Effects of Trade Openness, Investment and Population on the Economic Growth: A Case Study of Syria

This study attempts to investigate the role of trade openness, investment and population in the Syrian economy over the period 1980-2010. The cointegration test indicates that GDP is positively and significantly related to the trade openness, investment and population. The Granger causality test indicates bidirectional short-run causality relationships between trade openness, investment, population and GDP. There are also bidirectional long-run causality relationships between investment, population and GDP, and unidirectional long-run causality relationship running from trade openness to GDP. The study result indicates that population has the biggest effect on the GDP, thus we suggest improving the quality of the human capital in the country, as well as improving the investment and opening up the Syrian economy to foreign trade

THE IMPACT OF INDOOR ENVIRONMENT QUALITY ON THECONSERVATION PRACTICE OF HISTORICAL BUILDINGTHECASE OF LEBANESE COASTAL ZONE

It is widely acknowledged that a multidisciplinary approach should be adopted to conserve historical buildings that include indoor environmental features. This paper discusses the effect of healthier indoor environment requirements on the conservation of historical buildings. Conservation, being an essential sustainable practice using inherited built assets to satisfy present needs, imposes limitations on the intervention that can be induced to historical buildings. Healthier indoor environment requires controlling various factors as Indoor Air Quality and Thermal Comfort, which directly affect the Heat-Air- Moisture transfer (hygrothermal behavior) of the historic building envelope and may lead to its deterioration and degradation. Focusing on the historic built fabric of the Lebanese coastal zone, this paper investigates the impact of Indoor climate control on the pathology of the historic building envelope and presents recommendations that mitigate that impact while preserving both conservation requirements and occupant comfort. A case study analysis is conducted to identify the qualitative parameters in the Indoor space of an 18th century heritage building located in the coastal zone of Lebanon and used as public building. The conclusion highlights the potential for comfort establishment in refurbished historic building through raising awareness in relation to occupant behavior and identifying scientific approaches to control hygrothermal behavior of the historic envelope, by the mean of whole building simulation software, which adds significant contribution to the conservation practice

THE IMPACT OF PLASTERING ON THE HYGROTHERMAL BEHAVIOUR OF HISTORICAL SANDSTONE LOCATED IN THE COASTAL REGION OF LEBANON

In an unusual trend in the conservation practice of built heritage in Lebanon, the external plaster layer, which protects the sandstone from weathering factors, is being removed for aesthetic reasons. These buildings are in a coastal region, hot humid climate in the summer and moderate cold weather in the winter. This paper discusses the importance of external and internal plastering of the historical sandstone bearing wall, by the mean of a computational tool that underlines the role of the plastering in the hygrothermal behaviour of the historical stone, in the aim to validate the practice of the ancestors in covering the envelope of their buildings to avoid the degradation of these natural stones. The methodology adopted in this paper is a comparative quantitative study, using a hygrothermal simulation modelling tool, named Wufi Pro, which is a standard program for evaluating moisture conditions in building envelopes developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics (IBP) Stuttgart, Germany. The results are in the form of values for the heat and moisture fluxes through the high porosity sandstone assembly that composes the building envelope. These values represent the hygrothermal behaviour of the stone, and they are compared between two cases, one without plastering while the second has the inner and outer layers of traditional plaster. The analysis of the results is guiding to a conclusion that favours one of the two cases, taking into consideration the interstitial condensation threat avoided by the means of plastering

THE IMPACT OF CHANGES IN BEIRUT URBAN PATTERNS ON THE MICROCLIMATE: A REVIEW OF URBAN POLICY AND BUILDING REGULATIONS

Previous studies conducted on Beirut have historically overlooked research in the field of urban microclimate. A better understanding of how Beirut urban development, including zoning and building regulations, has affected the current urban thermal climate is crucial in order to analyse how different factors have led to the structure of the city, including the quality of urban space and the degradation of its natural environment. Within the context of limited government capability to set out strategies for sustainable urban development, this paper examines the historical evolution of the Lebanese building regulations specifically in Beirut and investigates the impact of changes in building regulations on the city’s urban microclimate. The review highlights the historical urban growth of the city and identifies the dynamics that have contributed to the uncontrolled expansion of the built up areas. Analyses linked to the direct effects of the urban morphological features forming a different local microclimate in Beirut. Initial findings highlight the correlations between building regulations and the different urban design factors and how they affect Beirut local climate, resulting in the formulation and adaption of the necessary strategies to alleviate unhealthy urban conditions

