Socio-spatial transformation of neighbourhoods around rail transit stations: an experience from Tehran, Iran

While increasing evidence suggests that rail infrastructure plays a structuring role in shaping and transforming cities and regions over time, empirical studies on the simultaneous development of rail infrastructure and socio-spatial transformation of surrounding neighbourhoods, especially at a local scale, are scarce. The main aim of the article is to evaluate the transformation of neighbourhoods around rail transit stations, as well as provide a possible explanation of how neighbourhoods can be differently affected by the presence of rail stations. Based on a longitudinal dataset (2006–16) and using a Difference-in-Differences (DID) model and Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA), a comparative analysis of the Tehran Metro Rail System (TMRS) is conducted between high-income neighbourhoods and low-income neighbourhoods of the city. The results yield that the northern, high-income neighbourhoods and the southern, low-income neighbourhoods of Tehran have been transformed heterogeneously in terms of socio-demographic factors, land-use conditions and renewal processes. The findings also indicate that the mixed estimated transformation of neighbourhoods around TMRS’s stations could be explained by the contextual factors of the northern and southern study settings in Tehran, including land-use characteristics and socio-economic factors

Enhancing Living Quality: Cross-cultural Differences in Personal Space between Kurdish and Northern Women in Iran

AbstractThis study investigated cross-cultural differences in regard to the size of personal space among two Iranian subcultures (Kurdish and Northern women) vis-à-vis strangers. The study was undertaken through the methods of participatory observation, questionnaire, and stop-distance. A random size of 100 Kurdish and Northern women was selected in Sanandaj and Sari cities. Moreover, to examine the survey Chi-Square Test and Independent Sample Test were conducted. The results show that Kurdish women require more inter-personal space while walking and sitting than Northern (Mazani) women do. These findings assist environmental designers to represent strategies for achieving privacy in relation to Iranian sub-cultures

Recognizing the Concept of Social Sustainability in Urban Studies, in Search of a Theoretical Framework

Social sustainability to respond to the cities’ social problems and issues and as an efficient dimension in achieving sustainable urban development is a discourse that urban researchers have highly regarded in the last two decades, and researchers have looked at it with different dimensions of the urban built environment. The critical issue is the lack of comprehensive and systematic research in urban built environments, policies and plans. Therefore, the purpose of this study is a meta-synthesis review of selected sources to clarify the dimensions of social sustainability in these areas. Four categories of urban form, policies and plans, dimensions and features and the main areas of social sustainability have been identified by data coding using the MAXQDA software to achieve this goal. By understanding and explaining the stated categories, the results of the studies are presented in a framework of social sustainability, including conceptualization, policy-making and action in the urban built environment. Each dimension enters democracy-based, participation-based, and ideology-based discourses in a more remarkable synthesis. A deep understanding of the results provides a basis for future studies to conduct further studies in each proposed discourse and link them more effectively to social sustainability

The Inhibitory Effects of Eucalyptus Extract on Herpes Simplex Virus-1 Replication in Baby Hamster Kidney Cells

Background and Objectives: In recent years, following the increasing of drug resistant strain of viruses, there has been an increasing interest in the use of natural substances with antiviral activity and low side effects. One of these herbal medicines, Eucaliptus, has shown some therapeutic effects including antibacterial and antiviral activities. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration of hydroalchoholic extract of Eucaliptus on Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) in vitro. Methods: In this experimental study, the hydroalchoholic extract of Eucalyptus leaves was prepared using 70% ethanol through maceration method. Baby Hamster Kidney (BHK) cells were grown in monolayer culture with Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) supplemented with 5% fetal calf serum and plated onto 48-well culture plates. 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50%) of the extract on BHK cells was determined, and subsequently 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50%) of the herbal extract on replication of HSV-1 both in extracellular and intracellular cases was assessed. Results: Based on Probit analysis, CC50% of the extract was 0.650mg/ml. Significant relationships between the concentration of the extract and cell death in the cell studied were shown using the Probit model (p<0.01). IC50s of the extract on the virus before cellular attachment and after entering the cells were 456.82µg/ml and 180.75µg/ml, respectively. Based on the model, with increasing the extract concentration, the percentage of inhibition of cytopathic effect (CPE) in both stages was increased (p<0.05). Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, hydroalchoholic extract of Eucaliptus could be probably an appropriate anti herpetic herbal medicine

The inhibitory effects of myrtle (Myrtus communis) extract on Herpes simplex virus-1 replication in Baby Hamster Kidney cells

