The Assessment of Microclimatic Conditions, Users' Psychological Adaptation and Physical Aspects of the Space: Enhancing Spatial Quality of Outdoor Public Spaces (OPS)

Outdoor Public Spaces (OPS) are of great necessity and importance to urban cities as they accommodate pedestrian traffic and outdoor activities, as they also contribute enormously to urban life and livability. It has been demonstrated through investigating thermal comfort conditions in OPS that a quantitative approach alone is inadequate in characterizing comfort conditions for outdoor public users’. The study revealed that although microclimate conditions are both a critical parameter for the use of outdoor spaces in the urban environment and strongly influence thermal sensation, they cannot fully account for the wide disparity between objective and subjective comfort evaluation, whereas, the role of psychological adaptation seems to become increasingly important. The research study was carried out using a systematic questionnaire and taking microclimatic measurements of air temperature, humidity and wind speed of the OPS at Al-Corniche and Aspire, Qatar. Furthermore, this thesis concentrates on the matter of psychological adaptation of the user. This includes naturalness of the place, expectations, experience, time of exposure, perceived control and environmental stimulation. Microclimatic monitoring, role of psychological adaptation, along with on-site observational mapping and visual material of the physical aspects of the OPS were used to identify and present the relative impact of each of these parameters and their relationship to one another. The initial results demonstrate that a purely quantitative approach is insufficient in describing comfort conditions outdoors, and an understanding of the dynamic human parameter is necessary in designing spaces for public use. Understanding the interrelationship between microclimatic conditions and the different factors of psychological adaptation would be important so as to assess their design role; whether design considerations would influence these parameters, or vice versa, whether they could influence design decisions. An awareness of these issues would be valuable to architects, planners and urban designers, by way of enriching the design possibilities with more favorable outdoor comfort conditions. Refinement of OPS for design purposes is examined with investigation into modification considerations of the environmental variables that are susceptible to control by urban design for increased user comfort

Integrated Approach for the Improvement of Human Comfort in the Public Realm: The Case of the Corniche, the Linear Urban Link of Doha

The Corniche is a public realm located in Doha. Its waterfront palm-fringed boulevard and twin carriageway extends in a horseshoe shape and runs 7 km along the Doha Bay and the city's sea-front. Doha Corniche is indisputably the most attractive part of Doha, studded with exciting green surroundings and remarkable modern architecture. The Corniche was formed during the late 1970s and early 1980s, reshaping Doha’s coastline. The public space used to be an empty walkway, however development has expanded in the 21st century with many skyscrapers being built towards the north of the Corniche. Presently, the Doha Corniche is an appealing designation of the economic boom. Today a rapid development of the built environment of Doha including public urban open spaces is witnessed. Open spaces are functional under the circumstance that they are used by the people; however, the open spaces in Doha are vacant due to the unappealing and uncomfortable physical and non-physical factors, namely during summer. This paper proposes an integrated approach for improvement of human comfort conditions in a public outdoor space all year round with emphasis on the summer season. The objective is to assess the existing condition of Doha Corniche and provide solutions that address the outdoor urban comfort issues. The extent to which physical and non- physical characteristics of Doha Corniche can contribute to enhance human comfort was investigated through structured interviews, surveys, site observations and visual material, such as maps, photographs and drawings. Through the findings, specific parameters, which contribute to the outdoor human comfort in Doha’s public realm, have been identified. Finally, an integrated approach for implementation of human comfort in the Corniche is discussed

The urban regeneration’s framework for transit villages in Qatar: the case of Al Sadd in Doha

