Compact urban form: Neighbouring and social activity

Compact urban form has been widely suggested as a more sustainable development pattern that enhances different aspects of social liveability such as social exchange, collective interaction, and outdoor activity. Empirical research, however, challenges proposing a generic and universal understanding of compactness and its social advantages: compactness is perceived and lived differently in different socio-cultural contexts. This paper contributes to the call for gaining a more place-specific understanding from the compact urban form. To do so, it examines the social life of compact neighbourhoods in two study sites in Berlin. Social life is investigated by measuring the two dimensions of “neighbouring” and “social activities”: while the former explores how residents of the neighbourhood perceive different aspects of social life, the latter maps how urban space accommodates different types of social activity. Questionnaires and advanced mapping techniques are the primary sources of research obtained through intensive fieldwork and on-site observation. The research findings challenge some dominant assumptions attributed to the compact urban form orthodoxy: a compact neighbourhood can be perceived as safe, offer acceptable home and neighbourhood satisfaction, and, at the same time, suffer from low social networking and community engagement

Social sustainability of compact neighbourhoods: Evidence from London and Berlin

This article revisits social sustainability of compact urban neighbourhoods based on first-hand evidence from four case studies in London and Berlin. It suggests a working definition for socially sustainable neighbourhoods, develops a tripartite integrative evaluation framework for measuring social sustainability of urban neighbourhoods, and applies it to four case studies in London and Berlin. Findings of this research are in line with some dominant arguments made in favour of social sustainability of compact urban form, but challenges some others. Research findings suggest that compact urban form is not an urban orthodoxy, but has multiple and contrasting social meanings and perceptions in different contexts and places

A Comparative study on the chaperone-like activity of camel and bovine β-caseins

     Molecular chaperones are characterized by a general behavior, arresting the exposed hydrophobic surfaces of denaturing substrate proteins. In the present study, the capacity of β-caseins (β-CN) from camel and bovine milk in suppression of thermal aggregation process of apo-yeast alcohol dehydrogenase (YADH) was assessed. Apo-I enzyme was prepared by removal of the structural zinc; while apo-II-protein was obtained by depleting conformational and catalytic zinc atoms. Fluorescence spectroscopy using ANS probe revealed greater hydrophobic surface in apo-II ADH. Considerable decrease in aggregation of the heat treated protein molecules was observed upon exposing to β-CNs (camel, bovine). Bovine β-CN afforded more adverse effects on thermal aggregation. A direct correlation between casein’s chaperone activity and structural stability of the substrate proteins was displayed. Moreover, an association between casein source and chaperone-like activity is suggested

Arch width changes in patients with Class II division 1 malocclusion treated with maxillary first premolar extraction and non-extraction method

Background: The aim of this study was to determine arch width changes during maxillary first premolars extraction and non-extraction treatment in patients with Class II division 1 malocclusion. Material and Methods: Dental casts of 91 Class II division 1 patients (36 males and 55 females) were evaluated. The minimum age of the subjects at the beginning of treatment was above 16 years. 48 patients were treated with extraction of the maxillary first premolars and 43 patients were treated without extraction. Pre- and post-treatment maxillary and mandibular inter-canine and inter-molar arch widths were measured. Results: At the end of treatment, maxillary and mandibular inter-canine widths of both groups increased significantly. The maxillary inter-molar width decreased in the extraction group and increased in the non-extraction group. The mandibular inter-molar width increased significantly in both groups. No significant differences were observed between males and females. Conclusions: The results of this study indicated that there was a tendency for an increase in arch width during both the extraction and non-extraction treatment except maxillary inter-molar width in the extraction cases

Shear bond strength and debonding characteristics of metal and ceramic brackets bonded with conventional acid-etch and self-etch primer systems: an in-vivo study