زمینه و هدف: در سال های اخیر با افزایش سویه های مقاوم به دارو در انواع ویروس ها، یافتن مواد طبیعی با خواص ضد ویروسی که دارای اثرات جانبی کمتری نیز باشند مورد توجه محققین قرار گرفته است. گیاه مورد دارای اثرات مختلف درمانی از جمله اثر ضد باکتریایی و ضد قارچی می باشد. لذا این مطالعه با هدف تعیین حداقل غلظت بازدارندگی عصاره هیدروالکلی مورد روی ویروس هرپس سیمپلکس ویروس در کشت سلول صورت گرفته است. روش بررسی: در این مطالعه تجربی عصاره هیدروالکلی برگ های مورد به روش خیساندن با اتانول 70 تهیه شد. سلول(Baby Hamster Kidney) BHK در محیط کشت حاوی 5 سرم جنین گوساله در میکروپلیت های 48 خانه ای کشت گردید. پس از تعیین 50CC (Cytotoxic Concentration) عصاره بر روی سلول های BHK، اثر ممانعت کنندگی (50Inhibitory concentration= IC) آن بر تکثیر ویروس هرپس سیمپلکس نوع 1 (HSV1) در دومرحله جلوگیری از اتصال و تکثیر بعد از اتصال ارزیابی گردید. داده ها به کمک آزمون آماری پروبیت در هر مرحله محاسبه گردید. یافته ها: عصاره 96/4 میلی گرم بر میلی لیتر تعیین گردید. مدل پروبیت ارتباط معنی داری بین غلظت عصاره مورد و مرگ سلول ها نشان داد (001/0

The synergistic effect of hydroalcoholic extracts of Origanum vulgare, Hypericum perforatum and their active components carvacrol and hypericin against Staphylococcus aureus.

AIM: This study was designed to evaluate the synergistic activities of hydroalcoholic extracts of medicinal plants Origanum vulgare and Hypericum perforatum and their active components, carvacrol and hypericin against Staphylococcus aureus. METHODS: The synergistic effects of the plants, as well as carvacrol and hypericin, were examined using a checkered method against S. aureus (ATCC 12600). RESULTS: A fractional inhibitory concentration of 0.5 was obtained for combination of O. vulgare and H. perforatum and 0.49 for combination of the active ingredients carvacrol and hypericin, both of which indicated a synergistic effect. CONCLUSION: This preliminary evaluation demonstrated a synergistic property of O. vulgare and H. perforatum extracts in treating S. aureus infection. This study indicates that combination of the plants, as well as combination of carvacrol and hypericin, might be used as a new antibacterial strategy against S. aureus. KEYWORDS: Gram positive; Staphylococcus aureus; antibacterial; antibiotic; checkered carried out to Fratini method; combination; fractional inhibitory concentration; herbal medicine; medicinal plant; synergis

If Foucault were an urban planner: An epistemology of power in planning theories

Power has always been an obvious presumption in planning theory. At times it has been considered as a one-way, top-down, instrumental and rational dominance while at other times, planning theory, in more fortunate moments, has tried to divide concepts of power between different actors through a communicative rationality-based process. This article locates Foucault’s theory of power in relation to recent planning theories as a magnifier in order to reveal the invisible or neglected lines of urban planning theories. The paper shows how the epistemology of power occurs in the six urban planning theories of synoptic, incremental, transactive, advocacy, bargaining and communicative. Finally, the main point of Foucault’s power theory will be derived into two suppositions: firstly, where planning results from the normalization of free and formal subjects when the power game of the government has been rejected; secondly, the characteristics of planning and planner from a power point of view are explained by understanding planning as an opportunity for the presence of power and resistance

سنجش عوامل مؤثر بر ارتقای امنیت زنان در محیط های شهری (مورد: محدوده اطراف پارک شهر- تهران)

وجود امنیت در محیط های شهری یکی از الزامات اساسی کیفیت زندگی محسوب می شود. تحقیقات نشان می دهد که حساسیت وجود و یا میزان امنیت نسبت به برخی از گروه‌های سنی و جنسی متفاوت می باشد. در این پژوهش تلاش شده تا با بهره گیری از مطالعات میدانی، موضوع امنیت محیط های شهری با رویکرد جنسیتی مورد مطالعه قرار گیرد. روند کار شامل استخراج مبانی و تجارب مرتبط صورت گرفته، سپس مفهوم سازی و استخراج ابعاد و شاخصها و متغیرها است. داده های مورد نیاز بر پایه پرسشنامه گردآوری شده است، محدوده مطالعاتی با توجه به میزان کشش اجتماعی فضای عمومی شهری، محدوده ای در جنوب خیابان امام خمینی، انتخاب گردیده است. سنجش میزان امنیت درک شده از فضا و میزان تردد و استفاده از فضا و ارتباط بین این دو مؤلفه از اهداف اساسی این مقاله می باشد. در این زمینه نتایج مطالعه نشان داد که بین احساس امنیت درک شده از فضا و میزان تردد و استفاده از آن فضا رابطه مستقیمی وجود دارد. همچنین در سنجش شاخصهای بعد اجتماعی کالبدی به مسئله میزان آشنا بودن محیط و شهرت فضا و در بُعد اجتماعی به شاخص عدالت اجتماعی فضا و اهمیت متغیر چیرگی جنسیتی در احساس امنیت ذهنی زنان در این شاخص پرداخته شده است