bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
ASPECTS OF THE ARCHITECTURAL AND URBAN HERITAGE: FROM REGISTERS TO CONSERVATION FOR ADAPTIVE AND MODERN USE AT THE HISTORIC CORES OF SALT AND IRBID, JORDAN
Authors: Fakhoury Leen Adeeb , Haddad Naif Adel 
Published: November 2017

This paper attempts to present and discuss the outcome of the results of the key different studies and projects carried out at Salt and at Irbid historic cores. It focuses on the executed urban heritage projects undertaken mainly by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA) of Jordan in the last two decades. It discusses their different aspects through initial assessment of the loss and degradation of the cultural heritage assets of the two cities; the fragmentation and lack of connectivity between the modern and historic cores; issues of sustainability of architectural and urban heritage projects i.e. tourism planning and conservation; and reuse projects at the historic cores in relation to cultural, physical factors and development needs. It also addresses the behaviour and characteristics of the urban regeneration process in those two historic cities, starting from their documentation to examination of the different aspects of the currently adopted urban practices and policies, and their impact on the existing urban heritage, depending on the specific identity of the respective historic cores. Finally, it aims to define the main constraints and challenges for the reuse of the existing heritage fabric including the local community quality of life, while building on sustainable heritage activities accommodating tourism opportunities. This will give, at least, some indications from which we can identify a use or combination of uses, and practical steps needed for successful heritage conservation actions in Jordan, in order to retain the cultural significance of the place.
INVESTIGATING THE EFFECT OF EMPLOYING IMMERSIVE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT ON ENHANCING SPATIAL PERCEPTION WITHIN DESIGN PROCESS
Authors: Abu Alatta Rawan Taisser , Freewan Ahmed Abdullah 
Published: November 2017

The recent developments in Information Technology (IT) and digital media have introduced new opportunities to design studio and new dimensions to design and architecture. The current research studies how the immersion of Virtual Reality (VR) in architectural design studio affects spatial perception through the design process. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of using such environments on changing the way how to design for human experience: how it will improve students' spatial understanding of Three Dimensions (3D) volumes, and how it will enhance their imagination, enrich their creativity and promote their ability to experience their design's sensations. This study hypothesizes that using an immersive virtual environment in design studio will empower students' imaginations and give them the ability to understand and experience their ideas. It will give them the opportunity to check their design's validity with greater 3D exploration, understanding and comprehension of spatial volumes. Within a framework of an experimental design research, a series of experiments was conducted to evaluate what had been assumed. The research used teaching, monitoring, explanatory observation and evaluation methods. The results showed that VR can not only enhance spatial perception and improve the design, but also it can affect the design process and make changes in the architectural design way of thinking. It can help designers to incorporate human experience within the design process.
SCOTLAND'S APPROACH TO PARTICIPATORY PLANNING: CHARACTERISING THE CHARRETTE
Authors: Kennedy Ainslie 
Published: November 2017

Since 2010 the ‘charrette’ has been promoted by the Scottish Government as an effective approach to community and stakeholder involvement in participatory design; yet, there has been little opportunity to formally reflect on the mainstreaming programme that has now delivered sixty charrettes across Scotland. This paper presents a preliminary review of the programme by focusing on charrette commissioning, construction and delivery as detailed in post-completion reports. The purpose is to better understand what constitutes a Scottish charrette. For this study the researcher identified forty-six reports published between 2011 and 2016. A conceptual framework guided report content analysis, which found eight charrette characteristics with sufficient content to derive subcategories. These characteristics and subcategories broadly describe charrette design and implementation. To conclude, this analysis is used to develop a charrette-descriptor table, which provides a preliminary means to distinguish between different charrette-approaches found in Scotland.
PLURALITY AND DIVERSITY IN ARCHITECTURAL AND URBAN RESEARCH
Authors: Salama Ashraf M. 
Published: November 2017

