The influence of urban form on noise exposure of buildings

Dissertação de mestrado em Sustentabilidade do Ambiente ConstruídoPeople live in urban areas, they engage in various activities of life such as (housing, work, leisure, education, etc.) in an interactive way. The growth of population rates, density and the industrial development are all factors that affect the urban form and its growth, which in turn affects the environmental factors, such as the air quality and the noise pollution. Noise is the second most dangerous environmental pollutants on human life as it affects one's health and daily habits, it reaches people by its propagation, where the propagation of noise varies in accordance with the urban forms. This study will provide a new perspective to understand the environmental noise problems in the urban spaces, in terms of the relation between the urban noise and the urban forms, through studying urban indicators at various urban forms, and predicting the propagation of noise on the buildings facades of these forms during the day using a noise prediction method. Then comparing the effects of noise propagation in the selected urban forms, which will help to choose the best scenarios for urban forms and buildings facades with less exposure to noise. Also, it will allow the creation of several scenarios and the prediction of the noise levels generated from these scenarios at the design stage, in order to minimize the effects of noise exposure on buildings facades in advance.O crescimento da população, a densidade e o desenvolvimento industrial são fatores que afetam a forma urbana e seu crescimento; que por sua vez afetam os fatores ambientais: qualidade do ar pela dispersão de poluentes através do tecido urbano e claro, o ruído através da propagação deste no meio urbano. O ruído, é o segundo poluente ambiental mais perigoso para os seres humanos, afeta o dia-adia da população, e a propagação de ruído varia de acordo com a forma urbana. Este documento fornece uma perspectiva para compreender este problema através do estudo de indicadores urbanos e o estudo da propagação de ruído nas fachadas edifícios durante o período do dia. O presente trabalho pretende, abordar a problemática do ambiente urbano, enquanto espaço de interação de formas urbanas e ruído urbano. Essa interação pretende ser monitorizada por indicadores urbanos, comparando os efeitos da propagação de ruído, em formas urbanas tipo selecionadas da cidade de Damasco na Siria. Foram utilizados cinco indicadores de forma urbana e recorreu-se ao modelo de previsão de ruído (NMPB96) para prever a propagação do ruído, permitindo desenvolver estudos de ruído em fachadas (Ld, Nível de ruído do período diurno), que resultou em cores associadas a classes de ruído. O estudo permitiu, com a criação de diferentes cenários, antever, já em fase de projeto, as fachadas expostas a um nível de ruído mais elevado, podendo minimizar assim antecipadamente os efeitos do ruído nessas fachadas

Partial Purification and Characterization of Exo-Polygalacturonase Produced by Penicillium oxalicum AUMC 4153

Pectinase enzymes are important industrial enzymes having considerable applications in several industries, especially in food processing. Pectinases contribute 25% of global food enzyme sales. Therefore, the demand for a commercial enzyme with desirable characteristics and low production costs has become one of the great targets. Hence, this study aims to produce exo-polygalacturonase (exo-PG) using local fungal isolate Penicillium oxalicum AUMC 4153 by utilizing sugar beet manufacturing waste (sugar beet pulp) as a sole raw carbon source under shaken submerged fermentation, which is purified and characterized to optimize enzyme biochemical properties for industrial application. The purity of the obtained exo-PG was increased by about 28-fold, and the final enzyme yield was 57%. The partially purified enzyme was active at a broad range of temperatures (30–60 °C). The optimum temperature and pH for the purified exo-PG activity were 50 °C and pH 5. The enzyme was stable at a range of pH 3 to 6 and temperature 30–50 °C for 210 min. The values for Km and Vmax were 0.67 mg/mL, with polygalacturonic acid as substrate and 6.13 µmole galacturonic acid/min/mg protein, respectively. It can be concluded that purified exo-PG production by P. oxalicum grown on sugar beet waste is a promising effective method for useful applications.</jats:p

Global overview of the management of acute cholecystitis during the COVID-19 pandemic (CHOLECOVID study)

