Building capacity in the parliaments of Jordan and Morocco : an institutional approach

This thesis examines the parliaments of Jordan and Morocco within an institutional approach. Previous studies of the Middle East and North Africa [MENA] parliaments tended to identify some trends, but most were concerned with the governments’ behaviour rather than examining the extent to which these institutions were working and what their capacity was. This thesis takes an institutional approach as the context for assessing the role of these parliaments, considering in particular their committees and administrative systems. The study emphasizes capacity building to complement the institutional approach adopted. Taking an institutional approach and considering capacity building in the two parliaments the dynamics of environmental factors, the constraints on committees, and administrative capabilities are examined. With this approach, it is possible to identify factors that shaped the current work of the two parliaments ranging from the environment, regulations, political system, and the economic and social identities that may influence the way these parliaments operate. This approach also reveals some of the strengths and weaknesses of the parliamentary practices and the administrative supporting services undertaken, including an explanation of how these parliaments are operating under their respective governing systems. This research offers an empirical study of the chosen parliaments by acknowledging the current levels of capacity and trying to contextualise their identities and capabilities. The findings demonstrate that the institutional approach and capacity building in the two parliaments is highly influenced by a variety of arrangements of legislatures along with the environmental factors affecting the two parliaments’ way of work. This research contributes to institutional and capacity building studies, particularly on the development of parliamentary institutions in the MENA region. This approach recommends the need to undertake further case studies involving other parliaments in the MENA region particularly those accommodating the political transformation towards a new era of vibrant new democracies, not only by rearranging institutional structures, practices and support, but also through cognitive, discursive, and social participation in the two countries’ most prominent institutions – their parliaments.

Occurrence of Anopheles (Anopheles) neomaculipalpus Curry in north-western Argentina

Agencia Nacional de Promocion Cientifica y Tecnologica (FONCyT)

Transport of North African dust from the Bod,l, depression to the Amazon Basin: a case study

Through long-range transport of dust, the North-African desert supplies essential minerals to the Amazon rain forest. Since North African dust reaches South America mostly during the Northern Hemisphere winter, the dust sources active during winter are the main contributors to the forest. Given that the Bod,l, depression area in southwestern Chad is the main winter dust source, a close link is expected between the Bod,l, emission patterns and volumes and the mineral supply flux to the Amazon. Until now, the particular link between the Bod,l, and the Amazon forest was based on sparse satellite measurements and modeling studies. In this study, we combine a detailed analysis of space-borne and ground data with reanalysis model data and surface measurements taken in the central Amazon during the Amazonian Aerosol Characterization Experiment (AMAZE-08) in order to explore the validity and the nature of the proposed link between the Bod,l, depression and the Amazon forest. This case study follows the dust events of 11-16 and 18-27 February 2008, from the emission in the Bod,l, over West Africa (most likely with contribution from other dust sources in the region) the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, to the observed effects above the Amazon canopy about 10 days after the emission. The dust was lifted by surface winds stronger than 14 m s(-1), usually starting early in the morning. The lofted dust, mixed with biomass burning aerosols over Nigeria, was transported over the Atlantic Ocean, and arrived over the South American continent. The top of the aerosol layer reached above 3 km, and the bottom merged with the boundary layer. The arrival of the dusty air parcel over the Amazon forest increased the average concentration of aerosol crustal elements by an order of magnitude.

JORDAN BIMODULES OVER THE SUPERALGEBRAS P(n) AND Q(n)

We extend the Jacobson's Coordinatization theorem to Jordan superalgebras. Using it we classify Jordan bimodules over superalgebras of types Q(n) and JP(n), n >= 3. Then we use the Tits-Kantor-Koecher construction and representation theory of Lie superalgebras to treat the remaining case Q(2).

Monocoryne colonialis sp nov., a colonial candelabrid hydroid (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa: Candelabridae) from the North Pacific

Monocoryne colonialis sp. nov. is described from the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. The new species is unusual among candelabrid hydroids in having a colonial growth form, differing from its congeners in the shape and size of hydranths, in having stolons that anastomose, and by having tentacles not fused or only partly fused into bract-like structures.

Industrial apiculture in the Jordan valley during Biblical times with Anatolian honeybees

Although texts and wall paintings suggest that bees were kept in the Ancient Near East for the production of precious wax and honey, archaeological evidence for beekeeping has never been found. The Biblical term ""honey"" commonly was interpreted as the sweet product of fruits, such as dates and figs. The recent discovery of unfired clay cylinders similar to traditional hives still used in the Near East at the site of Tel Rehov in the Jordan valley in northern Israel suggests that a large-scale apiary was located inside the town, dating to the 10th-early 9th centuries B.C.E. This paper reports the discovery of remains of honeybee workers, drones, pupae, and larvae inside these hives. The exceptional preservation of these remains provides unequivocal identification of the clay cylinders as the most ancient beehives yet found. Morphometric analyses indicate that these bees differ from the local subspecies Apis mellifera syriaca and from all subspecies other than A. m. anatoliaca, which presently resides in parts of Turkey. This finding suggests either that the Western honeybee subspecies distribution has undergone rapid change during the last 3,000 years or that the ancient inhabitants of Tel Rehov imported bees superior to the local bees in terms of their milder temper and improved honey yield.

Evaluation of pharmacotherapy on elderly residents of nursing homes in the north-east of Brazil

Data related to medication order and the use of medications was collected from 94 elderly medical records of two nursing homes of Aracaju (SE), The mean age was 83.2 (SD = 10.1), with most belonging to the females (63.8%). The prevalence of the use of drugs was 87.2% and the average of medicines consumed was equal to 2.7 (SD = 1.8), mainly with action in the cardiovascular and nervous systems. In this Study, the elderly population studied presented polypharmacy (18.1%), inappropriate use of drugs (28.7%) and double therapy (11.7%). Data showed the need for improvement and evaluation of the quality of pharmacotherapy to promote rational drug use in the elderly population.

North-West elevation, C House, Cooparoo, Brisbane

Entry stair in foreground.