Antibiotic resistance profile and virulence factor genes of Aeromonas sobria isolated from AL-Hillah River in Babel (Iraq)

Although Aeromonas are common in aquatic habitats and have been marked as an arising risk to human health, some information dealing with antibiotic resistance profiles and virulence factor genes involved in pathogenicity are understood. The objective of this study was to evaluate the resistance profile for aquatic A. sobria and to identify the virulence factor genes. Aeromonas sobria isolates were collected from AL-Hillah River in Babel near the hospital swage water from January until May 2021. VITEK 2 system was used to diagnose isolates of the anaerobic G-ve A. Sobria bacteria, which were then confirmed by PCR for 16S RNA. Eight different groups of antibiotics were examined in A. sobria isolates using the disk diffusion method on a Mueller-Hinton agar. Genes encoding for virulence factor genes (act, ast, ela, alt, lip, asa, hly, and aer) were detected using conventional PCR. The isolates showed resistance to β-lactam drugs, while they were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, tetracycline, clindamycin and presented susceptibility to the gentamycin at rate 57%. Gel electrophoresis results of PCR products variably displayed clear bands for virulence factor genes (act, ast, ela, alt, lip, and asa), previously reported to be associated with some diseases. This is the first study in provinces of middle Iraqi dealing with aquatic A. sobria that evaluated the antibiotic sensitivity and investigated the virulence factor genes, including cytotoxic enterotoxins and enzymes. Virulence factor genes detection and 16S RNA gene for species identification were achieved by designing specific primers in the present study.  

Characterization and Antifungal Activity of Silver Nanoparticles Mediated by Fungi

أصبحت تقنية النانو بسرعة واحدة من أكثر مجالات العلوم أهمية وتحويلية. تُستخدم الطرق الفيزيائية والكيميائية والميكانيكية والبيولوجية لإنشاء الجسيمات النانوية. غالبًا ما تستخدم النباتات أو الكائنات الحية الدقيقة في الأساليب البيولوجية لتقليل أيونات المعادن لأنها نظيفة وغير سامة وآمنة ومتوافقة حيويًا وصديقة للبيئة. تم وصف التحليل الطيفي للأشعة تحت الحمراء (FT-IR) والمسح المجهري الإلكتروني (SEM) والتحليل الطيفي لحيز الأشعة السينية لتحليل الجسيمات النانوية المتولدة (XRD). تحتوي الجسيمات النانوية (NPs) المصنوعة من الفطريات على مجموعة متنوعة من تقنيات التحفيز الحيوي ، بما في ذلك تثبيت الإنزيم لزيادة النشاط الأنزيمي. تم اكتشاف أن الفضة (Ag) NPs المصنوعة من الفطريات لها تأثير حميد في الجرح والجروح الحرارية ، ولها خصائص مضادة للبعوض ومضادة للبكتيريا ومضادة للفطريات.Nanotechnology is quickly becoming one of the most essential and transformative areas of science. Physical, chemical, mechanical, and biological approaches are all used to create nanoparticles. Plants or microorganisms are frequently used in biological methods of metal ion reduction because they are clean, nontoxic, safe, biocompatible, and ecologically friendly. Fourir transform infra-red spectroscopy (FT–IR), scaning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy were described to analyze the nanoparticles generated (XRD). Nanoparticles (NPs) made from fungi have a diverse range of bio catalytic techniques, including enzyme immobilization for increased enzymatic activity. Silver (Ag) NPs made from fungi were discovered to have a benign effect in a wound and a thermal wound, and to have anti-mosquito, antibacterial, and antifungal propertie

Self-Consistent Random Phase Approximation - Application to the Hubbard Model for finite number of sites

Within the 1D Hubbard model linear closed chains with various numbers of sites are considered in Self Consistent Random Phase Approximation (SCRPA). Excellent results with a minimal numerical effort are obtained for 2+4n sites cases, confirming earlier results with this theory for other models. However, the 4n sites cases need further considerations. SCRPA solves the two sites problem exactly. It therefore contains the two electrons and high density Fermi gas limits correctly.Comment: 17 pages, 17 figure

