AUB ScholarWorks (American Univ. of Beirut)
Not a member yet
33634 research outputs found
Sort by
A Systematic Review of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Implementation and Effectiveness in K–12 Settings (1990-2024)
No full textThis thesis presents a systematic review exploring the effectiveness of SEL programs in
enhancing academic performance and classroom behavior in school settings, with a
particular focus on global research and its applicability to Lebanon. The review examined
studies published between 1990 and 2024. However, following a rigorous selection
process using PRISMA guidelines, eighteen studies were included in the final analysis.
The selected studies were evaluated for methodological quality using the MMAT 2018
and CEC standards. Furthermore, this study systematically compares previous reviews
on SEL to the objectives and research questions of the current study to establish the
significance of conducting this study and highlight the unique contributions of this work.
The findings consistently highlight the positive impact of SEL interventions on students’
social-emotional competencies, classroom engagement, and behavior. Programs such as
You, Me and the Little Monsters and MindUP significantly improved emotional
regulation and peer connectedness, while SPARK Child Mentoring and Incredible Years
Teacher Classroom Management enhanced communication and behavior management,
particularly for students with behavioral challenges. Additionally, SEL programs
contributed to a more positive school climate and increased student engagement, as
demonstrated by Positive Action. However, some studies reported mixed outcomes, with
unintended consequences such as increased psychosomatic complaints. While SEL
interventions positively influenced student engagement and behavioral outcomes, their
direct impact on academic performance remains debated. Programs like Second Step
showed improvements in academic performance in high-need schools, whereas RULER
reported enhanced engagement and behavior without significant academic gains. The
review also identified key gaps, including the long-term sustainability of SEL benefits,
the need for contextual adaptability, and methodological inconsistencies in program
evaluation. Based on these findings, the study provides recommendations for integrating
SEL programs into Lebanon’s educational system, emphasizing teacher training,
culturally responsive frameworks, and robust assessment methods. Future research
should focus on longitudinal studies and standardized evaluation tools to better
understand SEL’s long-term effectiveness and optimize its implementation across diverse
educational settings. Additionally, it should evaluate the practical implementation of SEL
strategies in Lebanese schools, considering the socio-economic characteristics of students
and the challenges within the national education system
Beirut’s Water Narratives: Resurfacing a Forgotten Water System – S. A. K. Y. E.
No full textWe tend to forget that every water stream, has a source, an initial point of emergence, and
an end point. Instead, most texts and research deal with the protagonist (The River) as the
only actor within the landscape. In reality, this river, is a result of streamed water, from
the point of expulsion (source) to where it spills (end). These two points, initial and final,
rise as the main concern to the forgotten morphology of the Water Network. In Cities, we
deal with these “final”, as the space of water expulsion and communal use, where the
water network is further funneled into a sub-network, that leads to the household. In order
to further, elaborate on these typologies, I first categorize a heading, under which all these
morphologies fall.
This research seeks to formulate a connection between water and space, to prove to the
audience that Water itself is a landscape typology, and that no matter the scale of the
latter, it can perform as a cultural landscape telling tales of the children that have
rampaged through the ripples and dipped a toe or two. But also, seeks to preserve these
waterscapes, and re-juvinate the Memory, and Maybe, just maybe then re-integrate the
Original Function, of the Waterscape.
Similarly, Beirut, the city of Water, caters for its own subnetwork of water typologies,
classified by the “Sabil”, “Hawooz”, “Ain”,”Sakye”, “birke”, that similar to the step
wells, have become but a mere story that our grandparents tell, or simply a mere Name
of a location, or a street that the local taxi driver uses to drop off his passengers
Applying Healthcare Failure Method Effect Analysis (HFMEA) to Improve Focused Assessment Process for Chemotherapy Patients at the Basile Outpatient Infusion Center at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC)
Full text linkApplying the Healthcare Failure Mode Effect Analysis (HFMEA) to healthcare processes has been recognized by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). Not enough data on the usage of HFMEA for focused oncology assessment for cancer patients. However, applying HFMEA to the process of focused assessment offers a comprehensive view on the failure and their causes for better care outcomes. The aim of the project is to identify the potential failure(s) in the process of focused assessment of oncology patients admitted for chemotherapy or for symptom management in the Basile Outpatient Infusion Center at AUBMC using HFMEA. This study quality improvement study will follow the Standards for Quality
Improvement Reporting Excellence (SQUIRE 2.0) guidelines. Naturalistic approach will be used on nurses in the center, with as sample size of thirty cancer patients. Four major failure causes were identified: tool not opened on the electronic system, pick