Demonstrating the essence of the journal as a truly international platform that covers issues of interest and concern to the global academic and professional community, this issue of Archnet-IJAR, volume 11, issue # 2, July 2017 includes various topics that manifest plurality and diversity as inherent qualities of architectural and urban research published in the journal. Topics include architectural education and design studio teaching, urban and rural slums, heritage and historic environments in various contexts, participatory planning and the charrette process, assessment of public spaces and plazas, and human perception of the built environment. These topics are debated and analytically discussed within cities, settlements, and urban environments in Bahrain, Bangladesh, California-USA, Libya, Scotland, and Spain. The issue also includes three papers selected from the Fifth Architectural Jordanian International Conference – 1-3 November 2016, which uniquely speak to the context of Jordan and the wider Middle East. The edition ends with a book review that highlights emerging issues related to border landscapes and social ecologies.
The Effect of Physical and Environmental Factors of a “Child Development Center” on a Center’s Selection
Authors: GUR ELMIRA AYSE 
Published: November 2017

The role of education is a key factor for an individual’s development. After the 1980s the findings of educational research has shown that preschool age is a very important period in one’s development. The single parent family structure and an increase in the number of working mothers have required children to attend schools in “child development centers” (CDC). Preschool education is becoming important in the new millennium because a child’s personality, emotions, cognitive and social abilities develop during the first five years. The purpose of this study is to investigate the reasons for selecting CDCs by parents and children by focusing on physical and environmental factors. The sample was a diverse group of 95 parents and instructors who use CDCs at two different locations in Turkey. The instrument used in the study was a self-designed standardized questionnaire. The results should enlighten later CDC design studies, and give support for architects who design preschool education centers. The study may be used for educational, governmental and advertising purposes to contribute to changing the negative situation of poorly designed centers.
Traditional Values and their Adaptation in Social Housing Design: Towards a New Typology and Establishment of ‘Air House’ Standard in Malaysia
Authors: Mohd Sahabuddin Mohd Firrdhaus , Longo Cristina Gonzalez 
Published: November 2017

Large migration from rural areas to urban areas like Kuala Lumpur has led to some implications for economic, social and cultural development. This high population has placed enormous demand on the existing housing stocks, especially for low-income groups. However, some issues arise, one of which is overheated indoor air temperature. This problem contributes to the high-energy usage that forces huge sums of money to be spent on cooling the house by using mechanical equipment. Therefore, this study focuses on thermal comfort in social housing, and incorporates traditional values into its design to achieve a certain measurement of natural ventilation in a house. From the study, the carbon emission and energy consumption for an air-conditioned house is 67%, 66% higher than a naturally ventilated house. Therefore, this research has come up with a new typology design, which has a large exposed wall area and full-length openings on the opposite walls to increase cross ventilation. At the end of this research, the measurement of thermal comfort for a naturally ventilated building called ‘Air House’ has been identified.
Housing Flexibility by Spatial Indeterminacy: The Case of the Casa de las Flores in Madrid
Authors: Soler Montellano Agatangelo 
Published: November 2017

The indeterminacy of the domestic space is one of the main trends in flexible housing design. It involves the possibility of using the rooms in a dwelling in multiple ways that are not determined by the architect. The views of non-functionalist housing are more present lately, but still forbidden in the Spanish social housing market, where regulations stipulate a strict functionalist housing plan. However, there is a good example of this strategy in Madrid: the Casa de las Flores, a rationalist building from 1931 with a neutral plan of polyvalent rooms. This study comprises a series of interviews with the users, photographs, diagrams and new drawings that show how people use their apartments. The aim of this research is to assess the validity of indeterminacy as an architectural response to social changes in Spain, with a view to its introduction in future housing developments.
Editorial: Advancing the Debate on Architecture, Planning, and Built Environment Research
Authors: Salama Ashraf M. 
Published: November 2017

