stigma, and low perception of vulnerability. Aims: To explore barriers to accessing COVID-19 testing by Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Methods: This qualitative study conducted 10 focus group discussions among Syrian refugees and 21 individual semistructured interviews with healthcare workers. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board of the Lebanese International University, and the study followed the ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Results: Syrian refugees in Lebanon did not consider COVID-19 testing to be important. Despite the availability of free testing services, psychological, cultural, environmental, and financial barriers hindered them from getting tested. Some of them relied on consultation with pharmacists, who were easy to access and provided symptomatic treatment without the need to test for COVID-19. Fear of stigma, deportation, and isolation were common cultural barriers. Testing was considered unnecessary because of the perception of low disease severity and an attitude of negligence towards preventive practices. The harsh economic and living conditions were of greater concern to the refugees. Conclusion: Findings from this study add to existing literature regarding the social and cultural barriers to COVID-19 testing among Syrian refugees and should be considered when tailoring health promotion campaigns to halt the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many critical educational philosophies assume that learners are naïve and unable to critically read their social reality. Critical educational gerontology (CEG) aims to emancipate learners from oppression, to which they are oblivious. This strand of older adult education charges teachers with the task of raising learners’ naïve consciousness, by leading them on the (Freirean) path of critical reflection and critical action. Literature employing CEG concludes that this path often ends with learners being reluctant to engage in critical action because of their ongoing (internalised) oppression. In this paper, we adopt a critical stance towards CEG’s logic of emancipation guided by Anthony Giddens’ structuration theory. As such, we question the inability of older learners to understand, and act on, their social reality independently from teachers. Starting from Giddens’ theory, we apply a reflexive thematic analysis to interview data tackling the socio-economic reality of 11 older learners at a university for the third age in Lebanon. The results support the conclusion that older learners at the U3A can decode their social reality and reflexively engage in social change, but their efforts or reluctance are influenced by constraints, not necessarily naïve consciousness. Consequently, we recommend a revisit of CEG’s logic of emancipation.

The impact of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) on the burden of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and serotype distribution was examined across age groups from data collected by the Lebanese Inter-Hospital Pneumococcal Surveillance Program. Between 2005 and 2020, 593 invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates were collected from 79 hospitals throughout Lebanon. Serotypes and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiles were identified, and trends compared over 3 eras: PCV7, post-PCV7/ pre-PCV13, and PCV13 eras. The prevalence of PCV7 serotypes decreased significantly from 43.6% in the PCV7 era to 17.8% during the PCV13 era (p

This article unpacks the conflict sensitivity concerns of humanitarian cash and voucher assistance programmes (CVA). Contrasting orthodox analysis of economic programming that focuses on the macro level, the article highlights how CVA impacts everyday social and economic dynamics in communities with specific reference to Lebanon. The findings confirm a short-term stabilising effect on the macro level, however, it is also identified that CVA heightens social tensions between groups. To conclude, the article outlines how conflict sensitive programming could foster opportunities for peace and peacebuilding and spread economic gains more broadly despite the identified obstacles.

Hard ticks are widely distributed parasites that pose a major threat to both livestock and public health. Minimal studies were done regarding the prevalence of ticks on goats and sheep in Lebanon. The aim of this study was to identify hard tick’s species composition and their geographic distribution on small ruminants. The study took place in all Lebanese governorates. The ticks’ genus, species, sex, and life stage were obtained via morphological identification using a stereomicroscope. A total of four genera and seven species were identified, being Rhipicephalus turanicus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Ixodes ricinus, Haemaphysalis parva, Rhipicephalus bursa, Rhipicephalus annulatus and Hyalomma excavatum. R. turanicus and R. sanguineus were the most abundant tick species, while R. bursa, R. annulatus and H. excavatum were minimally collected. I. ricinus and Hae. parva were identified for the first time on goats and sheep in Lebanon. 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CFSPH. http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/DiseaseInfo/factsheets. php.","Uspensky, I. (1998). Ticks (Ixodoidea) in Israeli towns. 3rd International Confeerence on Urban Pests, 477–483.","Walker, A. R., Bouattour, A., Camicas, J. L., Horak, I. G., Latif, A. A., Pegram, R. G., & Preston, P. M. (2014). Ticks of domestic animals in Africa: a guide to identification of species. In The University of Edinburgh.","WordData.info. (2022). The Climate in Lebanon. https://Www.Worlddata.Info/Asia/Lebanon/Climate. Php.","Yeruham, I., Hadani, A., Galker, F., & Rosen, S. (1996). The seasonal occurrence of ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) on sheep and in the field in the Judean area of Israel. Experimental and Applied Acarology, 20(1), 47–56."]}

تهدف هذه الدراسة إلى تقصي الوعي الجندري ضمن أهداف المناهج الجديدة التي وضعتها الدولة اللبنانية منذ ما يزيد عن 20 عاماً، وذلك من خلال دراسة محتوى مادة علم الاجتماع لصفوف التعليم الثانوي، وقياس الوعي الجندري لدى الطلاب، لتقييم الواقع وتحقيق المرتجى. ولتحقيق الأهداف المرجوة من هذه الدراسة تمّ تطبيق تقنية تحليل المضمون على كتب مادة علم الاجتماع، إلى جانب تحليل نتائج الاستبيان المنجز مع عيّنة من الطلاب. وقد خلصت الدراسة إلى ضرورة تعديل المناهج الحالية بما يتلاءم مع التغيرات الاجتماعية والثقافية التي يشهدها لبنان في ظلّ عالم رقمي تتسارع فيه التحوّلات على كافة الأصعدة. Cet article présente une enquête sur la conscience genrée en se basant sur les objectifs des programmes et des manuels scolaires adoptés au Liban depuis plus de vingt ans. Pour évaluer cette réalité, l’auteure s’est appuyée sur l'étude du programme de sociologie dans le cycle secondaire afin de mesurer la conscience genrée chez les élèves. Pour aboutir aux objectifs souhaités, elle a analysé le contenu des manuels de sociologie, tout en exploitant les résultats du questionnaire. L’étude a conclu sur la nécessité de rectifier les programmes actuels, afin de s’adapter aux changements sociaux et culturels au Liban, se trouvant actuellement confronté à un monde en transformation constante. This article presents an investigation of the gendered consciousness based on objectives of the curricula and textbooks adopted in Lebanon for over twenty years. In order to evaluate this reality, the author used the study of the sociology curriculum in the secondary level to measure gendered awareness among pupils. In order to achieve the desired objectives, she analysed the content of sociology textbooks, while exploiting the results of the questionnaire. The study concluded that there is a need to rectify the current curricula in order to adapt to the social and cultural changes in Lebanon, which is currently facing a world in constant transformation.

Green human resource management (GHRM) and green innovation are highly important aspects for firms to achieve corporate sustainability, particularly in developing countries. This study explores the effect of GHRM and green innovation on obtaining corporate sustainability through the mediating effect of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). A quantitative approach using self-administered surveys is deployed, where a total of 192 data points were obtained from bank managers in Beirut. Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) is used for analyzing data in Smart-PLS version 3. The findings suggest that both GHRM and green innovation have positive impacts on corporate sustainability. Furthermore, the mediating effect of CSR activities has been supported in both relationships between GHRM and corporate sustainability and between green innovation and corporate sustainability. These results provide both managerial and theoretical implications that can be beneficial for scholars and practitioners alike.