any question, pick relevant question(s), and documenting without asking the questions. Each had an increased Risk Priority Number (RPN). RPN ranges from 56 to 360 with a mean of 208. We also proposed some solutions for possible implementation to improve
the process, hence better patient care
CO2 Methanation over Combustion-Synthesized Nickel-Supported Zirconia Catalyst: A Study on Catalyst Performance, Optimization and Stability
No full textCO2 methanation offers a sustainable approach to mitigate climate change by converting CO2 into valuable CH4, aligning with global decarbonization goals. This study focuses on the synthesis and evaluation of Ni/ZrO2 catalysts prepared via the combustion method, varying the glycine-to-nitrates ratio (ɣ= 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3) and the Ni loading (x=10%, 20%, 30% and 40%). Among these, the 20NiZr-0.5 catalyst achieved the highest CO2 conversion of 81% at 400oC. Further optimization of reaction performance identified that the 30NiZr-0.5 catalyst and a gas hourly space velocity (GHSV)= 30,000 mL/g.hr as the most efficient configuration, achieving 90% CO2 conversion at 350oC and demonstrating stability over 5 days. All prepared catalysts were characterized using BET, SEM and XRD and TGA to analyze surface area, morphology, crystallinity and stability. However, these analyses did not clarify the observed differences in catalytic behavior and performance. Future studies will employ additional chemical characterization techniques like CO2 & H2-TPD, XPS and H2-TPR to investigate surface mechanisms and better understand the factors influencing catalyst performance
The Effects of Moringa oleifera, Quercetin and Myricetin on Cholesterol Levels in HepG2 Cells in vitro as Well as on Enzymes Regulating Cholesterol Homeostasis in silico
Full text linkHypercholesterolemia, a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and atherosclerosis, is primarily managed with statins, which inhibit HMG-CoA reductase (HMGCR) and upregulate LDL receptor expression. However, prolonged statin use is associated with adverse effects, necessitating safer alternatives.
Moringa oleifera (MO) has garnered attention for its diverse biological activities, including anti-atherosclerotic, anticancer, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and hypocholesterolemic effects. Given its widespread consumption as a tea beverage, we explored the effects of aqueous MO leaf extract on cholesterol levels and its potential to enhance statin sensitivity, thereby reducing the required dosage and mitigating side effects. To evaluate this, we employed both in vitro and in silico approaches.
We assessed the effects of MO extract, simvastatin, and their combination on cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and cholesterol homeostasis in HepG2 cells. Cells were treated for 24 and 48 hours with MO extract (0.015% and 0.03%) or simvastatin (10 μM). Both treatments led to a dose-dependent but time-independent decrease in cell viability. Consistently, MO extract (0.03%) significantly increased ROS levels, which were restored to baseline with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) pretreatment, whereas simvastatin had no significant ROS impact. The combination treatment partially restored cell viability, but ROS levels remained comparable to MO treatment alone.
Cholesterol levels, normalized to protein content, showed the following reductions: a) 20% with simvastatin alone; b) 58% with MO extract alone; c) 70% with the combined treatment These results suggest an additive rather than synergistic effect, likely due to multiple bioactive compounds in MO extract targeting different pathways. Among these, polyphenols such as quercetin and myricetin are abundant in plant extracts. Notably, quercetin and myricetin were non-toxic at most concentrations, except for myricetin, which caused ~30% cell death at 60 μM, in alignment with ROS levels. Preliminary data showed that both flavonoids significantly reduced cholesterol levels within 24 hours, surpassing simvastatin treatment.
Computational tools were employed to assess the binding affinities of simvastatin, quercetin, and myricetin with key proteins involved in cholesterol homeostasis. Docking studies revealed: a) Simvastatin competitively binds to the HMGCR active site, extending into the CoA and NADPH binding pockets; b) Quercetin and myricetin primarily occupy the NADPH binding site, suggesting an alternative mechanism of HMGCR modulation. Additionally, binding affinities of these compounds with cholesterol-regulating proteins (HMGCR, SREBP2, LXR, LCAT, ACAT, and CYP8B1) were strong, indicating their potential as cholesterol-modulating agents. ADME and toxicity profiling further supported their pharmacological viability, as both flavonoids complied with Lipinski's rule of five.
This study highlights Moringa oleifera and its polyphenolic components as promising, cost-effective adjuncts to statins for cholesterol management. Their ability to enhance statin efficacy while potentially reducing dosage and side effects warrants further investigation into their therapeutic applications in hypercholesterolemia treatment
Bioresorbable, Ultra-Flexible, Inkjet-Printed, Gold Nanoparticles-Based Neural Interface
No full textElectrocorticographic brain-computer interfaces (ECoG-BCIs) provide a powerful tool for both therapeutic and research applications by directly recording electrical activity from the brain's surface. With the limitations of pharmacological treatments for many neurological disorders, such as epilepsy, this technology offers significant potential for improving patient outcomes by enabling precise mapping of brain activity. However, conventional ECoG systems, built on rigid substrates, struggle to conform to the brain's contours, limiting their effectiveness and posing long-term biocompatibility challenges due to their non-bioresorbable nature.