With an acceptance rate that does not exceed 25% of the total papers and articles submitted to the journal, IJAR – International Journal of Architectural Research is moving forward to position itself among the leading journals in architecture and urban studies worldwide. As this is the case since the beginning of volume 5, issue 1, March 2011, one must note that the journal has been covered by several data and index bases since its inception including Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals, EBSCO-Current Abstracts-Art and Architecture, INTUTE, Directory of Open Access Journals, Pro-Quest, Scopus-Elsevier and many university library databases across the globe. This is coupled with IJAR being an integral part of the archives and a featured collection of ArchNet and the Aga Khan Documentation Centre at MIT: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA.In 2014, IJAR was included in Quartile 2 / Q2 list of Journals both in ‘Architecture’ and ‘Urban Studies.’ As of May 2015, IJAR is ranked 23 out of 83 journals in ‘Architecture’ and 59 out of 119 in ‘Urban Studies.’ Rankings are based on the SJR (SCImago Journal Ranking); an Elsevier- SCOPUS indicator that measures the scientific influence of the average article in a journal. SJR is a measure of scientific influence of scholarly journals that accounts for both the number of citations received by a journal and the importance or prestige of the journals where such citations come from. See here for more information (http://www.scimagojr.com/index.php) and (http://www.journalmetrics.com/sjr.php). While the journal is now on top of many of the distinguished journals in Elsevier- SCOPUS database, we will keep aspiring to sustain our position and move forward to Q1 group list and eventually in the top 10 journal list in the field. However, this requires sustained efforts and conscious endeavours that give attention to quality submissions through a rigorous review process. This edition of IJAR: volume 9, issue 2, July 2015 includes debates on a wide spectrum of issues, explorations and investigations in various settings. The issue encompasses sixteen papers addressing cities, settlements, and projects in Europe, South East Asia, and the Middle East. Papers involve international collaborations evidenced by joint contributions and come from scholars in universities, academic institutions, and practices in Belgium; Egypt; Greece; Italy; Jordan; Malaysia; Palestine; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; Serbia; Spain; Turkey; and the United Kingdom. In this editorial I briefly outline the key issues presented in these papers, which include topics relevant to social housing, multigenerational dwelling, practice-based research, sustainable design and biomimetic models, learning environments and learning styles, realism and the post modern condition, development and planning, urban identity, contemporary landscapes, and cultural values and traditions.
Design Creativity: Future Directions for Integrated Visualisation
Authors: Goulding Jack Steven , Pour Rahimian Farzad 
Published: November 2017

The Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) sectors are facing unprecedented challenges, not just with increased complexity of projects per se, but design-related integration. This requires stakeholders to radically re-think their existing business models (and thinking that underpins them), but also the technological challenges and skills required to deliver these projects. Whilst opponents will no doubt cite that this is nothing new as the sector as a whole has always had to respond to change; the counter to this is that design ‘creativity’ is now much more dependent on integration from day one. Given this, collaborative processes embedded in Building Information Modelling (BIM) models have been proffered as a panacea solution to embrace this change and deliver streamlined integration. The veracity of design teams’ “project data” is increasingly becoming paramount - not only for the coordination of design, processes, engineering services, fabrication, construction, and maintenance; but more importantly, facilitate ‘true’ project integration and interchange – the actualisation of which will require firm consensus and commitment. This Special Issue envisions some of these issues, challenges and opportunities (from a future landscape perspective), by highlighting a raft of concomitant factors, which include: technological challenges, design visualisation and integration, future digital tools, new and anticipated operating environments, and training requirements needed to deliver these aspirations. A fundamental part of this Special Issue’s ‘call’ was to capture best practice in order to demonstrate how design, visualisation and delivery processes (and technologies) affect the finished product viz: design outcome, design procedures, production methodologies and construction implementation. In this respect, the use of virtual environments are now particularly effective at supporting the design and delivery processes. In summary therefore, this Special Issue presents nine papers from leading scholars, industry and contemporaries. These papers provide an eclectic (but cognate) representation of AEC design visualisation and integration; which not only uncovers new insight and understanding of these challenges and solutions, but also provides new theoretical and practice signposts for future research.
Megastore: structured storage for Big Data
Authors: Moscoso Zea Oswaldo 
Published: November 2017