Teleosts form the largest clade among the extant actinopterygians, some extinct forms of which are still poorly positioned in the phylogeny. The Tselfatiiformes and Araripichthyidae are such examples. A newly discovered genus and species from the Cenomanian of Haqel, Lebanon, is described, and its systematic affinities are discussed. It shares several characteristics (deep and compressed body with elongated and high dorsal and anal fins, edentulous maxilla, and sinusoidal vertebral column) with both the Tselfatiiformes and Araripichthys, making it difficult to place within the teleosts. It shares with Abisaadichthys, among the tselfatiiforms’ family Protobramidae, an autogenous retroarticular, and with Araripichthys premaxillae with a long ascending process, well-developed maxillary articular condyle and two supramaxillae. Moreover, it shows some unique characteristics (a thin maxilla with two large supramaxillae, fused articular and angular bones, mandibular sensory canal opening on the external side of the anguloarticular, first dorsal pterygiophore having the same enlarged semi-circular plate as the first anal pterygiophore) justifying its generic status. Comments on some of the protobramids are presented, and the necessity for phylogenetic analysis to place the Tselfatiiformes, Araripichthys and Ypsiloichthys within the teleosts is outlined.

Atheism has stirred up controversy in the Arabic-speaking world since the 2011 uprisings, when atheists there began appearing in public. What role does Arabic mass media play in the modern politics of minorities such as atheists, given the heated debates that it hosts on atheism? This question is important because perceptions of media frames influence the behavior of politicians and the electorate—and, as a result, laws that affect minority groups such as atheists. This article focuses on Lebanon, where eight of the nine television channels are affiliated with and funded by religious–political parties. It explores the existence of bias against atheists on televised Lebanese talk shows and news reports (2010–2022). Our findings reveal significant bias (69% overall and over 85% in speaker prominence bias), with channels that promote communal religious practice exhibiting the highest levels. Ultimately, our findings demonstrate that television, as the most influential Lebanese and Arabic mass medium, likely affects the public’s negative perceptions of Arabic-speaking atheists. Our findings reflect the decrease in objectivity in conflict-based media and such media’s poor understanding or intentional disregard for media’s crucial role in building a fair, democratic society.

The global spread of a web-based digital economy raises questions about its potential as a lifeline to people affected by severe economic and humanitarian crises. As local markets crumble and unemployment rises, online freelance work offers a seemingly accessible source of income that is independent from the constraints of local markets and national regulations. This article scrutinizes this promise against the backdrop of multiple evolving crises in Lebanon, asking to what extent a transnational digital economy can serve crisis-affected populations, including refugees, as a secure source of income and work.The research is based on interviews and surveys with Syrian refugees and host community members in Lebanon, who participated in digital skills training programmes and worked as digital freelancers for Social Impact Platforms and Enterprises (SIPEs). Their experience shows how the impact of Lebanon’s crises undermined the feasibility of web-based digital work precisely at a time when they needed it most. Syrian refugees in Lebanon are affected by particular layers of regulatory restriction, including their exclusion from digital platforms, skills training programmes, and the financial system. As these layers of exclusion intersect with the precarity of self-employed digital jobs and a severe economic crisis, Syrians’ displacement in Lebanon is reconfigured into a digital space of exile within a transnational digital economy. Viewed from this perspective, the digital economy fails to live up to its inclusive promise and fails to transcend the restrictive regulations, economic instability, and precarity that characterises crisis-affected states and populations.

Lebanon has been one of the most affected countries by the Syrian humanitarian crisis. The national communicable disease surveillance was enhanced to detect outbreaks among Syrians. In this study, we aim to describe the findings of the communicable disease surveillance among Syrians in Lebanon, compare it to residents’ data, and describe the implemented surveillance activities between 2013 and 2019. During the study period, data on communicable diseases was mainly collected through the routine national surveillance system and an enhanced syndromic surveillance system. Predefined case definitions and standard operating procedures were in place. Data collection included both case-based and disease-specific reporting forms. Descriptive data and incidence rates were generated. Information was disseminated through weekly reports. Activities were conducted in close collaboration with different partners. The most commonly reported diseases were: viral hepatitis A, cutaneous leishmaniasis, mumps, and measles. Hepatitis A incidence increased in 2013 and 2014 among Syrians as well as residents. For leishmaniasis, the incidence increased only among Syrians in 2013 and decreased after that. An outbreak of mumps was reported among Syrians between 2014 and 2016, with a peak in 2015 concomitant with a national outbreak. Outbreaks of measles were reported among Syrians and residents in 2013, 2018, and 2019. The infrastructure of the well-implemented surveillance system in Lebanon has been utilized to monitor the health status of Syrians in Lebanon, early detect communicable diseases among this population, and guide needed preventive and control measures. This highlights the importance of having a flexible surveillance system that can be adapted to emergencies and the importance of sharing results with involved partners.

The first record of Lygaeus creticus Lucas, 1854 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Lygaeidae) for Lebanon is provided. Further records for several Mediterranean islands are also reported. Some country records are discussed: those for Saudi Arabia and North Macedonia are preventively excluded from the distribution of this species pending further research.

Bats are considered the main reservoir of coronaviruses (CoVs), and research evidence suggests the essential role of bats in the emergence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronaviruses (SARS-CoV) and SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-like viruses have been recently detected in bats in different countries. In 2020, we conducted surveillance for CoVs among six different bat species in Lebanon. Of 622 swab specimens taken, 77 tested positive. Alpha- and Beta- CoVs were identified in samples collected from different species. Our results show that SARS-like coronaviruses circulate in bats in this region, and we provide new data on their genetic diversity. The interaction between the spike of the detected SARS-CoV-like viruses and the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) receptor could be crucial in understanding the origin of the epidemic. The 3D protein structure analysis revealed that the receptor-binding domains of the SARS-like virus identified in Lebanon bind to the hACE2 protein more efficiently than to the spike of the SARS-CoV-2 strain. The spike of the detected SARS-CoV-like viruses does not contain the recognition site of furin at the cleavage site. Thus, our study highlights the variety of bat coronaviruses in Lebanon and suggests the zoonotic potential for other SARS-CoV-like viruses.

In Lebanon, the nationwide vaccination against COVID-19 was launched in February 2021 using the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and prioritizing elderly people, persons with comorbidities, and healthcare workers. Our study aims to estimate the post-introduction vaccine effectiveness (VE) of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in preventing COVID-19 hospitalizations among elderly people ≥75 years old in Lebanon. A case–control study design was used. Case patients were Lebanese, ≥75 years old, and hospitalized with positive PCR results during April–May 2021, and randomly selected from the database of the Epidemiological Surveillance Unit at the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH). Each case patient was matched by age and locality to two controls. The controls were hospitalized, non-COVID-19 patients, randomly selected from the MOPH hospital admission database. VE was calculated for fully (2 doses ≥14 days) and partially vaccinated (≥14 days of the first or within 14 days of the second dose) participants using multivariate logistic regression. A total of 345 case patients and 814 controls were recruited. Half were females, with a mean age of 83 years. A total of 14 case patients (5%) and 143 controls (22%) were fully vaccinated. A bivariate analysis showed a significant association with gender, month of confirmation/hospital admission, general health, chronic medical conditions, main income source, and living arrangement. After adjusting for a month of hospital admission and gender, the multivariate analysis yielded a VE of 82% (95% CI = 69–90%) against COVID-19-associated hospitalizations for those fully vaccinated and 53% (95% CI = 23–71%) for those partially vaccinated. Our study shows that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is effective in reducing the risk for COVID-19-associated hospitalizations of Lebanese elderly people (≥75 years old). Additional studies are warranted to explore VE in reducing hospitalizations for younger age groups, as well as reducing COVID-19 infections.

