Alfaisal University

Relocation, laser dusting and suction (RELOADUS): An international collaborative observational study for laser management to prevent strictures of symptomatic impacted upper ureteric stones

Background Ureteric stricture formation following ureteroscopy and laser management of stones is known. Objective To evaluate the feasibility, safety, stone clearance outcomes and rate of upper ureteric stricture formation after implementation of the Relocation, laser dusting and...

The Efficiency vs. Pricing Accuracy Trade-Off in GMM Estimation of Multifactor Linear Asset Pricing Models

Even though a multifactor linear asset pricing model can be written equivalently in Beta or Stochastic Discount Factor (SDF) form, the two representations need not deliver the same inferential properties when estimated by the generalized method of moments (GMM). Using a multifact...

Joint Leak Estimation and Predictive Pressure Control in Nonlinear Pipeline Networks: Technical Report

This Technical Report is the extended companion to the manuscript “Joint Leak Estimation and Predictive Pressure Control in Nonlinear Pipeline Networks,” submitted to Water (MDPI). It contains the complete supporting detail that was condensed in the manuscript for length: the ful...

Towards Climate-Resilient Office Façades: Integrating PCM-Enhanced Glazing with Dynamic External Louvres Under Current and Future Hot–Arid Climates

Phase-change material (PCM) glazing and dynamic external shading are promoted as sustainable cooling measures, yet they act on the same solar load and are rarely assessed together under a mandatory energy code. This study aims to evaluate and compare the individual and combined p...

Distorting the trust signal: review subjectivity, polarity and the conditional bias of online merchant ratings

Purpose This study examines how the linguistic subjectivity of online reviews distorts the aggregate merchant rating, the system-level trust signal on which buyers in complex digital markets increasingly rely. It asks whether subjectivity biases the rating, through what mechanism...

Residual sequential attention and class-imbalance learning for multi-class peripheral blood cell classification

Abstract Peripheral blood cell classification is challenging when severe class imbalance coincides with fine visual differences among maturation stages and morphologically related cell types. This study investigates a residual sequential attention framework built on ResNeSt50 and...

The proportion of infections in patients with vascular anomalies treated with sirolimus: a retrospective study

Sirolimus, an mTOR inhibitor, is an effective treatment for vascular anomalies (VA), particularly lymphatic malformations. However, its immunosuppressive properties raise concerns regarding infection risk, while the role of antibiotic prophylaxis remains unclear. This study aims...

Early Surgical Interventions for Pediatric Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Effects on Mobility, Independence, Developmental Outcomes, and Deformity Prevention.

Introduction Determining the optimal timing and type of surgical interventions for children with cerebral palsy (CP) remains challenging. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate and evaluate the effects of early surgical interventions on functional mobility,...

From globalized to regionalized supply chains: how and why regionalization challenges translate into firm-level hesitation

Purpose Prior regionalization and reshoring studies identify important supplier, infrastructure, technological, cost and regulatory constraints but provide limited explanation of how and why regionalization challenges make supply chain firms hesitant to engage in regionalization...

When the system fails, the community leads: field insights from the self-efficacy and knowledge (SEEK) trial during Lebanon’s 2024 active conflict

Adolescent girls and young women affected by conflict experience persistent sexual and reproductive health challenges along with poorer mental health and wellbeing. Among Syrian adolescent girls and young women living in Lebanon, these challenges are exacerbated by displacement,...

The Impact of Preexisting Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices on the Safety of Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Interventions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) increases mortality but remains undertreated due to high surgical risks. Transcatheter tricuspid valve interventions (TTVI) offer safer alternatives, improving functional status and quality of life. However, many candidates for TTVI have t...

Artificial Intelligence-Driven Sensor Network Approach for Optimizing Halted Product Delivery in E-Commerce Platforms

Sensor network architectures incorporated with artificial intelligence are exploited for process automation in e-commerce platforms. Specifically, product management is automated through sale-based tracking, enabled by the rapid exchange of information within the sensor network....

Total intravenous versus volatile anesthesia in living donor hepatectomy: A global prospective cohort study from the international LDLT registry

The choice between total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) and volatile anesthesia for living donor hepatectomy remains controversial, with limited evidence comparing their impact on donor and recipient outcomes. This study evaluates the association between anesthetic technique and e...

Hospital-Level Determinants of Mortality After Pancreas Surgery

OBJECTIVE: To identify modifiable hospital-level determinants of mortality after pancreas surgery and assess their cumulative protective effects through the development of a Hospital Resource Index (HRI) on a global scale. BACKGROUND: Ninety-day mortality rates after pancreas sur...

Comparative effectiveness of biologic therapies for preventing asthma exacerbations in severe asthma: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

The comparative effectiveness of biologic therapies for preventing exacerbations in severe asthma remains uncertain because no eligible direct head-to-head randomized comparisons were identified. We compared six biologic therapies using a network meta-analysis (NMA). This systema...

Assessing the osteoporosis care gap and clinical outcomes following fragility hip fractures in Saudi Arabia: implications for fracture liaison services

Abstract Background Osteoporotic hip fractures cause significant morbidity, mortality, and healthcare burden. Substantial gaps persist in osteoporosis diagnosis and secondary fracture prevention, particularly in Saudi Arabia. Aims To evaluate the osteoporosis care gap, mortality...

Metabolic perturbations associated with ADAT3 variant–related intellectual disability revealed by untargeted metabolomics

Untargeted metabolomics is a powerful analytical approach for characterizing global metabolic alterations associated with physiological and pathological states. This approach is particularly valuable for rare genetic disorders, where metabolic consequences are poorly understood a...

Blood Donation Deferral at a Tertiary Centre in Riyadh: Epidemiology, Sex-Specific Patterns, and Donor Retention Outcomes

Background: Blood donation deferral poses a significant challenge to transfusion services worldwide, threatening blood supply adequacy and donor retention. Population-specific data on deferral epidemiology and subsequent donor return behavior in Saudi Arabia remain limited. This...

From Market Optimism to Sustainability: How Investor Sentiment Shapes ESG Performance through CEO Power and Board Gender Diversity

ABSTRACT Firms face increasing pressure from investors and stakeholders to enhance environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices, yet the mechanisms through which market sentiment shapes ESG outcomes remain unclear. This study examines how investor sentiment influences ES...

Metabolic Signatures Associated with COVID-19 Vaccination in Serum from Healthy Individuals

Background: COVID-19 vaccines have proven effective in reducing severe disease and mortality from SARS CoV-2 infection. The underlying molecular mechanisms and alterations in the human serum metabolome influencing the effectiveness and development of immunity remain unclear. Meth...