Search Results (268)

This study examines how digital transformational leadership (DTL) drives superior and enduring organizational performance through the mediating roles of organizational agility (OA) and digital transformation (DT) while assessing the contingent moderating role of digital culture (DC). Anchored in the Resource-Based View (RBV), the study conceptualizes DTL as a strategic intangible capability that enables the orchestration of digital and agile resources into sustained performance outcomes in digitally turbulent environments. Data were collected from 284 senior and middle managers across 13 Palestinian commercial banks—a highly regulated sector undergoing intensive digital pressure in an emerging-economy context—using an online survey. The proposed relationships were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4.0. The results reveal that DTL significantly enhances both OA and DT, which in turn contribute positively to organizational performance. OA and DT operate as both independent and sequential mediators, uncovering a multistage capability-building pathway through which leadership fosters long-term adaptability and resilience. The findings further indicate that digital culture conditions the effectiveness of leadership-driven transformation, shaping how digital initiatives consolidate into enduring organizational routines rather than short-term efficiency gains. By reframing sustainable transformation as the continuity of organizational performance through agility, digital renewal, and cultural alignment—rather than as an ESG outcome alone—this study refines RBV boundary conditions in digital contexts. The study contributes theoretically by clarifying how leadership-enabled capabilities generate sustainable competitive advantage and offers actionable managerial insights for cultivating agility, embedding digital transformation, and strengthening cultural readiness to support long-term organizational resilience. Full article

Background & Objectives: Periodontal disease (PD) is a common oral disease that affects the supporting structures of the teeth and is a leading cause of tooth loss worldwide. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of PD among 9th-grade teachers in the northern West Bank and examine its association with key behavioral and socioeconomic factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 920 teachers selected through proportional stratified random sampling from governmental and private schools. Periodontal health was assessed using the WHO Community Periodontal Index for Treatment Needs (CPITN), and oral hygiene status was measured with the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (S-OHI). A structured questionnaire was administered to collect data on socioeconomic status, oral hygiene practices, dietary habits, and smoking behaviours. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression. Results: Only 11.8% of participants exhibited completely healthy gingiva, with the mean condition ranging between calculus and shallow pockets. Oral hygiene practices were the strongest predictors of periodontal outcomes: frequent tooth brushing (Adjusted Odds Ratio: AOR = 0.015), morning brushing (AOR = 0.015), and regular toothbrush replacement (AOR = 2.514) were protective. Higher red meat intake was negatively associated with periodontal health (AOR = 0.032), while frequent nut consumption was protective (AOR = 0.227). The number of cigarettes smoked per week was positively associated with PD (AOR = 1.085). Conclusions: PD is highly prevalent among Palestinian adults, with significant behavioural and lifestyle-related determinants. Targeted oral health interventions are urgently needed to improve adults’ oral health. Full article

Background/Objectives: Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) has been shown to be more prevalent in patients with keratoconus (KC) in Turkey, Egypt, and Israel but has not been examined in the Palestinian Authority (PA). Therefore, this study compared the prevalence and clinical features of MGD in patients with keratoconus versus healthy controls seen in an optometry clinic in the PA. Methods: Patients with KC and healthy controls who were non-contact lens wearers were recruited. Habitual visual acuity (VA), tear break-up time (TBUT), meibography, meibomian gland (MG) expressibility (MES) and quality score (MQS), and Schirmer test were evaluated. MGD was defined by an Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) Questionnaire score ≥ 13, TBUT < 10 s, and MG loss > Grade 1. Outcomes were compared using Mann–Whitney U tests, Chi-Square tests and Spearman correlation. Results: The study included 33 eyes of 17 KC (mean age: 29.2 ± 7.7, range:19–50) and 27 right eyes of 27 control participants (mean age: 34.2 ± 11.7, range:18–56). MGD was prevalent in 67% of KC and 30% of control participants. VA was significantly worse (0.8 + 0.2 vs. 1.0 + 0.0, p < 0.001), with significantly greater MG loss in the lower eyelids (p = 0.002), and shorter TBUT (4.1 ± 1.5 s vs. 5.7 ± 1.7 s, p < 0.001) in the KC group. No significant differences were found in symptoms, MES, MQS, MG loss in the upper eyelids, or Schirmer test. Conclusions: KC patients exhibited a significantly higher prevalence and severity of MGD signs compared with controls. These findings highlight the importance of comprehensive ocular surface evaluation and management in this population. Full article