This article addresses partnerships in the fields of refugee education and education in emergencies research. We use the framework of political reflexivity to critically engage with our experiences as researchers from the Global South working on research projects funded and led by institution in the Global North. Based on these experiences we highlight issues of claimed and assigned positionalities, hierarchies and power dynamics and how they shape knowledge production and dominant narratives in the field. Based on this analysis and the authors’ personal experiences facing dominant colonial privilege(s), the article concludes with precepts that could make partnerships in the fields of refugee education and education in emergencies research more equitable and capable of adopting more humanised and humanising ethical frameworks.

This study was conducted to assess food safety knowledge, attitudes and practices among restaurant food handlers in North Lebanon and to determine what impact the food safety intervention had on the performance of workers. A structured questionnaire of 35 questions has been used to collect information on socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes and practices for 110 food handlers randomly working in 38 food service establishments via face-to-face questioning interviews during three months. The intervention was made to a subgroup of 13 participants followed by a reassessment. The average percentage scores of all food handlers for knowledge, attitudes, and practices were 63.78%, 83.63% and 81%, respectively. For the 13 participants who received the intervention, a significant improvement was observed in their performance after the training (p ˂ 0.001).

This paper studies the role of the European Union (EU) in supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) communities in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) by focusing on the case of Lebanon. It seeks to fill the existing gap in the literature regarding the transversal conceptualization of EU practices in support of LGBTI communities in the MENA by focusing on what is happening on the ground. The paper builds on semi-structured interviews and engages with primary and secondary literature on practices in international relations and the EU’s transversal democracy promotion to answer three main questions: To what extent do the EU agents engage with local actors to improve transversal minority rights? Who are the agents involved? And what influences the EU approach/practice in this area? The main findings reveal the EU as a subtle actor when it comes to LGBTI rights in the MENA; it tends to treat the matter within a broader human rights aspect and to support initiatives taken by locals. This is due to the sensitivity of the domestic context as well as awareness that it might have a negative effect on the LGBTI groups if the EU became more vocal.

Campylobacter is one of the main causative agents of bacterial gastrointestinal infections. Recently, a rise in the incidence of campylobacteriosis has been reported worldwide. Despite the clinical importance of this zoonotic disease, its microbiological diagnosis is not systematically performed in clinical laboratories in developing countries such as the Middle East and North Africa region. Multidrug-resistant Campylobacter isolates, particularly against erythromycin and ciprofloxacin, have been highly reported. The findings of this study highlight the critical need to urge clinical laboratories in the Middle East and North Africa region to include screening for Campylobacter in the routine stool culture of diarrheal patients. Although there is a paucity of data regarding the epidemiology of human campylobacteriosis, alarming rates of infection prevalence and antimicrobial resistance were found in Egypt, Iran, Qatar and Lebanon.

Background COVID-19 is a global pandemic that has raised worldwide public health concerns. The wide spread of the virus has led to unprecedented disturbance to regular life for people around the globe and impacted their mental health. Aims The aims of the current study were to investigate the prevalence of psychiatric symptoms related to insomnia, depression, and anxiety, and identify risk factors contributing to psychological stress in Lebanese young population during COVID-19 pandemic. Method A cross-sectional study was done on the Lebanese young population. Participants were 4397 males and females aged 18 to 35 years who filled a self-administered online questionnaire. Three validated scales were used to measure the mental health status of the participants during the COVID-19 pandemic: 7-item Insomnia Severity Index for insomnia, the Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item depression module for depression, and the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale for anxiety. Results The median interquartile range scores for anxiety, insomnia, and depression, were 8 (4–13), 10 (5–14), and 9 (5–12) respectively. Higher anxiety scores were reported with female gender (P

Introduction: Emotional expressivity plays an important role in terms of communication and interpersonal relationships in the context of society. Our research aims at assessing the perception of emotional expressivity and its association with lifestyle changes during COVID-19 lockdown among university students in Lebanon. Methodology: A total of 742 participants completed an anonymous online questionnaire including socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle habits, and emotional expression evaluated through the Berkeley Expressivity Questionnaire (BEQ). Participants also reported their perception of the relationship between emotional expressivity and lifestyle changes experienced during lockdown. Results: The expression of positive emotions was decreased among students who have a weight loss from decreased eating during lockdown. Moreover, significantly lower negative emotions and increased positive emotions were found to be associated respectively with the increase in quality and quantity of distance learning, which emphasizes the psychological investment in education. In terms of extensive time spent on TV and social media, results point towards increased emotional expressivity, particularly positive emotions and impulse facets. Finally, changes in social interaction during this period impacted all facets of emotional expressivity. Conclusions: In the context of lockdown due to the pandemic, emotional aspects were associated by university students with lifestyle changes. Our research highlights the beneficial role of social networking, distance learning, physical activity, and well-balanced nutrition on emotional regulation in this particularly stressful situation, thus the importance of a global approach to emotional expressivity including the social aspects and biological ones.

Marc Machaalani,1 Houssam Seifeddine,1 Abdallah Ali,1,* Hassan Bitar,1,* Oukba Briman,1,* Mirna N Chahine1– 4 1Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath, Lebanon; 2Basic Sciences Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath, Lebanon; 3Foundation-Medical Research Institutes (F-MRI®), Beirut, Lebanon; 4Foundation-Medical Research Institutes (F-MRI®), Geneva, Switzerland*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Mirna N Chahine, Basic Sciences Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath, Lebanon, Tel +961 76 053292, Email mirnachahine01@gmail.comBackground and Objectives: Hypertension (HTN) is a major health concern that leads to cardiovascular disease and premature death. Assessing HTN knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) is crucial for controlling HTN. This study aimed to determine HTN KAP among hypertensive patients residing in Lebanon.Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 342 hypertensive patients. A questionnaire form was used to collect data related to patients’ characteristics. SPSS was used to determine KAP scores, descriptive statistics, and correlations.Results: Data from HTN patients was analyzed of whom 98.2% were Lebanese and 51.2% were males. The median age was 59.15 ± 13.55 years old. A proportion of 40.4% had HTN duration for at least 10 years and 67.3% had HTN family history. Patients had fair HTN knowledge and practice, but good attitude toward HTN. Only 45.3% regularly checked their blood pressure. Positive correlations were observed between HTN attitude and each of knowledge and practice. HTN knowledge and attitude were associated with many studied factors, whereas no relationship was found regarding practice.Conclusion: Hypertensive patients had fair levels of knowledge and practice, and a good level of attitude concerning their disease. We provided a model for predictors of HTN KAP scores that will allow the development of efficient campaigns related to HTN.Keywords: hypertension, KAP, Lebanon, hypertensive patients

