• Wind and Structures
• /
• 제15권2호
• /
• pp.87-109
• /
• 2012

A substantial part of South Africa is subject to more than one strong wind source. The effect of that on extreme winds is that higher quantiles are usually estimated with a mixed strong wind climate estimation method, compared to the traditional Gumbel approach based on a single population. The differences in the estimated quantiles between the two methods depend on the values of the Gumbel distribution parameters for the different strong wind mechanisms involved. Cluster analysis of the distribution parameters provides a characterization of the effect of the relative differences in their values, and therefore the dominance of the different strong wind mechanisms. For gusts, cold fronts tend to dominate over the coastal and high-lying areas, while other mechanisms, especially thunderstorms, are dominant over the lower-lying areas in the interior. For the hourly mean wind speeds cold fronts are dominant in the south-west, south and east of the country. On the West Coast the ridging of the Atlantic Ocean high-pressure system dominate in the south, while the presence of a deep trough or coastal low pressure system is the main strong wind mechanism in the north. In the central interior cold fronts tend to share their influence almost equally with other synoptic-scale mechanisms.

• Mycobiology
• /
• 제51권5호
• /
• pp.281-287
• /
• 2023

The symbiotic association between fungus-gardening termites Macrotermes and its fungal symbiont has a moderate degree of specificity-although the symbiotic fungi (Termitomyces) form a monophyletic clade, there is not a one-to-one association between termite species and their fungus-garden associates. Here, we aim to determine the origin and phylogenetic relationships of Termitomyces in Oman. We used sequences of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) and the nuclear large subunit ribosomal RNA (LSU rRNA, 25S) gene and analyzed these with sequences of Termitomyces from other geographic areas. We find no evidence for more than a single colonization of Oman by Termitomyces. Unexpectedly, we find Termitomyces in Oman is most closely related to the symbiont of M. subhyalinus in West Africa rather than to those of geographically closer populations in East Africa.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
• /
• 제22권6호
• /
• pp.536-544
• /
• 2019

Purpose: Proper nutrition is essential for brain development during infancy, contributing to the continued development of cognitive, motor, and socio-emotional skills throughout life. Considering the insufficient published data in the Middle East and North Africa, experts drafted a questionnaire to assess the opinions and knowledge of physicians on the impact of nutrition on brain development and cognition in early life. Methods: The questionnaire consisted of two parts: The first focused on the responders' demographic and professional characteristics and the second questioned the role of nutrition in brain development and cognition. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize respondents' characteristics and their responses to questions. Results: A total of 1,500 questionnaires were distributed; 994 physicians responded. The majority of the surveyed physicians (64.4%) felt that nutrition impacts brain development in early childhood (0-4 years), with almost 90% of physicians agreeing/strongly agreeing that preventing iron, zinc, and iodine deficiency would improve global intelligence quotient. The majority of physicians (83%) agreed that head circumference was the most important measure of brain development. The majority of physicians (68.9%) responded that the period from the last trimester until 18 months postdelivery was crucial for brain growth and neurodevelopment, with 76.8% believing that infants breast-fed by vegan mothers have an increased risk of impaired brain development. Conclusion: The results of this study show that practicing physicians significantly agree that nutrition plays an important role in brain and cognitive development and function in early childhood, particularly during the last trimester until 18 months postdelivery.

• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
• /
• 제21권2호
• /
• pp.181-187
• /
• 2021

The purpose of this study is to examine empirically the short- and long-run determinants of entrepreneurial activity in a sample of 15 the Middle East and North African economies between 2006 and 2018. More specifically, four groups of determinants are considered in the analysis, namely economic, demographic, business environment, and institutional. Given the autoregressive feature of the entrepreneurial activity process, a dynamic panel data model is estimated using the system GMM estimator. Findings reveal that unemployment, trade openness, population density, and economic freedom are the main drivers of new business creation in the short-run, while the cost and number of procedures to start a new business negatively affect entrepreneurship. In the long-run, the same findings hold true. Moreover, education and political stability and the absence of violence/terrorism positively affect entrepreneurial activity. Policy recommendations are accordingly designed.