In the past two decades, Doha, the capital city of the State of Qatar, has undergone a rapid urban transformation. In 2013 and 2014, the State of Qatar, respectively, initiated the construction of Doha Metro and launched the Qatar National Development Framework (QNDF), an action plan for managing sustainable urban development at national level. Namely, QNDF emphasizes the importance of linking Doha Metro system with urban growth through transit-oriented developments (TODs), a model maximizing the integration between transport systems and land use, through the development of sustainable, vibrant, livable, compact and mixed-use communities. This research study focuses on Al Sadd, a mixed-use neighborhood located in the center of Doha. Al Sadd is considered a significant site for investigating the extent to which the TOD model can contribute to enhance standards of urban living and fostering a long-term urban sustainability. The strategy for monitoring and assessing the potential benefits of the investigated TOD is grounded on the on-site analysis (based on graph theory) of two indices: (1) built environment diversity and density and (2) travel behavior. The revealed comprehensive approach for the urban regeneration of the Al Sadd TOD is based on a framework for enhancing its (1) mixed-used urban fabric and (2) multimodal transportation systems. In turn, the proposed framework provides insights to move incrementally toward interdisciplinary research and governance for TOD in Qatar and in the globalizing GCC, through a long-term sustainability perspective.The authors would like to acknowledge the research-oriented vision of Qatar University as an academic institute supporting sustainable development in the State of Qatar. This research study was developed as part of two research project schemes: (1) Collaborative Grant QUCG-CENG-1920-4 titled “The Action Plan for the Implementation of Qatar National Masterplan based on Integration of Land Use and Public Transport Systems”, awarded and funded by Qatar University; (2) UREP 23-065-5-001 titled “Sustainable Urbanism for the Urban Regeneration and Preservation of the Cultural-Heritage Site of the Souq Waqif in Doha (State of Qatar)”, awarded and funded from Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF, a member of Qatar Foundation). The authors would like to express their gratitude to the leading planners and architects of Qatar’s Government Agencies and Ministries, namely the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), Qatar Rail (QR), Qatar Museums Authority (QMNA) and Ashghal Public Works Authority for their collaboration, for participating in the meetings, sharing visual data and cardinal documents relevant to the research aims, and for discussing the results and conclusion of this investigation. This paper was subject to a Double-Blind Peer Review process. Once accepted for publication, the journal ‘Environment, Development and Sustainability (ENVI)’ offered the authors the choice to publish this article on open access (OA). The open access (OA) publication of this article was funded by the Qatar National Library. Finally, the authors thank the anonymous reviewers for their comments, which contributed to an improvement of this paper. The authors are solely responsible for the statements made herein

Characterization of the Poplar Pan-Genome by Genome-Wide Identification of Structural Variation

Many recent studies have emphasized the important role of structural variation (SV) in determining human genetic and phenotypic variation. In plants, studies aimed at elucidating the extent of SV are still in their infancy. Evidence has indicated a high presence and an active role of SV in driving plant genome evolution in different plant species.With the aim of characterizing the size and the composition of the poplar pan-genome, we performed a genome-wide analysis of structural variation in three intercrossable poplar species: Populus nigra, Populus deltoides, and Populus trichocarpa We detected a total of 7,889 deletions and 10,586 insertions relative to the P. trichocarpa reference genome, covering respectively 33.2\u2009Mb and 62.9\u2009Mb of genomic sequence, and 3,230 genes affected by copy number variation (CNV). The majority of the detected variants are inter-specific in agreement with a recent origin following separation of species.Insertions and deletions (INDELs) were preferentially located in low-gene density regions of the poplar genome and were, for the majority, associated with the activity of transposable elements. Genes affected by SV showed lower-than-average expression levels and higher levels of dN/dS, suggesting that they are subject to relaxed selective pressure or correspond to pseudogenes.Functional annotation of genes affected by INDELs showed over-representation of categories associated with transposable elements activity, while genes affected by genic CNVs showed enrichment in categories related to resistance to stress and pathogens. This study provides a genome-wide catalogue of SV and the first insight on functional and structural properties of the poplar pan-genome

Bio-Facades; An Innovative Design Solution Towards Sustainable Architecture in Hot Arid Zones

