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PARAMETRIC DESIGN AS A TOOL TO REDUCE SOLAR PENETRATION BY OUTDOOR SHADES IN HOT ARID CLIMATE
Full text linkConventional design methods and current tools infrequently link performance with the geometry of the design. These methods rarely enable backtracking through the design process and can\u27t achieve full performance criteria. In this context, using both procedural geometry and information from numerical assessments and performance simulations should be discussed to support the search for effective solutions. Architects have gained control over the process of design by utilizing parametric methods to generate a sustainable design that interacts with sustainable, climatic, and environmental restrictions, particularly in hot arid zones where outdoor life is overlooked. This paper will discuss the performance-oriented design and a specific workflow empirical methodology that explores design alternatives of outdoor solar parametric shades for urban spaces with the aim of merging performance assessments in the initial phases of the design process to achieve maximum thermal comfort. This workflow includes parametric modelling using (Grasshopper) along with genetic algorithms (Galapagos), and the environmental tool (Ladybug). The design solutions were generated by evolutionary algorithms in accordance with the thermal performance requirements and simulations to evaluate their shading and thermal comfort efficiency. This will be illustrated through a case study of a bus stop static shade concentrating on the cladding of the geometry, especially on the solar radiation parameter. The study that will be discussed in this paper is a simulation study that will combine simulation techniques with a parametric approach and genetic algorithm optimization in a generative evaluation methodology for reducing the radiation under outdoor shades in hot dry climate areas. The optimum alternative /was determined based on the fitness value of incident radiation, and the process was iterated for a particular date and time
REVIEW ON CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES OF GENUS FERULA
Full text linkGenus Ferula comprises about 220 species of flowering plants belonging to family Apiaceae, distributed in the Mediterranean region and Asia and used in the treatment of different diseases as anti-oxidant, aphrodisiac, carminative, antinociceptive, anti-depressant, antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-leishmanial, and anti-inflammatory. Moreover, species of this plant are used for dizziness, asthma, bronchitis, and gastrointestinal discomfort. It was reported that all the pharmacological effects of these plants are due to the presence of different phenolic constituents including flavonoids, sesquiterpenes, coumarins and polysulfides. Sesquiterpene coumarins were responsible for the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities by blocking the 5-lipoxygenase enzyme that catalyzes the biosynthesis of leukotrienes (LTs) being a group of lipid mediators of inflammation . This review covers most of the identified chemical constituents of plants from the genus Ferula reported in literature between 2001 and 2023. In addition, the biological activities of the different species of genus Ferula are presented
PATIENTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS MEDICAL STUDENTS’ PARTICIPATION IN PROCEDURES AND CLINICAL EXAMINATIONS IN LEBANON
Full text linkMedical practice revolves around patients’ safety and ensuring their well-being. Patients’ cooperation with medical students in their examination and management is an indispensable aspect of clinical education. They have the right to accept or refuse the participation of students in their care. However, students need to be integrated in this learning process. This presents a conflict between patients’ healthcare rights and medical students’ learning opportunities. Therefore, this study aims to explore patients’ attitudes towards the participation of medical students in procedures and examinations in Lebanon and identify the factors that affect their participation. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using a 34-item questionnaire in Arabic language that was distributed via WhatsApp online platform among the Lebanese adult population in the different governorates during January and February 2021. A total of 729 participants with a mean age of 30.8 completed the survey. Overall, participants showed a positive attitude towards medical students’ involvement in their care. It was noted that 61.7% were knowledgeable of their right to accept or refuse medical students’ participation in procedures. Participants showed a great acceptance towards medical students’ presence in outpatient clinics (71.74%), reading medical files (80.24%), and history taking (81.6%). However, their negative attitude was towards the student’s involvement in performing genital/rectal examination (54.5%), giving an epidural injection (69.7%) and prescribing medications (53.2%). Patient’s medical condition was the main reason that influences participants’ decisions about medical students’ presence during their procedures (43.8%). A positive attitude towards medical students’ participation in procedures and examinations was reflected by the Lebanese population. Patients’ medical conditions, personalities and religious beliefs were the main reasons affecting participants’ decisions
MONETARY CONDITION INDEX AND ITS RELATION WITH OTHER MACROECONOMIC VARIABLES: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY IN SELECTED MENA COUNTRIES
Full text linkThis article aims to construct a monetary condition index (MCI) for five countries in the MENA region, namely Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, and Morocco, in order to interpret the stance of monetary policy in these countries. A broad MCI has been constructed by combining two transmission channels of monetary policy, the real interest rate and the real effective exchange rate, along with bank credit to the private sector. These three indicators of the monetary conditions are collected for these countries over the period 1995–2020 for all countries except for Bahrain, which has data from 1995 to 2015. Principal component analysis (PCA) is used to construct the monetary condition index (MCI). Then a vector auto-regression method is employed to explore the impulse response of MCI to consumer price index (CPI) and GDP. The results reveal that the MCI of Bahrain, Egypt, and Jordan can predict inflation and economic growth in the long run but cannot do that in the short run. However, in the cases of Algeria and Morocco, the findings show that MCI cannot predict inflation and GDP in the short and long run
IMPACT OF GLOBAL WARMING ON THE MENTAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL ASPECT OF HUMAN BEINGS.