• 한국지역지리학회지
• /
• 제22권4호
• /
• pp.745-760
• /
• 2016

지명은 특정 물리적 공간을 나타낼 뿐만 아니라, 사회적이고 정치적인 권력 관계를 표상하고 있다. 특히 동해는 우리나라 영역을 나타내는 대표적인 지명일 뿐만 아니라, 해외에서는 일본해와 경쟁관계에 있는 지명이다. 우리나라는 국제사회에서 동해 지명 확산을 위해 다방면으로 노력하고 있으며, 점차 그 권력을 확대하고 있다. 본 연구는 프랑스를 제외한 주요 불어권 국가의 방송사 신문사의 실제 기사와 방송 내용 분석을 통해 동해 관련 표기 명칭의 현 상황을 도출하고, 프랑스에서 생산된 표기 명칭이 불어권 각 국가로 확산되는 과정과 영향력을 지명의 권력 관계 측면에서 밝히고자 하였다. 불어권 국가 중 북아프리카의 알제리, 서유럽의 벨기에, 룩셈부르크, 캐나다 퀘벡을 주요 연구 지역으로 선정하였다. 연구 결과, 북아프리카 알제리와 룩셈부르크 언론 매체는 동해 표기에 비호의적인 경향을 보인 반면, 벨기에와 퀘벡은 비교적 호의적이었다. 대체로 불어권 국가들은 프랑스의 AFP 통신으로부터 보도 자료를 제공 받고 있었는데, 동일한 기사라 하더라도 각 국가나 언론사에 따라 일본해 단독 표기를 고수하려는 매체가 있기도 하고, 경우에 따라 동해를 병기 표기하려는 의지를 보이는 곳도 있었다. 이를 통해 지명 확산과 전파의 사회적 정치적 이해 관계와 지명에서 나타난 권력관계, 대중적 지정학의 중요성을 강조하고자 하였다.

• 시큐리티연구
• /
• 제39호
• /
• pp.131-160
• /
• 2014

이 연구는 디아스포라의 지원과 이와 관련된 요인들이 테러집단의 폭력적 활동에 어떠한 영향을 미치는 가를 경험적으로 분석하였다. 특히, 이 연구는 중동과 아프리카지역의 테러단체에 대한 정보를 담고 있는 Minority at Risk 프로젝트의 MAROB(the Minorities at Risk Organizational Behavior) 데이터를 사용하여 테러활동에 대한 연구가 적었던 중동과 아프리카 지역의 폭력적 테러활동에 대한 경험적 분석을 수행하였다. 분석을 위해서는 단계적 회귀분석연구방법이 적용되었다. 연구결과 디아스포라의 지원이 테러집단의 폭력적 활동에 중대한 영향을 미치고 있다는 것을 확인하였고, 그 외의 테러집단의 폭력적 활동에 영향을 미치는 요인들이 디아스포라와 테러활동 간의 관계에 복잡한 형태로 서로영향을 미치는 상호적 관계를 가지고 있다는 것을 암시하는 결과를 발견하였다. 이러한 결과는 테러활동은 매우 복잡하고 다양한 관계들의 영향아래서 발생하고 있는 정치적, 심리적, 그리고 사회문화적인 문제라는 것을 확인하여주었다. 또한 동시에 근래에 심각한 문제로 떠오른 디아스포라의 급진화를 예방하기 위해서 다양한 측면의 정책적 고려가 필요한 것과 관련 연구가 필요하다는 것을 제안하고 있다.