Background: Different in-vitro studies have reported various results regarding shear bond strength (SBS) of orthodontic brackets when SEP technique is compared to conventional system. This in-vivo study was designed to compare the effect of conventional acid-etching and self-etching primer adhesive (SEP) systems on SBS and debonding characteristics of metal and ceramic orthodontic brackets. Material and Methods: 120 intact first maxillary and mandibular premolars of 30 orthodontic patients were selected and bonded with metal and ceramic brackets using conventional acid-etch or self-etch primer system. The bonded brackets were incorporated into the wire during the study period to simulate the real orthodontic treatment condition. The teeth were extracted and debonded after 30 days. The SBS, debonding characteristics and adhesive remnant indices (ARI) were determined in all groups. Results: The mean SBS of metal brackets was 10.63±1.42 MPa in conventional and 9.38±1.53 MPa in SEP system, ( P =0.004). No statistically significant difference was noted between conventional and SEP systems in ceramic brackets. The frequency of 1, 2 and 3 ARI scores and debonding within the adhesive were the most common among all groups. No statistically significant difference was observed regarding ARI or failure mode of debonded speci mens in different brackets or bonding systems. Conclusions: The SBS of metal brackets bonded using conventional system was significantly higher than SEP system, although the SBS of SEP system was clinically acceptable. No significant difference was found between conventional and SEP systems used with ceramic brackets. Total SBS of metal brackets was significantly higher than ceramic brackets. Due to adequate SBS of SEP system in bonding the metal brackets, it can be used as an alternative for conventional system

Mapping neighbourhood outdoor activities: Space, time, gender, and age

This paper investigates spatial, temporal, age, and gender pattern of outdoor social activities in urban neighbourhoods and their correlation with properties of urban form. Informed by theories and mapping techniques in urban sociology, urban design, and behavioural research, it develops a methodology for mapping outdoor social activities and applies it to four case studies in London and Berlin. Findings demonstrate how different types of activities are spatially distributed, reflecting socio-spatial characteristics of the given neighbourhood. The paper elaborates the contribution of the research to ongoing debates such as gendered space and age-friendly communities and suggests methodological improvements for future research

Computational biomechanics of the human knee joint : role of collagen fibrils networks

Functional anatomy -- Analysis of articular cartilage as a composite using nonlinear membrane elements for collagen fibrils -- Deep vertical collagen fibrils play a significant role in mechanics of articular cartilage -- Role of cartilage collagen fibrils networks in knee joint biomechanics under compression -- Analysis of partial meniscectomy and ACL reconstruction in knee joint biomechanics under combined loading -- Comparison with experimental measurements -- Clinical and biomechanical implications

New Towns - Promises Towards Sustainable Urban Form : From "Shushtar-No" to "Shahre Javan Community"

Zugleich gedruckt erschienen im Universitätsverlag der Technischen Universität Berlin, 2013. - ISBN 978-3-7983-2512-8, ISSN 2193-6099This book presents a comparative study between Shahre Javan Community Pilot Project and Shushtar-No, the latter a residential complex designed and partly realized 35 years ago in the southern part of Iran, the former a residential quarter in Hashtgerd New Town in the west of Tehran as the Pilot Project of the "Young Cities Research Project", which has been conducted by a multidisciplinary research group at Technische Universität Berlin in cooperation with the Building and Housing Research Center (BHRC) of Iran. This comparative study shows how these two projects have planned to meet the place-specific and time-related prerequisites expected from an optimal residential community

A study on the role and importance of information technology in the establishment of knowledge management in training and education

The main purpose of this article is to recognize the role and importance of Information Technology in the establishment of knowledge management in training and education. Rapid changes in today's world have posed various challenges for organizations. However, successful organizations are those that take advantage of resulted opportunities by using knowledge management and new technologies. For the success of an organization, knowledge should be exchanged between individuals and be able to grow as an asset. The supporting role of information technology is what facilitates the process of knowledge management in organizations which use it for overcoming problems, anytime and anywhere. In this paper, we assess the role and importance of Information Technology in the establishment of knowledge management in training and education by using descriptive methods, documentation, and review of the results obtained from other studies and articles in electronic research databases and library resources. This article is derived from the Corresponding Author’s MA thesis in the field of educational administration