This research examines the role of sustainable knowledge sharing in enhancing service innovation among Palestinian banks, and it explores the mediating roles of employee engagement and meaningful work. The study sample consisted of 366 employees from various banks, who were surveyed using a structured questionnaire. Results from CFA and MGA reveal a significant Hand direct positive path from sustainable Knowledge Sharing to service innovation at a 0.52 level. In addition, the results reveal important indirect effects that are paths through which employee engagement and meaningful work together explain a substantial portion of total influence. The structural model presents good fit indices, explaining service innovation at 85.8%, employee engagement at 79.7%, and relevant work at 67.9%. These trends hold for both public and private banks. The mediating processes show that the engaged employee and meaningful work experience serve as the vital routes through which sustainable Knowledge Sharing enhances organizational innovative capability, addressing an obvious gap in the literature of innovation of Palestinian banking services. This study illustrates how Knowledge Sharing—underpinned by a committed staff and rewarding work surroundings—is associated with service innovation. The results provide pragmatic considerations for bank managers in order to enhance knowledge-sharing routines, raise workers’ involvement, and develop purposive, innovative work climates, which can be applicable regardless of variations in banking ownership forms. Although there are limitations inherent in the cross-sectional approach and its focus on a particular geographic setting, this study has theoretical implications. It provides practical suggestions for the adoption of innovation strategies within the banking industry of developing countries. Full article

This research presents a detailed assessment of the wind power potential in six Palestinian cities—Bethlehem, Jericho, Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah, and Tulkarm—utilizing daily wind speed data from the years 2015 to 2021. The primary goal of this study is to formulate a robust, data-driven framework for the strategic placement of turbines and the economical production of energy in areas with limited wind resources. A critical aspect of this research is the application of nine numerical methods, including the Maximum Likelihood Method (MLM) and the Energy Pattern Factor Method (EPF), to analyze the wind data. These methods were employed to estimate the shape and scale parameters of the Probability Distribution Function (PDF) that represents the Weibull distribution for various shape factor values. The accuracy of the numerical methods was validated through five statistical tools, including the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and Chi-square tests ($X^2$). The Weibull parameters obtained from the numerical techniques indicated shape factors ranging from 1.27 to 1.96 and scale factors between 1.16 and 3.21 m/s. The energy output was calculated based on the swept area of the wind turbine, following Betz’s limit. The estimated annual energy production per square meter in the six cities is as follows: Ramallah—123 kWh/m², Bethlehem—24.42 kWh/m², Jenin—31.12 kWh/m², Nablus—22 kWh/m², Tulkarm—15.5 kWh/m², and Jericho—10.36 kWh/m². A 5 kW small-scale wind turbine was utilized to evaluate the technical feasibility, sustainability, and economic viability of small-scale wind energy applications. The anticipated energy output from the proposed wind turbine is 2054 kWh, with an estimated payback period of approximately 11.6 years. Full article

Raising a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents severe difficulties that adversely affect the mother’s quality of life (QoL). However, very limited research has examined the impacts of support programs on the QoL of mothers of children with ASD in the Palestinian context. This study assesses the effectiveness of Mindful Motherhood, a comprehensive intervention, in improving QoL in this population. A quasi-experimental design was employed, with 56 mothers assigned to experimental or control groups. Quality of Life (QoL) was measured using the WHOQOL-BREF at baseline, post-intervention, and at a six-month follow-up. The 12-week group-based program led to significant improvements in all QoL domains for the experimental group compared to the controls, with the highest effect sizes in psychological (|δ| = 0.70) and overall QoL (|δ| = 0.68) domains; furthermore, these gains were largely sustained at the six-month follow-up assessment. The results are expected to inform policymakers in developing sustainable support systems for mothers and promoting inclusive, family-centered approaches to ASD care in the Palestinian context. Full article