Megastore es uno de los componentes principales de la infraestructura de datos de Google, elcual ha permitido el procesamiento y almacenamiento de grandes volúmenes de datos (BigData) con alta escalabilidad, confiabilidad y seguridad. Las compañías e individuos que usanestá tecnología se están beneficiando al mismo tiempo de un servicio estable y de altadisponibilidad. En este artículo se realiza un análisis de la infraestructura de datos de Google,comenzando por una revisión de los componentes principales que se han implementado en losúltimos años hasta la creación de Megastore. Se presenta también un análisis de los aspectostécnicos más importantes que se han implementado en este sistema de almacenamiento y que le han permitido cumplir con los objetivos para los que fue creado.Abstract:Megastore is one of the building blocks of Google’s data infrastructure. It has allowed storingand processing operations of huge volumes of data (Big Data) with high scalability, reliabilityand security. Companies and individuals using this technology benefit from a highly availableand stable service. In this paper an analysis of Google’s data infrastructure is made, startingwith a review of the core components that have been developed in recent years until theimplementation of Megastore. An analysis is also made of the most important
La Primera Crisis Financiera del Siglo XXI
Authors: Salgado Defranc José 
Published: November 2017

Este ensayo realiza una descripción cronológica de la crisis financiera que inició en 2008 en Estados Unidos, analizando las causas de este evento que creó un efecto dominó en la economía mundial. A través de una investigación bibliográfica profunda, se analizan diferentes materiales publicados sobre este tema para poder entender cómo la crisis sobrepasó las fronteras de los Estados Unidos y cuál fue el costo del rescate económico que pretendía inyectar dinero en las empresas quebradas para salvar la economía norteamericana. Al final, este ensayo pretende resolver las preguntas de cuál será el futuro del dólar en los siguientes años y cómo se verá afectada la economía mundial bajo los nuevos planteamientos de política económica de Estados Unidos.
Schwann cells and mesenchymal stem cells in laminin- or fibronectin-aligned matrices and regeneration across a critical size defect of 15 mm in the rat sciatic nerve
Authors: Gonzalez-Perez Francisco , Hernández Joaquim , Heimann Claudia , Phillips James B. , Udina Esther , Navarro Xavier 
Published: November 2017

OBJECTIVEArtificial nerve guides are being developed to substitute for autograft repair after peripheral nerve injuries. However, the use of conduits is limited by the length of the gap that needs to be bridged, with the success of regeneration highly compromised in long gaps. Addition of aligned proregenerative cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) components inside the conduit can be a good strategy to achieve artificial grafts that recreate the natural environment offered by a nerve graft. The purpose of this study was to functionalize chitosan devices with different cell types to support regeneration in limiting gaps in the rat peripheral nerve.METHODSThe authors used chitosan devices combined with proteins of the ECM and cells in a rat model of sciatic nerve injury. Combinations of fibronectin and laminin with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) or Schwann cells (SCs) were aligned within tethered collagen-based gels, which were placed inside chitosan tubes that were then used to repair a critical-size gap of 15 mm in the rat sciatic nerve. Electrophysiology and algesimetry tests were performed to analyze functional recovery during the 4 months after injury and repair. Histological analysis was performed at the midlevel and distal level of the tubes to assess the number of regenerated myelinated fibers.RESULTSFunctional analysis demonstrated that SC-aligned scaffolds resulted in 100% regeneration success in a 15-mm nerve defect in this rat model. In contrast, animals that underwent repair with MSC-aligned constructs had only 90% regeneration success, and those implanted with acellular bridges had only 75% regeneration success.CONCLUSIONSThese results indicate that the combination of chitosan conduits with ECM-enriched cellular gels represents a good alternative to the use of autografts for repairing long nerve gaps.
Cortical bone trajectory screw fixation versus traditional pedicle screw fixation for 2-level posterior lumbar interbody fusion: comparison of surgical outcomes for 2-level degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis
Authors: Sakaura Hironobu , Miwa Toshitada , Yamashita Tomoya , Kuroda Yusuke , Ohwada Tetsuo 
Published: November 2017

