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A Cloud Computing Environment (CCE) leverages the advantages offered by virtualisation to enable the sharing of computing resources among cloud users elastically and based on the user requirements. Hence, virtual machines (VMs) can share physical resources within the same physical machine (PM). However, resource sharing is exposed to potential security threats that can lead to a malicious co-residency, or multitenancy, between the co-located VMs. The malicious co-residency happens when a malicious VM is co-located with a critical, or target, VM on the same PM, leading to side-channel attacks (SCAs), widely recognised as a potential threat in CCEs. Specifically, the SCAs allow the malicious VMs to capture private information from the target VMs by co-locating with them on the same PM. The co-location of VMs is an outcome of the VMs allocation algorithm behaviour, which is responsible for allocating the VMs to a specific PM based on defined allocation objectives. As such, the VMs allocation behaviours can potentially lead to a malicious co-residency; hence, it is significant that the implemented VMs allocation algorithms need to be made secure. Most of the earlier studies tackled the malicious co-residency, which leads to SCAs, through specific solutions, by focusing on either formulating VMs allocation algorithms or modifying the architecture of the CCEs to mitigate the threats of SCAs. However, most of them are oriented to specific situations and assumptions, leading to malicious co-residency when applied to other scopes or situations. While in our work, we presented the solution from a different holistic perspective by studying the allocation behaviours and other properties that affect and lead to obtaining a secure VMs allocation. In addition, we develop a secure VMs allocation model that aims to minimise the malicious co-residency under various situations and constraints. Furthermore, we introduce an evaluation of our model using an optimisation-based approach by utilising a linear programming technique to capture the behaviour of the optimal VMs allocation. Moreover, based on the optimisation-based outcomes, we develop security-aware VMs allocation and VMs migration algorithms that aim to allocate the VMs securely to reduce the potential threats from malicious co-residency. Therefore, to accomplish our objectives, we utilise state of the art tools and simulations such as PuLP and CloudSim to examine and implement the VMs allocation algorithms. Moreover, we perform an extensive examination of selected VMs allocation behaviours, which are stacking-based, random-based and spreading-based. The examinations are performed under different scenarios and structures for each behaviour to understand the possible situations that lead to secure VMs allocation. Hence, we show that the stacking-based behaviours algorithms are more likely to produce secure allocations than those with spreading-based or randombased allocation behaviours algorithms. Accordingly, our stacking-based algorithms are significantly better as they produce secure allocations more than the compared algorithms under the same examined situations. Moreover, our results show that VMs arrival time has a significant impact producing secure allocations, where the arrival of target or malicious VMs earlier than the rest of VMs often minimises the malicious co-residency occurrence. In addition, the high available resources diversity between the available resources of PMs yields to produce more secure allocations as it offers more allocation options for the allocation algorithms and thus more flexibility. Furthermore, our stacking-based algorithms show the lowest PMs usage among the compared algorithms, by significant amounts, under most examined situations, leading to utilising fewer PMs and therefore fewer power consumption of the available resources. Lastly, the number of VMs migration is the lowest among the examined algorithms, leading to the higher availability of the VMs in cloud systems by avoiding many interruptions resulting from the VMs migration while enhancing the state of the secure allocations.

