Portail HAL confremo Archives ouvertes du Moyen-Orient
Not a member yet
3450 research outputs found
Sort by
Transition towards sustainability in a post-conflict country: a neo-institutional perspective on the Lebanese case
No full textInternational audienceIn this paper, we aim to understand how transition towards sustainability processes might arise and develop in a post-conflict country. We analyse the case of the development of renewable energy in Lebanon to understand how green initiatives might emerge, without a prior master plan in a country that was torn by war. We focus on the structured action being developed in cooperation with the UNDP to enable Lebanon to fulfil its international commitment of achieving a 12% target of renewable energy in its energy mix by 2020. The process began in 2010 with the installation of photovoltaic systems in the capital Beirut. This initiative has led to the creation of what appears to be today a viable business ecosystem which makes the 12% a target that seems within reach. We analyse this “success” using a sociotechnical approach with a neo-institutional perspective. We show that the support of international agencies in post-conflict reconstruction modifies radically the dynamic evolution of sociotechnical regimes and links the transition context to the different phases leading to the institutionalization of a new technology. Finally, we propose a framework based on a critical interpretation of the multi-level perspective for the sustainability transition process in post-conflict countries
Language of written medical educational materials for non-English speaking populations: an evaluation of a simplified bi-lingual approach
No full textInternational audienceBACKGROUND : Debates have arisen in various non-English speaking countries over the chosen language of instruction in medical education, whether it has to be the English language or the mother tongue. English-based education supporters argue that English is the leading international language of medicine and research, and a crucial tool for Continuing Medical Education (CME), as well as for students who seek practice abroad. On the other hand, mother-tongue-based medical education supporters present it as a way to endorse communication and comprehension between medical practitioners and health care system users, to bridge the gap between practitioners and the paramedical staff, and to overcome linguistic dualism and the language thinking disparity while studying in another. This study aimed to evaluate one of the simplified bi-lingual approaches in terms of medical-educational-written texts for a non-English speaking population: Arabic speaking medical students in specific.METHODS : 1546 Arabic-speaking-medical students from different countries participated in a one-step-interactive-experimental-online test. The test assessed participants' scientific comprehension of three distinct written paragraphs: The first paragraph used conventional mother tongue (Arabic), the second combined English terminology and simplified mother tongue (hybrid), and the third used an English excerpt (English). Two multiple-choice questions (First question in Arabic, second in English) followed each paragraph. Response time was communicated for each paragraph. Participants were asked to select their favorable method. Repeated Measures ANOVA models and Paired Samples t-Test were used for statistical analysis.RESULTS : Participants scored a mean of [0.10] for the Arabic paragraph, [0.72] for the hybrid paragraph, and [0.24] for the English paragraph (P < 0.001). Results showed a significantly higher mean of points and correct answers within the fastest time for the hybrid paragraph [0.68] compared to the Arabic [0.08] and English [0.18] paragraphs (P < 0.001). Moreover, 50% of participants preferred the hybrid paragraph over the other two paragraphs.CONCLUSIONS : Taking into consideration the large number of participants and the statistically significant results, authors propose that simplified Arabic combined with English terminology may present a viable alternative method for medical-educational-written texts in Arabic-speaking population
Dynamique spatio-temporelle de l'occupation du sol de la forêt classée de Ouénou-Bénou au Nord Bénin
No full textInternational audienceL’anthropisation des écosystèmes forestiers est devenue un problème environnemental majeur qui impacte la biodiversité dans le monde. Répondre à une telle problématique nécessite le suivi de l’utilisation des terres. Au Bénin, les forêts classées et principalement celle de Ouénou-Bénou subissent de très fortes pressions anthropiques marquées par une surexploitation des ressources naturelles. Ainsi, cette étude vise à analyser la dynamique spatio-temporelle afin de rendre plus efficace la gestion de cet écosystème. Pour cela, l’étude diachronique à partir des images satellitaires Landsat TM des années 1990 et SPOT des années 2000 et 2014 a été utilisée. Les résultats ont révélé que les formations naturelles ont régressé au profit des mosaïques champs et jachères. Les savanes arborées ont été les plus vulnérables aux changements alors que les plantations fruitières et les mosaïques champs et jachères sont vulnérables à l’expansion. Entre 1990 et 2000 le taux annuel de déforestation est estimé à 1,7% dans cette forêt classée. Alors que dans la période de 2000 à 2014, le taux annuel de déforestation est de 0,9%. Durant ces périodes le taux de reconstitution a été faible. Les différents changements observés résultent d’une forte exploitation des ressources caractérisées par l’expansion des terres agricoles et l’exploitation forestière. La prise en compte de ces facteurs et la planification participative de l’utilisation des terres, constituerait un moyen pour rendre efficace la gestion durable de ce massif forestier