The Arabian Gulf is a semi-enclosed sea with very high evaporation and low discharge rates resulting in extreme saline and thermal conditions. Additionally the system is characterized by a weak hydrodynamic flushing resulting in pollutant build-up over time. As a result, compared to open marine systems, added stress imposed by pollutants is likely to have severe consequences. Qatar has witnessed a rapid expansion in coastal development, linked to its industrial and population growth in recent decades. While economically and socially valuable, the growth comes with an associated environmental cost and Qatar's marine environment now faces many pressures including eutrophication, inputs of domestic sewage, discharge of industrial waste and the resuspension of sediment due to coastal construction. Although the threats pose to biota inhabiting Qatar's marine environment are evident, their extent has yet to be fully assessed. A large percentage of contaminants in the aquatic environment consist of potentially (directly or indirectly) genotoxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic substances. A genotoxin can modify the genetic material at non lethal and non cytotoxic concentrations and has often belated effects which are significantly important at the population and community levels. Genotoxins have particularly high ecotoxicological relevance in situations of chronic exposure to low doses and to multiple contaminants (e.g. in case of PAHs rich tarballs arriving in the shorelines), raising he need to establish genotoxicological profiles of the ecosystems. Indeed several regulatory developments such as: EU – Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the or US – Environmental Protection Agency – Integrated Risk Information System have stressed explicitly on the need of the detection and assessment of potential carcinogenic and mutagenic toxicants using genotoxicity endpoints. The analysis of cytogenetic endpoints in organisms exposed to contaminants in their natural environment contributes significantly to the early detection of genotoxic damage. The relevance of cytogenetic parameters and atypical cytogenetic features, such as numerical chromosomal abnormalities, i.e. aneuploidy, have largely proven their relevance as alerting indicators of poor environmental health and relevant biomarkers for the early detection of environmental stressors. The use of marine invertebrates for in situ environmental assessment is a widely accepted method for identifying risks to the ecosystems. Moreover, at the DNA and chromosome levels they express qualitatively similar types of induced damage to that found in higher organism (e.g. numerical and structural chromosomal aberrations). In this study, we aimed to take a step towards Qatar's marine sustainability by assessing the health status of the marine environment, and providing early alerting symptoms of degradation, by having as specific objectives: i) to measure the levels, in abiotic (water, sediments) and a marine invertebrate model species, of various anthropogenic contaminants (metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, (PAHs) and Total polyaromatic hydrocarbons (TPH) at 3 selected sites around the Qatari coast, ii) measure the biological response at the chromosome level, and iii) determine the main drivers of genotoxicity through a multivariate analysis in order to establish a first partial genotoxicological profile of the Qatar Marine Zone. The 3 selected sampling sites, with expected different levels and sources of pollution were: South of Al Khor, Al Wakra harbor and South of Doha harbor. Two sampling campaigns were performed, one in summer and one in winter, to evaluate the role of the abiotic parameters, among others, on the bioavailability of the studied contaminants. The native pearl oyster Pinctada radiata was selected as model and surrogate species due to, its wide distribution along the Qatari coast, filter feeder and sessile mode of life and to its ability as a bivalve to bioaccumulate pollutants. Chemical analyses of the main trace metals and hydrocarbons were performed in water, sediment and P. radiata samples. The evaluation of the aneuploidy levels in P. radiata was estimated in 25–30 animals from each sampling site and season, by counting the total number of aneuploid metaphases over 30 metaphases counted per individual. The evaluation of the aneuploidy level on Pinctada radiata from the three sampling sites revealed an occurrence of significantly higher levels in Al-Wakra harbor (17% in summer and 20% in winter) and South of Doha harbor (19% in summer and 17% in winter), when compared to Al Khor (5% in summer cand 7% in winter). No statistically significant differences were observed between seasons in each location. In order to investigate the discrepancy between sampling sites and seasons with respect to all estimated descriptors and to evaluate the relationship between all the studied parameters, a principal component analysis (PCA) was performed. Aneuploidy levels were highly correlated to mercury and PAHs levels in the bivalve tissue. Moreover, the higher aneuploidy levels registered at Al Wakra harbor (both seasons) and Doha harbor (summer) showed a high correlation with the contaminants levels in P. radiata tissues. South of Al Khor (in both sampling seasons) was highly positively correlated with Cadmium (Cd), although this contamination was not responsible for a significant increase of the aneuploidy levels. The studied genotoxic contaminants were found to be highly variable among considered locations and between sampling seasons. Indeed, the 6 observations (contaminants levels among three sampling sites at two sampling seasons) differ substantially, no site or sampling season grouping being observed, which suggests an important spatial and temporal variability of the bioaccumulation of pollutants into P. radiata tissues. The aneuploidy levels, however, were consistently different among sampled locations, but did not differ between the two sampling seasons, suggesting that aneuploidy is the consequence of a local chronic contamination, and not a direct response to the temporal variability of the contaminants in P. radiata tissues. The results of this study confirm the suitability of the cytogenetic endpoints to discriminate, categorize the studied sites as regards to their level of contamination, underlining the added value of the detection of the genotoxicity levels in the marine environment to environmental health assessment and mitigation research programs. Further studies should be developed, under the specific hydrological and toxicological conditions of the Qatar Marine Zone (QMZ), to better explain the underlining mechanisms of such genotoxicity in the local filter feeders. The establishment of a Genotoxicological profile of the QMZ would be a valuable contribution to a wider approach on environmental diagnosis or prognosis, contributing to the protection and sustainability of the QMZ natural habitats and resources.qscienc

The Effects of Different Antihypertensives, Steroids, and Beta Blockers on COVID-19 Outcomes in a CKD and Non-CKD Cohort in Detroit, Michigan

