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EDUCATIONAL MIXED-USE BUILDING DESIGN AND ITS CONNECTIONS TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Full text linkEducation and extracurricular activities play a critical role in improving individuals’ personalities and building a healthy community. Lack of educational facilities, unapproachable educational resources and invalidity of space for physical activities is a great obstacle to strong community building. Pakistan has been going through several economic and political crises that are making it difficult for the government to provide educational resources and opportunities for sports and physical activities to its people. Therefore, this study aims to explore how mixed-use educational buildings can facilitate individuals in gaining knowledge and education easily along with other recreational activities. Mixed-use building design will enable individuals to socialise, community engagement, and fulfilling educational needs. This study utilized a survey by a questionnaire to understand the needs of individuals that can be fulfilled by a mixed-use space. The study participants were 100; mostly academics and school coaches took part in the study to evaluate the efficacy of mixed-use buildings. This study has a novel contribution to knowledge as it enhances the role of building design and architecture for mixed-use spaces in urban and rural areas of Pakistan to empower communities. The study results suggested a strong impact of mixed-use building design on community engagement
THE LEGITIMACY OF THE USE OF FORCE IN WARS OF LIBERATION: THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE\u27S STRUGGLE AS A CASE STUDY
Full text linkThis research addresses and analyzes the legality of the use of force in liberation wars waged by peoples suffering under the rule of colonialism, regimes of racial discrimination or foreign domination. This use is one of the four exceptions to the principle of prohibiting the use of force enshrined in Article 2, Paragraph 4 of the United Nations Charter which legalize the use of force in International Law. The first exception is the Security Council taking measures using force according to Article 42 of the Charter, the second exception is the right of self-defense according to Article 51 of the Charter and the third exception is the General Assembly taking measures using force according to the provisions of the General Assembly resolution Uniting for Peace . The fourth exception, which is the focus of this research, is the right of liberation and independence movements to use force to achieve their right to self-determination, freedom, and independence which is enshrined in several declarations and resolutions issued by the United Nations General Assembly since 1960. The use of force in wars of liberation is legalized in International Law; this is what this research focuses on and confirms, in addition, applies this right to the Palestinian people in their war against the racist Zionist entity, the occupier of the Palestinian land, who deprives the Palestinian people of exercising its right to self-determination, freedom and establishing its independent state
FEDEVD: A FEDERATED ROAD TRAFFIC EVENT DETECTOR FROM SOCIAL NETWORKS
Full text linkThe increasing population and the corresponding rise in the number of vehicles, coupled with inadequate public transportation, is increasing the already existing traffic problem. One solution to this problem has been the implementation of Traffic Monitoring Systems (TMS). However, TMS deployment entails significant costs, including (1) the installation of hardware in key areas and (2) the employment of dedicated monitoring personnel. Simultaneously, Online Social Networks (OSNs) have become global platforms with rapidly growing user bases, leading to a surge in user engagement. This widespread participation has transformed social networks into invaluable sources of data for analytics, business intelligence, and decision support. In the past years, multiple contributions have been made regarding event detection systems from social networks covering different aspects of the problem, like diversity – of social networks, language and dialects-, accuracy and reliability of detection systems, visualization techniques, etc… In this paper, we propose a framework for traffic event detection from online social networks to (1) increase the detection rate, (2) optimize performance, and (3) improve overall security. Our proposed solution replaces conventional methods of managing event detection systems through decentralizing the detection process by leveraging federated learning techniques. We implemented a test bench that trains a Pytorch model in the FLower federated framework, the implemented solution was evaluated over a dataset obtained by web scraping the X social network website, providing a proof of concept to build distributed environments that constantly train event detection models and share them with collaborating trainers
CREATING WALKABILITY WITH WAYFINDING TECHNIQUES THROUGH ADAPTIVE REUSE FOR HISTORICAL SITE
Full text linkWayfinding refers to information systems that guide pedestrians through a physical location, enhancing their understanding and experience of the space. Wayfinding is especially crucial in complex urban environments, healthcare and educational campuses, and transportation systems. An effective wayfinding system ensures that such situations remain less stressful and allows individuals to feel safe and secure. Adaptive reuse, also called building reuse, is basically a process in architecture where old structures get refitted for different uses. Adaptive reuse renews old buildings, making them assets to the local community, be it low-income housing, student housing, community centers, or mixed-use creative venues. The process of turning a historical site into a functional site makes one enable new applications and benefits, creativity in making existing structures more efficient and sustainable. This also generates fresh job opportunities in the local community, driving economic growth while keeping the need for additional building materials to a minimum, saving costs and focusing on repair and revitalization. Now, this paper will focus on two problems in the historical site, particularly the old area of El-Mina district in Tripoli, North Lebanon. First, the problem is how to improve and revive pedestrian flow into the deserted narrow passageways around Khan Al Tamathily, which lacks integration and connectivity. Space syntax tools are employed to assess the current state of the region and present the results of proposed solutions generated during the design phase, ultimately identifying the best one. Additionally, the paper explores the potential for adaptive reuse, focusing on historical buildings, particularly those of high value along the proposed pathway. This new approach to urban planning seeks to promote pedestrian movement in areas where accessibility and wayfinding continuity are lacking. It is presumed that the presence or absence of activity can influence pedestrian flow and walkability in a specific zone. Thus, this study utilizes Space Syntax analysis to examine the chosen case study and understand how pedestrian movement can be enhanced through user segregation. DepthMapX is used to analyze the current human flow pattern in the study region. In response to the identified low connectivity, a new suggested pathway is proposed to reinvigorate pedestrian flow in this historical region. Post-design simulations are conducted to assess the impact of these proposals on the region
THE CRIMINAL LIABILITY OF INTELLIGENT ROBOTS: BETWEEN REALITY AND THE LAW
Full text linkArtificial intelligence, in its modern perspective, is regarded as having the capacity to perform duties. But is it, in turn, capable of bearing responsibility—specifically, criminal liability?