Background/Objectives: Paediatricians’ recommendations influence parental decisions to vaccinate their children. On 19 January 2022, the World Health Organization authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (BNT162b2) under Emergency Use Listing for children under 12 years as a measure to mitigate disease spread and direct protection for children with underlying conditions. We assessed knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of Palestinian paediatricians regarding COVID-19 vaccination for children under 12 years and identified factors affecting support for vaccination. Methods: From 1 October to 8 November 2023, we surveyed paediatricians across the West Bank using structured telephone interviews. We collected data on sociodemographic characteristics and KAP regarding COVID-19 vaccination and calculated KAP scores from eight, nine, and nine items, respectively, with total scores categorized as poor/moderate/good. We performed bivariable and multivariable analyses to identify factors associated with paediatricians supporting COVID-19 vaccination for children under 12 years. Results: Of the 367 eligible paediatricians, 323 (88%) responded; the median age was 51 years (range: 28–70); 27% supported COVID-19 vaccination for children. Mean scores for knowledge (range 0–8), attitude (0–9), and practice (0–9) were 3.0 ± 2.1, 3.9 ± 2.4, and 4.0 ± 1.7, respectively. The mean overall KAP score (0–26) was 11 ± 4.8. Safety and efficacy concerns and lack of long-term data were the main reasons for hesitancy. Higher knowledge scores (PR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.3–2.5, p = 0.001) and positive attitudes (PR = 1.6, 95% CI: 1.1–2.3, p = 0.01) were significantly associated with paediatricians’ support for vaccination. After adjustment for other factors, participants with regular continuing medical education attendance (aPR = 1.4, 95% CI: 1.0–2.6, p = 0.045), trusting WHO recommendations (aPR = 3.1, 95% CI: 1.4–7.8, p = 0.047), having a positive attitude score (aPR = 1.3, 95% CI: 0.4–4.4, p = 0.041), and a good total KAP score (aPR = 1.1, 95% CI: 1.0–1.2, p = 0.044) supported COVID-19 vaccination for children. Conclusions: Support for COVID-19 vaccination among Palestinian paediatricians was low, associated with their knowledge, attitudes, and trust in health authorities. The revised WHO recommendations from 10 November 2023, decreasing the priority of vaccinating healthy children, could influence the opinion of paediatricians. However, the low support for COVID-19 vaccinations could affect the performance of other vaccination programmes and should be carefully addressed through targeted education. Full article

Recent global conflicts have amplified long-standing patterns of religion-related bias and discrimination in the U.S. The continuing war on Gaza has led to bias, hostility, and violence against both Muslims and Jews in the U.S. We present an overview of results from a new 1308-person national survey data collection gathered through NORC’s AmeriSpeak Panel with oversamples of Jews and Muslims. Our findings reveal important reversals, asymmetries, polarities, and solidarities in perceptions and experiences of bias among Jews and Muslims and experiences of and responses to the war among religious groups. Jews were the most likely group to report experiences of religious bias and hostility in the U.S. and the most likely to register fear about future bias, followed by Muslims, a reversal of patterns from earlier research. Jews were the most likely religious group to report experiencing an increase in religious bias or hostility after October 7, 2023. Americans reported warm feelings towards Jews, Muslims, Israelis, and Palestinians but cool feelings towards the Israeli government and Hamas, suggesting that across most religious groups, Americans demonstrate more sympathy towards religious identities when compared to national identities and political entities. Full article

This article interrogates “enforced silence” in higher education as an active, racialised technology of governance that manages speech, polices dissent, and narrows the horizons of legitimate knowledge. Bringing scholarship on institutional racism, decoloniality, and academic freedom into dialogue with analyses of scholasticide, the systematic destruction of education and intellectual life in Palestine, the paper argues that neutrality and professionalism function as administrative veneers that protect institutional reputation while disciplining racialised scholars and erasing Palestinian epistemologies. Palestine operates here as both an acute site of violence and a diagnostic mirror that illuminates a transnational repertoire of epistemic governance: censorship, securitisation, campus injunctions, and weaponised definitions that chill debate and criminalise solidarity. The article extends the concept of scholasticide beyond material destruction to include ideological and institutional assaults on dissent and critical thought, demonstrating how marketised, securitised universities reproduce racial regimes while disavowing complicity. Against this architecture, the paper advances a praxis-oriented framework drawing on critical pedagogy and the Palestinian ethic of Sumud to envision universities as sites of freedom rather than corporate neutrality. It sets out concrete strategies for scholars and institutions, including protections for dissent, refusal of censorious definitions, divestment from complicit partnerships, cross-border classrooms, and recognition of emotional–political labour, to convert witness into transformative action. The article concludes by insisting that academic responsibility is irreducibly collective: education must commit to liberation, not serve domination. Full article