The expression of capsular polysaccharide is a common feature found in extra-intestinal isolates causing neonatal meningitis, septicaemia and urinary tract infections. Group 2 capsular polysaccharides such as K1 antigen is expressed by various uropathogenic strains of E. coli (UPEC) that cause urinary tract infections. The capsule is considered to be an essential virulence factor conferring resistance to host defences. Moreover, capsule displays phase variable expression that adds to the virulence by providing fitness during the infection process. The expression of Group 2 capsular polysaccharide is complex as it involves three tandem promoters in PR1 region (PR1-1, PR1-2 and PR1-3) which drive the transcription of genes essential for polysaccharide export and a convergent promoter, PR3, which drive the transcription to capsule-synthesis genes. The Group 2 capsule is temperature regulated at transcriptional level with the capsule being expressed at 37°C but not at 20°C. Regulatory proteins H-NS and BipA play an essential role in temperature regulation. Additionally, 5' untranslated regions of PR1 and PR3 are involved in the regulation of transcription by interacting with other regulatory proteins such as IHF and SlyA. In this study, I dissect the regulation of the three functional promoters in PR1 region at a chromosomal level by mutating the -10 functional elements of each promoter in the chromosome of a UPEC isolate (strain UTI89). The effect of such mutations on transcription exiting PR1 was measured in PR1-lacZ transcriptional fusion and the effect of such mutations on capsule expression was investigated in UTI89 background. This study revealed that PR1-1 is the master promoter that activates the transcription from PR1-2 and PR1-3 when the bacteria were grown in LB, probably by transcription-coupled DNA supercoiling. Additionally, the data presented in this study suggests that PR1-2 and PR1-3 are coupled promoters that also depend on each other. Interestingly, mutating either PR1- 2 or PR1-3 resulted in an increase in the phase variable expression of the capsule indicating that PR1-1 is capable of driving expression of the full capsule in some of the cells even in the absence of the other promoters. The role of regulatory proteins (IHF, SlyA and H-NS) on PR1 promoters was investigated at 37 °C by measuring the transcription from PR1-lacZ possessing mutations in the desired promoter with mutations in the genes that encode these regulatory proteins. The examined regulatory proteins had variable effects on transcription exiting PR1 according to the growth phase. IHF activates PR1-1 at the exponential phase while represses PR1-2 and/or PR1-3 at the stationary phase. H-NS represses PR1-1 at mid-exponential phase while activates it at stationary phase. SlyA was required for maximum transcription from PR1-1 at early exponential phase. To examine the role of the three promoters in PR1 region in an intracellular environment, gentamicin protection assays were performed using different PR1 mutants in UTI89 to infect PD07i bladder cells. The unencapsulated bacteria were the initial colonizers which preferentially adhere to and invade bladder cells and once the bacteria were internalized, some of them expressed the capsule. This study showed that the interplay between the three promoters in LB is not applicable in the intracellular environment of bladder cells. Interestingly, PR1-3 was responsible for the encapsulation inside the bladder cells as this promoter was capable of acting independently of PR1-1 or PR1-2 inside the bladder cell, while both PR1-1 and PR1-2 were dispensable. The role of PR1 promoters in the carriage of UTI89 in the large intestine was investigated in the murine model. Unexpectedly, the capsule showed no effect in UTI89 carriage during the followed period. This study adds to the complex pattern of the regulatory network at PR1 as it suggests that the regulation varies according to the encountered environment that may trigger a specific regulatory protein to regulate the transcription from a particular promoter in PR1 region.

There have been continuous challenges for UK universities to behave in an entrepreneurial manner, and there is existing literature on which component parts make up an entrepreneurial university. The context in which universities operate and interact with stakeholders is constantly changing, additionally universities are working in a turbulent sector in which societal and governmental expectations are becoming more demanding. In the UK, the endeavours of Gibb, Haskins and Robertson and the National Centre for Entrepreneurship in Education (NCEE) have produced analytical frameworks and encouraged further debates. This thesis considers five UK entrepreneurial universities, who have been awarded the "Times Higher Education Entrepreneurial University of the Year Award" and explores how their senior staff recognize entrepreneurial opportunities. A conceptual framework is developed from the literature and is based on both the factors that determine the OpRec process and the factors specific to entrepreneurial universities. The framework is also impacted by the principles of Resource Based Theory (RBT), which underpins the thesis. To validate this framework, a multiple case study approach was the chosen research strategy for this qualitative study. Three methods were used to collect the data: documented secondary data, website content and semi-structured in-depth interviews with directors of entrepreneurship/enterprise centres and deans. Twenty-five interviews were conducted and each lasted between 41-109 minutes. Data obtained through the interviews was analysed by using the Template Analysis (TA) technique; the data gained from the universities' documents and web pages was analysed by employing the Framework Analysis technique. The findings show that when seeking to recognise entrepreneurial opportunities and the factors that determine the opportunity recognition process, it is vital to consider the context in which opportunities are being recognised. The findings also show the importance of an optimal mix of resources and capabilities to ensure effectiveness in recognizing entrepreneurial opportunities. This research contributes to the debate by adding clarity to the concept of entrepreneurial opportunity recognition and then expanding it to cover the university context. It has also contributed to filling the gap relating to the criteria that can be used to decide whether or not a university is entrepreneurial. The results from this thesis will help senior staff at UK universities to gain a better understanding of the mechanism for the recognition of entrepreneurial opportunities, as well as the 'enablers' that make universities more entrepreneurial. The results could also interest the NCEE, by reflecting upon the criteria used to choose the Entrepreneurial University of the Year.

