76 research outputs found

    Strategic Spatial Planning Consideration in the Kingdom Vision 2030 and National Physical Planning Plan: Utilizing Content Analysis Methodology for Evaluation and Comparison

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    Urban and regional planning over the time pass through a lot of changes in the 20th century and have been impacted by economic, social and environmental problems. However, old traditional planning approaches were replaced by sustainable approaches to avoid the limitations and improve the results. One of these new approaches known as strategic spatial planning which defined as a long term perspective with clear methodology and strategic vison for critical and important issues in all aspects of economic, social and environment as well as involve stakeholders in this vision through focusing on spatial aspects to achieve sustainable development. The aim of this study is to analyze the content of vision 2030 for Saudi Arabia based on the perspective of spatial strategic planning and compare it with the content of urban national strategy through using same base line. The purpose of this comparison is to explore the achievement of spatial development considerations in the 2030 vision. The literatures review helps to identify the key aspects of strategic spatial planning (economic, social, environmental), as well as identify important considerations associated with each one of them. However, eight considerations were associated with the economical aspect and seven considerations were associated with the social aspect. While, there are five considerations associated with the environmental aspect. By applying content analyses approach; the quantitative analysis of repetitions of the spatial considerations was high in the urban strategy rather than vision 2030 in the overview context. Moreover, there is homogeneity for spatial considerations in the urban strategy with more clarity than vision 2030. Based on the repetitions of spatial considerations in 2030 vision; the vision is focusing more on the economical aspect, social aspect then environmental aspect

    Vitamin D supplementation for the prevention of type 2 diabetes in overweight adults: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

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    Despite Australia's sunny climate, low vitamin D levels are increasingly prevalent. Sun exposure is limited by long working hours, an increase in time spent indoors, and sun protection practices, and there is limited dietary vitamin D fortification. While the importance of vitamin D for bone mineralization is well known, its role as a protective agent against chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, is less understood. Observational and limited intervention studies suggest that vitamin D might improve insulin sensitivity and secretion, mainly via its anti-inflammatory properties, thereby decreasing the risk of development and progression of type 2 diabetes. The primary aim of this trial is to investigate whether improved plasma concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), obtained through vitamin D supplementation, will increase insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion. A secondary aim is to determine whether these relationships are mediated by a reduction in underlying subclinical inflammation associated with obesity.Fifty overweight but otherwise healthy nondiabetic adults between 18 and 60 years old, with low vitamin D levels (25(OH)D < 50 nmol/l), will be randomly assigned to intervention or placebo. At baseline, participants will undergo a medical review and anthropometric measurements, including dual X-ray absorptiometry, an intravenous glucose tolerance test, muscle and fat biopsies, a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp, and questionnaires assessing diet, physical activity, sun exposure, back and knee pain, and depression. The intervention group will receive a first dose of 100,000 IU followed by 4,000 IU vitamin D (cholecalciferol) daily, while the placebo group will receive apparently identical capsules, both for a period of 16 weeks. All measurements will be repeated at follow-up, with the primary outcome measure expressed as a change from baseline in insulin sensitivity and secretion for the intervention group compared with the placebo group. Secondary outcome measures will compare changes in anthropometry, cardiovascular risk factors, and inflammatory markers.The trial will provide much needed clinical evidence on the impact of vitamin D supplementation on insulin resistance and secretion and its underlying mechanisms, which are relevant for the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes.Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT02112721 .Barbora de Courten, Aya Mousa, Negar Naderpoor, Helena Teede, Maximilian P J de Courten and Robert Scrag

    Farnesoid X Receptor Induces Murine Scavenger Receptor Class B Type I via Intron Binding

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    Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a nuclear receptor and a key regulator of liver cholesterol and triglyceride homeostasis. Scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) is critical for reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) by transporting high-density lipoprotein (HDL) into liver. FXR induces SR-BI, however, the underlying molecular mechanism of this induction is not known. The current study confirmed induction of SR-BI mRNA by activated FXR in mouse livers, a human hepatoma cell line, and primary human hepatocytes. Genome-wide FXR binding analysis in mouse livers identified 4 putative FXR response elements in the form of inverse repeat separated by one nucleotide (IR1) at the first intron and 1 IR1 at the downstream of the mouse Sr-bi gene. ChIP-qPCR analysis revealed FXR binding to only the intronic IR1s, but not the downstream one. Luciferase assays and site-directed mutagenesis further showed that 3 out of 4 IR1s were able to activate gene transcription. A 16-week high-fat diet (HFD) feeding in mice increased hepatic Sr-bi gene expression in a FXR-dependent manner. In addition, FXR bound to the 3 bona fide IR1s in vivo, which was increased following HFD feeding. Serum total and HDL cholesterol levels were increased in FXR knockout mice fed the HFD, compared to wild-type mice. In conclusion, the Sr-bi/SR-BI gene is confirmed as a FXR target gene in both mice and humans, and at least in mice, induction of Sr-bi by FXR is via binding to intronic IR1s. This study suggests that FXR may serve as a promising molecular target for increasing reverse cholesterol transport

    Strategic Spatial Planning Consideration in the Kingdom Vision 2030 and National Physical Planning Plan: Utilizing Content Analysis Methodology for Evaluation and Comparison

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    Urban and regional planning over the time pass through a lot of changes in the 20th century and have been impacted by economic, social and environmental problems. However, old traditional planning approaches were replaced by sustainable approaches to avoid the limitations and improve the results. One of these new approaches known as strategic spatial planning which defined as a long term perspective with clear methodology and strategic vison for critical and important issues in all aspects of economic, social and environment as well as involve stakeholders in this vision through focusing on spatial aspects to achieve sustainable development. The aim of this study is to analyze the content of vision 2030 for Saudi Arabia based on the perspective of spatial strategic planning and compare it with the content of urban national strategy through using same base line. The purpose of this comparison is to explore the achievement of spatial development considerations in the 2030 vision. The literatures review helps to identify the key aspects of strategic spatial planning (economic, social, environmental), as well as identify important considerations associated with each one of them. However, eight considerations were associated with the economical aspect and seven considerations were associated with the social aspect. While, there are five considerations associated with the environmental aspect. By applying content analyses approach; the quantitative analysis of repetitions of the spatial considerations was high in the urban strategy rather than vision 2030 in the overview context. Moreover, there is homogeneity for spatial considerations in the urban strategy with more clarity than vision 2030. Based on the repetitions of spatial considerations in 2030 vision; the vision is focusing more on the economical aspect, social aspect then environmental aspect

    FRACTAL AND RESISTANCE DIMENSIONS OF RANDOM TREES

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