Al-Kafaàt University

About: Al-Kafaàt University is a education organization based out in Beirut, Lebanon. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Slot antenna & Empirical research. The organization has 4 authors who have published 6 publications receiving 40 citations. The organization is also known as: Al-Kafaat University.

Statins Modulate Cyclooxygenase-2 and Microsomal Prostaglandin E Synthase-1 in Human Hepatic Myofibroblasts.

Abstract: Statins have been shown to exert anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrogenic properties in the liver. In the present study, we explored the mechanisms underlying anti-fibrogenic effects of statins in isolated hepatic myofibroblasts and focused on cyclooxyegnase-2, a major anti-proliferative pathway in these cells. We show that simvastatin and fluvastatin inhibit thymidine incorporation in hMF in a dose-dependent manner. Pretreatment of cells with NS398, a COX-2 inhibitor, partially blunted this effect. cAMP levels, essential to the inhibition of hMF proliferation, were increased by statins and inhibited by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Since statins modify prenylation of some important proteins in gene expression, we investigated the targets involved using selective inhibitors of prenyltransferases. Inhibition of geranylgeranylation resulted in the induction of COX-2 and mPGES-1. Using gel retardation assays, we further demonstrated that statins potentially activated the NFκB and CRE/E-box binding for COX-2 promoter and the binding of GC-rich regions and GATA for mPGES-1. Together these data demonstrate that statin limit hepatic myofibroblasts proliferation via a COX-2 and mPGES-1 dependent pathway. These data suggest that statin-dependent increase of prostaglandin in hMF contributes to its anti-fibrogenic effect.

The financial involvement of the Lebanese banking sector in corporate social responsibility

Abstract: With its well adapted management and the guidance of the country's central bank, the Lebanese banks managed to cross over the 2008 financial crisis with an insignificant amount of damage. Due to the social, geographic and political environment, financial firms in this country have applied a special understanding of social responsibility that has demonstrated to be of an extreme significance for the society they serve. We will explain the way the Lebanese banking sector is involved in corporate social responsibility taking into consideration the environment it has managed to evolve in and to earn a kind of resiliency versus the crises. Social and positioning effects managed to statistically prove many widely known influencers to have small manipulations over CSR in Lebanon such as gender diversity, foreign nationals and even non-executive directors. Only the biggest Lebanese financial firms appear to take interest in CSR review publications at the moment.

'Competitive innovation matrix': a framework for open innovation

Abstract: The concept of open innovation encompasses a wide range of external actors that an organisation might need to share and acquire knowledge with. While there is much hype about open innovation, as of yet there is no framework to decide how open innovation might be useful. In our research we cite four theories linked with open innovation. Through the literature analysis, we develop a framework called 'competitive innovation matrix' for using open innovation within project development, at the very start of the process. The framework is to be tested in future empirical research work. We aim to highlight that open innovation, when applied prior to close innovation, would rather shift from being a risk to being an opportunity. In any case, when a firm share its ideas open, it would expect to receive others' ideas as well. Accordingly, we provide an overall framework for employing both open and closed innovation, one that shows how open innovation has clear benefits for sharing problem solving at the initial research phase of the project.

On miniaturization of efficient ultrawideband printed quazi-Yagi antenna array for indoor applications

Abstract: This paper describes the design and analysis of a compact and efficient ultra-wideband unidirectional printed Array antenna for indoor applications. A 12.2´6.3´1 cm array antenna is capable of covering an ultra-wide frequency band starting from LTE up to Wi-MAX with an average gain approaching 5 dBi over the entire bandwidth. In comparison with the already existing antenna systems in the wireless market for similar purposes, the proposed antenna has considerably shown better performance and supplementary compactness which makes it competitive among other antenna models. Simulation results have also shown low cross polarization levels, where the sidelobe level was also minimized by introducing special reflecting element in the designed model. Adopting the proposed antenna in indoor communication systems would surely enhance the quality of signal within the covered area as well as minimize the number of access points needed for a given network.