Full text linkClimate change, generally involving slow and gradual changes in the environment, including rising temperatures, presents a considerable impact not only on the ecosystem, but also on society and the mental health of human beings, such as communication and human relationships as well as negative emotion, stress, anxiety and depression... Indeed, rising temperatures lead to serious social and psychological impacts, especially among people already suffering from mental problems, particularly psychosis, or suffering from dementia or even addiction, who risk falling into illness or even dying during intense heat waves. In addition, beyond depression or stress, the functioning of our brain and its ability to concentrate is also affected. The physical and psychological effects of this climate change are currently being felt all over the world. In 2022, a report from the Grantham Institute of Imperial College London “Impacts, adaptation and vulnerability” was able to show for the first time an essential aspect of climate change: its harmful impact on well-being and mental health of human beings. Through this report, it was possible to prove that for every person affected physically, forty are similarly affected psychologically and reach a level of anxiety threatening their mental health, which would inevitably lead to insomnia and the inability to concentrate and of diligent work among these people, since the strong heat disrupts sleep and creates agitation and restlessness; hence the increase in conflicts, scenes of domestic or family violence and often unjustified attacks. Consequently, could we affirm that meteorological changes are at the origin of climatic traumas, aspects of social communicative regressions and scenes of violence which are on an upward curve? So how is the impact of climate change on humans revealed? To what extent would the globe suffer? Would psychology and society go backwards in a universe threatened by the climatic monster? In our analysis, we will proceed as follows: first we\u27ll present global warming then we\u27ll analyze its various consequences, particularly harmful ones, on the mental and social aspect of human beings. We will finally arrive at some attempts at proposals and suggestions capable of avoiding or if possible annihilating the bad impact of the climate on humans. Therefore, we wonder if we could be able to completely control our negative emotions generated by climate problems
RECONNEXION WITH NATURE AND SOLIDARITY, TWO MAJOR KEYS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CATACLYSM IN C’EST LE MONDE A L’ENVERS BY NICOLAS VANIER
Full text linkThis study invites us to reflect on our modern lives where the dramatic consequences of global warming are manifesting on a planetary scale: droughts and famines, massive migrations, oil shortages and soaring prices, economic crises and conflicts, etc. . In this novel, the author pushes us to question the absurdity of our production, our dependence on the economy and our mode of consumption. It nevertheless highlights the moral values which make us capable of reaching a livable future. The story takes place at a time when all the social, climate, ecological and migrant crises that were brewing for years suddenly appear conjugate. In short, this is the great collapse. Severe heatwaves are hitting France and making daily life increasingly difficult. The resulting national power outage and fuel shortage are throwing the lives of millions of people into chaos. Among them, a wealthy couple, Stanislas and Sophie and their “eco-friendly” son Jonathan, living in Paris, will undertake a perilous journey by bike to reach the Morvan, where Stanislas had bought a farm some time earlier. When the family arrived at the farm, Patrick, the farmer, refuses to give the land to the Parisians because he did not benefit from the money received from the sale, having no longer any value. However, the two families end up learning to live together with the resources that nature offers them and thus defining the terms of a new lifestyle. This story could come out as anxiety-provoking, the author nevertheless shows confidence in human beings, believing in solidarity and resilience and adaptation. He finally calls for a reconnection between human beings and nature
THE ROLE OF CLIMATE SECURITY CONTENT ON INSTAGRAM IN CHANGING THE LIFESTYLE OF LEBANESE SOCIETY
Full text linkThis study aimed to reveal the extent of Lebanese society’s interest in environmental affairs and the Instagram platform’s audience’s uses of environmental pages, in order to shed light on the extent to which environmental content on Instagram contributes to changing individuals’ lifestyle and identify the most prominent changes related to a lifestyle that contributes to confronting climate change. This study is a descriptive research utilizing a sample survey. The questionnaire tool was employed to gather data from a random sample of 400 individuals from the Lebanese community. The sample was selected based on a quota sample considering the place of residence (city and village). The study revealed several findings. The highest percentage, 51.7%, was among those somewhat interested in environmental affairs, with an almost similar rate of 51.2% for those following environmental content on Instagram. Among the Lebanese sample, the most significant lifestyle changes included a 23.6% reduction in food waste, a 20.2% decrease in consumption, an 18.9% shift to sustainable alternatives, and only a 0.5% adoption of electric vehicles. Interestingly, there was no apparent link between the educational level of participants and the impact of environmental content on Instagram on their eco-friendly lifestyle choices. Village residents seemed more influenced by such content compared to city residents. Economic factors emerged as the primary obstacle for Lebanese individuals in transitioning to environmentally conscious habits to combat pollution and climate change
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS OF PREGNANT WOMEN DURING THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK IN LEBANON