Background/Objective: While no human monkeypox (MPXV) infections have been reported in Palestine, the rapid global increase in cases, including in neighboring countries, necessitates proactive public health preparedness. This study aimed to assess Palestinians’ willingness to receive MPXV vaccination and to identify associated predictors in the context of a potential outbreak. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in September 2024. The questionnaire gathered data on participants’ sociodemographic characteristics, risk perceptions, Vaccine Trust Indicator (VTI) scores, vaccination history, and willingness to receive an MPXV vaccine. Bivariate analyses were performed using Pearson’s chi-square test, and a multivariate logistic regression model was employed to identify the determinants of MPXV vaccination willingness. Results: The overall willingness to receive MPXV vaccination was low (28.8%). Key findings included significant public misconceptions and concerns: 33% of respondents believed that natural immunity from infection was sufficient, while 43% expressed concerns about potential adverse effects, similar to those associated with COVID-19 vaccines. Furthermore, nearly 60% of participants stated they would decline a free MPXV vaccine. Multivariate analysis revealed that prior COVID-19 vaccination (aOR = 3.07, p < 0.05), a moderate VTI score (aOR = 6.65, p < 0.05), and prior influenza vaccination (aOR = 4.00, p < 0.05) were significant predictors of MPXV vaccination willingness. Willingness to pay for the vaccine also positively influenced vaccination intent. One of the common misconceptions found was the belief that having received a smallpox vaccination prior reduces the need for an MPXV vaccination. Conclusions: The willingness to receive an MPXV vaccine in Palestine is suboptimal. Prior vaccination behaviors and general trust in vaccines are key determinants of acceptance. These findings underscore the critical need for public health strategies focused on strengthening trust in vaccine efficacy and safety, along with targeted health education to enhance community preparedness for a potential MPXV outbreak. Full article

Intermittent water supply is common in Palestine, prompting schools to rely on on-site water storage systems, including underground and roof tanks. Prolonged and uncontrolled water storage leads to quality degradation, especially with free residual chlorine (FRC) depletion. Hence, this poses health risks to students and staff. This pilot (field) study evaluated the effectiveness of booster chlorination under the current storage conditions to optimize and improve the existing chlorination process. Four schools were selected based on the type of water storage systems (two with underground tanks, two with roof tanks) and building age. Booster chlorination was applied at two chlorine doses (0.5 mg/L and 1 mg/L). FRC was monitored until levels dropped below 0.05 mg/L. Results show that the currently applied chlorine dose (0.5 mg/L) is insufficient to reach the minimum national FRC standard (0.2 mg/L) after 30 min. In contrast, a 1 mg/L chlorine dose is more effective in maintaining the minimum FRC concentration limit for a longer time. In addition, manual mixing is ineffective in large underground tanks, while it is effective in roof tanks. This study urges the need to revise the national chlorination guidelines and to adjust chlorination practices to ensure safe drinking water in schools. Full article

With over 300 species, the genus Eumerus Meigen, 1822 is one of the largest in the Syrphidae family. Regarding its immature stages, information is scarce, since they are described for only 22 species. The known larvae of Eumerus can be phytophagous on the underground parts of live plants or saprophagous in decaying plant materials of many sorts. Eumerus vestitus Bezzi, 1912 is a widely distributed species with records in the Afrotropical, Oriental, and Palearctic Regions. In the Palaearctic, E. vestitus is present in the Arabian Peninsula, Cyprus, Greece, Israel/Palestinian Authority, North Africa, and Syria. It is listed as an endangered species in the IUCN European Red List of Hoverflies due to the destruction of its habitat. Several puparia of E. vestitus were obtained from larvae collected in supermarket plums in Israel. In this work, the E. vestitus puparium is described in detail using a scanning electron microscope and stereomicroscope and compared with those of other members of the Eumerus obliquus (Fabricius, 1805) group, which E. vestitus belongs, and with members of other species groups. Our work also confirms a long-standing and broad occurrence of E. vestitus in Israel and records plum fruit as a new host plant for the species. Full article

Objective: This study aimed to identify psychological characteristics associated with suicidal ideation among Palestinian university students in the West Bank during a period of escalating regional violence (October 2023), with data collected prior to the end of the war, a period marked by intensified political violence and collective trauma. The goal was to identify empirically derived psychological profiles of distress and coping using Latent Profile Analysis. Method: A cross-sectional survey of 900 students assessed depression, anxiety, self-efficacy, resilience, help-seeking attitudes, and suicidal ideation during the past 12 months. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA), logistic regression, and moderated mediation analysis were employed to investigate the relationships between distress, self-efficacy, resilience, and suicidal ideation. Results: Results indicate that depression and anxiety are associated with increased 12-month suicidal ideation, but greater self-efficacy appears to reduce this risk. The mediation analysis revealed that self-efficacy partially explains the relationship between distress and suicidal ideation; however, resilience did not have a significant moderating effect. The LPA identified three distinct psychological profiles, with the highest-risk group exhibiting significant distress and low self-efficacy. Conclusions: These results highlight the significant mental health burden faced by Palestinian youth and underscore the importance of internal psychological resources, particularly self-efficacy, that are associated with lower levels of suicidal ideation. Enhancing self-efficacy may offer a culturally relevant approach for prevention efforts in politically unstable environments. Full article