Background: This study provides a global overview of the management of patients with acute cholecystitis during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: CHOLECOVID is an international, multicentre, observational comparative study of patients admitted to hospital with acute cholecystitis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data on management were collected for a 2-month study interval coincident with the WHO declaration of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and compared with an equivalent pre-pandemic time interval. Mediation analysis examined the influence of SARS-COV-2 infection on 30-day mortality. Results: This study collected data on 9783 patients with acute cholecystitis admitted to 247 hospitals across the world. The pandemic was associated with reduced availability of surgical workforce and operating facilities globally, a significant shift to worse severity of disease, and increased use of conservative management. There was a reduction (both absolute and proportionate) in the number of patients undergoing cholecystectomy from 3095 patients (56.2 per cent) pre-pandemic to 1998 patients (46.2 per cent) during the pandemic but there was no difference in 30-day all-cause mortality after cholecystectomy comparing the pre-pandemic interval with the pandemic (13 patients (0.4 per cent) pre-pandemic to 13 patients (0.6 per cent) pandemic; P = 0.355). In mediation analysis, an admission with acute cholecystitis during the pandemic was associated with a non-significant increased risk of death (OR 1.29, 95 per cent c.i. 0.93 to 1.79, P = 0.121). Conclusion: CHOLECOVID provides a unique overview of the treatment of patients with cholecystitis across the globe during the first months of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The study highlights the need for system resilience in retention of elective surgical activity. Cholecystectomy was associated with a low risk of mortality and deferral of treatment results in an increase in avoidable morbidity that represents the non-COVID cost of this pandemic

Utilizing Employee Intellectual Capital through Enterprise Social Network: A Case Study on Saudi Airlines Aviation Company

This Research aims to clarify the fact of intellectual capital investment by using Enterprise Social Networks in organizations, as a study on the Saudi Airlines Aviation Company. In addition, this research aims to define the role which technology, social capital and organizational culture play it in the organization in this field. This research aims to define the obstacles of intellectual capital investment by using Enterprise Social Networks. The analytic method was used to achieve this goal, whereas this researcher is using questionnaire to collect raw data. The research community consists of organization&rsquo;s employees (14000 employees), a random sample was selected from community of study and it was about (1500 employee). This rustles show that, there are several positive indicators which reflects that, the factor of intellectual capital investment by using Enterprise Social Networks in Saudi Airlines Aviation Company is going well. In the other side, the research found that, there are several factors related to intellectual capital investment by using Enterprise Social Networks which need to be activated for the purpose of using these networks effectively to be able to play its role in documenting, sharing and dissemination of knowledge through it. The research also found that, the best way for Saudi Airlines Aviation Company to earn more benefits is by increasing the use of this network among employees generally and between middle and high management particularly, this shall also include all employees and retired employees to learn from their experience. The research also found that, the employees are not having the awareness or they weren't trained on using and browsing the social media networks, they also are not having the idea about its role or its importance in the company, they don't use it as a tool for training and developing the knowledge of employees. In addition, the company doesn't provide the support whether it physical or mental for the employees to share the knowledge generally or by using networks particularly. The results shown that there are no technology obstacles or frequent breakdowns and this factor is not considered obstacle to use it. One of the most important recommendations that the research found it, verbalizing the training and raise awareness of employee about the role of social media networks in intellectual capital investment, it recommends to increase the use Enterprise Social Networks by employee in the company and support them physically and mentally by using determined system and make an strategy and guideline to clarify the system and how to use the network of company.Finally, the researcher recommends that, more studies that relating to this subject shall be made because it is not available widely in Arabic society

The Reality Of Knowledge Sharing Using Enterprise Social Networks in Business Organizations : A Case Study of Saudi Airlines Aviation Company

The study aimed to explore the reality of using enterprise social networks (ESN) in knowledge sharing in private sector a case study&nbsp; of Saudi Airlines aviation company, furthermore the study aimed to identify the roles impact such as the organizational culture , intercultural capital ,social capital and technology role ,Also the research aims to identify the most serious obstacles in using ESN in knowledge sharing. To fulfill these objectives the descriptive analytical method is used in this study, where the researcher used the questionnaire to collect primary data through direct questions and inquiries. The study population consisted of Saudi Airlines aviation company reached (14000) employee, and researcher selected a simple random sample of the total overall society for the study size was (1202) employee of the total community individual. The study concluded that the results of the study concluded&nbsp; the knowledge sharing reality through the ESN &nbsp;is in positive condition and available in high degree, the study also pointed that the four factors&nbsp; mentioned above need to be taken in the confederation for ESN knowledge sharing development .The study also showed &nbsp;number of ESN user to reach to 75% of current employee and no current authorize access for&nbsp; retired employee&nbsp; ,Also found lack of staff awareness and workshop programs among company ESN and it is benefit in knowledge sharing .Also the research found no staff knowledge sharing awarding program and lack of using the ESN as training and education tool , The study results also &nbsp;revealed that the technologies obstacles is very low , Finally research found no intensive management engorgement among knowledge sharing in ESN. The main recommendations of&nbsp; the&nbsp; research that need to increase &nbsp;ESN number of users , knowledge sharing awarding program should be in place ,Higher and line&nbsp; managers should&nbsp; encourage all staff &nbsp;among ESN knowledge sharing , setting up company ESN strategy and user guide .and the research suggested the company to facilitate ESN access to retiree to utilize works experience , ESN need&nbsp; ,The researcher also &nbsp;recommended further studies on the subject as there is scarcity in such studies in Arabic