Ya Quds Academic Cultural News Letter, Issue No. 1

In this issue, we introduce CJS and its programmes. The newsletter also contains short articles and essays in English and Arabic written by academics, researchers, students, and others interested in the city and society of Jerusalem. We do not focus on a specific theme but have rather left it up to individual contributors to decide upon topics of interest to them under the general rubric of Jerusalem. We would like to thank the President of the University, Prof. Dr. Imad Abu Kishek, for his support and introductory words presenting the various institutions of Al- Quds University in Jerusalem. We would also like to thank Dr. Safa Nassereldin, Vice President for Jerusalem Affairs for her constant support, as well as the staff of CJS for their assistance in making this issue possible. Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those who have contributed to this first issue of Ya Quds!. Despite the tense situation reigning today in the Old City of Jerusalem, we at CJS are committed to maintaining our presence there as an academic and cultural institution in Suq Al-Qattanin (the Cotton Market) in the Old City of Jerusalem, on the hope that Ya Quds! will become a forum for the many voices of the city. We hereby send out a call for articles for the second issue of Ya Quds!. Articles may be in Arabic or English, should not exceed 1200 words, and should be dedicated to a topic on Jerusalem. The deadline for submission is May 20, 2016. We look forward to your contributions. The newsletter is available online at: www.jerusalem-studies.alquds.ed

Adapting Modernity: Designing with Modern Architecture in East Jerusalem, 1948–1967

This study examines the influence of modernity on residential buildings as a new form of expansion built during the Jordanian Rule (1948–1967) outside the Old City of East Jerusalem. Through investigating a sample of houses, the study shows how building typologies, layouts and architectural characteristics depict and inform reinterpretations and adaptations of modernity. Unlike the modernity that emerged out of the western locus, these buildings do not ignore their vernacular roots but adapt to the Palestinian socio-cultural lifestyle, and at the same time borrow from the aesthetic and ideological characteristics of the modern idiom. Based on architectural documentation and ethnographic research, the analyses show that the peasants (Fallahin) made an important contribution to the adaptive modernity of residential buildings in East Jerusalem. The designs were influenced by some aspects of modernity but were also subject to local and cultural determinants. The study contributes to the literature on ‘other modernities’ outside the west, and to an architectural history that is informed by people’s private and individual experience rather than by those working in the profession. This is considered to be a neglected heritage that this article aims to redress

YA QUDS! Issue No. 5

Jerusalem is full of stories. When preparing for each issue of Ya Quds!, we receive a good number of literary and social articles as well as poems. We are happy to read them all and learn from them. When reading these writings, we realize that this city is full of treasures and surprises, full of creative abilities and hidden talents. Despite the difficult political, economic, and social conditions, and perhaps because of them, these treasures and talents stem from the strong feelings of Jerusalemites for their city reflecting their hopes for a better future. We thank all those who sent their writings and apologize to those whose articles were not published in this issue

High Prevalence of MERS-CoV Infection in Camel Workers in Saudi Arabia

The Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is a coronavirus (CoV)-mediated respiratory disease. Virus transmission occurs within health care settings, but cases also appear sporadically in the community. Camels are believed to be the source for community-acquired cases, but most patients do not have camel exposure. Here, we assessed whether camel workers (CWs) with high rates of exposure to camel nasal and oral secretions had evidence of MERS-CoV infection. The results indicate that a high percentage of CWs were positive for virus-specific immune responses but had no history of significant respiratory disease. Thus, a possible explanation for repeated MERS outbreaks is that CWs develop mild or subclinical disease. These CWs then transmit the virus to uninfected individuals, some of whom are highly susceptible, develop severe disease, and are detected as primary MERS cases in the community.Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), a highly lethal respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus (MERS-CoV), is an emerging disease with high potential for epidemic spread. It has been listed by the WHO and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) as an important target for vaccine development. While initially the majority of MERS cases were hospital acquired, continued emergence of MERS is attributed to community acquisition, with camels likely being the direct or indirect source. However, the majority of patients do not describe camel exposure, making the route of transmission unclear. Here, using sensitive immunological assays and a cohort of camel workers (CWs) with well-documented camel exposure, we show that approximately 50% of camel workers (CWs) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and 0% of controls were previously infected. We obtained blood samples from 30 camel herders, truck drivers, and handlers with well-documented camel exposure and from healthy donors, and measured MERS-CoV-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence assay (IFA), and neutralizing antibody titers, as well as T cell responses. Totals of 16/30 CWs and 0/30 healthy control donors were seropositive by MERS-CoV-specific ELISA and/or neutralizing antibody titer, and an additional four CWs were seronegative but contained virus-specific T cells in their blood. Although virus transmission from CWs has not been formally demonstrated, a possible explanation for repeated MERS outbreaks is that CWs develop mild disease and then transmit the virus to uninfected individuals. Infection of some of these individuals, such as those with comorbidities, results in severe disease and in the episodic appearance of patients with MERS