OBJECTIVEThe cortical bone trajectory (CBT) screw technique is a new nontraditional pedicle screw (PS) insertion method. However, the biomechanical behavior of multilevel CBT screw/rod fixation remains unclear, and surgical outcomes in patients after 2-level posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) using CBT screw fixation have not been reported. Thus, the purposes of this study were to examine the clinical and radiological outcomes after 2-level PLIF using CBT screw fixation for 2-level degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (DS) and to compare these outcomes with those after 2-level PLIF using traditional PS fixation.METHODSThe study included 22 consecutively treated patients who underwent 2-level PLIF with CBT screw fixation for 2-level DS (CBT group, mean follow-up 39 months) and a historical control group of 20 consecutively treated patients who underwent 2-level PLIF using traditional PS fixation for 2-level DS (PS group, mean follow-up 35 months). Clinical symptoms were evaluated using the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scoring system. Bony union was assessed by dynamic plain radiographs and CT images. Surgery-related complications, including symptomatic adjacent-segment disease (ASD), were examined.RESULTSThe mean operative duration and intraoperative blood loss were 192 minutes and 495 ml in the CBT group and 218 minutes and 612 ml in the PS group, respectively (p < 0.05 and p > 0.05, respectively). The mean JOA score improved significantly from 12.3 points before surgery to 21.1 points (mean recovery rate 54.4%) at the latest follow-up in the CBT group and from 12.8 points before surgery to 20.4 points (mean recovery rate 51.8%) at the latest follow-up in the PS group (p > 0.05). Solid bony union was achieved at 90.9% of segments in the CBT group and 95.0% of segments in the PS group (p > 0.05). Symptomatic ASD developed in 2 patients in the CBT group (9.1%) and 4 patients in the PS group (20.0%, p > 0.05).CONCLUSIONSTwo-level PLIF with CBT screw fixation for 2-level DS could be less invasive and result in improvement of clinical symptoms equal to those of 2-level PLIF using traditional PS fixation. The incidence of symptomatic ASD and the rate of bony union were lower in the CBT group than in the PS group, although these differences were not significant.
The surgical treatment of metastatic spine tumors within the intramedullary compartment
Authors: Strickland Ben A. , McCutcheon Ian E. , Chakrabarti Indro , Rhines Laurence D. , Weinberg Jeffrey S. 
Published: November 2017

OBJECTIVEMetastasis to the spinal cord is rare, and optimal management of this disease is unclear. The authors investigated this issue by analyzing the results of surgical treatment of spinal intramedullary metastasis (IM) at a major cancer center.METHODSThe authors retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 13 patients who underwent surgery for IM. Patients had renal cell carcinoma (n = 4), breast carcinoma (n = 3), melanoma (n = 2), non–small cell lung cancer (n = 1), sarcoma (n = 1), adenoid cystic carcinoma (n = 1), and cervical cancer (n = 1). Cerebrospinal fluid was collected before surgery in 11 patients, and was negative for malignant cells, as was MRI of the neuraxis. Eleven patients presented with neurological function equivalent to Frankel Grade D.RESULTSRadiographic gross-total resection was achieved in 9 patients, and tumor eventually recurred locally in 3 of those 9 (33%). Leptomeningeal disease was diagnosed in 4 patients after surgery. In the immediate postoperative period, neurological function in 6 patients deteriorated to Frankel Grade C. At 2 months, only 2 patients remained at Grade C, 8 were at Grade D, and 1 had improved to Grade E. One patient developed postoperative hematoma resulting in Frankel Grade A. Radiotherapy was delivered in 8 patients postoperatively. The median survival after spine surgery was 6.5 months. Three patients are still living.CONCLUSIONSSurgery was performed as a last option to preserve neurological function in patients with IM. In most patients, neurological function returned during the immediate postoperative period and was preserved for the patients’ remaining lifetime. The data suggest that surgery can be effective in preventing further decline in selected patients with progressive neurological deficit.