In this work, an ultra-flexible, bioresorbable inkjet-printed electrode array was developed to address these limitations. The array, consisting of 36 gold electrodes each 75 μm in size, was fabricated within an approximately 2x2 mm area on a polycaprolactone (PCL) substrate using inkjet printing and photonic sintering. These approaches allow for processing at room temperature, which is essential for maintaining the integrity of the heat-sensitive polymer. Electrochemical and mechanical characterizations confirmed the device's excellent performance with an impedance near 1 kΩ at 1 kHz, and in vivo testing in rats confirmed its ability to reliably record brain activity, detect various forms of seizures with a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 28, and generate heat maps to track the spatial and temporal evolution of brain activity. The device’s flexibility, stability, biodegradability, and biocompatibility were further evaluated, positioning it as a safer, long-term solution for brain activity monitoring. This novel design enhances the adaptability of ECoG systems to the brain's complex structures, improves electrode density, reduces the invasiveness, and offers a time- and cost-effective solution, positioning it as a promising advancement in ECoG technology
Design, Synthesis, and applications of New Metal Organic Frameworks, and Metal Organic Frameworks-Polymer System
No full textMetal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) are emerging porous crystalline materials which
have many applications ranging from adsorption, catalysis, to drug delivery and
fluorescence. Previous work from the literature showed that combining MOFs and
polymers resulted in enhancement of the properties and performance of the developed
systems in specific applications. Herein, we investigate the effect of combining both
MOF and polymer chemistry to develop fluorescent nanocrystals based on a well-known
fluorescent conjugated polymer namely poly(phenyl ethylene), PPE-CO2 and integrated
with zirconium cluster that exhibits high chemical and thermal stability. Also, the
obtained nanocrystals are fully characterized using a set of spectrometric and microscopic
techniques. The optical characteristics (fluorescent intensities and photostability) of these
crystals are further investigated. In addition, the physio-chemical properties of our
synthesized nanocrystals are compared with another composite assembled by mixing
PPECO2 with UiO-66 MOF. Finally, novel stable MOFs are synthesized from new
metalo-linkers. The produced MOFs crystals are promising photocatalysts since they
incorporate a catalytic center in their backbones. Therefore, they will be tested for carbon
dioxide conversion under visible light illumination. To demonstrate the heterogeneity of
the system, control experiments will be performed by using the free metallo-complex as
photocatalyst. Finally, the recyclability and the stability of the MOFs will be assessed. In
brief, this work paves the way towards the development of new MOF systems and
composites for a multitude of promising applications
Enhancing Automated OCT Classification With GAN-generated Synthetic Data for Improved Accuracy and Privacy Protection
No full textThis study examines the generation and use of synthetic anterior segment opti-
cal coherence tomography (AS-OCT) images through the Style and WAvelet based
GAN (SWAGAN) architecture, aiming to address data scarcity and privacy issues
in ophthalmology. The realism of the synthetic images was assessed in a blinded
test with seven experienced refractive surgeons, who were unable to distinguish real
from synthetic images, demonstrating high visual fidelity. To evaluate the objective
aspect, machine learning models, including an EfficientNet-B0-based classifier and
a simpler CNN, were trained on real, synthetic, and combined datasets. Results
showed that models trained only on synthetic images achieved up to 91% clas-
sification accuracy, with performance improving to 96% when combining real and
synthetic data. Perfect classification accuracy was achieved for conditions like PRK,
Kerarings, and Intacs in 10-mm OCT scans, and for normal, ICL, and IOL cases
in 16-mm OCT scans. Simpler CNN models showed similar trends, though with
slightly lower performance. These results confirm that high-quality GAN-generated
synthetic images closely mimic real scans and can significantly enhance model train-
ing, surpassing traditional data augmentation techniques. The low Fr´echet Inception
Distance (FID) scores suggest that synthetic data closely resembles real data without
compromising patient privacy, provided the original data is not linked to any patient
and anonymized. This highlights the potential of GAN-based synthetic datasets for
building robust machine learning models while overcoming privacy and data access
challenges in clinical settings. However, further investigation is needed to ensure
that sensitive data is fully protected in accordance with global privacy standards
Monetary Policy and Housing Affordability in Emerging Markets: A Cross Country Analysis
No full textHousing affordability is becoming an increasingly crucial socio-economic issue in many developing nations through its entrenchment in macroeconomic instability, rapid urbanization, and lack of access to financial resources. This study investigates how
monetary policy affects housing affordability in four key emerging economies-Brazil,
Turkey, South Africa, and Indonesia. In conducting this, it uses Structural Vector
Autoregression (SVAR) to analyze dynamic interactions between interest rates, inflation,
real growth in GDP, exchange rates, and housing affordability using quarterly data on the
period from 2000 to 2023. The study adopts recursive Cholesky decomposition for
identification of structural shocks and tracing monetary transmission mechanisms.
Findings will show how dissimilar institutional settings, such as mortgage market depth
and urban growth rates, shape the money effectiveness. This comparative approach would
provide both theoretical and policy insight highlighting the nuanced role that monetary
policy plays in tackling housing affordability issues in varied economic contexts