Method and apparatus for user distribution to sub-bands in multiple access communications systems
No full textDemandeurs : Institut Mines Télécom, Université Libanaise, Université Saint Esprit de KaslikDate de dépôt : 28/03/2018 N° de dépôt : EP20180305352A mechanism is presented for attributing users to one or more of a plurality of sub-bands in a multiple access communications system, in which in an initial assignment phase, a first user is selected for a sub band, for example on the basis of a user priority. Users having complementary channel gains to that of the first user are identified, and then a second sub-band user maximizing a performance metric reflecting the achieved throughput, and/or fairness across users, is selected to accompany the first user on that sub-band. The initial assignment phase may terminate once all users have been assigned to a sub-band once. After the first phase is complete, the first user for each sub-band may be the user whose achieved total throughput is furthest from a target throughput defined for that user, wherein each user is assigned to the remaining sub-band to which no first user is currently attributed offering the highest channel gain for that user. Mechanisms for determining user priority, making provisional and definitive power allocations, and performance metrics are proposed
Analytical and numerical investigation using limit analysis on the ductile failure of pipes containing surface cracks
No full textInternational audienceUsing cracked pipes design standards and finite element analysis, the limit load analysis for pipes containing surface cracks was determined. The study was performed on five pipes of different diameters with a constant crack length and depth. The crack geometry is a semi-elliptical surface crack. The cracked pipes are subjected to internal pressures which are obtained from formulas of cracked pipes design standards. Due to the ductile behavior of polyethylene pipes, the failure occurs when the critical stress reaches a value equal to the ultimate tensile strength multiplied by a constraint factor. In this work, the constraint factor was calculated and its evolution with the pipe diameter was analyzed. Three different definitions of a constraint factor based on global or local approaches were also compared, so that a new failure criterion can be obtained. The new failure criterion makes the prediction of the pipe residual life possible which, in turn, facilitates a systematic approach to maintenance and replacement of pipes
Bioaccessibility and radioisotopes of lead in soils around a fertilizer industry in Lebanon
No full textInternational audienceThe use of phosphate ore by fertilizer industries is considered a major source of soil contamination by trace metals and radionuclides. Despite its low mobility and bioavailability, lead (Pb) is among soil contaminants that pose a serious risk to human health. This study evaluates the potential impact of a fertilizer factory in North Lebanon on the total content of Pb and the activity concentration of its radioisotopes in residential, non-agricultural lands around the industry, as well as its mobility and bioaccessibility in soil samples collected at different depths. Chemical extractions by EDTA and in vitro physiologically based extraction test were used to estimate, respectively, the available and bioaccessible fractions of Pb in soils. Radioisotopes 214Pb, 212Pb and 210Pb have been analyzed by gamma spectrometry. Different physicochemical soil parameters, such as pH, carbonate content, electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity, clay, total nitrogen and redox potential, were studied. The pseudo-total Pb varied between 12.8 and 68.5 mg kg−1, while the extractable fractions were more variable, between 12 and 72% of total Pb concentration for the EDTA extracted fraction and up to 28.5% for the bioaccessible fractions. The processing of the data shows the decreases with depth in most sites of the total and available Pb and of the activity concentration of 210Pb and their positive correlations with total nitrogen. These variations and relationships with the location of studied sites show the influence of emissions from the factory or the transport of ore and by-products. The correlations between available and bioaccessible Pb on one hand, between available Pb and 210Pb on another hand, raise the question of health risk assessments taking into account the bioaccessibility of Pb and its radioisotopes
Spillover across Eurozone credit market sectors and determinants
No full textInternational audienceWe examine spillover and its determinants among Eurozone sector level credit markets using time and frequency domain spillover approaches. Based on network theory and connectedness analysis, we identify the sectors that are major transmitters and receivers of spillover during normal and crisis periods. The rolling window analysis shows that short-run spillover among credit market sectors intensifies during global and Eurozone crisis periods. Further, using Bayesian model averaging, we find that overall financial conditions and stock market volatility are the main drivers of total and sector-level spillover. Our findings have important implications for policymakers and investors interested in Euro-area credit risk at the sector level