With the well-known serious effects of alcohol and nicotine dependence on adolescents' well-being, and knowing that males are more exposed to violent video gaming, this study was conducted to examine the association between exposure to violent video gaming and alcohol, cigarette, and waterpipe dependence among male Lebanese adolescents.This was a cross-sectional observational study conducted with Lebanese male students (13-17 years old) between October and December 2019. The Video Game Questionnaire was utilized to assess the content of violence in video games. For the assessment of alcohol, cigarette, and waterpipe dependence, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test scale (AUDIT), Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), and Lebanese Waterpipe Dependence Scale (LWDS) were used, respectively. Log transformation was used for the three addiction scores. Four linear regressions were performed taking the AUDIT, FTND, LWDS, and violent video gaming scores as dependent variables.From the 388 students enroled (mean age= 15.83 ± 1.93 years), 190 (48.8%) were classified as having violent video gaming. Older age (beta=0.049) and more violent video gaming (beta=0.006) were significantly associated with more cigarette dependence. More violent video gaming (beta=0.003) was significantly associated with more waterpipe dependence. Older age (beta=-0.090) was significantly associated with lower alcohol use disorder, whereas more violent video gaming (beta=0.005) was significantly associated with more alcohol use disorder.The study supports an association between higher exposure to violent video game and higher alcohol and smoking dependence among male teenagers in Lebanon. Hence, support and guidance should be implemented to raise awareness and protect teenagers.

Objectives The Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc), which was originally thought to be a single species, represents a group of 24 distinct species that are often resistant to multiple antibiotics, and usually known to cause life-threatening pulmonary infections in cystic fibrosis patients. Herein we describe a series of non-respiratory Bcc infections, the risk factors and epidemiologic factors, in addition to the clinical course. Patients and methods This is a retrospective chart review of 44 patients with documented B. cepacia infections isolated from sites other than the respiratory tract admitted between June 2005 and February 2020 to the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), a tertiary referral hospital for Lebanon and the Middle East region. The epidemiological background of these patients, their underlying risk factors, the used antibiotic regimens, and the sensitivities of the B. cepacia specimens were collected. Results The majority of the Bcc infections (26/44, 59.1%) were hospital-acquired infections. The most common nationality of the patients was Iraqi (18/44, 40.9%), and the most common site of infection was bacteremia (17/44, 38.6%), followed by skin and soft tissues infections (16/44, 36.4%) and vertebral osteomyelitis (8/44, 18.2%). Most of the isolated B. cepacia were susceptible to ceftazidime, carbapenems, followed by TMP-SMX. Patients responded well to therapy with good overall outcome. Conclusions Bcc can cause infections outside the respiratory tract, mostly as hospital-acquired infections and in immunocompromised patients. Most patients were referred from countries inflicted by wars raising the possibility of a potential role of conflicts which need to be investigated in future studies. Directed therapy according to susceptibility results proved effective in most patients.

Background: COVID-19, caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, was declared by WHO in early 2020 as a worldwide pandemic. Several known risk markers are associated with COVID-19 morbidity and mortality, including age, gender, and diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, and chronic cardiovascular diseases. Recent studies have shown an association between COVID-19 infection and the ABO blood groups. Objective: To assess the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among suspected COVID-19 patients as well as the risk markers for COVID-19 associated with ABO blood group, Rhesus factor, and patient’s address during the past year. Methods: 69,019 nasopharyngeal swab samples were collected and analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction technique for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in patients attending a tertiary health care center in South Lebanon during the period between August 2020 and July 2021. Results: Among all tested subjects, the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was 19.2% (95% CI: 18.9% to 19.5%). Among those with known blood group (N = 17,462), odds of SARS-CoV-2 were higher in group A (Odds Ratio = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.23) and group AB (OR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.00 to 1.41) relative to the reference group O (OR = 1). Odds of SARS-CoV-2 in the Rh-negative group (OR = 1.02, 95% CI: 0.89 to 1.16) were not significantly different from the Rh-positive group. Among those with known address (N = 30,060), odds of SARS-CoV-2 were lower in residents of remote areas (OR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.80 to 0.99) relative to central cities. Conclusion: There is a modestly higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection associated with blood groups A and AB, and a lower risk associated with living in remote, less crowded regions.

To describe injuries and outcomes of casualties of Beirut Port Blast treated at a large tertiary care center in Beirut, Lebanon.A retrospective observational study assessing the spectrum of injuries, treatment, and medical outcome among casualties of the Beirut Port Blast, immediately after the blast and up to 1 week from the blast to the emergency department of the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC).A total of 359 patients were included. Most (n = 343, 95.6%) were adults ( 19 years), and males (56%) with a mean age of 42 ± 20 years. The most frequent mechanism of injury was a penetrating injury (45.7%), followed by other blast-related injuries (30.4%), and blunt injuries (23.4%). The most affected anatomical location were the limbs. Most (n = 217, 60.4%) patients required imaging. The most frequently administered medication was analgesics (38%), followed by anesthetics (35%), antibiotics (31%), tetanus vaccine (31%), and fluids (28%). Blood and blood products were administered in 3.8% of cases. Emergent procedures included endotracheal intubation (n = 18, 5%), surgical airway (n = 3, 0.8%), chest tube insertion (n = 4, 1.1%), thoracotomy (n = 1, 0.3%), and CPR (n = 5, 1.4%). A quarter of patients required surgical operations in the operating room (n = 85, 23.6%) and 18% required noncritical care admissions, 5.3% required critical care admissions, and 2.8% were dead on arrival.Casualties from this event had significant injuries requiring lifesaving interventions, surgical procedures, and admission to critical care units. High utilization of imaging modalities and of medications from existing stockpiles was also observed.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to explore netizens' external and internal political efficacy as being exposed to political branding on social media and to show how political branding would level up the citizens’ political awareness and boost their participation in voting in the parliamentary election. Lebanon was taken as a case study. Theoretical framework: Recent literature has reported the impact of social media political branding on youth participation in voting while other studies have been done separately about the impact of social media political branding on citizens’ political efficacy particularly in developed countries. (Binder et al., 2021; Hassan & Ridzuan, 2021; Moorman et al., 2019; Slipetska, 2021; Lau et al., 2021) However, there is still much to investigate about netizens’ political efficacy and participation in a developing country like Lebanon. Methodology: The study used the deductive approach and was based on using of primary statistical data for testing the hypotheses which have been analyzed by SPSS v22. The population, 491participants, from whom the data was obtained randomly were Lebanese people of age groups over 21 in various provinces. Findings: Overall, the data reflects a positive correlation of social media impact on voters' political participation, and it implies that the political influence of social media platforms on the self-external and internal efficacy is strong. Research, Practical & Social Implications: On the Lebanese level, and as the election has been done, it is recommended to measure the youth participation in voting. Also, this study is very beneficial to be used by the governments themselves for fostering the political efficacy of the nations, especially in developing countries. Originality: This study analyses the role social media does in encouraging citizens’ political efficacy and political participation in voting especially after the offensive revolution Lebanese have done pre- election comparing with many previous parliamentary elections in which participation was so shy and didn’t exceed 49.70 %. (Ministry of Interior and Municipalities, 2018)

