Physical Activity and Obesity Indicators: National Cross Sectional Study on Lebanese Adults

Association between higher levels of physical activity and lower rates of obesity has been shown. The aim is to assess the relation between the prevalence of physical activity and the Physical Activity Index (PAI) of 300 Lebanese healthy adults, with age, gender, occupation, body mass indices and waist circumferences (WC). The cutoff points of WC for both genders were determined using the values of Body Mass Index (BMI). A cross-sectional study using self-reported valid questionnaire was conducted randomly on 150 men and 150 women, between 18 and 74 years, from Beirut region. Association between variables was performed using chi2, T-Test and ANOVA. Linear regression determined the WC cutoffs based on BMI. 22% of the population was obese with WC mean level of 92.47±14.4cm (87.71±14.4 cm for women and 97.24±12.96 cm for men). The prevalence of physical activity was 34% in overall population (27% in women and 40% in men).There was no significant association between BMI values and PAI (p< 0.085 for men and p< 0.300 for women). However there was an inverse association between WC values and PAI in both genders (p<0.043 in men and p< 0.036 in women). Linear regression showed WC cut-off point in Lebanese women with BMI ≥25 kg/m2 and ≥30 kg/m2 of 86 cm and 100 cm respectively, whereas for men it was 92.12 cm and 105 cm respectively. The prevalence of physical activity in Beirut is low with differences among genders. The highest physical activity index is associated with the decreased values of waist circumference

E-learning adoption in higher education in Jordan: vision, reality and change

This paper discusses the implementation of an e-learning program at a Jordanian University (Al-Ahliyya Amman University). The program originally aimed to establish a virtual university which offers totally online courses but due to a number of reasons there had to be some changes in the implementation process. The paper discusses such changes and challenges faced by AAU in implementing its e-learning program from an IS project management point of view. Findings suggest that implementing such projects needs careful consideration of a variety of issues to ensure that the objectives are achieved. The case provides rich insights to other educational institutions wishing to implement such projects

A Survey of Air-to-Ground Propagation Channel Modeling for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), particularly for small UAVs, due to their affordable prices, ease of availability, and ease of operability. Existing and future applications of UAVs include remote surveillance and monitoring, relief operations, package delivery, and communication backhaul infrastructure. Additionally, UAVs are envisioned as an important component of 5G wireless technology and beyond. The unique application scenarios for UAVs necessitate accurate air-to-ground (AG) propagation channel models for designing and evaluating UAV communication links for control/non-payload as well as payload data transmissions. These AG propagation models have not been investigated in detail when compared to terrestrial propagation models. In this paper, a comprehensive survey is provided on available AG channel measurement campaigns, large and small scale fading channel models, their limitations, and future research directions for UAV communication scenarios

Contrasting Surface Behavior of Rh (111) and Pt (111) Electrodes

Low energy electron diffraction and voltammetric measurements of the Rh(lll) electrode were conducted and compared with the corresponding surface and electrochemical characteristics of Pt (111). Rhodium is unstable upon exposure to water vapor or liquid water, but retains its well-defined character after immersion to aqueous media. This is reflected in the voltammetric behavior of the clean surface, as well as the manner in which carbon monoxide and iodine are adsorbed from solution. That is, a monolayer of an oxygen-containing species, assembled into (2X2) surface structure, can either be reduced by the voltammetric treatment or replaced by adsorbing solution components without causing system disorder. The voltammetry of the Rh (111) electrode, while exhibiting the main features of several metallic single crystal surfaces, differs significantly from that of platinum electrodes normalized to the same 2D geometry. From the voltam- me\u27ric behavior, it is concluded that adsorption of high energy hydrogen is not taking place on Rh (111). Equally important, the packing density and the surface structure of the Rh(lll) — CO differs from its Pt(lll) — CO analog. While iodine chemisorption from the gas phase leads to the development of several surface structures known from the corresponding platinum work, preferential formation of the_Pt (111) (V3 X V3)R30°—I structure against the Pt(lll)(V7X V7)R19.1°—I was demonstrated. Both electronic and structural factors contribute to the contrasting surface behavior brought to focus in this work

Smoking enhances the proinflammatory effects of nucleotides on cytokine release from human lung

