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Cholera, caused by Vibrio cholerae , is a severe diarrheal disease that necessitates prompt diagnosis and effective treatment. This review comprehensively examines various diagnostic methods, from traditional microscopy and culture to advanced nucleic acid testing like polymerase spiral reaction and rapid diagnostic tests, highlighting their advantages and limitations. Additionally, we explore evolving treatment strategies, with a focus on the challenges posed by antibiotic resistance due to the activation of the SOS response pathway in V. cholerae. We discuss promising alternative treatments, including low-pressure plasma sterilization, bacteriophages, and selenium nanoparticles. The paper emphasizes the importance of multidisciplinary approaches combining novel diagnostics and treatments in managing and preventing cholera, a persistent global health challenge. The current re-emergent 7th pandemic of cholera commenced in 1961 and shows no signs of abeyance. This is probably due to the changing genetic profile of V. cholerae concerning bacterial pathogenic toxins. Given this factor, we argue that the disease is effectively re-emergent, particularly in Eastern Mediterranean countries such as Lebanon, Syria, etc. This review considers the history of the current pandemic, the genetics of the causal agent, and current treatment regimes. In conclusion, cholera remains a significant global health challenge that requires prompt diagnosis and effective treatment. Understanding the history, genetics, and current treatments is crucial in effectively addressing this persistent and re-emergent disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, three stochastic mathematical models are developed for the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). These models take into account the known special characteristics of this disease such as the existence of infectious undetected cases and the different social and infectiousness conditions of infected people. In particular, they include a novel approach that considers the social structure, the fraction of detected cases over the real total infected cases, the influx of undetected infected people from outside the borders, as well as contact-tracing and quarantine period for travellers. Two of these models are discrete time–discrete state space models (one is simplified and the other is complete) while the third one is a continuous time–continuous state space stochastic integro-differential model obtained by a formal passing to the limit from the proposed simplified discrete model. From a numerical point of view, the particular case of Lebanon has been studied and its reported data have been used to estimate the complete discrete model parameters, which can be of interest in estimating the spread of COVID-19 in other countries. The obtained simulation results have shown a good agreement with the reported data. Moreover, a parameters' analysis is presented in order to better understand the role of some of the parameters. This may help policy makers in deciding on different social distancing measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While fiction and non-fiction productions can be used as tools to observe, describe, and analyze the "world-out-there," within these events-issues centered approaches post-positivists posit films themselves as "cultural artifacts" to be analyzed. This paper proposes a critical analysis of Waltz with Bashir (2008) to be conducted with students in the classroom. This acclaimed animated film by Israeli writer and director Ari Folman depicting the 1982 Lebanon War is a non-obvious but germane example of Said's "Orientalism." After explaining post-structuralism and post-orientalist stances on subjectivity, power relations, and the political consequences of the narratives we create, we analyze the film by applying an orientalist grid to Waltz with Bashir and raising qualitative questions to foster the student's criticality. We conclude by examining student's reactions to the film and their understanding of "Orientalism." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do we know whether a refugee household is self-reliant if this is not measured? Although self-reliance has been promoted as a critical assistance strategy for refugees in recent years, there have been limited attempts to rigorously measure the concept. This field report introduces a new measurement tool to assess the movement toward self-reliance among refugee households. The development and utility of a tool to measure self-reliance are described using the pilot studies conducted in Ecuador, Egypt and Lebanon over a 9- to 18-month period. This report utilized unique panel data from 167 refugee households in Egypt and 94 households in Ecuador. The panel data was collected at two points in time (baseline and endline) using paper and pencil or Open Data Kit forms on tablets during face-to-face interviews. This panel group was used to perform the change analysis to examine the movement of households along a self-reliance continuum. Findings show that, overall, 59.8% of households in Ecuador and 64.7% of households in Egypt moved upward in composite score in self-reliance while less than 30% of households regressed in both countries. Further examination is needed to refine and evaluate the tool. The results provide an important starting point and insights into measuring self-reliance using simple indicators and an opportunity to reframe assistance around self-reliance, neither of which had previously been a focus of refugee assistance or relevant literature. It is believed that this methodology will be of use to academics and practitioners seeking to study refugee self-reliance around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study asks one crucial question: How do Lebanese women apply available social capital and informal social networks to engage in political activism for women's rights? Building on social- and women's-movement theories, I argue that Lebanese feminists do not exclusively operate in the public sphere in their fight for political goals, nor do they privilege only the extra-family space. On the contrary, they engage in political activities by using extended family networks as a form of weak social ties. I construct this argument on the basis of interviews, observations, and analysis of Lebanese feminists' writings. This paper introduces the concept of mahsoubieh as a form of weak social ties generated within connective family networks. Specifically, I examine how elite, intellectual, and middle-class Lebanese women activists use the positive social capital generated by mahsoubieh to gain credibility, diffuse their political stances, and develop countervailing power. Aspects such as the size, reputation, and respectability of their kinship networks aided the Lebanese women in their fight to change the legal structure concerning women's rights and political representation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The World Mental Health-Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) 3.0, originally in English, is a fully-structured interview designed for the assessment of mental disorders. Although Arabic translations of CIDI from countries like Lebanon and Iraq exist, a Modern Standard Arabic translation was developed to suit the Saudi population. While the translation model used in the present paper has been used to translate instruments in Asian and European languages, there is no study to the best of our knowledge which has used this specific model to translate a validated instrument from English to Arabic. Case presentation This paper describes the Saudi adaptation of CIDI 3.0. The TRAPD team translation model—comprising of translation, review, adjudication, pretesting and documentation—was implemented to carry out the Saudi adaptation of CIDI 3.0. Pretests involving cognitive interviewing and pilot study led to translation revisions which consequently confirmed that Saudi respondents had a good understanding of various items of the instrument. The adaptation procedures for the Saudi CIDI 3.0 were well documented and the instrument was linguistically validated with the Saudi population. Conclusions The TRAPD model was successfully implemented to adapt the CIDI 3.0 to be used as the main survey instrument for the Saudi National Mental Health Survey, findings of which will provide health policy makers mental health indicators for health decision making and planning. Key messages The CIDI 3.0 is a resourceful tool for examining mental health issues in the GCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]