High-frequency monitoring of surface water quality at the outlet of the Ibrahim River (Lebanon): A multivariate assessment
No full textInternational audienceSurface water quality monitoring is essential to evaluate the quality of a water resource. The current studyassesses the quality of the Ibrahim River, one of the main Lebanese rivers, exposed to considerable humanactivities. 285 samples were collected at the outlet of the river, between May 2016 and July 2017, covering onehydrological year. Twenty-three physico-chemical parameters (flow, pH, temperature, electrical conductivity,turbidity, total suspended solids, total dissolved solids, dissolved oxygen, dissolved organic carbon, biochemicaloxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand/biochemical oxygen demand, specificultraviolet absorbance, dissolved cations (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+), total alkalinity, dissolved anions (Cl−, NO3−,NO2−, PO43− and SO42−)) and five microbiological tests were assessed (total germs, total coliforms, fecal coliforms,Escherichia coli and Enterococcus). A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied for data analysis.The first component showed high levels of anthropogenic characteristics mainly due to organic and bacteriologicalparameters, differentiating low and high river discharges (explaining around 35% of the total variance).The second component was mainly influenced by mineral variables showing a clear annual discrimination(explaining about 17% of the total variance). Moreover, this study led to variables reduction fromtwenty-eight to ten. The final shortlisted parameters are Q, pH, EC, NO3−, total coliforms, fecal coliforms, BOD5,K+, TA and Cl−. A new PCA performed with the reduced matrix validated this selection. The water quality index(WQI) was then calculated in this study, using the shortlisted parameters characterizing the basin, excluding theflow since it cannot be considered as a quality indicator. Thus, the water was evaluated as « medium » to « good »with values ranging from 63.1 (August 2016) to 73.1 (November and December 2016) with an average of69.0 ± 1.9. The proposed WQI should be further tested for monitoring practices in the Ibrahim River basin orother similar basins of the region
Bioaccessibility of lead in Dittrichia viscosa plants and risk assessment of human exposure around a fertilizer industry in Lebanon
No full textInternational audienceTotal and bioaccessible lead (Pb) concentrations in "Dittrichia viscosa" and soil samples were considered for estimating the potential health risk, related to both plant intake and accidental soil ingestion by adult and child consumers, near a Lebanese fertilizer plant. A total of 27 plant samples, from 9 uncultivated sites situated around the plant, were analyzed in order to assess the total and bioaccessible Pb content. Physiologically based extraction test (PBET) was used to estimate oral bioaccessibility of Pb in edible plant parts. Washed and unwashed leaves were compared in order to show the importance of good consumer practice on Pb intake. Extracted Pb in the intestinal medium accounted for 24 up to 87% of Pb extracted in the gastric medium. The total hazard quotient (HQtot) and the total bioaccessible hazard quotient (BHQ), related to both plants' intake and soil ingestion, for two maximalist child and adult scenarios, were calculated in order to estimate human health risk assessment. HQtot estimations considering the total concentration of Pb in soil and plant suggest that this metal is a contributor in elevating health risks problems on local plants' consumers, especially children inhabitants. However, the integration of bioaccessible concentrations of Pb in risk estimations reduces remarkably the potential risk
Experimental Measurements and Modeling Study of Liquid–Liquid Equilibrium [(Water + Methyl Oleate + Model Molecules of Tar Issued from the Biomass Gasification Process (Benzene, Toluene, Phenol, Thiophene, and Pyridine)]
No full textInternational audienceBiomass is known as a potential renewable energy source which can be used in the gasification process in order to produce biomethane gas. One of the major challenges encountered is the elimination of the high level of tar found in the syngas issued from the gasification process. The main purpose of this work is to conduct experimental measurements of liquid–liquid equilibria that will be used for tar removal from the biomass gasification process which is the important step before the distribution and the industrialization of the biomethane gas. In the present work, we propose an experimental and modeling study of liquid–liquid equilibrium of ternary systems of water + solvent (methyl oleate) + model molecules of tar (benzene, toluene, phenol, thiophene, and pyridine) at 303.2 K, 323.2 K, and 343.2 K. The experimental results were correlated using the nonrandom two-liquid (NRTL) and UNIQUAC models and are used to feed the industrial needs for thermodynamic modeling