Monkeypox is a currently re-emerging disease in the world and several cases have been detected in Lebanon. For this reason, an assessment of the knowledge and attitude of the Lebanese population towards monkeypox and smallpox or monkeypox vaccines had to be done. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire developed from previous literature among a sample of Lebanese residents. It recorded the sociodemographic characteristics and comorbidities of the participants and analyzed the patterns of knowledge and attitudes in Lebanon. Among 493 participants, it was found that there is a generally low knowledge of and an average attitude toward monkeypox. However, knowledge is better with higher educational levels, COVID-19 vaccination, and residency in the south of Lebanon and poorer with marriage and residency in Beirut. Attitude is better in females but poorer with higher educational levels. Several other effectors have been devised too. As for vaccination, taking the smallpox vaccine as a proactive measure is predicted with previous COVID-19 vaccination and better attitude but not in the residents of the north of Lebanon and married Lebanese residents. Higher educational levels and a better attitude were positive predictions of taking the monkeypox vaccine whenever it is developed. This study provided insights into the level of knowledge and attitude towards monkeypox and its vaccines, which can be a rich resource when proactive measures are developed., Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene, Vol. 64 No. 1 (2023): Vol. 64 No. 1 (2023)

Le Liban, un pays Méditerranéen, est bien connu pour sa richesse relative en eau au Moyen-Orient, une région naturellement aride. Cependant, le Liban fait face à un risque grandissant de stress hydrique. Le secteur agricole qui s’étend sur différentes régions au Liban, représente 60 % de la consommation de l’eau douce du pays. Toutefois, cette eau est mal gérée et utilisée de façon négligente, menant à de grandes pertes de la ressource. Aujourd’hui, le secteur domestique fait face à un manque en eau et se retrouve obligé de s’en procurer par des moyens non-conventionnels. Afin de combattre la pénurie d’eau, quels seront le potentiel et les limites du Liban à explorer l’application du modèle circulaire ? Les études de cas choisies ont dépeint le potentiel du Liban à récupérer les déchets et eaux usées pour des fins agricoles, en soulignant la préservation et l’optimisation de l’eau dans toute l’économie. À petite échelle, le Liban a prouvé le succès de la circularité de l'eau dans l'agriculture, mais a également révélé des obstacles lorsqu'il s'agit de comprendre le secteur de l'eau. Pourtant, le Liban a le potentiel d'atteindre la circularité dans ce secteur et au-delà. Le cas de la station d'épuration d'Ablah valide le potentiel de démultiplication de son modèle opérationnel sur des stations existantes situées à proximité de champs agricoles en normalisant l'utilisation de l'eau traitée et en renforçant la gouvernance de l'eau ; y parvenir améliorerait l'approvisionnement en eau de l'économie. Néanmoins, le gouvernement et les autres parties concernées jouent un rôle majeur dans l'aspect juridique crucial de la mise en œuvre d'un modèle circulaire., Lebanon is a Mediterranean country well known for its relative richness in water to the Middle East, a naturally arid region. However, in recent years, Lebanon has been facing a risk of increasing water stress. The Lebanese agricultural sector spreads across different regions and accounts for 60 % of Lebanon's freshwater consumption. However, this water is mismanaged and carelessly used, leading to great losses of the resource. Today, the domestic sector faces a lack of water and is forced to obtain it by unconventional means. To combat water scarcity, what are the potential and limitations of Lebanon to explore the concept of circular economy? The chosen case studies have portrayed Lebanon’s potential at recovering waste including used water, for agricultural purposes, but has also risen an interesting point about water preservation and maximization in the whole economy. At a small scale, Lebanon has proven the success of water circularity in agriculture but has also revealed barriers when it comes to understanding the water sector. Yet, Lebanon holds a potential to attain circularity in the water sector and beyond. The case of the Ablah Wastewater Treatment Plant validates the potential to multiply its operational model on existing wastewater treatment plants that are located next to agricultural fields by normalizing the use of treated water and by strengthening water governance; succeeding at this would improve water supply in the economy. Nevertheless, the government and the other concerned parties, play a major role in the crucial legal aspect of the implementation of a circular model.

In April 2020, after decades of discussions and controversy, the Lebanese parliament voted a law legalizing the cultivation, production, and sale of cannabis for medicinal purposes. Although the law leaves several unanswered questions and awaits implementation, the symbolic nature of this step in recognizing a positive role of cannabis in the local economy is significant on a regional level. The Arab world has traditionally been conservative when it comes to all drugs-related policies. Cannabis is largely demonized with heavy sentences served to anyone suspected of using selling, let alone planting cannabis. Despite a few countries considered producers and consumers of substances, governing authorities have remained immune to the liberalization trend encountered in western countries. The social experiment taking place in Lebanon is fraught with risks, given the unstable political situation and chronic economic challenges. The reactions to the law have been mixed with several scientific bodies such as the Lebanese Psychiatric Society criticizing the absence of proper consultation of stakeholders. The absence of consistency in enforcing established drugs policies or seriously debating the decriminalization of cannabis use raises concerns over the establishment of a two-tier approach toward drugs, driven solely by economic imperatives.

Compared to other countries in the Middle East and North Africa region, Lebanon is considered the richest in water resources. However, due to inadequate water management, Lebanese water resources are under stress. Previous studies in Lebanon were mainly focused on heavy metals and microbiological analysis. Following the increase in cancer rates in Lebanon, the occurrence of six anticancer drugs estimated to be the most administered in Lebanon was assessed in samples collected from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), sewage outfalls, and surface water. Two SPE–LC–MS/MS methods were developed and validated for the detection of the selected anticancer drugs with LOD values ranging between 0.1 and 0.9 ng/L and LOQ values ranging between 0.3 and 2.8 ng/L. Three anticancer drugs were detected using this technique, 5-fluorouracil, methotrexate, and cyclophosphamide, with an overall concentration range of 1 to 305 ng/L. The detection of these drugs in WWTP effluents, sewage outfalls, and rivers confirmed the weaknesses prevailing in the management of wastewater and the treatment technologies adopted by the few operational WWTPs in Lebanon.

This article investigates the role of Danish missionary and nurse Maria Jacobsen (1882-1960), working in Lebanon among Armenian refugees and orphans from ca. 1920 to 1960. The background of the Armenian-Danish relationship in the Middle East goes back to the early twentieth century with the arrival of Danish female missionaries and health workers from the organization Kvindelige Missionsarbejdere [KMA, The Female Mission Workers] in the Ottoman Empire. During the Armenian Genocide, Jacobsen and her Danish colleagues played crucial roles as relief workers and witnesses to the persecutions. After the war, the Danes continued their vocation and religious duty in the form of practical relief work among refugees and orphans in Lebanon, while at the same time promoting Protestant beliefs and values to the refugee community. The Bird’s Nest, an orphanage for Armenian children in Jbeil (Byblos), north of Beirut, became KMA’s main welfare project in the country. From its establishment in 1922, this large institution was headed by Maria Jacobsen until her death in 1960. The article explores the ways in which Jacobsen and the KMA situated Danish faith-based relief in the new post-WWI Middle East.It also looks at the relations to and negotiations with the local Armenian society.