• East Asian mathematical journal
• /
• 제24권4호
• /
• pp.377-387
• /
• 2008

We consider associative ring R (not necessarily commutative). In this paper the concepts: zero square ring of type-1/type-2, zero square ideal of type-1/type-2, zero square dimension of a ring R were introduced and obtained several important results. Finally, some relations between the zero square dimension of the direct sum of finite number of rings; and the sum of the zero square dimension of individual rings; were obtained. Necessary examples were provided.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제15권5호
• /
• pp.1891-1894
• /
• 2014

In February 6-7th, the Thai National Cancer Institute, the International Agency for Research on Cancer and its Mumbai Hub for Cancer Registration, together with the International Association of Cancer Registries and the APOCP/APJCP, jointly organized an Asian cancer registry forum to discuss regional cooperation for cancer registration. Held in the Grande Mercure Fortune Hotel, Bangkok, the meeting brought together leading scientists in cancer registration from South-East and North-East Asia as well as Australia, India and Iran and IARC itself, with coverage of various priorities and challenges of cancer registries regarding cancer control policy, operational parameters, assessment of survival and contributions to screening, for example. The current situation was highlighted and future directions and possible expansion of activities were discussed, with especial attention to the necessity for networks to help improve cancer registration across Asia and Africa.

• 영미문화
• /
• 제18권3호
• /
• pp.1-29
• /
• 2018

Nadine Gordimer's The Pickup, published in 2001, well shows how the social issues have been changed in a way to reflect the South African society which is more complicated in the post-apartheid era. Examining the two different geographical territories between Johannesburg, South Africa and an unnamed nation in Middle East, putting aside the domestic racism between white and black, she extends her issue of racial other to global one with new rising issue of immigration in South African society. It seems that Gordimer's such issue is well represented by two main characters: Julie Summers who comes from a wealthy family and falls in love with Abdu, an illegal immigrant who was born from a poor country in Middle East and is now working at a garage in a downtown of Johannesburg with hiding his real name Ibrahim ibn Musa. Having an official relationship with Ibrahim and joining the regular meeting at the El-Ay (L.A.) Cafe where all participants can enjoy the freedom of expression/speech except for Abdu, she begins to have interest in his silence and his presence, orientalized as the Arab Prince for her imagination. Arriving at Abdu 's nation later, she also keeps projecting the 'less civilized' images to his nation where there are only desert, uneducated people, and dirty houses and streets. In doing so, Gordimer leads reader to a never-ending issue of Orientalism in the Western literature. Moreover, the writer attempts to create a female-centered community at the male-centered Islam community by marginalizing the presence of Abdu who finally leaves to America alone. As Julie is successfully acculturated to the unknown Abdu's community, she begins to place herself at the center of the community and plays a role as a mediator/communicator who can change/civilize it with her western knowledge of language and culture. By replacing the male-centered with the female-centered through Julie, Gordimer seems to be creating an idealized community with the notion of matriarchy. However, Gordimer places Abdu as an unstable subject who has to endlessly move back and forth for his undetermined national and cultural identity while Julie achieves the determined identity in both nations.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제16권6호
• /
• pp.2119-2128
• /
• 2015

Cancer is the leading cause of death around the world. Anticancer activities from many functional food sources have been reported in years, but correlation between cancer prevalence and types of food with anticancer activities from crop origin center in the world as well as food source with human migration are unclear. Hunger from food shortage is the cause of early human evolution from Africa to Asia and later into Eurasia. The richest functional foods are found in crop origin centers, housing about 70% in the world populations. Crop origin centers have lower cancer incidence and mortality in the world, especially Central Asia, Middle East, Southwest China, India and Ethiopia. Asia and Africa with the richest anticancer crops is not only the most important evolution base of humans and origin center of anticancer functional crop, but also is the lowest mortality and incidence of cancers in the world. Cancer prevention of early human migrations was associated with functional foods from crop origin centers, especially Asia with four centers and one subcenter of crop origin, accounting for 58% of the world population. These results reveal that coevolution between human's anticancer activities associated with functional foods for crop origin centers, especially in Asia and Africa.