The healthcare services in Saudi Arabia currently face many challenges, the most pressing being the shortage of local nurses. In common with many other countries in the Gulf region this has necessitated the hire of expatriate nurses and has led to health care provision in Saudi Arabia being highly multicultural in its composition. The ensuing cultural diversity of the health care professional population has resulted in there being a significant challenge regarding the lack of culturally competent nurses to meet the growing needs and expectations of health care provision in Saudi Arabia. In essence, there is a cultural mismatch between the nurses and those they care for that extends far beyond not sharing the same native language. Moreover, the staff group itself is culturally diverse and as well as not sharing the same mother tongue they do not share the same mores, values, religion and training. In turn, culturally competent and effective nursing leadership, the literature suggests, is sadly lacking and not addressing the deficit in culturally appropriate nursing care for the Saudi population. Moreover, this lack of culturally competent leadership will negatively impact not only on work performance and quality of nursing care delivered but also on the job satisfaction of this multicultural and diverse staff group. The overall aim of this thesis is to understand the relationship between nurse leadership and the cultural sensitivity of nursing care delivered in the hospital setting in Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, this study will attempt to identify the future training and development needs of nurse leaders in Saudi Arabia to enable a service to be delivered that can best address the needs of its people. This thesis is based on a qualitative study carried out from the perspective of nurse leaders working in the medical city in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. The sample in the study consisted of 46 participant nurse leaders from different cultural backgrounds who work in the largest Medical City in Riyadh (King Saud Medical City). Data for this qualitative study were collected by semi-structured interviews and 6 focus groups and were analyzed thematically. The results indicated that culturally competent nurse leaders require a set of characteristics and personal qualities. Moreover, it is demonstrated that cultural factors are of critical importance; not only in influencing the quality of nursing care delivered, but also on the effectiveness of the leadership style of nurse leaders and how they learn and develop professionally. This research study suggests that there are three considerations which need to be taken into account for the development of nurse leaders in this context. First, gender is a key issue and its implications are important for the future of nursing in Saudi Arabia. Second, key characteristics and essential personal qualities are required for culturally competent nurse leaders. Third, exploration of what works and (what does not) for nurse leaders is required to overcome situations where there may be a risk of cultural conflict. There has been a lack of previous research and knowledge into nurse leadership development in Saudi Arabia and the significance of this study is that it provides new empirical evidence to address this deficit. This new evidence will inform the development of training programmes for nurse leaders in Saudi Arabia that stress the need for cultural awareness and competency. The provision of such training could have far reaching benefits not only for nurse leaders and the staff they manage, but also for the quality of nursing care delivered and how it is perceived by the recipients of that care. In turn, this could impact the recruitment and training of other health care professionals in Saudi Arabia and delivery of its health care policy in a wider context. Keywords: cultural competence, nursing leadership, Saudi Arabia, expatriate, multicultural, thematic analysis, qualitative method. Note: Throughout this thesis the full name of Saudi Arabia, and its shortened form SA, are used interchangeably.

Arguing for the importance of decolonial pedagogy in human rights education, this research is located at the intersection of human rights education, pedagogy, and justice studies, and is situated in the context of a contested neoliberal university in order to learn about and understand some of the challenges in implementing pedagogical change inspired by decolonial theory. This research focuses on pedagogical approaches of human rights professors to understand how and to what extent they are aligned with and informed by, incorporate, or utilize decolonial theory. This is accomplished through a content analysis of their syllabi, including readings and pedagogical statements, and semi-structured interviews about their praxis to draw attention to the what and how of their pedagogical practices and the ways in which it aligns with a decolonial pedagogical approach. This research calls attention to the specific manner in which they include decolonial pedagogical methods in their human rights courses. The findings determined that a decolonial pedagogical approach is only just emerging, and there is a need to address the barriers that impede their further implementation. In addition, there is a need for research that will further investigate the pedagogical approaches professors are employing, particularly those in alignment with decolonial criteria; the impact of decolonial and non-decolonial approaches on students' epistemologies, and how to overcome barriers to advance implementation of a decolonizing pedagogical approach. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]