5324 research outputs found
Sort by
Physical space, social behaviour and socioeconomic changes in traditional neighbourhoods:a case study of the traditional city of Nablus
No full textThis paper investigates the relationships among socioeconomic changes, physical space and social behaviour, particularly with respect to how they are simultaneously influenced by each other in traditional neighbourhoods and how their interaction within the same context is important for the design and development of the built environment, particularly in the developing countries of the Middle-East, where traditional neighbourhoods suffer from a state of serious decline. Although theories concerning this topic focus on the relationships between social behaviour and physical space, between social behaviour and socioeconomic status or between socioeconomic status and physical space, they still do not sufficiently explain the influence between these three variables within the same context, whether traditional or modern. Particular attention was paid to women because they were the main social group in the Middle-Eastern societies who was largely influenced by the process of modernization and development in traditional neighbourhoods in terms of culture, education and behaviour. The traditional city of Nablus in Palestine was chosen as a case study. The main data collection methods were the use of questionnaires, observations and interviews. In addition, several techniques, such as the use of photographs and sketches, and cultural and SPSS techniques were employed to describe and reflect the results of the study. The primary findings of this paper are that socioeconomic changes, social behaviour and physical space are influenced by one another and that the variables produced by this interaction are not fixed and dependent on one another
Phase behavior of bicontinuous and water/diesel fuel microemulsions using nonionic surfactants combined with hydrophilic alcohol ethoxylates
No full textIbrahim Kayali , Mohammad Karaein , Khawla Qamhieh , Salam Wadaah ,
Wisam Ahmad & Ulf OlssonBicontinuous and water-in-diesel microemulsions were formulated using single nonionic alkyl poly
glycol ethers combined with hydrophilic alcohol ethoxylates. The phase behavior at temperatures
ranging from 0 C to 50 C was investigated. Visual inspection as well as cross-polarizers were
used to detect anisotropy. The fish phase diagrams were determined. The presence of the hydrophilic
alcohol ethoxylates was necessary to initiate both types of microemulsions. Increasing the
hydrophobic chain length of the surfactant led to a wider range of temperature stability at lower
surfactant concentration. Meanwhile, increasing the ethylene oxide units in the headgroup by two
units led to a phase diagram that is dominated by lyotropic liquid crystal. The formulated water in
diesel microemulsions were tested experimentally in a 4-cylinder diesel engine. From this it is
observed that the emissions of NOx, soot, and CO2 were reduced substantially compared to neat
diesel, while for the CO the reduction occurs just at low loa
Tolfenamic acid reduces tau and CDK5 levels : implications for dementia and tauopathies
No full textTau and its aggregates are linked to the pathology of
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other tauopathies and, therefore,
are explored as therapeutic targets for such disorders.
Tau belongs to a family of microtubule-associated proteins
that promote microtubule assembly. When hyperphosphorylated,
tau becomes prone to forming aggregates. Increased
brain levels of hyperphosphorylated tau correlate with dementia.
Specificity protein 1 (Sp1), a transcription factor elevated in
AD, is responsible for the transcription of AD-related proteins
including the amyloid precursor protein, tau, and its cyclindependent
kinase-5 (CDK5) activators. Tolfenamic acid
promotes the degradation of Sp1, our previous studies
demonstrated its ability to down-regulate transcriptional
targets of Sp1 like amyloid precursor protein and reduce
amyloid beta (Ab), the main component of AD plaques. In this
study, we administered tolfenamic acid daily to hemizygous
R1.40 transgenic mice for 34 days, and examined tau and
CDK5 gene and protein expression within the brain. Our
results demonstrate that tolfenamic acid lowers tau mRNA and
protein, as well as the levels of its phosphorylated form and
CDK5. Thus, we present a drug candidate that inhibits the
transcription of multiple major intermediates in AD pathology,
thereby helping uncover a new mechanism-based approach
for targeting AD
Jerusalem: five decades of subjection and marginalization
No full textPolitical Science and International Relation
A consumption-investment problem with a diminishing basket of goods
No full textWe consider the problem faced by an economic agent trying to find the optimal strategies for the joint management of her consumption from a basket of K goods that may become unavailable for consumption from some random time τ onward, and her investment portfolio in a financial market model comprised of one risk-free security and an arbitrary number of risky securities driven by a multi-dimensional Brownian motion. We apply previous abstract results on stochastic optimal control problem with multiple random time horizons to obtain a sequence of dynamic programming principles and the corresponding Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations. We then proceed with a numerical study of the value function and corresponding optimal strategies for the problem under consideration in the case of discounted constant relative risk aversion utility functions (CRRA)
Alternative diesel fuel : microemulsion phase behavior and combustion properties
No full textThe phase behavior of water, diesel, limonene and ethanol was investigated at ambient
temperature using single nonionic alkyl poly glycol ethers (C14E3). Visual inspection as
well as cross polarizers was used to detect transparency and anisotropy. Ternary phase
diagrams were determined. Combustion experiments using a 4-cylinder diesel engine
were carried out. Isotropic water in diesel microemulsion region (L2) and anisotropic
liquid crystalline region (LC) were found with all combinations. Increasing the ratio of
limonene to diesel reduced the microemulsion region while the presence of ethanol
increased it on the expense of the LC region. Combustion tests performed on a selected
formulation from the ternary phase diagram of water, diesel, ethanol and C14E3 revealed
substantial reduction of soot, NOx and CO2 emissions compared to neat diesel