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RETHINKING THE EPISTEMOLOGY AND LEARNING PROCESS IN CONTEMPORARY DESIGNSTUDIO - A CONSTRUCTIONIST APPROACH
Get PDFThe paper examines the epistemology and learning process in the contemporary design studio. It provides a particular focus on the learners\u27 engagement level and their ability to integrate their acquired knowledge in a systemic approach that enables them to create innovative yet authentic settings and products. In this context, the authors investigate the impacts of two aspects on the design process, the design outcome and the overall learning quality. These aspects are narrowed down to :1- the learning environment and theories as implemented in design studios, and 2- the perceptual behavior and its related variables as integrated in the design process. Thus, the paper tackles the possibilities to profit from the traditional and contemporary resources of constructionist learning theory and styles, as well as environmental perception and affordance to restructure the learning environment and the design process in a way that draws the best out of every learner’s cognitive potential. For this purpose, it suggests a conceptual model for learning in design studio, i.e., the Perceptual-Based Design Model. The model, along with its pedagogical tactics, adopts a constructionist-learning standpoint that has been implemented throughout the last 8 years on undergraduate junior and senior interior design students. It allows an inclusive strategy to interpret the users’ expected readings of their indoor and outdoor tone with into a set of appropriate design considerations that are in harmony with the cultural, social and environmental attributes of these settings and engenders positive users’ experiences
Clinical And Radiographic Evaluation of periodontal Infrabony Defects Treated With chitosan In Periodontitis Patients
Get PDFChitosan is a naturally derived polymer that has been investigated for its uses as a biomaterial for drug delivery and anti-inflammatory. Recently, chitosan applications in bone regeneration has gained distinct interest. The aim of this study was to. evaluate clinically and radiographically the healing of the periodontal infra-bony defects using chitosan gel in periodontitis patients .Material & methods: Twenty periodontitis patients with bilateral infrabony defects having stage II and Stage III periodontitis were selected according to the criteria of AAP (2017) classification system of periodontal diseases and conditions. Using split mouth design, 20 defects were treated using chitosan gel; while contra-lateral defects were treated by flap only. A total of 40 periodontal infra-bony defects. were randomly assigned for treatment. The clinical parameters included clinical probing pocket depths and clinical attachment levels. Standardized periapical radiographs were recorded at baseline and 6 months after surgery. Results: The results were statistically analyzed and clinical and radiographic data. revealed a statistically significant difference between Chitosan and control sites in the parameters investigated with a significant bone fills versus baseline measurements (P \u3c 0.05).Conclusion: Chitosan gel showed promising benefit in the periodontal regeneration context among periodontitis patients
ضبط التأثير الإشعاعى لمواد البناء المستخدمة فى مصر
Get PDFإن عالمنا الذى نعيش فيه عالم نشط إشعاعياً منذ الأزل، حيث توجد الإشعاعات فى كل جزء من حياتنا، وقد تحدث بطريقة طبيعية فى الصخور والأتربة المكونة لكوكبنا وفى البحار والمحيطات ويمكن أن تصل إلينا من الإشعاعات القادمة من الفضاء المحيط بنا، وكذلك يمكن أن تتواجد فى الماء الذى نشربه أو مواد البناء المكونة لبيوتنا، وليس هناك من مكان على سطح الأرض يخلو تماماً من النشاط الإشعاعى الطبيعى، وأيضاً قد تحدث الإشعاعات أنتجها الإنسان مثل الأشعة السينية X-Rays، ومحطات توليد الكهرباء بالطاقة الذرية، وفى كاشفات الدخان والحرارة. وكما أن النظائر المُشعة متواجدة منذ الأزل فى البيئة (الهواء والماء والتراب)، فهى مُتواجدة أيضاً فى أجسامنا، بإعتبار أن أجسامنا ليست سوى نتاج لبيئتنا التي نعيش فيها. وعلى هذا فكل أشكال الحياة على الأرض تعتمد على الإشعاع، ولكن بعض أنواع الإشعاع قد تكون خطرة إذا لم يتم التعامل معها بحذر. فالأشعة السينية، على سبيل المثال، تساعد الأطباء على تحديد الأمراض الدفينة وتشخيصها، ولكنها قد تؤدي إلى تدمير الخلايا الحية، مما يؤدي بدوره إلى إصابتها بالسرطان أو موتها. ويمكِّن ضوء الشمس النباتات من النمو، وحرارته تدفئ الأرض، ولكنه يسبب أيضاً حرق الشمس وسرطان الجلد. وتستخدم أشعة جاما لعلاج الأمراض بقتل الخلايا السرطانية، ولكنها قد تسبب أيضاً تشوهات الولادة. وتنتج محطات القدرة النووية الطاقة الكهربائية، ولكنها تنتج أيضًا نفايات مشعة قد تؤدى إلى موت الكائنات الحية. وتقدِر الجهات العلمية فى الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية أن الشخص العادى يتلقى جرعات من الإشعاع مقدارها 360 مللى ريم فى السنة وتعتبر نسبة التعرض للإشعاعات الطبيعية 80% والـ 20% الأخرى من الإشعاعات الصناعية. ومنذ سبعينيات القرن العشرين أشارت عدة دراسات إلى أن التعرض