Full text linkIn Lebanon, the psychological conditions of pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic have not been reported, which creates the need to conduct this study that aims to evaluate the psychological conditions of pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional design was adopted to reach the aim of this study. The study sample was reached through OBS/GYN clinics to be able to contact the pregnant women in the community, where a convenient sampling technique was followed. The total number of participants was 360 pregnant women: 101 (27.77%) first trimester, 140 (38.88%) second trimester, and 119 (33.33%) third trimester. There is significant evidence indicating that pregnant women may experience various psychological changes such as depression, anxiety, insomnia, and symptoms of PTSD. These four conditions were evaluated using four scales known to be valid and reliable. The ratings of first- and third-trimester pregnant women for four measures were substantially higher than those of second-trimester pregnant women (
CLIMATE CHANGE: AN ALARM RAISED BY MARGUERITE YOURCENAR IN SOUVENIRS PIEUX AND ITS PSYCHOLOGICAL RÉPERCUSSIONS
Full text linkAn alarming situation Although climate change is a natural element, it does not pass without impacting man in all his dimensions, man being part of the ecosystem. Food is becoming increasingly unhealthy according to FAO, which calls for sustainable diets that respect biodiversity, thus making it possible to optimize natural resources. (FAO, Biodiversity and sustainable diets, 2010) Socially, increasingly desertic, the climate contributes to leaving the land to go to the city. However, another much more subtle dimension of man is affected: the psychological one. Research areas Psychology shows the adverse effects of climate change on human behavior in terms of increased tendency towards violence, anxiety and depression. The International Journal of Environmental Research notes that: “people affected by disasters of natural origin (major floods, tornadoes) […] are exposed to significant stress that can cause psychological distress (art. Public Health, 2019). According to the American Psychology Association, therapists say that the people in consultation are mostly young people and people linked to ecology. Thus, as an approach for a clearer vision, a questionnaire will be launched among Lebanese farmers on the effects of climate change on their production in terms of quantity and quality, and on their psychological health. For its part, the literature is busy creating new terms to describe the psychological discomfort associated with ecology. At the same time, it attempts to raise awareness among readers, whatever their fields of study, about this serious problem. Words like eco-anxiety, ecological mourning, solastagia or climate anxiety appear putting us face to face with a new origin of mental illness according to the COP26 or Glasgow Conference of 2021. (Article, September 7, 2023) Moreover, for a long time, literature is involved: Annie Ernaux in La place and François Bon in Daewoo express their anxiety at seeing their village transform. The article will try to focus particularly on the uneasiness expressed by Marguerite Yourcenar in Souvenirs pieux (1974) seeing the world changing through industrial growth. (An early awareness to compare with the current situation) Problems and questions Would this contribution sound the alarm to ministries of the environment and political decision-makers for greater awareness of the seriousness of the problem, to contemporary literature to fulfill its beacon function, and to psychology to innovate intervention techniques as part of an adapted therapy? Furthermore, what could we each do in our place to face this problem? Wouldn\u27t it be wiser to combine efforts instead of waiting for disaster to approach? Could we, in conclusion, revalorize the virtues of Stoic philosophy inviting the world for two millennia to respect mother-nature, a simple condition for the harmonious development of man. The golden word remains: be more responsible
CLIMATE CHANGE AND ITS IMPACT ON HERITAGE
Full text linkThe purpose of this research is to find out the effects of climate change: Knowing the effects of harsh climatic features, high temperatures, heavy rains, climatic conditions and their repercussions. On heritage, which is linked to the tangible history of effects and ideas, and if it reduces gas emissions Greenhouse prelude As climate change declines and heads towards environmental catastrophe, most countries are static The planet is exerting double energies to reduce this pollution and spread renewable energy to replace the generated energy By traditional methods. If the increasing interest in the field of environmental preservation has become clear in the last decade, You will not forget that this interest began many decades ago, and this is due to the fear of losing the heritage that... Many consider it to be the circumstances, objects, inherited culture and ancient activities that have adopted and sensed it Contemporary civilization consists of knowledge and behavior derived from those civilizations Heritage is who we are, and whenever we want to become that, the necessity of preserving it means the survival of society And the luxury that you enjoy in the name of civilization, and the fear of losing the place and its associated intellectual or intellectual sites Symbolic, religious, archaeological, or even cemeteries, and the Mediterranean region, like the rest of the world, is threatened by antiquities. Harmful effects caused by climate change. The rise in sea levels threatens Venice, Naples, and the northern coast of Egypt. The rise in temperature threatens the cedar in Mount Lebanon, the tree that requires low temperatures for its survival Environmental works dating back to the Neolithic era in Gibraltar are also under threat. It is necessary to look at the change in conditions in Bangladesh, as some reports indicate that the authority there has overlooked A tree sacred to Hindus fell after being swept away by a sudden flood. The recent step taken by Saudi Arabia to reduce its oil production from 13 million barrels per day to 12 million barrels demonstrates the inevitability of an economic and political shift away from fossil fuels. Just as the climate conference in Sharm El-Sheikh clarified the foundations for establishing a supportive fund to stop climate change, the UAE climate conference in 2024, after a two-week meeting, showed support for this fund and demonstrated that purposeful climate action will remain more urgent than ever