INVESTIGATING COMMERCIAL URBAN CORRIDORS - A PILOT STUDY IN BEIRUT LEBANON

Urban environments are multifaceted, varied, dynamic, complex, and evolving as are the underlying features for human health and wellbeing (Bai, Nath, Capon, Hasan & Jaron, 2020). Healthy and resilient cities can be entry points and platforms for change, adaptation and innovation to achieve optimal health for urban communities and the environment (Regional Framework for Urban Health in the Western Pacific 2016–2020: Healthy and Resilient Cities, 2016). Planners considered urban corridors, which are connection and access between urban districts, as major elements in shaping the city image and forming its identity and investigating them are vital for enhancing healthy and resilient cities. Narrowing the scope on commercial urban corridors, which are a concentration of retail stores that serve a common trade area and lie along a single street (Catherine Dyste, 2012). These corridors can be seen as a dynamic space, but at the same time, they are created to create a range of experiences (Shaban et al., 2018). Improving commercial urban corridors requires several indicators for reviving the companionable and sociable life of a street. Problems occur when space use is not driven. The society therefore uses the urban commercial corridor according to their own interests. This condition may generate conflict between users of the \u27Link\u27 and users of the \u27Space’, may make the corridor an uncomfortable location, and may decreases its livability. Rapid urbanization and unplanned rapid changes of commercial activities in corridors that have an impact on the surrounding streets and users’ activities imposes burdens on surrounding land use and mobility. However, this problem has contributed to various issues such as traffic congestion, pollution, decrease in green areas and degradation of the urban quality of living. That’s why investigating these corridors is imperative to know its utilization and functioning to identify the existing problems and chaos in the corridor since they are facing significant challenges, which is the lack of reliable knowledge on their characteristics and development; important for local authorities to provide wealth of knowledge and data collection. The paper aims to investigate commercial urban corridors to identify and analyze livability aspects and indicators for reviving its companionable and sociable life that can be implemented in a way of a considerable checklist which acts as a systematic structure for communicating the data required, diagnosing issues, and defining the strengths and limitations of the efficiency of a commercial urban corridor to promote a healthy and resilient urban context. To achieve the aim, the research investigates a commercial urban corridor focusing on one of the urban corridors in Beirut, Lebanon. By using Geoportal Interactive Tool, conducted by UN-Habitat and UNICEF to create cartography of the existing conditions of the pilot study, and then analyzes the aspects and indicators of livability based on cartography, walk through analysis and face-to-face interviews with inhabitants in area. After analyzing the commercial urban corridor and identifying the effective indicators, the research resulted in proposing some guidelines for enhancing livability in commercial urban corridors, which were mainly related to the physical aspect since it defines the most inadequate quality and performance

The hepatocyte glucose-6-phosphatase subcomponent T3: its relationship to GLUT2

AbstractGlucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) is a multiple protein complex in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) that includes a mechanism (known as T3) for glucose exit from the ER to the cytosol. The molecular identity of T3 is not known. T3 has been shown to be functional in the absence of GLUT2, indicating that it is not GLUT2. Here we found a 55-kDa protein in high-density microsomal fraction (HDM) of rat hepatocytes that is recognized by polyclonal GLUT2 antibody raised against the GLUT2 C-terminal 14-amino-acid-sequence peptide. HDM contained calnexin but no integrin-β1 or Na/K ATPase in Western blotting. Significant GLUT2 immunoreactivity was colocalized with colligin, an ER marker, in confocal microscopy. Furthermore, the 55-kDa protein in HDM was labeled with a covalently reactive, impermeable glucose transporter substrate, 1,3-bis-(3-deoxy-d-glucopyranose-3-yloxy)-2-propyl 4-benzoyl-benzoate (B3GL) when hepatocyte homogenates, but not intact cells, were labeled. In addition glucose efflux from HDM vesicles was sensitive to B3GL treatment in a dose-dependent manner. Based on these findings, we suggest that T3 may be a novel facilitative glucose transporter that is highly homologous to GLUT2 in the C-terminal sequence, thus cross-reacting with the GLUT2 antibody. The finding will be useful in molecular identification and cloning of T3