Nucleotides have effects on immune cells which are complex but generally proinflammatory, and have been suggested to play a role in smoking-related lung diseases. However, there have been no studies directly measuring functional responses to nucleotides in human lungs taken from smokers. We used fragments of post mortem human lung from smokers and non-smokers, incubated them with a range of nucleotides (4-1000 µM) in the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 10 µg/ml) for 24 hours and measured cytokines (IL-1β, IFNγ, IL-17, TNFα, IL-6, IL-8, IL-2 and IL-10) in the supernatants using multiplex immunoassays. Although the basal cytokine levels in the smokers were generally higher in the smokers than the non-smokers, there were no significant differences in either the basal release or the LPS-stimulated release of any of the cytokines when lungs from smokers and non-smokers were compared. There were no significant effects of ATP, ADP, AMP, UTP, α,β-methylene-ATP, P1, P4-diATP, 2-methylthio-ATP or Bz-ATP on the release of cytokines from the lungs. However, the stable ATP analogue ATPγS increased the release of IL-1β and IFNγ, and the effect was greatly increased in lungs from smokers. In non-smokers but not in smokers ATPγS increased the release of IL-17. Overall these results clearly demonstrate for the first time that in normal human lung a stable ATP analogue can enhance LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine release, and that these effects are greatly altered by a prior history of smoking. This provides strong support for the suggestion that nucleotides are involved in the pathogenesis of smoking-related diseases

The oxytocin analogue carbetocin prevents emotional impairment and stress-induced reinstatement of opioid-seeking in morphine-abstinent mice.

The main challenge in treating opioid addicts is to maintain abstinence due to the affective consequences associated with withdrawal which may trigger relapse. Emerging evidence suggests a role of the neurohypophysial peptide oxytocin (OT) in the modulation of mood disorders as well as drug addiction. However, its involvement in the emotional consequences of drug abstinence remains unclear. We investigated the effect of 7-day opioid abstinence on the oxytocinergic system and assessed the effect of the OT analogue carbetocin (CBT) on the emotional consequences of opioid abstinence, as well as relapse. Male C57BL/6J mice were treated with a chronic escalating-dose morphine regimen (20-100 mg/kg/day, i.p.). Seven days withdrawal from this administration paradigm induced a decrease of hypothalamic OT levels and a concomitant increase of oxytocin receptor (OTR) binding in the lateral septum and amygdala. Although no physical withdrawal symptoms or alterations in the plasma corticosterone levels were observed after 7 days of abstinence, mice exhibited increased anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviors and impaired sociability. CBT (6.4 mg/kg, i.p.) attenuated the observed negative emotional consequences of opioid withdrawal. Furthermore, in the conditioned place preference paradigm with 10 mg/kg morphine conditioning, CBT (6.4 mg/kg, i.p.) was able to prevent the stress-induced reinstatement to morphine-seeking following extinction. Overall, our results suggest that alterations of the oxytocinergic system contribute to the mechanisms underlying anxiety, depression, and social deficits observed during opioid abstinence. This study also highlights the oxytocinergic system as a target for developing pharmacotherapy for the treatment of emotional impairment associated with abstinence and thereby prevention of relapse

Binding of Vitamin K1(Phylloquinone) to Human Serum Albumin(HSA):Spectroscopic studies

The interaction of hydrophobic vitamin (vitamin K1) with human serum albumin (HSA) at physiological (pH 6.9- 7.4) has been studied using UV-VIS spectrometer, and an FT-IR spectroscopy. The interaction of hydrophobic vitamin (vitamin K1) with HSA has been investigated by using UV-absorption, and Fourier transforms infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The binding constant of vitamin K1 has been determined by UV-absorption. The value of the binding constant for vitamin K1 -HSA is calculated at room temperature 293 K and it was determined as 60 M����. FT-IR spectroscopy with Fourier self- deconvolution technique and second derivative resolution enhancement procedures were applied in the analysis of the amide I, amid II, and amid III regions to determine the protein secondary structure and hydrophobic vitamin binding mechanisms. All peaks positions in the three amide regions (amid I, amide II and amide III) have been assigned and any changes due to concentration changes have been investigated. The FTIR spectra measurements indicate a change in the intensity of absorption bands due to change in the concentrations in drugs. In addition a larger intensity decrease in the absorption band of α-helix relative to that of β-sheets has been observed. This variation in intensity is related indirectly to the formation of H-bonding in the complex molecules, which accounts for the different intrinsic propensities of α-helix and β-sheets.This work is supported by the German Research Foundation DFG Grant No. DR228/24-2