In principle, punishment under criminal law is imposed on an accused individual because they deliberately violate the rules and provisions of the law, aiming to achieve criminal outcomes they intend. This implies the presence of a conscious and aware will. In contrast, a robot lacks such will and awareness, meaning that, from a legal standpoint, it does not qualify as a legal person under the traditional classification of legal entities.
Accordingly, this study raises the question of how criminal penalties could be imposed on a robot and whether this is even possible. If the penalties stipulated in criminal law cannot be applied, what are the possible alternatives, and can they be considered legally valid?
This research follows the attached plan, which forms the basis for the findings and recommendations
FACTORS INFLUENCING CUSTOMERS\u27 GREEN PURCHASE BEHAVIOR: TEN YEARS OF LITERATURE WITH SPECIAL FOCUS ON GREEN RESTAURANTS
Full text linkThis study aims to review the literature for ten years, from 2010 to 2019, related to customers\u27 green purchase behavior by shedding light on the factors influencing it and the main predictors of green behavior in the restaurant industry. A systematic review of 38 articles published within ten years, “2010 to 2019” was performed, and the reviewed studies were classified depending on electronic databases. The sample was clustered according to the two main topics: customers\u27 green purchase behavior toward restaurants and customers\u27 perceptions toward green product consumption. The findings were analyzed based on descriptive and topic analysis. 90% of the reviewed studies applied a quantitative approach by using a survey. Also, results revealed that 89% of the reviewed studies were between 2015 and 2019, revealing a rise in investigating customers\u27 green purchase behavior and its determinants in the last five years. 47% of the reviewed studies were performed in three geographical areas (USA, China, and India), which reveals that investigating customers\u27 green purchase behavior and its factors is a topic of great interest in these countries. This study contributes to green consumption literature by shedding light on the restaurant sector as a field in the green literature that needs more future research. In addition, this study is one of the few studies that values the importance of more research exploring green purchase behavior and its antecedents
ASSESSING THE INFLUENCE OF AFFORESTATION ON SOIL QUALITY AND SOIL ORGANIC CARBON: A CASE STUDY IN RASHAYA DISTRICT, LEBANON
Full text linkAfforestation is a promising strategy for improving soil quality and enhancing carbon sequestration, contributing to climate change mitigation efforts. This study assessed the impact of afforestation on soil parameters in two afforested areas and one natural forest, compared with adjacent non-forested sites in Rashaya al-Wadi, Lebanon. Soil samples (0–30 cm depth) were analyzed for texture, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), soil organic matter (SOM), soil organic carbon (SOC), organic nitrogen (ON), mineral nitrogen (MN), and available phosphorus (AP) using ISO and standardized protocols at the Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute (LARI). The findings indicate that afforestation significantly increased SOM, SOC, and ON, with enhancements ranging from 151% (p \u3c 0.001) to 215% (p = 0.03), and substantially elevated AP levels, with increases up to 682% (p \u3c 0.001). Soil texture was affected, with a significant rise in sand content (p \u3c 0.001) and a decrease in clay content (p \u3c 0.001). Afforestation also led to a notable reduction in soil pH (p \u3c 0.001), while changes in EC were not statistically significant. The natural forest exhibited significantly higher SOM (p = 0.002) and AP (p = 0.011) compared to non-forested areas. These results confirm that afforestation is an effective nature-based approach for enhancing soil properties and fostering carbon sequestration, underscoring its role in climate change mitigation
EXPONENTIAL DECAY FOR THE TRUNCATED VERSION OF THE POROUS-ELASTIC MODEL
Full text linkThis paper investigates the one-dimensional truncated version of the porous-elastic system that avoids the damaging con sequences associated with the second frequency spectrum. We consider a feedback law acting on the displacement of the elastic solid and establish well-posedness via the Faedo-Galerkin method. Furthermore, we prove an exponential energy decay result that holds independently of any specific relationship between the system’s coefficients, using the energy perturbation method
A REVIEW ON THE USE OF SALT AND SUGAR AS NATURAL ADMIXTURES IN CONCRETE
Full text linkDue to the large increase in construction nowadays, the focus on the reduction of waste in the environment and saving cost becomes crucial. This issue, if solved, will conserve natural materials and make an eco-friendly environment. According to this, the use of natural materials, specifically in concrete/mortar, will shape a green and sustainable environment. One of the most used materials in construction is concrete where some additives like accelerators and retarders are added in order to enhance and modify some properties of concrete. These additives are beneficial and important to be used specifically in case of different weather conditions. Weather conditions play a vital role in the variation of concrete properties. In cold weather, accelerators like salt are added to concrete; however, in hot weather, sugar can be used as a retarder. These affects the initial and final setting time of concrete. This paper is a review on the effect of natural admixtures on the properties of concrete including slump, setting time, density, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), flexural strength, split tensile strength, compressive strength, carbonation
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE BETWEEN CRIMINAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE DIFFICULTY OF ATTRIBUTION (MEDICAL ROBOT AS A CASE STUDY)
Full text linkAI entities, particularly medical robots, face a fundamental challenge in criminal accountability: the difficulty of attributing criminal error to a specific entity when harm occurs to a patient. When AI algorithms make an incorrect treatment decision that leads to health complications or death, it is difficult to easily determine whether the error was the result of a programming error, poor device maintenance, or even human misuse. The criminal liability of AI entities, particularly medical robots, hinges on the issue of whether these entities have legal personality. This remains controversial in jurisprudence, given the absence of legislation. In this context, the human agent theory has emerged, according to which criminal liability is distributed among the manufacturer, programmer, and user of AI entities