المتكرر لجرعات صغيرة من الإشعاع المؤيِّن يمكن أن يسبب متاعب صحية خطيرة، ونتيجة لذلك يطالب الكثيرون بأن يحاط إنتاج واستخدام الإشعاع ذى الطاقة العالية بضوابط صارمة، ويجرى العلماء مزيدًا من الدراسات لتحديد تأثيرات المستويات المنخفضة من الإشعاع على الناس والبيئة نتيجة لبعض الأنشطة الصناعية مثل استخلاص المعادن واستخراج الغاز والبترول وتنقية المياه وعمليات لحام المعادن والتى ينتج عنها كميات كبيرة من المخلفات تحتوى على عناصر مشعة بعضها نشاطها الإشعاعى منخفض وبعضها نشاطها الإشعاعى مرتفع، وفى كلا الحالتين من الضرورى أن يتم حماية البيئة والصحة من هذه الإشعاعات. وهذه المخلفات تنتج بكميات كبيرة جداً ،أحياناً تستخدم كمواد أولية في صناعات أخرى مثل استخدام خبث الحديد في صناعة الأسمنت وبعضها يستخدم في صناعة طوب البناء وصناعة السيراميك، ويستخدم بعضها في رصف الطرق أو الردم حول أساسات المنشآت
LES DETERMINANTS DE LA COMMUNICATION PUBLICITAIRE DANS UN MONDE EN MUTATION : COMMENT RÉPONDRE AUX EXIGENCES DU DÉVELOPPEMENT DURABLE ?
No full textRésumé : Cet article ambitionne d’étudier les déterminants de la communication publicitaire dans le cadre de la responsabilité sociétale des entreprises dans un monde en perpétuelle mutation. A travers l’analyse d’un corpus de publicités vertes internationales, nous allons appréhender comment les annonceurs intègrent l’environnement dans leurs publicités et comment ils l’exploitent à des fins commerciales pour se démarquer de leurs concurrents. Qu’est-ce qu’un argument écologique ? A quoi sert-il ? Qu’est ce qui détermine une communication marchande verte et éco-responsable ? Comment éviter le greenwashing ? Quelles sont les stratégies d’une communication transparente et éthique qui respecte les exigences d’un développement durable efficace et efficient ? C’est à ces questions et bien d’autres que nous tenterons de répondre dans cet article
EXPRESSION OF DEFA1-3 AND RELATIONS WITH RISK FACTORSOF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES
Get PDFThe infiltration of immuno-inflammatory cells is one of the earliest and durable steps that lead to atherosclerosis. These cells produce many immune components that act as a double-edged sword in this inflammatory disease. Among these components, we note antimicrobial peptides, including defenses. Defenses are natural cationic peptides of the innate immune system. In Humans, these small peptides have a large antimicrobial spectrum. In addition, they play an important role in both infectious and inflammatory diseases. Our objective was to study the relation between alpha-defenses (DEFA) 1-3 genes expression and cardiovascular risk factors. This objective was built on the hypothesis that defenses may be involved in cardiovascular pathologies, and may serve as a new generation of biomarkers. To verify this hypothesis, we treated HL-60 differentiated cells with glucose decreased alphadefenses 1, 2 and 3 gene expression levels, while insulin treatment restored its expression. These findings suggest that DEFA1-3 are involved in the complex glucose-insulin metabolic pathway. In summary, DEFA1-3 genes expression is significantly correlated with glucose. These findings we suggest that DEFA1-3 could be involved in the evolution of cardiovascular complications
THE IMPACT OF INDOOR ENVIRONMENT QUALITY ON THECONSERVATION PRACTICE OF HISTORICAL BUILDINGTHECASE OF LEBANESE COASTAL ZONE
Get PDFIt is widely acknowledged that a multidisciplinary approach should be adopted to conserve historical buildings that include indoor environmental features. This paper discusses the effect of healthier indoor environment requirements on the conservation of historical buildings. Conservation, being an essential sustainable practice using inherited built assets to satisfy present needs, imposes limitations on the intervention that can be induced to historical buildings. Healthier indoor environment requires controlling various factors as Indoor Air Quality and Thermal Comfort, which directly affect the Heat-Air- Moisture transfer (hygrothermal behavior) of the historic building envelope and may lead to its deterioration and degradation. Focusing on the historic built fabric of the Lebanese coastal zone, this paper investigates the impact of Indoor climate control on the pathology of the historic building envelope and presents recommendations that mitigate that impact while preserving both conservation requirements and occupant comfort. A case study analysis is conducted to identify the qualitative parameters in the Indoor space of an 18th century heritage building located in the coastal zone of Lebanon and used as public building. The conclusion highlights the potential for comfort establishment in refurbished historic building through raising awareness in relation to occupant behavior and identifying scientific approaches to control hygrothermal behavior of the historic envelope, by the mean of whole building simulation software, which adds significant contribution to the conservation practice