About 45 years after the 1979 revolution which overthrew the last Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Islamic Republic of Iran became a regional power, thanks to four decades of social, economic, diplomatic, and military advancements. But not all of these successes are clear-cut. Many of Iran’s achievements created new challenges or even led to political and diplomatic failures. Some episodes isolated Iran and made dialogue with the West difficult: the takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979, the military and financial support to Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon (Hezbollah), the adversarial relationship with Saudi Arabia, the anti-American, anti-Israeli, and anti-Semitic posture, and the controversial nuclear program, have alienated the sympathy of Western powers. The Islamic Republic has survived, despite sustained acute enmity from the US and Israel, a decade-long war against Iraq (1980-1988), and four decades of various forms of economic sanctions but, so far, was not able to come up with a governing model that reconciles the vision of a religious state with democracy. One of the last contemporary theocracies, along with Saudi Arabia and the Vatican, Iran should strive to introduce reforms, which are strongly demanded by the people: ease censorship, progress with human rights and respect for gender equality, restrict state intervention in the economy and pass electoral reforms. The harsh crack-down by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on anti-government protests which have broken out since 2017 demanding reforms or the end to the Islamic Republic have raised public outrage. After the U.S. withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in 2018, and the civil unrest against the government associated with the death of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the Guidance Patrol, Iran's image has further deteriorated. After 20 years, Iran is still perceived as President George W. Bush characterized it, jointly with North Korea and Iraq, in his State of the Union address of January 29, 2002: ‘an axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world’. Economic sanctions, such as the embargo against crude oil, have injured the Iranian economy which suffers from double-digit unemployment and high inflation. Iran country would enormously benefit from their removal and the openness to the global market, in compliance with Art. 12 of the Constitution which sets the regime's goals: ‘A fair economy based on Islamic criteria to create welfare and eliminate poverty and deprivation in the areas of nutrition, housing, employment, health and insurance’. Is the Tehran leadership able to get the country out of this long-term situation and bring it into a new era of prosperity? This work aims to analyze the current situation in Iran and the opportunities for the country to find the right place within the international society., presented at the I. International Congress of Iranian Studies (Iranian Congress), June 15-18, 2023 https://iraniancongress.org/index.php/kongre/article/view/8. Abstract published in the Abstract Book https://iraniancongress.org/index.php/kongre/libraryFiles/downloadPublic/6

Introduction and Goals: Annual influenza vaccination has been shown to be one of the most effective ways of preventing influenza and its complications. In Lebanon, national data on influenza vaccination rates are still unavailable. Furthermore, there are no well-defined national educational programs to raise awareness. The study's main goals were to evaluate influenza vaccination rates among the Lebanese adult population, to understand the factors that influence people's attitudes toward influenza vaccination, and to develop effective strategies to increase influenza vaccination awareness, knowledge, and acceptance. Method: A quantitative cross-sectional design was used to figure out how many people got a flu shot during the 2018-2019 flu season. A total of 570 people aged 18 and up were randomly selected from various locations in Beirut via phone calls, including large shopping malls, recreational areas, and universities. A questionnaire with 27 questions was used to assess knowledge, attitude, and habits. Results: The overall influenza vaccine uptake rate in 2018–2019 was 21%. Males (27%), the elderly (100%), widowed (72%), employed (37%), those in good financial circumstances (42%), healthcare workers (63%), and those with a low level of education (57%) all had significantly higher immunization rates. Furthermore, those who sought medical advice on a regular basis (47%), as well as those with one or more chronic disorders (29%), had high vaccination rates. Moreover, higher vaccination rates were associated with increased awareness of influenza and its vaccine (p < .001). Conclusion: In Lebanon, influenza vaccine uptake remains unsatisfactory. This is primarily due to a misunderstanding of the severity of influenza and the effectiveness of influenza vaccination. As a result, national awareness and immunization efforts are urgently needed. Additional cause-and-effect research studies in Lebanon would yield more reliable indicators of the influenza vaccine's effectiveness. Such research would boost confidence in the vaccine's protective and positive effects.

Radicality has invaded our screens. In the media, there is no shortage of stories about radicalism. Here, news items, terrorist attacks, and there, political discussions that get out of hand. Radicality is everywhere. In the last century, we have witnessed an 'epidemic of violence'. Does this mean that radicality is synonymous with violence? What is radicality? The term is "clouded by controversy and confusion".Rooted in the information and communication sciences, this PhD thesis aims to make a contribution that will suggest avenues of reflection for the discipline. But also for all those who are interested in a subject that is of concern to more and more researchers and observers. Our research focuses on radicality from the perspective of information-communication sciences, it questions and analyses the spaces and forms of audiovisual expression circulating in the Lebanese public space and on its Web. Thus, we are particularly interested in the devices of mediatization. Moreover, it is between the interstices of media products, the ambiguous relations that enunciators sometimes maintain with their public, and the modalities of their enunciation that we find the substance that serves as a support and a fulcrum for radical expression. This is the fixed and animated image. We postulate that the image, in all its signifiances and scope, is the privileged support of radicality. This is why our problematic is as follows: In a multicultural society like Lebanon and in a context of confessional and communal cleavage, how are still and moving images the favourable and specifically revealing vector of the expression of radicality?Lebanon is the country of memories. It is the space of ruptures, but at the same time the "temple" of cohabitation. It is a country where the past merges with the present. It is a country where the past merges with the present, where people are often referred to their confessional and community affiliations. When a country is made up of eighteen communities, when a country is based on a tacit 'national pact' that shares the hegemony of the state over three main denominations, when this same country has experienced several episodes of fratricidal war, when it faces transnational tensions tinged with glocalized geopolitical issues: how can radicalism not find its breeding ground there?We observe the country of the Cedar from France, but we also experience it on its soil. In order to carry out this research, we have developed a cross-methodology, between interview surveys, "informal" observation and semio-pragmatic analysis of media products collected on the Web.Thus, this thesis is organised in two main parts. In the first part we take a broad look at radicality. Here, we deconstruct a fixed thought around the concept to propose to approach it from a communicational angle. This allows us to apprehend the concept of identity, to question it in the light of the Lebanese socio-political context and to propose a re-appropriation of a proposal around the "communication contract". Finally, we focus on the images that circulate in spaces such as Lebanon as well as their perception and the media and mediatized representations to which they refer. In the second part, we first present our methodological framework. We thus question our relationship with the field to show how our confrontation with it allows us to advance in the research process. Secondly, we discuss the materials in the corpus and their interest in the process of understanding that we have begun. In the third part, we present the highlights of the research, which show how radicality is a lever for devaluing the other and overvaluing oneself through the prism of audiovisual forms of expression. Finally, a general assessment is made, presenting the contributions of this work and its limitations.; La radicalité a envahi nos écrans. Dans les médias, les sujets sur la radicalité ne manquent pas à l’appel. Ici, des faits divers, des attentats terroristes et là des discussions politiques qui prennent des tournures démesurées. La radicalité est dans tous les espaces. Nous assistons au cours de ce dernier siècle à une « épidémie de violence ». De ce fait, est-ce dire que la radicalité est synonyme de violence ? Qu’est-ce que la radicalité ? Le terme est « obscurci par la controverse et la confusion ». Ancré en sciences de l’information et de la communication, ce travail doctoral se propose d’apporter une contribution à même de suggérer des pistes de réflexion pour la discipline. Mais aussi pour toutes celles et tous ceux qui s’intéressent à un sujet qui interpelle de plus en plus de chercheurs et d’observateurs. Notre recherche porte sur la radicalité sous l’angle des sciences de l’information-communication, elle interroge et analyse des espaces et des formes d’expression audiovisuelle circulant dans l’espace public libanais et sur son Web. Ainsi, nous portons un intérêt particulier aux dispositifs de médiatisation. Par ailleurs, c’est entre les interstices des produits médiatiques, des relations ambiguës qu’entretiennent parfois les énonciateurs avec leur public, et des modalités de leur énonciation que nous trouvons la substance qui sert de support et de point d’appui à l’expression radicale. Il s’agit de l’image fixe et animée. Nous postulons que l’image, dans tout ce qu’elle a de signifiances et de portée est le support privilégié de la radicalité. C’est pourquoi notre problématique se présente comme suit : Dans une société multiculturelle comme le Liban et dans un contexte de clivage confessionnel et communautaire, comment les images fixes et animées sont-elles le vecteur favorable et spécifiquement révélatrices de l’expression de la radicalité ? Le Liban est le pays des mémoires. Il est l’espace des ruptures, mais en même temps le « temple » de la cohabitation. C’est un pays où le passé se confond avec le présent. Où les personnes sont souvent renvoyées à leurs appartenances confessionnelles et communautaires. Quand un pays se compose de dix-huit communautés, quand un pays se fonde sur un « Pacte national » tacite qui partage l’hégémonie de l’État sur trois principales confessions, quand ce même pays a connu plusieurs épisodes de guerre fratricide, quand il fait face à des tensions transnationales tintées de problématiques géopolitiques glocalisées : comment la radicalité n’y trouve-t-elle pas son terreau ?Nous observons le pays du Cèdre depuis la France, mais nous l’éprouvons aussi sur son sol. Afin de mener à bien cette recherche, nous avons constitué une méthodologie croisée, entre enquête par entretiens, observation « informelle » et analyse sémio-pragmatique de produits médiatiques récoltés sur le Web. Ainsi, cette thèse est organisée sur deux grandes parties. Dans la première, nous faisons un grand tour d’horizon autour de la radicalité. Ici, nous déconstruisons une pensée figée autour du concept pour proposer de l’approcher sous l’angle communicationnel. Cela nous permet d’appréhender le concept d’identité, de le requestionner à l’aune du contexte sociopolitique libanais et de proposer une réappropriation d’une proposition autour du « contrat de communication ». Enfin, une focale est faite sur les images qui circulent dans des espaces tels que le Liban ainsi que leur perception et les représentations médiatiques et médiatisées auxquelles elles renvoient. Dans la seconde partie, nous présentons dans un premier temps notre cadre méthodologique. Nous interrogeons ainsi notre rapport au terrain pour montrer comment notre confrontation avec lui nous permet d’avancer dans le cheminement de la recherche. Dans un second temps, nous discutons des matériaux du corpus et de leur intérêt dans le processus de compréhension que nous avons amorcé. Vient dans un troisième temps la restitution des saillances de la recherche qui montrent en quoi la radicalité est le levier de dévalorisation de l’autre et de survalorisation de soi au prisme de formes d’expression audiovisuelles. Enfin, un bilan général est fait, il présente les apports de ce travail et ses limites.