Initial studies during the COVID-19 pandemic reported angiotensin converting enzyme 2 inhibitors (ACE2i) could be associated with worse disease course due to potential increase in ACE2 receptors which SARS-CoV2 virus uses for cellular entry. Subsequent studies refuted such concerns, reporting that continued use of ACEis and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) in hypertensive individuals is protective. However, there remains a paucity of data evaluating effects of various antihypertensive medications, steroids, and beta blockers in chronic kidney disease (CKD) populations and in individuals with normal kidney function. This study was designed to evaluate the potential risks associated with antihypertensive medications and COVID-19 outcomes in a cohort of mostly Black and Caucasian patients admitted to the Detroit Medical Center for COVID-19. We collected data from 330 patients using inclusion criteria of age \u3e 18 years and a positive SARS-CoV2 PCR test. We used the mean, standard deviation/standard error of mean, and percentages when appropriate for the description of patient characteristics. Group differences (CKD vs. non-CKD) were compared using the Pearson χ2 test. P-values of \u3c0.05 were regarded as significant. On regression analyses, the odds of death during hospitalization for COVID-19 infection was not significantly associated with either biological sex, race, or CKD status in our sample population. The odds of dying in the hospital were higher in patients who were on calcium channel blockers (OR 2.99, 95% CI 1.29-6.93) and steroids (OR 4.23, 95% CI 1.17-15.31). The only significance for ICU admission was obtained for steroid use (OR 1.872, 95% CI 1.059-3.311)

BDES1020 Continuous City <Sara Zaina>

SPS (Salam Peace Shalom) is a multi-functional building, consisting of a prayer hall, offices, lecture rooms, a display area and CAFÉ to unite people from all over Jerusalem. SPS is divided into two main areas; public (genders mix) and private (genders separate). The cladding is the key point to achieve the private vs. public idea, were the walls of the public are see-through; whilst the roof is solid and vice versa in terms of the private spaces. The private spaces have a simple geometric form of skylight; this is intentionally achieved to permit rays of sunlight to enter SPS giving the sense of hope, peace and a serene atmosphere. The black solid walls however, demonstrate the war outside, implementing politics into architecture. However the internal white insulated cooling walls allow the individual to have a sense of privacy, purity and peace. In comparison, the transparent walls of the public space allow entry of light, and make it easier for people to see. There are two separate entries for each gender, leading to the central courtyard which is the controlling point of circulation. The ramp however, is shared by both genders as it leads to a public space i.e. display area. The display area is the focal point of SPS; this is achieved by manipulating the height and shape of the roof. Overall, SPS gives the luxury of Peace, Salam and Shalom

Aggregazione amiloide di domini strutturali di lisozima umano

In questo lavoro di Tesi sono state analizzate le caratteristiche strutturali e di aggregazione di due domini complementari di lisozima, i frammenti 58-108 e 1-57/109-130, ottenuti mediante proteolisi con pepsina in ambiente acido e purificati mediante RP-HPLC

THE DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SMART GREEN ROOFS (SGR) IN HOT ARID CLIMATES - CASE OF DOHA, QATAR

Greening the city is an old-conventional approach that has been rediscovered in the roof system to improve the urban environment in a smart and sustainable manner. Despite the growing literature on green roofs, there remains a lack of studies exploring the implementation of smart digital applications. Moreover, there is an absence of research addressing the utilization of smart green roofs (SGRs) in hot arid regions, making it challenging to evaluate their suitability as a heat mitigation strategy for Qatar. The SGR incorporates smart sensors linked to Internet of Things to automate optimal irrigation performance. The research aims to design, develop, and implement SGRs optimal for the hot arid climate of Qatar. It seeks to evaluate the influence of SGRs on the users' thermal comfort and building's energy consumption, employing qualitative and quantitative tools. Employing questionnaire and interview approaches to gather users' perceptions. Real-time experiment and DesignBuilder simulations are utilized to compare an SGR against a non-green roof (bare) on an office building in Doha, Qatar. Real-time data measured plant performance, wind speed, temperature, humidity, and heat flux. Whilst simulation data extracted wind speed, temperature, humidity, heat flux, energy consumption, thermal conductivity, U-Value, and R-Value. Statistical analysis, p value tool, is employed to establish the significance and relationship between environmental factors and plant performance, including color, height, and leaf area index (LAI). Performance of SGRs, associated with an increase in LAI and plant height, Performance of SGRs, associated with an increase in LAI and plant height, effectively reduced indoor temperatures, heat flux, and relative temperature. SGR's thermal performance improves with an increase in LAI, plant height, and soil moisture, reducing the U-Value and amplifying the R-Value. The resulting improved insulation directly influences a diminished amount of energy consumption. These effects enhance the users' thermal comfort concerning the indoor environment quality. Urban planners, architects, and engineers can further implement the integration of the SGR as a valid green technology due to its lightweight element and low maintenance requirements. Finally, this study aims to design, develop, and implement SGRs and formulate design recommendations that can be applied on existing and new roofs in Qatar