THE BENEFITS OF EMPLOYING MULTI SKILLED TECHNICIANSTO MAINTENANCE PROCESSES
Get PDFMany researchers and practitioners applied lean theory to planning, designing and executing construction projects. However, few of their studies have been conducted in maintaining such projects. Maintaining and operating any constructed facility costs more than its initial cost. The aim of this study is to improve maintenance processes by simulating the lean concept of multi-skilled technician to an existing maintenance process. Statistical data and maintenance process map of Saudi Consolidated Electric Company (SCECO) are modeled in Extend+BPR® to be an experimental tool for evaluating the benefits of multi-skilled technicians. The simulation models of this study showed significant improvement in both preventive and corrective maintenance processes
VISUALIZATION-BASED DECISION SUPPORT FOR OPTIMIZING SITE SELECTION:QUARRIES IN LEBANON; WHERE TO?
Get PDFTraditionally the term visualization has been used to describe the process of graphically conveying or presenting end results. This paper argues that the utility of visualization approaches extends beyond these limits as it plays key role in fields of exploration, analysis and presentation, which enhances planner\u27s capabilities to solve complex planning problems. It proposes a transdisciplinary method that combines visualization approaches to site selection, integrated with spatial scenario planning, and stakeholder participation. However, it focuses on visualization as it relates to spatial data, to be applied to all the stages of problem-solving in geographical analysis, from development of initial hypotheses, through knowledge discovery, analysis, presentation and evaluation. It uses three different spatial scenarios – nature conservation, residential expansion, and sustainable development- to investigate the potentials of GIS based visualization to develop maps of a range of plausible future for possible quarrying locations in Lebano
MANAGING DISTORTIONS IN THE EGYPTIAN SPATIAL SYSTEM: DOES THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENT POLICY PAY OFF?
Get PDFThis research reviews the recent trend of the Egyptian national development policy of which major objectives are alleviating the intensity of untamed urban growth - and - population concentration in urban cores, and better integration of the national economy subsets. Despite attempts to reconcile these objectives in one agenda, the paper concludes that main issues endemic to the national spatial development policy in Egypt remain dangerously undervalued. The paper poses the question of whether the current spatial development policy paradigm can contribute effectively to managing the Egyptian spatial system imbalances. An answer was sought through policy analysis, which included the utilization of a two-pronged approach of comparing the currently adopted policy development paradigm to the Event-Based Public Development model postulated by Gore & Nicholson (1985), and the examination of data extracted from the three consecutive statistic census\u27 results of years 1986, 1996, and 2006
STRESS AND COPING STRATEGIES AMONG UNDERGRADUATE HEALTH PROFESSIONS STUDENTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY FROM A UNIVERSITY IN LEBANON
Get PDFIntroduction: Stress, whether real or perceived, is prevalent among young adults (18-24 years), with prevalence increasing. Previous research has identified and defined many coping mechanisms in response to stress among health professions students.
Aims: This study aims at measuring perceived stress and exploring both sources of stress and coping strategies in undergraduate health professions students.
Materials and Methods: A total of 427 (88.9% response rate) surveys were collected from the various faculties from across health professions faculties at Beirut Arab University (BAU). Surveys consisted of the Brief COPE Inventory (BCI) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and were distributed via the systematic sampling method.
Results: There was no significant difference between perceived stress scores across faculties, with stress levels falling within a moderate stress range. Females (M=22, SD=6) demonstrated higher stress means than males (M=18, SD=6) across faculties. Junior students, except for pharmacy students, were more likely to use both approach-based and avoidance-based stratagems in comparison to their seniors. However, the differences were insignificant. Stress did not seem to decrease with seniority with any significance across all faculties. Coping stratagems were consistent across all years, leaning towards approach-based mechanisms.
Conclusion: Moderate stress levels were observed across all health professions faculties at BAU, and stress levels did not seem to attenuate with passing academic years. It is imperative to optimize student support systems on campus, and encourage students to seek help whenever needed