This paper addresses the question of how different actors attempt to control mobility during civil war, and how mobility control and processes of state-making interact in such settings. Mobility in civil wars is often considered a political act by the various actors involved: Leaving the country can be perceived as an act of opposition, as can moving between territories which are controlled by different, opposing factions. Drawing on literature on strategic displacement and migration politics and combining this with empirical insights from the ongoing wars in Libya and Syria, the paper identifies three mechanisms of mobility control in civil war settings: forcing exit, selective return as a form of expulsion, and strategic laissez-faire as the intentional absence of regulation regarding displacement and return. The analysis reveals that all three mechanisms are employed by state actor(s), rebels, and militias, and can be understood as elements of a new (post)war order that includes some citizens while excluding others depending on perceptions of political threats. We interpret the three mechanisms as ways in which actors in civil war settings attempt to manipulate a country’s demography in their own favour in a process of state-making. The paper is based on fieldwork conducted between 2018 and 2021 in Syria, Lebanon, Libya, and Tunisia.

This study examined the lived experiences of Syrian refugee child brides to understand their needs as they navigate new social roles after marriage. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Lebanon using SenseMaker® to collect narratives from married Syrian girls age 13 and older and from their parents. Thematic analysis using inductive coding was performed. Identified themes were organized according to an adaptation of Bronfenbrenner’s socioecological theory of human development to present experiences across all levels of the girls’ interactions and potential influences. Themes at the microsystem level included overwhelming domestic expectations and worry about their own children in the girls’ roles as young mothers. Experiences of intimate partner violence and family conflict were common. At the exosystem level, participants described safety concerns and financial and legal system challenges. The macrosystem level highlighted social expectations around married girls discontinuing education and around separation or divorce. As efforts continue to prevent child marriage within the Syrian crisis and globally, understanding experiences of already married girls is critical to providing support for mitigating harm to child brides. Programs might consider safety planning, parenting supports, access to skills training and education, peer-to-peer social networking, and engaging husbands or families of child brides.

Phubbing is defined as the use of one’s phone while in a conversation, leading to a disconnection from interpersonal communications. This topic has become more interesting lately due to the increased use of smartphones worldwide and in Lebanon, where 86% of the population owns a smartphone. This study aims to assess the association between phubbing and personality traits with the moderating effects of loneliness and boredom proneness. This cross-sectional study was conducted between August–September 2020. 461 participants (18–29 years) filled out the survey. Higher open-mindedness was associated with less phubbing. Being married compared to single and higher open-mindedness were significantly associated with less phubbing. More boredom was significantly associated with more phubbing. The interaction extraversion by boredom was significantly associated with phubbing; this was significant at low levels of loneliness and boredom where extraversion was significantly associated with more phubbing. At moderate loneliness and high boredom and at high loneliness and boredom, extraversion was significantly associated with less phubbing. The interactions between boredom and loneliness and the other four personality traits did not show any significant association with phubbing. The current study highlights the importance of personality traits in influencing phubbing and might contribute to the preliminary assessment of phubbing. Healthcare professionals might be able to use the data of this study to implement appropriate smartphone use habits, as this would help patients improve their social relationships.

Dairy foods are a staple in Lebanon, a low- and middle-income country that has been experiencing serious challenges to food safety and antimicrobial stewardship among other issues. The microbiological acceptability of dairy products has been of increasing concern. This is partially due to the failing economy and prolonged power outages that affect the quality of raw material and disrupt the dairy cold chain, respectively. Therefore, we assessed the microbiological acceptability of Akkawi, a popular white-brined cheese in Lebanon. For this purpose, we quantified the densities of Escherichia coli (a fecal indicator) and Staphylococcus aureus in cheeses collected from Lebanese retail stores. Additionally, we evaluated the antibiotic resistance profiles of the E. coli isolated from the cheese. E. coli and S. aureus were detected in 40 (80%) and 16 (32%) of the 50 cheese samples, respectively. Notably, 40 (80%) and 16 (32%) of the samples exceeded the maximum permissible limit of E. coli and S. aureus, respectively. A high percentage of the 118 E. coli isolated from the cheeses showed resistance to clinically and agriculturally important antibiotics, while 89 (75%) isolates were classified as multidrug-resistant (MDR). Given that Akkawi can be consumed without cooking, our findings highlight serious food safety and antimicrobial resistance problems that require immediate interventions.