Factors That Hamper the Implementation of Constructability in the Gaza Strip

The subject of this research is about the barriers of constructability implementation in the Gaza strip. Therefore, this research aims at identifying the current implementation of constructability in the Gaza strip, clarifying the essential factors that hamper the implementation of constructability in the Gaza strip and clarifying solutions, whenever possible, that would help the participants to apply the constructability principles, in addition to develop guidelines for the practitioners of the construction industry. The present investigation consists of literature review in subjects related to constructability to determine the hampering factors. Interviews with experts and from the researcher experience a questionnaire was designed incorporating all possible hampering factors in theGazastrip. The questionnaire is divided into two parts: The first part is related to the importance and affect of the barrier factors in construction industry in general. This part was completed by one of the main players of a project (Contractor, Consultant, Owner or their representatives). The second part is related to the degree of existence of these barrier factors in the project under study. This part is completed by the researcher, from the project documents and through interviews with one or more of those who engaged in the project under study. This research includes 28 case studies (projects), the result of data analysis of the respondents' answers and the case studies showed the followings: All hampering factors were given a high rating by respondents in terms of the importance and affect of the barrier factors in construction industry. About 54 % of the respondents have never heard of the constructability and its concepts before. The political factors and project management factors have scored the highest rate amongst the nine main factors that hamper the implementation of constructability in theGazastrip. Nature of the project factors and knowledge & experience factors has scored the lowest rate amongst the nine main factors that hamper the implementation of constructability in theGazastrip. Recurrent closure of crossings and absence of preassembling before project's execution have scored the highest rate amongst the 56 sub-factors that hamper the implementation of constructability in the Gaza strip. Project remoteness & lack of utilities and type of contract have scored the least rate amongst the 56 sub-factors that hamper the implementation of constructability in theGazastrip. Finally, the researcher has designed a framework that acts as a guideline for the construction industry's practioners to overcome barriers of constructability, in accordance with the appearance of the barrier factors in the project life cycle, in order to achieve the desired project objectives

The Eastern Origins of the Rise of the West and the “Return” of Asia

With the current interest in China (and India) proliferating within the Western Academy, this article claims that what we are witnessing today is not the rise but the “return” of China (and India). Many academics assume that the West has been the dominant civilization in the world economy in the last 500 years and that the current “rise” of China threatens to knock the West off its perch. However, this article provides an alternative take to this cherished axiom of Eurocentric world history by inverting the standard belief that the West pioneered modernity and then expanded outwards to remake the world. Thus, I argue not only that globalization preceded the rise of the West but that it was Eastern-led on the one hand and that it enabled the Western breakthrough into modernity on the other. This, in turn, rests on my claim that Chinese development stems back not to 1978 but to 960 ce as the Sung Dynasty emerged and subsequently undertook a quasi-industrial miracle. Moreover, between 1450/1492 and ca. 1830 China lay at the centre of the nascent global economy, fanning the integration process alongside other key non-Western regions such as India and West Asia/North Africa. And, while the West was the dominant player after ca. 1830 down to the turn of the third millennium, nevertheless, what we witness today is the return of China to the centre of the global economy whence it came

Military deployment, masculinity and trauma : reviewing the connections

This article reviews the literature on deployment trauma and examines the limitations of conventional understandings of trauma as they relate to veterans’ experiences. It suggests that the failure to take into account social influences and social relationships limits the usefulness of conventional approaches to trauma. The article considers the role that masculinity plays in male veterans’ experience of and sense making about trauma. It is suggested that while formal recognition of posttraumatic stress disorder in the DSM has provided a helpful language for veterans, it is an incomplete response. A new model of masculinity that better enables the male veteran to speak about trauma and to reconnect with others has implications for counselling practice with veterans