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Dr. Jamilah Borjac-Natour - PhD Biochemistry

It gives me big pleasure to serve as a guest-editor for the present volume of the BAU Journal of Science and Technology. The journal serves as platform to disseminate national and international scientific research covering different areas in physics, engineering and biological sciences. This volume harbors 10 significant and distinguished research and review papers worth reading.

The first two papers (1093 and 1094) investigate the spectral characteristics of localized surface plasmon resonance of palladium parallelepiped nanoparticles in two different cases, and the optical response of palladium nano-cylinder. These are followed by a biological study (1095) assessing the antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity of Salvia fruticosa Miller cultivated in the Bekaa valley in Lebanon. Next comes a paper that tackles a novel approach segmenting diagnostic images using MCET (1096). Paper 1097 review the raw materials used in the production of geopolymers and studies the fresh and hardened properties of fly ash geopolymer concrete. This is trailed by an interesting study (1098) that serves to eliminate the heavy metal “lead” from the environment using nanoferrite nanoparticles. Then comes a review (1099) that summarizes the different types of concrete cracks and techniques to repair them. Subsequently, a new neurocomputing method (1100) to digitally stimulate the sense of taste via electrical stimulation on the human tongue is evaluated linking between chemical and electrical stimulation. The issue is ended by two studies where paper 1101 examines the morphology and evolution of urban and road networks and their relationship with topography in the Lebanon-Nabatiyeh area using GIS and remote sensing creating successful approaches to urban development and management; while paper 1102 reveals the role of Ceratonia siliqua extract as a natural corrosion inhibitor and described the corrosion behavior of reinforced concrete beams containing municipal incinerated solid waste bottom ash as a partial sand replacement.

All topics of this issue are quite interesting and address both environmental and social issues using both Science and Technology.