This monumental, ground-breaking book offers nothing short of a complete revision of the pre-modern history of the Druze as a religious and social community. Its point of departure is a re-assessment of the figure of al-Amir al-Sayyid (d. 1479), traditionally credited with a renaissance of the Druze faith and its institutions. This traditional view of al-Sayyid is based on uncritical examination of the available published sources, and hampered by the secretive nature of Druze exegetical writi...

The importance of international collaboration in the research field is well-documented, but its impact on the number of citations received by research publications is not fully understood. This paper aims to fill this gap by examining the relationship between international collaboration and other factors and the number of citations for research publications. Using data from the Lebanese American University, the authors employ ordinary least squares estimation to analyze the impact of international collaboration on the number of citations while controlling for various publications, authorship, university, and socioeconomic factors. The results show that international collaboration has a statistically significant positive effect on the number of citations. Based on these findings, we recommend that institutions and researchers seeking to increase the number of citations for their publications should focus on building and maintaining strong international collaborations and publishing in high-quality journals. This paper provides evidence of the importance of international collaboration for researchers seeking to increase the reach and impact of their publications. It also provides insights into the relevance of other factors, such as the number of publications, age, and journal rank.

Background: The objective of this study is to describe characteristics of the polyps in Lebanese population and evaluate the dysplasia and its relation to the polyps’ locations. Methods: Retrospective descriptive study was conducted at the Department of National Institute of Pathology in Lebanon and comprised biopsy of colonic polyps or resected polyps from patients from 2007 to 2009. We collected demographic data and polyps’ characteristics. Then, we divided patients according to age sex, location, histology. Results: With 2298 polyps in 1470 patients, the mean age was 57.45 with 68% aged more than 50yo. 75.6% have one polyps and multiple polyps more commonly found in older patient (> 50 years). More than 20 % of polyps found in the recto-sigmoid area. In the right colon, people older than 50 years were more likely to have polyps (19%) compared to those < 30 years (8.3%) (p < 0.05). In the rectum, people < 30 years were more likely to have polyps compared to those > 50 years (p < 0.01). Concerning the histology, tubular adenoma is the most common type and more prevalent in left colon. Hyperplastic polyps mainly found in the recto-sigmoid area and mainly in age group 30-50 in contrast to adenomatous polyps found over 50yo. Adenocarcinomas and/or degenerative polyps were founded in 5.9% of our population. Conclusion: This study gives valuable information on colorectal polyp in Lebanese population about age, sex, dominant histology and anatomic location. We noted a male predominance and mainly above 50 years old. The majority had single polyps, >50% of polyps were localized in the recto sigmoid. Adenomatous polyps were the most common type.

The present work develops a comprehensive probabilistic seismic hazard study for Lebanon, a country prone to a high seismic hazard since it is located along the Levant fault system. The historical seismicity has documented devastating earthquakes which have struck this area. Contrarily, the instrumental period is typical of a low-to-moderate seismicity region. The source model built is made of a smoothed seismicity earthquake forecast based on the Lebanese instrumental catalog, combined with a fault model including major and best-characterized faults in the area. Earthquake frequencies on faults are inferred from geological as well as geodetic slip rates. Uncertainties at every step are tracked and a sensitivity study is led to identify which parameters and decisions most influence hazard estimates. The results demonstrate that the choice of the recurrence model, exponential or characteristic, impacts the most the hazard, followed by the uncertainty on the slip rate, on the maximum magnitude that may break faults, and on the minimum magnitude applied to faults. At return periods larger than or equal to 475 years, the hazard in Lebanon is fully controlled by the sources on faults, and the off-fault model has a negligible contribution. We establish a source model logic tree populated with the key parameters, and combine this logic tree with three ground-motion models (GMMs) potentially adapted to the Levant region. A specific study is led in Beirut, located on the hanging-wall of the Mount Lebanon fault to understand where the contributions come from in terms of magnitudes, distances and sources. Running hazard calculations based on the logic tree, distributions of hazard estimates are obtained for selected sites, as well as seismic hazard maps at the scale of the country. Considering the PGA at 475 years of return period, mean hazard values found are larger than 0.3g for sites within a distance of 20 to 30km from the main strand of the Levant Fault, as well as in the coastal region in-between Saida and Tripoli (≥ 0.4g considering the 84 th percentile). The study provides detailed information on the hazard levels to expect in Lebanon, with the associated uncertainties, constituting a solid basis that may help taking decisions in the perspective of future updates of the Lebanese building code.

Participation in educational activities is an important prerequisite for academic success, yet often proves to be particularly challenging in digital settings. Therefore, this study set out to increase participation in an online proctored formative statistics exam by digital nudging. We exploited targeted nudges based on the Fogg Behaviour Model, highlighting the relevance of acknowledging differences in motivation and ability in allocating nudges to elicit target behaviour. First, we assessed whether pre-existing levels of motivation and perceived ability to participate are effective in identifying different propensities of responsiveness to plain untailored nudges. Next, we evaluated whether tailoring nudges to students' motivation and perceived ability levels increases target behaviour by means of a randomized field experiment in which 579 first-year university students received 6 consecutive emails over the course of three weeks to nudge behaviour regarding successful participation in the online exam. First, the results point out that motivation explains differences in engagement as indicated by student responsiveness and participation, whereas the perceived ability to participate does not. Second, the results from the randomized field experiment indicate that tailored nudging did not improve observed engagement. Implications for the potential of providing motivational information to improve participation in online educational activities are discussed, as are alternatives for capturing perceived ability more effectively. Practitioner notes: What is already known about this topic Participation in educational activities is an important prerequisite for academic success, yet often proves to be particularly challenging in digital settings. Students' internal barriers to online participation and persistence in higher education are lack of motivation and perceived ability. Nudging interventions tackle students' behavioural barriers, and are particularly effective when guided by a theory of behaviour change, and when targeting students who suffer most from those barriers. What this paper adds This study examines whether the Fogg Behaviour Model is suited to guide a nudging intervention with the aim to increase student engagement in online higher education. This study examines whether students with different levels of motivation and perceived ability vary in their online behaviour in response to nudges. This study experimentally evaluates whether targeted nudges—targeted at students' motivation and perceived ability—are more effective than plain (not-targeted) nudges. Implications for practice and/or policy The results indicate the importance of motivation for performing nudged behaviours regarding successful participation in an online educational activity. The results do not provide evidence for the role of perceived digital ability, yet do show prior performance on a similar educational activity can effectively distinguish between students' responsiveness. Targeted nudges were not more effective than plain nudges, but the potential of other motivational nudges and how to increase perceived performance are discussed.

About 20% to 30% of pediatric patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) develop chronic or refractory disease lasting 12 months or more that can be challenging to treat. Eltrombopag is being used after failure of previous lines of therapy with good results at tertiary healthcare centers in Lebanon, a developing country with available multidisciplinary treatment modalities. This is a retrospective multicenter observational study that analyzed data on pediatric patients with chronic or refractory ITP who were given eltrombopag as second- or third-line therapy in 6 large referral hospitals in Beirut (country capital located in mid Lebanon), South, North, and Mount Lebanon between October 2016 and May 2020. The primary end point of the study was a proportion of patients achieving platelet counts of ≥ 50 × 10